Thought of the Day
Sometimes, the wrong train takes you to the right station.
December 3rd 2025
Wet Nose Wednesday: Meet Arizona and Anne!
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Hey there, I’m Arizona – your future pop culture sidekick! Think of me as the Tony Stark of cats: charismatic, clever, and ready to steal the show. I’ve got that blockbuster star quality that means I’ll be the main character in your life’s adventure. My personality is basically a mix between a witty sitcom lead and a superhero – always ready with a charming moment or a playful pounce. Let’s make some magic happen! How did I get here? Transferred from Craven Pamlico Animal Services. ~My adoption fee is $65.00.~
Hey there, world travelers! I’m Anne, your potential new adventure buddy ready to join your journey of life. As an easygoing gal who loves exploring, I’m dreaming of hitting the road with my perfect human companion and seeing all the amazing sights this world has to offer. My adaptable personality means I’m just as comfortable chilling in the passenger seat as I am checking out a new hiking trail or lounging at a roadside café. So, are you ready to map out our next exciting expedition together? I am full grown at ~54lbs. How did I get here? Transferred from Harnett County Animal Shelter where I came in as a stray. **I have been diagnosed with heartworm disease and will begin treatment soon – please speak with an adoption specialist for details.** ~My adoption fee is $120.00.~
Gingerbread Cookies
‘Tis the season to start enjoying some winter favorites! These gingerbread cookies are classic, fun, and the perfect way to start off the holiday season.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- gingerbread person cookie cutters (optional)
- Icing ingredients
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- A few drops of lemon juice (optional, helps balance sweetness)
Instructions
1. Make the base mixture
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla and mix until smooth. Then, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two additions, stirring until the dough comes together. Divide the dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat and prep
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. Create the cookies
Roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface, then cut out the gingerbread people shapes and transfer them to the sheets.
4. Bake
Bake 8 to 10 minutes, depending on how soft or crisp you prefer. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a rack.
5. Make the icing
Stir together the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, vanilla, and lemon juice. Add more milk in tiny amounts until the icing reaches a smooth, pipe-able consistency. Then, put the icing into a plastic bag and cut off the corner when you’re ready to decorate.
6. Decorate your gingerbread
Now for the fun part! Let the gingerbread cool, then decorate them with the icing however you’d like.
7. Enjoy!
Let the icing set, then enjoy this tasty wintry treat.
December 2nd 2025
Thought of the Day
Loneliness becomes an illness if it builds up.
Melania Trump reveals White House holiday decorations and her theme, ‘Home Is Where the Heart Is’
By DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Melania Trump on Monday unveiled the holiday decorations for her family’s first Christmas back at the White House and her theme is “Home Is Where the Heart Is.”
The decor also nods to next year’s 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and founding of the United States of America.
Several dozen volunteer decorators from across the country helped deck the halls of the Executive Mansion with 75 wreaths, 51 Christmas trees, more than 700 feet (213 meters) of garland, more than 2,000 strands of lights, over 25,000 feet (7,620 meters) of ribbon, over 2,800 gold stars, more than 10,000 butterflies and 120 pounds (54 kilograms) of gingerbread.
A few things are different because President Donald Trump tore down the East Wing to build a ballroom he’s long desired.
This year, the official White House Christmas tree, which is always on display in the Blue Room, also honors Gold Star families, those that lost a member during active-duty military service.
That tree was an East Wing fixture and the first one visitors encountered after they entered through those doors, but the building and a covered walkway, or colonnade, connecting it to the White House were demolished by Trump in October as part of his ballroom plan.
Public tours, which had been suspended because of the construction, are to resume Tuesday but with a shorter route limited to just the State Floor, which includes the East Room; the Green, Blue and Red Rooms; the State Dining Room; the Cross Hall; and the Grand Foyer.
The Library and the Vermeil and China Rooms on the Ground Floor — one level below the State Floor — were cut from the tour route because of the construction.
The White House expects tens of thousands of visitors for holiday tours, receptions and parties before Christmas. Visitors will now enter through the North Portico doors on Pennsylvania Avenue using a new, semi-permanent walkway and entrance.
A statement from the White House said Christmas is a time to celebrate what makes the U.S. exceptional and that, while every home has its own traditions, shared values unite Americans.
“In every community, we are lifted by simple acts of kindness that reflect the enduring American spirit of generosity, patriotism, and gratitude,” the statement said. “These moments remind us that the heart of America is strong and that Home Is Where The Heart Is.”
Planning for the holidays starts months in advance, and the White House said Melania Trump chose every detail of the decor.
Trees in the East Room are trimmed in patriotic red, white and blue and national symbols, including golden eagle tree toppers, to highlight the coming America250 national celebration.
The official White House Christmas tree in the Blue Room is decorated with gold stars honoring families that lost a member in the line of active-duty military service. The official tree traditionally recognizes each state and territory and this year’s fir is decorated with ornaments showcasing the official bird and flower of each.
The Green Room celebrates family fun, featuring large portraits of the first and the current presidents, George Washington and Donald Trump, respectively, each made from more than 6,000 Lego puzzle pieces.
Thousands of blue butterflies decorate the Red Room and its tree in a celebration of young people and in tribute to Melania Trump’s Fostering the Future initiative , which is part of her Be Best child-focused initiative, to support people who have been in foster care.
A holiday highlight, the gingerbread White House on display in the State Dining Room shows off the mansion’s South Portico and offers a special glimpse into the Yellow Oval Room, a sitting room off the Truman Balcony in the president’s private living quarters on the second floor.
It was made using 120 pounds (54 kilograms) of gingerbread, 100 pounds (45 kilograms) of pastillage, a sugar-based modeling paste; over 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) of chocolate and 5 pounds (2.2 kilograms) of royal icing.
Part of the White House creche is on display in the Grand Foyer while the rest of it is undergoing a restoration overseen by the curator’s office.
Most of the tree trimming and hall decking was done after the Trumps decamped to their Florida home early last week for the Thanksgiving holiday. They returned to the White House on Sunday.
Classic Potato Soup
After a holiday, it can be a little daunting to get back in the kitchen day-to-day. This classic potato soup recipe is the perfect way to ease back in. It’s warm, cozy, and super easy to bring together.
Ingredients
- 4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup milk (or half-and-half for a creamier soup)
- ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme (optional)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
- Chopped green onions or chives for topping
- Bacon bits or crumbled bacon (optional)
Instructions
1. Build the base
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 4–5 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute. Then, stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute to form a paste. Gradually pour in the broth while stirring and let the mixture come to a simmer.
2. Add the potatoes
Add the diced potatoes, salt, pepper, and thyme (if using). Simmer for 15–20 minutes until potatoes are very soft. Then, add the milk and simmer 5 more minutes.
3. Add the cheese
Stir in the cheese (if desired) and let it melt into the soup.
4. Top and serve
Serve warm with green onions, chives, or bacon on top. Enjoy this soup for a comforting and filling dinner!
December 1st 2025
Thought of the Day
A liar has no memory.
Bussi makes 15 saves for 1st NHL shutout, Ehlers scores in OT in Hurricanes’ 1-0 win over Flames
By BOB SUTTON Associated Press
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Carolina rookie Brandon Bussi made 15 saves for his first NHL shutout, Nikolaj Ehlers scored at 2:52 of overtime and Hurricanes beat the Calgary Flames 1-0 on Sunday for their second straight victory.
Ehlers beat rookie goalie Devin Cooley after Taylor Hall put the puck on net. Ehlers scored his fifth goal of the season and first in seven games. Sean Walker also assisted.
Bussi played back-to-back games for the first time in his NHL career.
Cooley stopped 16 shots. The Flames lost for just the second time in their last six games. They were shutout victims for the third time this season.
Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal returned from a three-game injury absence. He played slightly more than 14 minutes.
Up Next
Flames: At Nashville on Tuesday night.
Hurricanes: Host Toronto on Thursday night.
Panthers take advantage of Stafford’s 3 turnovers to end Rams’ 6-game win streak with 31-28 victory
By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Bryce Young completed 15 of 20 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns — two of them coming on fourth down — and the Carolina Panthers forced three turnovers by Matthew Stafford to beat Los Angeles 31-28 on Sunday and snap the Rams’ six-game winning streak.
The Panthers intercepted Stafford twice with Mike Jackson returning one for a 48-yard touchdown and ended the 37-year-old’s NFL record of 28 straight TD passes without an interception.
Derrick Brown, who tipped a ball resulting in one of Stafford’s first pick, came up with a key strip-sack with 2:25 left in the game to preserve the win.
The win allowed the Panthers to remain a half game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South. The Bucs held on to beat Arizona 20-17 on Sunday.
Stafford completed 18 of 28 passes for 243 yards with two touchdown passes to Davante Adams, his 13th and 14th of the season, for the Rams (9-3).
The Panthers (7-6), who had just one pass play of longer than 20 yards in a 20-9 loss to San Francisco on Monday night, got several key ones from Young on Sunday.
He connected on a 35-yard TD pass to Chuba Hubbard, a 33-yard TD strike to Jalen Coker and a 43-yard scoring toss to Tetairoa McMillan with 6:43 remaining that was the decisive score.
The Panthers used a strong running game to control the clock in the second half and keep Stafford and the high-powered offense off the field. Hubbard had 83 yards rushing from Rico Dowdle added 58.
The Panthers appeared to be in control entering the fourth quarter leading 24-21 and running the ball well.
But tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders was flagged for a key holding call deep in Rams territory and the Panthers drive halted resulting in a punt.
The Rams came alive on offense with Blake Corum escaping around right end for a 34-yard run. Puka Nacua then hauled in a dramatic leaping, one-handed 30-yard catch to set up a 7-yard TD run by Kyren Williams to give Los Angeles the lead.
But Carolina answered when McMillan got behind the Rams defense and hauled in his only catch of the game — a 43-yard touchdown from Young— on a fourth-and-2 play to give Carolina back the lead.
Earlier in the game, Young found Coker for a long score on a fourth-and-3.
Stafford passed Matt Ryan to move into eighth place all time in yards passing.
Stafford threw his NFL record 28th straight touchdown pass without an interception to Adams on the game’s opening possession to give the Rams a 7-0 lead, but on the second possession Brown tipped his pass and Nick Scott intercepted it in the end zone.
Injuries
Rams: Kyren Williams battled through an ankle injury, but stayed in the game.
Panthers: None reported
Up next
Saints: At Arizona on Sunday.
Panthers: Have a bye next weekend, then play at New Orleans on Dec. 14.
‘Zootopia 2’ roars to record-setting global box office with $556M opening
By ANDREW DALTON AP Entertainment Writer
“Zootopia 2” had a roaring and record-setting opening at the box office.
The animated animal city sequel from the Walt Disney Company brought in $96 million in North America over the weekend, earned $156 million over the five-day Thanksgiving frame, and scored a staggering $556 million globally since its Wednesday opening, according to studio estimates Sunday.
That made it the highest international opening ever for an animated movie, the fourth highest global debut of any kind, and the top international opener of 2025.
“Wicked: For Good” stayed aloft in its second weekend for Universal Pictures, earning another $62.8 million domestically over the weekend for a North American total of $270.4 million. The second half of the “Wicked” saga has brought in $393 million internationally.
The pair of PG-rated sequels combined to make the Thanksgiving weekend a glimmering exception to an otherwise dark year at movie theaters. The five-day holiday run brought in $290 million in total, $188 million of it coming Friday through Sunday.
That could be a blip or an indication that a strong finish might salvage Hollywood’s box office year, with “Avatar: Fire and Ash” and “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” among the films still to be released in 2025.
“This is a great result and a big momentum builder for the box office as we head into the final four weeks of the year,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore.
“Zootopia 2” arrives almost a decade after the original, a hit that outpaced expectations and had a March domestic opening of $75 million.
Like the first, it features the duo of bunny cop Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and small-time hustler fox Nick Wilde ( Jason Bateman ) in a city of comically domesticated wildlife.
Dergarabedian said the sequel represented “a beloved franchise delivering what audiences were looking for around the world.”
It was the fourth biggest North American opening of 2025. But its biggest market was China, which made for nearly half of the film’s global total with a whopping $272 million in ticket sales. No American-made animated film has ever opened bigger. It was the second best nonlocal film opening of all time in China, after “Avengers: Endgame.”
Such a result in China was once almost commonplace for Hollywood. But in recent years, as geopolitical relations have grown uneasy, box-office results have turned unpredictable at best. Aside from a handful of exceptions, like the “Jurassic World” films, Hollywood has come to virtually write off Chinese theaters and recalibrate blockbuster budgets accordingly.
The big bounty in China for “Zootopia 2” could be an aberration or a signal of a thaw in the freeze. In recent years, China, which censors which films that are released in theaters, has leaned more toward homegrown fare. Earlier this year, the locally made blockbuster “Ne Zha 2” grossed $1.8 billion in China.
“Zootopia 2” had a clear path to a big Chinese opening. The first “Zootopia,” known there as “Crazy Animal City,” grew into a surprise hit, grossing $236 million. Shanghai Disneyland has a theme land devoted to the films.
“Wicked: For Good” didn’t seem to be hurt by the beastly competition as Universal’s gamble of splitting the Broadway tale of Oz into two films continued to pay off. It brought in a worldwide weekend total of $92.2 million.
“Hamnet,” certain to be a major player in awards season after a celebrated festival run, had a strong limited opening and landed in the overall top 10. In just 119 theaters it earned $1.35 million from Wednesday through Sunday and $880,000 on the weekend, with a per-theater average of more than $11,000. Director Chloe Zhao’s Shakespeare story starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal expands next weekend.
Top 10 movies by domestic box office
With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore:
1. “Zootopia 2,” $96.8 million.
2. “Wicked: For Good,” $62.8 million.
3. “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t,” $7 million.
4. “Predator: Badlands,” $4.8 million.
5. “The Running Man,” $3.7 million.
6. “Eternity,” $3.2 million.
7. “Rental Family,” $2.1 million.
8. “Hamnet,” $880,000.
9. “Sisu: Road to Revenge,” $810,000.
10. “Nuremberg,” $749,325.