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The internet has extended our writing rather than killing it off, a linguist has said. Gretchen McCulloch, a Canadian academic, said that before social media, texting and emails many people finished school and never picked up a pen or wrote on a keyboard again. Now, though, thanks to the internet, it was rare to go a day without writing, she said. McCulloch, author of Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language , told the Instant Genius podcast: “It used to be much more possible to go through your life after you finish school without really writing at all — unless your job involved writing, you could just sort of not write after that. “Now it’s so hard to go through even a day without sending people a text, maybe posting some things publicly — but even if you’re not publicly on social media, you’re still co-ordinating things via text, making these sort of short texts to people.Authored by Connor O'Keeffe via The Mises Institute, Last week, UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot to death on a New York City sidewalk in what was clearly a thoroughly planned-out attack. Over the next few days, as authorities hunted for the killer, online progressives did not try hard to hide their delight that a millionaire health insurance executive like Thompson was killed. Social media was flooded with posts and videos—with different ranges of subtlety—suggesting that Thompson, at the very least, did not deserve to be mourned because of all the health care his company has denied to poor and working people. Progressives framed the shooting as an act of self-defense on behalf of the working class. Before the alleged killer was caught Monday, they promised not to snitch if they saw the shooter themselves and fantasized about a working-class jury nullifying all charges, leading to other CEOs getting gunned down with impunity if they oversaw price increases. The narrative that these online progressives clearly subscribe to and perpetuate is one where, in the United States, healthcare is a totally unfettered, unregulated industry; where - because of a total lack of government involvement - wealthy CEOs charge whatever prices they want and then refuse to provide customers what they already paid for without facing any bad consequences. The characterization of healthcare and health insurance companies charging absurdly high prices while treating their customers terribly without the risk of losing them is spot on. But the idea that what caused this was a lack of government involvement in the healthcare system is completely delusional. And this delusion conveniently removes all the responsibility progressives bear for the nightmare that is the US healthcare system. Today, healthcare is one of the most heavily government-regulated industries in the economy - right up there with the finance and energy sectors. Government agencies are involved in all parts of the process, from the research and production of drugs, the training and licensing of medical professionals, and the building of hospitals to the availability of health insurance, the makeup of insurance plans, and the complicated payment processes. And that is nothing new. The US government has been intervening heavily in the healthcare industry for over a century. And no group has done more to bring this about than the progressives. It really began, after all, during the Progressive Era, when the American Medical Association maneuvered its way into setting the official accreditation standards for the nation’s “unregulated” medical schools. The AMA wrote standards that excluded the medical approaches of their competitors, which forced half of the nation’s medical schools to close. The new shortage of trained doctors drove up the price of medical services—to the delight of the AMA and other government-recognized doctor’s groups—setting the familiar healthcare affordability crisis in motion. Around the same time, progressives successfully pushed for strict restrictions on the production of drugs and, shortly afterward, to grant drug producers monopoly privileges. After WWII, as healthcare grew more expensive, the government used the tax code to warp how Americans paid for healthcare. Under President Truman, the IRS made employer-provided health insurance tax deductible while continuing to tax other means of payment. It didn’t take long for employer plans to become the dominant arrangement and for health insurance to morph away from actual insurance into a general third-party payment system. These government interventions restricting the supply of medical care and privileging insurance over other payment methods created a real affordability problem for many Americans. But the crisis didn’t really start until the 1960s when Congress passed two of the progressive’s favorite government programs—Medicare and Medicaid. Initially, industry groups like the AMA opposed Medicare and Medicaid because they believed the government subsidies would deteriorate the quality of care. They were right about that, but what they clearly didn’t anticipate was how rich the programs would make them. Anyone who’s taken even a single introductory economics class could tell you that prices will rise if supply decreases or demand increases. The government was already keeping the supply of medical services artificially low—leading to artificially high prices. Medicare and Medicaid left those shortages in place and poured a ton of tax dollars into the healthcare sector—significantly increasing demand. The result was an easily predictable explosion in the cost of healthcare. Fewer and fewer people could afford healthcare at these rising prices, meaning more people required government assistance, which meant more demand, causing prices to grow faster and faster. Meanwhile, private health “insurance” providers were also benefiting from the mounting crisis. In a free market, insurance serves as a means to trade risk. Insurance works well for accidents and calamities that are hard to predict individually but relatively easy to predict in bulk, like car accidents, house fires, and unexpected family deaths. Health insurance providers were already being subsidized by all the taxes on competing means of payment, which allowed their plans to grow beyond the typical bounds of insurance and begin to cover easily-predictable occurrences like annual physicals. And, as the price of all of these services continued to shoot up, the costs of these routine procedures were becoming high enough to resemble the costs of emergencies—making consumers even more reliant on insurance. With progressives cheering on, the political class used government intervention to create a healthcare system that behaves as if its sole purpose is to move as much money as possible into the pockets of healthcare providers, drug companies, hospitals, health-related federal agencies, and insurance providers. But the party could not last forever. As the price of healthcare rose, the price of health insurance rose, too. Eventually, when insurance premiums grew too high, fewer employers or individual buyers were willing to buy insurance, and the flow of money into the healthcare system started to falter. The data suggests that that tipping point was reached in the early 2000s. For the first time since the cycle began back in the 1960s, the number of people with health insurance began to fall each year. Healthcare providers—who had seemingly assumed that the flow of money would never stop increasing—began to panic. Then came Barack Obama. Obama’s seminal legislative accomplishment—the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare—can best be understood as a ploy by healthcare providers and the government to keep the party going. Obamacare required all fifty million uninsured Americans to obtain insurance, and it greatly expanded what these “insurance” companies covered. Demand for healthcare shot back up, and the vicious cycle started back up again—which is why the bill enjoyed so much support from big corporations all across the healthcare industry. Before it was passed, economists were practically screaming that the Affordable Care Act would make care less affordable by raising premiums and healthcare prices while making shortages worse. Progressives dismissed such concerns as Reagan-era “free market fundamentalist” propaganda. But that is exactly what happened . Now, the affordability crisis is worse than ever as prices reach historic levels. And, because Obamacare brought American healthcare much closer to a single-payer system, the demand for healthcare far exceeds the supply of healthcare - leading to deadly shortages. There are literally not enough resources or available medical professionals to treat everyone who can pay for care. Also, the tax code and warped “insurance” market protect these providers from competition—making it almost impossible for people to switch to a different provider after their claims are unfairly denied. If it were simply greed, denying customers who already paid would be a feature in all industries. But it’s not. It requires the kind of policy protections progressives helped implement. And on top of all that, despite paying all this money, Americans are quickly becoming one of the sickest populations on Earth. This is one of the most pressing problems facing the country. A problem that requires immediate, radical change to solve. But it also requires an accurate and precise diagnosis—something that, this week, progressives demonstrated they are incapable of making. The American progressive movement is responsible for providing the political class the intellectual cover they needed to break the healthcare market and transform the entire system into a means to transfer wealth to people like Brian Thompson. Now, they want to sit back, pretend like they’ve never gotten their way, that the government has never done anything with the healthcare market, and that these healthcare executives just popped up and started doing this all on their own—all so they can celebrate him being gunned down in the street. It’s disgusting. Brian Thompson acted exactly like every economically literate person over the last fifty years has said health insurance CEOs would act if progressives got their way. If we’re ever going to see the end of this century-long nightmare, we need to start listening to the people who have gotten it right, not those who pretend they are blameless as they fantasize online about others starting a violent revolution.Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who helped train the artificial intelligence systems behind ChatGPT and later said he believed those practices violated copyright law, has died, according to his parents and San Francisco officials. He was 26. Balaji worked at OpenAI for nearly four years before quitting in August. He was well-regarded by colleagues at the San Francisco company, where a co-founder this week called him one of OpenAI’s strongest contributors who was essential to developing some of its products. “We are devastated to learn of this incredibly sad news and our hearts go out to Suchir’s loved ones during this difficult time,” said a statement from OpenAI. Balaji was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on Nov. 26 in what police said “appeared to be a suicide. No evidence of foul play was found during the initial investigation.” The city’s chief medical examiner’s office confirmed the manner of death to be suicide. His parents Poornima Ramarao and Balaji Ramamurthy said they are still seeking answers, describing their son as a “happy, smart and brave young man” who loved to hike and recently returned from a trip with friends. Balaji grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and first arrived at the fledgling AI research lab for a 2018 summer internship while studying computer science at the University of California, Berkeley. He returned a few years later to work at OpenAI, where one of his first projects, called WebGPT, helped pave the way for ChatGPT. “Suchir’s contributions to this project were essential, and it wouldn’t have succeeded without him,” said OpenAI co-founder John Schulman in a social media post memorializing Balaji. Schulman, who recruited Balaji to his team, said what made him such an exceptional engineer and scientist was his attention to detail and ability to notice subtle bugs or logical errors. “He had a knack for finding simple solutions and writing elegant code that worked,” Schulman wrote. “He’d think through the details of things carefully and rigorously.” Balaji later shifted to organizing the huge datasets of online writings and other media used to train GPT-4, the fourth generation of OpenAI’s flagship large language model and a basis for the company’s famous chatbot. It was that work that eventually caused Balaji to question the technology he helped build, especially after newspapers, novelists began suing OpenAI and other AI companies for copyright infringement. He first raised his concerns with The New York Times, which reported them in an October . He later told The Associated Press he would “try to testify” in the strongest copyright infringement cases and considered a The New York Times last year to be the “most serious.” Times lawyers named him in a Nov. 18 court filing as someone who might have “unique and relevant documents” supporting allegations of OpenAI’s willful copyright infringement. His records were also sought by lawyers in a separate case brought by book authors including the comedian Sarah Silverman, according to a court filing. “It doesn’t feel right to be training on people’s data and then competing with them in the marketplace,” Balaji told the AP in late October. “I don’t think you should be able to do that. I don’t think you are able to do that legally.” He told the AP that he gradually grew more disillusioned with OpenAI, especially after that led its board of directors to fire and then rehire CEO Sam Altman last year. Balaji said he was broadly concerned about how its commercial products were rolling out, including their propensity for spouting false information known as hallucinations. But of the “bag of issues” he was concerned about, he said he was focusing on copyright as the one it was “actually possible to do something about.” He acknowledged that it was an unpopular opinion within the AI research community, which is accustomed to pulling data from the internet, but said “they will have to change and it’s a matter of time.” He had not been deposed and it’s unclear to what extent his revelations will be admitted as evidence in any legal cases after his death. He also published a personal blog post with his opinions about the topic. Schulman, who resigned from OpenAI in August, said he and Balaji coincidentally left on the same day and celebrated with fellow colleagues that night with dinner and drinks at a San Francisco bar. Another of Balaji’s mentors, co-founder and chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, had left OpenAI , which Balaji saw as another impetus to leave. Schulman said Balaji had told him earlier this year of his plans to leave OpenAI and that Balaji didn’t think that better-than-human AI known as artificial general intelligence “was right around the corner, like the rest of the company seemed to believe.” The younger engineer expressed interest in getting a doctorate and exploring “some more off-the-beaten path ideas about how to build intelligence,” Schulman said. Balaji’s family said a memorial is being planned for later this month at the India Community Center in Milpitas, California, not far from his hometown of Cupertino. —————- EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. or Canada is available by calling or texting 988. —————–
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Lucknow: Emphasising the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence in healthcare , IIT-Kanpur director Prof Manindra Agrawal said that while AI will not replace human intelligence, it will redefine the role of humans. Speaking at KGMU Foundation Day, Prof Agrawal highlighted key impacts of AI expected in the near future: precision and efficiency, alongside consistency. He explained that AI could revolutionise healthcare by enhancing diagnostic and surgical accuracy while ensuring uniformity in operations, thereby reducing human errors. He cited examples of robots developed by companies such as Tesla and Boston Dynamics, capable of performing complex tasks like climbing mountains or assisting in intricate medical procedures. Despite these advancements, he reassured that the human touch in healthcare would remain indispensable. "Doctors would continue to oversee surgeries conducted by robots, ensuring precision and offering critical judgment in complex scenarios," he said. Prof Agrawal also discussed AI's expanding role in medical analytics, where vast datasets are analysed to identify patterns and correlations. He explained how AI systems could link diseases to environmental factors like weather, enabling faster and more accurate diagnostics. For instance, he cited liquid biopsies for cancer detection as a demonstration of AI's potential to improve medical outcomes. Highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, Prof Agrawal said innovation thrives when experts from diverse fields come together. He pointed to the USA as a model, where partnerships between medical schools and engineering faculties have driven significant technological advancements . He described AI as a powerful tool to enhance precision and open new avenues for innovation. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .
is up to launch the Redmi K80 series on November 27, and the spotlight will be on the Redmi K80 Pro, powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite. But Xiaomi isn’t stopping there. Alongside the new smartphones, Redmi has the release of two more products: the Redmi Watch 5 and the Redmi Buds 6 Pro. Redmi Watch 5 and Redmi Buds 6 Pro coming on November 27 The Redmi Watch 5 is the third model in Redmi’s line of budget-friendly smartwatches, following the and earlier this year. This new smartwatch will feature a 2.07-inch display, likely using LTPS AMOLED technology for sharp visuals. It comes with a sturdy aluminum frame and a metal dial on the right-hand side for navigation. The watch will be available in Black and White and offers 24-hour battery life on a single charge. It will also run Xiaomi’s Hyper OS 2.0 right out of the box. Gizchina News of the week The Redmi Buds 6 Pro marks a step up for Redmi’s earbuds lineup. These will be the first in the series to feature coaxial ceramic drivers, bringing improved sound quality and a more premium feel. Xiaomi is also introducing active noise cancelation (ANC) for the Buds 6 Pro, capable of reducing noise by up to 55dB, making them ideal for noisy environments. With this lineup, Xiaomi is adding exciting new products to its portfolio. We will see the introduction of more advanced features while the brand will also keep its focus on affordability. Perhaps we will see more teasers about these products coming ahead of November 27. It will certainly be a hectic week for all enthusiasts of the brand. While the Redmi K80 series might get a later release on international markets as POCO F-series smartphones, the Redmi Watch 5 and Redmi Buds 6 Pro will likely keep their monikers for a global release. Hopefully, this global release won’t take much longer, but chances are that they will only escape China in 2025.TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 21, 2024-- Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) confirmed that HawkEye 360 Cluster 11 has been successfully launched and deployed in orbit. The three-satellite Cluster is the fourth integrated by HawkEye 360 at its Virginia facility under the SFL Flex Production Program. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241221327651/en/ HawkEye 360 Cluster 11 satellite undergoing vibration testing at its facility in Virginia. (Photo credit: HawkEye 360) Cluster 11 launched into a sun-synchronous orbit on December 21, 2024, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, aboard the SpaceX Bandwagon-2 mission. Ground control has established communications with the three satellites. The launch brings to 33 the total number of satellites developed for HawkEye 360 by SFL. HawkEye 360, headquartered in Herndon, VA., selected SFL to develop its radio frequency (RF) detection Clusters due to the importance of attitude control and formation flying by multiple spacecraft for accurate RF signal geolocation. Since launching the Pathfinder (Cluster 1) satellites in 2018, HawkEye 360 has cemented its position as the global leader in space-based RF data and analytics for GEOINT and Electronic Intelligence (ELINT). SFL introduced the Flex Production program to support the ambitious business models of NewSpace companies. It gives customers the option of contracting SFL to develop the first satellite, or cluster, at its Toronto facility. SFL can then assist the customer in setting up subsequent mass production at their own, or third-party, site. However, development can shift back to SFL when a new spacecraft design or technology update is requested. “Flex Production enables NewSpace companies the opportunity to leverage SFL’s Microspace expertise while satisfying the aggressive financial requirements of their business models,” said SFL Director Dr. Robert E. Zee. For HawkEye 360 Pathfinder, Clusters 2-6 and 9, SFL handled the entire development process including integration and testing at its Toronto facility. SFL is currently developing Cluster 12 with technology updates in Canada as well. HawkEye 360 conducted integration of the RF signal detection payload with the 30-kg SFL DEFIANT bus for Clusters 7, 8, 10, and 11 at its Virginia plant with technical guidance from SFL. Cluster 13 is now undergoing integration in Virginia. Established in 1998, SFL has developed 82 operationally successful smaller satellite missions totaling more than 350 cumulative years in orbit. Another 27 missions are now under development by SFL, which offers a complete suite of nano-, micro- and small satellites – including high-performance, low-cost CubeSats – that satisfy the needs of a broad range of mission types from 3 to 500 kilograms. For a comprehensive list of SFL high-performance satellite platforms, please visit https://www.utias-sfl.net/satellite-platforms/overview/ . About Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) ( www.utias-sfl.net ) SFL generates bigger returns from smaller, lower cost satellites. Small satellites built by SFL consistently push the performance envelope and disrupt the traditional cost paradigm. We build quality small satellites at low cost that work the first time and enable NewSpace companies to mass produce through our Flex Production program. Satellites are built with advanced power systems, stringent attitude control and high-volume data capacity that are striking relative to the budget. SFL arranges launches globally and maintains a mission control center accessing ground stations worldwide. The pioneering and barrier-breaking work of SFL is a key enabler to tomorrow’s cost-aggressive satellites and constellations. ( www.utias-sfl.net ) About HawkEye 360 HawkEye 360, headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, leads in defense technology, offering insights into human activity and situational trends from revolutionary radio frequency (RF) geospatial data. Its innovative space-based technology detects, characterizes, and geolocates RF signals, providing an information advantage. These analytics enable analysts to detect irregular behavior, trace suspicious activity, and reveal ships attempting to vanish, offering early warnings to drive tip-and-cue efforts and empowering global leaders with critical insights for confident decision-making. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241221327651/en/ CONTACT: Dr. Robert E. Zee SFL Director 1-416-667-7400 info@utias-sfl.netFollow SFL Twitter X @SFL_SmallerSats Instagram at sfl.smallersats KEYWORD: NORTH AMERICA CANADA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: MOBILE/WIRELESS NETWORKS HARDWARE TECHNOLOGY DEFENSE SATELLITE GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY AUDIO/VIDEO AIR TRANSPORT AEROSPACE TELECOMMUNICATIONS MANUFACTURING SOURCE: Space Flight Laboratory Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/21/2024 01:57 PM/DISC: 12/21/2024 01:58 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241221327651/enOver 10,000 Shoppers Have Bought This 'Must-Have' $12 Amazon Gadget to Make Upcoming Holiday Travel More Bearable
EXCLUSIVE Real reason Chris Rock 'stormed off' stage at billionaire's holiday party READ MORE: Chris Rock 'storms out' angrily in the middle of his comedy set By JAMES VITUSCKA FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 22:15 GMT, 9 December 2024 | Updated: 22:42 GMT, 9 December 2024 e-mail 4 View comments Chris Rock refused to continue his surprise comedy set at a billionaire's holiday party after he spotted children in the audience and did not feel comfortable exposing them to his crude content. The comedian, 59, baffled VIP partygoers when he reportedly 'stormed out' just minutes after he took the stage at executive chairman Anthony Pratt's winter shindig this weekend, with some claiming he was angry at being filmed. Now, sources have told DailyMail.com that Rock - who is the father of daughters, Lola, 22, and Zahra, 20 – was unaware that there would be children in attendance. ‘Chris did leave the stage that night,' an insider told DailyMail.com. 'His routine was not suitable for children. ‘Coupled with the fact that people were filming when it was agreed that it would not be recorded led to his decision to end the performance.' They continued: ‘But he did not storm out nor did he disrespect anyone. He simply decided to end this because it was not the content he believed children should be exposed to.’ Chris Rock refused to continue his surprise comedy set at a billionaire's holiday party after he spotted children in the audience and did not feel comfortable exposing them to his content Rock, who will host SNL this weekend, kicked off his set with a joke about the political climate in the U.S. 'Our new push will be outer space. We'll put all the Mexicans on the rockets,' he joked. But it was claimed he then 'saw something like he wasn't supposed to be taped, videoed, reported or whatever else wasn't supposed to happen' before abruptly ending his 'very short set,' according to gossip columnist Cindy Adams of the New York Post. She recalled how he 'didn't complain, didn't explain, didn't do one more minute' before leaving. He was 'barreling quickly, forcefully, through people to the exit doors.' Rock’s standup routines often contain curse words and other derogatory and offensive language. His most recent Netflix show, Selective Outrage, comes with the following disclaimer: ‘Chris Rock’s Netflix comedy special is not appropriate or suitable for children or family viewing due to inappropriate and sexually explicit language. Viewer discretion advised.’ It features him telling parents: ‘Stop telling our kids that they are special. The comedian, 59, baffled VIP partygoers when he reportedly 'stormed out' just minutes after he took the stage at executive chairman Anthony Pratt's winter shindig this weekend Rock was hired by the billionaire cardboard box magnate for his lavish party attended by the uber-wealthy elites of Australia at the Mandarin Oriental (pictured May in New York City) ‘They may be special to you, but not to me. I don’t play that s**t. 'Every day before my kids leave for school, I get them at the door and say, "Lola and Zahra check this out. As soon as you leave this door, no one gives a f**k about you."' In a separate skit from the show, Rock spoke about relationships and why they sometimes don’t last. He said: ‘People always like, “When we got together it was so much fun, but then problems arose.” No, they didn’t. Nothing arose. Every problem you had today you had when you met. ‘But you were f*****g so you forgave. You knew he didn’t do dishes. But he gave you good s**t! You knew she couldn’t cook, but she licked your b***s.' This weekend's incident comes after Rock came under scrutiny for a chilling joke he made about Sean 'Diddy' Combs teaching kids 'wrong from wronger.' The joke, from the 2003 VMAs, resurfaced on TikTok in the wake of the explosive allegations against Combs. Rock, who revealed he was diagnosed with a nonverbal learning disorder in 2020 , told the audience: 'My favorite show on MTV is Making the Band with P Diddy. Rock - who is the father of daughters, Lola, 22, and Zahra, 20 – was unaware that there would be children in attendance 'It's the best show on television because you get to see Puff Daddy being a mentor to the children. 'And who better than Puff Daddy to show the kids wrong from wronger? That's right, you get to see Puff Daddy pass down great fatherly advice.' Rock, who was famously slapped by Will Smith at the Oscars in 2022, wasn't the only celebrity hired for last weekend's soirée. Pratt, executive chairman of Pratt Industries, invited comedian Wali Collins and country singer Keith Urban to perform. Share or comment on this article: Real reason Chris Rock 'stormed off' stage at billionaire's holiday party e-mail Add commentThe Latest: Police believe gunman who killed UnitedHealthcare CEO has left New York City
Taking a look back at this week’s news and headlines from Apple, including the iPhone 17 Pro design, the iPad Pro M5, waiting for the new MacBook Air, listening to the iOS 18.2 update, Apple’s 2025 portfolio, the iPhone SE upgrades, and Apple takes on Spotify Wrapped. Apple Loop is here to remind you of a few of the many discussions around Apple in the last seven days. You can also read my weekly digest of Android news here on Forbes . iPhone models on display during a press preview of Apple's new Knightsbridge store (Photo by Dan ... [+] Kitwood/Getty Images) The Two Tone iPhone 17 Pro Is Apple ready to shake up the look of the iPhone Pro? There is discussion online that Tim Cook and his team are considering a move towards a dual-material design. The iPhone started out with this style but moved to a uniform industrial design in a few short years. Could it move back, and if so why? "The report says that there will be big changes to the way the iPhone looks at the back on the Pro models. “The back of the Pro and Pro Max models will feature a new part-aluminum, part-glass design. The top of the back will comprise a larger rectangular camera bump made of aluminum rather than traditional 3D glass. The bottom half will remain glass to accommodate wireless charging, two people said,” according to The Information." ( Forbes ). FBI Warns iPhone And Android Users—Stop Sending Texts FBI Warns Smartphone Users—Hang Up And Create A Secret Word Now Gmail Takeover Hack Attack—Google Warns You Have Just 7 Days To Act The iPad Pro And The M5 Chip Apple’s current desktop class M4 chipset debuted in Apple’s iPad Pro in May 2024 before arriving on the Mac in October, the first time the Mxx series debuted outside of a MacBook. The M5 may take the same route to market, with noted industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reporting from the supply chain on its planned debut. "The iPad Pro equipped with the M5 processor is expected to enter mass production in 2H25. The company’s business momentum in 2H25 is anticipated to benefit significantly from Apple’s new product launches." ( Ming-Chi Kuo on Medium ). Wait For The MacBook Air Staying with the M4 chipset, when Apple brought it to the Mac laptop, it equipped the MacBook Pro range, but not the MacBook Air. Those needing workstation levels of power were well served, but they remain overpowered for consumers needing a well-rounded machine. That laptop would be the MacBook Air, but you’ll need to wait into the new year of you want the best value for money macOS laptop. “...the M4 MacBook Air should offer a similar level of ports, similar hardware design, and the new M4 chipset that will provide more power and performance than any other consumer-focused Apple laptop currently on the market. If you have to buy a new MacBook in the holiday sales, be aware that Apple has plans for a cheaper and faster MacBook Air shortly." ( Fobres ). Listening To The iOS 18.2 Update With the upcoming release of iOS 18.2, Apple will bring a raft of new features to the iPhone—Forbes contributor David Phelan has a look at the change log—but one of the practical updates is to the ability to use AirPods to test hearing, as well as expanding the use of AirPods as medical-grade Hearing Aids to new territories: "The five-minute test allows adults to identify if they have hearing loss by measuring their ability to hear different frequencies of sound. After completing the test, the results will show a hearing loss classification and recommended next steps. Apple has a support document with detailed information about the feature. iOS 18.2 also expands the ability to use AirPods Pro 2 as a clinical-grade hearing aid to the United Arab Emirates, according to Apple." ( MacRumors ). Predicting Apple’s Future Portfolio The broad strokes of Apple’s 2025 hardware follow a similar pattern as previous years—with new iPads, iPhones, and MacBooks—but it’s worth summarising what we can expect over the next twelve months. Michael Burkhardt looks ahead into 2025, including Apple’s smarthome display: "Apple’s first smart home product with a display is also on track for a spring release, marking Apple’s first HomePod (of sorts) to support Apple Intelligence. It’s expected to be a cheaper display that’s both wall mountable and attachable to speakers. It’ll have a roughly 6-inch square display." ( 9to5Mac ). The iPhone SE’s Biggest Upgrade Apple’s next iPhone—the iPhone SE—is expected to arrive in March. It brings Apple’s first mid-range release in three years, the first Apple-designed 5G modem, and the next upgrade to Apple Intelligence. At the core of all these updates need one thing. An increase in the power and performance of the SE: "Most of these handsets will be updated in the first half of 2025, putting even more pressure on Apple’s iPhone SE brand. Given that it has been 1000 days since the last iPhone SE in March 2022, the new SE will need to stay relevant for a similar three-year window, and the specs will need to leapfrog over the Android-powered competitors by some distance." ( Forbes ). And Finally Apple Music Replay started this week, a data-driven look at each subscriber’s musical tastes in the last twelve months (co-incidentally, the similar Spotify Wrapped recap also launched this week). Apple’s version of the viral spark addresses many concerns from last year’s version to improve the experience: "Apple finally addressed the biggest complaint about its version of Wrapped: it takes you out of the Music app and onto the web where signing in is required. That’s still true in some instances (the Mac and Vision Pro for example), but the Music app on iPhone and iPad presents the full Replay experience without leaving the app." ( 9to5Mac ). Apple Loop brings you seven days worth of highlights every weekend here on Forbes. Don’t forget to follow me so you don’t miss any coverage in the future. Last week’s Apple Loop can be read here , or this week’s edition of Loop’s sister column, Android Circuit, is also available on Forbes .
NEW YORK , Dec. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Halper Sadeh LLC, an investor rights law firm, is investigating the following companies for potential violations of the federal securities laws and/or breaches of fiduciary duties to shareholders relating to: Liberty Broadband Corporation (NASDAQ: LBRDA)'s sale to Charter Communications, Inc. for 0.236 of a share of Charter common stock per share of Liberty Broadband common stock. If you are a Liberty shareholder, click here to learn more about your legal rights and options . CrossFirst Bankshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: CFB)'s sale to First Busey Corporation for 0.6675 shares of Busey common stock for each share of CrossFirst common stock. Upon completion of the proposed transaction, CrossFirst's shareholders will own approximately 36.5% of the combined company. If you are a CrossFirst shareholder, click here to learn more about your legal rights and options . Nabors Industries Ltd. (NYSE: NBR)'s merger with Parker Wellbore. Per the terms of the proposed transaction, Nabors would acquire all of Parker's issued and outstanding common shares in exchange for 4.8 million shares of Nabors common stock, subject to a share price collar. If you are a Nabors shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options . Halper Sadeh LLC may seek increased consideration for shareholders, additional disclosures and information concerning the proposed transaction, or other relief and benefits on behalf of shareholders. We would handle the action on a contingent fee basis, whereby you would not be responsible for out-of-pocket payment of our legal fees or expenses. Shareholders are encouraged to contact the firm free of charge to discuss their legal rights and options. Please call Daniel Sadeh or Zachary Halper at (212) 763-0060 or email sadeh@halpersadeh.com or zhalper@halpersadeh.com . Halper Sadeh LLC represents investors all over the world who have fallen victim to securities fraud and corporate misconduct. Our attorneys have been instrumental in implementing corporate reforms and recovering millions of dollars on behalf of defrauded investors. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Halper Sadeh LLC Daniel Sadeh, Esq. Zachary Halper, Esq. (212) 763-0060 sadeh@halpersadeh.com zhalper@halpersadeh.com https://www.halpersadeh.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shareholder-investigation-halper-sadeh-llc-investigates-lbrda-cfb-nbr-on-behalf-of-shareholders-302325145.html SOURCE Halper Sadeh LLP
Matt Gaetz says he won't return to Congress next year after withdrawing name for attorney general WASHINGTON (AP) — Matt Gaetz is not coming back to Congress. The Florida Republican said Friday he has no intention of serving another term in the House now that he is no longer President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general. Gaetz withdrew as the nominee this week amid growing fallout from the allegations of sexual conduct against him. Gaetz denies the allegations. Gaetz didn't lay out his plans now that he's out of office, saying only, “I’m still going to be in the fight, but it’s going to be from a new perch." After Gaetz's withdrawal on Thursday, Trump named former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi to lead the Justice Department. Vance takes on a more visible transition role as he works to boost Trump's most controversial picks WASHINGTON (AP) — After several weeks working behind closed doors, Vice President-elect JD Vance returned to Capitol Hill this week in a new, more visible role. He's been helping Donald Trump’s most contentious Cabinet picks try to win confirmation in the Senate, where he has served for the last two years. Vance spent part of Wednesday at the Capitol with Rep. Matt Gaetz sitting in on meetings with Trump’s controversial choice for attorney general. On Thursday, Vance was back, this time accompanying Pete Hegseth. Vance is expected to accompany other nominees for meetings over the coming weeks as he tries to leverage the two years he has spent in the Senate to help push through Trump’s picks. Beyond evangelicals, Trump and his allies courted smaller faith groups, from the Amish to Chabad Donald Trump’s lock on the white evangelical vote is legendary, but he didn't focus exclusively on large religious voter blocs. He and his allies also wooed smaller religious groups, away from the mainstream. He posted a tribute to Coptic church members on social media and met with members of Assyrians for Trump — two smaller Christian communities with Middle Eastern roots. He visited the grave of the revered late leader of an Orthodox Jewish movement. His allies sought votes from the separatist Amish community. While Trump won decisively, the outreaches reflected aggressive campaigning in what was expected to be a tight race. NATO and Ukraine to hold emergency talks after Russia's attack with new hypersonic missile KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — NATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with a hypersonic ballistic missile that escalated the nearly 33-month-old war. Ukraine's parliament canceled a session Friday over the security threat. In a stark warning to the West, President Vladimir Putin said in a nationally televised speech Thursday that the attack with the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile was retaliation for Kyiv’s use of U.S. and British longer-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. Putin said Russia is launching production of the Oreshnik, saying it's so powerful that several of them fitted with conventional warheads could be as devastating as a strike with strategic — or nuclear — weapons. Texas education board approves optional Bible-infused curriculum for elementary schools AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas’ education board has voted to allow Bible-infused teachings in elementary schools. The approval Friday follows other Republican-led states that have pushed this year to give religion a larger presence in public classrooms. The curriculum adopted by the Texas State Board of Education is optional for schools to adopt, but they’ll receive additional funding if they do so. Parents and teachers who opposed the curriculum say the lessons will alienate students of other faith backgrounds. Supporters argue the Bible is a core feature of American history and that teaching it will enrich learning. 2 convicted in human smuggling case after Indian family froze to death on US-Canada border FERGUS FALLS, Minn. (AP) — A jury has convicted two men of charges related to human smuggling for their roles in an international operation that led to the deaths of a family of Indian migrants who froze while trying to cross the Canada-U.S. border during a 2022 blizzard. Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel and Steve Shand each faced four charges related to human smuggling before being convicted on Friday. Patel is an Indian national. Shand is an American from Florida. They were arrested after the family froze while trying to cross the desolate border during a 2022 blizzard. Northern California gets record rain and heavy snow. Many have been in the dark for days in Seattle FORESTVILLE, Calif. (AP) — A major storm with heavy snow and record rain that's moving through Northern California has toppled trees, closed roads and prompted evacuations in some areas after knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of people in Washington and Oregon. Forecasters warn that the risk of flash flooding and rockslides will continue through Friday. The National Weather Service has extended a flood watch for areas north of San Francisco as a plume of moisture known as an atmospheric river inundates Northern California and the Pacific Northwest. Up to 16 inches of rain is forecast in Northern California and southwestern Oregon. The storm system unleashed winds earlier this week that left two people dead and hundreds of thousands without power in Washington. Archaeologists discover 4,000-year-old canals used to fish by predecessors of ancient Maya WASHINGTON (AP) — Using drones and Google Earth imagery, archaeologists have discovered a 4,000-year-old network of earthen canals in what’s now Belize. The research published Friday in Science Advances shows that long before the ancient Maya built temples, their predecessors were already altering the landscape of Central America’s Yucatan peninsula. The ancient fish canals were used to channel and catch freshwater species such as catfish. These structures were used for around 1,000 years — including during the “formative” period when the Maya began to settle in permanent farming villages and a distinctive culture started to emerge. California case is the first confirmed bird flu infection in a US child Health officials are confirming bird flu in a California child — the first reported case in a U.S. minor. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced confirmatory test results on Friday. Officials say the child had mild symptoms, was treated with antiviral medication and is recovering. The child’s infection brings the reported number of U.S. bird flu cases this year to 55, including 29 in California. State officials have said the child lives in Alameda County, which includes Oakland, and attends day care, but released no other details. Giants release quarterback Daniel Jones just days after benching him EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The Daniel Jones era in New York is over. The Giants quarterback was granted his release by the team just days after the franchise said it was benching him in favor of third-stringer Tommy DeVito. New York president John Mara said Jones approached the team about releasing him and the club obliged. Mara added he was “disappointed” at the quick dissolution of a once-promising relationship between Jones and the team. Giants coach Brian Daboll benched Jones in favor of DeVito following a loss to the Panthers in Germany that dropped New York's record to 2-8.
George Kresge Jr., who wowed talk show audiences as the The Amazing Kreskin, dies