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When wood thrushes arrive in northern Mississippi on their spring migration and begin to serenade my neighborhood with their ethereal, harmonized song, it’s one of the great joys of the season. It’s also a minor miracle. These small creatures have just flown more than 1,850 miles (3,000 kilometers), all the way from Central America. Other birds undertake even longer journeys — the Swainson’s thrush, for example, nests as far north as the boreal forests of Alaska and spends the nonbreeding season in northern South America, traveling up to 5,600 miles (9,000 kilometers) each way. These stunning feats of travel are awe-inspiring, making it that much more tragic when they are cut short by a deadly collision with a glass window. This happens with alarming regularity. Two recent scientific studies estimate that more than 1 billion birds – and as many as 5.19 billion – die from collisions with sheet glass each year in the United States alone, sometimes immediately but often from their injuries. In fact, window collisions are now considered the top human cause of bird deaths. Due to window collisions and other causes, bird populations across North America have declined more than 29% from their 1970 levels, likely with major consequences for the world’s ecosystems. These collisions occur on every type of building, from homes to skyscrapers. At the University of Mississippi campus, where I teach and conduct research as an ecologist, my colleagues and I have been testing some creative solutions. Why glass is so often deadly for birds Most frequently, glass acts as a mirror, reflecting clear sky or habitat. There is no reason for a bird to slow down when there appears to be a welcoming tree or shrub ahead. These head-on collisions frequently result in brain injuries, to which birds often succumb immediately. In other cases, birds are stunned by the collision and eventually fly off, but many of those individuals also eventually perish from brain swelling. Other injuries, to wings or legs, for example, can leave birds unable to fly and vulnerable to cats or other predators. If you find an injured bird, contact a local wildlife rehabilitator. Which windows are riskiest Some windows are much worse than others, depending on their proximity to bushes and other bird habitats, what is reflected in them, and how interior lighting exacerbates or diminishes the mirror effect. On our campus, some buildings with a great deal of glass surface area kill surprisingly few birds, while other small sets of windows are disproportionately deadly. One particular elevated walkway with glass on both sides between the chemistry and pharmacy buildings is a notoriously dangerous spot. The glass kills migratory birds each spring and fall as they try to pass between the two buildings on their way to The Grove, the university’s central-campus park area with large old oak trees. During the pandemic in 2020, student Emma Counce did the heart-heavy work of performing a survey of 11 campus buildings almost daily during spring migration. She found 72 bird fatalities in seven weeks. Five years later, my ornithology students completed a new survey and found 62 mortalities over the course of five weeks in 2025, demonstrating that we still have a lot of work to do to make our campus safe for migratory birds. Thrushes, perhaps due to their propensity for whizzing through tight spaces in the shady forest understory, have been disproportionately represented among the victims. Others include colorful songbirds – northern parulas, black-and-white warblers, prothonotary warblers, Kentucky warblers, buntings, vireos and tanagers. How to make windows less dangerous The good thing is that everyone can do something to lower the risk. Films, stickers or strings can be added on the exterior of windows, creating dots or lines, 2 to 4 inches apart, that break up reflections to give the appearance of a barrier. Exterior screens and blinds work great too. Just adding a few predator silhouette stickers is not effective, by the way – the treatment needs to span the whole window. When applied properly, window treatments can make a huge difference. An inspiring example is McCormick Place in Chicago, the country’s largest convention center, which notoriously killed nearly 1,000 birds in a single night in 2023. After workers applied dot film to an area of the building’s windows equivalent to two football fields, bird mortality at the lakeside building has been reduced by 95%. The Bird Collision Prevention Alliance provides information on options for retrofitting home or office windows to make them more bird friendly. Options for new windows are also becoming more common. For example, the new Center for Science & Technology Innovation on my campus, which features many windows, mostly used bird-friendly glass with subtle polka dots built into it. This spring, we found that it killed only four birds, despite a very high surface area of glass. How you can help When trying to make a difference on your home turf, I suggest starting small. Make note of which specific windows have killed birds in the past, and treat them first. Use it as an opportunity to learn what approach might work best for you and your building. Either order a product or make something yourself and get it installed. Then do another, and tell a friend. At the office, talk to people, find others who care and build a team to make gradual change. With some creative solutions, anyone can help reduce at least this major risk. Jason Hoeksema is a professor of ecology at the University of Mississippi. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Garmin Fenix 8 $799.99 at Amazon $999.99 Save $200.00 Get Deal Get Deal $799.99 at Amazon $999.99 Save $200.00 Garmin Venu 3 $354.99 at Amazon $454.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal Get Deal $354.99 at Amazon $454.99 Save $100.00 Garmin Forerunner 265 $349.99 at Amazon $449.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal Get Deal $349.99 at Amazon $449.99 Save $100.00 Garmin Forerunner 255 $279.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $399.99 Save $120.99 Get Deal Get Deal $279.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $399.99 Save $120.99 Garmin Forerunner 955 $369.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $499.99 Save $130.00 Get Deal Get Deal $369.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $499.99 Save $130.00 Garmin Vivoactive 5 $199.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $249.99 Save $50.99 Get Deal Get Deal $199.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $249.99 Save $50.99 Garmin Edge 1050 $599.99 at Amazon $699.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal Get Deal $599.99 at Amazon $699.99 Save $100.00 SEE 4 MORE Even as Memorial Day sales are running hot, Garmin has quietly slashed its prices ahead of the holiday weekend. Its spring sale includes significant price cuts on Garmin's most popular models, from the rugged Fenix 8 series to the newly released Forerunner lineup. The sale arrives just days after Garmin unveiled its next-generation Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970 models. As is typical when new models launch, previous versions (like the highly regarded Forerunner 265 and 965) are seeing major discounts, creating an excellent opportunity for runners who don't need the latest features. Using the best price-checking tools, I've rounded up my favorite Garmin watches that you can snag at a serious discount right now. Fenix 8 seriesGarmin's flagship outdoor adventure watch rarely sees significant discounts, making this sale particularly noteworthy. The Fenix 8 series, known for its rugged construction, extensive battery life (especially in the solar variants), and comprehensive tracking features, is seeing a 20% markdown, to $799.99 from its list price of $999.99. With advanced mapping, training metrics, and multi-sport capabilities, these watches are ideal for serious athletes and adventurers. Venu 3/3SThe Venu 3 and its smaller 3S stand out as Garmin's most competitive answer to traditional smartwatches. These models offer vibrant AMOLED displays, voice calling capabilities, and Garmin's ECG app—features typically associated with Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy watches. The Venu series balances comprehensive fitness tracking with everyday smart features, making it perfect for users who want health metrics without sacrificing smartwatch functionality. You can get it now for $354.99, down from $454.99. Forerunner seriesFellow runners, this is the series for us. And as my colleague Beth Skwarecki notes, the recent drops of the Forerunner 570 and 970 is excellent news—not because you should pick up those models necessarily, but because the older generations of Forerunner, which remain excellent watches, are now going for ludicrously low prices. Older models like the highly regarded 265, 255, and 955 are seeing significant price drops. And if you're hesitant to buy an older watch, keep in mind that Garmin's Forerunners have serious longevity: The Forerunner 265, with its bright AMOLED display and comprehensive running metrics, remains one of the best dedicated running watches on the market years after its release. The Forerunner 265 is $349.99 (down from $449.99) The Forerunner 255 is $279 (down from $399.99) The Forerunner 955 is $369.99 (down from $499.99) Vivoactive 5The Vivoactive series is Garmin's (and possibly the world’s) most underrated fitness watch. While the Vivoactive 6 is the latest version, the 5 is still one of the best mid-tier options for anyone seeking a balance of features and affordability. The Vivoactive 5 still has a range of fitness tracking capabilities, but in a sleeker, more casual design than the sport-focused models. It's currently $199.99 (down $50 from the retail price of 249.99). Edge cycling computersBeyond watches, Amazon's sale also includes Garmin's Edge 1050 cycling computer, normally $699.99, now at $589.99. When used with the Garmin Connect app, this cycling computer lets you stay connected on group rides with in-ride messaging, live locations, and incident detection alerts. View the full article

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Creating a project baseline is critical in effective project management, as it sets the original plan against which progress and performance are measured. It includes key components like scope, schedule and cost, forming a fixed reference point that guides decision-making throughout the project lifecycle. We’ll begin by defining a baseline in project management, its components and how to create one. This is important, as establishing a baseline helps teams stay aligned, manage expectations and quickly identify when things are veering off track, making it an essential tool for maintaining control and ensuring successful delivery. What Is a Project Baseline? A project baseline is a fixed reference point representing the original and approved plan for a project’s scope, schedule and cost. It’s established before execution begins and serves as the standard against which project performance is measured. The baseline helps project managers track whether the project is progressing as planned or deviating due to changes, delays or cost overruns. There are typically three key components of a project baseline. Scope baseline, which defines the approved deliverables and work required Schedule baseline, which outlines the timeline for those deliverables Cost baseline, which sets the approved budget for completing the work Together, these baselines allow for ongoing monitoring and control. If changes occur, they can be compared to the baseline to assess their impact and determine whether corrective actions or formal change control processes are needed. Without a clear baseline, it’s difficult to assess project performance objectively or justify changes to stakeholders. In short, a project baseline is essential for accountability, transparency and informed decision-making throughout the project lifecycle. Monitoring a project’s baseline is essential to controlling it and delivering on time, on budget and meeting quality standards. ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software with robust Gantt charts that can set a baseline capturing the scope, schedule and cost of the project plan and compare it to actual scope, schedule and cost in real time while executing the project. But that’s not all our Gantt charts do; they can also link all four types of task dependencies to avoid cost overruns and filter for the critical path to identify essential tasks and slack. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Gantt-CTA-2025.jpgLearn more What Makes Up a Project Baseline? As noted above, the project baseline serves as the foundation for project planning and control, acting as a benchmark against which actual performance is measured. It combines three interrelated components: scope, cost and schedule. Each of these baselines captures an essential aspect of the project plan and, when managed together, provides a comprehensive view of how the project is expected to unfold. Once approved, these baselines are “frozen” and used throughout the project’s lifecycle to monitor progress, assess changes and guide decision-making. Let’s take a closer look at each of these core elements. Project Scope Baseline The project scope baseline defines what the project will deliver—and just as importantly, what it won’t. It includes three key documents: the scope statement, the work breakdown structure (WBS) and the WBS dictionary. These elements outline all project deliverables, work packages and the project boundaries. By setting a scope baseline, project teams agree on what’s included in the project, helping to prevent scope creep, maintain focus and ensure all work aligns with stakeholder expectations. Project Cost Baseline The cost baseline is the approved version of the project budget, excluding any management reserves. It aggregates all the estimated costs for tasks, labor, equipment and materials, organized over time. Often presented as a time-phased budget, the cost baseline allows project managers to track spending and compare actual costs to planned expenditures at specific milestones or reporting intervals. Deviations from the cost baseline can trigger corrective action or reforecasting, making it a critical tool for financial control and accountability. Project Schedule Baseline The schedule baseline is the approved project timeline that outlines when each task or deliverable should be completed. It’s typically visualized using tools like Gantt charts and includes task durations, start and end dates, dependencies and key milestones. The schedule baseline serves as a reference for tracking progress and evaluating whether the project is on time. When delays or accelerations occur, comparing actual performance to the schedule baseline helps assess impact and make informed rescheduling decisions. Who Defines the Project Baseline? Defining the project baseline is a collaborative effort that involves several key roles, each contributing their expertise, priorities and approval to ensure the baseline reflects a realistic and agreed-upon plan. While the project manager typically leads the process, stakeholders, sponsors and the steering committee all play vital roles in shaping and finalizing the baseline. Project Manager The project manager is primarily responsible for developing the initial scope, schedule and cost baselines. They gather requirements, estimate resources and timelines and ensure the plan aligns with organizational goals and constraints. The project manager also coordinates inputs from the team and subject matter experts, integrating them into a cohesive and feasible baseline. Once drafted, they present the proposed baseline for review and approval, and ultimately use it as a benchmark for managing the project. Project Stakeholder Project stakeholders—including customers, end users and internal departments—play a crucial role in defining the project baseline by providing input on needs, expectations and constraints. Their feedback shapes the scope and determines acceptable timelines and budgets. Engaging stakeholders early ensures the baseline reflects actual business requirements and avoids misalignment later in the project lifecycle. Project Sponsor The project sponsor is a senior leader who champions the project and ensures it aligns with strategic objectives. They review and approve the baseline, especially in terms of funding (cost) and high-level deliverables (scope). Sponsors also help resolve conflicts and remove barriers during planning. Their approval is critical to “freeze” the baseline, giving the project the authority to proceed with full backing. Project Steering Committee The project steering committee—often composed of executive stakeholders and functional leaders—provides governance and oversight. They typically review and endorse the project baseline for large or high-impact initiatives, ensuring it aligns with organizational priorities and risk thresholds. The committee may challenge assumptions, request revisions or make decisions on trade-offs between scope, time and cost before granting final approval. When Should the Project Baseline Be Defined? The project baseline should be defined at the end of the project planning phase and before project execution begins. This timing ensures that all key planning activities—such as defining the scope, estimating costs, and developing the schedule—have been completed and reviewed. By this point, stakeholder requirements should be clearly understood, resources allocated, risks assessed and approvals secured. Establishing the baseline before work starts is critical because it provides a clear, agreed-upon benchmark against which progress can be measured. Defining it too early risks setting unrealistic expectations due to incomplete information, while defining it too late can lead to uncontrolled work, misalignment and inefficiencies. A well-timed baseline ensures the project launches with clarity, control and a shared understanding of success. How to Establish a Project Baseline Establishing a project baseline is a structured process that transforms planning into a concrete, measurable framework. It involves defining clear goals, outlining the work involved, scheduling tasks, estimating resources and costs and setting up a system for monitoring and control. A well-developed baseline integrates the three core components—scope, schedule and cost—into a unified plan serving as a reference point throughout the project. Below are the key steps to creating a comprehensive project baseline. 1. Define the Project Goals and Objectives The first step is to articulate what the project is intended to achieve. This involves aligning with stakeholders to define success criteria, outcomes and key deliverables. Establishing goals and objectives sets the direction for all subsequent planning and ensures that the baseline reflects the project’s true purpose. 2. Make a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) A work breakdown structure (WBS) breaks the project into manageable components, starting from the highest-level deliverables and decomposing them into smaller work packages. This step is crucial for defining the scope baseline, as it provides a detailed view of all the work that must be done. The WBS ensures no part of the project scope is overlooked and forms the foundation for accurate scheduling and costing. Related: Free Work Breakdown Structure Template 3. Identify the Critical Path of the Project After defining tasks, project managers use scheduling techniques to determine the critical path—the sequence of dependent tasks that determines the minimum project duration. This forms the schedule baseline, outlining when tasks should start and finish and identifying which delays will directly impact the project timeline. 4. Estimate the Resource Requirements of the Project To develop a realistic plan, it’s essential to estimate the types and quantities of resources, such as labor, materials, equipment and time, needed to complete each task. This step feeds directly into defining the cost baseline, as resource needs drive cost estimates and budget planning. 5. Estimate Costs and Make a Budget With resources identified, the next step is to estimate the costs associated with each task. This includes direct costs (e.g., salaries, materials), indirect costs and contingency reserves for identified risks. When combined with management reserves for unknowns, this forms a comprehensive budget, rounding out the cost baseline. 6. Combine the Scope, Schedule and Cost Baselines Once the individual baselines are defined, they are integrated to form the complete project baseline. This unified baseline represents the approved plan and is used to monitor performance, manage changes and assess project health throughout the lifecycle. 7. Establish Project Monitoring and Control Measures Finally, implement tools and processes to track project performance against the baseline. This includes setting up key performance indicators (KPIs), using dashboards or tracking systems and conducting regular status reviews. These measures ensure deviations from the baseline are quickly identified, allowing for corrective actions and informed decision-making during execution. Benefits of Establishing a Project Baseline Establishing a project baseline offers numerous advantages that help ensure a project stays on track and meets its objectives. As a formal reference point, the baseline provides clarity, structure and a solid foundation for performance measurement throughout the project lifecycle. Here are the key benefits. Provides a clear point of reference Enables effective performance tracking Improves decision-making Facilitates change control Increases accountability Enhances stakeholder communication Related Project Management Templates While a project baseline is best created and tracked in project management software, which can filter for the critical path and track it against actual effort in real time, for those who aren’t ready to upgrade, there are free templates that can help. We have over 100 free project management templates for Excel and Word available for immediate download on our site. They cover all aspects of managing projects across many industries. Here are a few. Critical Path Template Download this free critical path template for Excel to identify and visualize the sequence of dependent tasks that determine the minimum time needed to complete a project. This sequence, known as the critical path, includes tasks with zero slack, meaning any delay in one of these tasks will delay the overall project timeline. Gantt Chart Template Use this free Gantt chart template for Excel to visually map tasks along a timeline, showing their start and end dates and duration. Named after its inventor, Henry Gantt, the chart is typically structured with a vertical axis listing project tasks and a horizontal axis representing time. Horizontal bars plotted across the timeline indicate when each task begins and ends, allowing for a clear overview of the project schedule. Project Budget Template This free project budget template for Excel is used to estimate, track and manage the financial aspects of a project. It outlines all the projected costs associated with the project, including labor, materials, equipment, overhead and other costs. The template organizes these costs by tasks and project phases, allowing visibility into how funds are allocated and spent. How ProjectManager Helps Establish and Maintain a Project Baseline As we’ve mentioned above, creating and managing a project baseline with templates is not ideal. Templates, after all, are static documents that are not up to the job of dealing efficiently with dynamic projects. Think about it, do you want to constantly leave the project to manually update a template? Let’s not even get into the lack of collaboration baked into templates. Project management software clears those hurdles, but not all software is equal. ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software with multiple project views that are all updated in real time. Managers love our Gantt charts and sheet view, teams execute their tasks on task lists or kanban boards, while stakeholders stay updated on the calendar view. Improve Allocation With Resource Planning Our software goes further than multiple project views, with powerful resource management tools that allow users to assign specific resources to individual tasks. We provide visibility into hourly rates, availability workload with color-coded charts that show who is overallocated or underutilized. Project managers can balance the team’s workload right from the chart. All this helps to align the scope of work with realistic resource capabilities. There’s also a team page for a daily or weekly summary of team activity, where tasks can be updated as needed. /wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Team-Light-2554x1372-1.png See Real-Time Performance at a Glance Some features play a critical role in maintaining and monitoring the project baseline. For a high-level overview, toggle over to the real-time project and portfolio dashboards that instantly compare actual progress against the baseline scope, schedule and cost, which helps to spot delays and cost overruns. Data-driven reports are customizable to focus on the important data points or share progress reports with stakeholders. Even the secure timesheets help by tracking labor costs to stay on budget. /wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Team-summary-better-data-light-mode-home-screen-dashboard.png Related Project Management Content A project baseline is one part of the larger project management process. For those who want to open the lens a bit and learn more about managing projects, check out the links below. There are blog posts on the basics, principles, tools and techniques. Project Management Basics: Definitions, Methods and Tools Key Project Management Principles & How to Use Them Project Management Tools & Techniques Top 15 Project Management Methodologies: An Overview PMBOK: The Project Management Body of Knowledge ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office or out in the field. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who use our software to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. The post How to Make a Project Baseline & Why It Matters appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

Americans’ electricity bills tend to tick up each year in line with inflation. But upgrades to electric wires, reinforcing and protecting power lines from severe weather, and changing fuel costs – among other factors – are sending rates soaring. High electricity consumption from data centers and other sources of rising demand will likely cause further increases in the near future. The impact on consumers is particularly dramatic in Pennsylvania, where rate hikes are widespread. For example, the monthly bill for a PECO residential customer who uses 700 kilowatt hours of electricity monthly increased 10% – or US$13.58 – in 2025. These bills will go up another $2.70 each month in 2026. Retail price adjustments approved by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission for most electric distribution utilities effective December 2024 led to higher bills for many customers across the state. In some parts of Pennsylvania, the estimated increases topped an estimated 30%. As professors who work in the areas of energy law and electricity markets, we know electricity costs are rising in many parts of the U.S. But Pennsylvania faces distinct challenges related to its electric grid – the maze of wires and generators – that drive both the growing demand for electricity and the limited supply. PJM and the electric grid Pennsylvania power plants produce a lot of electricity. In fact, the Keystone State is the the largest exporter of electricity in the U.S. and has been for many years. But the electricity Pennsylvania produces doesn’t always stay in state. That’s because Pennsylvania’s electric grid is managed by a company called PJM. PJM coordinates the flow of electricity through all or parts of 13 states and the District of Columbia, and it ensures the wholesale electricity transmission system operates reliably and safely. Pennsylvania electric utilities, such as PECO or Duquesne Light, then distribute this wholesale electricity to retail customers, including homeowners and renters. PJM requires the utilities to ensure ahead of time that they can meet their customers’ future electricity demands, including during heat waves and winter storms. This requirement is met using a market called a “capacity auction,” in which electricity suppliers bid to provide physical infrastructure that will generate electricity in the future. The prices at the 2025-2026 PJM capacity auction were more than 800% higher than the previous year, in part due to the growing demand for electricity within PJM. This amounts to tens of billions of dollars in extra costs. Power plants in Pennsylvania can’t simply stop exporting electricity and supply more in-state power because they dispatch their power into the regional grid operated by PJM, and the flow of electricity is dictated by the physical structure of this grid. Soaring demand from data centers U.S. electricity demand rose 3% in 2024 and is expected to rise even more rapidly in the coming years. Much of this new demand comes from data centers, which support everything from AI applications and data storage – think of the thousands of emails and files backed up on our computers – to sports betting, online retailers such as Amazon, and national security applications such as the North American Aerospace Defense Command. Pennsylvania is on the same electric grid as Virginia, which hosts about a quarter of all data center capacity in the Americas. New data centers are also being built in Pennsylvania. Rising demand is also driven by the increase in electric vehicles and the replacement of gas- and oil-based furnaces with electric heat pumps. These replacements are ultimately more energy efficient but require electricity. Bottlenecks in supply The increase in electricity demand within PJM is happening at the same time that supply is shrinking. Many old generating plants in the PJM grid are retiring as they near the end of their useful lives and become less profitable for plant operators, particularly as natural gas and solar become more affordable. Some of these older power plants also emit a lot of pollution and are costly to retrofit to meet current pollution limits. Beyond the challenge of plant retirements, PJM has been slow to allow hundreds of new proposed power plants – most of them solar- and battery-based – to connect to transmission lines. This long “interconnection queue” prevents new, needed generation from coming online. This is happening even though companies are eager and ready to build more generation and battery storage. Aging infrastructure and growing weather extremes One of the primary recent drivers of high consumer electric bills is that the utilities have been slow to upgrade their aging wires. Many have recently made major investments in new infrastructure and in some cases are burying or strengthening wires to protect them from increasingly extreme weather. Electricity customers are footing the bill for this work. Response from policymakers In response to rising electricity prices, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro filed a legal complaint with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission against PJM in December 2024. This complaint blamed PJM’s capacity auction design for creating unnecessary costs for consumers. According to the settlement reached after the complaint, PJM’s price caps will be 35% lower at the next major capacity auction. This reduction in wholesale prices could limit retail price increases. But this is at best a temporary fix. It doesn’t address the increasing demand, aging power infrastructure battered by extreme weather, or transmission bottleneck. In order for Pennsylvania residents to see lower electric bills anytime soon, more changes are needed. For example, many experts previously observed that PJM needs to fix the queue and get online the many power plants that are ready to build and just waiting for a transmission interconnection. While PJM has reformed its queue process, the queue is still long. New power plants are not going up fast enough, in part due to additional challenges such as local opposition and supply chain and financing issues. Read more of our stories about Philadelphia and Pennsylvania. Hannah Wiseman is a professor of law at Penn State. Seth Blumsack is a professor of energy and environmental economics and international affairs at Penn State. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Memorial Day sales are in full swing, you can find deals on smart beds, tools, Beats headphones, budget headphones, fitness equipment, and much more. Sony has joined the holiday madness and is offering a buy one, get one free (BOGO) deal when you buy a Bravia 8 II OLED Google TV. Purchase one of these top of the line sets, which start at $3,499.99, and you'll get a X77L LED Google TV, valued at $589.99, free. The deal runs through June 8. Model: K-55XR80M2 BRAVIA 8 II 55” Class QD-OLED 4K HDR Google TV (2025) $3,499.99 at Sony Get Deal Get Deal $3,499.99 at Sony Model: K-65XR80M2 BRAVIA 8 II 65” Class QD-OLED 4K HDR Google TV (2025) $3,999.97 at Sony Get Deal Get Deal $3,999.97 at Sony SEE -1 MORE To qualify for the free TV, you can choose between the 55-inch and the 65-inch Bravia 8 II classes. Both will get you the X77L LED Google TV, but buying the 55-inch OLED will get you the 50-inch X77L, while choosing a 65-inch OLED will get you the 55-inch X77L. The Bravia 8 II is a new OLED from this year, and it's the same price on Amazon and Best Buy without the free LED TV. Sony also offers free shipping with your BOGO purchase, so that won't cut into the deal either. The Bravia 8 II is the successor to the Bravia 8, and has some impressive specs: eight million self-lit pixels, a Quantum Dot panel, XR Triluminos Max to enhance colors and brightness, and an AI-powered XR Processor that enhances images in real time. Both TVs have Google TV built-in—my personal favorite TV operating system, as it allows you to cast your smartphone to the TV. The Bravia 8 II is an OLED set, which is among the best technology you can get right now in terms of picture quality. (An OLED is different from a QLED, so make sure you understand the differences before you buy.) The Sony X77L you'll get free is more of an entry-level model, but should still serve you well if you just need a set for a second bedroom. View the full article

Alanna McCargo said her return comes at a time when there are "significant policy challenges ahead for affordability, community investment and inclusive finance." View the full article

Stocks also slide after lacklustre $16bn auction for 20-year TreasuriesView the full article

Marketing of unhealthy products to be barred before 9pm on TV but branded advertising using company names will be allowedView the full article

The Justice Department announced plans Wednesday to abandon lawsuits against police departments in Minneapolis and Louisville, a reversal of Biden-era initiatives to reform policing in two cities that sparked a national reckoning around racial justice. “The Civil Rights Division will be taking all necessary steps to dismiss the Louisville and Minneapolis lawsuits with prejudice, to close the underlying investigations into the Louisville and Minneapolis police departments, and to retract the Biden administration’s findings of constitutional violations,” the Justice Department said in a press release. The decision to back away from police reform comes just days before the five-year anniversary of George Floyd’s death. Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was found guilty of second-degree murder in 2021. The Justice Department also plans to throw out any findings of constitutional violations and close ongoing investigations into police departments in Phoenix, Trenton, Memphis, Oklahoma City and the state of Louisiana. Reversing Biden’s planned policing reforms Harmeet Dhillon, the assistant attorney general of the Justice Department’s civil rights division, characterized the Biden administration’s lawsuits as part of an “anti-police agenda.” “Today, we are ending the Biden Civil Rights Division’s failed experiment of handcuffing local leaders and police departments with factually unjustified consent decrees,” Dhillon said. The policy shift signals an aggressive return to the first The President administration’s disinterest in police oversight and a likely roll-back of other federal reforms put in place over the last four years. In its waning days, the Biden administration rushed to finalize a Justice Department deal for police oversight in Minneapolis, securing unanimous approval from the Minneapolis City Council in early January. The agreement, known as a consent decree, was initiated in 2023 after a damning Justice Department report accused the Minneapolis Police Department of racial discrimination, First Amendment violations and the unlawful use of deadly force. In both Minneapolis and Louisville , consent decrees still await a federal judge’s approval. A powerful tool for police accountability Consent decrees are one of the federal government’s most powerful tools for holding police departments accountable for civil rights violations, dangerous policies and the wrongful use of deadly force. The Department of Justice regularly pursues these long-term roadmaps for reform with law enforcement agencies facing federal lawsuits, creating a framework for oversight that can endure until a judge decides that its requirements have been met. During the The Obama administration, 15 law enforcement agencies entered into consent decrees with the Justice Department to resolve lawsuits around policing – up from just three during the Bush era. During The President’s first term, the Justice Department introduced only one new investigation of its own and even made efforts to stall out planned reforms in Baltimore, though it ultimately failed. Most notably, The President’s then Attorney General Jeff Sessions narrowed the scope of consent decrees, introducing new requirements for sunset dates and limiting the reforms they could require. Under Biden, Attorney General Merrick Garland rescinded those sweeping The President-era changes to consent reforms in 2021, clearing a path for the Justice Department to again leverage the powerful agreements when investigating law enforcement misdeeds and civil rights abuses. The President’s early agenda makes it clear that he plans to leave police departments to their own devices in the coming years. That hands-off approach puts the fate of some cities’ planned police reforms up in the air or, like much of The President’s agenda, up to the courts. View the full article

Deal will help AI data centre operator raise fresh capital after size of IPO was cut in Wall Street debut in MarchView the full article

If you use Spotify to listen to audiobooks on your iPhone, you now have fewer hurdles to clear to purchase and download titles to your device. Apple has approved an update that allows Spotify users to view pricing and buy individual audiobooks as well as add "top-up" listening hours right from the iOS app. How in-app purchases are changing on iOSThis change is the outcome of a recent court ruling that requires Apple to allow app developers to provide links to external sites outside of the App Store to make purchases. Previously, users had to seek out where to sign up for subscriptions—in an external browser, for example—or potentially pay a premium price to cover the App Store's 15 to 30 percent cut. In response, Spotify quickly updated its iOS app with links to its various subscription options under the Premium tab, which previously had simply acknowledged that such subscriptions existed and that users could find sign-ups through their web browser. How to purchase audiobooks on SpotifyWith the update, users will now see a Buy button under individual titles in the iOS app and will no longer need to make purchases on Spotify's web player before returning to mobile to listen. Spotify includes 15 hours of use-it-or-lose-it audiobook listening time with Premium plans and the separate Audiobooks Access subscription—you can now add "top-up" listening hours within the app as well. To manage your listening time on mobile, go to Profile > Settings and privacy > Account > Plan name > Manage audiobook time. Top-ups cost $13 for 10 hours. Finally, if Spotify isn't your go-to, check out our top picks for audiobook services. View the full article

Increases in gross domestic product and home sales expectations compared with April are the drivers of Fannie Mae's latest mortgage outlook for 2025 and 2026. View the full article

Labour MPs mobilise to put pressure on chancellor over planned welfare cutsView the full article

While other streaming services thrive on carefully selected and endlessly curated (meaning: limited) selections of movies, Tubi's a bit different: It feels like the Wild West, with everything from originals; to popular hits; to critically acclaimed favorites; to the lowest-brow, lowest-budget movies you'll find this side of an old Blockbuster. In that spirit, here's a sampling of some of the best stuff currently streaming on Tubi, and it's a wide variety—the streamer will not be pinned down. If you're unfamiliar, Tubi is a free, ad-based service, but generally I find the ads to be less obnoxious and less frequent than on other, similar streamers. Interstellar (2014) Christopher Nolan's mind-bending, but oddly plausible, sci-fi epic takes Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, and Jessica Chastain on a hunt through space and time to find a new home for humans in a near-future during which we've made Earth unlivable. You can stream Interstellar here. Color Out of Space (2019) Nicolas Cage is at his Nic Cage-iest in this H. P. Lovecraft adaptation about a family's descent into madness. A beautiful, horrifying, utterly unique sensory experience. You can stream Color Out of Space here. Friday (1995) An unquestioned classic of stoner comedy, Friday sees Ice Cube and Chris Tucker accidentally smoking weed that they were meant to sell. And who among us hasn't? The two slackers set out to borrow or make the money back during a misadventure-packed Friday. You can stream Friday here. Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022) Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan (alongside Stephanie Hsu and Jamie Lee Curtis) led Everything to Oscar glory a couple of years back, with Yeoh starring as Evelyn Quan Wang, a middle-aged immigrant running a laundromat with her husband. An IRS audit leads to a trip through a wildly outlandish, and ultimately emotional, journey through a multiverse of possibilities. You can stream Everything Everywhere here. Dune (1984) You've probably seen the recent Denis Villeneuve adaptation, but you might be less familiar with this messy and fascinating take from director David Lynch. Kyle MacLachlan leads an all-star cast in a movie that doesn't quite an achieve greatness, but nevertheless offers up a bevy of wild ideas, distinctive visuals, and Lynchian madness. You can stream Dune here. Some Like It Hot (1959) Tubi offers up a better assortment of classics than many of the other streamers, most of which have shifted to a newer-is-better focus. Hot stars Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis as a couple of jazz-age musicians who run afoul of a mob boss, deciding to escape by posing as members of an all-female band (one that, memorably, includes Marilyn Monroe). Director Billy Wilder pitches the farce just right, at the intersection between smart and silly. You can stream Some Like It Hot here. Evil Bong (2006) No socially redeeming value here, just a goofy comedy horror movie about a bong that transports smokers to another planet, one where they're to be murdered by exotic dancers. Tommy Chong co-stars in this movie from Full Moon Features, purveyors of fine low-rent horror movies. You can stream Evil Bong here. Ghost World (2001) Enid (Thora Birch) and Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson) face high school graduation, and a crush on Steve Buscemi, in Terry Zwigoff’s indie dark comedy. You can stream Ghost World here. Donnie Darko (2001) Jake Gyllenhaal stars in this memorable emo mind-bender about a troubled teenager who dodges disaster thanks to a bit of sleepwalking. An instant cult classic, it's the movie all the cool kids were talking about back in the day. You can stream Donnie Darko (director's cut) here, or the theatrical version here. Hollywood Shuffle (1987) Robert Townsend directs himself as Bobby Taylor, a satire about the perils of navigating the Hollywood system for an actor simultaneously too black and not black enough for the tastes of studio bosses. Through elaborate fantasy sequences and parodies of popular movies, Townsend creates a sharp and often extremely funny sendup that’s (sadly) still relevant. You can stream Hollywood Shuffle here. Barbarian (2022) One of the more divisive horror movies of the past few years (I love it), Barbarian stars Georgina Campbell as a woman who rents an Airbnb only to have a man (Bill Skarsgård) show up claiming that he also has rented the house. He seems nice enough, so she lets him in—enough of a premise for a horror movie right there, but Barbarian has twists that you'll never see coming. You can stream Barbarian here. Showgirls (1995) As with most of Paul Verhoeven's other films, it's possible to view his notoriously trashy film as either dark satire or unintended camp. It's tremendous fun either way and, though it quickly gained a reputation as garbage, it's far more watchable than many other better-reviewed films. You can stream Showgirls here. Rec (2007) This Spanish import is top-tier found footage, involving a group of firefighters on an emergency call who wind up trapped inside a building at the center of a creeping zombie infection. That limited, specific geography is key to the movie's brisk, efficient, and nerve-jangling effectiveness. You can stream Rec here. Planet of the Apes (1968) Astronaut Charlton Heston finds himself on an unknown (wink wink) planet in the distant future where he rather quickly finds himself in the power of the world's ape overlords. From a slightly goofy premise came this dark, disturbing, and timely fable. You can stream Planet of the Apes here. The Apartment (1960) Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine star in this searing, bittersweet, but ultimately humane comedy. MacLaine's Fran Kubelik is an elevator operator having an affair with the big boss at an insurance company, while Lemmon's Bud Baxter gets ahead by loaning out his apartment to upper management for various extramarital assignations. The budding friendship between the two threatens both of their careers. You can stream The Apartment here. Whale Rider (2002) Pai is a 12-year-old Māori girl and the direct descendant of their tribe’s traditional notable ancestor, the Whale Rider—except that, traditionally, women can’t lead. Star Keisha Castle-Hughes became the youngest nominee for a Best Actress Oscar for her open, genuine performance. You can stream Whale Rider here. The Descent (2006) Getting lost in those caves is scary enough, even before we discover that we're not alone down there. The ultimate in spelunking horror. You can stream The Descent here. Menace II Society (1993) A searing, raw portrait of urban violence in the 1990s, the Hughes Brothers' film follows Caine Lawson (Tyrin Turner) and his friends as they struggle for a better life amid crime and poverty, but who find themselves drawn deeper into crime and cruelty. The performances here are all phenomenal. You can stream Menace II Society here. Beauty Shop (2005) This Barbershop spin-off follows widowed hairstylist Gina Norris starting over in Atlanta with her daughter, and opening her own shop when a job doesn't pan out. Queen Latifah is as delightful as ever, and is joined by a great cast including Alfre Woodard, Della Reese, Alicia Silverstone, Andie MacDowell, Kevin Bacon, and Djimon Hounsou. You can stream Beauty Shop here. Room 237 (2012) This fascinating documentary explores, without judgement, the many (and often truly wild) theories and interpretations around Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. Probably not what you're after if you want a bit of film analysis, but as an exploration of conspiratorial thinking? You could do a lot worse. You can stream Room 237 here. Terrifier (2016) Damien Leone's low-budget slasher series quietly build into a queasy empire, with the most recent film being a legit box office smash. Here, literal clown-from-hell Art stalks partygoer Tara Heyes and her sister Victoria (Scaffidi) on Halloween night. You can stream Terrifier here. Return of the Living Dead (1985) This horror comedy with punk style is both a knowing parody of zombie movies while also managing to be an impressively gory thriller in its own right that moves the whole genre forward. Plus, it’s got a great death-rock soundtrack. You can stream Return of the Living Dead here. Frankenhooker (1990) A disreputable and goofy but surprisingly effective horror comedy, Frankenhooker stars former Penthouse Pet Patty Mullen as the movie's take on Mary Shelley's monster, made in the image of a med student's dead fiancée and built from sex workers. The style and special effects here are pretty great. You can stream Frankenhooker here. Ghost in the Shell (1995) One of the best anime films of all time, at least when it comes to sci-fi and cyberpunk, Ghost in the Shell boasts impeccable style in addition to the thoughtfulness and complexity of its story. Major Motoko Kusanagi is a cyborg security agent hunting an enigmatic hacker known only as "the Puppet Master" in the rapidly approaching year 2029, a time when the rise of AI threatens even the idea of individual existence. You can stream Ghost in the Shell here. The Leather Boys (1964) A classic of British kitchen sink realism, a movement in the 1960s that saw hyperrealistic portraits of, often, angry teens and young people, The Leather Boys sees young couple Reggie and Dot becoming increasingly estranged when Reggie mostly wants to just hang out with his biker friends. Among those friends is Pete, who seems to be developing an attraction to Reggie that goes a bit beyond that of a typical biker bro. You can stream The Leather Boys here. North by Northwest (1959) One of Hitchcock's best (and that's saying quite a bit), North by Northwest is a nearly non-stop thrill ride, seeing Cary Grant's Roger Thornhill hunted across the country by criminals who've mistaken him for someone else. It's as funny as it is clever, and nearly impossible to stop watching once you've started. You can stream North by Northwest here. Lars and the Real Girl (2007) The sweetest, most charming movie about the romance between a man and his life-like love doll that you're likely to encounter. You can stream Lars and the Real Girl here. They Call Me Trinity (1970) A classic spaghetti western, Trinity (kicking off a trilogy, appropriately enough), stars Terence Hill and Bud Spencer as brothers Trinity and Bambino, who help defend a Mormon settlement from bandits and a land-grabbing Major (Farley Granger). It's a rare comedy to come out of Italy's obsession with westerns, and a lot of fun for it. You can stream They Call Me Trinity here. The Wiz (1978) Long before Wicked reinvented (or at least reinterpreted) L. Frank Baum, the Broadway musical on which this movie is based imagined Dorothy Gale as a Black teacher from Harlem. The joyous film version is nearly a who's who of Black talent in the 1970s: Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross, Mabel King, Theresa Merritt, Thelma Carpenter, Lena Horne and Richard Pryor all play roles, while Quincy Jones, Luther Vandross, and Charlie Smalls all contributed to the music. You can stream The Wiz here. Cabaret (1972) Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey star in this essential musical about the good times and extravagant style of Weimar Germany giving way to the rising tide of fascism. You can stream Cabaret here. View the full article

The Senate unanimously passed the “No Tax on Tips Act” on Tuesday, a bill that would eliminate federal taxes on tips and that President Donald The President made a campaign promise when running for reelection. It now goes to the House for a vote. If passed, the legislation would create a new tax deduction of up to $25,000 on income made from tips. The legislation comes as many Americans are feeling an added economic burden in the face of inflation, higher prices, and skyrocketing living costs. Here’s what you need to know. What is the No Tax on Tips Act? Bill S. 129, or the “No Tax on Tips Act” creates a federal income tax deduction of up to $25,000 a year for certain types of cash tips for eligible employees. (These are cash tips workers report to employers for withholdings on payroll taxes.) Who is eligible for for the tax break? The deduction applies to employees who earn up to $160,000 in 2025; that amount will likely increase with inflation in the years ahead and applies to tips “received by an individual . . . in an occupation which traditionally and customarily received tips on or before December 31, 2023,” or including tips via cash, credit and debit card, and check, according to The Washington Post. Who supports the bill? Both Republicans and Democrats support the bill. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas introduced it back in January. Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada brought the bill to the Senate floor, where it passed with unanimous consent, which usually happens with more routine legislative matters. Nevada’s Sen. Rosen, along with Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, co-sponsored the legislation. Who championed the No Tax on Tips Act? During the 2024 presidential election, both candidates The President and Harris supported versions of the idea, with The President making it a campaign promise during a June 2024 rally in Nevada, a state 25% of the state’s workers rely on tips; and one way The President set out to court working-class voters, according to The Hill. What do critics say about the No Tax on Tips Act? The National Restaurant Association supports the bill, however, critics say eliminating taxes on tips is an empty win for many hourly workers, who don’t make enough to pay federal income taxes. Critics also say it keeps workers at a lower overall pay rate, as opposed to creating a higher minimum wage. What happens next? The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for a vote. A version of No Tax on Tips is also included in The President’s giant tax and immigration bill, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. On the Senate floor, Cruz said he was confident the bill would eventually pass either way. View the full article

A reader writes: I am the HR person for a small nonprofit which offers many different services to the public. We have one team in particular which has always been difficult to manage and has not really gotten along with any manager they have had. We’ve most recently brought in a new manager for this team who does tend to do things quite differently than any of the other managers (current or former). Let’s call her Barbara. Barbara is a go-getter with a strong personality and is very focused on making rapid changes to many of the current or older practices and processes which she feels will better serve the public. Upper management is generally supportive of these changes! It is important to note that this team has two specific focuses for their work output, and is tasked with creating and providing customized services to the public (among other things). This team is VERY resistant to change. They often flat-out refuse to make some of the changes Barbara is trying to make, and will say that it’s “too soon” or it “happened too fast” or they “weren’t included in the decision” or “were never notified of the change” (even though there is documentation saying otherwise). They will bring complaints such as Barbara isn’t doing enough to help them (though she is doing more than she should be already, and her boss — our CEO — had specifically requested she not get as involved with the creation and implementation of these special services to the public because past managers of this department had done just that and burnt themselves out). They have also said that they shouldn’t have to do anything with one of the main focuses of their jobs (even though it’s literally part of the department’s title and has been a task on their plate since the department’s inception) and that other departments need to help out more (even though the other departments don’t do the same work this department does, and they already have enough on their plates as it is). Basically, it’s giving “I don’t want to do the assignments I don’t like, and you can’t make me.” Now, I will say that Barbara can be a little prickly and even intense in her management style, which has exacerbated this situation a bit. Upper management and HR (me) have identified some things that Barbara needs to work on to help make her a more effective manager and be better equipped to manage this team, but we understand it takes two to tango. Barbara does have some really great emotional intelligence for others, which has helped, but she does have a bit of a blind spot when it comes to her reactions. With all that said, this team has brought these same complaints for every manager they’ve had. We’re starting to think that this is less a manager problem and more a team problem. And we are at our wits’ end of how to make this all stop, short of sitting them all down and firmly telling them to knock it off or get out (in so many more legal words, of course!). I should also note that we are in a unionized environment, which also complicates things. Yeah, this sounds like a them problem, not a Barbara problem. Barbara may not be a perfect manager, but it sounds like this team complains about the same things no matter who is managing them, and those things are nonsensical. Your instinct to sit them all down and tell them to knock it off or leave is the right one. The framing you want is: “I want to be clear about what you can and can’t expect on this team, regardless of who is managing it. One of the fundamental jobs of this team is to do X, and it will continue to be a major focus of your work, and not one we pull other departments in to help with. We also support Barbara, or any manager of this team, making changes like X, Y, and Z. While input is always welcome, the final call will be made by your manager and we expect you to roll forward with those decisions once they’re made. At the end of the day, your manager will give you assignments and set policy, and your job is to carry those out. If this doesn’t work for you or isn’t the way you intend to operate, that’s of course your prerogative, but it does mean you can’t remain in this job. Take some time to think about whether you are or aren’t willing to work this way, and if you aren’t, we can begin planning on a transition out. But if you choose to remain on this team, those are the baseline expectations.” You should also say, “We should have been clearer about this earlier, because at this point the ongoing pushback has become disruptive to our work. We absolutely support you in deciding whether or not this will work for you, and I want you to have all the information about what you can expect going forward, so that you can make the right decision for yourself.” From there, Barbara will likely need to have individual versions of that conversation with people because it’s unlikely that this will flip a switch overnight. But if she holds firm and doesn’t try to cater to unrealistic demands (the way it sounds like previous managers have tried), it’s likely to get better in time as people get the message. (And some people may leave over it, which wouldn’t be a bad thing.) The union rules may dictate specific procedures that you need to follow in doing all of this, but it shouldn’t change the basic message or the fact that you can hold firm on what the job is and what will and won’t change in response to complaints. The post managing a team that resists any change and complains constantly appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

In this guide, we’ll unpack what a decision flowchart is, how it works, when to use it, and how to create one step-by-step. You’ll walk away with best practices, practical examples, and a comparison with other flowchart types. The post Decision Flowchart: What It Is And How To Create One appeared first on The Digital Project Manager. View the full article

It was perhaps the worst kept secret in Silicon Valley. When he wasn’t running his design firm LoveFrom, Jony Ive was building another new company, just around the corner in San Francisco’s Jackson Square, called io. Focused on the future of AI hardware—what some have oversimplified as the iPhone of AI—io was rumored to be the physical side of OpenAI’s groundbreaking software. Now, the rumors are reality. OpenAI is acquiring io for $6.5 billion. From a news release: The io team, focused on developing products that inspire, empower and enable, will now merge with OpenAI to work more intimately with the research, engineering and product teams in San Francisco. As io merges with OpenAI, Jony and LoveFrom will assume deep design and creative responsibilities across OpenAI and io. LoveFrom will remain independent. It became clear that our ambitions to develop, engineer and manufacture a new family of products demanded an entirely new company. And so, one year ago, Jony founded io with Scott Cannon, Evans Hankey and Tang Tan. Scott Cannon led teams on the Mac and iPad development. Evans Hankey was a senior member of the Apple design team who took over Ive’s own role after he left Apple. Tang Tan led design on the iPhone for years. It takes no keen analysis to observe how proven and talented this team is at shipping impactful products. But what are they doing with OpenAI, exactly? The io team, focused on developing products that inspire, empower and enable, will now merge with OpenAI to work more intimately with the research, engineering and product teams in San Francisco. As io merges with OpenAI, Jony and LoveFrom will assume deep design and creative responsibilities across OpenAI and io. In other words, io will be making products, plural, for OpenAI, with an undisclosed timeline for release. What it all adds up to is, perhaps, the greatest called bluff in Silicon Valley history. Ive had already brought much of his design team with him when he founded LoveFrom. And others he brought to io. Now, the most hyped AI company of our age is teaming up with the makers of the most defining consumer hardware of the last century. Whatever they build together will define both of their legacies to come. View the full article

US president brandishes printed media reports of murdered farmers in extraordinary Oval Office exchangeView the full article

President The President said his massive tax package is close to being finalized, but the White House has yet to win over a faction who want more spending cuts. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Bed-sharing couples rarely like the exact same kind of mattress, and that's where the i8 Smart Bed shines. Each side is customizable, allowing each person to alter the mattress' firmness at any time. Right now, Sleep Number is having a Memorial Day sale with discounts of up to 50% and free delivery. Its flagship product, the i8 Smart Bed, is 30% off. I've been loving mine, and it has changed both my and my partner's sleep for the better. Mattress only i8 Mattress, King $3,289.30 at Sleep Number $4,699.00 Save $1,409.70 Get Deal Get Deal $3,289.30 at Sleep Number $4,699.00 Save $1,409.70 Mattress only i8 Mattress, Queen $2,799.30 at Sleep Number $3,999.00 Save $1,199.70 Get Deal Get Deal $2,799.30 at Sleep Number $3,999.00 Save $1,199.70 Mattress only i8 Mattress, Twin $2,379.30 at Sleep Number $3,399.00 Save $1,019.70 Get Deal Get Deal $2,379.30 at Sleep Number $3,399.00 Save $1,019.70 SEE 0 MORE These smart beds from Sleep Number aren't cheap, but they're supposed to last about twice what a regular mattress lasts, with a minimum of 15 years, according to Sleep Number's warranty (regular mattresses last about seven to eight years). Aside from the adjustable firmness, a very cool feature is the bed adapts to your position to keep you comfortable, so if you change to sleeping on your side in the middle of the night, the bed will adjust the firmness so you don't wake up with a sore shoulder I've been using the i8 Smart Bed for nearly a year, and it has helped me learn a lot about my sleep over time. The companion app tracks how long it takes me to fall asleep, my restful sleep, restless sleep (how much tossing and turning I'm doing), and how long it takes me to get out of bed (I've been making a conscious effort now to get rid of doom scrolling in the morning). I also get a Sleep Number score that is based on many metrics to tell me the quality of the sleep I got that night. Based on my score, the app gives me recommendations to improve it. You don't need to buy the integrated base (which you have to buy separately) if you have a bed frame with a flat surface. If your frame has slats, they should be no more than two inches apart. There is an air pump that needs to be plugged into an outlet, and you'll need space under or next to the bed to store it. View the full article

With President Donald The President’s multitrillion-dollar tax breaks package at risk of stalling, House Speaker Mike Johnson and conservative Republican holdouts are heading Wednesday to the White House for the last-ditch talks to salvage the “big, beautiful bill.” Johnson, R-La., had hoped to vote as soon as Wednesday on the 1,000-page plus bill after grinding through an all-night committee hearing, a final step in the process. But debate dragged into midday. Democrats, without the votes to stop The President’s package, are using all available tools to press their opposition and capitalize on the GOP disarray. “We believe it’s one big, ugly bill that’s going to hurt the American people,” said House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York as he and his team testified before the committee. “Hurt children, hurt families, hurt veterans, hurt seniors, cut health care, cut nutritional assistance, explode the debt,” he said. The President had instructed the Republican majority to quit arguing and get it done, putting his own political influence on the line. But the Republican president failed to move many skeptics during his Capitol Hill visit this week and GOP leaders struggled through the the night on crafting last-minute deals. But for every faction of the slim House majority that Johnson appeases, he is losing others. A tentative deal with GOP lawmakers from New York and other high-tax states to boost deductions for local taxes to $40,000 alarmed the most conservative Republicans, worried it will add to the nation’s $36 trillion debt. Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., the chairman of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus, said he did not believe the package could pass in a House vote, but “there is a pathway forward that we can see.” “We want to deliver the president’s agenda,” he said. It’s a make-or-break moment for the president and his party in Congress. They have invested much of their political capital during the crucial first few months of The President’s return to the White House on this legislation. If the House Republicans fall in line with the president, overcoming unified Democratic objections, the measure would next go to the Senate. “We’re doing very well. It’s very close” The President said at the White House. A fresh analysis from the Congressional Budget Office said the tax provisions would increase federal deficits by $3.8 trillion over the decade, while the changes to Medicaid, food stamps and other services would tally $1 trillion in reduced spending. The lowest-income households in the U.S. would see their resources drop, while the highest ones would see a boost, the CBO said. Republicans convened the House Rules Committee hearing shortly after midnight, but Johnson’s Memorial Day deadline for House passage was slipping as lawmakers prepared to depart for the holiday. At its core, the package is centered on extending the tax breaks approved during The President’s first term in 2017, while adding new ones he campaigned on during his 2024 campaign. To make up for some of the lost revenue, the Republicans are focused on spending cuts to federal safety net programs and a massive rollback of green energy tax breaks from the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act. Additionally, the package tacks on $350 billion in new spending, with about $150 billion going to the Pentagon, including for the president’s new “ Golden Dome” defense shield, and the rest for The President’s mass deportation and border security agenda. The package title carries The President’s own words, the “ One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” As The President promised voters on the tax front, the package proposes there would be no taxes on tips for certain workers, including those in some service industries; automobile loan interest; or some overtime pay. There would be an increase to the standard income tax deduction, to $32,000 for joint filers, and a boost to the child tax credit to $2,500. There would be an enhanced deduction, of $4,000, for older adults of certain income levels, to help defray taxes on Social Security income. To cut spending, the package would impose new work requirements for many people who receive health care through Medicaid. Able-bodied adults without dependents would need to fulfill 80 hours a month on a job or in other community activities. Similarly, those who receive food stamps through the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, known as SNAP, would also face new work requirements. Older Americans up to age 64, rather than 54, who are able-bodied and without dependents would need to work or engage in the community programs for 80 hours a month. Additionally, some parents of children older than 7 years old would need to fulfill the work requirements; under current law, the requirement comes after children are 18. Republicans said they want to root out waste, fraud and abuse in the federal programs. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated 8.6 million fewer people would have health insurance with the various changes to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. It also said 3 million fewer people each month would have SNAP benefits. Conservatives are insisting on quicker, steeper cuts to federal programs to offset the costs of the trillions of dollars in lost tax revenue. GOP leaders have sped up the start date of the Medicaid work requirements from 2029 to 2027. At the same time, more moderate and centrist lawmakers are wary of the changes to Medicaid that could result in lost health care for their constituents. Others are worried the phaseout of the renewable energy tax breaks will impede businesses using them to invest in green energy projects in many states. Plus, those lawmakers from New York, California and other high-tax states want a bigger state and local tax deduction, called SALT, for their voters back home. As it stands, the bill would triple what’s currently a $10,000 cap on the state and local tax deduction, increasing it to $30,000 for joint filers with incomes up to $400,000 a year. But advocates wanted more. Under the emerging deal, the cap would increase the deduction to $40,000 with an income limit of $500,000, according to a person granted anonymity to discuss the private talks. The cap would phase down for incomes above that level. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan fiscal watchdog group, estimates that the House bill is shaping up to add roughly $3.3 trillion to the debt over the next decade. —Lisa Mascaro, Kevin Freking, Leah Askarinam, and Joey Cappelletti, Associated Press Associated Press writer Chris Megerian contributed to this report. View the full article

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