fishing simulator shark Tulsa, Oklahoma–(Newsfile Corp. – December 12, 2024) – Educational Development Corporation (NASDAQ: EDUC) (“EDC”, or the “Company”) ( http://www.edcpub.com ) today announces the time and date of their fiscal 2025 third quarter earnings call. EDC will host its Fiscal Year 2025 Third Quarter Earnings Call, including a live Q&A webcast, on Monday, January 13, 2025, at 3:30 PM CT (4:30 PM ET). Craig White, Chief Executive Officer and President, Heather Cobb, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Dan O’Keefe, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary will present the Company’s third quarter results and be available for questions following the presentation. Phone lines for participants will be available at (800) 717-1738 . The Conference ID is 64717 . Audio replays will be available following the event at www.edcpub.com/investors . About Educational Development Corporation (EDC) EDC began as a publishing company specializing in books for children. EDC is the owner and exclusive publisher of Kane Miller Books (“Kane Miller”); Learning Wrap-Ups, maker of educational manipulatives; and SmartLab Toys, maker of STEAM-based toys and games. EDC is also the exclusive United States MLM distributor of Usborne Publishing Limited (“Usborne”) children’s books. EDC-owned products are sold via 4,000 retail outlets and EDC and Usborne products are offered by independent brand partners who hold book showings through social media, book fairs with schools and public libraries, in individual homes, as well as other in-person events and internet sales. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/233521 #distroNone

Bitcoin catapulted above $100,000 for the first time on Thursday, a milestone hailed even by sceptics as a coming-of-age for digital assets as investors bet on a friendly U.S. administration to cement the place of cryptocurrencies in financial markets. Once it broke $100,000 in Thursday's Asian morning, boosted by U.S. President-elect Trump's nomination of pro-crypto Paul Atkins to run the Securities and Exchange Commission, it was soon at an all-time high of $103,649. It last fetched $98,803, up 0.95% on the day BTC=. The total value of the cryptocurrency market has almost doubled over the year so far to hit a record over $3.8 trillion, according to data provider CoinGecko. By comparison, Apple alone is worth about $3.7 trillion. Bitcoin's march from the libertarian fringe to Wall Street has minted millionaires, a new asset class and popularised the concept of "decentralized finance" in a volatile and often controversial period since its creation 16 years ago. Bitcoin has more than doubled in value this year and is up more than 50% in the four weeks since Donald Trump's sweeping election victory, which also saw a slew of pro-crypto lawmakers being elected to Congress. "CONGRATULATIONS BITCOINERS!!! $100,000!!! YOU’RE WELCOME!!! Together, we will Make America Great Again!" Trump said on Truth Social, his social media network, on Thursday. "We're witnessing a paradigm shift," said Mike Novogratz, founder and CEO of U.S. crypto firm Galaxy Digital. "Bitcoin and the entire digital asset ecosystem are on the brink of entering the financial mainstream - this momentum is fuelled by institutional adoption, advancements in tokenisation and payments, and a clearer regulatory path." Trump - who once labelled crypto a scam - embraced digital assets during his campaign, promising to make the United States the "crypto capital of the planet" and to accumulate a national stockpile of bitcoin. "We were trading basically sideways for about seven months, then immediately after Nov. 5, U.S. investors resumed buying hand-over-fist," said Joe McCann, CEO and founder of Asymmetric, a Miami digital assets hedge fund. Bitcoin's proponents cheered Trump's nomination of Atkins to the SEC. A former SEC commissioner, Atkins has been involved in crypto policy as co-chair of the Token Alliance, which works to "develop best practices for digital asset issuances and trading platforms," and the Chamber of Digital Commerce. "Atkins will offer a new perspective, anchored by a deep understanding of the digital asset ecosystem," said Blockchain Association CEO Kristin Smith. "We look forward to working with him ... and ushering in – together – a new wave of American crypto innovation." A slew of crypto companies including Ripple, Kraken and Circle are also jostling for a seat on Trump's promised crypto advisory council. Part of the landscape Bitcoin has proven a survivor through precipitous downturns. Its move into six-figure territory is a remarkable comeback from a dip below $16,000 in 2022 when the industry was reeling from the collapse of the FTX exchange. Founder Sam Bankman-Fried was subsequently jailed. Analysts say the growing embrace of bitcoin by big investors this year has been a driving force behind the record-breaking rally. U.S.-listed bitcoin exchange-traded funds were approved in January and have been a conduit for large-scale buying, with more than $4 billion streaming into these funds since the election. "Roughly 3% of the total supply of bitcoins that will ever exist have been purchased in 2024 by institutional money," said Geoff Kendrick, global head of digital assets research at Standard Chartered. "Digital assets, as an asset class, is becoming normalised," he said. It is already becoming increasingly financialised, with the launch of bitcoin futures BTCc1 in 2017 and a strong debut for options on BlackRock's ETF IBIT.O in November. Crypto-related stocks have soared along with the bitcoin price, with shares in bitcoin miner MARA Holdings MARA.O and exchange operator Coinbase COIN.O each up around 65% in November. Software firm Microstrategy MSTO.O, which has repeatedly raised funds to buy bitcoin and held an aggregate of about 402,100 bitcoins as of Dec. 1, has gained around 540% this year. Trump himself unveiled a new crypto business, World Liberty Financial, in September, although details have been scarce and billionaire Elon Musk, a major Trump ally, is also a proponent of cryptocurrencies. Some say the asset remains a speculative or investment vehicle and not an instrument for payments. On Wednesday, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell likened bitcoin to gold, “only it's virtual, it's digital." "People are not using it as a form of payment, or as a store of value. It's highly volatile, it’s not a competitor for the dollar." While earlier big bitcoin rallies have been followed by significant pullbacks, its wider adoption now may help tamp down volatility, analysts said. "That is not to say that there will not be 30-50% drawdowns over time, but my base case is that the nature of the drawdowns will be less severe than what we saw in the last bear market," Sean Farrell, head of digital asset strategy at Fundstrat Global Advisors, said. "Passive flows into ETFs, a liquid options market, corporate treasury adoption, and nation state adoption will likely play a large role in dampening volatility," Farrell said. 'Who can prohibit it' Cryptocurrencies have been criticised for their massive energy consumption and use in crime around the world, and the underlying technology is far from delivering a revolution in the way money moves around the globe. The U.S. and Britain announced on Wednesday they had disrupted what they described as a global money laundering ring which used cryptocurrency to help rich Russians to evade sanctions and launder cash for drug traffickers. Although calculations vary, the Cambridge University Centre for Alternative Finance estimates bitcoin uses around the same amount of electricity each year as Poland or South Africa. Still, as Russian President Vladimir Putin pointed out at an investment conference on Wednesday: "Who can prohibit it? No one." And its longevity is perhaps testament to a degree of resilience. "As time goes by it's proving itself as part of the financial landscape," said Shane Oliver, chief economist and head of investment strategy at AMP in Sydney. "I find it very hard to value it ... it's anyone's guess. But it does have a momentum aspect to it and at the moment the momentum is up." — Reuters

Hezbollah fires about 250 rockets and other projectiles into Israel in heaviest barrage in weeksOne of the interesting facts about Scott Morrison’s period as prime minister is that he managed to squander public approval twice. The second came via a long, protracted slide through most of the pandemic. But in fact his popularity had sunk as low – and much, much faster, at least in Newspoll – just a few months after his 2019 election victory. The main event involved was that summer’s bushfires. His trip to Hawaii is the symbol of that failure, but the actual problems were long and drawn-out. There was the slowness to act and the failure to meet with emergency leaders, the mangled handshakes, “I don’t hold a hose” and the sidestepping of the climate debate. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton are neck and neck in opinion polls. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen The political ramifications of a natural disaster are the least important thing about it. I recount this because it’s always worth keeping in mind, in politics, how quickly things can change. Also: how dominant a crisis can be. Morrison’s disastrous summer, in fact, was only really rescued by the advent of another crisis – the early part of the pandemic, when his numbers soared – before that crisis, too, destroyed him. Recent weeks have seen at least two significant shifts, with another at least possible. For a long time, it seemed as though the Albanese government would get a rate cut – even two – before the election. As I wrote a few weeks back, this had the potential to act as tangible affirmation of its economic strategy , the other elements of which – wage growth, job creation – had been lining up nicely. Last week, Westpac joined NAB in predicting the next rate cut would come on May 20 – three days after the last possible date for the election. The government now has to hope voters’ moods improve without that rate cut. It’s possible. Essential poll last week found a small fall in people who say they’re struggling. There was a small but notable shift in one of the more interesting indicators: whether people believe the country is on the right track. It’s too early to spot a trend, and more people disagree than agree – but the “right direction” figure was (just) the highest it’s been since May 2023 . Illustration by Joe Benke Credit: The second change is the victory of Donald Trump. There are signs – like his retreat from the nomination of Matt Gaetz as attorney-general – that Trump’s term may be as bizarre as his first. One veteran observer suggested to me some time ago that a Trump victory may play into Albanese’s slow-and-steady approach: that in an era of messiness, boredom becomes appealing. At present, though, the opposite is the case. Last week, a Freshwater Strategy poll in the Australian Financial Review found 36 per cent of voters believed Albanese was best placed to deal with Trump – against 47 per cent who favoured Dutton. Finally, we should all hope this is a quiet season for natural disasters. Recent weeks have reminded us, this can’t be taken for granted. There have been bushfires in Queensland, the ABC reporting that amid the smoke last month Mount Isa was briefly “the most polluted city in the world”. There were evacuations in response to fires in Victoria (arson seems to have played a role in several of these). How bushfires might affect the political situation would depend, to a great extent, on the prime minister’s response. This close to a poll, major conclusions drawn would be about him personally. How Albanese handled the question of climate change would be significant. (That same Essential poll found only half of voters believe hotter summers are the result of climate change.) But what would also move into the spotlight would be the continuing climate change splits within the opposition. Here we come to another recent shift, one that is sharpening the political contest. At the beginning of this term, it seemed Peter Dutton wanted to oppose most things: he had not yet learnt the fine art of picking his battles. In recent months, he has avoided fights on some key issues: aged care, disabilities and social media. Even his apparently “bold” foray on nuclear energy, as I’ve argued before , is best understood in this context: wanting to avoid a battle, either within his party or with Labor, over whether climate change action is necessary. Yet Dutton has picked a very specific fight: he will oppose Labor’s bill to bring down international student numbers – even though he has long suggested that’s his aim too. As journalist Bernard Keane observed , this is a mirror of Donald Trump’s successful move to block an immigration bill to keep the problem alive. This is of a piece with Dutton’s earlier decisions to make Labor’s life difficult on immigration detention bills. Dutton has learnt to use the parliament to narrow the political contest to his preferred issues, with immigration top of the list. With that in mind, it will be interesting to see what happens when Labor finally announces its universal childcare policy. Labor is hoping for significant political credit. But what if Dutton simply says he agrees? Meanwhile, there are some fights the nation should be having but isn’t. Bill Shorten, farewelling parliament last week, pointed out “our system still taxes property preferentially and lightly – and income heavily”. Anthony Whealy, chair of the Centre for Public Integrity, pointed out that the government and opposition seem to have reached an agreement, funnily enough, on donations changes that don’t do enough about money in politics while also giving the major parties advantages over independents. As Albanese told Sky News, “we’ve already chosen our slogan as you know, ‘building Australia’s future’.” Dutton seems to have chosen his issues, too. Given how much has changed in the past few weeks, and how much might still change in the months before polling day, both men would be wise to keep their options open. Sean Kelly is author of The Game: A Portrait of Scott Morrison , a regular columnist and a former adviser to Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd.

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Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson, the reigning NFL Most Valuable Player, leads fan balloting for the 2025 NFL Pro Bowl Games after one week of voting, the league announced on Monday. Ravens superstar Jackson set the overall pace with 44,681 votes followed by teammate Derrick Henry, the running back leader, in second overall at 40,729 votes. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.If attending the Las Vegas Grand Prix at the pit building is not in the budget this year, don’t despair. Locals and tourists next year will have a variety of more affordable experiences next year when F1 is expected to offer the space to the public for various experiences during non-race days. F1 will debut three immersive experiences, in partnership with exhibition creator Round Room Live at Grand Prix Plaza, on the 39-acre space that includes the pit building and surrounding land, located on the northeast corner of Harmon Avenue and Koval Lane. “The opening of Grand Prix Plaza’s year-round, consumer-facing programming will enable Formula 1 to engage with visitors to the Valley and residents alike in new and exciting ways,” Renee Wilm, CEO of Las Vegas Grand Prix, Inc., said in a statement. “Our commitment to the Las Vegas community runs deep, and we could not be happier to bring this collection of unique and immersive experiences to the destination.” Many more features to come Fans next year will be able to participate in F1-inspired karting, dubbed F1 Driving, around a part of the Las Vegas Grand Prix Circuit, which is one-third of a mile in length, that includes 31 turns. The karts will feature DRS technology, engine sounds and an LED steering wheel display. F1 X is an immersive exhibit that will give die-hard fans and those new to the sport the ability to interact with the sport in three parts: learn, create and experience. Learn includes a crash course of the sport, teams and cars, with race artifacts and F1 cars. Create is an immersive experience that will allow fans to build their dream F1 car, including livery, for photo opportunities. Experience gives guests the chance to have the full race experience including racing for the fastest pit stop, creating a pit strategy and virtually racing on their custom Las Vegas Grand Prix Circuit in a 4D experience. Next year’s offerings also will include the F1 Hub where guests can compete against each other in F1 racing simulators, dine on casual food and purchase grand prix and F1 merchandise. Fans can sign up for updates and priority access to the events once they are available for purchase at www.grandprixplaza.com . Private events also an option Outside of the interactive experiences, spaces across the three-story pit building and its rooftop and Grand Prix Plaza will be available to book for private events. The spaces include the Turn 1 lounge, the Cool Down Room and GPP Garage. Turn 1 lounge features a sleek F1-inspired aesthetic that is available for gatherings, small and large, with a backdrop only available in Las Vegas. The Cool Down Room uses high-performance materials such as carbon fiber, chrome and polished concrete, giving the space a sleek feel. The space features a center bar, multiple screens to view live or past races and access to put lane for photo opportunities. GPP Garage is a multifunctional area that give event planners flexibility to use the space for a variety of events. It includes indoor and outdoor space and views of the F1 Drive track. “As F1 continues to grow in popularity in new regions and demographics, we recognized the opportunity to create an immersive touch point in North America all year long,” Emily Prazer, chief commercial officer for F1 and Las Vegas Grand Prix, Inc., said in a statement. “The programming planned for 2025 will build excitement around the sport through educational and interactive experiences and ultimately help to expand F1’s presence in Las Vegas and in the U.S. more broadly.”AP Sports SummaryBrief at 6:25 p.m. EST

Trudeau told Trump Americans would also suffer if tariffs are imposed, a Canadian minister saysDoes Billionaire Ken Griffin Know Something Wall Street Doesn't? The Citadel CEO Dumps $750 Million in Microsoft Stock

Austin, TX, Dec. 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Digital Brands Group, Inc. ("DBG”) (NASDAQ: DBGI), a curated collection of luxury lifestyle brands, today announces the first 45 day results since it entered into a marketing partnership on October 21, 2024, with VAYNERCOMMERCE, https://vaynercommerce.com/ . VAYNERCOMMERCE is a full service digital growth agency created by Gary Vaynerchuk, also known as GARYVEE. VAYNERCOMMERCE's services aim to help digital companies scale their online presence and revenues. This partnership has already led to a 224% increase in daily digital revenues during the 45 day period (October 22 nd , 2024 to December 5th, 2024) after VAYNERCOMMERCE began providing DBG with digital marketing services versus the prior 45 day period from September 6th nd to October 21 st . "We made the decision to outsource digital marketing services to VAYNERCOMMERCE based on their reputation in the industry. We felt that we could benefit from an outside performance driven marketing solution team that can focus its efforts on improving our marketing campaigns. We have just begun this journey with them and are already experiencing an increase in our results,” said Hil Davis, Chief Executive Officer of Digital Brands Group. Forward-looking Statements Certain statements included in this release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are made based on our expectations and beliefs concerning future events impacting DBG and therefore involve several risks and uncertainties. You can identify these statements by the fact that they use words such as "will,” "anticipate,” "estimate,” "expect,” "should,” and "may” and other words and terms of similar meaning or use of future dates, however, the absence of these words or similar expressions does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. All statements regarding DBG's plans, objectives, projections and expectations relating to DBG's operations or financial performance, and assumptions related thereto are forward-looking statements. We caution that forward-looking statements are not guarantees and that actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. DBG undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Potential risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results of operations or financial condition of DBG to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: risks arising from the widespread outbreak of an illness or any other communicable disease, or any other public health crisis, including the coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic; the level of consumer demand for apparel and accessories; disruption to DBGs distribution system; the financial strength of DBG's customers; fluctuations in the price, availability and quality of raw materials and contracted products; disruption and volatility in the global capital and credit markets; DBG's response to changing fashion trends, evolving consumer preferences and changing patterns of consumer behavior; intense competition from online retailers; manufacturing and product innovation; increasing pressure on margins; DBG's ability to implement its business strategy; DBG's ability to grow its wholesale and direct-to-consumer businesses; retail industry changes and challenges; DBG's and its vendors' ability to maintain the strength and security of information technology systems; the risk that DBG's facilities and systems and those of our third-party service providers may be vulnerable to and unable to anticipate or detect data security breaches and data or financial loss; DBG's ability to properly collect, use, manage and secure consumer and employee data; stability of DBG's manufacturing facilities and foreign suppliers; continued use by DBG's suppliers of ethical business practices; DBG's ability to accurately forecast demand for products; continuity of members of DBG's management; DBG's ability to protect trademarks and other intellectual property rights; possible goodwill and other asset impairment; DBG's ability to execute and integrate acquisitions; changes in tax laws and liabilities; legal, regulatory, political and economic risks; adverse or unexpected weather conditions; DBG's indebtedness and its ability to obtain financing on favorable terms, if needed, could prevent DBG from fulfilling its financial obligations; and climate change and increased focus on sustainability issues. More information on potential factors that could affect DBG's financial results is included from time to time in DBG's public reports filed with the SEC, including DBG's Annual Report on Form 10-K, and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Forms 8-K filed or furnished with the SEC. About Digital Brands Group We offer a wide variety of apparel through numerous brands on a both direct-to-consumer and wholesale basis. We have created a business model derived from our founding as a digitally native-first vertical brand. We focus on owning the customer's "closet share" by leveraging their data and purchase history to create personalized targeted content and looks for that specific customer cohort. Digital Brands Group, Inc. Company Contact Hil Davis , CEO Email: [email protected] Phone: (800) 593-1047 SOURCE Digital Brands Group, Inc. Related Links https://ir.digitalbrandsgroup.co

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Seibert misses an extra point late as the Commanders lose their 3rd in a row, 34-26 to the CowboysNone

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Seibert misses an extra point late as the Commanders lose their 3rd in a row, 34-26 to the Cowboys LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Austin Seibert missed his second extra point of the game with 21 seconds left after Washington’s Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin connected on an 86-yard touchdown, Dallas’ Juanyeh Thomas returned the ensuing onside kick attempt for a touchdown, and the Cowboys pulled out a 34-26 victory Sunday that extended the Commanders’ skid to three games. Seibert was wide left on the point-after attempt following a bad snap. On the ensuing onside kick attempt, Juanyeh Thomas returned it 43 yards for a touchdown as the Cowboys ended their losing streak at five in improbable fashion. Earlier in the fourth quarter, KaVonte Turpin returned a kickoff 99 yards for a TD. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is weighing whether to issue sweeping pardons for officials and allies who the White House fears could be unjustly targeted by President-elect Donald Trump’s administration, a preemptive move that would be a novel and risky use of the president’s extraordinary constitutional power. The deliberations so far are largely at the level of White House lawyers. But Biden himself has discussed the topic with some senior aides, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday to discuss the sensitive subject. No decisions have been made, the people said, and it is possible Biden opts to do nothing at all. Pardons are historically afforded to those accused of specific crimes – and usually those who have already been convicted of an offense — but Biden’s team is considering issuing them for those who have not even been investigated, let alone charged. They fear that Trump and his allies, who have boasted of enemies lists and exacting “retribution,” could launch investigations that would be reputationally and financially costly for their targets even if they don’t result in prosecutions. While the president’s pardon power is absolute, Biden’s use in this fashion would mark a significant expansion of how they are deployed, and some Biden aides fear it could lay the groundwork for an even more drastic usage by Trump. They also worry that issuing pardons would feed into claims by Trump and his allies that the individuals committed acts that necessitated immunity. Recipients could include infectious-disease specialist Dr. Anthony Fauci, who was instrumental in combating the coronavirus pandemic and who has become a pariah to conservatives angry about mask mandates and vaccines. Others include witnesses in Trump’s criminal or civil trials and Biden administration officials who have drawn the ire of the incoming president and his allies. Get the latest political news stories, from local elections and legislation to reaction to national events. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy . Some fearful former officials have reached out to the Biden White House preemptively seeking some sort of protection from the future Trump administration, one of the people said. It follows Biden’s decision to pardon his son Hunter — not just for his convictions on federal gun and tax violations, but for any potential federal offense committed over an 11-year period, as the president feared that Trump allies would seek to prosecute his son for other offenses. That could serve as a model for other pardons Biden might issue to those who could find themselves in legal jeopardy under Trump. Biden is not the first to consider such pardons — Trump aides considered them for him and his supporters involved in his failed efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election that culminated in a violent riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. But he could be the first to issue them since Trump’s pardons never materialized before he left office nearly four years ago. Gerald Ford granted a “full, free, and absolute pardon” in 1974 to his predecessor, Richard Nixon, over the Watergate scandal. He believed a potential trial would “cause prolonged and divisive debate over the propriety of exposing to further punishment and degradation a man who has already paid the unprecedented penalty of relinquishing the highest elective office of the United States," as written in the pardon proclamation. Politico was first to report that Biden was studying the use of preemptive pardons. On the campaign trail, Trump made no secret of his desire to seek revenge on those who prosecuted him or crossed him. Trump has talked about “enemies from within" and circulated social media posts that call for the jailing of Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, former Vice President Mike Pence and Sens. Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer. He also zeroed in on former Rep. Liz Cheney, a conservative Republican who campaigned for Harris and helped investigate Jan. 6, and he promoted a social media post that suggested he wanted military tribunals for supposed treason. Kash Patel, whom Trump has announced as his nominee to be director of the FBI, has listed dozens of former government officials he wanted to “come after.” Richard Painter, a Trump critic who served as the top White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush, said he was reluctantly in support of having Biden issue sweeping pardons to people who could be targeted by Trump's administration. He said he hoped that would “clean the slate” for the incoming president and encourage him to focus on governing, not on punishing his political allies. “It’s not an ideal situation at all,” Painter said. “We have a whole lot of bad options confronting us at this point.” While the Supreme Court this year ruled that the president enjoys broad immunity from prosecution for what could be considered official acts, his aides and allies enjoy no such shield. Some fear that Trump could use the promise of a blanket pardon to encourage his allies to take actions they might otherwise resist for fear of running afoul of the law. “There could be blatant illegal conduct over the next four years, and he can go out and pardon his people before he leaves office,” Painter said. "But if he’s going to do that, he’s going to do that anyway regardless of what Biden does." More conventional pardons from Biden, such as those for sentencing disparities for people convicted of federal crimes, are expected before the end of the year, the White House said.

In the aftermath of the killing of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson , while Thompson’s colleagues grieve and politicians decry his murder, some online discussion has shown little sympathy for Thompson or the industry he represented. Instead, social media has been in engulfed in expressions of anger at many Americans’ dire experiences at the hands of health insurance companies and outrage at the large profits that they generate. That belies the shock also generated by the brutality of Thompson’s death. The killing appeared premeditated and calculated. A gunman dressed in black waited for Thompson outside the midtown Manhattan Hilton where he was scheduled to speak at an investor’s meeting, approached him from behind with a handgun fitted with a silencer, and shot and killed the executive, according to police. He fled on an ebike into Central Park. A manhunt is ongoing. The motive is unknown. Andrew Witty, CEO of the parent company, UnitedHealth Group, called the attack “a terrible tragedy” in a message sent to company employees and shared with the Guardian. “Our hearts are with his family, especially his mom, his wife Paulie, his brother and his two boys, who lost a father today,” Witty said. Amy Klobuchar, a Democratic US Senator from Minnesota, described the killing as “a horrifying and shocking act of violence”. But in contrast, one commenter on CNN’s Instagram post about Thompson’s death wrote: “Can’t find the room to care over my daughter’s $60,000 cancer treatment. Thoughts and prayers.” Another said: “An innocent victim was gunned down in cold blood. Have a heart regardless of your health insurance.” Vacillating between the condemnation of violence and dark humor, celebratory memes and outright violent rhetoric, comments on social media highlight the deep and often unpleasant connection Americans have with their own health system. An expert in political violence told the Guardian he sees this as part of the US’s growing acceptance of violence as a way to settle civil disputes. “Now the norms of violence are spreading into the commercial sector,” said Robert Pape, director of the University of Chicago’s project on security and threats. “That’s what I saw when I saw this.” Although the motive for the killing is unknown, it has not stopped rampant speculation that there was an obvious candidate – Thompson’s work in corporate health insurance. That speculation was only furthered by the discovery of shell casings scrawled with the words “deny”, “depose” and “defend” in permanent marker. “What I think we’re really experiencing as a country is the erosion against norms,” said Pape, with the little sympathy among the “body politic” expressed in social media as one more example. “That means, basically, seeing violence as the more normal tool, or acceptable tool, to resolve what should be straightforward civil disputes resolved in nonviolent ways.” Thompson’s killing also laid bare the threat that healthcare executives face in a season of American violence – from insurers to pharma to hospitals . “It doesn’t seem paranoid to worry that someone who’s had services denied that they may believe are important might be in an emotionally unstable state and could take some action,” Michael Sherman, former chief medical officer at Point32Health, told Stat , a health industry publication. “The most likely targets would be the chief medical officer ... or the CEO.” Comments online did not single out Thompson, a 50-year-old licensed accountant who reportedly kept a low profile . Instead, they were targeted at an industry often seen as a despised fact of life in America. Comments laced “jokes” with the sting of denial, delay, debt and impenetrable bureaucracy, all ubiquitous and reviled experiences for the throngs of Americans who are now or have been insured through a private company. Another comment: “Does he have a history of shootings? Denied coverage.” Ranked by size, UnitedHealth Group is one of the biggest companies in the world. Measured by its market capitalization of $539bn it tops household names such as Mastercard and ExxonMobil. The company is one of the biggest private insurers in the nation, providing health coverage to more than 50 million Americans spanning employer insurance all the way to the elderly through Medicare Advantage. Thompson ran the insurance division of the company as a reportedly longtime employee who kept a low profile. With an enormous footprint, it is also the subject of near constant scrutiny. Thompson himself was part of an investigation into insider trading at the company. Early this year, after the Department of Justice began an inquiry into monopolistic practices, executives at United sold $101m in stocks, including Thompson, who sold $15m, before the public became aware of the investigation, according to Crain’s New York Business . Witty was hauled in for congressional testimony over a cyber-attack in February that caused severe disruptions across the healthcare industry. UnitedHealthcare has been criticized as denying care to vulnerable patients . While security executives for leading Fortune 500 companies gathered on Wednesday, others marveled in public that Thompson was unaccompanied on his way to the annual investor conference. Michael Julian, CEO of MPS Security & Protection, told Axios that he “was shocked the guy didn’t have a protective detail”, implying that a head of an American healthcare giant would be an obvious target for the potentially aggrieved. “Whether this technically will fit the pigeonhole of political violence or not, it obviously will be an important issue,” said Pape, whose recent study showed a dramatic increase in instances of violent threats against both Democrats and Republicans since about 2017, the beginning of the first Trump term. “But it also misses the bigger picture of what’s been happening in our country.”TransMedics Reports Inducement Grants Under NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c)(4)

It's not always easy to be a long-term investor, particularly when contending with the natural cyclicality that the stock market presents if you buy and hold through bull as well as bear markets. Investing consistently during all types of market environments is key. So is maintaining your positions in quality companies unless and until your investment thesis regarding them no longer applies, or you feel that they have exhausted their value proposition for your portfolio. If you're looking for unstoppable growth stocks to buy and hold for at least three to five years, and you have $1,000 to add to your portfolio right now, here are two names you should consider. 1. DexCom Medical device company DexCom ( DXCM -2.19% ) specializes in the diabetes care space. Its continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices are used by diabetes patients around the world to track their blood sugar levels and manage potential adverse events. Shares of DexCom have plummeted in recent months, and are now down by about 40% year to date. Though the company is still in solid financial shape, its revenue growth has slowed over the last few quarters. This happened for a few reasons, most of which appear to be short term in nature. For example, an unexpected spike in the number of patients using rebates for its flagship G7 CGM has resulted in rebate eligibility over a schedule that was three times faster than the company experienced with its predecessor device, the G6 CGM. Other factors such as restructuring of its sales teams amid shifts in its product lineup, and lower-than-usual performance in its durable medical equipment (DME) channel have also impacted revenue. Management broadly expects these complications to subside in the coming quarters, and it's actively working to expand its DME partnerships with distributors. Some portion of the stock's decline is also a reflection of investors' expectations that the widening use of GLP-1 drugs in diabetes care may reduce the long-term utility of CGM devices. However, therapeutic options like GLP-1 drugs do not replace the need for a CGM, and these devices continue to provide a range of use cases for the diabetic population as well as pre-diabetic individuals. In the third quarter, DexCom's U.S. revenue declined by 2%, while international revenue rose 12%. Overall revenue was $994 million, up 2% year over year. Management has said that rebate eligibility likely peaked in Q3, so that impact to its top line should not be surprising. Bear in mind, DexCom is still very profitable. Net income for the quarter totaled $134.6 million, which was a healthy 12% increase from the year-ago period. DexCom finished the quarter with $2.5 billion in cash and cash equivalents on hand, and it brought in about $535 million in free cash flow over the trailing 12-month period. DexCom also just launched Stelo, a new biosensor for adults with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes who are not on insulin. It's the first over-the-counter glucose biosensor in the U.S. In sum, this is not the tale of a dying business, and investors who are in it for the long haul could find this a wise time to buy shares on the dip. 2. Revolve Group Revolve Group ( RVLV 0.57% ) , too, has had to contend with difficult investor sentiment. While shares of the e-commerce fashion company are actually up about 100% from the start of 2024 at the time of this writing, the stock is still down by about 170% from the all-time high it reached in November 2021. The recent consumer spending environment has been tough on many online retailers, and this has impacted Revolve's financial growth. However, the company, which targets everything from affordable to premier luxury, has stayed the course, relying on the power of its long-standing marketing partnerships with influencers, artificial intelligence solutions that underpin its platform, and a diverse range of brands to drive business growth. Sales are still growing steadily, and Revolve Group is also profitable. As of the end of the third quarter, its trailing 12-month active customer base had grown by 5% year-over-year to 2.6 million individuals. Net sales in Q3 came to $283 million, a solid 10% bump from one year ago. Broken down by segment, the Revolve segment generated sales of $243.4 million, up 12% from one year ago. The company's in-house premier luxury brand, FWRD, had revenue of $39.7 million -- down by less than 0.5% year over year. More impressive was Revolve Group's net income. Its bottom line was just shy of $11 million for the quarter. That was a 238% increase from the prior-year period, a time when it was also dealing with large one-time costs related to settling a legal matter. Revolve offers more than 100,000 apparel and footwear products through its e-commerce platform, as well as home products, beauty, and accessories. It sells thousands of brands including 25 owned brands along with many coveted third-party brands. In 2023, around 79% of Revolve Group's net sales across all brands were at full price. Last year, the company generated $1.1 billion in net sales from more than 2.5 million active customers, with an average order value of $297. As one of the largest fashion e-commerce brands in the U.S., Revolve Group has plenty of opportunities for growth in a fast-growing addressable market. Its underlying finances are strong, and its business is demonstrating resilience even as consumer spending patterns are shifting. Overall, there appears to be a compelling case for snagging at least a few shares of this top e-commerce stock.Audi Crooks' winning shot leads No. 8 Iowa State to 80-78 win over DrakeSeibert misses an extra point late as the Commanders lose their 3rd in a row, 34-26 to the Cowboys