Year: 2024

Crypto Whales Bought These Altcoins in the Fourth Week of December 2024  BeInCrypto
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FORT WORTH, Texas — For the first time in its history, OU football will take on a service academy in a bowl matchup.
The Sooners will square off with Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl at 11 a.m. Friday in a game that will be televised on ESPN.
OU will be without linebacker Danny Stutsman and safety Billy Bowman, who have opted out of the bowl to prepare for the NFL Draft, while plenty of other players who are transferring will also be out.
The transfer portal losses include quarterback Jackson Arnold, tight end Bauer Sharp and a slew of wide receivers.
The Sooners will be looking for their first bowl victory of the Brent Venables era and to avoid their second losing season in their last three.
They’ll have a tough matchup, though.
Navy, coached by Westmoore grad Brian Newberry, runs a unique triple-option offense that stresses defenses.
The Midshipmen are looking for just the sixth 10-win season in Navy history.
More:OU football has its next starting QB, but here’s how Michael Hawkins can impact next year
More:Why Armed Forces Bowl is big deal for Brent Venables, OU football despite roster turnover
FINAL:
The Sooners’
Brent Venables went for the win, but Navy was ready.
Justin Reid sacked Michael Hawkins Jr. as the Sooners went for a go-ahead, 2-point try with six seconds left.
It was a wild drive that gave the Sooners a shot at the win, going 65 yards in 13 plays.
OU overcame a controversial incompletion ruling on a third-down pass to Jake Roberts, converting on a fourth-down pass to Roberts.
A defensive holding penalty on third-and-17 gave OU the ball at the 21 with 20 seconds left.
Then Hawkins connected on an 11-yard pass to Jacob Jordan before hitting a wide open Roberts for a 10-yard score.
—Jeff Patterson, Staff writer
Brent Venables and the Sooners only had to use one timeout, holding Navy to a quick three-and-out.
A block-in-the-back penalty on the punt backed up OU to the 35-yard line.
OU has two timeouts and 1:47 to go 65 yards for the tying score.
—Jeff Patterson, Staff writer
It’s the same old song and dance for the OU offense, which only moved the ball 13 yards in five plays and featured another crucial dropped pass.
The Sooners opted to punt on fourth-and-9 after Jake Roberts couldn’t corral Michael Hawkins’ third-down pass.
Navy takes over at its 5-yard line.
The Sooners still have all three timeouts left.
—Jeff Patterson, Staff writer
Blake Horvath capped a 12-play, 66-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown run to give Navy its first lead of the day.
One play earlier, Horvath converted a fourth-and-3 pass to Eli Heidenreich for 16 yards.
—Jeff Patterson, Staff writer
Another five-minute drive ended with no points for the Sooners.
After Gavin Sawchuk bobbled a third-down pass, the Sooners settled for a 52-yard field-goal attempt, but Zach Schmit hooked it right.
The Sooners are still outgaining the Midshipmen 365-244, but the momentum has shifted to Navy’s side.
—Jeff Patterson, Staff writer
Michael Hawkins looked like he’d made up for his fumble.
Hawkins ripped off an apparent 56-yard touchdown run that would’ve put the Sooners back in front.
Hawkins danced as he was surrounded by teammates in the back of the end zone.
But more than 60 yards behind Hawkins, a flag was on the ground.
OU lineman Febechi Nwaiwu was called for holding, bringing the ball back to the OU 34.
Heading into the fourth quarter, the Sooners are outgaining Navy 343-244.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
OU avoided disaster.
After a turnover the ball deep in Sooners’ territory, OU’s defense came up with a big stop, and Midshipmen kicker Nathan Kirkwood pushed a 38-yard field goal attempt just right right to keep the score tied.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
All of the momentum is going Navy’s way.
On the first play after Blake Horvath’s 95-yard touchdown run, OU quarterback Michael Hawkins fumbled, giving the Midshipmen the ball at the Sooners 26.
It was the first turnover of the day for either team.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
Blake Horvath’s 95-yard touchdown run tied it late in the third quarter.
The run set a Navy record for the longest touchdown run and set an Armed Forces Bowl record for longest play.
Horvath’s run was the longest offensive play allowed by the Sooners since Texas’ Major Applewhite’s 97-yard pass to Wayne McGarity in 1998.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
Luke Elzinga bounced back from an 11-yard punt, pinning Navy inside their own 5 on a pooch punt.
OU drove to the Navy 45 before the drive stalled there.
The Sooners’ drive lasted nearly five minutes.
Navy holds a narrow 18:38-16:28 edge in time of possessions.
Neither team has completed a pass in the second half so far.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
OU’s defense bent once again but then bowed up to hold the Midshipmen near midfield on the first drive of the second half.
The drive took more than five minutes off the clock.
OU is outgaining Navy 273-142, including 163-55 through the air.
Navy’s punt gave OU the ball at the Sooners’ 20.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
Zion Kearney dropped what would’ve been a massive gain on second-and-10 from the OU 21, virtually ending the Sooners hopes of extending their lead before halftime. 
Michael Hawkins Jr. scrambled for a bit before finding a wide open Kearney inside Navy territory.
But the throw was slightly underthrown but Kearney still had a great chance to catch the ball.
Kearney couldn’t haul it in, though, staying on his knees for a few moments, frustrated by his drop.
Without any timeouts, the Sooners ultimately played conservatively and took a touchdown lead into the break.
OU is outgaining Navy 265-121 at the break. The Sooners have 14 first downs compared to Navy’s four.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
OU’s defense came up with a stop after a rare bad punt from Luke Elzinga gave Navy strong field position in the final three minutes.
The Sooners held Navy to a three-and-out to get the ball back with 1:39 remaining in the half.
Kip Lewis leads OU so far with four tackles.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
The momentum continues to go Navy’s way.
After holding the Sooners to a three-and-out, the Midshipmen will get the ball back with less than three minutes left — and in OU territory.
OU punter Luke Elzinga had a rare shank, with just an 11-yard punt after Michael Hawkins’ pass on third-and-16 fell incomplete.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
With a short field, Navy finally took advantage against the Sooners’ defense.
The Midshipmen drove 45 yards on six plays, capped by an 11-yard touchdown run by fullback Alex Tecza.
OU had a chance to bring down Tecza two short of the first-down marker on third-and-6 but Tecza bounced through the tackles and finished off the run into the end zone.
The big play on the drive was a 21-yard pass after Navy lined up on third-and-1 looking like Blake Horvath was going to try a keeper.
Horvath instead pulled up and found Cody Howard for a 21-yard gain to set up Tecza’s touchdown run three plays later.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
Once again, OU couldn’t convey on short yardage.
The Sooners were stopped twice at their own 45, with Gavin Sawchuk stopped for no gain on third down and Michael Hawkins Jr. stopped short of the line-to-gain on fourth down for OU’s second consecutive turnover on downs to give Navy the ball inside Sooners territory.
OU is outgaining the Midshipmen 227-79.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
OU finally went a defensive drive without allowing a big play.
But the Sooners will start inside their own 10 after a 70-yard punt pinned the Sooners at the 8.
OU’s defense held Navy to a three-and-out after turning the ball over on downs at the Navy 20.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
In his final game in a long Sooners career, Woodi Washington has his first career reception.
Washington caught a 28-yard pass on a fake punt to keep the Sooners’ drive alive.
Punter Luke Elzinga, a former high school quarterback, completed the pass and is now 3 for 3 for 68 yards on fake punts this season.
The Sooners faced fourth-and-3 from their own 44.
But OU still came up empty on the drive, after Navy’s Kyle Jacob stopped Xavier Robinson for no gain on fourth-and-1 from the Navy 20.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
OU’s defense once again had one busted play but once again, the Sooners’ tightened down after that.
A play after Ethan Downs hit Blake Horvath for a 4-yard loss, the Navy quarterback broke off a 37-yard run.
But then the Sooners stopped the Midshipmen, including forcing an incomplete pass on fourth-and-5 from the 25 to put the ball back in the hands of their offense.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
Michael Hawkins Jr. scrambled from one side of the field to the other.
But instead of taking off running with plenty of space in front of him, Hawkins floated a pass downfield to freshman wide receiver Zion Kearney for a 56-yard touchdown pass.
The touchdown reception was the first of Kearney’s career and the first touchdown pass for Hawkins since Sept. 21 against Tennessee.
OU is outgaining Navy 140-39.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
OU’s first look at the triple option mostly went smoothly.
Navy did burn the Sooners for a 32-yard pass on third down to start, but then OU forced a punt a few plays later to put the ball back in its defense’s hands.
The Midshipmen gained seven yards on four running plays on the drive.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
Gavin Sawchuk already has more yards than he did in any game this season.
Sawchuk had four carries for 37 yards on the Sooners’ first drive of the game, including a 21-yard touchdown run to cap off OU’s nine-play, 65-yard scoring drive.
Freshman quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. was 3 for 3 for 19 yards with two carries for nine yards on the opening drive.
Sawchuk hadn’t had a run of longer than eight yards this season entering the game but had a nine-yard run on his second carry of the game and then four plays later, took it 21 yards for the score.
He hadn’t had more than 16 yards in any game coming in.
Sawchuk made his first start since Sept. 14 against Tulane.
—Ryan Aber, Staff writer
More:Navy football coach Brian Newberry shares ‘pretty neat’ bond with Oklahoma father and son
OU wide receiver Deion Burks is not suited up during warmups ahead of the Armed Forces Bowl against Navy on Friday. 
Burks missed seven regular-season games this season due to injury and finished with 31 catches for 245 yards and three touchdowns. Burks said last Monday he was practicing with the team during bowl prep and hoped to play.
The former Purdue standout announced earlier this month he intends to return to the Sooners in 2025.
With Nic Anderson, Andrel Anthony, Jalil Farooq, J.J. Hester, Jaquaize Pettaway and Brenen Thompson gone, Burks is expected to be the leader in the room in 2025.
“Easy decision, man,” Burks said of his decision. “Just want to come back. … Got great characters here, coach BV, I believe in his plan, what he has going on. I believe in coach Emmett Jones. … I wanted to leave the place better than I found it.”
—Colton Sulley, Staff writer
More:Oklahoma, Brent Venables go all-in with transfer quarterback John Mateer. Will it work?
More:How Ben Arbuckle is ‘bringing that energy’ for OU football during Armed Forces Bowl prep
OU vs. Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl will be broadcast nationally on ESPN. Courtney Lyle and Rene Ingoglia will call the game from the booth at Amon G. Carter Stadium, with Morgan Uber reporting from the sidelines. Streaming options for the game includes FUBO, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.
More:Brent Venables excited about QB John Mateer joining OU football: ‘He’ll make us better’
More:OU football vs Navy: Inside the matchups for Sooners-Midshipmen in Armed Forces Bowl
Here are a selection of picks from The Oklahoman staff. Our full predictions can be found here.
Navy 24, OU 21
ANCHORS AWEIGH
Midshipmen’s triple option gives Sooners defense playing without Danny Stutsman and Billy Bowman fits. Michael Hawkins Jr. and Xavier Robinson are effective on the ground but it’s not enough as Navy pulls it off.
Navy 23, OU 21 
OPT-OUT
Navy’s triple-option flummoxes OU in Armed Forces Bowl. Midshipmen control clock, holding on as Sooners miss late field goal. 
Navy 27, OU 21
KNOT TOO BAD
With opt-outs and portal defections galore, the Sooners struggle on both sides of the ball. Blake Horvath and the Midshipmen continue their momentum from the Army game and edge out a victory.
More:OU football vs Navy predictions: Who wins Armed Forces Bowl game?
Game lines and odds from BetMGM as of Friday:
More:How OU football punter Luke Elzinga is thriving in a role he never thought he’d have
The biggest unknown for the Sooners is the status of wide receiver Deion Burks, who played in just one of OU’s last eight games due to injury.
Burks said earlier this month that he hoped to play in the game.
If Burks isn’t available, the Sooners would not have a non-freshman scholarship wide receiver available.
OU will be without running back Jovantae Barnes.
More:Why OU football will be challenged by Navy triple option: ‘Scratch everything you learned’
Temperature at kickoff is expected to be 60 degrees with winds of about 9 mph from the south-southwest according to the National Weather Service. There is no chance of precipitation.
More:OU football vs. Navy: TV channel, betting line, scouting report for Armed Forces Bowl
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“Love After Lockup” season 5 continues today, Friday, Dec. 27. Episode 53 airs at 8 p.m. Eastern tonight on WE tv. Titled “Cruel Intentions,” watch as couples do their best to find love both inside and outside the walls of prison.
You can watch “Love After Lockup” live for free via a trial of Philo or DirecTV Stream.
In last week’s episode, wedding dress shopping took an unexpected turn, bad news threatened one couple’s reunion, and Angela received a shocking offer.
Philo and DirecTV Stream carry WE tv as one of their channel offerings.
Philo offers more than 70 channels for $28 a month after the free trial ends. DirecTV Stream offers multiple tiers of service starting with 75+ channels for $101.98 (with an additional $15 off the first two months) after the free trial.
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Valley Stream Herald 2024 Person of the Year: Marie McNair has faith that unites  liherald.com
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The higher education industry had a lot more going on outside the classrooms than inside. Here's a look at the biggest stories of 2024.
The past year in higher education in the Boston area had a lot less to do with classrooms and curricula, and a lot more to do with protests and new presidents.
It was a tumultuous year for many local campuses, including Harvard, MIT and Emerson College, where students protested the war between Israel and Hamas. Arrests made headlines. It was even rockier at Harvard, where Claudine Gay stepped down as president only days into the new year amid criticism of how the school responded to incidents of hate speech.
Some local campuses are ending the year with an entirely different challenge: urging international students to arrive back on campus before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump on Jan. 20.
Here’s a look at this year’s top local college stories:
Campuses across the country were the site of protests over war in Gaza, evoking similar reactions as more they did than five decades ago, during the Vietnam War. High-profile local campuses including Harvard, MIT and Northeastern University were the site of encampments, as were smaller schools such as Emerson College. College administrations were forced to try finding a middle ground between allowing free speech while also taking a stand against some incidents of hateful conduct.
While MIT emerged largely unscathed — President Sally Kornbluth was the only one of the three college presidents in a December 2023 Congressional hearing to keep her job — Harvard’s reputation appeared to take a hit. Harvard’s student applications this fall dropped 5% from a year prior and 12% from 2022.
Gay, who had been Harvard’s president for only six months, resigned Jan. 2, about a month after the aforementioned Congressional hearing, in which critics said she and two other college presidents didn’t condemn antisemitic speech forcefully enough.
Gay has been replaced by Alan Garber, who had been Harvard’s provost. He was initially installed as an interim leader, but Harvard said this summer Garber will stay on through the 2026-’27 school year.
Brandeis University’s president, Ronald Liebowitz, abruptly resigned this fall two days after a no-confidence vote from the school’s faculty. Arthur Levine is his interim successor.
Other schools also have new leaders, including Boston University, where Melissa Gilliam’s time as president began this summer; Emmanuel College, where Beth Ross began her first full school year this fall; and Roxbury Community College, where Jonathan K. Jefferson takes over as the state’s smallest community college has reversed a long decline in student enrollment.
Roxbury Community College wasn’t the only two-year campus where enrollment was declining. Amid higher student costs and a tight job market, far fewer students were turning to schools for associate degrees.
But a new program is already showing early signs of changing that. A state initiative waives costs for anyone without a bachelor’s degree, and enrollment estimates for this fall projected a 14% rise in students attending.
Three Massachusetts professors shared Nobel prizes this fall: MIT professors Daron Acemoglu and Simon Johnson, and UMass Chan Medical School professor Victor Ambros.
New Nobel laureates Acemoglu and Johnson shared an award with a University of Chicago professor for their research on systems of governance and economics. Ambros shared his award with Gary Ruvkun of Massachusetts General Hospital for their discovery of microRNA.
As some local campuses prepared for winter break, they left international students with a caution: they should arrive back on campus for the spring semester before Donald Trump is sworn in as president on Jan. 20.
Without mentioning Trump, Harvard urged students worried about potential new immigration policies to arrive back on campus earlier. Its undergraduate dorms reopen for the spring semester on Jan. 17.
UMass Amherst was even more direct. The campus’s Office of Global Affairs recommended that all international students and others under UMass immigration sponsorship “strongly consider” returning prior to the inauguration if they’re out of the country over the break. It was also allowing international undergraduates to return to campus housing early if needed.
UMass said it was making the recommendation out of an abundance of caution, with a new presidential administration able to enact new policies on a first day in office and based on travel bans put in place during Trump’s first term in office.
The risks for international students is likely to be only the first of a series of new challenges for colleges under Trump, who has also sharply criticized their liberal bent and multibillion-dollar endowments.
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The TOI Tech Desk is a dedicated team of journalists committed to delivering the latest and most relevant news from the world of technology to readers of The Times of India. TOI Tech Desk’s news coverage spans a wide spectrum across gadget launches, gadget reviews, trends, in-depth analysis, exclusive reports and breaking stories that impact technology and the digital universe. Be it how-tos or the latest happenings in AI, cybersecurity, personal gadgets, platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and more; TOI Tech Desk brings the news with accuracy and authenticity.Read More
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Why Evolution Is True
Why Evolution is True is a blog written by Jerry Coyne, centered on evolution and biology but also dealing with diverse topics like politics, culture, and cats.
Here physicist Brian Greene argues with Sam Harris about approaches to dispelling false beliefs, aka religion. Greene argues that simply acquainting people with science will make them less religious (or at least he implies it), and avers that some New Atheists have been ineffective because they call religious people “stupid”. (That’s not so true!). Harris, however, says that the “carrot” attitude of Greene (and Greene really doesn’t use a carrot because he doesn’t criticize religous belief at all) may not be as effective as Harris’s “stick”, which is simply rational argument about what is true and open criticism of the harms of religion. As Sam says, it’s false to assert that you can’t reason people out of religion because he’s seen it happen. So have I.
Sam notes what seems to be the case: Greene just doesn’t want to be the “go-to guy for why you can’t have your cake and eat it too in the matter of science and religion.”  On the other hand, Sam notes that in some ways religion is bad for science. For example, some religious beliefs are inimical to understanding science, including accepting global warming. And of course creationism is still with us in the form of ID.  Sam then asks whether Greene shouldn’t be pushing harder against such inimical religious beliefs. Greene responds that in physics he doesn’t encounter that kind of religious mishigass, which is found more in biology. It’s more than that, though, because I believe that in the past Greene, as one of the organizers of the World Science Festival, has participated in osculating the rump of faith. As I wrote in 2020:
On the other hand [Greene] takes lots of money from the John Templeton Foundation to run the World Science Festival, and there’s always some Templeton-sponsored events that reconcile religion and science or enable “spirituality”.  In fact, Dan Dennett withdrew from a Festival panel when he learned it was backed by Templeton (see the first link in this sentence). And Greene has always been reluctant to say anything bad about religion, despite the fact that he seems to be an atheist. Although he’s said that “there’s much in New Atheism that resonates with me“, he’s admitted that his strategy is less confrontational and less antagonistic than scientists like Dawkins. In fact, as we see below, it no longer seems the least confrontational and antagonistic, but rather worshipful.
There’s more, but I think that one element in Greene’s reticence is knowing that if one criticizes religion, one loses popularity. The fastest way to erode one’s acclaim as a science writer or popularizer is to criticize religion, even if you do it separately from talking about science. Neil deGrasse Tyson has also learned that lesson.
 
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Television
From Gilda Radner to Adam Sandler to Will Ferrell, these sketches feature the best of the best.
NBC/Kveller collage
This year we got “Saturday Night,” a movie about the origins of “Saturday Night Live” that paid tribute to the Jewish roots of the show. The film put the spotlight on Canadian Jewish showrunner Lorne Michaels (born Lorne Lipowitz) and the Jewish comedy writers who changed TV history forever. So to keep up with that theme, this feels like a good year to celebrate all the ways the show made Hanukkah funny in America throughout the years.
These are our favorite “Saturday Night Live” Hanukkah sketches. Get ready to laugh along with us!
No song has redefined the way Hanukkah is perceived in America more than Adam Sandler’s 1994 “Hanukkah Song.” The tune, inspired by Sandler’s melancholy as the only Jewish kid around not celebrating Christmas and only having that one “Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel” holiday song, not only channels that very really Jewish struggle, but also leans into one of our favorite pastimes as a people: Pointing out famous Jews, from Henry Winkler, to Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock. The song did include some Jewish misinformation, though: Hall of Famer Rod Carew is not Jewish! His first wife and children are, but he hit Sandler up to let him know that while he was a fan of the tune, he hadn’t converted. He was omitted from later versions of the iconic song.
In this Hanukkah sketch, Gilda Radner plays a Jewish housewife inviting her husband’s non-Jewish boss and his wife over for Hanukkah, and she and the cast retell and reenact the story of Hanukkah for their benefit. Once the story is told, Radner — in a tall wig — lights the menorah and recites the Hebrew prayer over the candles. Amid all the laughter, Radner, who is Jewish, is clearly moved by reciting those words for what may have been the first time on live television and you can see the paths of tears on her face as she finishes saying the blessings. It’s definitely the most moving Hanukkah sketch to have ever aired on SNL.

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If Sandler’s “Hanukkah Song” was inspired by the dearth of Hanukkah songs around, then this hilarious sketch tries to reinvent the genre by giving us melodramatic Hanukkah hymns that are so wonderfully funny, my kids have spent the past few days bellowing them through the house. I love Alec Baldwin’s commitment to pronouncing the chet in Hanukkah, I love Anna Gasteyer’s singing about the menorah: “Burning, burning, burning, what a cheerful holiday.” I love Will Ferrell’s somber face as he sings “happy, happy Hanukkah,” though my favorite song may be “Do They Know It’s Hanukkah?” which laments “do they understand that it’s a different time each year??” (It’s on the same Jewish date each year, but on a different date in the Georgian calendar, just to clarify.) Maybe my favorite part is that out of everyone in this sketch, Chris Kattan is the only one with a Jewish parent.
We first meet Hanukkah Harry, the Haredi Santa Klaus played by Jewish SNL cast member Jon Lovitz, in “The Night Hanukkah Harry Saved Christmas,” a sketch jokingly “presented” by Hallmark and the ADL. He takes Santa’s place delivering presents to kids after the jolly Christmas icon gets a debilitating stomach virus. His sleigh is pulled by donkeys, instead of reindeer — Moische, Herschel and Schlomo. Is he one big Orthodox Jewish stereotype? Sure, but has he become part of Jewish American Hanukkah lore? Absolutely! That big greying beard, that fluffy blue hat, that Jewish New York accent? That fun jingle about his donkeys? They’re just as endearing as Santa. It’s no wonder he came back two years later to save Easter too, and even reminded the Easter Bunny that Jesus was Jewish.
 
The recurring Vanessa Bayer character, Jacob the Bar Mitzvah boy, the teenage son of Seth Meyers’ podiatrist, who is played in one skit by Billy Krystal, truly channels the nervousness of the most awkward of 13-year-olds trying to make it through a bar mitzvah speech. Jacob gives us a pretty thorough explanation of Hanukkah traditions, though none of them compare to an Xbox 360. Seth’s attempts to engage him in any conversation that starts from the printed text are fruitless, but Jacob does get weepy when he realizes that he has to say goodbye to Seth who is leaving SNL. The way Bayer surreptitiously wipes tears young stoic teen style gets me every time.
I love this third SNL reprise of the “Hanukkah Song.” It features an excellent audiovisual presentation of the Jewish stars mentioned in the song, like “Friends” stars Lisa Kudrow and David Schwimmer, an actual fellow famous Jew Rob Schneider on stage and a choir of Jewish kids who sing along with this new list of exciting famous Jews — what’s not to love?
Jeff Bridges plays a rabbi in this SNL Jewish parody of “It’s a Wonderful Life” that takes place on Hanukkah instead of Christmas. It’s introduced by Ben Mankiewicz (played by Bill Hader) on Turner Classic Movies, as an imagined early version of the Christmas classic. Andy Samberg plays Moishe, a kvetchy neighbor who starts an argument about the best Jewish deli which is meant to last for 43 minutes of this original version. Kristen Wiig brings two type of rugelach and a chocolate babka and then complains about the lack coffee. Jeff Bridges reminds George Bailey, “the nicest goy in town,” that miracles do happen. It’s full of Jewish stereotypes but somehow, it still really works. Maybe it’s because Samberg’s Jewish accent is hilarious, or maybe hearing Jason Sudeikis as George Bailey yelling “Happy Hanukkah, Greenberg’s Delicatessen” just makes the whole sketch worth it .
Before Fred Armisen played an Orthodox Jew in the show “Difficult People,” and Kristen Wiig married a nice Jewish boy, the two sat with Michael Che at Weekend Update as songwriting pair Garth and Kat to ad-lib a Hanukkah album with the improvisational title “Hanukkah Is One of the Only Things That Sure to Know and Don’t We All.”
Every Hanukkah since it first came to be, the Cameo video of Smokey Robinson wishing someone “happy Chanukah” pronouncing the “ch” like you would in “cha-cha-cha” goes viral. It’s so wholesome and wonderful and perhaps a little surprising that the iconic Motown singer doesn’t know how to pronounce the Jewish holiday, and Chris Redd does a real fun job at poking fun at Robinson, talking about his plans to eat potato latchkeys and monster ball soup and telling Che that his mother can’t wait to see him on Chrimans AV.
My favorite SNL Hanukkah sketch isn’t actually a Hanukkah sketch at all, it’s the excellent “Christmas time by the Jews,” co-created by hilarious Jewish comedian Rob Smigel and sung by the legendary Darlene Love. I think it’s just because while it’s funny and out there (the circumcising squirrels part always gets me!), it’s such a fond portrait of what Jews actually do on Christmas in NYC.
Lior Zaltzman is the deputy managing editor of Kveller.
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Note: The PUTNAM COUNTY COURTS are not affiliated with Putnam County Government. You can call the Putnam County Court’s phone system at 845.208.7800.
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The Putnam County Department of Health is made of several divisions all working towards improving and protecting the health of the community. Click on one of the options below to learn more about that division.
Interim Health Commissioner Michael J. Nesheiwat, MD joined the health department nearly 10 years ago. Dr. Mike, as he is known around the office and the community, is preparing to make his departure early in the new year. Continue reading for insight on his decades long career in medicine and public health.  
What is your favorite part of working at the health department?
There are many aspects of my time at the Health Department that have been incredibly rewarding. If I had to choose one, my favorite part has been being allowed to contribute to impactful public health initiatives. I have been fortunate enough to work alongside a team of dedicated professionals whose main focus is to improve our community’s health and wellness while making a positive impact. Moreover, we have cultivated a passionate team with a strong sense of family and camaraderie. The Putnam County Health Department has a palpable atmosphere of support, commitment, and collaboration. This sense of shared purpose has made every day here fulfilling– this experience is something I will remember fondly and will always carry with me. The Health Department Staff is one of the best groups of human beings I have had the pleasure of working with, and I will truly miss them.
Is there a particularly rewarding experience you’d like to share?
The Health Department’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic was both challenging and rewarding. Working in this position during such a critical time has enabled me to experience the way public health officials need to adapt quickly, mobilize effectively, and perform well under pressure. At many points during the pandemic, our county was at the forefront, finding creative solutions to systemic challenges. One of the most rewarding aspects was being able to witness, firsthand, the collaborative efforts across departments, partners and external agencies to ensure all communities had access to quality healthcare– especially those who have been disproportionately affected.
What does your day-to-day work look like?
Most days begin with team meetings to discuss all developments and happenings in the near future. After strategizing, we often spend our days listening to the voices in our communities to better understand their concerns and questions. We work tirelessly to gather data and information that is pertinent to our community to make sure we make the most well-informed decisions for Putnam County and its residents. I have worked consistently to ensure increased visibility, transparency, and accessibility for the public. Public health is a collaborative effort and is rooted in effectively serving as many people as possible.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
There is a quote by Hippocrates that has been the foundation of my medical and public health careers. “Wherever the art of Medicine is loved, there is also a love of Humanity.”                                                           
I try to treat each person as family. It is through the health department, despite times of having to deal with challenging policies or unprecedented threats to public health, that we have made great achievements that benefit all of our citizens. The public would be very surprised to discover just how many things that the health department oversees, and to do it with a positive and proactive approach makes it even more meaningful.
What have been some of the most important lessons you’ve learned throughout your career?
From a young age, my beloved parents instilled many core values into me- among them was volunteerism. Public service has been a driving force of mine for as long as I can remember. This sense of duty led me to become the first male candy striper at Putnam Hospital Center, a Carmel FD volunteer since the age of 16, a Sheriff’s Cadet, and a lifetime Rotarian and Mason. I view public service as a privilege. It is an opportunity to give back to the community that means so much to me and has helped grow me into the person that I am.
-Michael J. Nesheiwat, MD
We thank Dr. Nesheiwat for his many years serving the residents of Putnam County and leading the health department over the last 10 years.   
The mission of the Putnam County Department of Health is to improve and protect the health of our community.
We strive to prevent the spread of disease, protect against environmental hazards, promote healthy lifestyles, ensure access to quality health services, and respond to disasters.
We encourage you to explore our website and contact us if you have any questions.
In the event of an emergency, Health Department staff are available 24/7. Please call 845-808-1390 to report a public health emergency, rabies exposure, communicable disease, water outage or sewer overflow.
If you are a member of the media and would like to contact the health department, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Office | 845.808.1390
Fax | 845.278.7921
Fax (Nursing) | 845.279.4104
Address | 1 Geneva Rd, Brewster, NY 10509
Michael J. Nesheiwat, MD
40 Gleneida Avenue
Carmel, New York 10512

© 2005 – Putnam County Online

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Read Atlantic coverage of uncharted territory for math, an army of voice clones, and more.
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Thank you for reading Atlantic Intelligence this year: It’s been a pleasure appearing in your inbox each week, and we can’t wait to bring you new coverage in 2025. Collected below are some of the standout stories we published this year, which explore new frontiers for AI and the risks that come with advancement.
We hope you enjoy some of these great reads during your holiday downtime. See you again in the new year!
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