Category: News
Central Bankers Disagree About Gold
Central Bankers Disagree About Gold
Authored by Vincent Cook via The Mises Institute,
With the fiat US dollar price of gold multiplied 2.6x since October of 2022 (as of October 20, 2025 when this was written) and rising exponentially (Figure 1), some people are deeply worried that something is seriously wrong with the dollar and with the global financial system generally. Is the soaring price of gold a sign of monetary instability? Or is it just a transitory “nothingburger”?
Figure 1: Gold spot price per troy ounce, most recent five years
Central bankers are now being asked such awkward questions, and they are giving sharply divergent answers. During a Q&A session at a convention of business economists on October 14, Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell responded:
EMILY KOLINSKI MORRIS: You used the term gold standard. And you didn’t mean it in this context that I’m going to pivot here, because there’s a question from the audience that’s getting a lot of upvotes. So, one of your predecessors, Alan Greenspan, used to view the price of gold as an indicator of inflation risk. So, in that context, how do you view the rally that we’ve seen in gold? And if you want to throw in Bitcoin, you can comment on that too.
JEROME POWELL: I’m not going to comment on any particular asset price, including that one. And I think we think of inflation as driven by fundamental supply and demand factors. And it’s not something we look at actively.
Powell is saying that the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), which tries to fix the quantity of dollars in existence, allegedly doesn’t care about the price of gold in particular because it views gold’s price as just one price among a vast array of prices that informs their decision-making. According to this view, gold is just another commodity which makes only a small, insignificant contribution to the overall demand for dollars and has no impact on the supply of dollars.
During the October 19 broadcast of CBS’s Face the Nation, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde gave a startlingly different answer:
MARGARET BRENNAN: So you have also said recently that you think investors have begun to question whether the dollar would still warrant its status as the ultimate safe haven currency. I mean, the American dollar is one of the strongest weapons, frankly, that the administration has to use. Do you think that it is the rise of cryptocurrency that is most threatening to that or why are you worried?
CHRISTINE LAGARDE: I see signs that the attraction of the dollar is slightly eroded, and future will tell whether there is more erosion of that. But when you look at the rise of cryptos, number one, when you look at the price of gold. Gold is typically, in any situation, the ultimate destination for safe haven. Price of gold has increased by more than 50% since the beginning of the year. —
MARGARET BRENNAN: — So people are worried. —
CHRISTINE LAGARDE: — That’s a clear sign that the trust in the reserve currency that the dollar has been, is and will continue to be, is eroding a bit. In addition to that, we’ve seen capital flows outside of the U.S. towards other destinations, including Europe. So, you know, for a currency to be really trusted you need a few things. You need geopolitical credibility. You need the rule of law and strong institutions. And you need, I would call it, a military force that is strong enough. I think on at least one and possibly two accounts, the U.S. is still in a very dominant position, but it needs to be very careful because those positions erode over the course of time. We’ve seen it with the Sterling Pound, you know, way back after, after the war. But it happens gently, gently, you don’t notice it and then it happens suddenly. And we are seeing intriguing signs of it, which is why I think that having a strong institution with the Fed, for instance, is important. Having a credible environment within which to trade is important. So volatility, uncertainty, to the extent it is fueled by the administration, is not helpful to the dollar.
While Lagarde seems to agree with Powell that cryptotokens are not that important, gold is profoundly different. For her, gold is the “ultimate destination for safe haven” and the rise of its dollar price is a sign that “trust in the reserve currency” of the world is eroding. According to Lagarde, trust in a currency requires geopolitical credibility, a rule of law, strong institutions, and a strong military. Trust is something that can disappear suddenly and, without it, gold is the haven that the world turns to.
As an empirical matter, gold is still critically important as a part of the official reserves that central banks and governments use to prop up the purchasing power of their fiat currencies when needed. In fact, reported official reserve holdings of gold now exceed those of US Treasury securities, the first time that has happened since 1996. Lagarde seems to be correct (at least to the extent one can believe official Reserve statistics) that trust in the dollar is slipping away in favor of gold, at least among her central banking peers.
More importantly, economic theory and a common sense understanding of economic history favors Lagarde’s views over Powell’s. The fundamentals of monetary supply and demand are well described in chapter 11 of Murray Rothbard’s Man, Economy, and State. While a government can often use its tax codes and regulations to compel domestic use of its own currency, it can’t effectively prevent its citizens from holding other highly-marketable assets (what Rothbard calls a quasi-money) as substitutes for holding cash balances as a reserve for their future purchases, nor can it always compel foreigners to use its currency to settle international transactions (though, as Lagarde noted, superior military strength might sometimes enable it to do so).
The anticipated future purchasing power of money (PPM) is always an issue because the utility of money depends entirely upon subjective anticipations that it can be exchanged for a sufficient quantity of other goods whenever desired. In the case of constantly-depreciating fiat monies like the US dollar, the use of short-term US Treasury securities as a quasi-money reserve asset makes the dollar itself acceptable overseas because Treasuries can be readily exchanged for dollars whenever needed, and because interest payments on Treasuries reduce the costs associated with on-going dollar PPM declines.
Trust in the issuer of a fiat global reserve currency is always a challenge because foreigners have to depend upon the ability and willingness of the issuer to honor its obligations (e.g., US Treasury securities) to pay sufficient interest on those obligations to offset PPM declines sufficiently, and to keep its markets open to imports so that foreigners can earn enough revenues denominated in the reserve currency to purchase and accumulate those obligations.
If the issuer gets in a fiscal jam and can’t or won’t pay enough interest to compensate for PPM declines (which themselves are often closely linked to using fiat money creation to deal with fiscal problems), or gets in the habit of selectively reneging on its obligations to particular foreigners it doesn’t like, or starts closing its markets to foreign exporters or foreign investors, the crutch of using interest-bearing debt as a quasi-money to shield foreign users of the currency against PPM declines no longer works. In that case, foreigners will be obliged to find some other reserve that does work.
What does always work is a quasi-money that isn’t someone else’s liability and isn’t denominated in terms of someone else’s fiat currency or propped up by reserves of someone else’s fiat currency, namely, gold. Gold is a natural substance that doesn’t require trust in other governments or even trust in the behavior of gold miners (who can at most add only a small percentage annually to the total stock of gold in existence). Gold doesn’t lose its real purchasing power over the long run like fiat-denominated assets do; it has lower storage and transaction costs than other highly marketable natural commodities and doesn’t have the technological vulnerabilities and limitations of artificial commodities like cryptotokens.
While it is a matter of entrepreneurial judgment and not economic theory to affirm gold’s superiority as the ultimate “store of value” and potentially even as the preferred replacement for fiat monies (though silver has often been a strong competitor to gold for the latter role), I must agree with Lagarde’s assessment of the empirical facts concerning reserve asset competition, not with Powell’s dismissive attitude about gold—when the chips are down and the world is forced to turn to an unconditionally trustworthy reserve of purchasing power, the world will turn to gold. What soaring gold prices might indicate is that the world is now turning to gold.
Tyler Durden
Sat, 11/22/2025 – 22:10
https://www.zerohedge.com/precious-metals/central-bankers-disagree-about-gold
With two long returns on special teams, Damari Thigpen sets up Brother Rice. Those TDs after? ‘The best part.’
Junior defensive back Damari Thigpen, who is also on the track team, understands what he brings to the table for Brother Rice in football. And it goes beyond speed and pure adrenaline.
It’s the physicality of the sport.
“I love hitting people,” Thigpen said. “Violence — that’s the best part.”
Thigpen was at his best for the biggest part of the season Saturday night.
He had a long kickoff return and a long punt return in the third quarter, setting up the Crusaders for two easy touchdowns in a 45-17 win over Downers Grove North in a Class 7A state semifinal.
In the first quarter, Thigpen also grabbed an interception for Brother Rice (12-1), which had three players rush for more than 100 yards in advancing to Saturday’s 4 p.m. state championship game.
Brother Rice’s Damari Thigpen (28) shakes off a tackle on a punt return against Downers Grove North during a Class 7A state semifinal game in Chicago on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown)
Senior quarterback CJ Gray ran for 132 yards and four TDs, while junior running back Jameson Davis added 140 yards and a TD and senior running back Jaylin Green had 117 yards and a TD.
“Right before the game, CJ said, ‘Let’s get 100 yards each,’” Davis said. “That was the plan. We attacked. We finished runs, and that’s what we were taught to do.”
The Crusaders dominated with a 225-49 yardage advantage in the first half but turned the ball over three times and led just 17-10 lead. They were in need of a big play to start the third quarter.
Thigpen not only had a 58-yard kickoff return to open the second half, but the next time he touched the ball, he raced 43 yards on a punt return. Both led to TDs for a 30-10 lead.
Brother Rice’s Damari Thigpen (28) and Javeyon Lockett (4) celebrate against Downers Grove North during a Class 7A state semifinal game in Chicago on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown)
“Thigpen, man, that’s my guy,” Davis said. “He’s super fast. Super fast. He’s a great dude on and off the field, but he’s an excellent football player.
“You want to talk about an athlete? That’s an athlete. If you need him to play, he will go out and play with heart and dedication. He has one of the biggest drives on this football team. You can’t take that away from him.”
Gray, for one, appreciated getting the ball in great field position twice.
“He brought the juice and made the big plays,” Gray said of Thigpen. “He needed to get up in the position to score and that’s what he did.”
Brother Rice’s CJ Gray (2) sheds a tackle against Downers Grove North during a Class 7A state semifinal game in Chicago on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown)
Gray also credited his offensive line and called them “savages” for allowing the trio to each run for more than 100 yards.
Thigpen, meanwhile, enjoyed his two breakout returns.
“My job is to get the offense in the best position to win the game,” he said. “We needed to put points on the board. We needed field position and I gave it to them. The scoreboard showed it.
“I’ve had a few runs like that, but these were the biggest.”
Downers Grove North (10-3) was led by Minnesota recruit Owen Lansu, who threw for 230 yards and a TD. Jacob Vroman returned an interception 70 yards for a TD in the first quarter.
Brother Rice’s Damari Thigpen (28) picks up few yards after an interception against Downers Grove North during a Class 7A state semifinal game in Chicago on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown)
Brother Rice prevailed by virtue of a strong second half, however, and will face St. Rita (9-4) in an all-Catholic League state final at Hancock Stadium in Normal.
It’s the fourth time Brother Rice’s program has been in the championship game. The Crusaders won the Class 6A title in 1981, finished second in 6A in 1985 and second again in 8A in 2018.
“It seems like a century since we won a state title,” Thigpen said.
On Sept. 12, Thigpen and his teammates earned a 28-18 victory over St. Rita, but the Mustangs were missing senior quarterback Steven Armbruster.
“I haven’t been able to take it all in yet,” Thigpen said. “Just getting there is great, though. We’re going to play them again and it should be a good game.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
Jugador de Universidad de Alabama en Birmingham acusado de apuñalar a 2 compañeros antes de partido
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama, EE.UU. (AP) — Un jugador de fútbol americano de la Universidad de Alabama en Birmingham apuñaló a dos compañeros de equipo el sábado por la mañana, horas antes de un partido contra la Universidad del Sur de Florida, informó la primera institución en un comunicado.
Los dos jugadores heridos estaban en condición estable, aseveró el entrenador en jefe interino Alex Mortensen en la conferencia de prensa posterior al partido. Añadió que el equipo decidió jugar para honrar a los jugadores que están por graduarse, en el último partido de la temporada en casa.
Pero varios optaron por no participar, tras lo ocurrido, dijo Mortensen, quien consideró comprensible esa decisión.
El compañerosospechoso del apuñalamiento estaba bajo custodia, informó la universidad. La escuela no divulgó los nombres de los jugadores involucrados.
Daniel Mincey, un liniero ofensivo que se transfirió a la escuela en mayo, fue arrestado y acusado por la tarde de agresión agravada e intento de asesinato, según los registros de la cárcel del condado de Jefferson. Estaba bajo custodia en Birmingham y parecía ser el único jugador de la UAB arrestado el sábado.
No estaba claro de inmediato si Mincey tenía un abogado. Los intentos de contactar a los familiares para obtener comentarios no tuvieron éxito de inmediato.
Los directivos de la UAB no confirmaron que Mincey estuviera involucrado.
La lista de jugadores del equipo, publicada en internet, menciona a Mincey como un estudiante novato aunque en realidad estaba en su segundo año de estudios. Mide 1,93 metros y es originario de Pompano Beach, Florida.
Anteriormente estuvo en la Universidad de Kentucky.
Mortensen dijo que una vez que el equipo decidió jugar, los integrantes se concentraron en sus rutinas normales del día del partido. También mencionó que se estaba ofreciendo asesoramiento a los jugadores que lo desearan.
El entrenador se negó a compartir más detalles sobre el incidente, citando que hay una investigación en curso.
El apuñalamiento ocurrió en el campus en el Edificio de Operaciones de Fútbol Americano.
Los Blazers perdieron el encuentro por 48-18, para caer a una foja de 3-8 en la temporada y de 1-6 en la Conferencia Americana. Su último partido es el 29 de noviembre en Tulsa.
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Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
US To Launch “New Phase” Of Venezuela Operations, Options Include Overthrowing Maduro: Report
US To Launch “New Phase” Of Venezuela Operations, Options Include Overthrowing Maduro: Report
One day after the FAA issued a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM), or an alert notifying pilots of potential serious hazards in certain airspace, for the Maiquetía Flight Information Region above Venezula, Reuters reported that the US is poised to launch a new phase of Venezuela-related operations in the coming days, citing four U.S. officials.
Amid a sharp escalation of pressure by the Trump administration on President Nicolas Maduro’s government, including proliferating reports of looming action as the US military deployed forces to the Caribbean amid worsening relations with Venezuela, two of the sources said covert operations would likely be the first part of the new action against Maduro, while two US officials told Reuters the options under consideration included attempting to overthrow Maduro.
A senior administration official on Saturday told Reuters that nothing had been ruled out regarding Venezuela.
“President Trump is prepared to use every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding into our country and to bring those responsible to justice,” said the official, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Before the Reuters report, six airlines had already cancelled flights to Venezuela on Saturday after the US aviation regulator warned major airlines of dangers from “heightened military activity” amid a major buildup of American forces in the region, as well as a “potentially hazardous situation” when flying over Venezuela and urged them to exercise caution.
Spain’s Iberia, Portugal’s TAP, Chile’s LATAM, Colombia’s Avianca, Brazil’s GOL and Trinidad and Tobago’s Caribbean have suspended their flights to the country, said Marisela de Loaiza, president of the Venezuelan Airlines Association (ALAV). Panama’s Copa Airlines, Spain’s Air Europa and PlusUltra, Turkish Airlines, and Venezuela’s LASER are continuing to operate flights for now.
The Trump administration has been weighing Venezuela-related options to combat what it has portrayed as Maduro’s role in supplying illegal drugs that have killed Americans. He has denied having any links to the illegal drug trade.
Maduro, under whose rule Venezuela has experienced crushing hyperinflation and a collapse in its oil production sector amid staggering corruption, has contended that Trump seeks to oust him and that Venezuelan citizens and the military will resist any such attempt. He also has characterized U.S. actions as an effort to take control of Venezuela’s oil.
A military buildup in the Caribbean has been underway for months, and Trump has authorized covert CIA operations in Venezuela.
The United States plans on Monday to designate the Cartel de los Soles a foreign terrorist organization for its alleged role in importing illegal drugs into the United States, officials said. The Trump administration has accused Maduro of leading Cartel de los Soles, which he denies.
Washington in August doubled its reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest to $50 million. But U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said last week that the terrorist designation “brings a whole bunch of new options to the United States.”
Trump has said the upcoming designation would allow the United States to strike Maduro’s assets and infrastructure in Venezuela, but he also has indicated a willingness to potentially pursue talks in hopes of a diplomatic solution.
Maduro said earlier this week that the countries’ differences should be resolved through diplomacy and that he is willing to hold face-to-face talks with anyone interested. Two U.S. officials acknowledged conversations between Caracas and Washington. It was unclear whether those conversations could impact the timing or scale of potential U.S. operations.
The U.S. Navy’s largest aircraft carrier, the Gerald R. Ford, arrived in the Caribbean on November 16 with its strike group, joining at least seven other warships, a nuclear submarine and F-35 aircraft.
U.S. forces in the region so far have focused on counter-narcotics operations, even though the assembled firepower far outweighs anything needed for them. U.S. troops since September have carried out at least 21 strikes on alleged drug boats, killing at least 83 people, mostly in the Caribbean, although vessels in the Pacific Ocean also have been targeted.
Tyler Durden
Sat, 11/22/2025 – 21:35
No. 7 Oregon derails No. 15 USC’s College Football Playoff hopes with a 42-27 win
EUGENE, Ore. — With all the buzz surrounding Saturday’s game against USC, Oregon quarterback Dante Moore did his best all week to keep the Ducks focused.
Moore threw for 257 yards and two touchdowns as No. 7 Oregon likely dashed No. 15 USC’s hopes of making the College Football Playoff with a 42-27 victory Saturday.
Kenyon Sadiq had six catches for 72 yards and two scores, and Noah Whittington ran for 104 yards and a touchdown for the Ducks (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten), who improved their chances of not only making the playoff but also hosting a game.
The rankings, the stakes, senior day at Autzen Stadium and ESPN’s “College GameDay” on hand — it all brought added attention to the game.
“At the end of the day, I kind of just kept telling the team it was going to be an emotional game, because it was senior night, but also you can’t let emotions take over because with the emotions come negativity. So it’s been a lot within this game,” Moore said. “But I feel like we pushed out ourselves Monday through Friday to get the result we wanted.”
Jayden Maiava threw for 306 yards and three touchdowns, including a pair to Makai Lemon, who also threw a touchdown pass for USC (8-3, 6-2).
USC hasn’t won in Eugene since 2011, and the Trojans have lost four straight to the Ducks overall. Once again, the Trojans fell short on the road against a ranked opponent, with previous losses this season to Illinois and Notre Dame.
“We’re disappointed, didn’t play our best,” USC coach Lincoln Riley said. “We had some penalties that we haven’t been having that showed up and definitely hurt us. We were gutsy, made a lot of plays, but in the end we were just a couple of plays short.”
USC scored on the first series of the game on Maiava’s 8-yard pass to Lemon, who sprinted just inside the pylon for the touchdown. Lemon was ranked second in the nation with an average of 109 receiving yards per game coming in.
The Ducks answered on the next drive with freshman Jordon Davison’s 11-yard touchdown run, then extended the lead on Sadiq’s 8-yard TD catch deep in the end zone.
USC tied it at 14 early in the second quarter when Maiava tossed the ball backward to Lemon, who hurled it downfield to Tanook Hines for a 24-yard touchdown. Lemon became the first Trojans receiver to throw a TD pass since Tyler Vaughns against Arizona State in 2018.
Malik Benson ran 85 yards to score on a punt return to put Oregon back in front.
Late in the first half, Atticus Sappington’s 44-yard field-goal attempt for Oregon hit the goal post, but USC was flagged for a penalty on the play. The Ducks were given a first down, which led to Bryce Boettcher’s 1-yard touchdown dive that put Oregon in front 28-14 at the break.
The Trojans closed the gap midway through the third quarter on Maiava’s 4-yard scoring pass to Lemon. But before the period was over, Moore connected with Sadiq again on a 28-yard touchdown.
The Trojans, aided by back-to-back pass interference calls against the Ducks, got within 35-27 on Maiava’s 9-yard touchdown pass to Lake McRee, but the two-point-conversion try failed.
Oregon came back on the next drive with Whittington’s 9-yard dash into the end zone that sealed it.
“We know they were going to throw some punches,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said about the seesaw game. “That’s an explosive offense. They hit some big plays on us. I was really pleased with the guys being able to hit the reset button and saying, `Let’s go again.’”
The Ducks remained without receivers Dakorien Moore and Gary Bryant Jr. because of injuries. The Trojans were also short-handed without injured safeties Kamari Ramsey and Bishop Fitzgerald, and tackle Elijah Page.
The takeaway
With a loss to Indiana this season, there was no margin for error for the Ducks. Lose to USC, and Oregon was likely out of the playoff — and its slim chances at a second straight Big Ten title also would vanish. But the Ducks still need to beat Washington next weekend in Seattle.
For USC, Riley stressed it wasn’t over: “We’ve got a game next week. We’ve won a bunch of good games this year. The ones we haven’t won, we’ve been right there. We’ve got a great opportunity to go get win No. 9 this week and that’s where our focus is.”
Up next
USC: Home versus crosstown rival UCLA on Saturday.
Oregon: Visits rival Washington on Saturday.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/22/oregon-usc-big-ten-football/
Brandon Aiyuk pierde 27 millones en garantías por cláusula contractual ‘inusitada’ con 49ers
Por JOSH DUBOW
SANTA CLARA, California, EE.UU. (AP) — El receptor lesionado de los 49ers de San Francisco Brandon Aiyuk vio anulados aproximadamente 27 millones de dólares en dinero prácticamente garantizado en su contrato para el próximo año, en lo que el entrenador Kyle Shanahan describió como una situación “inusitada” que se desarrolló a mediados de este año.
The Athletic informó el viernes que Aiyuk vio anuladas sus garantías porque no participó en reuniones y otras actividades del equipo. El medio añadió que el jugador no planeaba impugnar la pérdida de dicho dinero.
Shanahan no quiso entrar en detalles, pero dijo que la decisión del equipo se tomó en julio.
“Se necesitan muchas cosas para que un contrato sea anulado”, afirmó Shanahan el sábado. “Honestamente, ni siquiera sé. Nunca he lidiado con eso en mi carrera ni he estado en ninguna instalación donde haya ocurrido eso. Así que fue inusitado, pero eso es algo en lo que no puedo entrar ahora”.
Aiyuk firmó una extensión de cuatro años por 120 millones de dólares el año pasado que incluía alrededor de 27 millones en dinero garantizado para 2026. Ahora los 49ers podrían romper la relacion laboral con el jugador el próximo año sin pagarle más dinero.
San Francisco necesitaría absorber aproximadamente 29,6 millones en dinero muerto en el tope salarial por bonos ya pagados, pero podría dividir eso en dos años.
Aiyuk ha estado fuera toda la temporada, mientras se recuperaba de una cirugía de rodilla a la que se sometió el año pasado. No hay un cronograma sobre cuándo podría regresar.
Shanahan dijo durante el verano que Aiyuk podría volver al campo de práctica a principios de noviembre, pero ha permanecido en la lista de físicamente incapaces de desempeñarse.
El estratega dijo que Aiyuk no ha recibido el permiso médico para jugar.
“Sabía que iba a tardar un tiempo en regresar. Esperaba tenerlo de vuelta alrededor de este tiempo y hemos estado manejando eso”, expresó Shanahan. “Como entrenador del equipo, realmente no trato mucho con jugadores lesionados. Me dijeron hace unas semanas que se estaba acercando y no hemos progresado en ese sentido hasta ahora. Así que, desde mi punto de vista, sólo estoy esperando que regrese a la práctica”.
Aiyuk firmó la lucrativa extensión el verano pasado tras una prolongada discrepancia contractual que lo mantuvo fuera del campo de entrenamiento. Venía de una temporada 2023 en la que sumó 75 recepciones para 1.342 yardas y siete touchdowns y fue elegido al segundo equipo All-Pro.
Consiguió apenas 25 recepciones para 374 yardas en siete partidos la temporada pasada antes de lesionarse. Ha devengado alrededor de 48 millones de dólares en las últimas dos temporadas por esa producción.
Aiyuk, de 27 años, tiene 294 recepciones para 4.305 yardas y 25 touchdowns desde que fue seleccionado en la primera ronda del draft de 2020.
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Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Football pairings and local scores for the Southland, Aurora, Elgin, Naperville and Lake County
High school and local college results and highlights from the Southland, Aurora, Elgin, Naperville and Lake County coverage areas.
Email Daily Southtown results to southtownsports@gmail.com, Beacon-News, Courier-News and Naperville Sun results to tribwestsports@gmail.com and News-Sun results to newssunsports@gmail.com.
FRIDAY’S EVENT
HIGH SCHOOLS
FOOTBALL
PREP BOWL
At Hanson Stadium
St. Ignatius (4-7) vs. Morgan Park (9-4), noon.
SATURDAY’S EVENTS
HIGH SCHOOLS
FOOTBALL
STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Hancock Stadium, Normal
CLASS 8A
No. 1 Mount Carmel (13-0) vs. No. 11 Oswego (11-2), 7 p.m.
CLASS 7A
No. 25 St. Rita (9-4) vs. No. 6 Brother Rice (12-1), 4 p.m.
CLASS 5A
No. 9 Wheaton St. Francis (10-3) vs. No. 5 Providence (10-3), 10 a.m.
LOCAL COLLEGES
FOOTBALL
NCAA DIVISION III PLAYOFFS
Second Round
Hanover (Ind.) (9-2) at North Central College (10-0), noon.
SATURDAY’S RESULTS
HIGH SCHOOLS
FOOTBALL
STATE SEMIFINALS
CLASS 8A
No. 1 Mount Carmel 42, No. 4 Fremd 21
No. 11 Oswego 10, No. 23 Lockport 7
CLASS 7A
No. 25 St. Rita 54, No. 13 Batavia 34
No. 6 Brother Rice 45, No. 15 Downers Grove North 17
CLASS 6A
No. 11 Fenwick 28, No. 1 Nazareth 27 (OT)
No. 8 East St. Louis 50, No. 10 St. Laurence 7
St. Laurence (8-5): Cory Les 1-yard TD run.
CLASS 5A
No. 9 Wheaton St. Francis 35, No. 2 Belvidere North 13
No. 5 Providence 31, No. 2 Oak Forest 21
GIRLS BASKETBALL
DePaul Prep 66, Thornwood 25
BOBBY BOLTON TIP-OFF CLASSIC
At Richards
Marist 65, Evergreen Park 40, championship
Marist (4-0): Olivia Barsch 15 points. Lily Porter 10 points. Grace Harmon 10 points.
Evergreen (3-1): Tatum Harris 16 points. Grace Kole 11 points.
Hillcrest 59, Richards 23, third
Hillcrest (3-1): Da’Jha Johnson 19 points.
Richards (2-2): Ameera Martin 11 points.
Shepard 60, Ag. Science 31, fifth
Shepard (2-2): Jessica Manley 25 points. Savannah Conrad 14 points.
Eisenhower 28, Thornton 24, seventh
Eisenhower (1-3): Karissa Monfort 12 points.
Thornton (0-4): Destinee Majors 11 points.
BUFFALO GROVE TOM DINEEN BISON CLASSIC
Libertyville 49, Hersey 43
Libertyville (2-0): Lily Fisher 24 points.
Barrington 51, Waukegan 49 (OT)
Buffalo Grove 63, Grayslake Central 58 (OT)
BURLINGTON CENTRAL MARK EINWICH KICKOFF
TOURNAMENT
St. Charles North 48, Moline 37, championship
Burlington Central 44, DeKalb 41, third
Burlington Central (3-1): Julia Scheuer 9 points. Ashley Waslo 9 points.
Kaneland 49, Marengo 34
Kaneland (3-1): Kyra Lilly 15 points. Sophia Rosati 11 points.
Larkin 52, Belvidere North 49
CHICAGO CHRISTIAN TOURNAMENT
Parkview Christian 47, Argo 41, championship
Argo (2-1): Zanarhia Lawrence 19 points. Harmony Perkins 12 rebounds.
Reavis 71, Chicago Christian 29, third
Reavis (2-1): Emily Grochola 17 points. Jocelyn Martinez 16 points. Delyanna Arocho 14 points.
Westmont 40, Bremen 14, fifth
DUNDEE-CROWN TOURNAMENT
Huntley 60, South Elgin 41
Nazareth 72, Dundee-Crown 23
ELMHURST CLASSIC
Timothy Christian 57, Lemont 31
HAMPSHIRE DOREEN ZIERER TURKEY TOURNAMENT
Mother McAuley 64, Geneva 50
Fremd 62, Hampshire 22
HINSDALE SOUTH BRENDA WHITESELL TOURNAMENT
Naperville North 64, Oak Park-River Forest 31
Yorkville 53, Wheaton Warrenville South 46
Plainfield South 47, Metea Valley 24
HOFFMAN ESTATES TOURNAMENT
Rolling Meadows 65, Jacobs 19
LATIN TOURNAMENT
Amundsen 34, Southland Prep 27
Latin 49, De La Salle 44
LOYOLA/NEW TRIER TOURNAMENT
Carmel 61, Fenwick 54 (2 OT)
Carmel (2-1): Liv Johnson 27 points. Anna Chilcutt 12 points. Josie Hartman 11 points.
Loyola 56, Stevenson 16
LYONS TOURNAMENT
Lincoln-Way East 64, Conant 46
MAINE EAST TOURNAMENT
Lakes 46, Willowbrook 42
Lakes (1-2): Gianna Gray 22 points.
Glenbrook North 58, T.F. South 46
MUNDELEIN THANKSGIVING CLASSIC
Mundelein 42, St. Viator 40, championship
Mundelein (5-0): Casey Vyverman 22 points, 4 rebounds. Gabby Macapinlac 10 points.
Grant 54, Grayslake North 47
Highland Park 38, Regina 36
NAPERVILLE CENTRAL TIP-OFF TOURNAMENT
Kenwood 63, Homewood-Flossmoor 49
O’FALLON SOUTHERN ILLINOIS SHOOTOUT
Breese Central 41, Lockport 30
O’Fallon 51, Lockport 30
RICH TOWNSHIP RAPTOR CLASSIC
Bloom 48, Lincoln-Way West 40
Bloom 66, Rich Township 10
Lincoln-Way West 59, Rich Township 26
Oak Lawn 48, Champaign Central 45
SCHAUMBURG THANKSGIVING CLASSIC
Downers Grove North 54, Bartlett 14
VERNON HILLS COUGAR CLASSIC
Lake Forest Academy 62, Antioch 27
LFA (2-1): Lindsay Farbman 27 points.
Vernon Hills 56, Lake Forest 26
Vernon Hills (2-1): Emma Jocson 17 points. Eve Engler 15 points. Keira Thomas 11 points.
WJOL TOURNAMENT
At Joliet Junior College
Providence 58, Minooka 50, championship
Providence (4-0): Tournament MVP Landrie Callahan 16 points, 9 rebounds. Layken Callahan 11 points. Kennedy Kotowski 11 points.
Plainfield North 51, Joliet Catholic 34, third
Lincoln-Way Central 56, Joliet West 31, fifth
Lincoln-Way Central (2-2): Brooke Katzmann 29 points.
ZION-BENTON TOURNAMENT
Deerfield 42, Fenton 12
McHenry 57, North Chicago 30
Niles North 41, Zion-Benton 16
LOCAL COLLEGES
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Governors State 78, Indiana South Bend 75
Governors State (4-3, 1-1 CCAC): Javon Johnson 20 points, 6 assists.
Lake Forest 99, Macalester (Minn.) 70
Lake Forest (2-3): Alex Forowycz 23 points.
Loras (Iowa) 73, North Central College 69
NCC (0-3): James Bullock Jr. 23 points, 5 rebounds.
St. Francis 90, Trinity Christian 82
St. Francis (2-0, 2-0 CCAC): Joffrey Nunnally 26 points.
Trinity Christian (3-3, 1-1): Tylan Harris 23 points, 4 rebounds.
St. Xavier 80, Judson 55
St. Xavier (3-5, 2-0 CCAC): Jerry Abushanab 11 points, 7 rebounds.
Judson (2-6, 0-2): Chanan Glenn 12 points.
South Suburban 104, Lake County 84
South Suburban (4-1): Samar Bures 32 points, 4 assists, 3 steals.
Waubonsee 115, Blackhawk Tech 86
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Lake County 70, South Suburban 56
North Central College 88, Edgewood (Wis.) 49
NCC (3-1): Biz Daly 26 points, 8 rebounds.
St. Xavier 92, Olivet Nazarene 80
St. Xavier (6-2, 4-0 CCAC): Brooklynn Johnson 30 points, 8 rebounds. Veronica Bafia 19 points, 8 rebounds. Alaina Peetz 10 points, 15 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3 steals.
Viterbo (Wis.) 77, Judson 57
Judson (3-3, 1-2 CCAC): Easton Kimball 11 points, 6 rebounds.
Waubonsee 93, Blackhawk Tech 52
BEVO FRANCIS RIO GRANDE (Ohio) TOURNAMENT
Shawnee State (Ohio) 64, Governors State 59
Governors State (5-3): Cencere McDaniel 21 points.
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
NAIA OPENING ROUND
At Northwestern (Iowa)
Northwestern (Iowa) d. St. Xavier 25-13, 25-11, 25-15
Compiled by Josh Krockey.
The Problem Of Fake Science
The Problem Of Fake Science
Authored by Jeffrey Tucker via The Epoch Times,
Last week, I was able to generate from artificial intelligence a fake study that proved that eating waffles increases baldness. It was filled with footnotes, citations, and complicated math and models. It was kind of scary to see how credible the results felt. You had to look carefully to see the problems. I shared it with others who immediately said something like, “I can believe it.”
Don’t eat those waffles; your hair will fall out. Science says so!
Think of this. We’ve never before been in the position to generate such seemingly scientific content on any subject under the sun within a matter of seconds. This power has only existed for two years. Many people do not even know it exists, much less how easy it is. Bad actors are in a position to use this power anytime they want. They can count on legacy levels of trust in “science” to pass off such fakery as real.
This past week, we saw yet another piece of fake science retracted from publication. This one is a big deal. The publication is The Lancet, one of the most prestigious venues in the world. It had published the study, which was thoroughly peer-reviewed. But it turns out that the authors had pulled the wool over the eyes of the experts.
The retracted paper is one of many generated from a huge and well-funded trial of therapeutic drugs used to treat COVID-19. The trial in question was called TOGETHER. It was funded with grants from FTX, the crypto company later shut down for fraud, alongside financial companies holding large pharmaceutical stocks and think tanks funded by the industry that hoped to sell vaccines. If the study was correct, getting the shot would seem like the only option.
The authors peppered all the journals with papers on the results.
Only one has been pulled so far, but the others will likely do the same in time. This includes the New England Journal of Medicine, a venue that prides itself on its low retraction rate.
The TOGETHER trial was conducted then released fully four years ago. Questions and criticisms have been roiling and boiling all this time.
When the study came out in 2021, it was invoked as one of the major reasons to pull hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin from the shelves. Even if your own doctor wrote a prescription, the answer was no.
I will never forget that day when I walked into my neighborhood pharmacy and showed them my prescription. The girl behind the counter excused herself to talk to her manager, who shook his head no without saying a word. That sent me on a scramble to get some sent by overnight mail from New York City, from a person who had ordered some from India. I felt better in three hours.
I later learned that although millions of people did something similar, because it was the only way to get effective meds, the practice is, shall we say, frowned upon.
Why had all the pharmacies in my local neighborhood denied me proven treatments that my own doctor had prescribed me? Because they believed the science.
This is the problem of fake science. It has real-world consequences. We supposedly live in the age of science, but the credibility of all the institutions is now in free fall. The slogan “science” was deployed to justify a level of attack on freedom that we had never before seen. As a result, the reputation of science in general has taken a huge hit.
The TOGETHER trial at least had the appearance of plausibility. After all, they had actually done a real trial. The SURGISPHERE trial, in contrast, released early on in the summer of 2020, was discovered to have entirely made up all its data. Its conclusions were thereby invalid. And to be fair, the fake science was not entirely one-sided. Some studies indicating the reverse results have also been shown to have faked data.
In the end, hundreds of thousands of papers during this period were published, and these days, the retractions are happening as quickly as the acceptances in the old days. My friends, this is not just a PR problem. This is a genuine crisis for the credibility of science itself.
When the science tells you that you cannot safely have a Thanksgiving dinner in your home or sing praises to God without killing grandma, it is risking the very foundations of the scientific revolution.
Add artificial intelligence to the mix, and you make the problem worse by ten-thousand-fold.
A major incident along these lines happened to me one week ago. I was at an event when two British guys with big smiles and posh accents were going around to attendees to rail against fake meat. It’s a cause with which I’m sympathetic. That is the beginning of how people let their guard down.
They were putting people on camera, and just before turning it on, they would present a study stating that fake meat causes autism. The interviewee is then instructed to endorse the study on camera. They got me on camera to denounce fake meat—I fully complied—but then pressed me to endorse their study. At that point, the incredulous part of my brain engaged and realized something was wrong. I declined to say what they demanded.
The next morning, I realized the prank. These very compelling guys had generated this unsigned study for the purpose of tricking people. The goal was simple but also rather brilliant. It was to prove that advocates of health freedom will endorse any study that seems to back their biases. The final product was likely a documentary designed to discredit the whole movement—and the Trump administration along with it.
The plot was foiled. In the meantime, I’ve had the chance to reflect on the meaning of it all. We live in very strange times when empirical science has been deployed as a weapon for political purposes. More than 500 papers have been retracted, but countless others stand vulnerable.
My worry is that this experience has bred a kind of nihilism that surrounds the entire enterprise. Pranksters moving around scientific conferences with fake studies intended to troll people are not only unhelpful, they further undermine trust.
A key point of the scientific revolution of the 16th and 17th centuries was to advance a firmer way of knowing what is true. In former times, faith took center stage with theology as the queen of academic disciplines. But the work of Copernicus, Kepler, Bacon, Descartes, and Newton—all were great thinkers—seemed to prove that observation and induction were a better basis of knowing.
This revolution in thought coincided in time with huge advances in technology, medicine, and prosperity for everyone. The world was changing dramatically, with growing levels of mobility, choice, and material advance. We had firmly left what came to be called the “dark ages” and entered into new times. Science was the new king of thought.
There was always a problem lurking in the background. If we want to elevate observation and empirical work over faith and deduction, we are indeed overthrowing one form of ecclesiastical authority. But are we not valorizing another form of authority, namely the observers, the scientists, the people generating, holding, and interpreting the data?
Indeed, we are.
In other words, we can talk all day about science, but there is no getting around the issue of trust itself. We can trust the church and theological authorities. We can trust our own reading of revelatory texts such as the Bible. Or we can trust science and the scientific establishment.
The reason is simple.
No one person is in a position to know and verify all the facts associated with what we call science. We have no choice but to believe the teller. When it turns out that the teller is not playing fair or has another agenda, where does that leave us?
Here is the core problem we face today in the realm of science. It seems that so much has gone wrong that the scientific revolution is itself losing its grip on the public mind. We do not yet know what replaces it.
Reflect for a moment on what has survived with no injury to its reputation. I speak of Euclidean geometry, named for the Greek philosopher of the fourth century B.C. Euclid’s methods survive today. The reason is that the bridges work and buildings soar to the clouds. Consider the method: deduction based on the logic of space as measured with math.
There are schools of logic, math, and geometry, but internal consistency is a must and something anyone can verify. Deduction is democratic. It does not invoke the credibility of any authority but logic itself, and hence builds in its own reliability test. The proof is whether the thing being built actually stands.
I’m struck by the incredible irony that these principles have stood the test of time, even 2,400 years later. Euclid’s insights predated the scientific revolution by more than 2,000 years.
None of us knows what will emerge from this chaos, but these do seem like times of tremendous transition. We are moving from one failed paradigm of knowing what is true to something yet to be determined. That is the most important debate of our time.
As for those waffles, be careful out there!
Tyler Durden
Sat, 11/22/2025 – 21:00
UAB football player arrested in stabbing of 2 teammates before game
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — A University of Alabama at Birmingham football player stabbed two teammates Saturday morning hours before the team’s game against the University of South Florida, the university said in a statement.
The two wounded players were in stable condition, interim head coach Alex Mortensen said at the postgame news conference. He added that the team decided to play to honor graduating seniors in the last home game of the season, though several players understandably opted to sit it out.
The teammate suspected in the stabbing was in custody, the university said. The school did not release the names of the players involved.
Daniel Mincey, an offensive lineman who transferred to the school in May, was arrested and booked on charges of aggravated assault and attempted murder in the afternoon, according to Jefferson County Jail records. He was in custody in Birmingham and appeared to be the only UAB player who was arrested Saturday.
It was not immediately clear if Mincey had legal representation. Attempts to reach family members for comment were not immediately successful.
UAB officials would not confirm that Mincey was involved.
The team’s online roster lists Mincey as a 6-foot-4 redshirt freshman from Pompano Beach, Fl., who was previously at the University of Kentucky.
Mortensen said that once the team decided to play, they focused on their normal game-day routines. He also said counseling was being made available for players who want it.
The coach declined to share further details about the incident, citing the ongoing investigation.
The stabbing occurred on campus at the football operations building.
The Blazers lost 48-18 to South Florida to fall to 3-8 on the season and 1-6 in the American Conference. Their last game is Nov. 29 at Tulsa.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/22/uab-football-player-stabbing/
Franz Wagner luce gran puntería y guía a Magic a victoria 133-121 sobre Knicks
ORLANDO, Florida, EE.UU. (AP) — Franz Wagner anotó 37 puntos, Desmond Bane sumó 27, y el Magic de Orlando venció el sábado 133-121 a los Knicks de Nueva York, con lo que logró su sexta victoria en sus últimos siete partidos.
Wagner anotó siete de sus 37 puntos, la cifra más alta de la temporada, durante una racha de 13-0 en el cuarto periodo, que ayudó al Magic a alejarse en el marcador para obtener su segunda victoria en 11 días sobre los Knicks.
Bane y Jalen Suggs, con 26 puntos, también alcanzaron sus máximos números de la temporada.
El triple de Bane al final del tercer cuarto rompió un empate 93-93 y puso a Orlando al frente de manera definitiva.
Anthony Black salió del banquillo con 11 puntos, cuatro asistencias y tres robos por Orlando.
Jalen Brunson contabilizó 33 puntos y 11 asistencias por los Knicks. El dominicano Karl-Anthony Towns sumó 24 puntos y ocho rebotes, mientras que Mikal Bridges anotó 18 tantos.
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Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
