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NASA Satellite Detects Tree Leaf Changes as Early Volcano Eruption Warning Signal NASA Satellite Detects Tree Leaf Changes as Early Volcano Eruption Warning Signal NASA scientists might soon be able to forecast volcanic eruptions by monitoring how trees respond from space. Now, in a new collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution, they have discovered that tree leaves grow lusher and greener when previously dormant volcanic carbon dioxide seeps up from the ground — an early warning that a cone of magma is pushing upwards. Now, using satellites such as Landsat 8 and data from the recent AVUELO mission, scientists think this biological response could be visible remotely, serving as an added layer of early warning for eruptions in high-risk areas that currently menace millions worldwide. NASA Uses Tree Greening as Satellite Clue for Early Volcano Eruption Warnings in Remote Regions As per the research by NASA’s Earth Science Division at Ames Research Centre, greening occurs when trees absorb volcanic carbon dioxide released as magma rises. These emissions precede sulfur dioxide and are harder to detect directly from orbit. While carbon dioxide does not always appear obvious in satellite images, its downstream effects — enhanced vegetation, for example — can help reinforce existing volcanic early warning systems, notes volcanologist Florian Schwandner. It could be important because, as the U.S. Geological Survey says, the country is still one of the most volcanically active. Globally, about 1,350 potentially active volcanoes exist, many in remote or hazardous locations. On-site gas measurement is costly and dangerous, prompting volcanologists like Robert Bogue and Nicole Guinn to explore tree-based proxies. Guinn’s study of tree leaves around Sicily’s Mount Etna found a strong correlation between leaf colour and underground volcanic activity. Satellites such as Sentinel-2 and Terra have proven capable of capturing these subtle vegetative changes, particularly in forested volcanic areas. To confirm this method, climate scientist Josh Fisher led NASA-Smithsonian teams in March 2025 to Panama and Costa Rica, collecting tree samples and measuring gas levels near active volcanoes. Fisher sees this interdisciplinary research as key to both volcano forecasting and understanding long-term tree response to atmospheric carbon dioxide, which will reveal future climate conditions. The benefits of early CO₂ detection have been demonstrated in the 2017 eruption of Mayon volcano in the Philippines, where it allowed mass evacuations and saved more than 56,000 lives. It has its limitations, like bad terrain or too much environmental noise, but it could be a game-changer. Source link #NASA #Satellite #Detects #Tree #Leaf #Early #Volcano #Eruption #Warning #Signal Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump wants coal to power AI data centers – the tech industry is wary Trump wants coal to power AI data centers – the tech industry is wary President Donald Trump wants to revive the struggling coal industry in the U.S. by deploying plants to power the data centers that the Big Tech companies are building to train artificial intelligence. Trump issued an executive order in April that directed his Cabinet to find areas of the U.S. where coal-powered infrastructure is available to support AI data centers and determine whether the infrastructure can be expanded to meet the growing electricity demand from the nation’s tech sector. Trump has repeatedly promoted coal as power source for data centers. The president told the World Economic Forum in January that he would approve power plants for AI through emergency declaration, calling on the tech companies to use coal as a backup power source. “They can fuel it with anything they want, and they may have coal as a backup — good, clean coal,” the president said. Trump’s push to deploy coal runs afoul of the tech companies’ environmental goals. In the short-term, the industry’s power needs may inadvertently be extending the life of existing coal plants. Coal produces more carbon dioxide emissions per kilowatt hour of power than any other energy source in the U.S. with the exception of oil, according to the Energy Information Administration. The tech industry has invested billions of dollars to expand renewable energy and is increasingly turning to nuclear power as a way to meet its growing electricity demand while trying to reduce carbon dioxide emissions that fuel climate change. For coal miners, Trump’s push is a potential lifeline. The industry has been in decline as coal plants are being retired in the U.S. About 16% of U.S. electricity generation came from burning coal in 2023, down from 51% in 2001, according to EIA data. Peabody Energy CEO James Grech, who attended Trump’s executive order ceremony at the White House, said “coal plants can shoulder a heavier load of meeting U.S. generation demands, including multiple years of data center growth.” Peabody is one of the largest coal producers in the U.S. Grech said coal plants should ramp up how much power they dispatch. The nation’s coal fleet is dispatching about 42% of its maximum capacity right now, compared to a historical average of 72%, the CEO told analysts on the company’s May 6 earnings call. “We believe that all coal-powered generators need to defer U.S. coal plant retirements as the situation on the ground has clearly changed,” Grech said. “We believe generators should un-retire coal plants that have recently been mothballed.” Tech sector reaction There is a growing acknowledgment within the tech industry that fossil fuel generation will be needed to help meet the electricity demand from AI. But the focus is on natural gas, which emits less half the CO2 of coal per kilowatt hour of power, according the the EIA. “To have the energy we need for the grid, it’s going to take an all of the above approach for a ******* of time,” Kevin Miller, Amazon’s vice president of global data centers, said during a panel discussion at conference of tech and oil and gas executives in Oklahoma City last month. “We’re not surprised by the fact that we’re going to need to add some thermal generation to meet the needs in the short term,” Miller said. Thermal generation is a code word for gas, said Nat Sahlstrom, chief energy officer at Tract, a Denver-based company that secures land, infrastructure and power resources for data centers. Sahlstrom previously led Amazon’s energy, water and sustainability teams. Executives at Amazon, Nvidia and Anthropic would not commit to using coal, mostly dodging the question when asked during the panel at the Oklahoma City conference. “It’s never a simple answer,” Amazon’s Miller said. “It is a combination of where’s the energy available, what are other alternatives.” Nvidia is able to be agnostic about what type of power is used because of the position the chipmaker occupies on the AI value chain, said Josh Parker, the company’s senior director of corporate sustainability. “Thankfully, we leave most of those decisions up to our customers.” Anthropic co-founder Jack Clark said there are a broader set of options available than just coal. “We would certainly consider it but I don’t know if I’d say it’s at the top of our list.” Sahlstrom said Trump’s executive order seems like a “dog whistle” to coal mining constituents. There is a big difference between looking at existing infrastructure and “actually building new power plants that are cost competitive and are going to be existing 30 to 40 years from now,” the Tract executive said. Coal is being displaced by renewables, natural gas and existing nuclear as coal plants face increasingly difficult economics, Sahlstrom said. “Coal has kind of found itself without a job,” he said. “I do not see the hyperscale community going out and signing long term commitments for new coal plants,” the former Amazon executive said. (The tech companies ramping up AI are frequently referred to as “hyperscalers.”) “I would be shocked if I saw something like that happen,” Sahlstrom said. Coal retirements strain grid But coal plant retirements are creating a real challenge for the grid as electricity demand is increasing due to data centers, re-industrialization and the broader electrification of the economy. The largest grid in the nation, the PJM Interconnection, has forecast electricity demand could surge 40% by 2039. PJM warned in 2023 that 40 gigawatts of existing power generation, mostly coal, is at risk of retirement by 2030, which represents about 21% of PJM’s installed capacity. Data centers will temporarily prolong coal demand as utilities scramble to maintain grid reliability, delaying their decarbonization goals, according to a Moody’s report from last October. Utilities have already postponed the retirement of coal plants totaling about 39 gigawatts of power, according to data from the National Mining Association. “If we want to grow America’s electricity production meaningfully over the next five or ten years, we [have] got to stop closing coal plants,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright told CNBC’s “Money Movers” last month. But natural gas and renewables are the future, Sahlstrom said. Some 60% of the power sector’s emissions reductions over the past 20 years are due to gas displacing coal, with the remainder coming from renewables, Sahlstrom said. “That’s a pretty powerful combination, and it’s hard for me to see people going backwards by putting more coal into the mix, particularly if you’re a hyperscale customer who has net-zero carbon goals,” he said. Catch up on the latest energy news from CNBC Pro: Source link #Trump #coal #power #data #centers #tech #industry #wary Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nintendo Wants to Make the Switch 2 as ‘Obtainable’ as Possible Nintendo Wants to Make the Switch 2 as ‘Obtainable’ as Possible The US tariffs have caused a lot of commotion, making everyone live in constant fear of hiked prices. However, Nintendo has taken a bold step to curb that. After the US tariff announcements, they kept the price of the Nintendo Switch 2 constant at $449.99 and wish to continue with it. Still, there is no denying that the newer version costs significantly more than the original. The Nintendo Switch (2017) was introduced at $299.99, and provided more despite being cheap. It’s no surprise, as console makers usually sell their products at a loss. Why? They make their profits by selling games, creating an illusion that consumers get a bargain by getting the console. Nintendo wishes to keep Nintendo Switch 2 available to all Will Nintendo hold its promise? | Image Credit: Nintendo Doug Bowser, the president of Nintendo America, spoke to IGN about their plans with Switch 2, which launches on June 5, 2025. When asked about the commitment Nintendo will hold regarding the price, Bowser said the following: Well, we made a commitment by announcing the pricing of both the single SKU at $449 and then the bundled SKU with Mario Kart World at $499. And we really thought it was important that we established that price point, even after further tariffs were announced, to give consumers that comfort that they would be able to purchase at that price point. While the market remains in a fluid situation, Nintendo wants to commit to the original price for Switch 2. They understand it is a difficult task, but they want to keep it as obtainable as possible. Our commitment is to find ways within existing market conditions or changing market conditions to make our products, including Nintendo Switch 2 hardware, as obtainable as we possibly can. As mentioned earlier, console makers sell their hardware at a loss. It is a necessary step to pull customers and lock them within the environment. The same is followed by PlayStation and Xbox as well. Which is why consumers get groundbreaking tech in their hands at a much cheaper price. Now, Xbox recently raised the prices of its consoles following the US tariff announcement. In addition, they’ve also raised the prices of the games. While Nintendo wishes to keep the Switch 2 available to many, Xbox did the opposite. Was that greedy? You be the judge. It could be because Xbox Series X|S has aged and many own it already. For making it available for a select few, the price rise is somewhat reasonable. Their customer base is already set, there’s no need to put up a bargain. So, maybe Nintendo will do the same in the future, who knows? Is the $80 price tag for games necessary? There has been a lot of drama surrounding the price hike in game prices, and Nintendo has addressed it. According to them, they charge according to the gameplay content provided by them. Bowser stated this during the interview: We look at things such as the content, we look at the extended amount of play that would be provided through the gameplay experiences, we look at a number of different factors as we consider what the pricing may be. However, there is a fair point brought up by Doug Bowser during the interview. It is true that Mario Kart World was launched at a price of $80, while Donkey Kong Bananza was set at $70. Did other greedy corporations take the bait and increase the price without thinking much? Xbox, did you do an oopsie? However, suspicion still lies on Nintendo as it could be the regular old corporate sweet talk. This can be a market test from Nintendo to see how many people buy their games at a higher price; based on that, they’ll launch their games. So it’s best to take their words with a grain of salt. What do you think, will Nintendo keep their promise or follow the route Xbox took? Will PlayStation do the same with their current generation console? Let us know in the comments below. Source link #Nintendo #Switch #Obtainable Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

At least 14 killed as severe storms rip through Kentucky, governor says – Reuters At least 14 killed as severe storms rip through Kentucky, governor says – Reuters At least 14 killed as severe storms rip through Kentucky, governor says ReutersKentucky tornadoes leave multiple dead as severe weather outbreak tears across Ohio Valley FOX WeatherAt least 16 dead after tornado-spawning storms move across central US CNNSt. Louis wakes up to daunting cleanup, mourning victims after 2 tornadoes rip through area KSDK2 deaths reported in Scott County, Mo. after storms, possible tornado KFVS12 Source link #killed #severe #storms #rip #Kentucky #governor #Reuters Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Adam Selwood: Coaches lead tributes to former West Coast Eagles premiership player Adam Selwood: Coaches lead tributes to former West Coast Eagles premiership player Adam Selwood has been remembered as the “ultimate team man” and “a wonderful husband, father, son and brother” among a flood of tributes for the West Coast premiership player who died on Saturday. The 41-year-old’s wife Fiona, children Lenny and Billie, parents Maree and Bryce and brothers Joel and Scott have been plunged into unimaginable grief just three months after the death of his twin brother Troy. Selwood’s family released a statement when the news broke on Saturday morning. “We are heartbroken by the passing of Adam earlier today. Words cannot express the grief and sadness we feel,” the statement read. “Adam was a loving husband and an incredible father to Lenny and Billie. We are devastated to lose such a wonderful husband, father, son and brother. Camera IconScott Selwood, Bryce Selwood, Brit Selwood, Joel Selwood, Maree Selwood, Troy Selwood and Adam Selwood pose for a photo after Joel announced his retirement in 2022. Credit: Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos “We will miss Adam deeply — his spirit, his kindness, and the joy he brought to every room. His determination, the lessons he shared, and his infectious personality will stay with us always. Adam had a unique ability to make people feel special, and our family was lucky to experience that every day. “We kindly ask for privacy as we navigate this difficult time.” WA Police confirmed the death was not being treated as suspicious. “About 6.20am Saturday, police received a report of ******** concerns for a 41-year-old male in Herdsman,” a WA Police statement said. “Police attended and the man was sadly located deceased. “The death is not being treated as suspicious and a report will be prepared for the coroner.” Camera IconAdam was drafted as an 18-year-old in 2002 from Bendigo and amassed 187 games for West Coast. Credit: Greg Burke/WA News In retirement, Selwood transitioned into the Eagles’ coaching ranks, where he guided the club’s midfield for four seasons. From 2016, he was part of West Coast’s female football program, with the club fielding a team in the AFLW competition in 2020. Selwood’s 2006 premiership coach and the club’s current head of football John Worsfold described Adam as “a great teammate who loved the club, loved his footy.” “He always put his mates and team first, and he would be saying that now. He would be wanting to see our club grow and return to having on-field success once again,” Worsfold said. “We drafted him at 18 and watched him grow as a player and person. We got to know the Selwood family so well over the years, and they are such wonderful people who our hearts go out to more than anything today. “As a player, Adam was the ultimate team man. He played whatever role was required. He gave it 100 per cent and connected with everyone he was involved with. Camera IconWest Coast chief executive Don Pyke said Selwood had a “significant impact” on the club across 18 years. Credit: Mal Fairclough/WA News “He’s had a massive impact on our footy Club as a player, coach and staff member.” Former West Coast coach Adam Simpson also paid tribute. “I don’t know what to say. It was a pleasure to work with Adam briefly,” he said on SEN. “It breaks your heart.” West Coast chief executive Don Pyke said Selwood had a “significant impact” on the club across 18 years which “included working in our community and game development department and setting up our AFLW program, something he was incredibly proud of and will be a lasting legacy.” Camera IconAdam Selwood waves to supporters after playing his final game after the round 23 AFL match between the West Coast Eagles and the Adelaide Crows in 2013. Credit: Paul Kane/Getty Images “On behalf of the club I wish to send my deepest sympathies to the Selwood family and Adam’s loved ones at this difficult time.” In February, Adam led the tributes for Troy at a ******** service at Geelong’s home ground, Kardinia Park. He described his twin as “full of life, full of love, full of wisdom beyond his years”. “Having an identical twin is a both a rare privilege and wonderfully complex,” he said. “A twin is more than a sibling. They are a constant presence, a built-in mate. “He was my mirror, my fiercest competitor, my greatest ally and the one person who knew what I was always thinking.” Selwood was due to run in next Sunday’s HBF Run for a Reason to raise months for a mental health charity as a tribute to Troy. He posted on Linked In last month the run was a fundraiser for a charity “committed to educating, engaging, and empowering young people to become mental health leaders and help prevent youth suicide.” Camera IconAdam Selwood and Scott Selwood embrace during Troy Selwood’s ******** Service at GMHBA Stadium on February 14, 2025. Credit: Michael Willson/AFL Photos/AFL Photos via Getty Images “Following the heartbreaking loss of my twin brother to suicide, I have made the decision to take on the HBF Health Run for a Reason Half Marathon. My goal is to raise $10,000 in support of zero2hero,” he wrote. “This cause is deeply personal to me, and this run marks an important step in my own healing journey, as well as an ongoing commitment to raising awareness about mental health and suicide prevention across the country. “Your support would mean the world to me. Every donation, no matter the amount, makes a real and lasting difference in the lives of young Western Australians and is deeply appreciated by myself, my family, and the zero2hero community.” He had raised more than $21,000. AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said the “industry would unite to support the Selwood family.” “Adam was a dearly loved son, brother, husband and father, and his loss is a tremendous blow for all who loved him,” he said. “On behalf of the AFL and all of our clubs, I want to send our love to his wife Fiona and their two children, to Maree and Bryce Selwood, Joel and Scott, and their families, and all of Adam’s many friends and colleagues and past team mates at West Coast and across football. “Adam was a premiership player and outstanding contributor to the game at the highest level, and then, latterly, continued to work in the game in coaching and other roles, but first and foremost, he was a young man who gave so much time and love to those around him.” Selwood’s WAFL club East Perth released a statement commemorating his contributions to their club and football in WA. Camera IconFrom 2016, Adam Selwood was part of West Coast’s female football program, with the club fielding a team in the AFLW competition in 2020.. Credit: Mal Fairclough/WA News “Adam was a wonderful person. He was a terrific player who gave his all for club and jumper every time he ran out,” a Royals spokesperson said. “He was always willing to help the club out post playing career in any capacity he could. We pass our condolences onto the Selwood family and keep them in our thoughts at this difficult time.” One of four brothers to play AFL, Troy played for the Brisbane Lions, Joel is a former Geelong premiership captain who played in four flags for the Cats. Scott, who played for West Coast and Geelong, was due to be at the MCG on Saturday as an assistant to Collingwood coach Craig McRae, but was granted personal leave. West Coast, Geelong and Collingwood led the AFL clubs’ tributes. “On behalf of everyone at Collingwood, we extend our deepest condolences to the Selwood family following the passing of Adam,” a Magpies statement read ahead of their clash with Adelaide at the MCG. “We send strength and all of our love to Adam’s parents, Maree and Bryce, his brothers, Scott and Joel, his wife, Fiona and their children, Lenny and Billie.” Camera IconRetiring Adam Selwood of the West Coast Eagles is chaired off by Eric Mackenzie and his brother Scott Selwood in 2013. Credit: Daniel Carson/AFL Media McRae became emotional during an on-ground interview after their win over Adelaide yesterday and again in the post-match when he said the players had been shielded from the news before the match. “There’s no book written on this stuff. We got the news this morning,” McRae said. “And we didn’t really know what to do to be honest other than to give it space to see where it fits with all of us. The coaches knew because we had to get to work on Scoot (Scott) getting on the plane to go back to Perth. It’s horrible. It’s just such sadness. “So we protected the players thinking it might havbe been the right thing. I don’t know if it was. But we told the whole club straight after the game. The sadness. I just want to send my love to the Selwood family.” A statement from the Cats, where brothers Joel and Scott played, read: “The Geelong Football Club is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Adam Selwood. We extend our deepest condolences to his wife Fiona, children Lenny and Billie, brothers Joel and Scott and parents Maree and Bryce; our thoughts are with you at this time.” Geelong premiership forward Cam Mooney, who played alongside Joel at the Cats, was also emotional during Footy’s broadcast of the Collingwood and Adelaide clash. “It’s a family I’ve known for nearly 20 years and a family that I’ve grown very fond of over the years and loved,” he said. “So to hear the news this morning, absolutely tragic … it was only three months ago that we buried Troy. “Obviously want to send all my condolences and love to a family that I absolutely love and adore, and to a teammate that I got to play alongside with in a couple of premierships and just let everyone know that we’re all thinking of you guys and that we love you and all the best.” Camera IconAdam Selwood delivers his eulogy as Scott and Joel Selwood look on during Troy Selwood’s ******** Service at GMHBA Stadium on February 14, 2025. Credit: Michael Willson/AFL Photos AFLPA chief executive Paul Marsh said the association was “shattered” by Selwood’s death. “The Selwoods are a much loved and admired family and Adam was a man of enormous courage, spirit, and leadership – qualities that are universally admired,” he said. “Adam was an AFLPA Delegate and then a Board member during his playing career and his impact on the AFLPA and our members will live on and his loss will be felt by so many. “The AFLPA continues to offer free and confidential wellbeing support nationwide to all current and past player members as well as their significant others.” The West Coast Eagles will honour and pay tribute to Selwood at Sunday’s game at Optus Stadium. LIFELINE: 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au Source link #Adam #Selwood #Coaches #lead #tributes #West #Coast #Eagles #premiership #player Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

It’s a good weekend to lock in your rate It’s a good weekend to lock in your rate Mortgage rates are down across the board today. They had been steadily inching up, but now they’ve decreased for two days straight. According to Zillow, today’s 30-year fixed mortgage rate has fallen by eight basis points to 6.77%, and the 15-year fixed rate has dropped by 10 basis points to 6.03%. Two consecutive days of declines could make it a good weekend to start shopping for homes and mortgage lenders. You may want to lock in your mortgage rate with a lender — in this type of volatile rate environment, it can be good to lock in a rate to protect yourself from rate increases later. Read more: What determines mortgage rates? It’s complicated. Here are the current mortgage rates, according to the latest Zillow data: 30-year fixed: 6.77% 20-year fixed: 6.25% 15-year fixed: 6.03% 5/1 ARM: 7.08% 7/1 ARM: 7.40% 30-year VA: 6.31% 15-year VA: 5.64% 5/1 VA: 6.29% Remember, these are the national averages and rounded to the nearest hundredth. Learn more: 8 strategies for getting the lowest mortgage rates These are today’s mortgage refinance rates, according to the latest Zillow data: 30-year fixed: 6.97% 20-year fixed: 6.64% 15-year fixed: 6.25% 5/1 ARM: 7.56% 7/1 ARM: 7.51% 30-year VA: 6.47% 15-year VA: 6.17% 5/1 VA: 6.37% Again, the numbers provided are national averages rounded to the nearest hundredth. Mortgage refinance rates are often higher than rates when you buy a house, although that’s not always the case. Use the mortgage calculator below to see how today’s interest rates would affect your monthly mortgage payments. For a deeper dive, you can use Yahoo’s free mortgage calculator to see how homeowners insurance and property taxes factor into in your monthly payment estimate. You even have the option to enter costs for private mortgage insurance (PMI) and homeowners’ association dues if those apply to you. These details result in a more accurate monthly payment estimate than if you simply calculated your mortgage principal and interest. There are two main advantages to a 30-year fixed mortgage: Your payments are lower, and your monthly payments are predictable. A 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has relatively low monthly payments because you’re spreading your repayment out over a longer ******* of time than with, say, a 15-year mortgage. Your payments are predictable because, unlike with an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM), your rate isn’t going to change from year to year. Most years, the only things that might affect your monthly payment are any changes to your homeowners insurance or property taxes. The main disadvantage to 30-year fixed mortgage rates is mortgage interest — both in the short and long term. A 30-year fixed term comes with a higher rate than a shorter fixed term, and it’s higher than the intro rate to a 30-year ARM. The higher your rate, the higher your monthly payment. You’ll also pay much more in interest over the life of your loan due to both the higher rate and the longer term. The pros and cons of 15-year fixed mortgage rates are basically swapped from the 30-year rates. Yes, your monthly payments will still be predictable, but another advantage is that shorter terms come with lower interest rates. Not to mention, you’ll pay off your mortgage 15 years sooner. So you’ll save potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars in interest over the course of your loan. However, because you’re paying off the same amount in half the time, your monthly payments will be higher than if you choose a 30-year term. Dig deeper: 15-year vs. 30-year mortgages Adjustable-rate mortgages lock in your rate for a predetermined amount of time, then change it periodically. For example, with a 5/1 ARM, your rate stays the same for the first five years and then goes up or down once per year for the remaining 25 years. The main advantage is that the introductory rate is usually lower than what you’ll get with a 30-year fixed rate, so your monthly payments will be lower. (Current average rates don’t necessarily reflect this, though — in some cases, fixed rates are actually lower. Talk to your lender before deciding between a fixed or adjustable rate.) With an ARM, you have no idea what mortgage rates will be like once the intro-rate ******* ends, so you risk your rate increasing later. This could ultimately end up costing more, and your monthly payments are unpredictable from year to year. But if you plan to move before the intro-rate ******* is over, you could reap the benefits of a low rate without risking a rate increase down the road. Learn more: Adjustable-rate vs. fixed-rate mortgage First of all, now is a relatively good time to buy a house compared to a couple of years ago. Home prices aren’t spiking like they were during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. So, if you want or need to buy a house soon, you should feel pretty good about the current housing market. However, mortgage rates are unpredictable right now due to the political and economic climate. Experts don’t think rates will plummet in 2025, so you might not want to base your decision on whether to buy on interest rates. The best time to buy is typically whenever it makes sense for your stage of life. Trying to time the real estate market can be as futile as timing the stock market — buy when it’s the right time for you. Read more: Which is more important, your home price or mortgage rate? Have questions about buying, owning, or selling a house? Submit your question to Yahoo’s panel of Realtors using this Google form. According to Zillow, the national average 30-year mortgage rate is 6.77% right now. But keep in mind that averages can vary depending on where you live. For example, if you’re buying in a city with a high cost of living, rates could be higher. Overall, mortgage rates are expected to decrease slightly in 2025. However, they probably won’t significantly drop anytime soon. Mortgage rates are down today, but they’re mostly flat since this time last month. In many ways, securing a low mortgage refinance rate is similar to when you bought your home. Try to improve your credit score and lower your debt-to-income ratio (DTI). Refinancing into a shorter term will also land you a lower rate, though your monthly mortgage payments will be higher. Source link #good #weekend #lock #rate Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How I’d use AI to do my job better, if I were a student today How I’d use AI to do my job better, if I were a student today If Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang were a student again, he’d take advantage of generative AI to have a successful career. “The first thing I would do is to learn AI,” Huang said in a January episode of the “Huge Conversations” show with Cleo Abram, mentioning tools like ChatGPT, Gemini Pro and Grok. “Learning how to interact with AI is not unlike being someone who’s really good at asking questions,” he added. “Prompting AI is very similar. You can’t just randomly ask a bunch of questions. Asking AI to be an assistant to you requires some expertise and artistry of how to prompt it.” Say you’re an entrepreneur and someone asks you: “Tell me about your business?” You’d likely be confused — business is so complex that a vague question like that is difficult to answer. But what if they asked, “Can you explain the first steps to launching an online retail business?” Now you can give a more pointed, helpful response. The same goes for AI. To ask better questions, try to think of the chatbot as a child, Lazarus AI prompt director Kelly Daniel wrote for CNBC Make It in February. “You’re talking to a smart kid. One who wants to make you happy and do what you’re asking,” Daniel wrote. “But the bottom line is, this kid doesn’t know everything you do about your task or business. They’re limited by their lack of context and previous experience, and it’s your job to provide that context.” Organize your prompt clearly and concisely so the AI model can better generate a response, she added. Breaking your instructions down into a list or steps is easier to understand than a lengthy paragraph. And if you have examples of what you want, include that as well. Using Daniel’s advice, a good prompt can look like this: I need to give a keynote speech at my company’s annual conference. I want it to sound like Bill Gates during his early days at Microsoft. The speech needs to: Congratulate the team on a great first quarter. Acknowledge our improvements with our marketing and media strategy.Introduce our new productivity goals and motivate employees to meet them. Huang’s insight comes as few young Americans use AI regularly right now — 11% of Americans ages 14 to 22 say they use generative AI once or twice per week, according to a 2024 report from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Common Sense Media and Hopelab. Yet, 70% of the skills used in most jobs could change due to the technology by 2030, according to LinkedIn’s 2025 Work Change report. Perfecting AI prompts — and asking better questions in general — is a skill that will remain relevant for years to come, so students should take the time to develop it, no matter what career field they see themselves in, Huang added. “If I were a student today, irrespective of whether it’s for math or science or chemistry or biology — doesn’t matter what field of science I’m going into or what profession — I’m going to ask myself, ‘How can I use AI to do my job better?'” he said. Want a new career that’s higher-paying, more flexible or fulfilling? Take CNBC’s new online course Make a Powerful Career Change and Land a Job You Love. Expert instructors will teach you strategies to network successfully, revamp your resume and confidently transition into your dream career. Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It’s newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life. Source link #job #student #today Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Russia demanded Kyiv pull back troops before ceasefire, Ukrainian source says – Reuters Russia demanded Kyiv pull back troops before ceasefire, Ukrainian source says – Reuters Russia demanded Kyiv pull back troops before ceasefire, Ukrainian source says ReutersKremlin cites past wars as it threatens long conflict in Ukraine The GuardianLive updates: Ukraine’s allies call Russian demands unacceptable after first talks in years CNNKremlin Sets Conditions for Putin-Zelenskiy Meeting: Interfax Bloomberg.comPeace Talks Between Russia and Ukraine Stop After Short Meeting The New York Times Source link #Russia #demanded #Kyiv #pull #troops #ceasefire #Ukrainian #source #Reuters Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Walyalup (Fremantle) Dockers thrash Greater Western Sydney in dominant victory on the road Walyalup (Fremantle) Dockers thrash Greater Western Sydney in dominant victory on the road Walyalup (Fremantle) have produced a stunning second half to create their own piece of history, beating Greater Western Sydney for the first time at ENGIE Stadium and claiming a crucial away victory by 34 points. The Dockers have been under the pump after failing to play their best footy this season and went through a week of frustration after being unable to capitalise on a mountain of inside 50s during a home loss to Collingwood last week. But this time they kept scoring after dominating the forward entries and only inaccuracy stopped them from winning by more in their 13.17 (95) to 8.13 (61) victory. The Dockers had lost all four of their previous matches at the ground, including last year when they were chasing a finals berth. They also hadn’t won a genuine away game since June last year. Their only interstate victory since then was the neutral game against Richmond in Gather Round. Camera IconShai Bolton. Credit: Jason McCawley/AFL Photos/Getty Images But this was a stunning display. They conceded the first goal of the game after only 45 seconds but held the Giants to only three more goals until midway through the final term and just eight goals for the night. They won the inside 50s 56-45 on the back of a 15-8 centre clearance tally. Luke Jackson controlled the ruck with 32 hit outs and seven clearances from his 21 disposals. Caleb Serong was also superb in the midfield with 36 disposals and eight clearances. Camera IconLuke Jackson. Credit: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images Shai Bolton relished playing for Walyalup in Sir Doug Nicholls Round with 24 possessions and three goals. The Dockers kicked six unanswered goals after leading by 11 points at half-time to guarantee victory. Walyalup could have won by more because they had a stack of opportunities. But they fought so hard in defence that those misses didn’t matter. Jesse Hogan managed only one goal from 11 disposals. This was a night where Walyalup showed a combination flair, speed, grit and strength. They won the contested possessions by 25 in the second half. They overcame the disappointment of missing a series of key shots to keep the game on their own terms. They led by six points at quarter time and then seized control around the ground in the second term. Walyalup kicked four behind in six minutes and deserved to have a stranglehold on the contest. Camera IconMurphy Reid in action. Credit: Cameron Spencer/AFL Photos/Getty Images It wasn’t until Jye Amiss nailed his set shot nearly nine minutes into the term that the Dockers got some reward. At that point they’d kicked 1.4 from six inside 50s for the quarter and were still vulnerable. Then, as is the way when one team misses, the Giants went straight down the other end and kicked a goal of their own. Walyalup kept missing until Bolton won a free kick for holding the ball and then kicked a goal from the most difficult shot the team. Now Walyalup led by 17 points. Could they break the game open? They tried to. They refused to be conservative. Andrew Brayshaw saw an opportunity and attempted a tough kick to centre half-forward which he instantly regretted. Finn Callaghan intercepted, the Giants surged forward and Aaron Cadman kicked the goal. Footy can be cruel. Camera IconPat Voss charges forward. Credit: Cameron Spencer/AFL Photos/Getty Images But it didn’t change their attitude and Walyalup still led by 11 points at half-time after having 10 more inside 50s than the Giants. The problem with not slamming the door shut is the opposition don’t need a lot of encouragement to get back into the game, especially at home. The Dockers refused to let the Giants back into the game though. Frederick booted his third after a free kick from a tackle on Callan Ward. now they led by 16 points. Camera IconMichael Frederick marks the ball. Credit: Cameron Spencer/AFL Photos/Getty Images The game was there for the taking. Nothing summed up Walyalups attitude more than the way they approached that challenge. Karl Worner took an intercept mark in defence and refused to slow the game down. He targeted Serong in the centre corridor, the star midfielder took a difficult mark and played on with a handball to space. Frederick ran onto the ball, handballed to Corey Wagner and he found Amiss who kicked his second goal. It was lightning. It was aggressive. It was daring. It was bold. Now they had to finish the Giants off. Murphy Reid kicked a goal to extend the lead to 27 points midway through the term and the Dockers just kept playing desperate footy. The backline defended superbly, holding the Giants goalless for the quarter. Camera IconDockers coach Justin Longmuir. Credit: Cameron Spencer/AFL Photos/Getty Images Both teams were missing chances they’d normally kick but Josh Treacy didn’t miss to start the final term. He nailed the knock out blow and the only question now was the big the margin would become. They kicked five goals for the final term and it became a huge celebration. Players ran from everywhere when Cooper Simpson kicked his first career goal. The Giants kicked late goals to make the scoreboard more respectable. But this was a dominant effort from the Dockers. Source link #Walyalup #Fremantle #Dockers #thrash #Greater #Western #Sydney #dominant #victory #road Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Hail, Winds, and Tornado Threat Hail, Winds, and Tornado Threat Saturday is yet another day of potential severe weather amid a multi-day threat that began late last week with tornadoes across the Midwest due to moisture from the Gulf, daytime heating and an unsettled and unstable atmosphere. Today’s main threat stretches from Texas into Kansas with a lower level threat across the Southeast, including Atlanta, Memphis, Shreveport and Little Rock. The main threats for the Plains are damaging winds and large hail, though tornadoes are also possible, especially for the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area. And remember, even a low threat is still a threat, so anyone with the potential for severe weather in their forecast today should monitor the weather and have a plan in place in case severe weather comes your way. Source link #Hail #Winds #Tornado #Threat Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Why living below my means is ‘incredibly important’ to me Why living below my means is ‘incredibly important’ to me Keke Palmer has worn many hats over her career so far: actress, entrepreneur, producer, podcast host, singer, author. But the 31-year-old spends her money prudently due to her humble upbringing, she says: Living below her means is her top financial habit for having a secure lifestyle. “I live under my means. I think it’s incredibly important,” says Palmer. “If I have $1 million in my pocket, my rent is going to be $1,500 — that’s how underneath my means I’m talking. My car note is going to be $340. I don’t need a [Bentley] Bentayga, I’ll ride in a Lexus.” As a child, Palmer realized that she earned more than her parents. She got her first acting job at age 9 in Ice Cube’s 2004 film, “Barbershop 2: Back in Business.” By age 13, she had her own credit card and was the star of Nickelodeon’s “True Jackson, VP,” she says. “My parents, at their best, made $40,000 a year,” Palmer told the “Club Shay Shay” podcast in a November episode. “I was making that a show.” Palmer now tries to follow their example, she says. “I learned from my parents very early on because they knew their limitations with money and finances,” says Palmer. “I believe in saving and frugality … I don’t play around with that.” DON’T MISS: How to change careers and be happier at work She also shares her wealth with her parents, she noted during her “Club Shay Shay” appearance. “My dad gave up his pension for me to have an opportunity for my dreams. My mom gave up everything so she could travel with me,” Palmer said. “What’s mine is theirs and what’s theirs is mine … I would sacrifice 20 more years of my life working in this industry so that I can provide and we can have the business we have today.” Living below your means looks different for everyone. For example, the classic 50-30-20 budgeting rule — 50% of your taxable income for living expenses, 20% for savings and 30% for everything else — is increasingly out of reach for many Americans, CNBC Make It reported in May 2023. If you can’t afford to save 20% of your earnings, start by finding a way to boost your income and minimize your large, fixed expenses, certified financial planner Rachel Camp recommended. That could look like picking up a side hustle, taking on roommates or even rethinking whether you need a car in the city you live in. Palmer has an additional word of advice for young people, especially young women: “learn up” on economics. That might mean reading personal finance books, taking a course at a local community college, talking to your money-savvy friend or even using ChatGPT to help you create a monthly budget plan. “Be curious about that kind of stuff, because you don’t want to do things based off of survival,” says Palmer. “You want to do them out of choice. That’s something that my mom and my dad taught me very early on.” Want a new career that’s higher-paying, more flexible or fulfilling? Take CNBC’s new online course Make a Powerful Career Change and Land a Job You Love. Expert instructors will teach you strategies to network successfully, revamp your resume and confidently transition into your dream career. Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It’s newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life. Source link #living #means #incredibly #important Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Challenges face Elon Musk and NASA in sending people to Mars Challenges face Elon Musk and NASA in sending people to Mars President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, want to make living on Mars a reality. Musk has said that his company, SpaceX, can get humans to Mars as early as 2029. Meanwhile, NASA officials have said that sending humans to Mars even by 2040 would be an “audacious” goal. China also has ambitions, with the country planning to establish an autonomous Mars research station by 2038. In Musk’s view, going to Mars is tantamount to preserving humanity and escaping the ever-growing threats to Earth, including natural disasters and warfare. For scientists, Mars offers possible answers to questions such as the prevalence and diversity of life in the universe. “The early Earth and Mars were twins. They were both rocky planets with liquid water, CO2 dominated atmospheres,” says Robert Zubrin, president of The Mars Society, a nonprofit. “So if the theory is correct that life originates naturally from chemistry, wherever the right physical and chemical conditions, then it should have appeared on Mars.” But landing humans on Mars and settling the planet will mean overcoming a number of daunting technical challenges and risks that humans have never before faced. “The Mars landing problem is complicated. The transit problem, super complicated. You know, the radiation environment is very severe. The life support problem. The reliability has to be super high,” said Amit Kshatriya, deputy associate administrator of the Moon to Mars Program at NASA, during a panel discussion in February. “The propulsion capability is not – you know, we got to get better in all those areas.” At the core of Musk’s plan to reach Mars is the tallest and most powerful rocket ever built: Starship. In March, SpaceX conducted Starship’s eighth test flight. While SpaceX was able to successfully retrieve the Super Heavy booster, the Starship spacecraft exploded, leaving a trail of debris in its wake and disrupting commercial flights. SpaceX’s next test flight for Starship is expected soon. CNBC visited the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah to get a behind-the-scenes look at what life on Mars could be like, and spoke to experts about what challenges remain to landing humans on the red planet. Watch the video to find out more. Source link #Challenges #face #Elon #Musk #NASA #sending #people #Mars Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Star Citizen Will Release its Largest Capital Ship (for Now); the Idris is Coming Star Citizen Will Release its Largest Capital Ship (for Now); the Idris is Coming One of the most relevant premises of Star Citizen will become reality tomorrow with the release of its biggest capital ship yet. Source link #Star #Citizen #Release #Largest #Capital #Ship #Idris #Coming Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Endorfy Fortis 5 ****** ARGB Review: All you need for AMD’s Ryzen 9 9950X3D Endorfy Fortis 5 ****** ARGB Review: All you need for AMD’s Ryzen 9 9950X3D Why you can trust Tom’s Hardware Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test. Most of my cooling reviews are designed to let you know what the best and most powerful cooling solutions are. But not everyone is looking to overclock the hottest Intel i9 CPU. Instead of focusing on the best possible performance, today’s review will be looking at Endorfy’s Fortis 5 air cooler, which won’t win any overclocking competitions, but runs quietly while delivering enough cooling performance to satisfy the needs of mainstream consumers and gamers. Let’s take a look at the specifications and features of the cooler, then we’ll go over thermal performance so you’ll know how cool it will keep your computer’s processor. We’ll also look at noise measurements to let you know how silently this product operates. Cooler specifications Swipe to scroll horizontally Cooler Endorfy Fortis 5 ARGB MSRP $51.50 Lighting ARGB on fan and heatsink accents Socket Compatibility Intel Socket LGA 1851/1700/1200/115x/20xx/775 AMD AM5 / AM4 / AM3 / AM2 / FM2/ FM1 Unit Dimensions (including fan) 107 (L) x 139 (W) x 159mm (D) Base Direct Touch Heatpipes Maximum TDP (Our Testing) ~219W with AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D ~217W with Intel Core i7-14700K Packing and included contents (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) The exterior of the box isn’t flashy, but it showcases the features of the product well. You may like Included with the box are the following: 140mm fan Thick single-tower heatsink Thermal paste Mounting accessories for modern AMD & Intel platforms (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Features of Endorfy Fortis 5 ARGB Rigid backplate The included backplate is extremely strong, and won’t bend even under pressure. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) AM Clearance There’s no reason to worry about RAM clearances with Endorfy’s Fortis 5 ARGB. As you can see in the picture below, the fan doesn’t interfere or overhang DIMM slots, allowing full compatibility no matter how tall (or short) your RAM is. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Six Direct Touch Heatpipes It is generally rare to see coolers with more than four or five direct-touch copper heatpipes, but Endorfy’s Fortis 5 has six of them! In theory, direct touch heatpipes should allow for more efficient heat transfer. Is that really the case? Well, we’ll get to the benchmarks soon enough and you can decide for yourself based on our tests. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Thick single tower heatsink Most air coolers incorporate one or two smaller heatsink towers, but Endorfy’s Fortis 5 incorporates one larger, thick heatsink. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) The backside of the cooler incorporates a canyon in the middle. While Endorfy didn’t specifically comment on this design, other companies with similar designs have claimed it helps increase to static pressure of airflow. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) 40mm Fluctus ARGB fan There’s more to a cooler than just the heatsink or radiator. The bundled fans have a significant impact on cooling and noise levels, as well as how the cooler looks in your case. The included Fluctus ARGB fan has 9 blades, with teeth on the edges of each fan blade. I’m not sure if those teeth serve any real purpose, but they sure look menacing! Many cheaper products include fans with MTTF ratings of only 40-60,000 hours of operation, but not Endorfy. They indicate confidence in the quality of their product with a rating of 100,000+ hours for the Fluctus 140 ARGB fan. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Swipe to scroll horizontally Model Fluctus 140mm ARGB Dimensions 140 x 140 x 25mm Fan Speed 250-1400 RPM ± 10% Air Flow Unlisted Air Pressure Unlisted Bearing Type FDB MTTF 100,000+ hours Lighting ARGB Real world testing configuration: Intel LGA1700 and AMD AM5 platform My results may differ from others because I place an emphasis on having results that are comparable to real-world use. This means that I test CPU coolers inside of a closed desktop case, which increases cooling difficulty compared to other testing methods. Open benches have lower ambient temperatures, which in turn makes weak coolers appear stronger than they really are. Some publications have also used generic thermal plates to test cooling solutions. I reject both of these methods because they don’t accurately reflect the real-world conditions where a CPU cooler is used. Swipe to scroll horizontally CPU Intel Core i7-14700K GPU ASRock Steel Legend Radeon 7900 GRE Motherboard MSI Z790 Project Zero Case MSI Pano 100L PZ ****** System Fans Iceberg Thermal IceGale Silent My previous reviews have also tested Intel’s latest platform, using the Core Ultra 9 285K Arrow Lake CPU. We’re going to be retiring this from our testing suite. Between BIOS updates and Windows updates, Arrow Lake’s thermal characteristics have changed in some scenarios, rendering much of our previous testing data useless. With today’s review, we’re also testing AMD’s recently released Ryzen 9 9950X3D. This is a beast of a CPU, providing the best gaming and some of the best multithreaded performance on the market, and can prove quite challenging thermally when PBO is enabled for overclocking. Swipe to scroll horizontally CPU AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D GPU MSI Ventus 3X RTX 4070Ti Super Motherboard MSI X870E Carbon Wifi Case MSI MAG Pano 100R PZ LGA 1700 and AMD AM5 Installation The installation of this cooler is simple and should be easy to complete for most users. It’s also pretty much the same process for Intel and AMD systems. 1. You’ll first need to place the backplate against the rear of the motherboard on an Intel system, using the standoffs to secure it. AMD users will need to remove the default mounting mechanism and replace it with the included standoffs. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) 2. Next, place the mounting bracket on top of the standoffs and secure it with the included screws. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) 3. Apply the included thermal paste to your CPU. If you have any questions on how to do this properly, please refer to our handy guide on how to apply thermal paste. 4. Place the CPU block on top of the CPU and secure it with a screwdriver. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) 5. Attach the fan and then connect the PWM cable to your motherboard, and installation is complete. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Source link #Endorfy #Fortis #****** #ARGB #Review #AMDs #Ryzen #9950X3D Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Diddy Party Pics From Night He Allegedly Overdosed at Playboy Mansion – TMZ Diddy Party Pics From Night He Allegedly Overdosed at Playboy Mansion – TMZ Diddy Party Pics From Night He Allegedly Overdosed at Playboy Mansion TMZ Source link #Diddy #Party #Pics #Night #Allegedly #Overdosed #Playboy #Mansion #TMZ Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Yasha: Legends of the ****** Blade Launches Today, Bandai Namco Pictures Releases New Anime Short Yasha: Legends of the ****** Blade Launches Today, Bandai Namco Pictures Releases New Anime Short asha: Legends of the ****** Blade is officially out today on all platforms, and Bandai Namco Pictures has released a new anime short. Source link #Yasha #Legends #****** #Blade #Launches #Today #Bandai #Namco #Pictures #Releases #Anime #Short Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Ram 1500 Limited review: a supersized ute on a smaller engine Ram 1500 Limited review: a supersized ute on a smaller engine Think of the cabin as a lounge on wheels Source link #Ram #Limited #review #supersized #ute #smaller #engine Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

F1 25 will feature playable scenarios from Brad Pitts Formula 1 film F1 25 will feature playable scenarios from Brad Pitts Formula 1 film Drive Brad Pitts APXGP car from the F1 movie in F1 25s playable scenarios, available as an Iconic Edition pre-order bonus or separate DLC pack. Source link #feature #playable #scenarios #Brad #Pitts #Formula #film Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Challenges face Elon Musk and NASA in sending people to Mars Challenges face Elon Musk and NASA in sending people to Mars President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, want to make living on Mars a reality. Musk has said that his company, SpaceX, can get humans to Mars as early as 2029. Meanwhile, NASA officials have said that sending humans to Mars even by 2040 would be an “audacious” goal. China also has ambitions, with the country planning to establish an autonomous Mars research station by 2038. In Musk’s view, going to Mars is tantamount to preserving humanity and escaping the ever-growing threats to Earth, including natural disasters and warfare. For scientists, Mars offers possible answers to questions such as the prevalence and diversity of life in the universe. “The early Earth and Mars were twins. They were both rocky planets with liquid water, CO2 dominated atmospheres,” says Robert Zubrin, president of The Mars Society, a nonprofit. “So if the theory is correct that life originates naturally from chemistry, wherever the right physical and chemical conditions, then it should have appeared on Mars.” But landing humans on Mars and settling the planet will mean overcoming a number of daunting technical challenges and risks that humans have never before faced. “The Mars landing problem is complicated. The transit problem, super complicated. You know, the radiation environment is very severe. The life support problem. The reliability has to be super high,” said Amit Kshatriya, deputy associate administrator of the Moon to Mars Program at NASA, during a panel discussion in February. “The propulsion capability is not – you know, we got to get better in all those areas.” At the core of Musk’s plan to reach Mars is the tallest and most powerful rocket ever built: Starship. In March, SpaceX conducted Starship’s eighth test flight. While SpaceX was able to successfully retrieve the Super Heavy booster, the Starship spacecraft exploded, leaving a trail of debris in its wake and disrupting commercial flights. SpaceX’s next test flight for Starship is expected soon. CNBC visited the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah to get a behind-the-scenes look at what life on Mars could be like, and spoke to experts about what challenges remain to landing humans on the red planet. Watch the video to find out more. Source link #Challenges #face #Elon #Musk #NASA #sending #people #Mars Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Tesla’s Cybertruck Is No Longer America’s Best-selling Electric Pickup Truck Tesla’s Cybertruck Is No Longer America’s Best-selling Electric Pickup Truck PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing. The Tesla Cybertruck was knocked off its No. 1 spot as America’s best-selling electric pickup truck in Q1 2025. According to vehicle registration data from S&P Global Mobility, first spotted by InsideEVs, the Ford F-150 Lightning beat out the Cybertruck with 7,913 new registrations, compared to the Cybertruck’s 7,126 registrations. The Chevrolet Silverado EV nabbed third place in Q1 2025, followed by the GMC Sierra EV, Rivian R1T, and GMC Hummer EV. The news follows the numerous controversies that have hit the Cybertruck over the past year, including everything from a spate of recalls that included flying trim pieces, failing front windshield wipers, and trapped pedals, to politically charged controversies and polarizing presidential endorsements. Public opinion may be souring against Tesla in general. A March 2025 report from market research firm YouGov found that a majority of Americans now have a negative opinion of the company, while the EV giant reported its first yearly sales decline in recent history in January. But while it’s easy to attribute the Cybertruck’s decline to CEO Elon Musk’s antics or ongoing technical issues, models like the Ford F-150 may also simply be proving a hit with consumers. The model not only picked up strong reviews from many automotive journalists when it launched in early 2023, but it also offers consumers a much lower starting price tag. The Ford F-150 Lightning currently starts at $49,995 in the US, roughly $10,000 cheaper than the Cybertruck, with prices for the top trim variations offering a comparable discount. Meanwhile, the Chevrolet Silverado EV, not only offers consumers a cheaper starting price for bare-bones models—it also offers perks like a much higher estimated range off a single charge. Analysts have been quick to chime in with ideas about the changing ranking. Robby DeGraff, an analyst at AutoPacific, told Automotive News that the F-150 Lightning “continues to reward EV buyers who desire a pickup truck with emissions-less practicality and durability,” but without the “negative association, showboat styling, and questionable quality” of Tesla’s futuristic truck. Source link #Teslas #Cybertruck #Longer #Americas #Bestselling #Electric #Pickup #Truck Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

S&P 500 rips higher by more than 20% as animal spirits awaken in six-week market comeback S&P 500 rips higher by more than 20% as animal spirits awaken in six-week market comeback I can’t be the only parent of college-age kids who routinely texts them, “Have fun. Not too much.” This roughly captures the recent market moment. Investors have loosened up and are deservedly enjoying the resounding six-week market comeback — which takes them ever closer to the hard-to-discern line between harmless fun and reckless indulgence. Bursting from a position of extreme fear and torrid liquidation culminating on April 7, at the point of maximum tariff aggression, the indexes have responded as if the waterfall near-20% sell-off from February’s peak severely overshot fundamental reality. From technical conditions that were “so bad they’re good” after one of the worst starts ever to a year, the S & P 500 has gained 23% from the intraday low, burning up plenty of the accumulated pessimism as fuel and reclaiming the benefit of the doubt for the bulls. The rally has capitalized on clear Trump administration gestures toward trade-war de-escalation, culminating in the retreat last weekend on China tariffs, with the S & P back into the green for the year and just above the spot where it closed the day after the November election. .SPX 1Y mountain S & P 500, 1 year By the second half of last week, the tape had settled back into a low-drama upward grind, the kind of boring-is-beautiful action that often prevails in trending bull markets, including Friday’s late-day levitation to seal a 5.3% weekly gain. Several key hurdles were cleared along the way, the index surpassing its closing April 2 “Liberation Day” level and its 200-day moving average, while last week some pretty stringent breadth and momentum signals fired, the kind that typically imply “escape velocity” from a market low. The Cboe S & P 500 Volatility Index (VIX) saw its fastest drop from above 50 to below 20 in history, finishing the week near 17, firmly in the “normal” zone. Together, these clues suggest that pullbacks to relieve the tape’s current overbought condition should be both expected and well-contained. V-bottom? The cadence of the market’s swift mini-****** decline and rapid recovery of three-quarters of its losses leaves open the chance that this has been another flash, event-driven near-bear market — one of those notorious sell-offs that ended just before reaching a 20% closing loss. I’ve detailed these numerous times in the past , as recently as three weeks ago. 3Fourteen Research chief investment officer Warren Pies nods toward such precedents, noting the decisive bottoms in 1998, 2011 and late-2018 came as policy makers quickly threw a switch to ease conditions. Whether the administration’s recent retreat on skyscraping tariff rates will qualify as such a decisive policy pivot isn’t yet clear, given the lack of final terms. But it can’t be dismissed as a possibility. And at this point, the S & P 500 comeback rivals the early-2019 recovery as the strongest-ever from such an event-driven severe correction. Pies last week upgraded equities to an overweight, seeing a run at the former record highs as logical, citing the persuasive technical evidence, as well as a crucial narrative shift: “For all intents and purposes, the trade war is over. As the dust clears, global tariffs should settle around 10% and Trump will claim victory. This brings clarity to investors, which is always well received.” Is talk of “victory” and “clarity” producing new index highs a sign that we’ve consumed all the skepticism and are moving ahead on pure adrenaline again? Not quite. The broad set-up doesn’t look close to hazardous, giddy excess yet. And in fact, hedge funds and other institutional players are still trying to rebuild depleted equity exposure, while surveys of financial advisors and individual investors have scarcely lifted off deeply bearish extremes. But there are hints that the unleashed-animal-spirits theme that kicked in late last year and was part of every handicappers upbeat 2025 outlook is bidding for a do-over. Jonathan Krinsky, technical strategist at BTIG, flagged an extreme move lower in the put-call ratio last week, evidence that options players are far more interested in playing further upside than buying protection. He sees this as one among several reasons to expect a retreat soon in the S & P back toward the spot where the China-de-escalation pop started (about 3-4% down from here). Robinhood, CoreWeave and eToro Retail-trader playthings Palantir and Robinhood are back to their highs and the stocks have moved in close rhythm on the way to 50%-60% gains since April 7. Social-investing and crypto broker eToro went public last week (after once trying to merge with a SPAC in early 2021), the stock rising more than 20% from the offer price. Stablecoin issuer Circle and self-proclaimed fintech innovators Klarna and Chime have also filed to go public, a sign that “future finance” upstarts are ready to take eager investors’ cash. Brokerage and investment-banking stocks as a group are back to their highs, no coincidence, as the Street rediscovers the bull-market muscle memory. Shares of the month-old IPO and AI-infrastructure play CoreWeave vaulted higher by nearly 60% last week, with stalwart Nvidia ramping by 16%. It’s worth recalling that the initial pullback from the market top was prompted not by trade policy, but a stiff reversal in crowded momentum stocks coinciding with the DeepSeek challenge to the dominant AI-investment theme. While the talk was all about tariffs and a flight from U.S. assets in April, most of the big cloud platforms reaffirmed their eye-watering capex plans and the AI story has refreshed itself, for now, with most of the big players rebuilding toward recent peak valuations. Without endorsing this as a clear guide to the immediate future, it remains interesting how the Nasdaq Composite since the launch of ChatGPT has generally tracked its path from the advent of the first Netscape Web browser in late-1994. And of course, in the two years beyond the scope of this Bespoke Investment Group chart, the Nasdaq went truly wild to the upside, tripling from where it ended 1997 into early 2000. Beyond the somewhat trade-insulated AI/Magnificent 7 segment of the market, any assessment of the risk/reward interplay from here must hinge on how aggressively the market is now pricing in further de-escalation of tariff frictions through benign bilateral agreements. What could derail comeback? Bullish investors can perhaps lean on the fact that the U.S. is not a particularly trade-dependent one, all told. The US. trade deficit with China, being treated by the administration as some desperate emergency, amounts to 1% of U.S. GDP. And China’s exports to the U.S. equal just 3% of its own GDP. Still, there’s no way yet to disprove the idea that the cost and confusion generated by wherever tariff policies land will cause the economy to falter, undercutting already-decelerating job creation and a creaky housing market, making the recent rally seem a false dawn. In fact, in coming weeks we’ll exit the “free pass” window for macro inputs and the data will gain importance as economists try to render judgment on this possibility. As investors who “de-risked” into the April collapse try not to be left behind in the rebound, the S & P 500 has rebuilt its valuation to 21.5-times consensus earnings forecasts for the next 12 months. This after another overachieving reporting season, with 13% annual profit growth, but with some leakage in projected results for the second half of the year. Valuation, famously, isn’t a helpful tactical input and multiples rarely come under severe attack when the Fed isn’t tightening, or recession isn’t nigh. But the P/E is a sort of confidence gauge itself. Perhaps it’s sensible to assume that getting much above 22-times earnings, a threshold last seen in February, should require more than rhetorical gestures toward promised trade deals. Evercore ISI strategist Julian Emanuel on Friday offered that “without more deals/details announced, especially on the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ in Congress, stocks ‘Party like its 1998’ is set to pause.” That Congressional budget bill, which hit a snag in a committee vote Friday, represents a level of fiscal expansion that is in stark contrast to the administration rhetoric about a fiscal “detox” several weeks ago. Along with a drop in oil process, the tax-cut-driven deficit is being counted on by the market to support the economy against a tariff drag. If the bond market allows it, that is. As much as I resist tying short-term Treasury yield moves to structural Federal budget dynamics, last week the chatter was largely about such matters when the 10-year rose back above 4.5% and the 30-year ticked briefly to 5% again. Buyers rushed in to capture those yield levels, though, just as equity buyers hustled to buy the 50 VIX and the fleeting down-20% print in the S & P 500. For now, stocks are supported to the extent the Big Money still feels under-invested and compelled to pay up to play. Which could, eventually, lead to the kind of fun-seeking that usually precedes a ******* of chagrined payback. Source link #rips #higher #animal #spirits #awaken #sixweek #market #comeback Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Aura Aspen review: a digital photo frame that looks as pretty as your pictures Aura Aspen review: a digital photo frame that looks as pretty as your pictures Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test. Aura Aspen: review The Aura Aspen is a 1600 x 1200 11.8-inch digital photo frame. Sitting slap bang in the middle of the market, it retails for $229 (around £175) – while it’s currently only available in the US, the company has confirmed it will launch internationally later in 2025. In return, it offers a polished performance, neat design and unlimited cloud storage, making it a pretty reasonable investment. Setting up the Aspen could not be more straightforward. Once you’ve downloaded the Aura app, you just need to tap +New Frame and plug in the frame. To connect your frame to Wi-Fi, simply enter the numbers displayed on the frame into the app, and it’ll connect to your home network. You’ll then be able to add users to the frame or just get on with adding photos. And that could not be easier. You can navigate through the app – just tap Add Photos and pick an unlimited number of snaps and videos from your gallery – or use the built-in share button in most photo apps to share directly with the frame. After a quick upload, they’ll start appearing on the frame’s screen. You may like Once they do, you’ll immediately see how impressive the Aspen’s screen is. While its display isn’t the highest pixel density we’ve seen – at 11.8 inches and a 1600 x 1200 resolution, it sits at around 170ppi – its images subjectively look about as crisp as we’ve seen from any of the best digital photo frames. However, it does occasionally overstep the mark (it was pretty unforgiving of the artificial bokeh on some of my iPhone 16 Pro snaps), making me wonder if it subtly sharpens images to give them that extra-well-defined look. (Image credit: Future) One area it absolutely nails, however, is color reproduction. Whether it’s the marbled turquoise and azure of the Ionian Sea or the riot of peach and magenta of rhododendrons in full bloom, the Aspen made every hue in my photos look rich and enticing. And it never strays into looking artificial; it’s steadfast in its accuracy, not once overstepping the mark into that lurid oversaturation that some screens are susceptible to. To top off this strong performance, the Aspen also has a pretty decent feature set. Alongside the ability for friends and family to share their shots to your frame, the Aspen automatically detects the orientation of the frame and rotates images accordingly. Unfortunately, while you can manually crop images to center them according to your preferences, you can’t crop them differently for landscape and portrait, or select which images you’d rather appear in either orientation. Still, few digital photo frames I’ve tested handle this perfectly, so I can absolutely forgive this here. And the Aspen has some innovative features that few other frames offer. Perhaps the most attention-grabbing is its colorization feature, which adds color back to ******-and-white photos. The results are, inevitably, a bit hit and miss, as it tends to default to the most conventional colors for everything. For example, it rendered the rock and sand of Fuerteventura in drab khaki and dull beige, rather than their true colors of ochre and gold. Meanwhile, its in-app scanner allows you to ‘digitize’ – read ‘take photos of’ – existing physical pictures. Both of these are a lot of fun to play with, even if I suspect you won’t end up using them that much. (Image credit: Future) When it comes to controlling the Aspen, you can, of course, use the Aura app. However, for those who prefer a more tactile method of control, the frame has two touch-capacitive bars that sit on top of the frame in either orientation. These allow you to swipe left and right to select photos from your playlist, tap to hide photos or double-tap to see image info. While this is less futuristic than the Netgear Meural Canvas II’s touchless gesture control, it also feels much more intuitive and foolproof. Put simply, it’s one of the best control mechanisms I’ve ever used when reviewing digital photo frames. And this kind of pragmatic yet refined styling is a design language the Aura Aspen seems fluent in. Its white 1.4-inch (35mm) bezels have a matte, textured paper effect, making them feel convincingly like an authentic mounting board. Meanwhile, rather than the flimsy stick some digital photo frames rely on, its stand is a sturdy arrowhead shape fashioned out of weighty metal, meaning I never had to worry about it tipping over. The device showcases this kind of dependable, considered build quality throughout, making it feel suitably premium. If you’re already convinced and ready to pick up the Aura Aspen, I doubt you’ll be disappointed. For those on the fence, there is one more factor to consider: its price. Yes, at $229, it’s marginally pricier than the similarly impressive Pexar 11-inch Digital Picture Frame, which retails for $159.99 / £149.99 and offers a slightly higher 221 PPI pixel density. However, the Aura offers a more premium-feeling build and unlimited uploads and storage, so which frame edges out the other is a matter of your biggest priorities. (Image credit: Future) Aura Aspen review: price & release date Launched April 16, 2025 Retails for $229 (around £175) Currently only available in the US Launched on April 16, 2025, the Aura Aspen is available in the US now. Customers elsewhere in the world will have to wait a little longer for it, as according to Aura, its international rollout is currently pencilled in for ‘later in 2025’. The Aura Aspen retails for $229 (around £175), positioning it slightly above the $159.99 / £149.99 Pexar 11-inch Digital Picture Frame and far more than budget options like the Aeezo Portrait 01, which you can currently pick up for as little as $39.99 / £53.19 from Amazon. The Aspen is subscription-free, however, and that price includes unlimited transfers and cloud storage, so there aren’t any hidden costs or upgrade fees included. It’s available in a single size, but offers two colorways: Ink, the charcoal-hued frame we tested here, or Clay, a neutral beige color. (Image credit: Future) Aura Aspen review: specs Swipe to scroll horizontally Dimensions 12.7 x 10.1 x 1.1 inches (323 x 257 x 28mm) Display size 11.8-inch Resolution 1600 x 1200, 170 pixels per inch Aspect Ratio 4:3 Touch Screen No Sound Built-in speaker Orientation Portrait or landscape Storage Unlimited cloud storage Connectivity Wi-Fi (Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Aura Aspen? Swipe to scroll horizontally Attributes Notes Rating Features From a streamlined, user-friendly app to innovative features like photo recoloring, the Aspen has a decent feature set. 4/5 Design Excellent build quality meet gorgeous aesthetics – it’s a work of art in its own right 5/5 Performance Colors are vibrant yet faithful, the screen is bright and glare-free and the resolution is decent, even if bokeh occasionally looks a little sharp. 4/5 Value Not the cheapest frame on the market, but its sturdy build and excellent finish more than justify the price. 4/5 Buy it if… Don’t buy it if… Aura Aspen review: also consider Swipe to scroll horizontally Header Cell – Column 0 Aura Aspen Pexar 11-inch Digital Picture Frame Aura Walden Dimensions 12.7 x 10.1 x 1.1 inches (323 x 257 x 28mm) 7.4 x 11.2 inches (18.9 x 28.4cm) 15.7 x 12.7 x 1.2 inches (399 x 323 x 30mm) Display size 11.8-inch 11-inch 15-inch Resolution 1600 x 1200, 170 pixels per inch 2000 x 1200, 212 pixels per inch 1600 x 1200, 133 pixels per inch Aspect Ratio 4:3 5:3 4:3 Touch Screen No Yes No Sound Built-in speaker Built-in speaker Built-in speaker Orientation Portrait or landscape Portrait or landscape Portrait or landscape Storage Unlimited cloud storage 32GB Unlimited cloud storage Connectivity Wi-Fi Wi-Fi, SD card, USB-A, USB-C Wi-Fi How I tested the Aura Aspen Tested the product over multiple weeks Uploaded a wide variety of photos Have many years of experience working with photography I tested the Aura Aspen over several weeks. First, I used its app to set up the frame, upload images, and explore its various features. I tried sending both individual snaps and bulk uploading whole folders to see how it coped in terms of transfer times. I uploaded a variety of shots, from brilliantly hued blossoms to detailed monochrome compositions designed to help assess resolution and color performance. I also tried the frame in a range of settings to help assess its capabilities at different angles and distances, and in different light levels. When it comes to experience, not only have I tested a wide range of digital photo frames for TechRadar, but I’m an experienced photographer, having taken over 40,000 photos on cameras from my Canon DSLR to my iPhone 16 Pro. I also spent many years working in print publishing, giving me a keen eye for image resolution and color accuracy. Aura Aspen: Price Comparison Source link #Aura #Aspen #review #digital #photo #frame #pretty #pictures Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Near a 52-Week Low, Here’s Why This 4.8%-Yielding Dividend Stock Is a Top Buy for Passive Income Near a 52-Week Low, Here’s Why This 4.8%-Yielding Dividend Stock Is a Top Buy for Passive Income Oil and gas giant Chevron has an industry-leading breakeven point on its upstream portfolio. The company can support its massive capital return program without jeopardizing its financial health. With 38 years of dividend increases and a high yield, Chevron is an intriguing income play. 10 stocks we like better than Chevron › Chevron (NYSE: CVX) is an integrated oil and gas major with a growing exploration and production business, sizable refining segment, investments in low-carbon solutions, and more. But the stock has fallen roughly 16% from its 52-week high — a swift decline considering the high came less than two months ago. With a yield of 4.8%, here’s why Chevron is an excellent dividend stock for passive income investors to scoop up now. Image source: Getty Images. Brent crude oil prices (the international benchmark) are at multi-year lows — which has put pressure on Chevron’s margins and led to lower revenue and earnings growth. In turn, these factors have weighed on its stock price. CVX data by YCharts However, Chevron has become a much more efficient company. On its first-quarter earnings call, Chevron said it was delivering growth initiatives — led by short-cycle onshore projects and high-margin offshore projects that are expected to generate an incremental $9 billion of free cash flow (FCF) in 2026 at a $60-per-barrel Brent price, which is below the current price. Chevron cited Wood Mackenzie data showing it has the lowest upstream breakeven of its peer group — around the low $30-per-barrel Brent range. According to Wood Mackenzie, that gives Chevron a lower breakeven than ExxonMobil, Shell, TotalEnergies, BP, ConocoPhillips, Occidental Petroleum, Diamondback Energy, and EOG Resources. In its investor presentation on May 6, Chevron said it expects to achieve a 50% increase in its Gulf Coast production by 2026 thanks to the expansion of its deepwater Anchor project, which achieved first production in August 2024. Lower drilling costs have helped keep Anchor under budget. In sum, Chevron is still delivering excellent results despite lower oil prices. Its highly efficient production portfolio supports its massive buyback program. Chevron bought back a record amount of stock each year over the last three years — $11.26 billion in 2022, $14.94 billion in 2023, and $15.23 billion in 2024. With buybacks of $3.9 billion in the first quarter and plans for $2.5 billion to $3 billion in buybacks in the second quarter, Chevron is on schedule to pull back slightly on stock repurchases in 2025 but still return a boatload of cash to shareholders. The move to keep a lid on buybacks makes sense given lower oil prices and its planned deal to purchase Hess. Story Continues Chevron rewards shareholders with dividends and buybacks. It spends about $3 billion per quarter on its dividend, which it has increased for 38 consecutive years. The decline in Chevron’s stock price, paired with consistent dividend raises, has pushed Chevron’s yield up to 4.8%. That’s a considerably higher level than the S&P 500 average of 1.3% and even the energy sector average of 3.5%. It’s worth mentioning that buybacks and dividend raises are not coming at the expense of Chevron’s balance sheet. The company exited the recent quarter with a new debt ratio of 14.4% — which is lower than its target range of 20% to 25%. That means Chevron’s net debt (which is debt minus cash equivalents and marketable securities) is 14.4% of its net debt plus stockholders’ equity. It basically shows how dependent a company’s capital structure is on debt — and 14.4% is very low for a capital-intensive energy company. Chevron is a highly reliable dividend stock given its multi-decade track record of raising its payout and high margins even at current oil prices. Its efforts to reduce its breakeven and invest in projects that can generate high FCF even at $60 Brent sets the stage for more buybacks and dividend raises. Chevron is taking advantage of the sell-off in its stock by repurchasing shares. Buybacks benefit shareholders by reducing the outstanding share count, thereby increasing earnings per share because there are fewer shares to go around. So investors who hold their Chevron shares will come to progressively own a larger percentage of the company. Add it all up, and Chevron is a no-brainer buy for boosting your passive income stream. Before you buy stock in Chevron, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Chevron wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004… if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $635,275!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005… if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $826,385!* Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 967% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 171% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of May 12, 2025 Daniel Foelber has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Chevron and EOG Resources. The Motley Fool recommends BP and Occidental Petroleum. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Near a 52-Week Low, Here’s Why This 4.8%-Yielding Dividend Stock Is a Top Buy for Passive Income was originally published by The Motley Fool Source link #52Week #Heres #4.8Yielding #Dividend #Stock #Top #Buy #Passive #Income Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

*** rolls out government-built AI tool to cut costs – can it really replace thousands of hours of expert human analysis? *** rolls out government-built AI tool to cut costs – can it really replace thousands of hours of expert human analysis? Officials say Humphrey saves time, but experts warn AI analysis can miss critical human insight Consult matched human reviewers, but subjectivity in themes means AI’s accuracy remains a grey area Automation could cut £20 million in costs, but will transparency be the price we pay instead? The *** government has introduced a homegrown artificial intelligence system named ‘Humphrey’ – a nod to the famously bureaucratic civil servant from 1980’s British sitcom Yes Minister – in a move aimed at transforming how public consultations are reviewed. According to DSIT News, the technology, specifically the ‘Consult’ tool within the suite, has already been tested in a real-world setting by the Scottish Government, marking its first live deployment. While the government presents this development as a step toward greater efficiency and cost savings, the broader implications for transparency, bias, and public input in policymaking remain open to scrutiny. You may like Officials cite time savings and reduced bias as key benefits The initial deployment of Consult focused on a public consultation about regulating non-surgical cosmetic treatments, such as laser hair removal and lip fillers. The AI reviewed over 2,000 responses, identifying themes from six qualitative questions and categorizing them accordingly. Although human analysts also reviewed every response, the government claims that Consult delivered “nearly identical results” in terms of ranking the importance of key themes. According to Technology Secretary Peter Kyle, “No one should be wasting time on something AI can do quicker and better.” “After demonstrating such promising results, Humphrey will help us cut the costs of governing and make it easier to collect and comprehensively review what experts and the public are telling us on a range of crucial issues,” Kyle added. Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Proponents argue the tool could significantly reduce the £20 million the government spends annually on manually analyzing around 500 consultations. By automating what is described as 75,000 days of work each year, the tool is positioned as part of a broader effort to boost productivity and reduce administrative overhead. While the technology may present itself as one of the best AI tools for this task, its early-stage performance still requires thorough evaluation. Officials involved in the trial noted that Consult provided a helpful starting point and saved considerable time. Some said the tool allowed them to “get to the analysis and draw out what’s needed next,” while others appreciated that it “takes away the bias” often introduced by human analysts. However, it’s worth noting that theme categorization is inherently subjective, and the AI’s interpretation depends on how it is trained and what data it is exposed to. There are no independent benchmarking scores for this model; thus, it may or may not be the best LLM for coding qualitative responses or among the best AI writers in the traditional sense. Nonetheless, its adoption by a government signals the growing role of AI in public-sector decision-making. You might also like Source link #rolls #governmentbuilt #tool #cut #costs #replace #thousands #hours #expert #human #analysis Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

U.S. Debt Rating Downgrade Hits QQQ After Big Market Week – Investor's Business Daily U.S. Debt Rating Downgrade Hits QQQ After Big Market Week – Investor's Business Daily U.S. Debt Rating Downgrade Hits QQQ After Big Market Week Investor’s Business DailyMoody’s Downgrades U.S. Credit Rating Below Triple-A The New York TimesDoes Moody’s US downgrade matter? Financial TimesMoody’s strips US government of top credit rating Al JazeeraWith Moody’s downgrade, US loses treasured Aaa credit rating Reuters Source link #U.S #Debt #Rating #Downgrade #Hits #QQQ #Big #Market #Week #Investor039s #Business #Daily Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]