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☆ Driving Lamborghini's new off-road supercar
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

I was driving a $380,000 Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato, and I couldn’t help laughing out loud. Lamborghini worked with Bridgestone to create tires using rubber similar to that on Lamborghini’s other performance tires, but with an off-road tread. The idea for it emerged while Lamborghini engineers and designers were having beers after a day driving off-road in a prototype of the Urus SUV. That was a lot of fun, they thought, but wouldn’t driving one of our all-wheel-drive supercars off-road be even better? Even those of us who can’t afford one should perhaps be glad the Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato exists.

☆ This little-known rule shapes parking in America. Cities are reversing it
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Approximately 2 billion parking spots cover the country, enough to pave over the entire state of Connecticut. Cities have built so much parking through a policy few people know: minimum parking requirements. Mandatory parking minimums helped shape the modern makeup of America cities. More parking spaces mean bigger parking lots. There are an estimated three to eight parking spots for every car in America.

☆ This Summer We’re Helping Scientists Track Birds. Join In.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( The New York Times | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +21 min

This Summer We’re Helping Scientists Track Birds. This data will help scientists understand better how birds are affected by forces like climate change and habitat loss. We’re obviously a little bit biased here, so I’m going to recommend the Merlin Bird ID app. Nearly half of all bird species worldwide are known or suspected to be in decline, and climate change could accelerate this trend. Look up past reports of that species on the eBird Species Map and zoom in on your city.

Persons: Mike McQuade, We’ll, Michelle Mildenberg Daryln Brewer Hoffstot, phoebe, Hoffstot, Indigo Goodson, “, Kirsten Luce, Alli Smith, Merlin, —, It’s, That’s, Andrew Spear, ”, Tom Auer, Mr, Auer, birders, James T, Tanner, Steven C, Latta, Chris Elphick, . Latta, Michaels, et, Christine Schuldheisz, Richard O ., Ivory, they’d, Mark, Elphick, there’s, ” Dr, eBird, I’m Organizations: Birds, Cornell, of Ornithology, The New York Times, New York Times, University of Connecticut, Credit, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Yale, Times, Cornell Lab, Walmart Locations: Pennsylvania, North America, Virginia, South America, Canada, Alaska, Louisiana, Pittsburgh, United States, Cuba, Arkansas, eBird

☆ Opinion: The banned Russian landmine with a deceptively poetic name
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Opinion Sasha Dovzhyk | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

A great deal of eeriness is due to the highly explosive Russian “petals.” “Petal” — or, “lepestok,” in Russian — is the poetic name of an internationally banned Russian-made anti-personnel landmine. The Russian wish for Ukraine appears to be death: to render Ukrainian land uninhabitable, to maim and kill those who live on it. But as one learns from Kataev’s tale, the Russian petals travel far and know no borders. In November, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that 200,000 hectares (almost 50,000 acres) of Ukrainian land were contaminated with unexploded mines and shells. The rusted remains of a tank in Sviatohirsk, Donetsk region, pictured during a PEN Ukraine trip in April 2023.

☆ Opinion | Against Despair: An Open Letter to Graduates
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Margaret Renkl | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

As you enter the world, remember, too, how beautiful this place is. It will make you feel better about the mess your species has made of things if you can find a way to help. Being in the wild world will make you feel better. I promise you will feel better. Fall in love with the wild world, and you are taking the first step toward saving it.

☆ A Banana Peel Has Made Me Question My Marriage. Who’s Right?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Kwame Anthony Appiah | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

What some may view as a minor event has become a real fault line in our marriage. While we were driving recently on the Massachusetts Turnpike and going highway speed in the middle lane, my husband opened the passenger-side window and tossed a banana peel into the road. My husband’s response was that the banana peel would biodegrade, and he said, “I’m an adult, so I’ll do as I want.” I responded that the peel wouldn’t biodegrade on asphalt. — Teresa, New York CityFrom the Ethicist:Tossing that banana peel out of the car window was wrong, for reasons that you expressed at the time, and for others too. The Ethicist agrees with me.”But this isn’t a story about the proper disposal of banana peels; in this matter, your husband is no longer claiming he’s in the right.

☆ Photos capture US special operators landing one of the Air Force's biggest planes on a Wyoming highway
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The event helped train the Air Force to use roads in case runways aren't an option. But that didn't stop the US Air Force from using the roads to land several aircraft — including one of its biggest planes. An MQ-9 Reaper with the 2nd Special Operations Squadron lands on Highway 287 during Exercise Agile Chariot near Rawlins, Wyoming, April 30, 2023. Air Force planes — including the MC-130J and Warthog — have landed on stretches of highway in recent years in places like Michigan, Latvia, and Sweden. And the Air Force Special Operations Command has even explored modifications to the MC-130J to allow it to land in water.

☆ A lawyer-turned-fighter codenamed 'Witch' has gained viral fame defending Ukraine as a mortar commander in the fiercest battlefronts of the war
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Mortar platoon commander Olga Bigar is better known in Ukraine by her callsign "Witch." Junior Lieutenant mortar platoon commander Olga Bigar of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces. A baptism of fireJunior Lieutenant mortar platoon commander Olga Bigar of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces. Junior Lieutenant mortar platoon commander Olga Bigar of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces. Junior Lieutenant mortar platoon commander Olga Bigar of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces.

☆ Opinion | American Road Deaths Show an Alarming Racial Gap
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Adam Paul Susaneck | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +15 min

The year before, pedestrian deaths reached a 40-year high. Pedestrian and cyclist injuries tend to be concentrated in poorer neighborhoods that have a larger share of Black and Hispanic residents. Roosevelt Boulevard North Philly High Injury Network West Philly 3 miles Percent Black and Hispanic 20 40 60 80% Washington D.C. Oslo and Helsinki, which adopted Vision Zero in the 1990s, recorded zero traffic deaths in 2019, and Helsinki had just two pedestrian deaths in 2021. In Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Washington, pedestrian deaths have actually risen since the adoption of Vision Zero.

☆ Fact Check-Image of Egyptian soldiers running on road dates to at least 2021, is not related to 2023 clashes in Sudan
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

An image of Egyptian soldiers running is being falsely portrayed online as showing them fleeing April 2023 clashes in Sudan. “Egyptian forces escaped Merowi. An online image search reveals that the photo predates the violence. According to Egypt’s State Information Service, the photo shows Egyptian soldiers taking part in cross-country exercise and is unrelated to Sudan (here ). Egyptian authorities say the photo shows soldiers participating in cross-country exercise.

☆ ‘World’s longest’ purpose-built cycling tunnel opens in Norway
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Maureen O'Hare | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

A three-kilometer-long (1.8-mile) cycling and pedestrian tunnel has been blasted through the base of Løvstakken mountain and its makers say it’s the longest purpose-built tunnel of its kind. Ronny Turøy/Bybanen UtbyggingIt takes a little under 10 minutes to whizz through the tunnel by bike and around 40 if strolling by foot. “This makes it more pleasant to use than if one would just walk on asphalt.”The tunnel was constructed in parallel with a new tram line. NCC/Bybanen UtbyggingThe new tunnel came about as a byproduct of Bergen’s second Bybanen tram line, which opened in November 2022. The tram line through the mountain required a parallel evacuation tunnel, so the developers decided to make the new tunnel multipurpose.

☆ The glut of parking spaces in the US is driving up housing costs and hurting the environment
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Devoting this much land to parking makes housing more expensive and hurts the environment. Removing some of our parking could boost our quality of life, according to a former Google exec. All this parking is a burden on our environment, government budgets, affordable housing, and, ultimately, quality of life, Poskey said. He pointed to onerous parking requirements as a reason for the country's lack of affordable housing. Areas of Plano, Texas; Springfield, Massachusetts; and New Orleans with a mix of commercial buildings and stores accounted for 3% of those cities' land but 40% of their jobs, the Brookings Institution found.

☆ America's Parking Addiction Hurts the Economy, Drives up Housing Costs
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Jeral Poskey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

A society committed to housing and feeding its people will ensure plenty of land is dedicated to homes and farms. According to the builder WGI, the average parking stall in the US costs $27,900 to build, more than the cost of many new compact cars. The money and resources dedicated to parking could be used for other purposes, but breaking our country's reliance on parking has been difficult. Parking accounted for about 27% of per-unit costs, regardless of whether the resident owned a car or not. Better transportation, better land use, better citiesEfforts are underway to finally rid America of its unhealthy devotion to parking.

☆ US firm says Mexican authorities illegally seized its port terminal
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Sarah Morland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] A sign reading "Closure" hangs on a fence at the entrance of the limestone mining by Vulcan Materials in Calica, in Quintana Roo state, Mexico May 6, 2022. Mexico's government on Friday ordered a halt to Vulcan Materials, a producer of gravel and crushed stone, citing environmental concerns and provoking the U.S.-based firm to say it will take legal action to restart operations in Playa del Carmen. REUTERS/Paola ChiomanteMEXICO CITY, March 20 (Reuters) - U.S. construction materials company Vulcan Materials (VMC.N) said on Monday Mexican security forces illegally took possession last week of its port terminal in southern Mexico, amid an extended lawsuit over its nearby limestone mining activities. It follows a 5-year fight with the Mexican government over Vulcan's concessions punctuated by sharp criticism from the country's president last year. Vulcan declined to say how last week's action was illegal or who is currently in control of its terminal.

☆ EU adopts fresh sanctions to raise pressure on Moscow
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"We now have the most far-reaching sanctions ever - depleting Russia's war arsenal and biting deep into its economy," European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said on Twitter, adding the bloc was turning up the pressure on those trying to circumvent EU sanctions. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned the bloc would continue to pile more sanctions on Moscow. It also imposes tighter export restrictions on another 96 entities for supporting Russia's military and industrial complex, including for the first time seven Iranian entities manufacturing military drones used by Moscow. We expect decisive steps against (Russia's state-owned nuclear energy company) Rosatom & Russian nuclear industry, more pressure on military & banking," Zelenskiy tweeted. "We expect further intensification of pressure and restrictions, especially in the area of the nuclear industry and the activities of Rosatom," Shmyhal said in tweet.

☆ Russian banks and invasion leaders in focus as EU debates new sanctions
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Gabriela Baczynska | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Russia's President Vladimir Putin and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen meet on sideline of the Libya summit in Berlin, Germany January 19, 2020. "We will impose sanctions on a number of politicians and military leaders," the head of EU executive European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said last week after a summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. "We will target (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's propagandists because their lies are poisoning the public space in Russia and abroad." This will further starve Russia's military machine and continue to shake the foundation of its economy," she said. The Commission also put forward further restrictions on European joint ventures with Russia and Russian nationals sitting on boards in Europe, they added.

☆ Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra hands-on and how to preorder
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Mike Andronico | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The S23 Ultra seems like a conservative upgrade on the surface, cramming a faster processor and some quality-of-life updates into a familiar design. Here’s what we think about the Galaxy S23 Ultra after getting our hands on one for a few hours. Galaxy S23 Ultra price and preordersThe Galaxy S23 Ultra is available for preorder now starting at $1,200 with 256GB of storage and in your choice of Phantom Black, Cream, Green or Lavender, with units set to ship on Feb. 17. Same slick design with a wild new cameraMike Andronico/CNNWe wouldn’t blame you for mistaking the Galaxy S23 Ultra for last year’s model at a quick glance. Just like its predecessor, the S23 Ultra feels great to hold, with flat edges that give it some extra grip over the curvier S23 and S23+.

☆ How did Memphis medical workers respond to Tyre Nichols after police beating?
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Over the next few minutes, officers brutally beat Nichols; several officers punch him and kick him in the head and he is hit with a baton. 8:38 p.m.His beating at the second scene over, Nichols is dragged across the asphalt to sit propped up against a patrol car, hands apparently cuffed behind him. The two fire department EMTs arrive with bags, which they place on the ground; their driver remains in the vehicle, the department said. The requested ambulance arrives, according to the fire department account, about 17 minutes after officers stopped their beating of Nichols. Medical workers can be seen tending to Nichols as he is propped up against the police car.

☆ Factbox: Sequence of events in Memphis police beating of Tyre Nichols
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Jan 27 (Reuters) - Memphis police beat, tased, kicked and batoned Tyre Nichols during a Jan. 7 traffic stop, video released on Friday shows. The officers push Nichols to the ground while yelling at him to comply. Nichols says, "All right, I'm on the ground ... Stop, stop ... You guys are really doing a lot right now. There is no video of Nichols during this time, when apparently two officers catch up to Nichols and attempt to detain him. One officer punches Nichols at least five times in the head while two others hold him up.

☆ VCs have swapped out tennis rackets and golf clubs for pickleball paddles. Here's why the sport has become one of the hottest hobbies in Silicon Valley.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Stephanie Palazzolo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Pickleball has exploded in popularity in recent years, becoming America's fastest-growing sport. From building relationships to escaping stress, here's why VCs are obsessed with the sport. In the background, pop music floated through the air as the group prepared for a trying battle of wits and athletic prowess — pickleball. Once reserved for the quiet neighborhoods of suburbs and 55-plus retirement communities, pickleball has exploded onto the tech and VC scene in recent years, investors say. A networking toolAnd other aspects of the sport make it an ideal pick for a hobby or networking tool, VCs added.

☆ California is emerging from a 'parade of storms' with recovery efforts across a ravaged state
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Evan Bush | Evan Bush Is A Science Reporter For Nbc News. He Can Be Reached At Evan.Bush Nbcuni.Com. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

California's snowpack is on pace for a remarkable season after nearly three weeks of atmospheric river storms pummeled California with heavy precipitation. California has had nine atmospheric river storms since Christmas, Anderson said. "We're finally getting through the parade of storms," Anderson said. Meantime, a mudslide closed part of State Route 13 in the Oakland area, the state Transportation Department said. It expected it could take as long as three weeks to clear the road and up to six months for repairs.

Note that credit card lenders may use many different variations of credit score models when considering your application. Note that credit card lenders may use many different variations of credit score models when considering your application. Review: Citi Double Cash card reviewBest credit cards for home improvement frequently asked questions (FAQ)What is the best credit card for home improvement? There really is no "best" credit card for home renovation that covers every situation. You can almost always pay for home renovations with a credit card — however, the above scenarios we've examined are pricey.

☆ I've driven 15 different electric cars this year — these are the 3 I'd buy (if I was rich)
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

My three favorites were the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Rivian R1S, and Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo. The Hyundai Ioniq 5The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Limited AWD. The Porsche Taycan Cross TurismoThe 2022 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo Turbo S. Tim Levin/InsiderThe Taycan Cross Turismo is Porsche's totally badass electric station wagon. The Taycan Cross Turismo showed me why the German brand has been the poster child of impeccable driving dynamics for decades. The Taycan Cross Turismo starts at $97,700, $11,000 more than the regular Taycan sedan.

☆ Free for a month, Ukraine's Kherson still toils to clear Russian traps
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

An elderly woman looks at damaged caused by overnight Russian shelling of a residential building on Dec. 1, 2022 in Kherson, Ukraine. Sunday marks exactly one month since Russia's troops withdrew from Kherson and its vicinity after an eight-month occupation, sparking jubilation across Ukraine. The regional administration said Saturday that shelling over the past month has killed 41 people, including a child, in Kherson, and 96 were hospitalized. When aid trucks arrived a month ago, war-weary and desperate residents flocked to the central Svoboda (Freedom) Square for food and supplies. Longer-term questions remain: Kherson sits in an agricultural region that produces crops as diverse as wheat, tomatoes, and watermelon — a regional symbol.

The Biden administration last week authorized Chevron to expand operations in Venezuela and resume taking prized heavy crude to the United States. Valero Energy Corp (VLO.N), PBF Energy (PBF.N) and Citgo Petroleum have shown interest in getting access to the oil Chevron is expecting in coming weeks, according to the people. No Venezuelan oil officially has been allocated to Chevron yet and no chartering contracts have been signed to transport cargoes to the United States, according to Venezuelan export schedules and Refinitiv freight data. Valero, PBF and other U.S. independent refiners would not need any new authorization to buy Venezuelan oil from Chevron. The primary effect will be to allow some Venezuelan oil to flow back to the United States, "which will help the U.S. refining system," Wirth said.

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