DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWhy it is taking California so long to complete its high-speed railIn 2008, California voted yes to build the nation's first high-speed railway. The plan is to build an electric train that will connect Los Angeles and San Francisco in two hours and forty minutes. But 15 years later, there is not a single mile of track laid, and there isn't enough money to finish the project. The latest estimates show it will cost up to $128 billion to complete the entire system from LA to San Francisco. But progress has been made and construction is well underway.

☆ Wisconsin lawmaker from the city where a teacher was suspended for playing Miley Cyrus' 'Rainbowland' now wants to make it so that teachers can be sued for 'obscene' books
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Wisconsin lawmakers introduced a bill that would allow parents to sue teachers over "obscene" books. In April, the district suspended a teacher who played the song "Rainbowland," which is about acceptance. The first bill recommends that the state strip school employees and teachers of their protections against prosecution for "displaying obscene material," the release says. The other bill would prohibit the use of public funds to purchase "obscene material." In April, the Waukesha School District suspended Melissa Tempel after she included "Rainbowland," as part of a planned performance with her first-grade class.

With 4.5 billion passenger trips taken each year and more than 16 million planes taking off in the U.S. every year, aircraft are responsible for 2.5% of global CO2 emissions, and the problem is growing. One proposed solution rivals the power of fossil fuels without the emissions — hydrogen. Aircraft giant Airbus is exploring the technology, as are startups ZeroAvia and Universal Hydrogen. CNBC explores hydrogen planes and whether they could fix aviation's emissions problem.

☆ Why Airbus and others are betting on hydrogen-powered planes instead of electric planes
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Andrew Evers | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

One proposed solution rivals the power of fossil fuels without the emissions — hydrogen. "Airbus has been looking at hydrogen for a long time and recently, within the last years, has increased that focus. Airbus announced concept designs for several zero-emission, hydrogen-powered planes in 2020 and intends to test a hydrogen engine on an A380 in 2026. Two startups, ZeroAvia and Universal Hydrogen, are also pursuing hydrogen-powered aircraft. Both have recently completed test flights with regional-sized planes and are hoping to enter the market by 2025.

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailHow sodium-ion technology will compete with lithium-ion batteriesSodium-ion batteries have a similar design to their lithium-ion counterparts and can be manufactured using related methods. Sodium-ion batteries can't provide the type of range for electric vehicles offered by lithium-ion batteries, but they do present some unique advantages. For instance, the materials used in sodium-ion batteries tend to be cheaper than those in lithium batteries. CNBC spoke to two such companies, Natron Energy and Faradion, that are looking to commercialize the technology.

☆ 2 Wisconsin Republicans want 14-year-olds to be allowed to serve alcohol in restaurants
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

New proposed legislation would make it legal for kids as young as 14 to serve alcohol in Wisconsin. The move comes amid a seeming broader push by Republicans nationwide to roll back child labor laws. In the memo this week, Stafsholt and Green cited "workforce issues" stemming from underage employees only being allowed to do "part of their job," if they aren't allowed to serve alcohol, according to the outlet. A wide-reaching Iowa bill would allow 16 and 17-year-olds to serve alcohol in restaurants as long as their parent signs off on it. Only two other states in the country — Maine and West Virginia — allow teenagers that age to to serve alcohol, according to The National Institutes of Health.

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailHow autonomous inventory robots could save retailers billionsOutfitted with cameras and sensors, autonomous inventory robots can verify price signs and look for out-of-stock items. Inventory is one of the biggest challenges retailers face. Missed sales from empty shelves and out-of-stock items cost U.S. retailers $82 billion in 2021, according to NielsenIQ. But an army of inventory robots is being deployed that could help retailers appease angry customers, boost sales and respond to the ongoing worker shortage.

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailHow silicon could enable cheaper EVs, electric flight and more powerful batteriesLithium-ion battery performance has reached a plateau in recent years, but a breakthrough in battery technology is about to change that. Using silicon instead of graphite, the commonly used material in battery anodes today, enables significantly higher energy density and faster charging. The new tech has attracted the attention of big players such as GM, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz and Airbus. CNBC spoke with Sila, Amprius and Group14 to learn how the new batteries will transform EVs and more.

☆ Why Porsche, Mercedes and GM are betting on silicon-anode batteries
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Andrew Evers | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Batteries made with silicon instead of graphite — the commonly used material in battery anodes today — have been shown to enable significantly higher energy density and faster charging. Amprius is already working with Airbus , the U.S. Army, AeroVironment and BAE Systems on early iterations of its silicon-anode batteries. Sila Nanotechnologies, which was started by a group of ex-Tesla battery engineers, is also working on silicon-anode technology. Porsche also plans to use silicon-anode technology in its vehicles, and has invested in Washington state-based Group14 Technologies. Watch the video to learn more about silicon-anode batteries and why the auto industry is betting on them.

☆ What is a red flag warning? What to know as fire weather conditions affect more parts of the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Chris Panella | Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Here's what to know when you see a red flag warning in your area, and how to protect yourself. Red flag warnings indicate dry, arid weather and strong wind conditions that increase the possibility of dangerous wildfires. One map shared on Twitter by climate reporter Dave Levitan shows the latest range of red flag warnings stretching from New Mexico to Massachusetts. Be careful with cigarettes during a red flag warning. Lastly, the NWS has some basic guidelines to avoid igniting fires during a red flag warning:

☆ Why Paris is one of the few cities in the world banning rental e-scooters
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-09 | by ( Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Transportation experts say the Paris ban doesn't necessarily mean much for the growth of micromobility. The diverging approaches to rental e-scooters by major cities around the world reflects the technology's chaotic rollout over the last few years and an inability for cities to keep up with sufficient regulations, experts say. Either way, experts say the regulatory environment in Paris and many other places just hasn't been able to keep up. Transportation experts say Paris' ban isn't necessarily reflective of how the public in that city — or any — feels about e-scooters. Despite the setback in Paris, transportation experts say electric vehicles of all sorts, from e-scooters, to e-bikes, to electric buses, are the future of transport in cities around the world.

April 4 (Reuters) - Wisconsin voters on Tuesday elected liberal Janet Protasiewicz to the state Supreme Court, flipping control to a liberal majority ahead of rulings on an abortion ban and other matters that could play a role in the 2024 presidential election. But it was abortion that dominated the campaign, with the court expected in the coming months to decide whether to uphold the state's 1849 abortion ban. That law took effect after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision last year to eliminate a nationwide right to abortion. [1/7] Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Janet Protasiewicz celebrates after the race was called for her during her election night watch party in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., April 4, 2023. Republicans portrayed Protasiewicz as soft on crime and said she would use the court to advance a liberal agenda, regardless of the law.

☆ With abortion in the balance, Wisconsin voters to choose new high court judge
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Joseph Ax | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/9] Supporters of Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Daniel Kelly cheer during a campaign event the night before Wisconsin's Supreme Court election, in Waukesha, Wisconsin, U.S., April 3, 2023. Abortion has dominated the campaign, with the court expected in the coming months to decide whether to uphold the state's 1849 abortion ban. The state's Democratic attorney general, Josh Kaul, has challenged the statute's validity in a lawsuit backed by Democratic Governor Tony Evers. "Judges are supposed to wear a black robe, but she's made clear she'll be wearing a blue robe," said Mark Jefferson, the state Republican chair. "What we are seeing in this race is an indication that this is a new era for state Supreme Court elections," he said.

☆ Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on how his big bet on A.I. is finally paying off
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( Katie Tarasov | Andrew Evers | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailNvidia CEO Jensen Huang on how his big bet on A.I. is finally paying offAhead of this year's Nvidia GTC developer conference, CNBC sat down with founder and CEO Jensen Huang to talk about ChatGPT, gaming, the omniverse, and what's next. In this full interview, Huang takes us on the journey of Nvidia, from its early days in a condo to the dominant player in GPUs, gaming, and now A, which is a major focus of GTC this year. Huang also talks about how he handled China export controls, and geopolitical tensions swirling around Taiwan where most of its chips are made.

☆ How Nvidia grew from gaming to A.I. giant now powering ChatGPT
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Katie Tarasov | Andrew Evers | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailNvidia expanded from gaming into A.I. Now the big bet is paying off as its chips power ChatGPTThirty years ago, Jensen Huang founded Nvidia with the dream of revolutionizing gaming with 3D graphics. Then Jensen bet the company on something entirely different: AI. Now, that bet is paying off in a big way as Nvidia's A100 chips quickly become the coveted training engines for ChatGPT. Here's how Nvidia is handling U.S.-China trade tensions and making more big bets.

☆ Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's bet big on A.I. is paying off as his core technology powers ChatGPT
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Katie Tarasov | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

As the engine behind large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Nvidia is finally reaping rewards for its early investment in AI. Nvidia counts on China for about one-quarter of its revenue, including sales of its popular AI chip, the A100. Nvidia Founder and CEO Jensen Huang shows CNBC's Katie Tarasov a Hopper H100 SXM module in Santa Clara, CA, on February 9, 2023. Nvidia founders Curtis Priem, Jensen Huang and Chris Malachowsky pose at the company's Santa Clara, California, headquarters in 2020. "We invented this new way of doing computer graphics, ray tracing, basically simulating the pathways of light and simulate everything with generative AI.

☆ Liberal, conservative advance in Wisconsin Supreme Court race with abortion rights at stake
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Joseph Ax | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Former state Supreme Court Justice Daniel Kelly, a staunch conservative who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump when he ran unsuccessfully for re-election in 2020, took second place, the AP projected. With a Democratic governor, Tony Evers, and a Republican-majority legislature often at loggerheads, the state Supreme Court's 4-3 conservative majority has issued a string of decisions that typically favored Republicans. But a conservative justice is leaving the bench this year, putting the political leaning of the court in question. Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul filed a lawsuit claiming the statute is invalid - a case eventually headed for the state Supreme Court. A new liberal majority could also revisit other statutes, such as laws requiring voter identification, permitting concealed carry of firearms and weakening public sector unions.

☆ Abortion rights at stake in Wisconsin Supreme Court election
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Joseph Ax | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Feb 21 (Reuters) - Wisconsin voters on Tuesday will decide which state Supreme Court candidates will advance to an April election that carries profound consequences for abortion rights, control of the state government and the 2024 presidential election. And the justices could issue election law rulings that affect the outcome of the 2024 presidential race, when Wisconsin is expected to be a swing state. The contest already ranks among the most expensive state supreme court races in history, according to Douglas Keith, an attorney at New York University's Brennan Center for Justice who tracks spending on judicial elections. Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul filed a lawsuit claiming the statute is invalid - a case eventually headed for the state Supreme Court. "This is Wisconsin's Roe moment," said Gracie Skogman, a spokesperson for Wisconsin Right to Life, which is backing the conservative candidates.

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailThe Tesla Semi is finally hereFive years after Elon Musk first announced the Tesla Semi, it's finally hitting roads. CNBC visited Pepsi's Frito-Lay facility in Modesto, California, where it is using the new electric trucks, to see whether the Semis live up to the hype.

☆ Elon Musk promised a lot with the Tesla Semi. Here's how it stacks up now that it's finally here
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Andrew Evers | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

First announced by Elon Musk in 2017, the Tesla Semi has been one of the longest-delayed products in the company's history. But the new electric truck is finally here, with PepsiCo being the first customer to receive some of the 100 vehicles it pre-ordered. Pepsi declined to say whether it had pressed the trucks to test if they have the full 500-mile range Musk promised. The Tesla Semis there are the latest additions to the company's fleet of more than 80,000 vehicles. Watch the video to learn more about PepsiCo's Tesla Semis and whether they live up to the hype.

☆ How these new electric aircrafts could disrupt the $49 billion helicopter industry
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Andrew Evers | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Vertical lift aircraft have existed for more than a century in the form of helicopters. But the $49 billion industry faces a rapidly emerging threat. An estimated 200 companies are working to build electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles (eVTOLs), a new type of small passenger aircraft designed for transportation within congested urban environments. "The electrification makes the aircraft safer. Safer aircraft also becomes less costly to maintain."

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWhy United Airlines-backed Archer Aviation thinks eVTOLs could replace helicoptersWith an estimated 200 companies working on them, eVTOLs are taking the aviation industry by storm. And while vertical lift aircraft have existed for more than a century in the form of helicopters, eVTOLs could disrupt the $49 billion industry in certain segments due to their cheaper maintenance and operating costs. CNBC spoke with one startup, Archer Aviation, which is backed by United Airlines, about why these new aircraft could change how people travel.

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailMeet the robots replacing fast-food workersU.S. fast food eateries are struggling to find workers. To fill that void restaurants are turning to robots. With its mechanical arm and using computer vision technology Miso Robotics' Flippy 2 can cook everything from french fries and onion rings to cheese sticks. White Castle said it plans to add 100 Flippy's to its kitchens' nationwide. Automation could save U.S. fast food restaurants over $12 billion in annual wages, according to restaurant consultancy Aaron Allen & Associates.

☆ Wisconsin Republicans block 'conversion therapy' ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

Wisconsin Republicans voted Thursday to again allow therapists, social workers and counselors to try to change LGBTQ clients’ gender identities and sexual orientations — a discredited practice known as conversion therapy. A ban on conversion therapy was passed in 2020 by a state board within the Democratic governor’s administration overseeing licensing for mental health professionals. At least 20 states and the District of Columbia have outlawed conversion therapy for minors, according to the Movement Advancement Project, a pro-LGBTQ rights think tank. He said that’s all that’s at issue, not whether conversion therapy is morally or ethically right or wrong. “(The ban on conversion therapy) is necessary to protect the mental health of children in our state,” Herstand said.

☆ Wisconsin governor bans TikTok from state devices on security concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 12 (Reuters) - Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers on Thursday signed an order banning TikTok on government-owned and managed devices due to cyber security concerns, joining other states and the federal government in prohibiting the use of the popular video app. In addition to banning Chinese-owned TikTok from state devices, the Democratic governor said he is was banning vendors, products and services from nine companies, including Huawei Technologies, Hikvision (002415.SZ), Tencent Holdings (0700.HK), ZTE Corporation (000063.SZ) and Kaspersky Lab. More than 20 other states have also banned TikTok from state devices including Ohio, New Jersey and Arkansas earlier this week. Republican governors have led the charge to ban TikTok from state devices and some Democratic governors have been slower to do so. Calls to ban TikTok from government devices gained steam after U.S. FBI Director Christopher Wray said in November it poses national security risks.

Search resuls for: "Evers"

25 mentions found