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Bolsonaro's electoral outlook contrasts sharply with former U.S. President Donald Trump, another right-wing populist who challenged the results of his failed re-election campaign. Bolsonaro never conceded his narrow defeat in the October election and continues to question the reliability of Brazil's voting system. RISING CONSERVATIVE STARSStill, conservative powerbrokers allied with Bolsonaro are ready to reshuffle the deck for the next election cycle. He said a TSE decision to bar Bolsonaro from running would only boost the ex-president's political appeal. Any right-wing substitute could win with his endorsement, he added, while side-stepping the high rejection rates Bolsonaro faced as a candidate last year.

☆ Google's AI teams are experiencing a brain drain. Here's where its top researchers are now.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Thomas Maxwell | Hugh Langley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Top AI researchers have been leaving for startups where their work can have more impact. That frustration over Google's slow movement has been corroborated by other former Google researchers who spoke to Insider. Niki Parmar left Google Brain after five years to serve as a co-founder and CTO of Adept, though like Vaswani she recently left for a stealth startup. Lukasz Kaiser left Google Brain after over seven years to join OpenAI in 2021. Sharan Narang, another contributor to the T5 paper, left Google Brain in 2022 after four years.

☆ Ex-Google employees' A.I. chatbot startup valued at $1 billion after Andreessen Horowitz funding
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Jennifer Elias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Character.AI, an artificial intelligence start-up founded by two former Google employees, is capitalizing on venture capitalists' unquenchable thirst for deals in technology's hottest space. The two-year-old company said on Thursday that it raised $150 million at a $1 billion valuation in a funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz. Andreessen Horowitz has been a significant player in driving up prices in both markets. The firm announced a $4.5 billion crypto fund in mid-2022 as the digital currency market was in freefall. A year earlier, it added to its investment in audio app Clubhouse, valuing the early-stage startup at $4 billion.

March 23 (Reuters) - Character.AI has raised $150 million in a new funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz that valued the AI chatbot startup at $1 billion, and it's in talks with cloud providers for more strategic investment, the company told Reuters. The billion-dollar valuation for a company with zero revenue is another example of the continued AI funding boom since OpenAI's ChatGPT became a widely recognized name. AI investment in 2023 to date has surpassed the full-year amount in 2020 of $1.5 billion, according to PitchBook data. While not currently generating any revenue, Character.AI plans to launch a paid subscription "in the not distant future", while keeping the current free version available, Shazeer said. Founded in 2021 by former Google researchers Noam Shazeer and Daniel De Freitas, Character.AI had attracted backers including former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman.

☆ Spring training roundup: Max Fried stays unbeaten, Braves blank Twins
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Ozuna's home run -- his first of the spring -- came in the third inning and completed the scoring. Twins starter Kenta Maeda (0-1) gave up five runs (all earned) and five hits in four innings. For the Blue Jays, starter Alek Manoah (1-2) gave up one run and five hits in six innings. Rockies 7, Royals (split squad) 0 (six innings)German Marquez tossed five shutout innings as visiting Colorado blanked Kansas City in Las Vegas. Elehuris Montero and Michael Toglia went deep for the Rockies, while Matt Beaty doubled for the Royals' only extra-base hit.

☆ Two Google engineers built a ChatGPT-like AI chatbot years ago, but execs reportedly shut it down due to safety concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ex-Google engineers developed a conversational AI chatbot years ago, per The Wall Street Journal. Google is now racing to catch up with Microsoft's AI and plans to release its AI chatbot this year. "It caused a bit of a stir inside of Google," Shazeer said in an interview with investors Aarthi Ramamurthy and Sriram Krishnan last month. But Google's AI plans may now finally see the light of day, even as discussions around whether its chatbot can be responsibly launched continue. Alphabet chairman John Hennessy agreed that Google's chatbot wasn't "really ready for a product yet."

☆ How Google Became Cautious of AI and Gave Microsoft an Opening
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Miles Kruppa | Sam Schechner | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

More than two years ago, a pair of Google researchers started pushing the company to release a chatbot built on technology more powerful than anything else available at the time. The conversational computer program they had developed could confidently debate philosophy and banter about its favorite TV shows, while improvising puns about cows and horses. The researchers, Daniel De Freitas and Noam Shazeer , told colleagues that chatbots like theirs, supercharged by recent advances in artificial intelligence, would revolutionize the way people searched the internet and interacted with computers, according to people who heard the remarks.

☆ Sao Paulo govt to hire World Bank to study privatizing water utility
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Rodrigo Viga Gaier | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

RIO DE JANEIRO, March 3 (Reuters) - Sao Paulo's state government will hire the World Bank's International Finance Corporation (IFC) in the next few days for studies on the possible privatization of state water utility Sabesp (SBSP3.SA), Governor Tarcisio de Freitas said on Friday. "The privatization of Sabesp is a very complex matter," Tarcisio told Reuters after attending an event in Rio de Janeiro. Freitas said utility would only be privatized "if we reach the conclusion that we are going to increase efficiency, have upsides, reduce tariffs." "I think that all these objectives are possible and I understand that studies will show this," he said. The board of directors of Sao Paulo's state privatization program had earlier this week authorized the body to commission studies on Sabesp's possible privatization.

☆ Death toll from Brazil downpours hits 48, dozens still missing
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/7] Volunteers, firefighters, army officers and a civil guard carry the body of a woman who died at one of the landslide sites after severe rainfall at Barra do Sahy, in Sao Sebastiao, Brazil, February 22, 2023. REUTERS/Amanda PerobelliSAO PAULO, Feb 22 (Reuters) - The death toll from heavy rains that devastated coastal areas of Brazil's southeastern Sao Paulo state reached 48 people, official figures showed on Wednesday, but dozens were still missing as search and rescue efforts continued. The number of casualties rose from 46 reported a day earlier, the Sao Paulo state government said in a statement. The city of Sao Sebastiao, located some 200 km (124.3 miles) from Sao Paulo, bore the brunt of the human toll, with 47 of the reported deaths. The floods in coastal Sao Paulo state were the latest in a series of such disasters to recently strike Brazil, where shoddy construction, often on hillsides, can have tragic consequences during the country's rainy season.

☆ Death toll from devastating Brazil downpours rises to 44
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SAO PAULO, Feb 21 (Reuters) - The death toll from heavy rains that devastated coastal areas of Brazil's southeastern Sao Paulo state rose to 44 people, according to a state government statement on Tuesday. The city of Sao Sebastiao bore the brunt of the human toll, with 43 reported deaths. [1/5] Firefighters work to find victims in one of the landslides sites after severe rainfall at Barra do Sahy in Sao Sebastiao, Brazil, February 21, 2023. Sao Paulo state Governor Tarcisio de Freitas said the Navy would build a field hospital for victims starting Thursday. The deluge happened as tourists thronged to Brazil's beaches during the annual Carnival holiday, likely making the human toll much worse.

SAO SEBASTIAO, Brazil, Feb 20 (Reuters) - The death toll from devastating rainfall in southeastern Brazil rose to 40 on Monday, official figures showed, as President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva visited the region and said homes should no longer be built in areas at risk of landslides and major floods. Lula flew over the coastal town of Sao Sebastiao alongside Cabinet ministers and pledged to help rebuild the town of some 91,000 people by constructing new houses in safer places. "Sometimes nature takes us by surprise, but sometimes we also tempt nature," Lula said in a speech after meeting with Sao Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas and Sao Sebastiao Mayor Felipe Augusto to coordinate their response to the disaster. "I express my solidarity with the people of Sao Sebastiao and I hope this never happens again." [1/4] Landslides are seen after severe rainfall in Sao Sebastiao, Brazil, February 20, 2023.

☆ I'm a millennial advertising CEO and my Gen Z employees have taught me to lead with emotion first
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

I've worked as the CEO of my own advertising company since 2020, and my Gen Z employees have taught me a lot. I use a unique approach when giving constructive criticism to my Gen Z workers. When we first started, Wonderkind was made up of the exact target audience of a lot of brands — Gen Z and millennials. I spend a lot of time teaching my Gen Z employees one-on-one, but I would never change that because of the results. I've had Gen Z employees leave much earlier than I wanted, but I try to combat that by checking in frequently with my employees.

☆ Will We Blame Self-Driving Cars?
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Julian De Freitas | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

The autonomous vehicle (AV) industry has been promising for years that self-driving cars will be the future of transportation. But technological progress remains slow, and in recent months investors have shown signs of impatience. When Intel took its Mobileye car-technology unit public in October 2022, it was valued at $23 billion, dramatically lower than the company’s original expectation of $50 billion. One of the challenges facing the industry is trying to estimate how much liability AV firms will have for accidents involving their vehicles. As fully autonomous vehicles become more common, they will inevitably be involved in accidents.

☆ A Virginia bill would allow a pregnant driver to use the HOV lane by counting the fetus as a person, proving that despite recent failures the fight for fetal personhood is far from over
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A Virginia bill would grant a fetus personhood to permit a pregnant driver to use the high-occupancy lane. It follows a similar case where a Texas woman fought a traffic ticket for driving while pregnant in the HOV. The fight over fetal personhood is far from overIn October, the US Supreme Court declined an appeal on the question of whether fetuses have constitutional rights, according to Reuters. The movement to establish fetal personhood began in 1973 following the Roe decision, and US lawmakers were trying as early as 1983 to establish fetal personhood at the national level, according to ProPublica. As of now, Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, and Missouri have some kind of fetal personhood laws on the books, PBS and NPR-affiliate GPB News reported.

A Virginia bill would deem a pregnant person's fetus a passenger in a car, thereby allowing the vehicle to use the car pool lane on highways. Under the bill, the certifications would then be "linked" to toll collection devices — typically E-Z Passes — in vehicles. High occupancy lanes require drivers to have at least one passenger in their vehicles when they use the lanes. And by considering a pregnant person as two people — in this case, allowing a pregnant person to use an HOV lane — you're ultimately making it harder to uphold abortion rights, because you have essentially imbued a fetus with personhood," Nash added. Doug Ducey, a Republican, that included a provision, carried over from a 2021 law, that reproductive rights advocates say granted personhood to fetuses.

Companies Petroleo Brasileiro SA Petrobras FollowRIO DE JANEIRO, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Caio Paes de Andrade, the chief executive of Brazil's state-run oil firm Petrobras (PETR4.SA), has decided to resign before his term ends in April, but has not yet set a date for his departure, six sources told Reuters. Andrade's early exit would provide a pathway for leftist President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to quickly install his own choice to lead the company. Lula, a leftist former president, takes office on Jan. 1. Prates has previously said the incoming government will not have an interventionist stance on Petrobras. Petrobras had previously said Andrade had accepted an invitation from future Sao Paulo state Governor Tarcisio Freitas to join his team.

☆ The political and spiritual symbolism of Mauna Loa’s historic eruption
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Kimmy Yam | Kimmy Yam Is A Reporter For Nbc Asian America. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

For many in the Native Hawaiian community, it carried a larger cultural and political symbolism and a message to respect Indigenous communities and land. Many Native Hawaiians are drawing from their mythology around Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of fire and creator of the islands, to help assign meaning to the historic eruption. “You don’t have authority to shape our sacred lands.”The eruption, Ing said, “is Pelehonuamea saying, ‘They’re right. And Pele’s lava flow, ho’omanawanui said, is associated with a cleansing that the Native Hawaiian community receives with gratitude rather than fear. So now Pele is coming in.”The symbolism around the eruption can also be applied to another lasting colonial force on the island: the tourism industry, Ing said.

☆ Bolsonaro expected to end silence and speak about Brazil election
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRASILIA, Oct 31 (Reuters) - More than 20 hours after losing the election to his fierce leftist adversary, Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro has yet to say one word publicly, but he is expected to break his silence on Monday afternoon. Bolsonaro's unusual silence raised concerns that he was planning to contest the narrow victory by former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Sunday's runoff vote. International election observers and diplomats said they did not doubt that Brazil's democratic institutions will prevail. Time is running out to dispute the election result as many international leaders, political allies and high-profile supporters have already recognized Lula's victory. Reporting by Anthony Boadle and Ricardo Brito; Editing by Josie Kao and Alistair BellOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/5] A citizen of Brazil leaves a voting station after casting his vote for his country's election, in Lisbon, Portugal, October 30, 2022. Nearly 81,000 Brazilians in Portugal are eligible to vote, with more than half registered in Lisbon, according to consulate data. The queue to vote in Lisbon snaked around the city's law university, with divisions between voters on display. Several polls showed the race between them tightening in the final week, with Bolsonaro eroding a slight lead for Lula. Reporting by Catarina Demony, Miguel Pereira and Pedro Nunes; Editing by Philippa FletcherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Brazil's rural boomtowns ensure Bolsonarismo's future
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Gabriel Stargardter | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

REUTERS/Gabriel StargardterCATANDUVA, Brazil, Oct 28 (Reuters) - The small city of Catanduva in the rural farm belt of Sao Paulo state has been ahead of the political curve in Brazil. The residents of Catanduva, who have benefited from robust Chinese demand for Brazilian commodities, are now fully behind Bolsonaro. Since Sahao stepped down in 2005, the PT has spent nearly two decades locked out of power at Catanduva's city hall. Across Sao Paulo, countless PSDB mayors and state lawmakers have, like Father Oliveira of Catanduva, thrown in their lot with Bolsonaro. Bassitt, the farmer, said the conservative values of rural, small-town Brazil were now the driving force in national politics.

☆ Bolsonaro ally running for Sao Paulo governor says campaign event 'attacked'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SAO PAULO, Oct 17 (Reuters) - A close ally of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro running for governor of Sao Paulo, Tarcisio Freitas, said a campaign event was "attacked by criminals" on Monday in the Paraisopolis neighborhood of the state capital. Sao Paulo Public Security Secretary Joao Camilo Campos said that preliminary information suggested there had not been an attack targeting Freitas, although investigators had not ruled out any hypothesis. Officials confirmed a man was killed near the site of the campaign event, but provided no further details. During a visit to the 1st University Hub of Paraisopolis, we were attacked by criminals. Our security team was quickly reinforced with brilliant work by the @PMESP (Sao Paulo Military Police).

☆ 20 de astrofotografi de urmărit pe Instagram pentru doza zilnică de peisaje spațiale și cer înstelat
▼ + stars: | 2021-04-09 | by ( Onixmedia Srl | ) diez.md time to read: +2 min

20 de astrofotografi de urmărit pe Instagram pentru doza zilnică de peisaje spațiale și cer înstelatInstagram-ul este platforma perfectă pe care vă împărtășiți fotografiile, indiferent dacă sunteți nou în domeniul fotografiei sau v-ați petrecut viața cu aparatul de fotografiat la îndemână. Așadar, am selectat o serie de astrofotografi din ambele categorii, care sunt pasionați de capturarea peisajelor nocturne și a celor spațiale și pe care îi puteți urmări pentru a vedea zilnic fotografii care surprind fie Calea Lactee în detalii, fie cerul înstelat dint-un alt colț al lumii. Toate aceste lucruri, fotografiate în mod diferit de către fiecare dintre artiștii propuși. Derulați pentru a vedea 20 de astrofotografi pe care ați putea să îi urăriți pentru o doză zilnică de inspirație și frumusețe cosmică. Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram Публикация от Bettymaya Foott (@bettymaya.foott)Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram Публикация от Jorgelina | Astrofotógrafa (@astrolina_photography)Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram Публикация от Trevor Jones (@astrobackyard)Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram Публикация от Andrew McCarthy (@cosmic_background)Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram Публикация от Pablo Ruiz Garcia (@pablo.ruizgarcia)Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram Публикация от Photography – Thomas Kast (@thomaskast1)Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram Публикация от Michael Goh Perth photographer (@astrophotobear)Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram Публикация от Photographer Göran Strand (@astrofotografen)Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram Публикация от Sergey Korolev (@ksergart)Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram Публикация от Jason De Freitas (@jase.film)Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram Публикация от Navid Baraty (@navidbaraty)Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram Публикация от Dr.Nicholas Roemmelt│P H O T O (@nicholasroemmelt)Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram Публикация от Peter Zelinka (@petezelinka)Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram Публикация от LOFOTEN Adventure Photography (@giulio_cobianchi_photo)Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram Публикация от Cheryl Kerr (@cherylkerr58)Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram Публикация от Manish Mamtani (@mmamtani)Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram Публикация от Steve Raymond (@s.a._photo)Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram Публикация от Charles Bonafilia (@_ethereal_astro)Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram Публикация от Julio Castro Pardo (@juliocastropardo)

Persons: Trevor Jones, Andrew McCarthy, Pablo Ruiz Garcia, Thomas Kast, Michael Goh Perth, Jason De Freitas, Peter Zelinka, Cheryl Kerr, Steve Raymond, Charles Bonafilia, Julio Castro Organizations: Derulați, Strand Locations: Photography

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