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Jim Cramer Says NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA)’s ‘About Value’In the view of , there is no bad NFL history. There is only NFL history, which Muse and his older brother Tanner have now made. Nick Muse, a tight end, was waived by the on Monday, which also happened to be his birthday. What makes that significant, and not just an unfortunate coincidence, is that Tanner Muse, a linebacker, was also three years ago by the . "Look at that! You know what they call that? They call that NFL history," Nick said in . "How many times has two brothers both get cut on their birthdays?" Shoutout talk about LEGENDARY! — Nick Muse (@NickMuse5) "That's pretty sick to me," he continued. "I mean, it's the wrong side of NFL history but, hey, you win some, you lose some. Appreciate the birthday messages." Kudos to Muse for being able to make light of the situation when it has to sting to be cut by the Vikings just two days after the team activated him from injured reserve and opened his 21-day practice window under NFL rules. Muse, 26, was in his third season with the Vikings after being selected in the seventh round of the out of . He appeared in three games with Minnesota this year. For his career, he played in 15 games, notching one reception for 22 yards. Tanner was not only infamously waived on his birthday, but the move occurred after the Raiders wished him a Happy Birthday . (Unfortunately, it appears that the Vikings .) He was cut during the 2021 preseason after missing his entire rookie campaign due to injury. Tanner has played four NFL seasons with the , s and . The Jaguars waived him on Nov. 5.By JOSH BOAK WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump loved to use tariffs on foreign goods during his first presidency. But their impact was barely noticeable in the overall economy, even if their aftershocks were clear in specific industries. The data show they never fully delivered on his promised factory jobs. Nor did they provoke the avalanche of inflation that critics feared. This time, though, his tariff threats might be different . The president-elect is talking about going much bigger — on a potential scale that creates more uncertainty about whether he’ll do what he says and what the consequences could be. “There’s going to be a lot more tariffs, I mean, he’s pretty clear,” said Michael Stumo, the CEO of Coalition for a Prosperous America, a group that has supported import taxes to help domestic manufacturing. The president-elect posted on social media Monday that on his first day in office he would impose 25% tariffs on all goods imported from Mexico and Canada until those countries satisfactorily stop illegal immigration and the flow of illegal drugs such as fentanyl into the United States. Those tariffs could essentially blow up the North American trade pact that Trump’s team negotiated during his initial term. Chinese imports would face additional tariffs of 10% until Beijing cracks down on the production of materials used in making fentanyl, Trump posted. Business groups were quick to warn about rapidly escalating inflation , while Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she would counter the move with tariffs on U.S. products. House Democrats put together legislation to strip a president’s ability to unilaterally apply tariffs this drastic, warning that they would likely lead to higher prices for autos, shoes, housing and groceries. Sheinbaum said Wednesday that her administration is already working up a list of possible retaliatory tariffs “if the situation comes to that.” “The economy department is preparing it,” Sheinbaum said. “If there are tariffs, Mexico would increase tariffs, it is a technical task about what would also benefit Mexico,” she said, suggesting her country would impose targeted import duties on U.S. goods in sensitive areas. House Democrats on Tuesday introduced a bill that would require congressional approval for a president to impose tariffs due to claims of a national emergency, a largely symbolic action given Republicans’ coming control of both the House and Senate. “This legislation would enable Congress to limit this sweeping emergency authority and put in place the necessary Congressional oversight before any president – Democrat or Republican – could indiscriminately raise costs on the American people through tariffs,” said Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash. But for Trump, tariffs are now a tested tool that seems less politically controversial even if the mandate he received in November’s election largely involved restraining inflation. The tariffs he imposed on China in his first term were continued by President Joe Biden, a Democrat who even expanded tariffs and restrictions on the world’s second largest economy. Biden administration officials looked at removing Trump’s tariffs in order to bring down inflationary pressures, only to find they were unlikely to help significantly. Tariffs were “so new and unique that it freaked everybody out in 2017,” said Stumo, but they were ultimately somewhat modest. Trump imposed tariffs on solar panels and washing machines at the start of 2018, moves that might have pushed up prices in those sectors even though they also overlapped with plans to open washing machine plants in Tennessee and South Carolina. His administration also levied tariffs on steel and aluminum, including against allies. He then increased tariffs on China, leading to a trade conflict and a limited 2020 agreement that failed to produce the promised Chinese purchases of U.S. goods. Still, the dispute changed relations with China as more U.S. companies looked for alternative suppliers in other countries. Economic research also found the United States may have sacrificed some of its “soft power” as the Chinese population began to watch fewer American movies. The Federal Reserve kept inflation roughly on target, but factory construction spending never jumped in a way that suggested a lasting gain in manufacturing jobs. Separate economic research found the tariff war with China did nothing economically for the communities hurt by offshoring, but it did help Trump and Republicans in those communities politically. When Trump first became president in 2017, the federal government collected $34.6 billion in customs, duties and fees. That sum more than doubled under Trump to $70.8 billion in 2019, according to Office of Management and Budget records. While that sum might seem meaningful, it was relatively small compared to the overall economy. America’s gross domestic product is now $29.3 trillion, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The total tariffs collected in the United States would equal less than 0.3% of GDP. The new tariffs being floated by Trump now are dramatically larger and there could be far more significant impacts. If Mexico, Canada, and China faced the additional tariffs proposed by Trump on all goods imported to the United States, that could be roughly equal to $266 billion in tax collections, a number that does not assume any disruptions in trade or retaliatory moves by other countries. The cost of those taxes would likely be borne by U.S. families, importers and domestic and foreign companies in the form of higher prices or lower profits. Former Biden administration officials said they worried that companies could piggyback on Trump’s tariffs — if they’re imposed — as a rationale to raise their prices, just as many companies after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 boosted food and energy costs and gave several major companies the space to raise prices, according to their own earnings calls with investors. But what Trump didn’t really spell out is what might cause him to back down on tariffs and declare a victory. What he is creating instead with his tariff threats is a sense of uncertainty as companies and countries await the details to figure out what all of this could mean. “We know the key economic policy priorities of the incoming Trump administration, but we don’t know how or when they will be addressed,” said Greg Daco, chief U.S. economist at EY-Parthenon. AP writer Mark Stevenson contributed to this report from Mexico City.
Strictly Come Dancing fans were left screaming just minutes into the latest live show thanks to the judges. It was week ten in the BBC One dance contest on Saturday night (November 23). Following their spectacular trip to Blackpool last weekend where the show was broadcast life from the world-famous Tower Ballroom as part of the show's annual special, it was back to Elstree Studios where the remaining seven couples hoped to impress as the final edges closer into sight. The latest live show kicked off as it has been throughout the series so far with hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman already in the ballroom ready to go - something that has been upsetting fans for weeks. READ MORE: BBC Strictly Come Dancing stars in double blow amid week ten live show ahead of final It was then time for them to introduce the judes - Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke - who shimmied their way onto the floor. But Strictly fans were quickly rushing to social media to comment on their latest mini dance routine that they've been doing in unision each week since Strictly's 20th-anniversary series began back in September. @flickersuggs asked: "WHAT IS CRAIG DOING HELP.??????? #strictly." @JohnKeeno pleaded: "Can we not have the Judges dancing at the start. It's embarrassing. Please and thank you. #StrictlyComeDancing #Strictly." @atvfriend echoed: "Dear god, please STOP. The judges Cringe dancing #StrictlyComeDancing #Strictly." The judges dancing wasn't to everyones taste @JasonHarrison88 posted: "I need the judges to start the show sat behind the desk!!!! #strictly." @1957RAB brutally shared: "Judges dance, un coordinated, no rhythm, poor footwork 4/10 from me #strictly." However, @Dorina335 added: "I like the judges doing a little dance on the opening to #Strictly I wouldn't mind seeing them involved each week in some form of dance to show they can put into practice what they desire from the competitors."hapabapa Rivian: November Gains Nearly Dissipated Rivian Automotive ( NASDAQ: RIVN ) investors have failed to shake off the market's anxieties over its growth profile as RIVN's recent post-earnings gains dissipated. Notably, investor sentiment was lifted markedly as the Rivian-Volkswagen ( A Unique Price Action-based Growth Investing Service We believe price action is a leading indicator. We called the TSLA top in late 2021. We then picked TSLA's bottom in December 2022. We updated members that the NASDAQ had long-term bearish price action signals in November 2021. We told members that the S&P 500 likely bottomed in October 2022. Members navigated the turning points of the market confidently in our service. Members tuned out the noise in the financial media and focused on what really matters: Price Action. Sign up now for a Risk-Free 14-Day free trial! JR Research is an opportunistic investor. He was recognized by TipRanks as a Top Analyst. He was also recognized by Seeking Alpha as a "Top Analyst To Follow" for Technology, Software, and Internet, as well as for Growth and GARP. He identifies attractive risk/reward opportunities supported by robust price action to potentially generate alpha well above the S&P 500. He has also demonstrated outperformance with his picks. He focuses on identifying growth investing opportunities that present the most attractive risk/reward upside potential. His approach combines sharp price action analysis with fundamentals investing. He tends to avoid overhyped and overvalued stocks while capitalizing on battered stocks with significant upside recovery possibilities. He runs the investing group Ultimate Growth Investing which specializes in identifying high-potential opportunities across various sectors. He focuses on ideas that has strong growth potential and well-beaten contrarian plays, with an 18 to 24 month outlook for the thesis to play out. The group is designed for investors seeking to capitalize on growth stocks with robust fundamentals, buying momentum, and turnaround plays at highly attractive valuations. Learn more Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of AMZN either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
Stock futures are little changed after S&P 500 posts third-straight winning week: Live updatesColman Domingo Details Why ‘The Madness’ Is a Drama for Today’s Era of Media Feeding Frenzies
Stop the illegalities in Kogi – Aggrieved aspirant urges PDP NWCPicking the top-performing artificial intelligence (AI) stock a year out isn't easy. In 2023, it ended up being Nvidia . In 2024, all signs are pointing toward Palantir Technologies . This shift from AI hardware to AI application software was predictable because it has to be deployed and become useful at some time for all of the investment dollars in hardware to pay off. As a result, I think we'll see another AI software company rise to the top in 2025. My prediction is that it will be SoundHound AI ( SOUN 12.60% ) , even though it has already had an incredibly strong 2024, rising over 300%. So, how can a company that has already risen so much be a top pick for 2025? SoundHound's reach has widened in 2024 SoundHound AI's platform is centered around taking a voice input and turning it into a prompt for an AI platform. This has multiple uses, including automaking, restaurants, financial services, insurance, and healthcare. The company already has products serving those industries, and automakers and restaurants are some of its largest clients. Still, the company has become quite diversified in 2024. During last year's third quarter, 72% of revenue came from one client, and 90% of total revenue came from the automotive sector. Now, the largest client contributed only 12% of revenue, and the largest sector made up 25% of revenue. That diversification is a key part of SoundHound becoming more relevant in all industries and turning into a more stable company. If that single client left in late 2023, it might have caused the business to go belly up. If its largest client leaves now, it will still hurt, but not as much as it would have before. While SoundHound still has risks associated with it, this plays a huge part in lowering that risk level. In the third quarter, revenue grew 89% year over year to $25.1 million. This makes it a small-cap stock, as its revenue in the past 12 months totals $67 million. For other, more established software companies, that would be a fairly small percentage of overall revenue, but the company isn't expected to stay there for long. Management projects 2025 revenue will come in between $155 million and $175 million, which is nearly double the revenue it projects for 2024. Clearly, SoundHound expects its business to maintain its boom for 2025. This also highlights a key investment point: How high is the limit if its products become the industry standard in audio recognition? Think of all the ways we use voice to control what we do; now, imagine that being associated with the power of AI. SoundHound could become a huge winner in this space, even after it has run up so much. A lot of success is built into its stock price Perhaps the biggest risk with SoundHound is its valuation. Investors need to be aware of the success that's already baked into the stock's price. Its valuation tips the scales at around 40 times sales , which historically is very expensive. SOUN PS ratio, data by YCharts; PS = price to sales. However, we also know that SoundHound's current trailing-12-month revenue is set to triple by the time 2025 ends (if management's projections come true), which would price the stock in a more reasonable valuation range -- somewhere around 20 times sales. The problem is that the stock must stay at the same price. If the company's business continues to boom, its stock isn't going to stay put. Although I'm excited about 2025, it's clear that all of that year's financial growth is already assumed in the stock price. As a result, if the business stumbles, the stock will take a nosedive. Still, I think there are hefty tailwinds blowing in SoundHound's favor, and I wouldn't be surprised if management ends up beating 2025 expectations, since it has raised its guidance multiple times in 2024 (that year's revenue was originally projected to be between $63 million and $77 million; current guidance is for $82 million to $85 million). If SoundHound AI forecasts that it will continue doubling its revenue in 2026, I think that would keep the hype going in the stock, and be enough to propel it to become the best-performing AI stock in 2025.OTTAWA, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- The special mediation between Canada Post and the union has been suspended when the national strike is on its 13th day, Canadian Labor Minster Steven MacKinnon said on Wednesday. In a social media post, MacKinnon said the special federal mediator appointed to assist in talks between Canada Post and its striking workers has decided to temporarily suspend mediation efforts after several intensive days of negotiation. "His assessment is that parties remain too far apart on critical issues for mediation to be successful at this time," said MacKinnon. He said the pause in mediation activities "will hopefully permit the parties to reassess their positions and return to the bargaining table with renewed resolve." As soon as productive bargaining can begin anew, the special mediator will re-engage with the parties. Canadians are counting on them to create these conditions quickly, the minister added. Canada Post said it has missed out on delivering an estimated 10 million parcels as the strike by more than 55,000 workers across the country continues ahead of Black Friday. According to a statement of Canada Post, with losses of more than 3 billion Canadian dollars (2.14 billion U.S. dollars) since 2018, the company requires negotiated agreements that let all employees focus on the future, without adding new fixed costs that will hamper its ability to compete.
Biden opens final White House holiday season with turkey pardons and first lady gets Christmas tree
Say 'no' to another Atlantic City Electric rate increase, lawmakers tell BPUCM: Govt aims to give 3L permanent jobs to youthSIMON CALASANZ—CONTRIBUTED PHOTO If, like millions of Filipinos, you’ve ever tried to send or receive money from overseas, you know the can be a process packed with hurdles and headaches. I remember when a former colleague now based overseas was attempting to send money into the Philippines to pay for urgent house repairs after her parent’s home in the Visayas region was devastated by a typhoon. What should’ve been a straightforward transfer turned into a slow, stressful ordeal, bogged down by delays and fees. For a country like ours, where remittances are a pillar of the economy and deeply woven into the fabric of Filipino society, this situation is unsustainable. As more Filipinos seek employment opportunities overseas—whether in health care, education and hospitality— the payments ecosystem must evolve to help alleviate this pain point for those who rely on it the most. The Philippines was the fourth-largest recipient of remittances in 2022, after India, Mexico and China, with $38 billion worth of inflows. This accounted for around 9 percent of the country’s GDP (gross domestic product), according to the World Bank. Addressing this growing demand is crucial. At Mastercard we are motivated to simplify the remittance process for those who depend on it to support families, be it to pay medical bills, cover everyday expenses, or urgent house repairs as in my case. The welcome news is that Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is finalizing a blueprint for instant cross-border payments, collaborating with other central banks in the Asean region to strengthen payment connectivity. This effort will support and facilitate international trade, investment and other economic activities. While these developments are promising, it is also important to have a deeper understanding of user behaviors and pain points. To that end, we developed the Mastercard Borderless Payment Report, a global study that sheds light on cross-border and domestic payment experiences for more than 11,000 participants in 15 countries, including the Philippines, to do just that. The report revealed a growing demand for cross-border payments in the Philippines, half of the respondents expecting to increase their cross-border transactions over the past 12 months. Moreover, 87 percent of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are eager to expand their business operations internationally. Yet, the current reality of cross-border transactions in the Philippines has fallen short of customer expectations. A quarter of SMEs have experienced an issue with cross-border transactions resulting in a late or failed payment. Thirty-eight percent of consumers cites lower transaction costs as the most important factor when choosing a brand or company for cross-border payments. The thorny issue of fraud and scams is also concerning, with 38 percent of consumers having been a victim of fraud or scams when making a domestic payment, and 30 percent when making a cross-border payment. Tackling these pain points requires more than individual efforts from companies or regulators—the demands cross-industry collaboration and partnerships. At Mastercard, we’ve made strides in addressing fraud. In 2023, Mastercard prevented $20 billion in fraud losses globally with its AI-powered cybersecurity solutions. Our partnerships with banks and payment service providers in the Philippines focus on leveraging digital technologies for faster, more secure and efficient cross-border payments. For example, our send-to-card service within Mastercard Move’s money movement portfolio allows overseas Filipinos to transfer money almost instantly to an eligible Mastercard debit, prepaid or credit card issued in the Philippines. The service enables money movement that empowers people and businesses to transact with confidence. Ultimately, sending money home should be simple and straightforward, allowing support across continents. As remittances grow during the upcoming holiday season, banks, payment service providers and governments must continue to collaborate to improve both infrastructure and user experience. Together, we can open doors to greater inclusion and improve the lives of millions of people in the Philippines. —contributed INQ Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . The author is country manager for the Philippines of Mastercard
LUQUE, Paraguay — Sake is perhaps more Japanese than the world-famous sushi. It's brewed in centuries-old mountaintop warehouses, savored in the country’s pub-like izakayas, poured during weddings and served slightly chilled for special toasts. The smooth rice wine that plays a crucial role in Japan's culinary traditions was enshrined on Wednesday by UNESCO on its list of the “intangible cultural heritage of humanity." At a meeting in Luque, Paraguay, members of UNESCO’s committee for safeguarding humanity's cultural heritage voted to recognize 45 cultural practices and products around the world, including Brazilian white cheese, Caribbean cassava bread and Palestinian olive oil soap. People are also reading... Unlike UNESCO’s World Heritage List, which includes sites considered important to humanity like the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, the Intangible Cultural Heritage designation names products and practices of different cultures that are deserving of recognition. Japan's Takehiro Kano, ambassador to UNESCO, reacts after the traditional Japanese brewing of sake was officially named to UNESCO's "intangible cultural heritage of humanity" list during a World Heritage Convention in Asuncion, Paraguay on Wednesday. A Japanese delegation welcomed the announcement in Luque. “Sake is considered a divine gift and is essential for social and cultural events in Japan,” Kano Takehiro, the Japanese ambassador to UNESCO, told The Associated Press. The basic ingredients of sake are few: rice, water, yeast and koji, a rice mold that breaks down the starches into fermentable sugars like malting does in beer production. The whole two-month process of steaming, stirring, fermenting and pressing can be grueling. The rice — which wields tremendous marketing power as part of Japan's broader cultural identity — is key to the alcoholic brew. For a product to be categorized Japanese sake, the rice must be Japanese. Japanese sake, a nominee for UNESCO's "intangible cultural heritage of humanity" list, are displayed on Japan's delegation table, during a UNESCO World Heritage Convention in Asuncion, Paraguay, on Wednesday. The UNESCO recognition, the delegation said, captured more than the craft knowledge of making high-quality sake. It also honored a tradition dating back some 1,000 years — sake makes a cameo in Japan’s famous 11th century novel, “The Tale of Genji,” as the drink of choice in the refined Heian court. Now, officials hope to restore sake's image as Japan's premier alcoholic drink even as the younger drinkers in the country switch to imported wine or domestic beer and whiskey. Japanese breweries also expressed hope the listing could give a lift to the country's export economy as the popularity of sake booms around the world and in the United States amid heightened interest in Japanese cuisine. “I hope that this will also be an opportunity for Japanese people to take another look at sake, shochu and awamori, which are the essence of their culture," Hitoshi Utsunomiya, director of the trade group Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association, said in Tokyo. "I would like them to try it even once and see what it tastes like,” he said. Sake exports, mostly to the U.S. and China, now rake in over $265 million a year, according to the association. Japan's Takehiro Kano, ambassador to UNESCO, reacts as the traditional Japanese brewing of sake was named to UNESCO's "intangible cultural heritage of humanity" list during a World Heritage Convention in Asuncion, Paraguay on Wednesday. Japan's delegation appeared ready to celebrate Wednesday — in classic Japanese style. After the announcement, Takehiro raised a cypress box full of sake to toast the alcoholic brew and cultural rite. “It means a lot to Japan and to the Japanese,” he said of the UNESCO designation. "This will help to renew interest in traditional sake elaboration.” In Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said he was “delighted” by UNESCO's recognition of traditional sake-making techniques, and he congratulated those dedicated to preserving and promoting the tradition. How to host the ultimate wine tasting How to host the ultimate wine tasting The crisp autumn air ushers in more than just pumpkin spice latte season. Consider cozying up inside with friends for a wine tasting and sharing delicious food and drinks with more complex flavors than cinnamon and sugar. Perhaps once thought of as stuffy affairs only for wine connoisseurs, today a tasting can be as casual as pouring a few bottles while doing another activity—say, bar games like darts or art activities like painting. The tasting can also be more traditional, especially if held at a winery or local wine shop, which is a great way to learn about what wines you might like to later serve at home. To host the ultimate wine tasting, it pays to do some R&D. One of the best aspects of hosting a wine tasting at home is that you get to establish the mood, tone, and guest list for the gathering—you can't pick a playlist when you sample wines at a bar or wine shop or make the dress code loungewear. So whether the mood is serious or playful, sophisticated or laid-back, the key to a successful tasting is enjoying and appreciating the wine and having fun with friends and family. Of course, there are a few other things to figure out along the way. Peerspace put together a few tips for hosting your wine-tasting party. Tip 1: Determine the vibe A tasting party is all about sampling different wines and evaluating and hopefully enjoying them—and there are a variety of ways to do that. Would you like to host a playful gathering where each guest brings a mystery bottle of wine within a certain price range—a BYOB affair? Or would it be better to have more control over which wines are featured by curating and supplying all the wines as a host? This decision sets the tone—a tasting where guests contribute wine can be a bit of a free-for-all, whereas one where you select wines you supply allows guests to sit back and simply enjoy. And you don't have to break the bank to buy excellent wines—there are lots of wine experts ready to share their affordable picks. How much folks know about wine differs—and that's a good thing. Tastings are group learning experiences. Expertise isn't necessary to host or attend a tasting, but it is helpful to think about what will keep guests comfortable and having fun. Decide whether the vibe will be relaxed and laid-back, like friends sipping wine fireside, or more upbeat and formal. Think about elements like the atmosphere and the location, and consider whether folks will be seated or standing. Will you have a spirited playlist (couldn't resist) or live music? Do you want an expert to introduce each wine, or will you be that expert? Consider how guests will share their thoughts on what they are tasting. Do you want to just talk about them or do something more organized, like take notes or give ratings? Then supply notebooks or notecards and pencils, with categories or questions established ahead of time—all of which can reflect your evening's tone as well. Tip 2: Know your numbers How many people to invite is a question largely informed by the answers to tip #1: Are you having a big, formal affair or an intimate catch-up with close friends? Or something in between? Whatever the case, an RSVP is essential because not only do you need to plan the setup of the space, but you must also make sure there's enough wine for everyone to taste, including each of the wines featured. There's nothing worse than a tasting that runs dry! The math to determine how much wine you need considers the size of the tasting pours—a full glass of wine at a restaurant is usually around 5 ounces, which yields around five glasses of wine from a standard bottle. For tastings, you'll want to do less, depending on how many wines you are featuring—say, 2 ounces if you'll be trying a lot of different wines. Experts agree, having more wine than you need is always a good idea—that way you can send guests home with a bottle should there be a prize at the end of the night. Tip 3: Set a theme Picking a theme is essential to curating the selection of wines—it's the organizing principle behind your selections. Otherwise, your tasting might as well be just walking down the wine aisle at the grocery store and taking sips from random bottles. There's too much wine out there not to be strategic about this. Plus, a theme helps you to tell the story of each wine better—it's the plot line of the night, if you will. Common themes are types of wine, regions they are from, or even price points—really, one can get as creative as they wish. For inspiration, check out local wine shops and see what they do for tastings. Often, they will follow seasonality and group wines in novel ways for their own in-house tastings. Tip 5: Small pours = big fun The bottom line is, however you do it, hosting the ultimate wine tasting should be fun. Wine can feel intimidating to many people, but most wine experts are passionate, inspired folks who want to share what they know and help you find wines you like. So visit your local wine store or winemaker and ask questions. There are good guides specifically concerning how to taste wine. Dig a little, taste a lot, and have fun. It's all research for your next ultimate wine tasting. Story editing by Carren Jao. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick. This story originally appeared on Peerspace and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Tip 4: Don't forget food Don't let food be an afterthought for the festivities—after all, food can enhance particular qualities of wine and vice versa. There are many rules around what foods to pair with which wines, but consider this simple advice from Alder Yarrow's Vinography : "Stick with eating good food and drinking good wine." Since the focus is on the wines, allow the drinks to determine what food makes sense, but don't overthink it. Food is a supporting character here—at the very least, guests will need something to soak up all the alcohol (unless you are spitting it out). Eating foods that contain a mixture of protein, fats, and carbs when drinking helps increase the rate of alcohol elimination . Whether it's a full meal or heavy hors d'oeuvres, thoughtful noshes are necessary. Get local news delivered to your inbox!WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden kicked off his final holiday season at the White House on Monday by issuing the traditional reprieve to two turkeys who will bypass the Thanksgiving table to live out their days in southern Minnesota. Biden welcomed 2,500 guests to the South Lawn under sunny skies as he cracked jokes about the fates of “Peach” and “Blossom” and sounded wistful tones about the last weeks of his presidency after a half-century in Washington power circles. “It’s been the honor of my life. I’m forever grateful,” Biden said, taking note of his impending departure on Jan. 20, 2025. That's when power will transfer to Republican President-elect Donald Trump, the man Biden defeated four years ago and was battling again until he was pressured to bow out of the race amid concerns about his age and viability. Biden is 82. Until Inauguration Day, the president and first lady Jill Biden will continue a busy run of festivities that will double as their long goodbye. The White House schedule in December is replete with holiday parties for various constituencies, from West Wing staff to members of Congress and the White House press corps. Biden relished the brief ceremony with the pardoned turkeys, named for the official flower of the president's home state of Delaware. “The peach pie in my state is one of my favorites,” he said during remarks that were occasionally interrupted by Peach gobbling atop the table to Biden's right. “Peach is making a last-minute plea,” Biden said at one point, drawing laughter from an overflow crowd that included Cabinet members, White House staff and their families, and students from 4H programs and Future Farmers of America chapters. Biden introduced Peach as a bird who “lives by the motto, ‘Keep calm and gobble on.’” Blossom, the president said, has a different motto: “No fowl play. Just Minnesota nice.” Peach and Blossom came from the farm of John Zimmerman, near the southern Minnesota city of Northfield. Zimmerman, who has raised about 4 million turkeys, is president of the National Turkey Federation, the group that has gifted U.S. presidents Thanksgiving turkeys since the Truman administration after World War II. President Harry Truman, however, preferred to eat the birds. Official pardon ceremonies did not become an annual White House tradition until the administration of President George H.W. Bush in 1989. With their presidential reprieve, Peach and Blossom will live out their days at Farmamerica, an agriculture interpretative center near Waseca in southern Minnesota. The center's aim is to promote agriculture and educate future farmers and others about agriculture in America. Separately Monday, first lady Jill Biden received the official White House Christmas tree that will be decorated and put on display in the Blue Room. The 18.5 foot (5.64 meters) Fraser fir came from a farm in an area of western North Carolina that recently was devastated by Hurricane Helene . Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm lost thousands of trees in the storm “but this one remained standing and they named it ‘Tremendous’ for the extraordinary hope that it represents,” Jill Biden said at the event. The Bidens were also traveling to New York City on Monday for an evening “Friendsgiving” event at a Coast Guard station on Staten Island. Biden began his valedictory calendar Friday night with a gala for hundreds of his friends, supporters and staff members who gathered in a pavilion erected on the South Lawn, with a view out to the Lincoln Memorial. Cabinet secretaries, Democratic donors and his longest-serving staff members came together to hear from the president and pay tribute, with no evidence that Biden was effectively forced from the Democratic ticket this summer and watched Vice President Kamala Harris suffer defeat on Nov. 5. “I’m so proud that we’ve done all of this with a deep belief in the core values of America,” said Biden, sporting a tuxedo for the black-tie event. Setting aside his criticisms of Trump as a fundamental threat to democracy, Biden added his characteristic national cheerleading: “I fully believe that America is better positioned to lead the world today than at any point in my 50 years of public service.” The first lady toasted her husband with a nod to his 2020 campaign promise to “restore the soul of the nation,” in Trump’s aftermath. With the results on Election Day, however, Biden’s four years now become sandwiched in the middle of an era dominated by Trump's presence on the national stage and in the White House. Even as the first couple avoided the context surrounding the president's coming exit, those political realities were nonetheless apparent, as younger Democrats like Maryland Gov. Wes Moore , Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Biden's Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg not only raised their glasses to the president but held forth with many attendees who could remain in the party's power circles in the 2028 election cycle and beyond. ___ Associated Press writer Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis contributed to this report.
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