The Walt Disney Company may be on the verge of picking its first female head in its century-long history: Disney Entertainment co-chairman Dana Walden. Walden‚ 59‚ is on the shortlist to replace Bob Iger‚ 73‚ as Disney’s CEO‚ and she may be the first choice‚ according to CNBC. Iger‚ who retired from the company in 2021‚ was replaced as CEO in 2020 by Bob Chapek. Iger took his place back at the head of the company after Chapek was fired in 2022. Walden is a longtime entertainment industry executive with deep ties to Hollywood and a reputation for an impeccable sense for what will sell in the world of television. When she was at Fox‚ her division made hits such as “24‚” “Homeland‚” and “How I Met Your Mother.” Since moving to Disney‚ she’s been instrumental in the creation of shows such as “The Bear” and “Only Murders in the Building.” In addition to her experience in entertainment‚ Iger is reported to want to tap Walden to succeed him in part because he wants to have a role in Disney naming its first-ever female CEO. He also wants to rectify his previous pick Chapek‚ which he now regrets and sees as a mistake‚ according to CNBC. Walden also has her critics‚ however‚ with some questioning her business acumen and ability to transition from her time in entertainment to being the head of and international corporation with many different facets‚ such as prestigious parks and resorts. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP “She’ll be eaten up by real investors‚” one person told CNBC. “Does she have the necessary depth of business knowledge? She can learn‚ but you can’t have someone teach you decades of finance‚ business and tactics in a year or two.” Others have dismissed criticism of Walden as misogynistic. “There’s something about looking at female execs where questions are asked that would never be asked of men‚” Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke‚ who previously worked with Walden‚ said. “Can they scale? Can a creative person be a business leader? I find that to be a huge bugaboo. She’s in charge of billions of dollars of assets‚ but she’s not capable of being a business leader?” Iger retook the CEO role at Disney after a tumultuous two years at the company under Chapek‚ which saw the company get into a high-profile feud with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over a piece of legislation that banned sexual orientation and gender identity lessons for young students. Disney publicly denounced the bill. In return‚ DeSantis stripped Disney of special privileges it had enjoyed on about 25‚000 acres that housed the company’s landmark Disney World theme parks and resorts. Florida and Disney settled a legal battle over the special district last month.

The federal government made nearly a quarter of a trillion dollars in “improper payments” in the last fiscal year‚ a congressional watchdog agency estimated. A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report unveiled last week said 14 agencies reported a total of $236 billion in botched payments in fiscal 2023. Here‚ “improper payments” were defined as “those that should not have been made or were made in the incorrect amount.” GAO said agencies reported that $175 billion‚ or over 74% of the total‚ were attributed to overpayments. The total represented an $11 billion decrease from fiscal 2022‚ but GAO demonstrated in a graphs how “improper payments” have‚ on average‚ risen over the past 20 years. The federal government has made an estimated $2.7 trillion in improper payments in the last 20 fiscal years—including $236 billion in FY23. Today’s WatchBlog post looks at our new report on what is causing these errors &; what can be done to prevent them: https://t.co/tbSrZG882J pic.twitter.com/axpRrhNNtr — U.S. GAO (@USGAO) March 26‚ 2024 Since fiscal 2003‚ the cumulative amount has totaled $2.7 trillion. GAO said improper payments have “consistently” been an issue across the government. The $236 billion figure for fiscal 2023 is just an estimate‚ GAO cautioned‚ and it does not include some programs that agencies have determined to be “susceptible” to mismanaged payments. GAO listed the Health and Human Services Department’s Temporary Assistance for Need Families program as an example. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP An analysis found that problematic expenditures were “concentrated” in five program areas‚ including $51.1 billion for Medicare and $50.3 billion for Medicaid. There was also $43.6 billion for Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance‚ $21.9 billion for Earned Income Tax Credit‚ and $18.7 billion for Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness. All other programs from which there was data accounted for $50.1 billion in “improper payments.” Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) commented on the topline $236 billion estimate for fiscal 2023 by taking a swipe at the Biden administration. “We need accountability here! This is YOUR money the Biden admin took out of your wallet and wasted‚” he said in a post to X. GAO said it provided a draft of its report to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment‚ but “OMB did not have any comments on the report.” In fiscal 2022‚ 14 of 24 agencies covered by the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990 “complied with applicable improper payment criteria‚ as reported by their agency inspectors general‚” GAO said. That number marked an increase from 2021‚ when GAO said inspectors general reported 10 agencies were compliant. GAO said it has made “numerous” recommendations and suggestions to Congress on ways to reduce payment errors.

This toddler is a daddy’s girl in the most heartwarming way‚ and you can see by the way she reacts to his voice. According to a TikTok post‚ via Storyful‚ Amanda Burritt’s daughter‚ Emma‚ suffers from “a rare neurodegenerative disease called KIF1A Associated Neurological Disorder (KAND).” “[It] robbed her of her ability to see‚ walk‚ and talk among many other things‚” Amanda wrote. Through her challenges‚ Emma’s family has been right by her side with endless love‚ which shows in the many videos Amanda has shared on Storyful with her handle @thelifeofemmabean. One of those videos was so moving that it made an apperance on Good Morning America. The clip shows the beautiful moment when Emma realized her dad had come home from a work trip. She was in her car seat‚ and her dad opened the door to greet her. He gently held her hand and kissed her forehead before saying‚ “Hi‚ Princess Emma.” Once Emma recognized the comforting voice‚ her entire face lit up and she laughed with joy. Then she took his hand and smiled for cheek kisses in the most wholesome way. The Toddler’s Condition Only Affects 500 People Worldwide In a Facebook post‚ Amanda explained that KAND caused Emma to lose her eyesight before the little girl turned one. By four‚ she could no longer walk or talk. Her family is doing everything that can to stop the condition from worsening. Facebook “We fight every day for a cure so that it can’t take anything else from our baby‚” she wrote. KAND only affects 500 people worldwide‚ and Amanda said she posts videos of her daughter in hopes of “raising awareness wherever [she] can.” Share this story and help Amanda raise awareness about Emma’s disorder. You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post Visually Impaired Toddler Has The Most Beautifully Sweet Reaction To Hearing Her Dad’s Voice appeared first on InspireMore.

A dramatic change from the declining trend seen in previous years was marked by the unexpected increase in marriages that the COVID-19 lockdowns brought about. Marital records from 2022 show a significant increase‚ with the marriage rate reaching 6.2 per capita and over 2 million marriages in a year. Intentionality and lockdown realizations Marissa Nelson‚ a registered marriage and family therapist‚ believes that lockdowns forced couples to face difficulties head-on‚ resulting in increased intentionality in relationships. She writes‚ “Being in lockdown together gave many couples a unique hurdle to overcome‚” resulting in a better knowledge of critical factors such as finances‚ compromise‚ and autonomy. Declining divorce rates: a shift in relationship dynamics Divorce rates continued their downward trend from the previous years‚ even though they had been expected to increase in 2022. While the rate was slightly higher than the previous year at 2.4 per 1‚000 individuals‚ it is still dramatically declining from the 2000 figure of 4 per 1‚000. The effect of lockdown challenges on relationships The hurdles created by lockdowns forced couples to confront underlying concerns‚ potentially laying the groundwork for stronger relationships. Nelson highlights that being confined together forced couples to tackle relationship issues‚ which boosted resilience and stability for the future. Evolving perspectives on marriage: from romantic to companionate Ian Kerner‚ a registered marriage and family therapist‚ has noticed a movement in marital paradigms‚ from “romantic” to “companionate” relationships. Individuals are increasingly prioritizing attributes similar to those seen in best friends‚ preferring long-term stability and fulfillment to brief excitement. The essence of commitment and stability Dr. Monica O’Neal‚ a Boston psychologist‚ emphasizes the need for commitment in modern relationships. She emphasizes the importance of having a constant‚ secure spouse who can serve as a steadfast anchor in the face of adversity. After the pandemic‚ marital dynamic changes reflect ideas on commitment‚ stability‚ and partnership. While issues remain‚ trends indicate a greater emphasis on deliberate relationships and long-term compatibility.  The post The post-pandemic resurgence of marriages and decline of divorces‚ explained first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

For the seventh consecutive year‚ Finland basks in the glow of happiness‚ topping the charts as the world’s happiest country‚ according to the 2024 World Happiness Report. This annual testament to joy assesses over 140 nations‚ scrutinizing factors such as social support‚ income‚ health‚ freedom‚ generosity‚ and absence of corruption.  Utilizing data from sources including the Gallup World Poll‚ the report is a collaborative effort involving the Sustainable Development Solutions Network‚ Gallup‚ and the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre. Released every year in honor of International Day of Happiness on March 20‚ it serves as a comprehensive guide to global well-being‚ offering valuable insights into the factors that contribute to a fulfilling life. The rankings show a continuous pattern: Nordic countries dominate the high echelons. Denmark‚ Iceland‚ and Sweden maintain their places‚ with Norway taking seventh place. United States: a bit of a dip While Finland celebrates‚ the United States must confront a sober truth. It was once a powerhouse of riches but it has fallen to a new low‚ failing to make the top 20. The United States has dropped dramatically from its prior ranking of 15 to number 23 this year‚ indicating a troubling trend‚ particularly among the younger population. Age matters: happy insights across generations As we delve deeper into the demographics‚ we discover insights into happiness across age groups. Lithuania is the happiest place for people under the age of 30‚ while Denmark is a shining example for those over the age of 60. Surprisingly‚ the United States does higher among those older in age‚ highlighting changing happiness patterns. Loneliness looms: the modern epidemic In the quest for happiness‚ a devastating theme emerges: loneliness. Concerns grow‚ especially in the United States. Millennials are strikingly more affected than previous generations‚ suffering from nearly double the loneliness of earlier generations. This brings attention to a pressing social issue that requires urgent action. Israel surprises by placing fifth In a year marked by conflict‚ Israel surpasses expectations‚ finishing fifth despite dealing with the consequences of war. This rating‚ while surprising‚ highlights the complexities of the happiness measurement.  According to the report’s authors‚ the rankings are based on a three-year average‚ which may skew the data. (Israel has been in the top ten on the Happiness Report since 2022.) “In the case of cataclysmic events happening during a particular year‚ their effect on the rankings will depend on when the survey took place and will be muted by the three-year averaging‚” the researchers state in the paper. “In the case of the October 7th attack on Israel and the subsequent war between Israel and Hamas‚ the survey in Palestine took place earlier in the year and the Israel survey after the hostage-taking but before much of the subsequent warfare.” From heights to depths: Afghanistan and the bottom five As the research concludes‚ Afghanistan‚ which is in upheaval‚ keeps its status as the world’s unhappiest country. With Afghanistan at the bottom of the list are Congo‚ Sierra Leone‚ Lebanon‚ and Lesotho; all of these countries face a multitude of problems‚ bringing attention to the huge gaps in global health and well-being‚ and hopefully spurring change-makers to focus their attention there. World’s 20 Happiest Countries In 2024 Here is the complete list of the top 20 Happiest Countries: Finland Denmark Iceland Sweden Israel Netherlands Norway Luxembourg Switzerland Australia New Zealand Costa Rica Kuwait Austria Canada Belgium Ireland Czechia Lithuania United Kingdom The post The brightest corners of the world: the 20 happiest countries in 2024 first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

'Microaggressions are more understudied than overt acts of discrimination'

This is absolutely insane

'So no‚ I am not apolitical'

'Republicans should pass the bipartisan national security agreement'

'It has a big impact on American citizens'