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Twitter’s headquarters in San Francisco

Social media platform Twitter has reportedly quit paying rent on its headquarters building in San Francisco and an unspecified number of other leases.

The nonpayment is part of a wider move by Twitter, which was acquired by Elon Musk in October for $44B, to withhold pay from vendors in anticipation of potential litigation, The New York Times reports, citing anonymous sources.

Representatives of Twitter landlords, including Shorenstein in San Francisco, Jamestown in Atlanta and Columbia Property Trust in New York, have not responded to Bisnow queries for further information.

Since the Musk takeover, the billionaire has conducted an extensive examination of costs at the company, reportedly telling staff to renegotiate with, or in some cases not pay, Twitter’s outside vendors. 

Altogether, Twitter’s global office space footprint was roughly 1.7M SF at the time Musk bought the company. The company occupied an estimated 1M SF in San Francisco’s Mid-Market district, with as many as 7,500 employees at that time. 

Soon after the acquisition, Musk fired about 3,700 employees globally and insisted those who remain return to the office full time.

Twitter HQ in San Francisco was in the news only last week for reports that  conference rooms are doubling as sleeping quarters, which would be in violation of city building codes.

In terms of the playoff picture, the Patriots did catch a huge break Thursday night when the Raiders melted down in the closing minutes. Up 16-3, Vegas couldn’t finish off the Rams and lost in the final seconds. A win would have brought the Raiders to 6-7, a game behind the final playoff competitors, and a Raiders win in Vegas over the Patriots would have given them a realistic shot. Awful loss to a banged-up team going nowhere with a quarterback who was with the team for less than 48 hours. … Truth be told I’ve never really gotten the league-wide fascination with Niners coach Kyle Shanahan but I have to admit what he’s done with rookie Brock Purdy the last two weeks has been impressive. Purdy, Mr. Irrelevant as the last pick in the 2022 draft, came off the bench to help the Niners beat Miami last week, and in his first-career start he demolished Tom Brady and the Bucs. Not bad. … Speaking of Brady, I’m not quite ready to call it but the end certainly seems near. Brady looked old and slow Sunday as the vicious Niners defense swarmed all around him. He was off target a number of times and just seemed like an angry man throughout, alternating yelling at his teammates, coaches and the officials. In fairness he also yelled at himself more than once, taking responsibility for a number of bad plays. Brady may indeed have more left in his illustrious career, but it’s hard to view the 6-7 Bucs as a viable threat even in the weak NFC. … Injuries continue to wreak havoc with virtually every contending team. Cincy lost wideouts Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd early in their win over Cleveland while Baltimore lost backup quarterback Tyler Huntley in the Ravens victory in Pittsburgh. The most impactful injury of the week came in San Francisco where Deebo Samuel was carted off the field with what looked like a serious knee/ankle injury. Shanahan told reporters after the game that he avoided major issues but could be dealing with a sprained MCL and an ankle sprain. The Niners need Samuel’s toughness and if those reports are true he should be a factor in the postseason.

The end of 2022 has been a little disappointing for Mac fans as the rumored launches of the MacBook Pro and Mac mini never materialized, but 2023 is going to make up for it.

According to LeaksApplePro, Apple is preparing several Macs to make the jump to an M3 processor in late 2023: the MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, 24-inch iMac, and Mac mini. That would be a fairly quick shift away from the M2.

Apple launched the M2 chip in June 2022, about 18 months after the M1 debuted, but thus far it appears in just two Macs—the MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro—and the iPad Pro. We were expecting the Mac mini to get an M2 update this fall and the 24-inch iMac in 2023.

According to LeaksApplePro, the speedy shift to the M3 chip won’t affect the launch of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, which are expected to get M2 Pro and M2 Max processors in the spring, or the long-overdue release of the high-end Mac mini, which will likely get an M2 Pro. Curiously, the report also doesn’t rule out the possibility of an M2 Mac mini in March 2023, which in that case would have a shelf life of roughly 9-10 months if the M3 rumors are true.

While the addition of the M3 is sure to create some confusion in Apple’s lineup, it also makes some sense based on previous rumors. Several reports said Apple would switch to a 3nm process for the higher-end versions of the M2, so it might be logical for Apple to roll out a 3nm M3 along with the M2 Pro and M2 Max processors.

No matter what chip is inside them, we’re expecting numerous new Macs in 2023, including the MacBook Pro, Mac mini, Mac Studio, iMac Pro, and the long-awaited Mac Pro. LeaksApple Pro also says a new 27-inch LED mini display with ProMotion technology is on the way as well.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The state Division of Highways has awarded a $62.4 million bid to rehabilitate 13 Interstate 79 bridges from Clarksburg to the Pennsylvania state line over the next four years.

“Thirteen bridges will be renovated and another contract will be awarded to replace six more bridges in the same section road,” DOH District 4 Bridge Engineer Randy Harris said.

St. Albans-based Triton Construction has been hired to begin the work next spring. Harris said the bridge project along with the ongoing Fairmont interstate widening project is a combined $150 million investment into north central West Virginia.

Most of the bridge work will be rehabilitating the existing structure but some widening could require substructure work that will take more time and potentially cause additional traffic delays, Harris said. Each bridge has a slightly different scope of work based on needed repairs.

“One twin bridge is being widened at this time,” Harris said. “The other four, the abutments are being widened so the superstructure can be widened in the future.”

According to Harris, there are no interstate closures planned at this time for demolition or superstructure work, but that could change. Crews will give the traveling public as much advance notice as possible through the course of the project as traffic control measures are changed.

“The one at the state line is a replacement and it can be done anytime and there’s another bridge in this project that’s further south that can be done anytime also but for the most part, it will only be a couple sets at a time.”

Due to the length of the project and type of work motorists should plan for multiple traffic control zones in work areas that will require more driver attention. Also, because the project is spread over a large area, material deliveries at each site could create intermittent traffic delays throughout the life of the project.

“In most cases there will be two lanes of traffic in each direction at all times but there will be a couple cases where we’ll be down to one lane and in those cases be prepared to be delayed,” Harris said.

The completion date is May 27, 2027.

On Sunday, December 4, the College Football Playoff (CFP) Selection Committee released their final rankings for the 2022 season. Made up of 13 members, the committee is typically composed of athletic directors, former coaches, former players and respected members of the media. This year, the committee decided that the University of Georgia, the University of Michigan, Texas Christian University (TCU) and The Ohio State University were the four teams that earned the coveted spots as semifinalists in the CFP. After each semifinal matchup, the victors will face off in the National Championship, hosted at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA on Monday, Jan. 9 at 8 p.m. Immediately, several storylines stick out for this year’s clashes on New Year’s Eve. 

#2 Michigan vs #3 TCU:

In the CFP’s first slot at 4 p.m. EST, the undefeated Michigan Wolverines will face off against the TCU Horned Frogs in the Fiesta Bowl located in Glendale, Arizona. Coming off of a 34-11 defeat in last year’s CFP semifinal against last year’s National Champions, Georgia, Michigan will hope to use its recent playoff experience to its advantage.  

This season, the Wolverines (13-0) cruised to a victory in the Big Ten Championship against Purdue and knocked off the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus by a score of 45-23. Initially, Michigan was led by Blake Corum – one of the country’s most dynamic running backs who recorded 1,483 yards and 18 touchdowns and faced a season-ending surgery after a left knee injury against Illinois in mid-November. In his absence, running back Donovan Edwards stepped up at the end of the season to produce 872 yards and 7 touchdowns, including roughly 400 yards combined against Ohio State and Purdue. At the quarterback position, Michigan is led by J.J. McCarthy, the only quarterback in the CFP that is not in the Heisman Trophy conversation, which is awarded to the country’s most outstanding collegiate player.

On the other side, TCU (12-1) comes off their first defeat of the season against tenth-ranked Kansas State. With a previously unblemished record, the Horned Frogs failed to convert from the one-yard line in overtime and fell to Kansas State in the Big 12 Championship. Despite this defeat, TCU’s resume and victories throughout the season earned them a spot in the CFP. 

Under first-year head coach Sonny Dykes, who came from Southern Methodist (SMU) in Nov. 2021, TCU beat five ranked opponents during the season. In these victories against Oklahoma, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Kansas State and Texas, quarterback Max Duggan paced the Horned Frogs. On the year, Duggan recorded 3,321 yards passing, threw for 30 touchdowns, had only four interceptions and also rushed for six touchdowns. TCU is also led by running back Kendre Miller who ran for 1,342 yards and 17 touchdowns on the season. In this first matchup, Duggan and Miller will look to pace the Horned Frogs yet again and lead his side to victory against a stout Michigan defense aiming to rectify last year’s semi-final loss.

#1 Georgia vs #4 Ohio State:

In the second matchup of the CFP, the reigning champion Georgia Bulldogs will face off against the Ohio State Buckeyes, who narrowly slipped into the field after a late-season loss to Michigan. At the Peach Bowl in Atlanta, GA, the matchup will kick off at 8 p.m. EST in a game that sees Georgia play their third game of the season in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. 

Georgia returns to the CFP after last season’s dominant display in wins over Michigan in the semi-final and Alabama in the championship. After convincing victories against #1 ranked Tennessee and #11 ranked Oregon, Georgia is firing on all cylinders heading into this year’s semi-final.

Led by Stetson Bennett, last season’s CFP Offensive MVP award winner, a balanced rushing attack of Kenny McIntosh and Daijun Edwards and a stellar defense, the Bulldogs will look to attack the Buckeyes early and often in Atlanta. On the year, Bennett has thrown for 3,425 yards and 20 touchdowns, putting him in the conversation for the Heisman trophy. As a veteran leader on the Georgia squad, Bennett will be expected to lead the team to another title by putting up points against the Ohio State defense. 

On the defensive side of the ball, Georgia has benefitted from the return of star defensive tackle, Jalen Carter. In his last six games, Carter has compiled 24 tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles, helping to lead Georgia’s defense to yet another stellar season.

For the Buckeyes, a bid into the CFP was a sigh of relief after losing to Michigan. With USC’s loss in the PAC 12 Championship to Utah, Ohio State enters the CFP field by a very slim margin. 

Prior to the loss against Michigan, however, Ohio State looked like a well-oiled offensive machine and a force to be reckoned with. After defeating fifth-ranked Notre Dame and thirteenth-ranked Penn State in the regular season, quarterback C.J. Stroud will look to bring the Buckeyes’ aerial attack back to its midseason dominance.

In the time off before the semi-final, the key for Ohio State is getting healthy. Though one of the country’s best wide receivers, Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been ruled out for the season due to a hamstring injury. Also, injured Buckeye running backs still have a chance to get healthy for the game. Against Michigan, the Buckeyes were without their two leading rushers in Miyan Williams and TreVeyon Henderson and were forced to start DeaMonte Trayanum – a converted linebacker. Suppose the Buckeyes want to compete against Georgia. In that case, the team must rest and recover, focus on spreading the ball to Biletnikoff award finalist Marvin Harrison (awarded to the best collegiate wide receiver in the country) and prevent Georgia from big offensive plays that quickly change the trajectory of the game.

There Are Many Factors That Can Derail the Breastfeeding Journey. Thanks to Go-Lacta, Low Milk Supply Doesn’t Have to Be One of Them.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Dec. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — There is a lot to do before having a baby. Some items on the to-do list are straightforward, like establishing a birth plan and setting up a nursery. Other elements are less predictable, such as preparing to breastfeed. Eight in ten mothers start out planning to breastfeed their children. And yet, less than half manage to make it three months exclusively doing so, with just a quarter reaching the six-month mark recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

There are many reasons for this struggle, including very real concerns, such as an individual’s medical history. And yet, a significant number of mothers point to the simple issue of either a lack of supply or nutrition within their milk that prevents their little ones from thriving early on in their lives. It’s the desire to overcome this distressing problem that led to the creation of the popular lactation brand Go-Lacta.

“Birthing is a beautiful experience,” says company founder Angela Veloso, “but it can also be filled with surprises — especially when it comes to breastfeeding. A mother might find their baby struggles to latch early on. They can also suffer from inadequate milk production — especially if they give birth prematurely. While things like latching can be overcome relatively easily, insufficient milk is a long-term issue. That’s where Moringa helps.”

Moringa is a superfood with a rich history of use as a universal health food in Veloso’s homeland of the Philippines. The popular plant is packed with nutrients, including 46 different antioxidants and all nine essential amino acids. One of the most famous uses for Moringa leaves, in particular, is as a galactagogue, leading to its nickname of “Mother Nature’s gift to women.” Go-Lacta has brought this game-changing breastfeeding supplement to the U.S. in the form of edible capsules, powders, and teas — all of which are made from 100% pure, raw, organic Moringa. This enables mothers to safely prepare for breastfeeding by naturally boosting their milk supply — not just after delivery but in the lead-up to giving birth, too.

“Those first few days are critical for your baby,” says Veloso. “If they’re going to thrive, they need to get the nutrition that they need from day one. That’s why you want to prepare your body throughout your pregnancy by using something safe and effective. That’s Moringa. It’s a superfood with a long track record of helping mothers and babies thrive, and thanks to Go-Lacta, it can continue to support growing families in the future, too.”

About Go-Lacta: The Go-Lacta brand operates under its parent company Sugarpod Naturals. The entire operation was launched 15 years ago, in 2007, and continues to be owned and operated by its founder, Angela Veloso. Both the brand and parent company focus on a shared vision of providing natural health solutions — primarily through the superfood Moringa Oleifera — to help mothers and their families stay healthy without the need for prescription drugs. Learn more about Go-Lacta at golacta.com.

Media Contact:
Angela Veloso
Sugarpod Naturals
http://www.golacta.com 
(503) 468-4278 (office)
(503) 334-3526 (fax)
[email protected] 

SOURCE Go-Lacta

Part 3 of the pre-49ers game SI Fan Nation All Dolphins mailbag:

From Edward Thruston (@edfins13):

What do you think is the best way to attack the 49ers defense to win the game???? I Think there will be a lot of quick passes….

Hey Edward, yeah, for sustained success, I think the quick passing has to be highlighted, but the Dolphins would be foolish not to take a shot or two down the field when they’ve got that crazy speed outside with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.

From Chip Paucek (@chippaucek):

My mailbag question: Yes, I know the offense is great. Even without Armstead, I have confidence they will figure it out. But what has me more excited than a great Eddie Van Halen guitar solo is the defense. Is it ascending the way I think it is or is that just me being a total homer? Chubb with Phillips, Ingram and AVG seems to change the way the whole thing comes together.

Hey Chip, love the EVH reference (always enjoy mixing music and football)! I do believe there’s reason to be enthusiastic about what the defense could do down the stretch with the edge-rushing group the Dolphins have assembled, but there’s one hurdle that needs to be cleared in my eyes, and that’s putting together a dominant outing on the road. The Dolphins have had some good performances on defense this season, but all of them (NE, BUF despite the yards given up, PIT) have come at home.

From Jorge boyd (@raga1922):

Hi Alain, do you think Mike McDaniel is going to adjust the offense with quick passes to offset the 49ers pass rush or will he stick with what has worked so far, which could possibly put Tua in danger. Will the Dolphins be able to get away with a dink-and-dunk offense?

Hey Jorge, I am always confident in McDaniel’s ability to come up with something creative and I’m pretty sure he’ll have a good plan in place in the event Terron Armstead can’t play to deal with the 49ers pass rush — even if he does play. I do expect the Dolphins to take some shots downfield during the game, though it also would figure they’d emphasize the quick-passing game more.

From Kyle Ontis (@DolphinsSwag618):

If the 49ers run the same type of running scheme as the Dolphins, wouldn’t we just prepare to play ourselves in that sense?

Hey Kyle, pretty much. And it works the same the other way around. But this is where playing against tendency can work in a coach’s favor here. And, also, the bottom line is it’s one thing to have an idea what’s coming in, you still have to win your battles physically to stop it.

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FOR EVEN MORE COVERAGE ON THE MIAMI DOLPHINS, CHECK OUT SPORTS ILLUSTRATED’S MIAMI DOLPHINS PAGE ON SI.COM.

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From Jeff (via email):

Hey Alain, I just finished listening to an interview you had done talking about the status of the team. You discussed a few topics, but what I noticed was your enthusiasm talking about matchups and how the teams compared this week. What is your favorite thing to discuss when it comes to football? What is your niche in your view when it comes to covering the game? Second question if I may… Have we heard anything about the team staying on the West Coast for the next 3 games? Do you think it actually matters?

Hey Jeff, answering last thing first, the Dolphins are staying on the West Coast between the games against the 49ers and Chargers and then coming home before flying back out to Buffalo. And it absolutely does make sense to do that. As for the other question, which I appreciate and find very interesting, I think my niche would be finding stats applicable to a certain matchup and then also putting context to certain stats on the surface can be manipulated to support a viewpoint.

From Mario Gonzalez (@MarioGo76776156):

Which one do you prefer the most, chip blocking, screen passes or max protection?

Hey Mario, I’m flattered that you want to know which one I prefer because Mike McDaniel didn’t even bother asking me. LOL. Of the three options you mentioned, I’m a fan of screen passes when it’s done well as a way to slow down a pass rush, but it’s gotta be executed well. The Dolphins already do a lot of wide receiver screens, but I wouldn’t mind them incorporating more running back screens moving forward.

From Joe Burns (via email):

Hi Alain, thanks for the great coverage and unbelievable insight and for the taking the time to answer our questions, much appreciated. My question is with Armstead out, why move Shell from right tackle when has played pretty solid all year? Why not have Austin Jackson take over left tackle duties? A. It is his natural position B. It’s not Tua’s blind side C. It involves the least amount of disruption on the line from the previous five weeks. Just a thought. I know there is no replacing Terron but I think the least amount of moving parts the better.

Hey Joe, first off, thanks. And you make a very solid point in regards to the Shell/Jackson situation in replacing Armstead, but the one element you left out is that Jackson likely practiced only at right tackle during the Houston week and Shell likely practiced with the starters at left tackle with Armstead missing a good chunk of the reps because of his toe injury. I think that supersedes everything else and if there was a full week of practice before your scenario would emerge, then maybe Jackson would be on the left side.

From Brandon Quinn (via email):

Next two weeks with no #72 or 73 has my Fins anxiety through the roof. Still think it was a mistake to cut Kindley over Deiter, for this exact scenario. Shell can handle RT, and I’d love to be able to bump Hunt outside the next two weeks – but we can’t fill his spot. Should we just bench Tua against the Bosas the next two weeks simply to protect him for the more winnable games with 72 back? LOL. If not, give me some reasons to hope Alain! Bonus – any PS flyer type interest in newly released (again) Abram to fill the Brandon Jones role?

Hey Brandon, yeah, LOL indeed. Here are your reasons for hope. First, Armstead might not even miss two weeks because he’s not even been ruled out of the 49ers game yet. Second, Mike McDaniel is a creative savant (to use the words he used himself while talking about Tua) who likely will come up with some sort of game plan and scheme to make up for the absence of Armstead if he indeed has to miss time. Lastly, not exactly sure why you’re missing Kindley because, no offense, he’s such a valuable player that he’s not on anybody’s 53-man roster right now. As for Abram for the P.S., that’s a no for me. Ask yourself why two teams have cut him in recent weeks.

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Thanks for reading. Make sure to bookmark this site and check back daily for the latest Dolphins news and analysis year-round. Also, you can follow me on Twitter at @PoupartNFL, and that’s where you can ask questions for the regular All Dolphins mailbags. You also can ask questions via email at fnalldolphins@yahoo.com.

BASSFIELD, Miss. (WDAM) – Bassfield is getting in the Christmas spirit as the city is set to host “Christmas in the Park” on Dec. 10.

Bassfield Mayor Angie Ladner said the event is the biggest of the year.

“Oh, it just brings us together,” Ladner said. “I mean, it’s just one more time for us to show our love.

:Bassfield certainly has had its issues over the years, but we are one big family, and. I say that every time I speak to anybody about Bassfield.”

“Christmas in the Park” will feature activities for all ages, including a trackless train, karaoke and live music.

The day also will include a Christmas parade that begins at 2 p.m. on Dec. 10.

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Alexandria City Public Schools is in the initial stages of organizing a collective bargaining effort for thousands of its employees.

The school system has more than 2,400 employees and pays $11.6 million in salaries, with funds approved by the City Council. That means that any agreement reached between ACPS staffers and the school system will have to be approved by Council.

“In this case, you’re going to be negotiating a collective bargaining agreement for about 80% of your costs,” Mayor Justin Wilson said at a joint City Council/School Board Subcommittee meeting on Monday (Nov. 28).

Wilson continued, “Without some special structure put together, you’re going to be doing so without coordination with the entity that is going to pay those bills. So, I think we need to figure out how we hold hands and put together a process where we can all do this together somehow.”

The news comes shortly after the city and police department came to a collective bargaining agreement. As part of that agreement, which was nearly a year in the making, police officers will get significant salary raises, as well as bonuses for longevity and specialized skills.

Education Association of Alexandria President Dawn Lucas says that her organization is ready to get to work.

“We are ready and willing to work closely during this process,” Lucas told the School Board on Nov. 10. “We believe that having strong collective bargaining will make us more competitive than other school divisions when it comes to retaining and recruiting the very best educators and staff.”

In the meantime, the school system is proposing a 2.64% step increase and 2.5% market rate adjustment for all staff in the upcoming fiscal year 2024 budget. Healthcare costs are also projected to increase 8% and dental care costs will increase 2%.

Interim Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt told Wilson that she will work closely with City Manager Jim Parajon’s office in creating a collective bargaining structure. No timeline has yet been presented.

“We will keep you informed as we are educating our staff on what it’s going to look at , as well as a timeline,” Kay-Wyatt said.

City Council adopted its collective bargaining ordinance last year.