Friday, December 12
Headlines
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Dueling healthcare plans both blocked in the Senate. Democrats and Republicans each put their healthcare proposals up for a vote in the Senate yesterday, and both plans failed to pass. The Democrats’ plan, which would have extended subsidies to the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) for three years, earned the support of four Republicans, but still fell short of the 60 votes necessary, losing 51–48. The Republicans’ plan would have replaced the subsidies with federal funds for health savings accounts, but that failed by the same vote margin. With lawmakers soon to leave DC for their holiday break, this all but assures that more than 20 million Americans will see their healthcare premiums rise starting on Jan. 1.
The South Carolina measles outbreak is “accelerating.” At least 111 people have contracted the contagious viral infection in South Carolina since October, and more than 250 people are quarantined, according to the state’s public health department. Officials blamed the outbreak on “lower-than-hoped-for” vaccination rates: Of the 111 cases, 105 were unvaccinated, the health department said. Measles, which is most common among unvaccinated children, was declared eliminated in the US in 2000, but declining vaccination rates have led to outbreaks in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona this year.
OpenAI rolled out a more advanced ChatGPT model. Unsatisfied with the waves made by its $1 billion deal with Disney, OpenAI made more news yesterday when it unveiled GPT-5.2, the latest version of its signature chatbot that the company says can perform a range of tasks better than predecessors. Per OpenAI, the model is faster at finding information, translating, and coding, and is better at figuring out more complex tasks like math. The announcement comes about a week after CEO Sam Altman declared a “code red,” telling employees that ChatGPT needed to beef up, or risk falling behind rivals like Google’s Gemini 3.—AE
At A Glance
See whales and dolphins teaming up to hunt.
Utah hiker is rescued from quicksand.
One in five Americans had jobs that didn't exist in 2000.
UNESCO adds Italian cuisine to its cultural heritage list.
Chinese appliance company creates six-armed robot.
Woman gives birth in a driverless Waymo car.
Japanese convenience-store socks become hit souvenir.
See NASA's animation of a black hole eating a star.
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Clickbait: In-N-Out is the latest victim of "6-7."
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Historybook: US Founding Father John Jay born (1745); First transatlantic radio signal sent by Guglielmo Marconi (1901); Frank Sinatra born (1915); Singer Dionne Warwick born (1940); Supreme Court decides Bush v. Gore, confirming George W. Bush as president (2000).
In The NEWS
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> Beyoncé will return to Met Gala (May 4) after 10-year absence, serving as co-chair alongside Venus Williams, Nicole Kidman, and Anna Wintour (More) | Charli XCX appears in three films debuting at Sundance Film Festival (Jan. 22-Feb. 1); see full lineup (More)
> Las Vegas Aces' A’ja Wilson named AP Female Athlete of the Year after winning unprecedented fourth WNBA MVP award and Time's Athlete of the Year title (More) |
University of Michigan fires head football coach Sherrone Moore after finding evidence of an inappropriate relationship with a staff member (More)
> Sophie Kinsella, bestselling author of "Shopaholic" series, dies at 55 following brain cancer diagnosis (More) | Jubilant Sykes, a Grammy-nominated opera singer, dies of stab wounds at 71; his son is in custody for suspected homicide (More)
Science & Technology
> Amazon to invest over $35B in India's AI and cloud infrastructure by 2030, building on nearly $40B already invested in the country; news comes one day after Microsoft announced a similar $17.5B investment in India over four years (More)
> Psychiatric geneticists find 14 major psychiatric disorders fall into five categories with distinct genetic profiles, offering an explanation for why some disorders often occur together and supporting a biology-based diagnostic approach (More)
> Archaeologists determine humans learned to make fires 350,000 years earlier than previously thought, following a four-year analysis of 400,000-year-old heat-damaged tools found in eastern England (More)
Business & Markets
> Oracle shares fall over 11% in after-hours trading after the database software maker reports 14% year-over-year revenue growth in the quarter that ended Nov. 30, missing projected 15% growth (More)
> Oil companies offer roughly $300M for Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America) drilling rights in the first of 30 planned offshore lease sales and the first such sale since 2023 (More)
> Swiss officials say US tariff cut from 39% to 15% will apply retroactively to Nov. 14, the day the countries reached a preliminary deal that ties US duty reductions to a $200B Swiss investment in the US by the end of 2028 (More)
Politics & World Affairs
> US military seizes an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela after President Donald Trump calls on President Nicolás Maduro to step down; Trump suggests strikes on Venezuelan territory could begin "very soon" (More)
> House votes 312-112 to pass $900B bill funding the Defense Department and national security programs (More) | Federal judge orders the Trump administration to end National Guard deployment in Los Angeles (More)
> Daughter of Venezuelan opposition leader MarÃa Corina Machado accepts Nobel Peace Prize on her behalf (More)
SOURCE: 1440 NEWS
False Anticipation
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I spent six years in the military, the US Navy to be precise; two years were spent on active duty while the remaining four were spent in reserve status.
This meant that I attended weekly reserve meeting for four hours each night and two weeks of active duty each year. While in reserve status, it was also understood that I could be recalled for active duty if needed.
After being honorably discharged from the military, I used the GI Bill to pay for my last two years of college, and an additional two years of graduate school. I was also given a stipend for being married with a child while using the GI Bill.
When I attended my weekly meetings, I was paid for my time each month and used those monthly checks to buy power tools to use around the house. I still have the circular saw that I purchased sometime in the 1970s from SEARS.
I dropped out of college because I was not happy there and decided to serve my country in the military. While it was during the VIETNAM WAR, my two years was spent at the Norfolk Naval Base and sent on temporary assignments for extra money.
Being two years older, when I returned to college, I was serious about my education and learning, I made all "A's" except for one or two "B's"... those classes were sacrificed so I could make "A's" in my major.
Unfortunately, once I graduated, NOT ONE EMPLOYER gave a damn about my grades... and this includes all 45 years of my career, including colleges and universities where I was hired as a professor of business.
Sometimes, life just does not operate like one thought it would.
11 Simple Signs Of Low Intelligence That Show Up In Everyday Behavior
While we often characterize intelligence through IQ tests, rigid scores, and knowledge, the truth is that our intellect often shines through our daily routines and mindset more than educational environments show. Of course, most of us overestimate our intelligence in these realms, as a study published in the Journal of Intelligence found. But for the most part, our habits, hobbies, and relationships tell people how smart we really are.
Many of the simple signs of low intelligence that show up in everyday behavior are obvious, such as opting for screen time over reading and accepting conspiracies as fact, while some are more subtle. They may be hidden in the nonverbal cues and language we use in conversations or the way we move in the workplace. So, if you’re unsure about where you fall on the intellectual scale, consider your daily routine first.
Here are simple signs of low intelligence that show up in everyday behavior
1. Never picking up a book
Thursday, December 11
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