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Chicago Cubs are eliminated from playoff contention on the penultimate day of the season: ‘We didn’t win enough ballgames’

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:16:39 GMT

As the Chicago Cubs prepared to hit entering the top of the eighth inning Saturday night, a smattering of cheers among the 42,652 fans spread through American Family Field.The Miami Marlins had just closed out a win in Pittsburgh, triggering the applause from Milwaukee Brewers fans who saw the final score pop up on the left-field out-of-town scoreboard. The Marlins’ victory eliminated the Cubs from postseason contention.“We didn’t win enough ballgames,” manager David Ross said. “I mean, we can point fingers and blame. We’ve got to look inward and see where we’ve got to improve. It’s on each one of us to grow this year. It doesn’t feel like it right now, there’s a lot to be proud of from a lot of different guys and also areas to get better.“That’s the great thing about a baseball season, we have to come back next year and be tested all over again and have to improve in a lot of areas. But right now it...

‘The Changeling’ not your average fairy tale

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:16:39 GMT

Is “The Changeling” a fairy tale? A horror story? Or maybe both?“It’s taking the oldest form of storytelling in many respects, you know, the fairy tale, the story you tell around the fire, and adapting that to contemporary New York,” answered the AppleTV+ series’ producer and frequent director Jonathan van Tulleken.“Changeling” is from Victor LaValle’s 2017 novel, adapted by Kelly Marcel. We follow Lakeith Stanfield’s Apollo Kagwa, a used book dealer, as he searches for his wife as we see his mother, father and child. LaValle, who was on set, narrates the story.“In terms of adapting it to TV,” van Tulleken said in a joint Zoom interview with director Michael Francis Williams, “it’s a really bold bit of television. Kelly really went out there to try and bring this fairytale quality to the screen, to capture all the nuance and get it all down visually.”“It’s also addressing some really interesting, pertinent themes,” noted Williams.  “Tough things on race, postpartum depre...

‘Ringleader’ turns spotlight back on Bling Ring thefts

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:16:39 GMT

With “The Ringleader: The Case of the Bling Ring,” Sunday night’s documentary on HBO MAX, Erin Lee Carr takes another look at the notorious California “Bling Ring” burglars of celebrity homes.“I was in college when it was happening, and I just marveled at the insanity it would take for somebody around my age to break into somebody’s home,” Carr, 35, began in a Zoom interview.“It’s one of those cases that stuck with me and as somebody who is largely in the criminal justice space as a film director” — 2021’s “Britney vs Spears” – “it was like, ‘Oh yeah! I want to get involved and see if I can uncover new things and talk to people who have never spoken.”Which is exactly what she did with the first-ever testimony of Rachel Lee, the so-called ringleader of seven celebrity-obsessed teenage and young adult Calabasas kids who used social media to track when they could burgle $3 million in jewels, clothes and accessories from Paris Hilton, Orlando Bloom, Lindsay Lohan, Mega...

Bright Jayden likes school, construction

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:16:39 GMT

Jayden is a sweet, funny, and bright child. He enjoys playing educational games with his iPad, grocery shopping, and SpongeBob is one of his favorite shows. He enjoys pretending to work at Home Depot and is interested in construction. Jayden likes running, celebrating other’s people birthdays, and dancing.He is social and enjoys including other people in his activities. Jayden understands the meaning and importance of family and hopes to celebrate the holidays with his own family.Jayden likes attending school. His academic, communication, and socialization skills have improved with the extra support and services he receives there. These include computer skills, reading, and math instruction. He follows directions and he continues working on his Independent Living Skills. Jayden likes to follow a routine, but if a change is necessary, he is flexible and adapts fast. The ideal family would need to ensure that Jayden continues growing academically as well as with his independent ...

Raise a glass to wonderful fall wines

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:16:39 GMT

Did you know you can drink rosé when it’s cool out? I know, I was also surprised to find this out. Sure, rosé and Sauvignon Blanc scream summer. But they also whisper fall.If you don’t know where to start with fall wines, let us help. Here are five wines at reasonable price points for a bunch of different occasions that taste great when it’s 90 degrees and when it’s 60 degrees.Xanadu Circa 77 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon ($18)Yes, this wine is a mouthful (thankfully in more ways than one). This Australian twist on a favorite French blend is about 60% Savvy B and 40% Semillon. The combination of the two grapes makes for something that’s both laid-back and fruit forward, crisp and clean. The locals call it a Margaret River style wine, a unique mashup you can’t really find outside of the south west coast of Western Australia.Conundrum White Blend ($18)Wild wine blends can freak traditionalists out (even though Europeans have been doing it for generations). When Conundrum started adding a s...

Schoen: What’s Newsom’s strategy for taking White House?

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:16:39 GMT

At present, it certainly seems as if Joe Biden will be his party’s nominee for president. He is the incumbent, leader of his party, and no serious challenger has presented themselves in the Democratic Party.That said, whether due to increasing concerns over Biden’s approval numbers, age, cognitive abilities, and the multiple investigations into his son Hunter, it is increasingly possible that Biden may decide within the next few months not to seek re-election. Were that to happen, Vice President Kamala Harris would likely be the odds on favorite to replace Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket.However, given the way California Gov. Gavin Newsom has sought to aggressively raise his national profile lately – assertively defending Biden’s record, traveling widely to campaign for Democratic candidates, and serving as Biden’s mouthpiece following the GOP debate on Wednesday, there are legitimate questions as to exactly what Newsom is trying to do, and why is he doing it?It must be sa...

Jackson Holliday out to make Orioles’ 2024 opening day roster after year of awards: ‘That’s the goal’

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:16:39 GMT

The accolades keep coming in for Jackson Holliday. This one is far from a surprise.Holliday, the No. 1 prospect in baseball, was named the Orioles’ Brooks Robinson Minor League Player of the Year, the club announced Saturday.In his first full professional season, the 19-year-old shortstop became the sport’s best prospect, rose from Low-A Delmarva to Triple-A Norfolk in historic fashion, played in the MLB All-Star Futures Game and was named Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year.Now, he’s got his sights set on Baltimore.“That’s the goal,” Holliday said when asked if he believes he can make the Orioles’ 2024 opening day roster. “If that doesn’t happen, then whatever is the plan, I’ll be ready for it. Hopefully that’s the goal. We’ll see, though.”Holliday said it’s “an honor” to win an award named after Robinson, the legendary third baseman who died earlier...

How do I protect my personal time at work?

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:16:39 GMT

Q. This may sound weird, but I don’t know how to handle this. Now that we’re back in the office, my boss demands that I have lunch with everyone in the group. I don’t like them. I feel forced to spend time with them that should be my time. Can I tell him anything?A. This is your personal time and although you feel pressure to eat with your peers and it may even get political (if you don’t join them, it may be like, “Why isn’t so-and-so eating with us?”), the reality is, again this is your time. You may even need a break from them that could serve you well. It could actually be worse if you join them for the sake of joining them and you’re unhappy the entire time.You can politely push back and say something like, “I need to take this time to clear my head, I will try to join them when I can and I participate in the weekly team get togethers, thanks for your concern.”If there’s an underlying reason like maybe your boss ...

NFL picks: Can Pats bring the pain to Jerry World?

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:16:39 GMT

NFL Lines Week 4Barry Bruce BillGame 25-18-1 21-22-1 18-25-1Atl @ Jax (UK) -3 Jax Jax AtlMia @ Buff -2.5 Buff Buff MiaDen @ Chi +3.5 Den Chi ChiBalt @ Cle -3 Balt Balt CleCin @ Tenn +2.5 Tenn Tenn TennLAR @ Ind pick ‘em Ind Ind IndTB @ NO -3 NO TB TBWas @ Phil -9 Phil Phil PhilMN @ Car +4 MN Car MNPitt @ Hou +3 Pitt Hou HouLV @ LAC -5 LAC LAC LACNE @ Dal -6.5 Dal Dal NEAZ @ SF -14 AZ AZ AZKC @ NYJ +8.5 NYJ NYJ NYJSea @ NYG +1 NYG NYG SeaLast week 10-5 7-8 9-6Season 25-18-1 21-22-1 18-25-1Bruce: A lot of bubbles are gonna burst this weekend. Like what happened with Dallas last week. Do you really trust Miami at Buffalo?The Cardinals are frauds, but I’ll take you, me and 9 other people with 14 points pretty much every time.The Jets were a Super Bowl contender with Aaron Rodgers, allegedly. Despite how bad Zach WIlson is, and we’re all tired of hearing about it, if he was that bad the Jets would sign Colin Kaepernick. They’ll cover getting 8.5 against the Chieftains.Bill: The Kansas Ci...

Belly full of favorites & new songs for new tour

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:16:39 GMT

It boggles the mind a little that a song as wonderfully offbeat as Belly’s “Feed the Tree” was a hit single. But such was life in the early-90s heyday of alternative rock. “Every time we play it I say ‘How was this a hit?,” says frontwoman Tanya Donelly. “It is the weirdest freaking song, for the subject matter alone. And there so many examples from that era. I think there was a time back then when a bunch of our friends were having the same experience of having these quote-unquote hits with very quirky songs. It felt a little like sliding under the radar, like we were getting away with something. And that was a blast.”And after all these years, she still gets people asking her what the song is about. (It roughly concerns a woman asking respect from her partner, including being there when she’s buried). “This may sound precious but I actually figure songs out years later — ‘Oh, that’s what I meant!’ So I am still figuring it out too. And I like it when people make up their own...