EthansCare

05/07/2025

President Donald Trump on Sunday said he would order the government to rebuild and reopen Alcatraz, a former prison on a small island of the same name off the coast of San Francisco that once housed some of the most dangerous criminals in the country, including Al Capone, George “Machine Gun” Kelly and James “Whitey” Bulger. The prison, which closed 60 years ago due to its crumbling infrastructure and high maintenance costs, “will serve as a symbol of Law, Order, and JUSTICE,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social, later telling reporters it was “just an idea” he had as federal judges pushed to ensure deported migrants had due process.

US Bureau of Prisons Director William K. Marshall III said his agency will “pursue all avenues” to implement Trump’s plans to reopen Alcatraz.

05/07/2025

05/07/2025

05/07/2025

The Department of Homeland Security said in a news release Monday that it’s also paying for travel assistance and that those people who use an app called CBP Home to tell the government that they plan to return home will be “deprioritized” for detention and removal by immigration enforcement. President Donald Trump has made immigration enforcement and the mass deportation of immigrants in the U.S. illegally a centerpiece of his campaign, but that is a costly, resource-intensive endeavor.

“If you are here illegally, self-deportation is the best, safest, and most cost-effective way to leave the United States to avoid arrest. DHS is now offering illegal aliens financial travel assistance and a stipend to return to their home country through the CBP Home App,” Secretary Kristi Noem said.

05/07/2025

The NBA announced today that 106 players have filed as early entry candidates for the 2025 NBA Draft, the lowest total since 2015, with 91. Since NIL has gone into effect, this number has decreased every season. NIL has now blurred the lines between college and professional sports. The reality is that many of the best players in college basketball can earn more money on name, image, and likeness deals as collegiate stars than they would have in the first year of their rookie contracts or two-way deals in the pros.

05/06/2025

Trump signed an executive order instructing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to "cease direct funding to NPR and PBS."

The order mandates that the CPB revise its 2025 General Provisions to explicitly prohibit direct or indirect funding to NPR and PBS, blocking federal funding to NPR and PBS to the maximum extent allowed by law. The order restricts indirect funding to PBS and NPR by forbidding local public radio and television stations, as well as other recipients of CPB funds, from utilizing taxpayer dollars to support these organizations. It mandates all federal agencies to cease any direct or indirect funding to PBS, as well as to existing grants and contracts, for compliance. Furthermore, it instructs the Federal Communications Commission and other agencies to examine whether NPR and PBS have been involved in unlawful activity.

05/06/2025

Microsoft raised recommended retailer pricing for its Xbox consoles and controllers around the world this week. It's Xbox Series S, for example, now starts at $379.99 in the U.S., up $80 from the $299.99 price tag that debuted in 2020. Microsoft acknowledged the difficulties of these changes in a statement to The Associated Press, stating, "We understand that these changes are challenging." The tech giant cited wider “market conditions and the rising cost of development.” Outside of the United States, Microsoft announced changes to Xbox pricing for Europe, the United Kingdom, and Australia. The company announced that all other countries would receive updates locally.

Certain Xbox accessories, such as wireless controllers and headsets, are also affected in the United States and Canada. Furthermore, Microsoft announced its intention to increase the price of some of its new first-party games this holiday season, setting the cost at $79.99. Xbox players are not the first gamers to experience the effects of ongoing trade wars. Last month, Sony, for example, raised its recommended retail pricing for PlayStation 5 consoles in select markets, including countries in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, as well as Australia and New Zealand. At the time, the company attributed its decision to "a challenging economic environment, characterized by high inflation and fluctuating exchange rates."

The price increases come at a turbulent and uncertain time for the gaming industry, primarily driven by new tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump and retaliation measures from affected nations, particularly China. Economists have cautioned that the increased levies will lead to higher prices on various consumer goods dependent on the global supply chain, including electronics.

05/06/2025

"I'm 65 years old, and I'm wondering if I'll be okay to retire in seven years," Rick said, initiating a conversation that rapidly evolved into a financial intervention.

He informed Ramsey that he had $110,000 in his 401(k) and only $5,000 in his emergency fund. On the debt side, things were heavier: He still owed $136,000 on his house, $30,000 on his truck, and a surprise $22,000 on solar panels he thought he bought "outright." Ramsey clarified the final detail, stating it was a solar loan. Additionally, to provide further context, Rick was paying $10,000 annually in alimony, though this obligation will be concluding shortly. His income? A solid $100,000 a year.

"You don't have any money," Ramsey told him. "You're $500,000 or $600,000 behind. "What I would do if I were in your shoes is I would get those two debts paid off immediately," Ramsey said. "It's an emergency," Ramsey told him to temporarily cease contributions to his 401(k) and concentrate fully on repaying the truck and solar loan within 12 months, while adhering to a strict budget. "Beans and rice, rice and beans," Ramsey said. "You have no life until you get that done." He even suggested Rick ditch the truck altogether if necessary. "That is job one, or sell the stupid truck.

After being debt-free, Ramsey outlined the next phase: continue living frugally, pay off the house within three years, and then resume investing. He suggested allocating 15% of income to retirement accounts and investing in high-quality mutual funds. By the age of 72, if Rick adhered to the plan, Ramsey estimated he would have accumulated $400,000 to $500,000 in savings and fully paid off his home. It was not enough for a yacht, it is an improvement from the path he was on had he remained inactive.

Procrastination comes at a cost. However, with seven years, a six-figure income, and disciplined financial management, it remains an achievable goal. Do not wait until the age of 65 to start considering it, unless you wish to subsist on "beans and," as Ramsey might suggest.

05/05/2025

Tesla shares remained unchanged in premarket trading last week after the vehicle manufacturer refuted a Wall Street Journal report claiming its board was seeking a replacement for CEO Elon Musk. The report, based on comments from sources familiar with the matter, stated that Tesla's board members have multiple search firms initiate a process to select the company's next CEO. Tesla shares experienced a decline of up to 3% during overnight trading on the Robinhood platform after the news, before recovering some of the losses.

Tesla chair Robyn Denholm wrote on the social media platform X that the report was “absolutely false.”

05/05/2025

CEO Jensen Huang has stressed the importance of understanding competitive advantages in the AI race, noting that “50% of the world's AI researchers are Chinese,” a factor he says must “play into how we think about the game.” He urged American policymakers on Thursday to fully embrace artificial intelligence as a long-term strategic priority that demands national investment in workforce development. NVIDIA's CEO warned that China is “not behind" in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), describing Huawei as “one of the most formidable technology companies in the world."

“We are very close," he said, adding, “This is a long-term, infinite race."

05/05/2025

OpenAI has introduced an enhancement to ChatGPT's search, allowing users to browse and purchase products directly through the chatbot interface. The new feature provides personalized product recommendations, including images, pricing, user reviews, and direct purchase links, across various categories such as fashion, beauty, electronics, and home goods. The shopping feature is part of the GPT-4o model and is available to all users globally, whether they are on the free tier, subscribed to Pro or Plus plans, or even using the platform without logging in.

OpenAI stated that shopping results will be curated independently, utilizing structured data from reliable third-party sources instead of relying on paid promotions.

05/05/2025

Video game publisher Electronic Arts (EA) missed Wall Street's revenue expectations with sales falling 20.4% year on year to $1.88 billion. Electronic Arts is laying off hundreds of workers and is canceling a Titanfall game that was in development at its Respawn Entertainment unit. About 300 to 400 positions were eliminated, including around 100 at Respawn, the report said, citing a person familiar with the matter. On the other hand, next quarter's outlook exceeded expectations with revenue guided to $1.76 billion at the midpoint, or 8% above analysts' estimates.

"As part of our continued focus on our long-term strategic priorities, we've made select changes within our organization that more effectively align teams and allocate resources in service of driving future growth," a company spokesperson said.