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☆ Opinion | A Conservative Futurist and a Supply-Side Liberal Walk Into a Podcast …
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( The Ezra Klein Show | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

And based on the internal math of the show, George Jetson, the dad, was born in 2022. There were a lot of future-trippers in the 1960s, and most of them would be pretty disappointed by how that future turned out. I’ve been spending a lot of time studying that decade in my work, trying to understand why America is so bad at building today. So Pethokoukis and I are asking similar questions and circling the same period, but from very different ideological vantages. “The two screamingly obvious things that we stopped doing is we stopped spending on science, research and development the way we did in the 1960s,” he tells me, “and we began to regulate our economy as if regulation would have no impact on innovation.”

Persons: ”, George Jetson, He’d, I’ve, James Pethokoukis, “, Ezra Klein Organizations: Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube, American Enterprise Institute, Conservative Locations: America

☆ OpenAI pulls ChatGPT AI voice over its resemblance to Scarlett Johansson in the movie 'Her'
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Hayden Field | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

OpenAI announced it would pull one of the ChatGPT voices named "Sky" after it created controversy for its resemblance to the voice of actress Scarlett Johansson in "Her," a movie about artificial intelligence. "We've heard questions about how we chose the voices in ChatGPT, especially Sky," the Microsoft -backed company posted on X. The news comes one week after OpenAI debuted a range of audio voices for ChatGPT, its viral chatbot, a new AI model called GPT-4o, and a desktop version of ChatGPT. Users watching the live demonstration of ChatGPT's audio capabilities immediately began to post on social media that the "Sky" voice sounded like Johansson in the movie. "Sky's voice is not an imitation of Scarlett Johansson but belongs to a different professional actress using her own natural speaking voice," the company wrote.

Persons: Scarlett Johansson, Radhika Jones, We've, Samantha, Johansson, OpenAI, Sam Altman, —, Anthropic, Mark Chen Organizations: Wallis Annenberg Center, Performing Arts, OpenAI, Microsoft, ChatGPT, Google Locations: Beverly Hills , California, ChatGPT, Ember

☆ How I built a billion dollar coffee company called Kopi Kenangan
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Ernestine Siu | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

And recognizing that very notion is what makes Indonesian coffee chain Kopi Kenangan different from many of its competitors. Which is why this cup of Kopi Kenangan coffee here in Singapore may taste different from a cup in Indonesia. Edward Tirtanata: Before I started Kopi Kenangan, I started this tea chain called Lewis and Carroll. And that is why our first menu is called Kopi Kenangan Mantan, which directly translates into, memory of my ex-girlfriend coffee. Ernestine Siu: In 2019, Kopi Kenangan received its first outside investment of $8 million from venture capital firm Alpha JWC Ventures.

Persons: Edward Tirtanata, Ernestine Siu, It's, Serena Williams, Jay, Eduardo Savrin's, Edward, Kopi Kenangan, Carroll, James Prananto, James, Little, Kopi, creamer Organizations: Alpha JWC Ventures, Northeastern University, Starbucks, Entrepreneurship, Toyota Locations: Jakarta, Singapore, New York, Indonesia, Vietnam, Southeast Asia, Boston, United States, Kopi, Bandung, U.S, Indonesian

☆ This 35-year-old turned a local Indonesian coffee stall into a unicorn startup — today it brings in $100 million a year
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Ernestine Siu | In Ernestinesiu | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Within the span of seven years, Kopi Kenangan went from a local Indonesian coffee stall to a venture-backed unicorn coffee company. "Instead of focusing on the sofa, or fast Wi-Fi, we're going to focus on a good, high quality cup of coffee," Tirtanata said. This decision helped Kopi Kenangan scale to over 200 locations and 10 cities within the first two years of operations. Taking a data-driven hyperlocal approach means that a Kopi Kenangan latte in Singapore will taste different from a latte in Indonesia. This helped Kopi Kenangan more than triple its store count during the pandemic.

Persons: Edward Tirtanata, Dunkin, Kopi Kenangan, Tirtanata, it's, Carroll, James Prananto, Kopi, Kenangan, Prananto Organizations: CNBC, Entrepreneur, Northeastern University, Lewis Locations: Indonesian, Southeast Asia, Jakarta, Boston, Indonesia, U.S, Singapore

☆ Airbnb hosts are bracing for an unpredictable summer
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-19 | by ( Dan Latu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Read previewLast summer ushered in a new normal for hosts on Airbnb and other short-term rental booking websites. Ahead of summer 2024, hosts face pressure to stand out from all the other listings in their areas. Adding additional stress is the increased unpredictability of travelers themselves — hosts say guests are booking trips more last-minute than the advance-planning of years past. With direct bookings, hosts are responsible for collecting the proper paperwork for background checks and payment information, and they don't have the additional insurance offered by the major platforms. Influencers can also help promote direct booking, Burke said.

Persons: —, Vrbo, they're, Emily Burke, Rick Kenworthy, he's, Kenworthy, Ryan Villines, Villines, Burke, she'll, she's, they've, who've, Influencers, Tulsans Organizations: Service, Business, Airbnb Locations: Tulsa , Oklahoma, Arizona, Scottsdale, Phoenix, Airbnb, Missouri, Tulsa

☆ Francis Ford Coppola says his sci-fi saga 'Megalopolis' is being panned because Hollywood doesn't like rule-breakers
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-19 | by ( Eve Crosbie | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Coppola has responded to the negative reaction, expressing his belief that detractors have conspired against him because the film "doesn't play by Hollywood's current rules." AdvertisementHe then dismissed those who had pejoratively called the film a "passion project," stating, "I've never made a film that wasn't a passion project." Little White Lies's David Jenkins wrote that "Megalopolis" is a "celebration of unfettered creativity and farsightedness" and features "a script of toe-tapping word-jazz." To fund "Megalopolis" Coppola sold a significant share of his Northern California wine empire, according to GQ.

Persons: —, Francis Ford Coppola's, Adam Driver, Aubrey Plaza, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Romy Mars, Sofia Coppola, Coppola, I've, Nathalie Emmanuel, Esther Zuckerman, Peter Bradshaw, Jessica Kiang, White, David Jenkins, Deadline's Damon Wise, Darren Demetre Organizations: Service, Cannes, Business, Air, Daily, GQ, Guardian Locations: Rome, Northern California

☆ ‘The Simpsons’ airs its 768th episode tonight. Here’s how its writers keep things fresh
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-19 | by ( Scottie Andrew | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —Toward the end of its 35th season, “The Simpsons” made a move that rankled some fans: It killed a longtime resident of Springfield. I would say under 10,” said Matt Selman, sardonic showrunner of “The Simpsons,” in an interview with CNN. There are around 16 writers per season, typically made up of 22 episodes, though this season has just 18 due to the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes. Last month, Sosthand won a Writers Guild Award for the episode, beating out three other nominees from the “Simpsons” writers room. It’s nice that their hard work has been noticed, Selman said, but critical appraisal of “The Simpsons” is always in flux.

Persons: Read, Larry, Barfly, he’s, Homer, they’re, Duff, ‘, ”, Matt Selman, Marge, Bart, Lisa, Maggie, Selman, ’ ” Selman, – – Selman, Carl Carlson, Carl Carlson Rides, Loni Steele Sosthand, who’s, Murphy, Skinner, Bumblebee Man, Cesar Mazariegos, Broti Gupta, –, John Frink, Mike Price, who’ve, ’, hasn’t, ” Sosthand, Carl, Sosthand, “ It’s, ” Selman, Moe, Rev, Lovejoy, Krusty, ” Price, “, Mazariegos, might’ve, “ We’re, Price, Kirk, Willie, janitor’s, Groundskeeper Willie reconnects, ” It’s, Bart hijinx, Ned Flanders, Maude Flanders, Edna Krabappel, it’s “ Organizations: CNN, Gracie Films, Springfield ”, Crazy, “, Bass, Scottish Locations: Springfield, Moe’s, ’, Iceland, West, Scotland

☆ Millennials have a fresh take on the FIRE movement, and it's less about taking it easy in retirement
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-18 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | Kathleen Elkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

BI spoke to a dozen millennials who have achieved or are on track to achieve financial independence. Brad Barrett, the host of the "ChooseFI" podcast, said "vanishingly few" people with the wherewithal to reach financial independence are retiring early. AdvertisementHe argued that achieving financial independence and hitting a specific number is "the simplest part." Advertisement"I defined myself by the pursuit of financial independence," Sabatier, the author of "Financial Freedom," said. Don't delay figuring out what you really want, why you're pursuing financial independence, and what you want to do after."

Persons: Jace Mattinson, Mattinson, Jace Mattison, Jace Mattison Mattinson, Motley, they're, Millennials, millennials, Scott Rieckens, Brad Barrett, you've, Bill Schaninger, Naina Dhingra, Schaninger, Mitch, —, Brian Luebben, Grant Sabatier, Sabina Horrocks, She's, she'd, Michelle Schroeder, Gardner, Wes, I'm, Lauren, Steven Keys, Steven, you'll, We're Organizations: he'd, Business, FIRE, Facebook, McKinsey, FI, Academy, Marketing Locations: Austin, Minnesota

☆ Longevity hacks are the latest luxury apartment perk
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-18 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Luxury buildings in Los Angeles, Miami, and New York are now offering IV drips to tenants. AdvertisementLuxury residential buildings are now equipped with more than just hi-fi fitness centers, outdoor movie theaters, and dog spas — they're offering longevity hacks, too. A growing number of high-end buildings in Los Angeles, Miami, and New York are offering IV drips to tenants, according to The New York Times. The luxury condominium unit One Manhattan Square offers five different IV drip formulas that range from $300 to $350. The Park — a luxury apartment building in Los Angeles where units can go for as much as $38,000 a month — has been offering IV treatments since 2023.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, The New York Times, Manhattan Square, Business Locations: Los Angeles, Miami, New York

☆ An early retiree shares the advice he received in his early 20s that helped him retire at age 48 — and how he invested his money to build a seven-figure portfolio
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Kathleen Elkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

It aligned with the life-changing money advice he received from a boss in his early 20s. The stock market: from tech stocks to low-cost index fundsCooper's investment strategy has evolved over the years. AdvertisementTo lower his risk, "I am in the process of transitioning my portfolio to mostly low-cost index funds, which are very popular among the FI community." "They're all paid off and bring in about $65,000 a year in rent," he said, adding that they played an important role in his early retirement. Advertisement"I think the easier route is to invest in low-cost index funds," he said, noting that the playbook is much simpler.

Persons: —, Eric Cooper, I'd, Cooper, Cooper's, Roth Organizations: Service, Business, Roth IRA, FI Locations: Louisville, Egypt

Thedieck, now 31, is still in the military, and has gotten an awful lot of what he's wanted ever since. Darren Thedieck, age 31, joined the Air Force at age 18. Saving on a military salaryThedieck was interested in saving and investing long before he joined the Air Force. Right now, though, the plan is for that money to provide a financial "cushion" for the family, Thedieck says. Instead of full retirement after military life, both he and Naudia plan to take off in a new direction.

Persons: Darren Thedieck wasn't, he's, Thedieck, He's, Darren Thedieck, Andrea Ferro, Naudia, Denmark —, he'll, — Warren Buffett, Benjamin Graham, Darren, That's, They're Organizations: CNBC, U.S . Air Force, Air Force, titans, Social Security, Service Credit Union, Apple, Disney, Netflix, Spotify, FIRE Locations: Las Vegas, England, South Korea, Germany, Aviano, Italy, Venice, Denmark, United States

☆ AI models like GPT-4o could give some blue-collar jobs a leg-up and force white-collar workers to adapt
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

GPT-4o and other multimodal AI models could soon change the way we work. An AI analyst said plumbers and electricians' jobs are safe, but "AI will impact any job that has data." AdvertisementOpenAI's newest model and others like it could dramatically reinvent the workplace wheel. GPT-4o, the company's newest multimodal model, can input and output a combination of text, audio, and images. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: —, OpenAI, Elon Musk Organizations: Service, Business

☆ Fast Food Forever: How McHaters Lost the Culture War
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( Brian Gallagher | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The camera zooms in on a large woman, sitting on a cooler at the beach. It cuts to a shirtless man, also quite large, his face blurred out. The next shot shows another overweight man, sitting on a beach towel with plastic grocery bags arrayed in front of him. Directed by and starring Morgan Spurlock, the bootstrapped, lo-fi documentary was a smash hit, grossing more than $22 million on a $65,000 budget. McDonald’s, specifically, became a symbol for the glossy hegemony of American capitalism both at home and abroad.

Persons: ”, “, Queen’s, Morgan Spurlock, Spurlock Locations: America

☆ Ncuti Gatwa says he feels 'sad' for those tuning out of the new season of 'Doctor Who' because of its push for diversity
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( Eve Crosbie | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewNcuti Gatwa has addressed the backlash from "Doctor Who" fans criticizing the sci-fi series for leaning into diverse casting and storylines. It's just really sad for them," he added. The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson). "But it warms my heart to know that little Black kids out there will be like, 'Oh, I can be The Doctor,'" Gatwa added. The new "Doctor Who" season is being treated as a rebranding of sorts for the franchise — it's being referred to as both season 1 and season 14.

Persons: —, Who, Gatwa, It's, David Tennant, Jodie Whittaker's, Ruby, Millie Gibson, Russell T, Davies, You've Organizations: Service, Business, NPR, inclusivity, BBC Studios, Disney, Daily Locations: British

☆ India’s time zone: Why the world’s most populous country has a unique one
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Dhruv Tikekar | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

India’s half-hour zone dates back to colonial rule of India and the era when ever-faster steamships and trains were shrinking the world. The start of the 20th century saw some push from scientific associations to calibrate India’s time to GMT. That recommendation was rejected by the colonial government, which opted for a unified time that sat squarely in the middle: five and a half hours ahead of GMT. In 2015, North Korea moved out of sync with South Korea by creating “Pyongyang Time,” putting the country eight and a half hours ahead of GMT instead of nine. India’s colonial-era time zone decision making, however, reflected a chorus of political, scientific and commercial voices both from within the government and outside of it, Gordon says.

Persons: Hulton, ”, Geoff Gordon, Gordon, “, it’s, Wong Maye, Hugo Chávez, Nicolas Maduro, Terry Gilliam, Rube Goldberg, Maulik Jagnani, Jagnani Organizations: CNN, East India Company, Hulton Deutsch, University of Amsterdam, Madras, Washington D.C, Greenwich Meridian, Greenwich Observatory, Meridian, Royal Society, Prime Meridian, Physical Laboratory, Tufts University, NPL Locations: New York, London, Tokyo, Iran, Myanmar, Australia, India, British, Madras, Chennai, “, Bombay, Kolkata, Washington, London ., Greenwich, North Korea, South Korea, Korea, Pyongyang, Brazil, ”, Greenwich , London, China, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat

☆ Chris Birch: ‘I absolutely would love to explore off this planet,’ says track cyclist turned NASA astronaut
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

“I love realistic space movies … I’m definitely a nerd,” reads Chris Birch’s answer on her profile page. That response proved prescient: shortly after stepping away from her professional cycling career, the Arizona native was selected from more than 12,000 applicants to join NASA’s astronaut class of 2021. The further she progressed with her application to join NASA, the more convinced she became that she had a future in spaceflight. “I really just had a blast,” Birch tells CNN Sport. “I absolutely would love to explore off this planet,” says Birch.

Persons: Christopher Nolan’s, “, Chris Birch’s, sidesteps, Birch, ” It’s, keener, Artemis, Luis Acosta, ”, I’m, ” Birch, that’s, she’s, There’s, “ I’m, I’ll Organizations: CNN, USA Cycling, NASA, CNN Sport, Space, Soyuz, Houston’s, Space Center, Getty, Tokyo, Games, Colorado –, Houston Marathon Locations: Arizona, madison, Peru, AFP, Leadville, Colorado, Montana, California

☆ Ian Gelder, ‘Game of Thrones’ Actor, Dies at 74
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Yan Zhuang | More About Yan Zhuang | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Ian Gelder, the British actor who capped his half-century career by appearing in the hit series “Game of Thrones” as Kevan Lannister, brother of feared patriarch Tywin Lannister, died on Monday. His death was announced by his husband, fellow actor Ben Daniels, who said in a social media post that Mr. Gelder had been diagnosed with bile duct cancer in December. Mr. Gelder’s agent, Daniel Albert, also confirmed his death. Over a 50-year career in television, film and theater, Mr. Gelder appeared in the beloved British sci-fi show “Doctor Who” and its spinoff “Torchwood,” as well as in a television adaptation of “His Dark Materials,” the trilogy of fantasy novels by Philip Pullman. He appeared in 12 episodes of “Game of Thrones” as Kevan Lannister, starting in the first season when his character was a military adviser for his older brother, Tywin, as the House Lannister battled House Stark.

Persons: Ian Gelder, Lannister, Tywin Lannister, Ben Daniels, Gelder, Daniel Albert, Who, “, Philip Pullman, Stark Organizations: Mr Locations: British

☆ I moved using the Amtrak Auto Train, where you bring your car with you. The 17-hour ride went by fast and we avoided tons of traffic.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Aleah Wright | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

When it comes to traveling from Florida to Virginia, the Amtrak Auto Train is one of the best ways to get around. By riding the Auto Train, I saved over 900 miles on my car and skipped all of the traffic on Interstate 95. Here's what taking the Amtrak Auto Train was like and why I think it's worth every penny. When it came to purchasing tickets for the Amtrak Auto Train, I tried to pick the cheapest option, which was in the coach section. Unloading my car was a pretty simple processThe Amtrak Auto Train boarding and unloading process was pretty smooth.

Persons: —, I've Organizations: Service, Amtrak, Business, Amtrak Auto, Amtrak Auto Train, Getty Locations: Florida, Virginia, Sanford , Florida, Lorton , Virginia, Miami, stow

☆ Met Gala 2024: Everything we know about the theme, hosts and guests
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Jacqui Palumbo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Bad Bunny, Jennifer Lopez, Chris Hemsworth and Zendaya will co-chair this year's Met Gala for the exhibition "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion." The first celebrities to appear will be Gala co-chairs Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Bad Bunny and Chris Hemsworth, the last of whom is making his Met Gala debut. What was the first Met Gala theme? Gwyneth Paltrow famously called the Met Gala “un-fun” in 2013 and said she’d “never” go again, but returned in 2017 (and 2019). Met Gala guests have often broken the no-social-media rule to give a more candid glimpse of who is hanging with who and what goes on behind closed doors.

Persons: CNN —, —, Jared Leto’s, Rihanna, J.G, Ballard, Andrew Bolton, Bunny, Jennifer Lopez, Chris Hemsworth, Zendaya, James Devaney, Victor Aubry, Christina House, Neil Mockford, Bad Bunny, Anna Wintour, Wintour, Arturo Holmes, Karl Lagerfeld, Rei Kawakubo, Charles James, Christian Dior, Alexander McQueen, Gianni Versace, Angela Weiss, Lagerfeld, Anne Hathaway, Nicole Kidman, Jenna Ortega, Chanel, Fendi, Eleanor Lambert, Diana Vreeland, LaunchMetrics, Calvin Klein, “, ” Cher, Ron Galella, ”, Lady Gaga, Kardashian, Jenners, Donald Trump, James Corden’s, Demi Lovato, Zayn Malik, Tina Fey, Fey, David Letterman ”, backtrack, Gwyneth Paltrow, she’d “, Olivia Wilde, Margaret Zhang, Kevin Mazur, Bella Hadid, Dakota Johnson, Jason Derulo, Jay, Solange, it’s, ” Wilde Organizations: CNN, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Costume Institute, Los Angeles Times, American Vogue, New York Times, Getty, Super, Hollywood, Vogue, “ Vogue China Locations: New York, British, American, China

☆ 'The Fall Guy' director explains how he pulled off that famous cameo
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-04 | by ( Jason Guerrasio | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Warning: Spoilers ahead for "The Fall Guy." But by the end of the movie, director David Leitch blesses us with one more big-name star: Jason Momoa. "The Fall Guy" is set around the production of a big-budget sci-fi epic titled "Metalstorm," which stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson's character, Tom Ryder, and is directed by Emily Blunt's character, Jody Moreno. AdvertisementRyan Gosling and Emily Blunt in "The Fall Guy." "The Fall Guy" is in theaters now.

Persons: Guy, David Leitch, —, Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Hannah Waddingham, Winston Duke, Stephanie Hsu, Aaron Taylor, Johnson, Jason Momoa, Tom Ryder, Emily Blunt's, Jody Moreno, Ryan Gosling's, Colt Seavers, Ryder, Moreno, Leitch's, Jason, Conan, Leitch, " Leitch, Momoa, Brad Pitt, Hobbs, Shaw, Kevin Hart, Channing Tatum, Ryan Reynolds Organizations: Service, Universal Sporting Locations: Australia, New Zealand

☆ Kendrick Lamar and Drake's beef explained, from its 2013 origins to their diss tracks "Push Ups" and "6:16 in LA" and latest responses
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-04 | by ( Ayomikun Adekaiyero | Eve Crosbie | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +26 min

Both rappers released diss tracks that took blistering personal shots on Friday night. "He doesn't have the heart for the lying, disrespect, and animosity it requires to make an effective diss track," Pierre wrote. Later in the track, Drake references Cole's diss track and apology. At the end of the track, Lamar samples a 1994 Tupac interview to simulate a conversation between the two rappers. "6:16 in LA" also parodies Drake's song titles, which often feature location names and timestamps.

Persons: Kendrick Lamar, Drake's, Drake, —, Lamar's fiancée Whitney Alford, Lamar, Aubrey Drake Graham —, Lamar dissed Drake, J, Cole, Rick Ross, Cole —, Taylor, Joseph Okpako, WireImage Lamar, Jermaine Cole, Big, Wale, Pusha, Meek Millz, Big Sean, Jay, Tyler, Mac Miller, Kunta, Lamar hasn't, Meek, Getty, Tim Mosenfelder, Aubrey, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jackson, Jackson, Prince, Mike Jack, Prince . Prince, “, rics, Organizations: Metro Boomin, Service, Future, Metro, HBO, Drake, Wireless, Lamar, Big, Rocky, Rap Locations: Drake's, Lamar, LA, Florida

☆ ‘Should have been done yesterday’: Rural, older Americans could get hurt as affordable internet program runs out of cash
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Brian Fung | Jason Carroll | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

But in just a few weeks, her internet bills, and those of other Americans like her, could skyrocket by hundreds of dollars a year. The program is heavily used by Americans over age 50, military veterans and low-income working families nationwide, according to FCC data. Amira Karaoud/Reuters/FileRural and older usersThe ACP has quickly gained adoption since Congress created the program in the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law. Large swaths of the ACP’s user base trend older; Americans over 65 account for almost 20% of the program. The FCC’s Lifeline program, which dates to the Reagan administration, similarly gives low-income households a monthly discount on phone or internet service.

Persons: Cindy Westman, —, I’ll, ”, Westman, ’, Westman —, Gigi Sohn, “, Biden, Allison Bailey /, Cynthia George, George, ” George, Marc Veasey, They’re, Geoffrey Starks, “ It’s, ” Starks, Amira Karaoud, Walter Durham, I’m, ” Durham, Michelle McDonough, McDonough, she’ll, doesn’t, “ I’m, ” McDonough, Kamesha Scott, Louis, Megan Janicki, ” Janicki, Reagan, Mike Johnson, Blair Levin, Johnson didn’t, Levin, Jonathan Blaine, ” Blaine, they’re Organizations: CNN, Program, Social, Federal Communications Commission, FCC, Capitol, Getty, MSN, White, ” Texas Democratic, “, Comcast, ACP, Navy, American Library Association, Lifeline, Republicans, Republican, New, Research, ” Bills Locations: Eureka , Illinois, America, Dallas, Las Vegas, Kentucky, San Diego, United States, Maine, St, Vermont

People are surprised to learn that Mari Murdock, 36, is a professional game master, a role in which she organizes and narrates tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons. Dungeons & Dragons is an open-ended tabletop game in which the narrative is shaped by the players' choices, whether that's through combat, puzzles or negotiation. But as Murdock played tabletop games through the 2010s, she grew more confident in the skills it takes to run a good game. The timing was fortuitous, as tabletop gaming became more popular during the pandemic. For Murdock, gaming allows you to immerse yourself in "a pretend situation where you are imagining that you are someone else.

Persons: Mari Murdock, Graham Merwin, Murdock, — it's, Scott, Murdock's, Mari, she'd, Dax Levine, —, Levine, Max, we've, it's Organizations: CNBC, Westminster University, Brigham Young University, Hawaii, BYU, Dragons, Guinness World Records, &, PayPal, Hulu, Spotify, Amazon Prime, Max Insurance, Relief Society Locations: Utah, Salt Lake City, Michigan, Hawaii, Japan, Scott, Provo , Utah

☆ New federal rules on airline refunds require cash instead of vouchers
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Gregory Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New federal rules say travelers deserve cash refunds when inconvenienced by their airline – not vouchers or travel credits. The rules require the fees to be automatic and prompt: Within seven days for a credit card refund and 20 days for other forms of payment. Surge in complaints in 2022The Biden Administration proposed its change to the refund rules in 2022 after a surge in complaints about refunds when the coronavirus brought air travel to a standstill. More than half of the complaints involved flight disruptions or refunds. A federal law allows Congress to unravel recently implemented executive branch rules.

Persons: “, Pete Buttigieg, CNN’s John Berman, ” Buttigieg, you’re, “ That’s, ”, There’s Organizations: CNN — Airline, ”, Transportation Department, Airlines for, Biden Administration Locations: –, Airlines for America, ” “ U.S, Washington, November’s

☆ Private rooms coming to some of Japan’s bullet trains
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Japan’s beloved Shinkansen trains are getting another upgrade. This photo illustration shows what the private rooms will look like. Japan RailwaysThey will be located in the green cars, which are the first-class, more expensive cars on Shinkansen trains. Travelers who have purchased a JR Rail pass will still need to pay extra to use the private rooms. The Tokaido line was Japan’s first-ever high speed rail line, making its debut in 1964.

Persons: CNN —, CNN’s Junko Ogura Organizations: CNN, Japan Rail, Japan Railways, Travelers Locations: Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka

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