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Maybe it’s a confidence thing. Or a momentum thing. It might be both.Whatever “it” is, it has been obvious when the Chargers have had it within their grasp and when they haven’t had it. Sometimes they’ve had it and lost it within the same game or quarter or half. On rare occasions, they’ve had it from start to finish, propelled to a comprehensive victory.Sometimes the Chargers’ offense has had it and their defense hasn’t had it.Sometimes it’s been the other way around.When the Chargers have needed it most, when games have been on the line, they have grabbed it and…

By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH, Associated PressFor Makenzie Gilkison, spelling is such a struggle that a word like rhinoceros might come out as “rineanswsaurs” or sarcastic as “srkastik.”The 14-year-old from suburban Indianapolis can sound out words, but her dyslexia makes the process so draining that she often struggles with comprehension. “I just assumed I was stupid,” she recalled of her early grade school years.But assistive technology powered by artificial intelligence has helped her keep up with classmates. Last year, Makenzie was named to the National Junior Honor Society. She credits a customized AI-powered chatbot, a word prediction program and other tools that…

Workers in Southern California’s lesser-compensated counties are getting the bigger pay hikes. My trusty spreadsheet reviewed quarterly wage stats from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics for the second quarter, focusing on details for 29 California counties and seven from Southern California. The 9.9 million local workers collectively saw annualized earnings rise 3.6% in 12 months to an average $75,600 annual wage. By the way, Southern California’s workforce is roughly the size of all the employees in New York state or the Netherlands. Details Let’s start with paying the Inland Empire and its big logistics industries. Across San Bernardino County,…

CHARGERS (9-6) at PATRIOTS (3-12) When: Saturday, 10 a.m. PT Where: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass. TV/radio: NFL Network/98.7 FM; 105.5 FM, 94.3 FM (Spanish) Line: Chargers by 4.5 points Notable injury designations Chargers: OUT: RB Gus Edwards (ankle), LB Denzel Perryman (groin), RG Trey Pipkins III (hip). QUESTIONABLE: RB J.K. Dobbins (knee), TE Will Dissly (shoulder), TE Hayden Hurst (illness), DB Elijah Molden (knee). Patriots: OUT: CB Marcus Jones (hip). QUESTIONABLE: C Ben Brown (concussion), S Kyle Dugger (ankle/quadriceps), LB Curtis Jacobs (concussion), LB Anfernee Jennings (knee), LB Titus Leo (ankle), S Jabrill Peppers (hamstring), OL Cole Strange (knee), LB…

You can excuse President-elect Donald Trump’s more outrageous statements as mere rhetorical flourish — and many, many Americans do, or he wouldn’t have been sent back to the White House by voters for his upcoming second term.Trump voters clearly didn’t believe that they were backing some soft-spoken diplomat who keeps his opinions close to his vest. They like the chutzpah — and, when it comes to international affairs and promoting the best interests of the United States, believe it is part of his strategy to achieve a grand “Art of the Deal.”Judge him by what he does, they say, not…

California is one of only a handful of states that allows what’s called medical aid in dying, the option for people diagnosed with a terminal illness — and who meet a tight set of criteria — to end their lives with doctor-prescribed drugs.But should the nearly decade-old law be expanded to include more people, particularly someone who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia?That’s the conversation Sen. Catherine Blakespear, D-Encinitas, plans to have in 2025.California’s law, called the End of Life Option Act, allows for an adult California resident who is diagnosed with a terminal illness…

Gov. Gavin Newsom has steadfastly denied any interest in becoming president for as long as he’s been in office. But any California governor becomes a presidential possibility from the moment of being elected, like it or not.That’s what an almost automatic 54 electoral votes will do for (or to) you when you’re in the top office of this almost nation-state, one that’s used to making its own policies on energy and the environment, abortion and just about anything else you can mention. Even foreign policy, where California has signed no treaties with other countries and large foreign provinces, but has…

This holiday season Honk is thankful for his readers, who are the smartest, prettiest, handsomest, funniest, most creative and happiest people, and the sharpest dressers, too. Because of their questions during the past year, he has learned: (Volume 2 for 2024, because the questions were so darn good.) Flashing blue lights atop long poles and visible from freeways are likely mobile security units protecting construction equipment or other stuff. The units can include all sorts of hardware, such as real-time cameras and speakers – they are meant to scare off troublemakers. … Temporary paper license plates are valid for up…

Jockey Lanfranco “Frankie” Dettori reacts after winning the Malibu Stakes race aboard Raging Torrent on opening day at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG) Jockey Lanfranco “Frankie” Dettori does a flying dismount after winning the Malibu Stakes race aboard Raging Torrent on opening day at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG) Jockey Lanfranco “Frankie” Dettori, right, celebrates after winning the Malibu Stakes race aboard Raging Torrent on opening day at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024.…

By ANDREW SELIGMAN AP Sports WriterCHICAGO — Riq Woolen intercepted Caleb Williams’ late pass and the Seattle Seahawks boosted their fading playoff hopes, squeezing past Chicago, 6-3, on Thursday night to hand the Bears their 10th straight loss.Jason Myers kicked field goals on the game’s first possession and near the end of the second quarter. Woolen picked off a deep pass intended for Keenan Allen at the Seattle 22-yard line with 20 seconds left, ending Williams’ NFL rookie-record string of passes without an interception at 353.Geno Smith threw for 160 yards, and the sluggish Seahawks (9-7) made just enough plays…