Category: News
Strategy Unveils New Credit Gauge To Calm Debt Fears After Crypto Crash
Strategy Unveils New Credit Gauge To Calm Debt Fears After Crypto Crash
Authored by Zoltan Vardai via CoinTelegraph.com,
Michael Saylor’s Strategy is attempting to calm investor concerns about its balance sheet after the recent Bitcoin market downturn and a sharp pullback in digital asset treasury (DAT) stocks.
Strategy, the world’s largest corporate Bitcoin holder, has rolled out a new credit rating dashboard based on the company’s preferred stock notional value, and claims to have another 70 years’ worth of dividend payment runway to service its debt, even if Bitcoin’s price remains flat.
“If $BTC drops to our $74K average cost basis, we still have 5.9x assets to convertible debt, which we refer to as the BTC Rating of our debt. At $25K BTC, it would be 2.0x,” said Strategy in a Tuesday X post.
The move comes as investors grow increasingly worried that falling crypto prices could force large DAT companies into liquidation, adding more selling pressure to an already weakened market.
Strategy’s BTC Credit dashboard. Source: Strategy.com
Strategy’s dividend runway and “robust” enterprise software cash flow are significantly reducing the liquidation risks for the company, according to Lacie Zhang, research analyst at Bitget Wallet.
“We view MicroStrategy’s 71-year dividend runway claim as realistic under a flat Bitcoin price scenario,” however, long-term projections are dependent on several uncertainties, including “market volatility or regulatory shifts,” Zhang told Cointelegraph.
“I’m not particularly concerned about near-term liquidations for the largest corporate BTC holder, as their diversified funding and hodl strategy positions them well for sustained growth.”
Strategy’s ongoing accumulation, she added, has contributed to broader “industry stability” and supported deeper institutional adoption.
Strategy’s hodl stance may prevent deeper Bitcoin declines, analyst says
Strategy’s ability to avoid forced selling could also help Bitcoin avoid falling below key psychological levels in future downturns, according to Ki Young Ju, founder and CEO of CryptoQuant.
Strategy’s strong financials are a positive signal for the next Bitcoin bear market, as the world’s largest corporate holder is “unlikely to sell,” he said.
This may save BTC from revisiting its realized price of around $56,000 during the next crypto bear market “because players like MSTR are unlikely to sell and those coins are effectively off the market,” wrote the analyst in a Friday X post.
Still, some of the leading DATs suffered significant stock crashes and declines in their market net asset value (mNAV), including Strategy, Bitmine, Metaplanet, Sharplink Gaming, Upexi and DeFi Development Corp.
The mNAV ratio compares a company’s enterprise value to the value of its crypto holdings. An mNAV below 1 makes it more challenging for companies to raise funds by issuing new shares, which may limit their cryptocurrency purchases.
Strategy key metrics, including mNAV. Source: Strategy.com
Strategy’s mNAV stood at 1.16 at the time of writing, meaning the company could still theoretically issue new shares to raise additional capital, according to Strategy’s dashboard.
Tyler Durden
Wed, 11/26/2025 – 11:45
Column: Prices for Thanksgiving feasts take flight
Those of you who piled shopping carts full of Thanksgiving goodies this week know that hosting the holiday dinner costs more this year.
Everyone seems to acknowledge this except our president.
I can attest to higher prices at the grocery store while dodging shoppers with sharp elbows as they skated the aisles like left-wingers ready for a slapshot in order to bring home turkeys and trimmings for their Thanksgiving feast. Don’t take my word for it, though, as you map out your after-dinner Black Friday strategy.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Labor Statistics says food prices have risen 2.7% compared to the same time last year. The cost of meats, poultry, fish and eggs saw the most significant increase, with prices up 5.2% compared to 2024.
The average cost of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner rose 7.1% from 2024 to 2025, reaching $61.14, according to various reports, from $57.09 last year.
A Purdue University report found that, compared to 2024, the price of that turkey you’re going to nosh on is 25% higher, costing an average of $2.05 per pound in 2025. Of course, some grocers used turkeys as loss leaders, discounting bird prices after shoppers spent a minimum amount at their stores.
Inflation is now at 3%, up from 2.9% in 2024. Under President Joe Biden, inflation numbers hit as high as 9% during the peak of his four-year term in 2022. The Federal Reserve has an inflation target of 2% a year.
Yet, President Donald Trump continues to ignore what is plainly evident in the checkout line. He won’t even eat crow, insisting earlier this month: “We don’t have any inflation.”
“Our prices are coming down very substantially on groceries and things,” he added with a straight face. We’re used to our politicians telling a fib now and then, but since he took office for his second four-year term, Trump has been outdoing Pinocchio by more than a nose.
Some may remember that on the hustings last year, Trump promised that if elected, he would “rapidly drive prices down and make America affordable again.” Like failing to end nearly a dozen hostilities across the globe (another campaign trail pledge), the cost of living has risen under his watch. There’s reality, and then there’s Trump Truths, especially when it comes to his prediction of a “golden economy” for us.
The president’s widespread tariffs are one reason prices have risen. Bananas imported from Guatemala, for example, were at 79 cents a pound the other day. Before the tariffs, bunches were about 49 cents a pound.
The Trump administration recently announced plans to lower tariffs on fruit imported into the U.S. from the banana republics. Apparently, those price drops haven’t hit the logistics pipeline.
Most Americans sitting down at the dinner table are about as mad at Trump as they were when Biden was president. National poll after poll shows those surveyed highly criticize Trump’s leadership when it comes to handling inflation and the economy, along with his interpretation of facts.
Like touting gas prices being lower than under Biden. Except the national average for regular gas was $3.055 a gallon on Tuesday, about the same as the $3.056 price a year ago when Biden was in the waning days of his presidency, the AAA reported.
Adding to economic uncertainty is the announcement earlier this week from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis that the release of its advance estimate of third-quarter Gross Domestic Product data will be canceled. Officials at the agency said the disruption caused by the federal government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history, is the reason.
If one believes that rationale. Some don’t, which isn’t surprising as we pass a year since Trump was elected to another term.
In the meantime, many Lake Countians are turning to alternative sources, especially food pantries, to supplement their family food budgets. Many organizations across the county this week distributed Thanksgiving food boxes full of everything needed for at-home banquets.
In one of the richest counties in America, no one should go hungry. Especially on Thanksgiving, our true American holiday.
Charles Selle is a former News-Sun reporter, political editor and editor.
sellenews@gmail.com
X @sellenews
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/26/charles-selle-column-thanksgiving-2/
Smith-Njigba y Garrett ponen en peligro dos récords de la NFL antes de Acción de Gracias
Por JOSH DUBOW
Jaxon Smith-Njigba ya logró la temporada de recepción más prolífica en la historia de Seattle y podría convertirse en el primer receptor de 2.000 yardas de la NFL.
Smith-Njigba no es el único que podría acabar en el libro de récords esta campaña. Myles Garrett, el ala defensiva de Cleveland, se está acercando al récord de capturas en una sola temporada después de acumular 13 en los últimos cuatro juegos.
El calendario ni siquiera ha llegado al fin de semana de Acción de Gracias y ya están al borde de romper dos récords de una sola temporada de la NFL.
Smith-Njigba acumuló 167 yardas en recepciones el domingo contra Tennessee, para llegar 1.313 en lo que va de esta temporada. Rompió el récord de la franquicia de 1.303 yardas que D.K. Metcalf estableció en 2020 y tiene la tercera mayor cantidad de yardas recibidas de cualquier jugador en los primeros 11 juegos de su equipo. Elroy “Crazy Legs” Hirsch tuvo la mayor cantidad con 1.349 yardas en 1951, seguido por las 1.327 de Charley Hennigan en 1961 y las 1.324 de Tyreek Hill en 2023.
Las 119,4 yardas por juego de Smith-Njigba están justo detrás de las 122,8 de Calvin Johnson en 2012, cuando estableció el récord de una sola temporada con 1.964 yardas de recepción. Pero debido a que ahora la temporada se extiende a 17 semanas, Smith-Njigba podría superar ese récord y convertirse en el primer jugador en romper la barrera de las 2.000 yardas.
Smith-Njigba ha logrado esos elevados números de recepción a pesar de jugar para el único equipo en la NFL que corre en más de la mitad de sus jugadas ofensivas. Smith-Njigba ha representado el 46.9% de las yardas de recepción de Seattle hasta ahora esta temporada, una marca superada solo cuatro veces desde 1948. El último jugador con una mayor participación en los últimos 50 años Ken Burroughs con el 50,6% de las yardas de recepción para los Oilers de Houston.
Las 18 capturas de Garrett hasta ahora representan la mayor cantidad para un jugador en los primeros 11 juegos de temporada, por encima de las 17 y media de Mark Gastineau en 1984 cuando estableció el récord con 22. Michael Strahan rompió el récord de Gastineau con 22 capturas y media en 2001, un total que fue igualado hace cuatro años por T.J. Watt de Pittsburgh.
Garrett necesita solo cinco capturas en sus últimos seis juegos para romper el récord. Ha registrado al menos tres capturas en tres de los últimos cuatro duelos, con su última gran actuación cuando derribó a Geno Smith tres veces el domingo en una victoria sobre Las Vegas.
El único jugador con más juegos de tres capturas en una temporada fue Lawrence Taylor, quien tuvo cuatro en 1986 cuando ganó el galardón MVP de la AP con los Giants de Nueva York.
Aunque Garrett está perfilado para establecer un récord, se encuentra detrás de lo que hizo Reggie White en la temporada de 1987 afectada por la huelga. Ese año se disputaron apenas 15 partidos por equipo y White se lo perdió debido a que presentaron jugadores de reemplazo. White tuvo 19 capturas en sus primeros 11 juegos esa temporada y terminó con 21 en 12 juegos.
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Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/deportes
Aurora increases parking fees at Metra stations in the city for first time in 10 years
The Aurora City Council has voted to increase parking prices at the city’s two Metra stations for the first time in 10 years.
Prices are set to go up from $2 per day or $42 for a monthly pass to $3 per day or $60 for a monthly pass starting in the new year. City officials have said the change will bring the prices in line with other parking along the BNSF-Metra rail line, in particular matching the daily rates of Naperville’s parking lots at Metra stations.
Both Naperville and Aurora have parking lots at the BNSF-Metra line station on Route 59, which borders the two cities. Aurora also has parking lots at the BNSF-Metra line station at the Aurora Transportation Center on North Broadway near the city’s downtown.
Aurora’s Transportation Center near downtown has three parking lots with 799 daily and 479 monthly permit parking spaces, while the Aurora-owned lot at the Metra station on Route 59 has 1,538 daily and 1,028 monthly parking spaces.
The city is responsible for maintenance to the two train stations, which is supposed to be financially self-sustaining through the collection of parking fees, Aurora Director of Public Facilities Derrick Winston previously told a committee of the Aurora City Council.
The parking fees at the stations hadn’t increased since 2015, he said at the Finance Committee meeting on Nov. 13.
Before 2020, the fees were enough to sustain operations at the train stations, but revenue dropped nearly to zero in spring 2020, Winston said at the time. While revenue has been returning since the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, it hasn’t risen much above half of what it was.
The city has continued to maintain those stations despite the drop in parking revenue, so it has needed to use reserve funds and to receive subsidies from other city funds, according to Winston. Even with Christkindlmarket bringing in $400,000 in parking revenue last year, the maintenance operations still needed to be subsidized, he said at the time.
The increased parking fees are set to rebuild those reserve funds and make operations financially self-sustaining again.
The topic didn’t prompt any discussion at the Aurora City Council meeting on Tuesday, and instead it went straight to a vote, with all aldermen in attendance voting in favor. Alds. Ted Mesiacos, 3rd Ward, Patty Smith, 8th Ward, and Shweta Baid, 10th Ward, were not at the meeting so did not vote on the fee increases.
City officials have been saying for months that the city’s 2026 budget is facing its own significant deficit and that the city’s current financial situation is one of the most serious it has ever faced. The city’s proposed general operating budget for 2026 has seen significant cuts throughout the process, officials have said, and it includes around 140 fewer positions.
The Aurora City Council has recently approved other steps to increase or stabilize revenue in other parts of the city budget, including an increase to the city’s hotel tax, an increase in the number of gambling machines businesses are allowed to operate and the local continuation of a grocery tax set to otherwise expire statewide at the end of the year.
rsmith@chicagotribune.com
Jueza advierte sobre el empleo de IA en informes de uso de la fuerza
Por CLAUDIA LAUER
En una breve nota al pie que forma parte de una extensa opinión judicial, una jueza federal señaló recientemente a los agentes de inmigración que utilizan inteligencia artificial para redactar informes sobre el uso de la fuerza, lo que genera preocupaciones de posibles inexactitudes y de una mayor desconfianza pública en la manera en que la policía ha manejado la estricta aplicación de las leyes migratorias en el área de Chicago y las protestas derivadas de la misma.
La jueza federal de distrito, Sara Ellis, escribió la nota al pie en una opinión de 223 páginas emitida la semana pasada, donde señala que la práctica de usar ChatGPT para redactar informes sobre el uso de la fuerza socava la credibilidad de los agentes y “puede explicar la inexactitud de estos informes”. Describió lo que vio en al menos un video de cámara corporal, escribiendo que un agente le pide a ChatGPT que compile una narrativa para un informe después de darle al programa una breve descripción y varias imágenes.
La jueza señaló discrepancias fácticas entre la narrativa oficial sobre esas respuestas de las fuerzas del orden y lo que mostraban las imágenes de la cámara corporal. Pero los expertos dicen que el uso de la IA para redactar un informe que depende de la perspectiva específica de un agente sin utilizar la experiencia real de éste es el peor uso posible de la tecnología y plantea serias preocupaciones sobre la precisión y la privacidad.
La perspectiva necesaria de un agente
Las agencias de aplicación de la ley de todo el país han lidiado con la manera de crear salvaguardias que permitan que los agentes usen la tecnología de IA, cada vez más disponible, mientras mantienen la precisión, la privacidad y el profesionalismo. Los expertos dijeron que el ejemplo relatado en la opinión no logró ese desafío.
“Lo que hizo este tipo es lo peor de todos los mundos. Darle una sola oración y algunas imágenes; si eso es cierto, si eso es lo que sucedió aquí, va en contra de todos los consejos que tenemos. Es un escenario de pesadilla”, dijo Ian Adams, profesor adjunto de criminología de la Universidad de Carolina del Sur que forma parte de un grupo de trabajo sobre inteligencia artificial del Consejo de Justicia Criminal, un grupo de expertos no partidista.
El Departamento de Seguridad Nacional no respondió a las solicitudes de comentarios, y no se sabe si la agencia tenía directrices o políticas sobre el uso de la IA por parte de los agentes. Las imágenes de la cámara corporal citadas en la orden aún no han sido publicadas.
Adams dijo que pocos departamentos han implementado políticas, pero aquellos que lo han hecho a menudo prohíben el uso de IA predictiva al redactar informes que justifican decisiones de aplicación de la ley, especialmente en relación con el uso de la fuerza. Los tribunales han establecido un estándar al que se refieren como razonabilidad objetiva al considerar si un uso de la fuerza fue justificado, confiando en gran medida en la perspectiva del agente.
“Necesitamos los hechos específicos articulados de ese evento y los pensamientos específicos de ese agente específico para saber si se trató de un uso justificado de la fuerza”, dijo Adams. “Ese es el peor escenario, aparte de decirle explícitamente que invente hechos, porque estás pidiéndole que invente hechos en esta situación de alto riesgo”.
Información privada y evidencia
Además de plantear preocupaciones sobre un informe generado por IA que caracterice incorrectamente lo que sucedió, el uso de esa herramienta también plantea posibles problemas de privacidad.
Katie Kinsey, jefa de despacho y asesora de políticas tecnológicas del Proyecto de Policía de la Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad de Nueva York, dijo que, si el agente en la orden utilizaba una versión pública de ChatGPT, probablemente no entendía que perdió el control de las imágenes en el momento en que las subió, permitiendo que fueran parte del dominio público y que pudieran ser utilizadas por actores malintencionados.
Kinsey dijo que, desde un punto de vista tecnológico, la mayoría de los departamentos trabajan sobre la marcha cuando se trata de la IA. Señaló que un patrón común en la aplicación de la ley consiste en esperar hasta que las nuevas tecnologías ya se estén utilizando, y en algunos casos, se cometan errores, para luego hablar sobre la implementación de directrices o políticas.
“Sería preferible hacer las cosas al revés, cuando se entienden los riesgos y se desarrollan salvaguardias en torno a los riesgos”, dijo Kinsey. “Aun si no estudian las mejores prácticas, hay algunos aspectos más accesibles que podrían ayudar. Podemos empezar con la transparencia”.
La experta dijo que, mientras los organismos federales de aplicación de la ley consideran cómo debería usarse o no la tecnología, podrían adoptar una política como las implementadas recientemente en Utah o California, donde los informes policiales o las comunicaciones escritas que utilizan IA deben estar etiquetados.
Uso cuidadoso de nuevas herramientas
Las fotografías que el agente utilizó para generar una narrativa también causaron preocupaciones de precisión a algunos expertos.
Empresas tecnológicas bien conocidas como Axon han comenzado a ofrecer componentes de IA con sus cámaras corporales para ayudar en la redacción de informes de incidentes. Esos programas de IA comercializados para la policía operan en un sistema cerrado y en gran medida se limitan a usar audio de las cámaras corporales para producir narrativas porque las empresas han dicho que los programas que intentan usar imágenes visuales no son lo suficientemente efectivos.
“Hay muchas maneras diferentes de describir un color, o una expresión facial o cualquier componente visual. Podrías preguntar a cualquier experto en IA y te dirían que las indicaciones devuelven resultados muy diferentes entre diferentes aplicaciones de IA, y eso se complica con un componente visual”, dijo Andrew Guthrie Ferguson, profesor de derecho en la Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad George Washington.
“También hay una cuestión de profesionalismo. ¿Estamos de acuerdo con que los policías usen análisis predictivos?”, añadió. “Se trata de lo que el modelo piensa que debería haber sucedido, pero podría no ser lo que realmente sucedió. No quieres que sea lo que termine en la corte, para justificar tus acciones”.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Militares dicen haber tomado el poder en Guinea-Bisáu
BISÁU, Guinea-Bisáu (AP) — Soldados en Guinea-Bisáu aparecieron en la televisión estatal diciendo que han tomado el poder en el país, tras informes de disparos cerca del palacio presidencial el miércoles.
“El Alto Mando Militar para el restablecimiento del orden nacional y público decide deponer inmediatamente al Presidente de la República, suspender, hasta nuevas órdenes, todas las instituciones de la República de Guinea-Bisáu”, expresó Dinis N’Tchama, portavoz del alto mando militar del país, en un comunicado.
Declaró que fue en reacción al “descubrimiento de un plan en curso” que busca desestabilizar el país, añadiendo que “nacionales e internacionales” intentaron “manipular los resultados electorales para implementar este plan”.
Los soldados dijeron que están suspendiendo inmediatamente el proceso electoral actual y las actividades de los medios de comunicación, así como cerrando todas las fronteras
Las elecciones presidenciales y legislativas fueron el domingo. El presidente saliente Umaro Sissoco Embaló y el candidato de la oposición Fernando Dias da Costa ambos se declararon ganadores el martes, a pesar de que los resultados provisionales oficiales no se esperan hasta el jueves.
La nación de África Occidental ha experimentado en el pasado cuatro golpes de Estado y numerosos intentos desde su independencia, incluido uno reportado el mes pasado.
Un periodista de Associated Press observó que las carreteras que conducen al palacio estaban cerradas, con puntos de control atendidos por soldados fuertemente armados y enmascarados.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/26/militares-dicen-haber-tomado-el-poder-en-guinea-bisu/
5 things to watch in Chicago Bears’ Black Friday game at Philadelphia Eagles — plus our Week 13 predictions
A national audience will tune into Friday’s showdown between the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles, curious to see if the Bears’ 8-3 start stands up to the defending champions’ 8-3 record.
But the Bears aren’t viewing the Week 13 game (2 p.m., Prime Video) as a litmus test of their legitimacy.
“We don’t put that type of energy, that type of effort, that type of pressure on any other game,” quarterback Caleb Williams said. “We go into each game (with the) focus on being 1-0. You don’t look over there (and) compare yourself to their record, their team, their coaches, their players, or anything like that. We focus on us.”
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Williams and others have credited the Bears’ new outlook to the culture change Ben Johnson has instilled since his hire as a first-time head coach in January.
Safety Kevin Byard III said, “I’ve talked about this from the beginning, how Chicago’s got the right guy in place, just the type of culture he’s been able to set from the beginning since he’s been here.
“I don’t think we could have pegged it to say, ‘Hey, we’re going to be 8-3 to start this year.’ But I just knew just from the process that we had, from the spring up to this point, it’s a winning culture and it’s a winning process.”
Here are five things to watch on Friday.
1. There’s a reverence for Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.
Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio walks on the field before a game against the Cowboys on Nov. 23, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez )
Fangio steered the Bears defense from 2015, when they ranked 20th in scoring defense (24.8 points per game), to 2018, when they ranked first (17.7). He was named the 2018 NFL Assistant Coach of the Year before the Denver Broncos hired him as head coach, a role he served for three seasons.
The Eagles defense ranked third from the bottom in scoring defense (25.2) in 2023. In Fangio’s first season in Philadelphia, he turned them into the second-ranked unit (17.8) and ultimately Super Bowl champions.
This season, the Eagles are eighth in scoring defense (20.5) and third in the red zone (48.48%), but are less daunting in other areas, such as their 340 yards allowed per game (ranked 20th) and 5.84% sack rate (26th).
Still, the Bears have a lot of respect for the 67-year-old coach, whose first coordinator job was with the Carolina Panthers in 1995.
“He’s really changed the way teams play defense,” said Declan Doyle, Bears offensive coordinator, of Fangio.
Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said, “Everybody in the league pays attention to what other teams are doing, especially guys that have been as successful as Vic’s been throughout his career. He’s outstanding at what he does.
“Everywhere he’s been, he’s coached top-level defenses – go all the way back to the freaking Dome Patrol back in New Orleans. I’ve got a lot of respect for him and what he’s been able to accomplish defensively, and certainly we try to look at his tape and see what he’s doing that can marry up to some of the things that we’re trying to get accomplished.”
Williams, who has to face Fangio’s Eagles defense, said, “They do well hiding coverages and hiding pressures and waiting until the ball is snapped to do a bunch of different rotations and things like that.”
Doyle added, “They do a good job of holding the shell and trying to disguise and make things cloudy on the quarterback.”
Fangio has a lot of respect, as well, for Johnson and his staff’s makeover of the Bears offense.
“They do a great job calling the game, mixing it up, marrying their run game and their pass game,” Fangio told reporters in Philadelphia. “They’re highly ranked in a lot of areas and I don’t think it’s any accident. They’ve got really good players, and it’s a great scheme and a great play caller.”
2. Pressing question: Can the Bears stop the tush push?
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts runs the “Tush push” for a first down against the Packers during the first half on Nov. 10, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
It’s perhaps the most reliable – and most controversial – facet of the Eagles offense.
In short yardage and goalline situations, offensive teammates push quarterback Jalen Hurts from behind as he surges over the offensive line.
“It’s just the pad level up front,” said Jeremy Garrett, Bears defensive line coach. “The drive and the strength of the offensive linemen up front. Everybody in the country knows what’s coming, and you have to line up and stop it. Quarterback does a great job of finding a crease, and those guys, they just move bodies on the inside.”
Football purists seem to either love it or hate it. But at least the Bears have some familiarity with it.
The Pittsburgh Steelers ran the formation a few of times on 4th-and-1 in the second quarter Sunday, both with direct snaps to tight end Connor Heyward. The first time the Bears stuffed it. The second time, the Steelers tricked the Bears and handed off to running back Kenneth Gainwell for a 55-yard run.
Bears linebackers D’Marco Jackson (48) and Amen Ogbongbemiga (45) tackle Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell in the fourth quarter at Soldier Field on Nov. 23, 2025. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
“Tush push is a tush push,” Garrett said. “Obviously, Philly has perfected it, but it was still tough. Pittsburgh was succeeding at a high rate with theirs as well. It’s tough to stop.
“So I do think rolling into Philly, (it’s) hey, we’ve seen this look before, we’ve stopped it. I think it does give the guys a little bit of confidence.”
Still, the other outcome – Gainwell’s big gain – is present in Allen’s mind.
“We do have a plan in place and we feel like it’s a good, solid plan in terms of not only trying to stop that play, but all the plays that come off of it,” he said. “And that’s what makes it even more difficult to stop.”
The play may not be as difficult as it once was, however.
Certainly, there’s not a statistic labeled “tush push,” but Next Gen Stats/NFL Research provided the Tribune with the Eagles quarterback’s sneak conversion rate, which has been the same since the Eagles began using the tush push in 2021.
2021: 13 first downs on 14 attempts (92.9%)
2022: 29 first downs on 33 attempts (87.8%)
2023: 35 first downs on 42 attempts (83.3%)
2024: 32 first downs on 39 attempts (82.1%)
2025: 16 first downs on 23 attempts (69.6%)
The Eagles’ conversion rate has dropped significantly from last year, but a 70% rate is still pretty effective.
3. Player in the spotlight: Grady Jarrett, Bears defensive tackle
Bears defensive tackle Grady Jarrett is blocked by Lions guard Tate Ratledge in the first quarter on Sept. 14, 2025, at Ford Field in Detroit. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Jarrett and fellow DT Andrew Billings led the way in stopping Pittsburgh’s tush push Sunday.
“They moved the line of scrimmage back,” Garrett said of his defensive line. “You have to not only match their pad level, but you have to be lower than them, which is difficult to do when those guys are bear-crawling into the ground.”
Jarrett was pretty juiced. “Just being able to stop one of football’s most hated plays, obviously, right?”
But what’s next for Jarrett is the question after he missed three games with a knee injury earlier this season. He ha played inthe last five.
“I’m on an upswing of dealing with my injury,” he said. “It was a rough start, fighting through injury, and then having to take a step back and get worked back up into a ramp-up. I’m happy to be able to play a standard of football that I want to play week in and week out.”
Will Jarrett would gorge himself on turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy on Thursday to give him some extra oomph against the Eagles’ tush push?
“I’m going to wait until after the game to celebrate Thanksgiving, so I can really go to work,” he said. “I don’t need to be all heavy going into that Friday game.”
4. Keep an eye on … the Bears secondary.
Bears cornerback Nahshon Wright celebrates after defeating the Steelers 31-28 on Nov. 23, 2025, at Soldier Field. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
With defensive backs Jaylon Johnson (groin) and Kyler Gordon (calf) in their practice windows, it’s a week-to-week — if not a day-to-day — watch for their return.
When Gordon’s game-ready, what do the Bears do with C.J. Gardner-Johnson?
But here’s a better question: When Johnson is back in action, what the heck do the Bears do with Nahshon Wright, who’s technically the “third” cornerback behind Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson but shares the NFL lead in interceptions with five? Could the Bears really play Wright off the bench?
“Everybody’s going to have a role,” Allen said. “He certainly earned the right to play. What that role is, each and every week, may change, but we’re going to try to find ways that if we have a guy that we think can help us win games, we’re going to try to find ways to get him on the field.”
Al Harris, the Bears pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach, said of Wright, “We’ve got to find a way to get our best 11 guys on the field. He’s one of our best 11 guys.”
5. Injury updates.
Bears linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga celebrates after a tackle in the second quarter against the Steelers on Nov. 23, 2025, at Soldier Field. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Linebackers T.J. Edwards (hand/hamstring), Ruben Hyppolite II (shoulder) and Noah Sewell (elbow) didn’t participate in Tuesday’s estimate report following a walk-through. Tremaine Edmunds (groin) is on injured reserve, so that potentially puts backups D’Marco Jackson and Amen Ogbongbemiga back in the spotlight after they combined for 29 tackles Sunday.
“I was really impressed (with) the way how coachable (he was) and even-keeled he was,” linebackers coach Richard Smith said of Jackson. “The moment wasn’t too big for him. (I) saw some really good plays with speed and acceleration, and the effort was really, really good.”
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Ogbongbemiga expressed gratitude for the chance to shine when Hyppolite went down, but he was initially disappointed he didn’t get the start.
“That’s good,” Smith said. “You’d rather have a guy who believes in himself than someone who says, ‘I’m a backup.’”
It could be all hands on deck to stop Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (limited with a groin injury).
“Barkley has great vision,” Smith said. “He runs hard and hits the hole. He has a strong lower body. He spins out of tackles.”
Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson (hip) was a non-participant Tuesday, while fellow defensive backs Johnson and Gordon remain on injured reserve. Defensive lineman Dominique Robinson (concussion) also didn’t participate.
Nickel corner Nick McCloud played outside, opposite Wright, against the Steelers.
“DA (Dennis Allen), even in the spring, he cross-trained a lot of guys on this team,” Byard said. “Just using a random example like Kyler Gordon, he was taking reps at safety, he was taking reps at nickel, taking reps at corner.
“He has done it for a lot of guys, whether it was Tremaine and T.J. flipping sides, everybody’s kind of gotten different reps at different spots that really understand the schematics of the defense. Guys have really come in and (taken) advantage of opportunities. You look at a guy like Nahshon, who wasn’t projected to be a starter this year, or you talk about D’Marco just this past week.”
Left tackle Theo Benedet was a full participant after being inactive Sunday, but backup lineman Luke Newman didn’t participate. Offensive lineman Ozzy Trapilo filled in for Benedet and drew raves from the coaching staff.
Predictions
Brad Biggs
There’s been enough drama coming out of Philadelphia this season that you’d swear the team’s record is 3-8 and not 8-3. The defending Super Bowl champions lost some key pieces on defense and the vaunted offensive line has dealt with several injury setbacks. The opportunistic Bears, who lead the NFL with a plus-24 turnover margin, might not be able to count on that. The Eagles are tops in the league with only six giveaways. If Philadelphia gets Saquon Barkley rolling — and far less accomplished backs have had big days vs. the Bears — this could be a mismatch.
Eagles 30, Bears 16
Sean Hammond (9-2)
The Eagles have had their issues this season, notably on offense. Yet they are 8-3. The Bears linebacker injuries, particularly against a better quarterback than Pittsburgh’s Mason Rudolph, make this a concerning matchup. Saquon Barkley should find ways to test the middle of the Bears defense. Vic Fangio’s defense could be the toughest challenge yet for Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson’s offense. If the Bears can hang around, they’ll have a chance, but I think Philadelphia holds them off.
Eagles 27, Bears 21
Phil Thompson (7-4)
The Eagles certainly looked vulnerable against the Dallas Cowboys, but familiarity with a division opponent breeds opportunity to exploit weaknesses. The Bears haven’t faced a team as put-together on offense and defense as the Eagles are. Saquon Barkley averages a full yard more on the ground at Lincoln Financial Field (4.5 to 3.1) than on the road. The Bears have given up the third-highest rushing yards per play (5.18).
Eagles 30, Bears 27
Schweizer Exposes DEI Fraud Machine Inside Federal Contracting Complex
Schweizer Exposes DEI Fraud Machine Inside Federal Contracting Complex
Peter Schweizer, president of the Government Accountability Institute and the investigative journalist who broke the Clinton Cash corruption story, has uncovered what may be one of the most brazen grifts operating inside the Capital Beltway. His new reporting exposes deep cronyism and corruption inside the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) Business Development Program, where DEI-driven preferences opened the door for fraudsters to siphon off lucrative no-bid federal contracts.
Instead of supporting legitimate small business development, the 8(a) program has been a massive pipeline for pass-through entities that collect bidless contracts on silver platters while quietly outsourcing the real work to major consulting firms.
The result: Merit-based competition gets sidelined, and tens of billions in taxpayer dollars flow through shell operators, allowing the corrupt Beltway economy of parasites to loot taxpayers. The looting went into hyperdrive during the Biden-Harris regime years.
Remember the ‘Gold Bars‘ corruption story with the EPA? – Well, this 8(a) corruption turns out to be very similar: loot taxpayers as much as possible with Biden in the White House, who had no idea what was happening.
Schweizer has built a career exposing this kind of institutional rot, and the developments in the news cycle so far suggest the Trump administration is preparing to slam down the accountability hammer and smash parasites across the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia.
“For years, DC insiders have exploited a federal DEI contracting program that provides windfalls to beltway elites. This open secret isn’t about helping the downtrodden; it’s about bagging no-bid paydays. The SBA’s 8(a) program is long overdue for reform,” Schweizer began the X thread post on Tuesday night, as well as publishing a report on The Drill Down.
🚨 MASSIVE FRAUD ALERT: For years, DC insiders have exploited a federal DEI contracting program that provides windfalls to beltway elites. This open secret isn’t about helping the downtrodden; it’s about bagging no-bid paydays. The SBA’s 8(a) program is long overdue for reform.🧵 pic.twitter.com/G7X0hCQdYt
— Peter Schweizer (@peterschweizer) November 26, 2025
He pointed out that his team “followed the money and found that the SBA’s ‘8(a) contracting program’ contains stunning levels of cronyism and corruption,” adding, “Corps win government contracts not due to merit but because they check the right DEI boxes. ZERO accountability!”
💰 My team and I have followed the money and found that the SBA’s “8(a) contracting program” contains stunning levels of cronyism and corruption. Corps win government contracts not due to merit but because they check the right DEI boxes. ZERO accountability! pic.twitter.com/eWKllrDzum
— Peter Schweizer (@peterschweizer) November 26, 2025
How the 8(a) scam works:
☎️ Here’s how the scam works: A small company gets special status by becoming “8(a) Certified” by the SBA. Then it turns around and hands the work to a major consulting firm. Taxpayers pay the premium, insiders pocket the difference, and Washington calls it “equity.” pic.twitter.com/QqYe3q3z8C
— Peter Schweizer (@peterschweizer) November 26, 2025
It’s one thing to catch fraud in Excel spreadsheets. It’s another thing to see it happening in the real world. As Schweizer’s team highlighted, undercover footage from O’Keefe Media Group showed 8(a) operators openly admitting to the racket…
💸 Pass-through abuse is just the beginning. A recent DOJ bust exposed the depth of blatant 8(a) fraud when a USAID officer bagged $1M+ in BRIBES while steering $500M+ in contracts to firms exploiting their “special status.” Shout out to @lukerosiak for his EXCELLENT reporting. pic.twitter.com/Op3xJONNqb
— Peter Schweizer (@peterschweizer) November 26, 2025
“The floodgates opened wider when the Biden administration tripled contracting quotas for race-based awards. Money was even diverted away from veteran-owned businesses. Identity first, performance second — and the costs exploded,” Schweizer emphasized.
👴🏻 The floodgates opened wider when the Biden administration tripled contracting quotas for race-based awards. Money was even diverted away from veteran-owned businesses. Identity first, performance second — and the costs exploded. pic.twitter.com/FRfvkqLKLs
— Peter Schweizer (@peterschweizer) November 26, 2025
What makes the 8(a) scandal so critical is that no corner of the federal contracting world has been more gamed than the 8(a).
The program may have begun with good intentions, but the road to hell really is paved with them. In practice, it’s morphed into an arbitrary tollgate that every major contracting firm knows how to subvert through pass-through entities.
Everyone in the DC consulting world understands how the game works: set up a compliant 8(a) “small business,” win the no-bid award, and let the big consulting firms do all the work.
These DEI mandates have proven to make the government dysfunctional. It’s more hoops, more paperwork, more meaningless certifications, more administrative drag, and ultimately a worse product. Fraud is one thing. But the DEI overlay has turned the DC into a bloated and corrupt hellhole that ultimately sticks taxpayers with the inflated bill.
Schweizer ends the thread with a hint that an enforcement phase may be approaching, and that the days of operating this DEI scam in the shadows of the DC beltway could be numbered.
📈 After the ruling, every company was supposed to prove they faced discrimination. Instead, staff walked firms through how to write victimhood essays. One firm submitted twelve drafts until it “passed.” The number of special-status firms went up. pic.twitter.com/t7xZqbCycM
— Peter Schweizer (@peterschweizer) November 26, 2025
Now, @SecScottBessent has ordered an agency-wide probe into potential fraud stemming from the 8(a) contracting program which drains billions from taxpayers, military, & real small businesses. Sunlight is coming & the era of racial pass-through contracting is coming to an end. pic.twitter.com/jYfmoVIuIH
— Peter Schweizer (@peterschweizer) November 26, 2025
Earlier this month, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent addressed the 8(a) fraud issue, stating, “Treasury will not tolerate the fraudulent misuse of federal contracting programs. These initiatives must benefit legitimate small businesses that deliver measurable value to the government and the public.”
Schweizer hints at the needed reforms:
Congress needs to investigate the program and subpoena ALL contractors suspected of fraud
Every agency that has 8(a) contracts needs to audit those contracts (start with the Pentagon!)
The rules need to be rewritten to get rid of DEI focus, level the playing field, and close the “pass-through” loopholes
⚖️ Here’s what needs to happen to end the 8(a) waste, fraud, and abuse once and for all:
1. Congress needs to investigate the program and subpoena ALL contractors suspected of fraud
2. Every agency that has 8(a) contracts needs to audit those contracts (start with the Pentagon!)… pic.twitter.com/OnbcfsrpKr
— Peter Schweizer (@peterschweizer) November 26, 2025
Bessent’s comments are a clear signal that major reforms aimed at shutting down the Beltway parasites who’ve been gaming the 8(a) program through toxic DEI loopholes near.
It’s not just Bessent, SBA Administrator, Kelly Loeffler is also leading the charge…
🌟 The @SBAgov efforts to end 8(a) waste, fraud, and abuse have been enormous. All of this corruption started to unravel after the full-scale audit Administrator Loeffler ordered back in June. Amazing leadership, @KLoeffler. Keep going!! 👏🏻 pic.twitter.com/lsSYlC2QkP
— Peter Schweizer (@peterschweizer) November 26, 2025
Federalist senior contributor Benjamin Weingarten chimed in on X, saying, “The more you look at the DEI Industrial Complex, the more you realize it’s not just a destroyer of civil rights masquerading as a protector of them, but a massive multibillion dollar grift.”
The more you look at the DEI Industrial Complex, the more you realize it’s not just a destroyer of civil rights masquerading as a protector of them, but a massive multibillion dollar grift.
The rampant fraudulence and corruption under guise of virtue and justice is deplorable.… https://t.co/vRyC3AlYKR
— Benjamin Weingarten (@bhweingarten) November 26, 2025
Weingarten ended with, “The rampant fraudulence and corruption under guise of virtue and justice is deplorable.”
Tyler Durden
Wed, 11/26/2025 – 11:25
Nuevo fiscal no presentará cargos contra Trump y otros en caso de interferencia electoral en Georgia
Por KATE BRUMBACK
ATLANTA (AP) — El fiscal que recientemente asumió el caso de interferencia electoral en Georgia contra el presidente Donald Trump y otros, anunció en un documento judicial el miércoles que ha decidido no continuar con el caso.
Pete Skandalakis, el director ejecutivo del Consejo de Fiscales de Georgia, asumió el caso el mes pasado luego que la fiscal anterior Fani Willis fue removida por una “apariencia de impropiedad” creada por una relación romántica con el fiscal especial que eligió para liderar el caso.
Después de la presentación de Skandalakis, el juez de la Corte Superior del Condado de Fulton, Scott McAfee, emitió una orden de un párrafo desestimando el caso en su totalidad.
Era poco probable que se pudiera haber avanzado con la acción legal contra Trump mientras él es presidente. Pero otras 14 personas aún enfrentaban cargos, incluidos el exalcalde de Nueva York y abogado de Trump, Rudy Giuliani, y el exjefe de gabinete de la Casa Blanca, Mark Meadows.
Después de que la Corte Suprema de Georgia en septiembre se negara a escuchar la apelación de Willis sobre su descalificación, le correspondió al Consejo de Fiscales encontrar un nuevo fiscal. Skandalakis dijo el mes pasado que contactó a varios fiscales, pero todos se negaron a asumir el caso. McAfee fijó el 14 de noviembre como fecha límite para el nombramiento de un nuevo fiscal, por lo que Skandalakis decidió nombrarse a sí mismo en lugar de permitir que el caso fuera desestimado.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Of Notoriety: South Shore Arts’ ‘Evergreen Artisan Market’ a month-long nod to ‘Small Biz Saturday’
I met Karen Maravilla long ago because of her association with the Downtown Hammond Council and as a fellow advocate for the arts.
While Karen was a guest on my WJOB 1230 AM radio show earlier this week for the Tuesday broadcast, I learned from her the origins of the annual commerce observation of “Shop Small Business Saturday,” which is always the Saturday following Thanksgiving and, of course, the day after Black Friday.
The day is designed to give a cash register boost in sales for locally owned family businesses that add their revenue math in the same ledgers and spreadsheets as large chain retailers.
What I didn’t realize is that it was American Express that launched the idea and promoted the first launch of “Small Business Saturday” back in 2010. This is also the same credit card company that once boasted and branded our local Hollywood Hoosier actor, the late, great Karl Malden, of Gary born and raised, as the company’s commercial spokesman who touted the slogan: “Don’t leave home without it!”
“The reason the idea came to help push the importance of small businesses back in 2010 is because at the time, we were still recovering from the recession of 2008,” Karen explained.
Karen’s on-air visit was also to spread the word about a new holiday shopping adventure launched this year by South Shore Arts.
Billed as “The Evergreen Artisan Market,” the cavernous 5,000-square-foot Bachman Gallery at The Center for Visual and Performing Arts, 1040 Ridge Road in Munster, has taken a hiatus during the holiday for showcasing an artist loan exhibit in favor of spreading a wide spotlight on holiday artists with a range of wares, creative lines and original art pieces for sale in a transformed festive wonderland through Christmas Eve on Dec. 24. The market opened Nov. 21.
Twinkling string lights and the scent of cinnamon and pine greet visitors as they step into a celebration of winter and holiday memories and merchandise courtesy of local artisans, craftspeople, and confectioners parading handmade treasures in more than 20 decorated booths. Selections of items range from handmade, intricate custom ornaments and handwoven scarves to ceramics, breads and confections.
A month-long holiday shopping adventure with the added incentive to raise money to support arts advocacy has launched now through Dec. 24 by South Shore Arts in the Bachman Gallery at The Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Munster. (Brandon Johnson/provided)
As the venue host, South Shore Arts is offering a variety of free, interactive art-making activities led by local artists and craftspeople with weekly demonstrations, such as ceramic wheel throwing, painting, and block printing for a behind-the-scenes look at how various artworks and crafts are created.
“It’s more than just a holiday market; the Evergreen Artisan Market is reminiscent of a living town square where the spirit of art making is as important as our annual celebrations and traditions,” said South Shore Arts Gallery Manager Brandon Johnson, who is serving as one of the guides of the Evergreen Artisan Market.
South Shore Arts began the callout for artist booth vendors back in September, asking for just a $125 commitment stipend to participate for the entire five weeks. The non-profit South Shore Arts organization receives a 15% commission from all sales.
The featured artist vendors for this first year are Carol Estes, Shari Pundich, Barry Viou, Kathleen Dejong, Chidera Onyeizeh, Leilani Sanchez, Francie Bean, Juan Carlos Rodriguez, Grace Dedmon, Holly Dausch, Judi Boehner, Apryl Niksch, Jessie and the Grumpy Gnome, Krisi Yapp, Kate Lasser, Tom Sourlis, Tony Bianco and others.
The Evergreen Artisan Market is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, and Thursdays noon to 7 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sundays noon to 4 p.m.
For this weekend’s “Small Business Saturday” on Nov. 29, there will be a special “sip and shop” from 2-4 p.m.
The South Shore Arts Gift Shop, run by Shop Manager Mara Clark, is a favorite shopping boutique for unique custom finds throughout the year. Located at the adjoining entrance of the Bachman Gallery, the gift shop will also be open during the same shopping hours as the Evergreen Artisan Market.
Since the gift shop sells my various cookbooks, Mara asked me to present a special free author holiday reading and short recipe demonstration for holiday entertaining next week during the Evergreen Artisan Market at 1 p.m. Dec. 4 in the Bachman Gallery. It’s a great way to get into the holiday spirit, along with some free recipe sampling and prize drawings.
For more information, visit www.southshoreartsonline.org or call 219-836-1839, ext. 108.
Philip Potempa is a journalist, published author and weekly radio host on WJOB 1230 AM. He can be reached at philpotempa@gmail.com.
