[ad_1]
“Yellow diamonds look like pee pee!” Those are real lyrics rapped by Pusha T on Clipse’s lead single “Ace Trumpets” off Let God Sort Em Out…
[ad_2]
Eric Diep
Source link
Tag: Dallas
-
Clipse Declares Let God Sort Em Out Is Rap Album of the Year at The Bomb Factory
-
Watch Erykah Badu Enjoying Herself at Clipse’s Bomb Factory Show
[ad_1]
Erykah Badu is a Clipse fan too. On Thursday, Sept. 4, Clipse, the duo of Pusha T and Malice, performed at The Bomb Factory for their Let God Sort Em Out Tour…
[ad_2]
Eric Diep
Source link -
Models have Hawaii in Hurricane Kiko’s path
[ad_1]
Kiko formed off the coast of southern Mexico from a tropical wave. It became a tropical storm on Aug. 31, making it the fourteenth named storm of the eastern Pacific hurricane season. Kiko intensified into a hurricane on Sept. 2.
Kiko intensified into a Category 4 hurricane on Sept. 3, and currently has maximum winds of 130 mph. It is moving west at 9 mph and is located nearly 1600 miles east of Hilo, HI.
Models have Kiko taking a west-northwesterly track over the weekend into next week, coming close to Hawaii.
While it’s too soon for impact details, the cooler waters near the Aloha State should weaken Kiko greatly. We’ll continue to monitor the track and provide updates.
Hurricane Hone passed just to the south of the Big Island of Hawaii in 2024 as a Category 1 hurricane with winds of 85 mph. Here are other cyclones that came close to the islands.
You can track the rest of the tropics here.
Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.
[ad_2]
Spectrum News Weather Staff
Source link -
New NFL season kicks off with permanent kickoff changes and more
[ad_1]
A new NFL season is set to begin with last year’s experiment on the new kickoff becoming permanent with a new tweak and several other changes in rules and officiating.
The league also will implement changes to the overtime rule for the regular season, expand replay assist, crack down on bad sportsmanship and use Hawk-Eye virtual measuring to replace the old-time chains to determine first downs.
The league experimented with the so-called dynamic kickoff in 2024 in hopes of more returns while also making the play safer. Owners voted in April to make the change permanent while moving touchbacks on kicks that reach the end zone on the fly from the 30 to the 35, which is expected to lead to more kicks in play and more returns.
There was no change in the tush push play that Philadelphia used so successfully on the way to winning the Super Bowl last season.
Here’s an explanation of some of the new rules that will be in place.
What’s new with the kickoff?
The league was mostly pleased with the experimental kickoff put in place for 2024 that led to the rate of kickoff returns increasing from a record-low 21.8% in 2023 to 32.8% last season, while reducing the rate of injuries on what had been the game’s most dangerous play.
The rule made kickoffs more like scrimmage plays by placing the coverage players and blockers close together to eliminate the high-speed collisions that had contributed to so many injuries on the play. The league said the rate of concussions dropped 43% on returns, with a significant reduction as well in lower-body injuries.
The problem last season was many teams still opted to kick the ball in the end zone because the touchback wasn’t punitive enough. The average starting field position on a touchback was only 2.4 yards further than the average starting position after returns, which was the 27.6-yard line.
By moving the touchback to the 35, the league projects that the return rate will rise to somewhere between 60% and 70%, with a similar increase in long returns, adding more excitement to the game.
The league also approved a small tweak to how blockers on the return team are allowed to line up in the setup zone that could lead to longer returns.
Teams returned just over 76% of kicks in the preseason, up from 70% in the 2024 preseason. But that number typically drops in the regular season when teams don’t use kickoffs to evaluate players for spots at the end of the roster.
How about onside kicks?
Teams will still need to declare their intention to try an onside kick because of the different formation. But a new change will allow trailing teams to try one before the start of the fourth quarter after Kansas City had to kick deep while down 28 points in the final minute of the third quarter in the Super Bowl.
Coverage players will also be allowed to line up one yard closer in hopes of increasing the rate of recovery from about 6% over the past three seasons to at least 10%.
How will overtime change?
The league approved a proposal to make the regular season overtime more like the postseason, with both teams getting a chance at a possession, even if the team that gets the ball first scores a touchdown.
The NFL added regular season overtime in 1974, adding a 15-minute sudden death period that ended on any score. In 2010, the rule was tweaked to a modified sudden death that required an opening possession touchdown to immediately end the game instead of only a field goal. That was in effect in both the regular season and the playoffs.
Overtime then was shortened for the regular season to only 10 minutes in 2017. A rule change in 2022 for the playoffs only gave both teams the chance to score even with a touchdown on the opening possession.
Now that will be the case in the regular season, after the improved field position on kickoffs made winning in OT on an opening possession TD easier.
According to Sportradar, six of the 16 overtime games last season ended on an opening-drive TD for the most overtime games ended on the first drive since the rule change went into effect in 2010.
In all, teams that won the overtime toss won 75% of the time last season, according to Sportradar, and have a .606 winning percentage in overtime since it was cut to 10 minutes.
The league kept the 10-minute overtime period instead of expanding it back to 15 minutes like was originally proposed by Philadelphia, which could lead to teams opting to go for 2 and a win if they match an opening-drive TD with one of their own since there might not be time for another possession.
Replay assist
The NFL expanded its replay assist system to overturn objective calls if there was “clear and obvious” evidence that a foul didn’t occur. The calls could include facemask penalties, whether there was forcible contact to the head or neck area, horse-collar tackles and tripping. Replay also would be able to overturn a roughing-the-kicker or running-into-the-kicker penalty if video showed the defender made contact with the ball.
The league has been using replay assist in recent years to overturn obvious errors on aspects like whether a pass is caught or where the ball should be spotted without the referee needing to stop the game for a review.
The Competition Committee says there’s no interest in allowing replay assists to call penalties on plays missed by officials on the field.
Other changes
Referees will no longer use the chains to determine first downs, opting instead for a virtual measuring system. This won’t eliminate the officials who manually spot the ball and use chains to mark the line to gain.
The Hawk-Eye system consists of six 8K cameras for optical tracking of the position of the ball with the result shown on stadium scoreboards. The league estimates that measurements will take about 30 seconds — about 40 seconds fewer than the average with the chains — although it took longer at times in the preseason.
The league is also emphasizing sportsmanship and cracking down on violent and sexually suggestive gestures this season.
In April, the NFL expanded prohibited acts to include banning the “nose wipe” gesture that league executive Troy Vincent said is affiliated with gangs.
The unsportsmanlike conduct rule now states: “any violent gesture, which shall include but not be limited to a throat slash, simulating firing or brandishing a gun, or using the ‘nose wipe’ gesture, or an act that is sexually suggestive or offensive.”
[ad_2]
Associated Press
Source link -
Jonas Brothers Surprise Dallas Crowd as Fifth Harmony Reunites at 20th Anniversary Show
[ad_1]
“New Jersey is my home,” said Nick. “But Dallas will always be where I was born.” So began the Jonas Brothers’ monologue about hometowns, performed for a packed Dos Equis Pavilion on Sunday, Aug. 31…
[ad_2]
Julianna Chen
Source link -
Texas Band Prophets and Outlaws Are Southern Soul Gold. Why Aren’t They Bigger?
[ad_1]
Dallas-based band Prophets and Outlaws has the knack of making music that feels familiar yet, at the same time, not quite like anything you’ve ever heard before. That combination, at once comforting and stimulating, has helped them rack up 10 million streams on Spotify, more than 1,000 live performances and a string of recordings capped by their May album, Gettin’ Down…
[ad_2]
Mark Henricks
Source link -
Kali Uchis Speaks Out Against ICE at AAC: ‘Without Immigrants, There Is No America’
[ad_1]
Kali Uchis, born Karly-Marina Loaiza, was met with love and admiration from her fans during her recent visit to Dallas, the eleventh stop of her headlining The Sincerely, Tour, which kicked off on Aug. 14. On Saturday, Aug. 30, the Colombian American artist performed before a nearly sold-out audience at the American Airlines Center in downtown Dallas…
[ad_2]
Aria Bell
Source link -
New Southwest policy tightens rules on extra seats for passengers
[ad_1]
DALLAS, Texas: Southwest Airlines is tightening its rules for plus-size passengers, introducing a new requirement that travelers who need an additional seat must purchase it when booking rather than waiting until they reach the airport.
The policy change takes effect January 27, the same day the airline will introduce assigned seating, ending its long tradition of open boarding.
Currently, plus-size customers can either pay for an extra seat in advance with the option of requesting a refund later or ask for an extra seat at the airport at no cost. Under the new system, passengers will still be eligible for refunds, but only if the flight is not full at departure, both tickets were bought in the same booking class, and the request is filed within 90 days. Refunds are no longer guaranteed.
Southwest said in a statement that the update is part of a broader overhaul of policies tied to the transition to assigned seating. “To ensure space, we are communicating to customers who have previously used the extra seat policy that they should purchase it at booking,” the airline said.
Passengers who don’t purchase an additional seat ahead of time will be required to buy one at the airport. If the flight is sold out, they will be rebooked on another flight.
The change is Southwest’s latest move. In May, the airline ended its “bags fly free” policy, another once-defining perk that set it apart from rivals. The airline has also announced plans to charge more for legroom and add red-eye flights.
Jason Vaughn, an Orlando-based travel agent who runs the Fat Travel Tested website, said the policy will affect all passengers, not just plus-size travelers. “I think it’s going to make the flying experience worse for everybody,” he said, adding that the current system offered comfort while ensuring adequate space for all.
He described the move as another blow to longtime loyalists, comparing it to brand changes at Cracker Barrel that angered some of the restaurant’s customers. “They have no idea anymore who their customer is. They have no identity left,” Vaughn said.
The airline has struggled with performance issues and faces pressure from activist investors to boost revenue and profits, prompting a wave of policy changes.
(Photo credit: Pinterest).
[ad_2]
-
Labor Day weekend has arrived. What to know about the holiday
[ad_1]
DALLAS (AP) — From barbecues to getaways to shopping the sales, many people across the U.S. mark Labor Day — the federal holiday celebrating the American worker — by finding ways to relax.
What You Need To Know
- Labor Day is a holiday celebrating the American worker. But from barbecues to getaways to shopping the sales, many people across the U.S. mark it by finding ways to relax
- It’s celebrated on the first Monday of September
- While actions by unions in recent years to advocate for workers have been a reminder of the holiday’s activist roots, the three-day weekend it creates has become a touchstone in the lives of Americans marking the unofficial end of summer
The holiday with activist roots is celebrated on the first Monday of September, creating a three-day weekend that marks the unofficial end of summer.
Over 17 million people were expected to travel by air from Thursday through Wednesday, according to the Transportation Security Administration, with Friday being the day with the most travelers. AAA said that according to its booking data, top destinations for the weekend include Seattle, New York and Orlando, Florida.
Here’s what to know about Labor Day:
Labor Day’s origins date to the Gilded Age
Activists first sought to establish a day to pay tribute to workers in the late 1800s.
The first Labor Day celebration in the U.S. took place in New York City on Sept. 5, 1882, when some 10,000 workers marched in a parade organized by the Central Labor Union and the Knights of Labor.
Workers’ quality of life was declining as they transitioned from artisan to factory jobs, while factory owners’ quality of life was “just skyrocketing,” said Todd Vachon, an assistant professor at the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations.
In the years that followed, a handful of cities and states adopted laws recognizing Labor Day. President Grover Cleveland signed a congressional act in 1894 making it a federal holiday.
That was the same year that workers for the Pullman Palace Car Company went on strike after the railcar maker cut wages without reducing rent in the company-owned town where workers lived near Chicago, Vachon said. Over 12 workers were killed after Cleveland sent federal troops to crush the strike, he said.
Cleveland’s move to establish Labor Day as a federal holiday is seen by some historians as a way for him “to make peace” with the working class, Vachon said.
Labor Day has become the unofficial end of summer
Travelers crowd airports and highways for end-of-summer escapes, and backyard chefs prepare cookouts for family and friends.
Barbecuing has been a part of Labor Day celebrations from the start, said Robert F. Moss, food writer, culinary historian and author of “Barbecue: The History of an American Institution.”
He said it was already such an entrenched tradition in the U.S. that when the labor movements developed in the late 19th century, it was natural to way to celebrate as large groups gathered. In the 20th century, the holiday’s barbecues moved more toward gatherings of friends and family in backyards, he said.
“It still has a lot of that same communal sense, gathering around the grill, eating together,” he said.
How the labor movement has evolved over the decades
When Labor Day became a federal holiday in 1894, unions in the U.S. were largely contested and courts would often rule strikes illegal, leading to violent disputes, Vachon said. It wasn’t until the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 that private sector employees were granted the right to join unions.
Later into the 20th century, states also began passing legislation to allow unionization in the public sector. But even today, not all states allow collective bargaining for public workers.
In recent years, Vachon said, there’s been a resurgence in labor organizing, activism, interest and support.
The connection between fashion and Labor Day
The adage that one shouldn’t wear white after Labor Day is a “rule” that’s broken with fashionable results, but where did it originate?
Fashion experts say it likely goes back to the Gilded Age — the same period that spawned Labor Day. The cool, white frocks worn by wealthy New Yorkers summering in places such as Newport, Rhode Island, would be packed away upon their return to the city with its dirt-packed streets.
Christy Crutsinger, a professor in merchandising and digital retailing at University of North Texas, heard the adage from generations of women in her family. But “the fashion world’s not working that way anymore,” she added.
“People think it, say it, but don’t abide by it,” she said.
Still, fashion is on the mind of many around Labor Day, thanks to back-to-school shopping and a switch by many business people from a more relaxed summer dress code, said Daniel James Cole, adjunct assistant professor in fashion history at the Fashion Institute of Technology and co-author of “The History of Modern Fashion.”
The holiday, he said, “is kind of this hinge” between summertime dress and fun to going “back to more serious pursuits.”
[ad_2]
Associated Press
Source link -
Let’s Get Moving Makes a Move to The Woodlands
[ad_1]
The following content is sponsored by Let’s Get Moving. A master-planned community first established in 1974, The Woodlands takes its name from the 28,000 forested acres where it was developed…
[ad_2]
Cynthia Barnes
Source link -
North Texas nonprofit transforms lives by bringing technology to the blind
[ad_1]
In a world driven by screens, one North Texas nonprofit is making sure no one gets left behind.
Computers for the Blind, based in Dallas, is opening doors for people across the country who are blind or visually impaired.
The nonprofit refurbishes donated computers and equips them with powerful accessibility software, providing life-changing technology to thousands who would otherwise go without it.
For Antoinette McDonald Ellis, receiving one of these computers was nothing short of transformational.
“I can send that email myself. I can look things up myself. Whatever I need to do on that computer, I have the ability now to go in there and do it. And not only that, I have the confidence,” she said.
Inside an office space off North Central Expressway, shelves are lined with more than machines—they’re gateways to independence.
The organization installs specialized software like JAWS, which converts text into speech, and ZoomText, which magnifies on-screen content. These tools allow users who are blind or have low vision to navigate the digital world with confidence and ease.
“What makes them different is they’re loaded with software that either makes the computer speak, or magnifies the screen,” explained Marci Duty, a Computers for the Blind employee who is herself completely blind.
Duty knows the impact firsthand. She previously trained others in Texas to use JAWS, and now plays a key role in helping ship computers across the country.
“We’ve almost shipped 22,000 computers,” Duty said. “And each one of them makes a big difference in a person’s life.”
The impact of the program isn’t just in the tech—it’s in the training and support that comes with it.
“When I first opened it and turned it on, and it spoke to me… I just kind of felt like I grew three or four inches,” Ellis recalled.
Computers for the Blind’s mission is about more than just providing hardware—it’s about bridging the digital divide and restoring a sense of community, creativity, and confidence for people who are often underserved in today’s fast-paced, tech-driven world.
“It gave me freedom,” Ellis said. “It’s given me the ability to go and feel like I’m part of this 21st-century world.”
With every computer shipped, Computers for the Blind brings more than technology—they bring independence, opportunity and a renewed sense of possibility.
[ad_2]