EXCLUSIVE The bitter truth behind Taylor Swift's absence from the AMAs
Taylor Swift 's devoted fans were anxiously awaiting the pop star's appearance at the 2025 American Music Awards, only to be wildly disappointed when she never took the stage.
Swifties thought she would potentially announce the release of her long awaited Reputation (Taylor's Version) album at the event and were left massively disheartened when the Shake It Off singer skipped out on the Las Vegas awards show Monday night.
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Geeky Gadgets
28 minutes ago
- Geeky Gadgets
Make Excel Formulas Flexible with This Simple Operator
Have you ever found yourself manually updating Excel formulas, tediously adjusting titles, or struggling to make your spreadsheets adapt to changing data? It's a common frustration, but what if there was a simple yet powerful way to make your formulas smarter and more flexible? Enter the ampersand (&) operator—a seemingly modest tool that can transform the way you work in Excel. While often overlooked, this operator is the key to creating dynamic, adaptable formulas that save time, reduce errors, and elevate your data management skills. From combining text effortlessly to building advanced lookup functions, the ampersand operator proves that even the smallest tools can deliver outsized results. In this guide, Kenji explains how the ampersand operator can unlock new possibilities in Excel. You'll learn how to use it for dynamic titles that update automatically, flexible lookups that handle complex scenarios, and even control panels that centralize your workbook management. Whether you're a seasoned Excel user or just beginning to explore its potential, the techniques shared here will help you streamline your workflows and tackle common challenges with confidence. As you discover the versatility of this operator, you might find yourself rethinking how you approach formula creation altogether. After all, sometimes the most powerful solutions are hiding in plain sight. Mastering Excel's Ampersand Operator Text Concatenation: The Foundation of Flexibility At its core, the ampersand operator is most commonly used for text concatenation—combining text strings into a single output. While Excel provides functions like CONCAT and TEXTJOIN, the ampersand operator offers a straightforward and flexible alternative. For instance, you can merge first and last names stored in separate cells, adding a space between them for clarity. Example: If 'John' is in cell A1 and 'Doe' is in cell B1, the formula `=A1 & ' ' & B1` produces 'John Doe.' Benefits: This method allows you to customize the output by adding characters such as spaces, commas, or hyphens without relying on more complex functions. It is particularly useful for creating labels, headers, or any scenario where text needs to be dynamically combined. This simple yet effective technique forms the foundation for more advanced applications of the ampersand operator. Dynamic Titles and Headers: Automate Updates One of the most practical uses of the ampersand operator is in creating dynamic titles and headers that update automatically based on your data. This functionality is especially valuable for reports, dashboards, and summaries that need to reflect real-time information. Example: To include the current month in a report title, use the formula `='Sales Report for ' & TEXT(TODAY(), 'MMMM')`. If the current month is October, the title will display 'Sales Report for October.' Benefits: This approach eliminates the need for manual updates, saving time and reducing the risk of errors. Dynamic titles ensure that your reports remain accurate and professional, even as the underlying data changes. By automating updates, you can focus on analyzing data rather than spending time on repetitive formatting tasks. Making Excel Formulas Flexible with & Watch this video on YouTube. Unlock more knowledge in Excel formulas by reading previous articles we have written. Enhanced Lookup Functions: Handle Complex Scenarios The ampersand operator can also enhance lookup functions like XLOOKUP, VLOOKUP, and INDEX-MATCH by allowing you to combine multiple criteria into a single lookup value. This is particularly useful in scenarios where standard lookup functions might struggle to handle complex conditions. Example: If column A contains product names, column B contains categories, and you need to find the price of a specific product-category combination, you can use a formula like `=XLOOKUP(A1 & B1, C1:C100 & D1:D100, E1:E100)`. Benefits: This technique ensures precise lookups, even when dealing with multiple conditions. It is especially valuable for large datasets where accuracy is critical. By using the ampersand operator, you can create more robust and adaptable lookup formulas that address complex data requirements. Dynamic Chart Titles and Control Panels Charts and dashboards often require titles and controls that reflect the data they represent. The ampersand operator can help you create dynamic chart titles and centralized control panels, making sure that your visuals and references update automatically as your data changes. Dynamic Chart Titles: Linking chart titles to cell values using the ampersand operator ensures that titles update automatically when the data changes. Example: If your chart displays sales data for a specific region, use a formula like `='Sales in ' & A1` to dynamically update the title based on the region specified in cell A1. Benefits: This technique saves time, ensures consistency, and reduces the risk of errors in your visualizations. Dynamic chart titles enhance the clarity and professionalism of your reports and dashboards. Control Panels: The ampersand operator is invaluable when building dynamic control panels in Excel. By combining it with the INDIRECT function, you can create adaptable references that respond to changes in your workbook, such as new sheets or data. Example: Use a formula like `=INDIRECT(''' & A1 & ''!B2')` to reference cell B2 on a sheet named in cell A1. Benefits: This approach centralizes control, allowing you to update formulas across your workbook without manual adjustments. Dynamic control panels streamline workflows, making it easier to manage large workbooks with multiple sheets. Advanced Applications: Wildcard Matching and Dynamic Range References The ampersand operator also supports advanced applications, such as wildcard matching and dynamic range references, which can simplify complex tasks and improve efficiency. Wildcard Matching: When working with lookup functions, exact matches are not always feasible. The ampersand operator, combined with wildcard characters like asterisks (*), enables flexible searches for approximate matches. Example: To search for a product name starting with 'Pro,' use a formula like `=XLOOKUP('Pro' & A1, B1:B100, C1:C100)`. Benefits: This technique handles incomplete or inconsistent data, making sure accurate results even with variations in text. Wildcard matching makes your formulas more robust and adaptable to real-world data challenges. Dynamic Range References: The ampersand operator can also be used to create dynamic range references, particularly when combined with the INDIRECT function. This allows you to reference ranges across multiple sheets or adjust ranges based on user input. Example: To sum values in a range specified by the sheet name in cell A1, use the formula `=SUM(INDIRECT(''' & A1 & ''!B1:B10'))`. Benefits: This capability simplifies complex tasks, such as consolidating data from multiple sheets or creating flexible reports. Dynamic range references improve efficiency and reduce the need for manual updates in your workbook. Maximizing the Ampersand Operator's Potential The ampersand (&) operator is more than just a tool for joining text—it is a gateway to creating dynamic, flexible, and efficient Excel formulas. From text concatenation and dynamic titles to advanced lookup functions, control panels, and wildcard matching, the ampersand operator enables you to simplify complex tasks and build adaptable solutions. By incorporating this powerful tool into your workflow, you can enhance your Excel skills and unlock new possibilities for managing data effectively. Media Credit: Kenji Explains Filed Under: Guides, Top News Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.
Daily Mail
36 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Kylie Jenner emerges from spicy courtside kiss-fest with Timothee Chalamet after flashing surprise accessory
Kylie Jenner and boyfriend Timothée Chalamet attended game five of the Eastern Conference Finals on Thursday night. The cosmetics mogul, 27, and actor, 29, later emerged from Madison Square Garden in route to dinner to celebrate New York Knicks' triumph over the Indiana Pacers. During the face-off Jenner sat courtside with Chalamet, and she whipped out an unexpected item at one point — a small, handheld camera. The star, who is usually the one in front of the lens, was a gushing girlfriend as she joyfully snapped shots of her beau. Kylie and Timothée, who have been dating for two years, put on a very loved-up display as they locked lips throughout the sporting event. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The A-listers coordinated in matching Knicks-themed outfits, with the bombshell baring her washboard abs in low-slung, black, drawstring trousers that tied at the hips. She added a figure-hugging, short-sleeved white baby tee, complementing it with pointed-toe white heels. The fashionista also had an orange moto jacket with white trim accents and her long, glossy, raven locks were in an off-center part and loose waves. For his part, the Hollywood leading man wore a Chrome Heart outfit that included dark denim pants secured with a Knicks-themed belt. He layered a blue, orange, and white varsity jacket over a striped button-up shirt and black tank top. The ensemble was rounded out with black suede work boots from the brand. Kylie trailed behind the A Complete Unknown star as they made their way to a restaurant. They held hands while the Kylie Cosmetics founder shied away from attention by holding her hand over ons side of her face. Earlier this month the twosome were side-by-side at game four of the NBA Playoffs. It came shortly after they made their red carpet debut at the 70th David Di Donatello Awards in Italy. A source revealed to Us Weekly around the same time that the lovebirds are 'practically living together.' 'Kylie's really happy and relieved they finally made their debut. It was time and she wanted to publicly support him and show how proud of him she is,' the insider shared. 'She and Timothée have gotten really serious, and this was a big step.' The person close to the stars also divulged, 'They are practically living together at this point, as he stays at her house often when he is not working. He has been fully integrated into her life.' And it was said that 'everything is going really well' between the pair. Before falling in love with Timothée, Kylie was in a four-year on-off romance with rapper Travis Scott. They welcomed daughter Stormi, seven, and son Aire, three, during that time. Jenner and Chalamet began dating around April 2023 and have kept their relationship mostly private. Insiders recently revealed that they have agreed to a set of stipulations regarding their romance. While the twosome have been seen attending public events together on various occasions, they do not post each other online. And the Call Me By Your Name star will not appear on Jenner's family television series The Kardashians.
BBC News
36 minutes ago
- BBC News
British trio four shots off lead at US Women's Open
US Open first round leaderboard-4 Yin (US), Lopez (Spa), Takeda (Jpn) Noh (US), Im (Kor), Kim (Kor); -3 Iwai (Jpn), Hatoaka (Jpn), Tamburlini (Swi), Hwang (Kor), Kawamoto (Kor)Selected others: E Dryburgh (Sco), Hull (Eng), Woad (Eng), Korda (US); +1 Lee (Aus); +2 Saso (Jpn)Full leaderboard British trio Charley Hull, Gemma Dryburgh and Lottie Woad sit four shots off the lead, alongside world number one Nelly Korda, after the first round of the US Women's Open. They are all at level par on a congested leaderboard at Erin Hills in world number 11 Angel Yin and 2020 champion A Lim Kim are among six players in the joint lead on four under after a day when 58 players shot level par or better. England's Hull, who was two over after 11 holes, hit birdies on the 12th and 16th holes to post a 72 and match the efforts of Scotland's Dryburgh who birdied the 13th and 14th holes to wipe out early Lottie Woad, who won the prestigious Augusta National Women's Amateur in 2024, was three under after 10 holes but a double-bogey six on the par-four 17th saw her drop major winner Korda had one bogey and one birdie in her 72."Overall, I can't complain," said the American. "First day, it's all about patience. I'm striking it pretty well, so hopefully I can carry that into the next couple days."
