The UK More Than Halved Carbon Emissions From Electricity This Last DecadeGas power stations remain the top producer, but this might change next year.Sunset over one of the UK's offshore wind farms.Image credit: Nuttawut Uttamaharad/Shutterstock.comIt is undeniable that 2024 was a tough year in the fight against climate change, but it is not all doom and gloom. Good news, for example, comes from the United Kingdom where, in terms of energy production, renewable energy is going from strength to strength. The amount of electricity produced using fossil fuels in Great Britain and Northern Ireland is now the lowest it has ever been.As reported in an analysis by Carbon Brief, 2024 saw the UK increase the production of electricity from renewable sources by 122 percent compared to 2014. The amount of carbon dioxide per kilowatt hour was 124 grams compared to 419 grams a decade ago. Thats a 70 percent drop!AdvertisementGas-fired power stations were still the largest producer of electricity in the country, accounting for 28 percent of the production. Wind produced 26 percent of the total. Thanks to new wind-powered plants coming online in the coming months, and given that last year was less windy than average, it is believed that wind will come out on top in 2025.In 2014, energy production was the largest emitter of carbon in 2014. It is now fifth, after transportation, buildings, industry, and agriculture. Crucial to this massive reduction in carbon emissions is the phasing out of coal power plants, with the last one closing just a few months ago. The UK government plans to have clean power produce 95 percent of all electricity by 2030 a big task, but the last decade shows that drastic changes are possible.In the US, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in its Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) for 2024 and 2025 that there was an increase in renewable energy but no major changes in the amount of fossil fuel used in energy production. Coal consumption has been practically unchanged in the US over the last few years, but there is hope for a more pronounced reduction in 2025.It is expected that coal-fired plants responsible for 11 gigawatts will be retired, and 9 gigawatts of wind generation and 25 gigawatts of solar generation will be added to the grid. Still, since 2019, coal power has been in decline, which is in general good news.AdvertisementThe top 10 hottest years on record have all happened during the last decade, with 2024 being "effectively certain to be the hottest year on record.ARTICLE POSTED IN

In BriefPosted:11:54 AM PST January 4, 2025Image Credits:Saul Loeb / Getty ImagesTenable CEO Amit Yoran diesLongtime entrepreneur and cybersecurity executive Amit Yoran passed away Friday after a battle with cancer.Cybersecurity company Tenable, where Yoran was CEO and chairman, announced his death in a press release. Before becoming Tenables CEO in 2016, he held a number of roles including president of RSA, founding CEO of NetWitness, and CEO of In-Q-Tel.In a statement, Tenables lead independent director Art Coviello described Yoran as an extraordinary leader, colleague, and friend.His passion for cybersecurity, his strategic vision, and his ability to inspire those around him have shaped Tenables culture and mission, Coviello said. His legacy will continue to guide us as we move forward.Tenable said Yoran took a medical leave of absence starting on December 5, with CFO Steve Vintz and COO Mark Thurmond appointed as co-CEOs in his place. They will continue in those roles while the company conducts a search for a permanent CEO.Topics

The 2009 eruption of Sarychev Peak Volcano, Kuril Islands, viewed from the International Space ... [+] Station. A similar eruption 200 years had global impact on climate and severe consequences for human populations.Getty ImagesThe mystery location of a giant volcanic eruption that occurred almost 200 years ago has finally been solved thanks to ash traces preserved in ice cores.In 1831, famous German composer Felix Mendelssohn wrote about the catastrophic weather during his summer journey through the Alps, remarking that "it is as cold as in winter, there is already deep snow on the nearest hills." For the next two years the weather remained rainy and cold, leading to widespread crop failures, famine in Asia and the first great cholera epidemic in Europe.Scientists long suspected that this cold snap was caused by a massive volcanic eruption spewing sulfurous gas and ash into the atmosphere. This volcanic cloud layer reflected the sunlight, causing global cooling of approximately 1 degree Celsius.While scientists knew it was a major event, the identity of the volcano responsible remained unknown and fiercely debated, until now.By analyzing traces of ash preserved in ice cores recovered from Greenland, the research team produced a chemical fingerprint of the lava, matching it to a volcano on a remote island on the other side of the world."Only in recent years have we developed the ability to extract microscopic ash shards from polar ice cores and conduct detailed chemical analyses on them. These shards are incredibly minute, roughly one-tenth the diameter of a human hair," explains first author Dr. Will Hutchison from the School of Earth and Environmental Science at the University of St Andrews in the U.K.MORE FOR YOUDr. Hutchison and his team were able to accurately date and match the ice core deposits to Zavaritskii volcano on the remote, uninhabited island of Simushir, part of the Kuril Islands. The islands are today a disputed territory between Russia and Japan."We analyzed the chemistry of the ice at a very high temporal resolution. This allowed us to pinpoint the precise timing of the eruption to spring-summer 1831, confirm that it was highly explosive, and then extract the tiny shards of ash. Finding the match took a long time and required extensive collaboration with colleagues from Japan and Russia, who sent us samples collected from these remote volcanoes decades ago.""The moment in the lab when we analyzed the two ashes together, one from the volcano and one from the ice core, was a genuine eureka moment. I couldn't believe the numbers were identical. After this, I spent a lot of time delving into the age and size of the eruption in Kuril records to truly convince myself that the match was real."The volcano responsible for the 1831 eruption was very remote, yet it had a significant global impact on the climate and severe consequences for people.Identifying the sites of past volcanic eruptions is crucial, as it allows scientists to map and monitor the regions on Earth most likely to produce climate-altering volcanic events."There are so many volcanoes like this, which highlights how difficult it will be to predict when or where the next large-magnitude eruption might occur," concludes Hutchison.The study, "The 1831 CE mystery eruption identified as Zavaritskii caldera, Simushir Island (Kurils)," was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and can be found online here.Additional material and interviews provided by University of Andrews.

In the fall of 1918, hundreds of U.S. infantrymen found themselves surrounded by German forces in ... [+] northern Frances Argonne Forest. Heres the incredible story of how they managed to survive.gettyWorld War I was a time of great military advancement. New to the battlefield were impressive inventions such as armored tanks, machine guns, airplanes, submarines and field telephones.But the armies of WWI werent entirely modernizedthey still found utility in the old way of doing things. Perhaps the clearest example of this comes from the story of Cher Ami, the legendary messenger pigeon that changed the fortunes of an entire American battalion by delivering the famous message:We are along the road parallel to 276.4. Our own artillery is dropping a barrage directly on us. For heavens sake stop it.How Cher Ami Saved The Lost BattalionCher Ami was a male homing pigeon born in the spring of 1918 in Norfolk, England. He was one of 600 English-bred messenger pigeons donated to Americas Signal Pigeon Corpsa unit of the U.S Army charged with training and deploying homing pigeons for communication and reconnaissance purposes.In September of 1918, Cher Ami was among 60 pigeons assigned to support communication efforts of the U.S. 77th Infantry Division who were fighting the Germans in the Argonne Forest of northeastern France.Fate was not kind to the Divisionin October, 1918, more than 550 men found themselves trapped behind enemy lines without food or ammunition. The Divisions leader, Major Charles Whittlesey, attempted to send runners to alert allied forces of their desperate position, but they were consistently intercepted by the surrounding Germans. Because allies were unaware of their position behind enemy lines, the Division faced attacks from the Germans as well as an increasing onslaught of friendly fire.MORE FOR YOUWhittlesey also attempted to alert allies of their position via homing pigeons. One pigeon, carrying the message Many wounded. We cannot evacuate. was shot down by the Germans. Other pigeons were stymied in their attempt to sound the alarm.Cher Ami, however, managed to make it throughthough not without taking his licks (the pigeon was shot in the chest and the leg, and lost an eye). One hundred and ninety-four infantrymen were saved due to the instinctual acts of Cher Ami.A replica of Cher Ami, the US Signal Corps pigeon that was awarded the "Croix de Guerre" by the ... [+] French government in WWI for heroic service after flying over France wounded 25 miles in 25 minutes.AFP via Getty ImagesCher Ami was treated as a hero and Army medics worked to save his life. Unfortunately, his wounds were too grave and he died less than a year later in Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. His stuffed body is on display at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C.DNA Analysis Of Historys Most Famous PigeonA hundred years later, in 2021, researchers at the National Museum of Natural History and Smithsonian National Zoo used modern DNA analysis to learn more about the famous war pigeon.Taking tissue samples from the stub of Cher Amis right leg (which had been amputated due to German fire) and the underside of Cher Amis left rear toe pad, the researchers were able to determine that the bird was indeed a male, as had been theorized.Honoring Cher AmiCher Ami received the Croix de Guerre Medal for his bravery in carrying crucial messages during his time in service. In 1931, he was inducted into the Racing Pigeon Hall of Fame and, in November 2019, he was posthumously honored with the Animals in War and Peace Medal of Bravery at a ceremony on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., becoming one of its first recipients.In 1921, Washington D.C-based poet Margaret Shanks produced the following poem honoring Cher Ami:Twas only a homing pigeon, but he did his duty well. Flashing back and forth the message through a fire of shot and shell. Maimed and torn, he carried onward. For a glorious cause must win. And it needed brave Cher Ami, flying straight through thick and thin.Gently lay him neath the banner of the land he died to save. Comrades may our Heart-strings quicken oer a patriot pigeons grave.Are you an animal lover who owns a petperhaps even a bird? Take the science-backed Pet Personality Test to know how well you know your little friend.

Forward-looking: Samsung and Google have teamed up to challenge one of the biggest names in immersive audio Dolby. The two companies have announced Eclipsa Audio, a new open-source spatial audio format designed to bring 3D sound to YouTube and Samsung's latest TVs and soundbars later this year. For years, Dolby Atmos has been the dominant force in 3D audio, known for its immersive surround sound that makes it feel as though sounds are coming from all around you. It's become a household name, with nearly every major TV manufacturer today paying the "Dolby tax" to license Atmos for their premium sets and speaker systems.However, Samsung and Google are looking to disrupt the status quo with Eclipsa Audio, a royalty-free alternative. Samsung claims that Eclipsa Audio functions similarly to Atmos by adjusting audio data such as location, intensity, and spatial reflections to create 3D sound. The key difference is that it's an open standard, meaning hardware makers won't have to pay licensing fees.In addition, the two companies are establishing a certification program with the Telecommunications Technology Association to ensure consistent quality across devices using the technology.Samsung and Google first teased their spatial audio collaboration in 2023 under the name Immersive Audio Model and Formats (IAMF). At the time, Samsung described the initiative as aiming to provide "a complete open-source framework for 3D audio, from creation to delivery and playback."So why are the two companies putting in all this effort? For Samsung, the primary motivation likely revolves around avoiding licensing costs. With TV profit margins tighter than ever, cutting expenses wherever possible is crucial. Google's motivations are less clear, but it seems the company wants to give YouTube creators a platform to experiment with immersive 3D audio experiences. // Related Stories"We believe that Eclipsa Audio has the potential to change the way we experience sound," said Jim Bankoski, VP of Engineering at Google Chrome. "We are excited to see how the creator community uses it to create new and innovative audio experiences."The big question, of course, is whether Samsung and Google's new venture can truly rival Dolby's well-established technology. Dolby has had years to refine Atmos, which has become the industry standard recognized by casual viewers.Whatever the outcome, we'll get our first real glimpse of how Eclipsa stacks up at CES 2025 next week, where Samsung is expected to provide live demonstrations.

Something to look forward to: Since AMD introduced its Ryzen 9000 series and Strix Point Ryzen AI processors, users have been eagerly anticipating other members of the Zen 5 family, such as Ryzen AI Max and Fire Range. Now, ECS has become the first manufacturer to confirm plans to unveil a product featuring AMD's mainstream-focused Krackan Point chips at CES 2025. ECS is set to showcase the first laptop featuring AMD's upcoming Krackan Point APUs at CES 2025. AMD has already confirmed that Krackan Point is designed to offer a low-cost entry point into Microsoft's Copilot+ PC standard, positioning it to compete with Intel's Lunar Lake Core Ultra 200V series.The processor powering the ECS UP42KP laptop is likely the Ryzen AI 7 350. The manufacturer's description matches the rumored specifications of this chip, which include four Zen 5 cores, four Zen 5c cores, an integrated GPU with eight RDNA 3.5 compute units, and an XDNA 2 NPU capable of 40 TOPs meeting the threshold required for Copilot.With a TDP ranging from 15W to 54W, the 14-inch 1080p laptop supports DDR5-5600 RAM, 16 PCIe lanes, Wi-Fi 6, HDMI 2.1, and USB 4. It also supports Windows Hello via an IR camera with a privacy shutter. While the release date and pricing details remain unclear, AMD aims for Krackan Point devices to retail for under $800.The Ryzen AI 7 350 is the most powerful Krackan Point APU announced so far, but a lower-tier version the AI 5 340 was spotted on Geekbench last November. This cheaper variant will maintain the AI 7 350's NPU performance but feature three Zen 5 cores, three Zen 5c cores, and a Radeon 840M iGPU with four RDNA 3.5 CUs.Krackan Point sits just below Strix Point in AMD's Zen 5 lineup. Since its debut late last year, Strix Point APUs, such as the Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, have started appearing in the latest handheld gaming PCs. Lenovo is expected to unveil a device featuring the Z2 Extreme variant at CES. // Related StoriesRyzen AI Max, featuring up to 16 Zen 5 cores and 40 RDNA 3.5 CUs, is the next step up. A benchmark of an engineering sample was recently spotted running on an upcoming high-end 2-in-1 notebook from Asus.Users are also eagerly awaiting the launch of AMD's Fire Range, the company's most powerful Zen 5 laptop processors. A recent Geekbench AI test suggests they will debut in Asus' 2025 ROG Strix G-series laptops.In the desktop sector, AMD is also set to unveil new Ryzen 9000 X3D CPUs this month. TechSpot recently named last year's 9800X3D the best gaming CPU, and it has outpaced all of its non-X3D counterparts in sales at Mindfactory.The new ECS Krackan Point laptop will be accompanied by a new Snapdragon X Plus notebook, a mini PC, and new Intel motherboards.

While Path of Exile 2 has six unique classes to choose from at the start of the game, you can eventually specialize in one of two Ascendencies from each class. This gives you a total of 12 incredible Ascendency classes to play around with, but some are just better than others.This ARPG offers an array of skills on your skill tree, and even more exclusive skills for each Ascendency. Even if you havent reached the point where you get to choose one yet, its good to know how good each Ascendency is in the meta right now. Heres a list of the best Ascendency classes in Path of Exile 2, ranked from worst to best.Recommended Videos12. Acolyte of ChayulaGGGThis Monk Ascendency has a unique playstyle that just doesnt hold up to how powerful the other Ascendencies are in Path of Exile 2. Acolyte of Chayula deals with Chaos damage and resistance, as well as the exchange of Spirit for Darkness abilities that can deal Shadow damage.RelatedIt plays with this through the Embrace the Darkness skill, but other than that, theres nothing really special about this Ascendency. When compared to the Monks only other Ascendency, the Invoker, Acolyte of Chayula is the worst choice you could make in the current meta.11. Gemling LegionnaireGGGThere is a lot of opportunity for the Gemling Legionnaire Mercenary Ascendency to work better in the games future, since as of right now its lacking when compared to its much better counterpart, the Witch Hunter Ascendency. This Ascendency gives you an overall boost to all of your skills, such as improved skill quality, level, and the cost of Skill Gems.Other than granting you additional skill slots or doubling bonuses from your Attributes, theres nothing much else with the Gemling Legionnaire. Its still a decent Ascendency if you love playing around with Skill Gems, but the Mercenary class has a much more effective Ascendency to choose.10. WarbringerGGGWarbringers are powerful armor-breaking Warriors who focus on using Totems. This Ascendency is good for players who like to play melee-focused tanks, but again, Warbringer falls flat against the better Warrior Ascendency Titan.If youre a Warrior who uses the Warcry ability often, youll find Warbringer skills useful, such as Warcallers Bellow, which has corpses explode whenever you Warcry, or Greatwolfs Howl, which ignores Warcry cooldowns. Otherwise, Warbringer still isnt one of the better Ascendencies to choose in the current meta.9. InfernalistGGGInfernalists are Witches who love to play with fire skills. If youre one of them, Infernalist may be a good pick for you. This doesnt mean its one of the better Ascendencies, and its certainly not as good as the Blood Mage Ascendency.Still, Infernalists deal extra fire damage, gain extra mana, Spirit, and energy shields, as well as summon an Infernal Hound, which can help protect you. Overall, Infernalists is an OK choice for an Ascendency, as it gives you a ton of options for improved survivability.8. InvokerGGGThe best Monk Ascendency has to be the Invoker, which can allow you to utilize the power of the elements. There are many build options with an Invoker Ascendency that can help you deal a ton of elemental damage, while also improving your evasion from oncoming attacks.The Invoker Ascendency may not be the best Ascendency, but if youre a Monk, its a great choice for mobility and powerful attacks. More changes will have to be made in future updates for the Invoker Ascendency to rise in its ranking.7. PathfinderGGGA great Ranger Ascendency to choose is Pathfinder, despite the fact that its not the best one for that class. It focuses on poison afflictions, mobility, and improved flasks. Connected Chemistry and Enduring Elixirs increase flask charges and life flask consumption, which improves your survivability as a Ranger.Meanwhile, Contagious Contamination will help spread poison to enemies and Overwhelming Toxicity doubles the poisons you can inflict, making this a perfect Ascendency for Rangers who love poison-inflicting skills. On top of the improved movement speed skills, Pathfinder is a good Ascendency in the meta right now.6. Blood MageGGGAs a Witch, your best choice for Ascendency in the current meta is Blood Mage. This Ascendency gains the skills to leech more life for survivability, inflict curses with infinite duration, and increase critical damage. Your enemies as a Blood Mage will be gasping for life as you stay far from death.Blood Mages have better survivability than Infernalists, which is important for your squishy Witch. You do eventually get Crimson Power, which has you gain energy shield from equipped body armor as extra maximum life. Its one of the better Ascendencies overall, as well.5. ChronomancerGGGThe Sorceress class has the incredible Chronomancer Ascendency, which can manipulate time in various ways. Now and Again has a chance to not consume a cooldown when used, and Quicksand Hourglass grants you extra cast speed every 12 seconds.The best parts of the Chronomancer Ascendency are skills like Time Snap and Time Freeze. The former will reset the cooldowns of all your skills, while the latter stops time temporarily for affected enemies. Theres a lot more unique and interesting skills and passives you can use as a Chronomancer, although its overshadowed by its counterpart, Stormweaver.4. Witch HunterGGGThe best Mercenary Ascendency currently is Witch Hunter, which is leagues ahead of Gemling Legionnaire. They excel at hunting down magical enemies and monsters. Abilities like Culling Strike kill enemies automatically at the brink of death, and Decimating Strike can chip off a good chunk of health right away on full-health enemies.Its a great Ascendency for putting down enemies as fast as possible, but it can also protect yourself against their elemental damage through the Sorcery Ward spell. You also eventually get a skill that makes enemies you kill have a 10% chance of exploding upon dying, making this a destructive and effective Ascendency.3. DeadeyeGGGThis Ranger Ascendency improves your projectiles and frenzy charges. Deadeye Rangers can accurately damage enemies from a safe distance while also having better mobility with skills like Gathering Winds that grants a stacking buff to increase your movement and skill speed.Although the Pathfinder Ascendency for this class isnt too far behind, if you want to maximize your damage output, choose Deadeye. In the current meta, its your best choice for high damage and mobility.2. TitanGGGTitan is by far one of the best Ascendencies in Path of Exile 2 and is the better choice for the Warrior class. This Ascendency makes you an indestructible tank with increased armor and maximum life. You can also carry a chest around that gives you an additional 20 inventory slots, which is important in a game with inventory management.Not only can you take more damage but you can deal it back too. Earthbreaker has a chance for Slam skills to cause AoE aftershocks, while Crushing Impacts makes your hits crushing blows to stun enemies. Then, Surprising Strength has you deal 40% more damage to heavy stunned enemies, making you unstoppable on the combat field.1. StormweaverGGGCurrently, the best Ascendency in Path of Exile 2 has to be Stormweaver from the Sorceress class. They are champions of thunder and lightning, and the battlefield will look like a colossal storm while you fight. Elemental Storm is one of your main abilities here, which can trigger through critical hits on spells.This Ascendency also focuses on inflicting certain debuffs like Chills and Shocks from your stormy skills. Youll also gain more energy shield with Heart of the Storm, giving you a bit more survivability as a Sorceress. In the current meta, Stormweaver is the way to go.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsThe premise is still timely in 2024The core cast members are terrificTheres a love triangle at the heart of the seriesNetflix may be the top streamer for original programing, but its also a digital afterlife for shows that aired on broadcast networks, cable channels, or even other streaming services like the recently resurgent Evil. This month, our pick for the one Netflix show you need to watch in January 2025 is Younger, a drama/comedy that premiered on TV Land in 2015.Prior to the debut of Younger, series creator Darren Star had a proven track record in television including Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place, and Sex and the City. Younger lived up that pedigree by having a six-season run on TV Land before it moved to Paramount+ for its seventh and final season. This show already has a following, but Netflix has a way of helping old programing to reach new heights. Ahead of Youngers Netflix premiere on January 7, were sharing the reasons why you should stream this show.Recommended VideosMTV Entertainment StudiosBroadway actress Sutton Foster stars in the series as Liza Miller, a recently divorced woman who is in desperate need of a fresh start. She also needs a new job, but since Liza is 40 years old, no prospective employer in the publishing field is willing to hire her. To get around this ageism, Liza decides to pass herself off as a 26-year-old who is new to the industry. Lizas deception works, but it also means that she has to continue it 24/7 with the people she knows from work.RelatedMaintaining that secret is a constant source of stress and drama for Liza in the show, especially when other people are more likely to blackmail her than to understand why she did it in the first place. Liza has to walk a delicate path at all times, and if she slips up then she could lose everything she worked for.MTV Entertainment StudiosEntourages Debi Mazar co-stars as Maggie Amato, Lizas best friend who proves to be instrumental in helping her pass as a much younger woman. Hillary Duff (How I Met Your Father) plays Lizas other best friend, Kelsey Peters, a book editor who really is 26 years old. All three of these actresses play off each other well, but the pairing of Foster and Duff is especially intriguing because Liza constantly has to act against her nature around Kelsey. In other words, she cant really mentor or mother Kelsey, so she has to be her contemporary.The rest of the performers, including Nico Tortorella, Miriam Shor, Molly Bernard, Peter Hermann, and Charles Michael Davis, are also well-cast and very entertaining. Tortorella and Hermanns characters also play into the larger arc of the series through their mutual interest in Liza.MTV Entertainment StudiosOne of the main reasons why Liza took up her deception in the first place is that a young tattoo artist named Josh (Tortorella) mistook her for a woman his age. That convinced her that she could pull it off long term. What she didnt calculate is the toll it would take on her to maintain that secret in her professional life and during her romance with Josh.At work, Lizas boss, Charles Brooks (Hermann), also takes a strong romantic interest in her. And like Josh, hes unaware of her true age. Throughout the series, Lizas heart is torn between both men even as she fears the fallout if one or both of them learn what shes been hiding from them. Would they still want Liza if they knew she was 40? Or is age just a number? Youll have to watch all 84 episodes to find out how this love triangle resolves itself. But that should keep you busy well into February, and possibly beyond.Watch Younger on Netflix on January 7.Editors Recommendations

Trump has raised millions from CEOs and businesses for his inauguration and presidential library.Apple CEO Tim Cook was the latest to contribute, Axios reported.The Times reported that Trump has raised over $200 million since winning a second term.President-elect Donald Trump will take office in less than three weeks.In the meantime, he continues to craft his policy agenda and make keyappointmentsfor his second administration.He is also raking in substantial amounts of money.From Meta and Coinbase to Ford and GM, businesses and CEOs are contributing large sums to Trump's inauguration and future presidential library as the president-elect prepares to enter the Oval Office for a second term.Apple CEO Tim Cook is the latest to contribute $1 million of his own money to Trump's inaugural committee, according to Axios.Trump has so far collected a total of at least $200 million, according to The New York Times, which spoke to sources involved in the fundraising. At least $150 million of that will go toward his inaugural, far more than the $107 million he raised for the event in 2017.The super PAC Make America Great Again Inc. is also set to benefit from the cash infusion, giving Trump's allies a powerful vehicle to boost his conservative plans on everything from tax policy to the environment, as well as the GOP lawmakers who'll back his agenda.David Tamasi, a Washington lobbyist, waved off the notion that donors were contributing to Trump to stay on his good side. However, he told the Times that some leaders may seek to build rapport after being detached from the president-elect's orbit."It is a time-honored DC tradition that corporations are enthusiastically embracing this cycle in all manners, largely because they were on the sidelines during previous Trump cycles," Tamasi said. "They no longer have to hedge their political bets."There are virtually no limits to contributions for inaugural committees, and corporations have traditionally funded inaugurations regardless of the political party of the incoming commander in chief.President Joe Biden's inaugural committee raised $63.8 million for his 2021 inauguration, according to FEC filings.Trump's relationships with many top business leaders became rocky during his first term, namely in the aftermath of the August 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, where white nationalist groups sparked violent clashes. The January 6, 2021 attack at the US Capitol, days before Trump left office, led several companies to pause financial contributions to GOP politicians who had voted to overturn the 2020 presidential results.Even during the 2024 presidential campaign, some business leaders stayed out of the political fray, while others, like LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman and Netflix cofounder Reed Hastings, supported Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign.

Ron Shaich uses 'premortems' to motivate a meaningful life and guide his work.Shaich, Panera's founder, sold the chain for $7.5 billion in 2017.His investment fund, Act III, backs brands like Cava and Tatte Bakery.Panera's former CEO, Ron Shaich, isn't afraid of death he's inspired by it.Over the years he's realized that the time to review whether or not your life was meaningful was "not in the ninth inning with two outs," he told the Wall Street Journal, referring to the final phase of a baseball game. "It was in the seventh inning, the fifth inning, and third inning."During the final week of every year, he conducts what he calls a "premortem:" a ritual that helps him reframe death as motivation to live a more meaningful life. "I ask myself: What am I going to do now to ensure that when I reach that ultimate destination, I've done what I need to do?" he wrote in his 2023 book, "Know What Matters."He starts by envisioning all the key areas in his life. "I'd pull out a yellow legal pad and I'd start to divide that yellow legal pad into the areas of my life that I cared about," Shaich once told Business Insider. "And to me, that's my relationship with my body and my health, my core relationships my wife, my family, my kids my relationship with my work, what I wanted out of my work, and what gave me joy, and then my relationship with my own spirituality. And then based on that, I literally would say, 'What is it I want to have accomplished in each of these spheres of my life?'"Shaich, who reached billionaire status this past July, has built a career off some of the most successful food chains in the country. He launched Panera in 1999 and sold it in 2017 to the European investment fund, JAB, for $7.5 billion.Through his over billion-dollar fund, Act III, he's invested in chains like Mediterranean fast-casual brand Cava, Tatte bakery, and organic cafe Life Alive.He told the Journal that his philosophy of life and death also guides his work. He asks his companies to conduct premortems, envisioning goals for the coming three to five years and planning the path to achieve them."It's been the key to all of our successes," he said.