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Humans are a unique species, because of our collective knowledge of our own mortality. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the average life expectancy for males in the United States is 75.8 years. That means entertainer extraordinaire Dick Van Dyke is defying statistics by turning 100 years old this Saturday, December 13. As he reaches this milestone birthday, let’s take a look back at his impressive career, what he credits his longevity to, and how he plans to celebrate. Well also cover how you can get in on the action and celebrate the Mary Poppins actor. A brief Dick Van Dyke biography Richard Wayne Van Dyke was born in West Plains, Missouri on December 13, 1925. He was raised in Danville, Illinois. At one time, he considered being a minister because of his mothers religious influences, but a high school drama class would ignite a love of entertainment. During his senior year of high school, Van Dyke enlisted in the Army to help the war efforts during World War II. He first served as a radio operator, before being transferred to Special Services to entertain the troops.After his army days, Van Dyke worked as a radio DJ. He hit the road touring the United States as part of comedy duo The Merry Mutes in 1947. Broadway first called in 1959, for the production The Girls Against the Boys, although Van Dyke is better known for his following role, of Albert Peterson in Bye Bye Birdie. Many dont know Van Dyke also once anchored a CBS morning show with Walter Cronkite. But the CBS sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show would make him a household name, and 1964s classic film Mary Poppins would endear him to fans for years to come. (Who would forget that authentic cockney accent?) Longevity is a word that describes not only Van Dykes life, but also his career. Thirty years after his first hit show, he did it again in 1993, with Diagnosis Murder. Throughout his impressive career, he has been awarded six Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, and a Tony Award. He has received a lifetime achievement award from SAG, and was declared a Disney Legend. Beyond the stage, screen, or airwaves, Van Dyke is a father of four, with several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Dick Van Dyke’s tips for a long life Van Dyke is also an author, and he’s literally written the book on a long-lasting life: 100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist’s Guide to a Happy Life was published in November of this year. If you havent gotten around to reading it yet, never fear. The Chitty Chitty Bang Bang actor summarized some of the tips in an interview with the New York Times.He credits his long life to exercise. He moves his body in some way every day, and hits the gym at least three times a week. Van Dyke also values connection with others and playfulness. Theres a sense of whimsy about how he views the world. He also isnt afraid to try new things such as directing a childrens theatre production, which could help keep him young. How Dick Van Dyke plans to celebrate Van Dyke doesnt want a lavish party on his actual birthday. His wife Arlene Silver told People how he wants to spend his big day, and it’s surprisingly simple. He doesn’t want to do anything, she explained. He wants to be in his room watching Jeopardy! reruns with me.”This is not to say that Van Dyke has not been properly celebrated. The city of Malibu, where he resides, is hosting a whole festival for the man, called Vandy Days. From November 28 through December 14, the schedule is packed full of screenings, themed events, and costume contests. How you can celebrate Dick Van Dyke If geography doesnt allow you to attend Vandy Days, there are several ways you can get in on the action. Fathom Events is hosting special screenings of the new documentary film Dick Van Dyke 100th Celebration on December 13 and 14. The Catchy Comedy Network is doing a marathon of The Dick Van Dyke Show, playing 100 episodes to mark the occasion. And a new special, Starring Dick Van Dyke, will air on PBS as a part of the American Masters programming on Friday, December 12 at 9 p.m. It will also be available to stream on pbs.org/americanmasters and the PBS App. If all else fails, you can also do your own screening or marathon at home. Throw on Mary Poppins, and watch your cares melt away. After all, it’s supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
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E-Commerce
The fallout from the Trump administrations dramatic cuts to American public media is only just beginning. The governing group that oversees public educational TV in Arkansas voted on Thursday to split with PBS, the national public broadcast network best known for Sesame Street. The network formerly known as Arkansas PBS will rebrand as Arkansas TV, making it the first state public broadcast network to part with the national network synonymous with public access TV. The state network will officially sever its ties to PBS on July 1, 2026, at the beginning of Arkansas next fiscal year. Its commission framed the decision as a cost saving measure, citing a loss of the federal funds it relies on to pay annual dues of around $2.5 million to access PBS programming. The organizations commissioners, who voted six to two in favor of splitting from PBS, are appointed by the governor. The Arkansas network, which has already rebranded its website as ArkansasTV, says it is developing a new lineup of shows, including two shows for children, two food shows and two new series focused on history. Public television in Arkansas is not going away, ArkansasTV Executive Director and CEO Carlton Wing said in the announcement. In fact, we invite you to join our vision for an increased focus on local programming, continuing to safeguard Arkansans in times of emergency and supporting our K-12 educators and students. ArkansasTV paints an optimistic picture, but the states residents broadly support PBS according to recent surveying from YouGov. In a statement to Fast Company, PBS noted that 70% of Arkansas residents believe that PBS brings an excellent value to their community. The commissions decision to drop PBS membership is a blow to Arkansans who will lose free, over the air access to quality PBS programming they know and love, a PBS spokesperson said. It also goes against the will of Arkansas viewers. Decades of public media undone The decision to go it alone comes as the Trump administration targets public broadcasting with deep funding cuts, part of an aggressive campaign to defund agencies and initiatives it views as politically opposed to its priorities. Those cuts slashed $500 million in yearly funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private nonprofit authorized by Congress in 1967 to manage funds for public media. In light of a shortage of federal funding, the organization announced in August that it planned to end operations and shut its doors. Public media has been one of the most trusted institutions in American life, providing educational opportunity, emergency alerts, civil discourse, and cultural connection to every corner of the country, CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison said at the time. The nonprofit historically doles out funds to PBS, NPR, and more than 1,000 local TV and radio stations. Sesame Street and Mister Rogers Neighborhood, two iconic public TV shows, were both made possible with funding from the CPB. On Truth Social, President Trump called PBS and NPR two horrible and completely biased platforms, urging Congress to defund what he characterized as a scam perpetrated by the Radical Left. The cascade of effects from the CPBs collapse will continue, but they arent the only threat to public broadcasting under the second Trump administration. This week, the conservative nonprofit law firm the Center for American Rights called on the FCC to revoke PBS and NPRs broadcast licenses. Trump himself has also suggested revoking broadcast licenses as a political weapon, declaring that ABC affiliates should have theirs taken away after an ABC News reporter asked a question about Jeffrey Epstein in an Oval Office event last month.
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This holiday season isnt quite so merry for American shoppers as large shares are dipping into savings, scouring for bargains, and feeling like the overall economy is stuck in a rut under President Donald Trump, a new AP-NORC poll finds. The vast majority of U.S. adults say theyve noticed higher than usual prices for groceries, electricity, and holiday gifts in recent months, according to the survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Roughly half of Americans say its harder than usual to afford the things they want to give as holiday gifts, and similar numbers are delaying big purchases or cutting back on nonessential purchases more than they would normally. It’s a sobering assessment for the Republican president, who returned to the White House in large part by promising to lower prices, only to find that inflation remains a threat to his popularity just as it did for Democrat Joe Biden’s presidency. The polls findings look very similar to an AP-NORC poll from December 2022, when Biden was president and the country was grappling with higher rates of inflation. Trump’s series of tariffs have added to inflationary pressures and generated anxiety about the stability of the U.S. economy, keeping prices at levels that many Americans find frustrating. The president has insisted there is no inflation and the U.S. economy is booming, as he expressed frustration that the public feels differently. When will people understand what is happening? Trump said Thursday on Truth Social. When will Polls reflect the Greatness of America at this point in time, and how bad it was just one year ago? Most U.S. adults, 68%, continue to say the countrys economy is poor, which is unchanged from December 2024, before Trump returned to the presidency. Americans are feeling strained as they continue to see high prices White House officials plan to send Trump barnstorming across the country in hopes of bucking up people’s faith in the economy before next year’s midterm elections. But the president this week in Pennsylvania defended the price increases tied to his tariffs by suggesting that Americans should buy fewer dolls and pencils for children. His message is a jarring contrast with what respondents expressed in the poll, even among people who backed him in the 2024 election. Sergio Ruiz, 44, of Tucson, Arizona, said he is using more buy now, pay later programs to spread out over time the expense of gifts for his children. He doesn’t put a huge emphasis on politics, but he voted for Trump last year and would like to see lower interest rates to help boost his real estate business. He believes that more Americans having higher incomes would help to manage any affordability issues. Prices are up. What can you do? You need to make more money, Ruiz said. The poll found that when they do shop, about half of Americans are finding the lowest price more than they would normally. About 4 in 10 are dipping into their savings more than at other times. Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say theyre cutting back on expenses or looking for low prices, but many Republicans are budgeting more than usual as well. About 4 in 10 Republicans are looking for low prices more than they usually would, while a similar share are shopping for nonessential items less than usual. Views are largely similar to when Biden was president People felt similarly dismal about holiday shopping and the economy when Biden was president in 2022. Inflation had spiked to a four-decade high that summer. Three years later, inflation has eased substantially, but it’s still running at 3%, a full percentage point above the Federal Reserve’s target as the job market appears to have entered a deep freeze. The survey indicates that it’s the level of prices and not just the rate of inflation that is the point of pain for many families. Roughly 9 in 10 U.S. adults, 87%, say they’ve noticed higher than usual prices for groceries in the past few months, while about two-thirds say they’ve experienced higher prices than usual for electricity and holiday gifts. About half say they’ve seen higher than normal prices for gas recently. The findings on groceries and holiday gifts are only slightly lower than in the 2022 poll, despite the slowdown from an inflation rate that hit a four-decade peak in the middle of that year. Consumer spending has stayed resilient despite the negative sentiments about the economy, yet Trump’s tariffs have caused changes for shoppers such as Andrew Russell. The 33-year-old adjunct professor in Arlington Heights, Illinois, said he used to shop for unique gifts from around the globe and buy online. But with the tariffs, he got his gifts locally and this year, I only bought things that I can pick up in person, he said. Russell, who voted Democratic in last year’s election, said he worries about the economy for next year. He thinks the investment in artificial intelligence has become a bubble that could burst, taking down the stock market. Little optimism about an economic rebound in 2026 Few people expect the situation to meaningfully improve next year a sign that Trump has done little to instill much confidence from his mix of tariffs, income tax cuts and foreign trips to attract investments. Trump has maintained that the benefits from his policies will begin to snowball in 2026. About 4 in 10 U.S. adults expect next year will be economically worse for the country. Roughly 3 in 10 say condiions wont change much. Only about 2 in 10 think things will get better, with Republicans being more optimistic. The belief that things will get better has slipped from last year, when about 4 in 10 said that 2025 would be better than 2024. Millicent Simpson, 56, of Cleveland, Ohio, said she expects the economy to be worse for people like her who rely on Medicaid for health care and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Simpson voted Democratic last year and blames Trump for the greater economic pressures that she faces going into the winter. Hes making it rough for us, she said. Hes messing with the government assistance for everybody, young and old. ___ The AP-NORC poll of 1,146 adults was conducted Dec. 4-8 using a sample drawn from NORCs probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 4 percentage points. Josh Boak and Amelia Thomson-Deveaux, Associated Press
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I personally can never bring myself to tell people that Id rather forgo their gift and just get cash insteador better yet, a Venmo. It feels almost too blunt, a cheap shot. So each year, when I unwrap another pair of socks, I smile through gritted teeth. I feel a twinge of guilt in admitting it. But, to my relief, it appears Im not the only one. A new Wells Fargo survey finds younger generations are driving a shift toward digital cash gifts, choosing convenience and flexibility over traditional wrapped presents. A staggering 45% of Gen Z and 42% of millennials say theyd rather receive digital payments, compared with 27% of Gen X and just 10% of baby boomers. I feel like were influenced by older generations, Steve Selfridge, Wells Fargos product management director, said to USA Today. Were kind of taught its not OK to ask for money. Physical gifts are still popularbut money is quickly catching up. About 48% of gift recipients prefer cash or checks, and 29% would like digital payments through Venmo, Zelle, PayPal, or Cash App. Gift-givers arent quite as enthusiastic about it: Only 34% enjoy giving cash or checks, and 18% digital payments. Among younger gift-givers, 32% of Gen Z and 28% of millennials are comfortable sending digital cash, compared to 11% of Gen X and 7% of baby boomers. Its not just you, asking for money is awkward Ive even tried practicing a polite, non-offensive script for requesting money from my family for Christmasbut when the moment comes, it just feels uncomfortably awkward. Survey data backs this up: More than half of gift-givers say sending digital cash feels impersonal, and nearly half of recipients admit theyd appreciate it, but feel weird asking. Still, the perks are hard to ignore: 65% of consumers agree that receiving digital cash gives them freedom to choose what they really want, and the same number cite gifting it as convenientno wrapping, postage, or shipping stress. Roughly a third also say they appreciate digital gifts because they usually dont like most physical presents, and 32% would like to give money digitally but arent sure its socially acceptable. So next time youre stuck on what to gift a Gen Zer, it might be simpler than you think: Just send them money.
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If the holiday hustle and bustle is stressing you out, the night sky is providing a perfect moment to pause and wonder at some majesty this weekend, as the Geminid meteor shower (Geminids) is set to peak. The Geminids are technically active annuallythis year, from around December 1 through 21, and the action peaks on the evenings of the 12th and 13th. Lets take a look at the science and history behind this cosmic phenomenon, before we dive into how best to view it. When was the Geminid meteor shower first discovered? These days, the Geminid meteor shower is considered by NASA to be one of the best and most reliable annual meteor showers. The event started much smaller. The meteors were first observed in the mid-1800s and only boasted 10-20 meteors an hour. As time went on, Jupiter got in on the action. The planets gravity pulled the show closer to Earth. What causes the Geminids? It wasnt until the 1980s that scientists understood the cause of the meteor shower was asteroid 3200 Phaethon. Typically, meteor showers are caused by a comet. Asteroid 3200 Phaethon acts like a comet, despite most asteroids taking 1.4 years to fully orbit the sun. Scientists are still learning about this unique space object. A 2023 article, published in Planetary Science Journal by California Institute of Technology PhD student Qicheng Zhang, stated that when the asteroid approaches the sun, it forms a sodium-gas tail instead of dust. This challenges earlier beliefs about the object. It is now hypothesized that the dense Geminid meteoroids are a result of a possible past mass loss, not an ongoing tail shedding around the sun. Regardless, the average person will delight in the vivid burst of light as the meteoroids burn up in Earths atmosphere. How best to see the Geminids Scientists and night-sky enthusiasts can agree that whatever label you assign 3200 Phaethon, it puts on one heck of a show. This years offerings are best seen in the northern hemisphere, although some meteors will be visible to the southern hemisphere as well. The moon is also cooperating, as it will be in its waning crescent moon phase and not shining too brightly. When nightfall comes on December 12 and 13, find the darkest place you can, away from city lights. Special viewing equipment such as binoculars or telescopes are not necessaryespecially since meteors move quickly. The action originates around the Gemini constellation, but you should not just focus there. Look at the entire night sky. If you do miss the peak viewing time, the days around the December 12 and 13 peak should still offer quite a show.
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