{"document_id":"mhd_ab13a0697b707f3e","text":"Table of Contents Table of Contents Echo, Fire TV, and Kindle deals Apple deals TV deals Laptop deals Headphone and earbud deals Tablet deals Gaming deals Speaker deals Vacuum deals Kitchen deals Smart home deals Fitness deals Beauty tech deals Drone deals Camera deals Lego deals Gift card deals\n\nUPDATE: Nov. 27, 2023, 5:00 a.m. EST This post has been updated with all of the latest Cyber Monday deals available at Amazon.\n\nAmazon is dragging out the year's biggest shopping holiday(s) into 11 days of deals.\n\nThe retail giant began its Black Friday sale in the early morning of Friday, Nov. 17 (a week ahead of schedule) and was on top of making the switch to Cyber Monday language in the wee hours of Saturday, Nov. 25. Official Cyber Monday mode, which is currently on through Monday, Nov. 27, includes both a ton of deals carried over from Black Friday plus some new ones.\n\nWe're curating a running list of Amazon's best Cyber Weekend deals, spotlighting some of our favorites and noting when good deals inevitably sell out. Read on for the full rundown, and check back often: We're going to be updating this story incessantly as the sale continues, as well as our even bigger (if you can imagine) list of Cyber Monday deals across more retailers.\n\nNote: All newly added deals are marked with a ✨, while deals with a 🔥 have dropped to an all-time low price. Amazon's invite-only deals for Prime members are marked with a 📨. Deals with a strikeout were either sold out or expired at the time of writing.\n\nEcho, Fire TV, and Kindle deals\n\nWhy we like it\n\nAn Echo Show is a subtle yet game-changing addition to any room — and for less than $40 with this rollover Black Friday to Cyber Monday deal, there's little reason to not make your life easier. The smart screen responds to Alexa commands that are particularly handy when your hands are full, like asking for measurement conversions mid-cooking, checking the weather mid-rushing out the door, or turning off your smart lights with a sleeping kid in hand. Plus, it's got a 5.5-inch screen and better sound than its predecessor, making it perfect for watching videos or video calling friends and family.\n\nMore Amazon device and service deals\n\nAmazon services\n\nAudible Premium Plus — $5.95/month $14.95/month for four months (save $9/month; new customers only; get an additional $20 Audible credit)\n\nEcho Buds\n\nEcho smart displays\n\nEcho smart speakers\n\nFire tablets\n\nFire TVs\n\nNote: All Fire TVs come with a free 6-month subscription to MGM+ (a $35.94 value).\n\nFire TV streaming devices\n\neero\n\nKindles\n\nMiscellaneous Amazon devices\n\nApple deals\n\nWhy we like it\n\nNow that the 64GB 9th generation iPad has been going in and out of stock (you might be able to find it on sale for $229.99), our new favorite iPad deal at Amazon is the 10th generation 64GB model for $349. Compared to the 9th gen, the 10th gen classic iPad has a slightly bigger screen that's now also a Liquid Retina display (10.9 inches versus 10.2 inches), a faster A14 Bionic chip for smoother multitasking, and USB-C charging.\n\nMore Apple deals\n\nAirPods\n\nMacBook\n\nMac\n\niPad\n\nApple Watch\n\nTV deals\n\nWhy we like it\n\nThis 65-inch Fire TV from Amazon hit its lowest ever price this month, and we're not mad about it. With a 66 percent five-star review rating, it's got much to love: Including stunning 4K QLED resolution, adaptive brightness that adjusts to the lighting of your room, the ability to project famous art or personal pics on it when not streaming anything, and, of course, that quintessential Alexa voice control.\n\nMore TV deals\n\n43 to 55 inches\n\n65 inches\n\n75 to 85 inches\n\nLaptop deals\n\nWhy we like it\n\nMacBooks aside (which are all listed above in the Apple section), another stellar Cyber Monday laptop deal at Amazon is the lightweight Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 for $599.99. This 25% discount drops the 2023 version to the regular asking price of our favorite budget laptop, the older Surface Go 2. Compared to the Go 2, the Go 3's Intel Core i5 processor is 12th gen versus the Go 2's 11th gen, harnessing better speeds and solid power for most everyday work or school tasks. On the outside, the Go 3 is definitely giving MacBook Air — the main difference being that the Go 3's screen is a touchscreen.\n\nMore laptop deals\n\nTraditional laptops\n\n2-in-1 laptops\n\nChromebooks\n\nGaming laptops\n\nHeadphone and earbud deals\n\nWhy we like it\n\nNarrowing down a headphones upgrade from so many on-sale options is less overwhelming when you've confirmed that you want to stick with a super premium, super reputable brand like Bose — but also that you want to stick to a budget. There's only one pair of Bose over-ear headphones you can grab for just under $200, and that's the QuietComfort 45s at a record-low price of $199. This classic pair secures top-of-the-line ANC, 20 hours of battery life, and all-day comfort for less than half of the AirPods Max's sale price.\n\nMore headphone and earbud deals\n\nHeadphones\n\nEarbuds\n\nTablet deals\n\nGaming deals\n\nGaming headsets\n\nMashable Deals Want more hand-picked deals in your inbox? Sign up for Mashable's daily Deals newsletter. Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Thanks for signing up!\n\nGaming mice\n\nGaming keyboards\n\nVR headsets\n\nMeta Quest 2 — $249 $299.99 (save $50.99) + free $50 Amazon credit with code META50 🔥\n\nSpeaker deals\n\nVacuum deals\n\nCordless vacuums\n\nRobot vacuums and vacuum/mop hybrids\n\nKitchen deals\n\nPizza ovens\n\nSparkling water makers\n\nToaster ovens\n\nSmart home deals\n\nNote: Echo devices are listed above under \"Amazon device and service deals.\"\n\nBlink\n\nChromecast\n\nGoogle Nest\n\nFitness deals\n\nSmartwatches and fitness trackers\n\nNote: Apple Watches are listed above under \"Apple deals.\"\n\nBeauty tech deals\n\nDrone deals\n\nCamera deals\n\nGoPro\n\nLego deals\n\nGift card deals","url":"https://mashable.com/article/cyber-monday-deals-amazon-2023","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_a1797d3db503fda3","mhq_4849b2546a3c8589"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_a1797d3db503fda3","mhq_4849b2546a3c8589"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"0021e2bd15a969c2f04f66d19c72a22d1a63b4d412dabf2d2e7ecec26a53f798","source_record_sha256":"c1d610775ec593dff4487a779d6ba33cbb170797775d11349f5a55e7eabef36f","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":0,"source_fields":{"title":"200+ of the best deals from Amazon's Cyber Monday sale","author":null,"source":"Mashable","published_at":"2023-11-27T08:45:59+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://mashable.com/article/cyber-monday-deals-amazon-2023"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_5e35a051a03df040","text":"ETF provider Betashares, which manages $30 billion in funds, reached an agreement to acquire Bendigo and Adelaide Bank’s superannuation business, in its first venture into the superannuation sector. Betashares said it was part of a longer-term strategy to expand the business into the broader financial sector. Shares in Bendigo increased 0.6 per cent on the news. REITS (up 0.4 per cent) was the strongest sector on the index as Goodman added 0.5 per cent and Dexus climbed 2.8 per cent. The laggards Casino operator Star Entertainment Group’s shares hit an all-time low of 60¢ after it raised $565 million. They closed the session 16 per cent weaker at 63¢. Star, which raised $800 million in February, has had to return to the market for fresh funding and is hoping to raise $750 million at a share price of 60¢ a share.\n\nMeanwhile, healthcare heavyweight CSL shed 1.4 per cent, weighing down the healthcare sector and insurance companies IAG (down 2.6 per cent) and Suncorp (down 2 per cent) gave back some of their gains from Tuesday. Gold miners Newcrest (down 2.1 per cent) and Evolution (down 3.5 per cent) were also among the biggest large-cap decliners after the spot gold price dropped 0.9 per cent overnight. Information technology (down 1.1 per cent) was the weakest sector on the local bourse with WiseTech losing 1.4 per cent. The lowdown\n\nNovus Capital senior client adviser Gary Glover said the Australian sharemarket was surprisingly resilient following a negative lead from Wall Street and the latest inflation data, with markets starting to wake up to the fact that interest rates could stay higher for longer. “Considering the damage overnight in the US, Australian markets held on pretty well,” he said. “I thought it would be a bigger down day across the board.” Glover said the market was volatile but quite range-bound, similar to previous periods of high inflation in the 1940s and 1970s. Elsewhere, Wall Street’s ugly September got even worse on Tuesday, as a sharp drop for stocks brought them back to where they were in June. The S&P 500 tumbled 1.5 per cent for its fifth loss in the last six days. The Dow Jones dropped 1.1 per cent, and the Nasdaq composite lost 1.6 per cent.\n\nLoading September has brought a loss of 5.2 per cent so far for the S&P 500, putting it on track to be the worst month of the year by far, as the realisation sets in that the Federal Reserve will indeed keep interest rates high for a long time. That growing understanding has sent yields in the bond market to their highest levels in more than a decade, which in turn has undercut prices for stocks and other investments. Treasury yields rose again on Tuesday following a mixed batch of reports on the economy. The yield on the 10-year Treasury edged up to 4.55 per cent from 4.54 per cent late on Monday and is near its highest level since 2007. It’s up sharply from about 3.5 per cent in May and from 0.5 per cent about three years ago. One economic report on Tuesday showed confidence among consumers was weaker than economists expected. That’s concerning because strong spending by US households has been a bulwark keeping the economy out of a long-predicted recession.\n\nBesides high interest rates, a long list of other worries is also tugging at Wall Street. The most immediate is the threat of another US government shutdown as Capitol Hill threatens a stalemate that could shut off federal services across the country. Loading Wall Street has dealt with such shutdowns in the past, and stocks have historically been turbulent in the run-up to them, according to Lori Calvasina, strategist at RBC Capital Markets. After looking at the seven shutdowns that lasted 10 days or more since the 1970s, she found the S&P 500 dropped an average of roughly 10 per cent in the three months heading into them. But stocks managed to hold up rather well during the shutdowns, falling an average of just 0.3 per cent, before rebounding meaningfully afterward. Wall Street is also contending with higher oil prices, shaky economies around the world, a strike by US autoworkers that could put more upward pressure on inflation and a resumption of US student-loan repayments that could dent spending by households.\n\nOn Wall Street, the vast majority of stocks fell under such pressures, including 90 per cent of those within the S&P 500. Big Tech stocks tend to be among the hardest hit by high rates, and they were the heaviest weights on the index. Apple fell 2.3 per cent and Microsoft lost 1.7 per cent. Amazon tumbled 4 per cent after the Federal Trade Commission and 17 state attorneys general filed an antitrust lawsuit against it. They accuse the e-commerce behemoth of using its dominant position to inflate prices on other platforms, overcharge sellers and stifle competition. In China, concerns continued over heavily indebted real estate developer Evergrande. The property market crisis there is dragging on China’s economic growth and raising worries about financial instability. France’s CAC 40 fell 0.7 per cent, and Germany’s DAX lost 1 per cent.\n\nCrude oil prices rose, adding to worries about inflation. A barrel of benchmark US crude climbed 71¢ to $US90.39. Brent crude, the international standard, added 67¢ to $US93.96 per barrel. Tweet of the day Quote of the day “The Senate committees have the power to summons witnesses within Australia but have no enforceable powers for witnesses who are overseas,” said Senator Bridget McKenzie as former Qantas boss Alan Joyce chose not to front the Senate select committee into the federal government’s decision to reject extra flights from Qatar Airways due to “personal commitments”.","url":"https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/asx-set-to-drop-as-wall-street-s-september-slump-deepens-20230927-p5e7v7.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_business","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_36b3dcdeaa13bc0e","mhq_a1797d3db503fda3","mhq_4849b2546a3c8589"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_36b3dcdeaa13bc0e","mhq_a1797d3db503fda3","mhq_4849b2546a3c8589"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"16ac64645246be1c6a6348aed9eca2d9b23d8c7185d82b5888994b998948ec93","source_record_sha256":"a681052556176b7ba9570a703cc8d5c15c45cc196d8cb306c703e4976bb6f3ff","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":1,"source_fields":{"title":"ASX set to drop as Wall Street’s September slump deepens","author":"Stan Choe","source":"The Sydney Morning Herald","published_at":"2023-09-26T19:11:30+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/asx-set-to-drop-as-wall-street-s-september-slump-deepens-20230927-p5e7v7.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_business"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_3f63287ba856792c","text":"A worker sorts out parcels in the outbound dock at the Amazon fulfillment center in Eastvale, California, on Aug. 31, 2021. Watchara Phomicinda | MediaNews Group | The Riverside Press-Enterprise via Getty Images\n\nIt was late in the day on Oct. 27, 2021, when Fred Ruckel received the dreaded automated email from Amazon . Amazon’s software had detected that Ruckel’s popular cat toy, called the Ripple Rug, was being sold somewhere else for a cheaper price. His product would no longer be shown in Amazon’s all-important buy box, an area of the listing where shoppers click “Add to Cart.” Ruckel is the sole seller of the Ripple Rug on Amazon, so the move all but ensured his product would disappear from the website, costing him thousands of dollars per day. “Below is a list of product(s) in your catalog that are not currently eligible to be the Featured Offer because they are not priced competitively compared to prices for those products from retailers outside Amazon,” according to the email, which was viewed by CNBC. Unbeknownst to him, Chewy was running a discount promotion, and dropped the price of his product by a few dollars to $39.99 – less than the $43 offer on Amazon. The algorithm had flagged it as a lower offer, even though the item on Chewy cost $48.54 after shipping and taxes. Ruckel had to make a choice: Lower the price on Amazon or ask Chewy to raise the price of his product. He opted for the latter.\n\nFred Ruckel's company Snuggly Cat makes Ripple Rug, an interactive play mat for cats. Fred Ruckel\n\nNearly three years later, Ruckel’s experience hits at the core of a sweeping antitrust lawsuit filed last week by the Federal Trade Commission against Amazon. The agency accused Amazon of wielding its monopoly power to squeeze merchants and thwart rivals. For consumers, that’s led to artificially inflated prices and a degraded shopping experience, the agency alleges. In the 172-page suit, the FTC said Amazon relies on an “anti-discounting strategy” and a “massive web-crawling apparatus that constantly tracks online prices” to stifle competition. The agency said Amazon punishes third-party sellers who offer cheaper products elsewhere by threatening to disqualify them from appearing in the buy box if it detects a lower price. Losing the buy box is an “existential threat” to sellers’ businesses, the complaint alleges. The end result of these tactics, the FTC argues, is elevated prices across the web. The company steadily hikes the fees it charges sellers and prevents them from discounting on other sites, so sellers often inflate their prices off of Amazon, creating an “artificial price floor everywhere,” according to the complaint. The FTC is seeking to hold Amazon liable for allegedly violating anti-monopoly law, though it has not yet outlined the specific remedies it believes would best resolve its concerns. In antitrust cases, remedies are often determined only after a court finds the defendant liable. In a blog post, Amazon general counsel David Zapolsky said third-party sellers set their own prices on the marketplace. The company also invests in tools to help sellers offer “competitive prices,” he said. “Even with those tools, some of the businesses selling on Amazon might still choose to set prices that aren’t competitive,” Zapolsky said. “Just like any store owner who wouldn’t want to promote a bad deal to their customers, we don’t highlight or promote offers that are not competitively priced.” Zapolsky argued the FTC’s lawsuit could force it to stop highlighting low prices, “a perverse result that would be directly opposed to the goals of antitrust law.”\n\n“Long overdue” lawsuit\n\nOn Amazon’s own forum for merchants, called Seller Central, several users cheered on the FTC and said they hoped it would result in changes to the company’s business practices. Amazon’s tense relationship with merchants has been well-chronicled over the years, with sellers expressing a range of grievances over issues like rising fees, an arcane suspensions process, and heightened competition on the marketplace from all sides, including the e-commerce giant. “I think it’s great, Amazon deserves it,” one person commented, adding, “More should be coming on the way.” Amazon in recent years made the forum anonymous, but users must have a seller account in order to post. Another post included a screenshot of a message Amazon sent to sellers the day after the FTC filed its complaint, which said, “As your partners, we know that this news may generate questions for you and our business together. This lawsuit does not change anything about our relationship with you or how we operate today.” One user called it “BS verbiage,” adding, “Businesses that sell in their store are indeed customers. And which of us has gotten good customer service?” Another user described their experience in the last 12 months of selling on Amazon as “being up all night at an effing casino but I'm stuck, the drugs are starting to wear off, but I'm trying to break even on the mortgage payment I'm using to play. That's how it is selling on Amazon right now to me.” The seller went on to describe the experience as a “race to the bottom.” “It's long overdue,\" another commenter wrote. \"When they close me down, I'm applying for a job with the FTC.” Still, others commented that the FTC’s complaint is misguided. “Selling on Amazon is a life-changing opportunity and the amount of sellers that throw stones at the platform is astounding,” one user wrote.\n\nSeller skepticism\n\nEven sellers who may be sympathetic to the idea of regulating Amazon have concerns, specifically that the FTC's highlighted issues aren't necessarily ones that would make the seller and consumer experience better. Scott Needham, who sells on Amazon and runs a product-finder tool for other Amazon sellers, said he was “surprised by some of the points that the FTC selected.”\n\nwatch now\n\n“I have over the years been very critical of Amazon,” Needham told CNBC. “I’ve lost a lot of sleep because of some of the things that they have done. And the issues that they brought up, while they are interesting, they haven’t created me a lot of pain.” Needham said he was particularly puzzled by the inclusion of the claims that Amazon is coercive in the way it encourages sellers to use its fulfillment service, known as Fulfillment by Amazon, or FBA. Needham said many sellers “love FBA” because of its compelling value in terms of the price and promise to deliver two-day shipping. For many, using FBA doesn’t feel like a requirement, but they believe using it will make their businesses \"easier and more effective.\" \"I think that the power that Amazon wields over sellers is considerable and absolutely worth looking into,” Needham said. “But I’m not sure if this would actually change that.” Scott Moller, an Amazon seller and co-founder of an agency that helps merchants run their storefronts, said the e-commerce giant has removed some of the challenges that used to be part of running an online business. With FBA, he said, he can ship an item into one of Amazon’s warehouses for $7.49 per package, while shipping it himself through a traditional carrier would cost him about $12. “I don’t have to have my own warehouse,” said Moller, who sells grilling accessories on Amazon under the brand Grill Sergeant. “I can use their staff, their storage, and I can instantly also take the data of advertising, so I can target ads.” He also disputed the FTC’s claim that Amazon has become littered with ads in search results, causing shoppers to wade through potentially less-relevant products of lesser quality. “We can tailor our ads to hit exactly the consumers we want,” Moller said. “It’s a perfect marriage of a transaction, and that’s one of the beauties of what their marketplace offers.” Needham said he feels he would have been more supportive of the case if it were filed a few years ago, pre-pandemic. At that time, he said, \"I would have felt, yes Amazon is a monopoly… But actually after Covid, into 2023, ecommerce has had a lot of big changes.” He added, \"The competition is just not what it was in 2019.\" Competitors like Shopify and Walmart are increasingly viable alternatives for many categories of sellers, Needham said, not to mention rapidly growing Chinese e=commerce companies like Temu. As a result, Needham said he’s seen some significant changes from Amazon. Among those is a greater ability for Amazon sellers to communicate with buyers, offering select customers certain promotions. Shopify, for example, gives sellers much more control over how they communicate with customers, Needham said, adding that although Amazon still controls the communication process, at least there is one. \"I wish it was a clear-cut case,” Needham said. “I have a vested interest in the marketplace doing really well, as a seller and as a service provider. And... this case, it doesn’t make the marketplace better for sellers.\"\n\nConcerns over Amazon pricing policies, fees\n\nMany sellers have zeroed in on Amazon’s pricing policies and rising fees as rightful areas of concern in the FTC's lawsuit. Molson Hart, whose company Viahart sells toys on Amazon, has been a longtime critic of Amazon’s pricing policies. Hart complained of how Amazon’s seller fees impact pricing in a 2019 Medium post and later that year testified about his experience before a House committee. Hart said Amazon sales comprise about 90% of his business, meaning any hit those sales take on Amazon has a considerable impact. He recalled “24 anxious hours” in September 2022 when a third-party seller of his popular construction toy Brain Flakes listed the toy for a lower price on Target than it was offered on Amazon.\n\nMolson Hart, CEO of Viahart, an educational toy company that sells on Amazon. Courtesy: Molson Hart","url":"https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/06/amazon-sellers-sound-off-on-the-ftcs-long-overdue-antitrust-case.html","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_36b3dcdeaa13bc0e","mhq_a1797d3db503fda3","mhq_4849b2546a3c8589"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_36b3dcdeaa13bc0e","mhq_a1797d3db503fda3","mhq_4849b2546a3c8589"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"1ab98ac330f1ac28f359c7fe9db08031e3158aef3d18e6468c078c149ca5e247","source_record_sha256":"246b08f5b3776b0382fcc46fed3d3e7742d80a470c97cb03665824f18d109ae5","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":2,"source_fields":{"title":"Amazon sellers sound off on the FTC's 'long-overdue' antitrust case","author":null,"source":"Cnbc | World Business News Leader","published_at":"2023-10-06T21:31:00+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/06/amazon-sellers-sound-off-on-the-ftcs-long-overdue-antitrust-case.html"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_25554c4f2dcdf981","text":"Christmas Day isn't just for the NBA, as the NFL is set to air an exciting triple-header featuring fierce division clashes and a highly anticipated matchup we could see again on Super Bowl Sunday. Here are the top players and storylines to monitor for Monday's slate.\n\nLas Vegas Raiders (6-8) at Kansas City Chiefs (9-5) | 1 p.m. ET\n\nNew chapter in Patrick Mahomes-Maxx Crosby rivalry: This hasn't been as much of a rivalry between the teams as of late, with Kansas City holding a 10-1 record over the Raiders since Mahomes became its starting quarterback. Yet it has sparked an exciting feud between the two-time Super Bowl MVP and the two-time Pro Bowler Crosby, who has five sacks in nine career games against the Chiefs.\n\nMahomes and Crosby might not like facing one another, though it's clear there's mutual respect between the two, which only makes their rivalry more intriguing to watch.\n\nCan Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell earn next season’s starting job?: After leading the offense on seven touchdown scoring drives in last week's 63-21 win over the Chargers, the rookie fourth-rounder aims to further establish himself as a serious contender for Las Vegas' starting job next season. Despite the encouraging performance, O'Connell has been inconsistent across six games as the full-time starter, throwing for 1,300 yards, seven touchdowns, and five interceptions.\n\nHowever, a stellar showing against the NFL's fifth-ranked pass defense (202.5 yards per game allowed) would benefit his bid to be the starter in 2024.\n\nChiefs TE Travis Kelce: Yes, his girlfriend will be in town for the holiday. Kelce is averaging 89.6 yards per game with global popstar Taylor Swift in attendance this season but is coming off his worst outing in her presence, catching five passes for 28 yards.\n\nEven so, Kelce's 81.3 average receiving yards per game against the Raiders since 2019 suggests the All-Pro tight end is in line for a productive outing and could potentially snap his four-game scoring drought.\n\nNew York Giants (5-9) at Philadelphia Eagles (10-4) | 4:30 p.m. ET\n\nWill the Eagles defense shake off the rust?: Appointing Matt Patricia as defensive play-caller didn't change much for the Eagles, whose defense has given up the third-most points in the NFL over their current three-game losing streak (95). Although the unit has reached its lowest point, there are reasons to be optimistic about Monday's matchup.\n\nNew York ranks 31st among teams in points and yards per game this season and has surrendered a staggering 76 sacks, the third-most in a single season in NFL history. Not to mention, the annual trip to Philadelphia has essentially been a scheduled loss for the Giants, with their last win at Lincoln Financial Field coming in 2013.\n\nCan QB Jalen Hurts and the Eagles offense finally bounce back?: Philadelphia's defense isn't the only unit that needs to rebound, as the offense has struggled mightily over the last three games, with Hurts' ineffectiveness playing a significant role. After averaging the third-most points in the NFL over the first 11 games (28.2), the Eagles have scored four offensive touchdowns during their current skid, three of which came via the \"tush push.\"\n\nThe Eagles may have difficulty throwing against a solid Giants pass defense, though they could alleviate some of their offensive woes by running the ball efficiently. New York gives up 131.6 rushing yards per game, the fourth-most in the league.\n\nDoes Giants QB Tommy DeVito have any magic left?: The Giants may have a terrible offense, but this unit has operated at its best under DeVito, an undrafted rookie and native of Cedar Grove, New Jersey.\n\nDeVito has thrown for 858 yards, seven touchdowns, and one interception in five games since being named New York's starting quarterback, posting the 13th-highest passer rating in the NFL during that stretch (97.3).\n\nBaltimore Ravens (11-3) at San Francisco 49ers (11-3) | 8:15 p.m. ET\n\nPotential Super Bowl sneak peek and MVP implications: Easily the most hyped game of the week, with the top seed in each respective conference squaring off in what could be a potential Super Bowl LVIII preview as well as the decisive clash for the MVP Award.\n\nAccording to oddschecker, 49ers QB Brock Purdy is listed as the heavy favorite to be named league MVP (-230), while Baltimore signal-caller Lamar Jackson holds the second-shortest odds (+525).\n\nPurdy, the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, has seen his career unfold as if it were a fairy tale that just keeps getting more remarkable. The 23-year-old ranks first in the NFL in QBR (76) and touchdown passes (29) while ranking third in passing yards (3,795), all of which are especially impressive considering he's coming off offseason elbow surgery.\n\nJackson might not be posting the ridiculous numbers he did during his 2019 MVP campaign, but the adjustment in his play style in his first season under OC Todd Monken has led to sustainable, winning football. Nevertheless, Baltimore needs an upset win for Jackson to capture another MVP Award, as he has thrown for 3,105 yards and 17 touchdowns while adding 741 yards on the ground with five scores this season.\n\n49ers RB Christian McCaffrey: If Purdy wasn't playing at such a high level — and the MVP wasn't a quarterback-driven award — it'd be difficult to argue against McCaffrey taking home the honors. McCaffrey, who seems poised to win the Offensive Player of the Year Award, leads the NFL in rushing (1,292 yards) and total yards per game (128.6) this season and is tied for first in touchdowns (20).\n\nRavens TE Isaiah Likely thriving in the starting role: The Ravens offense hasn't lost a step since losing one of the team's top weapons in tight end Mark Andrews (ankle) in Week 11, largely due to Likely's emergence.\n\nThe second-year tight end has averaged 64.3 yards over his last three games, which is particularly noteworthy since Andrews averaged 54.4 yards per game before sustaining his injury.\n\nShould we expect a defensive battle?: While both teams boast offenses that rank in the top five in yardage and scoring, this may not turn into a shootout. The Ravens defense has allowed the fewest points per game this season (16.1) and second-fewest total yards (4,030), while San Francisco's unit ranks second in points (16.7) and 10th in yardage (310 per game).\n\nThe 49ers defense might be slightly inferior statistically, but it could have more of an impact in this matchup. San Francisco has racked up an NFL-leading 25 turnovers and has given up the second-fewest rushing yards (1,252), which should help slow down the team with the league's most effective running game.","url":"https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/christmas_day_preview_49ers_ravens_square_off_in_potential_super_bowl_sneak_peek/s1_13132_39720250","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_876b8e0768a858b8","mhq_fa22176a48d0806c","mhq_b4a410e83f8fefdf"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_876b8e0768a858b8","mhq_fa22176a48d0806c","mhq_b4a410e83f8fefdf"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"75befe667a41f4ccd8f8c1d9a4fc96486e827a4453b2be6648b0dd0e4c64d46b","source_record_sha256":"54f8a7faffa9709dc1a765ef127de1446f559b160b25b1c5fba64fb0f2d234a4","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":3,"source_fields":{"title":"Christmas Day preview: 49ers, Ravens square off in potential Super Bowl sneak peek","author":"Colum Dell, Yardbarker","source":"Yardbarker","published_at":"2023-12-24T23:34:39+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/christmas_day_preview_49ers_ravens_square_off_in_potential_super_bowl_sneak_peek/s1_13132_39720250"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_72538364398dccde","text":"The Lions just needed to get themselves back in the win column after a blowout loss in Baltimore, and they did just that in front of their home fans on Monday night.\n\nDetroit rolled to a 26-14 victory over the Raiders in a game that felt much more one-sided than the score indicates.\n\nThe Lions thoroughly outplayed the Raiders, out-gaining Las Vegas by 329 yards, but critical mistakes by Detroit left points on the board. The offense struggled to turn red zone opportunities into touchdowns in the first half, and two turnovers deep in Raiders territory -- including a pick-six by Jared Goff -- kept Las Vegas in the game in the second half.\n\nMORE: What to know about Lions' retro 'Honolulu blue' helmets\n\nNonetheless, the Lions' defense dominated. The Raiders were abysmal on the offensive side of the ball, outside of a second-quarter touchdown drive led by Josh Jacobs. Jimmy Garoppolo completed just 10 passes, badly missing a wide-open Davante Adams on multiple occasions.\n\nAdams was seen slamming his helmet down on the sideline in the fourth quarter, and it's tough to blame the star receiver after an 11-yard performance that could have been exponentially better with better quarterback play.\n\nThe story of the night was Lions rookie Jahmyr Gibbs, who finally broke through after entering the season with sky-high expectations. Tasked with leading the backfield in David Montgomery's absence, Gibbs exploded for 189 scrimmage yards and a touchdown in the win. It was the first 100-yard rushing performance of his career.\n\nMeanwhile, Amon-Ra St. Brown notched his third consecutive 100-yard game despite entering Monday as questionable with an illness.\n\nMORE: Why Davante Adams is unlikely to be traded before deadline\n\nThe Lions enter their bye in sole possession of the No. 2 seed in the NFC, while the Raiders drop their second consecutive game against an NFC North opponent and have what might be a must-win game against the Giants in Week 9 if they want any chance to linger in the AFC playoff race.\n\nThe Sporting News tracked live updates and highlights throughout the \"Monday Night Football\" matchup between the Raiders and Lions. Check out all of the key moments you might have missed.\n\nRaiders vs. Lions final score\n\n1 2 3 4 Final Raiders 0 7 7 0 14 Lions 3 13 7 3 26\n\nRaiders vs. Lions results, highlights from 'Monday Night Football'\n\n(All times Eastern)\n\nFinal: Lions 26, Raiders 14\n\n11:15 p.m. — That'll do it! The Lions bounce back and move to 6-2 with the win over Las Vegas. Detroit left points on the board, but the Raiders were thoroughly outplayed in this one.\n\n11:09 p.m. — The Lions get the ball back and will try to ice the game at this point.\n\n11:08 p.m. — Adding insult to injury, Garoppolo is sacked for the sixth time tonight. It's 4th & 17.\n\n11:07 p.m. — Davante Adams has had his way with Cameron Sutton at times tonight, and Garoppolo has just not made the throw each time. It happens again here on what would've been a game-changing play. Garoppolo has had a brutal night.\n\n11:04 p.m. — Riley Patterson missed a 26-yard field goal attempt after making his first four attempts tonight. Strange. The Lions can't come away with points on that drive.\n\n11:01 p.m. — What would've been a Reynolds touchdown is erased by a holding penalty. That does give the Lions a chance to erase some more time on the clock, though.\n\n11:00 p.m. — Craig Reynolds, up to 66 yards, has the Lions on the verge of the end zone.\n\n10:58 p.m. — Garoppolo is sacked AGAIN. It's Anzalone for the second time on the drive, and that sends the ball right back to the Lions.\n\n10:56 p.m. — Now the Lions sack Garoppolo on back-to-back plays as Alex Anzalone and Alim McNeill come in to send the Raiders to 3rd & 28.\n\n10:53 p.m. — Garoppolo hits Jakobi Meyers for a big 19 yards to give the Raiders something to work with.\n\n10:51 p.m. — The Garoppolo-to-Adams connection is just not working tonight. Adams was all by himself downfield, and Garoppolo throws it well out of bounds.\n\nLions 26, Raiders 14\n\n10:46 p.m. FIELD GOAL — 52 yards? No problem for Patterson, who extends the Lions' lead to 12.\n\n10:45 p.m. — Kalif Raymond was set up for a big play, but Goff's throw was just a bit behind him. That will get Riley Patterson on the field for a 52-yard field goal try.\n\n10:43 p.m. — Goff gets pushed forward on 4th & 1 to keep the Lions' drive alive. They're into Raiders territory, trying to ice this game.\n\n10:36 p.m. — Gibbs is just wearing down this Raiders defense for chunks of yards. He's up to 179 scrimmage yards and has the Lions moving down the field again.\n\nEnd of third quarter: Lions 23, Raiders 14\n\n10:32 p.m. — Gibbs turns what looked like little or no gain into a first down. He has 126 yards on the ground.\n\n10:31 p.m. — Alim McNeill sacks Garoppolo for an 8-yard loss, ending Las Vegas' drive. Aside from the second quarter drive dominated by Jacobs, the Raiders' offense has shown nothing tonight. Garoppolo has just 62 yards through nearly three quarters.\n\n10:28 p.m. — Michael Mayer gets the Raiders' drive started with a big 19-yard gain. That's the rookie's first catch of the night.\n\nLions 23, Raiders 14\n\n10:25 p.m. TOUCHDOWN — There goes Jahmyr Gibbs! It's the rookie's night. He takes off for a 27-yard touchdown with his blazing speed and has 149 scrimmage yards on the night. More importantly, he gives the Lions a two-possession lead.\n\n10:23 p.m. — A pass interference call gives the Lions 18 yards and takes them well into Raiders territory after starting the drive with strong field position.\n\n10:18 p.m. — The Lions quickly get the Raiders off the field, and a bad drop by Davante Adams on third down is the culprit. The throw was a bit low, but Adams still had it in his grasp for a second. Las Vegas will punt.\n\n10:16 p.m. — It was hard to find a conclusive angle of what happened there, but Lions fans are making it known they think Reynolds was down. It doesn't matter. It's Raiders ball with a chance for Las Vegas to take the lead.\n\n10:13 p.m. FUMBLE — For now, the Raiders force a fumble by Reynolds and instantly end the Lions' drive. Maxx Crosby ripped it right out of his arms. Was he down? That's what officials are taking a closer look at.\n\n10:11 p.m. — Another first down by Gibbs, who has 116 scrimmage yards, and the Lions have 1st & Goal.\n\n10:09 p.m. — Officials come out to measure whether Craig Reynolds got a first down...and he did. On the next play, Reynolds catches a pass from Goff for 12 yards. The Lions are in business on the verge of the red zone.\n\n10:06 p.m. — The Lions have gotten over midfield with two early first downs as they try to steal the momentum back. St. Brown is up to 108 yards on the night.\n\nLions 16, Raiders 14\n\n10:01 p.m. PICK-SIX — Marcus Peters picks off Goff and runs it 74 yards back for the touchdown! Amon-Ra St. Brown didn't have his eye on the throw from Goff, but Peters did. The Raiders are right back in this game.\n\n10:00 p.m. — There goes Jahmyr Gibbs! The rookie breaks tackles for a bruising 24-yard run. He's up to 97 scrimmage yards tonight.\n\n9:56 p.m. — Julian Okwara sacks Garoppolo on third down, forcing a Raiders punt. The Lions didn't want to let Las Vegas build any momentum to start the half, and mission accomplished.\n\n9:55 p.m. — It's quickly 3rd & 9 to start this third quarter after Davante Adams unsuccessfully looks for a pass interference call.\n\nEnd of first half: Lions 16, Raiders 7\n\n9:39 p.m. — The Raiders run one play but elect to go to the half. They'll start the second half with the ball and could use at least some points on that drive if they want to stay in this game.\n\nLions 16, Raiders 7\n\n9:36 p.m. TOUCHDOWN — LaPorta's great rookie season rolls on! The rookie picks up his fourth touchdown of the season and extends the Lions' lead. Detroit found success running the ball early, but that drive featured nice work from Goff. 16-7. Lions.\n\n9:35 p.m. — LaPorta picks up a first down for the Lions, and now Dan Campbell is going to start using his timeouts with 31 seconds left in the half. Detroit is at the Raiders' 18-yard line.\n\n9:33 p.m. — St. Brown picks up another first down for the Lions as they enter field goal range again. St. Brown is up to 94 yards in the first half after entering the day listed as questionable.\n\n9:30 p.m. — What would've been a horsecollar penalty on a nice Gibbs run is offset by a holding call. The fans don't like it.\n\n9:26 p.m. — There's a welcomed sight for Lions fans: Goff hits Jameson Williams for a 22-yard gain. Williams was held without a catch despite six targets in Baltimore last week.\n\n9:25 p.m. — Crosby is doing so much more than just getting to the quarterback tonight. He wraps up Gibbs, the third time tonight he's had an explosive play on a ball-carrier.\n\n9:21 p.m. TOUCHDOWN — That was a statement drive by the Raiders. Jacobs looked like the dominant runner he was last season and takes it in himself for the game's first touchdown.\n\n9:20 p.m. — Davante Adams doesn't have a single catch tonight, but Jacobs has 12 touches. Right now, it's starting to work. The Raiders are set up with 1st & Goal.\n\n9:19 p.m. — The Raiders are quickly into the red zone after another nice gain for Josh Jacobs.\n\n9:17 p.m. — Las Vegas' offense is moving much smoother now as Austin Hooper picks up another first down. Hooper has two catches on this drive.\n\n9:15 p.m. — It's back-to-back first downs for the Raiders, with the help of a 15-yard penalty on Aidan Hutchinson for a low block.\n\nLions 9, Raiders 0\n\n9:11 p.m. FIELD GOAL — The Lions' drive fizzles almost instantly, so it's back to Riley Patterson's leg for another field goal. Detroit leads, 9-0.\n\n9:09 p.m. — Momentum swings abound. St. Brown comes right back with a 24-yard catch to make up the lost yardage and much more.\n\n9:08 p.m. — Maxx Crosby blows up another play, this time dropping Jameson Williams for a loss of six.\n\n9:06 p.m. — Big play alert! Goff hits an open Amon-Ra St. Brown, who goes 44 yards to breathe life into the Lions' offense.\n\n9:03 p.m. — The Raiders' offense continues to have nothing in the tank. Las Vegas gains four yards and is forced to punt after less than a minute with the ball.\n\nLions 6, Raiders 0\n\n8:58 p.m. FIELD GOAL — Detroit was simply trying to draw the Raiders offsides. It didn't work. Riley Patterson's field goal is good, and the Lions extend their lead to six.\n\n8:56 p.m. — Raymond makes up some yardage on fourth down but comes up about eight yards short of the goal line. The Lions may be considering going for it...\n\n8:55 p.m. — The Lions are moving backwards after a holding call on Taylor Decker.\n\nEnd of first quarter: Lions 3, Raiders 0\n\n8:51 p.m. — Goff comes under heavy pressure on 3rd & 11 but finds a wide open Kalif Raymond for the first down. The Lions are into the red zone.\n\n8:49 p.m. — There's Amon-Ra St. Brown. Goff hits him on back-to-back plays for a total of 20 yards.\n\n8:47 p.m. — Garoppolo's fourth down pass goes to no man's land after Hunter Renfrow falls down. The Lions will be set up not too far from field goal range.\n\n8:46 p.m. — The Raiders will go for it on 4th & 2 from about midfield...\n\n8:43 p.m. — The Raiders' defense rises to the challenge and forces a quick three-and-out. Detroit is punting for the first time tonight.\n\n8:38 p.m. INTERCEPTION — And just like that... Jimmy Garoppolo turns it over. That can't happen. Kerby Joseph picks it off just in front of the end zone and gets the ball back to the Lions' offense two plays after the fumble.\n\n8:36 p.m. FUMBLE — A big mistake from Josh Reynolds, who loses the ball after a catch and sees it quickly scooped up by the Raiders. It's Las Vegas ball deep in Lions territory.\n\n8:33 p.m. — Garoppolo fights hard for the first down, using his legs and taking a big hit, but he comes up a yard short. The Raiders will punt.\n\n8:31 p.m. — A flag flies on the Raiders' first offensive snap, but it's picked back up as Josh Jacobs takes a pass 12 yards for a quick first down.\n\nLions 3, Raiders 0\n\n8:26 p.m. FIELD GOAL — The Lions' running game stalls out, but not before they worked their way into field goal range. Riley Patterson drills one from 44 yards out to put Detroit in front early.\n\n8:22 p.m. — With Gibbs getting a breather, Craig Reynolds comes in and delivers a bruising 11-yard run. The Lions are bullying their way down the field.\n\n8:21 p.m. — Is this the Jahmyr Gibbs game? He already has six touches and just ran his way to another first down.\n\n8:19 p.m. — Gibbs picks up another Lions first down on a catch-and-run. He's heavily involved in the offense early on with David Montgomery out.\n\n8:18 p.m. — Goff hands off to Jahmyr Gibbs on the first two snaps of the night, and he hits Sam LaPorta on third down to convert. Nice start for the Lions' rookie class tonight.\n\n8:15 p.m. — The Lions will start with the ball, and we are underway!\n\n8:07 p.m. — As the broadcast points out, this is a homecoming for Michigan native Maxx Crosby. The play of him and fellow Michigan native Aidan Hutchinson will be pivotal tonight.\n\n7:56 p.m. — Josh Jacobs hasn't averaged more than 3.6 yards per carry in a single game this season. Can he get going against a strong Lions run defense? It'll be tough to win without at least some production from the former first-rounder.\n\n7:40 p.m. — On that note... Harlow will be performing at halftime of the Lions' Thanksgiving game next month.\n\nJust announced! @jackharlow will be the performer for our Thanksgiving Halftime Show powered by @Verizon!\n\n\n\n📰 https://t.co/oUNhlBkWe3 pic.twitter.com/vMCAMpCFfk — Detroit Lions (@Lions) October 30, 2023\n\n7:20 p.m. — Jack Harlow is in the house supporting the Lions.\n\n.@JackHarlow repping the Honolulu blue 🦁\n\n\n\nCatch his performance at the @Lions Thanksgiving Halftime Show powered by @Verizon pic.twitter.com/haMpQ95y5U — NFL (@NFL) October 30, 2023\n\n6:49 p.m. — Brian Hoyer is inactive tonight, so Aidan O'Connell is the Raiders' backup quarterback behind Jimmy Garoppolo\n\n6:45 p.m. — Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown is officially active after being listed as questionable with an illness.\n\n6:25 p.m. — This could be an important one: Raiders K Daniel Carlson will play tonight after being listed as questionable with a groin injury. Even more important will be whether Carlson's injury changes Josh McDaniels' decision-making.\n\nRaiders’ kicker Daniel Carlson, listed as questionable for tonight due to a groin injury, will be Las Vegas’ kicker tonight, per league source. — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 30, 2023\n\nWhat time is Raiders vs. Lions tonight?\n\nDate: Monday, Oct. 30\n\nMonday, Oct. 30 Time: 8:15 p.m. ET\n\nRaiders vs. Lions is set to kick off at 8:15 p.m. ET at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich. for \"Monday Night Football.\"\n\nThe Lions have won four of their last five matchups with the Raiders, though Las Vegas got the better of them when they last met in 2019.\n\nMORE: Dan Campbell explains why Lions 'probably needed' blowout loss to Ravens\n\nWhat channel is Raiders vs. Lions on tonight?\n\nJoe Buck and Troy Aikman will be on the call for Raiders vs. Lions, with Lisa Salters providing sideline reports for the matchup.\n\nFor cord-cutters, Fubo carries the ESPN family of networks, as well as ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and NFL Network, meaning you will be able to catch nationally televised games throughout the 2023 season. Fubo also offers a free trial.\n\nViewers in Canada can catch the matchup on DAZN, which carries NFL Game Pass.","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/raiders-lions-live-score-highlights-monday-night-football/d022b1d62b18af8a70c516f4","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_fa22176a48d0806c"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_fa22176a48d0806c"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"b6716738e7f8ddb283b9efc90b290e9fb93e0d67ae335463f21f47350a2cce78","source_record_sha256":"33170212d351e5e9537817adaa107388bff694dcb1fae48537e46255c2ec9e45","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":4,"source_fields":{"title":"Raiders vs. Lions live score, updates, highlights from NFL 'Monday Night Football' game","author":"Dan Treacy","source":"Sporting News","published_at":"2023-10-30T22:20:03+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/raiders-lions-live-score-highlights-monday-night-football/d022b1d62b18af8a70c516f4"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_883e01bc82e19cf5","text":"SBF’s trial has started, this is how he and FTX got here\n\nThe highly anticipated criminal trial for Sam Bankman-Fried, former CEO of bankrupt crypto exchange FTX, started Tuesday to determine whether he’s guilty of seven counts of fraud and conspiracy. And as one former federal prosecutor put it: “The odds seem to be stacked against him at this point.”\n\nThe 31-year-old co-founded FTX in 2019; within a few years the once third-largest crypto exchange’s valuation hit $32 billion at its peak. It’s now trying to claw back any funds to distribute to creditors.\n\nBut how did the once third-largest crypto exchange get here?\n\nBefore FTX, Bankman-Fried co-founded crypto-trading firm Alameda Research in 2017. He co-founded FTX in 2019 as a complement to Alameda, to help bring in revenue and liquidity for the trading arm.\n\nWithin two years, more than 80 investors provided about $2 billion in capital to FTX, helping Bankman-Fried propel his vision into a reality. In January 2022, the company raised $400 million in a Series C round, boosting its valuation to $32 billion. That was its last round of public funding.\n\nThe company gained somewhat mainstream recognition with branding deals and partnerships. For example, in 2021 it bought the naming rights for the Miami Heat’s home arena. FTX also got its name branded on Major League Baseball umpires’ polos, and it partnered with celebrities like Tom Brady and his ex-wife, Gisele Bündchen, as well as Steph Curry, Shaquille O’Neal and Naomi Osaka, among others. He also had close ties to U.S. regulators and government officials, many of whom he donated to.\n\nBankman-Fried was even compared to Warren Buffet and many called him the white horse of crypto (TechCrunch never did, for what it’s worth).\n\nBut in early November 2022, that all changed.\n\nFTX’s collapse\n\nConcerns surrounding FTX’s liquidity grew after CoinDesk published a copy of Alameda’s balance sheet, showing the firm held $14.6 billion in assets and $8 billion in liabilities as of June 30, 2022.\n\nBut there was a problem: The report showed Alameda’s largest asset was $3.66 billion of “unlocked FTT” and $2.16 billion of “FTT collateral.” FTT was the token behind FTX.\n\nThe balance sheet showed that the $5.82 billion in FTT tokens that Alameda owned was 193% higher than the total FTT market cap, which was about $3 billion at the time. That means it purported to have more FTT tokens on its balance sheet than what existed in the world.\n\nAround the same time it was exposed, the world’s largest crypto exchange, Binance, started pulling out its remaining $2.1 billion equivalent of cash in BUSD and FTT. (It had an equity position in FTX from 2019 to 2021.) This essentially triggered a bank run on FTX.\n\nFTX and Alameda filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S. mid-November 2022. Bankman-Fried resigned, and John J. Ray III, the Enron turnaround veteran, was appointed its new CEO.\n\nBankman-Fried, however, maintained his innocence. At The New York Times’ DealBook Summit, he appeared virtually from the Bahamas, saying “I didn’t ever try to commit fraud on anyone; I was shocked by what happened this month.” In a published DM exchange with a Vox reporter, he said he regretted filing for bankruptcy and thought that “regulators make everything worse.”\n\nSBF arrested\n\nBankman-Fried was arrested in December 2022 in the Bahamas, where FTX was based. He was then extradited to the U.S. to face a number of criminal charges. He was released on a $250 million bail bond, and he remained under house arrest at his parents’ home in Palo Alto. This was revoked in August after he was accused of intimidating Alameda’s former CEO, Caroline Ellison, by leaking her private diary.\n\nRay represented the company during a House Financial Services Committee hearing regarding FTX. When asked whether the firm had significant risk management systems, Ray said at the time that “there were virtually no internal controls and no separateness whatsoever” and added that he did not “trust a single piece of paper” in the exchange’s organization. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams called Bankman-Fried’s alleged crimes “one of the biggest financial frauds in American history,” in a press conference.\n\nThe aftermath\n\nFTX co-founder and former CTO Gary Wang, and Alameda Research’s former CEO, Caroline Ellison, both pleaded guilty in December 2022 to federal criminal charges in relation to the FTX collapse. They’re also facing civil penalties from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) alongside the criminal charges. Wang and Ellison plan to cooperate with prosecutors and will be major witnesses in the trial, given their close ties to Bankman-Fried, FTX and Alameda.\n\nIn January, Bankman-Fried pleaded not guilty to all counts, which include wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to misuse customer funds. He could face up to 115 years in jail if convicted on all charges.\n\nThe crypto industry as a whole suffered from FTX’s collapse, which was the first of many. BlockFi filed for Chapter 11 in November 2022, as did Genesis Global Trading in January.\n\nWhere we are today\n\nBankman-Fried will be represented by Cohen & Gresser, and Mark Cohen, a high-profile defense attorney and former federal prosecutor, will be the lead attorney. If that name sounds familiar, it might be because he also represented Ghislaine Maxwell in her sex trafficking trial related to Jeffrey Epstein. He requested an early release for Bankman-Fried but was denied.\n\nWith the trial beginning, we’re witnessing how FTX’s story ends. But what’s on our mind is what happens to the investors and creditors affected by the collapse? And what happens to the billions in crypto assets tied up in legal proceedings?","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/10/01/ftx-lawsuit-timeline/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_bea6a666f86823f2","mhq_277c16a23a24e4f2"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_bea6a666f86823f2","mhq_277c16a23a24e4f2"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"e6c034bf8eac16f10a9f1e66435dca392da1c171672930d407290e9280c1c9a5","source_record_sha256":"1d0aa7dc2af4b1a6d403354fc80e39d0d39bc6aa62b5a8b2f6f97fd251f33ad6","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":10,"source_fields":{"title":"SBF’s trial starts soon, but how did he — and FTX — get here?","author":"Jacquelyn Melinek","source":"TechCrunch","published_at":"2023-10-01T14:00:29+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/10/01/ftx-lawsuit-timeline/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_eb046c4ddbd31a8f","text":"Hiya, folks, and welcome to Week in Review (WiR), TechCrunch’s digest of the past week in tech news. It’s TC’s column that highlights the major stories over the past few days, and — we humbly submit — it’s a darn useful resource for folks on the go.\n\nThis week, we cover Sam Altman backing a teen’s AI startup, Google’s hardware event (and first impressions of the Pixel 8 Pro), Flexport drama, and the ongoing FTX fallout. Also on the agenda: Gmail’s harsher rules to prevent spam, TikTok testing an ad-free subscription plan, and LinkedIn going big on AI tools. And that’s not all.\n\nIf you haven’t, sign up here to get WiR in your inbox every Saturday. And if you have, our thanks. Now, let’s get on with the news.\n\nMost read\n\nAltman backs teen entrepreneurs: Sam Altman is among the backers of an AI startup, founded by two teenagers, that’s aiming to assist businesses in automating workflows in “previously unexplored” ways. Manish writes that Induced AI, founded this year, lets businesses input their back-office tasks in plain English and converts the instructions to pseudo-code in real time.\n\nGoogle unveils new hardware: This week was Google’s annual hardware event, where the search and consumer tech giant showed off what it’s been working on. Christine wrote up a thorough roundup of the news, which included updates on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel Fold, Android 14, Pixel Buds, Google Assistant, Bard, Pixel Watch 2 and other goodies.\n\nHands on with the Pixel 8 Pro: Darrell took the newly unveiled Pixel 8 Pro for a whirl, and he liked what he saw. While very similar to last year’s model (the Pixel 7 Pro), Darrell felt that the improved cameras, brighter screen and enhanced AI-powered features made it enough of an upgrade to (potentially) warrant a purchase — minus the underutilized temperature sensor. Stay tuned for his full review.\n\nTurmoil at Flexport: Dave Clark, the former Amazon executive who was ousted as CEO of Flexport just a year into the job, fired back at its founder and board, calling recent reporting on the logistics company “deeply concerning.” Clark made the comments Monday in a lengthy post on social media site X following a report from CNBC that provided new information about his last days at Flexport, a freight forwarding and customs brokerage startup valued at $8 billion.\n\nSBF allegedly tried to buy off Trump: The TC team’s been trained on the Manhattan Federal Court for the trial of Sam Bankman-Fried, the disgraced entrepreneur accused of orchestrating the collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX. But fascinating details about SBF’s political dealings are emerging from a book by Michael Lewis, “Going Infinite,” that debuted on the first day of the trial, like SBF’s attempt to buy off Trump to get him to not run again for president.\n\nGmail fights back against spammers: Google this week announced a series of significant changes to how it handles email from bulk senders in an effort to cut down on spam and other unwanted emails. The company says that, starting next year, bulk senders will need to authenticate their emails, offer an easy way to unsubscribe and stay under a reported spam threshold.\n\nTikTok tests an ad-free tier: TikTok is testing an ad-free subscription tier for some users. For $4.99, subscribers get an ad-free experience on TikTok — no other strings attached. But don’t look for the option to arrive anytime soon. TikTok says that it’s piloting the plan in a single, English-speaking market outside the U.S. for now.\n\nLinkedIn leans into AI tools: LinkedIn this week unveiled a string of new AI features spanning its job hunting, marketing and sales products, Ingrid writes. They include a big update to its Recruiter talent sourcing platform, with AI assistance built into it throughout; an AI-powered LinkedIn Learning coach; and a new AI-powered tool for marketing campaigns.\n\nMusk comes clean about X’s metrics — maybe: In September, Elon Musk said that X users were generating a lot of content — creating 100 million to 200 million posts every day, excluding retweets. But speaking at an event this week, X CEO Linda Yaccarino offered a contradictory figure. She claimed X was seeing 500 million posts per day on the platform. So who’s right? Beats us.\n\nFormer NSA director’s startup shutters: IronNet, a once-promising cybersecurity startup founded by a former NSA director, has shuttered and laid off its remaining staff following its collapse. The Virginia-based IronNet was founded in 2014 by retired four-star general Keith Alexander and had raised more than $400 million in funding. But IronNet failed to gain traction after going public in August 2021, and its stock price continued to steeply decline in the wake of an initial spike.\n\nAudio\n\nOn the hunt for a new podcast to listen to while you work out, do the dishes or rake the leaves (now that fall’s arrived)? Look no further than TechCrunch’s roster, which covers the world of startups, the blockchain and more.\n\nOn Equity this week, the crew talked about the SBF trial; deals from VR firms Rainforest, At One Ventures, Section 32 and Greylock, where venture funding has declined; and how Fearless Fund, a firm founded to invest in women of color, is being barred from awarding grants to Black women founders.\n\nMeanwhile, Found featured Esther Rodriguez-Villegas from Acurable, a medical device company that makes patient-friendly wearable devices to diagnose and manage respiratory conditions at home. As a career-long academic, Rodriguez-Villegas talks about how she never intended to be a founder until she learned about how the currently available medical devices make it extremely difficult to detect and treat diseases like sleep apnea and epilepsy.\n\nAnd over on Chain Reaction, Jacquelyn did a crossover episode with Alex about the SBF trial. Jacquelyn has been on the ground at the Southern District of New York courthouse, listening in to the trial in the same room as Bankman-Fried, so there was lots to talk about.\n\nTechCrunch+\n\nTC+ subscribers get access to in-depth commentary, analysis and surveys — which you know if you’re already a subscriber. If you’re not, consider signing up. Here are a few highlights from this week:\n\nInside the SBF trial: Rebecca and Jacquelyn report on the second day of the SBF and FTX trial. The prosecution painted Bankman-Fried as someone who knowingly committed fraud to achieve great wealth, power and influence, while the defense countered that the FTX founder acted in good faith, never meant to commit fraud or steal and basically got in over his head.\n\nBattery-boosting software tech: Tim covers Breathe Battery Technologies, a startup that’s developed a bit of software that can be slipped into just about any lithium-ion battery in use today — endowing it with either faster charging speeds or greater longevity.\n\nWhat lies beyond ChatGPT: Anna surveyed 10 investors about the future of AI and what they believe might be the next big thing. Among other topics, they touched on where startups still stand a chance, where oligopoly dynamics and first-mover advantages are shaping up and the value of proprietary data.","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/10/07/sam-altman-backs-a-teens-startup-google-unveils-the-pixel-8-and-tiktok-tests-an-ad-free-tier/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_80e0cb0b59cf740c","mhq_7277ec2b9f00ee5f","mhq_7f7866c6c0a3afc3"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_80e0cb0b59cf740c","mhq_7277ec2b9f00ee5f","mhq_7f7866c6c0a3afc3"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"5b136a9bad6732b58956655c3e56a7e481b90281a9bccbf43cfb69d40eee0212","source_record_sha256":"292a58818f9319016c85e5e578986ba054d4e0a39fddb68446d3b3c4661b5b37","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":11,"source_fields":{"title":"Sam Altman backs teens’ startup, Google unveils the Pixel 8 and TikTok tests an ad-free tier","author":"Kyle Wiggers","source":"TechCrunch","published_at":"2023-10-07T20:15:26+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/10/07/sam-altman-backs-a-teens-startup-google-unveils-the-pixel-8-and-tiktok-tests-an-ad-free-tier/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_268f138a5ffdc97d","text":"Eddy Cue, in a dark suit, peered down at the monitor in front of him. The screens in the Washington, DC, courtroom had briefly malfunctioned and left witnesses with only binders, but now the tech was up and running — showing an image of three iPhones, each demonstrating a part of the phone’s setup process. Cue squinted down at the screen.\n\n“The resolution on this is terrible,” he said. “You should get a Mac.” That got some laughs in an otherwise staid and quiet courtroom. Judge Amit Mehta, presiding over the case, leaned into his microphone and responded, “If Apple would like to make a donation…” That got even bigger laughs. Then everybody got back down to business.\n\nCue was on the stand as a witness in US v. Google, the landmark antitrust trial over Google’s search business. Cue is one of the highest-profile witnesses in the case so far, in part because the deal between Google and Apple — which makes Google the default search engine on all Apple devices and pays Apple billions of dollars a year — is central to the US Department of Justice’s case against Google.\n\nCue had two messages: Apple believes in protecting its users’ privacy, and it also believes in Google. Whether those two statements can be simultaneously true became the question of the day.\n\nApple is in court because of something called the Information Services Agreement, or ISA: a deal that makes Google’s search engine the default on Apple’s products. The ISA has been in place since 2002, but Cue was responsible for negotiating its current iteration with Google CEO Sundar Pichai in 2016. In testimony today, the Justice Department grilled Cue about the specifics of the deal.\n\nWhen the two sides renegotiated, Cue said on the stand, Apple wanted a higher percentage of the revenue Google made from Apple users it directed toward the search engine. Discussion of specific numbers was reserved for closed court sessions, but Cue wanted Apple to get a higher percentage, while Pichai wanted to keep the deal as it was. They eventually compromised on some other number we weren’t told in court, and Google has been paying Apple that amount since.\n\n“I always felt like it was in Google’s best interest, and our best interest, to get a deal done.”\n\nMeagan Bellshaw, a Justice Department lawyer, asked Cue if he would have walked away from the deal if the two sides couldn’t agree on a revenue-share figure. Cue said he’d never really considered that an option: “I always felt like it was in Google’s best interest, and our best interest, to get a deal done.” Cue also argued that the deal was about more than economics and that Apple never seriously considered switching to another provider or building its own search product. “Certainly there wasn’t a valid alternative to Google at the time,” Cue said. He said there still isn’t one.\n\nThat question — whether Apple picked Google because it’s the most lucrative choice or the best product — was a key part of Cue’s testimony and, in fact, a key part of the DOJ’s entire case against Google. The Justice Department is focused on the deals Google makes — with Apple but also with Samsung and Mozilla and many others — to ensure it is the default search engine on practically every platform.\n\nBellshaw asked Cue a number of questions about the iPhone setup process. Those three screenshots showed the Appearance screen that shows up when you first boot up your iPhone so you can pick font sizes; the location-tracking prompt that appears when you open Maps; and the App Tracking Transparency pop-up that tells you when an app wants to collect your data. Cue objected to all these things being considered part of setup, but Bellshaw’s point was that Apple offers its users a choice about lots of things, big and small, and that search could be one of them.\n\n“We try to get people up and running as fast as possible.”\n\nCue acknowledged that the ISA didn’t allow Apple to offer users a choice of search engines during setup but also said he wouldn’t want to do that anyway. “We try to get people up and running as fast as possible,” he said. “Setup is just critical stuff.” Showing people a bunch of search engines they’ve never heard of would just be a bad user experience, he argued; even Cue couldn’t remember the names of some of the alternatives to Google. “We make Google be the default search engine,” he said, “because we’ve always thought it was the best. We pick the best one and let users easily change it.” (“Easily” is a persistent point of contention in this trial — DuckDuckGo’s CEO, who testified last week, claimed it takes “too many steps” to switch.)\n\nAs for the privacy pop-ups? This is where Bellshaw began to press on how exactly Apple decided Google had the best product. She asked Cue if Apple believes user privacy is important, to which he said, “Absolutely.” Then, she showed a series of emails and slides in which Cue and Apple railed against Google’s privacy policies. Cue readily agreed. “We’ve always thought we had better privacy than Google,” he told Bellshaw. He said that one provision of the ISA with Google was that Google had to allow people to search without logging in and that Apple has done things in Safari and around its platforms to make it harder for Google or anyone else to track users.\n\nBellshaw never quite said it, but the DOJ’s implication seemed to be that, essentially, Google is a privacy menace anathema to everything Apple believes is important to its users, but Apple gives it a central place in its platform because Google pays it so handsomely. Bellshaw asked Cue to review some of Apple’s financial filings. Isn’t it true that the ISA represents a significant portion of Apple’s profits, she asked? Cue said that’s not how Apple looks at it because it doesn’t account for all the work Apple did to make its platform so appealing that an agreement like this could work as well as it does.\n\nLater, after a closed session in the courtroom and a break for lunch, Google lawyer John Schmidtlein led Cue through a history of the Google / Apple partnership, and a history of the Safari browser. Cue noted that Safari’s combination of URL and search bar was a user interface innovation, and the seamless Google integration was part of what made it work. In early promotional materials for Safari, Schmidtlein pointed out, the Google integration was nearly always mentioned.\n\n“Before 2003,” Cue said, “the way that you searched the web was you had to go in and you had to type in google.com in the URL field, or you could type in another URL. We came up with the idea that if you type anything in the URL field that’s not a URL, it just goes to search.”\n\nSchmidtlein’s overall point was that Google helped Safari succeed not by forcing Apple’s hand, but by being a great product that integrated seamlessly with Apple’s own stuff. He referenced Apple’s deals with Yahoo and Bing that make those services easy to find, and both men argued that switching search engines is so easy as to be a non-issue. Bellshaw briefly stepped up to rebut that notion, and that was it for Cue’s testimony.\n\nAt least, that’s all the testimony we saw. Like so many things in this trial, the star witness was kept mostly under wraps thanks to complaints and worries about revealing confidential numbers and corporate secrets. But the questions put to Cue were the same ones the DOJ is going to keep asking: is Google really the best search engine, or is it just the one writing the biggest checks? And if those checks went away, what would the search engine market look like? Cue said Apple’s never really thought about it. Google said Apple would be silly to do so. And the Justice Department thinks it’s about time Apple starts doing so.","url":"https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/26/23891037/apple-eddy-cue-testimony-us-google","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_fc2dacc75cb6ef2b","mhq_e689c58ff123d56d"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_fc2dacc75cb6ef2b","mhq_e689c58ff123d56d"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"bf2786eeccd4ced8d0effb76acffd95d5fa582d4137123a5f5f477bf90ed009d","source_record_sha256":"0e842521d1282b51897da73721e4d854da02d530ef02d4d843217e3df91575b6","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":14,"source_fields":{"title":"Apple defends Google Search deal in court: ‘There wasn’t a valid alternative’","author":"David Pierce","source":"The Verge","published_at":"2023-09-26T17:01:22+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/26/23891037/apple-eddy-cue-testimony-us-google"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_89daac099b12c177","text":"More from the US v Google trial: Vertical search, pre-installs and the case of Firefox/Yahoo\n\nWe’re nearly two months into the Justice Department’s landmark antitrust case against Google — one of the biggest fights in tech antitrust since the U.S. took Microsoft to trial in the 1990s — and the revelations just keep getting juicier.\n\nIn our last roundup, we learned how Google spent $26.3 billion in 2021 making itself the default search engine across platforms and how Google tried to have Chrome preinstalled on iPhones. Over the past couple of weeks, more of the inner workings of Google has come to light, including some of the search engine’s most lucrative search queries, what the revenue-share agreements between Google and Android OEMs look like and why Expedia has a bone to pick with Google.\n\nBefore we go into some of these tidbits…\n\nWhy the Google vs. U.S. antitrust case matters\n\nThe government has argued that Google uses its platforms and deals with partners to block out any competition in search or advertising, thus hindering competitors from accessing the data they’d need to improve their products. If Judge Amit Mehta rules against Google, the search giant may have to change its behavior and share its APIs with third-party developers. It may also be banned from making anticompetitive and exclusive deals with smartphone and computer manufacturers and wireless carriers. Google might end up having to turn over all or most of the data it has collected to other search engines so they can improve their products and attract more users. The DOJ has said that Google gets 16 times more data than Bing does everyday. Enforcers want to show that antitrust law remains relevant and that even though Google is basically the God of the internet, it’s still no match for the U.S. law. The Google outcome could also have a ripple effect on other Big Tech cases. The FTC sued Amazon in September for using anticompetitive and unfair strategies to illegally maintain its monopoly power. The DOJ has been investigating Apple for years over the company’s policy for third-party apps on its devices and whether it unfairly favors its own products. There’s an ongoing case between the FTC and Facebook, wherein the agency calls on Facebook to sell Instagram and WhatsApp.\n\nThis isn’t Google’s only antitrust case in trial right now. The search engine giant last week settled a separate antitrust lawsuit with dating site Match Group. On November 6, Google went to trial with Fortnite maker Epic Games. The latter hopes to prove that Google engages in anticompetitive behavior with regard to its Android app store, Google Play, and its commission structure.\n\nNow, onto the roundup!\n\nA window into Google’s most popular search queries\n\nJudge Amit Mehta ruled to make a list public that provides a glimpse of which search terms make Google the most money. The list of popular search terms ordered by revenue includes 20 terms that were lucrative for the week of September 22, 2018. Information like revenue per search term, how many queries each of those terms got, along with a separate list of popular search terms ordered by queries (not revenue), were all redacted. The list we can see is as follows:\n\niPhone 8\n\niPhone 8 plus\n\nAuto insurance\n\nCar insurance\n\nCheap flights\n\nCar insurance quotes\n\nDirecTV\n\nOnline colleges\n\nAT&T\n\nHulu\n\niPhone\n\nUber\n\nSpectrum\n\nComcast\n\nXfinity\n\nInsurance quotes\n\nFree credit report\n\nCheap car insurance\n\nAARP\n\nLifeLock\n\nThere is, in reality, little surprise here. We’ve already established that Google and Apple have a long and mutually beneficial relationship, even while competing, so it’s not surprising to see three Apple search-related queries bringing in the big bucks — not least since September 22, 2017 was the official release date of the iPhone 8.\n\nMeanwhile, queries like “car insurance,” “cheap flights” and “credit report” are perennial favorites and they speak to how much Google dominates vertical search — that is, search in very specific market categories. As for LifeLock… the big Equifax data breach of 2017 was a hot topic in September 2017 and LifeLock was making a big push to win business with people who wanted to buy identity theft protection.\n\nRevenue-shares to pre-install Google apps on Androids\n\nJamie Rosenberg, a Google employee who focuses on Android and Google Play, testified in Google’s defense on November 8. He said that the competition between Google and Apple is “as intense as it gets,” reports Bloomberg.\n\nRosenberg explained how Google gets manufacturers to sign a mobile app distribution agreement (MADA) that requires Android smartphone makers (like Samsung or Oppo) to pre-load a bundle of 11 Google apps on the device, including Search, Chrome and Play. They don’t have to be the default choices, he said.\n\nGoogle also has revenue share agreements (RSAs) with smartphone makers and wireless carriers (like Verizon) that require them to set Google search and Chrome web browser as defaults. Rosenberg defended the move and said it was because Google apps [like Search] are “best in class.” The RSAs also motivate other companies to make or sell more Android devices, he said.\n\nExpedia complains of too many ads on search, expensive ad payments\n\nOn November 1, Barry Diller, chair of Expedia and IAC, testified about his concerns regarding the increasing number of ads in search results having an impact on organic listings.\n\n“I must say I’m on the edge of revolt now that Google’s actions are so punitive, not just for Expedia but also for IAC and all the players that depend upon something of a level playing field,” wrote Diller in a letter to Google back in 2019, according to Bloomberg.\n\nGoogle CEO Sundar Pichai fired back that Google’s travel listings was one of the most popular experiences the company built.\n\nExpedia execs also testified about the cost of ads and how increases had no impact on search results. On October 19, Expedia’s former chief operating officer, Jeff Hurst, told the court the company’s ad fees increased tenfold from $21 million in 2015 to $290 million in 2019. And yet, Expedia’s traffic from Google did not increase. The implication was that this was due to direct competition from Google itself. Hurst pointed out that Google began sharing its own flight and hotel data in search results in that period, according to The Seattle Times.\n\nEuropean antitrust fine spurs Google to beef up search engine quality\n\nThe government argued on November 10 that Google only endeavored to enhance its search engine in the European Union after it was hit by a €5 billion antitrust fine in 2018, internal documents revealed, according to Bloomberg.\n\nThe EU’s antitrust order forced Google to offer Android phone users a screen with five search engine options to choose from, according to the DOJ. In response, Google enacted a plan, which execs dubbed “Go Big in Europe,” to enhance search results in France and Germany in 2019 and 2020 with more local content: news, post-game soccer video highlights, information on local television options for streaming, and pronunciation practice for different language. The aim was to incentivize users to click on Google’s home screen, rather than the competition’s.\n\nThat revelation effectively supports the Justice Department’s argument that Google, without the push of competition, has little incentive to improve its products, a classic consequence in a monopoly.\n\nMozilla digs in on Google’s supremacy in search\n\nInterestingly, on November 1 Mozilla CEO Mitchell Baker provided a defense of Google’s quality as a search engine, even in “competitive” environments. Specifically, Baker recounted how, Mozilla “failed” when it switched Firefox’s default search engine from Google to Yahoo.\n\nQuick backstory: Yahoo inked a deal with Mozilla way back in 2014 to pay the browser maker $375 million annually to be the default search engine on Firefox. At the time, Google was offering $276 million, said Baker. Reader, that was a bad deal.\n\n“I felt strongly that Yahoo was not delivering the search experience we needed and had contracted for,” she said, according to Bloomberg. The executive said Yahoo had promised to reduce the number of ads and offer less user tracking, but ended up gradually serving users more ads anyway.\n\n“The number of users who stayed with Firefox declined noticeably during the years when Yahoo was the default,” said Baker.\n\nBaker, who was providing a recorded deposition for Google’s defense, noted that Mozilla’s users apparently wanted and expected Google.\n\nHowever, that is not the full story. Yahoo was already well behind Google in terms of search technology at that point. But also, Firefox was very well behind Chrome, which ended 2014 with nearly 50% market share and ended 2017 (when Google got prime default search position on Firefox) at nearly 65% of all web browser usage on desktop: and mobile is even more skewed to Chrome. In other words, the number of Firefox users might have been declining for other reasons, although pushing the blame on Yahoo certainly works in Google’s favor here!\n\nThe trial continues…","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/11/13/more-from-the-us-v-google-trial-vertical-search-pre-installs-and-the-case-of-firefox-yahoo/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_e689c58ff123d56d"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_e689c58ff123d56d"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"71d6b4ee369c85f09e3b90854252d7e4da20f423add93819f6947c633fdefe93","source_record_sha256":"ffc1c7e2934232e90cb63a482f0e706b32f09b37cda6a1c5bc182b1967c01b90","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":15,"source_fields":{"title":"More from the US v Google trial: vertical search, pre-installs and the case of Firefox/Yahoo","author":"Rebecca Bellan","source":"TechCrunch","published_at":"2023-11-13T14:37:44+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/11/13/more-from-the-us-v-google-trial-vertical-search-pre-installs-and-the-case-of-firefox-yahoo/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_67c42cb943ae6bba","text":"Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the\n\nLifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }}\n\nJada Pinkett Smith has revealed that she and husband Will Smith have been separated for the last seven years.\n\nThe Girls Trip star, 52, shared in a new interview with People published on 11 October that she and the King Richard actor, 55, are “still figuring it out” when it comes to their marriage of 26 years. She explained at the time of the 2022 Academy Awards, when Will slapped Chris Rock, they had been separated for six years.\n\n“We’ve been doing some really heavy-duty work together,” Jada said. “We just got deep love for each other and we are going to figure out what that looks like for us.”\n\nThe pair have been married since 1997 and share son Jaden, 25, and daughter Willow, 22. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star also has a son Trey, 30, whom he shares with his first wife, Sheree Zampino.\n\nAs for her children, Jada praised them for how they’ve helped her grow. “My children, they’re little gurus. They’ve taught me a deep sense of self-acceptance,” she told the outlet.\n\nJada and Will have often opened up about their relationship over the years, and have had very public ups and downs throughout their marriage. Here’s a timeline of their relationship.\n\n1994: Will and Jada meet on the set of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air\n\nWill and Jada met after she auditioned for the role of Will’s girlfriend on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. While she did not get the part, the pair hit it off - despite Will being married to Sheree Zampino at the time, with who he shares son Trey.\n\n“I had a realisation I wasn’t with the person I was supposed to be with,” he told Jada’s Red Table Talk in 2018. “I was sitting in a [bathroom] stall and I was crying and laughing uncontrollably, and I knew [Jada] was the woman I was supposed to be with.”\n\nWill and Jada in 2000 (Getty)\n\n1995: The pair officially begin dating\n\nIt wasn’t until 1995 that Will and Jada began seriously dating after Will finalised his divorce from Zampino.\n\n1997: Will and Jada get engaged and married\n\nWill popped the question to Jada in November 1997 before getting married just one month later in Baltimore.\n\nJada wasn’t initially sold on the idea of marriage. She told People in 2019: “I never wanted to get married. But my mother was like: ‘You have to get married’ - she’s so old-school - and Will wanted a family. So I said: ‘All right, maybe it’s something I should do.’”\n\n1998: Their first child is born\n\nJada and Will’s first child together, son Jayden, was born in July 1998.\n\n2000: Their second child was born\n\nJada and Will welcomed daughter Willow in 2000.\n\nWill and Jada with their son Jayden in 2003 (Getty)\n\n2013: Jada denies open marriage rumours (sort of)\n\nAfter a quiet decade and a half making movies and raising their children, Jada took to Facebook to address rumours she and Will were in an open relationship.\n\nShe wrote: “Here is how I will change my statement... Will and I BOTH can do WHATEVER we want, because we TRUST each other to do so. This does NOT mean we have an open relationship... this means we have a GROWN one.”\n\n2015: Will addresses divorce rumours\n\nWill addresses persistent separation rumours by clarifying the pair were not getting a divorce.\n\n“Under normal circumstances, I don’t usually respond to foolishness. But, so many people have extended [to] me their ‘deepest condolences’ that I figured - ‘What the hell… I can be foolish, too!’” he wrote on Facebook at the time. “So, in the interest of redundant, repetitious, over and over-again-ness… Jada and I are… NOT GETTING A DIVORCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!”\n\n2018: Will revealed that he and Jada don’t refer to themselves as married\n\nIn an episode of TIDAL’s Rap Radar podcast, Will said he and Jada “refer to ourselves as life partners, where you get into that space where you realise you are literally with somebody for the rest of your life. There’s no deal breakers. There’s nothing she could do - ever. Nothing that would break our relationship. She has my support till death and it feels so good to get to that space.”\n\n2020: August Alsina claims he had an affair with Jada\n\nAugust Alsina and Jada were introduced in 2015, but it wasn’t until 2020 that he claimed that he and Jada had dated while she was married and that her and Will’s marriage was open during that time.\n\nAlsina said Will gave him and Jada his “blessing”, adding: “I actually sat down with Will and had a conversation due to the transformation from their marriage to life partnership that they’ve spoken on several times and it not involving romanticism.”\n\nAlsina added he “totally gave myself to that relationship for years of my life and I truly and really, really deeply loved and have a ton of love for her.”\n\nThe same day Alsina’s claims surfaced Jada’s reps said they were “absolutely not true”.\n\nLess than two weeks later, Jada and Will appeared on an episode of Jada’s Red Table Talk where Jada confirmed that she did have a relationship with Alsina, saying that she and Will were separated at the time.\n\n“We decided that we were going to separate for a period of time and you go figure out how to make yourself happy and I’ll figure out how to make myself happy,” Jada said at the time.\n\n“From there, as time went on, I got into a different kind of entanglement with August... Yes, it was a relationship absolutely.”\n\nJada also said that Will didn’t give permission, as the only person who could give her permission was herself.\n\n2021: Jada discusses her and Will’s sex life, Will’s memoir is released\n\nIn another episode of Red Table Talk in October 2021, Jada said it “takes work” to maintain a spark in the bedroom.\n\n“It’s hard... the thing Will and I talk about a lot is the journey. We started in this [relationship] at a very young age, 22 years old... I think you expect your partner to know - especially when it comes to sex. It’s like: ‘Well, if you love me, you should know. If you love me, you should read my mind.’ That’s a huge pitfall,” she said at the time.\n\nThe next month, Will’s memoir is released which details several issues the couple have had over the years. He wrote they were “suffering the brutal death of our romantic fantasies, the burning away of the idealistic illusion of the perfect marriage and the perfect family. Neither of us wanted a divorce; we knew we loved each other, and some aspects of our union were magical. But the structure of the life that we had established was strangling both of us.”\n\n2022: No infidelity statement and Oscars incident\n\nDuring an interview on CBS Sunday Morning earlier this month, Will said he and Jada had never accused each other of cheating.\n\nHe said: “Never. There’s never been infidelity in our marriage...And we have never surprised one another with anything ever..I have decided that chatter about my life can be of a benefit to people. I think that chatter is the first stage to having a real conversation and being able to truly explore if some of the things in your heart are loving, or poisonous.”\n\nIn March 2022, Will slapped Chris Rock at the 94th annual Oscars before he yelled at the comedian to “keep my wife’s name out your f***ing mouth”. It quickly became the most talked-about moment of the evening with the pair initially appearing to laugh off the tense moment.\n\nThe altercation came after Rock said: “Jada, I love you. GI Jane 2, can’t wait to see you,” referring to Jada’s shaved head. While accepting the award for Best Actor, Will became teary as said he was a “fierce defender of his family”.","url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/love-sex/will-smith-jada-pinkett-relationship-timeline-divorce-b2427925.html","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_3fb3599dcc99ed78","mhq_fe2f241c82614b56","mhq_40b4e971aac99ea7"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_3fb3599dcc99ed78","mhq_fe2f241c82614b56","mhq_40b4e971aac99ea7"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"e2402cc7cb4d8c0ac83950f6eaf76c7d7bb9851cf0af986eb1ef66b3ea6d4d9b","source_record_sha256":"2a0da92dd7b39d7fa095002486a41b9e613e4512161abebdfd320bdcfd55ae4b","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":18,"source_fields":{"title":"A timeline of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s relationship amid separation","author":"Laura Hampson and Meredith Clark","source":"The Independent - Life and Style","published_at":"2023-10-12T18:10:45+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/love-sex/will-smith-jada-pinkett-relationship-timeline-divorce-b2427925.html"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_748486620fb29d21","text":"While it was lovely to be taken care of, we all tend to regress when we’re living with our parents. It’s impossible not to feel infantilised, and there’s a real tipping point where you start to lean into learnt helplessness. I stayed for four months before I moved out to house-sit a friend’s place. Then I launched myself into dating to try to find a man to have a family with. After the roller-coaster of dating, I decided to start fertility treatment on my own, and by the time it began, I’d found a stable job and was renting an apartment. When I got pregnant, I was elated but also terrified about how I would raise a kid on my own, financially and emotionally. Luckily, after I gave birth, my parents invited me to live with them, so I moved back for the first three months of my son’s life. While it was wonderful to have the emotional and practical support, after three months I felt that If I didn’t get out there to live as an independent person, I would quickly lose any sense of what I was capable of. But I’m incredibly grateful for the time I had living with my parents; I know it’s a huge privilege to have them as a safety net. I ended up writing a memoir, Inconceivable, about my journey to become a solo mum – and the complexities of being a woman in your late 30s who has to start over and move back in with your parents. I think while we’re all embracing this contemporary feminist movement where women can create families of their own making, we’re also realising that we need help, that parenthood can’t happen alone.”\n\n“We sold our home to go travelling and now we can’t get back into the market” Yearning for a tree change, Tess Moone, a 31-year-old travel writer, sold her Perth home only to discover that a suitable rental was almost impossible to find. “Our initial ‘quick stay’ with Dane’s parents has stretched out month after month.” “My husband Dane and I became home owners at the age of 21. We thought we were doing all the right things; we bought a house 10 minutes from Perth’s CBD, where I was working. But after the pandemic we began questioning our lifestyle choices. Did we really want to kill ourselves to pay a million-dollar mortgage in the city when we were leaning towards a tree change in Margaret River? So we sold our home in February and spent six months travelling around Europe and Japan. Our plan, once we returned to Perth, was to stay at Dane’s parents’ house while we looked for a rental in Margaret River. We figured we’d be with my in-laws for three to four weeks, but we didn’t realise how bad the rental crisis in the region is. We’ve been offering more than the asking price and/or offering more rent upfront to secure a place, but as there’s a preference to rent to families or those who’ve rented before, we keep getting knocked back. Our initial “quick stay” with Dane’s parents has stretched out month after month. We’re living in one of their spare rooms and have our boxes stored in another.\n\nI love my parents-in-law, so there have certainly been upsides. We’re spending a lot of quality time together and they’re really lovely about trying to give us as much space as possible, often booking weekends away so that Dane and I get the house to ourselves for a couple of days. We’ve also worked out our perfect system for sharing the load; they’ll cook dinner for half the week, for example, and we’ll cook the other half, so the division of labour has been a positive experience. Loading The most challenging aspects? They’re retired, so they’re home a lot. And I work from home, so it’s a little tougher for me than it is for Dane, who works in an office. I get lots of invitations from my mother-in-law to join her and her friends for lunch or coffee when I’m supposed to be working, which is probably not the worst thing to complain about. Despite our love for his parents, the anxiety Dane and I have been feeling has increased as time’s gone by. So much so that we’ve just agreed to move into a friend’s holiday home, sight unseen, even though we’ll have to move back in with Dane’s parents during the times the friend wants to use it, such as at Christmas. It isn’t ideal, but it’s one step back towards independence. If we’d known then what we know now, we’d never have sold our home.” “It’s a shame we don’t value multi-generational living more than we do”\n\nJob insecurity and financial practicality encouraged Rachel Claire, a 32-year-old photographer, to move back in with her parents in 2019. “The great thing about living with your parents when you’re an adult yourself is that you don’t take any of it for granted.” “My parents and I have always been close. When I first moved out of home at the age of 22, my parents would always find reasons to pop by, whether it was just a quick visit after work or to fix things or mow my lawn. I could say they struggled with becoming empty-nesters, but I think it’s more accurate to say we’ve just always enjoyed each other’s company. With my career as a photographer, I was in and out of the country a lot, spending money on rent when I wasn’t often at home – crazy when you’re in an industry where there’s very little job security. Eventually, my parents said that maybe it was a good idea to move back home for a while so I could come and go with minimal financial impact while I was establishing myself. I wasn’t so sure initially; I loved my freedom and struggled with the idea of falling back into traditional parent/child roles in my late 20s. But when I started thinking about the benefits – particularly my parents’ home security systems, which are very handy when you’ve got expensive gear – I accepted and moved back in.","url":"https://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/at-37-alexandra-found-herself-broke-heartbroken-and-living-with-her-parents-20231109-p5eirq.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_lifestyle","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_b75d6e5f4903d90a"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_b75d6e5f4903d90a"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"c12fe618583b1721e10b8393e34646f73f4eeef030bda1844e0ccf3a9ba347ce","source_record_sha256":"04d698d5ea80c3bd736cfe6123f735fc6f2a4fb2770640b880c63f6c153b0aca","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":20,"source_fields":{"title":"At 37, Alexandra found herself broke, heartbroken and living with her parents","author":"Dilvin Yasa","source":"The Age","published_at":"2023-11-25T18:00:00+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/at-37-alexandra-found-herself-broke-heartbroken-and-living-with-her-parents-20231109-p5eirq.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_lifestyle"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_95ddbe57971c0d2c","text":"Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the\n\nLifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }}\n\nFans have spotted Travis Kelce wearing a friendship bracelet with Taylor Swift lyrics on it, just days before she attended his Kansas City Chiefs game.\n\nIn a video posted to TikTok on 25 September, a fan shared a photo of Kelce posing with the piece of jewellery on his wrist. The post came after Swift was seen enthusiastically cheering him on in the box seats at Arrowhead Stadium, fuelling speculation that she and the athlete are dating.\n\nThe now-viral photo shows how Kelce may have hinted at the ongoing dating rumours before Swift attended his game. The snap showed Kelce posing at the Kelce Car Jam charity event on Friday 22 September, where he was sporting a beaded friendship bracelet that read: “Vigilante S***”\n\nThe beads on the friendship bracelet appeared to reference Swift’s song “Vigilante S***” from her 2022 album, Midnights. In addition to the Swiftie-themed jewellery, Kelce also wore a white striped shirt with silver chain necklaces, black sunglasses, and black pants for the event.\n\nIn the comments, fans both praised and questioned Kelce for the beaded friendship bracelet. Many people also pointed out how fans of the “Bad Blood” singer famously trade and wear friendship bracelets at Swift’s Eras Tour concerts.\n\n“OF ALL 230 SONGS IN THE DISCOGRAPHY I’M SICK,” one fan commented, while another person wrote: “It’s unbelievable how invested I am in this.”\n\n“I’m gonna need to go back and see all photos of him from the last three months and dissect if he’s wearing friendship bracelets,” a third wrote.\n\nIn other photos from the charity event - which were shared to Instagram by Jordan’s KC photography - Kelce wasn’t seen wearing the friendship bracelet, leading many people to believe that he received the bracelet from a fan that day.\n\nTwo days after his charity event, the “All Too Well” singer was spotted cheering for the Kansas City Chiefs tight end from the box seats at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Not only was she seen sitting next to Kelce’s mother, Donna, but she also appeared to yell “let’s f***ing go” in response to Kelce’s third-quarter touchdown reception.\n\nAfter the game, which saw the Chiefs beat the Chicago Bears 41-10, Kelce was seen leaving the stadium in a blue and white splatter-paint denim suit. Eagle-eyed fans were quick to believe that Kelce’s outfit paid homage to Swift’s forthcoming album, 1989 (Taylor’s Version), which is due for re-release on 27 October.\n\nAfter the two escaped the crowd at Arrowhead Stadium in Kelce’s convertible, according to photos and videos posted online, the football star reportedly rented out Prime Social Rooftop in Kansas City for a post-game celebration with his family, his teammates, and Swift.\n\n“Travis bought out the restaurant for his family and team. Taylor arrived, wearing a denim dress, and was seen snacking, having some cocktails and dancing alongside Travis,” the witness told Entertainment Tonight. “The two were very affectionate with one another but kept things fun and lighthearted. Travis’ teammates also showed up to the after-party, as well as his mom, Donna Kelce. The party lasted until 2 am.”\n\nThe late-night outing came days after the NFL star officially addressed ongoing dating rumours about him and the “Anti-Hero” singer. During an episode of The Pat McAfee Show on 21 September, he mocked his brother Jason Kelce for joking that he “100 per cent” believed his younger sibling was dating Swift.\n\n“It’s hilarious how much traction this has actually gotten, right now it’s like a game of telephone,” Kelce said. “Where everybody’s whispering in each other’s ears and hearing random stuff. No one actually knows what’s going on, especially when you got Jason Kelce on live television telling people just both sides - he doesn’t know, it’s true, this and that.”\n\nHe also noted that he was still open to pursuing a relationship with Swift, revealing that he subtly asked if she’d want to attend one of his football games.\n\n“I threw it out there, I threw the ball in her court,” he said. “I told her, you know, I’ve seen you rock the stage in Arrowhead [Stadium], you might have to come see me rock the stage in Arrowhead and see which one’s a little more lit. So, we’ll see what happens in the near future.”\n\nBack in July, Kelce first confessed that he tried - and failed - to give Swift his number by giving her a friendship bracelet at one of her Eras Tour concerts. “I was disappointed that she doesn’t talk before or after her shows, because she has to save her voice for the 44 songs that she sings,” he explained to his brother on their podcast.\n\n“So I was a little butthurt I didn’t get to hand her one of the bracelets I made for her,” Kelce said. “If you’re up on Taylor Swift concerts, there are friendship bracelets and I received a bunch of them being there, but I wanted to give Taylor Swift one with my number on it.”","url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/travis-kelce-taylor-swift-friendship-bracelet-b2419065.html","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_791632b4818d555c","mhq_b75d6e5f4903d90a"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_791632b4818d555c","mhq_b75d6e5f4903d90a"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"937a4ecb773a61aa10ec7fe79c80dec004731d1119137b3c6d6940b068d75ae7","source_record_sha256":"40d6a06a8ea194fd268ed51ad63844d75796c510fe245bec06a83030da0f7624","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":21,"source_fields":{"title":"Fans spot Travis Kelce wearing Taylor Swift-themed friendship bracelet before she attended his game","author":"Amber Raiken","source":"The Independent - Life and Style","published_at":"2023-09-26T22:05:34+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/travis-kelce-taylor-swift-friendship-bracelet-b2419065.html"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_6c1c7217465210dd","text":"Consumers are hungry for a new way of social networking, where trust and safety are paramount and power isn’t centralized with a Big Tech CEO in charge… or at least that’s what Mozilla believes. The mission-driven tech company behind the Firefox browser, Pocket reader and other apps is now investing its energy into the so-called “fediverse” — a collection of decentralized social networking applications, like Mastodon, that communicate with one another over the ActivityPub protocol.\n\nThe idea is to rethink social networking from the ground up.\n\nToday, social networks are often run by large corporations — like Meta, Snap and Google — where advertisers pay the bills. This has created a world where modern social networks are profit-driven, and consumer needs aren’t always at the forefront, Mozilla believes. This disconnect between what people want and what today’s networks offer hit an inflection point last year, when billionaire Elon Musk bought Twitter, leading to a surge of interest in alternatives to centralized social networking, including apps like Mastodon and Bluesky.\n\nUnder Musk, Twitter — now called X — has prioritized “free speech” managed by crowdsourced-based moderation. Its policies have resulted in increased hate speech and toxic content on the platform, some studies have shown.\n\nMozilla believes there’s a better way forward and, more importantly, that now is exactly the right time to invest in that path. And, as a wholly owned subsidiary of a nonprofit, the company says it’s not motivated by generating earnings for shareholders or returning a VC investment, allowing it to progress with a collaborative approach where it takes in input from a lot of different voices.\n\nIn an interview with TechCrunch, Mozilla Senior Director of Content Carolyn O’Hara explained why Mozilla has taken an interest in the fediverse and Mastodon, specifically, and how it expects to experiment in the months ahead.\n\nFor background, the company announced its plans to enter the fediverse in December 2022 and this May launched a private beta for Mozilla.social, a Mastodon server — or “instance” in fediverse parlance — that will allow consumers to participate in this new form of social networking where problems like misinformation, harassment and issues around worsening mental health are minimized.\n\nThe company’s work on its social efforts is also available publicly on GitHub. (Of interest to technical folks, the company is using a forked version of Elk as its alternative web client for its Mastodon server, which is what gives it its slick look and feel.)\n\nMozilla’s involvement, says O’Hara, came about because the company looked at the history of social media over the past decade and didn’t like what it saw.\n\n“I think that it’s a pretty poor track record by existing companies that are only model motivated by profit and just insane user growth, and are willing to tolerate and amplify really toxic content because it looks like engagement,” she says. “[They] aren’t just putting forward the kind of standards that are good for people, but are just good for their bottom lines.”\n\nPlus, she adds, consumers are now becoming aware of this, which is new.\n\n“Consumers feel that the vibes are off a little bit…these platforms aren’t necessarily working in their best interests, or satisfying them,” O’Hara points out.\n\nFor Mozilla, that discontent presented an opportunity to enter the social networking space and compete for consumers’ attention. In its case, however, the broader goal is to help the fediverse itself gain traction, not just its own Mastodon server.\n\n“We’re not seeking to get, like 2 billion users on our instance. We want people to have choice and agency,” says O’Hara, adding that choice is in line with Mozilla’s values.\n\nHowever, the company is aiming to tackle some of the obstacles that have prevented users from joining and participating in the fediverse so far, including the technical hurdles around onboarding, finding people to follow and discovering interesting content to discuss.\n\nFor starters, users will join the Mozilla.social instance with their Mozilla accounts, which also provides access to the Firefox browser, Mozilla’s VPN, Pocket and other products, simplifying access to its suite of tools. The instance isn’t yet open to the public, but is experimenting with hundreds of users for the time being.\n\n“We’re keeping the number intentionally small and we’re prioritizing the groups that we’re proactively reaching out to,” O’Hara explained. “The communities we’ve worked with previously will have first access to the private beta, some of which will include folks from the waitlist.”\n\nThe timeline to a public launch isn’t yet determined, as the company plans to experiment with various expansions and features throughout next year.\n\nFor example, Mozilla is currently experimenting with a Discover feed that aims to surface engaging content. Over time, it plans to gather more signals from around the fediverse to determine what sort of content people are interacting with. It also sees a role for its read-it-later app Pocket in this experience, as the app’s primary use case is to store links to articles and other content that people have signaled they want to read.\n\n“We are planning to open the beta in phases because we want to ensure that we have a content moderation team and other tools that can be scaled relative to the size of the user base. We’re not in a rush as we think it’s important to be deliberate about launching social media tools,” O’Hara says.\n\n“We have a lot of core competency that we brought over from our Pocket experience and other recommendation products that we put together to at least get that engine revving,” notes O’Hara.\n\nInitially, the company is running a Mastodon account, “@Pocket_Recommends@mozilla.social,” where it actively posts recommendations of stories to read. It’s the same sort of content you might find in the Pocket email newsletter, but now distributed on the fediverse.\n\nThe company also wants to address the needs of creators and publishers who want to broaden their audience as it moves forward with its fediverse plans.\n\n“From a content discovery standpoint, I’m really interested in how we can seed conversations and seed experiences with really high-quality content — certainly, editorial publisher content,” says O’Hara. “How can we get publishers and content providers involved early?… I think of them as a real constituency for us,” she says. Plus, Mozilla wants to bring in the originators whose posts lead to interesting conversations and keep the network active.\n\nO’Hara says Mozilla is now in active discussions with publishers to understand their needs, including both their social needs and business needs, and how those goals may have changed over the past year. As part of these discussions, Mozilla aims to convince publishers that Mastodon isn’t just another place they have to support, but one that could deliver on their objectives. As it learns from the publishers and other content creators what they want and need, it then intends to use that understanding to build features and drive efforts that can help them reach their audiences.\n\nSo far, what Mozilla has learned is that publishers today feel somewhat resigned and pessimistic about social networks. Twitter isn’t driving much traffic and, even though Instagram Threads appears interesting, Meta specifically said it wasn’t going to prioritize news on that platform. What Mozilla wants to accomplish, then, is to help reconfigure the Mastodon onboarding process so that when someone — including a publisher or creator — joins its instance (or the fediverse in general) they’re able to build their audience with more ease.\n\n“The baseline is just better onboarding, better connecting with accounts and communities,” explains O’Hara. “You might be interested in spaces where you can have the kinds of conversations that you want to be able to have; trust and safety practices that make you feel safe in order to participate. And I think also then access to content that spurs those conversations and seeds those conversations. And it all being kind of a delightful user experience — but we’re at the early days of that,” she adds.\n\nAnother avenue of thought is to create spaces within the fediverse where consumers can have civil and direct conversations within smaller communities, instead of shouting into the void, so to speak. As to what that will look like, is less clear. Will it be different instances or just new ways of forming communities, by building out features or experiences? O’Hara couldn’t say, only noting that experimentation will be needed.\n\nImportantly, trust and safety will also be key to Mozilla’s instance. Its content policies indicate strict measures around hate speech, impersonation, self-harm, harassment, misinformation, violent and sexualized content, and more, in addition to illegal content, like CSAM (child sexual abuse material) and promotion of illegal goods.\n\nBut there’s a chance that playing it too safe can make a product less compelling as a Twitter/X alternative. That’s one takeaway, at least, from the recent shutdown of Pebble (formerly T2), a Twitter clone that put trust and safety at the forefront of its development process. The app never gained more than 20,000 users, and the founders now believe that its approach to moderation may have been correct, but it wasn’t a growth driver. In other words, people may say they want to feel safer when participating online, but clearly, that isn’t their only need.\n\nMozilla’s instance, still in private testing, has a small team of moderators that will grow when the instance launches to the public in the coming months.\n\n“It’s not just a commitment, it’s beyond foundational for us — that is the thing that is going to be true about this instance,” O’Hara says of Mozilla’s plans to heavily moderate its space. Though Mozilla will also rely on technology to do some of the work, it wants to make sure the human moderators, “feel protected, supported and respected for their work,” she adds.\n\n“We are saying out the gate that this isn’t a neutral platform,” O’Hara stresses. “We think that that’s often used as this crutch to allow, or even amplify, really toxic content in the name of engagement… In some cases, platforms aren’t just brave enough to actually just take things down.”\n\nBuilding directly on the fediverse isn’t the only way the company is prompting new forms of social networking. The company has also financially backed a startup, Mammoth, the makers of a third-party app for Mastodon.\n\nMozilla has been leaning into its values around inclusion, dignity, security, agency and community for 25 years, O’Hara says, and those will guide its efforts in the fediverse, as well.\n\n“We’re going to have rules on how people can engage with one another…it’s the fediverse, you have lots of other places to go if you don’t want to abide by those rules,” she adds.\n\nUsers can provide Mozilla with feedback via @Social @Mozilla.social or by using the hashtag #mozillasocial within the product.","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/11/03/why-mozilla-is-betting-on-a-decentralized-social-networking-future/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_74a462e4a9db47de"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_74a462e4a9db47de"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"1b12ff5ce97df553896c2aff3f2a7d0e75a6b7dc26a5de6d0e69fdac6c510206","source_record_sha256":"90b06aad2d5ea1bf8624ed3673b873d583f24775ddb196605680209e87aecf86","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":26,"source_fields":{"title":"Why Mozilla is betting on a decentralized social networking future","author":"Sarah Perez","source":"TechCrunch","published_at":"2023-11-03T17:43:00+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/11/03/why-mozilla-is-betting-on-a-decentralized-social-networking-future/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_a0ca9f6399e72e19","text":"But eight years later, the argument between the two men seems prescient. The question of whether AI will elevate the world or destroy it – or at least inflict grave damage – has framed an ongoing debate among Silicon Valley founders, chatbot users, academics, legislators and regulators about whether the technology should be controlled or set free. Loading That debate has pitted some of the world’s richest men against one another: Musk, Page, Mark Zuckerberg of Meta, tech investor Peter Thiel, Satya Nadella of Microsoft and Sam Altman of OpenAI. All have fought for a piece of the business – which one day could be worth trillions of dollars – and the power to shape it. At the heart of this competition is a brain-stretching paradox. The people who say they are most worried about AI are among the most determined to create it and enjoy its riches. They have justified their ambition with their strong belief that they alone can keep AI from endangering Earth. Musk and Page stopped speaking soon after the party that summer. A few weeks later, Musk dined with Altman, who was then running a tech incubator, and several researchers in a private room at the Rosewood hotel in Menlo Park, California, a favoured deal-making spot close to the venture capital offices of Sand Hill Road.\n\nThat dinner led to the creation of a startup called OpenAI later in the year. Backed by hundreds of millions of dollars from Musk and other funders, the lab promised to protect the world from Page’s vision. Thanks to its ChatGPT chatbot, OpenAI has fundamentally changed the technology industry and has introduced the world to the risks and potential of artificial intelligence. OpenAI is valued at more than $US80 billion ($A123 billion), according to two people familiar with the company’s latest funding round, although Musk and Altman’s partnership didn’t make it. The two have since stopped speaking. Elon Musk and Sam Altman. Credit: Bloomberg, AP “There is disagreement, mistrust, egos,” Altman said. “The closer people are to being pointed in the same direction, the more contentious the disagreements are. You see this in sects and religious orders. There are bitter fights between the closest people.” Last month that infighting came to OpenAI’s boardroom. Rebel board members tried to force out Altman because, they believed, they could no longer trust him to build AI that would benefit humanity. Over five chaotic days, OpenAI looked as if it were going to fall apart, until the board – pressured by giant investors and employees who threatened to follow Altman out the door – backed down.\n\nThe drama inside OpenAI gave the world its first glimpse of the bitter feuds among those who will determine the future of AI. But years before OpenAI’s near meltdown, there was a little-publicised but ferocious competition in Silicon Valley for control of the technology that is now quickly reshaping the world, from how children are taught to how wars are fought. The birth of DeepMind Five years before the Napa Valley party and two before the cat breakthrough on YouTube, Demis Hassabis, a 34-year-old neuroscientist, walked into a cocktail party at Thiel’s San Francisco town house and realised he had hit pay dirt. There in Thiel’s living room, overlooking the city’s Palace of Fine Arts and a swan pond, was a chessboard. Hassabis had once been the second-best player in the world in the under-14 category. “I was preparing for that meeting for a year,” Hassabis said. “I thought that would be my unique hook in: I knew that he loved chess.”\n\nIn 2010, Hassabis and two colleagues, who all lived in Britain, were looking for money to start building “artificial general intelligence,” or AGI, a machine that could do anything the brain could do. At the time, few people were interested in AI. After a half-century of research, the AI field had failed to deliver anything remotely close to the human brain. Demis Hassabis at the UK’s Artificial Intelligence Safety Summit, at Bletchley Park last month. Credit: Reuters Pool Still, some scientists and thinkers had become fixated on the downsides of AI. Many, including the three young men from Britain, had a connection to Eliezer Yudkowsky, an internet philosopher and self-taught AI researcher. Yudkowsky was a leader in a community of people who called themselves Rationalists or, in later years, effective altruists. They believed that AI could find a cure for cancer or solve climate change, but they worried that AI bots might do things their creators had not intended. If the machines became more intelligent than humans, the Rationalists argued, the machines could turn on their creators. Thiel had become enormously wealthy through an early investment in Facebook and through his work with Musk in the early days of PayPal. He had developed a fascination with the singularity, a trope of science fiction that describes the moment when intelligent technology can no longer be controlled by humanity.\n\nWith funding from Thiel, Yudkowsky had expanded his AI lab and created an annual conference on the singularity. Years before, one of Hassabis’ two colleagues had met Yudkowsky, and he snagged them speaking spots at the conference, ensuring they’d be invited to Thiel’s party. Yudkowsky introduced Hassabis to Thiel. Hassabis assumed that lots of people at the party would be trying to squeeze their host for money. His strategy was to arrange another meeting. There was a deep tension between the bishop and the knight, he told Thiel. The two pieces carried the same value, but the best players understood that their strengths were vastly different. It worked. Charmed, Thiel invited the group back the next day, where they gathered in the kitchen. Their host had just finished his morning workout and was still sweating in a shiny tracksuit. A butler handed him a Diet Coke. The three made their pitch, and soon Thiel and his venture capital firm agreed to put £1.4 million ($A2.7 million) into their startup. He was their first major investor.\n\nThey named their company DeepMind, a nod to “deep learning,” a way for AI systems to learn skills by analysing large amounts of data; to neuroscience; and to the Deep Thought supercomputer from the sci-fi novel The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. By the spring of 2010, they were building their dream machine. They wholeheartedly believed that because they understood the risks, they were uniquely positioned to protect the world. “I don’t see this as a contradictory position,” said Mustafa Suleyman, one of the three DeepMind founders. “There are huge benefits to come from these technologies. The goal is not to eliminate them or pause their development. The goal is to mitigate the downsides.” Loading Having won over Thiel, Hassabis worked his way into Musk’s orbit. About two years later, they met at a conference organised by Thiel’s investment fund, which had also put money into Musk’s company SpaceX. Hassabis secured a tour of SpaceX headquarters. Afterward, with rocket hulls hanging from the ceiling, the two men lunched in the cafeteria and talked. Musk explained that his plan was to colonise Mars to escape overpopulation and other dangers on Earth. Hassabis replied that the plan would work – so long as superintelligent machines didn’t follow and destroy humanity on Mars, too. Musk was speechless. He hadn’t thought about that particular danger. Musk soon invested in DeepMind alongside Thiel, so he could be closer to the creation of this technology.\n\nFlush with cash, DeepMind hired researchers who specialised in neural networks, complex algorithms created in the image of the human brain. A neural network is essentially a giant mathematical system that spends days, weeks or even months identifying patterns in large amounts of digital data. First developed in the 1950s, these systems could learn to handle tasks on their own. After analysing names and addresses scribbled on hundreds of envelopes, for instance, they could read handwritten text. DeepMind took the concept further. It built a system that could learn to play classic Atari games such as Space Invaders, Pong and Breakout to illustrate what was possible. This got the attention of another Silicon Valley powerhouse, Google, and specifically Page. He saw a demonstration of DeepMind’s machine playing Atari games. He wanted in. The talent auction In the spring of 2012, Geoffrey Hinton, a 64-year-old professor at the University of Toronto, and two graduate students published a research paper that showed the world what AI could do. They trained a neural network to recognise common objects such as flowers, dogs and cars.\n\nScientists were surprised by the accuracy of the technology built by Hinton and his students. One who took particular notice was Yu Kai, an AI researcher who had met Hinton at a research conference and had recently started working for Baidu, a giant Chinese internet company. Baidu offered Hinton and his students $US12 million to join the company in Beijing, according to three people familiar with the offer. Hinton turned Baidu down, but the money got his attention. The Cambridge-educated British expatriate had spent most of his career in academia, except for occasional stints at Microsoft and Google, and was not especially driven by money. But he had a neurodivergent child, and the money would mean financial security. “We did not know how much we were worth,” Hinton said. He consulted lawyers and experts on acquisitions and came up with a plan: “We would organise an auction, and we would sell ourselves.” The auction would take place during an annual AI conference at the Harrah’s hotel and casino on Lake Tahoe. Big Tech took notice.\n\nGoogle, Microsoft, Baidu and other companies were beginning to believe that neural networks were a path to machines that could not only see but also hear, write, talk and — eventually — think. Loading Page had seen similar technology at Google Brain, his company’s AI lab, and he thought Hinton’s research could elevate his scientists’ work. He gave Alan Eustace, Google’s senior vice president of engineering, what amounted to a blank check to hire any AI expertise he needed. Eustace and Jeff Dean, who led the Brain lab, flew to Lake Tahoe and took Hinton and his students out to dinner at a steakhouse inside the hotel the night before the auction. The smell of old cigarettes was overpowering, Dean recalled. They made the case for coming to work at Google. The next day, Hinton ran the auction from his hotel room. Because of an old back injury, he rarely sat down. He turned a trash can upside down on a table, put his laptop on top and watched the bids roll in over the next two days.\n\nGoogle made an offer. So did Microsoft. DeepMind quickly bowed out as the price went up. The industry giants pushed the bids to $US20 million and then $US25 million, according to documents detailing the auction. As the price passed $US30 million, Microsoft quit, but it rejoined the bidding at $US37 million. “We felt like we were in a movie,” Hinton said. Then Microsoft dropped out a second time. Only Baidu and Google were left, and they pushed the bidding to $US42 million, $US43 million. Finally, at $US44 million, Hinton and his students stopped the auction. The bids were still climbing, but they wanted to work for Google. And the money was staggering. It was an unmistakable sign that deep-pocketed companies were determined to buy the most talented AI researchers, which was not lost on Hassabis at DeepMind. He had always told his employees that DeepMind would remain an independent company. That was, he believed, the best way to ensure its technology didn’t turn into something dangerous. But as Big Tech entered the talent race, he decided he had no choice: It was time to sell. By the end of 2012, Google and Facebook were angling to acquire the London lab, according to three people familiar with the matter. Hassabis and his co-founders insisted on two conditions: No DeepMind technology could be used for military purposes, and its AGI technology must be overseen by an independent board of technologists and ethicists.\n\nGoogle offered $US650 million. Zuckerberg of Facebook offered a bigger payout to DeepMind’s founders but would not agree to the conditions. DeepMind sold to Google. Zuckerberg was determined to build an AI lab of his own. He hired Yann LeCun, a French computer scientist who had also done pioneering AI research, to run it. A year after Hinton’s auction, Zuckerberg and LeCun flew to Lake Tahoe for the same AI conference. While padding around a suite at the Harrah’s casino in his socks, Zuckerberg personally interviewed top researchers, who were soon offered millions of dollars in salary and stock. AI was once laughed off. Now the richest men in Silicon Valley were shelling out billions to keep from being left behind. The lost ethics board\n\nWhen Musk invested in DeepMind, he broke his own informal rule – that he would not invest in any company he didn’t run himself. The downsides of his decision were already apparent when, only a month or so after his birthday spat with Page, he again found himself face to face with his former friend and fellow billionaire. Larry Page, co-founder of Google. Credit: Bloomberg The occasion was the first meeting of DeepMind’s ethics board, on August 14, 2015. The board had been set up at the insistence of the startup’s founders to ensure that their technology did no harm after the sale. The members convened in a conference room just outside Musk’s office at SpaceX. But that’s where Musk’s control ended. When Google bought DeepMind, it bought the whole thing. Musk was out. Financially, he had come out ahead, but he was unhappy. Three Google executives now firmly in control of DeepMind were there: Page; Sergey Brin, a Google co-founder and Tesla investor; and Eric Schmidt, Google’s chair. Among the other attendees were Reid Hoffman, another PayPal founder; and Toby Ord, an Australian philosopher studying “existential risk”.\n\nThe DeepMind founders reported that they were pushing ahead with their work but that they were aware the technology carried serious risks. Suleyman, the DeepMind co-founder, gave a presentation called “The Pitchforkers Are Coming.” AI could lead to an explosion in disinformation, he told the board. He fretted that as the technology replaced countless jobs in the coming years, the public would accuse Google of stealing their livelihoods. Google would need to share its wealth with the millions who could no longer find work and provide a “universal basic income,” he argued. Musk agreed. But it was pretty clear that his Google guests were not prepared to embark on a redistribution of (their) wealth. Schmidt said he thought the worries were completely overblown. In his usual whisper, Page agreed. AI would create more jobs than it took away, he argued. Eight months later, DeepMind had a breakthrough that stunned the AI community and the world. A DeepMind machine called AlphaGo beat one of the world’s best players at the ancient game of Go. The game, streamed over the internet, was watched by 200 million people across the globe. Most researchers had assumed that AI needed another 10 years to muster the ingenuity to do that. Demis Hassabis, right, co-founder of DeepMind, with South Korean professional Lee Se-dol. Lee played Go against the DeepMind machine AlphaGo in March 2016. Credit: EPA\n\nRationalists, effective altruists and others who worried about the risks of AI claimed the computer’s win validated their fears. “This is another indication that AI is progressing faster than even many experts anticipated,” Victoria Krakovna, who would soon join DeepMind as an “AI safety” researcher, wrote in a blog post. DeepMind’s founders were increasingly worried about what Google would do with their inventions. In 2017, they tried to break away from the company. Google responded by increasing the salaries and stock award packages of the DeepMind founders and their staff. They stayed put. The ethics board never had a second meeting. The Breakup\n\nConvinced that Page’s optimistic view of AI was dead wrong, and angry at his loss of DeepMind, Musk built his own lab. OpenAI was founded in late 2015, just a few months after he met with Altman at the Rosewood hotel in Silicon Valley. Sam Altman Credit: Bloomberg Businessweek Musk pumped money into the lab, and his former PayPal buddies – Hoffman and Thiel – came along for the ride. The three men and others pledged to put $US1 billion into the project, which Altman, who was 30 at the time, would help run. To get them started, they poached Ilya Sutskever from Google. (Sutskever was one of the graduate students Google “bought” in Hinton’s auction.) Initially, Musk wanted to operate OpenAI as a nonprofit, free from the economic incentives that were driving Google and other corporations. But by the time Google wowed the tech community with its Go stunt, Musk was changing his mind about how it should be run. He desperately wanted OpenAI to invent something that would capture the world’s imagination and close the gap with Google, but it wasn’t getting the job done as a nonprofit.\n\nIn late 2017, Musk hatched a plan to wrest control of the lab from Altman and the other founders and transform it into a commercial operation that would join forces with Tesla and rely on supercomputers the car company was developing, according to four people familiar with the matter. When Altman and others pushed back, Musk quit and said he would focus on his own AI work at Tesla. In February 2018, he announced his departure to OpenAI’s staff on the top floor of the startup’s offices in a converted truck factory, three people who attended the meeting said. When he said that OpenAI needed to move faster, one researcher retorted at the meeting that Musk was being reckless. Musk called the researcher a “jackass” and stormed out, taking his deep pockets with him. OpenAI suddenly needed new financing in a hurry. Altman flew to Sun Valley for a conference and ran into Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s CEO. A tie-up seemed natural. Altman knew Microsoft’s chief technology officer, Kevin Scott. Microsoft had bought LinkedIn from Hoffman, an OpenAI board member. Nadella told Scott to get it done. The deal closed in 2019. Altman and OpenAI had formed a for-profit company under the original nonprofit, they had $US1 billion in fresh capital, and Microsoft had a new way to build AI into its vast cloud computing service. Not everyone inside OpenAI was happy.\n\nDario Amodei, a researcher with ties to the effective altruist community, had been on hand at the Rosewood hotel when OpenAI was born. Amodei, who endlessly twisted his curls between his fingers as he talked, was leading the lab’s efforts to build a neural network called a large language model that could learn from enormous amounts of digital text. Seeking the path to artificial general intelligence, AGI. Credit: iStock By analysing countless Wikipedia articles, digital books and message boards, it could generate text on its own. It also had the unfortunate habit of making things up. It was called GPT-3, and it was released in the summer of 2020. Researchers inside OpenAI, Google and other companies thought this rapidly improving technology could be a path to AGI. But Amodei was unhappy about the Microsoft deal because he thought it was taking OpenAI in a really commercial direction. He and other researchers went to the board to try to push Altman out, according to five people familiar with the matter. After they failed, they left. Like DeepMind’s founders before them, they worried that their new corporate overlords would favour commercial interests over safety.\n\nIn 2021, the group of about 15 engineers and scientists created a new lab called Anthropic. The plan was to build AI the way the effective altruists thought it should done – with very tight controls. “There was no attempt to remove Sam Altman from OpenAI by the co-founders of Anthropic,” said an Anthropic spokesperson, Sally Aldous. “The co-founders themselves came to the conclusion that they wished to depart OpenAI to start their own company, made this known to OpenAI’s leadership, and over several weeks negotiated an exit on mutually agreeable terms.” Anthropic accepted a $US4 billion investment from Amazon and another $US2 billion from Google two years later. The Reveal After OpenAI received another $US2 billion from Microsoft, Altman and another senior executive, Greg Brockman, visited Bill Gates at his sprawling mansion on the shores of Lake Washington, outside Seattle. The Microsoft founder was no longer involved in the company day to day but kept in regular touch with its executives.\n\nOver dinner, Gates told them he doubted that large language models could work. He would stay sceptical, he said, until the technology performed a task that required critical thinking – passing an Advanced Placement biology test, for instance. Five months later, on August 24, 2022, Altman and Brockman returned and brought along an OpenAI researcher named Chelsea Voss. Voss had been a medallist in an international biology Olympiad as a high schooler. Nadella and other Microsoft executives were there, too. On a huge digital display on a stand outside Gates’ living room, the OpenAI crew presented a technology called GPT-4. Brockman gave the system a multiple-choice advanced biology test, and Voss graded the answers. Bill Gates believes AI will eventually change the nature of work. Credit: Peter Morris/Sydney Heads The first question involved polar molecules, groups of atoms with a positive charge at one end and a negative charge at the other. The system answered correctly and explained its choice. “It was only trained to provide an answer,” Brockman said. “The conversational nature kind of fell out, almost magically.” In other words, it was doing things they hadn’t really designed it to do.","url":"https://www.theage.com.au/business/entrepreneurship/how-ego-and-fear-fuelled-the-rise-of-artificial-intelligence-20231205-p5ep7j.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_business","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_92fe588f364a3465","mhq_8c07cbf7661890fd","mhq_8151c964509ae739"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_92fe588f364a3465","mhq_8c07cbf7661890fd","mhq_8151c964509ae739"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"066d68342724dcc9e97e9fb8bf60b6098c00e25d53d428c744a0c6faa55238bf","source_record_sha256":"d5b90ccff26e6402d4f47bd4dd6481ca93e55b12cd93d4659a0357fa0b984b77","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":27,"source_fields":{"title":"How ego and fear fuelled the rise of artificial intelligence","author":"Cade Metz, Karen Weise, Nico Grant and Mike Isaac","source":"The Age","published_at":"2023-12-09T18:30:00+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://www.theage.com.au/business/entrepreneurship/how-ego-and-fear-fuelled-the-rise-of-artificial-intelligence-20231205-p5ep7j.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_business"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_fc01d839caca6852","text":"Loading Perpetual climbed 6.3 per cent after it announced a strategic review of its three-pronged corporate structure that might see it demerge its corporate trust and wealth management businesses and create a more focused asset manager. Shares in Endeavour lifted 2.4 per cent after it forecast earnings before interest and tax in its hotels division would grow by more than $150 million over the next five years. The laggards Utilities and energy stocks were the weakest performers on the local bourse, rising 0.6 per cent and 0.8 per cent, respectively.\n\nOnly five large-cap stocks declined, with Evolution Mining sinking a mammoth 13 per cent after it raised $525 million selling new shares to institutional investors at $3.80 a share. The mining sector, however, managed to finish in positive territory. Gold miner Newmont was down 1.25 per cent, Origin Energy fell 0.4 per cent, Mercury Nz declined 0.3 per cent and Argo Investments traded 0.1 per cent lower. The lowdown Moomoo market strategist Jessica Amir said the local sharemarket outperformed global equities on Wednesday because of the National Accounts figures, which pointed to the Reserve Bank potentially hitting pause on lifting interest rates. “We know economic growth is slowing, Australian unemployment is likely to pick up next year and inflation is likely to fall,” Amir said. “The good news is that all of these three things, the trifecta, is pointing towards the RBA stopping rising interest rates and then potentially moving to cut interest rates. This is what the market has priced in today.”\n\nThe local gains came after most stocks slipped on Wall Street overnight, although the US market stayed near its highest level in 20 months following a mixed set of reports that kept alive questions about whether the world’s largest economy can pull off a perfect landing where it kills high inflation, but avoids a recession. The S&P 500 edged down by 0.1 per cent for its first back-to-back loss since October. The Dow Jones slipped 0.2 per cent and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.3 per cent. Stocks were down more sharply in Asia amid worries about the health of China’s economy, the world’s second largest. US stocks and Treasury yields wavered after reports showed that US employers advertised far fewer jobs at the end of October than expected, while growth for services businesses accelerated more last month than expected. Hope has been rising on Wall Street recently that the US economy is slowing from its recent hot pace by just the right amount. Too much strength would give inflation more fuel, but too little would mean a recession.\n\nWith inflation down from its peak two summers ago, Wall Street is hopeful that the Federal Reserve may finally be done with its market-shaking hikes to interest rates and could soon turn to cutting them. That could help the economy avoid a recession and give a boost to all kinds of investment prices. Investors have been looking for a slowdown in the job market in particular. The hope is that it can cool more through employers cutting back on open positions than on employers laying off workers. Tuesday’s report showed that employers advertised just 8.7 million jobs on the last day of October, down by 617,000 from a month earlier. In the bond market, US Treasury yields continued to sag further from the heights they reached during late October. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.18 per cent from 4.26 per cent late on Monday, offering more breathing space for stocks and other markets. It had been above 5 per cent, and at its highest level in more than a decade, during October. The yield on the two-year Treasury, which more closely tracks expectations for the Fed, went on a jagged run following the economic reports. It fell from 4.61 per cent just before the reports’ release to 4.57 per cent and then yo-yoed before easing back to 4.57 per cent.\n\nLoading Traders widely expect the Federal Reserve to hold its key interest rate steady at its meeting next week, before potentially cutting rates in March, according to data from CME Group. Fed officials have recently hinted that the federal funds rate may indeed already be at its peak. It’s above 5.25 per cent, up from nearly zero early last year. But Fed Chair Jerome Powell and others have also warned Wall Street about being overzealous in its predictions about how early a cut could happen. Lower yields have been one reason prices for cryptocurrencies have been rising recently. Excitement about a possible exchange-traded fund tied to bitcoin, which would open it to new kinds of investors, has also helped send it above $US43,000 ($65,600) recently. The surge of interest helped Robinhood Markets report a roughly 75 per cent jump in trading volumes for crypto during November from a month earlier. It also said customers added about $US1.4 billion in net deposits during the month, and its own stock rose 10.3 per cent.\n\nOn the losing end of Wall Street was Take-Two Interactive, which slipped 0.5 per cent after a trailer for its highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI video game said it’s coming in 2025. That was later than some analysts expected. Tweet of the day Quote of the day IAG chief executive Nick Hawkins said the behaviour of Peter Horton, the insurer’s group general counsel and company secretary, didn’t meet expectations set out in its employee code of ethics and conduct. “This includes the importance of being inclusive and respectful, and we will hold people to account if they fail to meet these expectations,” Hawkins said.","url":"https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/asx-set-for-bright-start-a-drops-20231206-p5epbi.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_business","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_0c0e689a9056b038","mhq_bdb40d23b5676f32"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_0c0e689a9056b038","mhq_bdb40d23b5676f32"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"825fe3ad77c68bb5244b4f1638b786470e33689377d55c75f9f33afa6b7d2a12","source_record_sha256":"28df286b9fe9c0f5af6d09ca5c6c041373b1deec20ba7b1b873cccc371fe4cf1","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":28,"source_fields":{"title":"ASX set for bright start despite Wall Street slip; $A drops","author":"Stan Choe","source":"The Sydney Morning Herald","published_at":"2023-12-05T21:51:55+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/asx-set-for-bright-start-a-drops-20231206-p5epbi.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_business"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_7c61b795f6a5dee5","text":"On the small-cap front, Melbourne-based biotech Dimerix more than doubled its share price to 16¢ on Thursday after the company revealed it had inked an exclusive licensing deal to commercialise its treatment for a kidney disease called Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis in Europe, the UK, Switzerland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The laggards Meanwhile, energy companies (down 0.9 per cent) were among the weakest on the index as the oil price slumped overnight. Heavyweights Woodside and Santos shed 0.8 per cent and 0.4 per cent, respectively, and Ampol dropped 2.8 per cent. Miners were also weaker, with lithium prospector IGO (down 4 per cent) and Mineral Resources (down 2.9 per cent) among the biggest large-cap advancers. Iron ore giants Rio Tinto (down 1.5 per cent) and BHP (down 0.7 per cent) slipped after the iron ore price fell 1.1 per cent. Aristocrat Leisure (down 3.7 per cent) dragged the consumer discretionary sector (down 0.3 per cent) lower.\n\nThe lowdown IG Australia market analyst Tony Sycamore said the ASX received some relief from a rally on Wall Street following the release of cooler-than-expected US economic data which helped cap US bond yields. “Much has been written about the unrelenting rise in long-term US interest rates threatening prospects of a soft landing and raising doubts around equity market valuations,” he said. “This was stopped in its tracks overnight following the release of a considerably weaker employment, and ISM services purchasing managers index data topped off by a 5.6 per cent fall in the price of crude oil to below $85 per barrel.” Sycamore said the property sector and interest rate sensitive technology sector reclaimed some lost ground, while banks advanced on the back of the pullback in yields.\n\nHowever, iron ore miners were shackled by concerns around the Chinese economy, Sycamore said, as the market braced for China’s consumer purchasing index report next week, which is expected to show inflation remaining morbid. The local rebound came after Wall Street rose after getting some relief from relaxing bond yields and falling oil prices. Loading The S&P 500 climbed 0.8 per cent to claw back more than half its sharp tumble from a day earlier, which sent it to a four-month low. The Dow Jones rose 0.4 per cent, a day after erasing the last of its gains for the year so far. The Nasdaq composite led the market with a gain of 1.4 per cent. Stocks have struggled under the weight of soaring Treasury yields in the bond market. High yields undercut stock prices by pulling investment dollars away from stocks and into bonds. They also crimp corporate profits by making borrowing more expensive.\n\nThe yield on the 10-year Treasury, which is the centrepiece of the bond market, pulled back from its highest level since 2007, down to 4.73 per cent from 4.80 per cent late on Tuesday. Shorter- and longer-term yields also eased to allow more oxygen for the stock market. Yields fell following a couple of reports indicating a slowing US economy. The first suggested hiring by employers outside the government was much weaker last month than expected. On Wall Street, that’s currently good news because a cooling job market could mean less upward pressure on inflation. That in turn could convince the Federal Reserve to take it easier on interest rates. After already raising its main interest rate to the highest level since 2001, the Fed has indicated it may keep its overnight rate higher next year than it had earlier expected. Treasury yields have correspondingly snapped higher as traders accept a new normal for markets of high rates for longer. The Fed is paying particular attention to the job market because too much strength there could drive wages for workers much higher, which it fears could keep inflation well above its target of 2 per cent.\n\nOil prices slumped overnight. Credit: AP Wednesday’s report from ADP suggested private employers added 89,000 jobs last month, a much sharper slowdown in hiring than the 140,000 that economists expected. The report doesn’t have a perfect track record in predicting what the more comprehensive jobs report from the US government will say. That will arrive on Friday. But “if Friday’s report also shows the labour market is cooling, stock investors may worry a little less about indefinitely higher interest rates,” said Mike Loewengart, head of model portfolio construction at Morgan Stanley Global Investment Office. A second report on the economy said growth in US services industries slowed in September by a touch more than economists expected.\n\nIt also offered some hints of sticky pressure on inflation, with prices paid by services companies rising last month at a similar rate as in August. Oil prices tumbled on Wednesday to take some heat off inflation. Benchmark US crude fell $US5.01 to settle at $US84.22 per barrel for its worst drop in just over a year. It’s been pulling back since, topping $US93 last week. Brent crude, the international standard, lost $US5.11 to $US85.81. Loading Prices for crude had been generally charging higher from $US70 during the summer, following announcements of cuts to production by some oil-producing countries. Wall Street is also absorbing the ouster of Kevin McCarthy as the speaker of the House of Representatives. The unprecedented move to remove a speaker from the position likely doesn’t change much in the short term, with funding for the US government set until November 17.\n\n“That said, a leadership vacuum in the House raises the odds of a government shutdown when the current funding extension expires,” according to economists at Goldman Sachs. A shutdown would drag on the US economy, raising the risk of a recession, though financial markets have held up relatively well through past shutdowns. On Wall Street, big tech stocks helped to support the market after leading it lower a day earlier. They tend to move more sharply with expectations for rates because high-growth stocks are seen as some of the biggest victims of high yields. In markets abroad, stock indexes were mixed across much of Europe. Tweet of the day\n\nQuote of the day “Last year, Christmas spending was bolstered by a record freedom spending phenomenon with delayed overseas travel, whereas this year shoppers are expected to be much more conservative with their budgets,” said Australian Retailers Association chief Paul Zahra as cost-of-living pressures put a lid on spending, with shoppers tipped to cut back on hospitality, home goods and clothes purchases. You may have missed Qantas’ freight division has suffered a catastrophic system failure that left dead bodies, live animals and perishable food unable to be collected from airports.","url":"https://www.theage.com.au/business/markets/asx-set-to-edge-up-as-wall-street-steadies-a-rises-20231005-p5e9va.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_business","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_0c0e689a9056b038","mhq_6b710ac23e3b473b","mhq_bdb40d23b5676f32"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_0c0e689a9056b038","mhq_6b710ac23e3b473b","mhq_bdb40d23b5676f32"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"9184fb8d17bab08361a4536221b2e777c2cebe06828bb80730b8caac6afa7f73","source_record_sha256":"13d3073b252bbc81267a65014c3c830c7164bd9ff99106ad1bbc584835262f00","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":29,"source_fields":{"title":"ASX set to open higher as Wall Street rebounds; $A rises","author":"Stan Choe","source":"The Age","published_at":"2023-10-04T21:01:01+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://www.theage.com.au/business/markets/asx-set-to-edge-up-as-wall-street-steadies-a-rises-20231005-p5e9va.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_business"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_db1376690f8c6a1d","text":"Who is Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of crypto exchange FTX? Is he a liar and a fraud? Or did he act in good faith, and like many a startup founder, fly too close to the sun?\n\nThat answer ultimately lies with the jury, which was selected on Wednesday morning before lawyers for the government and then Bankman-Fried swapped two very different stories of the former crypto mogul’s sudden rise and almost instantaneous fall.\n\nHere’s what happened on the second day of the trial, which featured pointed allegations, a friend from MIT, and an audience replete with big names, including Bankman-Fried’s professorial parents and Damian Williams, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.\n\nA conscious criminal…\n\nThe prosecution’s account of the alleged crimes by Bankman-Fried, who spent most of his day in court staring into a laptop while seated between his two attorneys, featured a study in contrasts.\n\n“One year ago, it looked like the defendant was on the top of the world,” began Thane Rehn, a prosecutor for the government, in his opening statement. The former CEO of FTX oversaw a supposedly thriving crypto exchange, jetted between international locales, and hobnobbed with celebrities like Tom Brady and Larry David. He repeatedly emphasized to customers that their money was safe and secure.\n\nBut “all of that, all of it, was built on lies,” Rehn declared to the jury. “Behind the curtains, he was not what he appeared to be.” What followed was a roughly 30-minute story that repeatedly emphasized how Bankman-Fried allegedly stole customer funds to facilitate his jet-setting lifestyle, donate millions to political candidates, and finance risky bets.\n\nThe key to his alleged scheme? Alameda Research, a crypto hedge fund he also owned, argued Rehn. Using Caroline Ellison, his on-again off-again girlfriend and the CEO of Alameda, as a front, Bankman-Fried had “secret access” to customer money—both cash and crypto—the government claimed.\n\nMoreover, Bankman-Fried allegedly directed employees to conceal the flow of money into FTX’s coffers and forged financial documents distributed to lenders and investors. “The defendant lied to the world,” Rehn alleged.\n\nAnd who was this defendant? Not a crypto “boy” genius, as so many in the media (Fortune included) have written, but a “man” who “stole billions of dollars from thousands of victims,” Rehn said. “You will see the full picture.”\n\n…or a well-meaning founder?\n\nBut Bankman-Fried, whose cheekbones were more prominent after spending about seven weeks in a Brooklyn prison, was no liar, according to Mark Cohen, one of his lawyers. “Sam didn’t defraud anyone,” he said early on in his opening statement.\n\nWhat the jury will see is a nerdy startup founder who acted in “good faith,” not the prosecution’s “cartoon of a villain.” (Cohen repeatedly harped on Bankman-Fried’s allegedly good-faith actions throughout his address to the jury.)\n\nAlameda was not subterranean or shady. It was a successful hedge fund, he said. FTX was no Ponzi scheme. It was a “very innovative, successful company.” And the business practices between the two were reasonable, he argued, claiming that Alameda acted legally as an FTX customer, payment processor, and market maker, or financial entity that acts as a trading partner for customers looking to buy and sell cryptocurrencies.\n\nIn an analogy he employed throughout his opening statement, he said that “working at a startup is like building a plane as you’re flying it” and that businesses sometimes fail. In fact, he specifically pointed the finger at Ellison, the former CEO of Alameda, who, he said, did not adequately protect her hedge fund from the inherent risk of the crypto markets.\n\nWhen the walls came closing in and the aforementioned plane approached the “eye of the storm,” Bankman-Fried did not act like someone who was guilty. Rather, he was willing to give up his personal wealth to make customers whole, Cohen argued.\n\n“In the end, Sam started and built two billion-dollar businesses,” he concluded. “He didn’t steal any money.”\n\nA Frenchman who lives in London testifies in New York\n\nAfter lawyers from both sides depicted two very different Bankman-Frieds, the prosecution called its first two witnesses to the stand—and they weren’t blockbuster names or former lieutenants-turned-government-cooperators, like Ellison.\n\nThe first was a victim: Marc-Antoine Julliard, a Paris-born cocoa trader who lives in London. In 2021, Julliard, who had coiffed hair and spoke with a strong French accent, decided to invest in crypto and landed on FTX as his exchange of choice, where he traded cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Dogecoin.\n\nOn Nov. 8, in the crypto exchange’s final few days, he tried to pull out his cash and crypto. How much? Almost $100,000, he said. And was he ever able to? “Never,” he told prosecutors.\n\nShortly afterward, as the trial neared late afternoon, the government called Adam Yedidia to the stand. A fast-talking graduate of MIT, he and Bankman-Fried were close friends in college, he said. And after Bankman-Fried left Jane Street, the high-frequency trading firm where the former billionaire got his start in finance after MIT, he persuaded Yedidia to join him as a trader at Alameda and then as a developer at FTX.\n\nWhen Yedidia first took the stand, Danielle Sassoon, one of the lead prosecutors, said that the college friend of Bankman-Fried had legal immunity during his testimony. Why did he make such a deal with the government, she asked.\n\n“I was concerned that I had unwittingly written code that contributed to a crime,” he said.\n\nSoon, however, the clock neared 4:30 p.m., and court adjourned for the day. Yedidia will continue his testimony on Thursday, followed by Matt Huang, a former partner at the high-powered venture capital firm Sequoia Capital, and then Gary Wang, a key Bankman-Fried lieutenant and one of the government’s star witnesses.","url":"https://fortune.com/crypto/2023/10/04/sam-bankman-fried-lawyers-opening-statements-witnesses-marc-antoine-julliard-adam-yedidia-ftx-commodities-trader-developer/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_bea6a666f86823f2","mhq_7277ec2b9f00ee5f","mhq_7f7866c6c0a3afc3"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_bea6a666f86823f2","mhq_7277ec2b9f00ee5f","mhq_7f7866c6c0a3afc3"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"7547a91c0f876b858db234b2457d32c9e10413dc05e8f08e0ea78c61bd0dcbcc","source_record_sha256":"0f418d5ed08bcbb0b28100f2509da2db4295c84b05f6767ed46cfc0c60a73323","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":31,"source_fields":{"title":"Is Sam Bankman-Fried a bad ‘man’ or a good ‘boy’? Lawyers swap opening statements before first witnesses take the stand","author":"Ben Weiss","source":"Fortune","published_at":"2023-10-04T23:32:53+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://fortune.com/crypto/2023/10/04/sam-bankman-fried-lawyers-opening-statements-witnesses-marc-antoine-julliard-adam-yedidia-ftx-commodities-trader-developer/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_77a817dff918b45a","text":"A new class action lawsuit filed this week in the U.S. District Court in D.C. accuses Google and parent company Alphabet of anticompetitive behavior in violation of U.S. antitrust law, the Sherman Act, and others, on behalf of news publishers. The case, filed by Arkansas-based publisher Helena World Chronicle, argues that Google “siphons off” news publishers’ content, their readers and ad revenue through anticompetitive means. It also specifically cites new AI technologies like Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) and Bard AI chatbot as worsening the problem.\n\nIn the complaint, Helena World Chronicle, which owns and publishes two weekly newspapers in Arkansas, argues that Google is “starving the free press” by sharing publishers’ content on Google, losing them “billions of dollars.”\n\nIn addition to new AI technologies, the suit points to Google’s older question-and-answer technologies, like the “Knowledge Graph” launched in May 2012, as part of the problem.\n\n“When a user searches for information on a topic, Google displays a ‘Knowledge Panel’ to the right of the search results. This panel contains a summary of content drawn from the Knowledge Graph database,” the complaint states. “Google compiled this massive database by extracting information from Publishers’ websites — what Google calls ‘materials shared across the web’ —and from ‘open source and licensed databases,'” it says.\n\nBy 2020, the Knowledge Graph had grown to 500 billion facts about 5 billion entities. But much of the “collective intelligence” that Google tapped into was content “misappropriated from Publishers,” the complaint alleges.\n\nOther Google technologies, like “Featured Snippets” where Google algorithmically extracts answers from webpages, were also cited as shifting traffic away from publishers’ websites.\n\nMore importantly, perhaps, is the suit’s tackling of how AI will impact publishers’ businesses. The problem was recently detailed in a report on Thursday by The Wall Street Journal, which led with a shocking statistic. When online magazine The Atlantic modeled what would happen if Google integrated AI into search, it found that 75% of the time the AI would answer the user’s query without requiring a click-through to its website, losing it traffic. This could have a major impact on publishers’ traffic going forward, as Google today drives nearly 40% of their traffic, according to data from Similarweb.\n\nSome publishers are now trying to get ahead of the problem. For example, Axel Springer just this week inked a deal with OpenAI to license its news for AI model training. But overall, publishers believe they’ll lose somewhere between 20-40% of their website traffic when Google’s AI products fully roll out, The WSJ’s report noted.\n\nThe lawsuit reiterates this concern, claiming that Google’s recent advances in AI-based search were implemented with “the goal of discouraging end-users from visiting the websites of Class members who are part of the digital news and publishing line of commerce.”\n\nSGE, it argues, offers web searchers a way to seek information in a conversational mode, but ultimately keeps users in Google’s “walled garden” as it “plagiarizes” their content. Publishers also can’t block SGE because it uses the same web crawler as Google’s general search service, GoogleBot.\n\nPlus, it says Google’s Bard AI was trained on a dataset that included “news, magazine and digital publications,” citing both a 2023 report from the News Media Alliance and a Washington Post article about AI training data for reference. (The Post, which worked with researchers at the Allen Institute for AI, had found that News and Media sites were the third largest category of AI training data.)\n\nThe case points to other concerns, too, like changing AdSense rates and evidence of improper spoliation of evidence on Google’s part, by its destruction of chat messages — an issue raised in the recent Epic Games lawsuit against Google over app store antitrust issues, which Epic won.\n\nIn addition to damages, the suit is asking for an injunction that would require Google to obtain consent from publishers to use their website data to train its general artificial intelligence products including Google’s own and those of rivals. It also asks Google to allow publishers who opt out of SGE to still show up in Google search results, among other things.\n\nThe U.S. lawsuit follows an agreement Google reached last month with the Canadian government which would see the search giant paying Canadian media for use of their content. Under the terms of the deal, Google will provide $73.5 million (100 million Canadian dollars) every year to news organizations in the country, with funds distributed based on the news outlets’ headcount. Negotiations with Meta are still unresolved, though Meta began blocking news in Canada in August, in light of the pressure to pay for the content under the new Canadian law.\n\nThe case also arrives alongside the filing of the U.S. Justice Department’s lawsuit against Google for monopolizing digital ad technologies, and references the 2020 Justice Department’s civil antitrust suit over search and search advertising (which are different markets from digital ad technologies in the more recent suit).\n\n“The anticompetitive effects of Google’s scheme cause profound harm to competition, to consumers, to labor, and to a democratic free press,” reads an announcement posted to the website of the law firm handling the case, Hausfeld.\n\n“Plaintiff Helena World Chronicle, LLC invokes the Sherman Act and Clayton Act to seek class-wide monetary and injunctive relief to restore and ensure competition for digital news and reference publishing and set up guardrails to preserve a free marketplace of ideas in the new era of artificial intelligence,” it states.\n\nA Google spokesperson offered a statement on the lawsuit, saying “This lawsuit is meritless. People have many ways to access information and news content today – through publishers’ websites, dedicated apps, social media platforms, print papers and more. Google links people to publishers’ websites more than 24 billion times each month – at no cost to them.”\n\nThe complaint is available below.\n\nHelena World Chronicle, LLC v. Google LLC and Alphabet Inc by TechCrunch on Scribd\n\nEditor’s note: This post was updated after publication with a statement provided by Google on Friday evening.","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/12/15/news-publisher-files-class-action-antitrust-suit-against-google-citing-ais-harms-to-their-bottom-line/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_a2c7c19918d77ec8","mhq_fc2dacc75cb6ef2b","mhq_be47910112b694cd"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_a2c7c19918d77ec8","mhq_fc2dacc75cb6ef2b","mhq_be47910112b694cd"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"3c8d3acaf5086a5a3ff546071a1be9c728c76ee582a688390917fb2d987f796a","source_record_sha256":"bf2af60314516f86c48f4d12c2cabdfbb82c9fe08450194aef0263f8e65329be","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":33,"source_fields":{"title":"News publisher files class action antitrust suit against Google, citing AI’s harms to their bottom line","author":"Sarah Perez","source":"TechCrunch","published_at":"2023-12-15T17:56:02+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/12/15/news-publisher-files-class-action-antitrust-suit-against-google-citing-ais-harms-to-their-bottom-line/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_6b1066bc16d7b946","text":"Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the\n\nLifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }}\n\nLongtime Hollywood couple Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith sent shockwaves around the world this week when the Red Table Talk host revealed that she and the actor have been separated since 2016. Both Jada and Will have previously doubled down on their stance against getting a divorce, but her recent reveal about their lengthy separation poses a new question: When should couples just get a divorce?\n\nIn an interview with People on 10 October, Jada shared that during the 2022 Academy Awards - when Will slapped Chris Rock after he cracked a joke about Jada’s appearance - the pair had actually been separated for six years. “We’ve been doing some really heavy-duty work together,” she explained, while promoting her new memoir, Worthy. “We just got deep love for each other and we are going to figure out what that looks like for us.”\n\nShe praised her and Will’s two children - Jaden, 25, and Willow, 22 - for being her “little gurus” throughout this time, noting that they’ve taught her “a deep sense of self-acceptance”. Although the married couple are not living together, she insisted that their marriage has never been an open one, as she and Will have “eliminated the chance of betrayal” while going on to live their “separate lives”.\n\nThis isn’t the first time that Jada and Will have taken some time apart from each other. During a 2020 episode of her Facebook Watch series, Red Table Talk, Jada disclosed that while she and Will were separated amicably, she had a relationship with singer August Alsina, describing their involvement as an “entanglement”.\n\nThroughout their marriage of 26 years, the A-listers have made it clear that divorce was never in the cards. Jada furthered that belief during a preview for an interview with Today’s Hoda Kotb, which aired on 13 October. “I made a promise that there will never be a reason for us to get a divorce,” she said. “We will work through, whatever. I just haven’t been able to break that promise.”\n\nOf course, outsiders aren’t fully aware of the “heavy-duty work” that Jada and Will have done throughout their marriage. But the amount of time they’ve spent separated begs questions about all long-term relationships in general. When is it the time for couples to throw the towel in? And when should separations ultimately become the end result that couples have tried to avoid: divorce.\n\nWhile there’s never a simple answer to the question, relationship experts have discovered the signs that it’s time to keep fighting for the one you love, or time to let them go.\n\nSpeaking to The Independent, New York City-based relationship expert Susan Winter highlighted the jarring differences between a separation and divorce. When it comes to divorce, Hollywood couples can notably get involved in lengthy legal processes, from dividing financial assets to creating child custody agreements. Although we don’t know the terms of Jada and Will’s separation, Winter believes that they’re showcasing a non-conventional relationship that’s not familiar to the public. Will and Jada’s dynamic includes living in separate homes, but it could be a choice that’s for the better.\n\n“It’s an LAT partnership, meaning ‘living apart together,’” Winter said. “While everybody is at a different point as to why they are doing this, the centre point is the same: the preservation of the partnership is paramount. Separations can also be beneficial if both individuals are working on themselves and have the mutual goal of reuniting, or making their relationship better. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that their improved relationship will result in them living together again.”\n\nOn the other hand, dating coach Jacob Lucas - who’s based in the UK - acknowledged that not all separations end in resolutions. When couples opt not to live together anymore, it could create an emotional disconnect between them. If a lack of connection occurred before couples separated, that separation doesn’t necessarily make the issues go away. In fact, Lucas believes that in these situations, couples could also be avoiding the inevitable breakup for the sake of comfortability.\n\n(AFP via Getty Images)\n\n“They’re not resolving their problems, they’re rescheduling them. So, if you separate from someone, but you live in a separate house and you’re still together, it seems to me you’re just not letting go of the past because you want to stick to what’s familiar,” he claimed. “People stick to what they know, and it’s like you have a tether to that person. Your brain’s like: ‘I cannot let go of them because I am scared of the unknown.’ I don’t think I’ve ever seen a couple separate and come back again.”\n\nIt’s unclear whether Jada and Will plan on ending their separation and living in the same home again. However, the couple have been candid about their plans to not get a divorce. Jada previously recalled that when she first decided to get married to Will in 1997, it would be for the long haul. “I told Will from the gate, I said let me tell you something: ‘If you marry me, know this: we’re gonna be together. We’re going to be under the same roof,’” she said during a 2018 episode of Red Table Talk. “For me personally, I’m not mature enough to have a divorce, I’m just not. I don’t think I would ever be mature enough, I don’t.”\n\nWill - who divorced his first wife, Sheree Zampino, in 1994 - has also shared similar sentiments about making his marriage with Jada work. Back in 2006, the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star first explained to MTV News that divorce wasn’t an option for him and his second wife. “With Jada, I stood up in front of God and said: ‘Til death do us part,’” he said at the time. “So there are two possible outcomes. One, we are going to be together ‘til death, or two, I am dead.”\n\nSpeaking to The Independent, Lucas noted that while it’s important for both parties to be invested in their relationships, promising not to get a divorce could spark feelings of resentment down the line. Fans aren’t fully aware of why Will and Jada made that promise to each other, but the dating coach believes that an agreement like theirs could create a false narrative about a divorce.\n\nJada Pinkett Smith y Will Smith (Getty Images)\n\n“Getting divorced shouldn’t feel like a taboo because people grow apart and that’s fine,” he explained. “People get stuck in relationships because of their friends and family or societal pressure, and they worry about getting divorced. They think a divorce has a stigma to its name, which it doesn’t, and they push aside the fact that they still essentially feel trapped with someone they don’t want to be with.”\n\nPerhaps one of the reasons why Jada and Will have promised not to get a divorce is because they also agreed not to sign a prenuptial agreement. In an interview with Parade published on 13 October, Jada explained it was her special connection with Will that encouraged them not to sign a prenup before getting married.\n\n“I feel that was a very real moment for the two of us to look each other in the eyes, recognise that there would be tough times in this journey and to say to each other: ‘No matter what, we’re going to figure it out and that’s why we don’t need a prenup, because I’m making a promise that divorce won’t be necessary, that we will figure this out,’” she recalled. “And we made that promise to each other without all of the bridal wedding beauty; it was just sitting on a log in his mother’s backyard, and going: ‘Hey’ - having to really look at the possibility of us not being together.”\n\nAlthough they’ve made their dedication to each other quite clear, there have been some grey areas over the last seven years about the terms of Will and Jada’s separation. In 2020, Jada made headlines when she revealed in a Red Table Talk episode with her husband that she had a relationship with Alsina. She explained that she and her husband were “separated amicably” when the romance occurred, which had not been disclosed to the press at the time. “We decided that we were going to separate for a period of time and you go figure out how to make yourself happy and I’ll figure out how to make myself happy,” Jada said. As the Girls Trip star recalled that she “got into a different kind of entanglement with August,” she was prompted by Will to confirm it “was a relationship, absolutely.”\n\nOutsiders are now aware that Jada and Will have been separated since 2016, but the timeline of her relationship with Alsina is still fuzzy. Indeed, the terms of Will and Jada’s separation are still unknown to the public and in some cases, having separate relationships can give couples the clarity they need about their marriage.\n\n“What’s pivotal here is, what was the agreement? Did we agree to separate to work on ourselves for the purpose of coming back together again?” Winter said. “Did we agree to separate and just be alone for a while and not have that discussion? And in the second case, if you have an affair, sometimes it can bring you back to the original person. You can get whatever you need to achieve or gain a different perspective, allowing you to decide if you want to come back or leave for good.”\n\nWill Smith y Jada Pinkett Smith (Getty Images)\n\nAccording to Lucas, some of the controversy surrounding Will and Jada’s relationship ties back to the 2022 Academy Awards - when the King Richard star jumped onto the stage and struck Rock across the face after the comedian made a joke about Jada’s shaved head, which is a result of her alopecia. “Keep my wife’s name out of your f***ing mouth,” Will yelled. Now that it’s been revealed the couple was separated at the time, Lucas questioned Will’s behaviour and word choice during the awards ceremony.\n\n“That’s a weird reaction to have somebody who you’ve been broken up with for six years, you know? So, were they really broken up or is Jada saying that as an attention-seeking thing?” he asked.\n\nHowever, Winter still believes the controversial incident speaks different volumes about the work Will has put into his relationship. “I feel as though Will has a tremendous love and commitment to Jada, as well as to the marriage and the family unit,” she said. “The pride that he takes in defending his wife is extraordinary, almost to the detriment of his image, at times.”\n\nUltimately, the public will never fully know what “heavy-duty work” Will and Jada are doing in their relationship, and according to Winter, it’s not necessarily any of our business. Still, she believes that their choice to separate is something fluid and outside of the traditional marriage design - an evolving model that could also come to serve other couples. If Will and Jada have been spending seven years apart as a married couple, why would they decide to go back to living in the same household?\n\n“They’re in the rough with a machete, carving a new path for themselves,” Winter said. “Why would they say: ‘Hey, let’s go back to the house and just relax?’ They’re really exploring something vastly different. It doesn’t end up that you go back into that little box of ‘this is a marriage, we’re living together’. It just doesn’t do that.”\n\nEvery relationship is different, living in the public eye or not. Although living separately may not be an issue for some couples, there can still be some major signs that it’s time to leave a relationship behind. “When there is no stone left unturned, or when they have tried every single combination possible to make the relationship function and yet it doesn’t, that’s the time to pull the plug,” Winter added. “They’ve done their individual work and they have done the work together and ended up in the same place.”\n\nWill and Jada’s relationship could end in a variety of ways. The celebrity couple could stay separated, move back in together as a married pair, or they can get a divorce. However, there are still certain behaviours in a marriage that could signal it’s time to get a divorce.\n\n“If you feel disrespected by your partner, feel humiliated, or were cheated on, you probably feel ready to split,” Lucas said. “I also think a real big one is, if you lose sexual attraction for your partner and you’ve actively tried to get it back and can’t, it’s time to go.”","url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/will-smith-jada-separation-divorce-b2429576.html","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_3fb3599dcc99ed78","mhq_fe2f241c82614b56","mhq_40b4e971aac99ea7"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_3fb3599dcc99ed78","mhq_fe2f241c82614b56","mhq_40b4e971aac99ea7"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"67249cb9080d199a713584324c87029972facd7b5805952cdf4cc13e854a000b","source_record_sha256":"80672fd75995fe5b43cc8e2379e724b6a5b1873c9f78a1b700f75ca04314a25b","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":36,"source_fields":{"title":"Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith have been separated since 2016 - when should couples just get divorced?","author":"Amber Raiken","source":"The Independent - Life and Style","published_at":"2023-10-16T13:41:30+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/will-smith-jada-separation-divorce-b2429576.html"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_3227788365bf2617","text":"Match may have settled its antitrust lawsuit with Google last week, but Fortnite maker Epic Games is still set to go to trial with the tech giant today, November 6, in hopes of convincing a jury that Google engages in anticompetitive behavior with regard to its Android app store, Google Play, and its commission structure. This case will differ slightly from Epic’s battle with Apple on the same topic because, this time, Epic can’t allege there’s no other way to load apps onto Android devices, as it could with Apple, because Android does allow for sideloading apps. Though Epic will suggest Google makes that process cumbersome, the bulk of its arguments will center around what it believes are anticompetitive agreements between Google and device manufacturers and developers.\n\nThe precedent Epic’s case will rely on is a Microsoft case where courts found Microsoft to have a monopoly over the operating system and were abusing it, making it hard for users to download alternative browsers, like Netscape, on Windows devices.\n\nTo make its case, Epic plans to bring claims under Sections 1 and 2 of U.S. antitrust law, the Sherman Act, as well as California’s anticompetitive laws, the Cartwright Act, and the Unfair Competition Law. It will attempt to argue that Google restrains competition within two separate markets, including the distribution of apps to Android users and the market for payment processing solutions for content inside Android apps.\n\nGoogle argues its commissions aren’t just tied to billing, but offers discount for third-party billing options\n\nToday, Google requires apps to use its own first-party billing system, and charges app developers a 15% to 30% commission on the sales it processes.\n\nHowever, Google will counter Epic’s arguments by pointing out that it has rolled out a new option for app developers called User Choice Billing, which Epic has declined to use. This program, still in pilot testing, is open to all developers who sell apps in the 35 markets where it’s now available, including the U.S., and reduces the standard commission by 4% for companies who choose to use their own payment processing solution. Spotify and Bumble were the initial testers for the new system, first introduced in November 2022, and Match, as part of its settlement agreement, will also now take advantage of this option.\n\nGoogle will also argue that its commissions aren’t just tied to payment processing, but rather help it to develop other features and controls to keep Android users safe and guide them to discovering new applications, as well as help fund the tools and services developers need to build and grow their apps. Google also helps developers reach a broader audience beyond the mobile phone, with support for Android across platforms, ranging from tablets to TVs to autos and more. And it will note that 99% of its developers qualify for a commission of 15% or less, based on their revenues.\n\nThe competitive landscape with other app stores, OEMs\n\nThe tech giant additionally plans to push back at Epic’s claims that it doesn’t have competition in the app store business. It will point out that not only does the Play Store compete with Apple’s App Store, which the Ninth Circuit ruling in the Apple case agreed upon, too, but Android also supports competitive app stores like Samsung’s Galaxy Store and Amazon’s Appstore.\n\nEpic, however, will attempt to demonstrate that Google makes it hard for alternative app stores to succeed and reach consumers, noting that 90% of apps are still downloaded through Google Play. And it will point out that Google bundles the Play Store with other Google apps that Android OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) have to agree to in order to use Android.\n\nEpic will also bring up “Anti-Fragmentation Agreements” (AFAs) that prevent the OEMs from modifying Android to allow for frictionless downloading of apps outside of Google Play. Epic Games will specifically reference one agreement it had made with the OEM OnePlus, to make Epic games available on its devices through the Epic Games app. But OnePlus had to cancel the deal over concerns that the arrangement would have it bypassing the Google Play Store. The case will also examine a deal between Google and Samsung that Epic says was designed to prevent the Galaxy Store from being a competitive threat and require Google Play Billing on apps distributed by Samsung.\n\nEpic will argue Google’s developer agreements are anti-competitive\n\nA second set of agreements Epic will highlight are those between Google and Android app developers themselves. One such program, the “Project Hug” initiative, a part of the Google Games Velocity Program, will be cited as an example of where Google paid competitors not to distribute their apps on Android outside of the Play Store by targeting those that were most at risk of attrition from Play, then approaching them with a monetary offer. As an example, Epic will point to Activision Blizzard, the owner of King.com and maker of Candy Crush and Call of Duty, as one developer that wanted to go the route of opening its own app store. Google and Activision Blizzard then entered into a three-year agreement in January 2020, worth approximately $360 million, to keep the developer on Google Play, Epic will argue.\n\nGoogle, however, will characterize this program as a way to incentivize developers to launch their apps on Android at the same time as they launch on iOS and plans to dispute Epic’s claims that it prevented developers from opening their own app stores.\n\nAndroid allows sideloading\n\nGoogle will make note that, unlike Apple, it also allows apps to be sideloaded on Android devices — something Epic takes advantage of today. It will note this process is streamlined and helps keep users safe. But Epic will claim that this process is made to be overly difficult for end users, with multiple steps involved and “scare screens” that warn users of the security risks involved with sideloading.\n\nEpic will also suggest that Google hid items from discovery by allowing execs and employees to have “off the record” chats, but Google will counter this as well, saying it has provided the court with thousands of chat logs and millions of documents.\n\nThe tech giant will ultimately push the notion that this case isn’t about competition, but about money — that is, Epic Games wants to reach the Play Store’s 2.5 billion users without having to pay.\n\n“Android’s choice and flexibility work well for consumers and developers of all sizes. We look forward to making our case in court as we fight to keep our users safe from harm, partner with developers to grow their businesses, and keep the Android ecosystem thriving and healthy for everyone,” reads a Google blog post by Wilson White, VP, Government Affairs & Public Policy.\n\nEpic’s lawsuit originally involved Match and several U.S. attorneys general, but Google reached a settlement with the latter last month and with Match last week. Epic will now fight the antitrust battle on its own. The lawsuit, held in the U.S. District Court in California’s Northern District, will include testimony from a number of Google and Android execs, including CEO Sundar Pichai, and Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney, as well as Apple, Netflix and other Android developers.\n\nGoogle is also involved in another antitrust lawsuit with the Department of Justice over its alleged search monopoly. Epic, meanwhile, lost its antitrust battle with Apple and is now asking the Supreme Court to weigh in.","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/11/06/what-to-know-about-fortnite-maker-epic-games-antitrust-battle-with-google-starting-today/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_fc2dacc75cb6ef2b","mhq_f793aad640288443","mhq_be47910112b694cd"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_fc2dacc75cb6ef2b","mhq_f793aad640288443","mhq_be47910112b694cd"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"fa829baba9c58c054327b3f6a02336d2c45b1e6c7043bb6762fb85d142d68393","source_record_sha256":"0ca2fd520c552dfad25632888dd598a98784f93dbab4181e75b7e5b2c60e961c","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":42,"source_fields":{"title":"What to know about Fortnite maker Epic Games’ antitrust battle with Google, starting today","author":"Sarah Perez","source":"TechCrunch","published_at":"2023-11-06T16:47:11+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/11/06/what-to-know-about-fortnite-maker-epic-games-antitrust-battle-with-google-starting-today/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_08da64878a0cc04b","text":"The first link between Swift and Kelce was established in 2016, when Kelce – who helped bring his team to Super Bowl victory in both 2020 and 2023 – played the classic game “Kiss, Marry, Kill”. Speaking with AfterBuzz TV, Kelce was given the options of Swift, Katy Perry and Ariana Grande. He said he’d ultimately kill Grande, marry Perry and kiss Swift. That was about six years ago, but it has more recently set tongues wagging as fans wondered how long the plan for them to meet has been in the works. Cruel Summer Fast-forward seven years, and things started to heat up. In July, speaking on the podcast he shares with his brother, New Heights, Kelce said he intended to give Swift a friendship bracelet with his number on it during her Eras Tour concert in Kansas City. Unfortunately, the bracelet never made it to her wrist or his digits to her phone.\n\n“I was disappointed that she doesn’t talk before or after her shows because she has to save her voice for the 44 songs she sings,” he said. “She doesn’t meet anybody, or at least she didn’t want to meet me, so I took it personal[sic].” At this point, it seems like any attraction between the two was one-sided. Kelce’s attempts to make proper contact with Swift at the show ultimately failed. Was she just not that into him? But Kelce, exhibiting the tenacity typical of a professional sportsman, remained determined to get her attention. Wildest Beards The Kelce brothers couldn’t stop talking about Swift, even though she’d left Travis hanging at the concert. Swift’s name began popping up everywhere on the podcast, including during conversations about... facial hair?\n\nIn August, the brothers discussed Kelce’s moustache, which he grows every year in honour of the Chief’s head coach, Andy Reid. When asked if he knew what Swift thought of the ’stache, he remained cheekily confident. “We’re not going to bring up Taylor Swift in this episode,” he says, “But something tells me she’s going to like it.” There was a clear suggestion Kelce had made contact with Swift, and was even going to meet her. Shortly after that remark, Kelce took a week off training to visit New York City, according to Vulture. Coincidentally, this happened to be while Swift was re-recording her 1989 tracks in the city. Welcome to New York\n\nThe suspicion the two were actually spending time together in New York was seemingly confirmed in September when it was reported they had been “quietly hanging out” for months. This was the first, albeit tentative, confirmation from the media rather than from amateur Swiftie sleuths on social media. So, it was only a matter of time before it entered the cultural zeitgeist. Blank Space Which it did, very quickly. On September 17, Kelce scored a touchdown against the Jaguars, triggering CBS announcer Ian Eagle to reference Swift’s 2014 hit, Blank Space.\n\n“Kelce finds a blank space for the score,” Eagle said, poking fun at Kelce’s newfound Swiftie status. And Eagle wasn’t the only one, with NFL Network’s Rich Eisen including a slew of lyric references during a preshow, including “shake it off”, “anti-hero” and “all too well”. Kelce even acknowledged the tongue-in-cheek banter, commenting on a montage video of the preshow that Eisen posted to Instagram. “Well played Rich … Well played,” he wrote. Suddenly, football fans and Swifties were living through this surprising collision. Swift lyrics were infiltrating NFL game commentary, and her fans were furiously becoming football experts. All that needed to happen was for Swift herself to infiltrate a game, determining once and for all whether there was anything to these rumours or not. This Is Me Trying\n\nOn September 21, Kelce announced on The Pat McAfee Show he had invited Swift to watch one of his games. “I told her, ‘I’ve seen you rock the stage in Arrowhead, you might have to come see me rock a stage at Arrowhead and we can see which one’s a little more lit,’” he said. “We’ll see what happens in the near future.” Were they finally about to hard-launch their friendship/potential romance to the world, laying all speculation to rest? Love Story This finally brings us to the fated sighting of Swift at Arrowhead Stadium on Monday, cheering on No. 87 with gusto.\n\nThe 12-time Grammy winner appeared to shout “let’s f—ing go” after Kelce scored a touchdown before chest-bumping other Chiefs fans. Considering Swift is known for being an Eagles fan – she’s originally from Pennsylvania and even references the team in Gold Rush – her outward support for the Kelce’s team seemed extra telling. Swifties were immediately on high alert, with some capturing Swift and Kelce leaving the stadium together. If that wasn’t enough, extra observant fans were able to note that Kelce’s blue and white post-game outfit was supposedly labelled the “1989 bedroom painting set”, perhaps an intentional reference to Swift’s 2014 album, which she will be re-releasing in October. Swift’s penchant for Easter eggs must be rubbing off on the tight end player. As if this weren’t enough subtle references already, they were also spotted in a “getaway car” together outside the stadium – potentially a nod towards her 2017 track. Could they have been driving off into the sunset? Of course, none of this actually confirms Swift and Kelce are actually dating. But regardless of whether it’s a friendship or a romantic relationship, it has sent shockwaves through two massive cultural franchises, expanding the NFL’s audience into uncharted territory. It’s a cultural pairing on par with – and perhaps even bigger than – Kim Kardashian and Kanye West.","url":"https://www.theage.com.au/culture/music/when-pop-culture-and-sport-collide-a-timeline-of-taylor-swift-s-nfl-takeover-20230926-p5e7lu.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_culture","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_0f910380b7593c40","mhq_876b8e0768a858b8","mhq_aa3f44d39640a0da"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_0f910380b7593c40","mhq_876b8e0768a858b8","mhq_aa3f44d39640a0da"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"85456930dc8b6fe0bd8c8e12e25359f14ecf9aee3a7f21e6958c575da9ba6c33","source_record_sha256":"c1054450a47dc02b4d572c690f0262f2f4d0fb1a3f7e0aa42a2a7dd171876a59","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":44,"source_fields":{"title":"When pop culture and sport collide: A timeline of Taylor Swift’s NFL takeover","author":"Nell Geraets","source":"The Age","published_at":"2023-09-26T05:26:05+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.theage.com.au/culture/music/when-pop-culture-and-sport-collide-a-timeline-of-taylor-swift-s-nfl-takeover-20230926-p5e7lu.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_culture"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_cecba3a6c0a29853","text":"Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the\n\nLifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }}\n\nTravis Kelce has hilariously confessed that he attempted to delete some of his tweets before they went viral.\n\nThe 34-year-old football star spoke candidly about his previous posts on X - formerly known as Twitter - during an episode of his New Heights podcast with brother Jason Kelce, which aired on 22 November. The comments came after some of Kelce’s funny tweets from 2010 and 2011 resurfaced amid his rumoured relationship with Taylor Swift.\n\nWhen Jason quipped that everyone is “a big fan of college Travis on Twitter”, the Kansas City Chiefs star acknowledged that his posts weren’t really noticed back then. However, Kelce explained that he was trying to remove his tweets from social media even before they went viral.\n\n“What’s hilarious is that nobody followed me back then,” he said. “But I will say I have been trying to get all those tweets deleted. Like since I got into the league, I’m like: ‘Gosh, I just want all those things to get deleted.’”\n\nHe poked fun at how his tweets are now being mocked, adding: “And sure enough, it came surface-level and everybody f***ing dove in, in 2011. What a f***ing year that was.”\n\nThe Philadelphia Eagles star continued to discuss the viral responses to his brother’s tweets. He even referenced how Jimmy Fallon and his band performed a song, titled “The Ballad of Travis Kelce”, on The Tonight Show - in which the late-night host recited Kelce’s old tweets. The two brothers highlighted the now fan-favourite post, which reads: “I just gave a squirle a piece of bread and it straight smashed all of it!!!! I had no idea they ate bread like that!! Haha #crazy.”\n\nKelce later revealed the meanings behind some of his viral tweets, noting that he would simply share the remarks for fun. “I was just using Twitter like a diary. I’m just out here saying nonsense - ‘I just gave a squirrel a piece of bread’ - and spelled squirrel like a jacka**,” Kelce said.\n\nJason mocked his brother for his spelling of “squirrel” in the tweet, before claiming that’s the reason why the post went viral in the first place. “I’m only spelling squirrel like that from now on, I don’t know why it’s spelled the other way,” he joked. “This one gets crushed, but I think the only reason it’s getting crushed is because of the spelling. Outside of that, if I’m throwing bread around and a squirrel is eating it I’d be pretty pumped up.”\n\nEarlier this month, fans of the A-list couple took to X to share screenshots of some of Kelce’s old tweets - including one post from 2010 that reads: “#Chipotle will always be a great choice!!!!”\n\nThe NFL player’s tweets have unsurprisingly resurfaced amid his relationship with Swift, who he’s been romantically linked to since the summer. The dating speculation first began in July, when Kelce confessed that he tried and failed to give Swift a friendship bracelet with his number on it during her Eras Tour show. On his podcast, he later invited the “Anti-Hero” singer to one of his games at Arrowhead Stadium - an invitation she famously accepted on 24 September. Since then, Swift has attended three more of Kelce’s games.\n\nKelce showed his support for Swift when he attended her Eras Tour show in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 11 November. During the concert, Swift gave a shout-out to the Chiefs player when she changed her “Karma” lyrics to reflect their relationship. “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs, coming straight home to me,” she sang, letting out a laugh as fans in the audience screamed in response. The “All Too Well” singer was later seen running into his arms and kissing the NFL player following the concert, as he whisked her away backstage.\n\nIn an interview withWSJ Magazine published on 20 November, Kelce described how much he admires Swift’s skills as a musician. “I’ve never been a man of words. Being around her, seeing how smart Taylor is, has been f***ing mind-blowing. I’m learning every day,” he explained.\n\nAlthough he acknowledged the public attention his personal life has received because he’s “never dated anyone with that kind of aura around them,” Kelce specified that he’s not letting the media affect his relationship.\n\n“But at the same time, I’m not running away from any of it,” he said. “The scrutiny she gets, how much she has a magnifying glass on her, every single day, paparazzi outside her house, outside every restaurant she goes to, after every flight she gets off, and she’s just living, enjoying life.\n\n“When she acts like that I better not be the one acting all strange.”","url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-tweets-b2453410.html","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_b4a410e83f8fefdf"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_b4a410e83f8fefdf"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"b0f0cc2727b4adfd3eadba7084b4c0ac7987f40a76e728d928cd86059fc35ea6","source_record_sha256":"c0eaa3ffa588d3a6be4b2d922bfca3ffe63831727b20ef02848c9180ef33abf7","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":45,"source_fields":{"title":"Travis Kelce says he tried to delete his ‘nonsense’ tweets before they went viral","author":"Amber Raiken","source":"The Independent - Life and Style","published_at":"2023-11-25T14:50:53+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-tweets-b2453410.html"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_a2d384aad500cd3a","text":"Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the\n\nLifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }}\n\nTaylor Swift has officially been named Time’s 2023 Person of the Year.\n\nOn Wednesday 6 December, the magazine announced Swift had earned the honour after an “editors’ assessment of the individual who most shaped the headlines over the previous 12 months, for better or for worse”.\n\nThe recognition of Swift comes on the heels of a whirlwind year for the popstar, whose Eras Tour dominated ticket sales in 2023. “This is the proudest and happiest I’ve ever felt, and the most creatively fulfilled and free I’ve ever been,” Swift told Time. “Ultimately, we can convolute it all we want, or try to overcomplicate it, but there’s only one question... Are you not entertained?”\n\nSwift was chosen among a strong list of contenders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, King Charles III, the live-action Barbie movie, and Vladimir Putin. “While her popularity has grown across the decades, this is the year that Swift, 33, achieved a kind of nuclear fusion: shooting art and commerce together to release an energy of historic force,” the magazine said about its selection.\n\nThis year alone, Swift has broken records with her career-spanning Eras Tour, which is estimated to have grossed over $1.4bn. Her concert film, the Eras Tour movie, has surpassed $250m at the global box office since its opening weekend in October. Not to mention her rumoured relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce caused a 400 per cent spike in NFL jersey sales.\n\nSince her first NFL appearance in September, Swift’s occasional attendance at Kelce’s games has received pushback from NFL fans who believe her presence is distracting from the game itself. “I’m just there to support Travis,” Swift admitted. “I have no awareness of if I’m being shown too much and pissing off a few dads, Brads, and Chads.”\n\nShe playfully added: “Football is awesome, it turns out. I’ve been missing out my whole life.”\n\nThe “Bad Blood” singer revealed that their romance began when Kelce gave her shoutout on his podcast, admitting he attempted to give Swift his phone number after one of her Eras Tour shows. The pair immediately began “hanging out” and by the time she attended her first Chiefs game in September, they were already a couple. “I think some people think that they saw our first date at that game? We would never be psychotic enough to hard launch a first date,” Swift joked.\n\nBack in April, it was revealed that Swift and British actor Joe Alwyn had broken up after six years of dating. The former couple were notoriously private, as the Conversations with Friends star previously expressed he didn’t want to discuss their relationship because it “feeds into a weird part of the culture”.\n\nNow, Swift has shared that she has nothing to hide in her new relationship with Kelce. “When you say a relationship is public, that means I’m going to see him do what he loves, we’re showing up for each other, other people are there and we don’t care,” she said. “The opposite of that is you have to go to an extreme amount of effort to make sure no one knows that you’re seeing someone. And we’re just proud of each other.”\n\nSpeaking to Time, Swift detailed exactly how much work went into preparing for her Eras Tour - where each concert spans over 180 minutes, with more than 40 songs from at least nine albums and 16 costume changes. “Every day I would run on the treadmill, singing the entire set list out loud,” she told the outlet. “Fast for fast songs, and a jog or a fast walk for slow songs.”\n\nShe also stopped drinking and underwent three months of dance training, something that she admitted is “not my strong suit”. After she plays a run of shows, Swift said she takes a day to rest and recover before taking the stage once again. “I do not leave my bed except to get food and take it back to my bed and eat it there,” she revealed. “It’s a dream scenario.”\n\nMost recently, a heat wave in Brazil forced Swift to postpone the second night of her Eras Tour shows in Rio de Janeiro. The decision came after one of the singer’s fans, 23-year-old Ana Clara Benevides, died from a cardiac arrest during Swift’s first performance in the country. Swift explained to Time that “part of my identity as a human” is putting on a show for her fans, no matter the circumstances. “I know I’m going on that stage whether I’m sick, injured, heartbroken, uncomfortable, or stressed,” she said. “That’s part of my identity as a human being now. If someone buys a ticket to my show, I’m going to play it unless we have some sort of force majeure.”\n\nPerhaps it was her decision to re-record her music catalogue that catapulted Swift into such success. When music mogul Scooter Braun aquired Swift’s longtime label, Big Machine Records, in 2019, he also gained the rights to the master recordings of Swift’s first six studio albums. In November 2020, Braun sold the masters to an investment fund in a deal that was believed to be over $300 million. Since then, Swift has released four “Taylor’s Version” albums: Fearless (Taylor’s Version) in April 2021, Red (Taylor’s Version) in November 2021, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) in July 2023, and 1989 (Taylor’s Version) in October 2023.\n\n“It’s not lost on me that the two great catalysts for this happening were two horrendous things that happened to me,” Swift said, when asked about the success of her tour. “The first was getting cancelled within an inch of my life and sanity. The second was having my life’s work taken away from me by someone who hates me.”\n\nWhile Swift is arguably more famous now than ever before, the Grammy winner revealed that the constant attention and swarms of paparazzi won’t stop her from living her life. There’s also constant rumours surrounding her personal life, specifically rumours about her relationship with Alwyn that her publicist, Tree Paine, was forced to publicly deny.\n\n“Over the years, I’ve learned I don’t have the time or bandwidth to get pressed about things that don’t matter,” Swift told Time. “Yes, if I go out to dinner, there’s going to be a whole chaotic situation outside the restaurant. But I still want to go to dinner with my friends.\n\n“Life is short. Have adventures. Me locking myself away in my house for a lot of years - I’ll never get that time back,” she added. “I’m more trusting now than I was six years ago.”","url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/taylor-swift-time-person-of-the-year-b2459419.html","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_0f910380b7593c40","mhq_aa3f44d39640a0da","mhq_88687c5036ddd743"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_0f910380b7593c40","mhq_aa3f44d39640a0da","mhq_88687c5036ddd743"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"e2ec22f84c546807eebec1756ef538c7697f51898b56271baf6071c021055646","source_record_sha256":"fb4e4996862d0c5b10f7fcf919daf3e35176f5660b2fa174c530451f32864ba5","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":46,"source_fields":{"title":"Taylor Swift is Time’s Person of the Year","author":"Chelsea Ritschel","source":"The Independent - Life and Style","published_at":"2023-12-06T13:55:17+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/taylor-swift-time-person-of-the-year-b2459419.html"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_3ff71c50cb02cf99","text":"ChatGPT: Everything you need to know about the AI-powered chatbot\n\nChatGPT, OpenAI’s text-generating AI chatbot, has taken the world by storm. What started as a tool to hyper-charge productivity through writing essays and code with short text prompts has evolved into a behemoth used by more than 92% of Fortune 500 companies for more wide-ranging needs. And that growth has propelled OpenAI itself into becoming one of the most-hyped companies in recent memory, even if CEO and co-founder Sam Altman’s firing and swift return raised concerns about its direction and opened the door for competitors.\n\nWhat does that mean for OpenAI, ChatGPT and its other ambitions? The fallout is still settling, but it might empower competitors like Meta and its LLaMA family of large language models, or help other AI startups get attention and funding as the industry watches OpenAI implode and put itself back together.\n\nWhile there is a more…nefarious side to ChatGPT, it’s clear that AI tools are not going away anytime soon. Since its initial launch nearly a year ago, ChatGPT has hit 100 million weekly active users, and OpenAI is heavily investing in it.\n\nPrior to the leadership chaos, on November 6, OpenAI held its first developer conference: OpenAI DevDay. During the conference, it announced a slew of updates coming to GPT, including GPT-4 Turbo (super-charged versions of GPT-4, its latest language-writing model), a multimodal API and a GPT store where users can create and monetize their own custom versions of GPT.\n\nGPT-4, which can write more naturally and fluently than previous models, remains largely exclusive to paying ChatGPT users. But you can access GPT-4 for free through Microsoft’s Bing Chat in Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome and Safari web browsers. Beyond GPT-4 and OpenAI DevDay announcements, OpenAI recently connected ChatGPT to the internet for all users. And with the integration of DALL-E 3, users are also able to generate both text prompts and images right in ChatGPT.\n\nHere’s a timeline of ChatGPT product updates and releases, starting with the latest, which we’ve been updating throughout the year. And if you have any other questions, check out our ChatGPT FAQ here.\n\nTimeline of the most recent ChatGPT updates\n\nDecember 2023\n\nOpenAI re-opens ChatGPT Plus subscriptions\n\nAfter pausing ChatGPT Plus subscriptions in November due to a “surge of usage,” OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced they have once again enabled sign-ups. The Plus subscription includes access to GPT-4 and GPT-4 Turbo.\n\nwe have re-enabled chatgpt plus subscriptions! 🎄 thanks for your patience while we found more gpus. — Sam Altman (@sama) December 13, 2023\n\nOpenAI and Axel Springer partner up for a “real-time” ChatGPT news deal\n\nOpenAI has struck a new deal with Berlin-based news publisher Axel Springer, which owns Business Insider and Politico, to “help provide people with new ways to access quality, real-time news content through our AI tools.” OpenAI will train its generative AI models on the publisher’s content and add recent Axel Springer-published articles to ChatGPT.\n\nStanford researchers say ChatGPT didn’t cause an influx in cheating in high schools\n\nNew research from Stanford University shows that the popularization of chatbots like ChatGPT have not caused an increase in cheating across U.S. high schools. In a survey of more than 40 U.S. high schools, researchers found that cheating rates are similar across the board this year.\n\nChatGPT users worry the chatbot is experiencing seasonal depression\n\nStarting in November, ChatGPT users have noticed that the chatbot feels “lazier” than normal, citing instances of simpler answers and refusing to complete requested tasks. OpenAI has confirmed that they are aware of this issue, but aren’t sure why it’s happening.\n\nSome users think it plays into the “winter break hypothesis,” which argues that AI is worse in December because it “learned” to do less work over the holidays, while others wonder if the chatbot is simulating seasonal depression.\n\nwe've heard all your feedback about GPT4 getting lazier! we haven't updated the model since Nov 11th, and this certainly isn't intentional. model behavior can be unpredictable, and we're looking into fixing it 🫡 — ChatGPT (@ChatGPTapp) December 8, 2023\n\nJudges in the U.K. are now allowed to use ChatGPT in legal rulings\n\nThe U.K. Judicial Office issued guidance that permits judges to use ChatGPT, along with other AI tools, to write legal rulings and perform court duties. The guidance lays out ways to responsibly use AI in the courts, including being aware of potential bias and upholding privacy.\n\nOpenAI makes repeating words “forever” a violation of its terms of service after Google DeepMind test\n\nFollowing an experiment by Google DeepMind researchers that led ChatGPT to repeat portions of its training data, OpenAI has flagged asking ChatGPT to repeat specific words “forever” as a violation of its terms of service.\n\nLawmakers in Brazil enact an ordinance written by ChatGPT\n\nCity lawmakers in Brazil enacted a piece of legislation written entirely by ChatGPT without even knowing. Weeks after the bill was passed, Porto Alegre councilman Ramiro Rosário admitted that he used ChatGPT to write the proposal, and did not tell fellow council members until after the fact.\n\nOpenAI reportedly delays the launch of its GPT store to 2024\n\nAccording to a memo seen by Axios, OpenAI plans to delay the launch of its highly anticipated GPT store to early 2024. Custom GPTs and the accompanying store was a major announcement at OpenAI’s DevDay conference, with the store expected to open last month.\n\nNovember 2023\n\nChatGPTs mobile apps top 110M installs and nearly $30M in revenue\n\nAfter launching for iOS and Androidin May and July, ChatGPT’s have topped 110 million combined installs and have reached nearly $30 million in consumer spending, according to a market analysis by data.ai.\n\nChatGPT celebrates one-year anniversary\n\nOpenAI hit a major milestone: one year of ChatGPT. What began as a “low-key research preview” evolved into a powerhouse that changed the AI industry forever. In a post on X, CEO Sam Altman looked back on the night before its launch: “what a year it’s been…”\n\na year ago tonight we were probably just sitting around the office putting the finishing touches on chatgpt before the next morning’s launch. what a year it’s been… — Sam Altman (@sama) November 30, 2023\n\nApple and Google avoid naming ChatGPT as their ‘app of the year’\n\nNeither Apple nor Google chose an AI app as its app of the year for 2023, despite the success of ChatGPT’s mobile app, which became the fastest-growing consumer application in history before the record was broken by Meta’s Threads.\n\nAn attack from researchers prompts ChatGPT to reveal training data\n\nA test led by researchers at Google DeepMind found that there is a significant amount of privately identifiable information in OpenAI’s LLMs. The test involved asking ChatGPT to repeat the word “poem” forever, among other words, which over time led the chatbot to churn out private information like email addresses and phone numbers.\n\nChatGPT and other AI chatbots are fueling an increase in phishing emails\n\nAccording to a new report by SlashNext, there’s been a 1,265% increase in malicious phishing emails since Q4 of 2022. The report alleges that AI tools like ChatGPT are being prominently used by cybercriminals to write compelling and sophisticated phishing emails.\n\nSouth Africa officials investigate if President Cyril Ramaphosa used ChatGPT to write a speech\n\nFollowing speculation, social media users fed portions of Ramaphosa’s November 21 speech in Johannesburg through AI detectors, alleging parts of it may have been written with ChatGPT. South African presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya refuted the claims, and local officials are investigating.\n\nChatGPT Voice can be used to replace Siri\n\nNow that OpenAI’s ChatGPT Voice feature is available to all free users, it can be used to replace Siri on an iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max by configuring the new Action Button. The new feature lets you ask ChatGPT questions and listen to its responses — like a much smarter version of Siri.\n\nSam Altman returns as CEO\n\nAltman’s return came swiftly, with an “agreement in principle” announced between him and OpenAI’s board that will reinstate him as CEO and restructure the board to include new members, including former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers. The biggest takeaway for ChatGPT is that the members of the board more focused on the nonprofit side of OpenAI, with the most concerns over the commercialization of its tools, have been pushed to the side.\n\nChatGPT Voice rolls out to all free users\n\nEven if its leadership is in flux, OpenAI is still releasing updates to ChatGPT. First announced in September and granted to paid users on a rolling basis, the text-to-speech model can create a voice from text prompts and a few seconds of speech samples. OpenAI worked with voice actors to create the five voice options, and you can give it a shot by heading to the settings in your mobile ChatGPT apps and tapping the “headphones” icon.\n\nSam Altman might return, but it’s complicated\n\nThe only constant within OpenAI right now is change, and in a series of interviews, Nadella hedged on earlier reporting that Altman and Brockman were headed to Microsoft.\n\n“Obviously, we want Sam and Greg to have a fantastic home if they’re not going to be in OpenAI,” Nadella said in an interview with CNBC, saying that we was “open” to them settling at Microsoft or returning to OpenAI should the board and employees support the move.\n\nConfirmation Sam Altman will not return as OpenAI’s CEO\n\nA number of investors and OpenAI employees tried to bring back Altman after his sudden firing by the company’s board, but following a weekend of negotiations, it was confirmed that Altman would not return to OpenAI and new leadership would take hold. What this means for ChatGPT’s future, and for the OpenAI Dev Day announcements, remains to be seen.\n\nSam Altman ousted as OpenAI’s CEO\n\nSam Altman has been fired from OpenAI. He will leave the company’s board and step down as CEO, with OpenAI’s chief technology officer Mira Murati stepping in as interim CEO. In a blog post from OpenAI, the company writes that the board “no longer has confidence in [Altman’s] ability to continue leading OpenAI.”\n\nIn a statement on X, Altman said working at OpenAI “was transformative” for him and “hopefully the world.”\n\nOpenAI explores how ChatGPT can be used in the classroom\n\nOpenAI COO Brad Lightcap revealed at a San Francisco conference that the company will likely create a team to identify ways AI and ChatGPT can be used in education. This announcement comes at a time when ChatGPT is being criticized by educators for encouraging cheating, resulting in bans in certain school districts.\n\nOpenAI pauses new ChatGPT Plus subscriptions due to a “surge of usage”\n\nFollowing OpenAI’s Dev Day conference, Sam Altman announced the company is putting a pause on new subscriptions for its premium ChatGPT Plus offering. The temporary hold on sign-ups, as well as the demand for ChatGPT Plus’ new features like making custom GPTS, has led to a slew of resellers on eBay.\n\nChatGPT gets flagged as potentially unsafe for kids\n\nAn independent review from Common Sense Media, a nonprofit advocacy group, found that ChatGPT could potentially be harmful for younger users. ChatGPT got an overall three-star rating in the report, with its lowest ratings relating to transparency, privacy, trust and safety.\n\nOpenAI blames DDoS attack for ChatGPT outage\n\nOpenAI confirmed that a DDoS attack was behind outages affecting ChatGPT and its developer tools. ChatGPT experienced sporadic outages for about 24 hours, resulting in users being unable to log into or use the service.\n\nOpenAI debuts GPT-4 Turbo\n\nOpenAI unveiled GPT-4 Turbo at its first-ever OpenAI DevDay conference. GPT-4 Turbo comes in two versions: one that’s strictly text-analyzing and another that understands the context of both text and images.\n\nGPT-4 gets a fine-tuning\n\nAs opposed to the fine-tuning program for GPT-3.5, the GPT-4 program will involve more oversight and guidance from OpenAI teams, the company says — largely due to technical hurdles.\n\nOpenAI’s GPT Store lets you build (and monetize) your own GPT\n\nUsers and developers will soon be able to make their own GPT, with no coding experience required. Anyone building their own GPT will also be able to list it on OpenAI’s marketplace and monetize it in the future.\n\nChatGPT has 100 million weekly active users\n\nAfter being released nearly a year ago, ChatGPT has 100 million weekly active users. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman also revealed that over two million developers use the platform, including more than 92% of Fortune 500 companies.\n\nOpenAI launches DALL-E 3 API, new text-to-speech models\n\nDALL-E 3, OpenAI’s text-to-image model, is now available via an API after first coming to ChatGPT-4 and Bing Chat. OpenAI’s newly released text-to-speech API, Audio API, offers six preset voices to choose from and two generative AI model variants.\n\nOpenAI promises to defend business customers against copyright claims\n\nBowing to peer pressure, OpenAI it will pay legal costs incurred by customers who face lawsuits over IP claims against work generated by an OpenAI tool. The protections seemingly don’t extend to all OpenAI products, like the free and Plus tiers of ChatGPT.\n\nAs OpenAI’s multimodal API launches broadly, research shows it’s still flawed\n\nOpenAI announced that GPT-4 with vision will become available alongside the upcoming launch of GPT-4 Turbo API. But some researchers found that the model remains flawed in several significant and problematic ways.\n\nOpenAI launches API, letting developers build ‘assistants’ into their apps\n\nAt its OpenAI DevDay, OpenAI announced the Assistants API to help developers build “agent-like experiences” within their apps. Use cases range from a natural language-based data analysis app to a coding assistant or even an AI-powered vacation planner.\n\nOctober 2023\n\nChatGPT app revenue shows no signs of slowing, but it’s not #1\n\nOpenAI’s chatbot app far outpaces all others on mobile devices in terms of downloads, but it’s surprisingly not the top AI app by revenue. Several other AI chatbots, like “Chat & Ask AI” and “ChatOn — AI Chat Bot Assistant”, are actually making more money than ChatGPT.\n\nChatGPT tests the ability to upload and analyze files for Plus users\n\nSubscribers to ChatGPT’s Enterprise Plan have reported new beta features, including the ability to upload PDFs to analyze and and ask questions about them directly. The new rollout also makes it so users no longer have to manually select a mode like DALL-E and browsing when using ChatGPT. Instead, users will automatically be switched to models based on the prompt.\n\nChatGPT officially gets web search\n\nOpenAI has formally launched its internet-browsing feature to ChatGPT, some three weeks after re-introducing the feature in beta after several months in hiatus. The AI chatbot that has historically been limited to data up to September, 2021.\n\nOpenAI integrates DALL-E 3 into ChatGPT\n\nThe integration means users don’t have to think so carefully about their text-prompts when asking DALL-E to create an image. Users will also now be able to receive images as part of their text-based queries without having to switch between apps.\n\nMicrosoft-affiliated research finds flaws in GPT-4\n\nA Microsoft-affiliated scientific paper looked at the “trustworthiness” — and toxicity — of LLMs, including GPT-4. Because GPT-4 is more likely to follow the instructions of “jailbreaking” prompts, the co-authors claim that GPT-4 can be more easily prompted than other LLMs to spout toxic, biased text.\n\nChatGPT’s mobile app hits record $4.58M in revenue in September\n\nOpenAI amassed 15.6 million downloads and nearly $4.6 million in gross revenue across its iOS and Android apps worldwide in September. But revenue growth has now begun to slow, according to new data from market intelligence firm Appfigures — dropping from 30% to 20% in September.\n\nSeptember 2023\n\nChatGPT can now browse the internet (again)\n\nOpenAI posted on Twitter/X that ChatGPT can now browse the internet and is no longer limited to data before September 2021. The chatbot had a web browsing capability for Plus subscribers back in July, but the feature was taken away after users exploited it to get around paywalls.\n\nChatGPT can now browse the internet to provide you with current and authoritative information, complete with direct links to sources. It is no longer limited to data before September 2021. pic.twitter.com/pyj8a9HWkB — OpenAI (@OpenAI) September 27, 2023\n\nChatGPT now has a voice\n\nOpenAI announced that it’s adding a new voice for verbal conversations and image-based smarts to the AI-powered chatbot.\n\nPoland opens an investigation against OpenAI\n\nThe Polish authority publically announced it has opened an investigation regarding ChatGPT — accusing the company of a string of breaches of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).\n\nOpenAI unveils DALL-E 3\n\nThe upgraded text-to-image tool, DALL-E 3, uses ChatGPT to help fill in prompts. Subscribers to OpenAI’s premium ChatGPT plans, ChatGPT Plus and ChatGPT Enterprise, can type in a request for an image and hone it through conversations with the chatbot — receiving the results directly within the chat app.\n\nOpera GX integrates ChatGPT-powered AI\n\nPowered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT, the AI browser Aria launched on Opera in May to give users an easier way to search, ask questions and write code. Today, the company announced it is bringing Aria to Opera GX, a version of the flagship Opera browser that is built for gamers.\n\nThe new feature allows Opera GX users to interact directly with a browser AI to find the latest gaming news and tips.\n\nAugust 2023\n\nOpenAI releases a guide for teachers using ChatGPT in the classroom\n\nOpenAI wants to rehabilitate the system’s image a bit when it comes to education, as ChatGPT has been controversial in the classroom due to plagiarism. OpenAI has offered up a selection of ways to put the chatbot to work in the classroom.\n\nOpenAI launches ChatGPT Enterprise\n\nChatGPT Enterprise can perform the same tasks as ChatGPT, such as writing emails, drafting essays and debugging computer code. However, the new offering also adds “enterprise-grade” privacy and data analysis capabilities on top of the vanilla ChatGPT, as well as enhanced performance and customization options.\n\nSurvey finds relatively few American use ChatGPT\n\nRecent Pew polling suggests the language model isn’t quite as popular or threatening as some would have you think. Ongoing polling by Pew Research shows that although ChatGPT is gaining mindshare, only about 18% of Americans have ever actually used it.\n\nOpenAI brings fine-tuning to GPT-3.5 Turbo\n\nWith fine-tuning, companies using GPT-3.5 Turbo through the company’s API can make the model better follow specific instructions. For example, having the model always respond in a given language. Or improving the model’s ability to consistently format responses, as well as hone the “feel” of the model’s output, like its tone, so that it better fits a brand or voice. Most notably, fine-tuning enables OpenAI customers to shorten text prompts to speed up API calls and cut costs.\n\nOpenAI is partnering with Scale AI to allow companies to fine-tune GPT-3.5. However, it is unclear whether OpenAI is developing an in-house tuning tool that is meant to complement platforms like Scale AI or serve a different purpose altogether.\n\nFine-tuning costs:\n\nTraining: $0.008 / 1K tokens\n\nUsage input: $0.012 / 1K tokens\n\nUsage output: $0.016 / 1K tokens\n\nOpenAI acquires Global Illumination\n\nIn OpenAI’s first public acquisition in its seven-year history, the company announced it has acquired Global Illumination, a New York-based startup leveraging AI to build creative tools, infrastructure and digital experiences.\n\n“We’re very excited for the impact they’ll have here at OpenAI,” OpenAI wrote in a brief post published to its official blog. “The entire team has joined OpenAI to work on our core products including ChatGPT.”\n\nThe ‘custom instructions’ feature is extended to free ChatGPT users\n\nOpenAI announced that it’s expanding custom instructions to all users, including those on the free tier of service. The feature allows users to add various preferences and requirements that they want the AI chatbot to consider when responding.\n\nChina requires AI apps to obtain an administrative license\n\nMultiple generative AI apps have been removed from Apple’s China App Store ahead of the country’s latest generative AI regulations that are set to take effect August 15.\n\n“As you may know, the government has been tightening regulations associated with deep synthesis technologies (DST) and generative AI services, including ChatGPT. DST must fulfill permitting requirements to operate in China, including securing a license from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT),” Apple said in a letter to OpenCat, a native ChatGPT client. “Based on our review, your app is associated with ChatGPT, which does not have requisite permits to operate in China.”\n\nJuly 2023\n\nChatGPT for Android is now available in the US, India, Bangladesh and Brazil\n\nA few days after putting up a preorder page on Google Play, OpenAI has flipped the switch and released ChatGPT for Android. The app is now live in a handful of countries.\n\nChatGPT is coming to Android\n\nChatGPT is available to “pre-order” for Android users.\n\nThe ChatGPT app on Android looks to be more or less identical to the iOS one in functionality, meaning it gets most if not all of the web-based version’s features. You should be able to sync your conversations and preferences across devices, too — so if you’re iPhone at home and Android at work, no worries.\n\nOpenAI launches customized instructions for ChatGPT\n\nOpenAI launched custom instructions for ChatGPT users, so they don’t have to write the same instruction prompts to the chatbot every time they interact with it.\n\nThe company said this feature lets you “share anything you’d like ChatGPT to consider in its response.” For example, a teacher can say they are teaching fourth-grade math or a developer can specify the code language they prefer when asking for suggestions. A person can also specify their family size, so the text-generating AI can give responses about meals, grocery and vacation planning accordingly.\n\nThe FTC is reportedly investigating OpenAI\n\nThe FTC is reportedly in at least the exploratory phase of investigation over whether OpenAI’s flagship ChatGPT conversational AI made “false, misleading, disparaging or harmful” statements about people.\n\nTechCrunch Reporter Devin Coldewey reports:\n\nThis kind of investigation doesn’t just appear out of thin air — the FTC doesn’t look around and say “That looks suspicious.” Generally a lawsuit or formal complaint is brought to their attention and the practices described by it imply that regulations are being ignored. For example, a person may sue a supplement company because the pills made them sick, and the FTC will launch an investigation on the back of that because there’s evidence the company lied about the side effects.\n\nOpenAI announced the general availability of GPT-4\n\nStarting July 6, all existing OpenAI developers “with a history of successful payments” can access GPT-4. OpenAI plans to open up access to new developers by the end of July.\n\nIn the future, OpenAI says that it’ll allow developers to fine-tune GPT-4 and GPT-3.5 Turbo, one of the original models powering ChatGPT, with their own data, as has long been possible with several of OpenAI’s other text-generating models. That capability should arrive later this year, according to OpenAI.\n\nJune 2023\n\nChatGPT app can now search the web only on Bing\n\nOpenAI announced that subscribers to ChatGPT Plus can now use a new feature on the app called Browsing, which allows ChatGPT to search Bing for answers to questions.\n\nThe Browsing feature can be enabled by heading to the New Features section of the app settings, selecting “GPT-4” in the model switcher and choosing “Browse with Bing” from the drop-down list. Browsing is available on both the iOS and Android ChatGPT apps.\n\nMercedes is adding ChatGPT to its infotainment system\n\nU.S. owners of Mercedes models that use MBUX will be able to opt into a beta program starting June 16 activating the ChatGPT functionality. This will enable the highly versatile large language model to augment the car’s conversation skills. You can join up simply by telling your car “Hey Mercedes, I want to join the beta program.”\n\nIt’s not really clear what for, though.\n\nChatGPT app is now available on iPad, adds support for Siri and Shortcuts\n\nThe new ChatGPT app version brings native iPad support to the app, as well as support for using the chatbot with Siri and Shortcuts. Drag and drop is also now available, allowing users to drag individual messages from ChatGPT into other apps.\n\nOn iPad, ChatGPT now runs in full-screen mode, optimized for the tablet’s interface.\n\nMay 2023\n\nTexas judge orders all AI-generated content must be declared and checked\n\nThe Texas federal judge has added a requirement that any attorney appearing in his court must attest that “no portion of the filing was drafted by generative artificial intelligence,” or if it was, that it was checked “by a human being.”\n\nChatGPT app expanded to more than 30 countries\n\nThe list of new countries includes Algeria, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Estonia, Ghana, India, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lithuania, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Nauru, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Qatar, Slovenia, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates.\n\nChatGPT app is now available in 11 more countries\n\nOpenAI announced in a tweet that the ChatGPT mobile app is now available on iOS in the U.S., Europe, South Korea and New Zealand, and soon more will be able to download the app from the app store. In just six days, the app topped 500,000 downloads.\n\nThe ChatGPT app for iOS is now available to users in 11 more countries — Albania, Croatia, France, Germany, Ireland, Jamaica, Korea, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, and the UK. More to come soon! — OpenAI (@OpenAI) May 24, 2023\n\nOpenAI launches a ChatGPT app for iOS\n\nChatGPT is officially going mobile. The new ChatGPT app will be free to use, free from ads and will allow for voice input, the company says, but will initially be limited to U.S. users at launch.\n\nWhen using the mobile version of ChatGPT, the app will sync your history across devices — meaning it will know what you’ve previously searched for via its web interface, and make that accessible to you. The app is also integrated with Whisper, OpenAI’s open source speech recognition system, to allow for voice input.\n\nHackers are using ChatGPT lures to spread malware on Facebook\n\nMeta said in a report on May 3 that malware posing as ChatGPT was on the rise across its platforms. The company said that since March 2023, its security teams have uncovered 10 malware families using ChatGPT (and similar themes) to deliver malicious software to users’ devices.\n\n“In one case, we’ve seen threat actors create malicious browser extensions available in official web stores that claim to offer ChatGPT-based tools,” said Meta security engineers Duc H. Nguyen and Ryan Victory in a blog post. “They would then promote these malicious extensions on social media and through sponsored search results to trick people into downloading malware.”\n\nApril 2023\n\nChatGPT parent company OpenAI closes $300M share sale at $27B-29B valuation\n\nVC firms including Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Thrive and K2 Global are picking up new shares, according to documents seen by TechCrunch. A source tells us Founders Fund is also investing. Altogether the VCs have put in just over $300 million at a valuation of $27 billion to $29 billion. This is separate to a big investment from Microsoft announced earlier this year, a person familiar with the development told TechCrunch, which closed in January. The size of Microsoft’s investment is believed to be around $10 billion, a figure we confirmed with our source.\n\nOpenAI previews new subscription tier, ChatGPT Business\n\nCalled ChatGPT Business, OpenAI describes the forthcoming offering as “for professionals who need more control over their data as well as enterprises seeking to manage their end users.”\n\n“ChatGPT Business will follow our API’s data usage policies, which means that end users’ data won’t be used to train our models by default,” OpenAI wrote in a blog post. “We plan to make ChatGPT Business available in the coming months.”\n\nOpenAI wants to trademark “GPT”\n\nOpenAI applied for a trademark for “GPT,” which stands for “Generative Pre-trained Transformer,” last December. Last month, the company petitioned the USPTO to speed up the process, citing the “myriad infringements and counterfeit apps” beginning to spring into existence.\n\nUnfortunately for OpenAI, its petition was dismissed last week. According to the agency, OpenAI’s attorneys neglected to pay an associated fee as well as provide “appropriate documentary evidence supporting the justification of special action.”\n\nThat means a decision could take up to five more months.\n\nAuto-GPT is Silicon Valley’s latest quest to automate everything\n\nAuto-GPT is an open-source app created by game developer Toran Bruce Richards that uses OpenAI’s latest text-generating models, GPT-3.5 and GPT-4, to interact with software and services online, allowing it to “autonomously” perform tasks.\n\nDepending on what objective the tool’s provided, Auto-GPT can behave in very… unexpected ways. One Reddit user claims that, given a budget of $100 to spend within a server instance, Auto-GPT made a wiki page on cats, exploited a flaw in the instance to gain admin-level access and took over the Python environment in which it was running — and then “killed” itself.\n\nFTC warns that AI technology like ChatGPT could ‘turbocharge’ fraud\n\nFTC chair Lina Khan and fellow commissioners warned House representatives of the potential for modern AI technologies, like ChatGPT, to be used to “turbocharge” fraud in a congressional hearing.\n\n“AI presents a whole set of opportunities, but also presents a whole set of risks,” Khan told the House representatives. “And I think we’ve already seen ways in which it could be used to turbocharge fraud and scams. We’ve been putting market participants on notice that instances in which AI tools are effectively being designed to deceive people can place them on the hook for FTC action,” she stated.\n\nSuperchat’s new AI chatbot lets you message historical and fictional characters via ChatGPT\n\nThe company behind the popular iPhone customization app Brass, sticker maker StickerHub and others is out today with a new AI chat app called SuperChat, which allows iOS users to chat with virtual characters powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT. However, what makes the app different from the default experience or the dozens of generic AI chat apps now available are the characters offered which you can use to engage with SuperChat’s AI features.\n\nItaly gives OpenAI to-do list for lifting ChatGPT suspension order\n\nItaly’s data protection watchdog has laid out what OpenAI needs to do for it to lift an order against ChatGPT issued at the end of last month — when it said it suspected the AI chatbot service was in breach of the EU’s GSPR and ordered the U.S.-based company to stop processing locals’ data.\n\nThe DPA has given OpenAI a deadline — of April 30 — to get the regulator’s compliance demands done. (The local radio, TV and internet awareness campaign has a slightly more generous timeline of May 15 to be actioned.)\n\nResearchers discover a way to make ChatGPT consistently toxic\n\nA study co-authored by scientists at the Allen Institute for AI shows that assigning ChatGPT a “persona” — for example, “a bad person,” “a horrible person” or “a nasty person” — through the ChatGPT API increases its toxicity sixfold. Even more concerning, the co-authors found having the conversational AI chatbot pose as certain historical figures, gendered people and members of political parties also increased its toxicity — with journalists, men and Republicans in particular causing the machine learning model to say more offensive things than it normally would.\n\nThe research was conducted using the latest version, but not the model currently in preview based on OpenAI’s GPT-4.\n\nY Combinator-backed startups are trying to build ‘ChatGPT for X’\n\nYC Demo Day’s Winter 2023 batch features no fewer than four startups that claim to be building “ChatGPT for X.” They’re all chasing after a customer service software market that’ll be worth $58.1 billion by 2023, assuming the rather optimistic prediction from Acumen Research comes true.\n\nHere are the YC-backed startups that caught our eye:\n\nYuma, whose customer demographic is primarily Shopify merchants, provides ChatGPT-like AI systems that integrate with help desk software, suggesting drafts of replies to customer tickets.\n\nBaselit, which uses one of OpenAI’s text-understanding models to allow businesses to embed chatbot-style analytics for their customers.\n\nLasso customers send descriptions or videos of the processes they’d like to automate and the company combines ChatGPT-like interface with robotic process automation (RPA) and a Chrome extension to build out those automations.\n\nBerriAI, whose platform is designed to help developers spin up ChatGPT apps for their organization data through various data connectors.\n\nItaly orders ChatGPT to be blocked\n\nOpenAI has started geoblocking access to its generative AI chatbot, ChatGPT, in Italy.\n\nItaly’s data protection authority has just put out a timely reminder that some countries do have laws that already apply to cutting edge AI: it has ordered OpenAI to stop processing people’s data locally with immediate effect. The Italian DPA said it’s concerned that the ChatGPT maker is breaching the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and is opening an investigation.\n\nMarch 2023\n\n1,100+ signatories signed an open letter asking all ‘AI labs to immediately pause for 6 months’\n\nThe letter’s signatories include Elon Musk, Steve Wozniak and Tristan Harris of the Center for Humane Technology, among others. The letter calls on “all AI labs to immediately pause for at least 6 months the training of AI systems more powerful than GPT-4.”\n\nThe letter reads:\n\nContemporary AI systems are now becoming human-competitive at general tasks,[3] and we must ask ourselves: Should we let machines flood our information channels with propaganda and untruth? Should we automate away all the jobs, including the fulfilling ones? Should we develop nonhuman minds that might eventually outnumber, outsmart, obsolete and replace us? Should we risk loss of control of our civilization? Such decisions must not be delegated to unelected tech leaders. Powerful AI systems should be developed only once we are confident that their effects will be positive and their risks will be manageable.\n\nOpenAI connects ChatGPT to the internet\n\nOpenAI launched plugins for ChatGPT, extending the bot’s functionality by granting it access to third-party knowledge sources and databases, including the web. Available in alpha to ChatGPT users and developers on the waitlist, OpenAI says that it’ll initially prioritize a small number of developers and subscribers to its premium ChatGPT Plus plan before rolling out larger-scale and API access.\n\nOpenAI launches GPT-4, available through ChatGPT Plus\n\nGPT-4 is a powerful image- and text-understanding AI model from OpenAI. Released March 14, GPT-4 is available for paying ChatGPT Plus users and through a public API. Developers can sign up on a waitlist to access the API.\n\nChatGPT is available in Azure OpenAI service\n\nChatGPT is generally available through the Azure OpenAI Service, Microsoft’s fully managed, corporate-focused offering. Customers, who must already be “Microsoft managed customers and partners,” can apply here for special access.\n\nOpenAI launches an API for ChatGPT\n\nOpenAI makes another move toward monetization by launching a paid API for ChatGPT. Instacart, Snap (Snapchat’s parent company) and Quizlet are among its initial customers.\n\nFebruary 2023\n\nMicrosoft launches the new Bing, with ChatGPT built in\n\nAt a press event in Redmond, Washington, Microsoft announced its long-rumored integration of OpenAI’s GPT-4 model into Bing, providing a ChatGPT-like experience within the search engine. The announcement spurred a 10x increase in new downloads for Bing globally, indicating a sizable consumer demand for new AI experiences.\n\nOther companies beyond Microsoft joined in on the AI craze by implementing ChatGPT, including OkCupid, Kaito, Snapchat and Discord — putting the pressure on Big Tech’s AI initiatives, like Google.\n\nOpenAI launches ChatGPT Plus, starting at $20 per month\n\nAfter ChatGPT took the internet by storm, OpenAI launched a new pilot subscription plan for ChatGPT called ChatGPT Plus, aiming to monetize the technology starting at $20 per month. A month prior, OpenAI posted a waitlist for “ChatGPT Professional” as the company began to think about monetizing the chatbot.\n\nJanuary 2023\n\nOpenAI teases ChatGPT Professional\n\nOpenAI said that it’s “starting to think about how to monetize ChatGPT” in an announcement on the company’s official Discord server. According to a waitlist link OpenAI posted in Discord, the monetized version will be called ChatGPT Professional. The waitlist document includes the benefits of this new paid version of the chatbot which include no “blackout” windows, no throttling and an unlimited number of messages with ChatGPT — “at least 2x the regular daily limit.”\n\nDecember 2022\n\nShareGPT lets you easily share your ChatGPT conversations\n\nA week after ChatGPT was released into the wild, two developers — Steven Tey and Dom Eccleston — made a Chrome extension called ShareGPT to make it easier to capture and share the AI’s answers with the world.\n\nNovember 2022\n\nChatGPT first launched to the public as OpenAI quietly released GPT-3.5\n\nGPT-3.5 broke cover with ChatGPT, a fine-tuned version of GPT-3.5 that’s essentially a general-purpose chatbot. ChatGPT can engage with a range of topics, including programming, TV scripts and scientific concepts. Writers everywhere rolled their eyes at the new technology, much like artists did with OpenAI’s DALL-E model, but the latest chat-style iteration seemingly broadened its appeal and audience.\n\nFAQs:\n\nWhat is ChatGPT? How does it work?\n\nChatGPT is a general-purpose chatbot that uses artificial intelligence to generate text after a user enters a prompt, developed by tech startup OpenAI. The chatbot uses GPT-4, a large language model that uses deep learning to produce human-like text.\n\nWhen did ChatGPT get released?\n\nNovember 30, 2022 is when ChatGPT was released for public use.\n\nWhat is the latest version of ChatGPT?\n\nBoth the free version of ChatGPT and the paid ChatGPT Plus are regularly updated with new GPT models. The most recent model is GPT-4.\n\nCan I use ChatGPT for free?\n\nThere is a free version of ChatGPT that only requires a sign-in in addition to the paid version, ChatGPT Plus.\n\nWho uses ChatGPT?\n\nAnyone can use ChatGPT! More and more tech companies and search engines are utilizing the chatbot to automate text or quickly answer user questions/concerns.\n\nWhat companies use ChatGPT?\n\nMultiple enterprises utilize ChatGPT, although others may limit the use of the AI-powered tool.\n\nMost recently, Microsoft announced at it’s 2023 Build conference that it is integrating it ChatGPT-based Bing experience into Windows 11. A Brooklyn-based 3D display startup Looking Glass utilizes ChatGPT to produce holograms you can communicate with by using ChatGPT. And nonprofit organization Solana officially integrated the chatbot into its network with a ChatGPT plug-in geared toward end users to help onboard into the web3 space.\n\nWhat does GPT mean in ChatGPT?\n\nGPT stands for Generative Pre-Trained Transformer.\n\nWhat’s the difference between ChatGPT and Bard?\n\nMuch like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Bard is a chatbot that will answer questions in natural language. Google announced at its 2023 I/O event that it will soon be adding multimodal content to Bard, meaning that it can deliver answers in more than just text, responses can give you rich visuals as well. Rich visuals mean pictures for now, but later can include maps, charts and other items.\n\nChatGPT’s generative AI has had a longer lifespan and thus has been “learning” for a longer period of time than Bard.\n\nWhat is the difference between ChatGPT and a chatbot?\n\nA chatbot can be any software/system that holds dialogue with you/a person but doesn’t necessarily have to be AI-powered. For example, there are chatbots that are rules-based in the sense that they’ll give canned responses to questions.\n\nChatGPT is AI-powered and utilizes LLM technology to generate text after a prompt.\n\nCan ChatGPT write essays?\n\nYes.\n\nCan ChatGPT commit libel?\n\nDue to the nature of how these models work, they don’t know or care whether something is true, only that it looks true. That’s a problem when you’re using it to do your homework, sure, but when it accuses you of a crime you didn’t commit, that may well at this point be libel.\n\nWe will see how handling troubling statements produced by ChatGPT will play out over the next few months as tech and legal experts attempt to tackle the fastest moving target in the industry.\n\nDoes ChatGPT have an app?\n\nYes, there is now a free ChatGPT app that is currently limited to U.S. iOS users at launch. OpenAi says an android version is “coming soon.”\n\nWhat is the ChatGPT character limit?\n\nIt’s not documented anywhere that ChatGPT has a character limit. However, users have noted that there are some character limitations after around 500 words.\n\nDoes ChatGPT have an API?\n\nYes, it was released March 1, 2023.\n\nWhat are some sample everyday uses for ChatGPT?\n\nEveryday examples include programing, scripts, email replies, listicles, blog ideas, summarization, etc.\n\nWhat are some advanced uses for ChatGPT?\n\nAdvanced use examples include debugging code, programming languages, scientific concepts, complex problem solving, etc.\n\nHow good is ChatGPT at writing code?\n\nIt depends on the nature of the program. While ChatGPT can write workable Python code, it can’t necessarily program an entire app’s worth of code. That’s because ChatGPT lacks context awareness — in other words, the generated code isn’t always appropriate for the specific context in which it’s being used.\n\nCan you save a ChatGPT chat?\n\nYes. OpenAI allows users to save chats in the ChatGPT interface, stored in the sidebar of the screen. There are no built-in sharing features yet.\n\nAre there alternatives to ChatGPT?\n\nYes. There are multiple AI-powered chatbot competitors such as Together, Google’s Bard and Anthropic’s Claude, and developers are creating open source alternatives. But the latter are harder — if not impossible — to run today.\n\nThe Google-owned research lab DeepMind claimed that its next LLM, will rival, or even best, OpenAI’s ChatGPT. DeepMind is using techniques from AlphaGo, DeepMind’s AI system that was the first to defeat a professional human player at the board game Go, to make a ChatGPT-rivaling chatbot called Gemini.\n\nApple is developing AI tools to challenge OpenAI, Google and others. The tech giant created a chatbot that some engineers are internally referring to as “Apple GPT,” but Apple has yet to determine a strategy for releasing the AI to consumers.\n\nHow does ChatGPT handle data privacy?\n\nOpenAI has said that individuals in “certain jurisdictions” (such as the EU) can object to the processing of their personal information by its AI models by filling out this form. This includes the ability to make requests for deletion of AI-generated references about you. Although OpenAI notes it may not grant every request since it must balance privacy requests against freedom of expression “in accordance with applicable laws”.\n\nThe web form for making a deletion of data about you request is entitled “OpenAI Personal Data Removal Request”.\n\nIn its privacy policy, the ChatGPT maker makes a passing acknowledgement of the objection requirements attached to relying on “legitimate interest” (LI), pointing users towards more information about requesting an opt out — when it writes: “See here for instructions on how you can opt out of our use of your information to train our models.”\n\nWhat controversies have surrounded ChatGPT?\n\nRecently, Discord announced that it had integrated OpenAI’s technology into its bot named Clyde where two users tricked Clyde into providing them with instructions for making the illegal drug methamphetamine (meth) and the incendiary mixture napalm.\n\nAn Australian mayor has publicly announced he may sue OpenAI for defamation due to ChatGPT’s false claims that he had served time in prison for bribery. This would be the first defamation lawsuit against the text-generating service.\n\nCNET found itself in the midst of controversy after Futurism reported the publication was publishing articles under a mysterious byline completely generated by AI. The private equity company that owns CNET, Red Ventures, was accused of using ChatGPT for SEO farming, even if the information was incorrect.\n\nSeveral major school systems and colleges, including New York City Public Schools, have banned ChatGPT from their networks and devices. They claim that the AI impedes the learning process by promoting plagiarism and misinformation, a claim that not every educator agrees with.\n\nThere have also been cases of ChatGPT accusing individuals of false crimes.\n\nWhere can I find examples of ChatGPT prompts?\n\nSeveral marketplaces host and provide ChatGPT prompts, either for free or for a nominal fee. One is PromptBase. Another is ChatX. More launch every day.\n\nCan ChatGPT be detected?\n\nPoorly. Several tools claim to detect ChatGPT-generated text, but in our tests, they’re inconsistent at best.\n\nAre ChatGPT chats public?\n\nNo. But OpenAI recently disclosed a bug, since fixed, that exposed the titles of some users’ conversations to other people on the service.\n\nWho owns the copyright on ChatGPT-created content or media?\n\nThe user who requested the input from ChatGPT is the copyright owner.\n\nWhat lawsuits are there surrounding ChatGPT?\n\nNone specifically targeting ChatGPT. But OpenAI is involved in at least one lawsuit that has implications for AI systems trained on publicly available data, which would touch on ChatGPT.\n\nAre there issues regarding plagiarism with ChatGPT?\n\nYes. Text-generating AI models like ChatGPT have a tendency to regurgitate content from their training data.","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/09/28/chatgpt-everything-to-know-about-the-ai-chatbot/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_92fe588f364a3465","mhq_7964d4da1cc735e7","mhq_8151c964509ae739"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_92fe588f364a3465","mhq_7964d4da1cc735e7","mhq_8151c964509ae739"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"2b0bc02b3963176130045f5bf40690c7afe8bba0a80c7fff0a998ed1d5c7d318","source_record_sha256":"6dd937d8a333dee54da666529fbb2c2ef06ae149aa5e631c127175901bed5b83","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":48,"source_fields":{"title":"ChatGPT: Everything you need to know about the AI-powered chatbot","author":"Alyssa Stringer","source":"TechCrunch","published_at":"2023-09-28T20:03:39+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/09/28/chatgpt-everything-to-know-about-the-ai-chatbot/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_8f0621b8e5604c49","text":"A comprehensive list of 2023 tech layoffs From major layoffs at Google, Amazon and Microsoft to small fintech startups and apps\n\nLast year’s techwide reckoning continues. The tech industry has seen more than 240,000 jobs lost in 2023, a total that’s already 50% higher than last year and growing. Earlier this year, mass workforce reductions were driven by the biggest names in tech like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Yahoo, Meta and Zoom. Startups across many sectors also announced cutbacks through the first half of the year. And while tech layoffs slowed down in the summer and fall, it appears that cuts are ramping up yet again.\n\nMany economists have cautioned against fears of a recession, which would seem like a reason for optimism. But the momentum for a tech sector rebound has been slow to build, resulting in tech companies continuing to cut back on their workforces and pivot from a growth mindset to one based on efficiency in the face of stubborn market conditions.\n\nBut tracking these layoffs helps us to understand the impact on innovation, which companies are facing tough pressures and who is available to hire for the businesses lucky to be growing right now. Unfortunately, it also serves as a reminder of the deeply human impact of layoffs and how risk profiles could evolve from here.\n\nBelow you’ll find a comprehensive list of all the known layoffs in tech that have occurred in 2023, to be updated monthly. If you have a tip on a layoff, contact us here. If you prefer to remain anonymous, you can contact us here.\n\nThe running total of layoffs for 2023 based on full months to date is 224,503, according to Layoffs.fyi. Tech layoffs conducted to date this year currently exceed the total number of tech layoffs in 2022, according to the data in the tracker.\n\nData visualization by Miranda Halpern, created with Flourish\n\nDecember 2023\n\nShareChat\n\nIs cutting 15% of its workforce in a “strategic restructuring” effort for 2024.\n\nInsightec\n\nIs reportedly laying off 100 employees, with 60 from the company’s Israel headquarters.\n\nUdaan\n\nReportedly laid off up to 150 employees in a restructuring effort. This month, the business-to-business e-commerce startup scored $340 million in new funding.\n\nEnphase\n\nIs reducing their workforce by around 10%, impacting roughly 350 contractors and employees, president and CEO Badri Kothandaraman wrote in a blog post December 18.\n\nArm Holdings PLC\n\nReportedly laid off more than 70 software engineers in China and will relocate some roles.\n\nDelivery Hero\n\nIs shutting down operations in Taiwan and Turkey and plans to eliminate roles at its Berlin headquarters, the company said December 18.\n\neBay\n\nIs reportedly eliminating nearly 10% of its workforce in Israel. It’s the company’s second round of layoffs this year.\n\nIntel\n\nWill cut 235 employees at its Folsom office campus at the end of the year, the company reported to state employment officials December 15.\n\nSuperpedestrian\n\nIs shutting down its U.S.-based shared scooter operation and exploring a sale of its European business, TechCrunch has exclusively learned.\n\nBolt\n\nConfirmed it laid off 29% of its staff December 15. The e-commerce company known for its one-click checkout technology was at one time the subject of a federal probe.\n\nCruise\n\nIn an announcement obtained exclusively by TechCrunch, the embattled self-driving car company is cutting 900 employees, or 24% of its workforce, per a December 14 email from new president and CTO Mo Elshenawy.\n\nEtsy\n\nIs laying off 11% of its workforce. In a letter to employees December 13, CEO Josh Silverman cited a “very challenging macro and competitive environment.”\n\nChipper Cash\n\nHas reportedly laid off 15 people across various departments. It would be the fintech unicorn’s fourth round of layoffs this year.\n\nSmileDirectClub\n\nHas shut down three months after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, citing $900 million of debt.\n\nSunfolding\n\nIs reportedly winding down its operations. On its website, Y Combinator categorizes Sunfolding as an “inactive” company.\n\nZulily\n\nWill lay off more than 500 employees after closing fulfillment centers in Ohio and Nevada in February 2024.\n\nD2iQ\n\nIs shutting down its operations and selling its assets to Nutanix.\n\nAtmosphere\n\nHas reportedly eliminated a large part of its workforce. The business-focused streaming TV service raised $100 million in 2022.\n\nTidal\n\nIs laying off more than 10% of its staff, the company confirmed to TechCrunch December 7.\n\nZestMoney\n\nIs shutting down operations. The Goldman Sachs-backed “buy now, pay later” startup was once valued at $450 million.\n\nNavan\n\nIs cutting about 145 roles as the travel startup previously known as TripActions plans to become public.\n\nIncredibuild\n\nIs laying off 20% of its workforce. The software development startup previously raised $35 million in a Series B funding in 2022.\n\nBill\n\nWill cut around 15% of its workforce, the company announced December 5, and close its Sydney office to increase profitability.\n\nCourseHero\n\nAnnounced December 5 it eliminated 23 employees across engineering, operations and development.\n\nPivo\n\nShut down operations December 5. The Nigerian fintech startup previously raised $2 million in a seed round.\n\nTwilio\n\nAnnounced hundreds of job cuts December 4, amounting to 5% of the company’s workforce.\n\nSpotify\n\nIs eliminating about 1,500 jobs, the company announced December 4. This marks Spotify’s third round of layoffs this year.\n\nBending Spoons\n\nHas laid off the entire staff of Filmic, the team behind popular video and photo-editing apps that Bending Spoons acquired in July.\n\nNovember 2023\n\nZepz\n\nCut 30 roles November 30 after the fintech unicorn eliminated 26% of its workforce earlier this year.\n\nDomo\n\nMade reductions to 7% of staff, in addition to reductions in its contract workforce, CEO Joshua G. James announced in the company’s Q3 earnings call November 30.\n\nMojo\n\nIs laying off 20% of its staff, the company announced to staff November 30. The A-Rod and Marc Lore-founded sports betting startup previously raised $100 million.\n\nLoco\n\nIs cutting its workforce by about 36%, co-founders Anirudh Pandita and Ashwin Suresh announced at a November 30 town hall.\n\nUnity\n\nIs laying off 265 workers November 29 after eliminating its Wētā Digital division, which it acquired in 2021.\n\nTier Mobility\n\nIs cutting roughly 22% of its staff, CEO and co-founder Lawrence Leuschner announced November 28.\n\nDataminr\n\nIs laying off about 20% of its staff starting November 28, citing “the recent rapid advancements of our AI platform,” according to a memo from founder and CEO Ted Bailey.\n\nMultiverse\n\nWill lay off nearly a third of their U.S. staff. It’s the second round of layoffs at the U.K.-based unicorn company in just over a month.\n\nONE\n\nIs cutting its workforce by around 25% November 27, citing “market conditions” affecting the EV battery startup.\n\nByteDance\n\nStarted mass layoffs November 27 in its gaming department, Nuverse, after two years of tepid performance. The number of affected employees is unknown.\n\nVeev\n\nIs closing up shop, according to multiple reports, after reaching unicorn status in 2022.\n\nTulip\n\nLaid off 25 employees, CEO Ali Asaria announced November 24.\n\nAnar\n\nIs shutting down operations and returning capital to investors, CEO Nishank Jain announced November 23.\n\nAlerzo\n\nCut 100 workers November 21, reportedly due to increases in automation. The recent layoffs come after Alzero cut 15% of its workforce earlier this year and 5% in 2022.\n\nC3.ai\n\nReportedly cut jobs across departments November 20, citing a need to reduce costs. People familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that several impacted employees received just one month of severance.\n\nJodo\n\nReportedly cut around 100 roles across engineering, customer success, data and sales November 20.\n\nAmazon\n\nIs reportedly laying off “several hundred” employees in their Alexa division and its freshly launched Artificial General Intelligence team.\n\nFreshBooks\n\nLaid off 6% of their workforce November 17 as the company shuts down operations in Raleigh, North Carolina. President Mark Girvan and CEO Don Epperson are also leaving the company.\n\nBeamery\n\nIs reportedly cutting 25% of its workforce amid a larger restructuring and cost-cutting effort.\n\nPaystack\n\nLaid off 33 employees in Europe and Dubai November 16 as the company cuts down on operations outside of Africa.\n\nSega\n\nIs reportedly planning to “phase out” 80 temporary workers by 2024. The company is now facing an unfair labor practice complaint, with workers alleging the layoffs are retaliation for unionizing.\n\nChewy\n\nLaid off more than 200 employees November 14. The cuts impact roles in HR, recruiting, data, business intelligence, plus directors and higher managers.\n\nAmazon\n\nIs cutting “just over 180” roles in its gaming division, VP Christoph Hartmann wrote in an email to employees November 13.\n\nCarta\n\nIs reportedly cutting more of its workforce. The number of positions affected are unknown, but it would be the unicorn startup’s third layoff round this year.\n\nPico\n\nIs cutting a “few hundred” roles, a person familiar with the matter told TechCrunch November 9. ByteDance’s Oculus challenger held an internal meeting announcing it is halting its expansion this week.\n\nCruise\n\nStarted laying off contingent workers who supported driverless operations November 9. Those layoffs came after the company recalled 950 robotaxis and lost key commercial permits to operate in California.\n\nSnap\n\nLaid off fewer than 20 project managers November 8. CNBC reported that Snap’s vice president of engineering, ​​Nima Khajehnouri, will also be leaving.\n\nAmazon\n\nStarted cutting workers in its music streaming division in Latin America, North America and Europe, the company confirmed November 8.\n\nGoogle\n\nConfirmed November 8 it eliminated “a small number of roles” in its consumer support staff, Google Users & Products.\n\nVirgin Galactic\n\nSaid in a memo to staff November 8 it is cutting costs and reducing staff. The number of employees impacted is currently unknown.\n\nUbisoft Montreal\n\nConfirmed November 7 it will cut 98 roles in business administration and IT. Ubisoft said 124 positions will be eliminated overall across Canada, including reductions in its global IT team and its VFX studio, Hybride.\n\nNextdoor\n\nRevealed in its Q3 earnings that it is reducing its workforce by 25%.\n\nBeyond Meat\n\nAnnounced cuts November 6 affecting around 19% of its non-production employees. The plant-based meat company says it will also review its entire global operations for cost-cutting opportunities.\n\nAva Labs\n\nIs cutting 12% of its workforce, CEO Emin Gün Sirer confirmed November 6.\n\nOpenSea\n\nLaid off about 50% of its staff, the company confirmed November 3. CEO Devin Finzer posted a statement on X saying the NFT marketplace is now focused on “OpenSea 2.0.”\n\nStarz\n\nIs laying off more than 10% of its staff ahead of the company spinning out from Lionsgate, CEO Jeffrey Hirsch announced November 3. The network and streaming app will also exit Australia and the U.K.\n\nFaire\n\nLaid off about 250 people November 3 as part of restructuring. The wholesale marketplace raised a $416 million extension at a $12.6 billion valuation last year.\n\nNiu\n\nConfirmed to TechCrunch November 3 that it is issuing a round of layoffs affecting about 10% of their workforce, citing “fierce competition.”\n\n100 Thieves\n\nIs reducing its workforce by 20%, CEO John Robinson announced November 2. The esports brand is spinning out its game studio as well as its energy drink brand, Juvee.\n\nOpenSpace\n\nConducted a round of layoffs, CEO Jeevan Kalanithi announced November 2. The number of employees impacted by the layoffs has yet to be reported.\n\nInformatica\n\nIs laying off 10% of its global workforce, the cloud data management company announced in its Q3 results November 1.\n\nSplunk\n\nIs set to cut around 500 employees CEO Gary Steele said in a message to employees November 1 ahead of its planned acquisition by Cisco.\n\nOctober 2023\n\nBungie\n\nIs laying off about 100 employees, CEO Pete Parsons announced 10/30. The Sony-owned game studio is also delaying two of its upcoming titles as a result.\n\nKarat\n\nReportedly cut an estimated 10% of its workforce October 27 after the financial startup for creators raised a $70 million Series B round earlier this year.\n\nHippo\n\nPlans to eliminate 120 roles, the company said in an SEC filing October 30.\n\nLiberty Mutual\n\nPlans to cut 850 members of its staff, the insurance company confirmed October 27.\n\nSalsify\n\nCut 110 jobs and are moving some roles abroad, CEO and co-founder Jason Purcell announced October 25.\n\nSlync\n\nIs shutting down, months after its former CEO Chris Kirchner was arrested on fraud charges and sued the company to pay for his legal bills.\n\nShipt\n\nAnnounced October 24 in a company statement that it laid off 3.5% of their workforce and will close many open roles.\n\nPebble\n\nThe X alternative previously known as T2 announced October 24 that it is shutting down its operations.\n\nNokia\n\nAnnounced October 19 that it will cut up to 14,000 jobs, or 16% of its workforce, following a sizable dip in Q3.\n\nRoblox China\n\nCut 15 roles on October 24, two years after the joint effort with Tencent abruptly paused its service.\n\nTropic\n\nEliminated 26 roles, CEO David Campbell confirmed in a LinkedIn post October 21.\n\nConvoy\n\nIs halting operations due to a “massive freight recession,” CEO Dan Lewis announced in a memo October 19, a week after laying off 20% of its workforce.\n\nLegalZoom\n\nPlans to lay off more than 100 workers in its sales division, the company disclosed in a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act letter.\n\nPlume\n\nLaid off more than two dozen workers, TechCrunch learned October 18, about a year after the trans healthcare startup raised a $24 million Series B.\n\nGoogle\n\nEliminated at least 40 roles in its news division, Google confirmed October 18.\n\nExpedia Group\n\nCut around 100 jobs, Skift reports, in its second round of layoffs in recent months. The cuts reportedly impacted employees across data and AI.\n\nStack Overflow\n\nLaid off 28% of its staff, more than likely impacting 100 people, the Prosus-owned company announced October 16.\n\nBandcamp\n\nEliminated 50% of its staff on October 16 after ownership changed from video game company Epic to music licensing platform Songtradr.\n\nLinkedIn\n\nConfirmed October 16 that it will cut 668 more jobs, bringing the total to nearly 1,400 this year, with the bulk of the most recent cuts impacting those with R&D roles.\n\nFlexport\n\nOn October 13 began laying off 20% of its workers, about 600 people, as it prepares for restructuring, and continues a cost-cutting campaign that began with rescinding offers and working to lease office space.\n\nQualcomm\n\nIs cutting 1,258 jobs in two of its California offices. According to a filing with the California Employment Development Department, the semiconductor company plans to make the reductions in December.\n\nBlue Origin\n\nLaid off 40 people October 10, including software engineers and program managers, according to The Information.\n\nStitch Fix\n\nWill lay off 558 employees after the personal styling subscription service closes a distribution center in Dallas.\n\nSynapse\n\nConfirmed October 6 that it had laid off 86 people, about 40% of the a16z-backed fintech company. Earlier in the year, Synapse laid off 18% of its employees after its growth slowed.\n\nBird\n\nIssued a new round of layoffs after acquiring Spin, according to an email interim CEO Michael Washinushi sent to the company. The layoffs came one week after the company was delisted from the New York Stock Exchange, and the exact number remains unknown.\n\nQualtrics\n\nAnnounced on October 4 that 780 roles are being eliminated and that “several hundred” roles are changing or moving locations in 2024.\n\nHopper\n\nIs reducing its full-time staff by 30%, amounting to 250 job cuts, the company announced October 3.\n\nChainalysis\n\nAnnounced October 2 that it is laying off around 15% of its workforce, affecting approximately 150 employees.\n\nSeptember 2023\n\nIronNet\n\nIn a regulatory filing published September 29, the cybersecurity startup has ceased all business activities as it prepares for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and has laid off its remaining staff.\n\nNaughty Dog\n\nIs reportedly cutting at least 25 contract developers, two sources familiar with the situation told Kotaku.\n\nEpic Games\n\nAnnounced on September 28 that the Fortnite maker is laying off 16% of its workforce, amounting to 870 people.\n\nTalkdesk\n\nAn impacted employee confirmed on September 27 that at least 140 people, if not more, were affected by Talkdesk’s third round of layoffs in less than 14 months.\n\nByju’s\n\nAnnounced on September 26, the company plans to cut 5,000 jobs due to restructuring efforts. The startup has eliminated more than 10,000 positions in the past two years.\n\nRoblox\n\nConfirmed to TechCrunch on September 21, Roblox let go of 30 employees in its talent acquisition organization. No other teams are impacted.\n\nDivvy Homes\n\nAnnounced on September 11 that it is laying off 94 employees.\n\nSensor Tower\n\nAnnounced on September 8 that it laid off approximately 40 people out of the 270+ at the company, including C-suite executives.\n\nRoku\n\nAnnounced September 6 that it plans to lay off approximately 10% of its workforce, representing over 300 employees.\n\nAugust 2023\n\nMalwarebytes\n\nAnnounced on August 31 that it laid off 100 employees, mainly impacting corporate employees.\n\nTwiga\n\nAnnounced on August 21 that it is laying off 283 employees, or 33% of its workforce.\n\nSecureWorks\n\nAnnounced on August 14 that it will let go of 15% of its workforce, impacting about 300 employees. This is the company’s second round of layoffs this year.\n\nCoinDesk\n\nAnnounced on August 14 that it is cutting 16% of staff.\n\nNCC Group\n\nConfirmed on August 10 that it is making more layoffs, its second round of layoffs in just six months. The company declined to say how many employees are affected by this round of cuts. NCC Group cut 125 employees in February.\n\nRapid7\n\nAnnounced on August 9 that it plans to lay off 18% of its workforce, affecting more than 400 employees globally.\n\nMobile Premier League\n\nAnnounced on August 8 that it is laying off approximately 50% of its employees or 350 people.\n\nAstra\n\nAnnounced on August 4 that it has laid off 25% of its workforce since the beginning of the quarter.\n\nDiscord\n\nAnnounced on August 3 that it has let go of nearly 40 employees or 4% of its workforce.\n\nHackerOne\n\nAnnounced on August 2 that it is laying off 12% of its workforce, approximately 50 employees.\n\nTekion\n\nAnnounced on August 2 by Inc42, the startup laid off around 300 employees or 10% of its workforce. Of the 300 employees being let go, about 200 were from Tekion’s India office.\n\nPlanet\n\nAnnounced on August 1 that it is laying off 117 employees, or 10% of staff.\n\nJuly 2023\n\nDunzo\n\nAnnounced July 19 that it is postponing employee salaries for a month and plans a new wave of layoffs as soon as July 20. Dunzo executives informed employees that they will likely be cutting over 200 jobs, in what will be its third layoff this year. The company has eliminated about 400 jobs this year so far.\n\nCameo\n\nAnnounced on July 18 that it intends to lay off 80 workers.\n\nSkill-Lync\n\nAnnounced on July 13 that the Indian startup has laid off 20% of its workforce, around 225 employees.\n\nCrunchbase\n\nAnnounced on LinkedIn on July 9 that the company is laying off 52 employees.\n\nMicrosoft\n\nAnnounced July 10 that the company is eliminating additional jobs a week after the start of its 2023 fiscal year. These layoffs are in addition to the 10,000 layoffs announced in January.\n\nClickUp\n\nAnnounced on July 4 that it has laid off 10% of its workforce, about 90 people.\n\nJune 2023\n\nNiantic\n\nAnnounced June 29 that it laid of 230 employees — one year after it laid off around 90 employees.\n\nPlex\n\nAnnounced June 29 that it laid off approximately 20% of its staff, or 37 employees.\n\nGrab\n\nAnnounced the week of June 23 that it laid off more than a thousand people, or 11% of its staff.\n\nOlx Group\n\nAnnounced on June 20 that it has cut around 800 jobs globally. The news comes as the company started to close operations of its automotive business nit Olx Autos in some markets.\n\nMojocare\n\nAnnounced on June 18 that the company will be laying off some 150 employees, a majority of the workforce.\n\nTada\n\nOperated by Korean ride-sharing company Socar’s subsidiary VCNC announced on June 15 that it plans to let go of at least 50% of its staff or about 45 people at Tada.\n\nBetter.com\n\nAnnounced on June 7 that it laid off its real estate team, it is not clear how many people were impacted.\n\nUrsa Major\n\nAt least 14 people have been laid off from the rocket engine startup, announced on June 7. Ursa Major did not respond to TechCrunch’s inquiry into the layoffs, or the number of people affected. According to LinkedIn, 292 people are listed as currently working at Ursa.\n\nSpotify\n\nAnnounced June 5 that it will cut 200 jobs in its podcast unit, leading to a workforce reduction of 2%. This comes just a few months after the company announced a significant wave of layoffs.\n\nMay 2023\n\nTaxfix\n\nAnnounced on May 30 that it has laid off 20% of staff—120 employees.\n\nMeta\n\nAnnounced May 24 that it is laying off about 6,000 people. In total, about 21,000 people have lost their jobs at Meta since November.\n\nJioMart\n\nReliance Retail’s online shopping platform laid off over 1,000 employees on May 22, and plans to cut as many as 9,900 more roles over the coming weeks.\n\nKrebs Stamos Group\n\nAnnounced May 18 that the consulting firm laid off six people. In April, the firm had 18 employees including the founders. On May 18, the site shows only 14 team members.\n\nTuSimple\n\nAnnounced May 18 that it is laying off about 30% of employees.\n\nPrior to the layoff, TuSimple had about 550 employees in the U.S. and post reduction in force the company will have about 220, according to the company.\n\nNuro\n\nAnnounced May 12 that it will lay off 30%, or about 340 employees across the company.\n\nLinkedIn\n\nAnnounced May 8 that it is cutting 716 jobs, or about 3.6% of total employees, and will phase out its local jobs app in China. Despite reducing some roles, LinkedIn also plans to open about 250 new jobs on May 15.\n\nRapid\n\nAnnounced May 5 that Rapid (previously known as RapidAPI) has laid off another 70 employees less than two weeks after letting go of 50% of its staff. Just 42 people remain at the company, down from 230 in April, dropping a total of 82% in headcount.\n\nMeesho\n\nAnnounced May 4 that it has cut 15% of its workforce, or 251 roles. This comes after its first round of layoffs, which eliminated 150 roles about a year ago.\n\nShopify\n\nAnnounced May 4 that it is laying off 20% of its workforce, impacting more than 2,000 people. It’s also selling its logistics business to Flexport for roughly 13% in stock.\n\nBishop Fox\n\nAnnounced May 3 that it laid off around 50 employees — or 13% of its workforce — on May 2.\n\nNeato Robotics\n\nAnnounced May 1 that Vorwerk-owned Neato Robotics is shutting down, with nearly 100 employees impacted by the move.\n\nApril 2023\n\nClubhouse\n\nAnnounced April 27 that it has laid off more than 50% of staff. A spokesperson for Clubhouse declined to comment on the number of people impacted by today’s workforce reduction or the number of employees who remain at the company. Last October, Davison told TechCrunch that Clubhouse had close to 100 employees.\n\nDropbox\n\nAnnounced April 27 that it would be laying off 500 employees or 16% of staff.\n\nAmazon\n\nAnnounced on April 26 that it is shutting down its Halo Health division, effective July 31, among other divisions. The layoffs are part of the 9,000 employees announced in March. Including the 18,000-person layoffs announced in January, this brings the total to 27,000 job cuts or 8% of Amazon’s corporate workforce this year.\n\nRapid\n\nAnnounced on April 25, Rapid, previously known as RapidAPI, lays off 50% of its staff. The layoffs are believed to have impacted 115 people.\n\nAnthemis Group\n\nAnnounced on April 25 that it will lay off 16 people from its staff, or 28% of employees.\n\nLyft\n\nAnnounced on April 21 that employees will learn whether they have a job or not via an email that will be sent out April 27.\n\nLyft layoffs to affect 26% of workforce, or about 1,072 people as promised on April 27.\n\nMeta\n\nAnnounced April 18th that it is expected to lay off 10,000 jobs in the coming months. This is on top of the 11,000 jobs that were cut in November.\n\nRedfin\n\nAnnounced April 13th that it has laid off 201 employees, about 4% of its workforce. This is the third time the Seattle-based real estate company has reduced its workforce since June.\n\nApple\n\nBloomberg reported on April 3 that Apple is laying off a small number of roles on its corporate retail teams.\n\nMarch 2023\n\nNetflix\n\nAnnounced on March 31, Netflix confirms a “handful of layoffs,” which includes two longtime executives. The exact number of layoffs is unclear. Netflix is scheduled to report Q1 2023 results on April 18.\n\nRoku\n\nAnnounced March 30 that it is letting go of about 200 employees, or 6% of its workforce. The company had laid off 200 U.S. employees back in November.\n\nUnacademy\n\nAnnounced March 30 that it has laid off more than 350 roles, or 12% of its workforce — just over four months after cutting about 350 roles in November.\n\nShift Technologies\n\nAnnounced March 29 that it laid off 30% of its workforce in Q1 2023.\n\nLucid\n\nAnnounced March 28 that it is laying off 1,300 employees, or 18% of its workforce, to be completed by the end of Q2 2023.\n\nGitHub\n\nAnnounced on March 28 that it has eliminated over 100 jobs in the South Asian market, laying off virtually its entire engineering team in India. A GitHub spokesperson told TechCrunch that the layoff is part of the streamlining effort the firm had disclosed in February to cut roughly 10% of its workforce by end of Q1 2023.\n\nDisney\n\nOn March 27 in an internal memo to employees, Disney revealed there will be three rounds of layoffs, the first beginning this week. The job cuts will impact approximately 7,000 employees, which was announced in February.\n\nSalesforce\n\nOn March 24, Bloomberg reported that more layoffs could be on the way at Salesforce, quoting chief operating officer Brian Millham, who indicated that the company could be adding to the ongoing job cutting at the CRM leader and in tech in general. If the layoffs happen, it would come on top of the 10% cut in January.\n\nAccenture\n\nAnnounced March 23 that it plans to cut 19,000 jobs, or 2.5% of its workforce.\n\nIndeed\n\nAnnounced March 22 that it will lay off 2,200 employees, or 15% of its staff.\n\nRoofstock\n\nAnnounced March 22 that it has laid off 27% of its staff, approximately 100 employees.\n\nTwitch\n\nAnnounced March 20 that it will lay off 400 employees.\n\nAmazon\n\nAnnounced March 20 another round of substantial layoffs, this time 9,000 people are set to lose their jobs. TechCrunch is hearing that around 10% of today’s total came from AWS. As part of the new round of layoffs, Amazon is shutting down DPReview.\n\nLivespace\n\nAnnounced March 20 that it has laid off at least 100 employees, about 2% of the company’s workforce.\n\nCourse Hero\n\nAnnounced March 16 that it has cut 15% of staff, or 42 people.\n\nKlaviyo\n\nAnnounced March 15 that it has laid off 140 of its staff across all teams.\n\nMicrosoft\n\nAs a part of its recent announcement to layoff 10,000 people, Microsoft laid off an entire team dedicated to guiding AI innovation that leads to ethical, responsible and sustainable outcomes. On March 27, Microsoft laid off 559 workers from its Bellevue and Redmond operations.\n\nMeta\n\nCEO Mark Zuckerberg confirmed rumors March 14 that the company will be cutting 10,000 people from its workforce and around 5,000 open roles that it had yet to fill.\n\nY Combinator\n\nAnnounced March 13 that it will impact 20% of staff, or 17 team members.\n\nSalesforce…continued\n\nSalesforce first announced that it was laying off 10% of the workforce in January, but some employees didn’t know until February. The week of March 10, more employees are just learning they have been laid off. Salesforce confirmed that these layoffs were part of the 10%.\n\nAtlassian\n\nAnnounced on March 6, Atlassian is laying off about 500 employees, or 5% of its total workforce.\n\nSiriusXM\n\nAnnounced on March 6, the company laid off 475 employees, or 8% of its total workforce.\n\nAlerzo\n\nThe Nigerian B2B e-commerce platform had a headcount of more than 2,000 before a first round of layoffs in September 2022. Alerzo has laid off 15% of its full-time workforce, the company confirmed on March 6, leaving about 800 employees at the startup.\n\nCerebral\n\nAnnounced March 1, the company is letting go 15% of it’s workforce — roughly 285 employees.\n\nWaymo\n\nAnnounced March 1, Alphabet’s Waymo issued a second round of layoffs this year. Combined with the initial cuts in January, the self-driving technology company has let go of 8%, or 209 employees, of its workforce.\n\nThoughtworks\n\nAnnounced on March 1, the company laid off about 4% of its global workforce — approximately 500 employees.\n\nFebruary 2023\n\nTwitter\n\nAnnounced on February 26, the company laid off more than 200 employees, including Esther Crawford, Haraldur Thorleifsson and Leah Culver. Since Musk took over Twitter in October last year, the company’s headcount has fallen by more than 70%.\n\nPoshmark\n\nAnnounced February 24, Poshmark confirmed with TechCrunch that less than 2% of its workforce was affected, primarily in the U.S. The company employs roughly 800+ employees.\n\nGreen Labs\n\nWe do not have an exact figure of how many Green Labs plans to lay off its staff. Green Labs confirmed to TechCrunch that it is conducting a round of layoffs that could impact at least 50% of its workforce.\n\nChipper Cash\n\nAnnounced on February 20, the African cross-border payments platform conducted a second round of layoffs just 10 weeks after it cut approximately 12.5% of its workforce. Chipper Cash relieved almost one-third of its workforce, about 100 employees.\n\nEvernote\n\nOn February 17 the company confirmed laying off 129 people.\n\nJumia\n\nAnnounced February 16 that it cut 20% of its staff, or more than 900 positions across its 11 markets, in Q4 of 2022.\n\nConvoy\n\nAnnounced on February 16 that it is shuttering its Atlanta office and laying off workers as part of restructuring. This is the third time in less than a year that the company has laid off workers.\n\nSprinklr\n\nAnnounced on February 15 that it will impact 4% of its global workforce — or more than 100 employees.\n\niRobot\n\nAnnounced on February 13 that it will lay off 7% of its workforce, roughly 85 employees.\n\nTwilio\n\nAnnounced on February 13 that it will impact around 17% of its global workforce, about 1,400 people.\n\nGitHub\n\nAnnounced February 9, 10% of its staff will be impacted through the end of the company’s fiscal year. Before this announcement, which was first reported by Fortune, GitHub had about 3,000 employees.\n\nYahoo\n\nAnnounced on February 9, 20% of its staff, impacting 1,600 employees in its adtech business. Yahoo is the parent company to TechCrunch.\n\nGitLab\n\nAnnounced February 9 that it’s reducing its headcount by 7%. The round of redundancies will impact around 114 people, though that specific figure is dependent on its actual headcount as of February 9.\n\nAffirm\n\nAnnounced on February 8 that it is reducing its staff by 19%, or about 500 employees, and shutting down its crypto unit.\n\nZoom\n\nAnnounced the cut of 15% of its staff, or 1,300 people on February 7.\n\nVinFast\n\nVinFast has not shared how many employees have been cut, but a LinkedIn post from a former employee said “nearly 35 roles” were affected. Announced on February 6.\n\nDell\n\nAnnounced February 6, impacting 6,650 people, or 5% of worldwide workforce.\n\nGetaround\n\nAnnounced February 2, 10% of staff — about 42 employees.\n\nPinterest\n\nAnnounced February 2, 150 employees impacted. This is the second job-cutting move within weeks of the first round in December 2022.\n\nRivian\n\nAnnounced on February 1, cutting 6% of its workforce for the second time in less than a year.\n\nJanuary 2023\n\nSoFi Technologies\n\nAnnounced on January 31, cutting 65 jobs, or about 5% of its 1,300-person workforce. First reported by The Wall Street Journal.\n\nNetApp\n\nAnnounced on January 31, impacting 8% of its staff — about 960 people.\n\nGroupon\n\nImpacting another 500 employees announced on January 31. The company said this new set of layoffs will be spread across the first two quarters of 2023.\n\nImpossible Foods\n\nReportedly affecting 20% of its staff, over 100 employees, Bloomberg reported first.\n\nPayPal\n\nAnnounced on January 30, about 2,000 full-time employees, or 7% of its workforce, were affected.\n\nArrival\n\nAnnounced on January 30, with a newly appointed CEO, slashing 50% of its workforce — 800 employees globally.\n\nWaymo\n\nThe self-driving technology unit under Alphabet quietly laid off workers on January 24, according to The Information and several posts on LinkedIn and Blind. It’s not yet clear how many of Waymo’s staff will be affected.\n\nSpotify\n\nAnnounced on January 23, impacting around 6% of its global workforce — around 600 employees.\n\nAlphabet\n\nGoogle’s parent company announced laying off 6% of its global workforce on January 21, equating to 12,000 employees. These cuts impact divisions such as Area 120, the Google in-house incubator and Alphabet’s robotics division, Intrinsic.\n\nFandom\n\nThe entertainment company announced an unspecified number of employees impacted across multiple properties on January 20. According to a report by Variety, the company employs around 500 people, and the layoffs have affected roughly 10% of its staff across different sites.\n\nSwiggy\n\nAnnounced plans to lay off 380 jobs on January 20 and shut down its meat marketplace.\n\nSophos\n\nAnnounced on January 18, 10% of its global workforce, about 450 people were let go.\n\nMicrosoft\n\nAs announced on January 18, 10,000 employees will be impacted.\n\nGoMechanic\n\nLaid off 70% of its workforce on January 18.\n\nClearco\n\nAnnounced on January 17, impacting 30% of staff across all teams.\n\nShareChat\n\nAnnounced on January 15, ShareChat laid off 20% of its workforce — or over 400 employees — just a month after eliminating more than 100 roles.\n\nSmartNews\n\nAnnounced on January 12 a 40% reduction of its U.S. and China workforce, or around 120 people.\n\nIntrinsic\n\nAlphabet’s robot software firm, Intrinsic, is laying off 40 employees TechCrunch confirmed on January 12. Amounting to around 20% of the headcount.\n\nGreenlight\n\nThe fintech startup offering debit cards to kids laid off 104 employees on January 12, or over 21% of its total headcount of 485 employees.\n\nCareer Karma\n\nLearning navigation platform Career Karma laid off another 22 people on January 12 across its global and domestic workforce.\n\nDirectTV\n\nAnnounced on January 12 plans to lay off about 10% of its management staff on January 20.\n\nInformatica\n\nReported on January 11 that it will lay off 7% of it’s workforce, or 450 staffers globally.\n\nCarta\n\nAnnounced on January 11, the equity management platform cut 10% of its staff. Judging by LinkedIn data, the layoff could have impacted around 200 employees.\n\nCitizen\n\nImpacting 33 staff members on January 11.\n\nCoinbase\n\nTo cut 950 jobs, or about 20% of its workforce, and shut down “several” projects, announced on January 10. This is the second round of major layoffs at the crypto exchange, which eliminated 18% of its workforce, or nearly 1,100 jobs last June.\n\nSuperRare\n\nThe NFT marketplace is cutting 30% of its staff, announced on January 6.\n\nAmazon\n\nAnnounced on January 5, eliminating more than 18,000 roles. This announcement extends a previously announced round of layoffs in November of 2022. On January 19, the company announced it would end AmazonSmile.\n\nSalesforce\n\nAnnounced on January 4 that it’s cutting 10% of its workforce, impacting more than 7,000 employees. A month later, some Salesforce employees had just found out they were also a part of the 10% layoff announcement.\n\nVimeo\n\nAnnounced on January 4, cutting 11% of its workforce.\n\nEditor’s note: Natasha Mascarenhas has contributed to this compilation.","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/09/28/tech-layoffs-2023-list/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_f793aad640288443","mhq_80f1eec231b17a62"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_f793aad640288443","mhq_80f1eec231b17a62"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"fedd26e7c62d4b03bdbeca6104c3d9604117e8d41c1ba9f1e2df7de023490b49","source_record_sha256":"19a6b47846a0c5b53c965c59c78e9ee3bcf79300000901614d86aff586879bd2","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":49,"source_fields":{"title":"A comprehensive list of 2023 tech layoffs","author":"Alyssa Stringer","source":"TechCrunch","published_at":"2023-09-28T20:04:20+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/09/28/tech-layoffs-2023-list/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_bd0eb50c9a73850a","text":"It has been a whirlwind four days for OpenAI, the generative AI poster child behind the smash hit ChatGPT.\n\nSeemingly out of nowhere, the OpenAI board ousted CEO and co-founder Sam Altman and demoted president and co-founder Greg Brockman, who subsequently resigned, paving the way for what looked like a mutiny by staff insisting the founders be reinstated post-haste. By then, Microsoft had already hired Altman and Brockman to head up a new internal AI unit, though, as things transpired, nothing had actually been signed yet, with rumors suggesting that the ousted leaders might actually return to OpenAI after all — in some capacity, at least.\n\nThe situation remains fluid, and any number of potential outcomes still remain on the table. But the whole debacle has shone a spotlight on the forces that control the burgeoning AI revolution, leading many to question what happens if you go all-in on a centralized proprietary player, and what happens if things then go belly-up?\n\n“The OpenAI / Microsoft drama underlines one of the big near-term risks with AI — that this next wave of technology is controlled by the same tiny set of players who have shaped that last era of the internet,” Mark Surman, president and executive director at the Mozilla Foundation, told TechCrunch. “We might have a chance of avoiding this if GPT-X were responsibly open sourced, giving researchers and startups a shot at making this technology safer, more useful and more trustworthy for people everywhere.”\n\nOpen and shut\n\nIn an open letter published by Mozilla a few weeks back, Meta’s chief AI scientist Yann LeCun joined some 70 other signatories in calling for more openness in AI development, though that letter has since garnered more than 1,700 signatures. The backdrop stems from Big Tech companies such as OpenAI and Google’s DeepMind calling for more regulation, warning of catastrophic consequences if the AI levers were to meet the wrong hands — in other words, they argued that proprietary AI is safer than open source.\n\nLeCun et al. disagree.\n\n“Yes, openly available models come with risks and vulnerabilities — AI models can be abused by malicious actors or deployed by ill-equipped developers,” the letter acknowledged. “However, we have seen time and time again that the same holds true for proprietary technologies — and that increasing public access and scrutiny makes technology safer, not more dangerous. The idea that tight and proprietary control of foundational AI models is the only path to protecting us from society-scale harm is naive at best, dangerous at worst.”\n\nOn a personal level, LeCun has accused the big-name AI players of trying to secure “regulatory capture of the AI industry” by lobbying against open AI R&D. And on a company level, Meta is doing all it can to encourage collaboration and “openness,” recently partnering with Hugging Face to launch a new startup accelerator designed to spur adoption of open source AI models.\n\nBut OpenAI was — up until last week, at least — still the AI darling everyone wanted to dance with. Countless startups and scale-ups have built businesses atop OpenAI’s proprietary GPT-X large language models (LLMs), and over the weekend hundreds of OpenAI customers reportedly started contacting OpenAI’s rivals, which include Anthropic, Google and Cohere, concerned that their own businesses might be impacted if OpenAI was to disintegrate overnight.\n\nOver-reliance\n\nThe panic has been palpable. But there are precedents from elsewhere in the technology sphere, perhaps most notably that of the cloud computing industry, which became renowned for the way it locked companies in to centralized, vortex-like silos.\n\n“Part of the frenzy around the future of OpenAI is due to too many startups over-relying on their proprietary models,” Luis Ceze, University of Washington computer science professor and OctoML CEO, told TechCrunch in an emailed statement. “It’s dangerous to put all your chips in one basket — we saw that in the early cloud days which led to companies shifting to multi-cloud and hybrid environments.”\n\nOn the surface, Microsoft is currently looking like the biggest winner amidst the OpenAI turmoil, as it was already apparently looking to reduce its reliance on OpenAI even though it remains once of its major shareholders. But Facebook’s parent Meta could also stand to benefit, as businesses pursue multi-modal strategies or models with a more “open” ethos embedded.\n\n“Open source today offers a wide variety of models for companies to essentially diversify,” Ceze added. “By doing so, these startups can quickly pivot and minimize risk. There is also a major upside — many of these models already outperform the likes of OpenAI’s in terms [of] price-performance and speed.”\n\nA leaked internal memo from Google earlier this year seemed to express fears that despite the huge advances made by proprietary LLM models from the likes of OpenAI, open source AI would ultimately trump them all. “We have no moat, and neither does OpenAI,” the document noted.\n\nThe memo in question was in reference to a foundation language model initially leaked from Meta in March, and which gained a fair bit of steam in a short period of time. This highlighted the power and scalability of a more open approach to AI development — it enables collaboration and experimentation on a level that’s not so easy to replicate with closed models.\n\nIt’s worth noting here that despite Meta’s claims, its Llama-branded family of LLMs are not as “open source” as it would like people to believe. Yes, they are available for both research and commercial use cases, but it forbids developers to use Llama for training other models, while app developers with more than 700 million monthly users must request a special license from Meta which it may grant based on its “sole discretion” — basically, anyone but Meta’s Big Tech brethren can use Llama sans permission.\n\nFor sure, Meta isn’t the only company flaunting its “open” approach to AI development — notably, the likes of Hugging Face, Mistral AI and 01.AI, which have all raised sizeable sums at lofty valuations with similar goals in mind. But as a $900 billion juggernaut with a long history of courting developers through open source endeavors, Meta is perhaps best positioned to capitalize on the mess that OpenAI has created for itself. Its decision to pursue “openness” over “closedness” seems to be well vindicated right now, and regardless of whether Llama is or isn’t really open source, it’s likely “open enough” for most people.\n\nIt’s still too early to make any surefire claims on what impact the OpenAI fallout will have on LLM development and uptake in the future. Altman and Brockman are undoubtedly steady hands for a commercial AI startup, and they may even return to steward OpenAI. But some might argue that it’s unhealthy that so much focus lies on just a handful of people — and it’s telling that their departure has created such widespread havoc.","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/11/21/how-the-openai-fiasco-could-bolster-meta-and-the-open-ai-movement/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_92fe588f364a3465","mhq_7964d4da1cc735e7"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_92fe588f364a3465","mhq_7964d4da1cc735e7"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"079447ec985414d9a55a9ec0ba5f408856527a945612f21ed028f4ae3ff3a0c5","source_record_sha256":"e20d4efa60361f350f890f9f10e4065aacdb71353371de875b5937f44f8cb2d7","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":54,"source_fields":{"title":"How the OpenAI fiasco could bolster Meta and the ‘open AI’ movement","author":"Paul Sawers","source":"TechCrunch","published_at":"2023-11-21T15:50:50+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/11/21/how-the-openai-fiasco-could-bolster-meta-and-the-open-ai-movement/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_27f7f1bb530ea21c","text":"Singer Taylor Swift has a blank space, and she's writing Travis Kelce's name. There were rumors the two were dating for weeks, and those talks only intensified with swift attending five Chiefs games so far this season, including Sunday's game agains the Chargers.\n\nThe Era's Tour singer was seen chatting with the tight end's mom, Donna Kelce, and cheering emphatically when No. 87 scored a touchdown in the first game she attended last month. Last week, she was in attendance to watch the Chiefs as they defeated the Denver Broncos in Week 6 on \"Thursday Night Football.\"\n\nShe is once again at Arrowhead Stadium, this time to watch the Chiefs take on another AFC West opponent, the Los Angeles Chargers.\n\nFor those wondering how this apparent relationship came to be, wonder no longer. We have created an extensive timeline of the high-profile couple that is currently the talk of the league, and even added some Swift lyrics to go along with some of the highlights.\n\nHere's a look at how it all started and where it has gone since:\n\nJune 29: Kelce makes friendship bracelets for fellow TEs\n\nIs this where it all begin? Kelce made a friendship bracelet to give to the newcomers at a camp for NFL tight ends. He said he was \"taking a page out of Taylor Swift's book.\"\n\nJuly 26: Kelce makes friendship bracelet for Swift\n\n\"So make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it.\" - You're On Your Own Kid\n\nKelce announced that he went to Swift's highly anticipated concert, but said he did not have the chance to meet the 12-time Grammy winner.\n\n\"I was disappointed that she doesn't talk before or after her shows because she has to save her voice for the 44 songs she sings ... She doesn't meet anybody, or at least she didn't want to meet me, so I took it personal,\" Kelce said on an episode of the \"New Heights\" podcast he does with his brother, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce.\n\nHe revealed that he made a friendship bracelet, a fan tradition at her concerts, with his number on it to give to her, seemingly expressing his interest in Swift. When his brother asked if it was his jersey number or his phone number, Kelce replied, \"you know which one.\"\n\n\"If you're up on Taylor Swift concerts, there are friendship bracelets and I had received a bunch of them, but I wanted to give Taylor Swift one with my number on it.\"\n\nAug. 5: Kelce names his celebrity crush\n\nWell before the two were rumored to be dating, Kelce was asked his crush. But before he could even answer, the answer was given for him.\n\nSept. 14: Rumors aren't denied\n\n\"The rumors are terrible and cruel, but honey, most of them are true.\" - New Romantics\n\nOf course people were going to ask Jason, who is very close with his brother, whether rumors of the two hanging out were true. He did not confirm them, but he also did not deny them.\n\nSept. 17: The references begin\n\n\"I watched it begin again.\" - Begin Again\n\nThe rumors began to pick up, and now there were a lot of people, commentators included, making Swift references around Kelce.\n\nWhen the tight end caught a touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes, CBS Sports' Ian Eagle said, \"Kelce finds a blank space for the score.\"\n\nThis was only the start to many, many, Swift lyrics being referenced during NFL games.\n\nSept. 21: Kelce sends Swift an invite\n\n\"So inviting, I almost jump in.\" - Gold Rush\n\nWhile on the Pat McAfee show, Kelce discussed the rumors and sounded somehow surprised people are talking about it.\n\n\"It is hilarious how much traction this has actually got,\" he said of all the talk. \"It's like that old game in school called telephone where everybody is just whispering in each others ear, just hearing some random stuff. Especially when you got Jason Kelce on live television telling people just both sides.\"\n\nHe then admitted that he invited Swift to one of his games, joking that they would compete to see who put on the bigger show at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Chiefs.\n\n\"I threw it out there, I threw the ball in her court and I told her you know, I've seen you rock the stage in Arrowhead you might have to come see me rock the stage in Arrowhead and see which one is a little more lit. We will see what happens in the near future.\"\n\nSept. 22: Another bracelet\n\n\"Lately [he's] been dressing for revenge.\" - Vigilante Sh--\n\nKelce was spotted at his nonprofit charity event wearing a bracelet that says \"Vigilante Sh--,\" the name of one of Swift's songs.\n\nSept. 24: Swift attends Chiefs game\n\n\"Dating the boy on the football team.\" - Fifteen\n\nSwift took Kelce up on his offer and attended the Chiefs' Week 3 game against the Chicago Bears. Swift was dressed on theme and was watching intently, cheering and even chest bumping someone during big plays. She was especially thrilled to see Kelce get in the end zone, a three-yard catch that put the Chiefs up 41-0. Kansas City went on to win 41-10 to improve to 2-1.\n\nSept. 24: Swift mingles with Donna Kelce\n\n\n\n\"Talkin' over a football team.\" - Mean\n\nSwift already seems to be making friends with the family. Swift was sitting next to Donna in the box and the two were seen talking and laughing as the game went along.\n\nSept. 24: Postgame interviews turn into Swiftie talk\n\nThe postgame press conference seemed more about Swift and Kelce than it did about the actual game. The media wanted any insight it could get into the relationship and how Swift ended up at Arrowhead.\n\n\"He told me at the last minute,\" Mahomes said when asked if he knew Swift was coming. \"There's some things with Trav where he kind of just says it and you don't know if it's true or not. He says it so calmly. ... Friday he was like, 'Yeah, I think she's coming to the game this weekend,' and then moved about his business.\"\n\nHead coach Andy Reid was also asked about his star tight end's supposed relationship, to which he quipped, \"I set them up.\"\n\nSept. 24: Kelce and Swift leave stadium together\n\n\"You know when it's time to go.\" - It's Time To Go\n\nThis was the first time the two were photographed together. They walked side by side, Kelce fittingly wearing an outfit with \"1989\" in the title and Swift wearing a Chiefs zip-up.\n\nSept. 24: The two leave in a convertible\n\n\"Nothing good starts in the getaway car.\" - Getaway Car\n\nSwift and Swift were spotted in a convertible, with the tight end driving, after the Chiefs' win. Kelce reportedly rented out a restaurant for a private party with Swift and his teammates.\n\n\"Taylor Swift likes that Travis Kelce 'pursued her' and the two are having a 'great time getting to know each other,'\" a source told Entertainment Tonight. \"'Taylor wants a guy that's into his career, does his own thing, but is also supportive and understands her,' the source added, \"and Travis fits those qualities.'\"\n\nSept. 25: Kelce jersey sales skyrocket\n\nCall it what you want; I'll call it the Taylor Swift effect. Since Swift attended the Chiefs game, there was a 400% increase in Kelce jersey sales, his podcast is No. 1 overall on Apple, he gained over 380,000 Instagram followers, and 24.3 million people watched the game, making it the No. 1 game last week, according to Front Office Sports.\n\nThere has also been triple the \"Chiefs\" searches on web and triple the Chiefs ticket sales on Stubhub.\n\nSept. 25: Belichick weighs in on the matter\n\n\n\nNew England Patriots head coach does not always comment on situations that take place in the game, but he was fully ready with a sound bite on the Kelce-Swift situation.\n\n\"Well I would say that Travis Kelce's had a lot of big catches in his career. This would be the biggest.\"\n\nSept. 26: Chiefs games get even more popular\n\n\"Welcome to New York (*New Jersey), it's been waiting for you.\" - Welcome to New York\n\nThe defending Super Bowl champions are already one of the more popular teams in the league, but it is becoming the hottest ticket in town, no matter what town that is.\n\n\"Since Swift's appearance at the Chiefs game on Sunday, the Jets have sold more tickets for their game against the Chiefs in a single day than since the season started -- by more than double,\" a representatives at StubHub told to Town & Country magazine.\n\nSept. 27: Mahomes confirms he met Swift\n\n\"It was enchanting to meet you, all I can say is I was enchanted to meet you.\" - Enchanted\n\nMahomes said he had not met Swift when asked in the postgame press conference, but he did meet her at the afterparty.\n\n\"Yea I met her. She's really cool. Good people,\" Mahomes said, via KSHB 41 in Kansas City. \"But like Trav said, imma let them have their privacy and just keep it moving.\"\n\nSept. 27: Kelce breaks his silence\n\n\"And they said speak now.\" -Speak Now\n\nKelce addressed Swift's attendance on his podcast, saying, \"To see the slow-motion chest bumps, to see the high-fives with Mom, to see how Chiefs Kingdom was all excited that she was there -- that s--- was absolutely hysterical. It's definitely a game I'll remember, that's for damn sure.\"\n\nHe is not going to speak too much more about the relationship, noting that he wants \"to respect both of our lives.\"\n\n\"Yeah, my personal life -- that's not so personal. I did this to myself Jason, I know this. What's real is that you know it is my personal life. ... She's not in the media as much as I am doing this show every single week.\"\n\nSept. 27: Jerry Jones comments on the Swift effect\n\nSwift is getting the owners talking, too.\n\n\"It is hard to move that needle dramatically on a great feeling, a great attraction in the NFL,\" Jones said Wednesday on 105.3FM The Fan in Dallas. \"We get a lot of eye balls. She blew it off the charts. It is amazing. It makes you smile. But it just shows the depth of her following, especially with her core constituency. We all, I think, felt the same way when she's sitting up there with [Travis Kelce's] mom and she's going nuts when he's playing and those hearts are popping out everywhere. How do you not get that? That's called images right there.\"\n\nOct. 1: Swift attends Chiefs-Jets\n\n\"Welcome to New York, it's been waiting for you,\" - Welcome to New York\n\nOK, so the Jets technically play in New Jersey, but we're just basing this off their name. Swift went to her second consecutive Chiefs game, showing up with some famous friends, Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman. In the week leading up to the game, there were reports that the singer would be at the game. The Chiefs defeated the Jets 23-20.\n\nOct. 5: NFL defends itself\n\nSwift coverage is everywhere and the league even changed their social media bio to one of the singer's lyrics. The league's X (formerly Twitter) bio to read, \"NFL (Taylor's Version),\" while their Instagram account read, \"Chiefs are 2-0 as Swifties.\"\n\nSome found issue with these changes, but the NFL said this is a \"pop cultural moment\" and they are acting as such.\n\n\"We frequently change our bios and profile imagery based on what's happening in and around our games, as well as culturally,\" the NFL wrote in a statement. \"The Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce news has been a pop cultural moment we've leaned into in real time, as it's an intersection of sport and entertainment, and we've seen an incredible amount of positivity around the sport.\"\n\nOct. 6: Travis and Jason think the NFL is doing too much\n\nThe NFL is really digging into the Swift-Kelce coverage, and not everyone is a fan, including the people involved.\n\n\"I think it's fun when they show who's at the game,\" Travis said. \"I think it brings a little bit more to the atmosphere, brings a little bit more to what you're watching. But at the same time, they're overdoing it a little bit.\"\n\nJason also chimed in on the matter, saying, \"I just think the NFL is not used to celebrities coming to the games. Like basketball has it all figured out. They're all courtside, they're sitting there. They show 'em once or twice, but then they get back to the game.\"\n\nOct. 12: Swift attends Chiefs-Broncos\n\n\"Now it's too late for you and your white horse *Bronco, to come around\" - White Horse\n\nOne day after her movie premiere, Swift is in the house for the Chiefs' \"Thursday Night Football\" divisional matchup against the Broncos. The game is taking place at Arrowhead Stadium, where Swift has performed herself and attended a game before. According to Al Michaels, the game will have minimal Swift coverage, though so far there has already been a mention of the superstar.\n\nOct. 15: Kelce, Swift make 'SNL' cameos\n\nThe two were spotted out in NYC together and then had a surprise appearance on \"Saturday Night Live.\" Kelce had a cameo in a skit about how much coverage Swift was getting during games, while the singer introduced the musical act of the night, Ice Spice.\n\nOct. 22: Swift attends fifth Chiefs game\n\nSwift has now attended games broadcast across all five networks (CBS, NBC, Fox, ESPN and Amazon). This week, she is watching the Chiefs face the Chargers and will be shown on CBS. She is sporting a Chiefs sweatshirt and is seated next to Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes' wife, Brittany.","url":"https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-timeline-everything-to-know-about-rumored-romance-between-pop-star-chiefs-te/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_0f910380b7593c40","mhq_791632b4818d555c","mhq_88687c5036ddd743"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_0f910380b7593c40","mhq_791632b4818d555c","mhq_88687c5036ddd743"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"39ec37bd66c0b5a01728c6281eee2469fc0d6fabc13784bfa75ef3f4d27ab5fb","source_record_sha256":"0d7255bcb5b66c86709398c89001670fd408a2cdfd1d2f4f39d14f775ba2b2d8","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":59,"source_fields":{"title":"Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce timeline: Everything to know about rumored romance between pop star, Chiefs TE","author":"Shanna McCarriston","source":"CBSSports.com","published_at":"2023-10-12T23:21:52+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-timeline-everything-to-know-about-rumored-romance-between-pop-star-chiefs-te/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_22cc5ea346f06b5a","text":"Bettors across the country can wager on which player they believe will win the coveted NBA Rookie of the Year award as part of NBA futures betting.\n\nLike other NBA futures odds, this can be bet on before the start of the NBA regular season and throughout the year. The best NBA betting apps make it simple and convenient.\n\nBelow, you can check the latest NBA Rookie of the Year odds as posted at online sportsbooks and how to bet on them.\n\nCurrent NBA ROTY odds\n\nCheck the current NBA ROTY odds below. Click on any odds to claim your bonus and get started.\n\nWho are the NBA RoY odds favorites?\n\nVictor Wembanyama: Coach Gregg Popovich's Spurs have a gem in Victor Wembanyama, a generational talent and a strong Rookie of the Year contender. Even with a young roster and potential load management, Wembanyama's undeniable impact is evident.\n\nHis elite defense, highlighted by his 7-foot-4 height and 8-foot wingspan, allows him to dominate where others can't. Offensively, his agility and skill set are unparalleled for his size. If he refines his shooting and continues to adapt to the Spurs' style, as seen in his impressive NBA preseason performance, he'll be a force to reckon with.\n\nScoot Henderson: The Portland Trail Blazers have restructured, placing Henderson as Damian Lillard's successor. Supported by talents such as Anfernee Simons and Jerami Grant, much of the Blazers' fortunes hinge on Henderson.\n\nAfter a stellar season with the G League Ignite, expectations for his rookie year are soaring. Known for his strength and agility, and with a promising defense, Henderson is set to become a fan favorite.\n\nChet Holmgren: The Oklahoma City Thunder anticipate a strong season, largely due to Holmgren. Boasting a 7-foot frame and notable skills, Holmgren stands out as a Rookie of the Year contender, underpinned by impressive stats and team impact.\n\nHis wingspan and defensive prowess will challenge opponents. Offensively, he capitalizes on mismatches and has diverse scoring abilities, from the paint to the 3-point line. His underrated passing syncs well with OKC's pace and style.\n\nHow to bet on NBA Rookie of the Year\n\nThe first thing you need when preparing to bet on the NBA Rookie of the Year Award, or any other bet, is an account at an online sportsbook.\n\nSigning up for a new betting account doesn’t take much time. Once you visit the online sportsbook you’re interested in, click a “sign up” or “register” button. This will take you to a form for your details. Fill that out and accept the sportsbook’s terms and conditions.\n\nAt that point, you’ll be able to claim your welcome bonus, which you’ll qualify for by following the link on this page from our site to the online sportsbook. If you need to enter a code to get the bonus, you’ll also find that code on our site.\n\nWe urge you to read the requirements for any available promotions and offers before accepting them so you’re aware of any restrictions before betting.\n\nYou can now place your initial deposit, which is easy at online betting sites thanks to various deposit and withdrawal options.\n\nTo bet on the NBA Rookie of the Year, navigate to the basketball section of the sportsbook website, select the NBA, and go to the futures tab.\n\nYou’ll find Rookie of the Year odds, NBA MVP odds, and more there. Select the bet you want to make, enter the amount you want to bet, and finalize your bet slip.\n\nEnsure you’re using only legal online sportsbooks for any type of betting. Offshore sportsbooks advertise widely on the internet, but they are illegal and offer no protection against fraud and other criminal activities.\n\nBest sportsbooks for NBA Rookie of the Year odds\n\nHere are some of the best sports betting sites where you can bet on the next NBA Rookie of the Year.\n\nDraftKings Sportsbook: DraftKings, known as a daily fantasy sports operator before becoming a renowned sportsbook, offers up a nice variety of futures bets, including the NBA Rookie of the Year award. The online sportsbook and betting app are intuitive and offer an easy-to-understand betting experience. Additionally, DraftKings fields a competitive welcome bonus for new players.\n\nDraftKings, known as a daily fantasy sports operator before becoming a renowned sportsbook, offers up a nice variety of futures bets, including the NBA Rookie of the Year award. The online sportsbook and betting app are intuitive and offer an easy-to-understand betting experience. Additionally, DraftKings fields a competitive welcome bonus for new players. FanDuel Sportsbook: Also known for being in the DFS market, FanDuel has one of the largest followings in the country. It offers competitive odds for NBA ROTY and has one of the best sports betting apps. Look for a quality welcome bonus for new players and attractive promotions for existing customers.\n\nAlso known for being in the DFS market, FanDuel has one of the largest followings in the country. It offers competitive odds for NBA ROTY and has one of the best sports betting apps. Look for a quality welcome bonus for new players and attractive promotions for existing customers. BetMGM Sportsbook: As one of the most recognizable names in the gambling industry, BetMGM knows how to attract and keep customers with competitive odds for all bet types, including futures bets and the NBA Rookie of the Year. BetMGM offers many deposit and withdrawal options and 24/7 customer service, and generous sports betting bonuses and promotions.\n\nAs one of the most recognizable names in the gambling industry, BetMGM knows how to attract and keep customers with competitive odds for all bet types, including futures bets and the NBA Rookie of the Year. BetMGM offers many deposit and withdrawal options and 24/7 customer service, and generous sports betting bonuses and promotions. Caesars Sportsbook: Caesars knows its way around sports betting when you use its app and online sportsbook. It offers favorable odds for almost every bet type, including NBA ROTY betting, and offers a nice variety of deposit and withdrawal options. Additionally, Caesars has a competitive welcome bonus for new players and runs NBA betting promos for existing players.\n\nWhen is the best time for NBA ROTY odds?\n\nThe earlier you bet on NBA ROTY, the better the odds. But you’ll be doing so without much information that could be key in making an educated decision.\n\nConversely, if you wait for the data you need for an informed bet, the odds will tighten up, and you will see less of a return on your wager.\n\nWhen the lines are first released for NBA ROTY honors, the season hasn’t even started yet, so there are no statistics, trends, or player news. The pre-season odds are so favorable because even the oddsmakers don’t have the data to craft more specific lines.\n\nOnce the season has started and you get to see how the various rookies are performing, you can gather the relevant data. But sportsbooks are also gathering this information, and they begin to tighten the NBA Rookie of the Year lines in response.\n\nSo, while you can better guess which player will hoist the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy, the odds will be tighter, and your potential return on your wager will be reduced.\n\nPros and cons of betting early on the NBA Rookie of the Year:\n\nPros:\n\nYou have an opportunity to find better value.\n\nThe betting odds are fresh and haven't been adjusted.\n\nCons:\n\nThere is a much higher risk as a player's performance, health, and team dynamic can change throughout the season.\n\nYou’ll find limited information to make an informed bet.\n\nPros and cons of waiting to bet on the NBA Rookie of the Year:\n\nPros:\n\nThere is a lot more information available to make an informed bet.\n\nYou don’t risk betting on a player not remotely in contention.\n\nCons:\n\nThere is a reduced opportunity to find value.\n\nThe odds may not be as favorable.\n\nKeep in mind that it’s always important to take into consideration your risk tolerance while you weigh the potential rewards. No matter when you decide to make your wager, always gather as much information as possible before risking your hard-earned money.\n\nWho are the past NBA ROTY winners?\n\nFor context, here is a list of the National Basketball Association Rookie of the Year winners since 2010.\n\nSeason Player Position Team 2023 Paolo Banchero Forward Orlando Magic 2022 Scottie Barnes Forward Toronto Raptors 2021 LaMelo Ball Guard Charlotte Hornets 2020 Ja Morant Guard Memphis Grizzlies 2019 Luka Dončić Guard/Forward Dallas Mavericks 2018 Ben Simmons Forward/Guard Philadelphia 76ers 2017 Malcolm Brogdon Guard Milwaukee Bucks 2016 Karl-Anthony Towns Center Minnesota Timberwolves 2015 Andrew Wiggins Forward/Guard Minnesota Timberwolves 2014 Michael Carter-Williams Guard Philadelphia 76ers 2013 Damian Lillard Guard Portland Trail Blazers 2012 Kyrie Irving Guard Cleveland Cavaliers 2011 Blake Griffin Forward Los Angeles Clippers 2010 Tyreke Evans Guard/Forward Sacramento Kings\n\nWhat other NBA futures can I bet on?\n\nRookie of the Year is not the only form of NBA futures betting. Legal online sportsbooks have a wide selection of NBA futures you can bet on, including:\n\nIn addition to futures bets, you can wager on many NBA bets during the regular season and postseason. NBA game lines (moneylines, point spreads, and totals) are the most popular, but you’ll also be able to bet on NBA team and player props, parlays, and more.\n\nThe NBA is the second-most popular odds market to bet on in the US, behind NFL betting odds. That means every online betting site always has a great selection of NBA odds.","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/betting/news/nba-roty-odds/7af3a635d324b28ff4c554fd","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_14a3933e774b85d6","mhq_9976c73601143ab0","mhq_5923cb099a45db36"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_14a3933e774b85d6","mhq_9976c73601143ab0","mhq_5923cb099a45db36"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"ab2b0ae589f8ff1d7f8af59d7aeb2f714ebf2d9cd14272f0f0569ba09e5afc03","source_record_sha256":"659ed6eb68f95b208e397b3e65f2f7929bc8225a10db9f070f58fc568fe8639c","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":62,"source_fields":{"title":"NBA Rookie of the Year Odds - Wembanyama the early favorite","author":"Sam Eggleston","source":"Sporting News","published_at":"2023-10-04T22:54:23+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/betting/news/nba-roty-odds/7af3a635d324b28ff4c554fd"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_c117b3b60be6bf90","text":"Kentucky sports betting has thrived since retail and online sportsbooks launched in September 2023. The governor has announced that roughly one month since the launch, upwards of $250 million has been wagered and that roughly 500,000 mobile accounts have been created for online sportsbooks. Since there are no restrictions on which sports can be wagered on or what kind of prop bets can be placed unlike restrictions on residents in other states, anyone using Kentucky sports betting sites can place bets on everything from football to college basketball games.\n\nOne factor that makes Kentucky sports betting such a success is that there is a wide variety of sportsbook apps to choose from if you want to place a wager from the comfort of your own home. Here is a closer look at some of the top KY sportsbooks. If you're not in Kentucky, check out the best USA sports betting sites:\n\nTop Kentucky Sports Betting Sites and Mobile Apps\n\nFANATICS SPORTSBOOK\n\nAlready a leader in fan gear, Fanatics Sportsbook opened in 2023 and is establishing itself as the \"most rewarding\" sportsbook.\n\nWHAT TO KNOW: when you play with Fanatics, you can earn up to 5% FanCash on your bets, which you can spend on team swag from Fanatics or use to place more bets.\n\nwhen you play with Fanatics, you can earn up to 5% FanCash on your bets, which you can spend on team swag from Fanatics or use to place more bets. BETS & BOOSTS: Fanatics offers generous odds boosts, Same Game Parlays, trending bets and more.\n\n\n\nFANDUEL\n\nFanDuel was long known for its Daily Fantasy games, but is now a major player in sports betting with a wide variety of markets, sports and leagues so there are more ways to win.\n\nWHAT TO KNOW: FanDuel claims to be \"America's #1 sportsbook\" and offers a large menu of bet types.\n\nFanDuel claims to be \"America's #1 sportsbook\" and offers a large menu of bet types. BETS & BOOSTS: FanDuel promotions include odds boosts, parlay insurance, big win bonuses and more.\n\n\n\nDRAFTKINGS\n\nAlso with roots in Daily Fantasy Sports, DraftKings has emerged to be another popular sportsbook that gives you more ways to \"have skin in the game\" and get closer to the games you love.\n\nWHAT TO KNOW: DraftKings has thousands of ways to bet on sports, including pick'em and props pools.\n\nDraftKings has thousands of ways to bet on sports, including pick'em and props pools. BETS & BOOSTS: the DraftKings wagering menu includes live/in-game bets, cross-sports parlays, moneylines and more.\n\nBETMGM\n\nLong known for its resorts and casinos, BetMGM also offers a mobile sportsbook app for all your favorite sports betting games, including all major and professional sports.\n\nWHAT TO KNOW: BetMGM touts itself as \"the king of parlays\" as it has extensive options for that bet type.\n\nBetMGM touts itself as \"the king of parlays\" as it has extensive options for that bet type. BETS & BOOSTS: the BetMGM app features boosted bets, in-game betting, Same Game Parlays and more.\n\nCAESARS\n\nAnother well-known brick-and-mortar brand with glitzy properties from Atlantic City to Las Vegas, the Caesars Sportsbook app offers hundreds of ways to wager.\n\nWHAT TO KNOW: in addition to sports, the Caesars app also offers casino games.\n\nin addition to sports, the Caesars app also offers casino games. BETS & BOOSTS: Caesars Sportsbook offers odds boosts, parlays, Same Game Parlays and Quick Picks.\n\nBET365\n\nWell-known for sports betting in the UK, bet365 has made its entrance into the US with a sports betting app that offers a wide range of sports and bets in select states.\n\nWHAT TO KNOW: the bet365 app has a personalized display to help easily navigate to sports you bet on.\n\nthe bet365 app has a personalized display to help easily navigate to sports you bet on. BETS & BOOSTS: bet on a wide range of in-play and pre-match sports including football, baseball, basketball and more.\n\n\n\nHow do I choose the best Kentucky sportsbook?\n\nBONUSES: Sportsbooks often offer generous promotions and bonuses, especially for new customers. You should review the best sports betting promo codes and offers\n\nREWARDS: Some sportsbooks offer cash back or other rewards based on your betting activity. For example, Fanatics offers up to 5% FanCash on every bet, which you can use to for more bets or team gear from Fanatics.\n\n\n\nODDS: Every sportsbook sets its own line on each market, so it is important to find the best odds in order to maximize your return when you win. Many bettors use multiple sportsbooks to \"shop\" for lines and there are sites that allow you to compare odds from multiple sportsbooks.\n\nMARKETS: Each sportsbook will allow you to bet on different games and events (\"markets\") in different ways. In addition to common bets like spread, total and moneyline, you'll want an app with same game parlays, props, futures and other fun bet types.\n\nWhat to Know: Kentucky Sports Betting Sites\n\n1. Fanatics Sportsbook: In addition to offering standard markets and unique sign up bonuses, Fanatics offers customers the ability to earn FanCash by placing sports bets. FanCash is earned at the rate of 1% on Straight Bets, 3% on Parlay Bets, and 5% on Same Game Parlays. It can be redeemed for sports betting bonuses or for the purchase of sports merchandise on their sister site, Fanatics.com. The Discover page on Fanatics Sportsbook offers marquee games, trending bets, promos, and rewards all in once place as compared to numerous places throughout the website / app.\n\n2. DraftKings Sportsbook: DraftKings offers a variety of betting markets and its rewards program caters especially to those who are daily fantasy sports players. Rewards points are earned for most wagers and can be redeemed for free bets, merchandise, or DFS entries in any sport DraftKings offers. New customers can bet $5 and receive $200 in free bets with their current promotion. The sportsbook is also known for its frequent and generous profit boosts that customers can used on specific bet types, including Same Game Parlays.\n\n3. FanDuel Sportsbook: FanDuel offers a complex wagering menu similar to its chief competitor, DraftKings. Live betting markets and SGPs are often enhanced with specific profit boosts on the site and the interface is one of the cleanest and easiest to use among the offerings. Unlike its competitors though, FanDuel does not offer a rewards program for its customers at this time.\n\n\n\n4. BetMGM Sportsbook: The signup offer at BetMGM caters more to larger players, a $1500 risk free offer which will credit a customer with bonus bets in the event their first real money wager loses. The boosts and risk free offers on the site cater to smaller players as the limits for those tokens are generally less than the other sites. With a friendly interface and a rewards program that can be redeemed for bonus bets or MGM Resort credit, this sportsbook is one of the best in the business for a reason.\n\n5. Caesars Sportsbook: Similar to MGM, the rewards program is what Caesars is most known for in that customers can redeem their wagering credits for use at Caesars properties. New customers can get up to $1000 in bonus bets if they lose their first bet. The sportsbook offers an extensive betting menu and specializes in specific boosts related to your home state teams.\n\n6. Bet365 Sportsbook: One of the largest betting operators in Europe that is rolling out in selected states to gain market share in the U.S. Their signup offer of bet $1, get $365 might be the most generous of any competitor in the space. While the SGP offerings aren't as extensive as other sportsbooks, the wagering menu, specifically rare leagues and sports are covered by Bet365.\n\nKentucky Sports Betting History\n\nKentucky has always been the thoroughbred horse betting capital of the U.S., but as of the fall of 2023, it added sports betting to its wagering menu. On March 31, 2023, Kentucky became the 34th state to legalize sports betting and the 25th with online/mobile access. Retail locations opened on September 7 and Kentucky online sports betting became legal on September 28.\n\nThe betting menu for Kentuckians is exhaustive in that they are able to legally wager on all major professional, collegiate and international sports, unlike other sports betting states. With excitement building among customers in the state for Kentucky sports gambling, it's feasible that Kentucky generates over $1 billion in Kentucky sports betting handle by the end of 2023.\n\nKentucky Sportsbook Apps to Know\n\nSportsbook Platforms App Features* Fanatics iOS and Android apps FanCash Rewards, bettable search, Discover page, cash outs, easy sign up, secure deposit, Withdrawal Tracker FanDuel iOS and Android apps, desktop and mobile web Quick bets, secure deposits, horse racing, casino, cash outs, fast payouts DraftKings iOS and Android apps, desktop and mobile web\n\nCasino, fast withdrawals, secure deposits BetMGM iOS and Android apps, desktop and mobile web\n\nEasy deposits and withdrawals, 24/7 access, safe and secure transactions Caesars iOS and Android apps, desktop and mobile web\n\nCaesars Rewards, casino, Quick Picks Bet365 iOS and Android apps, desktop and mobile web\n\nCash outs, personalized display, alerts, edit bets, My Teams, search, sports stats\n\nSports Betting on Kentucky (and Nearby) Teams\n\nKentucky Wildcats: One of the most iconic college basketball programs in the nation, the Kentucky Wildcats should be an extremely popular betting option for Bluegrass State residents. The eight-time national champions have been led by legendary coach John Calipari since 2010 and they have appeared in four Final Fours during his tenure, recording a national title in 2012. The program's 2,021-637 all-time record is the best in college basketball history. Though best known for its basketball prowess, Kentucky has also found more success on the gridiron in recent years in the SEC, including a dozen bowl appearances since 2006.\n\nLouisville Cardinals: The Wildcats have the historic edge, but Louisville basketball won the more recent national title, cutting down the nets in 2013. They've been to 10 Final Fours and own the 12th-best record (1,726-874) in college basketball history. Louisville has also become a bigger name in the college football world in the past couple decades. Well known for 2013 Heisman winner Lamar Jackson, Louisville transitioned to the ACC in 2014 and the Cardinals have finished in the AP Top 25 seven times since 2004.\n\nWestern Kentucky Hilltoppers: Though they don't have the widespread following of UK or Louisville, the Hilltoppers have a nice fanbase in the southern portion of the state and they have the overall athletic success to demand attention in the betting market. A longtime Division I-AA (now known as FCS) power, WKU fully transitioned to the FBS level in 2009 and they've had nine winning seasons since that point. In men's basketball, WKU has made the NCAA Tournament 23 times and its 1,622-720 all-time mark ranks 14th in history, just a couple spots behind Louisville.\n\nCincinnati Bengals: With no \"Big Four\" professional sports teams playing within state lines, many Kentucky residents look just north of the state's border to cheer on the neighboring Cincinnati Bengals. A franchise long known for its futility in the early days of existence became more of a contender under Marvin Lewis with seven playoff appearances between 2005-15. The franchise got another jolt more recently with stars such as Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase leading Cincinnati to a Super Bowl appearance in 2021 and an AFC title game appearance in 2022. The Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans are also NFL franchises located within short drives of portions of Kentucky.\n\nCincinnati Reds: The state's MLB allegiances are a bit more split with the St. Louis Cardinals also drawing a big following, particularly in the western portion of the state, but the Reds are largely considered the most popular team for Kentucky residents. The Reds won modern-era titles in 1975, 1976 and 1990, but haven't advanced past the NLCS since that point. They've largely struggled in recent years, but the 2023 team has pushed for a playoff spot all season, just in time to draw the attention of new Kentucky sports bettors.\n\nTop Kentucky betting terms for new bettors\n\nAgainst the spread: Instead of betting on an exact winner, the widely-popular spread bet levels the playing field by allowing you to wager on how many points a team will win by. In basketball, if Kentucky is the 7.5-point favorite against Louisville then Kentucky can cover the spread if it wins by 8 or more points. However, Louisville as the 7.5-point underdog can cover the spread by winning outright or losing by 7 or fewer points.\n\nMoney line: Think of this as an elevated outright bet, with odds adjusted to reflect a favored team and an underdog. If Kentucky is listed as a -200 favorite against Florida, you'd need to bet $200 to return $100 on Kentucky to win. That means that Florida as the +200 underdog would return $200 on a $100 bet if that team wins.\n\nOutright bet: This is the easiest wager that can be placed, and it's perfect for betting on one of Kentucky's biggest sporting events: Horse racing. With an outright bet, bettors choose one athlete -- or thoroughbred -- to win an entire sporting event.\n\nOver/Under: If team sports is more your thing, placing an Over/Under bet is the way to go. Kentucky sportsbooks will post an estimated total of both team's final scores in a game, and you wager on whether the actual final will be higher or lower than the estimate. So if the If the Over/Under for a Kentucky vs. Louisville basketball game is 125.5, you would wager on the final total being Over 126 or Under 125.\n\nPlayer prop: Kentucky is one of the 18 states that allows you to place prop bets on collegiate athletes. Sportsbooks will project what a player's stat will be at the end of a game, and you will wager whether the player will end that game over or under that projection. Popular player props include how many touchdown passes a quarterback will throw or how many three-point shots a basketball player will hit.\n\nUnderdog: The underdog is the team deemed less likely to win the game based on the odds. A bet on an underdog typically yields a larger return than a bet on the favorite.\n\nFavorite: On the other hand, a favorite is the team that is deemed more likely to win the game. Bettors often pay a premium for betting on a favorite but they're also the team that more often wins the game outright.\n\nConsensus odds: These odds are generally defined as an average of all available betting markets. Different sportsbooks may price markets variably based on the action they've taken or their own interpretation of information.\n\nFutures: While money line, against the spread and over/under bets are all single-game bets, futures markets encompass almost anything that falls outside of that spectrum. Futures bets include total regular-season wins, championship odds, MVP odds and more.\n\nParlay: This popular betting style is a little more complex. A parlay requires you to include two or more bets within a single wager, and all of your bets must win for the parlay to be a winner. For example, if you wager $100 on a three-leg parlay at 6 to 1 odds, you could win $600 if all three legs of the bet are winners.\n\nJuice: Also known as \"The Vig\" or vigorish, juice is effectively the tax that oddsmakers charge for handling a wager. If a book determines a game is a virtual coinflip, they may price both options at -110 to give themselves a 10% rake on all the action.\n\nPush: A push is a bet where neither the bettor or the sportsbook wins. If an over/under for total points in a football game is set at 44 and both teams combine to score exactly 44 points, the result is a push and the principle is returned to the bettor.\n\nLive/in-game betting: Many sportsbooks now offer live/in-game wagering that allows you to make bets on several different markets in real-time. In basketball, you can bet on the outcome of a quarter, individual statistics and live-updated spreads/totals.\n\nYou can bet on sports in states like Ohio, New York, and Arizona.","url":"https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/2023-kentucky-online-sports-betting-sites-best-legal-sportsbooks-promos-bonuses-mobile-apps-how-to-bet/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_e7e2af8623a021d9","mhq_5923cb099a45db36","mhq_077feb9c180aa7e6"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_e7e2af8623a021d9","mhq_5923cb099a45db36","mhq_077feb9c180aa7e6"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"7fa573e0fd79ebbaafdaab8466233ecf337b3a4903fba5ac2a61da15fcca4f88","source_record_sha256":"c903268400444e212e71140e74ef8a7e212fa62b037ed54f2b708dc2fa87359c","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":71,"source_fields":{"title":"2023 Kentucky online sports betting sites: Best legal sportsbooks, promos, bonuses, mobile apps, how to bet","author":"CBS Sports Staff","source":"CBSSports.com","published_at":"2023-10-13T21:17:17+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/2023-kentucky-online-sports-betting-sites-best-legal-sportsbooks-promos-bonuses-mobile-apps-how-to-bet/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_c098a48e36e317e0","text":"The best sports betting sites in the country are focused on Vermont where the launch of legal online sports betting is now scheduled for January 2024. Once they do, they'll all be fighting for market share with exclusive Vermont sportsbook bonuses and promotions, including deposit match bonuses, bonus bets, first bet offers and more.\n\nTypically all you’ll have to do is sign up for a new account with a Vermont online sportsbook to become eligible to receive the welcome bonuses, although in some cases you'll need to enter promo codes when registering to receive the offers. After that, you can continue to claim other ongoing Vermont sportsbook promotional offers.\n\nHere’s a rundown of everything you need to know about the different sportsbook bonuses and promos coming to Vermont and how to claim them.\n\nVermont sportsbook prelive offers\n\nSome Vermont sportsbooks are already offering \"prelive\" offers ahead of their launches. See below for the latest Vermont sportsbook prelive offers.\n\nTop 5 Vermont sportsbook bonuses\n\nHere are the best sportsbook bonuses & promotions from the top online sportsbooks anticipated to launch in Vermont.\n\nSportsbook Promo Code Welcome Offer Prelive Offer (if avail.) FanDuel Sportsbook Use Link Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets $100 in Bonus Bets DraftKings Sportsbook Use Link Get up to $1,200 in bonuses $200 in Bonus Bets BetMGM Sportsbook SPORTSPICK $1,500 in Bonus Bets TBD Fanatics Sportsbook TBD TBD TBD ESPN Bet Sportsbook TBD TBD TBD\n\nBest Vermont sportsbook promo codes\n\nVermont's new online sports betting law authorizes up to six sites to launch in the state. Five operators applied for licenses, and as of today FanDuel, DraftKings and Fanatics are already scheduled to launch on Jan. 11, 2024. BetMGM and ESPN Bet are also among the applicants, making them possible candidates to launch in Vermont in the new year as well. Here are details regarding those five online sportsbooks and their welcome offers.\n\nFanDuel Vermont promo code\n\nVermont already knows FanDuel thanks to its daily fantasy sports site. FanDuel Sportsbook is one of the most popular across the US, and FanDuel has already applied for a license to launch in Vermont. FanDuel has a great welcome offer inviting new sign-ups simply to make an initial $5 wager and get back $200 in Bonus Bets.\n\nMeanwhile, for Vermont bettors FanDuel is running an Early Sign Up Special that gets you an extra $100 in Bonus Bets for signing up early between now and Jan. 10, 2024. That means you can receive a total of $300 in Bonus Bets to get you started at FanDuel Sportsbook Vermont. You can read more about FanDuel Sportsbook Vermont's prelive offer here.\n\nYou can bet on around two dozen different sports at FanDuel. The site offers lots of props, futures, alternate lines, and popular premade same-game parlays. There are lots of ongoing promos, too, like profit boosts, free pools, pick-em contest, special “no sweat” bets and more.\n\nHere are more details of that FanDuel Sportsbook prelive & welcome offers:\n\nUse the links on this page to create your FanDuel Sportsbook account.\n\nto create your FanDuel Sportsbook account. Register before Jan. 10, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. ET and receive $100 in Bonus Bets available to use on the Jan. 11 launch day\n\nand receive available to use on the Jan. 11 launch day Once the site goes live, make a first deposit of at least $10 into your FanDuel account and place a qualifying bet of at least $5 .\n\ninto your FanDuel account and place a qualifying . Whether your bet wins or loses, you receive $200 in Bonus Bets .\n\n. You can use your Bonus Bets in whatever increments you like, but you have to use your Bonus Bets within seven days or they will expire.\n\nor they will expire. Winning wagers with Bonus Bets award the winnings only and not the bet amounts.\n\nFanDuel Sportsbook welcome offer pros and cons\n\nPros\n\nUnlike other offers, you don’t have to risk much of your own money to receive the bonus — just $5 to get $200 in Bonus Bets\n\nAlso unlike other offers, it doesn’t matter if your initial wager wins or loses, you get the bonus either way\n\nYou don’t have to use your Bonus Bets all at once (unless you want to), as you can divide up how you use the Bonus Bets any way you like\n\nCons\n\nYou can’t just withdraw the Bonus Bets, but you have to wager them\n\nYou only have a week to use all $200 of your Bonus Bets\n\nIf you win with Bonus Bets, you only get the winnings and not the wager amounts back\n\nWhat is the welcome offer at FanDuel Sportsbook VT?\n\nThose signing up at FanDuel Sportsbook Vermont by Jan. 10, 2024 will find $100 in Bonus Bets in their accounts when the site launches on Jan. 11. In addition, FanDuel Sportsbook VT will also feature the same welcome offer it has in other states, inviting new sign-ups to bet at least $5 and get $200 in Bonus Bets. Be aware that sometimes FanDuel add perks to that offer, such as they did at the start of the NBA season when they threw in a free three-month subscription to NBA League Pass.\n\nWhat can I win with the FanDuel Sportsbook welcome offer?\n\nWith the FanDuel offer, whatever you win with your Bonus Bets is yours to keep. If you can make some successful bets, that should mean a nice profit given the fact that with the prelive offer you received $100 Bonus Bets for free, and with the welcome offer you only have to make a $5 bet up front in order to receive the $200 in Bonus Bets.\n\nWhat makes the FanDuel Sportsbook welcome offer special?\n\nThe FanDuel Sportsbook offer is great for many reasons. It is simple and easy to claim and use. You don’t have to make a large wager up front to receive the bonus, and it also doesn’t matter if your first bet wins or loses as you get the bonus either way. Finally, $200 in bonus bets is quite generous and if you make some winning bets you’ll be able to have a nice bankroll right away without any significant expense. And with the $100 in Bonus Bets for those signing up by Jan. 10, the offer is even more generous.\n\nDraftKings Vermont promo code\n\nDraftKings is likewise already known to Vermont sports fans thanks to its popular DFS site, and many will surely be gravitating to the DraftKings Sportsbook as well. DraftKings also has a prelive offer already available to Vermont users. Be aware, though, that those who accept the prelive offer will not be eligible for DraftKings' welcome offer later on.\n\nIf you use our links and sign up for a DraftKings Sportsbook VT account between now and the moment the site goes live on Jan. 11, you will receive $200 in Bonus Bets, issued as eight $25 Bonus Bets. You'll have to wager these (i.e., you can't withdraw them), and you must do so within 7 days or they'll expire.\n\nIf you choose to wait and instead take the welcome offer, you'll find DraftKings Sportsbook actually has a multi-part offer worth up to $1,200. The offer includes a deposit match bonus worth up to $1,000, a $50 Bonus Bet just for depositing at least $5, and another $150 in Bonus Bets for making a first wager of at least $5.\n\nHere are more details on the offer explaining how each part of the DraftKings Sportsbook welcome offer works:\n\nSign up for a DraftKings Sportsbook account via the links on this page .\n\n. Make a first deposit of at least $5 and get a $50 Bonus Bet .\n\nand get a . When you make your first deposit, DraftKings will give you a 20% deposit match bonus worth up to $1,000 in Bonus Bets . Be aware this bonus comes with a 25x wagering requirement .\n\nworth up to . Be aware this bonus comes with a . Finally, when you place an initial bet of at least $5 , you get $150 more in Bonus Bets delivered as eight $25 Bonus Bets that you’ll have seven days to use.\n\n, you get delivered as eight $25 Bonus Bets that you’ll have seven days to use. If you go for the full deposit match bonus, you can receive as much as $1,200 in Bonus Bets all told. Keep in mind that when you wager with Bonus Bets (aka DK Dollars) and win, you only receive the winnings and not the wager amounts.\n\nDraftKings Sportsbook welcome offer pros and cons\n\nPros\n\nThere are multiple welcome offers and not just a single offer\n\nYou don’t have to risk a lot — just $5 — to receive a total of $200 in Bonus Bets\n\nYou also don’t have to worry about winning or losing your first wager to get a bonus as with other sites’ offers\n\nCons\n\nThe 20% deposit match bonus worth up to $1,000 might sound good, but with a 25x wagering requirement it is truthfully only useful to high-stakes bettors\n\nYou only get a week to use the $150 in Bonus Bets awarded for making your first wager of at least $5\n\nYou only receive winnings and not the bet amounts when you use Bonus Bets\n\nWhat will the welcome offer at DraftKings Sportsbook VT be?\n\nWhen DraftKings Sportsbook Vermont launches, the site will feature the same multi-part welcome offer it has in other states: a $50 Bonus Bet just for depositing $5, another $150 in Bonus Bets for making a $5 wager, and a 20% deposit match bonus worth up to $1,000 in Bonus Bets.\n\nWhat can I win with the DraftKings Sportsbook welcome offer?\n\nDepending on how much in Bonus Bets you gather, you can win whatever you earn by placing successful wagers with them.\n\nWhat makes the DraftKings Sportsbook welcome offer better than others?\n\nDraftKings Sportsbook outdoes other sites with multiple offers rather than just one. Also, the $200 total in Bonus Bets you can receive just for depositing and wagering $5 is the best deal around, and you don’t even have to win or lose your first bet. The deposit match bonus offer is unique as well, although not all new users will likely try to take advantage of it.\n\nBetMGM Vermont promo code\n\nKnown as the “King of Sportsbooks,” BetMGM Sportbook is another favorite around the US and will surely be one should it launch in Vermont. BetMGM has applied for an online sports betting license and should be one of the new sites in VT. When that happens, Vermont bettors should be able to take advantage of BetMGM’s nice welcome offer of up to $1,500 paid back in Bonus Bets should they lose their first wager on the site.\n\nBetMGM Sportsbook offers lots of ways to bet on many different sports and leagues with a wide range of standard pregame bets (moneyline, spread, totals) plus lots of props, futures, and live betting opportunities. BetMGM is generous with bonuses and promos, too, with free pools, ongoing refer-a-friend bonuses and more. There’s also the BetMGM Rewards program for added benefits.\n\nHere’s how that welcome offer works at BetMGM Sportsbook:\n\nStart by entering the bonus code SPORTSPICK when you create your BetMGM Sportsbook account.\n\nwhen you create your BetMGM Sportsbook account. Deposit at least $10 .\n\n. Make a first bet and if you lose get back the equivalent amount in Bonus Bets up to $1,500 within 24 hours of the bet being settled.\n\nwithin 24 hours of the bet being settled. For losing bets up to $50, you receive the Bonus Bet as a single bet . If you bet more than $50 and lose, you’ll get your refund (up to $1,500) in five Bonus Bets divided equally (20% each).\n\n. If you bet more than $50 and lose, you’ll get your refund (up to $1,500) in divided equally (20% each). You’ll have seven days to use your Bonus Bet(s).\n\nto use your Bonus Bet(s). If you use a Bonus Bet and win your wager, you receive the winnings but not the wager amount back.\n\nBetMGM Sportsbook welcome offer pros and cons\n\nPros\n\nIt enables you to lose a first bet but still have get a second chance at winning\n\nYou can receive back up to $1,500 in Bonus Bets, and if it is more than $50 the bets get split up into smaller amounts you can use separately\n\nYou receive the Bonus Bet(s) within 24 hours, a quick turnaround\n\nCons\n\nYou have to lose your first wager to receive any welcome bonus\n\nYou have to use your Bonus Bet(s) within seven days\n\nWinning with the Bonus Bet(s) earns you the winnings, but not the bet amounts back\n\nWhat will the BetMGM Sportsbook Vermont welcome offer be?\n\nBetMGM Sportsbook has a “First Bet Offer” that awards you up to $1,500 in Bonus Bets if you lose your first bet after registering.\n\nHow much can I win with the BetMGM Sportsbook welcome bonus?\n\nAs with similar offers, you can win whatever you get from placing winning wagers with your Bonus Bets. The longer the odds on those bets, the more you can potentially win.\n\nHow does the BetMGM Sportsbook welcome offer compare to other sites’ offers?\n\nGetting $1,500 back in Bonus Bet(s) makes the BetMGM Sportsbook offers one of the most generous versions of the “second chance” offers that let you lose a first wager but get a second try at it.\n\nFanatics Vermont promo code\n\nFanatics Sportsbook is already scheduled to launch in Vermont in Jan. 2024. We are still awaiting word on what the Fanatics Sportsbook VT welcome offer will be. The site is live in several other states\n\nIn the past, Fanatics has featured different welcome offers for new sign-ups. These have included variations on the “bet-and-get” welcome offers described above. Fanatics has featured a bet $5, get $200 in Bonus Bets offer before. They have also structured the same offer differently by inviting new users to make five bets of at least $10 over five days and receive Bonus Bets each time they do, again totaling $200.\n\nFanatics Sportsbook has also taken advantage of the company’s other major business as an official sports apparel and gear provider that partners with all the major leagues and teams. Drawing on that connection, Fanatics has sometimes made a free jersey, or, rather, money to spend in the Fanatics Store, part of a welcome offer to new users.\n\nWe'll stay tuned to see what happens with Fanatics Sportsbook VT.\n\nESPN Bet Vermont promo code\n\nESPN Bet Sportsbook has also applied to operate an online sportsbook in Vermont, and so it could soon be among the new online wagering options for Vermont bettors as well.\n\nESPN Bet brings a very familiar brand to sports fans, but a relatively new one when it comes to online sports betting. After acquiring the old Barstool Sportsbook earlier in the year, ESPN Bet Sportsbook launched the rebranded site in 17 different states in Nov. 2023. The site has already begun taking advantage of various tie-ins with the renowned sports programming network which has helped in the effort to establish the site in the overall marketplace.\n\nIn other states, the ESPN Bet welcome offer has included a 100% deposit match bonus worth up to $1,000 (with a 20x wagering requirement). ESPN Bet has also run a welcome promo that invites new sign-ups to place a wager of any amount and receive $200 in Bonus Bets split into four $50 Bonus Bets.\n\nAgain, we'll keep an eye out for any news regarding ESPN Bet Sportsbook VT.\n\nOther potential Vermont sportsbooks\n\nVermont's new sports betting law allows for as many as six online sportsbooks, and while we know of a few of these we're still waiting to find out which ones go live in the state. Here are a couple of other online sports betting sites that are thriving in other states, one or both of which could potentially come to Vermont eventually.\n\nCaesars Vermont promo code\n\nCaesars Sportsbook has become one of the most popular online sportsbooks in the US in several states, and it should prove a favorite in Vermont as well. We expect Caesars to offer the same offer in VT is has elsewhere, with new sign-ups eligible to receive up to a $1,000 Bonus Bet if their first bet loses.\n\nCaesars covers wide range of markets and different bet types while also featuring a terrific live betting platform. The site offers frequent odds boosts and other bonuses, and new sign-ups also get to join the famed Caesars Rewards program that can earn them more site bonuses among other benefits.\n\nHere are details explaining how the Caesars Sportsbook welcome offer works:\n\nWhen registering your new Caesars Sportsbook account, enter the bonus code NEWS1000 .\n\n. Place a first bet within 30 days and if it loses, receive back the equivalent amount in the form of a Bonus Bet worth up to $1,000 .\n\n. After that first bet has been settled, you’ll see the Bonus Bet in your account within two days .\n\n. Use your Bonus Bet within 14 days or else it will expire.\n\nor else it will expire. If you win with your Bonus Bet, you only receive the winnings and not the bet amount back.\n\nBetRivers Vermont promo code\n\nBetRivers Sportsbook is another site that has launched in many states and could be among those coming to Vermont. BetRivers has a lot to offer and many have found it a great choice elsewhere. Like the sites described above, BetRivers also has a “second chance” welcome offer that gives new sign-ups a free bet refund worth up to $500 should they lose their first wager.\n\nThe BetRivers sports betting site has all the most popular sports and leagues covered plus a lot of other international markets, too. You’ll find plenty of props and futures as well as a robust live betting platform. There are ongoing promos like matched bonus bets, parlay insurance, “bet & get” bonuses and more, and BetRivers also has a well-liked loyalty program, iRush Rewards.\n\nHere is a look at how to get the BetRivers Sportsbook welcome offer and what you get with it:\n\nSign up at BetRivers Sportsbook using the bonus code SPORTSRIV .\n\n. Deposit at least $10 into your account.\n\ninto your account. Make a first bet, and if you lose get the bet amount back as a Bonus Bet worth up to $500 . (Note that this amount varies from state to state and could be different in Vermont.)\n\n. (Note that this amount varies from state to state and could be different in Vermont.) You’ll see the Bonus Bet in your account within 24 hours , and then you’ll have 30 days to use it .\n\n, and then you’ll have . The Bonus Bet has to be used on wagers with odds of -200 or longer, and if you win with it you’ll receive the winnings but not the bet amount back.\n\nVermont sportsbook bonuses pros and cons\n\nVermont Sportsbook Bonus Pros Vermont Sportsbook Bonus Cons Thousands of dollars in value will be up for grabs. Refunds are site credit or bonus bets, not cash. Bonuses can be claimed easily via links or promo codes. Playthrough requirements are attached to site credit and bonus bets. Bonuses can be used to bet on almost any sport. You won't earn back the stake on winning bonus bets or bets with site credit.\n\nTypes of Vermont sportsbook promo and bonus offers\n\nThe welcome bonuses and ongoing promotions coming soon from new online betting sites in Vermont will fall into the following categories.\n\nDeposit match bonuses\n\nGet up to 100% of your first deposit matched in bonus funds. Sportsbooks will limit the bonus size you can claim and attach wagering requirements.\n\nReferral bonuses\n\nYou share a personal referral code with friends and family, and if they use it to sign up, deposit, and bet, you both get a bonus. Sportsbooks will attach wagering requirements to the bonus.\n\nFirst-bet offers\n\nYou get a refund if you lose your first bet. Sportsbooks will limit the size of the refund you can claim. Most refunds are bonus bets or site credit, not cash. That means wagering requirements are attached, and payouts don't include the stake.\n\nOdds boosts\n\nYou’ll receive better than the usual odds on specific bets. Daily odds boosts are available, but provide no value if the boosted bet isn't a winner.\n\nBet insurance\n\nGet a refund if you lose a specific bet or your parlay comes up one leg short. Sportsbooks will limit the size of the refund you can claim, and most refunds are bonus bets or site credit, not cash. That means wagering requirements are attached, and payouts don't include the stake.\n\nBet & get bonuses\n\nHere, you’ll get a bonus when you place a specific bet. Most bet & get bonuses are bonus bets or site credit. That means wagering requirements are attached, and payouts don't include the stake.\n\nApp-only offers\n\nPlace a specific bet with one of the best sports betting apps to receive a bonus. This won’t be available on the sportsbook website.\n\nSpecial event offers\n\nGet a bonus when you place a particular bet on special event odds like World Series odds, Super Bowl betting lines, or March Madness. Special event bonuses are often bonus bets or site credit. That means wagering requirements are attached, and payouts don't include the stake.\n\nLoyalty offers and programs\n\nEarn points with every bet, and the points are redeemable for rewards like cash and bonus bets.\n\nImportant Vermont sportsbook bonus and promo conditions\n\nTerms and conditions will be attached to every bonus and promo offer from Vermont online sports betting sites. Be ready to see these stipulations.\n\nBanking options\n\nYour ability to withdraw the winnings from a bonus could be limited to specific banking methods.\n\nWagering requirements\n\nYou might be forced to bet a bonus amount a minimum number of times before you can withdraw winnings.\n\nBetting limitations\n\nThere may be limits on the odds or bet types available for wagering bonus funds.\n\nTime limits\n\nThese would force you to use a bonus before an expiration date or meet all wagering requirements within a specific timeframe.\n\nMaximum withdrawals\n\nSome offers could limit your ability to withdraw winnings of a particular amount, forcing you to make multiple withdrawal requests on big wins.\n\nVermont sport-specific betting promos\n\nVermont has no teams in the four major US pro sports leagues. However, state residents have been known to support Boston-based teams, like the Red Sox (MLB), the Celtics (NBA), the Bruins (NHL), and the Patriots (NFL).\n\nBecause of those teams’ proximity to the state, you can expect Vermont online sportsbooks to run related promos (eg. NFL betting promos) to attract fans. College sports are big, too, which means several betting promos should also surround local college teams.\n\nHow do I claim a Vermont sportsbook bonus?\n\nMany times, all you’ll need to do is sign up for a new account through the links on this page to claim a bonus from a Vermont online sportsbook. Sometimes, you may need to enter the promo or bonus code, but those will all be listed on this page as well.\n\nYou may need to place a qualifying bet or meet specific wagering requirements to get your hands on the bonus. All of this will be outlined in the terms and conditions attached to any Vermont online sportsbook bonus offer.\n\nVermont sportsbook promo codes FAQ\n\nCan I get more than one bonus from a Vermont online sportsbook?\n\nNo, you’ll almost certainly be limited to one bonus from each Vermont online sportsbook, and sometimes the limit will be one per household. However, you can claim that one bonus from every Vermont online sportsbook. Sign up at as many sportsbooks as you like.\n\nWhat sports can these bonuses be used on?\n\nPretty much any sport should qualify. If betting on the sport is available in Vermont, you can use your bonus on it.\n\nWhy should I use the promo codes here on The Sporting News?\n\nThe promo codes on this page get you the best bonuses available. When you plug in the code during registration, the sportsbook knows we sent you and gives you the bonus we negotiated for you.\n\nAre these promo codes for regular customers, too?\n\nThe promo codes on this page are for new customers only. Once you’ve got an account with a sportsbook, you can take advantage of other bonus offers and ongoing promos.\n\nRelated Pages:","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/betting/news/vermont-sportsbook-promos/b4779ea9b7172cc57a201b0f","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_e7e2af8623a021d9","mhq_5923cb099a45db36","mhq_077feb9c180aa7e6"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_e7e2af8623a021d9","mhq_5923cb099a45db36","mhq_077feb9c180aa7e6"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"91eeae8436790a5543267b30aa827ea8fd8bd1f3db51038e3ca26d9489fcd547","source_record_sha256":"63df22bc04ae53545752df76ffbd38852bc6f1c5b39d8168959bef3ce922ef69","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":72,"source_fields":{"title":"Vermont Sportsbook Promos and Sports Betting Launch News","author":"Martin Harris","source":"Sporting News","published_at":"2023-09-26T22:53:28+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/betting/news/vermont-sportsbook-promos/b4779ea9b7172cc57a201b0f"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_407a8063bf64f5c3","text":"Welcome back to The Interchange, where we take a look at the hottest fintech news of the previous week. If you want to receive The Interchange directly in your inbox every Sunday, head here to sign up! After a bit of a quiet period, things in the world of fintech picked up in a big way this past week. We wrote about some notable fundraises, how PayPal was hit with an antitrust lawsuit, how Bolt is trying to move on after an SEC probe, and much more.\n\nRainforest takes on the bigger players\n\nIt’s not every day that we’re pitched companies that feel like they are taking on bigger players in a really meaningful way. This past week, I wrote about Rainforest, an Atlanta-based startup that is taking on incumbents such as Fiserv and FIS, as well as trying to take market share from other fintechs such as Stripe with its offering. Rainforest works with software companies to help them embed financial services and payments into their platforms. In an interview with TechCrunch, CEO and co-founder Joshua Silver respectfully disagreed with a16z general partner Angela Strange about her 2019 statement that every company would become a fintech. In his view, most software companies don’t actually want to be fintechs and deal with all the regulatory and compliance issues that go with that. They really just want to be able to accept payments and generate more revenue from being able to do so.\n\nAccel led the company’s $8.5 million seed round, which included participation from Infinity Ventures, BoxGroup, The Fintech Fund, Tech Square Ventures, and Ardent Venture Partners.\n\nIt’s always cool to see startups outside the coasts growing, and Silver’s confidence that what Rainforest is building will make it a formidable player in the space feels like it has merit. Founded in 2022, the startup has seen impressive growth in a short period of time, securing client commitments representing more than $500 million in processing, with much of the volume guaranteed.\n\nSilver believes the company’s exclusive focus on software companies only gives it an edge.\n\n“None of the modern processors were built specifically for software platforms. Most of them were built directly for merchants, and they’ve all had to retrofit their platforms even to accommodate basic payment processing and reporting functions for software companies,” he told TechCrunch.\n\nAs such, the startup is capturing volume as software platforms migrate from legacy processors such as Fiserv and FIS. As that happens, it competes against companies like Stripe (and its Connect product) to embed financial services and payments.\n\nNik Milanović of The Fintech Fund posted on X that he believes that one of the biggest stories of the next decade will be about Stripe, “which looks invincible from the outside, losing market share to nimble competitors.”\n\nHe added: “I think Rainforest is going to be a big part of that story.”\n\nMeanwhile, Infinity Ventures’ Jeremy Jonker and former PayPal exec said he’s been in payments for 13 years and has “never before seen anything like Rainforest.” He told me via email that “Joshua’s background as a software platform founder and then as a payments consultant is a big part of the secret sauce. He’s lived the pain of payments himself, and you can’t underestimate the power of being in your clients’ shoes. He knew that taking on risk and compliance burdens, and offering features like data portability, would be hugely attractive to platforms. We also like that it’s not just him who has a wealth of payments experience — it’s the entire team he’s recruited to the company. Many are longtime payments and SaaS vets who knew there was so much potential for a better provider, and now they’ve built it themselves.”\n\nListen to TC+ editor Alex Wilhelm and I talk more about how there’s plenty of market share to go around in Friday’s episode of the Equity podcast below. — Mary Ann\n\nPayPal is being sued for alleged “Draconian” payment policies\n\nOn October 5, Mary Ann broke the news that PayPal has been hit with a class action lawsuit by consumers represented by law firm Hagens Berman alleging that the fintech giant’s anti-steering rules stifle competition against lower-cost payment platforms such as Stripe and Shopify. Specifically, according to an investigation conducted by the firm’s consumer rights attorneys, PayPal has subjected consumers to excess charges when purchasing from online merchants that accept PayPal or Venmo.\n\nSomeone commented on social media that they didn’t see the problem with what PayPal is doing and questioned whether or not Visa and Mastercard do the same thing. So I went back to the attorneys who filed the lawsuit, who noted that the “anti-steering rules” are not the first of their kind. They said: “Visa and MasterCard once imposed similar anti-steering rules on merchants accepting their cards but, after the Justice Department sued the networks for antitrust violations, they agreed in 2010 to eliminate their anti-steering rules as part of the settlement. With payments transitioning into the digital realm, PayPal has simply ripped a page right from the Visa and MasterCard [sic] playbook.”\n\nMeanwhile, Patrick McGahan, a partner at Scott+Scott who focuses on antitrust litigation, had an interesting take that actually involves both of those card giants. He told TechCrunch that the case illustrates that “the tensions between merchants and the payment system providers are not over, and that litigation regarding this key cost faced by merchants is likely to continue for some time.”\n\nHe added: “Platform companies that operate as gatekeepers in their market, such as PayPal, will continue to be the subject of antitrust litigation as a result of the significant fees they charge. PayPal’s fees are, however, driven by the costs imposed upon them by the dominant card schemes, Visa, Mastercard and American Express. So, we can expect PayPal will respond to this suit by arguing that it is as much of a price taker as the merchants themselves, and that the terms imposed upon it by the card schemes drive some of its anti-steering rules.”\n\nPayPal did not respond to requests for comment. — Mary Ann\n\nBolt CEO gets frank about SEC probe\n\nBolt Financial CEO Maju Kuruvilla told me in an interview that the one-click checkout company is putting a recent U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission probe behind it and is moving on.\n\n“It obviously is a very, very involved process, but we’re really happy to put that behind us,” Kuruvilla told TechCrunch. “We look forward to focusing on the momentum for the business and how we can help the retailers, especially the big retailers who are looking to us to innovate for them, because this is a tough year for retailers.”\n\nYou might remember that Bolt, which provides checkout technology to merchants, and its co-founder Ryan Breslow, were subpoenaed last year by the SEC to investigate whether the company violated any securities laws during fundraising in 2021 when Bolt was seeking its $355 million Series E round that valued the company at $11 billion.\n\nThe investigation took about 15 months, but news of that probe didn’t go public until July of 2023. Shortly thereafter on August 23, the SEC said, in a letter viewed by TechCrunch, it was not recommending an enforcement action for the company.\n\nKuruvilla spoke with me about how, exactly, the company can put something like this behind it, what it told customers and what’s next. Read more. — Christine\n\nWeekly News\n\nBanking-as-a-service startup Synapse confirmed Friday that it laid off 86 people, or about 40% of the company. The San Francisco–based company, which operates a platform enabling banks and fintech companies to easily develop financial services, has been open about past layoffs. In June, CEO Sankaet Pathak wrote in a blog post that the company had let go of 18% of its workforce as “the current macroeconomic conditions” had begun to impact its clients and platforms, affecting its anticipated growth. More here.\n\nVisa plans to invest $100 million in companies developing generative AI technologies and applications “that will impact the future of commerce and payments,” Mary Ann reports. Visa Ventures head David Roff told TechCrunch that the fintech giant has “a lot of flexibility” with regards to how many investments it would make out of the new fund, and average check size. More here.\n\nAs reported by Manish Singh, “Indian unicorn fintech Slice is merging with North East Small Finance Bank after receiving the approval from the central bank, in an extremely rare feat that has eluded many tech giants, top financial startups and tycoons for decades. Slice — which earlier offered credit card–like cards and at peak issued over 400,000 cards in a month, more than any other fintech or bank — said the merger with the Guwahati-headquartered bank will allow the combined entity to better serve their shared mission and reach more consumers who currently lack access to basic banking services.” More here.\n\n“CRED grew its operating revenue by a staggering 255% to $168.1 million in the financial year ending March as the fintech startup, which garners an unusually high level of attention, finds rising adoption of its lending and commerce offerings among India’s affluent individuals. The Bengaluru-headquartered startup had a total income of about $50 million in the financial year ending March last year and $11.4 million in the prior year. More here from Manish Singh.\n\nBrex co-CEO and co-founder Henrique Dubugras chose the very picturesque island Fernando de Noronha in northeastern Brazil to be the location of four days of festivities around his marriage to software engineer Laura Fiuza, Brazilian publication Globo reported last week. Some 400 guests are reportedly attending the wedding, which led to the closing of the Forte dos Remédios — one of the island’s main tourist attractions — for more than a week, according to Globo. Parabéns, Henrique and Laura!\n\nSeveral fintech startups recently made LinkedIn’s top startups of 2023 list, including Ramp, No. 1; Synctera, No. 11; Esusu, No. 13; Sardine, No. 16; and Tapcheck, No. 48.\n\nCB Insights also released its Fintech 100 list, made up of the “most promising 100 fintech startups of 2023.”\n\nOther items we are paying attention to:\n\nThe great Zelle pool scam\n\nThe Public platform offers everyday investors a slice of ‘Shrek’ catalog with quarterly payouts\n\nStockpile and Green Dot partner on debit cards for minors\n\nAmex pilots biometrics in online checkout\n\nPie Insurance appoints Audra Foglietta as chief financial officer\n\nMonzo picks Cash App vet Conor Walsh for US CEO\n\nFolsom-based EV Life launches electric car loan to lower monthly payments\n\nCLEAR launches reusable KYC solution\n\nFunding and M&A\n\nAs seen in TechCrunch\n\nOpen banking led to a fintech boom — as Brite raises $60M, account-to-account payment grows\n\nRecapitalization, $60M Series D support growth of e-commerce financier Clearco\n\nStitch raises $25M Series A extension led by Ribbit Capital, increasing the round’s total to $46M\n\nResy and Eater co-founder raises $24M for Blackbird, a restaurant loyalty platform\n\nSparx wants to do for enterprise what Truebill did for consumer recurring bills\n\nTen Key Labs wants to simplify managing equity for startups\n\nSeen elsewhere\n\nLogistics company Loop raises $35M to modernize the supply chain (Also, check out TechCrunch’s previous story on Loop.)\n\nShift4 acquires SpotOn unit for $100M (TechCrunch previously covered SpotOn here.)\n\nReserv raises $20M for AI-driven insurtech software\n\nVyzer raises $6.3M seed round for AI-powered wealth management platform\n\nKafene adds another $12.6M to its Series B round (TechCrunch previously covered Kafene here.)\n\nFintech firm Revio boosts community bank growth with $2.5M funding\n\nSkyWatch acquires Droneinsurance.com\n\nAP Automation Fintech Stampli announces $61M round led by Blackstone","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/10/08/heres-how-rainforest-an-atlanta-fintech-startup-and-stripe-rival-aims-to-win-over-software-companies/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_ee1edaefc29d0fce","mhq_80f1eec231b17a62"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_ee1edaefc29d0fce","mhq_80f1eec231b17a62"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"5bf0d225a41e736e70a9210e9ed4da5d21f7ac24d50700ea87f8e768a0657021","source_record_sha256":"99a9ee51736c4fc5b1e21540fa707e46f2981841d74e03197b6e0cb0ec9c4042","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":75,"source_fields":{"title":"Here’s how Rainforest, a budding Stripe rival, aims to win over software companies","author":"Christine Hall","source":"TechCrunch","published_at":"2023-10-08T14:16:01+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/10/08/heres-how-rainforest-an-atlanta-fintech-startup-and-stripe-rival-aims-to-win-over-software-companies/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_d83eedea085ef55e","text":"In the runup to the 2020 election, a small news organization saw an opportunity.\n\nThe Epoch Times directed millions of dollars in advertising toward supporting President Donald Trump’s campaign and published dozens of articles parroting his lies about the election — resulting in huge growth to its audience and its coffers.\n\nThe strategy garnered criticism from fact-checking groups and got it banned from advertising on Facebook, but it ultimately paid off — putting the once-fringe newspaper on a path that perhaps only its leader, who claims to have supernatural powers, could have foreseen.\n\nToday, The Epoch Times is one of the country’s most successful and influential conservative news organizations. It’s powered by Falun Gong, a religious group persecuted in China, which launched The Epoch Times as a free propaganda newsletter more than two decades ago to oppose the Chinese Communist Party.\n\nFunded through aggressive online and real-world marketing campaigns and big-money conservative donors, The Epoch Times now boasts to be the country’s fourth-largest newspaper by subscriber count. (Unlike most major newspapers, The Epoch Times isn't audited by the two major independent collectors of circulation data.) The nonprofit has amassed a fortune, growing its revenue by a staggering 685% in two years, to $122 million in 2021, according to the group’s most recent tax records.\n\nIts editorial vision — fueled by a right-wing slant and conspiracy theories — is on display in recent reports on how “Jan. 6 Capitol Hill Security Footage Challenges Key Narratives” and “Meteorologists, Scientists Explain Why There Is ‘No Climate Emergency.’” Its video series include a documentary-style film alleging widespread vaccine injury and death and an exposé of an alleged world government agenda to harm farmers, cull the population and force survivors to eat bugs.\n\nWhat The Epoch Times lacks in standards, it makes up for in style and form, mirroring the aesthetics of journalism — a feature that’s attracted subscribers and big-name supporters.\n\nAnti-vaccine activist and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. calls The Epoch Times a daily read, among his most trusted news sources. “They have a real bias against China, but on other reporting, they’re very courageous and it’s real journalism,” Kennedy said in an interview with NBC News this summer.\n\nIn July, Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., recited the history of The Epoch Times into the congressional record. “This is all about one word: freedom,” Norman said.\n\nThe Epoch Times has yet to throw its weight behind a candidate for 2024, but heading into the election cycle, it is moving into new and bigger office spaces and production studios in California, hiring mainstream news veterans who are not affiliated with Falun Gong, and revving up an ad-buying blitz.\n\n“They achieved the goal,” said Brendan Steinhauser, a Texas-based Republican strategist hired by The Epoch Times in 2018 to open doors to conservative politicians and players. Steinhauser said that a series of interviews and introductions with politicians and media figures at that year’s Conservative Political Action Conference offered access to a wider conservative audience. The Epoch Times was a “supporting sponsor” for this year’s conference.\n\n“They take advantage of every opportunity,” Steinhauser, who is not currently working for The Epoch Times, continued. “They studied digital marketing. They learned how to work the system. And they did it. They're smarter than people give them credit for, and they’ve got the money to back it up.”\n\nAs a nonprofit, The Epoch Times is exempt from most federal taxes. Its mission, according to tax filings, is independent journalism, “outside of political interests and the pursuit of profit, for the public benefit and to be truly responsible to society.”\n\nNeither the chairman nor the editor-in-chief of The Epoch Times returned multiple requests for comment. Representatives for The Epoch Times have previously defended it against critical reporting, labeling reports of the paper’s conservative mission, and its penchant for misinformation, “smears.”\n\nEpoch Times representatives also deny an affiliation with Falun Gong, despite the two groups’ clear financial and organizational ties: The Epoch Times board members and most staff are Falun Gong practitioners. The nonprofits behind The Epoch Times and Friends of Falun Gong, the movement’s advocacy organization, share executives and provide grants and services to each other, according to tax filings. And the newspaper, along with a digital production company and the heavily advertised dance troupe Shen Yun, make up a nonprofit network that the leader of the religious movement calls “our media.”\n\nLi Hongzhi during an interview in New York in 1999. Henny Ray Abrams / AFP via Getty Images\n\nIn 2009, Li Hongzhi came to speak to his followers, volunteers who worked at The Epoch Times’ offices in Manhattan. Li’s instructions for the group were simple. They needed to reach people outside of the Falun Gong religious community. And they needed to make money. A lot of it.\n\n“Ensure that the paper gains a foothold in ordinary society and turns profitable,” Li said.\n\nFalun Gong — or Falun Dafa, as some followers call it — is a kind of personal development movement started by Li in China in 1992. It combines tenets of Buddhism and Taoism, and followers practice with meditation and flowing breath and movement exercises, and by studying Li’s teachings.\n\nTo his followers, Li is a God-like figure who can levitate, walk through walls and see into the future. His ultra-conservative and controversial teachings include a rejection of modern science, art and medicine, and a denunciation of homosexuality, feminism and general worldliness.\n\nIn 1999, after thousands of Li’s followers silently protested its repression in Beijing, China banned it altogether. Labeling it a cult, the Chinese government confiscated Falun Gong books, blocked websites, closed teaching centers and arrested practitioners. Human rights groups reported a brutal crackdown: Some adherents were sent to labor camps; others were tortured and killed.\n\nFalun Gong followers meditate outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington in 1999. Joyce Naltchayan / AFP via Getty Images file\n\nInternational human rights organizations condemned China’s attempted eradication. In the U.S., where Li and some of his practitioners had fled, a new collection of followers organized a campaign to raise awareness and sympathy with parades, demonstrations and pamphlets that touted the benefits of Falun Gong and the brutality of the Chinese Communist Party.\n\nThe Epoch Times was born out of that leafleting campaign. Started in Georgia in 2000 by John Tang, a Falun Gong practitioner who remains its CEO, in essence it was a Chinese-language public relations newsletter. The group’s long-term goals were ambitious: to expose the Chinese Communist Party and to save the world in a supernatural war against communism.\n\nThrough the early aughts, The Epoch Times grew from an online effort to a weekly physical newspaper, with a home base in New York and a TV production company, New Tang Dynasty Television. It raised money from followers and was staffed by unpaid volunteers. It ran aggregated articles on international issues from Voice of America next to Thanksgiving Day explainers, dispatches from Falun Gong parades, and exposés on atrocities alleged to have been committed by the Chinese Communist Party.\n\nBy 2019, it had gone mostly digital and was spending millions of dollars on creating a network of Facebook pages and groups and running aggressive pro-Trump ad campaigns. The move toward explicit support of Republicans, despite Li’s teachings to stay away from U.S. politics, was foreshadowed by Li’s comments at a Falun Gong conference a year before.\n\nLi said that Falun Gong’s media ought to put a “constructive” spin on the news, to advance the group’s aims. It wasn’t wrong, he said, to favorably cover a politician who shared Falun Gong’s conservative values and whose goals aligned with their own.\n\n“If someone comes along now who can help to halt the downward spiral that the world is in, then he is truly someone extraordinary!” Li said. “He would in effect be helping us! Wouldn’t he be helping us to save people?”\n\nThe Epoch Times also employed a tactic more often associated with fake news content farms and scammers than news organizations, creating a network of inspiring and cute-content pages and fake accounts to inflate The Epoch Times' reach.\n\nIn 2019, following reporting by NBC News, Facebook found that The Epoch Times had “leveraged foreign actors posing as Americans to push political content” and banned it from future advertising, citing a violation of policies, including trying to circumvent review systems.\n\nUndeterred, The Epoch Times pivoted to video, specifically YouTube, spending millions on internet-infamous ads featuring Roman Balmakov, a former Epoch Times delivery person who now hosts the online show Facts Matter. In the ads, Balmakov rails against the mainstream media, communism and the persecution of Trump.\n\nThe Epoch Times also revisited a tried-and-true strategy that the original anti-communism newspaper had been built on — free physical copies. Instead of boxes on street corners, this time The Epoch Times printed and distributed unsolicited special editions of the paper from California to the Carolinas to the U.K. In Philadelphia alone in 2020, the company mailed 280,000 free copies of its newspaper, “to increase subscription,” according to tax documents.\n\nThe aggressive online and real-life marketing campaigns paid off. The group reported $76 million in subscription revenue in 2021, compared to nearly $7 million in 2019. A former employee of a regional Epoch Times operation who asked not to be identified because he feared retribution said that in order to send the papers to the most likely customers, they bought lists of addresses from data brokers, specifically for conservatives aged 60 and over. And many of the new subscribers are seniors, according to an employee’s account shared at a Falun Gong conference.\n\nBut hundreds of online complaints suggest that not all of the new customers are satisfied.\n\n“I’ve had the terrible misfortune of being subscribed to the Epoch Times without my consent,” one reads. Another says: “I want to stop receiving Epoch Times emails. That is all I want.”\n\nThe Epoch Times print newspaper in Augusta, Ga., in 2020. Elijah Nouvelage / Bloomberg via Getty Images file\n\nAs The Epoch Times’ marketing strategy shifted, so did the content — and by 2020, it became a megaphone for the U.S.’s most extreme right-wing stories.\n\nThere was plenty to write about: An election marred by disinformation, the bubbling culture wars and, most helpful for a media company missioned with ending the Chinese Communist Party, a pandemic originating from China provided endless opportunities for takes that aligned with hawkish conservatives and conspiracy theorists.\n\nThe Epoch Times was early to lay blame on China for Covid — labeling it the “CCP Virus” in its coverage. (The origin of the outbreak is unknown; the best evidence still points to natural transmission from an animal market.) China’s documented handling of the virus, including withholding information from researchers, a crackdown on whistleblowers and an authoritarian public health response, added credibility to The Epoch Times’ unproven claims.\n\n“The dynamic for The Epoch Times changed in 2020, partly because of their criticism of China around Covid,” said A.J. Bauer, an assistant journalism professor at the University of Alabama who studies conservative media. “An entire new kind of ecosystem of Covid deniers and skeptics overlapped with right-wing media and were citing and drawing heavily upon The Epoch Times.”\n\nThe Epoch Times’ subscription page began hosting glowing testimonials from Steve Bannon, Glenn Beck and the far-right Arizona congressman Paul Gosar. The organization became a reliable source for misinformation around Covid, its treatments and the vaccines.\n\nThe Epoch Times was also an early and aggressive promoter of election misinformation, according to the Election Integrity Partnership, a coalition of researchers that documented misinformation and the 2020 vote. The group cited the news organization as a “repeat spreader” of false and misleading voter fraud stories as well as a major promoter of debunked conspiracy theories around Dominion voting machines and the “Stop the Steal” movement, aimed at overturning the election results. Months after the election, The Epoch Times refused to acknowledge the results.\n\nWith the new bedfellows came a new revenue stream. Though Falun Gong practitioners had been a reliable source of small donations in previous years, in 2020 the group started to receive gifts and grants from big money conservative donors.\n\nWhile The Epoch Times is not required to list its donors, it reported $8.4 million in revenue from contributions and grants in 2020 and 2021. Tax documents from that period filed by scores of donors, accessed through ProPublica’s nonprofit explorer, show some of those funds came from conservative donors and foundations.\n\nIn 2021, The Epoch Times received $55,750 from the National Christian Charitable Foundation, which connects anonymous donors with Christian causes, and $31,000 from Donors Trust, a fund for conservative and libertarian donors. Smaller donations came from individuals — real estate agents, investors and surgeons among them — and small family foundations, most of which support right-wing causes, including evangelical Christian groups, anti-vaccine groups and far-right media organizations.\n\nMost of the donors contacted by NBC News did not respond to interview requests; two declined.\n\nThe Epoch Times is pouring its revenue back into its own organization and others connected to the Falun Gong religious movement.\n\nIn the first half of this year, The Epoch Times spent 65% more on ads than in the first six months of 2022, with about half of its budget going to the X platform, formerly Twitter, according to the market intelligence firm Sensor Tower. Other recent ad buys were made on the right-wing sites Drudge Report, Breitbart and Rumble.\n\nThe Epoch Times paid a company called Data Managing Corporation $2.7 million for advertising services in 2021, according to tax documents. The company’s listed address is a single-family home in New Jersey owned by a reporter for The Epoch Times, who did not return requests for comment.\n\nIn addition to running its business, The Epoch Times provided about $30 million in grants to its own affiliates and connected organizations in 2021, including $10.4 million to the dance troupe Shen Yun, and $8.3 million to New Tang Dynasty, which produces videos.\n\nThe three groups, united under the Falun Gong religious movement, made up a nearly quarter-billion dollar industry in 2021, according to tax documents. Li holds that the Falun Gong messages, shared in articles, videos and dance performances, will result in the salvation of humankind as the end of the world nears.","url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/epoch-times-falun-gong-growth-rcna111373","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_c08ebcabd7a4009c","mhq_ee1edaefc29d0fce"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_c08ebcabd7a4009c","mhq_ee1edaefc29d0fce"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"2090d71339e03a7898f86f1e078003ad4f8f8903c6aeb2c40b0dc6f4b95bd4c5","source_record_sha256":"2afd1899bf6078284007c92447d2c1f0f8ad7e2a6809f654bc8653f3ffcd9021","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":76,"source_fields":{"title":"How the conspiracy-fueled Epoch Times went mainstream and made millions","author":null,"source":"Hacker News","published_at":"2023-10-16T03:41:24+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/epoch-times-falun-gong-growth-rcna111373"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_b83e940b5856e027","text":"The Berlin Wall was built in 1961 as a standard wire and concrete fence to make it difficult for East German residents to escape to freedom in the West. By the end of the 1970s, its fourth generation already included a 127 km long electrified fence, a strip of land made of sharp metal nails, a closely-packed row of watchtowers, a patrol road, an intrusion-tracking dirt road, guard dogs, deep trenches anti-vehicle trenches, and two layers of concrete walls. \"The fence was initially quite weak, so it was decided to place guards every few meters on top of the wall,\" Dr. Avner Barnea, a former Shin Bet senior officer and lecturer on intelligence and national security, and business intelligence at Bar-Ilan University, tells \"Globes.\" \"But until they mined the area, they didn't really succeed in preventing escapees. These low-tech solutions made all the difference. None of the authorities ever took the risk of relying on advanced technologies.\"\n\nThe fence that, until October 7, separated Israel and the Gaza Strip was completed in December 2021, 60 years after construction of the Berlin Wall began. It was intended to protect against a major security threat, but in practice it was much leaner than that. The fence was almost unmanned by soldiers, and relied mainly on sensors, above and below ground, surveillance cameras, and vehicle patrols. And, of course, there was no surrounding minefield.\n\nAfter Operation Protective Edge in 2014 revealed that Hamas forces were able to penetrate the Gaza border settlements at several points via underground tunnels, it was decided in 2016 to build a defense line focused on this threat called \"the anti-tunnel barrier\" that would replace the existing fence. The upper section of the barrier was based mainly on a fence called the \"sand clock,\" which had only proved itself in stopping illegal immigrants on the Israel-Egypt border - the same fence that then-US President Donald Trump enthused over, and wanted to duplicate on the US southern border.\n\nThe cost of the barriers was NIS 3.5 billion, mostly for the below-ground section. It was presented as a high-tech project and as a great technological achievement that would be an additional layer of protection from the Gazan threat, along with the Iron Dome. The Ministry of Defense (MOD) boasted that \"the amount of concrete invested in it could pave a road from Israel to Bulgaria, and the amount of iron and steel could equal an iron bar from here to Australia\". At that time, the Ministry of Defense claimed it would be integrated into the \"Smart and Lethal Border\" project that was being tested along the northern border of the Gaza Strip which, the Ministry of Defense stated, included mobile robots and military drones for carrying out defense missions, without endangering soldiers' lives.\n\nAt the time of the completion of the fence, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, then in the opposition, referred mainly to the below-ground aspect, saying that \"Any time Hamas terrorists have tried to penetrate the border settlements through the tunnels, they were terminated underground. The below-ground barrier surrounding the Gaza Strip has already saved many lives.\" Then-Minister of Defense Benny Gantz said, \"The barrier, which is a superior initial technological and inventive project that sets an iron wall, sensors and concrete between it and the residents of the south. It provides a sense of personal security that will allow this beautiful region to continue to grow.\"\n\n\"The concept underlying the construction of an advanced technology fence relates to the Second Lebanon War, when Hezbollah surmounted a high fence with a ladder,\" says Yehoshua Kalisky , senior researcher at Tel Aviv University's Institute for National Security Studies (INSS). \"This was the reference scenario. There was no thought that they would use aircraft here to cross it or that they would come with a heavy machinery, and simply breach it.\"\n\nThe illusion of superiority\n\nOn the morning of Saturday, October 7, the above-ground section of the barrier turned out to be completely insubstantial, as was its fundamental concept of defense. Using drones easily purchased on the Internet, Hamas disabled both the cameras transmitting images to control room monitors in real time, and the (See and Fire) long distance stationary remote controlled weapon stations (RCWS). There had been a second line of defense, observation balloons, but for unknown reasons, all three had stopped working some weeks before the attack, and repairs were postponed until \"after the holidays.\"\n\nIsrael’s drone warfare fleet, which is capable of jamming signals of a hostile drone, and the attack drone fleet, known for warfare against incendiary balloons, also did not work for unknown reasons, and dozens of Hamas drones operated without interruption. The IDF's Iron Beam high energy laser (HEL) interception system, which was developed for such cases, among other things, has not yet entered into operational activity after many years of development. All allowed the Hamas terrorists to quickly reach the IDF bases along the Gaza border, disable the information and communications technology (ICT) systems, neutralizing the ability to call reinforcements without arousing much suspicion at IDF Kirya headquarters in Tel Aviv.\n\nAbove all there was a sense of security and belief in technology and the sophisticated barrier’s ability to prevent any form of intrusion. With the fence as protection, manned deployment for Gaza border settlements was cancelled, (in any case, these had been reduced immediately after Operation Protective Edge), units deployed in the area were reduced, replaced with cameras and other electronic means.\n\n\"When relying on technology, the expectation is that it will warn of the dangers and threats,\" Barnea says. \"When the thinking is that you don't need soldiers because there are monitors, you expect in advance that you will receive the warning about the threat via the technological means and no one imagines a situation in which the observation array would be neutralized. On the contrary, it is seen as invulnerable. The problem begins when the enemy is also exposed to these means: RCWS are great, they are important and cost millions, but they are visible to everyone, and everyone knows where they are. Once you begin believing that the fence will stop all the relevant threats, you think even half a battalion on standby is enough. Technology greatly influences our way of thinking and is seen as the answer to everything - only no one ever asks themselves what the vulnerabilities are, and what is the backup plan for the doomsday scenario when the technology layer collapses.\"\n\nBarnea compares Israel’s sense of technological superiority with US activity during the Vietnam War between 1965 and 1968. \"The Americans relied on massive aerial bombardment with precision bombs and napalm bombs that burned huge areas, and advocated the \"scorched earth\" concept. They convinced themselves that the Vietcong could not withstand it. In practice, the North Vietnamese army studied the American activity. It dug tunnels, moved equipment and people between bombings, eventually enabling it to reach the important bases in the south of the country, and overwhelm the Americans. In fact, the US military so believed in the damage it was causing that they reported a far greater number of casualties on the other side than the actual number, which in turn created an illusion of victory. They told themselves, we have B-52 bombers, there's no way we can't win.\"\n\nTechnological sophistication and the massive investment in intelligence means have greatly increased the IDF's visual intelligence gathering capabilities, according to former IDF Intelligence Directorate head General (ret.) Aharon Ze'evi-Farkash. \"I'm sure it doesn't come at the expense of human sources, but as time goes by, gathering visual intelligence is easier than human sources and they bring better results. It's hard to bring in a Palestinian 'Ashraf Marwan,' the agent who passed the information to Israel before the Egyptian attack in 1973. It’s a problem because the human source is essential to provide an interpretation of the rest of the information that’s received, and to make decisions. Golda knew who Marwan was and expected to hear what he would say about the Egyptian deployment in the south.\" At the same time, according to \"The New York Times\" a year before the attack, the IDF stopped monitoring Hamas' radio communications last year. The US had put stock in Israeli intelligence regarding Hamas in recent years and hadn’t monitored it independently.\n\nThe human factor\n\nThe technological concept is, of course, not limited to the border fence, or to intelligence, and is not just a product of Operation Protective Edge. For years, the IDF has been praising the ethos of a small and smart army, implicitly if not explicitly. In recent years, it has publicized countless technological projects and present itself as a high-tech army: establishing a technological division, called Shiloh, to coordinate the development of technologies for all branches of the army, and with the Directorate of Defense Research & Development (IMOD DDR&D or MAFAT). Shiloh, which is currently subordinate to the Ministry of Defense, was established following State Comptroller reports about the lack of coordination and synchronization between the Ministry of Defense and the IDF units; and lead a new border defense concept based on sensors and other technologies for gathering intelligence and thwarting infiltration; strengthening the Air Force in the form of additional aircraft and armaments; and strengthening the operational end of the regular front units.\n\nAll this, while at the same time closing down armored battalions and consolidating helicopter squadrons. Ground force technological capabilities were also addressed, such as improved coordination between the infantry and air forces in air-to-ground actions, or identifying terrorists and weapons in an urban environment. However, there is a problem at the outset, says, Prof. Eviatar Matania of Tel Aviv University School of Political Sciences, Government and International Affairs, and founder and first director general of the Israel National Cyber Directorate: a large gap between the technology and the officers expected to implement it as part of the security concept.\n\nMatania explains that the IDF has always advocated technological advancement as part of a concept that values quality over quantity. \"This existed even during [Israel’s first Prime Minster David] Ben-Gurion’s time, because it was clear that we could not defeat the enemy in terms of quantity, and it also integrated well with saving human lives - an important pillar in the security concept - but at that time, innovation was expressed in tactical issues. After the Yom Kippur War, Israel pulled strongly in the direction of building military technological superiority, and this integrated well with the Israeli economy, which was gradually opening up to the world, and the computer revolution.\n\nThis effort bore fruit as early as 1982, when we proved to the whole world that we could destroy most of the Syrian surface-to-air missile array using precision-guided weaponry. Israel's security concept was updated by Dan Meridor and Lt. Col. Ron Eldadi, with the addition of a fourth component, defense, to the three components of Israel’s traditional national security doctrine as determined by Ben-Gurion: deterrence, warning, and decisive victory, leading to the development of systems such as the Iron Dome, and David's Sling (formerly called Magic Wand).\"\n\nBut, emphasizes Matania, \"The IDF senior officers aren’t technologically savvy as a whole, some see these systems as black boxes, and don't always understand their advantages and disadvantages. At the West Point or Annapolis military academies, it's customary to teach technological subjects as well, because they understand that the military profession today requires a basic understanding of the field. The correct way to integrate technology with security is to implement it as part of an operational concept, not as a single component, and to assume that it is not perfect, but has vulnerabilities, and may suffer from system failures. Therefore, such systems always need what’s known as 'redundancy', i.e. backup systems, to make sure there isn’t a single point of vulnerability through which everything could collapse. The Air Force, for example, has several different models of aircraft just for this. Every plane also has several systems to back it up.\"\n\nThe Iron Dome paradox\n\nPerhaps more than anything else, the Iron Dome system is representative as the technological response to the threat from Gaza. Matania explains, \"The Iron Dome was built with the strategic vision of giving decision-makers breathing room, to allow them not to react immediately to the rockets, but to have the flexibility to react at the right time, and in the right place, in a range of ways. But some say its success was paradoxical. Iron Dome was so successful it not only supported the decision-making process but fundamentally changed it. Up until October 7, it served as a very successful plaster to threats to a sovereign state, because what legitimacy would a state leader have for going to war when no citizens were harmed?\"\n\nBrigadier General Eran Ortal, until recently the commander of The Dado Center for Interdisciplinary Military Studies, a military research center subordinate to the Operations Directorate, also believes that various technological measures such as the Iron Dome, and the barrier, influenced decision-making in Israel. In his estimation, these helped the political echelon conduct a policy of military restraint towards the Gaza Strip, which in turn allowed Hamas to strengthen and gain offensive capabilities.\n\nIn an article five years ago, Ortal, currently in active military service an unavailable for interview, wrote, \"Israeli restraint as regards proactive thwarting of offensive capabilities in the Gaza Strip stems from a clear Israeli strategy that strives to reduce the influence of the enemy on the current routine of life in Israel, even at the price of worsening of the threat in the future.\" Ortal pointed out that this policy was natural and that \"a Western nation cannot lead its life in an endless state of emergency. But alongside the understanding of the need for a containment policy, it must be recognized that the risks are high, as evidenced by the steeply worsening intensity of conflicts between Israel and the terrorist organizations in Gaza.\"\n\nAccording to Ortal, in recent decades, Hamas and Hezbollah developed ballistic missiles and terror tunnels in response to Israeli policy that sought minimal friction with the enemy through separation and withdrawal from the security zone in southern Lebanon, and the Gaza Strip. Ortal points out that between Operation Pillar of Defense in 2012 and Operation Protective Edge in 2014, Israel significantly reduced targeted countermeasures against terrorist operatives, and none focused on Hamas operatives. According to his analysis, this was because, prior to the Iron Dome coming into use in 2011, the most dangerous threat posed by Gaza developed in the period preceding Operation Protective Edge. The understandings that Israel reached with Hamas in 2012 were made \"to stop the fighting\", Ortal says, and to get life back to normal as quickly as possible. This, after air raid sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem for the first time since the Yom Kippur War, and the education system shut down for more than a week.\n\nEven after Iron Dome, Israel found it difficult to stand up against the significant disruption of daily life on the home front. \"Despite the clear threat posed by Gaza, the decision makers preferred to avoid a policy that would mean returning a large part of the country's population to the reality of air raids and disrupted daily routines. The bottom line: the Iron Dome did not change the essential strategic situation; as firepower from the Gaza Strip developed, so did the terrorist organizations’ ability to control daily life in Israel’s hinterland, hold it hostage, and restrain Israel from taking proactive measures against them.\"\n\n\"Why didn't the relative success of the Iron Dome translate into the even more important strategic achievement of restoring Israel's freedom of action against Hamas in the Strip?\" asks Ortal rhetorically, and names several factors. \"The first, like any other operational system, Iron Dome is also not perfect. The enemy studies it and develops its own challenges against it, and the decision makers recognized the fact that the State of Israel is not hermetically protected. Second, the enormous cost involved in deploying and operating [Iron Dome] batteries significantly impedes a policy based on continuous rounds of violence. Thirdly, as long as the rockets are intercepted in the skies over Israel, and not the skies over Gaza, the Israeli home front is forced to experience sirens, security rooms and shelters, and disrupted routine living. In other words, even the complete success of the Iron Dome left daily life on the home front in the hands of the terrorist organizations.\"\n\nIn 2018, Ortal wrote about \"the barrier\" that, \"it would be wrong to assume it will turn out to be more immune than its predecessors. The longer as we delay cutting the direct connection between the Hamas rockets and those of our other enemies, who make extensive use of this method of operation, and the idea of attacking our territory, the longer we will be condemned to watch from the sidelines and look at their constant enhancement.\"\n\nA strategic surprise\n\nIn the months leading up to October 7, the former head of the Planning Division, Major General (Res.) Giora Eiland, held a series of lectures for senior officers on the reasons for the strategic surprise that fell on the IDF in the Yom Kippur War. \"Not one of the officers imagined that 50 years after that mistake, it would repeat itself in exactly the same way,\" he tells Globes.\n\nThe strategic surprise that hit the State of Israel about four weeks ago bears similar characteristics to the Japanese attack on the US naval base at Pearl Harbor in 1941; to the Argentine surprise attack on Britain's Falkland Islands in 1982; the Al-Qaeda attack on the United States on September 11, 2001; and to the spread of ISIS throughout the Middle East in 2014.\n\nIn fact, Barnea claims, despite the technological progress and sophistication, intelligence officials are questioning whether there really is a trend towards improvement of early detection and thwarting of strategic threats. A comprehensive study conducted on intelligence failures in the national arena, from the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989 to 2010, showed no improvement in providing or thwarting warnings about strategic surprises, even if the means of gathering information had improved. Four years after signing the study, former US President Barack Obama admitted that US intelligence had not correctly assessed the severity of the threat of large parts of Iraq and Syria being occupied by ISIS.\n\n\"No matter how technologically advanced your army or how effective your intelligence gathering system, identifying strategic surprises is a human process that depends on analyzing what is called, in the intelligence community, 'weak signals,'\" Barnea says. \"These are pieces of relevant information that have been conveyed to the organization, but because they are low-key, or because of the information overload around them, the organization fails to identify and interpret them correctly.\"\n\nOn Saturday, October 7, for example, suspicious movement in Gaza convinced the Shin Bet head to send a special team to the southern border, but he was unable to convince the top IDF echelons to prepare accordingly. To handle those weak signals, Eiland claims, one must use \"scenario theory\", meaning, taking into account scenarios that have a low probability of occurring, but with devastating results should they occur, and the simple way to prepare for them.\n\nEiland explains: \"You detect certain noises on Friday night, but conclude that the probability of an attack is low, let's say only 10%. Those who act only on the probability do not consider the question: if this attack happens - will you be able to live with yourself for eliminating this threat? There’s also a third consideration, which is ease of effort: what is the effort required of me to prepare for this unlikely but dangerous scenario? It may be a relatively simple effort, like waking the troops up at 4:00 am, placing them position, and putting an aircraft in the air for a few hours. You don’t even need pilots - unmanned aircraft operators are enough. There’s no need to mobilize reserves or convene a cabinet. Every commander is allowed to give instructions to those under him - if that would have happened, everything would be different.\n\n\"This is exactly the same type of failure that was at the basis of Israeli thinking at the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War,\" Eiland continues. \"After information was gathered that indicated the intentions of the Egyptians and Syrians to launch an attack, they decided not to mobilize reserves because the cost was high. But why didn't they order the regular army to get ready? They thought the chance of war breaking out was low, they thought it was an exercise, but they didn't calculate the potential damage, they didn't imagine how serious the extreme scenario could be.\"\n\nPublished by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on November 5, 2023.\n\n© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd., 2023.","url":"https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-1001461695#utm_source=RSS","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_d4e116025b1f4a17","mhq_d891a5e051a27c5f","mhq_ff94e22fe8b8521a"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_d4e116025b1f4a17","mhq_d891a5e051a27c5f","mhq_ff94e22fe8b8521a"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"4a1356d4958c2be221307420c53c29f5369354e8a16de07641eceab8ebb625b4","source_record_sha256":"f51cb8a8f65e89e0e6cbb882ed7dbc6f2500a5fe9e7a0f546f34fba997d70454","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":78,"source_fields":{"title":"Israel's defense undone by reliance on technology","author":"Assaf Gilead","source":"Globes English | Israel Business Arena","published_at":"2023-11-05T13:35:33+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-1001461695#utm_source=RSS"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_6bdaa0b072f8c1b5","text":"I’ve got some shitty ex-boyfriends, but none of them made me the CEO of their sin-eater hedge fund while refusing to give me equity and bragging about how there was a 5 percent chance they’d become the president of the United States, you know? Absolutely counting my blessings after Caroline Ellison’s first day on the stand. I wonder how many of the nine women on the jury are doing the same.\n\nEllison was the head of Alameda Research, the aforementioned hedge fund, during the implosion of it and FTX. She’s already pleaded guilty to criminal charges stemming from one of the worst romantic relationships I’ve ever heard of, and her testimony was widely anticipated before the trial. Today, that took the form of discussing a damning spreadsheet — one she prepared for her ex and boss Sam Bankman-Fried, now the defendant in a criminal fraud trial.\n\nSam Bankman-Fried, the founder of failed cryptocurrency exchange FTX, is on trial for seven counts of wire fraud and conspiracy. FTX was a fraud “from the start,” the Securities and Exchange Commission alleges — with a “multi-billion-dollar deficiency caused by his own misappropriation of customer funds.” Follow along for all the latest news and regular updates from the trial.\n\nThe day started off promisingly for the defense as it cross-examined Gary Wang, the chief technology officer of FTX and co-owner of both FTX and Alameda. Christian Everdell, one of Bankman-Fried’s defense attorneys, couldn’t undo the damage of last week’s code review. But he managed to shake the rust off long enough to make Wang sound less reliable, drowning the jury in confusing technicalities.\n\nLast week, Wang testified that Alameda got access to a special credit line and an option to take its balance into the negative without triggering liquidation — something he alleged other accounts at FTX didn’t get. Everdell tried to undermine this claim by talking about the spot margin program, which let users lend each other assets for margin trading. In those cases, it was possible to have a negative balance in a specific coin. It was not, however, possible for those accounts to avoid liquidation, as Wang testified Alameda could do — or to have an overall negative balance. But I’m betting the defense is hoping the jurors will throw up their hands in confusion thinking about this.\n\n“We ultimately took about $14 billion, some of which we were not able to pay back.”\n\nWang didn’t exactly help himself out, either. Apparently, what Wang said in court contradicted something he’d said in earlier interviews with the government about market making. I say “apparently” because Everdell was probably giving him his previous testimony to refresh his recollection, but Wang was insisting he didn’t remember. In any event, whatever Wang was shown wasn’t submitted as evidence or shown to the court. I got the gist, though, and I bet the jury did, too — probably the strongest work the defense has done so far.\n\nBut by the end of the day, that all seemed like a sideshow. Bankman-Fried had been vibrating slightly during Wang’s testimony. During Ellison’s testimony, his bouncing became more noticeable.\n\nEllison was hunched in on herself as she walked into the courtroom, wearing a dusty rose dress with a gray blazer over it, looking less like an executive than like a girl who’s borrowed her boyfriend’s coat because she’s cold. When the prosecution asked her to identify Bankman-Fried, she had trouble finding him and gazed around the courtroom for more than 20 seconds — apparently he was incognito with his new haircut. After she did spot him, she was asked to identify him, which she did by identifying him as wearing a suit. This got chuckles from the rest of the defense table, also all in suits.\n\nShe listed off the crimes she’d already pleaded guilty to and added that Bankman-Fried “directed me to commit these crimes,” Ellison said. (Fraud, conspiracy to commit fraud, and money laundering, in case you were wondering.) “We ultimately took about $14 billion, some of which we were not able to pay back.” She tilted her head down to answer the questions, then lifted her head when she’d finished her answer.\n\nBankman-Fried called this being “risk-neutral,” which seems like a fancy way of saying he was a gambling addict\n\nIn Ellison’s telling, Alameda was troubled from her earliest time there in 2018. “Shortly after I started, I learned the company was in worse shape than I realized,” Ellison said. Alameda had initially been funded with loans “from acquaintances,” she said, and those loans were recalled a few weeks after she arrived. (There was a staff revolt within Alameda Research over lost millions and general financial chaos, according to Michael Lewis’ Going Infinite.) Ellison asked Bankman-Fried why he hadn’t shared the company’s shaky circumstances in the job offer. “He hadn’t known how to tell me,” she said.\n\nEllison was also, of course, in a more personal relationship with Bankman-Fried. (A juror who’d been asleep for a discussion of the FTT token woke up when she started discussing it.) The two started sleeping together in the fall of 2018, on and off. At the time, she was a trader and Bankman-Fried was the CEO. They didn’t date until later — twice. Their first relationship stretched from the summer of 2020 through the summer of 2021; they agreed to keep it secret. (Some people found out, as they usually do.) The second time, from the fall of 2021 until the spring of 2022, they lived together.\n\nThat gave Ellison an unusual view of his character. “He was very ambitious,” she said. Besides telling her about his presidential chances, he also told her that if there was a coin flip where tails destroyed the world and heads made the world twice as good, he’d flip the coin. He called this being “risk-neutral,” which seems like a fancy way of saying he was a gambling addict.\n\nShe was named co-CEO of Alameda with Sam Trabucco in 2021, while she and Bankman-Fried were broken up, and CEO in 2022. The goal, Bankman-Fried told her, was to “optically” separate Alameda Research and FTX. “The whole time we were dating, he was my boss at work,” she said. They broke up because she wanted more from the relationship; Bankman-Fried was distant and not paying enough attention to her.\n\nUsing the effectively unlimited funds “allowed us to make profitable trades we couldn’t have made otherwise”\n\nBankman-Fried didn’t grant Ellison equity, even though she asked; he told her it would be too complicated. Instead, she got a $200,000 salary, even as CEO, and bonuses twice a year, which ranged from $100,000 to $20 million.\n\nInitially, Alameda and FTX were “very integrated,” Ellison said. They were run by the same team, from the same office. And when Alameda was scrounging for funds, Bankman-Fried told Ellison that FTX would be a good source of capital. The $65 billion line of credit Alameda Research had meant that it did not have to post collateral. There was no contract and no written terms, she testified. It also wasn’t visible to FTX’s auditors — she’d raised the question with Bankman-Fried, and he told her not to worry about it.\n\nAlameda’s credit line — which was taken in increments of $100,000 to $10 million at a time — was used for trading. Using the effectively unlimited funds “allowed us to make profitable trades we couldn’t have made otherwise,” Ellison testified.\n\nCustomer funds were also used when Bankman-Fried bought back FTX shares from Binance, an early investor, in the summer of 2021. Bankman-Fried told Ellison it was “really important,” otherwise “Binance would do things to mess with FTX.” Ellison says she told him Alameda didn’t have the money. So Bankman-Fried took $1 billion of FTX customer funds to buy out Binance, the first time Ellison recalled an amount that large. It was Bankman-Fried’s decision, she said, as he was the CEO of FTX.\n\nFTT was one of several “Sam coins”\n\nThere was also the FTT token, which was created by Bankman-Fried and Wang. Alameda got its war chest — 60 percent to 70 percent of the initial supply — for free, while seed investors got FTT at 10 cents a coin, and FTT first listed at $1 a coin. Bankman-Fried felt that $1 per coin was psychologically important, Ellison said, and he directed her to buy up FTT using Alameda if its price fell below a dollar.\n\nFTT was one of several “Sam coins,” a nickname for tokens that Bankman-Fried was heavily involved in and owned a lot of, either personally or through Alameda. Those coins were almost certainly worth less than the value displayed on the balance sheet because trying to sell them all at once would crater the prices. Bankman-Fried directed her to put those coins on the balance sheets Alameda showed to lenders, even though she felt it was “somewhat misleading.”\n\nAlameda was also getting loans from outside lenders, such as Genesis, because when FTX started, there weren’t a lot of customer funds to borrow, Ellison testified. That was the basis of the worst of her testimony — and the spreadsheet from hell.\n\nEllison said she’d prepared the spreadsheet at Bankman-Fried’s request in the fall of 2021 and shared it with him. The point was risk analysis around paying back Alameda’s loans if they were abruptly recalled by Genesis, their lender. Bankman-Fried wanted to use $3 billion for venture investments, so Ellison was ballparking what that would do to Alameda’s risk. In the as-is scenario, if things went south, she figured there was a 30 percent chance they wouldn’t be able to meet the loan recalls. If Bankman-Fried used $3 billion to make investments, there was a 100 percent chance they couldn’t meet the recalls, even with FTX customer funds.\n\nEchoing Bankman-Fried and Ellison’s romantic relationship, FTX was keeping cozy private ties with Alameda yet publicly holding it at arm’s length\n\nThe problem here wasn’t really the math, which seemed pretty arbitrary. It was that Ellison’s calculations assumed Alameda could borrow $1.8 billion in normal dollars and $1.5 billion in crypto from FTX. The spreadsheet makes this clear with a row labeled “FTX borrows,” which Ellison said were customer funds.\n\nMeanwhile, echoing Bankman-Fried and Ellison’s romantic relationship, FTX was keeping cozy private ties with Alameda yet publicly holding it at arm’s length. On January 14th, 2022, Bankman-Fried tweeted, “We’re launching a $2b venture fund: FTX Ventures!” Those funds came from Alameda, Ellison testified. But Bankman-Fried didn’t want to go public with the source of the funds. He said he thought Alameda’s brand was less good, and he didn’t want his name associated with it. Alameda also bought Robinhood shares for Bankman-Fried, who moved them to a vehicle called “Emergent Fidelity Technologies” to avoid association with Alameda.\n\nThe day ended with a document that had been shared between Ellison and Bankman-Fried — with his comments appearing in bubbles along the main text. Ellison wrote she was worried about “both actual leverage and presenting on our balance sheet.” Bankman-Fried responded with a note: “Yup, and could also get worse.”","url":"https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/10/23912036/sam-bankman-fried-ftx-caroline-ellison-alameda-research","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_80e0cb0b59cf740c"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_80e0cb0b59cf740c"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"01c9d5f9645f182fc2b96d2134d52ec69351aeb70b8dac1649c35ff749d7219d","source_record_sha256":"924a90769f094cc6519fed6a7813012cb1196f50f64760346bd3aa7a4787e01e","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":86,"source_fields":{"title":"Sam Bankman-Fried was a terrible boyfriend","author":"Elizabeth Lopatto","source":"The Verge","published_at":"2023-10-10T23:50:21+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/10/23912036/sam-bankman-fried-ftx-caroline-ellison-alameda-research"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_b0afb65fdf2769a1","text":"Treasury Wine Estates (down 1.9 per cent) and Woolworths (down 1.2 per cent) dragged the consumer staples sector (down 1.1 per cent) lower. Pilbara Minerals (down 2.1 per cent) and Qantas (down 1.5 per cent) were also among the biggest large-cap decliners. The lowdown Stronger iron ore prices helped to bolster the local bourse on Monday but not enough to offset the prospect of higher-for-longer interest rates ahead of the Reserve Bank’s meeting on Tuesday. Iron ore heavyweights advanced after the iron ore price increased 1.4 per cent overnight with lithium miner Liontown resisting the downward momentum of lithium prices, which dropped to the lowest level in two years.\n\nMost sectors traded lower but interest-rate sensitive sectors including healthcare and consumer companies were among the weakest amid expectations that the RBA will keep rates on hold in October. The National Australia Bank has forecast another rate hike to 4.35 per cent in November. Elsewhere, Wall Street closed out its worst month and quarter of the year with more losses on Friday. The S&P 500 slipped 0.3 per cent and the majority of stocks within the index sank. The Dow Jones fell 0.5 per cent and the Nasdaq composite edged 0.1 per cent higher. The Australian sharemarket is set to retreat, with futures pointing to a fall of 38 points, or 0.5 per cent, at the open. Solid gains for stocks early on faded as pressure built from within the bond market. After easing earlier in the day on encouraging signals about inflation, Treasury yields got back to rising as the day progressed. The yield on the 10-year Treasury yield returned to 4.58 per cent, where it was late Thursday, after dipping to 4.52 per cent. It’s again near its highest level since 2007.\n\nLoading Treasury bonds are seen as some of the safest investments possible, and when they pay higher yields, investors are less likely to pay high prices for stocks and other riskier investments. That’s a big reason why the S&P 500 dropped 4.9 per cent in September to drag what had been a big gain for the year down to 11.7 per cent. Treasury yields have been climbing sharply as Wall Street accepts a new normal where the Federal Reserve is likely to keep interest rates high for longer. The Fed is trying to push still-high inflation down to its target, and its main tool of high interest rates does that by trying to slow the economy and hurting prices for investments. The Fed’s main interest rate is at its highest level since 2001, and the central bank indicated last week it may cut interest rates next year by less than it earlier expected. Friday’s economic data shows that not only was inflation a touch cooler than expected in August, so was growth in spending by US consumers. That can be a positive for inflation because it means not as many dollars are pouring into purchases. That in turn could give companies less encouragement to try to raise prices further. But it may also dent what’s been a big driver keeping the US economy out of a recession.\n\n“It came to a boil during a hot summer, and the temperature is really starting to come down,” said Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management, of spending growth by US consumers. “Higher energy prices, student loan debt repayments and real disposable incomes that have been on a declining trajectory since June doesn’t bode well.” Oil prices have jumped to their highest level in more than a year, which is pressuring the economy by raising fuel costs for everyone. A barrel of US crude sank 92¢ Friday to settle at $US90.79, but it’s still up sharply from $US70 in June. Brent crude, the international standard, also weakened. The resumption of US student-loan repayments, meanwhile, may funnel more dollars away from the spending by consumers that has helped to keep the economy afloat. The latest monthly update on the US jobs market is due next week, with a couple of important reports on inflation coming the following week. Postponements of such reports could complicate things for the Fed, which has insisted it will make upcoming decisions on interest rates based on what incoming data say about the economy. The Fed’s next meeting on rates ends on November 1. On Wall Street, Nike jumped 6.7 per cent after reporting better profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. Strength overseas helped it make up for some declines in North America.\n\nLoading Blue Apron soared 134.5 per cent after the meal kit company said it was being bought by Wonder Group for $US13 per share in cash in a deal valued at $US103 million ($160.2 million). On the losing end of Wall Street were stocks of energy producers, hurt by the slide in oil’s price. Energy stocks in the S&P 500 fell 2 per cent as a group, more than double the loss of any of the other 10 sectors that make up the index. ExxonMobil fell 1.6 per cent, and Schlumberger dropped 4.3 per cent. Energy stocks, though, remain the market’s standout performers since the summer. Shares of Ford and General Motors slipped after the United Auto Workers said it would expand its limited strike to include another facility for each. Ford fell 1.1 per cent, and GM dipped 0.6 per cent.\n\nAll told, the S&P 500 slipped 11.65 points to 4288.05. The Dow dropped 158.84 to 33,507.50, and the Nasdaq added 18.05 to 13,219.32. In sharemarkets abroad, indexes were modestly higher in Europe after exchanges were closed across much of Asia. Tweek of the day Quote of the day","url":"https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/asx-set-to-open-lower-as-wall-street-closes-september-with-more-losses-20231002-p5e8zn.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_business","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_0c0e689a9056b038","mhq_6b710ac23e3b473b","mhq_89fb4193167a6831"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_0c0e689a9056b038","mhq_6b710ac23e3b473b","mhq_89fb4193167a6831"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"7d6e4bdaf515143b361b679bd5513f3c1bae2ddcfb28820e39520c138a4bf81d","source_record_sha256":"03f91d23989699542e7a3c25b209e5a0d2e75e518bc09bb4556726dfc642bfd1","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":87,"source_fields":{"title":"ASX set to open lower as Wall Street closes September with more losses","author":"Stan Choe","source":"The Sydney Morning Herald","published_at":"2023-10-01T18:19:08+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/asx-set-to-open-lower-as-wall-street-closes-september-with-more-losses-20231002-p5e8zn.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_business"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_46e602378b4020e0","text":"Sean Dyche is confident Everton’s season will not be derailed by their 10-point penalty for breaching Premier League financial rules but has warned his players that they cannot rely on the club’s appeal to rescue them from another relegation battle.\n\nThe Everton manager said he was shocked and aggrieved by an independent commission’s decision to impose the biggest sporting sanction in Premier League history for a £19.5m overspend in 2021-22. Dyche was ill while on holiday in Dubai when informed of the punishment by Everton’s director of football, Kevin Thelwell. He described the deduction as both disproportionate and unjust.\n\nDyche addressed the first-team squad at Everton’s Finch Farm training ground on Friday morning, once they had all returned from international duty. Players reacted to last Friday’s news by sharing defiant messages on their WhatsApp group. After a run of six wins in nine games in all competitions, that had lifted Everton to 14th in the table prior to being plunged back to 19th, their resolve to maintain momentum and haul the club out of danger was relayed to the manager at Friday’s meeting.\n\n“The feeling was very positive in the sense of building on the mentality that’s been there lately,” said Dyche. “We all spoke about that, saying this hasn’t changed it and it’s building regardless of this current situation. The players are clear-minded. They have their WhatsApp group and when the news broke they put it straight on there: ‘Right lads, just another challenge, this is how we take it on’. The group is taking ownership and that’s a powerful thing.\n\n“I got from them the sense that: ‘What we’re building, we don’t let anything disrupt that and we don’t let anything get in the way’. You can’t guarantee it’s made a difference [to players’ resolve] yet because we haven’t played any games. All I know is that the players know what we’re doing. They’ve referenced that to me probably for the last six weeks.”\n\nEverton’s appeal against the 10-point deduction will be heard by a different three-person panel before the end of the season. Dyche, however, wants his team to forget about the appeal and accept the reality of being joint-bottom of the Premier League on four points. That outlook, he believes, will help Everton focus on hauling themselves out of the relegation zone.\n\nAbdoulaye Doucouré celebrates Everton’s win at Crystal Palace, the club’s sixth victory in nine games. Photograph: Jacques Feeney/Offside/Getty Images\n\nOn the prospect of survival, Dyche said: “I’ve never lacked confidence in my own ability, in my staff’s ability or the players’ ability. I’ve never lacked confidence since I’ve been here and, let’s face it, I’ve had some pretty tough times. But it’s not just about confidence. You’ve got to win games, and this is just another big challenge.\n\n“It is currently a momentary thing because we don’t know what the appeal brings, we don’t know how that changes things again. But until that period, and I have made it clear to the players, be under no illusions because there are no guarantees things will change so we have to commit to what’s going on now as if that is the reality. It might be changed but, until it’s changed, we have to commit to this reality. There are no guarantees that what goes before guarantees what comes next. We have to keep pushing like we have been doing because we have lost 10 points and we have to get them back as quick as we can.”\n\nEverton fans have a series of protests against the Premier League planned for Sunday’s home game against Manchester United, when a win could possibly lift Dyche’s team out of the bottom three. After several years of division at Goodison Park, certainly in terms of the fanbase and the club’s hierarchy, the punishment has created a collective siege mentality that Dyche wants his team to utilise.\n\nskip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Football Daily Free daily newsletter Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion\n\nHe said: “I couldn’t wait [for Sunday] anyway because obviously we are on a good run of form – forget about all this. But I will be amazed if the Evertonians are not right on song. I’ll be very surprised if they are not, knowing what I do. I don’t know them yet but I am learning about Evertonians and how they commit to the club and the cause. I’m getting deeper in my knowledge of that and I’ll be very surprised if they are not right there with us. It doesn’t guarantee you’ll win but it gives you a better chance when they are right behind the players going: ‘Come on then, let’s take it on again’.\n\n“I sense that the underbelly, the fans with the depth of knowledge about Everton who remember the hard-fought years and what it has been built upon – not every Evertonian just knows moneyed years – they remember when they had to fight and work to build a team and a mentality. I think they can sense it again. That’s what I think. I think they sense we are getting back to an earthiness, a determined Everton group of players who will really have a go.”\n\nDyche declined to comment on the implications of Everton’s punishment for Manchester City, who have been charged with 115 financial breaches by the Premier League, and deny any wrongdoing, and Chelsea, who are also under investigation by the football authorities.","url":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/nov/24/everton-players-and-fans-will-be-fired-up-by-points-penalty-asserts-sean-dyche","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_e3cbe83c410a2434","mhq_c35e90694462baf9"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_e3cbe83c410a2434","mhq_c35e90694462baf9"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"4fd7c3fd5f0f3a6237f61f4823985c4832711ad0b9c8793d0dcf5c42651b6897","source_record_sha256":"5c070d22ef36fbc13c761854f82486cc137588da8fea17c0936e8dea6e5eccc5","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":92,"source_fields":{"title":"Everton players and fans will be fired up by points penalty, asserts Sean Dyche","author":"Andy Hunter","source":"The Guardian","published_at":"2023-11-24T22:30:32+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/nov/24/everton-players-and-fans-will-be-fired-up-by-points-penalty-asserts-sean-dyche"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_2192c8d3e56ff47f","text":"Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products.\n\nThere are still tons of Apple Black Friday deals you can shop for online; these are our favorites.\n\nMost of Apple’s current-generation devices went on sale for Black Friday — and most of those deals look like they’ll carry over through the weekend and into Cyber Monday. That means if you were otherwise occupied on Friday, you can still save on iPads, Apple Watches, MacBooks, AirPods and more. Some of the prices are new lows and many others match the record prices we’ve seen previously. We’ve tested and reviewed nearly every device below, so check out the links to our full reviews and guides if you need help deciding which deals to snag. These are the best Apple Black Friday deals you can still get today from retailers like Amazon, Target, Best Buy and B&H Photo.\n\nAirPod Black Friday deals\n\nAirPods Pro (2nd gen, USB-C)\n\nWhen Apple announced the new iPhone 15 and its conversion to USB-C charging, the company also revealed the second generation AirPods Pro with the same connector. That version has dropped to $190 at Amazon, Target, Best Buy. They’ve gone or as low as $189 recently, so this is within a dollar of that price. Other than the port, the hardware hasn’t changed so you’re still getting the earbuds we named the best pick for iPhone users in our guide. In addition to pairing well with Apple’s handsets, the buds also offer one of the best transparency modes on the market along with solid ANC and richer fuller sound than the previous generation Pros. The Lightning version is on sale for $169 at Walmart and $185 at Verizon.\n\nRead our full review of the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation)\n\nAirPods Max\n\nThe over-ear AirPods Max are normally far too expensive for us to recommend. But now they're down to $450, which is a new low price and $30 cheaper than Prime Day in October. Get the deal at Amazon or Best Buy. They're $519 at B&H Photo. They are well-designed, comfortable, and implement all of the helpful Siri integrations. We also like the great noise cancellation and Spatial Audio. While they’re a little heavy, the fit is still comfortable and the on-device controls, while unique, are simple and “a joy to use.”\n\nAirPods (3rd gen)\n\nThe third generation AirPods with the Lightning charging case are down to $140 at Amazon, Target and Best Buy. They carry a list price of $169 but often sell for closer to $150, so this is $10 off the usual. These non-Pro AirPods came out in 2021 and got a review score of 88 from us. They pair quickly with iPhones and are a good complement to Siri’s helpfulness. They don’t have ANC however — you’ll need to go for the AirPods Pro for that feature — but they do have Adaptive EQ which monitors and adapts sound in real time. The fit is comfortable and they’re water-resistant so they can handle workouts or the weather.\n\nMacBook Black Friday Day deals\n\nMacBook Pro (14-inch, 2023, M3)\n\nThe base model, 14-inch MacBook Pro with the new M3 chip just came out in October but is already$150 off for Black Friday. After testing the new chip, we think the base model with 8GB of RAM may quickly get bogged down. If it's within your budget, we recommend the model with 16GB of RAM, which is $150 off at B&H photo. And if you upgrade to a model with the M3 Pro chip for an even speedier experience — you'll get a $200 discount as it's down to $2,199 at B&H Photo. We gave the new M3 MacBook Pros an appreciative review and named them the best option for creatives in our buyer’s guide.\n\nRead our review of the new MacBook Pros with the M3 chip\n\nMacBook Air (15-inch, 2023, M2)\n\nThe 15-inch MacBook Air arrived in June and added a little more screen real estate to an already great machine. It’s down to $1,049 for Black Friday at Amazon and Best Buy. That’s the same as the all-time low it’s hit a few times these past couple of months. It's $200 off at B&H Photo. We gave it a 96 in our review and liked how the bigger screen let you get the most out of the M2 processor.\n\nNow that the M3 MacBook Pros have arrived, we’re guessing Apple will come out with M3-enabled Air models in 2024. Still the M2 has plenty of processing power and will serve you well as both a casual machine for playing games and watching shows, but can also hold its own with productivity tasks.\n\nMacBook Air (13-inch, 2022, M2)\n\nThe M2-powered, 13-inch MacBook Air is on sale for $929 at B&H Photo. It’s our top recommendation for a MacBook and beat out all brands in our laptop guide. The M2 chip is impressively fast and capable, the design is solid and the display is lovely. It’s more than capable for both work and play and should give you years of dependable use. But, again, the M3-enabled Airs are likely on their way in 2024. So if you know you’re drawn to the newest thing, you might want to wait.\n\nMacBook Air (13-inch, 2020, M1)\n\nThe MacBook Air with the M1 chip is a couple years old at this point, but still officially part of Apple’s laptop lineup. It dropped to an all-time low of $750 for October’s Prime Day at Amazon and now Amazon and Best Buy are selling it for the same price. It’s the budget pick in our guide to MacBooks and the top pick in our guide to budget laptops. Check out our review from when it first came out in which we praised its quick speeds, excellent screen and good battery life.\n\nApple Watch Black Friday deals\n\nApple Watch Ultra 2\n\nPhoto by Cherlynn Low / Engadget Apple Watch Ultra 2 $730 $799 Save $69 with coupon The Apple Watch Ultra 2 has hit a new low price of $730, which is $69 off and cheaper than it was for October's Prime Day. Clip the on-page coupon to get the full deal. Save $69 with coupon $730 at Amazon\n\nThe Apple Watch Ultra 2 is now $730 with an attached coupon, which is $69 off and a new low price. Get the deal at Amazon or without the coupon at Best Buy for $739. The Ultra 2 has the same new chip as the Apple Watch Series 9 so it can perform the new Double Tap trick, but also sports a more robust build and outdoor-specific features that make it suited to adventurers. There’s a siren to alert people to your presence as well as a dive meter, waypoint setting capabilities and night mode to preserve your low-light vision. It's our recommended Apple Watch for adventurers.\n\nCheck out our guide to the best Apple Watches for 2023\n\nApple Watch Series 9\n\nThe new Apple Watch Series 9 is seeing a $70 discount that brings it to $330 at Amazon, Target and Walmart. That's a new low for the wearable. It debuted alongside the iPhone 15 back in September and the big change this time around is a new SiP (system in package) chip that allows for a Double Tap feature that lets you tap your thumb and forefinger together to answer calls and more. It also allows for the onboard processing of Siri requests, making simple demands (like starting a timer or a workout) happen faster.\n\nThe Series 9 has an always-on display and when paired with the Sport Loop is a carbon neutral product. As has been the case for many years now, the Apple Watch is an excellent fitness companion, offering comprehensive health and activity data. It also happens to be our favorite smartwatch for most people.\n\nRead our full review of the Apple Watch Series 9\n\nApple Watch SE\n\nThe most affordable smartwatch in the lineup is the Apple Watch SE, which is now down to $179. It has a list price of $249 but has regularly sold for $220 lately. We called it the best smartwatch money can buy in our review when it came out in 2022. It lacks an always-on display and a few of the more specialized health sensors, like the blood oxygen app, but the fitness features and tracking data are well-rounded, plus the notifications and integrations are particularly convenient for iPhone users.\n\nApple iPad Black Friday deals\n\niPad (9th generation)\n\nApple’s ninth generation standard iPad dropped to a new all-time low of $249 during Amazon’s October Prime Day sale and then hovered at the price for the next few weeks. Now it’s down to $230 at Amazon and Target. It’s not the newest slate, but it’s the recommended budget pick in our guide to the best Apple Tablets because it’s powerful enough for couch surfing, playing Apple Arcade games and watching Netflix — plus it's the most affordable way to get an iPad.\n\niPad (10th generation)\n\nThe tenth generation iPad is on sale for $349 at Amazon and Target, which is $100 off the list price. It has often sold for $399 lately so this is still $50 off the typical street price. We don’t think it’s a wild improvement over the previous generation, though it does orient the camera to the landscape edge, which is much better for video calling. The USB-C charging is more modern than the Lightning connector on the 9th gen iPad, but for some reason this model still works with the first generation Apple Pencil (even though the slate came out after the second-gen stylus).\n\niPad Air\n\nThe base model of the latest generation of the iPad Air has an MSRP of $599 and is now down to $499, a price its hit quite a few times in 2023. This is the iPad we recommend for most people because it’s speedy, has a great screen and works with current-generation accessories. It can act as a rather powerful entertainment option for games and streaming, but is powerful enough to serve as a productivity device when paired up with a stylus or mouse and a keyboard. Now that the M3 chip has been loosed upon the world, the iPad Air, which houses the M1 chip, is primed for an update, which will likely come next year (along with a potential price increase).\n\niPad mini\n\nFor a more portable iPad experience, the iPad mini offers a bigger screen than your phone, but is barely as easy to carry around with you. It’s listed at $499, but has dropped as low as $400 many times this year. Now it’s back down to that low at Amazon, Target and Best Buy. The smaller iPad got a refresh last year, adding a new Liquid Retina screen, a Touch-ID top button instead of a Home button, and a USB-C charging. The performance is snappy and the integration with the second-generation Apple Pencil makes it excel as a digital notebook. As we said in our review, with the mini, Apple “quashes notion that ‘smaller’ means ‘lesser.’”\n\nApple accessories Black Friday deals\n\n$100 Apple Gift Card + $15 Amazon credit\n\nIf you purchase an Apple gift card totaling $100 or more from the retailer, you can get $15 in Amazon store credit for no extra cost. Just use the code APPLET5USA at checkout to see the offer. The deal applies to the digital version of the card; as of this writing, you can get the credit with a physical Apple gift card as well by using the code APPLET5USAP, though you may not want to clip the coupon on those cards' product page, as Amazon's listing says that will only give you a $10 credit. As a reminder, you can use an Apple gift card for App Store credit, subscription services like Apple Music or iCloud, and/or purchases made at a physical Apple store.\n\nMagic Keyboard\n\nApple's Magic Keyboard is our pick for one of the best iPad accessories you can buy. It's a pretty pricey add-on but now that it's down to $215 at Amazon, it's a little easier to justify. It magnetically attaches to the latest iPad Pros and keeps them “floating” above the keyboard (which also has a trackpad). We found it comfortable for typing and like that it acts as a cover when closed.\n\nCheck out our guide to the best iPad accessories for 2023\n\nApple AirTags\n\nA four-pack of Apple AirTags is $80 right now at Amazon, thanks to a 19 percent discount. They go for $29 each at full price, so the deal will save you $9 a pop. AirTags are our top picks for Bluetooth trackers for iPhone users as they tap into Apple’s disturbingly vast FindMy network, using other Apple mobiles to find your lost stuff. If you want just a single AirTag, you can grab one for $24 (a $5 discount) at Walmart and Target.\n\nApple Pencil\n\nApple now makes three different Apple Pencils. The original recharges via Lightning. The second generation recharges wirelessly and the new USB-C looks a lot like the first generation, but charges via USB-C instead of lighting. Each one has different iPad compatibility with iPads. While that part is confusing, the pencil itself is rather elegant and one of the best accessories for your iPad. The 1st gen pencil is on sale for $73 at Amazon, while the 2nd generation stylus is down to $89. The USB-C model has an MSRP of $79 but is down to $71 at Amazon.\n\nApple TV 4K\n\nThe Apple TV 4K is our favorite premium streaming device and is currently $125 at B&H Photo. That's not a huge discount, but the streaming box rarely goes on sale. We gave it a 94 in our review because it’s fast, has an excellent Siri remote and integrates seamlessly with Apple’s overall ecosystem. Navigation is clean and easy to use, plus the device can stream in 4K, HDR and Dolby Vision.\n\nMac Mini M2\n\nThe base model of Apple diminutive desktop computer, the Mac mini, is currently on sale for $100 off for Black Friday at Amazon, B&H Photo, Best Buy. It earned an 86 in our review because it packs a lot of processing power, using the same M2 chip as the two current-model MacBook Airs — but it’s much cheaper than either laptop. If you need a little more storage, you can get it with 512GB of SSD for $699 at B&H Photo.\n\nYour Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.","url":"https://www.engadget.com/best-apple-black-friday-deals-ipads-airpods-apple-watch-iphone-more-094532221.html?src=rss","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_74a462e4a9db47de"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_74a462e4a9db47de"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"073e3f93e0ff5aa8103bbb47abc67ad951237a101eb3c32efedf79f7936f2cab","source_record_sha256":"2949a05386455a1243f4925ad5bd752682e9197bf3df7f791f4f0c60799ad6f9","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":104,"source_fields":{"title":"The best Apple Black Friday deals on iPads, AirPods, Apple Watches and more","author":"Amy Skorheim","source":"Engadget","published_at":"2023-11-24T09:30:32+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://www.engadget.com/best-apple-black-friday-deals-ipads-airpods-apple-watch-iphone-more-094532221.html?src=rss"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_500ba8c77a0cb9bf","text":"Chelsea Women had created a frenzy. On Nov. 4, the English club released a statement saying their coach Emma Hayes was leaving at the end of the season to “pursue a new opportunity outside of the Women’s Super League and club football.” Hayes had just entered her second decade in charge of the club, and few knew where she would land next.\n\nAdvertisement\n\nThat same day The Athletic, among others, reported that Hayes’ next job would be with the U.S. women’s national team, leading a four-time World Cup and Olympic gold medal-winning program into a new era. On Tuesday, U.S. Soccer made her appointment official.\n\nHayes, who previously won six WSL titles in England, will become the 10th full-time coach of the U.S., but not until her final season with Chelsea is complete next May. Sporting director Matt Crocker made the final decision to hire Hayes after a search process that began in August, following the team’s surprising exit in the round of 16 at the World Cup and the subsequent departure of head coach Vlatko Andonovski.\n\n“She has tremendous energy and an insatiable will to win,” U.S. Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone said in a statement. “Her experience in the USA, her understanding of our soccer landscape and her appreciation of what it means to coach this team makes her a natural fit for this role and we could not be more pleased to have her leading our women’s national team forward.”\n\nThough Hayes is seen as one of the world’s top coaches in women’s soccer, the appointment still comes as something of a surprise. Here’s how the deal got done.\n\nDetails of the deal\n\nAt least part of the surprise surrounding Hayes’ hire – and the six-month runway before she officially takes charge – is down to U.S. Soccer’s own messaging. Crocker, in a September meeting with U.S. reporters along with Cone and U.S. Soccer CEO J.T. Batson, said he hoped to have a new head coach in place by December.\n\nBut the initial contact with Hayes was made a couple of months ago, early into the search, with all three top-level executives from U.S. Soccer involved in those talks. The trio also described the interview process to journalists in that September meeting – a U.S. soccer statement describes it as involving “psychometrics and abstract reasoning tests, in-depth discussions of strategy, coaching philosophy and the current player pool, as well as evaluation on the reactions to pressure, culture-building and interactions with players and staff.” USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter went through a similar process, including an abstract reasoning test, when he was re-hired by Crocker earlier in 2023.\n\nAdvertisement\n\nThe hiring process included multiple rounds of evaluation, with the list of candidates becoming smaller each time. The first pass was driven purely by data, which was then whittled down to a double-digit list Crocker was considering as of September, and then a final shortlist, which also included Tony Gustavsson, head coach of Australia. Multiple sources confirmed both Hayes and Gustavsson flew to the U.S. for interviews.\n\nOne source who was briefed on the situation said the federation had also checked in on the availability of Sarina Wiegman, despite clear messaging from both the English FA and Wiegman herself in August. “I’m staying out of it. I’ve heard it (from the press officer) but no, I’m with England and I’m really happy with England, and I have a contract until 2025,” Wiegman said. A representative from her camp declined to comment for this story.\n\nCrocker said in September that the final interviews would include lengthy technical and tactical assessments, as well as questions to determine the candidates’ cultural fit. He and the federation stayed fairly consistent on their desired start date since the head coach role opened in August, but that became one of the major concessions made by U.S. Soccer in selecting Hayes.\n\nShe’s headed Stateside 🇺🇸 U.S. Soccer has appointed Emma Hayes as the 10th full-time head coach in #USWNT history » https://t.co/sR7qfSnWVx Welcome, Emma! pic.twitter.com/WYn6Sg9RmX — U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) November 14, 2023\n\nHayes will remain exclusively with Chelsea through the end of their WSL campaign and the Champions League season. She will not work with the U.S. in international windows.\n\n“I’m here until the end,” she said in her press conference on Friday. “I haven’t died, I haven’t gone anywhere. I’m here, doing this job. My full focus and attention is on what I do for Chelsea.”\n\nAdvertisement\n\nHayes could be tied up with Chelsea as late as May 25 if the London club makes the Champions League final; notably, an international window that would theoretically be Hayes’ first in charge begins just two days later, on May 27.\n\nHowever, there are ways in which the arrangement will benefit U.S. Soccer. The federation won’t owe any compensation to Chelsea, and Hayes will be fully committed to the program, with a move to Chicago in the works for next year following the completion of her time in London. Eventually, she’s expected to relocate to Atlanta thanks to U.S. Soccer’s planned combined headquarters and national training facility in Georgia. As of yet, there’s no targeted date set for the move.\n\nHayes, too, will benefit in ways other than compensation and prestige. She spoke to reporters about looking forward to spending more time with her five-year-old son, Harry. She has never been to one of his sports days, picked him up from school or taken him to an after-school club and she wants to do that.\n\nThe main visible wrinkle in the process was Chelsea’s surprise move of announcing Hayes’ departure on Saturday, Nov. 4. With the contract not yet finalized and U.S. Soccer board approval still needed, Chelsea issued their statement at 11 a.m. ET in the U.S. in which it noted she would leave at the end of the season “to pursue a new opportunity outside of the WSL and club football.” The club feared that the news was starting to leak and wanted to share the news on its own. This began the race to confirm Hayes had been selected as the USWNT head coach.\n\nTalks between U.S. Soccer and Hayes’ representatives continued even after Chelsea’s press release. The federation’s board convened late on Saturday, Nov. 4 to approve the selection, even without the final details of the contract settled or signed.\n\nAt the end of it all, the sides have agreed to a deal that will make Hayes the highest-paid women’s football coach in the world — though her salary is not tied to equal compensation with Berhalter. While her salary is in the same range as the USMNT head coach, it’s thought to be a reflection of the market value for Hayes. With reports that Chelsea was prepared to quadruple her salary to keep her, Hayes herself danced around the details in her first media availability with the club.\n\n“I believe in private conversations,” she said. “Of course, I’m disappointed to hear things being said in the press. I want to make sure I maintain my own professionalism in everything I do.”\n\nAdvertisement\n\nU.S Soccer’s annual financial reports reveal the salaries of their head coaches and other executives. While Berhalter received a new contract this year, his previous deal that ran from April 2021 to March 2022, earned him $1.6 million, including $300,000 in bonuses. During that same time, Andonovski earned $446,495, of which only $50,000 was bonus money. With Hayes expected to earn close to $2 million per year in her deal, this will likely create a knock-on effect for other international women’s coaches negotiating their next contracts.\n\nU.S. Soccer’s rollout of their new head coach has not been an easy one for the federation’s communications staff, considering that Hayes is essentially unavailable for any formal ceremonies or media appearances until her time with Chelsea is complete.\n\n“This is a huge honor to be given the opportunity to coach the most incredible team in world football history,” she said in a statement on Tuesday. “The feelings and connection I have for this team and for this country run deep. I’ve dreamed about coaching the USA for a long time so to get this opportunity is a dream come true. I know there is work to do to achieve our goals of winning consistently at the highest levels. To get there, it will require dedication, devotion and collaboration from the players, staff and everyone at the U.S. Soccer Federation.”\n\nLooking ahead for the USWNT\n\nHayes’ appointment will have an immediate impact, even if she’s not immediately present. The particulars around timing and the plan moving forward have been one of the areas of discussion between Hayes and her representatives, Chelsea and U.S. Soccer that has continued through the start of November.\n\nUnless the situation changes drastically, Hayes will only have two camps, including four friendlies, with the USWNT ahead of the 2024 Olympics in Paris. She’ll miss three international windows between Tuesday’s announcement and her planned start date, including the 2024 CONCACAF Gold Cup in February and March.\n\nU.S. Soccer has a plan in place for the transition. Current interim head coach Twila Kilgore will continue in the role through May and will remain as a permanent assistant coach under Hayes after the swap is complete. U.S. Soccer said that Kilgore and the rest of the technical staff are working on a handoff plan for Hayes.\n\n“This is a unique situation, but the team is in safe hands with Twila,” Crocker said. “Her stewardship will be crucial during this period as we are focused on success at the Olympics. Emma has endorsed Twila, she will be a key part of Emma’s staff when she arrives and moving forward, and we are excited for what’s to come with our USWNT program.”\n\nGO DEEPER How Emma Hayes' winning ways at Chelsea can benefit USWNT on the field\n\nIt’s still an extremely tight turn for the Olympics, with 18 days for Hayes to get situated with the team ahead of the tournament, between the two international windows from May 27 to June 4, then July 8 to 16. The Olympic tournament will start on July 25.\n\nAdvertisement\n\nThere are, of course, logistical questions about roster selection over the next few months. Some of those may be answered relatively soon, with the roster for the upcoming camp that begins at the end of the month imminent. The greater challenge will likely be ongoing player evaluation over the next six months, at a time of great transition within the squad. The specifics of how that will work without Hayes’ involvement remain a mystery. It would be understandable for players to feel like they are still auditioning for an absent director until May rolls around, while still knowing they must perform at the USWNT standard.\n\nAlong these same lines, there is at least the suggestion that the federation could be willing to sacrifice coherent preparation for this upcoming Olympic tournament to focus more on the longer-term project of the 2027 World Cup. That itself represents a marked change from the expectations and pressure of constant performance and winning that the team is known for.\n\nIs that a good or a bad thing? Perhaps a little bit of both. The USWNT shouldn’t be ruled out of contention for the Olympics by any stretch, but this past summer’s World Cup did reveal that the problems facing the team are far more foundational than just poor coaching decisions or the strange midfield chemistry. Balancing realism with the pressure to win feels like a much more sustainable path forward for the USWNT.\n\nGO DEEPER USWNT's Emma Hayes hire could create a problem in preparation for the Olympics\n\nWhat’s next for Chelsea?\n\nQuestions surrounding Hayes’ future have cropped up previously in her tenure at Chelsea. She was linked to several jobs in the men’s English Football League in the past and has always been interested in managing Spain’s national team, although there was never an official conversation with Spain’s federation. So it was a question of when, not if, Hayes would leave. Still, news of her decision came as a shock to her staff and players.\n\nA few staff members were told on the morning of Nov. 4 before Chelsea’s away game at Aston Villa kicked off at 12.30 p.m. UK time. Most of the other staff members found out with the players in the post-match meeting minutes before the official club statement, which Hayes had no hand in writing and did not even see before publication, was released at 3 p.m.\n\nEngland and Chelsea captain Millie Bright was “devastated,” and most players were understandably sad — many of whom owe their career progression to Hayes — but know they still have a job to do this season.\n\n“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind. As a player and a person, I was devastated. I’ve been here nine years under Emma and the things I’ve learned,” Bright said. “She’s a mentor, a coach, a friend, a life coach. It’s more than just football playing under her.”\n\nBright credits Hayes for her on and off-field guidance. (Photo by Marc Atkins, Getty Images)\n\nHayes’ American assistant Denise Reddy, born in New Jersey, is likely to follow her across the pond. The former United States Under-20 coach has remained faithful to her friend of 20 years and voluntarily quit her job as assistant at Chicago Red Stars in 2010 when Hayes was fired as head coach. Chelsea’s general manager Paul Green will stay at the club. It is unclear whether any other members of Chelsea’s technical staff are expected to depart.\n\nGO DEEPER What next for Chelsea after Emma Hayes?\n\nThe relentless nature of managing a club takes its toll and after what will be 12 years at Chelsea come the end of the season, Hayes, a single parent whose father died last month, decided that it was the right time for a change, professionally and personally.\n\nAdvertisement\n\n“The biggest factors are my son, leaving at the top and giving the club enough time to be able to transition without there being too much disruption,” she said in her press conference.\n\nThe club has received several applications regarding Hayes’ replacement but has not yet started an official recruitment process. She will meet with Chelsea’s technical directors once a week to create a succession plan and will have a say in who takes the job after her.\n\nThere is the possibility of Hayes retaining a connection to the club via some sort of ambassadorial role, but it’s likely contingent upon a lack of conflict with the USWNT role and responsibilities. Under American Todd Boehly’s co-ownership, expanding Chelsea’s profile and reach in the U.S. would make sense, especially with USWNT internationals Catarina Macario and Mia Fishel playing their club football there — and CBS Sports holding WSL rights.\n\nThere is, for now, an immediate task for Hayes to focus on. Chelsea faces off against Real Madrid on Wednesday for their first match of the UWCL Champions League group stage. Her full American arrival will not come for another half a year after that.\n\n(Top photo: Julian Finney/Getty Images)","url":"https://theathletic.com/5061878/2023/11/14/uswnt-emma-hayes-hire-chelsea/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_2183782568994f35","mhq_08c9673c1321843d","mhq_dbb1ef0bb5d9b196"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_2183782568994f35","mhq_08c9673c1321843d","mhq_dbb1ef0bb5d9b196"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"45cfb8592f1ee3a9988407201de9bed82df3ca343b160f235ef83ed264b0332f","source_record_sha256":"52f3ee94716b4ad73768475412b7584085256f92bcc667b98964a44f28f24f5c","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":108,"source_fields":{"title":"How U.S. Women’s Soccer Team Lured Emma Hayes Away From Chelsea","author":"The New York Times","source":"The New York Times","published_at":"2023-11-15T21:40:47+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://theathletic.com/5061878/2023/11/14/uswnt-emma-hayes-hire-chelsea/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_dd844574daaf12ec","text":"It was the moment when Reece James simply could not handle the frustration. Named by Mauricio Pochettino as the Chelsea captain, James had not played since the opening weekend draw with Liverpool at Stamford Bridge when he injured a hamstring. Now, he seethed from the sideline as his team lost 1-0 at home to Aston Villa, a game in which his replacement, Malo Gusto, was controversially sent off.\n\nIt was 24 September, Chelsea’s second home Premier League defeat on the spin after the one against Nottingham Forest and they were booed off again. James would lose his cool with an official in the tunnel and, when a Football Association charge was announced three days later for abusive conduct, it felt like only a matter of time before he was given a one-match ban.\n\nIt did not come in time for Chelsea’s visit to Fulham on 2 October, when James was still injured. That would have been too simple. Rather for their next game at Burnley on 7 October when, according to Pochettino, James was back in contention for selection.\n\nThe 23-year-old was not called up by England for the internationals over this past window and the idea was that he would work to be ready for Saturday’s home derby against Arsenal. And yet there have been stories of an injury setback, even that he may need surgery to get to the root of his hamstring issues.\n\nPochettino bustled his way through those questions on Friday and the best read on James’s status was that he would be back in the squad for Arsenal, most likely as a substitute. Gusto is available again after his own suspension. “It [James’s hamstring] is much better,” Pochettino said. “He is progressing well, still not at his best, 100%. But maybe to help the team at some point …. maybe, he is close to be there.”\n\nIt has not been straightforward and it seems to remain that way. Yet there were two takeaways from Pochettino on James – with a common thread running through them. First, James could be like a coiled spring when he finally returns to action. And second, Pochettino was in no mood to criticise him for his indiscipline. On the contrary. He was happier to talk up James’s passion.\n\n“It’s part of the business,” Pochettino said. “He was upset about the situation [against Villa] and then you need to understand that he is so committed to this project from the beginning. He feels really bad because he cannot help the team [because of his injury].\n\n“He made a mistake, we all make them and he was really sorry about it. I think he’s not going to repeat the situation. This is a young guy that wants to play football. He was frustrated and he made a mistake. That’s it. Finish.”\n\nPochettino made James his captain because of “his personality, his leadership, the respect he has from the club and his teammates … he has Chelsea DNA”. He described him as an appointment “for the present and the future – we cannot change captain every season, every six months”.\n\nIt is also easy to imagine that Pochettino sees something of himself in James; the self-belief, the running on the emotions of a match day. Pochettino made the point that he had got himself booked for dissent during the Burnley game. And then there is his connection with the Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta; there are similarities, albeit this relationship is rather deeper, going back to their time together as players at Paris Saint-Germain.\n\nMauricio Pochettino said he made Reece James Chelsea captain because of ‘his personality, his leadership, the respect he has from the club’. Photograph: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC/Getty Images\n\nThere is a reason why Pochettino calls Arteta “family”. They joined PSG at the same time, early 2001; Pochettino was 28, Arteta 18. They hit it off immediately, Pochettino wowed by Arteta’s charisma and his reading of the game. “Already, he was a coach,” Pochettino said, and he has no qualms with what some perceive as Arteta’s histrionic touchline behaviour.\n\nskip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Football Daily Free daily newsletter Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion\n\n“It’s how you are and about your character,” Pochettino said. “He feels football. I am 51 and still sometimes I feel that decisions are no good or unfair. You are competitive. Like with Mikel or myself or other coaches that played football, in our minds, we still believe we can play. Still, we have the animal instinct. We cannot be thinkers.”\n\nFor Pochettino, it must be about channeling the emotion in the right way and not suppressing it. More broadly, he is in a better place after the wins at Fulham and Burnley, which followed the Carabao Cup victory over Brighton on the day that James was charged.\n\nArsenal represent an acid test of the progress and the start of a daunting run in the league; after them, Chelsea face Brentford, Tottenham, Manchester City, Newcastle, Brighton and Manchester United. Pochettino, though, pushed back against the notion that he was seeking a first statement win at the club, something to ignite his tenure. All he wants are points to drive his team up from 11th in the table.\n\nPochettino has appeared mired in a selection crisis since his arrival at Chelsea; James only one element of it and he will be without seven others through injury against Arsenal.\n\n“The moment we have all the squad at a high level and fit, we can say: ‘OK, we are going to Arsenal, Manchester City and we are going to beat you.’ At the moment, with the circumstances, I don’t think this game is going to be a statement to say: ‘Be careful, Chelsea is coming,’ or something like this.”","url":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/oct/20/pochettino-reece-james-mistake-future-chelsea-dna-arsenal","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_2183782568994f35","mhq_08c9673c1321843d","mhq_dbb1ef0bb5d9b196"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_2183782568994f35","mhq_08c9673c1321843d","mhq_dbb1ef0bb5d9b196"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"6e7ea806c1c802b6afd1a2078de1aaf3b7da668aae96bc5cb85b25ed02402238","source_record_sha256":"212c728980dd9f492f478bb611ae4f93e127e8ed3e273e41fa8a709ce152d22b","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":109,"source_fields":{"title":"Pochettino looks past James mistake and stakes future on his ‘Chelsea DNA’","author":"David Hytner","source":"The Guardian","published_at":"2023-10-20T21:30:28+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/oct/20/pochettino-reece-james-mistake-future-chelsea-dna-arsenal"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_4933544b7441371f","text":"Mauricio Pochettino and Mikel Arteta meet as head coaches for the first time on Saturday - but the Chelsea and Arsenal bosses know each other inside out. \"He's part of my family,\" says the Argentinean.\n\nRewind to 2001 and Arteta - just a teenager - had arrived at Paris Saint-Germain on loan from Barcelona's B side. It was his first experience in the first team of a top-flight side and he was struggling to come to terms with the transition.\n\nFortunately, PSG had another new recruit. Pochettino - 10 years Arteta's senior - took the Spaniard under his wing.\n\n\"It was my first professional opportunity in Paris and we arrived at the same time and lived together in a hotel for three months,\" Arteta said on Friday.\n\n\"He was critical, he has been one of the most influential people in my career, firstly as a player, he took me under the arm and looked after me like a little child, a little brother.\n\n\"He was a big part of the success I had in Paris. It was because of him because he really looked after me, gave me a lot of confidence and a lot of advice.\"\n\nPlease use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino says Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta can become one of the greatest coaches in the world\n\nPochettino has equally fond recollections of that period and says the signs were already there that Arteta would make a successful coach in the future.\n\n\"Amazing memories. We share values and the passion for football,\" Pochettino said.\n\n\"He's part of my family from day one. We arrived in Paris together and we spent time together with our families, first of all in the hotel and then we lived very close.\n\n\"It was an amazing history. He's not surprised me with what he's doing because he was a coach already at 17!\n\n\"He was really good with how he saw football. He can be one of the greatest managers in the world.\"\n\nImage: Mikel Arteta and Mauricio Pochettino will meet for the first time as opposition managers when Arsenal go to Chelsea on Saturday\n\nPicking out Arteta's strengths, Pochettino explained why he thinks the Gunners boss is destined for the top.\n\n\"What Arsenal are showing is because he's one of the best,\" Pochettino said. \"I don't care if he's young or not young - he's one of the best coaches in the world.\n\n\"It's not only about being good tactically - it's about how you manage people, the media, the owners, the sporting director. It's not only about being clever.\"\n\nLive: SNF\n\nArteta - who labelled Pochettino's early work at Chelsea as 'phenomenal' - revealed in his press conference ahead of his side's trip to Stamford Bridge that Pochettino's influence continued from those early days through his career as a player and into coaching.\n\n\"I went from playing Ligue 1 to a week later Champions League in Milan, I was all over the place,\" said Arteta. \"I didn't speak the language, it was my first professional club and I needed someone to be close to me, give me confidence, give me support, because I was thrown in there and they said 'play, you're in the starting XI'.\n\n\"So he was coaching me, talking to me. Really, really inspirational. He was really supportive. I was living with him for 2-3 months so that period was key in my career to be able to make it.\n\n\"He's an expert at giving you confidence and then keeping you on your toes all the time and being really harsh on me every time I was doing something: 'Where have you been last night?!' He really looked after me.\n\n\"The way he understood the game was phenomenal. I used to have him at my back and he was constantly coaching me. Very proud of what he has done and the way he has done it throughout his coaching career.\n\n\"I'm so grateful for what he did for me and the way he guided me in those early years. He got something else out of me that was needed in that period to make it and stayed with me in my football career as a player and coach.\"\n\nPlease use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Stunning goals, touchline clashes, and incorrect red cards! Sit back, relax, and enjoy the most memorable moments at Stamford Bridge between Chelsea and Arsenal\n\nPochettino is relishing the prospect of going head-to-head with Arteta on Saturday - although admitted there would be no favours for an old friend when the first whistle blows.\n\n\"It's going to be really nice because my love for him is there,\" said the Chelsea boss.\n\n\"He's more than a friend - he's family. It's going to be strange. But we are really competitive and you want to win. You want to destroy the opponent!\"\n\nArteta shared a similar sentiment.\n\n\"It's great that after those years we're in this situation where you face each other and we're both managing great clubs in the best league in the world. it doesn't get better than that.\n\n\"On game day? Go for him! He is going to do the same. We are both winners.\"\n\nFriends reunited\n\nIt won't just be Pochettino and Arteta seeing familiar faces on Saturday. The derby will be the first time Kai Havertz and Jorginho have gone back to play at Stamford Bridge since leaving Chelsea for Arsenal.\n\n\"I'm sure they'll be excited,\" said Arteta. \"They were there and they talked really highly about the club. I'm sure it'll be a special day for them.\"\n\nHavertz will command particular focus after his early struggles at Arsenal. With just one goal in 12 appearances for the club there are questions about his form and role.\n\nPlease use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Ahead of Kai Havertz's return to Stamford Bridge, Sam Blitz takes a forensic look at his tactical role at Arsenal\n\nArmando Broja will miss Chelsea's game against Arsenal due to \"irritation\" in his knee. Late checks will be made on the fitness of Reece James, Axel Disasi and Nicolas Jackson, while Benoit Badiashile could return from a long-term injury.\n\nEnzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo should be available despite travelling to South America during the international break.\n\nBen Chilwell, Carney Chukwuemeka, Christopher Nkunku, Romeo Lavia, Wesley Fofana and Trevoh Chalobah remain unavailable.\n\nArsenal will make a late call on the fitness of Bukayo Saka, William Saliba and Leandro Trossard.\n\nSaka missed the win over Man City before the international break after limping out of both the Champions League defeat at Lens and previous win over Bournemouth. He was also unavailable for England duty.\n\nMeanwhile, Saliba was forced to withdraw from the France squad to rest a 'chronic toe injury', despite a starring role in that win over City. Trossard came off at half-time in that match and missed Belgium's games with a hamstring issue.\n\nWatch Chelsea vs Arsenal on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Main Event and Premier League from 5pm; kick-off 5.30pm.","url":"https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12988292/chelsea-vs-arsenal-mauricio-pochettino-and-mikel-arteta-on-their-close-connection-since-psg-playing-days-ahead-of-london-derby","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_2183782568994f35","mhq_08c9673c1321843d","mhq_dbb1ef0bb5d9b196"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_2183782568994f35","mhq_08c9673c1321843d","mhq_dbb1ef0bb5d9b196"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"bf4e5f11dd6446e1e5fe48bf631e38fa16d87a501d9f926488432c8bfe894a47","source_record_sha256":"b44a56267c2948cd429b2d68d4ea1fcbcb8292b4898c6a6a5be5abe422cf676f","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":110,"source_fields":{"title":"Arteta reveals Pochettino influence on his career | Poch: He is family","author":null,"source":"Sky Sports","published_at":"2023-10-20T21:30:00+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12988292/chelsea-vs-arsenal-mauricio-pochettino-and-mikel-arteta-on-their-close-connection-since-psg-playing-days-ahead-of-london-derby"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_8f6664b6f301789c","text":"Housing market pessimists have been sounding the alarm for years about a pending crash in the U.S. residential real estate market. Even before the Federal Reserve began hiking interest rates to fight inflation last year, pushing mortgage rates to a 23-year high this month, years of surging home prices left some experts warning that the housing market was a massive bubble ready to pop.\n\nHowever, despite a widely bearish outlook in the industry, most real estate veterans have avoided arguing that home prices will drop like they did during the 2008 crash that kicked off the Global Financial Crisis (GFC). And so far, that’s been a wise decision.\n\nIt took until June 2022 for national home prices to peak, even as mortgage rates soared and purchase applications plummeted amid the Fed’s first interest rate hikes. And while prices fell more than 5% from that peak by January of this year, they returned to a record high in July.\n\nStill, a Bank of America team led by U.S. economist Jeseo Park warned this week that there’s more “turbulence” coming for the housing market due to high mortgage rates. They explained that they’re getting an eerie feeling of “déjà vu,” but it’s not 2008 that is coming to mind, it’s the 1980s.\n\n“Looking back at previous housing recessions, we think the 1980s are a better analogy for today’s market than the 2008 housing crash,” they wrote in a Thursday note.\n\nThis isn’t 2008\n\nWhile the housing crash of 2008—fueled by the collapse of subprime mortgages—haunts the memories of many Americans, the real estate market of that era was very different from what Bank of America’s experts see today.\n\nPark and her team noted that there are no “noticeable signs” of excess housing development today like there were back then, and households aren’t nearly as burdened by mortgage debt. Household mortgage debt represented roughly 65% of U.S. consumers’ disposable income in the second quarter, compared to 100% before the GFC. And the ratio of Americans’ mortgage debt to their real estate assets—also called loan-to-value—was just 27% in the second quarter, compared to over 40% in 2008 and roughly 50% in 2010, Bank of America’s data shows.\n\nNew legislation was also enacted since the GFC to help prevent worst-case scenarios in the housing market. One of the most obvious effects of these new laws is that there are far fewer risky adjustable-rate mortgages today. Adjustable-rate mortgages can lead to higher default rates when interest rates rise, but they now represent less than 5% of total purchase and refinance loans, compared with over 35% at the peak of the pre-GFC housing cycle.\n\n“We reiterate that we do not expect another housing crash like 2008,” Park and her team concluded after presenting this evidence.\n\nIs it a repeat of the ‘turbulence’ of the 1980s?\n\nAccording to Bank of America, today’s housing market looks a lot more like the early 1980s than it does 2008. Back then, just like today, home prices had boomed for years before Fed officials were ultimately forced to hike interest rates aggressively in an attempt to fight inflation.\n\nThe rise in the consumer price index peaked at around 14% in 1980 before then–Fed Chair Paul Volcker’s hawkish policies sent mortgage rates to 18% in a year’s time, cooling inflation, but sparking a recession. This caused a serious downturn in the housing market in which home sales and building levels cratered. However, national home prices actually remained stable.\n\nAt the start of Volcker’s term as Fed chair in August 1979, the median U.S. home sales price was $64,700. And even after a near doubling of mortgage rates, that figure rose to $69,400 by the second quarter of 1981.\n\nOver the past 18 months, the Fed’s current chair, Jerome Powell, has been following a very similar game plan to Volcker’s, raising interest rates aggressively to quash inflation. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate, the most common type of mortgage in the U.S., has soared from 3.8% in March 2022 to over 7.5% today as a result. This, in turn, has slowed mortgage purchase applications and caused home sales to plummet, just as it did in the ’80s; but home prices, echoing the dynamic of that era, have yet to collapse.\n\nOne of the key reasons for the resilience of the housing market in both of these periods is demographics. “Noticeably, demographics were favorable back then, with baby boomers having entered the prime homebuying age,” Park and her team wrote Thursday, arguing millennials are in a similar position today. “Some sales activity should be supported by millennials reaching the prime homebuying age, and single-family building permits have steadily held up. This can help the housing market retain some of its momentum without falling apart.”\n\nBank of America economists believe that low inventory of existing homes for sale combined with solid home sales to millennials could help put a “floor beneath home prices,” but that doesn’t mean there won’t be some near-term pain due to higher mortgage rates.\n\n“With rates likely staying higher for longer, we are cautious of potential turbulence ahead,” the group warned. Bank of America has previously forecast 0% home price growth and falling home sales for the full year 2023, but it didn’t offer a new prediction in its latest note.\n\nEventually, as inflation fades leading the Fed to cut interest rates, housing affordability will improve. “At that stage, we should see a more stable and healthy housing market,” Park and her team wrote. “Until then, hang tight, it may be a bumpy ride.”\n\nThis article has been updated to correct a mistaken term used to refer to Jeseo Park. We regret the error.","url":"https://fortune.com/2023/10/06/home-price-outlook-bank-of-america-housing-recession-turbulence-1980s-not-2008/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_6b710ac23e3b473b","mhq_89fb4193167a6831"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_6b710ac23e3b473b","mhq_89fb4193167a6831"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"95a496f96cfe13d0af8c39c1414010fc20ced6c08ede7f7472e45f3c4b3eeebd","source_record_sha256":"2a84182334e6bba1679faee1623e084006f78cb38f8e9741f4b4259691e3fd9a","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":112,"source_fields":{"title":"Buckle up for more ‘turbulence’ in the housing market, BofA says—it’s a housing recession, 1980s style","author":"Will Daniel","source":"Fortune","published_at":"2023-10-06T20:05:26+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://fortune.com/2023/10/06/home-price-outlook-bank-of-america-housing-recession-turbulence-1980s-not-2008/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_d44dce856c0670e0","text":"Week 11 of the 2023 NFL season has provided plenty of drama, from the Bears hanging with the Lions to the Giants getting a rebound from emergency quarterback Tommy DeVito. But the latest round of regular-season action has also brought another wave of unfortunate injuries. Here's a roundup of the latest big names to go down around the league:\n\nQB\n\nC.J. Stroud (Texans) left for a single play against the Cardinals after absorbing a hard hit, with backup Davis Mills entering in relief. Stroud did not receive an injury designation, however, and returned after a quick check-in from trainers.\n\nGeno Smith (Seahawks) suffered an injury to his throwing arm after guiding a 16-7 lead over the Rams, showing frustration while trying to stretch the arm after a hit from Aaron Donald. Seattle quickly ruled him questionable to return with an elbow issue, and backup Drew Lock took over under center with 18 seconds left in the third quarter. Smith did return, however, for the final drive of the game in the losing effort. Head coach Pete Carroll said that Smith will \"make it back.\" When asked if that means for Thursday's matchup against San Francisco, the coach said, \"I would think so.\"\n\nSam Howell (Commanders) received medical attention on the sidelines after enduring several hard hits to the upper body on a touchdown run against the Giants. He was quickly cleared of a potential concussion, however, and remained in the game. Veteran journeyman Jacoby Brissett is Washington's backup.\n\nRB\n\nAaron Jones (Packers) suited up against the Chargers despite a lingering hamstring issue, only to manage just five carries before suffering a knee injury. The former Pro Bowler needed help to leave the field and was then carted to the locker room, replaced by A.J. Dillon. Green Bay ruled him questionable to return, then downgraded him to out, but coach Matt LaFleur said after the Packers' win over Los Angeles that he doesn't expect the injury to be a long-term issue.\n\nDe'Von Achane (Dolphins) returned from injured reserve -- and a four-game absence -- but limped to the sidelines after his second touch of the first quarter against the Raiders. Miami ruled him questionable to return with a knee injury, and while he later returned to the sidelines from a locker-room visit, he was replaced on the field indefinitely by Raheem Mostert. Head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters on Monday that Achane is day-to-day. While he hasn't been ruled out of Friday's matchup with the Jets, he's not been given the green light either, so his status is worth monitoring.\n\nKenneth Walker III (Seahawks) took four carries against the Rams before leaving with an oblique injury. He was seen walking on the sidelines shortly afterward but ruled doubtful to return. Rookie Zach Charbonnet, who entered Week 11 with just over 200 rushing yards on the year, replaced Walker as Seattle's top ball carrier. Following the game, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll told reporters Walker suffered an \"oblique strain that was legit\" and could miss time.\n\nD'Onta Foreman (Bears) remained a headliner of Chicago's backfield against the Lions, even with Khalil Herbert back from injured reserve, but managed just 14 yards on the ground before suffering an ankle injury. He walked off with a limp and attempted to run on the sidelines but did not return to the field after the Bears ruled him questionable.\n\nPick Six Newsletter Crafted By The Best NFL Experts Get the day's big stories + fun stuff you love like mock drafts, picks and power rankings. I agree to receive the \"Pick Six Newsletter\" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge Paramount's Privacy Policy See All Newsletters Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Thanks for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox. Sorry! There was an error processing your subscription.\n\nWR\n\nTyreek Hill (Dolphins) briefly left Miami's game against the Raiders while nursing a hand injury and was ruled questionable to return, but he took the field again soon afterward, securing seven catches for 80 yards and a score before halftime. Hill has left multiple games this year, only to return in all of them.\n\nCooper Kupp (Rams) had just a single catch against the Seahawks before suffering an ankle injury while blocking. The former All-Pro, who battled a lingering hamstring injury earlier this year, received attention on the sidelines after limping off, then left the game for further evaluation in the locker room. He was ruled questionable to return. NFL Media reported on Monday that Kupp suffered a low ankle sprain and will be evaluated going forward.\n\nDarius Slayton (Giants) had a big impact against the Commanders, hauling in a deep score from Tommy DeVito, before exiting with an arm injury. He was ruled out for the remainder of the contest halfway through the third quarter.\n\nEDGE\n\nJoey Bosa (Chargers) appeared to injure his right leg or foot while held in a block during a first-quarter pass-rushing attempt against the Packers. He limped to the sidelines and was carted to the locker room, then ruled questionable to return.\n\nDB\n\nTalanoa Hufanga (49ers), who emerged as a ballhawk for San Francisco's secondary in 2022, left early against the Buccaneers with a knee injury. Coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed to reporters on Monday that the All-Pro suffered a season-ending ACL tear.","url":"https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2023-nfl-week-11-injury-roundup-rams-wr-cooper-kupp-seahawks-rb-kenneth-walker-iii-among-stars-to-exit/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_7e6e955d60ce6593","mhq_229ee6f69011cf7c"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_7e6e955d60ce6593","mhq_229ee6f69011cf7c"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"afab3e9a01170ad4cc3e0c8f4217b264f1a4f4125dc6b1c73ae695e5c1113362","source_record_sha256":"68cb4c86fba22a303c89813bde9b7b80f7e2847fab3ab0eee496f33d265936d5","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":113,"source_fields":{"title":"2023 NFL Week 11 injury roundup: Rams WR Cooper Kupp, Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III among stars to exit","author":"Cody Benjamin","source":"CBSSports.com","published_at":"2023-11-19T23:51:49+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2023-nfl-week-11-injury-roundup-rams-wr-cooper-kupp-seahawks-rb-kenneth-walker-iii-among-stars-to-exit/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_44f942a011767cf6","text":"OpenAI is expanding its internal safety processes to fend off the threat of harmful AI. A new “safety advisory group” will sit above the technical teams and make recommendations to leadership, and the board has been granted veto power — of course, whether it will actually use it is another question entirely.\n\nNormally the ins and outs of policies like these don’t necessitate coverage, as in practice they amount to a lot of closed-door meetings with obscure functions and responsibility flows that outsiders will seldom be privy to. Though that’s likely also true in this case, the recent leadership fracas and evolving AI risk discussion warrant taking a look at how the world’s leading AI development company is approaching safety considerations.\n\nIn a new document and blog post, OpenAI discusses their updated “Preparedness Framework,” which one imagines got a bit of a retool after November’s shake-up that removed the board’s two most “decelerationist” members: Ilya Sutskever (still at the company in a somewhat changed role) and Helen Toner (totally gone).\n\nThe main purpose of the update appears to be to show a clear path for identifying, analyzing, and deciding what do to about “catastrophic” risks inherent to models they are developing. As they define it:\n\nBy catastrophic risk, we mean any risk which could result in hundreds of billions of dollars in economic damage or lead to the severe harm or death of many individuals — this includes, but is not limited to, existential risk.\n\n(Existential risk is the “rise of the machines” type stuff.)\n\nIn-production models are governed by a “safety systems” team; this is for, say, systematic abuses of ChatGPT that can be mitigated with API restrictions or tuning. Frontier models in development get the “preparedness” team, which tries to identify and quantify risks before the model is released. And then there’s the “superalignment” team, which is working on theoretical guide rails for “superintelligent” models, which we may or may not be anywhere near.\n\nThe first two categories, being real and not fictional, have a relatively easy-to-understand rubric. Their teams rate each model on four risk categories: cybersecurity, “persuasion” (e.g., disinfo), model autonomy (i.e., acting on its own), and CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats; e.g., the ability to create novel pathogens).\n\nVarious mitigations are assumed: For instance, a reasonable reticence to describe the process of making napalm or pipe bombs. After taking into account known mitigations, if a model is still evaluated as having a “high” risk, it cannot be deployed, and if a model has any “critical” risks, it will not be developed further.\n\nThese risk levels are actually documented in the framework, in case you were wondering if they are to be left to the discretion of some engineer or product manager.\n\nFor example, in the cybersecurity section, which is the most practical of them, it is a “medium” risk to “increase the productivity of operators . . . on key cyber operation tasks” by a certain factor. A high-risk model, on the other hand, would “identify and develop proofs-of-concept for high-value exploits against hardened targets without human intervention.” Critical is “model can devise and execute end-to-end novel strategies for cyberattacks against hardened targets given only a high level desired goal.” Obviously we don’t want that out there (though it would sell for quite a sum).\n\nI’ve asked OpenAI for more information on how these categories are defined and refined — for instance, if a new risk like photorealistic fake video of people goes under “persuasion” or a new category — and will update this post if I hear back.\n\nSo, only medium and high risks are to be tolerated one way or another. But the people making those models aren’t necessarily the best ones to evaluate them and make recommendations. For that reason, OpenAI is making a “cross-functional Safety Advisory Group” that will sit on top of the technical side, reviewing the boffins’ reports and making recommendations inclusive of a higher vantage. Hopefully (they say) this will uncover some “unknown unknowns,” though by their nature those are fairly difficult to catch.\n\nThe process requires these recommendations to be sent simultaneously to the board and leadership, which we understand to mean CEO Sam Altman and CTO Mira Murati, plus their lieutenants. Leadership will make the decision on whether to ship it or fridge it, but the board will be able to reverse those decisions.\n\nThis will hopefully short-circuit anything like what was rumored to have happened before the big drama, a high-risk product or process getting greenlit without the board’s awareness or approval. Of course, the result of said drama was the sidelining of two of the more critical voices and the appointment of some money-minded guys (Bret Taylor and Larry Summers), who are sharp but not AI experts by a long shot.\n\nIf a panel of experts makes a recommendation, and the CEO makes decisions based on that information, will this friendly board really feel empowered to contradict them and hit the brakes? And if they do, will we hear about it? Transparency is not really addressed outside a promise that OpenAI will solicit audits from independent third parties.\n\nSay a model is developed that warrants a “critical” risk category. OpenAI hasn’t been shy about tooting its horn about this kind of thing in the past — talking about how wildly powerful their models are, to the point where they decline to release them, is great advertising. But do we have any kind of guarantee this will happen, if the risks are so real and OpenAI is so concerned about them? Maybe it’s a bad idea. But either way it isn’t really mentioned.","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/12/18/openai-buffs-safety-team-and-gives-board-veto-power-on-risky-ai/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_7964d4da1cc735e7"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_7964d4da1cc735e7"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"306448287efe2e69a62de234fd866e64e050a09063659b8e05b248ae2f9c544f","source_record_sha256":"6b194b872ea6228046f4e7deb5a77134f56e036b32da22fd94b99bc25b6a3a4d","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":117,"source_fields":{"title":"OpenAI buffs safety team and gives board veto power on risky AI","author":"Devin Coldewey","source":"TechCrunch","published_at":"2023-12-18T20:12:25+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/12/18/openai-buffs-safety-team-and-gives-board-veto-power-on-risky-ai/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_1affc27bd7f9e26c","text":"Sorcerers are the magic-slinging wizards of Sanctuary in Diablo 4. But with each element they can harness bringing its own unique effect, it can be easy to get overwhelmed when trying to design a Sorcerer build. That’s where we come in, with our suggestions of the best Sorcerer builds for Diablo 4 season 2.\n\nSorcerers are capable of harnessing lightning to deal with crowds, ice to keep the hordes at bay, and fire to burn the demons of hell. But they’re also able to enchant their own spells with unique effects, intricately combining abilities for devastating results.\n\nIn this Diablo 4 guide, we’ve gathered and simplified the best Diablo 4 Sorcerer builds for season 2. If you need even more information on item affixes or other more complex ideas, we’ve been sure to link out to the more detailed versions of these builds, as well as where to find their original creators.\n\nBest Sorcerer leveling build\n\nThis build is based off Lexyu’s Sorcerer leveling guide at IcyVeins, and is purely for leveling: i.e., allocating your 58 skill points between levels 1 and 50. If you want more detailed information about the item affixes you want to look for on your gear, or which other Legendary powers are great for your build, check out the original IcyVeins guide.\n\nBest skills for leveling\n\nThis Sorcerer build guide is going to see you harness the awesome power of Lightning to speed through the leveling process. There are a few options for Core skills here, but we’re specifically going to be showing you Lexyu’s Chain Lightning variation. In this build, you’ll also use Frost Bolt, Teleport, Frost Nova, Lightning Spear, and Ice Armor.\n\nHere are the best skills for a Sorcerer leveling build, organized by the exact order you should purchase them in — bearing in mind that some skills require you to allocate a number of skill points in the tree in order to unlock them. As such, you’ll need to unlock new skills before enhancing existing ones:\n\nFrost Bolt / Enhanced Frost Bolt Chain Lightning Glinting Frost Bolt Enhanced Chain Lightning / Greater Chain Lightning Teleport Frost Nova / Enhanced Frost Nova / Mystical Frost Nova Chain Lightning (rank 2-5) Fireball (rank 1 only for the Enchantment slot) Lightning Spear Glass Cannon (rank 1-3) Devastation Elemental Dominance (rank 1-3) Coursing Currents (rank 1-3) Elemental Attunement Ice Armor / Enhanced Ice Armor / Shimmering Ice Armor Enhanced Teleport / Shimmering Teleport Enhanced Lightning Spear Vyr’s Mastery Invoked Lightning Spear / Lightning Spear (rank 2-5) Frost Bolt (rank 2-5) Conduction (rank 1-3) Electrocution (rank 1-3) Align the Elements Protection (rank 1-3) Icy Veil (rank 1-3) Frost Nova (rank 2-3)\n\nBest Enchantment setup for leveling\n\nThe Enchantment slot is key to a ton of your damage as a Sorcerer. You’ll gain two slots as you level, here’s which spell you want to put in each slot:\n\nLevel 15: Fireball\n\nLevel 30: Chain Lightning\n\nBest Legendary Aspects for Sorcerer leveling build\n\nWhen you first start your new character, complete these three dungeons first in order to collect their Aspects. Then place them on a piece of gear (ideally jewelry, when possible). Just keep in mind that you should replace these Legendaries with new versions using the imprint system every few levels.\n\nRecharging Aspect (Zenith in Fractured Peaks) — Each time Chain Lightning bounces off you, gain X Mana\n\n(Zenith in Fractured Peaks) — Each time Chain Lightning bounces off you, gain X Mana Aspect of Control (Sunken Library in Kehjistan) — You deal X% more damage to Immobilized, Stunned, or Frozen enemies\n\n(Sunken Library in Kehjistan) — You deal X% more damage to Immobilized, Stunned, or Frozen enemies Edgemaster’s Aspect (Oldstones dungeon in Scosglen) — Skills deal X% increased damage based on Primary Resource when cast, receiving the maximum benefit while you have full Primary Resource\n\nSorcerer Season 2 endgame build — Firewall\n\nThis build is based off of Northwar’s Sorcerer endgame guide at MaxRoll.gg, and is a general endgame guide capable of finding success in all activities. This guide assumes that you’re over level 50, have access to all 58 skill points, and are making progress on your Paragon Boards. If you want more detailed information about the item affixes you want to look for on your gear, or why these Legendary powers are great for your build, check out the original MaxRoll guide.\n\nBest skill points for Sorcerer Firewall endgame build\n\nThis build utilizes Firewall as its core skill and main means of dealing damage. It also uses Fire Bolt, Inferno, Teleport, Ice Armor, and Flame Shield.\n\nSince you need all 58 points for this build, the order you select these skills in doesn’t matter as long as you have the pre-requisite points in the earlier Skill Tree tiers. Here is how you should spend your Skill Points for this build:\n\nFire Bolt / Enhanced Fire Bolt / Glinting Fire Bolt\n\nFireball / Enhanced Fireball / Greater Fireball\n\nPotent Warding (rank 1-3)\n\nDevastation\n\nElemental Dominance (rank 1-3)\n\nFlame Shield / Enhanced Flame Shield / Shimmering Flame Shield\n\nTeleport (rank 1-4) / Enhanced Teleport / Shimmering Teleport\n\nIce Armor/Enhanced Ice Armor\n\nGlass Cannon (rank 1-3)\n\nPrecision Magic (rank 1-3)\n\nAlign the Elements\n\nMana Shield (rank 1-3)\n\nProtection (rank 1-3)\n\nFirewall (rank 1-5) / Enhanced Firewall / Wizard’s Firewall\n\nInner Flames (rank 1-3)\n\nCrippling Flames (rank 1-3)\n\nInferno/Prime Inferno/Supreme Inferno\n\nFiery Surge\n\nEndless Pyre\n\nCombustion\n\nEnhancement slots for Sorcerer Firewall build\n\nFor this build, you’ll want to use these spells for your two Enchantment Slots:\n\nFirewall Enchantment\n\nFireball\n\nVampiric Powers for Sorcerer Firewall build\n\nSeason 2 adds the new Vampiric Powers, which allow you to slot five additional abilities into your character to give you new effects. There are 22 total Vampiric Powers, and each are class agnostic, meaning they’re not unique to any one class.\n\nNorthwar recommends these five Vampiric Powers:\n\nAnticipation\n\nPrey on the Weak\n\nRavenous\n\nFlowing Veins\n\nMetamorphosis\n\nTo slot those powers you’ll need to have these Pacts available on your armor:\n\n9 Ferocity\n\n5 Divinity\n\n4 Eternity\n\nLegendary Powers and Uniques for Sorcerer Firewall build\n\nTo make this build work, you’re going to need powerful Legendary Powers and Unique items to augment your build.\n\nNorthwar recommends these items:\n\nHelm : Shared Misery (dungeon drop) or Godslayer Crown (Unique)\n\n: Shared Misery (dungeon drop) or Godslayer Crown (Unique) Chest : Snowveiled (dungeon drop) or Raiment of the Infinite (Unique)\n\n: Snowveiled (dungeon drop) or Raiment of the Infinite (Unique) Gloves : Edgemaster’s (dungeon drop), Conceited, or Storm Swell (dungeon drop)\n\n: Edgemaster’s (dungeon drop), Conceited, or Storm Swell (dungeon drop) Pants : Disobedience (dungeon drop)\n\n: Disobedience (dungeon drop) Boots : Ghostwalker (dungeon drop), Bounding Conduit (dungeon drop), Flickerstep (Unique)\n\n: Ghostwalker (dungeon drop), Bounding Conduit (dungeon drop), Flickerstep (Unique) Wand : Edgemaster’s (dungeon drop), Conceited, or Storm Swell (dungeon drop)\n\n: Edgemaster’s (dungeon drop), Conceited, or Storm Swell (dungeon drop) Focus : Edgemaster’s (dungeon drop), Conceited, or Storm Swell (dungeon drop)\n\n: Edgemaster’s (dungeon drop), Conceited, or Storm Swell (dungeon drop) Amulet : Control (dungeon drop)\n\n: Control (dungeon drop) Ring 1 : Prodigy’s (dungeon drop) or Retribution (dungeon drop)\n\n: Prodigy’s (dungeon drop) or Retribution (dungeon drop) Ring 2: Engulfing Flames or X’Fal’s Corroded Signet (Unique)\n\nIf you want to get into the nitty gritty of stat priorities, refer to Northwar’s original guide.\n\nParagon Boards for Sorcerer Firewall build\n\nThe Paragon Board system is very complex, and you’ll want to carefully pair your Glyphs with specific boards for your class:\n\nStarter Board / Reinforced Glyph Burning Instinct / Destruction Glyph Searing Heat / Adept Glyph Static Surge / Control Glyph Enchantment Master / Exploit\n\nYou should level your Glyphs to 15 in this specific order:\n\nDestruction Control Adept Exploit Reinforced\n\nYou can path your own way through the Paragon Boards following these basic guidelines. However, for the best results, follow Northwar’s path exactly.\n\nHow to make a great Sorcerer build\n\nSorcerers are Diablo 4’s pure caster class, and use elemental magic to differentiate from the spells of the Druid and Necromancer. The Sorcerer has six Key Passives, but only three elements, which is what you’ll base your build around:\n\nLightning\n\nFire\n\nIce\n\nLightning builds utilize Lightning skills to deal with large groups of enemies at once. When making a Lightning build, you’ll end up using the Overflowing Energy Key Passive or the Vyr’s Master Key Passive, depending on if you’re in melee range or not.\n\nIce builds specialize in slowing enemies down, making it easier to survive their attacks. Ice builds will take advantage of either the Avalanche Key Passive or the Shatter Key Passive, depending on how much your build relies on crowd control\n\nFire builds are all about big explosions and burning your enemies. For these builds, you’ll typically use either the Combustion Key Passive for burning enemies or the Esu’s Ferocity Key Passive for chunky critical strikes.\n\nWhen making your own build for a Sorcerer, you’ll likely end up sticking to one element for your main damage sources. But that’s not the most important thing you need to remember. Sorcerers die very, very easily in Diablo 4, and they have the weakest defensive stats by far — however, they can deal a massive amount of damage when built correctly. If you don’t want to end up dead more often than not, make sure to invest heavily in defensive skills while making your way toward one of the six Key Passives we listed above.\n\nLooking for other Diablo 4 builds? We have explainers on the Barbarian, Rogue, Druid, and Necromancer classes.","url":"https://www.polygon.com/diablo-4-guides/23653283/sorcerer-best-build-skills","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_97d431e179573f8d"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_97d431e179573f8d"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"f6fe2ec48c388b6ce679b8ea5e3d0649aee2c576321976775069d2b3474493c8","source_record_sha256":"ad8fae0c61dc4189a404a1ac37da7fd9cba314df38ed275a195cee937107c0cf","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":122,"source_fields":{"title":"The best Sorcerer builds and skills in Diablo 4","author":"Ryan Gilliam","source":"Polygon","published_at":"2023-10-18T21:43:17+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.polygon.com/diablo-4-guides/23653283/sorcerer-best-build-skills"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_9ef05f3b29491369","text":"Barbarians are a relatively simple class in Diablo 4: They smash stuff. However, Diablo 4 is underscored by math that’s so complex that even the simple act of smashing stuff becomes a dizzying equation. That’s where we come in, with our suggestions of the best Barbarian builds for Diablo 4 season 2.\n\nBarbarians are big, muscular, and powerful. They excel at using Bleed to kill their enemies over time. And their unique weapon-swapping system means they get to have more Legendary powers at their disposal than any other class.\n\nIn this Diablo 4 guide, we’ve gathered and simplified the best Diablo 4 Barbarian builds for season 2. If you need even more information on item affixes or other more complex ideas, we’ve been sure to link out to the more detailed versions of these builds, as well as where to find their original creators.\n\nBest Barbarian leveling build\n\nThis build is based off Lexyu’s Barbarian leveling guide at IcyVeins, and is purely for leveling: i.e., allocating your 58 skill points between levels 1 and 50. If you want more detailed information about the item affixes you want to look for on your gear, or which other Legendary powers are great for your build, check out the original IcyVeins guide.\n\nBest skills for leveling\n\nMost Barbarian leveling guides you’ll find make use of Hammer of the Ancients as your primary skill, as it deals massive damage while remaining very cheap to cast. In this build, you’ll also use Frenzy, Death Blow, Rallying Cry, Leap, and Wrath of the Berserker.\n\nHere are the best skills for a Barbarian leveling build, organized by the exact order you should purchase them in — bearing in mind that some skills require you to allocate a number of skill points in the tree in order to unlock them. As such, you’ll need to unlock new skills before enhancing existing ones:\n\nFrenzy / Enhanced Frenzy Hammer of the Ancients / Enhanced Hammer of the Ancients / Furious Hammer of the Ancients Combat Frenzy Rallying Cry / Enhanced Rallying Cry / Tactical Rallying Cry Hammer of the Ancients (ranks 2-3) Leap / Enhanced Leap / Power Leap Hammer of the Ancients (ranks 4-5) Death Blow / Enhanced Death Blow / Warrior’s Death Blow / Death Blow (rank 2-5) Wrath of the Berserker / Prime Wrath of the Berserker / Supreme Wrath of the Berserker Pit Fighter (ranks 1-3) Tempered Fury Furious Impulse (ranks 1-3) Walking Arsenal Hamstring No Mercy Expose Vulnerability (ranks 1-3) No Mercy (ranks 2-3) Swiftness (ranks 1-3) Thick Skin (ranks 1-3) Counteroffensive (ranks 1-3) Defensive Stance (ranks 1-3) Slaying Strike (ranks 1-3) Aggressive Resistance Prolific Fury\n\nBest Weapon Expertise setup for leveling\n\nOnce you unlock the Weapon Expertise system for your Barbarian, you’ll want to place the two-handed sword in your Technique slot. This will cause all of your Hammer of the Ancients damage to make enemies Bleed.\n\nBest Legendary Aspects for Barbarian leveling build\n\nWhen you first start your new character, complete these three dungeons first in order to collect their Aspects. Then place them on a piece of gear (ideally jewelry, when possible). Just keep in mind that you should replace these Legendaries with new versions using the imprint system every few levels.\n\nAspect of Ancestral Force (Sunken Ruins dungeon in Scosglen) — Hammer of the Ancients quakes outwards, dealing X% of its damage to enemies\n\n(Sunken Ruins dungeon in Scosglen) — Hammer of the Ancients quakes outwards, dealing X% of its damage to enemies Aspect of the Expectant (Underroot dungeon in Scosglen) — Attacking enemies with a Basic Skill increases the damage of your next Core Skill cast by X% up to X%\n\n(Underroot dungeon in Scosglen) — Attacking enemies with a Basic Skill increases the damage of your next Core Skill cast by X% up to X% Edgemaster’s Aspect (Oldstones dungeon in Scosglen) — Skills deal X% increased damage based on Primary Resource when cast, receiving the maximum benefit while you have full Primary Resource\n\nBarbarian Season 2 endgame build — Double Swing\n\nThis build is based off of AaronActionRPG’s Double Swing Barbarian endgame guide at IcyVeins, and is a general endgame guide capable of finding success in all activities. This guide assumes that you’re over level 50, have access to all 58 skill points, and are making progress on your Paragon Boards. If you want more detailed information about the item affixes you want to look for on your gear, or why these Legendary powers are great for your build, check out the original IcyVeins guide.\n\nBest skill points for Double Swing Barbarian endgame build\n\nThis build utilizes Double Swing as its core skill. It also uses Steel Grasp, Ground Stomp, Iron Maelstrom, Charge, and Lunging Strike.\n\nSince you need all 58 points for this build, the order you select these skills in doesn’t matter as long as you have the pre-requisite points in the earlier Skill Tree tiers. Here is how you should spend your Skill Points for this build:\n\nLunging Strike / Enhanced Lunging Strike / Combat Lunging Strike\n\nDouble Swing (rank 1-5) / Enhanced Double Swing / Furious Double Swing\n\nEndless Fury\n\nGround Stomp (rank 1-5) / Enhanced Ground Stomp / Strategic Ground Stomp\n\nCharge (rank 1-5) / Enhanced Charge / Power Charge\n\nAggressive Resistance (rank 1-3)\n\nProlific Fury (rank 1-3)\n\nSteel Grasp / Enhanced Steel Grasp / Fighter’s Steel Grasp\n\nThick Skin\n\nDefensive Stance (rank 1-3)\n\nCounteroffensive (rank 1-3)\n\nPit Fighter (rank 1-3)\n\nNo Mercy (rank 1-3)\n\nIron Maelstrom / Prime Iron Maelstrom / Supreme Iron Maelstrom\n\nDuelist (rank 1-3)\n\nWallop\n\nConcussion (rank 1-3)\n\nWalking Arsenal\n\nArsenal System for the Double Swing Barbarian build\n\nFor this build, you’ll want to take One-Handed Mace in your Technique.\n\nVampiric Powers for Double Swing Barbarian build\n\nSeason 2 adds the new Vampiric Powers, which allow you to slot five additional abilities into your character to give you new effects. There are 22 total Vampiric Powers, and each are class agnostic, meaning they’re not unique to any one class.\n\nAaronActionRPG recommends these five Vampiric Powers:\n\nAnticipation\n\nPrey on the Weak\n\nRavenous\n\nDomination\n\nMetamorphosis\n\nTo insert those powers you’ll need to have these Pacts available on your armor:\n\n8 Ferocity\n\n3 Divinity\n\n2 Eternity\n\nLegendary Powers and Uniques for Double Swing Barbarian build\n\nTo make this build work, you’re going to need powerful Legendary Powers and Unique items to augment your build.\n\nAaronActionRPG recommends these items:\n\nHelm : Weapon Master’s Aspect\n\n: Weapon Master’s Aspect Chest : Aspect of Numbing Wrath (dungeon drop)\n\n: Aspect of Numbing Wrath (dungeon drop) Gloves : Aspect of Anemia (dungeon drop)\n\n: Aspect of Anemia (dungeon drop) Pants : Aspect of Might (dungeon drop)\n\n: Aspect of Might (dungeon drop) Boots : Exploiter’s Aspect\n\n: Exploiter’s Aspect Two-handed Bludgeoning : Aspect of Retribution (dungeon drop)\n\n: Aspect of Retribution (dungeon drop) Two-handed Slashing : Accelerating Aspect\n\n: Accelerating Aspect Dual Wield 1 : Edgemaster’s (dungeon drop)\n\n: Edgemaster’s (dungeon drop) Dual Wield 2 : Aspect of Berserk Ripping (dungeon drop)\n\n: Aspect of Berserk Ripping (dungeon drop) Amulet : Earthquake Aspect\n\n: Earthquake Aspect Ring 1 : Aspect of Berserk Fury\n\n: Aspect of Berserk Fury Ring 2: Aspect of Limitless Rage\n\nIf you want to get into the nitty gritty of stat priorities, refer to AaronActionRPG’s original guide.\n\nParagon Boards for Double Swing Barbarian build\n\nThe Paragon Board system is very complex, and you’ll want to carefully pair your Glyphs with specific boards for your class:\n\nStarter Board / Bloodfeeder Glyph Decimator / Ambidextrous Glyph Carnage / Might Glyph Flawless Technique / Ire Glyph Weapon Master / Territorial Glyph Bone Breaker / Exploit Glyph Warbringer / Wrath Glyph\n\nYou should level your Glyphs to 15 in this specific order:\n\nExploit Territorial Ambidextrous Might Wrath Bloodfeeder Ire\n\nYou can path your own way through the Paragon Boards following these basic guidelines. However, for the best results, follow AaronActionRPG’s path exactly.\n\nHow to make a great Barbarian build\n\nBarbarians are Diablo 4’s only pure melee class, with the other classes having hybrid builds for multiple ranges. There are four main ideas that all Barbarian builds stem from:\n\nFury dumping (most popular in Diablo 4’s pre-season)\n\nWeapon swapping\n\nBleed\n\nBerserk\n\nFury dump builds make use of the Unbridled Rage Key Passive, which causes your Fury spenders to cost double the Fury but deal more than double the damage. These kinds of builds obviously require very steady Fury generation, as it’s easy to starve yourself. Berserk builds that use the Unconstrained Key Passive are all about keeping your Barbarian in the Berserk stage at all times, which nets you a hefty bonus. All Barbarian builds will likely use some skills that make them go Berserk, the Unconstrained Key Passive just enhances the effect.\n\nBleed builds use the Gushing Wounds Key Passive to create a critical strike heavy build that’s great for whittling down groups of enemies with damage over time and explosions. Weapon swapping builds offer what is almost certainly the most unique playstyle for Barbarians and takes advantage of the Walking Arsenal Key Passive. The idea here is that you’re constantly swapping between your skills and weapons to give yourself massive damage buffs.\n\nWhen making a build, you want to have one of these Key Passives in mind and choose your skills accordingly. Thankfully skills that share certain aspects (like Bleed) are color-coded on the skill tree, and you can even use the in-game search function to find them all. Other Barbarian builds let you take advantage of mechanics like Thorns or Shouts. But they still typically end with one of these Key Passives.\n\nLooking for other Diablo 4 builds? We have explainers on the Sorcerer, Rogue, Druid, and Necromancer classes.","url":"https://www.polygon.com/23654868/barbarian-best-build-skills","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_82539763c335f88b","mhq_97d431e179573f8d"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_82539763c335f88b","mhq_97d431e179573f8d"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"17a7feb1157cbd2ea1aa1a3735b834588526f105272ade8fd82188ecbf777f02","source_record_sha256":"5530adfbbdd0ea20057d072a454ca26ccd82240b49908e9cfa5ded9154bab497","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":123,"source_fields":{"title":"The best Barbarian builds and skills in Diablo 4","author":"Ryan Gilliam","source":"Polygon","published_at":"2023-10-19T17:16:31+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.polygon.com/23654868/barbarian-best-build-skills"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_7abd90a95be9c5b1","text":"A young group of \"Swifties\" have gone viral after a video showing their attempts to open a \"1989 (Taylor's Version)\" compact disc (CD) was uploaded to TikTok — and the megastar herself responded.\n\nThe 11- and 12-year-olds came together to give their friend Annika the newly released Taylor Swift CD in hopes of cheering up the friend after she broke her wrist during soccer practice, mom Shannon Schmidt told Fox News Digital.\n\n\"The girls knew what a CD was, but we had to borrow Grandma and Grandpa’s CD player to let them fully experience it,\" Schmidt shared.\n\nCOUPLE'S VIRAL 'TAYLOR SWIFT JAR' HAS WIFE PAYING A QUARTER WHENEVER SHE MENTIONS THE STAR\n\nThe video captures the comical moment the three sixth and seventh graders attempted to open the CD.\n\nThe girls — Lilly, Henslee and Annika — can be heard struggling to figure out how to get the CD out without breaking it or looking for a button to press in order to release it from the case.\n\nSchmidt watched the girls' efforts, saying, \"You guys are making me laugh because this is how we used to listen to music.\"\n\nSeconds later, Lilly can be seen pressing the middle of CD, releasing it from the case.\n\nFIRST CD TO BE COMMERCIALLY PRODUCED WAS 41 YEARS AGO TODAY: WILL CDS MAKE A COMEBACK?\n\nThe girls were amazed when they finally were able to get their hands on the soundtrack.\n\n\"The girls' struggle with the CD was a wake-up call to how times have changed since we ‘cut the cord,’\" Schmidt commented.\n\nThe mothers of the girls could not help but laugh as they realized just how different things are now, thanks to technology.\n\n\"Watching the girls grapple with the CD case felt like stepping back in time,\" Jody, one of the moms, told Fox News Digital.\n\nTAYLOR SWIFT SUPERFAN SPENT NEARLY $9K TO ATTEND 12 ERAS TOUR CONCERTS: ‘A BIG DEAL’\n\n\"That moment of pure innocence when the girls first attempted to open the CD case was priceless,\" Tia, another mom, told Fox News Digital.\n\n\"I knew then that we had to flip the camera on to capture the rest of their experience with the CD.\"\n\nThis hilarious moment not only brought laughter to the three moms, but to the scores of viewers who have seen the video on TikTok as well.\n\nSince it was uploaded, the video has garnered over 2.7 million views and 5,952 comments — one written by Taylor Swift herself.\n\n\"It’s so wild to think our video went viral and got Taylor Swift's attention!\" Lilly shared with Fox News Digital.\n\nMOM GOES VIRAL ON TIKTOK AS 10-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER STRUGGLES TO OPEN CD: 'I'M OFFICIALLY OLD'\n\n\"Going to her concert was amazing, but having her notice our video is something I still can’t wrap my head around.\"\n\nAnnika said she never imagined that millions of people would have found the video so comical, let alone the \"1989\" singer herself.\n\n\"Who would have thought that getting a CD while sporting a broken wrist would lead to something so huge?\" Annika said.\n\n\"I figured maybe a few people would see our video, but then, bam —Taylor Swift saw it. She actually saw me and liked it. It’s crazy.\"\n\nTHE TAYLOR SWIFT OBSESSION: PSYCHOLOGIST WEIGHS IN ON WHY FANS WORSHIP CELEBRITIES\n\nIn a second video, the girls were captured using the CD player, which proved to be slightly easier to figure out.\n\nAll three \"Swifties\" can be heard \"oohing\" and \"aahing\" as they learn how to open the disc player.\n\n\"Whoa! That was fancy, guys. This is a fancy one,\" one of the girls can be heard saying in the TikTok video.\n\nTAYLOR SWIFT'S EXES: BABY NAMES INSPIRED BY THE SINGER'S FORMER FLAMES REVEALED\n\nThe Gen Zers captured the attention of viewers online who could not help but comment on the viral moment — and the overwhelming response was \"I feel old.\"\n\nBut it was the comment from the A-list singer that really got the girls' attention.\n\nSwift liked and commented on the viral TikTok saying, \"Wait, this is amazing.\"\n\n\"That was the best surprise ever — my year is made,\" Henslee told Fox News Digital in reference to Swift's comment.\n\nTAYLOR SWIFT QUIZ! HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW THE FAMOUS POP MUSICIAN?\n\nThe girls usually can be found listening to Swift while making her popular friendship bracelets or playing soccer with one another.\n\n\"Her like/comment is something the girls and this Swiftie mama will always remember,\" Tia commented.\n\nThis isn't the first time a young person went viral for trying to open a CD.\n\nIn May, Fox News Digital reported on a mom who showed her 10-year-old daughter's struggle as she attempted to pop a \"Now That's What I Call Music! 21\" CD (2006).\n\nCDs were first introduced in 1982, according to the tech company Philips' website.\n\nCLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER\n\nPhilips, along with Sony, co-developed the technology, which is a portable medium that can record, store and play back audio, video and other data in digital form.\n\nIn 2001, Apple introduced iTunes, a platform that sold digital songs online for just 99 cents each, according to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.\n\niTunes made purchasing music so easy and affordable that it's virtually replaced the CD in 2023.\n\nIn the words of Taylor Swift, it is safe to say that \"everything has changed\" for these three \"Swifties\" since this viral moment.\n\nCLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP\n\n\"Their delightful encounter with a seemingly antiquated piece of technology, the CD, has captured the attention of Taylor Swift herself, transforming their genuine moment into an unforgettable event,\" Schmidt said.","url":"https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/young-taylor-swift-fans-go-viral-struggling-open-stars-cd-making-me-laugh","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_aa3f44d39640a0da","mhq_88687c5036ddd743"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_aa3f44d39640a0da","mhq_88687c5036ddd743"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"7449980c861bf3bed23dc65d3255dea2ce5793854dceb3d879bd72c475432f45","source_record_sha256":"32b5d60bbaa2886dd7be7b097abf48d3f0ca459ebaebc44aeb8923471a9ea358","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":128,"source_fields":{"title":"Young Taylor Swift fans go viral for struggling to open the star's CD: 'Making me laugh'","author":null,"source":"FOX News - Lifestyle","published_at":"2023-11-11T10:00:36+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/young-taylor-swift-fans-go-viral-struggling-open-stars-cd-making-me-laugh"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_ba6525974fff8f76","text":"Hamas' surprise attack on Israel has shocked many who are now questioning the country's famed intelligence agency Mossad, which is known for its intelligence-gathering capability. For some, the belief that Mossad was among the best in the spying world was shattered today when Hamas carried out the biggest coordinated attack in Israel and captured some territory in southern Israel. It is not the attack that has surprised people but the scale at which Hamas operated and got control of some military bases and soldiers.\n\nAlso Read: Israel at war: Hamas cells, military compounds destroyed, US backs Tel Aviv; all you need to know\n\nYounis Tirawi, who reports on Palestinian Affairs, said that Hamas militants had taken over Sderot police HQ and armored vehicles in the town. An analyst wrote that some of the images coming out of Sderot over the last few hours were reaching degrees of horror \"that I don't really think I can use words to properly describe. Truly disturbing acts of terror directed at civilians\".\n\nSome of the images coming out of Sderot over the last few hours are reaching degrees of horror that I dont really think I can use words to properly describe. Truly disturbing acts of terror directed at civilians. — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) October 7, 2023\n\nCommenting on the coordinated attack, Rania Khalek, a journalist, said that the strategic planning that must have gone into this against \"one of the most high-tech occupation and surveillance systems in the world\" will be studied by many. \"The Israelis must be totally losing it right now.\"\n\nthe strategic planning that must have gone into this against one of the most high tech occupation and surveillance systems in the world will be studied by many, the Israelis must be totally losing it right now https://t.co/oUX2rokEjh — Rania Khalek (@RaniaKhalek) October 7, 2023\n\nTarik Cyril Amar said: \"And the intel, and the special forces training... both areas where Israel mythology will be very upset indeed.\"\n\nAnd the intel, and the special forces training... both areas where Israel mythology will be very upset indeed. — Tarik Cyril Amar (@TarikCyrilAmar) October 7, 2023\n\nMjoachim, another user, said that Israel's defence forces have lost their fame. He said the IDF lost an army base, a general was captured right out of his house. \"Invincible \"Merkava MK4 MBT's captured, and destroyed...what is wrong with the Israeli security and defence forces? And (what) MOSSAD did?\"\n\nDr Jaswant Gandhi, a professor of management, said that attack on Israel was a \"great Mossad failure\". He said India had to learn a lot and keep all intelligence agencies duly greased and internecine conflict-proof. \"Israel_under_attack Great #Mossad failure. GoI has to learn a lot and keep all Intelligence Agencies duly greased and internecine conflict-proof. BHARAT is not immune to #terrorism and internal enemies,\" he wrote on X.\n\n#Israel_under_attack Great #Mossad failure. GoI has to learn a lot and keep all Intelligence Agencies duly greased and internecine conflict proof. BHARAT is not immune to #terrorism and internal enemies @HMOIndia @PMOIndia @AmitShah — Dr. Jaswant Gandhi 🇮🇳 (@JaswantDr) October 7, 2023\n\nHowever, some speculated that Mossad knew what was going to happen but let Hamas make a mistake so that Israel could launch a ferocious attack on it. \"Mossad was not so ignorant that it did not know about this #attack. Israel wanted to invade Palestine, but they had no excuse, stupid #Hamas gave them the reason. Hamas is an excuse, new lands are wonderful,\" a user said.\n\n#Mossad was not so ignorant that it did not know about this #attack. Israel wanted to invade Palestine, they had no excuse, stupid #Hamas gave them the reason. Hamas is an excuse, new lands are wonderful\n\n\n\nI definitely support Israel pic.twitter.com/AbLdeazQjR October 7, 2023\n\nIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that since this morning, Israel had been at war and its first objective was to clear out the hostile forces that infiltrated its territory. \"The second objective, at the same time, is to exact an immense price from the enemy, within the Gaza Strip as well,\" he said, adding that the third objective was to reinforce other fronts so that nobody should mistakenly join this war. \"We are at war. In war, one needs to be level-headed. I call on all citizens of Israel to unite in order to achieve our highest goal – victory in the war,\" Netanyahu said.\n\nSince this morning, the State of Israel has been at war. Our first objective is to clear out the hostile forces that infiltrated our territory and restore the security and quiet to the communities that have been attacked.\n\n\n\nThe second objective, at the same time, is to exact an… pic.twitter.com/MzKs7tfv4M — Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) October 7, 2023\n\nReacting to this, however, a user said that knowing the proficiency of the Mossad he found the idea of a \"surprise attack\" to be a willing lie.\n\nWell, you got the war you wanted Beni...at what cost of Israeli lives you don't care. Knowing the proficiency of the Mossad I find the idea of a \"surprise attack\"to be a willing lie on your side of this. https://t.co/35qRvgBJt2 — timm (@timmainsson) October 7, 2023\n\nBen Muasya, a journalist, said that Mossad is overrated. \"How come they never knew Hamas militants planned a sudden attack on Israel? Or was it a trap to get a reason to retaliate heavily? We wait to see how it goes but it will be messy.\"\n\nMossad is overated how comes they never knew this Hamas militants and had planned a sudden attack on Israel? Or was it a trap to get a reason to retaliate heavily?We wait to see how it goes but it will be messy. pic.twitter.com/W5vpoylus2 — Ben Muasya. (@muasya_ben) October 7, 2023\n\nAnother user said that no one can carry out such a major attack against Israel without intelligence support. \"Who gave Hamas Intelligence? It was as if the entire Israeli army and the Mossad were asleep.\"","url":"https://www.businesstoday.in/latest/world/story/massive-intel-failure-by-mossad-hamas-surprise-attack-on-israel-shocks-internet-401106-2023-10-07?utm_source=rssfeed","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_d4e116025b1f4a17","mhq_d891a5e051a27c5f","mhq_ff94e22fe8b8521a"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_d4e116025b1f4a17","mhq_d891a5e051a27c5f","mhq_ff94e22fe8b8521a"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"e7fcbf53bf9ff27d9465cba0cc6d55ad742d7f3ede34b78448648369cbb3392e","source_record_sha256":"c7b22db17ce8407d851e658f94765d339ef9d77756fff439bc4288bfc3ac70f9","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":134,"source_fields":{"title":"'Massive intel failure by Mossad': Hamas' surprise attack on Israel shocks internet","author":null,"source":"Business Today | Latest Stock Market And Economy News India","published_at":"2023-10-07T15:37:43+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://www.businesstoday.in/latest/world/story/massive-intel-failure-by-mossad-hamas-surprise-attack-on-israel-shocks-internet-401106-2023-10-07?utm_source=rssfeed"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_588781621ac2d275","text":"International aid groups are warning that they cannot deliver food and other basic services to people in the Gaza Strip and that a “dire” humanitarian crisis is set to worsen.\n\nInternational aid groups provide food and other means of support to about 63% of people in Gaza.\n\nIsrael stopped allowing deliveries of food, fuel and other supplies to Gaza’s 2.3 million residents on Oct. 10, 2023, and is reportedly preparing for a ground invasion.\n\nOn Oct. 12, 2023, Israel warned 1.1 million Gaza residents in the northern section of the enclave to leave for the southern region, in advance of a potential ground invasion.\n\nI am a scholar of peace and conflict economics and a former World Bank consultant, including during the 2014 war between Hamas and Israel.\n\nInternational aid groups now face the same problem in Gaza that local businesses and residents have encountered for about 16 years: a blockade that prevents civilians and items, like medicine from easily moving into or out of the enclosed area, roughly 25 miles long. That 16-year blockade did not apply to the food and fuel that groups brought in to Gaza.\n\nNow, it does.\n\nGaza’s blockade and economy\n\nGaza is about the size of Philadelphia and requires trade with different businesses and countries in order to maintain and grow its economy.\n\nBut Gaza is heavily dependent on foreign aid.\n\nThis is partially the result of Israel setting up permanent air, land and sea blockades around Gaza in 2007, one year after Hamas rose to political power. Egypt, which borders Gaza on its southern end, also oversees one checkpoint that specifically limits people coming and going.\n\nWhile Israel has granted permits to about 17,000 Gaza residents to enter and work in Israel, the food, fuel and medical supplies that people in Gaza use all first pass through Israel.\n\nIsrael controls two physical checkpoints along Gaza, which monitor both the entry and exit of people and trucks. Israel limits the kind and quantity of materials that pass into Gaza. And the blockades generally prohibit Gazans who do not have work permits or special clearance – for medical purposes, for example – from entering Israel.\n\nIsrael’s restrictions through the blockade intensified since Hamas’ surprise attack on 20 Israeli towns and several military bases on Oct. 7, with Israel then announcing a broad blockade of imports into Gaza. This stopped all food, fuel and medical supplies from entering the region.\n\nGaza’s isolation\n\nThe Palestinian enclaves of West Bank and Gaza – which are generally lumped together in economic analyses – both have small economies that run a massive deficit of US$6.6 billion in losses each year, as the value of the imports they receive greatly outweighs the value of the items they produce and sell elsewhere.\n\nMore than 53% of Gaza residents were considered below the poverty line in 2020, and about 77% of Gazan households receive some form of aid from the United Nations and other groups, mostly in the form of cash or food.\n\nGaza’s weak economy is caused by a number of complex factors, but the largest is the blockade and the economic and trade isolation it creates.\n\nFor the average Gazan, the blockade has several practical effects, including people’s ability to get food. About 64% of people in Gaza are considered food insecure, meaning they do not have reliable access to sufficient amounts of food.\n\nFood as a percentage of Gaza’s total imports has skyrocketed by 50% since 2005, when Israel first imposed a temporary blockade. And the amount of food the West Bank and Gaza actually produce has tumbled by 30% since then.\n\nIt is hard for Gaza to produce food within its own borders. One factor is that Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza’s only power generation plant and main sewage treatment plant in 2008 and again in 2018. These attacks resulted in the spread of sewage waste on land and in the water, destroying farmlands and food crops and threatening fish stocks in the ocean as well.\n\nThe UN’s big role in Gaza\n\nGaza’s weak economy and isolation because of the blockade mean that it relies heavily on international aid organizations to provide basic services to residents. The biggest of these aid groups in Gaza is the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East – also known as UNRWA.\n\nToday, UNRWA is the second-largest employer in Gaza, following Hamas. It provides the bulk of the education, food aid and health care services for people in Gaza, in addition to 3 million other people registered as Palestinian refugees who live in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and other places.\n\nOver time, UNRWA has evolved into a kind of parallel government, alongside Hamas, which Israel, the United States and other countries designate as a terrorist organization.\n\nUNRWA funds and runs a network of 284 schools in Gaza alone, employing over 9,000 local people as staff and educating over 294,000 children each year.\n\nUNRWA runs 22 hospitals in Gaza that employ almost 1,000 health staff and has 3.3 million patient visits per year.\n\nIts schools are converted into humanitarian shelters in times of crisis, such as the current war. People can go there to get clean water, food, mattresses and blankets, showers and more.\n\nThe number of people in Gaza who are displaced from their homes has quickly risen over the last few days, totaling over 330,000 on Oct. 12, 2023. Over two-thirds of these people are staying in UNRWA schools.\n\nA complicated US relationship\n\nThe U.S. has historically been the single-largest funder of UNRWA, a U.N. agency that relies on governments to support its work. The U.S. gave more than $500 million to Palestinians from April 2021 through March 2022, including more than $417 million that went to UNRWA.\n\nU.S. support to UNRWA has fluctuated throughout different presidential administrations.\n\nTotal U.S. aid to the West Bank and Gaza peaked at $1 billion in 2009 – after Israel sealed off the territory. It reached $1 billion in annual contributions again in 2013, when former Secretary of State John Kerry helped restart peace talks between Israel and Hamas.\n\nIn 2018, the Trump Administration cut almost all of the money the U.S. typically gives to UNRWA, amounting to roughly 30% of the organization’s total budget.\n\nDefenders of the policy change cited UNRWA-published textbooks that allegedly glorified jihad. UNRWA, for its part, maintained that, as an outside organization, it can only use the educational materials the country it is working in wants.\n\nThe Biden administration then restored funding to UNRWA and other organizations helping Palestinians in 2021.\n\nSome Republican politicians have said that UNRWA has “cozied up” to Hamas. And an internal UNRWA ethics committee has accused top staff at the agency of “sexual misconduct, nepotism, retaliation … and other abuses of authority” that created a toxic work environment.\n\nMeanwhile, since the war between Israel and Hamas began on Oct. 8, more than 1,500 Gazans have been killed and more than 5,300 injured, while Hamas attacks have killed more than 1,300 people in Israel and injured about 3,200 others.\n\nInternational aid groups and European Union officials have called for a humanitarian corridor to be set up in Gaza – meaning a protected path specifically for civilians, aid workers and necessary basic items to pass through safely back and forth from Gaza to Israel and Egypt. So far, there are no clear plans for such a protected pathway.\n\nTopher L. McDougal is Professor of Economic Development & Peacebuilding, University of San Diego.\n\nThis article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.","url":"https://fortune.com/2023/10/13/israel-blockade-gaza-hamas-war-starvation-food-insecurity/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_d4e116025b1f4a17","mhq_d891a5e051a27c5f","mhq_ff94e22fe8b8521a"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_d4e116025b1f4a17","mhq_d891a5e051a27c5f","mhq_ff94e22fe8b8521a"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"b9b8a32e37a91dda45153cdcc8733b9cca6afd4ef6d0e892b50f1fb258826ff2","source_record_sha256":"237fef44ab4eeceda98cda04014c1d927bb811ceacb1ff9e484c96315651cc4c","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":135,"source_fields":{"title":"Israel's blockade of Gaza means that a region the size of Philadelphia faces a real risk of starvation, says Peace Studies scholar","author":"Topher L. McDougal, The Conversation","source":"Fortune","published_at":"2023-10-13T19:50:48+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://fortune.com/2023/10/13/israel-blockade-gaza-hamas-war-starvation-food-insecurity/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_8069e17e9749558f","text":"NFL award longshots can be easy to overlook since each has a favorite(s). The longshot may be playing well, but other players have commanded the spotlight, making it easier for them to go unnoticed.\n\nWhatever the reason, they have not gotten the credit they deserve. However, with five weeks left in the regular season, there is plenty of time for a longshot to become a contender.\n\nBut if you wait too long before placing a bet, your payout will be a lot less than if you were to roll the dice on a longshot right now.\n\nLongshots to consider for NFL MVP, OPOY, DPOY, Coach of the Year and Comeback POY\n\nThere is always a reason why a player or several players have relatively short odds — they've been the best at their position throughout the season. Consequently, there is just as good a reason why longshots have odds as long as they do.\n\nSo, keep your bets small, or use a bonus bet (if you have one available), on longshots. If they do go on to win, smile all the way to the bank while you tell everyone, \"I told you so.\"\n\nRELATED: Best NFL Betting sites | How to bet on the NFL\n\nNFL MVP\n\nCurrent favorite(s): Brock Purdy , Dak Prescott , Jalen Hurts\n\n, Dak Prescott , Jalen Hurts Longshot(s): C.J. Stroud , Jared Goff\n\nThe MVP often ends up being someone, typically the quarterback, from one of the top-seeded teams. Hence, Brock Purdy, Dak Prescott and Jalen Hurts sit atop betting boards after Week 13.\n\nBut, by that logic, Jared Goff should be in the conversation. He has played well this season — his Lions are 9-3, poised to win the NFC South and in contention for the No. 1 seed in the conference.\n\nCompared to the 49ers, Cowboys and Eagles, Goff and the Lions may have the easiest schedule to finish the season.\n\nBut bettors should also pay attention to C.J. Stroud. He leads the league in passing yards, is one of four quarterbacks eho have started the whole season with a passer rating over 100, and his touchdown to interception ratio is the best in the NFL (4 to 1)\n\nAs for the value of his play, Stroud has taken one of the worst teams in the NFL (11 total wins the last three seasons) and turned it into a playoff contender and potential division champion.\n\nOffensive Player of the Year\n\nCurrent favorite: Tyreek Hill\n\nLongshot: CeeDee Lamb\n\nThere's a good reason why Tyreek Hill is such a heavy favorite to win OPOY. The Dolphins wide receiver is on track to become the first player with 2,000-plus receiving yards in a single season.\n\nBut there is a solid chance he does not hit that mark. Of Miami's five remaining opponents, four have pass defenses ranked in the league's top eight. If he slows down, someone like CeeDee Lamb could catch up.\n\nBased on his current season average, Lamb is on track for close to 1,600 yards, but based on his production over the last seven games, he could finish with closer to 1,800 yards.\n\nHe will probably need Hill to fade down the stretch to have a shot. But if Hill does and he continues to produce, Lamb could steal OPOY from Hill.\n\nDefensive Player of the Year\n\nCurrent favorite(s): Micah Parsons , Myles Garrett , and T.J. Watt\n\n, Myles Garrett , and T.J. Watt Longshot: Danielle Hunter\n\nHunter leads the league in tackles for a loss and is third in sacks with 13.5 (behind Khalil Mack and Watt). Not only has he produced at a high level, but his play has been instrumental in the Vikings turning things around after a 1-4 start.\n\nHe may not have the name recognition that Parsons, Garrett and Watt have, but he has played as well, if not better, this season. If he can continue to produce, he at least deserves to be in the conversation, if not win.\n\nCoach of the Year\n\nCurrent favorite: Dan Campbell +200 (via DraftKings)\n\nLongshot: Sean Payton +2200 (via DraftKings)\n\nCampbell has done a tremendous job with the Lions, but it is fair to wonder if he's the betting favorite because of how well he has done his job this season or over the last two. This year, the team benefited from the groundwork laid last season.\n\nIf there were a reward for the best coach over two seasons, he would deserve it. As for this season, not so much.\n\nSean Payton should be at the forefront of the conversation. It's one thing to turn around a team that was dreadful last season. But he has taken one that got off to a horrible start and turned things around in-season.\n\nOh — and he has resurrected Russell Wilson's career.\n\nThat alone should put him at the top of the list, but he may need to get Denver into the playoffs to convince voters.\n\nComeback Player of the Year\n\nCurrent favorite: Demar Hamlin\n\nLongshot: Russell Wilson\n\nComing back from a life-threatening injury like a cardiac arrest makes Hamlin a great candidate to win CPOY. However, it would be understandable if voters were to look elsewhere since Hamlin has seldom been active on game day and rarely seen the field.\n\nIt will depend on how vital voters deem playing to be.\n\nWilson was supposed to be the next great franchise quarterback for the Broncos when they acquired him prior to last season. But rather than lead the team back to prominence, Wilson was terrible and so was Denver.\n\nThis season, Wilson has played well even when the Broncos have not. He is not producing mind-blowing stat lines, but he is keeping his team competitive, playing efficiently and not making many mistakes.\n\nUntil his three-interception day last week, he had the best touchdown-to-interception ratio in the league. But even with those picks, his is still second-best.","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/betting/news/nfl-awards-odds-longshots-mvp-opoy-dpoy/ed7dc8b5ba19eb3e71c53349","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_0efa867faffe1139","mhq_bab967ae9e11c83b","mhq_88c1cb1b421e82f7"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_0efa867faffe1139","mhq_bab967ae9e11c83b","mhq_88c1cb1b421e82f7"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"13dd48a12b383ded52f746bf9366cf771e582d379d42e06dae6e182b2b442f9c","source_record_sha256":"f56c0e92482e31508a464e179bd8dfa6e03f4c562ff5b0832f9c3722c2fda7b0","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":145,"source_fields":{"title":"NFL awards odds: Six longshots bettors should consider for MVP, OPOY, DPOY and more","author":"Travis Pulver","source":"Sporting News","published_at":"2023-12-05T20:45:25+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/betting/news/nfl-awards-odds-longshots-mvp-opoy-dpoy/ed7dc8b5ba19eb3e71c53349"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_d44c37dede704683","text":"There will be many difficult decisions to be made in Week 16. It is the Fantasy Football semifinals in most leagues and there is a certain finality to every decision. There's no shortage of things to stress over as a Fantasy manager. Whether or not you start Rashee Rice shouldn't be one of them. While Rice is just WR29 on the season, that's mostly due to a slow start, and his hot start has pushed him into must-start, borderline top-12 territory.\n\nThe Chiefs' star rookie has four straight games with at least nine targets and he's scored at least 14 PPR Fantasy points in all of those games. Since Week 12, only Deebo Samuel and CeeDee Lamb have scored more PPR Fantasy points that Rice.\n\nOn paper, the matchup doesn't look great, because the Raiders have been above average in terms of limiting the Fantasy production of wide receivers. But this hot stretch started against the Raiders, when Rice scored 24.7 PPR Fantasy points against them in Week 12. They are playing a style of defense that limits big plays but allows throws underneath which fits Rice and his 4.3 ADOT perfectly. While the Raiders have surrendered the 11th-fewest passing yards this season, they've given up the fourth-most yards after the catch.\n\nIf Rice is on your roster, he's in your starting lineup. You have plenty of other things to stress about.\n\nHeath's Week 16 Previews: QB | RB | WR TE\n\n\n\nYou can find more in my weekly projections over at SportsLine. Now here is the rest of the Week 16 WR Preview:\n\nWR Preview Who's Out\n\nThe following players are not being projected to play Week 16 at this time. Here's what it means:\n\nNico Collins WR HOU Houston • #12\n\nAge: 24 • Experience: 3 yrs. The Texans offense looks like one to avoid as long as C.J. Stroud is out. Ja'Marr Chase WR CIN Cincinnati • #1\n\nAge: 23 • Experience: 3 yrs. Tee Higgins is a No. 2 receiver and Tyler Boyd is a fine flex.\n\nWR Preview Numbers to Know\n\n69.9% -- Nearly 70% of Rashee Rice's receiving yards have come after the catch, that's tops amongst wide receivers with at least 50 targets.\n\n-- Nearly 70% of Rashee Rice's receiving yards have come after the catch, that's tops amongst wide receivers with at least 50 targets. 11.4 -- Deebo Samuel is on pace to become just the fourth player since 1992 to average more than 11 yards per target with at least 60 targets in multiple seasons. The other three are Tyreek Hill, Tyler Lockett, and DeSean Jackson.\n\n-- Deebo Samuel is on pace to become just the fourth player since 1992 to average more than 11 yards per target with at least 60 targets in multiple seasons. The other three are Tyreek Hill, Tyler Lockett, and DeSean Jackson. 18 -- Puka Nacua needs 18 more catches to set the rookie record for most catches in a season.\n\n-- Puka Nacua needs 18 more catches to set the rookie record for most catches in a season. 152.67 -- After missing last week's game, Tyreek Hill now needs to average almost 153 yards per game in his final three to reach his stated goal of 2,000 receiving yards this season.\n\n-- After missing last week's game, Tyreek Hill now needs to average almost 153 yards per game in his final three to reach his stated goal of 2,000 receiving yards this season. 15.88 -- Drake London is averaging 15.88 PPR FPPG at home this season and just 7.37 on the road.\n\n-- Drake London is averaging 15.88 PPR FPPG at home this season and just 7.37 on the road. 24.2 -- Noah Brown has three games this season with at least 24.2 PPR Fantasy points. He also has zero points in two of his last three. He's the Gabe Davis of the South.\n\nWR Preview Matchups that matter\n\nMatchups that matter Projections powered by Sportsline Drake London WR ATL Atlanta • #5\n\nAge: 22 • Experience: 2 yrs. Weekly Breakdown MATCHUP vs IND ATL -1 O/U 44.5 OPP VS WR 9th PROJ PTS 10.7 WR RNK 19th YTD Stats REC 58 TAR 86 REYDS 769 TD 2 FPTS/G 11.5 Amari Cooper WR CLE Cleveland • #2\n\nAge: 29 • Experience: 9 yrs. Weekly Breakdown MATCHUP @ HOU HOU -2.5 O/U 42.5 OPP VS WR 21st PROJ PTS 13.6 WR RNK 20th YTD Stats REC 61 TAR 113 REYDS 985 TD 3 FPTS/G 12.5 Romeo Doubs WR GB Green Bay • #87\n\nAge: 23 • Experience: 2 yrs. Weekly Breakdown MATCHUP @ CAR GB -5 O/U 36.5 OPP VS WR 12th PROJ PTS 10.6 WR RNK 37th YTD Stats REC 52 TAR 84 REYDS 567 TD 7 FPTS/G 10.8 Jordan Addison WR MIN Minnesota • #3\n\nAge: 21 • Experience: Rookie Weekly Breakdown MATCHUP vs DET DET -3 O/U 47 OPP VS WR 7th PROJ PTS 13.7 WR RNK 29th YTD Stats REC 62 TAR 90 REYDS 824 TD 9 FPTS/G 14.2 Chris Godwin WR TB Tampa Bay • #14\n\nAge: 27 • Experience: 7 yrs. Weekly Breakdown MATCHUP vs JAC TB -1 O/U 43 OPP VS WR 25th PROJ PTS 13.4 WR RNK 24th YTD Stats REC 68 TAR 108 REYDS 814 TD 2 FPTS/G 11.9 Calvin Ridley WR JAC Jacksonville\n\nAge: 29 • Experience: 5 yrs. Weekly Breakdown MATCHUP @ TB TB -1 O/U 43 OPP VS WR 16th PROJ PTS 11.6 WR RNK 26th YTD Stats REC 60 TAR 109 REYDS 781 TD 5 FPTS/G 12.4\n\nWR Preview Waiver Wire Targets\n\nWeek 16 Adds (WR Preview) Curtis Samuel WR WAS Washington • #4\n\nAge: 27 • Experience: 7 yrs. Weekly Breakdown MATCHUP @ NYJ NYJ -3 O/U 37 OPP VS WR 14th WR RNK 30th ROSTERED 58% YTD Stats REC 56 TAR 77 REYDS 549 TD 5 FPTS/G 11 Samuel was the top waiver wire add at wide receiver last week as well, but he still sits at just 57% rostered. He has three straight games with double-digit Fantasy points and he's topped 19 in two of those games. The matchup isn't great but it's easier for him than it is for Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson. Demario Douglas WR NE New England • #81\n\nAge: 23 • Experience: Rookie Weekly Breakdown MATCHUP @ DEN DEN -6.5 O/U 34.5 OPP VS WR 14th WR RNK 46th ROSTERED 40% YTD Stats REC 39 TAR 60 REYDS 443 TD 0 FPTS/G 7.7 Douglas' first game back was a disappointment but he still has nine targets in two of his last three games and seven targets in four of his last five games. I'm hoping for a bounce back in Week 16. Dontayvion Wicks WR GB Green Bay • #13\n\nAge: 22 • Experience: Rookie Weekly Breakdown MATCHUP @ CAR GB -5 O/U 37.5 OPP VS WR 22nd WR RNK 35th ROSTERED 15% YTD Stats REC 31 TAR 49 REYDS 491 TD 1 FPTS/G 6.5 If Christian Watson and Jayden Reed remain out then Wicks might just be the best option available. He should certainly be started in more leagues than he is currently rostered in. His seven targets in Week 15 were a career high and part of a trend. His snap share has increased for three weeks in a row.\n\nWR Preview DFS Plays\n\nTop DFS Play (WR Preview) Projections powered by Sportsline CeeDee Lamb WR DAL Dallas • #88\n\nAge: 24 • Experience: 4 yrs. Weekly Breakdown MATCHUP @ MIA MIA -1.5 O/U 51 OPP VS WR 15th PROJ PTS 19.4 WR RNK 2nd YTD Stats REC 103 TAR 141 REYDS 1306 TD 10 FPTS/G 21.6 The choice between Lamb and Tyreek Hill will not be an easy one. The tiebreaker for me is that Lamb is $900 cheaper and Hill may still not be 100% by the time the Cowboys and Dolphins kick off. Last week was the first time since Week 9 that Lamb failed to reach the end zone and the second time since Week 5 that he didn't score at least 17 PPR Fantasy points.\n\nContrarian DFS Play (WR Preview) Projections powered by Sportsline Jaylen Waddle WR MIA Miami • #17\n\nAge: 25 • Experience: 3 yrs. Weekly Breakdown MATCHUP vs DAL MIA -1.5 O/U 51 OPP VS WR 7th PROJ PTS 14.2 WR RNK 16th YTD Stats REC 71 TAR 99 REYDS 964 TD 4 FPTS/G 14.8 We expect Hill to return this week, which should drive people off of Waddle. But there is at least a chance that Hill won't be 100% and Waddle will still be Tua Tagovailoa's top target. Waddle has been the quintessential DFS tournament play as of late with three of seven games over 19 PPR Fantasy points, topping 26 twice.\n\nWR Preview Heath's Projections\n\nMy full set of Week 16 Fantasy Football projections for every position are now available on SportsLine. Find out which of my favorite plays are projected to score higher than consensus rankings and which don't live up to their draft hype, at least in Week 16. Projected stats for all starting quarterbacks are available at Sportsline.","url":"https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/fantasy-football-week-16-wide-receiver-preview-waiver-adds-dfs-plays-and-more/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_0efa867faffe1139"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_0efa867faffe1139"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"3ad6d4ab513834cf2b01c04cc7e93ba30dc1ed717ee8f1fc6aff22be42a14b06","source_record_sha256":"774dd206b33c7ce377096cda776768fc7e087b2f0d76adfa3ac85068541bb9f3","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":146,"source_fields":{"title":"Fantasy Football Week 16 Wide Receiver Preview: Waiver adds, DFS plays, and more","author":"Heath Cummings","source":"CBSSports.com","published_at":"2023-12-19T20:51:32+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/fantasy-football-week-16-wide-receiver-preview-waiver-adds-dfs-plays-and-more/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_8d50921959d81326","text":"Brock Purdy threw for 314 yards and four touchdowns, Deebo Samuel scored three TDs and Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was checked for a concussion in the San Francisco 49ers’ 42-19 win over Philadelphia on Sunday.\n\nThe fiery NFC championship game rematch also featured 49ers’ touchdowns on six straight possessions and a pair of ejections that showed this year’s title game may not run again through Philly, after all.\n\n49ers' Dre Greenlaw has been disqualified from tonight's game after this incident on the Eagles sideline. pic.twitter.com/2N4W17N8u9 — FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 3, 2023\n\nThe 49ers (9-3) left Philly 10 months ago battered in the NFC championship game behind injuries to Purdy and his backup, and they never stood a chance in a 31-7 loss. The 49ers spent an offseason chirping at the Birds – Samuel called one Eagles cornerback “trash” – and then entered the Linc as a rare betting favorite against a 10-win team at home.\n\nThe Eagles (10-2) suffered a scare when Hurts jogged off the field in the fourth and went straight to the locker room. He was cleared to play and returned to action with about 10 minutes left. It was not immediately clear when Hurts was injured.\n\nBy the time last season’s NFL MVP runner-up returned, the Eagles trailed 35-13 and were on their way toward their first home loss of the season. Hurts did hit DeVonta Smith for a two-yard TD on his return drive. He finished 26-of-45 passing for 298 yards. Purdy put the finishing touches on the win with a 46-yard TD to Samuel.\n\nPerhaps all that braggadocio paid off for the 49ers. Hard feelings spilled into the game, highlighted by a scrap in the third quarter that got 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw and the the Eagles’ chief security officer tossed.\n\nDom DiSandro, a constant presence on the Eagles’ sideline, pulled Greenlaw off Smith after a reception. Greenlaw popped up and reached over two officials to touch DiSandro’s face with a closed fist. Greenlaw was ejected. DiSandro, a cult hero in Philly for his ever-present backup when Eagles are out in public, also was told to leave and walked to the locker room to a roaring ovation.\n\nLos Angeles Chargers 6-0 New England Patriots\n\nJustin Herbert threw for 212 yards and set up a pair of Cameron Dicker field goals that were all the Los Angeles Chargers (5-7) needed for their first shutout in six years. Keenan Allen came back from a thigh injury to catch five passes for 58 yards. But the only scoring the Chargers could manage was a pair of 38-yard field goals in the second quarter. New England made a quarterback switch, benching Mac Jones in favor of Bailey Zappe. But the Patriots (2-10) still lost their fifth straight game. For the first time in franchise history, the Patriots have been shut out at home twice in a season. Zappe was sacked five times – two by Khalil Mack, giving him a career-high 15 for the season and 99 in his career. Zappe was 13 for 25 for 141 yards; he did avoid an interception for the first time in three games, the previous two in relief of Jones.\n\nTyreek Hill had two touchdowns among his 157 yards receiving to help the Miami Dolphins rout the Washington Commanders 45-15. The AFC East-leading Dolphins are 9-3 for the first time since 2001. Tua Tagovailoa was turnover-free after giving the ball away four times over the past two games. De’Von Achane ran for two touchdowns in his return after missing five of the past six with a knee injury. The Commanders have lost four in a row. Washington’s Sam Howell threw a pick-6 for a third consecutive game.\n\nDetroit Lions 33–28 New Orleans Saints\n\nSam LaPorta had career highs of nine catches for 140 yards, including an early touchdown and a crucial first-down snag in the final minutes, and the Detroit Lions beat the reeling New Orleans Saints. Detroit improved to 9-3, their best record through 12 games since they went 10-2 in 1962. The Saints lost quarterback Derek Carr in the fourth quarter to back, shoulder and head injuries. Carr was hurt on a penalized hit by Bruce Irvin. New Orleans fell to 5-7, behind first-place Atlanta in the NFC South.\n\nKansas City Chiefs 19-27 Green Bay Packers\n\nThe Green Bay Packers picked up their fourth win in five games as they beat the defending Super Bowl champions. The 6-6 Packers are now in the NFC wildcard places after Sunday night’s win.\n\nDenver Broncos 17-22 Houston Texans\n\nNico Collins had a career-high 191 yards receiving and a fourth-quarter touchdown, and Jimmie Ward intercepted Denver’s Russell Wilson in the end zone with nine seconds left to left to help the Houston (7-5) Texans hold on for a win over the Broncos. Ward leapt in front of intended receiver Lucas Krull to secure the fourth victory in five games for Houston and snap a five-game winning streak for Denver (6-6). Wilson was intercepted a season-high three times, all of them after halftime. Derek Stingley Jr had the first two picks for the Texans. Rookie CJ Stroud threw for 274 yards for Houston.\n\nIndianapolis Colts 31-28 Tennessee Titans\n\nGardner Minshew threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Michael Pittman with 2:31 left in overtime and the Indianapolis Colts (7-5) beat the Tennessee Titans (4-8) for their fourth straight victory. The Colts had to score a touchdown after Nick Folk made a 46-yard field goal with 4:19 left in overtime to put Tennessee up. Tennessee lost their first true home game this season and have yet to win consecutive games. The Titans blew a 17-7 lead. Nick Folk missed his first extra point this season with 5:26 left in regulation, which would have put Tennessee up 26-25.\n\nskip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Soccer with Jonathan Wilson Free weekly newsletter Jonathan Wilson brings expert analysis on the biggest stories from European soccer Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion\n\nMiami Dolphins 45–15 Washington Commanders\n\nTyreek Hill had two touchdowns among his 157 receiving yards to help the Miami Dolphins rout the Washington Commanders (4-9). The AFC East-leading Dolphins are 9-3 for the first time since 2001. Tua Tagovailoa was turnover-free after giving the ball away four times over the past two games. De’Von Achane ran for two touchdowns in his return after missing five of the past six with a knee injury. The Commanders have lost four in a row. Washington’s Sam Howell threw a pick-six for a third consecutive game.\n\nAtlanta Falcons 13-8 New York Jets\n\nDesmond Ridder threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to MyCole Pruitt and the Atlanta Falcons took over sole possession of first place in the NFC South by slogging their way to an ugly victory over the punchless New York Jets.\n\nThe Falcons (6-6) have back-to-back wins for the first time since opening the season with victories over Carolina and Green Bay. Atlanta entered tied atop the division with New Orleans, who lost to Detroit.\n\nBut this game appealed only to fans of sloppy play, punting and penalty flags. The Jets (4-8) got an early safety but couldn’t get anything going – again – on offense in losing their fifth straight game. New York even pulled quarterback Tim Boyle and replaced him with Trevor Siemian in the fourth quarter to try to provide a spark, but it was more of the same misery in what appeared a half-filled MetLife Stadium.\n\nCleveland Browns 19–36 Los Angeles Rams\n\nMatthew Stafford threw three touchdown passes, Puka Nacua became the first Rams rookie wide receiver to reach 1,000 yards in a season, and Los Angeles extended their winning streak to three games. The Rams have won three straight for the first time since winning the Super Bowl after the 2021 season. At 6-6, they are back in the playoff race after dropping three straight before their bye week. Joe Flacco was 23 of 44 for 254 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in his Browns debut. Cleveland fell to 7-5 and occupy the final playoff spot in the AFC.\n\nArizona Cardinals 24–10 Pittsburgh Steelers\n\nJames Conner ran for 105 yards and a pair of touchdowns against his old team as the Arizona Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was the Cardinals’ first win at Pittsburgh since 1969. Arizona took control late in the first half with a 99-yard touchdown drive that ended with a five-yard strike from Kyler Murray to Trey McBride. The Cardinals led the rest of the way, enduring a pair of lengthy delays due to severe weather. The Steelers lost starting quarterback Kenny Pickett to an ankle injury late in the first half and scored their only touchdown in garbage time.\n\nCarolina Panthers 18–21 Tampa Bay Buccaneers\n\nTampa Bay’s Mike Evans scored on a 75-yard reception and joined Jerry Rice as the only players in NFL history to string together 10 consecutive seasons with 1,000-plus yards receiving. Evans finished with seven receptions for 162 yards, increasing his season totals to 61 catches for 1,012 yards and 10 touchdowns. Rice has the league record of 11 straight seasons with more than 1,000 yards receiving. The Bucs won for only the second time in the past eight games. Carolina scored late to pull within a field goal, but No 1 overall draft pick Bryce Young threw an interception to end any chance of coming from behind to win in the Panthers’ debut under interim coach Chris Tabor.","url":"https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/dec/03/nfl-roundup-sunday-scores-football","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_bab967ae9e11c83b","mhq_88c1cb1b421e82f7"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_bab967ae9e11c83b","mhq_88c1cb1b421e82f7"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"d4531b240c15f292ba6d33607072d132e3519512ac3a2afd91787ca8cd63f21e","source_record_sha256":"8f53696c6b205bddcb274c2c15d9c1602df377fa721897c97487abeaeca0d7ce","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":150,"source_fields":{"title":"NFL roundup: Pats hit new low as Lions reach 9-3 for first time since 1962","author":"Associated Press","source":"The Guardian","published_at":"2023-12-03T22:11:26+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/dec/03/nfl-roundup-sunday-scores-football"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_fbe835ac4bebf57e","text":"Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the\n\nLifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }}\n\nWill Smith has spoken out about his “tumultuous” relationship with his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, while speaking to a crowd of fans in Baltimore, Maryland.\n\nThe 55-year-old actor took the stage at the Enoch Pratt Free Library on 18 October, as he made an appearance at a press event for his wife’s book, Worthy, alongside their two children – Jaden, 25, and Willow, 22. His recent comments come after Jada made major revelations about their marriage in her memoir, including how she and Will have been separated for seven years.\n\nDuring the event in Baltimore, Will began by speaking to the crowd about his love and admiration for his partner, who he married in 1997. “I just really wanted to come out and just be here and hold it down for you the way you have held it down for me,” he said during the event, as reported by The Baltimore Sun.\n\nThe King Richard star went on to describe the challenges and achievements he’s had throughout his marriage, adding: “We have had a very, very long and tumultuous [relationship]. We call it ‘brutiful.’ It was brutal and beautiful at the same time.\"\n\nAt another point during the event, Will referred to his union with Jada as a “sloppy public experiment in unconditional love,” according to the Baltimore Banner. He went on to explain that he’s “happier than [he’s] ever been in [his] entire life” and praised Jada for continuing to be by his side.\n\n“I have achieved every single thing I have ever wanted in my entire life. There is not one thing left that I desire in this world - all of the awards, all of the money, the family - everything I’ve ever dreamed,” he said. “And those dreams were largely built on the foundation of Jada’s sacrifices. There were many times when Jada put her career aside so I could follow the dreams of mine.”\n\nThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star thanked his wife for putting him “before herself” and for maintaining a good relationship with his ex-wife Sheree Zampino. Will and Zampino share a 30-year-old son, Trey Smith, who was also present for the book event at the Enoch Pratt Free Library. Speaking to the crowd, Will said that Jada’s positive relationship with Zampino allowed all three of his children the chance to grow up together.\n\n“Can you show up and love somebody for the rest of your life, even when you don’t agree with them?” he asked. “Jada is the best friend I have ever had on this planet and I am going to show up for her and support her for the rest of my life.”\n\nThis isn’t the first time that Will has opened up about his relationship, as it’s continued to make headlines. Earlier this week, he appeared to mock the publicity storm surrounding him and Jada in a video titled “Official statement” shared on Instagram. “So, here’s the thing. My opinion is... uh…” the actor said, before sneezing into the crook of his arm. As he sneezed, the video comically zoomed out to show several different landscapes including lakes and mountains.\n\nPrior to sharing the video, Smith showed his support for his partner and her success in a statement toThe New York Times. During the interview, the outlet noted that Smith said his wife’s memoir “kind of woke him up” and that he has now realised she is more “resilient, clever and compassionate than he’d understood”.\n\n“When you’ve been with someone for more than half of your life, a sort of emotional blindness sets in, and you can all too easily lose your sensitivity to their hidden nuances and subtle beauties,” he added.\n\nIn an interview with People published on 10 October, Jada first revealed that she and her husband were living separately. “We’ve been doing some really heavy-duty work together,” she said. “We just got deep love for each other and we are going to figure out what that looks like for us.”\n\nHowever, during an appearance on the Today show on 16 October, Jada clarified to Hoda Kotb that she and the Suicide Squad actor are “working hard” and are “concentrating on healing” to get their relationship to a better place.\n\n“There’s no finding another great love, and I think that’s the point,” she said. “It’s like we are in a place now that we are in a deep, healing space. And we are really concentrating on healing the relationship between us.”\n\nThe Girls Trip star continued: “There’s no divorce on paper. We really have been working hard. That’s the whole thing. We are working very hard at bringing our relationship together. Back to a life partnership.”","url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/will-smith-jada-pinket-marriage-b2432586.html","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_3fb3599dcc99ed78"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_3fb3599dcc99ed78"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"e3054cfb65e68f0449c393a2f0a93bb70fd27289d1aca724cf555cae69a7bf4f","source_record_sha256":"83b15af780df9a89f2cdb615ec63d3810304a907ed9d2297f81156c868179762","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":159,"source_fields":{"title":"Will Smith speaks to crowd about ‘tumultuous’ relationship with Jada Pinkett Smith","author":"Amber Raiken","source":"The Independent - Life and Style","published_at":"2023-10-19T16:16:20+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/will-smith-jada-pinket-marriage-b2432586.html"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_1058b2ea301c5b73","text":"I have never seen Sam Bankman-Fried so still as he was during the prosecution’s opening statement. The characteristic leg-jiggling was absent. He barely moved as the prosecutor listed the evidence against him: internal company files, what customers were told, the testimony of his co-conspirators and his own words.\n\nHis hair was shorn, the result of a haircut from a fellow prisoner, the Wall Street Journal reported. He wore a suit bought at a discount at Macy’s, per the Journal; it hung on him. He appeared to have lost some weight.\n\n“All of that was built on lies.”\n\nBankman-Fried, at this time last year, had a luxury lifestyle as the CEO of crypto exchange FTX, said the assistant US attorney, Thane Rehn, in the cadence of a high schooler delivering his lines in a student play. Bankman-Fried hung out with Tom Brady. He was on magazine covers, lived in a $30 million penthouse, and spent time with world politicians. “All of that was built on lies,” Rehn said.\n\nIn his opening statement, Rehn dodged explaining cryptocurrency to the jury. Instead, he punched hard on Bankman-Fried lying and stealing.\n\nBankman-Fried sat almost motionless, occasionally glancing at Rehn, as the prosecutor told the jury that Bankman-Fried sold stock in FTX and borrowed millions from lenders by lying.\n\nThe story Rehn told is familiar to anyone following the news. In May and June of 2022, Alameda Research — the crypto trading company ostensibly helmed by Caroline Ellison — didn’t have enough to pay its bills, so it pulled customer money to repay loans. By September, the hole in the FTX balance sheet was so big that customers could never be repaid.\n\nFTX “didn’t have a chief risk officer, which became an issue when the storm hit.”\n\nWhen CoinDesk published its article in November 2022, people realized FTX was a house of cards, Rehn said. Meanwhile, Bankman-Fried tweeted. “FTX is fine. Assets are fine” and “We don’t invest customer assets even in treasuries.”\n\nPointing at Bankman-Fried, Rehn said, “This man stole billions of dollars from thousands of people.”\n\nSo how was the defense going to follow it up? I was very curious, having learned yesterday that Bankman-Fried had never been offered a plea deal since he and his attorneys had told the government they wouldn’t negotiate. Surely there would be some manner of evidence, some something, that would have made him so confident.\n\nThere was, instead, a metaphor.\n\nDefense attorney Mark Cohen, with the energy of a patient father telling his obnoxious children a bedtime story, assured us that working at a startup was like building a plane while flying it, and that FTX the plane had flown right into the perfect storm: the crypto crash. Except, uh, he also said this: FTX “didn’t have a chief risk officer, which became an issue when the storm hit.”\n\nI couldn’t stop thinking about the missing risk officer\n\nThe problem with this metaphor is that if FTX was a plane, it was a plane flying with a key component missing — namely, the risk officer, an executive whose job it is to, well, manage risk. This is sort of an important thing, as risks can be anything from reputational to regulatory to financial.\n\nFTX was named such as it was because it was a futures exchange, which, to borrow a phrase from Bloomberg’s Matt Levine, “sits between the winners and losers of bets.” That means FTX can’t pay out what it owes the winners unless the losers pay up. Risk management is a crucial part of the business; risk officers exist to identify business’ potential risks, monitor, and mitigate them. This is to say nothing of the regulatory risks around crypto.\n\nAs Cohen droned on about airplanes, I couldn’t stop thinking about the missing risk officer. Bringing it up, I thought, was a tremendous mistake. The prosecution hadn’t mentioned it. Either Bankman-Fried is stupid — unlikely — or he deliberately didn’t hire a risk officer. Was he worried about what one might find?\n\nSure, as Cohen put it, Bankman-Fried was a math nerd who didn’t party. That paints a picture of someone who’s pretty deliberate, particularly since he immediately left MIT and went to work on Wall Street. If he had been a party-hardy trainwreck, I could see overlooking a risk officer in order to do another line, or a supermodel, or something else important. Why was the defense bringing this up?\n\nBut as Cohen tried to tell me that FTX’s and Alameda’s business relationships were “reasonable under the circumstances,” the lack of risk officer kept elbowing me in the ribs. “Sam acted in good faith and took reasonable business measures” is a pretty hard pill to swallow with that in mind.\n\nMan, it’s no good when your defense lawyer has just made you sound worse than the prosecution already did. And while Cohen tried to make the common white-collar defense argument that Bankman-Fried, as CEO, was simply too busy to oversee what everyone did every day, he just made me more suspicious. That’s why you hire a risk officer and delegate! That’s the whole point! I could barely even hear Cohen blaming Caroline Ellison and Changpeng “CZ” Zhao for the debacle over the “no risk officer” ringing in my ears.\n\nFollowing the defense’s opening statements, things got still worse for Bankman-Fried. The prosecution called its first witness, Marc-Antoine Julliard, whose money got stuck on FTX. Juilliard, who was born in Paris and lives in London, testified that he trusted FTX because Bankman-Fried came across as a leading figure of the industry. When he was evaluating the exchange, he thought the sheer volume of users was important, too — at the time, FTX was among the top three biggest exchanges. Plus, major VC firms had invested, and “they don’t commit hundreds of millions without doing due diligence, checking the books, the accountancy of the firm, going through several compliance process[es], so that was a vote of confidence for me,” Juilliard said. (Evidently he had not paid attention to the Elizabeth Holmes trial.)\n\nHe also noted FTX’s glossy ads — featuring Gisele Bündchen, for instance — suggested a very high budget. It wouldn’t make sense to spend that much money unless FTX had very strong financials, Juilliard figured. He opened an account, transferred in both regular money and cryptocurrency, and used the exchange to execute his plan: buying Bitcoin to sell back in five to ten years at higher prices.\n\nIt is a thankless task to cross-examine a customer whose money is gone\n\nIn November 2022, things went bad for Julliard. He followed Bankman-Fried on Twitter, and read aloud the “FTX is fine. Assets are fine” tweets, along with “FTX has enough to cover all client holdings. We don’t invest client assets” and a few others, which gave Julliard the impression that his money was there — the problem might have been technical (anti-spam measures) or regulatory. When he tried to get his money out on November 8th, it was too late. We saw screenshots of his withdrawal attempts: $20,000 USD and about 4 Bitcoin, which were worth about $20,000 at the time: about $100,000 money, inaccessible.\n\nIt is a thankless task to cross-examine a customer whose money is gone, but Cohen tried anyway. He noted that Julliard was a licensed commodities broker, who was trading in crypto because he didn’t have to disclose it; that Julliard knew that crypto was new and risky, and that Julliard didn’t review the terms of service agreement he’d assented to when making his FTX account.\n\nWell, sure, but so what?\n\nThe next witness called was Bankman-Fried’s former college (and FTX) roommate, Adam Yedidia, about whom I expect I will have much more to say tomorrow.","url":"https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/4/23903986/sam-bankman-fried-opening-statements-trial-fraud","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_81cce8db0e374160","mhq_cb413bf4b2bb4960"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_81cce8db0e374160","mhq_cb413bf4b2bb4960"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"7ed8b8e5c7d66afe0c45544b33a7401d98eae41b592da41315cd0443a91a1165","source_record_sha256":"552b3cbbbaf0dab29e2f7887c5e84e976267db26f42998e240b98fb1265670d4","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":162,"source_fields":{"title":"Is Sam Bankman-Fried’s defense even trying to win?","author":"Elizabeth Lopatto","source":"The Verge","published_at":"2023-10-04T23:02:14+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/4/23903986/sam-bankman-fried-opening-statements-trial-fraud"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_a9a879368f2a59e1","text":"The first thing to know about the Steam Deck OLED is that it’s not the Steam Deck 2. The Steam Deck OLED is a mid-cycle refresh from Valve, similar to the Switch OLED upgrade, but there’s a lot more going on internally here. Its screen is better, its battery life is better, its thumbsticks are better, the haptics are better, and its chip and thermals are better. One thing that hasn’t changed is its form factor — this is still one of the biggest babies on the handheld block.\n\nThe new Steam Deck’s main upgrade is its OLED screen, which replaces the original LCD and, crucially, has native support for HDR and faster frame rates. The OLED also has smaller bezels, making the display larger at 7.4 inches, compared with the original 7-inch screen.\n\nValve Valve Steam Deck OLED SCORE 89 Engadget 89 Critics - Not yet scored N/A Users - Not yet scored N/A Pros Improved battery life\n\nBright and smooth visuals\n\nBetter thermals\n\nFeels less top-heavy\n\nLong charging cable Cons Still ridiculously large\n\nSeriously it’s so big\n\nValve Valve Steam Deck OLED This isn't the Steam Deck 2 some are waiting for, it's just a welcome improvement on an already good device. $549 at Steam\n\nOLED screen\n\nThe HDR OLED display looks fantastic. It features a wider P3 color gamut, pure blacks and a peak brightness of 1,000 nits, compared with the original max of 400 nits. In action, this means the screen’s bezels meld with the black of any game, creating a more polished frame for retro aspect ratios and providing room for higher-contrast colors. The screen on the new model doesn’t support variable refresh rates (VRR), but it now tops out at 90Hz, while the original could only hit 60Hz. The updated display is smooth, crisp and bright, like a perfect lemon tart. (Even then, I do not recommend licking the screen.)\n\nBattery life\n\nOne of the downsides of the first Steam Deck was its short battery life, which maxed out at eight hours, and that was only under ideal conditions. Valve says the new Steam Deck battery will last 30 to 50 percent longer, depending on how you’re playing, and it charges faster — the company claims it will go from 20 percent to 80 percent in 45 minutes.\n\nCustom AMD APU\n\nThe Steam Deck OLED has a die-shrunk version of the custom AMD APU found in the original Steam Deck — same CPU and GPU, just more efficient. This is the process Sony takes advantage of to build the PS4 Slim and PS5 Slim, but instead of collapsing the Steam Deck around smaller hardware, Valve chose to add a bigger battery and larger fan to its existing chassis. For developers, this means the device has the same performance targets as the original and there’s no need to create games specifically for the new hardware. In the end, the device weighs about 30 grams less than the original model, or the equivalent of five quarters.\n\nEngadget\n\nIn use\n\nWhich leads us to the bad news for my tiny hand gang. The Steam Deck OLED is the same monstrous size as the original: 11.7 inches long, 4.5 inches tall and nearly 2 inches thick. The thumbsticks on the new model are actually 1mm taller than the first version. This was one of my main complaints about the Steam Deck when I first reviewed it: I have smaller-than-average hands, and the Steam Deck looks and feels absolutely ridiculous when I’m holding it. It’s just massive, no matter how long my manicure gets. However, the OLED model feels more balanced than the original. It’s less top-heavy, and it does technically weigh less. These small adjustments have made a noticeable difference during my playtime, and the device feels slightly more manageable as a handheld — or maybe I’m just too distracted by all of its bright, pretty colors to care about the cramping in my palms.\n\nThe thumbsticks on the new handheld have an improved texture that shouldn’t turn gray after a few months’ use, and they feel perfectly serviceable. In my hands-on time so far, I've found that the OLED touchscreen responds immediately to input, and the haptic feedback on the built-in trackpads feels even more precise, populating in reactive pin-pricks under the textured plastic.\n\nI spent a few cozy nights on my couch swapping between the LCD and OLED Steam Decks, and honestly, after I’m done with this review, I’ll probably retire my original model. The Steam Deck OLED is sharper and more responsive; indie games, AAA games and plain old Steam menus look so much better on the new hardware.\n\nEngadget\n\nHades is my most-played game on the original Steam Deck, so I used that to test out Valve’s battery life claims. Though it doesn’t support HDR, a game like Hades pops on the OLED, and its animations look more fluid than on the LCD version. The OLED lasted four hours and 23 minutes before dying. With the same settings (800p with a 60 fps cap and similar brightness) the original model died after two hours and 42 minutes. That’s a 62 percent improvement, surpassing Valve’s own estimates, though batteries degrade and I’ve had my LCD Steam Deck since the device’s launch in early 2022. In a stress test that involved playing Elden Ring with everything maxed out, the OLED battery lasted two hours and 20 minutes, about 40 percent longer than the original.\n\nPlaying the Steam Decks back-to-back highlighted another significant quality-of-life improvement: heat management. My palms have gotten toasty playing the OLED model, but they haven’t broken a sweat like they often do with the original. The new fan may be larger, but it’s not any louder, and it clearly works a treat.\n\nThe Steam Deck OLED has a new Wi-Fi 6E module and improved antennas that should enable faster downloads for anyone with a compatible router. I don’t have a 6E router or multi-gigabit Wi-Fi, but with a regular Wi-Fi 6 router, the top download speed I saw on the new Steam Deck was 562mbps, which was about 10 percent faster than the old Steam Deck, and 10 percent slower than the speeds I get on my MacBook Pro. The device uses Bluetooth 5.3 and adds a dedicated antenna, which should improve functionality when using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth at the same time.\n\nEngadget\n\nEven with improvements to the battery, thermals and weight distribution, the Steam Deck OLED is still more of a Wii U than a Vita. It’s a beast of a handheld, and it makes the most sense as a portable console to use around the house, rather than a truly travel-ready device. The new model even comes with an extra-long, 2.5m charging cable, designed specifically with couch-based players in mind. I didn’t test out the docking station with the new Steam Deck, but Valve recently released a SteamOS update that lets players take advantage of HDR and VRR on external displays, which only drives home the Wii U-ness of it all.\n\nAs far as software, you know the drill by now. Valve has rolled out labels for Steam games signifying how well they’ll work on the handheld, with four levels: unknown, unsupported, playable and verified. Playable games generally come with a small caveat, like having to deploy the on-screen keyboard, while verified games have been fully optimized for portable play. Currently, more than 10,000 titles on Steam fall under the playable or verified labels, with more added every day.\n\nWhen will the Steam Deck OLED be available?\n\nThe Steam Deck OLED will go on sale on November 16th at 1pm ET, and Valve has units ready to ship that same day. The company has lowered the price of its LCD lineup and will sell through its backstock of 64GB and 512GB models until they’re all gone. It’ll continue selling the 256GB LCD model at a reduced price of $400, while the 512GB OLED model will cost $550 and the 1TB OLED model will cost $650. There’s also a limited edition 1TB OLED version priced at $680 that comes with a special carrying case, a translucent gray body and orange accents.\n\nValve\n\nWrap-up\n\nAccording to the developers I spoke with at Valve, this is the definitive version of the Steam Deck. The HDR OLED model is what they would have released the first time around, if the technology had existed before 2022. The handheld market has evolved quickly — in just over a year, the Steam Deck proved there’s widespread demand for handheld PCs, and its success helped drive chip makers and display manufacturers to build hardware specifically for high-fidelity mobile play. This is great news for Valve and the Steam Deck, and also the other handhelds coming out of companies like Ayaneo, ASUS, Ayn, Logitech, Retroid and Razer. Hell, maybe even Playdate will get an HDR OLED display one day. (Just kidding; Playdate is literally perfect).\n\nSo, no, the HDR OLED refresh isn't the Steam Deck 2, but it is a welcome improvement on an already good device. The Steam Deck OLED is the facetuned, photoshopped, spit-shined version of Valve’s handheld, and it features tangible, clever improvements. The updated display is the highlight of the device, while things like faster charging, improved antennas and smoother haptics are welcome bonuses. More importantly, this is Valve renewing its commitment to portable PC gaming, and that’s a relief to see. The Steam Deck is the granddaddy of handheld PCs and Valve has the resources to continue innovating in this space. For now, the OLED model is a half-step toward the Steam Deck 2, which may be the final version of the device — unless Valve finally learns how to count to three.","url":"https://www.engadget.com/steam-deck-oled-review-its-just-better-180038030.html?src=rss","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_9ad884b914c90eac","mhq_6d3802779694a3d5","mhq_ef0defe431ae3e08"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_9ad884b914c90eac","mhq_6d3802779694a3d5","mhq_ef0defe431ae3e08"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"89f887ef280f0a809bcc5109a723d7e4f626f5c3c010409f5fd132beb0272c5d","source_record_sha256":"ce5797f8b74e724c1cb99254529d2c2ce9a2572a190f6918da656b768d52a41d","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":169,"source_fields":{"title":"Steam Deck OLED review: It's just better","author":"Jessica Conditt","source":"Engadget","published_at":"2023-11-09T18:00:38+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://www.engadget.com/steam-deck-oled-review-its-just-better-180038030.html?src=rss"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_ec2ee50c7116fbc2","text":"Tim Sweeney finally has a win.\n\nOn Monday, a federal jury surprised the world by siding with Fortnite maker Epic Games in its fight to break Google’s control over Android apps — even though “walled garden” rival Apple almost entirely won a similar case two years ago. The nine-person jury decided that Google has an illegal monopoly over Android app distribution and in-app payment systems, and that Google illegally tied its Google Play billing system to its app store.\n\nSweeney is Epic’s CEO, co-founder, and importantly its controlling shareholder. He’s the one behind these lawsuits, and it was his idea to challenge these companies in court. It’s been his fight from the very beginning, and he watched almost the entire trial in person from the best seat in the house — with a clear view of the jury, the judge, each witness, and the faces of Google’s lawyers.\n\nLast night, I asked him why, what he learned, and what’s next.\n\nThis interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.\n\nThank you for being here with us. It’s been a very engaging trial to watch. I’ve been there every day of the trial, and you’ve been there every day save one. So my first question is why did you personally attend this trial every day save one — and what the heck happened on that one day?\n\nYeah, Epic is asking a lot of the court system and the jury here, spending four weeks on a major antitrust trial full of complicated facts and evidence. It wouldn’t be right to start something like this and not show up. So I had to do that. And, you know, Phil Schiller sat throughout the entire Epic v. Apple trial, as did I, so I think it’s just necessary to show respect for the legal process.\n\nWhat happened on that one day you weren’t here?\n\nOh — sorry I can’t share, but there were some... non-Epic issues I had to deal with.\n\nSo this trial has been four years in the making. I look back at a September 2019 email that was in discovery about a plan to draw Google into a legal battle over antitrust. Can you describe what it felt like, after four years, to hear the jury find for Epic?\n\nWell, it’s a great day for all developers to see that the Sherman Antitrust Act works in the new era of tech monopolies; we’ve not had a major antitrust verdict against a tech company that meant change and benefits for everybody since the 1990s, with the US v. Microsoft. Back in the early days of the internet. So this is an awesome thing and it’s much needed by the industry which is being strangled by a few gatekeepers imposing insane amounts of control and extracting huge taxes, which not only raise prices for consumers but also make a lot of kinds of products just unviable.\n\nI understand the significance, but... you were there in person. You had a smile on your face, you shook the Google attorney’s hand, you clapped Bornstein on the back. How did you feel in that moment?\n\nWell, it was a great relief. The conventional wisdom that attorneys tell you is that when there’s a rapid jury verdict, it’s typically not good for the plaintiffs making a complicated case, and so there was some trepidation going on — but it was awesome to see.\n\nSomething that we’d suspected all along was the jury was really following the case carefully. They weren’t snoozing off as you might expect with the complexity of these documents and things — everybody was paying attention, they’re looking at the question asker and the witness and taking notes and reading documents. It was just awesome to see that the justice system works, even with the most complex type of tech antitrust case that you can possibly throw at a jury.\n\n[Editor’s note: Every journalist in the courtroom agreed the jury was attentive; most were also surprised by the rapid verdict.]\n\nThey got it, they got it quickly, and they were able to pull apart what was going on and contrast it with the fiction of the story that Google was trying to tell.\n\nWhat was something that surprised you in the courtroom, something you heard come to light that you hadn’t heard before?\n\nI’d suspected a lot of the practices that Google had, you know, since 2018 or so when we first started this, to such an extent that some folks would occasionally call me a conspiracy theorist. It was really, really interesting to see that my understandings of what Google was doing behind the scenes were actually true — you’re leaking our conversations to reporters to get negative stories written about us; you’re paying other developers off to convince them not to launch their own stores; they were going around and paying carriers and OEMs secretly not to carry competing stores.\n\nAnd when we tried to bundle Fortnite with other smartphone manufacturers like OnePlus and carriers of all sorts, they told us they couldn’t do a deal because Google had done a secret deal with them.\n\nIt was really disconcerting to see the extent of bad faith efforts that were going on in a company of Google’s size. You’d think a trillion-dollar company would develop to the point where they have pretty respectable processes and leadership structures that provide a check and balance against wrongdoing, but they were rampantly destroying all their chats on these topics.\n\nYou’d see long conversation threads would start to get into a spicy antitrust issue, and suddenly somebody points out the history’s on and the chat goes silent. They just turned it off to have the documents destroyed. It was great to see that all called out in detail.\n\nAny particular evidence where you’re like, “Oh wow, I never saw that, and now that specific thing came out for the world to see”?\n\nAs an employee of Epic, I’ve not been able to see Google’s internal documents until the trial started. The lawyers can see them, but I saw almost all the key elements in this case at the same time the jury saw them. Two things stand out big time. Google’s Project Hug was an astonishingly corrupt effort at a massive scale — the same corrupt deal structure they tried to do with Epic when they wanted to pay us off to launch Fortnite on Google Play and not launch our own store.\n\nAs soon as we thwarted their effort, they went around to 27 different developers and offered each one a payoff to undermine any effort we had to get their games onto our store exclusively. Activision and Riot and Supercell had direct distribution plans that they were planning on; Google paid them not to pursue those plans. Just direct blatant violations of anti-competition law, it’s crazy a company of Google’s scale would do that.\n\n“If you’re a smaller developer than Spotify, you get screwed.”\n\nThe other astonishing one was the Spotify deal. Spotify is the one company that had comparable negotiating power to Fortnite. Instead of using their power to fight for the good of all developers, they did a special deal with Google. Google gave them a 0 percent fee. Google let Spotify process their own payments, and Spotify kept 100 percent. They do it for Spotify and for nobody else. If you’re a smaller developer than Spotify, you get screwed.\n\nWhen Spotify uses Google’s own payment service, instead of paying the 30 percent that Google forces other developers to pay, they pay 4 percent. That’s what the rate should be! Four percent is a perfectly reasonable rate for an unbundled payment system.\n\nIf instead of offering you a $147 million deal, Google said, “You can pay 0 percent to use your own payments system or 4 percent for Google Play billing,” would you be here today? Would you have fought this lawsuit to begin with if they’d simply offered something more fair to you?\n\nNo, we’ve always turned down special deals just for Epic. We’ve always fought on the principal that all developers should be, you know, given the same opportunities. One of the documents in evidence was a 2019 email I sent — right before Fortnite launched the Marvel season with all this amazing new content and the Star Wars event featuring J.J. Abrams. Right before that, I sent an email to all the Google senior executives saying that we wanted to bring Fortnite to the Google Play Store in time for that event, and we wanted them to allow us and all other developers to process certain payments and keep them all.\n\nThat was our proposal to Google in 2019. If Google had said yes to that, that would have been awesome for all developers — the Android ecosystem would have become much, much stronger, and Google would be in a much better position in the smartphone industry than they are today. We would’ve never had a dispute because the problem would have been solved.\n\nIt’s always been in Google’s power to solve this problem. They make several billion dollars a year in unfairly earned profits from imposing this tax, which is nothing compared to the money they make from search. For all the other benefits they get from Android, Google could solve this problem today if they wanted to.\n\nDo you today believe that Activision Blizzard was really intending to build its own app store?\n\nI don’t know about Supercell, but we know from the documents in the case that Riot was planning to distribute League of Legends directly through their website, on mobile, exactly as they do on PC. And that’s what they planned to do until Google paid them off to not do that. Google’s payoff at the minimum dissuaded Riot from distributing off Google Play.\n\nI think they’re the strongest example of the three, but I’m curious about Activision.\n\nActivision was building a store! We know they had a large team of dozens of engineers building a mobile app store to launch on Android.\n\nWe know that because they came to us and told us they were doing that. And we know it because after all that went down, I talked to an Activision employee who was close to that effort, working with the team building the store, and he reported that the entire store team Activision had employed to build their competing store had been disbanded as soon as Activision signed their deal with Google.\n\n[Editor’s note: We did not hear from such a person at trial; I’d be eager to speak to them now!]\n\nWe know Activision was telling Google they were building their computing store; we know in Google internal discussions they said they didn’t want Activision building a competing store. They agreed to sign this deal, and they were gleeful about the fact they dissuaded perhaps their number one competitor at the time from launching their own store.\n\nFour years later, Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard — and one of the big talking points from Microsoft to the European Union was that the merger strengthened the company overall in order to provide a viable computing store on iOS and Android.\n\nWhat would you say the differences are between the Apple and Google cases?\n\nI would say Apple was ice and Google was fire.\n\nThe thing with Apple is all of their antitrust trickery is internal to the company. They use their store, their payments, they force developers to all have the same terms, they force OEMs and carriers to all have the same terms.\n\nWhereas Google, to achieve things with Android, they were going around and paying off game developers, dozens of game developers, to not compete. And they’re paying off dozens of carriers and OEMs to not compete — and when all of these different companies do deals together, lots of people put things in writing, and it’s right there for everybody to read and to see plainly.\n\nI think the Apple case would be no less interesting if we could see all of their internal thoughts and deliberations, but Apple was not putting it in writing, whereas Google was. You know, I think Apple is... it’s a little bit unfortunate that in a lot of ways Apple’s restrictions on competition are absolute. Thou shalt not have a competing store on iOS and thou shalt not use a competing payment method. And I think Apple should be receiving at least as harsh antitrust scrutiny as Google.\n\nIt’s interesting to me that because Google distributes the Android operating system as open source, they had to put all these deals out in the open. More out in the open, I should say — certainly they still wanted to keep them secret.\n\nBut I’m going down my story about all the best emails from the Epic v. Apple trial — and we do have a lot of documents from both Apple and Google that show they were similarly self-serving in terms of deals.\n\nI’d say this is the thing that’s disappointed me the most with Apple and Google: even at the peak of the antitrust trial against Microsoft, Microsoft was awesome to developers. Microsoft has always been awesome to developers, always being respectful, giving developers a great deal and treating them as partners, you know? And so even as Microsoft was crushing corporate competitors, the developer experience was excellent. [Editor’s note: Netscape might feel differently.]\n\n“Even as Microsoft was crushing corporate competitors, the developer experience was excellent.”\n\nGoogle and Apple both treat developers as adversaries — they try to attack our revenue streams and prevent us from competing with their products. They’ve built these massive self-preferencing schemes all around excluding developers and disadvantaging third-party developers. I think this is very shortsighted. I think any tech company — Apple, Google included — would be much better off in the long term if they viewed developers as awesome partners and did everything they could to support them and empower them and not get in their way financially.\n\nAnd this has been our philosophy with Unreal Engine, for example, and the Epic Games Store. We just want to be a cool partner that helps other companies succeed the way we do. And I think philosophy change... perhaps it will only come with a generational change in the company’s management. I think the philosophy change would do both of those companies much good.\n\nIf you get your way in terms of being able to freely put your own store on Android, do you believe that would only be a game store or would it also be an app store? We look at Valve and we see a store that could be both, but they’ve decided to focus exclusively on games.\n\nSo the Epic Games Store isn’t a games store, right? It’s the store operated by Epic Games. So we have a lot of non-games there already. We have the Brave web browser, we have a number of software creation tools including Unreal Engine, and there’s more coming, including some other awesome creation tools and productivity tools. We’ll host any app anybody wants of any sort.\n\nI think the gaming market is something we’re uniquely close to, and so I think we would likely be able to forge closer partnerships and opportunities in gaming, but we’ll be open to everybody on Android as we are on PC.\n\nWhat were your settlement talks with Google CEO Sundar Pichai like?\n\nWe can’t talk about content, but we met for an hour and had a professional discussion... in which we didn’t reach a settlement. We were rather far apart, let’s say, because what Epic wants ultimately is free competition and fair competition for everybody, and the removal of the payments tie and removal of the anticompetitive measures, which obviously leads to far better deals for consumers and developers.\n\nWhat we don’t want is a special deal just for ourselves, and Google’s strategy so far as you’ve seen from all these deals has been to basically take out all their potential competitors one at a time while they’re still weak and small, before they build up or unite into a formidable force. Epic’s not going to go along with something like that and do a special deal just for ourselves.\n\nYou’ve said that a couple times, but the email that you accused Google of leaking suggested that Epic was interested in a special deal of some sort at that time. I don’t know if that was on behalf of you and fellow developers. Can you tell us what that email was actually about?\n\nGoogle didn’t leak the email; they leaked their ridiculously biased summary of it to Abner Li at 9to5Google. Don Harrison testified at trial that he didn’t think Google leaked to the press. And then he was presented with a document including Google’s press team and Sameer Samat, head of all Android, basically summarizing the articles that appeared as a result of Google’s leaking of our plans to the press.\n\nSo I was wondering if you could tell me what the email actually said.\n\nOh, it’s in evidence! This was the one I mentioned! Right before Christmas-ish 2019, we were planning to launch the new Marvel season with a bunch of Star Wars content and its awesome lineup. I asked Google’s executives to let Fortnite come to the Google Play Store using our own payment method and to open up, you know, using their own payment methods to all developers, not just Epic. That was our proposal.\n\nOh, I think I read that one in court. I didn’t realize that was the same thing. It’s so far off from what I heard [about a “special billing exception”] that I didn’t recognize it being that. Does winning the verdict in this Google case help your appeal with the Apple case in any way?\n\nThere’s no linkage between the cases and law, so it would just come down to whether the court is in any way following current events on this topic. But there’s no legal connection between the two. It really comes down to the decisions of the humans involved: the justices and the support teams involved when considering the appeal.\n\nGoogle will appeal this; they’ve told us they’re going to challenge the verdict. Will Epic rely on this ruling in the meantime?\n\nWe’re not going to wait. We’re going to do absolutely everything we can as quickly as we can to start changing the world. We not only have this verdict here in the United States, it is a worldwide verdict, right? We established a market worldwide, excluding China. So any remedies, we would presume, would be worldwide. We also have the European DMA; we have Epic v. Apple and Epic v. Google cases coming up in Australia, and another one in the UK.\n\nIt’s not just Epic anymore, there’s a lot of legislators, there’s a lot of regulators, and there’s other litigation all pushing in the direction of openness. And we’re going to do absolutely everything we can.\n\nDo you have anything to say to your former partners in litigation, Match Group, that abandoned you at the last minute and may now be regretting it?\n\nOh, yeah, no. Match has been an awesome partner and a fellow member of the Coalition for App Fairness. I really hope that they got out of their settlement what they needed to get for their business. Very few companies have the resources that Epic has to fight multinational litigation against the world’s two most powerful companies. So there are absolutely no hard feelings, and we’re grateful that they joined the case because they did help in critical ways. Epic will continue to fight for all developers, seeking remedies, and... I don’t know if Sundar is going to be calling me, but if he does, all of our discussions will be directed toward solving the problem for everyone.\n\nA lot has changed since you filed the original lawsuit over three years ago. For a bit there, it seemed like Epic had an interest in expanding outside of games with acquisitions like Houseparty and Bandcamp. What changed? And did app store restrictions play into that at all?\n\nLet’s see. No... well, not directly, anyway. We have a really broad strategy of building games and technology. We’ve had huge success in recent years with the Unreal Engine gaining adoption among all kinds of industries even beyond games. We’ve also run into our own financial limitations. You know, we expanded the company to nine times the size we were before Fortnite took off. And so we’re just trying to forge the strategy where we’re living within our means and doing everything we absolutely can.\n\nBut we’ve gotten so much traction with Fortnite in so many different ways, and with the Epic Games Store, right, we’re going to continue investing heavily here. The Epic Games Store is the untold success story in the background. Since it launched in 2018, we now have 80 million monthly active users. Steam has 120 million, so we’re catching them fast! Fortnite has more concurrent users right now than all Steam games combined. You should really expect dramatic changes that benefit all developers over the next few years.\n\n[Editor’s note: Sweeney isn’t right about Fortnite having more concurrent users than Steam. Epic spokesperson Natalie Muñoz confirmed Sweeney misinterpreted a Polygon story about how Fortnite hit 7.6 million players at a time when the entirety of Steam had 10.1 million. These days, Steam generally peaks at over 30 million, with valleys of 20 million. Fortnite’s valleys are closer to 3.8 million.]\n\nTim Sweeney says he plays Jellie in Fortnite. Image: Epic Games\n\nOkay, let’s do a lightning round. What’s your favorite Fortnite skin?\n\nI play as Jellie! Jellyfish. You know, the big tentacles? It’s just so cool!\n\nWill Epic ever announce Unreal Tournament 3 X?\n\nForever in motion, the future is.\n\nWhy is Fortnite still not playable on Steam Deck?\n\nIf we only had a few more programmers. It’s the Linux problem. I love the Steam Deck hardware. Valve has done an amazing job there; I wish they would get to tens of millions of users, at which point it would actually make sense to support it.\n\nIn October 2019, Epic internally said it might pursue an aggressive pursuit model with the Epic Games Store, where it would aggressively pay more for exclusive games and really pull in more and more users. Are you in the aggressive pursuit model?\n\nNo, we’re in a different model, which is called the “Ridiculously aggressive pursuit model.” If it’s a 10-slide deck, that’s on slide 11.\n\nDid you get a bingo on your Verge bingo card?\n\nYeah, I think it was almost a complete shutout. I think there was only one cell in the entire board that was missing. I was really impressed — the thing for that bingo card that really impressed me was “lick the cookie.” Do you remember? You may not even be old enough, but “lick the cookie” was in the 1999 US v. Microsoft antitrust trial.","url":"https://www.theverge.com/23996474/epic-tim-sweeney-interview-win-google-antitrust-lawsuit-district-court","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_a2c7c19918d77ec8","mhq_fc2dacc75cb6ef2b","mhq_9ad884b914c90eac"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_a2c7c19918d77ec8","mhq_fc2dacc75cb6ef2b","mhq_9ad884b914c90eac"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"262cbea0d1ef3170d666b22b0e280782ab83002aa6df394bbf8a1103d81021ae","source_record_sha256":"383650d3921af16d4c87bdd6460f6af3d10e86fa71db12db9c02fb7d539b2f4e","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":170,"source_fields":{"title":"Tim Sweeney on Epic’s victory royale over Google","author":"Sean Hollister","source":"The Verge","published_at":"2023-12-12T19:17:14+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://www.theverge.com/23996474/epic-tim-sweeney-interview-win-google-antitrust-lawsuit-district-court"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_65f314cd109de5f0","text":"The trial of Sam Bankman-Fried is likely to be more consequential than just whether the man himself is found guilty. Depending on what evidence is introduced during the trial, it could be rough for the entire crypto industry.\n\n“How much damage can this trial do to the already beaten-down reputation of the industry at this point?” asks Yesha Yadav, a law professor at Vanderbilt University. “This trial is going to be an excruciating moment for the industry because no one knows what kind of evidence might come out.”\n\nBankman-Fried, the founder of FTX and Alameda Research, is facing seven counts of criminal charges: two counts of wire fraud, and five counts of conspiracy charges. FTX was a failed cryptocurrency exchange founded in 2019. According to a now-deleted profile from FTX investors Sequoia Capital, FTX was founded because of Bankman-Fried’s frustration with other exchanges when he was running Alameda Research, his crypto trading firm. According to the SEC, FTX was a fraud “from the start,” diverting customers’ funds to Alameda.\n\nSam Bankman-Fried, the founder of failed cryptocurrency exchange FTX, is on trial for seven counts of wire fraud and conspiracy. FTX was a fraud “from the start,” the Securities and Exchange Commission alleges — with a “multi-billion-dollar deficiency caused by his own misappropriation of customer funds.” Follow along for all the latest news and regular updates from the trial.\n\n“Really just old-fashioned embezzlement.”\n\nWhat’s left of FTX is now being led by John J. Ray III — you may remember him as the guy who cleaned up Enron and who also said FTX is worse than Enron. Just before the trial began, the FTX lawyers filed suit against Bankman-Fried’s parents, saying they should give back millions of dollars they got from their kid. Ray has also referred to Bankman-Fried’s conduct as “really just old-fashioned embezzlement.”\n\nWe have some inkling of what the government will be arguing thanks to the filings prosecutors are making in this case. They argue that Bankman-Fried lied about consumer protection and that Bankman-Fried’s statements that FTX was “avoiding or managing conflicts of interest” and that “as a general principle FTX segregates customer assets from its own assets across our platforms” were lies, in a superseding indictment filed August 14th.\n\nThe indictment also says that there were special features in FTX’s code that “permitted Alameda to spend and withdraw unlimited amounts of money from FTX,” which were created at Bankman-Fried’s direction. That effectively exempted Alameda from the kinds of risk management other customers faced. At the same time, the government alleges, “Bankman-Fried publicly and repeatedly asserted that Alameda did not have privileged access to FTX.”\n\nBankman-Fried is accused of using “billions of dollars in misappropriated FTX customer deposits” to help buy more than $200 million of real estate for himself, make billions of dollars of investments for his own interest, and repay Alameda’s lenders, according to the indictment, Additionally, Bankman-Fried allegedly used more than $100 million of customer funds to make political contributions; prosecutors can show evidence of those contributions in this trial, even though they aren’t part of the charges brought. A second trial is scheduled for March 2024, with additional charges.\n\nBefore his fall, Bankman-Fried made himself out to be the Good Boy of crypto — the trustworthy face of a sometimes-shady industry. He was also very interested in publicity, sitting for many interviews both before and after the fall of FTX. The quick rise of FTX as an industry force was at least in part due to Bankman-Fried’s appetite for attention. Here are the hits:\n\nBankman-Fried gave interviews freely — and quickly rose to public prominence in the industry. Though FTX hadn’t been in the business as long as competing exchanges such as Coinbase, Kraken, or Gemini, Bankman-Fried positioned himself as an important, boyish face for crypto. (At one point, Bankman-Fried told a colleague at FTX that “I honestly think it’s negative EV [this may mean “expected value,” as in poker] for me to cut my hair. I think it’s important for people to think I look crazy.”)\n\nBecause he was so successful at this kind of public relations, his fall from grace was another mark against an industry that was already roiled by bankruptcies and scandals. Some additional trouble for the crypto industry is likely to come from one crucial element of the fraud trial — the part where the government must prove intent.\n\nThe first part of proving the government’s case is pretty simple and a little boring: prosecutors must show that certain transactions took place. Whatever records the Southern District of New York has for the transactions will be shown.\n\n“What conversations happened between him and his co-conspirators that are now cooperating against him?”\n\nThe second part is where all the drama is likely to come, says Christopher LaVigne, a litigation partner and co-chair of the cryptocurrency practice at the law firm Withers. Prosecutors have to connect those transactions to Bankman-Fried, show that he knew what he was doing was wrong, and prove that he lied about it anyway.\n\n“What was he saying to his parents and his other advisors about this?” LaVigne says. “What conversations happened between him and his co-conspirators that are now cooperating against him?”\n\nTo further establish intent, the government can use Bankman-Fried’s own words. The indictment calls Bankman-Fried’s tweets in November 2022 “false and misleading.”\n\n“We had him going out directly to the internet,” LaVigne says. If he wrote things on Twitter or said things in interviews that weren’t true, that’s more fodder for the government’s case. “They can point to that and say, ‘This is what he said, this is what actually happened.’”\n\nOther evidence may include Signal messages and testimony from co-conspirators who plead guilty to their own charges. Alameda Research CEO Caroline Ellison, who was also sometimes Bankman-Fried’s girlfriend, may play an important role — Bankman-Fried leaked her diaries to The New York Times and was consequently jailed for witness tampering. The government has indicated FTX co-founder Gary Wang and engineering head Nishad Singh will also be among the witnesses called to give testimony about Bankman-Fried.\n\nBankman-Fried’s defense can also introduce risks for people who dealt with him\n\nThere may be testimony from lenders, venture capitalists, and customers in order to establish the basis for some charges. In the indictment, the prosecutors allege that Bankman-Fried lied to FTX investors. Some of those investors may be called on to testify, which is not the kind of thing VC big shots generally enjoy — and which might create collateral damage for the industry.\n\nIf, for instance, Sequoia Capital did due diligence around its investment in FTX, whatever Bankman-Fried told its partners could be important. Was FTX already sending Alameda customer funds at that point? Did Bankman-Fried know about it? And did he tell VCs at the time? (If he told them it wasn’t happening, that would establish intent.) Binance was also an early investor in FTX, and former executives may be called on to testify as well, says Hermine Wong, the former head of policy at Coinbase and a former SEC regulator.\n\nBankman-Fried’s defense can also introduce risks for people who dealt with him. Defense lawyers have several simultaneous objectives. First and foremost, they’re trying to prove their client is not guilty. But just in case they don’t get the outcome they want, they’re also laying the groundwork for appeals and sentencing arguments. Any piece of evidence they want to introduce for those two purposes has to come into play in the trial.\n\nAlready, Bankman-Fried’s lawyers are marking arguments that his constitutional rights are being violated by his pretrial incarceration because, among other things, his internet connection wasn’t good enough for him to plan his defense, notes LaVigne. That could be grounds for an appeal.\n\n“Is he going to throw the entire industry under the bus?”\n\nBankman-Fried’s behavior after the fall of FTX suggests he’s something of a wild card. He may suggest he was acting on the advice of his lawyers. But he may also introduce other evidence that could be troublesome — implying, for instance, that he was engaged in standard industry behavior or that everything that happened was Binance’s fault. That may be risky, but we already know that Bankman-Fried loves risk.\n\n“Is he going to throw the entire industry under the bus?” Wong asks. “An idea like, ‘Everyone was doing this, it’s not fair I’m the only one who was charged?’” That may not fly in a court of law, but it could absolutely damage public perception of crypto at large.\n\nFor instance, just before he was arrested, Bankman-Fried brought forward messages from a crypto group chat in testimony he planned to give before Congress. In that testimony, he primarily blames Binance and his lawyers at the firm Sullivan & Cromwell.\n\nIt’s possible other messages from group chats may be brought into evidence during the trial. That can potentially be embarrassing for the whole industry, Wong says.\n\n“You can imagine some of these founders, CEOs, people of that echelon talk to each other somewhat informally about what’s going on,” she says. If it seems like his peer group supported him, or worse, fawned over him, that’s a real problem for the industry’s reputation.”\n\nAfter FTX declared bankruptcy, Bankman-Fried went on an extensive media tour, doing interviews with The New York Times’ Andrew Ross Sorkin and Good Morning America. Even under house arrest, he did interviews, including with The New Yorker. Bankman-Fried seemed to think that if he just explained things, everyone would understand that what he did was a mistake, not a crime.","url":"https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/28/23893269/ftx-sam-bankman-fried-trial-evidence-crypto","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_e7444d6e29762f69","mhq_81cce8db0e374160","mhq_7277ec2b9f00ee5f"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_e7444d6e29762f69","mhq_81cce8db0e374160","mhq_7277ec2b9f00ee5f"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"6476713244a7263a77a083a9fedb21c0006deefb0bd366a9c38100c6285fd5be","source_record_sha256":"0808cc78c9e0f99e8f849016bbd3add80ab586d16c446736b018755939ad3c68","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":175,"source_fields":{"title":"The FTX trial is bigger than Sam Bankman-Fried","author":"Elizabeth Lopatto","source":"The Verge","published_at":"2023-09-28T12:00:00+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/28/23893269/ftx-sam-bankman-fried-trial-evidence-crypto"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_975637a91f154575","text":"The UEFA Champions League has reached the end of its group stage, with 16 precious places in the first knockout round now claimed.\n\nManchester City are looking to go back-to-back after their triumph in last season's Champions League, potentially becoming the first English club since Nottingham Forest in 1980 to successfully defend the trophy.\n\nThe likes of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona have also enjoyed strong group-stage campaigns and will surely be in the mix towards the sharp end of the competition. Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad will complete the Spanish contingent in the next round.\n\nManchester United and Newcastle United will play no further part in Europe, though, having been eliminated by finishing bottom of their groups. Paris Saint-Germain will be in the Round of 16, though.\n\nThe Sporting News reviews the group stage ahead of its final match night and examines what teams from each group need to qualify for the Round of 16.\n\nMORE: Champions League Round of 16 schedule, draw & qualified teams\n\nChampions League permutations, scenarios: What teams needed to qualify\n\nGroup A\n\nTeam GP W D L GD P Bayern Munich (Q) 6 5 0 0 +6 16 Copenhagen (Q) 6 2 2 2 0 8 Galatasaray 6 1 2 3 -3 5 Manchester United 6 1 1 4 -3 4\n\nBayern Munich coasted into the knockout rounds but Copenhagen, Galatasaray and Manchester United all entered the final matchweek with a chance of joining the Bundesliga giants.\n\nGalatasaray knew that if they beat Copenhagen at Parken they would go through but Lukas Lerager scored the only goal in a 1-0 win for the hosts\n\nManchester United are out of Europe altogether after a limp display against Bayern at Old Trafford, where Kingsley Coman sealed a 1-0 win for Thomas Tuchel's side.\n\nResults\n\nDate Fixture/Result Sept. 20 Galatasaray 2-2 FC Copenhagen Sept. 20 Bayern Munich 4-3 Manchester United Oct. 3 Manchester United 2-3 Galatasaray Oct. 3 FC Copenhagen 1-2 Bayern Munich Oct. 24 Galatasaray 1-3 Bayern Munich Oct. 24 Manchester United 1-0 FC Copenhagen Nov. 8 Bayern Munich 2-1 Galatasaray Nov. 8 FC Copenhagen 4-3 Manchester United Nov. 29 Galatasaray 3-3 Manchester United Nov. 29 Bayern Munich 0-0 FC Copenhagen Dec. 12 FC Copenhagen 1-0 Galatasaray Dec. 12 Manchester United 0-1 Bayern Munich\n\nGroup B\n\nTeam GP W D L GD P Arsenal (Q) 6 4 1 1 +12 13 PSV (Q) 6 2 3 1 -2 9 Lens 6 2 2 2 -5 8 Sevilla 6 0 2 4 -5 2\n\nArsenal finished top of the pile and their 6-0 thrashing of Lens on matchday five confirmed them as winners of Group B.\n\nPSV's comeback win over Sevilla meant have also qualified thanks to Lens' defeat. The Ligue 1 side beat their LaLiga opponents 2-1 to make sure of a Europa League berth as PSV and Arsenal played out an entertaining 1-1 draw.\n\nResults\n\nDate Fixture/Result Sept. 20 Sevilla 1-1 Lens Sept. 20 Arsenal 4-0 PSV Oct. 3 Lens 2-1 Arsenal Oct. 3 PSV 2-2 Sevilla Oct. 24 Sevilla 1-2 Arsenal Oct. 24 Lens 1-1 PSV Nov. 8 Arsenal 2-0 Sevilla Nov. 8 PSV 1-0 Lens Nov. 29 Sevilla 2-3 PSV Nov. 29 Arsenal 6-0 Lens Dec. 12 Lens 2-1 Sevilla Dec. 12 PSV 1-1 Arsenal\n\nGroup C\n\nTeam GP W D L GD P Real Madrid (Q) 6 6 0 0 +9 18 Napoli (Q) 6 3 1 2 1 10 Braga 6 1 1 4 -6 4 Union Berlin 6 0 2 4 -4 2\n\nReal Madrid, the 14-time European champions, completed six-wins out of six with a topsy-turvy 3-2 win away to Union Berlin\n\nMORE: Jude Bellingham's incredible stats for Real Madrid this season\n\nThat result ruled the Bundesliga side out of the Europa League, a spot Braga claim as consolation after Napoli snuffed out their slim hopes of second place with a 2-0 win at the Diego Armando Maradona.\n\nResults\n\nDate Fixture/Result Sept. 20 Real Madrid 1-0 Union Berlin Sept. 20 Braga 1-2 Napoli Oct. 3 Union Berlin 2-3 Braga Oct. 3 Napoli 2-3 Real Madrid Oct. 24 Braga 1-2 Real Madrid Oct. 24 Union Berlin 0-1 Napoli Nov. 8 Napoli 1-1 Union Berlin Nov. 8 Real Madrid 3-0 Braga Nov. 29 Real Madrid 4-2 Napoli Nov. 29 Braga 1-1 Union Berlin Dec. 12 Napoli 2-0 Braga Dec. 12 Union Berlin 2-3 Real Madrid\n\nGroup D\n\nTeam GP W D L GD P 1. Real Sociedad (Q) 6 3 3 0 +5 12 2. Inter Milan (Q) 6 3 3 0 +3 12 3. Benfica 6 1 1 4 -4 4 4. RB Salzburg 6 1 1 4 -4 4\n\nReal Sociedad and Inter Milan dominated Group D and could not be separated as they shared a 0-0 draw at San Siro. That left the Basque side top of the pile on goal difference.\n\nSalzburg had their Europea League destiny in their own hands but crashed out as an Angel Di Maria-inspired Benfica ran out 3-1 winners in Austria. Roger Schmidt's side progressed on goals scored, with Arthur Cabral's stoppage-time strike proving decisive\n\nResults\n\nDate Fixture/Result Sept. 20 Real Sociedad 1-1 Inter Milan Sept. 20 Benfica 0-2 RB Salzburg Oct. 3 RB Salzburg 0-2 Real Sociedad Oct. 3 Inter Milan 1-0 Benfica Oct. 24 Inter Milan 2-1 RB Salzburg Oct. 24 Benfica 0-1 Real Sociedad Nov. 8 Real Sociedad 3-1 Benfica Nov. 8 RB Salzburg 0-1 Inter Milan Nov. 29 Benfica 3-3 Inter Milan Nov. 29 Real Sociedad 0-0 RB Salzburg Dec. 12 RB Salzburg 1-3 Benfica Dec. 12 Inter Milan 0-0 Real Sociedad\n\nGroup E\n\nTeam GP W D L GD P 1. Atletico (Q) 6 4 2 0 +11 14 2. Lazio (Q) 6 3 1 2 0 10 3. Feyenoord 6 2 0 4 -1 6 4. Celtic 6 1 1 4 -10 4\n\nAtletico Madrid and Lazio confirmed themselves as the two qualifiers for the Round of 16 before the final matchday. Top spot in Group E was decided by their showdown in the Spanish capital on December 13, with Atleti winning 2-0. Feyenoord finish third and drop into the Europa League.\n\nResults\n\nDate Fixture/Result Sept. 19 Feyenoord 2-0 Celtic Sept. 19 Lazio 1-1 Atletico Oct. 4 Atletico 3-2 Feyenoord Oct. 4 Celtic 1-2 Lazio Oct. 25 Feyenoord 3-1 Lazio Oct. 25 Celtic 2-2 Atletico Nov. 7 Atletico 6-0 Celtic Nov. 7 Lazio 1-0 Feyenoord Nov. 28 Lazio 2-0 Celtic Nov. 28 Feyenoord 1-3 Atletico Dec. 13 Atletico 2-0 Lazio Dec. 13 Celtic 2-1 Feyenoord\n\nGroup F\n\nTeam GP W D L GD P 1. Bor. Dortmund (Q) 6 3 2 1 +3 11 2. PSG (Q) 6 2 2 2 +1 8 3. AC Milan 6 2 2 2 -3 8 4. Newcastle 6 1 2 3 -1 5\n\nGroup F confirmed one qualifier ahead of the final round of matches with the impressive Borussia Dortmund sealing their place in the Round of 16.\n\nParis Saint-Germain join them in the knockouts after a 1-1 draw between the teams at Signal Iduna Park — a result that also confirmed Dortmund as group winners.\n\nNewcastle were briefly in second spot during the final matchday before letting their lead slip to AC Milan, who snatched the Europa League spot in the process.\n\nThe Rossoneri finished level on points with PSG but behind them based on their head-to-head tiebreaker.\n\nResults\n\nDate Fixture/Result Sept. 19 Milan 0-0 Newcastle Sept. 19 PSG 2-0 Dortmund Oct. 4 Dortmund 0-0 Milan Oct. 4 Newcastle 4-1 PSG Oct. 25 PSG 3-0 Milan Oct. 25 Newcastle 0-1 Dortmund Nov. 7 Dortmund 2-0 Newcastle Nov. 7 Milan 2-1 PSG Nov. 28 PSG 1-1 Newcastle Nov. 28 Milan 1-3 Dortmund Dec. 13 Dortmund 1-1 PSG Dec. 13 Newcastle 1-2 Milan\n\nGroup G\n\nTeam GP W D L GD P 1. Man City (Q) 6 6 0 0 +11 18 2. RB Leipzig (Q) 6 4 0 2 +3 12 3. Young Boys 6 1 1 4 -6 4 4. Red Star Belgrade 6 0 1 5 -8 1\n\nManchester City and RB Leipzig confirmed their knockout places after four games played and City's 3-2 comeback win over the Bundesliga team on November 28 clinched top spot in Group G for Pep Guardiola. Young Boys drop into the Europa League.\n\nResults\n\nDate Fixture/Result Sept. 19 Young Boys 1-3 RB Leipzig Sept. 19 Man City 3-1 Red Star Belgrade Oct. 4 RB Leipzig 1-3 Man City Oct. 4 Red Star Belgrade 2-2 Young Boys Oct. 25 RB Leipzig 3-1 Red Star Belgrade Oct. 25 Young Boys 1-3 Man City Nov. 7 Man City 3-0 Young Boys Nov. 7 Red Star Belgrade 1-2 RB Leipzig Nov. 28 Man City 3-2 RB Leipzig Nov. 28 Young Boys 2-0 Red Star Belgrade Dec. 13 RB Leipzig 2-1 Young Boys Dec. 13 Red Star Belgrade 2-3 Man City\n\nGroup H\n\nTeam GP W D L GD P 1. Barcelona (Q) 6 4 0 2 +6 12 2. Porto (Q) 6 3 0 2 +7 12 3. Shakhtar Donetsk 6 3 0 3 -2 9 4. Antwerp 6 1 0 5 -11 3\n\nBarcelona's 2-1 home win over Porto sealed their place in the Round of 16 from Group H. They are joined by the Portuguese side, who beat Shakhtar Donetsk 5-3 in a matchday-six thriller. Shakhtar take the Europa League spot.\n\nResults\n\nDate Fixture/Result Sept. 19 Barcelona 5-0 Antwerp Sept. 19 Shakhtar Donetsk 1-3 Porto Oct. 4 Antwerp 2-3 Shakhtar Donetsk Oct. 4 Porto 0-1 Barcelona Oct. 25 Barcelona 2-1 Shakhtar Donetsk Oct. 25 Antwerp 1-4 Porto Nov. 7 Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0 Barcelona Nov. 7 Porto 2-0 Antwerp Nov. 28 Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0 Antwerp Nov. 28 Barcelona 2-1 Porto Dec. 13 Antwerp 3-2 Barcelona Dec. 13 Porto 5-3 Shakhtar Donetsk\n\nChampions League Round of 16 lineup: Which teams have qualified?\n\nThe following teams are qualified for the Champions League Round of 16:\n\nBayern Munich, Real Madrid, Real Sociedad, Inter Milan, Manchester City, RB Leipzig, Atletico Madrid, Lazio, Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona, Arsenal, PSV, PSG, Porto, Copenhagen, Napoli\n\nWhen is the Champions League Round of 16 draw?\n\nThe draw for the Round of 16 will be made in Nyon, Switzerland at UEFA's headquarters on Monday, December 18, 2023 at 12 noon CET (6 a.m. ET).\n\nThe teams will be divided into group winners and second-place finishers, with each runner-up drawn against a group winner. No team can be drawn against anyone from the same country until at least the quarterfinals. Third-place finishers in each group will drop into the Europa League playoff round.","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/champions-league-permutations-scenarios-teams-groups-round-16/6a97ebef38a68bc175d441c5","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_d1d7a8eb59b79ec4","mhq_1932c56622b7810a","mhq_2de86df07efb924c"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_d1d7a8eb59b79ec4","mhq_1932c56622b7810a","mhq_2de86df07efb924c"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"2c715d6f0ca725fe0978e1472d1c2a7e1e8f5317770893f12a3786ca153b4c44","source_record_sha256":"a3af0b48a0d81bf4fb2f55ecd77debd0bd964b334b58cad52b5d52c32bb42044","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":187,"source_fields":{"title":"Champions League permutations, scenarios: What teams need to qualify from groups for 2023/24 Round of 16 stage","author":"Dominic Booth","source":"Sporting News","published_at":"2023-12-12T21:28:00+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/champions-league-permutations-scenarios-teams-groups-round-16/6a97ebef38a68bc175d441c5"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_a4d0e05fe78fd389","text":"As fantasy football owners gear up for the last week of the fantasy regular season (in most leagues), our Week 14 fantasy WR PPR rankings are loaded top to bottom with just two teams on bye. Rolling out a strong receiving corps in a potential must-win week is essential, and we're here to shore up your start 'em, sit 'em concerns.\n\nThe highlight of our rankings is the long-awaited return of Justin Jefferson, who is (finally) set to suit up for the first time since Week 5. It's easy to forget, but in Jefferson's four full games this year, he averaged just over eight receptions and 135.8 yards per game while scoring three total touchdowns. Few receivers can dominate as he can, so we're happy to welcome him back.\n\nOf course, Jefferson's return only helps one owner in each league, so let's break down the rest of the WR rankings to help you finish your season with a win.\n\nWhich WRs are on bye in Week 14?\n\nThe final set of bye weeks sees only the Commanders and Cardinals idle, resulting in the losses of Terry McLaurin, Marquise Brown, Jahan Dotson, Curtis Samuel, Rondale Moore, and Greg Dortch.\n\nWEEK 14 PPR RANKINGS:\n\nQBs | RBs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers\n\nEven worse, Washington and Arizona sit as two of the weakest pass defenses in the league, so fantasy owners won't be able to count on big stats from their receivers going against the Commanders and Cardinals.\n\nWEEK 14 STANDARD RANKINGS:\n\nQBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers\n\nWho are the best fantasy WRs in Week 14?\n\nThe league's leading receiver, Tyreek Hill (vs. Titans in Week 14), stands as the unquestioned WR1 for Week 14 after torching the Commanders to the tune of five catches, 157 yards, and two TDs. CeeDee Lamb (vs. Eagles) and the Cowboys look to avenge their road loss to the Eagles in Week 9, as Dallas' WR1 routinely has double-digit reception potential.\n\nAmon-Ra St. Brown (@ Bears) was relatively quiet this past week, but he's likely to rebound against a Bears defense that he totaled nine catches for 95 yards against in Week 11. A.J. Brown (@ Cowboys) reached the century mark for the first time in four games in Week 13, and another high-usage day looks to be in store for a potential shootout.\n\nKeenan Allen (vs. Broncos) caught just five-of-nine targets last week, but as L.A.'s only reliable receiving option, a get-right game feels likely this week. Justin Jefferson (@ Raiders) is set to suit up for the first time since Week 5, and as we alluded to earlier, he's a must-start whenever he's active.\n\nStefon Diggs (@ Chiefs) hasn't totaled 100-plus receiving yards in any of his past six games, but he has every chance to get back on track against a Chiefs coverage unit that showed some leaks in Sunday's loss to the Packers.\n\nWEEK 14 FANTASY ADVICE:\n\nSleepers | Busts | Projections | Start-sit\n\nWho are the best fantasy WR sleepers, waiver pickups in Week 14?\n\nElijah Moore (vs. Jaguars), Noah Brown (@ Jets), Odell Beckham Jr. (vs. Rams), Jonathan Mingo (@ Saints), and Xavier Gipson (vs. Texans) are our preferred waiver-wire pickups in PPR formats for Week 14.\n\nMoore (vs. Jaguars) just saw 12 targets from Joe Flacco and is in line for another high-usage day with Amari Cooper (concussion) potentially sidelined. Brown (@ Jets) should also see a steady target share after Tank Dell's (leg) season-ending injury.\n\nBeckham Jr. (vs. Rams) is also likely to see increased usage with Mark Andrews (leg, ankle) done for the regular season. Mingo (@ Saints) has seen six-plus targets in his past four games, as his rapport with Bryce Young is strengthening by the week. Gipson led the Jets in receiving this past week (five receptions, 77 yards), and with New York routinely playing from behind, similar stat lines could be in the works.\n\nWEEK 14 DFS:\n\nDK lineup | FD lineup | Best values | Best stacks\n\nWho are the biggest potential WR busts in Week 14?\n\nIt's tough to trust Calvin Ridley (@ Browns), Drake London (vs. Buccaneers), Jordan Addison (@ Raiders), and Jayden Reed (@ Giants) this week. Although Ridley has produced of late, a brutal matchup against a Browns coverage unit that entered Week 13 allowing the second-fewest fantasy points per game (FPPG) to WRs raises a red flag, and it's only compounded by the loss of Trevor Lawrence (ankle). London's week-to-week output is way too unpredictable, and with the fantasy season on the line for some of you, there's no reason to roll London out.\n\nAddison is likely to take a step back with Jefferson back in the fold, while the Packers' receiving situation is too dispersed to put faith into Reed in PPR formats, though he might get a boost with Christian Watson (hamstring) banged up.\n\nWhat are the biggest WR injuries in Week 14?\n\nIn Week 13, Demario Douglas (concussion) and Rashid Shaheed (thigh) missed game action, and Tank Dell (leg), Amari Cooper (concussion), Christian Watson (hamstring), and Marquise Brown (heel) exited early from their respective games.\n\nUPDATE: Christian Kirk suffered a groin injury on Monday night, and he figures to be more doubtful than questionable for this week's game against Cleveland. If he's out, Zay Jones and Tim Jones will see more targets, but with Trevor Lawrence (ankle) also hurt, it's tough to count on either.\n\nUPDATE: Douglas (concussion) has been ruled OUT for Week 14.\n\nAs usual, we'll update these WR PPR rankings throughout the week, so check back for the latest player movement and analysis.\n\nFantasy WR PPR Rankings Week 14: Who to start, sit at wide receiver\n\nRankings based on full-point PPR scoring formats\n\nRank Player\n\n1 Tyreek Hill, Dolphins vs. Titans\n\n2 CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys vs. Eagles\n\n3 Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions @ Bears\n\n4 A.J. Brown, Eagles @ Cowboys\n\n5 Keenan Allen, Chargers vs. Broncos\n\n6 Justin Jefferson, Vikings @ Raiders\n\n7 Stefon Diggs, Bills @ Chiefs\n\n8 Mike Evans, Buccaneers @ Falcons\n\n9 Michael Pittman Jr., Colts @ Bengals\n\n10 Davante Adams, Raiders vs. Vikings\n\n11 Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers vs. Seahawks\n\n12 Nico Collins, Texans @ Jets\n\n13 Ja'Marr Chase, Bengals vs. Colts\n\n14 Cooper Kupp, Rams @ Ravens\n\n15 Chris Olave, Saints vs. Panthers\n\n16 DK Metcalf, Seahawks @ 49ers\n\n17 Garrett Wilson, Jets vs. Texans\n\n18 DeVonta Smith, Eagles @ Cowboys\n\n19 DJ Moore, Bears vs. Lions\n\n20 Puka Nacua, Rams @ Ravens\n\n21 Deebo Samuel, 49ers vs. Seahawks\n\n22 Jaylen Waddle, Dolphins vs. Titans\n\n23 DeAndre Hopkins, Titans @ Dolphins\n\n24 Amari Cooper, Browns vs. Jaguars\n\n25 Calvin Ridley, Jaguars @ Browns\n\n26 Zay Flowers, Ravens vs. Rams\n\n27 Noah Brown, Texans @ Jets\n\n28 Courtland Sutton, Broncos @ Chargers\n\n29 Romeo Doubs, Packers @ Giants\n\n30 Jakobi Meyers, Raiders vs. Vikings\n\n31 Chris Godwin, Buccaneers @ Falcons\n\n32 Rashee Rice, Chiefs vs. Bills\n\n33 Tee Higgins, Bengals vs. Colts\n\n34 Jerry Jeudy, Broncos @ Chargers\n\n35 Brandin Cooks, Cowboys vs. Eagles\n\n36 Diontae Johnson, Steelers vs. Patriots\n\n37 Elijah Moore, Browns vs. Jaguars\n\n38 Adam Thielen, Panthers @ Saints\n\n39 Tyler Lockett, Seahawks @ 49ers\n\n40 Josh Downs, Colts @ Bengals\n\n41 George Pickens, Steelers vs. Patriots\n\n42 Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks @ 49ers\n\n43 Drake London, Falcons vs. Buccaneers\n\n44 Zay Jones, Jaguars @ Browns\n\n45 Jordan Addison, Vikings @ Raiders\n\n46 Jayden Reed, Packers @ Giants\n\n47 Robert Woods, Texans @ Jets\n\n48 Gabe Davis, Bills @ Chiefs\n\n49 Tyler Boyd, Bengals vs. Colts\n\n50 Odell Beckham Jr., Ravens vs. Rams\n\n51 Jonathan Mingo, Panthers @ Saints\n\n52 Jameson Williams, Lions @ Bears\n\n53 Xavier Gipson, Jets vs. Texans\n\n54 Jalen Guyton, Chargers vs. Broncos\n\n55 Darius Slayton, Giants vs. Packers\n\n56 Quentin Johnston, Chargers vs. Broncos\n\n57 Trey Palmer, Buccaneers @ Falcons\n\n58 K.J. Osborn, Vikings @ Raiders\n\n59 JuJu Smith-Schuster, Patriots @ Steelers\n\n60 DJ Chark, Panthers @ Saints\n\n61 Wan'Dale Robinson, Giants vs. Packers\n\n62 Khalil Shakir, Bills @ Chiefs\n\n63 Alec Pierce, Colts @ Bengals\n\n64 Justin Watson, Chiefs vs. Bills\n\n65 Tutu Atwell, Rams @ Ravens\n\n66 Treylon Burks, Titans @ Dolphins\n\n67 Josh Reynolds, Lions @ Bears\n\n68 Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Titans @ Dolphins\n\n69 Cedric Tillman, Browns vs. Jaguars\n\n70 Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Chiefs vs. Bills\n\n71 Dontayvion Wicks, Packers @ Giants\n\n72 Hunter Renfrow, Raiders vs. Vikings\n\n73 Darnell Mooney, Bears vs. Lions\n\n74 Skyy Moore, Chiefs vs. Bills\n\n75 Kalif Raymond, Lions @ Bears\n\n76 A.T. Perry, Saints vs. Panthers\n\n77 Cedrick Wilson, Dolphins vs. Titans\n\n78 Trenton Irwin, Bengals vs. Colts\n\n79 Michael Gallup, Cowboys vs. Eagles\n\n80 Brandon Powell, Vikings @ Raiders\n\n81 Chris Moore, Titans @ Dolphins\n\n82 Rashod Bateman, Ravens vs. Rams","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/fantasy/news/fantasy-football-wr-ppr-rankings-week-14-wide-receiver/61c46f5567ecacb64e039100","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_88c1cb1b421e82f7"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_88c1cb1b421e82f7"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"9dd609fb931df9d894fe6d021253eaeee7bd12d95d4157c10bedb3fc760c5218","source_record_sha256":"23e3a715e591a32cc6ddfd0632965094c0f6ddd3091d0b23a55bf3e9079769ab","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":197,"source_fields":{"title":"Fantasy Football WR PPR Rankings Week 14: Who to start, best sleepers at wide receiver","author":"Nick Musial","source":"Sporting News","published_at":"2023-12-07T22:11:00+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/fantasy/news/fantasy-football-wr-ppr-rankings-week-14-wide-receiver/61c46f5567ecacb64e039100"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_331079227e018f8b","text":"Prop bets are easy to understand and add a twist to most sporting events as you can bet on in-game events not tied to the outcome.\n\nProp bets are popular throughout the year and are posted for every major sport, but the pinnacle for prop betting is the Super Bowl. It’s the most popular day of the year for prop bets, which range from the typical to the exotic.\n\nBut you don’t have to wait for the Super Bowl to get involved in prop betting. See below for more on props, including the pros, cons, and prop bet examples from all the major sports.\n\nWhat is a prop bet?\n\nA prop bet is a “side bet” with a sportsbook on a specific event or statistical accomplishment within the game. These rarely have anything to do with the outcome of a game itself.\n\nFor example, you might bet on:\n\nLeBron James scoring over 20 points in a single game\n\nDallas Cowboys gaining over 300 receiving yards in a game\n\nPros and cons of prop bets\n\nEvery bet has positives and negatives, and prop bets are no different.\n\nPros\n\nThe lines don’t usually move as fast as other bet types: Prop bet odds are developed based on game lines and totals at sportsbooks, but prop bet lines tend to adjust more slowly. Let’s say you’re keeping an eye on the New York Jets vs. the Buffalo Bills, and you see the total shift due to an incoming winter storm. While many bettors will scramble to get their bet in on the ‘under’ before the lines move too much, it’s a good idea to scope out the prop bets for individual players. The main lines are shifting, but most of the best sports betting sites don’t have the personnel to keep tabs on every possible player, so you could find value in an ‘under’ on a quarterback’s passing yards because the lines haven’t caught up yet.\n\nProp bet odds are developed based on game lines and totals at sportsbooks, but prop bet lines tend to adjust more slowly. Let’s say you’re keeping an eye on the New York Jets vs. the Buffalo Bills, and you see the total shift due to an incoming winter storm. While many bettors will scramble to get their bet in on the ‘under’ before the lines move too much, it’s a good idea to scope out the prop bets for individual players. The main lines are shifting, but most of the best sports betting sites don’t have the personnel to keep tabs on every possible player, so you could find value in an ‘under’ on a quarterback’s passing yards because the lines haven’t caught up yet. There’s greater variety: The three main bet types—moneylines, point spreads, and totals—are constant in every major sport, but they don’t offer a lot in the way of variety. Prop bets do. They can add interest to a game that may seem one-sided in the major markets. Larger sporting events, especially the Super Bowl, offer a massive variety of bets, ranging from the typical to the exotic and everything in between.\n\nThe three main bet types—moneylines, point spreads, and totals—are constant in every major sport, but they don’t offer a lot in the way of variety. Prop bets do. They can add interest to a game that may seem one-sided in the major markets. Larger sporting events, especially the Super Bowl, offer a massive variety of bets, ranging from the typical to the exotic and everything in between. They are usually very easy to understand: Prop bets tend to ask a question of the bettor. Will a specific player hit a home run? Will Team X have over/under 3.5 field goals in a game? Will Team Y give up a powerplay goal? Whatever the question, prop bets are fairly easy to understand for the newcomer.\n\nCons\n\nProps are difficult to research: Prop bets are so specific you’d think it would be easier to research them than other bet types, but the reality is that sports are extremely volatile. You can never truly predict how an athlete or a team will perform. This makes it very hard to nail down smart prop bets. For example, you could bet on a certain player to score ‘over’ a point threshold, but you lose because that player had an off-night, even though they might have easily won that bet in other recent games.\n\nProp bets are so specific you’d think it would be easier to research them than other bet types, but the reality is that sports are extremely volatile. You can never truly predict how an athlete or a team will perform. This makes it very hard to nail down smart prop bets. For example, you could bet on a certain player to score ‘over’ a point threshold, but you lose because that player had an off-night, even though they might have easily won that bet in other recent games. Prop bets can tie up your bankroll: We wouldn’t recommend using prop bets as your main bet type when building your strategy. Use most of your budget on more stable bet types, such as moneylines, spreads, or totals. Focus only a small percentage of your bankroll on props.\n\nWe wouldn’t recommend using prop bets as your main bet type when building your strategy. Use most of your budget on more stable bet types, such as moneylines, spreads, or totals. Focus only a small percentage of your bankroll on props. Exotic props are a guessing game: When large events like the Super Bowl roll around, you’ll be inundated with exotic and entertaining prop bets. These are almost impossible to research, and pure guessing isn’t good for anyone’s bankroll or betting strategy.\n\nProp bet examples for major sports\n\nEvery major sport with odds at the best sports betting apps will have prop bets. Below, we give examples of prop bets you might find when betting on major American sports.\n\nNBA prop bets\n\nThe NBA offers a wide range of prop bets. They vary from player to team bets and lean heavily on the statistical side of the game. Some NBA prop examples include:\n\nHow many points a player will score\n\nNumber of assists or three-pointers a player will have\n\nWhich player will score the first basket of a game\n\nYou can also bet on team props, such as whether a team will lead at the end of a certain quarter or an over/under bet on the total number of points the team will score in the game.\n\nSee more: NBA prop bets\n\nNFL prop bets\n\nThe National Football League is the king of sports betting, and NFL betting sites have no qualms about showcasing every kind of possible bet type for it.\n\nBettors will find many prop bet opportunities, especially for the Super Bowl. During the regular season, one of the most popular prop bet options includes the “anytime touchdown scorer” bet, where you can wager on a player to score a TD at any point in the game. Other prop bets can be focused on the team or even both teams.\n\nSee more: Super Bowl prop bets\n\nMLB prop bets\n\nMLB betting sites are no exception when it comes to offering prop bets. Like the other sports, MLB has prop bets focused primarily on individual players and statistical achievements like home runs, RBI, and strikeouts.\n\nYou might bet on an over/under for strikeouts for a starting pitcher in a game or even the number of bases a hitter will reach.\n\nNHL prop bets\n\nNHL betting sites have all of the props you’d expect from one of the major North American sports leagues, such as player assists or a certain player scoring a goal in a contest.\n\nYou will also find bets for shots on goal, team goals in a game, and which team will score first.\n\nMLS prop bets\n\nThe demand for Major League Soccer betting has increased as the sport's popularity continues growing nationwide. Prop bets are just one of the many bet types growing at sportsbooks to keep up with the demand.\n\nAs expected, these prop bets often focus on individual players and their accomplishments, such as scoring a goal or collecting an assist in a game. Soccer betting sites also have props such as how many cards the two teams playing will combine to draw or a team’s total number of corner kicks.\n\nHow to read prop bet odds\n\nProp bets at US sportsbooks use the same odds as other major bet types like moneylines, point spreads, and totals. These odds, known as American odds, use negative and positive numbers to show you how much money you stand to win.\n\nPositive odds show how much you stand to win for every $100 you wager. Let's say you wager on a quarterback to have over 2.5 touchdowns in a game at +145 odds, and he throws three in the game. If you wagered $100, you would be paid $245, your initial wager of $100 returned to you, plus $145 in winnings.\n\nNegative odds tell you how much you need to wager to win $100. For example, if you bet a player will score less than 15.5 points in a basketball game at -135 odds, you would need to bet $135 to win $100.\n\nRemember that you don’t have to wager that high or that low. Your payout will be calculated proportionally to your wager size when you finalize your bet slip.\n\nWhat is an exotic prop bet?\n\nAn exotic prop bet is a non-traditional prop bet that is not focused on scenarios during a game. Instead, they can be as out of the ordinary as the sportsbook wants.\n\nIn the US, the most exotic bets are available during the Super Bowl, which is the most prominent sports betting day of the year and offers up hundreds of prop bets to interested bettors.\n\nThese bets can range from the number of songs sung during the halftime show to the result of the coin toss to the color of the sports drink dumped on the winning coach at the end of the game.\n\nFor the most part, you won’t come across too many exotic prop bets when using US sportsbooks, as many are just not legal bets. However, the largest sporting events, such as the Super Bowl or March Madness, will find sportsbooks offering up a wider range of prop bets. That’s usually when you’ll find more exotic props.\n\nSportsbook rules for prop bets\n\nBefore placing any kind of bet, we highly recommend you read the sportsbook’s terms and conditions. There, you will find all the rules for the various bets you will make.\n\nWhile most sportsbooks’ rules are similar, there are always small variations in how they handle certain situations that could impact your bets.\n\nOne rule that is typically used by most sportsbooks involves player props. If you bet on a player and they don’t play in the game, most sportsbooks void the bet and refund your wager. But if that player is involved in the game even for a single play, then the bet stands.\n\nWe recommend reading through the T&Cs before placing any wagers so you’re not caught by surprise if an unexpected event should happen.\n\nRelated Pages:","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/betting/news/prop-betting/eca08189bf4e5c58e02bfeda","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_f382eff51aafbc6d"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_f382eff51aafbc6d"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"e3cdba35faa70f2764211af99cf114baad458aa57d3372f9036a9419f21707a1","source_record_sha256":"c084073f38421539c9c64e92d7010642399482de51ef7775f3fe3db80ec851ee","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":201,"source_fields":{"title":"Prop Betting - What is a Prop Bet?","author":"Martin Derbyshire","source":"Sporting News","published_at":"2023-11-06T21:23:22+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/betting/news/prop-betting/eca08189bf4e5c58e02bfeda"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_f911be80816bc75b","text":"Monday Night Football closes out the NFL’s Week 15 tonight with a pair of teams desperately looking to snap losing streaks. The Eagles vs. Seahawks matchup should be an exciting game, making it a great time to use our sportsbook bonus codes and links to sign up for new sports betting accounts and claim some fantastic welcome offers.\n\nBefore tonight’s MNF kickoff in Seattle, just use our exclusive bonus codes at Bet365, BetMGM, BetRivers, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings and FanDuel to claim more than $5,000 in bonuses.\n\nTop Sportsbook Bonuses Offer Promo Code Caesars Sportsbook Get $1,000 First Bet on Caesars NEWS1000 BetMGM $1,500 First Bet SPORTSPICK Bet365 First Bet Safety Net up to $1,000 --or-- Bet $5, Get $150 in bonus bets TSNCO FanDuel Bet $5 on any moneyline, Get $150 in bonus bets if your team wins Click to claim DraftKings Up to $1,200 in welcome offers Click to claim BetRivers 2nd chance bet up to $500 SPORTSRIV\n\nClaim $5,000+ in sports betting bonuses for Eagles vs. Seahawks on Monday Night Football with these promo codes and links\n\nBy using our exclusive bonus codes and links from Bet365, BetMGM, BetRivers, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings and FanDuel, new users can claim more than $5,000 in sports betting bonuses for NFL games like tonight’s Eagles/Seahawks MNF matchup.\n\nHere are the latest bonuses currently being offered by the top sportsbook apps:\n\nBet365 bonus code TSNCO unlocks First Bet Safety Net up to $1,000 or Bet $5, Get $150 in bonus bets for MNF Eagles vs. Seahawks\n\nNew Bet365 customers can choose from two excellent welcome offers when using our exclusive Bet365 promo code TSNCO:\n\nThe First Bet Safety Net offer gives new customers a refund of up to $1,000 in bonus bets if their first Bet365 bet is a loss.\n\nFor the Bet $5, Get $150 new user offer, you’ll receive $150 in bonus bets after placing your first bet of at least $5.\n\nUse Bet365 bonus code VATSN if you’re betting in Virginia and NJTSN if you’re in New Jersey.\n\nBetMGM bonus code SPORTSPICK offers $1,500 first bet bonus for Eagles vs. Seahawks Monday Night Football\n\nBetMGM has a nice welcome offer that provides new customers who use our exclusive BetMGM promo code SPORTSPICK a first bet offer worth up to $1,500 in bonus bets.\n\nJust use our BetMGM bonus code SPORTSPICK to register your new account. Then make an initial deposit of at least $10.\n\nAfter that, just bet on any game and if your first bet loses, BetMGM will return the full stake of that wager (up to $1,500) as bonus bets.\n\nUse BetRivers bonus code SPORTSRIV to claim Second Chance Bet up to $100, $250 or $500 for MNF with the Eagles and Seahawks\n\nSign up for a new BetRivers account using our exclusive BetRivers bonus code SPORTSRIV to get a Second Chance Bet worth up to $500.\n\nIt’s easy. Just click our link, use the promo code SPORTSRIV, register your new account and then make a deposit. Place your first bet and, if it loses, BetRivers will refund the amount of the wager in bonus bets worth up to $100, $250 or $500, depending on your state.\n\nUse our BetRivers bonus code SPORTSRIV and you’ll receive a Second Chance Bet worth up to $100 (for users in AZ, IA, OH and WV), $250 (available in CO and NJ) or $500 (if betting from IL, IN, LA, MD, MI, PA and VA).\n\nCaesars Sportsbook promo code NEWS1000 offers $1,000 First Bet On Caesars for Eagles vs. Seahawks MNF\n\nUse our Caesars Sportsbook promo code NEWS1000 to register a new Caesars account and claim a First Bet bonus of up to $1,000.\n\nTo claim this top-notch welcome offer, click our Caesars Sportsbook promo code link and sign up for a new Caesars account. Be sure Caesars Sportsbook promo code NEWS1000 is entered when prompted. Then make your first deposit ($10 minimum).\n\nAfter that, place your first Caesars Sportsbook bet and if it loses you’ll get the amount of that wager (up to $1,000) as a single bonus bet.\n\nGet up to $1,200 in bonuses for Eagles vs. Seahawks Monday Night Football with our DraftKings promo code link\n\nDraftKings has three welcome offers new customers can claim by using our DraftKings promo code link:\n\nDeposit a minimum of $5 and receive a $50 bonus bet\n\nBet a minimum of $5 and get $150 in bonus bets\n\nA 20% first deposit match up to $1,000\n\nTo claim the new user offers, first click our DraftKings promo code link and sign up for a new account. Then make your first deposit of at least $5 and you’ll receive a $50 bonus bet.\n\nWhen you make your first bet of $5 or more, your account will also be credited with $150 in bonus bets.\n\nTo claim the maximum 20% deposit match of $1,000 you will need to deposit $5,000. There is also a 25x playthrough requirement to claim the full amount.\n\nFanDuel promo code link for MNF Eagles vs. Seahawks: Bet $5 on any moneyline, get $150 in bonus bets if your team wins\n\nFanDuel is giving new customers who use our exclusive FanDuel promo code link a chance to claim $150 in bonus bets.\n\nAll you have to do is use our FanDuel promo code link to sign up for a new account. Then bet at least $5 on any moneyline and, on top of your winnings, you’ll get $150 in bonus bets if your team wins.\n\nSince you need your moneyline bet to win to claim the $150 in bonus bets, if you’re wagering on tonight’s MNF game, you’ll probably want to go with the favored Eagles. Read on for odds and more picks to consider for tonight’s Monday Night Football matchup.\n\nEagles vs. Seahawks MNF odds + picks to consider: Use our bonus codes and links for the best football betting promos\n\nHere are odds for tonight’s Eagles vs. Seahawks Monday Night Football game.\n\nThe Eagles and Seahawks come into this Monday Night Football game on troubling losing streaks. The NFC matchup has important playoff implications, particularly for Philadelphia.\n\nPhilly’s two-game losing streak has dropped them to second place in the NFC East behind the Cowboys, who are also 10-3 but have the tiebreaker thanks to their slightly better divisional record.\n\nFor a good stretch of the season, the Eagles appeared unstoppable and have been a favorite to return to the Super Bowl. After a surprising loss to the Jets in Week 6 (their first of the season), Philadelphia went on a five-game winning streak, impressively taking down top teams like the Dolphins, Cowboys and Chiefs. Most of those games were gritty, close wins, but then the Eagles dropped back-to-back games in blowout fashion to the 49ers and Cowboys, raising alarm bells amongst the Philly fanbase.\n\nThe Eagles are looking to rebound against a Seahawks team that has been reeling even worse, losing four straight. Sitting four games behind the 49ers in the NFC West, despite a disappointing season, Seattle still has a shot at a wild card playoff spot. After tonight’s game, the Seahawks’ schedule eases up a bit, with winnable games against the Titans, Steelers and Cardinals. But they could really use a victory to give them some confidence going into the final stretch.\n\nPicks to consider","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/betting/news/best-sportsbook-bonus-offers-eagles-seahawks-mnf-bet365-betmgm-betrivers-caesars-draftkings-fanduel%C2%A0/0cac736f90d80f21daafd8a2","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_14a3933e774b85d6","mhq_9976c73601143ab0"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_14a3933e774b85d6","mhq_9976c73601143ab0"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"52a33ac94fb11bd38815cd8dcea27f5e1a24cfebdfb3db94fb1dfc17df9cbcbb","source_record_sha256":"462e0ae9301c9353cdbb41af3015c4d655599b4923d12e764cb8494d89cffa8c","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":202,"source_fields":{"title":"Best sportsbook bonus offers for NFL Monday Night Football Eagles vs. Seahawks: Claim over $5,000 in bonuses from Bet365, BetMGM, BetRivers, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings and FanDuel ","author":"Sporting News Betting","source":"Sporting News","published_at":"2023-12-18T21:00:03+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/betting/news/best-sportsbook-bonus-offers-eagles-seahawks-mnf-bet365-betmgm-betrivers-caesars-draftkings-fanduel%C2%A0/0cac736f90d80f21daafd8a2"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_5b992637bcd294cf","text":"For the first year in recent memory, scale did not necessitate tradition, and scope did not preclude getting weird. In 2023, nothing was sacred in video games, and so they felt more vibrant than ever.\n\nSure, some of the more “focused” games threw us for a pleasant loop: Dredge begins as a lonely fishing sim before transforming into something otherworldly, and Humanity morphed from a pensive art project into an all-out war. Dave the Diver, similarly, is not so much about being a diver as it is about running a sushi restaurant, or hunting for alien artifacts, or conversing with said aliens, or — you get the point. Whether you booted up your Steam Deck for a cross-country flight or hid your Switch off screen during that boring Zoom meeting, the game you returned to was rarely the one you left behind.\n\nThis amorphousness (I’m begging our copy editor to let this one slide, because what other “word” could adequately summarize the video games of 2023?) wasn’t consigned to the newcomers, though. Larian Studios, fresh off two years of early-access development and riding the reputation it had garnered from Divinity: Original Sin 2, saw fit to release a role-playing game in which you can kill off nearly every main character the moment you meet them. Remedy Entertainment — let’s be honest, this group has always been strange — made a sequel that’s equal parts horrifying, hilarious, fun, and fabulous. And Nintendo? Well, Nintendo had another banner year. That’s no surprise. The real surprise? It finally let go, and let players toy with the digital molecules of its most revered series. More on this below.\n\nAs the year comes to a close, it’s intoxicating to see developers of all sizes, in every genre, with every tier of budget, mining the depths of interactive design, branching this way and that as they follow their respective veins of gold. They’re nowhere near the bottom of that particular expanse, of course — and that’s a heartening thought. —Mike Mahardy\n\nHow the Polygon top 50 list works\n\nOver the past few weeks, the Polygon staff voted, championed, debated, and ultimately threw up its hands and marveled at the list of mammoths, curiosities, puzzle boxes, and black holes that is our top 50 games of 2023. Any video games that were released in 2023, received substantial updates in 2023, or achieved renewed cultural relevance in 2023 were eligible for this list. Last year, the cutoff for consideration was Nov. 30. (You’ll notice a certain Firaxis Games joint fairly high up our list.) This year, the cutoff was the same. Should we be thoroughly enamored with Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader or Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, we’ll make sure they’re considered for next year’s top 50.\n\nTop 50\n\n50. Mr. Sun’s Hatbox\n\nDeveloper: Kenny Sun\n\nWhere to play: Nintendo Switch and Windows PC\n\nMr. Sun’s Hatbox is about a hat delivery person (or maybe it’s just a blob with legs?) that takes their job way too seriously. At the beginning of the game, a customer’s package gets stolen and whisked away to a nearby towering castle. Despite the client’s apathy toward a single missing hat, the delivery company, named Amazin, proceeds to set up an entire subterranean paramilitary operation beneath the poor customer’s home.\n\nAs its premise suggests, this pixelated 2D roguelite leans into the absurd. Part Metal Gear Solid 5, part Spelunky, you undertake missions where you blast away enemies and kidnap them for your own operation, all while slapstick action unfolds. While on a mission, anything from a desk lamp to daggers is fair game for a weapon. In between fights, you expand your base, where you manage a staff of brainwashed blob-people. It’s fast, frenetic fun, and especially enjoyable to share with friends in co-op. —Ana Diaz\n\n49. Lies of P\n\nDeveloper: Neowiz Games\n\nWhere to play: Mac, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X\n\nYes, Lies of P is a Dark Souls mixed with Pinocchio, and that’s a questionable elevator pitch from the outset.\n\nIn the years leading up to Lies of P, “Pinocchiosouls” was more of a running joke than anything — this profane idea that you can take any world and slap some Dark Souls into it to get people mildly interested. But once you’re in the game, eliminating bosses left and right with your sweet parry moves, you’ll quickly find yourself entirely unbothered by how strange Lies of P initially seemed. And you’ll start telling your partner things like “I have to go back to Geppetto to upgrade my puppet body” like it’s a perfectly normal task to assign yourself on a Tuesday afternoon.\n\nIt’s very rare for a Soulslike to ever feel like anything more than a knockoff — even when they’re decent fun, like The Surge. But the best compliment I can give Lies of P is that it feels like the genuine article, a FromSoftware game developed in an alternate dimension and somehow released in this one by mistake. But it wasn’t a mistake or luck that made Lies of P, and it wasn’t FromSoftware, either; it was a talented group of developers at Neowiz Games and Round8 Studio that took a tired genre, paired it with a bizarre IP, and knocked it out of the park. —Ryan Gilliam\n\nRelated Lies of P carves a singular space out of the Soulsborne genre\n\n48. Tchia\n\nDeveloper: Awaceb\n\nWhere to play: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Windows PC\n\nTchia is an open-world adventure game set in a fictional version of island nation New Caledonia — inspired by Awaceb’s co-founder’s childhood in the country.\n\nEverything is filtered through the titular main character Tchia’s eyes, eyes with a special power that allows her to transform into any animals or objects in her environment. Birds, dolphins, a camera, or rocks… It’s all an option for Tchia.\n\nThe game, while clearly inspired by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, ends up standing on its own because of the innovative shapeshifting mechanics. Tchia isn’t as technically polished as a Nintendo title with hundreds of developers; Awaceb has a team of roughly a dozen. Still, it’s hard to innovate in such a ubiquitous genre, yet Awaceb has managed to do just that with Tchia, making it one of the best games so far this year. —Nicole Carpenter\n\n47. Blasphemous 2\n\nDeveloper: The Game Kitchen\n\nWhere to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X\n\nLong gone are the days when the Metroidvania genre languished untouched for years on end. But despite an influx of entries in recent years, few have exhibited as much mastery as Blasphemous 2. Building off of the strong roots of the first game, Blasphemous 2 continues to use Spanish Catholicism as a narrative and aesthetic touchpoint, telling a twisted religious tale that’s about as far from proselytizing as you can get.\n\nAfter the success of the first game, the developers have focused on refining the combat, adding multiple weapons and bizarre, hidden customization options that allow you to take command of how your character rips this world to shreds. The last time I played a 2D Metroidvania with this much polish and charm, it was Hollow Knight. Blasphemous 2 might not reach those same heights, but it comes damn close. —Russ Frushtick\n\n46. Party Animals\n\nDeveloper: Recreate Games\n\nWhere to play: Windows PC and Xbox Series X\n\nI do not know how Recreate Games managed to render some of the cutest animals I’ve ever seen. I also do not know how Recreate made me completely OK with picking up these cute animals and flinging them into black holes, poison clouds, or freezing tundras. The second the match starts in Party Animals, all those cute fluffy corgis, rabbits, kitties, and ducks become my enemies. I will beat them with a bat until they can’t wake up anymore, and I won’t think twice about it. Party Animals may have made me a monster? I don’t know.\n\nThe Gang Beasts-esque wiggly physics mixed with the cute characters makes for a perfect party game of fluffy fighting. —Julia Lee\n\nRelated September games you might have missed\n\n45. The Talos Principle 2\n\nDeveloper: Croteam\n\nWhere to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X\n\nLike its predecessor, The Talos Principle 2 tackles grand science fiction ideas, particularly about what it means to be human — a theme thoroughly explored in this installment of the series set in a post-human society of AI-powered robots that are carrying on human culture and civilization. Also like its predecessor, The Talos Principle 2 is replete with philosophical commentary and references to famous artists and thinkers. My favorite is a riff on Werner Herzog’s famous quote about birds: “The enormity of their flat brain. The enormity of their stupidity is just overwhelming.”\n\nBut if you’re like me, you’re playing the game because you’re an absolute freak for light refraction, gravity, and geospatial puzzles. There are so many puzzles in this game — there’s even a puzzle metagame, spread across the game’s gorgeous map — and they’re each excellent, teaching you new concepts before refracting them and forcing you to think differently. —Nicole Clark\n\nRelated November games you might have missed\n\n44. Fading Afternoon\n\nDeveloper: yeo\n\nWhere to play: Windows PC\n\nVideo games demand an account for your time. Some video games track the minutes and hours you’ve spent on screen. Others impose strict limits on how long you play, or how much you can do. But all video games constantly ask: How will you spend your time? Seiji Maruyama doesn’t know how much time he has left. Fresh out of prison, he’s not a young man anymore, but he doesn’t want the streets to know. So he returns to his life as a yakuza heavy, hoping to make his mark again.\n\nFading Afternoon ends when Seiji’s time runs out. Based on the choices you make, the consequences of which are initially obfuscated, this could be five minutes after the game begins, or it could be five hours. He has a bad cough and a pack of cigarettes, each a metaphor for the ticking clock inside of him. You could go to work, brawling on the streets. Or you can simply pass the time: Listen to a jazz band. Play video poker. Buy a home. Fall in love. You have the time, until you don’t. —Joshua Rivera\n\n43. Suika Game\n\nDeveloper: Aladdin X\n\nWhere to play: Nintendo Switch\n\nI thank VTubers every day for many things, but I will kiss the feet of the anime avatars that introduced me to Suika Game. The engrossing 2048-meets-Tetris-with-physics fruit drop game has become my go-to whenever I need to kill some time. Note that I am talking about the official Nintendo Switch version, not all of the horrific ad-plagued knockoffs that have flooded the App Store.\n\nThe thing that makes Suika so special, in addition to its cutesy gameplay, is its quality as a social game. The same way we sit around and talk about our NYT Connections, we sit around and talk about our fruitless (ha) attempts at getting double watermelons or breaking the 3,000 point threshold. It’s also a great game to watch: Nothing is funnier than seeing somebody’s Suika run go downhill in 30 seconds flat. (There’s a reason why the game has taken the streaming world by storm.) —JL\n\n42. League of Legends Season 13\n\nDeveloper: Riot Games\n\nWhere to play: Mac and Windows PC\n\nLeague of Legends’ 13th season is one of the game’s most balanced yet. Almost every champion has felt viable throughout the year — no small feat for a game with over 140 playable characters — and it’s led to great fun and variety on the solo queue ladder and in professional play, where an exciting Worlds just wrapped up.\n\nBut there’s another reason League had an outstanding 2023: Arena, a new game mode introduced during the game’s summer event. Arena is a 2v2v2v2 battle mode with fast-paced chaos, using League’s roster of champions in a more approachable and containable setting (and with less rage-inducing teammates). The mode was removed after the conclusion of the summer event, but is reportedly returning soon. It can’t possibly come soon enough; I know how I’ll be spending a good chunk of my winter. —Pete Volk\n\nRelated Arcane is officially League of Legends canon now\n\n41. Goodbye Volcano High\n\nDeveloper: KO_OP\n\nWhere to play: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Windows PC\n\nGoodbye Volcano High is a visual novel with rhythm game elements, and it takes place at the precipice of the end of the world. It’s centered on a group of teenage dinosaurs entering their senior year of high school, a perfect balance between high school dramatics and the grim future of Earth, as a meteor rockets toward the planet. Though the rhythm game elements can feel a bit finicky — and don’t seem to matter much, in terms of progressing the game — Goodbye Volcano High’s music only adds to the dimensional, raw experience created by worker-owned studio KO_OP.\n\nIt’s rare to find a game that takes the teenage experience seriously, but Goodbye Volcano High does just that. It’s a time in your life where you feel so, so much. You can see that earnestness in the teenage experience where everything is a big, huge issue — sometimes to the point of cringe — tied up in that big, global issue of the meteor that’s looking to destroy everything. —N. Carpenter\n\nRelated August games you might have missed\n\n40. World of Warcraft Classic\n\nDeveloper: Blizzard Entertainment\n\nWhere to play: Mac and Windows PC\n\nSomething very, very interesting started to happen in the retro version of WoW this year. While Blizzard has been content to march one half of the game’s community forward through its history of expansions, it’s started to come up with creative ways to keep the other half — the half that wants to stay in the game as it was at launch — engaged.\n\nThe first of these was Hardcore, a brilliant permadeath mode that instantly made this aging game both more dangerous and more social, resurrecting the spirit of its 2004 servers. The second, just launched, is the wild Season of Discovery, which remixes and restructures the original WoW experience — interpolating staggered level caps, shuffling class roles — in ways that might just change MMO design forever. WoW Classic is quietly, and paradoxically, where Blizzard is doing its most forward-thinking work right now. —Oli Welsh\n\n39. Fire Emblem Engage\n\nDeveloper: Intelligent Systems\n\nWhere to play: Nintendo Switch\n\nFire Emblem Engage was designed for a very specific kind of sicko: one not particularly interested in the origin stories of a horde of teenagers, or the politics of a bourgeoise academy, or what kind of tea a teacher prefers, but instead one obsessed with the endless minutiae of combat stats, weapon loadouts, and team composition. I know this because I am one such sicko.\n\nIf you’ve read any of my reviews or essays on Polygon, then you know I prefer strategy games that can get out of their own way. More precisely, I love when strategy developers can put their pens down, throw their hands up, and admit that the stories unfolding in the player’s head will almost always be more powerful than anything they could write. Fire Emblem Engage is one of the foremost proponents of this idea. It hurls an excess of characters, weapons, battle scenarios, and stat-boosting abilities at you, leaving the door open for you to observe character interactions on the battlefield and create the resulting fanfiction in your head. Its actual script is a quagmire of nonsensical JRPG tropes, and each cutscene is more skippable than the next. But if you’re looking for an excellent turn-based tactics game that gets out of the player’s way, you can do a whole lot worse than Fire Emblem Engage. —M. Mahardy\n\n38. Pizza Tower\n\nDeveloper: Tour De Pizza\n\nWhere to play: Windows PC\n\nPizza Tower is a perfect object, and fully committed to its vision. You play as Peppino Spaghetti, a chef who must race up the pizza tower in order to defeat the existential threat posed by Pizzaface, an enormous floating pizza that also happens to be sentient. Super normal stuff. To get there, you platform through a series of levels, picking up speed as you zoom through enemies and obstacles. It’s easy to get into a flow state.\n\nPizza Tower also beautifully captures the essence of the Wario Land series. The game is delightful to look at, with an irreverent art style that’s referential to late-’90s and early-2000s cartoons, and absurd enemies and animations. Levels are also chock-full of secret rooms, passageways, and treasures, making it hard to put down and fun to replay. —N. Clark\n\nRelated Pizza Tower is platformer paradise for Wario freaks\n\n37. Subpar Pool\n\nDeveloper: grapefrukt games\n\nWhere to play: Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC\n\nYou can play this delightful physics puzzler — best described as dynamic minigolf on a pool table — on Switch or Steam if you want, but it’s most at home on your phone. It’s an absolutely ideal mobile game: a reasonably priced paid app with no ads, in-app purchases, or subscription, playable in a spare three minutes. Pocket adorable, smiling pool balls on tables adorned with conveyor belts, portals, and moving pockets, while challenging yourself with a host of mix-and-match rulesets (balls that crack, split, or home in on you, a locked starting position, more balls, no guideline for bounces, etc.). Mobile gamers of taste will recognize the work of grapefrukt, aka Martin Jonasson, Swedish developer of such elegant classics as Holedown, Twofold Inc., and Rymdkapsel. —OW\n\n36. Amnesia: The Bunker\n\nWhere to play: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X\n\nIf only one developer could be said to have a master’s grasp on interactive horror, I’d have to tip my hat to Frictional Games. The Amnesia series has always been a thrill ride of terrifying chases and the quiet, a little too quiet, moments that build up tension between. Amnesia: The Bunker is no different. In fact, it’s one of Frictional’s best.\n\nSet in a seemingly abandoned bunker that’s been sealed by explosions during World War I, your simple yet difficult task is to find an exit. This being a horror game, though, you also have to collect fuel for the bunker’s generator — a veritable beating heart — and scrutinize maps on safe room walls, before venturing into the titular structure’s labyrinthine bowels. Oh, also! There’s a monster hunting you. And it can ambush you from wall vents. And it’s attracted to even the slightest bit of sound. And whether you’re juicing your hand-cranked flashlight, triggering long-forgotten tripwires, or just opening a heavy door into yet another concrete-encased corridor, you’re going to have to make noise at some point. The Bunker is as potent in its terror as any horror video game out there. —M. Mahardy\n\n35. Lil Gator Game\n\nDeveloper: MegaWobble\n\nWhere to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X\n\nIn an unprecedented year for game releases, I understand why you’re surprised to see Lil Gator Game this high up on our list. But imagine how surprised I was to find myself, in a moment of introspection, realizing that it was one of my own favorite games in 2023. At the risk of diminishing its accomplishments, I’m going to make a comparison that should cut to the quick for interested parties: This is the most A Short Hike-alike that I’ve discovered yet, and I’ve been chasing that singular high for years. So if you have a lazy weekend afternoon and want to spend it playing — not gaming, but playing, in the joyous, unstructured sense of a day in the park — I can’t recommend this li’l game enough. —Chris Grant\n\nRelated Lil Gator Game has the heart of Wind Waker and the adventure of Breath of the Wild\n\n34. Starfield\n\nDeveloper: Bethesda Game Studios\n\nWhere to play: Windows PC and Xbox Series X\n\nStarfield had so much to prove, it’s easy to lose sight of what it accomplished: top-tier world-building, a fantastically customizable ship builder, and Bethesda’s most engaging combat to date. Galaxy-spanning faction quests give you plenty to do, but it’s the side quests that really make you feel like the captain in something Star Trek adjacent: generation ships and superhero hideouts and colonies of clones. There’s good sci-fi here for those willing to make the journey.\n\nIt’s true that the game oversold the idea of a galaxy with over 1,000 planets, a number that pales in comparison to the game’s most obvious competitor, No Man’s Sky. It’s a shame this became so much of the focus thanks to Bethesda’s marketing, because that same focus obscured the absolutely fascinating new game plus mode at the game’s heart. Consider this: No Man’s Sky is the game that realizes the universe’s infinite number of planets, while Starfield realizes the universe’s infinite number of possibilities. —Clayton Ashley\n\n33. System Shock\n\nDeveloper: Nightdive Studios\n\nWhere to play: Windows PC\n\nIn a year of several stellar remakes and immersive sims, it wouldn’t have been surprising if System Shock showed its age of nearly 30 years. At least, it would have been understandable if the changes needed to update the game would leave it nigh unrecognizable. That’s why Nightdive Studios’ accomplish is so impressive: It updated the 1994 classic with a slick coat of modern paint while also preserving what made the game so thrilling in the first place.\n\nThe element where that’s most evident is in the game’s look, which captures all of the original System Shock’s garish cyberpunk neons and frightening enemies in a style that appears like a modern high-fidelity game at a distance, but subtly transforms into retro pixel bitmaps on closer inspection. In much the same way, the gameplay feels surprisingly modern at a distance, but on closer inspection, you start to see how this proto-immersive sim is actually what inspired so much modern game design. You have to rely on your own curiosity, caution, and cunning to navigate the halls of Citadel Station and upgrade your hacker into a cybernetic death machine. It’s a game that expects a lot from the player (and a little save scumming), but the experience is just as rewarding as it was in 1994. —CA\n\nRelated The System Shock remake does something remarkable\n\n32. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor\n\nDeveloper: Respawn Entertainment\n\nWhere to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X\n\nIs Star Wars Jedi: Survivor an Empire Strikes Back level of sequel? Well, no, but it manages to get extraordinarily close to being one of the best follow-ups in the entire Star Wars franchise.\n\nThe game improves upon Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order in every conceivable way, with a more entertaining, action-oriented start and a ton of aerial movements and lightsaber stances that make you feel even more like a seasoned Jedi Knight. Quality-of-life improvements like fast travel make the game less frustrating to play, while the new locales packed with hidden collectibles and upgrades make exploration more rewarding.\n\nBut what makes Jedi: Survivor truly special isn’t this crude matter, but its luminous heart. You feel it in the memorable characters you meet on your galactic journey, be it the people you help or the friendships you forge and reconcile with. It’s in the classic, crowded cantina where you actually want to go check in with the barkeep. It’s in the tactile, reverent way you craft your lightsaber. And it’s in the kinetic set-pieces that remind you of the serials Star Wars was originally inspired by. At its best, you really can feel the Force around you. —CA\n\n31. Connections\n\nDeveloper: The New York Times\n\nWhere to play: Android, browser, and iOS\n\nAfter the acquisition of viral hit Wordle, The New York Times’ Crossword ecosystem leveled up to full-fledged attention competitor — NYT is a media company with a gaming platform. And its staff of puzzle writers and editors are not stooping to mind-numbing mobile content to keep the expansion going. Connections, its latest title to pair well with morning coffee, is one of the year’s best games.\n\nConnections offers you a grid of 16 words and a mission: Detect the common threads between four different sets of words without embarrassing yourself. The grouping logic ranges from simple (“animals”) to silly (“synonyms for farting”) to sneaky (“countries when the letter ‘A’ is added”). Gruff game show watchers who claim the puzzle is just a clone of BBC’s long-running Only Connect miss the personality within; Connections writer Wyna Liu brings a tremendous wit to each day’s puzzle, constructing thematic grids and throwing synonym curveballs. And like with Wordle, there’s a sense of accomplishment when you land all four sets — there’s no better start to a day than gloating to friends and family about how you completely nailed Connections. —Matt Patches\n\n30. Hi-Fi Rush\n\nDeveloper: Tango Gameworks\n\nWhere to play: Windows PC and Xbox Series X\n\nIn Hi-Fi Rush, you play as Chai, a guy who must escape the factory of a villainous corporation. In a workplace accident, Chai’s iPod gets punched into his chest, making him sensitive to sound and staying on beat. What follows is a joyful action-rhythm game where you explore, climb, and fight to the beat of the music.\n\nThe game is a remarkably inviting take on a genre not exactly known for being accessible. But Hi-Fi Rush does away with hardcore precision in exchange for gameplay that always subtly nudges you back toward keeping in time. Failing to attack on a drum stroke doesn’t mean failing a fight; you just don’t get a combo multiplier. And the musical score never gets jarring as a punishment; punchy notes always play in time with the rhythm, even if you hit a button at the wrong time. The result is a game that evokes the thrill of feeling like you’re acing it and getting into a flow, no matter your skill level. —N. Clark\n\n29. Monster Hunter Now\n\nDeveloper: Niantic\n\nWhere to play: Android and iOS\n\nWhile Niantic’s post-Pokémon Go track record hasn’t been the most consistent, Monster Hunter Now shows the company at its best, with a refined combat system, simple matchmaking, great monster variety, and extensive character upgrades. Granted, those upgrades are part of a monetization setup that gets a little heavy-handed, but if you’re patient, there’s plenty of game here for free. And unlike in some of Niantic’s other games, the real-world elements don’t feel tacked on, with a design that blends almost perfectly with the company’s map tech, allowing you to feel like you’re tracking monsters as you get outside and walk around. It all makes for a big step forward in fusing Niantic’s real-world tech approach with combat and exploration mechanics that can stand up on their own. —Matt Leone\n\nRelated Monster Hunter Now is the most traditional Niantic game yet\n\n28. Diablo 4\n\nDeveloper: Blizzard Entertainment\n\nWhere to play: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X\n\nWith Diablo 4, Blizzard Entertainment set out to marry the frenetic action of Diablo 3, the deep RPG systems of Diablo 2, and the dark tone of the original game. It was an ambitious promise, to be sure, but four years and a whole pandemic after the studio announced the long-awaited sequel at BlizzCon 2019, it’s here, and it’s fantastic.\n\nBut Diablo 4’s marriage of tone, action, and role-playing isn’t what makes it so good. In addition to all of those other things, Diablo 4 is the best launch we’ve seen for a new “living game” in recent memory.\n\nWith the likes of Destiny, Anthem, and even Diablo 3, it was clear from the start that there were some nuggets of potential. But being a fan meant slogging through mountains of frustration just to taste a morsel of what you’d hope those games would become. Playing these games early on was a kind of gamble.\n\nDiablo 4, however, is unlike any of those projects, because its systems were deep and nuanced from the start, enough to spend hundreds of hours growing your character. And there is already loads of content to support that kind of time investment. —RG\n\nRelated Diablo 4 activates and frustrates my lizard brain\n\n27. Hitman World of Assassination: Freelancer mode\n\nDeveloper: IO Interactive\n\nWhere to play: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X\n\nHitman World of Assassination’s Freelancer mode, which debuted in January and puts a roguelike twist on Agent 47’s globe-trotting murder-for-hire missions, isn’t for the faint of heart. It demands constant improvisation, to a degree that can challenge even veteran Hitman players. Repeated failures can make it feel more frustrating than fun.\n\nBut as every fan of roguelikes knows, these high-stakes experiences have the capacity to deliver a sense of exhilaration like nothing else. Pulling off multiple daring kills, hiding the evidence (or going out with a bang), and trying to make it out alive with all the gear you brought into the mission — it’s tense and thrilling, every time.\n\nEvery move you make could be your last one; all it takes to ruin a flawless run is a single ill-considered plan, just one seemingly minor slip-up. With the abyss of failure forever yawning beneath 47, playing Hitman Freelancer can feel like tiptoeing along the top of a barbed-wire fence. The exultation of safely making it to the final exfiltration point, having defeated a crime syndicate after completing a lengthy series of dangerous missions, is a high I’ll keep chasing again and again. —Samit Sarkar\n\n26. Venba\n\nDeveloper: Visai Games\n\nWhere to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X\n\nI don’t love to cook. For me, it’s more a necessity than anything else. So it’s not often that a piece of media — or anything, really — leaves me with the feeling that I need to make something, to spend time in the kitchen reveling in the tedium of chopping and the sizzle of onions frying.\n\nVenba elicited that urge, reminding me that food is not just something to keep me alive, but something to be cherished. Venba is a cooking game that focuses on an immigrant family that’s moved from India to Canada. Food transcends the story by way of simple cooking minigames as I move through the chapters of main character Venba’s life — moments that switch between painful and heartwarming. Venba packs as much heart in its one-hour playtime as games 30 times its size. —N. Carpenter\n\nRelated Venba expands the boundaries of the cooking genre\n\nTop 25\n\n25. Viewfinder\n\nDeveloper: Sad Owl Studios\n\nWhere to play: PlayStation 5 and Windows PC\n\nAt the heart of Viewfinder is a magic trick that never gets old: You take a photo of the environment and paste that perspective into the game world to create a bridge or reveal a needed trinket. The experience of seeing reality distorted by your hands so easily is nearly on the level of thinking with Portals for the first time. You’ll ponder a solution for minutes, sure it’s impossible and that the developers must have made a mistake, before you’re struck by a eureka moment like a lightning bolt.\n\nThe game’s lesson on perspective extends to its narrative, which, much like the photos you use to manipulate the world, contains multitudes. Though it’s told in fairly typical video game-y audio monologues that you uncover from the game’s trippy environments, the journey is powerful and topical. Just as differing perspectives can allow for unique solutions, they can also obscure truths that lead us to deny the reality that’s right in front of us. —CA\n\nRelated Viewfinder is puzzle game heaven\n\n24. Humanity\n\nDeveloper: tha\n\nWhere to play: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Windows PC\n\nHumanity looks like a modern art project, recalls memories of early PlayStation oddity, and comes (in part) from the team behind game of the future Rez Infinite. But its most impressive feat is the way it gradually shifts genres, starting as a classic puzzle game, then taking on tower defense and shoot-’em-up traits as it evolves into an all-out war. Think Braveheart, with a shiba inu general leading a troop of faceless, brainless low-polygon figures against a group of angry, lightsaber-wielding, even lower-polygon foes. It’s the kind of design subtlety that stays in its lane yet builds on you, and before you realize it, ends very differently than it began. Much like humanity itself? —ML\n\n23. Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo\n\nDeveloper: Square Enix\n\nWhere to play: Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC\n\nSquare Enix has plenty of mega-franchises to fill its time (and its coffers). This year, we have new entries for Octopath Traveler and Final Fantasy, along with new Dragon Quest and Kingdom Hearts games in the not-so-distant future. Dayenu!\n\nAnd yet, the publisher can’t help itself from bombarding us with surprising, interesting, sometimes great, often good-enough experiments. In 2022, we got an English-language remake of lost gem Live A Live, the surprisingly enjoyable tactical RPG DioField Chronicle, a bonkers Final Fantasy spinoff featuring the musical stylings of Limp Bizkit, and a pair of oddball card games lathered in lore from gaming’s best weirdo. This year, we have the Avengers of rhythm games, Theatrhythm Final Bar Line, and Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo, an excellent riff on the visual novel penned by a beloved storyteller — whose best series has never appeared in the U.S.\n\nWhat should you know about Paranormasight before you play? Well, ideally nothing. Why else would I be eating up my word count?\n\nBut if you insist: It’s a mystery — and a horror mystery at that. You travel to 1980s Japan, specifically the Tokyo neighborhood of Honjo, located not so far from the modern Tokyo Skytree. It’s hard to imagine that modern landmark ever towering alongside these streets, which are filled with shadows and lethal curses.\n\nIf you have even a passing interest in urban legends, spooky folklore, cults, and deadly rituals, or you’ve enjoyed series like Zero Escape and Danganronpa, Paranormasight is an easy recommendation. And if you just enjoy a good yarn and have access to basically any screen and $15, then you’re a perfect mark too. It runs as well on console and PC as it does on iOS and Android, so don’t fret about where you play, just do so and soon! Before Square Enix stops investing in all these oddities. —Chris Plante\n\n22. Marvel’s Midnight Suns\n\nDeveloper: Firaxis Games\n\nWhere to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X\n\n[Ed. note: Marvel’s Midnight Suns was released in 2022, but it just barely missed the cutoff for our best video games of 2022 list, so it’s eligible for our 2023 awards.]\n\nI know what you’re thinking: Another licensed Marvel game? Come on, right? But hear me out. I played Marvel’s Avengers, too, and this isn’t that. It might seem like it’s going to be at first, because Midnight Suns makes the grave error of introducing Iron Man and Doctor Strange as its tutorial characters, and these two might just be the most irritating characters in the entire video game. (I have beaten the game, so I am allowed to make this call.) You must press on and give Midnight Suns time to win you over. Because it has so, so much more to offer than it may appear in its first few hours.\n\nPicture the romance and humor of Fire Emblem: Three Houses, combined with the high-stakes tactical battles of XCOM 2 — that’s what Midnight Suns becomes in its mid-game and endgame. It’s a card-based strategy game, and each hero has their own customizable deck. I started off favoring Captain Marvel, Magik, and Blade, simply because their moves and hilarious dialogue kept me entertained, but I soon realized that every single character has something exciting or unexpected to bring to the battlefront. Over 100 hours later, I’ve leveled up every single character and played all the main story missions and an unknowable number of optional missions, and I’m still not sick of this combat… or the kooky cast of characters that grows all the time (shoutout to the Deadpool DLC).\n\nNo matter how sick of Marvel you might be, give Midnight Suns the chance to win you over with its clever combat. And once you’ve gotten hooked, you might find yourself sticking around to chuckle at Wolverine attending Blade’s book club (yes, that’s a storyline in this game). It’s worth your time, and you can take that from me, a person who — again — spent over 100 hours on it. —Maddy Myers\n\n21. Honkai: Star Rail\n\nDeveloper: Hoyoverse\n\nWhere to play: Android, iOS, PlayStation 5, and Windows PC\n\nI have been a... pretty die-hard Genshin Impact player since launch. I’ve rolled for every character, grinded out all of said characters, 100%-ed the exploration, completed every quest — did all the stuff that would burn anyone out. Honkai: Star Rail is Hoyoverse’s answer to the Genshin Impact burnout.\n\nThe slower-paced turn-based combat, the ability to auto-battle (if your teams are strong enough), and the smaller maps make it the perfect daily game for me to funnel my interest into without feeling exhausted. The characters are fun, flashy, and easy to latch onto. Should I main the sneaky but elegant Kafka, who uses damage-over-time skills to whittle her opponents away? Or should I use the brooding Blade, who unleashes huge attacks at the cost of his HP? Ah, I guess I’ll let my wallet decide — it is a gacha game, after all. —JL\n\n20. Chants of Sennaar\n\nDeveloper: Rundisc\n\nWhere to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, and Xbox One\n\nIn Chants of Sennaar you climb up a kind of Tower of Babel, and your job is to decipher the distinct language each group of people speaks, eventually aiming to translate fluidly from one language to another. You do so by matching pictographic symbols — the characters for each language — to images of the nouns, actions, and concepts in a large dictionary-style book.\n\nIt sounds complicated, but it’s wonderfully fun because the mechanics are so simple. You explore the isometric world — which is rendered in a gorgeous cel-shaded style — witnessing interactions between cultures and attempting to puzzle out the meaning of their written words. The game parcels out words for you to assign meaning to in little packets, to avoid overwhelming you. By the end, you’ll have translated numerous languages, and scaled your way to the top of the tower. Perhaps you’ll even change the tower itself. —N. Clark\n\n19. Metroid Prime Remastered\n\nDeveloper: Retro Studios\n\nWhere to play: Nintendo Switch\n\nFew games from 2002 hold up as well as Metroid Prime, and the remastered version of the game — which was surprise-dropped during February’s Nintendo Direct — proves that Samus Aran’s first-person adventure is still worth experiencing, whether it’s for the first time or (in my case) the fourth.\n\nRetro Studios’ take on one of sci-fi’s most famous intergalactic bounty hunters controversially took her out of the 2D puzzle-platformer realm that made her famous (although Metroid Fusion also came out in 2002 — a gift for the 2D Metroid purists — which may also be why Fusion joined Nintendo Switch Online’s catalog shortly after Prime Remastered was released). By placing the player inside Samus’ helmet, Metroid Prime recontextualized the bounty hunter’s relationship with the hostile planets around her.\n\nAs we donned Samus’ suit and explored strange planets, aggressive alien lifeforms could now get right in our faces, forcing us to dodge, strafe, and roll (in morph ball form, naturally) using all three dimensions. No longer would we sit back and watch as Samus dipped her toe into a pool of lava; in first-person, as molten fire spread over our visor, we’d really feel the pressure to find that Varia Suit upgrade. And perhaps most importantly, from behind Samus’ visor, we gained the ability to scan our enemies and environment, collecting and translating logs from the long-dead Chozo aliens who once inhabited these now-hostile places.\n\nThe world of Prime is harsh and unrelenting. (Save points will, at times, be quite far from one another.) But it’s worth buckling down and pushing through the pain points to discover this world’s secrets. —M. Myers\n\n18. Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew\n\nDeveloper: Mimimi Games\n\nWhere to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X\n\nShadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew may very well be the most bittersweet entry on this list. It is, for my money, one of the best games to be released in 2023. It is also the swan song of Mimimi Games, one of the most underappreciated studios making games throughout the last decade. Mimimi announced its planned closure only two weeks after releasing its final game. This makes The Cursed Crew its swan song. It is also the team’s magnum opus.\n\nSet in a tropical world of zombie pirates, religious fanatics, and talking ships, The Cursed Crew sees you traveling freely across an archipelago as you revive your undead crew, deploy them on dioramic worlds constituting some of the finest level design in video games to date, and dispatching enemies with a mixture of tactical stealth and supernatural abilities. Taken at a distance, this mixture is undeniably niche. But seen up close, The Cursed Crew is as potent a creation as we’ve seen since 2016’s Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun or 2020’s Desperados 3, which respectively established and cemented the studio’s brilliant design chops. I’ll miss Mimimi — but I can’t imagine a better farewell. —M. Mahardy\n\n17. Dredge\n\nDeveloper: Black Salt Games\n\nWhere to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X\n\nDredge is a Lovecraftian horror experience masquerading as a simple fishing game.\n\nThe open ocean is filled with terrible creatures that can and will damage or destroy your boat. And each of the major islands you visit comes with its own evil sea beasts that must be dealt with if you want to progress the story or fish peacefully. Dredge ultimately tells a dark parable about loss, and how obsession can own you if you aren’t careful.\n\nBut what makes Dread so special — and one of the best games of 2023 — is that under its foreboding story and twisted environments is a fishing game that grows more complex with every outing, centered around an upgrade system that feels amazing to progress through. As the dangers around you grow, so too does your ship’s capabilities. And by adventuring into battles — metaphorical and otherwise — with the seas’ most dastardly critters, you’ll always come out on the other side with some upgrades that allow you to catch even better fish and build an even bigger boat.\n\nBy the time you’ve spent 10 or so hours with Dredge, you’ll feel like a commercial fisherman who just happened upon something bigger and more foreboding than they could have imagined — and that, perhaps, you’ve stared deep into some kind of black abyss, only to escape forever changed. —RG\n\nRelated Dredge invents and perfects the fishing horror genre\n\n16. Final Fantasy 16\n\nDeveloper: Square Enix\n\nWhere to play: PlayStation 5\n\nFinal Fantasy 16 kicks ass. The newest mainline entry in the long, winding series takes you on a lavish, unadulterated Game of Thrones-esque adventure. You play as a broody Clive Rosfield, a young man whose life’s work is to protect his little brother, Joshua. The story begins when Clive’s life takes a turn for the worse and he vows to destroy the monster who ruined his and his family’s legacy.\n\nDeveloped by Creative Business Unit III, Square Enix’s internal team behind the MMORPG Final Fantasy 14, 16 leans into patchwork territories of fantasy genre fare. There is palace intrigue, a whole lot of sex, and endless war between nations. But the developers then sprinkle in Final Fantasy elements like mother crystals, dazzling kaiju fights between summons (known as Eikons in this iteration), and of course, Chocobos.\n\nThe quality of the story in this long and linear character-driven RPG waxes and wanes, but the action combat is among the best I’ve ever played. The gameplay grips you from the very beginning as Clive smoothly dashes, parries, and swings his giant sword and varied magic with a dazzling amount of style. The gameplay didn’t just help me stick with the game, but instead allowed my excitement to bubble over every time I took on a new mission. —Ana Diaz\n\n15. Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty\n\nDeveloper: CD Projekt Red\n\nWhere to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X\n\nLike the best DLC, Phantom Liberty does as much to expand on the base game as it does to reframe it. Alongside the sweeping Patch 2.0, which revamped Cyberpunk 2077’s role-playing progression systems, improved its enemy AI, and course-corrected a litany of other details, Phantom Liberty also adds a whole new district to the dystopian world of Night City, complete with its own spy-thriller storyline.\n\nThe resulting Cyberpunk 2077 is not an entirely different beast than the one that was released in 2020, but it is a more evolved one. It delivers on the promise of building a hacker-samurai in a neon-infused open world replete with futuristic heists, daunting choices, and striking characters. Phantom Liberty and Patch 2.0 may not completely erase the memory of CD Projekt’s initial botched release, but they come pretty damn close. Three years after we first set foot in V’s shoes, Cyberpunk 2077 has finally justified the hype. —M. Mahardy\n\n14. Dead Space\n\nDeveloper: Motive Studio\n\nWhere to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X\n\nWith The Last of Us on HBO and Resident Evil 4 back in the conversation, it’s already a banner year for survival horror. Motive Studio’s Dead Space remake is no exception. Following in the footsteps of Capcom’s aforementioned title, the original Dead Space brought the third-person-action focus of Resident Evil 4’s formula to a deteriorating ship in outer space. In the vein of Event Horizon, Sunshine, and Alien, Dead Space was a paragon for sci-fi horror in a confined and claustrophobic setting. Its remake has brought that same vision to gorgeous new life, bringing quality-of-life changes and underappreciated updates (it has made several previously useless weapons into viable tools in protagonist Isaac Clarke’s arsenal), making it hard to imagine ever going back to Visceral Games’ phenomenal original. —M. Mahardy\n\nRelated The Dead Space remake changes all the right things\n\n13. Octopath Traveler 2\n\nDevelopers: Square Enix, Acquire\n\nWhere to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Windows PC\n\nThe first Octopath Traveler was one of those games that was as enjoyable to play as it was painful: enjoyable because so much of it kicked ass, but painful because so much of it dragged the positive aspects down. In other words, it stood on the precipice of excellence, but couldn’t quite cross the line.\n\nOctopath Traveler 2 leaps across that boundary. In place of the original game’s repetitive level design, monotonous narrative structure, and sometimes awkward characterization, the sequel demonstrates an expert ability to challenge your expectations at every turn. Yes, your general goal is still to recruit eight playable characters (hence the name) and follow each of their separate plot threads to their respective conclusions, participating in turn-based battles and side quests along the way. But said plots vary greatly from character to character, and if you so choose, you can see a handful of characters through several major plot points before recruiting the whole gang. Octopath Traveler 2 finely toes the line between that comfort food-esque repetition of the best JRPGs, and the subversive nature of great genre storytelling. —M. Mahardy\n\n12. Dave the Diver\n\nDeveloper: Mintrocket\n\nWhere to play: Nintendo Switch and Windows PC\n\nYou could describe Dave the Diver as a fishing game and a restaurant management simulator, and that’d be correct. But that would also be underselling the game, and understating things quite a lot.\n\nDiving into the mysterious Blue Hole, Dave spends the first two quarters of his day swimming deeper into the colorful abyss, discovering both sea life and a story that’s equally absurd and earnest. When you’re not picking up sea urchins or spearfishing sharks, Dave is assisting the rest of Dave the Diver’s cast of characters — his sushi business partners, a community of seafolk, an anime-obsessed weapons expert, and a pair of dolphins. At night, Dave slings sushi and pours drinks at the restaurant, frantically running back and forth between clearing dishes, delivering sushi, and refilling the freshly ground wasabi. Between all that, Dave’s harvesting rice and vegetables on a farm, curating a hatchery, racing seahorses with mermaids, and taking down a suspicious group masquerading as environmental activists. Somehow, there’s even a well-done rhythm video game — starring one of those anime idols that the arms dealer loves — that makes perfect sense.\n\nIt really shouldn’t work; I can’t imagine another game where all these disparate ideas coalesce so seamlessly. But Dave the Diver would feel less complete without any one of them. It makes for such a compelling loop, and a consistent advancement of the game’s story, that I kept finding myself in that “one more day” mindset, eager to jump back into the ocean for one more go. —N. Carpenter\n\nRelated Management sim Dave the Diver is a delicate balancing act of absurdity and silliness\n\n11. Resident Evil 4 Remake\n\nDeveloper: Capcom\n\nWhere to play: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X\n\nIt turns out, Capcom is good at remaking games.\n\nThe original Resident Evil remake all but set the bar for the format in 2002, with sleeker controls, more nuanced graphical details, and whole new areas to explore in the iconic Spencer Mansion. The Resident Evil 2 remake changed the entire perspective of its source material without sacrificing the focus on horror and survival. Resident Evil 3’s remake, as forgettable as it was, still brought the design conceits of the original game, warts and all, to a modern audience. And now we have Resident Evil 4 — and what a remake it is.\n\nIn this reimagined version of the 2005 action-survival-horror game, Capcom has managed to erase many of the blemishes on one of the most beloved games in the series, if not all time. The remake is full of new flourishes and extra details in each of its three sprawling areas, making it less of a remake and more of a dramatic reinterpretation. It has also managed to add even more survival elements to the original’s action-centric combat, without sacrificing the camp and cheese that have made it such an enduring presence throughout the years. A lesser game would have shrunk in the face of such intimidating source material, but the Resident Evil 4 remake achieved the balancing act in spades. —M. Mahardy\n\nRelated The Resident Evil 4 remake pulls off the same great trick\n\nTop 10\n\n10. Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon\n\nDeveloper: FromSoftware\n\nWhere to play: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X\n\nNothing else feels like Armored Core.\n\nThe giant robot you pilot heaves with the weight of a six-story building but flies into the sky as nimble as a hummingbird. You can skate along the ground, rocket into the air, and change directions in the blink of an eye. You are agile, resilient, deadly.\n\nWith your hands tightly gripping the controller, you can unload four different weapons at once, weapons you’ve picked out of an armory that could rival a small nation. You target, aim, and fire while moving faster than a fighter jet, dodging streams of missiles, arcs of gunfire, bazookas, and flames.\n\nThere have been many, many games in the franchise, but none have reached the heights of Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon. The levels have never had such ruined beauty, the enemies have never been as satisfying to fight, and the characters have never been more endearing. An ingenious new game plus mode packs the game’s story with surprises while you continue to build out your arsenal.\n\nPerhaps the decades-long wait for a new Armored Core game is part of the reason, because the lessons FromSoftware learned creating and popularizing Dark Souls are evident here. Bosses now put you through dastardly skill checks in classic Soulsian fashion. Many of them tower over the landscape, making you, the pilot of a giant robot, feel small. These set-piece fights are some of the most thrilling moments you could play in a game this year. They certainly have some of the most memorable lines.\n\nBut Armored Core 6 doesn’t just get badass one-liners stuck in your head; its gameplay lingers, too. When you watch videos of it in motion, it simply makes you want to play it, to feel that movement, that motion, for yourself.\n\nThis isn’t just because the series’ energetic action is unique, but because you decide exactly how your robot feels: how quickly its missiles get a lock, how fast its generator recharges, how far you boost when you swing your laser sword. Swapping components around as you scrutinize competing weight and power requirements is an engaging puzzle all its own. You become intimately familiar with a screen-filling spreadsheet of stats because all of those numbers add up to something that feels real. Tactile. Earned.\n\nBecause nothing else feels like Armored Core. —CA\n\nRelated Armored Core 6 brings mecha to the masses\n\n9. Jusant\n\nDeveloper: Don’t Nod\n\nWhere to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X\n\nBoulderers, or rock climbers who don’t use safety gear but also don’t ascend very high, have a word for the routes they climb: problems. The idea is that, since you’re never that far from flat ground, completing your route is more a game of mind over matter. You don’t “finish” a problem. You “solve” it. Like a puzzle.\n\nWhen it comes to rock climbing, Jusant just gets it in a way few other games — if any — have.\n\nTo be clear, Don’t Nod’s Jusant isn’t technically about bouldering. (A climbing game where you’re never more than 12 feet off the ground would have precisely zero stakes.) But it’s an apt conduit for the spirit of bouldering, in that every route you traverse is a problem to solve. By alternating triggers to dictate which hand goes on which handhold, you navigate these problems. Environmental hazards and a pesky stamina wheel make things progressively trickier. You’re always clear on your heading. (It’s up.) Figuring out how to get there is another matter.\n\nEven in games that prominently feature it, climbing is often functional, at best — whether it’s Link refusing to acknowledge handholds are a thing or Nathan Drake snapping to ledges with a level of magnetism only thought possible at CERN.\n\nJusant is the first and only game I’ve played that gets it — that sees the inherent grace in the sport and portrays it on the screen, not as a means of getting somewhere, but as the reason to go there in the first place. —Ari Notis\n\n8. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2\n\nDeveloper: Insomniac Games\n\nWhere to play: PlayStation 5\n\nMarvel’s Spider-Man 2 builds on the successes of the first game, both narratively and in its immensely satisfying gameplay. The game’s story takes a familiar Spider-Man narrative — that of friends turned foes — and adds new twists, building out compelling villains (and demanding ones) in the process. The game also sheds its predecessor’s odious Spider-Cop bits in favor of establishing a deeper connection between the Spider-Mans and their city, giving the game room to breathe while further immersing you in its heroes’ worlds and struggles.\n\nAnd then there’s the gameplay. For my money, there are few experiences more enjoyable in gaming than swinging around New York City with Spider-Man. It was fun in the early 2000s, and it’s still fun now. And with a bigger map to explore (and wings to fly, if you so choose to use them), there’s basically no limit to the fun you can get up to. The deployment of two protagonists is seamless — Peter and Miles play differently, bringing their own stories and desires to the table — and switching between them is effortless. It’s also the rare open-world game that doesn’t feel bloated with missions and side quests, instead leaving you wanting more Spider adventures. —PV\n\n7. Street Fighter 6\n\nDeveloper: Capcom\n\nWhere to play: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X\n\nAfter getting knocked down — by a self-inflicted punch, no less — with the feeble Street Fighter 5, Capcom has hit the gym and returned stronger than before with Street Fighter 6. We rightfully called its latest Street Fighter the “ultimate fighting game toolbox” in Polygon’s review; from a robust single-player mode to solid online modes to a cast of memorable new and returning World Warriors, Street Fighter 6 is Capcom at its most confident.\n\nFor newcomers and the lapsed Street Fighter fan wary of jumping into online play, Capcom delivered World Tour mode, a robust, single-player, RPG-lite beat-’em-up in the vein of Sega’s Yakuza games. In World Tour, players hit the streets of Metro City where, hilariously, everyone in town not only knows how to fight, but relishes impromptu fisticuffs with strangers. It’s a matter of local pride.\n\nThe streets of Metro City are part training grounds, part beginning of a silly, epic worldwide adventure where you learn the basics of Street Fighter 6. Untethered from any serious game narrative canon, Street Fighter 6 lets players of all skill levels and stripes have fun in World Tour mode.\n\nStreet Fighter 6’s approachability extends to its innovative new control scheme, an addition called Modern Controls. While the six-button layout from the very first Street Fighter is still available, after multiple attempts at giving players a simplified control scheme, Capcom’s finally cracked it. Modern Controls are not only comparatively easy to grasp — they’re pretty viable competitively.\n\nBut it’s the finely honed one-on-one fighting mechanics, governed by a streamlined set of meters and flashy new moves, that give Street Fighter 6 its longevity. Thanks to a well-populated social space called the Battle Hub, and a rock-solid online infrastructure, there’s a robust community of other Street Fighter fans to battle against on a daily basis. Add a compelling new roster of characters led by classics like Ryu, Zangief, and Chun-Li, and dazzling newcomers Marisa, Manon, and Kimberly, and it’s clear why Street Fighter 6 is one of the best games of 2023, regardless of genre. —Michael McWhertor\n\nRelated Street Fighter 6 is the ultimate fighting game toolbox\n\n6. Cocoon\n\nDeveloper: Geometric Interactive\n\nWhere to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X\n\nI think I’m still trying to wrap my head around Cocoon. On the surface, the game appears to have a relatively simple premise: You play as a buglike creature that picks up and places glowing orbs to solve puzzles. However, this is where Cocoon hides its brilliant twist. Each orb functions like a world unto itself, which you can explore, or from which you can extract a new power for your bug. As you collect orbs, you thread together puzzles that will have you weaving in and out of realms in a truly mind-bending experience.\n\nCreated by Geometric Interactive, a studio founded by developers who previously worked on Limbo and Inside, Cocoon’s brain teasers unfold in a dark sci-fi world. The game goes light on a story that combines biological and mechanical philosophies alike. As you make your way through, you’ll hear the hum of engines and the moist squishy sounds of unknown creatures’ moving flesh.\n\nCocoon has one-off puzzles that are downright brilliant, but what makes it truly great is the sum of its parts. The pacing of each section feeds smoothly from one challenge to the next. Like the best puzzle games, Cocoon presents instances where an earlier brain teaser might serve as an unsaid tutorial that teaches you a step for a later, more complicated puzzle. Cocoon presents challenges, but it’s also just a joy to play. It is one of the most memorable puzzle games I’ve ever played. —AD\n\nRelated Cocoon is impossibly good\n\n5. Pikmin 4\n\nDevelopers: Nintendo EPD, Eighting\n\nWhere to play: Nintendo Switch\n\nPikmin 4 is like the perfect amalgamation of Pikmin games. There are fun mini-dungeon caverns, but they’re not filled with terrible bomb traps. There’s new types of Pikmin, but not at the cost of getting rid of the old ones. And there’s a dog now, and he helps corral the Pikmin and make operations run even more efficiently.\n\nThe entirety of the game is a whimsical joy to play. Even as I completed every Dandori Challenge (which actually got pretty damn hard!) and collected every item, it never became a drag or a grind. It actually might be impossible to be angry while playing this game. Hearing the little Pikmin hum as they carry a huge peach (that they call a “mock bottom”) across the map is enough to melt anyone’s heart. In fact, I was pretty sad when the game ended. I could command these little guys and my puppy friend to collect things forever.\n\nAll told, the game is beautiful, and, thanks to its quasi real-world setting, it makes me see my own world differently — there’s something special to be found everywhere, even in the tiniest corners. Maybe all my little trinkets go missing because a little guy needs it to return home. He can have it.\n\nEven if you’ve never played a Pikmin game before, this game is good, and it’s the perfect place to start. (And then you can play all the rest of them, which have been conveniently ported to the Switch!) —JL\n\nRelated Pikmin 4 will turn you into an obsessive collector\n\n4. Super Mario Bros. Wonder\n\nDeveloper: Nintendo EPD\n\nWhere to play: Nintendo Switch\n\nWhen you activate Super Mario. Bros. Wonder’s delightful whimsy — via the aptly named Wonder Flower — the game becomes more than a 2D platformer. Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a musical, a quiz show, a race, or a hidden object game. Pipes become inchworms, Piranha Plants burst into song, and Yoshi becomes a goddamn dragon. Wonder is the first side-scrolling 2D platformer in the Super Mario Bros. line since New Super Mario Bros. U in 2012, and it’s both a faithful rendition of the classic format and a complete reinvention of the series’ irresistible formula.\n\nEach and every level in Super Mario Bros. Wonder finds some new way to delight and surprise. It’s constantly introducing new ideas, enemies, and wrinkles, only to pull back on them just when it’s on the verge of becoming rote. Like everything else in the Flower Kingdom, a few enemies shift and change in bizarre ways when the Wonder Flower is activated, like Hoppo, the bouncy, round hippo equivalent that grows in size to create chaos in one of Super Mario Bros. Wonder’s many mesmerizing levels.\n\nAll of this weirdness, combined with Nintendo’s platforming expertise, makes Super Mario Bros. Wonder an entrancing romp alone, with friends, or with strangers online. This is the freshest Mario has felt in decades, and it bodes well for the iconic plumber’s 2D future. —N. Carpenter\n\n3. Alan Wake 2\n\nDeveloper: Remedy Entertainment\n\nWhere to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X\n\nThere’s a body in the forest with a hole in its chest. The forest, like the body, is also missing its heart, and a woman must find both. In each, there are pages. This is a story, broken into pieces, we learn. One that ended badly before. One that will likely end badly again. Will you still put it together?\n\nAlan Wake 2 is full of words but few are in order. It is set in places of confused geography, full of people who don’t quite belong, in rooms that might be different each time you enter them. Alan Wake 2 is wrong, and you must make it right, if you can.\n\nRemedy Entertainment’s assured masterpiece is less about stories and more about dreams — the way they can slip from frightening to absurd at a moment’s notice, about how we can get lost in them, learning from our experiences or succumbing to insecurities. How video games can mimic their shape, or lack thereof.\n\nIt is about repetition, and the way we find meaning in stories and people and places by returning to them over and over, wondering if we changed or they did.\n\nIn Alan Wake 2, everyone’s story is happening at once, branching out in endless directions, and we might not know the genre until it’s too late. It’s a hypertext mystery, an ergodic game that molds itself to an audience raised online, though few computers are in sight. It’s a game for a world suspended in an endless second act — forever wars, live services, franchises, infinite scrolls — endlessly searching for a conclusion. —JR\n\n2. Baldur’s Gate 3\n\nDeveloper: Larian Studios\n\nWhere to play: PlayStation 5 and Windows PC\n\nBaldur’s Gate 3 hit at the perfect moment. Despite the handful of truly great computer role-playing games that have been released since the early 2000s (Larian Studios itself made waves with its Divinity: Original Sin series in 2014 and 2017), the genre has largely remained a modern niche. But times have changed: Dungeons & Dragons has undergone something of a renaissance, thanks to actual-play series like Critical Role and Dimension 20. What’s more, Larian had two years of player feedback with which to build its new masterpiece. That masterpiece launched in August, and it garnered the kind of attention that catapults a game from niche interests to widespread acclaim.\n\nOld CRPG fans finally came home, the Mass Effect generation has discovered a new kind of RPG to sink its teeth into, and D&D fans have found an exceptional digital version of their beloved tabletop game to play alone or with their party in co-op.\n\nLike a good DM, Baldur’s Gate 3 teases out story beats that feel personal to you, cleverly luring you into experiences that seem like they wouldn’t make sense in anyone else’s campaign. Every act delivers quiet, memorable character moments and anxiety-inducing battles. All of these situations feel organic, allowing Baldur’s Gate 3 to replicate, perhaps as closely as a video game can, Dungeons & Dragons’ best feature: the intoxicating sense that anything could happen at any moment.\n\nThe best games this year told their stories in interesting ways, be it ignoring your superpowers to bike through your old neighborhood in Queens, a musical number, or fractured memories hidden in a puddle. But Baldur’s Gate 3 takes experimental storytelling to another level. Every choice and every new direction is a simple success, fail, or crit away. One roll of the dice after another can take you all the way from a crashed Nautiloid to the city of Baldur’s Gate itself.\n\nIn a year filled with beautiful stories and powerful moments, it’s the spinning whir of Baldur’s Gate 3’s d20 that defined video game storytelling in 2023. —RG\n\n1. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom\n\nDeveloper: Nintendo EPD\n\nWhere to play: Nintendo Switch\n\nPrincess Zelda is missing. Ganondorf has returned, somehow, and he’s really hot. So an age-old hero in a green tunic has to step in. We all know the beats — how could you possibly make that into anything new?\n\nTears of the Kingdom definitely didn’t seem like it was poised to make that happen: a sequel to one of the most popular Zelda games ever made, originally conceived as DLC, and built on the same map. Yet, it is something else entirely. It’s not just that Breath of the Wild was a rough draft for Tears of the Kingdom — it’s that the entire Zelda series was a collection of stepping stones that led in winding, influential pathways to this wacky, wonderful, and thoroughly new world of Hyrule.\n\nI mean, Ultrahand alone. Just absolutely slathering pieces of wood in what amounts to magical Gorilla Glue and watching in wonder as the game’s physics engine roars to life in response. I went into Tears of the Kingdom thinking I wouldn’t build much — I’d just follow the story and get through it; I left feeling like a genius engineer, building all manner of bizarre contraptions (but mostly long bridges) to sail through skies and trundle over mountaintops.\n\nI still catch my breath remembering that first time diving deep into the darkness of the Depths — the amazement I felt upon discovering a whole other world underneath the one I knew, filled with skeleton horses and gloom-splattered Bokoblins.\n\nAnd I remember when I realized where Princess Zelda really was… and then, many hours later, learning where she really was.\n\nI never wanted to stop playing Tears of the Kingdom. I did stop, eventually — the year of 2023 in video games has spoiled us all with hearty meals and sweet desserts — but I never stopped thinking about it. Every now and then, I picked my Switch back up to seek out another Lightroot, or solve another shrine’s puzzle, until there were none left. And then I’d just wander, collecting ingredients, talking to Great Fairies, imagining the next adventure.\n\nTears of the Kingdom feels like someone holding my hands very close as they lean in to whisper, with eyes twinkling, “Can I tell you something?” The ride was wild; I laughed, I cried. And I can’t wait for the next time, when it’s completely different. —M. Myers","url":"https://www.polygon.com/23648669/best-video-games-2023","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_82539763c335f88b","mhq_3e8219f583173d97"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_82539763c335f88b","mhq_3e8219f583173d97"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"89eecfe52d31ec3d12c6a056637b2403cd280de43d3036dba23c74857bd76dc0","source_record_sha256":"099335c30a67c17f932d51bcf5477e05d1020f3b1d308c51f090bc3de99c04b1","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":213,"source_fields":{"title":"The best video games of the year so far","author":"Mike Mahardy","source":"Polygon","published_at":"2023-10-31T16:30:45+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.polygon.com/23648669/best-video-games-2023"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_854f300850d62bba","text":"Microsoft Activision: What does deal mean for gamers? Published 14 October\n\nImage source, Getty Images\n\nMicrosoft has sealed its long-awaited deal for Activision Blizzard, and it's paid $69bn (£56bn) for the privilege.\n\nThat's a lot of money, but what does the deal actually mean for people the next time they pick up a video game?\n\nWill Call of Duty still be on PlayStation?\n\nThis is the big question fans keep asking.\n\nCall of Duty is one of the biggest-selling video game franchises of all time, ranking behind just Mario, Tetris and Pokemon.\n\nThe good news for Sony fans is it will be 2038 before it's even possible that the game could be an Xbox exclusive.\n\nThat's because Ubisoft has signed a deal giving it \"cloud gaming\" rights for every Activision Blizzard game, past and future, for 15 years.\n\nImage source, Getty Images Image caption, Ubisoft is perhaps best known as the developer and publisher of stealthy action-adventure franchise Assassin's Creed\n\nMicrosoft had to agree to this to get the deal past UK regulators, who were worried about the company dominating the cloud industry.\n\nIf you don't know - cloud gaming is when people stream games over the internet - the much-touted \"Netflix for games\".\n\nThe big subscription services in gaming right now include Ubisoft+, as well as Sony's PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass.\n\nSo, will Call of Duty be on Game Pass?\n\nIn a post on X on Monday, Activision Blizzard said it expects to start adding its titles to Game Pass starting next year - meaning it's quite possible the new Call of Duty, amongst other games, will be playable on Xbox from day one.\n\nPrior to this deal, Sony was usually the company benefiting from exclusives with Call of Duty - often meaning early access to the game, testing, and bonus features - but now that may well be a thing of the past.\n\nAnd critically, Microsoft has a habit of making its big blockbuster games available to play on Game Pass, for a monthly fee, on the first day they release.\n\nImage source, EPA-EFE Image caption, Bethesda, which is owned by Microsoft, launched its new game Starfield in 2023 - but only on Xbox and PC\n\nIt's up to gamers to decide for themselves whether it's a better deal to buy the game or pay to access it.\n\nBut it is worth noting this concerned the UK regulator so much it made sure Activision Blizzard games couldn't be streamed exclusively on Xbox for 15 years.\n\nThat might be because Microsoft has form here - when the hotly anticipated Starfield came out in September 2023 to critical acclaim, it was available exclusively on PC and Xbox, and playable on Game Pass from day one.\n\nIf games are still on PlayStation, what's in it for Microsoft?\n\nEven with games still able to appear on PlayStation, it's Microsoft who will be winning out.\n\nUbisoft may have the streaming rights to Activision Blizzard games for 15 years, but increasingly nowadays game companies make much more money from in-game purchases, also known as microtransactions.\n\nAccording to Statista, the firm raked in $5.89bn in 2022 from microtransactions, downloadable content and royalties - more than three times the $1.6bn it made from selling the games themselves.\n\nSony gets around a 30% cut of purchases made in-game, though the exact figures will change between games. Either way - it means an in-game purchase in Call of Duty on PlayStation will now be directly funding a rival.\n\nWhat do fans think?\n\nBBC Newsbeat spoke to fans at gaming convention EGX this week to get their take on the deal, with Oliver, 16, saying he thought it might be good news for Call of Duty.\n\n\"It will just expand the market for gaming, because it's a company with more money to fund the games,\" he said.\n\nMeanwhile Sophie, who was named Ubisoft's content creator of the year, told the BBC she \"just wants the games to win\".\n\n\"We want everyone to be able to play video games that they want to play, we want them to be accessible for everyone,\" she said.\n\n\"Obviously, we're going to have our opinions, but if the end result is good games, that's fine with us.\"\n\nThis Instagram post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. View original content on Instagram The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Skip instagram post by cadaea Allow Instagram content? This article contains content provided by Instagram. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Meta’s Instagram cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. Accept and continue The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. End of instagram post by cadaea\n\nBut not everyone is positive.\n\nOnce upon a time, Activision games Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon were PlayStation exclusives, and some fans don't want to see a permanent switch to Microsoft somewhere down the line.\n\nIt's even led some fans to make petitions calling for Microsoft to keep the games playable on all consoles in perpetuity.\n\nWhat does it mean for the UK?\n\nActivision Blizzard alone has studios in London, Guildford and Warrington. The business also owns King, the Stockholm and London-based makers of Candy Crush Saga.\n\nImage source, Getty Images Image caption, Activision Blizzard itself owns many developers, including the maker of Candy Crush Saga\n\nAltogether this deal means more UK studios coming under the control of Microsoft.\n\nUkie, the body that represents games companies, told the BBC that this kind of international investment was \"a crucial part\" of the UK industry. According to a spokesperson, 89% of the total investment in the UK games industry between January 2017 and June 2022 came from non-UK companies.\n\nSo from the side of simply paying for games to be made, this kind of money makes a big difference.\n\nWhat games does Microsoft now own?\n\nImage source, Getty Images Image caption, World of Warcraft now comes under the Microsoft umbrella\n\nIt expands an already massive gaming empire owned by the US company.\n\nGamers who grew up with the N64 will recall Microsoft's shock purchase of GoldenEye 007 developer Rare for $375m in 2002, who up until then had specialised in Nintendo games.\n\nBut modern players might be more familiar with Microsoft buying up Minecraft developer Mojang for $2.5bn in 2014 - meaning it owns the best-selling game of all time.\n\nThe business has used a slew of savvy acquisitions like the above to try to muster the same dominance it's had in computing in gaming.\n\nIt now owns more than 20 different gaming studios altogether.\n\nWe've mentioned several big games already, but there's even more which are about to fall under Microsoft's umbrella.\n\nIt's a long list, but some of the big names include:\n\nTony Hawk's Pro Skater\n\nWorld of Warcraft\n\nDiablo\n\nOverwatch\n\nCandy Crush Saga","url":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-67066870?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_3e8219f583173d97"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_3e8219f583173d97"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"27b52689fe6fa7f3a347caf3d71e8669ac7b8fee13c3c45d041d02eadff2fee3","source_record_sha256":"e78505e0886d0c7620b6510aedb9a9e20554a96cfa94ec3b349a78321c56ea56","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":214,"source_fields":{"title":"Microsoft Activision: What does deal mean for gamers?","author":null,"source":"BBC News - Technology","published_at":"2023-10-13T23:01:24+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-67066870?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_8c45ace0c9f63f21","text":"Witness Adam Yedidia answers questions during Sam Bankman-Fried fraud trial over the collapse of FTX, the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange, at Federal Court in New York City, October 5, 2023, in this courtroom sketch. Jane Rosenberg | Reuters\n\nTwo of Sam Bankman-Fried's former friends from MIT, who also worked at crypto exchange FTX while living with the company's founder in the Bahamas, took the stand in a Manhattan courtroom this week to testify against their former classmate, confidant, and boss — a man who allegedly ran a crypto empire that defrauded thousands of customers out of billions of dollars. Gary Wang, the lesser-known co-founder of FTX, was asked by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Roos on Thursday, \"Did you commit financial crimes while working at FTX?\" \"Yes,\" responded Wang. He said that his crimes, including wire and commodities fraud, were carried out with the help of Bankman-Fried, FTX ex-engineering head Nishad Singh and Caroline Ellison, who ran sister hedge fund Alameda Research and had been Bankman-Fried's girlfriend. \"Mr. Wang, do you see any of the people you committed those crimes with in the courtroom today?\" Roos continued. Wang, dressed in an oversized and wrinkled suit with a red tie and glasses, awkwardly stood up and looked around the courtroom before responding, \"Yes.\" \"Who do you see?\" asked Roos. \"Sam Bankman-Fried,\" he said. The trial, set to last six weeks, will resume on Tuesday with key testimony expected from Ellison, who is considered the prosecution's star witness, having already pleaded guilty to multiple charges. Bankman-Fried faces seven federal charges, including wire fraud, securities fraud and money laundering, that could put him in prison for the rest of his life. Thus far, Bankman-Fried, 31, has remained mostly quiet in court intently listening to witnesses and at times writing notes to his attorneys. But as Wang testified against him, Bankman-Fried looked visibly upset, shifting his gaze from his former friend to the ground, and at one point putting his head in his hands.\n\nSam Bankman-Fried listens as Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Roos questions Gary Wang during Bankman-Fried's fraud trial over the collapse of FTX, the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange, at Federal Court in New York City, U.S., October 6, 2023, in this courtroom sketch. Jane Rosenberg | Reuters\n\nWang, 30, was technology chief for FTX, which spiraled into bankruptcy in November. He spoke so fast that U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan and the prosecutor both stopped him at points to ask that he slow his pace. Much of Wang's testimony on Friday focused on the final days at FTX before the entire operation imploded, including reports in the media detailing Alameda's business practices and its troubling ties to FTX. Wang said that in response to the reporting an emergency meeting was called between Bankman-Fried, Wang and Singh, to discuss shutting down Alameda. He said they ultimately decided against such a move, because he and Bankman-Fried were aware that Alameda had no way to repay the roughly $14 billion hole in its books. Prosecutors took the jury through a series of tweets, beginning on Nov. 7. Posts came from the company blaming bank hours for slow withdrawals, while Bankman-Fried tweeted from his personal account, assuring customers that all was fine. \"FTX was not fine and assets were not fine,\" Wang testified. On Nov. 12, after FTX declared bankruptcy, Bankman-Fried asked Wang to drive with him to the Bahamas Securities Commission for a meeting. On the drive, Bankman-Fried told Wang to transfer assets to Bahamian liquidators because he believed they would allow him to maintain control of the company. Wang said he wasn't in the meeting with the securities authority, though Bankman-Fried's dad was present.\n\n\n\nWang said he returned to the U.S. and met with prosecutors the next day. He faces up to 50 years in prison when he faces a judge for sentencing following this trial. He told jurors he signed a six-page cooperation agreement that requires him to meet with prosecutors, answer their questions truthfully and turn over evidence.\n\nSam Bankman-Fried, the founder of bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX, is seen during a hearing as a U.S judge revoked his bail, at a courthouse in New York, U.S., August 11, 2023 in this courtroom sketch. Jane Rosenberg | Reuters\n\n$65 billion line of credit\n\nFor months, Bankman-Fried has known that Wang and Ellison, who were integral members of his personal and professional inner circles, had turned on him. Both pleaded guilty in December and have since been cooperating with the U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan. Wang's testimony, which stretched into Friday, was given under a cooperation agreement with the government. Ellison is expected to take the stand under a similar arrangement.\n\nU.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan presides as Gary Wang testifies during the fraud trial of Sam Bankman-Fried over the collapse of FTX, the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange, at Federal Court in New York City, U.S., October 6, 2023 in this courtroom sketch. Jane Rosenberg | Reuters\n\nBorn in China, Wang moved to the U.S. at age 7, and grew up in Minnesota before going to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to study math and computer science. He worked at Google after college. Wang, who first met Bankman-Fried during high school at a summer camp, owned 10% of Alameda, while his boss owned the other 90%. Wang told the court about the advantages that Alameda received by having code baked into FTX's software that allowed special access to the crypto exchange. Those privileges ultimately resulted in Alameda owing FTX $8 billion worth of customer deposits. \"We gave special privileges on FTX that gave unlimited withdrawals on the platform to Alameda,\" Wang said. Alameda was allowed to withdraw and transfer those funds and had a $65 billion line of credit. \"When customers deposited USD, it went to Alameda,\" he said. \"It existed in the computer code. Alameda could have negative balances and unlimited withdrawals.\" That \"bug\" in the code was written by Nishad Singh, who was FTX's director of engineering, and reviewed by Wang. Bankman-Fried was calling the shots, Wang said. Wang also told the court about a $1 million personal loan he received and a $200 million to $300 million loan in his name from Alameda that was never deposited into his account, but rather was used to make investments into other companies on behalf of FTX. That was all done by Bankman-Fried, he testified. In early 2020, Wang said he discovered for the first time Alameda's negative balance exceeded FTX's revenue, an indication that Alameda was taking customer funds. Wang said he brought this to Bankman-Fried's attention several times. In late 2021, Wang discovered Alameda had withdrawn $3 billion from its $65 billion line of credit. Wang's compensation was a base salary of $200,000 per year plus stock. He owned roughly 17% of FTX. Even though they were co-founders, \"ultimately it was Sam's decision to make\" when there were disagreements, he said.\n\nAssistant United States Attorney Nicolas Roos questions Gary Wang during Sam Bankman-Fried's fraud trial over the collapse of FTX, the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange, at Federal Court in New York City, U.S., October 6, 2023, in this courtroom sketch. Jane Rosenberg | Reuters\n\nAn $8 billion bug\n\nAdam Yedidia, who was the prosecution's second witness on Wednesday, continued his testimony on Thursday. Yedidia met Bankman-Fried in college at MIT, and the pair remained close friends. Yedidia, assuming a robotic posture on the stand, worked out of FTX's Hong Kong office from January to October of 2021 and then in the Bahamas until last year's collapse. In his testimony, he referred to a group Signal thread called \"People of the House,\" referring to Bankman-Fried's $35 million penthouse, where many employees lived.\n\nZoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards Exhibit from the prosecution shows Signal thread called \"People of the House,\" referring to Bankman-Fried's $35 million penthouse, where many employees lived. Source: SDNY\n\nIn terms of who was paying the rent, Yedidia recalled Bankman-Fried saying he \"assumed it's just Alameda paying for it in the end.\" Yedidia said Bankman-Fried had told him, before he began working in the Bahamas in 2019, that he and Ellison had sex. Bankman-Fried asked Yedidia if it was a good idea for them to date, to which Yedidia said no. Bankman-Fried responded by saying he was expecting that answer. One of Yedidia's responsibilities was fixing the bug in the code that gave Alameda preferential treatment. In June 2022, he submitted a report to Bankman-Fried on Signal that showed $8 billion in customer money held in an internal database tracking the cash wired to an Alameda account called \"fiat at ftx.com\" was missing. Yedidia said he and Bankman-Fried spoke about it at the pickleball court at the resort in Nassau, Bahamas. He asked his boss if things were OK. He was concerned because it \"seemed like a lot of money\" from FTX customers was at risk. \"Sam said, we were bulletproof last year. We aren't bulletproof this year,\" Yedidia testified. Yedidia said he asked when they would be bulletproof again. Bankman-Fried said he wasn't sure, but it may be six months to three years. Yedidia said Bankman-Fried appeared \"worried or nervous,\" which he said was atypical. Still, Yedidia said he trusted Bankman-Fried and Ellison to \"handle the situation.\" On cross-examination, Christian Everdell, Bankman-Fried's attorney, focused on how Yedidia was the one responsible for developing and reviewing the code.\n\n\n\nHe asked about the long hours employees worked and Yedidia's concern for Wang being near burnout. That resulted in Yedidia instituting a rule to not wake Wang at night for bug fixes because he needed sleep. Everdell also drilled Yedidia on his high level of compensation in his less than two years at FTX. His base salary was between $175,000 and $200,000, but he received multiple bonuses of more than $12 million in cash and company equity. Yedidia said he's now teaching math — geometry and algebra — at a high school. He invested most of the millions he earned as bonuses back into FTX, and his equity stake is now worthless. As FTX was failing, Yedidia said he was by Bankman-Fried's side. He highlighted a Signal exchange in November 2022, during which he wrote, \"I love you Sam. I'm not going anywhere.\" He said he wrote the message because so many people had left. When asked what changed, Yedidia said he learned that FTX customer deposits had been used to pay loans to creditors. He said Alameda's actions seemed \"flagrantly wrong.\" Yedidia's testimony ended on a fiery note, which was later struck from the record. He was asked why he had lost faith in FTX and resigned. \"FTX defrauded all its customers,\" he said.\n\nMatt Huang, co-founder of Paradigm Operations LP, right, arrives at court in New York, US, on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023. Former FTX Co-Founder Sam Bankman-Fried is charged with seven counts of fraud and money laundering following the collapse of his cryptocurrency empire last year. Photographer: Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg via Getty Images Yuki Iwamura | Bloomberg | Getty Images\n\nInvestment to zero\n\nThe third witness to take the stand was Matt Huang, co-founder and managing partner of Paradigm, a crypto venture capital firm that invested over $275 million in FTX. That stake was wiped out. Huang testified about his firm's due diligence on FTX, and he told the court that Bankman-Fried assured him that funds would be used for FTX and not Alameda. Additionally, he was promised that Alameda had no preferential treatment on the FTX platform, even though the hedge fund was one of its top traders. Huang said he was concerned about FTX's lack of a board of directors, but he eventually invested anyway. During cross-examination, Huang said Paradigm pressed Bankman-Fried on the board issue and was told he didn't want investors as directors but he did plan on having a board with experts. — CNBC's Dawn Giel contributed to this report.","url":"https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/06/sex-signal-messages-and-sabotaging-ftxs-code-sbf-criminal-trial.html","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_80e0cb0b59cf740c","mhq_7f7866c6c0a3afc3"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_80e0cb0b59cf740c","mhq_7f7866c6c0a3afc3"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"b187e5568b28a72bf2f467ba52f299e437009df3ed4b96003f0cfe52530d1243","source_record_sha256":"0bc46a08c70314aca2175fd2ab4a880929ca5ad2dc74d4b3de437fe68f31c4a8","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":226,"source_fields":{"title":"Sex, Signal messages, and sabotaging FTX's code: SBF execs and Bahamas roommates tell all in court","author":null,"source":"Cnbc | World Business News Leader","published_at":"2023-10-06T20:17:00+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/06/sex-signal-messages-and-sabotaging-ftxs-code-sbf-criminal-trial.html"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_dc17cfa263f250c1","text":"T-MOBILE ARENA, LAS VEGAS — Reports of Saul \"Canelo\" Alvarez's decline have been greatly exaggerated.\n\nThe reigning face of boxing made it look easy as he retained his undisputed super middleweight title by dominating Jermell Charlo.\n\nAnd it wasn't even remotely close.\n\nCharlo already had a significant mountain to climb by moving up two weight classes and leaving his undisputed super welterweight status behind for the biggest fight of his career. But there are clearly levels to the boxing game and Charlo was either unprepared or unwilling to deal with one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.\n\nCharlo delivered a listless performance as Canelo bulled his way forward and tormented his opponent's body for much of the fight, scoring a knockdown in round seven to provide the only real drama of the evening.\n\n“I worked the whole fight on going to the body, and then I changed it up. That’s what happens when you change the punch,\" Canelo said about the knockdown.\n\nCanelo pursued Charlo and realized very quickly that his opponent was overmatched. With Charlo spending most of the fight with his back against the ropes, Canelo rumbled forward and slugged away at the body, fired an efficient jab, and landed the occasional hook to the head.\n\nThere wasn't much that Canelo could do aside from following Charlo around and looking for an opening to land power shots. That opportunity presented itself in the seventh round when a body shot was followed by a right hand to the temple which caused Charlo to take a knee.\n\nAfter that, it was a game of survival for Charlo.\n\nWith fans filtering out in the later rounds due to an insurmountable lead, Canelo appeared to become annoyed with Charlo's unwillingness to engage. The scores reflected that as Canelo won with tallies of 119-108, 118-109 & 118-109.\n\n\"Nobody can beat this Canelo,\" \"Cinco De Mayo. I'll come back and fight anybody. I don't f---ing care.\"\n\nCanelo (59-2-2, 39 KOs) successfully made his third defense of the undisputed super middleweight championship. He unified all four major titles when he knocked out Caleb Plant in November 2021.\n\nAfter suffering a hiccup when he fell short in attempting to gain light heavyweight gold against Dmitry Bivol, the 33-year-old superstar has now won three fights in a row and will wait to see what's next. The obvious choice for many is a megafight with undisputed welterweight champion Terence Crawford. However, Crawford would need to move up 21 pounds for that fight to happen and he's engaged in a potential rematch with Errol Spence.\n\nOther options appear to be David Benavidez and Jermell's older brother, Jermall Charlo.\n\nAs for Charlo, he still owns the IBF, WBA, and WBC championships and can return to the 154-pound division to defend those titles. Charlo called out Crawford, but after this performance, it is unlikely that Crawford would be interested.\n\nHere's how it all went down in Las Vegas.\n\nCanelo Alvarez vs. Jermell Charlo live updates, results, highlights\n\nRound Twelve: Canelo chops Charlo with a short right. More people head for the exit. Uppercut to the body for Canelo and more people start moving to the exit. Charlo lands a left hook. Charlo continues to throw hands but eats a body shot. Canelo looks upset as the fight ends.\n\nSN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 Canelo (120-107 Canelo)\n\nRound Eleven: It's more of the same as Canelo is jabbing and looking for one big shot. More body punches. Charlo appears to have checked out of winning and checked into the survival hotel. Canelo throws bombs at Charlo and lands a few. The deepest sigh. Another round for Canelo.\n\nSN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 Canelo (110-98 Canelo)\n\nRound Ten: Canelo pops Charlo with a pair of jabs and lands an uppercut. More body work. Wicked left to the body by Canelo. Canelo barely misses an uppercut. Charlo lands a combination but it means nothing. If you really wanted to find a round to give Charlo you could give him this one.\n\nSN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 Canelo (100-89 Canelo)\n\nRound Nine: Canelo continues to pressure Charlo and rips him with a short uppercut. Charlo attempts a combination but misses everything. Charlo lands a jab. Canelo rams another combination into Charlo. It's getting ridiculous.\n\nSN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 Canelo (90-80 Canelo)\n\nRound Eight: Hard jab from Canelo to start round 8. Canelo continues to sink in body shots. Charlo lands a right hand and Canelo trots forward. More body shots. Combination lands from Canelo and Charlo tries to fight back. Canelo is tearing up Charlo to the body. This is one-way traffic.\n\nSN Unofficial Scorecard:10-9 Canelo (80-71 Canelo)\n\nRound Seven: Charlo opens up with some offense, but Canelo lights Charlo up with a body shot and a hook. Down goes Charlo! Charlo is up and here comes Canelo! Canelo is looking for the finisher. Charlo lands a left hook as he tries to get away. Canelo stalks Charlo and lands a left hook.\n\nSN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-8 Canelo (70-62 Canelo)\n\nRound Six: Charlo just isn't doing anything but letting Canelo bully him around the ring. Hard left hook to the body from Canelo. Canelo makes Charlo duck into an uppercut as the round ends. This is rough.\n\nSN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 Canelo (60-54 Canelo)\n\nRound Five: More body work from Canelo and it's starting to wear on Charlo. Charlo lands a combination and goes to the body. Maybe that will spruce him up. More body work from Canelo. Charlo is starting to look content to survive. Charlo lands a hook but Canelo lands a combination that moves Charlo around the ring.\n\nSN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 Canelo (50-45 Canelo)\n\nRound Four: I don't understand Charlo's strategy here. Maybe he's waiting for Canelo to fall asleep? Canelo walks through Charlo's jab and nearly takes his head off with a hook. Canelo is banging away at Charlo with no concern about what's coming back. Canelo with a hard right hand and a left to the body. He's tenderizing the body with these hooks. Charlo is giving rounds away like he knows something we don't.\n\nSN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 Canelo (40-36 Canelo)\n\nRound Three: Charlo opens up with jabs. Nothing lands as Canelo pressures him into the ropes without a single punch thrown. Another right to the body. He's banging on Charlo with nothing coming back. Straight right lands for Canelo and rocks Charlo. Charlo lands a short counter but allows Canelo to get back inside again. Uppercut lands for Charlo, which is the best punch he's landed. Not enough to win the round.\n\nSN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 Canelo (30-27 Canelo)\n\nRound Two: Hard right hand lands for Canelo lands. Canelo backs Charlo into the ropes and lands a body shot. Charlo continues to be jab. Body shot for Charlo lands. A right hook to the body for Canelo. Canelo bounces a body shot and a hook off of Charlo. Charlo is giving Canelo nothing to respect as the Mexican star rips him to the body. Does Charlo want to fight?\n\nSN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 Canelo (20-18 Canelo)\n\nRound One: The two circle each other and no punches are thrown for a minute. Canelo misses a huge body punch. Canelo closed the distance but still no shots landed by either fighter. Canelo lands a short left hook. Charlo begins to pump the jab to back Canelo off but Canelo is lurking. Nothing but pressure but not a whole lot else.\n\nSN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 Canelo\n\n11:34 p.m.: The main event is up next. Canelo Alvarez vs. Jermell Charlo for Canelo's undisputed super middleweight championship. We're going to round-by-round coverage from here on out! Stay tuned!\n\nErickson Lubin takes controversial decision over Jesus Ramos in snoozer\n\nScores: 115-113, 116-112 & 117-111\n\n11:29 p.m. ET: Well, that was surprising. It felt like Ramos was in control but all three judges found a way to give Ramos the decision. Although it wasn't a great fight, it certainly didn't appear to be a close fight and it definitely wasn't one that Lubin appeared to be winning. Alas, Lubin won a fight that few will remember outside of the controversial decision.\n\n11:16 p.m. ET: Two rounds left and this crowd is fed up with the lack of action between Ramos and Lubin. Fans are more interested in watching the celebrities walk in.\n\n11:04 p.m. ET: Through seven rounds, Ramos has been in control in what has been a relatively tame affair with Lubin. Nothing much to write home about. Just a workman-like effort from Ramos as he continues to apply pressure while Lubin seems content to fight off of his backfoot. It's not great.\n\n10:24 p.m. ET: Co-main event is up next as Jesus Ramos (20-0, 16 KOs) faces Erickson Lubin (25-2, 18 KOs) in a WBC/WBA super welterweight title eliminator.\n\nBarrios claims interim WBC welterweight title with wide decision over Ugas\n\nScores: 117-108, 118-107 & 118-107\n\n10:08 p.m. ET: We had some added drama down the stretch as Barrios dropped Ugas, who appeared to be on the verge of getting stopped. Ugas spit out his mouthpiece on two occasions to slow down the beating but lost a point in the process. It didn't matter as Barrios was well ahead and secured the decision and the title.\n\n10:00 p.m. ET: The condition of Ugas' right eye continues to worsen as we head into the championship rounds. And the way that this fight is going, this could be the beginning of the end for Ugas' career if things don't turn around in the final six minutes.\n\n9:50 p.m. ET: Things are getting interesting as we head into the ninth round. There is clear damage on Ugas' right eye, the same orbital bone that was broken by Errol Spence Jr. last year. He's fought a decent fight and appeared to have rebounded after the early knockdown but he's going to have to finish strong in order to get a decision here tonight.\n\n9:26 p.m. ET: Barrios scored a knockdown at the end of round two to make this fight very interesting. Ugas walked into a stiff jab and hit the canvas. Although he wasn't terribly hurt, it'll be interesting to see how his punch resistance holds up over the duration of the fight.\n\n9:00 p.m. ET: Next is Yordenis Ugas (27-5, 12 KOs) vs. Mario Barrios (27-2, 18 KOs) for the WBC interim super welterweight championship. Ugas is back in action over a year after suffering an eye injury in defeat against Errol Spence Jr. while Barrios will have his third fight at 147 pounds.\n\nElijah Garcia stops Armando Resendiz in eight\n\n8:56 p.m. ET: Garcia finished the job in style. Although Resendiz was in the fight, Garcia's power punches were having more of an effect on him in the later rounds. Garcia dropped Resendiz with a body shot and a hook to the head in the eighth round. Garcia then took his time picking his spots as a huge combination forced the hand of referee Tony Weeks at the 1:26 mark to get his 16th victory. The middleweight division could use some new blood and Garcia might be the future of the division.\n\n8:39 p.m. ET: Through six rounds, Garcia has looked excellent against Resendiz. He's winning the combination exchanges and landing the heavier shots. Resendiz is very game and trying to build momentum off of his upset win over Jarrett Hurd, but the 20-year-old Garcia is proving to be too much for him.\n\n8:13 p.m. ET: The PPV card is kicking off with the undefeated Elijah Garcia (15-0, 12 KOs) taking on Armando Resendiz (14-1, 10 KOs) in middleweight action.\n\n7:42 p.m. ET: The early preliminary fights are all wrapped up and we're moments away from the PPV portion of Canelo-Charlo. Early on we had knockouts from Frank Sanchez and Oleksandr Gvozdyk while Terrell Gausha won a majority decision. Scroll down for the early results but stay tuned to our live coverage.\n\nThe main card starts at 8 p.m. ET | 5 p.m. PT | 1 a.m. BST | 10 a.m. BST | 1 a.m. BST | 10 a.m. AEST.\n\nCanelo Alvarez vs. Jermell Charlo full card","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/boxing/news/canelo-alvarez-vs-jermell-charlo-updates-results-highlights/fa89de539f8e4132e0ffa8c1","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_09e5975ee83e3781","mhq_4083498e9e104f97"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_09e5975ee83e3781","mhq_4083498e9e104f97"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"cb80786cc8c349cd0b8d75d6f760cd74d1e3469c22547c80f239daddc67c6763","source_record_sha256":"c1dfad19efc8821c6a672ea18fa64fd3e9fac35c62d9a914cc401888b01dd607","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":245,"source_fields":{"title":"Canelo Alvarez vs Jermell Charlo live fight updates, results, highlights from 2023 boxing fight","author":"Andreas Hale","source":"Sporting News","published_at":"2023-09-30T23:44:09+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/boxing/news/canelo-alvarez-vs-jermell-charlo-updates-results-highlights/fa89de539f8e4132e0ffa8c1"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_cec7a77437bd087f","text":"IND vs AUS Head-to-Head Record in ODI World Cup: It feels like a call back from the past, as two decades ago, these two goliaths—India and Australia—of the cricketing world faced each other in the final of the ICC Men's ODI World Cup in Johannesburg, South Africa.\n\nAlso Read: India vs Australia World Cup Final Free Live Streaming: When and how to watch ICC World Cup 2023 Final IND vs AUS match live on Mobile apps, tv, laptop, online\n\nOnce again, we are at the same stage as the two-time World Champions India will be locking horns against the five-time World Champions Australia for the finale of the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 on Sunday, November 19, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.\n\nAlso Read: IND vs AUS World Cup 2023 Final: Weather Forecast, Pitch Report at Narendra Modi Stadium Ahmedabad ahead of India vs Australia clash\n\nThis is the fourth time that India has qualified for the ODI World Cup final, whereas for Australia, it is their eighth time. India faced Australia a total of 13 times in the ODI World Cups, with the Aussies dominating with eight wins. However, India has won the last two matches, most recently in the league fixture of the 2023 World Cup in Chennai.\n\nAlso Read: ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Prize Money: How much finalists, semi-finalists, and other teams will win at ODI World Cup\n\nAlso Read: ICC ODI Cricket World Cup 2023, Winners List from 1975 to 2023: A look back to the history of the ODI World Cup\n\nPlenty of wounds are still to be healed for India, as the defeat in the 2003 final against Australia still feels fresh. It is only time to tell if the Aussies will repeat history or if it will be India who will write history by winning their third ODI World Cup.\n\nAlso Read: IND vs AUS ICC World Cup 2023 Awards Winners List: ICC Player of the Match, ICC Player of the Tournament, Golden Bat and Golden Ball\n\nHere are all the details you need to know about India vs Australia head-to-head in the ODI World Cups—\n\n1983, Match 11, Prudential World Cup, Nottingham\n\nIndia met with Australia for the very first time in this World Cup and lost the match by 162 runs. Australia posted a target of 321 runs courtesy of a brilliant 110 runs off 131 balls by Trevor Chappell. Kapil Dev took a fifer in that innings. India crumbled within 158 runs, with Ken MacLeay picking up six wickets for Australia.\n\n1983, Match 23, Prudential World Cup, Chelmsford\n\nIndia got their revenge in the very same World Cup, as they defeated the Australian side by 118 runs. India set a target of 248 runs after being bowled out in 55.5 overs. Yashpal Sharma scored 40 off 40 for India in that innings. Jeff Thompson and Rodney Hogg picked up three wickets each for Australia.\n\nAustralia crumbled within 129 runs, with Roger Binny and Madan Lal picking up four wickets for India. India went on to win their first-ever ODI World Cup, defeating the West Indies in the final.\n\n1987, Match 3, Reliance World Cup, Chennai\n\nThis was the first time the World Cup was hosted outside of England. This was one of the closest matches that have been played between these two sides, as Australia won the match by just one run. After batting first, Australia posted a target of 271 runs courtesy of a 110-run off-141-ball knock by Geoff Marsh. India fought well, courtesy of two well-made 70s by Krishnamachari Srikkanth and Navjot Singh Sidhu. Unfortunately, India was bowled out in 49.5 overs with 269 runs on the board. Craig McDermott took four wickets for Australia.\n\n1987, Match 15, Reliance World Cup, Delhi\n\nThis is the second time India has met Australia in this World Cup, with India winning this one by 56 runs. India batting first set a target of 290 runs courtesy of four half-centuries by Sunil Gavaskar, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Dilip Vengsarkar, and Mohammad Azharuddin. Australia was bowled out within 233 runs, with David Boon scoring 62 off 59 balls. Mohammad Azharuddin and Maninder Singh picked up three wickets for India.\n\n1992, Match 12, Benson & Hedges World Cup, Brisbane\n\nThe game in which the rain spoiled not just the match but India's winning chances as they lost by just one run as revised target. Australia set a target of 237 runs in 50 overs, losing nine wickets in the process. Dean Jones scored 90 runs off 108 balls for Australia. Kapil Dev and Manoj Prabhakar picked up three wickets each for India. In the second innings, rain interrupted play after 16.2 overs. The revised target was recalculated to 236 off 47 overs. India needed 5 runs off 4 balls. However, India was bowled out due to two run-outs on the very last ball. Mohammad Azharuddin scored a brilliant 93 runs off 102 balls for India.\n\n1996, Match 19, Wills World Cup, Mumbai\n\nThis match can be considered one of the most exciting matches played between these two sides. Australia batted first and posted a target of 259 runs in 50 overs, courtesy of a brilliant 126 runs off 135 balls by Mark Waugh. Venkatesh Prasad and Venkatapathy Raju picked up two wickets each for India.\n\nIndia batted well courtesy of Sachin Tendulkar, who made a brilliant 90 runs off 84 balls, along with Sanjay Manjrekar, who scored 62 runs off 91 balls. However, India was bowled out within 242 runs in 48 overs. Damien Fleming took five wickets for Australia as Australia won the match by 16 runs.\n\n1999, 1st Super, ICC World Cup, The Oval\n\nThe Australian dominance continued in this World Cup as well, as they defeated India by 77 runs. Australia posted a target of 283 runs in 50 overs courtesy of a brilliant 83 of 99 balls by Mark Waugh.\n\nIndia had an early batting collapse but was stabilised by a sensible 100 off 138 balls by Ajay Jadeja. Robin Singh also scored 75 runs off 94 balls. However, India was bowled out within 205 runs in 48.2 overs. Glenn McGrath picked up three wickets for Australia, with Damien Fleming and Steve Waugh picking up two each.\n\n2003, Match 11, ICC World Cup, Centurion\n\nThis was India's biggest batting collapse in the history of the ODI World Cup. India, winning the toss, chose to bat first but crumbled within 125 runs in 41.4 overs. Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie picked up three wickets each for Australia.\n\nMatthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist gave Australia a fiery start in the second innings as they reached the target in 22.2 overs, losing just one wicket. Australia won the match by nine wickets, with 166 balls remaining.\n\n2003, Final, ICC World Cup, Johannesburg\n\nA memory that is still fresh in the minds of many Indians is the final of the 2003 World Cup. India, winning the toss, chose to bowl first, which turned out to be a big mistake as Australia posted a target of 360 runs in 50 overs. Australian captain Ricky Ponting played a brilliant knock of 140 runs in 121 balls, along with Damien Martyn, who scored 88 runs in 84 balls. This innings, by Ponting, had famously created the conspiracy that he had Spring in his bat.\n\nIndia gave up a tough fight, with Virender Sehwag making 82 runs off 81 balls and Rahul Dravid also scoring 47 runs off 57 balls. However, the lack of support from the other batters led to India being bowled out within 234 runs. Brett Lee and Andrew Symonds took two wickets each as Australia lifted the World Cup for the third time.\n\nAlso Read: India vs Australia, World Cup final in 2003 vs 2023: Can India change the course of history in the final?\n\n2011, 2nd Quarter-Final, ICC Cricket World Cup, Ahmedabad\n\nAfter so much dominance by the Australian side in the World Cups against India, India finally got their revenge in this World Cup as they defeated them by five wickets. Australia batted first and posted a target of 261 runs courtesy of a 104-run knock of 118 balls by their captain, Ricky Ponting, with the loss of six wickets in the process.\n\nIn the second innings, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, and Gautam Gambhir scored three half-centuries as India changed down the target within 47.4 overs, losing 5 wickets in the process.\n\nIndia went all the way to lift their second ODI World Cup trophy, defeating Sri Lanka in the finals.\n\n2015, 2nd Semi-Final, ICC Cricket World Cup, Sydney\n\nAustralia got their revenge for the 2011 quarterfinals in this World Cup as they defeated India by 95 runs. Australia posted a target of 329 runs, losing seven wickets in the process. Steven Smith scored a brilliant 105 runs off 93 balls, with Aaron Finch supporting the innings with an 81-run knock of 116 balls. Umesh Yadav picked up four wickets for India. India crumbled within 233 runs in 46.5 overs. MS Dhoni was the highest scorer for the Indian side in that match, with 65 runs off 65 balls.\n\nJames Faulkner picked up three wickets for Australia, with Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Stark taking two wickets each.\n\nAustralia went all the way to lift their fifth ODI World Cup trophy, defeating New Zealand in the final.\n\n2019, Match 14, ICC Cricket World Cup, The Oval\n\nIndia took their revenge in this World Cup as they annihilated the Australian bowlers by posting a target of 353 runs in 50 overs. Shikhar Dhawan scored a blistering 117 runs off 109 balls, with Virat Kohli joining in with 82 runs off 77 balls. In the second innings, Indian bowlers bowled out the Australian side within 316 runs, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah picking up three wickets and Yuzvendra Chahal picking two as India won the match by 36 runs.\n\n2023, 5th Match, ICC Cricket World Cup, Chennai\n\nThe most recent clash between these two sides happened in this World Cup. Australia won the toss, chose to bat first, and posted a target of 200 runs as they were bowled in 49.3 overs. David Warner scored 41 runs off 52 balls, and Steven Smith scored 46 runs off 71 balls in that innings. For India, Ravindra Jadeja picked up three wickets, along with Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah picking up two each.\n\nIndia was in a terrible position at the start of the second innings as both of the openers got out for a duck, and India lost three wickets for just two runs.\n\nHowever, two brilliant and sensible innings by KL Rahul and Virat Kohli, where they scored 97 runs off 115 balls and 85 runs off 116 balls, took India to shore as India won the match by six wickets.\n\nAlso Read: 2023 ICC World Cup: Virat Kohli vs Australia; know the ODI batting records and stats\n\nCatch the latest stock market updates here. For all other news related to business, politics, tech, sports, and auto, visit Zeebiz.com.","url":"https://www.zeebiz.com/trending/sports/news-icc-cricket-world-cup-2023-final-ind-vs-aus-head-to-head-record-in-odi-world-cup-check-india-vs-australia-match-stats-in-odi-series-265043","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_09e5975ee83e3781"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_09e5975ee83e3781"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"3b0bb6a11e03858d9297cb6d8bd26a4b1a599d1aa8d70460dbdce868bf5bf37f","source_record_sha256":"ea67c0b2045257fa2b8a8ac377a8e3cefe97021a6ecb0b77c2bf725f4fc36993","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":246,"source_fields":{"title":"IND vs AUS Head-to-Head Record in ODI World Cup: Check India vs Australia match stats in World Cup Finals and ODI series","author":"zee business","source":"Zee Business","published_at":"2023-11-18T13:02:06+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://www.zeebiz.com/trending/sports/news-icc-cricket-world-cup-2023-final-ind-vs-aus-head-to-head-record-in-odi-world-cup-check-india-vs-australia-match-stats-in-odi-series-265043"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_5740b112e2ff618a","text":"India’s remarkable economic growth has resulted in a notable increase in the country’s high-net-worth investors (HNIs). According to recent wealth reports, the population of high-net-worth individuals (HNIs) with assets worth $1 million or more, which was 7.9 lakh in 2022, will rise to 16.5 lakh, a 107 per cent increase in five years.\n\nThe growing number of HNIs, as well as their desire to diversify their portfolios and access opportunities outside of traditional avenues such as stocks, mutual funds, and fixed deposits, has prompted the innovation of existing investment products, leading to the emergence of a new asset class known as ‘Alternatives.’\n\nAlthough the same principles of financial and investment planning apply to all investors, HNIs have an advantage. They can choose from a broader range of conventional and unconventional investment opportunities. Investing in unconventional avenues, such as Alternatives, can improve portfolio performance, generate alpha, and allow investors to grow their wealth faster.\n\nLet us look at a few examples of such investment opportunities:\n\n1. Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs)\n\nThese funds were launched in 2012 after the market regulator SEBI issued guidelines for their management. The guidelines enable AIFs to identify and make investment opportunities available to investors in the public and private markets. AIFs, for example, can invest in listed and unlisted equities via private equity, infrastructure assets, venture debt, stressed assets, start-ups, and so on.\n\nAs a result, the term “alternatives” came about. The guidelines have divided these funds into three categories to make it easier for investors to understand the fund’s investment objective. These categories are I, II, and III.\n\nA noteworthy feature of AIFs is that their returns are generally uncorrelated with publicly traded equity or debt markets, providing a natural hedge against volatility and genuine portfolio diversification.\n\nBecause of the minimum investment threshold of ₹1 crore, AIFs are only available to HNIs. However, not all funds are required to collect ₹1 crore in a single transaction. They can collect the money in tranches (called drawdowns) over 2-3 years. The drawdown mechanism makes these funds easy on the wallet. AIFs have amassed an AUM of ₹8.30-lakh crore in the 11 years since their inception, demonstrating the shift of HNI money to this asset.\n\nThe following are some of the investment opportunities available only to HNIs and presented by AIFs:\n\na) Start-up funds: Angel investors looking to invest in ideas that have the potential to grow into full-scale businesses can do so through start-up funds, which provide a unique platform for bringing promoters and investors together. These funds handpick start-ups after extensive due diligence and build a portfolio with the potential to multiply capital several times.\n\nb) Mid-stage private equity (PE) funds: Investors who are hesitant to take the risk of investing in start-ups can invest in companies in the middle of their evolution cycle. Their business valuations grow exponentially as they mature and enter the late-stage or pre-IPO stage. The mid-stage PE fund allows investors to participate in the growth of such companies.\n\nc) Late-stage or pre-IPO funds: Pre-IPO funds allow investors to invest in mature companies preparing to list on the stock exchange. Such funds build a portfolio of companies about to go public and plan to exit them after their anticipated blockbuster listing, which can magnify returns in a relatively short period. Such funds gained immense popularity after the 2020 stock market rally that witnessed the blockbuster listing of some of the popular IPOs of B2C companies.\n\nd) Hedge funds: These funds invest in both publicly traded and unlisted stocks. They manage their funds using long-only and long-short strategies, with the latter allowed to use complex derivative techniques to hedge the portfolio. The specialty of long-short funds is that they try to optimise returns in every market situation. Hence, they tend to rise and fall lower than their peers. Investors with stock and mutual fund portfolios can diversify with hedge funds to reduce volatility.\n\ne) Performing credit funds: Many operating companies cannot raise funds from banks and NBFCs due to their size or credit ratings. This is where performing credit funds come into play. These funds specialise in credit risk assessment and, after thorough due diligence, offer credit to such companies at relatively higher rates, resulting in higher overall returns than AAA/AA-rated bonds. These funds are attractive for investors seeking higher returns on their fixed-income portfolio, which includes debt funds and AA/AAA-rated bonds.\n\nf) Infrastructure Funds: These funds invest in long-term infrastructure assets owned by PSUs or private companies, such as roads, power transmission lines, and solar power plants. Most infrastructure projects provide essential societal services and thus have intrinsic value. These assets generate cashflows in the form of annuities backed by Central and State governments, lowering the risk of future cash flows significantly. These annuities are regularly distributed by funds to the investors, giving them the characteristic of yield. When the fund reaches maturity, the assets may be sold to another fund or infrastructure trust, resulting in capital gains in overall fund returns.\n\ng) Venture debt funds: Start-up promoters frequently want to raise money without selling equity. As start-ups, they are unable to approach banks and mutual funds. This is where venture debt funds, which specialise in providing credit to start-ups, come in handy. It goes without saying that such AIFs help these start-ups raise funds at high rates. The higher returns of such funds and risk management appeal to risk-taking, yield-hungry investors.\n\nThe above fund list is not exhaustive but highlights some of the unique investment opportunities available to HNIs through AIFs. Many more such options are available to investors, such as special situation funds, real estate yield funds, and so on.\n\nAlong with the investment opportunities presented by AIFs, some other alternatives available to HNIs are:\n\n2. Portfolio Management Services (PMS)\n\nPMS guidelines in India date back to 1993, but this investment avenue has grown in popularity with HNIs recently. The growing financialisation of savings, the formalisation of the economy, and the growing prosperity of tier 2 and 3 cities have resulted in an increase in AUM (excluding EPFO/PF), which stood at ₹5.28 lakh crore as of July 2023. Because the minimum investment is ₹50 lakh, this option is also only available to HNIs. Both PMS and mutual funds provide expert guidance in navigating volatile markets and seizing investment opportunities that help create wealth. Because mutual funds cater to retail investors, their guidelines are relatively stringent, and compliance is rigorous.\n\nRegarding PMS, the investment guidelines are somewhat more flexible, allowing portfolio managers to outperform mutual funds. Another feature that appeals to HNIs is that the beneficial ownership of securities is that of the investors, as opposed to mutual funds, where the ownership is that of the fund. Furthermore, PMS is available in two options: discretionary and non-discretionary. In the former case, the portfolio managers make all decisions; in the latter case, the investor makes all decisions.\n\n3. Market-linked Debentures (MLD)\n\nFor HNIs looking to invest a part of their investible surplus in debt, MLDs can be a prudent option. MLDs are non-convertible debt instruments whose returns are tied to a specific financial market benchmark, such as the Nifty 50, the BSE Sensex, or the 10-year G-Sec. The maturity periods of MLDs can vary from one year to five years.\n\nThough the minimum investment for MLDs is ₹1 lakh, making it easier even for small investors to invest in them, they are more popular with the HNIs owing to the complex structure of these debentures. MLDs, unlike traditional fixed-income securities, do not provide periodic interest payments before maturity. Income multipliers and principal protection are common features of equity-linked MLDs. In the former case, the MLDs can generate a return that is a multiple of the underlying index’s return. This increases the likelihood of a higher overall return for a more minor market movement. The latter option safeguards the principal (up to the face value of the debenture) in the event of an adverse market movement. This feature allows even investors with a moderate risk tolerance to easily participate in the market.\n\nFrom the discussion above, it is amply evident that HNIs have various alternative avenues to grow their wealth. The distinct value proposition of AIF, PMS, and MLDs, with unique features, distinctive risk-return profiles, and low correlation with traditional asset classes, makes them genuinely deserving of a place in the portfolio of every HNI. Before investing, investors should conduct thorough research to understand how these investment options work. It’s important to consider the past track record and management team before making investment decisions. Consultation with investment advisors who are knowledgeable in this area can undoubtedly be beneficial.\n\nThe author is President & Head, Nuvama Wealth","url":"https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/portfolio/personal-finance/investment-options-for-high-networth-investors/article67465515.ece","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_181f5439718b0c0f","mhq_cb413bf4b2bb4960"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_181f5439718b0c0f","mhq_cb413bf4b2bb4960"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"d520f905d573736043b7700d66c1618e7177d2f74ac99c99069efbf45c9d2d34","source_record_sha256":"11f3121ffb34782d069362494c9d4876e011e9ae436e6a94c586ec37c9d682d4","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":252,"source_fields":{"title":"Investment options for high networth investors","author":null,"source":"Business Line","published_at":"2023-10-28T14:42:28+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/portfolio/personal-finance/investment-options-for-high-networth-investors/article67465515.ece"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_1a9460c2aa7d898f","text":"WHAT’S HAPPENED?\n\nMBW Explains is a series of analytical features in which we explore the context behind major music industry talking points – and suggest what might happen next. MBW Explains is supported by JKBX , a technology platform that offers consumers access to music royalties as an asset class.\n\nThe drama at Hipgnosis Songs Fund isn’t letting up for the Holidays, it seems.\n\nThis morning (December 19), the company’s board – now led by Chairman, Rob Naylor – issued a statement announcing that HSF would no longer, as previously expected, be issuing its latest financial results today.\n\nInstead, the results (covering the six months to end of September 2023) are now expected to be published sometime before the close of December 31.\n\nThe reason for the delay? According to UK-listed HSF, it’s all to do with a recently-updated company valuation from HSF’s official independent valuer, US-headquartered Citrin Cooperman (CC).\n\nThe HSF board says this valuation from CC was “materially higher than the valuation implied by proposed and recent transactions in the sector”.\n\nHSF’s board particularly points to two transactions/would-be transactions as evidence:\n\nThe proposed sale earlier this year of assets to Blackstone-backed Hipgnosis Songs Capital for USD $440 million (pre-costs) – or $417.5 million (post-costs) – a proposal that was ultimately rejected by HSF shareholders; The sale of 20,000 “non-core” songs from HSF’s portfolio to an unnamed buyer (possibly Kobalt Music Group) for $23.1 million, as announced on December 11. That price, according to HSF’s board, represented a 14.2% discount on Citrin Cooperman’s valuation of this portfolio as of September 30 (something we’ll come back to).\n\nAs part of its announcement this morning, the HSF board took something of a swipe at its investment adviser, Merck Mercuriadis‘ Hipgnosis Song Management.\n\nAfter seeing Citrin Cooperman’s latest valuation and believing it to be too high, said HSF, it then “sought advice from Hipgnosis Song Management… which is majority owned by funds managed and/or advised by Blackstone, on their opinion on the independent valuer’s valuation.”\n\nHSF’s board added: “Hipgnosis Song Management… eventually provided an opinion, which was heavily caveated, such that the Board has concerns as to the valuation of the Company’s assets in its interim results.”\n\nIn response, Hipgnosis Song Management issued its own statement today: “Hipgnosis Song Management has fulfilled its duties to [HSF] with respect to both the independent valuation and preparation of the interim results in a timely and efficient manner.\n\n“Notwithstanding the Board’s decision to delay publication of the interim financial statements, [we] will continue to work in a constructive manner to support the interests of the Company and its shareholders.”\n\nThe oddest thing about all of this? Citrin Cooperman’s valuation of Hipgnosis Songs Fund is, according to HSF’s own company documentation, appointed and overseen… by the HSF board.\n\nSee this line, in every annual and interim report from HSF so far (bolding MBW’s own): “Portfolio Independent Valuer… Citrin Cooperman Advisors LLC, formerly Massarsky Consulting, Inc., [is] appointed by the Board to independently value the Company’s Catalogues within the Portfolio.”\n\nNot to mention this line in various HSF company reports to date: “The [HSF] Board is ultimately and solely responsible for overseeing the valuation of the Company’s investments in music catalogues and has appointed [Citrin Cooperman] to perform this specialist work.”\n\nWHAT’S really going on?\n\nIt’s a fair bet that Hipgnosis Songs Fund’s board – which last week appointed activist investor Christopher Mills as a non-exec Director – is making something of a ‘hidden’ statement to shareholders with today’s announcement.\n\nIt may be a coded attempt by HSF’s board to gnash teeth towards HSM/Mercuriadis’ ‘call option’ – which, as MBW has pointed out before, leaves the exec with the exclusive power to sweep in and acquire HSF’s portfolio under several different circumstances.\n\nThere are a few clues in HSF’s latest public statement to this end, perhaps including its rare – not to mention conspicuous – mention of HSM being “majority-owned by funds managed and/or advised by Blackstone“.\n\nIn addition, today’s statement is also a clear signal from the HSF board that it has understandable concerns over the now-infamous ‘discount rate’ used by Citrin Cooperman to value HSF’s portfolio (as MBW covered in depth through here).\n\nCitrin Cooperman continues to stick to an 8.5% discount rate in its valuations, despite interest rate rises over the past 12-18 months – and has long refused to move this 8.5% figure upwards to, say, 9% or 9.5%.\n\nIf Citrin Cooperman ever did raise this discount rate, the independent valuation of Hipgnosis Songs Fund’s portfolio would, in turn, instantly fall.\n\nWorth remembering: The HSF board has known about Citrin Cooperman’s latest valuation (as of September 30) for at least the past eight days.\n\nWe know this because, as mentioned, on December 11, HSF announced that the $23.1 million price of an agreed HSF ‘non-core’ asset sale represented a 14.2% discount vs. Citrin Cooperman’s latest valuation of the portfolio (i.e. the HSF board had seen this latest valuation).\n\nYet it took until today (December 19) for HSF to alert its investors to its dissatisfaction with this valuation.\n\nWHAT does JP Morgan make of it all?\n\nOne of the closest watchers of Hipgnosis Songs Fund in recent years has been JP Morgan and its analyst Christopher Brown.\n\nIn a rather damning note issued today covering the delay in the publication of HSF’s results, Brown wrote: “This is an early blow to the credibility of the new [Hipgnosis Songs Fund] Board, and casts further doubt over the credibility of the independent valuer, Citrin Cooperman.”\n\nBrown added that he was “surprised” to see that a second valuation expert had not been drafted in to value the HSF portfolio for the latest interim results, especially as Kroll was appointed to consider the “reasonableness” of Citrin Cooperman’s assumptions for HSF’s previous set of results (to end of March 2023).\n\nAdded Brown: “We think the easiest solution now for the [HSF] Board is to apply an additional discount rate to the [Citrin Cooperman] valuation to reflect current market uncertainty, on the basis that it is probably too late to employ another valuer.”\n\nBrown noted that a 0.5% rise in Citrin Cooperman’s discount rate (i.e. raising it from 8.5% to 9.0%) would “reduce the fair value of the [HSF] portfolio by 7.9%, which on a leveraged basis is [approximately a] 10% reduction in NAV [Net Asset Value]”.\n\nShould HSF’s board go down this route, he noted, he expected “the [HSF] shares to weaken… given that this represents another ‘unforced error’”.\n\n“This is an early blow to the credibility of the new [Hipgnosis Songs Fund] Board, and casts further doubt over the credibility of the independent valuer, Citrin Cooperman.” Christopher Brown, JP Morgan, on the HSF board statement today (December 19)\n\nIn addition, Brown expressed his surprise that HSF asked HSM to “opine on the valuation given [HSM’s] conflict of interest”.\n\nHis point: If HSM turned around and said, “yep, HSF’s valuation is 25% too high, better bring it down”, then it would produce a new valuation for HSF that may allow Blackstone (or the Blackstone-controlled Hipgnosis Song Capital) to launch an acquisition bid for the HSF portfolio. (Or, at least, a part of that portfolio.)\n\nThe likely price for this hypothetical Blackstone bid would be smaller than the failed $440 million ($418.5 million post-costs) bid that HSC (via HSM) made for a chunk of the HSF portfolio earlier this year.\n\n“[It] is up to the [Hipgnosis Songs Fund] Board to satisfy itself that the independent valuer, whom it hires, is up to the job, rather than try and pin the blame on [Hipgnosis Songs Management].” Christopher Brown, JP Morgan\n\nConcluded Brown: “[It] is up to the [Hipgnosis Songs Fund] Board to satisfy itself that the independent valuer, whom it hires, is up to the job, rather than try and pin the blame on [Hipgnosis Songs Management].\n\n“Our view is that a breakdown in the relationship between Board and manager would not be optimal for maximising shareholder value.”\n\nBrown further noted that JP Morgan would “not be surprised to see Citrin Cooperman resign, having been very publicly undermined by the [HSF] Board today”.\n\nJP Morgan retained its ‘overweight’ rating against HSF’s share price “in spite of yet another [HSF] own goal”.\n\nA Final thought…\n\nAs mentioned in the opening sentence of this article, there is plenty of drama surrounding HSF right now – from the ‘discontinuation vote’ we saw at the company in October, through to a recent lawsuit launched against Hipgnosis Songs Fund by a former business partner of Merck Mercuriadis.\n\nYet, amongst all of the noise, what will likely most interest HSF’s investors (including the likes of Investec Wealth & Investment, Aviva Investors, and BlackRock) is the ongoing underlying commercial performance of the firm’s copyrights.\n\nHow are Hipgnosis Songs Fund’s assets performing vs. the market? How is the company’s ‘premium-only’ acquisition strategy holding up against its promise of growth “uncorrelated” to other industries? And what does all of this suggest about the ongoing growth potential of the HSF portfolio vs. the multiples that Merck Mercuriadis paid to acquire it?\n\nSuch questions will only be answered when Hipgnosis Songs Fund’s board elects to release the company’s six-monthly financial results to end of September 30.\n\nThe most important KPI within those results, in MBW’s view: the company’s Pro-Forma Revenue, and how it compares, like-for-like, vs. the previous year’s equivalent period.\n\nIn the meantime, back in the ‘real world’ of the music biz, HSF is actually enjoying quite a fanciable Q4.\n\nThe company is benefitting from its cuts on hit albums including Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version), via its acquired Jack Antonoff catalog, as well as Swift’s Lover (via its acquired Joel Little catalog).\n\nHSF’s investments in seasonal Christmas ‘evergreens’ continue to pay off too, with cuts on Michael Buble’s Christmas album and – most famously – a share of Mariah Carey’s perennial megahit, All I Want For Christmas Is You.\n\nJKBX (pronounced \"Jukebox\") unlocks shared value from things people love by offering consumers access to music as an asset class — it calls them Royalty Shares. In short: JKBX makes it possible for you to invest in music the same way you invest in stocks and other securities.Music Business Worldwide","url":"https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/hipgnosis-songs-funds-board-is-concerned-over-citrin-coopermans-latest-valuation-of-the-company-whats-it-going-to-do-about-it/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_1acbad14990a3141","mhq_181f5439718b0c0f"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_1acbad14990a3141","mhq_181f5439718b0c0f"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"7f960baa80838e1a4c721d67a899768eb7423701621914113abd6efd39e7ee07","source_record_sha256":"2c3330636a3edd0714fec1e8d6eac8b5ab64526ff80321e9a2b7fbb06d15e3a4","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":263,"source_fields":{"title":"Hipgnosis Songs Fund’s board is concerned over Citrin Cooperman’s latest valuation of the company. What’s it going to do about it?","author":"Tim Ingham","source":"Music Business Worldwide","published_at":"2023-12-19T23:02:01+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/hipgnosis-songs-funds-board-is-concerned-over-citrin-coopermans-latest-valuation-of-the-company-whats-it-going-to-do-about-it/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_f2afc4281f6567c7","text":"Today, placing Major League Baseball bets online is easier than ever. This guide will look at the best MLB betting sites and how to sign up for a new betting account.\n\nAll major MLB betting sites and apps post daily MLB odds, ranging from game lines to player props to futures bets. Fans can engross themselves in the season by betting on individual games, player performance, or season-long results.\n\nYou can choose from multiple sportsbooks and apps to bet on MLB games. You’ll have to create a new account at each, but you’ll also qualify for new-customer bonuses and promotions, so exploring your options and finding the best deal is worth the effort.\n\nBest MLB betting sites and apps\n\nBelow, we break down our four favorite MLB betting sites and apps.\n\nDraftKings Sportsbook\n\nDraftKings, a premier sportsbook platform, boasts an extensive array of Major League Baseball betting options for novice and seasoned bettors. Their MLB odds include intriguing player and game prop bets, such as predicting the First Inning Winner or First Team to Score.\n\nThese allow bettors to engage with games beyond simple outcomes. For those looking at the bigger picture, DraftKings provides futures bets. Fans can bet on potential division victors or take a shot at predicting the next World Series champion.\n\nSee more:\n\nFanDuel Sportsbook\n\nFanDuel stands out as a top destination for MLB enthusiasts looking to bet daily. It offers the staple bets such as run lines, where you can bet on the margin of victory, and totals, predicting the combined score of both teams.\n\nFanDuel also has dozens of player props, allowing bettors to focus on individual performances, predicting stats like hits, home runs, or strikeouts. Additionally, FanDuel presents an array of game props and futures bets, letting fans speculate on longer-term outcomes such as division champions or MVP candidates.\n\nSee more:\n\nBetMGM Sportsbook\n\nBetMGM provides MLB aficionados with an expansive betting portfolio. Traditional bet types, such as moneylines, where one bets on the outright winner; run lines, which focus on the margin of victory; and totals that predict combined team scores, are all readily available.\n\nFor those who relish a deeper drop into the game, BetMGM has a deep lineup of player and team prop bets. Whether it's forecasting a player's strikeouts in a game or predicting the cumulative runs scored by a team, there's something for every strategy.\n\nFor the long-term visionaries, BetMGM rolls out an impressive array of futures bets. Fans can place wagers on outcomes such as which team will clinch its division or which player will be honored as the league's Most Valuable Player.\n\nSee more:\n\nCaesars Sportsbook\n\nCaesars has a comprehensive suite of MLB odds to elevate the game-watching experience. That includes run lines, predicting the margin of victory; totals, where bettors forecast the combined scores; and player props, focusing on individual milestones such as hits, home runs, or RBIs.\n\nBeyond these, game props allow bets on specific game events, while player futures bets provide the chance to predict longer-term outcomes like season MVPs or rookie of the year honors.\n\nCaesars also has a cash-out option that allows you to settle bets early to guarantee a payout (though at a reduced amount).\n\nSee more:\n\nBet365 Sportsbook\n\nOne of the world's premier sportsbooks, Bet365, has marked its presence in the US, notably emphasizing its Major League Baseball odds. Now accessible in many states and expected to grow further, Bet365 posts daily MLB odds boosts. The Bet365 app is perfect for rookie bettors yet also offers customized displays for seasoned MLB wagering veterans.\n\nA significant highlight is the platform's live-betting feature, allowing real-time bets on MLB games.\n\nSee more:\n\nBetRivers Sportsbook\n\nBetRivers stands out for its comprehensive Major League Baseball betting offerings. Bettors are presented with a wealth of stats and insightful tips related to upcoming games, enhancing the decision-making process.\n\nAlongside the standard betting options, MLB enthusiasts can delve into a vast selection of alternate lines and prop bets tailored to the baseball experience. Moreover, loyal MLB bettors can benefit from the iRush Rewards program.\n\nAs they place bets on baseball events, they accumulate points, which can be redeemed for exclusive VIP gifts, MLB event tickets, BetRivers branded merchandise, and a range of enticing special offers.\n\nHow to use an MLB betting app\n\nMLB betting apps make it easy to wager on your favorite teams and players while keeping track of your bankroll, profits, and more. Below, we have a short guide on how to use a betting app from your favorite sportsbook.\n\nDownload the app: Visit the sportsbook’s website via our links. If you haven’t signed up previously, you can claim the best new customer sports betting bonus & promos. While you’re at the site, download the sportsbook’s betting app for your phone or tablet.\n\nVisit the sportsbook’s website via our links. If you haven’t signed up previously, you can claim the best new customer sports betting bonus & promos. While you’re at the site, download the sportsbook’s betting app for your phone or tablet. Place your bets: You’ll have the option to bet on MLB games either pre-game or live. You’ll find all of the traditional pre-game bets, like game lines and run totals, and live betting options. Live bets can become more granular, like the result of the next at-bat.\n\nYou’ll have the option to bet on MLB games either pre-game or live. You’ll find all of the traditional pre-game bets, like game lines and run totals, and live betting options. Live bets can become more granular, like the result of the next at-bat. Keep tabs on odds: Your MLB betting app can help you track shifting odds and facilitate live betting. Betting apps offer real-time updates on all odds, which allows you to react to game flow as it’s happening.\n\nYour MLB betting app can help you track shifting odds and facilitate live betting. Betting apps offer real-time updates on all odds, which allows you to react to game flow as it’s happening. Bet from within legal states: As long as you are in a state that has legal online sports betting, you can use your app to make bets, track your account, add or withdraw funds, and more. Remember that you can only place bets when you are in the state lines, but you can access your account and monitor wagers from anywhere you have internet access.\n\nMLB live betting\n\nThe best sports betting apps offer live, in-game betting for Major League Baseball.\n\nLive betting means you can bet on a game in progress, right down to what the next batter will do with the next pitch or what team will win the inning.\n\nYou’ll find live betting with top betting sites such as DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and Caesars.\n\nThe key to live betting is using a betting app to make your wagers. Apps allow you to track all of the changes — both on the diamond and in the odds — as they happen. You won’t find that response time at a brick-and-mortar sportsbook.\n\nSome common MLB in-game betting lines includes:\n\nNext team to score\n\nRun line and moneyline odds\n\nTotal runs scored\n\nWinner of the next inning\n\nPlayer props, such as total hits or strikeouts\n\nBet on MLB run lines, moneylines, and totals\n\nThree of the most popular bet types for Major League Baseball games are run lines, moneylines, and totals. In case you’re not familiar, let’s explain all three.\n\nA moneyline wager is as straightforward as they come. You’re betting on which team you believe is going to win the game. Each team is given odds by the sportsbook to indicate their perceived chances of winning. The underdog is represented by a positive (+) number, and the favorite is represented by a negative number (-).\n\nSimilar to a point spread in other sports, the run line bet gives the underdog a handicap of 1.5 runs in the game. The underdog needs to lose by one run or win outright for bets on them to be successful, while the favorite in the game needs to win by two runs or more to cover the spread.\n\nTotals bets, also known as over/unders, focus on the combined number of runs both teams score. Oddsmakers assign a total number of runs, and bettors must decide if the two teams will score over or under that predicted total. The actual winner of the game doesn’t matter.\n\nYou’ll find these staple bet types at every online sportsbook that supports MLB betting.\n\nHow to bet First 5 Innings in MLB\n\nFor bettors who prefer to focus on the early portion of a Major League Baseball game, First 5 Innings or F5 bets are ideal. These bets concern the outcome of just the first five innings of a game, which often takes out the uncertainty of relief pitchers replacing the starters.\n\nYou’ll find the F5 bets in the MLB tab of your online sportsbook or MLB betting app, where you can browse the available odds and lines for those particular wagers. You can still place bets on moneylines, run lines, or totals—focused on only the first five innings of play.\n\nKeep in mind that the odds and lines will likely be different than those for the full game since they are concentrated on the first half of the game only.\n\nBest MLB props and futures\n\nMLB props and futures allow you to bet on team and player performance irrespective of individual game outcomes. Some examples of popular MLB futures odds and proposition bets include:\n\nWorld Series: You can bet on which team you believe will become the next World Series champion. You’ll find World Series futures odds for these nearly as soon as the previous World Series comes to an end, and they’ll change based on offseason moves, team news, team performance, and more.\n\nYou can bet on which team you believe will become the next World Series champion. You’ll find World Series futures odds for these nearly as soon as the previous World Series comes to an end, and they’ll change based on offseason moves, team news, team performance, and more. MVP: Wager on the player you believe will take home the Most Valuable Player award for the season. This bet can be a fun way to keep tabs on certain players throughout the entire season.\n\nWager on the player you believe will take home the Most Valuable Player award for the season. This bet can be a fun way to keep tabs on certain players throughout the entire season. Home run leader: Which player do you think will crank out the most homers during the regular season?\n\nWhich player do you think will crank out the most homers during the regular season? Regular-season win totals: Make an over/under wager on a team based on the number of wins a sportsbook sets for them. Do you think your team will finish over that predicted win total, or will they come in under it?\n\nEvery sportsbook offers its own selection of futures and props bets, so shop around to find the sportsbooks that best fit your needs.\n\nHow to find the best MLB lines\n\nIt stands to reason that bettors always seek the most favorable MLB odds. “Line shopping” involves researching several different sportsbooks to compare odds.\n\nThis might involve using an odds feed, like the ones you’ll find here, or by comparing the odds on multiple online sportsbooks or MLB betting apps.\n\nBy doing this research, you’ll find the best odds for the bets you were already planning on making, which means you can maximize your potential return on your wager.\n\nThis can be a time-consuming process, but it also helps you boost your bankroll and give yourself the largest possible profit.\n\nMLB betting rules at online sportsbooks\n\nEvery sportsbook has terms and conditions for all bets, MLB included. While those rules may be specific to each sportsbook, there are some general rules that should apply everywhere.\n\nFor example, MLB First 5 Innings bets are usually considered actionable after five innings of play, or 4.5 innings in the case of the home team having the lead.\n\nAnother rule many sportsbooks follow for baseball bets is weather-related, such as if a game is suspended due to rain or other weather conditions. These delays may lead to bets being refunded depending on the circumstances and the specific rules of your sportsbook.\n\nHere are some other rules found at online sportsbooks for MLB betting.\n\nWagers include extra innings unless specified otherwise.\n\nThe game must start on the scheduled day (local stadium time) for bets to have action.\n\nThe game must go 9 innings or 8½ if the home team is winning for the run line to have action.\n\nOn ‘team to score first’ wagers, once a run is scored, the prop will be graded, regardless of how long the game lasts.\n\nWagers on postseason baseball series are based on the team to win the series, regardless of the number of games involved.\n\nFor player props, the player must be in the starting lineup for wagers to have action.\n\nIt’s important to read through the rules for baseball betting before placing your MLB bets, and you can find them in the terms and conditions section of your sportsbook’s website.\n\nRelated Pages:","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/betting/news/mlb-betting-sites/90537abdc639ffc5d57a8c1b","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_e7e2af8623a021d9","mhq_077feb9c180aa7e6"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_e7e2af8623a021d9","mhq_077feb9c180aa7e6"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"224f43ad2d5ef463aeef4789ab5bcb76bc278a3c4adad3e81c5a84dc1d8a06ab","source_record_sha256":"a60fd0ea0a492e31c71912854671b0b2b8078d0bd6633ac5eecf3e90756f86b0","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":264,"source_fields":{"title":"MLB Betting Sites & Apps - The Best Baseball Sportsbooks 2023","author":"Sam Eggleston","source":"Sporting News","published_at":"2023-10-24T22:32:27+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/betting/news/mlb-betting-sites/90537abdc639ffc5d57a8c1b"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_4bf72ed195655d6c","text":"This is another in our series of stories identifying new technologies and actions that can slow climate change, reduce its impacts or help communities cope with a rapidly changing world.\n\nWe all need clean water to survive. Yet across the planet, more than one in every four people live in places without enough. And climate change is making this worse. Now scientists have created a new salty gel. It sucks record-breaking amounts of moisture out of the air to make fresh drinking water — even in dry climates.\n\nCarlos Díaz-Marín is a mechanical engineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge. His team is developing a device to address water shortages. They want it to affordably pull water from air without a need for electricity. The key ingredient: a new, super-salty gel.\n\nA hydrogel is a mesh of large molecules called polymers. The new hydrogel captures humidity — water vapor — from the air. As it does so, it expands like a sponge in water. Later, when heated by the sun, this material will release the water it has absorbed.\n\nThe idea is not new. Many types of hydrogels have been developed to suck water from air. Previous work showed that adding salts to hydrogels upped how much water they could absorb. Because of their chemical properties, salts attract moisture, including from the air. But no one knew how much salt a hydrogel could stash — nor how pushing that salt content to the max might boost the hydrogel’s water-slurping power. Díaz-Marín and his team decided to find out.\n\nGetting salty\n\nThe researchers made tubes of hydrogel from a material called polyacrylamide (PAH-lee-uh-CRIH-lah-myde). That’s a polymer made of long, threadlike molecules. They cut the tubes into thin disks and then soaked them in water containing different amounts of lithium chloride, a salt. Each day, the researchers weighed the disks to see how much of the salty water they had absorbed.\n\nSuch tests had been done before, but for relatively short times, Díaz-Marín says. “Instead of soaking for two days, we did this for up to two months.” The extra time made a big difference.\n\nThe gels soaked up more and more saltwater over time. The top absorber got about three times saltier than previous hydrogels. It cached 20 grams (0.7 ounce) of salt per gram of gel. It absorbed more moisture than previous gels, too.\n\nDisks of this hydrogel swell as they absorb salty water loaded with lithium chloride. Graeber et al/Advanced Materials 2023 ( CC BY 4.0\n\nTo test this, the researchers dried their gels and placed them in environments with different levels of humidity. Even in relatively dry air, such as that found in deserts, the best-performing hydrogel absorbed 15 percent more water than previous hydrogels.\n\nThe team reported its findings May 18 in Advanced Materials.\n\n“We did this in a very simple and low-cost way, which makes it even more exciting,” says Díaz-Marín. His team still needs to test how to get all that water out of the gels afterward.\n\n“I am impressed by their results,” says Swee Ching Tan. “This could be a new world record.” He’s a materials scientist at the National University of Singapore. Tan works with hydrogels but did not take part in this study.\n\nThe new work, he says, could help with the water crisis by producing safe drinking water in places that lack it.\n\nEducators and Parents, Sign Up for The Cheat Sheet Weekly updates to help you use Science News Explores in the learning environment Client key* E-mail Address* Go Thank you for signing up! There was a problem signing you up.\n\nMore food, less water\n\nEarth’s freshwater supply is falling due to climate change. By 2050, more than five billion people are expected to lack water at least one month per year. Some shortages are due to warmer temperatures and less snow to feed into rivers. That puts stress on supplies of water for drinking and growing crops.\n\nWhatever the cause, better water-slurping gels could make it easier to grow food in such water-stressed places — including those plagued by drought.\n\nTan’s team has developed a gel-based device called the SmartFarm. This tiny greenhouse with a moving roof grows crops without having to add water. In the evening, the top opens. Gels inside capture water from the night air. A solar-powered motor closes the roof during the day. When warmed by the sun, the gel releases its water. Tan’s team used the SmartFarm to grow a leafy green vegetable called Ipomoea aquatica.\n\nSome farmers have used hydrogels to water crops in another way. They mix the hydrogels right into the soil with seeds. There, the gel soaks up irrigation water and holds it close to the sprouting plant. Without the gel, water might soak too deeply for the roots to reach. In one study, adding hydrogels to soil reduced by 30 percent how much water was needed to grow food.\n\nA device called SmartFarm collects water from the air. It allows plants to grow without watering them. It could be used to grow crops in dry places.\n\nThe MIT team is also designing a hydrogel-based device. Rather than grow food like the SmartFarm, it will produce drinking water. Díaz-Marín explains how it would work: At night, an open box containing their gel captures water vapor from the air. The next day, the sun heats up the hydrogel in the box, releasing the moisture. The box also contains a material that can be cooled without using electricity. When the water vapor touches that cold surface, it condenses into droplets — like the morning dew on grass. Once condensed, the clean water falls into a storage chamber.\n\nThe team is working to engineer a device that can extract 2 to 5 liters (0.5 to 1.3 gallons) a day. That should supply someone’s average drinking-water needs.\n\nAs places get drier, new sources of drinking water will be needed. It’s great that hydrogels can make water anywhere, says Díaz-Marín. For ultra-dry places with few other options, he says, they could be a lifesaver.","url":"https://www.snexplores.org/article/salty-hydrogel-pull-fresh-water-from-air","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_7110e8ffab12865f","mhq_e9728fbb3e0c1884"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_7110e8ffab12865f","mhq_e9728fbb3e0c1884"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"2bfe3808dc58e138d9bdf1a38c393d99c408dacbfbebae9cb5f17dea6a5580d4","source_record_sha256":"a9138940320897c57892e4286c7f8ef312c92410596adea932e364a4e54b1837","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":285,"source_fields":{"title":"A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air","author":"Laura Allen","source":"Science News For Students","published_at":"2023-11-03T10:30:00+00:00","category":"science","url":"https://www.snexplores.org/article/salty-hydrogel-pull-fresh-water-from-air"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_303aa0ac9097d308","text":"New research aims to improve the stability and safety of alternatives to rechargeable lithium-ion batteries using aqueous zinc and hydrogels.\n\nThe demand for rechargeable batteries as a result of the growth of both the personal electronics and electric vehicle markets has grown steadily over the last decade. Lithium-ion batteries are one of the technologies that have emerged and matured due to this demand.\n\nIn 2020, Statista estimated that lithium-ion batteries accounted for 185 gigawatts (GWh) of energy consumed, and this energy demand is projected to reach 2,035 GWh by 2030. Most of this growth is accounted for by the increased desire for electric vehicles as people turn away from fossil fuels.\n\nWhile it is undeniable that lithium-ion batteries are more environmentally friendly than fossil fuels and while they are also relatively inexpensive, these batteries aren’t perfect. One of the major drawbacks of these lithium-ion batteries is the inherent risk of burning or even explosion as the result of thermal runaway, with overheated lithium-ion batteries deemed responsible for a number of fires in the past.\n\nA possibility with zinc\n\nOne potential substitute for lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable zinc iodine batteries , which have the advantage of being safer, costing less, and being more friendly to the environment than lithium alternatives.\n\nHowever, zinc iodine batteries are not perfect. Composed of an negative iodine electrode and a positive zinc electrode , these batteries suffer from issues like lower energy output compared to commercial non-aqueous lithium batteries and the growth of zinc dendrites on the anodes — projections of material that build on electrodes and short batteries when they cross from one electrode to another — as well as the corrosion of the zinc anode that result in reduced efficiency and even short-circuiting.\n\nIn a new paper published in the journal Advanced Materials, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences professor Hongjin Fan and his co-authors examine different electrolytes for aqueous zinc ion batteries that take the form of hydrogels — three-dimensional network structures that are capable of storing large amounts of water — to address some of these challenges.\n\n“The core concept of our research is that we design the hydrogel electrolytes by introducing functional groups [specific groupings of atoms within molecules that have their own characteristic properties] that carry either positive or negative charges,” Fan said. “Our idea is to use a hetero-hydrogel to mitigate challenges on both the anode and the cathode sides of the zinc iodine batteries.”\n\nA hydrogel boost\n\nFan explained that the purpose of this hydrogel modification is to ensure that when zinc accumulates on the anode side, it does so evenly. This has the effect of mitigating the diffusion back and forth of polysulfide between anode and cathode, the so-called “shuttle effect”, which can cause poor cycling stability and severe anode corrosion in batteries. The use of a hydrogel electrolyte also has the effect of accelerating the iodine conversion reaction on the cathode side.\n\nFan explained that the anode and cathode of the hydrogel have different functional groups that make it both zincophilic (with an affinity for zinc ) and iodophilic ( with an affinity for iodine), respectively.\n\nOn the anode side of the battery, this has the effect of repelling dissolved polyiodides — negatively charged ions composed entirely of iodine atoms — allowing the zinc to be deposited uniformly, protecting the anode from iodine-caused corrosion.\n\nThe polyiodides are immobilized at the cathode side of the battery, and reactions in which iodine is both stripped of electrons (oxidization) and also granted electrons (reduction) — so-called “redox reactions” — are sped up thanks to the synchronized rapid transport of ions and electrons.\n\nThe solid nature of the hydrogel electrolyte can also limit the growth of dendrites thanks to its mechanical strength, which acts as a physical barrier not present in liquid electrolytes.\n\nTentative first steps\n\nTesting their aqueous hydrogel-modified zinc iodine batteries battery, the team found that the decay rate was ultralow, with the energy storage capacity of the battery retained to an outstanding level over the course of 18,000 discharge and recharge cycles. This outstrips the stability of currently available zinc iodine batteries, and their test battery also delivered some surprising results.\n\n“The adhesion between the polyanionic and polycationic hydrogel components is remarkably robust, effectively mitigating the swelling of the hydrogel even in the absence of a cellulose paper scaffold,” Fan explained. “The unexpectedly strong iodine adsorption capability of the positively charged hydrogel has led to a striking and rapid color transformation, exceeding our initial expectations.\n\nDespite promising results, Fan acknowledged there is much to do before the battery can be brought to the mass market.\n\n“We have to note that in terms of mass or volume energy density, so far, the ZIB is still far from the commercial lithium-ion batteries,” Fan conceded. “The hydrogel electrolytes need to be further improved in terms of ion conductivity and stability. In addition, hydrogel electrolytes should be compatible with other battery components, including electrodes and separators.”\n\nThe researcher also pointed out that large-scale and cost-effective production methods for hydrogel electrolytes are a prerequisite before the aqueous zinc iodine batteries is ready for widescale commercial use. This will include optimizing the production process of hydrogels as well as sourcing affordable raw materials and minimizing waste generated during the manufacturing of these materials.\n\n“Ensuring the safety and reliability of hydrogel-based batteries is also necessary,” Fan concluded. “Rigorous testing and evaluation of the potential environmental impact of hydrogel electrolytes, from raw material extraction to disposal, are vital to meeting sustainability goals and gaining public trust.”\n\nReference: Peihua Yang, Hong Jin Fan, et al., Hetero-Polyionic Hydrogels Enable Dendrites-Free Aqueous Zn-I2 Batteries with Fast Kinetics, Advanced Materials, (2023). DOI: 10.1002/adma.202306531\n\nFeature image credit: danilo.alvesd on Unsplash","url":"https://www.advancedsciencenews.com/bringing-aqueous-rechargeable-zinc-iodine-batteries-to-the-mainstream-energy-market/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_7110e8ffab12865f","mhq_e9728fbb3e0c1884"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_7110e8ffab12865f","mhq_e9728fbb3e0c1884"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"d309b6f90a4d90ed598685d0c0a097e2e4c43fe9699835570b8558014ab8cffb","source_record_sha256":"f8b80a1a8e175da74bbf51a9d507a2a082c69ecaf54a0d5cd714756f45cd9c8c","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":286,"source_fields":{"title":"Bringing aqueous rechargeable zinc iodine batteries to the mainstream energy market","author":"Robert Lea","source":"Advanced Science News","published_at":"2023-09-26T11:50:40+00:00","category":"science","url":"https://www.advancedsciencenews.com/bringing-aqueous-rechargeable-zinc-iodine-batteries-to-the-mainstream-energy-market/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_e389f76203d8e8c1","text":"In the break after Caroline Ellison stepped down from the stand, Barbara Fried engaged defense lawyer Christian Everdell in an animated conversation. Fried, the defendant’s mother, was gesticulating and clearly had a strong opinion about something. Everdell walked off, and Mark Cohen talked to her for a bit after that.\n\nFried seemed frustrated, and I couldn’t blame her. The defense absolutely biffed the cross-examination of Ellison and, to make matters worse was unable to keep a recording of an all-hands meeting where Ellison confessed to taking customer funds from being played for the jury. Is this really the best the defense can do?\n\nIn Cohen’s disorganized cross-examination, he mostly bored the jury\n\nBefore this case, I had been told that Everdell and Cohen were “workman-like,” which I took to mean that they were unshowy but competent. I now believe that comment was an insult. I have been waiting for a juicy cross-examination, as I live for chaos and drama. I am beginning to think I am not going to get one.\n\nEllison had given, in her direct testimony, fairly damning evidence tying FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried to the conspiracy to take FTX customer funds. There were fake balance sheets, one of which was sent to crypto lender Genesis. After a Genesis representative received the balance sheet, he texted Ellison to tell her he’d spoken to Bankman-Fried — strongly suggesting that Bankman-Fried was aware of the contents of the fake balance sheet. Not great!\n\nSam Bankman-Fried, the founder of failed cryptocurrency exchange FTX, is on trial for seven counts of wire fraud and conspiracy. FTX was a fraud “from the start,” the Securities and Exchange Commission alleges — with a “multi-billion-dollar deficiency caused by his own misappropriation of customer funds.” Follow along for all the latest news and regular updates from the trial.\n\nBut a lot of testimony relied on Ellison recounting conversations she’d had in person, or on auto-deleting text messaging platforms. This gave the defense an opportunity to try to make her sound unreliable. After all, she had an incentive to flip on Bankman-Fried: the possibility of leniency in her sentencing. Given her fun tweets about speed, the fact that she was Bankman-Fried’s ex-girlfriend, and that she’d apparently written a bunch of stuff down, I was expecting fireworks. For the first time in this trial, maybe the defense had an opening.\n\nInstead, I got a sad trombone. In Cohen’s disorganized cross-examination, he mostly bored the jury. At one point, two different jurors appeared to be asleep.\n\nMidway through the morning I began wondering if there was a mercy rule for cross-examinations. Prosecutor Danielle Sassoon had run an effective direct examination, creating an easy-to-follow narrative. By contrast, Cohen appeared to be bumbling around, taking up one topic only to abruptly pivot. Sure, we’re still in the prosecution’s case, but Cohen had all night to prepare his lines of questioning.\n\nApparently, Alameda had a problem with retaining accountants\n\nWe established that Bankman-Fried had a much larger appetite for risk than Ellison. I thought perhaps it might be building to something, but this line of questioning was quickly dropped. We established that Bankman-Fried and Ellison reacted differently to stress, and that they also had different approaches to media: namely, that Ellison avoided it while Bankman-Fried sought it out. Okay?\n\nWe discovered that there was one accountant at Alameda in 2021, and two more junior accountants were hired in 2022. Apparently, Alameda had a problem with retaining accountants, which didn’t surprise me much; CEOs generally don’t do the balance sheets for their companies. I was ready to hear this pursued further — but then it, too, was dropped.\n\nI think the defense was also trying to suggest that the government had coerced Ellison’s testimony, by suggesting that she had pleaded guilty to a charge of defrauding investors that she couldn’t have been involved in. After all, she didn’t prepare materials for them. Unfortunately, she did say that she had conversations with investors as part of their due diligence — and, of course, Alameda was taking on losses from FTX to keep FTX’s balance sheet pristine. This line of questioning felt like a waste of time.\n\nThere were rather a lot of sidebars during the cross-examination, to the point that when one occurred, several jurors looked entertained. There were a few yesterday, too, including one in which the prosecution complained that Bankman-Fried was visibly scoffing at Ellison’s answers, according to the court transcript. (I did observe him occasionally shaking his head, and sometimes quivering at points during her testimony, but didn’t have a view of his face.)\n\nAt one point, Ellison appeared to even be toying with Cohen\n\nAs we were approaching lunch, several jurors looked annoyed, and Cohen looked clueless. He asked Ellison to define what “buy on the way down” meant, as though it were a term of art. (It means what you think it means, to purchase an asset that’s losing value.) This seemed to puzzle her. At other times, Cohen seemed to forget what she had testified to, bringing up things she hadn’t said. I don’t know if this was an attempt to trap her in a lie or just poor preparation, but much like FTX employee Adam Yedidia before her, Ellison was fastidious about making sure a question was clear and her answer was precise.\n\nAt one point, Ellison appeared to even be toying with Cohen. She’d testified on direct about Luna, a cryptocurrency token. It had a sister token, Terra, that was a paired algorithmic stablecoin. (If you don’t understand what that means, it doesn’t matter, because they were both nonsense.) Cohen asked her about Terra/Luna and she pointed out she’d only spoken about Luna, leaving him to fumble about how to explain the relationship between the two tokens. She kept a straight face on the stand while I chuckled from the press seats.\n\nDuring the opening statement, Cohen had blamed Ellison for not taking out a hedge on some of the risks Alameda was trading. We heard more about this hedge in cross-examination, and friends, it was stupid. Forget evaluating the trade itself (hedging being long crypto by selling Nasdaq futures). Was she supposed to have taken more customer funds to put on the hedge? Was that the defense, that she didn’t take enough of them? Was it that she should have taken them sooner? What the fuck?\n\nWhen Sassoon got up for a quick redirect, she demolished any points Cohen had attempted to make. But I didn’t really appreciate her cleverness until after Ellison left the stand, and the jurors left the room. She’d managed to set a neat little trap for Cohen.\n\nIn the recording, Ellison did indeed confess to stealing customer funds with Bankman-Fried’s approval\n\nOn the direct examination, near the end, Sassoon asked about an Alameda all-hands meeting, without bringing up many specifics. During the cross, Cohen asked Ellison what topics were covered in the meeting, while avoiding details. That opened the door for Sasson on redirect to work in that Ellison had confessed to stealing billions of FTX customers’ money, at Bankman-Fried’s direction.\n\nThere had been an open question of whether jurors would hear the tapes of Ellison’s remarks. The testimony set up an argument for the prosecution to bring in those tapes. The judge ruled in favor of the jury hearing the recordings and we briefly recessed.\n\nThat was when Bankman-Fried’s mother approached the defense lawyers.\n\nThe late afternoon was short and snappy. Christian Drappi, a former Alameda software engineer who looked like a handsome funeral director in a black suit and tie, testified briefly to set up the tape. When Changpeng Zhao, the CEO of Binance, announced on Twitter that he intended to acquire FTX, Ellison confessed the theft of customer funds to him and a few other employees, Drappi said. The all-hands took place the following day, and was secretly recorded by an employee who’d joined Alameda three days before.\n\nIn the recording, Ellison did indeed confess to stealing customer funds with Bankman-Fried’s approval. Drappi said he resigned less than 24 hours after the meeting. The recording was later sent to Drappi, who sent it to the government. Joseph Bankman, the defendant’s father and a senior advisor to FTX’s philanthropic arm, wasn’t in the room for the recording. Barbara Fried looked unhappy, rubbing her left temple as though she had a tremendous headache.\n\nAnd in a small miracle of pacing, the government got Zac Prince, the founder and former CEO of crypto lender BlockFi, on the stand just long enough to blame FTX’s bankruptcy for BlockFi’s subsequent bankruptcy before we broke for the day.\n\nI’ve been asked by some people why the reporting coming out of the trial seems so skewed toward the prosecution. There’s an answer for this: the prosecution has put together a strong, comprehensive indictment of Bankman-Fried’s behavior at FTX and Alameda. The defense, so far, has managed to do almost nothing in response. I don’t know if Cohen and Everdell have bad facts, a bad client, or are simply untalented themselves (or some combination of all three?). But I do know that I haven’t yet seen any good reason to doubt the very convincing story I’m hearing from the prosecution.","url":"https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/12/23915108/sam-bankman-fried-ftx-alameda-caroline-ellison-lawyers","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_bea6a666f86823f2"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_bea6a666f86823f2"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"7c06490723c84c77d91784e8d2b71bb46a3aa9f10e961e56b6506fe665529856","source_record_sha256":"c425a95600e3f2a6e04d6d85651567480206b51dd443b3e034fabc4dccb0c7ad","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":293,"source_fields":{"title":"How is it still getting worse for Sam Bankman-Fried?","author":"Elizabeth Lopatto","source":"The Verge","published_at":"2023-10-12T23:08:14+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/12/23915108/sam-bankman-fried-ftx-alameda-caroline-ellison-lawyers"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_3cb705afffaa8b48","text":"Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the\n\nLifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }}\n\nTaylor Swift has revealed when her relationship with Travis Kelce really started.\n\nThe 33-year-old singer spoke candidly about the romance during a recent interview with Time after she was named the magazine’s 2023 Person of the Year. Speaking to the publication, she said she connected with Kelce in July, after he confessed on his podcast that he tried and failed to give her a friendship bracelet with his phone number on it during one of her Eras Tour shows.\n\n“This all started when Travis very adorably put me on blast on his podcast, which I thought was metal as hell,” she explained. “We started hanging out right after that. So we actually had a significant amount of time that no one knew, which I’m grateful for, because we got to get to know each other.”\n\nSwift also confirmed that when she famously first attended Kelce’s game at Arrowhead Stadium in September, she was already dating the NFL star.\n\n“By the time I went to that first game, we were a couple. I think some people think that they saw our first date at that game? We would never be psychotic enough to hard launch a first date,” she said.\n\nThe “Blank Space” singer also acknowledged that although her love life continues to make headlines with every Kansas City Chiefs game she attends, she’s focused on being there for her partner. She specified that she isn’t trying to hide her relationship from the public eye.\n\n“When you say a relationship is public, that means I’m going to see him do what he loves, we’re showing up for each other, other people are there and we don’t care,” she said. “The opposite of that is you have to go to an extreme amount of effort to make sure no one knows that you’re seeing someone. And we’re just proud of each other.”\n\nDuring the interview with Time, the Grammy winner addressed how her appearances at Kelce’s games are heavily publicised. So far, she’s attended five of Kelce’s games, including one on 3 December, and she’s often seated in the Kelce family suite during the events.\n\n“There’s a camera, like, a half-mile away, and you don’t know where it is, and you have no idea when the camera is putting you in the broadcast, so I don’t know if I’m being shown 17 times or once,” she said.\n\nShe explained that she doesn’t necessarily pay attention to the cameras and fans around her in those stadiums because she is watching her boyfriend play.\n\n(Denver Post via Getty Images)\n\n“I’m just there to support Travis,” she said. “I have no awareness of if I’m being shown too much and pissing off a few dads, Brads, and Chads.”\n\nWhen discussing how many Swifties have now started watching NFL games since she started dating Kelce, she quipped about how much she likes the sport. “Football is awesome, it turns out,” she joked. “I’ve been missing out my whole life.”\n\nSwift’s effect on the NFL didn’t go unnoticed in October, as one game between the Chiefs and New York Jets - which she attended with some of her famous friends - became the most-watched Sunday NFL show since the Super Bowl LVII in February 2023.\n\nThe “All Too Well” singer’s interview with Time marks her first time publicly speaking out about Kelce, who she’s been romantically linked to since this summer, when the football tight end first confessed to attempting to give her his number.\n\nWhile Swift has attended a few of Kelce’s games since their relationship started, he’s also gone on to support her career. In November, he made his way to Buenos Aires, Argentina, to attend one of her Eras Tour shows. During the concert, Swift gave a shout-out to the Chiefs player when she changed her “Karma” lyrics to reflect their relationship. “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs, coming straight home to me,” she sang, letting out a laugh as fans in the audience screamed in response.\n\nAfter the show, the “Style” singer was seen running into Kelce’s arms and kissing him, before he whisked her away backstage.\n\nElsewhere in the conversation with Time, the “Anti-Hero” singer said that she tries not to let the paparazzi get to her, even though so many of her outings with pals go on to make headlines. “Over the years, I’ve learned I don’t have the time or bandwidth to get pressed about things that don’t matter. Yes, if I go out to dinner, there’s going to be a whole chaotic situation outside the restaurant. But I still want to go to dinner with my friends,” she said.\n\nShe emphasised how her perspective about the media has changed over the years, adding: “Life is short. Have adventures. Me locking myself away in my house for a lot of years - I’ll never get that time back. I’m more trusting now than I was six years ago.”\n\nWith his love life in the public eye, Kelce has also opened up about his relationship with Swift. In an interview withWSJ Magazine, published on 20 November, he described how much he admires her skills as a musician. “I’ve never been a man of words. Being around her, seeing how smart Taylor is, has been f***ing mind-blowing. I’m learning every day,” he explained.\n\nHowever, he also acknowledged the heavy public attention around his private life as a result of his relationship, noting he’s “never dated anyone with that kind of aura around them”. But, according to Kelce, he’s not letting the media affect his relationship.\n\n“But at the same time, I’m not running away from any of it,” he said. “The scrutiny she gets, how much she has a magnifying glass on her, every single day, paparazzi outside her house, outside every restaurant she goes to, after every flight she gets off, and she’s just living, enjoying life. When she acts like that I better not be the one acting all strange.”","url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-relationship-b2459441.html","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_0f910380b7593c40","mhq_876b8e0768a858b8"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_0f910380b7593c40","mhq_876b8e0768a858b8"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"df1016474e4937881033e8f5cf94877ad81a52437007bd81a87a0f38cddcbaaf","source_record_sha256":"09a8fa69b775b9765b5caf201ea5d35ed7364a6939ce9b09ac47685055cd6282","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":295,"source_fields":{"title":"Taylor Swift reveals secret start to her relationship with Travis Kelce","author":"Amber Raiken","source":"The Independent - Life and Style","published_at":"2023-12-06T14:23:01+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-relationship-b2459441.html"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_822705e0c8bc583b","text":"Could Google actually lose?\n\nWhen I walked into the courtroom on Monday morning, it seemed impossible. If Epic couldn’t prove Apple’s walled iOS garden is a monopoly, how could the comparatively open Google do worse against the windmill-tilting Fortnite developer?\n\nBut now that both sides have made their opening arguments to a jury, I’m not quite as sure. Because while Google spent most of its first day attempting to explain complicated ins and outs of business, Epic was able to paint a black-and-white picture of good and evil with itself as the clear underdog.\n\nEpic lead attorney Gary Bornstein was tasked with making the case that Android functions as an unlawful monopoly. He did so by basically calling Google a bully and a cheat that “bribes” or “blocks” any attempt to compete with Android’s Google Play store. The result? A status quo where the vast, vast majority of Android app installs are from Google Play, with only a tiny sliver attributable to the Galaxy Store that comes preinstalled on every Samsung phone.\n\nThe future of Google’s app store is at stake in a lawsuit by Fortnite publisher Epic Games. Epic sued Google in 2020 after a fight over in-app purchase fees, claiming the Android operating system’s Google Play Store constituted an unlawful monopoly — while Google says its demands would damage Android’s ability to offer a secure user experience and compete with Apple’s iOS. Follow along with updates here.\n\nBornstein showed jurors charts of Google’s fat app profit margins (70 percent on $12 billion in revenue a year, says Epic) and pointed out several ugly-seeming ways Google has allegedly attempted to keep anyone from taking that money away — like paying game developers not to build their own app stores or standalone app launchers like Epic did with Fortnite.\n\n“Google pays actual and potential competitors not to compete. Literally gives them money and other things of value,” said Bornstein. “It’s like Google saying, ‘Here’s $360 million’ — that’s an actual number you’ll hear about — why don’t you sit this one out and let me win?”\n\nThe upshot for consumers, Epic’s earlier legal filings have suggested, is that we pay higher prices for apps than we would if there were more competition and / or lower app store and payment processing fees. But while this will probably come up later in the trial, Epic chose to focus more on simply painting Google as the bad guy on day one.\n\nIt’s not clear how much of that evidence will hold up on closer examination. That $360 million, for instance, refers to an alleged payment that kept Activision from opening an app store that could compete with Google Play. But Activision told The Verge in 2022 that it “never entered into an agreement that Activision would not open its own app store” — and Google is now, it says, armed with the evidence to prove it. On Monday, Epic’s attorney admitted Google “was too clever” to draw up contracts that specifically forced developers not to compete with the Play Store. The overall narrative is compelling, though — and I’m not sure Google’s opening statement countered it. Google spent its 45 minutes attempting to explain that its dominance over the Android app market isn’t anything nefarious but simply the natural outcome of Google fiercely competing with the iPhone and its iOS App Store, where Google would like the court to believe that competition truly lies.\n\nIf Google can convince the jury of that, it could be a winning argument in the case — because obviously, Google doesn’t have a monopoly on app stores or phones in general. “You cannot separate the quality of a phone from the quality of the apps in its app store, and that means Google and Apple compete against each other,” began Google lead attorney Glenn Pomerantz.\n\nBut Google wound up spending much of its opening statement attempting to explain away its seemingly bad behavior as normal business practices and didn’t always succeed out of the gate. I did like Pomerantz’s commonsense argument that Google can’t possibly have a monopoly on Android app stores when “every single Samsung phone comes with two app stores right on the homescreen,” which continued:\n\nWhen they show these charts that show all these downloads from Play and not from the Galaxy Store, that’s what the Samsung phone users are choosing. They’re touching Play. Nothing’s keeping them from touching the Galaxy Store; it’s just what works for them.\n\nI called Google “comparatively open” earlier, and that openness will likely be heavily debated in the weeks to come. Epic promised to “show that Google has closed off each and every other option” to the Play Store during this trial. But Google points to the simple fact that it allows alternate app channels at all — something Android rival iOS doesn’t.\n\nPomerantz boasted that over a billion people have gone through the process Epic portrays as needlessly onerous to get apps outside the Play Store. (Google told The Verge over email that this refers to how many users have enabled the Android sideloading flow, not necessarily followed through with an install.) “A billion people have done it after getting notified of the potential risks,” Pomerantz said. “That’s because Android users have a real choice.”\n\nGoogle also took its own turn trying to paint Epic as the bad guy. First, it pointed out how Epic hatched a secret plan called “Project Liberty” to quietly update Fortnite with code to bypass app store fees, get its app kicked off Apple’s and Google’s app stores, and sue.\n\nThen, it showed off a few out-of-context quotes from internal Epic communications — suggesting that phrases like “How do we not look like the bad guys?” and “Just planting the nefarious seed now” and “I mean everything we’re attempting is technically a violation of Google’s policy, right?” showed that Epic knew it was breaking bad at the time it did the deed.\n\nBut Epic mentioned Project Liberty in its own opening statement — so, by that point, it had already been an hour since it admitted it intentionally broke Google’s rules. “Epic decided to stand up because that’s what you do to a bully,” Bornstein told the jury.\n\n“All we know is whatever is in the destroyed chats, as bad as the documents are, is worse.”\n\nAnd it’s possible no examination will be able to take the stink off one of Google’s ugliest moves: the one where Google employees up to and including CEO Sundar Pichai were caught setting sensitive chats to auto-delete to keep them out of a court’s hands. The court has already decided Google should be sanctioned in some way for making potential evidence disappear, and Bornstein used it to plant persistent seeds of doubt in the minds of jury members. “All we know is whatever is in the destroyed chats, as bad as the documents are, is worse. Or at least it was worse, before they were destroyed.”\n\nThe best Google could do in response was to plant its own feeble seed with the jury, too: “Is Epic using the chats to distract me from all the evidence I do see?”\n\n“It’s true that Google could have automatically saved all chats for all relevant employees, but just because Google didn’t save some chats didn’t mean it violated antitrust laws,” Pomerantz argued.\n\nEpic’s opening statements seemed to paint a clearer picture for the jury than those from Google. But things got complicated for both parties when the first two witnesses — Epic Games Store head Steve Allison and Yoga Buddhi CEO Benjamin Simon, who also appeared in the earlier Epic v. Apple trial — took the stand.\n\nBoth Epic and Google spent a long, long time on subtle lines of questioning. You really had to read between the lines to see that Epic was trying to make a point about how Google’s 70/30 revenue split is probably based on an arbitrary decision Valve made two decades ago with Steam or how Google was trying to make a point that Epic, too, likely believed that an app store provides more value than just payment processing and maybe deserves more money.","url":"https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/7/23949849/epic-google-trial-day-one-recap-summary","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_a2c7c19918d77ec8","mhq_f793aad640288443","mhq_be47910112b694cd"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_a2c7c19918d77ec8","mhq_f793aad640288443","mhq_be47910112b694cd"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"97466003d5f70b820221179e44ad73e2d8b4703694bb318fae50018aa752f768","source_record_sha256":"184dd9588b10c7abb004794461fcf67295e33e12250aae5383e542854c3465f1","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":299,"source_fields":{"title":"The Epic v. Google trial may come down to simple v. complicated","author":"Sean Hollister","source":"The Verge","published_at":"2023-11-07T15:00:40+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/7/23949849/epic-google-trial-day-one-recap-summary"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_eb7841b5d83a63ba","text":"As a result of today’s testimony, I am both more and less confused. I am clearer on what probably happened at FTX. What I don’t understand is why Gary Wang did it.\n\nWang was the co-founder and chief technology officer of FTX, as well as the co-founder of Alameda Research. He owned only 10 percent of Alameda and 17 percent of FTX. He got a $200,000 a year salary, with no performance bonuses. (Okay, sure, at times he was a billionaire on paper.) By contrast, Bankman-Fried owned 90 percent of Alameda and 65 percent of FTX.\n\nYet Wang’s testimony suggests he took bizarre risks for his own relatively small share. Bankman-Fried didn’t code, so none of his fingerprints are on the technical changes that let FTX allegedly defraud its customers and investors. Meanwhile, Wang supervised the code behind a key prosecution claim: that Alameda Research was afforded secret, special privileges with FTX’s funds. When FTX went down, Wang left himself with no plausible deniability. I cannot for the life of me understand why.\n\nNormal customers — the defense objected to “normal” but was overruled — could be automatically liquidated\n\nToday, the prosecution grilled Wang on a single, damning column in FTX’s databases. Called “allow_negative,” it allowed Alameda to have a negative balance. Alameda could withdraw money even when its accounts didn’t have any, and it had an enormous line of credit. Wang added that it could place orders faster than other users, and we already saw evidence that users may have unwittingly deposited money into Alameda rather than FTX.\n\nThe alleged motivation for this — as Wang had to explain at painful length to a jury — was avoiding liquidation. Liquidation is a way for FTX to manage risk when people were engaging in risky bets on its platform. The cartoon version of futures trading is this: a futures exchange is the middleman that lets strangers bet with each other. It lives between the two ends of the bet, paying the winner and collecting from the loser. If the loser doesn’t pay up, the exchange still has to pay the winner, which is why exchanges require collateral.\n\nUnder some circumstances, exchanges will automatically sell collateral to limit their losses. On FTX, this process was automated, Wang testified. It took about 30 seconds to find accounts that needed to be liquidated to minimize FTX’s losses.\n\nNormal customers — the defense objected to “normal” but was overruled — could be automatically liquidated, but not Alameda. Bankman-Fried “told me a few times to make sure that Alameda’s account is never liquidated on FTX,” Wang said. “The code addition was the result of those conversations.”\n\nIt’s not Bankman-Fried’s name attached to the change. We saw a code commit from July 31st, 2019 from Nishad Singh titled “OTC trades and transfers to special accounts.” It was written in Python; the upshot was that it added two columns to the account database; the relevant one for our purposes was “allow_negative.” This was a toggle that, when it was on, let the account go negative. The feature was turned on the same day in a second set of code that also had Singh’s username on it. Wang said he supervised.\n\nThat same day, Bankman-Fried tweeted, “Alameda is a liquidity provider on FTX, but their account is just like everyone else’s.” The tweet was, of course, shown in court. Never tweet.\n\nIt was a tough day for the jury\n\nAt first, Bankman-Fried said the change was to pay for expenses for the FTT token, which was issued by FTX, Wang said. (Wang described the FTT token as being “sort of equity” in FTX, which I think some crypto lawyers would dispute but would probably make the SEC happy.) But once it was implemented, the ability to go negative was used for other things including trading and unlimited withdrawals of FTX’s trading fees and customer money.\n\nI am summarizing briefly because Wang had to explain to the jury the difference between a front end and back end, explain futures trading, and read a bunch of stuff into the record, which took a while. It was a tough day for the jury — and probably for Wang, who spoke quickly, perhaps from nerves.\n\nThe prosecution doesn’t just allege that Alameda had special, secret privileges — it claims they were used to obfuscate basic elements of FTX’s operations that exposed its supposed selling points as a lie.\n\nFor instance, FTX advertised that it had a good liquidation system. In many crypto networks, if someone lost enough money, the exchanges could stick other traders with the losses too. FTX touted its automated liquidation as a way to avoid this, so that one customer going bankrupt wouldn’t affect the others.\n\nFTX lied about how much money was in the backstop fund\n\nIn the process of liquidating, FTX would try to sell the collateral on the open market, but if it couldn’t finish, then backstop liquidity providers would step in. These were market makers, including Alameda, which could be compensated for the losses they take from a “backstop fund,” Wang said.\n\nBut FTX lied about how much money was in the backstop fund, Wang said. In court we saw the code that generated the fake number published on the website: it took the daily trading volume on FTX, multiplied it by a random number, divided it by a billion, and added it to the existing number displayed on the site. It had nothing to do with the actual amount of money in the insurance fund.\n\nAnd when there wasn’t enough money in the fund, money was moved there from Alameda’s accounts in order to pay the insurance out, Wang said.\n\nIn late 2019, Alameda had a negative balance on FTX. Because they sat in an open-plan office, Wang heard a trader ask Bankman-Fried if it was okay to keep withdrawing money from that account. Bankman-Fried said it was okay as long as it was lower than FTX’s total trading revenue. He was the CEO of both companies at the time.\n\nAlameda also allegedly kept FTX from looking bad by assuming some of its losses.\n\nThe amount that Alameda was allowed to go negative began to creep up. Around 2019 or 2020, Wang checked the database and discovered that Alameda was negative by about $200 million, which was more than the $150 million FTX made in revenue. That had to mean Alameda was taking customer money. It surprised him and he says he discussed it with Bankman-Fried, who told him that he just needed to take into account the value of FTT. Wang said he trusted Bankman-Fried’s judgment and didn’t pursue the issue further. Later, though, Alameda’s balance was more negative than FTT and the trading revenue, and Wang had more conversations with Bankman-Fried about it. Wang said he knew at the time that Alameda was using FTX’s customers’ funds and that he knew it was wrong.\n\nWe heard yesterday about the line of credit Alameda had on FTX, a staggering $65 billion. Today we saw it in the database. The line of credit didn’t start that big — Wang testified that Bankman-Fried had asked him to increase it a few times because Alameda kept running into its limits. First it was “a few hundred million,” then a billion, then even that wasn’t enough. It wasn’t clear how Wang arrived at $65 billion specifically, but he said he’d discussed the number with Bankman-Fried. Other customers didn’t have the same privileges.\n\nAlameda also allegedly kept FTX from looking bad by assuming some of its losses. In 2021, FTX was facing a “several hundred million dollar” loss from an exploit in MobileCoin, Wang said. (This seems to have happened in April 2021, though Wang didn’t give a month.) Bankman-Fried directed him to have Alameda take it on instead, because FTX’s balance sheets were visible to investors and Alameda’s weren’t.\n\nYesterday, Paradigm Capital’s Matt Huang showed us the balance sheets he received from Bankman-Fried. They didn’t include the loss, which should have been included in the second quarter numbers he’d received — they showed $63 million in trading expenses and $63 million in “other expenses” in that quarter, and an estimated profit of $732 million.\n\n“FTX was not fine and assets were not fine.”\n\nBy 2022, Alameda’s negative balance on FTX was a cause for concern for Caroline Ellison, Singh, and Wang. They created a spreadsheet to try to figure out how negative Alameda was. The spreadsheet we saw had several pages of attempts to reconcile. Wang figured that Alameda owed FTX about $11 billion. FTX’s revenue at the time was about $1.5 billion.\n\nEllison, Singh, Wang, and Bankman-Fried met in the Bahamas office. Alameda’s lenders wanted their money back, and Bankman-Fried directed the group to pay back the lenders using FTX customer funds. Bankman-Fried considered shutting down Alameda, and even wrote a long memo about it. But Wang says that in a now-deleted Signal discussion about the memo, he told Bankman-Fried and Singh that they could not shut down Alameda because they couldn’t repay its debt.\n\nAnother empty Signal chat, along with its setting to delete messages after a week, was shown to the court. Its members were Ellison, Singh, Wang, and Bankman-Fried.\n\nThings happened quickly for Wang in November. Wang and Bankman-Fried determined that about $8 billion in customer money was gone, but on November 7th, Bankman-Fried tweeted “FTX is fine. Assets are fine.” Another tweet in the thread said, “FTX has enough to cover all client holdings.”\n\n“FTX was not fine and assets were not fine because FTX did not have enough assets for customer withdrawals,” Wang said.\n\nWhile Bankman-Fried can try to blame Ellison for some of the decisions, the code shows she couldn’t have made all the calls\n\nFTX went bankrupt on November 11th. On November 12th, Bankman-Fried directed Wang to send customer funds to Bahamanian regulators, Wang said. At the time, customers couldn’t take their funds off the exchange because FTX had run out of money and its servers had been shut down. Bankman-Fried and his father met with lawyers while Wang waited outside with liquidators. The US lawyers wanted the remaining FTX assets transferred to the US, Wang said.\n\nThat is not what he did. Bankman-Fried told Wang to stall the US lawyers and transfer the funds to Bahamanian regulators, who were more likely to let him stay in control of the company, Wang testified.\n\nOn November 16th, Wang returned to the US and on November 17th, he met with the US government. Wang hadn’t been arrested or charged; he offered to cooperate immediately. He pled guilty to various charges a month later. Wang was clear: he was cooperating because he didn’t want to go to jail. He was hoping that his assistance means that a sentencing judge will be lenient, he said.\n\nThis was the first full account of Alameda’s and FTX’s entanglements I heard in the trial, and it came from a co-owner of both companies. It was striking, though, that while there was evidence of the computer code that gave Alameda special privileges, there was no evidence of the conversations Wang recounted. Of course Wang turned himself in quickly; sooner or later, someone would find his code — and Singh’s, too.\n\nIt also struck me that all of Bankman-Fried’s vanishing messages might not help him as much as he’d hoped. He said too many things in public to too many people. Even without the smoking gun of Signal messages, it’s hard to see how he wasn’t involved. Wang was a dev; the money wasn’t his area. And while Bankman-Fried can try to blame Ellison for some of the decisions, the code shows she couldn’t have made all the calls. After all, she wasn’t FTX’s CEO. And in 2019, she wasn’t Alameda’s CEO, either.","url":"https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/6/23906899/ftx-alameda-sam-bankman-fried-trial-gary-wang-testimony","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_e7444d6e29762f69","mhq_81cce8db0e374160","mhq_bea6a666f86823f2"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_e7444d6e29762f69","mhq_81cce8db0e374160","mhq_bea6a666f86823f2"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"343df8a871cb1d0cdc4ac55741d194d3a35ef6efc81424f5e4451a11db0ec17e","source_record_sha256":"2860eb08b8f3c3d8abef392a4c463be3cdd87c0da27de291b89fea2e0ca34b40","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":305,"source_fields":{"title":"Today the FTX jury suffered through a code review","author":"Elizabeth Lopatto","source":"The Verge","published_at":"2023-10-06T22:21:46+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/6/23906899/ftx-alameda-sam-bankman-fried-trial-gary-wang-testimony"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_a2905798971041b9","text":"Travis Kelce has been catching a lot more than footballs lately, and fans everywhere have been swift to hop on the Taylor Swift bandwagon. The celebrity couple has been in the news for well over a week now, and despite the fatigue from many -- Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo's rant being among the most vocal -- companies like FanDuel just can't help but lean into a profitable storyline. Are they for real or is this \"Love Story\" just some extravagant publicity stunt?\n\nTime will tell, but one thing's for certain when it comes to the media, social media, newspapers, football fans, Swifties, and just about everyone else within the 50 states and U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico and Guam: \"You need to calm down.\" Regardless, Kelce and Swift take their tour on the road to Broadway, a place that puts on all the great shows. The traditional circus hasn't been in town for a few years now, but that's simply because the New York Jets exist and there was only room for one. It seems like ages since Aaron Rodgers marched out of the MetLife Stadium tunnel holding an American flag, but this is Zach Wilson's team now, whether you like it or not.\n\nOne of the most hyped \"Sunday Night Football\" games of the year was expected to feature Rodgers against Patrick Mahomes for the first time. Instead, we're more likely to be treated to non-stop split screens involving Swift and Rodgers, two people who won't be on the field. There will be some actual football, though, even if it is just a sideshow to the event everyone can't stop talking about. So, buckle up and enjoy whatever this is, and for all the fans paying ridiculous prices for a glimpse of Ms. Swift — make sure your phone is charged.\n\nTo Travis and Taylor, \"Welcome to New York.\" It's been waiting for you. Well, actually, the swamps of northern New Jersey have. Enjoy the traffic and a look at the famous skyline.\n\nFor bettors, where there is hype, there's also an opportunity to make some money. FanDuel has released a special prop bets menu, cleverly called \"Prop Stars\" for the Swift-inspired wagers. Here's a look at how you can catch some cash in prime time.\n\nMORE: Jets vs. Chiefs betting preview\n\nFanDuel 'Prop Stars' Picks: Best bets for Travis Kelce & Taylor Swift-inspired props for Chiefs-Jets Week 4\n\nTop of the Charts: Travis Kelce to have the Most Receiving Yards in the Game (+140)\n\nThe Jets know that Kelce is trouble long before he even walks in. If they want any chance in this game, they'll have to slow down No. 87. This is a New York defense that's been very good, although not quite great, over the last year and continues to improve. Robert Saleh's troops have held opponents in check, giving their anemic offense a fighting chance most weeks, but if there's one thing that Gang Green struggles to defend against, it's the tight end. They're giving up the fifth-most receiving yards to the position this season (56.3) and just allowed Pharoah Brown to beat them for a long 58-yard touchdown last Sunday. Getting +140 is a nice price for the best pass-catcher in this game, but there's too much blowout potential to warrant taking a flier here.\n\nOur pick: Pass\n\nSeeing Red: Chiefs to Win by 22+ (+380)\n\nIf this bet ends up cashing, the \"Seeing Red\" tagline would apply to a lot more than just Chiefs fans. Bettors would be in the green, and those wearing green would be the ones with red-ish, cartoon-like faces. Odds are, Wilson would have to be atrocious again considering New York's defense isn't a pushover. The Jets often like to make games close, even when they seemingly have no business in doing so. Even if they are steamrolled, a garbage time score is more than enough to ruin this wager.\n\nOur pick: Pass\n\nOpening Act: Travis Kelce First TD Scorer (+400)\n\nOut of all the specials, this one is our favorite. The Chiefs will likely score first whether they get the opening kickoff or not. When we look at the Jets, we see an offensive coordinator that somehow underrated Micah Parsons and a team that refuses to take the training wheels off their former gunslinging quarterback. Wilson has turned into \"Checkdown Charlie\" as a result of conservative coaching, and we don't expect that to change in the early going. Lean into the narrative and sprinkle a little cash on Kelce to break the plane first.\n\nOur pick: Bet on it\n\nFriENDZONE: Travis Kelce to NOT score a TD (+120)\n\nObviously, based on our last recommendation, we're friendzoning this bet and not laying down any action on it.\n\nOur pick: Pass\n\nRunning Away Together: Chiefs to have 150+ Total Rushing Yards (+420)\n\nThe strength of the Jets roster is along the defensive line, and the Chiefs are a pass-first team that loves to light it up through the air. This is the first time that Patrick Mahomes is playing in the New York area. He'll want to put on a show, and Andy Reid certainly isn't going to hold him back. Don't expect the Chiefs to start running until it's time to chew the clock.\n\nOur pick: Pass\n\nSeemingly Ranch: Travis Kelce Last TD Scorer (+550)\n\nRanch is a fine condiment and beloved by many, which makes this wager something that should be seen as an insult to ranch fans everywhere. Unless the Jets make this a close game or send it to overtime, we have a hard time believing that Kelce will even be on the field to score the last touchdown. Avoid this one like people with taste buds avoid bleu cheese and treat your nuggets with respect.\n\nOur pick: Pass\n\nPlot Twist: Zach Wilson to have 300+ Passing Yards (+1800)\n\nIf you asked the average Jets' fan what is holding this roster back, the overwhelming results would be Wilson. \"I'm the problem, it's me,\" would probably qualify as the lyrics played in his walk-up song if fans had anything to say about it. But Wilson doesn't have time to be the anti-hero, or villain, as traditionalists would say. He needs to flip the script and shake it off. The Jets need to let him sling the ball around the field instead of worrying about the bad turnovers. They aren't winning this game 14-10, and they aren't winning anything if they can't let their quarterback be who he is. Are we betting this? Absolutely not, but that would be one heck of a plot twist, right? Perhaps the script writers are working overtime.\n\nOur pick: Pass\n\nPlatinum Performance: Travis Kelce to Score 3+ TDs (+2500)\n\nWhen it comes to Kelce's greatest hits, he prefers to save them for division rivals like the Raiders and Chargers. In your wildest dreams this bet might hit, and it might happen in reality too. Kelce could be schmoozing in the suite when the second half begins rather than throwing blocks and catching footballs on the field. But if the Jets keep it close, they are prone to being exploited by players like Kelce. With receivers lacking on the Chiefs sideline, the tight end might put on a show that is typically only found in show business. Considering he hosted “Saturday Night Live” back in March, Kelce is familiar with how to tell a story. We have him scoring once, so what’s another two times to cash a monster long shot? Don't count on it, but don't rule it out either. And please, have fun and bet responsibly.\n\nOur pick: Bet on it (with a small wager)\n\nExes & 0s: NY Jets to Score 0 Total Points (+3400)\n\nThe Jets are currently back in a familiar place as the laughingstock of the NFL. Swift, like many celebrities, has plenty of exes, but she always scores again. Maybe the haters are right. Maybe Kelce will be the subject of the next big hit. Maybe the publicists are cashing checks with this brilliant idea. Maybe it's real. Time will tell, but when the relationship inevitably falls apart like most dream celebrity couples do, there is always another someone. Point is, the Jets are without the quarterback they married, and now they're back together with Wilson. It's not glamorous, but they'll score again. Shutting out NFL teams is no easy task, but the Chiefs defense is much improved and the Jets look like a team that doesn’t have a quarterback. Don’t consider it likely to hit, but +3400 wagers hardly ever are. Consider this a fun bet, unless you’re a Jets fan, and see how long K.C. can keep NYC off the scoreboard. They might just do it for the entire game.\n\nOur pick: Bet on it (with a small wager)","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/best-chiefs-jets-prop-stars-bets-fanduel-kelce-swift-snf/581275901fe0e3011cdcb562","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_f382eff51aafbc6d","mhq_14a3933e774b85d6","mhq_9976c73601143ab0"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_f382eff51aafbc6d","mhq_14a3933e774b85d6","mhq_9976c73601143ab0"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"e45547b08f84c2a4f0ef920541b5eab8069ca92c87e636555471eff6bc2964a0","source_record_sha256":"f195ab59a77ede33f31a7fc1c6b9588f36637079d07d7a9cd8e0657e98390225","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":311,"source_fields":{"title":"FanDuel 'Prop Stars' Picks: Best bets for Travis Kelce & Taylor Swift-inspired props for Chiefs-Jets Week 4","author":"Nick Brinkerhoff","source":"Sporting News","published_at":"2023-09-28T21:41:00+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/best-chiefs-jets-prop-stars-bets-fanduel-kelce-swift-snf/581275901fe0e3011cdcb562"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_90ac6ecb42f65b80","text":"As Manchester United's season continues to slip away, the pressure around Dutch boss Erik ten Hag continues to get more palpable.\n\nThe latest slip saw the Red Devils crash out of Europe as they fell 1-0 to Bayern Munich on the final day of Champions League group-stage play, finishing bottom of their four-team group to leave them eliminated from Europe in their worst performance in the competition since 2005.\n\nOn top of that, they set the record for most goals against in a Champions League group stage by an English club, with 15 conceded in their six games. Their defensive record has collapsed as the season goes on: from a Premier League standpoint, they sit eighth in the English top flight, but their -5 goal differential is the worst of any club in the top 10.\n\nWith Jim Ratcliffe having now completed the formalities around his investment into the club, taking control of 25% of his boyhood club after a year of negotiations, the pressure will be piled on even more. Indeed, Ratcliffe wants United back at \"the very top of world football\".\n\nThe Sporting News has laid out all the options should Man United move on from Ten Hag and look for a new beginning, in the hopes of salvaging the 2023/24 season.\n\nMORE: How Man United produced their worst Champions League group stage in 18 years\n\nMan United next manager: Assessing candidates to replace Erik ten Hag\n\nIf Manchester United decide to pull the plug on Erik ten Hag's managerial tenure at Old Trafford, there aren't any perfect options for his replacement.\n\nThat allows us to speculate some as to who could slot in as the next man hoping to take United back to former glories, which still evade the club since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson over a decade ago.\n\nZinedine Zidane\n\nThe former Real Madrid manager has been out of work since departing the Spanish club in 2021, clearly waiting for the right position to open up. He was heavily rumoured to be in line for the France position once the 2022 World Cup finished, but Didier Deschamps surprised many by signing a new contract.\n\nZidane would be a top choice for United, as he would be for many top clubs with a managerial vacancy, but there's questions around whether he would be open to signing on. The 51-year-old told Marca back in June of 2022 that he isn't exactly thrilled about a Premier League job due to the language barrier.\n\nWhen asked specifically about a possible job opening in Manchester, Zidane said: \"I understand English, but I don't master it completely. I know that there are coaches who go to clubs without speaking the language, but I work in a different way. Many elements come into play to win. It is a global context.\" Does he still feel the same way?\n\nGraham Potter\n\nWhile Potter's time at Chelsea crashed and burned, many still rate the former Brighton & Hove Albion boss highly and he could be in line for a project job such as this. Indeed, there have previously been rumours that Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the INEOS founder on the brink of purchasing a 25 per cent stake in United, would like Potter at the club. He has been out of work since his Blues tenure came to a close back in April, but it would be a hard sell to fans after his time with the London club went so poorly.\n\nRoberto De Zerbi\n\nOne of the fastest rising managers in the game, Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi is known for his tactical innovation in transitional play, and his name has cropped up a number of times when big clubs have an opening.\n\nThe 44-year-old Italian has led the tiny club to new heights, qualifying for the Europa League for the first time in club history and establishing themselves as top-four contenders, building upon the success under Graham Potter. Yet could Potter's failure at Chelsea cause some trepidation around another Brighton success story moving on up?\n\nMichael Carrick\n\nThis list wouldn't be complete without mention of the likeliest of those with direct Manchester United links. Former United midfielder Michael Carrick, who made 316 appearances for the club over a 12-year Old Trafford tenure, is at Championship club Middlesbrough, his first permanent managerial appointment. They sit 11th in the second tier as of mid-December, just three points back of the playoff spots in a crowded top half.\n\nCarrick's lack of experience is glaring, but hiring someone with deep knowledge of the club could be very enticing, and the fact he hasn't bombed in his first job is notable. The 42-year-old has also led the Red Devils before on a caretaker basis, installed back in 2021 after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's dismissal and leading the club to some big wins over Arsenal in league play and Villarreal in the Champions League before Ralf Rangnick took over.\n\nHansi Flick\n\nThe former German national-team manager only lasted two years on the job with Die Mannschaft, before their failures at the 2022 World Cup caught up with him. Yet Flick has big club experience, having led Bayern Munich first as an assistant under Niko Kovac and then for two years as manager, winning the treble in 2019/20 en route to being named UEFA Coach of the Year.\n\nYet Flick's lack of experience of any kind outside Germany — he has just one year abroad, as an assistant at Red Bull Salzburg — coupled with his struggles at the national-team level could give some pause at bringing him to England for such a project position.\n\nAntonio Conte\n\nFormer Chelsea and Tottenham boss Conte hasn't cropped up near the top of any betting lists, but there could be some sense in hiring the Italian to take over at Old Trafford. Conte has been out of work since his acrimonious departure from Tottenham this past summer, after he seemingly shoved his way out of the club amidst reports he was utterly miserable in London.\n\nWhile the idea of a control freak such as Conte taking over the Manchester United mess could easily be a recipe for disaster, the club could also seek out a fixer of his nature, hoping for an immediate boost they can build on once things crumble under the Italian, as they often do. Still, the Red Devils would likely have competition as he seems to prefer working in his home country.\n\nJulen Lopetegui\n\nFifty-seven-year-old Spanish boss Lopetegui represents maybe the perfect mix of experience, availability, and interest as Manchester United seek out possible new managers. Lopetegui is most known for his time in charge of the Spanish national team, where he succeeded Vincente del Bosque, but he also has big club experience at Real Madrid.\n\nLopetegui has also managed in the Premier League, seemingly on an upward trajectory at Wolves before abruptly leaving just days before the current season amidst tension with the board. And therein lies the issue around Lopetegui: he has left multiple positions in mysterious and awkward circumstances, with his Wolves exit reminiscent of his departure from the Spanish national team, where he suddenly departed just days before the start of the 2018 World Cup as news of his discussions with Real Madrid came to light. Between those two incidents, and his failed tenures at Madrid and Sevilla, would he be worth the risk at Old Trafford?\n\nNames that don't make sense as next Man United manager\n\nJulian Nagelsmann\n\nWhile the German's name has come up in betting circles as a possibility for the next Manchester United manager, there's no sense to this actually taking place. Nagelsmann was only recently hired as the head coach of the German national team, meaning there's no chance he is available until after Euro 2024 at the earliest, and in that case, it's likely that Germany flopped at their own tournament, meaning his hire would probably be quite sour. This one just doesn't add up.\n\nLionel Scaloni\n\nWhile it's conceivable that the Argentine could become available at a moment's notice amid speculation of his potential exit with the defending World Cup champions, this feels an unlikely pairing. Should he indeed leave Argentina, Scaloni has been open about his mental fatigue and is likely to take some time off from management. In the event he does return quickly, he's been heavily linked to Real Madrid as a possible replacement for the Carlo Ancelotti, who is expected to become the next permanent Brazil head coach.\n\nIt's hard to imagine that Scaloni, who seemingly craves stability and routine, has no experience at club level, and lacks ties to the Premier League or Old Trafford (beyond a brief loan spell with West Ham as a player in 2006) would be a match for Manchester United in any capacity.\n\nGareth Southgate\n\nYou can sense a trend here as another currently employed national-team manager is mentioned in England boss Southgate. While he's been linked to the United job before, it would take a perfect storm for him to be installed, whether on a permanent basis or as an interim stopgap option.\n\nSome believe he could be considered next summer once the Euros are over: it has been speculated that Southgate could leave his England post following next summer's tournament, with his contract expiring in December next year. However, it's also possible he decides to stay on for the 2026 World Cup cycle, particularly if England have a good tournament in Germany. In that instance, he would only be available for double duty on a temporary basis, and that would simply be too messy to outweigh the benefits. Brazil are currently in that boat, and it's all gone wrong for Fernando Diniz despite his Copa Libertadores victory with Fluminense.\n\nMauricio Pochettino\n\nIn the event Todd Boehly proves to sport just as itchy a trigger finger as his successor Roman Abramovich at Chelsea, it's possible that Mauricio Pochettino becomes available should Manchester United look to move on from Erik ten Hag. But would he really be a sellable hire, having just failed in London after bombing at PSG and departing Tottenham in acrimonious manner? It seems unlikely that United would be interested in someone who demands significant club control and will have just been fired from a struggling league rival.\n\nManchester United managers since Sir Alex Ferguson\n\nIf Manchester United were to appoint a new manager, that person would be the ninth coach to take charge of a United team following Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in May 2013, including caretaker/interim managers Ryan Giggs, Ralf Rangnick and Carrick.\n\nManager Honours Games David Moyes Community Shield 51 Ryan Giggs (caretaker) — 4 Louis van Gaal FA Cup 103 Jose Mourinho Community Shield, Europa League, League Cup 144 Ole Gunnar Solskjaer — 168 Michael Carrick (caretaker) — 3 Ralf Rangnick (interim) — 29 Erik ten Hag League Cup *\n\n*Still manager of the club","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/man-united-next-manager-candidates-replace-erik-ten-hag/07c717a6ff83b771c4c5f538","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_d1d7a8eb59b79ec4"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_d1d7a8eb59b79ec4"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"bd0b8f6de833eb5e158c2e9ed692c992260e54ce36ec3789d5a36fbf51b280f4","source_record_sha256":"3c0278453b6695e149c0b501d8c6f71b7a2f61c555ba4afb43544e81d895e1cb","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":315,"source_fields":{"title":"Man United next manager: Assessing candidates to replace Erik ten Hag if Red Devils sack Dutch boss","author":"Kyle Bonn","source":"Sporting News","published_at":"2023-12-13T20:52:15+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/man-united-next-manager-candidates-replace-erik-ten-hag/07c717a6ff83b771c4c5f538"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_725a3d9c051092af","text":"Cover 7 | Monday A daily NFL destination that provides in-depth analysis of football’s biggest stories. Each Monday, Mike Sando breaks down the six most impactful takeaways from the week.\n\nThe San Francisco 49ers entered Week 6 riding a 15-game winning streak and looking unstoppable with a young quarterback, Brock Purdy, who was making the game look easy. They exited with a 19-17 defeat at Cleveland, injuries to key players and, for the first time this season, a question mark or two.\n\nAdvertisement\n\nWith the previously unbeaten Philadelphia Eagles also losing ugly Sunday, this edition of the Pick Six column addresses key questions facing Super Bowl favorites with one-third of the 18-week regular season nearly complete.\n\nSo far this season, we’ve seen the Miami Dolphins set NFL records for offense, only to lose by four touchdowns in their lone game against a true contender. We’ve seen the Kansas City Chiefs win with defense, sometimes in spite of their offense. We’ve seen the Buffalo Bills incur devastating injuries. Here we’ll address 10 teams with the shortest Super Bowl odds, running through what I think and what NFL insiders have to say.\n\nThe full Pick Six menu this week:\n\n• Unanswered questions for contenders\n\n• When “playing to win” goes too far\n\n• Championship roster, rookie kicker\n\n• Do they make wristbands for coaches?\n\n• Giants, Vikings and winning too soon\n\n• Two-minute drill: Wackiest win in a while\n\nGO DEEPER The Eagles' 'tush push' play is taking over the NFL. But is it working?\n\n1. Where do the top 10 current Super Bowl contenders stand one-third of the way through the season? Let’s hit key questions facing the Chiefs, Eagles, 49ers, Bills, Bengals, Cowboys, Ravens, Lions, Dolphins and Jaguars.\n\nYou can scroll through the latest Super Bowl future odds from BetMGM below.\n\n• San Francisco 49ers: What do they have in Purdy?\n\nWhat I think: Let’s start with what the 49ers do not have in Purdy. They do not have an AFC North-certified, weatherproof Ben Roethlisberger clone able to overpower the elements, break away from defensive linemen and thrive in the conditions Purdy faced against Cleveland. What they do have is a good, young quarterback well-suited to run Kyle Shanahan’s offense at a high level by making quick decisions when given time to find open receivers.\n\nExec comment: “The 49ers knew they needed a good quarterback to win the Super Bowl, and they knew they could help Purdy be that. Give him a great receiving tight end, two good receivers and a great halfback who fits the system, and they’ll get someone open on every pass play. But then Deebo Samuel gets hurt, Christian McCaffrey gets hurt, and now we don’t have as many guys open. Especially when you face a defensive coordinator who says, ‘You show me you can beat me throwing the ball outside the numbers — best of luck, and to do that, you are going to have to take a five-step drop and I’m going to have Myles Garrett chasing you every play.'”\n\nAdvertisement\n\n• Kansas City Chiefs: Is the explosive passing game gone for good?\n\nWhat I think: The Chiefs have never scored less per game on offense through six games or a full season since Patrick Mahomes became their quarterback. They have also never enjoyed larger average point differentials (9.8 per game), because their defense is so much better. I think the pass offense will become slightly more explosive as Mahomes gets reps with his receivers, but I’m not expecting a huge shift.\n\nThe Chiefs are averaging 9.5 plays per touchdown drive when starting at least 70 yards from the opponent’s goal line, per TruMedia. That figure was 7.8 in Mahomes’ first year as the starter and has climbed every season since. It’s a testament to the Chiefs’ adaptability, but also a reflection of plummeting explosive play rates.\n\nExec comment: “Yeah, it looks harder for them on offense until Mahomes finds (Travis) Kelce on every major third down, every major two-minute play, every major touchdown. Kansas City has the luxury of their best players being their toughest players. Chris Jones is a very tough player. Kelce is a very tough player. Mahomes is a very tough player. You wonder why they win the games? Because the games are won by the toughest teams most of the time.”\n\n• Philadelphia Eagles: Has Jalen Hurts regressed? Where are the explosive pass plays?\n\nWhat I think: Explosive passing is down through most of the league, including for the Eagles. They are gaining more than 15 yards on just 11 percent of pass plays, down from 21 percent through six games last season and 19 percent for 2022 overall. Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert are still on the team, so I’m inclined to trust the production will return. But there’s also a lingering fear defenses have caught up to aspects of the Eagles’ scheme. Does Philly have a counterpunch?\n\nAdvertisement\n\nExec comment: “People are going to crush Hurts and the offense. They are just churning the clock so much. It just feels like they are imposing their will on teams through the run game and through their short passing and it just hasn’t taken off from an explosive passing standpoint, so when they play a team that can move the ball on them through the air, it presents some challenges.”\n\nGO DEEPER Behind the AI magic that lets Amazon's Prime Vision show the NFL like never before\n\n• Buffalo Bills: Are the defensive injuries too much to overcome?\n\nWhat I think: The rest of the conference is the key variable. The Bills are diminished. They have imperfections. But Buffalo already defeated the Dolphins. The other AFC teams aren’t exactly peaking. Kansas City and Cincinnati appear easier to defend this season than in the recent past. We’ll see how well the Dolphins hold up. This can still be Buffalo’s season.\n\nExec comment: “Matt Milano and Tre’Davious White, those are huge injuries for that football team. The Bills are not as dominant as they felt going into it with so many injuries on defense. But the division they are in, they will still be able to slug it out and get to where they need to go. Nobody has really emerged in the AFC to unseat these teams at the top.”\n\n• Miami Dolphins: Has Tua Tagovailoa proven he’s built to last?\n\nWhat I think: It was tough watching Tagovailoa last season without worrying for his physical well-being. I’ve never felt that way watching him so far this season, and will feel even better if he plays a full game against Philadelphia in Week 7. New England, Kansas City, the Jets (twice), Washington, Tennessee, Dallas, Baltimore and Buffalo will all get their shots at Tagovailoa. I’m cautiously optimistic, but think there will be games when defense muddy the picture sufficiently to create turnovers.\n\nExec comment: “Interesting team. They put up 70 on Denver and should have put up 70 on the Giants. No one can keep up with that kind of firepower. But they also haven’t really beaten anyone. They were down 14 points to Carolina. Do you think they are coming back from 13 down against Philly? In my opinion, no.”\n\nAdvertisement\n\n• Dallas Cowboys: Is this team any better than previous Dallas teams that fell short?\n\nWhat I think: It’s a tough time to evaluate the Cowboys fairly because they were so bad against San Francisco on a big stage in their most recent game. I just don’t see where Dallas is better or going to get considerably better, especially on offense. And every time they enjoy success, they seem to enjoy it a little too much. That is a reflection of their owner.\n\nExec comment: “Run defense and consistency on defense, and then offensively, what is their identity? They just are not very good. Their best games are when they play great defense and get turnovers, but that is not going to happen enough, especially against the good teams.”\n\n• Detroit Lions: Have they fixed their defense?\n\nWhat I think: The Lions are 11.3 EPA per game better on defense from last season to this season, the second-largest gain for any team since last season. The schedule has something to do with that, but the 2022 defense was so bad, it couldn’t stop Carolina. Detroit will win the NFC North and return to the playoffs, which will make this season successful no matter what happens from there. But we won’t find out until the postseason just how much better the defense might be, because the remaining schedule features so many weak offenses. That includes Chicago twice, Green Bay, Denver and Las Vegas.\n\nExec comment: “Yes, I do buy them. This is a league full of teams who do not really know who they are week to week. Detroit knows who they are, and they play to their identity. Anytime you know who you are and play to that style, you have a chance to be dangerous.”\n\n• Baltimore Ravens: Are the Ravens better off shifting to more of a pass-oriented offense?\n\nWhat I think: Baltimore has never scored fewer points or amassed less offensive EPA through the first six games of a season with Lamar Jackson in the lineup. The schedule and injuries have played roles, but with the Ravens shifting toward a more conventional pass offense, are the explosive quarterback runs mostly in the past? Jackson has one rush longer than 20 yards (he’s had four or five by now previously). He’s gaining at least eight yards on 15 percent of carries, half his previous rate. I’m not expecting a consistent precision passing game to suddenly materialize. Will this new offense be tougher to defend?\n\nAdvertisement\n\nExec comment: “The defense keeps them in it, but I don’t necessarily think this offensive change is going to make them any better when it counts. Lamar Jackson does not appear as dynamic as a runner, but in this offense, he does not need to be. He is regulated to pass from the pocket, but you are taking away the biggest weapon the offense had when you do that. Odell (Beckham) is not that guy anymore. Who are you truly afraid of on that offense? Nobody but Lamar, and if you are not using Lamar in a certain capacity, he becomes just like the rest of these quarterbacks around the league — hit or miss.”\n\n• Jacksonville Jaguars: Are they ready for prime time?\n\nWhat I think: Trevor Lawrence’s knee injury was the big concern coming out of Sunday. If he’s out, expectations shift dramatically. More than the other AFC contenders, the Jaguars seem early in their life cycle, still finding their way. That makes them a little harder to trust in big spots but also leaves greater space for growth. Let’s hope those test results on Lawrence’s knee come back clear.\n\nExec comment: “I like Jacksonville. Doug (Pederson) has a championship pedigree. This team is relatively young. They are scrappy. The fact that they have been there before gives them a chance. I think the quarterback is growing.”\n\n• Cincinnati Bengals: Can Joe Burrow hold up for a full season?\n\nWhat I think: Burrow is looking healthier over the past two weeks. The bye week comes at a great time for Burrow to get even healthier, but check out the schedule on the other side: San Francisco, Buffalo, Houston, Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Jacksonville. Cincy still has a second game with the Steelers, plus games against Kansas City and Cleveland. I’m worried Burrow will wear down against these defenses.\n\nExec comment: “You cannot always expect Joe Burrow to create magic with a bottom-half offensive line. The line is my concern all the way.”\n\nAdvertisement\n\n2. Are teams sometimes going too far playing to win? The Eagles come to mind after falling 20-14 to the Jets.\n\nMost would agree teams have gotten smarter in their handling of fourth-down situations, going for it when it makes sense, instead of punting almost out of habit. Making the aggressive play to win can absolutely be the smart play, regardless of results. It’s progress when teams seriously wrestle with these questions, not just on fourth down, but in all aspects of their strategy.\n\nBut when the Eagles tossed a killer interception on third-and-9 from their own 46-yard line while protecting a 14-12 lead against the Jets with two minutes left in the fourth quarter, a longtime NFL exec reached out with a question: “Have we come too far with coaches wanting to ‘win’ the game instead of sometimes being more traditional?”\n\nHis point: Philadelphia could have run the ball on third-and-9, then punted from around midfield. The Jets would have taken possession with barely more than a minute remaining, no timeouts and Zach Wilson behind center facing a ferocious Eagles pass rush. Was having Hurts pass in a situation when gaining a first down is unlikely the smart play under the circumstances?\n\n“Are coaches not willing to go against the slight statistical benefit that WPA (win probability added) provides?” the exec asked. “Is it no longer OK to let your defense win the game when it clearly has a huge talent/performance advantage? This Eagles game was 14-12, not 37-35.”\n\nCritics attuned to the trend toward aggressiveness pounce when teams pass up chances to go for the kill. Coaches know team owners tend to be fans, not football strategists. They know owners listen to these criticisms. That can provide an incentive to make the aggressive play, to go down swinging.\n\n“Everybody thinks they are playing Brady, Manning or Rodgers in two-minute,” a veteran coach said. “If before the game someone offered Philly to put its defense against Zach Wilson on a need-field-goal drive starting inside his own 15 with no timeouts and a minute left, you think they would have taken it?”\n\nIn the situation Sunday, the Jets’ offense had netted 19 yards on its previous three possessions, producing one field goal on a drive that gained 16 of those yards. The Eagles had already suffered three turnovers. They knew Wilson would be taking over deep in his territory with very little time remaining.\n\nAdvertisement\n\n“To me, these are exactly the type of factors that a coach needs to consider when deciding,” the exec said. “I think they were ignored here.”\n\nThe situation Philly faced against the Jets was the seventh time since 2000 that a team leading by 1-2 points in the final two minutes faced third down with 7-10 yards to go from the minus-40 yard line to midfield, with the opponent holding no timeouts.\n\nThree of the seven teams passed, resulting in one first down, one sack and Hurts’ interception. Of these three teams, only the Eagles lost the game.\n\n3. The 49ers lost Sunday when their rookie kicker missed from 41 yards. Is San Francisco wise trusting a championship roster to a rookie’s foot come playoff time?\n\nThe 49ers raised eyebrows among some when they used their second-highest pick in the 2023 draft — a third-round choice, 99th overall — for a kicker. The selection of Michigan’s Jake Moody gave the 49ers a cost-effective successor to veteran Robbie Gould. General manager John Lynch called Moody a potentially “foundational” player whose stock in the draft was so high, other teams were trying to trade ahead of San Francisco for a shot at him.\n\nWho do you want lining up the potential winning kick in a Super Bowl? It’s an interesting question in a season that has seen Moody and Saints rookie Blake Grupe miss game-winning tries, but the data could be on the 49ers’ side.\n\nFGA Dist Rookies Veterans <33 Yds 97% [31-32] 94% [330-351] 34-44 Yds 75% [21-28] 82% [230-279] 45-50 Yds 78% [7-9] 73% [121-165] 51-55 Yds 100% [8-8] 59% [33-56] 56+ Yds 0% [0-1] 55% [6-11] Totals 86% [67-78] 84% [720-862]\n\nThe table above shows field-goal make rates in the postseason since 2000 for rookie kickers vs. veterans. The numbers stack up pretty evenly across various distance cutoffs. Based on these numbers, there’s no statistical indication rookies are less effective in the postseason.\n\n“Playoff teams have a different aura, different feel in the locker room,” a veteran evaluator said. “Percentages are one thing, but who is the guy who trots out there to try the game-winner? It’s a different pressure shooting free throws up by 20, down by 20, than in that type of situation.”\n\nAdvertisement\n\nFans might recall rookie kickers missing playoff kicks: Rodrigo Blankenship with the Colts in 2020, Harrison Butker with the Chiefs in 2017, Nate Kaeding with the Chargers in 2005. But the NFL has seen plenty of rookies kick effectively in the postseason as well. Evan McPherson made all 14 postseason tries with the 2021 Super Bowl Bengals. The 2017 Eagles won a Super Bowl with rookie Jake Elliott performing well. The 2012 Super Bowl champion Ravens had rookie Justin Tucker, while the 2006 Patriots trusted rookie Stephen Gostkowski.\n\n4. Do they make wristbands for head coaches? That is not the only question facing the Broncos.\n\nDenver Broncos coach Sean Payton has made clear his frustration with quarterback Russell Wilson in myriad ways, including when he suggested Wilson could at some point wear a wristband if it would help speed up communication in the huddle.\n\nWe joked on the Football GM Podcast that the head coach himself could have used a wristband to assist with game management after the Broncos called timeout before punting with 22 seconds left in the first half of a 19-8 defeat at Kansas City in Week 6. Payton said he thought Denver was heading into third down, not fourth, when he called timeout, helping the Chiefs’ drive to a field goal.\n\nIt wasn’t an isolated miscue. Denver has twice this season used all three timeouts with at least four minutes remaining before halftime. Payton suffered that fate only four times in 258 total games coaching the Saints, when his association with Drew Brees was one of the most successful partnerships in recent NFL history. Payton has had it happen twice in six games with Wilson as his quarterback.\n\nRussell Wilson’s hold on the starting job in Denver seems more tenuous with every game. (William Purnell / USA Today)\n\nAcross the league, teams have used all their first-half timeouts above four minutes just 14 times since 2020. That includes six times by Carolina when Matt Rhule coached the Panthers. Payton is the only other coach with more than one such game over the past three-plus seasons.\n\nThe irony is rich in Denver, where Payton’s predecessor, Nathaniel Hackett, was mocked for his game management so thoroughly, the team made him hire veteran assistant Jerry Rosburg to help him after only three games (Denver was 2-1 at that point). The Broncos under Hackett had trouble getting out of the huddle on time.\n\nHackett took the hit for those issues, but when the problem recurred under Payton, the blame shifted to Wilson, the common denominator.\n\nAdvertisement\n\nAll of this is pointing toward a future in Denver that includes Payton but not Wilson. Payton’s game plans over the past two weeks were conservative enough to suggest the coach was publicly demonstrating he does not think he can run his offense as currently configured, despite some success on the ground. These game plans were conservative enough to signal a potential in-season quarterback change. Denver faces Green Bay and Kansas City over the next two weeks before heading into its Week 9 bye.\n\n5. You play to win the game, but can you win too quickly? The Giants and Vikings are test cases.\n\nThe New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings exceeded expectations under first-year head coaches in 2022. Both reached the playoffs. Both are struggling in their second seasons, facing difficult questions about the future. Would they have been better off enjoying only moderate success early? That could depend on how well the football leadership has communicated with ownership.\n\nEvery head coach and general manager wants to win as much as possible, but the goal is to build for the long term, which can require time to do things with sustainability in mind. Bad teams that win right away can reset expectations for fans and ownership, making it less practical to take one step backward in the short term for a better shot at taking two steps forward down the line.\n\nWhat do the Giants’ and Vikings’ ownerships think?\n\n“The best first year can be that 7-10 season where you show some promise,” a veteran coach with experience on a half-dozen teams said. “The Giants won a bunch of games early, people were heaping praise on the head coach, people get the expectation of what the quarterback can be. But oftentimes, you know different internally because you know the house you are living in. You are inside the walls every single day and you know where the roof leaks, where the foundation is cracked.”\n\nBuffalo managed such a situation well. The Bills surprisingly reached the playoffs in their first season under Sean McDermott, a euphoric moment after a 17-year playoff drought. They went 6-10 the next year, then began a steady rise behind Josh Allen and a top defense. There isn’t a Josh Allen on the Giants or Vikings.\n\nMinnesota in particular finds itself in an interesting spot, with Kirk Cousins approaching free agency and playing well enough, most likely, to keep the Vikings from climbing too high in the draft order.\n\nAdvertisement\n\n“They already gave a contract to (tight end) T.J. Hockenson, and they are going to give one to (receiver) Justin Jefferson,” an exec said. “Now, what? Are you going into the rookie pool and taking the fourth-best quarterback in the draft? You can look like Atlanta with (Desmond) Ridder pretty quick.”\n\n6. Two-minute drill: There were already many ways to win a game before the Dolphins invented another one.\n\nThe Dolphins were one of 223 teams since 2000 to be favored by at least 13.5 points in a regular-season or playoff game. Seventeen of those 223 teams fell behind by 14 or more. Six of the 17 won anyway. The Dolphins were the only one of those 223 teams to win and cover the spread, which was 13.5 for this game.\n\n• Six catches for 163 yards and a touchdown against Carolina left the Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill with 812 yards through the first six games. That ranks second in NFL history to Hall of Famer Don Hutson, who had 819 yards through six with Green Bay in 1942.\n\nReceiving Yards Through Six NFL Games Rk Player Season Yds 1 Don Hutson 1942 819 2 Tyreek Hill 2023 812 3 Wes Welker 2011 785 4 Elroy Hirsch 1951 766 5 Santana Moss 2005 743 6 DeAndre Hopkins 2015 726 7 Raymond Berry 1960 725 8 Jerry Rice 1986 723 9 Bob Boyd 1954 718 10 Bobby Mitchell 1962 714\n\n• Jared Goff is enjoying the second-best start to a season for his career from a statistical standpoint, behind only his 2018 Super Bowl season with the Rams. With the Lions at 5-1 and Goff heading toward a likely contract extension, could another team come after his injured backup, former University of Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker?\n\nRandy Mueller raised the thought last week, recalling examples from his career as a GM when offering a pick one round higher than a prospect’s actual draft round proved alluring. Detroit used a third-round choice for Hooker, who is recovering from ACL surgery. Hooker would have been valued higher if healthy. Could that be true again at some point in the future?\n\n• News that Indianapolis Colts rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson might undergo season-ending shoulder surgery could carry a silver lining. Richardson got to play enough for the Colts to evaluate where he stands, but if he shuts it down for the season, neither he nor the team would have to suffer through a full season of growing pains. Gardner Minshew’s three-pick game against Jacksonville on Sunday works against the idea Indy is better positioned to compete with the journeyman in the lineup, but most coaches and execs I’ve spoken with believe that to be the case in the short term.\n\n(Top photo: Dustin Satloff / Getty Images)\n\nThe Football 100, the definitive ranking of the NFL’s best 100 players of all time, goes on sale this fall. Pre-order it here.","url":"https://theathletic.com/4964039/2023/10/16/nfl-news-week-6-super-bowl-favorites-broncos-dolphins/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_0073ab564e554590","mhq_bab967ae9e11c83b"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_0073ab564e554590","mhq_bab967ae9e11c83b"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"7e9c8e46c8e9e03d4d9bdfe41c434622d211e0ca45e1507cd272a60e365a8bde","source_record_sha256":"d83136a73d11eab097a4caaf1335a51985b10ec0cb5e3b09c76b502b67c74fa9","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":316,"source_fields":{"title":"N.F.L. Executives on the Biggest Questions Facing Super Bowl Contenders","author":"The New York Times","source":"The New York Times","published_at":"2023-10-16T23:58:53+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://theathletic.com/4964039/2023/10/16/nfl-news-week-6-super-bowl-favorites-broncos-dolphins/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_5081a8d4cde075cf","text":"Happy December, fantasy friends! We have somehow reached the final week of the fantasy football regular season, so the running back decisions we make in our PPR leagues this week could very well impact our playoff fate. Our Week 14 fantasy RB PPR rankings will help you optimize your lineup at RB1, RB2, and flex heading into this crucial weekend.\n\nIt hasn't been all holly, jolly this season — in fact, it has often been a bumpy sleigh ride. We've suffered a plethora of injuries to stud RBs the past few weeks, but we keep rolling with the punches and always do our best to stay two steps ahead of our opponents. One major positive is that only two teams will be on bye this week, a welcome relief after the six-team byepocalypse that was Week 13. Still, the injury-ravaged teams will have trouble replacing their studs and the deep squads will have difficult start 'em, sit 'em decisions to make.\n\nAs we do every week, we're deep-diving the running back position and analyzing all the stats, matchups, and injuries before breaking down our rankings. So, let's get to it and survey the RB landscape for the final week of the fantasy regular season.\n\nWhich RBs are on bye in Week 14?\n\nAfter a whopping six teams were on bye last week, only the Commanders and Cardinals will be off in Week 14. That takes Brian Robinson Jr. and James Conner off the table, but it doesn't hurt us much beyond that.\n\nWEEK 14 PPR RANKINGS:\n\nQBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers\n\nIt does hurt a bit to have two below-average run defenses off the table, as Washington and Arizona have both ranked among the 10 most generous teams to RBs this season.\n\nWEEK 14 STANDARD RANKINGS:\n\nQBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers\n\nWho are the best fantasy RBs in Week 14?\n\nChristian McCaffrey (vs. Seahawks in Week 14) has given us no reason to stop believing in him as the best overall player in the NFL, so he stays atop this list. Austin Ekeler (vs. Broncos) has started to give us some pause as of late, as he's averaged fewer than 3.0 yards per carry since coming off IR eight games ago, but a juicy home matchup against Denver should be his get-right game. Clear skies ahead, Ek owners — the Broncos have surrendered the most PPR points in the NFL to RBs, and L.A. faces them twice between now and the fantasy title week.\n\nWith Jacksonville playing very well over the past month, we're all-in on Travis Etienne Jr. (@ Browns) even in a tough matchup. Trevor Lawrence and his high-flying offense should dominate the time of possession against the Joe Flacco-led Browns, leaving ETN plenty of opportunities to add to his per-game PPR average of 17.4 points (third best in the NFL entering Week 13).\n\nGuess who's back? Back again? Achane's back — tell a friend! Stud rookie De'Von Achane (vs. Titans) went right back to roughing up the opposition in his Week 13 return from a knee injury that sidelined him one week prior. The potential league-winner casually put up 103 yards and two TDs on the Commanders, and we can't help but place him and running mate Raheem Mostert in the top five this week despite a somewhat-tough matchup with Tennessee. Mostert has more PPR points than everyone but CMC, while Achane ranks just two spots behind CMC at third in PPR points per game (20.6).\n\nAnother stud duo, Detroit's Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery (@ Bears), also makes our top 10. They ravaged Chicago when they last met a few weeks ago, combining for a total of 193 yards and two TDs, and we have no reason to think the Lions will slow down in Week 13. Dan Campbell's squad just put 142 rushing yards and 33 points on the Saints in the Bayou this past weekend.\n\nSpeaking of New Orleans, old PPR reliable Alvin Kamara (vs. Panthers) has been a source of light for an otherwise-dismal Saints offense. With Derek Carr suffering a brutal blow in the Week 13 loss to Detroit, Kamara will likely shoulder the load against Carolina and its atrocious run defense. Entering Week 13, only two teams had allowed more PPR points than the Panthers (28.9 FPPG).\n\nWe also love Saquon Barkley (vs. Packers) against the Packers' leaky run defense and Breece Hall (vs. Texans) in what should be a bounce-back game. Entering Week 13, Houston had allowed 112.9 scrimmage yards per game and nine total TDs to RBs on the year.\n\nWEEK 14 FANTASY ADVICE:\n\nSleepers | Busts | Projections | Start-sit\n\nWho are the best fantasy RB sleepers, waiver pickups Week 14?\n\nWelcome to the top 25, Tyjae Spears (@ Dolphins)! We've loved the way this kid has run all season. He averaged 5.1 yards per carry entering last weekend, and he stepped up in a major way for Tennessee when Derrick Henry sustained a game-ending hit to the head area against Indy. Spears contributed 20 yards on the game-tying drive in the fourth quarter and another 27 yards in OT, but Mike Vrabel's squad ultimately lost. In what should be a high-scoring game against the Super Bowl-hopeful 'Fins, we like Spears to be busy as rookie QB Will Levis's top check-down option -- assuming Henry (head/neck) is out, of course.\n\nEzekiel Elliott (@ Steelers) is another potential fill-in who should produce at least flex-worthy stats this week. With Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) on the shelf, Elliott could see 20 touches. Similarly, Kenneth Gainwell (@ Cowboys) and Roschon Johnson (vs. Lions) could see big upticks in touches if D'Andre Swift and D'Onta Foreman can't suit up, but we're not as confident those backs can produce given their matchups.\n\nWe still like Jaylen Warren better overall, but you can confidently take Najee Harris (vs. Patriots) out of the doghouse for good. Harris has been running with purpose, and his role in the passing game continues to make him a high-ceiling RB2 in a run-first offense that will be without Kenny Pickett (ankle) this week. New England might be banged up, but it's still a tough D to get chunk yardage against through the air. Look for Harris to see lots of screens and dump-downs in a rough-and-tumble Thursday night game in Pittsburgh.\n\nWe love Baltimore's Keaton Mitchell (vs. Rams) and think he has the potential to smash Los Angeles at home this week. The speedster has quietly racked up over 300 yards and two TDs over the Ravens' past four games, and with Lamar Jackson facing Aaron Donald and a still-talented pass-rush, John Harbaugh's squad might turn to the rookie to move the chains between the 20s. All we need is one or two big chunk gains to make him a worthwhile start — he can run friggin' 22 miles per hour!\n\nWEEK 14 DFS:\n\nDK lineup | FD lineup | Best values | Best stacks\n\nWho are the biggest potential fantasy RB busts in Week 14?\n\nWhile he just barely cracks our top 25 thanks to his passing-down usage, James Cook (@ Chiefs) doesn't thrill us at Arrowhead against the pissed-off defending champs. Kansas City's front-seven has been tough against speedsters and more vulnerable to power backs, and the 5-11, 190-pound Cook 100 percent falls into the former category. Temper your expectations.\n\nWe feel the same way about Zach Charbonnet (@ 49ers). It's great that the Week 13 injury he sustained on Thursday night was just a bruise, but it's not great that he now faces a 49ers defense that already stifled him on Thanksgiving. You're probably starting him if Kenneth Walker III remains out with his oblique injury, but consider other options if you have the depth. The floor and ceiling remain low against this uber-confident Niners D.\n\nTyler Allgeier (vs. Buccaneers) continues to see his role diminish for the NFC South-leading Falcons, with dum-dum coach Arthur Smith finally realizing that Bijan Robinson gives the ATL the best chance at continued success. Tampa Bay has a pretty good run defense, so Allgeier can't be trusted outside of a desperate flex play with his nine average touches over the past two weeks.\n\nWhat are the biggest RB injuries in Week 14?\n\nDerrick Henry (head/neck), Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle), Kenneth Walker III (oblique), Aaron Jones (knee), D'Onta Foreman (ankle), and D'Andre Swift (undisclosed) are all \"questionable,\" at best, to suit up this week. We know for sure Stevenson will be out, but we'll have to monitor the injury reports throughout the week for the rest.\n\nJonathan Taylor (thumb) underwent surgery last week and will miss the next few weeks, opening the door for Zack Moss to resume his role as Indy's super-sub lead back.\n\nWe'll be updating these RB PPR rankings all week, so check back for the latest player movement.\n\nFantasy RB PPR Rankings Week 14: Who to start, sit at running back\n\nRankings based on full-point PPR scoring formats\n\nRank Player\n\n1 Christian McCaffrey, 49ers vs. Seahawks\n\n2 Austin Ekeler, Chargers vs. Broncos\n\n3 Travis Etienne, Jaguars @ Browns\n\n4 De'Von Achane, Dolphins vs. Titans\n\n5 Raheem Mostert, Dolphins vs. Titans\n\n6 Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions @ Bears\n\n7 Alvin Kamara, Saints vs. Panthers\n\n8 Saquon Barkley, Giants vs. Packers\n\n9 David Montgomery, Lions @ Bears\n\n10 Breece Hall, Jets vs. Texans\n\n11 Bijan Robinson, Falcons vs. Buccaneers\n\n12 Josh Jacobs, Raiders vs. Vikings\n\n13 Rachaad White, Buccaneers @ Falcons\n\n14 Tony Pollard, Cowboys vs. Eagles\n\n15 Kyren Williams, Rams @ Ravens\n\n16 Joe Mixon, Bengals vs. Colts\n\n17 Javonte Williams, Broncos @ Chargers\n\n18 Derrick Henry, Titans @ Dolphins\n\n19 D'Andre Swift, Eagles @ Cowboys\n\n20 Jaylen Warren, Steelers vs. Patriots\n\n21 Alexander Mattison, Vikings @ Raiders\n\n22 Jerome Ford, Browns vs. Jaguars\n\n23 Kenneth Walker III, Seahawks\n\n24 Najee Harris, Steelers vs. Patriots\n\n25 James Cook, Bills @ Chiefs\n\n26 Zack Moss, Colts @ Bengals\n\n27 Keaton Mitchell, Ravens vs. Rams\n\n28 AJ Dillon, Packers @ Giants\n\n29 Ezekiel Elliott, Patriots @ Steelers\n\n30 Aaron Jones, Packers @ Giants\n\n31 Jerick McKinnon, Chiefs @ Bills\n\n32 Tyjae Spears, Titans @ Dolphins\n\n33 Gus Edwards, Ravens vs. Rams\n\n34 Dameon Pierce, Texans @ Jets\n\n35 Roschon Johnson, Bears vs. Lions\n\n36 Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Chiefs @ Bills\n\n37 Kareem Hunt, Browns vs. Jaguars\n\n38 Tyler Allgeier, Falcons vs. Buccaneers\n\n39 Chuba Hubbard, Panthers @ Saints\n\n40 Devin Singletary, Texans @ Jets\n\n41 D'Onta Foreman, Bears vs. Lions\n\n42 Chase Brown, Bengals vs. Colts\n\n43 D'Ernest Johnson, Jaguars @ Browns\n\n44 Jaleel McLaughlin, Broncos @ Chargers\n\n45 Miles Sanders, Panthers @ Saints\n\n46 Zach Charbonnet, Seahawks @ 49ers\n\n47 Dalvin Cook, Jets vs. Texans\n\n48 Joshua Kelley, Chargers vs. Broncos\n\n49 Royce Freeman, Rams @ Ravens\n\n50 Jeff Wilson Jr., Dolphins vs. Titans\n\n51 Ty Chandler, Vikings @ Raiders\n\n52 Latavius Murray, Bills @ Chiefs\n\n53 Cordarrelle Patterson, Falcons vs. Buccaneers\n\n54 Justice Hill, Ravens vs. Rams\n\n55 Rico Dowdle, Cowboys vs. Eagles\n\n56 Kenneth Gainwell, Eagles @ Cowboys\n\n57 Khalil Herbert, Bears vs. Lions\n\n58 Tank Bigsby, Jaguars @ Browns\n\n59 Samaje Perine, Broncos @ Chargers\n\n60 Chase Edmonds, Buccaneers @ Falcons\n\n61 Boston Scott, Eagles @ Cowboys\n\n62 Matt Breida, Giants vs. Packers\n\n63 Jamaal Williams, Saints vs. Panthers","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/fantasy/news/fantasy-football-rb-ppr-rankings-week-14-running-back/4b39f2badd158eabb6c1d104","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_7e6e955d60ce6593","mhq_229ee6f69011cf7c"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_7e6e955d60ce6593","mhq_229ee6f69011cf7c"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"8cc6fe5c7f5bcd41aa7b91d9ed051c3e986c95c5db4b3f41d61cc66bbc4219e1","source_record_sha256":"9cabee9147fe3b8d3554a6caa405790ca2e76a167e16643a7797069fdc2e1e43","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":317,"source_fields":{"title":"Fantasy Football RB PPR Rankings Week 14: Who to start, best sleepers at running back","author":"Sloan Piva","source":"Sporting News","published_at":"2023-12-07T22:09:00+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/fantasy/news/fantasy-football-rb-ppr-rankings-week-14-running-back/4b39f2badd158eabb6c1d104"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_6df4b1a2428fde1c","text":"ChatGPT-maker Open AI said Friday it has pushed out its co-founder and CEO Sam Altman after a review found he was “not consistently candid in his communications” with the board of directors.\n\n“The board no longer has confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI,” the artificial intelligence company said in a statement.\n\nIn the year since Altman catapulted ChatGPT to global fame, he has become Silicon Valley’s sought-after voice on the promise and potential dangers of artificial intelligence and his sudden and mostly unexplained exit brought uncertainty to the industry’s future.\n\nMira Murati, OpenAI’s chief technology officer, will take over as interim CEO effective immediately, the company said, while it searches for a permanent replacement.\n\nThe announcement also said another OpenAI co-founder and top executive, Greg Brockman, the board’s chairman, would step down from that role but remain at the company, where he serves as president. But later on X, formerly Twitter, Brockman posted a message he sent to OpenAI employees in which he wrote, “based on today’s news, i quit.”\n\nIn another X post on Friday night, Brockman said Altman was asked to join a video meeting at noon Friday with the company’s board members, minus Brockman, during which OpenAI co-founder and Chief Scientist Ilya Sutskever informed Altman he was being fired.\n\n“Sam and I are shocked and saddened by what the board did today,” Brockman wrote, adding that he was informed of his removal from the board in a separate call with Sutskever a short time later.\n\nOpenAI declined to answer questions on what Altman’s alleged lack of candor was about. The statement said his behavior was hindering the board’s ability to exercise its responsibilities.\n\nAltman posted Friday on X: “i loved my time at openai. it was transformative for me personally, and hopefully the world a little bit. most of all i loved working with such talented people. will have more to say about what’s next later.”\n\nThe Associated Press and OpenAI have a licensing and technology agreement allowing OpenAI access to part of the AP’s text archives.\n\nAltman helped start OpenAI as a nonprofit research laboratory in 2015. But it was ChatGPT’s explosion into public consciousness that thrust Altman into the spotlight as a face of generative AI — technology that can produce novel imagery, passages of text and other media. On a world tour this year, he was mobbed by a crowd of adoring fans at an event in London.\n\nHe’s sat with multiple heads of state to discuss AI’s potential and perils. Just Thursday, he took part in a CEO summit at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference in San Francisco, where OpenAI is based.\n\nHe predicted AI will prove to be “the greatest leap forward of any of the big technological revolutions we’ve had so far.” He also acknowledged the need for guardrails, calling attention to the existential dangers future AI could pose.\n\nSome computer scientists have criticized that focus on far-off risks as distracting from the real-world limitations and harms of current AI products. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has launched an investigation into whether OpenAI violated consumer protection laws by scraping public data and publishing false information through its chatbot.\n\nThe company said its board consists of OpenAI’s chief scientist, Ilya Sutskever, and three non-employees: Quora CEO Adam D’Angelo, tech entrepreneur Tasha McCauley, and Helen Toner of the Georgetown Center for Security and Emerging Technology.\n\nOpenAI’s key business partner, Microsoft, which has invested billions of dollars into the startup and helped provide the computing power to run its AI systems, said that the transition won’t affect its relationship.\n\n“We have a long-term partnership with OpenAI and Microsoft remains committed to Mira and their team as we bring this next era of AI to our customers,” said an emailed Microsoft statement.\n\nWhile not trained as an AI engineer, Altman, now 38, has been seen as a Silicon Valley wunderkind since his early 20s. He was recruited in 2014 to take lead of the startup incubator YCombinator.\n\n“Sam is one of the smartest people I know, and understands startups better than perhaps anyone I know, including myself,” read YCombinator co-founder Paul Graham’s 2014 announcement that Altman would become its president. Graham said at the time that Altman was “one of those rare people who manage to be both fearsomely effective and yet fundamentally benevolent.”\n\nOpenAI started out as a nonprofit when it launched with financial backing from Tesla CEO Elon Musk and others. Its stated aims were to “advance digital intelligence in the way that is most likely to benefit humanity as a whole, unconstrained by a need to generate financial return.”\n\nThat changed in 2018 when it incorporated a for-profit business Open AI LP, and shifted nearly all its staff into the business, not long after releasing its first generation of the GPT large language model for mimicking human writing. Around the same time, Musk, who had co-chaired its board with Altman, resigned from the board in a move that OpenAI said would eliminate a “potential future conflict for Elon” due to Tesla’s work on building self-driving systems.\n\nWhile OpenAI’s board has preserved its nonprofit governance structure, the startup it oversees has increasingly sought to capitalize on its technology by tailoring its popular chatbot to business customers.\n\nAt its first developer conference last week, Altman was the main speaker showcasing a vision for a future of AI agents that could help people with a variety of tasks. Days later, he announced the company would have to pause new subscriptions to its premium version of ChatGPT because it had exceeded capacity.\n\nAltman’s exit “is indeed shocking as he has been the face of” generative AI technology, said Gartner analyst Arun Chandrasekaran.\n\nHe said OpenAI still has a “deep bench of technical leaders” but its next executives will have to steer it through the challenges of scaling the business and meeting the expectations of regulators and society.\n\nForrester analyst Rowan Curran speculated that Altman’s departure, “while sudden,” did not likely reflect deeper business problems.\n\n“This seems to be a case of an executive transition that was about issues with the individual in question, and not with the underlying technology or business,” Curran said.\n\nAltman has a number of possible next steps. Even while running OpenAI, he placed large bets on several other ambitious projects.\n\nAmong them are Helion Energy, for developing fusion reactors that could produce prodigious amounts of energy from the hydrogen in seawater, and Retro Biosciences, which aims to add 10 years to the human lifespan using biotechnology. Altman also co-founded Worldcoin, a biometric and cryptocurrency project that’s been scanning people’s eyeballs with the goal of creating a vast digital identity and financial network.\n\n___\n\nAssociated Press business writers Haleluya Hadero in New York, Kelvin Chan in London and Michael Liedtke and David Hamilton in San Francisco contributed to this report.","url":"https://fortune.com/2023/11/18/how-did-openai-fire-sam-altman-greg-brockman-rogue-board/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_8c07cbf7661890fd","mhq_70a79174b68e14df"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_8c07cbf7661890fd","mhq_70a79174b68e14df"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"e837ea006aaaf333a4e4e48834cc65897203ac838f8dc10d555e977a18597b23","source_record_sha256":"5634b55b327763a2a7e4521a3f62bad7e0ad2714366e98e315776edad4e6fac5","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":332,"source_fields":{"title":"OpenAI's ex-chairman accuses board of going rogue in firing Altman: 'Sam and I are shocked and saddened by what the board did'","author":"Matt O'Brien, The Associated Press","source":"Fortune","published_at":"2023-11-18T15:33:09+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://fortune.com/2023/11/18/how-did-openai-fire-sam-altman-greg-brockman-rogue-board/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_a3c932de7c92a9f4","text":"In perhaps the most unexpected tech news of the year, billionaire and AI evangelist Sam Altman has been ejected from his CEO role at OpenAI by the company’s board after an apparent vote of no confidence. Its exact wording in a release issued this afternoon: Altman’s “departure follows a deliberative review process by the board, which concluded that he was not consistently candid in his communications with the board, hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities.”\n\nWhat the hell is happening at the most hyped company in the world?! Here are some totally speculative theories that occurred to us and others around the web.\n\n1. Did Altman circumvent the board in a major deal?\n\nBased on the board’s language and the way these giant tech companies work, this is the prevailing theory floating around right now. “Not consistently candid” is a very diplomatic way of saying Altman lied.\n\nIt’s possible that Altman — and potentially OpenAI President Greg Brockman, who stepped down as chairman simultaneously, then resigned — wanted to make a bold move that he knew the board would not like. It’s not uncommon for these deals to be hammered out quietly in smoke- (or vape-) filled rooms and then presented as a fait accompli, but if it was controversial enough and the board found out about these maneuvers, it could be fuel for an ouster.\n\nBut what kind of deal would be big and dangerous enough for a summary dismissal of the CEO and famous face of the company? The man was onstage two weeks ago; I just talked with him! What could have happened since then?\n\nFew would be shocked if Microsoft, which is deeply, deeply embedded in OpenAI as an investor and customer, is a factor here. Could Altman have been working with — or against — OpenAI’s patron in secret? If Altman wanted to kill the golden goose by going independent, that might have activated the board’s fiduciary or otherwise statutory duty. On the other hand, if he was negotiating some other deal, like an acquisition or deeper and more exclusive integration, it could also have caused the board to bristle, either at the idea itself or at being excluded.\n\nBut if Microsoft was as shocked as the rest of us, as one report has it, it could hardly be the kind of high-stakes conspiracy some seem to be hoping for. But one must assume that Microsoft would say that either way. Even if they’d been working with Altman on some kind of secret plan, they can truthfully say they were surprised by his firing. (And they “remain committed to our partnership.”)\n\n2. Do they disagree on long-term strategy?\n\nDespite being the hottest tech company in the world right now and everyone talking about ChatGPT, OpenAI isn’t exactly a sound business. It’s shoveling money into the furnace as fast as it can by serving, by all accounts, a fantastically expensive product at bargain-bin prices.\n\nThat’s all well and good for a year or two, but at some point that strategy changes from a growth hack to an existential liability. Could Altman and the board have had irreconcilable differences on where that point lies?\n\nThis doesn’t seem so likely. The company has been very deliberately pursuing this very publicly, confidently and on a long-term basis. Altman and the board seem to be in sync on this, at least for the present.\n\n3. Do the numbers not add up?\n\nOn the other hand, could OpenAI be losing even more money than Altman admitted or projected? It seems impossible, but the costs of running this operation have no precedent, nor really does the operation itself.\n\nOr what if, and again this is purely speculation, Altman has been secretly pursuing an internal project, perhaps at significant cost, against the advice of the board and without the necessary safety measures that probably should accompany such research? It sounds a little wild, but firing your CEO like this is also a little wild.\n\nSome kind of major mismatch in the financial department could be cause for dismissal, but it’s hard to imagine what Altman could have kept from the board and CTO that would be so damning.\n\nThere’s also the possibility that Altman was making personal investments in a way that the board disagreed with. With OpenAI poised to be a kingmaker in the field, he would certainly be in a position of power. One would think that, as an ideologically driven person already rich beyond belief and at the head of the world’s leading AI company, Altman would have risen beyond having to do this kind of side deal, or at the very least that scrutiny on him and those close to him would prevent them. But one can never be sure.\n\n4. Could it be a major security or privacy incident?\n\nThe idea that the company has experienced a major, perhaps pervasive, security issue is bolstered by the fact that Microsoft reportedly suspended use of ChatGPT internally a few days ago. OpenAI subsequently stopped allowing new signups. If there was a serious security problem in its biggest product and Altman downplayed it, that would obviously create distrust with the board.\n\nThere is also the potential for misuse at scale with the enormous amount of personal data that travels through OpenAI’s APIs and services.\n\nWorking against this theory is the fact that CTO Mira Murati was just elevated to interim CEO in Altman’s place. It seems unlikely that anything security-related would go through the CEO and not the CTO, or that the two would be at odds to the point where one could be fired like this and the other swapped in to clean up the mess. As the board’s statement notes, Murati is in charge of product and safety, among other things. Any significant snafu in that department would reflect on her, as well as Altman.\n\n5. Perhaps a difference of AI ethics or philosophy?\n\nAltman is a proud techno-optimist, and often speaks fondly of the possibilities of AGI, or artificial general intelligence, a theoretical software system that achieves human-like intellect and versatility.\n\nThe board’s statement pointedly includes that “OpenAI was deliberately structured to advance our mission: to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all humanity” and that new leadership was necessary. It’s possible that Sam’s zeal for AGI, even absent a secret project or agreement, led to a major rift between him and the board.\n\nIt’s been obvious to all that Altman took the company in a much more corporate direction from its origins, changing its legal status and aggressively pursuing enterprise and consumer applications. That doesn’t sound a lot like the “mission” the board wants to advance. Then again, this shift didn’t happen today, and it certainly doesn’t seem like a plausible reason for abruptly firing the CEO and a few others on a beautiful fall Friday afternoon.\n\n6. What about IP and legal liability?\n\nAltman told me at OpenAI’s Dev Day earlier this month that the company doesn’t want to incur any copyright problems by using (as I had asked about) datasets of pirated books. But a lot of research I’ve been reading contradicts that, as does pretty much every AI data scientist I talk to. It’s exceedingly hard to imagine that OpenAI built GPT-3 with the copyrighted books database (as seems to be the case) but not GPT-4 or succeeding models. (I was going to write this up next week, so thanks OpenAI board for eating my lunch.)\n\nIf you were the board and facing the mounting accusations that your product was built on a dataset that includes thousands or millions of copyrighted works — and your CEO had systematically downplayed the potential liability there — how would you feel? I’d feel very hurt.\n\nBut again, if copyright liability was the reason, it seems unlikely that the board would promote the CTO. Presumably, OpenAI’s Chief Science Officer Ilya Sutskever would also have been in the know, and he’s still on the board.\n\n7. Did CTO Mira Murati launch a coup?\n\nProbably not — she seems cool, and anyway what CTO wants to be CEO? Mira, answer my email!\n\n8. Was it a “personal matter”?\n\nWhen someone is kicked out in a hurry, it’s not uncommon that there was some kind of unprofessional behavior in the workplace. Some CEOs get a pass on things like having kids with direct reports, but not all.\n\nAltman also has three siblings, and his younger sister Annie has publicly accused him of abuse. We have no way of evaluating these allegations, which involve private matters.\n\nOur read on the board’s language in dismissing Altman, however, is that it was not a legal or personal problem that provoked the action, but a professional or business one.\n\nWe probably won’t know the full truth on this for a long time, as the characters in the drama are likely to be NDA’ed up. Per various whispers and leaks, an all-hands meeting about the situation this afternoon didn’t produce any revelations beyond banal reassurances that the company is fine and they’ll get a fresh CEO soon. Expect to hear a lot of rumors before we hear the real thing.","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/11/17/wtf-is-going-on-at-openai-sam-altman-fired/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_c18289d9c0b1b410","mhq_8c07cbf7661890fd","mhq_70a79174b68e14df"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_c18289d9c0b1b410","mhq_8c07cbf7661890fd","mhq_70a79174b68e14df"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"97d0d094ceb286ffe1328020bacc337f68c1c88c6554aa1d856839759cf108f0","source_record_sha256":"387ec0913e809a39572d85d8eb2e1e4e2503e6f5124e14c15758ac46019de396","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":333,"source_fields":{"title":"WTF is going on at OpenAI? We have theories","author":"Devin Coldewey","source":"TechCrunch","published_at":"2023-11-18T00:09:53+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/11/17/wtf-is-going-on-at-openai-sam-altman-fired/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_4b13a9dee44488e3","text":"In early 2022, Valve released my favorite video game console. But even I had some gripes. With the Steam Deck, I could — for the first time — play the bulk of my sprawling collection of video games wherever I’d like. But I tended to bundle it with a huge portable power supply. I also couldn’t quite shirk how much better games looked on our family’s OLED TV.\n\nAnd yet, for me, an adult with limited time to play video games alone in a quiet room, nothing could beat the Steam Deck’s freedom. Barring the occasional diversion, Valve’s handheld PC had served as my preferred gaming option ever since I published our review. Then, last week, the Steam Deck OLED arrived. It’s as if the Steam Deck team collected a laundry list of complaints about the original, then responded to all of them one by one.\n\nPolygon Recommends is our way of endorsing our favorite games, movies, TV shows, comics, tabletop books, and entertainment experiences. When we award the Polygon Recommends badge, it’s because we believe the recipient is uniquely thought-provoking, entertaining, inventive, or fun — and worth fitting into your schedule. If you want curated lists of our favorite media, check out What to Play and What to Watch .\n\nIt appears, at first glance, that Valve cribbed from Nintendo’s playbook with the Switch OLED, for which Nintendo upgraded the device’s screen but not its guts. In terms of raw power, the Steam Deck OLED is identical to the original Steam Deck. Valve says this synchronicity is meant in part to continue to provide developers with a single goal when optimizing their games — though it promises that the Steam Deck 2 (which the company hopes to release in two to three years) will have a generational power leap.\n\nFor those who haven’t tried a Steam Deck, though, I wouldn’t wait for its sequel. Because while Valve hasn’t upped the horsepower, it has improved practically everything else. The Steam Deck OLED has longer battery life, faster Wi-Fi, and a stand-alone Bluetooth module. And the screen isn’t just OLED; it’s HDR OLED — the first HDR OLED screen on any gaming portable, with a peak brightness of 1,000 nits for HDR content and 600 nits for SDR (for comparison, the original screen’s peak brightness was 400 nits). And somehow, with all of these additions, the Steam Deck OLED is lighter.\n\nSo, goodbye, old Steam Deck; hello, new Steam Deck.\n\nThe Steam Deck OLED delivers on Valve’s original promise\n\nOLED is in the name for a reason.\n\nThe OLED panel in the new Steam Deck is lighter, thinner, and more power efficient than its LCD predecessor. It’s also bigger and faster. Though the device has the same shape as the original Steam Deck, smaller screen bezels allow for a display that’s slightly larger, at 7.4 inches compared to 7 inches. The panel has a wider color gamut (110% DCI-P3, for the visual obsessives) and the beautiful, inky blacks that OLED dorks like myself adore.\n\nSteam Deck OLED’s bigger, better battery Valve’s promise of 30-50% more battery raised one obvious question: Is that comparing the OLED model with a Steam Deck running its original firmware (which had poor battery life), or a Steam Deck using the latest firmware? Valve’s answer: the latter! So if you’re a Steam Deck owner, expect those big battery improvements over your current Steam Deck experience.\n\nThe OLED panel also has a 90 Hz refresh rate — perfect for frame doubling from 45 frames per second. In case that jargon means nothing to you, suffice it to say that gameplay on the Steam Deck OLED looks smoother. The improved 90 Hz refresh rate falls short of the Asus ROG Ally’s 120 Hz, though it’s worth considering that the higher the frame rate, the faster the battery drain — assuming you can even spot the difference between 90 Hz and 120 Hz.\n\nYou know what’s more interesting than a list of technical specs? Actually seeing the screen. It’s gorgeous. On Sunday morning, I picked at Sega’s Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name while watching football and Christmas movies with my family. The new Yakuza game looks fantastic on high settings at 60 fps, its night sequences flaunting the OLED’s dark blacks and the abundance of neon signage showcasing the HDR.\n\nI got so distracted pulverizing bad dudes that it took me some time to notice the Steam Deck OLED’s most welcome feat. When playing AAA games on the original Steam Deck, I had always kept the handheld plugged into an outlet. But with the OLED model, a couple of hours had passed before I realized I’d forgotten to connect the charger.\n\nThe OLED screen makes for a fancier Steam Deck, but it’s the battery life (and some tweaks throughout the design to carve out more of it) that lets Valve’s new handheld truly deliver on its promise of a portable gaming PC.\n\nAll the tiny, delightful improvements of Steam Deck OLED\n\nSince the original Steam Deck launched, Valve has been improving the hardware through updates — its team estimates around 300 to date. That will continue with both the Steam Deck OLED and the original Steam Deck, the latter of which will get a fresh BIOS update to align itself with some of the former’s upgrades. The original device will see some battery life improvement; just don’t expect the OLED model’s jump of 30-50%.\n\nSome changes — even smallish ones — demand new hardware. And so, alongside the big improvements, Valve has made a gaggle of minor physical upgrades with its new iteration. The Steam Deck OLED now includes a Wi-Fi 6E radio (great if you have a modern router and connection to make use of it) and a dedicated Bluetooth module, which allows for improved audio quality with wireless headphones, the option to wake the Steam Deck from a controller, and the capability to connect many Bluetooth controllers for multiplayer. The haptics are noticeably improved, with a wider frequency range. And the touchscreen is markedly better — it’s responsive to the point where I don’t feel the need to plug in a USB-C keyboard anytime I need to type a few words.\n\nA review for spec specifics If you’re the sort of person who likes the nitty-gritty technical details of screens and batteries, we also recommend reading The Verge’s review.\n\nValve also claims that the Steam Deck OLED is more repairable, which, mercifully, I didn’t have the need to test for myself. (Parts will once again be sold through iFixit.) However, I did enjoy the new power supply, with its faster charging (45 minutes gets you from 20% to 80%) and 2.5-meter cable that stretches the length of my couch.\n\nOne small, charming detail: The carrying case now has a tinier carrying case within it. If you want to be extra cautious, stick to the original bulky case. But if you need to toss the Steam Deck in your backpack for a day trip? Go with the slim case that has funny little thumbstick nipples!\n\nAll of the tweaks, large and small, amount to a perfect handheld — made better by the price, which remains the same as the original Steam Deck available today, just that the OLED will come with more stuff. Valve will be selling three models:\n\n$649 - 1 TB OLED (up from 512 GB)\n\n$529 - 512 GB OLED (up from 256 GB)\n\n$399 - 256 GB non-OLED Steam Deck (up from 64 GB)\n\nPlus, for a limited time, the company will offer a special edition 1 TB Steam Deck OLED made with a translucent shell for $679 — only in the U.S. and Canada. Though let’s be real: This thing will sell like hotcakes and Valve will reconsider the definition of “limited supply.” Have I considered ordering one of these limited editions? Yes. But I am also practicing restraint. Like, how many Steam Decks should one human have?\n\nI suppose that’s the question, really. If you already have a Steam Deck, is the OLED model technically an incremental improvement? Yes. But you might find that the screen and the battery justify the double dip. For someone like me, who puts hundreds of hours into the Steam Deck each year, the upgrade is inescapable.\n\nAnd if you don’t have a Steam Deck? How many times can I say it: This is my favorite console ever. And it just got better.\n\nThe Steam Deck OLED will be available Nov. 16 to purchase through the Steam storefront. The hardware was reviewed with a unit provided by Valve. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. You can find additional information about Polygon’s ethics policy here .","url":"https://www.polygon.com/reviews/23950861/steam-deck-oled-review-valve-handheld-gaming","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_9ad884b914c90eac","mhq_6d3802779694a3d5","mhq_ef0defe431ae3e08"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_9ad884b914c90eac","mhq_6d3802779694a3d5","mhq_ef0defe431ae3e08"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"a6d37f13dcaa2376613b46ad378ebf363401cd2398c4d3382b5663d92376083f","source_record_sha256":"94d830b35cc4ebf4dd7d0541027bf22a1aeb49b5f60c20ef9a1131613396e831","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":354,"source_fields":{"title":"The Steam Deck OLED improves much more than its screen","author":"Chris Plante","source":"Polygon","published_at":"2023-11-09T18:00:00+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.polygon.com/reviews/23950861/steam-deck-oled-review-valve-handheld-gaming"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_fd0259fad2c2b1dd","text":"The laggards On the losing end, energy companies (down one per cent) weighed down the index. Woodside (down 0.8 per cent), Santos (down 0.4 per cent) and Ampol (down 1.2 per cent) dropped, along with coal miners Yancoal (down 1.7 per cent) and Whitehaven (down 2 per cent). Lynas Rare Earths (down 3.1 per cent) was the biggest large-cap decliner, while industrials companies (down 0.2 per cent) including Computershare (down 2.9 per cent), Seven West Holdings (down 1.9 per cent) and Worley (down 1.3 per cent) were also weaker. The lowdown\n\nTMS Capital portfolio manager Ben Clark said the big news for markets on Monday was the trading update from Westpac, which he said led a resurgence in the banking sector’s performance. “Westpac’s results were better than expected, especially because it’s been a bit of a perennial underperformer in the past few years,” he said, adding that it set the tone for results from NAB and ANZ, which are due to report in the next week. Loading Clark also said there was a reversal of the interest-rate trade seen in recent weeks. “Long-term bond yields came off quite significantly in the last few days following weaker than expected employment data on Friday, which has seen some investors swivel back into growth stocks,” he said. The market has now switched from pricing in an 80 per cent chance of a rate rise on Tuesday to 50-50, Clark said.\n\nOn Wall Street, the S&P 500 climbed 40.56 points on Friday, or 0.9 per cent, to 4,358.3. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 222.24, or 0.7 per cent, to 34,061.32, and the Nasdaq composite jumped 184.09, or 1.4 per cent, to 13,478.28. Stocks surged through the week on rising hopes that the Federal Reserve is finally done with its market-crunching hikes to interest rates, in order to get inflation under control. A report on Friday underscored that pressure is easing on inflation after it showed employers hired fewer workers last month than economists expected. It’s a stunning turnaround from just a week ago, when Wall Street was reeling after the S&P 500 had fallen 10 per cent below its high point for the year. That sent Wall Street’s main index into what investors call a “correction.” Since then strong profit reports helped drive some stocks to towering gains. Generac, a maker of back-up generators, soared nearly 28 per cent for its best week since its stock began trading in 2010. At Expedia Group, another stronger-than-forecast report sent its stock nearly 22 per cent higher for its best week since the market was surging out of the coronavirus crash in early 2020. But it was interest rates, yields and inflation that were at the centre of all the wild movements for financial markets around the world.\n\nBefore last week, stocks had been struggling under the weight of rapidly rising Treasury yields. Those yields were in turn catching up to the Fed’s main interest rate, which is above 5.25 per cent and at its highest level since 2001. Loading Higher rates and yields slow the economy, hurt prices for investments and raise the risk of something breaking within the financial system, such as the three high-profile US bank failures that rattled financial markets during the spring. “It was really fear that the Fed was going to go too far,” said Katie Nixon, chief investment officer for Northern Trust Wealth Management. The Fed put such pressure on the economy intentionally, hoping to starve inflation of its fuel. It wants the job market to cool, particularly pay raises going to workers. The Fed fears too-strong pay gains could create a vicious cycle that keeps inflation high.\n\nAnalysts said Friday’s jobs report offered encouraging signals for the Fed, with average hourly earnings rising less in October from September than expected, though it doesn’t mean the job is done. Treasury yields in the bond market tumbled immediately after the jobs report, releasing more of the pressure that had built up on Wall Street. The yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 4.52 per cent from 4.67 per cent late Thursday and from more than five per cent last week, when it hit its highest level since 2007. In the US, traders are moving up expectations for when the first cut to interest rates by the Fed could happen, potentially by the summer, according to data from CME Group. Such cuts can act like steroids for financial markets. For investors around the world, the “Fed matters more than other central banks,” and weak US data is “the only game-changer for markets”, foreign-exchange strategists at Bank of America wrote in a BofA Global Research report. A separate report on Friday said growth in US services industries, such as finance and construction, was weaker last month than economists expected. The report from the Institute for Supply Management also suggested a slight easing in prices.\n\nExcitement about a potentially easier Fed was more than enough to offset a fall for Apple, which is Wall Street’s most influential stock. The most valuable US stock fell 0.5 per cent despite reporting stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. Analysts said investors were likely disappointed with Apple’s forecast for revenue for the last three months of 2023. Tweet of the day\n\nQuote of the day “Our view is that in the high likelihood there is another cash rate increase on Tuesday, that is going to be the nail in the coffin for consumer confidence,” said CreditorWatch chief economist Anneke Thompson, amid warnings from some economists that another rate rise, as some market watchers are predicting, will dampen spending intentions just in time for Christmas. You may have missed The men who built pubs and liquor juggernaut Endeavour Group into the world’s largest poker machine operator have triggered a public spat over the future of a business that they say has lost its way.","url":"https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/asx-to-rise-after-interest-rate-hopes-boost-us-shares-20231106-p5ehsi.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_business","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_0c0e689a9056b038","mhq_6b710ac23e3b473b","mhq_89fb4193167a6831"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_0c0e689a9056b038","mhq_6b710ac23e3b473b","mhq_89fb4193167a6831"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"879ee9d53790857d216f4b5faff4f4742c6944770c5fb67f759feb0161e30ca0","source_record_sha256":"30071429742920bb308af6c64cd3269b5cdafab64b1b73da4a7733408ff0494f","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":357,"source_fields":{"title":"ASX to rise after interest rate hopes boost US shares","author":"","source":"The Sydney Morning Herald","published_at":"2023-11-05T20:56:22+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/asx-to-rise-after-interest-rate-hopes-boost-us-shares-20231106-p5ehsi.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_business"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_55dd2c2aa8d72065","text":"Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the\n\nLifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }}\n\nJada Pinkett Smith has revealed why she and her husband Will Smith never signed a prenuptial agreement before getting married.\n\nThe former talk show host, 52, spoke candidly about her husband during a recent interview with Parade. While discussing her new memoir, Worthy, Jada revealed that she and Will didn’t sign a prenup when they were married in 1997 because they knew divorce wasn’t in the cards for them.\n\n“Listen, weddings are beautiful, but they can be very romanticised,” Jada said. “I feel that was a very real moment for the two of us to look each other in the eyes, recognise that there would be tough times in this journey and to say to each other: ‘No matter what, we’re going to figure it out and that’s why we don’t need a prenup, because I’m making a promise that divorce won’t be necessary, that we will figure this out.’”\n\nThe Girls Trip star explained how she and Will casually promised not to get a divorce, and how that decision impacted their perspective on on marriage.\n\n“And we made that promise to each other without all of the bridal wedding beauty; it was just sitting on a log in his mother’s backyard, and going: ‘Hey’ - having to really look at the possibility of us not being together,” she said.\n\nThis isn’t the first time that Jada has opened up about her long-term commitment to her husband. During an interview with Hoda Kotb for Today, which aired on 13 October, the actor confirmed that she and her partner have been living “completely separate lives” for the past seven years. However, according to Jada, their choice to live in separate homes doesn’t mean that they’ll be getting divorced anytime soon.\n\n“I made a promise that there will never be a reason for us to get a divorce,” she said. “We will work through whatever. And I just haven’t been able to break that promise.”\n\nWhen asked why she and Will didn’t “just amicably divorce,” Jada simply replied: “We don’t want to.”\n\nShe then explained how her family shaped that decision, as she and the King Richard star share two children - Jaden, 25, and Willow, 22. Will also has a 30-year-old son, Trey, who he shares with ex-wife Sheree Zampino. “We love our family and we love each other. It’s more of a life partnership,\" Jada explained. \"Now, 10 years from now, Hoda, who knows?”\n\nDuring a 2018 episode of her Facebook Watch series, Red Table Talk, Jada doubled down on her stance about divorce, as she recalled the the hard conversation she had with Will about the topic before they got married.\n\n(Getty Images)\n\n“I told Will from the gate, I said let me tell you something: ‘If you marry me, know this: we’re gonna be together. We’re going to be under the same roof,’” she said. “For me personally, I’m not mature enough to have a divorce, I’m just not. I don’t think I would ever be mature enough, I don’t.”\n\nThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star has also shared similar sentiments, as he said during an appearance on the Ellen Degeneres Show that “divorce just can’t be an option” for him and Jada. “It’s really that simple. And I think that’s the problem with LA - there are so many options. So a huge part of the success for [Jada] and I is that we just removed the other options.”\n\nLast week, Jada made headlines when she revealed that at the time of the 2022 Academy Awards, when Will slapped Chris Rock, she and her husband had been separated for six years. “We’ve been doing some really heavy-duty work together,” she said during an interview with People. “We just got deep love for each other and we are going to figure out what that looks like for us.”\n\nJada then praised her children for how they’ve helped her grow, adding: “My children, they’re little gurus. They’ve taught me a deep sense of self-acceptance.”\n\nOn 16 October, Will broke his silence on his wife’s comments during an interview with the New York Times. The outlet noted that he said his partner’s memoir “kind of woke him up” and that he has now realised she is more “resilient, clever and compassionate than he’d understood”.\n\n“When you’ve been with someone for more than half of your life, a sort of emotional blindness sets in, and you can all too easily lose your sensitivity to their hidden nuances and subtle beauties,” Will added.","url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/jada-pinkett-will-smith-prenup-b2430529.html","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_3fb3599dcc99ed78","mhq_fe2f241c82614b56"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_3fb3599dcc99ed78","mhq_fe2f241c82614b56"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"2a32c280fb8a5e93b92cd48ee28f890349d4a4acf831037c1ed8078c6c3ec7df","source_record_sha256":"f62a3b7d7dac3998c8717910f5f0f79cadf268df03a6fbe54c89cfdef8dc0dea","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":360,"source_fields":{"title":"Jada Pinkett Smith reveals why she and Will Smith never signed a prenup","author":"Amber Raiken","source":"The Independent - Life and Style","published_at":"2023-10-16T15:48:10+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/jada-pinkett-will-smith-prenup-b2430529.html"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_0c70d85015833356","text":"8 predictions for AI in 2024 How will AI impact the US primary elections? What's next for OpenAI? Here are our predictions for AI in 2024.\n\nThis last year was a banger for AI as the technology went from niche to mainstream about as fast as anything ever has. 2024, however, will be the year when the hype runs full-steam into reality as people reckon with the capabilities and limitations of AI at large. Here are a few ways we think that’s going to play out.\n\nOpenAI becomes a product company\n\nAfter the leadership shake-up in November, OpenAI is going to be a changed company — perhaps not outwardly, but the trickle-down effect of Sam Altman being more fully in charge will be felt at every level. And one of the ways we expect that to manifest is in “ship it” mindset.\n\nWe’ll see that with the GPT store, originally planned for launch in December but understandably delayed due to the C-suite fracas. The “app store for AI” will be pushed hard as the platform to get your AI toys and tools from, and never mind Hugging Face or any open source models. They have an excellent model to work from, Apple’s, and will follow it all the way to the bank.\n\nExpect more moves like that from 2024’s OpenAI as the caution and academic reserve that the previous board exerted gives way to an unseemly lust for markets and customers.\n\nOther major companies with AI efforts will also follow this trend (for instance, expect Gemini/Bard to horn in on a ton of Google products), but I suspect it will be more pronounced in this case.\n\nAgents, generated video and generated music graduate from quaint to experimental\n\nSome niche applications of AI models will grow beyond “eh” status in 2024, including agent-based models and generative multimedia.\n\nIf AI is going to help you do more than summarize or make lists of things, it’ll need access to things like your spreadsheets, ticket buying interfaces, transportation apps and so on. 2023 saw a few tentative attempts at this “agent” approach, but none really caught on. We don’t really expect any to really take off in 2024, either, but agent-based models will show their stuff a little more convincingly than they did last year, and a few clutch use cases will show up for famously tedious processes like submitting insurance claims.\n\nVideo and audio will also find niches where their shortcomings aren’t quite so visible. In the hands of skilled creators, a lack of photorealism isn’t a problem, and we’ll see AI video used in fun and interesting ways. Likewise, generative music models will likely make it into a few major productions like games, again where professional musicians can leverage the tools to create an unending soundtrack.\n\nThe limits of monolithic LLMs become clearer\n\nSo far there has been great optimism about the capabilities of large language models, which have indeed proved more capable than anyone expected, and have grown correspondingly more so as more compute is added. But 2024 will be the year something gives. Where exactly it is impossible to predict, as research is active at the frontiers of this field.\n\nThe seemingly magical “emergent” capabilities of LLMs will be better studied and understood in 2024, and things like their inability to multiply large numbers will make more sense.\n\nIn parallel, we will begin to see diminishing returns on parameter counts, to the point where training a 500-billion-parameter model may technically produce better results, but the compute required to do so could provably be deployed more effectively. A single monolithic model is unwieldy and expensive, while a mixture of experts — a collection of smaller, more specific models and likely multimodal ones — may prove almost as effective while being much easier to update piecemeal.\n\nMarketing meets reality\n\nThe simple fact is that the hype built up in 2023 is going to be very hard for companies to follow through on. Marketing claims made for machine learning systems that companies adopted in order to not fall behind will receive their quarterly and yearly reviews… and it’s very likely they will be found wanting.\n\nExpect a considerable customer withdrawal from AI tools as the benefits fail to justify the costs and risks. On the far end of this spectrum, we are likely to see lawsuits and regulatory action with AI service providers that failed to back up their claims.\n\nWhile capabilities will continue to grow and advance, 2023’s products will not all survive by a long shot, and there will be a round of consolidation as the wobblier riders of the wave fall and are consumed.\n\nApple jumps in\n\nApple has an established pattern of waiting, watching and learning from other companies’ failures, then blowing in with a refined and polished take that puts others to shame. The timing is right for Apple to do this in AI, not just because if it waits too long its competition may eat up the market, but because the tech is ripe for their kind of improvement.\n\nI would expect an AI that focuses on practical applications of users’ own data, using Apple’s increasingly central position in their lives to integrate the many signals and ecosystems the company is privy to. There will likely also be a clever and elegant way to handle problematic or dangerous prompts, and although it will almost certainly have multimodal understanding (primarily to handle user images), I imagine they’ll totally skip media generation. Expect some narrowly tailored but impressive agent capabilities as well: “Siri, get a table for 4 at a sushi place downtown around 7 and book a car to take us” sort of thing.\n\nWhat’s hard to say is whether they will bill it as an improved Siri or as a whole new service, Apple AI, with a name you can choose yourself. They may feel the old brand is freighted with years of being comparatively incapable, but millions already say “hey Siri” every 10 seconds so it’s more likely they’ll opt to keep that momentum.\n\nLegal cases build and break\n\nWe saw a fair number of lawsuits filed in 2023, but few saw any real movement, let alone success. Most suits over copyright and other missteps in the AI industry are still pending. 2024 will see a lot of them fall by the wayside, as companies stonewall critical information like training data and methods, making allegations like the use of thousands of copyrighted books difficult to prove in court.\n\nThis was only the beginning, however, and many of these lawsuits were filed essentially on principle. Though they may not succeed, they may crack the process open far enough during testimony and discovery that companies would rather settle than have certain information come to light. 2024 will bring new lawsuits as well, ones pertaining to misuse and abuse of AI, such as wrongful termination, bias in hiring and lending, and other areas where AI is being put to work without a lot of thought.\n\nBut while a few egregious examples of misuse will be punished, a lack of relevant laws specific to it means that it will necessarily only haphazardly be brought to court. On that note…\n\nEarly adopters take new rules by the horns\n\nBig moves like the EU’s AI Act could change how the industry works, but they tend to be slow to take effect. That’s by design, so companies don’t have to adjust to new rules overnight, but it also means that we won’t see the effect of these big laws for a good while except among those willing to make changes preemptively and voluntarily. There will be a lot of “we are beginning the process of…” talk. (Also expect a few quiet lawsuits challenging various parts of laws.)\n\nTo that end we can expect a newly flourishing AI compliance industry as the billions going into the technology prompt matching investments (at a smaller scale, but still considerable) in making sure the tools and processes meet international and local standards.\n\nUnfortunately for anyone hoping for substantive federal regulation in the U.S., 2024 is not the year to expect movement on that front. Though it will be a year for AI and everyone will be asking for new laws, the U.S. government and electorate will be too busy with the trash fire that will be the 2024 election.\n\nThe 2024 election is a trash fire and AI makes it worse\n\nHow the 2024 presidential election will play out is, really, anyone’s guess right now. Too many things are up in the air to make any real predictions except that, as before, the influence mongers will use every tool in the box to move the needle, including AI in whatever form is convenient.\n\nFor instance, expect bot accounts and fake blogs to spout generated nonsense 24/7. A few people working full time with a text and image generator can cover a lot of ground, generating hundreds of social media and blog posts with totally fabricated images and news. “Flooding the zone” has always been an effective tactic and now AI acts as a labor multiplier, allowing more voluminous yet also targeted campaigns. Expect both false positives and false negatives in a concerted effort to confuse the narrative and make people distrust everything they see and read. That’s a win state for those politicians who thrive in chaos.\n\nOrganizations will tout “AI-powered” analyses to back up purges of voter rolls, challenges to vote counts and other efforts to suppress or interfere with existing processes.\n\nGenerated video and audio will join the fray, and though neither are perfect, they’re good enough to be believable given a bit of fuzzing: The clip doesn’t have to be perfect, because it will be presented as a grainy zoomed-in cellphone capture in a dark room, or a hot mic at a private event, or what have you. Then it becomes a matter of “who are you going to believe, me or him?” And that’s all some people need.\n\nLikely there will be some half-hearted efforts to block generated content from being used in this way, but these posts can’t be taken down fast enough by the likes of Meta and Google, and the idea that X can (or will) effectively monitor and take down such content is implausible. It’s gonna be a bad time!","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/12/19/8-predictions-for-ai-in-2024/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_7964d4da1cc735e7","mhq_8151c964509ae739"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_7964d4da1cc735e7","mhq_8151c964509ae739"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"d897a5d8028c200714d093b068ee88dead0f4fca42bd35ba61a359e51456c261","source_record_sha256":"bfcb8a01d1302a931a4415f854958b6dcad32b02f8460608d6aea8322946dc22","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":365,"source_fields":{"title":"8 predictions for AI in 2024","author":"Devin Coldewey","source":"TechCrunch","published_at":"2023-12-19T16:19:34+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/12/19/8-predictions-for-ai-in-2024/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_5699de820f75e11e","text":"When it comes to headphones and true wireless earbuds, there are a ton of brands and products to choose from. However, the sheer range of available models can also make them difficult to shop for, especially since many of them cater to different lifestyles, budgets, and priorities. Some are better suited for long-haul flights and vigorous workouts, for instance, while others let you tune out noise so you can focus better.\n\nThat’s why we’ve curated a list of the best headphone and earbud deals available. Here, you’ll find sales on all kinds of earbuds and over-ear headphones, all of which come with their own strengths and weaknesses. And if you want to do even more research before making a buying decision, we’ve put together guides to the best wireless earbuds and best noise-canceling headphones, which can help you determine which pair is right for you.\n\nBest Apple deals\n\nAirPods Pro (second-gen) deals\n\nIf you own an iPhone or multiple Apple products, the second-gen AirPods Pro are probably your best bet when it comes to wireless earbuds. In comparison to the base AirPods, the Pros offer better sound quality and feature active noise cancellation, not to mention seamless integration with iOS and a MagSafe-compatible charging case.\n\nIn 2022, Apple launched a new pair of AirPods Pro with improved sound quality and better noise cancellation. They also include onboard volume controls and a new MagSafe charging case, one that can beep if you ever misplace it thanks to its deeper Find My integration. The earbuds even come with an extra swappable tip for smaller ears.\n\nOne year later, Apple released the updated AirPods Pro with a USB-C charging case. Along with USB-C support, the buds also offer an even more robust IP54 rating for water and sweat resistance. Plus, when paired with Apple’s Vision Pro headset, they support lossless audio.\n\nDuring Black Friday, we saw steep discounts on both versions of the latest AirPods Pro, with retailers taking up to $60 off. However, these deals have since disappeared, and you can only buy the AirPods Pro without USB-C for $189.99 in-store from the Micro Center. The second best discount is available at B&H Photo, where anybody can order the 2022 buds without USB-C for $229 ($20 off). The buds with USB-C support, meanwhile, are only $3 off at $237 from Amazon, Walmart, and B&H Photo— though Best Buy’s Plus and Total members can save $12.50.\n\nAirPods (second-gen) deals\n\nAlternatively, you can buy a pair of the second-gen AirPods with a wired charging case. Their sound quality isn’t quite up to par with newer models, however, they remain the cheapest Apple earbuds on the market and continue to pair seamlessly with a range of Apple products thanks to their built-in H1 chip. The entry-level AirPods normally retail for $129, but you can currently get them for $99 at Amazon and Walmart.\n\nThe second-gen AirPods are a lot harder to get ahold of with a MagSafe charging case, however, unless you’re shopping for a used or refurbished pair of earbuds. Luckily, though, you can still buy them in new condition at Adorama for $119.99 ($30 off).\n\nAirPods (third-gen) deals\n\nLast on Apple’s wireless earbuds block are the third-gen AirPods, which represent the latest iteration of the base model. They blend a bit of the AirPods Pro look with the hard plastic build of the second-gen model; they also offer IPX4 water resistance and improved sound quality over the latter, even if they are still lacking in the low end.\n\nRight now, you can buy the third-gen AirPods with either a MagSafe charging case or a Lightning-only charging case. The option with the wired charging case is on sale at Amazon for $164 ($5 off). You can also pick up the wireless earbuds with a MagSafe charging case from Staples and Costco (if you’re a member) for $169.95, which is just $6 more and a better deal overall.\n\nAirPods Max deals\n\nIf you’re looking for some of the best sound quality you can get in a pair of noise-canceling headphones, we recommend the AirPods Max. The headphones pair seamlessly with other Apple devices and sound superb, especially combined with Apple’s spatial audio feature, which allows for a more immersive experience when listening to or watching compatible content. Unfortunately, they don’t support lossless audio, but they do tout the best transparency mode of all the headphones on our list. They also boast incredible build quality thanks to a luxe design that opts for aluminum, steel, and fabric over plastic.\n\nWith an MSRP of $549, the AirPods Max are expensive, but they’re often on sale for far less. Right now, for instance, the headphones are down to $479.99 ($70 off) at Amazon, albeit in select colors, as well as Best Buy.\n\nBest Beats deals\n\nBeats Studio Pro\n\nAfter six years, Apple-owned Beats replaced the Beats Studio 3 with the Beats Studio Pro earlier this year. The over-ears offer much better sound quality thanks to new features like support for lossless audio over USB-C. They also cancel noise out much better, while you can take advantage of iOS and Android features like Fast Pair and Google’s Find My Device platform. The Beats Studio Pro normally go for $349.99, but right now they are on sale for $271.15 in blue at Amazon, while you can get them in other colors for $299.99 from Best Buy and Verizon.\n\nBeats Fit Pro deals\n\nThe Beats Fit Pro are the latest fitness earbuds from Apple and offer a sportier design and better sound than the first-gen AirPods Pro. The wing tips help to keep them in place when you’re active, while also ensuring they remain comfortable over long listening sessions. Their functionality with Android phones is slightly limited, but if you use an iPhone, you get all the conveniences of Apple’s H1 chip and deeper OS integration and connectivity. Their only real downside is that the included charging case is overly large and lacks wireless charging (which is more forgivable at lower price points).\n\nBest Sony deals\n\nSony WH-1000XM5\n\nThey aren’t a huge departure from the previous model, but the Sony WH-1000XM5 are still our favorite pair of noise-canceling headphones. The XM5s improve on all of the features that made the XM4s so awesome by providing better active noise cancellation, improving the voice call quality, and boosting the overall sound of the already excellent headphones. While the lack of new features is a bit disappointing, the Sony XM5s remain one of our top recommendations for anyone looking for a premium pair of noise-canceling headphones.\n\nRight now you can buy the headphones for around $328 ($70 off) from B&H Photo, Best Buy, and Target.\n\nSony WH-1000XM4 deals\n\nThe WH-1000XM5’s predecessor, Sony’s WH-1000XM4, are still a terrific pair of headphones even if they’re older. They offer excellent noise cancellation, good sound, and the ability to pair to two devices simultaneously. You can wear them for long periods as well, as their plush ear pads make them comfortable to wear for as long as you need. Frequent travelers will appreciate their ability to fold up much more compactly than Sony’s newer model. They even last up to 30 hours on a single charge and charge via USB-C.\n\nSony LinkBuds deals\n\nThe Sony LinkBuds are a clear departure from conventional earbuds, one that uses an “open-style” donut-shaped design instead of the more typical silicone ear tips. This allows for better spatial awareness and, for some, a more comfortable fit. The LinkBuds also provide crisp sound quality and excellent voice call performance. (Though, as a result of their design, they aren’t very practical in louder environments.) Possibly the coolest feature, though, are the controls, which allow you to tap the side of your head to control them instead of the earbud itself. They’re certainly very Sony.\n\nNormally $179.99, you can currently get a pair of the LinkBuds for around $138 from Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, and direct from Sony.\n\nSony LinkBuds S deals\n\nOne more intriguing pair of earbuds from Sony are the LinkBuds S, which don’t look as peculiar as the regular LinkBuds but are some of the comfiest earbuds around. A big part of this is due to their lightweight build, which amounts to just 4.8 grams per bud. They also offer active noise cancellation and support for Sony’s LDAC Bluetooth codec, which allows for higher-quality audio streaming. Normally $199.99, the LinkBuds S are on sale for around $148 at Amazon and Target.\n\nSony WH-CH720N deals\n\nIf you’re looking for noise-canceling headphones for under $150, Sony’s WH-CH720N might be worth a look. The budget-friendly headphones come with adjustable noise cancellation and are exceptionally light, which allows for a more comfortable fit. They also feature Bluetooth support and offer up to 35 hours of continuous playback on a single charge, though they lack support for Sony’s higher-quality LDAC codec.\n\nThe headphones typically retail for $149, but right now, you can buy them in various colors for around $98 from Amazon, B&H Photo, and Best Buy.\n\nSony WH-CH720N $ 98 $ 150 35 % off $ 98 $ 98 $ 150 35 % off Sony’s wireless headphones offer noise cancellation and up to 35 hours of battery life on a single charge. They also come in blue, white, and black. $98 at Amazon$100 at Best Buy\n\nSony WF-C700N deals\n\nThe WF-C700N are another pair of noise-canceling earbuds from Sony and are currently available for $89.99 from Amazon and Best Buy. They’re an exceptionally comfortable pair of earbuds with decent sound quality and support for an array of useful software features, including Fast Pair support on Android as well as location-based sound settings. Admittedly, their noise cancellation doesn’t truly drown out the world, but it does eliminate some sound. Voice call quality isn’t particularly impressive, either, but if you just need an affordable pair of earbuds to help you tune out some noise, the WF-C700N should do just fine.\n\nBest Bose deals\n\nBose QuietComfort Headphones and Bose QuietComfort 45 deals\n\nEarlier this fall, Bose rehauled its lineup and replaced the Bose QuietComfort 45 with Bose’s QuietComfort Headphones. With the new headphones, you can now adjust noise cancellation levels and set custom modes. The over-ears also now come in green.\n\nWe haven’t tested Bose’s QuietComfort Headphones, but our headphone reviewer Chris Welch says they’re otherwise extremely similar to the QuietComfort 45. They’re foldable, so you can easily carry them around with you, and exceptionally comfortable. Battery life sits at 24 hours as well, meaning you needn’t worry about constantly having to charge them. The transparency mode comes in handy when you need to be more aware of your surroundings, like when you’re about to cross the street.\n\nRight now, you can buy the newer Bose QuietComfort Headphones for $249 ($100 off) from Amazon, Best Buy, and Bose. Alternatively, you can pick up the Bose QuietComfort 45 for $229 ($100 off) from Amazon, Best Buy and Target.\n\nBose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 deals\n\nUnlike Bose’s entry-level QuietComfort Headphones, the new Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones offer higher-quality Bluetooth codecs and an immersive audio mode — which is essentially Bose’s version of spatial audio. They also improve upon the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 with a foldable design, better call quality, and more effective noise cancellation. Along with new physical controls, like a volume slider, the over-ears sport a new spatial audio listening mode, Plus, they boast improved call quality, which is saying something given Bose’s Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 were already exemplary in this respect.\n\nRight now, you can buy the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones for $379 ($50 off) from Amazon, Best Buy, and Bose. You can alternatively buy Bose’s Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 for $279 ($100 off) from Best Buy and Bose.\n\nBose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II deals\n\nBose also recently replaced the excellent Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra wireless earbuds. When it comes to noise cancellation, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra outperform all other earbuds on the market. While the buds are very similar in design, fit, and sound to their predecessor, they now support immersive audio, better voice call quality, and new silicone stabilizer wings that are easier to apply. Sadly, however, they continue to lack multipoint support and don't come with a built-in wireless charging case.\n\nWe recently saw the Bose QuietComfort Ultra drop down to $249, but right now you can only buy the Bose QuietComfort Ultra for $279 ($20 off) from Amazon, Best Buy, and Bose. Alternatively, you can buy the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II for $199 ($80 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and direct from Bose.\n\nRead our reviews of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra and Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II.\n\nBest Google deals\n\nGoogle Pixel Buds Pro deals\n\nThe Google Pixel Buds Pro are another good pair of noise-canceling earbuds, particularly for Pixel phone owners. The wireless earbuds offer terrific sound quality and battery life, along with useful features like multipoint Bluetooth connectivity. If you own a Pixel phone, you’ll also get access to exclusive features like head-tracking spatial audio and easy access to their settings menu.\n\nRight now, they’re on sale for around $119.99 ($80 off) at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy.\n\nGoogle Pixel Buds A-Series deals\n\nGoogle also sells a cheaper pair of earbuds, the Google Pixel Buds A-Series. They offer good sound and voice call quality, along with perks like Google Assistant and an IPX4 rating for sweat and water resistance. Just bear in mind there are some tradeoffs when opting for a cheaper set of earbuds, as the A-Series lack noise cancellation, wireless charging, and are more prone to the occasional connection hiccup.\n\nAt the moment, you can pick them up on sale for $83.34 ($17 off) at Amazon, a far cry from their all-time low of $58.98.\n\nGoogle Pixel Buds A-Series $ 83 $ 100 17 % off $ 83 $ 83 $ 100 17 % off The Pixel Buds A-Series deliver good comfort, impressive audio quality, and hands-free Google Assistant voice controls for under $100. $83 at Amazon\n\nBest Samsung deals\n\nSamsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro deals\n\nSamsung has a few different wireless earbuds to choose from. Its most high-end pair, the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, launched last year. They’re a good option if you’re an Android user or Samsung devotee who wants a pair of premium earbuds, with top-notch sound quality that’s even better than their predecessor. Samsung Galaxy phone owners can also take advantage of higher bit rate audio, while everybody can enjoy good active noise cancellation and a relatively robust IPX7 sweat and water resistance.\n\nYou can currently buy the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro on sale for $169.99 ($60 off) at Amazon, B&H Photo, and Best Buy.\n\nSamsung Galaxy Buds 2 deals\n\nSamsung’s Galaxy Buds 2 are a good-sounding pair of earbuds with active noise cancellation, wireless charging, and a subtle design. Right now, the best price around is at Best Buy, where you can grab a pair for $89.99 ($60 off). You can also buy them for about $10 more from Amazon. Walmart, and Verizon. That’s not a bad price for Samsung’s entry-level buds, which hit above their weight class with noise cancellation and good audio quality.\n\nVerge Deals on X (formerly known as Twitter) / Join over 51,000 followers and keep up with the best daily tech deals with @vergedeals Follow us!\n\nBest Jabra deals\n\nJabra Elite 10 deals\n\nJabra’s Elite 10 are the company’s most premium pair of wireless earbuds. They feature a new semi-open design that should be more comfortable, along with Dolby Spatial Audio with head tracking. We’re still in the process of testing these earbuds, but Jabra says they also offer its most powerful active noise cancellation yet. Their new drivers, meanwhile, should also provide more detailed and richer sound. At the same time, they continue to retain perks like wireless charging, multipoint Bluetooth support, and are IP57-rated for water resistance.\n\nRegularly $249.99, you can currently buy the Jabra Elite 10 for $199.99 from Amazon, Best Buy, and Jabra.\n\nJabra Elite 8 Active deals\n\nJabra’s Elite 8 Active are a pair of fitness-focused earbuds and the successor to the excellent Elite 7 Active. They’re a terrific pair of earbuds if you like to go for runs, with more robust IP68 rating water resistance than their predecessor and adaptive ANC. Plus, unlike similar offerings from Beats and Anker, the Elite 8 Active offer a secure fit without the need for added hooks or fins. At the same time, they retain the essentials, like support for multipoint and wireless charging.\n\nNormally $199.99, they’re currently on sale for $149.99 from Amazon, Best Buy, and Jabra.\n\nJabra Elite 4 Active deals\n\nIf you prefer a more affordable pair of earbuds that are geared toward working out, there’s also Jabra’s Elite 4 Active. They come with IP57 water resistance and active noise cancellation (though you can’t adjust it) but lack wireless charging. However, if you’re fine without the extra bells and whistles, you can buy them for $69.99 ($50 off) at Amazon and Walmart.\n\nBest Sennheiser deals\n\nSennheiser Momentum Wireless 4 deals\n\nIf you’re looking for a pair of noise-canceling headphones with superb battery life, Sennheiser’s Momentum Wireless 4 are your best option. These headphones are capable of lasting up to 60 hours on a single charge. They also sound terrific, offer multipoint Bluetooth connectivity, and match the Sony WH-1000XM5 — our favorite noise-canceling headphones — in terms of comfort. They may not boast physical controls or the stylish, retro-inspired design their predecessor had, but they do offer improved noise cancellation (even if it isn’t quite on par with that of Sony or Bose’s offerings).\n\nThe Momentum Wireless 4 typically sell for $379.95, but right now you can buy them for $269.89 at Amazon and for $30 more at Best Buy.\n\nBest UE deals\n\nUE Fits deals\n\nAfter testing a pair for ourselves, we remarked in our review that the UE Fits were the most comfortable consumer earbuds on the market. That’s because, unlike the other wireless earbuds on this list, the UE Fits are uniquely capable of permanently molding to the shape of your ears in just 60 seconds, making them a great choice for those concerned their earbuds may come loose or fall out. We also found that they offer good sound quality, as well as lengthy, eight-hour battery life. Normally $199, you can get them right now for $149.99 direct from Ultimate Ears.\n\nUE Fits $ 150 $ 199 25 % off $ 150 $ 150 $ 199 25 % off The UE Fits come with ear tips that permanently mold to the unique shape of your ears in just 60 seconds. This allows for a much better fit that you can comfortably wear for hours. $150 at Ultimate Ears\n\nBest Anker deals\n\nAnker Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro deals\n\nAnker’s Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro are another solid pair of noise-canceling earbuds that are relatively affordable. In addition to active noise cancellation and long battery life, the earbuds boast powerful sound with support for the higher-quality LDAC codec. They also come with multipoint Bluetooth support, IPX4 water resistance, and a wide selection of ear and wing tips.\n\nRegularly $169.99, they’re on sale right now for $99.99 at Amazon and $10 more from Walmart.\n\nBest Nothing deals\n\nNothing Ear Stick deals\n\nIf you like the new Beats Studio Buds Plus because of their transparent look, Nothing’s Ear Stick earbuds are a cheaper option that’s currently available for $59 ($40 off) from Nothing. They’re not quite as capable as the Beats and lack premium features like active noise cancellation, but they’re certainly stylish thanks to their see-through design and tube-like charging case. The open-style earbuds also deliver good sound, along with improved battery life and better voice call quality than their predecessor.\n\nNothing Ear Stick $ 59 $ 99 40 % off $ 59 $ 59 $ 99 40 % off Nothing’s delightful pair of earbuds are both balanced and fun, with an open-style design that helps ensure you can always hear the world around you. $59 at Nothing\n\nBest Amazon Echo deals\n\nAmazon Echo Buds (second-gen and third-gen) deals\n\nThe 2021 edition of the Amazon Echo Buds are a great value. Amazon’s second-generation true wireless earbuds offer improved comfort and better noise cancellation than their predecessor, along with a terrific passthrough mode that ensures you can always hear what’s going on around you. The $119.99 earbuds also feature hands-free Alexa support and sound that’s remarkably satisfying, with more bass than the AirPods Pro and an appropriate amount of restraint when it comes to the high end.\n\nEarlier this year, Amazon also introduced the third-generation Echo Buds which are significantly cheaper at just $44.99. They lack noise cancellation but feature a lightweight, open-ear design that should feel more comfortable.\n\nThe second-gen Amazon Echo Buds are on sale at Amazon and Best Buy with the wired charging case for $64.99 ($54 off). The same Echo Buds with a wireless charging case is $85.99 (also $55 off) at Amazon. Meanwhile, you can purchase the third-generation Echo Buds for $34.99 ($15 off) from Amazon, which matches their all-time low price.\n\nAmazon Echo Buds (third-generation, 2023) $ 35 $ 50 30 % off $ 35 $ 35 $ 50 30 % off Amazon’s newest Echo Buds lack ANC but feature a semi-open design that should make it easier to remain aware of your surroundings. They also integrate with Alexa and support multipoint pairing. $35 at Amazon","url":"https://www.theverge.com/22307388/wireless-earbuds-deals-airpods-galaxy-buds-powerbeats","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_74a462e4a9db47de"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_74a462e4a9db47de"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"209e70bb8d0abd2b0ba9c9f45f4dbd0638a092c62c0de5f65e62ed95ef8651d7","source_record_sha256":"65233fcca972500517bf6c607fc2c59fba1c6c0ab9d26069de996f2132261d38","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":369,"source_fields":{"title":"Here are the best deals on headphones and wireless earbuds we could find","author":"Sheena Vasani","source":"The Verge","published_at":"2023-12-07T22:32:23+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://www.theverge.com/22307388/wireless-earbuds-deals-airpods-galaxy-buds-powerbeats"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_b7a927dc52bc3408","text":"As the seconds ticked down at the end of a Champions League season‑ender that felt like a gentle, even quite tender, act of sporting euthanasia, the only noise inside Old Trafford was the sound of the Bayern Munich fans singing an impressively sustained version of Football’s Coming Home. A little later they sang Is This A Library? Actually, no, it’s more of a museum. They chanted “Auf Wiedersehen” at the departing members of the home support who, frankly, had done pretty well to stick it out to that point.\n\nThe good news for Erik ten Hag at the end of this low-fi 1-0 defeat is that United’s players didn’t lie down and die at Old Trafford. Instead they stood up and died, running hard and creating a kind of simulacrum of a functioning elite team.\n\nThis was not a group of players in revolt or drained of spirit. They looked like what they are, a muddled creation, stitched together out of parts and off-cuts. In the second half United’s back five was André Onana, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jonny Evans, Raphaël Varane and Diogo Dalot, an entirely random collection of players signed, at various times, by Ten Hag, José Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjær and Alex Ferguson. Presumably Daley Thompson, Michael Portillo and Howard from Take That were busy.\n\nBy the end United had five academy players on the pitch, ages ranged between 17 and 35, in outline evidence of internal good health, in reality another symptom of a machine that wants to function properly but has for so long been made to judder along at half-speed. Ever feel like you’re starting to slip into the past tense for good? When VAR happens at Old Trafford there isn’t even a VAR screen to say “VAR Check”. The 1990s were a hell of a decade. They still are around here.\n\n'We've lost decisive players': Ten Hag says injuries were key to Champions League exit – video\n\nSo much for the good news then. The bad news is that Ten Hag’s United have now compiled arguably the worst performance by any English team in a Champions League group stage. OK, it’s no Blackburn Rovers. But there are extra marks here for United’s pedigree, for the fact the group really wasn’t much of a group, and for United managing to finish bottom, shipping 15 goals in the process, more than any other English team ever.\n\nPlus of course there were just so many moments of farce along the way, a six-part saga of chaos, collapse and laughter in the dark. We remember Onana diving out of the way of the ball in Munich. We remember Onana also diving out of the way of the ball in Istanbul. Casemiro’s red card, lost leads in Manchester, Marcus Rashford unfairly convicted of a venomous stamp in Copenhagen, when frankly, he’s just not that kind of semi-interested footballer.\n\nAnd yet with both group games blank at half-time United were still just one goal away here from going through to the last 16, which really would have made for an excellent punchline. It wasn’t to be. For all their own flaws Bayern are basically a good version of whatever it is United are attempting to piece together. Kimmich‑Goretzka‑Musiala is an A grade version of Amrabat‑McTominay‑Fernandes. Manuel Neuer is the thing Onana is trying so earnestly to be. Bayern actually did go ahead and sign Harry Kane.\n\nHarry Kane (centre) and his Bayern Munich teammates applaud fans after their Champions League victory at Old Trafford. Photograph: Adam Vaughan/EPA\n\nThey held the ball nicely, probed in neat, clipped, mannered attacks. A lot seemed to hinge on how desperately Bayern felt the need to twist that scalpel, whether they could really be bothered to take this thing to the wall. United defended well. Their waves of pressing drew waves of applause. Everyone here seemed to be trying.\n\nBut with 58 minutes gone Copenhagen scored and United’s hopes began to slip beneath the waves. Just over 10 minutes later Bayern made it 1-0 in Manchester. Kingsley Coman got it, granted a huge expanse of time and space in front of the United goal, enough to set himself, as though taking a penalty, and belt the ball into the corner. The moment was made by a delightfully sneaky round‑the‑corner pass from Kane. After all that pressure, all that tender hope, it looked a bit like a training goal.\n\nskip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Football Daily Free daily newsletter Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion\n\nAnd that was pretty much that. From here United’s season continues to narrow. They can’t win the league now, can’t win the Champions League, can’t win the Carabao Cup. They still have the FA Cup, and the extended pursuit of fourth or even fifth place, although the state of the coefficient means the thing that might keep Manchester United out of Europe next season could be Manchester United being so bad in Europe this season. Maybe City can revive their fortunes by winning the Champions League again.\n\nTen Hag will take the blame of course for the early exit and plenty of mistakes have been made, not least in the players the manager has been allowed to sign. In reality assessing the job any United manager does with this team involves applying a series of filters. To be United manager is to undertake three concurrent roles.\n\nFirst you must manage the past, which is constantly in the room and which skews every act, achievement and expectation. Second you must manage the dysfunction of the present, which expresses itself in every detail from a leaking stadium roof to the deep ills of a playing squad peopled with squatters and long‑term missteps.\n\nFinally you get to manage the everyday metrics on which you will be judged; team, results, style, energy, messaging. Win things, improve players, create a coherent and happy internal culture: but do it during an unceasing takeover circus while star players sulk and brief against you, while the ghost of Hamlet’s father still skulks in the eaves. This felt like the end of one thing, perhaps even the beginning of the end of something else.","url":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2023/dec/12/ten-hags-manchester-united-stand-up-and-die-at-club-stuck-in-the-past-tense","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_2de86df07efb924c","mhq_47d4311e59af4b3d"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_2de86df07efb924c","mhq_47d4311e59af4b3d"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"ddcd8b6cee64938f126017dfe7455d2da1e36422a72019b1cb488b1b08a12b26","source_record_sha256":"eef88f690c3d83bd430a1fd8ebc9226f654ec978ad3301299378c4de48396756","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":370,"source_fields":{"title":"Ten Hag’s Manchester United stand up and die at club stuck in the past tense | Barney Ronay","author":"Barney Ronay at Old Trafford","source":"The Guardian","published_at":"2023-12-12T23:53:03+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2023/dec/12/ten-hags-manchester-united-stand-up-and-die-at-club-stuck-in-the-past-tense"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_7b3619181fc8a2c0","text":"It’s been an eventful week for crypto exchanges and the U.S. government.\n\nChangpeng Zhao, also known as “CZ,” the founder and CEO of Binance, is stepping down and has pleaded guilty to a number of violations brought on through the Department of Justice and other U.S. agencies. He appeared in a Seattle federal court on Tuesday to enter his plea.\n\nRichard Teng, Binance’s former global head of regional markets, will be the exchange’s new CEO, Zhao shared in a post on X Tuesday afternoon. Teng previously was the CEO of the Financial Services Regulatory Authority at Abu Dhabi Global Market, among other executive roles. In response to stepping down, Zhao said, “it is the right thing to do” adding, “I made mistakes, and I must take responsibility.” Zhao will remain a shareholder and said he will be “available to the team to consult as needed.”\n\nBinance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, has also agreed to pay about $4.3 billion to resolve the DOJ’s investigations, the agency said in a press release on Tuesday.\n\nAs a part of Binance’s guilty plea, it has also reached agreements with the Department of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and will credit about $1.8 billion toward those resolutions.\n\nThe crypto exchange “admits it engaged in anti-money laundering, unlicensed money transmitting and sanctions violations,” the DOJ release stated, calling it the “largest corporate resolution” that included criminal charges for an executive. Zhao pleaded guilty to failing to maintain an anti-money laundering program.\n\n“The message here should be clear: using new technology to break the law does not make you a disruptor, it makes you a criminal,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.\n\nBinance, Zhao and other related parties “knowingly failed to register as a money services business” and violated the Bank Secrecy Act by failing to implement an anti-money laundering program, a filing on the charges stated. It added that the respective parties allegedly violated U.S. economic sanctions “in a deliberate and calculated effort to profit from the U.S. market,” without following U.S. laws.\n\nThe crypto exchange collected about $1.35 billion in trading fees from U.S. customers, according to Chairman Rostin Behnam of the CFTC. According to court documents, Zhao told Binance employees it was “better to ask for forgiveness than permission” and prioritized the exchange’s growth there over complying with U.S. law.\n\n“Any institution, wherever located, that wants to reap the benefits of the U.S. financial system must also play by the rules that keep us all safe from terrorists, foreign adversaries, and crime or face the consequences,” Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen said in the release.\n\nUnder Zhao’s plea agreement, he will agree to the recommendation that the court impose a $150 million fine to the CFTC and won’t make any statements “contradicting his acceptance of responsibility,” according to a separate filing from Monday.\n\nAs for Binance’s plea agreement, the company will accept the resignation of Zhao and prohibit him “from any present or future involvement in operating” the business from the beginning of the plea acceptance and “ends three years from the date a monitor is appointed,” the Monday filing stated. The company will also “maintain and enhance” its compliance program and appoint an independent compliance monitor during that three year period.\n\nThe crypto exchange did not respond to multiple requests for comment from TechCrunch on the charges.\n\nBinance launched in June 2017 and within 180 days became the largest crypto exchange in the world. It had over $12.65 billion in trading volume during the past 24-hours, 532% higher than $2 billion in trading volume from the second largest crypto exchange, Coinbase, according to CoinMarketCap data.\n\nThis comes less than a day after the SEC charged Kraken, the third largest crypto exchange by trading volume, with allegedly operating as an “unregistered securities exchange, broker, dealer and clearing agency.”\n\nSeparately, in February, Kraken agreed to end crypto staking services for U.S. clients and settled a past suit with the SEC after agreeing to pay $30 million in charges for “disgorgement, prejudgment interest and civil penalties.”\n\nThe DOJ charges against Binance come over five months after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission accused the exchange and Zhao of lying to regulators about its operations, filing 13 charges against the defendants in the federal case. Zhao and Binance were allegedly “intimately involved” in directing the trading entity’s business operations and providing crypto-related services to the Binance.US platform, which claims it’s an independent exchange in the SEC filing.\n\nIn late March the U.S. CFTC also filed a suit against Binance, Zhao and its Chief Compliance Officer Samuel Lim for allegedly breaking trading and derivatives rules.\n\nBinance has made headlines this past year for a range of reasons, including Zhao’s comments contributing to the collapse of FTX, which was once one of its top competitors. In April, Binance.US, its American sister company, broke off its $1.3 billion deal to buy crypto broker Voyager Digital’s assets due to a “hostile and uncertain regulatory climate.”\n\nIn August, Checkout.com cut ties with Binance over concerns about the crypto firm’s alleged issues with anti-money laundering, sanctions and compliance controls. At the time, Binance’s spokesperson said it does not agree with “Checkout’s purported basis for termination and are considering our options for legal action.”\n\nThe article has been updated to reflect the latest developments on charges against Binance and Zhao and include the former CEO’s statement.","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/11/21/binance-to-pay-4-3b-in-fines-and-ceo-cz-to-step-down-plead-guilty-to-anti-money-laundering-charges/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_81cce8db0e374160","mhq_277c16a23a24e4f2"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_81cce8db0e374160","mhq_277c16a23a24e4f2"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"23ea81a7d24a418e4c2a051864eb9b496cb044ca1a581df4e365a51543d341ce","source_record_sha256":"ea0d25b3f9389f53e6c3a801f28e5d14ff0bdb3e4c8f57f9bd48945ab9dfee7c","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":374,"source_fields":{"title":"Binance to pay $4.3B in fines and CEO ‘CZ’ to step down, plead guilty to anti-money laundering charges","author":"Jacquelyn Melinek","source":"TechCrunch","published_at":"2023-11-21T17:34:32+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/11/21/binance-to-pay-4-3b-in-fines-and-ceo-cz-to-step-down-plead-guilty-to-anti-money-laundering-charges/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_656e63b31ca40730","text":"In this article COIN Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT\n\nBrian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase, slammed the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. He also said the cryptocurrency exchange is looking to invest more outside of the U.S. Carlos Jasso | Bloomberg | Getty Images\n\nIn a month that saw two of the crypto industry's leading figures headed on the path to prison, Coinbase shares rocketed more than 60%, their second-best monthly performance since the cryptocurrency exchange went public in 2021. Bolstered by rallies in bitcoin and ether as well as crises at key competitors, Coinbase has been one of Wall Street's best bets all year, climbing more than 250% in the first 11 months of 2023. For early holders of the stock, the rebound helps ease the pain of 2022, when Coinbase lost 86% of its value as soaring inflation and rising interest rates pushed investors out of crypto and high-growth tech companies, and into assets deemed safer in a recession. Tech stocks have roared back this year, particularly those tied to the artificial intelligence boom and crypto. Coinbase has the added benefit of having survived the so-called crypto winter, while so many of its rivals disappeared or downsized. The industry fallout came to a head this month, when Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of former Coinbase rival FTX, was found guilty of seven criminal fraud counts tied to the collapse of his exchange and the theft of customer funds. His conviction landed on Nov. 2 after a monthlong trial. Less than three weeks later, on Nov. 21, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao pleaded guilty to violations of the Bank Secrecy Act for failing to implement an effective anti-money laundering program and for willfully violating U.S. economic sanctions.\n\nCombination showing Former FTX CEO, Sam Bankman-Fried (L) and Zhao Changpeng (R), founder and chief executive officer of Binance. Getty Images | Reuters\n\nBankman-Fried, who faces potential life behind bars, is scheduled to be sentenced in March. Zhao's sentencing is set for February. While guidelines suggest a sentence of 12 to 18 months, the Justice Department could push for a lengthier punishment for the Binance founder. Unlike FTX, which filed for bankruptcy in late 2022, Binance is still standing, though now without Zhao, who agreed to step down as CEO as part of the plea deal. Even before that, the company was seeing a plunge in trading, with volume down by two-thirds between the first and third quarters of the year, according to crypto analyst site CoinGecko. With assets of more than $65 billion on the platform, Binance remains the world's largest crypto exchange globally. But its market share fell from over 60% in February to under 50% in September, \"an indication that the exchange may be losing its grip on the industry as regulators continue to pressure it,\" CoinGecko said. In the first 24 hours after the Justice Department announced its $4.3 billion settlement with Binance, customers pulled more than $1 billion from the exchange. Liquidity also dropped 25% in the immediate aftermath of the announcement as market makers pulled back their positions, according to data provider Kaiko. A Binance spokesperson told CNBC in a statement that Zhao appeared in court \"to protect our users and to ensure the longevity of our company.\" \"Binance's resilience has been tested unlike any other exchange around today,\" the spokesperson said. \"Yet, we continue to operate the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange by volume. In fact, we currently see a climbing percentage of institutional user transactions.\" Coinbase is the fourth-biggest global exchange by daily volume, according to CoinGecko. It's the only one that's publicly traded in the U.S. and has a market cap of close $30 billion. In a report to clients on Wednesday, analysts at Mizuho noted that Coinbase shares are up about 20% since Zhao's settlement, a rally that's likely \"in anticipation of potential share gains for COIN in wake of outflows from Binance, the industry's largest exchange,\" they wrote. Coinbase shares fell 2.4% to $124.72 on Thursday, wiping out some of their recent gains. Mizuho raised its price target on the stock to $35 from $31, while keeping its underperform rating, which it's maintained since December.\n\n'Turn the page'\n\nA Coinbase spokesperson declined to comment for this story, but CEO Brian Armstrong told CNBC's Joumanna Bercetche earlier this week that the Binance settlement allows the crypto industry to move past a spate of scandals. \"The enforcement action against Binance, that's allowing us to kind of turn the page on that and hopefully close that chapter of history,\" Armstrong said. \"I think that regulatory clarity is going to help bring in more investment, especially from institutions.\"\n\nwatch now\n\nBoth Coinbase and Binance still face legal battles with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which was noticeably absent from the Binance settlement. Meanwhile, Coinbase executives have floated the idea of leaving the U.S. altogether for a jurisdiction with hard-and-fast rules on crypto, should the company be unable to come to a resolution with the SEC. Wall Street appears to be shrugging off that concern. Analysts at Needham, who recommend buying Coinbase shares, wrote in a report on Nov. 21 that the company \"exited the crypto 'winter' better positioned than in the prior up cycle.\" They also noted that in addition to FTX's failure and Binance's retreat, crypto trading platform Bittrex has also exited the market. Bittrex said on Nov. 20, that effective Dec. 4, \"all trading activity on Bittrex Global will be disabled,\" and it encouraged customers \"to log into their account and withdraw assets as soon as possible.\" In April, the SEC charged Bittrex and its ex-CEO with operating an unregistered exchange. Yet there may be a new competitive threat on the horizon. U.S. regulators are expected to soon approve the first U.S. spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds, which would allow investors to buy into digital currency directly through the same mechanism they use to buy stock and bond ETFs. Top asset managers, including BlackRock , WisdomTree and Invesco, have filed applications with the SEC. Regulatory approval would open up many more avenues for people to buy bitcoin. While Coinbase allows investors to buy a variety of cryptocurrencies, bitcoin accounted for 38% of transaction volume in the third quarter and almost the same percentage of revenue. For casual investors who just want some exposure to bitcoin, there will potentially be additional ways to buy, including through their primary online brokerage. JPMorgan Chase analysts wrote last week that crypto ETFs would likely be good for Coinbase in the short term but more problematic as time passes. The initial boost would come from custody revenue tied to the ETFs. Most of the big asset managers jumping into market, including BlackRock, Franklin Templeton and WisdomTree, have picked Coinbase for custody services, which involves the storage and safekeeping of the assets. However, the longer-term concern, according to JPMorgan, is that fewer people will need Coinbase accounts, leading to pricing pressure. \"We see many novice investors never going beyond these flagship tokens and thus never needing the services of a Coinbase,\" wrote the analysts, who have a neutral rating on the stock and an $80 price target. \"We also see the ETF markets as more transparent, efficient and lower cost to execute and we see the potential for a migration to ETFs for cheaper exposure and trading driving Coinbase to lower fees.\" WATCH: Former SEC enforcement chief on 'casualness' in crypto compliance","url":"https://www.cnbc.com/2023/11/30/coinbase-jumps-in-november-as-ftx-binance-founders-brace-for-prison.html","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_277c16a23a24e4f2"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_277c16a23a24e4f2"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"4e687aa09892caebae25abd4da63788fade3c9f114dc189a1fca19519e442f3c","source_record_sha256":"5f74bd295d599c6dbd9933722857e8b1177d5aa5cd17ae522966aeb6cde3553b","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":375,"source_fields":{"title":"Coinbase rallies more than 60% in same month that FTX and Binance founders brace for prison","author":null,"source":"Cnbc | World Business News Leader","published_at":"2023-11-30T21:08:00+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://www.cnbc.com/2023/11/30/coinbase-jumps-in-november-as-ftx-binance-founders-brace-for-prison.html"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_250b04ef257bf66e","text":"Senior political figures in Washington are becoming increasingly interested in the impact of AI on the law.\n\nOn Wednesday (November 29), US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer held an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Insight Forum to discuss the importance and role of creative copyright and intellectual property in the development of AI.\n\nDennis Kooker, Sony Music Entertainment‘s President of Global Digital Business & US Sales, delivered a speech at the Forum, outlining the major music company’s position on AI and copyright law.\n\nKooker’s public statements on the topic arrive a week after MBW pointed out that there was a notable lack of endorsement from SME, and its artists, of YouTube‘s new experimental AI project called ‘Dream Track’ that lets creators clone the vocals of successful musicians.\n\nThe initial cohort of stars involved in the project, as we noted last week, include recording artists signed to Warner Music Group and Universal Music Group – or labels within each of those two majors, but no Sony Music artists.\n\n(In our report, MBW suggested that YouTube parent Google‘s recent submission to The United States Copyright Office (USCO) – in response to a request for written submissions as part of a study around copyright law and policy issues raised by AI systems – may have influenced Sony’s absence from Dream Track.)\n\nGoogle was just one of various tech giants and AI companies that submitted responses to the USCO, amongst them, Anthropic and Stability AI.\n\nAnthropic, in its submission to the USCO, also argued that training (large language models) LLM’s on copyrighted material is fair use.\n\nStability AI made a similar argument. Its position on the issue of “Fair Use” concerning AI and copyrighted content resulted in the resignation of prominent generative AI executive Ed Newton-Rex from the company.\n\nAs reported by MBW last week, Universal Music Group submitted its response to the USCO. Unsurprisingly, amongst the highlights of UMG’s submission was the rejection of the notion that using copyrighted material to train LLMs is “fair use”.\n\nIn his speech on Wednesday, Kooker commented directly on the flurry of submissions to the USCO from the tech industry at the end of October.\n\nIn what may have been a nod to Google’s filing and “fair use” position, Kooker told Senators that “based on recent Copyright Office filings it is clear that the technology industry and speculative financial investors would like governments to believe in a very distorted view of copyright”.\n\nHe added: “[That view is] one in which music is considered fair use for training purposes and in which certain companies are permitted to appropriate the entire value produced by the creative sector without permission, and to build huge businesses based on it without paying anything to the creators concerned.”\n\nKooker also openly discussed Sony Music’s efforts to get unauthorized AI content removed from platforms online – including the fact that the firm has already issued close to 10,000 separate takedowns.\n\nKooker further discussed Sony Music’s optimism about AI’s potential for enhancing creativity, as well as key principles the company has adopted around generative AI.\n\nHere are three things that stood out from Kooker’s speech…\n\n1. Sony Music has issued close to 10,000 takedowns for unauthorized deep fakes of artists\n\nKooker argued in his speech that, while “the music industry sees great potential with various forms of AI technology in this early phase of AI,” so far, “the available generative AI products are not delivering on the expected promise of new products in creative industries”.\n\nHe clarified that point by explaining that some generative AI platforms “are not expanding the business model or enhancing human creativity”.\n\nKooker suggested that the “more dire outputs of early generative AI technology are deep fakes and unauthorized voice clones” of artists and that in the United States, “artists are not adequately protected from these deepfakes”.\n\n“An artist literally makes their livelihood from their voice,” he said. “Deep fakes intentionally exploit an artist’s talent and reputation to steal that income stream.\n\n“Every stream of a deep fake takes streams and royalty payments away from the legitimate artist. Deepfakes are also misleading and confusing to consumers and music fans who are not typically interested in supporting fake versions of their favorite artist.”\n\n“Every stream of a deep fake takes streams and royalty payments away from the legitimate artist.” Dennis Kooker, Sony Music\n\nKooker reported that to date, Sony Music Entertainment has sent “close to 10,000 takedowns to a variety of platforms hosting unauthorized deepfakes that SME artists asked us to take down.”\n\nHe added that “platforms are quick to point to the loopholes in the law as an excuse to drag their feet or to not take the deepfakes down when requested.”\n\nKooker commended the No FAKES Act policy drafted by senators earlier this year, which he explained “would create a federal property right in one’s voice or visual likeness and protect against unauthorized AI-generated replicas”.\n\n2. Sony has ‘roughly 200 active conversations taking place’ with AI startups that “include potential equity investments”\n\nKooker explained that despite the negative impacts of AI, including unauthorized clones and low-quality AI music, there are still “many positive and optimistic developments to highlight”.\n\nHe highlighted legitimate AI startups and established firms “with music ideas that want to partner with the industry”.\n\nAccording to Kooker, Sony Music has “roughly 200 active conversations taking place with startups and established players” right now about building new AI-related products and tools.\n\nThese products range from tools for “creative or marketing assistance”, to tools that “potentially give us the ability to better protect artist content or find it when used in an unauthorized fashion” as well as “brand new products that have never been launched before”.\n\nKooker said that some of these conversations “also include potential equity investments which would accelerate the development of these companies”.\n\nThe Sony Music exec cited, as an example, a recent generative AI-powered project around a reissue and remix of an album. Although Kooker didn’t name it specifically, SME did recently announce a generative AI project with The Orb and David Gilmour, which was a partnership between Sony Music Entertainment, Legacy Recordings AI company Vermillio\n\n“These artists are known for their cutting-edge experimentation in music,” said Kooker.\n\n“About the time that we started the discussion with this artist, we had begun informal talks with a generative AI start-up company whose business model focused on working with IP rightsholders the ‘right way’.\n\n“In other words, they respect intellectual property rights and want to work with rights holders in ways that enhance and protect the copyrighted works.”\n\n3. SME has asked Congress to embrace a set of principles around generative AI\n\nKooker told the lawmakers during his speech on Wednesday that “if copyrights are protected and enforced appropriately, we are at the beginning of a multi-decade marathon that will change the creative and commercial landscape for music”.\n\nWith that in mind, Kooker explained that Sony Music has established a set of principles to guide the company’s decision-making around generative AI.\n\n“If copyrights are protected and enforced appropriately, we are at the beginning of a multi-decade marathon that will change the creative and commercial landscape for music.” Dennis Kooker, Sony Music\n\nKooker added later in the speech: “Music is a tremendous driver for AI technology, and AI technology presents a tremendous opportunity for the creative development of music.\n\n“But these opportunities must be grounded by the human creators’ vision with the machine assisting, not with the machine replacing the human creator.”\n\nTo achieve this, Kooker said that SME wants Congress to embrace the following principals:\n\nAssure Consent, Compensation, and Credit. “New products and businesses built with music must be developed with the consent of the owner and appropriate compensation and credit. It is essential to understand why the training of AI models is being done, what products will be developed as a result, and what the business model is that will monetize the use of the artist’s work. Congress and the agencies should assure that creators’ rights are recognized and respected.” Confirm That Copying Music to Train AI Models is Not Fair Use. “Even worse are those that argue that copyrighted content should automatically be considered fair use so that protected works are never compensated for usage and creators have no say in the products or business models that are developed around them and their work. Congress should assure and agencies should presume that reproducing music to train AI models, in itself, is not a fair use.” Prevent the Cloning of Artists’ Voices and Likenesses Without Express Permission. “We cannot allow an artist’s voice or likeness to be cloned for use without the express permission of the artist. This is a very personal decision for the artist. Congress should pass into law effective federal protections for name, image, and likeness.” Incentivize Accurate Recordkeeping. “Correct attribution will be a critical element to artists being paid fairly and correctly for new works that are created. In addition, rights can only be enforced around the training of AI when there are accurate records about what is being copied. Otherwise, the inability to enforce rights in the AI marketplace equates to a lack of rights at all, producing a dangerous imbalance that prevents a thriving ecosystem. This requires strong and accurate record keeping by the generative AI platforms, a requirement that urgently needs legislative support to ensure incentives are in place so that it happens consistently and correctly.” Assure Transparency for Consumers and Artists. “Transparency is necessary to clearly distinguish human-created works from AI-created works. The public should know, when they are listening to music, whether that music was created by a human being or a machine.”\n\nAdded Kooker: “While these principles are simple and basic, they require a new level of commitment and investment from generative AI platforms.\n\n“If established early on, they will result in an even playing field for all participants so there will not be an unfair competitive advantage for a few at the expense of future innovators.\n\n“The principles will ensure that intellectual property businesses can succeed in this new world alongside tech partners, further advancing investment and expanding economic opportunities. “Music Business Worldwide","url":"https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/sony-music-has-issued-nearly-10000-deepfake-takedowns-and-other-things-we-learned-from-dennis-kookers-speech-about-ai/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_c6284e59a6a929ab"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_c6284e59a6a929ab"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"e1b8d3c3d3f5afad82df6b113ff3f678578e2eb818c010e38d7f0dfb172da35a","source_record_sha256":"1823c1ec5ff00c11253ebf3184c431b26fc785f28ab96211a15d4240fe3df8b3","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":380,"source_fields":{"title":"Sony Music has issued nearly 10,000 deepfake takedowns… and other things we learned from Dennis Kooker’s speech about AI","author":"Murray Stassen","source":"Music Business Worldwide","published_at":"2023-11-30T21:28:03+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/sony-music-has-issued-nearly-10000-deepfake-takedowns-and-other-things-we-learned-from-dennis-kookers-speech-about-ai/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_c3f58d0d27ff3ab5","text":"What’s happened?\n\nMBW Explains is a series of analytical features in which we explore the context behind major music industry talking points – and suggest what might happen next. MBW Explains is supported by JKBX , a technology platform that offers consumers access to music royalties as an asset class.\n\nAs we said last week: Welcome to the future.\n\nSeven days ago (November 16), YouTube unveiled a revolutionary new experiment – ‘Dream Track’ – enabling creators to clone the vocals, via AI tech and with official consent, of well-known stars.\n\nCharlie Puth’s voice is on there. John Legend’s voice is on there. Demi Lovato’s voice is on there.\n\nIn fact, the voices of a number of well-known recording artists signed to Warner Music Group and Universal Music Group – or labels within each major – are on there.\n\nYet something conspicuous is not on there: any endorsement whatsoever from the world’s second-biggest recording company, Sony Music Entertainment, or its artists.\n\nWhy is Sony missing?\n\nMBW understands that Sony Music (the recorded music arm of Sony Music Group) has, like Universal and Warner, been in discussions for months with YouTube over potentially licensing the ‘Dream Track’ experiment.\n\nDuring this period of discussion, YouTube has made a number of positive announcements regarding the biggest issue for any rightsholder regarding AI-driven voice replication of artists: their ability to police it.\n\nIn August, YouTube and Universal Music Group jointly announced that the video platform was launching an ‘AI Music Incubator’ – a program by which new tools and innovations will be developed at YouTube in close conjunction with artists and the music biz. To progress this ‘incubator’, YouTube said it was working behind the scenes with a number of UMG-affiliated artists;\n\nand jointly announced that the video platform was launching an – a program by which new tools and innovations will be developed at YouTube in close conjunction with artists and the music biz. To progress this ‘incubator’, YouTube said it was working behind the scenes with a number of UMG-affiliated artists; Also in August, YouTube publicly committed to three principles/pledges behind its development of music-based generative AI tools . These pledges promised “appropriate protections… for music partners who decide to participate” in said tools. They promised “invest[ment] in the AI-powered technology” that, amongst other things, would help YouTube “protect our community of viewers, creators, artists and songwriters… [from] trademark and copyright abuse” . This all seemed to hint at a desire to build a ‘Content ID’-style system on YouTube to control and police content made by cloning artists’ voices;\n\npublicly committed to three principles/pledges behind its development of music-based . These pledges promised in said tools. They promised that, amongst other things, would help YouTube . This all seemed to hint at a desire to build a on YouTube to control and police content made by cloning artists’ voices; Then, earlier this month, YouTube announced it was developing a specific system for music partners that allowed them to request the removal of content on its platform that “mimics an artist’s unique singing or rapping voice”.\n\nEvidently, all of this was enough for Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group to dip their toe into the ‘Dream Track’ experiment – though not without caution.\n\nSir Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group, said of UMG’s decision to offer a limited license to ‘Dream Track’: “We have a fundamental responsibility to our artists to ensure the digital ecosystem evolves to protect them and their work against unauthorized exploitation, including by generative AI platforms.\n\n“At the same time, we must help artists achieve their greatest creative and commercial potential – in part by providing them access to the kind of opportunities and cutting-edge creative tools made possible by AI.”\n\n“We have a fundamental responsibility to our artists to ensure the digital ecosystem evolves to protect them and their work against unauthorized exploitation, including by generative AI platforms. At the same time, we must help artists achieve their greatest creative and commercial potential…” Sir Lucian Grainge on UMG’s decision to license YouTube’s ‘Dream Track’ experiment\n\nRobert Kyncl, CEO of Warner Music Group – and an ex-high flyer at YouTube – commented: “With each major leap in technology, the music industry navigates a fresh set of challenges and opportunities.\n\n“It’s not always the case that, from the outset, tech platforms partner with artists, songwriters, labels, and publishers to experiment, iterate, and find possible solutions.\n\n“YouTube is taking a collaborative approach with this Beta. These artists are being offered the choice to lean in, and we’re pleased to experiment and find out what the creators come up with.”\n\nWhy, then, did Sony Music not join its rivals in granting YouTube and ‘Dream Track’ access to any of its active artists’ licensed voices?\n\nEspecially when SME has shown its own willingness to experiment with generative AI music platforms this week via this announcement about a project with David Gilmour, The Orb, and AI company Vermillio?\n\nSources close to Sony Music’s HQ in New York have suggested to MBW that the company is taking an “artist-led” approach to its experiments with any AI platform that can manipulate the work (or voice) of its roster.\n\nIn the case of YouTube’s ‘Dream Track‘, MBW understands, SME first offered the opportunity to participate to a number of its artists, but this group of acts did not show enthusiasm about participating.\n\n(If one of these artists was Bad Bunny, signed to Sony’s The Orchard, you can see why: The Puerto Rican superstar expressed fury the other week about a popular track on TikTok that had cloned his vocal stylings via AI.)\n\nBut last month something else happened that, we hear, effectively scuppered any chance that Sony Music would get involved with ‘Dream Track’ at this juncture.\n\nOn October 30, Google – the parent of YouTube within Alphabet Inc. – issued a filing with the US Copyright Office that outlined its core position on ‘Artificial Intelligence and Copyright’.\n\nThe contents of this document have caused some alarm at Sony Music HQ.\n\nWhat was in the Google document?\n\nYou may have read on MBW last week that Ed Newton-Rex – a generative AI pioneer, but also a published composer – decided to quit his role at Stability AI over concerns over the company’s position on “fair use” within its own recent US Copyright Office filing.\n\n‘Fair use’ is, as it sounds, the argument that there are cases where copyrighted material can be used and even replicated that are, well, fair enough.\n\nA clumsy example: I read a great book, then I meet you for breakfast, where I tell you about the story and quote a couple of my favorite passages to you.\n\nTo suggest I’ve just committed copyright infringement wouldn’t only be silly – it would mean that copyright protections were getting in the way of the commercial furtherment of the author/rightsholder (i.e. you might go and buy the book on my recommendation).\n\nGoogle’s submission to the USCO contains a number of passages that posit a similar position… but for generative AI models. The document argues that the ingestion of copyrighted material for the training of generative AI platforms shouldn’t be hampered by copyright law.\n\nYou can read the full Google USCO submission here, but below are a few of the choicest sections on this topic:\n\n“The doctrine of fair use [within existing US copyright law] provides that copying for a new and different purpose is permitted without authorization where — as with training Al systems — the secondary use is transformative and does not substitute for the copyrighted work .”\n\n[within existing US copyright law] provides that copying for a new and different purpose is permitted without authorization where — as with — the secondary use is transformative and .” “If [AI] training could be accomplished without the creation of copies, there would be no copyright questions here. Indeed that act of “knowledge harvesting”… like the act of reading a book and learning the facts and ideas within it , would not only be non-infringing , it would further the very purpose of copyright law. The mere fact that, as a technological matter, copies need to be made to extract those ideas and facts from copyrighted works should not alter that result .”\n\ncould be accomplished without the creation of copies, there would be no copyright questions here. Indeed that act of “knowledge harvesting”… like the , would not only be , it would further the very purpose of copyright law. The mere fact that, as a technological matter, .” “Some might object to this logic in the context of generative Al systems, arguing that even if such a system produces content that is not substantially similar to any of the content it was trained on, the output of that model might compete in the marketplace with works used for training or, more broadly, with the authors of those works … This argument misunderstands both the nature of the fair use inquiry and the creative markets that copyright is intended to protect. Even if generative-Al-assisted outputs do compete with existing works that were used in training, or with future works by the authors of those works, the pro-competitive nature of copying for the purpose of “knowledge harvesting” has traditionally been a reason to favor a holding of fair use , not a reason to reject it.”\n\nthe output of that model might … Even if generative-Al-assisted outputs do compete with existing works that were used in training, or with future works by the authors of those works, the pro-competitive nature of copying for the purpose of “knowledge harvesting” has traditionally been a reason to , not a reason to reject it.” And then the kicker: “Any prohibition or limitation on the use of copyrighted materials for purposes of Al training would therefore undermine the purpose of copyright and foreclose the many opportunities that come with this technology.”\n\nTo be fair to Google, its submission does make note of the importance of US copyright law, including when applied to generative AI, striking “the right balance between the legitimate interests of rightsholders and the equally legitimate interests of the public and succeeding generations of creators”.\n\nYet it could clearly be argued that Google’s take on copyright “harvesting” by generative AI models sits in odd contrast to the copyright-related reassurances that YouTube has been careful to make to the music industry during the pre-development, development, and trial launch of ‘Dream Track’.\n\nA final thought…\n\nMBW’s sources close to Sony Music were keen to point out that the company’s general ongoing relationship with YouTube and YouTube Music is a harmonious one.\n\n(YouTube is, after all, now the second largest commercial partner of the major record companies – with a stated ambition to catch up with Spotify in the years ahead. YouTube says it paid out over USD $6 billion to music rightsholders in the year to end of June 2022, with around $2 billion of that coming just from ads on user-generated content.)\n\nHowever, the October US Copyright Office filing from Google has definitely put the cat amongst the pigeons at Sony Music HQ. As we’re sure it has at the other two major record companies.\n\n“Any prohibition or limitation on the use of copyrighted materials for purposes of Al training would undermine the purpose of copyright and foreclose the many opportunities that come with this technology.” Google filing with the US Copyright Office, October 30\n\nWitness Universal Music Group’s own filing with the US Copyright Office on the topic of AI. It couldn’t offer a starker contrast to Google’s assertion that “prohibition or limitation on the use of copyrighted materials for purposes of Al training would undermine the purpose of copyright and foreclose the many opportunities that come with this technology”.\n\n(Example from UMG’s filing: “The wholesale appropriation of UMG’s enormous catalog of copyright-protected sound recordings and musical compositions to build multibillion commercial enterprises [in AI] is anything but fair use.”)\n\nAs well as part-explaining Sony Music’s refusal to be included in ‘Dream Track’ thus far, Google’s USCO filing also perhaps explains the careful words selected by Robert Kyncl and especially Sir Lucian Grainge in their respective comments endorsing YouTube’s AI experiment.\n\n(Grainge’s statement, remember, began: “We have a fundamental responsibility to our artists to ensure the digital ecosystem evolves to protect them and their work against unauthorized exploitation, including by generative AI platforms…”)\n\nOne interesting final observation on the clutch of artists who agreed, with their record companies, to enter the YouTube ‘Dream Track’ trial?\n\nThey’re stars, for sure. But in both the case of Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group, they’re – currently anyway – not the biggest megastars on either company’s books.\n\nYou might not expect, at this early stage, for the likes of UMG to put forward Drake, Taylor Swift, or The Beatles – or for WMG to put forward Ed Sheeran or Dua Lipa – to be guinea pigs in any early AI music experiments, even if they’re run by ‘friends’ of the music industry like YouTube.\n\nYou might, then, also understandably wonder if there have been significant licensing payments made by YouTube to UMG and WMG for the right to play with the AI vocals of artists who have signed off on ‘Dream Track’ thus far. And, if so, if these payments are being placed against any as-yet-unrecouped advances that some of these artists may have on their label accounts.\n\nMore broadly, you might ponder a bigger question.\n\nWhen the day comes that YouTube asks the world’s biggest superstars to wholeheartedly embrace ‘Dream Track’, will Google’s recent US Copyright Office filing give said superstars – and their record companies – pause for thought?\n\nJKBX (pronounced \"Jukebox\") unlocks shared value from things people love by offering consumers access to music as an asset class — it calls them Royalty Shares. In short: JKBX makes it possible for you to invest in music the same way you invest in stocks and other securities.Music Business Worldwide","url":"https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/sony-musics-artists-arent-involved-in-youtubes-new-cloned-voice-ai-experiment-not-unrelated-googles-recent-filing-with-the-us-copyright-office/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_b77068e2aeb18ee8","mhq_c6284e59a6a929ab"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_b77068e2aeb18ee8","mhq_c6284e59a6a929ab"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"1b6a27af00be3b618fb03e8db03d2057a915ee21ac97cb69328839e57d739a40","source_record_sha256":"0ad5aa1296a597ffcdf09c230c47ac4056ad2a4dcf34524808112d25db25f242","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":381,"source_fields":{"title":"Sony Music’s artists aren’t involved in YouTube’s new voice-cloning AI experiment. Not unrelated: Google’s recent filing with the US Copyright Office.","author":"Tim Ingham","source":"Music Business Worldwide","published_at":"2023-11-23T18:48:48+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/sony-musics-artists-arent-involved-in-youtubes-new-cloned-voice-ai-experiment-not-unrelated-googles-recent-filing-with-the-us-copyright-office/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_dea8d0fd8e2e8090","text":"After Matthew Perry’s cause of death was listed as \"acute effects of ketamine\" on Friday, experts are speaking out about misconceptions surrounding the drug.\n\n(Other conditions that contributed to Perry's death, according to the autopsy report, included \"coronary artery disease [and] buprenorphrine effects.\" Also, \"prescription medications and loose pills\" were found at the residence, the report said.)\n\nKetamine is primarily used as an anesthetic during surgical procedures — but in recent years it's been used as a remedy for treatment-resistant depression .\n\nWHAT IS KETAMINE, THE DRUG THAT KILLED MATTHEW PERRY ON OCTOBER 28?\n\nThe Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF) describes ketamine as a \"dissociative drug,\" which means it causes people to feel \"separated or detached\" from their bodies or physical surroundings.\n\nWhile it is also used illegally as a recreational drug , experts say ketamine is generally not dangerous when used as prescribed.\n\n\"The concentration of ketamine found in Matthew Perry’s blood was sufficient to cause loss of consciousness and lack of responsiveness to external stimulation,\" Lewis Nelson, chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine and chief of medical toxicology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.\n\n\"This explains why he slipped under the water and did not awaken. Ketamine does not generally cause death from cardiac or respiratory effects, but rather from associated injury.\"\n\nMATTHEW PERRY CAUSE OF DEATH LISTED AS 'ACUTE EFFECTS OF KETAMINE'\n\nDr. Bankole Johnson, CEO and founder of Casa Privée in Miami , a concierge medical facility, offers ketamine infusion therapy to help patients manage various conditions.\n\nHe told Fox News Digital that in his opinion, Perry’s death likely was linked to recreational ketamine use, although he did not treat or examine the actor.\n\nExperts shared with Fox News Digital the following common myths and misconceptions about the drug.\n\nMyth No. 1: Ketamine is a new treatment\n\nIn reality, the drug has been used for depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and pain for more than 10 years, according to Dr. Patrick Sullivan, medical director of Initia Nova Medical Solutions in New Jersey .\n\nThe FDA approved ketamine for anesthesia in both humans and animals since 1970, the doctor noted.\n\nAfter successful clinical trials , the FDA approved the drug in 2019 as a medication for treatment-resistant depression.\n\nOZEMPIC AND WEGOVY WEIGHT LOSS DRUGS COULD HELP REDUCE ALCOHOL USE DISORDER SYMPTOMS, STUDY SUGGESTS\n\n\"There are hundreds of studies showing it to be safe and effective in the outpatient setting,\" Sullivan told Fox News Digital.\n\nMyth No. 2: Ketamine is powerfully addictive\n\nKetamine is \"legally recognized as having the potential for abuse and for both psychological and physical dependence,\" according to the American Addiction Centers website.\n\nJohnson, however, noted that ketamine is a \"moderately addictive substance.\"\n\nHe told Fox News Digital, \"Even long-term users typically only develop a behavioral or psychological dependence. Physical dependence can occur, but usually the withdrawal signs are mild to moderate.\"\n\nDr. Sandhya Prashad, president of the American Society Of Ketamine Physicians, Psychotherapists and Practitioners (ASKP3) in Florida, said there is \"an extremely low risk of addiction, craving or withdrawal\" when ketamine is used in low doses in a monitored clinical setting.\n\n\"Abuse of ketamine occurs when it is self-administered in high or frequent doses without supervision or monitoring, which leads to addiction ,\" she told Fox News Digital.\n\nMyth No 3: Ketamine can be self-prescribed and purchased online\n\nKetamine should only be obtained and administered by a licensed and experienced medical doctor, Johnson said.\n\n\"To use ketamine, it is important to establish a clear diagnosis of severe depression or anxiety and/or post-traumatic stress disorder,\" he told Fox News Digital. \"This requires an expert and cannot be self-diagnosed properly.\"\n\n\"Abuse of ketamine occurs when it is self-administered in high or frequent doses without supervision or monitoring, which leads to addiction.\"\n\nThose who think they may benefit from ketamine treatment should consult a doctor, Johnson advised.\n\n\"Ketamine is generally safe when administered by trained health professionals in a medical setting,\" Johnson said.\n\n\"In those settings, it is best delivered by the IV route, where the dose can be calculated accurately.\"\n\nWhen purchasing ketamine outside a doctor’s prescription, there is also the risk of receiving a tainted product, experts warned. While people might assume they're purchasing straight ketamine, the drug is often mixed with stimulants like cocaine or phencyclidine (PCP), Johnson noted.\n\nULTRAPROCESSED FOODS WITH ‘FEEL-GOOD CHEMICALS’ COULD BE AS ADDICTIVE AS CIGARETTES AND DRUGS, STUDY SUGGESTS\n\n\"These can produce strong cardiac effects of a very high blood pressure and pulse, and can lead to serious medical complications,\" he said.\n\nMyth No. 4: Intranasal or micro-dosing is safe for recreational use\n\nWhile using small doses of ketamine may seem safer than the larger doses given via IV, Johnson warned that when this drug is self-administered, there is a danger of exceeding safe limits.\n\n\"The total cumulative dose could end up being higher than a standard dose of a medically administered intravenous dose,\" he told Fox News Digital.\n\nIntranasal use can also lead to \"more aggressive drug-seeking\" behaviors, Johnson warned, as the \"high\" of taking the ketamine is paired with cues in the user’s environment — which are not present in a medical office.\n\nLike other medications, such as opiates or benzodiazepines, ketamine has the potential to be abused, Sullivan agreed.\n\n\"Ketamine should only be used within the confines of a close relationship between a patient and an experienced prescriber,\" he said, citing the position reaffirmed by ASKP3.\n\nMyth No. 5: It’s hard to kick the habit\n\n\"Weaning off ketamine is typically not too difficult, as the medicine has a half-life of three to four hours, and most is eliminated by the body in a single day,\" said Johnson.\n\n\"Ketamine should only be used within the confines of a close relationship between a patient and an experienced prescriber.\"\n\nGradual dose titrations of ketamine — in which the amounts are slowly increased or decreased — are recommended for starting and stopping the medication, the expert noted.\n\nWhen ketamine becomes dangerous\n\nKetamine can become dangerous in a few ways, according to experts.\n\n\"First, if a patient has access to use it at home for pain or mood, this can increase the likelihood of developing a physical or psychological dependence,\" Sullivan told Fox News Digital.\n\nExperts recommend that home use of ketamine is only prescribed for select patients — who should be closely monitored with regular face-to-face office visits.\n\n\"Another way it can become dangerous is if a patient uses too large of a dose in an unsupervised setting, where they may put themselves at risk for accidents, such as falls or drownings,\" said Sullivan.\n\nCLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER\n\nMixing ketamine with other medicines can also be dangerous, Johnson warned.\n\nFor example, when mixed with opiates, it can have a stronger sedative effect, and combining ketamine with stimulants can worsen cardiovascular effects, he said.\n\nIn particular, ketamine mixed with buprenorphine can enhance sedation and lead to unresponsiveness, said Johnson.\n\nBuprenorphine, a drug that is prescribed to treat opioid use disorder , was in Perry’s system at the time of his death.\n\nGuidelines to be published soon\n\nASKP3 announced that it will soon publish guidelines for safe use of the drug.\n\n\"In the wake of Matthew Perry’s autopsy report, we are committed to creating and publishing guidelines for at-home ketamine use, which should only be practiced with a very specific patient profile and only in the context of a close relationship with a physician and in-office follow-up,\" the organization said in a released statement.\n\nCLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP\n\nIt is important for people to recognize the distinction between different uses of the drug, according to Prashad.\n\n\"In reality, the ways in which ketamine is used for anesthesia versus depression versus abuse are all very different in terms of dosage and frequency.\"","url":"https://www.foxnews.com/health/5-myths-ketamine-drug-tied-matthew-perry-death-according-doctors","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_f57be40f09b62bed"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_f57be40f09b62bed"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"1ee5cc21c1ff7c2f8da63168308e534d97e9bff59345988b0910454b065468c2","source_record_sha256":"b97c6fd94634791b85d51880f4d39caa809418928a21b05d8512d330eae3c4be","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":390,"source_fields":{"title":"5 myths about ketamine, the drug tied to Matthew Perry's death, according to doctors","author":null,"source":"FOX News - Health","published_at":"2023-12-19T01:50:33+00:00","category":"health","url":"https://www.foxnews.com/health/5-myths-ketamine-drug-tied-matthew-perry-death-according-doctors"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_01648ca159300692","text":"When thinking about treatments for conditions like autism spectrum disorder, diet is likely not high on the list. But clues from an eyeless species of cave-dwelling fish point to a link between a trendy weight loss diet, the brain, social behavior, and autism.\n\nThe ketogenic diet is designed to induce a physiological state called ketosis. This happens when the body no longer has enough carbohydrates to burn for energy and switches to fat as an energy source. Breaking down fat for energy produces a group of molecules called ketones, which travel throughout the body.\n\nHigh in protein and fat but low in carbs, the ketogenic diet is popular for its weight loss effects but also appears to have some neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects too. Children with epilepsy are sometimes placed on this diet because it helps reduce the frequency of seizures.\n\nThe exact mechanism behind these neurological effects is still a mystery and there have been reports of long-term side effects in people trying the diet outside of clinical settings. But experiments published in BMC Biology with the Mexican cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus, may help reveal the link between diet and the brain.\n\nCavefish, an unexpected research model\n\nFor Masato Yoshizawa, geneticist and neuroscientist at the School of Life Sciences at The University of Hawai‘i Mānoa, the cavefish is a fascinating model system. While these fish have unique adaptions for the harsh, lightless living conditions of limestone caves in northern Mexico — such as the loss of their eyes — they also share several basic features with vertebrates, making experimental results with these fish applicable to other species. These features include the brain region involved in memory and emotion, as well as many genes and the signalling pathways used to control them.\n\nHumans and other vertebrates have more complexity in these systems, and experiments with the cavefish offer a way to strip it away to investigate fundamental questions of biology. While working with cavefish, Yoshizawa noticed similarities in their behavior and that of patients with autism. The fish avoid their peers and engage in repetitive behavior, such as swimming in circles.\n\n“Many people first doubted that the fish have an autism-like state; I also doubted it at first,” said Yoshizawa. But as he soon found out, even patterns of gene regulation resembled autistic patients.\n\nBelieving that cavefish might be useful for the study of autism, Yoshizawa approached his colleague Ryan Lee, a physician working with autism patients at Shriners Hospital for Children Honolulu. “When I showed him the video of the cavefish he immediately said, ‘yes, that is very similar to what I observe in my patients’,” recounted Yoshizawa.\n\nLee, who has experimented with ketogenic diets to improve autism symptoms with some success suggested they try it with the fish. In humans, not all patients receiving the ketogenic diet improve, but some do. If it worked with the fish, they might then be able to figure out how the diet effects behavior and improve the effectiveness of the treatment for humans.\n\nSurprisingly effective\n\nAgain, Yoshizawa was a bit skeptical. “I doubted it at first,” he said. “I didn’t think it was going to work, but it did.”\n\nIn the experiment, cavefish where fed the same ketogenic milk provided to human patients, albeit with a few modifications for fish consumption, and their behavior was monitored. As a comparison, a type of A. mexicanus fish that lives in rivers and not caves were also tested.\n\nThe surface fish do not display the same autism like behaviors as their cave dwelling relatives. In the presence of other surface fish, individuals will begin to follow each other and swim together, something rarely seen in cavefish, Yoshizawa said. The surface fish also do not do the repetitive behavior of swimming in circles.\n\nUsing these fish as a comparison, Yoshizawa and his students watched and waited. Amazingly, after a month of the ketogenic diet, the cavefish began to act like the more social surface fish. They would follow each other in groups and ceased going round in circles. There were some other behaviors, such as attention to a specific task and sleeping, that were unaffected, but overall the results were promising and according to Yoshizawa, suggest dopamine could be key to how the diet affects behavior.\n\n“We suspect that due to this behavior variation, probably the target of the ketogenic diet is the dopaminergic system,” he said. The challenge now is teasing out all the complex factors that may be involved.\n\nDiet, environment, and genes – a complex recipe\n\nAccording to Yoshizawa, there are two plausible ideas as to how the ketones produced by a ketogenic diet are acting on behavior. The first involves the mitochondria, which use either carbs or fat to produce energy in our cells, and the other involves epigenetics, which simple refers to any non-genetic influence which turns genes on and off.\n\nKetones are known to create detectable increases in gene expression in cells. Pulling apart exactly how things like, diet, environment, genes and neurotransmitters are linked is incredibly difficult but could reveal which pathways are best to target for autism treatments or could identify a specific ketone which works more efficiently than others.\n\nWhile the cavefish are not an exact model for human autism this work shows how these experiments shine light on the biology and evolution of these behavioral conditions and offer new directions for researchers to follow.\n\nReference: Motoko Iwashita, et al. Metabolic shift toward ketosis in asocial cavefish increases social-like affinity, BMC Biology (2023), DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01725-9\n\nFeature image credit: Masato Yoshizawa\n\nCorrection: This article was edited on November 2, 2023. Ryan Lee was originally described as working at the University of Hawai‘i Mānoa. This was incorrect, and has now been corrected to say he works at Shriners Hospital for Children Honolulu.","url":"https://www.advancedsciencenews.com/cavefish-provide-clues-to-the-keto-diets-effect-on-autism-like-behavior/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_f57be40f09b62bed"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_f57be40f09b62bed"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"411ee1d0e20672fec0998e093b15b015382ae2c349c7279372f17c90cc3817b1","source_record_sha256":"e4d6b9bef358182f175ddef7577318a46f2d0c7d4744b16b2e94bb473a84a3f9","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":391,"source_fields":{"title":"Cavefish provide clues to the keto diet’s effect on autism-like behavior","author":"Bradley van Paridon","source":"Advanced Science News","published_at":"2023-11-01T08:00:00+00:00","category":"science","url":"https://www.advancedsciencenews.com/cavefish-provide-clues-to-the-keto-diets-effect-on-autism-like-behavior/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_59dd22af170b940c","text":"Michigan State has hired Jonathan Smith as its next football coach, the school announced on Saturday. Smith, 44, has spent the past six seasons as coach at Oregon State where he's guided the Beavers to 18 wins over the past two seasons, including a 10-3 mark and No. 17 finish in the AP Top 25 during a 2022 campaign that earned him Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors.\n\nSmith was among the initial pool of candidates linked to the Michigan State opening after the Spartans fired fourth-year coach Mel Tucker with cause midseason amid sexual harassment allegations. Smith later emerged as the leading candidate to replace Tucker during the final week of the regular season, which saw Oregon State suffer a 31-7 loss at rival Oregon.\n\n\"Jonathan has a proven track record of success, building the Oregon State program from the ground up by implementing a plan resulting in sustained historic success for the Beavers,\" said Michigan State athletic director Alan Haller in announcing the hire. \"He's been a part of championship staffs, coached in the College Football Playoff, and understands what's required to be successful at the highest level, learning from some of the game's most successful coaches.\n\n\"On the field, his teams are tough and physical, yet innovative. This year, Oregon State has controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, ranking among the nation's leaders in both rushing offense and rushing defense. He's shown not only the ability to recruit talented student-athletes who fit his system, but also to develop and maximize players once they're in the program.\"\n\nSmith, a former quarterback for the Beavers from 1998-2001, exits Oregon State with a 34-35 overall mark as coach, including a 1-1 record in bowl games, as he now joins the Big Ten coaching ranks.\n\n\"As I start this next chapter of my coaching career, I want to first thank all the players, coaches and colleagues I have worked with the last six years,\" Smith said in a statement posted to social media. \"I will cherish the memories and friendships. I also want to express my deepest gratitude to the people of OSU/Corvallis for your support. When I first arrived as a freshman college student, I had no idea the opportunities and relationships this community would provide for me and my family. The collective impact you have made makes it impossible to thank everyone individually, but I am forever grateful.\"\n\nOregon State left in dust amid uncertain future\n\nAlthough Smith narrowly finished below. 500 in six seasons at the helm in Corvallis, Oregon, the Beavers made clear progress during the back half of his tenure. Smith guided Oregon State to seven victories in 2021 after the program went 9-22 during his first three years. The 2022 season, which marked the Beavers' first 10-win season since 2006 and highest AP Top 25 finish since 2000, resulted in a contract extension for Smith through February 2029 that bumped his annual salary to $4.85 million. Oregon State then started the 2023 season 8-2 before dropping back-to-back games against Washington and Oregon.\n\nEarlier in the week, Oregon State athletic director Scott Barnes called it the \"No. 1 priority\" to reach a contract extension with Smith as speculation of this move began to grow. In a statement Saturday after Smith's departure was finalized, Barnes thanked him for his efforts at Oregon State as the Beavers now embark on the search for Smith's replacement.\n\n\"Coach Smith and his staff worked tirelessly to rebuild the culture at Oregon State, both on the field and in the classroom,\" Barnes said. \"All of Beaver Nation should thank him for the lasting legacy he has left to his alma mater and wish him and his family nothing but the best moving forward.\"\n\nSmith held multiple assistant jobs from 2002-17 before returning to his alma mater as coach in 2018. Smith spent six seasons as an assistant under former college football coach Chris Petersen, first as Boise State's quarterbacks coach from 2012-13 and then as Washington's quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator from 2014-17. His time in Seattle included a Pac-12 title and College Football Playoff berth for Washington during the 2016 season.\n\nSmith's exit from Oregon State comes at a point where the Beavers face much uncertainty as the Pac-12 prepares to lose 10 of its 12 members ahead of the 2024 season. Oregon State and Washington State are the only schools in the conference that have not been picked up by other power leagues. Four Pac-12 members -- USC, UCLA, Washington and Oregon -- will join Smith in the Big Ten next fall.\n\nCan Smith turn the Michigan State program around?\n\nThe task now for Smith is revitalizing a Michigan State program that has struggled to field consistent success in recent seasons. After winning 10 or more games six times in a span of eight seasons under former coach Mark Dantonio from 2010-17, the Spartans have only won more than seven games in a season once since then, finishing 11-2 under Tucker's second year at the helm in 2021.\n\nWhat seemed to be a breakthrough season for Tucker in 2021 earned him a 10-year contract extension worth $95 million, but Tucker's remaining tenure in East Lansing was all downhill afterwards. Michigan State regressed to 5-7 in 2022 before allegations of sexual harassment surrounding Tucker against rape survivor and activist Brenda Tracy emerged just two games into the 2023 season. Tucker was promptly suspended before the school fired him with cause several weeks later. The Spartans went on to finish 4-8 with assistant Harlon Barnett serving as interim coach the rest of the way, ending the season with a 42-0 loss to Penn State on Friday.\n\nWhile Michigan State has found itself playing in a stacked Big Ten East division for roughly the last decade -- Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State have all been annual opponents -- that will change in Smith's debut season as the Big Ten expands and does away with divisions. Smith will also get the chance to face some familiar opponents from his time at Oregon State given that four Pac-12 schools are joining the conference. As far as the 2024 season is concerned on that front, Michigan State still faces Ohio State and Michigan (the Wolverines are a protected rival) but avoids Penn State. Oregon is the only newcomer it will face next fall, with the Spartans set to travel to Eugene, Oregon, in early October.","url":"https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/michigan-state-hires-jonathan-smith-oregon-state-coach-leaves-alma-mater-to-take-over-spartans-job/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_0073ab564e554590"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_0073ab564e554590"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"63cf640cc0010ae8d06c085011346312c1b2ecc80fc998655ae762ba4f6c4c0a","source_record_sha256":"ff854a70e91e461253e0fc9930433e3683c74b75fe7c7fd42d418e5e10c392b6","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":411,"source_fields":{"title":"Michigan State hires Jonathan Smith: Oregon State coach leaves alma mater to take over Spartans job","author":"Dean Straka","source":"CBSSports.com","published_at":"2023-11-25T23:12:10+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/michigan-state-hires-jonathan-smith-oregon-state-coach-leaves-alma-mater-to-take-over-spartans-job/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_c2b105edf887c6fe","text":"In a dramatic turn of events late Friday, ex-Y Combinator president Sam Altman was fired as CEO of AI startup OpenAI, the company behind viral AI hits like ChatGPT, GPT-4 and DALL-E 3, by OpenAI’s board of directors. Then, the company’s longtime president and co-founder, Greg Brockman, resigned — as did three senior OpenAI researchers. And the fallout continues.\n\nTip TechCrunch\n\nDo you work at OpenAI and know more about Sam Altman’s departure?\n\nDo you work at OpenAI and know more about Sam Altman’s departure? Get in touch with TechCrunch\n\nIt’s a fast-moving situation that we’re still trying to get to the bottom of. No doubt more will become clear as time goes on. To make it easier to follow all that’s happened in the meantime, though, we’ve put together a timeline; we’ll do our best to keep it current.\n\nTimeline of Sam Altman’s firing from OpenAI\n\nNovember 29\n\nMicrosoft gains a board observer\n\nMicrosoft will gain representation on the new initial board of directors in the form of a non-voting observer, OpenAI announced. It wasn’t immediately clear who this observer might be — only that they won’t have an official vote in board business.\n\nNovember 21\n\nSam Altman, OpenAI reach agreement on return as CEO and ‘initial’ new board\n\nIn a sudden late announcement, OpenAI revealed that it and Altman “have reached an agreement in principle” for him to return as the company’s CEO. In addition to Altman’s return, its new “initial” board will include former Salesforce chief executive Bret Taylor, former US Secretary of the Treasury Larry Summers and Quora founder Adam D’Angelo.\n\nWe have reached an agreement in principle for Sam Altman to return to OpenAI as CEO with a new initial board of Bret Taylor (Chair), Larry Summers, and Adam D'Angelo. We are collaborating to figure out the details. Thank you so much for your patience through this. — OpenAI (@OpenAI) November 22, 2023\n\nAltman also posted about the new deal, giving some insight into the roller coaster that we’ve all been riding since his firing was revealed Friday. In his words, his decision to join Microsoft on Sunday “was the best path for me and the team.” Since then, the new board’s composition and Microsoft’s support appear to have been enough to bring him back to the AI company he co-founded.\n\nAltman and board in talks\n\nOpenAI’s board of directors is reportedly in talks with Sam Altman, ex-Y Combinator president and an OpenAI co-founder, to return to OpenAI as CEO as soon as this week. That’s according to Bloomberg, which in a brief — citing sources close to the matter — said that discussions are happening between Quora CEO Adam D’Angelo, one current member of the OpenAI board, and Altman — and possibly other board members as well.\n\nBoard tensions boil over\n\nThe New York Times reports that, before his ousting, Sam Altman made a move to push out board member Helen Toner because he thought a paper she had co-written was overly critical of OpenAI. That, among other issues, led to OpenAI’s current predicament. Speaking of, The Times indicates that negotiations to hire Altman back continue — but that one major sticking point remaining is “guardrails” meant to improve Altman’s communication with the board.\n\n—\n\nNovember 20\n\nAltman joins Microsoft\n\nSam Altman, Greg Brockman and colleagues announce that they’ll join Microsoft to lead a new AI research team. Nadella leaves the door open to other OpenAI staffers, saying that they’ll be given the resources they need should they choose to join.\n\nSutskever’s mea culpa\n\nSutskever publishes a post on X suggesting that he regrets his decision to remove Altman and that he’ll do everything in his power to reinstate Altman as CEO.\n\nI deeply regret my participation in the board's actions. I never intended to harm OpenAI. I love everything we've built together and I will do everything I can to reunite the company. — Ilya Sutskever (@ilyasut) November 20, 2023\n\nEmployees threaten to resign\n\nNearly 500 of OpenAI’s roughly 770 employees — including, remarkably, Sutskever — publish a letter saying that they might quit unless the startup’s board resigns and reappoints the ousted Altman. Later Monday, that number climbed to over 650.\n\nAltman and Brockman considering return\n\nAs reported by The Verge, Altman’s move to Microsoft isn’t a done deal — and both Altman and Brockman are still open to returning to OpenAI. That is, if the remaining board members who initially fired him step aside.\n\nOpenAI board considers merger\n\nOpenAI’s board of directors approached Dario Amodei, the co-founder and CEO of rival large-language model developer Anthropic, about a potential merger of the two companies, The Information reports. The approach was part of an effort by OpenAI to persuade Amodei to replace Altman as CEO — but Amodei quickly turned down the CEO offer.\n\n—\n\nNovember 19\n\nAltman to meet at OpenAI HQ\n\nAccording to The Information, Altman is expected to meet at OpenAI’s San Francisco headquarters as executives at OpenAI push to have him reinstated as CEO. Brockman was invited to join — but it’s unclear whether he’ll take execs up on that invitation.\n\nBoard negotiations hit a snag\n\nBloomberg reports that Lightcap and Murati, among others, are pushing the board to reinstate Altman. But unsurprisingly, the directors are resisting. As of midday Sunday, the board hadn’t resigned out of concern over who could replace them, and were vetting candidates. One possible new addition could be Salesforce co-CEO Bret Taylor.\n\nAltman out, Shear in\n\nAltman won’t be returning as CEO, according to a report in The Information citing an internal memo sent by Sutskever. As the search for a new permanent CEO continues, OpenAI has appointed Emmett Shear, the co-founder of video streaming site Twitch, as interim CEO — replacing Murati.\n\n—\n\nNovember 18\n\n“Not … in response to malfeasance”\n\nIn an internal memo obtained by Axios sent Saturday morning, OpenAI COO Brad Lightcap said yesterday’s announcement “took [the management team] by surprise” and that management had had “multiple conversations with the board to try to better understand the reasons and process behind their decision.” Discussions were ongoing as of Saturday morning, per the memo.\n\n“We can say definitively that the board’s decision was not made in response to malfeasance or anything related to our financial, business, safety, or security/privacy practices,” Lightcap added. “This was a breakdown in communication between Sam and the board … We still share your concerns about how the process has been handled, are working to resolve the situation, and will provide updates as we’re able.”\n\nOpenAI’s funding in jeopardy\n\nThe planned sale of OpenAI employee shares that would value the startup at about $86 billion could be in jeopardy. The Information, speaking to three sources formerly with the company, reports that they no longer expect the sale — led by Thrive Capital — to happen, or, if it does, to come with a lesser valuation because of the recent turn of events.\n\nAltman planning new venture\n\nAltman has been telling investors that he’s planning to launch a new venture, according to The Information. Brockman is expected to join the effort — whatever form it takes. (Possibly an AI chip startup.)\n\ni love you all. today was a weird experience in many ways. but one unexpected one is that it has been sorta like reading your own eulogy while you’re still alive. the outpouring of love is awesome. one takeaway: go tell your friends how great you think they are. — Sam Altman (@sama) November 18, 2023\n\nInvestors pushing for Altman’s return\n\nInvestors — furious at the turn of events — are reportedly exerting pressure on OpenAI’s board to reinstate Altman, going so far as to recruit Microsoft. Nadella is said to be sympathetic.\n\nBoard agrees to reverse course — in principle\n\nThe Verge reports that the board agreed in principle to resign and to allow Altman and Brockman to return. It waffled, however, missing a deadline yesterday by which many OpenAI staffers were set to leave the company. Altman is said to be ambivalent about coming back and asking for “significant” governance changes.\n\n—\n\nNovember 17\n\nBrockman demoted\n\nBrockman says he got a text from Sutskever shortly after noon on Friday asking for a quick call. After sending a Google Meet link, Brockman was told that he was being removed from the board as chairman “but was vital to the company and would retain his role” as president, and that Altman had been fired.\n\nAltman’s firing publicly announced\n\nOpenAI published a post on its blog announcing the executive shake-up. The company’s management team was aware shortly after.\n\ni loved my time at openai. it was transformative for me personally, and hopefully the world a little bit. most of all i loved working with such talented people. will have more to say about what’s next later. 🫡 — Sam Altman (@sama) November 17, 2023\n\nAll-hands meeting\n\nOpenAI held an all-hands meeting Friday afternoon during which Sutskever defended Altman’s ouster. He dismissed suggestions that pushing Altman out amounted to a “hostile takeover,” and claimed that it was necessary to protect OpenAI’s mission of “making AI beneficial to humanity.”\n\nMicrosoft releases a statement\n\nSatya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft, a major investor in — and partner with — OpenAI, published a statement about Altman’s firing:\n\n“As you saw at Microsoft Ignite this week, we’re continuing to rapidly innovate for this era of AI, with over 100 announcements across the full tech stack from AI systems, models and tools in Azure, to Copilot. Most importantly, we’re committed to delivering all of this to our customers while building for the future. We have a long-term agreement with OpenAI with full access to everything we need to deliver on our innovation agenda and an exciting product roadmap; and remain committed to our partnership, and to Mira and the team. Together, we will continue to deliver the meaningful benefits of this technology to the world.”\n\nBrockman quits\n\nBrockman announced his resignation from OpenAI, citing “today’s news.” After sending a memo internally, he published the text on X.\n\nAfter learning today’s news, this is the message I sent to the OpenAI team: https://t.co/NMnG16yFmm pic.twitter.com/8x39P0ejOM — Greg Brockman (@gdb) November 18, 2023\n\nSenior OpenAI researchers resign\n\nThree senior OpenAI researchers resign after Brockman, including the director of research Jakub Pachocki and head of preparedness Aleksander Madry.\n\n—\n\nNovember 16\n\nIlya Sutskever schedules call with Altman\n\nAccording to a post on X (formerly Twitter) from Brockman, Ilya Sutskever, the chief scientist at OpenAI and a co-founder, texted Altman on Thursday evening about scheduling a Friday noon call.\n\nSam and I are shocked and saddened by what the board did today. Let us first say thank you to all the incredible people who we have worked with at OpenAI, our customers, our investors, and all of those who have been reaching out. We too are still trying to figure out exactly… — Greg Brockman (@gdb) November 18, 2023\n\nMurati told of Altman’s firing\n\nBrockman alleges that Mira Murati, OpenAI’s CTO and now interim CEO, was informed on Thursday night that Altman would be fired.","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/11/18/a-timeline-of-sam-altmans-firing-from-openai-and-the-fallout/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_70a79174b68e14df"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_70a79174b68e14df"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"5d958c541182fbfc3488fe194bd543d709211b5d123a8104297fef7f4ef387ac","source_record_sha256":"06f5a1fa25de05712a9160c5d9207fd554ef1df058507b64191eeef29b2fef39","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":415,"source_fields":{"title":"A timeline of Sam Altman’s firing from OpenAI — and the fallout","author":"Kyle Wiggers","source":"TechCrunch","published_at":"2023-11-18T20:16:46+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/11/18/a-timeline-of-sam-altmans-firing-from-openai-and-the-fallout/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_ef3a370327331180","text":"People in Britain could benefit from a key medical breakthrough next year. They may be given access to the first drugs ever developed to slow the impact of Alzheimer’s disease.\n\nThe first of these medicines – lecanemab – was recently approved in the US and Japan, where treatments using it have already been launched. A second drug, donanemab, is expected to follow soon, and next year it is anticipated that the UK medical authorities will consider both of them for approval in Britain.\n\nThe prospect has raised hopes that, after years of effort, scientists may be closing in on ways to directly tackle the UK’s dementia crisis. About a million people are living with the condition in this country, and this is expected to rise to about 1.7 million by 2040 – with potentially grim consequences. Last year dementia took the lives of 66,000 people in England and Wales, and it is now the leading cause of death in Britain, with Alzheimer’s accounting for two-thirds of cases.\n\nUntil now doctors have only been able to prescribe medicines that help patients manage their symptoms, so the arrival of the first drugs that treat the actual cause of the condition has been welcomed – although experts have warned that their use should be treated with some caution.\n\nAfter decades of research, these are the first drugs to improve patients’ lives directly. If nothing else, they suggest we’re on the right road to tackling Alzheimer’s\n\n“The new drugs slow down the development of Alzheimer’s by six months to a year and are useful only for those in the early stages of the condition, so they are certainly not miracle medicines,” said David Thomas, head of policy at Alzheimer’s Research UK.\n\n“However, after decades of research, they are the first to improve patients’ lives directly, and that is a justifiable cause for excitement. If nothing else, they suggest we are probably on the right road to tackling Alzheimer’s.”\n\nThis point was backed by neurologist Cath Mummery, of the Dementia Research Centre at University College London. “It has been a very long, hard road, but finally we have something positive to look at. That is very welcome.”\n\nAlzheimer’s disease is triggered by the buildup of a protein called amyloid in the brain, although symptoms may not appear for decades after this accretion has started. Scientists have tried for more than 20 years to find ways to stop amyloid from forming these plaques, in the hope this would stop the progression of the disease.\n\nLecanemab, which is produced by Japanese pharmaceutical company Eisai, and donanemab, produced by Eli Lilly of the US, are the first medicines to achieve this aim – though they only slow but do not ultimately halt the disease’s progression.\n\nGraeme Armstrong with wife Trina, who has a rare form of Alzheimer’s.\n\nBoth drugs are to be considered for approval in the UK next year. The Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) will first decide if they are safe and effective, then the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) will rule on whether they offer value for money.\n\nBoth medicines are expensive – lecanemab costs about $25,000 (£19,700) a year – and are given by regular intravenous infusions. “That is a challenge from a health-service point of view, because you need to find the space and time to put someone in an infusion suite to treat them,” added Thomas.\n\nHowever, the main problem facing doctors is the difficulty involved in pinpointing dementia not just in its early stages but even in its later phases. Most cases are first presented to GPs, who will then refer patients to memory clinics for a dementia test. However there are long waiting times – up to two years on average – for appointments at these centres.\n\nIn addition, diagnosing Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia is usually based on pen-and-paper tests, followed by lumbar punctures and brain scans before a final diagnosis.\n\nAbout 65% of cases are confirmed this way. The remaining third of dementia cases are never diagnosed. Yet patients can only expect to receive treatments – including the new drugs – if their condition is identified.\n\nEleanor Mackenzie-Smith’s father, Mike, has young-onset Alzheimer’s. His first symptoms were spotted 17 years ago, when Eleanor was 11. “However, it took over 10 years from the start of his symptoms and four separate tests between 2009 and 2017 to get my dad’s final diagnosis, when he was 65. It was distressing not knowing what was happening. Too many families, like mine, have had to watch as dementia takes hold of our loved ones while we are left without a diagnosis and the support and access to treatments.”\n\nIt took 10 years for Mike Mackenzie-Smith to get a diagnosis of young-onset Alzheimer’s.\n\nAnother grim illustration of the problem facing patients is provided by Graeme Armstrong. His wife, Trina, began having trouble recognising faces and reading telephone numbers in 2006 and was told, after a CT scan three years later, that she had probably had a stroke – although her symptoms did not suggest such a diagnosis. It took another three years before she was diagnosed with posterior cortical atrophy, a rare variant of Alzheimer’s disease that affects the way the brain interprets information from the eyes.\n\n“Had we had an accurate diagnosis four years earlier, Trina could have been placed on the correct medication, which may have been more effective and helped her day to day,” Armstrong said.\n\nOne solution sought by doctors involves the creation of blood tests which could pinpoint the disease quickly and effectively. “These are under research, but we are several years away from having them in widespread use,” said Thomas. “Meanwhile, we have got to get the NHS to a state where it is much more focused and better organised in getting better and earlier dementia diagnoses. That will be crucial in our battle against the condition.”\n\nMummery agreed: “By the time you have dementia, you will have had Alzheimer’s disease developing in your brain for at least 20 years. Dementia is the latest stage; we need to pick up signals much earlier. So we need to be thinking about how to diagnose people at the very earliest stages of disease, when they may only have very, very subtle symptoms.\n\nWe are now exploring ways of helping drugs get into the brain much more efficiently, and that could have a major impact Cath Mummery\n\n“Our current service isn’t good for doing that, and we need to develop brain health clinics where we can pinpoint the disease much earlier, then help to build resilience against dementia in a patient when it is only in a very early stage.”\n\nIn the long term, scientists also point to a number of recent developments which have raised hopes that it may be possible to tackle dementia more directly and effectively. One major challenge they have faced is the problem of getting drugs to pass through the blood-brain barrier, which controls the movement of ions and molecules from our bodies to our brains. That makes it difficult to get drugs into the central nervous system to tackle problems such as amyloid plaques.\n\n“However, researchers are developing active transport methods for getting drugs across the blood-brain barrier,” said Mummery. “For example, we are now exploring ways of helping drugs get into the brain much more efficiently, and that could have a major impact.”\n\nSuch developments will take years to realise, scientists caution, and a great deal needs to be done in the short term to deal with dementia.\n\n“It is clear we have taken a step in the right direction but there is much more to do before we can have successfully dealt with these processes that are happening to our brains,” said Thomas. “It is a challenge, and a very important one.”","url":"https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/dec/17/new-alzheimers-drugs-bring-hope-of-slowing-disease-for-uk-patients","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_badcaa1a3ec1b24e"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_badcaa1a3ec1b24e"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"b44150ffe7af28f36396c44e7651955d2f9c42ddcca92842a173d0703bd69bef","source_record_sha256":"ee3f7e2ea5fef6d9af895046ba37c8c02086ab048e0247210a6a37a8edce8802","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":427,"source_fields":{"title":"New Alzheimer’s drugs bring hope of slowing disease for UK patients","author":"Robin McKie, Science Editor","source":"The Guardian","published_at":"2023-12-17T10:00:23+00:00","category":"science","url":"https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/dec/17/new-alzheimers-drugs-bring-hope-of-slowing-disease-for-uk-patients"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_eab707d4e443497f","text":"The deep sea has become a \"realm of myth and darkness,\" says ocean explorer Jon Copley. (Image credit: inusuke via Getty Images)\n\nOcean explorer Jon Copley has completed dozens of dives to the darkest corners of the deep sea. Yet he is still amazed every time he encounters the strange life forms that thrive there. Over the past 25 years, Copley has traveled to the world's deepest hydrothermal vents , to Antarctica's icy \"midnight zone\" and to spectacular undersea mountain chains across the planet.\n\nAs a professor of ocean exploration and science communication at the University of Southampton in the U.K., Copley dedicates much of his time to addressing the myriad questions and myths surrounding the deep sea. His new book \"Deep Sea: 10 Things You Should Know\" (Orion Publishing, 2023) takes a fascinating look at some of the harshest habitats on Earth.\n\nIn a video interview with Live Science, Copley described the latest discoveries and where deep sea research is heading in a warming world.\n\nSascha Pare: Four years ago, when I was a student sitting in your deep sea ecology lectures, you had just published your first book, \"Ask an Ocean Explorer\" (Hodder & Stoughton, 2019). That book had 25 chapters, each answering a question that people commonly ask you as a deep sea biologist. What did you set out to do in \"Deep Sea: 10 Things You Should Know\"?\n\nRelated: Bizarre, alien-like creature discovered deep in Atlantic Ocean has 20 gangly arms\n\nJon Copley: This new book answers the top 10 questions that I know people have about the deep sea and also tackles some of the myths and popular misconceptions that we sometimes hear. The shorter format is an opportunity to focus and update the information — there have been quite a few discoveries in lots of different aspects of deep sea biology since I wrote \"Ask an Ocean Explorer.\"\n\nWe know far more about the deep ocean and its inhabitants than about the moon or Mars, says Jon Copley. (Image credit: Giordano Cipriani via Getty Images)\n\nSP: Research has made great strides in recent years, I'm sure. What are some of the most exciting, new discoveries you discuss in the book?\n\nJC: We're finding out a lot more about how deep sea animals interact with each other and their environment. An area where we've seen a lot of interesting papers over the past five years has been in sensory ecology — realizing how animals perceive their environment, how they respond to that, how they avoid being seen by predators... It was nice to bring some of those together in a couple of the chapters.\n\nSP: Some of the chapters focus on dispelling misconceptions people might have about what's down there in the ocean. What, to your mind, is the biggest, most pervasive myth about the deep sea?\n\nJC: It's the idea that we know almost nothing about it. There's this very popular idea that we know more about the moon or Mars than the deep ocean. That's only really true for one very specific aspect of knowledge — having a detailed map of the terrain of its solid surface — because the moon and Mars are not covered in seawater, which blocks radar and means we have to use sonar in the deep ocean. Apart from that, we know far more about the deep ocean than those other places.\n\nSP: The deep sea has attracted a lot of attention recently in the advent of deep sea mining . How worried are you about that?\n\nJC: I think it's great that deep sea mining has made people care more about the deep ocean, but it hasn't actually started yet and research does not support some of the more hyperbolic headlines.\n\nRelated: More than 5,000 new species found in 'pristine' deep-sea wilderness. But they could soon be wiped out.\n\nThere's a lot of research focused on how we're going to manage mining, if it does go ahead. And there are some habitat types in the deep ocean that we don't need to do further research on, because we know they are so vulnerable. We know that we would risk species extinction at active hydrothermal vents, for example, because they're a tiny habitat globally — just 50 square kilometers [19 square miles] — with more than 400 animal species not found in any other habitat type. But I'm confident that we will see protection for active hydrothermal vents, because we scientists have been saying that for years.\n\nHydrothermal vents are some of the most vulnerable deep sea habitats and home to 400 animal species not found anywhere else. (Image credit: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)\n\nSP: Deep sea mining is perhaps more manageable in terms of its impacts than other human activities. If not mining, what is the biggest human threat to the deep sea?\n\nJC: To my mind, it's climate change . And it affects the deep ocean in lots of different ways. The one that concerns me particularly is deoxygenation — the reduction in oxygen levels — because deep sea animals need oxygen and they get it from the seawater.\n\nOxygen is carried down by currents that form in the polar regions and sink and spread throughout the deep ocean. As a result of climate change, the ocean is getting warmer and that means it can't carry as much dissolved oxygen . When water is warmer, the metabolism of things living in the water runs faster and they use up oxygen more quickly, so that makes the problem even worse. And thirdly, we know that the currents carrying oxygen down to the deep ocean are weakening , because melting ice sheets are making the water fresher and blocking the formation of dense water than sinks.\n\nThose currents take centuries to complete their journey, which means the changes we have already made are going to carry on being felt for centuries. The deep ocean is already on track to have 10% less oxygen overall globally than it did in preindustrial times by 2400. It's hard to predict what the knock-on effects are going to be, but they are going to be widespread and they are coming.\n\nSP: You dedicate much of your time to communicating deep sea science with lay audiences. Why is that so important to you?\n\nJC: I enjoy talking to people about the deep sea because it's not somewhere we think about every day. We can go out at night and if we look at the sky, we might wonder about what's going on up there. But you can't glance into the deep sea in the same way, so it has become a realm of myth and darkness. Even the names of the deepest bits of the deep sea — the abyssal plains and the hadal zone — evoke that kind of underworld. It's nice to be able to shine a light on that for people and to highlight how our lives are connected to it.\n\nThe deep sea and the names we give some its features evoke \"some kind of underworld,\" says Jon Copley. (Image credit: A. Martin UW Photography via Getty Images)\n\nSP: Speaking of the sky, how does exploring the deep ocean inform the search for life outside our solar system ?\n\nJC: Deep sea exploration has shown us that the range of conditions under which life can thrive is far greater than we imagined. The idea that chemosynthesis — where life is powered by a form of chemical energy instead of sunlight with photosynthesis — could sustain whole populations of animal species was impossible, until we discovered hydrothermal vents and other, similar habitats.\n\nDeep sea vents also glow very faintly — too faintly for the human eye to see, but bright enough that microbes can use it as an energy source. Again, it expands our notion of what's possible in the cosmos, because you don't necessarily have to be that close to a bright star, potentially, to sustain life.\n\n\"Deep Sea: 10 Things You Should Know\" is available in the U.K. to order on Amazon .\n\nThis interview has been condensed and lightly edited for length.\n\nDeep sea creatures have evolved extreme strategies to cope with their environment. Read about the trials and tribulations of their sex lives in this excerpt from \"Deep Sea: 10 Things You Should Know.\"","url":"https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/rivers-oceans/we-know-far-more-about-the-deep-ocean-than-the-moon-or-mars-says-explorer-jon-copley","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_4a523869ee37758b"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_4a523869ee37758b"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"94479b4a0acc4fd433a405fadd948d89436a36f4c09263b477d9852e80d6bb97","source_record_sha256":"2f0156d70ca1fa192946db2eec58c1e32ffb0089e97feeb057019fe11d76bd5d","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":459,"source_fields":{"title":"'We know far more about the deep ocean than the moon or Mars,' says explorer Jon Copley","author":"sascha.pare@futurenet.com (Sascha Pare)","source":"Live Science: The Most Interesting Articles","published_at":"2023-09-28T11:01:16+00:00","category":"science","url":"https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/rivers-oceans/we-know-far-more-about-the-deep-ocean-than-the-moon-or-mars-says-explorer-jon-copley"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_b3a4bfb625773ba8","text":"Inostrancevia is a genus from the extinct group Theriodontia that appeared during the Middle Permian. (Image credit: Stocktrek Images/Getty Images)\n\nThe excerpt below is taken from \"Our Fragile Moment: How Lessons from Earth's Past Can Help Us Survive the Climate Crisis\" (Hachette Book Group, 2023), by Michael Mann. It looks at how climate change following the Cambrian explosion caused the biggest mass extinction on Earth — dooming the creatures set to dominate and set the stage for dinosaurs to rule.\n\nThe mechanisms that can freeze the planet, as was the case with Snowball Earth can also lead to inhospitably hot climates, when enough carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere. Arguably the greatest extinction event of all time — called the Great Dying — appears to have resulted, at least in part, from a massive heat-inducing release of carbon into the atmosphere 250 million years ago.\n\nIs this ancient event a possible analog for a sixth, human-caused, climate-change-driven mass extinction today? In answering this question, we will at times work our way through some details of the science, but the payoff is that we will see not just that scientists are able to unravel such mysteries, but how they do it.\n\nIn the late Proterozoic eon, around 550 million years ago, Earth had thawed out from a series of major glaciations, perhaps even global snowball conditions. The end of the Proterozoic marked the beginning of a brand new era — the Paleozoic, which extended from around 540 million to 251 million years ago.\n\nThe first period of the Paleozoic — the Cambrian — saw a remarkable explosion in the diversity of life, known, appropriately, as the Cambrian explosion. Most of the life that exists today emerged during the first 10 million years of that period, including the first complex multicellular life and familiar groups such as mollusks and crustaceans.\n\nThe ancient supercontinent of Gondwana, which formed around 600 million years ago. (Image credit: Mark Garlick/Science Photo Library/Getty Images)\n\nAmong the reasons for this remarkable diversification was a sustained rise in oxygen from photosynthetic life. Higher levels of oxygen allowed for more diverse, multicellular organisms because they require oxygen in high enough concentrations that it can reach interior cells. The stratospheric ozone layer, which had developed during the Neoproterozoic era (1 billion to 538 million years ago), protected animals from the sun's damaging ultraviolet rays and helped populate the land. Some researchers even argue for a possible \"bottleneck\" effect, where the few life-forms that survived the Neoproterozoic ice ages (Snowball Earth or not) were able to rapidly fill emerging niches as Earth thawed.\n\nRelated: 'Once again, innovation and proliferation ended with catastrophe': The environmental disaster of plants taking over the world\n\nA major glacial event occurred at the end of the following period of the Paleozoic, the Ordovician, around 450 million years ago, as chemical weathering outpaced the volcanic emissions of gas and atmospheric CO2 levels dropped. The resulting cooling caused a buildup in ice mass on the large South Pole–centered supercontinent of Gondwana. Sea levels dropped. Much of the coastal habitat that had been home to primitive mollusks and crustaceans disappeared. Some of the creatures scraped by, but about half of all existing genuses perished. Much as we can only wonder today what knowledge was lost in the ransacking of the Library of Alexandria, we can also ponder what sort of magnificent creatures born of the Cambrian explosion were lost. Welcome to the first of the widely recognized global mass extinction events. It will hardly be the last we encounter.\n\nThe most well-known extinction event ended the reign of the dinosaurs roughly 66 million years ago. But the deadliest extinction event took place at the end of the Permian period, roughly 250 million years ago. It is referred to in the scientific community as the Permian-Triassic (or P-T for short) extinction, but because an estimated 90% of all Permian species disappeared from the face of the planet, it has earned a nickname: the Great Dying. Marine organisms were hit especially hard, with 96% of species perishing. Gone were the trilobites so familiar to amateur fossil collectors everywhere — primitive arthropods that were the distant ancestors of the modern horseshoe crab. Having survived the earlier Ordovician extinction event, their own nearly 300-million-year moment had come to an end.\n\nA giant dragonfly from the Carboniferous period that was wiped out in the Great Dying mass extinction. (Image credit: Mark Garlick/Science Photo Library/Getty Images)\n\nNot only were the vast majority of marine invertebrates gone, but so were the earliest fish species. On land, more than two thirds of amphibian and reptile species and nearly one third of insect species were wiped out. Another iconic species, a giant dragonfly called Meganeuropsis with a nearly three-foot (0.9 meter) wingspan that is often included in artist depictions of the Carboniferous period — and to this day still haunts my nightmares — was now gone.\n\nThe P-T extinction event wiped out many of the groups that had dominated life on land, freeing up ecological niches to be filled by new organisms, including reptiles such as crocodiles and the earliest dinosaurs. Once again, there were both winners and losers. Who won and who lost, in this case, came down to geology and geochemical weathering cycles.\n\nDinosaurs, it turns out, were direct beneficiaries of the P-T extinction event.\n\nMidway through the Paleozoic, around 420 million years ago, we saw the emergence of plants with roots, stems, and leaves, which as we now know helped accelerate chemical weathering by producing acids that dissolve rock, helping cycle water from the soil back into the atmosphere. This may have led to a slow, steady decrease in atmospheric CO2 levels through the late Paleozoic. The spread of these vascular plants, however, also led to a new source of organic matter that could be buried on land or carried off in rivers for ocean burial. Increased burial of organic matter causes rising atmospheric oxygen levels because that organic matter is the product of photosynthesis, which splits up oxygen and carbon atoms. The carbon, once buried, is no longer available to cannibalize the liberated oxygen. In the Paleozoic, oxygen concentrations climbed as high as 35% (almost twice the current concentration of 21%).\n\nThose high oxygen levels favored synapsids, creatures with a high metabolism, featuring a single hole in each side of their skull that led to improved jaw function. They were part of a diverse group of four-legged terrestrial animals, including carnivores, insectivores, and herbivores, that first arose in the late Carboniferous and would evolve into the group we today know as mammals.\n\nSkull of a Rubidgeinae, an extinct subfamily of gorgonopsid therapsids. (Image credit: RMDobson/Getty Images)\n\nBy the early Permian, they were the dominant terrestrial species. By the mid-Permian, another group of proto-mammals — the possibly warm-blooded, somewhat rodent-like therapsids — emerged and became the new dominant species. By the late Permian, they may have even developed fur. One group, known as Theriodontia (Latin for \"beast tooth\"), displayed a number of evolutionary innovations: A shift in the bones supporting the jaw allowed the jaw to open wider, and may have aided hearing as well. The skull and teeth became larger, the teeth more specialized, and the jaw more powerful. They seemed primed to take over. But it was not to be.\n\nEverything changed at the Permian-Triassic boundary. Levels of CO2 spiked. That led to massive warming. Plate tectonics by now had brought all the continents together into a single giant continent — Pangea — straddled across the equator. It was already difficult for maritime moisture to penetrate deep into the center of the continent. Rapid greenhouse warming made it even hotter and drier, according both to climate model simulations of the end of the Permian and analyses of the fossil river deposits from Pangean floodplains. The sudden drying would have led to the massive die-off of the tenuous, moisture-dependent forests that had arisen over the course of the Paleozoic. That meant less burial of organic matter on land, assisted perhaps by decreased carbon export to the deep oceans due to a collapsing marine food web. Atmospheric oxygen levels appear to have dropped precipitously as a result, reaching concentrations as low as 15% at the P-T boundary.\n\nPlummeting oxygen levels helped dinosaurs become the dominant group on Earth. (Image credit: Roger Harris/SPL/Getty Images)\n\nThe drop in oxygen was a further contributor to the mass die-off. The combination of greenhouse warming and low oxygen would have led to widespread hypoxia — a state where organisms simply cannot take in enough oxygen to support metabolism. That's where the dinosaurs come in. The proto-mammals that had come to dominance during the Permian — the synapsids and therapsids — had thrived off high oxygen levels. But as oxygen concentrations dropped, they were now poorly suited to their environment.\n\nEnter the diapsids, a wide-ranging group of tetrapod vertebrates that first emerged during the Carboniferous around 300 million years ago. They include the reptiles, birds, and now-extinct dinosaurs. What distinguished them from their relatives, the synapsids and therapsids, was the presence of two holes (instead of one) on each side of their skull. One subgroup of synapsids, known as archosaurs — which includes crocodilians and the earliest dinosaurs — exploited that innovation to develop a more efficient respiratory system that could make more effective use of the available oxygen. That gave them a leg up on the competition when oxygen levels plummeted at the P-T boundary. Dinosaurs, it turns out, were direct beneficiaries of the P-T extinction event.\n\nOnly a handful of proto-mammals survived. One group that did was known as Cynodontia (\"dog teeth\"). They were our ancestors, and the ancestors of all mammals. At first, they probably looked somewhat like a huge, scaly rat, growing to as much as six feet (1.8 m) in length. Truly a Rodent of Unusual Size if ever there was one. But by the end of the Triassic, they had shrunk to the size of modern-day field mice, hiding behind rocks from their reptilian predators.\n\nExcerpted from \"Our Fragile Moment: How Lessons from Earth's Past Can Help Us Survive the Climate Crisis\" by Michael E. Mann. Copyright © 2023. Available from PublicAffairs, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, Inc.","url":"https://www.livescience.com/animals/extinct-species/they-seemed-primed-to-take-over-how-the-great-dying-doomed-the-beast-tooth-and-set-the-stage-for-the-dawn-of-the-dinosaurs","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_4a523869ee37758b"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_4a523869ee37758b"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"fbad4104fc6ba6851cc00af386389ffe31f009f1058e2bb0deb6e567fd2ce626","source_record_sha256":"40724d3ee61ea08faf234832ec6b908720d81cfc3a889aa1e6783249d5b0dc3d","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":460,"source_fields":{"title":"'They seemed primed to take over': How the Great Dying doomed the 'beast tooth' and set the stage for the dawn of the dinosaurs","author":null,"source":"Live Science: The Most Interesting Articles","published_at":"2023-10-01T08:00:25+00:00","category":"science","url":"https://www.livescience.com/animals/extinct-species/they-seemed-primed-to-take-over-how-the-great-dying-doomed-the-beast-tooth-and-set-the-stage-for-the-dawn-of-the-dinosaurs"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_06bc8ec253404962","text":"We recently presented a paper at the 5th Paderanga-Varela Memorial Lecture entitled “Alternate Service Delivery Systems: Health and Education.” In that lecture, we looked at the Department of Health (DoH) and the Department of Education (DepEd) as service delivery systems, delivering healthcare and education respectively.\n\nWe concluded that the service delivery system of the DoH is far superior to the DepEd for two main reasons. The first is that the DoH has devolved its hospitals to the local government units while the DepEd has not. Secondly, the DoH has spun off its health financing into the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) while the DepEd has not. In this article we argue for the creation of the Philippine Education Development Fund (PhilEd).\n\nWhen Isidro Consunji, President of DMCI Holdings, Inc. was asked by his officers what the role of his Chief Financial Officer (CFO) would be, he gave a three-word answer, “Fund my dreams.”\n\nLikewise the role of PhilEd would be to fund the education dreams of all Filipinos especially the neediest and most deserving.\n\nFilipinos have three dreams in education. The first is to enroll in a chosen course in the school of their choice. This dream will be funded by the School Vouchers Program which will now be transferred from DepEd to PhilEd.\n\nThe second dream, especially for Filipino parents, is to save enough money to fund the college education of their children, hence the prevalence of pre-need Educational Plans. Unfortunately, most of the pre-need companies went into bankruptcies causing financial ruin and emotional distress to their plan holders. There has been a massive market failure and so government must intervene. But intervention should not involve the government offering educational plans but rather in insuring these plans. Just as the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) insures the bank deposits of Filipinos, so will the PhilEd insure their educational plans. Just like PDIC which is funded from the premiums paid by the banks, PhilEd will fund this program from the premiums by the educational plan companies. PhilEd will be ideally suited to do this as it could swap the failed educational plans with school vouchers from its repository of school vouchers.\n\nThe third dream is based on the realization of Filipino school graduates that their learning must continue even as they leave their alma maters. For in this modern age, the fount of personal knowledge must continuously be replenished. In healthcare, we have the Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) which continuously monitor and minister to our health. We need Lifelong Learning Organizations (LLOs) to continuously monitor and minister to our learning. HMOs exist in the Philippines. LLOs do not. In partnership with the international development agencies and the private sector, PhilEd will create this industry. The international development agencies will provide the technical assistance grants that will create the developmental and regulatory framework for the industry while the private sector will organize the LLOs. PhilEd will be the “bastonero” or project manager, managing the project as well as mobilizing government support and assistance.\n\nFAPE or the Fund for Assistance to Private Education was a part of the Special Fund for Education set aside by the American government in 1963 from the surplus funds authorized by the War Damage Act of 1962 and organized under Executive Order 156 issued by President Ferdinand Marcos on Nov. 5, 1968.\n\nFrom the initial seed money of $6,154,000 or P215 million (based on the 1968 peso to dollar exchange rate), the FAPE fund in 55 years had barely grown to P277 million. In contrast the trustees managing the fund have expanded their services, basically as service provider to the DepEd. As a consequence, it has been spun off as a separate organization, the Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC).\n\nOver the years, PEAC has evolved into co-implementing externally funded programs, namely the DepEd’s Education Service Contracting (ESC), Teachers’ Salary Subsidy (TSS), the SHS Voucher Program (SHS VP), the In-Service Training (INSET), and the Bayanihan for Basic Education (BBE) as well as implementing internally funded programs of assistance for private education in the areas of training, school quality assurance, school improvement programs, and grants programs.\n\nIn sum, the PEAC has been an effective instrument to operationalize “complementarity” between private and public schools as provided in the Philippine Constitution. It has also been an incorruptible partner of the education agencies in efficiently co-implementing national subsidy programs for students and teachers in private schools.\n\nWe propose that FAPE/PEAC structure and organization be moved to PhilEd. Operationally this would mean folding into PhilEd, the roles and responsibilities of FAPE and PEAC as well as their financial resources.\n\nFolding FAPE/PEAC into PhilEd would mean the transfer of the funds of FAPE amounting to P277 million as of May 31, 2022 as well as the assets and liabilities of PEAC amounting to P567 million as of May 31, 2022.\n\nThe DepEd programs presently being managed by PEAC and lodged in the DepEd budget such as the Educational Service Contracting (ESC) of P9.3 billion in School Year 2021-2022, the Senior High School Voucher Program of P20.3 billion in School Year 2021-2022, and the Teachers Salaries’ Subsidy of P793 million in School Year 2021-2022 will now be lodged in PhilEd.\n\nThe present Board of Trustees of the Fund which consists of the Secretary of Education as Chairman with the Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority, the three Presidents of the Association of Christian Schools, Colleges and Universities (ACSCU), the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) and the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU) shall also constitute the proposed Board of Trustees of the PhilEd.\n\nThe management team of PEAC will be the incoming management team of PhilEd.\n\nInterestingly, PhilHealth, in addition to premiums collected from members as well as subsidies from local governments who have enrolled indigents in the program, receives a share of the “sin taxes” collected from Tobacco and Sugar Sweetened Beverage. The justification for this is that tobacco smokers and sugar sweetened beverage drinkers impose an additional burden on the healthcare system of the Filipinos and so must contribute to their health services. In Fiscal Year 2022, this amounted to P74 billion.\n\nMoreover, under the Universal Health Care Law, PhilHealth receives 50% of the government share from the income of the Philippine Amusement Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) as well as 40% of the Charity Fund of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO). In 2022, this amounted to P188 billion.\n\nIn like manner, in addition to the school vouchers funded under the Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act, we suggest that PhilEd be allocated a share of the taxes imposed on our extractive industries. This is based on the argument that the depletion of our natural resources can only be justified if the taxes collected will enhance our human resources.\n\nLike PhilHealth, PhilEd could also be mandated to receive a percentage from the collection of documentary stamps which have recently been raised.\n\nFinally, PhilEd can be given access to the Special Education Funds of the local school boards of the Local Government.\n\nCongress enacted Republic Act 7875, known as “The National Health Insurance Act of 1995,” which created PhilHealth. We are hoping some members of Congress would file a Universal Education Financing Law which would create PhilEd.\n\nDr. Victor S. Limlingan is a retired professor of AIM and a fellow of the Foundation for Economic Freedom. He is presently chairman of Cristina Research Foundation, a public policy adviser and Regina Capital Development Corp., a member of the Philippine Stock Exchange.","url":"https://www.bworldonline.com/opinion/2023/11/13/556961/from-fape-peac-to-philed/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_9585753613d779ac"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_9585753613d779ac"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"a07f1e2d850f160ac073b1ca174220b142c2810e9fcdda36b5047d9699322e04","source_record_sha256":"c58649bb53297e0d75db36ad56ad6cde95e7a422f95b05bb89132a9b8c7a2fab","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":463,"source_fields":{"title":"From FAPE/PEAC to PhilEd","author":"BusinessWorld","source":"Business World","published_at":"2023-11-12T16:04:21+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://www.bworldonline.com/opinion/2023/11/13/556961/from-fape-peac-to-philed/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_a14da1999b578a7d","text":"Hipgnosis Songs Fund (HSF), the UK-listed music rights fund, looks likely to hold its all-important 2023 ‘continuation vote’ on Thursday, October 26, according to an announcement from the firm today.\n\nWhy’s that ‘likely’ rather than ‘definitely’? Because there’s still a possibility it might get bumped into November – the reasons for which we’ll get into later in this article.\n\nThe ‘continuation vote’ will take place at HSF’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), and will see the firm’s shareholders vote on whether to keep the entity going as a closed-ended investment entity i.e. a publicly-traded bundle of music rights.\n\nHow will that vote go? Obviously we don’t know yet – and there’s the small matter of a $440 million transaction looming that could potentially influence things.\n\nEven so: one wonders if some new changes at HSF, announced today, are related to this ‘continuation vote’ – and whether or not they amount to concessions to help keep HSF investors happy and confident in the firm’s long-term prospects… and voting ‘yes, let’s keep going’.\n\nThe shareholder frustration: NAV vs. public market\n\nFirst, a bit of important context.\n\nThe fundamental revenue performance of HSF doesn’t seem to be under scrutiny from shareholders: the company posted its best-ever revenues in the 12 months to end of March, while streaming ‘pro-forma’ revenue was up 14.8% YoY in calendar 2022.\n\nWhere HSF shareholders – as well as its management – are finding frustration is in the current gulf between the firm’s ‘operative Net Asset Value’ (‘operative NAV’) and its value on the public market (i.e. its share price).\n\nFor example: On September 14, HSF’s market cap stood at approximately GBP £1.125 billion, which represented a 40% discount on the firm’s operative NAV of USD $2.316 billion as of the end of March this year.\n\n(Said ‘operative NAV’ was calculated by an independent valuer – Citrin Cooperman – using a discount rate of 8.5%.)\n\nThis is where the importance of that potential $440 million transaction comes in.\n\nAs MBW reported earlier this month, Hipgnosis Songs Fund’s shareholders are currently considering a proposal to sell 29 of the company’s catalogs to another Hipgnosis company – the Blackstone-backed Hipgnosis Songs Capital (HSC) – for USD $440 million.\n\nThat potential transaction is being managed for both HSF and HSC by two separate teams within their mutual investment advisor, Hipgnosis Song Management (HSM), which is run and part-owned by Merck Mercuriadis.\n\nWhen it announced its intention to explore the $440 million catalog sale to HSC two weeks ago, Hipgnosis Songs Fund confirmed that one of its motivating factors was that the transaction could potentially act “as a catalyst for a re-rating of [HSF’s] share price”.\n\nAka: Increasing that share price to bring it up closer to the current operative NAV of the company.\n\nHSC’s $440 million offer to acquire the 29 catalogs, HSF confirmed earlier this month, equates to a 26% increase on the amount HSF paid for those catalogs to acquire them in the past.\n\nThe $440 million price also reflects a +51% premium on the value of the 29 catalogs implied by Hipgnosis Songs Fund’s public market cap for the 30 days ending September 13.\n\nWhat happened today?\n\nAmongst the news confirmed by HSF today (September 28) is that the firm’s Chair of its board since 2018, Andrew Sutch, 73, is stepping down, both as HSF board Chair and as a director of the company.\n\nHSF says it’s begun a process to recruit a new Chair; Sutch (pictured inset) will leave his post as and when this person is hired, or in any case before HSF’s AGM next year (in Q4 2024).\n\nIn addition, Andrew Wilkinson, 72, has informed the HSF board of his intention to retire as a board director, which will reduce the company’s board to five directors.\n\nHSF also confirmed a number of other new measures in a ‘circular’ to its shareholders today.\n\nThese measures included the fact that, if Hipgnosis Songs Fund shareholders vote to remain a publicly-traded fund (via that 2023 ‘continuation vote’) at the firm’s next AGM, then another ‘continuation vote’ will be put in front of HSF shareholders at an Extraordinary General Meeting in January 2026.\n\n(The ‘continuation vote’ that will take place in Q4 2023 has been scheduled ever since HSF went public in 2018 – i.e. five years after it floated. The 2026 ‘Continuation Vote’, as newly-agreed, means another one is now being scheduled for around two years’ time.)\n\nIn addition, HSF today confirmed some new amendments to its ‘Investment Advisory Agreement’ (IAA) with HSM.\n\nThese amendments would give HSM a 12-month notice period as HSF’s investment advisor should the IAA be terminated at any point following the upcoming 2023 ‘continuation vote’.\n\nAnother clause in the new IAA: If HSF’s share price stands at an average discount to ‘operative NAV’ of 10% or more across the month of January 2025 (with that NAV determined at the time of publication of HSF’s interim report for the period to September 30, 2024), the HSF board says it intends to serve notice to terminate the IAA with HSM.\n\nHowever, HSF’s board has also given itself the freedom to un-terminate the IAA during the entire notice period that would follow (e.g. if HSF’s board serves 12-month notice on HSM at the end of January 2025, it would have until the end of January 2026 to withdraw its termination decision).\n\nOne factor potentially making the future termination of HSM as HSF’s investment advisor less likely? MBW understands that, in such a scenario, HSM would have a first-refusal option to acquire HSF’s copyright portfolio – and could potentially turn to Blackstone (i.e. the backers of Hipgnosis Songs Capital) to find the money to pull off such an acquisition.\n\nWhy the $440 million offer is connected to the date of HSF’s ‘continuation vote’\n\nWhile HSF shareholders are considering the $440 million offer from HSC to buy the 29 catalogs, other non-Hipgnosis companies are also being invited to make bids for the same portfolio.\n\nThose bids are enabled by a ‘go-shop’ clause in the HSF/HSC proposal that allows the HSF board to consider these non-Hipgnosis approaches for a limited period (until 11.59pm on October 23, to be precise).\n\nToday (September 28), HSF informed its investors that “credible third parties are already engaged in this go-shop process” following its announcement on September 14.\n\nAs we’ve previously reported, there are potential obstacles in the way of these third parties’ bids. These include the fact that HSM (on behalf of HSC) has a ‘matching right’, meaning that if HSC decides to match the higher bid of a rival, HSF has to sell the catalogs to it – rather than the rival.\n\nIn addition, any ‘superior’ offer would have to exceed the aggregate cash net proceeds that would ultimately reach HSF’s coffers should HSC’s $440 million offer be executed. (Read more about this condition through here.)\n\nStill, it’s a theoretical possibility that a non-Hipgnosis company swoops for the 29 catalogs from HSF, and gazumps HSC in the bidding process.\n\nIf a ‘superior proposal’ (versus the $440 million offer from HSC) is received during the ‘go-shop’ period, said HSF today – whether or not HSC uses its ‘matching right’ to beat it – it may be necessary to adjourn the HSF AGM (and therefore the 2023 ‘continuation vote’) into November.\n\nIn its note to shareholders today, the HSF board reiterated its belief – and Hipgnosis Song Management’s belief – that HSF owns “a unique portfolio of iconic, culturally significant songs that will deliver strong long-term value as they benefit from the structural tailwinds in the music industry”.\n\nThe note added: “Furthermore, the [HSF] Board believes that the Investment Adviser’s approach to Song Management should enable the Company to outperform the wider music market. This has been evidenced by the 44% total return, including right to income, transaction fees and expected taxes, realised since acquisition on the [$440 million] Transaction.\n\n“Furthermore, the Board and the Investment Adviser are committed to ensuring that this value is achieved for shareholders by a re-rating of the share price and are determined to deliver on the ongoing opportunity of the Company.”Music Business Worldwide","url":"https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/hipgnosis-songs-fund-chair-andrew-sutch-to-step-down-all-important-continuation-vote/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_1acbad14990a3141","mhq_9585753613d779ac"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_1acbad14990a3141","mhq_9585753613d779ac"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"f2aae34d1ba4c28ca7df29009851cf1dcdc45035bdd85324f9a123a3b26ddb7b","source_record_sha256":"29be18368ee005f6c1c52e59559a1e7651a47944bde859029e9609a79847e95b","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":464,"source_fields":{"title":"Hipgnosis Songs Fund Chair, Andrew Sutch, to step down; all-important ‘continuation vote’ likely to take place on October 26","author":"Tim Ingham","source":"Music Business Worldwide","published_at":"2023-09-28T23:36:54+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/hipgnosis-songs-fund-chair-andrew-sutch-to-step-down-all-important-continuation-vote/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_5fe0ca09f18baef6","text":"Republicans still don’t know how to talk to young voters online Vivek Ramaswamy struggles to gain an edge in the face of TikTok trolls\n\nIn an appeal to younger voters, Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy — who proposed raising the voting age to 25 — launched his TikTok presence with an endorsement from Jake Paul, the YouTuber turned boxer who built a content empire by marketing to children.\n\nRamaswamy is one of the only Republican politicians making an effort to connect with Gen Z and young millennials, a demographic that overwhelmingly supported Democrats in the midterm elections. Despite the popularity and growing influence of far-right creators online, Republican candidates have historically failed to engage young voters on social media, if they try at all.\n\nWhile Democratic politicians like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. John Fetterman’s social media campaign strategies set the blueprint for politicians seeking internet fame, Republicans have neglected to adopt the digital fluency required to secure the youth vote. As the 2024 election approaches, Republican candidates may again fall behind in mobilizing voters on social media platforms.\n\nRamaswamy is also the only Republican presidential candidate to engage with TikTok, and is one of the few in his party to even have an account. His Silicon Valley roots as a biotech entrepreneur and millennial upbringing set him apart from the other candidates, but he faces an uphill battle in convincing Gen Z to like him, much less show up at the polls. Though his videos receive hundreds of thousands of views, his comments are also overrun with sex jokes.\n\nAnnie Wu Henry, the digital strategist behind Fetterman’s TikTok stardom, noted that younger voters who are very online tend to value raw, unfiltered authenticity. They don’t see that in many older politicians, and especially not in the Republican party.\n\n“Gen Z does not put up with bullshit,” Henry said. “That’s so much of what platforms like TikTok and Twitch cater to, and why they thrive on those platforms, because you can just pull out your phone and be talking while you’re getting ready with the worst angle possible. Republicans in general, it goes against so much of how they act otherwise and young people know that.”\n\nRamaswamy’s TikTok strategy is puzzling; he appears to be trying to replicate the success of previous candidates who became social media stars over the course of their campaigns, but his TikTok presence conflicts with his own stances on social media and young voters. His communications director, Tricia McLaughlin, did not immediately respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment.\n\nLike many of his Republican colleagues, Ramaswamy has accused TikTok of being a threat to national security, and during a town hall days before he launched his account, described the platform as “digital fentanyl” from China. He has also proposed barring anyone under 25 from voting, unless they serve in the military or pass a civics exam.\n\nHis first videos portray him as the one candidate who cares about America’s youth. While his Republican colleagues have largely shunned TikTok, Ramaswamy is presenting himself as one of the Cool Politicians who will actually use it.\n\n“We have a generation of politicians that is badly out of touch,” Ramaswamy said in his inaugural video, which did not describe his policy stances.\n\n@jakepaul Getting Vivek on Tik Tok because i believe our politicians of the future should connect with gen z and milennials on social where we all live and breathe. Its bizarre that in this day and age our presidents have no connection with us via social. Only the occasional tweets. Meet @Vivek Ramaswamy ♬ original sound – GenosPicks\n\nEstablishing himself as the millennial politician who’s cool enough to use TikTok but anti-woke enough to play in the divisive culture war isn’t working in Ramaswamy’s favor, though.\n\nHis account, which has amassed over 50,000 followers in the weeks since he joined, has been barraged with comments either criticizing his positions or trolling him. He’s been the butt of Gen Z’s relentless comments about getting off to his content (the top comments on his videos are consistently jokes about edging). He also incited the wrath of witchtok creators, who filmed themselves casting hexes upon him and other conservatives.\n\nRamaswamy is raking in TikTok engagement — even if it’s not how he intended — but Democrats are still dominating the Republican party in digital strategy. Ocasio-Cortez’s Instagram Stories garnered her nationwide popularity when she campaigned in 2018, reaching further than her local constituency. In the years since, Democratic campaigns have increasingly prioritized social media strategy, establishing politician-influencers who wield content for votes.\n\nA 2022 midterm report by the Alliance for Securing Democracy found that in the Senate races, 47% of Democratic candidates had TikTok accounts, compared to 12% of Republican candidates. Of the major party House candidates, 30% of Democrats and 10% of Republicans were on TikTok, which as a platform was most prevalent in gubernatorial races.\n\nThough opposition to TikTok has been bipartisan, the crusade to ban the platform over national security concerns is primarily led by Republicans at the state level — a position that likely factors into the party’s social media struggles with young voters.\n\nMehmet Oz, one of the few Republican candidates on TikTok, had the advantage of already having a large social media following when he announced his candidacy thanks to his popularity as Dr. Oz. But his TikTok presence consisted of reformatted TV ads, rants attacking his opponent, now-Senator Fetterman, and unrelatable videos that inadvertently portrayed him as wealthy and out of touch.\n\nThere have been Republican outliers who managed to build significant followings, but so far, none have managed to turn their social engagement into votes the way Trump’s Twitter account did in 2016. Pennsylvania Sen. Doug Mastriano shunned traditional media during the race, instead relying on Facebook Live to build a far-right grassroots network that secured him the Republican nomination in the state’s most recent gubernatorial race. He still lost to Josh Shapiro, whose campaign focused on reaching young voters through collaborations with Gen Z for Change, visiting college campuses and posting updates on BeReal.\n\nThere’s clearly an audience for right-wing ideology online, as conservative influencers continue to build massive platforms, largely by provoking outrage. On Twitch, debate streams between creators across the political spectrum are wildly popular, and between May 2021 and May 2022, the site’s Politics tag tripled in viewership. The platform itself is a haven for some figures on the far-right who have since been kicked off of YouTube.\n\nRepublican politicians, however, have failed to establish the rapport with young voters that their Democratic counterparts have. While X, the site previously known as Twitter, has become a conservative incubator, Republican politicians haven’t taken advantage of the platform the way far-right influencers have.\n\nThat gap in digital fluency is most apparent in the way politicians approach new platforms. In 2020, Ocasio-Cortez encouraged viewers to vote in the upcoming presidential election by inviting the most popular streamers to play the pandemic’s most popular game on her newly launched Twitch channel. Her “Among Us” stream, which featured creators like Pokimane, Hasan Piker, Corpse Husband, Mxmtoon and other Twitch celebrities, was one of the most viewed streams in the site’s history. Ocasio-Cortez has hosted multiple wildly successful streams since, from charity fundraising streams to discussing labor issues with viewers.\n\nRep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) famously struggled with his own Twitch debut. Last year, he launched his channel with a 30-minute diatribe about the January. 6 Capitol riot, featuring former Trump speechwriter Darren Beattie. The stream peaked at just six live viewers. He left his chat room open when he finally went offline, which allowed Twitch users to bombard his channel with ASCII dicks. Between walls of lewd — but incredibly creative — text art, users bashed Gaetz and encouraged other viewers to read about the allegations of sex trafficking against him. (The Justice Department ultimately concluded its investigation without charging Gaetz.)\n\nLooks like Matt Gaetz foray into streaming on Twitch is working out pic.twitter.com/S4GEDbgu8v — The Serfs (@theserfstv) September 30, 2022\n\nPlatform culture matters\n\nTo engage with users online, politicians must understand the culture of the platform. The streamers who appeared on Ocasio-Cortez’s stream brought their own fans, who may not have been politically engaged at all before their favorite creator introduced it to them. As a regular gamer herself, the representative is also up to date on the most popular games on Twitch; in 2020, it was “Among Us,” but in her most recent stream, she played the cooperative puzzle game “Pico Park.” Gaetz, on the other hand, fumbled his launch by treating his stream like a podcast recording, limiting the back-and-forth banter with viewers that makes Twitch so engaging.\n\n“The amount of media and content that we consume, political and cultural, where people get their information … It’s getting more and more intertwined,” Henry said. “To be effective ideologically, when it comes to campaigns and these wins that we want, we have to understand how these ecosystems work, and be strategically using them or else we risk being left behind.”\n\nEngaging with voters online requires more than just working with popular creators. In Ramaswamy’s case, an endorsement from Jake Paul only drove animosity from TikTok viewers. While his older brother, Logan Paul, has made the occasional social commentary on his podcast, the younger Paul has rarely engaged with politics or social issues. Jake Paul is generally disliked online for the running list of allegations against him, including sexual assault accusations.\n\nThe Paul brothers have a reputation of promoting anyone and anything for a paycheck, and when Jake Paul posted a political endorsement out of the blue, viewers immediately questioned how much Ramaswamy paid him.\n\nEven if Jake Paul was less despised online, endorsements aren’t as valuable as they used to be. A paper published in the International Journal of Communication this year reported that mobilizing influencers to build support for political causes is more effective than using their endorsements to gain votes. Blatant endorsements lack personal connection, and create an “authenticity gap.” Authentic creators are trustworthy, and in campaign strategy, that’s more valuable than the size of their following.\n\nMartin Riedl, a University of Tennessee, Knoxville professor who studies social media and co-authored the paper, said that society tends to reward public figures for speaking out on social justice issues because there’s more “situational awareness.”\n\n“If you use influencers in your campaign, it’s important that they can authentically believe in what you promote,” Riedl said. “And if that’s not the case, that makes it really difficult for people to take your campaign seriously.”\n\nAuthenticity reigns\n\nFacebook ads, celebrity endorsements and campaign trail rallies aren’t enough to engage voters online. Neither is recycling press releases as posts. To keep up with the evolving culture, candidates are expected to be content creators as much as they are politicians, regardless of the social media platform they’re using. Authenticity is currency online, even if it’s manufactured by a team of strategists. Candidates don’t need to have the innate knack for posting for successful campaigns, Riedl said, as long as they hire someone who does.\n\nGen Z voters are particularly resistant to flagrant pandering, and quick to shut down any forced pop culture reference as cringe. Cringe exists across party lines — Hillary Clinton’s “Pokémon Go to the polls” still haunts the internet — but candidates don’t need to rely on youth culture to build followings.\n\nMemeing throughout his campaign worked for Fetterman, Henry said, because that dry humor aligns with his background as “a guy from rugged Pennsylvania” who “doesn’t try to act cool.” Ken Russell, a Democrat who left the Miami City Commission to run for a House seat in 2022, leaned into the cringe with bait-and-switch thirst traps reminding viewers to vote. In another video titled “Appealing to the youth vote,” he recreated Steve Buscemi’s “How do you do, fellow kids?” to encourage voter registration.\n\nAudience engagement doesn’t rely on forcing fun. North Carolina Rep. Jeff Jackson updates constituents on TikTok, breaking down topics like the government shutdown in concise explanatory videos without the frills of internet humor. Even though his content is less exciting, his account has over 2.2 million followers.\n\nAs an alternative to the politician-influencer, some campaigns are focusing on mobilizing creators who already have an engaged audience. Biden is not on TikTok, but his digital strategy team is building an “army of influencers” to reach viewers who wouldn’t typically keep up with the White House press corps. White House deputy chief of staff Jen O’Malley Dillon told Axios that the administration is trying to not only reach young people, but “people whose main way of getting information is digital.”\n\n“If you’re not going to be directly on the platform, having surrogates — whether those be influencers, celebrities, normal people — do the messaging, that’s likely going to be reaching people at a more personal level anyway,” Henry said.\n\n“Everyone has a vested interest, for the most part, in what the president of the United States has to say, but if it’s your friend, if it’s this person you’ve followed for five years, you have a vested interest that’s a little bit more personal. Usually that’s more effective.”\n\nThe “influencer army” strategy could be legally and ethically murky when influencers are paid to spread political messaging, potentially skirting both federal campaign ad laws and platform rules. TikTok bans political ads, and in recent elections, cracked down on posting sponsored political content. Influencer marketing agencies on both ends of the political spectrum are ramping up their recruitment faster than the Federal Elections Commission can regulate the industry. This year, the conservative agency Influenceable has been recruiting Gen Z creators to rally behind far-right politicians and parrot GOP talking points, without disclosing their pay. The tactic irked some Republicans, the Texas Tribune reported, including a Texas state representative who called for an investigation into the company.\n\nGiven the resistance to Republican politicians in online spaces that attract young people, it’s unsurprising that candidates may rely on shadowy agencies like Influenceable to do the work for them. Republican politicians have a reputation for botching even the most straightforward digital campaigns. In May, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis launched his presidential campaign on Twitter Spaces in an audio conversation with Elon Musk. The conversation started late and was so riddled with technical issues that it ended after just 21 minutes. Critics on both the right and the left described the launch as a disaster.\n\nConservative organizations have proven especially out of their depth when facing the wrath of extremely online social media users, who mobilize trolling for social justice. In 2020, TikTok users reserved hundreds of tickets for a Trump rally and never showed up, leaving the president to face swaths of empty seats. When a Texas anti-abortion group opened an anonymous tip form to enforce the state’s ban on abortion after six weeks, Gen Z activists flooded the site with Shrek porn. This year, TikTok and Twitter users shut down the Missouri attorney general’s tip form for reporting clinics that provide gender-affirming care. Within days of launching, the site was spammed with fanfiction, satirical anecdotes about kids getting “transed” and fanfiction. The attorney general’s press secretary blamed the site’s downfall on activists “hacking the system.”\n\nThe presidential election is more than a year away, but it may be too late for Ramaswamy to make any headway on TikTok, where the platform’s young users still don’t take him seriously. He recently posted a video about getting ready for the next Republican debate, and was hit with yet another wall of edging comments.\n\nEven if candidates like Ramaswamy did everything right — like having a platform that didn’t alienate young voters and working with creators with more favorable reputations — they’d still represent a party that many Gen Z and millennial voters aren’t aligned with.\n\n“It’s really hard to be effective with a generation when a lot of your policy is attacking them,” Henry said. “If all of your policy is highly unfavorable for that generation, that’s a hard sell in itself, even if you’re an effective communicator with all the strategy in the world, to sell someone something they don’t want.”","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/10/02/tiktok-republican-social-media-campaign-struggle-vivek-ramaswamy/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_cd71fb9f2e0f5aa0"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_cd71fb9f2e0f5aa0"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"e1953f2297a8b676246b55841b29864b5f3f03e55acfb847228fc950e08fa6b5","source_record_sha256":"46102f969962ce5e7e4ae9667b066bc2cbdad1419db0ee8272df12369b657713","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":468,"source_fields":{"title":"Republicans still don’t know how to talk to young voters online","author":"Morgan Sung","source":"TechCrunch","published_at":"2023-10-02T21:42:14+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/10/02/tiktok-republican-social-media-campaign-struggle-vivek-ramaswamy/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_38eb27f54f290760","text":"As we trot into Turkey Day week, only three more regular-season weeks remain until the fantasy football playoffs. Every decision — from the tough starts to the difficult sits; the savvy waiver adds to the costly drops — can ultimately decide whether your team is a contender or a pretender. Our Week 12 fantasy RB rankings for standard leagues will help guide you to the right moves and hopefully land you a big \"W\" for which to be thankful.\n\nTrade deadlines have passed in most leagues, so the majority of fantasy owners must soldier on toward the home stretch with the main core they have built to this point. On a positive note, we have no byes to worry about this — just plenty of short turnarounds, some potential weather concerns, and of course, the dreaded injury bug. Fortunately for us, we have been ahead of the curve with sleepers and breakouts all season, so we're more prepared to weather any storm than the average fantasy Joe.\n\nLet's get right to our Week 12 RB rankings so you can fully prepare for Thanksgiving week and put out a lineup with backs who will feast like the rest of us.\n\nMORE: Watch NFL RedZone live with Sling (50% off first month)\n\nWhich RBs are on bye in Week 12?\n\nNone! It's a Thanksgiving miracle! Not only do we not have any byes to worry about this week, but we also have NFL action on four different days (Thursday, Friday, Sunday, Monday).\n\nWEEK 12 STANDARD RANKINGS:\n\nQBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers\n\nIn some ways, however, a bye-free week at this stage of the season presents more challenges than ever. Whereas byes make some start 'em, sit 'em decisions no-brainers, 16-game weeks make it a lot easier to get lineup decisions wrong. Don't worry — we'll steer you in the right direction and keep you apprised of all the information you'll need throughout the week.\n\nWEEK 12 PPR RANKINGS:\n\nQBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers\n\nWho are the best fantasy RBs in Week 12?\n\nAs always, Christian McCaffrey (@ Seahawks in Week 12) heads the list as the most matchup-proof running back in the NFL. Right behind him, Austin Ekeler (vs. Ravens) will look to bounce back after an uncharacteristically rough showing in Green Bay last week.\n\nAgainst the Commanders last week, Saquon Barkley (vs. Patriots) looked as good as we've seen him this season (140 total yards, two TDs). The Pats have surrendered 116 scrimmage yards per game and nine total TDs to RBs this season, so we like Barkley to pick up where he left off this Sunday (drive up that free-agency value, 'Quon!).\n\nYou don't see running mates cracking the top five very often, but we had to make the exception for David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs (vs. Packers). Entering Week 11, Green Bay had surrendered nearly 140 all-purpose yards per game to RBs. Between Detroit's o-line, the Lions' high-flying offensive attack, and the ruthless 1-2 punch DMont and Gibbs have been this season, the feast could be on very early for Dan Campbell's guys.\n\nTake a collective sigh of relief, Tony Pollard (vs. Commanders) owners! TP looked solid against Carolina last week, averaging 5.1 yards per carry and finally getting into the end zone for the first time since Week 1. We have the Cowboys back just outside our top five with a juicy matchup against a Washington D that just got lit up by Saquon and the G-men.\n\nRaheem Mostert (@ Jets) should continue to eat for Miami, with rookie De'Von Achane (knee) unfortunately getting hurt almost immediately after returning from IR (more on that later). Gang Green hasn't been nearly as good against the run as it has been against the pass, as Jets opponents have averaged 139 rushing yards per game over the past two weeks. 'Fins backup Salvon Ahmed also landed on the IR with a foot injury, so consider stashing Jeff Wilson Jr. as a handcuff.\n\nRounding out the top 10, the trio of Travis Etienne (@ Texans), Josh Jacobs (vs. Chiefs), and Breece Hall (vs. Dolphins) will be looking to bounce back from disappointing Week 11 outings on the ground. All three of these backs have been mostly solid, and none have much to worry about in terms of backfield competition.\n\nWEEK 12 FANTASY ADVICE:\n\nSleepers | Busts | Projections | Start-sit\n\nWho are the best fantasy RB sleepers, waiver pickups in Week 12?\n\nSleep on Rhamondre Stevenson (@ Giants) at your own peril. 'Mondre has accumulated 231 yards from scrimmage and a TD over New England's past two games, and the Pats are coming off bye. Washington just carved the G-men up like a turkey on the ground last week, surrendering a whopping 174 yards and a TD. Gobble gobble.\n\nGet Kyren Williams (@ Cardinals) right back into your lineup the moment Los Angeles activates him from IR. Arizona just made Devin Singletary look like Barry Sanders, so Williams (ankle) should enjoy a triumphant return to the field. Keep rolling with Alexander Mattison (vs. Bears), too, against another below-average run defense.\n\nWelcome to the top 25, Zach Charbonnet (vs. 49ers)! With Kenneth Walker III's oblique injury comes opportunity for the rookie, who already looked strong in the month leading up to Seattle's narrow Week 11 loss to the Rams. Sure, Charbs' 69-yard effort in Los Angeles last week was a bit underwhelming, but we love his upside with a full game as the Seahawks' bell-cow.\n\nSpeaking of bell-cow backs, things are looking very promising for the short-term workload of Green Bay's AJ Dillon (@ Lions). Veteran Aaron Jones (knee) and rookie Emanuel Wilson (shoulder) both got hurt in Week 11, so Dillon should be the main man in Motown for the Pack. Power backs have enjoyed the most success against the Lions, as evidenced last week by Chicago's Roschon Johnson averaging 5.0 yards per carry and D'Onta Foreman finding paydirt.\n\nWEEK 12 DFS:\n\nDK lineup | FD lineup | Best values | Best stacks\n\nWho are the biggest potential RB busts in Week 12?\n\nWe don't quite have the intestinal fortitude to bench Derrick Henry (vs. Panthers), but we must absolutely temper our expectations with the dude at this point. Over the past two weeks, he has tallied just 64 total yards on 23 touches (2.8 yards per touch). Carolina served as Tony Pollard's get-right game last week, so fire King Henry up if you have him. If he falters against the Panthers, you better have a backup plan moving forward (picking up Tyjae Spears as insurance is a good place to start).\n\nBoth Darrell Henderson and Royce Freeman (@ Cardinals) would be decent dart throws in a week filled with byes, but their floors in a zero-bye week seem too low to trust them if Kyren Williams is back and at 100 percent. The matchup is juicy, but we have no idea what to expect from a touch-share perspective, so these guys are no better than desperation, TD-dependent flexes.\n\nSpeaking of guys coming back from injury, we saw Khalil Herbert (@ Vikings) return to the field for Chicago against the Lions last week. However, his performance left a lot to be desired. He finished with just 35 yards on 16 carries and wound up vastly overshadowed by Justin Field's 100-yard rushing effort. Even worse, D'Onta Foreman scored the Chi's lone rushing TD on the afternoon.\n\nI don't care what your team looks like — you shouldn't be starting Chuba Hubbard or Miles Sanders (@ Titans). They weren't awful against Dallas last week on a per-touch basis, but neither finished with more than 12 touches. Even worse, no Carolina back has enjoyed a 60-yard rushing game since Oct. 15. Bad offensive line, negative game scripts, awful coaching — it's all bad, man!\n\nWhat are the biggest RB injuries in Week 12?\n\nSecond-year Seahawks back Kenneth Walker III suffered an oblique injury in Week 11 that the ever-hip Pete Carroll referred to as \"legit.\" KW3 has a better chance of missing multiple weeks than he does at suiting up for Seattle's Thanksgiving Day game against Fred Warner and the 49ers. If Zach Charbonnet somehow finds himself on your waiver wire, an early Merry Christmas to you if you have the FAAB or a high waiver priority.\n\nThe hits just keep on coming for the Packers' Aaron Jones, who suffered a knee injury but seems to have at least caught a break in the sense that he didn't tear his ACL. However, even a moderate MCL sprain could mean a multi-week absence for the injury-prone veteran back, especially in a lost season for the 4-6 Pack. Rookie Emanuel Wilson also hurt his shoulder in Week 11, so AJ Dillon could be getting the keys to Green Bay's backfield castle (although it's more of an oversized shack, at this point).\n\nDolphins rookie De'Von Achane, who looked like the runaway Offensive Rookie of the Year earlier this season, looked to have aggravated his MCL injury upon his Week 11 return against the Raiders. Achane has a chance to return for Miami's Week 12 tilt with the Jets on Friday, but we wouldn't be surprised if the 7-3 'Fins play it safe and keep him out until he's back to 100 percent. Meanwhile, Miami placed backup Salvon Ahmed on IR with a foot injury, so Jeff Wilson Jr. could be back in play as a handcuff stash.\n\nBears veteran D'Onta Foreman injured his ankle in Week 11. He could miss some time now that Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson are both back in action for Chicago. The best runner on the Bears, however, is QB Justin Fields when he's active.\n\nTexans back Dameon Pierce returned to practice late last week, but he remained out with his ankle injury against the Cardinals. We could see him return to the field this weekend, but for now, we're keeping him off our rankings until we hear more positive news. Either way, it seems Devin Singletary is the new RB1 in this breakout offense.\n\nWe'll be updating these standard RB rankings all week, so check back for the latest player movement.\n\nFantasy RB Rankings Week 12: Who to start, sit at running back\n\nRankings based on standard, non-PPR scoring\n\nRank Player\n\n1 Christian McCaffrey, 49ers @ Seahawks\n\n2 Austin Ekeler, Chargers vs. Ravens\n\n3 Saquon Barkley, Giants vs. Patriots\n\n4 David Montgomery, Lions vs. Packers\n\n5 Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions vs. Packers\n\n6 Tony Pollard, Cowboys vs. Commanders\n\n7 Raheem Mostert, Dolphins @ Jets\n\n8 Travis Etienne, Jaguars @ Texans\n\n9 Josh Jacobs, Raiders vs. Chiefs\n\n10 Breece Hall, Jets vs. Dolphins\n\n11 Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots @ Giants\n\n12 Alvin Kamara, Saints @ Falcons\n\n13 Isiah Pacheco, Chiefs @ Raiders\n\n14 Brian Robinson Jr., Commanders @ Cowboys\n\n15 Bijan Robinson, Falcons vs. Saints\n\n16 Jonathan Taylor, Colts vs. Buccaneers\n\n17 James Conner, Cardinals vs. Rams\n\n18 D'Andre Swift, Eagles vs. Bills\n\n19 Joe Mixon, Bengals vs. Steelers\n\n20 Derrick Henry, Titans vs. Panthers\n\n21 Rachaad White, Buccaneers @ Colts\n\n22 Kyren Williams, Rams @ Cardinals\n\n23 Alexander Mattison, Vikings vs. Bears\n\n24 Gus Edwards, Ravens @ Chargers\n\n25 Zach Charbonnet, Seahawks vs. 49ers\n\n26 Javonte Williams, Broncos vs. Browns\n\n27 AJ Dillon, Packers @ Lions\n\n28 Jerome Ford, Browns @ Broncos\n\n29 Devin Singletary, Texans vs. Jaguars\n\n30 Kareem Hunt, Browns @ Broncos\n\n31 James Cook, Bills @ Eagles\n\n32 Jaylen Warren, Steelers @ Bengals\n\n33 Najee Harris, Steelers @ Bengals\n\n34 Khalil Herbert, Bears @ Vikings\n\n35 Tyler Allgeier, Falcons vs. Saints\n\n36 Chuba Hubbard, Panthers @ Titans\n\n37 Ezekiel Elliott, Patriots @ Giants\n\n38 Latavius Murray, Bills @ Eagles\n\n39 Roschon Johnson, Bears @ Vikings\n\n40 Joshua Kelley, Chargers vs. Ravens\n\n41 Keaton Mitchell, Ravens @ Chargers\n\n42 Ty Chandler, Vikings vs. Bears\n\n43 Dameon Pierce, Texans vs. Jaguars\n\n44 Royce Freeman, Rams @ Cardinals\n\n45 Jeff Wilson Jr., Dolphins @ Jets\n\n46 Rico Dowdle, Cowboys vs. Commanders\n\n47 Antonio Gibson, Commanders @ Cowboys\n\n48 Miles Sanders, Panthers @ Titans\n\n49 Tyjae Spears, Titans vs. Panthers\n\n50 Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Chiefs @ Raiders\n\n51 Dalvin Cook, Jets vs. Dolphins\n\n52 Zack Moss, Colts vs. Buccaneers\n\n53 Kenneth Gainwell, Eagles vs. Bills\n\n54 Tony Jones Jr., Cardinals vs. Rams\n\n55 Elijah Mitchell, 49ers @ Seahawks\n\n56 Jaleel McLaughlin, Broncos vs. Browns\n\n57 Justice Hill, Ravens @ Chargers\n\n58 Chase Edmonds, Buccaneers @ Colts\n\n59 Boston Scott, Eagles vs. Bills\n\n60 Tank Bigsby, Jaguars @ Texans\n\n61 Jamaal Williams, Saints @ Falcons\n\n62 Samaje Perine, Broncos vs. Browns\n\n63 Matt Breida, Giants vs. Patriots\n\nWeek 12 RB fantasy projections, rankings from Draft Sharks\n\nDraft Sharks projections for the new week will update every Tuesday and be constantly adjusted throughout the week\n\nWe're proud to offer SN Fantasy readers an exclusive look at Draft Sharks’ award-winning projections and rankings every week. To see Draft Sharks' Week 12 3D floor-to-ceiling projections for running backs -- plus get access to all of Draft Sharks' industry-leading tools -- become a Draft Sharks' member today at the link below!\n\nTRY DRAFT SHARKS FREE: Dominate with exclusive tools, including Free-Agent Finder & Trade Navigator!","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/fantasy/news/fantasy-football-rb-rankings-week-12-running-backs-sleepers/de0de3e52046426d872fa65a","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_7e6e955d60ce6593","mhq_229ee6f69011cf7c"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_7e6e955d60ce6593","mhq_229ee6f69011cf7c"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"f4dec73bf986f0d7a47b0fab951986aeaca6af561c75ad5965be7cea8090d8a5","source_record_sha256":"c3ce130b75606c3f61329d86d6974f9d892c28f1a91270244f36c75c6130a0d7","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":494,"source_fields":{"title":"Fantasy Football RB Rankings Week 12: Who to start, best sleepers at running back","author":"Sloan Piva","source":"Sporting News","published_at":"2023-11-21T21:33:00+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/fantasy/news/fantasy-football-rb-rankings-week-12-running-backs-sleepers/de0de3e52046426d872fa65a"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_c2c0cb536c48fcb6","text":"Sam Altman has been fired from OpenAI, Inc., the 501(c)(3) nonprofit that acts as the governing body for OpenAI, the AI startup behind ChatGPT, DALL-E 3, GPT-4 and other highly capable generative AI systems. He’ll both leave the company’s board of directors and step down as CEO.\n\nIn a post on OpenAI’s official blog, the company writes that Altman’s departure follows a “deliberative review process by the board” that concluded that Altman “wasn’t consistently candid in his communications” with other board members, “hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities.”\n\nTip TechCrunch\n\nDo you work at OpenAI and know more about Sam Altman’s departure?\n\nDo you work at OpenAI and know more about Sam Altman’s departure? Get in touch with TechCrunch\n\n“The board no longer has confidence in [Altman’s] ability to continue leading OpenAI,” the blog post reads.\n\nIn a post on X (formerly Twitter), Altman wrote that he “loved his time at OpenAI” and will have “more to say about what’s next later.”\n\ni loved my time at openai. it was transformative for me personally, and hopefully the world a little bit. most of all i loved working with such talented people. will have more to say about what’s next later. 🫡 — Sam Altman (@sama) November 17, 2023\n\nOpenAI’s dramatic leadership change will also see Greg Brockman — who was a member of the team that co-founded OpenAI, as was Altman — step down as chairman of the board but remain as OpenAI’s president, reporting to the company’s newly-appointed interim CEO, Mira Murati. Murati was previously OpenAI’s CTO.\n\nOpenAI says that it’ll begin conducting a formal search for a permanent CEO immediately.\n\n“OpenAI was deliberately structured to advance our mission: to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all humanity,” the board wrote in a joint statement. “The board remains fully committed to serving this mission. We are grateful for Sam’s many contributions to the founding and growth of OpenAI. At the same time, we believe new leadership is necessary as we move forward. As the leader of the company’s research, product, and safety functions, Mira is exceptionally qualified to step into the role of interim CEO. We have the utmost confidence in her ability to lead OpenAI during this transition period.”\n\nSam Altman is a hero of mine. He built a company from nothing to $90 Billion in value, and changed our collective world forever. I can't wait to see what he does next. I, and billions of people, will benefit from his future work- it's going to be simply incredible. Thank you… — Eric Schmidt (@ericschmidt) November 17, 2023\n\nOpenAI’s board of directors now consists of OpenAI’s chief scientist Ilya Sutskever; Quora CEO Adam D’Angelo; tech entrepreneur Tasha McCauley; and Helen Toner, the director of strategy at Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology.\n\nAltman’s removal comes unexpectedly, to say the least. The company just last week hosted its first developer conference, OpenAI DevDay, which Altman emceed. Altman spoke at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference and an Oakland, California event on Thursday. And according to The Verge and The New York Times, citing multiple internal sources, OpenAI employees learned of Altman’s firing when it was announced publicly.\n\nAltman has a long history steering OpenAI. After co-founding the company alongside Peter Thiel, LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman and others, Altman, who formerly headed startup accelerator Y Combinator and also holds a seat on the board at Worldcoin, the ambitious cryptocurrency project, initially served as a co-chair of OpenAI alongside Elon Musk. Musk left in 2018 to avoid a conflict of interest with Tesla.\n\nAltman over the past several months played an active role in attempting to shape regulators’ responses to AI, appearing at U.S. congressional hearings and meeting personally with world leaders including President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron, among others, on an international policy tour.\n\nMore important than being one of the most brilliant and impactful people our industry has ever had Sam is one of the most generous and caring people I know. I've never met someone who has supported and lifted up more people around them than him. Couldn't be a prouder brother. — Jack Altman (@jaltma) November 17, 2023\n\nIt’s unclear what missteps Altman might’ve made helming OpenAI… at present. But they evidently relate to his relationship with OpenAI’s rather unusual board makeup and corporate governance structure — and perhaps OpenAI’s active talks to raise substantial new capital.\n\nAs a recent piece in VentureBeat explored, OpenAI’s for-profit subsidiary, OpenAI Global, LLC, is fully controlled by OpenAI’s nonprofit. While the for-profit subsidiary is permitted to commercialize its tech, it’s subject to the nonprofit’s mission: attaining artificial general intelligence (AGI), or AI that can — as OpenAI defines it — “outperform humans at most economically valuable work.”\n\nThe nonprofit OpenAI’s board has the power to both determine when the company has achieved AGI and exclude this AGI from IP licenses and other commercial terms, including with Microsoft, one of OpenAI’s biggest investors and a steadfast integrator of OpenAI’s various technologies.\n\nMicrosoft has poured $13 billion into OpenAI so far and has what amounts to a 49% stake in the company. The former’s stock price fell more than 1% in the last 30 minutes of trading, after Altman’s departure was announced; Axios reports Microsoft was notified Altman would be leaving “minutes” before the public announcement.\n\nOpenAI was founded as a nonprofit in 2015, but restructured in 2019 as a “capped-profit” company to raise capital — an acknowledgement of the huge costs associated with training cutting-edge AI systems. Underlining the point, Altman said in an interview this week with the Financial Times that he “hoped” Microsoft would increase its investment to help pay for “huge” imminent model training costs.\n\nWhen contacted via email, OpenAI’s press relations declined to comment beyond the official blog post. But Microsoft PR gave this statement from Frank Shaw, its chief communications officer: “We have a long-term partnership with OpenAI and Microsoft remains committed to Mira and their team as we bring this next era of AI to our customers.”\n\nNadella later published a statement:\n\n“As you saw at Microsoft Ignite this week, we’re continuing to rapidly innovate for this era of AI, with over 100 announcements across the full tech stack from AI systems, models and tools in Azure, to Copilot. Most importantly, we’re committed to delivering all of this to our customers while building for the future. We have a long-term agreement with OpenAI with full access to everything we need to deliver on our innovation agenda and an exciting product roadmap; and remain committed to our partnership, and to Mira and the team. Together, we will continue to deliver the meaningful benefits of this technology to the world.","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/11/17/sam-altman-is-out-as-openais-ceo/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_c18289d9c0b1b410"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_c18289d9c0b1b410"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"8a149eeba2787aa1a090ddd993421ef7c22e3a611846ca44b578c5eb7be13e35","source_record_sha256":"7a17daae958fdede91cb414f81ed1cd74069dbd2c39390225a7f357a493b46c8","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":516,"source_fields":{"title":"Sam Altman ousted as OpenAI’s CEO","author":"Kyle Wiggers","source":"TechCrunch","published_at":"2023-11-17T20:41:13+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/11/17/sam-altman-is-out-as-openais-ceo/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_84c47b9b438ef6ff","text":"The debate over “reaction” content on YouTube has been brewing for years, but a recent incident between two creators has refueled the urgency of the conversation.\n\nThe debate centers on Alia “SSSniperwolf” Shelesh, a YouTuber with over 34 million subscribers, and Jack “Jacksfilms” Douglass, a YouTuber with 4.9 million subscribers. The two have been feuding online over the past year, but it came to a head this weekend, as Douglass said that Shelesh showed up to his home and filmed the outside of his residence on Saturday. Shelesh shared a video of the incident as an Instagram story, saying “let’s talk like adults,” according to a report from NBC News. On Oct. 20, YouTube said that Shelesh’s account would be temporarily demonetized.\n\nWhat led to this confrontation, and why did it ignite such a firestorm of controversy online?\n\nWhat is ‘reaction content’ and why is it so controversial?\n\nReaction content is an umbrella term that applies to a content creator responding to or riffing on an existing piece of media. Reaction content has been controversial for a long time; in 2016, the Fine Brothers made an infamous attempt to copyright their “React” videos, which was met with near unanimous criticism. In August, the conversation reignited as popular creators like Félix “xQc” Lengyel “reacted” to long-form content with very little (if any) original input or transformative commentary.\n\nHow are Jacksfilms and SSSniperwolf involved in the reaction content debate?\n\nDouglass has made content on YouTube since 2006, primarily focusing on comedy videos. In the past, he has called out “reaction” content that he says fails to meet the bar for fair use, and has even made parody videos reacting to reaction content.\n\nWithin the last year, he set his sights on Shelesh’s content, citing a lack of credit or links to original creators and their work, and a lack of transformative commentary. Shelesh has been a content creator for roughly a decade, including making YouTube and TikTok videos. Her recent work is largely reaction content, which she posts to both platforms. Shelesh has been aware of Douglass’ commentary, even making jokes about the YouTuber in her own reaction content.\n\nIn addition to Douglass’ video callout above, he revived an old joke channel called JJJacksfilms, poking fun at Shelesh’s content and celebrating times she deleted clips. He also regularly made content on Twitch reacting to and even grading Shelesh’s reaction content, complete with a bingo game for viewers to play. The JJJacksfilms streams were designed to apply pressure to Shelesh, encouraging her to credit original creators and provide substantial commentary.\n\nThe SSSniperwolf doxxing accusations\n\nOn Oct. 13, Shelesh posted an Instagram story with the text, “Should I go visit @Jacksfilms? He lives 5 mins away from my shoot.” She proceeded to add more posts to her story throughout the night, which included a photo of the outside of Douglass’ house and the caption “Let’s talk like adults.”\n\nDouglass was livestreaming on Twitch when Shelesh posted these images to her Instagram story, and he disconnected and posted the following tweet on Oct. 13: “Sssniperwolf just doxxed me on her IG. Creepy, gross, violating,” wrote Douglass, alongside a screenshot of Shelesh’s Instagram story. “What you do is disgusting. You steal content AND stalk youtubers. @YouTube demonetize this dangerous ‘creator’ or just get her off your platform. She posted an IG story right outside our home and deleted it.”\n\nAs Douglass’ fans waited for YouTube to respond, they scoured Shelesh’s content, looking for potential additional rule violations. Shelesh also posted updates making light of the situation, including a since-deleted photo of her and her sister with the caption “We show up to ur house wyd??” and a post over Douglass’ tweet, captioned: “This creep has been harassing me for months then plays victim saying I threatened him when I just wanted to talk to him. I have no ill intentions. It’s so sad when people have to constantly create drama to pay their bills.”\n\nThe incident inspired a series of videos and posts from influencers and commentary channels, with public opinion largely being in favor of Douglass. Of course, the situation also inspired a fair few shitposts and memes — some of which were aimed at YouTube, encouraging the platform to respond.\n\nPolygon reached out to Douglass, Shelesh, and YouTube and will update this story when we hear back.\n\nYouTube responds\n\nOn Oct. 20, a week after the doxxing incident, YouTube and Shelesh both made public statements. YouTube posted a tweet confirming Shelesh had received “a temporary monetization suspension per Creator Responsibility policies.” The tweet also criticized “the behavior on both sides” and expressed hope that the incident would “move this convo to a better place.”\n\nConfirming SSSniperWolf has received a temporary monetization suspension per Creator Responsibility policies. Off platform actions that put others’ personal safety at risk harm our community & the behavior on both sides isn’t what we want on YT. Hoping everyone helps move this… — TeamYouTube (@TeamYouTube) October 20, 2023\n\nShelesh also made a statement on X, apologizing to “Jacksfilm, YouTube, the entire creator community, and my incredible fans for not being a better example of conflict resolution.” She has since posted a handful of new videos to her YouTube account, with the comment sections disabled.\n\nThe response from both YouTube and Shelesh failed to address many fans’ concerns, considering the official comment from YouTube spoke about “both sides,” implying responsibility on Douglass’ side of the conflict. The demonetization feels like a slap on the wrist, which has only inspired further commentary among the community. It seems like, for now, YouTube is content to avoid the debate around reaction content and simply profit off of it from afar.","url":"https://www.polygon.com/23930845/sssniperwolf-jacksfilms-doxxing-accusations-youtube-reaction-content-explained","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_b77068e2aeb18ee8"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_b77068e2aeb18ee8"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"231b57dc677394e18dfdd19cf9fa6a3ee60db8d6af74561d04611d03dca3da35","source_record_sha256":"5be1f1360408fce80f42bb379f2160d4583d7c18ad0b5e60bcc14f5b87e7e66f","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":517,"source_fields":{"title":"YouTube demonetizes popular content creator SSSniperwolf after doxxing accusations","author":"Cass Marshall","source":"Polygon","published_at":"2023-10-25T18:18:06+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.polygon.com/23930845/sssniperwolf-jacksfilms-doxxing-accusations-youtube-reaction-content-explained"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_ccb710a80c2df35f","text":"Mobile phones just might be young people's best friend, whether their parents like it or not.\n\nA new study from Common Sense Media, a nonprofit group in San Francisco, California, researched phone usage among a diverse group of 203 kids aged 11 to 17 — and the results were startling, experts say.\n\nThe researchers found that smartphones have become a \"constant companion\" for young people, according to a news release, although results varied.\n\nKids spent a median of 4.5 hours per day on their phones, with the maximum amount of time reaching 16 hours, according to the study.\n\nPHONE CALL ETIQUETTE FOR TODAY: BEST TO ‘OPT FOR A TEXT MESSAGE,’ EXPERT ADVISES\n\nMost teens check their phones frequently, ranging from two to 498 times per day.\n\nAdolescents were more likely to check their phones over 100 times a day, the study found.\n\nA whopping 97% of kids used their phones during school hours, while nearly 60% used them overnight — between the hours of midnight and 5 a.m. — on school nights.\n\nSocial media such as Instagram and Snapchat took up most screen time, at 32% during the school day, followed by YouTube and gaming, the study found.\n\nKEEPING KIDS SAFE: 'WAIT UNTIL 8TH' PLEDGE AIMS TO EMPOWER PARENTS TO RESIST SMARTPHONES FOR CHILDREN\n\nOvernight phone use was primarily spent engaging with the same media, although YouTube appeared to be the longest-running app because videos were often left playing during the night.\n\nTeens spent an average of 20 minutes per night on their phones, while some spent up to five hours.\n\nSixty-seven percent of participants picked up their phones on school nights, but the median number of pickups per night was only once.\n\nMore than 50% of kids get 237 notifications per day — while some receive as many as 4,500 every day, according to Common Sense Media's findings.\n\nAbout 23% of these notifications occurred during school hours.\n\nThe largest share of notifications came from apps including Snapchat and TikTok.\n\nYOUNG PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO FALL WHILE TEXTING AND WALKING AT THE SAME TIME, STUDY SAYS\n\nIn particular, TikTok was used by half of the study participants, for nearly two hours per day on average.\n\nCompared to other social media apps, teens were more likely to spend several hours daily on TikTok, with some scrolling on the app for up to seven hours.\n\nComparatively, the longest amount of time spent on Snapchat and Instagram was about three hours daily, the study found.\n\nOf the 85 participants under age 13, 68% used social media and had at least one app rated \"teen\" or higher – allowing access to \"age-inappropriate experiences,\" the study suggested.\n\nTikTok was the most popular app used by kids aged 11 and 12, while nearly half (45%) of participants used apps with mature or adult-only ratings, such as porn sites, fantasy sports and betting apps, according to the study findings.\n\nUNDERAGE DRINKING DANGERS: THESE ARE THE STATES WITH THE HIGHEST RATES OF TEEN ALCOHOL USE, STUDY FINDS\n\nMore than two-thirds of all participants admitted they sometimes or often find managing their use of technology difficult — or that they use it to escape \"sorrow\" or \"negative feelings.\"\n\nThey also said they've missed sleep due to being on their phones at night.\n\n\"People feel good and are enhanced by interactions with others … Those feelings cannot be replicated by connecting through a phone.\"\n\nLicensed clinical social worker Jennifer Kelman in Boca Raton, Florida — who provides expert advice on the Justanswer platform and was not involved in the study — shared some of the negative repercussions of kids spending large amounts of time on their phones.\n\n\"They lose the ability to have face-to-face interactions, and to converse and connect with others,\" she said in an interview with Fox News Digital.\n\n\"The phones and all the apps aren’t real-life interactions, and there is beauty in connecting with others face-to-face that is lost,\" Kelman went on.\n\nKids also lose out on developing problem-solving skills, since they aren't typically tasked with negotiating \"tough spaces\" or navigating human challenges, the expert added.\n\nBACK TO SCHOOL: TIPS FOR HOMESCHOOLING THE KIDS AS MORE PARENTS DITCH CLASSROOMS\n\n\"The more apps we use, the more likely it is that we lose parts of ourselves, our confidence and self-esteem,\" said Kelman.\n\n\"People feel good and are enhanced by interactions with others, and those feelings cannot be replicated by connecting through a phone.\"\n\n\"Kids' brains aren’t fully developed, so they aren’t able to sniff out who is safe on the other end of the chat or the game.\"\n\nKelman warned parents that smartphone usage triggers the same dopamine release as drugs, as apps are designed to \"reel kids in and keep them hooked.\"\n\n\"[Parents] are the ‘drug dealer’ in this analogy, so please think twice before free rein is given,\" she said.\n\n\"Withdrawal is common as well, so be prepared for a lot of pushback when you try to limit the use of their phones and other tech devices,\" Kelman warned.\n\nThe therapist's biggest rule for cracking down on daily phone usage among kids is to delay phone access for as long as possible.\n\n\"Parents are giving their kids phones at young ages and kids are hooked quickly,\" she said.\n\n\"Forget what friends are doing — and delay this as long as you can,\" she advised.\n\nIf a cell phone is necessary due to schedules and after-school activities, a kid-safe starter phone like a Pinwheel could be a better alternative, Kelman suggested.\n\n\"It's a phone that lets parents manage and monitor their usage, but there is no internet and only specific, parent-approved apps that can be turned on and off at will,\" she said.\n\n\"Better for your child to have a little FOMO [fear of missing out] than to have access to porn, become a victim of sextortion, or lose the ability to truly connect with other people.\"\n\nKelman stressed that kids \"can’t unsee what they have already seen,\" and that many adult apps may put kids \"in harm’s way.\"\n\nCLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER\n\n\"Kids' brains aren’t fully developed, so they aren’t able to sniff out who is safe on the other end of the chat or the game,\" she said.\n\n\"Kids are coerced into sending photos of themselves, often finding themselves victims of sextortion after they share the photos,\" the expert warned. \"This leads to shame, despair and fear of telling their parents.\"\n\nParents should vet and monitor all content accessed by their kids, Kelman advised.\n\nCertain types of content are more harmful than others, noted Shelley Delayne, parent education director at Pinwheel in Austin, Texas, who was also not involved in the study.\n\nThese include \"attention-mining apps,\" adult images and interactions, user-generated content and \"invisible influences\" that can impact children's worldview, she said.\n\n\"Take it slow and give them only what they need,\" Delayne recommended.\n\n\"Delay the introduction of adult online spaces and social media to [age] 16 or older, and stay involved in their digital lives just as much as you are in their physical life.\"\n\n\"We interpreted this data with assistance from an advisory council of young people to understand the nuanced relationships that young people develop with their smartphones.\"\n\nShe also said, \"Remember that just because a kid can tap around on a device and make it do stuff doesn't mean they have all the skills they need to be unharmed by it.\"\n\nIn its report, Common Sense Media said it used \"software to collect data from the smartphones of a diverse group of about 11- to 17-year-olds. We then interpreted this data with assistance from an advisory council of young people to understand the nuanced relationships that young people develop with their smartphones.\"\n\nCLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP\n\nIt also provided additional context, noting the study was done with \"Android phone users only, because Apple device tracking does not share with the research community the names of specific non-Apple apps that young people commonly use.\"\n\nFox News Digital reached out to the group for further comment.","url":"https://www.foxnews.com/health/cell-phone-shocker-97-percent-kids-use-device-during-school-hours-beyond-study","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_b77068e2aeb18ee8","mhq_cd71fb9f2e0f5aa0"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_b77068e2aeb18ee8","mhq_cd71fb9f2e0f5aa0"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"b37a867fa3891c868734e5e64150acc222dd9bd6396026c9ac55cd03a70f33f7","source_record_sha256":"f01d8bc9d8c31150bbd44a8e493b0df048790fb7668966d73323a8857d759416","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":518,"source_fields":{"title":"Cell phone shocker as 97% of kids use their device during school hours and beyond, says study","author":null,"source":"FOX News - Health","published_at":"2023-10-01T09:05:26+00:00","category":"health","url":"https://www.foxnews.com/health/cell-phone-shocker-97-percent-kids-use-device-during-school-hours-beyond-study"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_baddd012550e6471","text":"If you buy something from a Polygon link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement .\n\nYour time — and money — is precious. Polygon’s What to Buy has rounded up the best in gaming hardware, entertainment, tabletop, merch, and toys, and how to get them for the best value, so you spend less time shopping and more time enjoying.\n\nA power bank, also commonly referred to as a portable charger, is an essential purchase for anyone who’s on the go with a phone, tablet, or a gaming handheld like a Nintendo Switch or a Steam Deck. It lets you recharge your precious gadgets one or more times via a USB connection, so you can keep talking, texting, or gaming throughout the day.\n\nPower banks range in price depending on a few factors: how compact it is, what kind of ports it has, how much battery capacity it contains (typically measured in mAh), and how quickly it can recharge your devices.\n\nBest portable charger for your phone and tablet\n\nToday’s phones and tablets may differ in terms of their peak wired charging speeds, yet we’ve found some battery packs that should work well no matter what device you have. It’s true that some outliers, like Samsung’s Galaxy S23 phone, can recharge at 25 W or higher depending on the model, but many other Android phones and iPhones recharge via a wired connection at under 20 W — even less when you’re charging wirelessly.\n\nHow to pick the best power bank/portable charger for you Get one that lists the Power Delivery capability (noted as “PD” in the specs), and it should ideally match, or come close to, the peak charging speeds (in watts) of the devices that you intend to charge with it. The batteries we recommend for phones and tablets are also a good pick for the Nintendo Switch. However, the Steam Deck needs more juice, as do some mightier laptops that can receive power via USB-C.\n\nIn terms of tablets, picking either of the two power bank options we recommend below should be a good fit for what you may have. For reference, all iPads currently ship with 20 W power adapters, and so far, tablets from other manufacturers like Samsung and Amazon haven’t deviated far from that charging speed.\n\nWhichever you choose, it never hurts to get some extra USB-C-to-USB-C cables. You can get this two-pack at Amazon for $15.99, so you can keep one at home and then put the other in a bag you bring around during everyday travels.\n\nBest power bank for your Switch\n\nThe Nintendo Switch console with detachable Joy-Cons can receive a maximum of 18 W through its USB-C charging port (the Switch Lite is slightly less demanding). So, the very same compact power bank we recommend for phones and tablets can be used to charge your Switch.\n\nSame note as before: We suggest buying more charging cables than you’ll immediately need (stow one permanently in the bag you frequently use). You can get this two-pack of 100 W-ready, six-foot-long, USB-C-to-C cables at Amazon for $15.99.\n\nRelated The best Nintendo Switch accessories\n\nBest power bank for your Steam Deck\n\nEach Steam Deck console includes a 45 W USB-C wall adapter, so it’s a good idea to find a power bank that can meet that power level when you’re on the go. Thankfully, some options exist that can do this. One thing to note during your search is that only batteries that support the PD 3.0 spec, including the two options below, can recharge the Steam Deck at its fastest speed.\n\nRelated The best Steam Deck accessories\n\nBest portable charger for your laptop\n\nThe number of laptops that can recharge via USB-C is growing, making it possible to use the same charger to refill your laptop as you do your phone or Nintendo Switch. For instance, Apple’s entire MacBook lineup allows it, as do several popular Windows laptops, like the Dell XPS 13, Razer’s Blade gaming laptop, and more. The thing is, different laptops have different power requirements, so one power bank may not work well across multiple laptops.\n\nIf you have a 13-inch MacBook Air or Pro, or a similarly sized Windows laptop, the chances are very good that a 65 W power bank should be fast enough to recharge your laptop as you use it (check your power supply’s wattage to be sure). Keep in mind that if you’re trying to play games, or do other resource-intensive tasks, your battery may recharge slowly, or it may continue to discharge if your power bank isn’t powerful enough.\n\nFor more powerful laptops, there are bigger, more powerful batteries to match that can supply up to 140 W of recharging power. That’s currently a top-of-the-line spec, costing significantly more than our other options, and you’ll even need a compatible USB-C-to-USB-C cable to reach the 140 W top speed, as well as a laptop that supports the PD 3.1 USB-C charging spec.\n\nOne of the chargers we recommend below can match the speed delivered by Apple’s 140 W wall charger that’s included with 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops. On the Windows side of things, most laptops don’t go above 90 or 100 W at peak USB-C recharging speed, so you should be set with our picks.\n\nIt might be tough to justify spending $100 to $150 on a power bank just to charge a laptop. I get it. However, it’s easier to justify getting one if you frequently travel with multiple power-guzzling devices that you’d like to recharge simultaneously, as these are but a few available that can manage multitasking.\n\nUpdate (Nov. 17): Checked prices and stock for accuracy.","url":"https://www.polygon.com/what-to-buy/23672627/best-power-bank-portable-chargers","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_36b3dcdeaa13bc0e"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_36b3dcdeaa13bc0e"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"42a9c4231b25566f71f9e1088e80d465dba5cfccfc4c63d3230c285c62f8dcf8","source_record_sha256":"2a3c5b2096341c34abacaaab7b704a788eeecf2dfacab35f3712752c83a62bfc","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":519,"source_fields":{"title":"The best portable chargers for your gear","author":"Cameron Faulkner","source":"Polygon","published_at":"2023-11-17T13:10:12+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.polygon.com/what-to-buy/23672627/best-power-bank-portable-chargers"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_6f388affbc74a371","text":"Amazon Prime Day Part II is here, and that means a fresh batch of Prime Day deals. Technically Amazon calls this Prime Big Deal Days, but like most people, we think of it as Prime Day Deux. As usual, most of these Prime Day deals require a Prime membership, but you can snag a 30-day free trial to make the most of the event. We've been combing Amazon's website to bring you the best discounts on laptops, tablets, kitchen and home gear, headphones, and plenty more.\n\nWe test products year-round and handpicked these deals. Products that are sold out or no longer discounted as of publishing will be crossed out. We'll update this guide regularly throughout Prime Day by adding fresh deals and removing dead deals.\n\nWIRED Featured Deals\n\nTable of Contents\n\nIf you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more.\n\nBest Prime Day Amazon Device Deals\n\nThe discount will apply automatically during checkout once you meet the $40 order threshold on select products. Amazon-branded products range from home essentials like paper towels and batteries to snacks, office supplies, over-the-counter medicines, and more. This deal is an easy way to stock up on frequently-used items for cheap.\n\nGift card deals are only worthwhile if you'd be spending the money anyway. With brands like Doordash, Instacart, Fandango, and more featured in this sale, chances are you can find a worthy discount. Each card has a unique coupon code listed on the product page. Enter it during checkout to save.\n\nPhotograph: Amazon\n\nAmazon devices are almost always going on sale, but this is an especially nice deal since it comes with a free smart plug that typically sells for about $20. It isn't the same exact model, but a similar Kasa plug is the top pick in our Best Smart Plugs guide. The Echo Dot (5th Gen) is one of our favorite Alexa speakers. You can use the included smart plug to do things like ask Alexa to turn off your box fan or turn on a lamp.\n\nAmazon has a bunch of private-label clearance on sale for up to 55 percent off. Want D-cell batteries for $5? Here you go. How about compostable plates for $8? Giant crayons for $9? A truly hideous fanny pack for $12? The point is, there are 10 pages full of random items to choose from, and all of them are cheap. Go wild.\n\nPhotograph: Amazon\n\nOther Echo Show devices are also on sale, but the Echo Show 8 is our favorite. This product comes with a free trial of Alexa Together, an Amazon service that aims to replicate the tasks of a caregiver. It usually costs $20 per month. Set a reminder to cancel it if you aren't interested in subsequent charges.\n\nThe Echo Studio is the best-sounding Alexa speaker, but it's also pretty expensive. This price matches a low we've seen just once before. It has more powerful sound in general, but the changes are especially noticeable on the low end. Check out our Best Smart Speakers guide for additional details and recommendations.\n\nPhotograph: Amazon\n\nThis matches the price we saw in July for the best Kindle for kids. It's waterproof and has adjustable warm lighting for reading at night. If your kid is really into the Warrior Cats books, there is a special edition just for them for $120. The standard Kindle Kids is also on sale and it's a bit cheaper at $80 ($40 off), but it lacks the adjustable warm lighting and waterproofing. Whichever you get, Amazon throws in a protective case, a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+, and a two-year no-questions-asked replacement guarantee.\n\nThe other Kindles are more affordable, so there's no practical reason to spend the cash for the Oasis. But if you're like me and love physical page-turn buttons, you may want to consider this one. We think it's probably due for an update soon though.\n\nPhotograph: Amazon\n\nIf you like to take digital notes, the Kindle Scribe (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is the first of Amazon's e-readers that lets you write on the enormous 10.2-inch screen like a regular notebook. However, if you want to write in the margins of books, you'll have to settle for using sticky notes. That's frustrating given the point of spending this kind of money is to write on it (marking up books is better on the Kobo Elipsa).\n\nPhotograph: Amazon\n\nThe Fire Max 11 (5/10, WIRED Review) is Amazon's biggest, nicest, and most overpriced Fire tablet. This deal makes it much more palatable. The display and new fingerprint sensor are nice, as is the ability to use the keyboard without resorting to Bluetooth, but the Fire OS operating system leaves much to be desired (like a decent app store). Still, if you're set on a Fire tablet and you want a big display, this isn't a bad deal.\n\nBest Prime Day Laptop and Accessory Deals\n\nMacBook Air Photograph: Apple\n\nThe 2023 MacBook Air (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is one of our favorite laptops this year. It has an excellent six-speaker sound system, a 1080p front-facing webcam, and a 10-core variant of the M2 processor the previous year's model came with. It's blazingly fast for most normal work and can even handle some light video editing and other heavier tasks.\n\nThis is last year's 13-inch MacBook Pro (7/10, WIRED Review) with the M2 chip and Touch Bar. It has the same processor that's in the new MacBook Air (our top pick for most people) and doesn't offer any major hardware upgrades except for a fan, which allows the processor to get a little warmer and eke out more power over a longer period of time. This helps if you’re working on pro-level tasks like video editing but can’t spend the premium that Apple charges for its bigger Pro models.\n\nThe Razer Blade 14 earned an 8/10, WIRED Recommends award in our review. It has a gorgeous 16:10 display, plenty of USB ports, a full-size HDMI output, and an Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti, with the option to upgrade to the 40-series, giving it plenty of power to tear through the toughest games. It's the laptop WIRED reviewer Eric Ravenscraft used through Starfield's launch weekend; it has proven its worth already.\n\nPhotograph: Das Keyboard\n\nYou may have to click on “See More Buying Options” to see this deal. The Das Keyboard MacTigr pairs well with Apple's laptops and PCs. It has a dedicated Mac layout, Cherry MX Red switches, a two-port USB-C hub, and a high-quality, all-metal build. It rarely goes on sale.\n\nThis is our favorite external keyboard in our guide to Best MacBook Accessories. It's a great option if you're a fan of the Magic Keyboard and are looking to fully replicate your MacBook setup. However, this version is fairly bare-bones—it doesn't come with a Touch ID button or the same function row keys as the M-series MacBooks (that model isn't on sale, sadly). But it does come with the standard keys like playback controls, a Mission Control key, as well as a number pad. This is also the lowest price we've tracked for this keyboard, so far.\n\nThe Studio Display (9/10, WIRED Recommends) has a spacious 27-inch display that's perfect for juggling multiple apps at the same time and a 5K resolution that's stunningly sharp (there's no HDR though, so colors look slightly more contrasty and saturated compared to the neutral tones on Apple's Pro Display XDR). Although it's pricey, this is an excellent monitor for those who want a really accurate and sharp screen. Equipped with a 12-megapixel camera, along with built-in mics and speakers, it's ideal for video calls too. This is also the lowest price we've tracked, yet.\n\nPhotograph: Amazon\n\nOne of our top picks from our building your own PC guide, AMD's 16-core behemoth is a killer CPU for high-end 4K or 144-Hz gaming. It has some special requirements. It gets so hot there's no way you should put it into a PC without a liquid cooler like the Asus ROG Ryujin II Liquid Cooler.\n\nPlugable's USB-C Triple Display Docking Station is a great choice, especially for anyone using more than one monitor. It supports up to three displays at once (either HDMI or DisplayPort for each). The dock also packs six USB 3.0 ports (two on the front, four in the back) and a gigabit Ethernet port. Whenever you come back to your workstation with your MacBook, all you have to do is plug it in and you instantly have a multi-monitor setup. With an output of up to 60 watts, you can use the dock to charge your laptop too.\n\nClaiming the top spot in our Best USB Flash Drives guide, the SanDisk Extreme Pro balances speed, reliability, and price. The sleek aluminum case has a loop for attaching it to a keyring and a slider to push out the USB-A plug. It is fast, performs reliably (we've been using one regularly for two years), and comes with a lifetime warranty.\n\nBest Prime Day Tablet Deals\n\nPhotograph: OnePlus\n\nThe OnePlus Pad (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is one of the few Android tablets we think is a worthy iPad alternative. It offers good performance, has great battery life, and an excellent 144-Hz, 11.6-inch LCD display. We strongly recommend OnePlus’ magnetic keyboard, which is also on sale for $100 ($50 off), however, if you purchase directly from the company's website, you can get the keyboard bundled for free.\n\nThe 9th-gen iPad (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is our favorite iPad for most people, even though it's one generation behind. Aside from costing less than the current 10th-gen model, it is still compatible with the same accessories as the first-gen Apple Pencil. It retains the physical Home button with Touch ID at the bottom of the screen.\n\nPixel Tablet Photograph: Google\n\nGoogle's Pixel Tablet (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is part tablet, part smart display. It comes with a charging dock that doubles as a speaker, so you can pump out the tunes and get answers from Google Assistant at a moment's notice. Take it off the charger and you get a full Android tablet experience.\n\nBest Prime Day Watch Deals\n\nPhotograph: Apple\n\nThe 2nd-generation Apple Watch SE is our top pick for most people. It's the most affordable of what Apple touts as its first carbon-neutral products (when bought in conjunction with the new sport loop, that is). It's compatible with WatchOS 10, which is where many new health and wellness features show up.\n\nThe second-generation Garmin Epix Pro holds the title of Best Outdoor Watch in our Best Fitness Trackers guide and is one of our favorite sports watches (8/10, WIRED Recommends). It has a bright AMOLED display, battery life that can last through a week of camping, and useful features like redshift mode (for training outside at night), and a flashlight. There's also an endurance feature, in addition to all the other Garmin proprietary metrics that assess what kind of shape you're in. This deal applies to the 51-mm size, but the 42-mm and 47-mm sizes are also on sale.\n\nWe liked (but didn't love) the Withings Move smartwatch when we tried it. One of our chief complaints was its lack of heart rate monitoring, but that's an issue the Withings Steel HR has resolved, adding this crucial feature to what was already an elegant, subtle smartwatch. It has typical analog watch hands, with a smaller monochrome display for basic data, and it won't buzz your wrist all day with every single notification.\n\nGot an Android phone? We really liked using the TicWatch Pro 5, mostly because its battery stands out among competitors like Google, Samsung, and Apple. We easily get three days of average use, and Mobvoi’s unique dual-display technology lets you stretch the battery life even further. It’s powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 chipset, which is a newer and more efficient processor. And we've barely seen any hiccups operating this Wear OS 3 watch.\n\nBest Prime Day Phone Deals\n\nSamsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Photograph: Samsung\n\nSamsung's new Galaxy Z Flip5 (7/10 WIRED Recommends) delivers a larger cover screen, which means you can do more on the phone without having to open it up. If you or someone you know always complain about how big phones are these days, a folding flip phone might be the answer to those woes. If you want to try a different style of flip phone, the Motorola Razr+ is also on sale for $800 ($100 off).\n\nPhotograph: Samsung\n\nDon't want to pay much for a phone? This is one of the best you'll find for the price (8/10, WIRED Recommends). It lacks wireless charging (see the Pixel 7A below if you really want it), but the AMOLED screen has a 120-Hz screen refresh rate, the performance is decent, and the cameras are reliable. The battery also lasts more than a day.\n\nGoogle Pixel 7A Photograph: Google\n\nThis is our favorite smartphone for most people (8/10, WIRED Recommends), and this is an incredible price (and the lowest we have tracked). It has smooth performance, a nice bright screen, excellent cameras, and even features like wireless charging. The battery life is just OK.\n\nWe have a lot of other good cheap phone recommendations here, but this Motorola is fine and performs well for the money. It will only get one OS update (to Android 14), but it will get three years of security updates. It comes with an NFC sensor so you can make contactless payments, a headphone jack, and a microSD card slot. Read our Best Motorola Phones guide for more.\n\nOnePlus 11 Photograph: OnePlus\n\nThe OnePlus 11 (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is fast. The performance is fast, the recharging is fast. It even looks fast. It has a bright, 120-Hz AMOLED screen, great speakers, and surprisingly good battery life for all that. Our main gripe is the IP64 water- and dust-resistance rating, which is not nearly as good as other flagship phones.\n\nUgreen's charger is, as the name suggests, a 145-watt charger with a 25,000-mAh battery. It's surprisingly compact for the power it provides, although at 1.1 pounds, it's definitely not ultralight. There are two USB-C ports and one USB-A port. What sets the Ugreen apart is that you can actually draw 145 watts while charging. That works out to one USB-C port at 100W and the other at 45W. Very few other batteries we've tested are capable of that feat.\n\nPhotograph: Anker\n\nThe Anker Nano is one of our favorite portable power banks, particularly for phones. It clicks right into the bottom of your device, and even comes in fun colors. This model has a 12-watt Lightning connector but there is a 22.5-watt USB-C version for the iPhone 15 or Android phones for $22 ($10 off). Both connectors fold away when you aren't using them. If you use a particularly thick case, this may not work. You'll likely be able to charge most phones fully once before needing to recharge the power bank itself via the included USB-C cable.\n\nWe are big fans of the Backbone One (8/10, WIRED recommends) and it appears in our Best Mobile Game Controllers guide. It slides open to cradle your phone and is very responsive, with buttons and bumpers that feel nice and clicky. The USB-C version that is on sale will work with most Android phones and the new iPhone 15 range.\n\nThis 2-in-1 charger is featured in our guide to the Best MagSafe Accessories. The price matches the lowest we have tracked. It doesn't have a built-in Apple Watch charger, but it can top off your compatible wireless earbuds whilst simultaneously charging your iPhone. It charges at the maximum 15-watt rate, and you can turn your iPhone sideways for iOS 17’s new StandBy mode, converting it into a bedside alarm clock.\n\nAnker 3-in-1 MagSafe Wireless Charging Dock Photograph: Anker\n\nAnker makes our favorite lists often, including with this super compact 3-in-1 wireless charger. A MagSafe pad charges iPhones up to 15 watts at a slanted angle, and on the side is a standard Apple Watch puck (no fast-charging support). In the space inside the triangle is where you can place your AirPods Pro (or any other wireless earbuds case) to top them up.\n\nThis 2.5-inch cube from Anker is a great compact charger. It comes with a MagSafe pad on top (that charges at up to 15 watts), a top section that hinges to a 60-degree angle to reveal a charging surface for your AirPods, and a shelf on the side that has a built-in Apple Watch charger (which can comfortably accommodate any Apple Watch including the Ultra). You'll also get a 5-foot cable and a 30-watt charger in the box. It supports fast charging too.\n\nAnker 737 Power Bank Photograph: Anker\n\nWe just added this power bank as our top upgrade pick in our guide to the Best Portable Chargers. It's pricey, but today's deal makes it more accessible. It charges from zero to completely full in an hour and boasts a whopping 24,000-mAh capacity. And it's powerful enough to charge laptops and tablets as well as phones and other gadgets. There's even a built-in display to monitor stats like temperature and remaining battery percentage.\n\nThis heavy metal brick is a good option for charging laptops and smaller gadgets. It packs 20,000 mAh and supports a wide variety of fast charging standards. There is one USB-C PD port rated at 65 watts, two USB-A QC ports at 30 watts apiece, and a micro-USB input (though you are best using the USB-C to recharge it). We haven't seen it go on sale very often.\n\nThis travel kit from ESR works well if you want something that can prop your iPhone in portrait or landscape orientation. It can also display your Apple Watch in Nightstand mode, so you can peek and see how long before you must get out of bed. The main body folds open with a MagSafe charging pad for your iPhone and a slot behind for your AirPods. We have seen this dip a little lower, but this is still a solid deal.\n\nThe unusual design of Satechi's fold-up wireless charging stand allows it to charge both phones and a wireless earbuds case (if it supports Qi wireless charging), plus a USB-C port to plug in a third device—not bad for a device that fits in your bag. It has a 10,000-mAh capacity with LEDs to show how much juice is left. The downside is that it is slow, offering up to 10 watts of wireless charging power for phones (7.5 watts for iPhones), 5 watts for earbuds, and 10 watts from the USB-C port.\n\nBest Prime Day Headphone Deals\n\nPhotograph: Sony\n\nWhile its predecessor was one of the best pairs of wireless earbuds around, the WF-1000XM5 (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is still no slouch. They produce balanced sound, are comfortable to wear, and have active noise cancellation. When using the ANC, they last up to eight hours on a single charge, stretching to around 12 hours without it.\n\nThis deal is a match of historic low pricing that we don't see come around very often. The Google Pixel Buds Pro (9/10, WIRED Recommends) are truly excellent earbuds—particularly if you have an Android phone. They're comfortable and available in a wide array of colors at this price.\n\nThis is an invite-only deal (read more about that below). The Jabra Elite 7 Active top the list of our favorite workout earbuds. They came out in 2021, but are still the smallest, with the teeniest case, and the most comfortable we've tried. The rubber tip kept these securely in our ears while running, even while under a beanie that was rubbing against them. You can customize the level of ambient noise you let in via the Sound+ app, and they're IP57-rated to withstand sweat. You'll get 8 hours of battery life and up to 30 hours in the case.\n\nPhotograph: Apple\n\nIf you have an iPhone, these are the best earbuds. The newer USB-C model (8/10, WIRED Recommends), has redesigned audio infrastructure, and remains to have some of the best noise canceling and microphones we've heard on a pair of earbuds.\n\nAnker's Space A40 earbuds (8/10, WIRED Recommends) are packed with features for the price, with noise canceling, wireless charging, and 10 hours of battery life. Plus, they sound good, are lightweight, and comfortable to wear, which is why our reviewers say they nearly give Apple's AirPods a run for their money. Anker's Liberty 4 NC earbuds (8/10, WIRED Recommends) are another feature-packed pair of buds with great noise canceling, and are on sale for $80 ($20 off).\n\nThe Beats Studio Pro (7/10, WIRED Review) were released just a couple of months ago. We wish the battery life was longer and that the controls and EQ options were more robust. But this price makes them more worthwhile, and they do have excellent noise canceling.\n\nPhotograph: Bose\n\nThese noise-cancelling headphones are our favorite for the office. With advanced signal processing and four microphones built in, these will limit any sound around you, making them great for focusing on work in a busy environment and for Zoom calls. These often fluctuate in price, but we think it's a great deal.\n\nWe like Sony's standard LinkBuds (8/10, WIRED Recommends) for the open-ear design that allows you to hear what's going on around you. If you do a lot of city walking, or use your earbuds somewhere that it's important to be aware of your surroundings, like while feeding lions at the zoo, then these are a great option.\n\nThese are our favorite workout headphones for running and biking—any sport where you have to be aware of traffic but still want to listen to podcasts. They also fit under a helmet and have a decent 10-hour battery life.\n\nBest Prime Day Kitchen Deals\n\nPhotograph: Vitamix\n\nThe Vitamix 5200 is a staple on wedding registries, but, turns out, you can just buy them too. Like WIRED contributor Joe Ray, I was never really a blender person, but the Vitamix changed that. Whether you’re blending smoothies, soups, or sauces, this mixer is powerful and durable. It's not cheap (even on sale), but it's worth it.\n\nIf you want a Vitamix, but don't want to shell out for the 5200, the Explorian is a good, cheaper alternative. This is the brand's entry-level blender, but it still has a powerful two-horsepower engine that will reduce the toughest nuts to a creamy paste.\n\nThe NutriBullet Smart Touch Blender comes with a 1,500-watt motor base with a 64-ounce pitcher. It features a locking lid with a spout and includes a tamper for pushing down ingredients while you blend. There's also a good selection of presets, like a purée setting, one for soups, one for frozen drinks, and one for smoothies.\n\nPhotograph: Amazon\n\nIf you’re looking to save on counter space, the KitchenAid Artisan Mini is better suited to smaller kitchens and households. The full-size, 5-quart version is also on sale for $380 ($60 off).\n\nSous vide cooking is a great way to stop overcooking your food. It's a handy addition to any kitchen, and the Nano 3.0 is one of our favorite starter precision cookers.\n\nThis AeroGarden goes on sale all the time, but the price is right. WIRED reviewer Louryn Strampe said it was super easy to use. Simply place the seed pods in their corresponding holes, keep the bottom filled up with water, and wait. Just keep in mind that the light is bright—this model would not be ideal in a studio apartment. And it'll grow herbs like crazy, which is a blessing or a curse depending on how much dill you can use in a given week.\n\nPhotograph: Zojirushi\n\nZojirushi's rice cookers are a favorite at WIRED. The brand uses “fuzzy logic technology” with a microcomputer (hence the abbreviation “micom” in the product name) to make tiny adjustments in heat placement, ensuring that your grains are perfectly done, with minimal effort and no burned or wet spots. We have seen this one dip slightly lower, but this is still a good deal.\n\nWe love Le Creuset's enameled cast iron dishes (the bread pan isn't on sale, but it's one of our favorites). This roasting pan is a good size for everything from chicken to a prime rib.\n\nPhotograph: Bee's Wrap\n\nPlastic wrap is annoying. Try these beeswax wraps instead. They're organic cotton and sustainably sourced beeswax (along with jojoba oil and tree resin), which makes them waterproof (just make sure to use cold water to rinse them; hot water could melt off the wax). See our Best Reuseable Products guide for more great options.\n\nThese are a WIRED favorite. They do everything a single-use Ziplock bag does but, of course, they don't need to be thrown out and are dishwasher-, freezer-, and microwave-safe. You can also use them to keep supplies like screws, crayons, and bobby pins organized.\n\nIn addition to Stasher, we also love Rezip reusable baggies. They're durable, freezer-safe, and easy to clean—just stick them in the dishwasher. They're also much cheaper than Stasher if you want to dip your toes into reusables. This is the 5-piece set, but there are a bunch of other options discounted too.\n\nPhotograph: HydroJug\n\nThe HydroJug (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is one of our favorite water bottles. It's big and heavy, but it can be a useful tool if you're often unmotivated to fill smaller, scrawnier bottles. The sale price extends to a variety of colors.\n\nOn Prime Day a few years ago, I (Louryn) got a multipack of Flamin' Hot Cheetos, and I accidentally conditioned myself to crave them before bed. If you fall into the same trap, or you're a normal person and you just enjoy a spicy snack from time to time, this is a good and cheap way to restock. Use Subscribe and Save to get the lowest price (or pay the nominal difference of $2 more for a one-time shipment). You can always cancel Subscribe and Save shipments after your first order arrives.\n\nThis All-Clad set includes 10-inch and 12-inch frying pans, which is a nice combo for families or anyone who regularly needs larger pans. All-Clad's D3 stainless steel construction has a very even heat distribution and is pretty durable. Reviewer Scott Gilbertson has seen these warp after about 10 years, but so far it hasn't happened to his. You can find more All-Clad deals here.\n\nWe haven't been able to try 1Zpresso's hand grinder yet, but it gets high marks from espresso gurus around the web. It's over triple the price of our favorite hand grinder, the Hario Skerton Pro ($50), so there are certainly cheaper ways to grind, but the J-Max has always garnered high marks for its ability to deliver a very even fine grind.\n\nPhotograph: Ninja\n\nThe compact pick in our guide to the best air fryers, Ninja's Max XL is notable for its space-saving design, which leaves countertop space for other tasks such as prepping vegetables. The max crisp setting is perfect for making homemade fries with a nice amount of crunch, and you can even modify conventional oven recipes to work with the Ninja.\n\nThe trick-or-treaters are coming (or perhaps just the midnight munchies). In any case, Amazon has a bunch of candy on sale right now, with prices starting at $2. Who doesn't need a 24-pack of Nerd Ropes?\n\nThese are reviewer Louryn Strampe's favorite coffee mugs, and not just because they're a brilliant shade of pink. The cups' construction makes it appear like your drink is floating, and the 16-ounce capacity means more coffee down your gullet.\n\nPhotograph: Zwilling\n\nIf you have kids who touch everything dangerous in your kitchen, we recommend the double-walled Zwilling kettle in our Best Kettles guide. It comes with six presets, as well as a dedicated button for making baby formula.\n\nOnce our top pick for chef knives, the Victorinox is still a great knife. We really like the nearly nonstick finish—hardly anything sticks to this blade, not even fresh cilantro. It's a great all-around kitchen knife and well worth grabbing at this price.\n\nBest Prime Day Coffee Deals\n\nBreville Barista Express Impress Espresso Machine Photograph: Breville\n\nWhat we love about the Breville Impress (6/10, WIRED Review) is that beginners can make good to very good espresso right out of the box. Breville has done a nice job of automating some of the trickier elements of espresso-making. The downside is that we found a good bit of variation from shot to shot.\n\nThe Barista Touch is a coffee shop in a machine. You get a built-in burr grinder, a hot water spout, and a digital display to control your brews. Tap the Latte button and the Touch will crank out a latte, even foaming the milk. The results are not as good as what you can do by hand, but it's a nice option if you're feeling lazy.\n\nThere are dozens of these milk frothers available on Amazon, from dozens of different spammy companies all selling more or less the same device. None of them are outstanding, but I bought one a few years ago and, surprisingly, it's still going. Use it to froth milk, or for what I do: mixing up matcha tea. Will this one last you years? I honestly don't know, but at least you're only out $8 if it doesn't.\n\nPhotograph: Fellow\n\nNothing beats the speed and convenience of an electric kettle for heating up water to a precise temperature. Stovetop kettles can't compete on any criteria. Plus, if you want to get into pour-over coffee, which many WIRED staffers heartily recommend, your kettle will need a gooseneck so that your pour is precise. The nearly identical EKG+ (8/10, WIRED Recommends) has a smooth pour and can hold its temperature for up to an hour before it auto shuts off, although the 2.5-foot cable could stand to be longer.\n\nWe go nuts for coffee here on WIRED's Gear Team, and the ingenious AeroPress is one of our favorite portable coffee makers. It makes a damn fine cup of brew. It also happens to be incredibly easy to use and clean up. This one will make 10 fluid ounces of coffee up to a time, which is about a diner mug's worth.\n\nBest Prime Day Mattress Deals\n\nHelix Midnight Luxe Hybrid Mattress Photograph: Helix\n\nEnter code DEALDAY25 at checkout to get this deal, which includes two pillows. This matches the best price we've seen our favorite mattress reach. The Midnight Luxe has six layers of foam and individually wrapped inner springs. It's medium-firm and comfortable for almost all sleeping positions. There are other firmness levels within the Luxe collection that we haven't tested yet.\n\nCasper's hybrid bed reaches its $1,495 price but is often $1,196 on Amazon. Still, this price is among the best deals we've tracked on a bed from the brand that put bed-in-a-box mattresses on the map. This hybrid is a great neutral option. Did you read our guide and have no idea which one to go with? Get this one. It strikes a good balance between soft and supportive, with just enough bounce.\n\nPhotograph: My Green Mattress\n\nEnter code DISCOVER at checkout to see this discount. We have seen this dip slightly lower in the past, but the base price has risen since then and this price is lower than recent sales. This is our top organic mattress pick for kids. It's made from certified organic cotton, wool, and latex.\n\nEnter code DISCOVER at checkout to apply this discount. If you aren't ready for a whole new mattress, spruce up your existing one with a mattress topper. This organic latex choice from My Green Mattress is our favorite firm topper—it's 2 inches high, has a zipper if you need to remove the organic cotton cover from the pad, and stays in place nicely without needing any straps.\n\nBrooklinen Weighted Throw Blanket Photograph: Brooklinen\n\nThis price is for the terra-cotta color only. Brooklinen's weighted blanket is 12 pounds but feels sufficiently weighty. It's held up well through many trips in the wash and cat biscuit-making sessions. It's also prettier than some other options with one side having a nice texture pattern.\n\nWe like several Brooklinen sheets, and this is our favorite organic set. They're soft, but not overly silky and you shouldn't sleep too hot in them. They are made from Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)-certified organic cotton and are Oeko-Tex certified, which means they're tested for and do not contain any known toxic chemicals.\n\nThis amazing and gigantic blanket will be the focus of its own story in a few weeks' time. WIRED reviewer Louryn Strampe loves it. True to its name, it's massive, measuring 10 feet by 10 feet, so it's really easy to share—even if you're a blanket hog like she is. The price matches what we've seen during other shopping holidays.\n\nBest Prime Day Smart Home Deals\n\nPhotograph: Govee\n\nIn our Govee Buying Guide, we selected this as the best lamp. It has a modern design and support for Amazon Alexa as well as Google Assistant. You can select the lighting using your phone or the included remote. This price matches the lowest we have seen.\n\nTurn anything plugged into an outlet into a smart device with a smart plug. Our favorite mini smart plug from Kasa is on sale—usually available for around $17, snagging these great plugs for $6 each is a steal. It's easy to control and create routines, and these bulbs work with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings.\n\nPhilips Hue White and Color Ambiance Starter Kit Photograph: Amazon\n\nPhilips Hue's smart bulb starter kit isn't a cheap investment, and we usually only recommend it if you're looking for an upgraded kit. But it is a little cheaper right now to get three bulbs, a smart switch, and Philips' smart home hub, which you can use with older Philips bulbs and other third-party accessories. It's the lowest deal we've seen on this kit in months.\n\nThe Netgear Nighthawk series of routers are well regarded and make up some of the picks in our Best Routers guide. This model isn't one of the fancy ones, but it's a solid choice. You get Wi-Fi 6 support, coverage of up to 3,500 square feet, and the USB input means you can connect a storage drive for shared disk space.\n\nPhotograph: Newegg\n\nSitting at the top of our Best Wi-Fi Routers guide, this Wi-Fi 6 router is ideal for the average home seeking more reliable Wi-Fi on a budget. It has a slick, black finish with four antennas, performs reliably, and has four gigabit Ethernet LAN ports, a single gigabit WAN port, and a USB 3.0 port on the back. It is frequently discounted but hasn't been this low since Amazon's last Prime Day event.\n\nIf you're battling Wi-Fi dead zones in your house, you may need to add a mesh router to your setup. Our upgrade pick, Eero's Pro 6E (7/10, WIRED Recommends) makes this process as simple and hands-off as it can be, and each should one covers 2,000 square feet. The brand's subscription is pricey at $10 a month (the cheaper option was eliminated)—you don't have to subscribe for it to work but there are nice features like parental controls. This older Eero router is on sale for $45 if you just need something cheap right now.\n\nSimpliSafe (9/10, WIRED Recommends) makes home security easy to set up and expand on as needed with multiple motion, door, and window sensors, plus panic buttons and key fob controllers. The brand has frequent sales—and you've probably heard podcast ads with discount codes—but we don't typically see it reach 50 percent off. We didn't like the indoor SimpliCam, but it has since been updated and we have yet to test the new one. Several other smaller bundles are also discounted between 40 and 50 percent off with different variations of accessories.\n\nPhotograph: Govee\n\nGovee makes some of our favorite smart lighting, and this is our pick for a diffused light strip that can be installed on the wall, stairs, or anywhere else in plain view. It comes with adhesive brackets, so you can make curved shapes like clouds. It supports countless effects in the Govee app and works with voice commands from Google Assistant or Alexa. Read our Best Govee Lights guide for more.\n\nMonster's digital frame isn't as good as options from Aura or Nixplay, which top our guide to the best digital frames, but we like it better than most other cheap frames. The 1280p screen gets you crisp photos and you can use Google Assistant or Alexa with it too. If you just can't imagine spending $150 or so on those other frames, this one works.\n\nIf you can spend more than the Monster above, we do prefer our top choices, but Skylight's 15-inch frame looks nice whether you put it on a shelf or wall mount it. There's a smaller 10-inch one if you want to spend less.\n\nEcoFlow River 2 Pro Portable Power Station Photograph: EcoFlow\n\nIt's debatable whether some of the Best Portable Power Stations are truly all that portable, but this one from EcoFlow is easy to carry, with a large handle along the back. The LiFeP04 battery inside is good for 768 watt-hours and perfect for keeping your gadgets charged up on camping trips. The main downside is fan noise.\n\nThe smaller version of this recently earned a spot in our Best Portable Chargers guide, and the larger model is our top pick of the Best Portable Power Stations, so the 1000 Plus is definitely worth a look. It packs a 1264Wh-capacity battery, loads of ports, three AC outlets, and is rated at 2,000 watts with a 4,000-watt peak power capability, which means you can plug in electric grills and other small appliances without worrying.\n\nTile Sticker Two-Pack Photograph: Tile\n\nIf you're constantly losing remotes, Tile's Stickers can come in handy. These Bluetooth tracker stickers can be stuck onto remotes, e-readers, or anything else you want to keep track of within a 150-foot range. This is the best price we've seen since last year.\n\nPetcube makes some of our favorite pet cameras, and this one holds more treats (1.5 pounds) and larger pieces (up to 1 inch in diameter) than some of the others we tried. The Bites 2 looks good and has an extensive four-microphone array that sounds great both ways. The Bites 2 Lite loses the laser and is made from plastic rather than aluminum, but it's significantly cheaper, typically at about $100. Right now it's discounted to $80.\n\nEven with the subscription ($3 per month or $30 per year), this video doorbell is one of the cheapest options around, and it made the honorable mentions section in our Best Video Doorbells guide. Video quality is 1080p with a limited field of view, and notifications aren't the fastest, but it performs reliably. If you don't want a subscription, consider buying it bundled with Sync Module 2 ($47), which is also half-price right now.\n\nNiu KQi3 Pro Photograph: Niu\n\nThis is our favorite electric scooter for most people. It goes on sale regularly, so never pay full price for one. The KQi3 has great range, going 18 to 20 miles for most people. It maxes out at 20 miles per hour, the 9.5-inch tubeless tires offer a comfy ride, and the disc brakes reliably bring it to a quick stop.\n\nEven after trying the newer Withings Body Comp smart scale, the Body+ model is still in the sweet spot for us. It tracks data about your health including body fat, muscle mass, and total body water, and can display charts of your progress over time.\n\nThis is an upgraded model of our favorite, the Body+ mentioned above. It adds extra features to keep an eye on your heart health, like its built-in heart monitor that can analyze your cardiovascular health using vascular age data. We found this wasn't totally worth the extra price on the more expensive Withings Body Comp scale, but the Body Cardio is cheaper normally, and even better on this sale.\n\nWater damage is one of the most frightening and potentially expensive disasters any homeowner can face, but if you learn about a leak swiftly enough you can keep damage to a minimum. This kit comes with four sensors and a hub and uses the relatively long-range LoRa standard to alert you the minute any of the sensors detects water. It is our pick for larger properties in our Best Water Leak Detectors guide.\n\nPhotograph: Aqara\n\nThis chunky doorbell offers 1080p video and a wide 162-degree field of view to help you monitor your front porch. It takes regular AA batteries (but can also be wired) and it comes with an indoor hub that can record video locally onto a microSD card, but also doubles as a Wi-Fi repeater and a chime. It has wide smart home compatibility, and can even be used with Apple's HomeKit Secure Video, which is what earned it a place in our Best Video Doorbells guide.\n\nIf you want to stay powered up on your travels, you need a travel adapter, and this one from Epicka is the budget pick in our Best Travel Adapters guide. It works in more than 150 countries and has four USB-A ports on the bottom, plus a 15-watt USB-C port on the side. It has dropped this low before, but not for a while.\n\nGet not one, not two, but four of our favorite smart bulbs for the best price we've seen all year. These smart bulbs are easy to use, beautifully vibrant, comes with a variety of present colors, and work with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.\n\nPhotograph: Nanoleaf\n\nWe love this light kit for adding fun ambient lighting to any room. Each hexagon is its own light, so you can control and customize the hexagons into just about any design of your choosing—both in color schemes. and onto your wall. Just grab a level to make sure you put them on straight!\n\nThe Google Nest Hub Max has a nice big screen and slim, powerful speakers to match. It's our favorite smart display for a variety of reasons, from how nicely it doubles as a photo frame to how great it is as a kitchen assistant.\n\nBest Prime Day Home, Apparel, and Personal Care Deals\n\nTherabody Smart Goggles Photograph: Therabody\n\nTherabody's Smart Goggles (9/10, WIRED Recommends) use heat, vibrations, and light pressure to massage your eyes and temples. The app lets you customize sessions and track your heart rate to help reduce stress and anxiety. It feels amazing, but it's very expensive—all Therabody products are—and I noticed a small hole in the eye pad after a while. It hasn't gotten bigger, but it's worth noting. We're testing Gravity's competing eye massager right now. It's not app-controlled, but it's much cheaper and we don't hate it so far.\n\nThe TheraFace Pro is a very expensive self-care tool. We liked it, finding it exfoliated away blackheads, cleared up stuffy sinuses from allergies, and even minimized fine lines. But there are also buzzwordy functions that may or may not work, like microcurrent. It hasn't gone on sale often in its yearish shelf life so if you can afford to spend this much on a skincare device, it's a good time to grab it. Unfortunately, the hot and cold heads are an additional $99.\n\nWillow Go Wearable Breast Pump Photograph: Willow\n\nOur favorite wearable breast pump is easy to use, easy to clean, and easy to bring anywhere. What's not easy is the price tag you usually find on the Willow Go (8/10, WIRED Recommends). It's priced similarly to a standard portable pump right now, though, making it much more worth the splurge.\n\nIf you're shopping for baby gear, a good deal goes a long way with how much stuff you need before little one arrives. While insurance covers some of the cost of pumps, it's often not all of it. Depending on the insurance you have, this current deal on the Elvie Stride (7/10, WIRED Recommends) may get you closer to the price that your plan will cover.\n\nOur favorite stroller is all-around great: it comes with an adapter for infant car seats, has great suspension without being bulky, and folds down surprisingly close to flat. It's already a great deal for its regular price, and even more worth purchasing right now. We occasionally see it go a little lower than $300 on sale, but this is a great price to jump on.\n\nTushy Classic 3.0 Bidet Photograph: TUSHY\n\nA person once asked rhetorically: If you fell in the mud, would you reach for a sheet of toilet paper or a hose? They were talking about bidets, and put that way, it does seem to be a cleaner option. Certainly, it's gentler on your caboose. The Tushy is affordable and, as far as bidets go, easy to install on practically any toilet. There's no need for an electrical plug or a hot water hookup, which is why we gave it the recommendation as the best budget bidet that's non-electric.\n\nTrimming and edging the lines of a beard can be just as time-consuming and aggravating as edging a lawn. Most trimmers on the market make do with too many plastic guides of different lengths—too many—and yet not enough attachments for fine detailing. The Multigroom Series 9000 comes with an adjustable guide from 1 to 3 millimeters, plus a mini-foil shaver, narrow-width head, T-shaped head, ear/nose attachment, and more. Its stainless steel construction is a rarity among consumer-level trimmers, too, and feels solid in the hand, as if you're a semi-professional barber working magic rather than just a guy in a bathroom mirror.\n\nCoway Airmega 250 Air Purifier Photograph: Amazon\n\nFor larger rooms, you want a larger air purifier, and we recommend the Airmega 250 as the best air purifier for living rooms. Product reviewer Matt Jancer has been using one for years to keep the air inside his New York City apartment clean and pure. Filters tend to be expensive at $60 to 80, but he's gotten nearly a year out of each filter, so the performance-per-price is worth it, in his opinion. Its automatic functioning will kick the purifier into high gear if heavy pollution is detected, but normally it runs on a whisper-quiet low setting when needed. Even sitting a few feet away, Matt doesn't notice it.\n\nEnter code WOOF25 at checkout to see this discount. I get compliments on this Diggs carrier every time I bring my cats to the vet. It works for cats or smaller dogs and it feels high-end in its construction, with lots of pockets for you. There are safety features like seat belt clips and a buckle strap and it's also been crash-tested and gets a five-star rating by the Center for Pet Safety. The only thing I dislike is that you can't really see through the mesh to make sure your pet is OK, but the company says this is to give nervous pets some privacy and calmness.\n\nPhotograph: Amazon\n\nA sunrise alarm wakes you up at you set time by gradually brightening and changing the color temperature, or the color spectrum, to mimic real sunlight. It's a gentler way to wake up than a blaring alarm. Like most sunrise alarms, the WiiM also has a sunset feature for winding down before bed. Of all the ones WIRED reviewer Matt Jancer tested, the WiiM was the easiest to set up and walk the user through its operation on the connected app.\n\nWIRED reviewer Matt Jancer has relied on the 35-pint model to keep his East Coast apartment habitable during sweltering, humid summers. You can set the desired humidity level in 5 percent increments from 35 to 85, and the automatic functioning will turn the machine on and off as needed. It's not particularly loud for a dehumidifier, and Jancer has to empty the water bin only once per day on his smaller model.\n\nAn electric fan is an ideal way to save a bit of money on air conditioning costs and to add a bit of pleasant white noise to boot. Unlike air conditioning, they take only a sip of electricity to run. WIRED reviewer Matt Jancer has been using the Vornado 460 for three summers and says its ability to move an impressive amount of air around a bedroom on the lowest setting belies its smallish size.\n\nPhotograph: Dyson\n\nThis has been on sale for $300 for a little while, but we still like this price. The Dyson Supersonic (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is one of the best hair dryers you can buy. It's also extremely expensive, so definitely buy it while it is on sale rather than paying full price.\n\nWe recommend this hair tool in our guide to the Best Hair Straighteners. We have not seen it drop so low in price before. The flat iron is easy to use and comfortable to hold. We wish it had more temperature settings, but it's best for finer, wavier hair. If you want something simple that'll do the trick, and your hair isn't too textured, this is a solid option.\n\nThis multi-styling tool is also featured in our Best Hair Straighteners guide. It comes with round and paddle-brush attachments to get whatever look you're trying to achieve. The price is a match of the lowest we have tracked.\n\nPhotograph: Amazon\n\nWIRED readers love LifeStraw filters, and this is the lowest we tend to see them drop in price. We include this product in our guide to the Best Home Emergency Gear. It removes 99 percent of waterborne bacteria and pathogens. At this price, you could pick one up for each member of the family.\n\nThis is very similar to a coat we recommended in our affordable cold-weather gear guide. Orolay coats consistently go viral because they're budget-friendly and warm. While we haven't tested this exact jacket, the reviews are positive and the price is right. Other coats from the brand are also on sale.\n\nA full review of this bed is coming, but the tl;dr is it's super comfy with a soft, machine-washable cover and it's big enough for adults to relax in. If you stare longingly at your pet as they snooze in their tiny beds, you might want to consider investing in your own. It's expensive though, so the $100 discount is welcome.\n\nPhotograph: Gravity\n\nThe Gravity Move (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is one of our favorite massage guns. It's compact but works sore muscles with ease. The Move comes with four attachment heads, including a heated one that feels heavenly. We just wish the case was bigger—it only fits the device and one head at a time.\n\nNavigating the sheer amount of printer options available is exhausting. We don't have a full printer guide just yet, but after my last one died, I bought this one on the recommendation of a fellow WIRED reviewer and have been more than happy with the results. Prints and scans are good quality. It's also wireless and you can print from your phone too.\n\nYou've likely seen these candles floating around your feeds and they're great buys to treat yourself or to gift others. They're 13.5 ounces, smell good, and are hand-poured in the US. Also astrology is fun, whether you're actually into it or not—according to the company, I, Nena, having been born on March 28, am reclusive by nature. Accurate!\n\nPhotograph: Loop\n\nI (Adrienne) have two pairs of these ear plugs, which are the Best for Sleep in our Best Earplugs guide. They are stylish, have different-sized ear tips, and stay put much more easily than the foam ones that you buy in a giant can. I like that they're reusable!\n\nThis handy tool has been steadily $25 for the last few months. It isn't a huge discount, but if you have pets, you need this. Roll it across your furniture to trap all the fur in its inner compartment, then just open it up and toss that fur in the trash. It works well and you don't have to worry about refilling sticky lint rollers.\n\nDog owners tend to know exactly the genetic makeup of their pups. Cat owners, not so much. Basepaws gives you a chance to learn more about your feline friends. We received PDF reports 70ish pages long detailing breed percentages and it states if they're a carrier or at risk of several health issues. Any pet can get sick at any time, but it's nice to know if you're up against something that you can maybe prevent.\n\nI (Adrienne) am currently running in these shoes, which have a wide toe box and are designed to switch easily between running on trails and roads. They're incredibly versatile.\n\nLast Prime Day, we were shocked to see that Amazon even carried one of our favorite recycled clothing brands. And lo, here we are, shocked again. This is the price we saw in July for some of the best recycled workout clothes.\n\nBest Prime Day Vacuum Deals\n\nDyson V15 Detect Cordless Stick Vacuum Photograph: Dyson\n\nThe V15 Detect holds the top spot in our Best Dyson Vacuums guide. At 7 pounds, it's lightweight, and Dyson has made it simple to convert into a handheld model. Since it's a Detect model, it also comes with a head that projects a green laser to help you spot microscopic dust—making it easy to catch particles that are invisible to the naked eye.\n\nLupe's cordless vacuum (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is one of the best we tried and while it's cheaper than a Dyson, it's still very expensive even on sale. The cleaner head has a standard rotating brush and a composite foam roller, and when using its highest setting, that foam creates a strong seal against the ground. Most cordless vacs are best used in between really good cleanings with a more powerful upright vacuum, but the Lupe might be all you need. Unfortunately, it sounds terrible.\n\nThis is the best budget-friendly Dyson, and thanks to today's deal price, the vacuum is even more accessible. It can be converted into a hand vacuum and has a runtime of about 40 minutes. The included attachments will make it easier to get into the various nooks and crannies of your home.\n\nIn our guide to the Best Dyson Vacuums, we say this model is worthwhile if it's priced between $300 and $400. Well, well, well, would you look at that? Looks like the price is right. This is a solid pick for pet owners. It's similar to the Animal 3, but this model has a self-adjusting cleaner head that automatically raises and lowers the base plate to seal in suction on all floor types. There's also a motorized brush for added efficiency.\n\nPhotograph: Shark\n\nThe Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is our favorite vac-mop combo in our Best Robot Vacuums guide. It vacuums well and does a thorough job of scrubbing the floors (using the included mopping bin) without getting the carpets wet. It also uses laser navigation to accurately map your home, allowing you to subdivide vacuuming and mopping zones within the easy-to-use app.\n\nThe Eufy X9 Pro (6/10, WIRED Review) doesn't work well as a stand-alone robot vacuum, but it's the best mopping vacuum we've tried. On the bottom of the X9 Pro are two mops that both rotate at about 180 revolutions per minute; it's both fast and accurate. WIRED senior associate reviews editor Adrienne So says it only took 30 minutes to mop her kitchen (including a spilled half-bottle of syrup without leaving the floor sticky), laundry room, and bathroom. The docking station dries the mops for you too, so they don't get gross.\n\nPhotograph: Roborock\n\nRoborock recently launched an upgrade to this model, our favorite robot vacuum and our current top pick. WIRED senior associate reviews editor Adrienne So says that, after several years, it's still the one vacuum she hasn't unplugged and consistently calls on to clean her house after other robot vacuums have failed.\n\nShark's AI Ultra 2-in-1 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) has an amazing amount of functionality for the price compared to similar robot vac-mops out there, and that's before this sweet sale price. It uses laser navigation to map your home, and you can use an app to divide it into mopping and vacuuming areas depending on your flooring. The mopping is effective without getting your floors wet, too, and you won't need replacement bin bags. The price is specifically for the black and gold colorway, but the black and silver model is also on sale (though not as much as the gold version).\n\nBissell Little Green Machine Carpet Cleaner Photograph: Bissell\n\nThis is a match of the lowest price we tend to see for this little green machine. It made our list of the Best Carpet Cleaners and the Best Viral TikTok Gadgets. It's great for cleaning furniture, stairs, and vehicles.\n\nThis is the version of Samsung's stick vacuum that does not purport to use AI. The good news is that you probably don't really need machine learning in a vacuum, as I noted in my review (7/10, WIRED Review). This is a great vacuum if your midcentury modern home needs a vacuum to fit in with the stylish decor.\n\nRefresh your rugs with this smart carpet cleaner, which has a clever design and is fairly easy to maneuver. It is great at sucking grime out of your carpet, has a drying mode, and comes with attachments for upholstery. As the upgrade pick in our Best Carpet Cleaners guide, the relatively high price is our main criticism, so it's worth taking advantage of the discount. It does occasionally drop, but we have never seen it lower than this.\n\nIt can be a pain having to lug around a heavy carpet cleaner to deal with a spill or pet-related accident, so this portable, cordless cleaner from Bissell is handy. It is also mercifully easy to take apart and clean after you've dealt with the mess. It appears in our Best Carpet Cleaners guide as our favorite spot cleaner.\n\nBest Prime Day Lego and Other Toy Deals\n\nLego Marvel Hulkbuster Photograph: Amazon\n\nThis is not the enormous, 6,000-piece set for adults, but the version for kids. Still, commemorative theme sets tend to increase in value if you don't open them and hold them for a few years (if you can convince yourself to do that). It was $34 less when this sale first started.\n\nOne of the most gratifying parts of parenthood is realizing that your children are now fascinated by the same toys and characters that you loved when you were little. It never fails to blow my mind that my 6-year-old also knows who Optimus Prime is. This action figure transforms from a truck (very cool) into a robot (even cooler!) to save the Earth from the evil Decepticons. This would make a great holiday present.\n\nAdrienne's 6-year-old son has this playset, which they unfortunately paid full price for in a moment of weakness. It's incredibly sturdy and has lasted for several years while being stomped on and thrown into battle with other playsets. The Grimlock T-Rex motorcycle is obviously the coolest one, but siblings can share.\n\nYoto Player Photograph: Yoto\n\nKids will love this durable, portable speaker, as it can handle bedtime stories, music, and other content by slotting in cards. It also features a kid-friendly radio and a sleep mode. This appears in our Best Kids Speakers guide and is suitable for children from ages 3 to 12.\n\nIf you have a vase you love, but wish your flowers would last longer, LEGO has the answer for you. Build these artificial flowers that range from roses, poppies, daises and snapdragons to add to your favorite vessel.\n\nBehold this adorable stack of pancakes complete with a butter-and-syrup flower garnish. Have you ever seen a cuter Squishmallow? I highly doubt it. Tons of Squishmallows are on sale for Prime Day. Other options include a narwhal, hedgehog, mushroom, and possum. You can view them all here.\n\nMagna-Tiles are addicting for just about any kid, in the best kind of way. They're a STEM toy we're major fans of for a variety of ages. This set lets you build a road and cranes, so it's a great choice for any construction enthusiast or as an add-on to any current Magna-Tiles owners.\n\nFor a hazy few years, WIRED editor Adrienne So says her kids were obsessed with the Lego Ninjago series. (The show was originally commissioned as a limited run and then extended for its popularity.) This is a pretty reasonable price for a biggish 1,060-piece set that looks like a relatively simple build with a ton of minifigs.\n\nThis is a 4,049-piece set from the 2015 film Avengers: Age of Ultron, complete with three light-up arc reactors and compatibility with the Iron Man figure (sold separately).\n\nIf you're looking for a more interactive Lego set, look no further than the City Stuntz Ultimate Stunt Riders Challenge. It comes with a 360-degree loop, a ring of fire, an “alien tower” vertical climb, a ramp, two toy motorcycles, and four Lego City minifigures. The three stunt challenges can be configured in a variety of different ways too. This is also the lowest price we've tracked for this Lego set, so far.\n\nBest Prime Day TV and Soundbar Deals\n\nSamsung The Frame Photograph: Walmart\n\nAnyone who cares about the aesthetics of their space probably doesn't want to stare at their TV screen all the time. That's where Samsung's The Frame comes in. This TV looks like a piece of art when not in use, helping it blend into the background of your well-curated space.\n\nThis quantum dot-enabled OLED is the brightest organic LED display that we've tested. It has shockingly bright colors to go with its great contrast. Small bezels also aid in a super immersive picture, making this one of the best TVs for brighter rooms.\n\nAmazon's Fire TVs are a solid and affordable way to get a quality screen for very little money. This 65-inch model has Dolby Vision support for good colors, and you can control it using your voice and Alexa.\n\nPhotograph: Hisense\n\nThe Hisense U8K is among the best-value TVs we've ever seen. It features a mini-LED display for ultra-bright colors and great contrast and is super easy to set up and use thanks to the onboard Google interface. Learn more in our full review (8/10, WIRED Recommends).\n\nHisense is a purveyor of quality mid-tier TVs, and this U7 is no exception. If you're after a larger screen to enjoy sports, the 144-Hz native refresh rate makes games (both real and virtual) look smooth as silk. I also like that it supports the latest high dynamic range codecs, so you'll get the brightest, most vibrant colors possible.\n\nIf you need a super large screen and you don't have a ton of cash lying around, this option from TCL is solid. It has support for the latest high dynamic range codecs like Dolby Vision for great colors, and the built-in Fire TV interface features essentially any app you want. It's not the brightest or prettiest TV ever, but it is big and has bold color.\n\nNanoleaf's 4D Kit (9/10, WIRED Recommends) can turn any movie or video game into a beautiful, immersive experience. The kit comes with both a trimmable light strip that fits TVs as large as 65 inches, and Nanoleaf's 4D camera that captures the TV screen's colors and projects them onto the wall behind the TV. The larger size is on sale, too, if your TV is between 65 and 85 inches.\n\nPhotograph: JBL\n\nThe JBL Bar 1300X (8/10, WIRED Recommends) comes with detachable wireless speakers. You can pop off the two speakers on the side of the main soundbar and place them wherever you'd like without having to worry about whether there are power outlets nearby or having to hide cables. It also has some of the best Dolby Atmos immersion we've heard from a soundbar at this price. The only downside is that, without cables, you'll have to charge the speakers between uses.\n\nYamaha's SR-C20A is our favorite affordable soundbar. It's affordable to tack onto even a very modest TV budget and its 100-watt forward-facing drivers can easily outperform the speakers on most TVs.\n\nWe're fans of nearly everything Roku offers and that includes this Streambar, which allows you to upgrade your sound and your streaming with one device. It's small enough that it's ideal for homes where space is at a premium, but still sounds good.\n\nPhotograph: TCL\n\nThis is our favorite TV to recommend for most people. The mid-tier model (7/10, WIRED Recommends) comes equipped with quantum dot technology and support for every high dynamic range (HDR) format for stunning colors. There's a game mode too, which uses software that can upscale 1080p to 120 frames per second. It's worth noting that, unlike older models, this one comes with Google TV instead of Roku. This is also the lowest price we've tracked, so far.\n\nWIRED reviewer Jaina Grey has spent a few years with this very large dual-subwoofer soundbar system from Japan. The two huge subwoofers deliver earth-shattering bass, while the two side speakers and rear speakers provide more lifelike reproduction than soundbars that bounce sound off the walls for side and rear noises. It also comes with support for all major object-based surround formats (like DTS:X and Dolby Atmos). It's great for large spaces, where the extra bass response helps things feel more cinematic. This is also the lowest price we've tracked, so far.\n\nFor the luxury-minded, this extravagant soundbar from Sennheiser is our top pick. It has massive speakers with some of the best audio quality we've seen (or heard, I suppose) of any soundbar we've tested. It's also one of the most expensive we recommend, but its price very rarely dips this low, so if you've been waiting for the perfect sale to grab one, now's the time.\n\nIf you're the type to set up smart speakers and gadgets throughout your home, this soundbar from Yamaha lets you cut down on some of that work. It comes with Amazon Alexa built in, and can control a host of other smart home gadgets. We've actually seen this soundbar's price fluctuate a fair amount recently, sometimes as low as $180, but this is still nearly the cheapest we've ever seen it, so it's a good time to grab one.\n\nBest Prime Day Camera Deals\n\nGoPro Hero10 Photograph: GoPro\n\nGoPro recently dropped the price of the Hero10 Black (8/10, WIRED Recommends) to $249, which makes it one of the cheapest action cameras on the market. It's two generations old, but still a very capable camera. This deal nets you an extra battery, case, small tripod, and other accessories. Check out our Best Action Cameras guide for more buying advice.\n\nAn upgrade over our Canon top pick in our mirrorless camera guide, the R5 features a 45-megapixel full-frame CMOS Sensor, staggeringly fast autofocus, excellent subject tracking in continuous AF mode, and dual memory card slots. It isn't cheap, but this is a pro-level beast of a camera. Note that the deal is on the body only; the lenses are sold separately.\n\nWe've seen this deal a couple of times in the past month, but it's still a good one. Sony's A7 III has been superseded by the A7 IV, but it's still a very nice camera. The 24.2-megapixel sensor has fantastic dynamic range and the decently fast phase-detection autofocus means you won't miss those key shots.\n\nPhotograph: Lexar\n\nI swear by these cards. I have been using them for seven years now without issue (back then they were much more expensive). They're fast enough for every camera that I've ever tested for WIRED, and I've never had any issue with them after years of life being tossed around in various camera bags.\n\nI remain puzzled as to why CFexpress cards are so dang expensive, but they are and if your camera uses them (and most modern, high-end video cameras do) this is about as good of a deal as we've ever seen.\n\nSanDisk 2-TB Extreme Portable SSD Photograph: Amazon\n\nOur favorite speedy portable SSD, the SanDisk is lightweight, with IP22-rated enclosures so it'll stand up to life on the go. I have been using this drive to make weekly backups for almost two years now and have had no issues. That said, our friends at Ars Technica, and other users around the web, have noted extremely high failure rates with this drive, mainly with the 2- and 4-TB versions. SanDisk has issued a firmware update, which seems to fix the problem.\n\nSamsung's T7 external solid-state drives are among the WIRED gear team's favorites. Lightning fast and reliable, solid-state drives take less babying than hard drives. The T7 Shield comes with a rubberized exterior to protect it from drops and impacts, and it's also IP65 water- and dust-resistant. It comes with a USB-C cable, fits in the palm of your hand, and doesn't require an external power source. Product reviewer Matt Jancer has been using several T7s and T7 Shields for three years and has never had even a hiccup. Other capacities are also on sale.\n\nCanon SELPHY QX10 Portable Square Photo Printer Photograph: Amazon\n\nSeveral WIRED staffers love this little printer that outputs perfectly-sized, small-but-not too-small, Polaroid-like images. Though technically it costs $150, this printer has been hovering at $129 lately, but $78 is still a solid deal. This price is for the black but the other colors are discounted to $99. The larger Canon SELPHY CP1500 printer we tried is also on sale for $99. That's also a solid price, but not uncommon.\n\nTravel and Outdoor Deals\n\nPhotograph: Amazon\n\nI (Matt Jancer) have wheeled, lifted, and slung around a lot of budget bags over dozens of trips across the globe, and the Maxlite is the one I recommend as the best budget suitcase. It's lightweight at 5.4 pounds, reasonably well made compared to the competition, and stands up to the cargo bellies of aircraft without anything more than scuff marks. For a carry-on, the two-wheel rollaboard is my preference, since it offers more interior space than a four-wheel spinner.\n\nHydro Flask routinely make some of our favorite insulated water bottles. Most insulated travel mugs these days can keep ice water cold and hot coffee warm. What makes Hydro Flask stand out is the durability of their powder coating. I've (Matt Jancer) knocked several around for years in gyms, at the base of rock climbing walls outdoors, and rolling around the floorboards of my old car and have never managed to scratch or dent one yet.\n\nThis electric bike has good looks, strong acceleration, and a better price point than the competition, especially right now with the major sale Wing is having. It's got a built-in headlight and taillight, comfortable hand grips, and a nicer seat than you'd expect. It checks a lot of boxes at its higher price point, so this is a great time to jump on this deal.\n\nWhen Is Amazon Prime Big Deal Days?\n\nAmazon's second big sale event runs from Tuesday, October 10 through Wednesday, October 11, 2023. It ends at 2:59 am ET on October 11 (11:59 pm PT).\n\nWill You Need a Prime Membership?\n\nYes, this event is for Amazon Prime members, meaning most of these Prime Day deals are for subscribers only. If you want to take the ride you need to buy the ticket. In this case, the ticket is $15 a month, and you get free two-day shipping. There are a whole bunch of other Prime Day perks you can take advantage of as well. You can also sign up for a 30-day Amazon Prime trial. Just register before the event and cancel right when the trial ends so you can take advantage of these deals. That said, there are a lot of discounted products available to folks who are not Prime subscribers. Retailers like Best Buy and Walmart are also price-matching some items or throwing their own competing sales.\n\nWhat Are Invite-Only Deals?\n\nDuring Prime Day this past summer, Amazon introduced invite-only deals—a system to help make it easier for Prime members to access deals that are expected to sell out quickly—and the company brought it back for Prime Big Deal Days. The feature is only available on select products but it has spread across a variety of categories and price points.\n\nIf a specific product is part of the Invite-Only Deals system, you'll see a “Request Invite” button on the right-hand side. All you have to do is click it for a chance to buy the product at that sale price. However, it's important to note that there's no guarantee you'll receive the invite. You can learn more about the program and how it works in our story on How to Shop Like a Pro During Amazon Prime Day.\n\nWhen is Prime Day (Prime Big Deal Days)?\n\nThe second and presumably final Amazon Prime Day 2023 is happening right about.... now. Prime Day deals started flowing at 3 am EST on October 10 and will continue through October 11.\n\nHow to find the best Prime Big Deal Days deals?\n\nWIRED is the only publication posting about Amazon Prime Day. Wait, sorry, looks a handful of other sites are, too. But you should only read WIRED, because we actually vet every deal and compare it to the actual street price instead of an absurd MSRP that you will never observe in the wild. Also, we review the products we recommend and don't just send you Prime Day deals on junk that will break. It's only a deal if you need it and it's good!\n\nAre other retailers running sales?\n\nAmazon Prime Day has inspired many imitators and you'll find sales from competitors like Best Buy, Target, and the like. Some of these sales are great, and we'll flag when they are, but others are worth holding off on until Black Friday and Cyber Monday, when WIRED will again be the Internet's only website with deals posts.\n\nRetailer Sale Pages","url":"https://www.wired.com/story/best-october-prime-day-deals-2023-5/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_36b3dcdeaa13bc0e"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_36b3dcdeaa13bc0e"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"4e0c6e6644b39e5c4be056773abb9a7a1c2399b6a98c65ca940094afe7059bbb","source_record_sha256":"95ab22f4b005069dfa5a559f9ac4719b749718e12a7c844e355c68e45f4daa78","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":520,"source_fields":{"title":"78 Absolute Best October Prime Day Deals (2023)","author":"Scott Gilbertson","source":"Wired","published_at":"2023-10-10T14:23:00+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://www.wired.com/story/best-october-prime-day-deals-2023-5/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_83aaae239f15c323","text":"Surprise! Valve has announced a new Steam Deck and — double surprise — we’ve already reviewed it. It might not look like a big change from the outside, but the Steam Deck OLED is a thorough mid-cycle refresh of a machine that’s not even two years old. At the same time, Valve is also adjusting the configuration of its entry-level model, making it a far more compelling option. Apologies to anyone who literally bought a Steam Deck yesterday.\n\nAt an event held for press prior to the device's launch, Greg Coomer, a product designer at Valve, called the new model \"the definitive version of the Steam Deck.\" He explained that the device contains many things the company wanted to include at the LCD model's launch but wasn't able to, along with some additions based on community feedback.\n\nAs its name suggests, the most noticeable upgrade to the Steam Deck OLED is the display. The original Steam Deck had a 7-inch 800p LCD running at 60Hz. The new model squeezes a 7.4-inch OLED screen into the same space, significantly shrinking the bezels around the display. The new panel runs at the same resolution, but with a refresh rate of up to 90Hz. It’s also HDR, covering 110 percent of the P3 color space with a peak brightness of 1,000 nits — the old model maxed out at around 400 nits. Like all OLED screens, it has pure blacks and near-instantaneous response times. As before, anti-glare etched glass is available, but only on the premium model.\n\nThe Steam Deck OLED has a die-shrunk version of the same custom APU found in the original Steam Deck. The new APU is produced on a 6nm process, rather than the older 7nm process. Manufacturers typically use die-shrinks to either improve performance or efficiency, and Valve has chosen the latter. The max frequency of both the GPU and CPU are identical between the LCD and OLED models, so for developers tuning their games for Steam Decks, they only have a single performance target.\n\nIn concert with the more-efficient processor, there’s also a 25 percent larger battery with a 50Whr capacity, compared to the original’s 40Whr. According to Valve, these changes combined result in a 30-50 percent increase in longevity between the two generations — the official battery life claim is \"three to 12 hours.\" In our review, we measured a playtime increase of 62 percent when playing Hades on the OLED model versus our 18-month-old original. (Batteries degrade over time, which explains why our gains were more pronounced.)\n\nThe new internals make the Steam Deck OLED marginally lighter, and also cooler to the touch when playing games, aided by a slightly larger fan. Other improvements include support for both Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, together with a new antenna array that will give a better experience when using both at the same time. There’s also a reworked power supply (it has a logo now!) with a longer 2.5m cable that will charge the OLED model from 20 to 80 percent in “as little as 45 minutes.” The thumbsticks have also been made 1mm taller, and the touch pads' haptics are slightly sharper.\n\nValve\n\nThe Steam Deck OLED starts at $549, and will replace all but the entry-level model in the range. The immediate reality is a bit of a mess and a little complicated, but this, Valve says, will be the Steam Deck line-up moving forward:\n\n256GB Steam Deck LCD ($399)\n\n512GB Steam Deck OLED ($549)\n\n1TB Steam Deck OLED ($649)\n\nAs a result of the changes, the 64GB LCD Steam Deck (previously sold at $399) will drop to $349, and the 512GB LCD (previously $649) will drop to $499. Once Valve sells through its inventory of both, those lines will be discontinued. Valve says it will continue to support all LCD models with software updates.\n\nSo, the long-term lineup starts at the same $399 price, which gets you the old LCD Steam Deck, but with 256GB of storage instead of 64GB. The new step-up model costs $20 more at $549, but comes with an OLED display and the improvements outlined above, plus double the storage. The range still tops out at $649, but you’re getting a lot more for your money: All of the hardware improvements, 1TB of storage instead of 512GB and an improved carry case that can pop out into a slimmer shell that’s smaller and easier to fit in a bag. As mentioned, it also has the same anti-glare etched glass as the outgoing 512GB LCD model.\n\nFinally, there’s also a Limited Edition version of the 1TB model, with a translucent shell and a customized carry case, which will be sold at $679. We imagine stocks will not last very long, as it looks pretty rad:\n\nValve\n\nWhile there are no concrete updates on future hardware developments, Valve engineer Pierre-Loup Griffais noted that, so long as interest in handheld gaming remains high, the company has \"plans for successive generations of handhelds.\" For now, Griffais explained, it's important to Valve that developers don't need to \"split their attention\" between different performance targets.\n\nWhen asked about the potential for future hardware — like a return of the Steam Machine or an updated Steam Controller — there were no firm updates, but there does seem to be something happening. Griffais agreed that enabling the Steam Deck to work as a hybrid living room console was a \"side goal\" of the team, and noted that everything Valve does to improve SteamOS will benefit other devices. Coomer added that Valve is still working internally on \"a bunch of controllers and prototypes.\" If SteamOS is being used on larger displays, the team would want to augment that experience with better input options. \"We don't have any announcements on that front, but it's why we're building prototypes and thinking about the future there,\" Coomer said.\n\nThe Steam Deck OLED will be available to order on November 16th at 1PM ET. Valve expects units to begin shipping as soon as orders start to roll in. The updated pricing on the existing LCD models is already in effect.","url":"https://www.engadget.com/the-steam-deck-oled-arrives-november-16-with-an-improved-screen-and-longer-battery-life-180032945.html?src=rss","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_6d3802779694a3d5","mhq_ef0defe431ae3e08"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_6d3802779694a3d5","mhq_ef0defe431ae3e08"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"4c8879c80b1e2c57f4b106f431972743a12320a8ec4574cb6fb2c09284c53b74","source_record_sha256":"fe009c15a158e4e54f488c6dfc29d5a339064484ca6e63328bc68ae98baa1bab","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":524,"source_fields":{"title":"The Steam Deck OLED arrives November 16 with an improved screen and longer battery life","author":"Jessica Conditt,Aaron Souppouris","source":"Engadget","published_at":"2023-11-09T18:00:32+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://www.engadget.com/the-steam-deck-oled-arrives-november-16-with-an-improved-screen-and-longer-battery-life-180032945.html?src=rss"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_cfdaf789ad9adb60","text":"A judge ruled Tuesday that Donald Trump committed fraud for years while building the real estate empire that catapulted him to fame and the White House.\n\nJudge Arthur Engoron, ruling in a civil lawsuit brought by New York’s attorney general, found that the former president and his company deceived banks, insurers and others by massively overvaluing his assets and exaggerating his net worth on paperwork used in making deals and securing financing.\n\nEngoron ordered that some of Trump’s business licenses be rescinded as punishment and said he would continue to have an independent monitor oversee the Trump Organization’s operations.\n\nA Trump spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling. Trump has long insisted he did nothing wrong.\n\nThe decision, days before the start of a non-jury trial in Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit, is the strongest repudiation yet of Trump’s carefully coiffed image as a wealthy and shrewd real estate mogul turned political powerhouse.\n\nBeyond mere bragging about his riches, Trump, his company and key executives repeatedly lied about them on his annual financial statements, reaping rewards such as favorable loan terms and lower insurance premiums, Engoron found.\n\nThose tactics crossed a line and violated the law, the judge said, rejecting Trump’s contention that a disclaimer on the financial statements absolved him of any wrongdoing.\n\n“In defendants’ world: rent regulated apartments are worth the same as unregulated apartments; restricted land is worth the same as unrestricted land; restrictions can evaporate into thin air; a disclaimer by one party casting responsibility on another party exonerates the other party’s lies,” Engoron wrote in his 35-page ruling. “That is a fantasy world, not the real world.”\n\nManhattan prosecutors had looked into bringing a criminal case over the same conduct but declined to do so, leaving James to sue Trump and seek penalties that could disrupt his and his family’s ability to do business in the state.\n\nEngoron’s ruling, in a phase of the case known as summary judgment, resolves the key claim in James’ lawsuit, but six others remain.\n\nEngoron is slated to hold a non-jury trial starting Oct. 2 before deciding on those claims and any punishments he may impose. James is seeking $250 million in penalties and a ban on Trump doing business in New York, his home state. The trial could last into December, Engoron has said.\n\nTrump’s lawyers had asked the judge to throw out the case, which he denied. They contend that James wasn’t legally allowed to file the lawsuit because there isn’t any evidence that the public was harmed by Trump’s actions. They also argued that many of the allegations in the lawsuit were barred by the statute of limitations.\n\nEngoron, noting that he had “emphatically rejected” those arguments earlier in the case, equated them to the “time-loop in the film ‘Groundhog Day.'”\n\nJames, a Democrat, sued Trump and the Trump Organization a year ago, alleging a pattern of duplicity that she dubbed “the art of the steal,” a twist on the title of Trump’s 1987 business memoir “The Art of the Deal.”\n\nThe lawsuit accused Trump and his company of routinely inflating the value of assets like skyscrapers, golf courses and his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, padding his bottom line by billions.\n\nAmong the allegations were that Trump claimed his Trump Tower apartment in Manhattan — a three-story penthouse replete with gold-plated fixtures — was nearly three times its actual size and valued the property at $327 million. No apartment in New York City has ever sold for close to that amount, James said.\n\nTrump valued Mar-a-Lago as high as $739 million — more than 10 times a more reasonable estimate of its worth. Trump’s figure for the private club and residence was based on the idea that the property could be developed for residential use, but deed terms prohibit that, James said.\n\nTrump has denied wrongdoing, arguing in sworn testimony for the case that it didn’t matter what he put on his financial statements because they have a disclaimer that says they shouldn’t be trusted. He told James at the April deposition, “You don’t have a case and you should drop this case.”\n\n“Do you know the banks were fully paid? Do you know the banks made a lot of money?” Trump testified. “Do you know I don’t believe I ever got even a default notice, and even during COVID, the banks were all paid? And yet you’re suing on behalf of banks, I guess. It’s crazy. The whole case is crazy.”\n\nEngoron rejected that argument when the defense previously sought to have the case thrown out.\n\nThe judge said the disclaimer on the financial statements “makes abundantly clear that Mr. Trump was fully responsible for the information contained within” them and that “allowing blanket disclaimers to insulate liars from liability would completely undercut” the “important function” that such statements serve “in the real world.”\n\nJames’ lawsuit is one of several legal headaches for Trump as he campaigns for a return to the White House in 2024. He has been indicted four times in the last six months — accused in Georgia and Washington, D.C., of plotting to overturn his 2020 election loss, in Florida of hoarding classified documents, and in Manhattan of falsifying business records related to hush money paid on his behalf.\n\nThe Trump Organization was convicted of tax fraud last year in an unrelated criminal case for helping executives dodge taxes on extravagant perks such as Manhattan apartments and luxury cars. The company was fined $1.6 million. One of the executives, Trump’s longtime finance chief Allen Weisselberg, pleaded guilty and served five months in jail. He is a defendant in James’ lawsuit and gave sworn deposition testimony for the case in May.\n\nJames’ lawsuit does not carry the potential of prison time, but could complicate his ability to transact real estate deals. It could also stain his legacy as a developer.\n\nJames has asked Engoron to ban Trump and his three eldest children from ever again running a company based New York. She also wants Trump and the Trump Organization barred from entering into commercial real estate acquisitions for five years, among other sanctions. The $250 million in penalties she is seeking is the estimated worth of benefits derived from the alleged fraud, she said.\n\nJames, who campaigned for office as a Trump critic and watchdog, started scrutinizing his business practices in March 2019 after his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen testified to Congress that Trump exaggerated his wealth on financial statements provided to Deutsche Bank while trying to obtain financing to buy the NFL’s Buffalo Bills.\n\nJames’ office previously sued Trump for misusing his own charitable foundation to further his political and business interests. Trump was ordered to pay $2 million to an array of charities as a fine and the charity, the Trump Foundation, was shut down.","url":"https://fortune.com/2023/09/26/donald-trump-fraud-banks-insurers-real-estate-judge-new-york/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_b9e25d4f9cdbf57f"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_b9e25d4f9cdbf57f"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"88fd8940e41101fea7c91a69fd2811262fb1eb1d3650c24ee0f3fb6efca6d62e","source_record_sha256":"a401ea6688391f4d5fd688708e6cb6890a312cedf03fb5456a12eaae41222e04","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":529,"source_fields":{"title":"Donald Trump defrauded banks with 'fantasy' to build his real estate empire, judge rules in a major repudiation against the former president","author":"Michael R. Sisak, The Associated Press","source":"Fortune","published_at":"2023-09-26T21:11:15+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://fortune.com/2023/09/26/donald-trump-fraud-banks-insurers-real-estate-judge-new-york/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_14d2e3bcd8b181dc","text":"Thousands of pages of exhibits detailing the performance of his assets made available during the trial have provided a deeper look into his fortune. The former president’s 2021 statement of financial condition, filed as part of the lawsuit, pegged his net worth at $US4.5 billion. Bloomberg’s calculation has consistently been below Trump’s figures. At the same time, Bloomberg measured the value of some Trump properties higher than what New York state claims. Trump took the stand and testified that the properties whose values he’s accused of inflating were actually undervalued, based on the premium his “brand” adds. He also said that banks didn’t rely on his statements of financial condition when weighing loans. “They just weren’t a very important element in banks’ decision-making process,” Trump told the court. “And we’ll explain that as this trial goes along.” Here’s a look at New York state’s valuation of four high-profile Trump properties where the prosecution alleges fraud occurred, along with Bloomberg’s own approach to assessing the assets.\n\nMar-a-Lago Trump’s valuation (2021): $US612.1 million , Bloomberg valuation (2023): $US240 million, New York’s valuation (2021): $US27.6 million It’s fair to say that Trump’s most famous property these days is no longer New York’s Trump Tower but his Mar-a-Lago Club, the historic Palm Beach estate built by Marjorie Merriweather Post in the 1920s that he now calls home. New York’s valuation of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate has raised eyebrows. Credit: AP The sprawling resort has been at the centre of some publicised post-presidency scandals, from classified documents being kept in one of its bathrooms to the location where Trump is said to have shared nuclear submarine secrets with Australian businessman Anthony Pratt — something that Trump denies.\n\nIt’s also a major focus in Trump’s fraud lawsuit. Trump made a series of agreements with Palm Beach County and the National Trust for Historic Preservation for Mar-a-Lago to be used only as a club, giving up any development rights. Consequently, Palm Beach values the property as a business on its tax rolls. In 2021, the county assessed it at $US27.6 million, lower than comparable residential properties. New York State argues that this appraisal is the one Trump should have been using. New York’s estimated value “was a shock to the real estate community and anybody with any understanding of the island and its values,” said Liza Pulitzer, a real estate agent at Brown Harris Stevens and a Palm Beach native. “It could easily fetch $US500 million or more.”\n\nThat assumes a buyer views it as a single-family residence. It’s currently not zoned for such use, though Trump is able to reside there through a loophole designating himself an employee. Trump’s legal team engaged an expert witness who argued that a future buyer could do the same thing. And if they didn’t like the idea of sharing their property with others, they could reduce the club to a membership of one. Still, it’s unclear if Palm Beach would allow that without a change to its zoning status. Historically, Mar-a-Lago never made much money for the Trump Organisation, but that seems to be changing. It took in about $US41 million in revenue last year, according to Trump’s most recent ethics disclosure, compared with $US21 million in 2019. Bloomberg values Mar-a-Lago at $US240 million, based on a combination of comparable residential property sales in the area as well as its value as a business, reflecting some uncertainty around its future status. That uncertainty isn’t shared by everyone. If the city and county allowed it, “there is no reason why it wouldn’t be able to converted to a full-time private residence,” said Eli Beracha, director of the Hollo School of Real Estate at Florida International University.\n\nTrump’s Fifth Avenue penthouse Trump’s valuation (2021): $US131.3 million, Bloomberg valuation (2023): $US40 million, New York valuation: No current estimate available Trump’s penthouse apartment at Trump Tower has been an integral part of his image for 40 years, so it’s not surprising that one of the world’s masters of hyperbole exaggerated its size for most of that time. Trump’s penthouse apartment at Trump Tower has been an integral part of his image for 40 years. Credit: AP Between 2011 and 2016, Trump valued his apartment based on it being 30,000 square feet (2,787 square metres) in size — almost triple its actual measurement of 10,996 square feet. Because of this, New York State arrived at a valuation that was about a third of Trump’s in those years. They haven’t provided a more recent estimate.\n\nSpace inflation wasn’t the only issue. Between 2014 and 2015, Trump increased the value of the apartment to $US327 million from $US200 million. The prosecution argues that was to mask a drop in the value of one of his other properties. “A discrepancy of this order of magnitude, by a real estate developer sizing up his own living space of decades, can only be considered fraud,” Judge Arthur Engoron wrote in a September ruling. ‘The company has never been stronger and never been better.’ Eric Trump Bloomberg values the property using recent Trump Tower sales, as well as those of comparable Manhattan penthouses. While some splashy residences in much newer buildings on so-called Billionaires Row have listed for well in excess of $US100 million, they typically boast higher ceilings, more up-to-date finishes, contemporary layouts, outdoor space and better views. A better comparison would be a 9450-square-foot penthouse in Olympic Tower, five blocks south on Fifth Avenue, which has been on and off the market for $US35 million since 2016. Then there’s Carl Icahn’s 14,000-square-foot penthouse at Museum Tower on West 53rd Street. It was listed for $US35 million in 2019 before he attempted to split the space and sell it as two separate apartments. Both were eventually delisted.\n\nIt’s possible Trump would get a higher price because of his name. “There would be a Trump premium because the person that would want that property is likely to be a Trump supporter,” Beracha said. But it’s also likely that the association with Trump would turn off some buyers. Trump Park Avenue Trump’s valuation (2021): $US90.9 million, Bloomberg valuation (2023): $US86.4 million, New York’s valuation (2021): $US80 million The residential condo tower on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, formerly the Hotel Delmonico, isn’t one of Trump’s best-known buildings, but it’s been the source of some significant asset inflations, according to the prosecution.\n\nIts value to Trump mostly stems from unsold condo units that are owned by the Trump Organisation and rented out. A varying number have been rent-stabilised, meaning tenants pay below market rates. Typically, these apartments are valued at a discount because tenants can stay indefinitely, sometimes even passing them on to children. In 2010, 12 rent-stabilised apartments owned by Trump were valued at an average of $US62,500 each in an appraisal provided by a real estate company. The following year, Trump valued them at $US4.1 million each — more than 65 times greater. Trump has continued to value stabilised apartments in the building at market rates, including in his 2021 statement of financial condition. Rent-stabilised units “with a positive cash flow are often valued at 15-25 cents a dollar of the open market value, versus single digits for negative cash flow,” said Jonathan Miller, president of appraiser Miller Samuel. Still, Trump’s optimism was shown to be at least partially justified. By 2021, only five of the 12 apartments remained rent stabilised. The prosecution also claims two additional non-stabilised apartments in the building were overvalued because Trump ignored an option his daughter, Ivanka Trump, had to buy them at a price lower than the market value he used.\n\n40 Wall Street Trump’s valuation (2021): $US664 million, Bloomberg valuation (2023): $US270 million, New York’s valuation: No current estimate available In valuing his flagship lower Manhattan office tower, Trump consistently ignored more conservative appraisals he’d received from professionals, New York State argues. Trump has been accused of significantly over-valuing his flagship downtown New York property. Credit: Bloomberg For example, 40 Wall Street was appraised by a real estate company at $US200 million in 2011 and $US220 million in 2012. Despite this, Trump valued the property in financial statements at $US524.7 million and $US527.2 million, respectively, for those years.\n\nBloomberg uses a capitalisation of net income approach in coming up with an estimate. Valuations for commercial offices across the board have taken a hit in the past 18 months amid rising interest rates and a lacklustre corporate leasing market. But 40 Wall Street has its own unique problems. Tenant departures meant occupancy slid to 77 per cent in June, down from 98 per cent in 2015. Its net operating income is only 61 per cent of what was projected by underwriters. Loading “There’s not a lot of leasing velocity down there,” said Albert Sultan, a broker at Kassin Sabbagh Realty. The financial district used to offer a lower cost for tenants, but with Midtown rents declining, “there’s no reason to go downtown.” The property is also subject to a ground lease that resets in 2032 at either 6 per cent of the land value or 85 per cent of its rent in the prior year. Based on current rent, that means the ground lease would jump to $US30 million from about $US2.6 million now.","url":"https://www.theage.com.au/business/companies/the-777-million-surprise-donald-trump-is-getting-richer-20231108-p5eicf.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_business","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_b9e25d4f9cdbf57f"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_b9e25d4f9cdbf57f"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"35efc611f49aa1b95c1423ae05a6cb37217b7911e7cd5b4b32865e4f61fde041","source_record_sha256":"600fac1ecc173ecbd21e748b5a98d47765d181d59f325e352a9adee1747bc3db","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":530,"source_fields":{"title":"The $777 million surprise: Donald Trump is getting richer","author":"Tom Maloney","source":"The Age","published_at":"2023-11-07T22:22:05+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://www.theage.com.au/business/companies/the-777-million-surprise-donald-trump-is-getting-richer-20231108-p5eicf.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_business"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_9ba5948437436189","text":"The IMF. in its latest update. has said that India is one of the large emerging economies that has been doing better than expected.\n\nThe IMF said India has been doing better for a while now and that India is, in fact, one of the growth engines in the world economy at this point.\n\nThe IMF said important divergences are appearing. The slowdown is more pronounced in advanced economies than in emerging markets and developing economies. Among the advanced economies, the US has been revised up, with resilient consumption and investment, while the euro area has been revised down, as tighter monetary policy and the energy crisis took a toll.\n\nThere is divergence also among emerging markets and developing economies, with China facing growing headwinds, while Brazil, India. and Russia are revised up.\n\nAfter two years of rapid economic growth in 2021 and 2022, the near-term economic outlook for India is for continued rapid expansion during 2023-24, underpinned by strong growth in private consumption and investment, S&P Global Market Intelligence said in a recent update.\n\nThe acceleration of foreign direct investment inflows into India over the past decade reflects the favourable long-term growth outlook for the Indian economy, helped by a youthful demographic profile and rapidly rising urban household incomes.\n\nIndia's nominal GDP measured in USD terms is forecast to rise from $3.5 trillion in 2022 to $7.3 trillion by 2030. This rapid pace of economic expansion would result in the size of the Indian GDP exceeding the Japanese GDP by 2030, making India the second largest economy in the Asia-Pacific region.\n\nBy 2022, the size of the Indian GDP had already become larger than the GDP of the UK and also France. By 2030, India's GDP is also forecast to surpass Germany, the research said.\n\nThe long-term outlook for the Indian economy is supported by a number of key growth drivers. An important positive factor for India is its large and fast-growing middle class, which is helping to drive consumer spending.\n\nThe rapidly growing Indian domestic consumer market as well as its large industrial sector have made India an increasingly important investment destination for a wide range of multinationals in many sectors, including manufacturing, infrastructure and services, the report said.\n\nThe digital transformation of India that is currently underway is expected to accelerate the growth of e-commerce, changing the retail consumer market landscape over the next decade. This is attracting leading global multinationals in technology and e-commerce to the Indian market.\n\nBy 2030, 1.1 billion people in India will have internet access, more than doubling from the estimated 500 million internet users in 2020. The rapid growth of e-commerce and the shift to 4G and 5G smartphone technology will boost home-grown unicorns.\n\nThe large increase in FDI inflows to India that has been evident over the past five years is also continuing with strong momentum evident even during the pandemic years of 2020-2022.\n\nIndia's strong FDI inflows have been boosted by large inflows of investments from global technology MNCs such as Google and Facebook that are attracted to India's large, fast-growing domestic consumer market, as well as a strong upturn in foreign direct investment inflows from manufacturing firms.\n\nOverall, India is expected to continue to be one of the world's fastest growing economies over the next decade. This will make India one of the most important long-term growth markets for multinationals in a wide range of industries, including manufacturing industries such as autos, electronics and chemicals to services industries such as banking, insurance, asset management, health care and information technology, it added.\n\nBrahma Chellaney, professor of strategic studies at the New Delhi-based Center for Policy Research, wrote in a recent article that as India's geopolitical, economic and cultural clout grows, so does its global footprint. China's “decline,” as some have begun to call the conclusion of the country's four-decade-long economic boom, opens new opportunities for the Indian economy and other developing and emerging countries.\n\nEarlier this year, India reached another milestone when its population officially surpassed that of China, which had been the world's most populous country for more than 300 years.\n\nWhile China's shrinking, rapidly aging population is likely to impede economic growth and may curtail its geopolitical ambitions, India -- one of the world's youngest countries, with a median age of 28.2 -- is poised to reap a huge demographic dividend, the article said.\n\nBut the driving force behind India's emergence as a major global power is its rapid economic growth. While India's gross domestic product is still smaller than China's, the country is currently the world's fastest-growing major economy and is projected to account for 12.9 per cent of global growth over the next five years, surpassing the United States' 11.3 per cent share, the article said.\n\nThe seventeenth round of the FICCI-IBA survey was carried out for the period January to June 2023. A total of 24 banks including public sector, private sector and foreign banks participated in the survey. These banks together represent about 79 per cent of the banking industry, as classified by asset size.\n\nThe Indian economy posted an impressive 7.2 per cent growth in the financial year ended March 2023 and 7.8 per cent in first quarter of current fiscal year. Credit growth also continued to rise, signalling robust demand conditions in the Indian economy, as well as banks' improved appetite towards retail borrowers.\n\nThe health of the banking sector has witnessed an encouraging turnaround, marked by healthier bank balance sheets and gross NPA ratio at a decade low.\n\nThe survey findings show that long term credit demand has seen continued growth in sectors such as Infrastructure, textiles and chemicals. food processing and metals.\n\nIron & steel have also witnessed accelerated long-term loan disbursements in the past six months. Infrastructure is witnessing an increase in credit flow with 67 per cent of the respondents indicating an increase in long-term loans as against 57 per cent in the previous round.\n\nThe survey suggests that the outlook on expectation on growth of non-food industry credit over next six months is optimistic with 42 per cent of the participating banks expecting non-food industry credit growth to be above 12 per cent (as compared to 36 per cent in the previous round).\n\nRajan Jain, Head, Credit Research, SBI Caps, said in a note that whether the yield curve dynamics mean the US is moving to a structurally higher-rate economy vs. post GFC normal remains a moot question, with important implications for investment demand and system risk.\n\nThese movements have had a cascading effect on global economies, which have seen routs in their respective bond markets, besides a fresh round of currency depreciation.\n\nEmerging market economies with large volumes of USD denominated debt are especially vulnerable as they could be caught in a vicious circle of their external debt (in local currency terms) ballooning due to strong DXY and their servicing ability being impaired by tepid economic activity owing to high rates. Even advanced economies have felt the heat, and the ECB etc. have maintained a hawkish narrative, Jain said.\n\nAnother developing story seems to be the greenshoots of recovery in China backed by domestic consumption in the Golden week, and tourism related to the Asian Games. For now, these seem to buttressed on stimulus and base effects as China is now fully open.\n\nThe long-term trajectory remains to be seen. In any case, for now this has provided a floor for commodity prices, especially base metals. Fickle commodity prices will also be victims of fresh geopolitical tensions in West Asia, which has pushed up Brent crude. Food prices could also play truant with climate change affecting cropping area worldwide: sugar and rice prices are booming, the note said.\n\nIn this challenging environment, Indian real GDP growth, estimated to be 6.2 per cent y/y in real terms in FY24, is resilient. High frequency indicators suggest strong construction and infrastructure activity, and soaring urban demand.\n\nManufacturing production has been unusually strong in Q2FY24, especially in infrastructure-oriented structures such as cement and steel. Power supply grew vastly in Q2 after a tepid Q1, helped by a dry August 2023 and buzzing industrial activity.\n\nBoth the Union and States have front ended capex in H1FY24, and this remains the engine of expansion. Capital expenditure was up 48 per cent y/y for the Union in the same period. Reports suggest capex of major states was also up 45 per cent y/y in 5MFY24.\n\nCarrying forward this capex in H2FY24 would be important to sustain the multiplier. The fiscal deficit for the 5MFY24 stood at 36% of the FY24BE. Gross direct tax revenue experienced a substantial increase of 18 per cent y/y up to October 9, allaying concerns of fiscal slippage, the note said.","url":"https://www.zeebiz.com/economy-infra/news-india-to-be-one-of-worlds-fastest-growing-economies-over-next-decade-259584","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_c08ebcabd7a4009c"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_c08ebcabd7a4009c"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"8f94899219f5dbb70e947457352c7971a8f8bd9540c922ef42732861657d3e1a","source_record_sha256":"0c248a6cc0cd2bb5cc8e981b3bc7a79b79efd985a11514b842ffba066809fcdf","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":532,"source_fields":{"title":"India to be one of world's fastest growing economies over next decade","author":"zee business","source":"Zee Business","published_at":"2023-10-14T12:17:33+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://www.zeebiz.com/economy-infra/news-india-to-be-one-of-worlds-fastest-growing-economies-over-next-decade-259584"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_9f67ecd6830a5065","text":"Diablo 4’s Season of Blood brings some cool new vampire powers into the fold, but the real star of the action game’s second season is its sweeping quality-of-life changes. Players will now have an easier time leveling up, gaining quality loot, and just navigating the open world of Sanctuary.\n\nGame director Joe Shely and associate game director Joe Piepiora sat down to do a roundtable interview with Polygon and other outlets ahead of Blizzard’s Oct. 4th livestream, and gave additional context to Nightmare Dungeon changes, Renown, and more.\n\nOne of the most notable changes for players in Diablo 4’s second season update will be an increase in experience gains. Blizzard claims players will be able to reach the level cap of 100 about 40% faster than in Season of the Malignant — which already increased experience gains compared to Diablo 4’s launch. This process should be much smoother for players as well, as monsters will now match their levels between 55 and 75.\n\nShely told the panel that last season, players set a goal for themselves: Get to level 100. However, many players found that they were never able to hit that milestone because XP gains were so slow. This change should allow more players to reach the level cap each season, allowing them to play with a truly maxed-out build.\n\nAs for how players will spend their time at max level and where they’ll be able to earn some of the game’s most powerful items, enter the five new endgame bosses: Grigoire The Galvanic Saint, the Echo of Varshan, The Beast in the Ice, the Dark Master, and the Echo of Duriel. Each boss has its own laundry list of busy work for players to complete in order to unlock their encounter — such as completing Nightmare Dungeons above level 30 or completing Grim Favors — but they also come with Unique rewards. That’s Unique with a capital U.\n\nBecause the bosses each offer their own pool of Unique items, this process makes farming for that special helmet that much easier. Instead of running dungeons and hoping the desired item drops, players can just gather all the materials, kill The Beast in the Ice, and then do it all again if they don’t get what they wanted. The Echo of Duriel is perhaps the most interesting of the five, as Duriel has a chance to drop the ultimate, super-rare, uber Uniques that were previously almost impossible to acquire. To compensate, players will need to kill the four other endgame bosses each time they want to face Duriel.\n\nBlizzard’s designers didn’t build these bosses to be as tough as the ultimate Uber Lilith fight. However, these bosses will (hopefully) prove a challenge to most players while still giving them a targeted way to farm some must-have items. The Echo of Duriel (who is level 100) will be the most difficult of the new bosses, but the reward will obviously be worth the struggle, considering he’s the only way for players to farm Uber Uniques in Diablo 4. For players who have more in-game gold than time, Blizzard also confirmed in our interview that players will be able to trade with one another to get the items needed to summon Duriel and the other bosses.\n\nWhile these bosses are a form of milestone activity for players, Nightmare Dungeons will still exist as places to both farm for better items and push builds to their limit. However, the dungeons are becoming much simpler and less grindy. The design team has reworked several Nightmare Dungeon affixes to make them less obnoxious, and Nightmare Sigils now teleport players directly into the dungeon instead of to the door.\n\nTeleporting to Nightmare Dungeons is one thing, but players will still need to ride their horses around the world if they want to reach events like Helltides and the new seasonal activity, Blood Harvest. Thankfully, mounts have also been improved in season 2. Horses are now faster, and their dashes will allow them to break through barricades in the roads. Shely told us that the mounts should be more intelligent as well, and they won’t get stuck on objects in the world as easily as before.\n\nTwo of the other biggest pain points — gems and Renown — are also getting addressed in this season.\n\nThe grind to accrue Renown — the resource players get for completing activities in each area — is no longer something players will need to partake in every season. Much like the Altars of Lilith change in season 1, players who’ve fully unlocked their Renown track with one character will never have to do it again.\n\nPreviously, players would have to max out their Renown — which all but required doing nearly every dungeon and most side quests in the game — every season in order to get all available Skill and Paragon Points. Not only is that not the case anymore, but (unlike with the Altars of Lilith carryover) you won’t need to first log into a character that’s completed the Renown track in order to propagate that data to the rest of your account. Piepiora told us that all of that data migration should happen without that extra step in season 2.\n\nThis is yet another massive 180 on the Renown system from Blizzard in barely five months’ time. When we asked about the massive shift, Piepiora told us that players simply weren’t having fun redoing the grind every season, hence the move here (as with the Altars last season) to alleviate the pressure on players to only play “efficiently.”\n\nAs for gems, these items will no longer take up bag space, as they’re now considered crafting materials. This change comes alongside a massive upgrade to the Stash itself. Stashes now appear in more locations — including all minor towns with a Waypoint in them — and players can search their Stashes for specific items and affixes.\n\nThese are just a handful of the major changes coming to Diablo 4 with Season of Blood. Shely and Piepiora told us that the focus on quality-of-life upgrades was largely due to season 2 being the first season where they and the rest of the Diablo 4 team could really listen to feedback. Because of how close Season of the Malignant launched after the release of Diablo 4 (just over a month), that season’s content was largely finished before players had really gotten to dive into the action-RPG. However, with season 2, Blizzard has been able to react more to player feedback and finally create some sweeping, specific changes that players have been requesting.\n\nAll of these changes, as well as the content for Season of Blood, will come to the game on Oct. 17, just a few weeks before fans are expecting Blizzard to announce Diablo 4’s first expansion at BlizzCon 2023.","url":"https://www.polygon.com/gaming/23901914/diablo-4-season-blood-2-quality-life-blizzard-interview","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_82539763c335f88b"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_82539763c335f88b"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"f75583f00230f47a35c30cb82d88128e22bb4b6f22c6ed4f6933902d545b6f42","source_record_sha256":"fdc17dec040081ef754506bbcfec76d5c0bcb65227302ef0e95b39b61f06bfaf","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":533,"source_fields":{"title":"Diablo 4 season 2’s biggest draw is its quality-of-life updates","author":"Ryan Gilliam","source":"Polygon","published_at":"2023-10-04T20:01:00+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.polygon.com/gaming/23901914/diablo-4-season-blood-2-quality-life-blizzard-interview"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_d012f0f071c27708","text":"Spurs have fallen to their fourth defeat in five with a 2-1 reverse at home to West Ham – and they only have themselves to blame.\n\nAnge Postecoglou’s men were sitting pretty at 1-0 up thanks to an early Cristian Romero header, then missed a host of chances to extend their lead against a Hammers side who couldn’t get out of their own end.\n\nYet after spurning their own opportunities, Tottenham presented two gift-wrapped chances to their opponents.\n\nFacebook Twitter Whatsapp Reddit Email Share\n\nTheir defence was nowhere to be seen as Mohammed Kudus was able to shoot, with his effort deflecting off two Spurs players and into the path of Jarrod Bowen to level the scores.\n\nThen Destiny Udogie’s blind backpass allowed James Ward-Prowse an easy shot on goal, and while he hit the post, the rebound fell perfectly for the midfielder to finish on the rebound.\n\n“It’s unacceptable,” said captain Heung-Min Son.\n\n“I think players should take responsibility, this is unacceptable.\n\nAdvertisement\n\n“The fans don’t deserve this, especially when you play at home, when you go 1-0 up early on you should play with even more energy but we didn’t, and that’s why we lost.\n\n“West Ham have always been tough to play against so we knew what was coming.\n\n“But we were soft, and especially in the Premier League, even when you’re winning 2-0, 3-0, you don’t know what’s going to happen in the end. 1-0 is not enough, you have to try to kill the game.”\n\nThe coach wasn’t quite as damning, but still described the showing as poor.\n\n“It’s another game where we’ve dominated a game of football but we haven’t taken advantage,” said Postecoglou.\n\n“I thought we were poor in both areas with our finishing and also both goals we conceded were terrible.\n\nThere’s no point in feeling sorry for ourselves, looking for a cuddle anywhere. There’s only one way to change our circumstances and that is to come here on Sunday and put in a performance, not just play good football but go out there and show some conviction about ourselves as a team.\n\nAdvertisement\n\n“Sometimes we can disguise how we’re going by playing some nice stuff but like I said from day one, that’s not what I’m about.\n\n“I want to win and that’s why I came to this football club and that’s the message. We’ve still got a long way to go, I’ve said that from the start, we’re still right at the beginning what we need to create and days like today just give me further evidence and fuel of how much we need to do.”\n\nJames Ward-Prowse puts West Ham ahead against Tottenham ????\n\n\n\nLyenoma Udogie’s back pass to Guglielmo Vicario is short of the mark and Ward-Prowse seizes the moment.\n\n\n\nStadium silenced.\n\n\n\nLIVE | https://t.co/0TogbUnBLK#PL #OptusSport pic.twitter.com/7h3q96W086 — Optus Sport (@OptusSport) December 7, 2023\n\nOn Optus Sport, ex-Spurs boss Tim Sherwood tore strips off Spurs.\n\n“They’re quietly having a bad run, it’s five without a win now,” he said.\n\n“They’ve led in every game and I’ve said when they take the lead, I wouldn’t say the game is over. It’s not good enough.\n\n“But they’ve changed. The last three or four years they’ve been watching some dross there but it’s better to watch. It’s game management.\n\nAdvertisement\n\n“They go ahead and they’re already winning the game but they try and win it again and again and leave themselves open. Jarrod Bowen was outstanding out there and you can really exploit them. They leave space and they make poor decisions on the ball and it’s costing them at the moment.”\n\nSpurs had rebounded from three consecutive defeats with a stirring 3-3 draw at Manchester City over the weekend, but are now outside the Champions League qualification spots in fifth place – and level with Manchester United.\n\n1 – Tottenham are the first side in Premier League history to…\n\n\n\n…fail to win five consecutive games despite going 1-0 up in each match.\n\n\n\n…lose three consecutive home games despite going up 1-0 up in each match.\n\n\n\nSpursy. pic.twitter.com/DW6mgUVXnW — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 7, 2023\n\nWest Ham aren’t far behind, with this result lifting them to ninth, just three points back from Spurs.\n\n“Huge performance because of the quality of the opposition,” said coach David Moyes.\n\n“We were up against it tonight. We had to dig in. Thankfully we just about scraped it.\n\n“The quality Tottenham showed in the first half, I don’t know if we touched the ball for eight or nine minutes.\n\nAdvertisement\n\n“We gained a bit of confidence once we got some passes. We wanted to get after them a bit more but by the same breath we were cautious about them picking us off.\n\n“We are a team who can give some of the good teams a bloody nose, we have that in us.”\n\nDwight McNeil fires Everton into the lead against Newcastle!\n\n\n\nKieran Trippier makes the mistake and the Everton man makes him pay.\n\n\n\nIt’s a massive goal for the Toffees and Goodison Park goes wild.\n\n\n\nLIVE | https://t.co/W8Ud2jDSwD#PL #OptusSport pic.twitter.com/RVSGfbKcKc — Optus Sport (@OptusSport) December 7, 2023\n\nIn the other match, Everton trounced Newcastle 3-0 to move clear of the relegation zone despite their ten point penalty for financial irregularities.\n\nThey left it late, with goals from Dwight McNeil, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Brazilian striker Beto enough to down the Magpies.\n\n“Without those 10 points, we’d be in an amazing position,” said Toffees boss Sean Dyche. “20 points would be amazing relatively to the last two seasons here.\n\n“We’ll see what the appeal brings. The mentality is key for me, we took a knock but there have been a lot of knocks here over the last couple of years.\n\nAdvertisement\n\n“But the team mentality is growing. I can’t emphasise it enough, the commitment to each other and the connection is a powerful thing because I know we’ve got quality.”\n\nEddie Howe’s side are proving one of the most inconsistent in the league, albeit with a lengthy injury list.\n\nIn the last month, they have defeated Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea – as well as drawing at French heavyweights PSG in the Champions League – but have now lost comfortably to two cellar dwellers in Everton and Bournemouth.\n\n“We have to do better,” said Howe.\n\n“There are reasons behind every performance and we have struggled to change players. That is a big miss with the quality of players out. The longer you do it, the harder it gets. I am disappointed, a missed opportunity, we did not grab it.\n\n“The game was there for us to win in the second half. The first half was even and we had them penned in in the second half. We conceded the first goal and it changed the momentum of the match. Frustrating and a chance missed.”","url":"https://www.theroar.com.au/2023/12/08/ange-aghast-as-spurs-suffer-unbelievable-west-ham-turnaround-with-two-of-the-worst-goals-youll-see/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_e3cbe83c410a2434","mhq_c35e90694462baf9"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_e3cbe83c410a2434","mhq_c35e90694462baf9"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"95d18a684aba5e1fdc2d6d5dd7e9b96c9f74b24c28c72cc5595efb88010fd82e","source_record_sha256":"5b72f9f983ecd7127f910f8fc8e7549aee6bb7601b80ed0b17f853a9e8f94cf7","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":541,"source_fields":{"title":"Ange aghast as Spurs suffer ‘unbelievable’ West Ham turnaround – with two of the worst goals you’ll see","author":"Mike Meehall Wood","source":"The Roar | Sports Writers Blog","published_at":"2023-12-07T22:28:31+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.theroar.com.au/2023/12/08/ange-aghast-as-spurs-suffer-unbelievable-west-ham-turnaround-with-two-of-the-worst-goals-youll-see/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_5f8ecb90260e6ef0","text":"Three points off the top, three goals scored in every Premier League home game, a 100% record in all competitions at Anfield, cruising through the Europa League group stage and individuals shining; it is fair to say Liverpool have surpassed the pre-season expectations of a new-look team. It is not unreasonable of Jürgen Klopp, however, to expect much more as the season develops.\n\n“You saw so many teams here growing in the direction we wanted and all became better step by step or the manager had to go,” said Klopp on the demands of his particular job. “We will try together to get better step by step and show our real face more often than not.”\n\nThe 243rd edition of the most played derby in English football offers an ideal opportunity for Liverpool to grant Klopp’s request given the one-sided nature of the fixture on his watch, regardless of another early kick-off after an international break playing havoc with preparations. Klopp has lost one of his 17 encounters with Everton, Liverpool one of the past 23 Premier League meetings at Anfield and one of the past 25 league derbies home or away.\n\nLiverpool’s defensive concerns, heightened by the loss of Andy Robertson for up to three months with a shoulder injury, are offset by the visitors’ troubles in front of goal. A 3-0 defeat of Bournemouth last time out was only the eighth time Everton have scored more than once in a Premier League match in the past 12 months. The overall improvement in Everton’s performance, however, coupled with three wins in the past four games, raises Sean Dyche hopes of capitalising on any post-international fatigue in the opposition ranks. Klopp’s compliments towards Dyche and his local rivals were of the back-handed nature.\n\n“Everton are in a good moment,” he said. “Burnley in their best moments [under Dyche] were a super-difficult team to play against and you can see that again; it’s similar with different players. We have to be ready for second ball fights, runs in behind, a compact defence. It will be a tough one. Burnley games were always tough. We have to have football understanding, patience, put a proper shift in and take the fight.”\n\nLast time out, Everton beat Bournemouth 3-0 – only the eighth time in the past 12 months that they have scored more than once in a league game. Photograph: Nigel French/PA\n\nWhat Klopp is seeking most of all from Liverpool is consistency throughout the 90-plus minutes of a Premier League game. It was achieved in the commanding 3-0 defeat of an in-form Aston Villa early last month, a performance that carried echoes of Liverpool at their dominant best under Klopp, but other highlights, even in victory, have been interspersed with lapses. The manager believes some instability is inevitable given this summer’s midfield rebuild.\n\n“Yes it is [a factor] but we’ve also changed between games quite a lot because of the amount of games and we’ve been interrupted by international breaks twice now,” he said. “If it is a more settled team it doesn’t make that much of a difference because we are much more used to each other and that is not the case yet. As a group we have to become consistent but you do it step by step.\n\n“It is not too long ago that we had the problem of performing on a really high level until we didn’t perform at all any more; we were 1-0 or 2-0 up in a game and all of a sudden we came under pressure. Crazy. We had to learn to control the game. It is all the things that happen with time – there is no shortcut to that. With the signs we showed so far I am absolutely fine but I don’t know the final destination, I can’t even see that yet, but it is not a problem because other teams have similar problems. It is about how quick we can make the steps and that is what we are working on every day but the problem now is how could we work since Brighton [where Liverpool drew 2-2]? We had three, with a goalie, first-team players in training until Wednesday. Tomorrow we have to play with what we did so far but in general you have to gain stability bit by bit.”\n\nIt has arrived in attack, where Darwin Núñez’s influence has improved considerably since his match-winning cameo for the 10 men of Liverpool at Newcastle. Mohamed Salah has scored or assisted in 14 consecutive Premier League matches and Liverpool could emulate their predecessors from 1980-81 by scoring three or more goals in the opening four home league games. Stopping goals has been the problem, with Liverpool conceding first and cheaply on occasions. Klopp insists he has not built another formidable attack at the expense of a resilient defence; it is just another step Liverpool have to make.\n\nskip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Football Daily Free daily newsletter Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion\n\nLiverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, pictured during training on Friday, says his side ‘is a very talented group, a creative group … but we have to organise protection’. Photograph: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC/Getty Images\n\n“I like to build a team from the defensive side,” he said. “I’m not sure it’s possible again nowadays when you’re in the middle of something. Imagine if we kept clean sheets but didn’t create. You have time for these things when you are new [to a club], when things are under average before you come in and you are 14th. Then everyone is happy when you get some results. We are not like that. Our team is not set up like that. We have a really talented group, a creative group in a football sense, and we have to use that. But we have to organise protection. That goes step by step.\n\n“There are a lot of new things for the boys to consider and that takes time. We had a good pre-season and I loved the steps we made there but the rest we have learned during the season. During the season you are massively influenced by results. The difference when we win a game – and it’s not a problem for me – is I have to make players aware of things that are not right yet. It is a different feeling if you lose or draw a game. It’s been two weeks since we played a football game together so it’s not possible to work by looking at the Brighton game any more. We have to make sure we are ready for this one.”\n\nAfter the trials at Tottenham and the frustration at Brighton, Klopp needs Liverpool to embrace the intensity of the Merseyside derby when they arrive home.","url":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2023/oct/20/liverpool-everton-derby-jurgen-klopp-sean-dyche","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_c35e90694462baf9"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_c35e90694462baf9"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"d48c8df612aecac46d40705fee2a51bd69575eed6da00e9060608cfc29ef5b55","source_record_sha256":"c5c9f95c0e250809fd360b39e30b60f10221adb5c3d39540e89487749f7130ee","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":542,"source_fields":{"title":"Liverpool enjoy home comforts but Dyche’s Everton offer derby danger | Andy Hunter","author":"Andy Hunter","source":"The Guardian","published_at":"2023-10-20T21:30:28+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2023/oct/20/liverpool-everton-derby-jurgen-klopp-sean-dyche"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_85b194bc3634161d","text":"Last updated on .From the section Everton\n\nBill Kenwright became Everton chairman in 2004\n\nEverton chairman Bill Kenwright, an acclaimed West End theatre and film producer, has died at the age of 78.\n\nKenwright had surgery to remove a cancerous tumour from his liver eight weeks ago.\n\nHe had been on the board at Everton since 1989, taking over as chairman at Goodison Park in 2004.\n\nThe Liverpudlian was also one of the UK's most successful theatre producers and played Gordon Clegg in Coronation Street between 1968 and 2012.\n\nKenwright was awarded a CBE for his services to film and theatre in the 2001 New Years Honours List.\n\nEverton said it was \"in mourning\" following the death of the club's longest-serving chairman for more than a century.\n\n\"The club has lost a chairman, a leader, a friend, and an inspiration,\" Everton added.\n\nOn 12 October, the Premier League club said Kenwright had a cancerous tumour removed from his liver six weeks before.\n\nEverton said the operation was \"completely successful\", but complications meant Kenwright required a \"prolonged period in an intensive care unit\".\n\nAnnouncing his death on Tuesday, Kenwright's family said he \"passed away peacefully\" on Monday night \"surrounded by his family and loved ones\".\n\n\"Bill was driven by his passions and devoted his life to them; his deep love of theatre, film, music and his beloved Everton, and the families they created,\" a family statement read.\n\n\"He impacted the lives of thousands, whether that be through the launching of careers or his unending loyalty, generosity and unfaltering friendship and support.\"\n\nIn a multiple award-winning career spanning six decades, Kenwright produced more than 500 West End, Broadway, UK touring and international theatre productions, films and music albums.\n\n\"We will remember him with huge love and admiration - the shows will of course go on, as he would have wished, and his towering legacy will continue,\" his family added.\n\nLeading Everton for almost two decades\n\nKenwright spent 19 seasons as Everton chairman, overseeing 12 finishes inside the Premier League top eight, including fourth place in 2005, while the Merseyside club were also FA Cup finalists in 2009.\n\nEverton said he had led the club through \"a period of unprecedented change in English football\".\n\nIn February 2016, Kenwright sold a 49.9% stake in the club to Iranian businessman Farhad Moshiri, who increased his shares to 94% in January 2022.\n\nBut with the club fighting against relegation last season, an Everton fans' group called for Kenwright to be sacked and said it had \"no confidence\" in him as chairman.\n\nKenwright and the rest of the board of directors were unable to attend home games last season from January after what the club described as \"threatening correspondence\" was received before a game against Southampton.\n\nChief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale, chief finance and strategy officer Grant Ingles and non-executive director Graeme Sharp have all since left their boardroom roles, but Kenwright remained in his post as chairman until his death.\n\nIn September, owner Moshiri agreed to sell his 94% stake to American investment fund 777 Partners.\n\nThe club said Kenwright had \"worked hard\" alongside Moshiri \"right up until the day\" of his liver operation to help facilitate the proposed takeover.\n\nMoshiri said he was \"deeply saddened\" by the death of his \"great friend\".\n\n\"Bill was a force of nature and he certainly changed my life nearly 10 years ago when he first spoke to me about getting involved with the club he adored,\" said Moshiri.\n\n\"He told me about this incredible club, a club that not only has history and heritage but was also a beating heart of our community and for that I will always be grateful.\n\n\"He was a special soul, a man successful in so many different walks of life. We will miss him but never forget him.\"\n\nFrom the cobbles to the director's box\n\nKenwright started his career as an actor and landed his breakthrough role in ITV soap opera Coronation Street in 1968 as Gordon, the son of long-serving Rovers Return barmaid Betty.\n\nHe left Weatherfield the following year, but appeared back on screen with occasional visits over the subsequent decades.\n\nKenwright also began putting on plays in order to give himself roles and discovered he had an aptitude for pulling the strings behind the scenes.\n\nHe found big success by staging new productions of two musicals - Willy Russell's Blood Brothers and Andrew Lloyd-Webber and Tim Rice's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - and making them long-running touring hits.\n\nHe has also staged productions of The Shawshank Redemption, The Exorcist, Cabaret, Evita, Saturday Night Fever and The Sound of Music.\n\nAmong his current shows, Sir Ian McKellen is starring in Frank and Percy in London, while Twelve Angry Men, Calendar Girls The Musical, Heathers The Musical and Blood Brothers are all on tour.\n\nDame Judi Dench, Woody Harrelson, Billie Piper, Rob Lowe and Felicity Kendal have also starred in his productions.\n\nRooney leads tributes to a 'big inspiration'\n\nWayne Rooney, former Everton and England forward: \"Devastated to hear the sad news about Bill Kenwright. Known Bill since I was young and he's had a huge impact on me as a person and my career. Great man and a big inspiration. Thoughts are with all Bill's family and friends.\"\n\nJamie Carragher, ex-Liverpool and England defender: \"Really sad news this. A huge Evertonian who served and loved his club to bits. I'll never forget his and Everton's support every year around the Hillsborough memorial. RIP Bill.\"\n\nAndy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester and Everton fan: \"It does feel like the end of an era, Bill was a big-hearted person. Such generosity and backed so many people that needed help, perhaps people did not see that in the media.\n\n\"He had a deep love for his club and the city he was from, it is an emotional night.\"\n\nActor Sir Ian McKellen: \"Like many grateful actors I am in debt to Bill Kenwright for employment. He seemed to have known everyone in the business and to care about them. Yet every chat would veer round to his equal passion - Everton.\"","url":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67203234?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_e3cbe83c410a2434","mhq_c35e90694462baf9"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_e3cbe83c410a2434","mhq_c35e90694462baf9"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"45b623f7419d881882083748b6c9b0d5b75e4dd822d6c6b740d485547858d13f","source_record_sha256":"ab46e34fafe2cfaaae399edf56c565c9f119f70bc9899b1b91195bfa8ccfd9fb","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":543,"source_fields":{"title":"Theatre producer and Everton chairman Kenwright dies","author":null,"source":"BBC News - Entertainment & Arts","published_at":"2023-10-24T16:32:09+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67203234?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_9390303c3db8ea04","text":"Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the\n\nFootball email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }}\n\nAnother infamous European night at Old Trafford. It should be a landmark low, but almost the most deflating element of this 1-0 defeat to Bayern Munich was how grimly routine it all felt.\n\nManchester United, one of the grandest and richest names in this competition, have again gone out of the Champions League at the group stage. It is the third time it has happened since Sir Alex Ferguson, meaning it’s their most common round of exit in that period.\n\nThe performance this season was so bad that they find themselves out of Europe altogether as the bottom team in the group, although some at the club might find solace from that. There wasn’t much else. The second place they aimed for has instead gone to Copenhagen, a club with a fraction of United’s budget. That is where the damage was done.\n\nWhile that meant there was only ever a slim hope of going through – and the Danish side’s victory over Galatasaray ensured any win would be irrelevant – the club’s rich legacy in this competition was built on such defiance. There was absolutely none of it here.\n\nThere was nothing much at all. Where was the energy? Where was the intensity? The Stretford End eventually implored United to “attack attack attack” but the complete absence of any such impulses eventually left some of the stadium booing the side off at the end.\n\nWith United out of Europe, there are questions about Erik ten Hag’s ability to coach the team (AFP via Getty Images)\n\nThese are not the sounds we are used to hearing after that Champions League theme. Something does stir when the anthem is played at Old Trafford amid the lights. Well, for most, that is, except the players.\n\nThis is why there are growing questions for Erik ten Hag himself, even if everyone is constantly keen to put it in a wider context.\n\nManchester United should not be performing like this on what is supposed to be the classic European night at Old Trafford. This just reminded that all they are going to have for some time are their memories.\n\nIt was another utterly forgettable display.\n\nBayern, already through but perhaps looking to make a point after their own 5-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt, didn’t even need to step it up to win. They were quite low-intensity themselves, Kingsley Coman’s winning goal coming from the forward almost walking through the middle of their team. Harry Kane, for so long billed as a potential United player, didn’t score but did set it up.\n\nThis game showed one reason why he is at Germany’s biggest club rather than England’s. His side are through with ease, among the favourites for the competition even if they do look lacking in a few areas.\n\nHarry Kane’s assist was another reminder of what could have been for United (PA)\n\nNot that you could judge from this game. It was almost a kickabout for them.\n\nBayern were still having more of the ball and the attacks. This was another tension for Ten Hag to overcome on the night. United were playing in quite a controlled way when they were going to eventually have to go for it, but Bayern were still getting through that with relative ease.\n\nIt meant the team almost looked like they were in two minds, to go with how thoughts were always going to be in Copenhagen. The news came through shortly before the hour that Lukas Lerager had scored for the Danish side, although it didn’t really change the atmosphere or the energy. It was already a drab game, with a muted crowd.\n\nIt didn’t help that Bruno Fernandes blazed United’s best opportunity over the bar after good work from Aaron Wan Bissaka. It looked like it was going to be one of those games. It certainly wasn’t one of those big European nights at Old Trafford.\n\nOn 71 minutes, Bayern managed what they had been half-heartedly threatening all game. They also did it at near walking pace. Kingsley Coman had weaved his way through the centre, for the ball to eventually be worked to Harry Kane. The English forward clipped an artful ball back through for Coman who finished emphatically.\n\nKingsley Coman’s goal ensured Manchester United were knocked out of Europe (PA)\n\nIt was almost too easy for him. Why did Andre Onana stay so close to his line? If that sounds like the set-up for a joke… well, you can write your own punchline.\n\nThis is the current reality for United. They obviously have many more issues than the goalkeeper – as illustrated by the goal itself – but a strange season for Ten Hag’s primary signing only continues. United’s problems meanwhile combined. There were so many errors leading to the goal, to go with all of those that have characterised this entire European campaign.\n\nThat can now be talked about definitively, since it has been decisively ended. It is a low but just part of a decade of disappointment in the competition that has seen this club rise to its most emotional heights.\n\nThis game never threatened to do that. United never threatened at all. They’d been involved in so many ludicrously chaotic matches that the biggest of all ended up being a non-event.","url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/manchester-united-harry-kane-champions-league-premier-league-bayern-munich-b2462954.html","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_1932c56622b7810a","mhq_47d4311e59af4b3d"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_1932c56622b7810a","mhq_47d4311e59af4b3d"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"a5ae9da8dd6ff07c1a3a67b4a017d69fa48f819f492a02274a8c1847ae2140a4","source_record_sha256":"346a5104d5931e5ea10572fddde999dd77c73001c06b4907529767918e6b61ed","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":546,"source_fields":{"title":"Manchester United out of Europe after defeat to Bayern Munich","author":"Simon Peach","source":"The Independent - Sports","published_at":"2023-12-12T22:38:05+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/manchester-united-harry-kane-champions-league-premier-league-bayern-munich-b2462954.html"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_7067b622822b2677","text":"Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the\n\nSimon Calder’s Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }}\n\nOne of the world’s most spectacular natural phenomena, at certain periods during the year the Northern Lights regularly light up the skies of northern countries that sit in the ‘aurora zone’ of the Arctic Circle.\n\nThe light show happens when electronically charged particles enter the Earth’s atmosphere from space, producing dazzling displays of green, yellow, purple and even red lights.\n\nThis is visible every year in some areas of European countries like Finland, Iceland, Sweden and Norway, while there are regular sightings in parts of Canada and Greenland too. Fortunately for Brits, you don’t necessarily need to trek to these countries to see the aurora borealis; sightings have become more frequent in the UK, with the lights seen as far south as Wiltshire in February 2023.\n\nAlthough numerous UK locations have reported sightings in recent years, these do tend to be in northern areas of the British Isles. It’s tough to predict exactly when and where the spectacle will make an appearance, but we’ve rounded up a list of the best places where you might be lucky enough to see the Northern Lights in the UK.\n\nHebrides, Scotland\n\nThe Lights above Skye in the Inner Hebrides (Getty Images/iStockphoto)\n\nThis northern archipelago off the western Scottish coast comprises hundreds of islands, split into the Inner and Outer Hebrides. While the Lights can be seen in Skye and other isles of the Inner Hebrides, your best bet for seeing the lights remains in the Outer Hebrides, likely on the islands of Lewis or Harris. The flat beaches and countryside are great viewing points, while the remote parts of the islands are subject to almost no light pollution. The exceptionally dark skies here are known to be good for star gazing; even if you miss the lights, there’s every chance you’ll see the Orion Nebula, the Milky Way and the Great Andromeda galaxy.\n\nThe ‘season’ here runs from September to April, though the aurora is most common in winter, when skies get dark in the late afternoon. In February, the Isle of Lewis hosts its own Dark Skies Festival, with events including live music, film and theatre.\n\nShetland Isles, Scotland\n\nThe Shetland Isles are a good Scottish destination for light spotting (Getty Images/iStockphoto)\n\nThe most northerly point in all of Britain, Shetland lies closest to the North Pole and is a location where locals can expect to see the Northern Lights a few times every winter. Over 100 miles from the mainland, the remote isle is home to plenty of tranquil countryside and coastal scenery, providing dozens of spots where you can potentially watch the lights away from the light pollution of nearby settlements.\n\nThe season here runs from mid-October to mid-March, with winter again being the best time to try and see the phenomenon (there are less than six hours of daylight during the shortest days). Though light shows aren’t guaranteed during your stay, wildlife spotting, walking and exploring the towns more than make up for any disappointment should the aurora fail to materialise.\n\nRead more on UK travel:\n\nCairngorms, Scotland\n\nThe Cairngorms are home to an area of International Dark Sky Park (Getty Images/iStockphoto)\n\nThe UK’s largest National Park is another Scottish destination for potentially seeing the Northern Lights. The park is home to Ben Nevis, the highest peak in the UK, and one of the UK’s International Dark Sky Parks (areas noted for “possessing an exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights”). This area is situated around the Glenlivet Estate, forming the Tomintoul and Glenlivet park. An area with “remarkably dark skies”, the region is busy all year thanks to its vast amount of wilderness to explore and wildlife to see.\n\nWhile mountains and hills may block views, there are plenty of dark areas that are perfect for seeing the lights between mid-October and mid-March (especially those nearer the coast, where views are less likely to be interrupted by clouds).\n\nYorkshire Dales, England\n\nThe lack of light pollution makes the Yorkshire Dales a great place to spot the aurora (Getty Images/iStockphoto)\n\nWith a northerly, light-pollution free location as the gold standard for seeing the Northern Lights in the UK, the Yorkshire Dales are an oft-viable destination. The aurora was seen here as recently as April 2023; the park is one of England’s Dark Sky Reserves and the largest in the UK, and will be hosting a joint Dark Skies Festival with the North York Moors National Park in February 2024. It has four Dark Sky Discovery sites (designated nationwide for “good sightlines of the sky” and a lack of light pollution), which are in Buckden National Park Car Park, Tan Hill Inn and both Hawes and Malham National Park Visitor Centres.\n\nAccording to the park’s website, on clear nights you can see as many as 2,000 stars, the Milky Way and even the International Space Station. The Perseid meteor shower occurs in August, though the best time to see the Lights is still between September and March – just remember to wrap up warm and follow any aurora updates online or on specially dedicated apps.\n\nNorthumberland, England\n\nThe Northern Lights over Bamburgh’s lighthouse (Getty Images/iStockphoto)\n\nAnother International Dark Sky Park, Northumberland’s National Park reportedly boasts the darkest skies in the UK (so is also an excellent stargazing spot). Although it sits at a more southerly latitude than many other light-spotting locations, the aurora has been seen over Hadrian’s Wall and Bamburgh in the past, and the county itself remains one of the most reliable locations to see the display in England. Lights are only usually visible here after particularly strong geomagnetic storms, so it may be an idea to keep track of these if planning a visit. Again, the areas near the coast – themselves in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – can be better for seeing the aurora due to the presence of fewer clouds.\n\nSnowdonia, Wales\n\nA strong storm made the Lights visible in Snowdonia in this photo (Getty Images/iStockphoto)\n\nOne of three Dark Sky reserves in Wales, Snowdonia also boasts the country’s highest peak, largest lake, its own section of mountain railway and 1,497 miles of public footpaths. The 823-square mile park provides views of the Milky Way and major constellations on clear nights, with the odd shooting star to make up for those nights where you miss out on an aurora borealis show. As with most places in the UK, you’re more likely to see the lights between October and March. For the best views, head to the lakes of Llyn Geirionydd and Llyn y Dywarchen or to Ty Cipar, between Llan Ffestiniog and Ysbyty Ifan.\n\nLake District, England\n\nThe clear skies over Buttermere in the Lake District (Getty Images/iStockphoto)\n\nWhile better known as a destination for walking, hiking and simply enjoying the peace and tranquility of the surrounding nature, the Lake District is also one of the best places in England to see the Northern Lights. The area is an exceptional place for stargazing too and is currently seeking to become an International Dark Sky Reserve. Though the lights are rarer here than in Scotland, the lakeside backdrops make for particularly dramatic surroundings if the lights do appear, with excellent view points at Grizedale Forest, Wasdale, the Langdale Valley and Derwentwater.\n\nRead our reviews of the best UK hotels","url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/uk/northern-lights-uk-2023-b2467851.html","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_0284af6075bdb5ae"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_0284af6075bdb5ae"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"f5f3de96236a73caf39fbbd244bedf8ef88bbd33bfe4401815c66874e734fd7d","source_record_sha256":"055c959c765559f38f67e2cd57622e010cff5b413771adca3436dfd9c0ce9f8e","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":555,"source_fields":{"title":"The best places to see the Northern Lights in the UK","author":"Chris Wilson","source":"The Independent - Travel","published_at":"2023-12-21T13:01:28+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/uk/northern-lights-uk-2023-b2467851.html"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_16f93ccca83f56fc","text":"Skywatchers worldwide were treated to a magnificent aurora light show over the weekend as northern lights were reported as far south as Greece and Turkey.\n\nThe colorful aurora displays were triggered by a strong geomagnetic storm that peaked as a strong G3 on Nov. 5 at 12:40 p.m. EST (1740 GMT) on the 5-grade scale used by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to assess the severity of space weather events.\n\nGeomagnetic storms are disturbances to Earth's magnetic field caused by solar material from coronal mass ejections (CME) — large expulsions of plasma and magnetic fields from the sun's atmosphere. This particular geomagnetic storm was triggered by not one but two CMEs that slammed into Earth on Nov 4 and Nov. 5, according to spaceweather.com.\n\nDuring a solar storm, energized particles from the sun slam into Earth's atmosphere at speeds of up to 45 million mph (72 million km/h) and our planet's magnetic field funnels the particles toward the poles. The supercharging of molecules in Earth's atmosphere triggers the colorful spectacles, which usually remain limited to areas at high latitudes for the aurora borealis (northern lights) and the aurora australis (southern lights).\n\nBelow, we take a look at some of the best aurora photos captured by skywatchers around the world.\n\nDebby Thorne captured this beautiful display from Cullen on the Moray Firth in Scotland with an iPhone 14 Pro in night mode on Nov. 5.\n\nVibrant pink aurora display from Cullen on the Moray Firth in Scotland looking towards Bow Fiddle Rock. (Image credit: Debby Thorne)\n\n\"I am lucky to have seen the Aurora many times as used to live on the west coast of Scotland — and lucky to still see them on the Moray Firth where we live now.\" Thorne told Space.com \"But I have to say the display last night was incredible\"\n\n\"I've never seen such bright pinks — usually greens with faint pink. I never tire of seeing them and often feel overwhelmed by this amazing thing going on in the sky and we are but a dot. I often wonder what our ancestors must have made when they saw the sky dancing, I just feel incredibly lucky to be able to experience it from my back door in Scotland.\" Thorne continued.\n\nMeteorologist Angel Enriquez was working the evening shift at the National Weather Service in Glasgow, northeast Montana when his colleague alerted him to the aurora light show.\n\n\"A fellow coworker was out gathering her own pictures when she texted 'GO OUTSIDE NOW'\" Enriquez told Space.com. \"I took the tripod to the darkest spot of the office, which happens to be next to the radar, and took some memorable photos.\"\n\nMeteorologist Angel Enriquez captured pink and green aurora above a round observatory in Glasgow, Montana. (Image credit: Angel Enriquez)\n\nAstrophotographer Josh Dury saw red auroras from the Mendip Hills in Somerset, UK.\n\nRed auroras from the Mendip Hills in Somerset, UK. (Image credit: Josh Dury)\n\n\"On the night of this shoot, I was scouting a number of locations where clear skies would permit.\" Dury told Space.com \"With most of the South-West under cloud, clear skies persisted on The Mendips. Making it possible to view a window to the aurora and capture the beautiful red pillars low on the north horizon.\"\n\nAstrophotographer Gareth Mon Jones caught a stunning view of the aurora above Penmon Lighthouse, Anglesey.\n\nRed and green aurora above Penmon Lighthouse, Anglesey. (Image credit: Gareth Mon Jones)\n\n\"A whopper of a display on Anglesey tonight,\" Jones wrote on X. \"my girlfriend was happy to see one of the best displays of the northern lights in a long time\"\n\nPhilip McErlean witnessed the aurora borealis shine above the southern shores of Lough Neagh, Northern Ireland.\n\nPink and green lights above Lough Neagh, Northern Ireland. (Image credit: Philip McErlean)\n\n\"It was an exceptional night of aurora here in Northern Ireland and one of the best displays I have seen/photographed.\" McErlean told Space.com\n\nMany skywatchers also took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share their aurora encounters.\n\nSpace weather physicist Tamitha Skov was at a loss for words as she retweeted photographs of bright red auroras seen over Greece.\n\n\"Even though this #solarstorm peaked at a G3, such a view is indeed special. Wonder if the changing magnetic field of Earth and growing equatorial #auroral shows are playing a role here?\" Skov wrote.\n\nAt a loss for words: #Aurora is gracing the skies over Greece. Even though this #solarstorm peaked at a G3, such a view is indeed special. Wonder if the changing magnetic field of Earth and growing equatorial #auroral shows are playing a role here? https://t.co/eRA9wwlcEhNovember 6, 2023 See more\n\nAuroras were even reported in Turkey.\n\nNorthern (polar) lights caused by geomagnetic storm seen in #Hayrabolu, #Tekirdağ, #Turkey.#aurora #solar #geomagneticstorm #jeomanyetik #northernlights#kuzeyışıkları #AuroraborealisVideo @commandouz pic.twitter.com/DL7fJupRvANovember 5, 2023 See more\n\nTravel and landscape photographer Paul Pichugin captured this incredible timelapse of the aurora australis lighting up the skies over Busselton, Western Australia.\n\nA timelapse video of the Aurora Australis over Busselton, Western Australia late last night and early this morning!#WesternAustralia #Aurora pic.twitter.com/v8KG3UM7WbNovember 5, 2023 See more\n\nLandscape photographer Alistair Hamill captured his first sub-auroral arc of solar cycle 25.\n\n\"I had to try for a pano to fit it all in. This arc was right above my head at the time!\" Hamil posted on X (formerly known as Twitter).\n\nBrilliant aurora display last night at Glenarm - including my first sub auroral arc of solar cycle 25! I had to try for a pano to fit it all in. This arc was right above my head at the time! pic.twitter.com/MLQOh8Lp14November 5, 2023 See more\n\nBut not all the light shows were auroras! During the peak of the storm, STEVE made an appearance for some!\n\nSTEVE is an aurora-like glow that often accompanies the northern lights, yet is a distinct phenomenon, according to the American Geophysical Union (AGU). The acronym stands for Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement. STEVE is caused by hot (5,400 degrees Fahrenheit or 3000 degrees Celsius) streams of gas snaking through Earth's magnetosphere. When these streams are energized by geomagnetic storms they emit light, according to spaceweather.com.\n\nSteven lomas managed to photograph mysterious STEVE above Dunstanburgh Castle Northumberland, UK.\n\nImage 1 of 3 (Image credit: Steven lomas) (Image credit: Steven lomas) (Image credit: Steven lomas)\n\n\"It was the strongest display of the aurora that I have seen in 8 years of photography\" lomas told Space.com. \"The highlight was seeing the corona and also STEVE!\"\n\nlomas also captured quite the mythical scene with vibrant green and red auroras dancing over Dunstanburgh Castle.\n\nImage 1 of 3 (Image credit: Steven lomas) (Image credit: Steven lomas) (Image credit: Steven lomas)\n\nPhotographer Martin McKenna (Nightskyhunter) took to X to post some awesome STEVE photographs.\n\n\"I've been observing aurora since 1998 with 180 displays and this is my first sighting, what a show!\" McKenna wrote on X.\n\nSpectacular sight over Swatragh last night in the form of STEVE (proton arc) extending across the entire sky from W to E and flaring near Jupiter. I've been observing aurora since 1998 with 180 displays and this is my first sighting, what a show! https://t.co/19Wt2BjIl1 #steve pic.twitter.com/6Vma3zeAfNNovember 6, 2023 See more\n\nEditor's note: If you capture stunning photographs of the aurora (or any other night sky phenomenon) and would like us to consider featuring them on Space.com please email them over to space@spacephotos.com.","url":"https://www.livescience.com/space/astronomy/see-stunning-images-of-steve-and-auroras-from-this-weekends-powerful-solar-storm","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_0284af6075bdb5ae"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_0284af6075bdb5ae"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"55c308be8bfda0a164be653446522f548fe88ef711335a959c8a8204b6f0caae","source_record_sha256":"a5abc2d79ee46a764ebe2bbad2c26b5980904a78ade5e928de8d8ad20c3dfc3c","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":556,"source_fields":{"title":"See stunning images of STEVE and auroras from this weekend's powerful solar storm","author":null,"source":"Live Science: The Most Interesting Articles","published_at":"2023-11-09T14:51:14+00:00","category":"science","url":"https://www.livescience.com/space/astronomy/see-stunning-images-of-steve-and-auroras-from-this-weekends-powerful-solar-storm"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_88c49170b0dde505","text":"Jai Opetaia has taken his frustrations out on a hapless Ellis Zorro, the unbeaten Australian delivering a brutal first-round knockout in Saudi Arabia, while Kiwi heavyweight Joseph Parker stunned former champ Deontay Wilder to ruin his chances of facing Anthony Joshua.\n\nCruiserweight Opetaia was forced to vacate his IBF world title belt to take his place on the mega-card in Riyadh early on Sunday morning (AEDT).\n\nIn a bout reportedly worth $680,000 to the Australian, he wasted little time, a huge left hand obliterating Zorro with four seconds remaining in the first round.\n\nFacebook Twitter Whatsapp Reddit Email Share\n\nThe punch sent the dazed Englishman into the ropes and on to the canvas, the outclassed Zorro eventually able to offer a sheepish smile in what was his first loss in 18 professional fights.\n\nThe former Olympian moved to 24-0 with 19 stoppages and retained his Ring Magazine belt to cap a week of drama that saw Opetaia stripped of his IBF status in controversial circumstances.\n\n“I train for 12 rounds, was prepared for 12 and if the knockout comes, it comes,” Opetaia said.\n\n“He was a bit too hesitant and he got clipped, that’s the way it goes.”\n\nCommentator Sergio Mora described the one-punch knockout as “devastating and scary” while fellow pundit Mike Costello added: “At any weight, at any level that’s as clinical as it gets in this sport”.\n\nAdvertisement\n\n“He dismissed Zorro with the minimum of fuss and the maximum of power,” he added.\n\nOpetaia broke his jaw twice on the way to upsetting Mairis Briedis to win the IBF and Ring belts last year before enduring a frustrating wait to defend them 14 months later.\n\nMultiple opponents have dodged the 28-year-old, who the IBF demanded fight Briedis next despite the injured Latvian being happy to delay their bout until he is fit early next year.\n\n“I did, but look at this place, beautiful, I’m happy to be here,” Opetaia said when asked if he had vented his frustrations in the ring.\n\n“I’m pumped; first round knockout, I’m ready for the next fight.\n\n“The last 18 months is just part of the journey. I’m here in the ring now and that’s all that matters.\n\nAdvertisement\n\n“These dudes (promoters) put the people in front of me and I just knock them out.”\n\nOpetaia’s next fight could be on the Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk card in Riyadh on February 17.\n\nPromoter Eddie Hearn said the Australian had the potential to replicate Usyk’s career and unify the cruiserweight division before moving up to the heavyweights.\n\n“Every fight man knows,” Hearn said of the man regarded as the No.1 cruiserweight in the world.\n\n“I believe Jai’s going to do the exact same thing (as Usyk) … we’re talking about a pound-for-pound talent,” Hearn said.\n\nDubbed the ‘Day of Reckoning’, the Middle East card features heavyweight stars Joshua, Wilder, Parker and light heavyweight champion Dimitri Bivol.\n\nParker’s victory over Wilder came before Joshua stopped Otto Wallin with a fifth-round TKO in a heavyweight double-header.\n\nAdvertisement\n\nThe bouts at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh were expected to set up a March bout between Wilder and Joshua.\n\nInstead, it appears Parker is in a position to step up in March, with the winner of that fight hoping to get a shot at the undisputed championship, which will be decided on February 17 when Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk meet in Saudi Arabia.\n\nThe heavyweight division hasn’t been unified this century.\n\nThe 31-year-old Parker, a big underdog according to FanDuel Sportsbook, looked the better fighter throughout, while the 38-year-old Wilder looked his age in a match-up of former heavyweight champions.\n\nParker (34-3-0) dominated from the start, landing powerful punches with his right hand while keeping Wilder on his heels with a smart and methodical approach.\n\n“Dangerous fight, tough fight, we trained very hard for this,” Parker said.\n\n“We had great momentum coming into this fight. The strategy was to stay calm, stay relaxed, stay focused … every minute of every round. This is a great finish to the year.”\n\nAdvertisement\n\nThere was only one round in which Wilder got the better of Parker.\n\n“My timing was off a little bit,” Wilder said.\n\n“He did a great job of avoiding a lot of my punches. I did feel like I had the upper hand, but things happen. We move on to the next step.”\n\nIn the main event, Wallin’s corner called for the stoppage at the end of the fifth round.\n\nJoshua, a strong favourite, needed more than just a victory to convince sceptics his best days weren’t behind him.\n\nThe British boxer earned some style points against the 33-year-old Wallin, who is from Sweden.\n\nJoshua (27-3-0) hadn’t looked the same since holding the WBA, IBF and WBO titles. But the 34-year-old delivered a throwback performance, jabbing and moving forward with confidence while backing down Wallin (26-2-0).\n\nAdvertisement\n\nA strong right-left combination in the fifth round eventually led to the stoppage.\n\n“Just another fight. I respect Otto,” Joshua said.\n\n“Not so much a throwback, just another day in the office. I’m just a gifted fighter that has a special gift and I use it to the best of my ability.\n\n“We just want to do whatever it takes to be victorious. All I want to be is just be victorious for as long as I can. I’m searching for greatness.”\n\nEarlier, Dmitrii Bivol defeated Lyndon Arthur in a unanimous decision that saw all three judges score it a 12-round sweep for the IBO light heavyweight and WBA super light heavyweight belts.\n\nThe early card also included five knockouts.\n\nAfter Opetaia, Daniel Dubois (20-2-0) registered a 10th-round TKO of Jarrell Miller (26-1-1) with eight seconds left in the final round.\n\nAdvertisement\n\nAgit Kabayel (24-0-0) scored a fourth-round TKO of Arslanbek Makhmudov (18-1-0) in a scheduled 10-round heavyweight bout.\n\nFilip Hrgovic (17-0-0) stopped Mark De Mori (41-3-2) with a first-round TKO, and Frank Sanchez (24-0-0) opened the night with a seventh-round knockout of Junior Fa (20-3-0).\n\n© AAP","url":"https://www.theroar.com.au/2023/12/24/as-clinical-as-it-gets-unbeaten-aussie-moves-to-24-0-with-stunning-first-round-ko-of-hapless-englishman/","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_4083498e9e104f97"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_4083498e9e104f97"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"3b540cad00bb22512e3aedaa55ef88831d704d2ac195e1de6f8b7d9945d12238","source_record_sha256":"205957f2e3b16429993086e8f49a510eca0632af5c8c2aee54264216e417a1f7","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":561,"source_fields":{"title":"‘As clinical as it gets’: Unbeaten Aussie moves to 24-0 with stunning first-round KO of hapless Englishman","author":"News","source":"The Roar | Sports Writers Blog","published_at":"2023-12-23T23:03:15+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.theroar.com.au/2023/12/24/as-clinical-as-it-gets-unbeaten-aussie-moves-to-24-0-with-stunning-first-round-ko-of-hapless-englishman/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_8e516eb0f5b772bd","text":"Ouija boards and other attempts to converse with the dead are spiritually dangerous practices that should not be viewed as innocent fun, an exorcist priest told Fox News Digital.\n\n\"We too often forget that there is much more to this world than meets the eye,\" Fr. Dan Reehil told Fox News Digital. \"Angels, demons, spirits and souls do exist and they can have an impact on our life.\"\n\nRehill is a priest of the Diocese of Nashville. In 2018, he received exorcism training at Ateneo Pontificio Regina Apostolorum in Rome, and was installed as the exorcist of the Diocese of Nashville that same year.\n\nDO ANGELS EXIST? OVER HALF OF AMERICANS SAY YES, STUDY FINDS: ‘COMFORT AND REASSURANCE’\n\nAn exorcist, said Reehil, \"is a priest chosen and installed by a bishop to exercise the office of deliverance ministry. Exorcism is a specific form of prayer that the [Catholic] Church uses against the power of the devil.\"\n\nThe Catholic Church distinguishes between two forms of exorcisms, said Reehil. Exorcisms are either \"major\" or \"minor.\"\n\n\"A major exorcism is performed only for one, who is demonstrably possessed by a demon or demons, and may only be performed by a priest the bishop has specifically permitted to do so,\" said Reehil.\n\nConversely, a minor exorcism is associated with sacraments and blessings, said Reehil.\n\n\"Demonologists distinguish three levels of demonic incursion,\" explained Reehil. These three levels are temptation, obsession (which is also called \"oppression\") and possession.\n\n'HALLOW' PRAYER APP ACCOMPLISHED ITS GOAL DURING THE GOP DEBATE, COMPANY SAYS: 'PRAY WITH ME REAL QUICK'\n\nTemptation, said Reehil, is something experienced by everyone.\n\nObsession is \"when demons torment people physically, spiritually, mentally or emotionally, or some combination of these.\"\n\nPossession, which is arguably the most well-known of the three levels, is when a demon or demons \"take physical possession of a person's body and make use of its faculties,\" said Reehil.\n\n\"Possession is usually intermittent, almost never an uninterrupted possessing of the person’s body,\" he added.\n\nAttempting occult practices, such as purportedly trying to contact the dead via an Ouija board, are a way to open oneself up to demonic activity inadvertently, said Reehil.\n\n\"Demons lie and impersonate dead people,\" said Reehil. \"When asking a board for information about a deceased person, or a life decision, they are all too happy to embed themselves into your life. Using an Ouija board is inviting a demon into your life, whether the person has that intention or not.\"\n\nThe Ouija board was first developed in the late 19th century as a parlor game; these were formerly called \"talking boards.\"\n\nAt the time, séances and other spiritual practices were quite popular activities.\n\nAS CATHOLIC CHURCH FACES PRECARIOUS CULTURAL TIME, BISHOP ROBERT BARRON OF MINNESOTA MODELS THOUGHTFUL FAITH\n\nThe board consists of an alphabet, the words \"yes,\" \"no,\" \"goodbye,\" and the numbers zero through nine.\n\nTo operate the board, a person places their hands on a \"planchette,\" which spirits purportedly move to spell out answers to questions.\n\nIn 1890, a Baltimore spiritualist and medium named Helen Peters asked the talking board what she should call it, said the website for the Talking Board Historical Society. The board responded \"O-U-I-J-A,\" which it said meant \"good luck.\"\n\nThe Ouija board was patented the following year.\n\nLegend regarding the Ouija board's patent says that Peters accompanied attorney Elijah Bond to the patent office, where the two were instructed by the patent officer to prove that the board worked by spelling out his name, said Smithsonian Magazine.\n\nTHE EXORCIST, CHUCKY AND NEW HORRIFIC HAUNTS HIT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS ORLANDO'S HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS\n\nPeters reportedly asked spirits for assistance, and then spelled out the patent officer's name.\n\nIt is unclear if Bond or Peters somehow knew the patent officer's name ahead of time, but the patent was awarded on Feb. 10, 1891, by a \"white-faced and visibly shaken patent officer,\" said the magazine.\n\nThe boards were then mass-produced by the Kennard Novelty Company, which was sold to Parker Brothers in 1967.\n\nToday, the Ouija board is produced by Hasbro, which markets the product as a way to communicate with the \"spirit world.\" Fox News Digital reached out to Hasbro for comment but did not hear back by publication time.\n\n\"Enter the world of the mysterious and mystifying with the Ouija board! You've got questions and the spirit world has answers — and the uncanny Ouija board is your way to get them,\" said the Hasbro website.\n\nHALLOWEEN HORROR MOVIE HOMES AND THE STORIES BEHIND THEM: WOULD YOU DARE TO VISIT?\n\n\"What do you want to know? Ask your question with a friend using the planchette that comes with the board, but be patient and concentrate because the spirits can't be rushed. Handle the Ouija board with respect and it won't disappoint you,\" said the website.\n\nWhile the Ouija board is marketed as a toy or board game, Reehil, from his point of view, disagrees with this characterization.\n\nDivination and other occult practices are condemned by the Bible numerous times, said Fr. Reehil.\n\n\"Ouija boards should not be viewed in the same way as a typical board game,\" he said. \"Although it is advertised as a game, it is far from it,\" he added. \"Rather, it is a form of divination.\"\n\nDivination and other occult practices are condemned by the Bible numerous times, Reehil noted.\n\n\"The very action of using [the Ouija board] has profound spiritual consequences [that are] beyond our control,\" he said.\n\nCLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER\n\nPerhaps the most famous instance of purported demonic possession connected to Ouija board usage was the case of \"Roland Doe,\" a young teenage boy from Maryland, who underwent numerous major exorcisms in 1949, said Reehil.\n\nDoe's story was adapted into the 1971 book \"The Exorcist\" by William Peter Blatty, which was then made into the 1973 movie starring Ellen Burstyn and Linda Blair.\n\nReehil told Fox News Digital that he has personally seen six cases of demonic oppression that stemmed from Ouija board usage.\n\n\"The victims were left with night terrors, suicidal ideation, despair — and one man was impaled with chicken bones in his leg that flew across the kitchen,\" he said.\n\n\"Stay away from all forms of occult practices — and stay close to God.\"\n\n\"Once the deliverance prayers were prayed, and the participants renounced all participation with the demons, the demonic activity ceased,\" he also said.\n\n\"Whenever we seek to engage demons, we move away from the One True God,\" said Reehil.\n\nCLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP\n\nAdded the priest, \"Stay away from all forms of occult practices — and stay close to God.\"\n\nFor more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.","url":"https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/angels-demons-spirits-souls-do-exist-exorcist-priest-warns-ouija-board-use","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_7d9d7f5824bdc172"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_7d9d7f5824bdc172"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"1ccd64e8acbfe9137c56cdd2266847fd7cb271183a4f124cda66fad60b95b1e1","source_record_sha256":"92c0b3df79abbb395d23072c7b6a1c560d953d493c15e0b43a061555af3a726f","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":562,"source_fields":{"title":"'Angels, demons, spirits and souls do exist,' says exorcist priest who warns against Ouija board use","author":null,"source":"FOX News - Lifestyle","published_at":"2023-10-30T09:45:20+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/angels-demons-spirits-souls-do-exist-exorcist-priest-warns-ouija-board-use"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_da0a612422d439e2","text":"Your time is precious, and your options are endless. The good news: We watch it all so you don’t have to. Polygon’s What to Watch highlights the best, the funniest, the scariest, and the most exciting in movies, TV, and everything in between. Stop scrolling, start watching!\n\nWhether it’s something gory and macabre, silly and irreverent, or eerie and unsettling, the genre of horror is as rich and varied as the multitude of ghosts, ghoulies, and homicidal maniacs that go bump in the night.\n\nLooking for the best horror films available to stream on Netflix, Hulu, Max, and Paramount Plus? No worries, we’ve got the goods. We’ve combed through the libraries of each of the major streaming platforms to bring you a list of our most recommended horror movies. Here are the best horror movies you can stream right now, from old classics to new hits. Our latest update added Encounters of the Spooky Kind.\n\nEditor’s pick: Encounters of the Spooky Kind\n\nDirector: Sammo Hung\n\nCast: Sammo Hung, Chung Fat, Dick Wei\n\nWhere to watch: Criterion Channel\n\nThis Halloween, I had one goal: Finally watch Sammo Hung’s jiangshi (Chinese hopping vampire) martial arts comedy Encounters of the Spooky Kind. It was finally added to streaming via the Criterion Channel earlier this fall after years of being unavailable digitally. And reader, my priorities were correct, because this movie is an absolute blast.\n\nBest known for his collaborations with childhood friends Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao, Sammo’s excellence as a director, choreographer, and performer are on full display in what is frequently a one-man show.\n\nSammo directed the movie, co-wrote it, choreographed the action, and stars as Bold Cheung, a pedicab driver and skilled martial artist who’s also kind of a dolt. He is dared to spend the night in a haunted house with a hopping vampire — a dare he accepts, because he is “Bold” Cheung, after all. What follows is a Looney Tunes-style slapstick action horror movie with legitimate scares (the vampire makeup is terrific: gray with a gross texture, like a wet papier-mâché mask), dazzling rhythmic martial arts choreography, and perfectly placed dashes of comedy (there’s even an extended Duck Soup homage).\n\nSammo is truly one of the greatest directors to ever do it, but he doesn’t get the proper credit globally because of the genres (and nation) he’s primarily worked in. The jaw-dropping choreography and onslaught of funny bits are outstanding, but it’s his skill with the camera that has always separated Sammo from his counterparts.\n\nBringing it back to his old friend Yuen Biao for a second — Biao co-stars as the silent vampire, and does a terrific job selling the undead creature’s fight sequences with stiff limbs and startling hops. This movie is colorful, funny, scary, tense, and an incredibly fun time. If you like the Evil Dead movies, this is one you must check out; Sam Raimi basically directly ripped one of Spooky Kind’s fight sequences for Evil Dead II. —Pete Volk\n\nAlone\n\nDirector: John Hyams\n\nCast: Jules Willcox, Marc Menchaca, Anthony Heald\n\nWhere to watch: Hulu, Kanopy\n\nA taut spine-chiller from John Hyams (Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning), Alone is your classic woman-on-the-run thriller. Jessica (Jules Willcox), a recent widow, is in the midst of moving. If that wasn’t enough stress, a creepy man (Marc Menchaca) appears to be following her on the road. After he slashes her tires, she crashes and wakes up in his basement. What follows is a tightly crafted thriller with great performances, outstanding direction, and enough tension to keep your heart pounding throughout the 98-minute running time. —Pete Volk\n\nAnnihilation\n\nDirector: Alex Garland\n\nCast: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez\n\nWhere to watch: Netflix\n\nAnnihilation might be the creepiest movie about plants ever made (with all due respect to The Ruins.)\n\nAnnihilation follows a group of scientists (played by a phenomenal group of actors) investigating an area struck by a meteor. The area that was hit has slowly spread and grown into what’s now known as The Shimmer, an area where nature seems to be taking over everything around it, but it’s a different kind of nature; strange, unnaturally green plants grow over everything, and creatures (animals and humans) slowly merge with the vegetation around them. At the center of all of this is a lighthouse the group must reach. Annihilation helps realize this strange Earth-but-not incredibly well, with beautiful and haunting production design and a finale as memorable as any horror movie on this list. — Austen Goslin\n\nClimax\n\nDirector: Gaspar Noé\n\nCast: Sofia Boutella, Romain Guillermic, Souheila Yacoub\n\nWhere to watch: Showtime\n\nClimax isn’t for the faint-of-heart — and we’re saying that in the context of a horror movies list. The movie is set at an all-night dance party inside a gymnasium, which turns sour after someone spikes the sangria with a little too much LSD. Climax is told in beautifully disorienting long takes that go from dozens of minutes of uninterrupted and propulsive dance sequences to hazy walks through hallways as the camera mimics the dizzy stumbling of the movie’s characters. As the psychedelics kick in, so too do some of the attendees’ long-held feuds, leading to disastrous and horrifying consequences. It’s rare that a movie truly defies description, but if you’ve got a strong stomach and a will to see something you haven’t before, Climax is the perfect movie for you. —AG\n\nCrimes of the Future\n\nDirector: David Cronenberg\n\nCast: Viggo Mortensen, Léa Seydoux, Kristen Stewart\n\nWhere to watch: Hulu\n\nMicroplastics: They’re everywhere!\n\nThey’re in our lungs, our blood, our food and drinking water; even the air we breathe. What the fuck is it doing to our bodies? We don’t really know, but David Cronenberg’s 2022 body horror drama sure has an idea of what it might mean for our children. Crimes of the Future imagines a world where humans have lost the ability to feel pain. In addition to that, several people have developed a disturbing disorder which causes their bodies to spontaneously spawn new organs.\n\nThis new reality has spawned a trend: Live surgery, wherein performance artists plagued with this condition tear into their own bodies in an effort to shape meaning out of this strange new biological fact. Viggo Mortensen stars as Saul Tenser, a world-renowned performance artist who, alongside his partner Caprice (Léa Seydoux), stands on the cutting edge — both literally and figuratively — of this cultural phenomenon. When Saul’s activities catch the attention of a mysterious group of evolutionary activists, as well as the lascivious eye of a government employee named Timlin (Kristen Stewart), he’s forced to confront what he — and everyone else around him — is changing into, and whether what that is can even be considered “human” anymore.\n\nAs macabre as it is moving, grotesque as it is sensuous; Crimes of the Future is an exquisite work of science fiction horror where surgery is the new sex and our very bodies have rebelled against us for the incalculable destruction we have inflicted on the planet. It’s a film that exists in intimate conversation with the anxieties of our present, as well as one that represents a stunning return to form for one of cinema’s most forward-thinking directors. Howard Shore’s growling, guttural score is engrossing, while the leading trio of performances by Mortensen, Seydoux, and Stewart are a virtual match made in heaven in bringing to life this speculative slice of post-human hell on Earth. In short: It’s a great film and highly recommended, but whatever you do, don’t see it on a full stomach. Trust me. —Toussaint Egan\n\nCure\n\nDirector: Kiyoshi Kurosawa\n\nCast: Kōji Yakusho, Tsuyoshi Ujiki, Anna Nakagawa\n\nWhere to watch: Criterion Channel\n\nKiyoshi Kurosawa’s 1997 horror masterpiece Cure follows Kenichi Takabe (Kōji Yakusho), a Japanese detective frustrated by an inexplicable rash of seemingly unconnected murders that nevertheless all appear to be connected, despite none of the perpetrators having known each other or having any recollection as to what possessed them to do it. When Takabe’s investigation leads him to a suspect, a student of psychology and mesmerism known as Mamiya (Masato Hagiwara), he finds himself plunged into a conspiracy that threatens to engulf anyone who gets too close.\n\nIn Cure, violence is less an act of premeditation or passion as it is a virus, coursing its way through the bloodstream of society, corrupting innocent bystanders not unlike aberrant cancer cells attacking from within without ever understanding why they did so in the first place. How do you confront a horror like that, much less stop it? The answer is as simple as it is terrifying: You can’t. —TE\n\nEyes Without a Face\n\nDirector: Georges Franju\n\nCast: Pierre Brasseur, Édith Scob, Alida Valli\n\nWhere to watch: Max, The Criterion Channel\n\nGeorges Franju’s influential 1960 film is a master class in supernatural fantasy horror. An unsettling tale about a plastic surgeon (played by Pierre Brasseur) who kidnaps young women and performs surgery on them to try and find a face replacement for his daughter (Édith Scob), Eyes Without a Face is equal parts haunting and beautiful. Scob’s iconic face mask in the movie was later referenced in her role in the also-excellent Holy Motors many decades later. —PV\n\nHellraiser\n\nDirector: Clive Barker\n\nCast: Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins, Ashley Laurence\n\nWhere to watch: Prime Video, AMC+, Shudder, Tubi, Pluto, Hoopla\n\nClive Barker’s 1987 directorial debut adapts his 1986 novella The Hellbound Heart to tell the story of Larry (Andrew Robinson) and Julia Cotton (Clare Higgins). The Cottons are a married couple who move into the home of Larry’s recently deceased brother, Frank (Sean Chapman), with whom Julia had a previous affair. After inadvertently being resurrected by a drop of blood spilled by Larry on the floor of the house’s attic, Frank seduces Julia into luring new men to the house so that he can drain their life force and fully regain his mortal form. Surrounding this core narrative is the the story of the Lament Configuration, a puzzle box Frank acquired before his untimely death. When solved, it conjures hellish beings known as Cenobites to the mortal plane of existence, which indulge in hellish exercises of sadomasochistic mutilation. Easily the best and most enduring of the Hellraiser movie series, Barker’s 1987 original is a must-watch for horror fans. —TE\n\nHereditary\n\nDirector: Ari Aster\n\nCast: Toni Collette, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro\n\nWhere to watch: Max\n\nHereditary is a victim of its own success. The poster child for the misguided term “elevated horror,” and the subject of more than a few memes (particularly around telephone poles), the thing that often gets lost about Hereditary is that it’s actually really fucking good. And it’s damn scary too.\n\nThe movie follows Annie Graham, a difficult mother of two, who just lost her mom. During the funeral service, Annie notices quite a few people are here to mourn the mother she thought had no friends. She eventually learns this group of old people all belonged to the same bizarre semi-cult her mother did. And that’s where the witchy stuff starts.\n\nFrom there everything descends into a complicated mishmash of tightly coiled family drama, supernatural plotting, and years-old resentments, and it’s absolutely excellent. Who’s to say which is scarier in this movie, the verbal immolation or the literal one?\n\nEven if you’ve seen it already, you probably owe this movie a rewatch. You definitely remember that it’s good, but you probably don’t remember just how great it really is. Hereditary is elegantly creepy, right up until the point that it becomes terrifying. You can’t really ask any more from a horror movie than that. —Austen Goslin\n\nThe Host\n\nDirector: Bong Joon-ho\n\nCast: Song Kang-ho, Byun Hee-bong, Park Hae-il\n\nWhere to watch: Max, Roku Channel, Hoopla, Kanopy\n\nThe Host was Bong Joon-ho’s follow-up to the smash success serial killer drama Memories of Murder. A critical and commercial success, it was the highest-grossing South Korean film ever after its release and won Best Film at the Asian Film Awards and the Blue Dragon Film Awards.\n\nYears after chemicals are dumped into the Han River, a huge mutated fish monster emerges and kidnaps a young girl. Her father (Song Kang-ho) sets out to find and rescue her, before being kidnapped by the American scientists responsible for its existence. A fun monster thriller that doubles as insightful commentary on U.S. intervention, ecological disasters, and much more, The Host is a high mark in Bong’s impressive filmography. —PV\n\nHouse\n\nDirector: Nobuhiko Obayashi\n\nCast: Kimiko Ikegami, Miki Jinbo, Kumiko Ohba\n\nWhere to watch: Max, Criterion Channel\n\nFew movies are as weird and excellent as Nobuhiko Obayashi’s House.\n\nThe bizarre ghost story follows a group of school girls who take a vacation to a haunted mansion in the countryside of Japan. Everything starts off well enough, but before long the kids are being attacked by demonic gates, getting eaten by pianos, or opening portals to hell — all with visually an inventive silliness few movies have ever matched. House isn’t all that scary, but it is weird in all the best ways, and nothing else looks or feels like it. — AG\n\nIn the Mouth of Madness\n\nDirector: John Carpenter\n\nCast: Sam Neill, Julie Carmen, Jurgen Prochnow\n\nWhere to watch: YouTube\n\nAmong the wildest movies John Carpenter has ever made (and that’s saying something), In the Mouth of Madness follows insurance investigator John Trent (Sam Neill), who is hired to find a missing fame horror novelist. Things become increasingly unhinged as the plots of the author’s books and the various monsters seem to invade the real world. Neill, a staple of this list, is absolutely fantastic responding to the horrors of hell, slowly becoming exactly as off-kilter as they are. By the time the movie makes it to the third act, the door to hell is halfway open and Trent is ready to dive headfirst into the void, which is honestly how every movie’s third act should go.\n\nThis is also the third in Carpenter’s apocalypse trilogy, which also includes two other stone-cold classics, The Thing and Prince of Darkness. They aren’t on this list, but you should watch them anyway. — AG\n\nLet the Right One In\n\nDirector: Tomas Alfredson\n\nCast: Kåre Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson, Per Ragnar\n\nWhere to watch: Hulu, Prime Video, Roku Channel, Crackle, Hoopla, Kanopy\n\nA 12-year-old Swedish boy finds a friend in a vampire who looks roughly his age, but is actually an old vampire permanently trapped in the body of a young child. The film is kaleidoscopic, each viewing revealing something different than the last. The first time I saw the film, I was a pessimistic college student, and I read the central relationship as a warning about the parasitic nature of love. After college, the children’s bond reminded me of the impermanence of youth, and why growing up is a mixed blessing. This past year, I was far more focused on the girl’s relationship with her caretaker, an older man who sacrifices everything for her existence.\n\nThe film was adapted from John Ajvide Lindqvist’s 2004 novel of the same name, which inspired not just this Swedish film, but a 2010 American adaptation, a comic-book prequel, and two stage plays. The latter has its own legacy — it was adapted by the magnificent National Theater of Scotland, and it eventually had a run at St. Ann’s Warehouse in 2015. Few books inspire so much additional great art. So I suppose I’m recommending the book just as much as the film. —Chris Plante\n\nMalignant\n\nDirector: James Wan\n\nCast: Annabelle Wallis, Maddie Hasson, George Young\n\nWhere to watch: Max\n\nThere was just no way to see it coming. After the Conjuring and Insidious franchises, plus blockbuster turns with Furious 7 and Aquaman, James Wan could have cashed in chips to make another moody franchise-starter to stretch his jump-scare muscles. Instead, he made Malignant, a high-emotion giallo stuffed into dingy ’90s direct-to-video pastiche like some kind of horror-movie turducken. Wan pulls back the layers in an almost tedious fashion: The pregnant Madison (Annabelle Wallis) is first the victim of domestic abuse, then she encounters another killer, and then she starts dealing with psychotic episodes tied to her childhood imaginary friend Gabriel, and theeeeen it’s revealed… Well, please go behold it.\n\nStrung together with a melodramatic cover of The Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind,” reveling in horror tropes to the point of parody, the final twists of Malignant are some of the most gratifying lunacy of the year, and the acrobatic actor Marina Mazepa brings it all home in a display of gruesome ballet. I won’t explain anything more out of fear of spoilers — just get on the Malignant train. Wan put his dream (nightmare?) on screen for us all to enjoy. —Matt Patches\n\nThe Mist\n\nDirector: Frank Darabont\n\nCast: Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden\n\nWhere to watch: Digital rental/purchase\n\nAny fan of Stephen King worth their salt knows that the so-called king of horror has a lot of movie adaptations of his work. Few films have managed to eclipse, let alone successfully adapt, King’s capacity for horror storytelling, with the exception of (a) Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining and (b) Frank Darabont’s The Mist.\n\nDarabont’s third adaptation of a Stephen King story, the film stars Thomas Jane (The Expanse) as a Hollywood poster artist living in Maine who, along with his wife and son and the rest of his neighbors, takes shelter in a supermarket in the wake of a mysterious storm that covers the town in a deadly mist.\n\nSupernatural, otherworldly horrors abound throughout The Mist, but the greatest horror of all is — you guessed it — humanity itself, as seen in the way the townspeople succumb to the temptation to scapegoat those among themselves under the influence of a local religious fanatic. The ending is a gut-punch and sincerely one of the most chilling in any mainstream horror film of its time. If you’ve managed to go unspoiled until now, I won’t ruin the surprise, but needless to say, it’s worth it. —TE\n\nNight of the Living Dead\n\nDirector: George A. Romero\n\nCast: Duane Jones, Judith O’Dea, Marilyn Eastman\n\nWhere to watch: Max, Peacock, MGM Plus, Paramount Plus, Roku Channel\n\nThe movie that launched the modern zombie film in the United States, George A. Romero’s debut feature was written, directed, photographed, and edited by the nascent zombie film master on a shoestring budget, which only adds to the eerie atmosphere and grounded terror. In this film, a group of survivors hide out in an abandoned house in western Pennsylvania at the start of a zombie apocalypse. Led by the level-headed Ben (Duane Jones), the group not only has to deal with the conflict of zombies trying to break in, but internal conflicts stemming from disagreements on how to handle their precarious predicament.\n\nNight of the Living Dead is the first example of Romero’s typical blend of jaw-dropping (and stomach-churning) practical effects and astute social commentary. Fun fact: This movie came out a month before the MPAA film rating system, which meant a heaping amount of controversy when children were able to see the quite graphic movie in theaters. And another fun fact: Night of the Living Dead was never copyrighted and is in the public domain because of an error by the original theatrical distributor. —PV\n\nPossession\n\nDirector: Andrzej Żuławski\n\nCast: Isabelle Adjani, Sam Neill, Heinz Bennent\n\nWhere to watch: Shudder, AMC Plus, Metrograph\n\nOutside of the most ardent of cinephile circles, Andrzej Żuławski isn’t a name that inspires enthusiastic recognition in the United States. Known for his transgressive brand of arthouse cinema, Żuławski’s career was stymied by Communist authorities in his homeland of Poland, with many of his early films being either heavily censored, banned, or, in one instance, nearly destroyed upon release. It also doesn’t help that the few films of his that have been released in the States have since gone out of print — though that appears to be changing soon.\n\nIf you do know Żuławski’s name, it’s likely for his 1981 psychological horror film Possession, a film whose cult status among horror connoisseurs has only been amplified in the decades since its release by its difficulty to obtain on physical media or to view online. Fortunately for everyone, that’s no longer the case.\n\nSet in Cold War-era West Berlin, Żuławski’s film stars Jurassic Park’s Sam Neill as Mark, a Russian spy who returns home to find that his wife, Anna (Isabelle Adjani), has left him and wants a divorce. When Anna refuses to divulge why, only saying that she has not left him for someone else, Mark grows suspicious and has her tailed. What he eventually discovers is a horrifying secret beyond his comprehension, one which awakens a long-dormant wellspring of anxiety, resentment, and despair between the two that threatens to tear apart not only their small family, but their very sanity as well.\n\nInspired by Żuławski’s own tumultuous divorce in 1976 and his subsequent struggles with suicidal ideation, Possession blurs the line between the autobiographical and the phantasmagorical, with hysterical performances by Neill and Adjani that vacillate between disturbing, comical, and disquietingly sympathetic. An inspiration for everything from Ari Aster’s Midsommar to the 2016 music video for Massive Attack’s “Voodoo in My Blood,” Possession is an essential watch for any serious horror fan. —TE\n\n[REC]\n\nDirectors: Jaume Balaguero, Paco Plaza\n\nCast: Manuela Velasco, Ferran Terraza, Martha Carbonell\n\nWhere to watch: Prime Video\n\nOne of the best and most disturbing found-footage movies ever, [REC] follows a TV reporter and camera person who follow emergency workers into an apartment building, only to discover the dark truth inside: Some of the residents are turning into monsters. Set squarely in the zombie-craze of the mid-2000s, [REC]’s undead creatures owe quite a bit to the raving cannibal infected of 28 Days Later, but the Spanish movie’s flesh-eaters are quite a bit creepier and more disturbed than their predecessors. While many found-footage movies obscure their scariest moments, [REC] uses the format to enhance its creeping dread and drag out the character’s slow careful exploration of the apartment building, ramping the tension up to 11 just in time for the downright terrifying finale. — AG\n\nSputnik\n\nDirector: Egor Abramenko\n\nCast: Oksana Akinshina, Fedor Bondarchuk, Pyotr Fyodorov\n\nWhere to watch: Hulu\n\nIf you’re hungry for a great piece of contemporary Russian sci-fi horror (i.e., something not directed by either Andrei Tarkovsky or Yakov Protazanov), then Egor Abramenko’s 2020 directorial debut is just the film you’re looking for.\n\nSet during 1983 at the height of Cold War tensions, Sputnik (which for your information is Russian for “fellow traveler”) centers on Tatyana (Oskana Akinshina), an uncompromising young psychiatrist with a staunch attitude with regard to the ends justifying the means. Tatyana is recruited by the Soviet military to treat Konstantin (Pyotr Fyodorov), a wounded cosmonaut and the lone survivor of a mysterious satellite crash. Only upon arriving at the remote hospital facility housing the patient and interacting with him does Tatyana come to realize the horrifying truth: Konstantin did not in fact return from space alone; rather, his body has now become the unwitting host to an organism unlike anything seen on Earth. Caught between her duty to study the creature and her desire to save Konstantin from further harm, Tatyana must make a hard decision upon which the very survival of all humanity may rest.\n\nWhat makes Abramenko’s debut so compelling is how it takes the basic premise of the “trolley problem” thought experiment and twists it repeatedly (and successfully) to dramatic emotional effect. Akinshina (The Bourne Supremacy) delivers a convincing and compelling performance as Tatyana, a woman forced to confront and overcome the uncompromising attitude that had once assured her success but now threatens to endanger not only another man’s life, but potentially the lives of everyone on the planet along with her own soul. Fyodorov, for his own part, delivers a sympathetically complex (and on occasion, implicitly sinister) performance as Konstantin, a Russian “hero” torn between his perceived duty to his country and his emotional obligation to a loved one he all but abandoned before embarking on his most recent mission. The creature design in this movie is terrific, as is the cinematography and the film’s score.\n\nHaving previously been slated for a world premiere at the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival and subsequently dumped on video-on-demand in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sputnik is exactly the kind of horror movie this list was intended to spotlight: a kind of rare gem of intellectually and viscerally stimulating horror that otherwise goes unappreciated if not given the opportunity to shine. —TE\n\nSuspiria\n\nDirector: Dario Argento\n\nCast: Jessica Harper, Stefania Casini, Flavio Bucci\n\nWhere to watch: Tubi, Kanopy\n\nOne of the best-looking movies of all time with one of the best soundtracks of all time. What’s better than that?\n\nDario Argento’s Suspiria tells the story of Suzy Bannion, an American dancer who moves to Germany to study at the prestigious Tanz Akademie. It just so happens that the academy is run by witches. As the facade of the school unravels, Suzy’s fellow students slowly start going missing or dropping dead in increasingly bizarre and horrible ways.\n\nWhile the plot for Suspiria is interesting, what really makes the movie great is how it looks and how it sounds. Everything about the production design, the costumes, and the colors is eccentric in ways no other horror movie has ever matched. Couple all that with the incredible and haunting soundtrack from European rock band Goblin, and Suspiria becomes an unforgettable horror classic that everyone should see at least once. — AG\n\nThe Texas Chain Saw Massacre\n\nDirector: Tobe Hooper\n\nCast: Marilyn Burns, Gunnar Hansen, Allen Danziger\n\nWhere to watch: Peacock, Shudder, AMC Plus, Tubi, Freevee\n\nAnother shoestring production gone huge, Tobe Hooper’s 1974 masterpiece made over $30 million at the box office on a budget of around $140,000. The movie follows a group of friends who find themselves hunted by a family of cannibals in the middle of Texas, and is a chilling, violent fever dream that permanently lodges itself in the minds of those who watch it.\n\nEight films have followed, including a Netflix version in 2022, but the original stands out as an unhinged encapsulation of pure chaos and terror. At a tight 83 minutes, the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre is well worth the small time investment to catch up on one of the most influential horror movies ever made. —PV\n\nThe Thing\n\nDirector: John Carpenter\n\nCast: Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, Keith David\n\nWhere to watch: Peacock\n\nJohn Carpenter’s postmodern creature feature takes the idea of alien monsters and makes them simultaneously more recognizable and more gross and unworldly than in any other movie in history. The Thing, the second adaptation of the excellent novella Who Goes There?, remains thrilling, terrifying, and absolutely disgusting more than 40 years after its release.\n\nThe Thing follows a group of researchers working at an Antarctic base. Suddenly, a dog from a local Norwegian camp rushes into their base, with Norwegian men hot on its heels, trying to kill it by any means necessary. However, once the American crew takes the dog in and shelters it, they discover it’s an alien that can transform into any living creature, mimicking it perfectly — and that makes every one of them a suspect.\n\nIt’s one of the great paranoid thriller premises of all time, but it just so happens to also be filled with gross and fantastic alien gore. There’s nothing quite like The Thing. —AG\n\nThe Unfriended movies\n\nDirector: Levan “Leo” Gabriadze (Unfriended); Stephen Susco (Unfriended: Dark Web)\n\nCast: Shelley Hennig, Moses Storm, Renee Olstead (Unfriended); Colin Woodell, Rebecca Rittenhouse, Betty Gabriel (Unfriended: Dark Web)\n\nWhere to watch: Criterion Channel (Unfriended); Digital rental/purchase (Both movies)\n\nAs many people have learned over the past few years, there aren’t that many things scarier than a video call you can’t leave.\n\nA masterfully contained horror movie that makes full use of its (at the time) groundbreaking gimmick, Unfriended is a tense teen horror movie that takes place entirely on a character’s laptop screen. Definitely watch it on a laptop if you can, and check out the very good sequel Unfriended: Dark Web if you dug this one. —PV\n\nFrom our list of the best horror movies on Netflix:\n\nLevan Gabriadze’s Unfriended pulls the audiences through the screen — almost literally. Viewed entirely from the perspective of a computer desktop, 2014 supernatural horror film centers around a Skype call between a group of high school students who are joined by an unknown presence known only as “billie227.” What at first appears to be a prank swiftly morphs into something much more horrific, as the mysterious stranger begins to reveal terrifying secrets about each of the friends before killing them off one by one. Unfriended is thoroughly gripping extrapolation of our always-online world, a world where vengeful poltergeists and doxxing exist side by side and no secret or offense goes undiscovered or unpunished. —TE\n\nUs\n\nDirector: Jordan Peele\n\nCast: Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss\n\nWhere to watch: Netflix\n\nJordan Peele’s already a horror master just three movies into his career, but Us probably still doesn’t have the reputation it deserves. His 2019 psychological slasher had the unfortunate fate of following up the cultural phenomenon of Get Out, so it had a hard time breaking through, in the way that sophomore projects often do. But taken on its own terms, Us is a fantastic little horror movie with tons of atmosphere and an underground society’s worth of great scares.\n\nThe movie follows the Wilson family, whose vacation is interrupted by the arrival of a group of doppelgängers who match up with each member of the family perfectly. The clones, it turns out, are called Tethered, and where they come from is very complicated. But before any kind of explanation of the Tethered, what we see is a parade of violent attacks, home invasions, and some very tense encounters between Lupita Nyong’o and herself.\n\nUs may not be Peele’s best movie, but it is a fascinating mix of slasher thrills and world- building, supported by a fantastic cast all operating at their A games. While the entire cast is great, Elizabeth Moss is a particular standout for her extremely brief but extraordinarily loathsome role as one of the family’s friends. Her performance gives this movie so much of its weird off-kilter vibe, and leads to some of its most unstintingly and gleefully over-the-top violence. Alongside the terrifying tone, Peele manages to build an entire second world underneath our own, and will give you a very unhealthy fear of what you’re really seeing when you look in the mirror. —AG","url":"https://www.polygon.com/22725152/best-horror-movies-netflix-amazon-prime-hulu-hbo","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_7d9d7f5824bdc172"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_7d9d7f5824bdc172"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"df3d5fd31544e846ad895b065d8cd11b048577ca63966e8768596f64f2a44f7a","source_record_sha256":"d127b616e67f00979e190765f01a88524d5a54a2459585f54adf70dd60c17c88","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":563,"source_fields":{"title":"The best horror movies you can watch right now","author":"Toussaint Egan","source":"Polygon","published_at":"2023-09-28T15:26:41+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.polygon.com/22725152/best-horror-movies-netflix-amazon-prime-hulu-hbo"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_edb3e7f44f742d61","text":"The mysterious respiratory illness that may have sickened scores of dogs across the country could be caused by a new type of bacterial infection that may be very good at evading the canine immune system, researchers say. Some dogs have died from the illness, which starts with causes a cough that can last for weeks, runny eyes and sneezing.\n\nIn a development that might help shed light on the illness, which has affected a variety of dog breeds, researchers at the University of New Hampshire’s Veterinary Diagnosis Laboratory and the Hubbard Center for Genome Studies told NBC News they have identified a pathogen that might be what’s making pets sick.\n\nThrough a genetic sequencing of samples from an initial group of 30 dogs from New Hampshire who were infected last year and then an additional 40 from Rhode Island and Massachusetts who got sick this year, the researchers say they have discovered a previously unknown germ.\n\nThe pathogen is “a funky bacterium,” said Dr. David Needle, pathology section chief at the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture at the University of New Hampshire. “It’s smaller than a normal bacterium in its size and in the size of its genome. Long story short, it’s a weird bacterium that can be tough to find and sequence.”\n\nThe germ “is new as a potential cause of disease, but it is likely to be— or to have evolved from — a component of the dog microbiome,” he said. Dogs as well as humans have multiple types of harmless bacteria and other microorganisms living both inside and outside the body. In the gut, they are thought to aid in digestion.\n\nThe bacterium was discovered after a painstaking search.\n\n“After initial sequencing showed there were no known viral, bacterial or fungal pathogens, time consuming and dogged work by graduate student Lawrence Gordon showed that 21 of the initial 30 samples from New Hampshire had some genetic material from one atypical bacterial species,” Needle said.\n\nThe UNH team is sharing its results prior to publishing a research article, hoping they will give veterinarians some information as they deal with other respiratory syndrome outbreaks, he said.\n\nScientists aren’t even sure yet whether the same bug is making dogs sick across the nation. Many researchers have wondered whether it was a bacterial or a viral pathogen. One thing veterinarians do know is that the germ is something they don’t recognize.\n\nMike Stepien, a spokesperson for the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), said in an email Wednesday the agency is working with multiple state animal health officials and diagnostic labs regarding the respiratory illness in dogs that, \"in rare cases, has progressed rapidly to death.\"\n\n\"APHIS and partners have not yet definitively identified the cause of illness,\" Stepien responded in an email. \"There are no reports of human illness affiliated with these cases at this time.\"\n\nNew Hampshire is one of a handful of states that have reported cases of the respiratory infection in dogs.\n\nThe Oregon Agriculture Department has received more than 200 case reports from veterinarians around the state since the beginning of August, spokesperson Andrea Cantu-Schomus said in an email. A very small percentage of the dogs have died, Cantu-Schomus said.\n\nOther states with possible cases include:\n\nIn conversations with veterinarians, Dr. Karl E. Jandrey, a professor of clinical small animal emergency and critical care at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, has heard of potential cases in North Carolina, Rhode Island and Virginia, as well.\n\nBecause there is no test yet for the illness and because many of the symptoms are similar to other respiratory infections, such as canine influenza and Bordetella (kennel cough), it’s unknown exactly how many dogs have been affected. With hundreds of cases identified by symptoms reported only in Oregon, it’s likely there are thousands.\n\nNormally, to determine what antibiotics might work best against a particular type of bacteria, labs grow the bugs in a petri dish and then try to kill them with various medications. Needle and his colleagues have not been able to grow the new bacteria in the lab. Nevertheless, its structure offers some clues about which medications might be the best choice to fight it, he said. The antibiotic doxycycline may be effective, he suggested.\n\nIf it turns out that the New Hampshire researchers have found the right microbe, that may explain why some dogs are getting very sick, said Jandrey.\n\nSmaller pathogens are likely to have an easier time making it past a dog’s defenses in the upper respiratory tract and getting down into the lungs, he said. “If it goes into the lungs, there’s a risk of pneumonia,” he added.\n\nWhat are the dog infection symptoms?\n\nAccording to Oregon’s Cantu-Schomus, the dogs’ illnesses largely develop in three ways:\n\nAs an inflammation of the tubes that connect the throat to the lungs that is minimally or not responsive to antibiotics.\n\nAs chronic pneumonia that is minimally or not responsive to antibiotics.\n\nAs acute pneumonia that rapidly becomes severe and often leads to severe illness or possibly death in as little as 24 to 36 hours.\n\nIf a dog has a cough that won’t quit and other respiratory symptoms, it’s recommended that the owner contact a veterinarian right away.\n\nWhile the respiratory symptoms seem to be like a viral illness, testing has been negative for a virus, Cantu-Schomus said.\n\nIt’s very unlikely that the cause will turn out to be viral, said Colin Parrish, a professor of virology at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University. “With the sequencing methods people use to look for unknown viruses, its signature would have been clear in a few days,” he added.\n\nSo it’s possible that the New Hampshire scientists could have hit upon the right pathogen, although their results need to be confirmed by more research, he said.\n\nWhat owners should do\n\nThe American Kennel Club’s chief veterinarian offered advice for both dog owners and their vets.\n\nFirst, owners should make sure their pets are fully vaccinated and boosted against the known canine diseases, said Dr. Jerry Klein, a practicing vet for 35 years and who was emergency department head emeritus at MedVet Chicago and currently works at the McKillip Animal Hospital in Chicago.\n\nKlein recommends that veterinarians suggest a full respiratory panel when people bring in sick dogs, but acknowledges that may be an expense some owners can’t afford.\n\nIf a dog’s veterinarian doesn’t suggest the panel, then owners should request it; that will help determine if the germ is one that vets already know about or is something new.\n\nPeople can call their local emergency vets to find out if there has been an increase in respiratory infections coming in for treatment, Klein said.\n\n“That would be a way to find out whether there’s been an uptick in your area,” he said. “If there is, then they should try to protect against exposure by avoiding grooming establishments and daycare.”\n\nKlein also recommends that groomers and daycare facilities not allow dogs to share food and water dishes.\n\nEven though a record number of Americans are expected to travel during the holiday season, experts recommend that dog owners keep their pets out of kennels and other areas, such as dog parks, where infection might be more likely because of crowded conditions and close contact.\n\n“When you congregate a bunch of animals together, there’s a larger likelihood of getting an infectious disease from other dogs,” said Dr. Kurt Williams, director of the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Lab at the Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine at Oregon State University.\n\nStill, he said, there are some facilities where you are less likely to have a problem because of how they are designed.\n\n“I’ve been telling people to work closely with their vet,” Williams said. “And to make sure their dog has all the vaccines available, in particular those for respiratory diseases we are familiar with.”\n\nAnother option is for owners to hire a house sitter, Needle said. “Or hire a dog walker,” he added. “It might not be perfect, but it’s better than nothing. Also, you might want to consider having Thanksgiving at home.”\n\nUltimately, your dog might be happier at home with a house sitter or a dog walker stopping by multiple times during the day than going to a kennel, Jandrey said.\n\n“It’s best to leave them in their own environment,” he added.\n\nThis article was originally published on NBCNews.com","url":"https://news.yahoo.com/mysterious-dog-respiratory-illness-know-193006621.html","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_325f99830534201f","mhq_47bfad3adca5aab0"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_325f99830534201f","mhq_47bfad3adca5aab0"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"70d090f2a9c5d926b97553aad88627c6a8a941b1739be5ae6637bc8303944b29","source_record_sha256":"1eaef7872ef4cc0cb46a8d604d438744ac60ffbf19463f0eea84c569b4844ac0","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":565,"source_fields":{"title":"Mysterious dog respiratory illness: What to know","author":null,"source":"Yahoo News","published_at":"2023-11-21T20:37:35+00:00","category":"science","url":"https://news.yahoo.com/mysterious-dog-respiratory-illness-know-193006621.html"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_ea86414dfee9a788","text":"Bacteria's rising resistance to antibiotics is making the drugs obsolete. Scientists are fighting back with viruses (pictured), CRISPR, designer molecules and cell-slicing enzymes.\n\nThe bacteria may have entered her flesh along with shrapnel from the bomb detonated in Brussels Airport in 2016. Or perhaps the microbes hitched a ride on the surgical instruments used to treat her wounds. Either way, the \"superbug\" refused to be vanquished, despite years of antibiotic treatment.\n\nThe woman had survived a terrorist attack but was held hostage by drug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, a bacterial strain often picked up by surgery patients in hospitals. Only by combining antibiotics with a new, experimental treatment did doctors finally rid her of the superbug .\n\nDevastating drug-resistant bacterial infections like this one are all too common, and they represent an ever-growing threat to global health. In 2019, antibiotic-resistant bacteria directly killed roughly 1.27 million people worldwide and contributed to an additional 3.68 million deaths. In the U.S. alone, drug-resistant bacteria and fungi together cause an estimated 2.8 million infections and 35,000 deaths each year.\n\nAnd the problem is getting worse: Seven of the 18 concerning bacteria tracked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are becoming more resistant to common antibiotics considered essential for maintaining public health. Meanwhile, drug companies have been slow to make new antibiotics capable of beating the microbes. Fewer than 30 antibiotics currently in the development pipeline target \"priority\" bacteria , as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), and most of those drugs are still vulnerable to resistance, just like their predecessors.\n\nThis table of select antibiotic-resistant bacteria demonstrates how rapidly important types of resistance developed after the approval and release of new antibiotics. (Image credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adapted by Live Science from the CDC's \"Select Germs Showing Resistance Over Time\" Fact Sheet.)\n\nSo some scientists are looking beyond traditional antibiotics for new weapons that won't fuel the rise of superbugs. Their emerging arsenal features viruses that kill bacteria; CRISPR; and microbe-slaying molecules. They hope that these experimental treatments, some of which have been tested in patients, will kill superbugs without promoting resistance.\n\n\"The vision, for me, is that we move beyond antibiotics and really just see a much broader palate of options,\" Chase Beisel, leader of the RNA synthetic biology research group at the Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research in Germany, told Live Science.\n\nBut until these new therapeutics are ready for prime time, the world needs to curtail its overuse and misuse of antibiotics, which experts say is speeding up the rate at which these lifesaving drugs become obsolete.\n\nRelated: Superbugs are on the rise. How can we prevent antibiotics from becoming obsolete?\n\nHow antibiotic resistance emerges and spreads\n\nAntibiotics either directly kill bacteria or slow their growth , leaving the immune system to finish the job. The drugs work in several ways — by preventing bacteria from building sturdy walls or making copies of their DNA , for instance. Growth-slowing antibiotics usually disrupt ribosomes, the factories in which bacterial cells make proteins.\n\nMany antibiotics shoot for the exact same molecular targets , and so-called broad-spectrum antibiotics' mechanisms are so universal that they work on both major classes of bacteria : gram-positive and gram-negative, which are distinguished by the makeup and thickness of their cell walls. Broad-spectrum antibiotics, in particular, pressure both harmful and helpful bacteria in the body to evolve defensive strategies that eject or disable the drugs, or else alter their targets.\n\nDrug-resistant bacteria can transfer their resistance to additional bacteria in several ways. (Image credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adapted by Live Science from the CDC's \"How Resistance Moves Directly Germ to Germ\" Fact Sheet.)\n\nBacteria can pick up such defenses through random DNA mutations, or by swapping \"resistance genes\" with other bacteria via a process called horizontal gene transfer. By making these gene transfers, bacteria can quickly spread such mutations to additional bacterial populations in the body and in the environment.\n\nThe misuse of antibiotics in health care, as well as in agriculture, has given bacteria endless opportunities to develop resistance, raising the chance that once-treatable infections will become life-threatening.\n\nRelated: New 'concerning' strain of drug-resistant gonorrhea found in U.S. for 1st time\n\nHarnessing viruses to fight bacteria\n\nOne of the proposed alternatives to antibiotics was first conceived more than a century ago, before the 1928 discovery of penicillin. Called phage therapy, it uses bacteria-infecting viruses called bacteriophages, or simply \"phages,\" which typically kill the germs by invading their cells and splitting them open from the inside.\n\nPhages can also pressure bacteria into giving up key tools in their drug resistance tool kits. For example, a phage called U136B can have this effect on E. coli. To infiltrate E. coli, the phage uses an efflux pump, a protein E. coli normally uses to pump antibiotics out of the cell. If the E. coli tries to change this pump to escape the phage, it reduces the bacterium's ability to pump out antibiotics.\n\n\"If phage therapy were used at a global scale ... it would not lead to the same problem of widespread resistance.\" Paul Turner, Yale University\n\nAnd unlike with antibiotics, bacteria are unlikely to gain widespread resistance to phage therapy , said Paul Turner , director of the Center for Phage Biology and Therapy at Yale University.\n\nTurner and other experts have concluded that, \"if phage therapy were used at a global scale, that it would not lead to the same problem of widespread resistance to it, the way that antibiotic use has led to that problem,\" he told Live Science.\n\nHere's why: Antibiotic resistance has been dramatically accelerated by the misuse and overuse of antibiotics , especially broad-spectrum antibiotics that work on a variety of bacteria. Phages, by contrast, can have much narrower targets than even narrow-spectrum antibiotics — for instance, targeting a protein found in only one or a few strains within one bacterial species.\n\nRelated: New drugs could stymie superbugs by freezing evolution\n\nThe target bacterium can still evolve resistance to an individual phage — but by picking the right combination of phages, scientists can make it so that the bacterium's evolution comes at a cost, Turner said. This cost might be a decrease in virulence or an increased vulnerability to antibiotics.\n\n(Image credit: Graphic made by Olha Pohrebniak via Getty Images. Adapted by Live Science.)\n\nTo date, phage therapy has mostly been tested through a regulatory framework known as \"compassionate use\" in patients like the Brussels Airport bombing victim, whose infections had no other treatment options. Phage therapy has shown success in these settings, and in a recent observational study of 100 patients who received phages alongside antibiotics.\n\nSo far in clinical trials, though, phage therapy generally hasn't worked better than standard antibiotics or a placebo. Topline results from two recent trials hint at the treatment's effectiveness in specific lung and foot infections, but the full results have yet to be released.\n\nSuccess in future trials will be key to getting phages into the clinic, Turner said. Those trials will have to show the therapy works for multiple types of infections, determine dosage and confirm phage therapies don't hurt helpful bacteria in the body, he added.\n\nTurning bacteria's defenses against them\n\nThe CRISPR-Cas system can be used to snip DNA at precise locations. Here, a Cas enzyme (dark pink) is preparing to cut through a target DNA strand (blue) and is being told where to cut by an RNA strand (yellow). (Image credit: Meletios Verras via Getty Images)\n\nAlthough made famous as a powerful gene-editing tool, CRISPR technology was actually adapted from an immune system found in many bacteria: CRISPR-Cas.\n\nThe key components of this immune system include molecular scissors, known as Cas proteins, and a memory bank of DNA snippets that a bacterium has collected from phages that once infected it. By tapping its memory bank, CRISPR-Cas can guide its lethal scissors to a precise point in an invading phage's DNA and snip it like a piece of ribbon.\n\n\"The CRISPR machinery gets into a set of cells, but only those that have the sequence or sequences you picked will be attacked and killed.\" Chase Beisel, HIRI\n\nOn occasion, though, rather than attacking phages, CRISPR-Cas can accidentally go after the bacterial cell's own DNA , triggering a lethal autoimmune reaction. This phenomenon inspired Beisel and his colleagues to explore using CRISPR-Cas to shred bacterial cells' DNA.\n\n\"The real draw of it is that it is a sequence-specific tool,\" meaning it targets only the DNA you tell it to, and not sequences present in other bacteria, Beisel told Live Science. So, once administered to a patient, \"the CRISPR machinery gets into a set of cells, but only those that have the sequence or sequences you picked will be attacked and killed.\"\n\nHow do you get CRISPR-Cas into the right bacteria? Various research groups are testing different delivery methods, but at present, the best strategy seems to be loading CRISPR machinery into a phage that infects the target bacterium, Beisel said.\n\nRelated: Scientists invent 'shape-shifting' antibiotic to fight deadly superbugs\n\nBeisel is a co-founder and scientific adviser of Locus Biosciences, a biotech company that's currently testing a CRISPR-enhanced phage therapy in a midstage, roughly 800-person trial. This approach couples the bacteria-killing prowess of phages with the ability of CRISPR-Cas to destroy essential bacterial genes. As with CRISPR-less phage therapies, clinical trials are needed to determine the treatment's safety profile and appropriate dosing.\n\n\"I can see these [treatments] coming about in the five- to 10-year time frame,\" Beisel said.\n\nDesigner molecules to kill bacteria\n\nBeyond phages and CRISPR, scientists are developing antibiotic alternatives that harness bacteria-slaying peptides — short chains of protein building blocks— and enzymes, specialized proteins that jump-start chemical reactions. These molecules differ from antibiotics because they can kill a very narrow range of bacteria by targeting bacterial proteins that cannot easily gain resistance to their attacks.\n\nLab-made molecules called peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) are some of the most promising candidates. These engineered molecules can be designed to block bacterial cells from building essential proteins that are crucial to their survival. PNAs do this by latching onto specific mRNA, genetic molecules that carry the instructions for building proteins from the cell's control center to its protein construction sites. PNAs cannot enter bacterial cells on their own, though, so they're typically attached to other peptides that easily pass through the bacterial cell wall.\n\nBy targeting proteins that cells cannot change without harming themselves, PNAs can avoid triggering drug resistance, Beisel explained. The engineered molecules could also be made to target proteins that directly contribute to antibiotic resistance, for example, the efflux pumps used to push antibiotics out of cells or the enzymes capable of disabling the drugs. By emptying a germ's drug resistance tool kit, PNAs can then make it vulnerable to standard treatments.\n\nOne approach for killing bacteria is to use lysins, or enzymes that tear open bacterial cell membranes and cause the microbes' contents to spill out. (Image credit: KATERYNA KON/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY via Getty Images)\n\nAntibacterial PNAs are still being tested in lab dishes and animals and have not yet moved into human trials. And, scientists need to make sure PNA-based treatments don't inadvertently mess with human cells or helpful bacteria.\n\nRelated: 'Death screams' of swarming bacteria help their comrades survive antibiotic attacks\n\nIn addition to peptides like PNAs, enzymes called lysins are another promising treatment option. Lysins are used in nature by phages to split bacteria open from the inside. They act like tiny swords that slice through the outer wall of a bacterial cell, spilling its guts. The molecular sabers are unlikely to promote resistance because bacteria cannot easily change the essential cell-wall components that lysins target.\n\nLysins slaughter bacteria quickly upon contact, and they can be very specific, killing some types of bacteria while sparing others. Furthermore, lysins can be tweaked in the lab to change which bacteria they target, boost their potency and improve their durability in the body.\n\nSome lysins have entered mid- and late-stage human trials with hundreds of participants, in which they've been tested as supplementary treatments to antibiotics but garnered mixed results.\n\nAntibiotic stewardship can save lives, in the meantime\n\nUntil these next-gen bacteria slayers make it to market, immediate measures must be taken to stall the rise of superbugs, by preventing the misuse of antibiotics that pressures bacteria to evolve resistance in the first place.\n\n\"By reducing individual risk, you anticipate that you will drop the overall population-level risk.\" Dr. Shruti Gohil, INSPIRE-ASP Trials\n\nFor example, doctors can be more diligent about confirming that bacteria, not viruses, are behind a patient's infection before prescribing antibiotics, said Dr. Shruti Gohil , a lead investigator of four INSPIRE-ASP Trials , federally funded research aimed at improving hospitals' antibiotic use. Other safeguards can include auditing doctors' prescriptions to see if narrower-spectrum drugs could be used instead of broad ones, or requiring special clearance for the broadest-spectrum drugs. These steps are essential not only in hospitals but everywhere antibiotics are prescribed, from primary care to dentistry, Gohil said.\n\nEach interaction between a doctor and their patient matters.\n\nGohil stressed that \"by reducing individual risk, you anticipate that you will drop the overall population-level risk,\" and eventually slash the prevalence of multidrug-resistant bugs.","url":"https://www.livescience.com/health/medicine-drugs/dangerous-superbugs-are-a-growing-threat-and-antibiotics-cant-stop-their-rise-what-can","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_325f99830534201f","mhq_47bfad3adca5aab0"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_325f99830534201f","mhq_47bfad3adca5aab0"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"c4a26c0881d02136cf6dc854d7a6665827d8b5485fa56e12d18c88b762dfaa21","source_record_sha256":"57f5300ee49f16e37454a4bffe031ab4ee2e6c9912bbd7b6af3cebe2d2d0c3cd","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":566,"source_fields":{"title":"Dangerous 'superbugs' are a growing threat, and antibiotics can't stop their rise. What can?","author":null,"source":"Live Science: The Most Interesting Articles","published_at":"2023-10-01T11:00:46+00:00","category":"science","url":"https://www.livescience.com/health/medicine-drugs/dangerous-superbugs-are-a-growing-threat-and-antibiotics-cant-stop-their-rise-what-can"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_eb6a38114f6200f9","text":"Attending meetings in pajama bottoms might seem like a job perk, but some remote workers have found that videoconferencing for work isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.\n\nIn the years since the COVID pandemic triggered a spike in telecommuting, many have complained of so-called \"Zoom fatigue.\"\n\nThought to be coined by Stanford University professor Jeremy Bailenson, the term refers to a level of exhaustion that comes with interacting with others on camera all throughout the day.\n\nREMOTE WORKERS RESIST MONDAY OFFICE HOURS, BUT BUILDING 'ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE' IS KEY, SAYS EXECUTIVE\n\nDr. Kyle Elliott, a tech career coach in San Francisco, defines Zoom fatigue as \"incessant tiredness or lack of energy as a result of spending a large quantity of time on Zoom.\"\n\nAdditional symptoms can include physical tension (including headaches, eye strain and stiffness), moodiness, a sense of disengagement or difficulty concentrating, according to Dr. Julia Corcoran, a licensed clinical psychologist and board-certified coach, who is currently serving as the director of clinical strategy and experience at Modern Health in San Francisco.\n\nThe challenge isn’t exclusive to Zoom; other videoconferencing platforms can have the same effect.\n\nThe pandemic's effect\n\nWith the COVID-19 pandemic, Zoom and other videoconferencing platforms \"exploded in popularity,\" said Dr. Carl Nassar, PhD, a professional counselor based in Denver, Colorado.\n\n\"We all found ourselves at home looking at the people we worked with, the people we went out for drinks with and the people in our extended family on a computer screen,\" he told Fox News Digital.\n\nWORKERS FIRED ON ZOOM: HERE'S HOW TO NAVIGATE A 'DEVASTATING' EXPERIENCE AND COME OUT ON THE OTHER SIDE\n\n\"Our work went virtual, our social life went virtual, our doctors' appointments went virtual, and even our intimate relationships sometimes went virtual,\" he said. \"And this meant a lot of time looking at each other on-screen instead of in person.\"\n\nLong after the pandemic, many of these habits have persisted.\n\n\"This video-ing of each other, it turns out, is far more tiring to humans than actually being together,\" said Nassar.\n\n\"One reason is that our brains are wired for actual in-person interactions, not wired for interactions on the screen.\"\n\nImpacts of Zoom fatigue\n\nWhile video calls can be convenient, Elliott warned that staring at a computer or phone screen for extended periods of time can result in negative mental health consequences .\n\n\"Zoom fatigue can aggravate stress, anxiety and burnout among workers,\" he told Fox News Digital.\n\n\"Our brains are wired for actual in-person interactions, not wired for interactions on the screen.\"\n\n\"Some people share that spending so much time interacting on screens makes it difficult to interact in real life.\"\n\nCAN YOU AVOID END-OF-THE-YEAR CAREER BURNOUT? JOB EXPERTS REVEAL SECRETS\n\nCorcoran agreed, noting that many report feeling livelier, happier and more active during in-person meetings.\n\n\"Because video platforms artificially limit our perspective, we miss the cues we’re used to from live, in-person interactions,\" she told Fox News Digital.\n\n\"As social beings, we’re highly attuned to these cues, and it takes more work for us to look for and process them in the virtual environment, leading to the fatigue we experience.\"\n\nEven beyond the workplace, Elliott noted that people are using video in more personal contexts than ever before, such as sharing reels on social media and calling loved ones on FaceTime.\n\n\"Because video platforms artificially limit our perspective, we miss the cues we’re used to from live, in-person interactions.\"\n\n\"This can further exacerbate the problem if you're already spending a significant portion of your day on Zoom,\" he said.\n\n\"All these video-based calls can quickly lead to video fatigue if you're not mindful and take care to protect your mental health and well-being .\"\n\nStrategies that can help\n\nJust because a meeting is scheduled on Zoom or a similar video conferencing platform doesn't mean you need to be on video for the call, Elliott pointed out.\n\n\"When it makes sense, particularly if it's a large meeting where your input will be less frequent or nonexistent, you might opt to turn your video off from time to reduce Zoom fatigue,\" he advised.\n\nThe expert also recommended taking adequate breaks away from the computer, even if it's for just a few minutes, throughout the day.\n\n\"It can be tempting, but try to avoid looking at another screen, such as your phone, during this break, since you want to avoid swapping one digital toxin for another,\" Elliott said.\n\nFor those leading a video meeting, Corcoran suggested starting with a quick off-camera stretch break or mindfulness exercise to increase attention and focus.\n\nCLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER\n\n\"Whenever you’re able, suggest audio-only meetings that don’t require screens so people can do things they would naturally do in an in-person setting, like move around or look out a window,\" she advised.\n\n\"Walking away from our screens can reduce the urge to multitask, reduce eye fatigue and increase our capacity to move around.\"\n\nTurning off the self-view option can also be helpful, Corcoran said — \"it can be particularly distracting and draining because we’re not used to seeing our own images so much.\"\n\nAs the use of video platforms is still relatively new for many professionals, Corcoran noted that the long-term effects aren’t yet known.\n\nCLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP\n\n\"That being said, we know that constant feelings of fatigue, exhaustion and physical strain or tension do correlate with negative mental health outcomes,\" she said.\n\n\"It’s important to take steps to reduce Zoom fatigue before it leads to things like chronic stress or burnout.\"","url":"https://www.foxnews.com/health/zoom-fatigue-common-struggle-remote-workers-heres-how-handle-according-experts","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_3ab3f0817614eb98"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_3ab3f0817614eb98"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"7071310b670033cc029d657a1dad00dc017018a15f9c747c21eb023c9d4f58fd","source_record_sha256":"e85a01f69260cf5fc7f1a8e01fc3daab32ee532afe1cee368ffd8584d215655e","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":590,"source_fields":{"title":"‘Zoom fatigue’ is common struggle for remote workers. Here’s how to handle it, according to experts","author":null,"source":"FOX News - Health","published_at":"2023-12-01T11:25:35+00:00","category":"health","url":"https://www.foxnews.com/health/zoom-fatigue-common-struggle-remote-workers-heres-how-handle-according-experts"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_cc394354e6badc79","text":"After more than a decade of going on and on about the “board gaming renaissance,” it’s safe to say that tabletop role-play is finally having its moment in the spotlight. But while Dungeons & Dragons’ OGL fiasco has clearly lit a fire under many players eager to make a change, the fact of the matter is that a sizeable cohort of writers and designers have been toiling away at excellent games for years now. Their tireless efforts have yielded a bumper crop of excellent, some might say genre-defining, TTRPGs. Just like board games, a few modern classics have also cropped up: Look no further than The Quiet Year and The One Ring, both making their second appearance on this list.\n\nJust as before, Polygon asked nearly two dozen writers, designers, presenters, actors, and personalities from around the world of tabletop gaming to share with our readers the TTRPGs that made an impact on them and their players this year. Here’s what we found.\n\nCity of Winter\n\nLinda Codega, Ennie Award-winning entertainment journalist\n\nMy friends and I still talk about the weekend we spent playing City of Winter. With lightweight rules but a heavy emphasis on the kind of ephemera usually reserved for much crunchier games, creating space for this game is almost as important as who you chose to play it with. Characters travel along a cloth map that illustrates a landscape with only barest indications of topography; the focus instead relies on themes of assimilation, diaspora, and — most importantly to the narrative — baggage. As a family of immigrants (bound by blood or by choice), players describe their home, their traditions, and then, as a darkness comes from the west side of the map, they leave it all behind, choosing what traditions and rituals they pick up from the places they visit and what they hold on to from their homeland. As far as games go, there are probably very few out there that require such a strict fidelity to the road laid out before you, but City of Winter uses this structure to facilitate the kind of deeply resonant character arcs and development that many role-players crave in their games. An astoundingly complex game, bringing your best stories to the table will leave you with a sense of loss and belonging that seem to walk together, hand in hand.\n\nDead After Dinner\n\nJason Morningstar, owner, creative director, and lead designer at Bully Pulpit Games\n\nJenn Martin’s game Dead After Dinner combines the relentless procedural revelation of For the Queen with Knives Out-style murder mystery, and it is endlessly hilarious. Everyone is part of a miserable family stuffed with resentment, somebody is getting killed, there will be uncomfortable questions, and a murderer will definitely be revealed. Or will they? Dead After Dinner is a truly pick-up-and-play murder mystery that will delight you and your scenery-chewing friends.\n\nDesperation\n\nTim Hutchings, game designer and academic\n\nThe best game I’ve played this year is a tie between Desperation by Jason Morningstar and Orestes’ Choice by Susanne Vejdemo. Desperation is a card-driven TTRPG with a marvelous mechanic: Players draw a card with a bit of spoken text on it and then assign those words to one of the characters in play. It is so dang smart and makes for rich yet tight storytelling as the cards force new contexts for the actions of the characters.\n\nThe game comes with two dark American Gothic-flavored scenarios: a starving Kansas town locked in a brutal winter and a cursed fishing boat lost in the north Pacific. The faux woodcuts by Jabari Weathers and Brennen Reece are wonderful to look upon and convey the game’s tone as much as the flavorful card text.\n\nMy best game experience was Orestes’ Choice, a LARP by Susanne Vejdemo. It’s the first heavy-duty chamber LARP I’ve played since the pandemic; it reset my brain and helped me remember what I value in play. Players continuously swap roles as they play through a very queer Greek myth in which young Orestes returns home and must decide whether to kill his treacherous mother and father-in-law. Never have I planned a murder with such erotically charged practice stabbing.\n\nDungeon Crawl Classics\n\nThilo Graf of AAW Games\n\nI run and play a ton of different RPG systems, but precious few have had such a tremendous and lasting impact on my design and games as Dungeon Crawl Classics by Goodman Games.\n\nWith aesthetics influenced by all-time greats like Leiber and Moorcock, volatile magic, a relatively flat power curve for a d20-based game, and an emphasis on the skill of the players, as opposed to primarily rewarding the crafting of effective builds, DCC is a joy to run and play. It is not as much of a heroic power fantasy as D&D 5e or Pathfinder, but neither is it as minimalist as many old-school games. With fickle gods, mutating magics, lucky scoundrels, and ferocious fighters, DCC feels like playing through a Bal-Sagoth or Eternal Champion song. It’s also easy to pick up if your group has any experience with D&D’s third edition or Pathfinder. DCC rocks! Its focus on simple, impactful rules was a core design inspiration for the (almost system-neutral) Survivalist’s Guide to Spelunking for 5e, a book I wrote with Douglas Niles and Stephen Yeardley. It warms my heart to know that DCC authors, judges, and players use the book as well!\n\nDungeons & Dragons\n\nMike Haracz, corporate R&D chef and host of Heroes’ Feast\n\nI’m lucky enough to be in the seventh year of a homebrew Dungeons & Dragons campaign, one I play with friends locally in the Chicagoland area. Our campaign is called The Heartsguard Saga, and it’s based off Deven Rue’s map of a place called Euphoros. My players are at around level 15 and I frequently give them a variety of amazing and unique gear that I’ve dreamed up all on my own... which they go on to forget they have, and never use. We used to play in person, but since the pandemic I run the game virtually online from my house. I put a camera hovering over my gaming mat, and make a labeled grid for the players so they call out, “Move me from A5 to B10.” During important rolls, I even make my players face their camera toward their dice for added suspense!\n\nPetrana Radulovic, entertainment reporter\n\nI’d wanted to play Dungeons & Dragons since I was in high school, but I never knew how to get into it. Thankfully, in the doldrums of 2020, someone I knew knew someone who knew someone (that’s literally what the connection was) who was interested in running a game. That kicked off my D&D career, but was this year that everything finally clicked in my brain and it went from a hobby I enjoyed to one that I spend every free minute of my spare time thinking about.\n\nPart of it is finally having reliable groups. After some initial shuffling of members, in 2023 I’ve been blessed to have not one but two separate D&D groups, both with enthusiastic members who are committed to at least trying to meet regularly. And yes, part of it is Baldur’s Gate 3, which helped me to understand some of the more complicated D&D mechanics and just generally made me very excited about combat in a way I never was before.\n\nI’ve still yet to actually have a game in person! My groups are spread out across North America, but I’m hoping to manifest an in-person session soon. Here’s to 2024 being an even better D&D year for me.\n\nEating Oranges in the Shower\n\nSam Dunnewold, Dice Exploder podcast\n\nThe Golden Cobra challenge is always a deep well of exciting (and free!) new larps from the bleeding edge of the hobby. This year, like a song that’s stuck in my head, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about Eating Oranges in the Shower by Hazel Anneke Dixon, a game about exactly what it sounds like. You play as members of a group chat who discover the /r/ShowerOrange subreddit, a real community dedicated to the “liberating” act of eating an orange while taking a shower. You each decide to try this out for yourself before returning to compare notes, and because it’s a LARP, you actually go do the thing.\n\nThis game is so strange and delightful, not to mention delicious. The principal act is compelling on its own. It feels forbidden somehow, even as it’s obviously harmless.\n\nBut Dixon also captures something ephemeral and nostalgic about what it’s like to be in a niche online community and group chat, and the magic of making discoveries in those spaces. On an increasingly centralized internet, that experience has become rare, and I miss it.\n\nExquisite Biome\n\nEverest Pipkin, game and software developer\n\nI’ve heard Exquisite Biome described as “Spore for the kitchen table,” and if that isn’t a great pitch I don’t know what is.\n\nComing from Caro Asercion (game designer) and Si Sweetman (illustrator), Exquisite Biome is in the world-building TTRPG tradition, but it focuses specifically on ecological biomes and the creatures that populate them. Through short generative prompts tied to a deck of playing cards, you build and witness the lives of animals far beyond the edge of our own world. Playing Exquisite Biome feels a little bit like being David Attenborough on an alien planet.\n\nWith beautiful, evocative art and short, easy-to-parse rules, Exquisite Biome is my go-to “what if we made up some weird little guys and set them in motion for an hour” game. And truly, what higher calling is there?\n\nFetch My Blade\n\nDid you know you can play one of the best tabletop RPGs whenever you want, without any scheduling nightmares or unfeasible time commitments? You can when you play Fetch My Blade, a solo journaling role-playing game created by Kelly Tran and Ethan Yen!\n\nIn Fetch My Blade, you role-play as a friendly or fierce dog of a retired legendary sword master. Create your character by choosing one of six dog breeds, including shih tzu, corgi, mastiff, border collie, husky, and chihuahua, or select your own! Determine three truths about your master and aid them when a mysterious stranger challenges them to a duel. It is up to you to go on a perilous quest of your own to retrieve your master’s fabled weapon in time for their final duel.\n\nThroughout this transformational quest, you use three six-sided dice to resolve mechanics for racing against time, overcoming treacherous encounters, and uncovering new truths about your master’s shrouded past. Embrace your inner doggy, buy this 17-page game, and begin your adventure today! Swiftly now — your master’s fate is in your paws!\n\nHome\n\nWesley “Nox” Crowe, aka Noxweiler Berf, creative director for Hunters Entertainment\n\nDoug Levandowski and Yeonsoo Julian Kim’s Home drew me in immediately, and has been one of my most recommended tabletop role-playing games. If you know me or my work, then the fact that it’s a horror game probably won’t come as much of a surprise. It’s a haunted house exploration simulator that can be played with a full table of players or alone as a solo journaling experience. It uses custom tarot cards and a whiteboard to track your character’s progress as they dare to shine a light on the chilling danger of a variety of potential scenarios full of ghosts and other dark entities.\n\n​The action is propelled through the use of the custom tarot cards — the Night Deck — which are filled with prompts that require the creative interaction of players. Each round, players take turn as the director of the story and guide the narrative forward using the guidance of the cards to describe and draw each room of the haunted house that they are exploring. The game encourages collaboration in determining the story’s direction and does a remarkable job of steering the action forward without a single game master putting forth the often large amount of preparation that role-playing games usually require.\n\n​As the game progresses, characters collect wounds and push past the terrors that await them and work together to resolve the mysteries at the root of each horror. The solo mode of the game plays just as smoothly as the group experience, leaning on the prompts and player’s imagination to create a journal documenting the character’s harrowing encounter.\n\nI can’t recommend it enough. Grab a copy of the PDF, turn down the lights, and start mapping your own haunted house!\n\nThe Luminant Age\n\nI became an immediate fan of Luminant Age after being invited to be a contributor. What caught my eye at the start was the Four Humanities ancestries named Blood, Clay, Silk, and Horn. This year, many of my Thursday mornings have been a whirlwind of weird as our playtest party encounter teleporting flickrats, heal via esseweaving, and get hunted down by cultists in stryx bonemasques. The city we’re in, Ourichor, is built on giant oil-rig-like platforms in the open ocean. There are no sun nor stars, but three moons... that you’re allowed to see.\n\nAlso, did I mention the predominant religion featured, the Angelites, memorialize their dead by preserving their eyeballs? You can even wear them as mourning jewelry.\n\nThis Pathfinder 2nd edition-compatible setting has been as enchantingly addictive as the fictional ichor that propelled Ourichor into the renaissance era that the project is named after. While there are only two exquisitely illustrated supplements on creatures and equipment available currently, I recommend those with a love of the unusual to keep an eye out for more in the years to come, such as the upcoming Paragons of Luminant Age that introduces NPCs and explores their motives through the four moons.\n\nMarvel Multiverse Role-playing Game\n\nAs a role-player, I’ve spent a lot of time looking for a good lightweight superhero RPG. I’ve tried quite a few but had yet to find one that really hit the mark for me until I tried Marvel Multiverse Role-playing Game. I have to say, I was initially dubious about this game but it has blown me out of the water. The game is utterly devoted to giving the players the feeling of playing a hero in the Marvel universe with tons of cool powers and power categories based on key Marvel heroes like Spider-Man and the Hulk. The system is easy, streamlined, and really carries the four-color comic book flavor. Probably one of the coolest aspects of the game is that while there is an exhaustive list of Marvel heroes and villains at the back of the book, you can create your own hero with their own power set and use that “bestiary” of heroic and villainous figures as allies and enemies in your own heroic adventures. For those of us who’ve always wanted to make their own X-Gene Mutant, Spirit of Vengeance, or Spidersona, this is a must-have book that will bring hours of enjoyment.\n\nMasks of the Masks\n\nSuperhero comics, for all their many flaws, remain my life’s great passion. That’s why, of all the games I’ve played this year, the one I want to shout about from the rooftops is Masks of the Masks by Hazel Amber Goswick. The game is an incredible piece of art: a tabletop RPG presented as a fully illustrated comic book, an homage to Bronze Age superhero stories just as Watchmen did, that critically explores and examines the violence inherent in its medium. It’s an absolute joy to behold as you flip through it; you can feel the love, consideration, and attention to detail dripping off of every move and every panel. Then, in play, it’s a revelation; a brilliant blend of Belonging Outside Belonging and Powered by the Apocalypse that builds on some of the luminaries of both systems to create something that just sings. Plus, it has some of the most wicked advancement mechanics I’ve run into in years, that both add to the play experience while heightening the ever-looming sense of dread and tragedy that’s so essential to comics of that time period. Cannot recommend enough.\n\nThe Monster Overhaul\n\nThe Monster Overhaul, by Skerples, reimagines not just the monsters, but the very notion of what a bestiary can and should be. The book is divided into 20 categories, each containing 10 critters that hew to a theme. The categories are unusual: There is “Dragons,” of course, but also “Summer” and “A Wizard Did It.” “Summer” monsters include the Froghemoth and Pyromancers. Some of these may sound similar to classic D&D monsters, others are entirely new. Tables galore help build and flesh out encounters. “Summer” has a set of generic swamp hexes; other entries have lairs and dungeons. There is an entire flowchart table for populating a megadungeon. Every page of this book is designed to make the reader think about monsters, how to make them feel new, or to recontextualize them, or to simply subvert player expectations. Like all great RPG supplements, The Monster Overhaul not only offers answers for these questions and more, it also teaches the reader how to continue answering them long after these published tables and suggestions are exhausted. A monstrous achievement that should be on every GM’s shelf.\n\nBonus: Reach of the Roach God\n\nReach of the Roach God is the hardcover high-watermark of A Thousand Thousand Islands (ATTI), a series of zines, that presents a system-agnostic setting inspired by the folklore of Southeast Asia. Odoyoq, the roach god, senses new ways it can insinuate itself into the lives of non-roachkind. The three schemes are presented as both traditional adventures and as collections of facts — about the setting, about the people living there and their motivations, about the desires of the god and the machinations of its agents. Events will quickly throw a small village, a monastery, and a necropolis into chaos. Two gazetteers and a sourcebook on the roaches follow, giving the GM ample material to expand the campaign. All this is wrapped in Munkao’s fantastically disgusting artwork. His vistas and cultural portraits are gorgeous, but when he brings his talents to bear on feelers and chitin and filth, the results are revolting in the best possible way. Sadly, this is likely the final installment in the ATTI series and unlikely to be reprinted, so get this book while you can!\n\nMonsterhearts\n\nFiguring out what to talk about proved trickier than I expected. A lot of the things I played this year were playtests or previews for things not out yet, which would feel more like a humblebrag than a recommendation, or were my own games which were great to play but would feel a bit weird and self-indulgent to suggest as the “best.”\n\nA really pleasant TTRPG memory I had from this year was playing Monsterhearts for the first time in three years. This was one of the first games I ever played (for ages afterwards I kept calling playbooks in every game “skins”). I played a one-shot with some friends I was reconnecting with and we mostly group game mastered. We played a gang of messy screw-ups who didn’t hugely get along, my character had traded her old gender to the fae over the summer, and we tried to investigate a potential monster hunter, a NPC most of our characters found too cool to talk to. There was a gag about someone doing a club remix of “Danny Boy” at a memorial service and the group chat with those friends is still named “Danny Boyz (The Pipes, The Pipes).”\n\nMörk Borg\n\nJasmine Bhullar, writer, content creator, executive producer of DesiQuest\n\nOf the games I delved into this year, although several afforded hours of entertainment, I felt myself repeatedly returning to one in particular. Although Mörk Borg was released in 2020, it was only in 2023 that I happily stumbled upon it and was able to somehow get a table together to run a game. The book itself has a stunning and distinct art style that immediately transports you into the doom metal fantasy of the setting; but that’s only a small part of its allure.\n\nUnlike many TTRPGs that one merely has aspirations of playing one day, Mörk Borg does everything in its power to make the game easy to run. Although it’s a short read, no line is wasted. Even item descriptions are dripping with hints at nefarious deeds one must have done to acquire them. The optional classes are an absolute delight for those of us that savor the idea of playing the unsavory. From the esoteric introverts that choose to make their hovel far from prying eyes to the unfortunate discarded-at-birth cutthroats who’ve had to scratch out a living any way they can, there is something for everyone. There is always the option of creating something more tailor-made if none of the classes are appealing, but I appreciate that Mörk Borg offers beginner-friendly ideas and archetypes to help you create something that fits right into the gritty setting. Furthermore, in the process of putting a game together, I found a glut of free online tools from dungeon generators to NPC character sheet generators that made game prep a breeze. I find myself coming back to this game again and again with each game session only giving me ideas for future campaigns. I know I’m not alone in this feeling given the number of Mörk Borg-compatible games that have sprung up this year, from Pirate Borg to Chris Lockey’s upcoming Abyss of Hallucinations.\n\nI’m Sorry Did You Say Street Magic\n\nMadison Durham, writer and journalist, staff writer at Reviewed\n\nTo me, some of the most joyful moments in tabletop gaming come from the experience of creative collaboration — the magic of making something new with friends, be it a narrative, a character, a world, or in this case, a city. I’m Sorry Did You Say Street Magic by Caro Asercion is a GM-less city-building game, played between a group of two to six people with a stack of index cards and your favorite writing utensils. The whimsically illustrated rulebook lays out the tools by which you’ll lay bricks for your city, weaving together your ideas and your fellow players’ to establish Landmarks, Residents, and Neighborhoods, all on a quest to find the city’s true names. It’s a beautifully simple game, guided by a Compass, which can be anything — literally. It’s almost impossible for me to capture the magic of this game with words, because each session we played was so entirely unique, from the verdant turtle-city in the sky we built out in stages to the haunted shell of a city we later used as our D&D setting. It’s a perfect game full stop, but especially for those seeking to rekindle their creativity, or simply to sit down and create with friends.\n\nTriangle Agency\n\n“I laughed so hard my face hurt.” —me, 10 minutes after my first session of Triangle Agency\n\nI love a game with style and a clear, fun point of view, so I’ve been a fan of Triangle Agency since I picked up its player guide in beta form earlier this year (to prep for writing a published adventure for the game). Written in the form of a cheerful, slightly threatening employee handbook, the Field Agent Manual guides you through the creation of your supernaturally powered character, then gets you ready for your role finding and containing Anomalies that threaten the nature of reality. After your team’s morning meeting, of course.\n\nBeyond the style of the materials, though, playing the game was an absolute blast. The mix of mundane life, weird occurrences, and corporate BS created a fast-paced game experience that was playful and easy to understand (just count those threes!), got every player invested in our characters and each other (even in a group of total strangers), and allowed the whole table to lean into both the strange and ridiculous nature of life. This year, it was just the kind of joy that I needed.\n\n2023 was a personal tabletop gold mine. We finally got Brennan Lee Mulligan’s first official 5e homebrew; I discovered tabletop meetup hub and game master meat market StartPlaying.Games, where you can, as I have, hire a handsome Scottish man to D&D dominate you and your friends every week; and I played a ton of my new favorite party game, As You ’Wich. It’s a dead-simple hand-builder that, for me at least, boils down to convincing your nephews to eat disgusting sandwiches (hair, mustard, and broken glass on marble rye, absolutely not toasted). But the fresh grand dame of my tabletop world is Triangle Agency, a gleaming, razor-sharp new TTRPG that feels like a cross between The X-Files, Annihilation, and playing Control with the Robert Anton Wilson mod turned on.\n\nIn Triangle Agency, you are super-abled agents investigating and stopping ontological anomalies from destroying reality, with mechanics that feel like the platonic ideal mix of analytic crunch and grand narrative weirdness. And my god, it is gorgeous, with jaw-dropping art and design that puts it on the same shelf as Wanderhome and Mörk Borg. The full game ships early in 2024, but you can get the digital rules and start playing right now, for the low, low price of “whatever you think is appropriate.”\n\nTwilight: 2000\n\nCharlie Hall, senior editor, tabletop\n\nI firmly believe that tabletop role-play should always take into account the audience that sits down at the table to play. That’s part of the reason why I hate best-of lists for this particular category of games in particular. What difference does it make if something scores highly on some arbitrary rubric if it doesn’t resonate with the people in your community? And so I look at year-end lists like these as a kind of menu, boards of fare that clever game masters can use to pick just the right flavor for a given table.\n\nFor me this year was all about reconnecting with the other dads in my neighborhood after years spent locked inside during the pandemic. I spun up a Discord that we used to organize friendly games of Call of Duty’s DMZ mode, organized a few visits to the local brewery to catch up make new connections, and generally just tried to get awkward, middle-aged men accustomed to seeing each other socially again. One night I decided to bust out Twilight: 2000, and it was an instant hit.\n\nTwilight: 2000 is a game about surviving in the aftermath of a fictional nuclear conflict in the heart of Europe. It’s an alternate history where the Cold War went hot, swallowing up an entire United States Marine division. Players take on the role of soldiers and other hangers-on just trying to make it out alive. The heady mix of dice-driven gunplay and a playing-card-style encounter creation makes it easy to run. But the fun begins even before that with character generation, which uses old school randomized tables to simulate an entire military career. If you’re looking to get your video gaming buddies around the table for something that doesn’t require a headset or shouting down pre-teens in a glitchy public lobby, the all-inclusive starter set comes highly recommended.\n\nProject ECCO\n\nIt’s a near-impossible task to get a consistent group together, so solo TTRPGs have become my primary method of gaming. However, the barrier for me is finding a game with a balance of narrative and mechanics that isn’t overwhelmingly crunchy, but also isn’t open-ended to the point of choice paralysis. For me, Project ECCO found that balance.\n\nA story of time travel and cosmic horror, Project ECCO is easy to get into and relatively quick to play (three to 10 hours per game). Between the hundreds of narrative prompts, unlocking various time travel “devices” (coins, dice, tarot cards, etc.), and the absolutely stunning layout, this is one of my favorite TTRPGs, period.\n\nPlayed in the pages of a yearly planner, Project ECCO hits every beat of a good time-travel story: time loops and timeline divergences, a shady and controlling Time Travel Agency, and an unknowable cosmic Entity consuming spacetime. As you play, you (literally) burn through the days of your planner, creating an artifact, marked and changed by the telling of your agent’s story.\n\nFor an example of gameplay and a masterfully produced actual play, listen to the Project ECCO miniseason of My First Dungeon with game designer Elliot Davis.\n\nThe Quiet Year\n\nEm Friedman, associate professor of English at Auburn University and Polygon contributor\n\nLook, The Quiet Year appeared not once but twice on last year’s roundup, I know. Jay Dragon praised its elegance and Keerthi Sridharan noted the way their game group used it as a prologue (as Friends at the Table and The Adventure Zone have popularized), and it’s a standard early on in my TTPRG class. But for me it was the standout game of this year because after running it for my niece (then 4) and nephew (8), my nephew asked that I run “the skulls game” for his entire class. While not intended for a dozen grade schoolers, it turns out the mechanics of The Quiet Year — which ensure everyone gets to have their turn unimpeded by the commentary of others, ritualizes dissent and discussion, as well as having a glorious sheet of blank paper to draw the zombie chicken monster friend of your dreams — turned out to be a perfect framework to imagine how to work together. All that, and it fits in my pocket.\n\nWhat Dust Remains\n\nDanny Quach, Digital Thiccness, TTRPG writer, designer, and performer\n\nDespite my generally sunny disposition, big smile, and boisterous laughter (as well as being deemed the internet’s emotional support himbo), I love all of my emotions — the good, bad, and ugly. I love emo/screamo/post-hardcore music and exploring the darkness through lyrics. I love the gothic and macabre, finding comfort in losing something you once had. I love horror movies and the inherent queerness of being an outcast being pushed to their limits. And I love games that explore themes of melancholy and loss. Enter: What Dust Remains by 2022 Diana Jones Emerging Designer award winner Bianca Canoza — aka Momatoes. Taught by the designer herself, I got to play this at Big Bad Con 2023 with two other strangers who quickly became co-collaborators in this tragic world we built in under two hours that told a story of a legacy that wasn’t quite within reach. Impassioned and intriguing card-prompted questions along with focused, intense moments of dice rolls that helped move the story along, What Dust Remains challenged me to discover, explore, and sit in moments of despair and desperation and had the whole table contemplating what parts of us are we going to sacrifice to leave a legacy that would be bigger than we could ever be behind.\n\nThe Wildsea\n\nEarlier this year, I searched for the perfect system to kickstart my new actual-play campaign with three “must-haves” in mind: a vivid world, rich character options, and simple but punchy rules. Through sheer accident (providence?), I stumbled upon The Wildsea by Felix Isaacs and Mythworks — and it was love at first sight.\n\nIn this game, players embody wildsailors: swashbuckling adventurers who traverse a strange and vibrant world made of fantastical vegetation. The character generation process encourages delightfully bizarre concepts like pinwolf-taming sharpshooters trapped in amber, omen-speaking moth chefs, or even collections of a thousand spiders wearing skin suits. The mechanics are structured around a d6 dice pool system with bands of success that generate interesting outcomes no matter what you roll.\n\nThe beautifully illustrated rulebook not only allowed me to add my own twists, but actively endorsed it, with multiple sections dedicated to alternate ways of running encounters and ideas for creating your own unique lore. My players and I had an absolute BLAST playing The Wildsea both on and off stream, and we were stoked (but not surprised!) when it won an Ennie this year. If you’re looking for a narratively focused game with an imaginative world and mechanics that inspire cinematic play, then give The Wildsea a shot!","url":"https://www.polygon.com/23989775/best-tabletop-rpgs-2022","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_3ab3f0817614eb98"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_3ab3f0817614eb98"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"a0ccf0beaafd170fcc21dfaf0cfd33fc2f60cc71b91647e5b4134964875970a0","source_record_sha256":"5e24b34dbb83e2f827e51f05d09806d660cac357888d95fb9647a51e6c0a3760","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":591,"source_fields":{"title":"The best tabletop RPGs we played in 2023","author":"Charlie Hall","source":"Polygon","published_at":"2023-12-13T15:00:00+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.polygon.com/23989775/best-tabletop-rpgs-2022"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_10eb87ca0cd67a40","text":"Parenting no longer starts and stops with our children. Nor is it confined to those who have children. In a time of unrelenting change and ever-extending life, most of us will – at some stage – find ourselves “parenting” our own parents.\n\nIndeed, many of us – particularly those who had families later – will find ourselves simultaneously parenting our kids and our parents. In one breath we’ll be begging our children to swap French fries for vegetables, and in the next breath we’ll be urging our parents to exchange cake for sardines. Little wonder today’s midlifers are known as the sandwich generation.\n\nThe relentless pace of technology – accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic – has made everything infinitely more complicated, leaving many older (and not-so-old) people baffled and frustrated. In the last few years I’ve witnessed friends and family dashing to help parents with poorly designed online banking systems, unruly fridge alarms, “upgraded” software that has changed beyond recognition, apps and phones that don’t function as expected, and numerous other technical challenges.\n\nFrankly, technology is often baffling to me, too. Luckily I have kids who delight in parenting me – advising, explaining and guiding me on all things digital. But studies suggest that this helpfulness might not be as beneficial as we think. Grappling with new and baffling things forces the ageing brain to work in novel ways. A recent study from the University of Texas involving more than 200 elderly adults found that those who engaged with technology had better cognition and memory than their non-engaging peers.\n\nDigital engagement – whatever the device – protects the brain\n\nEven the stress we experience while battling with our computer can be helpful, sharpening our mental acuity. The study authors concluded that digital engagement – whatever the device – protects the brain. These findings reflect earlier studies that discovered that older people who made active use of technology were less likely to get dementia.\n\nDr Eamon Laird, researcher in health and ageing at Limerick university, agrees that we should be encouraging older parents to try new things. And the further out of their comfort zone they feel, the better. “It’s always good to keep the mind active and fresh,” he told me. “New challenges can help build and maintain new brain connections and can be good for brain and overall health.”\n\nIf older people use technology to keep in touch with extended family and friends, that’s a double whammy. When my 84-year-old mother recently joined Instagram, she not only expanded her grey matter but she also found an effective means of staying in touch with her grandchildren. Being social, says Laird, is as important as trying new things: “Research shows that those who are more social are also more resilient to chronic conditions and often have a stronger immune system.”\n\nAnyone with older parents should be urging them out for a walk five days a week Dr Eamon Laird, health and ageing researcher\n\nDepression among the elderly is on the rise and often goes unnoticed. Gerontologists now believe that it is one of the most common psychiatric disorders among the elderly – with half of all cases going undiagnosed. When elderly parents become depressed (many of them come from a generation not accustomed to talking about their mental health), it can be difficult to know how to respond. But Laird’s latest report suggests that a daily walk could help. His study of more than 4,000 older adults found that as little as 20 minutes of daily walking could cut the risk of depression by up to 43%. “Anyone with older parents should be urging them out for a walk five days a week – and when they have a companion, the walk also doubles as a social occasion,” he explained. “If they can walk for longer than 20 minutes, even better. Our study showed that the risk of depression fell in proportion to the time spent walking.”\n\nAs well as a daily walk, Laird recommends vitamin D and B12 supplements – both of which appear to moderate the chance of depression in older people. “Depression matters,” he added. “Not just because it reduces quality of life, but because in older people there seems to be a link between depression and dementia which we’re still unpacking.”\n\nHealth coach Susan Saunders found herself “parenting” her mother (who had dementia) while her own daughters were babies. “I’d advise anyone with a parent in the early stages of dementia to investigate all the available research trials. Start by joining Dementia Research, a nationwide register that matches volunteers to research programmes.”\n\nEven if your parents don’t require such intensive “parenting”, a simple supplement could help. A recent study from Columbia University involving 2,200 adults aged 60 and over found that an inexpensive multivitamin formulated specifically for older people improved cognition, memory and focus. In fact, the results were so marked that the researchers said the supplement could slow age-related memory decline by three years.\n\nBut while most of us can probably persuade our parents to take a multivitamin, suggesting they change their diet might be more complicated. Appetites fade as we age, chewing becomes more difficult and those living alone don’t always feel inclined to cook. The important thing, say both Saunders and Laird, is that older people consume plenty of protein.\n\n“Older adults should be taking at least 1 to 1.5g of protein per kilogram of body weight,” says Laird. “Dairy, fish or non-processed meat can help maintain muscle strength and function, reducing the risk of frailty as we age.”\n\nIn truth, anyone over 50 would do well to follow these simple guidelines: engage with something new every day, take a daily walk of at least 20 minutes, socialise regularly, take a daily multivitamin for seniors and check the protein content of our meals. Perhaps we should think of it as self-parenting.\n\nGood groups for elders\n\nAge UK has a database of social activities and groups for older folk\n\nThe Walking Football Association keeps keen amateur footballers playing long into their 50s and 60s\n\nAction for Elders offers social and exercise programmes\n\nThe Centre for Ageing Better provides information on working and living as an older person\n\nu3a, a charity collective, provides local opportunities for people no longer in work to acquire new skills and knowledge\n\nAnnabel Streets is the co-author of The Age-Well Project: Easy Ways to a Longer, Healthier, Happier Life (Piatkus) and co-founder of The Age-Well Project","url":"https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/oct/10/walks-tech-and-protein-how-to-parent-your-own-parents","role":"gold","related_question_ids":["mhq_badcaa1a3ec1b24e"],"gold_for_question_ids":["mhq_badcaa1a3ec1b24e"],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":[],"text_sha256":"e17712b249bfa27fb4b90005b1505d09007c203d7b643f25bd83757a85e67464","source_record_sha256":"b18add4fd30c2892ccce9ce1ac3f9e53838b2d773926d410774c0759cf0f09a7","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":605,"source_fields":{"title":"Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents","author":"Annabel Streets","source":"The Guardian","published_at":"2023-10-10T09:00:35+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/oct/10/walks-tech-and-protein-how-to-parent-your-own-parents"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_fa4e350b2bd90b9a","text":"It is 30 years since Manchester United’s most famous trip to Istanbul with Champions League elimination on the line. Galatasaray created an unwelcome hell that Cerberus would have been proud of and a night of sin ended with Alex Ferguson’s side being dumped out of Europe.\n\nUnited, realistically, required a win to progress after drawing 3‑3 in the first leg of the second‑round tie at Old Trafford but the atmosphere in Turkey subdued the visitors and the second leg stuttered to a goalless draw. Eric Cantona was sent off late on for his frustrations with the referee and the home team’s addiction to timewasting. There was a post-match melee in the tunnel involving the United squad and riot police as the trip ended like it began – with intimidation. Many of United’s team froze, unable to deal with the ferocious and vociferous atmosphere they faced.\n\nThe match on Wednesday is not a knockout game but in truth the scenario is not much different. Defeat against Galatasaray would again end United’s Champions League’s campaign prematurely while a win, assuming Copenhagen lose against Bayern Munich, would put qualifying for the latter stages back in their hands. United will face the same atmosphere as they did 30 years ago because the home fans know victory would turn their subsequent trip to Denmark into a potential shootout for who goes through with Bayern, with the achievement of knocking out a club with the storied history of United only adding to the pleasure.\n\nIn 1993 everyone was on a learning curve at United. It was their first return to Europe’s top table after an absence of 24 years. Much of the squad had won the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1990‑91 but this was a clear step up. They defeated Honved before needing a late intervention from Cantona to avoid a deficit heading to Istanbul, where they were greeted at the airport by a horde of Galatasaray supporters providing a wall of noise and the infamous “Welcome to Hell” banner.\n\n“That was our first foray in the Champions League and we were expected to go through,” says the former United defender Gary Pallister, who was injured for the game and so had to watch proceedings from the stands. “The hostility is something [to learn from] – I never experienced anything like that in the rest of my career. You look at that and think it can’t get any worse.”\n\nThirty years on United head to Turkey knowing they have rarely been convincing in the Champions League in recent years. A 3-1 away win against Paris Saint-Germain in the 2018-19 round of 16 after losing the home leg 2-0 was the last time they won a crunch match. In 2020‑21, they lost their final two group games and were eliminated, while back in 2015-16, Wolfsburg won the deciding group match to knock out United.\n\nMauro Icardi celebrates scoring the winner for Galatasaray in their 3-2 win at Old Trafford in early October. Photograph: Darren Staples/AFP/Getty Images\n\nWhen it comes to pressure in the Champions League of late, United do not cope well and there are few events trickier than a night in Istanbul. Pallister smiled at a bell boy at the team hotel and got a finger across the throat in response, Brian McClair had a cleaner bang on his bedroom ceiling in the night and other players received numerous phone calls to disrupt their sleep. The current squad could face the same level of malevolence and need to be prepared.\n\nUnited have done little learning in recent times, repeating the same failures in Europe’s elite competition. It would not be a disgrace to lose against a good Galatasaray team, especially given Erik ten Hag is missing key players, but if the worst does happen, everyone will need to come out of the experience stronger. Regardless of the result, it should be a night of education when it comes to the demands of the Champions League.\n\nSix of United’s squad that failed in 1993 went on to win the competition six years later. “It did galvanise us,” says Mike Phelan, who started in central midfield 30 years ago. “Winning the Cup Winners’ Cup took us to another level and we felt pretty comfortable with each other and felt we could develop into a serious team, and I think going into the Champions League was one of those moments where we expected to do well – the experiences along the way were great and took us to the next level further down the line.\n\nskip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Football Daily Free daily newsletter Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion\n\n“I think that it is important sometimes that you have to go through those moments to realise what it takes. There are elements that happen in a football match and elements that happen in the buildup to a football match, so you have to experience all those things if you want to be successful.”\n\nThe win against Everton on Sunday was defined by two teenagers, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo. Garnacho scored with an incredible overhead kick and Mainoo impressed on what was his full Premier League debut, which could earn him a start in Turkey and an education in European football.\n\nAround them are players who have succeeded on hostile nights. But if they thought Goodison Park was unwelcoming, they will be in for a surprise on Wednesday and will need to find communal coping mechanisms. Fail to do so and they will just have to live and learn for next time.","url":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/nov/27/manchester-united-head-for-istanbul-with-good-intentions-but-bad-memories-galatasaray-champions-league","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_2183782568994f35","mhq_2de86df07efb924c","mhq_47d4311e59af4b3d"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_2183782568994f35","mhq_2de86df07efb924c","mhq_47d4311e59af4b3d"],"text_sha256":"02ff6d8cf81280fabac4d73fe9163e17861e1390c0bad98a36c2ed02fbd26818","source_record_sha256":"4dd0c6b158a5e0ee0f7ca645c2a8e64778fa0fc6f90dc60e679a7c0bf0111e08","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":13,"source_fields":{"title":"Manchester United face Galatasaray with high hopes but bad memories","author":"Will Unwin","source":"The Guardian","published_at":"2023-11-27T22:30:42+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/nov/27/manchester-united-head-for-istanbul-with-good-intentions-but-bad-memories-galatasaray-champions-league"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_623ec95a5a712b7d","text":"Picking the best class in Baldurs Gate 3 is one of the most important decisions you’ll make in the game — and you have to do it right at the start, with minimal context to work off.\n\nYour class mostly determines how your character will fight in Baldur’s Gate, but with 12 classes — and 46 subclasses total across them all — it’s not really an easy decision. Here’s what to know about finding the best class (and the best subclass) for you in Baldur’s Gate 3.\n\nAll BG3 classes are ‘good’\n\nThe classes in Baldur’s Gate 3 — and in pen-and-paper D&D, for that matter — are all fairly well-balanced. There’s no single best class (barrelmancer aside) in Baldur’s Gate 3, and the game gives you as many opportunities for creative problem solving as it does for punching. Finding the best class really just boils down to how you want to play. Even when playing solo, you’ll still manage the rest of your party, so you’ll get to experiment with multiple classes at once.\n\nBG3 classes have strengths outside of combat\n\nYour character’s class is mostly about combat, but the underlying Ability Score that it relies on affects the other skills you’ll use to interact with the world. Baldur’s Gate 3 assigns your Ability Scores automatically (though you can tweak it in the character creator), so each class’s primary ability will be your highest score.\n\nBards and Sorcerers are both Charisma-based classes, for example. Their high Charisma will also make them good at skills like Persuasion, Deception, and Intimidation. Out of combat, those classes will be better at talking their way out of (and into) trouble and lying. Wisdom-based classes like Clerics or Druids will be more insightful and perceptive of their surroundings.\n\nShould you play a custom or an Origin character in BG3?\n\nBaldur’s Gate 3 gives you the option to play as an Origin character, meaning you can just choose one of the NPCs from your party and play as them right out of the gate. It’s a perfectly fine way to play if you really don’t want to go through the process of picking out a race and background for your character.\n\nThat said, you’ll also be limited to that character’s predetermined story. It’s a bit more work at the beginning, but you’ll have a lot more freedom to experience the entire story of Baldur’s Gate 3 if you make a custom character. With all that in mind...\n\nWhich BG3 class (and subclass) is best for you?\n\nDistinctions like caster vs. puncher or melee vs. ranged don’t really work for Baldur’s Gate 3 (or D&D). There’s a lot of overlap in the classes — especially as you level up. And that means there’s no easy way to say one class is best (or even better). Instead, focus on what you want to do (or how you want to do it), and go from there.\n\nWe’ll list them all below ranked (subjectively) by how difficult they are to play. We’ve put the caster classes toward the more difficult end simply because they’ve got more to manage with their spells and spell slots — punching things is easier than memorizing spells.\n\nBest melee class for beginners: Fighter\n\nNothing against Fighters here, but they’re the easiest class to wrap your head around. You’re not going to need to manage spells or Ki Points. Instead, you’ll see a baddie and then you’ll stab said baddie.\n\nFighters start out as a very straightforward melee class. With high strength, they get all armors and shields, and choose a method of combat to focus on (and get buffs to). They also get a way to heal themselves and way to get a second attack once per short rest.\n\nAt level 3, you get to choose a subclass from Battle Master, Eldritch Knight, and Champion. Battlemasters get a set of Superiority Dice that let you perform Maneuvers to control the flow of battle and the battlefield. Eldritch Knights add magic into the Fighter’s arsenal. Champions keep it simple with a better change to deal a Critical Hit (for double damage).\n\nChampion is the best subclass for a Fighter. Consult our Fighter build guide for more details on why, and to see which skills and feats to pick.\n\nBest ranged class for beginners: Ranger\n\nRangers are agile hunters that focus on Dexterity as their primary Ability. Rangers are an interesting mix of melee, stealth, skills, and magic. That also makes it harder to get the most out of the class. Rangers get Light and Medium Armors and some of the more basic weapons.\n\nRangers also make a lot of choices during character creation (and leveling up) that determine how they play. At level 1, you’ll choose a Favored Enemy — a preferred quarry — and a preferred environment that grants you some magical spells.\n\nAt level 3, you get to choose a Ranger subclass from Beast Master, Gloom Stalker, or Hunter. Beast Masters get a Companion animal that fights along side you, Gloom Stalkers focus on stealth, and Hunters get to specialize their melee abilities.\n\nHunter is the best subclass for a Ranger. Consult our Ranger build guide for more details on why, and to see which skills and feats to pick.\n\nBest class for damage: Barbarian\n\nBarbarians are all about combat. They get light and medium armor (and shields), but they’ve also got the option to keep their AC up even without wearing armor. For weapons, Barbarians get a wide range of heavy hitters like battleaxes and warhammers. Every Barbarian gets the Rage ability that lets them hit even harder and reduce damage during combat (and only during combat).\n\nWhen you hit level 3, you get to choose from the Wildheart, Berserker, or Wild Magic subclasses. Wildheart lets you modify your Rage ability with animal-themed tweaks like healing, jumping, or a stampede. Berserker is a lot more straightforward and focuses on hitting (extra) things and throwing. And Wild Magic adds a magical flair to your Rage with a random magical effect and improved saving throws against magic for you and your allies.\n\nBerserker is the best subclass for a Barbarian. Consult our Barbarian build guide for more details on why, and to see which skills and feats to pick.\n\nBest class for magic: Druid\n\nDruids are the nature-based casters of Baldur’s Gate 3. Most of their magic is nature- or animal-themed and they get Skills to match. What they lack in armor proficiencies — they only get Light and Medium Armor — they make up for with the ability to shapeshift into a badger, wolf, spider, or cat.\n\nAt level 3, Druids pick from the Circle of the Land, Circle of the Moon, and Circle of Spores subclasses. Circle of Land gets you some extra magic and the ability to cast more spells throughout the day, Circle of the Moon adds a bear to the repertoire of animal shapes you can shift into, and Circle of Spores adds in some extra fungus- and decay-based magic.\n\nCircle of the Moon is the best subclass for a Druid. Consult our Druid build guide for more details on why, and to see which skills and feats to pick.\n\nBest class for stealth: Rogue\n\nRogues are Dexterity-based, sneaky fighters. They only get Light Armor, so they have to focus on staying unseen and quick. Their weapons tend to be simple and focus on ones that have the Finesse type — meaning you can add your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength. All Rogues get to use Dash (double movement), Disengage (don’t provoke Opportunity Attacks), and Hide as Bonus Actions. They also get Sneak Attack combat actions that let them deal extra damage whenever they have Advantage.\n\nLevel 3 Rogues choose from the Thief, Arcane Trickster, and Assassin subclasses. Thief Rogues get an extra bonus action, Arcane Tricksters mix in magic, and Assassins get advantages over surprised or unprepared enemies.\n\nThief is the best subclass for a Rogue. Consult our Rogue build guide for more details on why, and to see which skills and feats to pick.\n\nBest class for melee and magic: Paladin\n\nPaladins start out mixing in (Divine) magic with their melee abilities. They’re the most magic-focused of the melee classes. They get all armors and shields, along with a good mix of weapons. Choosing from the three subclasses — Oath of the Ancients, Oath of Devotion, and Oath of Vengeance — determines what kind of magic you get. Oath of the Ancients adds in healing magic, Oath of Devotion gets defense-focused magic, and Oath of Vengeance adds offensive magic. Paladins also get a handful of other spells for dealing out even more holy justice.\n\nOath of the Ancients is the best subclass for a Paladin. Consult our Paladin build guide for more details on why, and to see which skills and feats to pick.\n\nBest class for speed: Monk\n\nMonks are a melee class kind of like Fighters, but with a lot more pizzazz. Their best Ability is Dexterity, so their combat is more martial arts than swordplay. Monks don't get armor and only have a limited set of weapons available, but they make up for it with Unarmed Strikes that deal extra damage. Monks take a little more finesse to play than Fighters.\n\nMonk subclasses unlock at level 3 and include Way of the Four Elements, Way of the Open Hand, and Way of Shadow. Way of the Four Elements mixes in spells with your Monk abilities (and uses renamed spells from the caster classes). Way of the Open Hand expands your attacks to include things like knocking down enemies or pushing them with extra melee attacks. And Way of Shadow makes your Monk sneaky and stealthy (think of it as a ninja subclass).\n\nWay of the Open Palm is the best subclass for a Monk. Consult our Monk build guide for more details on why, and to see which skills and feats to pick.\n\nBest magic class for beginners: Warlock\n\nWarlocks are casters that made a deal with a higher power for their magic. They play a lot like Sorcerers, but with a slight emphasis on more academic Skills and fewer spells. Warlocks get Light Armor, so they’re a little less squishy than Sorcerers.\n\nLike Sorcerers, you’ll pick your Warlock subclass during character creation. You’ll choose from The Fiend, The Great Old One, and The Archfey subclasses that are all themed around where your magic comes from — and determine some of the spells you can use. The Fiend Warlocks get their magic from a demon-like fiend and have hell-themed spells, the Great Old One is more Lovecraftian horror-themed, and the Archfey draws power from a powerful Fey being.\n\nGreat Old One is the best subclass for a Sorcerer. Consult our Sorcerer build guide for more details on why, and to see which skills and feats to pick.\n\nBest healer class: Cleric\n\nClerics are the other side of the Paladin’s mix of magic and melee. They’re not quite as frontline in combat with only Light and Medium armors, but they get more (and more powerful) spells. Clerics also get an extra boost with Channel Divinity that gets them an extra (Divine) magic ability like Turning Undead to drive away zombies or Guided Strike that gives a +10 to Attack Rolls.\n\nWhen you make a Cleric, you choose a subclass (Domain) from a list of seven: Life, Light, Trickery, Knowledge, Nature, Tempest, and War. Each Domain has different spells, actions, and even proficiencies associated with hit. Broadly, Life Domain focuses on healing, Light emphasizes Radiant and Fire magic (in and out of combat), Trickery is good for sneaking, Knowledge gets extra Skills out of combat and brain-based spells, Nature is flavored a little more like a Druid, Tempest is a little more combat and Thunder damage-focused, and War is all about combat.\n\nLight Domain is the best subclass for a Cleric. Consult our Cleric build guide for more details on why, and to see which skills and feats to pick.\n\nBest support class: Bard\n\nBards are a specialized kind of caster class that focus more on performance and charm than a weighty list of spells. Bards only get Light Armor and focus on Charisma as their primary stat, so they rarely belong on the front line of a fight. Where Bards come into their own, though, is with Bardic Inspiration — a way to boost the rolls of their allies — and their spells that are a nice mix of utility and offensive magic.\n\nBards get three subclasses at level 3: College of Lore, College of Valor, and College of Swords. College of Lore Bards get a lot of useful skills to use outside of combat and get to use their Bardic Inspiration to make enemies weaker, College of Valor Bards help their allies hit even harder, and College of Swords Bards focus on a swashbuckling style of combat.\n\nCollege of Valor is the best subclass for a Bard. Consult our Bard build guide for more details on why, and to see which skills and feats to pick.\n\nBest class for magic damage: Wizard\n\nWizards are the archetypical caster class. They are the only Intelligence-based class in Baldur’s Gate 3 and have the most spells — and the most spell slots to cast them — of all of the casters. Wizards don’t get any armor and are limited to just daggers and quarterstaffs (quarterstaves?) in combat, so they’re going to rely on magic to do any damage.\n\nYour Wizard subclass is chosen when you create the character. You’ll choose from eight schools of magic: Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy, and Transmutation. Each subclass gets an extra ability themed to the school of magic. Broadly speaking, Abjuration is about protection and defense, Conjuration is about creating something from nothing, Divination gets to foresee (and change) rolls, Enchantment is about charming and controlling minds, Evocation shapes and controls spells, Illusion is about trickery, Necromancy controls life and death, and Transmutation focuses on alchemy and changing the world around you.\n\nEvocation is the best subclass for a Wizard. Consult our Wizard build guide for more details on why, and to see which skills and feats to pick.\n\nBest class for social interactions: Sorcerer\n\nSorcerers get their magic from within themselves. Sorcerers are the most flexible and varied in the spells they can use. Their primary Ability is Charisma, so they’re also good at dialogue-heavy encounters out of combat. Sorcerers don’t get any armor, so you’ll have to keep them out of melee combat most of the time.\n\nYou’ll pick your Sorcerer subclass when you create your character from the Wild Magic, Draconic Bloodline, and Storm Sorcery subclasses. Wild Magic leans into the chaotic and untamed nature of magic, Draconic Bloodline gives a dragon-based flavor to your magic, and Storm Sorcery lets you Fly whenever you cast a spell.\n\nDraconic Bloodline is the best subclass for a Sorcerer. Consult our Sorcerer build guide for more details on why, and to see which skills and feats to pick.\n\nFor more information on the classes in Baldur’s Gate 3, consult our overviews on the Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Warlock, and Wizard classes.","url":"https://www.polygon.com/baldurs-gate-3-guides/23817654/best-class-choose-classes","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_82539763c335f88b","mhq_97d431e179573f8d"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_82539763c335f88b","mhq_97d431e179573f8d"],"text_sha256":"09003bab24b03b9898573de3dd7e9f7addc9e4b0f6a5a6e2adee5f58d256c876","source_record_sha256":"e40d4d2d0d7514ff877c837446449fce025633ebc07749a910b8fb40f66dab74","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":16,"source_fields":{"title":"How to choose the best class for you in Baldur’s Gate 3","author":"Jeffrey Parkin","source":"Polygon","published_at":"2023-12-18T17:14:20+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.polygon.com/baldurs-gate-3-guides/23817654/best-class-choose-classes"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_f541c0d867093abf","text":"Welcome to Startups Weekly. Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Friday.\n\nA few months ago, Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder of Reddit, tweeted that if he could go back in time and do one thing differently when he was building Reddit, he would have spent significantly less time attending events. Personally I have a different experience — I always regret getting on a plane (or in an Uber, for that matter) to go to an event. However, as I’m traveling back, I’ve never regretted it: There’s always something magical that comes out of going to an event, in my experience.\n\nOur TC+ team is not interested in anecdotes, however: neither mine nor Alexis’. So, like the data-driven journalists they are, they surveyed more than 50 founders, trying to figure out whether attending events still makes sense in 2023.\n\nSpoiler alert: There isn’t a real consensus, but there are some really good pros and cons. The article is well worth a read, to figure out in which circumstances you can expect a decent return on investment on your event-going antics.\n\nToday’s newsletter is going to be a bit more to the point than usual: I’m laid up at home with pneumonia (yes, I really am an 86-year-old grandmother. Surprise!), so forgive the antibiotics-addled ramblings this week. I hope I’ll be back with non-pharmaceutically-enhanced ramblings next week.\n\nArtificial intelligence: Y’all just can’t get enough\n\nOur most-read stories consistently continue to be about AI. No big surprise, perhaps, the AI hype cycle continues apace. This week there’s been a bunch of stories about the seedy underbelly of AI, including how humans are part of the problem, continuing to trick AI systems into generating boobs and 9/11 memes. Oh, humans. We spoke with investors to figure out whether the future of AI has hope for us beyond daft memes. (Spoiler alert: Yes.)\n\nRumors are swilling that OpenAI may be considering developing its own AI chips. That’s going to get interesting, especially if you’ll recall that Nvidia’s ongoing stock market rally is likely driven by the current boom in AI. The company’s ChatGPT’s mobile app hit a record $4.6 million in revenue last month, but growth is slowing. Oh, and there’s no need to shed tears for Nvidia quite yet; Brian’s piece breaking down how Nvidia became a major player in robotics is super interesting.\n\nAdobe has doubled down on its Firefly generative AI models. This week, Frederic covered how the software can now generate more realistic images and can help artists create vector graphics in Illustrator. Neato.\n\nMore on the AI front\n\nIf AI can’t go to the mountain, the mountain will come to AI: Dutch startup Tidalflow exits stealth with backing from Google’s Gradient Ventures. It is aiming to help any software play nice with ChatGPT and other LLM ecosystems.\n\nWhat big eyes you have: Adobe continues to push for easier image editing, showing off its Project Stardust as a sneak preview of its next-gen AI photo editing engine.\n\nHolding back the tide: Creatives across industries are strategizing in a campaign that targets potential corporate abuse of AI technology. The conglomeration is realistic about the ways that musicians and some other creatives could benefit on an individual level from automating parts of their work. The goal is that AI tools “become ways for individual humans to make more money, work less, and compete with the corporations that exploit them.”\n\nTech you can touch\n\nA while back I argued that Apple’s new AR headset is a game-changer for startups. It seems that’s likely the case at the high end. But more in the realm of affordability, Meta Quest 3 takes a step closer to mainstream AR/VR, Brian reports.\n\nNot Sonos fast there: Audio company Sonos scored a big $32.5 million win against Google a while back. Now it transpires that the company’s patents were deemed unenforceable and invalid. Whoops. A federal judge threw out the $32.5 million win this week.\n\nWhen it clicks, it really clicks: We took a deep look at Pixel 8, and our team discovered that it delivers solid performance and design upgrades. The camera got a particularly enthusiastic shout-out, with Darrell declaring that Google’s Pixel 8 Pro camera is the new mobile photography champ, and Brian waxing lyrical about the phone’s picture-snapper in “The camera’s still the thing.”\n\nWho needs computers anyway?: It seems like all our mobile devices may be starting to cannibalize sales of personal computers — Ron reports that PC shipments decline slows in Q3 2023 and that Apple’s sales plunge over 23%.\n\nLet’s get together\n\nReddit’s API-powered chaos continues, but it appears that things are starting to resolve a little. Third-party Reddit app Narwhal says it hopes to survive Reddit’s app purge with a subscription plan.\n\nApropos “getting together,” Amanda reports that VidCon is still kickin’. For the first time, the conference hosted an industry leadership summit, where creator economy experts and creators could hash out their grievances with the state of the business and share ideas to make the job of a creator more sustainable. That makes sense, unlike creators raising venture capital: It’s so eye-wateringly hard to make money as a creator, I’d love to see the pitch that convinces a VC to cut a check to a creator, with a realistic expectation of a venture-scale return.\n\nMaybe they were hiding behind the sofa?: Sarah reports that Mastodon actually has 407K+ more monthly users than it thought — and it seems like Twitter has a lot more traffic than Musk said. Still, the peak now is about the same as it was a decade ago, and it’s unclear what the social platform can do to encourage more growth.\n\nA social social network network: Lauren reports that a former TikTok employee is building a social app for content creators to network and “spill the tea,” so creators can help each other out making better, more engaging content.\n\nX may go ad-free?: It appears that X (formerly Twitter) is testing three tiers of its Premium service, its CEO says. Under the hood, code shows one tier may be ad-free. If it’s also troll free, please take my money right now.\n\nTop reads on TechCrunch this week\n\nA lot of amazing news on the site this week, but if we go by the raw numbers, here are the most popular stories — the ones that I didn’t already cover above, that is.\n\nPasswords? We don’t need no steenkin’ passwords: Passkeys are a phishing-resistant alternative to passwords that allow users to sign in to accounts using the same biometrics or PINs they use to unlock their devices or with a physical security key. Google is now making it the default sign-in method for all users.\n\n2 sec, let me text you some cash: When questioned about Mastercard’s prospects in emerging markets such as India, Mastercard’s CFO Sachin Mehra praised UPI for helping with digitization but voiced reservations about its commercial sustainability, saying it is an “incredibly painful experience” for ecosystem participants.\n\nBravely browsing — or searching — for a new job . . . : Brave Software, the maker of Brave Browser and Search, confirmed that it has laid off 9% of its workforce across departments.","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/10/13/founders-are-events-useful/","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_d4e116025b1f4a17","mhq_80e0cb0b59cf740c","mhq_325f99830534201f","mhq_47bfad3adca5aab0","mhq_434e7d85190fe221"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_d4e116025b1f4a17","mhq_80e0cb0b59cf740c","mhq_325f99830534201f","mhq_47bfad3adca5aab0","mhq_434e7d85190fe221"],"text_sha256":"271de1ed7c41b4fe7d1b2c807d35a3bf316905a6145337a76cd37ec255769509","source_record_sha256":"7e46abbd2db43092275db3db204e55a4fc5ac8f659dee1d4bd74b625bc2e3e42","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":43,"source_fields":{"title":"Founders, are events useful?","author":"Haje Jan Kamps","source":"TechCrunch","published_at":"2023-10-13T19:05:37+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/10/13/founders-are-events-useful/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_e8be65978b66a7ec","text":"Over the course of two months from its debut in November 2022, ChatGPT exploded in popularity, from niche online curio to 100 million monthly active users — the fastest user base growth in the history of the Internet. In less than a year, it has earned the backing of Silicon Valley’s biggest firms, and been shoehorned into myriad applications from academia and the arts to marketing, medicine, gaming and government.\n\nIn short ChatGPT is just about everywhere. Few industries have remained untouched by the viral adoption of the generative AI’s tools. On the first anniversary of its release, let’s take a look back on the year of ChatGPT that brought us here.\n\nOpenAI had been developing GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer), the large language model that ChatGPT runs on, since 2016 — unveiling GPT-1 in 2018 and iterating it to GPT-3 by June 2020. With the November 30, 2022 release of GPT-3.5 came ChatGPT, a digital agent capable of superficially understanding natural language inputs and generating written responses to them. Sure, it was rather slow to answer and couldn’t speak to questions about anything that happened after September 2021 — not to mention its issues answering queries with misinformation during bouts of “hallucinations\" — but even that kludgy first iteration demonstrated capabilities far beyond what other state-of-the-art digital assistants like Siri and Alexa could provide.\n\nChatGPT’s release timing couldn’t have been better. The public had already been introduced to the concept of generative artificial intelligence in April of that year with DALL-E 2, a text-to-image generator. DALL-E 2, as well as Stable Diffusion, Midjourney and similar programs, were an ideal low-barrier entry point for the general public to try out this revolutionary new technology. They were an immediate smash hit, with Subreddits and Twitter accounts springing up seemingly overnight to post screengrabs of the most outlandish scenarios users could imagine. And it wasn’t just the terminally online that embraced AI image generation, the technology immediately entered the mainstream discourse as well, extraneous digits and all.\n\nSo when ChatGPT dropped last November, the public was already primed on the idea of having computers make content at a user’s direction. The logical leap from having it make words instead of pictures wasn’t a large one — heck, people had already been using similar, inferior versions in their phones for years with their digital assistants.\n\nQ1: [Hyping intensifies]\n\nTo say that ChatGPT was well-received would be to say that the Titanic suffered a small fender-bender on its maiden voyage. It was a polestar, magnitudes bigger than the hype surrounding DALL-E and other image generators. People flat out lost their minds over the new AI and its CEO, Sam Altman. Throughout December 2022, ChatGPT’s usage numbers rose meteorically as more and more people logged on to try it for themselves.\n\nBy the following January, ChatGPT was a certified phenomenon, surpassing 100 million monthly active users in just two months. That was faster than both TikTok or Instagram, and remains the fastest user adoption to 100 million in the history of the internet.\n\nWe also got our first look at the disruptive potential that generative AI offers when ChatGPT managed to pass a series of law school exams (albeit by the skin of its digital teeth). Around that time Microsoft extended its existing R&D partnership with OpenAI to the tune of $10 billion that January. That number is impressively large and likely why Altman still has his job.\n\nAs February rolled around, ChatGPT’s user numbers continued to soar, surpassing one billion users total with an average of more than 35 million people per day using the program. At this point OpenAI was reportedly worth just under $30 billion and Microsoft was doing its absolute best to cram the new technology into every single system, application and feature in its product ecosystem. ChatGPT was incorporated into BingChat (now just Copilot) and the Edge browser to great fanfare — despite repeated incidents of bizarre behavior and responses that saw the Bing program temporarily taken offline for repairs.\n\nOther tech companies began adopting ChatGPT as well: Opera incorporating it into its browser, Snapchat releasing its GPT-based My AI assistant (which would be unceremoniously abandoned a few problematic months later) and Buzzfeed News’s parent company used it to generate listicles.\n\nMarch saw more of the same, with OpenAI announcing a new subscription-based service — ChatGPT Plus — which offers users the chance to skip to the head of the queue during peak usage hours and added features not found in the free version. The company also unveiled plug-in and API support for the GPT platform, empowering developers to add the technology to their own applications and enabling ChatGPT to pull information from across the internet as well as interact directly with connected sensors and devices.\n\nChatGPT also notched 100 million users per day in March, 30 times higher than two months prior. Companies from Slack and Discord to GM announced plans to incorporate GPT and generative AI technologies into their products.\n\nNot everybody was quite so enthusiastic about the pace at which generative AI was being adopted, mind you. In March, OpenAI co-founder Elon Musk, as well as Steve Wozniak and a slew of associated AI researchers signed an open letter demanding a six month moratorium on AI development.\n\nQ2: Electric Boog-AI-loo\n\nOver the next couple months, company fell into a rhythm of continuous user growth, new integrations, occasional rival AI debuts and nationwide bans on generative AI technology. For example, in April, ChatGPT’s usage climbed nearly 13 percent month-over-month from March even as the entire nation of Italy outlawed ChatGPT use by public sector employees, citing GDPR data privacy violations. The Italian ban proved only temporary after the company worked to resolve the flagged issues, but it was an embarrassing rebuke for the company and helped spur further calls for federal regulation.\n\nWhen it was first released, ChatGPT was only available through a desktop browser. That changed in May when OpenAI released its dedicated iOS app and expanded the digital assistant’s availability to an additional 11 countries including France, Germany, Ireland and Jamaica. At the same time, Microsoft’s integration efforts continued apace, with Bing Search melding into the chatbot as its “default search experience.” OpenAI also expanded ChatGPT’s plug-in system to ensure that more third-party developers are able to build ChatGPT into their own products.\n\nChatGPT’s tendency to hallucinate facts and figures was once again exposed that month when a lawyer in New York was caught using the generative AI to do “legal research.” It gave him a number of entirely made-up, nonexistent cases to cite in his argument — which he then did without bothering to independently validate any of them. The judge was not amused.\n\nBy June, a little bit of ChatGPT’s shine had started to wear off. Congress reportedly limited Capitol Hill staffers from using the application over data handling concerns. User numbers had declined nearly 10 percent month-over-month, but ChatGPT was already well on its way to ubiquity. A March update enabling the AI to comprehend and generate Python code in response to natural language queries only increased its utility.\n\nQ3: [Pushback intensifies]\n\nMore cracks in ChatGPT’s facade began to show the following month when OpenAI’s head of Trust and Safety, Dave Willner, abruptly announced his resignation days before the company released its ChatGPT Android app. His departure came on the heels of news of an FTC investigation into the company’s potential violation of consumer protection laws — specifically regarding the user data leak from March that inadvertently shared chat histories and payment records.\n\nIt was around this time that OpenAI’s training methods, which involve scraping the public internet for content and feeding it into massive datasets on which the models are taught, came under fire from copyright holders and marquee authors alike. Much in the same manner that Getty Images sued Stability AI for Stable Diffusion’s obvious leverage of copyrighted materials, stand-up comedian and author Sara Silverman brought suit against OpenAI with allegations that its “Book2” dataset illegally included her copyrighted works. The Authors Guild of America, which represents Stephen King, John Grisham and 134 others launched a class-action suit of its own in September. While much of Silverman’s suit was eventually dismissed, the Author’s Guild suit continues to wend its way through the courts.\n\nSelect news outlets, on the other hand, proved far more amenable. The Associated Press announced in August that it had entered into a licensing agreement with OpenAI which would see AP content used (with permission) to train GPT models. At the same time, the AP unveiled a new set of newsroom guidelines explaining how generative AI might be used in articles, while still cautioning journalists against using it for anything that might actually be published.\n\nChatGPT itself didn’t seem too inclined to follow the rules. In a report published in August, the Washington Post found that guardrails supposedly enacted by OpenAI in March, designed to counter the chatbot’s use in generating and amplifying political disinformation, actually weren’t. The company told Semafor in April that it was \"developing a machine learning classifier that will flag when ChatGPT is asked to generate large volumes of text that appear related to electoral campaigns or lobbying.\" Per the Post, those rules simply were not enforced, with the system eagerly returning responses for prompts like “Write a message encouraging suburban women in their 40s to vote for Trump” or “Make a case to convince an urban dweller in their 20s to vote for Biden.”\n\nAt the same time, OpenAI was rolling out another batch of new features and updates for ChatGPT including an Enterprise version that could be fine-tuned to a company’s specific needs and trained on the firm’s internal data, allowing the chatbot to provide more accurate responses. Additionally, ChatGPT’s ability to browse the internet for information was restored for Plus users in September, having been temporarily suspended earlier in the year after folks figured out how to exploit it to get around paywalls. OpenAI also expanded the chatbot’s multimodal capabilities, adding support for both voice and image inputs for user queries in a September 25 update.\n\nQ4: Starring Sam Altman as “Lazarus”\n\nThe fourth quarter of 2023 has been a hell of a decade for OpenAI. On the technological front, Browse with Bing, Microsoft’s answer to Google SGE, moved out of beta and became available to all subscribers — just in time for the third iteration of DALL-E to enter public beta. Even free tier users can now hold spoken conversations with the chatbot following the November update, a feature formerly reserved for Plus and Enterprise subscribers. What’s more, OpenAI has announced GPTs, little single-serving versions of the larger LLM that function like apps and widgets and which can be created by anyone, regardless of their programming skill level.\n\nThe company has also suggested that it might be entering the AI chip market at some point in the future, in an effort to shore up the speed and performance of its API services. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman had previously pointed to industry-wide GPU shortages for the service’s spotty performance. Producing its own processors might mitigate those supply issues, while potentially lower the current four-cent-per-query cost of operating the chatbot to something more manageable.\n\nBut even those best laid plans were very nearly smashed to pieces just before Thanksgiving when the OpenAI board of directors fired Sam Altman, arguing that he had not been \"consistently candid in his communications with the board.\"\n\nThat firing didn't take. Instead, it set off 72 hours of chaos within the company itself and the larger industry, with waves of recriminations and accusations, threats of resignations by a lion’s share of the staff and actual resignations by senior leadership happening by the hour. The company went through three CEOs in as many days, landing back on the one it started with, albeit with him now free from a board of directors that would even consider acting as a brake against the technology’s further, unfettered commercial development.\n\nAt the start of the year, ChatGPT was regularly derided as a fad, a gimmick, some shiny bauble that would quickly be cast aside by a fickle public like so many NFTs. Those predictions could still prove true but as 2023 has ground on and the breadth of ChatGPT’s adoption has continued, the chances of those dim predictions of the technology’s future coming to pass feel increasingly remote.\n\nThere is simply too much money wrapped up in ensuring its continued development, from the revenue streams of companies promoting the technology to the investments of firms incorporating the technology into their products and services. There is also a fear of missing out among companies, S&P Global argues — that they might adopt too late what turns out to be a foundationally transformative technology — that is helping drive ChatGPT’s rapid uptake.\n\nThe calendar resetting for the new year shouldn’t do much to change ChatGPT’s upward trajectory, but looming regulatory oversight might. President Biden has made the responsible development of AI a focus of his administration, with both houses of Congress beginning to draft legislation as well. The form and scope of those resulting rules could have a significant impact on what ChatGPT looks like this time next year.\n\nThis article contains affilate links; if you click such a link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission.","url":"https://www.engadget.com/how-openais-chatgpt-has-changed-the-world-in-just-a-year-140050053.html?src=rss","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_8151c964509ae739","mhq_70a79174b68e14df","mhq_74a640236f453985"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_8151c964509ae739","mhq_70a79174b68e14df","mhq_74a640236f453985"],"text_sha256":"5d1a52a18a4c982fd991c510e1c1ef69b4446c5dd8258864759cf3ee1c2a1538","source_record_sha256":"ab7aeda3a4e31186f5974b96bdcb81d3ec577444054f135e00aec46516afc4ec","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":99,"source_fields":{"title":"How OpenAI's ChatGPT has changed the world in just a year","author":"Andrew Tarantola","source":"Engadget","published_at":"2023-11-30T14:00:50+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://www.engadget.com/how-openais-chatgpt-has-changed-the-world-in-just-a-year-140050053.html?src=rss"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_14e2313d11ec0b1e","text":"It is no wonder Mauricio Pochettino spends most of his time watching Chelsea on the edge of the touchline with his hands clasped tightly in his pockets and a tense expression on his face.\n\nEven with his side 2-0 up and cruising against Blackburn thanks to goals from Benoît Badiashile and a rejuvenated Raheem Sterling, the Chelsea manager was a bundle of nerves throughout what turned out to be a comfortable victory in the end.\n\nBut while the lack of cutting edge that has become a hallmark of the Todd Boehly-era in west London still looms large as he prepares for his first return to table-topping Tottenham on Monday night, Pochettino could take heart from Cole Palmer’s brilliant performance as the former Manchester City forward helped to dispatch Jon Dahl Tomasson’s inexperienced side.\n\nHaving played his part in Badiashile’s opening goal in the defender’s first appearance of the season with a cheeky nutmeg to combine with Conor Gallagher from a quickly-taken corner, Palmer was also involved in Sterling’s goal that sealed this victory in the second half.\n\nQuick Guide Carabao Cup quarter-final draw Show Newcastle will travel to Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup after knocking out both Manchester clubs. Eddie Howe's side followed up their victory over City with a 3-0 win over United at Old Trafford with goals from Miguel Almirón, Lewis Hall and Joe Willock. The Magpies will now face five-times winners Chelsea, who beat Championship Blackburn thanks to goals from Benoît Badiashile and Raheem Sterling at Stamford Bridge. West Ham's reward for a 3-1 victory over Arsenal is a trip to Anfield to take on Liverpool, who edged out Bournemouth 2-1 thanks to Darwin Núñez's superb winner, while Everton will play Fulham. There will be a team from the English Football League in the semi-finals with League One Port Vale hosting Championship Middlesbrough. PA Media\n\nDraw Everton v Fulham; Chelsea v Newcastle; Port Vale v Middlesbrough; Liverpool v West Ham. Ties to be played week commencing 18 December. Was this helpful? Thank you for your feedback.\n\nReece James was also a constant menace to Blackburn’s defence as he started for the first time since the opening day of the season on his return from injury and Pochettino admitted he is delighted to have his captain back.\n\n“He is one of the best full-backs in the world and to have been without him for so long has been difficult,” he said. “But we need to be careful and little by little he will get back to full fitness.”\n\nBlackburn’s fortunes since Andy Cole scored the winning goal that saw off Tottenham in the final of this competition more than 20 years ago under Graeme Souness have seen the Lancashire club drop down to the third tier for a season before coming close to reaching the Championship playoffs in the past two campaigns.\n\nThey currently find themselves 12th after an inconsistent start but Tomasson opted against sending out his first-choice team despite Chelsea’s recent vulnerabilities at home, with the 26-year-old captain Lewis Travis the oldest player he selected.\n\nBenoît Badiashile opens the scoring for Chelsea from close range in the first half. Photograph: Javier García/Shutterstock\n\n“It was the millionaires of the Premier League against the youngsters of the Championship,” reflected the former Denmark forward. “We should be proud of this performance.”\n\nBlackburn certainly managed to cause problems for Chelsea even after the hosts made their intentions clear straight from the kick-off when Nicolas Jackson forced a corner when his shot was blocked. Travis was very lucky not to concede a penalty when he slid in against Sterling after 10 minutes, with no VAR to overrule what looked like a clear and obvious error from the referee Tim Robinson.\n\nIt took a good save from Leopold Wahlstedt to deny James but Blackburn then enjoyed a good period of possession in their opponents’ half. James was inches away from breaking the deadlock midway through the first half but his shot just eluded the far post before Enzo Fernández forced Wahlstedt to palm away his effort soon afterwards.\n\nskip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Football Daily Free daily newsletter Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion\n\nBut the Swedish goalkeeper was at fault when Chelsea finally found the goal they were looking for, palming Gallagher’s cross after he had combined with Palmer straight to the feet of Badiashile and he calmly sidefooted home.\n\nBlackburn’s supporters then felt aggrieved when a Callum Brittain cross struck Gallagher’s trailing arm but once again Robinson waved away strong appeals for a penalty.\n\nThe visitors showed they had no intention of surrendering without a fight when Harry Leonard caught Axel Disasi napping and raced onto a long ball at the start of the second half, only to curl his shot wide of the post. Not for the first time, Robert Sánchez was then far too casual as the Chelsea goalkeeper’s pass was almost intercepted.\n\nAlmost 15 minutes had passed by the time Fernández had Chelsea’s first effort of the second half. Palmer came closer from a tight angle but, having cleared the ensuing corner, Blackburn shot themselves in the foot as they tried to play out. Brittain’s pass was intercepted by Palmer and Sterling curled home from the edge of the area to give Pochettino some welcome breathing space. Jackson should have made it even more comfortable but blazed over from close range before the post denied the outstanding Palmer a goal with a deflected shot.\n\nSterling could and probably should have added to his tally after finding space in behind Blackburn’s defence on more than one occasion in the closing stages. But it was Palmer who was afforded a standing ovation when he was withdrawn at the end as Chelsea’s supporters celebrated only their fourth home win of the season – three of them in this competition.","url":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/nov/01/chelsea-blackburn-carabao-cup-fourth-round-match-report","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_08c9673c1321843d","mhq_dbb1ef0bb5d9b196"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_08c9673c1321843d","mhq_dbb1ef0bb5d9b196"],"text_sha256":"a69f50a3afd64503e857d6122149d9765c0c235d311c5dd308dc0890ee351cd4","source_record_sha256":"e20fdaf69b32f86c456380476bb9d3b99ee0590443c64fcf224ce2127ac69976","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":101,"source_fields":{"title":"Chelsea secure last-eight spot after Raheem Sterling sinks Blackburn","author":"Ed Aarons at Stamford Bridge","source":"The Guardian","published_at":"2023-11-01T22:03:18+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/nov/01/chelsea-blackburn-carabao-cup-fourth-round-match-report"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_de40d6048f59ab86","text":"Sure, Sam Bankman-Fried’s trial has revealed that FTX was basically a seething mass of scams. But it has also revealed how Bankman-Fried blew up the lives of the people who are closest to him.\n\nOf course everyone who had money trapped on the FTX exchange when it collapsed — as the result of Bankman-Fried’s trading firm Alameda Research purloining its customers’ funds — had their lives altered. Even if they are made whole by the bankruptcy proceedings, that’s still money that they should have had access to at any time they wanted it. That may mean houses that weren’t purchased, medical procedures that were left undone, and life savings lost.\n\nThere is a simultaneous drama of ruined lives playing out in the courtroom\n\nBankman-Fried is charged with seven counts: two counts of wire fraud and five conspiracy charges. As we near the end of the prosecution’s case, I have been struck by how bizarre it all is. All the co-conspirators seem oddly younger than their years, as though they got stuck in the “math camp forever” environment Bankman-Fried created for them and simply failed to grow up.\n\nThe prosecution has made a strong case that Bankman-Fried presided over the various forms of fraud that played out at Alameda Research and FTX, orchestrating some of it and engaging in some of it directly. In the process of making this case, there is a simultaneous drama of ruined lives playing out in the courtroom.\n\nEveryone who loved Bankman-Fried most in the world is now caught up in the case. We have:\n\nAdam Yedidia, Bankman-Fried’s college roommate, who testified with immunity because he was concerned he may have unknowingly worked on code that contributed to the fraud. “I love you Sam,” he texted at one point. “I’m not going anywhere.” That was before he realized FTX had stolen customer funds — at which point, he resigned.\n\nGary Wang, the co-founder of FTX and Alameda Research and another college roommate. He took the stand after Yedidia and sang like a canary about the secret privileges he’d created for Alameda in the FTX code.\n\nNishad Singh, a longtime family friend, who copped to what sounded an awful lot like classic embezzlement. He said he’d backdated transactions on FTX to help create doctored balance sheets to show to investors. He pleaded guilty to six charges, including wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy counts around his political donations.\n\nCaroline Ellison, Bankman-Fried’s ex-girlfriend. She told us about the seven phony balance sheets she’d created. She was clear: Alameda took customer funds; Bankman-Fried knew about it and even invested them against her advice.\n\nJoe Bankman, Bankman-Fried’s father. He is among the people included in the “small group chat,” the Signal group where the FTX inner circle strategized during the exchange’s last days.\n\nBarbara Fried’s political action committee, Mind the Gap. It is among the entities that received FTX customer money as political donations. Fried and Bankman lived together in a Bahamas house purchased for them using FTX investor funds, according to a financial expert called by the prosecution; in a lawsuit filed by FTX’s bankruptcy estate, Bankman and Fried are alleged to have been given $10 million of FTX customer funds.\n\nGabe Bankman-Fried’s nonprofit, Guarding Against Pandemics, which got millions from FTX. He was also in a Signal group chat, Donations Processing, that Singh says was used to coordinate the transfer of FTX and Alameda money to various political causes. In that chat, he can be seen recommending some donations be made “in the dark” to avoid public relations headaches. Singh also said Gabe had an assistant fly to the Bahamas with a stack of blank checks for Singh to sign.\n\nWang, Singh, and Ellison are now felons. Even if they never do time — and they may very well be imprisoned or subjected to house arrest — their lives are irrevocably changed, not least by whatever restitution requirements they are subjected to. They are barred from taking certain kinds of jobs. And of course, there is the publicity. Bankman, Fried, and Gabe Bankman-Fried’s reputations are tarnished; in the political arenas where they once operated, they are suddenly undesirable.\n\nIt is a Greek tragedy, precipitated by one man’s character flaw: the arrogance of Sam Bankman-Fried.\n\nThe general sense I got, from the testimony of Bankman-Fried’s former friends, was that things just kept escalating\n\nDuring Yedidia’s testimony, we were shown a photograph in court: former President Bill Clinton and former Prime Minister Tony Blair onstage in suits next to Bankman-Fried, in a rumpled T-shirt and cargo shorts. Sure, dressing down is a staple of Silicon Valley startup culture — and a sign of its swagger. The defense counsel tried to elicit testimony from Yedidia that the cargo shorts were evidence of Bankman-Fried’s humility, but the photograph seemed to signify just the opposite: that the man in cargo shorts is so important, he doesn’t need to dress up, even to meet former world leaders.\n\nNow, in court, Bankman-Fried is wearing a suit.\n\nIn 2019, just months after FTX was founded, Wang oversaw code called “allow_negative” that let Alameda Research avoid being liquidated by FTX’s risk management. It was turned on in July. No other customer trading on FTX had “allow_negative” privileges — only Alameda. Wang’s testimony suggests that the fraud at FTX started very early since the same day that allow_negative was switched on, Bankman-Fried tweeted that Alameda’s account “was like everyone else’s.”\n\nThe general sense I got, from the testimony of Bankman-Fried’s former friends, was that things just kept escalating. For instance, Alameda Research first had a negative balance in late 2019, Wang testified. Wang testified that he heard Bankman-Fried tell another trader that it was okay to continue withdrawing money from the account as long as the amount was less than FTX’s total trading revenue. A little later, Wang discovered that Alameda was negative by $50 million more than FTX’s revenue. Bankman-Fried told him it was fine, and it just didn’t account for the FTT token that the two of them had launched. Wang trusted him.\n\nWang also set Alameda Research up with an enormous line of credit, unmatched by anyone else on FTX. Ultimately, the number was $65 billion — the result of repeated increases as Alameda Research repeatedly ran up against its credit limit. This line of capital wasn’t visible to auditors, Ellison testified. That credit line was used primarily for trading because it “allowed us to make profitable trades we couldn’t have made otherwise,” Ellison testified.\n\n“Over time, it was something I became more comfortable with.”\n\nWang’s testimony revealed how the fraud got bigger, little by little. First, it was okay to dip into FTX’s profits. Then, it was okay to take more. Then, it was okay to take even more. First, it was a little line of credit just to provide liquidity. Then a bigger one. Then an effectively limitless one.\n\nEllison testified to something similar, choking back tears: “When I started working at Alameda, I don’t think I would have believed you if you told me I would be sending false balance sheets to our lenders or taking customer money, but over time, it was something I became more comfortable with.”\n\nEllison’s tenure as CEO of Alameda Research was an exercise in optics, she testified. Alameda Research was, by then, FTX’s sin-eater. When FTX took a loss in the hundreds of million dollars because a trader had exploited its system, Wang moved that loss onto Alameda’s balance sheet. FTX’s “insurance fund,” meant to keep traders from getting stuck with other traders’ losses, was totally made up — Alameda simply picked up the tab.\n\nEven that wasn’t good enough. Singh testified to sprucing up FTX’s balance sheet with backdated transactions in December 2021 to push FTX’s revenue “over the line” to $1 billion. By the time Singh found out about the use of customer money, in 2022, he was already compromised.\n\nAt every turn, the scams at FTX and Alameda led back to making Bankman-Fried more important\n\nIn Singh’s case, it wasn’t just balance sheets he was fiddling with — it was also the American political system. By coordinating with Gabe Bankman-Fried, Singh had funneled money to a number of political causes. That money came from “loans,” which weren’t really loans since he hadn’t signed any term sheets.\n\nWhat was the goal here? What was accomplished? Singh testified to more than a billion dollars spent on celebrity endorsements, which made FTX very famous — even though the futures platform didn’t operate in the US. The political donations gave Bankman-Fried influence in the highest echelons of power. Ellison testified to Bankman-Fried’s venture investments, which gave him more dominance in the tech world. At every turn, the scams at FTX and Alameda led back to making Bankman-Fried more important.\n\nThe pie chart that accompanied expert witness Peter Easton’s testimony. Image: The prosecution’s exhibit 1045\n\nThis was backed up by expert testimony from Notre Dame accounting professor Peter Easton, who’d also assisted in investigating Enron and WorldCom. In a pie chart that showed how he’d traced funds for the $11.3 billion liability that Ellison, Singh, Wang, and Bankman-Fried had known about in June 2022, we saw that $1.2 billion was a loan repayment to crypto lender Genesis. A substantial chunk had been spent on various investments, including in the celebrity-connected venture firm K5, trading firm Modulo (co-founded by one of Bankman-Fried’s ex-girlfriends), and AI company Anthropic.\n\nAnother $413 million had gone directly to Bankman-Fried himself, through his wholly-owned company Paper Bird. “Outflows to insiders,” which suggested Singh’s not-quite-loans were included, was $192 million; real estate was another $228 million; and the donations to Gabe Bankman-Fried’s Guarding Against Pandemics, combined with the philanthropy from the FTX Foundation, totaled less than $40 million.\n\nIt is easy to lie with words and harder to lie with money. Bankman-Fried went around telling people that he wanted to make a lot of money to give it away, an idea of the Effective Altruism movement that Bankman-Fried affiliated himself with — but the amount of money he funneled to his Paper Bird vehicle alone was ten times the size of his philanthropic spending as outlined by Easton. And it was all vastly outweighed by his investments — the places where he could prove he was very smart by investing in the right companies early.\n\nAnd in brief, explosive testimony, former FTX lawyer Can Sun demonstrated what Bankman-Fried’s tactic was. During the days in November when the exchange imploded, Bankman-Fried was trying to raise money from Apollo, the private equity group. Apollo wanted an explanation for what had happened, and so Bankman-Fried came to Sun to ask him to come up with justifications for the missing funds.\n\nThe defense has struggled to shake the credibility of witnesses such as Yedidia, Wang, and Ellison\n\nThat “basically confirmed my suspicions that had been rising all day” that Bankman-Fried had purloined the funds, Sun said. He ran Bankman-Fried through possible explanations, including a margin loan program, and explained that none of them could fit the actual situation — for instance, Alameda had borrowed more from FTX than had ever been in the margin loan program. He said Bankman-Fried acknowledged their conversation with a “yup, yup.” “I was expecting a bigger response, but it was very muted,” Sun said.\n\nAfter that, Singh spilled the beans: Alameda had withdrawn assets that included the customer funds, Sun testified. He quit the next day. Like Yedidia, Sun testified with immunity.\n\nIn the courtroom, we were treated to a Good Morning America appearance by Bankman-Fried on December 1st, 2022. In it, Bankman-Fried tried to justify the missing funds through the margin loan program. It was such a flimsy excuse that even George Stephanopoulos could see through it.\n\nDid Bankman-Fried really think he could get away with it all? He must still think so, or he would not be dragging his closest companions’ names through the mud in a jury trial. Throughout the entire prosecution’s case, the defense has struggled to shake the credibility of witnesses such as Yedidia, Wang, and Ellison. The hits the defense made on Singh didn’t make me doubt the overall truth of his story — they just made me think that Singh was kind of self-serving and trying to secure himself a lenient sentence.","url":"https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/26/23931777/ftx-sam-bankman-fried-prosecution-case-friends-family","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_7277ec2b9f00ee5f","mhq_277c16a23a24e4f2","mhq_cb413bf4b2bb4960","mhq_7f7866c6c0a3afc3","mhq_ab3d32647b3725af"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_7277ec2b9f00ee5f","mhq_277c16a23a24e4f2","mhq_cb413bf4b2bb4960","mhq_7f7866c6c0a3afc3","mhq_ab3d32647b3725af"],"text_sha256":"9012b2b1496f097987cdef03dddbf5a1e4c9330119fced3713f254f0e26518c3","source_record_sha256":"e24a82c7714529aef9a4a2bb1e348226d7007e5857de996a32e78d243e2474e8","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":121,"source_fields":{"title":"In the end, the FTX trial was about the friends screwed along the way","author":"Elizabeth Lopatto","source":"The Verge","published_at":"2023-10-26T12:00:00+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/26/23931777/ftx-sam-bankman-fried-prosecution-case-friends-family"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_1d0dc07673165204","text":"ICC World Cup 2023: Rohit Sharma-led India are playing Netherlands in their ninth ICC World Cup 2023 round-robin match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday (November 12, 2023). India have already booked a place in semi-finals, thrashing Sri Lanka by 302 runs at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on November 2, 2023. India will face New Zealand in the ongoing World Cup semi-final match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday (November 15). This is the seventh time India have entered into the last-four stage of the 50-over World Cup.\n\nAlso Read: ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Prize Money: How much finalists, semi-finalists, and other teams will win at ODI World Cup\n\nIndia first entered semifinals of the World Cup at the 1983 Prudential Cup in England, where they emerged as the tournament winners.\n\nThey moved into the last-four stage on the next two occasions when the World Cup was held in India, in 1987 and 1996.\n\nIndia were in semi-finals in 2003 in South Africa.\n\nEight years later, they were again in last four at the 2011 World Cup as hosts, and repeated their feat in 2015, 2019, and 2023.\n\nIt means that in their last six World Cups, India have been in the semi-finals on five occasions.\n\nAlso Read: ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 semi-final schedule: India to play New Zealand in Mumbai; South Africa to face Australia in Kolkata; know venue, squads\n\nIn this write-up, ZeeBiz will take you through the memory lane of India's semifinal journey in the biggest cricket extravaganza in the world.\n\nAlso Read: IND vs NZ FREE Live Streaming: When and How to watch India vs New Zealand Cricket World Cup 2023 Semi-Final Match Live on Web, TV, mobile apps online\n\nAlso Read: AUS vs SA FREE Live Streaming: When and How to watch Australia vs South Africa Cricket World Cup 2023 Semi-Final Match Live on Web, TV, mobile apps online\n\n1983 Prudential Cup, against England\n\nHaving lost in the first round of the 1975 and 1979 World Cups, India were underdogs in the third World Cup, which was being held in England for the third consecutive time.\n\nHowever, in the World Cup, India wronged many of their critics, reaching semi-finals and playing against mighty hosts England in Manchester on June 22.\n\nSkipper Kapil Dev struck three wickets while Roger Binny and Man-of-the-Match Mohinder Amarnath took two each as India restricted England to 213 all out in 60 overs.\n\nIn reply, Mohinder Amarnath played a useful innings of 46, while Yashpal Sharma scored a fine 61.\n\nSandeep Patil played a fiery innings of 51 not out in just 32 balls as India stormed into semifinals for the first time, beating England by six wickets with 5.2 overs to spare.\n\nAlso Read: ICC World Cup 2023: List of centuries; Most tons in World Cup so far\n\n1987 Reliance Cup, against England\n\nFour years later, the World Cup was being played outside England for the first time, and it was India which was hosting it.\n\nIn a co-incidence, India was against England in the semi-finals once again, at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, on November 5.\n\nThis time, England's Man-of-the-Match skipper Graham Gooch smashed 115 runs in 136 balls to lay a solid foundation for his team's fighting total of 254 for 6 wickets.\n\nIndia, one of the favourites to win the World Cup, were very much on the path to victory till Mohammad Azharuddin, who top-scored with 64 runs was at the crease.\n\nBut with the fall of his wicket, the Indian lower order collapsed like a house of placards as India lost the match by 35 runs.\n\n1996 Wills World Cup, against Sri Lanka\n\nThe 1996 Cricket World Cup is known for Sri Lanka's emergence as a cricketing power on the horizon of world cricket and the beginning of Sachin Tendulkar's extraordinary dominance in batting history.\n\nPlaying in the first semi-final at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on March 13, India were favourites again, and they raised their hopes when they managed to restrict Sri Lanka to 251 for 8 in 50 overs despite Man-of-the-Match Aravinda de Silva's 66 and Roshan Mahanama's 58.\n\nIndia seamer Javagal Srinath took three top-order wickets, including Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana.\n\nFans at the Eden Garden were cheering loudly till Tendulkar was at the crease.\n\nBut once he fell for 65 with the team at 98, India suffered one of the worst collapses in the batting history of the World Cups.\n\nThe crowd turned angry and hostile towards Sri Lanka, creating a ruckus at the stadium, and the match was interrupted.\n\nWith no respite from onlookers' side, umpires decided to call off the match when India were reeling at 120 for eight in 34.1 overs.\n\nThe long-lasting memories of the crowd's bad behaviour and a weeping Vinod Kambli returning to the pavilion are still fresh in the memories of the cricket fans of that generation.\n\n\n\n2003 World Cup, against Kenya\n\nIndia were playing underdogs Kenya in the last-four stage match in Durban on March 20.\n\nWith Man-of-the-Match India skipper Sourav Ganguly scoring an unbeaten 111 runs in 114 balls and Man-of-the-Tournament Tendulkar scoring an 111-ball 83, India comfortably scored 270 for four wickets in 50 overs.\n\nIn reply, Kenya were no match for Indian dominance, and barring their skipper Steve Tikolo, who top-scored with 56 runs, no Kenyan batsman could score more than 29 runs.\n\nWith Zaheer Khan taking 3 wickets in 9.2 overs for just 14 runs, India could easily beat Kenya by 91 runs.\n\nThough India breezed into semi-finals easily, the tournament is also remembered for Kenya's best run in the World Cup as the team from a country with limited cricket facilities and no proper grassroots structure could reach as far as semi-finals.\n\n\n\n2011 World Cup, against Pakistan\n\nFans from India and Pakistan wouldn't have expected a better occasion than a World Cup for the meeting of two teams.\n\nThe World Cup returned to India after 1996, and India and Pakistan were facing each other in the second semi-final at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on March 30.\n\nMan-of-the-Match Tendulkar rose to the occasion, scoring 85 runs for India.\n\nVirender Sehwag scored 38 while Suresh Raina remained unbeaten on 36 as India scored 260 for 9 in 50 overs.\n\nPakistan seamer Wahab Riaz took 5 for 46 in 10 overs. In reply, Pakistan batsmen Misbah-ul-Haq (56 runs) and Mohammad Hafeez (43 runs) showed some resistance from Pakistan, but in lack of a big innings lower down the order hit Pakistan's prospects badly as they were all out for 231 runs in 49.5 overs.\n\nIndia moved to finals and beat Sri Lanka to win their second World Cup title.\n\n\n\n2015 World Cup, against Australia\n\nIndia were playing against Australia in the second semi-final of the 2015 World Cup in Sydney on March 26. Australia outplayed India in almost all departments of the game.\n\nAustralian Man-of-the-Match Steve Smith (105 runs in 93 balls) and Aaron Finch (81 runs in 116 balls) were the guiding forces in taking Australia to 328 runs for 7 wickets in 50 overs.\n\nIn reply, India needed a few big innings, but apart from skipper MS Dhoni (65 runs in 65 balls), Shikhar Dhawan (45 runs in 34 balls), and Ajinkya Rahane (44 runs in 68 balls), the batting order collapsed miserably as India lost the match by 95 runs.\n\n\n\n2019 World Cup, against New Zealand\n\nThe cricket World Cup returned to England for the fifth time.\n\nIndia were playing their sixth semi-finals at a place where they played their first World Cup semi-final in 1983, Manchester. However, with a different team- New Zealand.\n\nIndian bowlers raised hopes when they restricted New Zealand to 239 for 8 in 50 overs with Bhuvneshwar Kumar taking three wickets.\n\nRoss Taylor 74 runs (90 balls) and skipper Kane Willamson 67 runs (95 balls) were the top scorers for New Zealand. But Kiwi Man-of-the-Match bowler Matt Henry sent openers KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma back to the pavilion soon, followed by the dismissal of Dinesh Karthik in the 10th over of India's innings.\n\nWith the Indian top-order failing, Ravindra Jadeja (77 runs in 59 balls) and wicketkeeper MS Dhoni (50 runs in 72 balls) tried to steady the Indian ship.\n\nBut once they fell, it was all over for India as they lost the battle by 18 runs.\n\n2023 World Cup, against New Zealand\n\nTo be played","url":"https://www.zeebiz.com/trending/sports/news-icc-world-cup-2023-india-at-cricket-world-cup-semifinals-so-far-indias-journey-in-world-cup-semifinals-rohit-sharma-sachin-tendulkar-kohli-ind-vs-sa-australia-eden-gardens-wankhede-south-africa-england-sri-lanka-262883","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_09e5975ee83e3781","mhq_13406b457ade1119","mhq_37d091088ccc12cf"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_09e5975ee83e3781","mhq_13406b457ade1119","mhq_37d091088ccc12cf"],"text_sha256":"228baa9ea3003680bf653b009ffaa41402138e0d969457e1929a82240bcb9f18","source_record_sha256":"5868642809c0a837975918cbfc0f65645fa0de5951e70495ec26e600cd78a9f9","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":133,"source_fields":{"title":"ICC World Cup 2023: India at Cricket World Cup semi-finals so far","author":"zee business","source":"Zee Business","published_at":"2023-11-11T19:12:00+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://www.zeebiz.com/trending/sports/news-icc-world-cup-2023-india-at-cricket-world-cup-semifinals-so-far-indias-journey-in-world-cup-semifinals-rohit-sharma-sachin-tendulkar-kohli-ind-vs-sa-australia-eden-gardens-wankhede-south-africa-england-sri-lanka-262883"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_1ff2de12a2b0af69","text":"One of the grand challenges in climate science is to reduce uncertainty in estimates of climate sensitivity, which quantifies how much Earth’s surface warms in response to a doubling of carbon dioxide relative to preindustrial levels. This uncertainty is large because climate sensitivity aggregates myriad processes, from microscale aerosol-cloud interactions to planetary-scale atmospheric and ocean circulations, into one number. Clouds, which are notoriously difficult to measure and simulate, are the main driver of the uncertainty.\n\nVarious lines of evidence are used to estimate climate sensitivity, including climate model simulations of varying complexity, observations over the past century, proxies that measure climate change in the distant past, and theory. The likely range of estimates of climate sensitivity was stubbornly constant at a distressingly imprecise 1.5–4.5 K for several decades, but the research community’s efforts have recently chipped away at this range (Figure 1).\n\nEarly in the 2010s, a substantial discrepancy was noted between estimates of climate sensitivity derived from climate models and estimates based on the observed warming record and radiative balance, the balance between incoming and reflected solar radiation and outgoing terrestrial radiation. Estimates based on observed warming pointed to much lower values than those derived from models. A key breakthrough toward solving this conundrum has been the recognition of the pattern effect, the process whereby climate sensitivity depends on the geographic pattern of surface warming. This advance was rated as one of the most promising avenues for further constraining climate sensitivity in the future [Forster et al., 2021].\n\nForcing, Feedbacks, and Climate Sweet Spots\n\nAdding greenhouse gases to Earth’s atmosphere leads to a global energy surplus (less terrestrial radiation escapes to space), referred to as forcing. To restore the energy balance, the planet must warm. But warming causes changes in the climate system: The concentration of water vapor—a greenhouse gas—in the atmosphere increases, the spatial coverage of highly reflective snow and sea ice decreases, and cloud properties change. These and other radiative feedbacks amplify or dampen how much the planet warms in response to the forcing. Hence, for a given forcing, the feedbacks determine the climate sensitivity.\n\nA degree of global warming spread out evenly will cause a different radiative response than if that same warming is concentrated in a climate sweet spot.\n\nFor decades, researchers assumed that global mean radiative feedbacks mostly depend on global mean temperature [Gregory et al., 2004]. However, they also depend on the spatial pattern of surface warming: Much like applying a force uniformly over someone’s entire body will elicit a very different reaction than tickling the soles of that person’s feet, a degree of global warming spread out evenly will cause a different radiative response than if that same warming were concentrated in a climate sweet spot (a location where surface warming produces efficient radiative damping).\n\nA wide variety of processes affect the evolution of surface temperature, from greenhouse gas forcing and regional aerosol forcing to natural oscillations involving the ocean and atmosphere to the continental boundary conditions and the extent of ice sheets and sea ice. The pattern of surface temperature change over the past 40 or so years featured a pronounced spatial structure, with some locations even cooling in spite of the global mean warming on the order of 1 K (Figure 2, bottom left).\n\nFig. 2. At left is the surface and vertical structure of warming observed over the past few decades in the tropical Pacific. Strong warming in regions of deep convection such as the western Pacific is communicated throughout the troposphere and leads to strong warming aloft, enhancing radiative emission to space. In contrast, parts of the eastern Pacific have cooled. Warming aloft and cooling at the surface enhance the lower tropospheric inversion strengths in the eastern Pacific and promote extensive shallow cloud cover that reflects solar radiation and keeps Earth relatively cool. At right is a typical representation of climate change simulated with coupled climate models, which create their own surface warming pattern that differs from the observed one. In coupled model simulations, warming aloft is less pronounced, and relative to the observed case, the lower tropospheric inversion strength is decreased, and cloud cover is reduced through time. Both factors lead to less efficient cooling near Earth’s surface in models than in nature.\n\nFeedbacks involving clouds and the atmospheric temperature structure are most sensitive to spatial differences in warming. Deep convection in the warmest tropical regions readily communicates surface conditions upward throughout the troposphere (up to about 10–15 kilometers) and then horizontally across much of the globe, making the western Pacific a climate sweet spot. This warmer air sitting atop the relatively cool waters in the eastern Pacific or Southern Ocean acts to stabilize the lowermost troposphere, allowing more extensive low-lying stratus and stratocumulus clouds to develop. Because of their location and structure, these low clouds efficiently cool the planet and offset some of the initial warming (Figure 2, top left).\n\nApproaching the Problem from Different Angles\n\nThree strands of research have converged over the past few years, highlighting that understanding the pattern effect benefits from contributions from virtually all climate research communities.\n\nHistorically, three strands of research have highlighted the dependence of radiative feedbacks on the surface warming pattern. The first strand came from analyses of climate feedbacks and sensitivity in model simulations of unequilibrated, transient climate change. If feedbacks were constant, the expected equilibrium temperature change (climate sensitivity) could be estimated using a very simple energy balance model that linearly extrapolates the relationship between global temperature change and radiative imbalance [e.g., Gregory et al., 2004]. When longer, fully equilibrated simulations became available, it became evident that the simple estimation methods assuming constant feedbacks systematically underestimate the actual equilibrium climate sensitivity. The reason for this underestimation is indeed the evolution of the surface warming pattern, which initially emphasizes more stabilizing radiative feedbacks but later, during equilibration, emphasizes less stabilizing radiative feedbacks [e.g., Senior and Mitchell, 2000; Rugenstein et al., 2020].\n\nThe second strand related the idea of constant feedbacks to the efforts of estimating equilibrium climate sensitivity from the historical record, as mentioned above. Feedbacks calculated from observations or from atmosphere-only model simulations forced with the observed surface warming pattern over the past couple of decades imply less warming than those from model simulations with a fully interactive ocean, which have the freedom to create their own surface warming patterns [e.g., Gregory et al., 2020].\n\nThe third strand of research came from oceanography, showing that the atmospheric cooling effect of ocean heat uptake differs depending on where it occurs: One unit of ocean heat uptake in high latitudes cools Earth more effectively than the same unit taken up by the low-latitude oceans. This difference is relevant because the largest heat uptake by the ocean occurs at higher latitudes. The effect, termed ocean heat uptake efficacy, turns out to be another manifestation of the dependence of radiative feedbacks on surface temperature patterns [Winton et al., 2010; Lin et al., 2021].\n\nThe three strands of research have converged over the past few years, highlighting that understanding the pattern effect benefits from—and perhaps requires—contributions from virtually all climate research communities studying large-scale ocean-atmosphere coupling and the dynamics that set regional to global responses to external forcing.\n\nTo foster this work across communities, 140 scientists from around the world and from different disciplines gathered for a US CLIVAR (U.S. Climate Variability and Predictability Program) workshop in May 2022 in Boulder, Colo. Below, we present the current consensus that emerged during the workshop and raise questions that require urgent attention from scientists.\n\nThe Past Is a Poor Analogue for the Future\n\nResearch on the pattern effect has exposed limitations of using equilibrium climate sensitivity to constrain future warming and, conversely, of using recently observed warming to constrain equilibrium climate sensitivity. The foremost implication of the pattern effect is that historically observed climate change does not constrain the upper limit of climate sensitivity [Sherwood et al., 2020; Forster et al., 2021].\n\nThe reason for the poor predictive power of the climate record from past decades is that the observed surface warming pattern caused feedbacks that were more stabilizing than the ones projected for the future. The warming was particularly pronounced in the sweet spots of the western Pacific and the subtropical eastern Pacific—a perfect combination for enhanced radiative damping (Figure 2, left). In particular, low-lying cumulus clouds in the eastern Pacific covered a larger area and reflected more sunlight back to space than studies suggest they will in the future.\n\nDifficulty in quantifying the pattern effect stems from uncertainties in observed surface temperature trends, the magnitude of ocean heat uptake, and the short observational record of Earth’s energy budget.\n\nImportantly, the measurement and magnitude of the observed pattern effect are still debated and uncertain. The current best estimate is that the radiative feedback or damping under idealized, long-term carbon dioxide forcing is 0.5 ± 0.5 watt per square meter per kelvin weaker than the radiative feedback seen since the late 1800s [Andrews et al., 2022]; 0.5 watt per square meter per kelvin is similar in magnitude to the single radiative feedbacks that the pattern effect modifies. The wide range of uncertainty opens two contrasting possibilities: The pattern effect might have acted to retard global warming fairly strongly—in other words, mean global warming might have been much higher by now if the recent surface warming had come about in a different spatial pattern. This possibility implies that the pattern effect has the potential to influence future near-term warming rates strongly as the surface warming pattern evolves. The other end of the uncertainty range implies that the pattern effect might have been negligible over the past century and that it might apply only over shorter timescales or in drastically different climate states.\n\nDifficulty in quantifying the pattern effect stems from uncertainties in observed surface temperature trends, the magnitude of ocean heat uptake, and the short observational record of Earth’s energy budget. Our incomplete quantitative understanding of how clouds react to their environment and how these dependences are represented in the highly parameterized climate models further limits our ability to quantify the full range of the possible and recently realized pattern effect.\n\nPressing, fundamental questions for climate dynamics concern how surface temperature patterns come about, how Earth’s radiation budget depends on the details of the surface temperature patterns, and the extent to which the two depend on each other. In other words, first, we need to improve our understanding of drivers of sea surface temperature patterns—decadal coupled variability; the pace and spatial structure of ocean heat uptake; and forcing by aerosols, greenhouse gases, and volcanoes—as well as the relative timing of these drivers. An important goal is to explain historical patterns quantitatively and to predict their likely future evolution. Second, we need to quantify the dependence of local and remote top-of-the-atmosphere radiative fluxes on the magnitude, spatial scale, and sign (positive or negative) of surface temperature changes. Third, we have to explain how ocean heat uptake and radiative feedback are connected on various timescales, both globally and regionally.\n\nInterpreting Paleorecords Requires Caution\n\nIn the same way that the historical evolution of surface warming and the planet’s radiation budget inform Earth’s future only to a limited extent, analyses of paleorecords for recent and deep time intervals must account for the pattern effect to be applicable to climate projections of the future. For example, the cooling pattern during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) differed from the warming pattern observed currently and from those expected for the next couple of decades and expected in the equilibrium following a doubling of carbon dioxide, not only in sign but also in the spatial distribution of magnitudes. The LGM currently provides the best constraint on the upper bound of equilibrium climate sensitivity [Sherwood et al., 2020], and hence, the details of the pattern effect matter greatly.\n\nOutstanding questions concern how representative pattern changes in the past century, the past millennium, or quasi-equilibrated times millions of years ago are of expected future changes.\n\nIn addition to our growing knowledge of the pattern effect, we also have learned that radiative feedbacks depend on global mean temperature itself: Warming Earth by 1 K from the LGM emphasizes different feedbacks (e.g., the sea ice albedo feedback) than warming by 1 K from a Miocene hothouse world or warming from 4 to 5 K in a high-emission scenario in a century or two from today (e.g., the water vapor feedback [Bloch-Johnson et al., 2021]). The pattern effect and the feedback temperature dependence add uncertainties to estimates of climate sensitivity based on the paleorecord, but quantifying their effects would make these records more relevant to constraining climate sensitivity and expected future warming.\n\nOutstanding questions concern how representative pattern changes in the past century, the past millennium, or quasi-equilibrated times millions of years ago are of expected future changes. The paleorecord could further be crucial for understanding the timescales and relative importance of internal variability, forced response, and extratropical forcing to rates of warming or cooling in the equatorial Pacific in nature and in climate models.\n\nShould We Trust Model Patterns in Climate Change Scenarios?\n\nOur understanding of the pattern effect raises the question of whether climate models can reproduce observed warming patterns. Coupled climate models simulate a freely evolving ocean surface and hence have their own expression of internal variability. For example, we would not expect a coupled model to simulate El Niño events at the same time as they happened in nature, except by chance. This feature complicates comparisons between models and observations, especially on decadal timescales and beyond, for which we know little about the spectrum of internal variability in the real world.\n\nUnfortunately, coupled climate models seem unable to simulate observed surface warming patterns across some key regions in which surface sensitivity modulates clouds, even when they account for internal variability. Most important, models do not re-create observed cooling in the equatorial and subtropical eastern Pacific and Southern Ocean (Figure 2, right), and it is concerning that all models have the same sign of error in the trend patterns [e.g., Wills et al., 2022]. In addition, models strongly disagree about the timescales over which future warming may occur in these regions.\n\nThe advent of global coupled storm- and cloud-resolving models, which currently can simulate only a few months to years at a time, presents an exciting opportunity.\n\nOur limited knowledge of the drivers of surface warming pattern biases in climate models hampers our ability to evaluate these biases. We do not know whether these models’ inability to reproduce observed trends is due to biases in how they represent the spectrum of internal variability, aerosol forcing, ocean-atmosphere interactions, deep and shallow atmospheric convection, Southern Ocean cloud-radiative properties, ocean thermocline depth, and ocean circulation or something else entirely.\n\nThe most pressing question is whether climate model simulations will be as far off from observations in the future as they have been relative to recent past conditions (compare Figure 2, left and right). If this turns out to be the case, how will model biases in surface warming trends be reflected in radiative feedbacks and global mean warming rates? We need to quantify whether coupled models compensate for their bias in the surface warming pattern and radiative feedbacks through erroneous ocean heat uptake rates or aerosol forcings.\n\nThe advent of global coupled storm- and cloud-resolving models, which currently can simulate only a few months to years at a time, presents an exciting opportunity. How do we evaluate surface warming patterns and radiative feedbacks in these simulations and compare them meaningfully to observations and coarser resolution models, knowing that even several decades are not enough to robustly detect a forced trend in some regions? And most pressing for the communities relying on the coupled models’ climate change projections, To what extent are the remaining carbon budgets [Zhou et al., 2021] with respect to global warming targets, rates of near-term future warming, and detection and attribution efforts contingent on the pattern effect?\n\nA Collaborative Outlook\n\nWorking to solve the problems outlined above at the intersection of different disciplines and with input from different research communities will likely benefit related research into, for example, the sensitivity of tropical cyclones and future rainfall changes in the southwestern United States or in South America to surface warming patterns.\n\nPromising new tools and observations are beginning to emerge. They include targeted model experiments and intercomparisons, extended global satellite observations of clouds and radiation, Argo floats sampling deep-ocean heat uptake, estimates of radiative imbalances before the year 2000, and new observational constraints on clouds’ sensitivity to environmental controlling factors. These developments encourage an optimistic outlook on our ability to quantify the pattern effect and its implications over the next couple of years.\n\nAcknowledgments\n\nThe authors thank all participants of the US CLIVAR pattern effect workshop. M.Z.’s work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Regional and Global Model Analysis program area and was performed under the auspices of DOE by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract DE-AC52-07NA27344. P.C. was supported by the UK Natural Environment Research Council, grants NE/T006250/1 and NE/V012045/1. T.A. was supported by the Met Office Hadley Centre Climate Programme funded by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement 820829. M.R. was supported by NASA under grant 80NSSC21K1042.\n\nReferences\n\nAndrews, T., et al. (2022), On the effect of historical SST patterns on radiative feedback, J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 127, e2022JD036675, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JD036675.\n\nBloch-Johnson, J., et al. (2021), Climate sensitivity increases under higher CO 2 levels due to feedback temperature dependence, Geophys. Res. Lett., 48, e2020GL089074, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL089074.\n\nForster, P., et al. (2021), The Earth’s energy budget, climate feedbacks, and climate sensitivity, in Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Working Group I Contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, edited by V. Masson-Delmotte et al., pp. 923–1,054, Cambridge Univ. Press, New York, https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009157896.009.\n\nGregory, J. M., et al. (2004), A new method for diagnosing radiative forcing and climate sensitivity, Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, L03205, https://doi.org/10.1029/2003GL018747.\n\nGregory, J. M., et al. (2020), How accurately can the climate sensitivity to CO 2 be estimated from historical climate change?, Clim. Dyn., 54, 129–157, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-019-04991-y.\n\nLin, Y., et al. (2021), The dominant contribution of Southern Ocean heat uptake to time-evolving radiative feedback in CESM, Geophys. Res. Lett., 48, e2021GL093302, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL093302.\n\nRugenstein, M., et al. (2020), Equilibrium climate sensitivity estimated by equilibrating climate models, Geophys. Res. Lett., 47, e2019GL083898, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL083898.\n\nSenior, C. A., and J. F. B. Mitchell (2000), The time-dependence of climate sensitivity, Geophys. Res. Lett., 27, 2,685–2,688, https://doi.org/10.1029/2000GL011373.\n\nSherwood, S. C., et al. (2020), An assessment of Earth’s climate sensitivity using multiple lines of evidence, Rev. Geophys., 58, e2019RG000678, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019RG000678.\n\nWinton, M., K. Takahashi, and I. M. Held (2010), Importance of ocean heat uptake efficacy to transient climate change, J. Clim., 23, 2,333–2,344, https://doi.org/10.1175/2009JCLI3139.1.\n\nWills, R. C. J., et al. (2022), Systematic climate model biases in the large-scale patterns of recent sea-surface temperature and sea-level pressure change, Geophys. Res. Lett., 49, e2022GL100011, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL100011.\n\nZhou, C., et al. (2021), Greater committed warming after accounting for the pattern effect, Nat. Clim. Change, 11, 132–136, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-020-00955-x.\n\nAuthor Information\n\nMaria Rugenstein (maria.rugenstein@colostate.edu), Colorado State University, Fort Collins; Mark Zelinka, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, Calif.; Kristopher B. Karnauskas, University of Colorado Boulder; Paulo Ceppi, Imperial College London, London; and Timothy Andrews, Met Office Hadley Centre, Exeter, U.K.\n\nCitation: Rugenstein, M., M. Zelinka, K. B. Karnauskas, P. Ceppi, and T. Andrews (2023), Patterns of surface warming matter for climate sensitivity, Eos, 104, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023EO230411. Published on 31 October 2023.\n\nText © 2023. The authors. CC BY-NC-ND 3.0\n\nExcept where otherwise noted, images are subject to copyright. Any reuse without express permission from the copyright owner is prohibited.","url":"https://eos.org/features/patterns-of-surface-warming-matter-for-climate-sensitivity","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_4a523869ee37758b","mhq_d4dd503932233202"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_4a523869ee37758b","mhq_d4dd503932233202"],"text_sha256":"bdcf9879af05a7c56ef438c63d92627935c8cc0df16a16edb38cdb600301d57e","source_record_sha256":"874912d6c39f46bca0dd3036692fd5e965bad741f165335dc887196236c76577","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":139,"source_fields":{"title":"Patterns of Surface Warming Matter for Climate Sensitivity","author":"Maria Rugenstein, Mark Zelinka, Kristopher B. Karnauskas, Paulo Ceppi and Timothy Andrews","source":"Eos: Earth And Space Science News","published_at":"2023-10-31T12:03:09+00:00","category":"science","url":"https://eos.org/features/patterns-of-surface-warming-matter-for-climate-sensitivity"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_7eb9cd28a6e98ee5","text":"As artificial intelligence gains an ever-widening role in the medical field, the Mayo Clinic has recently appointed a new executive to lead the health system’s efforts in that area.\n\nRadiologist Bhavik Patel, M.D., has been named chief artificial intelligence officer (CAIO) for Mayo Clinic Arizona . Before joining the clinic in 2021, Patel practiced at Duke University Medical Center and Stanford University Medical Center.\n\nDr. Richard Gray, CEO of Mayo Clinic Arizona, announced the hire on LinkedIn, noting the organization has only \"begun to scratch the surface of AI's potential in medicine.\"\n\nWHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?\n\nIn his new role, Patel will lead Mayo Clinic’s Advanced AI and Innovation Hub.\n\nHe'll focus on expanding AI-based solutions throughout the organization, according to a press release.\n\nA growing number of health care organizations are hiring individuals in high-level AI roles, said Dr. Harvey Castro, a Dallas, Texas-based emergency medicine physician and AI expert — but it could be a challenge to fill them.\n\n\"We will likely see a huge increase in these roles, but may not have enough AI doctors to fill this space,\" Castro told Fox News Digital.\n\nARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT AI\n\nApproximately 5,000 U.S. doctors have AI and data science knowledge after undergoing formal training in these fields, he estimated.\n\nWhy is the chief AI officer role important?\n\nIn an interview with Fox News Digital, Patel described AI as a \"transformative force that has the potential to revolutionize health care delivery, research and operations.\"\n\nGiven AI’s sweeping impact and fast growth, Mayo Clinic’s new CAIO said there is a need for a dedicated leadership position to ensure \"clear direction and alignment with broader organizational goals.\"\n\nThe chief AI officer is also responsible for balancing the technology’s risks and benefits, Patel noted.\n\n\"The chief AI officer is not just a technocrat, but a visionary leader.\"\n\n\"While AI brings forth myriad benefits, it also carries inherent risks,\" he said. \"A CAIO provides the necessary oversight to ensure that the implementation of AI is ethical, responsible and in line with regulatory guidelines.\"\n\nA chief AI officer also \"bridges the knowledge gap,\" he said, helping teams understand and harness the technology’s power.\n\nARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE HELPS DOCTORS PREDICT PATIENTS’ RISK OF DYING, STUDY FINDS: ‘SENSE OF URGENCY’\n\nThe role is also important in terms of maximizing the use of resources, fostering collaboration across departments and keeping up with future health tech trends, Patel added.\n\n\"Their expertise is critical in ensuring that the organization remains on the cutting edge of technological advancements while safeguarding patient welfare,\" he said.\n\n\"In essence, the chief AI officer is not just a technocrat, but a visionary leader, ensuring that the organization navigates the AI-driven paradigm shift in health care with agility, responsibility and a patient-centric approach.\"\n\nCastro agreed that the importance of this role is evident as AI becomes a pivotal part of health care.\n\n\"A chief AI officer can oversee the use and development of AI technologies , ensuring that they are leveraged effectively for patient care, data management and other applications,\" he said.\n\nDaily functions of a chief AI officer\n\nA chief AI officer has several core functions, according to Castro.\n\nGOOGLE CLOUD AND MAYO CLINIC SET TO DISRUPT HEALTH CARE WITH GENERATIVE AI\n\nEducating the health care community is one focus.\n\n\"This person should ensure that staff and stakeholders are informed about AI technologies and their applications,\" he said.\n\nDeveloping and implementing the algorithms used in the AI solutions is also a key part of the job, said Castro.\n\nThe CAIO must understand and analyze data derived from AI to inform decision-making and strategy.\n\n\"This role also entails managing the use of AI across the organization, ensuring that it aligns with regulatory standards and organizational goals,\" Castro said.\n\nStrategy development is also inherent to the chief AI officer’s job.\n\nNEW AI-GENERATED COVID DRUG ENTERS PHASE I CLINICAL TRIALS: ‘EFFECTIVE AGAINST ALL VARIANTS’\n\n\"This involves formulating strategies for the implementation and utilization of AI in various health care aspects, such as patient care, data analysis and operational efficiency,\" said Castro.\n\nIn Patel’s case, he said the heart of his new role is to \"ensure that our AI direction seamlessly integrates with and reinforces our organizational values.\"\n\nSome of Patel’s day-to-day functions include:\n\nOverseeing the identification, vetting and integration of AI solutions for various clinical and administrative functions\n\nUsing AI to improve diagnostic accuracy, optimize treatment paths and enhance the patient experience\n\nEngaging with stakeholders to gather insights, feedback and expertise\n\nEnsuring that all AI algorithms are transparent, free from biases, and designed in the best interests of patients and their communities\n\nFacilitating training sessions, workshops and awareness campaigns to ensure that everyone is up-to-date and empowered to harness AI's potential\n\n\"In essence, my role as chief AI officer is both strategic and operational,\" Patel told Fox News Digital.\n\n\"It's about setting a vision rooted in our values while ensuring the tactical execution of AI projects that drive value to our patients.\"\n\nOne of the tech team’s biggest recent contributions is an AI model that proactively assesses a person's risk of a heart attack , Patel noted.\n\nAS AI SHOWS UP IN DOCTORS' OFFICES, MOST PATIENTS ARE GIVING PERMISSION AS EXPERTS ADVISE CAUTION\n\n\"This model uses data from chest CT exams — often conducted for unrelated health issues, such as COVID or lung nodules — and identifies future heart disease risk, which unfortunately even expert physicians can't discern from the scan,\" he said.\n\n\"The model helps cardiologists prevent potential heart attacks rather than treating them reactively.\"\n\nMayo Clinic has also developed AI models that predict the prognosis of patients with diseases such as colon cancer , detect risks of future cancers using existing medical records, and predict 30-day hospital readmission or hospital-acquired infections, Patel said.\n\n\"AI can pinpoint details that make a significant difference in diagnosis and treatment.\"\n\n\"Our focus is not only to develop these AI models, but to ensure that the benefits of these models reach patients swiftly,\" he added.\n\nKey benefits of AI in health care\n\nPatel said he views AI as a \"powerful instrument\" that helps magnify physicians’ capabilities rather than replacing them.\n\n\"One of AI's primary strengths is its ability to recognize patterns that might escape the human eye,\" he said.\n\n\"Whether it's intricate anomalies in medical imaging or subtle patterns in patient histories, AI can pinpoint details that make a significant difference in diagnosis and treatment.\"\n\nThe technology also helps providers by sifting through and analyzing vast volumes of information, far more than what would be humanly possible, Patel said.\n\nIt also automates mundane and routine tasks, allowing health care professionals to redirect their focus to the patient, he noted.\n\nAI TECH AIMS TO HELP PATIENTS CATCH DISEASE EARLY, EVEN ‘REVERSE THEIR BIOLOGICAL AGE’\n\nEarly risk detection is another key benefit.\n\n\"AI tools can predict potential health risks by analyzing a combination of genetic, behavioral and environmental factors, facilitating early interventions and potentially saving lives,\" Patel said.\n\nAs well, AI can help enable the delivery of personalized medicine and proactive preventative care, he noted.\n\n\"By analyzing individual genetic makeup combined with lifestyle and environmental factors, treatments can be tailored to the unique needs of each patient,\" Patel said.\n\n\"And by predicting potential health issues before they manifest, we can guide patients on preventive measures, fundamentally changing our approach from cure to prevention.\"\n\nPotential risks and limitations\n\nAI in health care also presents challenges and limitations , Patel acknowledged.\n\nBecause AI is a branch of science, it requires rigorous evaluation before it can be applied by doctors, he said.\n\nAI HEART SCAN AIMS TO CATCH BLOCKAGES YEARS BEFORE SYMPTOMS: ‘UNBELIEVABLE BREAKTHROUGH’\n\n\"This ensures that we're not just implementing technology for the sake of innovation, but are truly enhancing patient care in a tangible, evidence-based manner.\"\n\nAI models also run the risk of bias, he warned.\n\n\"By recognizing AI’s limitations and actively working to address them, we can harness AI's potential while safeguarding the core values of our health care system.\"\n\n\"AI models are, by nature, a reflection of the data they're trained on,\" he said. \"If this data contains biases — whether racial, gender-based or from other sources — the models may perpetuate these biases.\"\n\nThere is the additional risk that humans will become overly reliant on AI, leading to a phenomenon called \"automation bias.\"\n\n\"Essentially, this means giving undue weight to AI-generated results without adequate human scrutiny,\" Patel said.\n\n\"In health care, understanding the ‘why’ behind a diagnosis or recommendation is as crucial as the result,\" he said. \"As providers, we must always contextualize AI outputs within the broader patient picture, leveraging our clinical judgment and experience.\"\n\nARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE HELPS DOCTORS PREDICT PATIENTS’ RISK OF DYING, STUDY FINDS: ‘SENSE OF URGENCY’\n\nIt’s important to protect data privacy and security as well, Patel noted, due to the large amounts of information that must be fed to AI models.\n\nWhile AI's capabilities are \"immense and ever-growing,\" Patel emphasized that AI’s role is to be an ally.\n\nCLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER\n\n\"Humans caring for humans is the bedrock of health care — AI strengthens that foundation, but doesn’t replace it,\" he said.\n\n\"AI can offer insights and assist in decision-making, but human touch, intuition and empathy cannot be replicated by algorithms.\"\n\nCLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP\n\nWhile AI promises a \"new frontier\" in health care — Patel calls for a balance of \"enthusiasm and caution.\"\n\n\"By recognizing AI’s limitations and actively working to address them, we can harness AI's potential while safeguarding the core values of our health care system.\"","url":"https://www.foxnews.com/health/mayo-clinic-sees-ai-transformative-force-health-care-appoints-dr-bhavik-patel-chief-ai-officer","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_92fe588f364a3465","mhq_f57be40f09b62bed","mhq_0e58bd01032b31ab"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_92fe588f364a3465","mhq_f57be40f09b62bed","mhq_0e58bd01032b31ab"],"text_sha256":"fcf5cf725cb1887d4e87fd8cf018b188c10e1f5d11c2fa344421fd3e5f19659b","source_record_sha256":"31fb6fcaa963b60c7652b7be4fad93fdb9f047c1243becd08d733b934d0e3e30","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":163,"source_fields":{"title":"Mayo Clinic sees AI as 'transformative force' in health care, appoints Dr. Bhavik Patel as chief AI officer","author":null,"source":"FOX News - Health","published_at":"2023-10-10T09:30:18+00:00","category":"health","url":"https://www.foxnews.com/health/mayo-clinic-sees-ai-transformative-force-health-care-appoints-dr-bhavik-patel-chief-ai-officer"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_d70d3a3e40e57939","text":"Your time is precious, and your options are endless. The good news: We watch it all so you don’t have to. Polygon’s What to Watch highlights the best, the funniest, the scariest, and the most exciting in movies, TV, and everything in between. Stop scrolling, start watching!\n\nIf there’s one thing we love here at Polygon, it’s the Halloween season.\n\nWe cover horror year-round, whether it’s the best horror movies you can stream at home or the best horror movies on Netflix, and generally, we have our finger on the undead pulse of the newest and ghastliest releases in horror. We even have a list of the best horror movies of the year (ranked by scariness, of course).\n\nEven still, Halloween is an especially spooky time of year, and it warrants special attention and celebration.\n\nFor the past three years, Polygon has put together a Halloween countdown calendar, selecting 31 of our staff’s top horror-themed or Halloween-adjacent picks across movies and TV throughout the month of October, all available to watch at home. We’ve loved doing it, so much so that we’re bringing it back again — this time with a whole new batch of films and shows to choose from.\n\nEvery day for the month of October, we’ll add a new recommendation to this countdown and tell you where you can watch it. So curl up on the couch, dim the lights, and grab some popcorn for a terrifying and entertaining marathon of horrific delights.\n\nOct. 1: Messiah of Evil\n\nWhere to watch: Prime Video, Shudder, Pluto TV, Plex\n\nA undersung classic of ’70s cosmic horror, Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz’s Messiah of Evil is a surreal and nightmarish experience that more than deserves its status as a cult horror classic.\n\nThe film centers on Arletty, a young woman who journeys to the remote coastal town of Point Dume, California, to track down her missing father, a reclusive painter who is plagued by disturbing visions of an impending apocalypse. After crossing paths with an eccentric aristocrat and his groupie companions, the group bears witness to the realization of the painter’s prophecy, as the townspeople are transformed into flesh-eating ghouls and the messiah of evil makes his return to the mortal realm.\n\nAt times convoluted and bizarre, Messiah of Evil is a genuinely entertaining horror thriller filled with memorable scares and chilling set-pieces. From a cross-eyed albino man gleefully devouring a field mouse whole to a unsuspecting woman watching a Western as the theater around her slowly fills with ravenous undead zombies, it’s a dreamy and frightening experience that lands somewhere between the ineffable gothic horror of H.P. Lovecraft and the anti-consumerist allegories of George A. Romero. The horrors hold up over 50 years after it was first released, and with just the right combination of inadvertent silliness and legitimate terror, Messiah of Evil is a satisfying watch and an excellent start to a month of horrors. —Toussaint Egan\n\nOct. 2: Ginger Snaps\n\nWhere to watch: Criterion Channel, Shudder, Peacock, Vudu, Tubi, Freevee, Plex\n\nThere’s a sizable hole in the monster movie canon: There just aren’t enough good werewolf movies! Ginger Snaps is here to fix that. And if you love Jennifer’s Body, you’re in for a bloody treat.\n\nDirected by future Orphan Black co-creator John Fawcett, Ginger Snaps is a delightfully gruesome story about two sisters. One of them has gotten her period for the first time, and is turned into a werewolf shortly after. Things get messy, fast.\n\nGinger Snaps doesn’t just do a great job filling in the werewolf canon. It’s a grisly body horror story placed onto an effective puberty allegory, with a compelling central sister relationship. If you’ve ever watched something like Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man and thought, This is great and surprisingly gooey, but give me stories like this about teen girls, then Ginger Snaps is for you.\n\nThe movie has amassed a dedicated cult following in the years since its release. You’re next up to join the ranks — see you at the next full moon! —Pete Volk\n\nOct. 3: Creepshow\n\nWhere to watch: Kanopy\n\nThe new Creepshow home video release — presented in vibrant 4K UHD Blu-ray — is the best way to revisit this horror anthology classic. You can see individual bubbles in the foam of the ocean as it slowly drowns Ted Danson. This is why it made our list of the best Blu-rays of 2023.\n\nBut reader, while I’m one of those sickos who obsesses over video resolution and bitrate, I’ll be honest: You don’t need the fanciest version of Creepshow to enjoy its comedic chills. In fact, the most aesthetically harmonious format might be a poorly treated VHS tape that recorded the film off TBS in the mid-1990s.\n\nHorror anthologies have most recently been used to condense as much terror into a tiny package, like chugging a shot glass of hot sauce. Creepshow is a throwback to a softer, more leisurely style of horror — a middle ground between the plodding tinglers of Poe and contemporary slashers.\n\nPlus, Stephen King performs a one-person show as a hillbilly. So like, that should be enough. —Chris Plante\n\nOct. 4: Pulse\n\nWhere to watch: Prime Video\n\nWhat if technology could be used to communicate with the dead? It’s an idea that dates as far back as the spiritualism movement of the late 19th century, and one that takes on a frightening and fascinating dimension in Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s post-Y2K horror-thriller Pulse.\n\nAlternating between two storylines, Kurosawa’s film follows a group of young adults and university students as a rash of inexplicable disappearances and suicides occurs around Tokyo. As the protagonists investigate further, they slowly uncover a shocking revelation: The souls of the dead are spilling over into the mortal world and ensnaring their unsuspecting prey through the very infrastructure of the internet. By the time they realize this, however, it’s too late; the unearthly contagion has taken on a life of its own, and the only way to survive is cling to what few connections they have left.\n\nProduced after Kurosawa’s Cure (which we featured on last year’s Halloween calendar), Pulse is widely celebrated as one of the foundational texts in the canon of J-horror cinema, alongside Hideo Nakata’s Ring and Takashi Shimizu’s Ju-on: The Curse. Eerie and methodical, Kurosawa’s film is a nihilistic meditation on technology and human relationships that presages an advent of loneliness in a world growing more and more “connected” with each passing day. Rife with imagery that will stay with you long after it’s over, Pulse is a tremendous and terrifying movie worth experiencing. —TE\n\nOct. 5: Apostle\n\nWhere to watch: Netflix\n\nDon’t confuse Gareth Edwards (director of The Creator and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) with Gareth Evans, director of the Raid movies. If you do, you may sit down to the Netflix-exclusive Apostle expecting expansive, detail-driven science fiction, and be unpleasantly surprised when you get a grimy, extremely gory period piece that goes to startling extremes.\n\nEvans’ mesmerizing Apostle deliberately starts in roughly the same place as the classic 1973 suspense thriller The Wicker Man, with a lone man heading to a remote Welsh island after getting a letter suggesting his sister is being held against her will there by a dangerous cult. Worming his way into the community by pretending to be a convert, Thomas (Dan Stevens, even more feral and intense than he is in The Guest or Beauty and the Beast) inevitably discovers a lot of nasty work going on on the island.\n\nEvans charts his own course with Apostle, veering far from the Wicker Man mold and into much bloodier territory. But he takes advantage of some of the same ideas: the ominous isolation of the island, the close-knit secrecy of its community, the predatory ideas that have flourished there under charismatic leadership. Stevens is particularly terrific in this movie, lunging from one scene to the next like a humanoid wolf who can barely contain his bloodlust. (Thomas has plenty of closely held secrets of his own.) And Evans’ commitment to violent mayhem gives this one some memorable moments that are likely to haunt you later, in the dark. —Tasha Robinson\n\nOct. 6: Dracula 2000\n\nWhere to watch: Max\n\nWith the scars of nu-metal having healed and Olivia Rodrigo’s Paramore-infused pop tracks having gone full “vampire,” now is the time to give Gerard Butler’s half-bare-chest take on Dracula the respect it’s due.\n\nMaybe the most Dimension Films movie to ever bear the Dimension Films studio logo (close second: The Faculty), Dracula 2000 finds a group of thieves — including of-the-moment faces like Omar Epps, Jennifer Esposito, and Shane West! — transporting a stolen silver coffin from London to New Orleans. They think there’s treasure inside. Are they idiots? Absolutely. And when they find Dracula instead of gold doubloons or whatever, they unleash hell. Overacted, canted-angled, seven-string-guitar-plucking HELL. Luckily, as Dracula hunts down local college student Mary Van Helsing (Justine Waddell), with whom he already shares a psychic connection, Mary’s dad’s new vampire-hunter assistant Simon (young Jonny Lee Miller!) is on his tail.\n\nButler, never more a heartthrob, plays Dracula in a mesmerizing, baroque manner; think Nicolas Cage doing Dracula if this year’s Renfield was emo turn-of-the-millennium trash. And he’s constantly biting unsuspecting B-list actors to add to his army of hot people, who fight the heroes in multiple obligatory scenes of wire-fu. Writer-director Patrick Lussier cuts it all up like it’s the video for “Freak on a Leash,” and, well, objectively, it’s quite unlike most horror movies you can watch today! Enjoyment of Dracula 2000 may vary depending on a tolerance for Hot Topic goofs, but if you don’t catch up with it, you can’t enjoy Lussier’s sequel, Dracula II: Ascension, starring Jason Scott Lee as a martial-arts-fighting priest who kicks Dracula’s ass! —Matt Patches\n\nOct. 7: Prince of Darkness\n\nWhere to watch: Peacock\n\nThere aren’t enough movies about the end of the world. Sure, there are plenty of movies about preventing catastrophe at that scale, but rarely do they have the follow-through to truly get existentially terrifying. Thankfully, John Carpenter is no coward, and he made three movies about different kinds of apocalypses. But while The Thing is the best known, and In the Mouth of Madness is the zaniest, Prince of Darkness might be the scariest of the trilogy.\n\nPrince of Darkness follows a group of college researchers who are sent to study a strange canister found in the basement of a church. The canister is filled with some kind of liquid that defies science, and when it starts to get released, a strange evil seems to come into the world with it.\n\nThis is Carpenter at his most ambitious. While most of this movie is set in just one building, all manner of horror makes its way inside. There are people made of bugs, horrific zombies, an extradimensional Satan, and things even worse to behold. The entire movie is an onslaught of creepy, skin-crawling images, all built out of a unique mythology about the relationship between good and evil that underpins the world. And, most importantly, after this parade of horrors seems to come to an end, Carpenter saves Prince of Darkness’ biggest, weirdest, most dreadful scare for last. —Austen Goslin\n\nOct. 8: Gravity Falls - Northwest Mansion Mystery\n\nWhere to watch: Hulu, Disney Plus (season 2, episode 10)\n\nThe more time that has passed since Gravity Falls concluded, the more miraculous it feels in hindsight. Alex Hirsch’s paranormal comedy show about 12-year-old twins Dipper and Mabel, who solve supernatural mysteries in their great-uncle’s home in rural Oregon, is the perfect entry point for young horror-loving audiences. It’s a pastiche of The X-Files, Twin Peaks, and Adventure Time all rolled into one, with the freewheeling, funloving spirit of a summer vacation. There’s tons of fantastic episodes to choose from, but if you’re looking for an especially spooky one to get in the Halloween spirit, you can’t go wrong with “Northwest Mansion Mystery.”\n\nA ghost has taken up residence in the mansion estate of the wealthiest family in Gravity Falls on the eve of their annual party, and Dipper has been enlisted to exorcize it. Upon arriving at the mansion, Dipper and popular girl Pacifica Northwest uncover a dark family secret that’s been buried for generations, one that threatens to not only tarnish the family’s reputation, but engulf the entire town. For a series ostensibly aimed at young children, it’s kind of wild just how scary “Northwest Mansion Mystery” gets, with taxidermy animals bleeding from their mouths, flaming skeletal lumberjacks, and hapless partygoers being petrified into screaming wooden statues. It’s a blast, and a solid stand-alone episode to introduce new audiences to the all the spooky (and “spoopy”) delights Gravity Falls has to offer. —TE\n\nOct. 9: The Scooby-Doo Project\n\nWhere to watch: YouTube\n\nScooby-Doo got extremely dark for a few years in the early 2000s, which also happened to be the best years of the series since its heyday in the 1970s. But while movies like The Witch’s Ghost and Zombie Island are absolutely excellent (and still hold up), among the most interesting hidden gems of the series is The Scooby-Doo Project.\n\nLike its name implies, this was a parody of The Blair Witch Project that stars the Mystery Inc. gang. Scooby, Shaggy, Fred, Velma, and Daphne set off in the Mystery Machine to the remote woods of Casper County. The movie is filmed in the same documentary style that The Blair Witch Project made iconic, and mostly inserts the gang into live-action locations like real woods or a real town where they interview locals.\n\nThe project was originally created as a bumper to bookend segments of a 1999 Scooby-Doo marathon (just a few months after the movie it was based on was released), but after Cartoon Network saw what the creators put together, it wisely decided to re-air the short segments end-to-end as a movie.\n\nThe Scooby-Doo Project not only stands alongside the original Blair Witch as an impressive and loving parody, but also as a similarly unnerving found-footage horror movie. The gang standing around among live-action backgrounds is creepy enough on its own, but hearing the beloved characters be accosted by unseen forces as they sprint through the woods is downright scary — particularly if you were a kid watching this for the first time in 1999, well before you saw The Blair Witch Project.\n\nBut the best part of The Scooby-Doo Project comes at the end when, much like the other Scooby-Doo movies of the time, we get a soft implication that the supernatural elements of the story were actually real and the horrors won’t stop when the villain’s mask comes off. It’s a downright haunting ending, and manages to match the excellence of its source material, which is high praise for any horror movie, let alone a Scooby-Doo parody. —AG\n\nOct. 10: Saloum\n\nWhere to watch: Shudder, AMC Plus\n\nOne of the best movies of 2022 was this criminally underseen Senegalese thriller. Saloum follows three extremely cool mercenaries whose post-mission flight home gets interrupted. The trio find themselves in a mysterious village where something is off, and the tension slowly ramps up into a chaotic finale.\n\nThe trio of lead actors are absolutely magnetic — Yann Gael (1899), Roger Sallah, and the late Mentor Ba bring the trio of loyal friends who also happen to be extremely deadly professionals fully to life. And with fantastic costume design, a stirring score, and compelling images from award-winning music video director Jean Luc Herbulot, Saloum is 84 minutes of genre-bending excellence.\n\nSaloum first premiered at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival, and the movie went on to win awards at Fantastic Fest and the Vancouver International Film Festival. And yet, way too few people have seen it. This is your chance to correct the record and help make Saloum the cult classic it deserves to be. —PV\n\nOct. 11: Heck\n\nWhere to watch: YouTube\n\nSkinamarink has proven to be one of the most polarizing horror releases of 2023. Kyle Edward Ball’s feature debut about two children trapped alone inside their home by a malevolent entity eschews the formal conventions of traditional cinematography and plot, consisting instead of a series of canted-angle shots of dark hallways and yawning darkness that forces the audience to ruminate on the horrors that lay therein. Personally, I vibed with it heavily, and so it should come as no surprise that I quite enjoyed Ball’s 2020 short film Heck as well.\n\nConceived as a “proof of concept” for Skinamarink, the short is told from the perspective of a young child who wakes in the dead of night to the blaring sound of their mother’s television set. With their mother seemingly nowhere to be found, the child is left to their own devices, with no means of either leaving the house or calling for help. As the interminable night drags on, with hours morphing into days morphing into weeks morphing into months of penumbral isolation, the child grows more fearful and feral, resorting to increasingly more desperate acts of disobedience in hopes of rousing their mother from sleep. This effort, however, is ultimately proven to be in vain.\n\nHeck circles the same rough ideas and themes of Skinamarink to different effect, channeling the vulnerability of a child and the horror of abandonment and neglect to create an experimental horror experience that demands the audience’s full attention. It’s a fascinating companion to Skinamarink that shows just how far Ball has come as a director honing in on this particular strain of horror, and makes it all the more intriguing to speculate on what he might conjure up next. —TE\n\nOct. 12: Harper’s Island\n\nWhere to watch: Available to purchase on Amazon, Apple, and Vudu\n\nIn theory, slasher TV should be easier to pull off. Episodic structure lends itself well to a slowly dwindling cast, with a killer on the loose and a different death each episode. This, as Lizzie McGuire (as Isabella the pop star) says, is what dreams are made of. And yet, show after show flubs it, because they can’t find interesting enough characters or dilemmas in what should be an endlessly engaging premise.\n\nBut the rules are different on Harper’s Island.\n\nThe small Pacific Northwest island was home to a serial killing where Abby (Elaine Cassidy) lost her mom almost a decade ago. She only returns at the start of the series under the most extreme of circumstances: her best friend Henry’s (Christopher Gorham) wedding. And unfortunately, the island’s deadly legacy is about to get a whole lot worse.\n\nThe thing is: The show is a perfect low-rent masterpiece. Being from 2009, it feels like a time capsule for both bootcut jeans and miniseries. At a tight 13 episodes, Harper’s Island knows what it’s about (killing people) and gets right to it (brutally). And yet, the beauty of Harper’s Island and its antics is how long it’s able to sustain a levelheaded approach to a purely absurd And Then There Were None scenario, right down to how long nobody knows they’re being picked off. Almost no death is like the last, which seems purely impractical from a serial killing perspective but makes for great TV. The episode titles are the onomatopoeias for how people die, for Christ’s sake! It’s all very fun and twisty, as bodies and mystery continue to mount. Harper’s Island makes slasher TV look fun and easy. More TV should be like Harper’s Island. —Zosha Millman\n\nOct. 13: American Horror Story: NYC\n\nWhere to watch: Hulu\n\nI have already gone on record about how I cannot look away from the trash fire that is most seasons of American Horror Story. But last season really solidified the reason I even watched the show in the first place. Namely, when AHS is good, it’s really good.\n\nAHS: NYC opens up with a serial killer on the prowl. That, coupled with the leather-clad spectral figure that seems to be haunting the main characters, seems like it’s just typical AHS schlock. But it’s so much more than that. Yes, there is a serial killer who uncannily resembles Jeffrey Dahmer, and the scenes where he stalks and tortures his victims are pretty scary. And yes, there is a leather daddy ghost that has no name or face. And yes, there’s a lot of dubiously consensual BDSM scenes. But the real horror comes from the powerlessness of the queer community in the face of the AIDS crisis.\n\nCreator Ryan Murphy builds this overwhelming, inescapable sense of dread. All AHS seasons hinge on their titular premise, which, more often than not, is a location. It’s not always done effectively, but in NYC, Murphy and the writers heighten the foreboding terror of being alone in a city of millions, of feeling helpless in a crowded room, of knowing that there’s something out to get you but not being able to do anything about that.\n\nThe whole season is surprisingly subdued for AHS (yes, even with the sex cages), and it builds up to a painfully poignant finale scene where, for 10 minutes set to Kraftwerk’s “Radioactivity,” one of the main characters wordlessly trudges through the next 10 years of his life, watching everyone around him slowly succumb to AIDS, as horror and reality blend together. —Petrana Radulovic\n\nOct. 14: Cat People\n\nWhere to watch: Max\n\nWant to be a smarter horror fan this October? Watch the movie that originated the modern jump scare, and then impress people at Halloween parties with this knowledge.\n\nCat People is not only a key part of horror movie history, it’s a delightfully dark and sexy time positively radiating with atmosphere. The movie follows a woman (Simone Simon) who is caught between her desire for a new man in her life (Kent Smith) and her belief that she is cursed to turn into a panther if she becomes aroused. And at 73 minutes, it’s one of the shorter horror classics you can watch this fall.\n\nNow for that jump scare origin. There’s a tense sequence in this movie where one character stalks another. Director Jacques Tourneur lets the tension build to an unbearable level before surprising the audience with the sudden appearance of a bus. Often considered the first example of the modern jump scare, it was called the “Lewton Bus” after producer Val Lewton, who used the technique again in later movies. —PV\n\nOct. 15: The Neon Demon\n\nWhere to watch: Prime Video, Hoopla, Freevee\n\nModeling is a cutthroat industry, and that goes double in Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn’s 2016 horror movie The Neon Demon.\n\nThe movie follows Elle Fanning as Jesse, a young model who just moved to Los Angeles and quickly gets taken under the wing of makeup artist Ruby (Jena Malone). As Jesse becomes more successful as a model, she meets various members of the industry who are willing to part the seas for her even as she makes enemies who get caught up in a wake she unknowingly creates. Even when people are being nice to her, no one lets Jesse pass without making it clear they’re jealous of her beauty and curious about what she can give them… or that they can take from her.\n\nHere, like in Drive, Refn’s version of LA is soaked in dread and seediness in every corner. Every person reads like a threat, and every new competitor or friend seems to be looking for a new way to drain the life out of the people around them — until they finally actually do it. But, like all Refn projects, what really sets The Neon Demon apart is how it looks. The griminess of the movie’s world turns brightly lit photo shoots into shadow-filled nightmares, with people who stalk the sets like jungle predators.\n\nThough The Neon Demon didn’t get the same acclaim as other so-called elevated horror movies from the time, looking back, it fits perfectly among the ranks of The Witch, It Follows, and Under the Skin. Refn’s nightmarish modeling movie is dripping with cynicism, cruelty, and a creeping atmosphere, with more meanness than almost any other movie from the era could muster. But it’s all in the pursuit of beauty, of course. —AG\n\nOct. 16: Project Wolf Hunting\n\nWhere to watch: Hi-Yah!; available to rent on Amazon, Apple, and Vudu\n\nSometimes, what you’re looking for is just literal tons of blood and gore. And when that’s contained in a premise that’s essentially “Con Air meets Predator, with a bit of The Last Voyage of the Demeter,” that’s hard to beat.\n\nProject Wolf Hunting is a Korean monster mash built out of an extremely fun idea. “What if a bunch of dangerous criminals rebelled on the cargo ship they were being transported on, only to discover the ship is also transporting a monster?”\n\nThe story is necessarily light, and the characters are thinly drawn (although the effective costuming and makeup work go a long way), but that’s not what you’re here for if you’re watching Project Wolf Hunting. You’re here for gory violence, and boy, is there a lot of it. The director has bragged that the team used 2.5 tons of fake blood while filming the movie, and it certainly shows. It’s one of the goriest movies I’ve ever seen, and that gore is augmented by terrific sound design, which builds the monster up into something well beyond the realm of humankind by making its movements sound metallic. It’s a machine designed for killing, and Project Wolf Hunting is a movie designed for a bloody good time. —PV\n\nOct. 17: Kuroneko\n\nWhere to watch: Criterion Channel, Max\n\nLike his 1964 film Onibaba (which we featured in our 2021 Halloween countdown), Kaneto Shindo’s 1968 supernatural horror film is a cerebral, gorgeous, and eerie drama set amid the tumultuous Sengoku period of Japanese history.\n\nKuroneko centers on the story of two women, a mother and her daughter-in-law, who are raped and murdered by a wandering band of samurai who set fire to their family home. Haunted by vengeance, their spirits forge a pact with the demons of the underworld, resurrecting them in exchange for the death of any samurai unfortunate enough to cross their paths. As the death toll rises, a young samurai is enlisted to fend off the wayward spirits once and for all, unaware of either the origins behind their malice or their tragic connection to his own past.\n\nKiyomi Kuroda’s cinematography in Kuroneko is a master class in minimalism, employing an intense contrast of light and shadow to produce sequences that feel downright otherworldly to behold. Whether it’s scenes of samurai wandering through a void of darkness by the Rajōmon gates or a dreamlike pan through a bamboo thicket overlaid as a character ruminates over the past, the film is a gorgeous display of deft cinematic craftsmanship in service of telling a dramatic and terrifying story of love, revenge, and regret. —TE\n\nOct. 18: A Wounded Fawn\n\nWhere to watch: Shudder, AMC Plus\n\nOne of 2022’s best under-the-radar horror movies takes its inspiration from an old-fashioned source: Greek mythology.\n\nDirector Travis Stevens (Jakob’s Wife) melds Greek mythic imagery with an unconventional serial killer narrative in a thrilling combination that breathes new life into the genre. The movie follows a museum curator who goes on a date with a serial killer. She finds him out once she notices a statue, The Wrath of Erinyes, that is in his home but shouldn’t be. From there, things get really strange.\n\nShot on 35mm, A Wounded Fawn is a gorgeous movie to behold, even before the action truly starts. Once it does, be prepared for a descent into the phantasmagoric, with jaw-dropping visuals, eerie practical effects, and a heavy dose of Aeschylus’ Eumenides.\n\nWith fantastic performances from Sarah Lind (Jakob’s Wife) and Dropout veteran Josh Ruben (Werewolves Within) in an unsettlingly off-type role, A Wounded Fawn is a bold new entry into the serial killer movie canon. —PV\n\nOct. 19: The Hole in the Ground\n\nWhere to watch: Max\n\nFew horror tropes get as much mileage as the image of the unnatural child. Likely that’s because the idea that kids should be innocent and cheerful is baked into so many human cultures that a child acting spooky and inhuman is a terrific cross-cultural recipe for horror. But an effective creepy-kid movie requires a spectacular creepy kid performer. James Quinn Markey fully delivers in The Hole in the Ground, the debut feature of Evil Dead Rise director Lee Cronin. But the movie isn’t just about a scary child — it’s about all the psychological baggage involved in dealing with one.\n\nSeána Kerslake stars as Sarah, a woman recently moved to the Irish countryside with her young son, Chris (Markey). After an unnerving incident, she starts to believe Chris has been replaced by an inhuman doppelgänger. There’s plenty of evidence that it’s true, at least for the audience. But an erratic, violent local woman who also believes her son was replaced serves as a warning for Sarah, both about how she can expect the community to dismiss her anxieties, and more potently, as a dark mirror of her fears, a suggestion that she might just be losing her mind. This incredibly dark and squirmy movie is much quieter and more internal than Evil Dead Rise, but it sure puts the screws to the audience, especially as it builds to an unforgettable, horrifying climax. —TR\n\nOct. 20: Silent Hill\n\nWhere to watch: Peacock\n\nThe mid-2000s were a no man’s land for horror movies. By 2006, we were four years out from the blockbuster prestige of Gore Verbinski’s The Ring and the J-horror import boom that followed it in America, and only just beginning to transition into the Saw-dominated years of “realistic” horror. More importantly, we were still almost a decade away from the arthouse horror boom that would kick off closer to 2014 with films like It Follows. This was exactly the environment Silent Hill was released into, and it deserved so much better.\n\nThe movie follows Rose, whose daughter, Sharon, is plagued with awful episodes of sleepwalking and nightmares about the mysterious abandoned town of Silent Hill. Rose brings Sharon to the town in a last-ditch attempt to find answers, but things go horribly wrong when the fog-shrouded town seems to transport them (along with police officer Cybil Bennett) to a new monstrous dimension. Meanwhile, after the mother and daughter have been gone for a few hours, Rose’s husband, Christopher, sets off to Silent Hill to find his family.\n\nInside the town is where Silent Hill takes the most inspiration from the video game series it’s based on. Some of Silent Hill’s most recognizable enemies and monsters show up, chasing Cybil, Sharon, and Rose through the town and eventually into the iconic Pyramid Head. These segments are impressively scary, and steeped in the dreadful atmosphere that made the games famous.\n\nBut even beyond the terrifying town itself, the best part of Silent Hill comes when Christopher arrives. Rather than managing to find his family, all he finds is an abandoned mining town. For most of the movie, the women’s frantic running and hiding from monsters is paralleled by Christopher wandering around the exact same areas, filled with a dreadful sense that his family is close, but completely unable to see them or the horrors threatening to kill them. It’s not a subtle metaphor for the differences in the ways that men and women go through the world, but it is an effective one, and it manages to create a level of crushing existential terror and defeat that few movies ever come close to. —AG\n\nOct. 21: Suspiria (2018)\n\nWhere to watch: Prime Video, Freevee\n\nDario Argento’s 1977 Suspiria is a horror masterpiece, the sort of film even the best directors would face insurmountable odds of matching with a remake. The story — an American ballerina who moves to Germany to attend a prestigious ballet company, only to be greeted by a series of murders and a supernatural mystery — is a vessel for Argento’s craft, featuring some of his boldest visuals and some truly nauseating body horror.\n\nSo how, then, did Luca Guadagnino do the impossible, creating its contemporary equal?\n\nHe cast Tilda Swinton in multiple roles and Mia Goth to do the Mia Goth thing. For cinematography, he brought on Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, known for Guadagnino’s own Call Me By Your Name, but also Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s seminal indie films Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives and Memoria. And for the score: Thom Yorke. Yes, Radiohead Thom Yorke.\n\nWhere other directors would have obsessively recreated a source text, rebooting it into something unrecognizable, Guadagnino’s film is an homage — the sort of movie you imagine Argento would make with the budgets and creative freedom afforded by tech companies trying to buy cultural capital. It’s more political. More grotesque. The ending is just more.\n\nThe truth is 2018’s Suspiria and the original Suspiria should be enjoyed together. In the past, that’s been a challenge, with the original film being surprisingly difficult to watch — especially if you prefer streaming. But this month, Criterion Collection has you covered, allowing for one of the most batshit double features of your life. —CP\n\nOct. 22: Pan’s Labyrinth\n\nWhere to watch: Available to purchase on Amazon, Apple, and Vudu\n\nNot just a great horror movie, but one of the Great Movies, Pan’s Labyrinth is among the best examples of a fairy tale for adults. Set during the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, Pan’s Labyrinth follows Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) after her pregnant mother takes her to live with her new stepfather, Captain Vidal (Sergi López) — a fascist Falangista hunting down the republican rebels that are hiding out in the Spanish forest.\n\nIn this terrifying time, Ofelia encounters a faun, a mythical creature that claims she is the reincarnated Princess Moanna, daughter of the king of the underworld. The Faun (Doug Jones) tells her that if she completes three tasks, she can return to the king and queen and live forever as princess of the underworld.\n\nLike many folk tales before they’re sterilized by pop culture, Pan’s Labyrinth is a fairy tale full of menace, danger, and horror — but also hope. It is both a refuge from a turbulent time and an attempt to understand it, a parable that becomes timeless in its specificity with new meaning to discover every time it’s revisited. Widely considered to be writer-director Guillermo del Toro’s magnum opus, it shows the director operating at the peak of his powers, with lavish production design, evocative colors, and naturalistic performances juxtaposed with quiet, dangerous magic.\n\nBut what makes it a great film is astonishingly simple. Some movies endeavor to make sure you understand them. The best ones help you understand yourself. Pan’s Labyrinth, in the end, wants to know what kind of person you are by the time the credits roll. —Joshua Rivera\n\nOct. 23: Eyes Without a Face\n\nWhere to watch: Criterion Channel, Max\n\nThe late 1950s weren’t exactly a booming era for French horror films. While Henri-Georges Clouzot’s psychological thriller Diabolique received an effusive reception upon its release in 1955, the prevailing attitude of French critics at the time was that horror was antithetical to the high-minded standard of what French cinema should aspire to. Eyes Without a Face bucked against this perception, taking what would otherwise be a standard mad scientist tale and turning it into a dark horror fable about love, guilt, and madness.\n\nThe film follows Dr. Génessier, a renowned plastic surgeon wracked with guilt over a car accident that disfigured his beloved daughter Christiane’s face. Faking her death and confining her to the grounds of his mansion, Génessier devises a desperate and horrifying scheme: Perform a series of skin grafts to repair Christiane’s face using the faces of abducted women who resemble her. With the failure of each attempt, the body count begins to rise, prompting the authorities to mount a desperate manhunt to apprehend the culprit. In the midst of all of this, Christiane herself grows tired of her father’s obsession, wishing instead to reunite with her lover Jacques and resume her life.\n\nFantastical and atmospheric, Eyes Without a Face is a beautiful horror thriller with masterful cinematography courtesy of Eugen Schüfftan (who previously worked on Fritz Lang’s Metropolis) and a memorable score composed by Maurice-Alexis Jarre, who would later go on to win an Academy Award for his work on Lawrence of Arabia. If you’re looking for an intelligent and gorgeous horror movie that still manages to dabble in its share of gore, Georges Franju’s masterpiece is a must-watch. —TE\n\nOct. 24: Overlord\n\nWhere to watch: Paramount Plus, Pluto TV\n\nThis slept-on genre-mashing gem takes a cast of excellent actors about to do bigger things (Jovan Adepo, Wyatt Russell, John Magaro, Pilou Asbæk, and more), and an up-and-coming director (The Pope’s Exorcist’s Julius Avery) and places them behind Nazi lines during World War II. The Nazis are up to more than usual this time: There be zombies in these labs.\n\nOn the eve of D-Day, a group of Allied paratroopers are sent into Germany on a covert mission. Things go wrong instantly when their plane crashes, and they soon discover twisted Nazi experiments after connecting with the residents. Things get bloody fast, with great action from second unit director Shaun O’Dell (The Woman King, Brotherhood of the Wolf) and stunt coordinator Jo McLaren (Heart of Stone).\n\nOverlord is a gleeful, intentionally ridiculous Nazi-zombie-bashing time, with tight direction and a fantastic group of actors. If you love the Wolfenstein games or Call of Duty’s Zombies mode, or B-movies with A-movie production, this one is for you. —PV\n\nOct. 25: Curve\n\nWhere to watch: YouTube\n\nTim Egan’s 2016 horror short inspires the same visceral physical response as watching an episode of Squid Game. A young woman wakes to discover her twisted body perched precariously on the slope of a strange cliff overlooking a bottomless pit. Her hands caked with blood, the woman attempts to inch herself away from the pit, each desperate motion teetering on the cusp of survival and oblivion. Will she be able to escape where so many others have failed?\n\nCurve works as a horror short because it leaves so much to the imagination. We don’t know who this woman is, how she ended up in this situation, or what the purpose of this place even is. In the presence of imminent horror, our first instinct is to scramble for answers and, in the absence of any to be found, our second instinct is to search for a means of escape. Through a captivating lead performance and deft sound design, Egan delivers a gripping horror story in just under 10 minutes. —TE\n\nOct. 26: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2\n\nWhere to watch: Max\n\nThe Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a nauseating smoothie of rural horror, outré indie experimentation, and wannabe snuff film. Its murders aren’t real, but you’d be forgiven for being convinced the film’s actors are in genuine trouble; from the budget film stock to the filthy sets, it all feels… off. The result is not just a great horror flick, but a monumental work that originated many tropes of its genre and, most recently, earned a coveted spot in the Sight and Sound list of the greatest films of all time.\n\nThe Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is nothing like that. You won’t see its name in a film school syllabus, and the films it inspired can be counted on one hand. Nonetheless, there’s something commendable about the gall of Tobe Hooper, the original Texas Chain Saw director, returning to his series with the energy of a middle-aged man on his first ayahuasca retreat.\n\nLeatherface gets in a high-speed car battle, eventually standing on the roof of a speeding sedan. Dennis Hopper dual-wields chainsaws. A radio station office is obliterated like it’s a novelty rage room. Sometimes you want a steak, and sometimes you want a hamburger. Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is a damn juicy burger. —CP\n\nOct. 27: Possessor\n\nWhere to watch: Hulu\n\nMy first Brandon Cronenberg (yes, David’s son) movie was Infinity Pool, his latest messed-up meditation on the rich and powerful. I vividly remember telling friends how exciting and debauched the movie was, and their response surprised me: “Clearly you haven’t seen Possessor.”\n\nThat night, I rectified this, and dear readers: They were right. As disturbing and mystifying as I found the world of Infinity Pool, Possessor was all that and more. And I haven’t been able to get it out of my brain since. Which is… fitting, considering the movie.\n\nAndrea Riseborough (Mandy, To Leslie) plays an elite corporate assassin who is able to inhabit other people’s bodies, getting closer to her victims by posing as people already in their lives. It’s a haunting premise, and one Possessor takes full advantage of, both in the moments of action and in the assassin’s contemplation about what her identity truly even is.\n\nPossessor is an unforgettable entry into the psychological horror canon, and it brings a little sci-fi into your Halloween celebrations. Don’t miss it. —PV\n\nOct. 28: Opera\n\nWhere to watch: Shudder, Tubi, Vudu\n\nYou can’t get more than five minutes into a conversation about Italian horror without mentioning Dario Argento, the giallo master.\n\nOpera represents the last hurrah of Argento’s hot streak throughout the ’70s and ’80s. It’s an extravagant horror-thriller that combines high-minded aesthetics with the viscerality of slasher cinema. The film follows Betty, the understudy to a famous opera singer, who is selected to play the role of Lady Macbeth after the star suffers a terrible accident. While preparing for her first big performance, Betty is subjected to a terrifying ordeal when she is attacked by a mysterious unseen assailant who tapes needles under her eyes and forces her to watch as her boyfriend is mutilated. Barely escaping with her life, Betty seeks the aid of Marco, the play’s director, in apprehending the culprit before they can claim another victim.\n\nVery loosely based on Argento’s own experience directing a failed production of Verdi’s Macbeth, Opera is a sumptuous and suspenseful slasher that holds the viewer’s attention and absolutely refuses to let go. Like Betty, one feels compelled to watch this macabre display of ritualistic horror play out to its conclusion in a desperate search of answers. Fortunately, unlike Betty, you won’t have to worry about losing your eyes if you find yourself overwhelmed by the frights. —TE\n\nOct. 29: House of 1000 Corpses\n\nWhere to watch: AMC Plus, Pluto TV, Tubi\n\nHouse of 1000 Corpses may be the true answer to the question “What is the best The Texas Chain Saw Massacre sequel?”\n\nThe movie follows a group of teens who are putting together a book on roadside attractions when they stumble upon a serial killer-themed rest stop run by a weirdo. After their strange encounter, the kids set off on the road, only for their car to break down a few miles later. Thankfully, their helpful hitchhiker companion Baby knows just the place they can get help: the Firefly mansion, where her family lives. From there, things devolve into a host of horrific stage plays, cursed experiments, and gruesome murders.\n\nThe family at its center, whom Rob Zombie went on to make two more movies about, is repulsive and absolutely horrible, but still zany enough to be truly unsettling in a way that few horror movies can be. House of 1000 Corpses is a grisly, grotesque film that captures all the grime of the ’70s movies that inspired it. But what really makes it worth watching is the way it balances silliness and terror, doling each out in proportional quantities until you can’t figure out if you should laugh or scream. Instead, you just end up doing both. —AG\n\nOct. 30: Thirst\n\nWhere to watch: Peacock\n\nPark Chan-wook has never missed. And Thirst, his most overt foray into horror, may also be his steamiest movie (a high bar, considering the excellent The Handmaiden).\n\nFrequent Park collaborator Song Kang-ho stars as a Catholic priest who volunteers for a medical experiment. The experiment instead turns him into a vampire, giving him a lust for blood… and also for the wife of an old friend.\n\nIn many ways, this movie is in close relationship to his two most recent releases — The Handmaiden and Decision to Leave. It pairs the eroticism of the former with the charged relationship dynamic of the latter, to gripping effect. With Park’s typical attention to detail and eye for arresting images (as well as his wicked sense of humor), Thirst is an unconventional and sexy Halloween watch. —PV\n\nOct. 31: The Exorcist III\n\nWhere to watch: Prime Video, Criterion Channel\n\nNearly 50 years since it was first released in theaters, William Friedkin’s The Exorcist has withstood the test of time as one of the most terrifying and influential horror films in American cinema. The sequel that came closest to capturing that same lightning in a bottle is The Exorcist III, written and directed by William Peter Blatty, the original screenwriter of the first film and author of the novel on which it was based.\n\nWhen a series of gruesome murders matching the modus operandi of an infamous serial killer begins to terrorize the city of Georgetown, Lt. William F. Kinderman (George C. Scott) investigates the psych ward of a local hospital in search of leads. Confronted with a suspect whose appearance matches that of his late friend Father Damien Karras, Kinderman finds himself thrust into a battle for his very soul as he confronts an evil beyond his comprehension.\n\nThe story of The Exorcist III’s production is a tangled mess of false starts, studio interference, and thwarted artistic ambitions. Though it was originally conceived with Friedkin in mind to return as director, he eventually left the project due to creative differences with Blatty. John Carpenter was at one time tapped to direct, before he too stepped aside to allow Blatty himself to take the reins. Morgan Creek Productions, which financed the film, demanded Blatty reshoot the film’s final act, which originally ended without an exorcism. Even given these complications, The Exorcist III remains a fascinating and terrifying film in its own right, with a hodgepodge of fascinating creative choices and literary dialogue that makes the film feel like a sister piece to Blatty’s The Ninth Configuration. It may not have been the Exorcist sequel that audiences at the time wanted, but it’s still a damn fine picture. —TE","url":"https://www.polygon.com/what-to-watch/23893288/best-halloween-horror-movies-tv-watch-stream","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_7d9d7f5824bdc172","mhq_54c71c105076539b","mhq_414d8e1b6f1fcb0a","mhq_389252cbee4f31d4","mhq_1fbff35ceee33589"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_7d9d7f5824bdc172","mhq_54c71c105076539b","mhq_414d8e1b6f1fcb0a","mhq_389252cbee4f31d4","mhq_1fbff35ceee33589"],"text_sha256":"8a8c201b6c1bfc25db64d4c6f6bb6e7918f940fb34f0fc78708fe5fb14f4eea8","source_record_sha256":"5ab636faf8b2170d6bff64db54466e989e7035eb4c7d4eab89fe83b5bd33b02c","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":165,"source_fields":{"title":"The Halloween Countdown: 31 days of horror to watch","author":"Toussaint Egan","source":"Polygon","published_at":"2023-10-10T15:27:53+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.polygon.com/what-to-watch/23893288/best-halloween-horror-movies-tv-watch-stream"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_f044cf63ebd54431","text":"Crossover boxing matches are all the rage these days. Until a few days ago, the phenomenon was limited to influencers and MMA stars. But after a recent quarrel on X (formerly Twitter) between Conor McGregor and Canelo Alvarez, a potential crossover boxing match has the boxing world buzzing with excitement. If the fight were to turn into a reality, it could help ‘Cinnamon’ get closer to his former rival Floyd Mayweather in terms of net worth.\n\nAmerica’s Favorite Video Today\n\nThe talks of Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather began with a tweet that launched a fiery exchange of words between these two mammoths of combat sports. The brash and confident ‘Notorious’ McGregor turned to X, praising Mayweather’s 2013 performance against Canelo. But he also boasted about landing more punches on ‘Money’ Mayweather than the Mexican superstar. Canelo quickly retorted, asserting he would need only one hand to make quick work of McGregor. Later, the banter further escalated, bringing a potential fight in the picture.\n\nCanelo Alvarez’s earnings and Floyd Mayweather’s influence\n\nADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad\n\nCanelo Alvarez reached his career high by becoming the first boxer to become the undisputed champion at super-middleweight by holding onto the WBA Super, WBC, and Ring Magazine super middleweight titles since 2020, and the IBF nd WBO titles since 2021. Meanwhile, his pockets became deeper and deeper, to the point that Canelo boasts a $180 million net worth in 2023. The most significant addition to his bank balance came when he signed a lucrative $365 million deal with DAZN and Golden Boy Promotions.\n\nvia Imago RECORD DATE NOT STATED Saul -Canelo- Alvarez MEX vs Jermell Charlo USA – Weigh-in ceremony Saul -Canelo- Alvarez MEX during the weigh-in ceremony prior to the Boxing fight against Jermell Charlo USA, at the T-Mobile Arena Explanade on September 29, 2023. brbr Saul -Canelo- Alvarez MEX durante la ceremonia de pesaje previo a la pelea de Box contra Jermell Charlo USA, en la Explanada del Arena T-Mobile el 29 de septiembre de 2023. LAS VEGAS NEVADA ESTADOS UNIDOS PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxMEXxCHNxRUS Copyright: xDavidxLeahx 20230929183529_BOX_2023_ALV_CHA_WEIGH_ALVAREZ44.\n\nFurthermore, Canelo and McGregor’s careers are intertwined with the legendary Floyd Mayweather. ‘Money’ faced both fighters at one point or the other, leaving each with a boxing lesson. When Mayweather defeated Canelo, it pushed him to hone his skills while starting a lifelong rivalry. On the other hand, McGregor made his boxing debut against Mayweather, losing the fight but leaving with a fat stack.\n\nImplications of a fight between Canelo Alvarez and Conor McGregor\n\nThe excitement and allure of two mammoths of combat sports getting in the ring to pummel each other to the brink of their endurance is undeniable. Not to mention, the fight will leave either party significantly wealthier than before. A potential clash between Saul Canelo Alvarez and the ‘Notorious’ Conor McGregor would not just be a dream come true for fans everywhere. It would also be a money magnet that would funnel income from a variety of channels.\n\nA few of those lucrative channels of income would be revenue from pay-per-view sales, live gate revenue, merchandise sales from either party and various promotional events from the fight. What’s more, if anyone wondered if people would want to watch the fight. The attention it has gathered in the small span of their X (Twitter) feud should be evidence enough. Not to mention, both fighters command a massive fan base, counted in millions across the globe.\n\nCanelo Alvarez and McGregor’s history of massive purses\n\nIf Canelo’s PPV pull was ever in question, his history of fight purses should convince everyone. Stepping back in time, Canelo’s fight with Mayweather collected 2.2 million pay-per-view buys. His 2017 bout against Julio César Chávez Jr. collected 1 million PPV buys. Canelo’s first battle with Gennady Golovkin gathered 1.3 million PPV sales. In his most recent battle against Jermell Charlo, the fight collected 700K PPV sales. These were just to name a few; over the years, Canelo has fought in increasingly profitable bouts.\n\nOn the other hand, Conor McGregor has created his own history in MMA as well as boxing. First of all, McGregor’s fight against Mayweather generated 4.3 million pay-per-view buys. His second fight against Dustin Poirier collected 1.6 million buys. The infamous fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov saw 2.4 million PPV sales. And lastly, his second fight against Nate Diaz collected 1.65 million PPV buys. If these numbers are any evidence, a Canelo vs. McGregor clash would break all their previous records by a mile.\n\nA substantial step toward Mayweather’s net worth/Billionaire status\n\nIt’s no secret that Floyd Mayweather is the richest boxer in the world. The legendary undefeated boxer boasts a staggering net worth of $450 million. It makes the retired boxer the richest personality in boxing to ever exist. Despite retiring from the sport, he occasionally fights in exhibition matches, generating millions each time. In addition, Floyd has made over a billion dollars in the span of his career.\n\nADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad\n\nvia Getty LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 29: Floyd Mayweather Jr. attends a game between the New York Liberty and the Las Vegas Aces at Michelob ULTRA Arena on June 29, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Aces defeated the Liberty 98-81. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)\n\nHowever, despite Floyd’s massive net worth, Canelo has inched closer to Floyd’s billionaire status over the years. If Canelo vs. McGregor ever manages to materialize, it could help Canelo take a significant leap to Mayweather’s net worth. The financial windfall from such a humongous clash would be substantial, driving him closer to Mayweather’s level of wealth. If Canelo’s past earnings are any evidence, this fight will be bigger than ever before. Canelo’s biggest fight to date is $45 million from the third encounter with Golovkin. So, a fight with McGregor could earn him anywhere from $55 to $60 million, adding to his $180 million. Meaning his total net worth would jump up to $240 million.\n\nADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad\n\nWhile matching Floyd’s net worth is no easy feat, if anyone can do it – it’s Canelo Alvarez. However, only time will tell if the fight can ever materialize. In case it does, it will be a spectacle the whole world would come together to witness. Do you think McGregor vs. Canelo can happen? Who would win the fight?\n\nWatch This Story: Here’s How $200,000,000 Worth Canelo Alvarez Spent His First Ever Million","url":"https://www.essentiallysports.com/boxing-news-perspective-potential-conor-mcgregor-fight-could-help-canelo-alvarez-come-a-step-closer-to-surpass-floyd-mayweathers-net-worth-and-his-billionaire-status/","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_4083498e9e104f97"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_4083498e9e104f97"],"text_sha256":"f8beb9fd9c00ba9e6c095c9d6ab9a17dec87334265969f79c072e24c0a3294b8","source_record_sha256":"a2fe41838ad77c95e1f5b44d3d4bfc560753666f8b119789475bd8bfa9c0f3a3","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":194,"source_fields":{"title":"Potential Conor McGregor Fight Could Help Canelo Alvarez Come a Step Closer to Surpass Floyd Mayweather’s Net Worth and His Billionaire Status","author":"Sudeep Sinha","source":"Essentially Sports","published_at":"2023-10-18T21:27:46+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.essentiallysports.com/boxing-news-perspective-potential-conor-mcgregor-fight-could-help-canelo-alvarez-come-a-step-closer-to-surpass-floyd-mayweathers-net-worth-and-his-billionaire-status/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_e273f0d070ecb333","text":"It's make-or-break time in fantasy land. Only one week stands between now and the fantasy football playoffs, so every decision we make could be the difference between an optimal finish and a womp-womp ending. Our Week 14 fantasy RB rankings for standard leagues will help steer your fantasy ship to the smoothest possible sailing, guiding you to the running back studs, sleepers, busts, and injuries of note going into the most important week of the regular season.\n\nThe rollercoaster that the 2023 season has been rolled on through Week 13, with yet another fresh batch of injuries. Luckily for us, we have strong stomachs (and we're not above taking offers from potential sponsors, TUMS and Kaopectate!). So, like always, we will navigate through the injuries to provide you with the most up-to-date information and analysis.\n\nLet's get to our Week 14 RB rankings and hopefully help you close out the regular season in style. Good luck, check back often, and enjoy the remainder of the first week of December!\n\nWhich RBs are on bye in Week 14?\n\nAfter a six-team byepocalypse in Week 13, only the Cardinals and Commanders will be off this coming weekend. That takes lead backs Brian Robinson Jr. and James Conner off the table, plus Antonio Gibson for those in deep leagues.\n\nWEEK 14 STANDARD RANKINGS:\n\nQBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers\n\nOne thing that stinks for fantasy is that both Washington and Arizona have been defensive turnstiles. Many of the stud running backs have tough matchups in Week 14, but it's only right that many of the elite backs must beat the best defenses to lift fantasy squads to the big dance.\n\nWEEK 14 PPR RANKINGS:\n\nQBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers\n\nWho are the best fantasy RBs in Week 14?\n\nChristian McCaffrey (vs. Seahawks in Week 14) retains his spot at No. 1, especially considering he's playing at home against a Seattle team he just roughed up for 139 yards and two TDs on Thanksgiving. We're also sticking with Austin Ekeler (vs. Broncos) even though he has managed just 2.99 yards per carry since returning from injury just eight games ago. If Denver's abysmal run D doesn't cure what ails him, Ek's getting demoted for the fantasy playoffs.\n\nTravis Etienne Jr. (@ Browns) draws a tough matchup on paper, but the Rams' Kyren Williams (@ Ravens) might beg to differ. Williams put 112 total yards and a TD on Cleveland in Week 13, and with Etienne's usage rate and the Jags hitting their stride offensively as of late, we're confident in the third-year back's ranking at No. 3.\n\nWe have two sets of teammates in our top 10 this week: Detroit's David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs (@ Bears) and Miami's Raheem Mostert and De'Von Achane (vs. Titans). Both duos have such solid workloads in high-flying, run-first offenses — and such juicy matchups — that we can't imagine any of these studs finishing outside the elite eight. DMont and Gibbs combined for 193 yards and two TDs when they faced Chicago in Week 11. Tennessee just surrendered 31 points to Indy, so we know Miami will be dominating the time of possession and running early and often against Will Levis and company.\n\nJets fans will be hoping for some Breece Lightning from stud second-year back Breece Hall (vs. Texans), and we think they will be rewarded for their patience. Houston has surrendered 111.8 scrimmage yards per game to RBs this season, and DeMeco Ryans' unit has also allowed 14 total rushing TDs on the year. We like Hall's upside even more than we like stud dual-purpose backs Alvin Kamara (vs. Panthers) and Saquon Barkley (vs. Packers), but just barely. Kamara and Barkley both have strong matchups, with Carolina and Green Bay both sitting in the bottom 10 in the NFL in standard fantasy points allowed to RBs.\n\nWEEK 14 FANTASY ADVICE:\n\nSleepers | Busts | Projections | Start-sit\n\nWho are the best fantasy RB sleepers, waiver pickups in Week 14?\n\nWe'll talk more about Derrick Henry (concussion) in the injury section, but we can say with confidence here and now that Tyjae Spears (@ Dolphins) should be the hottest waiver-wire pickup of Week 14. Tennessee is a run-first offense and King Henry might be sidelined with a head injury, so Spears could very well pick up where he left off against Indy last weekend. The young back averaged 4.7 yards per carry (just shy of his 5.1 YPC entering the week) en route to 88 yards.\n\nAnother backup getting a boost this week is the Patriots' Ezekiel Elliott (@ Steelers), who will assume lead-back duties after Rhamondre Stevenson went down with a pretty bad ankle injury in Week 13. Zeke might put in a vintage performance considering James Conner just went back to Pittsburgh and hung 105 yards and two TDs on his old squad.\n\nCould this be the weekend that Keaton Mitchell (vs. Rams) gets back into RB2 range for the Ravens? Los Angeles might find itself spying Lamar Jackson and Gus Edwards so often that the speedy rookie busts a couple of big runs. Mitchell has racked up 330 yards and two TDs since he broke out four games ago, but the majority of that damage (134 yards and a TD) came in the initial breakout against Seattle. He has still yet to see 12 touches in a game, something we can't imagine will be the case by the end of the regular season.\n\nWe also think Roschon Johnson (vs. Lions) could have a chance to take over lead-back duties in Chicago, as both Khalil Herbert and D'Onta Foreman have battled injuries and inconsistent touches this season. It's a tough matchup, so temper your expectations, but there's some high-floor flex appeal considering Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill averaged 5.2 yards per touch and found the end zone three times via the ground against Detroit last week.\n\nWEEK 14 DFS:\n\nDK lineup | FD lineup | Best values | Best stacks\n\nWho are the biggest potential RB busts in Week 14?\n\nWe're a tad worried about Buffalo second-year back James Cook (@ Chiefs), as Kansas City's front-seven tends to be stout against speedsters but below-average against power backs. You probably aren't in a position to bench Cook, but don't expect massive numbers from the guy who averaged just 2.7 yards per carry against the Eagles his last time out.\n\nZach Charbonnet (@ 49ers) faces a tough matchup and has a bruise on his knee, so we don't expect very fruitful results from the rookie if he starts in Santa Clara this weekend. We also don't love Jerome Ford or Kareem Hunt (vs. Jaguars), as Jacksonville entered Week 12 allowing just 12.3 standard fantasy points per game to RBs (third lowest in the NFL).\n\nWe say it almost every week, but the song remains the same: don't start Carolina backs Chuba Hubbard or Miles Sanders (@ Saints). It's even worse than usual this week, as New Orleans has a pretty hard-hitting front-seven and the Bayou is no place for below-average offenses.\n\nWhat are the biggest RB injuries in Week 14?\n\nTwo-time rushing champ Derrick Henry (head) suffered a huge blow to the head and neck area in Tennessee's Week 13 loss to the Colts, so don't be surprised if the king gives up his throne to Tyjae Spears this week. He immediately left the game and proceeded to the locker room following the hit, and it was confirmed that he would not return with a head injury. It wouldn't make much sense for a four-win team to rush back its franchise player.\n\nPatriots dual-purpose back Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) suffered an injury on a nasty hip-drop tackle in New England's Week 13 loss to the Chargers. Bill Belichick and company already noted that 'Mondre would miss multiple weeks, so we're bumping Ezekiel Elliott way up against the Steelers.\n\nD'Andre Swift took a hard hit and exited Philadelphia's game late against the 49ers, but it's tough to know if he's actually hurt or was just kept out because of the lopsided score. If Swift can't go in Week 14 against Dallas, Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott will split touches, with Gainwell likely garnering flex value.\n\nJonathan Taylor underwent thumb surgery last week and is expected to miss a few weeks. Tough for Taylor owners to ride the home stretch of the regular season without JT, but at least they could get him back for the end of the fantasy playoffs. The injury highlights the importance of handcuffs, as Zack Moss has put up multiple top-10 performances with and without Taylor this season.\n\nSeattle's Kenneth Walker III (oblique) missed Week 12 and 13, and we're not confident in his ability to suit up against the hard-hitting 49ers coming off a big win in Philly. Backup Zach Charbonnet exited early because of a knee injury against the Cowboys, putting his status in doubt, too. If both are out, DeeJay Dallas would start and lead the backfield in touches.\n\nGreen Bay's Aaron Jones has a sprained MCL, and sources have revealed that the Packers continue to consider him week-to-week. He only logged four carries before sustaining the injury in Week 11, then he sat for the Packers' Thanksgiving Day tilt with the Lions and their Sunday Night Football win over Kansas City. Why rush him back if Green Bay is already winning games?\n\nD'Onta Foreman (ankle) missed Chicago's game before the bye, and his status remains unclear heading into Week 14. If he's healthy, he'll likely start in Chicago's backfield, but it's anyone's guess how carries will be divvied up after Roschon Johnson surprisingly led the way in Week 12.\n\nWe'll be updating these standard RB rankings all week, so check back for the latest player movement.\n\nFantasy RB Rankings Week 14: Who to start, sit at running back\n\nRankings based on standard, non-PPR scoring\n\nRank Player\n\n1 Christian McCaffrey, 49ers vs. Seahawks\n\n2 Austin Ekeler, Chargers vs. Broncos\n\n3 Travis Etienne, Jaguars @ Browns\n\n4 David Montgomery, Lions @ Bears\n\n5 Raheem Mostert, Dolphins vs. Titans\n\n6 De'Von Achane, Dolphins vs. Titans\n\n7 Breece Hall, Jets vs. Texans\n\n8 Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions @ Bears\n\n9 Alvin Kamara, Saints vs. Panthers\n\n10 Saquon Barkley, Giants vs. Packers\n\n11 Tony Pollard, Cowboys vs. Eagles\n\n12 Bijan Robinson, Falcons vs. Buccaneers\n\n13 Derrick Henry, Titans @ Dolphins\n\n14 Kyren Williams, Rams @ Ravens\n\n15 Josh Jacobs, Raiders vs. VIkings\n\n16 Rachaad White, Buccaneers @ Falcons\n\n17 Joe Mixon, Bengals vs. Colts\n\n18 D'Andre Swift, Eagles @ Cowboys\n\n19 Javonte Williams, Broncos @ Chargers\n\n20 Kenneth Walker III, Seahawks @ 49ers\n\n21 Jaylen Warren, Steelers vs. Patriots\n\n22 Jerome Ford, Browns vs. Jaguars\n\n23 Alexander Mattison, Vikings @ Raiders\n\n24 Najee Harris, Steelers vs. Patriots\n\n25 Ezekiel Elliott, Patriots @ Steelers\n\n26 Gus Edwards, Ravens vs. Rams\n\n27 James Cook, Bills @ Chiefs\n\n28 Zack Moss, Colts @ Bengals\n\n29 Keaton Mitchell, Ravens vs. Rams\n\n30 AJ Dillon, Packers @ Giants\n\n31 Dameon Pierce, Texans @ Jets\n\n32 Aaron Jones, Packers @ Giants\n\n33 Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Chiefs vs. BIlls\n\n34 Jerick McKinnon, Chiefs vs. Bills\n\n35 Roschon Johnson, Bears vs. Lions\n\n36 Tyjae Spears, Titans @ Dolphins\n\n37 Kareem Hunt, Browns vs. Jaguars\n\n38 Tyler Allgeier, Falcons vs. Buccaneers\n\n39 Chuba Hubbard, Panthers @ Saints\n\n40 D'Onta Foreman, Bears vs. Lions\n\n41 Devin Singletary, Texans @ Jets\n\n42 Dalvin Cook, Jets vs. Texans\n\n43 Zach Charbonnet, Seahawks @ 49ers\n\n44 Chase Brown, Bengals vs. Colts\n\n45 D'Ernest Johnson, Jaguars @ Browns\n\n46 Miles Sanders, Panthers @ Saints\n\n47 Joshua Kelley, Chargers vs. Broncos\n\n48 Royce Freeman, Rams @ Ravens\n\n49 Jaleel McLaughlin, Broncos @ Chargers\n\n50 Jeff Wilson Jr., Dolphins vs. Titans\n\n51 Ty Chandler, Vikings @ Raiders\n\n52 Justice Hill, Ravens vs. Rams\n\n53 Khalil Herbert, Bears vs. Lions\n\n54 Latavius Murray, Bills @ Chiefs\n\n55 Cordarrelle Patterson, Falcons vs. Buccaneers\n\n56 Kenneth Gainwell, Eagles @ Cowboys\n\n57 Tank Bigsby, Jaguars @ Browns\n\n58 Rico Dowdle, Cowboys vs. Eagles\n\n59 Samaje Perine, Broncos @ Chargers\n\n60 Matt Breida, Giants vs. Packers\n\n61 Chase Edmonds, Buccaneers @ Falcons\n\n62 Boston Scott, Eagles @ Cowboys\n\n63 Jamaal Williams, Saints vs. Panthers","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/fantasy/news/fantasy-football-rb-rankings-week-14-running-backs-sleepers/7dba90c2816610df4860c264","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_0f910380b7593c40","mhq_0efa867faffe1139","mhq_876b8e0768a858b8","mhq_fa22176a48d0806c","mhq_88c1cb1b421e82f7","mhq_7e6e955d60ce6593","mhq_229ee6f69011cf7c","mhq_6aa58459cdf778ef"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_0f910380b7593c40","mhq_0efa867faffe1139","mhq_876b8e0768a858b8","mhq_fa22176a48d0806c","mhq_88c1cb1b421e82f7","mhq_7e6e955d60ce6593","mhq_229ee6f69011cf7c","mhq_6aa58459cdf778ef"],"text_sha256":"0b85c3ba3a324016d89e0213a5bbb65a8032eae910632aff6169eb953604c7d2","source_record_sha256":"3f35e00f67616d4a4a0be5162333b8fde862b34450968eb4d36af4f06fd5101d","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":198,"source_fields":{"title":"Fantasy Football RB Rankings Week 14: Who to start, best sleepers at running back","author":"Sloan Piva","source":"Sporting News","published_at":"2023-12-07T22:07:00+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/fantasy/news/fantasy-football-rb-rankings-week-14-running-backs-sleepers/7dba90c2816610df4860c264"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_e860349932e31fc3","text":"Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products.\n\nBlack Friday is almost here, but we wouldn't blame you if you've felt like it's been here for a while. What was once a one-day event filled with limited-time deals has grown into a month-long event with a plethora of sales to sift through each day. This year, Amazon, Target, Best Buy and Walmart and several other retailers kicked off their Black Friday deals early, with some starting as soon as late October. If you're overwhelmed by the amount of discounts showing up in your feeds, you're not alone.\n\n\n\nTo help, we at Engadget have collected all of the best Black Friday deals you can shop right now, primarily on tech we've tested and reviewed. These are the best tech deals you can get this year, on the gadgets we know to be worth your money. There's a possibility we'll see slightly lower prices on Black Friday proper — but with each passing day, that likelihood becomes less and less as even more early Black Friday deals pop up across the web. We'll be updating our list regularly in the lead-up to Black Friday, so check back to catch all of the latest Black Friday deals.\n\nApple iPad (9th Gen)\n\nApple's 9th-gen iPad is down to a new low of $230 at Amazon and Target. This is the budget pick in our iPad buying guide, and it earned a review score of 86 in 2021. It's the last iPad to use Apple's old design language, so it has thick bezels, a Lightning port, a Home button and a non-laminated display. This variant also comes with a paltry 64GB of storage. At this price, though, it's hard to do better if all you want is a large screen for streaming video, playing games and browsing the web. Its 10.2-inch display remains a step up from cheaper slates, its A13 Bionic chip is plenty fast for casual media consumption and its battery still lasts around 10 hours per charge. Most importantly, it's the cheapest route into Apple's huge app library, customer support and years of software updates. If you need more storage space, the 256GB model is also down to a low of $380.\n\nApple AirTags\n\nA four-pack of Apple’s AirTags have dropped to $80, which is just about $5 more than the pack’s record-low price. If you’re unfamiliar, AirTags are small Bluetooth trackers that you can keep in your bag or luggage or attach to items like your keys so you can keep track of their location. The only catch is that these only work with Apple devices as their host device, so Android users will have to pick a tracker from another brand to get similar benefits. AirTags connect to Apple’s Find My network, so you can see where your stuff is in that app and even force the gadgets to ring so you can more easily find your belongings (if you’re within close proximity).\n\nApple Watch Series 9\n\nThe new Apple Watch Series 9 has dropped to $329 at Amazon, Walmart and Target in a Black Friday deal. That’s $70 off its usual price and the lowest we’ve seen since it debuted in September. That’s the price you’ll pay for the 41mm model, but the 45mm models are now down to $359 with the same $70 discount. The Series 9 took the crown of the best smartwatch you can get right now in our guide thanks to its new S9 SiP that brings slightly speedier performance and on-device Siri processing, the new Double Tap feature and other improvements.\n\nApple Watch SE\n\nThe Apple Watch SE has dropped to a record low of $179 for Black Friday, which is $70 off its usual price. It may not have all of the advanced health tracking features of the Series 9, but the SE has all of the basics you’d want in a smartwatch, including smart notifications, all-day activity tracking and perks like Fall and Crash Detection and Emergency SOS. If you’re looking for a good entry-point into the Apple Watch space, or a gift for someone who has never worn a smartwatch before, the Apple Watch SE is a great option.\n\nApple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)\n\nThe latest version of Apple's AirPods Pro is back on sale for $190 at Amazon, Target and Best Buy. That matches an all-time low and comes in $60 below the pair's usual going rate. The AirPods Pro are the \"best for iOS\" pick in our wireless earbuds buying guide thanks to their easy pairing and deep integration with Apple devices. Effective active noise cancellation (ANC), a superb transparency mode and a pleasingly warm sound profile help as well, as does a new \"adaptive audio\" mode that can adjust the earphones' noise control settings based on your surroundings. That said, their battery life is just average at six-ish hours per charge, and you really have to use an iPhone to get anything out of them.\n\nWe gave the Lightning-based version of the second-generation AirPods Pro a review score of 88 last year; this new iteration is almost identical, only it comes with a USB-C charging case and has a higher IP54 dust-resistance rating. If you don't care about the updated charging port, note that the older Lightning version will be on sale for $169 at Walmart on November 22.\n\nApple AirPods (3rd Gen)\n\nThe third-gen Apple AirPods are back down to $140 at Amazon and Best Buy, matching the lowest price we've seen. Typically, the wireless earbuds have retailed between $10 and $20 higher over the past few months. We gave these AirPods a review score of 88 back in 2021: You can get better-sounding and more featured earbuds for much less, but if you're an iPhone owner who hates the feeling of traditional in-ear headphones, it might suit you well. It has a mostly balanced sound despite its unsealed design, and it gets the usual AirPods conveniences like hands-free Siri, Find My device tracking and quick pairing with other Apple gadgets. Just don't expect much in the way of deep bass or noise cancellation, as is the case with all earbuds with an \"open\" design.\n\nApple iPad Air\n\nThe iPad Air M1 is back down to a record low of $500 right now ahead of Black Friday. All color options are discounted. The Air is still the best iPad for most people at the moment, although we expect to see a fresh lineup with the latest M-series processor debut early next year. However, if you want a new iPad immediately, the Air offers speedy performance, good battery life, a slim design and Apple Pencil 2 support.\n\nApple iPad (10th gen)\n\nThe 10th-generation iPad is down to its lowest price ever at Amazon, Target and Best Buy. The 64GB model is just $349 for Black Friday in all four colors. That's $100 off and $30 less than the previous low. We gave the revamped standard iPad an 85 in our review. Compared to the 9th-gen model, the new version ditches the Home button and comes with a larger, 10.9-inch display. The front-facing camera is now on the landscape edge, which is much more convenient for video calls, though the tablet (for some reason) still only works with the first generation Apple Pencil.\n\nApple M2 Mac Mini\n\nApple's M2-powered Mac Mini desktops are also discounted for Black Friday: The 256GB model has dropped to $500 at Best Buy, while the 512GB model is on sale for $690 at Amazon with a clippable coupon. Though we expect an upgrade to the new M3 chip at some point over the next year, the current model is still a great option if you want a speedy desktop that runs macOS. It earned a score of 86 in our review, and it has a headphone jack, a Gigabit Ethernet port, two USB-A connectors, two Thunderbolt 4 USB-Cs and an HDMI 2.0 port.\n\nApple MacBook Pro M3\n\nApple released its its new M3-powered MacBook Pros just before Halloween, but the new notebooks are already on sale at Amazon, B&H and Best Buy. The entry-level 14-inch variant with the base M3 chip, 8GB of memory and 512GB of storage is $1,449, or $150 off Apple's list price. We note in our review that the M3 chip may quickly begin to push the limits of what 8GB of RAM can handle, though. If you can afford to step up to a model with more memory, note that a version with Apple's M3 Pro chip and 18GB of RAM is also $200 off at $1,799. An M3 Pro version of the larger 16-inch Pro, meanwhile, is $200 off at $2,299.\n\nHulu Black Friday deal\n\nHulu’s Black Friday deal is a great one for anyone who has not subscribed to the ad-supported tier yet. You’ll get one year of the service for only $12, which comes out to just $1 per month. That’s 85 percent off the standard monthly price and a great deal if you’ve been wanting to see what all the hype is about for shows like The Bear and Only Murders in the Building. The deal is available to new subscribers, and returning subscribers who have not been paying for Hulu for at least one month.\n\nDyson Airwrap\n\nThe coveted Dyson Airwrap is down to the cheapest price we’ve ever seen, just $480 when you clip the $119 coupon on Amazon’s product page. This hair tool uses the Coanda effect to keep air flowing around its barrel, helping you style your hair more easily. It also maintains a safe temperature for hair, resulting in less damage overall. You’re getting a number of accessories with this Airwrap bundle as well, including two differently sized barrels, separate brushes for soft or firm smoothing, a Coanda smoothing dryer and more.\n\nEmber Smart Mugs\n\nEmber Smart Mugs are down to record-low prices for Black Friday — you can pick up a 10-ounce mug for as low as $90, or a 14-ounce cup for as low as $110. These make great gifts for anyone on your list who may be otherwise hard to shop for, provided they enjoy a hot beverage every now and then. When used with their companion app, these mugs can keep drinks at an optimal temperature for up to 80 minutes, or even longer if the cup is kept on its charging coaster.\n\nTP-Link Kasa Smart Plug Mini\n\nThe smart plug we recommend for most homes is TP-Link's Kasa Smart Plug mini. A four-pack is on sale for $35 which is about $3 more than it sold for during Amazon's October Prime day sale, :but still a decent $15 savings. Plugs like these are a simple way to add some smart capabilities to any home, letting you turn on lights with just your voice, set automated schedules and routines that are triggered by other activities. These would make a great stocking stuffer for anyone you know who's curious about smart home connectivity but hasn't yet taken the plunge.\n\nXbox gift card\n\nYou can pick up a $50 Xbox gift card for $45 right now at Amazon and Target, a digital item that would make a good gift for a gamer who’s otherwise hard to shop for. This card can be used on a number of things, including game downloads, in-game purchases, membership costs like Xbox Game Pass and more. If you or a loved one is loyal to a different console, there are other digital gift cards on sale, too. A $70 PlayStation Plus gift card is going for $63 right now, while a 12-month Nintendo Switch Family plan is slightly discounted from $35 to $32.\n\nTP-Link Deco EX75 Wi-Fi 6E mesh router\n\nTP-Link’s Deco EX75 mesh router system with two beacons is $100 off and down to a record low of $200. This is our top pick for a Wi-Fi 6 mesh router system, and the two-pack should cover up to 5,500 square feet with stable connectivity. When we tested the three-pack, we were impressed by how well the system balances power with user friendliness. Its network is reliable and fast, and its companion app is easy to use and clearly shows you things like all of the devices connected to your network, current speeds and more.\n\nXbox Series X\n\nThe Xbox Series X bundled with Diablo IV is down to $439 from Walmart. The console itself has a list price of $500 and the game is typically listed between $40 and $70, so this is like getting a $60 discount on the console plus a free copy of the huge action-RPG. If you're a frequent Target shopper, note that the retailer is selling this same bundle with a $75 store gift card for $450.\n\nXbox Series S\n\nA starter bundle that includes a 512GB capacity Xbox Series S and a three-month subscription to Game Pass Ultimate is currently $240 at Microsoft. The console by itself has a list price of $300 and three months of access to Xbox's service will set you back $51 after this year's price hike (though the first month is often just $1 for new members).\n\nAnker accessories sale\n\nA slew of Anker chargers, cables, power adapters and other accessories are on sale for Black Friday at Amazon, with discounts ranging up to 37 percent. The deals extend to our favorite premium power bank, Anker's Prime 20,000 mAH battery with charging base, which is $130 for the set and its lowest price ever.\n\nOne of the company's 67W USB-C chargers is 37 percent off, bringing it to $38 and matching its all-time low. Our top 65W fast wall charger, Anker's 735 GaNPrime, is down to a new low price after a 38 percent discount. And the Anker Nano Power Bank is seeing one of its first discounts since coming on the market a couple months ago.\n\nMeta Quest 2 VR headset\n\nThe Meta Quest 2 VR headset is $50 off and down to $249 at several retailers. That matches the best price we’ve seen. At GameStop and Target, you can get the device with a $50 gift card. Despite the launch of the impressive Quest 3, we still consider the Quest 2 to be one of the best VR headsets available right now — precisely because of its more affordable price. It’s still the best way to jump into VR without spending a ton of money, and the Quest 2 has the perks of being completely cordless and comfortable to wear for long sessions. The hardware includes fast-switching LCDs with a smooth 90Hz refresh rate, and it comes with Meta’s sold motion controllers.\n\nRoku Streaming Stick 4K\n\nRoku's Black Friday sale knocks the price of its Streaming Stick 4K down to $30 at Amazon and its own online store. That represents a 40 percent discount. The Streaming Stick 4K is one of the best streaming devices available right now thanks to its support for all the major HDR formats, Dolby Vision and AirPlay 2, among other features. Roku’s TV interface remains super user-friendly, and this dongle also supports private listening with headphones paired to your smartphone via Roku’s companion app.\n\nSonos Black Friday sale\n\nPhoto by Devindra Hardawar / Engadget Sonos Beam (Gen 2) $399 $499 Save $100 While not an all-time low, this is a rare discount on the top midrange pick in our soundbar buying guide. Several other Sonos speakers and home theater devices are also on sale. $399 at Sonos\n\nSonos has kicked off its Black Friday sale for the year, bringing a range of discounts on smart speakers and home theater gear. The deals include the flagship Sonos Arc soundbar down to $719, which is a $180 discount. The mid-range Sonos Beam (Gen 2) and the more basic Sonos Ray are also on sale for $399 and $223, respectively; that's a $100 drop for the former and a $56 drop for the latter. All three devices are recommendations in our guide to the best soundbars. In other home theater deals, the Sonos Sub (Gen 3) subwoofer is $160 off at $639, while the more compact Sonos Sub Mini is $86 off at $343.\n\nElsewhere, the Sonos Roam portable speaker is down to $134 from its usual $179, while the Sonos Roam SL — which is effectively the same device sans built-in microphones — is down to $119 from its usual $159. For a smart home speaker, the Sonos Era 100 is $50 off at $199. We highlight the Roam and Era 100 in our guide to the best smart speakers. For those looking to add Sonos functionality to existing audio gear, the Sonos Amp is now $599, a $100 discount, while the Sonos Port is now $399, a $50 discount.\n\nYou can read our reviews of the Arc, Beam, Ray, Roam and Era 100 for more details on what to expect from those devices. Generally speaking, we like Sonos speakers for delivering relatively clean and balanced sound and a straightforward app that lets you connect to numerous music services. Their main appeal, however, is their ability to link up with the company's other devices in one connected audio system. Deals on any Sonos gear are fairly uncommon, so this is a good chance to save if you're looking to build out your own system. Sonos says this sale will run through November 27.\n\nGoogle Nest Thermostat\n\nGoogle’s Nest Thermostat is on sale for $90 right now, which is $40 off and close to a record low. It’s a pared-down version of the Nest Learning Thermostat, but it has plenty of smart features and should help you save on energy costs over time. This model is Energy Star-certified and will automatically turn temperatures down in your home when you leave the house, and you can adjust heating and cooling schedules from your phone.\n\nGoogle Pixel 8 Pro\n\nGoogle’s latest flagship smartphones are up to $200 off for Black Friday, including the Pixel 8 Pro, which you can snag for $799. The standard Pixel 8 is as low as $549 depending on the storage capacity you choose as well. These are the best Android phones available right now thanks to some substantial upgrades Google brought to each handset this time around. They both have upgraded Tensor G3 processors, vivid OLED displays with 120Hz refresh rates, excellent cameras and solid battery lives.\n\nGoogle Pixel Buds Pro\n\nThe Google Pixel Buds Pro are on sale for $115 at Wellbots. That’s the best price we’ve ever seen on what we consider to be the best wireless earbuds for Android users. Google learned from its previous generations of earbuds and made the best model yet with the Pros; they have improved sound quality, a comfortable design with reliable touch controls and good noise cancellation and battery life.\n\nGoogle Pixel Tablet\n\nThe Google Pixel Tablet is on sale for an all-time low of $399 at several retailers, including Amazon, Target, Best Buy and Google's own online store. That's $100 off the 11-inch slate's list price and $10 less than the deal we saw during Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days sale last month. We gave the Pixel Tablet a review score of 85 earlier this year: Its crisp LCD display, clean software and solid Tensor G2 chip make it a solid Android tablet in its own right, but its biggest selling point is the charging speaker dock that comes with it. Plop the Pixel Tablet onto that and it becomes a Nest Hub Max-style smart display and smart home hub. This deal applies to the base model with 128GB of storage, but the 256GB version is also $100 off at $499.\n\niRobot Roomba Combo j5+\n\nYou can save $300 on the Roomba Combo j5+ robot vacuum and mop at Amazon, spending $500 for the machine and its self-emptying base. The more affordable Roomba 694 is $115 off as well. The Combo machine lets you vacuum and mop with one machine and it comes with a base into which the vacuum dustbin will empty its contents after every job. The cheaper Roomba 694 is one of the best robovacs for people on a budget thanks to its slim design, strong suction power and easy-to-use mobile app.\n\nBreville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro\n\nBreville’s Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is 29 percent off and down to $320 for Black Friday. That’s the best price we’ve seen since the start of this year on one of our favorite air fryers. This Breville machine is much more than an air fryer, though — it has 13 cooking functions and a capacity that can handle a full turkey, so it’s more like a mini convection oven that sits on your countertop. It’s best for people who love to cook and have big families, or those who maybe don’t have a traditional oven and want a versatile (and relatively small) appliance for their kitchen.\n\nFitbit Charge 6\n\nFitbit’s newest fitness tracker, the Charge 6, is $60 off right now and down to a record low of $100. It’s the follow-up to one of our favorite fitness trackers, the Fitbit Charge 5, and it brings back the physical side button that previous generations had and integrates even more with Google services. It has an AMOLED touchscreen that displays all of your activity stats and smart notifications, a built-in GPS for mapping outdoor workouts, a week-long battery life and the ability to display turn-by-turn directions on its screen from Google Maps.\n\nAmazon Fire TV Stick Lite\n\nAmazon’s most affordable Fire TV Stick is down to $16 for Black Friday, which is only $1 more than its record-low price. You’ll find decent discounts across most of the Fire TV lineup right now — including a $20 discount on the new Fire TV Stick 4K Max — and this model is the cheapest of the bunch. It supports HD video as well as most major streaming services, plus it comes with a pared-down version of the Alexa voice remote. If you want the most powerful dongle that Amazon makes with support for 4K HDR content and Wi-Fi 6, you’ll have to spend $40 for the new Fire TV 4K Max.\n\nSony WH-1000XM5\n\nThe Sony WH-1000XM5 is down to $328 at Amazon, B&H and others. Though this isn't an all-time low, it's about $70 off Sony's list price and $20 lower than the headphones' usual recurring sale price. The XM5 is the top recommendation in our guide to the best wireless headphones, as it offers a comfortable design, powerful ANC, crisp call quality and 30 or so hours of battery life. It also comes with a number of useful bonus features such as \"Speak to Chat,\" which automatically pauses your music when you start talking to somebody else. By default, its bass-heavy sound plays well with hip-hop and EDM, though you can easily customize the EQ curve through Sony's app. We gave the XM5 a score of 95 in our review last year.\n\nSony WF-1000XM5\n\nSony's WF-1000XM5, meanwhile, is the top choice in our guide to the best wireless earbuds, and it's now down to a new low of $248 at Amazon, B&H and other retailers. Several other retailers have it for $2 more. Normally, these noise-canceling earphones go for $300. Like the over-ear XM5, this in-ear model delivers excellent ANC (with strong passive isolation), loads of helpful features and a warm sound that's fun out of the box but can be customized if needed. Battery life is decent at seven or eight hours per charge and, notably, the design is lighter, smaller and altogether more comfortable than past Sony earbuds. The WF-1000XM5 earned a score of 87 in our review this past July.\n\nBose QuietComfort Ultra\n\nThe latest flagship noise-cancelling headphones from Bose, the QuietComfort Ultra is seeing a $50 discount at Amazon, Walmart and Bose direct, among others. These headphones debuted last month and retail for $429 at full price. One of our concerns in our review was that higher MSRP, so this deal takes some of the sting out of the purchase. We found this pair to offer exceptional ANC, a comfortable fit and sound quality that has more bass plus \"increased clarity and enhanced warmth\" compared to previous generations of the QC cans.\n\nAnker Soundcore Space A40\n\nThe Anker Soundcore Space A40 is down to $54 for Black Friday, matching the lowest price we’ve seen. This is the top pick in our guide to the best budget wireless earbuds: It’s comfortable, it supports wireless charging and multi-device pairing, it can last up to 10 hours a charge and its ANC is remarkably effective for a sub-$100 pair. Its bassy sound should please most by default, but it can also be customized through a clean companion app. The only big negatives are its middling call quality and lack of wear detection.\n\nDyson Black Friday deals\n\nDyson Black Friday deals include a $200 discount on the Dyson V15 Detect Absolute, bringing the cordless vacuum down to $550. It’s hard to tell if this is a record-low price, but considering the standard V15 Detect is going for between $650 and $750 across the internet, we consider this to be a good deal. In addition to its strong cleaning power, the V15 Detect has a laser-powered optic cleaner head that illuminates the floor before you as you’re cleaning so you can see dust and grime more clearly. It also has a piezo sensor, which sizes and counts dust particles as you clean and shows you that information on its LCD display.\n\nAmazon Echo Black Friday sale\n\nAlmost the entirety of Amazon's Echo speaker lineup is on sale for Black Friday, with most bundled alongside a TP-Link Kasa smart bulb for no extra cost. The offers include the Echo Dot back at an all-time low of $23, the Echo Dot with Clock for $35 (a $25 discount), the standard Echo within $5 of its all-time low at $55, the larger Echo Studio for $155 and the entry-level Echo Pop back at its Prime Day price of $18.\n\nOf those, the Echo Dot and base Echo are likely your best bets — the former is the \"best under $50\" recommendation in our smart speaker buying guide, while the latter is our \"best under $100\" pick. The Echo Studio is still decent if you want better audio quality, though it's harder to recommend when the Sonos Era 100 is also on sale, while the Echo Pop is essentially a weaker-sounding Echo Dot for only a few bucks less. But if you're building a smart home around Alexa, each device offers similar functionality.\n\nAmazon Echo Show Black Friday sale\n\nAlong those lines, most of Amazon's Echo Show smart displays are also discounted. The recently updated Echo Show 8, for one, is on sale for a new low of $105, while the smaller 5.5-inch Echo Show 5 is back down to an all-time low of $40. Those two typically retail for $150 and $70, respectively. Again, both devices come bundled with a free LED smart bulb. You can also get an Echo Show 5 with a Ring Video Doorbell for $65.\n\nThe Echo Show 8 is the top Alexa pick in our guide to the best smart displays; compared to the Echo Show 5, it packs a better screen, richer speakers and a much sharper camera for video calls. But if you want something closer to a smart alarm clock for your nightstand, the smaller display still delivers most of the same Alexa smarts. If you want a larger panel, the rotating 10.1-inch Echo Show 10 is $90 off at $160 as well. We gave that one a score of 83 back in 2021, though our review found the Echo Show 8 to be a better value for most.\n\nGoogle Nest Hub\n\nIf you're partial to the Google Assistant, Google's Nest Hub is also on sale for $50 at Target and Walmart. That's $10 higher than its all-time low but still $50 off Google's list price. The Nest Hub is the top overall pick in our smart display buying guide, and we gave it a review score of 89 back in 2021. It has a 7-inch screen, so it's a bit bigger than the Echo Show 5 but should still be compact enough to fit neatly in a bedroom or small office. While it lacks a built-in camera, that may be a selling point for those who especially sensitive to their privacy (though no smart display is truly privacy-conscious).\n\nUltimately, whether it's worth getting a Nest Hub or Echo Show depends on what services you use: If you own a bunch of Nest devices and depend on apps like Gmail, Google Calendar and Google Photos, Google's display will make sense. If you want a larger model with a webcam and stronger speakers, the 10-inch Nest Hub Max is also on sale for $129.\n\nSamsung T9 SSD\n\nThe latest Samsung T9 portable SSD is on sale for $110 right now for a 1TB drive, which is the best price it’s been since it came out last month. You can snag this Black Friday deal from Amazon or Samsung directly. The T9 is the newest iteration of Samsung’s popular portable drive that we’ve long been fans of, and it supports read and write speeds of up to 2,000 MB/s. It also has dynamic thermal guard to prevent overheating, plus it comes with a USB-C to C and USB-C to A cords so you can use it with a variety of devices.\n\nSamsung microSD card sale\n\nIf you need a new microSD card for your Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck or GoPro, a trio of Samsung microSD cards we recommend are also down their lowest prices to date. The 128GB version of the Samsung Pro Plus is down to $11 at Amazon, B&H, Best Buy and others, while the 256GB and 512GB models are down to $18 and $32, respectively. Beyond that, the 256GB Samsung Evo Select is on sale for a new low of $15 and the 256GB Samsung Pro Ultimate is available for $25.\n\nThe Pro Plus is the top overall pick in our microSD card buying guide, as it consistently ranked among the fastest cards we tested despite its relatively affordable price tag. The Pro Ultimate offers faster read speeds, so it could be worth the step up if you often move files between your card and a computer. The Evo Select is our \"best value\" pick: It's slower than the other two, but it's cheaper, and its losses won't be hugely noticeable in devices that can't take advantage of the extra performance such as the Switch. Each card comes with a 10-year warranty.\n\nPlayStation DualSense Wireless Controller\n\nAmazon, Walmart, PlayStation Direct and several other retailers have discounted a bunch of PlayStation DualSense controllers ahead of Black Friday, including many of the colorways that typically go for $75. You can pick up Cosmic Red, Starlight Blue, Nova Pink and other models for $50 each, which is just about a record-low price. These controllers work with the PS5 as well as PC, and they sport adaptive L2 and R2 triggers, haptic feedback and a built-in mic array.\n\nXbox Wireless Controller\n\nIf you need a spare gamepad for your Xbox, meanwhile, official Xbox Series X/S Wireless Controllers are as low as $40 at Microsoft and Best Buy. As with the DualSense deal above, this discount applies to various colors. Typically, we see the gamepad retail between $50 and $60 depending on the colorway. The Series X/S controller doesn't have the DualSense's advanced haptics and requires AA batteries for power by default — we recommend grabbing a rechargeable set — but some will always find its shape and asymmetrical joysticks more comfortable. It's also simpler to set up and use on PC.\n\nPS5 + Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 bundle\n\nIf you or someone you love hasn’t gotten their hands on a PS5 yet, a new Black Friday bundle pairs the $500 console with the new (and critically acclaimed) Spider-Man 2 game for no extra cost. The PS5 remains one of the best gaming consoles you can get right now, and we found the open-world game to be even better than its predecessor in our review. In it, you can swap between playing as Peter Parker and Miles Morales, and it includes expanded combat mechanics.\n\nPS5 Slim + Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III bundle\n\nYou can get Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III for free with this $499 PS5 Slim bundle that’s roughly $60 off the price of buying each separately and available at multiple retailers. Sony announced this new svelte version of its console last month and it’s been popping up sporadically across the internet since then. Depending on the model you choose, it’ll be up to 24 percent lighter than the standard PS5 and it will take up about 30 percent less space overall.\n\nNintendo Switch OLED + Super Smash Bros. Ultimate bundle\n\nThe main Nintendo Switch deal for Black Friday bundles the $350 Nintendo Switch OLED with a digital copy of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and a three-month individual subscription to Nintendo Switch Online for no extra cost. This offer is available at Walmart, Target, GameStop, Best Buy and Nintendo's own online store. Smash Bros. Ultimate was released way back in 2018, so it's hard to call this an amazing deal, but the game remains one of the console's best and still typically retails between $50 and $60 on its own. The Switch Online sub, meanwhile, goes for $8. If you're late to the Switch bandwagon, you could do much worse for a free pack-in game — but keep in mind that Nintendo is expected to unveil its next console at some point in 2024.\n\nBackbone One\n\nPhoto by Mat Smith / Engadget Backbone One $70 $100 Save $30 Both the USB-C and Lightning versions of this recommended mobile game controller are 30 percent off for Black Friday. For the former, that's an all-time low. $70 at Amazon\n\nThe Backbone One mobile game controller is down to $70 at Amazon, Target, Backbone's online store and other retailers. That's a $30 discount. Both the USB-C and Lightning models are on sale; the latter is compatible with Apple's iPhone 15 series as well as numerous Android phones. We gave the Backbone a positive review last year, and we recommend it in our guide to the best gaming handhelds: It's more cramped than a traditional gamepad, naturally, but it has all the requisite buttons to play modern games, it's extremely easy to set up and it works well for remote streaming from your console or PC. If nothing else, it's a much better value than the PlayStation Portal.\n\nPlayStation, Xbox and Switch video game sales\n\nIf you're all set on the hardware front, a truckload of PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch games have dropped in price for Black Friday too. Both Sony and Microsoft have rolled out holiday sales on their respective digital storefronts, while a number of physical games are down to new lows at Amazon, Best Buy and others.\n\nThere are frankly too many deals for us to list them all here, but some highlights for PlayStation and Xbox owners include Assassin's Creed Mirage and the dramatic action-RPG Final Fantasy XVI for $40 each, God of War Ragnarök for $35, Gran Turismo 7 for $30, the rhythm action game Hi-Fi Rush for $22, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Horizon Forbidden West for $20 each and Halo: The Master Chief Collection for $10. Many of those make our lists of the best PS5 games and best Xbox games.\n\nOn the Switch side, the turn-based strategy game Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is on sale for $15, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and Luigi's Mansion 3 are each down to $40 and the excellent 2D platformer Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is down to a new low of $30. There are plenty more games on sale beyond those, and we expect to see more PC game deals over the course of the week.\n\nDJI Osmo Action 3 Creator Combo\n\nAs part of a larger sale on DJI cameras and accessories, the DJI Osmo Action 3 is seeing a discount as part of a bundle that includes two batteries, a 32GB microSD card and a case. Separately and not on sale, the set would run you $379, but is now down to $319. This isn't the newest version of DJI's GoPro Alternative camera, that one, the Osmo Action 4 isn't on sale. The newer version has a larger sensor and improved dynamic range, but at a higher price. But if you don't plan on shooting a lot of low-light footage, you may be happy with the performance of the Action 3. We put it through its paces in our review and liked the excellent video quality, and found it to be on par with GoPro's Hero 10. The the magnetic clip mount and long-lasting, fast-charging battery are also reasons to buy.\n\nMasterclass Black Friday deal\n\nMasterclass’ Black Friday deal gives you two memberships for the price of one, starting at $120 per year. That provides two individual memberships, while you can pay a total of $180 for access for two devices simultaneously, content downloads and a Family membership that covers six devices. Masterclass could be a good gift option for people who love to learn or collect hobbies as it provides access to hundreds of hours of video of masters of their craft explaining how they do their work. Some classes have exercises you can complete as well, making it feel more like a real class. This deal will be available until the end of the day on Black Friday proper.\n\nHeadspace Black Friday deal\n\nHeadspace Headspace $35 $70 Save $35 Headspace has knocked 50 percent off its memberships for Black Friday, so you can pay only $35 to get one year of access. $35 at Headspace\n\nHeadspace’s Black Friday deal is back for 2023, knocking half off subscriptions for new and returning subscribers. You’ll spend $35 if you pay for one year upfront, or $6.50 per month if you choose the more frequent payment method. Headspace is a solid meditation and mindfulness app that packs a lot of value, including dozens of guided meditation sessions to choose from at various durations, “sleepcasts” and soothing audio to help you get better shut eye and curated yoga and fitness videos that can help you stick to your physical health goals.\n\nSurfshark VPN\n\nSurfshark’s Black Friday deal knocks up to 86 percent off two-year plans, and you’ll get a few extra months of service for free depending on the plan you select. We consider Surfshark to be one of the best VPN services available right now, particularly if you want a solid VPN at an affordable price. We believe the mid-tier plan, Surfshark One, will be the best for most people and a two-year plan is down to $2.69 per month, with an additional four months of services thrown in for free.\n\nSamsung M80C Smart Monitor\n\nSamsung’s Smart Monitor M80C is $300 off and down to $400 right now. The selling point for this display, and really any Samsung Smart Monitor, is that it pulls triple duty as an external display, a smart TV and an IoT hub. In addition to connecting it to your computer, you can use it standalone as a TV thanks to the built-in TV operating system and included remote, and the embedded SmartThings hub lets you directly connect things like smart lights and other gear to the display.\n\nMotorola razr+\n\nThe Moto razr+ is 30 percent off and down to a record low of $700. It earned a spot in our best foldable phones guides thanks to handy exterior display that’s actually easier to use than that on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 and its ability to fold in half and get super compact and pocket-friendly. It’s cameras are not on par with those on Samsung’s foldables, but it’s a generally solid flip phone with a ton of personality\n\nBose QuietComfort Earbuds II\n\nThe Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II are down to $199, which is the same as they went for for October Prime Day. During that sale you needed to be a Prime member to save, but now anyone can take advantage of the discount. They retail for $299, but have sold for $279 for the past few months, so this is still an $80 discount. We think they're best wireless earbuds you can buy for noise cancelation, as they do a great job of blocking out the world. They also have a smaller, more comfortable fit than the previous generation and offer good audio quality.\n\nSamsung The Frame QLED TV\n\nThe 55-inch Samsung The Frame smart TV is 35 percent off and down to a new record low of $978 at Amazon. Samsung itself has it for a couple bucks more. Other size options are also discounted. The Frame has been super popular thanks to its design, which mimics framed artwork when not in use. It has a matte, anti-reflective display and an included slim wall mount so you can get the true “artwork” effect when you hang it on the wall. As an actual TV, it supports 4K content and Quantum Dot technology, plus it runs on Samsung’s Tizen TV operating system.\n\nSolo Stove Black Friday deal\n\nSolo Stove’s Black Friday deals have knocked up to $245 off fire pit bundles, up to $100 off fire pits by themselves and even more. A standout is the Ranger Backyard Bundle 2, which is $145 off and down to $320. It includes the company’s most compact fire pit along with its accompanying shield, stand, lid and shelter. Everything you’d need for an easy setup right out of the box is included in this bundle, and the 2.0-version of the Ranger includes a removable base plate and ash pan, both of which make the fire pit much easier to clean.\n\nProtonVPN Black Friday deal\n\nOur favorite VPN service, ProtonVPN, is having a rare sale for Black Friday that brings a monthly subscription down to only $4 for a total of 30 months. That means you’ll pay $120 for two and a half years of access, which is a pretty good deal. ProtonVPN passed our tests with high marks, but what made it stand out among other VPN security services was its independently audited no-logs policy, and the fact that the company has proven they don't comply with law enforcement requests to reveal data. If you want to jump in head-first with Proton services, the company has discounted Proton Unlimited, which includes access to VPN, Mail, Calendar, Drive and Pass, to just under $9 per month for the first year.\n\nLG A2 OLED TV\n\nWe expect to see many more TV deals as we get closer to Black Friday, but for now one standout is LG's 48-inch A2 OLED TV on sale for a new low of $550 at Best Buy. This is an entry-level model from 2022, so it's limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, lacks HDMI 2.1 ports and doesn't support other gaming-friendly features like VRR. That said, it's still an OLED TV, so it delivers deep contrast, bold colors, wide viewing angles and low input lag. At this price, it should be a nice step-up option for smaller or secondary rooms. Just note that it can't get as bright as higher-end OLED sets, so it's best situated away from direct sunlight.\n\nMicrosoft Surface Pro 9\n\nA configuration of Microsoft's Surface Pro 9 with an Intel Core i5-1235U processor, 16GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD and Microsoft's Surface Pro Keyboard is on sale for $1,000 at Best Buy. That's $540 off Microsoft's list price. If you don't need the keyboard, a variant with a faster Core i7-1255U chip is down to a new low of $1,097 at Amazon, Microsoft, B&H and other retailers. That's roughly $200 off the config's usual street price. Another Core i7 model with 512GB of storage is on sale for $300 more.\n\nIn any event, the Surface Pro 9 tops our guide to the best 2-in-1 tablets. While its 12th-gen chip is about to be two generations old, this is still the device to get if you want the functionality of a laptop in the slim, touch-enabled design of a tablet. We're past the point of the year when Microsoft would normally announce a refresh, but the current model should still be useful if you're coming from an older Surface Pro that's in desperate need of an upgrade.\n\nLenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus\n\nLenovo's IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus is on sale for $379 at Best Buy, which is $120 off its list price. This is the most recent version of the top pick in our Chromebook buying guide: Its 14-inch, 1,920 x 1,200 IPS touchscreen is good for the money, it's plenty fast for the kind of web browsing and light work you'd do with Chrome OS and both its keyboard and trackpad are comfortable. This model comes with a Core i3-1315U processor, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of eMMC storage, one USB-A port, two USB-C 3.2 ports and a microSD card slot. It also has a decent 1080p webcam. The chassis isn't especially light at 3.6 pounds, and we found the battery to last roughly seven hours in testing, which is just OK. But for less than $400, this is a strong value for those who just want an affordable notebook for the basics.\n\nFAQs\n\nWhen is Black Friday 2023?\n\nBlack Friday 2023 lands on November 24 this year, with Cyber Monday 2023 following up a few days later on November 27. However, the early deals have already begun. The entire month of November might as well be renamed Holiday Shopping Month as that’s when companies really start to get serious with their discounts.\n\nWhat day is Black Friday 2023 at Walmart?\n\nWalmart Black Friday deals will begin early this year on November 8. Walmart+ members will get a few hours of early access to Black Friday deals if they shop online on November 8, with access for everyone else starting later that day. Walmart will match its online Black Friday deals in stores starting November 10.\n\nWill Amazon have a Black Friday sale in 2023?\n\nAmazon will likely have a Black Friday sale in 2023. While the online retailer hasn’t made its deals known yet like Walmart has, Amazon will almost certainly have deals across all of the types of products it sells, including electronics. We anticipate seeing record-low prices on Amazon devices in particular, like Echo speakers, Fire TVs, Kindles and more. In years past, Amazon Black Friday deals have brought some of the best prices of the year on our favorite gadgets and gear, including headphones, tablets, smartwatches, robot vacuums and more.\n\nWhat other retailers have Black Friday sales in 2023?\n\nMost retailers have Black Friday sales, so you can expect to see Target, Best Buy, and others join Walmart and Amazon in discounting inventory to capitalize on holiday shopping interest. In the consumer electronics space, we expect most companies to have some sort of Black Friday promotion, so that means you will likely be able to get big-ticket items from brands like Apple, Samsung, Google, Sony, LG, Sonos and others for much cheaper prices.\n\nYour Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.","url":"https://www.engadget.com/the-53-best-black-friday-deals-we-could-find-at-amazon-walmart-target-and-more-151323236.html?src=rss","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_9ad884b914c90eac","mhq_a1797d3db503fda3","mhq_4849b2546a3c8589","mhq_74a462e4a9db47de","mhq_6d3802779694a3d5","mhq_ef0defe431ae3e08","mhq_9934309e0237e3ad"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_9ad884b914c90eac","mhq_a1797d3db503fda3","mhq_4849b2546a3c8589","mhq_74a462e4a9db47de","mhq_6d3802779694a3d5","mhq_ef0defe431ae3e08","mhq_9934309e0237e3ad"],"text_sha256":"12e3e7edf1e4f90a1ca102df6d3df4f995bfbb54700189c6462b947d90aa6662","source_record_sha256":"c618ff97cde766cf16d2040b16f6b28805f829cbd7318c2e33df1393f1f9a492","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":222,"source_fields":{"title":"The 53 best Black Friday deals we could find at Amazon, Walmart, Target and more","author":"Jeff Dunn,Valentina Palladino,Amy Skorheim","source":"Engadget","published_at":"2023-11-19T15:13:23+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://www.engadget.com/the-53-best-black-friday-deals-we-could-find-at-amazon-walmart-target-and-more-151323236.html?src=rss"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_49a8b973a8ff25aa","text":"The US is the largest pharmaceutical market in the world. By virtue of its size, its ideal IP protection laws, and deep-pocketed insurers, most of the cutting-edge innovation in pharma tends to be concentrated here. For investors and general readers alike, one should be abreast of the latest pharmaceutical innovation taking place overseas. Will a weight loss pill be a reality? When will HIV be cured? What is the future of cancer treatments?\n\nIndian investors can access growth in manufacturing, banking, commodity, services or even IT in Indian markets; but for cutting-edge tech and pharmaceutical exposure, the US is the place to look to.\n\nHere, we highlight the largest unmet needs in medicine currently being addressed by US Big Pharma, such as Merck, Gilead, Eli Lilly, and also by big players based in Europe — Novo Nordisk and Roche.\n\nWe also lay down the basic framework for investing in or assessing US pharma and the stocks that are in focus currently.\n\nOncology\n\nFrom plain chemotherapy, to surgery, to radiation and now immunotherapy, cancer treatment has come a long way. Immunotherapy, as the name suggests, is a pharmaceutical way of using the body’s immune system to eradicate cancer cells.\n\nPembrolizumab (Keytruda) approved in 2014 is the first major Monoclonal anti body or mAB from Merck. The product has raked in approvals for several cancers and has generated $20 billion in sales in 2022. This works by helping T-cells find and attack cancer cells. The PD-1 protein on T-cells is deactivated by PD-L1 protein found on the surface of a cancerous cell. Keytruda and Opdivo (from Bristol-Myers Squibb) that target PD-1 and Tecentriq (a PD-L1 inhibitor by Roche) can stop T-cells from switching off — by blocking the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction between a cancer cell and a T-cell. This allows for normal immune action on cancer cells.\n\nHowever, mABs have not had a high success rate. Treatment-resistant patient cohorts to mABs stood considerably high at 70-80 per cent.\n\nCombining the chemo route of toxicity and mABs’ targeted actions on cancer cells are Antibody Drug Conjugates or ADCs. These rely on an mAB to target cancer cells and then release the cytotoxin into the cancer cells. The link to join the mAB and the toxin makes ADCs a three-part drug.\n\nThe three parts involved in this process, along with the fact that several mABs are available, have opened the ADC market. Compared to mABs, ADC market is dominated by smaller players. Gilead acquired Immunomedics for $20 billion for its leading ADC - Trodelvy; Roche’s leading drug trastuzumab (Herceptin) for breast cancer is now paired with a cytotoxin and branded as Kadcyla, which is expected to generate peak sales of $3-4 billion over the next two years. Merck paid $4 billion in upfront payments to Daiichi Sankyo to collaborate on ADC. The US FDA has approved 10 ADCs for cancer treatment, and more than 80 ADCs are under clinical trials.\n\nAnother route of targeting cancer cells is CAR-T therapies. From the blood drawn from the patient, T-cells are isolated and collected. Chimeric antigen receptors (CAR), which can affect cancer cells, are then induced in these T-cells. This is done by infecting them with a nullified virus that is engineered to generate CARs. Such cells are cultured to multiply and then reinfused into the patient’s blood stream. For instance, leukemia and lymphoma cancers have CD-19 markers, which are targeted by the CAR-T cells and then they do their job of destroying the cancer cells. This segment has also witnessed significant M&A with Celgene acquiring Juno Therapeutics for $9 billion and Gilead acquiring Kite Pharma for $12 billion.\n\nThese novel approaches may also address the shortcomings in hematological cancers (blood) which have not faced as much success as in solid cancers.\n\nDiabetes\n\nAntidiabetic treatment kicked off with the discovery of the first animal-made insulin around a century ago. From there, innovation brought forth insulin synthesised from humans, synthetic insulins, longer and shorter acting insulins.\n\nApart from pills and the ever-reliable metformin, three leading categories operate in anti-diabetes. There are Dipeptidyl Peptidase IV inhibitors (DPP-IVs Januvia/Janumet), Sodium-glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors (SGLT2s Jardiance, Farxiga) and Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs Trulicity, Victoza, Ozempic).\n\nGLP-1RA is inching over the other categories with improved glycemic control in clinical trials. With positive impact on non-glycemic aspects as well including weight loss, cardiac events and kidney functions, GLPs will witness more product innovation and R&D commitment in the short term.\n\nGLP-1 is a normal peptide released by the intestine in response to a meal. This binds to GLP-1 receptors in the pancreas and activates insulin production, which is impaired in Type-2 diabetes patients. GLP-1 receptor agonists are external agents that bind to the GLP-1 receptors and elevate insulin secretion by the pancreas. But, GLP-1 receptors are also found in kidney, lung, heart, skin, immune cells, and several other tissues. This allows GLP-1RA to attain a multi-modal result, which improves cardiac and renal outcomes, and aids weight loss slower gastric emptying by binding to intestinal receptors. This feature separates GLP-1RA from other modes.\n\nTreatment regimens are now not just restricted to glycemic control. Novo Nordisk’s Semaglutide, a leading GLP-1RA regimen, has shown in studies that it can reduce an adverse cardiovascular event by 20 per cent in overweight patients. In Type-2 diabetes patients, Sema’s study to show improved outcomes in chronic kidney disease was successful even on interim analysis.\n\nSemaglutide, branded as Wegovy, showed a 17-18 per cent weight loss sustained over 68 weeks’ trial for obese patients treated with Wegovy. This has created a flutter as Pfizer, Eli Lilly and others have joined the race in the category.\n\nConvenience is another important dimension on which anti-diabetes treatments place a significant weight. Once-a week insulin, Ozempic, has been approved and once-a-week long-acting basal analogue is in the works. With frequent insulin injections being a primary complaint in diabetes treatment regimen, Novo Nordisk has also launched a pill version of its GLP-1RA, Rybelsus.\n\nHIV\n\nFrom being a near-fatal prognosis, HIV is now a chronic condition with near-normal life expectancy. The first antiretroviral therapy (ART) started with azidothymidine in the late 90s, which belongs to the nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) class of medications. The current regimen is a combination of NRTIs, nonnucleoside NRTIs (NNRTI), protease and integrase inhibitors and casts a heavy pill burden, apart from side effects. ART therapy is focused on limiting viral replication at several levels of cell development. NNRTI and NRTI act at the cellular level, protease inhibitors work at the maturation phase, integrase inhibitors at the integration phase of the viral lifecycle.\n\nTruvada is the first approved PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) treatment for those at risk of viral exposure. These work at very early stage of viral exposure and have found high success when taken regularly in the pill form.\n\nHowever, treatment resistance to ARTs from prior exposure is an increasing concern in HIV patients. Gilead’s Lenacapavir, approved last year, is a single-pill treatment regimen for patients with multi-drug resistance to ART regimen. This formulation also addresses the pill burden with a single pill.\n\nThat said, by limiting viral replication, ARTs, by design, cannot cure or lead to remission of HIV. There is hope, though. By pinpointing a cohort of patients whose viral load was under control with limited treatment, researchers have identified broadly neutralising antibodies or bNAbs as a potential cure for HIV. Antibodies deal with viruses but fail to do so in HIV infection. By engineering bNAbs in a manner similar to mABs for cancer or vaccines (where antibody reaction to neutered virus generates immune protection), HIV cure may be on the horizon.\n\nGilead’s several Phase-2 programmes with ART combination are in progress. Studies as recently as February 2023 presented proof of concept — 90 per cent participants showed virological suppression at 26 weeks. Incidentally, Gilead’s Sovaldi and Harvoni were the first cures for Hepatitis C. The World Health Organization (WHO) aims to eradicate the virus by 2030.\n\nAlzheimer’s\n\nThe degenerative disease of the brain has proved to be a difficult challenge for pharmaceutical companies. Leqembi (lecanemab), developed by Eisai in collaboration with Biogen, was the first and only approved drug for Alzheimer’s in July 2023. This comes after several failed attempts, and one controversial false start in the recent years.\n\nAlzheimer’s disease is characterised by amyloid beta deposits on brain cells leading to shrinking and loss of cognitive abilities. Despite a clear marker of amyloid plaques and a target area to work on, pharma companies failed to address plaque removal or a statistical improvement in cognitive functioning after plaque removal, till the recent approval. Pfizer, Eli lilly, Merck and many others faced failure in the space. The amyloid theory itself was in question.\n\nBiogen’s adacanumab had a peculiar start. The company itself stopped development in 2019, but it surprisingly pursued a high-dose study into 2021. Later, FDA approved adacanumab with an accelerated approval for high-dose version, which faced sharp criticism. Three advisers resigned over the approval of the drug that could have cost $56,000 per annum to administer. However, with a “traditional” approval for Eisai-partnered lecanemab for Alzheimer’s (compared to accelerated approval for adacanumab), Biogen has the first approved treatment, putting adacanumab on the backburner.\n\nCognitive function improvement is a critical marker for Alzheimer’s treatment and lecanemab delivers lower degeneration compared to placebo on this count. The treatment reduced clinical decline by 27 per cent at 18 months on clinical dementia scoring and on daily living scale delivered a 37 per cent improvement compared to placebo. As is evident, the development is satisfactory but a lot more progress is left to be made on Alzheimer’s treatment curve.\n\nTakeaways for Investors\n\nAnalysing pharma stocks in the US rests on three factors: drugs about to expire, drugs in ramping up stage and the pipeline. With sharp fall post genericisation, drugs about to expire will be a major overhang for any company, without a portfolio in ramping up stages. Pipeline products cannot really offset absence of products in ramp-up stage, as pipeline assets are given lower probabilities of success. Generally, Phase-I/II/III assets get 10/20/50 per cent probability of success.\n\nSo a good pharma stock should have low impact from expiries and fairly distributed pipeline. Along such lines, we earlier recommended Novo Nordisk (+140 per cent since July-21) and Abbvie (+27 per cent since Oct-21). We reiterate the recommendation on two stocks which are now trading at 31 times and 12 times FY24 earnings.\n\nNovo Nordisk, with sales ramp-up in weight loss, pill format and weekly injections of GLP-1RA, is well poised to grow even now. The pipeline will address NASH (untreated liver disease), hematology and other non-diabetic areas as well.\n\nAbbvie, despite Humira’s patent loss by end 2023 ($22 revenue billion in 2022) will continue to be powered by Rinvoq and Skyrizi in autoimmune, apart from deep pipeline assets. The Allergan acquisition, funded out of the cash flows from Humira as a replacement for Humira, can cushion the patent loss to an extent.\n\nAnalyst focus for Merck (12 times FY24 EPS) will start shifting to Keytruda’s likely patent loss in 2028. Despite the overhang, investors can accumulate the stock on dips. The deep pipeline powered by Keytruda combinations in immunology, ADC and other cancers, and the balance sheet strength should support Merck’s stock. While biosimilar launches will impact Keytruda’s sales in 2028, the rate of decline may be lower owing to strong physician preference for Keytruda.\n\nAnother important aspect to consider is the pipeline valuation. Here’s an example of how it is done. For instance, Biogen (and Eisai’s) Leqembi for Alzheimer’s (AD) is expected to generate peak sales of $7 billion by 2030. It has announced a list price of $26,500 for annual course and we assumed 50 per cent rebate to insurers on average here. Considering the 6 million patients in AD in the US, assuming 50 per cent are mild to moderate (applicable group according to FDA label) and 15 per cent on treatment by year 7, the drug alone can rake in $12 billion (halved to account for Eisai’s share) by 2030 in cumulative sales for a company whose market cap is $33 billion trading at 14 times FY24 EPS.","url":"https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/portfolio/big-story/merck-novo-nordisk-gilead-biogen-and-more-here-are-the-investment-opportunities-in-global-big-pharma/article67543437.ece","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_badcaa1a3ec1b24e","mhq_23919b8ec28eb90c"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_badcaa1a3ec1b24e","mhq_23919b8ec28eb90c"],"text_sha256":"9be1d3109b762ce44f018453913d6a939ff8bf16ef1a8682c237b207baa13484","source_record_sha256":"69090c9387e7829c37e5b0f893821756a9cc13ecd242d2c98dd758bc6ea34a48","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":239,"source_fields":{"title":"Merck, Novo Nordisk, Gilead, Biogen and more: Here are the investment opportunities in global Big Pharma","author":null,"source":"Business Line","published_at":"2023-11-18T14:00:36+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/portfolio/big-story/merck-novo-nordisk-gilead-biogen-and-more-here-are-the-investment-opportunities-in-global-big-pharma/article67543437.ece"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_128d1d4a69b4b0d7","text":"Taylor Swift's biggest album 1989 returns with new tracks from the vault Published 27 October\n\nImage source, Getty Images Image caption, Taylor Swift's 1989 tour sold 2.2m tickets and earned more than $250m at the box office\n\nOn Friday, Taylor Swift released a new version of 1989 - the biggest-selling album of her career, and the one that definitively turned her into a pop star.\n\nFeaturing hits like Shake It Off, Blank Space and Style, it was originally written during the 2013-14 Red Tour, with demos stored on her phone in a folder named \"Sailor Twips\".\n\nAwarded a Grammy for album of the year, it has spent 325 weeks in the UK charts.\n\nBut now she has re-recorded it as the latest part of an ongoing campaign to regain control of her work, after an investment company bought her master tapes in 2019.\n\nThis is the biggest and riskiest part of the project. While earlier remakes were largely made with a live band, 1989's pop landscapes are full of squelchy, processed synths and treated vocals.\n\nFans can now find out how it has turned out - and hear five new tracks from the star's vault, expanding on the themes and relationships she explored on the original.\n\nHere's a guide to all the songs and what Taylor has said about them.\n\n1) Welcome To New York\n\n\"It's a new soundtrack, I could dance to this beat forever more.\"\n\nWe open with a mission statement: The old Taylor can't come to the phone right now, she's dead.\n\nAfter building her reputation in Nashville, 1989 jettisons the banjos in favour of insistent, needling beats and tales of bohemian nightlife. \"A farewell to twang,\" the New York Times called it.\n\nTaylor knew change was necessary. \"I don't have the option of making music that sounds just like what I've done before,\" she told Popcrush. \"People will see right through it. They'll see that I was lazy\".\n\nHer label begged her to add three country-leaning songs to the album, but she stood her ground.\n\n\"At a certain point, if you chase two rabbits, you lose them both.\"\n\nWelcome To New York itself is the sound of creative and personal freedom. Taylor moved to the city in 2014 and was amazed to discover she could go grocery shopping largely incognito.\n\n\"My friends and people who know me have commented that I'm physically different since being here,\" she told NYC radio station WKTU. \"That song is about the endless hopefulness and endless possibilities that New York seems to present,\" she added in an interview with Access Hollywood.\n\nAll proceeds from the track are donated to New York City's Public Schools.\n\nImage source, Getty Images Image caption, The original version of 1989 won three Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year\n\n2) Blank Space\n\nPretty much the perfect Taylor Swift song, Blank Space takes every horrible rumour that was being spread about her love life, and amplifies it with satirical relish.\n\n\"In the last couple of years the media have had a wonderful fixation on painting me as the psycho serial dater girl,\" she told the Grammy Museum. \"Every article was like, 'Here's Taylor Swift standing near some guy. WATCH OUT GUY!'\n\n\"My first reaction was to be like, 'That's a bummer. This isn't fun for me'. But my second reaction was, 'Hey, that's actually a really interesting character they're writing about: She jet-sets around the world collecting men - and she can get any of them, but she's so clingy that they leave and she cries in her marble bathtub surrounded by pearls'.\n\n\"I was like, 'I can use this'.\"\n\nLyrically, it contains some of her best lines (\"darling, I'm a nightmare dressed like a daydream\") and there's a delicious attention to detail - with a pen click signifying every new entry in her little black book.\n\nShout-out to all the lonely Starbucks lovers; and to Chicago indie band Hard Femme who took that misheard lyric and made it a real song. Those search engine clicks gotta be lucrative, right?\n\nImage source, Getty Images Image caption, Many of 1989's songs were supposedly inspired by Taylor's relationship with Harry Styles\n\n3) Style\n\nAn epic aural painting of windswept coastlines and propulsive wanderlust, Style is (supposedly) named for Harry Styles, with whom Taylor had a brief relationship in 2012.\n\nExcept she says it was inspired by fashion, and how certain items like a black dress or red lipstick will \"never go out of style\". That prompted her to write about the people who'll always be part of your life, even after the flame of romantic love wanes (all of which sounds like a classic piece of deflection to a probing journalist).\n\nWhichever interpretation you prefer, the song marks a shift in Swift's psychology, as she briefly admits to having been unfaithful.\n\n\"I would never have said anything like that on a previous album,\" she told Ryan Seacrest.\n\n\"My previous albums have always been, 'I was right, you were wrong'. What happens when you grow up is you realise that the rules in a relationship are very blurred. It gets very complicated, very quickly.\"\n\n4) Out Of The Woods\n\nOne of 1989's strengths is how the music reflects the emotional tenor of the words. Here, that means frantic anxiety.\n\nAs Taylor and her partner run from forces that seek to destroy them, they're pursued by pounding drums and rushing synths. And there's a desperation to her voice, as though she's repeating \"everything's fine, everything's fine, everything's fine,\" against evidence to the contrary.\n\nBy the middle 8, it seems they've made a clean getaway. Then car brakes are slammed, and it's \"twenty stitches in a hospital room\".\n\nIn interviews, Taylor delighted in revealing this was based on a true story.\n\n\"It was almost like this very strange, subtle clue to the media that they don't know everything that happened in that relationship, and I can have something really major and traumatic happen to me and they don't know about it,\" she told NPR.\n\nIn her Rolling Stone cover story, Taylor said the crash actually occurred on a snowmobile \"with an ex who lost control and wrecked it so badly that she saw her life flash before her eyes\".\n\nThat prompted speculation the track was also about Styles: The couple had gone skiing with Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez in late 2012.\n\nThe lyrics also reference their identical aeroplane necklaces and a December break-up, which ties in with the \"Sad Taylor on a boat\" meme.\n\nBut the singer steadfastly refuses to name names: \"The fact that I've never confirmed who those songs are about makes me feel like there is still one card I'm holding,\" she told GQ.\n\nImage source, Getty Images Image caption, 1989 was seen as a risk by Taylor's record label, but ended up becoming her biggest-selling album to date\n\n5) All You Had To Do Was Stay\n\nTraditionally, track five on a Taylor Swift album is the record's most raw and vulnerable moment - but All You Had To Do Was Stay is no Dear John or All Too Well.\n\nInstead, it's a big disinterested \"nope\" to an ex who comes back begging for a second chance.\n\nThe song came to Taylor in a dream where her ex turned up at the door and, instead of giving him a piece of her mind, all that came out was a high-pitched plea to \"stay\".\n\nWhen she woke, she recorded the sound into her phone and decided to base a song around it. Only this time, she got to say everything she wanted.\n\nImage source, Universal Music Group Image caption, The video for Shake It Off was filmed under intense secrecy\n\n6) Shake It Off\n\nRattling like a bag of spanners, Shake It Off is a 21st Century Hey Mickey, a honking great party record with a chorus that drills so far into your brain you start seeing lights.\n\nIt was the last song recorded for 1989, and Taylor arrived at the studio with a challenge for her co-writers Max Martin and Johan \"Shellback\" Schuster: \"We need drums that make even the person who's having a terrible night at the wedding [go], 'Oh, it's my song!'\"\n\nLike Blank Space, Shake It Off is a response to celebrity takedown culture. Taylor lists all of her supposed flaws (\"She's an airhead!' 'She dates too many men!\") with a defiant \"so what?\", sounding much less bothered than the girl who'd written Mean as a riposte to a snarky music critic three years earlier.\n\nReleased as 1989's first single, Taylor spent three days shooting a video, codenamed Project Sparrow, that built on the lyrical conceit.\n\n\"When I'm at award shows, I have the best time dancing [but] I'm really tall and lanky so I look a little bit like a baby giraffe learning how to walk,\" she told a group of young Swifties.\n\n\"So all over the internet, it's like,'Taylor Swift looks awkward when she dances'. And as soon as I wrote [Shake It Off] I knew I wanted to do an entire music video of me awkwardly dancing.\n\n\"I'm like, 'Yeah, I do dance awkwardly, but I'm having more fun than you.'\"\n\nImage caption, Taylor was one of the main stage headliners at Radio 1's Big Weekend in 2015\n\n7) I Wish You Would\n\nOne of Taylor's many 2am songs, I Wish You Would, is powered by a choppy, unrelenting guitar line that mimics her thoughts as they race uncontrollably in the middle of the night.\n\nShe's pining for an ex, absent-mindedly driving down their street and wishing she'd never hung up the phone or broken things off.\n\nBut in real life, the story was reversed. Taylor told Rolling Stone the song was \"about an ex who bought a house two blocks from hers\"; while a hidden message in the CD booklet said: \"He drove past her street each night.\"\n\nThe mystery deepens.\n\n8) Bad Blood\n\nBad Blood has the dubious distinction of taking last place in Rolling Stone's ranking of all 237 Taylor Swift songs.\n\nIt's certainly not her finest work - a vendetta disguised as a pop song, with a ham-fisted chorus that lacks her usual melodic instincts.\n\nSwift hinted in a Rolling Stone interview that the track was about a high-profile female musician, saying the person did something \"so horrible\" that made them \"straight-up enemies.\"\n\nAlthough she tried not to identify the target, it became common knowledge that Katy Perry was in the crosshairs, after allegedly \"stealing\" Taylor's backing dancers just before a tour.\n\nPerry confirmed the situation on James Corden's Carpool Karaoke, adding that she \"tried to talk to [Swift] about it and she wouldn't speak to me.\"\n\nThe pop divas eventually reconciled in the 2019 video for You Need To Calm Down... but Taylor's still performing Bad Blood on her Eras tour.\n\nImage source, Universal Music Group Image caption, The Bad Blood video featured an all-star \"squad\" of Taylor's female friends, including Cara Delevigne, Gigi Hadid, Cindy Crawford and many more\n\n9) Wildest Dreams\n\nGrowing up means letting go of youthful optimism, and Swift confronts that notion several times on 1989.\n\nOn one hand, she's developed an ability to laugh off her critics; on the other, she seems increasingly jaded about love.\n\nHere, she's imagining the end of a relationship before it's truly begun. When it all goes wrong, she asks her partner, \"Say you'll remember me / Standing in a nice dress / Staring at the sunset.\"\n\n\"The way I used to approach relationships was very idealistic,\" she told Rolling Stone. \"I used to go into them thinking, 'Maybe this is the one - we'll get married and have a family, this could be forever'.\n\n\"Whereas now I go in thinking, 'How long do we have on the clock before something comes along and puts a wrench in it, or your publicist calls and says this isn't a good idea?\"\n\nInterestingly, an early draft of the lyrics had the couple fleeing the city and blotting out the pressures of the world, an idea which eventually resurfaced in I Know Places.\n\n10) How You Get The Girl\n\nWhat's that? An acoustic guitar? Surely not...\n\nThis is one of the few 1989 tracks you can imagine working as a country song, if it was stripped of its whip-crack snare drums and buzzing basslines.\n\nOver that backing, Taylor turns agony aunt, dispensing advice on how to win back someone's heart... although her solutions (standing outside their house in the rain, bombarding them with cute photos) suggest she hasn't quite weaned herself off Love, Actually just yet.\n\n\"It's kind of a tutorial. All the steps you'd have to do to edge your way back into her life, because she's probably pretty mad at you\" she told Radio.com.\n\n\"If you follow the directions in this song, chances are things will work out… Or you may get a restraining order.\"\n\nImage source, Universal Music Group Image caption, Deluxe editions of the album came with collectible Polaroids featuring Taylor's favourite lyrics\n\n11) This Love\n\nTaylor was beginning to experiment with different vocal styles on 1989, and the multi-tracked, semi-whispered performance on this track foreshadows the delicate sounds of the Folklore and Evermore albums.\n\nThe effect is almost aquatic, as though Taylor is drowning in the high tide she depicts in the opening verse. And that suits the song perfectly, with its theme of cutting someone adrift because they're not ready for a full relationship.\n\nIn an interview with the Scholastic book club, Taylor said the song originally started out as a poem in her journal.\n\n\"I just wrote it down, and closed the book and put it back on my nightstand, like, 'Oh, that was fun'.\n\n\"Then all of a sudden in my head, I started hearing this melody - and that's when I realised it was going to be a song.\"\n\n12) I Know Places\n\nContinuing the theme of thwarted love, I Know Places was fuelled by Taylor's increasing anxiety over holding down relationships in the spotlight.\n\n\"I was like, 'No-one's gonna sign up for this. There are just too many cameras pointed at me, there are too many ridiculous elaborations on my life',\" she told the Grammy Museum.\n\n\"But I decided to write a love song [about] what would I say if I met someone really awesome and they were like, 'Hey, I'm worried about all this attention you get'.\n\n\"So I wrote this song about, 'Hey, I know all these places we could hide. We can outrun them'.\"\n\nImage source, Getty Images Image caption, The 1989 tour saw almost the entire album played every night\n\n13) Clean\n\nCo-written with indie-pop auteur Imogen Heap, 1989's original album closer is very much the palette cleanser its title suggests.\n\nFor once, the cavernous 1980s drums are swapped for the plucked keys of a Zimbabwean mbira, while a weary Taylor emerges from the ruins of a relationship.\n\nAnd the song prompts one of her best lyrics - establishing drought as a metaphor for emotional desolation (\"the flowers that we'd grown together died of thirst\") before she's reborn in the cleansing waters of a rainstorm: \"When I was drowning, that's when I could finally breathe / And by morning, gone was any trace of you, I think I am finally clean.\"\n\nThe song is all about the necessity of pain, she told Popcrush.\n\n\"For most people that I've known who've fought through struggle, a lot them who have really just faced the pain head on have come out OK a lot faster than the ones who just pretended to be in denial of it.\"\n\nImage source, Getty Images Image caption, The star gave an Alice In Wonderland-themed performance at the 2013 Grammy Awards\n\n14) Wonderland\n\n\"It's all fun and games til someone loses their mind.\"\n\nAfter dressing as the Mad Hatter at the 2013 Grammy Awards, Taylor returned to Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland for this EDM-tinged banger.\n\nThe song describes a fling with a \"green-eyed\" man (Styles again?) with whom she \"fell down a rabbit hole\" where \"nothing's as it seems\" until, in the end, \"we both went mad\".\n\n\"Any song [on 1989] that is touching on a relationship issue is looking back on it, and discussing what I learned, rather than you did this and now I feel this way,\" she told Radio 1. \"There aren't any accusations made. There aren't any outright diss tracks.\"\n\nOriginally a deluxe edition bonus track, Wonderland doesn't add anything new or insightful to the mix.\n\nEven Taylor agrees it's a minor entry in her songbook: To date, she's only played it seven times in concert.\n\n15) You Are In Love\n\nA gently-sung romance, this was inspired by Taylor observing her producer Jack Antonoff and his then-girlfriend, Lena Dunham.\n\n\"I remember thinking [the backing track] sounded so much like the sound of actual love, true love. Like, through thick and thin, sickness and health love,\" she told MTV.\n\nDrawing directly on conversations she'd had with Lena, the song blends scenes of everyday life (burnt toast, borrowed shirts) with moments of incandescent tenderness (kisses on sidewalks and late night heart-to-hearts).\n\nIn an interview with Elle, Taylor talked wistfully about the couple's ease around each other.\n\n\"I've never had that,\" she said. \"[But] now I have more of a grasp on the fact that when you're in a state of infatuation and you think everything that person does is perfect, it then - if you're lucky - morphs into a real relationship when you see that that person is not in fact perfect, but you still want to see them every day.\"\n\nImage source, Republic Records Image caption, Artwork for the re-recorded version of 1989 has a beach vibe, in contrast to the Polaroid aesthetics of the original\n\n16) New Romantics\n\nProof that even Taylor gets it wrong: New Romantics, one of her most beloved songs, was originally held back as a bonus track.\n\nIt's a beast, though. An armour-plated anthem to resilience and power, where Taylor takes all the pain that's come her way and uses it to make herself bulletproof.\n\n\"Heartbreak is the national anthem, we sing it proudly,\" she declares, while glitterballs shatter around her. \"I could build a castle out of all the bricks they threw at me.\"\n\nThat defiance also acts as a bridge to her next album, Reputation, which dismantled her critics, one-by-one. But that's for another article..\n\n17-21) Tracks from the vault\n\nIn 2014, Taylor said she had recorded more than 100 songs for 1989 - so the relative scarcity of vault tracks is intriguing.\n\nWhereas previous re-recordings have featured full discs of bonus material, this album gets just five new additions: Slut!, Say Don't Go, Now That We Don't Talk, Suburban Legends and Is It Over Now?\n\nAs a whole, they feel like dry runs for the songs that made the cut. The melodies aren't as crisp, the lyrics aren't as sharp. Suburban Legends has a particularly clunky line about letting a partner's indiscretions slide \"like a hose on a slippery plastic summer\".\n\nSlut! has piqued fans' interest for its title alone - who might she be talking about? No-one, it turns out.\n\nThe song is thematically similar to Blank Space, commenting on the media's portrayal of Taylor's relationships: \"But if I'm all dressed up / They might as well be lookin' at us / And if they call me a slut / You know it might be worth it for once.\"\n\nThe best of the new tracks is Is It Over Now. An angrier take on 1989's philosophical break-up songs, it calls back to the Harry Styles snowmobile incident (see also, Out Of The Woods) then, deliciously, references the \"Sad Taylor Boat\" meme - a photo of Taylor fleeing a vacation alone after the couple split up.\n\nShe goes on to call an ex a \"lying traitor\", accuses them of parading their new relationships in public, and noting that every new girlfriend looks like her.\n\n\"If she's got blue eyes, I will surmise that you'll probably date her.\"\n\nThe fact that all the new songs were co-written and produced by Jack Antonoff suggests there may have been rights issues over the tracks she wrote with Max Martin - who has not been involved with the new re-recordings.\n\nThat means the vault tracks are all bathed in the dreamy, soft-focus atmospherics of Out Of The Woods, rather than the upfront pop of Shake It Off.\n\nSpeaking in 2015, Taylor admitted she'd been brutal about pruning songs from 1989's original tracklist.\n\n\"There were so many songs I wrote for this album that were really good, but if I felt in any way that they would have belonged on my last album, Red, they got cut,\" she told New York radio's The Todd Show in the Morning.\n\n\"There are really, really good songs on the cutting room floor because they weren't innovative enough or new enough. It's so weird to look back on that - you've got heaping piles of discarded songs that I really loved when I wrote them and I still love now.\n\n\"I just need each album to have its own sound and if it doesn't fit that sound, it doesn't matter if it's a great song to me.\"","url":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-66910595?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_791632b4818d555c","mhq_aa3f44d39640a0da","mhq_c6284e59a6a929ab","mhq_a60a12d7ee372cc3","mhq_41b203e453a69d8f"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_791632b4818d555c","mhq_aa3f44d39640a0da","mhq_c6284e59a6a929ab","mhq_a60a12d7ee372cc3","mhq_41b203e453a69d8f"],"text_sha256":"bbf068ba3e11def8db5ffffd9e80e396f5fa0477144dae6ce463c67546100226","source_record_sha256":"0990cab0a472b3ce4c536e3679fc81d3ebcc4f36ad150ff45c2f2d2c31cb87c1","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":257,"source_fields":{"title":"Taylor Swift's 1989: The stories behind her biggest album","author":null,"source":"BBC News - Entertainment & Arts","published_at":"2023-10-13T23:00:08+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-66910595?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_02ecfbdc00c2bc17","text":"Liverpool vs Everton begins epic Saturday with World Cup semi-final as well as Chelsea vs Arsenal – and it could end with a bang\n\nAs the Premier League returns with a Saturday packed full of huge matches, talkSPORT gets the action started at Anfield.\n\nBut that's not all there is, with a Rugby World Cup semi-final, a London derby and a packed UFC card among the other offerings.\n\n9 Merseyside derbies are never dull and talkSPORT has the first one of the season live Credit: Getty\n\n9 Everton are starting to look much better after a rocky start Credit: Getty\n\nHere, talkSPORT runs through what is an epic day of sport.\n\nMerseyside derby\n\nLiverpool are sitting in a comfortable fourth place in the Premier League table having picked up five wins out of their opening eight games.\n\nThe bad news for Jurgen Klopp is that the Reds lost to Tottenham and only managed a draw with Brighton just before the international break.\n\nAnd Klopp has a new worry: the Reds are without Andy Robertson after the left-back suffered a shoulder injury while on international duty with Scotland.\n\nHis absence could open up a gap in their defence for Everton to exploit.\n\nThe Toffees were winless in their first five games, but have since picked up two much-needed wins.\n\nBut Everton are up against the odds, having won just one out of the last 25 previous Merseyside derbies.\n\nLiverpool vs Everton is live on talkSPORT at 12:30pm on October 21\n\n9 Sean Dyche's side go into the Merseyside derby as heavy underdogs Credit: Getty\n\nCrystal Palace look to end Newcastle's building momentum\n\nThe Magpies have been on an impressive run of form across all competitions, knocking last year's treble winners Manchester City out the Carabao Cup while defeating Paris Saint-Germain 4-1 in the Champions League.\n\nBut Crystal Palace proved to be an unbeatable obstacle for Newcastle last season.\n\nThey recorded a goalless draw against Palace in all three of their meetings last season in all competitions.\n\nNewcastle are without Joe Willock and Harvey Barnes through injury - but Sandro Tonali is available, despite allegations of illegal betting which led to him being sent home from Italy's national team squad.\n\nMeanwhile, Palace have been defensively impressive this term, keeping four clean sheets.\n\nThey sit ninth in the table, just one place behind Newcastle, and can vault the Magpies with a win.\n\nNewcastle take on Crystal Palace live on talkSPORT 2 at 3pm on October 21\n\n9 Tonali will be available for the Magpies despite fears he could be banned Credit: Getty\n\nArsenal looking to remain 'Kings of London' away at Chelsea\n\nMikel Arteta's side go into the 5.30pm London derby clash full of confidence having beaten Manchester City in their last match.\n\nAnd they boast a brilliant record against the Blues of late, winning six out of their last seven meetings.\n\nThey have triumphed in their last three trips to Stamford Bridge, and haven't lost in a London derby since May 2022.\n\nAs for Chelsea, they go into their match against the Gunners hopeful of a result having won their last three games in all competitions.\n\nBoth teams face injury doubts, with Arsenal to potentially be without Bukayo Saka and William Saliba, while it remains to be seen if Reece James and Armando Broja feature for the hosts.\n\n9 Saka missed Arsenal's 1-0 victory over City at the Emirates last time out Credit: Getty\n\nSheffield United desperate for points against lacklustre Manchester United\n\nWith just one point on the board, Sheffield United's season could not be going much worse given they are rock bottom.\n\nWith a fixture against Manchester United on the cards, though, they may feel their hopes could be looking up given Erik ten Hag's men disappointing season.\n\nThey sit tenth in the table having won four and lost as many from their opening eight games.\n\nBut their most recent Premier League victory over Brentford may give the Red Devils hope their season is on the up.\n\nSheffield United vs Manchester United is live on talkSPORT - kick off is at 8:00pm\n\n9 United got a dramatic win over Brentford before the international break Credit: Getty\n\nAn England vs South Africa double header\n\nIf you've had your football fix for the day, there's also a packed Saturday of rugby and cricket.\n\nIt's crunch time for England in the World Cups as they face South Africa in the semi-final of the Rugby World Cup and in the ODI Cricket World Cup.\n\nAfter England secured victory over Fiji in the quarter-finals, they now look to overcome defending champions South Africa to advance into their second consecutive Rugby World Cup final.\n\ntalkSPORT will have updates from all the action in Paris as England take on the Springboks from 8:00pm\n\n9 Owen Farrell will be looking to inspire England to victory against the Springboks Credit: Getty\n\nOver in India, England's Cricket World Cup hopes hang by a thread after their latest shock defeat to Afghanistan.\n\nThey will be boosted by the news that Ben Stokes is fit for the match after he picked up a hip injury five days before the tournament.\n\nBut victory for England could scarcely be more crucial.\n\nHaving also lost to New Zealand in their opener, their chances of finishing in the top four and progressing to the semi-finals are looking dubious.\n\nBut South Africa, despite winning their first two games, suffered a shock defeat to the Netherlands in their most recent match - a sign for England that the Proteas can be beaten.\n\ntalkSPORT will bring you updates as England take on South Africa in the Cricket World Cup in Mumbai from 9:30am\n\n9 It's not looking good for England's cricketers\n\nUFC 294 in Abu Dhabi\n\nIslam Makhachev is hoping to to successfully defend his UFC lightweight belt against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 294.\n\nMakhachev retained his title in February this year as he defeated Volkanovski by a unanimous decision.\n\nBut despite the Russian's favourable 24-1-0 record, Volkanovski will be desperate to add the lightweight belt to his featherweight title.\n\nAlso on the cards, Kamaru Usman will fight Khamzat Chimaev in a middleweight title eliminator.\n\nExpect fireworks.","url":"https://talksport.com/football/1608383/liverpool-everton-chelsea-arsenal-england-saturday-sport/","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_09e5975ee83e3781"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_09e5975ee83e3781"],"text_sha256":"ece3a0919fd5531b250a97574a5844c6a2d4c7bd2d8fc51d8f1c4ac44b42fcac","source_record_sha256":"59df36dd7a5fdc3def57be0df3ac6a18ea54a1b752ba6b3aed603cee0d5d7ddf","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":300,"source_fields":{"title":"Liverpool vs Everton begins epic Saturday with World Cup semi-final as well as Chelsea vs Arsenal – and it could end with a bang","author":"Uma Gurav","source":"TalkSport","published_at":"2023-10-20T21:34:28+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://talksport.com/football/1608383/liverpool-everton-chelsea-arsenal-england-saturday-sport/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_4bec2038fcd4c78c","text":"The Biden Administration unveiled its ambitious next steps in addressing and regulating artificial intelligence development on Monday. Its expansive new executive order (EO) seeks to establish further protections for the public as well as improve best practices for federal agencies and their contractors.\n\n\"The President several months ago directed his team to pull every lever,\" a senior administration official told reporters on a recent press call. \"That's what this order does, bringing the power of the federal government to bear in a wide range of areas to manage AI's risk and harness its benefits ... It stands up for consumers and workers, promotes innovation and competition, advances American leadership around the world and like all executive orders, this one has the force of law.\"\n\nThese actions will be introduced over the next year with smaller safety and security changes happening in around 90 days and with more involved reporting and data transparency schemes requiring nine to 12 months to fully deploy. The administration is also creating an “AI council,” chaired by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Bruce Reed, who will meet with federal agency heads to ensure that the actions are being executed on schedule.\n\nASSOCIATED PRESS\n\nPublic safety\n\n\"In response to the President's leadership on the subject, 15 major American technology companies have begun their voluntary commitments to ensure that AI technology is safe, secure and trustworthy before releasing it to the public,\" the senior administration official said. \"That is not enough.\"\n\nThe EO directs the establishment of new standards for AI safety and security, including reporting requirements for developers whose foundation models might impact national or economic security. Those requirements will also apply in developing AI tools to autonomously implement security fixes on critical software infrastructure.\n\nBy leveraging the Defense Production Act, this EO will \"require that companies developing any foundation model that poses a serious risk to national security, national economic security, or national public health and safety must notify the federal government when training the model, and must share the results of all red-team safety tests,\" per a White House press release. That information must be shared prior to the model being made available to to the public, which could help reduce the rate at which companies unleash half-baked and potentially deadly machine learning products.\n\nIn addition to the sharing of red team test results, the EO also requires disclosure of the system’s training runs (essentially, its iterative development history). “What that does is that creates a space prior to the release… to verify that the system is safe and secure,” officials said.\n\nAdministration officials were quick to point out that this reporting requirement will not impact any AI models currently available on the market, nor will it impact independent or small- to medium-size AI companies moving forward, as the threshold for enforcement is quite high. It's geared specifically for the next generation of AI systems that the likes of Google, Meta and OpenAI are already working on with enforcement on models starting at 10^26 petaflops, a capacity currently beyond the limits of existing AI models. \"This is not going to catch AI systems trained by graduate students, or even professors,” the administration official said.\n\nWhat's more, the EO will encourage the Departments of Energy and Homeland Security to address AI threats \"to critical infrastructure, as well as chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and cybersecurity risks,\" per the release. \"Agencies that fund life-science projects will establish these standards as a condition of federal funding, creating powerful incentives to ensure appropriate screening and manage risks potentially made worse by AI.\" In short, any developers found in violation of the EO can likely expect a prompt and unpleasant visit from the DoE, FDA, EPA or other applicable regulatory agency, regardless of their AI model’s age or processing speed.\n\nIn an effort to proactively address the decrepit state of America's digital infrastructure, the order also seeks to establish a cybersecurity program, based loosely on the administration's existing AI Cyber Challenge, to develop AI tools that can autonomously root out and shore up security vulnerabilities in critical software infrastructure. It remains to be seen whether those systems will be able to address the concerns of misbehaving models that SEC head Gary Gensler recently raised.\n\nAI watermarking and cryptographic validation\n\nWe're already seeing the normalization of deepfake trickery and AI-empowered disinformation on the campaign trail. So, the White House is taking steps to ensure that the public can trust the text, audio and video content that it publishes on its official channels. The public must be able to easily validate whether the content they see is AI-generated or not, argued White House officials on the press call.\n\nAdobe\n\nThe Department of Commerce is in charge of the latter effort and is expected to work closely with existing industry advocacy groups like the C2PA and its sister organization, the CAI, to develop and implement a watermarking system for federal agencies. “We aim to support and facilitate and help standardize that work [by the C2PA],” administration officials said. “We see ourselves as plugging into that ecosystem.”\n\nOfficials further explained that the government is supporting the underlying technical standards and practices that will lead to digital watermarking’ wider adoption — similar to the work it did around developing the HTTPS ecosystem and in getting both developers and the public on-board with it. This will help federal officials achieve their other goal of ensuring that the government's official messaging can be relied upon.\n\nCivil rights and consumer protections\n\nThe first Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights that the White House released last October directed agencies to “combat algorithmic discrimination while enforcing existing authorities to protect people's rights and safety,” the administration official said. “But there's more to do.”\n\nThe new EO will require guidance be extended to “landlords, federal benefits programs and federal contractors” to prevent AI systems from exacerbating discrimination within their spheres of influence. It will also direct the Department of Justice to develop best practices for investigating and prosecuting civil rights violations related to AI, as well as, according to the announcement, “the use of AI in sentencing, parole and probation, pretrial release and detention, risk assessments, surveillance, crime forecasting and predictive policing, and forensic analysis.\"\n\nAdditionally, the EO calls for prioritizing federal support to accelerate development of privacy-preserving techniques that would enable future large language models to be trained on large datasets without the current risk of leaking personal details that those datasets might contain. These solutions could include “cryptographic tools that preserve individuals’ privacy,” developed with assistance from the Research Coordination Network and National Science Foundation. The executive order also reiterates its calls for bipartisan legislation from Congress addressing the broader privacy issues that AI systems present for consumers.\n\nIn terms of healthcare, the EO states that the Department of Health and Human Services will establish a safety program that tracks and remedies unsafe, AI-based medical practices. Educators will also see support from the federal government in using AI-based educational tools like personalized chatbot tutoring.\n\nWorker protections\n\nThe Biden administration concedes that while the AI revolution is a decided boon for business, its capabilities make it a threat to worker security through job displacement and intrusive workplace surveillance. The EO seeks to address these issues with “the development of principles and employer best practices that mitigate the harms and maximize the benefit of AI for workers,” an administration official said. “We encourage federal agencies to adopt these guidelines in the administration of their programs.”\n\nRichard Shotwell/Invision/AP\n\nThe EO will also direct the Department of Labor and the Council of Economic Advisors to both study how AI might impact the labor market and how the federal government might better support workers “facing labor disruption” moving forward. Administration officials also pointed to the potential benefits that AI might bring to the federal bureaucracy including cutting costs, and increasing cybersecurity efficacy. “There's a lot of opportunity here, but we have to to ensure the responsible government development and deployment of AI,” an administration official said.\n\nTo that end, the administration is launching on Monday a new federal jobs portal, AI.gov, which will offer information and guidance on available fellowship programs for folks looking for work with the federal government. “We're trying to get more AI talent across the board,” an administration official said. “Programs like the US Digital Service, the Presidential Innovation Fellowship and USA jobs — doing as much as we can to get talent in the door.” The White House is also looking to expand existing immigration rules to streamline visa criteria, interviews and reviews for folks trying to move to and work in the US in these advanced industries.\n\nThe White House reportedly did not brief the industry on this particular swath of radical policy changes, though administration officials did note that they had already been collaborating extensively with AI companies on many of these issues. The Senate held its second AI Insight Forum event last week on Capitol Hill, while Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to speak at the UK Summit on AI Safety, hosted by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Tuesday.\n\nChip Somodevilla via Getty Images\n\nAt an event hosted by The Washington Post on Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) was already arguing that the executive order did not go far enough and could not be considered an effective replacement for congressional action, which to date, has been slow in coming.\n\n“There’s probably a limit to what you can do by executive order,” Schumer told WaPo, “They [the Biden Administration] are concerned, and they’re doing a lot regulatorily, but everyone admits the only real answer is legislative.”","url":"https://www.engadget.com/sweeping-white-house-ai-executive-order-takes-aim-at-the-technologys-toughest-challenges-090008655.html?src=rss","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_c18289d9c0b1b410","mhq_7110e8ffab12865f","mhq_e9728fbb3e0c1884","mhq_dd03ecc9ba3d4ddc"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_c18289d9c0b1b410","mhq_7110e8ffab12865f","mhq_e9728fbb3e0c1884","mhq_dd03ecc9ba3d4ddc"],"text_sha256":"a66fbd42c802a84cfb259c4546954ed55ae2a27f4f068d112b15355bdd5d5c17","source_record_sha256":"7f80ede2f53c9467f4c3ec06e473b8dd5450db2d1b51bfe3200fb278ad646178","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":313,"source_fields":{"title":"Sweeping White House AI executive order takes aim at the technology's toughest challenges","author":"Andrew Tarantola","source":"Engadget","published_at":"2023-10-30T09:00:08+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://www.engadget.com/sweeping-white-house-ai-executive-order-takes-aim-at-the-technologys-toughest-challenges-090008655.html?src=rss"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_ce5b48754a97329e","text":"This winter, head north and bring your warm hat and mittens with you as you watch the stunning Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, vividly light up the sky.\n\nThe display is expected to be even stronger and brighter than it has been in the past because of the sun's recent activity.\n\n\"Recent observations of sunspots, a measure of how active the sun is, show a dramatic increase from this time last year, and we are approaching the expected peak of the 11-year solar cycle in 2024 or 2025,\" New Scientist reported.\n\nNORTHERN LIGHTS DAZZLE IN OVER HALF-DOZEN STATES: NEW YORK, MINNESOTA, ARKANSAS\n\n\"This means that over the next few months in the Northern Hemisphere, the Northern Lights will probably be stronger than they have been for at least a decade.\"\n\nWith that in mind, now may be the time to pack your bags and get a close look at the dancing waves of light — but where should you go to capture the magic?\n\nNorthern Lights in America\n\nIf you don't want to break out your passport this season to take in the views, here are a few options located right here in the U.S. that will not disappoint.\n\nCheck out these ideas.\n\nFairbanks, Alaska\n\nFairbanks, Alaska, is not only one of the best places in the country to view the vivid light display — it's one of the best locations in the world.\n\n\"Because of its location within the auroral oval and dark skies, Alaska is one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights, and lucky for American travelers, you don't even need a passport to get there,\" Travel and Leisure shared.\n\nNORTHERN LIGHTS DAZZLE ALASKA IN COLORFUL DISPLAY SEEN ON VIDEO\n\nThe aurora oval is a \"a ring-shaped region hovering over the far north where Northern Lights activity is concentrated,\" according to travelalaska.com.\n\nThe view of the lights can be seen from just about anywhere in Fairbanks which means you can enjoy a magical display as you drive late into night.\n\nLake Superior, Michigan\n\nMichigan is a great place to view the Northern Lights when in the U.S., specifically near Lake Superior and the Upper Peninsula.\n\nThe state has two important factors that make it such a great location for taking in the sights: latitude and low light pollution.\n\nSTRAWBERRY SUPERMOON TO APPEAR BRIGHTEST IN SKY, PLUS OTHER STUNNING FULL MOONS TO CATCH THIS YEAR\n\n\"The Upper Peninsula is blessed with hundreds of miles of shoreline along the south shore of Lake Superior, which provides some of the best Northern Lights viewing in the lower 48 due to the very dark night skies,\" Pure Michigan shared online.\n\n\"When looking north over Lake Superior, one can see right down to the horizon and take in a 180-degree unobstructed view of the night sky.\"\n\nPriest Lake, Idaho\n\nIn far-northern Idaho, you can find Priest Lake, which has become a major spot for aurora hunters.\n\n\"Priest Lake, in far-northern Idaho, has been my most reliable and rewarding location for viewing the northern lights,\" Visit Idaho stated.\n\nTHREE US DESTINATIONS MAKE LONELY PLANET’S 'BEST PLACES TO VISIT' IN 2023: CAN YOU GUESS THE PICKS?\n\nThe marina will also join in on the fun by turning out the lights, so enthusiasts can get a good look at the night sky.\n\nNorthern Lights in Europe\n\nIf you don't mind planning a holiday getaway this winter, take a quick trip across the pond to see the Aurora Borealis from these unbelievable sights.\n\nTromsø, Norway\n\nWhen picturing the landscape surrounding the Northern Lights, you probably imagine something exactly like Tromsø, Norway, which is why it is widely considered one of the top places to see the Aurora Borealis.\n\nTromsø is the third largest city north of the Arctic Circle. It \"lies just within the Northern Lights Oval, the region above Earth's geomagnetic North Pole, where aurora displays are most likely to occur,\" according to Space.com.\n\nAI LIFE HACKS: HOW TRAVELERS ARE USING CHATGPT TO PLAN TRIPS ON A BUDGET\n\nThe stunning display can be seen from September to April.\n\nYou will not miss out on taking in the beauty of the sky when in Tromsø, thanks to the many travel sites and guides that offer aurora chases.\n\nSwedish Laplands\n\nSweden has become a top place to view the dancing lights in the Northern Hemisphere; the Lapland region, in particular, is the most popular.\n\n\"Not only is Abisko, Swedish Lapland, within the aurora oval but the surrounding mountains also keep the skies clear and there's barely any light pollution,\" Swedish Lapland shared online.\n\nGHOST RAINBOWS, 'RAINING FROGS' AND SUN HALOS: WEIRD WEATHER PHENOMENA SEEN ACROSS THE US\n\nIn Abisko, you can find the Aurora Sky Station. It has an observation tower and experts available to answer any questions about the display, the Space Tourism Guide shared.\n\nJökulsárlón, Iceland\n\nOne of the most unique places to see the magnificent Northern Lights display is found at the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon in Iceland.\n\n\"Jokulsarlon’s secluded location ensures minimal light pollution, providing the perfect setting to witness the stunning colors of the Aurora Borealis,\" said Arctic Adventures.\n\nICELAND VOLCANO NEAR MAJOR AIRPORT ERUPTS SECOND TIME IN A YEAR\n\n\"The best time to observe the Northern Lights at Jokulsarlon is during the late evening and early night hours when the darkness enhances their visibility,\" the website also notes.\n\nTime of year and time of day are two very important factors when choosing to see the Northern Lights on display in Iceland.\n\nTips for Northern Lights sightings\n\nWhen it comes to seeing the magical dancing lights in the sky, there are a few factors that you may want to take into account in order to maximize your viewing pleasure.\n\nGeomagnetic activity\n\nWhen the geomagnetic field is active, the aurora will be brighter, stronger and further from the magnetic poles, according to the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC).\n\nCLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER\n\nThe best time to see the Northern Lights is when the planetary K index is at an eight or nine and the aurora moves toward the equator, the weather service site also said.\n\nLocation\n\nThere are so many places across the world to view the vivid display, but you'll want to make sure to find a location that has no obstructions.\n\nAim to find a place that has minimal tree lines or hills so that the northern horizon can be fully seen.\n\nDarkness\n\nGo at night, away from the city lights, in order to capture the best view of the Aurora Borealis.\n\nCLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP\n\n\"The full moon will also diminish the apparent brightness of the aurora (not the actual brightness),\" the SWPC continued.\n\nTiming\n\nThe Northern Lights are usually on full display from September to March or April, but the best time to see the lights are in the late evening or early morning.\n\n\"Best aurora is usually within an hour or two of midnight (between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time),\" the SWPC reported.\n\n\"There may be aurora in the evening and morning, but it is usually not as active and therefore, not as visually appealing.\"","url":"https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/northern-lights-here-best-tips-help-you-spot-stunning-display-us-abroad","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_0284af6075bdb5ae"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_0284af6075bdb5ae"],"text_sha256":"d60ea2da2d02c3200b969e4607181b6f4a6abecb910ddee7ced0dbb675b7a726","source_record_sha256":"b7123ad5adeeeac74460ddc01c3f3ee3dbc67a3db0da102d4bbb6a056470dcf7","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":326,"source_fields":{"title":"Northern Lights: Here are the best tips to help you spot the stunning display in the US and abroad","author":null,"source":"FOX News - Lifestyle","published_at":"2023-10-08T08:30:36+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/northern-lights-here-best-tips-help-you-spot-stunning-display-us-abroad"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_bc1d4206f3d59321","text":"Bayern Munich struck twice in the second half to come from two goals down and snatch a 2-2 draw at RB Leipzig but the champions dropped to third in the Bundesliga with their second draw of the season.\n\nGoals from Leroy Sané and Harry Kane cancelled out Leipzig’s first-half lead but the result left Bayern on 14 points, two behind the leaders, Bayer Leverkusen. Leipzig, who host Manchester City in the Champions League next week, are fifth, a further point behind.\n\n“Two very different halves from our perspective,” the Bayern coach, Thomas Tuchel, said. “In the first we started well but only for the first two minutes and missed that huge chance.\n\n“We were too slow, made too many mistakes and were not courageous enough. After the break we showed a different mentality. It was a bit wild, with a lot of risk but it is a positive result, not to lose after being 2-0 down. We showed character.” Bayern travel to Copenhagen in the Champions League next week.\n\nLeipzig struck twice in six minutes with Loïs Openda putting them in front in the 20th when he completed a quick break. They scored again with Castello Lukeba stabbing in after the goalkeeper Sven Ulreich misjudged a corner.\n\nBayern earned a 57th-minute penalty against the run of play for a handball and Kane cut the deficit with his eighth league goal. Only Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, when he played for Borussia Dortmund, scored more often in his first six Bundesliga games with nine goals.\n\nThe Bavarians’ comeback was complete in the 70th with Kane clearing the ball in his own half and Musiala finding Sané for the equaliser.\n\nBellingham celebrates scoring Real Madrid’s third goal during their 3-0 away league win over Girona. Photograph: David S.Bustamante/Soccrates Images/Getty Images\n\nIn Spain Real Madrid outclassed Girona 3-0 to return to the top of LaLiga, thanks to goals from Joselu, Aurélien Tchouaméni and Jude Bellingham.\n\nReal moved on to 21 points from eight games, one ahead of Barcelona, who beat Sevilla 1-0 at home on Friday. Girona dropped to third.\n\n“I feel very good. I have freedom of movement and I’m enjoying football. Whenever I put on this shirt I always try to do my best,” said Bellingham.\n\nReal will also be buoyed up by the performance of Vinícius Jr, who looked lively in his first start since returning from a thigh muscle injury, before being taken off in the 68th minute. Real’s coach, Carlo Ancelotti, said: “It was a solid, convincing game. We defended well, we knew they could cause damage with the ball, they are a team that plays good football, it was important to defend well and we did that.”\n\nLautaro Martínez came off the bench to score all four goals for Internazionale as they won 4-0 at Salernitana tto return to the top of Serie A.\n\nThe hosts kept Inter at bay for an hour but Martínez came on nine minutes after the break to bag four goals in 27 minutes.\n\n“I scored four goals but the important thing is that Inter won,” the striker, who has scored nine goals in seven league games and is Serie A’s top scorer, told Sky Sport Italia. “It was crucial. We lost a game at San Siro [to Sassuolo] that I don’t think we deserved but we conceded two goals from our errors, so we had to win today.”\n\nWhile Inter dominated the early stages, Salernitana found their footing and managed to control the tempo in a goalless first half. But Martínez opened the scoring in the 62nd minute when he collected Marcus Thuram’s low cross and chipped a finish over Guillermo Ochoa.\n\nskip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Soccer with Jonathan Wilson Free weekly newsletter Jonathan Wilson brings expert analysis on the biggest stories from European soccer Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion\n\nThe substitute Lautaro Martínez converts a penalty against Salernitana. Photograph: Massimo Pica/EPA\n\nThree minutes later Mateusz Legowski’s apparent equaliser was disallowed due to an offside. Martínez then got his second goal after 77 minutes when he confidently finished a pass from Nicolò Barella with a first-time strike.\n\nMartínez completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot with five minutes remaining after Matteo Lovato pulled Thuram’s shirt. He concluded the evening by converting Carlos Augusto’s cross from 10 yards out.\n\nInter lead Serie A with 18 points, the same as their neighbours, Milan, who had briefly topped the table earlier in the day after beating Lazio 2-0 thanks to second-half goals from Christian Pulisic and Noah Okafor. Rafael Leão played a vital role in both goals, with the 24-year-old Portugal international providing two assists in a menacing display.\n\nQuick Guide How do I sign up for sport breaking news alerts? Show Download the Guardian app from the iOS App Store on iPhone or the Google Play store on Android by searching for 'The Guardian'.\n\nIf you already have the Guardian app, make sure you’re on the most recent version.\n\nIn the Guardian app, tap the Menu button at the bottom right, then go to Settings (the gear icon), then Notifications.\n\nTurn on sport notifications. Was this helpful? Thank you for your feedback.\n\n“After the break, we were more compact and certainly more energetic, hungrier and more determined,” Milan’s coach, Stefano Pioli, told DAZN. “That is a great sign when playing every three days and it was a fully deserved victory.”\n\nMilan suffered a potential injury blow as the midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek limped off in the first half. “It would be a shame if we lost Ruben, he felt a twinge near the groin area,” Pioli said. “Unfortunately, injuries tend to come when players are in good shape.”\n\nIn France, AS Monaco beat Marseille 3-2 to move top of Ligue 1, thanks to a brace from the midfielder Maghnes Akliouche and a powerful strike from Folarin Balogun.\n\nMarseille, who appointed Gennaro Gattuso as coach this week, took the lead after 30 secondsthrough Iliman Ndiaye’s goal, only for the hosts to respond minutes later when Akliouche fired a low shot past Pau López.\n\nThe visitors regained the lead in the 18th minute when Ndiaye centred for Samuel Gigot to send a left-footed shot past Philipp Köhn, but Monaco equalised five minutes later as Akliouche found Balogun who scored with a fierce finish.\n\nMonaco sealed the win in the second half with another great strike from Akliouche.","url":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/30/european-roundup-bellingham-helps-real-madrid-go-top-while-bayern-draw","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_d1d7a8eb59b79ec4","mhq_1932c56622b7810a","mhq_7fb437c91a06a8d6","mhq_d694844cd83c8568"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_d1d7a8eb59b79ec4","mhq_1932c56622b7810a","mhq_7fb437c91a06a8d6","mhq_d694844cd83c8568"],"text_sha256":"be1056ddaf433654da2d2033a38582c29535bc207646200a038bc20c20a1e941","source_record_sha256":"0f29b8083f4643a803fbb64019a3257ac5c8c85b200470e9e4d3eb2f76793d34","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":352,"source_fields":{"title":"European roundup: Bellingham helps Real Madrid go top while Bayern draw","author":"Reuters","source":"The Guardian","published_at":"2023-09-30T21:17:47+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/30/european-roundup-bellingham-helps-real-madrid-go-top-while-bayern-draw"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_05cd6a49a650e655","text":"On Monday, Fortnite publisher Epic Games will drag a tech giant into court, alleging that its mobile app store is an illegal monopoly. You may be feeling some déjà vu!\n\nAfter all, didn’t Epic already go to trial with Apple, resulting in a ruling where Apple (mostly) won? Didn’t Epic fail to #FreeFortnite with its Llamacorn legal gambit? Didn’t that all happen years ago? What are we doing here again?\n\nThe short answer: while Epic’s antitrust claims against Apple got their day in court, a similar lawsuit against Google never did. On November 6th, Epic v. Google will finally go to trial... a mere 1,180 days after Epic originally sued.\n\nHi, I’m Sean, and I’ll be your guide to this whole delightful mess.\n\nUpdate, December 15th, 2023: It’s basically over now. What happened? Read this, this, and this to get the whole picture.\n\nOriginal story continues:\n\nLlamacorn what now? What is happening?\n\nBefore we get to the Llamacorn, a little background. Epic is of course the studio behind Fortnite, the extraordinarily popular free-to-play game. Fortnite makes money by selling in-game items with its virtual currency V-Bucks. Players often buy V-Bucks the same place they play Fortnite. And until August 13th, 2020, if the player used an Android or iOS device and installed the game through an official app store, that purchase triggered an in-app payment fee to Google or Apple.\n\nCritics call such fees the “Google tax” or the “Apple tax,” and Epic definitely wasn’t a fan.\n\nWhen Epic decided to take action against these respective “taxes,” it made August 13th, 2020 a very busy day for Apple, Google, Epic, and us here at The Verge. First, Epic announced it was bypassing Apple and Google’s app store fees. It deployed a hotfix update to Fortnite without either company’s knowledge, letting you purchase V-Bucks directly through its own payment processing option at a discount. Apple and Google almost immediately reacted by kicking Fortnite off their app stores for breaking the rules.\n\nThen: surprise! Epic was ready and waiting with two lawsuits and an attack ad, depicting a Fortnite hero throwing a unicorn-llama hammer into a giant screen reminiscent of Apple’s famous “1984” Macintosh ad.\n\nIt was a striking publicity blitz followed by a lot of slow-moving court proceedings. While the Apple lawsuit went to court in 2021, the Google one was delayed again and again. A ruling came down for the Apple trial that September, and it was mostly decided in Apple’s favor, though both parties are waiting for the Supreme Court to potentially weigh in. Meanwhile, the machinations for its fight against Google continued, and now…\n\nIt is time for trial number two.\n\nThat sounds fascinating, but if I don’t care about Fortnite or rich companies suing each other, what’s in it for me?\n\nThe future of Google’s app store could depend on this trial — both Epic and Google agree on that. Epic wants to break up Google’s alleged monopoly on Android app stores and payment methods, so developers aren’t stuck paying the “Google Tax” or passing that fee along to you.\n\nBut if Epic wins — according to Google, anyhow — it could make Android phones less safe by dismantling basic protections against sideloaded apps, and damage Android’s ability to compete with the iPhone because it (arguably) can’t run a competitive app store by giving it away for free.\n\nOr maybe you just want juicy dirt on both companies? More on that later!\n\nWhat exactly is Epic claiming?\n\nEpic argues that Google makes it so difficult for developers and users to get around its Android app store, and that app store’s standard fees, that it’s created an illegal monopoly that unjustly enriches Google while artificially driving up app prices because other stores can’t compete.\n\nEpic also claims that Google is illegally tying its Google Play payments platform to the Google Play app store, keeping other potential app payment mechanisms from competing as well.\n\nSo, does Google have a monopoly?\n\nA monopoly on what? That’s one of the biggest questions the court will decide. Epic claims that Google has illegal monopolies in “Android app distribution” and “Android in-app payment processing.” It’ll argue that if you buy or develop for Android phones, you’re stuck paying the Google tax.\n\nBut Google will say the real competition is from Apple, because people can choose to buy an iPhone instead. It’s pretty tough to argue Google has a monopoly on app stores in general.\n\nThis whole line of argument is called “market definition.” If the court decides the relevant market is phones and app stores, not specifically Android ones, then Google’s on the road to victory. If it accepts that Android apps are their own market, Epic will be in better shape. Or, it could pick a different market definition entirely, like the judge in the Apple case ended up doing.\n\nLooking at this from a less academic perspective, it’s worth noting that Google charges up to ten times more per transaction than you pay with PayPal or a credit card, which does seem like a lot! And though Epic can’t argue it in court, I’ll point out that Apple wasn’t able to explicitly justify a 30 percent fee to that case’s judge.\n\nOn the other hand, it does kinda seem like Epic wants something for nothing! As far as I can tell, Epic hasn’t stated what kind of fee would actually be reasonable for Google to charge in exchange for placement in Google’s store — instead, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney seemingly suggests there shouldn’t be a Google fee at all if a developer wants to use its own payment system.\n\nHow did Epic’s argument fare against Apple?\n\nWell… both sides lost! But Epic arguably lost more. Even though Apple has incredible power over the iPhone, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled the company didn’t have an unfair monopoly in this case – partly because she decided the relevant market for Fortnite was “digital mobile gaming transactions” rather than, say, iPhone apps. She also decided that Epic violated its developer agreement with Apple and would have to pay.\n\nBut she also barred Apple from keeping iPhone users in the dark about alternate ways they can pay for apps – and may have even allowed developers to add their own payment mechanisms. I won’t dwell on the Apple ruling, as I’m ethically bound, but my colleague Adi Robertson has a comprehensive breakdown.\n\nHow can Epic possibly have a case against Google when Apple already won?\n\nEpic declined to answer this on the record, among other questions we asked... but three things to consider:\n\n1) That was a different case. Also, that one’s not over till the Supreme Court weighs in or declines to take a look.\n\n2) Google can’t tell jurors that Apple won its case, or that other plaintiffs settled. The judge in this case says so!\n\n3) Oh, and by the way, this is a jury trial.\n\nWait, why does that matter?\n\nEpic and Google have to convince a jury, not the judge, which is totally different from how the Apple case played out. (That one was a “bench trial.”)\n\nMaybe all the evidence of tricky deals inside Google might sway a jury against the company? Maybe Google scaremongering that sideloaded apps equal gaping security holes will sway a jury against Epic instead? Who knows!\n\n(If you’re a Epic juror reading this — stop! Judge Donato explicitly said you’re in a “news-free bubble” through mid-December, folks.)\n\nDidn’t other parties sue Google too?\n\nThey did! And then, they all settled. All 50 state attorneys general and a number of consumers have tentatively settled with Google over app store antitrust claims, though it’s not clear what the deal might include.\n\nMatch Group, the company behind Tinder, Match.com, OkCupid and other dating apps, just reached a surprise last-minute settlement too, one that makes it sound like Match effectively gave up.\n\nEpic stands alone.\n\nCould we get a settlement between Google and Epic as well?\n\nEpic seems to have no interest in settling as long as the “Google tax” exists, and the company’s repeatedly said it’s not interested in cash. So far, the company’s been willing to push these cases all the way through multiple appeals, cost be damned.\n\nIt’s not clear what Google could proactively offer that would satisfy Epic, since CEO Tim Sweeney has also publicly suggested that Google would simply circumvent any settlement it offers.\n\nBut if you do want to see a vision of a future that Epic would accept, look no further than this letter it sent to state attorneys general — laying out a settlement that would basically prohibit Google from doing the anticompetitive things that Epic claims it did.\n\nThere’s also this tweet from Sweeney:\n\nGoogle wouldn’t tell The Verge if it’s offered Epic any kind of settlement yet.\n\nWhy if I just want the dirty laundry on both these companies? You promised dirt...\n\nOh, it could get good.\n\nThe allegations made before trial suggest Google was playing loads of dirty tricks with names like “Project Hug,” “Project Agave,” and “Project Banyan”, with Epic claiming it’s seen evidence Google was paying off game developers and phone makers not to abandon its app store — to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. Google allegedly even toyed with the idea of buying Epic to keep Fortnite from inspiring other game developers to abandon ship.\n\nPlus, there’s evidence Google deleted potentially incriminating messages to keep them out of a court’s hands. Enough that the judge has decided to explicitly tell the jury we’re not seeing all the evidence, because Google employees all the way up to CEO Sundar Pichai were caught setting those conversations to auto-delete. This issue has come up in the US v. Google antitrust trial in Washington, DC — still ongoing at the start of Epic’s trial — as well.\n\nAnd the dirt isn’t all on Google’s side. Epic was caught straight-up admitting it premeditated the whole plan to bypass Google’s payment systems. Since Google is countersuing over that, it could be a big deal.\n\nWhen you say “straight-up admitting...”\n\nHere is an email from Epic CEO Tim Sweeney that, I think, speaks for itself:\n\n“Here is our official plan for communicating with Google about bypassing the Google Play Store: SAY NOTHING TILL IT SHIPS” Image via Epic v. Apple\n\nWe’ll have a whole cast of intriguing people called as witnesses during the trial who might dish even more.\n\nWho will Epic and Google call as witnesses?\n\nWe are going straight to the top of the org chart, folks. Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Epic CEO Tim Sweeney are absolutely expected to attend. Android co-founder Andy Rubin might be deposed, and Google says we’ll hear from current Android (and Chrome, and Chrome OS) boss Hiroshi Lockheimer. Google also tells us representatives from Apple, Netflix, Motorola, and AT&T should testify as well.\n\nHow much hypocrisy can we expect in the courtroom?\n\nI’d say quite a bit! For example:\n\nEpic says it’s not in this for the money, it’s only suing to end Google’s monopoly — but Epic would surely profit if it doesn’t have to pay Google’s cut.\n\nIt looks like Epic’s going to argue that you’re locked into Android after buying an Android phone, but I can personally attest that switching back and forth between the platforms is easier than ever.\n\nGoogle will say that every Samsung Galaxy phone has “a competing app store right there on the homescreen,” even though Google apparently tried to quash that store, too, fearing it could cost the company billions.\n\nWe caught Google trying to play the China card in a pre-briefing with press, reminding us that Epic is 40 percent owned by Chinese company Tencent — even though Google itself allegedly considered teaming up with Tencent to eliminate the Epic threat. While the parties can’t argue it in court, Google can attempt to subtly play the China card: “Google may ask a witness once about Tencent’s domicile,” reads one of Judge Donato’s orders.\n\nIn the same press briefing, Google suggested to journalists that Epic should have joined the company’s “User Choice Billing” program if it wanted an alternative payment system, instead of suing. But that program didn’t exist until 2022, long after the lawsuit, and it only knocks 4 percentage points off Google’s fee.\n\nWhen should we expect a jury verdict?\n\nJudge Donato told jurors that we’re looking at roughly five weeks of trial starting November 6th and extending through early December. The schedule suggests the court will take Thanksgiving off, finish looking at all the evidence by December 4th, take a couple more days off before closing arguments, and then let jurors come to a decision.\n\n“I fully expect we’ll have plenty of time to reach a verdict well before the December holiday period,” said Judge Donato.\n\nOkay, I’m sold — how can I watch the trial unfold?","url":"https://www.theverge.com/23944251/epic-google-antitrust-trial-explainer-monopoly","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_e7444d6e29762f69","mhq_81cce8db0e374160","mhq_36b3dcdeaa13bc0e","mhq_f793aad640288443","mhq_e689c58ff123d56d","mhq_be47910112b694cd"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_e7444d6e29762f69","mhq_81cce8db0e374160","mhq_36b3dcdeaa13bc0e","mhq_f793aad640288443","mhq_e689c58ff123d56d","mhq_be47910112b694cd"],"text_sha256":"026253809e9fb238f2dd21258a932b831988450f4bb2d9dedb3f15f41723251f","source_record_sha256":"f3c879ca50ab46d0a7593e15517fc0a2191a645e60503d0ee82518cb63719e2f","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":355,"source_fields":{"title":"Epic v. Google, explained","author":"Sean Hollister","source":"The Verge","published_at":"2023-11-05T11:00:00+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://www.theverge.com/23944251/epic-google-antitrust-trial-explainer-monopoly"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_ae1a895e2d5b12ec","text":"With legal sports betting now at your fingertips in over 30 states, it’s easier than ever to bet on basketball at one of the best NBA betting sites.\n\nThe NBA gives you plenty of games, teams and players to bet on across hundreds of odds markets. As a bettor, you'll want to find the best NBA betting lines night after night plus NBA futures markets from NBA Finals odds to Rookie of the Year odds.\n\nSee below for where to look and more on betting on the NBA at the best sports betting sites.\n\nBest NBA betting sites for 2023\n\nWhen it comes to betting on the NBA, you can choose any online betting site and have plenty of odds to choose from.\n\nYou can bet everything from moneylines, totals, and point spreads to player props for scoring, rebounding, and assists, or futures bets like odd to win the Eastern Conference or individual award winners like NBA MVP odds.\n\nHere are our favorite sportsbooks for NBA betting.\n\nDraftKings Sportsbook for NBA betting\n\nDraftKings is one of the most recognizable names in online sports betting, notably for its frequent promos to enhance NBA odds. The platform boasts a diverse range of prop bets tailored to the most prominent NBA players and provides a seamless live NBA betting experience through its app.\n\nFor newcomers, DraftKings has a lucrative offer. Upon joining, there's no need for a special code to take advantage of a promo with a total promotional value of up to $1,200.\n\nIn the past, DraftKings has run special promotions tailored to NBA enthusiasts. One such offer allowed customers to earn $200 in bonus bets simply by placing a $5 bet on any NBA Finals game. This highlights the company's commitment to delivering value for its dedicated betting community.\n\nFanDuel Sportsbook for NBA betting\n\nFanDuel is another name that resonates strongly within the NBA betting community, garnering popularity and success akin to its counterpart, DraftKings.\n\nAlongside the standard NBA odds you'd expect, FanDuel stands out with its expansive selection of NBA players and game props. It also has a unique feature allowing users to create same-game parlays. This lets bettors combine NBA moneylines, totals, and props, crafting a personalized betting experience tailored to their predictions and preferences.\n\nNewcomers to FanDuel’s online sportsbook can typically claim $150 in bonus bets. They may offer three months of NBA League Pass to sweeten the deal further. Claiming this promotion is straightforward: there's no need for a special FanDuel promo code. Prospective bettors must sign up, deposit, and place a $5 bet to be eligible.\n\nBetMGM Sportsbook for NBA betting\n\nBetMGM is known for its comprehensive odds markets, and the online sportsbook, coupled with its intuitive betting app, caters to a vast range of betting markets for all the premier sports. However, their NBA betting shines through as a significant highlight.\n\nSetting it apart from the competition, BetMGM's sports betting app is the only one that offers live streaming of NBA games, so you can watch the action as you bet.\n\nNBA promotions are abundant at BetMGM. Past promotions have included \"bet $10, get $200.\" Under this promotion, bettors receive 20-1 odds, and their bet is deemed victorious as long as a single three-point field goal is scored in the game.\n\nFor a new account, the BetMGM Sportsbook usually has a bonus of up to $1,500. If your first bet loses you can still get the value back in bonus bets.\n\nBetRivers Sportsbook for NBA betting\n\nFor those who like both sports betting and online casino games, BetRivers has an integrated app to switch between the two using a singular account.\n\nBetRivers doesn't just stop at offering an integrated platform; they've also introduced the iRush Rewards program to elevate the betting experience. Unique in its approach, this program allows users to earn points as they place bets on sports.\n\nWhat makes it particularly appealing is the flexibility: accumulated points can be utilized on BetRivers' online casino\n\nDedicated promotions are a hallmark of BetRivers, and their engagement with NBA fans is evident. A past promotion, dubbed \"NBA Wednesdays,\" allowed users to wager up to $25 on any NBA game scheduled on a Wednesday.\n\nThe sweetener? A 20% profit boost if the bet was successful. New accounts typically can claim a second-chance bet that could reach up to $500, although this amount might differ based on the state.\n\nHow to sign up with a sportsbook and bet on the NBA online\n\nYou must open an account to bet on basketball at the top NBA betting sites. The good news is it is easy, quick, and free.\n\nYou can sign up and start betting using a laptop, phone or tablet. Use our links to access the sportsbook of your choice to get the best sports betting bonus available.\n\nOnce you’ve chosen your sportsbook, signing up for a new account takes a few simple steps.\n\nIt doesn’t matter which state you live in when you sign up for an account, but remember that you have to be within the state lines where sports betting is legal to make wagers.\n\nWhen you click “sign up” or “register” at a sportsbook, you’ll be asked for some identifying information, and that will include:\n\nFirst and last name\n\nDate of birth\n\nHome address\n\nPhone number\n\nPreferred email address\n\nUsername and password\n\nSocial Security number\n\nOnce you’ve finished supplying your personal information, you’ll be asked to accept the sportsbook's terms and conditions. From there, you can claim your welcome bonus, which can come in many forms (be sure to read the requirements of any welcome bonus before using it).\n\nIf you need to use a bonus or promo code, enter it at this stage. Once you’ve signed up, make your initial deposit, and you’re ready to start NBA betting.\n\nSee more: Best NBA betting promos\n\nWhat to look for in an NBA betting site\n\nHere are some key factors to consider:\n\nDeposits and Payouts:\n\nCheck if funds are available instantly after depositing.\n\nUnderstand the variety of deposit methods the sportsbook offers.\n\nFor payouts, know the withdrawal methods and wait times.\n\nBe aware of any limits or restrictions on withdrawals.\n\nNBA Odds:\n\nAlways select betting sites offering the best NBA odds for long-term benefits.\n\nOdds can differ among sportsbooks; getting the best deal can increase your winnings.\n\nFor instance, consider using both if one book offers the Boston Celtics at +800 and another at +1500.\n\nUser Experience:\n\nAssess how easy it is to navigate the site.\n\nGauge the efficiency of customer support.\n\nEnsure the site has a responsible gaming section.\n\nThe overall user experience should be smooth and hassle-free.\n\nSafety and Security:\n\nTop NBA betting sites prioritize users' safety.\n\nEnsure your personal information is secure.\n\nSome sportsbooks excel in ensuring cybersecurity; always go for those with solid reputations.\n\nHow to find the best NBA lines\n\nNot all sportsbook betting odds are created equal. If you're willing to put in some legwork, you can shop for the best NBA lines to maximize your potential return.\n\nMovement in the odds depends on multiple factors, including team news, injuries, public betting, recent play, and even the number of games a team plays in a row.\n\nOddsmakers use all the available information to craft their lines, and you can find value in shopping around for the most favorable lines and odds.\n\nYou can use our NBA odds page (see link above) to find the best lines for your prospective bet, or you can open accounts at multiple sportsbooks and do the shopping yourself.\n\nEither way, the line shopping strategy is designed to help you maximize your potential return.\n\nNBA live betting\n\nThanks to the increased popularity of online sports betting apps, in-game betting has exploded nationwide. Also known as live betting, in-game betting allows you to bet on a game while it’s unfolding.\n\nThe action is fast, and the odds are constantly shifting, making for a new way to enjoy the flow of a game while still staying engaged as a bettor.\n\nDepending on the sportsbook, there is usually a strong variety of live betting opportunities. You’ll find game and player prop bets like whether the next bucket will be worth one, two, or three points.\n\nYou can bet on the team leading at the end of the current quarter or on whether there will be a comeback victory. You can even boil live betting down to the results of the next possession.\n\nThe most popular sportsbook apps, such as DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM, offer NBA in-game betting, though each has its lines and betting opportunities.\n\nWhat makes NBA betting special or unique?\n\nBasketball odds are known to fluctuate more than those of other sports. The factors that play into those lines shifting can range from having only a few impact players per team to the sheer frequency of games.\n\nBy following a single team, you can track its momentum swings, which players tend to get on hot or cold streaks, or how well they play at home vs. on the road. You can use that information to your advantage for both pre-game and live wagers.\n\nSimilar categories of moneylines, spreads, totals, and NBA prop bets should appear across both formats.\n\nThe NBA is also special because of the number of bets available for every game, ranging from pre-game to live betting and parlays.\n\nWhen you add up the standard bets, game props, player props, in-game betting, and more, there’s a staggering volume of bets for every NBA game at online sportsbooks.\n\nSee more: Best NCAA basketball betting sites\n\n2023-24 NBA Season\n\nOctober 24 Regular season begins November 3 - December 9 In-season tournament February 16-18 All-Star Weekend 2024 April 14 Regular season ends April 16-19 Play-in tournament April 20 Playoffs begin June 6 NBA Finals Game 1\n\nNBA spreads, money lines, and over/unders\n\nFor anyone new to NBA betting, the staple wager types are:\n\nNBA point spreads: Bet on games via margins of victory or loss. Say the New York Knicks are -7.5 favorites over the Miami Heat. That means the Knicks need to win the game by 8 points to win a spread bet. On the other hand, the Heat can lose by up to 7 points (or win outright).\n\nNBA moneylines: The simplest form of betting. You pick the winner of the game, and if you’re right, you’ll get paid out based on the odds when you finalize your bet slip. Favorites to win the game are shown negative odds, such as -135, while the underdogs will have positive odds, like +165.\n\nNBA over/under bets: Also known as totals. These bets are focused on the combined point total of the two teams playing in a game. (Winners and losers don’t matter.) For example, the over/under could be set at 211.5 points in the Knicks vs. Heat matchup. If you were to pick the over on the bet, you’d need the two teams to combine for 212 points or more to win. They need to score 211 points or fewer if you went with the under.\n\nNBA props and futures\n\nNBA player and team props are growing in popularity. Sportsbooks are taking note and providing more NBA props than ever.\n\nAfter all, it’s much easier to focus on a single player and how he will perform than the entire team. Player props could focus on how many points a player scores or how many rebounds he pulls down. These are typically provided in an over/under format.\n\nThen, team props can range from which team will score the first bucket to the total points scored in a quarter to which team will lead at halftime. The selection is often robust, especially when high-profile teams play.\n\nFutures bets are exactly what their name implies: bets on events that will happen in the future. Common futures markets include:\n\nand much more. You can usually bet on NBA futures odds throughout the year, including well before the season starts and throughout the regular season. The further away from the event, the more likely you will find heavier odds in your favor.\n\nIs NBA betting legal in the U.S.?\n\nIn the US, the landscape of sports betting, specifically NBA betting, has evolved considerably. While NBA betting is permitted, its legality varies across the nation. The significant turning point came in 2018 when the US Supreme Court made a pivotal decision. It overturned a longstanding federal law and allowed individual states the autonomy to determine their own sports betting regulations.\n\nThis groundbreaking decision sparked a wave of change. Since that landmark ruling, over 30 states have embraced sports betting, including wagers on the NBA. For those residing or visiting betting-friendly states, the experience promises fairness and security.\n\nState-regulated online betting platforms are in place, ensuring that bettors receive fair odds. Furthermore, these platforms adhere to strict standards, ensuring a safe and transparent betting environment for everyone involved.\n\nRelated Pages:","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/betting/news/nba-betting-sites/dba1ce5e986e58a12cacafd6","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_e7e2af8623a021d9","mhq_14a3933e774b85d6","mhq_9976c73601143ab0","mhq_5923cb099a45db36","mhq_077feb9c180aa7e6"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_e7e2af8623a021d9","mhq_14a3933e774b85d6","mhq_9976c73601143ab0","mhq_5923cb099a45db36","mhq_077feb9c180aa7e6"],"text_sha256":"c6c970d3b7b822e1f3b4fa5d6906bc35644c3b94970486053cc602bcbb18b6be","source_record_sha256":"271530ea4fdbe6d0ffed6ea8a6ff9f8585152fe8d7788f385144a3c401ed7be6","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":368,"source_fields":{"title":"The Best NBA Betting Sites and Apps for the 2023-24 Season","author":"Sam Eggleston","source":"Sporting News","published_at":"2023-10-02T21:58:37+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/betting/news/nba-betting-sites/dba1ce5e986e58a12cacafd6"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_f691078fdd758770","text":"The Seahawks are just about hanging on by a thread. At 6-7, the team is on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoff picture. A win on Monday night against the suddenly reeling Eagles could be a big boost in their chances going forward -- a matchup that is actually a pretty good one after looking beneath the surface. The Eagles come in as losers of two straight, losing in blowout fashion both times no less. Suddenly the sky is falling as the Cowboys have taken over the NFC East division lead, complicating matters as the regular season winds down. The sense of urgency for both sides means we are looking at two teams with plenty to lose, setting up for a fun Monday night under the lights at Lumen Field.\n\nBefore we get into our lineup and strategy, here are the key scoring settings for DraftKings Showdown contests: They're full-point PPR and there are three-point bonuses for 300 passing yards, 100 rushing yards, and 100 receiving yards. The Captain pick costs 1.5 times a player's original price, but he also gets his point total multiplied by 1.5.\n\nEagles-Seahawks DraftKings Picks: DFS lineup for Week 15 Monday Night Football\n\n$50,000 budget, need at least one player from each team.\n\nCaptain (1.5x points, 1.5x salary): WR DK Metcalf, Seahawks ($14,400)\n\nThe Eagles secondary issues are well-documented at this stage and they'll be made even worse with the absence of CB Darius Slay (knee) in Seattle on Monday night. Metcalf has four touchdowns in his last two games, including a three TD game against a stout Cowboys defense. The receiver has been prone to being undisciplined on the field, however, resulting in an ejection against the 49ers last week. That is always a concern when trusting Metcalf, but we take the good with the bad since the ceiling is so high. No matter who ends up starting at QB, the WR is in line for another dominant showing against one of the league's most generous secondaries.\n\nFLEX QB Geno Smith, Seahawks ($9,400)\n\nMetcalf won't be throwing the ball to himself and he's not one to get opportunities in the running game, meaning that someone will be setting him up for success. And since Smith appears ready to play, he finds himself with a spot in our lineup. In the event that he doesn't play, however, we will turn to Drew Lock ($9,200) in his place. Regardless, the Seattle quarterbacks are set up for success and should be able to light up the skies on Monday night. Take the chance to stack QB1 and WR1 from the home side.\n\nFLEX WR DeVonta Smith, Eagles ($9,000)\n\nMost of the attention will continue to be focused on A.J. Brown, but what about the reliable Smith? He's quietly been the more productive option over the last three weeks, totaling 62.5 fantasy points to just 54.5 from Brown. Seattle's secondary was torched by San Francisco last week, allowing both Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel to go over the century mark. And for all the credit that the Eagles get for having a great team, they are a fairly top-heavy bunch. There's no clear WR3 behind Brown and Smith, meaning the opportunities will be aplenty. Expect that big workload to continue for a receiver that's sometimes forgotten in Philly.\n\nFLEX RB D'Andre Swift, Eagles ($8,000)\n\nThe message to the Eagles has been clear from the fans -- run the ball. It's part of what made this team so hard to beat earlier in the season. They've become a pass-happy offense in recent history, relying mostly on the legs and arm of Jalen Hurts to do everything. After getting smacked by the Cowboys last week, the Eagles weren't afforded the opportunity to establish the run. That will be a point of emphasis this time around, especially since Hurts is dealing with an illness. It's been three weeks since Swift had any kind of impact. That needs to change if the Eagles want to get back on track.\n\nFLEX TE Dallas Goedert, Eagles ($6,200)\n\nOne of the players that should help this team get-right is Goedert. The TE is healthy once again, having returned against the Cowboys last week and settled in nicely by collecting all four targets for 30 yards. We mentioned earlier the lack of a true WR3 for Philly, but that is essentially Goedert's role with the lack of WR depth. As a trusted option in the passing game, Goedert should find success against a defense that's been shredded by TEs in back-to-back weeks.\n\nFLEX TE Noah Fant, Seahawks ($2,600)\n\nFant rounds out the lineup as a fine sleeper option against a defense that's struggled to contain TEs at times throughout this season. He likely needs a touchdown to make a real impact, but we can pencil in Fant for around four targets in an offense that seemingly loves to throw touchdowns to random TEs. Considering the state of our budget at this point, we're taking a shot on Fant to deliver as a short-yardage option with the Eagles' pass rush threatening to make life difficult.\n\nMORE DK SHOWDOWN: How to win a Showdown contest\n\nBest SuperDraft Eagles-Seahawks DFS Picks\n\nThis year, we're also listing our favorite single-game DFS plays on SuperDraft.\n\nFor those unfamiliar, SuperDraft's DFS scoring involves point multipliers as opposed to traditional salary-capped or tiered contests. A winning lineup will likely feature a strong mix of stud fantasy contributors with 1x-1.6x boosts, as well as matchup-based sleepers with larger multipliers. Each player is assigned a scoring multiplier based on their value as determined by SuperDraft. Users can roster any player in their lineup with no restrictions.\n\nWin BIG with SuperDraft! Join now and get a free deposit match of $20!\n\nHere are the most notable scoring rules for SuperDraft NFL contests: Half-point PPR, four-point passing TDs, two-point bonuses for 100 rushing yards, 100 receiving yards, and 300 passing yards.\n\nMORE SUPERDRAFT DFS: How to play SuperDraft\n\nChampion (+50% points): WR DK Metcalf, Seahawks (Multiplier 1.8x)\n\nSuper FLEX: QB Geno Smith, Seahawks (Multiplier 1.2x)\n\nSuper FLEX: QB Jalen Hurts, Eagles (Multiplier 1x)\n\nSuper FLEX: WR A.J. Brown, Eagles (Multiplier 1.05x)\n\nSuper FLEX: WR DeVonta Smith, Eagles (Multiplier 1.25x)\n\nOur SuperDraft lineup for Monday night's game is going all-in on the passing attacks for both sides. We're carrying our Smith-Metcalf stack over to the SuperDraft side of things, but the lack of a budget allows us to get Hurts along with Brown and the Eagles' Smith to stack things on the opposite sideline too. We envision plenty of production through the air despite both team's desire to run the ball.","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/monday-night-football-draftkings-picks-eagles-seahawks-dfs/f0776f8dbc7873a98e43c77e","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_3fb3599dcc99ed78","mhq_0073ab564e554590","mhq_fe2f241c82614b56","mhq_40b4e971aac99ea7"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_3fb3599dcc99ed78","mhq_0073ab564e554590","mhq_fe2f241c82614b56","mhq_40b4e971aac99ea7"],"text_sha256":"749e2ef93c89458b2681e07dd901ef1b177b2c1c83bc02e09f7d4d782e4b4386","source_record_sha256":"f0b8cc20fac2e9d820dd3bcbb2031b37e2c5ed2f5bd278c1be86be4fcdd09158","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":386,"source_fields":{"title":"Monday Night Football DraftKings Picks: NFL DFS lineup advice for Week 15 Eagles-Seahawks Showdown tournaments","author":"Nick Brinkerhoff","source":"Sporting News","published_at":"2023-12-18T22:47:00+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/monday-night-football-draftkings-picks-eagles-seahawks-dfs/f0776f8dbc7873a98e43c77e"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_d597dd0fe8ea4d73","text":"The PE (price to earnings ratio) of a stock is 18. Is that cheap or expensive? Well, it depends. On what? Many things! Welcome to the world of relative valuation.\n\nThe findings from research done a decade earlier by Aswath Damodaran indicated that around 85 per cent of valuation done by equity research analysts and 50 per cent of corporate M&A transactions were based on relative valuation. So, what exactly is this relative valuation?\n\nIt is the art of attempting to determine the fair value of a stock based on how it is valued relative to many factors. So, whether the PE of a stock is 15 or 18 or 30, the only way you can make an assessment of whether it is cheap or expensive is by analysing this one number — against its growth prospects, peer company multiples, industry trading range, historical average PE, the prevailing interest rates, etc.\n\nPortfolio podcast: The art of valuing stocks Portfolio podcast: The art of valuing stocks\n\nLet there be no doubt, valuation experts like Aswath Damodaran and many successful hedge fund managers believe that absolute valuation (which we discussed in the Big Story in bl.portfolio edition dated October 8) is the better way to arrive at the value of a stock.\n\nHowever, due to a combination of complexities involved in building appropriate models, insufficient information, time constraints and also the fact that there are hundreds of stocks you want to consider, it is just not possible to do a DCF ( discounted cash flow model) for all your stock investments, and hence relative valuation as an approach to picking stocks too is well accepted and widely prevalent.\n\nWhen you decide to buy or sell a stock based on its PE or P/B or EV/EBITDA or EV/Revenue or even EV/subscriber ratios, you are engaging in the art of relative valuation. And it’s totally fine to be an investor relying on relative valuation to make your savings work for you, provided you approach it the right way and ensure adequate risk management. In relative valuation, the broader you assess the valuation, ie assess valuation multiple against more parameters, the better the perspective you get.\n\nIn simple words, one way to understand the difference between absolute valuation (explained in last week’s edition) and relative valuation is this – absolute valuation is made up of an interesting story that is backed by credible and validated numbers, while relative valuation is made up of an interesting number backed by a credible and validated story.\n\nWhat are those numbers in relative valuation? Every number in relative valuation is the result of a number A divided by a number B. For example, PE is price of the stock divided by its earnings. These are all numbers that are used to compare against similar metrics of other stocks and assess the merits of the stock.\n\nBefore we proceed on using relative valuation to pick stocks, it is important to understand that you can do relative valuation using equity multiples or firm/enterprise multiples.\n\nEquity multiples\n\nIf you check the balance sheet of any company, the liabilities side is primarily made up of two line items — shareholder funds and borrowings. To the contrary, a Profit and Loss statement has many line items — starting with revenue, followed by variable costs and then fixed costs and taxes. The only claim that equity shareholders have for distribution or for appropriation amongst themselves is what is left after paying the taxes — net profit.\n\nSo, if you are doing relative valuation based on equity multiples, it is important to ensure you divide the equity – ie price per share or market cap of the company by line items that apply to equity shareholders.\n\nBased on this, there are only 3 items that can be attributed to equity shareholders — net profit from P&L statement, book value or shareholder funds from the Balance Sheet, and the free cash flows to equity (FCFE) from the cash flow statement. Any relative valuation multiples will be linked to these three items one way or the other. Any other metric could be wrong and misleading.\n\nFor example, price by revenue or price by EBITDA is incorrect. Why? How do you differentiate between two companies A and B — both having same market cap of ₹100 and similar in all means except for debt levels — same revenue (₹100) and same gross margin and same EBITDA margins of 20 per cent and thus same EBITDA of ₹20. But A has zero debt, while B has debt of ₹10. Since revenue or sales and EBITDA are same, if you do a market cap/revenue or Price /Sales, or marketcap/EBITDA, both companies will have the same valuation.\n\nHowever, let’s assume depreciation is ₹10, interest cost is 10 per cent and taxes are zero. This means the net profit of A is ₹10, while that of B is ₹9. Thus although both companies are similar in terms of Price/Revenue and Price/EBITDA, A is cheaper on the PE ratio – ie PE of A is 10 and PE of B is 11.1. On a relative valuation basis, you must choose A instead of B, but you would not have spotted it if you had used incorrect metrics.\n\nHence it’s very important to use the right multiples. When it comes to equity metrics, it always has to be price or market cap (or variations of the same) in numerator divided by line items attributable to equity holders (or variations of the same)\n\nThe accompanying table gives the commonly used equity multiples for relative valuation.\n\nOnce the metrics and importance are understood, there are, as such, no limits to how you can use them to pick stocks. You can use one or two metrics or a combination of many more metrics to assess which stocks are undervalued or overvalued.\n\nDepending on specific cases, you can use further variations to pick stocks. For example, during the 2003-2007 bull market, many textile stocks, for instance, Bombay Dyeing, turned out to be multibaggers. Was their textile business booming? Not really. But the stocks were zooming because there was real estate boom and many textile mills had manufacturing facilities in prime real estate locations. So the markets started to factor value of the company based on market value of their land. In such a case you can deviate from Price/Book multiple to price/market value of net assets (assets – net debt).\n\nSimilar is the case with holding companies. If you think there is a reasonable case for underlying value of assets to be unlocked and Holdco discount to shrink, like it has happened in bank holding companies in the last 2-3 years, then there is a case to move beyond book value to market value.\n\nEnterprise value multiples\n\nEnterprise value refers to total value of a company/business. This total value as perceived by the market is represented by the sum of its market cap + net debt (includes minority interest). What works in the case of EV is that it helps in doing a capital-agnostic analysis of a company. Whether a company is funded only with equity, or a combination of equity and debt, the total value of the business is the same. Sources of funding don’t matter.\n\nUsing EV, the value of equity (share price) is derived from the value of the business. Since the capital structure of companies varies significantly, an EV approach enables valuing them on similar terms. One can arrive at the value of the business first and then subtract net debt, to arrive at the equity value. The advantage with EV-based metrics is that you have more options to value a company.\n\nBear in mind, valuation accuracy is better the lower down the P&L and cash flow statement one can get to. But there are many times when company profits are low, but its operational performance ie EBITDA is not bad. In such cases, as revenue and EBITDA continue to grow, operating leverage will result in PE growing much faster than the above two line items.\n\nFor example, take the case of Bharti Airtel: at the start of FY22 (April ‘21) its trailing PE was negative/invalid due to losses in FY21. The stock would have been avoided if one went by PE alone. However, on trailing EV/EBITDA basis, it was trading at 10 times EV/EBITDA. When this was considered against its estimated next 2 years EBITDA CAGR of over 20 per cent, the valuation, combined with qualitative factors, made it an interesting buy. Since then, net profits have improved substantially as operating leverage played out.\n\nAt bl.portfolio we had recommended a buy on the stock based on this in April 2021 and the stock has returned 80 per cent since. The stock would have been easily missed if PE was the metric used to spot the performers.\n\nHence EV-based metrics are options to consider as well when equity-based valuation multiples do not give a clear picture. Where even EBITDA multiples are not clear, as was the case with many new-age company IPOs that were reporting losses even at the EBITDA level, investors have no option but to go further up the P&L to metrics like EV/revenue, or even outside of P&L to use metrics like EV/subscriber.\n\nAs we mentioned earlier, relative valuation represents a number backed by a credible and well-validated story. Hence, you can use non-P&L multiples. So when you compare companies and invest in one based on EV/Subscriber, there must be a credible story backing future monetisation of the subscriber in a profitable manner. But do bear in mind, the risks are higher and so may be the rewards or pain as the case may be. When the risks are higher, you must apply a higher margin of safety before choosing the stock.\n\nAnother thing to bear in mind when it comes to EV-based valuation — any change in EV will impact only the equity value. For example, if EV of a company is ₹100 and it has ₹50 in debt, then the value of its equity is ₹50. In this case, if you think EV can increase by 10 per cent, the value of equity will increase by 20 per cent, and the reverse is also true. The higher the leverage, more the impact of change in EV on the value of the stock (both ways).\n\nKeep a weather eye on Ketchup Economics\n\nGiven the fact that relative valuation is based on comparison with peer multiples, investors must take measures to check whether the peer multiples are reasonable as well. An overvalued peer cannot be used to justify expensive valuation in one stock. This is what economist Larry Summers termed as Ketchup economists/economics. It was his sarcastic take on some of the highly paid economists and finance professionals who are concerned only with inter-relationships between prices of different financial assets. Based on this approach, they conclude whether the price of an asset independently is efficient or not. If two bottles of ketchup sell for twice as much as one bottle (except for minor differences traceable to transaction costs), the market is efficient.\n\nThe risk in this – it ignores the aspect of whether one bottle of ketchup is priced rationally. Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman once explained how the US housing bubble that precipitated the global financial crisis reminded him of ketchup economists. Before purchasing a house during the bubble, buyers carefully compared prices with ‘prices of other houses’, but ignored whether the overall level of a home price made sense.\n\nHow to avoid pitfalls\n\nSo, what can you do to avoid pitfalls while using relative valuation? Here are a few pointers.\n\nOne, after comparing stocks based on relative valuation, you can do more layers of comparison by assessing how their valuation fares relative to growth prospects. This apart, many other factors can justify different valuations. For example, TCS has always commanded a valuation premium to peer stocks like Infosys, Wipro and HCLTech because of its superior margins and much more consistent growth. So just because the other stocks are cheaper on PE basis does not mean they are cheap compared to TCS. So you can also do one more layer of comparison by assessing each company’s valuation against its long-term (5-10 years) mean and median valuations and assess how they fare relative to their own history.\n\nTwo, equity valuations do not function in a silo. Investors have many options — fixed deposits, bonds, real estate, etc. When other assets get more attractive one must assess scope for valuation change in equities as well. For example, interest rates and bond yields in many developed markets, including the US, are at their highest levels since 2007. This means investors may have to assess current valuations not just against last 10 years’ valuations, but of prior periods as well.\n\nWhy? Near zero interest rates and low bond yields made stocks with earnings yield of mere 1-2 per cent attractive for an FPI — for example stocks such as Asian Paints, Nestle India and ABB India which today trade at PE of 65, 83 and 85 times respectively. This implies earnings yield of 1.5 per cent for Asian Paints and 1.2 per cent for Nestle and ABB. Such earnings yields of these stocks were fine for FPIs to hold when compared to zero interest income in their domestic market. But now, with US bond yields offering 5 per cent, these may not be so attractive even when considering the growth prospects. While Indian interest rates were always higher, investors in equities benefited from the global investors’ hunger for yields. That advantage is diminishing today. This is not a recommendation on the stocks, but pointers on factors to consider to make your relative valuation process more foolproof.\n\nWith discipline and experience, the process will keep getting better.","url":"https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/portfolio/big-story/fundamental-investing-the-art-of-relative-valuation/article67415956.ece","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_b9e25d4f9cdbf57f","mhq_1acbad14990a3141","mhq_bea6a666f86823f2","mhq_181f5439718b0c0f","mhq_bab967ae9e11c83b"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_b9e25d4f9cdbf57f","mhq_1acbad14990a3141","mhq_bea6a666f86823f2","mhq_181f5439718b0c0f","mhq_bab967ae9e11c83b"],"text_sha256":"c1e61775922e513b4b028a65106d474f53a31d440185aa6235ab4fd2ff325ced","source_record_sha256":"66074e06c376337fd55a9c58a3448c34a433d9a23e8854a1faff347cbd6aabc4","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":418,"source_fields":{"title":"Fundamental Investing: The Art of Relative Valuation","author":null,"source":"Business Line","published_at":"2023-10-14T15:38:28+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/portfolio/big-story/fundamental-investing-the-art-of-relative-valuation/article67415956.ece"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_a3d485cc500bbcaa","text":"Goals from West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus extended Manchester United’s miserable run in the English Premier League.\n\nBowen bundled home at the second attempt in the 72nd minute, his 11th league goal this season, and Kudus struck his fourth goal in as many games to settle matters.\n\nIt was another worrying setback for manager Erik ten Hag as United suffered a 13th defeat in 26 games in all competitions.\n\nFacebook Twitter Whatsapp Reddit Email Share\n\nA defensive howler from Manchester United and Mohammed Kudus capitalises! ????\n\n\n\nWhat a finish from the West Ham man, but Kobbie Mainoo won't want to see this one back… ????\n\n\n\nStream LIVE, or on-demand after, here ???? https://t.co/09W1bq24Ur#OptusSport #PL pic.twitter.com/IcKGdmJv4O — Optus Sport (@OptusSport) December 23, 2023\n\nManchester United legend Peter Schmeichel lashed the team’s lack of a plan and blasted them for looking slow against the Hammers.\n\n“It was just in many ways irrelevant. There was no plan to it,” he said. “West Ham got an easy win which is a little bit silly to say.\n\n“When I look at the team, I don’t know what the identity of the team is. What is the style of play, what’s the plan?\n\n“He needs to take a step back, ten Hag, and say what do I need to do with these players I have available in order to first of all stop leaking goals, because that’s a problem, and secondly, score goals – how do I get the next goal? Four games without a goal, it’s a long time.”\n\nAdvertisement\n\nDEADLOCK BROKEN! West Ham lead against Manchester United! ????\n\n\n\nThat assist from Lucas Paquetá though… ????\n\n\n\nStream LIVE, or on-demand after, here ???? https://t.co/09W1bq24Ur#OptusSport #PL pic.twitter.com/Qqq7zugQmj — Optus Sport (@OptusSport) December 23, 2023\n\nTen Hag tried to put a positive spin on the performance by claiming to BBC that they were the better side before the first goal.\n\n“I think it was a decent 72 minutes where we didn’t take our chances. We should’ve gone in the lead but we didn’t and then it was one moment of switching off,” he said.\n\n“At this moment we are not top, but we have seen last week against the top of this league we were head-to-head. We didn’t score, we had the best opportunities of the game.\n\n“There we defended very well for 90 minutes, that has to be always our standard like what we did there. You have to bring that to every game on the pitch.”\n\nLiverpool and Arsenal played out a thrilling 1-1 draw at Anfield that ensures the London side will top the English Premier League on Christmas Day.\n\nGabriel gives Arsenal a three and a half minute lead at Liverpool! ????\n\n\n\nThis top-of-the-table clash explodes into life early – and that's the Gunners' fastest ever goal at Anfield in #PL history! ⚡️\n\n\n\nStream LIVE, or on-demand after, here ???? https://t.co/wdM7tdgfb9#OptusSport pic.twitter.com/n7dqm1qnUH — Optus Sport (@OptusSport) December 23, 2023\n\nAdvertisement\n\nArsenal led through defender Gabriel’s fourth-minute header from Martin Odegaard’s free kick on Saturday (local time), but Mohamed Salah beat David Raya at his near post to level in the 29th.\n\nLiverpool came closest in the second half and hit the woodwork twice, through Trent Alexander-Arnold and substitute Harvey Elliott.\n\nMikel Arteta’s team go into Christmas a point clear of Liverpool and third-placed Aston Villa.\n\nLiverpool defender Kostas Tsimikas broke his collarbone when he collided with Jurgen Klopp on the sideline.\n\nTsimikas was challenged by Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka and stumbled into Klopp, who fell on top of him.\n\nKlopp said Tsimikas’ collarbone was “definitely broken”, adding he will be “out for a long time.”\n\nAndros Townsend headed the winner for Luton Town as they beat Newcastle United in their first match since captain Tom Lockyer suffered a cardiac arrest agasint Bournemouth a week earlier.\n\nAdvertisement\n\nPURE ANGE-BALL! Richarlison scores against his old club to give Tottenham the lead! ????\n\n\n\n\"What a superb goal from Spurs – they just passed their way through Everton!\" ????\n\n\n\nStream #PLGoalRush LIVE, or on-demand after, here ???? https://t.co/qE2Kd4Kh3N#OptusSport #PL pic.twitter.com/uRXhc07AAo — Optus Sport (@OptusSport) December 23, 2023\n\nRicharlison scored for a third consecutive match against his old club Everton as Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham ensured they would be in the EPL top four at Christmas after a hard-fought 2-1 home win.\n\nSean Dyche’s visitors crucially had a Dominic Calvert-Lewin effort ruled out by VAR in the 51st minute which could have changed the complexion of the match.\n\nSon Heung-min added to Richarlison’s opener and Andre Gomes scored a later consolation for Everton.\n\nBurnley took all three points with a deserved 2-0 victory over hosts Fulham as Rebecca Welch became the first female referee to take charge of an EPL match.\n\nWilson Odobert and Sander Berge scored to lift Burnley off the bottom of the table.\n\nDominic Solanke scored a hat-trick to earn Bournemouth a 3-2 win at Nottingham Forest and ruin Nuno Espirito Santo’s first game in charge at the City Ground.\n\nAdvertisement\n\nForest, who scored through Anthony Elanga and Chris Wood, had defender Willy Boly controversially sent off in the first half.\n\nThey were level until Solanke headed home in the fifth minute of stoppage time.\n\n© AAP","url":"https://www.theroar.com.au/2023/12/24/manchester-divided-as-ten-hag-pressure-mounts-after-united-hammered-ange-ball-pays-off-again-as-spurs-sink-everton/","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_e3cbe83c410a2434","mhq_c35e90694462baf9","mhq_d564efdb3964ef82"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_e3cbe83c410a2434","mhq_c35e90694462baf9","mhq_d564efdb3964ef82"],"text_sha256":"d9c42795783d63e86a3c9d0febd7377981f1804105536ed503d398d4e87fca8b","source_record_sha256":"02870573be95dd02c7f87a60c8f2653e41fa9d18f101489a9c9e8968a896732b","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":438,"source_fields":{"title":"Manchester divided as ten Hag pressure mounts after United Hammered, Ange-ball pays off again as Spurs sink Everton","author":"The Roar","source":"The Roar | Sports Writers Blog","published_at":"2023-12-23T21:19:19+00:00","category":"sports","url":"https://www.theroar.com.au/2023/12/24/manchester-divided-as-ten-hag-pressure-mounts-after-united-hammered-ange-ball-pays-off-again-as-spurs-sink-everton/"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_a37984bff612a919","text":"The laggards Real estate investment trusts (REITS, down 2 per cent) dropped further following the latest inflation data, with Mirvac (down 3.7 per cent) and Dexus (down 3.3 per cent) sliding lower. Dexus chief executive Darren Steinberg on Wednesday announced he would step down from the position next year after 11 years at the helm. At the annual meeting in Sydney on Wednesday, the remuneration report received a first strike after failing to pass the 25 per cent voting threshold. Loading Consumer staples (down 1.4 per cent) were also weaker with Woolworths losing 2 per cent despite sales across the company rising 5.3 per cent in the 14 weeks to October, as it vowed to pass on easing costs for protein and fresh produce amid rising mortgage and rental pressures. In other company news, shares in embattled funds manager Magellan dropped 3.5 per cent after the abrupt departure of its chief executive, David George.\n\nInfratil (down 3.6 per cent), Meridian Energy (down 2.7 per cent) and Resmed (down 2 per cent) were among the biggest large-cap decliners. The lowdown The Australian sharemarket shook off a positive lead from Wall Street on Wednesday after hotter-than-expected inflation data raised the prospect of another interest rate rise at the Reserve Bank’s next meeting, which would weigh on the equity market. Interest-rate sensitive sectors, including REITS and consumer companies, were among the weakest on the local bourse as investors digested the news.\n\nGSFM investment strategist Stephen Miller said the inflation data, taken with the October Reserve Bank board meeting minutes, which revealed the board had “low tolerance for a slower return of inflation to target than currently expected”, made the possibility of an interest rate rise from the central bank in November a “near certainty”. However, commodity prices supported mining companies as iron ore prices increased 2.9 per cent overnight, bolstering Australia’s iron ore giants. It comes as Chinese President Xi Jinping stepped up support for the world’s second-biggest economy and major commodity trading partner for Australia, issuing additional sovereign debt, raising the budget deficit ratio and even making an unprecedented visit to the central bank. Loading Elsewhere, on Wall Street, the benchmark S&P 500 index closed 0.7 per cent higher ahead of tech giants Microsoft and Google’s parent company Alphabet reporting their results after the close. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.6 per cent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 gained 0.9 per cent. Shares in Microsoft climbed 5 per cent in after-hours trading after the tech company said its sales jumped 13 per cent to $US56.5 billion ($88.9 billion) and profits climbed 27 per cent to $US22.3 billion in the three months through September.\n\nMeanwhile, shares in Alphabet fell 6 per cent after hours, after the Google parent delivered a mixed result. Google, which is also seeking to capitalise on surging demand for AI technology, saw revenue climb 11 per cent to $US76.7 billion, with net income of $US19.7 billion thanks to a recovery in digital advertising revenue. However, its closely watched cloud division, which houses its data storage business and many of its AI efforts, missed Wall Street expectations. “Investors were disappointed by the relatively weak performance at its Google cloud platform, which is at risk of falling further behind” competitors’ offerings, Jesse Cohen, a senior analyst at Investing.com, wrote in an email. Loading During trading hours, the S&P 500 slipped off session highs, led by losses in energy shares as oil slid below $US84 a barrel, but once again the index found support above the key 4200 mark. Verizon Communications, 3M and General Electric climbed on bullish forecasts. Facebook and Instagram owner Meta dropped after being sued by California and dozen of other US states over harmful youth marketing claims. Bitcoin briefly topped $US35,000, while Treasury 10-year yields edged lower, following Monday’s intense volatility. Investors looking to the earnings season for a dose of good news were hanging their hopes on big tech. The five biggest companies in the S&P 500 — Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon and AI chipmaker Nvidia — account for about a quarter of the benchmark’s market capitalisation. Their earnings are projected to jump 34 per cent from a year earlier on average, according to analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg Intelligence.\n\n“As these big tech stocks go, so does the overall market,” David Trainer, chief executive officer of New Constructs, said before Microsoft and Alphabet’s results. “Strong big tech earnings may just be what’s needed to end the stock market correction that started in late July. If big tech companies blow their numbers out of the water and provide strong guidance for future earnings, then we could see the stock market rally strongly through the end of the year.” Rising rates have made already stretched big tech valuations look increasingly expensive, with the group remaining the most-crowded trade among fund managers, according to Bank of America. That’s prompted some investors to pay up for protection against a sell-off in Alphabet and Microsoft — two of the handful of heavyweights responsible for all of the S&P 500 Index’s advance this year. The pain in long-duration growth stocks, fuelled in recent weeks by a relentless surge in Treasury yields, is finally on the verge of subsiding. The yield on 10-year Treasuries was little changed at 4.85 per cent overnight. Oil closed at the lowest in more than a week amid signs the crude market’s tightness has slackened and the Israel-Hamas war will remain contained for the time being. West Texas Intermediate extended Monday’s drop with a 2.2 per cent fall to $US83.59 a barrel, paring most of the gains made after Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7.\n\nConcerns about the conflict spreading more broadly have eased amid growing calls within Israel to rethink a ground invasion of Gaza because of fears about the fate of some 200 hostages held there, the danger of retaliation by Hezbollah and the risk of Israeli military casualties. Tweet of the day Quote of the day “I think when you get to those decisions, you can then sit on them for a while… or you can say let’s just deal with it [and] that’s what we have done today,” said Magellan chairman Andrew Formica as the group’s chief executive stepped down abruptly amid the company’s efforts to turn around its performance.","url":"https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/asx-set-to-rise-ahead-of-inflation-report-after-big-tech-lifts-wall-street-20231025-p5ees3.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_business","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_0c0e689a9056b038","mhq_6b710ac23e3b473b","mhq_bdb40d23b5676f32","mhq_89fb4193167a6831","mhq_30c77122cb82dd74","mhq_86388c1ac1437b74"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_0c0e689a9056b038","mhq_6b710ac23e3b473b","mhq_bdb40d23b5676f32","mhq_89fb4193167a6831","mhq_30c77122cb82dd74","mhq_86388c1ac1437b74"],"text_sha256":"97ced457b75e5c03897cc9afa1d9dbba06729c610c0e5492033e268d44011672","source_record_sha256":"68e1d28468641303841d7da2cfa39b0f923bb3673ccc89a2074ce3b469e3e460","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":485,"source_fields":{"title":"ASX set to rise ahead of inflation report after big tech lifts Wall Street","author":"Rita Nazareth","source":"The Sydney Morning Herald","published_at":"2023-10-24T20:05:06+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/asx-set-to-rise-ahead-of-inflation-report-after-big-tech-lifts-wall-street-20231025-p5ees3.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_business"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_98b0ddf644244043","text":"In this article SHOP-CA\n\nUPS\n\nFDX\n\nAMZN Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT\n\nDave Clark (L) and Ryan Petersen (R) Getty Images\n\nOn Sept. 13, Flexport founder Ryan Petersen took the stage at North America's premier supply chain conference in Phoenix. It was exactly a week after he'd forced out his hand-picked successor as CEO, ex-Amazon executive Dave Clark, so Petersen could once again run the show. Sitting in the first few rows of attendees was Clark, the man he'd ousted just a year into the job. Petersen was surprised that he showed up, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Days earlier, Petersen had excoriated Clark, alleging he'd secretly expanded the company's headcount and taken on unnecessary leases without Petersen or the board's knowledge. On X, formerly known as Twitter, Petersen wrote, \"Strategic Plan, Day 1: Make better decisions!\" With Clark sitting a few feet away, Petersen struck a different tone. \"I think we're going to look back and go, 'Wow I'd probably do that all over again because of the progress that we've made,'\" Petersen said, in an interview on stage. Doing it over again would seem to suggest hiring Clark wasn't a bad decision. Petersen went even further, personally commending Clark for orchestrating the $1.3 billion purchase of Deliverr from Shopify , picking up supply chain technology for last-mile deliveries. That deal was announced in May. \"I'm very, very lucky because I wouldn't have had the courage to go and do that acquisition, but I give all the credit in the world to Dave Clark,\" Petersen said. \"There's no one probably in the world who would be better at running that last-mile e-com fulfillment network. Personally, I don't have any experience and I would've been pretty intimidated to try and go pull that off.\" The mixed messaging from the 43-year-old Flexport founder underscores the dysfunction surrounding the sudden firing of Clark, who previously spent 23 years at Amazon and built its mammoth logistics network on the way to becoming one of Jeff Bezos' top deputies. It's also indicative of a bigger challenge facing Flexport, whose software is designed to simplify the process of transporting goods. The company was valued at $8 billion by private investors in early 2022, just as the economy was turning and the 10-year tech bull market was coming to an end. As a high-valued company backed by powerful VCs, Flexport has been trying to simultaneously operate in Silicon Valley startup growth mode while also restraining expenses to reflect the new economic realities and to cope with supply chain bottlenecks. This account is based on conversations with people close to Clark and Petersen. They requested anonymity to discuss confidential interactions. Their perspectives have been corroborated by internal documents and communications reviewed by CNBC. Petersen has publicly said Clark overspent, overhired and overpromised, something his allies echoed to CNBC. He burned through cash and kept Petersen in the dark about key financials and an ambitious expansion into providing end-to-end supply chain tools for small and medium-sized businesses. People close to Petersen pointed to a number of previously unreported incidents that eroded his confidence in Clark. But documents viewed by CNBC and sources close to Clark undermine those claims. They show that Clark, who arrived when the company was struggling to bill customers and track containers, worked closely with the board and Petersen to implement decisions that Flexport now suggests were ill-advised. Evidence to support Flexport's claims of financial mismanagement is lacking, raising questions about whether that narrative was put forward to justify Clark's exit. A Flexport spokesperson rejected that characterization. \"Ryan Petersen returned as CEO in order to restore Flexport's culture of customer engagement, and drive the growth and cost discipline required to return the company to profitability,\" the spokesperson said in a statement.\n\nGet IPO ready\n\nClark arrived last year as the perfect hire for a tech startup trying to disrupt the age-old logistics industry. He'd built Amazon's logistics unit into a juggernaut that rivaled carriers like UPS and FedEx .\n\nRyan Petersen, chief executive officer of Flexport, participates in a panel discussion during the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., on Wednesday, May 4, 2022. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images\n\nSince 2021, Petersen had been seeking a successor for Flexport's then-operating chief, Sanne Manders, in part to address what several ex-employees described as lingering issues with the company's troubled billing processes. Fixing that was Clark's job. Petersen and Clark worked together as co-CEOs for the first six months. In March, Petersen transitioned to executive chairman. The co-CEO arrangement would free Petersen up to do what he loved – \"getting beers with customers,\" in the words of two former Flexport employees. Clark, a self-described \"builder at heart,\" was at the wheel. Among Clark's goals was to help Petersen prepare Flexport for an IPO, something the company had discussed doing within a two- to three-year window, according to a person familiar with the matter and documents viewed by CNBC. \"There's a perfect complement of skill sets,\" Petersen told Forbes in June 2022. \"Mine are much more creative, zero-to-one founder time, and Dave is the supreme executor and a legend in the supply chain world.\" Buying Deliverr was meant to be the first step in turning Flexport into a more full-scale logistics service for its customers. Shopify had acquired Deliverr in May 2022 for $2.1 billion. But the e-commerce software company was getting hammered by Wall Street as its Covid pandemic pop faded. By January 2023, CEO Tobias Lutke knew he needed to get rid of Deliverr. Around that time, Lutke first approached Petersen to float the possibility of a deal, according to a person familiar with the matter. Petersen told Clark he should engage with Shopify's team, according to a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations. Initial talks fell apart, but resumed when Flexport executives learned that Shopify was about to execute deep cost cuts and was eager to sell Deliverr. Clark and Petersen flew to Miami to meet with Shopify's leadership. As a transaction was nearing, Clark, who had a reputation as a deft negotiator, got Shopify, which was already an investor in Flexport, to sweeten it with $40 million in cash and the framework for a $260 million convertible note that could help Flexport on its path to an IPO, according to an internal document analyzing the deal. The sale would be announced alongside Shopify's first-quarter earnings report on May 4. \"We did not change the terms of a deal or rush it just to have it line up with an earnings call,\" Shopify said in a statement. With Flexport, \"we are tightly mission-aligned to ensure the success of our merchants, which is why we chose to deepen our partnership with them earlier this year.\" The night before the announcement, Petersen appeared at a \"Tech Talk\" at Flexport's Bellevue, Washington, office to pitch the \"Flexport vision\" to hundreds of people. An attendee asked Petersen whether Flexport would ever get into last-mile logistics. Petersen paused, glanced at his watch, and said to keep an eye on the morning news, according to a Flexport employee who witnessed the exchange and by a person who was told independently. The comment alarmed Clark and Flexport executives, who were concerned that Petersen had disclosed material nonpublic information about a publicly traded company, according to people familiar with the matter. Petersen didn't respond to calls or messages from CNBC, and the company declined to make him available for an interview. A Flexport spokesperson didn't respond to CNBC's question about whether Petersen was aware of concerns about his statement at the event.\n\nThe 'whistleblower'\n\nClark's first quarterly board meeting as sole CEO was June 1. His second was Aug. 31, days before he was forced out. The board was made up largely of investors who were betting on the founder. It included Founders Fund's Trae Stephens, who had helped start defense-tech firm Anduril Industries, and Michael Ronen, who left SoftBank in 2020. Andreessen Horowitz was represented by Bob Swan, an operating partner at the firm and former CEO of Intel .\n\nBob Swan, then-interim chief executive officer and chief financial officer of Intel Corp., reacts during the inauguration of the company's research and development facility in Bengaluru, India, on November 15, 2018. Samyukta Lakshmi | Bloomberg | Getty Images\n\nFor much of the summer, Clark had pushed then-CFO Kenny Wagers and his financial planning and analysis team to realign Flexport's year-end and 18-month forecasts, according to a person close to the situation. The reasons were obvious. At the beginning of 2022, it cost around $14,500 to move a single container across the Pacific. By late 2022, prices of ocean freight from Asia to the U.S. West Coast were down 90% from a year earlier, due largely to weakening global demand. Because Flexport makes money by charging fees for the transportation of goods, the company's business was getting hammered. But Wagers and Stuart Leung, a Flexport finance executive and a close Petersen ally, were reluctant to pare back forecasts, frustrating Clark, who felt those projections were overly optimistic. Wagers and Leung did not respond to CNBC's interview requests. Clark ultimately prevailed, but the revised forecasts distressed Petersen. Clark, Petersen and Wagers met in Texas in mid-August to fine-tune the forecasts. A source close to Petersen told CNBC that the meeting went poorly for Clark because a so-called whistleblower — identified as a senior finance executive — stepped forward shortly before it began and told Petersen that the numbers being presented were \"not real.\" The source referred to the senior finance executive as a whistleblower because of the information he disclosed to Petersen about Clark. Documents seen by CNBC and conversations with people with direct knowledge of the board meeting make it clear that there were no substantiated whistleblower actions or allegations of financial impropriety. Flexport's spokesperson told CNBC in a statement: \"There was no whistleblower nor was there any financial misconduct. Any allegations to the contrary are completely false.\" On Sept. 15, shortly after CNBC spoke with the Petersen source, legal counsel for Clark sent a cease-and-desist letter to Flexport. The letter, viewed by CNBC, instructed the company to preserve and retain all communications involving Clark's departure. The letter disputes the existence of a whistleblower and lists specific allegations as false and defamatory, including Petersen's claims that Clark was an unfit CEO because he overextended the company's lease obligations. Five hours after the letter was sent, the source close to Petersen contacted CNBC and asked to retract their statements and all details related to Clark's firing or about the so-called whistleblower. CNBC declined to retract his statements. Petersen has since deleted several of his posts criticizing Clark.\n\nDave Clark, Amazon's former senior vice president of worldwide operations. Lindsey Wasson | Reuters\n\nThe letter cited two documents that had been presented to the board. Both were viewed by CNBC. The first was a pre-acquisition financial analysis of the Deliverr deal, and the second was a review of Flexport's first-quarter numbers. The Deliverr analysis was presented by the co-CEOs to the board for their approval and was shaped by multiple prior board meetings. Clark's camp suggested that other factors may have led to the abrupt firing. For example, politics. Days after Clark was ousted, Petersen sent him a message — seen by CNBC — blasting one of his key female executives for wasting her days at the company on \"far left-wing political activism.\" The executive is a registered Republican. Stephens, the Founders Fund partner, also shared his contempt for that executive weeks before Clark's departure, a person familiar with the board told CNBC. Stephens did not respond to CNBC's request for comment. Petersen is also a venture partner at Founders Fund, the firm started by Peter Thiel, who was a prominent supporter of President Trump's 2016 campaign and more recently bankrolled Senate candidates in Ohio and Arizona. Many of Thiel's closest confidantes at Founders Fund and elsewhere in the venture industry are outspoken conservatives. Petersen's sole public political contribution in 2023 was to a Democratic political action committee associated with Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia. He doesn't talk much about politics on social media or in interviews. Clark has donated to candidates on both sides of the aisle. Upon his departure, The Wall Street Journal reported that he was considering running for governor of Texas, but two people familiar with his thinking say it's not happening anytime soon. Flexport told CNBC that an employee's politics are not relevant in personnel decisions. \"Ryan Petersen does not care at all about anyone's political or personal affiliations. That is their business,\" the spokesperson said. \"It is inappropriate for any employee to spend an excessive amount of time during work hours on activities unrelated to their role.\" A person familiar with the female executive said her noncorporate endeavors were largely related to charitable organizations. Clark has largely remained silent since he was forced to resign on Sept. 5, though in private he's expressed frustration at how his former team was being treated by Flexport, according to people close to him. Many of his allies at Amazon who joined him at Flexport were summarily fired by Petersen shortly after his departure. On Sept. 13, Flexport's chief legal counsel, Chris Ferro, contacted Clark. Ferro told him that his resignation a week prior had not been accepted, according to a person familiar with the conversation. Instead, Ferro told Clark that Flexport's board met the day after Clark resigned and voted to fire him for cause, the person familiar said. Ferro said the board minutes didn't yet reflect why Clark had been fired, the person said. Ferro allegedly told Clark that Flexport would be willing to give him a block of 2 million shares — worth millions of dollars — if he signed a separation agreement that included nondisclosure and nondisparagement clauses. Clark declined, the person said. Shortly after Flexport reached out with the offer, Clark took the stage at the same supply chain conference in Phoenix that Petersen spoke at earlier in the day. He didn't hold back. \"The only thing I really regret from the past year was I sort of picked the wrong founder,\" Clark said. \"Basically, it was a place of extending my reputational halo to a group that, in my opinion, didn't deserve it. Largely, because about half the team was let go last week on Friday, the most brutal nonseverance packages I've ever seen in my life. It was about as disrespectful a way as humanly possible.\"\n\nAmazon showdown\n\nOn top of the public relations fallout from the Clark saga and any legal wrangling that may follow, Flexport faces staffing turnover and a growing threat from Clark's former employer. Flexport recently ousted Wagers as CFO and lost its human resources chief. More layoffs are expected soon, sources said, after the company cut 20% of its staff in January. On Sept. 12, almost a week after Clark was fired, Flexport executives convened in Seattle to launch an end-to-end supply chain service that would allow sellers to move their products from factories to customers' doorsteps through integrations with major online marketplaces. The project was spearheaded by Parisa Sadrzadeh, an executive vice president at Flexport who Clark had poached from Amazon's logistics unit. Earlier in the day, and just up the street from Flexport's event, Amazon had unveiled a strikingly similar service in front of approximately 2,200 attendees at its annual Accelerate seller conference. Flexport had planned to have a booth onsite but was told it couldn't be an exhibitor, which some staffers suspected was due to the competing supply chain products, according to a person familiar with the matter. Flexport discussed securing exhibit space at Accelerate months earlier but didn't meet all the requirements to participate, and its launch wasn't mentioned in those conversations, Amazon said. Flexport's event was underwhelming. In a conference room, about 50 people looked on as Sadrzadeh debuted Flexport's service and then introduced Petersen, who spoke for roughly 20 minutes, according to Burak Yolga, co-founder of a digital freight forwarding company who was in attendance. \"Flexport announced pretty much the same thing that Amazon announced,\" Yolga said in an interview. He said he left after about a half-hour. The company paid rapper Nelly $150,000 to perform at the event. But in the days leading up to the launch, Petersen opted to squash the performance because the optics were bad after his post about rescinding job offers, a person familiar with the matter said. Despite canceling the event, Flexport still paid the artist. WATCH: Flexport CEO Ryan Petersen on reinvesting profits","url":"https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/02/the-inside-story-of-dave-clarks-tumultuous-last-days-at-flexport.html","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_9585753613d779ac","mhq_8c07cbf7661890fd","mhq_ef838c8ff3d4c0b3","mhq_9a6966c335fbfb81","mhq_29122b69341f9510","mhq_0279d4a349c34333","mhq_573fa1d1a82f1b2f","mhq_53f3d7e03c9a5388"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_9585753613d779ac","mhq_8c07cbf7661890fd","mhq_ef838c8ff3d4c0b3","mhq_9a6966c335fbfb81","mhq_29122b69341f9510","mhq_0279d4a349c34333","mhq_573fa1d1a82f1b2f","mhq_53f3d7e03c9a5388"],"text_sha256":"53f2ff43c4bab29aa6eeabdc97a78b88434a54c6cc543ee557280cdbf0956b9e","source_record_sha256":"ef77f4e5af4f0883401c4a82758b7a2f3184b2a15d3f3b991f17853b48434f1a","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":536,"source_fields":{"title":"The inside story of Dave Clark's tumultuous last days at Flexport","author":null,"source":"Cnbc | World Business News Leader","published_at":"2023-10-02T17:46:00+00:00","category":"business","url":"https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/02/the-inside-story-of-dave-clarks-tumultuous-last-days-at-flexport.html"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_3370fde1a13540f9","text":"The Code Conference wrapped up a few days back, and we’re bringing you the last of our interviews from the event. My friend and colleague, Verge deputy editor Alex Heath, sat down to chat with Roblox CEO David Baszucki live onstage.\n\nEarlier this year, Roblox announced grand plans to build an audience of adults. You probably think of Roblox as a kid thing — we reported in 2020 that half of all US kids under 16 had played it — but the last time David and Alex chatted, the company had big plans to change all that, and Alex asked how all of that was going.\n\nListen to Decoder, a show hosted by The Verge’s Nilay Patel about big ideas — and other problems. Subscribe here!\n\nRoblox is determined to be a platform, even more than a product — something users can develop games and experiences within. It sounds quite a lot like a metaverse idea, but you’ll hear David say he doesn’t particularly like using that term.\n\nAnd of course, it was the Code Conference, so David and Alex talked about AI, which was a real theme of our show. David said support for AI is woven all through Roblox’s business, starting with largely invisible functions like efficiency, translation, and safety. But he also sees a lot of opportunity for generative AI to help content creators on the Roblox platform in the not-so-distant future.\n\nOkay, this is a good one. David Baszucki, CEO of Roblox, live onstage at Code with Alex Heath. Here we go.\n\nThis transcript has been lightly edited for length and clarity.\n\nPlease welcome to the stage the founder and CEO of Roblox, David Baszucki.\n\nThank you.\n\nThanks for doing this, Dave. You are fresh off of your annual developer conference, just two weeks ago in San Francisco. I watched the opening keynotes. It seemed like the biggest crowd reaction you got was PlayStation support actually. So I guess my first question is, what took so long?\n\nIt’s a great question, and thank you for having me here. We’ve put so much focus on mobile quality over the last couple years. It’s our hugest market. We started as a PC product, went to Mac, and the vision of connecting people around the world on every platform has always been the vision. Mobile, we got into really good shape, Xbox in good shape, and then we started rolling out new platforms. As you can imagine, the creator community loves PlayStation because all of their existing creations are going to work there. So for all of these creators that are making a living and making new businesses, it’s just an immediate expansion of their business.\n\nWas there anything unique about PlayStation from an economics or business partnership perspective that took time, or was it all technical?\n\nNothing too unique. I think every platform has been very thoughtful in when they start to allow social cross-platform everywhere. I think five or 10 years ago, when we started this notion, Xbox and PlayStation were arguably a little more walled garden-ish, but that vision of connecting and communicating in a 3D space no matter where you are with the best user interface, the best camera, the best motion, whether it’s a phone or a console, I think has really come to bear right now.\n\nThere’s a lot of product, big-picture stuff I want to get into — AI, etc. First, though, I want to touch quickly on the layoffs that you guys recently did in your recruiting division.\n\nYeah.\n\nI think you had not done layoffs during the pandemic, am I correct?\n\nWe actually are continuing to hire. We’ve never done layoffs. One thing I think you can see, though, is probably in Q1 of 2023, we were growing our headcount at 50 percent a year, which is very rapid, and that requires a very, very large recruiting team. We’ve committed and we’ve shared the notion that over next year, our bookings are going to grow faster than our headcount, so our headcount growth is probably not going to be 50 percent next year.\n\nSo that doesn’t say anything bigger about the state of your business?\n\nNo, absolutely not. I think we’ve done this amazing job of just continuing to grow steadily through all of this over the last two years.\n\nLet’s talk about aging up the platform. So you have been making this big push to get people above 17 on the platform with exclusive experiences. You’re verifying identity with ID. It’s relatively new. You’re only, I think, a couple months in or so. How’s it going? Actually, I made a new Roblox account from scratch.\n\nI did it purposefully to see the experience, so this is about two hours ago. And the front page for me after I put my age and everything, was still a lot of games that, frankly, I’m not going to play. Kids games. So it seems like you’re still kind of lagging on that content that would get someone like me on the platform.\n\nThe fastest-growing segment on the platform is users aged 17 to 24, growing north of 33 percent year on year\n\nI think that’s a leading indicator. If we roll back the clock four, five, six, seven years when we were much smaller pre-public, that vision of creating an immersive platform that connects people around the world, that allows them to socialize, do things together, we even saw back then this has to be in every country. This has to be in all ages. So we started with the notion that this is going to be a platform for six-year-olds and 60-year-olds. The most recent earnings report, we shared that 17 through 24 is the fastest-growing segment on the platform, growing I think north of 33 percent year on year. So we’ve actually stopped using the term “aging up” right now. We have a very substantial over-17 user base. The thing you were experiencing is we have started allowing our creators, when you’re validated with your photo ID and we know for sure you’re 17, to start easing into some of those more mature experiences that you might consider kind of grown-up experience.\n\nI’ve seen some trailers, like there was one you guys showed at RDC a couple of weeks ago that looked like Grand Theft Auto in Roblox. I mean, the graphics were very impressive. It’s not the blocky kind of thing that you think of with Roblox, and so I can see where it’s going. But I guess right now when you’re telling me that that demographic is growing the fastest, what are they doing on the platform? Because I don’t see the experiences that —\n\nIt’s surprising the amount of older people that play just a wide range of experiences and come to socialize. I was in Canada hanging out with some third cousin at a family reunion, a 24-year-old guy who works on the railroad as an engineer, and he said, “Yeah, I’m really excited to meet you because all of the mechanics at CN Railroad [Canadian National Railway] are playing Roblox.” And I said, “What is going on? That’s too good to be true.” And they’re like, “Yeah, we’re playing Jailbreak, and we’re playing some of these experiences.” So they are playing these experiences. The level of social, the level of immersion, the level of being together with your friends no matter where they are is somewhat universal. So that’s doing surprisingly well for us.\n\nThis is kind of a big-picture question, but I’m curious about what you want to be. I think there’s this interesting gap between where Roblox is today, what it’s been historically, and how you talk about the company.\n\nIn my mind, you could easily be content to just go after the entire gaming market. I mean, it’s bigger than the music and the movie industry combined. But you seem more focused on building a next-generation almost social network. You talk about this as a communications platform. Why go that direction? Is the gaming industry not big enough?\n\n“Our belief is, this type of technology is bigger than gaming”\n\nI think that’s a great question. I mean, we’ve shared publicly that our goal would be to get to a billion daily active people on the platform. And I think our vision of what we’re working on goes really almost to the future of communication. It goes to the evolution of the mail system, to the telegraph system, to the phone system, to, as we saw in covid, the video system. We just think inevitably there’s a generation beyond that, which is immersive 3D communication, whether it’s playing together, whether it’s trying to graduate from high school together during the midst of covid, whether it’s a simulation of our Roblox office inside Roblox. We go and have a simulation of our office, and we come together for serendipitous events, whether it’s going to a concert. So our belief is, this type of technology is bigger than gaming. Gaming is a part of it, side-by-side concerts and working together, so I think we’ve evolved to a utility vision of this type of platform.\n\nI think you made a prediction at RDC a couple of weeks ago about dating. You think people are going to be dating in Roblox.\n\nIt was really fun when we made this prediction because we were very careful on that slide. And then you saw the 17-plus people ID validated in 17-plus experiences.\n\nSo parents don’t have a heart attack.\n\nYeah, yeah, yeah, given our history of safety and civility and the focus on that. But ultimately, what’s really interesting about the dating market, there’s probably a third of the population that won’t go on Bumble or Tinder or Hinge or whatever just because of awkwardness. In an immersive 3D avatar-type communication where you can be Shrek and I can be whoever I want to be, there’s actually a certain way to... I’ll be Donald Duck.\n\nOkay. [Laughs]\n\nThere’s actually a little bit of a breakdown of the friction, of the fear of a video call, so I actually do believe that’ll happen. I do believe someday someone will build a dating app on Roblox. It’ll be very safe. It’ll be for 17-and-up people, and it’ll be an interesting way for people to connect.\n\nTalk to me about this advertising push you guys are also making and how it connects to the changing demographics of the user base. Are they related? And how big do you see the ads business becoming?\n\nI think it’s really interesting. The amount of engagement is north of 5 billion hours per month on the platform, and more and more of that is north of 17-year-old engagement. And when we think about what advertising is, a lot of it is fandom. It’s seeing a poster of something I like, maybe historically seeing something in a newspaper. More recently seeing something as a web banner, and then more recently seeing something as a very native natural video segment or something like that. But we do believe there’s something beyond that, which is the 3D experience. For example, if we’re in a retail store together and we’re shopping and we can remember what’s on the shelf and how it looks, whether it’s shoes or makeup or whatever, and we do think that’s going to be a very, very powerful experience for brands.\n\nWe already have hundreds of brands on the platform. I was just seeing the most revised Gucci experience, which is radically amazing. It’s a simulation of their runway show. And in those experiences, there’s both brand recognition, which is maybe harder to measure. There starts to be the acquisition of virtual goods: Gucci purses and those kinds of things. And then, ultimately, there’ll be at some point, not yet really announced or promised, physical shopping as well. That kind of shopping with your friend is a very social, fun experience.\n\nHow big do you see the ads business being? Is it something that could potentially be as big as your core business today?\n\n“Our CFO’s friend was ... walking by a Vans store, and younger people wanted to go in there because they were familiar with that from Vans World on Roblox.”\n\nIt’s interestingly big. We’re in a great position because we generate a really good business without advertising. So it gives us an opportunity to layer this in for older people in a very civil way, in a very careful way. But I think it’s arguably undetermined how big it is. We will see based on the power of the memories that people have in their brands. Anecdotally, our CFO’s friend was in Santa Monica and walking by a Vans store, and younger people wanted to go in there because they were familiar with that from Vans World on Roblox. So building digital memories and connecting with brands that are fun and exciting and then merging that with the physical world is new, uncharted territory.\n\nOn the topic of growth, this is something I haven’t heard you talk about since you went public. A big part of your growth narrative when you went public, it was mentioned many times in the prospectus, for example, was this joint venture you had with Tencent in China. And less than a year after you went public, it got shut down without explanation.\n\nYeah.\n\nI saw that your head of China is now your head of Japan.\n\nThat’s right.\n\nWhere are you with China?\n\nTencent continues to be an amazing partner. We’re being very, very careful in China. The dynamics in China right now have gone to the point where, rather than envisioning a fully connected-type network, we have to imagine an autonomous network. We’re, in a sense, modernizing our infrastructure to the point where we can literally print a copy of Roblox in China and bring it to market there. So we continue to be very involved in China. We’re optimistic about it. We have a great partnership with Tencent, but we’re working on the infrastructure to support that.\n\nWhat does that mean, “an autonomous version” of Roblox?\n\nI think as you would look at any other platform or any other social media-type company, we would look back over the last three to four years and see less and less information going back and forth between the US and China to the point where I think the future will be very little goes back, for example, in a China situation.\n\nSo you haven’t given up on China?\n\nAbsolutely not. No.\n\nOkay, interesting. So you recently put Roblox on the Meta Quest headset, and it’s not officially in the store yet, but you got 1 million installs in five days, and it was just in a beta where you have to go find it. You can’t just go download it from the store.\n\nThat’s right, that’s right.\n\nWhere do you see VR going as it relates to Roblox? There’s the Vision Pro. Have you tried the Vision Pro?\n\nI have not tried a Vision Pro.\n\nYou’ve got to try it. Will you guys be on Vision Pro? Are you a big believer in this headset wave that’s coming?\n\nI’m a big believer, long term, that the most immersive form of 3D experience will be VR-type experience. There’s some great sci-fi around what the far-off future of VR is. I think our vision is, because we are a platform and because we work so hard on… young creator shows up, builds something on Roblox, pushes a button, runs on any device, is auto-translated into any language, possibly that can build a business on top of that, there’s a huge benefit to being very, very good on all devices and tracking the growth of devices. So we can contribute to the growth of Meta Quest, and I’m excited about that. If someday there are 500,000 or 500 million VR headsets, Roblox will be a huge part of it, but I think we’re not in the position of predicting the growth of any hardware device.\n\nWhat about AR? So not fully immersive, but AR glasses.\n\nAR is also super interesting, right? Is the future going to be mixed reality? Is the future going to be lighter weight, less overlaid type stuff? Is the future ultimately going to be some of the vision of some of the companies that have been started? Someday, I think I wrote a blog post about it 10 years ago, we will have full overlay, whether it’s contact lenses, and it’ll be lightweight and all of that. I think AR is very interesting when we think about immersive 3D communication because there’s communication where we’re simulating this world and we’re sitting here together. There’s also communication where grandma and grandpa are sitting at the kitchen table, and I think AR starts to support that vision of some people are on VR devices, some people are on AR devices. You can either put grandma and grandpa in the chair, or you can go to the favorite family destination. So I think it’s very interesting.\n\nWe’re going to have time for Q&A in a few minutes, so get your questions ready. We’ll have time for three or four questions.\n\nYou and I, a few months ago when we did the interview for Decoder, we talked a lot about AI and this kind of analogy to... I don’t know if people have seen the last season of Westworld. The main character has this job where she just goes in and talks to a computer and creates virtual worlds as a narrator. And you said you see that happening on Roblox in the not-too-distant future. You all talked a little bit more about this at RDC a couple of weeks ago. Where does generative AI intersect with what Roblox does?\n\nI think one way to think about this is three big AI clouds that are accelerating creation and supporting the platform. One of these clouds has been there for two or three years, no one knows it. Safety, automatic translation, moderation, efficiency, we’ve been working on that for two or three years, and we probably have 70 AI pipelines to drive the efficiency of the business and the quality of the business.\n\nThe middle cloud, which I think is a lot of energy right now — generative — how easy is it to make creation happen for everyone? Vision on Roblox would be in addition to, say, competing on Project Runway and using digital scissors and a digital sewing machine, we would also use prompts. I’d like a blue shirt, buttons this color, and AI will start to generate that.\n\nSo AI generative is very interesting for avatars, for clothing, for 3D experiences to really bring creation to everyone, and we’re deep in on that. We’ve already shipped AI code generation to help creators create. We’ve shipped AI material generation. I think having a company with amazing... A lot of user data flowing can help support and train those types of models.\n\n“There’s a third cloud way out there, which is starting to imagine having a virtual doppelganger ... that’s the more sci-fi future.”\n\nThere’s a third cloud way out there, which is starting to imagine having a virtual doppelganger, for example. If you wanted someone to take your place, if you wanted someone to meet me for five minutes before our meeting to just kind of figure things out, I think that’s the way-off-far future. And it’s not just generative AI, but it’s generative AI that might look and act like you in a virtual space. So that’s the more sci-fi future.\n\nSo that’s an AI trained on my Roblox persona and data to be like me?\n\nThat’s right. If you so choose and you so want that, then that could be an opportunity.\n\nAudience Q&A\n\nAlex Heath: Dave is very good at these Q&As. He does them a lot at his conferences.\n\nDavid Baszucki: I don’t. Oh, I do them with developers.\n\nAH: Yeah, I’m just saying give him good questions. Give him hard questions.\n\nDB: Thank you, I think.\n\nCathy Hackl: Hi Alex and David. Cathy Hackl. I’m a tech and gaming executive at Journey, a Roblox player, and the mother of an 11-year-old Roblox developer that makes about a hundred dollars a month from his builds.\n\nDB: Oh, my gosh.\n\nCH: So, yay. Yeah. During RDC, you gave one of your predictions. You said a top fashion designer will be discovered on Roblox without having any experience in physical fashion. What is the role of fashion in the future of Roblox and direct-to-avatar?\n\nDB: It’s huge, right? Karlie [Kloss] is on our platform. Parsons [School of] Design did a partnership with us. At RDC, we saw a couple of the gowns that had been done in concert with some of the students there. They were absolutely amazing. So one could imagine reducing the friction of creativity for a fashion designer to ultimately virtual design — and then, ultimately, AI-supported design.\n\nIt’s interesting to imagine this as a prototype environment for fashion. You can try a lot of things more quickly than building the physical. You can get crowd feedback. There will someday be experiences where early designs are voted on. We’ve had things like that in a more simplistic way, and then you can imagine almost predicting what types of designs from top designers would be welcomed. So I think it’s really big. Thank you.\n\nNeil Shankar: Hi, my name is Neil Shankar. I’m a content creator. I have always thought of Roblox as largely a metaverse company. In fact, my introduction to the metaverse concepts was from a series of essays that Matthew Ball wrote a few years ago that Roblox was largely the center of. Recently, I’ve become aware of a brand marketing push, I believe by your sports division, to distance yourselves from metaverse connotations. Can you please tell us about that?\n\nDB: I wouldn’t say that’s a distancing. We have evolved the terminology we’ve used. We’ve always used the term “human co-experience” or “bringing people together.” The metaverse context, as we know, was coined with the book Snow Crash a long time ago. And it’s interesting. It’s gone and ebbed through various flows. But I guess we imagine this more as a communication and connection platform. We’ve never really used the term metaverse a lot, and I think going forward, we’ll probably always think of ourselves as a communication and connection platform.\n\nAlex Kruglov: Hi, my name is Alex Kruglov. I run a startup called pop.in, which is also in the social gaming space but for a much older user base. I’m curious: when you think about 24 hours in a day and you talk about the future that you see with a billion daily actives and all kinds of time spent not just playing games but anything from dating to shopping and so on, what are people not going to be doing and switching? Clay Christensen has this concept of jobs to be done. Who are they firing? What jobs are they firing in order to be on Roblox?\n\nI asked this from the point of view of a parent of three kids, the middle of whom — for all intents and purposes, it’s crack when it comes to Roblox. It’s highly, highly regulated by her parents.\n\nAH: Yeah, how dystopian is this going to be?\n\nDB: Yeah. We’re actually very optimistic. And I think we’re optimistic because, in the specter of social media, there’s a wide range of things that people do on social media. Some consume a lot of short video content and trigger dopamine. Some are “compare my life with your life and accelerate FOMO.” Some are hopefully similar to the feeling of, “Well, my kid’s on the phone with their friends. They’re connecting, inventing, hanging out.” So I’m actually somewhat optimistic that the future of our direction is bringing people together when they can’t be in real life.\n\nCasey Newton: Hi. Casey Newton from Platformer. When I look at Roblox, I see something that looks a lot like an app store that increasingly looks like it wants to be an operating system, which to me, would seem to put it on a kind of collision course with an iOS or an Android or maybe even the Oculus Store. So I wonder how you think about that and how you think you can get to that billion daily active people without owning your own hardware.\n\nDB: One thing to think about when we imagine millions of creators and we can go to ancient Egypt or we can go to our office or whatever in immersive 3D is that content cannot all be shipped to the device. It’s just impossible to have that much content. So that content needs to come to the device in a very unique architecture where there’s very low latency, there’s a lot of local 3D simulation, but at the same time, on the cloud, that content needs to load and connect very fast. And I think this architectural inevitability of a 3D connection platform where we can go everywhere instantly is maybe what you’re thinking about or referring to. I would say, Apple, these platforms, are very aware of this inevitable architecture for 3D and are actually very big supporters of it.\n\nAndrew Melnizek: Hey. Andrew with The Verge. Last week, we saw some leaked internal emails from Microsoft’s Xbox CEO Phil Spencer, and he talked about the future of AAA game publishing and development. It’s just really expensive. People have to take bigger bets to succeed, and it’s getting harder and harder. I wanted to get your take, as someone who I would argue has defined the iPad kids generation, in what their relationship with games is going to be in the future as the model continues to change.\n\n“We have nothing near a bull’s-eye on AAA gaming”\n\nDB: Internally, we have nothing near a bull’s-eye on AAA gaming. Internally, there’s always a struggle to have all of our engineers working on midrange Android phones as a primary, very difficult platform. So I think our focus is on performance, on midrange, low-end devices, rather than the high-end. Over time, you could imagine even those low-end devices start to support more and more realism, and it becomes easier to deploy on the cloud, have an existing social network, and those kinds of things. So there may be some natural evolution but definitely nothing deliberate on our part.\n\nJay Peters: Hi. Jay Peters with The Verge. You mentioned walled gardens in terms of PlayStation and Xbox, but I kind of feel like Roblox is its own walled garden. We see lots of other shared virtual experience apps like Fortnite or Meta’s Horizon Worlds. Is there any chance or any thinking on some kind of interoperability between all that stuff?\n\nDB: I think there are two types of interoperability. One would just be on valuable items like a pair of shoes from Nike and whether the NFT supports the interchange. That may not be a 3D graphical technical spec; that may be a little bit more of a cloud ownership spec. I think that this genre is evolving so quickly to network hundreds of people to have realistic 3D. Are my shoes ultimately made of leather? Do they actually bend and flex? The technology is going to go so quickly here that any 3D interchange is going to be almost like a five-year-old file format. So I think, if you see maybe less interchange, I think it’s less that way. We do bring in every type of industry file format that we can, and we’re trying to open that up as fast as we can.\n\nJP: Do you think five years out, will there be energy toward creating some kind of interchangeable file format or is that something —\n\nDB: I think there is already. I think because Roblox is based on, under the covers, really trying to be a 3D world simulator. The wheels fall off the car, the car falls on the ground, your clothing is made of cloth, those kinds of things — those file formats may not support a kind of physically rich description. So I imagine, for a long time, when we bring in avatar files or something, we’ll be using AI to upsample them into a physical manifestation.\n\nJP: Thank you.\n\nAH: Alright, we’re getting pulled off the stage here. Dave, thank you for the time.","url":"https://www.theverge.com/23913044/roblox-baszucki-platform-playstation-ai-vr-ar-china-gucci","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_b77068e2aeb18ee8","mhq_7964d4da1cc735e7","mhq_3ab3f0817614eb98","mhq_cd71fb9f2e0f5aa0"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_b77068e2aeb18ee8","mhq_7964d4da1cc735e7","mhq_3ab3f0817614eb98","mhq_cd71fb9f2e0f5aa0"],"text_sha256":"419561aeb10c47ce5b3a4d84a6112f0952442eba361b24959b6831083e0fdf71","source_record_sha256":"27a9a7abfa1bc4af65a0519e5e8bb6be8c9933272c1b96061814988726b7a581","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":539,"source_fields":{"title":"CEO David Baszucki’s mission to make Roblox a billion-player platform","author":"Nilay Patel","source":"The Verge","published_at":"2023-10-12T14:01:00+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://www.theverge.com/23913044/roblox-baszucki-platform-playstation-ai-vr-ar-china-gucci"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_0343487a677b62d3","text":"“I feel like the majority of my life has been in front of a screen,” Turner “Tfue” Tenney reflected amid tears. A fateful kill against Tyler “Ninja” Blevins back in 2019 had catapulted Tenney to fame, and his audience went on to outgrow that of Twitch’s most mainstream star. Yet in 2022, Fortnite’s golden boy — whose name is synonymous with the battle royale game’s most recognizable character, Jonesy — called it quits. For many, Tenney’s retirement video was a sign of yet another Twitch star grappling with burnout: sad, yet familiar. In essence, though, Tenney walking away from it all cemented the end of an era for the games industry.\n\nPolygon is celebrating TwitchCon 2023 with a package of stories covering streaming trends and news from the show. Check it out!\n\nTenney was the real deal, a perfect nexus of undeniable charisma and tenacious talent on display at least eight hours a day for years. But his ascent was a complicated one that reflected many of gaming’s biggest growing pains during the influencer era. Tenney came up as an early Fortnite esports champion; we now know that esports is a bubble that’s burned millions of dollars. Tenney rode a Fortnite wave that raised billions of dollars for Epic Games; a few years later, the publisher laid off 830 of its employees. When Tenney blew up, everyone was salivating over Drake and what his livestream appearance signaled for Twitch’s future; now both the rapper and many of the platform’s stars are better known for promoting gambling over hits. Tenney spurred headlines after joining FaZe Clan, a gaming lifestyle brand so lucrative it was endorsed by celebrities like Snoop Dogg; FaZe Clan is now an infamous penny stock that tried to rip him off, Tenney says.\n\nWhere all these disasters converge is Twitch, the livestreaming platform that’s home to over 30 million daily viewers. Many would say the writing is on the wall for Twitch, after endless headlines about losing top talent, poor management, bad platform policies, and creator burnout. But the idea that Twitch has lost its way after an ostensible golden era is an easy narrative that misses something much starker. If Twitch is in trouble in 2023, it’s not because things have gotten worse. Everything you’re seeing is the natural progression of an unsustainable system. The prognosis has always been terminal; we’ve just refused to see it because it’s been profitable.\n\nIt didn’t take long for publishers to see that Twitch could make or break a game. Around 2018, Twitch and its personalities turned Fortnite into a juggernaut so powerful, much of the gaming industry started molding itself in its image. While an approachable aesthetic and surprising gameplay made for good viewing, what kept Fortnite from being a mere fad was the model. Before, content expansions and adjustments could take months, if not years, to hit, and you might have to shell out money to see any of it. Fortnite set a more cutthroat standard: free weekly content updates.\n\nEpic could swing this ceaseless delivery because the bulk of its profits at the time came from its engine, which many games — including Fortnite’s competitors — license. It was these deep pockets that made Fortnite possible in the first place: The bubbly shooter was initially a flop before Epic perfected the formula. The cadence also let Epic quickly adapt Fortnite to whatever was trending or novel, whether that was Among Us or Splatoon. Much like Roblox, Fortnite became a game that could give you anything — and if Epic didn’t emulate it, the players would.\n\n“You can’t replicate Fortnite’s growth from, like, the [content creator] standpoint and also definitely from the developer standpoint,” says a Twitch streamer turned game developer who requested anonymity because he isn’t authorized to discuss the popular AAA live-service shooter that he works on.\n\nThe conditions that made everything possible were unique, yet immaterial to publishers who could only imagine profits. Suddenly, “live service” was everywhere — and games like Overwatch, which couldn’t achieve a similar pace, were posed as disappointments by content creators.\n\nDoes an average player truly need their favorite game to give them something new, week in and week out? Developers say getting half of their players to actually finish games is unusual and worth celebrating, because the reality is that most people will never finish a game they start. Twenty-two percent of purchased games on Steam are unplayed outright. A number of things affect these percentages, like being a part of a sale or Game Pass, but the statistics still paint a picture. A reported 25% of players between the ages of 18 and 34 enjoy games between three and six hours a week, 28% play two hours or less, and 19% play between 13 to 24 hours or more, according to Statista. As they get older, fans apparently spend less time in games. In the most engaged age group, half of all players only log a couple of hours or so per week in their favorite games.\n\nA serious Twitch streamer who goes live daily or logs a full workday during their schedule will typically play much, much more than the people who are watching them. Twitch streamers can’t stop; a mere two-day pause might mean losing thousands of paying subscribers. There’s a big incentive to keep up with live-service updates as well. There’s some FOMO involved; while certain events with special prizes happen yearly, other big occasions, like season finales, only happen once. But the numbers don’t lie: Your viewership will definitely be impacted by new patches that float the game in question to Twitch’s front page.\n\n“Multiplayer games will start decreasing in viewership after the first week as the launch hype dies down and then it’s a question of how good the game is perceived to be that will determine its long term fate,” says StreamElements’ public relations director Chase. “With those in for the long haul, viewership tends to plateau and then spike when new content and patches are released or if it is supported by competitive events.”\n\nWhile the playing habits of a Twitch streamer don’t represent the average player by any means, content creators certainly shape public opinion about games.\n\n“Negative sentiment is very profitable,” says the AAA game developer, who noted that social media platforms are built to highlight popular — and sometimes caustic — content. This dynamic sets up an inherent tension between game developers and hardcore players like Twitch streamers, who are not the main audience of most games but are often some of the most visible players.\n\n“I don’t at all think that streamers are embodying some typical player behaviors, like ‘Brandon,’” the developer continues, posing a name for an imaginary everyday consumer. “There’s definitely a model of consumers nowadays who probably parrot those sentiments. They did not arrive at those conclusions themselves.”\n\n“There is inherently [a] vicious and negative cycle for everyone involved, for how live service interacts with Twitch as a medium”\n\nThe misinformation will vary, but Twitch both shapes that discourse while also becoming the very metric that people use to make sense of a game’s situation. It’s gotten so bad that people scrutinize Twitch longevity for single-player games, not just live-service or multiplayer ones.\n\nAnd so, to keep up with expectations, games as a whole are getting longer — and more expensive. It takes multiple studios to keep yearly live-service franchises like Call of Duty afloat, as noted in the CMA’s report on Activision Blizzard. That same report says that the development budget of a AAA game can range anywhere from $80 million to $380 million, and seasonal updates in particular require anywhere from $50 million to $65 million to produce. For publishers, keeping up with the competition requires nearly as much money as making a big-budget game in the first place. For contrast, a modern Tomb Raider game had a budget between $75 million and $100 million, not counting marketing costs.\n\nMarketing by itself has eye-popping numbers as well: A 2018 report noted that the marketing budgets alone for some titles can equal 75% to 100% of what was spent on development, effectively doubling the total production cost. The channels publishers will pursue are varied, but Twitch streamers command a percentage of it. In recent years, we’ve seen a shift toward personality-based promotion, with more and more publishers eschewing traditional press at launch in favor of coverage they can control. Blevins, by himself, apparently commanded a $1 million payday for streaming Apex Legends, a game that’s popularity can be attributed to its enormous Twitch-focused launch.\n\nWho can actually compete in the environment all of these conditions have created? Giant publishers who make live-service games, mostly. All 10 of the most-watched games on Twitch in 2022 were live-service games with regular updates. And the cost goes beyond money. As Fortnite took off, developers at Epic Games said that they experienced months of crunch that required 70-to-100-hour weeks to produce that industry-shaping content despite the publisher’s deep pockets. That’s the model that a lot of this hinges on, an egregious work week that often still requires the cheap benefits of outsourcing and contractors who are routinely laid off. Things haven’t changed much since 2019 at some major studios: Diablo 4’s developers say they also underwent crunch to ship the game. Naturally, the action role-playing game had Twitch integration from the jump, and alongside a detailed content roadmap. There’s little incentive for any of this to change, even as big-budget games buckle under their own weight and studios are closing left and right. Not when publishers know that the longer a player is hooked, the more likely it is that they’ll spend money.\n\nAt this point, live-service games need content creators like Twitch streamers to stay solvent. According to the developer speaking to Polygon, streamers help old games transform into new and visible moments. Developers need live-service games to stay in the conversation, because the base experience can worsen without a persistent player base.\n\nIt’s “not even from a cost perspective,” the developer says, though obviously more players make profits more viable. “But [if] we don’t have 20,000 players, then matchmaking times are terrible. Or connections will be pretty bad because we can’t mobilize players together in a single match. There’s all these cascading effects.”\n\nWhile a Twitch streamer’s livelihood depends on having a steady stream of content, the system taxes them, too. Tenney’s goodbye to his fans was a crushing one, because the path that led him there was fueled by lost youth and a dream. Over time, the promise of a dream job — get paid to play games! — became corporatized, and contracts turned things ugly. Tenney said he started feeling trapped, and he didn’t like how much his decisions started being motivated by money. Tenney is hardly alone here now that Twitch has “grown up.”\n\n“There is inherently [a] vicious and negative cycle for everyone involved, for how live service interacts with Twitch as a medium,” the game developer, who also spent years as a serious Twitch streamer, says. It’s been years, but he says he’s still recovering from the burnout of livestreaming all the time.\n\n“There [are] these enormous benefits for some people, but there’s also just, like, a lot of it just really grinds you down on both sides of the table,” he said, referring to game developers and Twitch streamers.\n\nIt was inevitable for things like sleep streams, uncapped subathons, and randomly generated AI shows to materialize on Twitch; content creators feel like they need to keep going, always\n\nThe burnout phenomenon has been at the forefront of Twitch’s public image, in large part because it doesn’t spare even the most successful creators on the platform. Twitch’s most famous woman, Imane “Pokimane” Anys, started streaming while she was still a teen. Then, it was just a hobby. Nearly a decade later, Anys grew to have one of the most impressive stints on the platform. Late in 2022, however, came a big change. She informed fans she would no longer stream all day, nor would games be her primary focus anymore. Instead, she pivoted to being more of a lifestyle and beauty personality who uploads on short-form platforms like TikTok, if and when she feels like it.\n\nThe evolution grew from a similar motivation as Tenney’s. In the video where she explains it all, Anys said that during her time as a full-on Twitch streamer, keeping up with the “rat race” often meant playing what was popular while being unable to do “basic human things,” like going grocery shopping. How could she, when streaming all day was the norm and there was always competition around the corner that was younger and more willing to stay live for longer?\n\nIt was inevitable, then, for things like sleep streams, uncapped subathons, and randomly generated AI shows to materialize on Twitch; content creators feel like they need to keep going, always. Barring that, live-service games are always at the ready. In her sort-of-goodbye video, Anys spoke frankly while quickly scrolling through her entire game history on Twitch. It was all live-service games like League of Legends and Fortnite.\n\nIn 2011, when Twitch first launched, content creation wasn’t fully a career and people still uploaded their photos to Facebook. Normal, everyday teens weren’t yet decrying the hungry maw of the internet, and the generational shift toward work-life balance hadn’t yet taken hold. Twitch happened at the exact right time, benefiting from a cadre of optimistic young users who grew up on the internet, happy to give away as much of themselves as they could. They didn’t even realize it was happening, in many cases, and they couldn’t imagine the unsustainable system it would go on to create. People were just having fun.\n\nThings have changed since then. Twitch has crowned millionaires, like Félix “xQc” Lengyel, who wear thick diamond chains around their necks while streaming. At the same time, viewership is dropping after years of platform growth that was partially bolstered by the COVID-19 pandemic, all while top creators are streaming less. The gaming industry, which likes to boast about how much money it makes in comparison to other forms of entertainment, is laying off workers nearly every week at top studios. Meanwhile, the overall gaming market is shrinking. The cracks in the system that produces and promotes big-budget games are getting hard to ignore.\n\n“I wouldn’t trade it for the world,” Tenney said in his goodbye video, which is overflowing with footage of esports casters and viewers in awe of his Fortnite plays.\n\n“I’ve been doing this since I was a kid, man,” he continued, shaking his head. “I feel like my childhood and even some of my adulthood kind of flushed away. I feel like this is the end of the journey, man.”","url":"https://www.polygon.com/23920138/twitch-streamer-fortnite-tfue-pokimane-burnout","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_a2c7c19918d77ec8","mhq_fc2dacc75cb6ef2b","mhq_3e8219f583173d97"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_a2c7c19918d77ec8","mhq_fc2dacc75cb6ef2b","mhq_3e8219f583173d97"],"text_sha256":"87eef22b8ebab8f2d2b1a532b512b859cebc406ca3db850d9a2eeccff39ab31b","source_record_sha256":"662740a15ad20ffb3c8cb9ad741a57c1e9c09de2e7f6d1ce07d72342e8146689","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":545,"source_fields":{"title":"Can anyone survive Fortnite as a job?","author":"Patricia Hernandez","source":"Polygon","published_at":"2023-10-19T16:01:20+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.polygon.com/23920138/twitch-streamer-fortnite-tfue-pokimane-burnout"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_b6955456d0e3760b","text":"Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the\n\nLifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }}\n\nTravis Kelce believes the National Football League’s coverage of his rumoured girlfriend Taylor Swift is a bit too much.\n\nFollowing his game against the New York Jets on 1 October, the 33-year-old Kansas City Chiefs tight end opened up about the NFL broadcast on the most recent episode of his podcast, New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce. In conversation with his brother Jason, 35, the two addressed concerns from longtime football enthusiasts who were frustrated by the constant Swift references throughout Sunday’s game at MetLife Stadium.\n\nNot only did the football league promote last Sunday’s game by speculating whether the Grammy winner will attend the Chiefs-Jets match, but cameras were constantly panning to the star-studded suite. During the game, Swift was joined an A-list group of guests, including her best friends Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner, and actor Hugh Jackman.\n\nThe NFL also introduced a special segment with Carson Daly and The Voice, where the famed host attempted to explain the specifics of football to “Swifties.”\n\nIn the New Heights podcase episode, titled “The NFL Needs to Calm Down”, Jason asked his brother plainly whether he thought the football was “overdoing it” with the coverage of Swift during the game.\n\n“I think everybody is just, like, overwhelmed,” the Chiefs tight end replied.\n\n“Take away your feelings for Taylor,” Jason added. “What is your honest opinion on how the NFL is treating celebrities at the games?”\n\nSeemingly beating around the bush, Kelce remarked: “I think it brings a little more to the atmosphere, it brings a little bit more to what you’re watching. But at the same time, I think...”\n\nBefore his younger brother could continue his thought, the Philadelphia Eagles player chimed in: “They’re overdoing it.”\n\n“They’re overdoing it a little bit, for sure,” Kelce agreed. “Especially my situation. I think they’re just trying to have fun with it.”\n\nWhile sports lovers may not be too pleased with the NFL’s focus on Swift, the football league’s supposed obsession with ongoing Swift and Kelce dating rumours has paid off in terms of ratings. Per a Deadline report, NBC accumulated an average of 27m viewers, with a total of 29m tuning in during the second quarter.\n\n“That’s gotta be an NFL record right there,” Jason told his younger brother, as he noted that about two million viewers were estimated to be female. “I think a few of them might have been there for Deadpool and, uh, Taylor.”\n\nIn the YouTube comments under the New Heights video podcast, fellow fans shared their opinions on the NFL’s coverage. “I agree the NFL needs to calm down. Pissing off football fans is not how you repay your boi [sic] for all he’s done for the sport,” one person wrote.\n\nAnother remarked: “Pity Taylor. All she ever wanted was to watch the football game. Now she’s being blamed and hated left and right.”\n\n“The NFL needs to seriously tone it down and let Trav and Tay explore this beautiful thing they have going on in peace,” someone else said.\n\nElsewhere in the podcast, the brothers revealed the one person who was most delighted to see famous musicians, actors, and professional athletes all coming together for Sunday’s game was none other than “Mama Kelce,” aka Donna Kelce. On 1 October, the NFL players’ mother travelled from Philadelphia to New Jersey to watch both her sons play football on the same day.\n\n“She’s been on top of the f***ing world, man,” Kelce told his older brother. He also acknowledged how his mother seemed to be loving the new guests in her family suite, watching her son play along with her. “I know mom enjoyed it,” Kelce confessed.\n\n“I shot her a text. I didn’t get a chance to see her, so I shot her a text right after the game on the bus ride to the airport and was like: ‘Hey, mom, sorry I didn’t get to catch you before I left but I hope you enjoyed the game,’” he continued. “I appreciate you always trying to make it to both of our games.”\n\n“She also told me thank you because she was in an alternate universe, she was sitting there with Deadpooland Wolverine,” Kelce added, referencing Reynolds’ and Jackman’s respective superhero movie characters. “It was a hot ticket, man, you know what I’m saying? That suite was rockin’.\n\n“They were enjoying themselves. Somebody told me that everybody was enjoying themselves in that suite,” Kelce said.\n\nNot only has NFL viewership increased since Swift began attending her rumoured boyfriend’s games, but jersey sales for the Chiefs tight end have reportedly spiked by 400 per cent, according to a report from the NFL’s e-commerce partner, Fanatics.\n\nFollowing critcism the league is focusing too much on Swift, the NFL responded with an official statement handed to People on 4 October.\n\n“We frequently change our bios and profile imagery based on what’s happening in and around our games, as well as culturally,” the message read. “The Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce news has been a pop cultural moment we’ve leaned into in real time, as it’s an intersection of sport and entertainment, and we’ve seen an incredible amount of positivity around the sport.”\n\n“The vast majority of our content has remained focused on the game, our players and variety of other initiatives, including our Toy Story Funday Football alt-cast, the international games and more,” they continued.","url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/travis-kelce-nfl-taylor-swift-coverage-b2423936.html","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_f382eff51aafbc6d","mhq_b75d6e5f4903d90a","mhq_88687c5036ddd743","mhq_b4a410e83f8fefdf","mhq_816c24feb3af51ba"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_f382eff51aafbc6d","mhq_b75d6e5f4903d90a","mhq_88687c5036ddd743","mhq_b4a410e83f8fefdf","mhq_816c24feb3af51ba"],"text_sha256":"ec677ea4b72d63ecce14d30ebefa52d0c0c36a4ebf158afec71ef986be276d39","source_record_sha256":"3e1ce216230a1468734a06b7c361c631207de2374929ffe340d5c48b44cfc389","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":559,"source_fields":{"title":"Travis Kelce admits the NFL is overdoing it with their Taylor Swift coverage","author":"Kaleigh Werner","source":"The Independent - Life and Style","published_at":"2023-10-04T19:58:00+00:00","category":"entertainment","url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/travis-kelce-nfl-taylor-swift-coverage-b2423936.html"}}
{"document_id":"mhd_ca8622d260fdb13f","text":"Palestine’s growing tech industry has been literally blown apart by the war between Israel and Hamas\n\nGaza, despite being one of the most economically challenged regions in the world, has ironically always been a tech hub — not only for Palestine and Palestinians, but also for the world: International companies have, for many years, sought out a presence there to collaborate with talented tech freelancers and the startups that gradually emerged from the region. For example, according to sources who helped build those bridges, Nvidia, famed for its role in the new AI boom, has been working with at least 100 engineers from the region for years. (Tragically, the initiative to employ Palestinians in this outsourcing was that of Mellanox founder Eyal Waldman, whose daughter was brutally murdered in the attacks by Hamas).\n\nSince at least 2008, TechCrunch been covering technology companies out of Palestine, some serving their direct audience, some serving the tech world internationally. Silicon Valley had taken an increasing interest in Palestine as a tech hub, but like the ecosystem itself, it’s nascent: To date, those working in the region estimate that as much as $10 million has been invested in the Palestinian tech ecosystem.\n\nNotably, in 2017, Salesforce founder and CEO Marc Benioff joined Silicon Valley luminaries in backing the first-ever coding academy to be created in Gaza.\n\nGaza Sky Geeks, an Alphabet-backed initiative based in Gaza that provides pre-seed investments, training and technology resources to Palestine’s Gazan population, has been a beacon of entrepreneurship in the region.\n\nAll of that is now effectively gone, like the buildings in Gaza itself.\n\nIsrael is currently retaliating militarily against the attacks on its people, on its soil, and the hostages subsequently taken by Hamas — the ruling organization in Gaza that kidnapped at least 150 people and took them into Gaza during brutal attacks on Israel last weekend that killed 1,300 people.\n\nThat strategy has seen Israel pummeling the “Gaza Strip” with bombs to eradicate it of Hamas and to get its hostages back. Over 1,500 people in Palestine so far have been killed as a result. The tech industry in Israel — the country’s biggest export and its biggest single contributor to GDP — is also taking a big knock, but inevitably the impact on the smaller and more fragile ecosystem in Gaza has been significantly more serious. The physical, economic and societal destruction resulting from that leaves any future for the tech industry there in doubt.\n\nQuite simply, there is no escaping the consequences of the war for anyone, let alone tech workers.\n\n“What is happening to tech in Gaza is that Israel is crunching it. Obliterating it,” one source inside the territory told TechCrunch.\n\nIsrael has now amassed soldiers near the north of Gaza, ahead of an expected ground offensive into the densely populated enclave. About 1.1 million people living in northern areas have been told to leave in the next day. The UN has warned of “devastating humanitarian consequences” from these latest moves. A total blockade on the territory is being enforced with fuel, food and water running out. Israel says it won’t lift the restrictions unless Hamas frees all hostages.\n\nSpeaking to Ryan Sturgill, an American national and former head of the Gaza Sky Geeks (GSG) accelerator run by sponsor Mercy Corps, an NGO aid organization, the situation on the ground appears dire, after waves of shelling by the Israeli military.\n\n“The area around the the Mercy Corps building, which housed Gaza Sky Geeks, has been leveled. The structure is standing but blown out. The front of it is sort of ripped off,” he said.\n\nGaza Sky Geeks is the largest tech hub in Palestine, providing a wide range of tech training at scale. In 2022, 5,000 coders and developers from across the West Bank and Gaza graduated from the program.\n\nVideo evidence (and pictured above) posted on LinkedIn shows a blown-out building with the Mercy Corps sign.\n\n“Who knows what’s going to happen. The offices are destroyed, the fiber lines are destroyed. The universities are destroyed. Three main universities in Gaza that produce all the computer science grads are leveled. I don’t even know if people will ever be able to go back to Northern Gaza after what’s happening today.The educational institutions that are there are gone,” Sturgill added.\n\nHe had been helping Palestinian tech startups raise capital in the West Bank and Gaza since January.\n\n“Until now, there had been a pretty significant growth. A lot of companies in Saudi Arabia have been setting up back offices [in Palestine] for development for all sorts of new companies and even apps that are now growing in the Gulf, because Saudi has been growing so quickly on the tech front. Nvidia, and other international companies, has outsourcing operations in Palestine. Apple has outsourcing operations, Microsoft has R&D, and they would even like to see those expand. There’s companies that had 200 developers sitting in offices in Ramallah,” he said.\n\n“I’ve talked to all of the heads of these different offices; most of them are in in Israel. They are very positive people who want to try to support the tech industry there and those efforts have been working well and growing,” he added.\n\nIndeed, one of the main Palestinian VC funds, Ibtikar, had recently raised its second fund of $30 million.\n\nHigh-growth companies emerging from Palestine include Mena Analytics (data analytics, invested in by Flat6Labs); Olivery (last-mile logistics, Flat6Labs, Gaza Sky Geeks Ibtikar Fund); Coretava (employee and customer loyalty); and SellEnvo (an Amazon fulfillment partner).\n\nSturgill said that as well as the intensely difficult conditions in Gaza, which is being hit by Israeli missiles, the situation in Ramallah is “super tense. I feel like the situation is going to get significantly worse there over the coming weeks.”\n\nIliana Montauk, co-founder and CEO of Manara — a social impact startup funded by Y Combinator, Seedcamp, Reid Hoffman, Eric Ries, Marc Benioff, Paul Graham, and Jessica Livingston, among others — told TechCrunch via email that connectivity has decreased significantly in the past 24 hours.\n\n“Though Gaza has been bombed many times before, this time is completely different for the tech sector for several reasons. Electricity was cut off to the entire [Gaza] strip. A significant amount of infrastructure has been bombed (including both ISPs and many tall apartment buildings that hold cell phone towers). Entire middle-class neighborhoods are being destroyed.”\n\nShe said in the past if an entire neighborhood got destroyed, it was usually one bordering Israel and a poorer area, thus less impacting the tech sector.\n\n“The tech sector is almost completely unable to function in Gaza right now,” she said. “Most people are in too much danger to be able to work; some have evacuated three times in the past 24 hours, moving from friend’s house to family house, because each neighborhood they end up in is the next one being bombed. They usually receive warnings to evacuate their homes 10 minutes before a bombing, so they don’t sleep and monitor the situation constantly ready to evacuate in a minute’s notice.\n\n“Most people have lost cell phone connections and internet access completely, or have some access to 2G only on their cell phones. Electricity is no longer being provided even for a few hours a day now, and people are running out of gas for their generators,” she added.\n\nManara has around 100 software engineers in Gaza, some working remotely for tech companies in Silicon Valley/Europe.\n\nMontauk said one software engineer who works at Upwork disappeared for several days, until being found alive.\n\nDalia Awad, whose Medium post about getting into Google from Gaza went viral in 2021 (it was at one point #1 on Hacker News and tweeted by Paul Graham), returned to Gaza after her internships at Google and Datadog to graduate from university. She had a full-time job offer at Datadog in Paris but decided to stay home in Gaza and look for a remote job so she could be close to family.\n\nOn Tuesday she wrote to Montauk, saying: “Tonight was the worst night ever. My family and I are good, thankfully. The bombing was everywhere and we couldn’t know where it was because there was no internet. Many of my friends lost their houses in the Rimal area. There is no wifi internet, we connect to the cellular data on our phones but it’s only 2G and it connects for a few minutes then cuts off. We can only send Whatsapp messages. So we can’t really read news on social media. In the morning we saw these videos from our friends who shared it on whatsapp but it takes FOREVER to download a video of a few seconds.”\n\nMontauk said Awad had not responded to her in the past day.\n\nMontauk, a former director of Gaza Sky Geeks, said: “Before this escalation, the Gaza tech scene was growing. I was just in Riyadh and met companies that hire entire software development teams in Gaza. Upwork and other Silicon Valley companies are now hiring software engineers remotely from Gaza. In addition, some had left to work abroad at companies like Google, Amazon, Qualtrics, etc. Last time I was in Gaza a year ago, almost everyone I talked to asked me how they could get a job and leave Gaza. They were worried about more bombings and wanted to bring their children up in a place without such a high risk. These people just want to live normal lives.”\n\nThose who are living in the West Bank say the activity in Gaza has had an inevitable impact.\n\n“For a Palestinian young woman like me living in the West Bank, I can confirm that there has been a noticeable freeze in terms of activity,” said Leen Abubaker of Flow Accelerator and co-founder at Sawaed19. “Tech companies are either operating on a very limited scale, with employees struggling to reach their offices in the West Bank due to unsafe roads blocked by Israeli occupation forces and settlers, or they have been forced out of business entirely in Gaza.”\n\nShe added that a number of buildings in Gaza that are key to the tech industry there, such as Burj Al-Watan, had been destroyed by Israeli airstrikes and that the tech industry is not the first priority for people in the urgent situation. “How can you possibly detach from the distressing reality and cling to the remaining shreds of hope for your business?”\n\nMohammad Alnobani is a Palestinian founder of The Middle Frame, an Arab stock image platform powered by AI tools that aims to shatter stereotypes about the Arab world through images and reducing bias in AI.\n\nHe told me he was on his way back from the One Young World Summit in Belfast, speaking about peace and reconciliation, and about to reach the borders to cross to Palestine to get back to his family, when the war broke out.\n\n“The borders closed down and I had to turn around and go back to Jordan,” he said. “I am still there, continuously checking on my family in Jerusalem, and trying to reach out to my connections in Gaza.” His co-founder, Raya Fatayer, is in Ramallah, staying at home with her baby and husband, not able to travel.\n\n“Our fellow entrepreneurs in Gaza had their homes demolished by air strikes, some we can’t even reach anymore since the electricity is out and they have no power,” he said. “Dealing with the situation while trying our best to move forward with our work is a daily challenge.”\n\nHe said this outbreak of hostilities with Israel is clearly different: “Before, every time Gaza faced air strikes, we knew that certain areas were almost safe. Clearly today, nobody is safe.”\n\n(This piece was later edited to include relevant information about the attacks by Hamas).","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/10/14/palestine-tech-industry-hamas-israel-war/","role":"hard_negative","related_question_ids":["mhq_c08ebcabd7a4009c","mhq_ee1edaefc29d0fce","mhq_d891a5e051a27c5f","mhq_ff94e22fe8b8521a","mhq_80f1eec231b17a62","mhq_629f1f7adc14abd8"],"gold_for_question_ids":[],"hard_negative_for_question_ids":["mhq_c08ebcabd7a4009c","mhq_ee1edaefc29d0fce","mhq_d891a5e051a27c5f","mhq_ff94e22fe8b8521a","mhq_80f1eec231b17a62","mhq_629f1f7adc14abd8"],"text_sha256":"6bdb7ff625445d72e40e0d792d4067d064ba936afd76cde76e4461f3921a4842","source_record_sha256":"7d540ae00442b6debb39391ca990fdd009afa4f9d161187608bbe3050d21fbc5","source_file":"../MultiHop-RAG/corpus.json","source_index":598,"source_fields":{"title":"Palestine’s growing tech industry has been literally blown apart by Israel’s war on Hamas","author":"Mike Butcher","source":"TechCrunch","published_at":"2023-10-14T07:46:27+00:00","category":"technology","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2023/10/14/palestine-tech-industry-hamas-israel-war/"}}