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The opening title asked how one should respond to homosexual family and friends. The Biblical answer is: With the same love that God has for them, as God loves all.

If human beings consumed calories like hummingbirds do, they would have to drink over 1,100 cans of Coca-Cola (or Pepsi if you prefer) a day to consume the equivalent sugar load that a hummingbird does. James

🛶 Parting shot! Photo: Bea Rizza A tranquil snap of Lake Sammamish, near Seattle, was captured by reader Bea Rizza of Issaquah, Wash., on Thanksgiving. Bea, 89, tells us she was grateful to celebrate with her three kids, daughter-in-law and seven grandkids this year.

🚔 Dems rattled by security incidents Rep. Jamie Raskin had his security increased this week after a pardoned Jan. 6 defendant, who was previously convicted for an incident involving threats against Raskin and former President Obama, allegedly showed up near the Maryland Democrat's house. Why it matters: It's the latest in a string of frightening security incidents rattling Democratic lawmakers, as members of Congress already face a surge of threats against them and their offices. Schumer said Monday that his offices in New York received multiple bomb threats via emails with the subject line "MAGA." A group of House and Senate Democrats who urged military service members to defy illegal orders have also reported a spike in threats since Trump appeared to call for their executions. Driving the news: Taylor Taranto was spotted by local police near Raskin's home on Monday night, probation officer Sean Stallman told a federal district court in Washington, D.C., at an arraignment today. Taranto, a Washington state resident, was "living out of his van" while in D.C. and streaming on Rumble as a self-described "independent journalist investigating major crimes," Stallman said. Raskin informed his colleagues of the alleged incident the following day, according to a House Democrat familiar with the matter. He had his security temporarily increased soon after and was escorted home from votes yesterday by the Capitol Police as part of his heightened protection. The other side: Taranto's lawyer, Carmen Hernandez, told the court he disputes the alleged parole violations that prompted the court hearing. Hernandez told us she specifically disputes that he was outside Raskin's home, but declined to offer further details. Taranto declined to comment on the allegations. — Andrew Solender

✅ Texas maps stand The Supreme Court, in its first ruling on the redistricting wars of the 2026 cycle, appears willing to defer to states. In a 6-3 decision, the court ruled Texas' controversial congressional map will stand for the upcoming midterms. Why it matters: That will help Republicans in Texas, where GOP mapmakers tried to draw an additional five seats for their party. The state's filing deadline is on Dec. 8. It could also mean that Gov. Gavin Newsom's effort to do something similar for Democrats in California will also survive. — Hans Nichols

💸 MAGA, meet MAAA Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is working with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to develop a coordinated strategy to make the 2026 election a referendum on affordability. Why it matters: Making America affordable again (you could call it MAAA) will run through nearly every part of their effort to draw a sharp contrast between their economic plans and President Trump's record. The goal is to isolate — and amplify — the affordability issue at nearly every turn. Driving the news: Eleven months from Election Day, Schumer and Jeffries met yesterday to fine-tune their coordinated strategy. Schumer then relayed the plan to senators in a closed-door meeting, urging them to focus on the affordability crisis — as we scooped earlier today. Schumer wants lawmakers to push legislation aimed at lowering costs in four areas: health care, housing, food and energy. He also tasked senators with forming working groups to drill into each policy area. The intrigue: Schumer and Jeffries watched the crushing weight of inflation under former President Biden drag down their party in 2024. Now they're seizing on nearly every negative inflation data point as proof that Trump isn't focused on Americans who are struggling. The other side: White House officials know they have a political problem and insist relief is coming. Last month, Trump lifted reciprocal tariffs on several grocery staples, including coffee, tea and beef. Officials also tout low gas prices and insist prices are leveling off. But Trump has also dismissed Democrats' focus on cost-of-living issues, saying on Tuesday that affordability is a "con job" and "doesn't mean anything to anybody." Zoom out: Earlier this year, Schumer and Jeffries began discussing how to build a unified message ahead of the midterms, initially centered on a populist attack on Trump's tax cuts. Their goal has always been to seize on the right messaging opportunities — not every possible one. They meet at least once during each work period to help coordinate their strategy, according to a House aide. Zoom in: A short-term spending fight in March exposed differences between the two leaders' approaches to government funding. Senate Democrats, including Schumer, supplied Republicans the votes needed to keep the government open — enraging House Democrats. Schumer and Jeffries then held a somewhat rare Sunday meeting for an "honest conversation," according to one senior Democrat. But after the November government shutdown, Jeffries gave Schumer his full support — even amid a fresh wave of anger directed at the Senate leader. The bottom line: The Democrats' goal is to convince incumbents and challengers to run on a message that's easy to tout — and difficult for Republicans to flout. — Stephen Neukam and Hans Nichols

Spiking energy costs Stephanie Tate couldn’t figure out why her energy bills spiked to $400 a month. Nothing was wrong with her HVAC system, and she kept her thermostat at reasonable levels — even bundling up instead of turning up the heat. After a closer look at her bill, she realized that the rising costs had nothing to do with the electricity she was using.

Extreme cold It’s December, so of course it’s cold outside — but an arctic air mass that’s descended into the US has plunged temperatures 20 to 30 degrees lower than normal for this time of year.

Trump ally Pulte under investigation by congressional watchdog The Government Accountability Office confirmed Thursday it opened an investigation into Federal Housing Finance Agency director Bill Pulte, amid complaints about his efforts to go after President Trump's opponents. https://www.axios.com/2025/12/04/pulte-trump-gao-probe-mortgage-fraud?

💰 "Billion-heir" boom Data: UBS/PwC Billionaires database. Chart: Axios Visuals 91 people worldwide became billionaires through inheritance this year, coming into a record $298 billion in wealth combined, Axios' Emily Peck writes from a new UBS report. 💸 We're in the middle of what's expected to be the world's largest-ever wealth transfer, as baby boomers die and leave behind their money, houses and other assets. 💁‍♀️ About 30% of the year's new "billion-heirs" were women — though men still make up the overwhelming majority of the ultra-wealthy. 🤑 The overall number of billionaires hit a new high of 2,919 this year, UBS says, with collective wealth of $15.8 trillion. Go deeper.

Hegseth's multifront war Photo illustration: Allie Carl/Axios. Photo: Getty Images Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth didn't issue a "kill them all" order for U.S. attacks on a suspected drug boat near Venezuela, a U.S. Navy admiral told lawmakers today, Alex Fitzpatrick writes. ⚓️ Navy Adm. Frank "Mitch" Bradley "was very clear that he was given no such order, to give no quarter or to kill them all," Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) said after a classified briefing, AP reports. Lawmakers on both sides are speaking out after seeing video today of a September "double-tap" strike in the Caribbean that has ensnared Hegseth in controversy. 🚤 In the incident, U.S. forces killed two survivors of an initial strike on an alleged drug boat in international waters. Many Democrats and other critics say the act was illegal. 🌊 The Trump administration has rallied around Hegseth, who said at a Cabinet meeting this week: "We've only just begun striking narco-boats and putting narco-terrorists at the bottom of the ocean." Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, the House Intel Committee's top Democrat, told reporters: "What I saw in that room was one of the most troubling things I've seen in my time in public service." Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio), a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, said on MS NOW's "Morning Joe" that if captured and convicted, the suspected drug runners "would be put in jail. They wouldn't be subject to capital punishment. These people are being killed, not held and put in prison." (Video) The Defense Department is considering publicly releasing footage of the strike, Axios' Stef W. Kight reports. Some key lawmakers are defending Hegseth. Sen. Cotton posted on X: "Nearly 400 Arkansans were killed by drug overdoses last year alone. President Trump's strikes against narco-terrorists who are flooding our nation with drugs are both legal and necessary." 🤳 Separately, a long-anticipated Pentagon inspector general report out today found that Hegseth violated Defense Department rules and potentially jeopardized U.S. pilots when sharing details ahead of strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen via Signal earlier this year. "If this information had fallen into the hands of U.S. adversaries, Houthi forces might have been able to counter U.S. forces or reposition personnel and assets to avoid planned U.S. strikes," the report found. 🛩️ "Even though these events did not ultimately occur, the Secretary's actions created a risk to operational security that could have resulted in failed U.S. mission objectives and potential harm to U.S. pilots." Hegseth wrote on X: "No classified information. Total exoneration. Case closed. Houthis bombed into submission. Thank you for your attention to this IG report." Get the latest ... Read the IG's Signal report ... IG report on DOD messaging.

Putin says there are points he can’t agree to in the US proposal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine Russian President Vladimir Putin says some proposals in a U.S. plan to end the war in Ukraine are unacceptable to the Kremlin, indicating in comments published Thursday that any deal is still some ways off. Read more. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ US push for an end to the war in Ukraine sets off a flurry of shuttle diplomacy Putin arrives in New Delhi on a state visit aimed at bolstering Russia-India ties UK and Norway will mount joint naval patrols to protect undersea cables and hunt Russian submarines

Where the blame will fall if ACA subsidies expire, according to a new poll WASHINGTON (AP) — Fifty-two-year-old Dinam Bigny sank into debt and had to get a roommate this year, in part because of health insurance premiums that cost him nearly $900 per month. https://apnews.com/article/affordable-care-act-health-insurance-kff-poll-c2ff791e32c6768c871ee9131770261d?

NY attorney general challenges authority of acting US attorney investigating her Trump lawsuits ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — President Donald Trump’s effort to install political loyalists as top federal prosecutors has run into a legal buzz saw lately, with judges ruling that his handpicked U.S. attorneys for New Jersey, eastern Virginia, Nevada and Los Angeles were all serving unlawfully. https://apnews.com/article/trump-letitia-james-halligan-sarcone-subpoenas-4308a5f7927d9eecc2c139ee604ef4d6? ps:Interesting? Loyalists? To who the people or to someone who thinks they are above the law?? 📚 Library grants terminated by President Trump are being reinstated after a court found his order unlawful, The Washington Post reports. Gift link.

Lasts Generation Theology, as being advocated by some, may have, in my opinion, some variations and may not always mean exactly the same. The Seminary has published a book, currently selling for about $30, which attempts to explain and analyze it. The following is a review of that book, which I suggest will be helpful. https://www.ministrymagazine.org/archive/2018/12/Gods-character-and-the-last-generation

How a Saved Smuggler Makes Hegseth’s Claims Even Fishier Andres Fernando Tufino is the luckiest of the unlucky. The luckiest of unlucky drug smugglers was one of two in a crew of four to survive a U.S. drone strike on a semi-submersible on Oct.16. Had Pete Hegseth’s rebranded Department of War simply lived up to its lethal new name, the U.S. would have just sent another missile. After all, that was what it did on Sept. 2 to kill two other survivors out of a crew of 11 in the first of the U.S. attacks ordered by President Trump on suspected drug boats in the open sea. Maybe by Oct. 16, somebody suggested that the second strike constituted a war crime. Instead of just unleashing an added missile to handle another pair of unwanted survivors from a suspected drug boat attack, the U.S. dispatched a rescue helicopter. Where the two from Sept. 2 were obliterated, this subsequent pair was flown to a Navy warship. One of them, identified as 34-year-old Jeison Obando Perez, was treated for a serious head injury suffered in the strike that killed two others on the semi-submersible. He was intubated when he arrived at a hospital in his native Colombia, but is reportedly expected to recover. He is not expected to face criminal charges, making him doubly lucky not just to walk free, but to be walking at all. Even luckier, and perhaps amongst the luckiest of all unlucky drug smugglers, is 42-year-old Andres Fernando Tufino Chila of Ecuador. He was not injured and also was not charged, despite a 2020 conviction for being the captain of a go-fast boat carrying more than a ton of cocaine. Some bad luck came into play for Tufino Chila on Sept. 6, 2020, when a U.S. Maritime Patrol Aircraft spotted what court papers call “Go Fast Vessel 1 (GFV 1)” moving at a high rate of speed 380 miles east of Clipperton Island, a remote, uninhabited coral atoll in the north Pacific Ocean. “Coast Guard Cutter STEADFAST diverted to intercept and launched a helicopter and two small boats with embarked boarding teams to interdict,” court papers say. One of the small boats intercepted GFV 1 and ordered it to stop. “Instead, GFV 1 began moving erratically and executing tight turns.” The boarding team on the small Coast Guard boat fired warning shots across GTFV 1’s bow. “The helicopter went over and GFV 1 stopped moving,” court papers recount. “One small boat came alongside GFV 1 and gained control. ANDRES FERNANDO TUFIÑO CHILA was identified as the master of the vessel and he made a verbal claim of Ecuadorian nationality for the vessel. “The team reported the deck of GFV 1 had a fresh fiberglass patch around the entire deck… When the boarding team drilled a hole in the deck/hull of GFV 1, the drill bit came back covered in a white substance that field tested positive for cocaine. After removing the deck of GFV 1, the boarding team removed approximately 1,073 kilograms (2,360.6 pounds) of packages from GFV 1.” The Maritime Patrol Aircraft spotted another go-fast boat, dubbed GFV 2 in court papers. It was approximately 26 nautical miles away on a high-speed course to rendezvous with GFV 1. The helicopter approached and ordered GFV 2 to stop in both English and Spanish. GFV 2 kept going. “The helicopter first tried warning shots, which were ineffective. The helicopter then tried two rounds of disabling fire, which were effective in stopping GFV 2 approximately 11 NM north of GFV 1. A Coast Guard smallboat came alongside and gained control of GFV 2.” The three men aboard claimed Mexican nationality and said they were shark fishing. “But there was no fishing gear other than a net that was severely tangled in a ball, and there was no ice, bait, or catch onboard GFV 2.” The boarding team did discover a large blue container with two chainsaws with full gas, extra chainsaw blades, several small hatchets and hammers, along with two pry bars, a fiberglass repairs kit, and piles of empty white burlap sacks “commonly used to package contraband such as cocaine.” “None of this equipment is consistent with fishing,” court papers say. “Instead it is the equipment that would be needed to access the cocaine hidden beneath the deck of GFV 1.” Tufino Chila ended up pleading guilty in San Diego federal court to conspiracy to distribute cocaine. The pre-sentencing report noted that he had been raised in poverty in a small village just north of the equator in Ecuador. “He has eight brothers and sisters and never enough food,” the report says. “Mr. Tufino can hardly read or write. He left home at 12 to start his own fishing life.” He also started his own family and has five children. “Ecaudorian fishermen are aware of the drug trade, and the lure of easy money is always lurking,” the report says. “Last year, he was recruited for a king’s ransom—$6,000—to transport cocaine in a small board with a small crew on the high seas.” He accepted. “Once embarked, he and his fellow crew men took turns at the helm, refueling, and the like, for several days until the Coast Guard discovered them.” On Dec. 6, 2021, Tufino Chila was sentenced to five years in prison. He caught a break and was freed early on Jan. 29, 2024. But according to the U.S. government, Tufino Chila was back on another drug-laden vessel—this a semi-submersible—on Oct. 16. He had terrible, and then great luck as the boat was hit by a missile and then he survived, along with Perez. Had they been the two survivors a month earlier, the end would have come moments later with a second strike. But somebody must have reconsidered, and instead of another missile there was a rescue helicopter. Anything GV 1 may have been carrying was left behind and maybe sank with the boat. And, despite having a conviction for attempting to smuggle more than a ton of cocaine, he was reportedly allowed to walk free alive, seemingly because somebody high up in Washington must have decided that at least sometimes, it is better to go by the rules. https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-smuggler-who-survived-trumps-drug-boat-strikes/?

Melania Sucks Up to Putin After He Humiliates Her Husband The first lady hailed “progress” in Russia returning abducted Ukrainian kids even as her husband’s attempts to reach a deal with Moscow became a farce. Melania Trump praised Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “leadership” on child reunifications, even as President Donald Trump’s latest peace push fell apart in spectacular fashion. The first lady, 55, issued a White House statement on Thursday announcing that seven Ukrainian children—six boys and one girl—taken during Russia’s invasion have been returned to their families after quiet talks with Moscow. Melania praised Russia’s “leadership and persistent diplomacy,” adding that her “dedication to guaranteeing the safe return of children to their families in this region is unwavering.” “I commend the leadership and persistent diplomacy of Russia and Ukraine in the pursuit of the reunification of children and families,” she said. “Their bridge-building has created a tangible collaborative environment—an anchor for optimism. This cooperation will continue to drive the process forward through the next phase." Melania’s upbeat tone came hours after Trump, 79, told reporters: “I don’t know what the Kremlin is doing.” His startling admission came days after U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner briefed him on a “reasonably good meeting” with Putin, 73, that still produced no deal. On Wednesday, the peace effort was left in tatters, with key U.S. ally, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, saying everyone knew Putin wasn’t serious about negotiations. Melania’s nod to Putin is perhaps not surprising. In October, she announced from the White House that she had been in “ongoing” direct contact with Putin since sending him a letter in August, and she said back-channel meetings had followed. “Since then, President Putin and I have had an open channel of communications regarding the welfare of these children,” she said. Trump has repeatedly elevated Putin in his Ukraine push, even rolling out the red carpet for him in Alaska in August, but leaving with nothing tangible. The Daily Beast has contacted the White House and the Kremlin for comment. https://www.thedailybeast.com/melania-trump-sucks-up-to-russian-president-vladimir-putin-after-he-humiliates-her-husband-donald-trump/?

I Dug Through Every Windows 12 Leak—These Are the New Features I'm Betting On It's becoming increasingly clear that Copilot AI will be central to Microsoft's next OS—but what else might Windows 12 bring? Having reported on Windows for decades, these are the rumors that seem most plausible to me. https://www.pcmag.com/news/i-dug-through-windows-12-rumors-these-are-the-features-im-betting-on?

👋 Good morning! There are 28 days left in 2025. Make the most of 'em. In today's edition: Serena comeback rumors, Giannis trade talk, Heisman watch, big wave surfing at Nazaré, why MLB front offices are so risk-averse, Jalen Brunson for mayor, and more. Yahoo Sports AM is written by Kendall Baker and Jeff Tracy. Let's sports...   🚨 ICYMI HEADLINES 📺 Most-watched game: The Cowboys' win over the Chiefs on Thanksgiving drew a staggering 57.2 million viewers on CBS, making it the most-watched regular-season NFL game ever. It shattered the previous record of 42.1 million viewers in 2022. 🏈 National Signing Day: USC ended National Signing Day with the top-ranked recruiting class (per Rivals), snapping the SEC's 17-year streak of inking the No. 1 class. Rounding out the top 10: Notre Dame, Oregon, Georgia, Ohio State, Alabama, Tennessee, Miami, Texas A&M and LSU. 🏀 Giannis trade talks: Giannis Antetokounmpo's will-they, won't-they future with the Bucks may finally be nearing a conclusion. The two sides are reportedly discussing a potential exit with a resolution expected "in the coming weeks." ⚽️ Rodman deal vetoed: The Washington Spirit's multi-million dollar offer to retain Trinity Rodman has reportedly been vetoed by NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman. The star forward was ready to accept the deal but Berman felt the structure of the contract violated the spirit of the league. 🏈 Coaching carousel: South Florida is hiring Ohio State OC Brian Hartline as their new head coach; Kansas State will hire Texas A&M OC Collin Klein to replace Chris Klieman, who is retiring.   🎾 THE G.O.A.T. IS SERENA MAKING A COMEBACK? Williams during the 2022 U.S. Open. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images) Serena Williams has filed the necessary paperwork to return to tennis, but the 23-time Grand Slam winner says she isn't making a comeback. What's going on? Catch up quick: News broke Tuesday that Williams had informed the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) that she is pursuing reentry into the anti-doping pool. "She has notified us that she wants to be reinstated into the testing pool. I do not know if this means she is coming back, or just giving herself the option. All I can say is she's back in the pool and therefore subject to whereabouts." — ITIA spokesperson, via The Athletic The backdrop: Williams, 44, last played a competitive match during the third round of the 2022 U.S. Open. The day after her defeat, she applied for official retirement with the ITIA, which meant she was exempt from random drug testing. To be eligible to return, she would need to be listed in the testing pool for six months, setting her up for a potential comeback in 2026. Yes, but: Williams took to social media on Tuesday to deny the rumors. "Omg yall I'm NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy." So, what's going on here? Here's my take: Williams is planning to return to tennis in some capacity, whether that's singles or doubles (possibly alongside her sister, who made her own comeback last year). But reporters finding her name on a testing list is such a lame, unexciting way for that news to break that she's denying it for now. This is the G.O.A.T. we're talking about here. If she comes back, that's a huge story. The kind of story she breaks herself with a fully orchestrated roll out. We're talking sit-down interview, announcement video, an official return date, the works. Not a random report on a Tuesday about random drug testing. Of note: According to tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg, Williams had previously sought a comeback in August, with a likely eye on playing doubles at the U.S. Open alongside Venus. That never materialized.   🏈 WHO YA GOT? HEISMAN WATCH (Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports) The race for the Heisman Trophy is as close — and exciting — as humanly possible, with the winner likely decided this weekend by the two quarterbacks of the nation's last two undefeated teams… who happen to be facing off in the Big Ten Championship. Sayin vs. Mendoza: Ohio State sophomore Julian Sayin and Indiana junior Fernando Mendoza are co-favorites to win the award (+165 at BetMGM), and it's not hard to see why given their similar résumés and the fact that whoever wins on Saturday will enter the CFP as the No. 1 seed. Sayin: 3,065 yards on a 78.9% completion rate (currently the best mark ever); 30 TDs against 5 INTs; 184.8 passer rating (leads FBS); 27 rush yards Mendoza: 2,758 yards on a 72% completion rate; 32 TDs (leads FBS) against 5 INTs; 183.7 passer rating (second in FBS); 243 rush yards and 6 TD The third horse in the race: There remains an outside chance that Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia (+200) could win instead. His stats are comparable (3,192 yards, 71.2% completion rate, 27 TDs, 8 INTs, 171.5 RTG; 826 rush yards, 9 TD), but his Commodores didn't make the SEC title game, so he won't get the chance to make a final statement like Sayin and Mendoza will. What to watch: Heisman voting ends Monday, with the finalists announced that night. The winner will be revealed next Saturday at Manhattan's Lincoln Center.   🌊 SURF'S UP IN PHOTOS: RIDING GIANTS (David Ramos/Getty Images) Big wave surfers rode some giants on Tuesday in Nazaré, Portugal, a once sleepy fishing village that has become a world-renowned destination thanks to the giant waves that crash along its shores. (David Ramos/Getty Images) Some have described riding these waves as being more akin to snowboarding. In the photo above, the water even looks like snow! (David Ramos/Getty Images) Eight of the 11 biggest waves ever surfed — all at least 70 feet — came at Nazaré. The other three came at Cortes Bank in Southern California and Jaws Beach in Maui.   📚 GO DEEPER GOOD READS (Amy Monks/Yahoo Sports) ⚾️ Russell Dorsey: Why MLB front offices have become more risk-averse and what it means for the trade market There was a time not too long ago when MLB teams seemed more willing to take big swings in the trade market, moving highly touted prospects in order to acquire established big-league talent. Those days seem to be gone, as front offices have taken a more risk-averse approach in recent years, trying to be more cautious when it comes to making trades. (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports) 🏈 Dan Wolken: Conference championship weekend has lost its appeal, and only one coach seems to care about it anyways For better or worse, the college football season is a three-month qualifier for the CFP. That is the lens through which fans, players and coaches increasingly see the sport. The upside to that plays out every week, where more than a dozen games — many of which were formerly irrelevant in the old system — have a direct impact on the field. The downside is that conference championship games, for the most part, exist as filler programming that adds very little to the fabric of the season. If anything, they mostly just get in the way of college football's ability to offer a more sensible schedule. (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports) 🏀 Dan Devine: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning MVP, is getting better at everything — in case you haven't noticed It's hard to make memorable highlight reels out of below-the-rim finishes, midrange Js and two-hand chest passes back out to a popping Isaiah Joe. But it's also hard to make those plays again, and again, and again, with the economy of movement of an elite marathon runner, while never messing anything up. It all contributes to a sense of frictionlessness in Gilgeous-Alexander's ongoing growth, from lottery pick to trade-haul jewel to starter to All-Star to All-NBA to All-Everything. How do you track the development of a player who made the leap three years ago and then … just hasn't stopped leaping?   📺 VIEWING GUIDE WATCHLIST: THURSDAY, DEC. 4 The Lions obliterated the Cowboys, 47-9, in last year's matchup at Jerry World. (Sam Hodde/Getty Images) 🏈 Cowboys at Lions Detroit hosts Dallas (8:15pm ET, Prime) in what could be one of the most entertaining "Thursday Night Football" games of the year as two of the NFL's four highest-scoring offenses go head-to-head in a game that suddenly has huge playoff implications. Where it stands: The Cowboys (6-5-1) have won three straight while the Lions (7-5) have lost four of seven. Whoever wins tonight will be the first team outside the NFC playoff picture. 🏀 ACC/SEC Challenge Three ranked matchups tonight in women's hoops: No. 11 UNC at No. 2 Texas (7pm, ESPN2), No. 3 South Carolina at No. 22 Louisville (7pm, ESPN) and No. 18 Notre Dame at No. 13 Ole Miss (9pm, ESPN2). Plus: Duke hosts No. 5 LSU (9pm, ESPN), which seeks its record-extending ninth straight 100-point game. The Tigers (8-0) have won every game so far by 30+ points. 🏐 NCAA Volleyball Championship The 64-team women's volleyball tournament tips off with 16 first-round games (3pm-10:30pm, ESPN+). Kentucky is the only No. 1 seed in action today, while the other three (Nebraska, Pitt, Texas) take the court tomorrow. More to watch: ⛳️ PGA: Hero World Challenge (10:45am, Peacock; 1:30pm, Golf) … Scottie Scheffler, Justin Rose and Jordan Spieth headline the exclusive 20-player field in The Bahamas. 🏀 NBA: Warriors at 76ers (7pm, NBA) … Eighth in the West vs. ninth in the East. 🏊 Swimming: U.S. Open Championships (7pm, Peacock) … The world's best swimmers compete in the final major long-course meet of the year.   🏈 TROPHY CASE HEISMAN TRIVIA Heisman contender Julian Sayin celebrates after beating Michigan on Saturday. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) Ohio State is one of three schools (Notre Dame, Oklahoma) with seven Heisman Trophy winners. Question: Can you name the only school with more? Answer at the bottom.   🗽 ELECTION DAY BRUNSON, GEHRIG AMONG WRITE-INS FOR NYC MAYOR New Yorkers cross 42nd Street and 7th Avenue in Times Square on Primary Election Day. (Craig T Fruchtman/Getty Images) The New York mayoral election was settled a month ago, with Zohran Mamdani scoring a win over Andrew Cuomo. What was not settled were the write-in votes. Off-menu choices: The full list of write-in votes was released Tuesday, and more than a few people opted to cast their votes for a wide array of sports figures. From Yahoo Sports' Jack Baer: It's hard to say what possesses a person to vote for Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson or former Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau. We have even more questions for the people who voted for Hank Aaron (who died in 2021) or Lou Gehrig (who died in 1941). Brooklyn native Sandy Koufax, who remains alive and attending World Series games at 89, got a vote after leaving the city with the Dodgers in the 1950s. Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart got two votes, or three if you count the vote for "Jackson Dart." So did his teammate, running back Cam Skattebo, and New York Yankees playoff hero Cam Schlittler. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred also got a vote, as did three NFL players who have been division rivals for New York teams their entire careers: Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and, of course, Tom Brady. On the media side, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith got two votes while pondering a political career. In terms of volume, Knicks star Jalen Brunson took the win among athletes with 27 votes, well ahead of second place, Yankees slugger Aaron Judge's 11. If you count the votes for "Jaylen Brunson" and "Jalen Bronson," he tied with Hillary Clinton for the 12th-most votes among write-in candidates.   Trivia answer: USC (eight winners)

Did Ilhan Omar marry her brother? Rumor lacks evidence The claim resurfaced in November 2025, when Trump posted about it. https://www.snopes.com/news/2025/12/02/ilhan-omar-brother-marriage/? ps:Same ole same ole bull manure that he lied about Obama not having been born in the USA!!

Man accused of planting pipe bombs before Jan. 6 Capitol attack is charged with explosives offenses WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI on Thursday arrested a man accused of placing two pipe bombs outside the headquarters of the Republican and Democratic national parties in Washington on the eve of the U.S. Capitol attack, an abrupt breakthrough in an investigation that for years flummoxed law enforcement and spawned conspiracy theories about Jan. 6, 2021. https://apnews.com/article/pipe-bombs-dc-jan6-40d748385b7b18ece2208c6c6690708b?

Department of War Disputes Second Attack on Boat Strike Survivors Was a “Double-Tap” Special Operations Command pushed back on the contention that Adm. Frank Bradley ordered a double-tap attack when the U.S. military conducted a second strike killing survivors of the September 2 boat attack in the Caribbean, first reported by The Intercept. https://theintercept.com/2025/12/02/caribbean-boat-strike-double-tap/?

Bipartisan House Resolution Seeks to Block Trump War With Venezuela With President Donald Trump mulling military action, lawmakers in the House of Representatives introduced a war powers resolution to block strikes on Venezuela. https://theintercept.com/2025/12/02/house-block-trump-venezuela-war/? Admiral says there was no ‘kill them all’ order in boat attack, but video alarms lawmakers WASHINGTON (AP) — A Navy admiral commanding the U.S. military strikes on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean told lawmakers Thursday that there was no “kill them all” order from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, but a stark video of the attack left grave questions as Congress scrutinizes the campaign that killed two survivors. https://apnews.com/article/pete-hegseth-boat-strike-admiral-congress-521606d39c04dcc040ea232dc9cfeeda?

Border Patrol Raided Arizona Medical Aid Site With No Warrant, Showing Growing “Impunity” U.S. Border Patrol agents raided a humanitarian aid station in the Arizona desert late last month, taking three people into custody and breaking into a trailer without a warrant. https://theintercept.com/2025/12/02/border-patrol-raid-no-more-deaths-arizona/?

Entire Chain of Command Could Be Held Liable for Killing Boat Strike Survivors, Sources Say Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is under increasing fire for a double-tap strike, first reported by The Intercept in early September, in which the U.S. military killed two survivors of the Trump administration’s initial boat strike in the Caribbean on September 2. https://theintercept.com/2025/12/02/hegseth-boat-strikes-war-crime-venezuela/? Trump Frees Ex-President of Honduras, Right-Wing “Narco-Dictator” Convicted of Drug Trafficking In a 26th floor courtroom overlooking Manhattan’s frigid winter skyline, dozens of immigrants sat in on the trial of their former president, the once untouchable symbol of a “narco-dictatorship” that reorganized of the government’s judicial, police, and military leadership to collude with drug traffickers. https://theintercept.com/2025/12/01/honduras-hernandez-pardon-trump-venezuela-drugs/? Trump Wants to Make African Countries Share Abortion Data to Get AIDS Funding The Trump administration plans to condition global health assistance on foreign countries sharing significant amounts of health data with the United States, including on abortion, according to a template for an aid agreement obtained by The Intercept. https://theintercept.com/2025/12/01/pepfar-hiv-abortion-health-data-trump/? “Real” America Is Turning Against Trump’s Mass Deportation Regime On a chilly evening in mid-November, about 135 people gathered along a highway in Boone, North Carolina, a small Appalachian college town not known as a hotbed of leftist protest. They held signs reading “Nazis were just following orders too” and “Time to melt the ICE,” and chanted profane rebukes at Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents rumored to be in the area. “They came here thinking they wouldn’t be bothered,” one Appalachian State University student told The Appalachian at the impromptu rally. “Boone is a small, southern, white, mountain town. We need to let them know they’ll be bothered anywhere they go.” In a region often stereotyped as silently conservative, this flash of defiance was a startling sign that the battle lines of American politics are shifting in unexpected ways. https://theintercept.com/2025/12/03/appalachia-nc-ice-protest-immigrants/? Trump Gutted AIDS Health Care at the Worst Possible Time On World AIDS Day 2025, humanity should be celebrating that there is a new shot available which offers six months of protection against the transmission of HIV, the virus which has already infected approximately 40 million living people and taken the lives of 44 million more. https://theintercept.com/2025/12/01/world-aids-hiv-trump-cuts-unemployment-lgbtq/? Legalizing Cocaine Is the Only Way to End the Drug War I was never that into cocaine — preferring the euphoria promised by MDMA or the relaxation offered by cannabis — but back in 2015, a cocaine-serving lounge bar, Route 36, in La Paz, Bolivia, was the talk of the backpacking circuit, and the scarcely-believable novelty of the place was alluring. https://theintercept.com/2025/11/30/legalize-cocaine-trump-boat-strikes/?