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BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Shedeur Sanders accounted for three scores, Colorado’s defense forced four turnovers and the 22nd-ranked Buffaloes beat longtime rival Nebraska 36-14 on Saturday in the home debut of Deion Sanders at sold-out Folsom Field. Shedeur Sanders threw for 393 yards and two scores, while running for another touchdown. After punting on their first four drives, Sanders and the offense scored on seven of eight possessions to turn the game into a rout. Deion Sanders has elevated Colorado to the point where the Buffaloes had 53,241 fans in attendance — their largest crowd in 15 years — and tickets going for roughly $400. Colorado: The Buffaloes have their first three-game winning streak over the Huskers since the 1950s.

Persons: — Shedeur Sanders, Deion Sanders, Prime's, Shedeur Sanders, Sanders, Matt Rhule, Xavier Weaver, Jace Feely, Tar’Varish Dawson, Jeff Sims, Travis Hunter, Hunter, Fox’s, Kordell Stewart, Michael Westbrook, Michael Irvin, Terrell Owens, Jordan Domineck, Arden Walker, Bishop Thomas, Cam’Ron Silmon, Craig Organizations: Buffaloes, Nebraska, Folsom, TCU, The Buffaloes, Huskers, Folsom Field, of Fame, SEAT, NEXT Nebraska, Northern Illinois, Colorado State, AP Locations: BOULDER, Colo, Colorado, Nebraska, Northern, . Colorado

☆ UAW union embraces social media as labor talks toughen ahead of deadline
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Bianca Flowers | Thomson Reuters | Bianca Flowers Is An Award-Winning Multimedia Journalist Based In Chicago Where She Reports On The Backbone Of The U.S. Labor Market. She Covers Agriculture | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain greets UAW autoworkers, at the Stellantis Sterling Heights Assembly Plant, to mark the beginning of contract negotiations in Sterling Heights, Michigan, U.S. July 12, 2023. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 9 (Reuters) - The United Auto Workers union is leveraging the power of social media to attract public support in demanding substantial wage increases for hourly workers as a deadline looms with the Detroit Three automakers. On Friday, he said the UAW was prepared to strike all three companies if no deals are reached. "What we've seen is the new president of the UAW taking an offer from the automakers and throwing it in a wastebasket on social media. This week, the UAW released a video in an effort to save a shuttered Stellantis plant in the northern Illinois town of Belvidere.

Persons: Shawn Fain, Rebecca Cook, Shawn Fain hasn't, Daniel Ives, Fain, He's, Harley Shaiken, Brian Rothenberg, Tesla, there's, Matt Frantzen, he's, Bianca Flowers, Leslie Adler Organizations: United Auto Workers, UAW, Sterling Heights Assembly, REUTERS, Detroit Three, Motors, Ford, Facebook, Twitter, University of California, Auto, Thomson Locations: Sterling Heights, Sterling Heights , Michigan, U.S, Berkeley, Illinois, Belvidere, Stellantis, Chicago

☆ Visualizing the Latest Wave of N.C.A.A. Conference Realignment
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Josh Katz | Kevin Quealy | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

Missouri and Texas A&M were the first teams to join the SEC in 20 years. Financial benefits and concerns about conference stability lured Boston College to become the A.C.C.’s 12th member in 2005. Penn State, one of the last major programs to remain independent, became the Big Ten’s 11th member in 1993, setting off a wave of realignment across college football. The Missouri Valley Conference stopped sponsoring football after the 1985 season. Arkansas departed for the SEC in 1991, signaling the beginning of the end for the Southwest Conference, long associated with N.C.A.A.

Persons: Drake, Golden Panthers Florida State Seminoles Fresno State Bulldogs Furman Paladins George, Golden Panthers Florida State Seminoles Fresno State Bulldogs Furman Paladins George Washington Colonials Georgia Bulldogs Georgia Southern Eagles Georgia State Panthers Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Harvard Crimson Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Houston Cougars Idaho Vandals Illinois Fighting Illini Illinois State Redbirds Indiana Hoosiers Indiana State Sycamores Iowa Hawkeyes Iowa State Cyclones Jacksonville State Gamecocks James Madison, Monroe Warhawks Louisville Cardinals Marshall Thundering, William, Mary Organizations: Air Force Falcons Akron Zips Alabama Crimson Tide Appalachian State Mountaineers Arizona Wildcats Arizona State Sun Devils Arkansas Razorbacks Arkansas State Red Wolves Army Black Knights Auburn Tigers Ball State Cardinals Baylor Bears Boise State Broncos Boston College Eagles Bowling Green State Falcons Brigham Young Cougars Brown Bears Buffalo Bulls Cal State Fullerton Titans Cal State Los Angeles Golden Eagles California Golden Bears, Santa Barbara Gauchos, Santa Barbara Gauchos Central Michigan Chippewas Charlotte 49ers Chattanooga Mocs Cincinnati Bearcats Clemson Tigers Coastal, Colorado Buffaloes Colorado State Rams Columbia Lions Connecticut Huskies Cornell Big Red Dartmouth Big Green Davidson, Drake Bulldogs Duke Blue Devils East Carolina Pirates East Tennessee State Buccaneers Eastern Michigan Eagles Florida Gators, Atlantic Owls Florida, Golden Panthers Florida State Seminoles Fresno State Bulldogs Furman, Golden Panthers Florida State Seminoles Fresno State Bulldogs Furman Paladins George Washington Colonials Georgia Bulldogs Georgia Southern Eagles Georgia State Panthers Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Harvard Crimson Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Houston Cougars Idaho Vandals Illinois Fighting Illini Illinois State Redbirds Indiana Hoosiers Indiana State Sycamores Iowa Hawkeyes Iowa State Cyclones Jacksonville State Gamecocks, Golden Panthers Florida State Seminoles Fresno State Bulldogs Furman Paladins George Washington Colonials Georgia Bulldogs Georgia Southern Eagles Georgia State Panthers Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Harvard Crimson Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Houston Cougars Idaho Vandals Illinois Fighting Illini Illinois State Redbirds Indiana Hoosiers Indiana State Sycamores Iowa Hawkeyes Iowa State Cyclones Jacksonville State Gamecocks James Madison Dukes Kansas Jayhawks Kansas State Wildcats Kent State Golden Flashes Kentucky Wildcats LSU Fighting Tigers Liberty Flames Long, Golden Panthers Florida State Seminoles Fresno State Bulldogs Furman Paladins George Washington Colonials Georgia Bulldogs Georgia Southern Eagles Georgia State Panthers Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Harvard Crimson Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Houston Cougars Idaho Vandals Illinois Fighting Illini Illinois State Redbirds Indiana Hoosiers Indiana State Sycamores Iowa Hawkeyes Iowa State Cyclones Jacksonville State Gamecocks James Madison Dukes Kansas Jayhawks Kansas State Wildcats Kent State Golden Flashes Kentucky Wildcats LSU Fighting Tigers Liberty Flames Long Beach State, Niners Louisiana, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Louisiana, Monroe Warhawks Louisville Cardinals, Terrapins Massachusetts Minutemen Memphis Tigers Miami, Hurricanes Miami, Michigan Wolverines Michigan State Spartans Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders Minnesota Golden Gophers Mississippi State Bulldogs Missouri Tigers Navy Midshipmen Nebraska Cornhuskers Nevada Wolf, Las Vegas Rebels New, Lobos New Mexico State Aggies North, Tar, Carolina State Wolfpack, Texas, Green Northern Illinois Huskies Northwestern Wildcats Notre Dame Fighting Irish Ohio Bobcats Ohio State Buckeyes Oklahoma Sooners Oklahoma State Cowboys Old Dominion Monarchs Ole Miss Rebels Oregon Ducks Oregon State Beavers Pacific Tigers Penn State Nittany Lions Pennsylvania Quakers Pitt Panthers Princeton Tigers Purdue Boilermakers Rice Owls Richmond Spiders Rutgers Scarlet Knights SMU Mustangs Sam Houston State Bearkats San Diego State Aztecs San Jose State Spartans South Alabama Jaguars South Carolina Gamecocks South Florida Bulls Southern Illinois Salukis, Green Northern Illinois Huskies Northwestern Wildcats Notre Dame Fighting Irish Ohio Bobcats Ohio State Buckeyes Oklahoma Sooners Oklahoma State Cowboys Old Dominion Monarchs Ole Miss Rebels Oregon Ducks Oregon State Beavers Pacific Tigers Penn State Nittany Lions Pennsylvania Quakers Pitt Panthers Princeton Tigers Purdue Boilermakers Rice Owls Richmond Spiders Rutgers Scarlet Knights SMU Mustangs Sam Houston State Bearkats San Diego State Aztecs San Jose State Spartans South Alabama Jaguars South Carolina Gamecocks South Florida Bulls Southern Illinois Salukis Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles Stanford Cardinal Syracuse Orange Temple Owls Tennessee Volunteers Texas Longhorns Texas, Aggies Texas, State Bobcats Texas Tech Red Raiders, Citadel Bulldogs Toledo Rockets Troy, Tulane Green Wave Tulsa, Hurricane U.C.L.A, Bruins U.S.C, Trojans UAB Blazers UCF Knights UTEP Miners UTSA Roadrunners Utah Utes Utah State Aggies Vanderbilt Commodores Virginia Cavaliers Virginia Military, Keydets Virginia Tech, Deacons Washington Huskies Washington State Cougars West Texas State Buffaloes West Virginia Mountaineers Western, Western Michigan Broncos Wichita State, Mary Tribe Wisconsin Badgers Wyoming Cowboys Yale Bulldogs, Big, Notre Dame, SEC, Boston College, Boise State, WAC, ESPN, Penn State, The Ivy League, The Southern Conference, AA, Arizona State, Missouri Valley Conference, Arkansas, Southwest Conference Locations: Santa, Santa Barbara Gauchos Central Michigan, Santa Barbara Gauchos Central Michigan Chippewas Charlotte 49ers Chattanooga Mocs Cincinnati Bearcats Clemson Tigers Coastal Carolina, Golden Panthers Florida State Seminoles Fresno State Bulldogs Furman Paladins George Washington Colonials Georgia Bulldogs Georgia Southern Eagles Georgia State Panthers Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Harvard Crimson Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Houston Cougars Idaho Vandals Illinois Fighting Illini Illinois State Redbirds Indiana Hoosiers Indiana State Sycamores Iowa Hawkeyes Iowa State Cyclones Jacksonville State Gamecocks James Madison Dukes Kansas Jayhawks Kansas State Wildcats Kent State Golden Flashes Kentucky Wildcats LSU Fighting Tigers Liberty Flames Long Beach, Michigan Wolverines Michigan State Spartans Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders Minnesota Golden Gophers Mississippi State Bulldogs Missouri Tigers Navy Midshipmen Nebraska Cornhuskers Nevada Wolf Pack Nevada, Green Northern Illinois Huskies Northwestern Wildcats Notre Dame Fighting Irish Ohio Bobcats Ohio State Buckeyes Oklahoma Sooners Oklahoma State Cowboys Old Dominion Monarchs Ole Miss Rebels Oregon Ducks Oregon State Beavers Pacific Tigers Penn State Nittany Lions Pennsylvania Quakers Pitt Panthers Princeton Tigers Purdue Boilermakers Rice Owls Richmond Spiders Rutgers Scarlet Knights SMU Mustangs Sam Houston State Bearkats San Diego State Aztecs San Jose State Spartans South Alabama Jaguars South Carolina Gamecocks South Florida Bulls Southern Illinois Salukis Southern, Deacons Washington Huskies Washington State Cougars West Texas State Buffaloes West Virginia Mountaineers Western Carolina, Western Kentucky, Notre, . Missouri, Texas, Arizona

☆ AI is a concern for writers. But actors could have even more to fear
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

New York CNN —How many actors does it take to make the movies and shows produced by studios and streaming services? SAG-AFTRA, the actors union that has had 160,000 members on strike since last week, is afraid that artificial intelligence will lead to far fewer employed actors in the future. And winning limits on AI is an issue for the Writers Guild of America, which has been on strike against the same studios and streaming services since May 2. The fight over virtual actors and performancesComputer-generated imagery, or CGI, to create virtual actors and extras is somewhat old hat in Hollywood. “The actors and writers, they’re kind of a canary in the coal mine,” said David Gunkel, a communications professor at Northern Illinois University who tracks AI in media and entertainment.

Persons: ”, Fran Drescher, AFTRA, Tom, “, Duncan Crabtree, AMPTP, don’t, Anthony Palomba, wasn’t, Nancy Marchand, Tony Soprano’s, HBO’s, Rowan Curran, Forrester, Joshua Glick, Bard, University of Virginia’s Palomba, “ I’m, Andrea Schneider, Goldman Sachs, David Gunkel Organizations: New, New York CNN, SAG, Writers Guild of America, Alliance, Motion Pictures, Television Producers, University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, University of Virginia’s, Cardozo Law School, Northern Illinois University, UPS Locations: New York, Hollywood, Ireland

☆ These are America’s 10 worst states to live and work in for 2023, and there's a big surprise at the very bottom
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Scott Cohn | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

By the numbers, these are America's worst states to live and work in for 2023. 2023 Life, Health & Inclusion Score: 129 out of 350 points (Top States Grade: D) Strengths: Air Quality, Childcare, Worker Protections Weaknesses: Inclusiveness, Reproductive Rights9. 2023 Life, Health & Inclusion Score: 113 out of 350 points (Top States Grade: D-) Strength: Crime Rate Weaknesses: Childcare, Inclusiveness6. 2023 Life, Health & Inclusion Score: 98 out of 350 points (Top States Grade: F) Strength: Air Quality Weaknesses: Voting Rights, Reproductive Rights, Crime4. 2023 Life, Health & Inclusion Score: 75 out of 350 points (Top States Grade: F) Strength: Air Quality Weaknesses: Reproductive Rights, Health, Voting Rights1.

Persons: Roe, Wade, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, Ron DeSantis, Daniel A, Varela, DeSantis, Benjamin Krain, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Douglas Mason, Indiana Matt Carr, Cangelosi, Nichole, Emily Curiel, Jim Watson, Willie B, Thomas, Digitalvision, Scott Zdon, John Bel Edwards, Oklahoma Dr, Franz Theard, Paul Ratje, Brandon Bell Organizations: Business, North Carolina Governor, CNBC, Florida, Florida Florida Gov, HB, Mater Academy Charter, School, Miami Herald, Getty, White, Northern Illinois University, Sunshine, Arkansas Little Rock Police Department, FBI, United Health Foundation, Health, Tennessee, Bonnaroo Music, Arts Festival, Getty Images Tennessee, Indiana, Stone, Hoosier, Missouri, Country Club, Kansas City Star, Tribune, Service, Emily Curiel | Kansas, Star, Reproductive, Alabama Voters, Beulah Baptist, AFP, Alabama, Center, Election Innovation, Research, South Carolina Senior, Gov, Reproductive Clinic, Washington, Washington Post, Texas, Texas State Capitol Locations: States, Florida, Texas, Florida Florida, Hialeah Gardens , Florida, Little Rock , Arkansas, Arkansas, Manchester , Tennessee, Louisiana, Mill Creek, Emily Curiel |, Montgomery , Alabama, Carolina, Oklahoma, Santa Teresa , New Mexico, Austin , Texas

☆ Automakers' contract negotiations will decide potential EV future for idled Illinois plant
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Bianca Flowers | Thomson Reuters | Bianca Flowers Is An Award-Winning Multimedia Journalist Based In Chicago Where She Reports On The Backbone Of The U.S. Labor Market. She Covers Agriculture | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The real question is how long will UAW workers stay off the job, said Mark Wakefield, co-head of AlixPartners' automotive practice. Around 1,680 union workers company-wide agreed to take the buyout, according to a union representative. He opted for a voluntary transfer to a Stellantis plant in Toledo, Ohio. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has also stepped up efforts to salvage the 58-year-old Belvidere plant that once employed 4,500 union workers. Reporting by Bianca Flowers in Belvidere, Illinois Additonal reporting by Joseph White in Detroit Editing by Ben Klayman and Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Matt Frantzen, Tesla, Shawn Fain, Fain, Mark Wakefield, Wakefield, Mary Barra, Jim Farley, Barra, Farley, Carlos Tavares, Stellantis, Robert Stacy, Auston Gore, Joe Biden, J.B, Pritzker, Brandon Campbell, Bianca Flowers, Joseph White, Ben Klayman, Matthew Lewis Organizations: United Auto Workers, automakers, UAW, General Motors, Ford, Detroit, CNBC, Detroit Free Press, Stellantis, U.S, Illinois, EVs, Thomson Locations: BELVIDERE , Illinois, Illinois, Belvidere, idled, U.S, Washington, EVs, Toledo , Ohio, Chicago, Belvidere ., Michigan, Indiana, Belvidere , Illinois, Detroit

Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Not everyone with debt would have been covered under the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness plan. The Supreme Court has barred the Biden administration from carrying out its plan to extinguish up to $20,000 in federal student loan debt, and millions of borrowers will continue to struggle under the weight of their loans. Ms. Schmidt owes $64,000 in student debt, more than half of which is for her graduate work in nursing. But she’s already contemplating how she’ll finance her dream of becoming a civil rights lawyer, which typically requires an additional six figures in student debt. Yet her mother is still paying down student debt of her own.

Persons: Biden, Gina McDavitt, weren’t, Pell, “, ”, McDavitt, ” Ms, Ms, Monica Schmidt, Schmidt, Kevin Serna, Dorien Rogers, Rogers, Asha Anthony, she’s, —, Anthony, Mr, don’t, Joanna Leiserson, Brian Kaiser, “ I’m, Leiserson Organizations: Georgetown University, Biden, College of San, San Francisco State University, The New York Times, University of Phoenix, Northern Illinois University, Public, Schaun, Tax, Howard University, Salisbury University, The New York, Republicans Locations: Washington ,, College of San Mateo, Bay, Vallejo , Calif, Genoa, Ill, Germantown, Md, Credit, Montgomery County, Mesa, Maryland, Spokane, —, forbearance

☆ More than 100 million Americans at risk as Canadian wildfire smoke spreads
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Brendan O'Brien | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

More than 100 million Americans were urged to limit prolonged outdoor activities, and, if needed, wear a mask if they suffer from pulmonary or respiratory diseases. People living in major U.S. cities such as New York, Chicago and Philadelphia may see murky skies and smell burning wood throughout the day. "The air quality in Chicago has been dreadful, giving me brutal migraines. The air-quality alerts were triggered by drifting smoke from wildfires burning in Canada, which is wrestling with its worst-ever start to wildfire season. An area of 8 million hectares (19.8 million acres), bigger than West Virginia, has already burned.

Persons: Quinn Glabicki CHICAGO, Eric Adams, Brendan O'Brien, Alison Williams, Mark Porter Organizations: U.S ., REUTERS, Midwest, National Weather Service, York City, Twitter, Thomson Locations: Mount Washington, U.S . Midwest, East, Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania, U.S, United States, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, New York, East Coast, Chicago, Philadelphia, York, Canada, West Virginia, Pacific, Atlantic, Midwest, South

☆ Tornado alley is widening, putting millions more people and properties at risk
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Much of that is because the season is starting earlier, and tornado alley is expanding due to a warmer climate. Tornadoes need four ingredients to form, explained Ashley: moisture, instability (which provides the energy necessary for the storms), wind shear and lift. When a powerful F-4 tornado plowed through Rolling Fork, Mississippi, in March, residents were largely unprepared. The only one that I can remember is 1971, and the tornado bypassed Rolling Fork. That's precisely why the widening of tornado alley is fast becoming a new focus for insurers.

Persons: Walker Scott Ashley, Ashley, Eldridge Walker, Walker, That's, John Dickson, Dickson, Eric Andersen, Aon Organizations: Climate Central, Northern Illinois University, Tornadoes, Global, U.S ., Farm, Allstate Locations: U.S, Northeast Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Fork , Mississippi, Rolling, Kansas, Mississippi, Aon, California

☆ TV and film writers are fighting to save their jobs from AI. They won’t be the last
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

A powerful new crop of AI tools, trained on vast troves of data online, can now generate essays, song lyrics and other written work in response to user prompts. While there are clearly limits for how well AI tools can produce compelling creative stories, these tools are only getting more advanced, putting writers like August on guard. But as part of their demands, the WGA is also fighting to protect their livelihoods from AI. Stephanie Elam/CNNWhile film and TV writers in Hollywood may currently be leading the charge, professionals in other industries will almost certainly be paying attention. “Watch this #WGA strike carefully,” Justine Bateman, a writer, director and former actress, wrote in a tweet shortly after the strike kicked off.

But even if those legal efforts fail and last Friday's order by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in Amarillo, Texas goes into effect, essentially rendering the drug unapproved, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration could nonetheless continue to allow access to the drug, legal experts say. The FDA, which has said it stands behind it determination that mifepristone is safe and effective, declined to comment. CONTRADICTORY RULINGSThe FDA approved mifepristone, which is the first of a two-drug regimen to terminate a pregnancy within the first 10 weeks, in 2000. Kacsmaryk put his ruling on hold until Friday to give the Biden administration, which supports access to abortion, time to pursue its appeal. 1985 PRECEDENTBut, even if the abortion pill's approval remains suspended, the FDA has precedent on its side to do nothing, legal experts said.

☆ Authorities search for more victims after tornado pummels Arkansas
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( Liliana Salgado | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, April 1 (Reuters) - Arkansas first responders on Saturday will sift through debris for more possible victims after a fierce tornado sliced through the Little Rock area and northeastern part of the state, killing at least two people and injuring dozens of others. Two fatalities in Arkansas were reported in Wynne, about 100 miles (160 km) east of Little Rock, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on Friday night. One person was killed and more than 50 people hospitalized in North Little Rock, Pulaski County spokeswoman Madeline Roberts told the Washington Post. Although more than 30 people were taken to hospital in the Little Rock area, none had died as of Friday night, said Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr., who added that the count remained imprecise. [1/9] A view of destroyed buildings following the tornado in Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S., March 31, 2023 in this picture obtained from social media.

☆ Former Walmart manager arrested after leaving the store with $135,000 in shopping bag, police say
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-11 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Melissa Vanderwall, 47, was caught on surveillance footage leaving the Walmart she worked at with $135,000, police say. The cash was emptied from cash recyclers used to restock registers, according to reports. Vanderwall turned herself in on Monday, months after a warrant for her arrest was issued for the crime. Melissa Vanderwall — a 47-year-old former night manager for a Walmart store in Joliet, located about 45 miles southwest of Chicago — is accused of emptying $135,988 into a shopping bag and leaving the store on November 27. According to Patch.com, local police were called to the scene the same day the crime took place, and an arrest warrant was issued just two days later.

☆ The new Bing is acting all weird and creepy — but the human response is way scarier
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Adam Rogers | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

It's a profit-making move designed to leverage our very human tendency to see human traits in nonhuman things. Look, I don't think we don't need to treat chatbots with respect because they ask us to. Making chatbots seem as if they're human isn't just incidental. So the real issue involving the current incarnation of chatbots isn't whether we treat them as people — it's how we decide to treat them as property. The robots don't care."

☆ Mysterious object destroyed by a $400,000 Sidewinder missile may have been a $12 hobby group balloon
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The mysterious objects shot down over the US may have been hobbyist or weather balloons. One balloonist club believes its $12 balloon may have been among the objects destroyed. The club said that it had been tracking the course of its silver pico balloon. A pico balloon can cost anywhere from $12 to $180. And they're going to look not too intelligent to be shooting them down," Ron Meadows, whose California company designs pico balloons told Aviation Week.

The tornado struck Pasadena, southeast of Houston, seriously damaging homes and other buildings and knocking out power to thousands in the city and its surrounding areas. More than a dozen other tornado sightings were reported as the storm moved across the Gulf Coast, although they have yet to be confirmed by the National Weather Service. The spate of reported tornadoes adds to changes that experts have been observing in recent years — specifically, that where and when tornadoes occur has begun to shift. Historically, tornadoes were most likely to strike within a column of the central U.S. that was nicknamed “Tornado Alley.” The area includes parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. In areas with tightly packed cities, lots of trees and less open space, for example, a tornado can cause more catastrophic damage.

☆ Fire rages at Illinois chemical plant, residents ordered to shelter
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Tyler Clifford | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 11 (Reuters) - A chemical plant in northern Illinois went up in flames on Wednesday morning, sending up plumes of black smoke and prompting officials to advise nearby residents to shelter in place as emergency crews responded to the blaze. The fire broke out at the Carus Chemical Company complex in LaSalle, a city of less than 10,000 residents located about 100 miles southwest of Chicago. [1/4] Firefighters tackle a large blaze at the Carus Chemical Plant in LaSalle, Illinois, U.S. January 11, 2023 in a still image from video. A shelter order remained in place for residents north and west of the incident, Janick said. Reporting by Tyler Clifford; Editing by Leslie Adler and Bill BerkrotOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ A US federal agency is considering a ban on gas stoves
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —A federal agency is considering a ban on gas stoves as concerns about indoor pollution linked to childhood asthma rise, Bloomberg first reported. A US Consumer Product Safety commissioner told Bloomberg gas stove usage is a “hidden hazard.”“Any option is on the table. The CPSC has been considering action on gas stoves for months.Trumka recommended in October that the CPSC seek public comment on the hazards associated with gas stoves. The study found that almost 13% of current childhood asthma in the US is attributable to gas stove use. Trumka told Bloomberg the agency plans to open public comment on gas stove hazards.

☆ 71 years after starting college, this 90-year-old woman is graduating
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Sara Smart | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A 90-year-old woman will finally walk across the stage and receive her diploma, 71 years after she first enrolled in college. Joyce DeFauw, then Joyce Viola Kane, started her freshman year at Northern Illinois University in 1951 with a plan to graduate with a degree in home economics. “I went to school for three and a half years, but decided to leave after I met him.” DeFauw said. Joyce DeFauw's student ID from 1951 with Northern Illinois University. When the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020, she was thankful for the computer, Dooley said.

☆ This guy is using AI to make a movie — and you can help decide what happens next
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-25 | by ( Rachel Metz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

“Salt” is the brainchild of Fabian Stelzer. He makes voices mostly using AI voice generation tools such as Synthesia or Murf. Many of Stelzer's "Salt" images use terms like "35mm" and "sci-fi." Just as AI image generators have already unnerved some artists, Stelzer’s experiment offers an early example of how disruptive AI systems could be to moviemaking. Released in 2016 and starring “Silicon Valley” actor Thomas Middleditch, it’s thought to be the first film that used AI to write its script.

☆ The ‘Cost’ of Voting in America: A Look at Where It’s Easiest and Hardest
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Nick Corasaniti | Allison Mccann | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +13 min

Researchers focused on 10 categories related to voting, including registration, inconvenience, early voting, polling hours and absentee voting. The state also stopped using special voting deputies, officials whose tasks had sometimes included conducting voter registration drives, according to the study. To assess the voting laws passed after the 2020 election, this year’s Cost of Voting Index study added new categories and scoring. While the political debate surrounding new election laws has centered on ballots and the voting process, the Cost of Voting Index also gives heavy weight to the ease of voter registration. States rank higher in the index if they allow voter registration drives, provide automatic voter registration, offer same-day registration and maintain longer periods in which to register.

Reese Brown on a travel nurse assignment in New Jersey in May 2020. The short-lived travel nurse boom was a temporary fix for a long-term decline in the profession that predates the pandemic. In the 1980s and the 1990s, travel nurses were often covering for staff nurses who were on maternity leave, meaning that 13-week contracts become common. By 2021, travel nurses were earning an average of $124.96 an hour, according to the research firm — three times the hourly rate of staff nurses, according to federal statistics. Courtesy Pamela Esmond“The reality is they don’t pay staff nurses enough, and if they would pay staff nurses enough, we wouldn’t have this problem,” she said.

☆ I tried a café that uses Delta-8, a popular semilegal weed compound. The high was as good as the price.
▼ + stars: | 2022-03-24 | by ( Helaine Krysik | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Wake-N-Bakery is one of the first cafés in Chicago to use Delta-8, a semilegal weed compound. In case you're unfamiliar with Delta-8, it's the quasi-legal, hemp-derived cannabinoid that's less potent than regular THC but can still get you high. She also recommended using a benchmark of roughly eight milligrams of Delta-8, equaling five milligrams of regular THC, and that dosing should be based on how much and how well you tolerate regular THC, so that's what I stuck with. Delta-8 can be just as potent as regular THC, even though you need to take it in slightly larger quantities to get the same effect. That means it's just as easy to overindulge on Delta-8 edibles as it is on edibles containing regular THC.

After a surprise $5,000 expense, I used a balance transfer credit card to consolidate the debt. Why I considered a balance transfer credit cardI used a credit card interest calculator online to determine how much extra I'd pay if I kept the $5,000 balance with my current credit card. This prompted me to consider applying for a balance transfer credit card, so I started researching different credit card offers. A balance transfer is when you take your credit card balance from one card and transfer it to another card. A few other features I liked about this card included:No annual feeNo balance transfer fee (so long as you transfer your old credit card balance within 60 days)Free credit score monitoring and updates (powered by TransUnion)Extended warranty, fraud protection, and purchase protectionHow to transfer a credit card balanceThe process of transferring a credit card balance is actually easier than I thought.

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