Today: October 06, 2024
Today: October 06, 2024

Latest From The Los Angeles Post

Environment

Is generative AI bad for the environment? A computer scientist explains the carbon footprint of ChatGPT and its cousins

AI chatbots and image generators run on thousands of computers housed in data centers like this Google facility in Oregon. Tony Webster/Wikimedia, CC BY-SA Generative AI is the hot new technology behind chatbots and image generators. But how hot is it making the planet? As an AI researcher, I often worry about the energy costs of building artificial intelligence models. The more powerful the AI, the more energy it takes. What does the emergence of increasingly more powerful generative AI models mean for society’s future carbon footprint? “Generative” refers to the ability of an AI algorithm to produce complex data.

Is generative AI bad for the environment? A computer scientist explains the carbon footprint of ChatGPT and its cousins
Environment

More than two dozen cities and states are suing Big Oil over climate change – they just got a boost from the US Supreme Court

Honolulu has lost more than 5 miles of its famous beaches to sea level rise and storm surges. Sunny-day flooding during high tides makes many city roads impassable, and water mains for the public drinking water system are corroding from saltwater because of sea level rise. The damage has left the city and county spending millions of dollars on repairs and infrastructure to try to adapt to the rising risks. Future costs will almost certainly be higher. More than US$19 billion in property value, at today’s dollars, is at risk by 2100 from projected sea level rise, driven by greenhouse

More than two dozen cities and states are suing Big Oil over climate change – they just got a boost from the US Supreme Court
Environment

2023 hurricane forecast: Get ready for a busy Pacific storm season, quieter Atlantic than recent years thanks to El Niño

Twenty years of storm tracks in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific basins. NASA The official 2023 hurricane season forecasts were just released, and while the Atlantic may see an average storm season this year, a busier-than-normal season is forecast in the eastern Pacific, meaning heightened risks for Mexico and Hawaii. A big reason is El Niño. El Niño typically means trouble for the Pacific and a break for the Atlantic coast and Caribbean. But while this climate phenomenon is highly likely to form this year, it isn’t a certainty before hurricane season ramps up this summer, and that makes it

2023 hurricane forecast: Get ready for a busy Pacific storm season, quieter Atlantic than recent years thanks to El Niño
Environment

The Supreme Court just shriveled federal protection for wetlands, leaving many of these valuable ecosystems at risk

Many ecologically important wetlands, like these in Kulm, N.D., lack surface connections to navigable waterways. USFWS Mountain-Prairie/Flickr, CC BY The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in Sackett v. EPA that federal protection of wetlands encompasses only those wetlands that directly adjoin rivers, lakes and other bodies of water. This is an extremely narrow interpretation of the Clean Water Act that could expose many wetlands across the U.S. to filling and development. Under this keystone environmental law, federal agencies take the lead in regulating water pollution, while state and local governments regulate land use. Wetlands are areas where land is wet

The Supreme Court just shriveled federal protection for wetlands, leaving many of these valuable ecosystems at risk
Environment

Colorado River states bought time with a 3-year water conservation deal – now they need to think bigger

An irrigation canal moves Colorado River water through farm fields in California’s Imperial Valley. Photo by Sandy Huffaker / AFP via Getty Images Arizona, California and Nevada have narrowly averted a regional water crisis by agreeing to reduce their use of Colorado River water over the next three years. This deal represents a temporary solution to a long-term crisis. Nonetheless, as a close observer of western water policy, I see it as an important win for the region. Seven western states – Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California – and Mexico rely on water from the Colorado

Colorado River states bought time with a 3-year water conservation deal – now they need to think bigger
Environment

Invasive lionfish have spread south from the Caribbean to Brazil, threatening ecosystems and livelihoods

An invasive lionfish at Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico. G. P. Schmahl/NOAA, CC BY Brazil’s coastal waters teem with a rich array of species that paint a living tapestry beneath the waves. This underwater world is particularly special because many of its species are endemic – they are found nowhere else on Earth. The southwestern Atlantic is home to 111 endemic reef fish species, each of which plays a crucial role in the intricate web of marine life. An uninvited guest has arrived in these tropical waters: the Pacific red lionfish (Pterois volitans). Renowned

Invasive lionfish have spread south from the Caribbean to Brazil, threatening ecosystems and livelihoods
Environment

Governments and environmental groups are turning to international courts to address the impacts of climate change — podcast

Can international courts help address the costs and causes of climate change? (Shutterstock), Author provided This year, the United Nations International Court of Justice (ICJ) — the world’s highest court — is hearing its first argument about climate commitments. In an effort to make sure countries and corporations follow existing laws and agreements relating to climate change and environmental protection, groups have started pushing for legal action at the international scale. Research shows that the current climate agreements won’t stave off the worst harms of climate change — and many countries are failing to meet their own commitments. A number

Governments and environmental groups are turning to international courts to address the impacts of climate change — podcast
Environment

Is there life in the sea that hasn't been discovered?

The Rose-veiled fairy wrasse, a small reef fish discovered in 2022. Luiz A. Rocha/Wikimedia Commons Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to [email protected]. Is there life in the sea that hasn’t been discovered? – Haven W., age 12, McKinney, Texas Imagine going to a place on Earth where no one has ever been. There are many locations like that in the ocean, which covers more than 70% of our planet. In the ocean, creatures live at many different depths, just as animals and

Is there life in the sea that hasn't been discovered?
Environment

Peaches are a minor part of Georgia's economy, but they're central to its mythology

The Peach Drop celebration marks the new year in Atlanta on Jan. 1, 2023. Paras Griffin/Getty Images The 2023 Georgia peach harvest is looking bad, although the details are sketchy. By some accounts, it’s the worst since 1955. Or maybe since 2017. There are estimates that a mild winter and late spring frost have cost Georgia growers 50% of their crop. Or perhaps 60%, or 85% to 95%. Consumers, say the growers, should expect less fruit, though what’s produced may be “fantastic and huge and sweet.” And they should expect to pay quite a bit more. As ominous as this

Peaches are a minor part of Georgia's economy, but they're central to its mythology
Environment

Will faster federal reviews speed up the clean energy shift? Two legal scholars explain what the National Environmental Policy Act does and doesn't do

NEPA requires federal agencies to analyze environmental impacts of projects like interstate highway construction. John Bohn/The Boston Globe via Getty Images The National Environmental Policy Act, enacted in 1970, is widely viewed as a keystone U.S. environmental law. For any major federal action that affects the environment, such as building an interstate highway or licensing a nuclear power plant, NEPA requires relevant agencies to analyze environmental impacts, consider reasonable alternatives and accept public input. It also allows citizens to sue if they believe government has not complied. Critics argue that NEPA reviews delay projects and drive up costs. In May

Will faster federal reviews speed up the clean energy shift? Two legal scholars explain what the National Environmental Policy Act does and doesn't do
Environment

Colonialism has shaped scientific plant collections around the world – here's why that matters

Digitizing plants preserved in the herbarium at La Sapienza University in Rome. Mimmo Frassineti/AGF/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Some of the world’s most popular museums are natural history collections: Think of dinosaur fossils, gemstones and preserved animals. Herbaria – collections of pressed, dried plant specimens – are a less-known but important type of natural history collection. There are some 400 million botanical specimens stored across over 3,500 herbaria around the world, but most are not widely publicized and rarely host public exhibits. I study biodiversity and global change, and these collections have fueled my work. My collaborators and I

Colonialism has shaped scientific plant collections around the world – here's why that matters
Economy|WrittenByLAPost

Financial freedom lies ahead. Here's how to revolutionize your retirement

While most Americans face the daunting challenge of saving enough for retirement, a new wave of savvy investors is turning the tide by leveraging alternative assets like cryptocurrencies to close the retirement savings gap. According to a recent Northwestern Mutual study, the average American is short by $1.37 million from their retirement goal. With the median retirement savings at just $88,400, the question arises: How can individuals bridge this financial divide in today’s economy? The answer lies in the innovative use of self-directed retirement accounts. Unlike traditional plans that limit investments to stocks and bonds, self-directed IRAs expand possibilities to

Financial freedom lies ahead. Here's how to revolutionize your retirement
Economy|WrittenByLAPost

The Systemic Failures That Nearly Caused an Airport Disaster

On a foggy morning in February, an air traffic controller in Austin cleared a FedEx cargo jet to land just as a Southwest Airlines passenger plane barreled down the same runway for takeoff. Seconds from disaster, the FedEx pilots wrenched their aircraft up and over the other jet, averting tragedy for the 128 passengers and crew aboard. The alarming near-collision represented just the latest in a string of close calls stemming from lapses in air traffic control this year. An investigation by The New York Times exposed how this incident resulted not from one controller’s isolated mistake, but rather systemic

The Systemic Failures That Nearly Caused an Airport Disaster
Economy|WrittenByLAPost

Orange County Resident Faces Severe Penalties Amidst Accusations

Image: Irvine Police Department An Orange County woman is facing serious allegations that she cheated landlords out of almost $200,000 in rental schemes. She is accused of leasing out homes she did not own or had permission to rent out, which has sparked conversations about tenant rights, scam awareness, and the need of due diligence in property leasing around the county. This Orange County, California, resident has become embroiled in a major scandal after he or she was accused of exploiting renters for financial benefit. While the specifics of the allegations against her are still being investigated, it is safe

Orange County Resident Faces Severe Penalties Amidst Accusations
Economy|WrittenByLAPost

Hancock Park Heist: Security Concerns Soar After Terrifying Moment. Watch the Full Video.

A woman returning to her home was mugged at gunpoint in her own parking garage in Los Angeles’s Hancock Park neighborhood. There is now widespread fear after the catastrophe was caught on camera, and many are now concerned about the security of their own houses. At approximately 8:35 p.m., the individual returned to her condominium in the Hancock Park vicinity, situated close to the junction of Wilshire Boulevard and McCadden Place. Upon exiting her vehicle, an armed man, who appeared to have been waiting for her entered in right behind her and attacked her. The complete incident was captured by

Hancock Park Heist: Security Concerns Soar After Terrifying Moment. Watch the Full Video.
Economy

What are strike funds? A labor-management relations expert explains

Actor and writer Marissa Carpio pickets with SAG-AFTRA members in front of Netflix offices in August 2023 in New York City. John Nacion/Getty Images When people go on strike, their employers don’t pay them. That makes it hard for workers who have walked off the job to keep paying their bills. Union members have an advantage during strikes because they can get help with housing, food and other essential expenses through payments from strike funds. These payments only cover basic expenses and generally don’t fully replace lost income. Members pay dues and fees to finance their unions. Every month, members

What are strike funds? A labor-management relations expert explains
Economy

Why managers’ attempts to empower their employees often fail – and even lead to unethical behavior

Employees need resources, information and support from colleagues to be truly empowered. Layla Bird/E+ Collection/Getty Images A majority of American workers right now are not feeling very motivated on the job, a new survey suggests. Management experts often encourage business leaders to motivate employees by empowering them. The idea is that when workers are free to make decisions and manage their workday they become more motivated, perform better and work more creatively. However, for decades, employee empowerment initiatives have often failed or fallen short of expectations. Zappos, for example, was once hailed for its no-bosses structure, but that experiment has

Why managers’ attempts to empower their employees often fail – and even lead to unethical behavior
Economy

IRS is using $60B funding boost to ramp up use of technology to collect taxes − not just hiring more enforcement agents

The IRS has relied on technology for decades, as this 1965 photo taken in its Philadelphia office shows. US News & World Report Collection/Marion S Trikosko/PhotoQuest via Getty Images The Internal Revenue Service is getting a funding boost thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law in 2022. That legislative package originally included about US$80 billion to expand the tax collection agency’s budget over the next 10 years. Congress and the White House have since agreed to pare this total by about $20 billion, but $60 billion is still a big chunk of change for

IRS is using $60B funding boost to ramp up use of technology to collect taxes − not just hiring more enforcement agents
Economy

The Harsh Reality About Looking for Work After Running a Business

Researchers found that ex-entrepreneurs are “burning up upon reentry.” Sturti/Getty Images If you’ve been thinking about starting your own business lately, you’re not alone. Americans began launching ventures in record numbers during the pandemic, with an above-trend pace continuing through 2023. Unfortunately, many of of these enterprises won’t last long: 30% of new businesses fail within two years, and half don’t last past five, according to the Small Business Administration. While some of these unlucky founders will pursue new ventures, many others will try to rejoin the traditional labor force. You can’t blame them. People often see “going back to

The Harsh Reality About Looking for Work After Running a Business
Economy|WrittenByLAPost

New Criticism for Tesla

– Elon Musk has championed Tesla Inc’s (TSLA.O) driver assistance Autopilot and “Full Self-Driving” software as innovations that will both improve road safety and position the electric vehicle maker as a technology leader. But the Tesla systems – and Musk’s claims about them – face their biggest challenge since the launch of Autopilot in 2015 as a series of lawsuits over fatal Tesla accidents head to court starting next month and a federal probe into Autopilot nears an end. Here is a list of legal and regulatory challenges to Autopilot: NHTSA INVESTIGATION The U.S. auto safety regulator investigating Tesla’s Autopilot is demanding an

New Criticism for Tesla
Economy

Jobs are up, wages less so – and lower purchasing power could still lead the US into a recession

Economists are feeling dismal for a reason. IS/Getty Images Don’t be overly fooled by seemingly rosy jobs data heading into the Labor Day weekend. Yes, the U.S. economy added 187,000 jobs in August 2023 – faster than the revised 157,000 increase for July and above most analysts’ expectations for the month. And yes, gains were seen across most industries, with health care and social assistance adding 97,300 positions, leisure and hospitality boosting numbers by 40,000, construction up by 22,000 jobs, and 16,000 additional general manufacturing jobs. But there was also enough in the data released by Bureau of Labor Statistics

Jobs are up, wages less so – and lower purchasing power could still lead the US into a recession
Economy

‘The Blind Side’ lawsuit spotlights tricky areas of family law

Sean Tuohy, Michael Oher and Leigh Anne Touhy pose for a photo before a University of Mississippi game in 2008. Matthew Sharpe/Getty Images What’s the difference between adoption and conservatorship? Millions of dollars and the freedom to make your own choices, if you ask retired football player Michael Oher. Oher, whose story was made into the 2009 movie “The Blind Side,” says he believed he signed papers to be adopted by an affluent white couple, Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, in 2004. But papers filed in court recently indicate Oher was in fact never adopted. Rather, he has been under

‘The Blind Side’ lawsuit spotlights tricky areas of family law
Economy|WrittenByLAPost

Investment scams are everywhere on social media. Here’s how to spot one

Social media is full of scammers promising guaranteed returns on investment, and consumers lost billions of dollars to them last year. Troy Gochenour, 50, of Columbus, Ohio, was conned out of $25,800, including $15,800 in borrowed money, in a crypto-mining scam that began with a WhatsApp message from a beautiful stranger. “I had just moved home to restart my life, after trying to make it in show business in New York, and I was lonely,” Gochenour said. “So I started online dating. Then I got a WhatsApp message that began, ‘Sorry to bother you.’” Financial scams, including

Investment scams are everywhere on social media. Here’s how to spot one
Economy|Environment|WrittenByLAPost

A Rice Shortage is Sending Prices Soaring Across the world, and Things Could Get Worse

BY ANIRUDDHA GHOSAL AND EVELYNE MUSAMBI Updated 10:29 AM PDT, August 22, 2023 Francis Ndege isn’t sure if his customers in Africa’s largest slum can afford to keep buying rice from him. Prices for rice grown in Kenya soared a while ago because of higher fertilizer prices and a yearslong drought in the Horn of Africa that has reduced production. Cheap rice imported from India had filled the gap, feeding many of the hundreds of thousands of residents in Nairobi’s Kibera slum who survive on less than $2 a day. But that is changing. The price of a 25-kilogram (55-pound) bag of rice has risen by about

A Rice Shortage is Sending Prices Soaring Across the world, and Things Could Get Worse
Economy

United Auto Workers strike – if it happens – should channel the legacy of Walter Reuther, who led the union at the peak of its power

UAW President Walter Reuther, center, shakes hands with a Ford executive after agreeing on a three-year contract in 1967. Bettmann via Getty Images The United Auto Workers are engaged in high-stakes labor negotiations that could lead to the union’s first simultaneous strike against all of Detroit’s Big Three automakers: General Motors, Ford and Stellantis, the company that owns Chrysler. After decades of making concessions to their employers, the union’s demands for pay increases and better benefits exceed what some automotive industry executives say are reasonable. Unless the two sides reach an agreement by midnight on Sept. 14, 2023, 97% of

United Auto Workers strike – if it happens – should channel the legacy of Walter Reuther, who led the union at the peak of its power

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