DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ 'Context switching is the mind-killer': Elon Musk shared a strange, altered quote from 'Dune' as he juggles leading Twitter with running 4 other companies
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk has three times shared an altered version of a famous quote from sci-fi classic "Dune." "Fear is not the mind-killer, context-switching is the mind-killer," Musk tweeted Wednesday. Context switching is the mind-killer," altering the words of a famous passage from the sci-fi series: "Fear is not the mind-killer." Musk's altered quote is taken to mean that switching tasks and contexts repeatedly can be mind-numbing, while maintaining focus on one task is the real winner. The scene Musk posted to Twitter shows the sect member ordering Atreides to put his hand in a box filled with "pain."

☆ Priyanka Chopra Jonas says she is finally earning as much as her male co-star
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Lianne Kolirin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Priyanka Chopra Jonas says she is finally earning as much as her male co-star, after two decades in the movie industry. In an interview with the BBC, the actress and activist revealed that she never had “pay parity” in all the years she worked in Bollywood. Chopra Jonas was among the women to feature in the UK broadcaster’s list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world, published Tuesday. The BBC posted a short video clip on its website from a wide-ranging interview with the Indian star, due to be broadcast next year. In the clip, Chopra Jonas said: “I’ve never had pay parity in Bollywood.

☆ Exclusive: Green logistics company GoBolt raises $55 million to build out a fleet of electric trucks
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Darius Rafieyan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

GoBolt raised a $55 million in funding, bringing its total capital raised to $162 million CAD. The company achieved a higher valuation compared to its Series B, despite the market "bloodbath". GoBolt seeks to build out its fleet of electric trucks and one day be "carbon negative". The 3rd party logistics company Second Closet hired had just called to say they weren't going to make it. The company raised the funds in Canadian dollars but the amounts have been converted to US dollars for this article.

☆ What TV Shows Did We Watch in 2022? So Far, A Lot of Crime
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Beth Decarbo | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Jason Bateman as Marty Byrde, the money-laundering financial adviser in ‘Ozark,’ one of the top streaming shows of the year. Even when Americans chill out in front of the TV, crime is on their minds. In the first half of 2022, six of the top 10 shows offered by the major streaming services dealt with crime and criminals, both real and fictional, according to an analysis of the first half of the year by Nielsen Co. Topping the list was “Stranger Things,” a sci-fi mystery that investigates a boy’s disappearance. Coming in second was “Ozark,” in which a fictitious financial adviser moves to Missouri’s Ozarks to launder money.

☆ Elon Musk is an 'avid' reader of science-fiction and likes to text about it, says Affirm CEO
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk texts Affirm CEO Max Levchin texts about their mutual love for sci-fi, Levchin told Wired. Musk has talked about his love for sci-fi books and media in the past. "Our friendship is on a texting basis," Levchin told Wired. "I think what's happening at Twitter is Elon is sort of making sense of it," Levchin said. Levchin knew Musk back when they worked at early-stage PayPal together in 2000 — Levchin was CTO and Musk was CEO.

Many investors say that stocks of drugmakers and medical equipment companies, however, will likely get a more lasting lift from China's bumpy journey towards an eventual economic opening. Investors have snapped up Chinese tourism (.CSI930633), leisure (.CSI930654), retailing (.CSI930674) and food and beverage stocks (.CSI930653) over the past week. "After curbs are relaxed, China could experience the impact from surging virus cases, along with rising deaths, potentially hitting the economy," the brokerage said. "I think it's reasonable to think that as infections rise, they're going to have shortages in some areas of workers," he said. Grow Investment Group chief economist Hong Hao, warning of confusion and chaotic expectations ahead, recommended internet platform companies and food delivery firms in the short term.

☆ Scientists build 'baby' wormhole as sci-fi moves closer to fact
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Scientists have long pursued a deeper understanding of wormholes and now appear to be making progress. It was a "baby wormhole," according to Caltech physicist Maria Spiropulu, a co-author of the research published in the journal Nature. But scientists are a long way from being able to send people or other living beings through such a portal, she said. The researchers observed the wormhole dynamics on a quantum device at Alphabet's Google (GOOGL.O) called the Sycamore quantum processor. A wormhole - a rupture in space and time - is considered a bridge between two remote regions in the universe.

Cyber Monday 2022 is quickly coming to an end so this is your last chance to save big on games for PlayStation 5, as well as discounts on PS5 accessories. Best Cyber Monday deals on PS5 controllers and accessoriesDeal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. $49.99 from Best Buy Originally $69.99 Save 29%Deal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. $44.99 from PlayStation Originally $59.99 Save 25%Deal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. $1,698.00 from Amazon Originally $2,299.99 Save 26%Best Cyber Monday deals on PS5 gamesDeal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt.

Cyber Monday 2022 is here with big deals on games for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, as well as discounts on PS5 accessories. Best Cyber Monday deals on PS5 controllers and accessoriesDeal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. $49.99 from Best Buy Originally $69.99 Save 29%Deal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. Great Price PlayStation Plus Essential (12 Months) Cyber Monday is one of the best times of the year to renew your PlayStation Plus subscription thanks to the 25% discount. $44.99 from PlayStation Originally $59.99 Save 25%Deal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt.

☆ Pop star Kris Wu sentenced to 13 years of jail for rape in China
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Hannah Lee | Kriti Gandhi | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

A court in Beijing on Friday, sentenced Chinese-born Canadian musician Kris Wu to over 13 years for crimes including rape. Chaoyang district court found Wu, also known as Wu Yifan, guilty of raping three women in November and December 2020, according to the court’s official Weibo account. Wu was also found guilty of “group licentiousness,” which is when three or more people are gathered together to to engage in sexual promiscuity. Being charged for group licentiousness can result in a jail sentence of up to five years. Some also said that they were “witnessing history” as Kris Wu is the first idol in China to be imprisoned for as long as 13 years.

Black Friday 2022 has arrived, delivering deals on games for both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, as well as discounts on PS5 accessories. Best Black Friday deals on PS5 controllers and accessoriesDeal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. Great Price PlayStation Plus Essential (12 Months) Black Friday is one of the best times of the year to renew your PlayStation Plus subscription thanks to the 25% discount. $44.99 from PlayStation Originally $59.99 Save 25%Deal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. $159.99 from Amazon Originally $199.99 Save 20%Best Black Friday deals on PS5 gamesDeal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt.

☆ Nintendo Switch Black Friday deals: The best discounts available on consoles, games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and more
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( William Antonelli | Tech Reporter For Insider Reviews | Read More | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

But among the deals available this Black Friday, we're seeing some great discounts on both the Nintendo Switch console and its games, as well as accessories. Best Nintendo Switch Black Friday deals on consolesNintendo Switch with Neon Joy-Con and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe System Bundle This bundle includes Nintendo's portable console with a digital copy of the most popular Switch game, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and a three-month membership to Nintendo Switch Online. Best Nintendo Switch Black Friday deals on gamesDeal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. Deal Eovola Nintendo Switch Accessories Kit This Nintendo Switch Accessories Kit from Eovola is a treasure trove of gear with steering wheel grips, Joy-Con grips, screen protectors, a Joy-Con charging base, and more. Great Price SanDisk microSDXC for Nintendo Switch (128GB) This SD card for the Nintendo Switch has Mario-inspired art, but any MicroSDXC under 2TB will work.

☆ ‘Strange World’ Review: Disney Limps to the Ends of the Earth
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Kyle Smith | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Rarely does a Disney animated feature arrive in theaters with as little fanfare as “Strange World,” which is limping into the multiplexes like an afterthought to the slate of comic-book movies that have once again ruled the box office this year. “No one is talking about it,” the 14-year-old Disney obsessive in my household tells me. You’d think that at least one of us would have heard some discussion. Lack of enthusiasm turns out to be the correct mood in which to approach “Strange World,” a low-thrills adventure set in Avalonia, a secret civilization hidden in the mountains. The swashbuckling adventurer Jaeger Clade (voiced by Dennis Quaid ) clashes with his gentle, plant-loving son Searcher ( Jake Gyllenhaal ), then storms off during a quarrel and goes missing for 25 years.

My mom worked at K-Mart, earning $1.68 an hour. My parents worked for the Army Security Agency, encrypting top-secret communications between officers — the same level of classified intelligence making headlines today. Enlisting in the Army helped my parents build generational wealthAfter college, my mom worked for the State of Michigan for 27 years. My dad worked for the State of Michigan for 28 years. The military money helps cover bills for my 70-year-old mom, but she believes the direction and support they received in the military had a much greater impact.

☆ Keke Palmer wants her turkey seasoned thanks
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Marianne Garvey | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Keke Palmer is set to host “Saturday Night Live” for the first time on Dec. 3, alongside musical guest SZA. I just can’t wait,” Palmer told CNN in a recent interview. And then it’ll just be fun seeing how they do it, you know, on their side of it. Palmer said she’s looking at the hosting gig as kind of a “Broadway-ish” performance. Palmer said her dad does all the cooking and she gets a break.

☆ ‘Avatar’ sequel needs $2 billion to break even. But are audiences still excited about 3D?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

But a not-so-insignificant part of whether the lofty $2 billion+ box office goal can be achieved depends on whether audiences will rush to open their wallets and pay extra for what is being touted as an immersive 3D film experience. When the first “Avatar” debuted nearly 13 years ago, moviegoers filled theaters in droves with the explicit desire of seeing a dazzling 3D movie, glasses and all. But the era of the 3D film, in which it was groundbreaking to go all-in on the format, has long passed as the concept has lost its allure. Box office sales of 3D movies are on life support and have been for some time. The first “Avatar” benefited from a cocktail that included both the magnetism of a 3D spectacle and the inflated ticket prices.

☆ Bill Gates has 5 new book recommendations for your holiday reading list
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Tom Huddleston Jr. | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

"Stranger in a Strange Land" — Gates' favorite sci-fi book from his youth, he noted — is the story of a human who was raised on Mars, by Martians. This holiday season, billionaire Bill Gates is gifting you a list of five books to read while you're hopefully enjoying some much-deserved downtime. We need to learn to learn from our mistakes without obsessing over them," Gates wrote. The name comes from Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleyev, who formulated the first version of the periodic table in 1869. It's "the best book I've ever read on the periodic table," Gates wrote.

☆ Amazon is gutting its voice-assistant Alexa. Once founder Jeff Bezos's pet project it's now the primary target of historic layoffs.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Amazon's Alexa and the devices team at large is now the prime target of the biggest layoffs in the company's history, according to press reports and an internal email seen by Insider. Instead, Amazon wanted shoppers to buy more things through Echo devices by placing orders through the voice-assistant. Reports of Alexa mistakenly sending voice recordings to the wrong person or Amazon employees secretly listening to private conversations stoked fear of privacy concerns. But even so, its financial contribution often fell short of expectations, more than half a dozen employees told Insider. Employees told Insider the product is Bezos's latest pet project.

☆ One of Wall Street's toughest shops isn't for the faint of heart. But the rewards are plenty for those who make it to the top.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Apollo Global Management; Yahoo; Brightspeed; Legendary; Alyssa Powell/Insider1. That, in a nutshell, is life at Apollo Global Management. The firm works on a points system that could most easily be described as a profit-share system, Casey told me. In other news:France's Kylian Mbappe celebrates with the trophy after winning the World Cup REUTERS / Kai Pfaffenbach2. You're not just watching the World Cup.

☆ Billionaires like Elon Musk want to save civilization by having tons of genetically superior kids. Inside the movement to take 'control of human evolution.'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Julia Black | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +40 min

"We are the Underground Railroad of 'Gattaca' babies and people who want to do genetic stuff with their kids," Malcolm told me. Ellison, meanwhile, who has two children in their 30s, has reportedly resumed having kids — with his 31-year-old girlfriend. "The person of this subculture really sees the pathway to immortality as being through having children," Simone said. The person of this subculture really sees the pathway to immortality as being through having children. Before she met Malcolm, Simone was convinced she wanted to live her life single and child-free.

Others have ground to a halt, sending companies back to technology that is less sci-fi, but can be deployed more quickly and cost-effectively. Some companies are satisfied their robots are doing the job. The perils of the outdoors are a big problem for delivery robots, in particular. Some people have also raised concerns that delivery robots could block wheelchair access on sidewalks or otherwise get in the way of humans, leading local authorities to limit or prohibit their use. Toronto, for example, last December banned delivery robots.

‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’Even before making its way to theaters, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” — the long-awaited sequel to the 2018 film starring Chadwick Boseman — has birthed some of this fall’s biggest pop culture moments, including a Rihanna song drop. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” opens in U.S. theaters Nov. 11. “The Inspection” opens in U.S. theaters Nov. 18. “Bones and All” opens in U.S. theaters Nov. 23. “Strange World” opens in U.S. theaters Nov. 23.

☆ Flying taxis, robotic avatars and holograms — Saudi Arabia pushes ahead with its sci-fi city vision
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Emma Procter | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The future Site of the city Neom, a planned cross-border city, stands empty before development begins in the Tabuk Province of northwestern Saudi Arabia, December 18, 2019. NEOM political map of the 500 billion dollar megacity project in Saudi Arabia along the Red Sea coast. Granger's firm has been working closely with Neom and she believes the view of Saudi Arabia among the business community has changed inexorably. The aim is to transform and grow the kingdom's media industry — another key focus of the Vision 2030 plan. Visitors watch a 3D presentation during an exhibition on 'Neom', a new business and industrial city, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, October 25, 2017.

☆ The Hyundai Ioniq 5 just won MotorTrend's SUV of the Year. See the 5 things we liked best about the electric model when we tested it.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 just won MotorTrend's SUV of the Year award. Space-age looksThe 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5. The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5. The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5. The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5.

☆ 'Doctor Who' fans delighted as the Doctor regenerates as David Tennant
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Toyin Owoseje | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —“Doctor Who” fans were drenched in nostalgia after David Tennant reprised his role as the Time Lord in the dramatic conclusion to the show’s BBC centenary special. Sunday’s 90-minute episode of the long-running sci-fi show, titled “The Power of the Doctor,” ended with Jodie Whittaker’s character unexpectedly regenerating into Tennant in her final appearance as the 13th Doctor. “I know these teeth,” Tennant said – a reference to the 10th Doctor’s first words – “New teeth… that’s weird” – back in 2005. Sophie Mutevelian/BBC/IMDB“Omg, David Tennant back as the doctor, best regeneration ever,” one person wrote on Twitter. “If you thought the appearance of David Tennant was a shock, we’ve got plenty more surprises on the way!” said showrunner Russell T. Davies in a statement.

Search resuls for: "Sci"

25 mentions found