Senate Defiance Act passes unanimously, outlining civil path for deepfake victims | Mashable

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

New anti-deepfake legislation, known as the Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits (Defiance) Act, has passed a Senate vote with unanimous consent, pushing the first of potentially many AI-focused regulations one step closer to federal law.

The bipartisan Defiance Act grants victims the right to sue individuals who “knowingly produce, distribute, or receive” nonconsensual sexually-explicit digital forgeries. It was introduced to the session by Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin and Republican senator Lindsay Graham, but Democratic representative and co-leader Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has become a figurehead of the legislation.

Read More

Conn’s, a 134-year-old home goods retailer, is closing 70 stores | CNN Business

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Conn’s HomePlus, a 134-year-old furniture and electronics retailer with locations primarily in the southern United States, has filed for bankruptcy and is closing nearly half of its 170 stores.

The Texas-based company, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Tuesday, has been struggling with slumping sales amid a broader slowdown in discretionary spending among consumers. Conn’s has assets and liabilities worth at least $1 billion each, according to the filing.

The 73 Conn’s HomePlus stores closing are listed on its website. Florida is the most affected state with 18 stores soon shutting down, followed by Texas with 9 locations. Other states where stores are closing include Arizona, Colorado, North Carolina and Virginia.

A Conn’s spokesperson said that as the company goes through the Chapter 11 process, it “continues to have ongoing discussions with potential buyers to sell all or parts of the business and preserve jobs.”

Read More

Ford keeps having to repair customers’ new cars and trucks. Its profit is plunging and its stock tumbled | CNN Business

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Shares of Ford fell more than 11% in after-hours trading Wednesday after the automaker reported much weaker than expected earnings. The company said it was compelled to set aside more money to cover the cost of repairing customers’ vehicles.

The company (F) did not break out how much extra money it set aside to cover warranty expenses, but said “most” of the $1.2 billion drop in operating income in the quarter came from that increased expense. Still, Ford said it is making gains in product quality, despite the increased costs.

“We still have lots of work ahead of us to raise quality and reduce costs and complexity, but the team is committed and we’re heading in the right direction,” said Ford CFO John Lawler in the company’s earnings report.

The company’s adjusted net income fell $1 billion to $1.9 billion, or 47 cents a share. That badly missed analysts’ forecasts of earnings per share of 68 cents a share

Read More

What causes you to get a ‘stitch in your side’? | Live Science

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

We’ve all been there — you’re just starting to find your running rhythm on the treadmill, or maybe you’re hustling to catch a train, when you’re suddenly struck by a sharp pain in your side, just under your rib cage.

A side stitch — medically known as “exercise-related transient abdominal pain” (ETAP) — is annoying and uncomfortable, albeit not medically serious. But what causes side stitches?

Although side stitches are common, no one knows for sure what causes them, and there are competing theories as to what body part the pain comes from.

For decades, after this theory was first proposed in 1941, scientists and sports doctors believed that a side stitch is caused by inadequate blood flow to the diaphragm, the large muscle that sits under the ribs and draws air in and out of the lungs. This lack of blood could cause a painful cramp or spasm. This idea was based on the theory that blood travels away from the diaphragm and concentrates in the muscles of the limbs when we exercise.

Read More

What are ultraprocessed foods? | Live Science

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Heart disease, cancer, diabetes — these and other concerning health effects have been tied to “ultraprocessed foods,” which make up more than half of the calories consumed in the U.S. Eating large amounts of these foods, which are high in salt, sugars and additives, may even increase a person’s risk of early death.

There’s growing awareness around the potential harms of these products, but which foods count as “ultraprocessed” is not always clear.

So what, exactly, are ultraprocessed foods?

Read More

Online Sales Alternatives to Etsy | Business News Daily

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Etsy has become a household name for crafters and shoppers alike, but it’s not the only option for those with handmade crafts to sell online. Many other marketplaces cater to sellers and buyers of handmade goods, antiques, art and other creative items. As a seller, you may prefer an Etsy alternative’s fee structure, interface and user experience. We’ll explore 13 top Etsy alternatives that might be a better fit for your craft business.

13 Etsy alternatives you can join today

Crafty entrepreneurs who want to start selling online have excellent options. Here are 13 Etsy alternatives that are affordable, easy to use and popular with shoppers.

Read More

Should You Start a Business Without a College Degree? | businessnewsdaily.com

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Entrepreneurship can be an excellent way to achieve financial freedom, but building a successful business takes time, hard work and perseverance. Some budding business owners may opt to get a jump on their entrepreneurial ideas and skip college to pursue their dreams.

While you don’t necessarily need a college education to become a successful business owner, quitting school to pursue entrepreneurship might not be the right choice either. College can help you gain expertise in specific business subjects while learning and honing soft skills like communication, time management and leadership. We’ll look at the pros and cons of skipping college to start a business and what to consider when making this decision.

Read More

Believing in Yourself Again: 10 Ways To Reverse Course on Self-Sabotage | LifeHack

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Believing in yourself is the key to achieving your goals. When you think you can succeed, you’re more likely to take action and push forward. But when you doubt yourself, you tend to hold back or sabotage your efforts. You probably know this and have experienced it too.

So how do you go about achieving it? And what does “believing in yourself” actually mean?

Simply put, it’s having faith that you can set meaningful goals and take steps over time to make them real.

It’s not about having sky-high confidence all the time or thinking you can snap your fingers to manifest anything instantly. It’s more about trusting that even with ups and downs, you’re able to gradually take control and move your life where you want it to go.

Read More

Discovering Your North Star: Crafting an Inspiring and Authentic Mission | LifeHack

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Have you ever felt totally uninspired by those vague corporate mission statements? The ones that say things like “To be the world’s most trusted provider of integrated solutions”?

Or by those vague New Year’s resolutions? The ones that say things like “Get in shape” or “Be a better person”?

Blah blah blah. What does that even mean? Nothing.

Chances are you have. These generic, meaningless statements are all too common – both in the business world and in our personal lives. And they leave us feeling completely disconnected and unmotivated.

There’s a reason most resolutions and personal goals fail – they lack authenticity. They are detached from our real values, passions, and what we actually want to achieve. Instead of inspiration, they breed apathy.

Read More

Amid extreme heat, 1 in 4 American households experience energy insecurity each year | Fast Company

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Coast to coast, millions of Americans are experiencing sweltering temperatures this summer, with seemingly little relief in sight. For people who struggle to access or afford air conditioning, the rising need for cooling is a growing crisis.

An alarming number of Americans risk losing access to utility services because they can’t pay their bills. Energy utility providers in 2022 shut off electricity to at least 3 million customers who had missed a bill payment. Over 30% of these disconnections happened in the three summer months, during a year that was among the hottest on record.

Read More