
Nationals come home after a strong trip and deliver a dud against Cubs
The scene in the fifth inning of Tuesday night's contest at Nationals Park between Washington and the Chicago Cubs was an unwelcome sight for any home team: visiting fans on their feet, cheering with anticipation.
Two outs, bases loaded, full count. Cole Henry needed to beat Nico Hoerner and get the Nationals out of the inning. His fastball was off the plate but it didn't matter. Hoerner lined it to right, a two-run single that broke open what turned into an 8-3 Nationals loss that included a litany of mental errors.
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Forbes
33 minutes ago
- Forbes
Brave The Awkward: Because Real Connection Requires Embracing Discomfort
We've never been more connected—yet we've rarely felt more alone. Chances are, you've witnessed it too: a group of young people sitting around a table at a restaurant, each staring at their phones instead of conversing with each other. They'd sooner take a selfie and post it than lay down their devices and talk about the insecurity that's driving their deep need to be seen and validated by 'likes' on the latest post. I call this the connection paradox: surrounded by communication tools, yet starved of real connection. At the heart of this paradox? Our growing reluctance to brave the awkward moments that real connection demands. The technology that's connected us has made it too easy to avoid the discomfort of genuine connection. The technology that's connected us has made it too easy to avoid the discomfort of genuine connection. We've become masters of impression management but amateurs at vulnerability. We filter our flaws, script our replies, and polish our professional personas—all while dodging the discomfort of direct, human-to-human interaction. From awkward silences to unresolved tensions, most of us would rather scroll, text, or disappear than risk a moment of raw, honest connection. The pressure to look like we've got it together—to say the right thing, to be perceived the right way—is amplified by status anxiety. Social psychologist Amy Cuddy calls this "presence under threat"—when fear of judgment overrides our ability to be authentic and present. Our natural need for approval has made us vulnerable to technologies that exploit our insecurities. Just last week, I heard through a mutual friend that someone had misinterpreted something I'd said. My first thought was to send a text, explaining the misunderstanding. But I caught myself and picked up the phone. Within five minutes, what could have become a drawn-out misunderstanding was resolved through the warmth of actual conversation where she could hear the tone of my voice—something that would have taken days of back-and-forth messages, if it could be resolved at all. Yet I constantly hear of people having conflicts via text exchanges because it feels safer. The data tells the story: in 1990, 75% of Americans had a best friend and only 3% had no close friends at all—today, those figures have plummeted to 59% and 12% respectively Digital communication can never replace the human When we choose AI-scripted messaging over less polished but fully human conversation—when we trade authenticity for something sanitized and 'perfect'—we cut ourselves off from the deep connection we crave and the many benefits it brings. We end up in carefully controlled exchanges that protect our ego but starve our soul. I call it the 'timidity tax'—the hidden cost we pay in our relationships, workplaces, and communities when we avoid the awkwardness of showing up fully human. In the end, it's our raw edges—not our perfection—that give others something real to hold onto. Younger generations are particularly vulnerable. While they may be fluent in memes and emojis, many haven't developed the interpersonal muscles needed for meaningful dialogue, emotional nuance, or face-to-face disagreement. The pandemic made this worse. Just when many young people should have been building the relational skills essential for navigating life's complexities, they found themselves isolated at home, tethered to devices that promised connection but delivered only its shadow. Those formative years—when resilience is built through awkward conversations, messy disagreements, and the trial-and-error of human interaction—were replaced by the sanitized safety of screens. 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Digital interactions, no matter how frequent or clever, cannot replicate the subtle dance of in-person communication: reading between the lines, sitting with uncomfortable silences, or finding resolution through the shared vulnerability that is felt when two people occupy the same physical space. Connection doesn't happen by accident—it happens through shared discomfort, mutual vulnerability, and the courage to show up without a script. It requires us to step away from our screens and into the uncertain territory of genuine human interaction, where miscommunication is possible, feelings might get hurt, and resolution isn't guaranteed with the click of a button. The connection we crave most lays the other side of the awkwardness we least want to risk. If we want to build relationships and communities that unite people across generations, identities, and perspectives, we must be willing to 'brave the awkward'. 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Fox News
38 minutes ago
- Fox News
Former Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb reacts to Jalen Hurts skipping Trump White House visit
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback and reigning Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts divided fans when he chose to skip the team's celebratory White House visit in April. Hurts was one of several Eagles players who chose not to go, alongside AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith, Jalen Carter and Brandon Graham. But as the quarterback, Hurts' absence garnered particular scrutiny. Hurts told reporters on May 20 that he didn't go because he "wasn't available." Former Eagles star quarterback Donovan McNabb, who says he's mentored Hurts since coming to Philadelphia, gave his reaction to his protégé's absence in an interview with Fox News Digital. McNabb also suggested that Hurts' absence was based on a decision. "I don't have a problem with it at all. I agree, I totally agree with him and the decision that he made, it's a grown man decision, and he stuck with it," McNabb said. "And for him, his focus again is to get himself ready to possibly get back to another Super Bowl." McNabb added that he would have made the same decision as Hurts. Hurts also raised eyebrows again when he attended the Met Gala the following week after missing the White House. Still, the vast majority of the Eagles' roster and coaching staff did attend the White House and celebrated with Trump, as well as the president's daughter, Ivanka. Those players included star running back Saquon Barkley. "It's everybody's choice," McNabb said of the players who went. "You don't harp on anybody else's decision of what they made, it's a decision. It's a personal decision that he made, for both, for Jalen and for Saquon," McNabb said. "And again, after you do your visit or whatever it may be, you get right back to focusing on the task at hand and seeing if you can have that opportunity to be invited back to the White House." When the Eagles won the Super Bowl back in 2018, the team decided not to attend the White House. Trump rescinded the invitation to host the Eagles after several players said they would not participate in the visit because of his previous criticisms of national anthem protests. The Los Angeles Dodgers visited the White House several weeks before the Eagles did, to commemorate their World Series title. Mookie Betts, who skipped a visit in 2019 with the Boston Red Sox, attended this year. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.


Forbes
39 minutes ago
- Forbes
What Time Is 2025 Belmont Stakes? How To Watch On Free TV And Streaming
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