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Goldberg: The hunger fed by the “Barbie” and Taylor Swift phenomena

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:16:38 GMT

This summer’s two biggest entertainment phenomena, the movie “Barbie” and Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, have a lot in common. Both feature conventionally gorgeous blond women who alternately revel in mainstream femininity and chafe at its limitations, enacting an ambivalence shared by many of their fans. Both, beneath their slick, exuberant pop surfaces, tell female coming-of-age stories marked by existential crises and bitter confrontations with sexism. (The third song on Swift’s set list is “The Man,” whose refrain is, “I’m so sick of running as fast as I can/ wondering if I’d get there quicker/ if I was a man.”) And both have become juggernauts.“Barbie” has just had the biggest opening weekend of any movie this summer, surpassing already high expectations to earn $162 million. More than just a movie, it’s become a major cultural event, with fans showing up in carefully curated outfits and then making TikToks of themselves crying, emotionally overcome. The film’s blunt feminism — its ...

Savannah Bananas hit home run in front of sellout crowd in San Jose: ‘Chaotic, in a good way’

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:16:38 GMT

SAN JOSE — It was about the third inning — or maybe the fourth, it really doesn’t matter — that a little girl standing near third base threw a pie at her dad’s face and revealed the point of the whole thing.The most riveting competition taking place at Excite Ballpark on Tuesday night, when the trailblazing Savannah Bananas baseball team brought their sold-out, Harlem Globetrotter-like show to the 81-year-old ballpark in San Jose, actually has nothing to do with baseball.It’s all about the three-letter word: fun.Not just enjoy-a-ballgame-on-a-Tuesday-night fun. This is silly, boundaryless, highly unusual and deeply intoxicating fun that is being had by everyone from the twerking umpires to the do-si-doing concession stand workers, from the youngest kid in the stands to the oldest player on the field.“It’s the P.T. Barnum & Bailey circus and it’s an authentic baseball game at the same time,” said 76-year-old Bill Lee, a former MLB All-Star who is now part ...

Proposal to name cable car after Tony Bennett

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:16:38 GMT

(KRON) -- The Market Street Railway, a nonprofit, wants to name a cable car after the late Tony Bennett who died last week at the age of 96. Known for his song, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” among others, Bennett left an imprint on people since his phrase, “To be where little cable cars climb halfway to the stars." Naked woman armed with gun on Bay Bridge targeted random victims: CHP “He has made cable cars famous all around the world and we have no doubt he has brought millions of people to SF from all around the world that might not have come,” said Rick Laubscher, Market Street Railway president. Only three other cable cars are named after notable figures such as Friedel Klussmann, the woman who saved the cable car system, a conductor killed while working and San Francisco Giant Willie Mayes.  The Market Street Railway would like to see Bennett’s name on a California street car as it rides past his statue, the street named after him in Nob Hill and the Fairmont Hotel, wher...

Iran gives ‘detailed answers’ to UN inspectors over 2 sites where manmade uranium particles found

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:16:38 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran said Wednesday it gave new details to the United Nations about two sites near Tehran that inspectors say bore traces of manmade uranium, part of a wider probe as tensions remain high over the Islamic Republic’s advancing program.The comments by Mohammad Eslami, the head of Iran’s civilian nuclear program, come as Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers remains in tatters and as Tehran enriches uranium closer than ever to weapons-grade levels. Resolving questions from the International Atomic Energy Agency could see Iran avoid further censure as an October deadline approaches that would lift international restrictions on its ballistic missile program as well. Speaking after a Cabinet meeting, Eslami said Iran had sent “detailed answers” to the International Atomic Energy Agency. “If those answers are not accepted and there are any ambiguities or doubts, as we have always said, we will clarify and revise the documents,” Esla...

Before Oppenheimer: How DC became the unlikely birthplace of the atomic age

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:16:38 GMT

Years before Robert Oppenheimer led the Los Alamos lab that developed the first nuclear weapons, physicists in D.C. thrust the world into the atomic age — inside a narrow, zigzagging tunnel running underneath Chevy Chase.“Totally by coincidence,” said Shaun Hardy, a librarian at the Carnegie Institute of Science.In January of 1939, Danish-physicist Niels Bohr was in D.C. for a physics conference at George Washington University. He had just learned that nuclear chemists in Germany had recently done the impossible — split a uranium atom — and decided to spill the beans to notable physicist Enrico Fermi.“He and Fermi had the chance to talk privately at the meeting in person for the first time since those results were conducted,” Hardy said “And they agreed to announce the results to the gathered physicists there.”It just so happened the Carnegie Institute of Science in the Chevy Chase neighborhood of D.C. had just opened its Atomic Physics Observator...

Niger’s president says that some presidential guard members are trying to move against him

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:16:38 GMT

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — Niger’s president said Wednesday that some members of the presidential guard tried to move against him and that the army will attack if they don’t back down.President Mohamed Bazoum’s official account tweeted that some in the presidential guard engaged in an “anti-Republican demonstration” and tried in vain to obtain the support of the other security forces. The tweet said the president and his family were doing well, but that the army and the national guard were ready to attack if those involved didn’t change their minds.Source

Nigeria undaunted against Women’s World Cup co-host Australia after its opening draw against Canada

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:16:38 GMT

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — The Super Falcons looked at the draw and saw back-to-back games against Olympic champion Canada and co-host Australia to open their run at the Women’s World Cup. Onome Ebi and her Nigeria team didn’t flinch, despite the brutal two-match opener. After holding Canada to a 0-0 draw, Nigeria is determined to continue its unbeaten start to the tournament on Thursday against the home team. Four years after advancing to the round of 16, No. 40-ranked Nigeria wasn’t given much chance by pundits of making it out of the group. That’s a scenario Ebi revels in.“We like it when people don’t believe in us, so they will think we are just pushovers,” the Nigeria captain said. “That motivates the team so we’ll go out there and prove everybody wrong and make ourselves proud.”Coach Randy Waldrum recognizes that facing the Matildas will present a different set of challenges than what they faced against Canada.The Australians “are extremely danger...

BOK Financial: Q2 Earnings Snapshot

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:16:38 GMT

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — TULSA, Okla. (AP) — BOK Financial Corp. (BOKF) on Wednesday reported second-quarter net income of $151.3 million.The Tulsa, Oklahoma-based bank said it had earnings of $2.27 per share.The results fell short of Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of four analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $2.28 per share.The Regional banking operator posted revenue of $779.4 million in the period. Its revenue net of interest expense was $531.3 million, surpassing Street forecasts.BOK Financial shares have dropped 13% since the beginning of the year. The stock has risen 14% in the last 12 months._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on BOKF at https://www.zacks.com/ap/BOKFSource

Moldova cuts Russian embassy staff over ‘unfriendly actions’ amid spying scandal

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:16:38 GMT

CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) — Moldova’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday that it has informed Russia that 45 of its embassy positions in Chisinau will be cut due to “unfriendly actions” against Moldova, as relations between the two countries deteriorate further amid Russia’s war in neighboring Ukraine.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the decision was based on “numerous unfriendly actions” towards Moldova, “which are not related to the diplomatic mandate, as well as attempts to destabilize” the country, which borders both Ukraine and Romania. The move to reduce the number of diplomats and technical or administrative staff comes days after two local media outlets, Insider and Jurnal TV, published a joint investigation alleging that dozens of satellite dishes and antennas installed on Russia’s embassy rooftop could be used for spying. Russia’s ambassador to Moldova was summoned on Wednesday following the report, and Moscow has until Aug. 15 to comply with the de...

Niger president says some in national guard are trying to move against him and army will attack if they don’t back down

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:16:38 GMT

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — Niger president says some in national guard are trying to move against him and army will attack if they don’t back down.Source