While the theory of passive income is straightforward, in practice some ideas sound complicated to me. That is why my favourite is investing in companies with proven business models that I expect to pay regular cash dividends to shareholders. Doing that, I can put some money in (how much is up to me), put my feet up, and hopefully let the income flow. Why I like this idea When it comes to passive income, I like this idea for a few reasons. I can match it to my own available funds, even if I have a fairly small amount of money to invest. I am investing in proven businesses, not unproven concepts. On top of that, a large established company can do things that are simply out of my capability if I tried to do them myself. Instead of struggling to set up an online business selling t-shirts, I could simply buy into a giant like or that can achieve economies of scale I never would on my own. Putting the idea into practice In fact, I own shares in JD Sports but in that case I am more focussed on the sports retailer’s growth story than its passive income prospects. Growth-focussed companies often plough earnings into fuelling growth, while more mature businesses may decide to pay more out to shareholders instead. So, for example, although JD Sports does pay a dividend, its current yield is 0.9%. That means that for every £100 I invest today, I will hopefully earn 90p a year in passive income. By contrast, the dividend yield of asset manager ( ) is at 9.9%. When hunting for passive income ideas in the stock market, I start by looking for great businesses with attractive share prices. I then look at yield. Bear in mind that no company’s dividend is guaranteed to last. For example, M&G saw more policyholders pull money out of its main business than they put in during the first half of this year. If that trend continues (for example, because M&G’s asset managers underperform compared to rivals), it could lead to lower earnings and ultimately perhaps a dividend cut. So I always diversify my portfolio across multiple different companies. Looking for potentially lucrative dividend shares to buy Still, while I see the risk, I continue to own M&G shares and earn dividends from them. I like the fact it operates in a market where the customer demand is simply massive and is likely to remain that way over the long run. While that attracts strong competition, M&G benefits from its well-known brand, an existing customer base in the millions, and a proven ability to generate sizeable free cash flows. Weighing such positive attributes against risks, then considering the value offered by the share price (and finally the current dividend yield) is the approach I take when looking for passive income ideas in the stock market. Getting ready to invest But such an idea is only an idea. To make money with it, I need to invest. So, I use a , , or to buy such income shares.Writer heaps praise on president Bidencasino rewards casino list 。

HUNTINGTON, W.V. (AP) — Marshall has withdrawn from the Independence Bowl after a coaching change resulted in much of its roster jumping into the transfer portal. The Thundering Herd were slated to play Army on Dec. 28 in Shreveport, Louisiana. But the Independence Bowl and Louisiana Tech announced on Saturday that the Bulldogs will take on the 19th-ranked Black Knights instead. Marshall said it pulled out “after falling below the roster minimum that was deemed medically safe.” The Herd (10-3) beat Louisiana-Lafayette 31-3 last weekend to win the Sun Belt Conference Championship for the first time. The program has won seven games in a row in the same season for the first time since 2020. “We apologize for the nature and timing of this announcement and for the turmoil it has brought to bowl season preparations for Army, the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl, the American Athletic Conference and ESPN,” Sun Belt Commissioner Keith Gill said in a statement. Coach Charles Huff left Marshall for Southern Miss last Sunday, and Tony Gibson, the defensive coordinator at North Carolina State, was announced as his replacement less than an hour later. By Thursday, at least 25 Marshall players had entered the transfer portal. Gibson held a meeting shortly after arriving on campus in Huntington to introduce himself to the team. He followed that up with phone calls, text messages and more meetings Friday and Saturday. “Any time coaches leave to take other jobs, it is emotional,” Gibson said at a news conference Thursday. “And kids that are 18-to-22 years old are going to make emotional decisions instead of just breathing for a day or two.” It's the first bowl for Louisiana Tech (5-7) since 2020. The Bulldogs have won two of their last three games, but they haven't played since a 33-0 victory over Kennesaw State on Nov. 30. “We are excited to accept the opportunity to play in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl against a fantastic and storied program as Army,” Louisiana Tech athletic director Ryan Ivey said in a release. “I believe our football program is moving toward positive structure and the opportunity to play in this bowl adds to that momentum. We are looking forward to being in Shreveport for this matchup.” Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballFertility benefits to employees: Help for the many different ways to build a family

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Israel strikes Houthi targets in Yemen's capital. WHO chief says he was nearbyLiverpool power seven points clear, Man Utd crash at WolvesShadow treasurer Angus Taylor has hit out at Labor's regulatory framework as stunting Australia's economic processes, particularly in the energy industry, as the Coalition touts a cheaper pathway in its nuclear power costings. Speaking to Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell on Sunday Agenda, Mr Taylor blamed Labor's "sclerotic" regulations for preventing progress in the energy sector. The shadow treasurer said the Liberal Party approach was to "get things moving" which was offering up a different approach as seen with the Coalition's recent nuclear energy costings release on Friday. Mr Taylor said the Labor Party had regulated the resources industry "out of existence", adding it was "impossible" to get a tick of approval for projects in multiple sectors such as energy and housing. "There's a different approach to regulation, which is fit for purpose, to deliver the outcomes we need but don't clog up the private sector, don't clog up investment, don't clog up the investments that need to be made by governments as well," he said. "But that's exactly what's happening under the Labor Party." Mr Taylor said the Coalition would seek to overcome regulations to "get things moving" after it released its nuclear power costings last week. The Coalition’s ambitious nuclear energy proposal has been slated to bring down power bills after modelling revealed the policy will be $264 billion cheaper than Labor’s renewables plan. The shadow treasurer said the portion of "clean, baseload nuclear power" would bring down the overall costs of the system which would allow manufacturers, data centres, households, and small businesses to pay less for electricity "over the many decades to come". Asked if the modelling suggested a "massive shrinking" of the economy, Mr Taylor said the "only people who know how to shrink this economy is the Labor Party". "They're doing an extremely good job of it right now. Seven consecutive quarters of GDP per capita going backwards. It's completely unprecedented," he said. "Household budgets are in disarray. They're in ruin. We've never seen the hit to household disposable incomes, the standard of living of Australian households like we've seen since Labor came to power. "Not at any time in the past. Not the recession we had to had under under Paul Keating, not the Gough Whitlam economic disaster. This is worse than all of those situations and so I won't take lectures on the economy from the Labor Party." Mr Taylor continued his rebuke of Labor by addressing the Coalition's energy mix proposal. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton announced details of his ambitions for Australia’s energy future, including 38 per cent of the nation's power to come from nuclear energy by 2050. The energy mix has also included 32 per cent wind, 17 per cent solar, and a smaller contribution from gas and storage. Mr Taylor said the plan would incorporate a broad range of technologies to strike a balance, while also reducing the cost of energy in comparison. "The one person who is imbalanced on energy is Chris Bowen and his mates. The vested interests are out there squawking away at the moment as you'd expect them to," he said. "But (Bowen) is not interested, it seems, in getting electricity bills down. We've seen that he promised to $275 reduction and we are nowhere near that. "He's got 16 days, by the way. He's got 16 days for the deadline on that. But I think we can all be pretty confident we're not going to see that."BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) — Don McHenry scored seven of his 29 points in overtime to lead Western Kentucky over Murray State 81-76 on Saturday. McHenry hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 39 seconds left and two free throws with 15 remaining to rally the Hilltoppers (7-3). He added five rebounds. Babacar Faye scored 17 and grabbed nine rebounds. Khristian Lander had 12 points. Jacobi Wood led the way for the Racers (6-3) with 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Nick Ellington totaled 15 points and seven rebounds. AJ Ferguson pitched in with 13 points, seven rebounds and two steals. Faye put up eight points in the first half for Western Kentucky, which trailed 39-33. McHenry led the Hilltoppers with 15 second-half points and he hit the game-tying layup with 35 seconds left to send the game to overtime tied at 67. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Over an evening of discovery and dialogue, Information & Computer Systems Technology students from Camosun College presented their capstone projects Dec. 12 to clients, potential employers and other visitors. The projects ranged in topics from streamlining manufacturing workflows to building a management system for a dance studio. Students also engaged with guest speakers at Fort Tectoria on Fort Street. “We are incredibly proud of the hard work and dedication our students have shown,” noted Saryta Schaerer, program chair of the computer science department at Camosun College, in a news release. “The symposium not only showcases their technical abilities but also their capacity to innovate and solve complex challenges. It’s a testament to the high calibre of education and training they’ve received here at Camosun.” Camosun student Ryan Kim explained that the project involved working with a sponsor to develop a project to address their business needs. Kim, along with two other students, worked with Victoria-based dance studio Raino Dance to create a studio management tool. "They were dissatisfied with their current studio management tool, so we came in, we gathered their requirements, and we determined their use cases and the pain points with their current solution. We prototyped a new solution that can answer those concerns," said Kim. "We get a chance to work in a business setting, in a development setting with a team, and get our feet wet by being professional developers." Now that the team has finished the first phase of the Khoreia Studio Management System, they hope to eventually shop the software to other studios as a solution to management woes. The capstone projects are part of Camosun's strategic plan to offer more students an applied learning opportunity including capstones, service learning, work-integrated learning and apprenticeships.Delivering Optimized, Outbound-Focused Contact Center Solutions for Modern Businesses LAUDERDALE LAKES, Fla. , Dec. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- outboundIQ www.outboundiq.com proudly announces its accreditation as a Five9 Certified Implementation Partner (CIP), a distinction that reflects its deep expertise in optimizing and streamlining outbound-focused contact center operations. With a team of seasoned Five9 veterans, expert programmers, and industry thought leaders, outboundIQ is uniquely equipped to help businesses of all sizes unlock the full potential of Five9's Virtual Contact Center platform. Optimized Solutions for Complex Contact Center Needs outboundIQ specializes in providing expedited, outbound-focused contact center implementations, integrating advanced features such as inbound and outbound Voice, SMS, Chat, Email, Salesforce Integration, and other third-party app integrations. Clients can also leverage ongoing optimization engagements and monthly retainers for strategic consulting designed to support long-term, outreach-focused success. "Who better to handle your domain configuration than the experts that understand the outbound contact center world. To be an outbound expert, you must know 3 things; how to configure the domain front end, how the architecture interprets that design, and how carriers respond to your dialing behavior as a result of the build. outboundIQ has the advantage of deeply understanding all 3 things. Our experts are seasoned professionals that will guide toward the best build for your business. You tell us about your business, your needs and your processes, and we will build you a domain fit for purpose. outboundIQ offers best in class Domain Optimization, Implementation and Consulting for customers of all sizes and complexity. Due to our methodology and proprietary automations, we are able to bring our customers' projects to life within accelerated timeframes." - Jessica Clay , VP Support and Services "We launched our business in June and were fortunate to connect with the incredible team at outboundIQ early on. Navigating the world of outbound calling and building efficient prospecting systems isn't easy, but the entire team at outboundIQ brought our vision to life seamlessly. They implemented our ideas quickly and executed them flawlessly. Since partnering with them, our contact rates have significantly improved, our conversions have increased, and our overall business is thriving. We're deeply grateful for this collaboration and look forward to continuing our work together on future endeavors!" - Tim, Lit Financial "I genuinely don't know enough ways to thank the entire outboundIQ team. I inherited a domain riddled with mistakes, tangled beyond belief, and I had essentially planned to scrap the whole thing and start over. That's when this team, led by Jessica Clay's brilliance, took over to understand exactly what I wanted to create and completely revitalized my domain. We are all beyond thankful as they continue to consult for us to this day and I see no reason to stop. Thank you, Jessica, Jason, Rudy, Bruno, Sandy and everyone who gets the pleasure of working with these domain geniuses!" - Michael, Lifetime Home Remodeling A Holistic Approach to Outbound Excellence Creating a competitive, consumer-focused outreach program requires more than just advanced technology. As outboundIQ explains, a thriving contact center functions like a high-performing racing team: outboundIQ's professional services team brings these critical elements together, ensuring clients achieve best-in-class outbound operations that prioritize consumer experience while maintaining a competitive edge. A Call to Collaboration With its new CIP certification, outboundIQ invites businesses to explore select partnership opportunities and projects to reimagine their contact center operations. Whether through expedited implementations or ongoing strategic consulting, outboundIQ is committed to driving measurable results for its clients. About outboundIQ outboundIQ delivers optimized, outbound-focused contact center implementations, combining years of Five9 expertise with cutting-edge strategies to help businesses achieve exceptional outreach outcomes. As a Five9 Certified Implementation Partner, outboundIQ provides tailored solutions to meet the unique needs of modern organizations. About Five9 Five9 is a digital enterprise's leading cloud contact center and software provider. The Five9 Intelligent CX Platform is reliable, secure, compliant, and scalable, designed to create exceptional personalized customer experiences. www.five9.com Media contact: Sandy Tafur Phone: 404-660-5314 mail: sandy@outboundiq.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/outboundiq-achieves-certified-implementation-partner-cip-status-with-five9-302339797.html SOURCE outboundIQ

Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255). A former OpenAI employee and whistleblower, Suchir Balaji, was recently found dead in his apartment in San Francisco, California . The San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has identified Balaji, 26, as the deceased person, according to the San Jose Mercury News . The manner of death has been ruled suicide. The medical examiner said it had notified Balaji's family. LISA KUDROW BEGAN TO FEAR AI AFTER SEEING TOM HANKS MOVIE The OpenAI ChatGPT logo is seen on a mobile phone in this photo illustration on May 30, 2023, in Warsaw, Poland. (Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Balaji was found dead in his Buchanan Street apartment on November 26, a spokesperson for the San Francisco Police Department told the outlet. First responders were called to his home to perform a wellness check, and no evidence of foul play was found during the initial probe. "We are devastated to learn of this incredibly sad news today and our hearts go out to Suchir’s loved ones during this difficult time," a spokesperson for OpenAI told Fox News Digital. This comes after Balaji, an AI researcher , raised concerns about OpenAI breaking copyright law in an interview with The New York Times in October. A man is seen using the OpenAI ChatGPT artificial intelligence chat website in this illustration photo on July 18, 2023. (Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Balaji resigned from OpenAI after working there for nearly four years when he learned the technology would bring more harm than good to society, he told the newspaper, noting that his main concern was the way the company allegedly used copyright data, stating that he believed its practices were damaging to the internet. "I was at OpenAI for nearly 4 years and worked on ChatGPT for the last 1.5 of them," Balaji wrote in October on the social media platform X. "I initially didn't know much about copyright, fair use, etc. but became curious after seeing all the lawsuits filed against GenAI companies." WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)? The OpenAI logo is arranged on a laptop in Beijing, China, on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023. (Bloomberg via Getty Images) CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "When I tried to understand the issue better, I eventually came to the conclusion that fair use seems like a pretty implausible defense for a lot of generative AI products, for the basic reason that they can create substitutes that compete with the data they’re trained on," his post continued. OpenAI and Microsoft are currently facing several lawsuits from media outlets who accuse OpenAI of breaking copyright law. Fox News Digital has reached out to the medical examiner and San Francisco Police . Fox News' Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.Alabama, Ole Miss drop out of AP Top 10Has the AI rally broadened?

Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins scored a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans in his most recent home game and tossed the ball to a child in the stands pleading for it. On Thursday, Collins told reporters the NFL did not approve and assessed him a fine of about $5,000. "It's for the kids," Collins said. "I seen he was screaming and was thinking, ‘Here you go, big dog. Here's the ball.'" Collins said he was not penalized last season on the handful of occasions he threw a ball into the stands, so he wasn't expecting a fine. But making a child's day was "definitely worth it." The 25-year-old said he plans to appeal the fine, but if it isn't overturned, he'll pay up. "The only thing that matters was making that kid happy," he said. "He ain't never going to forget that moment. So that's all that matters to me." Collins followed up a 92-yard, one-touchdown performance that day against Tennessee with eight receptions for 119 yards last week at Jacksonville. The fourth-year wideout is Houston's leading receiver despite missing five games due to a hamstring injury. He has caught 49 passes for 832 yards and four touchdowns in just eight appearances. This article first appeared on Field Level Media and was syndicated with permission.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jalen Hurts may sit out a potential NFC East clincher against Dallas because of the lingering effects of a concussion . The Eagles could also just rest Hurts to play it safe -- even if he’s medically cleared ahead of Sunday’s game -- and protect their franchise QB from additional injury over the final two games. Eagles coach Nick Sirianni kept quiet this week on which QB will start Sunday, in large part, of course, because of the head injury suffered by Hurts in last week’s loss to Washington that forced him into the concussion protocol . The issue was complicated by backup Kenny Pickett’s rib injury suffered in relief of Hurts in his first real game competition in nearly a year. Tanner McKee, the third-string QB, could move into a backup role — or maybe even get the start against the Cowboys. Philadelphia's starting quarterback situation has surged past Saquon Barkley's chase at Eric Dickerson's season rushing record as the most intriguing talking point in the final two games. The Eagles (12-3) appear certain to win the division title — they're two games ahead of Washington (10-5) — and a No. 2 seed in the conference no matter the quarterback headed into the playoffs. Even with an unsettled QB spot, the Eagles are are still 71⁄2-point home favorites to beat division rival Dallas, per BetMGM Sportsbook. Sirianni appreciated that quarterback depth has been a strength for the Eagles. “We feel good about that room,” he said. So why risk Hurts against the Cowboys? There's little reason to make Hurts play only a week after absorbing a pair of blows to the head and the extra week off — maybe two if the finale against the Giants is truly meaningless — could add to his recovery time ahead of a home playoff game. The Eagles were burned in a similar situation last season when Hurts and star wide receiver A.J. Brown were both injured in the final game against the Giants with little at stake. With both players hampered by unnecessary injuries, the Eagles were dumped the next week by Tampa Bay in the NFC wild-card playoff game. The Eagles have options if Hurts is inactive. Pickett was 14 of 24 for 143 yards in relief, throwing a touchdown pass to Brown and an interception. Pickett, a first-round pick out of Pitt in 2022, went 14-10 as a starter for the Steelers before he was traded to the Eagles in the offseason. McKee was the Eagles’ 2023 sixth-round pick out of Stanford. The 6-foot-6, 231-pound quarterback has yet to take a snap in a regular-season game. He's mostly used in practice on the scout team or in developmental periods — at best, he'll stay late after practice to get some reps in with the top receivers. “Every week, every opportunity, it's knowing it could be my shot, my chance,” McKee said. He could finally get that shot against Dallas. Rolling with Rush With the Cowboys out of playoff contention, the questions persist for coach Mike McCarthy about bypassing Cooper Rush for a look at Trey Lance before both QBs hit free agency. McCarthy’s answer hasn’t wavered: Rush gives Dallas the best chance to win. Rush is 4-3 since Dak Prescott’s season-ending hamstring tear after going 5-1 over two previous stints as an injury replacement. That’s 9-4 total. Half the losses came in both of Rush’s starts against Eagles – the last of five games filling in during the 2022 season and the first game this season. “The mindset is to win,” McCarthy said. “We’re going to Philadelphia to win the game.” Barkley watch Barkley leads the NFL with 1,838 yards rushing for the season through 15 games. He still needs two big outings in the final games of the season against Dallas and the New York Giants to top Dickerson and his 2,105 yards for the Los Angeles Rams in 1984. Barkley is 268 yards away from passing Dickerson for the season mark and 162 shy from becoming the ninth player in NFL history with 2,000 yards rushing in a season. He ran for only 66 yards in the first game this season against Dallas. Dallas ranks 28th in the NFL in rushing defense, surrendering 135.9 yards per contest. Philadelphia, behind Barkley’s stellar play, tops the league at 187.9 yards per game on the ground. The Eagles have already have set a team record for yards rushing in a season with 2,818, and they are within four rushing touchdowns of tying the club’s single-season mark of 32, set in 2022. Barkley needs four more rushing touchdowns to tie LeSean McCoy’s Eagles record, set in 2011 and just 33 yards from scrimmage to break McCoy’s mark of 2,146 set in 2013. Seeing double digits Star Dallas edge rusher Micah Parsons needs half a sack to reach double digits in each of his first four seasons despite missing four games with a high ankle sprain, the first injury absence of his career. The 2021 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year would be the fifth player to reach 10 sacks in each of his first four seasons. The other four — Claude Humphrey, Reggie White, Derrick Thomas and Dwight Freeney - are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. AP Pro Football Writer Schuyler Dixon contributed from Arlington, Texas. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

NoneHUNTINGTON, W.V. — Marshall has withdrawn from the Independence Bowl after a coaching change resulted in much of its roster jumping into the transfer portal. The Thundering Herd were slated to play Army on Dec. 28 in Shreveport, Louisiana. But the Independence Bowl and Louisiana Tech announced on Saturday that the Bulldogs will take on the 19th-ranked Black Knights instead. Marshall said it pulled out “after falling below the roster minimum that was deemed medically safe.” The Herd (10-3) beat Louisiana-Lafayette 31-3 last weekend to win the Sun Belt Conference Championship for the first time. The program has won seven games in a row in the same season for the first time since 2020. “We apologize for the nature and timing of this announcement and for the turmoil it has brought to bowl season preparations for Army, the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl, the American Athletic Conference and ESPN,” Sun Belt Commissioner Keith Gill said in a statement. Coach Charles Huff left Marshall for Southern Miss last Sunday, and Tony Gibson, the defensive coordinator at North Carolina State, was announced as his replacement less than an hour later. By Thursday, at least 25 Marshall players had entered the transfer portal. Gibson held a meeting shortly after arriving on campus in Huntington to introduce himself to the team. He followed that up with phone calls, text messages and more meetings Friday and Saturday. “Any time coaches leave to take other jobs, it is emotional,” Gibson said at a news conference Thursday. “And kids that are 18-to-22 years old are going to make emotional decisions instead of just breathing for a day or two.” It's the first bowl for Louisiana Tech (5-7) since 2020. The Bulldogs have won two of their last three games, but they haven't played since a 33-0 victory over Kennesaw State on Nov. 30. “We are excited to accept the opportunity to play in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl against a fantastic and storied program as Army,” Louisiana Tech athletic director Ryan Ivey said in a release. “I believe our football program is moving toward positive structure and the opportunity to play in this bowl adds to that momentum. We are looking forward to being in Shreveport for this matchup.” Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football