Robert Irwin has won the Australian version of Dancing With the Stars (DWTS)-and fans are feeling nostalgic. The 21-year-old conservationist, who has followed in the footsteps of his late father, the “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin, joined the reality competition in April of this year, and was an instant fan-favorite hit. Now, after weeks of competition, Irwin and his professional dance partner Witney Carson have clinched the Mirror Ball-10 years after his sister, Bindi Irwin, won the same competition. The Irwin siblings have been in the spotlight since they were children, thanks to their father’s status as a national treasure, with countless fans worldwide. And fans are now nostalgically recalling a much-younger Robert Irwin, as a video from 10 years ago has gone viral again. In April, after joining the DWTS cast, Irwin posted a video to his TikTok account @robertirwin, of him in the studio with his older sister while she was taking part in the show-where he was asked if he would ever take part himself. And the then-11-year-old had an instant answer: “Definitely! I would love to, that would be so much fun.” His sister then pointed out that Irwin “has some really cool moves”-which he then showed off, describing it as “the sprinkler” as he put a hand behind his head, one had in front of him, and moved from side to side like a sprinkler. The clip, which you can see here, then changed to Robert at a DWTS press conference, a giant snake draped around his shoulders, as he recalled the iconic interview with “little Robert” with a “bowl cut.” He remembered thinking: “One day, that’s going to be me. And now that dream is a reality, and I am over the moon.” The video has close to 200, 000 likes, as users flooded the comments with support, one writing fondly: “Robert has always been an old soul.” Another wrote: “You two are great supports of each other. Lovely to see,” while one said: “His dad is smiling so hard.” And, on the final day of the series on November 25, Irwin posted another video, which you can see here-this one with the 10-year-old video combined with his own time on DWTS, showing off his dance moves, with the caption: “Dreams can come true.” This video proved even more popular, with a whopping 1. 2 million likes, as one commenter wrote: “I’m crying, you did it,” and another called it “well deserved. He is the perfect Mirrorball champion,” another said, and as one put it: “I know his dad is so proud of him.”.
https://www.newsweek.com/entertainment/clip-robert-irwin-aged-11-viral-dancing-with-the-stars-win-11110858
Author: admin
Taiwan puts $40 billion toward buying U.S. arms, building defense dome
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te announced a $40 billion budget for arms purchases on Wednesday. The plans include building an air defense system with high-level detection and interception capabilities called Taiwan Dome, as the U. S. pressures the island to increase its defense spending. According to the leader, this budget will be allocated over eight years, from 2026 to 2033, and comes after Lai already pledged to raise defense spending to 5% of the island’s GDP, as part of his strategy amid China’s threats of invasion. “China’s threats to Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region are escalating,” Lai said on Wednesday. “Recently, various types of military intrusions, maritime gray zones and disinformation campaigns have been occurring in Japan, the Philippines and around the Taiwan Strait, causing deep unease and distress to all parties in the region. Taiwan, as the most important and most critical part of the first island chain, must demonstrate our determination and take on a greater responsibility in self-defense,” he said, referring to the string of islands stretching from Japan’s East China Sea through the Philippines in the Pacific Ocean. Last week, Japan said that it scrambled aircraft after detecting a suspected Chinese drone near its southern island of Yonaguni, which is close to Taiwan. Currently, Taiwan has set an increase in its defense budget to 3. 3% of its GDP for 2026, allocating $949. 5 billion Taiwan dollars ($31. 18 billion). President Donald Trump has demanded Taiwan raise its defense spending to as much as 10% of GDP, a proportion well above what the U. S. or any of its major allies spend. The U. S. State Department on Wednesday said it welcomes Taiwan’s budget announcement and “supports Taiwan’s acquisition of critical defense capabilities, commensurate with the threat it faces.” It also said it welcomes commitments by Lai’s administration to increase defense spending to at least 5% of GDP by 2030, “which demonstrates resolve to strengthen Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities.” Taiwan, a self-ruled island, is claimed by China. In recent years, China has deployed warplanes, navfy ships and drones toward the island on a daily basis in military exercises as part of its efforts to exert pressure. Wellington Koo, Taiwan’s defense minister, said Wednesday the $40 billion is an upper limit for the special budget and that it will be used to buy precision-strike missiles and work toward the joint development and procurement between Taiwan and the U. S. of equipment and systems. Lai also said his government would focus on finding ways to increase its defense against Beijing’s “psychological warfare” as China attempts to “weaken our unity.” He said the government will monitor and increase public awareness of China’s interference attempts during major events and elections.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/taiwan-40-billion-budget-weapons-purchases-us-defense-spending/
GoPro MAX2 Hits Its Lowest Price as Amazon Ignores the Margin on This Newly Released Action Camera for Black Friday
Winter is fast approaching, and with it comes prime season for skiing and snowboarding. As you start booking lift tickets and planning weekend getaways, it’s worth thinking about how you’ll capture those exhilarating runs down the mountain. If you’ve been searching for the right camera to document your adventures, the GoPro MAX2 might be exactly what you need. Even better, it’s currently available at a 20% discount for Black Friday-its first major price drop-cutting $100 off the usual price and bringing it down to just $400 for a short time. See at Amazon Durable and Ready for Anything GoPro is practically synonymous with action cameras, and for good reason. The brand helped popularize compact, mountable cameras capable of surviving punishing outdoor conditions. The MAX2 continues that tradition with a rugged, waterproof design that can withstand depths of up to 33 feet (10 meters). Whether you’re diving below the surface, carving through fresh powder, or tearing down muddy trails on your bike, this camera is built to go wherever the action is. The GoPro MAX2 has a remarkably smooth image stabilization. Normally, point-of-view footage from rough terrain like rocky paths or uneven snow comes out shaky and hard to watch. GoPro solves this problem with advanced in-camera stabilization and software correction, minimizing jitter and keeping your footage smooth without significantly cropping the frame. The result is clean, steady video that looks far more polished than what most handheld devices can produce. Exceptional Image Quality The GoPro MAX2 offers impressive visual clarity, capturing true 8K video packed with fine detail. Despite its small size, the camera delivers professional-grade results. It even supports full 360-degree recording, allowing you to capture your surroundings in every direction. This is perfect for skiing, biking, or any high-speed sport where the environment becomes part of the experience. To complement the visuals, the GoPro MAX2 incorporates six microphones positioned to record audio from all angles. This spatial sound input adds depth and realism to your footage, making playback feel more immersive. The camera also includes object tracking technology, ensuring your subject remains in focus even as distances shift rapidly during fast-paced activities. Thanks to HDR support, the GoPro MAX2 performs well in nearly any lighting condition. Whether you’re filming in the dim shade of a forest trail or under bright afternoon sun glinting off fresh snow, the camera can balance highlights and shadows to maintain natural, accurate detail. It also doubles as a capable still-photo camera, capturing 29-megapixel images. If you prefer pulling stills from video, the GoPro Quik app makes it simple to extract high-quality photos from your favorite recorded moments. Effortless Footage Management Accessing and storing your content is straightforward. Once you’re back indoors, just connect the camera to your Wi-Fi. While it recharges, it can automatically upload all your footage to the cloud, ensuring everything is backed up without any extra work on your part. The GoPro MAX2’s first-ever discount for Black Friday makes now an excellent time to pick one up. With 20% off its regular $500 price tag, you can score this powerful, adventure-ready camera for only $400-an offer that won’t last long.
https://kotaku.com/this-gopro-max2-action-camera-sees-its-first-ever-price-drop-ahead-of-black-friday-2000647419
Mets Projected to Sign 215-Strikeout Workhorse by MLB Execs
Arguably, no other team has more work cut out for itself this offseason than the New York Mets. Coming off an epic collapse from mid-June through the end of September, the Mets know they need to completely revamp their pitching staff. The need will only be magnified if fourth-year starter Kodai Senga gets traded, which the Mets have been telling teams they’re willing to do. President of baseball operations David Stearns hasn’t often been one to splurge on long-term contracts for pitchers, but this offseason, several of his peers think that’s exactly what he’ll do. On Wednesday, ESPN ran a survey of 16 executives from around Major League Baseball gauging opinions on this year’s free agency outcomes. The Mets received six of those executives’ votes to sign San Diego Padres right-hander Dylan Cease, the most of any team. The executives also reasoned that the Mets and Toronto Blue Jays were the likeliest big-market teams to shell out lucrative starting pitching deals. “The Blue Jays showed up as possibilities for each pitcher, as executives believe they will add to their team after making the World Series and coming so close to winning it all this past season,” wrote ESPN’s Jesse Rogers. “The Mets weren’t far behind in the voting, considering their starting staff was a mess late in the year and they relied on rookies down the stretch.” Four executives also predicted that the Mets would sign Houston Astros two-time All-Star Framber Valdez, one vote behind the Blue Jays in first place. Cease would be helpful to the Mets even if he has another down year, because he eats innings and racks up strikeouts. He’s the only pitcher in the sport to strike out 200 batters in each of the last five seasons, and no other pitcher has even done it in the last three, for that matter. However, we’ve also seen a tendency from Cease to put himself in Cy Young conversations every other year, and doing so in the upcoming season would fit into that pattern. If he signed with the Mets and gave them an ERA in the low threes or better, New York would immediately be a top wild card contender at a minimum.
https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mlb/mets-projected-to-sign-215-strikeout-workhorse-by-mlb-execs-11113011
Thanksgiving turkey recipe 2025: Cook your bird in under an hour
By Tan Vinh, The Seattle Times SEATTLE Teriyaki chicken is a quick and cheap lunch that’s synonymous with Seattle. One acclaimed local chef, Taichi Kitamura of Eastlake’s Sushi Kappo Tamura, makes a compelling case for elevating that humble poultry dish into a fancy Thanksgiving feast. Teriyaki chicken is only made with dark meat. That rule also applies to turkey teriyaki, since the breast meat will dry out, the chef said. Kitamura offered us a pan-fried turkey breast recipe, too, with a sake-and-butter sauce. He typically fries the turkey breast while the rest of the meat roasts in the oven. All told, the entire turkey was cooked and ready to be eaten in less than an hour. We asked for both recipes and printed them below. Enjoy! Thanksgiving turkey teriyaki Ingredients 2 turkey thighs, deboned 2 turkey wings 2 cups soy sauce 2 cups sake 1 1/4 cups sugar 2 cups water 2 cups hot water 1/3 cup of whiskey (optional) Steps 1. Break down the turkey by chopping it down the middle, cutting off the hindquarters (thighs and drumsticks) and separating the thighs from the drumsticks. 2. Turn the bird over and cut off the breast from the rib cage and then chop the wings that are attached to the breasts. (A turkey has the same anatomy as a chicken, so if you’re more of a visual learner, head to YouTube for step-by-step instructions on breaking down a bird.) 3. Then comes the deboning. Detach the bone by trimming the edge of the meat where it meets the bone. The rest is less labor-intensive. (No need to debone the wings, since they cook faster.) 4. Score the meat with the tip of the knife. 5. For the marinade: In a large mixing bowl, add the hot water and sugar; whisk until all the sugar is dissolved. 6. Add soy sauce, sake, whiskey and water. Let the teriyaki sauce cool before marinating the meat. 7. Marinate the turkey for 12-16 hours in fridge. 8. On Thanksgiving Day, remove the turkey from the marinade. Towel it dry. 9. Lay the meat on a flat rack/grid over a pan, skin side up. A rack or grid over the pan helps keep the turkey from getting soggy from all the fat drippings. The rack helps crisp up the skin, too. 10. Roast the turkey in an oven (preferably a convection oven) preheated to 475 degrees until the temperature of the thickest part of the meat reaches 165 degrees. If using a conventional oven, heat the oven to 450 degrees. 11. Depending on the size of your turkey and your oven, you may need to use two trays or cook in batches. 12. Cut into 3/4-inch slices and serve. Pan-fried turkey breast Ingredients 2 turkey breasts, deboned 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1 stick of butter, cut into 8 pieces 1 1/4 cups sake 1/2 cup soy sauce Salt and black pepper to taste 3 bay leaves 2 tablespoons lemon juice Steps 1. Butterfly the breast meat to an even width of about an inch thick or less. 2. Score the skin with the tip of the knife. 3. Season with salt and pepper. 4. In a large frying pan or skillet, heat vegetable oil. 5. Place the turkey skin side down on medium-high heat, cooking until the skin is golden-brown. 6. The turkey will be too large to cook on one skillet, so cook each breast separately or use two skillets. 7. Turn the turkey and cook the meat until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Remove from the pan. 8. Deglaze the pan with sake. Add the bay leaves, soy sauce, lemon juice and butter. Add the juice from the cooked turkey if there is any. Stir vigorously with a spoon to emulsify. 9. Cut the turkey into 3/4-inch strips. Place on a platter. 10. Pour the sauce over the turkey and serve. ©2025 The Seattle Times. Visit seattletimes. com.
https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2025/11/26/thanksgiving-turkey-under-an-hour/
Seven Ministries donates to Manna House
Pastor Katrina Deason accepts a donation to Manna House from Seven Ministries board member Chris Reid and CEO Gary Gilliard. Photo provided.
https://coastalcourier.com/news/seven-ministries-donates-to-manna-house/
“Best outcome from Physical: Asia” – Fans react to Jang Eun-sil & Enkh Orgil Baatarkhuu’s ‘Good Goodbye’ trend amid Team Korea-Mongolia finale rift
On Tuesday, November 25, the two Physical: Asia contestants, Team Korea’s Jang Eun-sil and Team Mongolia’s Enkh Orgil Baatarkhuu, released their Good Goodbye challenge, a currently viral trend in Sout.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/us/k-pop/news-best-outcome-physical-asia-fans-react-jang-eun-sil-enkh-orgil-baatarkhuu-s-good-goodbye-trend-amid-team-korea-mongolia-finale-rift
RPG maestro Josh Sawyer admits “there’s a lot to criticize” in D&D 4e, but not because it’s “like an MMO” or other reasons “parroted” by folks “with little direct knowledge”
Although the Dungeons & Dragons’ controversial 4th edition holds a bit of an awkward place within tabletop RPG stans’ hearts, not everyone thinks it’s deserving of all the flak it’s caught since its 2008 launch but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to criticize. Joshua Eric “Josh” Sawyer, who is best known for his work on RPG gems like Fallout: New Vegas and Pillars of Eternity, made an online post implying that sourcing feedback for D&D 4e that wasn’t just “parroted” criticism and was instead genuine, player experience-based assessments was basically impossible. In response, somebody said 4e “ain’t really all that” and while Sawyer doesn’t necessarily disagree, he expands on his own opinion. “There’s a lot to criticize in 4e, from how classes and races were split up to bad MMs to having a boring armor system (again), but that’s not usually what people complained about,” the genre maestro explains. “They parroted dumb complaints with little direct knowledge, and for it they should be pursued by hounds across the moor.” He follows up with a quip poking fun at one of these complaints the comparisons likening 4e to an MMO. There’s a lot to criticize in 4E, from how classes and races were split up to bad MMs to having a boring armor system (again), but that’s not usually what people complained about. They parroted dumb complaints with little direct knowledge, and for it they should be pursued by hounds across the moor. @jesawyer. bsky. social (@jesawyer. bsky. social. bsky. social) 2025-11-26T14: 18: 37. 737Z “‘It’s like an MMO,'” writes Sawyer, adding sarcastically, “Totally, dude.” For anyone less familiar with 4e or the MMO comparisons, fans’ comments provide a bit of insight. As one reads, “I think most of those complaints were driven by how it aesthetically copied a lot from Warcraft in particular” with “it” meaning D&D 4e. You can also look at threads elsewhere, like Reddit, that see players detail why such comparisons blew up. From the roles of classes to ability cooldowns, there are plenty of reasons, apparently but Sawyer does make a solid point himself. It’s difficult to separate evidence-backed criticism from the “popular” opinion, so to speak. This rings especially true nowadays, as the rise of content creation on platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and social media allows for the spread of inflammatory or less-than-reputable takes at rates like never before. As a longtime D&D enjoyer myself, however, I can definitely see both sides here. So much of this is subjective, after all, and boils down to what you think as a player yourself. That can be said for any edition, too not just 4e.
https://www.gamesradar.com/tabletop-gaming/rpg-maestro-josh-sawyer-admits-theres-a-lot-to-criticize-in-d-and-d-4e-but-not-because-its-like-an-mmo-or-other-reasons-parroted-by-folks-with-little-direct-knowledge/
This city has the smoothest roads in the Bay Area. Where does your city rank?
Which city has the best-maintained roads in the Bay Area? The wealthy Marin County suburb of Larkspur lays claim to that title, according to a new report from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, a regional agency overseeing local transit systems. The city with the most potholes and bumpy streets? Vallejo, the only community in the region where road conditions are considered “poor,” according to the report. Overall, the transit agency found that the Bay Area’s 44, 000 miles of local roads are wearing down, with the typical stretch of roadway likely needing repairs soon. The report assigned each of the 110 cities and counties in the region a score on a 100-point scale. For the tenth year in a row, the Bay Area’s roads registered an average of 67, considered “fair.” “The good news is our cities and counties are continuing to hold the line against major deterioration,” the commission’s chair, Sue Noack, also the mayor of Pleasant Hill, said in a statement. “But the bad news is we’re still just as far away from bringing the regional average into the ‘very good’ range as we were a decade ago.” Affluent cities tend to rank higher in the report, with Larkspur, Palo Alto, Cupertino, Orinda and Hillsborough all scoring over 80, considered “very good.” That’s not always the case, however. As recently as 2017, Larkspur’s roads were rated “poor” in the annual roads report. But that changed with the city’s passage of two sales tax measures to help rehabilitate its 65 miles of streets. “When the community supported a sales tax measure in November 2017, the (city council) promised that the first thing it would do was fix the roads,” Larkspur City Manager Dan Schwarz said in an email. “It took five years to completely rehabilitate the system. The City is committed to maintaining this important asset. Our goal now is to make it hard to believe Larkspur ever had poor-quality roads.” Some funding for local roads also comes from the state and federal government, though they spend more on highway systems. Vallejo, with among the highest poverty rates in the Bay Area, ranked last with a score of 44. “Years of underfunding in the City of Vallejo has led to significant deterioration of city roads,” the Solano County Civil Grand Jury wrote in a report this year. To upgrade the crumbling streets, Vallejo voters approved a sales tax in 2022 to raise an estimated $18 million annually, with the majority of funds going toward road repairs. Vallejo officials did not respond to a request for comment on the city’s road maintenance efforts. Cities just above Vallejo in the rankings include wealthier communities such as Berkeley and Millbrae, as well as places with higher poverty rates, such as Richmond and Pittsburg revealing that healthier tax bases don’t necessarily translate to better roads. Of the Bay Area’s three largest cities, Oakland came in last with a score of 58, rating its roads as “at risk.” Despite the low score, city officials said they have made progress in fixing Oakland’s notorious pothole-filled streets in recent years, thanks to voter-approved bond measures that contribute to about $45 million a year for road maintenance. Earlier this year, the Alameda County Civil Grand Jury found that over a recent 18-month span, the city filled as many potholes around 85, 000 as it repaired in a 10-year span between 2008 and 2018. “We also know there’s more work ahead, especially on residential streets, which have historically received less maintenance than major corridors,” the Oakland Department of Transportation said in a statement. San Jose ranked above Oakland, with a score of 73, considered “good.” San Francisco scored a 75. Officials in San Jose said the city has maintained or repaved about 10% of its sprawling 4, 469 miles of local streets each year over the past eight years. They attributed the progress in part to a sales tax measure Santa Clara County voters approved in 2016, which has since raised $440 million for local roads across the South Bay. “Huge thank you to the city teams who have repaved over 60% of our roads since 2019 considering we’re the biggest city in Northern California, that’s quite a feat,” San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said in a statement. More money could soon be available for road repairs. In November 2026, voters in the Bay Area’s five largest counties will decide on a massive transportation bond to raise about $1 billion annually aimed at bailing out the region’s struggling public transit agencies. If approved, about a third of the money would be available for flexible transportation spending, including targeted road repairs, with most of those funds going to Santa Clara County, according to Emily Loper, a senior vice president of public policy at the Bay Area Council, which is backing the bond measure. As part of an agreement to secure Santa Clara County officials’ support for the measure, the county would receive an expected $264 million in flexible funding. San Mateo County would see $50 million, Contra Costa County $26 million, and Alameda County $10 million. All of San Francisco’s funding would go to public transit. “I do expect a significant amount to go to roadway repairs,” the Bay Area Council’s Loper said.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2025/11/26/bay-area-roads-potholes-repairs/
Man Named Adolf Hitler Poised for Second Election Victory in Namibia: Should We Be Concerned?
A politician named Adolf Hitler is set to win another local election in Namibia comfortably. Yes, you read that correctly. And no, the name is not a stage persona, parody candidate, or internet stunt. It belongs to Adolf Hitler Uunona, a 59-year-old local politician whose very ordinary political career continues to collide with one of the most infamous names in history. As Uunona prepares to retain his seat on 26 November, the global response has ranged from mild confusion to full-blown alarm bells. But the man at the centre of the headline insists the story is far less sinister than it sounds. Who is Adolf Hitler Uunona? Uunona represents the left-wing Swapo party in northern Namibia, where he previously secured a landslide win with 85 per cent of the vote in 2020. His name first attracted worldwide attention after that victory and understandably led to a lot of questions. According to Uunona, his father simply did not understand the gravity of naming a child ‘Adolf Hitler,’ nor the horrors associated with it. In a past interview, the politician said he grew up believing it was just a normal name, only later realising the historical weight attached to it. ‘I have nothing to do with any of these things,’ he told the media, distancing himself entirely from the Nazi dictator. Even so, he keeps the name in official documents, calling it ‘too late’ to change. His wife calls him Adolf, but publicly, he avoids using the full name. In Namibia, once under German colonial rule, the name Adolf isn’t unusual, though Hitler definitely is. And it hasn’t helped that in 2020, a car in his region displaying the name ‘Adolf Hitler’ next to a swastika went viral online. Uunona denied owning it or having any connection to what he called a ‘sick stunt.’ Why His Re-Election Feels Surreal to the Rest of the World On paper, Uunona is simply a local politician doing his job. But his name inevitably changes how the story lands internationally. It forces people to confront an uncomfortable thought experiment: What if you had to go through life with a name synonymous with one of history’s greatest villains? Would anything from friendships to job opportunities be the same? That exact question is explored in Matt Ogens’ 2014 documentary ‘Meet the Hitlers,’ which profiles people around the world who share the name, either by accident or by choice. Some are ordinary individuals carrying an unfortunate legacy; others deliberately adopted the name for extremist reasons. What the film reveals is that identity, self-perception, and confidence heavily influence how each person copes. Ogens says the topic is inherently strange and emotionally complicated. For many with the name, life is a constant obstacle course of judgment, crank calls, wrong assumptions, and uncomfortable introductions. As one subject put it: ‘A name is just a name. It doesn’t define your heart.’ True, but it certainly raises eyebrows, especially when it appears on an election ballot. No, He’s Not A Nazi Given Uunona’s insistence that he has no ties, ideological or otherwise, to the dictator he shares a name with, the answer appears to be no. There’s no evidence suggesting extremist leanings, hidden agendas, or anything beyond a deeply unfortunate naming choice made decades ago. The real concern, if any, is symbolic. Moments like this expose how names carry cultural weight, historical memory, and emotional reactions far beyond their literal meaning. According to reports, Uunona may be nothing like the man whose name he bears, but every election cycle, he is reminded that the world never forgets. And so, as Namibia heads to the polls again, Adolf Hitler Uunona’s victory is seemingly secured not because of his name, but despite it.
https://www.ibtimes.com/man-named-adolf-hitler-poised-second-election-victory-namibia-should-we-concerned-3791380