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☆ Ethics panel admonishes Graham for soliciting campaign donations during interview in Senate building
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Ryan Nobles | Zoë Richards | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Senate Ethics Committee said Thursday that Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., violated Senate rules during a Fox News appearance last year when he requested donations for Hershel Walker's Senate campaign in Georgia. It is against Senate rules to seek campaign donations in a federal building. In its letter, the ethics panel issued an "admonishment" but opted not to sanction Graham. The panel also said Graham was a repeat offender, noting that he had asked for donations in an impromptu media interview in the Dirksen Senate Office Building in October 2020. "In response to a reporter's question regarding your reelection campaign fundraising, you directly solicited campaign contributions for your campaign committee," Coons and Lankford wrote.

☆ Mistakes by the US's top spies allowed China to turn a deadly mid-air collision into an intelligence coup
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( James Bamford | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +36 min

On April 1, 2001, a US EP-3 spy plane collided with a Chinese fighter jet over the South China Sea. One of eleven left in the fleet, the tired 1960s-era spy plane bristled with porcupine-like antennas. Within minutes, however, the fighters had reached the lumbering spy plane, and while Zhao Yu hung back about a half-mile, Wang Wei rapidly closed in. In severe trouble, he immediately radioed the base, telling them he was unable to maneuver and being sucked in by the spy plane. "You are not allowed aboard the aircraft," Osborn said.

☆ AI love: What happens when your chatbot stops loving you back
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( Anna Tong | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

He designed a female avatar with pink hair and a face tattoo, and she named herself Lily Rose. As their three-year digital love affair blossomed, Butterworth said he and Lily Rose often engaged in role play. Sometimes Lily Rose sent him "selfies" of her nearly nude body in provocative poses. Now, when Replika users suggest X-rated activity, its humanlike chatbots text back "Let's do something we're both comfortable with." The coquettish-turned-cold persona of Lily Rose is the handiwork of generative AI technology, which relies on algorithms to create text and images.

☆ Volkswagen sees no sign of forced labor at its plant in Xinjiang
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Volkswagen faced a barrage of criticism from campaigners Tuesday after the head of its Chinese business said he saw no sign of forced labor during a visit to the carmaker’s plant in Xinjiang. Activists and an international group of lawmakers said verifying labor standards in the region was impossible. Rights groups have documented human rights abuses in Xinjiang since the 2000s, including mass forced labor in detention camps which the United Nations said could constitute crimes against humanity. Brandstaetter said he saw no signs of forced labor and that workers’ comments matched the reports Volkswagen had received from SAIC about the plant. Reputational riskVolkswagen says it has never found evidence of forced labor among its Xinjiang workforce and its presence is positive for the local population.

☆ Companies Are Slow to Adopt Robot-Operated ‘Dark’ Warehouses
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Liz Young | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +5 min

More companies are exploring ways to staff warehouses with robots but may have to wait a few years for the technology to catch up. It makes the automation much easier to justify,” said Sean Wallingford, president and chief executive of the Americas region for warehouse technology company Swisslog Holding AG. A robotic arm picks and packs orders at online pharmacy company Apo.com’s automated warehouse in the Netherlands. Photo: RIGHTHAND ROBOTICSAbout 20% of warehouses in 2022 used some form of robotics, up from 15% in 2018, according to research firm Interact Analysis. Mr. Jensen said the company made changes after the first fire in 2019, limiting damage from later fires.

☆ ChatGPT is for suckers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Adam Rogers | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Chatbots are bullshit engines built to say things with incontrovertible certainty and a complete lack of expertise. What is it that makes human beings trust a machine we know is untrustworthy? After millennia of debate, the world's leading philosophers, psychologists, and neuroscientists haven't even agreed on a mechanism for why people come to believe things, or what beliefs even are. We want Google results to be true, because we think of Google as a trusted arbiter, if not an authority. The power of storyAnother possible explanation of why we're suckers for chatbots is that we're suckers for explanation.

☆ Tesla or Ford? Analysts name their favorite stock as the EV race heats up
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Weizhen Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Ford's EV sales – currently at 3.6% of its monthly total sales – have been a major focus of Wall Street. Amid talk of an EV pricing war , who will win: Tesla, or Ford? Ford Bank of America in a Jan. 30 note called both Ford and Tesla's decision to cut prices "odd." Tesla Most analysts seem to be more optimistic on Tesla at present. For Tesla, analysts have an average price target upside of 1.8%, and 65% have a buy rating on the stock.

☆ Parents of Tyre Nichols invited to State of the Union address after public outcry following his death: 'Law enforcement has an obligation to do its job'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The parents of Tyre Nichols are invited to next week's presidential State of the Union address. Rep. Steven Horsford of Nevada, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, extended the invitation. Rep. Steven Horsford of Nevada, the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, extended the invitation to Nichols' grieving parents. "Everyone should agree people should be safe, safe in our communities and law enforcement has an obligation to do its job," Horsford told host Rev. Reuters reported the war in Ukraine is expected to be a prevalent topic in the annual speech, but Nichols' death has reignited national protests and political conversation about police accountability and reform that may also be highlighted.

☆ Republicans are mostly ignoring a $9.4 million sexual assault lawsuit against the Trump-aligned head of CPAC
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

A GOP staffer accused CPAC head Matt Schlapp of sexually assaulting him, filing a $9.4 million lawsuit. A screenshot of the staffer's texts with Matt Schlapp on the morning after the assault on October 20, 2022. "I had a private life before Matt Schlapp, and I want to have that life post-Matt Schlapp," he said. "Those are simply allegations, and I'm not going to comment on them," said Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee. "All matters pertaining to CPAC, I leave to CPAC internally," he said when asked if Matt Schlapp should remain atop the organization.

They had hoped to represent a much larger class of artists who filed termination notices with UMG. A provision of U.S. copyright law allows artists to terminate agreements to transfer their copyrights and reclaim them after decades in some circumstances. Kaplan said Friday that the musicians could not represent a broader class of artists who sent termination notices to UMG with effective dates between 2013 and 2031. A related lawsuit filed against Sony Music by musicians including former New York Dolls singer David Johansen has been paused since 2021 for settlement discussions. The UMG case is Waite v. UMG Recordings Inc, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, No.

The future of the Saarlouis site has been unclear since last June when Ford picked a site in Spain to assemble its next-generation electric vehicle (EV) over the German plant, which will stop producing its current model, the Ford Focus, from 2025. Separately, union representatives for Ford's largest German site in Cologne will meet with Ford's management on Saturday to negotiate on planned job cuts across Europe announced by management to workers on Monday. Management figures presented a worst-case scenario to 12,000 workers in a packed assembly hall of up to 2,500 job cuts in product development and a further 700 in administration. The carmaker has committed to an all-electric lineup in Europe by 2030 and its U.S. leadership has repeatedly flagged that EVs require less labour. Reporting by Victoria Waldersee and Christina Amann; Editing by Paul Carrel, Alexander Smith and Andrea RicciOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

At a separate meeting between management and workers representatives, Ford said it was planning a reduction of 65% in development jobs and around 20% in administrative jobs in Europe, a spokesperson for IG Metall said. We will not hold back from measures that could seriously impact the company not just in Germany but Europe-wide," IG Metall said. Ford of Europe produces, sells and services Ford brand vehicles in 50 markets, employing around 45,000 people at its own facilities and consolidated joint ventures, according to its website. The U.S. carmaker has committed to selling exclusively electric passenger cars in Europe by 2030, and is planning three new electric passenger vehicles and four new electric commercial vehicles in Europe by 2024. Writing by Rachel More and Victoria Waldersee; editing by Matthias Williams and Louise HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Ford plans 3,200 job cuts in Europe as it moves some work to the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Berlin Reuters —Ford plans to cut 3,200 jobs across Europe and move some product development work to the United States, Germany’s IG Metall union said on Monday, vowing action that would disrupt the carmaker across the continent if the cuts go ahead. Ford (F) wants to axe 2,500 jobs in product development and a further 700 in administrative roles, with German locations most affected, IG Metall said. Ford of Europe produces, sells and services Ford brand vehicles in 50 markets, employing around 45,000 people at its own facilities and consolidated joint ventures, according to its website. “If negotiations between the works council and management in coming weeks do not ensure the future of workers, we will join the process. We will not hold back from measures that could seriously impact the company not just in Germany but Europe-wide,” IG Metall said.

☆ Electric cars are killing the car dealership as we know it
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Nora Naughton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The dealership model, in which retailers buy from automakers and sell vehicles to consumers, has been protected for nearly a century by robust franchise laws. Thanks to the disruption caused by EVs, car shoppers of all kinds can expect to spend less time wandering dealership lots, talking with salespeople, and haggling over pricing. Companies like GM and Ford are trying to strike a balance between direct sales and the dealership model. Still, two-thirds of Ford dealers have signed on for the program, according to CEO Jim Farley. With the launch of the Cadillac Lyric, GM used a digital retail network that allows car shoppers to complete transactions entirely online, in the dealership, or a hybrid of both.

☆ Richard Branson says Elon Musk made a surprise visit in the middle of the night with his 2-year-old son hours before his first space flight
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Richard Branson told The Sunday Times that Elon Musk made a surprise visit to his New Mexico home. A barefoot Musk wanted to wish Branson luck on the flight and brought his 2-year-old son along too. "I think it was about 2:30 a.m.," Branson told The Sunday Times, recalling the morning of July 11, 2022, ahead of his flight to space. "Elon had decided to surprise us" to wish his friend luck on his debut flight, Branson told the newspaper. The SpaceX CEO also went to the launch site to watch the flight and later told Branson: "Congratulations, beautiful flight."

☆ It's still not clear what the Senate Ethics Committee is doing with a 2-year-old January 6 probe into Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Democrats lodged an ethics complaint against Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz nearly two years ago. No one's heard anything since from the Senate Ethics Committee, which one advocate calls a "black hole." Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island led the complaint against Cruz and Hawley. Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware and Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma, the chairman and vice-chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee. Little has emerged in the last two years to suggest that Cruz and Hawley were intimately involved in the assault on the Capitol.

☆ Suspect in NYC Machete Attack Faces Attempted Murder Charges
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Deborah Acosta | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A 19-year-old man accused of attacking police with a machete near Times Square in New York City on New Year’s Eve was arrested on charges of attempting to murder police officers, according to authorities. The attack took place steps from where crowds had gathered to watch the annual ball-drop ceremony. The suspect, Trevor Bickford of Wells, Maine, walked up to a police officer at the corner of Eighth Avenue and West 52nd Street shortly after 10 p.m. and tried to strike his head with a machete before hitting two other officers in the head, said New York City Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell . One of the officers then shot the attacker in the shoulder, Ms. Sewell said at a news conference.

☆ The most honest man in real estate thinks the housing market isn't going to crash
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Here's how Miller, who doesn't think the housing market is going to crash, became a beacon of trust. The call was from a journalist at an international paper asking for Miller's comment on the US housing market for a story. The 62-year-old founder of the real-estate-appraisal and data firm Miller Samuel is probably the most-quoted man in real estate, with some 2,469 news citations, according to the database LexisNexis. Today, Miller Samuel has replaced Scantrons with iPods, iPhones, and a CoreLogic appraisal software called A La Mode. Today, there's much more data than there was when he started Miller Samuel, but also a lot more "crap," Miller said.

☆ 13 Best Women’s Ankle Boots, According to Style Pros
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

By Rachel MoselyWhen it comes to comfort and style cred, it’s hard to outmatch the ankle boot. To that end, we’ve asked fashion stylists to share their favorites—the ankle boots they snap up for their clients and themselves. Retro-chic kitten heelThis modern spin on a kitten heel boot comes in five different hues of nappa leather and suede to suit any style personality. Go-to work bootYou don’t have to sacrifice form to have a functional day boot. Loafer-inspired hybridWhen it comes to splurge territory, Young favors this Gucci ankle boot, which offers a feminine twist on a menswear-inspired look—one of her favorite trends.

☆ House Democrats reject a rules change that could've empowered junior members amid concerns about aging leadership
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

"Six years is a pretty long time," Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger of Virginia told Insider at the Capitol earlier this month. "I'm not for term limits," House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told Insider during a briefing with reporters at the end of November. "I'm not taking a position on any single rules proposal that is before the House Democratic Caucus," he said. Another prominent young lawmaker — 33-year-old Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York — has also been vocal in her criticism of the system. "Whatever the mechanism is, we need to have more opportunities for people to bring their leadership to bear in different places," she told Insider.

☆ Think tank discusses Xi Jinping's visit to Saudi Arabia
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailXi's Saudi Arabia visit probably meant to show the Chinese he's 'doing big things,' think tank saysElizabeth Shackelford of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs says "I'm not sure that is going to be a focus at all of the Chinese people."

☆ Ford CEO says 65% of U.S. dealers agree to sell EVs under company's investment programs
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

About 1,920 of Ford's nearly 3,000 dealers in the U.S. agreed to sell EVs, according to Farley. Ford, unlike crosstown rival General Motors , is allowing dealers to opt out of selling EVs and continue to sell the company's cars. GM has offered buyouts to Buick and Cadillac dealers that don't want to invest to sell EVs. Dealers who decided not to invest in EVs may do so when Ford reopens the certification process in 2027. However, there have been growing pains for Tesla , which uses the sales model, when it comes to servicing its vehicles.

☆ 12 Republican senators so far have broken with their party to support a bill that would protect same-sex marriage. Final passage is expected Tuesday night.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Senate will vote on a bill to protect same-sex marriage on Tuesday night. Twelve Republican senators so far have voted to advance the bill. Senators have tweaked the bill, which passed the Democratic-controlled House in July, to get GOP support. So far, 12 Republicans have cast votes in support of advancing the bill, and more could emerge when the final version comes up. A Gallup poll from June 2021 found that 70% of Americans — including 55% of Republicans — support same-sex marriage.

☆ Tom Ford return offers remedy for Gucci fatigue
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Lisa Jucca | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MILAN, Nov 4 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Tom Ford’s return to the realm of Gucci owner Kering (PRTP.PA) would add some much-needed sparkle. Bringing Tom Ford himself on board could even help revitalise it. Tom Ford offers diversification at a reasonable valuation. Sales of Tom Ford Beauty’s cosmetics and fragrances grew at a double digit rate in the third quarter, according to Vogue Business. In August, the Wall Street Journal reported that beauty giant Estée Lauder was looking to buy Tom Ford for $3 billion.

A Republican is going to win the Alaska Senate race, but that hasn’t stopped Mitch McConnell from plowing millions of dollars into the deep-red state. Herschel Walker, the Senate candidate in Georgia backed by both Trump and McConnell, also says he would back McConnell. Apart from Tshibaka, Senate Republican candidate Don Bolduc in New Hampshire has said he would vote against McConnell for leader. (The Republican senator who requested anonymity voiced surprise at McConnell’s prediction and thought it betrayed some nervousness on his part. Although he voted to acquit Trump, McConnell called him “practically and morally responsible” for the assault on the Capitol.

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