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Sunday’s Lions-Colts game will match up the NFL’s top two players in yards per catch: Alec Pierce of the Colts leads the league with 22.7 yards per catch, and Jameson Williams of the Lions is right behind him at 22.4 yards per catch. No one else in the NFL is within three yards per catch of Pierce and Williams. But if there’s a two-man race to lead the league, it’s a race Williams doesn’t care about winning. Asked today if he wants to lead the league, Williams said it doesn’t interest him and that he’s not really aware of the yards per catch statistic at all. “Nah, that stat don’t really matter to me,” Williams said. “I just look at it like, I’m big play. However the yards match up with the catches and stuff like that, I think they divide some type of stuff, I don’t know. I don’t look at that stat, for real.” Williams has had an up-and-down career since the Lions traded up in the first round to draft him in 2022. He’s missed time with an injury and two different suspensions, and had off-field issues. But there’s no doubt that he can make big plays with the ball in his hands. Even if he doesn’t care what his numbers say.House panel shares dueling findings in COVID reportAuthored by Autumn Spredemann via The Epoch Times, Reduced inflation and wage increases haven’t stemmed the economic struggles of middle-class Americans. In fact, some middle-income earners say it’s harder than ever to put money away in savings. Many ascribe this to stagnant wages and higher prices for things like gas, groceries, and utilities that began in 2021 and persist to this day. The United States hit a 41-year inflation high in 2022, which is when residents saw historic price hikes. In 2022, the consumer price index soared by more than 9 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Our research shows mathematically that the overwhelming driver of that burst of inflation in 2022 was federal spending, not the supply chain,” Mark Kritzman, a senior lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management, wrote in an article . Two years later, inflation has fallen to 2.6 percent, but Americans aren’t seeing price adjustments in areas like grocery stores, housing costs, utility bills, and insurance. Mary Lopez, a marketing manager and middle-income earner at Trusted Wedding Gown Preservation, a New Jersey-based business, said wage stagnation and a higher cost of living across the board has made it hard to save money and maintain a middle-class lifestyle. “In terms of significant changes, my household, like many others, has felt the impact in areas like health care and housing,” Lopez told The Epoch Times via email. “For instance, the rate of health insurance has spiraled upward and we’ve faced hikes in rent consistently. Many of my peers cite similar experiences, struggling to save amid these increasing costs.” The median home price in September 2024 was just over $400,000. This represents the highest September median the National Association of Realtors has ever recorded and is $20,000 shy of the all time high, according to a Bankrate analysis . The rental markets haven’t fared any better, with asking prices more than 33 percent higher than before the pandemic. The average premium for single coverage health care increased by 6 percent this year and family premiums rose 7 percent. “Middle class” as defined by the Pew Research Center is households with two-thirds to double the U.S. median household income. In 2023, the median household income was $80,610, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. A White House press release stated that real wages—the amount received with inflation taken into account—grew more than 4 percent between 2022 and 2024. But even with a rise in purchasing power, many U.S. residents aren’t seeing the difference when paying their bills. People shop at a grocery store in Columbia, Md., on Oct. 24, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times David Kindness, CPA and finance writer at Best Money, said wage growth hasn’t kept pace with rising costs. “Even with inflation cooling in certain areas, essential goods and services remain stubbornly expensive, eating up larger chunks of household budgets,” he told The Epoch Times via email. “Rising grocery bills have made weekly shopping trips a source of financial stress. Many families, including my own, have had to rework their budgets to accommodate these increases, cutting back in other areas to stay afloat,” he said. Ali Zane, a financial planner and founder of Imax Credit Repair, said that one of the most overlooked drivers of “paycheck-to-paycheck” living is the disconnect between wage growth and the actual cost of living. “While inflation is blamed, stagnant wages over the past two decades are the root issue. Salaries may inch upward, but housing prices, which rose 30 to 40 percent in many regions since 2020, have far outpaced them. Add in the relentless climb of healthcare premiums and childcare expenses, and it’s no wonder families feel financially strapped,” Zane told The Epoch Times in a text. Evidence supports the claim that real wage growth hasn’t outpaced inflation. Since January 2021, prices have risen 20 percent, while U.S. wages increased 17.4 percent during the same period, according to Bankrate’s second-annual Wage To Inflation Index. But this isn’t a new problem. Real wage growth began to slow in the 1970s compared to overall economic performance in the United States, according to researchers at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Historically, real wage stagnation has been attributed to globalization and automation. Kellogg finance professor Efraim Benmelech disagrees. “None of these explanations goes back long enough in time,” he said. Wage growth has been slowing since the early 1970s,” he said in a 2019 economic analysis. With colleagues at the National Bureau of Economic Research, Benmelech points to what is known as “labor market concentration” as a hidden culprit. This is when having too few employers in a given industry creates a sort of unofficial salary price fixing. A credit card decal is displayed on the window of a business in San Rafael, Calif., on Feb. 7, 2024. Credit card debt in U.S. households increased by $24 billion in the third quarter of this year, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images “There has been a discussion in recent years about what happened to middle-class Americans,” Benmelech said . “We don’t say that we have the only explanation, but we have an explanation that is consistent and can explain the long-term phenomenon of stagnant wages.” America’s struggle to save money is also evident in the country’s mountain of credit card debt. In the third quarter of this year, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported that credit card balances in U.S. households increased by $24 billion. Total household debt also increased in the third quarter, hitting $17.94 trillion. “Many of my friends and clients have shared that they’re finding it harder to save, even those who had strong habits before,” Kindness said. “Unexpected expenses, like medical bills or car repairs, quickly eat into any money set aside for emergencies. With monthly costs already stretching their paychecks thin, putting away money for the future often feels out of reach.” Kindness said he’s noticed that savings goals among his middle-class peers have shifted away from long term dreams such as buying a home or early retirement to simply having an emergency fund. “It’s not just that middle-income families aren’t saving. They’re actively going into debt to stay afloat. The rise in buy-now-pay-later options for groceries and essentials shows just how precarious cash flow has become,” Zane said. In October, Bank of America released a sobering study on American households living paycheck to paycheck. The results indicated the number of households barely making it between paychecks has increased across every income bracket since 2019, even those making more than $150,000 per year. Middle-income earners in the $51,000 to $75,000 range had the largest increase between 2019 and 2024, after households with less than $50,000, in which a quarter or more live paycheck to paycheck. Moving up the income spectrum showed similar results, with roughly a quarter of all households living in this manner. Almost half of all respondents perceive themselves as living paycheck to paycheck. The study noted that these households have much higher necessity spending, adding that most of the expenses are “likely unavoidable, as they relate to family and housing costs.” Zane said that groceries have become a “silent tax” on the middle class, but pointed at rising utility costs as another big factor. “Utility costs—often neglected in mainstream discussions—have become a household budget breaker. For families living in regions with harsh winters or sweltering summers, energy bills consume a more considerable monthly income than ever,” he said. This is the case for Maria and Andrew in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, who asked that The Epoch Times not use their real names. The couple said utilities are a major expense for their middle-class household, regardless of the season. “We don’t turn on the heat until we have consecutive days below 40 [Fahrenheit]. Same deal in summer, the air conditioning doesn’t go on until it’s into the 90s,” Maria said. A window air conditioner unit on the side of an apartment building in Arlington, Va., on July 10, 2023. Energy bills consume a large portion of household monthly income, according to Zane. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images She said that her kids complain about the house “always being cold” in the winter because even when she turns on the heat, the thermostat stays at a brisk 66 degrees Fahrenheit. “Even doing that, our bill is over $500 in the winter. It’s not quite as bad in summer since we try not to run the air much, but you have to have heat in the winter here. We get months of consistently below zero temperatures. Heat is not a luxury,” Maria said. Maria and Andrew say they are excited when an electric bill is less than $200. Over the past three years, Maria said she’s watched utility bills go up, a common complaint among locals in her area. Andrew said, “We hear things from officials like, ‘we need to upgrade this infrastructure’ from officials and then get a nightmare bill down the road.” Sky high energy bills have undoubtedly created an additional debt burden for U.S. residents. Between December 2023 and August 2024, Americans’ utility debt rose 8 percent and topped out at almost $17.4 billion, according to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association. In general, Americans have shouldered the burden of higher utility bills for the past couple of years with no end in sight. When asked which expense reduction would make the most difference in their home, Andrew and Maria quickly said their weekly grocery bill. “Since the pandemic, we’ve bought the same items in the same quantity and the same brands and watched our bill increase by 50 percent,” Maria said. Andrew added, “Forget about eating out. That’s just for special occasions now.” Many middle-class income earners have also cut back on what are now considered luxuries. Kindness said, “My household scaled back on dining out and paused a couple of streaming subscriptions. These might seem like small adjustments, but they’re reflective of a larger pattern: people are prioritizing necessities and cutting what they view as luxuries.” Lopez and her family have also restructured their financial priorities by trimming unnecessary spending. “In the past year, we’ve consciously scaled back on non-essential expenses such as dining out, subscription services, and vacations to manage our finances. It’s sobering to note, but these once regular ‘luxuries’ are becoming increasingly occasional events,” she said. People at Tatte Bakery & Cafe in Washington on Oct. 3, 2024. Reducing the frequency of dining out can help cut back on non-essential expenses to save money. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times “This shift isn’t unique to my family; it’s an adjustment many middle-income earners are reluctantly making due to escalating costs and financial uncertainty.” Zane said middle-class households aren’t just cancelling Netflix or skipping restaurant splurges. They’re making more profound sacrifices in order to save money or, in some cases, just to survive. “Parents are delaying children’s extracurricular activities, skipping preventive health care, and cutting back on professional development to avoid additional expenses. These choices aren’t sustainable and reflect a troubling downward spiral in financial stability,” he said. Zane’s point is highlighted by a recent Forbes Advisor survey , which revealed that one in every four Americans has less than $1,000 in emergency savings. By respondent age group, this is the case for 32 percent of Generation Z, followed by 31 percent of Millennials, 27 percent of Generation X, and 20 percent of Baby Boomers. 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NoneBulgaria, Romania Step Closer To Schengen As Austria Drops VetoOld mill, new tricks: 118-year-old Union Bridge structure disassembled this week will get new life at Carroll County Farm MuseumCardinals' feel-good month comes to a screeching halt after a head-scratching loss to Seahawks

NoneWORKERS will save as little as 1p a day under income tax changes in today’s Holyrood Budget — but face massive council tax hikes. Finance Secretary Shona Robison boasted most Scots “will be better off”, despite an end to the rates freeze signalling rises of £71 to £284 a year for typical homes . 3 Shona Robison announced the Scottish Government's draft budget today Credit: PA 3 She said most Scots will be "better off" despite confirming major tax hikes Credit: SCIOT GOV/UNPIXS 3 Scotland income tax brackets compared to the rest of the UK. Numbers in red show Scots worse off, while numbers in green represent being better off. Her income tax tweaks are worth a maximum of a fiver a year to more than a million low earners. Top accountant Bruce Cartwright said: “This small gain will be completely wiped out.” The Nats finance secretary confirmed the end of the council tax freeze - imposed on local authorities last year by Humza Yousaf - and did not bring in a cap on the tax. It came in a budget that was blasted as a “con” over the lack of clarity on council tax and measly income tax breaks dressed up as boosts to Scots. READ MORE ON THE SCOTTISH SUN 'RECORD FUNDING' Scots Finance Minister says 'no reason' for councils to impose tax hikes 'RABBIT OUT THE HAT' SNP announce huge change to two-child benefit cap in Scottish Budget Ms Robison also announced at her budget: A freeze on income tax for the rest of the parliament, and a 3.5 per cent increase to thresholds for the Basic and Intermediate rates Confirmation of a £101million fund for a universal £100 winter fuel benefit for state pensioners £2billion more for Scotland’s NHS And pledges to scrap the two-child cap - a policy designed to pile the pressure on Scottish Labour to back the budget - were also ridiculed as a “policy without a penny”. The spending plans were announced just over a month after the UK Government provided the Scottish Government with a cash boost of £3.4billion last year in their budget. Most read in The Scottish Sun STAR LOST Legendary BBC star dies aged 86 as family pay tribute to his 'amazing life' GER HIT Rangers star sent off in B team game for off the ball clash 'MORE TIME' Tulisa breaks her silence after deleting I’m A Celeb posts & snubbing spin-off FERGIE TIME Lewis Ferguson 'lined up for AC Milan move' with other top club linked Experts said this was a “significant” increase in spending power for ministers - and Ms Robison chose to splash the cash on benefits , local government, and the health service. Announcing a record £1billion uplift for councils, Ms Robison, also committed the government to a “no freeze, no cap” policy on council tax, paving the way for possible gigantic hikes this year for Scottish households. BUDGET REACTION: Rachel Reeves bails out SNP - but is it a trap? An average Band D property in Scotland currently pays £1,418 in council tax. But with a 5 per cent hike, that could increase by £71 per year - or £6 per month. A 10 per cent increase would see £142 per year increase, with a 15 or 20 per cent increase hitting £213 and £283 respectively. EMPTY PROMISES By Lewis McKenzie THE Finance Secretary promised funds to meet NHS waiting targets in 2026 - despite Nats ministers already promising to hit them by THIS YEAR. Shona Robison announced that £200million would be committed in a bid to cut waiting times for patients, with the intention of having no-one waiting for longer than 12 months for a new outpatient appointment, inpatient treatment or day case treatment by March 2026. However, it echoes similar promises made by the SNP Government in 2022, when then-Health Secretary Humza Yousaf announced that the NHS here would aim to “eradicate waits of more than two years”, and then “one year in most specialties” by September 2024. In her Budget statement, Ms Robison told MSPs: “I am today investing almost £200million in our plan to reduce waiting times and improve capacity, to reform the service and make it more efficient, and remove blockages that keep some patients in hospital far too long. Because of today’s record funding, our health service can reduce waiting times. “By March 2026, no-one will wait longer than 12 months for a new outpatient appointment, inpatient treatment or day case treatment. The extra funding we are providing will see over 150,000 extra patients treated as a result.” But, opponents accused Nats chiefs of “moving the goalposts”, as they said it would be “cold comfort” to those stuck waiting for help. Scottish Tory shadow health secretary Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: “The SNP’s only vision for our NHS is rehashing old promises they have already broken. “Trying to talk this up as a new pledge is some shameless spin from the Nationalists, who are out of ideas when it comes to tackling the permanent crisis in our NHS.” Aberdeenshire Council earlier this year floated to residents the idea of a 20 per cent increase to their council tax, equal to an average rise of £27.87 per month - in order to bring in £33.7million and make no savings to budget. And Perth and Kinross Council told residents they faced a whopping hike of 10 per cent this year - equal to an £11.70 per month increase - followed by the same increase in 2026/27, and a six per cent increase in 2027/28. Scottish Borders Council was also considering a potential 10 per cent increase to their council tax for the coming years. In her speech to MSPs Ms Robison warned councils there was “no reason” for significant increases. She said: “While it will be for councils to make their own decisions, with record funding, there is no reason for big increases in council tax next year.” Quizzed by reporters after her speech on whether any councils could decide to raise tax by double-digits, Ms Robison said she would be “very surprised” if any did so. She said: “I think reason will prevail in that local administrations, of various political colours, will not want to have to go out to their public and say, ‘I know we got record levels of funding, but we’re going to hike your council tax up anyway’. “I don’t think that makes any political sense and I’d be very surprised if any local authority was to put themselves in that position.” SMALL BUSINESSES SIDELINED By Lewis McKenzie FAILURE to include small retailers and leisure firms in a rates relief extension was last night described as a “bitter pill to swallow”. Finance Secretary Shona Robison confirmed the Scottish Budget will provide a 40 per cent rates relief for most hospitality venues here - having been urged to replicate measures put in place by Chancellor Rachel Reeves at the UK Budget. Ms Robison said that choices had to be made in the Budget about what is “proportionate” as she defended her decision not to expand the support further. But while welcoming the rates relief for a majority of hospitality firms, the Federation of Small Businesses policy chair Andrew McRae said: “The refusal to extend the same rates relief to our small retailers and leisure providers is a bitter pill to swallow. “The pressures they are facing are exactly the same as those in England and Wales, where relief has continued to be available since July 2022 – the last time such relief was offered in Scotland. “As a result, many retailers will face yet more difficult decisions in the months ahead as they look to protect the future of their businesses and employees.” Speaking to journalists after the Budget, Ms Robison said: “Whatever we did on business rates relief had to be sustainable because we ain’t going to get any consequentials for it next year. “So, whatever we did is probably going to be something the public purse will have to support on an ongoing basis.” And SNP sources claimed that the “no cap, no freeze” policy plus a £1billion boost for local government funding had reduced the impact of planned tax hikes. A senior Scottish Government source said: “We have turned double digits into single digit. “I don’t think double digit council tax rises are needed or reasonable.” Council leaders will meet today to discuss the budget, with Cosla saying they would “spend the coming days analysing the implications for local authorities and the communities we serve.” Experts said last night that the massive potential increases to council tax would “wipe out” any benefits from the income tax handouts from ministers. Ms Robison announced a 3.5 per cent increase in the thresholds for the Basic and Intermediate rate - but this only sees £5 to £15 more in people’s pay packets next year. KEY PLEDGES FROM THE SCOTTISH BUDGET By Lewis McKenzie HEALTH : A “record” £21billion for health and social care, with a promise to end waits of over 12 months for a new outpatient appointment, inpatient treatment or day case treatment by March 2026. COUNCILS : An increase in local government funding of £1billion, while there is no freeze or cap on council tax, paving the way for rises. JUSTICE : Almost £4.2billion funding for the justice system, including £1.62billion for policing, with £3million towards tackling retail crime such as shoplifting. BENEFITS : A promise of funding to mitigate the two-child benefits cap in Scotland, with the aim to do this by April 2026. TAX : No changes to income tax bands, with rates frozen until 2026. The basic and intermediate rate thresholds will increase by 3.5 per cent. HOUSING : Investment of £768million into affordable homes, with funding of £4million aimed at tackling homelessness and prevention pilots. CLIMATE : Funding of £4.9billion towards tackling the climate and nature emergencies BUSINESS : Non-domestic rates relief of 40 per cent for the majority of hospitality firms in Scotland, while the Small Business Bonus Scheme is protected. LBTT (STAMP DUTY) : Commitment to maintain residential rates and bands at their current levels for LBTT. CULTURE : Increase to culture budget by £34million next year, with non-domestic rates support for music venues. TRANSPORT : Investment of £1billion aimed at improving road safety, including continuing to dual the A9, as well as £1.1billion to maintain and renew the country’s rail infrastructure. That is the equivalent to around 1p a day - far less than any council tax hike. Bruce Cartwright, chief executive of ICAS, said the income tax changes offered a “glimmer of hope”. But he added: “But to put this increase into context, it isn’t as much as you would expect – for example, someone earning £25,000 a year will only be £5 better off. “And if they see their council tax bill go up by more than that, this small gain will be completely wiped out.” Scottish Tory finance spokesman Craig Hoy blasted the announcement. He said: “Shona Robison’s income tax plans in reality are a con. “Scots won’t be fooled when they know they will still be facing higher bills under the SNP.” Ms Robison also came under fire for her pledge to “effectively scrap” the two-child cap - but only by 2026. Ministers say they need they can only do so after the UK Government’s Department for Work and Pensions provide the data needed for the policy to be brought in. And they claim it could even need legislation to be passed in Westminster . COMMENTARY By ROSS MARSHALL, Tax Partner at PwC Scotland This budget promised record funding for the NHS and local government; more affordable housing; and claimed that 60 per cent of Scots will be better off compared with those south of the Border. The big question is whether ordinary Scots will feel any better off, and if so, when. In welcome relief for taxpayers, the Finance Secretary froze income tax for the remainder of the Parliament. The announcement of a 3.5% increase in the Basic and Intermediate income tax rates will be welcomed by many, although workers in the Higher, Advanced and Top rate tax brackets will see no changes - and no increase in their monthly take home pay. The young and the elderly were specifically singled out. The two-child benefit cap looks set to go from 2026 onwards, subject to joint working with the Department for Work and Pensions. Many families will welcome the new funding being made available to provide free school meals to P6 and P7 pupils from lower-income households, as well as a proposed pilot scheme for free breakfast clubs across Scotland’s primary schools. In a departure from the rest of the UK, the universal winter heating payment will be restored to every pensioner household. For business operators liable to pay Non-Domestic Rates, the Basic Property Rate on properties (those with a rateable value up to £51,000) is frozen at 49.8p and hospitality owners will welcome the 40% relief for properties which are liable for the Basic rate (capped at £110,000 per business). However, there may be some raised eyebrows at the failure to mirror the UK Government’s approach to rates relief for retail and leisure businesses. And while first-time buyers, among others, will be relieved to hear no further increases to LBTT, landlords or property owners with more than one property will swiftly be impacted by an increase in the Additional Dwelling Supplement to 8% - on top of the standard rates of LBTT already due. The cost of the policy is also estimated to be as much as £250million - but no money has been put towards the plans this year other than a few million for developing the IT software needed to deliver the benefit. The policy has been a thorn in the side of Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar who promised to lobby the Prime Minister , Sir Keir Starmer , over its scrapping. Mr Sarwar backs scrapping the cap himself, but admitted the UK Labour government would not do so after winning the election. But Paul O’Kane, Scottish Labour’s social security spokesman, blasted the move as being without substance. WHAT IS THE BUDGET? Put simply, the Budget is a document published annually by the Scottish Government setting out their plans for taxation and spending over the coming fiscal year - which runs from April 1 to March 30. It is accompanied by the Budget Bill, which sets out those plans in a legal document. MSPs then go on to debate this, with amendments voted upon, before the Bill is passed and becomes law. There will be around £60billion available for spending - mainly funded through annual funding from the UK Government, known as the Scottish block grant, and devolved tax revenues. For this coming year, the UK Government has said it will provide a block grant of £47.7billion - which it says includes an additional £3.4billion as a result of October's UK Budget. This is as a result of the decisions taken by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in the UK Budget in October. At the time, Ms Reeves said the SNP must use the money “wisely”, with First Minister John Swinney having promised his Government will deliver “careful stewardship” of the public finances. He said: “Labour will engage constructively but in reality this is a policy without a penny. “There is no funding allocated to this commitment and no plan within Shona Robison’s budget to deliver it.” John Swinney requires at least two votes to pass the budget - which will be voted on at Stage 1 in the new year . But the Scottish Greens last night said it required major changes before they backed it. The party’s finance spokesman, Ross Greer, said: “The Government has agreed to more modest Green proposals like free ferry travel for young islanders, free bus travel for asylum seekers and higher tax on the purchase of holiday homes, but these measures are not nearly enough to make up for the cuts elsewhere. “Big changes will be needed if they expect the Scottish Greens’ support.” And Scottish Lib Dem leader, Alex Cole-Hamilton, said that the budget’s inclusion of some of his party’s demands did not “guarantee support”. He said: “Let me be clear, this does not guarantee our support. As in all budgets, the devil will be in the detail.” Read more on the Scottish Sun DECEMBER MISERY Scots face blizzards and travel chaos as weather map reveals 75mph storm CHOC OFF Mums fume at Poundland’s ‘rotten’ advent calendar they thought was ‘for dogs’ Joao Sousa, Deputy Director of the Fraser of Allander Institute, added: “This was a Budget with an eye on the election, but storing up risks. “And crucially, what was left unsaid was just as consequential as what Shona Robison mentioned in her speech.”

We Need To Keep Big Business From Owning Everything | Opinion

NoneChurchill Resources Closing of Second and Final Tranche of $2M Private Placement