6 hours ago
If you don't remember, BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier was a Notre Dame recruiting target as a high schooler, even earning an offer and taking visits to South Bend.
The Irish influence was in his blood with his grandfather being a huge fan. However, Bachmeier initially committed to follow one of his brothers, Tiger, to Stanford, but after a coaching change both decided that BYU was where they wanted to be.
As we all know, during recruiting, Notre Dame isn't the place for everyone, and for Bachmeier, it was a bad experience. Following the game on Saturday he's explain that the Irish disrespected him and his family during the process as shared by John Brice. Bachmeier said "I wasn't going to lose to those guys," as it looked like this game was personal for him.
It's hard to say exactly what happened without more information, but whatever it was, it soured Bachmeier's relationship with Notre Dame and the staff.
Strong quote here from BYUfootball QB Bear Bachmeirer on beating NDFootball: “I don’t like talking about myself but Notre Dame disrespected me & my family pretty badly (in 2023). There was no way I was losing to those guys.” usatodaysports pic.twitter.com/K4Pm8NWlVX
#dame #game #disrespected #family
The Irish influence was in his blood with his grandfather being a huge fan. However, Bachmeier initially committed to follow one of his brothers, Tiger, to Stanford, but after a coaching change both decided that BYU was where they wanted to be.
As we all know, during recruiting, Notre Dame isn't the place for everyone, and for Bachmeier, it was a bad experience. Following the game on Saturday he's explain that the Irish disrespected him and his family during the process as shared by John Brice. Bachmeier said "I wasn't going to lose to those guys," as it looked like this game was personal for him.
It's hard to say exactly what happened without more information, but whatever it was, it soured Bachmeier's relationship with Notre Dame and the staff.
Strong quote here from BYUfootball QB Bear Bachmeirer on beating NDFootball: “I don’t like talking about myself but Notre Dame disrespected me & my family pretty badly (in 2023). There was no way I was losing to those guys.” usatodaysports pic.twitter.com/K4Pm8NWlVX
#dame #game #disrespected #family
7 hours ago
The Tennessee ******* ans are on the board.
Tennessee (1-5) erased a 13-0 halftime deficit to win 26-20 against the Indianapolis Colts on Oct. 18 at Lucas Oil Stadium and earn its first win of the 2026 season.
The ******* ans' defense forced three turnovers, while the special teams added a blocked punt return for a touchdown.
While the ******* ans' offense remains a work in progress, solid days by Tony Pollard (76 rushing yards) and Carnell Tate (70 receiving yards) helped Tennessee in finishing the comeback in the fourth quarter.
"Whatever it took," ******* ans coach Robert Saleh said postgame.
#lucas
Tennessee (1-5) erased a 13-0 halftime deficit to win 26-20 against the Indianapolis Colts on Oct. 18 at Lucas Oil Stadium and earn its first win of the 2026 season.
The ******* ans' defense forced three turnovers, while the special teams added a blocked punt return for a touchdown.
While the ******* ans' offense remains a work in progress, solid days by Tony Pollard (76 rushing yards) and Carnell Tate (70 receiving yards) helped Tennessee in finishing the comeback in the fourth quarter.
"Whatever it took," ******* ans coach Robert Saleh said postgame.
#lucas
7 hours ago
The Tennessee ***** ans are on the board.
Tennessee (1-5) erased a 13-0 halftime deficit to win 26-20 against the Indianapolis Colts on Oct. 18 at Lucas Oil Stadium and earn its first win of the 2026 season.
The ***** ans' defense forced three turnovers, while the special teams added a blocked punt return for a touchdown.
While the ***** ans' offense remains a work in progress, solid days by Tony Pollard (76 rushing yards) and Carnell Tate (70 receiving yards) helped Tennessee in finishing the comeback in the fourth quarter.
"Whatever it took," ***** ans coach Robert Saleh said postgame.
#colts #lucas #stadium #carnell
Tennessee (1-5) erased a 13-0 halftime deficit to win 26-20 against the Indianapolis Colts on Oct. 18 at Lucas Oil Stadium and earn its first win of the 2026 season.
The ***** ans' defense forced three turnovers, while the special teams added a blocked punt return for a touchdown.
While the ***** ans' offense remains a work in progress, solid days by Tony Pollard (76 rushing yards) and Carnell Tate (70 receiving yards) helped Tennessee in finishing the comeback in the fourth quarter.
"Whatever it took," ***** ans coach Robert Saleh said postgame.
#colts #lucas #stadium #carnell
8 hours ago
Call us a relic, call us what you will. Say we're old-fashioned, say we're over the hill.
Whatever.
Long ago, when NLI was something and NIL was nothing, when AI only meant Allen Iverson, college programs were ranked in the preseason largely on how many quality returnees it had on the roster.
Not so much anymore. The aforementioned NIL, along with the transfer portal and ever-changing eligibility rules have created roster havoc at most programs each year. Numerous teams still don't have complete rosters just a few weeks before the start of the season. LSU barely even has a roster.
Even Shaka Smart is getting in on the act, after eschewing the portal the past five seasons at Marquette.
#programs #allen
Whatever.
Long ago, when NLI was something and NIL was nothing, when AI only meant Allen Iverson, college programs were ranked in the preseason largely on how many quality returnees it had on the roster.
Not so much anymore. The aforementioned NIL, along with the transfer portal and ever-changing eligibility rules have created roster havoc at most programs each year. Numerous teams still don't have complete rosters just a few weeks before the start of the season. LSU barely even has a roster.
Even Shaka Smart is getting in on the act, after eschewing the portal the past five seasons at Marquette.
#programs #allen
8 hours ago
Plymouth Parkway boss Karl Curtis hopes his side can draw an English Football League side after making the FA Cup first round for the first time.
The Southern League Premier Division South club beat seventh-tier rivals Chertsey Town 2-0 at their Bolitho Park home to progress past the fourth qualifying round and make history.
"You want the fans to have their big day and the players, and us as staff as well," Curtis told BBC Radio Devon.
"It'd be huge if we could get a league club here at Bolitho because it would create memories regardless of the result.
"Whatever the outcome might be, it'd be one of those moments and days where people in 20 years' time people will be talking about it."
#first #club
The Southern League Premier Division South club beat seventh-tier rivals Chertsey Town 2-0 at their Bolitho Park home to progress past the fourth qualifying round and make history.
"You want the fans to have their big day and the players, and us as staff as well," Curtis told BBC Radio Devon.
"It'd be huge if we could get a league club here at Bolitho because it would create memories regardless of the result.
"Whatever the outcome might be, it'd be one of those moments and days where people in 20 years' time people will be talking about it."
#first #club
11 hours ago
Going into Sunday's game between Juventus and Lazio, the Biancocelesti hadn't won a game at the Allianz since 2017, back when Ciro Immobile was banging in goals and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic was blossoming into a full-on superstar. It was still the height of the Streak, before Beppe Marotta was forced out of the front office by Andrea Agnelli and Juve's long, slow decline began.
So yeah, a long time ago.
But that long unbeaten streak against Lazio at home ended with a thud. Juventus' attack continued to prove toothless, generating just two shots on target all night. They held Lazio to only three of their own — but the problem was that Lazio made the most of all three, ruthlessly finishing whenever they had the chance to polish off a 3-0 win.
Indeed, Juve were outplayed for much of the night. Whatever momentum they might have picked up from their last-second win over Celta Vigo midweek was nowhere to be found. They were on the back foot for much of the night, while Lazio at times played football that made you wonder where the **** Gennarro Gattuso was keeping this when he was failing to qualify for the World Cup with Italy seven months ago.
It was an awful game, through and through, and now it leaves everyone picking up the pieces.
#game #night #three
So yeah, a long time ago.
But that long unbeaten streak against Lazio at home ended with a thud. Juventus' attack continued to prove toothless, generating just two shots on target all night. They held Lazio to only three of their own — but the problem was that Lazio made the most of all three, ruthlessly finishing whenever they had the chance to polish off a 3-0 win.
Indeed, Juve were outplayed for much of the night. Whatever momentum they might have picked up from their last-second win over Celta Vigo midweek was nowhere to be found. They were on the back foot for much of the night, while Lazio at times played football that made you wonder where the **** Gennarro Gattuso was keeping this when he was failing to qualify for the World Cup with Italy seven months ago.
It was an awful game, through and through, and now it leaves everyone picking up the pieces.
#game #night #three
15 hours ago
Marco Sturm is giving the Boston Bruins' younger players a chance to prove themselves, and Matt Poitras is taking full advantage of it.
Poitras signed a one-year, two-way deal on the day training camp opened, and one day later told reporters that he needs to "prove to everybody that I can be in the lineup every night." It was not all smooth sailing, though. He suffered a lower-body injury during training camp and missed the first three regular-season games before playing in the last six.
Ahead of his first game, Sturm said he was looking to "see [Poitras'] strengths, and I think just being smart, and skate." Six games later, Sturm is happy with what he's seen out of the 22-year-old center.
"Yeah, he's been solid, and that's all I'm asking for," Sturm said of Poitras after Saturday's game in Los Angeles. "I'm not asking for big points and goals, whatever. No, I want him to just do [his] job, and the rest will come automatically."
In his first five games of the season, Poitras centered the fourth line. He skated alongside Tanner Jeannot and Mark Kastelic, but with Pavel Zacha sidelined by an upper-body injury, Poitras moved into a top-six role.
#later
Poitras signed a one-year, two-way deal on the day training camp opened, and one day later told reporters that he needs to "prove to everybody that I can be in the lineup every night." It was not all smooth sailing, though. He suffered a lower-body injury during training camp and missed the first three regular-season games before playing in the last six.
Ahead of his first game, Sturm said he was looking to "see [Poitras'] strengths, and I think just being smart, and skate." Six games later, Sturm is happy with what he's seen out of the 22-year-old center.
"Yeah, he's been solid, and that's all I'm asking for," Sturm said of Poitras after Saturday's game in Los Angeles. "I'm not asking for big points and goals, whatever. No, I want him to just do [his] job, and the rest will come automatically."
In his first five games of the season, Poitras centered the fourth line. He skated alongside Tanner Jeannot and Mark Kastelic, but with Pavel Zacha sidelined by an upper-body injury, Poitras moved into a top-six role.
#later
15 hours ago
I'm living proof of the saying that "kids keep you young." My wife and I don't need social media. We've got multiple social barometers living in our house. But my usual reaction to every new trend or slang that enters their lexicon ("cooked" and "tuff" have been the new favorites) is skepticism. Before I try to figure out how much attention I need to put into what has them hyped, I try to figure out how serious they are about their enthusiasm.
Sunday's fantasy football action left me in a similar spot. We didn't get many massive box score performances from our stars. Instead, Week 6 was about our mid- and late-round picks or waiver-wire acquisitions. And with some giving us repeat results, the storylines coming out of Sunday should have us adjusting how we approach fantasy free agency on Tuesday.
Both Trevor Lawrence and C.J. Stroud were hooping all morning. They were the perfect pivot from whatever we had to watch on TNF. But as I was watching the Texans offense, a couple of things stood out.
what a throw from Stroud, too. pic.twitter.com/fz4EbOAKvT https://t.co/2MaTqWpPgd
First, Stroud's command of the offense was at an all-time high. Jacksonville came into the game with the 12th-highest pressure rate. Houston had a twofold response. It used an extra lineman on 35.6% of its plays (a season-high), and Stroud was getting rid of the football in 2.31 seconds (a season-low). The result was not only his lowest pressure rate (8.6%) but also his highest EPA per dropback (0.35). More importantly, the Jaguars' defensive measures, which included blitzing Stroud on 31.4% of his dropbacks, didn't stop him from throwing the ball.
#fantasy
Sunday's fantasy football action left me in a similar spot. We didn't get many massive box score performances from our stars. Instead, Week 6 was about our mid- and late-round picks or waiver-wire acquisitions. And with some giving us repeat results, the storylines coming out of Sunday should have us adjusting how we approach fantasy free agency on Tuesday.
Both Trevor Lawrence and C.J. Stroud were hooping all morning. They were the perfect pivot from whatever we had to watch on TNF. But as I was watching the Texans offense, a couple of things stood out.
what a throw from Stroud, too. pic.twitter.com/fz4EbOAKvT https://t.co/2MaTqWpPgd
First, Stroud's command of the offense was at an all-time high. Jacksonville came into the game with the 12th-highest pressure rate. Houston had a twofold response. It used an extra lineman on 35.6% of its plays (a season-high), and Stroud was getting rid of the football in 2.31 seconds (a season-low). The result was not only his lowest pressure rate (8.6%) but also his highest EPA per dropback (0.35). More importantly, the Jaguars' defensive measures, which included blitzing Stroud on 31.4% of his dropbacks, didn't stop him from throwing the ball.
#fantasy
11 days ago
Kat Graham may be stunning on the outside, but she's more focused on inner beauty.
During an exclusive interview with First for Women, the 37-year-old actress discussed her outlook after welcoming her son "Spero" Nyemah Wood with her husband, Bryant Wood, in March.
"I'm kind of learning inside out even more," she explains. "I've always tried to prioritize: if you feel good within, it'll show."
"If you're not drinking enough water, if you're not eating good food, it doesn't matter how much makeup or how many different hairstyles or whatever, you're not going to emanate health," she continues. "So for me, especially post-baby, I'm still taking all my supplements, all my vitamins."
Steven Bergman/AFF-USA.COM / MEGA
#first #spero
During an exclusive interview with First for Women, the 37-year-old actress discussed her outlook after welcoming her son "Spero" Nyemah Wood with her husband, Bryant Wood, in March.
"I'm kind of learning inside out even more," she explains. "I've always tried to prioritize: if you feel good within, it'll show."
"If you're not drinking enough water, if you're not eating good food, it doesn't matter how much makeup or how many different hairstyles or whatever, you're not going to emanate health," she continues. "So for me, especially post-baby, I'm still taking all my supplements, all my vitamins."
Steven Bergman/AFF-USA.COM / MEGA
#first #spero
11 days ago
A reconciliation for Kourtney Kardashian Barker and Jennifer Lawrence is in the Kards.
Kardashian Barker, the eldest of Kar-Jenner siblings, revealed on the Season 8 premiere of "The Kardashians" (Hulu, Thursdays) how much the Oscar-winning actress' recent criticisms stung, and that Lawrence expressed her regret in an email.
During a round of Vanity Fair's Lie Detector Tests, which was shared to the outlet's YouTube channel in November 2025, Lawrence identified Khloé Kardashian as her favorite Kardashian.
"Kourtney is more annoying than ever," Lawrence, 36, told a puzzled Robert Pattinson, her "Die My Love" costar. "She drives me nuts… Because everything has to be an announcement. It's like, 'I'm not going to wear outfits anymore.' Like, just wear whatever you want. Don't make an announcement about it. Or, like, 'I don't have a TV in my room.' Just don't watch TV. Stop announcing it. Just shh!"
While driving with her friend, Simon Huck, Kardashian Barker, 47, explained that her emotions stirred back up after her mom, Kris Jenner, sent her family a message, saying, "'Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Stone, I talked to them last night. They're the best,' or something."
#kardashian #jennifer #wear
Kardashian Barker, the eldest of Kar-Jenner siblings, revealed on the Season 8 premiere of "The Kardashians" (Hulu, Thursdays) how much the Oscar-winning actress' recent criticisms stung, and that Lawrence expressed her regret in an email.
During a round of Vanity Fair's Lie Detector Tests, which was shared to the outlet's YouTube channel in November 2025, Lawrence identified Khloé Kardashian as her favorite Kardashian.
"Kourtney is more annoying than ever," Lawrence, 36, told a puzzled Robert Pattinson, her "Die My Love" costar. "She drives me nuts… Because everything has to be an announcement. It's like, 'I'm not going to wear outfits anymore.' Like, just wear whatever you want. Don't make an announcement about it. Or, like, 'I don't have a TV in my room.' Just don't watch TV. Stop announcing it. Just shh!"
While driving with her friend, Simon Huck, Kardashian Barker, 47, explained that her emotions stirred back up after her mom, Kris Jenner, sent her family a message, saying, "'Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Stone, I talked to them last night. They're the best,' or something."
#kardashian #jennifer #wear
12 days ago
National Republicans have spent months trying to rescue Ken Paxton. He's complicating that effort.
Tensions are brewing with some Republicans after POLITICO published Paxton's closed-door comments that "D.C." Republicans were largely controlling his race.
"He is welcome to raise his own money and say whatever he wants," said one Republican involved in the Paxton rescue effort, who like others in this article was granted anonymity to speak candidly. "In fact, if he did that, he'd probably be winning right now and we wouldn't need to spend all this money."
"This just seems like Paxton preparing to blame others for what might be one of the most embarrassing defeats in modern political history," said Carlos Curbelo, a former Florida GOP representative.
Senate Republicans and top operatives didn't want to be in this position in the first place. Many had warned that the Trump effort to unseat Sen. John Cornyn and back Paxton in the primary would cost Republicans hundreds of millions to drag Paxton across the finish line in the general election. Cornyn and Senate GOP groups spent millions of dollars on ads during the primary attacking Paxton over his series of scandals and warning he was a flawed candidate.
#republicans #spent #rescue
Tensions are brewing with some Republicans after POLITICO published Paxton's closed-door comments that "D.C." Republicans were largely controlling his race.
"He is welcome to raise his own money and say whatever he wants," said one Republican involved in the Paxton rescue effort, who like others in this article was granted anonymity to speak candidly. "In fact, if he did that, he'd probably be winning right now and we wouldn't need to spend all this money."
"This just seems like Paxton preparing to blame others for what might be one of the most embarrassing defeats in modern political history," said Carlos Curbelo, a former Florida GOP representative.
Senate Republicans and top operatives didn't want to be in this position in the first place. Many had warned that the Trump effort to unseat Sen. John Cornyn and back Paxton in the primary would cost Republicans hundreds of millions to drag Paxton across the finish line in the general election. Cornyn and Senate GOP groups spent millions of dollars on ads during the primary attacking Paxton over his series of scandals and warning he was a flawed candidate.
#republicans #spent #rescue
12 days ago
Lots of investors keep coming back to dividend stocks for a pretty simple reason: While the market is often busy chasing whatever happens to be hot that week, a growing dividend is something a company actually has to earn. It has to generate the cash to keep paying investors quarter after quarter, year after year.
That makes dividends especially appealing when the market and the economy feel like they're being pulled in every direction. A company can dress up a press release, but it can't fake the cash sitting in its bank account. When it comes time to pay a dividend, the money is either there or it isn't.
Missed AI's "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 14x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our ****** ysts, we're only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »
What interests me most, though, aren't necessarily the big, well-known dividend payers. I'm more interested in the companies flying under the radar that have increased their payouts for decades while also making meaningful changes to their underlying businesses today. These four companies fit that description.
Universal (NYSE: UVV) is the highest yielder here, paying out around 7.4% at recent prices, and it has raised its dividend for 56 consecutive years. This raise makes it a Dividend King, a company that has delivered 50 or more years of annual dividend increases. Universal isn't a cigarette maker, but it is the world's largest leaf tobacco exporter and importer. It supplies tobacco companies rather than selling to smokers directly, which is why it rarely shows up in articles about tobacco stocks.
#market
That makes dividends especially appealing when the market and the economy feel like they're being pulled in every direction. A company can dress up a press release, but it can't fake the cash sitting in its bank account. When it comes time to pay a dividend, the money is either there or it isn't.
Missed AI's "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 14x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our ****** ysts, we're only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »
What interests me most, though, aren't necessarily the big, well-known dividend payers. I'm more interested in the companies flying under the radar that have increased their payouts for decades while also making meaningful changes to their underlying businesses today. These four companies fit that description.
Universal (NYSE: UVV) is the highest yielder here, paying out around 7.4% at recent prices, and it has raised its dividend for 56 consecutive years. This raise makes it a Dividend King, a company that has delivered 50 or more years of annual dividend increases. Universal isn't a cigarette maker, but it is the world's largest leaf tobacco exporter and importer. It supplies tobacco companies rather than selling to smokers directly, which is why it rarely shows up in articles about tobacco stocks.
#market
12 days ago
The 10-year Treasury yield recently touched its highest level in roughly two decades, north of 5.3%, per CNBC.
When the 10-year Treasury yield rises, stocks can become less attractive because investors can earn higher yields on safer bonds, and higher borrowing costs can weigh on companies and their growth. At the same time, older bonds with lower interest rates lose market value compared with newer, higher-yielding bonds.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
In short, this yield is the interest rate the U.S. government pays to borrow for 10 years and is a key benchmark for global borrowing costs and economic outlook.
Here's a difference that matters. A Treasury note pays you the same coupon in year 10 that it pays you in year one. A growing dividend you can find in a stock doesn't sit still. It compounds. Buy the right business today, and the income it hands you a decade from now can be meaningfully larger than what it pays this year, on top of whatever the stock itself is worth by then.
#treasury
When the 10-year Treasury yield rises, stocks can become less attractive because investors can earn higher yields on safer bonds, and higher borrowing costs can weigh on companies and their growth. At the same time, older bonds with lower interest rates lose market value compared with newer, higher-yielding bonds.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
In short, this yield is the interest rate the U.S. government pays to borrow for 10 years and is a key benchmark for global borrowing costs and economic outlook.
Here's a difference that matters. A Treasury note pays you the same coupon in year 10 that it pays you in year one. A growing dividend you can find in a stock doesn't sit still. It compounds. Buy the right business today, and the income it hands you a decade from now can be meaningfully larger than what it pays this year, on top of whatever the stock itself is worth by then.
#treasury
13 days ago
50 Cent, like clockwork, has publicly commented on news of Sean "Diddy" Combs having reportedly been placed back in solitary confinement.
News of Diddy's change in prison conditions came almost immediately after a sources-citing NBC News report in which the Bad Boy Records founder's life behind bars was described as "pampered." Specifically, the 56-year-old was accused of having enlisted fellow inmates to handle his laundry and provide him with massages, among other menial tasks.
Amid these claims spreading far and wide, TMZ said that Diddy, currently set for a January 2028 release, would be moved into solitary confinement while an investigation was carried out.
"Yo the box again for what?" Fif later wrote in an Instagram post when reacting to the news. "Whatever they say he did, he did that **** . LOL."
COMPLEX SHOP: Shop the brands you love, anytime and anywhere. Uncover what's next. Buy. Collect. Obsess.
#diddy #combs
News of Diddy's change in prison conditions came almost immediately after a sources-citing NBC News report in which the Bad Boy Records founder's life behind bars was described as "pampered." Specifically, the 56-year-old was accused of having enlisted fellow inmates to handle his laundry and provide him with massages, among other menial tasks.
Amid these claims spreading far and wide, TMZ said that Diddy, currently set for a January 2028 release, would be moved into solitary confinement while an investigation was carried out.
"Yo the box again for what?" Fif later wrote in an Instagram post when reacting to the news. "Whatever they say he did, he did that **** . LOL."
COMPLEX SHOP: Shop the brands you love, anytime and anywhere. Uncover what's next. Buy. Collect. Obsess.
#diddy #combs
13 days ago
Christy Carlson Romano knows how to play a role, but finding herself has proven to be her greatest performance.
The Emmy-nominated actress and Disney Channel alum looks back on her turbulent upbringing in the spotlight in her debut memoir "Once Upon a Trainwreck: The Fall and Rise of a Child Star" (out now).
Romano, alongside fellow Disney darlings Shia LaBeouf, Hilary Duff and Raven-Symoné, epitomized teen stardom in the early 2000s, appearing in beloved TV shows and movies such as "Even Stevens," "Cadet Kelly" and "Kim Possible."
Despite her success, Romano often felt adrift in young Hollywood, intimidated by the upper echelons of prime-time dramas and glossy magazine covers.
"Looking back, I was really just trying to fit into whatever opportunity was thrown my way, rather than kind of create my own identity so that opportunities would find me in a different light," Romano tells USA TODAY. "I didn't have a stylist or a publicist, and I didn't really invest in myself the way that maybe I should have, to get to know exactly who I wanted to be, even if [that] changed over the years."
#really
The Emmy-nominated actress and Disney Channel alum looks back on her turbulent upbringing in the spotlight in her debut memoir "Once Upon a Trainwreck: The Fall and Rise of a Child Star" (out now).
Romano, alongside fellow Disney darlings Shia LaBeouf, Hilary Duff and Raven-Symoné, epitomized teen stardom in the early 2000s, appearing in beloved TV shows and movies such as "Even Stevens," "Cadet Kelly" and "Kim Possible."
Despite her success, Romano often felt adrift in young Hollywood, intimidated by the upper echelons of prime-time dramas and glossy magazine covers.
"Looking back, I was really just trying to fit into whatever opportunity was thrown my way, rather than kind of create my own identity so that opportunities would find me in a different light," Romano tells USA TODAY. "I didn't have a stylist or a publicist, and I didn't really invest in myself the way that maybe I should have, to get to know exactly who I wanted to be, even if [that] changed over the years."
#really
14 days ago
Hasan Piker came to the defense of children's entertainer Ms. Rachel after Fox News warned parents against her content, blasting the network for finding "two people who don't want children to be slaughtered" unacceptable.
The drama started on Fox News' "The Big Weekend Show," when contributor Tomi Lahren weighed in on Ms. Rachel (also known as Rachel Anne Accurso)'s past collaborations with left-wing figures, including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
"I'd also say this person here on your screen is Hasan Piker in overalls and a stupid headband," Lahren noted during the conversation. "So, if that's what you want your kids to be watching, if that's what you want to be forming their ideas and their world view on, by all means."
As Lahren went on, she took aim at Ms. Rachel's appearance, adding, "There she looks age appropriate in that one photo."
"Listen, you can be a leftie and you can be like, a kids' educator, right? And you can be like, 'I'm a Democrat,' whatever," she continued. "But when you go so far as to advocate for things like Hamas, Palestine and you cloud people's judgement on what exactly a genocide is and who's to blame and you talk about Israel then you are not a children's educator anymore. You're a political activist. Like I said, Hasan Piker in a headband and overalls. So, parents, if that's what you want, I guess keep watching Ms. Rachel."
#rachel #piker #headband #kids
The drama started on Fox News' "The Big Weekend Show," when contributor Tomi Lahren weighed in on Ms. Rachel (also known as Rachel Anne Accurso)'s past collaborations with left-wing figures, including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
"I'd also say this person here on your screen is Hasan Piker in overalls and a stupid headband," Lahren noted during the conversation. "So, if that's what you want your kids to be watching, if that's what you want to be forming their ideas and their world view on, by all means."
As Lahren went on, she took aim at Ms. Rachel's appearance, adding, "There she looks age appropriate in that one photo."
"Listen, you can be a leftie and you can be like, a kids' educator, right? And you can be like, 'I'm a Democrat,' whatever," she continued. "But when you go so far as to advocate for things like Hamas, Palestine and you cloud people's judgement on what exactly a genocide is and who's to blame and you talk about Israel then you are not a children's educator anymore. You're a political activist. Like I said, Hasan Piker in a headband and overalls. So, parents, if that's what you want, I guess keep watching Ms. Rachel."
#rachel #piker #headband #kids
14 days ago
The four-day Fully Loaded at Sea voyage sails from Miami to Cozumel, Mexico beginning Nov. 19
Kreischer says the inaugural trip depleted its vodka supply on the first night, requiring a resupply boat
He promises to set aside $1,000 for children conceived during the cruise
Bert Kreischer has a lot going on and, as usual, he's not exactly taking the quiet route.
The 53-year-old comedian is gearing up for the second voyage of Fully Loaded at Sea, his four-day comedy cruise sailing from Miami to Mexico in November. He's also preparing for the next season of his Netflix series, working toward another comedy special and juggling a schedule that includes a monthlong tour, the New York Food & Wine Festival, a commercial shoot, trips to London and Las Vegas and, naturally, whatever else gets thrown his way.
#fully #Mexico #voyage
Kreischer says the inaugural trip depleted its vodka supply on the first night, requiring a resupply boat
He promises to set aside $1,000 for children conceived during the cruise
Bert Kreischer has a lot going on and, as usual, he's not exactly taking the quiet route.
The 53-year-old comedian is gearing up for the second voyage of Fully Loaded at Sea, his four-day comedy cruise sailing from Miami to Mexico in November. He's also preparing for the next season of his Netflix series, working toward another comedy special and juggling a schedule that includes a monthlong tour, the New York Food & Wine Festival, a commercial shoot, trips to London and Las Vegas and, naturally, whatever else gets thrown his way.
#fully #Mexico #voyage
14 days ago
Dana White has a lot of haters, but it was surprising to find out that his mother was one of them.
June White shocked the MMA world back in 2011 when she released an unauthorized biography on her son ****** led 'Dana White: King of MMA.' The 152 page book was full of all sorts of accusations: that White and his wife got into physical conflicts regularly, that he 'puts Tiger Woods to shame' regarding infidelity, and that he'd slept with his sister-in-law.
All unproven claims, and all a part of what White now says was part of a scheme to get money out of him to buy a bar. In a new interview with The Diary of a CEO, White addressed his mother's book in-depth for the first time.
"I was on a trip one time, I didn't have emails or any of that s–t on the road," White said. "We were in London for like two weeks and when I got back I checked my emails and I had like a bunch of emails from her threatening me: 'You have two options: you can give me this all upfront, or you can pay me in payments over the next f–king whatever. I'm looking to buy a bar or whatever it was.'"
"And then she wasn't getting responses because I was in London, and then the emails started getting nastier and nastier and nastier," White continued. "And I f–king just blew up. That was the beginning of the end with me and her."
#emails #king #back
June White shocked the MMA world back in 2011 when she released an unauthorized biography on her son ****** led 'Dana White: King of MMA.' The 152 page book was full of all sorts of accusations: that White and his wife got into physical conflicts regularly, that he 'puts Tiger Woods to shame' regarding infidelity, and that he'd slept with his sister-in-law.
All unproven claims, and all a part of what White now says was part of a scheme to get money out of him to buy a bar. In a new interview with The Diary of a CEO, White addressed his mother's book in-depth for the first time.
"I was on a trip one time, I didn't have emails or any of that s–t on the road," White said. "We were in London for like two weeks and when I got back I checked my emails and I had like a bunch of emails from her threatening me: 'You have two options: you can give me this all upfront, or you can pay me in payments over the next f–king whatever. I'm looking to buy a bar or whatever it was.'"
"And then she wasn't getting responses because I was in London, and then the emails started getting nastier and nastier and nastier," White continued. "And I f–king just blew up. That was the beginning of the end with me and her."
#emails #king #back
16 days ago
Celebrity breakups sometimes come as a shock—especially when the split happens months or even days before the couple was set to marry.
Stars who cancelled their weddings include Julia Roberts, Jennifer Lopez, Usher, and Brad Pitt.
For some couples, like Orlando Bloom and Katy Perry, their engagement lasted for years before they broke things off.
Not every celebrity engagement ends in a marriage.
For some star couples, the time between a proposal and their highly anticipated "I do's" forces them to take stock of what they really want. They might realize things are happening too fast, or that they're—plot twist—in love with someone else. Whatever the reason, they're bound to make headlines when they call off their wedding, sometimes within days of the planned ceremony.
#sometimes #julia #roberts
Stars who cancelled their weddings include Julia Roberts, Jennifer Lopez, Usher, and Brad Pitt.
For some couples, like Orlando Bloom and Katy Perry, their engagement lasted for years before they broke things off.
Not every celebrity engagement ends in a marriage.
For some star couples, the time between a proposal and their highly anticipated "I do's" forces them to take stock of what they really want. They might realize things are happening too fast, or that they're—plot twist—in love with someone else. Whatever the reason, they're bound to make headlines when they call off their wedding, sometimes within days of the planned ceremony.
#sometimes #julia #roberts
16 days ago
ROLEPLAY: Choosing an outfit to embody a character, whatever the occasion, is one of the greatest fashion pleasures for Givenchy guest Janelle Monáe, who chose a masculine suit, tie and striped overcoat for her latest front-row appearance at Sarah Burton's show Friday afternoon. "Time traveler" was her chosen role for the day, said the musician and actress.
"I think about myself as a world builder and as a storyteller, through music, TV and also fashion," said Monáe. Acting, after all, is a form of time travel. "It's so much fun, but at the same time, it's important to remain present. I try to spend a lot of time present. Talking to you, having this moment, that's what it's about," she said.
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#roleplay
"I think about myself as a world builder and as a storyteller, through music, TV and also fashion," said Monáe. Acting, after all, is a form of time travel. "It's so much fun, but at the same time, it's important to remain present. I try to spend a lot of time present. Talking to you, having this moment, that's what it's about," she said.
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#roleplay
17 days ago
Ming-Na Wen
You could say cooking is in Ming-Na Wen's blood.
The Annie Award-winning actor known for Mulan, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and The Book of Boba Fett grew up completely immersed in her family's Pittsburgh-based restaurant, Chinatown Inn, which has been in constant operation for the better part of a century.
While she ultimately pursued a career in show business, Wen never forgot her deep culinary roots. Reminiscences of that upbringing, both warm and complicated, informed the writing of her autobiographical cookbook, Have You Eaten Yet?: Family Recipes from a Restaurant Daughter (now on sale from S&S/Simon Element), described as "the ultimate love letter to food and family."
"It started off as a social media thing, where I'd be posting my food," she shared with me over Zoom. "I want to say this was eight years ago, and my fans wanted the recipes. I was like, 'Oh…I don't have recipes.' So, a few years later—because I was still posting my food and they were still requesting recipes—I talked to my manager about it. He's like, 'You should write a cookbook!' And I was like, 'Yeah, whatever…' But he got me a literary agent whom I love. She and I hashed it out, and it's taken about five years for it to come to fruition."
#restaurant #cookbook #love
You could say cooking is in Ming-Na Wen's blood.
The Annie Award-winning actor known for Mulan, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and The Book of Boba Fett grew up completely immersed in her family's Pittsburgh-based restaurant, Chinatown Inn, which has been in constant operation for the better part of a century.
While she ultimately pursued a career in show business, Wen never forgot her deep culinary roots. Reminiscences of that upbringing, both warm and complicated, informed the writing of her autobiographical cookbook, Have You Eaten Yet?: Family Recipes from a Restaurant Daughter (now on sale from S&S/Simon Element), described as "the ultimate love letter to food and family."
"It started off as a social media thing, where I'd be posting my food," she shared with me over Zoom. "I want to say this was eight years ago, and my fans wanted the recipes. I was like, 'Oh…I don't have recipes.' So, a few years later—because I was still posting my food and they were still requesting recipes—I talked to my manager about it. He's like, 'You should write a cookbook!' And I was like, 'Yeah, whatever…' But he got me a literary agent whom I love. She and I hashed it out, and it's taken about five years for it to come to fruition."
#restaurant #cookbook #love
18 days ago
Rick Ross' attorney brought up his client's celebrity status while asking for a quick release from custody. The judge made it clear that fame would not change how she treated him. The rapper appeared by video before Miami-Dade Judge Mindy Glazer on Thursday following his arrest on domestic violence-related battery charges. When his lawyer requested an expedited release for safety reasons, Glazer responded that she had "no idea" who Ross was. Ross has pleaded not guilty and maintains his innocence.
Spread Pictures / MEGA
Attorney Steve Sadow identified Ross by his legal name, William Leonard Roberts II, while asking the judge to speed up his release. "Mr. Roberts is a celebrity. I don't know to whatever degree Your Honor can, but I'd ask that his release be expedited," Sadow said.
The attorney argued that a faster release would be in his client's best interest. Glazer addressed Ross directly in her response. "Hi Mr. Roberts. I have no idea who you are, except as somebody here in the court who's going to be treated fairly, just like everybody here," she said.
Ross had been booked around 6:10 a.m. Thursday before making his video appearance. His bond was set at $4,000 for the felony battery by strangulation charge and $1,000 for the misdemeanor battery charge.
#release #glazer #Attorney #celebrity
Spread Pictures / MEGA
Attorney Steve Sadow identified Ross by his legal name, William Leonard Roberts II, while asking the judge to speed up his release. "Mr. Roberts is a celebrity. I don't know to whatever degree Your Honor can, but I'd ask that his release be expedited," Sadow said.
The attorney argued that a faster release would be in his client's best interest. Glazer addressed Ross directly in her response. "Hi Mr. Roberts. I have no idea who you are, except as somebody here in the court who's going to be treated fairly, just like everybody here," she said.
Ross had been booked around 6:10 a.m. Thursday before making his video appearance. His bond was set at $4,000 for the felony battery by strangulation charge and $1,000 for the misdemeanor battery charge.
#release #glazer #Attorney #celebrity
18 days ago
Cenat challenged Reggie to take any evidence to law enforcement, while RaKai separately denied claims made about his childhood.
Kai Cenat says he plans to sue fellow streamer Reggie after the creator escalated his allegations involving RaKai during a Sept. 30 livestream. The threat follows Reggie's earlier claims involving Cenat while discussing his own alleged childhood abuse. RaKai, who participated in Cenat's Streamer University, has since denied Reggie's claims about him.
The Times of India reported that during an Instagram Live ******* led "Truth," Reggie accused Cenat of grooming RaKai and encouraging inappropriate behavior for fame and clout. He also made other serious accusations against Cenat. The claims remain unverified, and Reggie did not publicly provide evidence establishing them.
Cenat responded during a Sept. 30 livestream by challenging Reggie to take whatever evidence he says he has to law enforcement. "Call the cops and show them evidence," Cenat said, before adding that he planned to call police himself and sue Reggie.
Cenat said he had not originally intended to pursue a lawsuit but changed his position after the latest allegations. He argued that the accusations were affecting his reputation, his family and his future, and accused Reggie of taking claims circulating in TikTok comments and presenting them as his own.
#reggie #call #take #enforcement
Kai Cenat says he plans to sue fellow streamer Reggie after the creator escalated his allegations involving RaKai during a Sept. 30 livestream. The threat follows Reggie's earlier claims involving Cenat while discussing his own alleged childhood abuse. RaKai, who participated in Cenat's Streamer University, has since denied Reggie's claims about him.
The Times of India reported that during an Instagram Live ******* led "Truth," Reggie accused Cenat of grooming RaKai and encouraging inappropriate behavior for fame and clout. He also made other serious accusations against Cenat. The claims remain unverified, and Reggie did not publicly provide evidence establishing them.
Cenat responded during a Sept. 30 livestream by challenging Reggie to take whatever evidence he says he has to law enforcement. "Call the cops and show them evidence," Cenat said, before adding that he planned to call police himself and sue Reggie.
Cenat said he had not originally intended to pursue a lawsuit but changed his position after the latest allegations. He argued that the accusations were affecting his reputation, his family and his future, and accused Reggie of taking claims circulating in TikTok comments and presenting them as his own.
#reggie #call #take #enforcement
29 days ago
On the Sept. 3, 2026 episode of The Ramsey Show, a Houston caller named Nathan asked whether he should use his savings to clear a mortgage he described as a "whatever, 2% mortgage or something." He had about $280,000 left on it and roughly $346,000 in liquid ******* ets, most of it cash and the rest in a taxable brokerage account. Dave Ramsey told him to do it, and to do it that night.
Five months earlier, Ramsey had told a caller in almost the same position the opposite. On April 1, 2026, a web engineer earning around $600,000 a year called in about three weeks after being laid off, sitting on enough cash to clear a San Francisco, California mortgage. "When you're in the middle of a storm, you do temporary things," Ramsey said. "Hold on to the cash. We're not gonna pay off the house because we may not be staying in the house."
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#mortgage #told
Five months earlier, Ramsey had told a caller in almost the same position the opposite. On April 1, 2026, a web engineer earning around $600,000 a year called in about three weeks after being laid off, sitting on enough cash to clear a San Francisco, California mortgage. "When you're in the middle of a storm, you do temporary things," Ramsey said. "Hold on to the cash. We're not gonna pay off the house because we may not be staying in the house."
Here's Another Little-Known Firm Jensen Huang's Nvidia Is Quietly Backing
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#mortgage #told
29 days ago
You've been working for decades and are eagerly anticipating your retirement years, when you'll finally be free to do whatever you want — whether that's travel, golfing, hiking or volunteering.
But while you may be looking forward to ending your worklife, you may not have yet created a strong enough plan. A 2026 study from the Employee Benefit Research Institute, for instance, found that only half of retirees rated their household financial well-being as at least very good, while two in five said healthcare costs have been higher than they expected. Two in five also said their overall spending in retirement was more than they expected.
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#bezos
But while you may be looking forward to ending your worklife, you may not have yet created a strong enough plan. A 2026 study from the Employee Benefit Research Institute, for instance, found that only half of retirees rated their household financial well-being as at least very good, while two in five said healthcare costs have been higher than they expected. Two in five also said their overall spending in retirement was more than they expected.
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Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake. Here's what it is and 3 simple steps to fix it ASAP
The tax breaks in Trump's 'big beautiful bill' expire after 2028. Here are 4 moves to make before the window closes
#bezos
30 days ago
Semiconductor giant Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) has been a hot stock for some time now -- for good reason. It has averaged annualized gains of 52% over the past 15 years. That was enough to turn a single $10,000 investment 15 years ago into a stake worth $5.9 million (with dividends reinvested) or $5.4 million (without the reinvestment of dividends).
What if you buy into it today, though? How big could your stake in it become by, say, 2030? Let's take a look.
Missed AI's "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 15x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our ******* ysts, we're only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »
Let's start with a caveat: Whatever estimate we come up with will be just that -- an estimate. It will be based on the stock's growth rate -- which over the past three years has averaged nearly 70% per year! Over the past one year, it has gained nearly 20%. (That 20% might seem puny, but remember that over many decades, the stock market has averaged annual gains of close to 10%. So a 20% gain is still pretty good.)
But how quickly will Nvidia grow over the coming four years? Well, let's pick a number between that 20% and the longer-term rate of 52%. Let's say 30%.
#NVIDIA #missed
What if you buy into it today, though? How big could your stake in it become by, say, 2030? Let's take a look.
Missed AI's "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 15x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our ******* ysts, we're only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »
Let's start with a caveat: Whatever estimate we come up with will be just that -- an estimate. It will be based on the stock's growth rate -- which over the past three years has averaged nearly 70% per year! Over the past one year, it has gained nearly 20%. (That 20% might seem puny, but remember that over many decades, the stock market has averaged annual gains of close to 10%. So a 20% gain is still pretty good.)
But how quickly will Nvidia grow over the coming four years? Well, let's pick a number between that 20% and the longer-term rate of 52%. Let's say 30%.
#NVIDIA #missed
1 month ago
Anthropic's initial public offering (IPO), expected no earlier than mid-October, will be a test of just how hungry the financial markets still are for exposure to artificial intelligence (AI). The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) is going to react depending on how that test goes. Its backers want a valuation of $2 trillion or more, which would top ******* e Exploration Technologies as the biggest IPO ever if it happens.
Don't expect S&P 500 funds to buy it immediately, though. The road for Anthropic entering the S&P 500 is going to be slow, and it could test some nerves along the way.
Missed AI's "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 15x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our ******* ysts, we're only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »
By definition, index funds tracking the S&P 500 must buy whatever the S&P 500 adds to its list of stocks.
Anthropic probably won't get special treatment, given that on June 4, S&P Dow Jones Indices declined to loosen its rules for mega-cap listings. Those rules still require 12 months as a public company, at least 10% of shares being publicly held, and reported positive earnings under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).
#snpindex
Don't expect S&P 500 funds to buy it immediately, though. The road for Anthropic entering the S&P 500 is going to be slow, and it could test some nerves along the way.
Missed AI's "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 15x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our ******* ysts, we're only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »
By definition, index funds tracking the S&P 500 must buy whatever the S&P 500 adds to its list of stocks.
Anthropic probably won't get special treatment, given that on June 4, S&P Dow Jones Indices declined to loosen its rules for mega-cap listings. Those rules still require 12 months as a public company, at least 10% of shares being publicly held, and reported positive earnings under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).
#snpindex
1 month ago
GE Aerospace (GE) has more engine work booked than it can currently perform, and that visibility is much of why people own the shares. The option chain does not treat the stock as settled. At about $307, contracts running twelve months out carry a band from near $216.93 to near $434.6, with roughly a two-in-three chance the stock finishes inside it.
Read that band as money. The ceiling near $434.6 sits about 41.5% above today's price, and the floor near $216.93 sits about 29.4% below it. Whatever money you have in GE, the options market prices about $90 of every $307 coming off, or about $128 going on, inside twelve months.
The two distances are not equal. A share price cannot fall below zero while nothing caps the upside, so the ceiling always sits further out than the floor. That is arithmetic rather than a view on GE.
The floor is the half worth sitting with. Near $216.93, it is well below $272.91, the lowest GE has traded in the past 52 weeks. The chain is not forecasting that price. It prices twelve months as long enough to reach it.
A range is only wide relative to something. The stock's realized volatility over the trailing year, meaning how far it has actually moved, was 33.2%, and the options quote 34.6%. The market is charging about what this stock already delivers.
#near #sits #floor #band
Read that band as money. The ceiling near $434.6 sits about 41.5% above today's price, and the floor near $216.93 sits about 29.4% below it. Whatever money you have in GE, the options market prices about $90 of every $307 coming off, or about $128 going on, inside twelve months.
The two distances are not equal. A share price cannot fall below zero while nothing caps the upside, so the ceiling always sits further out than the floor. That is arithmetic rather than a view on GE.
The floor is the half worth sitting with. Near $216.93, it is well below $272.91, the lowest GE has traded in the past 52 weeks. The chain is not forecasting that price. It prices twelve months as long enough to reach it.
A range is only wide relative to something. The stock's realized volatility over the trailing year, meaning how far it has actually moved, was 33.2%, and the options quote 34.6%. The market is charging about what this stock already delivers.
#near #sits #floor #band
1 month ago
On August 4, Westlake Corporation (NYSE:WLK) reported second-quarter results that erased two consecutive quarterly losses in a single swing. Net income landed at $260 million, or $2.01 per share, compared with a $169 million loss just three months earlier and a $142 million loss a year ago. EBITDA nearly tripled from the second quarter of 2025. The numbers mark a sharp reversal for a company whose chemicals business had been bleeding red ink.
The turnaround centers on Performance and Essential Materials, the segment that makes chlorovinyls and other basic chemicals. PEM swung from a $318 million operating loss in the second quarter of 2025 to $185 million in income this quarter, while EBITDA excluding identified items jumped from a 3% margin to 21%. The driver was pricing: average sales prices across PEM rose 14% year over year, more than offsetting a 3% price decline in the Housing and Infrastructure Products segment. Combined with a 7% increase in companywide sales volume, excluding the effects of plant shutdowns and an acquisition, the pricing recovery pushed companywide EBITDA to $679 million from $210 million a year earlier.
Westlake is also working the balance sheet alongside the market recovery. The company reduced debt by $500 million during the quarter and returned $99 million to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases. Management says its three-pillar profitability improvement plan remains on track to deliver a $600 million operating income benefit, a target that, if it holds, would layer structural cost savings on top of whatever the market gives back in pricing.
Not every part of the story improved together. Housing and Infrastructure Products, the segment tied to home construction and building products, saw its EBITDA margin slip to 22% from 24% a year earlier, even as volume rose 6% excluding the ACI acquisition. Average sales prices in that segment fell 3% year over year, a sign that pricing power in housing products has softened even as the company sells more of it.
The improvement in the core chemicals business also leans heavily on price rather than volume. PEM's turnaround came from a 14% jump in average sales price, a figure that can move in either direction with commodity cycles. The first quarter of 2026 was a reminder of how quickly conditions shift: Westlake posted a $169 million net loss just three months before this result, weighed down by $85 million in identified items, including a $67 million charge to settle litigation over PVC pipe and fittings and $18 million tied to facility shutdowns. A year earlier, in the second quarter of 2025, the company absorbed another $130 million in shutdown-related charges. Restructuring and legal charges showed up in two of the last three reported quarters.
#million #year #quarter #loss
The turnaround centers on Performance and Essential Materials, the segment that makes chlorovinyls and other basic chemicals. PEM swung from a $318 million operating loss in the second quarter of 2025 to $185 million in income this quarter, while EBITDA excluding identified items jumped from a 3% margin to 21%. The driver was pricing: average sales prices across PEM rose 14% year over year, more than offsetting a 3% price decline in the Housing and Infrastructure Products segment. Combined with a 7% increase in companywide sales volume, excluding the effects of plant shutdowns and an acquisition, the pricing recovery pushed companywide EBITDA to $679 million from $210 million a year earlier.
Westlake is also working the balance sheet alongside the market recovery. The company reduced debt by $500 million during the quarter and returned $99 million to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases. Management says its three-pillar profitability improvement plan remains on track to deliver a $600 million operating income benefit, a target that, if it holds, would layer structural cost savings on top of whatever the market gives back in pricing.
Not every part of the story improved together. Housing and Infrastructure Products, the segment tied to home construction and building products, saw its EBITDA margin slip to 22% from 24% a year earlier, even as volume rose 6% excluding the ACI acquisition. Average sales prices in that segment fell 3% year over year, a sign that pricing power in housing products has softened even as the company sells more of it.
The improvement in the core chemicals business also leans heavily on price rather than volume. PEM's turnaround came from a 14% jump in average sales price, a figure that can move in either direction with commodity cycles. The first quarter of 2026 was a reminder of how quickly conditions shift: Westlake posted a $169 million net loss just three months before this result, weighed down by $85 million in identified items, including a $67 million charge to settle litigation over PVC pipe and fittings and $18 million tied to facility shutdowns. A year earlier, in the second quarter of 2025, the company absorbed another $130 million in shutdown-related charges. Restructuring and legal charges showed up in two of the last three reported quarters.
#million #year #quarter #loss
1 month ago
Jim Cramer raised concerns about The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX) during the September 10 episode of Mad Money, as he said:
We had our CNBC Investing Club meeting today… I review each of the Charitable Trust positions on the call. This time, it was pretty clinical until I got to TJX, the off-price retailer. Candidly, I lost it on TJX. I've owned the stock for the Trust for as long as I can remember, and I've never felt so worried about this franchise. They have a bunch of divisions, but the biggest one, Marmaxx, consisting of TJ Maxx and Marshalls, really blew it. Management told us that they had figured out what had gone wrong and they've already fixed it, but because of competitive reasons or whatever, they wouldn't tell us what went wrong and they wouldn't tell us how they fixed it. I found that infuriating…
I came close to saying, forget it, Jim, it's retail. Sometimes retail is seductive. I love my local TJ Maxx, and I think Home Goods is a fun place to shop. The company's almost always about the best in the industry, crushing Burlington and Ross Stores. But this time, shockingly, Ross Stores upside surprised. It crushed TJX, much better than expected... So why bother sticking your neck out for something in this group? Simple. Because some of the greatest stories of all time have come from retail. Costco's been an incredible long-term performer. Walmart's been terrific. And TJX, it's been a wonder, one of the best stocks ever.
Could they really suddenly have lost it? Did they go all LULU? I don't think so. What happens, though, is you have to be conscious that TJX is right now being buffeted by its group, which is trading down because of the decline in discretionary income from the tax that is higher gasoline. We can't tell how much of its underperformance comes from that alone or maybe the mistakes that management made and says they've corrected. In other words, these retail stocks are very hard to own, even as they seem so easy to grasp.
TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX) reported second-quarter fiscal 2027 sales of $15.18 billion, up 5% year over year, while consolidated comparable sales increased 4%. Adjusted diluted EPS rose 11% to $1.22, and the company raised its full-year diluted EPS outlook to $5.31-$5.36, or $5.15-$5.20 excluding an expected $0.16 net benefit from tariff refunds. The weakness was concentrated in Marmaxx, which includes TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Sierra. Comparable sales increased just 1%, down from 6% in the first quarter, while HomeGoods, TJX Canada and TJX International each posted comparable-sales growth of 6% or more.
#year
We had our CNBC Investing Club meeting today… I review each of the Charitable Trust positions on the call. This time, it was pretty clinical until I got to TJX, the off-price retailer. Candidly, I lost it on TJX. I've owned the stock for the Trust for as long as I can remember, and I've never felt so worried about this franchise. They have a bunch of divisions, but the biggest one, Marmaxx, consisting of TJ Maxx and Marshalls, really blew it. Management told us that they had figured out what had gone wrong and they've already fixed it, but because of competitive reasons or whatever, they wouldn't tell us what went wrong and they wouldn't tell us how they fixed it. I found that infuriating…
I came close to saying, forget it, Jim, it's retail. Sometimes retail is seductive. I love my local TJ Maxx, and I think Home Goods is a fun place to shop. The company's almost always about the best in the industry, crushing Burlington and Ross Stores. But this time, shockingly, Ross Stores upside surprised. It crushed TJX, much better than expected... So why bother sticking your neck out for something in this group? Simple. Because some of the greatest stories of all time have come from retail. Costco's been an incredible long-term performer. Walmart's been terrific. And TJX, it's been a wonder, one of the best stocks ever.
Could they really suddenly have lost it? Did they go all LULU? I don't think so. What happens, though, is you have to be conscious that TJX is right now being buffeted by its group, which is trading down because of the decline in discretionary income from the tax that is higher gasoline. We can't tell how much of its underperformance comes from that alone or maybe the mistakes that management made and says they've corrected. In other words, these retail stocks are very hard to own, even as they seem so easy to grasp.
TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX) reported second-quarter fiscal 2027 sales of $15.18 billion, up 5% year over year, while consolidated comparable sales increased 4%. Adjusted diluted EPS rose 11% to $1.22, and the company raised its full-year diluted EPS outlook to $5.31-$5.36, or $5.15-$5.20 excluding an expected $0.16 net benefit from tariff refunds. The weakness was concentrated in Marmaxx, which includes TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Sierra. Comparable sales increased just 1%, down from 6% in the first quarter, while HomeGoods, TJX Canada and TJX International each posted comparable-sales growth of 6% or more.
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