David Lidsky's Blog, page 270

You’re now able to get a tax credit if you buy a Tesla Cybertruck—but it might not last

As of January 1, some more EVs are eligible for the federal tax credit, while others have dropped off the list. But it’s still an open question if Trump will keep them.

If you’re looking to buy an electric vehicle, a handful of models now qualify for the federal EV tax credit for the first time—including the Tesla Cybertruck. Stricter rules for the $7,500 credit went into effect January 1, which also knocked some models off the eligibility list. 

Instagram deletes AI profiles ‘managed by Meta’ after users complain of not being able to block them

As tech giants lean into generative AI content to boost engagement, human users may discover that they have fewer options for avoiding it.

Nonhuman Instagram profiles are generating fresh scorn this week after reports that parent company Meta is looking to increase the presence of AI-generated content on its social networks as a way of boosting engagement. 

Burned by holiday delays? Book these airlines with the best on-time records in 2025

The top-ranked U.S. carrier landed within 15 minutes of its scheduled arrival 83% of the time, according to new aviation data.

Some good news for those who love to travel: Air travel is bouncing back from post-pandemic lows with international destinations leading the way. But as anyone who has traveled recently knows, flight delays are still a huge problem. And with more flights predicted to take off in 2025, that isn’t likely to get better anytime soon. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is forecasting a 4.6% increase in departures from last year. That’s a whopping 40 million flights scheduled to take off in 2025, as reported by CNBC.

How a massive Nevada lithium mine could drive this tiny species to extinction

The Kings River pyrg, a snail about the size of grain of rice, is only found in Nevada.

Opponents of the nation’s largest lithium mine under construction want U.S. officials to investigate whether the project in Nevada already has caused a drop in groundwater levels that could lead to extinction of a tiny snail being considered for endangered species protection.

Environmentalists and Native American activists are demanding that the U.S. Interior Department address what they say is new evidence that bolsters their concerns about Lithium Americas’ planned open pit mine at Thacker Pass. The footprint of mine operations will span about nine square miles (23 square kilometers).

The fate of the snail takes center stage after a federal judge and an appeals court dismissed a previous attempt by Native American tribes to get federal agencies to recognize the sacred nature of the area. The tribes argued that the mine would infringe on lands where U.S. troops massacred dozens of their ancestors in 1865.

Now, Western Watersheds Project and the group known as People of Red Mountain argue in a notice of intent to sue that the government and Canada-based Lithium Americas are failing to live up to promises to adequately monitor groundwater impacts.

They say it’s alarming that an analysis of groundwater data from a nearby well that was conducted by Payton Gardner, an assistant professor of hydrogeology at the University of Montana, shows a drop in the water table of nearly five feet (1.5 meters) since 2018. Nevada regulators say they have no information so far that would confirm declining levels but have vowed to monitor the situation during the mine’s lifespan.

Net neutrality never stood a chance

The Biden administration’s efforts to regulate internet providers were already on life support. A federal appeals court just pulled the plug.

A federal appeals court sealed the fate of the Biden administration’s efforts to regulate internet providers on Thursday, striking down the Federal Communications Commission’s 2024 net neutrality order once and for all.

Trump calls for the U.K. to scrap North Sea wind turbines

Trump’s post on Truth Social came after U.S. oil firm Apache Corporation revealed plans to exit the North Sea by 2029.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump called to “open up” the British North Sea and get rid of windmills in a post on his social media platform Truth Social on Friday.

Dating Sunday 2025: The busiest day on dating apps is almost here

Companies like Hinge and Tinder are betting that postholiday singles will turn to the apps with fresh eyes and open hearts.

Dating apps are gearing up for their busiest day of the year: Dating Sunday. 

The next time you get laid off, it could be via text or email

Employers have gotten plenty of bad press for botching layoffs. But some companies may be doubling down on a more impersonal approach to job cuts.

Since the pandemic normalized hybrid work and virtual communication, a number of companies have been emboldened to take a more impersonal approach to conducting layoffs. When Intuit cut 10% of its workforce last summer—framed as performance-related layoffs—employees were instructed to look out for a calendar invite that would indicate whether they were impacted. In April, Tesla informed its employees about layoffs through an email; some employees reportedly only learned they had been let go when they showed up to the office and found their badges no longer worked.

Fitch issues global 2025 housing market forecast: America up, China down

China’s housing market undergoes price correction even as prices rise across housing markets in most of the world.

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Constellation Energy awarded $1 billion to supply nuclear power to the U.S. government

The contracts, set to begin on April 25, are estimated to provide electricity equivalent to powering more than 1 million homes annually.

Constellation Energy has been awarded a record $1 billion in contracts to supply nuclear power to the U.S. government, the company said on Thursday.