Happening Today - Friday: April jobs data. World Press Freedom Day. Earnings expected from Cheniere Energy, Hershey, and FuboTV
• In Divorce Court - I Have to Trust the Hair on My Arms : Attorney Marilyn York says love may not be forever, but divorce’s impact can be. “Everyone is assumed to be lying,” says Marilyn York, the outspoken men’s rights divorce and family lawyer. “It’s hard to tell what’s true and what’s not, who’s falsely accused or not, and it’s usually the men who get sabotaged and don’t see it coming.” Because men are often so ill-prepared emotionally and financially for divorce, York focuses on helping men through the process. (METAL Men Daily)
• A new Universal Music-TikTok Licensing Deal ends the Drake-less “For You Page” era as a US Ban Looms : The music industry saw a resurgence as Universal Music Group, the world's largest music company, finalized a new agreement with TikTok following a three-month blackout. Artists such as Taylor Swift, Drake, and Billie Eilish had their songs restored to the platform after a disagreement involving royalty payments and AI protections that spanned since February. (Robinhood)
• SpaceX Adds Cosmic Tourism Offering to Website : SpaceX recently introduced a "Human Spaceflight" section on its website, featuring four destinations for customer flights: Earth orbit, the ISS, lunar orbit, and Mars. Details on pricing are not currently provided. For booking inquiries, individuals are directed to email humanspaceflight@spacex.com. Flight operations are scheduled to commence later this year, with initial missions to Earth orbit. (Flying Magazine)
• Instagram’s Updated Algorithm Prioritizes Original Content Instead of Rip-Offs :Instagram is initiating substantial alterations to its content recommendation system, emphasizing original content and enhanced visibility for smaller accounts. The primary adjustment revolves around aggregators who duplicate or capture videos and images from other users, occasionally attributing the original poster and frequently benefiting from unacknowledged content, diverting engagement from the original creator. (The Verge)
• Why Amazon, Walmart, and Target Just Pulled this Baby Product from Shelves : Experts have consistently highlighted the risks associated with weighted swaddles. A recent communication from the Consumer Product Safety Commission has spurred retailers into corrective action. Parents familiar with raising infants in the past decade are accustomed to the cautions regarding weighted products, including swaddles, blankets, or sleep-sacks aimed at enhancing infant sleep quality. Although these concerns are not novel, prominent retailers have chosen to remove weighted infant sleepwear from their inventory. (FastCompany)
• Deepest Blue Hole in the World Discovered, with Hidden Caves and Tunnels Believed to be Inside : Mexico's Taam Ja' Blue Hole, deemed the deepest known underwater sinkhole globally by researchers, still has an unexplored depth. Recent measurements reveal it extends a minimum of 1,380 feet in Chetumal Bay. (Livescience)
• Spotify Will Make Users Pay for its Lyrics Feature : Spotify has recently implemented a decision to require users to pay for the once-complimentary lyrics feature. This week, members of the Reddit community brought attention to this modification. Furthermore, Spotify Premium underwent a price adjustment in recent months following a prolonged period without any rate increases. Specifically, the company opted to elevate the cost of a Premium subscription to $10.99 monthly in 2023, marking their initial rise in fees in over a decade. Additional adjustments to pricing may potentially be on the horizon. (QZ)
• Sand: We’re Running Out of it, and That’s Opened Up Another $200B+ Problem : In the realm of conflict minerals, a significant illicit market, valued between $200B to $350B annually, operates. This market does not involve blood diamonds or cobalt, but rather sand. Surprisingly, sand is the world's second-most-utilized natural resource, following only water. This essential material plays a crucial role in the creation of fundamental components of modern society such as concrete, glass, and asphalt. However, there is an imminent concern regarding the depletion of this resource. (The Hustle)
• Found: The Dial in the Brain that Controls the Immune System : Scientists have identified the brain cells responsible for regulating inflammation and have determined their role in monitoring the immune response. The neurons that serve as the central controller for the immune system are located within the brain stem, the structure that links most of the brain to the spinal cord. This discovery has the potential to pave the way for the development of treatments for autoimmune diseases and other disorders stemming from an overactive immune response. (Nature)
China Outperforms the U.S. in Over Half of the Hottest Fields for AI Research: According to recent research from Georgetown University's Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET) exclusively provided to Axios, China outperforms the U.S. as a significant producer of research in over half of the most important AI domains. The implications unveil intricate details regarding the international competition between the U.S. and China for AI leadership and the establishment of essential guidelines for the technology's implementation on a global scale. (Axios)
• NASA Just Received Laser Message Beamed From A Colossal 226 Million Kilometers Away : NASA’s Psyche mission is currently underway to investigate a unique asteroid. While en route, the mission team has been evaluating a novel communication system utilizing an infrared laser rather than radio waves. Recent tests have confirmed its effectiveness even at record distances. For instance, Psyche was 226 million kilometers (140 million miles) away from Earth when the signal was transmitted, surpassing the distance between Earth and the Sun by 1.5 times. (iflscience)
• The Secret Weapons Behind the Best Action Thriller of the Year : Just one day after stuntmen Ben Jenkin, Chris O’Hara, and Logan Holladay discussed The Fall Guy with Inverse, O’Hara received the inaugural “Stunt Designer” credit on a film. In a groundbreaking collaboration between SAG-AFTRA and the DGA, a deliberate choice was made to officially rename the role typically known as “Stunt Coordinator” to a more definitive title. This substantial decision has elevated the previous coordinators to a level akin to a Set Designer or Costume Designer while establishing a distinct path for the highly anticipated Stunt Oscar. (Inverse)
• Photo, Image / Video of the Day:
Ray Bolger, best known for his role as the Scarecrow in "The Wizard of Oz," made a memorable appearance on "The Judy Garland Show" in 1963.
• Notable Statistics: These are the most affordable countries (According to U.S. News and World Report)
• YouTube Worth Watching:The most important country you’ve never heard about
• Ken's Book Pick: Interstellar: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life and Our Future in the Stars
• Ken's Website / Tool Pick: AI for Work The most advanced ChatGPT prompt and resource library with custom GPTs and helpful resources. It's designed for professionals and it's completely free.
The Cost Of Your Favorite Food Around The World
If you have an upcoming international trip, it is advisable to review this informative chart to assist in planning your budget. Food prices vary significantly based on diverse economic, social, and agricultural conditions worldwide. Specific nations might offer lower food prices due to local production or other factors like supply, demand, and tax rates. As an enthusiastic traveler eager to explore post-pandemic opportunities, utilizing such a graphic can aid in budget management. For instance, countries such as Japan often have higher price levels compared to the United States, necessitating some financial flexibility, especially if you appreciate Japanese cuisine. Notably, while the U.S. isn't necessarily known for cheap food, other countries offer substantial discounts on meals. For example, Indonesia provides the opportunity to purchase three pizzas for the price of one, making it a worthwhile consideration for budget-conscious travelers seeking culinary adventures abroad. Embracing local cuisine while abroad is recommended to fully immerse yourself in different cultures and experiences.