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☆ These are the 10 cheapest places in the U.S. to buy a beach house
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( Celia Fernandez | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Gulfport, Mississippi, ranked as the cheapest town in which to buy a beach house, according to Realtor.com. Dszc | Istock | Getty ImagesTop 10 cheapest places in the U.S. to buy a beach houseGulfport, Miss. In Newport News, the median price within one mile of a beach is $200,000 and the median price per square foot within one mile of a beach is $150. It has one of the best public beaches in the state, Ocean Beach Park, which sits on the Long Island Sound. The median price within one mile of a beach is $257,000 in New London, while the median price per square foot within one mile of a beach is $175.

☆ Opinion | If You’re Reading This, You’re Probably ‘WEIRD’
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-26 | by ( The Ezra Klein Show | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +83 min

You’re probably very weird, and not just for all the obvious reasons you’re thinking of. Because, obviously, there’s going to be some overlap in the curve here. How you’re going to behave with your professor is quite different than how you’re going to behave with your friends. But it’s really kind of faceless, and you’re not really helping anybody you know. I think things are dynamic, and directions are changing, and that sort of thing.

☆ Evidence of the first recorded romantic kiss dating back 4,500 years has been discovered
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

New research into Ancient Mesopotamia suggests people kissed romantically 4,500 years ago. Ancient Mesopotamia is considered to be roughly the land that is now modern-day Iraq and Syria. It was previously believed the earliest evidence of romantic-sexual lip kissing in humans originated in South Asia 3,500 years ago. The new research challenges these theories and suggests kissing was common across many different regions and cultures, starting much earlier. While the exact origins of romantic kissing remain uncertain, the study said, there is some possible evidence that it may have occurred even before the advent of writing.

☆ Rare shipment of U.S. oil heads to South Africa for Glencore refinery
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Arathy Somasekhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

South Africa gets most of its oil from West and Central Africa as well as Saudi Arabia, according to Kpler data. The last shipment of U.S. oil went to South Africa in May 2021, U.S. customs data showed. Glencore's majority-owned Astron Energy restarted production at its 100,000 barrel per day Cape Town refinery nearly three years after a deadly explosion shuttered operations and killed two workers. Astron, which has the second-largest retail fuel network in southern Africa, receives its oil from tankers discharging in Saldanha Bay and transports the oil to the Cape Town refinery via pipeline, according to the refiner's website. Reporting by Arathy Somasekhar in Houston, additional reporting by Wendell Roelf in Cape Town; Editing by Cynthia OstermanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin pushes back on Biden's concerns that using the 14th amendment to solve the debt ceiling crisis would land the administration in court: 'There's a binding legal requirement
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Rep. Jamie Raskin told Insider in an interview that Biden should use the 14th amendment to solve the debt ceiling crisis. The 14th amendment would declare the debt ceiling unconstitutional and get rid of it forever. That would mean that a default, and the debt ceiling causing that default, would be unconstitutional. He told reporters last week that he had been "considering" the 14th amendment, but "the problem is it would have to be litigated." To Raskin, the solution is clear: the 14th amendment "provides the whole structure for resolving the conflict," he said.

☆ Valero responds to fire at Corpus Christi, Texas, refinery
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Valero Energy Corp FollowMay 17 (Reuters) - Valero Energy Corp (VLO.N) said crews are responding to a fire on Wednesday within its 290,000 barrel-per-day Corpus Christi West refinery in Texas. "This morning, a fire occurred at Valero's West Plant refinery. Most of the motor fuels made at the refinery comes from the West Plant. The Bill Greehey refinery East and West plants are located along the Corpus Christi ship channel and the East refinery processes sour crude, while the West plant processes sweet and sour crude and residual fuel oil, according to the refinery website. Community air monitoring indicated there were no offsite concerns, Valero's Schroeder said and the City of Corpus Christi posted on its website.

☆ Sleep apnea, lack of deep sleep linked to damage in brain, study says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

If the sleep apnea is severe and untreated, people have three times the risk of dying from any cause. People with severe sleep apnea who spent less time in deep, also known as slow-wave sleep, had more damage to the white matter of the brain than people who had more slow-wave sleep, according to the study. “The association with sleep apnea was only unveiled when we isolated severe cases, suggesting that mild to moderate sleep apnea may not be significantly associated with white matter changes,” he said. About 34% of the participants had mild sleep apnea, 32% had moderate and 34% had severe sleep apnea. People with sleep apnea, however, can have dozens of micro-awakenings during the night as they snore, snort or gasp for breath.

☆ Glenn Youngkin Isn’t Running for President—Yet
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Gerard Baker | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Gerry Baker is Editor at Large of The Wall Street Journal. His weekly column for the editorial page, “Free Expression,” appears in The Wall Street Journal each Tuesday. Mr. Baker previously served as Editor in Chief of The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones from 2013-2018. Prior to that, Mr. Baker was Deputy Editor in Chief of The Wall Street Journal from 2009-2013. He was educated at Corpus Christi College, Oxford University, where he graduated in 1983 with a 1st Class Honors Degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics.

☆ Party City is planning to close over 30 stores across the country — here's the full list
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Avery Hartmans | Ben Tobin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Party City says it's closing over 30 stores after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Cartersville: Cartersville Crossing, 451 East Main St.IowaWaterloo: Crossroads Commons Shopping Center, 1415 Flammang Dr.IllinoisBradley: Bradley Commons, 2060 N. State Rte. 20Felch Street Shopping Center, 3050 Beeline Rd., Ste. L12East Hills Shopping Center, 3702 Frederick Ave., Ste. K2Five Points Shopping Center, 4101 Hwy.

☆ Elon Musk and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott break ground on Tesla lithium refinery
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Tesla CEO Elon Musk joined Texas Governor Greg Abbott to break ground at the site of the electric vehicle maker's new lithium refinery in Corpus Christi on Monday. Musk said that Tesla is aiming to produce enough battery-grade lithium at the refinery to manufacture one million vehicles per year, and to produce more lithium than the rest of North America's refining capacity combined there. Mining company Albemarle announced plans to invest $1.3 billion in a new lithium processing facility in South Carolina in March. The company promised in its filings that "the process Tesla will use is innovative and designed to consume less hazardous reagents and create usable byproducts compared to the conventional process." On Monday, Musk claimed, "There's no toxic emissions or anything -- you could live right in the middle of the refinery and not suffer any ill effects."

☆ Trump Could Win if People Vote Their Pocketbooks
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Gerard Baker | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

☆ Cheniere raises 2023 core earnings forecast after strong first quarter
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Sourasis Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Companies Cheniere Energy Inc FollowMay 2 (Reuters) - Top U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter Cheniere Energy Inc (LNG.A) raised its 2023 core earnings forecast on Tuesday after reporting a quarterly profit compared with a year-ago loss, sending its shares up 1.63% in premarket trading. Cheniere raised its consolidated adjusted core earnings forecast for 2023 to $8.2 billion-$8.7 billion from $8 billion-$8.5 billion, while analysts on average had expected $8.39 billion, according to Refinitiv. Cheniere, which operates the Corpus Christi and Sabine Pass export terminals, also expects higher distributable cash flow in 2023. "We set a new quarterly LNG production record in the first quarter," said Chief Executive Officer Jack Fusco. Cheniere posted a net income of $5.4 billion, or $22.10 cents per share, compared with average analysts' estimate of $5.52 cents per share, according to Refinitiv.

(Reuters) - A Kirkland & Ellis partner whose clients have included General Motors Co, BP Plc and auto manufacturer Polaris Inc said he has joined the Chicago office of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan. R. Allan Pixton told a federal judge in Detroit on Friday that he has joined Quinn Emanuel's Chicago office. Pixton and a Kirkland spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. According to his defunct Kirkland profile, Pixton's litigation experience covered class actions and mass torts. In 2020, he left Kirkland to lead the new Chicago office of Hilliard Martinez Gonzalez, a Corpus Christi, Texas-based law firm.

☆ Researchers just created the largest-ever database of how we interact on Zoom. Here are their tips for making everyone like you on video chats.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Adam Rogers | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

The result is the largest-ever database of one-on-one Zoom conversations. And while the average loudness of speakers didn't change across bad or good conversations, the "good" talkers varied their decibel levels more than the "bad" talkers did. The machine found that women rated as better Zoom conversationalists tended to be more intense. Good conversationalists are those who appear more engaged in what their partners are saying. Studying Zoom calls may help us have better conversations on Zoom.

☆ Science has finally figured out how fast and loud you should talk on Zoom
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Adam Rogers | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

The result is the largest-ever database of one-on-one Zoom conversations. It may shed new light on what we talk about when we talk about talking today — the conversation of the future. And while the average loudness of speakers didn't change across bad or good conversations, the "good" talkers varied their decibel levels more than the "bad" talkers did. The machine found that women rated as better Zoom conversationalists tended to be more intense. Good conversationalists are those who appear more engaged in what their partners are saying.

☆ Uber and Lyft drivers share 3 reasons why the ride-hailing giants, not customers, are partially responsible for the bad tips they get
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Drivers told Insider riders should tip and that Uber was partly to blame for low tips. Insider spoke with several ride-hailing and delivery drivers, each of whom pushed back on many of the arguments made by the commenters on the Times story. Chris, a 28-year-old Uber Eats driver in upstate New York, said: "Uber has successfully convinced customers that drivers get paid way more than we do." In-app tipping wasn't even an option for Uber riders until 2017, roughly five years after Lyft rolled out the feature. He said he always tipped at least 20% whenever he took an Uber, Lyft, or cab.

☆ Uzbeks vote on allowing president to extend time in power
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TASHKENT, April 30 (Reuters) - Uzbekistan votes on constitutional amendments on Sunday that promise its citizens greater social protection in exchange for resetting President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's term count to zero, which could allow him to stay in power until 2040. And while Tashkent's Western partners are unlikely to approve of the attempt to extend presidential powers, Uzbekistan risks little given the West is seeking support from all ex-Soviet nations in its efforts to isolate Russia. The reform also extends the presidential term to seven years from five, which could in theory allow Mirziyoyev to remain in charge of the country of 35 million people until 2040. At the same time, the package of amendments proclaims Uzbekistan a "social state" with increased welfare obligations and allows non-farming land ownership. Reporting by Mukhammadsharif Mamatkulov Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; editing by Barbara LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Man Resumed Date After Killing ‘Scammer’ Over $40, Police Say
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Jesus Jiménez | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The man, Erick Aguirre, 29, was arrested on Tuesday in Aransas County, north of Corpus Christi, Texas, and charged with murder in the death of Elliot Nix, 46, on April 11. Brent Mayr, a lawyer for Mr. Aguirre, declined to comment on Friday. According to a charging document, Mr. Aguirre was going out to eat on April 11 with Melanie Castillo, who said in a voluntary statement that she and Mr. Aguirre were dating. They drove separately to Rodeo Goat, a hamburger restaurant east of downtown Houston. Mr. Aguirre paid the man, and the couple went to Rodeo Goat.

☆ ‘Somebody Somewhere’ Celebrates a Life With Tears and Jokes
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Alexis Soloski | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In the first episode of the new season of “Somebody Somewhere,” the poignant Kansas-set comedy that returned to HBO this week, Sam (Bridget Everett) receives a letter from her father, Ed. Ed, a farmer, has charged Sam with feeding the chickens, mowing the lawn and cleaning out the barn. Sam begins her chores, but when she finds Ed’s baseball cap, she begins to tear up. In its quiet, fine-grained way, these episodes of “Somebody Somewhere” provide a eulogy in comedy form, with grief triangulated and transformed. “We knew we wanted to dedicate the season to him,” Hannah Bos, a “Somebody Somewhere” creator, said in a recent video call.

☆ Reddit to AI companies: Pay up if you're using our content
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Britney Nguyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Reddit said it plans to start charging companies for access to its data that is used to train AI. Major players in the AI race like OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google train AI models using Reddit's data, NYT reported. "The Reddit corpus of data is really valuable," Steve Huffman, cofounder and CEO of Reddit, told The Times. Huffman told The Times that Reddit's API will still be free for developers building applications to help people with using Reddit. Most developers and third parties who use Reddit's API have been notified by email, the company said.

The release is poised to widen what pupils do with AI just as educators are grappling with its consequences. Rosensweig said Chegg focuses on math and the sciences, not the essay drafting that has challenged schools. Rosensweig said Chegg has structured and checked its answers to ensure accuracy. Asked if AI will prompt Chegg to shrink its pool of 150,000 experts contributing to its content, he said the company already balances humans with technology. Analysts in recent months have questioned whether Chegg can grow its base of 8 million subscribers as students embrace the largely free ChatGPT software, created by the startup OpenAI.

☆ The World Is Ending, but It’s Been Ending Many Times Before
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Gerard Baker | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Gerry Baker is Editor at Large of The Wall Street Journal. His weekly column for the editorial page, “Free Expression,” appears in The Wall Street Journal each Tuesday. Mr. Baker previously served as Editor in Chief of The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones from 2013-2018. Prior to that, Mr. Baker was Deputy Editor in Chief of The Wall Street Journal from 2009-2013. He has been a journalist for more than 30 years, writing and broadcasting for some of the world’s most famous news organizations, including his tenure at The Financial Times, The Times of London, and The BBC.

☆ Trump Indictment Keeps New York Safe for Accountants
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Gerard Baker | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

With large language models like OpenAI's GPT-4 and Google's Bard quickly increasing their power and reach, vLex and Fastcase are betting their combined document library will be a rich training data set for legal AI products. "It will always make sense to train legal LLMs on legal data instead of the World Wide Web," Walters said. The merger creates a law library that is "the biggest legal data corpus ever assembled," the companies said. Other large law firms are using new products from companies like Casetext, a legal research company that last month released a new generative AI legal assistant product. Casey Flaherty of legal innovation collective LexFusion predicted the new vLex would be a "serious player" among legal information companies as AI progresses.

SummarySummary Companies Plant to supply 1.2-1.4 mln tonnes of ammonia per yearYara attracted by low US gas prices, carbon capture costProduction start up set for 2027-28OSLO, March 31 (Reuters) - Norwegian fertiliser maker Yara (YAR.OL) and Canadian pipeline company Enbridge (ENB.TO) plan to invest up to $2.9 billion to build a low-carbon blue ammonia production plant in Texas, they said on Friday. Blue ammonia, rather than green ammonia derived from renewable energy, refers to ammonia produced from natural gas, with the carbon dioxide (CO2) byproduct captured and stored. The plant will supply 1.2 million to 1.4 million tonnes of low-carbon ammonia per year. High gas prices in Europe have made the case to build in the U.S. stronger, Ankarstrand said. Many similar facilities are in development and demand for low-carbon ammonia looks strong, said Vince Paradis, Enbridge's vice president of business development.

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