Latest news with #TomWilson
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Josh Hawley blasts Allstate CEO for making $26M last year — while company can't ‘afford' to pay out claims
Most homeowners believe their insurance policies will protect them when disaster strikes. But that illusion shattered for Natalia Migal. Testifying before the U.S. Senate, she recalled how Hurricane Helene ravaged her Georgia home, only for her insurer Allstate to offer a mere $46,000 for repairs, despite independent assessments putting the damage closer to $500,000. Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 5 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Nervous about the stock market in 2025? Find out how you can access this $1B private real estate fund (with as little as $10) Digging into Allstate's recent financial statements, Senator Josh Hawley questioned the company's decision to reward the C-suite after boosting revenue and profits while policyholders like Migal struggled to get compensated for their losses. 'CEO Tom Wilson was paid $26 million,' he said during the hearing. ' can't get her claim paid out but Tom, whoever he is, gets $26 million. Why is his salary a priority but isn't?' Unfortunately, Migal's case isn't an outlier. As evidence from policymakers and industry insiders piles up, lawmakers are ramping up their scrutiny of the $1 trillion property insurance industry. It wasn't just policyholders who testified before Congress on May 13 but also claims adjusters, industry professionals who assess damages and estimate losses. Two of these adjusters testified that they faced pressure to lower their initial estimates, which alarmed the committee. 'We've just heard testimony here, sworn testimony from multiple adjusters, that your company ordered them to delete or alter damage estimates to reduce payouts and to make you profits,' Hawley told Michael Fiato, Allstate executive vice-president and chief claims officer, during the hearing. 'It sounds to me like you're running a system of institutionalized fraud.' Fiato pushed back on this accusation by highlighting the fact that insurance companies like Allstate were handling more claims because of changing weather patterns and higher frequency of natural disasters in recent years. However, Hawley pointed out that this added risk wasn't being reflected in the company's financials. 'I have to notice that your profits have never been better, they're really quite extraordinary,' he said. 'Fiscal year '24, Allstate had $64 billion in revenue; that's 12% above the previous year.' This growth spurt isn't limited to Allstate. Property and casualty insurers pulled in a record $169 billion in profit in 2024, according to AM Best — a staggering 90% jump from the year before and more than quadruple their 2022 earnings. This windfall came even as insurers hiked premiums and lobbied for laws to limit payouts, all while insisting the industry was under financial strain, according to a report by the American Association for Justice. With this pattern in mind, homeowners and policyholders should prepare for dealing with claim denials in the event of a natural disaster. Read more: You're probably already overpaying for this 1 'must-have' expense — and thanks to Trump's tariffs, your monthly bill could soar even higher. Here's how 2 minutes can protect your wallet right now Picking up the pieces after a natural disaster is hard enough, but facing a denied insurance claim can turn a difficult situation into a financial nightmare. To improve your chances, take the time to review your policy thoroughly and reach out to your insurer to get all the details. If you face damages, make sure you document it all and collect photographs that can be submitted to the insurance company. If your claim is denied, National Debt Relief recommends asking for a written explanation for the denial. You can also hire a public adjuster for a second opinion and fair assessment of your property's damages and hire a legal professional to help you appeal the denial in court if necessary. Until insurers are held to higher standards with tighter regulations, homeowners and ordinary families must prepare for unpleasant holes in their safety net. Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan 'works every single time' to kill debt, get rich in America — and that 'anyone' can do it Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
The National
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
I taught classical music in working-class Scotland. Then cuts came
If you weren't doing the job or had outstayed your welcome after three or four years in the same town, you started to lose your audience and were moved on to fresh fields. It was the distinguished Scottish composer Tom Wilson (below) who encouraged me to take up work for his part of Glasgow University's extra-mural department, as it was then called. I had no experience, but my audiences taught me pdq. The lectures had a two-hour slot. Rule one: there shall be a tea-break of absolutely not less than 10 minutes and anything cutting short the normal 15 minutes was best requested kindly. An hour and three-quarters was still loads of time and the great thing for classical music was you had enough of it actually to listen to what was being studied. So we could study in depth. Deeper than regular university courses could manage, even at honours level. I gave several series of 20 lectures: 20 on Beethoven; 20 on Haydn; 20 on Mozart; 20 on Schubert. Brahms, Handel, Monteverdi and Bartok each got 10. And many others besides. Years after I had finished doing these, I got a phone call to my home in the Isle of Skye. 'Is that Mr Purser? This is Mr M******. Do you remember me?' Of course I did. Mr M had a strong middle-class Glasgow accent, pitched a little high. He was in his 30s or 40s, I guessed, and he lived in sheltered housing. He would never ask questions in front of the rest of the class but would come up to me in the tea break so we could talk quietly between the two of us. READ MORE: Bringing legend to life: John Purser on JD Fergusson and the Celtic Revival How he had got my telephone number since I had moved from Glasgow, I have no idea – but he had moved on to the reason for the call: 'Do you remember that Schubert Quintet – I don't mean the Trout – I mean the one with the two cellos?' 'Yes, the Great C major. It's a masterpiece.' 'Do you remember that passage where the cellos are in thirds and it modulates?' 'Ye-e-e-e-s.' 'It's beaut'ful!' I had no time to respond as his next remark was: 'That's ma doorbell.' And the phone was slammed down. If you are looking for an objective measure of your legacy in such a job, you can't do better. But before you think I am boasting, that measure can operate the opposite way. I used also to lecture for the Workers Educational Association and was one day assigned to a hospital/care home for patients in Renfrewshire. I had been warned it was not an easy one. It wasn't. I was placed in a gymnasium which was totally unusable by the residents but kept at a temperature of around 80F. There was one chair, no table and the LP player had to sit on the floor near an electric plug. My audience of a dozen was wheeled in: all in wheelchairs, many with colostomy bags and half of them asleep. The atmosphere was soon redolent of ammonia. Of those who were awake, two old ladies listened to my pathetic effusions on the sad life of Schubert and his beautiful music with apparent pleasure. Two others had joined the sleepers. Two old gentlemen were, from their expressions, never going to be on my side. And so it proved. Two-thirds of the way through my efforts, one turned to the other and, with a stage whisper worthy of a Lawrence Olivier, asked: 'Was I born to suffer this?' It's not done to assault old men in wheelchairs, and I have expunged from memory how I reacted. Suffice it to say the gentleman was back the following week (I suspect he had no option) and asked the same question of the powers above at more or less the same juncture. It was only then that I understood that this was probably one of the few occasions on which he could exercise a little of his own power over the lot fate had assigned him in his later years. I don't begrudge him his protest. Indeed I am grateful to him now for teaching me how to accept being put in my place. Dumfries railway station It could have happened more than once. I was giving a course on opera in Dumfries and was doing away fine, starting with Monteverdi, working through Rameau, Handel and Mozart and finishing up with Bartók and Stravinsky. In between, I deigned to include some Italian folk, such as Verdi, Donizetti, Bellini and Puccini. Among my audience were the station master and signal man from Dumfries railway station. It was not a busy station and they had amassed an unparalleled collection of 78s of great Italian opera and opera singers to which they listened in the signal box. They knew every aria, every recitative, every plot, every vocal star, every conductor. They knew the lot. Far, far more than did I. They would ask me searching questions in the tea break and I would squirm with evasive embarrassment trying not to admit my ignorance too frequently. They must have known, but these were kindly men who were never going to press their advantage and were happy to receive whatever I had to offer outside their chosen marshalling yard of delights. Extra-mural lectures involved travel. A highlight was the flight to Campbeltown. It was in a De Havilland Heron and on more than one occasion the right-hand row of single seats had been removed. There were just 11 of us. Campbeltown The flight was to Machrihanish, sometimes via Islay, Machrihanish being an air base from which a bus took you into Campbeltown. We had wonderful views from large windows and, flying low, we could see right down the funnels of the many ships docked or still being built on the Clyde. The approach to the Mull of Kintyre was spectacular – the aircraft swept round the cliffs of Davaar Island so close that the seabirds rose in protest. We then skimmed the top of Campbeltown's spires and landed in a kind of military no man's land. I had all day in Campbeltown, time to explore Davaar Island if the tide was out for long enough, or to drop in on textile designer Veronica Togneri's shop. She would come to the lectures. But the town itself was not a happy place. There were many unemployed people hanging about street corners or keeping warm with the newspapers in the library. Flying in and out after an overnight in the biggest hotel in town didn't feel right and still doesn't. All that came to an end. No more overnights. I had been able to stay in the Selkirk Arms Hotel where I was assigned the room in which it was thought Robert Burns used to sleep. But now I had to drive from Glasgow to Kirkcudbright and back that night and had to repeat the journey to deliver the same lecture in Dumfries the following night. In midwinter the return home on the A74 with huge lorries, blinding spray, buffeting winds and lousy visibility climbing up to Beattock at 11pm was an exhausting misery of concentration. The end was in sight when you could see the glow of the Bessemer convertors at Ravenscraig belching fire on to the underside of the grim cloud cover. It was like descending into the inner depths of Dante's Inferno. Now and again, I was able to stay overnight near Kirkcudbright with generous class members and with the remarkable poet and playwright Betty Clarke (also known as Joan Ure, below). It was one such late autumn night and I was readying myself at the end of my class for the dark drive to her remote farmhouse. But just as I was ready to leave and most of the class had gone, an elderly woman came up to me. She was easily as tall as myself and she took me by the elbows and looked me straight in the eye. I remember her well and wish I could remember her name. She was a strongly-built woman and a strong character. Whenever she asked a question, it was an interesting one. I learnt that, despite being unmarried, she had managed to adopt a daughter, which in those days was no mean feat, and the adoption was a great success. She had recently retired as a church organist but she had not come to me about anything to do with music. I knew she was dying of cancer and had not long left – we all knew – but that wasn't it either. She spoke very earnestly telling me to drive carefully that night; that there was some kind of devil in me and I must, must be careful. I was taken aback. This was a rational lady with no hint of being superstitious, and there was nothing superstitious about the way she spoke. She knew. READ MORE: John Purser explores the maths and secret symbols behind the Enlightenment She knew, and she was right. I was driving fast so as not to reach Betty's too late, but it was more than that. It was a spooky night. No wind, no rain, but dark as hell. My headlights could scarcely pick out the narrow twisty road between the hedges and gaps for gates. The only other light came from sudden flashes of distant car headlights reflected from the underside of a dense, low cloud cover. I was pushing it – driving far too fast for the conditions. There was indeed a devil in me and if it hadn't been for that strange warning, I would have gone faster still. But every now and again, her words and her penetrating look made me ease off and I made it – just. The following week she was not in the class. She was dead. People near death sometimes have strange insights. I think this was one such. I believe that night she saved my life.
New York Times
17-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
What's next for the Capitals after a memorable 2024-25 season ends early?
WASHINGTON — A handful of minutes after their season ended, some of the most important Washington Capitals players had already started to turn the page. It's not that Tom Wilson, Dylan Strome and coach Spencer Carbery were solely future-focused after the Carolina Hurricanes eliminated them in the fifth game of their second-round series Thursday night; there was still plenty of evident frustration and disappointment over how things had gone down. How couldn't there be? None of them had enough time to grab a shower, let alone fully process the premature end to months' worth of work. Advertisement Still, the overall vibe in Capital One Arena was laced with equal parts sadness and optimism, and that made sense. The 2024-25 Capitals season was highly memorable and fairly successful. What comes next is in the eye of the beholder. The optimist will see a group that went from the fringes of the playoff discussion to the top of the Eastern Conference, primarily on the backs of players whose best hockey would seem to be in front of them. Strome, a point-per-game center in his age-28 season, is in that group. He deserves to be. 'A lot of us in here, (it's our) first time winning a playoff round and something to build on,' Strome said. 'A lot of us are here for the future and for a while. So it's something to build on. And of course it stings.' Wilson, a one-of-one force on the wing who had something of a mid-career renaissance in his second season back from ACL surgery, feels the same. 'I guess that's the one kind of silver lining,' he said. 'We can be excited about the future. A lot of good teams play a lot of good hockey at this time of year and fall short. And we got tested in this series. And we're going to learn from it and do the best that we can moving forward. Learn from it, build on it. We got a great foundation.' Wilson nailed it, though. The lining is silver — kind of. If you're invested in the Capitals, there should be at least some degree of concern over the repeatability of the overall procedure. Here's an early look at what could come next for Washington. Overall, consider it a warning against planting yourself too firmly on either side of the line — because a wide range of outcomes are going to be in play for 2025-26. In two seasons on the job, Carbery has dragged an overmatched, undermanned roster into the 2024 playoffs, then overseen its growth into a legitimate contender — navigating, all the while, a once-in-a-generation record chase by an NHL icon. Young players have emerged under him. Key players have improved dramatically. The team has, too. And it all happened in an environment that, with a less steady hand at the wheel, would've capsized the boat. He's almost certainly going to win the Jack Adams this summer, and it should be for the second time. Advertisement 'You hope that guys learn from this,' he said Thursday. 'And you hope it doesn't take seven years to get to the Cup finals. But it is a process. And you got to learn how to win this time of year. And you got to learn how to score goals this time of year. You got to learn how hard it is to win on the road and how slim the margins are. Every little puck touch, every little mistake, every power play, penalty kill. 'So I am optimistic of the group and the new players that came in this year that will be returning next year about where this group potentially can go in the future.' When the Capitals acquired Pierre-Luc Dubois from the Los Angeles Kings, he was a distressed asset. Best-case scenario, it would seem, was that he'd play like a passable No. 2 center. In the regular season, he was closer to a passable No. 1, thanks to some high-end two-way minutes with Wilson as his primary running mate. If that's who he is, the Caps will be in great shape. Jakob Chychrun, 27, had the best season of his career, scoring 20 goals, putting up 27 assists and earning a big-time new contract ($9.0 million AAV for eight seasons). Carbery and his staff put Chychrun in a position to succeed, feeding him lots of relatively easy minutes with sturdy partners, and he hit them out of the park. His skill with the puck on his stick, whether it's on breakouts or in the offensive zone, started to shine through after some time in the wilderness with the Arizona Coyotes and Ottawa Senators. Like Dubois, he played like a legitimate building block. A little more generally, the fact that president Brian MacLellan and general manager Chris Patrick identified those two as worthy gambles bodes well for future offseasons. Wilson, 31, has never been better. He set career highs in goals (33) and assists (32), and he did it while playing substantive, effective two-way minutes on a line with Dubois. Not many players league-wide can impact games like he can. It's also worth noting that, two years out from his ACL tear, his skating still looks just fine and he's very clearly the team's emotional fulcrum. He has matured into a vocal, responsible leader who makes life easier on his teammates, and the dressing room seems to be as much his as Alexander Ovechkin's, at this point. Advertisement Strome isn't a perfect player, but he's plenty good. In his third year with the Capitals, he produced like a legit first-line center, showing offensive creativity at five-on-five and on the power play. If this is where his development maxes out, he'll still be a valuable piece. Aliaksei Protas may or may not have another 30-goal season up his sleeve, but the 24-year-old seems a safe bet to, at minimum, give Washington productive two-way play along the middle six. He's huge, skilled and versatile. Connor McMichael, with 26 goals in his third full NHL season, would've been the breakout forward on most other teams. He's not the potential total package like Protas, but he looked particularly strong as an offensive element alongside Dubois and Wilson. For the first few months of the season, Logan Thompson played like a Vezina finalist. When he signed a contract extension on Jan. 27 (six years, $5.85 million AAV), Thompson was near the top of the league in save percentage (.925) and goals saved above expected (18). He regained his footing in the playoffs, helping the Capitals keep the Hurricanes closer than they otherwise would have been. Carbery raves about him, and his teammates do, too. That late-season wobble is a legitimate concern, but there seems to be more good than bad. It'd be unwise to doubt Carbery and his staff's ability to coax even more out of the players currently on the roster. It's also fair to wonder just how much better they're going to get. There are elements of Strome's game that could improve — zone entries, for one — but the guy just had 82 points. What's next for Protas? A 40-goal season? In some ways, Washington should be relieved that Dubois put it together as well as he has; expecting much more would be unwise, if not greedy. It's also worth noting that in the first round against the Montreal Canadiens, his point production flatlined, and against Carolina, his overall game nosedived. Defensively, Chychrun's postseason might've been a bit of a red flag. Martin Fehérváry's injury forced Chychrun to play tougher minutes, mainly alongside John Carlson, and both of their games struggled. Carlson, 35, had a wonderful regular season; in the playoffs, he often looked injured or a step slow. If he's starting to hit the downslope, there should be questions about whether Chychrun is capable of taking over his minutes, full freight. The coaching staff has shown the ability to make players better while maximizing their strengths and minimizing their weaknesses. It's easy to imagine it happening again. At some point, though, the guys at the top of the roster are going to be finished products, and outside of Ryan Leonard, there are no obvious potential impact players behind them on the NHL roster. Here, we have a classic 'two things can be true' situation. We'll start with this: Ovechkin just pulled off one of the most remarkable runs in the history of the sport. At 39 years old, and after breaking his left fibula in the middle of the season, he scored 27 goals in 43 games to set the NHL record for career goals. The finishing ability, clearly, is still there. Advertisement The issue: Down the stretch, especially against Carolina, not much else was. If Ovechkin was gassed, so be it — old, broken fibula, once-in-a-generation record chase, etc. He had valid excuses. If that becomes the norm, though — if he stops scoring at a rate ridiculous enough to justify his issues with keeping the pace at five-on-five or even passively contributing away from the puck — Washington is going to have a pretty serious problem. Carbery deserves a world of credit for putting Ovechkin in a position to break Wayne Gretzky's record and still clock in as a positive overall asset. Still, if the goals dry up, look out. Carbery said Thursday that he expects Ovechkin, who is signed for one more year, to return for 2025-26. His center is looking forward to it, as well. 'It's an honor to get to play with them and see the way he competes and plays and wins battles and scores and does everything for the Caps,' Strome said. 'It's easy to get in line and follow. And who knows how much longer he has left, but we'll still be following as long as he's here.'
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
TNT Blackout During Capitals-Canadiens Game 4 Sparks Strong Fan Reaction
Tensions are running high between the Washington Capitals and the Montreal Canadiens as they enter Game 4 of the opening round of the NHL playoffs. The Canadiens crushed Washington 6-3 in Game 3 during which a chaotic brawl between Capitals veteran Tom Wilson and Montreal's Josh Anderson spilled over into the bench. Advertisement Adding even more drama, both team's goalies left Game 3 with injuries. While Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson made a surprising return to start in Game 4 after suffering what looked like a severe left leg injury, Canadiens starter Sam Montembeault remained out. Capitals goalie Logan Thompson (48) sprays water on his face during a break against the Kirouac-Imagn Images While neither team scored in the first period, Dylan Strome scored his second goal of the series to give the Capitals a 1-0 lead in the second period. However, Washington was on a power play with about 15 minutes left in the middle frame when TNT's feed suddenly went dark. The outage affected all viewers watching from Los Angeles to New York. Advertisement One man posted, "It appears that TNT has continued their attempts to save money by not showing the Capitals and Canadians game at all." While the game continued, TBS continued to air commercials. One fan added, "Just give us @Sportsnet feed please @NHLonTNT is a joke." TNT Sports apologized for the "technical difficulties" before eventually switching to Sportsnet's feed so viewers watching at home could continue to tune in, which most fans loved. Keith Olbermann posted, "Great news: the Turner broadcast from Montreal just vanished and was replaced by SportsNet... OK, Turner, how much do I have to pay for you to make this permanent? I've got $50 in cash right here - AMERICAN MONEY." Advertisement Sharks reporter Max Miller commented, "It should speak volumes how much better Sportsnet's audio mixing is than TNT/ESPN. With TNT/TBS feed down the Sportsnet feed of WSH v. MTL is being used." One fan wrote added, "No need for TBS to go back to their coverage when their 'technical difficulties' have been resolved for this Caps/Habs game. Just keep the Sportsnet feed. Thank you." One man wrote, "I am loving the SportsNet broadcast of Capitals/Canadiens. Can feel the excitement and energy." With about five minutes left in the second period, however, TNT Sports' feed returned. Related: NHL Makes Capitals-Canadiens Playoff Announcement on Saturday
7NEWS
15-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- 7NEWS
Meet The Nashie: The stylish UPF50+ swim shirt Aussies are taking to Euro summer
Euro summer is fast approaching and I've discovered this year's must-have item: The Nashie. This stylish, sun-safe upgrade from your usual rash vest is a game-changer, you'll be able to enjoy the Euro sun all day long while staying sun safe. It's a collared, button-up, UPF50+ swim shirt that's designed to look great both in and out of the water. Launched by local dad and founder Tom Wilson, The Nashie was inspired by a personal mission, to combat the rising impact of skin cancer in Australia with something people actually want to wear. After seeing several family members affected by skin cancer, Tom realised there was a serious gap in the market. The Nashie retail from $79.95 and comes in a range of colours and designs. And in just four months, The Nashie has gone from an idea to a national movement, with tens of thousands of Australians swapping out their old rashies for this stylish, sun-smart alternative. And it's not just about looks, the shirt also offers full upper body protection and comfort, so you can wear it from beach to café. 'People aren't avoiding sun safety because they don't care. They're avoiding it because the options don't work. So I created something they'd love to wear instead,' Tom explains. And it's definitely having an impact because shoppers. They can't stop raving about how the Nashie has changed their outlook on beachwear. 'Great quality and very stylish,' one shopper commented. 'Its great going from place to place wearing a nice shirt where I can hop in the pool, go to the beach it dries fast and I don't feel underdressed when wandering all day and into the night,' another shopper added. 'Very nice material, true to sizing and love how it looks,' a third customer wrote. This Euro summer, you don't have to choose between sun safety and style because with The Nashie you can achieve both.
