DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ What Distinguishes a Neil Breen Film? Neil Breen.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Rumsey Taylor | More About Rumsey Taylor | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

All of Breen’s films seem clearly to mean something, and watching them, one’s suspension of disbelief is constantly threatened by strange directorial choices. “Pass-Thru” culminates in his darkest sequence, with Thgil — another of the messianic aliens in which Breen specializes — walking toward the horizon’s vanishing point. “Fateful Findings,” which I and many others consider Breen’s most deranged film, exemplifies the tonal stiltedness and libertarian rage that pervades his work. For many audiences the natural response to Breen’s films is laughter. Breen plays a double role, twins Cale and Cade, bestowed at birth with superhuman powers and pitted against each other with potentially world-changing consequences.

Persons: Thgil, Breen, Thgil —, “, ”, Tommy Wiseau, Ed Wood, Wood, Cale, Cade Organizations: Media, West Coast Locations: West Hollywood, Calif, Las Vegas, Chicago

☆ AI is being held up by a shortage of powerful chips
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-06 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The crushing demand for AI has also revealed the limits of the global supply chain for powerful chips used to develop and field AI models. The latest sign of a potentially extended shortage in AI chips came in Microsoft’s annual report recently. In its May earnings call, Nvidia said it had “procured substantially higher supply for the second half of the year” to meet the rising demand for AI chips. AMD, meanwhile, said Tuesday it expects to unveil its answer to Nvidia’s AI GPUs closer to the end of the year. The chip shortage is expected to ease as more manufacturing comes online and as competitors to Nvidia also expand their offerings.

Persons: Microsoft’s, Sam Altman, Samuel Altman, OpenAI, Win McNamee, ” Altman, Raj Joshi, could’ve, ” Joshi, “, Joshi, ”, Lisa Su, we’ve, Sid Sheth, Biden, can’t, ” Sheth, Sheth Organizations: CNN, Microsoft, Privacy, Technology, Moody’s Investors Service, Nvidia, Intel, AMD Locations: Microsoft’s, Washington ,

And its flagship gaming brand, Republic of Gamers (ROG), offers a range of graphics cards, desktop towers, monitors, and more — including laptops, like the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14. The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is a gaming laptop that packs premium performance into a lightweight package. ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 Gaming Laptop (GA402XY) The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2023) is a slim gaming laptop equipped with top-tier hardware. Asus ROG Zephyrus G14: SpecsAsus produces a variety of different G14 models, each with different specifications. The Zephyrus G14's bright screen, great performance, and portability make it a perfect match for gamers or creative professionals on the go.

Persons: I've, William Antonelli, It's, Fortnite, Price, I'd Organizations: Asus, Republic of Gamers, Nvidia, ASUS, AMD, McAfee, Bluetooth

☆ Katz: Expect a pullback that doesn't necessarily lead to a bear market
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | 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 EmailKatz: Expect a pullback that doesn't necessarily lead to a bear marketDavid Katz, Matrix Asset Advisors CIO, discusses the markets, earnings season, and the stocks high on his radar.

Persons: Email Katz, David Katz Organizations: Matrix

☆ How Do You Personalize Your Cubicle? We Want to See It.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Gregory Schmidt | More About Gregory Schmidt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Now the lowly cubicle is making a comeback, as workers head back to the office and find they have lost the privacy and quiet they have working at home. Seeking quiet areas for focused work, workers are turning once again to cubicles and the isolation they offer. The New York Times team that covers business is planning an upcoming story on the return of the cubicle as part of our Square Feet series on live/play/work spaces. We want to feature photos of office cubicles. Send us your photos; we’ll pick the best and send a photographer to your workplace.

Persons: Cubicles, John Malkovich, ” Organizations: New York Times

☆ Now is not the time to be throwing money at this year's biggest winners, says Matrix's David Katz
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | 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 EmailNow is not the time to be throwing money at this year's biggest winners, says Matrix's David KatzDavid Katz, Matrix Asset Advisors CIO, joins 'The Exchange' to discuss the broad market rally, opportunities for Qualcomm to benefit from A.I. development, and expectations for earnings season.

Persons: Matrix's David Katz David Katz Organizations: Matrix, Qualcomm

☆ Fox News’ new prime time lineup shows Rupert Murdoch can’t quit Trump
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The influential Fox News lineup, which debuts Monday night, is made up of Trump mouthpieces — personalities who have willfully spread propaganda and misinformation on behalf of Trump during his years in the White House. With the surprise firing of Tucker Carlson from the 8pm perch this spring, Murdoch had the opportunity to reshape Fox News prime time. Winding back the Republican Party to a previous era may be impossible, even for Murdoch. Even if Youngkin did enter the race, Murdoch surely knows that his odds of dethroning Trump would be slim. Which may explain his decision to go with a prime time lineup that has reliably championed Trump.

Persons: Rupert Murdoch, Donald Trump, Tucker Carlson, Murdoch, Trump, MAGA, Laura Ingraham, Sean Hannity, Jesse Watters, Greg Gutfeld, Murdoch’s, Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, Glenn Youngkin, Youngkin, dethroning Trump Organizations: CNN, GOP, Fox News, Republican Party, Trump, Republican, Florida Gov, Virginia Gov

☆ The US is short on homes. Here’s how builders are still offering the American Dream
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

This relatively new and growing segment of the housing market is called “build for rent” or BFR (or “build to rent” or BTR). Often constructed in suburban areas with low crime and near good schools, BFR homes attract those who want the lifestyle of a house — but the affordability or convenience of renting. Over the past few years, however, large investment groups — like Home Partners of America or Invitation Homes — have got into buying up existing single-family homes to rent. Miller said demand for BFR homes is strong and suit a modern way of living involving remote work, lifestyle moves and delayed homeownership. Even as a small portion of the market, those BFR homes that are being built are not the smaller, more affordable homes that middle-income earners are looking for.

Persons: ”, David Howard, Howard, “, Ben Miller, ” Miller, Miller, Donald Trump’s, homeownership, Bruce McNeilage, ” McNeilage Organizations: DC CNN, National Rental Home, National Rental Home Council, Urban Institute, Home Partners of America, Research, Joint Center for Housing Studies, Harvard University, Kinloch Partners, Survey Locations: Washington, Texas , California , Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, BFR, United States, Nashville, Greenville , South Carolina, Yardi

July 13 (Reuters) - Qingdao city in China's debt-laden Shandong province has set up a company to bail out its cash-strapped local government financing vehicles (LGFVs), sources said, as regional governments rush to reduce debt risks in a wobbly economy. The government of Qingdao and the China Development Bank did not reply to Reuters' requests for comment. While no LGFV in China has defaulted in the public markets, cases of delinquencies in the private debt market are increasing, worrying Beijing. Tianjin LGFV bonds yield more than 514 bps over government bonds, compared with 200 bps for Shandong bonds, reflecting the elevated risks. Fund manager Zhou said although he is bullish on LGFV bonds, "the first priority is to be absolutely diversified in investment.

Persons: Qingdao's, Xi Jinping, LGFVs, Goldman Sachs, Zhai Jianye, Zhai, It's, Zhou Tingzuo, Ning Yong, Zhou, Samuel Shen, Jason Xue, Tom Westbrook, Vidya Ranganathan Organizations: Dongdin Industrial Group, China Development Bank, Southwest Securities, Agricultural Bank of China, China Construction Bank, Commercial Bank of China, SS, Shoupu Fund Management Co, Ning Yong Fu Fund Management, Thomson Locations: Qingdao, China's, Shandong, China, Shandong LGFVs, Beijing, Big, Jinan, Weifang, Liaoning, Hunan, Shanghai, Tianjin, Singapore

☆ Former HR boss at Twitter says the company failed to pay $500 million in severance pay owed to laid-off staff
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A former Twitter HR boss says it failed to pay $500 million in severance pay to laid-off staff. She said in a lawsuit that employees were given much less severance pay than promised. A former HR boss at Twitter says that the company failed to pay $500 million in severance pay owed to laid-off staff. The lawsuit said that was just "a fraction" of what laid-off workers were entitled to under the severance plan. The lawsuit asks the court to order Twitter to pay back at least $500 million it says the company owes in severance pay.

Persons: Elon Musk, Courtney McMillian, Musk, Twitter's, Parag Agrawal, Bret Taylor, hadn't, McMillian Organizations: Twitter, Morning, Wednesday Locations: San Francisco

☆ Instagram's Twitter rival, Threads, is destined to become a boring playground for brands
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Nathan Mcalone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Instagram's Twitter rival, Threads, has surged to over 100 million users, riding a hype wave. Meta's vision of a "positive" environment will be better for brands than humans. Instagram's Twitter rival, Threads, has surged to over 100 million users in less than a week, an eye-popping figure that shows the sheer size of the hype wave it's riding. But the app has a fatal flaw that will ultimately doom it to mediocrity: It's going to be boring. And that means despite the early outburst of enthusiasm, Threads — like Instagram — might end up being better for brands than for humans.

Persons: Instagram, hasn't, Adam Mosseri, Smith Organizations: Twitter, Meta Locations: Ukraine, blocklists

☆ Instagram's Twitter rival, Threads, has a fatal flaw: It's destined to be boring
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Nathan Mcalone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Instagram's Twitter rival, Threads, has surged to over 100 million users, riding a hype wave. But the new "conversation" platform has a fatal flaw: It's going to be boring. Instagram's Twitter rival, Threads, has surged to over 100 million users in less than a week, an eye-popping figure that shows the sheer size of the hype wave it's riding. But the app has a fatal flaw that will ultimately doom it to mediocrity: It's going to be boring. And that means despite the early outburst of enthusiasm, Threads — like Instagram — might end up being better for brands than for humans.

Persons: Instagram, hasn't, Adam Mosseri, Smith Organizations: Twitter, Meta Locations: Ukraine, blocklists

☆ Argentina inaugurates key gas pipeline to reverse energy deficit
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( Candelaria Grimberg | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SALLIQUELO, Argentina, July 9 (Reuters) - Argentina inaugurated on Sunday the first stage of a gas pipeline that will carry natural gas from the Vaca Muerta formation in western Argentina to Santa Fe province by way of Buenos Aires province, an essential work to reverse the country's significant energy deficit. It has the second unconventional gas reserves worldwide and the fourth in oil. The completion of the first stage of the gas pipeline, which starts in Neuquen province and reaches Buenos Aires province, adds 11 million cubic meters of gas per day. This will double when the compression plants are installed in Tratayen, in Neuquen province, and in Salliquelo, in Buenos Aires province. "We are no longer going to import gas in ships because we are going to use the gas from our subsoil."

Persons: Vaca Muerta, Sergio Massa, " Massa, Agustin Gerez, Candelaria Grimberg, Eliana Raszewski, Anna, Catherine Brigida, Diane Craft Organizations: Energia Argentina, Thomson Locations: SALLIQUELO, Argentina, Vaca, Santa Fe, Buenos Aires, Belgium, Patagonia, Neuquen province, Tratayen, Salliquelo, San Jeronimo

CNN —At least 13 children have died in recent weeks during a suspected measles outbreak at internal displacement camps in Sudan’s White Nile state, amid conflict between the country’s two warring factions, according to an international medical NGO Sunday. Suspected measles and malnutrition in children are the most urgent health problems,” the Sudanese branch of Médecins Sans Frontière (MSF), or Doctors Without Borders, said. In a series of tweets, MSF Sudan said: “Sudan’s White Nile state is receiving increasing numbers of people fleeing the conflict. Nine camps are hosting hundreds of thousands, mainly women and children.”From June 6 to 27, the NGO treated 223 children with suspected measles in White Nile camps, it said, with 72 – including the 13 who died – admitted to two clinics it supports. “We are receiving sick children with suspected measles every day, most with complications,” MSF Sudan tweeted.

Persons: “, ”, – Organizations: CNN, MSF, MSF Sudan, Sudanese Armed Forces, SAF, Rapid Support Forces, IOM, UN Migration Agency Locations: Sudan’s White Nile, Médecins, MSF Sudan, White Nile, Sudan’s

☆ Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg's cage fight vow is the latest example of how martial arts are taking hold of Silicon Valley tech bros
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Tech executives including Mark Zuckerberg and PayPal's Dan Schulman have taken up martial arts. Zuckerberg is now sizing up Elon Musk as his latest opponent, as the pair agreed to go head-to-head in a cagefight. Danny Zelig trains PayPal CEO Dan Schulman in Krav Maga, which was developed by the Israeli army. Zelig said that in sparring sessions, Schulman would often wait to for him to strike, which let Zelig dictate the fight. She added that the training helped her to focus on the present and develop distance from her work in her "own version of mindfulness."

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, PayPal's Dan Schulman, Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Joe Rogan, Joris Merks, Benjaminsen, Danny Zelig, Dan Schulman, Krav Maga, Zelig, Dan, Maga, Schulman, Joanna Pineda, Bob Rosin, it's, Rosin Organizations: Morning, Big Tech, Facebook, UFC, Forbes, Matrix Group, hapkido, Microsoft, Skype Locations: Redwood City , California

☆ The 5 Least Sexy Looks for Men—From Skinny Jeans to Wispy Scarves
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Wsj Off Duty Editors | Illustrations Paul Tuller | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

RECENTLY, while pondering how men could dress sexily—a rarely discussed topic—in 2023, we took a moment to ask ourselves which looks wannabe charmers should definitely avoid. Suggestions flew back and forth in a flurry: “Terry-cloth one-piece rompers?” ventured one editor, only to be reminded that Sean Connery as James Bond managed to make a similar look appear quite hot. As someone pointed out, this, too, can smolder—see Louis Vuitton’s deeply cool, pixelated take on the pattern for Spring 2024. “Floor-length leather coats a la ‘The Matrix’?” Now we were getting somewhere. “Gladiator sandals?” Well, yes, but not exactly a go-to look for middle-management types, or frankly anyone.

Persons: Terry, ”, Sean Connery, James Bond, —, Louis Vuitton’s

☆ In MMOs Like Old School RuneScape Scammers Use ChatGPT to Fuel Bots
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Evan Malmgren | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

But the bots using ChatGPT began to rapidly improve, and SirPugger realized the automated players would soon become almost indistinguishable from human players. In some cases, these AI-powered bots seemed to commiserate with real players, even complaining about the overabundance of bots. At the same time, bot scripts could eventually enhance rather than detract from the social aspects of online games. Online shooters like "PUBG" and "Fortnite" already populate their multiplayer lobbies with AI bots, but the social emphasis of MMOs means that they are uniquely well positioned to reap the prospective benefits of chatbot integration. Worlds would appear to become more populous, and though "real" players might still be cheated out of leaderboard slots, they wouldn't necessarily know it.

Persons: Jagex, SirPugger, Joe, Bots, countermoves, OpenAI, botters, Ted Chiang, Mark Zuckerberg's, Kylan Gibbs, Gibbs, Evan Malmgren Organizations: Studios, Inworld, AI Locations: British, botters, MMOs

☆ The world's top H.P. Lovecraft expert weighs in on a monstrous viral meme in the A.I. world
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Mike Calia | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Lovecraft's novella "At the Mountains of Madness" — aren't quite perfect, according to the world's leading Lovecraft scholar, S.T. "While I'm sure Lovecraft would be grateful (and amused) by the application of his creation to AI, the parallels are not very exact," Joshi wrote. Read more: How to talk about AI like an insiderFirst of all, it's "shoggoth," not "Shoggoth," Joshi said. "It is a species name, not a proper name," Joshi wrote in an email to CNBC. For instance, a recent fake Toronto Blue Jays ad, created by a TSN producer who used text-to-video AI tech, is packed with horrifying images such as people feasting on each other's hot dog tentacles.

Persons: H.P, S.T, Joshi, Lovecraft, it's Joshi, He's, Kevin Roose, Roose, Harlan Ellison's Organizations: Lovecraft, Providence, The New York Times, CNBC, Times, Workers, Toronto Blue Jays, TSN Locations: A.I, Antarctica

☆ Watch CNBC's full interview with Matrix Asset Advisors’ David Katz and KKM Financial’s Jeff Kilburg
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | 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 EmailWatch CNBC's full interview with Matrix Asset Advisors’ David Katz and KKM Financial’s Jeff KilburgJeff Kilburg, KKM Financial founder and CEO, and David Katz, Matrix Asset Advisors CIO, join ‘The Exchange’ to discuss whether the bear market is over, whether the fear of recession is still alive, and more.

Persons: ’ David Katz, KKM, Jeff Kilburg Jeff Kilburg, David Katz Organizations: Matrix, KKM Financial

[1/5] Customers stand next to a counter at a Starbucks' outlet at a market in New Delhi, India, May 30, 2023. Starbucks plans to open more stores in smaller towns, said an industry source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Soon after Starbucks' May launch of $3.33 milkshakes, designed to attract children, Third Wave launched its own range, a fifth cheaper at $2.71. He saw Starbucks' cheaper, small-sized drinks as a response to competition in "an incredibly price-sensitive market". "Going deeper into smaller cities, beyond the metros, is the only way to grow," said Ankur Bisen, head of retail at India's Technopak Advisors.

Persons: Sushant Dash, Tim Hortons, Devangshu Dutta, We've, chai, Chas Hermann, Sushant Goel, Matt Chitharanjan, Dash, Ankur Bisen, Sriram, Aditya Kalra, Anushree Fadnavis, Varun Vyas, Euan Rocha, Miyoung Kim, Sophie Yu, Hilary Russ, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: REUTERS, MUMBAI, Blue, Starbucks, Tata Group, BET, CHAI, Wave, Third, Reuters, Blue Tokai, India's Technopak, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, American, DELHI, U.S, Blue Tokai, China, Singapore, United States, Bengaluru, Delhi, Aurangabad, Beijing, New York

☆ Big Tech execs like Mark Zuckerberg are swapping the boardroom for the dojo. Here's why martial arts are taking hold of Silicon Valley.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Tech executives including Mark Zuckerberg and PayPal's Dan Schulman have taken up martial arts. The combat techniques mirror the pace and intensity of the tech industry, one former exec said. Zelig added that Krav Maga helped to build self-awareness, which is important when it comes to decision-making, especially under stress. She added that the training helped her to focus on the present and develop distance from her work in her "own version of mindfulness." He said it's been "invaluable" in helping him negotiate complex partnerships in his former business-development roles at LinkedIn, Microsoft, and Skype.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, PayPal's Dan Schulman, Zuckerberg, Joe Rogan, Joris Merks, Benjaminsen, Danny Zelig, Dan Schulman, Krav Maga, Zelig, Dan, Maga, Schulman, Joanna Pineda, Bob Rosin, it's, Rosin Organizations: Morning, Big Tech, Facebook, Forbes, Matrix Group, hapkido, Microsoft, Skype Locations: Redwood City , California

☆ Sudan: Nearly 1.4 million people displaced since civil war erupted, UN report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( Sahar Akbarzai | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Even before the fighting intensified, years of political instability meant Sudan had several million people internally displaced. The country also hosted 1.13 million refugees from other conflict-ridden countries, including South Sudan, Eritrea and Syria, according to UNHCR data. Tens of thousands of South Sudanese are flocking home from neighboring Sudan, which erupted in violence last month. Sam Mednick/APAmid the vast displacement, there have been increasing reports of gender-based violence and domestic violence, especially among internally displaced Sudanese populations, the UN Population Fund said. This includes 22 attacks on health facilities, six attacks which impacted warehouses, and nine attacks which affected supplies, among others.

☆ Opinion | Beyond the ‘Matrix’ Theory of the Human Mind
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( Ezra Klein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

“We can produce more information,” Mark said. Our processing capability is the bottleneck.”Email and chat systems like Slack offer useful analogies here. Few have thought through the costs that will impose on those who are supposed to respond to all this new text. Our societywide obsession with speed and efficiency has given us a flawed model of human cognition that I’ve come to think of as the Matrix theory of knowledge. But that misses much of what’s really happening when we spend nine hours reading a biography.

☆ How to talk about A.I. like an insider
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( Kif Leswing | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

AI ethics describes the desire to prevent AI from causing immediate harm, and often focuses on questions like how AI systems collect and process data and the possibility of bias in areas like housing or employment. AI safety describes the longer-term fear that AI will progress so suddenly that a super-intelligent AI might harm or even eliminate humanity. Alignment is the practice of tweaking an AI model so that it produces the outputs its creators desired. Inference — The act of using an AI model to make predictions or generate text, images, or other content. Large language model — A kind of AI model that underpins ChatGPT and Google's new generative AI features.

☆ 6 quick calendar tweaks that will help you get more done and optimize your daily routine
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Tugba Yanaz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

In my coaching and consulting practice, I work with leaders to create healthy routines to optimize their performance and well-being. Not urgent & important; schedule — You will want to schedule tasks that are important but less urgent for a later date. Urgent & not important; delegate — Assign urgent but less important tasks to others on your team. All your priorities must be reflected in your calendar, personal and professional. It's all about establishing a healthy relationship between your work and personal life and valuing both aspects.

Search resuls for: "Matrix"

25 mentions found