News
Bears Get To See How They Stack Up After Making Big Changes
LAKE FOREST, Ill. The Chicago Bears made significant offseason acquisitions that they think would help them rise from the bottom of the NFL standings.
But it’s not just the personnel changes that coach Matt Eberflus thinks great things are on the way. He notices something else at work as well.
“I would say I feel better about the identity overall, just because we’ve been in the system one more year, the coaches are more familiar with the players, the players that we have, bringing the new guys on, we’re bringing more experienced players,” Eberflus explained. “I definitely feel more at ease with that part of it.”
When the Bears host Green Bay in their season opener on Sunday, they’ll know where they stand. With Aaron Rodgers now with the New York Jets and Jordan Love at quarterback for the Packers, the NFL’s oldest rivalry will have a different feel.
Green Bay has dominated Chicago in recent decades, winning eight straight and going 25-5 with Rodgers at the helm.
Of course, the Bears have a distinct appearance.
The Chicago Bears made significant offseason acquisitions that they think would help them rise from the bottom of the NFL standings.
When they acquired DJ Moore from Carolina with the No. 1 pick in the draught, they completed a blockbuster trade for a playmaking receiver to assist quarterback Justin Fields. They strengthened their offensive line while strengthening their defense by signing linebackers Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, and veteran edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue.
These decisions have them believing they’ll take a new path in their second season under Eberflus and general manager Ryan Poles.
Given that they finished with a league-worst 3-14 record and set a team record for defeats last season, they must demonstrate that larger things are on the way.
“We have acquired a lot of players, you know, and some good ones if you look at both sides of the ball,” Eberflus remarked.
“So we’re confident in our players.” We’re excited about the matchup and that those men will be able to compete against our opponent. It will be thrilling.”
But it’s not only how the Bears compare to the Packers. While Rodgers has joined the New York Jets, the reigning division champion Minnesota Vikings have a new look.
The Chicago Bears made significant offseason acquisitions that they think would help them rise from the bottom of the NFL standings.
The Vikings released four players who had appeared in ten Pro Bowls, including running back Dalvin Cook, after his fourth 1,000-yard season. Despite going 13-4 in coach Kevin O’Connell’s debut season, the Vikings set an NFL record by winning 11 one-score games.
“I know what’s going on around the league and in our division,” said safety Jaquan Brisker. “But as long as we’re worried about what we have to do, we’ll just keep moving forward.”
Fields’ improvement as a passer will undoubtedly determine how far they progress. While he sparkled with 1,143 yards on the ground, narrowly missing Lamar Jackson’s NFL single-season rushing record for a quarterback, it was a different story when he threw the ball.
Fields threw for 2,242 yards and 17 touchdowns while sharing the league lead with 55 sacks with Russell Wilson. He only had two 200-yard throwing performances in his career, and his season high was 254 yards versus the Packers at Soldier Field in December.
The defense also had significant concerns.
The Bears finished with 20 sacks, the fewest in the NFL since the 2003 club had 18. No defensive lineman had more than three, while Brisker led the team with four. Ngakoue, a Pro Bowl selection with the Jaguars in 2017, should contribute to the pass rush. He recorded 9 1/2 sacks for Indianapolis last season and 10 for Las Vegas in 2021.
“The standard for this year is very high, whether in the back seven or the front four,” Brisker remarked. “The standard is high, so the energy is just different.” We all trust one another, and our chemistry is fantastic. And then there’s our swag; having our swag, energy, and things like that is huge.”
NOTE: Brisker stated that he “should be ready to go” for the start of the season after missing the preseason due to an unexplained injury.
SOURCE – (AP)
News
Trudeau Rocks to Taylor Swift While Montreal Burns
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has come under fire yet again after a video surfaced on X, showing him dancing at a Taylor Swift performance while anti-Nato protestors ransacked downtown Montreal.
Trudeau attended Taylor Swift’s concert in Toronto on Friday night. Before Taylor Swift approached the stage, X shared a viral video of him dancing and singing along to the song “You Don’t Own Me.”
The image of Trudeau dancing amid violent protests in Montreal generated widespread indignation online. Some social media users even compared Trudeau to the ancient Roman dictator Nero, known for “fiddling while Rome burned.”
Don Stewart, a Member of Parliament (MP) representing part of Toronto, called out the prime minister in a post on X.
Lawless protestors run roughshod over Montreal in violent protest.
The Prime Minister dances.
This is the Canada built by the Liberal government.
Bring back law and order, safe streets and communities in the Canada we once knew and loved. pic.twitter.com/PVJvR6gtmf
— Don Stewart (@donstewartmp) November 23, 2024
“Lawless protesters run roughshod over Montreal in violent protest. The Prime Minister dances,” Stewart wrote. “This is the Canada built by the Liberal government.”
“Bring back law and order, safe streets and communities in the Canada we once knew and loved,” the MP added.
On Saturday, the day after Taylor Swift’s concert, Trudeau condemned the anti-NATO protests, calling them “appalling.”
Anti-NATO activists set off smoke bombs and marched through Montreal’s streets waving Palestinian flags. According to the Montreal Gazette, rioters set fire to automobiles and battled with police.
Pro-Palestinian protests
Protesters also tossed tiny explosives and metal objects at officers. At one point, the mob torched an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Police used tear gas and batons to disperse the gathering, and three persons were arrested for attacking officers and impeding police operations.
Masked protesters were seen burning flares and bashing storefront windows in videos and photographs shared on social media. Pro-Palestinian protests have been taking place across Canada since the Israel-Gaza conflict began late last year.
Critics have lambasted Trudeau for doing nothing to stop the violent pro-Palestinian marches, with some claiming he has fueled anti-Israel sentiment in Canada.
On Friday, Trudeau stated that Canada would respect the orders of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an arrest warrant for Mr Netanyahu, even if it meant arresting the Israeli prime leader on Canadian soil.
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News
Calgary Zoo Admits Human Error in Death of Baby Gorilla
The Calgary Zoo has admitted in a public statement that a zookeeper’s negligence caused the death of a 2-year-old baby gorilla. Eyare, a newborn gorilla, died last week after being slammed in the head by a hydraulic door.
The accident occurred when a zoo worker attempted to separate Eyare from the rest of the gorilla tribe for a solitary training session.
The gorilla died from significant head injuries, according to the zoo’s statement.
“This tragedy has struck us all in the deepest way imaginable,” Colleen Baird, director of animal care at the Calgary Zoo, said during a news conference. “Eyare’s brief but meaningful existence gave so much joy to our community, and all will sorely miss her. We will do everything possible to prevent repeat accidents.”
According to Baird, the staff member involved was immediately removed from the workplace and will be reassigned to another area of the zoo. The Calgary Zoo stated that it would take preventive steps, such as specialist personnel training and animal behavioral training, to avoid a similar incident.
Calgary Zoo Questioned
It is not the first time an animal at the zoo has died from negligence at the Calgary Zoo. A capybara was accidentally crushed by a hydraulic door similar to the one that killed Eyare in 2019.
An otter died in 2016 after being entangled in an “unauthorized” pair of jeans that a zookeeper had dropped in its enclosure. In 2013, a penguin died in “a freak accident” after swallowing a stick.
Animal Justice, a Canadian group that promotes animal welfare, has called for an independent investigation of animal safety and oversight at the Alberta facility.
“The Calgary Zoo appears to have a higher rate of animal deaths compared to other zoos, and in light of Eyare’s death there should be a systematic review of the zoo’s operations and practices, conducted transparently by the government or another outside party,” according to Camille Labchuk, the executive director of Animal Justice.
The Calgary Zoo refuted that it has more animal deaths than other zoos, emphasizing that it adheres to operating requirements and has maintained accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ independent Accreditation Commission since 1978.
“We love and care for more than 4,000 animals representing over 100 species that call our zoo home,” stated a Calgary Zoo representative.
“Human error-related deaths in animals are quite infrequent. We have lost two animals in the last ten years: a North American river otter in 2016 and ‘Eyare’ this week.
While rare, even one human-caused death is too many. These unfortunate instances have served as vital learning experiences, prompting us to examine and tighten protocols to provide the greatest level of care.”
Baird said at the news conference that using hydraulic doors is “common practice with accredited zoos,” adding that the facility will consider switching to alternate doors to improve safety.
The Calgary Zoo, which established the Wilder Institute in 2021, caters to nearly 4,000 creatures, including six more western lowland gorillas.
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News
Canada’s Lotto Max Jackpot Climbs to $80M
Lotto Max in Canada has reached $80 million for only the second time in Canadian lottery history. Friday’s draw sought a winner for a $75 million pool, but the top reward remained unclaimed as of Saturday, increasing the jackpot.
Only once did the jackpot reach $80 million in September, when it broke the previous record. Before that, the prize was $75 million, a record.
The Lotto Max prize maximum was boosted earlier this year, enabling for jackpots of more than $70 million. The cap is now at $80 million.
While a greater fee may encourage more people to play, the odds of winning the lottery remain extremely low.
According to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, the odds for a $5 ticket are around one in 33,294,800.
While there was no jackpot winner in Friday’s draw, someone did match six of the seven winning numbers, plus a bonus, earning them a payout of more than $320,000.
Lotto Max History
Lotto Max is one of three national lottery games in Canada, overseen by the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation. The game was introduced on September 19, 2009, and its inaugural draw occurred on September 25, 2009. It replaced Lotto Super 7.
The odds of winning the Lotto Max are 1 in 33,294,800. This is correct to a point but misleading.
Let’s have a look at the rules:
- Players choose 7 numbers out of 50
- Numbers cannot be repeated
- Numbers are automatically sorted into ascending order
- Each play buys 3 lines
- Each play costs $5
Seeing that players choose 7 out of 50 non-repeating numbers, the equation for the total number of possible combinations (this is different from permutations where the order in which the numbers appear is significant) when playing the Lotto Max is 50! / (7! x 43!)
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