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☆ Ghostly photos from NASA's Curiosity rover reveal beautiful, unusual clouds and the first sun rays ever spotted on Mars
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars captured one of the first clear images of a Martian sunset. The sun rays over Mars illuminated a bank of clouds that NASA says could be made of dry ice. The rover also snapped a picture of an iridescent cloud, shaped like a feather. The rover also snapped an image of a feather-shaped iridescent cloud hanging over Mars that also appears to glow pink, green, and blue. The rover also captured this feather-shaped iridescent cloud over Mars.

☆ No Place Like Rome: Unlock the City’s Old-World Romance at These Historic Hotels
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Tony Perrottet | Photographs Francesco Lastrucci For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Among the most illuminating ways travelers can explore the Eternal City’s kaleidoscopic history is through its illustrious hotels. Each palatial structure is part of the modern city’s fabric but also embodies a specific moment in time. And thanks to the welcoming Roman manner, even non-guests can stop in for a coffee or aperitif while taking in the old-world ambience. A brief sojourn to these grand getaways provides a peek into Rome’s history and allows visitors to sample cultural riches along the way. Mosaics from the exedra, or changing hall, have been preserved, and history buffs can hire the hotel’s archaeologist-guide for insights.

☆ Inside the private meeting at Jack Ma's apartment where he plotted to take on Silicon Valley with a trusted 'ragtag bunch' of early employees
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Brian A. Wong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

In one apartment, Jack, Lucy Peng, and a few other leaders worked alongside the firm's engineers. Everyone's enthusiasm flowed from their strong identification with the company's mission and Jack's vision, and if it was part of our mission, all believed, it was certainly achievable. In fact, in time, I would grow to better understand and more deeply embrace Alibaba's mission, vision, and values and the way they motivated our people. That's what Savio Kwan, Alibaba's first COO, did, codifying Jack's ideas into our company mission, vision, and values. Their efforts would form the basis of Alibaba's core mission, vision, and values statement— the guiding force or beliefs for Alibaba's development then and now.

☆ Fact Check-Faked video claims to show an alien abduction in Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Video of an alleged alien abduction is not authentic and shows signs of having been faked, an image-manipulation expert told Reuters. While some users are skeptical of the video’s authenticity in their comments, others seem to believe that it indeed shows an alien abduction. However, multiple aspects of the video indicate it is fake, and “represents poor staging of an alien abduction,” Thorsten Beck, an image-manipulation researcher at the Humboldt-Elsevier Advanced Data and Text (HEADT) Centre (headt.eu/Thorsten-Beck), told Reuters. Also, a “powerful spotlight” illuminating the scene from the left side appears to have been “either switched off” or covered moments before the alleged abduction takes place. The video shows signs of having been faked and does not depict an authentic alien abduction, according to an expert analysis.

☆ Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen says if Elon Musk wants Twitter to be a public square, he should make its algorithms open source
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen has discussed Elon Musk's plans for Twitter. Musk has previously discussed making Twitter a "town square" where vital matters could be debated. Musk had previously discussed making Twitter a digital town square "where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated." Musk wants Twitter to also be the "most accurate source of information about the world." The whistleblower previously said the company wouldn't be able to recover until CEO Mark Zuckerberg stepped down.

☆ 2022 was the year the Overconfidence Man fell back to earth
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Maureen Tkacik | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +22 min

Naturally, Elon Musk, the platonic ideal of the peculiar self-aggrandizing, self-parodying personality type that thrived during the Trump years and peaked during the pandemic, tops this list. By 2022, the media had pronounced him variously the next Warren Buffett, J.P. Morgan and Charles Koch. "bye bye @trussliz Congrats to lettuce", tweeted Putin's one-time stand-in Dmitry Medvedev, to which Elon Musk could not resist replying, "pretty good troll tbh." Elon Musk speaks at the 2020 Satellite Conference and Exhibition in March 2020. Elon MuskIt's weird to recall now that Elon Musk once seemed like, graded on the billionaire curve anyway, a net positive for a cursed American society.

☆ I burned out trying to juggle a side hustle and full-time job. Here's the 5-step plan I used to decide when it was time to go all-in on my business.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Leah Phifer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

She left her job in the government in May to focus exclusively on her small business. This plan was based on financial advice I derived from a variety of reputable sources, including the Forbes Expert Panel and Harvard Business Review. About three months into my plan, I was working 15 to 20 hours a week on my business while also juggling a 40-hour workweek. I was nervous, as we'd spent so much time putting together the financial plan to take my business full-time. Focusing on my business full-time allowed me to better assess the market, illuminating needs my original business plan didn't address.

☆ Auto lobby slams Swiss plan to curb electric cars in power crunch
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

"Our members and their official brand dealers promote electric cars with great effort, from advertising to personalsales pitches. One draft rule would curb the private use of electric vehicles unless urgently needed for work, shopping, or visiting the doctor or religious ceremonies. The proposal is putting a chill on sales of electric cars, jeopardising the sector's prospects of reaching targets for reducing carbon emissions, auto-schweiz said. A survey among its members had shown the market share of electric cars and plug-in hybrids could rise to over 50% in 2025 from just under half now, it added. The government has said it could curb non-essential use of power, such as illuminating shop windows, using mobile heaters, or lighting at night.

Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields has said a motive for the attack — which initially plunged 45,000 people into darkness — is still undetermined as local authorities and the FBI investigate. A cryptic post“The power is out in Moore County and I know why,” Emily Rainey wrote on her Facebook page less than an hour after the electricity failed. Taylor Shook / USA Today NetworkClymer saw Rainey’s posts and began speaking with other people in Moore County, she said. Kevin Dietzel, executive director of Sunrise Theater, said the venue was also targeted on social media and with phone calls. After that, she made the decision to cancel the rest of the show to “ensure everyone’s safety” during the outage.

“Spoiler Alert” opened in U.S. theaters Dec. 2. “Women Talking” opened in select U.S. theaters Dec. 2. “The Whale” opens in U.S. theaters Dec. 9. “Babylon” opens in U.S. theaters Dec. 23. “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” opens in U.S. theaters Dec. 23.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried took plenty of blame for FTX's downfall, but denied fraudulent behavior
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

And while I've got you here, it's time to start thinking about gifts with the holidays season in full swing. Do you know what's an informative, funny gift that has a long shelf life and, most important of all, is free? FTX Cryptocurrency exchange CEO Sam Bankman-Fried at a hearing on Capitol Hill on May 12, 2022. But the main attraction at The New York Times DealBook Summit on Wednesday was Sam Bankman-Fried. And frankly conflict of interest risk," SBF said.

☆ Tesla recalls 435,000 cars in China over rear light issue and will issue software update
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

A Tesla store is seen in Shanghai, China, Feb 1, 2022. Tesla plans to recall more than 435,000 cars in China and issue software updates to fix a rear light issue, the Chinese market regulator said Thursday. A total of 142,277 Model 3 sedans and 292,855 Model Y vehicles could be affected by the issue in which a software defect stops the rear lights on the car from illuminating, according to China's State Administration for Market Regulation. Last month, Tesla recalled more than 321,000 vehicles in the U.S. over a similar issue. Tesla will issue software updates remotely to fix the problem.

☆ Why Faulty Streetlights Are Turning Cities Purple — and Why It's Worrisome
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Adam Rogers | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

LED streetlights are supposed to shine for the better part of a decade. Every city with purple lights that responded to my queries or has public records on the matter bought its LED lights from Acuity. The blue LED, with its narrow wavelength, enabled all sorts of modern tech, from the compact disc to flat-screen monitors. Acuity and the purple cities haven't been entirely transparent on that matter. "The purple streetlights are a result of the phosphor coating delaminating from the LEDs," says Fiona Hughes, a representative for the city of Vancouver.

☆ Day before FIFA World Cup, Qatar faces overcrowding troubles
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

He and his friends had got a rare day off from Hamad Port to walk 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) to the fan zone before being turned away. “There’s nothing we can do.”Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, which oversees the World Cup, said in a statement to The Associated Press it was “absolutely delighted” with the opening of the Fan Zone. People dance at the Souq Waqif marketplace ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Doha, Qatar on Nov. 19, 2022. Just after 8 p.m., however, crowds thronged the Fan Zone, hoping to attend a concert featuring Lebanese singer Myriam Fares and Colombian singer Maluma. But as hundreds squeezed inside a holding pen, thousands more waited outside the venue.

☆ The Risky Business of Sam Bankman-Fried
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Ben Cohen | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Nobody as rich as Sam Bankman-Fried ever spent so much time speaking to podcasters and explaining how they got rich. Weeks before the crackup of his cryptocurrency exchange and spectacular collapse of his wealth, the chief executive of FTX gave an interview that began with an illuminating question: What was the first thing his company did better than any other? “Manage risk,” he said.

☆ War in Ukraine and weather-related disasters have disrupted climate action. Here are 6 ways the private sector can mobilize sustainable transformation.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Bernhard Lorentz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

War in Ukraine and a slew of weather-related disasters have slowed government progress towards climate action. Here are six ways the private sector can mobilize sustainable transformation. The Ukraine conflict in particular has significantly disrupted decarbonization plans and brought into focus concerns around resilience and sovereignty when it comes to ongoing energy transition efforts. Innovate in line with the energy transition to build resilienceInnovation is at the heart of maintaining competitive edge as it replaces costly and inefficient processes with more effective ones. Bernhard Lorentz is the global consulting sustainability & climate strategy leader at Deloitte and the founding chair of the Deloitte Center for Sustainable Progress.

☆ DOJ asks Supreme Court to deny Trump's request to block House Democrats from getting his tax records
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Rebecca-Shabad-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Rebecca Shabad | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice and the House Ways and Means Committee asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to reject former President Donald Trump's request to block the panel from accessing his tax records. Earlier this month, Chief Justice John Roberts Chief temporarily blocked the Ways and Means panel from accessing Trump's tax records. Roberts said the case would remain on hold until the court acts and asked the committee to file a response to Trump’s request by Thursday. After the DOJ's filing, the committee also filed a similar 52-page argument Thursday against Trump's request. “The committee’s purpose in requesting President Trump’s tax returns has nothing to do with funding or staffing issues at the IRS and everything to do with releasing the president’s tax information to the public,” the lawyers wrote in a recent court filing.

☆ How a 4-day workweek improved one company's recruitment, retention, and morale — and its workers' well-being
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Rebecca Knight | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

She added that the four-day workweek had helped recruitment, retention, and worker well-being. Around that time, she read a book about the promise of the four-day workweek. Thus began her company's participation in a six-month pilot program of a four-day workweek. Insider recently spoke with her about the four-day workweek's effects on the company's retention and recruitment and on the team's health and well-being. But the value of it in terms of retention, recruitment, and health and well-being cannot be overstated.

☆ The former assistant to Jack Ma reveals the 'secret sauce' behind Alibaba's meteoric rise in a new book
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Jonathan A. Knee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Brian A. Wong is a long-time Alibaba executive and former special assistant to Jack Ma, the company's founder. to Jack Ma, the company's founder. In a new book, Wong details Alibaba's management ethos and how it can be applied by others to achieve similar success. Brian Wong joined Alibaba as its first American employee shortly after meeting CEO Jack Ma in 1999, the same year the trailblazing e-commerce behemoth was founded. Like Steve Jobs, Jack Ma was haunted by the decline of once great technology companies like Hewlett Packard after the departure of their founding team.

☆ 'Call Jane' review: Elizabeth Banks stars in fictionalized look at a pre-Roe world through one woman's abortion journey
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The portrait of an underground abortion network pre-Roe v. Wade is obviously timely, but its slightly askew focus blunts the overall impact. Part of that has to do with making Elizabeth Banks’ Joy, a privileged housewife living in Chicago in 1968, the film’s centerpiece, introducing her as being somewhat oblivious to the tumult of the times. Joy initially applies to the hospital board for permission to terminate the pregnancy, only to have her petition dismissively denied by the all-male panel. The sequence slowly and painfully captures the mix of fear and discomfort Joy feels, after her blindfolded trip to the location and the dimly lit room where it happens. The writers clearly intended to personalize the abortion conversation through their Everywoman protagonist, and Banks ably fills that role.

The Office of the Inspector General, under the leadership of Robert J. Devlin Jr., is one of multiple agencies investigating the officer's use of force. On Saturday, as it released that dramatic and potentially disturbing video, the watchdog stopped just short of calling Iurato a hero. The suspected gunman fired more than 80 rounds during the siege, the Office of the Inspector General said. The Office of the Inspector General said Sunday that it appears the officer's use of force was justified. The Bristol Police Union did not immediately respond to a request for its response to the bodycam footage.

☆ Russia is making excuses for why it can't stop US-made HIMARS from shredding its military in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-16 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Russian forces have struggled to counter Ukraine's use of US-made HIMARS rockets. One Russian defense blog has an explanation: HIMARS has a secret feature that prevents Russian artillery from targeting it. "This greatly distinguishes American systems from conventional MLRS [multiple launch rocket systems], where the projectiles fly along a ballistic trajectory. "Unless the radar happens to be looking in the right place at the right time, it will not detect a HIMARS launch," Cranny-Evans said. While this Avia article appears groundless, Russian defense blogs — which often have links to the Russian government and military — can be quite illuminating.

☆ Video shows a Russian missile striking less than 1,000 feet from a large Ukrainian nuclear plant, Ukraine's military says
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ukraine said a Russian missile strike landed less than 1,000 feet from a nuclear power plant on Monday. Ukraine's defense ministry shared a video of security footage near the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant, in the country's southern Mykolaiv region, with a timestamp of 12:19 a.m. local time. The black-and-white video appeared to show the moment the Russian missile struck, illuminating a dark scene with a fireball that was immediately followed by larger second fireball. Ukraine's nuclear facilities have not been immune to fighting throughout the nearly seven-month-long war. In areas from which Russian forces recently retreated, Ukrainian troops have discovered mass graves and other evidence of wartime atrocities reminiscent of scenes from the Kyiv suburbs that were liberated from Russian occupation during the spring.

☆ Satanic panic is making a comeback, fueled by QAnon believers and GOP influencers
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-15 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Brandy-Zadrozny-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Brandy Zadrozny | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +23 min

Utah County Attorney David O. Leavitt speaks on July 31, 2019, in Provo. The accusations were part of a new case from Utah County Sheriff Mike Smith. Discussion about satanism and satanic abuse has increased in recent years, according to data provided to NBC News by Zignal Labs, which analyzes social media conversations. Popular culture and social media have also ferried ideas about satanism and widespread child abuse from fringe to the mainstream. (Anti-LGBTQ politicians and activists have equated LGBTQ people with predators who abuse children as part of a “gay agenda,” the well-worn panic that the gay rights movement’s true motivation is recruitment.

☆ Fed up with high gas prices and slow Amazon deliveries? Blame these 2 century-old laws that need to be repealed.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-13 | by ( Colin Grabow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

A well-oiled transportation system is vital to keeping the economy humming — especially in a country as large as the United States. Unfortunately, Americans' ability to get resources where they need to go has been crippled by a pair of outdated laws: the Jones Act and the Foreign Dredge Act. As with Jones Act ships, hopper dredges constructed in US shipyards are significantly more expensive than those built abroad. But despite these huge costs, the Jones Act and the Foreign Dredge Act survive largely intact. The Jones Act and the Foreign Dredge Act are just two examples among many, and behind each one lies an entrenched interest group dedicated to its preservation.

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