Insight Tribune

Mastering Solitaire: A Game of Patience and Strategy

insighttribune.com — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 23:16:48 +0000

If you’ve ever found yourself with a free moment and a deck of cards, you might have turned to the classic game of Solitaire. This timeless card game, known for its simplicity and depth, has entertained millions around the world. Whether you’re a seasoned player or a novice looking to improve, understanding the nuances of Solitaire can enhance your experience and satisfaction. In this blog, we’ll explore the history, strategies, and tips to master Solitaire.

A Brief History of Solitaire

Solitaire, often referred to as Patience in some regions, traces its origins back to the 18th century. The game is believed to have been popularized in France, where it was known as “Patience” due to the careful strategy required to play it. It gained widespread acclaim in the 19th century and evolved into various forms.

The version of Solitaire most people are familiar with today, known as Klondike, became widely known through its inclusion in Microsoft Windows in the 1990s. This digital adaptation helped introduce the game to a new generation and solidified its place in popular culture.

The Basics of Solitaire

The classic Solitaire game uses a standard deck of 52 playing cards and is played on a tableau consisting of seven columns. The goal is to move all cards to the foundation piles, sorted by suit and in ascending order from Ace to King. Here’s a quick rundown of how to set up and play:

Setup: Shuffle the deck and lay out seven tableau columns. The first column has one card, the second has two, and so on, up to seven cards in the seventh column. Only the top card of each tableau column is face-up. The remaining cards form the stockpile.
Objective: Move cards to four foundation piles, each organized by suit (hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades) and in ascending order from Ace to King.
Gameplay: You can move cards between tableau columns, the foundation piles, and the stockpile. Tableau columns are built in descending order and alternating colors (e.g., a red 6 can be placed on a black 7). You draw cards from the stockpile to help with gameplay.
Winning the Game: The game is won when all cards are moved to the foundation piles in the correct order.

Strategies for Success

While Solitaire may seem simple, mastering it requires a mix of strategy, foresight, and patience. Here are some tips to enhance your gameplay:

Plan Ahead: Always look at the next few moves and plan how you can uncover face-down cards. The more cards you can reveal, the more options you’ll have.
Use the Stock Wisely: Don’t rush to draw from the stockpile. Consider your moves carefully to maximize the effectiveness of each draw.
Empty Columns are Valuable: Try to clear entire tableau columns whenever possible. Empty columns can hold any card, which can be a crucial advantage.
Focus on Aces and Twos: Prioritize moving Aces and Twos to the foundation piles. This will create more space and increase your chances of moving other cards.
Don’t Move Cards Unless Necessary: Sometimes, it’s better to leave a card in the tableau rather than moving it to the foundation or another column. Evaluate whether a move will help you achieve your goal or create additional opportunities.
Remember the Color Rule: When stacking cards in tableau columns, alternate colors to maximize the number of cards you can move and uncover.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Overlooking the Tableau: Don’t focus solely on the stockpile. Sometimes the best moves involve reorganizing tableau columns to reveal face-down cards.
Rushing: Take your time to consider each move. Hastily moving cards without thinking can lead to missed opportunities and a blocked tableau.
Ignoring the Foundation: While it’s tempting to move cards to the tableau for temporary gains, always keep an eye on the foundation piles. Proper management of the foundation is key to winning.

Conclusion

Solitaire is more than just a card game; it’s a blend of patience, strategy, and skill. By understanding its history, mastering the basics, employing strategic tips, and avoiding common pitfalls, you can enhance your Solitaire experience and increase your chances of winning. So next time you sit down for a game, remember these insights and enjoy the satisfaction of a well-played Solitaire game.

Happy playing!

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US Olympic figure skaters finally get gold medals after Russian doping scandal halted Beijing Olympics podium

insighttribune.com — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 23:11:27 +0000

More than two years after missing out on gold medals due to an opponent’s doping use, the U.S. Olympic figure skating team finally received their hardware.

U.S. and Japan figure skaters took to a podium at Champions Park in Paris on Wednesday to receive their gold and silver medals, which they earned at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

At the time, Russia took gold in the event, much due to the help of 15-year-old Kamila Valieva, who became the first woman ever to land a quadruple jump at the Olympics.

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Kamila Valieva, of the Russian Olympic Committee, reacts in the women’s team free skate program during the figure skating competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Monday, Feb. 7, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

However, Valieva tested positive for trimetazidine — a banned drug that prevents angina — at the Russian national championships in December 2021, and the results of the test were only made public the day after the team final in Beijing. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) then ruled that no medals for the team figure skating event would be officially presented until Valieva’s case was resolved.

The Olympians then had to wait nearly two years to know what medal they would even receive.

CUBAN WRESTLER BECOMES FIRST PERSON TO WIN INDIVIDUAL OLYMPIC EVENT 5 DIFFERENT YEARS, RETIRES ON THE SPOT

The team released a statement on Instagram Feb. 2, 2023, that said its athletes were “deeply frustrated by the lack of a final decision in the Team Event.”

“They have long deserved the recognition that has been withheld due to the ongoing process,” the statement continued. “U.S. Figure Skating calls for a fair and appropriate ruling to rightfully award medals to all clean sport athletes affected by this situation.”

Nathan Chen of Team United States reacts in the Men’s Single Skating Short Program Team Event during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at Capital Indoor Stadium on February 04, 2022 in Beijing, China. (Elsa/Getty Images)

It wasn’t until this past January that Valieva was found guilty of committing an anti-doping rule violation, stripping the ROC of its gold medal in the event. the International Skating Union demoted the Russian team from gold to bronze after Valieva’s disqualification, while the U.S. moved from silver to gold and Japan moved from bronze to silver.

Then, they had to wait another seven months to actually take part in their official medal ceremony, which was already nearly two years past due at that point.

Members of the U.S. Olympic figure skating team pose for a photo after receiving gold medals following the disqualification of Team Russia for doping after the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics at Champions Park in Paris. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

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But this week, all of the Americans were able to celebrate their overdue medals.

Madison Chock, Evan Bates, Karen Chen, Nathan Chen, Zachary Donohue, Brandon Frazier, Madison Hubbell, Alexa Knierim, and Vincent Zhou, were all able to make the revised medal ceremony in Paris on Wednesday in front of 13,000 cheering fans.

“It’s almost surreal. We got our medals, and I turned around, and I saw the Eiffel Tower, and I was just blown away,” Chock said at the event. “It took my breath away.”

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Jackson Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital. He previously worked for ESPN and Business Insider. Jackson has covered the Super Bowl and NBA Finals, and has interviewed iconic figures Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Mike Trout, David Ortiz and Roger Clemens.

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Instruction manuals

insighttribune.com — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 23:10:13 +0000

Getty Images

The days of engineers having to read through instruction manuals may be coming to an end

When you last bought a new electronic device did you look at the instruction manual?

If your answer is a resounding “no”, then you are not alone.

Studies show that many of us don’t bother to read the user guide.

One UK survey found that one in five of us skips the manual, while a US report said it was as high as 50%.

Caspar Herzberg, boss of UK industrial software firm Aveva, says he likes a good instruction manual. “I’m a big fan of mundane things!” But he understands that many people immediately throw them in a kitchen drawer, never to be read.

Yet while it’s OK for a consumer to skip the user guide, this isn’t the case in the world of industry, where engineers have to know exactly how the machinery or computer system they look after works. This is especially the case if a problem arises that they need to fix as quickly as possible.

To help such workers, Aveva has launched an AI system that can read and learn operating manuals on their behalf.

In its first incarnation this AI has memorised the technical manuals for the power grids and wind turbines managed by Aveva’s parent company Schneider Electric.

It also continuously monitors the machinery via thousands of sensors.

The idea is that the AI can imitate the expertise of senior engineers with decades of practical know-how behind them.

So how can the AI assist an energy sector worker who is trying to hunt down the cause of a fault?

Simon Bennett, Aveva’s head of AI innovation, says the AI can locate where there has been, say, a power failure. It then delves into “a monster PDF manual”.

From this, the AI – via a computer screen – generates different ideas of what the problem might be.

It can also produce a 3D image of the affected machinery, such as a turbine, with Mr Bennett noting that engineers appreciate such visual responses to their questions.

Aveva calls the system its “industrial AI assistant”, and says the aim is that it will help to compensate for a dilemma facing many businesses – an ageing workforce that is retiring and taking its hard-earned knowledge with it.

So if someone is new to their job, says Mr Herzberg, “the AI can guide them… and look at the manual for you”.

Or as Mr Bennett puts it: “By asking smart questions of the AI system we won’t have to wake up some old, retired engineer in the night and keep him on the phone for an hour.”

Getty Images

Caspar Herzberg’s software firm has created AI that can read through instruction manuals for engineers

While Aveva has made an AI system that can search through instruction manuals, other technology companies have created AI that can make such product guides in the first place.

California-based tech firm Dozuki is one such firm. Its AI-powered system CreatorPro can automatically create a user guide based on an engineer making a video of him or her talking through and carrying out a process.

“The user uploads the video, and a step-by-step instruction guide is automatically created,” says Allen Yeung, Dozuki’s vice president of product. “The AI chooses the text that accompanies each step, and it can automatically translate that into other languages.”

Currently the AI produces video clips accompanied by text for other workers to read. Mr Yeung says that they are working to extend the text to speech, with the AI in the future also dictating the instructions via a computer speaker.

The AI-created user guides still, however, need to get signed off by a human being. “The user guides are exported in a draft state for an engineer to review,” says Mr Yeung.

Echoing points made by Aveva, Mr Yeung adds that Dozuki’s product aims to help firms cope with the fact that manufacturing sector workforces are getting older, with more elderly staff retiring.

Getty Images

There are times when all of us have to resort to looking at the instruction manual

SCG Chemicals, a Thai petrochemicals company that is now due to start using Aveva’s AI, says it is being impacted by an ageing workforce.

“Younger engineers go to an expert when they have a problem, but many of our experienced people are retiring in the next five years,” says divisional director Warit Krittaphol. “We cannot build a pipeline of experts. We have over 14 million documents in our system. AI will be able to grab the right information fast.”

Back in California, Scribe is another tech firm that allows companies to automatically create AI user guides. In Scribe’s case the AI makes the manuals from what a user has done on his or her computer.

“The way the technology works at a simple level… you click the record button, and you do a process you would have normally done anyway, the way you would normally do it,” says Scribe chief executive Jennifer Swift.

“And then when you’ve done doing your work you hit stop record and it will automatically generate a step-by-step written guide with screen shots, instructions, titles etc, showing how to do that process.

“You as an individual have a whole bunch of control over how you can edit it, add lots of content, but the point is you don’t have to. All the information that someone would need to do that same process is automatically contained in that step-by-step guide.”

Stuart Duff, a UK business psychologist who describes his role as “working with people to understand how they behave in a workplace”, thinks that AI can offer a valid short-cut for even the best engineer.

He points out that engineers are no different from the rest of us when it comes to thumbing through a manual.

“Most will be more familiar with detailed manuals and, therefore, more practised and patient at referencing information,” he says.

“But personality preferences can also play a part in how engineers use manuals. Some engineers will be bigger-picture in their thinking style, and will tend to rely on others for specific information, so AI could offer a source of essential detail with easy and efficient access.”

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US, India, Russia, Japan are building out wind power much too slowly for climate change, report says

insighttribune.com — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 23:02:45 +0000

The world is falling well short of a promise made at global climate talks last year to triple the amount of wind power, according to a report by an energy think tank released Thursday.

Last December, countries at the U.N. COP28 climate conference committed to tripling all renewable electricity by 2030. Wind power specifically must triple to achieve that, according to the International Energy Agency and others.

Examining national targets set by 70 countries that account for 99% of existing wind power, Ember, an energy nonprofit based in London, projects that over the next six years, wind power will double, not triple, compared to the 2022 baseline.

The report looked at wind turbines both onshore and offshore.

“Governments are lacking ambition on wind, and especially onshore wind,” said Katye Altieri, electricity analyst at Ember. “Wind is not getting enough attention.”

Wind often blows hardest when the sun is not high in the sky, making it a good complement to solar energy in efforts to make clean electricity 24 hours per day.

The report also measured countries’ progress towards their own goals. The U.S. ranked worst on this, falling 100 gigawatts short, or enough to power more than 30 million homes. The target used for the U.S. comes from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, part of the Energy Department. In an email exchange, the department declined to comment.

The second-biggest gap between national targets and wind projects in development was in India, at more than 30 gigawatts. Despite having considerable wind potential, only 4% of electricity in India comes from wind, said Altieri. Several officials at India’s energy ministry did not reply to emailed requests for comment.

Ranking best by this measure were Brazil and Finland which are on track to exceed their wind targets by 15 and 11 gigawatts respectively. They were among just 10 countries due to surpass their goals. Seven of the 10 were in Europe, including Turkey.

Brian O’Callaghan, a lead researcher at the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment at the University of Oxford, England, pointed out technology is key. Wind is stronger at altitude, so taller turbines can produce more electricity.

The past two decades have seen “dramatic technological improvements leading to taller turbines, especially offshore,” he said.

That means there is a big opportunity for countries willing to grasp it.

Wind speed also matters. Doubling wind speed results in an eightfold increase in power.

“Most coastal nations have barely tapped into their offshore wind resources,” he said. “The UK is a prime example.”

Some countries have strong wind but have barely begun building out wind turbines. Altieri pointed to Russia, Japan and South Korea in this category.

Russia has among greatest wind potentials of any country, according to the NREL, but Ember said it generated less than 1% of its electricity from wind in 2023. John Reilly of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who’s studied energy policy and climate change for 45 years, said Russia is not committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“It has huge amounts of natural gas and coal, so there’s no real economic incentive for them to develop wind,” he said.

Russia’s Energy Ministry did not respond to emails seeking comment.

Like many islands, Japan is also very windy, but generates just over 1% of its power from wind, Altieri said.

“The ocean is very deep just a little bit offshore of Japan, so that makes it more difficult,” said Reilly. The country is also steeply mountainous, making it hard to place turbines, he said.

Heavy regulation in South Korea makes it very difficult to build wind turbines and public opinion had slowed development further, he said. Worldwide, there has often been resistance to wind turbines.

Japan’s Trade and Economy Ministry did not respond to email requests for comment. South Korea’s Energy Agency could not be reached for comment.

More broadly, the tumbling price of solar power may help explain the comparative lack of interest in wind, said Reilly.

“When many of these big commitments were made,” he said, “wind looked like the cheapest renewable energy source.”

But since 2020 the price of solar has fallen dramatically, he said.

While some countries are lagging behind, the study’s lead author Altieri says there’s reasons for encouragement.

“Europe is doing great,” she said, and that’s with the North Sea, an incredible wind resource, barely tapped.

She predicted Europe and China will continue to be dominant in the expansion of electricity made from the wind.

———————————

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

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Will Snoop Dogg return to NBC for future Olympics? ‘I think we’d be really thrilled’

insighttribune.com — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 22:57:35 +0000

Follow live coverage of Day 12 of the 2024 Paris Olympics, with 21 gold medals on offer

Bow-wow-wow, yippie-yo, yippie-yay, Snoop Dogg may continue on NBC’s Olympics coverage in a big way.

Asked by The Athletic this week if NBC Universal plans to ask Snoop to return for on-air work at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Games and Olympics beyond, two key members of NBC Universal’s leadership group answered in the affirmative.

“Snoop has done everything and beyond what we ever expected him to do here in the Paris Games,” NBC Sports president Rick Cordella said. “He has been enthusiastic. He has been optimistic. I think we’d be really thrilled to have Snoop back in any capacity he would want to come back in.”

Cordella’s boss, Mark Lazarus, the chairman of NBCUniversal Media Group, when asked if the company would ask the performer to return to the Olympic family, quickly responded, “Yes.”

Snoop Dogg has been ubiquitous on NBC’s Olympic coverage and at various Paris venues. He has become such a part of the Olympics that BBC News ran a headline tagging him as” America’s cheerleader at the Olympics.” The 52-year-old had a small role at the Tokyo Games in 2021 as part of a recap commentary show on Peacock alongside comedian Kevin Hart but has exploded in Paris where he has put himself in all sorts of situations with athletes and sports as a roving correspondent. It’s resonated.

Watching the #ParisOlympics steeplechase got us thinking about Snoop Dogg’s unforgettable commentary.

NBC & Peacock pic.twitter.com/GawPPJXoDO

— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) August 5, 2024

“This all dates back to Tokyo in 2021. Kevin Hart and Snoop Dogg were co-hosts of a comedy highlight show on Peacock called ‘Olympic Highlights,’ and there were several clips that went viral, but also what stood out to me was Snoop’s passion for the Olympics, and also in his own unique way his reverence for the athletes and their stories,” said Molly Solomon, the executive producer and president of NBC Olympics production and the point person who championed Snoop’s increased on-air visibility.

“Over the last year and a half, we got together with Snoop and really brainstormed what this role could be. I called him an Ambassador of Happiness. If you watch his content, everybody wants to meet Snoop, take a selfie with Snoop and just be around Snoop. We’ve been pleasantly surprised by his popularity, but you never ever underestimate Snoop Dogg. He’s this wonderful mix of swagger and positivity and just the charisma and vibes are so positive. He’s got this curiosity about the Olympics that is undeniable.”

Said Snoop to The Associated Press this week: “This opportunity was nothing but a chance for me to show the world what it’s supposed to look like when you put the right person in the right environment.”

#FollowTheDogg Snoop n Phelps!! Tune in tonite 8/7c on @nbc & @peacock pic.twitter.com/6EuMHgVjBR

— Snoop Dogg (@SnoopDogg) July 30, 2024

The performer has been part of an Olympics that has been wildly successful for NBC Universal so far. Through the first full 11 days of the Games, NBCUniversal said it had a total audience delivery average of 32.6 million viewers across the combined live Paris prime time (2-5 p.m. ET) and U.S. prime time (8-11 p.m. ET/PT).

“We judge success here first and foremost by having a product that is appealing to audiences in that they come to in large numbers — and that is clearly happening in the Olympics,” Lazarus said. “The last few haven’t been as large as we had thought they would be. These Games are exceeding all of our expectations.”

Required reading

(Photo: Tom Weller / VOIGT / GettyImages)

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Warner Bros. Discovery Posts Nearly $10 Billion Loss

insighttribune.com — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 22:47:00 +0000

The loss includes a $9.1 billion impairment charge tied to the plunging value of its linear networks.

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Fishing record set by West Virginia angler who used 3-year-old daughter’s $10 pink rod

insighttribune.com — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 22:41:45 +0000

A man in Wayne County, West Virginia, caught a state record channel catfish in the pond on his father’s farm in South Charleston using an unexpected rod.

John Tyler Rutherford reeled in a 43.51-inch-long, 46.70-pound channel catfish, according to a press release from the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR).

Rutherford reportedly reeled in the big fish in July 21 by using his daughter’s fishing rod and worms as bait.

PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER CATCHES ‘BEAUTIFUL FISH’ RARELY SEEN IN LAKE ERIE

“I got my daughter a little $9.99 pink rod… she’s 3 and she can reel them in, but she can’t cast it out. So I cast it out for her and I was holding the rod and she was sitting on my lap,” he told West Virginia Outdoors.

John Tyler Rutherford’s channel catfish spanned 43.51 inches long and weighed 46.70 pounds. He caught the fish in a pond located in South Charleston, West Virginia. (WVDNR)

The common length for channel catfish is 22 inches with the longest maximum reported length being 52 inches, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

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“West Virginia’s incredible fishing opportunities continue to amaze and attract anglers from near and far and this record-breaking achievement showcases the world-class fishing adventures our state has to offer,” Governor Jim Justice said in the WVDNR’s release.

Rutherford used his daughter’s $9.99 pink fishing rod to reel in the channel catfish. (WVDNR)

The last West Virginia record for the channel catfish was set in the year 2022 for length, and in 2023 for weight.

Rutherford’s catch topped them both.

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WVDNR Director Brett McMillion congratulated Rutherford for his outstanding catch.

West Virginia has set six new state fish records this year. (WVDNR)

“This remarkable achievement highlights the superior quality of West Virginia’s fisheries and the dedication of our team in maintaining and enhancing these aquatic resources,” McMillion said in the release.

The state also set new records for tiger trout, redbreast sunfish, bowfin, redear sunfish and black crappie caught this year.

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Fox News Digital reached out to the WVDNR and Rutherford for comment.

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Biden ‘not confident at all’ in a peaceful transfer of power if Trump loses election

insighttribune.com — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 22:31:24 +0000

President Biden said he’s “not confident at all” that there will be a peaceful transfer of power if former President Trump loses the upcoming election.

In his first interview since exiting the 2024 race, Biden was asked by CBS News whether he was confident in a peaceful transition following the Capitol Hill riots that erupted on Jan. 6 in 2020.

“If Trump loses, I’m not confident at all,” Biden told CBS’ Robert Costa in the preview clip, after mistakenly saying he wouldn’t be confident “if Trump wins.”

KAMALA HARRIS HAS AVOIDED INTERVIEWS FOR MORE THAN TWO WEEKS SINCE BECOMING DEM NOMINEE

President Biden said he’s “not confident at all” in a peaceful transfer of power if former President Trump loses the upcoming election in an interview with CBS News. (Screenshot/CBS News)

“He means what he says. We don’t take him seriously. He means it. All this stuff about if we lose, there’ll be a bloodbath,” Biden said. “Look what they’re trying to do now. In the local election districts where people count the votes… they’re putting people in place in states where they’re gonna count the votes, right? You can’t love your country only when you win.”

Biden’s “bloodbath” comment was in reference to remarks Trump said earlier this year when he told rally-goers that the country would face an economic “bloodbath” if Democratic policies continue impacting the auto industry.

The rest of the interview is set to air this Sunday on “CBS Sunday Morning.”

BIDEN’S UPCOMING SUNDAY SIT-DOWN INTERVIEW FIRST SINCE EXITING 2024 RACE: ‘HAPPY TO DO IT, WHITE HOUSE SAYS’

Biden took aim at former President Trump’s “bloodbath” comment, which Democrats insisted would incite violence despite the fact that the Republican was using the term in an economic context. (Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

This marks Biden’s first interview since he announced he was no longer seeking re-election more than two weeks ago.

Notably, his former running mate who he endorsed, Vice President Kamala Harris, has not done any interviews since she emerged as the Democratic nominee.

TIM WALZ CALLED BIDEN ‘FIT FOR OFFICE’ AFTER DISASTROUS PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE PERFORMANCE

Vice President Kamala Harris and Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz appear on stage together during a campaign event at Girard College on August 6, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

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Biden faced widespread calls to withdraw from the race following his disastrous debate performance, which had Democrats worrying about their presidential prospects as he took a hit in the polls.

Harris announced Tuesday that she tapped Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate and the two of them will face off against Trump and his VP pick Sen. JD Vance in November.

Joseph A. Wulfsohn is a media reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to joseph.wulfsohn@fox.com and on Twitter: @JosephWulfsohn.

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Prince William and Kate Middleton channeled ‘Grease’ in royal wedding shocker: author

insighttribune.com — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 22:28:27 +0000

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Prince William and Kate Middleton had a special surprise on their wedding day that’s still being talked about.

The Prince and Princess of Wales said “I do” in 2011, and their nuptials were among the most watched royal weddings of all time. But once cameras stopped rolling for the public, the newlyweds channeled their inner Danny and Sandy.

“For the evening’s finale, Prince William and Kate had a special surprise up their sleeves,” Robert Jobson wrote in his new biography, “Catherine, the Princess of Wales,” according to People magazine.

PRINCE WILLIAM ONCE ‘DUMPED’ KATE MIDDLETON OVER THE PHONE, SHOUTED ‘I’M FREE!’ AT LONDON NIGHTCLUB: AUTHOR

Prince William and Kate Middleton smile following their wedding at Westminster Abbey April 29, 2011, in London. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

“They stood holding hands in the middle of the dance floor grinning, then suddenly the opening bars of the song ‘You’re the One That I Want’ from the musical ‘Grease’ came booming out,” Jobson wrote. “William and Catherine then began dancing around, pointing at each other, and mouthing the words with the style of the lead characters Danny and Sandy.

“It brought the house down.”

According to Jobson’s book, 1,900 guests attended the wedding ceremony, but fewer people made the cut for the celebrations afterward. A reception hosted by Queen Elizabeth II had 650 guests. And a second one hosted by the former Prince Charles had 300 guests. Jobson also noted that there was a live band led by Ellie Goulding, one of the couple’s favorite artists.

Prince William and Catherine talk with Ellie Goulding backstage after the Earthshot Prize 2022 at MGM Music Hall at Fenway Dec. 2, 2022, in Boston. (Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images)

The singer performed Elton John’s “Your Song” for the couple’s first dance, followed by her hit “Starry Eyed” and a cover of “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers, one of the couple’s favorites.

“I was so nervous,” Goulding recalled. “My hands were shaking.”

The Prince and Princess of Wales have come a long way since they met as students at the University of St Andrews in the fall of 2001.

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The couple’s engagement was announced Nov. 16, 2010. The pair were together for eight years. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

“Among the student community, it was an open secret that they were a couple,” Jobson wrote, according to People.

Jobson wrote that they walked to class together, browsed the local grocery store or spent nights at home listening to music.

WATCH: PRINCE WILLIAM AND KATE MIDDLETON ARE CRAZY ABOUT ONE ANOTHER, BODY LANGUAGE EXPERT SAYS

The budding romance “remained shrouded in secrecy,” Jobson wrote, until “a revealing moment occurred during a dinner party with friends attended by Carly Massy-Birch,” an ex-girlfriend of William’s.

Prince William with Kate Middleton in 2006. They met as students at the University of St Andrews. (Indigo/Getty Images)

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According to Jobson, the partygoers played “Never Have I Ever,” a drinking game in which one confesses to various experiences.

“Perhaps unwittingly, Carly exposed William’s secret love affair with Catherine, much to the prince’s chagrin,” Jobson wrote.

But there were no hard feelings. People magazine reported that the couple invited several exes to their wedding.

“Perhaps unwittingly, Carly exposed William’s secret love affair with Catherine, much to the prince’s chagrin.”

— Robert Jobson, author of “Catherine, the Princess of Wales.”

Prince William and Kate Middleton leave Buckingham Palace en route to Clarence House, driving Prince Charles’ 1969 Aston Martin DB6 Volante decorated with L plates, bunting, ribbons and balloons after their wedding reception in London. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

PRINCE HARRY’S INHERITANCE PAYDAY ON 40TH BIRTHDAY TO ECLIPSE PRINCE WILLIAM’S CUT AS ‘THE SPARE’: EXPERT

Williams’ reported first love, Arabella Musgrave, received an invitation, as well as Jecca Craig, Olivia Hunt and Massy-Birch. Kate’s exes, Rupert Finch and William Marks, were also in attendance.

During the couple’s engagement interview in 2010, William described how he and Kate lived together as roommates.

“We moved in together as friends,” William said at the time. “We lived with a couple of others, as well, and it just sort of blossomed from there, really. We just saw more of each other, hung out a bit more and did stuff.”

The post Prince William and Kate Middleton channeled ‘Grease’ in royal wedding shocker: author first appeared on Insight Tribune.

Alabama approved a medical marijuana program in 2021. Patients are still waiting for it.

insighttribune.com — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 22:22:42 +0000

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — When Amanda Taylor lived in Arizona, she used medical cannabis to relieve the symptoms of her multiple sclerosis, gastroparesis and other ailments. She returned to Alabama to advocate for medical cannabis in her home state.

Taylor thought victory was in view in 2021 when Alabama overcame years of resistance in the Deep South and approved a medical cannabis program. But three years later, medical marijuana remains unavailable in Alabama because of an ongoing legal fight over some of the licenses to grow and sell the products.

While licensed cultivators have marijuana plants nearing maturity, cannabis products can’t be recommended or sold to patients in Alabama while the entire program remains on hold. The delay is exasperating for patients like Taylor.

“It’s beyond frustrating,” Taylor said. “I’m a very calm person and … I’m always hoping for the best. But at this point, it’s anger because greed is causing so much more suffering.”

The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission has issued licenses to cultivators, processors, and others, but licenses are on hold for five potentially lucrative integrated “seed-to-sale” licenses where companies grow, process, and sell cannabis as well as licenses for dispensaries that will sell the cannabis products. The entire program remains stalled while the dispute plays out in state court.

“We want to see the products out there for patients. Almost daily, we get phone calls from those concerned,” said John McMillan, director of the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission. “That is the No. 1 question we get on our website by far. When are the products going to be available? And everywhere I go, if I speak to civic clubs, that’s the first question.”

The commission began accepting applications for licenses in 2022 and has attempted to award the licenses three times. The commission rescinded the awards twice after losing applicants raised concerns about the selection process. The panel adopted new rules and awarded licenses for a third time last December. But companies challenged the awards, arguing, among other things that the commission failed to follow the Alabama Administrative Procedures Act.

Montgomery Circuit Judge James Anderson on July 11 issued a temporary restraining order blocking the issuance of the five integrated licenses, saying there was a “serious question” whether the third round of awards was also invalid.

An attorney for Alabama Always, one of the companies that has pursued litigation after not winning an integrated license, said the commission by law should allow denied companies an opportunity to challenge the qualifications of winning.

“That’s why this has gone on for so long. They just simply refuse to do it the way it is supposed to be done,” Will Somerville, an attorney for Alabama Always, said of the commission.

But for companies that received licenses, the delay is frustrating after they have invested millions of dollars into operations that can’t get fully underway.

In an unassuming agriculture building, cloaked by fences and security cameras, 1,500 marijuana plants sprout skyward at a south Alabama facility operated by CRC of Alabama. The plants are about 60 days from harvest, said Rob Levy, chief operations officer for CRC of Alabama.

The plants, grown from varieties with names like apple blossom, hella jelly and blueberry pancakes, are moved through a series of rooms designed to mimic the growing season. The company has invested more than $2 million into the operation, including substantial security costs.

CRC plans to sell their product to one of the state’s licensed processors who will turn it into cubes and other products. But with the uncertainty surrounding Alabama’s program, it’s unclear when the products can get to patients.

“We are all dressed up with nowhere to go,” Grady Reeves one of the owners of CRC said. “But the ones that are really suffering are the patients.”

Dr. Marshall Walker, an interventional radiologist, said he believes medical cannabis could be beneficial for some of his patients with chronic pain. He said it’s “inhumane” that manmade problems are blocking its availability.

“The way I conceive of it, it really is just another tool for the toolbox,” Walker said. Walker said he became convinced of the potential benefit after seeing his mother use cannabis when she had esophageal cancer. It controlled her pain enough to allow her to eat.

A similar fight played out several years ago in Florida. Florida voters in 2016 voted to create a medical marijuana program, but litigation followed over a license cap.

As patients in Alabama remain waiting, more states have moved on to allowing recreational use. Twenty-four states have legalized recreational use of marijuana, according to the Pew Research Center. Florida voters will decide the issue this November.

When medical cannabis will become available in Alabama depends on what happens with the litigation, McMillan said. He said the issue will “hopefully” be settled by the end of the year.

“I don’t even use the word optimistic anymore. I just use the word hopeful because we don’t know how long these delays are going to continue,” McMillan said.

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