On Monday, a judge ruled that acting U. S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan was improperly appointed, and subsequently dismissed her indictments of former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James (D). Former federal prosecutors are now saying that the judge’s ruling may have thrown all of her office’s work into question. During a Monday segment on CNN, former U. S. attorneys Harry Litman who led the Department of Justice’s (DOJ, or Main Justice) operations in the Western District of Pennsylvania under former President Bill Clinton’s tenure and Greg Brower, who handled cases in the District of Nevada during the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations, both agreed that anything bearing Halligan’s name is likely now damaged goods. “Her future was already pretty well sealed . with a series of blunders and pratfalls, including misconduct in the grand jury,” Litman said of Halligan. “There seemed to have been some serious mistakes. Brower piled on, telling CNN host Erica Hill that prosecutors who worked under Halligan have stopped all new case filings due to the chaos within the Eastern District of Virginia that was touched off after her disqualification. He pointed to similar examples of this happening to other improperly appointed prosecutors that President Donald Trump nominated, like Alina Habba in the District of New Jersey., and said that the chaos is likely to continue of the Trump administration follows through on its promise to appeal Halligan’s disqualification. “For an acting U. S. attorney who’s been deemed unlawfully appointed to be continuing to act raises all kinds of issues that put very real, very important cases in jeopardy simply because they may have her name on it,” Brower said. “So this really this puts the U. S. attorney’s offices around the country that are in similar positions and Main Justice in a real tough spot in terms of having to figure out now, how do they go forward and prosecute cases? . It’s a very real problem for the DOJ right now.” Litman added to Brower’s point, observing that the administration standing by Halligan “short-circuits any sorts of considerations that anybody in prudence would make. While that appeal goes forward . Everything’s in jeopardy in that office so long as Halligan still remains the acting U. S. attorney,” Litman said. “And when the Court of Appeals rules, it could be a total . overhaul of everything that’s been done to date.” Watch the segment below:.
https://www.alternet.org/lindsey-halligan-disqualification/
Yearly Archives: 2025
Scott Van Pelt: ‘Zero issue’ with Group of 5 inclusion in College Football Playoff
As leaders at the College Football Playoff and the top conferences continue to tinker with ideas for how the bracket should look in the future, the latest argument coming from fringe contenders is that the Group of 5 slot should be eliminated. Programs that could make it into the 12-team field as the fourth or fifth representative from the SEC or Big Ten believe that their resume is superior to that of an AAC or Sun Belt power. And many of college football’s top voices are echoing this idea, at the expense of the Boise State, Tulane and James Madison types. Count ESPN host Scott Van Pelt on the side of the Group of 5. Sunday night on his podcast, Van Pelt argued that part of the fun of college sports is representation from all levels and regions. Van Pelt also offered a reminder of how thin some CFP teams’ resumes already are and how lopsided the results can be when these supposedly superior teams play the best in the country. “I have zero appetite for the complaining from people. One of the biggest sells of the NCAA basketball tournament is the idea of Cinderella,” Van Pelt explained. “The whole notion of this sport is it has to have some ability for inclusion for that, or why do (Group of 5 schools) exist at all? And of course the odds of Tulane or James Madison beating somebody on the road in the playoffs are monumentally high, and you can complain about the fact that they’re going to be a 20-something-point dog.” Van Pelt and co-host “Stanford” Steve Coughlin offered the example of Tennessee in 2024, which made the CFP as the SEC’s third representative before losing at Ohio State in the first round to the tune of a 42-17 blowout. Until the more vocal lobbyists at the SEC and Big Ten prove that their lesser teams can routinely compete with the top seeds, Van Pelt doesn’t see a reason why a James Madison beatdown, for example, is any different than a Tennessee blowout: “I have zero issue with the inclusion of the small guy, because the big guys are going to get their a** kicked by the best, too.”.
https://awfulannouncing.com/college-football/scott-van-pelt-zero-issue-group-of-5-college-football-playoff.html
Insider’s View: how generative AI could make scientific publishing fairer, and more competitive
Scientists from around the world are using generative artificial intelligence tools to write papers in English, and it’s already altering the publishing landscape. A new study from the University of Basel has found that papers by scientists from countries where English is not the primary language have become “measurably” closer to a US benchmark since 2022, when ChatGPT, the world’s most used generative AI tool, launched. This convergence effect has been strongest in papers from countries linguistically distant to English. While papers from countries such as Saudi Arabia and South Korea suggest a high adoption of AI tools for writing, those from countries that are closer to English linguistically, such as Germany and Sweden, show lower levels. Adoption appears to be lowest in English-speaking.
https://sciencebusiness.net/news/r-d-funding/ai/insiders-view-how-generative-ai-could-make-scientific-publishing-fairer-and-more
After Game Day: The people behind the cleanup
Before the sun rises, ROTC cadets are walking through the stands of the Ohio Stadium, collecting trash after a Saturday football game. The cadets aren’t the only ones helping out coordinated efforts with other groups begin immediately after the fans leave the stadium to reset the ‘Shoe for the week ahead. Athletics staff, ROTC cadets and the university’s Facilities Operations and Development team (FOD) are the ones cleaning the ‘Shoe each week, said Colin Thompson, general manager of the Schottenstein Center. Over 350, 000 pounds of waste materials were gathered in 2024, according to Logan Gould, a zero waste coordinator for FOD. To coordinate collection efforts, Thompson said they start planning before the season begins. “We have an initial season start meeting to familiarize ROTC with the facility and hear any recommended changes,” Thompson said in an email. “All of this is completed prior to game one.” Throughout the season, Thompson said planning continues between the athletics department and ROTC. Jason Browning, the facility operations manager for the stadium, works with the cadets to discuss game-specific details and planning, Thompson said. ROTC handles the entire seating bowl and arrives on Sundays around 5: 30 a. m. rain or shine to begin, Thompson said. While ROTC handles the stands, other teams start cleaning the second the game ends. “The stadium team pulls trash in the concourse and takes it to dumpsters for removal,” Thompson said. Those who run the food stands are responsible for cleaning their areas. After, Thompson said stadium operations do a “first pass concourse sweep” before leaving for the night. It takes a lot of people to clean the stadium. Thompson said about 50 Ohio State student workers and contract employees help each game, along with 60 to 80 ROTC cadets, depending on who is available. Even though cleanup starts right after the game, it doesn’t wrap up until the next day. “Efforts begin after the game and we are typically reset by Sunday at 1 p. m.,” Thompson said. Even after cleanup, the work isn’t complete, Thompson said. Detailing and prep for the next game continues throughout the week. One of the biggest issues that slows them down: weather. “Rain can dramatically slow the efforts of the clean up crew,” Thompson said. Thompson also said the athletics department works closely with FOD on Ohio State’s zero-waste goals. He said they work “hand in hand” to sort cans and materials and coordinate with Rumpke, a waste removal company, to move items to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction for sorting. Dan Hedman, a university spokesperson, said in an email that for major events like Commencement, FOD handles everything from setting up chairs and stages to taking them down afterward. Hedman said Ohio Stadium is “a leader in sustainability and zero waste,” earning awards like the Green Sports Alliance Play to Zero and the Zero Waste Touchdown Challenge. Hedman said there aren’t organized efforts to clean up unofficial events around campus, such as Halloween or other holidays. FOD also takes care of the rest of campus throughout the year. Hedman said its employees empty trash cans, clean building entrances, mow grass, plant flowers and trees and even clear snow in the winter. Overall, they maintain 1, 715 acres, over 600 buildings and more than 15, 000 trees. After long nights and early mornings, Thompson said fans can help make everything easier if they simply pick up after themselves. “Any help they can provide by throwing their trash in receptacles is appreciated,” Thompson said.
https://www.thelantern.com/2025/11/after-game-day-the-people-behind-the-cleanup/
What To Cook A Turkey In If You Don’t Have A Roasting Pan
Maybe it’s your first year hosting Thanksgiving, or you just moved and your roasting pan is nowhere to be found. How important is a roasting pan when preparing a turkey? Do you really need one, or can you still roast a turkey successfully without it? The truth is that while roasting pans are designed to cook turkeys and other large proteins evenly and efficiently, there are plenty of ways to make it work without one. With a few smart substitutions, you can still achieve crispy skin, juicy meat, and deeply flavored drippings for gravy. We’ll walk you through the benefits of a roasting pan, alternatives to use in its place, and tips for roasting a turkey to perfection no matter what pan you’re using. Why Use A Roasting Pan For Turkey? A traditional roasting pan is built to handle large, heavy cuts of meat, from turkey to leg of lamb. These pans have deep sides that help contain juices, minimize splatter, and promote even heat circulation. Most also come with a roasting rack, which keeps the meat suspended off the bottom of the pan. This lift helps promote air flow around the entire bird, leading to more even roasting, crispier skin, and less risk of a soggy bottom. Other Ways To Roast A Turkey If you’re choosing a pan to take the place of a traditional roasting pan, it’s important to choose a vessel that can handle high heat, support the turkey’s weight, and allow for the right circulation of air. Here are some Test Kitchen-approved alternatives: A Baking Sheet A heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet (also known as a half sheet pan), is one of the most reliable substitutions. It works for whole turkeys, spatchcocked birds, or even turkey parts. For the best results, line the pan with onions, carrots, celery, or other preferred aromatics before placing on the turkey, lifting it off the pan for the most even cooking. Be careful when removing the pan from the oven-while it is rimmed, a baking sheet is shallow enough to allow for splashes. A Dutch Oven A large Dutch oven is another good option, though it’s best suited for smaller birds. The high walls trap moisture and heat, keeping the bird exceptionally juicy. Start roasting with the lid on to keep the turkey tender, then uncover toward the end for a crispy skin and nice browning. Disposable Roasting Pan A holiday staple when cooking for a crowd, a disposable roasting pan can be a lifesaver for a multitude of dishes, from roasts to breakfast casseroles or family-style desserts. The downside? They can be flimsy, especially if you’re roasting a large turkey. If you do opt for a disposable roasting pan, place over a baking sheet for extra support when lifting in and out of the oven. Cast-Iron Skillet A large cast-iron skillet can be a game-changer for searing steak, roasting chicken, or yes, roasting a small turkey or turkey breast. Cast iron heats evenly and retains heat well, creating a nicely cooked bottom, juicy interior, and browned skin. But cast iron is heavy, so enlist some help when lifting the turkey in and out of the oven. DIY Roasting Rack If you have a roasting pan but no rack, there are a few ways to lift your bird off the bottom of the pan while cooking: Veggie base: Place the turkey over carrots, onions, celery, parsnips, or other preferred vegetables to impart flavor and create a buffer between the pan and bird. Cooling rack: If you have an oven-safe cooling rack, place that in your pan as an alternative to a traditional roasting rack. Foil: Roll aluminum foil into thick rings and place into the pan for a makeshift rack option. Tips For The Best Roasted Turkey No matter what you choose to roast in, these key tips will help you achieve your juiciest turkey yet:.
https://www.southernliving.com/what-can-you-cook-a-turkey-in-if-you-dont-have-a-roasting-pan-11851969
All Wolf Den locations in Ghost of Yotei
Your friendly wolf companion in Ghost of Yotei is not just there to add to the mystique. You can rank up a special skill tree to turn your lupine friend into a supplementary murder machine that can help you out in challenging situations. To do so, you need to earn its trust by finding all the wolf dens in the game and completing the mission attached to each one. All Wolf Den locations in Ghost of Yotei When you find each wolf den, you will need to follow the wolf and assist it. Usually, this will mean taking on enemies who are trying to kill wolves in the local area, and sometimes it will mean a duel against a particularly powerful foe, so be careful. Yotei Grasslands Great Mountain Wolf Den this den can be found to the northwest of the Crow’s Nest Watchtower. Green Hill Wolf Den this den is located south of Leake Shikotsu, beside the road that runs south to Shirahige Falls. Ishikari Plains Old Wound Wolf Den this can be found west of the Rumoi River, to the northwest of Stone Jaw Coast. Dying Fire Wolf Den is found to the west of the Matasumae Outpost. Tokachi Range Howling Fields Wolf Den can be found to the south of the Boar’s Eye Cave. Hunter’s Watch Wolf Den can be found in the center of the Ohara Plains. Nayoro Wilds White Scars Wolf Den this is found just north of Kankan Creek along the Nupur River. Teshio Ridge Cold Lake Wolf Den this den can be found to the east of Sarobetsu Lake. Biting Wind Wolf Den this can be found to the north of the Sentinel Forest. Oshima Coast Waterfall Wolf Den this den can be found to the east of the Saito Artillery Outpost.
https://www.shacknews.com/article/146946/all-wolf-den-locations-ghost-of-yotei
Summer Walker’s ‘Finally Over It’ Lands at No. 2 With Year’s Biggest Debut for a Female R&B Artist
With her third studio album “Finally Over It” debuting at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 this week, Summer Walker not only secured the biggest R&B debut by a woman in 2025, but also chalked up her fourth Top 10 entry on the chart. The 18-song record debuts with 77, 000 equivalent album units earned, according to Luminate. With features from Chris Brown, Anderson . Paak, Bryson Tiller and Mariah the Scientist, among others, “Finally Over It” collected an estimated 92 million streams and 8, 000 album sales. “Finally Over It” serves as the third and final installment in Walker’s hit album series, following “Over It” (2019), which debuted at No. 2, and “Still Over It” (2021), which arrived at No. 1. The new release rolled out in multiple formats, followed by two deluxe versions and new songs such as “Session 34 (Mona Lisa)” and a new version of “Session 32,” both of which were exclusive to iTunes. Walker wasn’t the only artist with a debut in the top 10 of the Billboard 200. Christian rapper NF’s latest release, “Fear,” debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 with nearly 76, 000 equivalent album units. It marks his fifth consecutive top 10 entry. Of the total, about 48, 000 came from album sales and he collected 37 million streams. 5 Seconds of Summer lands its seventh top 10 album as “Everyone’s a Star!” debuts at No. 6 with 51, 000 equivalent album units. That total includes 41, 000 in album sales and 11. 33 million on-demand streams. The list is led by Taylor Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl” for a seventh week in a row. The set earned 93, 000 equivalent album units and just over 98 million streams.
https://variety.com/2025/music/news/summer-walker-finally-over-it-biggest-debut-female-rb-charts-1236591080/
It’s all about managing emotions for Texas, Texas A&M in Lone Star Showdown
It’s a matchup of two ranked teams, with one firmly in the mix to make the College Football Playoff field, and the other has to defend its home field and win to have a shot at being included. With a win, the Aggies will lock up a spot in the Southeastern Conference championship game, so the Longhorns could play spoiler and derail those hopes with a victory.
https://www.kxan.com/sports-general/horns-report/its-all-about-managing-emotions-for-texas-texas-am-in-lone-star-showdown/
Legendary actor Udo Kier passes away at 81
An icon of television and movies, and a very familiar face from the classic world of real-time strategy gaming, Udo Kier was reported to have passed away this week. The German star was famous for stoic and eccentric delivery across more than 200 roles in TV, film, video games, and more. The cause was not given, but his partner, Delbert McBride reported that he was 81 at the time of his death on Sunday. Udo Kier’s passing was officially shared by Variety, who spoke with McBride on the matter. While much of Kier’s name was made in German arthouse films and prestige cinema, many of us will remember Kier as the face and voice of Yuri in Command & Conquer. He played the character in full-motion video cutscenes across Red Alert 2 and its expansion, Yuri’s Revenge. He also provided Yuri’s voice as a unit in-game, delivering a memorable psychic madman in his performance. Kier was working on another major appearance in video game media, as he was a leading actor in Hideo Kojima, Kojima Productions, and Xbox Game Studios’ upcoming OD. As such, Kojima himself was also shocked and saddened to hear of the legendary actor’s passing, offering condolences: It is unknown how much of OD was shot with Kier, or if Kier’s role will be preserved in the final product. However, it seems likely to be his last appearance and another feather in the cap of what looked like a long and illustrious career. Shacknews sends condolences to Kier’s friends.
https://www.shacknews.com/article/146953/udo-kier-obituary-red-alert-2-kojima-od
Something Wild: Admiring the sycamore
This was originally heard in September 2025. Earlier this fall, the Something Wild team, Dave Anderson of the Forest Society, and Chris Martin and Grace McCulloch of NH Audubon, brought a measuring tape to visit NH’s largest sycamore tree, located at the historic Kimball-Jenkins Estate near Horseshoe Pond in Concord’s north end. The City of Concord tree department, who cares for this giant, says it’s well over 100 feet tall. The Something Wild team measured its crown spread from one side to the other at a very approximate 110 feet. Fortunately, the facilities manager of the Kimball-Jenkins Estate, Ko Dustin, was available to join hands to circle the massive trunk, which turned out to be approximately 18 feet (or 4 people) in circumference. Sycamores are known for their typically large size and multi-century lifespans. This urban tree is believed to be over 300 years old, meaning that it was already growing here when the town of Rumford, Concord’s predecessor, was established back in the early 1700s. Sycamores have a rich fossil history that goes back to the late Cretaceous Period, about 100 million years ago. That makes them tens of millions of years older than our more common maples and oaks. Sycamores don’t form forests like pines and oaks do, and they’re pretty uncommon across the Granite State’s landscape. New Hampshire is at the very northern edge of their range, but they do occur in wet soils along our major rivers. You’ll find them along the Merrimack River floodplain, and along the Connecticut River as far north as Lebanon. They’re a fast-growing, light-dependent, pioneer species with a strong. spreading root system that’s just as expansive as its canopy. Sycamores thrive in eroded or over-washed areas where moist sandy bottomland soil is exposed. But this tree can’t stand to be constantly flooded and it will die if inundated for long intervals. This species is known for its distinctive platey, peeling, mottled bark. With patches of white, gray, green, and brown, it not only looks like camouflage, but it might be the actual inspiration for the camo design in the first place! Sycamore bark doesn’t expand as fast as the tree grows, so outer layers flake off in irregular patches. The white color you see on the tree’s upper trunk and branches is the newly-exposed inner layer. This light color may help to reflect sunlight and allow the tree to stay cool in warmer southern climates. Sycamore heartwood is prone to injury and decay. Wind storms and ice accumulation can break off branches. In trees, the vital living tissue is concentrated in the trunk’s outer layers, and trees reinforce this strong outer shell with continuous outward growth. If the center heartwood starts to decay, the tree compartmentalizes the wound, walling it off from the tree’s living tissue. The giant trees are often hollow, which doesn’t necessarily mean the tree is dying, it’s just concentrating its strength on the outside. The distinctive hollows that result provide nesting and denning spaces for a variety of birds and mammals. Hollow trunks can be den sites for black bears and nest sites for barred owls. For example, before chimneys dotted the landscape, chimney swifts used to roost inside hollow trees. Chimney swifts are fast-flying insectivorous birds that spend most of their active time in the air. They don’t perch on branches and wires like most other birds, instead they cling to vertical surfaces to rest and nest, which made those hollow sycamores the perfect spot for a giant roost. Back in the early 1800s, naturalist John James Audubon actually described thousands of swifts bursting out of one hollow sycamore at dawn. He estimated nearly 9, 000 birds packed into a single tree. And sycamores produce pendant seed balls consisting of thousands of lightweight wind-blown seeds that provide food for purple finches, juncos, and squirrels. And it’s extensive root system and the diameter of its mature trunk both help keep it standing strong against the wind. As fall approaches, the sycamore’s huge bright green and broadly-toothed leaves turn to yellow-gold, and then brown. The color show will only last a few weeks, but with the contrasting patterned bark, it’s a special sight worth seeking out along southern NH rivers.
https://www.nhpr.org/show/something-wild/2025-11-24/something-wild-admiring-the-stature-of-the-sycamore