Victoria Fox's Blog, page 229
April 24, 2023
It took a while, but Aaron Rodgers is poised to become a New York Jet
Enlarge this image NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers is leaving the Green Bay Packers after 18 seasons. He’ll be playing with the New York Jets in 2023. Quinn Harris/Getty Images
Quinn Harris/Getty Images
After months of trade talks, four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers is leaving the Green Bay Packers for the New York Jets, though the deal is still not quite finalized.
Packers General Manager Brian Gutekunst told reporters during a news conference on Monday afternoon that the teams have been trying to hammer out the deal for about six days but that “there are still some things that need to be done.”
He added that he expects it may take another couple of days to sort it all out.
The move comes just days before the 2023 NFL draft.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that the deal would mean Green Bay will have 11 picks heading into the draft. As of Monday, they have “one pick in the first round, two in the second, one in the third, one in the fourth, one in the fifth, one in the sixth and four in the seventh.”
The 39-year-old quarterback had been vocal for some time about his frustrations playing for the Packers, saying he should have been more involved in the direction of the team. And he explicitly talked about his plans to move to the Jets.
“I made it clear my intention was to play and to play for the New York Jets,” he said last month on an episode of The Pat McAfee Show, adding that he was not “holding anything up.”
He said at the time that the Packers also wanted “to move on and have let me know that in so many words.”
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Rodgers is expected to give up the No. 12 he wore for the Wisconsin team for 18 years — even though Joe Namath, the Jet who retired the number in New York, had offered to unretire the number for the star. Instead, Rodgers will don the No. 8, which he wore in his college playing days at the University of California, Berkeley.
Grimes invites fans to make songs with an AI-generated version of her voice
Enlarge this image Grimes, pictured in 2021, said she wants to be a “guinea pig” for music creators working with Artificial Intelligence. Theo Wargo/Getty Images
Theo Wargo/Getty Images
The musician Grimes is inviting creators to use AI-generated versions of her voice to make new music, saying she could even provide the raw audio files to facilitate it.
“We’re making a program that should simulate my voice well but we could also upload stems and samples for ppl to train their own,” she wrote on Twitter on Sunday.
The pop singer, whose real name is Claire Boucher, also said she would “split 50% royalties on any successful AI generated song that uses my voice.”
“Same deal as I would with any artist i collab with. Feel free to use my voice without penalty. I have no label and no legal bindings,” she added.
Courts have not yet weighed in on AI’s use in music and it’s unclear how any profit would shake out legally. Grimes asked creators to register music with her website.
Fans immediately posted links to songs they’ve created featuring her vocal likeness. The Canadian artist said she’s looking forward to being a “guinea pig” for such projects.
The musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer appears to have been inspired by last week’s release of “Heart on My Sleeve,” a viral hit that cloned the voices of Drake and The Weeknd, but has since been removed from streaming and social media platforms after the record label claimed copyright violations.
Neither Boucher or her team responded to NPR’s questions about what she might do in cases where someone might make a song with objectionable, racist or violent lyrics. But she addressed the issue in a subsequent tweet, saying they “may do copyright takedowns ONLY for rly rly toxic lyrics w grimes voice.”
She pleaded with creators to not be “the worst.”
“That’s the only rule,” she wrote. “Rly don’t like to do a rule but don’t wanna be responsible for a Nazi anthem unless it’s somehow in jest a la producers I guess. – wud prefer avoiding political stuff but If it’s a small meme with ur friends we prob won’t penalize that. Probably just if smthn is viral and anti abortion or smthn like that.”
She later said she wasn’t even sure, however, if she could legally ask for songs to be taken down.
This is not the first times Boucher has weighed in in support of AI-generated art or her first foray into AI song-making. In 2020 she worked with mood music start up Endel to launch an AI baby lullaby-making app. She told The New York Times she was inspired to create “a better baby sleeping situation” for son, X Æ A-XII Musk. His father is Elon Musk.
“I think A.I. is great,” she said in the interview. “I just feel like, creatively, I think A.I. can replace humans. And so I think at some point, we will want to, as a species, have a discussion about how involved A.I. will be in art.”
Rockets agree to make Ime Udoka next head coach after Celtics scandal: report
The Houston Rockets have reportedly agreed to a deal to make Ime Udoka, who was fired by the Boston Celtics after having an improper working relationship before his season, their next head coach.
Udoka is rumored to be the Rockets’ best option after firing Stephen Silas after another horrific season. Silas has gone 59-177 with the team in 236 games over the past three seasons.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski noted that the Rockets consulted with the league office and the Celtics regarding Udoka’s departure from the organization. They clearly didn’t pay attention to what they were told, as Wojnarowski added that they “moved pretty quickly” to come to an agreement after an initial meeting.
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Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka announces a fourth quarter play against the Golden State Warriors in Game 3 of the 2022 NBA Finals at TD Garden on June 08, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
“Udoka and General Manager Rafael Stone continued to talk at work. Both parties had strong options in the market, but a deal was reached within the last 24 hours to land Udoka with the Rockets,” Wojnarowski tweeted. .
The Celtics initially suspended Udoka for the entire 2022-23 NBA season after discovering his relationship with a female staffer “was considered a violation of organizational guidelines.”
Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck said the organization conducted a month-long investigation into the matter.
IME UDOKA MADE CRUDE REMARKS WHICH LEAD TO ONE-YEAR SUSPENSION: REPORT
“We learned over the summer, part of the summer, that there was a situation,” Grousbeck said at the time. “I called the law firm at that time and the investigation had twists and turns and took time to develop all the facts. It finally concluded, for now, all we know was closed two days ago…
“I took a lot of advice from partners like [Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens] and others. We collectively came to this and got there, but it wasn’t clear what to do. But it was clear that something substantial needed to be done, in my opinion, and it was.”
Udoka allegedly used foul language with the female staff member before their relationship played a big part in Udoka’s suspension all season.
Nia Long and Ime Udoka attend BET’s 2017 American Black Film Festival Honors Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on February 17, 2017 in Beverly Hills, California. (Tommaso Boddi/WireImage)
“I want to apologize to our players, our fans, the entire Celtics organization and my family for letting them down. I’m sorry for putting the team in this difficult situation and I accepts the team’s decision. Out of respect for everyone involved, I will have no further comment,” Udoka said in a statement after the Celtics announced his suspension.
Udoka, 45, had been with actress Nia Long since 2010. Long is known for her roles in “Big Momma’s House,” “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” and “Love Jones,” among others. The two have a son and she had a son from a previous relationship.
They reportedly separated in December, after the cheating scandal came to light.
CELTICS SUSPEND IME UDOKA FOR THE WHOLE 2022-23 SEASON FOR “VIOLATION OF TEAM POLICIES”
The Celtics reached the 2022 NBA Finals in Udoka’s first year as head coach, leading many to believe that Udoka could be one of the next big leaders in a locker room in the league. NBA.
Instead, after the scandal, Joe Mazzulla was named interim head coach of the Celtics in Udoka’s absence, but he has since seen that interim title dropped as he was given an extension to remain in charge. as head coach after a successful regular season. The Celtics went 57-25 this season, earning them the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum #0 and head coach Ime Udoka sits on the bench during practice and media availability for the 2022 NBA Finals on June 9, 2022 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts . (Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images)
In Houston, Udoka will look to turn around a franchise that was once atop the Western Conference. They are armed with solid young talent among guards Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. as well as forward Jabari Smith Jr.
Houston also has plenty of cap space and they have one of a 14% chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft, which will likely be spent on French star Victor Wembanyama.
Udoka’s coaching career began with the San Antonio Spurs, where he served as an assistant under Gregg Popovich from 2012 to 2019 before moving to the Philadelphia 76ers for one season, followed by a stint with the Brooklyn Nets.
Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka looks on during Game 3 of the 2022 NBA Finals on June 8, 2022 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
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The Celtics named Udoka their 18th head coach in franchise history ahead of the 2021-22 season, where Boston went 51-31 before winning the Eastern Conference. They would eventually fall to the Golden State Warriors in the Finals.
Scott Thompson is a sportswriter for Fox News Digital.
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The Funniest Wedding Tweets (April 11-24)
Somehow, Twitter spouses continue to find humor in the details of married life ― and sum it up perfectly in no more than 280 characters.
Every two weeks, we round up the funniest wedding tweets from the past 14 days. Read on for 21 new topics that will make you laugh okay.
The Huffington Gt
Not all news on the site expresses the point of view of the site, but we transmit this news automatically and translate it through programmatic technology on the site and not from a human editor.
April 23, 2023
Protesters disrupt archaeologist Richard Hansen’s speech at the LA Times Festival of Books
A melee erupted at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books on Sunday night when activists rushed to the Spanish stage to protest a speech by archaeologist Richard Hansen.
Protesters were targeting Hansen’s decades of excavation and research at a vast ancient Mayan complex in Guatemala called El Mirador.
The group of about 15 masked protesters rushed to the small stage where Hansen was being interviewed by LA Times En Español columnist Alejandro Maciel, whose First column on Hansen’s research was published earlier this year in The Times.
Protesters knocked over chairs, shouted “this is stolen land!” and “fucking imperialism!” and unveiled a large banner that read “Gringo colonizer fuera del Mirador”.
Under the stunned eyes of the spectators, a fight broke out between the demonstrators and some members of the event team who were desperately trying to clear the stage. A scene crew member walked out with a bloody nose as police quickly arrived on the scene.
After several minutes of protesters continuing to yell at Hansen as police formed a line between the protesters and the stage, Hansen and Maciel were escorted to a nearby tent for speakers at the event.
Dr. Richard Hansen watches a fight break out on the Spanish stage during his speech at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books.
(James Carbone / Los Angeles Times En Español)
Protesters knocked over chairs, shouted “this is stolen land!” and “fucking imperialism!” and unveiled a large banner that read “Gringo colonizer fuera del Mirador”.
(James Carbone / Los Angeles Times En Español)
The crowd eventually dissipated and the event ended.
Los Angeles Police Department Sgt. Gutierrez, who declined to give his first name, said a person was in custody on suspicion of assault and battery.
In an interview Sunday night, Hansen said he was untouched during the disruption. He said his laptop was seized by one of the protesters but was later recovered.
“I’ve lectured all over the world and this has never happened before,” said Hansen, who previously taught at UCLA.
The work Hansen performed took place in a region torn by drug trafficking, human trafficking, and illegal logging.
Critics have accused Hansen of wanting to develop the area to increase archaeological tourism in a way that would harm the local population, many of whom are indigenous.
Hansen, whose proposals won the support of a number of Mayan leaders, said his proposals were environmentally sustainable, would create jobs for indigenous communities and lessen the influence of what he called the “mafias”. operating in the region.
Critics, including protesters on Sunday, also chastised Hansen for accepting awards from Guatemalan administrations and corporate-affiliated groups.
Referring to the protesters on Sunday, Hansen said: “I think they were deeply influenced by lies and distortions.”
Maciel said neither he nor his young daughter, who accompanied him, were injured in the blast.
“We all have the right to speak our mind and protest, but what isn’t fair or just is the use of violence,” said Festival of Books programming organizer Veronica Alvarado. which aims to promote reading in Spanish within the Southern California community.
Claudia Núñez, public engagement editor of the LA Times En Español, contributed to this report.
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Donald Trump praises Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in commentary supercut
Former President Donald Trump repeatedly praised Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis while in office before his campaign released a raunchy statement about the Sunshine State’s top elected official on Friday, which makes part of the many insults hurled at his GOP rival.
THE past comments of Trump appeared on social media on Friday and drew a lot of attention online for the stark contrast to Trump’s recent rebuke of the governor of Florida. DeSantis, who has yet to announce his 2024 intentions, appears to be the toughest competition for Trump seeking to reclaim the White House.
On Friday, Trump’s 2024 campaign slammed the Sunshine State — where the 45th president currently lives — and DeSantis, calling the governor’s record “one of misery and despair.” Trump spokesman Steven Cheung’s statement claimed that DeSantis’ “shadow campaign” for office has allowed Florida “to descend into utter and utter delinquency and destruction.”
His campaign also said Florida has become “one of the worst states” in the country under DeSantis’ leadership.
But a compilation of old taped remarks posted online Friday from when Trump was president shows him constantly praising DeSantis as a “great governor.”
SUPERCUT: President Trump explains why he chose to live in Florida.
“One of the greatest governors in our country – and I know a lot of good ones, and I can tell you there are some really bad ones too – but this is a great one: Governor Ron DeSantis .” pic.twitter.com/6J7tOgKIZ9
— Nordau Facts (@MaxNordau) April 21, 2023
“Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has done a spectacular job in Florida,” Trump said in an old clip from the Oval Office with DeSantis seated next to him. “He is very popular and that is for a reason. The reason is that he is doing a good job.
Additional clips show Trump complimenting DeSantis on his handling of the coronavirus and in a video during the 2020 election campaign, he called him “one of the greatest governors in the country.”
The roar of Trump’s pro-DeSantis comments was first reported by Mediaite.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks during the Heritage Foundation’s 50th Anniversary Celebration Leadership Summit, April 21, 2023.PA
The video was retweeted by a pro-DeSantis PAC called Never Back Down, the outlet reported.
While DeSantis, 44, has yet to reveal his 2024 plan, it is widely speculated he will run for president and polls indicate he would be the biggest threat to Trump, who lost re-election to benefit Democrat Joe Biden in 2020.
Trump’s 2024 campaign has repeatedly criticized DeSantis, including in Friday’s scathing statement that claims due to DeSantis Florida has become one of the worst states in which to live, find economic opportunity, work, take retire, raise a family, pay taxes, be safe, rent a house, afford energy and die.
DeSantis, who was first elected governor in 2018, easily won re-election in 2022.
Hours after Friday’s harsh statement was released, Trump appeared at a campaign rally where he called Florida a “great state” and a “great place.”
“I am delighted to be here with the proud and hard-working patriots of the great state of Florida. It’s a big state. Great place,” Trump told an audience during remarks at the Lee County Lincoln-Reagan Dinner in Ft. Myers.
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Sikh separatist leader Amritpal Singh arrested in India
NEW DELHI — Indian police on Sunday arrested a separatist leader who reignited calls for an independent Sikh homeland and the secession of India’s northern Punjab state, which has a history of violent insurgency.
Amritpal Singh had been on the run since last month after coming to national attention in February when hundreds of his supporters stormed a police station in Ajnala, a town in Punjab state, with batons in hand. wood, swords and guns to demand the release of an imprisoned assistant. .
Punjab state police said on Twitter on Sunday that Singh was arrested in Moga, a town in the state.
A Sikh religious leader, Jasbir Singh Rodde, said Singh surrendered after offering morning prayers at a Sikh shrine in Moga.
Police officer Sukhchain Singh Gill said police surrounded the village after learning that Singh was at the shrine. “The relentless pressure from the police over the past 35 days has left Singh with no choice,” Gill told reporters.
He said police did not enter the shrine, implying Singh was taken into custody after he left. Gill declined to confirm whether Singh had surrendered as his supporters claimed. Singh was flown to Dibrugarh in northeastern India, where he will be held until he is arraigned to face charges.
Punjab suffered a bloody insurgency in the 1980s that led to the murder of then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards at her official residence in New Delhi. His assassination in 1984 sparked bloody riots by his Hindu supporters against Sikhs in northern India.
Ashwini Dubey, a lawyer in the state of Punjab, said arresting Singh would help police dismantle the separatist network and its supporters.
Tavleen Singh, a political commentator and former journalist who covered the Punjab insurgency in the 1980s, said: “The police took this man out, which is good because if they had entered a gurdwara (Sikh shrine) and had started shooting, you would have had a reaction from the general public. Sikhs happen to be very susceptible to gurdwara attacks. »
Sikhs are a religious minority in India and say they are discriminated against by the Hindu majority. More than 3,000 people were killed by extremists during the 1980s insurgency in this prosperous agricultural state. The insurgency was crushed by Indian forces in 1990.
Punjab borders Indian-controlled Kashmir and Pakistan. India accuses Pakistan of supporting, training and arming insurgents, a charge Islamabad denies.
Police declared Singh, a 30-year-old preacher, a fugitive and accused him and his aides of sowing discord in the state. The police accused them of spreading discord among people, attempted murder, attacking police personnel and obstructing the lawful performance of officials’ duties.
Authorities have deployed thousands of paramilitary troops to the state and arrested nearly 100 of his supporters. Singh’s wife was prevented from leaving India last week.
Very little was known about Singh until he arrived in the state of Punjab in 2022 and began leading marches calling for the protection of the rights of Sikhs, who make up around 1.7% of India’s population. .
Singh claims to be inspired by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, a militant Sikh leader accused by the Indian government of leading an armed insurgency in the 1980s. Bhindranwale and his followers were killed in 1984 when the Indian army stormed the Golden Temple, the holiest shrine of the Sikh religion.
Singh was inspired by Bhindranwale, with a long, flowing beard. He also dresses as Bhindranwale.
Singh also heads Waris Punjab De, or Punjab’s Heirs, an organization that was part of a massive campaign to mobilize farmers against controversial agricultural reforms pushed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. The legislation sparked a year of protests that began in 2020, as farmers – mostly Sikhs in the state of Punjab – camped out on the outskirts of New Delhi during a harsh winter and a devastating outbreak of coronavirus. The protests ended after Modi’s government withdrew the legislation in November 2021.
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9 teenagers were shot at a Texas prom after-party
AUSTIN, Texas — Nine teenagers were shot in an east Texas residence early Sunday at a prom after-party attended by hundreds, local officials said a statement.
Just after midnight, deputies responded to shots fired at a private residence in Jasper County where the party was held and found nine victims with gunshot wounds, according to a statement by the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office. According to Jasper County officials, the injuries are expected to be non-life threatening.
About 250 people are estimated to have been present at the time of the shooting, according to a statement from the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office.
Eight victims were taken in personal vehicles to Jasper Memorial Hospital in Jasper, Texas, and “at least one” of those were transferred to Christus Southeast Texas-St. Elizabeth Hospital in nearby Beaumont, Texas for further treatment, Jasper County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Karli Cherry said. One person did not go to the hospital, she said.
A second shooting within the city limits of Jasper, Texas occurred shortly after the first, the statement said. There were no injuries in the second shooting, but a connection between the two incidents is being investigated due to a “common vehicle at both locations,” the statement said.
According to the statement, “people of interest are being questioned” and the investigation is ongoing.
Inside Sofia Richie and Elliot Grainge’s Star-Studded Wedding
Sofia Richie and Elliot Grainge‘s wedding had no shortage of romantic details—or celebrity guests.
The couple said “I do” on April 22 at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes in the South of France, per Vogue, who confirmed the news on Instagram that same day.
The star-studded guest list included her father Lionel Richie, sister Nicole Richie, Cameron Diaz, Benji Madden and Joel Madden, according to People, as well as Paris Hilton and Carter Reum.
As for what the magical day entailed? Posts shared to Sofia’s Instagram Story gave a look at the epic firework show that took place on the day of their nuptials—and the lively after-party that took place post-saying “I do.”
But the glimpses did not stop there, as seen in a TikTok shared to Sofia’s profile April 23, the bride engaged in a bouquet toss while standing on steps at the venue lined with white flowers. In the clip, Sofia donned a halter-neck, bridal gown with a show-stopping veil. The look marked one of three incredible bridal styles she wore in honor of the occasion.
A group of state AGs calls for a national recall of high-theft Hyundai, Kia vehicles
Enlarge this image A Hyundai sedan sits in the parking lot of East Bay Tow Inc., where California Attorney General Rob Bonta held a news conference on Thursday. Terry Chea/AP
Terry Chea/AP
Scores of Hyundai and Kia vehicles lack basic security features and should be recalled, as a growing number of thefts have created a “safety crisis” on roads across the U.S., a group of state attorneys general says.
A letter sent by the attorneys general of 17 states and the District of Columbia to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Thursday urges the federal government to intercede to prevent a national problem they say is continuing to accelerate.
“Thefts of these Hyundai and Kia vehicles have led to at least eight deaths, numerous injuries and property damage, and they have diverted significant police and emergency services resources from other priorities,” the AGs wrote.
“We call on NHTSA to exercise its authority to order a mandatory recall or ensure Hyundai and Kia institute a voluntary recall.”
According to the letter, a thief can easily hotwire certain Hyundai and Kia vehicles manufactured between 2011 and 2022 by removing the steering wheel column cover and turning the keyed ignition with a USB cable. These vehicles also lack engine immobilizers, which prevent a car from being started unless it receives an electronic signal from the key.
These particular vulnerabilities came into more widespread use since 2021 after a number of TikTok users posted videos of the technique to social media.
Federal regulators say about 3.8 million Hyundais and 4.5 million Kias are affected.
Thefts of Hyundai and Kia vehicles have exploded recently. Los Angeles saw an 85% increase in Hyundai and Kia thefts in 2022, while Minneapolis says it saw thefts of the two makes jump by 836% last year.
The perpetrators, who are often minors, drive recklessly and sometimes crash, the attorneys general said, and attending to both the thefts and the crashes diverts law enforcement and emergency response resources from other needs.
“Kia’s and Hyundai’s failure to install standard safety features on many of their vehicles have put vehicle owners at risk,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a tweet. “It is unacceptable that our communities should be forced to shoulder the cost of Kia’s and Hyundai’s failures.”
NHTSA did not immediately respond to NPR’s request for a comment on Sunday.
In an emailed statement to NPR, Hyundai said it was “committed to ensuring the quality and integrity of our products” and pointed to several measures it had taken in response to the thefts, including making engine immobilizers standard on all vehicles starting in November 2021 and reimbursing customers for the purchase of steering wheel locks. Hyundai also said it had partnered with AAA insurance companies to insure the affected vehicles in most states.
In February, Hyundai and Kia announced along with federal regulators that they would begin offering a free software upgrade for millions of vehicles without immobilizers over the following months. Hyundai said on Sunday that its software upgrade for affected vehicles is currently available at all Hyundai dealerships.
Kia told NPR it continues “to roll out a free, enhanced security software upgrade to restrict the unauthorized operation of vehicle ignition systems and we are also providing steering wheel locks for impacted owners at no cost to them.”
The attorneys general said the software patch wouldn’t be enough, though, since it may not work for all affected vehicles and doesn’t come with the same legal requirements on the companies that a recall does.
Kia also responded to the notion of a recall, saying that “because there is no defect in the security features in any of these vehicles and because these specific models comply fully with all applicable federal standards, a recall is neither appropriate nor necessary under federal law.”
A larger group of attorneys general wrote to Hyundai and Kia last month, urging the company to take “swift and comprehensive action” in response to the thefts.
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