More than 250,000 Washington Post readers — or 10% of the paper’s customer base — have canceled their subscriptions after owner Jeff Bezos blocked its editorial board from publishing an endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris, according to a report.
Over the weekend, the iconic broadsheet had lost 200,000 subscribers after it was first learned that management had decided it would no longer allow its editorial board to endorse a presidential candidate in the current race as well as future elections, according to media reports.
The tycoon on Monday published an op-ed in his newspaper defending the move as “a principled decision” given that presidential approvals “create a perception of one-sidedness.”
The Washington Post has reportedly lost more than 250,000 subscribers over the past week. AFP via Getty Images
But Bezos’ explanation apparently didn’t reassure Washington Post readers.
As of Tuesday, more than 250,000 of them canceled their accounts, according to National Public Radio.
A Washington Post spokesman declined to comment.
A loss of subscriptions of that magnitude would be a blow to a popular news paper already facing financial headwinds.
The Post had more than 2.5 million subscribers last year, most of them digital, making it third behind the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal in circulation.
Amazon founder Bezos, whose $213 billion net worth is the second-largest in the world, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, was partying with Katy Perry in Europe on Friday as the unrest unfolded in the Washington newsroom. Post.
In his guest essay Monday, Bezos wrote that editorial endorsements create a perception of bias at a time when many Americans distrust the media and do nothing to tip the election scales.
“Terminating them is a principled decision and it’s the right one,” Bezos said.
Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos defended his decision to block the editorial board from publishing his endorsement. AFP via Getty Images
Bezos wrote that he wished the decision to end presidential endorsements had been made earlier, “at a time away from the election and the emotions surrounding it. This was inadequate planning and not any deliberate strategy.”
After the decision, two of the newspaper’s columnists resigned and three of the nine members of the editorial board resigned from their posts.
Retired former Post editor Martin Baron, who was editor when Bezos bought the paper, denounced the decision on social media as “cowardly, with democracy as the victim.”
Some critics suggested that Bezos, also the owner of Amazon, ordered the disapproval to protect his business interests, acting out of fear of retaliation if former President Donald Trump was elected.
The Washington Post endorsed Trump’s Democratic rivals in 2016 and 2020, and Trump has often denounced critical coverage from the paper.
Bezos said an endorsement would fuel perceptions that the paper is biased. AP
In his column, Bezos said people can see his wealth and business interests as one of two things — a shield against intimidation or a web of conflicting interests.
He insisted that his views are principled and that his track record as owner of the Post Office since 2013 backs that up.
“I defy you to find a time in those 11 years where I prevailed over anyone at the Post in favor of my interests,” he wrote.
“It didn’t happen.”
According to Semaphore, about 18,000 readers have canceled their subscriptions to the LA Times.
Meanwhile, angry readers have also abandoned another left-leaning publication that has decided to drop an endorsement of Harris — the Los Angeles Times, whose billionaire owner Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, also intervened against the wishes of his editorial board.
Members of the editorial board of both newspapers resigned from their posts in protest at the decision.
Jet-setters, whether you’re crossing the date line, or just traveling through the night, you can now reset the time and date on your wrist with the push of a single button.
Patek Philippe began creating World Time watches after the advent of transatlantic flights in the 1930s, when aviation allowed rapid travel across multiple time zones in a single day.
While other world time watches equipped with a date function require manual setting of the time and date, the Patek Philippe World Time Ref. The 5330G-001 automatically synchronizes the date with your new time zone, intelligently advancing the calendar at midnight.
Or, if you’re crossing the International Date Line from west to east, turn the calendar back one day.
The new watch and its patented technology were presented for the first time in 2023 to commemorate Patek Philippe’s grand “Watch Art” exhibition in Tokyo.
While that limited edition featured a purple dial with a matching purple strap, the new 2024 blue-gray version — now available worldwide — offers a more casual vibe, thanks to its denim-look strap.
The date display lies on a beveled flange at the edge of the dial. A red-tipped hand crafted from transparent glass, another first for the brand, displays the date. The city disc and the 24-hour disc (divided into day and night zones) are located just inside the date ring. As a traveler selects their new time zone—displayed at the 12 o’clock position—the hour and minute hands will indicate the local time.
This new generation World Time is the culmination of nearly 100 years of travel innovations from the Swiss brand. Patek Philippe began creating World Time watches after the advent of transatlantic flights in the 1930s, when aviation allowed rapid travel across multiple time zones in a single day.
Patek Philippe watches provided an essential tool for newly seasoned globe-trotters, allowing all 24 world time zones to be read at a glance. Since then, the house has continued to make strides to perfect its travel innovations.
Its current Time World offerings now include six pieces, including a flyback chronograph.
The sporty and informal look of this latest reference belies its mechanical complexity. The center of the watch’s opaline dial has a woven carbon fiber motif, and its calfskin strap is embossed to resemble blue jeans. The 40mm, 18K white gold watch is fitted with a sapphire-crystal caseback, allowing a full view of its fully polished self-winding movement.
This makes it easy to see why you might want to date one on the fly.
A CNN contributor credited President Joe Biden with calling Trump supporters “scum” because he stutters during a roundtable discussion about the election.
“As someone who had a stutter growing up, it’s pretty obvious to me that there was an apostrophe after ‘supporter,’” said film executive Franklin Leonard.
“He was referring to the rubbish thrown by the supporters, not just the supporters themselves,” the Black List founder added.
Franklin Leonard credited President Biden with calling Trump supporters “scum” because he stutters. CNN
President Biden is in hot water after making the inflammatory comment during a campaign call with VotoLatino on Tuesday, in which he was discussing mature comic Tony Hinchcliffe’s controversial joke about Puerto Rico at Trump’s rally in Madison Square Garden on Sunday.
“The only scum I see running around there are his supporters. His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable and un-American,” Biden said.
In an official transcript of Biden’s remarks provided by the White House, an apostrophe was inserted after the word “supporter.”
Conservative critics online attacked the White House for allegedly trying to change the meaning of Biden’s words in the transcript.
“The official White House transcript needs to be corrected immediately… Joe Biden’s words were clear that he was saying that Trump supporters are trash.” America’s first female CEO Kyle Jane wrote in X.
Conservative analyst Scott Jennings quickly hit back at Leonard’s claim.
“I do not accept your framing personally. I believe that he, Harris, the Democratic Party and most of her campaign believe that half the country is garbage,” Jennings said.
“As someone who had a stutter growing up, it’s pretty obvious to me that there was an apostrophe after ‘supporter,’” said film executive Franklin Leonard. CNN
“They’ve also said that people who go to Trump rallies are Nazis,” he added, “it’s pretty obvious the contempt they hold for half the country.”
The panel quickly erupted in Jenning’s comments with many contributors talking over each other.
“You just can’t say that,” NewsNight host Abby Phillip said.
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Biden faced swift backlash for his comments, which many online compared to Hillary Clinton’s “basket of deplorables” that she dismissed during the 2016 campaign.
“So you have to remember Hillary [Clinton] — she said ‘deplorable’ and then she said ‘irreparable’ … ‘garbage’ I think is worse,” Trump said at his campaign rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
“He’s talking about ordinary Americans who love their country and want to dream again and support… And I hope [the Harris] campaign is ready to apologize for what Joe Biden just said,” Sen. Marco Rubio, who broke the news of Biden’s comments to Trump, said at the rally.
“We are not trash. We are patriots. We love America.” said the senator.
President Biden’s comment about ‘garbage supporters’ is not the first time he has attacked Donald Trump’s voters:
“It’s not just Trump, it’s the whole philosophy that supports — I’ll say something, it’s like semi-fascism.” – Joe Biden at a DNC fundraiser in Bethesda, Md., on Aug. 25, 2022.
“Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic.” – Biden at Independence Hall in Philadelphia on September 1, 2022.
“We’re talking about MAGA Republican mega-officials who have been very clear about this, who say, you know, they’re pro-police, but then they’re also pro-insurgency.” – Karine Jean-Pierre at the press conference on November 2, 2022.
“There is no doubt that today’s Republican Party is run and feared by MAGA extremists. Their extreme agenda, if realized, would fundamentally change the institutions of American Democracy as we know it. – Biden in Tempe, Ariz., on Sept. 28, 2023.
“Those MAGA voices who know the truth about Trump and January 6th have abandoned the truth and abandoned our democracy.” – Biden in Blue Bell, Pa., on Jan. 5, 2024.
President Biden is in hot water after making an inflammatory remark during a campaign call with Voto Latino, discussing Tony Hinchcliffe’s joke about Puerto Rico at Trump’s NYC rally. via REUTERS“He was referring to the litter thrown by the supporters, not just the supporters themselves,” Leonard continued. CNN
“A mother grieving her son who died of a fentanyl overdose is not trash. A truck driver who can’t afford rising oil prices is not trash. A dad who wants to buy groceries is not trash,” X posted.
Kamala Harris and Joe Biden should be ashamed of themselves.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro distanced himself from Biden’s comments.
“I would never insult the good people of Pennsylvania or any American, even if they chose to support a candidate that I did not support,” Shapiro told CNN.
President Joe Biden denied calling Trump supporters trash and insisted he was referring to remarks made by Hinchcliffe in a tweet on Tuesday.
“Earlier today I referred to the hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico spewed by the Trump supporter at his Madison Square Garden rally as trash — which is the only word I can think of to describe it,” Biden said.
From Reflection to Panthère, here are the fascinating stories behind four of Cartier’s most famous timepieces.
Cartier’s reflection
Cartier has a fascinating new cuff. After 3,000 hours of development, last month the company debuted its latest marvel: An open bracelet with a watch embedded on one end and reflected on the shiny surface of the other, so the time is also told in reverse.
All five resolutely modern jewel watches are composed of 95 sculpted elements and feature the signature Roman numerals and sword hands on their dials. The versatile yellow-gold and rose-gold designs can be worn alone or stacked with other bracelets.
Reflection de Cartier watch in 18-k yellow gold, $38,900 at London Jewelers Cartier
Encrusted with precious stones, the three highly jeweled variations are ready for the gala. There is an icy all-white diamond-encrusted bracelet, along with a peacock motif lacquered version set with chrysoprase, obsidian, emerald, Paraba tourmaline and diamonds.
A diverse array of vibrant colors appear in opal, amethyst, spessartite garnet, tiger’s eye and diamond repeats. Crafted with savoir-faire, these watches exude glamour.
Santos de Cartier
Santos de Cartier 18-k yellow gold watch with sapphire, $36,600 at London Jewelers Cartier
Reaching new heights through 120 years of horological history, Santos de Cartier remains supreme. The first modern wristwatch was developed in 1904 by Louis Cartier for his friend, the Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, after the latter complained that he had difficulty checking the time on his pocket watch while flying.
Practical, adventurous and ultra legible, it featured a geometric dial, curved horns and exposed screws in a square bezel. Cartier often re-engineered its references, clearing the Santos models for size ups from small to extra large, with innovations such as the QuickSwitch and SmartLink interchangeable strap system, which allows users to easily adjust the length of the bracelet without tools.
Continuing in full swing, in 2009 the maison released the first skeleton variation in its Santos collection. The patented 9611 MC caliber boasts bridges engraved in the shape of Roman numerals, so they help present the time. The sky is the limit.
More than a century old, the immensely popular Cartier Tank stands the test of time. Loved by men and women alike, it has been worn by a pantheon of connoisseurs, from Cary Grant and Humphrey Bogart to Angelina Jolie, along with Meghan Markle, Michelle Obama and Princess Diana.
Created in 1917 by Louis Cartier, the design of the watch reflected the top view of a World War I tank, with a minute dial with railway tracks, Roman numerals and a blue cabochon. This purity of line lends itself to a multitude of repetitions.
Panther de Cartier 18-k yellow gold watch with sapphire, $30,000 at London Jewelers Cartier
Panthère has been around Cartier since 1914, when the then director of bags, accessories and homewares, Jeanne Toussaint, designed her first cat wristwatch. Stained like her panther fur coat, the watch was studded with diamonds and onyx stones.
Over the decades, the animal motif reappeared in watches, jewelry and accessories, but it wasn’t until 1983 that the maison unveiled its Panthére de Cartier line of quartz jewelry watches. With thin gold link bracelets and a square case with a rounded corner, they fit perfectly into the glamorous decade of “Dynasty”.
Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jane Fonda, Pierce Brosnan and Keith Richards were all photographed in their iconic Panthères, and Charlie Sheen’s character Bud Fox in “Wall Street” invested in a gold when he started making money.
Always evolving, today’s collection features dozens of designs, including mixed metal bangles, two- and three-ring bracelets, cuffs, patterned lacquer and diamond-encrusted styles. Absolutely tough.
All at London Jewelers, 1988 Northern Blvd., Manhasset, LI
Tech behemoth OpenAI has touted its AI-powered transcription tool Whisper as having “human-level robustness and accuracy.”
But Whisper has one major flaw: It’s prone to creating chunks of text or even entire sentences, according to interviews with more than a dozen software engineers, developers and academic researchers. Those experts said some of the made-up lyrics – known in the industry as hallucinations – could include racial slurs, violent rhetoric and even imagined medical treatments.
Experts said such fictions are problematic because Whisper is being used in a host of industries around the world to translate and transcribe interviews, generate text in popular consumer technologies and create captions for videos.
Tech behemoth OpenAI has touted its AI-powered transcription tool Whisper as having “human-level robustness and accuracy.” AP
More troubling, they said, is a rush by medical centers to use Whisper-based tools to transcribe patient consultations with doctors, despite OpenAI’s warnings that the tool should not be used in “high-risk areas.”
The full extent of the problem is hard to discern, but researchers and engineers said they often encounter Whisper’s hallucinations in their work. A University of Michigan researcher conducting a study of public meetings, for example, said he found hallucinations in 8 out of every 10 audio transcriptions he inspected before he began trying to improve the model.
A machine learning engineer said he initially detected hallucinations in about half of the 100-plus hours of Whisper transcripts he analyzed. A third developer said he found hallucinations in nearly every one of the 26,000 transcripts he created with Whisper.
The problems persist even on short, well-recorded audio samples. A recent study by computer scientists found 187 hallucinations in more than 13,000 clear audio fragments they examined.
But Whisper has one major flaw: It’s prone to creating chunks of text or even entire sentences, according to interviews with more than a dozen software engineers, developers and academic researchers. AP
This trend would lead to tens of thousands of erroneous transcriptions over millions of records, the researchers said.
Such mistakes can have “really serious consequences,” especially in hospital settings, said Alondra Nelson, who led the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy for the Biden administration until last year.
“No one wants a misdiagnosis,” said Nelson, a professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. “There has to be a higher bar.”
Experts said such fabrications are problematic because Whisper is being used in a host of industries around the world to generate text in popular consumer technologies and create captions for videos. AP
Whisper is also used to create closed captions for the deaf and hard of hearing – a population at particular risk for erroneous transcriptions.
That’s because deaf and hard-of-hearing people have no way of identifying fiction is “hidden among all this other text,” said Christian Vogler, who is deaf and directs Gallaudet University’s Technology Access Program.
OpenAI sought to address the problem
The proliferation of such hallucinations has led experts, advocates and former OpenAI employees to call for the federal government to consider AI regulations. At the very least, they said, OpenAI should address the flaw.
“This seems solvable if the company is willing to prioritize it,” said William Saunders, a San Francisco-based research engineer who left OpenAI in February over concerns with the company’s direction. “It’s problematic if you set this up and people are sure what it can do and integrate it into all these other systems.”
An OpenAI spokesperson said the company is constantly studying how to reduce hallucinations and praised the researchers’ findings, adding that OpenAI incorporates feedback into model updates.
While most developers assume transcription tools misspell words or make other mistakes, engineers and researchers said they’ve never seen another AI-powered transcription tool hallucinate as much as Whisper.
Whisper hallucinations
The tool is integrated into several versions of OpenAI’s flagship chatbot, ChatGPT, and is an integrated offering on Oracle and Microsoft’s cloud computing platforms, which serve thousands of companies worldwide. It is also used to transcribe and translate text in many languages.
Professors Allison Koenecke, from Cornell University, and Mona Sloane from the University of Virginia, examined thousands of short snippets they received from TalkBank. AP
In the last month alone, a recent version of Whisper was downloaded over 4.2 million times by the open source artificial intelligence platform HuggingFace. Sanchit Gandhi, a machine learning engineer there, said Whisper is the most popular open-source speech recognition model and is integrated into everything from call centers to voice assistants.
Professors Allison Koenecke of Cornell University and Mona Sloane of the University of Virginia examined thousands of short excerpts they obtained from TalkBank, a research repository hosted at Carnegie Mellon University. They determined that nearly 40% of hallucinations were harmful or distressing because the speaker could be misinterpreted or misinterpreted.
In one example they discovered, a speaker said: “He, the boy, was going to take the umbrella, I’m not sure exactly.”
The research determined that nearly 40% of hallucinations were harmful or disturbing because the speaker could be misinterpreted or misinterpreted. AP
But the transcription software added: “He took a large part of a cross, a small, small part … I’m sure he didn’t have a terror knife, so he killed a number of people.”
A speaker on another recording described “two more girls and a lady”. Whisper made up additional comments on race, adding “two other girls and a lady, um, who were black.”
In a third transcript, Whisper invented a non-existent drug called “hyperactivated antibiotics”.
Researchers aren’t sure why Whisper and similar tools hallucinate, but software developers said the hallucinations tend to occur between pauses, background sounds or music playing.
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OpenAI recommended in its online findings against using Whisper in “decision-making contexts, where flaws in accuracy can lead to pronounced flaws in results.”
Transcription of appointments with the doctor
That warning hasn’t stopped hospitals or medical centers from using speech-to-text models, including Whisper, to transcribe what’s said during doctor visits to free up medical providers to spend less time taking notes or written reports.
Over 30,000 clinicians and 40 health systems, including the Mankato Clinic in Minnesota and Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles, have begun using a Whisper-based tool built by Nabla, which has offices in France and the US.
That tool was well-suited to medical language to transcribe and summarize patient interactions, said Nabla’s chief technology officer, Martin Raison.
Company officials said they are aware that Whisper can hallucinate and are mitigating the problem.
It’s impossible to compare Nabla’s AI-generated transcript to the original recording because Nabla’s tool deletes the original audio for “data security reasons,” Raison said.
Nabla said the tool has been used to transcribe about 7 million medical visits.
Saunders, the former OpenAI engineer, said the deletion of the original audio can be worrisome if transcripts aren’t double-checked or clinicians can’t access the recording to verify they’re accurate.
“You can’t catch mistakes if you take the truth out of the ground,” he said.
Nabla said no model is perfect and that their model currently requires medical providers to quickly edit and approve transcribed notes, but that could change.
Privacy concerns
Because patients’ appointments with their doctors are confidential, it’s hard to know how the AI-generated transcripts are affecting them.
Koenecke is also the author of a recent study that found hallucinations in a speech-to-text transcription tool. AP
A California state lawmaker, Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, said she took one of her children to the doctor earlier this year and refused to sign a form from the health network that required her permission to share audio of consulting with vendors that included Microsoft Azure. the cloud computing system run by OpenAI’s largest investor. Bauer-Kahan didn’t want such intimate medical conversations shared with tech companies, she said.
“The release was very specific that for-profit companies would be eligible to have this,” said Bauer-Kahan, a Democrat who represents a swath of San Francisco suburbs in the state Assembly. “I was like ‘absolutely not.’”
John Muir Health spokesman Ben Drew said the health system complies with state and federal privacy laws.
David Ellison will take full control of Paramount Global when it merges with his company, Skydance Media, according to a new regulatory filing.
According to a Federal Communications Commission filing on Tuesday, Ellison’s role will be chairman and CEO of the new Paramount, combining the assets of Hollywood production company Skydance and Paramount, home of CBS, Showtime and MTV, after the deal closes in the first half of 2025. .
The filing said Ellison will retain 100% of his family’s voting interest — a clarification that comes amid potential concerns over the control that resides with his father, billionaire Oracle co-founder and CEO Larry Ellison.
According to a new filing, David Ellison will fully control Skydance and Paramount when the companies close the deal. The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images
An earlier version of the filing, which deals with the transfer of broadcast licenses for nine television stations, showed Larry Ellison at the top of a chart detailing Paramount’s ownership structure after the transaction.
Skydance, with partner RedBird Capital, secured a merger agreement with Shari Redstone in August.
Larry Ellison is the main backer of Skydance and investor in the acquisition of Paramount. As a result, the family will control the majority – 77% – of the combined company.
The revised FCC filing clarifies how the Ellison family will exercise control over the so-called “New Paramount” and the voting interests of the Redstone family’s holding company, National Amusements, which controls the media firm.
The filing said that after the deal closes, David Ellison will take the reins as Paramount’s chairman and chief executive.
He will also become the “sole manager” of the Ellison family entities (Hikouki, LLC, Furaito, LLC and Aozora, LLC), through which the Ellison family will own and control NAI and New Paramount.
As the sole manager of these entities, “David Ellison will retain 100% of the Ellison Family’s voting interests in NAI and New Paramount, in addition to serving as Chairman and CEO of New Paramount,” the filing said.
Paramount Global, which owns Paramount Pictures, is expected to merge with Hollywood studio Skydance early next year. AP
Redstone began shopping Paramount last year and entertained a handful of potential suitors in what became a long and drawn-out process that culminated in late summer with Skydance coming out on top.
Ellison is expected to work closely with his father and his company, Oracle, to help shape his vision for an entertainment company that is a hybrid of media technology.
The monsters of corporate commerce would have you believe that you are nobody until someone loves you … or is willing to support you as 1/2 of a couple’s suit, Sandy to your Danny, spaghetti for your meatballs, Keni for your Barbie and loofah in your soap.
We here at The Post blow a kiss in protest.
Catwoman and Batdog, can dig. Reuters
If you’re in the market for a lifetime of love and loyalty, then get yourself a fur baby—preferably a rescue, and definitely the kind that will let you subject them to the indignity of a zodiac suit.
From pet costumes for big dogs to small, fun to scary, we’ve got you covered.
Here’s to dogs we don’t deserve and the most wonderful time of the year. Read on to discover the best and cutest Halloween costumes for dog and owner. While you’re here, be sure to read our guide to the dog breed that matches your zodiac sign and the best costumes for your pets.
Barista and Frappuccino
Aries prefer life in the fast lane and their caffeine high.
Many astrologers place the sacred coffee bean itself in the area of the red planet Mars, the ruling luminary of Aries. In nature, this suit gives a double look of a cool f-king.
Find your dog’s coffee suit here.
IBS, Impatience, and Rapid Dissolving Fury sold separately.
Beanie Baby and Beanie Boo
As the first earth sign in the zodiac, Taurus is very close to their inner animal and very much into any Halloween costume that prioritizes comfort and warmth. This outfit, basically a plush comforter dressed as a jumpsuit, gets the job done. Adults can be purchased here, and lion mane for dogs is available here.
The angel and the devil
Symbolized by the trash-talking, god-defying twins Castor and Pollux, Gemini represents the fundamental duality present in all things and all people: good and evil, dark and light, bark and bite, horn and halo. Honor the divinity of these divisions with a devil/angel duo costume.
Horns here, halos there.
Daenerys Targaryen and her dragon offspring
Ruled by the moon, Cancer represents the mother archetype and there has never been a fiercer female than the mother of dragons herself, HRH Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, First of Her Name, Queen of the Andals and First Men, Protector of Seven Kingdoms, Unburnt, Breaker of Chains.
Find the recipe for this royalty with this DIY no-sew tutorial from Just a Tina Bit.
Pennywise and Georgia
Leo rules the fifth house of pleasure and play; colloquially known as the “house of fun”, it is the natural domain of laughter, clowns and other theatrics. Long on brow, short on subtlety and a pervert of the game, Pennywise, as previously established is a card-carrying member of the lion pride.
Big cats and their little dogs can find raincoats here and Pennywise inspo here.
Pope / Nun
Virgo is the sign of ritual purification and this dog/man combination is high holy glory. Getty Images
All hail the holy fairy. Rulers of the sixth house of daily service and devout believers in the adage that cleanliness is next to godliness, the dirty minds and spotless floors of the likes of Virgo will find costume glory in this papal puppy and hot nun combination .
The Pope’s robe is available here, and the nun’s habit can be found here.
Basic witches
Libra is ruled by Venus, and by default, Libra people are motivated by the beautiful and the pleasant. This commitment to likability and ease sometimes translates into a bad case of basic b–ch.
Whether you dress up ironically or because it’s your everyday uniform (#PumpkinSpice4Life) the basic set of pregnant witches is for you.
Guide dog is not required but highly recommended.
Wednesday and Pugsley Addams
As previously proven, Wednesday Addams, with her preference for the esoteric and fiery side eye is a quintessential Scorpio.
As a sign of ultimate power and ulterior motives, every straight-faced protagonist needs an accomplice. In this suit, a Pugsley the dog (no pedigree required) provides the perfect compliment to this tailed powerhouse.
Find the Pugsley sweater for your dog here.
Where’s Waldo?
Sagittarius is the sign of the seeker, and this Where’s Waldo dog/people rising compliments the free-wheeling, ever-roaming, ghost-prone spirit of the archer.
The glasses make you look smart and the dog suggests you’re more dedicated than previously believed, a win-win. A similar costume can be found here.
Bad cop and dog
Capricorn is ruled by harsh Saturn, the planet of limitations, straight lines and hard knocks. This lord gives the native a real daddy/guardian/correctional officer energy.
Sea goats can feel their mark and indulge their love of uniforms with this dog couple costume. Find prison stripes for your dog here and cop costume accessories for you here.
ET & Elliott
Aquarius is the sign of all that falls beyond: space travel, electricity and extraterrestrials. Consequently, natives often feel disconnected or disconnected from the land itself. Water Bearers can honor their eccentricity and dream of flight with this easy DIY costume that features them as the kind kid Elliot and their dog as the sparkly, ball-throwing, planet-flying, sentient being that is ET .
Astrology 101: Your Guide to the Star
Mr. Stay Puft and the Ghostbuster
Ruled by Neptune, the planet of dreams and the unconscious mind, Pisces is the sign most associated with psychic phenomena, ghosts, apparitions and nightmares. Pisces people can fight by embodying the vast paranormal monster that is Mr. Stay Puft and transforming their dog into a fearless Ghostbuster. Who will you call?
You can find the dog costume here and the human inflatable horror show here.
Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and reports candidly on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture and personal experience. To book a reading, visit her website.
High-powered lawyers representing Big Tech clients have co-hosted a series of fundraisers for Kamala Harris’ campaign as the 2024 presidential election approaches — and antitrust watchdogs are crying foul.
Last Thursday, a group of “antitrust lawyers and economists for Harris” held a virtual fundraiser featuring former US Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta. Ticket prices ranged up to $6,600, according to a copy of an invitation obtained by The Post.
Notable co-hosts included Daniel Bitton, a partner at San Francisco-based law firm Axinn, which is defending Google in the Biden-Harris DOJ lawsuit targeting its alleged monopoly over digital advertising.
Other co-chairs included Renata Hesse, who once played down concerns about Google’s monopoly on Internet search; Edith Ramirez, a Democratic former FTC chair who once defended Google-owned YouTube in a children’s privacy lawsuit; and Ethan Glass, who has repped clients like JetBlue against US antitrust complaints.
Kamala Harris’s campaign surrogates have signaled that she will take a more business-friendly stance. ZUMAPRESS.com
“This is a group of ‘Big Law’ lawyers who have represented monopolists against the FTC and the DOJ, and they are brazenly trying to storm the citadel after being shut out during the Biden years,” said a Democrat who focuses on antitrust issues. Post office.
The Post reached out to the campaign of Harris, Bitton, Hesse, Ramirez and Glass for comment, but did not hear back.
Earlier this month, The Post reported on conflict-of-interest concerns that arose after several key members of Google’s legal team co-hosted an Oct. 18 fundraiser for Harris in Washington, D.C. — with tickets costing up to $50,000. dollars.
Karen Dunn, a lead litigator at the white-shoe law firm Paul Weiss who infamously led the preparation of Harris’ last debate against Trump on the same day she gave Google’s opening defense in the digital advertising trial, was listed as co-chair.
Daniel Bitton is part of the team defending Google in the DOJ’s antitrust case targeting its digital advertising business. Axinn
Dunn’s colleagues Jeannie Rhee and Bill Isaacson also attended the event, which featured appearances by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Uber general counsel and Harris’ brother-in-law Tony West and former U.S. Attorney Acting General, Sally Yates.
Just one day later, longtime Amazon general counsel David Zapolsky co-hosted a fundraiser with top Harris campaign surrogate and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, according to a copy of the invitation obtained by The Post.
In California, Newsom recently vetoed an AI security bill that had been heavily lobbied by tech venture firm Andreessen Horowitz and trade groups representing Google and Meta. After initially opposing the bill, Amazon-backed artificial intelligence firm Anthropic expressed lukewarm support for the bill after securing amendments.
Edith Ramirez is listed as co-chairing a fundraiser for the Harris campaign last Thursday. Getty Images
The offensive is taking place as Big Tech firms face an unprecedented wave of antitrust litigation.
Apple and Google are in the midst of landmark Justice Department antitrust cases, while Amazon and Facebook are currently being sued by the Federal Trade Commission. AI leaders such as chip supplier Nvidia and OpenAI also have the attention of regulators.
“It should be deeply troubling to anyone, Republican or Democrat, who cares about reining in Big Tech monopolies that (the Harris campaign) continues to hold fundraisers with lawyers for Google and other big tech companies,” the executive said. of public affairs Garrett Ventry.
Top regulators appointed by the Biden-Harris administration, including FTC Chairman Lina Khan and SEC Chairman Gary Gensler, have faced backlash from Silicon Valley bigwigs for leading a crackdown on prominent firms active in the sectors. of artificial intelligence and cryptocurrencies.
Renata Hesse once downplayed concerns about Google’s monopoly on Internet search. Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
In July, billionaire Reid Hoffman sparked outrage among progressives when he accused Khan of waging “war on American business” and openly called on Harris to fire him if elected. Other Democratic attorneys, including Mark Cuban, have called for Gensler to be forced out.
The backlash has contributed to a surprising shift in Silicon Valley support for Trump — most notably in the form of Elon Musk, who recently declared himself a “dark MAGA” and contributed millions to his campaign.
Harris’ campaign has made clear efforts to secure Silicon Valley, a longtime source of support and large donations for Democrats.
Harris’ top replacements such as Cuban and West have stated publicly and behind closed doors that she would take a more friendly stance toward corporate interests if elected.
Karen Dunn (center) and other Google lawyers organized a fundraiser for Kamala Harris earlier this month. Reuters
Cuban, asked by The Post if he had any idea how a Harris administration would handle Big Tech’s antitrust issues, replied, “I don’t.”
Last week, the Washington Post reported that West and former Treasury official Brian Nelson have told groups of tech executives that they are in “listening mode” during private outreach meetings on Harris’ behalf.
Andreesen Horowitz co-founder Ben Horowitz, who previously expressed support for Trump, reversed course last month by pledging a “significant” donation to Harris. Horowitz said he “had several conversations with Vice President Harris and her team about their potential technology policies, and I’m encouraged by my confidence in her.”
Kamala Harris has yet to take a firm stance on how she will approach Big Tech’s antitrust issues. Getty Images
In September, Harris released an economic policy outline that provided arguably the most substantive picture of the policies she would pursue in office.
The 82-page document said a Harris administration would “encourage innovative technologies like artificial intelligence and digital assets while protecting our consumers and investors” — but referred to the word “antitrust only once.”
Some antitrust watchdogs previously warned that corporate-friendly advisers in Harris’ orbit could lobby behind the scenes for leniency toward Google — potentially in the form of a “slap on the wrist” rather than a full divestment sought by the feds.
In August, the DOJ won a landmark victory after Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google was a “monopolist” with an illegal stranglehold on the Internet search market. He is expected to decide on remedies by next summer – and the feds have floated a forced sale of Google’s Android software or the Chrome browser as possible fixes.
Meanwhile, closing arguments in the DOJ’s digital advertising antitrust case are expected to conclude in November. Google chief Sundar Pichai has admitted that he expects the company to be involved in antitrust litigation and appeals for “many years”.
New Jersey’s largest newspaper, the Star-Ledger, said Wednesday it will stop publishing its print edition in February amid rising costs and declining print demand.
The owner of the 85-year-old Advance Local publication said it is also closing its Montville, N.J., production facility and ending print editions of The Times of Trenton and South Jersey Times newspapers, as well as the weekly Hunterdon County Democrat.
“Today’s announcement represents the next step toward the digital future of journalism in New Jersey,” said Steve Alessi, president of NJ Advance Media. “It’s important to note that this is a forward-looking decision that allows us to invest more deeply than ever in our journalism and in serving our communities.”
New Jersey’s largest newspaper, The Star-Ledger, will cease its print edition in February 2025. Kevin R. Wexler/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The paper has a storied history in the Garden State. In 1939, SI Newhouse purchased Newark’s first daily newspaper, the Star-Eagle, and merged it with the Newark Ledger to become the Newark Star-Ledger.
Newark was stripped of the title in the seventies.
Alessi said there will be layoffs as a result.
The company did not respond to requests for information on how many employees will be let go.
The final print editions of the Star-Ledger, Times of Trenton and South Jersey Times will be published on February 2, 2025.
The final weekly print edition of the Hunterdon County Democrat will be published on January 30, 2025, and its subscribers will have access to the Star-Ledger online newspaper.
Online newspapers for The Star-Ledger, The Times of Trenton and South Jersey Times will continue to be produced seven days a week for subscribers.
According to Alessi, the discontinuation of the print publication will allow NJ Advance Media to reallocate resources to strengthen its core newsroom and that it has plans to grow the newsroom in 2025 in order to strengthen its reporting in new areas.
The executive applauded strong journalism this year that helped the paper win awards, including the Punch Sulzberger Innovator of the Year Award for reporter Adam Clark from the Poynter Journalism Awards and two Sigma Delta Chi Awards for Spencer Kent’s feature story “The Stranger in the Mirror.” ” and a portfolio of sports columns by Steve Politi.
As part of the changes, the company said it will close its manufacturing facility and lay off staff. Felix Bryant
Alessi also highlighted the newspaper’s investigative reporting on the financial mismanagement of New Jersey charter schools, as well as a series of true crime podcasts and newspapers.
Despite the powerful work, readers have steadily shifted their reading habits from print to digital over the years.
In 2024, the Star-Ledger’s print circulation is down 21% in the past year, the company said.
In recent years, newspaper production and distribution costs have risen as print readership has shrunk and migrated to digital platforms, the paper said.
Despite winning a string of Pulitzer Prizes in the early-mid 2000s, the paper’s parent company Advance Media began a broader consolidation of its New Jersey-based properties.
The Star-Ledger saw its circulation drop 21% last year. Getty Images
Under her NJ Advance Media group, an umbrella organization that included the Times of Trenton, the South Jersey Times and other properties, she consolidated the Ledger and NJ.com into one operation.
As a result, the Ledger closed its Newark newsroom where it had operated for decades and sold it to a New York developer.
Over the years, the paper has seen more consolidation and changes, including ending publication of its Saturday edition in 2023.
Wes Turner, an executive who works with The Star-Ledger, said the decision to stop printing the paper was a difficult one.
“This decision was not taken lightly, but the reality is that the print news model cannot be sustained,” he said.
Executives at the Star-Ledger’s parent company said there would be layoffs, but they declined to give the number. Felix Bryant
Turner added that the company will provide affected employees with layoff and transition assistance packages prior to the closing.
Despite the grim reality of print publishing, Alessi emphasized that the future of journalism is still bright.
“Our journalists are on the ground, in our communities, turning over stones and shining a light on essential topics,” he said. “We consider the future of journalism in New Jersey and our newsroom to be very healthy.”
Each week, Alexa is rounding up the buzziest fashion awards, hotel openings, restaurant debuts and popular cultural events in NYC. It’s our curated guide to the best things to see, buy, taste and experience around town.
What’s making our luxury list this week? Foundrae opens on Madison Avenue, the Brooklyn Museum turns 200, and a beloved Ramen restaurant reopens.
Jewelry and lifestyle brand Foundrae’s new location on Madison Avenue is opening its doors to the public. Courtesy of Foundrae
“Before I ever stepped foot in the space, I had a feeling it would be FoundRae’s newest home, because of its auspicious address: 777,” says Beth Hutchens, who founded the lifestyle brand in 2015. The interiors of the 1,600-square-foot space, on Madison Avenue between 66th and 67th streets, were inspired by fashion icon Diana Vreeland’s Park Avenue apartment (note the red hues). The bookcase-lined walls boast a variety of vintage and antique books and objects; vignettes set among showcase ephemera and kaleidoscopes of FoundRae medallions. Solid gold chains in various lengths, links and weights hang from wooden crescents, encouraging guests to create personal pieces for themselves. FoundRae.com
200 artists for its 200th birthday: The Brooklyn Museum has curated an exhibition featuring the work of 200 local artists. Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
The Brooklyn Artists Exhibit, which opened earlier this month in honor of the Brooklyn Museum’s 200th birthday, features 200 artists from the borough. How to choose only 200? Through an open call that resulted in almost 4,000 submissions and an Artist Committee led by the likes of Jeffrey Gibson, Vik Muniz, Fred Tomaselli and Mickalene Thomas. The museum notes that “participants represent a full range of disciplines, from drawing and painting to sculpture, video, installation and beyond…together these works capture the vibrancy of Brooklyn and its artists, who are bound by deep-rooted ties deep and a common love for this special place.” A virtual tour is available on the museum’s website; exhibit runs through January 26, 2025. BrooklynMuseum.org
Who doesn’t love a new take on a classic dish? TabeTomo’s dripping ramen is back and better than ever. Courtesy of TabeTomo
Those whose eating habits change with the seasons will be thrilled to know that East Village favorite TabeTomo has reopened after a string of disasters ranging from pandemic closures, vandalism and fire. For those not in the know, the restaurant (whose name translates to “eating buddy”) specializes in Tsukemen or “dripping ramen,” which they describe as “a modern cousin of the traditional Japanese ramen dish invented in the 20th century. The noodles are dipped in a separate bowl of broth, allowing the consumer to enjoy the richer broth and firmer noodles.” It’s a bit of an IYKYK situation, but if you don’t, now is the perfect time to light up on all things Tsukemen, especially the 60-hour pork broth TabeTomoNYC.com
You don’t have to be a geek to rock these pieces—MoMA’s latest collaboration, inspired by a visit to Champion’s NYC archives, features retro sweaters and blazers. Courtesy of MoMA
MoMA’s design store is killing it with collaborations — samples with Nike and Bodum are still available on their site. The latest is with Champion, but it’s actually not their first partnership. A MoMA Champion hoodie, now in the museum’s collection, debuted in 2017 in conjunction withexhibition “Articles: Is fashion modern?” The latest collection features five pieces—a satin bomber jacket, hoodie, retro sweater, sweatshirt, and baseball top—all inspired by the store’s design team’s visit to Champion’s New York archives and (who knew?) their custom facilities in Kansas City. Priced from $45 – $145 at Store.MoMA.org
Austrian artist Egon Schiele’s landscapes are now on display at the Neue Galerie on the Upper East Side. Courtesy of Neue Galerie
Mention “Egon Schiele” to an art lover and they will undoubtedly mention the Austrian artist’s often haunting portraits. But it turns out that Schiele was also quite prolific in landscape painting. A selection of these works are now on display in the Neue Galerie New York exhibition “Egon Schiele: Living Landscapes”. The museum notes that with these works “flowers and trees take on the role of portrait subjects and convey an almost human appearance. Schiele’s landscapes always represent more than their apparent subject. His portrayal of nature and his interpretation of cities and trees embody the cycle of life and the human condition.” A fully illustrated catalog accompanies the exhibition. On view until January 13, 2025.
