derby cockfighting A man who was arrested in Broward County in August has pleaded guilty to kidnapping a Lyft driver in Texas and forcing her to drive to South Florida, where he said he intended to kidnap a social media influencer in order to demand a multi-million dollar ransom. Miguel Alejandro Pastran Hernandez, 24, pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to kidnapping, carjacking and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime. He faces up to life in prison, federal prosecutors said in a news release Thursday afternoon. It was shortly before 10:30 p.m. Aug. 16 when the victim, a woman working as a Lyft driver, picked up Pastran Hernandez in the Arlington, Texas, area, according to a factual proffer, the facts of the case agreed on by the defense and prosecutors. Pastran Hernandez had entered his drop-off location as a gas station that looked closed when they arrived. Soon afterward, the woman said she heard a click and saw Pastran Hernandez holding what she thought was a gun. Investigators later determined it was an airsoft or BB gun, the factual proffer said. She offered up her belongings, but Pastran Hernandez told her he would tie her up and put her in the back of her Honda. He told her to start driving to Florida and allowed her to drive as long as she went the speed limit and followed his orders, the factual proffer said. During the trip to Florida, Pastran Hernandez found that the woman had an unloaded gun in her car. He found her ammunition, which she kept separately, loaded it and kept the gun on him throughout the kidnapping, the factual proffer said. They stopped at multiple gas stations, and he would take the car keys to prevent her from escaping. Rideshare driver kidnapped at gunpoint in Texas and forced to drive to South Florida He forced the woman to call her family about 11 a.m. the next day to tell them she was taking “a long work trip” so they would not question why she was gone. Pastran Hernandez himself drove the car sometimes, keeping the woman’s gun on him while she rested, the factual proffer said. Pastran Hernandez and the woman arrived in Miami Beach on Aug. 18, where he “surveilled” the home of a social media influencer, who he told the woman he planned to also kidnap, or a relative of the influencer, for a $3 million ransom, according to the factual proffer. On Aug. 19, Pastran Hernandez forced the Lyft driver to go to a dollar store in Hialeah in Miami-Dade County to buy supplies, the factual proffer said. The woman was in the bathroom when police officers arrived and Pastran Hernandez ran. Officers found him a few hours later at a park in Hollywood with the woman’s loaded handgun in his bag, the factual proffer said. He had a backpack inside the victim’s car that had airsoft or BB guns, knives and kidnapping supplies. Pastran Hernandez will be sentenced on Feb. 20, court records show.

Liberal MP Chandra Arya is accusing his caucus colleague Sukh Dhaliwal of threatening him in the House of Commons on Friday. The incident allegedly took place after Dhaliwal, MP for Surrey—Newton in B.C., attempted to get unanimous consent from the House on a motion to condemn the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in India as "genocide." A number of MPs — including Arya, who represents the Ontario riding of Nepean — called out "no" before Dhaliwal was able to finish reading his motion, denying it unanimous support. Arya later claimed he was the only one to say "no." Liberal MP Sukh Dhaliwal tried to introduce a motion on Friday that called on the House to to condemn the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in India as a "genocide." (Murray Titus/CBC news) About 20 minutes later, Arya stood up in the House on a point of order and said Dhaliwal "threatened" him on his way out of the Commons chamber. He also said another unnamed MP "aggressively accosted" him in the lobby. "As a member of Parliament, I should be able to express my opinion, my views, freely in the House and I should not [feel] threatened by any words or actions of my fellow members," Arya said. CBC News has reached out to both Arya and Dhaliwal for clarification on what happened Friday, but neither has responded. More than 3,000 Sikhs died in the anti-Sikh riots that followed the assassination of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her two Sikh bodyguards. The Indian government has consistently rejected any push to recognize the anti-Sikh riots as a genocide and has said it estimates the death toll at 2,800. Dhaliwal later posted on X, formerly Twitter, about his motion, saying that "sadly, some Conservative MPs and one Liberal MP opposed it." Arya also posted about the House incident on X, calling on Hindu-Canadians to push their MPs to oppose such "divisive" motions. "There is no guarantee I will be in the House to block it the next time any other Member, from any political party, attempts to bring this motion forward," Arya wrote in his social media post. "I urge all Hindu-Canadians to act now." Friday's incident comes at a time of heightened tensions between the Sikh and Hindu communities in Canada. Last month, three men were after violent clashes took place between protestors in Brampton and Mississauga, including incidents outside a Hindu temple and Sikh gurdwara. Arya has been an outspoken advocate for the Hindu community and has consistently spoken out against what he calls "Khalistani extremists" — a reference to a movement pushing for an independent Sikh homeland in northern India. In August, Arya travelled to India and met with current Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A statement from Global Affairs Canada at the time said Arya "travelled to India on his own initiative and was not representing the Government of Canada." Hindu nationalism has become the dominant political ideology in India in the past decade under Modi, whose party has been accused of aggravating religious fault lines and steadily eroding the secular principles enshrined in India's constitution.TEHRAN – Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Consular, Parliamentary, and Expatriate Affairs, Vahid Jalalzadeh, has vehemently denounced the recent arrests of Iranian nationals by the United States, accusing the U.S. of engaging in "hostage-taking" and violating international law. This month, the U.S. detained two Iranian expatriates, alleging they supplied components to unidentified drone manufacturers whose weapons were used by the Iraqi Resistance to target U.S. forces in West Asia. Jalalzadeh took to X to decry the U.S. actions as "unilateral and inhumane," asserting that the country is using sanctions as a pretext for the wrongful detention of Iranian citizens. He emphasized Iran's unwavering commitment to defending the rights of its nationals worldwide. Among those detained is Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi, a mechanical engineering graduate from Iran's Sharif University of Technology and the head of a Switzerland-based company that focuses on precision measurement equipment. He was apprehended at Milan Airport in Italy on December 16 at the request of the U.S. while traveling to Switzerland. Another Iranian national, Mahdi Mohammadsadeghi, was arrested in Massachusetts in the U.S. around the same time. Issa Kameli, Iran's Assistant Foreign Minister and Director General for the Americas Department, echoed Jalalzadeh's sentiments, dismissing the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) allegations against another Iranian national, Mohammad Reza Nouri, as “politically motivated.” Kameli lambasted the accusations' lack of substantiation, pointing out that they exemplified a wider trend of U.S. judicial overreach. The U.S. claims that Mohammad Reza Nouri, allegedly affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), orchestrated the 2022 murder of U.S. citizen Stephen Troell in Baghdad as retaliation for the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani. Nouri remains in Iraq, where he has been arrested and convicted, according to the DOD. Addressing the situation involving two other Iranian citizens arrested in the U.S. and Italy, Kameli criticized the U.S. judicial system for being weaponized to issue unfounded and politically motivated rulings. He stated that such actions, often justified by claims of circumventing unilateral U.S. sanctions—which lack legitimacy under international law and contradict established human rights norms—constitute wrongful conduct by the U.S. government and entail its international responsibility. He reiterated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as part of its inherent responsibilities, will persistently and vigorously advocate for and protect the rights of Iranian citizens worldwide.

Maia Johnston has 'long recovery ahead' after fall at Upper Hutt waterfall, says mother

New technology points to unexpected uses for snoRNAOTTAWA — Dave Cameron and his players once again found themselves in an uncomfortable position. Coming off a stunning, embarrassing loss to Latvia some 48 hours earlier at the world junior hockey championship, Canada led another of the sport's lesser lights by a single goal late in regulation Sunday. The tournament hosts would get the job done in the end. It wasn't pretty. Oliver Bonk, Caden Price and Mathieu Cataford, into the empty net, scored as the wobbly Canadians picked up an unconvincing 3-0 victory over Germany. "We're snake-bitten," Cameron, at his third world juniors as the country's head coach, said of the roster's toothless attack. "We're getting chances. That's all you can do ... it'll break." Carter George made 25 saves to register the goaltender's second straight shutout for Canada, which was coming off Friday's 3-2 upset loss to Latvia in a shootout. "I just want to go out there and do my part to get this team a win," said George, who took a shot at the empty net that dribbled wide. "We all pitch into the system." Nico Pertuch stopped 33 shots for Germany, which dropped its Group A opener at the men's under-20 tournament 10-4 to the United States before falling 3-1 to Finland. Canada, which entered with a 17-0 record all-time and a combined 107-26 score against Germany at the world juniors, went more than 120 minutes against a pair of hockey minnows without scoring a goal at 5-on-5. "It gets a little tense there when it was 1-0 with five minutes left," said defenceman Tanner Molendyk. "But I thought we handled it well." "A little tighter than maybe we would have expected," added fellow blueliner Sam Dickinson. Despite another sub-par performance, the victory sets up a mouth-watering New Year's Eve matchup against the U.S. for first place in the pool after the Americans fell 4-3 to the Finns in overtime earlier Sunday. Canada suffered one of the worst defeats in the program's history when Latvia — outscored 41-4 in four previous meetings at the event — shocked the hockey world. And while the plucky Europeans were full marks for their victory, the Canadians were largely disjointed and surrendered the middle of the ice for long stretches despite firing 57 shots on goal. There was more of the same Sunday through the two periods. "It's a quick turnaround, maybe, from (the Latvia loss)," said Canadian forward Berkly Catton. "That hurt, but we've got to be ready." Cameron made a couple of changes to his lineup — one out of necessity and another for tactical reasons. With star defenceman Matthew Schaefer, who could go No. 1 at the 2025 NHL draft, out of the world juniors after suffering an upper-body injury Friday, Vancouver Canucks prospect Sawyer Mynio drew in. Cameron also sat forward Porter Martone for Carson Rehkopf. Canada opened the scoring on the power play, which also had a new look after going 1-for-7 through two games, when Bonk scored from his normal bumper position in the slot at 9:40 of the first period. "Great feeling," said the Ottawa native and son of former NHLer Radek Bonk. "Fans have been awesome." Dickinson then chimed a one-timer off the post on another man advantage before George, who was in goal for Canada's 4-0 opener against Finland, made a couple of stops on the penalty kill inside a red-clad Canadian Tire Centre. "He's been unbelievable," Catton said of the netminder. "He held us in that game when we weren't playing great. He's been the heart and soul of our team." Petruch made a big save off Tanner Howe in the second before also denying Calum Ritchie from the slot on a power play, but the Canadians again looked out of sorts against a decidedly inferior opponent on paper. "You need different clubs in your bag to win this tournament," Cameron said. "Right now our defence and our goaltending are leading the pack. They're the clubs we're using the most. "The offence in this group's going to get going." Catton hit another post for Canada early in the third as a group with 11 first-round NHL draft picks finally started to flex its muscles. Molendyk then also found iron against Germany, set to meet Latvia in a crucial Monday matchup at the bottom of the Group A standings. "It was a lot better," Bonk said of the overall effort. "We didn't score as much as we should have or wanted to. It happens, but the goals will come." Price finally broke the 5-on-5 goose egg with 4:58 left in regulation on a shot that caromed off the end boards, Pertuch and in before Cataford fired into the empty net on another nervy night for the 20-time gold medallists. "Win a hockey game," Catton said of the feeling on the bench. "That's all that really matters — 1-0, 3-0, 10-0 — it's all the same. "We need the wins and we got it." Canada's biggest rival is now on deck. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 29, 2024. Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press

Chaudhry urges PM to prioritize flood victims

PM Modi greets Eknath Shinde after he takes oath as deputy CM as CM Devendra Fadnavis, second deputy CM Ajit Pawar and governor C P Radhakrishnan look on MUMBAI: Americans are world champs at this - glamming up sarkari events, including, or especially, inauguration. We call it swearing-in here. And that's usually a staid affair. Looking at beaming netas and hearing the oath of office repeated dozens of times aren't exactly riveting stuff. Even when mantris of a new Big G (aka GOI) are sworn in, and even though big names can be spotted, it doesn't quite register on the glam Richter scale. True, the odd state govt swearing-in has had small showbiz or socialite presence. The Bachchans were once spotted in Lucknow. But those were still very much sarkari events. All that changed in Mumbai. You gotta swear on whatever it is you swear on, you haven't seen a swearing-in like this in India. Even before starting work, Fadnavis sarkar has already set the bar high. You name them, they were there. Mukesh? Yup. Beta and bahu, Anant and Radhika? Ditto. Kumar and daughter Ananya? Sure. Noel Tata? You can Trust him. Deepak Parekh? A man for all seasons. Plus, several other Mumbai Inc hotshots. Bollywood? SRK, Salman, Madhuri, Ranbir and Ranveer, Sanju...and more. Sachin Tendulkar was present. What hiked the glam quotient was not just A+ listers – but that they were all schmoozing- ...handshakes, smiles and a few bro hugs. When you get stars from biz, showbiz and sports to mingle and they seem to have a good time, that’s when an event stops being uninteresting for the uninvited. We like to watch the rich and famous rub shoulders. American politicians always knew this. Mumbai showed our politicians are now catching on. Why, though? Why was the swearing-in so glam-heavy? So much so it moved out of Raj Bhawan to the iconic Azad Maidan. And TV cameras were conflicted whether to focus on the Guv, who swears in mantris and is rarely centrestage, or swing back to front rows of audience. For an answer, look at numbers. So, BJP wanted to send a message. The who’s who of Mumbai society was the glam part of it. The other part was rajneeti — you would have never seen a state-level swearing-in with so many Union cabinet heavyweights — Shah, Rajnath, Gadkari, Shivraj, Nirmala, Piyush, Scindia — and so many CMs in attendance. NDA CMs from Goa and Gujarat to Assam, and UP and Uttarakhand to Odisha and Andhra were there. The political signal was loud and clear. But it was the glam glow that stole the show. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .

United for economy LAHORE: Politicians should take a cue from successful economies, where all political parties support a common economic agenda while differing on ideology and political matters. This demonstrates that politicians can distinguish between the state and the ruling elite. Pakistan’s major challenge lies in its unstable economy, largely due to the absence of an agreed-upon economic agenda among political parties. Political stakeholders must prioritise economic consensus during the rare opportunity of talks beginning today between the opposition and government. Political parties need to come together to develop a unified economic strategy. All issues related to the economy must be discussed, and non-transparent practices eliminated. Measures should address malpractices such as under- or over-invoicing, misdeclaration of goods, and inaccuracies in sales tax returns. Once agreed upon, these measures must be supported wholeheartedly by leaders across the political divide. Pakistan requires the full commitment of all politicians to improve the economy, as other regional economies have advanced significantly due to consensus on economic policies. In South Asia, countries with relatively stable economic policies, despite changes in government, are led by India. One reason for this stability is India’s robust institutional framework and independent central bank (RBI), which ensures continuity in macroeconomic policies. Since the 1990s, there has been broad consensus among major political parties on core economic policies such as liberalisation, privatisation, and globalisation. Long-term initiatives like infrastructure development and taxation reforms (eg, GST) remain largely unaffected by political transitions. However, policies such as farm subsidies and labour reforms can still be influenced by political populism. In contrast, Pakistan has weak institutions. Key appointments often lack merit and are engineered by the ruling party. There is no consensus among political parties on fundamental economic policies. Infrastructure development, privatisation efforts, and reforms in agriculture and labour remain heavily influenced by political populism. Bangladesh has maintained a consistent focus on export-led growth, particularly in the ready-made garment (RMG) sector, across different governments. Long-term goals such as Vision 2041 and efforts to achieve middle-income status align with national interests, regardless of the ruling party. Strategic reliance on international financing and foreign direct investment also ensures policy continuity. However, political rivalries sometimes hinder the pace of implementation. In contrast, Pakistan lacks a stable export policy. Even when five-year textile policies are announced -- despite textiles being the country’s main export -- they are often not implemented or are modified during their tenure. The country continues to borrow internationally for consumption without a strategic approach to leveraging international financing or attracting foreign direct investment. Even tiny Bhutan demonstrates economic sustainability through its Gross National Happiness (GNH) framework, ensuring policies prioritise long-term goals over short-term political gains. Political parties in Bhutan operate within a small policy spectrum due to constitutional limits and a shared developmental focus. Other South Asian countries like Nepal, Sri Lanka and Pakistan frequently experience economic policy shifts due to political instability, frequent government changes, and a lack of consensus on long-term economic frameworks. This undermines investor confidence and disrupts reform implementation. Globally, many developing economies thrive due to stable economic policies. Vietnam has adhered to export-led growth and economic liberalisation under the ‘Doi Moi’ reforms since the 1980s. Indonesia, in Southeast Asia, has focused on macroeconomic stability, trade liberalization, and infrastructure development since the post-Suharto era (1998). In Latin America, Mexico has prospered through policies encouraging foreign investment, trade agreements like NAFTA (now USMCA), and fiscal discipline. Rwanda, in Africa, has successfully implemented Vision 2050, stressing the need for economic diversification, technology adoption and infrastructure development. Pro-business reforms attract foreign direct investment and strengthen governance. Other examples include Chile in Latin America, Botswana in Africa, and Malaysia in Southeast Asia. Pakistan must learn from these success stories to chart a path towards economic stability and growth.

WASHINGTON (AP) — An imprisoned far-right extremist group leader who was the top target of the federal investigation of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol balked at answering a prosecutor's questions about the attack when he testified on Thursday at the trial of a police officer accused of leaking him confidential information. A federal judge warned former Proud Boys national chairman Enrique Tarrio that he could face consequences, including an order holding him in contempt of court, if he continued to refuse to answer the prosecutor's questions. Tarrio completed his testimony without incurring any sanctions from the judge. Tarrio, who is serving a 22-year prison sentence for a plot to keep Donald Trump in the White House after the 2020 election, waived his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination when he agreed to testify as a defense witness at the bench trial of retired Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Shane Lamond. “What that means is you have to answer all the questions. You don't get to pick and choose,” U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson told Tarrio after he initially refused to answer whether Proud Boys were at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Dozens of Proud Boys, including Tarrio, are among the 1,500 people who have been charged with federal crimes related to the Capitol siege. A jury convicted Tarrio and three lieutenants of seditious conspiracy and other crimes last year after a months-long trial in the same courthouse where Lamond is on trial this week. Tarrio complained that the prosecutor, Rebecca Ross, shouldn't have “free reign” to ask him questions about Jan. 6. Lamond is on trial for charges that he lied about providing Tarrio with confidential information about a police investigation of Proud Boys who burned a Black Lives Matter banner in December 2020. “This case is not a Jan. 6 case,” he told the judge, arguing that he didn't “completely” waive his Fifth Amendment rights. “There is not a half of a Fifth Amendment privilege,” the judge responded. When Tarrio told her, “We'll agree to disagree,” the judge chuckled and replied, “Well, I'll just say, ‘You’re not in charge.'” Tarrio was the first witness to testify for Lamond's defense against charges that he obstructed justice and made false statements about his communications with Tarrio. The judge will decide the case against Lamond after hearing testimony without a jury. On Monday, the judge said Tarrio was waiting for the outcome of last month’s presidential election before deciding whether to testify at Lamond’s trial. President-elect Trump, who repeatedly has vowed to pardon people convicted of Capitol riot charges, suggested he would consider pardoning Tarrio. Tarrio was sentenced to more than five months in jail for burning the banner that was stolen in December 2020 from a historic Black church in downtown Washington, and for bringing two high-capacity firearm magazines into the district. Tarrio was arrested in Washington two days before the Jan. 6 siege. The Miami resident wasn’t at the Capitol when a mob of Trump supporters stormed the building and interrupted the congressional certification of Biden’s 2020 electoral victory. During the trial's opening statements on Monday, a prosecutor said Lamond was a “Proud Boys sympathizer” who warned Tarrio about his impending arrest for the banner’s destruction and later lied to investigators about their communications. Police officers who investigated the banner’s destruction testified that it would have helped them to know that Tarrio had privately confessed to Lamond that he burned the banner. The Proud Boys leader also publicly admitted on social media and on a podcast that he had burned the banner. Tarrio testified on Thursday that he didn’t confess to Lamond or receive any confidential information from him. Tarrio said he came to Washington two days before Jan. 6 because he wanted to be arrested for the banner burning but released in time to attend then-President Trump’s Jan. 6 “Stop the Steal” rally. “I wanted to get this over with,” Tarrio said. He also said he thought that his arrest before the rally would help “put up a circus tent" and generate publicity for his group's message. “I wanted to show what the Department of Justice was, and I was dedicated to that cause with everything in me,” he said. Lamond, who met Tarrio in 2019, had supervised the intelligence branch of the police department’s Homeland Security Bureau. He was responsible for monitoring groups like the Proud Boys when they came to Washington. Lamond’s indictment accuses him of lying to and misleading federal investigators when they questioned him in June 2021 about his contacts with Tarrio. Lamond, of Stafford, Virginia, was arrested in May 2023. He retired from the police department that same month. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Kandace Espinosa Sworn in as White Settlement City Councilmember; Gregg Geesa Appointed to Planning and Zoning Board

By Paul Hughes | Republican-American HARTFORD — If ranked-choice voting is allowed in local elections in Connecticut, the choice should be left to each town and city to make, a study group recommended Thursday. The Governor’s Ranked-Choice Voting Working Group voted 11-1 to back a series of recommendations for creating a voluntary system to allow municipalities and political parties to use this voting method in caucuses, conventions, primaries and certain municipal elections. In Connecticut elections, a voter currently chooses one candidate, and the candidate with the most votes wins. Candidates do not need an outright majority to be elected, but rather only a plurality of the ballots cast. With ranked-choice voting, voters select candidates in order of preference. If no candidate wins more than 50% of the votes, then the election goes into elimination rounds, and voter rankings come into play, as candidates with the fewest votes are eliminated and votes are redistributed until one candidate achieves the required majority. Supporters on the governor’s working group argued Thursday that ranked-choice voting will better serve voters and democracy, while others, including Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas, expressed some reservations and urged moving cautiously, and Annalisa Stravato, the Republican registrar of voters in Wilton and executive vice president of the Registrar of Voters Association of Connecticut, recommended not moving forward at all. “My main concern is the costs,” Stravato said. She said optional ranked-choice voting will increase the cost of local election administration, including staffing, training, and printing, and she questioned whether the state or local governments would end up paying the additional expenses. Stravato also said ranked-choice voting would make tabulating ballots, reporting election results and conducting recounts more time consuming. WORKING GROUP MEMBERS all agreed that if municipalities and political parties are given the option of using this voting method that the sufficient state funding must be provided to the secretary of the state’s office and local governments. This proviso was added to the subcommittee recommendations that were adopted Thursday. One of the subcommittees had already recommended the secretary of the state be given authority to defer implementation of ranked-choice voting if there are issues with ballot design, or the tabulation technology, or inadequate resources. Attorney Monte Frank, a vice chairman of the working group, offered his strong support for giving municipalities and political parties the option of using ranked-choice voting, but he stressed that state funding is a must-have. “If we don’t do it right, let’s not do it at all. But we should do it right. It is about time that this state stood up and devoted the resources to make the election process, and civic education, and voter education a priorities, said Frank, a former candidate for lieutenant governor of the eponymous Griebel-Frank for CT Party in 2018. THOMAS CAUTIONED that adding the option of ranked-choice voting would add to already heavy workloads that are straining state and local election officials and workers now. “I am continually asking myself if our election system is the thing we want to push beyond the breaking point,” she said. “Even one mistake carries the risk of eroding trust in our elections at best and disenfranchising voters at worst.” Over the next two years, Thomas said new ballot tabulators, a new voter registration system, and a new election reporting system will be introduced, and state and local election workers will need to be trained in the use of each one. She said state legislators are also expected to consider legislation in the 2025 legislative session revising post-election audit procedures, which would also require additional training if the current law is revised. Thomas said the state legislature will also be considering proposed changes to early in-person voting after its introduction in the 2024 elections. In addition, state voters just approved a constitutional amendment on Nov. 5 to allow the legislature to authorize no-excuse absentee voting in state law. Thomas said it is likely no-excuse absentee ballots will be rolled out in the 2025 local elections, or the 2026 state elections. THE WORKING GROUP also recommended a pilot program involving a group of interested municipalities to test out ranked-choice voting and obtain firsthand experience for evaluating its potential wider use. This recommendation further proposed that the secretary of the state’s office be given the authority and resources to conduct this limited test of ranked-choice voting. Stravato, the Wilton registrar, said she is also concerned about voter fatigue. She said some local ballots are lengthy because of the number of public offices that are elected, and voters could end up getting frustrated with having to vote for so many candidates that they will leave offices blank on their ballots. The working group stressed the importance of robust civic education generally about ranked-choice voting and specifically about its roll out if and when the option becomes available, and, again, recommended the legislature provide the secretary of the state’s office adequate resources for these purposes.The Illinois State Board of Education recently released school report cards. They show how Illinois, each school and each district in the state are doing based on a wide range of goals like attendance, graduation rate and test scores. Effingham Unit 40 is made up of a preschool, Early Learning Center (kindergarten), South Side Grade School (first and second grade), Central Grade School (second through fifth grade), a junior high and a high school with a total enrollment of 2,195. The preschool and kindergarten did not receive a designation, but the other four schools received a commendable designation this school year. Superintendent Andy Johnson has been in his current position for three years. He believes Unit 40 performed “very well” on the science assessments; they were 63% proficient. However, he’d like to see the district do better in math, where 26.3% of students are proficient, and believes they did “okay” in English-Language Arts (ELA), where 38.2% of students met or exceeded the benchmark. “I think we do a lot well. I’m extremely pleased with the sense of importance of a child’s life, meeting every aspect of their life. I think from a social-emotional standpoint, we really take the heart, the importance of making sure that every child feels valued and appreciated,” said Johnson. “I think that goes a long way leading into the academic side and athletic side and extracurricular side.” The schools are also currently working on offering more programs than they currently do, especially for those who haven’t found one they’re passionate about. One way the district is doing this is by sending out exploration surveys to local businesses in the community. “They can offer up some suggestions and things that maybe we, as a school district, should consider offering opportunities for our kiddos for them to grow in different areas that those businesses might need,” said Johnson. When asked about the current chronic absenteeism rate of 18.5%, Johnson explained how the high school is always looking for ways to emphasize the importance of coming to school. He mentioned how the number jumped during the Covid-19 pandemic, but since 2022, it’s been decreasing. In 2022, chronic absenteeism was at 22.9%. In 2023, it dropped to 18.9%. “Whatever we’re doing is trending back in the direction of lessening that chronic absenteeism,” said Johnson. “From my standpoint as a superintendent, the biggest thing that you can do to try to encourage kiddos to come to school is [to] create a... culturally inviting environment, [so] that they want to be here.” According to the Report Card, the four-year high school graduation rate sits at 85.1%. Johnson explained how High School Principal Kurt Roberts is working with the school counselors to implement additional programs and come up with a plan by analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the different programs in the school. “I believe that we should be seeking ways to go from good to great in every aspect of what we’re involved in,” said Johnson.

When Willy Adames hit a three-run home run on his 29th birthday, Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy got real after the game. “He’s going to get paid a lot of money,” Murphy said. The obvious is now a reality. Adames agreed to a 7-year, $182 million deal with the San Francisco Giants on Saturday, according to a league source. The handsome payday is fitting for Adames, who entered this winter as the clear-cut top shortstop in free agency. Adames was worth 4.8 fWAR last season after setting career highs in home runs (32) and stolen bases (21). Adames was a leader who earned respect for his clutch performances and has quietly emerged as one of the game’s top players over the past three seasons. Since 2022, Adames ranks 29th among all MLB players and sixth among shortstops with 12.6 fWAR. Source confirms: Willy Adames to Giants, seven years, $182M, pending physical. Biggest contract in Giants history, surpassing Posey’s $167M deal. — Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 7, 2024 Originally signed by the Tigers as an international amateur, Adames was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays as part of the deal that sent David Price to Detroit. Adames spent parts of four seasons with the Rays before his trade to Milwaukee in May of 2021. Although he can be prone to whiffs and strikeouts (his 29.5 percent whiff rate last season ranked in the 21st percentile among MLB players), Adames has solidified himself as one of the game’s top offensive producers at shortstop. If there is a concern going forward, it may revolve around his defense. Advertisement Considered a plus defender in the past, Adames’ defensive metrics tumbled mightily this past season. He was worth -16 defensive runs saved and 0 outs above average in 2024. His 20 errors were the fourth most among all players, and some evaluators believe Adames may eventually be better suited moving to third base. Nonetheless, the Giants just acquired an impact infielder still in his prime years. After finishing 10th in National League MVP voting during his contract season, Adames now has a chance to emerge as an even bigger star. GO DEEPER San Francisco Giants free-agent profile: Willy Adames, SS (Photo: John Fisher / Getty Images)Trump leading LA Olympics planning with IOC president after infamous interaction in first term

“Cassoulet, that best of bean feasts, is everyday fare for a peasant but ambrosia for a gastronome.” ~ Julia Child When winter heads our way, bringing chilly temperatures and close, dark nights, my thoughts turn to Cassoulet, the iconic comfort food from southwestern France. It has it all – juicy beans, duck leg confit, sausages and sometimes pork or lamb, slowly simmered in well-seasoned broth, then baked in a wide-mouthed, glazed terra-cotta dish called a cassole . Like any truly traditional dish, there are multiple versions, all claiming to be the “authentic one.” Cassoulet originated in southwestern France. Toulouse claims it — and so does Castelnaudary and Carcassonne — and the recipes vary. Toulouse adherents eschew adding cubed pork. Castelnaudary purists add a bit of lamb, while Carcassonne’s adds partridge. In most restaurants, cassoulets are served in an individual cassole , bubbling with hot juices,and with a bit of duck leg peeking through the top. But at Hostellerie Etienne , a vast indoor- outdoor restaurant on the edge of a forest near Castelnaudary, the cassoulets come to the table in family-size cassoles , big enough to serve two, four, six or even 10 people, so you can share the dish with your dining companions. I don’t know if Etienne’s even has a single-serving bowl size. I didn’t see one, when I was there as the guest of a bean trader from Castelnaudary. According to him, Etiennne’s has the best cassoulet anywhere, and they use the Lauragais lingot beans known as the Castelnaudary bean. Copious doesn’t begin to describe the cassoulet scene there, with stacks of cassoles lined up in Etienne’s kitchen, next to caldrons of simmering beans, ready to be filled and popped into the vast ovens. Here in the Bay Area, we have our own go-to restaurants for cassoulets. Some, like the Left Bank Brasseries in San Jose, Menlo Park, Oakland and Larkspur, and Reve Bistro in Lafayette, only serve it during the winter months as a special. (Reve will be serving cassoulet Dec. 10-14, for example, and Jan. 7-11; reserve it when you reserve your table.) Others, such as Bistro Jeanty in Yountville and Le Central in San Francisco, always have it on the menu. Both Reve Bistro and Bistro Jeanty use cassoles made by potter Kathy Kernes at her Crockett Pottery in Crockett, and they are every bit as beautiful and as practical as those you’ll find in southwestern France. Kernes’ makes cassoles in six sizes ($38-$210), ranging from individual to “extra large plus,” which is very large indeed. (Browse the possibilities at www.crockettpottery.com.) Reve Bistro offers take-out cassoulets if you pre-order the week the dish is on the menu. Pick it up — in a takeout container, not a cassole! — then heat it at home. Just note that chef-owner Paul Magu-Lecugy only makes a limited number of portions. “It’s time consuming,” he says, noting for him, it is a two-day process. Le Central’s cassoulet is one of the more elaborate around, with lamb, pork shoulder and boudin blanc, as well as the all-important duck leg confit and slightly garlicky Toulouse sausage. Left Bank uses chef-owner Roland Passot’s recipe (see below) and keeps it simple, limiting the meats to duck leg confit and Toulouse sausages. (Don’t panic. If you’re making this at home, some specialty markets sell duck confit.) The beans are key to cassoulet. Once cooked, they should not be mushy, but hold their shape after the long cooking. In France, tradition calls for either Tarbais beans, a plump, white bean, or lingot beans — a strain of cannellini beans — in making cassoulet. As Passot suggests in his recipe below, you can substitute cannellini beans or Great Northern beans. Rancho Gordo produces a variety called cassoulet , a West Coast-grown bean from the Tarbais strain. Cassoulet isn’t difficult to make. It just requires time and patience. You can make it a couple of days ahead, refrigerate it and then slowly reheat it. That way, there’s nothing to do on the day of but sip a glass of wine while the beans and meats slowly heat to bubbling. Add a green salad and some crusty bread, and you’ll have the perfect winter meal. Or put your coat on and head to one of our local restaurants, where the cooking is done for you. All you need is a reservation. Serves 6 to 8 Beans: 4 cups dried lingot beans (white kidney, cannellini or Great Northern, will all work) 1 small carrot, peeled and chopped 1 small onion, diced (about 3⁄4 cup) 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 pound slab bacon or extra thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch cubes 2 sprigs of thyme 1 bay leaf Cassoulet: 1⁄4 cup duck fat (lard will do in a pinch) 2 pounds pork butt cut in 2-inch cubes 1 cup onions, diced small 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1⁄4 cup tomato paste 1 small can diced tomatoes 11⁄2-2 cups reserved bean water 6 Toulouse sausages 1 small garlic sausage 4 confit duck legs, purchased or homemade (see note below) 1 cup panko bread crumbs 1 teaspoon garlic, chopped 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped 1⁄4 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil Note: If you are making your own duck confit, start the night before by rubbing the duck legs with a “green salt” mixture — kosher salt, parsley, a couple of bay leaves and thyme ground together. The next day, rinse the duck legs well, pat dry and place in an oven-safe cooking vessel with enough duck fat to cover the legs. Roast in a 225-degree oven for 21⁄2 to 3 hrs. The night before, place the beans in a deep pot and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Let beans soak overnight. The next day, rinse the beans well. Add the rinsed beans, carrots, onions, garlic, bacon, thyme and bay leaf to cold water and cook, over low heat, until the beans are tender. Strain the beans, saving the water, and set aside the beans. In a large braising pan, melt the duck fat over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, brown the pork butt pieces without stirring. When beginning to brown, start stirring, making sure you scrape the bottom if it starts to caramelize. The pork doesn’t need much color, but it does need to cook in the duck fat for a while. Add lots of salt and pepper. This is not a shy dish. When the pork is nice and brown on all sides, add the 1 cup onions and garlic, and sauté until the onions are soft and cooked through. Add the tomato paste, diced tomatoes and reserved liquid from the beans. Stir, using a rubber spatula to clean the side of the pot. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. Bring the heat under the braising pan up to high. Once at a rolling boil, turn down to low heat and add all the sausages. When they are cooked through, remove and set aside. Slice the garlic sausage in half and cut into 1-inch pieces. Return the whole and sliced sausages back to the pot along with the cooked beans. Continue to cook on low heat until the pork is cooked through. Taste for seasoning; add more salt and pepper if needed. Transfer the beans and pork to a heavy, wide mouth, earthenware, clay or cast iron baking dish that can hold 5 to 6 quarts. Bake at 250 degrees for about 11⁄2 hours, checking at least every 30 minutes. It may require a bit more time. If the dish is starting to look too dry, add a small amount of reserved bean broth or chicken stock. Add warmed duck legs to the cassoulet and make a breadcrumb topping by combining the panko, garlic, parsley, thyme and extra virgin olive oil. Return the dish to the oven and continue baking until the crumbs brown on the top. — Courtesy Roland Passot, Propriétaire, Chef Culinary Officer, Vine Hospitality

MARCH 1 _ Auto racing, NASCAR Xfinity Series, Focused Health 250, Austin, Texas. 1 _ Cycling, UCI Women’s WorldTour, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Ghent, Belgium. 1 _ Cycling, UCI WorldTour, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Ghent, Belgium. 1 _ Motorcycle, AMA Supercross, Daytona Beach, Fla. 1 _ Pro basketball, NBA playoff eligibility waiver deadline. 1-2 _ Men’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. 1-2 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Alpine, Krynica, Poland. 1-2 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Cross, Erzurum, Turkey. 1-2 _ Women’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Kvitfjell, Norway. 1-7 _ Shooting, ISSF 10m Junior European Championship, Osijek, Croatia. 1-8 _ Ski jumping, FIS Men’s World Cup, World Championship, Trondheim, Norway. 2 _ Auto racing, IndyCar, Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, Fla. 2 _ Auto racing, NASCAR Cup Series, EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix, Austin, Texas. 2 _ Cycling, UCI Women’s WorldTour, Strade Bianche, Siena, Italy. 2 _ Motorcycle, MotoGP, Thailand Grand Prix, Chang International Circuit, Thailand. 2 _ Running, Tokyo Marathon. 2-8 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Men’s U18 World Championship Division III, Group A, Mexico City. 2-8 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Women’s World Championship Division III, Group A, Belgrade, Serbia. 2-11 _ Major League Baseball, period for renewing contracts of unsigned players on 40-man rosters. 3-22 _ Bowling, PBA, World Series of Bowling, Reno, Nev. 5-16 _ Men’s tennis, ATP Tour, BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, Calif. 5-16 _ Women’s tennis, WTA Tour, BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, Calif. 5-8 _ Figure Skating, Maria Olszewska Memorial, Lodz, Poland. 5-8 _ Men’s and women’s college swimming and diving, NAIA Championship, Elkhart, Ind. 6 & 13 _ Men’s soccer, Europa League, Round of 16. 6-18 _ Boxing, IBA Women’s World Boxing Championship, Belgrade, Serbia. 6-9 _ Auto racing, NHRA, NHRA Gatornationals, Gainesville, Fla. 6-9 _ Bobsleigh and Skeleton, IBSF World Cup, World Championship Week 1, Lake Placid, N.Y. 6-9 _ Figure Skating, Sonja Henie Trophy, Oslo, Norway. 6-9 _ Men’s golf, DP World Tour, The Joburg Open, Johannesburg, South Africa. 6-9 _ Men’s golf, Korn Ferry Tour, The Astara Chile Classic presented by Scotiabank, Santiago, Chile. 6-9 _ Men’s golf, PGA Tour, The Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, Orlando, Fla. 6-9 _ Men’s golf, PGA Tour, The Puerto Rico Open, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. 6-9 _ Women’s golf, LPGA Tour, The Blue Bay LPGA, Hainan Island, China. 7 _ Ice Hockey, NHL trade deadline. 7-13 _ Shooting, ISSF 10m European Championship, Osijek, Croatia. 7-9 _ Figure Skating, ISU U.S. Solo Ice Dance, Atlanta. 7-9 _ Men’s golf, LIV Golf League, LIV HONG KONG, Hong Kong. 7-9 _ Men’s golf, PGA Tour Champions, The Cologuard Classic, Tucson, Ariz. 8 _ Auto racing, NASCAR Xfinity Series, Call811.com Every Dig. Every Time. 200, Avondale, Ariz. 8 _ Cycling, UCI WorldTour, Strade Bianche, Siena, Italy. 8 _ Motorcycle, AMA Supercross, Indianapolis. 8-16 _ Special Olympics Winter Games, Turin, Italy. 8-9 _ Men’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Kvitfjell, Norway. 8-9 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Cross, Gudauri, Georgia. 8-9 _ Women’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Are, Sweden. 9 _ Auto racing, NASCAR Cup Series, Shriners Children’s 500, Avondale, Ariz. 9 _ Major League Baseball, last day to place a player on waivers for 30 days termination pay. 9-16 _ Cycling, UCI WorldTour, Paris-Nice, France. 10-12 _ Pro football, NFL free agency period. 10-16 _ Cycling, UCI WorldTour, Tirreno-Adriatico, Lido di Camaiore, Italy. 11-14 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Cup, Tignes, France. 11-15 _ Men’s and women’s college swimming and diving, NCAA Division II Championship, Indianapolis. 12-15 _ Auto racing, IMSA SportsCar, Mobile One 12 Hours of Sebring, Sebring, Fla. 12-15 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Cup, Craigleith, Ontario. 13-15 _ Men’s and women’s college track and field, NCAA Division II Indoor Championship, Indianapolis. 13-16 _ Major League Baseball, spring breakout. 13-16 _ Men’s golf, PGA Tour, The PLAYERS Championship, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. 13-16 _ Ski jumping, FIS Men’s & Women’s World Cup, Raw Air Tour, Norway, Multiple Locations. 13-16 _ Speedskating, ISU World Single Distance Championship, Hamar, Norway. 14 _ Auto racing, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200, Las Vegas. 14 _ Horse racing, Cheltenham Gold Cup, Evesham Road, Cheltenham. 14 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Park & Pipe, Livigno, Italy. 14-15 _ Luge, FIL World Cup, US Junior National Championship, Park City, Utah. 14-15 _ Men’s and women’s college track and field, NCAA Division I Indoor Championship, Virginia Beach, Va. 14-15 _ Men’s and women’s college track and field, NCAA Division III Indoor Championship, Rochester, N.Y. 14-15 _ Women’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, La Thuile, Italy. 14-16 _ Auto racing, F1, Australian Grand Prix, Melbourne, Australia. 14-16 _ Bobsleigh and Skeleton, IBSF World Cup, World Championship Week 2, Lake Placid, N.Y. 14-16 _ Cycling, UCI Track Nations Cup, Konya, Turkey. 14-16 _ Men’s golf, LIV Golf League, LIV SINGAPORE, Sentosa, Singapore. 15 _ Auto racing, NASCAR Xfinity Series, The LiUNA!, Las Vegas. 15-16 _ Men’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Hafjell, Norway. 15-16 _ Men’s and women’s skiing, World Cup Nordic Combined, Oslo, Norway. 15-16 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Alpine, Winterberg, Germany. 16 _ Auto racing, NASCAR Cup Series, Pennzoil 400, Las Vegas. 16 _ Cycling, UCI Women’s WorldTour, Alfredo Binda Trophy Race, Cittiglio, Italy. 16 _ Men’s college basketball, NCAA Division I tournament pairings announced. 16 _ Motorcycle, MotoGP, Argentina Grand Prix, Termas de Rio Hondo, Argentina. 16 _ Women’s college basketball, NCAA Division I tournament pairings announced. 16 _ Women’s Soccer, NWSL season begins. 16-30 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Championship, Engadin, Switzerland. 17-23 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Men’s U18 World Championship Division II, Group B, Sofia, Bulgaria. 18-19 _ Major League Baseball, opening day, Tokyo Series, Tokyo. 18-19 _ Men’s college basketball, NCAA Division I First Four. 18-30 _ Women’s tennis, WTA Tour, Miami Open, Miami. 19-20 _ Women’s college basketball, NCAA Division I First Four. 19-22 _ Men’s and women’s college swimming and diving, NCAA Division III Championship, Greensboro, N.C. 19-22 _ Women’s college swimming and diving, NCAA Division I Championship, Federal Way, Wash. 19-30 _ Men’s tennis, ATP Tour, Miami Open, Miami. 20-21 _ Men’s college basketball, NCAA Division I First Round. 20-21 _ Ski jumping, FIS Women’s World Cup, Lahti, Finland. 20-22 _ Men’s and women’s college bowling, NAIA Championship, Sterling Heights, Mich. 20-22 _ Men’s college basketball, NCAA Division III Championship, Fort Wayne, Ind. 20-22 _ Women’s college basketball, NCAA Division III Championship, Salem, Va. 20-23 _ Men’s and women’s fencing, NCAA Championship, University Park, Pa. 20-23 _ Men’s golf, DP World Tour, The Singapore Classic, Singapore. 20-23 _ Men’s golf, PGA Tour, The Valspar Championship, Palm Harbor, Fla. 20-23 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Alpine World Championship, St. Moritz, Switzerland. 20-23 _ Women’s golf, LPGA Tour, The FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. 20-25 _ Men’s college basketball, NAIA Championship, Kansas City, Mo. 20-25 _ Women’s college basketball, NAIA Championship, Sioux City, Iowa. 21 _ Auto racing, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Baptist Health 200, Homestead, Fla. 21-22 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Cross, Montafon, Austria. 21-22 _ Women’s college basketball, NCAA Division I First Round. 21-23 _ Auto racing, F1, Chinese Grand Prix, Shanghai. 21-23 _ Auto racing, NHRA, Arizona Nationals, Chandler, Ariz. 21-23 _ Cycling, UCI BMX Racing, Cajun Nationals, West Monroe, La. 21-23 _ Men’s golf, PGA Tour Champions, The Hoag Classic, Newport Beach, Calif. 21-23 _ Women’s college ice hockey, NCAA Division I Championship, Minneapolis, Minn. 22 _ Auto racing, NASCAR Xfinity Series, Series Race at Homestead-Miami, Homestead, Fla. 22 _ Cycling, UCI Women’s WorldTour, Milano-Sanremo, Milan, Italy. 22 _ Cycling, UCI WorldTour, Milano-Sanremo, Milan, Italy. 22 _ Motorcycle, AMA Supercross, Birmingham, Ala. 22-23 _ Men’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Sun Valley, Idaho. 22-23 _ Men’s college basketball, NCAA Division I Second Round. 22-23 _ Men’s skiing, FIS World Cup Nordic Combined, Lahti, Finland. 22-23 _ Ski jumping, FIS World Cup, Lahti, Finland. 22-25 _ Women’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Sun Valley, Idaho. 23 _ Auto racing, IndyCar, The Thermal Club Indycar Grand Prix, Thermal, Calif. 23 _ Auto racing, NASCAR Cup Series, Straight Talk Wireless 400, Homestead, Fla. 23-24 _ Women’s college basketball, NCAA Division I Second Round. 23-29 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Park & Pipe World Championship, St. Moritz, Switzerland. 23-30 _ Bowling, PBA, USBC Masters, Allen Park, Mich. 23-30 _ Track and Field, World Masters Athletics Indoor Championship, Alachua County, Fla. 24-28 _ Women’s college basketball, NCAA Division II Championship, Pittsburgh. 24-30 _ Cycling, UCI WorldTour, Volta of Catalunya, Catalonia, Spain. 24-30 _ Figure Skating, ISU World Championship, Boston. 25 _ Major League Baseball, last day to place a player on waivers for 45 days termination pay. 25-29 _ Men’s college basketball, NCAA Division II Championship, Evansville, Ind. 26 _ Cycling, UCI WorldTour, Bruges-De Panne, Brugge, Belgium. 26-27 _ Men’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Sun Valley, Idaho. 26-29 _ Men’s college swimming and diving, NCAA Division I Championship, Federal Way, Wash. 27 _ Cycling, UCI Women’s WorldTour, Bruges-De Panne, Brugge, Belgium. 27 _ Major League Baseball, opening day for all other teams, active rosters reduced to 26 players. 27 _ Women’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Sun Valley, Idaho. 27-28 _ Men’s college basketball, NCAA Division I Sweet 16. 27-30 _ Auto racing, NHRA, Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, Pomona, Calif. 27-30 _ Men’s golf, DP World Tour, The Hero Indian Open, New Delhi, India. 27-30 _ Men’s golf, PGA Tour, The Texas Children’s Houston Open , Houston. 27-30 _ Ski jumping, FIS World Cup, Ski Flying Tournament, Planica, Slovenia. 27-30 _ Women’s golf, LPGA Tour, The Ford Championship presented by Wild Horse Pass, Phoenix. 28 _ Auto racing, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Race at Martinsville, Martinsville, Va. 28 _ Cycling, UCI WorldTour, E3 Saxo Bank Classic, Harelbeke, Belgium. 28 _ Pro Football, UFL regular season begins. 28 & 30 _ Women’s college ice hockey, NCAA Division III Championship, River Falls, Wis. 28-29 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Cross World Championship, St. Moritz, Switzerland. 28-29 _ Women’s college basketball, NCAA Division I Sweet 16. 28-30 _ Cycling, UCI BMX Racing, Carolina Nationals, Rock Hill, S.C. 28-30 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Cup, Idre Fjäll, Sweden. 28-30 _ Men’s golf, PGA Tour Champions, The Galleria Classic, Rancho Mirage, Calif. 29 _ Auto racing, NASCAR Xfinity Series, Series Race at Martinsville, Martinsville, Va. 29 _ Motorcycle, AMA Supercross, Seattle. 29-30 _ Figure Skating, ISU Unicorn Dance Trophy, Hoorn, Netherlands. 29-30 _ Men’s college basketball, NCAA Division I Elite Eight. 30 _ Auto racing, NASCAR Cup Series, Series Cup Race at Martinsville, Martinsville, Va. 30 _ Cycling, UCI Women’s WorldTour, Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields, Waregem, Belgium. 30 _ Cycling, UCI WorldTour, Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields, Waregem, Belgium. 30 _ Motorcycle, MotoGP, United States Grand Prix, Circuit of the Americas, Del Valle, Texas. 30-31 _ Women’s college basketball, NCAA Division I Elite Eight. 30-April 2 _ Pro football, NFL Annual League Meeting, Palm Beach, Fla. 31 & April 2 _ Women’s college basketball, WBIT Championship, Indianapolis. 31-April 6 _ Boxing, OCBC Elite Men’s & Women’s Oceania Boxing Championship, Faa’a, French Polynesia. 31-April 6 _ Men’s tennis, ATP Tour, Grand Prix Hassan II, Marrakech, Morocco. 31-April 6 _ Men’s tennis, ATP Tour, Tiriac Open, Bucharest, Romania. 31-April 6 _ Men’s tennis, ATP Tour, U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship, Houston. 31-April 6 _ Women’s tennis, WTA Tour, Charleston Open, Charleston, S.C. 31-April 6 _ Women’s tennis, WTA Tour, Copa Colsanitas, Bogota, Colombia. TBD _ Men’s college ice hockey, NCAA Division III Championship, Hartford, Conn. TBD _ Pro basketball, NBA G League regular season ends. 1 _ Auto racing, NASCAR Xfinity Series, Focused Health 250, Austin, Texas. 1 _ Cycling, UCI Women’s WorldTour, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Ghent, Belgium. 1 _ Cycling, UCI WorldTour, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Ghent, Belgium. 1 _ Motorcycle, AMA Supercross, Daytona Beach, Fla. 1 _ Pro basketball, NBA playoff eligibility waiver deadline. 1-2 _ Men’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. 1-2 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Alpine, Krynica, Poland. 1-2 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Cross, Erzurum, Turkey. 1-2 _ Women’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Kvitfjell, Norway. 1-7 _ Shooting, ISSF 10m Junior European Championship, Osijek, Croatia. 1-8 _ Ski jumping, FIS Men’s World Cup, World Championship, Trondheim, Norway. 2 _ Auto racing, IndyCar, Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, Fla. 2 _ Auto racing, NASCAR Cup Series, EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix, Austin, Texas. 2 _ Cycling, UCI Women’s WorldTour, Strade Bianche, Siena, Italy. 2 _ Motorcycle, MotoGP, Thailand Grand Prix, Chang International Circuit, Thailand. 2 _ Running, Tokyo Marathon. 2-8 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Men’s U18 World Championship Division III, Group A, Mexico City. 2-8 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Women’s World Championship Division III, Group A, Belgrade, Serbia. 2-11 _ Major League Baseball, period for renewing contracts of unsigned players on 40-man rosters. 3-22 _ Bowling, PBA, World Series of Bowling, Reno, Nev. 5-16 _ Men’s tennis, ATP Tour, BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, Calif. 5-16 _ Women’s tennis, WTA Tour, BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, Calif. 5-8 _ Figure Skating, Maria Olszewska Memorial, Lodz, Poland. 5-8 _ Men’s and women’s college swimming and diving, NAIA Championship, Elkhart, Ind. 6 & 13 _ Men’s soccer, Europa League, Round of 16. 6-18 _ Boxing, IBA Women’s World Boxing Championship, Belgrade, Serbia. 6-9 _ Auto racing, NHRA, NHRA Gatornationals, Gainesville, Fla. 6-9 _ Bobsleigh and Skeleton, IBSF World Cup, World Championship Week 1, Lake Placid, N.Y. 6-9 _ Figure Skating, Sonja Henie Trophy, Oslo, Norway. 6-9 _ Men’s golf, DP World Tour, The Joburg Open, Johannesburg, South Africa. 6-9 _ Men’s golf, Korn Ferry Tour, The Astara Chile Classic presented by Scotiabank, Santiago, Chile. 6-9 _ Men’s golf, PGA Tour, The Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, Orlando, Fla. 6-9 _ Men’s golf, PGA Tour, The Puerto Rico Open, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. 6-9 _ Women’s golf, LPGA Tour, The Blue Bay LPGA, Hainan Island, China. 7 _ Ice Hockey, NHL trade deadline. 7-13 _ Shooting, ISSF 10m European Championship, Osijek, Croatia. 7-9 _ Figure Skating, ISU U.S. Solo Ice Dance, Atlanta. 7-9 _ Men’s golf, LIV Golf League, LIV HONG KONG, Hong Kong. 7-9 _ Men’s golf, PGA Tour Champions, The Cologuard Classic, Tucson, Ariz. 8 _ Auto racing, NASCAR Xfinity Series, Call811.com Every Dig. Every Time. 200, Avondale, Ariz. 8 _ Cycling, UCI WorldTour, Strade Bianche, Siena, Italy. 8 _ Motorcycle, AMA Supercross, Indianapolis. 8-16 _ Special Olympics Winter Games, Turin, Italy. 8-9 _ Men’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Kvitfjell, Norway. 8-9 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Cross, Gudauri, Georgia. 8-9 _ Women’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Are, Sweden. 9 _ Auto racing, NASCAR Cup Series, Shriners Children’s 500, Avondale, Ariz. 9 _ Major League Baseball, last day to place a player on waivers for 30 days termination pay. 9-16 _ Cycling, UCI WorldTour, Paris-Nice, France. 10-12 _ Pro football, NFL free agency period. 10-16 _ Cycling, UCI WorldTour, Tirreno-Adriatico, Lido di Camaiore, Italy. 11-14 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Cup, Tignes, France. 11-15 _ Men’s and women’s college swimming and diving, NCAA Division II Championship, Indianapolis. 12-15 _ Auto racing, IMSA SportsCar, Mobile One 12 Hours of Sebring, Sebring, Fla. 12-15 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Cup, Craigleith, Ontario. 13-15 _ Men’s and women’s college track and field, NCAA Division II Indoor Championship, Indianapolis. 13-16 _ Major League Baseball, spring breakout. 13-16 _ Men’s golf, PGA Tour, The PLAYERS Championship, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. 13-16 _ Ski jumping, FIS Men’s & Women’s World Cup, Raw Air Tour, Norway, Multiple Locations. 13-16 _ Speedskating, ISU World Single Distance Championship, Hamar, Norway. 14 _ Auto racing, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200, Las Vegas. 14 _ Horse racing, Cheltenham Gold Cup, Evesham Road, Cheltenham. 14 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Park & Pipe, Livigno, Italy. 14-15 _ Luge, FIL World Cup, US Junior National Championship, Park City, Utah. 14-15 _ Men’s and women’s college track and field, NCAA Division I Indoor Championship, Virginia Beach, Va. 14-15 _ Men’s and women’s college track and field, NCAA Division III Indoor Championship, Rochester, N.Y. 14-15 _ Women’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, La Thuile, Italy. 14-16 _ Auto racing, F1, Australian Grand Prix, Melbourne, Australia. 14-16 _ Bobsleigh and Skeleton, IBSF World Cup, World Championship Week 2, Lake Placid, N.Y. 14-16 _ Cycling, UCI Track Nations Cup, Konya, Turkey. 14-16 _ Men’s golf, LIV Golf League, LIV SINGAPORE, Sentosa, Singapore. 15 _ Auto racing, NASCAR Xfinity Series, The LiUNA!, Las Vegas. 15-16 _ Men’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Hafjell, Norway. 15-16 _ Men’s and women’s skiing, World Cup Nordic Combined, Oslo, Norway. 15-16 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Alpine, Winterberg, Germany. 16 _ Auto racing, NASCAR Cup Series, Pennzoil 400, Las Vegas. 16 _ Cycling, UCI Women’s WorldTour, Alfredo Binda Trophy Race, Cittiglio, Italy. 16 _ Men’s college basketball, NCAA Division I tournament pairings announced. 16 _ Motorcycle, MotoGP, Argentina Grand Prix, Termas de Rio Hondo, Argentina. 16 _ Women’s college basketball, NCAA Division I tournament pairings announced. 16 _ Women’s Soccer, NWSL season begins. 16-30 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Championship, Engadin, Switzerland. 17-23 _ Ice Hockey, IIHF Men’s U18 World Championship Division II, Group B, Sofia, Bulgaria. 18-19 _ Major League Baseball, opening day, Tokyo Series, Tokyo. 18-19 _ Men’s college basketball, NCAA Division I First Four. 18-30 _ Women’s tennis, WTA Tour, Miami Open, Miami. 19-20 _ Women’s college basketball, NCAA Division I First Four. 19-22 _ Men’s and women’s college swimming and diving, NCAA Division III Championship, Greensboro, N.C. 19-22 _ Women’s college swimming and diving, NCAA Division I Championship, Federal Way, Wash. 19-30 _ Men’s tennis, ATP Tour, Miami Open, Miami. 20-21 _ Men’s college basketball, NCAA Division I First Round. 20-21 _ Ski jumping, FIS Women’s World Cup, Lahti, Finland. 20-22 _ Men’s and women’s college bowling, NAIA Championship, Sterling Heights, Mich. 20-22 _ Men’s college basketball, NCAA Division III Championship, Fort Wayne, Ind. 20-22 _ Women’s college basketball, NCAA Division III Championship, Salem, Va. 20-23 _ Men’s and women’s fencing, NCAA Championship, University Park, Pa. 20-23 _ Men’s golf, DP World Tour, The Singapore Classic, Singapore. 20-23 _ Men’s golf, PGA Tour, The Valspar Championship, Palm Harbor, Fla. 20-23 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Alpine World Championship, St. Moritz, Switzerland. 20-23 _ Women’s golf, LPGA Tour, The FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. 20-25 _ Men’s college basketball, NAIA Championship, Kansas City, Mo. 20-25 _ Women’s college basketball, NAIA Championship, Sioux City, Iowa. 21 _ Auto racing, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Baptist Health 200, Homestead, Fla. 21-22 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Cross, Montafon, Austria. 21-22 _ Women’s college basketball, NCAA Division I First Round. 21-23 _ Auto racing, F1, Chinese Grand Prix, Shanghai. 21-23 _ Auto racing, NHRA, Arizona Nationals, Chandler, Ariz. 21-23 _ Cycling, UCI BMX Racing, Cajun Nationals, West Monroe, La. 21-23 _ Men’s golf, PGA Tour Champions, The Hoag Classic, Newport Beach, Calif. 21-23 _ Women’s college ice hockey, NCAA Division I Championship, Minneapolis, Minn. 22 _ Auto racing, NASCAR Xfinity Series, Series Race at Homestead-Miami, Homestead, Fla. 22 _ Cycling, UCI Women’s WorldTour, Milano-Sanremo, Milan, Italy. 22 _ Cycling, UCI WorldTour, Milano-Sanremo, Milan, Italy. 22 _ Motorcycle, AMA Supercross, Birmingham, Ala. 22-23 _ Men’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Sun Valley, Idaho. 22-23 _ Men’s college basketball, NCAA Division I Second Round. 22-23 _ Men’s skiing, FIS World Cup Nordic Combined, Lahti, Finland. 22-23 _ Ski jumping, FIS World Cup, Lahti, Finland. 22-25 _ Women’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Sun Valley, Idaho. 23 _ Auto racing, IndyCar, The Thermal Club Indycar Grand Prix, Thermal, Calif. 23 _ Auto racing, NASCAR Cup Series, Straight Talk Wireless 400, Homestead, Fla. 23-24 _ Women’s college basketball, NCAA Division I Second Round. 23-29 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Park & Pipe World Championship, St. Moritz, Switzerland. 23-30 _ Bowling, PBA, USBC Masters, Allen Park, Mich. 23-30 _ Track and Field, World Masters Athletics Indoor Championship, Alachua County, Fla. 24-28 _ Women’s college basketball, NCAA Division II Championship, Pittsburgh. 24-30 _ Cycling, UCI WorldTour, Volta of Catalunya, Catalonia, Spain. 24-30 _ Figure Skating, ISU World Championship, Boston. 25 _ Major League Baseball, last day to place a player on waivers for 45 days termination pay. 25-29 _ Men’s college basketball, NCAA Division II Championship, Evansville, Ind. 26 _ Cycling, UCI WorldTour, Bruges-De Panne, Brugge, Belgium. 26-27 _ Men’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Sun Valley, Idaho. 26-29 _ Men’s college swimming and diving, NCAA Division I Championship, Federal Way, Wash. 27 _ Cycling, UCI Women’s WorldTour, Bruges-De Panne, Brugge, Belgium. 27 _ Major League Baseball, opening day for all other teams, active rosters reduced to 26 players. 27 _ Women’s alpine skiing, FIS World Cup, Sun Valley, Idaho. 27-28 _ Men’s college basketball, NCAA Division I Sweet 16. 27-30 _ Auto racing, NHRA, Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, Pomona, Calif. 27-30 _ Men’s golf, DP World Tour, The Hero Indian Open, New Delhi, India. 27-30 _ Men’s golf, PGA Tour, The Texas Children’s Houston Open , Houston. 27-30 _ Ski jumping, FIS World Cup, Ski Flying Tournament, Planica, Slovenia. 27-30 _ Women’s golf, LPGA Tour, The Ford Championship presented by Wild Horse Pass, Phoenix. 28 _ Auto racing, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Race at Martinsville, Martinsville, Va. 28 _ Cycling, UCI WorldTour, E3 Saxo Bank Classic, Harelbeke, Belgium. 28 _ Pro Football, UFL regular season begins. 28 & 30 _ Women’s college ice hockey, NCAA Division III Championship, River Falls, Wis. 28-29 _ Snowboarding, FIS World Cup, Cross World Championship, St. Moritz, Switzerland. 28-29 _ Women’s college basketball, NCAA Division I Sweet 16. 28-30 _ Cycling, UCI BMX Racing, Carolina Nationals, Rock Hill, S.C. 28-30 _ Freestyle skiing, FIS World Cup, Idre Fjäll, Sweden. 28-30 _ Men’s golf, PGA Tour Champions, The Galleria Classic, Rancho Mirage, Calif. 29 _ Auto racing, NASCAR Xfinity Series, Series Race at Martinsville, Martinsville, Va. 29 _ Motorcycle, AMA Supercross, Seattle. 29-30 _ Figure Skating, ISU Unicorn Dance Trophy, Hoorn, Netherlands. 29-30 _ Men’s college basketball, NCAA Division I Elite Eight. 30 _ Auto racing, NASCAR Cup Series, Series Cup Race at Martinsville, Martinsville, Va. 30 _ Cycling, UCI Women’s WorldTour, Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields, Waregem, Belgium. 30 _ Cycling, UCI WorldTour, Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields, Waregem, Belgium. 30 _ Motorcycle, MotoGP, United States Grand Prix, Circuit of the Americas, Del Valle, Texas. 30-31 _ Women’s college basketball, NCAA Division I Elite Eight. 30-April 2 _ Pro football, NFL Annual League Meeting, Palm Beach, Fla. 31 & April 2 _ Women’s college basketball, WBIT Championship, Indianapolis. 31-April 6 _ Boxing, OCBC Elite Men’s & Women’s Oceania Boxing Championship, Faa’a, French Polynesia. 31-April 6 _ Men’s tennis, ATP Tour, Grand Prix Hassan II, Marrakech, Morocco. 31-April 6 _ Men’s tennis, ATP Tour, Tiriac Open, Bucharest, Romania. 31-April 6 _ Men’s tennis, ATP Tour, U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship, Houston. 31-April 6 _ Women’s tennis, WTA Tour, Charleston Open, Charleston, S.C. 31-April 6 _ Women’s tennis, WTA Tour, Copa Colsanitas, Bogota, Colombia. TBD _ Men’s college ice hockey, NCAA Division III Championship, Hartford, Conn. TBD _ Pro basketball, NBA G League regular season ends.In what has become a bit of an annual tradition , I sat down with Amazon CTO Werner Vogels at AWS re:Invent this week . Another annual tradition now is that Vogels, who joined Amazon in 2004, publishes a series of predictions for the next year. It’d be easy to think that this year’s predictions are all about AI, but instead, Vogels focuses on how Millennials and Gen Z think about being part of the workforce, nuclear energy, combatting misinformation, open data for disaster preparedness, and the need for intention-driven technology. Unlike his employer, whose keynotes this week focused almost exclusively on AI, Vogels only mentions it three times in his written predictions “ for 2025 and beyond .” And while AI is now a steady drone in the background, he seems to be more preoccupied with how technology in general is shaping the world right now. The next generation of employees “I’ve been very much interested in looking at companies that are interested in solving really hard human problems, really big problems, like economic equality, whether it’s food, health care globally,” he told me. “And with that whole ‘Now Go Build’ documentary series, we’ve raised some of those. But one of the things that I’ve been noticing in the past, let’s say four or five years, is that there is a new generation of workers out there that are actually willing to take a pay cut if they can work for a company that has sustainability in mind — all these issues.” He also said that he has heard from a number of NGOs that there is a massive increase in tech workers who would like to volunteer at these organizations. “Where, in the past — five, ten years ago, you would have to beg for people to come. Now people knock on the door,” he said. “The problem that these companies have is how to manage them. They don’t actually have the people. An organization like Mercy Corps, for example, they only have two people that are in tech, right? Because that money goes to the area [where] they can actually have impact. They don’t go on the tech side....Now, they have an engineer for two weeks. They have all these great ideas that they want to do, and even companies that are coming to them saying: ‘Oh, you can have our products for free.’ But they do not have the people to work on this.” Vogels believes — and I think a lot of people would back him up — that the next generation of workers will also bring this mindset to the companies they work for, and that these companies will have to adapt to them. “That means as employers, if you’re interested in actually hiring the absolute best engineers, you better make sure that you change your company culture to actually be able to attract these people. It’s no longer: do I get the best laptop? Do I get the best screen? Do I get two screens, right? But does my work matter? And that’s a really big shift, because it’s no longer about what’s the salary I’m getting? Because I’m willing to give up some of it if the work I’m doing means something right. And that means that, as an employer, you need to change that as well.” When I asked him if this means that Amazon itself may also have to change its vaunted set of leadership principles (the ones new employee at Amazon basically has to memorize), he noted that “with scale and success comes broad responsibility” — the final of the 16 leadership principles. Amazon, he stressed, also has a whole division focused on Social Responsibility and Impact. Who can you even trust anymore? In that context, he also noted that one of his predictions for next year is about fighting misinformation and — within that context — supporting open source intelligence. “We have rapidly shifted from an era of prolonged news cycles that lasted weeks or months to a constant stream of updates that break at the speed of a click. Social media platforms have become a primary source for disseminating and consuming news, and it’s never been harder to distinguish between what’s true and false,” he writes in his prediction blog post. If technology brought us fake news, “then it’s also our responsibility as technologists to go the other way around to find solutions,” he told me. He believes that solutions like browser sidebars that display relevant context — and maybe academic research — about a given topic, could be helpful, for example. “Elon is really good in time to push the story that media can’t be trusted,” Vogels said. “And since there’s many competing voices, can you trust the Washington Post and The New York Times and LA Times? Can you, or not? I mean, in the past, these used to be the source of truth. There was no discussion. If you were published in the Frankfurter Allgemeine, everybody in Germany would read that and know that that’s the truth. But can we help with technology? Is there a general perception, at least during the US, recent US elections, that the general media can be trusted? At least one candidate is pushing that story very hard. Then we need to make sure that there is context around those stories that demonstrate which ones are telling the truth or not.” “If we look at X and sort of the community notes, I’m not really sure whether the community notes are terribly useful, but [they] should be. And the question is, can we automate these kind of things?” Meanwhile, the organizations doing open-source intelligence work, he said, are often not using the most advanced technology. He believes that locating where an image was taken, for example, should be automated by using image recognition. Similarly, he hopes that access to open data will help NGOs to improve their disaster preparedness by allowing them to build better maps in areas where commercial mapping isn’t financially viable, for example, or by building new real-time data sources for tracking wildfires. Fighting tech addiction Vogels also noted that one of the reasons technology has been such an accelerant for the spread of misinformation is because our devices and apps have become so addictive. “We have tremendous impact with our technology on the lives of people, not only in terms of whether we advocate for what’s the truth, but the amount of time we spend with technology,” he said. Applications today, he said, are essentially built to be sticky and addictive. “We as adults may be able to handle that,” he said (though I’ll interject here that I’m not sure if adults actually can). “You know, if your kid of four years old is sitting in the back of the car, and, you know, in the past, they will be singing or yammering: ‘Are we there? Are we there?’ But [what] parents now do is just give them an iPad. Kids at four or five years old know how to use YouTube, but it also means that they get on a cycle of continuous highs, continuous highs, continuous highs. So the expectation is that these kids, and we already see that, are more prone to other types of addiction later as well, because you need to continuously get this next high whether it’s drugs, food, drinking, sex, or whatever.” People, he believes, are realizing this now and starting to take some action — maybe that’s using a dumb phone or going offline for extended periods. He noted that new regulations in Australia, which seek to ban kids under 16 from using social media, “is a pretty brute force approach, but it does signal a problem,” even if forbidding something to teenagers will make it more appealing, of course. “After all, you know, in the Netherlands [where cannabis has long been tolerated], a lot [fewer] kids continue to smoke weed because it wasn’t cool.” It’s up to technologists to ensure that their applications aren’t addictive — maybe by making the interfaces simpler, for example. “I mean, probably for TechCrunch, if somebody reads one article, you wanted them to read more articles. After all, pageviews equals income. It’s a business. But you know, how addictive do you make your interfaces, right? And yes, of course, as a company, you have a responsibility to shareholders to do that, but I think these days, we also have a social responsibility to make sure that our society is healthy enough in ten, twenty years from now that you can continue to be in business.” The nuclear option This year’s set of predictions is a bit of “all over the place” (Vogels’ words, not mine), and his next one is about the use of nuclear energy. In Vogels’ view, the expansion of nuclear energy and the growth of renewable energy “will lay the groundwork for a future where our energy infrastructure is a catalyst for innovation, not a constraint.” “We know how to do small nuclear,” he told me — referring to the reactors used to power military submarines, for example. “We just never built them because they weren’t commercially interesting. Plus, society didn’t accept them as being [located] somewhere near them. If your submarine will go up in flame, fine, submarine, you chose for that. It’s a different story.” But we’ve now also reached a point where large businesses aren’t allowed to build new facilities near cities like Amsterdam, where Vogels lives, because the energy companies can’t deliver enough electricity to them anymore — not because they can’t generate enough. A few years ago, Vogels told me that he wasn’t ready to retire yet . I don’t get the sense that anything has changed for him. He’s clearly still enjoying his role — even if his predictions this year are a bit darker than usual.