WorldReutersChina foreign ministry: 'airship' over the U.S. a 'force majeure accident'
China's foreign ministry said on Saturday that flight of a Chinese "airship" over the United States was a force majeure accident, accusing U.S. politicians and media of taking advantage of the situation to discredit China. The United States, saying the craft was a suspected spy balloon that had committed a "clear violation" of U.S. sovereignty, postponed a visit to China by Secretary of State Antony Blinken that had been expected to start on Friday. "China has always strictly abided by international law and respected the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries," the ministry said in a statement.
BusinessBarrons.comThe Baby Boomer Retirement Crisis Is Here. Why the Richest Generation Is Struggling.
Elizabeth Boatwright planned to be retired by now. After all, she and her husband Frank saved diligently for decades, and seemed on track to hit their financial goals. Once the couple's nest egg shrinks to less than a year's worth of caregiving costs, Boatwright says she plans to give up her paid work and care for Frank herself.
PoliticsThe Daily Beast‘Miserable’ Marjorie Taylor Greene Whines That Her Congressional Salary Is Too Low
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) lamented this week about how little she was getting paid as a member of Congress, claiming that her low congressional salary had made her “life miserable” as she “made a lot more money” before stepping into public service. While ostensibly there to talk about her newfound alliance with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the Ukraine war, and other right-wing culture war gripes, she also found time to complain about how hard it is being a congresswoman. “The nature of this job, it keeps members of Congress and senators in Washington so much of the time—too much of the time, to be honest with you—that we don't get to go home and spend more time with our families, our friends, all in our district, or maybe just be regular people,” the Georgia lawmaker grumbled.
U.S.Associated PressHunt ends for mountain lion that attacked California boy
California wildlife officials have called off the search for a mountain lion that attacked a 5-year-old boy who was on a hiking trail in rural Northern California, saying there was little chance of capturing the animal. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife said Friday that DNA testing confirmed that a mountain lion was responsible for the attack last Tuesday in San Mateo County, south of San Francisco. “This lack of access, combined with worsening weather and the nomadic nature of mountain lions has diminished the chances for a successful capture," said Capt. Patrick Foy, a department spokesman.
- U.S.Reuters Videos
Video captures suspected spy balloon after it's shot down
STORY: U.S. military fighter aircraft shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon as it floated off the coast of South Carolina on Saturday, drawing to a close a dramatic saga that shone a spotlight on worsening Sino-U.S. relations. Biden said he had issued an order on Wednesday (February 1) to take down the balloon, but the Pentagon had recommended waiting until it could be done over open water. Multiple fighter and refuelling aircraft were involved in the mission, but only one -- an F-22 fighter jet -- took the shot, using a single AIM-9X missile, a senior U.S. military official said.
BusinessMoneyWiseThis is 'a serious problem': State Farm and Progressive are now refusing to cover certain cars made by big South Korean auto firms — here are the models and why they're too risky to insure
After a surge in theft claims, insurers State Farm and Progressive are now refusing to cover select models made by the big South Korean auto firms because they are too easy to steal. This is a] serious problem impacting our customers and the entire auto insurance industry,” State Farm said in a media statement. Don't miss Over 65% of Americans don't shop around for a better car insurance deal — and that could be costing you $500 a month '$200K is chump change': This YouTube influencer says if you don't have a Lamborghini in your 20s, you should have a 'serious' talk with yourself — 3 simple ways to boost your income UBS says 61% of millionaire collectors allocate up to 30% of their overall p...
WorldReutersBrazil sinks rusting old aircraft carrier in the Atlantic
Brazil sank a decommissioned aircraft carrier in the Atlantic Ocean off its northeast coast, the Brazilian Navy said, despite warnings from environmentalists that the rusting 1960s French-built ship would pollute the sea and the marine food chain. The 32,000-tonne carrier had been floating offshore for three months since Turkey refused it entry to be scrapped there because it was an environmental hazard and the ship was towed back to Brazil. The carrier was scuttled in a "planned and controlled sinking" late on Friday, the Navy said in a statement, that would "avoid logistical, operational, environmental and economic losses to the Brazilian state," it said.
U.S.INSIDERFederal agents discovered a dumpster filled with almost 250 working rifles and shotguns in Oklahoma, and allege that a man was given 2 free shotguns to hang on his wall
A man said a teen employee gave him two guns from the dumpster for free, per court documents. Federal agents are trying to figure out why an Oklahoma gun store owner threw almost 250 guns in a dumpster, and why a man was allegedly allowed to keep two of them as a memento. According to court filings first reported by CourtWatch, on January 19, 2023, an Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, sanitation worker stumbled upon a dumpster with 236 rifles and 12 shotguns in it.
BusinessMotley FoolHere's What Happens When You Leave a Lot of Money in Your Savings Account
You'll often hear that it's important to have money set aside for emergency expenses, like home repairs, car repairs, or medical bills. And the best place to put that cash is a savings account. That way, you'll have access to it whenever you need, and you won't have to worry about your principal contribution losing value.
ScienceEngadgetResearchers can now pull hydrogen directly from seawater, no filtering required
Researchers at the University of Adelaide announced this week that they made clean hydrogen fuel from seawater without pre-treatment. Demand for hydrogen fuel, a clean energy source that only produces water when burned, is expected to increase in the coming years as the world (hopefully) continues to pivot away from fossil fuels. “We have split natural seawater into oxygen and hydrogen with nearly 100 per cent efficiency, to produce green hydrogen by electrolysis, using a non-precious and cheap catalyst in a commercial electrolyser,” said Professor Shizhang Qiao, the team's co-lead.
WorldPopular MechanicsTurns Out Russia Is Overselling Its 'Unstoppable' Hypersonic Missile
China successfully tested a Mach 5 weapon back in 2021—with one U.S. general calling the launch a near “Sputnik” moment—and Russia has been talking about the weapons since 2018, when it produced a sizzle reel of one hypersonic missile, the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal, blowing up Florida. Not to be outmatched, the U.S. has around 70 (yes, seven-zero) efforts to develop hypersonic technologies including bombers, missiles, and the engines to power them. In fact, just this week, Vladimir Putin announced imminent plans to test his frigate-launched Zircon hypersonic missile, which can supposedly reach speeds of Mach 9.
PoliticsThe Daily Beast‘Disrespectful and Even Abusive’: Kyrsten Sinema Hit With Ethics Complaint
A consortium of political advocacy groups are pushing for an investigation into allegations that Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) has had staffers running her personal errands and performing sundry household tasks on the taxpayer dime. As first reported in December by The Daily Beast, Sinema aides are bound by a 37-page memo that lays out a very specific set of demands: the senator's groceries are to be picked up promptly, her hour-long massages are to be booked weekly, and her internet service at home in D.C. must always be in working order. Now, 13 progressive nonprofits—including, among others, the Arizona Democracy Resource Center, Sunrise Movement Tempe, Patriotic Millionaires, and Vets Forward—have filed a formal complaint with the Senate Ethics Committee over Sinema's alleged behavior.
U.S.Associated PressSorry, not sorry: Some 1/6 rioters change tune after apology
Appearing before a federal judge after pleading guilty to a felony charge in the deadly Capitol riot, former West Virginia lawmaker Derrick Evans expressed remorse for letting down his family and his community, saying he made a “crucial mistake." Less than a year later, Evans is portraying himself as a victim of a politically motivated prosecution as he runs to serve in the same building he stormed on Jan. 6, 2021. Evans is now calling the Justice Department's Jan. 6 prosecutions a “miscarriage of justice" and describes himself on twitter as a “J6 Patriot."
U.S.WSB Cox articlesConcerned parents want massage parlor shut down following bust that landed employee in handcuffs
A Cobb County massage parlor employee was taken away in handcuffs for providing services too risqué to say even on TV, police say. The massage parlor is inside a family-friendly shopping center with a children's salon next door and even a Chuck E. Cheese across the street. Jasmine Massage promotes a variety of services, but when an undercover agent walked through the doors recently an employee was arrested, accused of offering the agent more than what the business promotes.
U.S.Miami HeraldMexican actor gets five years for fatal punch during road rage confrontation in Miami
Pablo Lyle, the Mexican telenovela star who fatally punched a man during a 2019 road-rage confrontation, was sentenced to five years in state prison on Friday. Hernandez fell, cracked his head on the roadway and died at the hospital four days later. The state, at the Hernandez family's request, asked for Lyle to receive 15 years in prison — the maximum sentence permitted for the charge.
U.S.Yahoo LifeAn 11-year-old student drew a pig. School officials confiscated the work for being 'inappropriate.'
On Jan. 13, Sierra Carter received a surprising phone call from her daughter's elementary school teacher. The drawing — a pink pig with a necktie in the shape of what could be interpreted as male genitalia — was brought to the teacher's attention by a classmate who'd informed them that Carter's daughter drew "boy parts on a pig." The 11-year-old, according to her mom, told her teacher that she drew a "bow tie," not "boy parts."
PoliticsGOBankingRatesHow Rich Is Congresswoman Ilhan Omar?
Rep. Ilhan Omar was recently ousted from the House Foreign Affairs Committee over past remarks construed by critics as anti-Semitic. Omar is the first Somali-American member of Congress, the first woman of color to represent Minnesota and one of the first two Muslim women ever elected to Congress. Rep. Ilhan Omar, 40, the U.S. Representative from Minnesota's 5th congressional district, has never shied away from controversy.
U.S.Kansas City StarSchool nurse raped student at motel and kissed him in her office, Missouri cops say
A high school nurse raped a 15-year-old student repeatedly and kissed him in her office, Missouri police say. The nurse, 26-year-old Candice Elizabeth Johnson, is accused of raping the student 12 times over the course of four months, according to a probable cause affidavit from the Kennett Police Department. The student told police that he and Johnson began meeting up for sex in October while also sending naked pictures to each other during those months.
U.S.Associated Press'Died suddenly' posts twist tragedies to push vaccine lies
The “Died Suddenly” film features a montage of headlines found on Google to falsely suggest they prove that sudden deaths have “never happened like this until now. The film has amassed more than 20 million views on an alternative video sharing website, and its companion Twitter account posts about more deaths and injuries daily. An AP review of more than 100 tweets from the account in December and January found that claims about the cases being vaccine related were largely unsubstantiated and, in some cases, contradicted by public information.
BusinessBuzzFeedNot Allowing Their Employees To Wear Coats In The Middle Of Winter, And 14 Other Straight-Up Evil Moves From Crappy Bosses That Make Me Want To Riot
In my feeble attempt to cancel any and all crappy bosses in 2023, please enjoy these (infuriating) screenshots, courtesy of r/antiwork:
U.S.LA TimesTwo men arrested in 'cold-blooded' massacre of 6, including mother and baby, in Tulare County
After a predawn gun battle and a series of raids across California, authorities said Friday they had arrested two men accused of killing six people, including a teen mother and her baby, in an execution-style massacre that stunned the Central Valley farm town of Goshen last month. The suspects were identified as Noah David Beard, 25, of Visalia and Angel "Nanu" Uriarte, 35, of Goshen, both Norteño gang members, according to the Tulare County Sheriff's Office. Uriarte engaged in a gun battle with federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives early Friday and was wounded before being taken into custody, officials said.
HealthYahoo Canada Style7 worst canned foods to buy and why: Soup, pasta, baked beans & more
Not everyone loves canned food. Unlock Food Canada pointed out that canned tomatoes have more lycopene, which can protect against serious health risks such as heart disease and cancer. The Food Bank of Waterloo recommends avoiding canned fruit packaged in syrup due to its high sugar content.
U.S.Miami HeraldA Florida cop was headed home from work. Along came a ‘reckless driver,’ bodycam shows
An off-duty cop had a harrowing ride home from work on the Palm Coast of Florida last week, according to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office. Newly released bodycam footage posted to the agency's Facebook page shows the drama that went down with Master Deputy Brad Stogdon on U.S. 1 at a little after 5 p.m. on Jan. 30.
BusinessBusiness InsiderBill Gates said he'd rather fund vaccines to 'save lives' than go to Mars, but he thinks someday Elon Musk will be a 'great philanthropist'
Bill Gates told the BBC he does not think traveling to Mars is a good use of money. "You can buy measles vaccines and save lives for $1,000 per life saved," Gates explained. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said he'd rather pay for life-saving vaccines than spend money going to Mars, commenting on how his priorities differ from one of the other richest men on Earth.
BusinessReutersJapan startup selling $550,000 Star Wars-inspired hoverbike to list on NASDAQ
Japanese startup Aerwins Technologies, which is selling a Star Wars-inspired $555,000 hoverbike, has received approval to list on the NASDAQ in a merger with blank-check firm Pono Capital Corp, the manufacturer said on Friday. Aerwins, which is taking orders for the XTurismo hoverbike with a motorcycle-like body on top of propellers that it unveiled last year, estimates it will be valued at $600 million in the transaction. The deal comes at a time when other mobility startups have faced difficulty raising funding, with valuations under pressure and a sharp reversal of what had been a market boom for listings through special-purpose acquisition companies (SPAC).
“Streaming is beginning to look an awful lot like the old-fashioned analogue TV it was supposed to replace.”
“Streaming isn’t going away … You’re still going to have a lot of choice for a long time.”
“In the future, [streaming] likely will cost more, have a little less library content and cancel more shows more quickly.”
“Streaming is still a game of content … It’s not a matter of who’s spending more, it’s who’s spending smartly.”
“Streamers are retreating from any sort of creative risk in favor of humdrum, lowest-common-denominator shows.”
