David Lidsky's Blog, page 386

Federal judge blocks Utah’s social media law meant to protect children

NetChoice has obtained injunctions temporarily halting similar social-media-limitation laws in California, Arkansas, Ohio, Mississippi, and Texas, the organization said.

A federal judge in Utah has temporarily blocked a social media access law that leaders said was meant to protect the personal privacy of children and limit their use of such platforms, saying it is unconstitutional.

An ultimate guide to future-proofing your career

Cultivating uniquely human skills can help workers adapt to technological disruption. Here’s a step-by-step guide to how to develop them yourself.

In an age where artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the workplace, workers across industries are grappling with a difficult question: How can we stay relevant? Especially in a world where machines are increasingly capable of performing tasks once exclusive to humans, many workers are trying to future-proof their careers. 

Moderna stock plunges nearly 20% as company reports poor COVID-19 vaccine sales and cuts to research plans

With the pandemic in the past, the Cambridge-based biotech company has struggled to maintain success, now announcing it will cut 20% of its R&D budget by 2027.

Moderna (NYSE: MRNA) stock plunged Thursday on news it will be slashing its research and development (R&D) budget by about 20% over the next three years, a result of low sales projections and poor vaccine sales.

Donald Trump lashes out at Taylor Swift by ripping off her Eras Tour T-shirt design

The ‘Trump Era’ shirt is a last-ditch effort to appeal to Swift’s massive fan base.

After Tuesday’s presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, global superstar Taylor Swift officially endorsed Harris via an Instagram caption.

Cyberattacks on U.S. utilities are up 70% this year

There were 1,162 cyberattacks on average through August this year, compared to 689 in 2023, Check Point data showed.

U.S. utilities faced a near 70% jump in cyberattacks this year over the same period in 2023, according to data from Check Point Research, underlining the escalating threat to a critical infrastructure.

Southern California wildfires burn homes and ski resort, forcing evacuations

The Bridge Fire exploded to more than 48,000 acres, becoming the largest in the state and one of four burning within sight of each other.

Two Southern California wildfires torched dozens of mountain homes, tore through a ski resort, and forced thousands to evacuate in towns and cities east of Los Angeles on Wednesday.

Salmonella outbreak linked to egg recall has now spread to 9 states

A total of 65 people have been infected, including those in states where the eggs were not sold, according to the CDC.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a food safety alert warning consumers not to eat or buy eggs from Milo’s Poultry Farms, which have caused a salmonella outbreak in 9 states including Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin, where the eggs were sold.

Inflation cooling streak continued in August, hitting a 3-year low

The Labor Department’s report showed that consumer prices rose 2.5% in August from a year earlier, down from 2.9% in July.

The post-pandemic spike in U.S. inflation eased further last month as year-over-year price increases reached a three-year low, clearing the way for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates and likely shaping the economic debate in the final weeks of the presidential race.

U.S. Postal Service ends discounts for shipping consolidators

It could mean higher shipping costs for all sorts of products that are shipped by consolidators who have saved money by using the Postal Service network for final deliveries.

The U.S. Postal Service said Wednesday that it is ending discounts that shipping consolidators such as UPS and DHL use to get packages to the nation’s doorsteps, in a move meant to help the Postal Service slow losses but that could see the higher costs passed on to consumers.

Stellantis to invest $406 million in Michigan factories to build EVs

Stellantis is taking a step toward meeting some commitments that it agreed to in a new contract ratified last fall by the United Auto Workers union after a bitter six-week strike.

Jeep and Ram maker Stellantis will spend $406 million retooling three Michigan factories so they can build electric vehicles or battery parts to support a strategy of making vehicles powered by both gasoline and batteries.