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A California woman needed a kidney. New Kids on the Block helped find one

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:39 GMT

For months after her diagnosis, Theresa Crockett told almost no one the results: Her kidneys were failing from the same hereditary disease that left her mother and sister on dialysis. She’d soon need a kidney transplant.But a transplant was a longshot with terrible odds, Crockett knew. The waiting list for a kidney transplant in California is eight to 10 years, she says, which leaves individual patients often soliciting donor kidneys through social networks and word of mouth.“Because I was advocating for my sister, we would make T-shirts, magnets, do social media, and ask people to share,” Crockett, 53, says of her earlier efforts to find someone willing to donate one of their kidneys to her sister, Sandy Henson, 55. “But unfortunately, people don’t share.“They mean well, and they say, ‘I’ll pray for you,’ but they don’t share,” she says. “So I knew I had to do something out of the box.”Theresa Crockett holds a poster, similar to the one that she took to a New Kids on the Block conc...

US fighter jets intercept aircraft violating airspace near where President Biden is vacationing in Lake Tahoe

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:39 GMT

By Haley Britzky | CNNUS military fighter jets responded to a civilian aircraft that “violated a Temporary Flight Restriction” area near Lake Tahoe, Nevada where President Joe Biden is vacationing, the North American Aerospace Defense Command said in a statement.Two NORAD F-16s, and a US Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin, responded to the civilian aircraft violation which occurred around 7:50 a.m. PT Friday. The military jets dispensed flares to get the attention of the pilot and the aircraft was escorted out of the area, according to NORAD.RELATED: President Biden rents Lake Tahoe home from 2020 primary foe Tom Steyer“During this event, the fighter aircraft dispensed flares – that may have been visible to the public – to gain attention from the pilot,” the NORAD release said. “Flares were employed with the highest regard for safety of the intercepted aircraft and people on the ground. The flares burn out quickly and completely and there is no danger to people on the ground when dispensed.”...

Uncensored ‘Hanging’ returns to Knott’s Scary Farm – ‘If you don’t like it, don’t watch’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:39 GMT

The politically correct culture that forced Knott’s Berry Farm to quietly kill off “The Hanging” finds itself in the crosshairs of a resurrected version of the pop culture skewering show that doubles down on all the tasteless comedy, pointless bloodletting and senseless killings.“I’m not taking any prisoners with it,” said Jeff Tucker, Knott’s Berry Farm show writer and director of this year’s edition of “The Hanging.” “I’m not censoring myself in any way. If you don’t like it, don’t watch it.”“The Hanging: Uncancelled” triumphantly returns to the Buena Park theme park for the 50th anniversary of Knott’s Scary Farm running on select nights from Sept. 21 to Oct. 31.Knott’s Berry Farm effectively retired “The Hanging” in 2019 when the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the annual Halloween Haunt event in 2020 and the comedy stunt show failed to return in 2021 and 2022.“The Hanging” ended its decades-long run amid increasingly intense negative feedback and the quickening pace of pop culture th...

GOP stumbles in suit claiming Google censors donation emails

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:39 GMT

By Joel Rosenblatt | BloombergA Republican National Committee lawsuit accusing Google of routing emails to Gmail users’ spam folders was tossed out by a judge who said the internet giant fairly concluded they were unwanted messages.The committee argued filtering by the Alphabet Inc. unit suppressed political speech and hurt fundraising. Republicans have long accused the technology giants of censoring conservatives and their views, something the companies deny.In the lawsuit filed in Sacramento, California, the RNC argued messages sent through Gmail reach party supporter inboxes most of the time, except at the end of the month when fundraising is most successful. The committee said the problem persisted for months despite its efforts to work with Google.US District Judge Daniel Calabretta ruled that though it’s a “close case,” Google’s practices are protected under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the decades-old federal statute that shields internet companies from liab...

Single family residence in Oakland sells for $2.2 million

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:39 GMT

A 2,607-square-foot house built in 1941 has changed hands. The spacious property located in the 2300 block of Bywood Drive in Oakland was sold on July 12, 2023. The $2,225,000 purchase price works out to $853 per square foot. The layout of this two-story home consists of three bedrooms and three baths. In addition, the home provides a garage.Additional houses that have recently been purchased close by include:In June 2022, a 1,328-square-foot home on Oak Crest Drive in Oakland sold for $1,710,000, a price per square foot of $1,288. The home has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.A 2,254-square-foot home on the 1900 block of Oak Crest Drive in Oakland sold in June 2022, for $1,825,000, a price per square foot of $810. The home has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.On Melvin Road, Oakland, in June 2022, a 3,890-square-foot home was sold for $1,750,000, a price per square foot of $450. The home has 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms.

How Social Influencer Marketing Shapes Consumer Behaviors

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:39 GMT

To reach more customers, you need to be where they are. Consumers are spending more time on social media, and that’s where most brands need to be.While you should create engaging profiles and use online ads to drive traffic, there’s another piece of the puzzle you can’t afford to ignore: social influencer marketing. Here’s how social influencers shape consumer behaviors and how to leverage their impact to expand your reach.What Are Social Influencers?An influencer has the authority, expertise, or relationships with an audience and can affect their purchasing decisions. Social influencers connect with their fans on social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. They have large followings and use their profiles to share content, often promoting products and services they find valuable.The Impact of Social InfluencersWhy are brands clamoring to get social influencers to talk about their products?61% of consumers trust recommendations from influences, compared with 38% w...

Porter, Warren accuse tax prep firms of undermining new IRS effort on electronic free file tax returns

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:39 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional Democrats are accusing big tax preparation firms including Intuit and H&R Block of undermining the federal government's upcoming electronic free file tax return system and are demanding lobbying, hiring and revenue data to determine what's going on.The lawmakers accuse the companies of lobbying against the new program, hiring former government workers to sway public interest against free file for all, and deliberately sabotaging a government program that had previously offered free tax prep services, according to letters obtained by The Associated Press.On Thursday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., sent letters to the executives of Intuit, H&R Block, the American Coalition for Taxpayer Rights and the Free File Alliance, a group of tax preparation companies that provide free online services through the IRS website. Adam Schiff visits Half Moon Bay to shed light on farmworker conditions Warren and Port...

Adam Schiff visits Half Moon Bay to shed light on farmworker conditions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:39 GMT

(KRON) -- Rep. Adam Schiff was in Half Moon Bay on Thursday to attend a roundtable discussion intended to bring attention to the conditions faced by farmworkers in the region. At the event, which was hosted by the nonprofit ALAS, the Burbank representative heard from survivors of the deadly mass shootings at the mushroom farms earlier this year. Schiff also spent time touring the San Mateo County coast on Thursday to learn more about the impacts of climate change on the region, according to the Half Moon Bay Review. The California Senatorial candidate also reportedly traveled to Pacifica where he surveyed damage from the winter storms back in January, including a damaged pier, along with vulnerable seawalls and streets. Porter, Warren accuse tax prep firms of undermining new IRS effort on electronic free file tax returns "We need to find ways to live without burning fossil fuels," Schiff told the HMB Review.As he reportedly also did at a campaign stop in Santa Cruz two days earlie...

Donald Trump was listed 6'3 215 lbs. Here are the athletes that have the same height and weight as Trump

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:39 GMT

(WTRF) Donald Trump was arrested and booked in the Fulton County Jail in Georgia after being charged with 13 felony accounts. On the former President's booking sheet, Trump is listed as 6 feet 3 inches tall and 215 pounds. Here are some athletes that have a similar build as the former President: Cameron Maybin Maybin is listed as 6 feet 3 inches tall and 215 pounds, according to Baseball Reference. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)John ElwayThe Hall of Fame quarterback is listed as 6 feet 3 inches tall and 215 pounds, according to Pro Football Reference.(Photo by Tim DeFrisco/Allsport/Getty Images)Larry FitzgeraldAccording to Pro Football Reference, the former Pitt Panther Larry Fitzgerald is listed as 6 feet 3 inches tall and 218 pounds. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)Eric GordonCurrent NBA star Eric Gordon is listed as 6 feet 3 inches tall and 215 pounds, according to Basketball Reference. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)Lamar JacksonCurrent NFL player and ...

Experts warn against wave of fake news ahead of Mexico’s 2024 presidential election

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:39 GMT

MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) — With the 2024 Mexican presidential election less than a year away, political analysts and academics warn of a wave of fake news and disinformation making the rounds on the internet, a trend they deem especially worrisome as some of the falsehoods seem to come from the party in power —and the president himself.Fake news has long been disseminated during electoral campaigns in Mexico and the current electoral cycle is far from being the exception.Since June, when Mexico’s ruling party, Morena, and the country’s main opposition parties launched their internal proceedings to pick their contenders for the 2024 race, The Associated Press Spanish-language fact-checking team found about 40 fake publications across social media platforms, favoring or discrediting members of both sides of the political spectrum.Political observers and academics say it is worrisome that, on occasions, unsubstantiated accusations against members of the opposition have come f...