Insight Acquisition Corp Stockholders Approve Extension of Business Combination Period Through March 7, 2025Meteorologist Devon Lucie steps us through the Thanksgiving Day forecast timing the arrival of a cold front, when and where rain will be in relation to where you are, how temperatures are affected. what the risk for strong, possibly severe storms will be and what impacts they could bring, then breaking down the day's forecast along with the Tulane football game outlook, then shows you how much colder it will get through the rest of the holiday weekend highlighting the coldest times and when some of our first "cold alerts" of the season are likeliest, then finishes with your seven day forecast.
By Wendy Fry | CalMatters If you’ve hunted for apartments recently and felt like all the rents were equally high, you’re not crazy: Many landlords now use a single company’s software — which uses an algorithm based on proprietary lease information — to help set rent prices. Federal prosecutors say the practice amounts to “an unlawful information-sharing scheme” and some legislators throughout California are moving to curb it. San Diego’s city council president is the latest to do so, proposing to prevent local apartment owners from using the pricing software, which he maintains is driving up housing costs. Also see: California rent hikes: Where are the biggest increases in November? San Diego’s proposed ordinance, now being drafted by the city attorney, comes after San Francisco supervisors in July enacted a similar, first-in-the-nation ban on “the sale or use of algorithmic devices to set rents or manage occupancy levels” for residences. San Jose is considering a similar approach. And California and seven other states have also joined the federal prosecutors’ antitrust suit , which targets the leading rental pricing platform, Texas-based RealPage. The complaint alleges that “RealPage is an algorithmic intermediary that collects, combines, and exploits landlords’ competitively sensitive information. And in so doing, it enriches itself and compliant landlords at the expense of renters who pay inflated prices...” But state legislators this year failed to advance legislation by Bakersfield Democratic Sen. Melissa Hurtado that would have banned the use of any pricing algorithms based on nonpublic data provided by competing companies. She said she plans to bring the bill back during the next legislative session because of what she described as ongoing harms from such algorithms. “We’ve got to make sure the economy is fair and ... that every individual who wants a shot at creating a business has a shot without being destroyed along the way, and that we’re also protecting consumers because it is hurting the pocketbooks of everybody in one way or another,” said Hurtado. RealPage has been a greater impetus for all of the actions. The company counts as its customer landlords with thousands of apartment units across California. Some officials accuse the company of thwarting competition that would otherwise drive rents down, exacerbating the state’s housing shortage and driving up rents in the process. “Every day, millions of Californians worry about keeping a roof over their heads and RealPage has directly made it more difficult to do so,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta in a written statement. A RealPage spokesperson, Jennifer Bowcock, told CalMatters that a lack of housing supply, not the company’s technology, is the real problem — and that its technology benefits residents, property managers, and others associated with the rental market. The spokesperson later wrote that a “misplaced focus on nonpublic information is a distraction... that will only make San Francisco and San Diego’s historical problems worse.” As for the federal lawsuit, the company called the claims in it “devoid of merit” and said it plans to “vigorously defend ourselves against these accusations.” “We are disappointed that, after multiple years of education and cooperation on the antitrust matters concerning RealPage, the (Justice Department) has chosen this moment to pursue a lawsuit that seeks to scapegoat pro-competitive technology that has been used responsibly for years,” the company’s statement read in part. “RealPage’s revenue management software is purposely built to be legally compliant, and we have a long history of working constructively with the (department) to show that.” The company’s challenges will only grow if pricing software becomes another instance in which California lawmakers lead the nation. Following San Francisco’s ban, the Philadelphia City Council passed a ban on algorithmic rental price-fixing with a veto-proof vote last month. New Jersey has been considering its own ban. According to federal prosecutors, RealPage controls 80% of the market for commercial revenue management software. Its product is called YieldStar, and its successor is AI Revenue Management, which uses much of the same codebase as YieldStar, but has more precise forecasting. RealPage told CalMatters it serves only 10% of the rental markets in both San Francisco and San Diego, across its three revenue management software products. Here’s how it works: In order to use YieldStar and AIRM, landlords have historically provided RealPage with their own private data from their rental applications, rent prices, executed new leases, renewal offers and acceptances, and estimates of future occupancy, although a recent change allows landlords to choose to share only public data. This information from all participating landlords in an area is then pooled and run through mathematical forecasting to generate pricing recommendations for the landlords and for their competitors. The San Diego council president, Sean Elo-Rivera, explained it like this: “In the simplest terms, what this platform is doing is providing what we think of as that dark, smoky room for big companies to get together and set prices,” he said. “The technology is being used as a way of keeping an arm’s length from one big company to the other. But that’s an illusion.” In the company’s own words, from company documents included in the lawsuit, RealPage “ensures that (landlords) are driving every possible opportunity to increase price even in the most downward trending or unexpected conditions.” The company also said in the documents that it “helps curb (landlords’) instincts to respond to down-market conditions by either dramatically lowering price or by holding price.” Providing rent guidance isn’t the only service RealPage has offered landlords. In 2020, a Markup and New York Times investigation found that RealPage, alongside other companies, used faulty computer algorithms to do automated background checks on tenants. As a result, tenants were associated with criminal charges they never faced, and denied homes. Thirty-one-year-old Navy veteran Alan Pickens and his wife move nearly every year “because the rent goes up, it gets unaffordable, so we look for a new place to stay,” he said. The northeastern San Diego apartment complex where they just relocated has two-bedroom apartments advertised for between $2,995 and $3,215. They live in an area of San Diego where the U.S. Justice Department says information-sharing agreements between landlords and RealPage have harmed or are likely to harm renters. The department in August filed its antitrust lawsuit against RealPage, alleging the company, through its legacy YieldStar software, engaged in an “ unlawful scheme to decrease competition among landlords in apartment pricing ”. The complaint names specific areas where rents are artificially high. Beyond the part of San Diego where Pickens lives, those areas include South Orange County, Rancho Cucamonga, Temecula, and Murrieta and northeastern San Diego. In the second quarter of 2020, the average rent in San Diego County was $1,926, reflecting a 26% increase over three years, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune . Rents have since risen even more in the city of San Diego, to $2,336 per month as of November 2024 – up 21% from 2020, according to RentCafe and the Tribune. That’s 50% higher than the national average rent. The attorneys general of eight states, including California, joined the Justice Department’s antitrust suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. The California Justice Department contends RealPage artificially inflated prices to keep them above a certain minimum level, said department spokesperson Elissa Perez. This was particularly harmful given the high cost of housing in the state, she added. “The illegally maintained profits that result from these price alignment schemes come out of the pockets of the people that can least afford it.” Renters make up a larger share of households in California than in the rest of the country — 44% here compared to 35% nationwide. The Golden State also has a higher percentage of renters than any state other than New York, according to the latest U.S. Census data . San Diego has the fourth-highest percentage of renters of any major city in the nation . The recent ranks of California legislators, however, have included few renters: As of 2019, CalMatters could find only one state lawmaker who did not own a home — and found that more than a quarter of legislators at the time were landlords. Studies show that low-income residents are more heavily impacted by rising rents. Nationally between 2000 and 2017, Americans without a college degree spent a higher percentage of their income on rent. That percentage ballooned from 30% to 42%. For college graduates, that percentage increased from 26% to 34%. “In my estimation, the only winners in this situation are the richest companies who are either using this technology or creating this technology,” said Elo-Rivera. “There couldn’t be a more clear example of the rich getting richer while the rest of us are struggling to get by.” Private equity giant Thoma Bravo acquired RealPage in January 2021 through two funds that have hundreds of millions of dollars in investments from California public pension funds, including the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, the California State Teachers’ Retirement System, the Regents of the University of California and the Los Angeles police and fire pension funds, according to Private Equity Stakeholder Project. “They’re invested in things that are directly hurting their pensioners,” said K Agbebiyi, a senior housing campaign coordinator with the Private Equity Stakeholder Project, a nonprofit private equity watchdog that produced a report about corporate landlords ‘ impact on rental hikes in San Diego. RealPage argues that landlords are free to reject the price recommendations generated by its software. But the US Justice Department alleges that trying to do so requires a series of steps, including a conversation with a RealPage pricing adviser. The advisers try to “stop property managers from acting on emotions,” according to the department’s lawsuit. Related Articles Housing | California rent hikes: Where are the biggest increases in November? Housing | 20%-plus of US spends entire paychecks on rent, poll says Housing | Why US sued to stop landlords colluding on rents Housing | Rent inflation won’t cool until 2026, Cleveland Fed says Housing | California has 18 of 20 costliest US cities to rent a house Read this story in Spanish If a property manager disagrees with the price the algorithm suggests and wants to decrease rent rather than increase it, a pricing advisor will “escalate the dispute to the manager’s superior,” prosecutors allege in the suit. In San Diego, the Pickenses, who are expecting their first child, have given up their gym memberships and downsized their cars to remain in the area. They’ve considered moving to Denver. “All the extras pretty much have to go,” said Pickens. “I mean, we love San Diego, but it’s getting hard to live here.” “My wife is an attorney and I served in the Navy for 10 years and now work at Qualcomm,” he said. “Why are we struggling? Why are we struggling?”OAKLAND — The city will be thoroughly reshaped by the almost-final Nov. 5 election results, which included a successful recall of Mayor Sheng Thao and victories by three new City Council candidates, with another replacement likely on the way. The political stakes amid all this turnover are high, with a crippling budget crisis and unresolved sale of the Coliseum leaving the city possibly on the path to fiscal insolvency. Who are the eight council members set to lead Oakland next year, alongside a new mayor? Here’s where things stand: The only seat to represent the entire city was fought over by 10 candidates vying to replace retiring Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan. Brown, a staffer for state Assemblymember Mia Bonta, D-Oakland, emerged successful, fending off the name recognition of former police Chief LeRonne Armstrong by a 56% to 43% margin in ranked-choice votes. Of all the candidates for council, Brown received the most financial support from SEIU Local 1021, the city’s largest labor union. She has promised a multi-pronged solution for taking on crime, including an increase in funds for Oakland’s unarmed crisis-response program, MACRO. Brown, who did not respond to an interview request, could possibly look to avoid some more contentious routes to fixing the budget, including negotiating a pay cut for the unions or slashing city services to spare reductions at the Oakland Police Department, which frequently overspends. Unger handily won the race to succeed retiring Councilmember Dan Kalb in representing areas of North Oakland near the Emeryville border and the Rockridge, Piedmont and Grand Lake neighborhoods, plus part of Adams Point above Lake Merritt. His labor backing will come as no surprise given his longtime role leading the Oakland firefighters’ union and his previous political alliance with Thao. But the Brown University and UC Berkeley grad, a former firefighter, bills himself as a “pragmatist” who has seen the city renegotiate its past labor contracts and recognizes that such a move could be part of a solution to the crisis. “We need to fund public safety fully,” Unger said of police, fire and other violence-prevention staff, though he said cops and firefighters may ultimately be lost through attrition. He also noted a possible quarter-cent sales tax may appear on next spring’s special election ballot to replace the mayor. Thao is likely to leave office after the council certifies election results at a Dec. 17 meeting, at which point Bas, who has two years left in her District 2 term, would become interim mayor as president of the council. But she may end up holding that office for only a few weeks. Bas likely will join the Alameda County Board of Supervisors in January, if her lead over Emeryville’s John Bauters remains when results are finalized. At that point, the new City Council would select from its 2025 roster both a new president and someone to serve as interim mayor, given that the current next in line, President Pro-Tempore Kalb, is also leaving office. Bas’ likely departure means Oakland would have another special election next year to permanently fill her District 2 seat, which represents Chinatown, Jack London Square and areas south of Lake Merritt, including the San Antonio neighborhood. The election would take place within 120 days of Bas leaving office, per the city charter, but the council may also have a pathway to appoint a temporary replacement until then. It’s very possible the election, which county officials estimate will cost several million dollars, could replace Thao and Bas in one go. By a 58% to 41% ranked-choice margin, Fife defeated her closest opponent, Warren Logan, withstanding the financial backing he received from a tougher-on-crime, more fiscally conservative political outfit. She credited a boots-on-the-ground campaign approach for her success. But now she faces a budget crisis exacerbated by the still-pending sale of the Oakland Coliseum. Meanwhile, she is pondering a mayoral run next spring if Congresswoman Barbara Lee isn’t convinced by Fife and other Democrats in Oakland to go for the job. At a meeting last week, she railed against unnamed city officials for misrepresenting the core problems behind the crisis — heavily intimating that the police department should be held to account for its overspending. Ramachandran, who just gave birth to a son, is on maternity leave “for the next few weeks,” she told this news organization on Nov. 18. How long she’s gone may end up being relevant to the council’s ability to hold quorum, with Bas leaving District 2 vacant and another member likely to become the interim mayor. The eight-member council needs five members present to hold meetings and vote, and additional absences could jeopardize that if Ramachandran misses extended time. A social-justice lawyer, Ramachandran has been most notable on the council for opposing Thao’s budget plans and pushing for more conservative spending amid an uncertain Coliseum sale. She has said a mayoral run isn’t under consideration, despite the last three mayors hailing from District 4, which spans a diverse range of Oakland neighborhoods from Allendale in the east to Montclair in the north. Gallo soon will be the longest-tenured councilmember — and in recent years, the one who’s least engaged in policy talks. But his community work and name recognition helped him win 59% of ranked-choice votes in a bid to continue representing District 5, which covers parts of East Oakland between 23rd and 54th avenues, including the Fruitvale neighborhood. He is often hostile toward city officials over Oakland’s budgetary woes and is likely to support hardline measures for fixing the crisis. As the city’s financial situation worsens, Jenkins is adamant that the council’s budgeting of still-pending Coliseum revenues in the summer had its benefits. He was keen to note at a meeting last week how budget saves in the fire department may have helped spare homes during the recent Oakland Hills wildfire. Jenkins’ community relationships are steadily growing his clout as a first-term councilmember in District 6, which spans areas between the Coliseum and Merritt College and across to the Eastmont Hills neighborhood. The fast-talking Houston benefited from a chaotic musical-chairs game that followed Treva Reid’s decision not to seek another term to represent East Oakland near the San Leandro and Alameda borders in District 7. Houston, who won 52% of the ranked-choice votes, is as vocally pro-police as anyone on the council next year and his lack of political experience make him a wild card in the upcoming budget talks. He didn’t respond to an interview request.
ATLANTA (AP) — Ethan Vasko threw three touchdown passes and ran for a fourth as Coastal Carolina became bowl eligible by beating Georgia State 48-27 for its sixth win of the season in the regular season finale on Saturday. The Chanticleers evened their season record at 6-6 with the win and finished 3-5 in the Sun Belt East. The loss leaves Georgia State (3-9) with just one win in eight conference games. Vasko threw 10 yards to Senika McKie for the game's first score midway through the first quarter, but the Panthers got a Liam Rickman 28-yard field goal and a 19-yard touchdown run by Freddie Brock to take a 10-7 second-quarter lead. Vasko threw his second TD pass, this one a five-yard strike to Zach Courtney to take the lead and Kade Hensley booted a 43-yard field goal as time expired to put Coastal Carolina up 17-10 at halftime. Christian Washington ran 18-yards for a touchdown to open up a 24-10 lead four minutes into the third quarter. Vasko hit McKie for their second touchdown, this one from 31-yards out and Vasko ran 10 yards for a fourth-quarter touchdown to make it 38-10 with under 10 minutes to play. Vasko was 13 of 17 passing for 200 yards and carried 13 times for another 68. Washington carried 20 times for 124 yards. McKie caught five passes for 81 yards Georgia State amassed 428 yards of offense, but the Panthers turned the ball over six times. Christian Veilleux completed 15 of 26 passes for 205 yards but was picked off four times and fumbled. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballTrump nominates cryptocurrency advocate Paul Atkins as SEC chairNone
The No. 11 USC Aiken men's basketball team lost a hard-fought 100-94 contest to Claflin on Saturday afternoon. The Pacers are now 4-2 on the season. Head coach Mark Vanderslice's team was led by Rhyjon Blackwell's career-high and game-best 25 points. He added six boards and four assists. Davion Cunningham netted 21 points, grabbed seven boards to go along with four assists. Rafael Rubel tallied 16 points and three assists while Jalen McCoy posted 13 points, six boards and three assists. Kaleb Siler notched a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds to go along with a block. Tied at 9-9, Blackwell drained a 3-point bucket at the 14:50 mark. Twenty seconds later, Cunningham found Rubel for another shot from distance, increasing the margin to six, 15-9. Leading 19-18, Blackwell found Cunningham for a shot from downtown before McCoy hit a jumper at the 10:29 mark. USCA extended the margin to seven after a quick 5-0 spurt. Dwight Canady, Jr., hit two free throws and Rubel drilled a basket from behind the arc with 8:04 to go. Claflin held a 36-34 lead before McCoy, Rubel and Siler hit shots for a 40-36 advantage. Blackwell's basket pushed the lead to six, 42-36, at the 1:44 mark. Vanderslice's team held a 44-40 margin at the break. Leading 52-50, Blackwell buried a 3-ball at the 17:40 mark. He drilled another shot from distance off a pass from Rubel at the 17:12 mark for a 58-52 advantage. The Panthers clawed back into the game, tying it at 58-58 with 16:34 to play. Claflin extended the advantage to 10, 80-70, before Siler nailed an old-fashioned three-point play. Down 88-77, Blackwell canned a jumper. Siler tipped in a shot before Blackwell made two free throws, cutting the deficit to 88-84 with 3:10 remaining. The Panthers increased the advantage to eight, 92-84, with 2:23 to go. Vanderslice's team trimmed the deficit to four, 98-89, on two charity tosses from Cunningham with 39 seconds to go. However, that was as close as the squad could get the rest of the way. For the game, USCA hit 30 of 69 from the floor, including 12 of 30 from downtown. The team connected on 22 of 31 from the charity stripe. The Pacers held a 43-31 edge on the glass, including a 21-8 margin on the offensive boards. Vanderslice's team scored 18 second-chance points and maintained a 21-17 edge on the break. Claflin shot 55% as a team for the game and was 14-for-29 (48.3%) from 3. Five different Panthers scored in double figures. The Pacers return to action at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday when they host Livingstone.Commanders running back Austin Ekeler needed assistance off the field after a scary moment at the end of Washington's Week 12 loss vs. the Cowboys. The injury occurred in the game's final moments as Washington returned a Dallas kickoff. Ekeler received the kick in the landing zone and took a scary hit from two members of the Cowboys special teams unit. Oh no. Austin Ekeler got knocked out on the kick return. He is up and standing now 🙏 pic.twitter.com/47dPRkM3n8 Players on the field immediately signaled to the sideline for assistance as Ekeler temporarily lay motionless. After a few minutes, Ekeler walked off the field with assistance. Here's what is known about his injury. NFL HQ: Live NFL scores | Updated NFL standings | Full NFL schedule Austin Ekeler injury update Washington training staff assisted Ekeler as he walked off the field. This is an encouraging development as Ekeler was able to stand and walk following the hit. The hit occurred with under 10 seconds remaining in the game and Ekeler did not return to the field for the final two plays. He will likely be evaluated postgame to determine his status for the coming weeks. MORE: How Commanders loss to Cowboys affects playoff outlook Earlier in the season, Ekeler sustained a concussion in Week 3. He was inactive in Week 4 before returning to action in Week 5. This story will be updated.2024 Was World's Taylor Swift Era Once Again: Spotify Reveals Top Artists, Songs, Albums, Podcasts
LOS ANGELES — UCLA football underclassmen carried their seniors off the field after Thursday’s practice as part of Bruin tradition, hoisting them above their shoulders in honor of the work they’ve done in their time with the team. Two days later, 42 players walked in the Senior Day celebration prior to the Bruins’ season finale against Fresno State at the Rose Bowl. Redshirt junior Carson Schwesinger took part in the celebration, indicating the possibility that the Butkus Award-nominated linebacker may not stay for another next season. Schwesinger and head coach DeShaun Foster said the FBS’ leading tackler has not made a decision as to whether he will go to the NFL. “He’s really going to do whatever is best for him in that situation,” Foster told reporters Wednesday. “I completely understand, especially if he gets the Butkus Award, and the way that he came out and performed this season. He deserves to get a shot and go to the NFL.” Receiver J.Michael Sturdivant also walked for Senior Day. Sturdivant, a redshirt junior, was UCLA’s third-leading receiver heading into Saturday’s game with 311 total yards and one touchdown. He averaged 31.1 yards per game. Sturdivant’s ability to stretch the field was underutilized in his two seasons at UCLA after he previously played two seasons at Cal. Offensive lineman Josh Carlin, edge rusher Oluwafemi Oladejo and defensive lineman Jay Toia each walked with the seniors Saturday and are expected to make a push for the NFL. “Incredibly grateful for the Bruin program, the UCLA program,” Oladejo told reporters Tuesday. “Came in here at the age of 19 and I’m now 21, so I’ve grown here a lot. Grown as a man, matured. Not just on the field but off the field as well. This means a lot to me.” Other notable players who took part in Senior Day: offensive lineman Garret DiGiorgio, quarterbacks Ethan Garbers and Chase Griffin, running back Keegan Jones, receiver Logan Loya, tight end Moliki Matavao and linebacker Kain Medrano. “A game like, this you want to send the seniors off on the right note,” Schwesinger said, “but on top of that, it’s being able to go out there and play competitively. We’re all here because we like to play football and you get a chance to do that, you’ve gotta go out and play your hardest.” Jordan Chiles promotes return Olympic and UCLA gymnast Jordan Chiles was in attendance for Saturday’s football game and gave a “4’s up” gesture on the big screen during the second quarter, promoting her return to UCLA. Chiles, a junior who took a year off to train for and compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics, will make her return as a Bruin for the upcoming 2025 season. She made the announcement in an interview with TODAY’s Hoda Kotb in early August. Chiles won a silver medal in 2020 to make her the most decorated Olympian in UCLA women’s gymnastics history. She scored three perfect 10s in her 2022 season as a Bruin — two in floor exercise and one on the uneven bars. She won NCAA titles in both events in 2023 and was the runner-up in the all-around at the national championships. UCLA’s gymnastics season begins with its Meet the Bruins event on Dec. 14 at Pauley Pavilion.November 26, 2024 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlightedthe following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked trusted source proofread by Tohoku University With growing concerns over climate change and overpopulation, we urgently need to boost agricultural productivity. With the goal of creating a way to easily tell whether a plant is thriving or dying, a leaf-mounted sensor was created by researchers at Tohoku University. This small but mighty technology could help improve crop yields and resource management in order to meet ever-growing demands. Extreme weather events such as heat waves, heavy rain, and droughts stress plants, which can reduce crop yields and threaten the long-term health of our farms, forests, and biodiversity. There is an unmet need to monitor precisely how plants respond to these changes. While drones and aircraft have improved plant monitoring from above, they only capture more macro, surface-level information. They also require adjustments to be able to track plants accurately over time. Other small sensors that can capture changes at the individual plant level are inconvenient since they often require on-site personnel to install and manually check each sensor. "The traditional methods may work well for some purposes, but they are difficult to operate and quite expensive," explains Kaori Kohzuma, "In order to continuously monitor small changes, we needed a new solution." To address these issues, a team of researchers developed a novel sensor that attaches directly to the underside of plant leaves. This small device uses a spectroscopic sensor and light source to measure leaf color without blocking sunlight, and it can track changes in the same spot over time. Powered by a battery, with Wi-Fi data transfer and waterproofing, the sensor can work outdoors for over a month, allowing for extended data collection. The research is published in Sensing and Bio-Sensing Research . "Smart agriculture is a huge time-saver," says Ko-ichiro Miyamoto, "Farmers don't have time to manually check every single plant. This sensor is able to provide fine-tuned readings for what's going on in real time. Then, they can react accordingly to areas where plants are experiencing high levels of stress." This sensor performed well when compared with a commercial spectrometer on about 90 leaves from 30 different plant species. It accurately distinguished colors across seven out of its eight detectable wavelengths, and its readings at 620 nm were highly similar to commercial chlorophyll meters. Further tests with a stress-sensitive Arabidopsis thaliana mutant showed that changes at 550 nm in the sensor's readings matched the plant's stress responses, which aligned with the commonly used Photochemical Reflectance Index (PRI). In an outdoor trial to test performance under real life conditions, they attached the sensor to birch leaves to track changes in leaf color during autumn, leaf fall, and aging over two weeks. They were able to observe a decrease in chlorophyll (an indicator of plant stress) and how the plant's response fluctuated with sunlight intensity. "This affordable sensor is a promising tool for accurately monitoring plant health and stress through leaf color and light reflection data. Its low cost makes it possible to place multiple sensors across various locations, creating a network for simultaneous monitoring in many spots," says Kohzuma. This smart diagnosis technology allows for support to be provided in the areas it's needed most. This sensor could be used widely in smart farming, forest health studies, and other areas where detailed plant health tracking is important. More information: Kaori Kohzuma et al, Analysis of plant physiological responses based on leaf color changes through the development and application of a wireless plant sensor, Sensing and Bio-Sensing Research (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.sbsr.2024.100688 Provided by Tohoku University
Landlords are using AI to raise rents; California cities are leading the pushback
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It is an ambitious social experiment of our moment in history — one that experts say could accomplish something that parents, schools and other governments have attempted with varying degrees of success: keeping kids off social media until they turn 16 . Australia's new law, approved by its Parliament last week, is an attempt to swim against many tides of modern life — formidable forces like technology, marketing, globalization and, of course, the iron will of a teenager. And like efforts of the past to protect kids from things that parents believe they're not ready for, the nation's move is both ambitious and not exactly simple, particularly in a world where young people are often shaped, defined and judged by the online company they keep. The ban won't go into effect for another year. But how will Australia be able to enforce it? That's not clear, nor will it be easy. TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram have become so ingrained in young people's lives that going cold turkey will be difficult. Other questions loom. Does the ban limit kids' free expression and — especially for those in vulnerable groups — isolate them and curtail their opportunity to connect with members of their community? And how will social sites verify people's ages, anyway? Can't kids just get around such technicalities, as they so often do? This is, after all, the 21st century — an era when social media is the primary communications tool for most of those born in the past 25 years who, in a fragmented world, seek the common cultures of trends, music and memes. What happens when big swaths of that fall away? Is Australia's initiative a good, long-time-coming development that will protect the vulnerable, or could it become a well-meaning experiment with unintended consequences? The law will make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent children younger than 16 from holding accounts. “It’s clear that social media companies have to be held accountable, which is what Australia is trying to do,” said Jim Steyer, president and CEO of the nonprofit Common Sense Media. Leaders and parents in countries around the world are watching Australia’s policy closely as many seek to protect young kids from the internet's dangerous corners — and, not incidentally, from each other. Most nations have taken different routes, from parental consent requirements to minimum age limits. Many child safety experts, parents and even teens who have waited to get on social media consider Australia's move a positive step. They say there’s ample reason to ensure that children wait. “What’s most important for kids, just like adults, is real human connection. Less time alone on the screen means more time to connect, not less," said Julie Scelfo, the founder of Mothers Against Media Addiction, or MAMA, a grassroots group of parents aimed at combatting the harms of social media to children. “I’m confident we can support our kids in interacting in any number of ways aside from sharing the latest meme.” The harms to children from social media have been well documented in the two decades since Facebook’s launch ushered in a new era in how the world communicates. Kids who spend more time on social media, especially as tweens or young teenagers, are more likely to experience depression and anxiety, according to multiple studies — though it is not yet clear if there is a causal relationship. What's more, many are exposed to content that is not appropriate for their age, including pornography and violence, as well as social pressures about body image and makeup . They also face bullying, sexual harassment and unwanted advances from their peers as well as adult strangers. Because their brains are not fully developed, teenagers, especially younger ones the law is focused on, are also more affected by social comparisons than adults, so even happy posts from friends can send them into a negative spiral. Many major initiatives, particularly those aimed at social engineering, can produce side effects — often unintended. Could that happen here? What, if anything, do kids stand to lose by separating kids and the networks in which they participate? Paul Taske, associate director of litigation at the tech lobbying group NetChoice, says he considers the ban “one of the most extreme violations of free speech on the world stage today" even as he expressed relief that the First Amendment prevents such law in the United States "These restrictions would create a massive cultural shift,” Taske said. “Not only is the Australian government preventing young people from engaging with issues they’re passionate about, but they’re also doing so even if their parents are ok with them using digital services," he said. "Parents know their children and their needs the best, and they should be making these decisions for their families — not big government. That kind of forcible control over families inevitably will have downstream cultural impacts.” David Inserra, a fellow for Free Expression and Technology, Cato Institute, called the bill “about as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike” in a recent blog post . While Australia's law doesn't require “hard verification” such as an uploaded ID, he said, it calls for effective “age assurance.” He said no verification system can ensure accuracy while also protecting privacy and not impacting adults in the process. Privacy advocates have also raised concerns about the law's effect on online anonymity, a cornerstone of online communications — and something that can protect teens on social platforms. “Whether it be religious minorities and dissidents, LGBTQ youth, those in abusive situations, whistleblowers, or countless other speakers in tricky situations, anonymous speech is a critical tool to safely challenge authority and express controversial opinions,” Inserra said. A spot check of kids at one mall in the Australian city of Brisbane on Wednesday didn't turn up a great deal of worry, though. “Social media is still important because you get to talk to people, but I think it’s still good that they’re like limiting it,” said Swan Son, a 13-year-old student at Brisbane State High School. She said she has had limited exposure to social media and wouldn’t really miss it for a couple of years. Her parents already enforce a daily one-hour limit. And as for her friends? “I see them at school every day, so I think I’ll be fine.” Conor Negric, 16, said he felt he’d dodged a bullet because of his age. Still, he considers the law reasonable. “I think 16 is fine. Some kids, I know some kids like 10 who’re on Instagram, Snapchat. I only got Instagram when I was 14." His mom, Sive Negric, who has two teenage sons, said she was happy for her boys to avoid exposure to social media too early: “That aspect of the internet, it’s a bit `meanland.'" Parents in Britain and across Europe earlier this year organized on platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram to promise not to buy smartphones for children younger than 12 or 13. This approach costs almost no money and requires no government enforcement. In the United States, some parents are keeping kids off social media either informally or as part of an organized campaign such as Wait Until 8th, a group that helps parents delay kids' access to social media and phones. This fall, Norway announced plans to ban kids under 15 from using social media, while France is testing a smartphone ban for kids under 15 in a limited number of schools — a policy that could be rolled out nationwide if successful. U.S. lawmakers have held multiple congressional hearings — most recently in January — on child online safety. Still, the last federal law aimed at protecting children online was enacted in 1998, six years before Facebook’s founding. In July, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed legislation designed to protect children from dangerous online content , pushing forward with what would be the first major effort by Congress in decades to hold tech companies more accountable. But the Kids Online Safety Act has since stalled in the House. While several states have passed laws requiring age verification, those are stuck in court. Utah became the first state to pass laws regulating children’s social media use in 2023. In September, a judge issued the preliminary injunction against the law, which would have required social media companies to verify the ages of users, apply privacy settings and limit some features. NetChoice has also obtained injunctions temporarily halting similar laws in several other states. And last May, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said there is insufficient evidence to show social media is safe for kids. He urged policymakers to treat social media like car seats, baby formula, medication and other products children use. “Why should social media products be any different? Scelfo said. “Parents cannot possibly bear the entire responsibility of keeping children safe online, because the problems are baked into the design of the products.” Associated Press Writers John Pye in Brisbane, Australia and Laurie Kellman in London contributed to this story.
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NoneAll polling stations managed to open despite fierce weather in the sub-Arctic nation that left roads in many areas blocked by snow. Ballot counting began after polls closed at 10pm local time, with results expected early Sunday. This is Iceland’s sixth general election since the 2008 financial crisis devastated the economy of the nation and ushered in a new era of political instability. Opinion polls suggested the country could be in for another upheaval, with support for the three governing parties plunging. Mr Benediktsson, who was named prime minister in April following the resignation of his predecessor, struggled to hold together the unlikely coalition of his conservative Independence Party with the centrist Progressive Party and the Left-Green Movement. “My expectation is like, something new (is) going to happen, hopefully,” said Horour Guojonsson, voting in the capital, Reykjavik. “We always have had these old parties taking care of things. I hope we see the light now to come in with a younger people, new ideas.” Iceland, a nation of about 400,000 people, is proud of its democratic traditions, describing itself as arguably the world’s oldest parliamentary democracy. The island’s parliament, the Althingi, was founded in 930 by the Norsemen who settled the country.
As the leaves fall, the heat goes on, the temperatures drop and the sweaters and jackets are pulled from storage, it’s also a great time to think about making a pot of soup. Soup is one of the best comfort foods, perfect for those New England fall and winter days. Whether you fancy clam or corn chowder, a roasted butternut squash soup, a classic Italian sausage orzo or something unique like lasagna soup, there’s a special place in everyone’s heart for that big pot on the stove. We have found five recipes that are sure to make your mouth water. No matter what soup preference you may have, you’ll find something to cook for the whole family. This recipe is by . Ingredients Directions This recipe is by . Ingredients Directions This recipe is by . Ingredients Noodles: Soup Base: Cheese Mixture: Garnish: Directions This recipe is by . Ingredients Directions This recipe is by . Ingredients Directions
UNITY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The team looking for a missing Pennsylvania woman believed to have fallen into a sinkhole has determined that an abandoned coal mine is too unstable for people to safely search underground, authorities said Wednesday while still expressing hope Elizabeth Pollard will be found alive. Rescue workers continue to search for Elizabeth Pollard, who is believed to have disappeared in a sinkhole while looking for her cat, Wednesday in Marguerite, Pa. Emergency crews and others have been trying to find Pollard, 64, for two days. Her relatives reported her missing early Tuesday and her vehicle with her unharmed 5-year-old granddaughter inside was found about two hours later, near what is thought to be a freshly opened sinkhole above the long closed, crumbling mine. Authorities said in a noon update that the roof of the mine collapsed in several places and is not stable. The sinkhole is in the village of Marguerite, about 40 miles east of Pittsburgh. “We did get, you know, where we wanted, where we thought that she was at. We’ve been to that spot," said Pleasant Unity Fire Chief John Bacha, the incident's operations officer. “What happened at that point, I don’t know, maybe the slurry of mud pushed her one direction. There were several different seams of that mine, shafts that all came together where this happened at.” Trooper Cliff Greenfield said crews were still actively searching for Pollard. “We are hopeful that she’s found alive,” Greenfield said. Searchers were using electronic devices and cameras as surface digging continued with the use of heavy equipment, Bacha said. Search dogs may also be used. Rescue workers search through the night in a sinkhole for Elizabeth Pollard, who disappeared while looking for her cat, Tuesday in Marguerite, Pa. On Wednesday afternoon, machinery was removing material from the area around the hole while police and other government vehicles blocked a clear view of the scene. Sinkholes occur in the area because of subsidence from coal mining activity. Rescuers had been using water to break down and remove clay and dirt from the mine, which has been closed since the 1950s, but that increased the risk “for potential other mine subsidence to take place," Pennsylvania State Police spokesperson Trooper Steve Limani said. Crews lowered a pole camera with a sensitive listening device into the hole, but it detected nothing. Another camera lowered into the hole showed what could be a shoe about 30 feet below the surface, Limani said. Searchers have also deployed drones and thermal imaging equipment, to no avail. Marguerite Fire Chief Scot Graham, the incident commander, said access to the immediate area surrounding the hole was being tightly controlled and monitored, with rescuers attached by harness. The top of a sinkhole is seen Tuesday in the village of Marguerite, Pa., where rescuers searched for a woman who disappeared. “We cannot judge as to what’s going on underneath us. Again, you had a small hole on top but as soon as you stuck a camera down through to look, you had this big void,” Graham said. “And it was all different depths. The process is long, is tedious. We have to make sure that we are keeping safety in the forefront as well as the rescue effort.” Bacha said they were “hoping that there’s a void that she could still be in.” Pollard's family called police at about 1 a.m. Tuesday to say she had not been seen since going out at about 5 p.m. Monday to search for Pepper, her cat. The temperature dropped well below freezing that night. Her son, Axel Hayes, said Pollard is a happy woman who likes going out to have fun. She and her husband adopted Hayes and his twin brother when they were infants. Hayes called Pollard “a great person overall, a great mother” who “never really did anybody wrong.” He said at one point Pollard had about 10 cats. “Every cat that she’s ever come in contact with, she has a close bond with them,” Hayes said. His mother worked for many years at Walmart but recently was not employed, he said. “I’m just hoping right now that she’s still with us and she’s able to come back to us,” he said. Police said they found Pollard's car parked behind Monday's Union Restaurant in Marguerite, about 20 feet from the sinkhole. Hunters and restaurant workers in the area said they had not noticed the manhole-size opening in the hours before Pollard disappeared, leading rescuers to speculate that the sinkhole was new. “It almost feels like it opened up with her standing on top of it,” Limani said. Searchers accessed the mine late Tuesday afternoon and dug a separate entrance out of concern that the ground around the sinkhole opening was not stable. “Let’s be honest, we need to get a little bit lucky, right?” Limani said Wednesday. “We need a little bit of luck on our side. We need a little bit of God’s good blessing on our side.” Pollard lives in a small neighborhood across the street from where her car and granddaughter were located, Limani said. The young girl “nodded off in the car and woke up. Grandma never came back," Limani said. The child stayed in the car until two troopers rescued her. It's not clear what happened to Pepper. In an era of rapid technological advancement and environmental change, American agriculture is undergoing a revolution that reaches far beyond the farm gate. From the food on consumer plates to the economic health of rural communities, the transformation of U.S. farming practices is reshaping the nation's landscape in ways both visible and hidden. LandTrust explores how these changes impact everyone, whether they live in the heartland or the heart of the city. The image of the small family farm, while still a reality for many, is increasingly giving way to larger, more technologically advanced operations. According to the USDA, the number of farms in the U.S. has fallen from 6.8 million in 1935 to about 2 million today, with the average farm size growing from 155 acres to 444 acres. This shift has profound implications for rural communities and the food system as a whole. Despite these changes, diversity in farming practices is on the rise. A landmark study published in Science , involving data from over 2,000 farms across 11 countries, found that diversifying farmland simultaneously delivers environmental and social benefits. This challenges the longstanding idea that practices boosting biodiversity must come at a cost to yields and food security. The adoption of precision agriculture technologies is transforming how farmers manage their land and resources. GPS-guided tractors, drone surveillance, and AI-powered crop management systems are becoming commonplace on many farms. These technologies allow farmers to apply water, fertilizers, and pesticides with pinpoint accuracy, reducing waste and environmental impact while improving yields. However, the digital divide remains a challenge. More than 22% of rural communities lack reliable broadband internet access, hindering the widespread implementation of AI and other advanced technologies in agriculture. While technology offers new opportunities, farmers are also facing significant economic challenges. The USDA's 2024 farm income forecast projects a 4.4% decline in net farm income from 2023, following a sharp 19.5% drop from 2022 to 2023. This financial pressure is compounded by rising production costs and market volatility. Climate variability adds another layer of complexity. Extreme weather events, changing precipitation patterns, and shifting growing seasons are forcing farmers to adapt quickly. These factors could reduce agricultural productivity by up to 25% over the coming decades without significant adaptation measures. But adapting requires additional financial resources, further straining farm profitability. In the face of these challenges, many farmers are turning to diversification as a strategy for resilience and profitability. The Science study mentioned earlier found that farms integrating several diversification methods supported more biodiversity while seeing simultaneous increases in human well-being and food security. Agritourism is one popular diversification strategy. In 2022, 28,600 U.S. farms reported agritourism income, averaging gross revenue of $44,000 from these activities. Activities like farm tours, pick-your-own operations, and seasonal festivals not only provide additional income but also foster a deeper connection between consumers and agriculture. The changing face of agriculture is directly impacting consumers. The rise of farm-to-table and local food movements reflects a growing interest in where our food comes from and how it's produced. If every U.S. household spent just $10 per week on locally grown food, it would generate billions of dollars for local economies. However, the larger challenges in agriculture can also lead to price fluctuations at the grocery store. The USDA's Economic Research Service projects that food-at-home prices will increase between 1.2% and 2.2% in 2024. Looking ahead, several innovations are poised to reshape agriculture: The transformation of American agriculture affects everyone, from the food we eat to the health of our environment and rural communities. Consumers have the power to support sustainable and diverse farming practices through our purchasing decisions. As citizens, they can advocate for policies that support farmers in adopting innovative and sustainable practices. The challenges facing agriculture are complex, but they also present opportunities for innovation and positive change. By understanding and engaging with these issues, everyone can play a part in shaping a more resilient, sustainable, and equitable food system for the future. This story was produced by LandTrust and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Friday, November 22, 2024 Facebook Instagram Twitter WhatsApp Youtube Personal Finance Education Entertainment Jobs Alert Sports Hindi Technology Complaint Redressal. Fact-Checking Policy Correction policy Authors and Team DNPA Code of Ethics Onwership and Funding Cookie Policy Terms of Service Disclaimer Contact US About Us More Search Home Personal Finance New Credit Card launched, Lifetime free and no joining fees Personal Finance New Credit Card launched, Lifetime free and no joining fees By Shyamu Maurya November 22, 2024 0 7 Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Telegram New Credit Card launched, Lifetime free and no joining fees New Credit Card: A new credit card has been launched which is lifetime free and there is no joining fee. Know what else is special about it. Rio has launched the YES Bank Rio RuPay Credit Card in partnership with Yes Bank and NPCI. It is a UPI-enabled product. This card makes transactions easier by integrating credit benefits with UPI. With its help, users can shop from more than 100 million merchant locations across the country. This card offers a credit limit of up to Rs 5 lakh, personalized rewards and exclusive deals to users through the Know Your Offers feature of the Rio app. This special card is only for them People from small cities are also showing a lot of interest in this card. During its beta launch, 60% of the applications came from tier 2 and tier 3 cities. This credit card is available to people between the ages of 21 and 60, whether they are employed or have their own business. The applicant for this card should have a minimum net monthly salary of Rs 25,000 or an annual income tax return of Rs 5 lakh. However, existing YES BANK credit card holders are not eligible. This credit card is lifetime free This card is lifetime free. There is also no joining fee. While this card offers many benefits, some specific transactions will be charged. 1% fee plus GST will be levied on utility payments of more than Rs 15,000 in a month, with a maximum limit of Rs 3,000 per month. This is how you will get the benefit Payment of education fees through third-party apps like CRED or PhonePe will attract 1% fee plus GST from October 2024, with the fee limited to Rs 5,000 per calendar month. Similarly, fuel transactions of more than Rs 10,000 per transaction will attract 1% fee plus GST, which will be limited to Rs 5,000 per month. For example, a fuel transaction of Rs 20,000 with this card will attract a fee of Rs 200 and tax. Join Informal Newz Tags RuPay Credit Card Yes Bank Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Telegram Previous article QR-Ticketing System: Now you can travel in Metro and Namo Bharat train with a single ticket Shyamu Maurya Shyamu has done Degree in Fine Arts and has knowledge about bollywood industry. He started writing in 2018. Since then he has been associated with Informalnewz. In case of any complain or feedback, please contact me @informalnewz@gmail.com RELATED ARTICLES India QR-Ticketing System: Now you can travel in Metro and Namo Bharat train with a single ticket November 22, 2024 Personal Finance RBI warns banks! If you do not do this work now, legal action will be taken November 21, 2024 Personal Finance EPFO members get insurance up to Rs 7 lakh without paying premium, know how to avail it November 21, 2024 - Advertisment - Most Popular QR-Ticketing System: Now you can travel in Metro and Namo Bharat train with a single ticket November 22, 2024 RBI warns banks! 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Venkatesh on Urfi Javed crossed all limits, wore a front open hoodie top without inner, see photos and videos Gul Mohiudin on Malaika Arora came out in a backless strappy dress late at night, someone had to handle the gown and someone held her hand Gul Mohiudin on Priyanka Chopra reached award function without bra, shame had to be saved repeatedly in open jacket Venkatesh on Disha Patani shared a bo*ld picture while taking a bath, seeing Tiger Shroff’s heart beat will increase EDITOR PICKS QR-Ticketing System: Now you can travel in Metro and Namo Bharat train with a single ticket November 22, 2024 RBI warns banks! If you do not do this work now, legal action will be taken November 21, 2024 EPFO members get insurance up to Rs 7 lakh without paying premium, know how to avail it November 21, 2024 POPULAR POSTS QR-Ticketing System: Now you can travel in Metro and Namo Bharat train with a single ticket November 22, 2024 RBI warns banks! 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