Latest news with #51
New York Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Democrats made themselves toxic — now they're addicted to their own poison
A few Democratic officeholders, activists and pundits are finally coming to their senses that their brand is toxic to a majority of the American people. The Biden administration killed what was left of it in a number of ways. First, it serially lied to Americans about the cognitive decline and cancerous condition of President Joe Biden, both while in and after office. Advertisement Only when caught did the complicit media 'fess up that the Biden inner circle serially misled the American people about Biden's inability to fulfill the duties of the presidency. Second, left-wing politicos used Biden as a waxen effigy. His job was to pose as a 'moderate' cover to push through the most radical and unpopular agenda in the last half-century. Advertisement Only that way could 'Old Joe Biden from Scranton' and his backroom handlers ram down the throat of the American people unpopular policies that nearly wrecked the country. Third, without either a functional president or viable initiatives, the new hard-left Democrats sought to brand Donald Trump as 'Hitler' and half the country who supported him as 'fascists.' For nearly nine years, the Democrats launched one failed hoax after another on the American people: 'Russian collusion,' 'laptop disinformation,' and the lying so-called '51 intelligence authorities.' They proved quite willing to undermine the rule of law by manipulating the court system in efforts to destroy their bogeyman, Trump. Advertisement The people are finally tired of all the potty-mouthed Democrat videos, the congressional stunts and meltdowns, the pampered rich kids rioting on elite campuses, the knee-jerk obsessions with racial slurs, the firebombing of Tesla dealerships, the romanticization of left-wing political murderers — and always the adolescent tantrums over Trump. The Democrats had mostly given up on democracy some 13 years ago. That was the last time they transparently and democratically nominated Barack Obama a second time as their presidential candidate. Ever since, their nominations have been rigged. In 2020, party insiders — terrified of the left-wing crazy primary field — forced out all the leading contenders. Advertisement Then they coronated the debilitated but still supposedly useful moderate Biden as their COVID-era candidate. Biden bragged that he would pick his vice president on the basis of race and gender. What followed was the most bizarre campaign in history. Biden stayed put in his basement and outsourced his candidacy to the partisan media. Next, in 2024, they forced the now no longer useful Biden off the ticket, nullifying his 14 million primary voters. Then, without a vote, they rammed in inept Vice President Kamala Harris as the nominee. As a failed candidate in 2020, she had never won a single delegate. Some in the party now concede it must roust out its radicals. But Democrats will not. AOC and her Squad, the unhinged Jasmine Crockets of the party, and the ossified socialist Bernie Bros would demonize any Democrat who offered a sane reboot. Advertisement A few fossils in the party may think they know how to save it. But they are terrified that the medicine would be considered far worse than the illness that prompted it. Would Democrats consider embracing measured and legal-only immigration? No — the crazy base would scream 'xenophobe!' A return to meritocracy and the Martin Luther King notion of race as incidental, not essential, to who we are? Advertisement That would be called 'racist.' Maybe reforms to fix failed schools with vouchers, school choice and charter schools? Again, 'racist!' How about developing gas and oil reserves and nuclear power to lower energy costs for the struggling middle class? Advertisement That would be condemned as 'destroying the planet.' Restore police forces, end critical race and legal theory, and deter criminals with tough sentencing? How about ceasing the whiny fixations with 'white privilege' and 'white rage?' Or quit seeing a 'white supremacist' under every bed? Advertisement Again and again, 'racist!' The left created DEI — the use of race to adjudicate every political issue. And like any addictive, toxic drug, they now can neither survive with DEI — nor without it. Victor Davis Hanson is a distinguished fellow of the Center for American Greatness.
USA Today
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Kenan Thompson teases 'a lot of change' may be coming to 'SNL'
Kenan Thompson teases 'a lot of change' may be coming to 'SNL' Show Caption Hide Caption SNL turns 50! How Lorne Michaels made comedy cool again. In the decades since its creation, SNL has become a cultural institution for American comedy. Will they stay or will they go? As "Saturday Night Live" fans speculate about which cast members may not return to Studio 8H, Kenan Thompson is teasing change on the horizon. Speaking with Page Six, the "SNL" star, 47, hinted that the show may look different when it resumes in the fall as he reflected that the end of its latest season was "bittersweet." "Especially this year where it feels like there's maybe, possibly, a lot of change next year," he said. "You want everyone to stay forever, knowing that people may be making decisions this summer ... it's always like you want your kids to stay young," Thompson added. It has not been announced which "SNL" cast members may leave the show between seasons. The Season 50 finale, which aired May 17, did not appear to give any of its stars an obvious sendoff, though it did poke fun at the speculation about who might be on their way out. In host Scarlett Johansson's opening monologue, the actress sang that "Sarah is leaving," referring to cast member Sarah Sherman, who then pretended to be distraught and confused as if hearing this for the first time. 'SNL' cold open mocks Trump's Middle East trip, Qatar jet 'pre-bribe' The Season 50 finale also joked about rumors that Colin Jost could leave his position as anchor on "Weekend Update," either to get a promotion or to exit the show entirely. During a joke swap segment, where Jost and co-anchor Michael Che made each other read jokes they wrote for one another, Jost was forced to read a message urging "SNL" creator Lorne Michaels to retire and let him run the show. Michael Che apologizes to Scarlett Johansson for crude 'SNL' joke swap Despite speculation that Michaels might retire from "SNL" after the landmark 50th season, the producer told The Hollywood Reporter last year he would stick around as long as he can. "There's no immediate plan," he said of retirement. Some fans also noticed that "SNL" star Bowen Yang appeared emotional during the finale's closing credits, sparking theories that it could have been his last episode. Yang later told Entertainment Weekly he "was just processing that being one of the last 'last nights' that I would have, and that is a huge thing." But when asked directly if he would return for Season 51, Yang would not say.
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Pune-based Agarwal can save Rs 10.5 lakh tax in new tax regime via corporate NPS, debt funds
Pune-based Piyush Agarwal works at a senior position in a software company. He is paying a high tax even though his salary structure is fairly taxfriendly. Nearly 35% of his income goes in tax because of the 25% surcharge on incomes above Rs.2 crore. If he invests in tax-efficient instruments and claims all the deductions available to him, he can significantly reduce his tax outgo. Agarwal has opted for the new tax regime because he finds it less complicated and it allows him to invest as per his convenience and preference. Though there are no deductions under Section 80C in the new tax regime, there is an opportunity to save tax through NPS . If he reduces his special allowance by Rs.10,51,226 (14% of basic salary) and opts for the corporate NPS benefit from his company under Section 80CCD(2), his tax can reduce by Rs.8,75,919. The NPS benefit does not add to wage cost or paperwork for the company, but it lowers the tax outgo for employees. The tax savings are high because the deduction reduces the surcharge payable on the tax. Agarwal has invested Rs.65 lakh in fixed deposits and earns an interest of Rs.4.5 lakh on this. If he switches to debt funds or arbitrage schemes, he can save Rs.1.75 lakh in tax. Arbitrage funds are treated as equity schemes for tax purposes and long-term capital gains of Rs.1.25 lakh are tax-free in a year. To avoid tax on fixed deposits, Agarwal should also open a PPF account and start putting Rs.1.5 lakh a year in it to build a tax-free corpus. Live Events Agarwal and his family are covered by a group health plan from his employer. Under the new tax regime, there is no deduction for health insurance premiums, but he should still buy an independent health plan for himself and his family. WRITE TO US FOR HELP Paying too much tax? Write to us at etwealth@ with 'Optimise my tax' as the subject. Our experts will tell you how to reduce your tax by rejigging your pay and investments.
The Sun
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
World's newest luxury transonic jet swaps windows with ‘supernatural vision' and prepares to fly passengers by 2030
A FUTURISTIC jet that ditches windows for 'supernatural vision' is set to take to the skies by 2030 – aiming to combine speed, efficiency, and a new king of in-flight experience. The Phantom 3500 is the latest transonic aircraft in development, offering an unconventional take on modern private air travel. 6 6 6 Developed by Otto Aviation in California, the Phantom 3500 is designed to cruise through the skies at altitudes of 51,000 feet while delivering a smooth, fuel-efficient ride for four to six passengers. It swaps traditional windows for ultra-realistic high-definition screens, offering passengers panoramic virtual views in a sleek, seamless cabin. Why no windows? According to engineers, they're a structural nightmare. Windows add weight, weaken the fuselage, and disrupt the airflow around the aircraft, all of which reduce fuel efficiency. By removing them, Otto has created a near-perfect aerodynamic body that glides through the air with minimal resistance. The Phantom 3500 is all about laminar flow, a scientific term for smooth, uninterrupted airflow over the fuselage. This is achieved with a precision-shaped carbon-fibre hull that reduces drag, burns less fuel, and extends range. The company estimates fuel savings of up to 35 per cent compared to traditional jets, with emissions potentially slashed by 80 per cent. Instead of feeling boxed into a metal tube, passengers will step into an 800-cubic-foot luxury cabin wrapped in digital 'windows'. High-definition screens span both walls and the ceiling, showing real-time footage from outside the aircraft. It's more immersive than a regular porthole – and a lot bigger too. The jet will be powered by twin turbofan engines and features short, wide wings for greater lift and versatility. It's expected to fly 3,200 nautical miles on a single tank and can use shorter runways than many current business jets – meaning access to smaller, regional airfields. The Phantom 3500 isn't alone in pushing the boundaries of flight. Across the Atlantic, Venus Aerospace is working on the Stargazer, a hypersonic aircraft that could travel at speeds of Mach 4 and beyond. Backed by NASA, it's aiming to shrink the London-to- New York journey to just over an hour, with a commercial debut also targeted for the 2030s. The Stargazer uses a rocket-based propulsion system and a revolutionary new nozzle design to reach speeds of up to Mach 9. It's being billed as the first reusable hypersonic aircraft that could make two-hour global travel a reality. Between Otto's transonic windowless jet and Venus Aerospace's hypersonic speedster, the future of flight is shaping up to be faster, cleaner, and far more stylish. With the Phantom 3500, jet-setters may soon be swapping window seats for a high-tech view that's better than the real thing – all while flying smoother, higher, and greener than ever before. 6 6 6
USA Today
09-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Abdul Carter settles on a number: What will the New York Giants rookie wear?
Abdul Carter settles on a number: What will the New York Giants rookie wear? New York Giants first-round pick Abdul Carter has finally settled on a jersey number. After failed efforts to secure No. 56 and No. 11, retired for Lawrence Taylor and Phil Simms, respectively, Carter has opted to wear No. 51, most recently worn by linebacker Azeez Ojulari, who signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency. In addition to Carter wearing No. 51, the remaining 2025 NFL draft class has either chosen or been assigned their numbers. Abdul Carter, No. 51 Jaxson Dart, No. 6 Darius Alexander, No. 91 Cam Skattebo, No. 44 Marcus Mbow, No. 71 Thomas Fidone, No. 86 Korie Black, No. 25 Although all jersey numbers are subject to change -- and some likely will after final cuts -- Carter is reportedly sticking with No. 51. Carter and his fresh No. 51 will join his fellow rookies on the field in East Rutherford on Friday as rookie minicamp officially gets underway.
