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Results for " difference " 648 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle

Nintendo has made some changes to Mario user icons in latest Switch 2 and Switch update

A little interesting discovery has been made regarding the recent Switch 2 and Switch update, as Nintendo made some changes to a number of Mario icons. It looks like for the first batch, new renders are being used. The differences can be a bit hard to spot, but they are present. Here’s a look (version 21.2.0 on the left, version...

nintendoeverything.com logo
Apr 3 • 12:29 PM EDT • Technology • nintendoeverything.com
17 tips to build sustainability into your business

Whether preventing burnout, steadying the business, or greening the environment, these sustainability ideas can make a difference to your company.

fastcompany.com logo
Apr 3 • 8:00 AM EDT • Business • fastcompany.com
Growing Smarter: PVAMU study explores science behind stronger plants

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (Apr. 2, 2026) — From backyard gardens to large-scale farms, how plants grow can make all the difference. A Prairie View A&M University researcher is taking a closer look at that process and how it could help crops become more productive and resilient. Dr. Tesfamichael Kebrom, a research scientist in the College […]

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Apr 2 • 12:04 PM EDT • Science • pvamu.edu
iPhone 17e vs. iPhone 17 Buyer's Guide: 35+ Differences Compared

The iPhone 17e and iPhone 17 are among the most affordable iPhones in Apple's current lineup, separated by just $200, but the gap between them is more significant than the price difference alone suggests. The $599 iPhone 17e is Apple's budget-first option, built around the efficient C1X modem and a single-camera system.

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Apr 1 • 11:21 AM EDT • Technology • macrumors.com
Oh, Canada? How Trump has Changed Canada’s Politics, and How It Already Differed from the United States

Structurally, Canadian politics is far different from U.S. politics, and those differences filter down into electoral patterns.

centerforpolitics.org logo
Apr 1 • 7:50 AM EDT • Politics • centerforpolitics.org
What we’ve learned from citizen science: 5 projects that made a difference

From wombat and mozzie surveillance to deciphering climate history and spotting star explosions, citizen scientists are instrumental in contributing knowledge.

theconversation.com logo
Mar 31 • 7:50 PM EDT • Science • theconversation.com
Why are the same women's basketball teams in Final Four? The answer is money

Parity is rising in women's college basketball, but it hasn't reached the top as the same teams are in the Final Four. Spending is the difference.

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Mar 31 • 7:03 AM EDT • Sports • usatoday.com
Can Iran war politics move voters in Georgia’s Trumpiest district?

The runoff to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene features two military veterans with sharp differences on the joint U.S.-Israeli military strikes in Iran.

ajc.com logo
Mar 31 • 5:00 AM EDT • Politics • ajc.com
“Democracy at Close Range” keynote on political difference headlines annual College of Communication Scholarship Week

Annual College of Communication scholarship week to focus on tolerating political difference in interpersonal relationships.

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Mar 30 • 2:22 PM EDT • Politics • today.marquette.edu
No Tax on Tips: A Financial Boost for America’s Workers and Support for Small Businesses - Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council

This “Working Families Tax Cuts Act” provision helps workers and gig-economy entrepreneurs keep more of what they earn while supporting Main Street businesses. By Karen Kerrigan – The “Working Families Tax Cuts Act” (One Big Beautiful Bill) is making a positive difference for small business owners and their employees. Signed into law by President Trump […]

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Mar 30 • 9:59 AM EDT • Business • sbecouncil.org
Monday briefing: ​Has the single-use vape ban made any difference to our health or our environment?

In today’s newsletter: Nearly a year after ​disposable vapes​ were outlawed, new figures suggest the policy has delivered only modest gains while creating new challenges

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Mar 30 • 1:44 AM EDT • Health • theguardian.com
Navigating the social media minefield

Scientists and researchers seeking to announce promising findings, exchange ideas or contribute to policy discussions outside of academic circles may find social media an expedient tool.But increasingly, scientists and other professionals are discovering that online platforms can be a double-edged sword: while sharing their work and expertise is crucial for visibility and meeting funder expectations, it also exposes them to baseless criticism and even accusations of spreading false information."It is getting harder and harder for scientists, and researchers in general, to convey their findings without facing attacks on their legitimacy and accuracy of their research," says Valère Ndior, a professor of public law at the University of Western Brittany in Brest, France, who has spent more than a decade studying misinformation on social media. Researchers attempting to challenge deceptive online information may themselves be accused of political bias or not being objective in their research, he explains, adding that some scientists disengage because they feel overwhelmed and unable to sustain meaningful dialogue. "It is quite sad to see in some instances that researchers end up leaving social media altogether because they feel like the pressure is getting too intense or feel threatened," he says.Ndior, a past president of the Francophone Network of International Law, is also involved in European efforts to make science and research findings more accessible to the public. As an ambassador for the Science Comes to Town (SCTT) project, he has participated in recent discussions on public perceptions of science and online misinformation. The European Commission-funded initiative connects Brest and two other cities — Kiel in Germany and Split in Croatia — and aims to strengthen ties between communities, universities and research institutions to promote science awareness and cooperation across Europe.Coordinated campaigns around contentious topicsNdior draws a clear distinction between critical thinking and thoughtless criticism. Yet he sees online discussions being increasingly shaped by suspicious behaviour and coordinated information campaigns — including "raids" aimed at dominating discussions and "astroturfing," where small groups act as larger movements to sway debates. Tracking these patterns has become harder because some platforms have restricted data or charge for it, despite provisions of the European Union's Digital Securities Act aimed at ensuring researchers can have access to such data. According to Ndior, "platforms became more reluctant from the moment access to data became a legal requirement rather than a voluntary initiative."Unfounded claims and scepticism about science existed long before Internet chat groups. But the noticeable rise in online hostility has intensified around contentious topics, such as the coronavirus pandemic and climate change, alongside the weakening of gatekeepers to moderate content.For Ndior, dubious claims about pandemic countermeasures and vaccine safety highlighted the struggle between "balancing freedom of expression and the protection of public health and order." Efforts to remove social media content deemed false or risky for public health triggered accusations of censorship and the silencing of legitimate discussion, and in some cases, legal challenges.Concerns about attacks on the credibility of scientists and researchers have generated a flurry of academic papers in recent years and prompted professional communities to address ways to counter online attacks. Such unease extends to the generation that has grown up with digital media. Ndior points out that his students, some of whom research artificial intelligence regulation, hate speech, online surveillance and other controversial topics, hesitate to share their work or viewpoints online. "Many of them don't want to expose themselves too much because they don't feel ready to be faced with the backlash of other people criticising their research," he explains.Safer harbours for engagementLegal challenges against false or defamatory posts are not necessarily a solution — especially given the trans-jurisdictional nature of the Internet. Lawsuits also take time and money, and if they fail, can be counterproductive. Instead, Ndior advises scientists and researchers to be selective in how and where they communicate. Professional online platforms and moderated discussion spaces offer a better environment for engagement. He also highlights the value of more traditional formats, such as radio interviews and in-person discussions at schools, libraries and science fairs, which encourage dialogue with the public. "Personal contact makes a big difference," he says, while acknowledging that these approaches lack the global reach of social media.Ndior’s interest in digital law and online misinformation stems from his time as a doctoral student in international law in the early days of social media. He began analysing posts from governments and heads of state to determine if they could be considered official and thus used as evidence in litigation. His work attracted media attention and led to conference and speaking invitations. "This was not part of my plan," he says, "but this is what happens as a researcher — your interest is sparked by a certain event or phenomenon, and it suddenly becomes your focus."Ndior believes SCTT provides "a double benefit" for researchers, enabling them to connect with peers and interact with the public. "There is a wide community of people who are not in academia who are critical thinkers looking for opportunities to ask questions, to get information and contribute their ideas,” he says. "I really value that kind of feedback."Science|Business, which connects policymakers, academics and industry through its news reporting, analysis and events, is an SCTT partner.

sciencebusiness.net logo
Mar 29 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • sciencebusiness.net
Navigating the social media minefield

Scientists and researchers seeking to announce promising findings, exchange ideas or contribute to policy discussions outside of academic circles may find social media an expedient tool.But increasingly, scientists and other professionals are discovering that online platforms can be a double-edged sword: while sharing their work and expertise is crucial for visibility and meeting funder expectations, it also exposes them to baseless criticism and even accusations of spreading false information."It is getting harder and harder for scientists, and researchers in general, to convey their findings without facing attacks on their legitimacy and accuracy of their research," says Valère Ndior, a professor of public law at the University of Western Brittany in Brest, France, who has spent more than a decade studying misinformation on social media. Researchers attempting to challenge deceptive online information may themselves be accused of political bias or not being objective in their research, he explains, adding that some scientists disengage because they feel overwhelmed and unable to sustain meaningful dialogue. "It is quite sad to see in some instances that researchers end up leaving social media altogether because they feel like the pressure is getting too intense or feel threatened," he says.Ndior, a past president of the Francophone Network of International Law, is also involved in European efforts to make science and research findings more accessible to the public. As an ambassador for the Science Comes to Town (SCTT) project, he has participated in recent discussions on public perceptions of science and online misinformation. The European Commission-funded initiative connects Brest and two other cities — Kiel in Germany and Split in Croatia — and aims to strengthen ties between communities, universities and research institutions to promote science awareness and cooperation across Europe.Coordinated campaigns around contentious topicsNdior draws a clear distinction between critical thinking and thoughtless criticism. Yet he sees online discussions being increasingly shaped by suspicious behaviour and coordinated information campaigns — including "raids" aimed at dominating discussions and "astroturfing," where small groups act as larger movements to sway debates. Tracking these patterns has become harder because some platforms have restricted data or charge for it, despite provisions of the European Union's Digital Securities Act aimed at ensuring researchers can have access to such data. According to Ndior, "platforms became more reluctant from the moment access to data became a legal requirement rather than a voluntary initiative."Unfounded claims and scepticism about science existed long before Internet chat groups. But the noticeable rise in online hostility has intensified around contentious topics, such as the coronavirus pandemic and climate change, alongside the weakening of gatekeepers to moderate content.For Ndior, dubious claims about pandemic countermeasures and vaccine safety highlighted the struggle between "balancing freedom of expression and the protection of public health and order." Efforts to remove social media content deemed false or risky for public health triggered accusations of censorship and the silencing of legitimate discussion, and in some cases, legal challenges.Concerns about attacks on the credibility of scientists and researchers have generated a flurry of academic papers in recent years and prompted professional communities to address ways to counter online attacks. Such unease extends to the generation that has grown up with digital media. Ndior points out that his students, some of whom research artificial intelligence regulation, hate speech, online surveillance and other controversial topics, hesitate to share their work or viewpoints online. "Many of them don't want to expose themselves too much because they don't feel ready to be faced with the backlash of other people criticising their research," he explains.Safer harbours for engagementLegal challenges against false or defamatory posts are not necessarily a solution — especially given the trans-jurisdictional nature of the Internet. Lawsuits also take time and money, and if they fail, can be counterproductive. Instead, Ndior advises scientists and researchers to be selective in how and where they communicate. Professional online platforms and moderated discussion spaces offer a better environment for engagement. He also highlights the value of more traditional formats, such as radio interviews and in-person discussions at schools, libraries and science fairs, which encourage dialogue with the public. "Personal contact makes a big difference," he says, while acknowledging that these approaches lack the global reach of social media.Ndior’s interest in digital law and online misinformation stems from his time as a doctoral student in international law in the early days of social media. He began analysing posts from governments and heads of state to determine if they could be considered official and thus used as evidence in litigation. His work attracted media attention and led to conference and speaking invitations. "This was not part of my plan," he says, "but this is what happens as a researcher — your interest is sparked by a certain event or phenomenon, and it suddenly becomes your focus."Ndior believes SCTT provides "a double benefit" for researchers, enabling them to connect with peers and interact with the public. "There is a wide community of people who are not in academia who are critical thinkers looking for opportunities to ask questions, to get information and contribute their ideas,” he says. "I really value that kind of feedback."Science|Business, which connects policymakers, academics and industry through its news reporting, analysis and events, is an SCTT partner.

sciencebusiness.net logo
Mar 29 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • sciencebusiness.net
Video: Super Mario Bros. Wonder Side-By-Side Graphics Comparison (Switch & Switch 2)

Spot the difference

nintendolife.com logo
Mar 27 • 10:00 PM EDT • Technology • nintendolife.com
Good Sports: Clovis North pitchers learning from former Bulldog, MLB pitcher

It's the first season former major league pitcher Matt Garza is coaching the Broncos pitchers, and the team can already tell the difference.

abc30.com logo
Mar 27 • 8:12 PM EDT • Sports • abc30.com
😐 Neutral (14%)
Opinion: An approach to mental health care that could make a life-or-death difference for Alaska youths

House Bill 232 creates a narrow, safeguards-driven path to counseling when parental involvement isn’t possible.

adn.com logo
Mar 27 • 4:32 PM EDT • Health • adn.com
AdventHealth takes first steps toward new sports medicine and rehabilitation space in Lake Placid

For patients working to regain their strength, mobility and confidence following an injury, surgery or illness, having access to high-quality rehabilitation close to home can make a massive difference.

adventhealth.com logo
Mar 27 • 8:00 AM EDT • Sports • adventhealth.com
Penguins win shootout, back in second place

With just 11 games to go, every win or loss could make the difference between a Stanley Cup Playoffs berth or bitterly watching them from home.

sports.yahoo.com logo
Mar 26 • 11:19 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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McDonald's Big Arch and Big Mac compared: size, price, taste

I compared McDonald's newest burger, the Big Arch, to the iconic Big Mac. The size difference was obvious right away.

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Mar 26 • 9:07 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com
Glyphosate: A story of science, risk, and nuance

In the summer of 2014, a California groundskeeper named Dewayne Johnson started noticing patches of raw, weeping skin spreading across his body. He had spent years applying Roundup, Monsanto’s glyphosate-based herbicide, for a school district, sometimes drenched in it when equipment malfunctioned. By 2014, he had a diagnosis: non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In 2018, a jury awarded him $289 million in damages, later reduced on appeal. Tens of thousands of lawsuits followed. The story hasn’t quieted down. It’s all over the internet, swinging between “this will kill you, buy organic” and “relax, you’re fear-mongering.” Some of that recent chatter stems from an Executive Order protecting glyphosate and its production, which set off intense infighting within the MAHA movement. Some of it reflects a deeper truth: Americans genuinely care about harmful chemicals in their environment (see poll below). And the conversation isn’t going anywhere, with a Supreme Court case involving Monsanto set for this April. Glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup) is one of the most widely used herbicides in the world. But does glyphosate cause cancer? And how much exposure is actually risky? With so much mistrust in institutions and corporations (and some genuine conflicts of interest), making sense of the actual scientific evidence is genuinely hard. Here is a translation of what the scientific evidence actually says. Does glyphosate cause harm? Glyphosate is an herbicide that kills most plants it contacts rather than targeting specific species. It works by blocking an enzyme pathway (EPSPS) that plants and many microorganisms need to produce essential amino acids. Without those amino acids, the plant can’t grow and dies. Glyphosate was first developed by Monsanto in the 1970s and became ubiquitous after the company introduced “Roundup Ready” crops in the 1990s. In 2024, Bayer removed glyphosate from residential Roundup-branded products due to litigation pressure. But today it is still the most widely used herbicide in the world. Farmers also discovered they could spray it directly on crops like oats, lentils, beans, and peas just before harvest to dry them out faster and make harvesting easier. Because of its widespread use, it’s obviously really important to understand if it’s harmful to humans. The key principle: The dose makes the poison The most important concept in toxicology is that “the dose makes the poison.” Sixteenth-century physician Paracelsus articulated what remains the foundational principle of toxicology: sola dosis facit venenum. Water will kill you if you drink enough of it. Aspirin saves lives at 81 milligrams and causes internal bleeding at higher chronic doses. So, at what dose is glyphosate poisonous? The LD50 in rats (the dose that kills half the test animals) is around 5,600 mg/kg body weight. Table salt is roughly 3,000 mg/kg. By that classic measure, glyphosate is less acutely toxic than salt. But some people are exposed to a lot of glyphosate through their work. And among the general public, there are many questions about low-dose, cumulative exposure from multiple sources over long periods. Does glyphosate cause health problems? Cancer Correlation maps are striking, with one analysis finding that 60% of counties that spray the most glyphosate have non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma rates above the national average. But correlation alone doesn’t establish cause, which is why animal and human studies matter. In animals: Rat studies are typically what most fear is rooted in, but most people don’t know the study details on the dosage given to rats. A pooled analysis of the 13 most rigorous rat studies found evidence that very high doses, around 55,000 times greater than typical food residue exposure, can cause certain cancers. In humans: One of the strongest studies followed 55,000 herbicide users over 20 years and found no overall increased cancer risk. There was one signal: among those with the highest use, rates of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) appeared elevated. A broader meta-analysis of 18 human studies also found no overall cancer risk, though a separate meta-analysis focused specifically on non-Hodgkin lymphoma found that people with high cumulative glyphosate exposure faced a 41% higher relative risk compared to those with low or no exposure. These human studies are observational studies (randomized controlled trials would be unethical), and meta-analyses are only as reliable as the studies they pool. But the story seems consistent: at very high exposure levels, there may be some cancer risk. But that’s about as far as the science currently takes us. Emerging research: gut and reproductive health Gut: Because glyphosate targets a pathway that exists in some gut bacteria, scientists have questioned whether it could affect the microbiome. In mice, a 2023 University of Iowa study found that glyphosate altered gut bacterial composition and raised markers of intestinal inflammation. A 2024 systematic review found similar patterns: disrupted gut bacteria and problems with the mucus layer that protects the intestinal wall in mice. Whether this translates to humans is an open question. The human gut is highly variable and resistant, and we don't yet have strong studies confirming the same effects in people. Reproductive health: Animal studies have found that glyphosate-based herbicides can interfere with reproductive hormones, including disrupting egg cell development in mice and reducing the number of eggs available in sheep’s ovaries. However, the doses used in these experiments were high, so it’s not yet clear whether the same effects would occur in humans. On the human side, a 2021 pilot study led by Mount Sinai researchers tested urine samples from pregnant women across the U.S. and found glyphosate in 95% of them. The study also found a possible connection between higher glyphosate exposure during pregnancy and a subtle physical difference measured in female newborns. That said, some connections weren’t statistically reliable and this was a small study. The researchers themselves said more and larger studies are needed before drawing firm conclusions. What do regulators say about glyphosate safety? In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization, classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2A). The classification is worth taking seriously. But, there’s an important distinction: IARC classifies hazard, meaning the potential to cause harm under some conditions. It does not assess risk, which accounts for actual exposure levels and the real-world probability of harm. The U.S. EPA, the European Food Safety Authority, Health Canada, and regulatory agencies in Australia and Japan have all concluded that glyphosate is “unlikely to be carcinogenic to humans” at realistic exposure levels. They’re asking a different question: given how much of this people actually encounter, what is the probability of harm? Your actual exposure is what determines your actual risk. What does glyphosate mean for your daily life? At the grocery store: Food residues are small. The EPA’s acceptable daily intake is 1.75 mg/kg of body weight per day. To hit that threshold from oatmeal alone, a 150-pound adult would need to eat roughly 50 pounds of oats every day. But this calculation addresses only one pathway (food), and we don’t yet have robust tools to measure people’s actual total exposure. If reducing exposure matters to you, organic certification prohibits synthetic herbicides, and organic oat products generally test at lower or undetectable levels. Either way, a diet rich in whole grains, conventional or organic, is far better for your health than one that omits them out of fear of residues. On the farm: Occupational exposure is orders of magnitude higher than consumer exposure. Farmers and farm workers who mix, load, and apply glyphosate-based herbicides, especially without protective equipment, face meaningfully different risk profiles. Proper PPE isn’t optional. Integrated weed management strategies that rotate chemical modes of action are also worth taking seriously, both for health and for long-term effectiveness. If you live near a farm: Spray drift is real. Concentrations near field edges can spike during and after application, particularly on windy days. This is an area where I think public health could really step up and empower rural communities with buffer zones, rather than placing the onus on individuals. But for now, knowing your local agricultural calendar and keeping windows closed during application are the first steps. Bottom line Dewayne Johnson was exposed to glyphosate at levels most people will never encounter, and a jury decided he deserved compensation. That outcome is not evidence that the oatmeal in your pantry is dangerous. But it is a reminder that the dose, the context, and the person doing the exposing all matter enormously. Glyphosate is a chemical tool with benefits, trade-offs, and genuine open scientific questions. Learning to hold that complexity without collapsing into panic or dismissal is, honestly, one of the most useful and hardest things to do in navigating modern health science. Love, YLE Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE) is founded and operated by Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, MPH PhD—an epidemiologist, wife, and mom of two little girls. Hannah Totte, MPH, is an epidemiologist and YLE Community Manager. YLE reaches more than 425,000 people in over 132 countries with one goal: “Translate” the ever-evolving public health science so that people will be well-equipped to make evidence-based decisions. This newsletter is free to everyone, thanks to the generous support of fellow YLE community members. To support the effort, subscribe or upgrade below: Subscribe

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Mar 25 • 10:25 AM EDT • Science • yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com
Highly and casually active citizen scientists contribute equally valuable data

The word "nemotia" is a neologism, a newly coined term that in this case, describes the sense of overwhelmingness and disconnect accompanying the thought that nothing you do will ever make a difference. ...

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Mar 24 • 5:40 PM EDT • Science • phys.org
TSA lines are so bad that United, Delta waive change fees

Some airlines are waiving change fees or fare differences for passengers affected by hourslong waits at airport security.

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Mar 24 • 11:49 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com
Differences between W2 and 1099 workers for small businesses

Hiring for your small business? One of the first decisions you’ll face is who to hire and how to classify them. Should you bring on a W-2 employee or a 1099 independent contractor? In this episode of Small Business Smarts, ADP’s Laci Buzzelli breaks down the key differences between the two and when each option makes the most sense for small businesses. For more information, visit ADP.com/SPARK

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Mar 24 • 8:02 AM EDT • Business • mediacenter.adp.com
We disagreed on politics. We agreed on wine. That was enough.

At the Virginia Governor’s Cup Gala in Richmond earlier this month, a very dapper gentleman approached me and introduced himself. In his light-colored suit and bowtie, he looked very Southern in a classical sense, the sort of Virginia Gentleman you used to see south of the Rappahannock as recently as my college days. “I’m a longtime reader and fan of your writing, if not your politics,” he said. His comment was the proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove, simultaneously conveying praise and disapproval while establishing boundaries. Man, I wish we still discoursed like this instead of shouting bromides and insults to try and “own” our opponents with a funny meme and a furrowed brow. Subscribe “Well, we’ll always have wine to share together,” I said, and thanked him for his kind words. We clinked glasses, exchanged pleasantries about the delicious gold medal-winning wines being poured that evening, and went our separate ways. Our exchange reminded me that more unites us than divides us. Wine brings people together to share a meal and a few hours of joy despite our differences.1 That’s why I refer to the wine community — including readers and consumers — rather than the wine industry. Together, we are so much more than production, distribution and sales statistics. A few minutes later the evening’s awards ceremony began. Applause grew as the 12 winemakers who made the top-scoring wines for the Governor’s Case took the stage, including a loud cheer for Jonathan Wheeler of Trump Winery and his 2018 Blanc de Noir sparkling wine. All the winemakers on stage had reason to be proud, Wheeler perhaps more so. Trump Winery was the only winery to win six gold medals in the competition this year. (Wineries are limited to six entries.) Two of Wheeler’s ciders also won gold medals in a separate competition. When you cover the labels and take the sour taste of politics off your palate, the wines are pretty darn good.2 Then Gov. Abigail Spanberger, newly elected Democrat and Virginia’s first female governor, was introduced to great applause to announce which of the 12 wines had won the Governor’s Cup. She spoke for a few minutes about the importance of wine to Virginia’s economy and tourism and the international acclaim Virginia wine has received. Just two weeks earlier, she gave the Democrats’ response to Trump’s State of the Union speech, but this night wasn’t about politics. That didn’t stop several people in the crowd from speculating on the irony should she have to present the trophy to Trump Winery. In the end, Valley Road Vineyards was displayed on the screen behind Spanberger as the winning winery. Blue Bee Cidery in Richmond took top honors for that category. The crowd cheered a female governor presenting the state’s highest trophy to a female winemaker and then resumed the evening’s festivities, united by their mutual love of wine. A whiff of politics couldn’t dim the cheer of celebration and a community united by its love of wine. In Memoriam: Michel Rolland The global wine community lost a giant March 20, with the passing of Michel Rolland. He was 78. Rolland was the original “flying winemaker,” a globe-trotting consultant who helped Bordeaux regain its mojo in the 1970s and then shaped the rise of Napa Valley cult Cabernet as consultant to Simi, Harlan, Newton, Screaming Eagle, Araujo, Dalle Valle and other wineries. He was instrumental in Argentina’s rise to prominence and even had his own winery, Clos de los Siete, in a partnership with other wine families. Rolland’s career arc paralleled that of Robert Parker, the world’s most influential critic. Parker championed many of the wines Rolland consulted on, helping build his reputation and demand for his services. It also made him a target for Parker’s critics. As W. Blake Gray wrote on Wine-Searcher in his excellent tribute to Rolland: Rolland created the type of wines Parker loved: rich body, plenty of fruit, soft tannins. He sometimes faced the accusation of creating a generic international style of red wine, where the great wines he made in Argentina were indistinguishable from the great wines he made in France. Rolland chafed at that critique, as did many of his fans. He was credited with championing green harvesting and leaf pulling, as well as careful selection of grapes in the winery, practices we nearly universally think of today for high-quality winemaking. “Michel was an incredible innovator who changed how wine was made and how grapes were grown,” Napa Valley winemaker Aaron Pott wrote on Facebook. “His work has transformed the wine trade. He created new ways of looking at wine, tasting wine, evaluating ripeness and quality. … This was not just a man with a ‘style’ that he imposed on vineyards but a man that understood how to make great wine from great sites.” Rolland started his consulting company in 1973 in Libourne, in Bordeaux, with his wife, Dany. Both had graduated the year before from Bordeaux’s Institute d’Oenologie. The couple sold their majority share in the business in 2020, according to Wine Spectator. Over his career, Rolland reportedly worked with more than 100 wineries in 20 countries. He even made it to Virginia, where he consulted for Kluge Estate in the mid-2000s. (Kluge Estate is now Trump Winery.) Reader feedback, please! Last week, I did my first WineLine Live! with Dr. Laura Catena of Catena Zapata winery in Argentina. We enjoyed a fascinating discussion about her efforts to preserve the genetic heritage of old vineyards in Mendoza. I conceived of WineLine Live! for paid subscribers, as a thank you for your financial support. And while only a few people joined live, the video now has more views than I have paid subscribers, so I guess that’s pretty good. Even so, I’m considering opening future installments to anyone on Substack to reach a broader audience. So my questions to you: Should these be public? And what format do you prefer? Live gives a chat feature with the potential for viewers to interact with me and the guest, while a video post would just be that. Another alternative is a podcast, which would just be audio, without video of my chins. Please let me know in the comments. Leave a comment In the Glass A few wines I’ve enjoyed recently: Bonny Doon Vineyard Take Me to Your Liter, Le Cigare Volant, Red Wine of the Earth. 2023, Central Coast, CA. Blend of Grenache, Syrah Cinsaut and Petite Sirah. Delightful wine with expressive red fruit flavors, casual drinking. Doon lovers of a certain age will remember Randall Grahm’s Big House Red; this is more in that style than his original Le Cigare Volant, modeled after Chateauneuf du Pape. The liter bottle makes it an even better value. I see this online at about $15. Great value. Albert Bichot Bourgogne Pinot Noir Origines 2023. 13% - Textbook pinot noir and an excellent, affordable entry (regional) Burgundy. Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Wines of 2025. $24 at Total Wine & More. Loma Larga Pinot Noir 2021 “Coastal Cool Climate Wine”, Valle de Casablanca, Chile. An older sample, showing beautifully. Spicy and fruit forward. I’m seeing widely varied pricing online, from $18-$32. At the lower end, it’s a terrific value. 13.5% Dr. Loosen Riesling Dry 2016, Mosel, Germany. Found this “in the stack.” And it stacked up well, shedding some of its youthful acidity for opulent Riesling character, including a hint of the mineral oil older Riesling often features. A great value, as I’m seeing it as low as $14 online. 12% abv. Red Tail Ridge Blau Franc Blend 2024, Sans Oak, Finger Lakes. 13.4% abv. The name is a neat portmanteau of Blaufrankisch and Cabernet Franc, thus Blau Franc. The blend is 50-50, no oak involved. The Blau dominates on the palate, with the spicy caraway seed (think New York deli rye bread). The Franc adds body. The result is juicy, energetic and joyful. Sokol Blosser Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir 2025, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon. This first rosé of 2025 was a welcome respite to our cold, snowy winter here in the Mid-Atlantic. Oh man, I needed this! Bright and energetic, exuberant even, it perks up the mood and goes down fast. 13%. Certified B Corp. Ingredient and nutrition labeling, and in a modest way that doesn’t occupy a lot of label space. (Since it’s not required, presumably there are no minimum font size requirements.) More wineries should follow this example. Dave McIntyre's WineLine is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Thanks for reading Dave McIntyre's WineLine! This post is public so feel free to share it. Share 1 Some restraint may be required. 2 Especially the bubblies.

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Mar 23 • 10:54 PM EDT • Politics • dmwineline.substack.com
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Nominate a Capital Region health care executive who’s making a difference

Who’s running the organizations shaping health care in the Capital Region — and doing it well? That’s the question at the heart of the Outstanding Health Care Executive category in Business Report‘s inaugural Excellence in Health Care Awards. This recognition is for the senior leaders who are making the hard calls, building strong teams and […]

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Mar 23 • 10:27 AM EDT • Health • businessreport.com
Meet CT’s 2026 Women in Business honorees

Hartford Business Journal’s 2026 Women in Business awards recognize top leaders who are making a significant difference within their organization and the broader community.

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Mar 23 • 5:30 AM EDT • Business • hartfordbusiness.com
Welcome to allergy season. Here's how to protect yourself

Where you live, what you're allergic to and your lifestyle can make a big difference when it comes to the severity of your allergies.

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Mar 22 • 2:47 PM EDT • Health • abc7ny.com
WATCH: Sen. Paul asks DHS nominee Mullin if he believes violence can resolve political differences
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Mar 18 • 12:46 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
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MacBook Neo just fine with 4K video editing and 59 Chrome tabs

Sam Henri Gold last week wrote a rather sweet blog post about the difference between advice from tech reviewers and...

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Mar 18 • 8:16 AM EDT • Technology • 9to5mac.com
Primary care consultation modality and acute mental health service use in adults

Nature Mental Health - Using retrospective health-record analyses, Hidalgo-Padilla et al. evaluated whether differences in remote versus in-person primary care consultations were associated with...

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Mar 16 • 8:00 PM EDT • Health • nature.com
Apple’s Smaller M5 Pro MacBook Pro Suffers From Severe Thermal Constraints, With Larger 16-Inch Model Being 30% Faster With Just 3 Extra Cores

In one CPU-focused benchmark, the 14-inch MacBook Pro is unable to cool the M5 Pro properly, leaving the 16-inch M5 Max model to register a major performance difference

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Mar 16 • 7:04 PM EDT • Technology • wccftech.com
Colorado voters will decide whether transgender students can join girls’ sports

A ballot initiative that would require student athletes to only join sports teams that correspond to their biological sex has qualified for the November ballot, according to the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office. The measure includes a declaration that “males and females possess unique and immutable biological differences that manifest prior to birth and increase […]

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Mar 16 • 5:56 PM EDT • Sports • coloradopolitics.com
What does Israel want from the Iran war? Is it different from what the US wants?

The US and Israel attacked Iran together at the same time. But as the war drags into its third week, it is becoming clear the two countries have some differences in how they see the war proceeding.

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Mar 16 • 5:49 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
New obesity statistics highlight importance of preventive cardiology

Cardiovascular health is much worse in some parts of the United States than others. Cardiologists in those high-risk areas can make a world of difference by embracing preventive cardiology and working to treat patients before it is too late.

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Mar 16 • 4:00 PM EDT • Business • cardiovascularbusiness.com
Young men and heart health

The study revealed that men start developing cardiovascular disease years earlier than women, with cardiac risk differences beginning as early as their mid-30s.

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Mar 15 • 6:28 AM EDT • Health • bostonglobe.com
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Scientists discover giant swirling plumes hidden deep inside Greenland’s ice sheet

Scientists may have finally solved the mystery of strange plume-like structures hidden deep inside the Greenland ice sheet. New research suggests they form through thermal convection—slow, swirling motions driven by temperature differences inside the ice. This means the deep ice could be far softer than scientists once believed. Understanding this hidden movement could improve predictions about how Greenland’s ice sheet behaves in a warming world.

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Mar 14 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com
Shasta County health care shortage blamed on politics

A report blames political differences for Shasta County's healthcare crisis, citing high death rates and workforce shortages.

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Mar 13 • 7:01 AM EDT • Politics • redding.com
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Apple Says 'Hello' With New Instagram Account

Apple is already on Instagram, where it primarily shares photos and videos for its Shot on iPhone campaign, but the company is expanding its horizons. Apple today launched another Instagram account called Hello Apple (@helloapple), where it will share company news, stories, product marketing, and more. The account will showcase how Apple products inspire creativity and help to make a difference in everyday lives, and it will highlight work from Apple's creator community.

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Mar 12 • 10:00 AM EDT • Technology • macrumors.com
Red states hit hardest by reduced NIH funding

Epstein's "great friend" returns to biotech, sex differences in suicide, and other health news from Morning Rounds

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Mar 11 • 7:52 AM EDT • Health • statnews.com
2026 MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference shows why data make a difference

Over 2,500 — including coaches and players from Team USA, NBA, WNBA, and more — attended the 2026 MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, the Institute’s industry-leading event.

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Mar 10 • 5:30 PM EDT • Sports • news.mit.edu
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Health Care Heroes honored in Rochester

The event recognized 39 organizations and individuals in the area who have made a difference in local health care.

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Mar 10 • 4:35 PM EDT • Health • 13wham.com
iPhone 17 Pro Max vs iPhone 18 Pro Max: Specs, Features, and What's New Compared

iPhone 17 Pro Max vs iPhone 18 Pro Max comparison covering specs, A20 Pro performance, cameras, display upgrades, and key differences in Apple's 2026 flagship.

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Mar 10 • 5:10 AM EDT • Technology • techtimes.com
Local organizations using partnerships to protect health, environment

Simple but targeted actions can make a big difference in protecting people from environmental health harms.

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Mar 8 • 8:00 PM EDT • Health • apha.org
Apple Studio Display XDR vs. Apple Studio Display (2026): What's the Difference?

Apple’s 2026 display shakeup replaces the elite 32-inch 6K Pro Display XDR with a 27-inch 5K Studio Display XDR, while also updating the standard Studio Display. Here’s how Apple's two new creator monitors stack up.

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Mar 8 • 6:15 PM EDT • Technology • pcmag.com
Three Winners and Losers of EPL Game Week 29

The Premier League always brings plenty of talking points, and Gameweek 29 was no exception. Across the weekend, there were strong performances, surprising results and a few disappointing displays that caught the attention of fans and Fantasy Premier League managers. Some players stepped up and made a real difference for their teams, delivering goals, assists […]

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Mar 7 • 1:15 AM EST • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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Apple iPhone 17 vs. iPhone 17e: Read This Before Spending the Extra $200

The new iPhone 17e is $200 cheaper than the iPhone 17—but does that lower price make it the better deal? We break down the key differences to find out which model delivers the best value.

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Mar 6 • 12:13 PM EST • Technology • pcmag.com
M5 13-inch MacBook Air vs M5 14-inch MacBook Pro

Apple's M5 MacBook Air and 14-inch MacBook Pro share the same core chip, but there are big differences in the display, cooling, and more. Here's how the specs compare.

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Mar 6 • 11:21 AM EST • Technology • appleinsider.com
On the Farm, the Hidden Climate Cost of America’s Broken Health Care System

American farmers are drowning in health insurance costs, while their German counterparts never worry about medical bills. The difference may help determine which country's small farms are better prepared for a changing climate.

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Mar 6 • 4:55 AM EST • Health • insideclimatenews.org
As Preds Recognize Women of Smashville, Sport Psychologist Continues to Play Integral Role for Team and Beyond

Vickie Woosley's "Invisible" Work Makes Impactful Differences for Preds Players, Coaches, Staff

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Mar 5 • 2:00 PM EST • Sports • nhl.com
Poor brain health costs the world economy $5 trillion a year. The world is waking up to the crisis

I'm the founding chairman of the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative and I see a difference this year: the world is realizing that brains are infrastructure.

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Mar 5 • 3:00 AM EST • Health • fortune.com
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Neutrinos could explain why matter survived the Big Bang

An international team combining two major neutrino experiments has uncovered stronger evidence that neutrinos and antimatter don’t behave as perfect mirror images. That subtle difference may hold the key to why the universe didn’t vanish in a flash of self-destruction after the Big Bang.

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Mar 3 • 7:00 AM EST • Science • sciencedaily.com
Democrats Denounce Trump’s Iran Attack, but Subtle Divisions Emerge

While most Democrats have opposed his decision, their responses reveal differences over Middle East policy and national security that loom over the party’s future.

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Mar 1 • 8:04 PM EST • Politics • nytimes.com
Resident Evil Requiem Endings Explained

Resident Evil Requiem has two endings, but what's the difference between them, and which one is canon? We explain it all.

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Mar 1 • 7:00 AM EST • Technology • ign.com
Polanksi and Farage have more in common than you might think

Despite huge political differences, the Green and Reform leaders have much in common, writes Laura Kuenssberg.

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Feb 28 • 5:44 AM EST • Politics • bbc.com
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FPL talking point: Stick or twist with Haaland?

Is it the time to stick or twist with Erling Haaland in your Fantasy Premier League team? And which Manchester United players could provide the point of difference?

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Feb 27 • 3:38 AM EST • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Scientists compared dinosaurs to mammals for decades but missed this key difference

Baby dinosaurs weren’t coddled like lion cubs or elephant calves—they were more like prehistoric latchkey kids. New research suggests that young dinosaurs quickly struck out on their own, forming kid-only groups and surviving without much parental help, while their massive parents lived entirely different lives. Because juveniles and adults ate different foods, faced different predators, and moved through different parts of the landscape, they may have functioned almost like separate species within the same ecosystem.

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Feb 26 • 7:00 PM EST • Science • sciencedaily.com
Two Maine candidates for governor face off in Auburn

The debate was an unusual event because at this stage in the process, forums and debates typically seek to highlight differences between candidates in each party to help voters make their decision on primary day, which is June 9.

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Feb 26 • 7:21 AM EST • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
Resident Evil Requiem Comparison Shows Difference Between Xbox Series X And Series S

How the Xbox versions stack up

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Feb 26 • 6:00 AM EST • Technology • purexbox.com
Will drivers still make a difference in F1 in 2026?

Have F1's new rules damaged its status as the ultimate challenge? Andrew Benson assesses what the drivers are having to do differently and whether skill still matters.

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Feb 26 • 1:44 AM EST • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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Top 10 under-the-radar Fantasy basketball streamers emerging as late-season difference-makers

These overlooked fantasy basketball streamers are turning opportunity into production.

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Feb 25 • 5:18 PM EST • Sports • cbssports.com
Dating has been hard as an American living in another country

Dating and finding love abroad has been hard as an American living in Paris. The language barrier and cultural differences are tough to navigate.

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Feb 22 • 10:02 AM EST • Business • businessinsider.com
Divide Among Supreme Court’s Conservatives Could Test Trump’s Agenda

In rejecting President Trump’s tariffs, the court’s six conservative justices displayed subtle differences in their views of executive power.

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Feb 21 • 9:41 AM EST • Politics • nytimes.com
Scientists just mapped mysterious earthquakes deep inside Earth

Scientists at Stanford have unveiled the first-ever global map of rare earthquakes that rumble deep within Earth’s mantle rather than its crust. Long debated and notoriously difficult to confirm, these elusive quakes turn out to cluster in regions like the Himalayas and near the Bering Strait. By developing a breakthrough method that distinguishes mantle quakes using subtle differences in seismic waves, researchers identified hundreds of these hidden tremors worldwide.

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Feb 20 • 7:00 AM EST • Science • sciencedaily.com
State public-option health plans expand but can't fill gaps left by federal changes

Nevada recently became the third state to offer one of the plans on the ACA marketplaces. They're intended to be a cheaper insurance option but so far they make only a marginal difference in price.

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Feb 18 • 5:00 AM EST • Health • npr.org
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49ers EDGE, WR picked as possible cap casualties in 2026

The San Francisco 49ers could use more cap space, and moving on from one player on defense and one on defense, could make a huge difference.

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Feb 18 • 12:10 AM EST • Sports • ninerswire.usatoday.com
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Iowa State AD Jamie Pollard explains decision to end gymnastics season

Iowa State AD Jamie Pollard said the school canceled its gymnastics season due to "unreconcilable differences" between athletes, coaches and parents.

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Feb 17 • 5:15 PM EST • Sports • desmoinesregister.com
Norway is a Winter Olympic giant. Why isn’t it better at ice hockey?

While Norway rules the 2026 medal table, its hockey teams are at home — a stark difference from its Nordic neighbors Sweden and Finland.

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Feb 17 • 5:30 AM EST • Sports • nytimes.com
Olympics hockey overtime, shootout rules explained

Just as in the NHL, if an Olympic game is tied after 60 minutes, there will be overtime and a possible shootout. But there are differences in rules.

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Feb 17 • 5:03 AM EST • Sports • usatoday.com
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This doctor is training AI to do her job. And it’s a booming business

AI models are trained on massive amounts of data. But that training doesn’t do much good without what’s known as “reinforcement learning,” a process that involves human experts teaching models the differences between good and bad responses.

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Feb 17 • 3:00 AM EST • Business • cnn.com
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The 15 Business Books Ambitious Founders Recommend Most

I asked founders which business books they actually recommend. These 15 titles came up repeatedly, with specific reasons why they made a difference.

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Feb 16 • 8:00 AM EST • Business • forbes.com
These Are The Biggest Differences Between The Chevy C8 Corvette Stingray And Z06

The Z06 is wider, more aggressive and more powerful than the C8 Stingray, which has a lower price tag and a smaller footprint.

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Feb 14 • 5:25 PM EST • Technology • jalopnik.com
Bonnabel and Riverdale decided the district title, and a ‘four-year guy’ made the difference

It was crunch time, with a lot on the line. However, Bonnabel senior guard Thomas Molette was in his comfort zone.

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Feb 14 • 11:23 AM EST • Sports • nola.com
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Downhill skiing’s biggest hurdle? Friction.

How skis meet snow be the difference between winning gold or silver.

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Feb 13 • 3:00 PM EST • Science • popsci.com
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Franciscan University to Host Riley Gaines for Public Lecture on Women’s Sports and Cultural Courage

Former NCAA All-American swimmer and leading voice for the truth of biological difference to address students and the public.

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Feb 11 • 12:06 PM EST • Sports • franciscan.edu
Sony WF-1000XM6: New wireless earbuds star in comparison photos before official release

Sony will be releasing its WF-1000XM6 earbuds on February 12. In the meantime, The Walkman Blog has posted comparison photos highlighting the differences between the WF-1000XM6 and its two direct predecessors.

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Feb 11 • 6:40 AM EST • Technology • notebookcheck.net
Fox News Poll: Beyond red vs. blue, finding me + you across the political divide

Fox News poll reveals 6 in 10 voters believe love can transcend political differences this Valentine's Day, while humor trumps politics in relationships.

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Feb 10 • 3:30 PM EST • Politics • foxnews.com
Improving Brain Health: Expert says sleep habits can help ward off dementia

Doctor says the quality and duration of sleep can make a big difference as we age.

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Feb 9 • 6:10 AM EST • Health • wcvb.com
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What Are The Differences Between Honda's K20 And K24 Engines?

The differences between Honda's K20 and K24 engines concern their size and power. The K24 is larger and generally has more horsepower.

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Feb 7 • 6:25 PM EST • Technology • jalopnik.com
Olympians and scientists explain how machine-made snow makes ski racing faster and riskier

U.S. Olympic skiers and scientists explain the sharp differences between natural snow and machine-made snow, from the science to the rising risk of crashes.

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Feb 7 • 3:13 PM EST • Science • pbs.org
Is flu coming back to New England? South Shore Health doctor weighs in

Flu cases are rising again nationally. Dr. Todd Ellerin discusses timing for New England, differences between Flu A and B, and a Wayland assisted-living norovirus outbreak.

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Feb 3 • 4:59 PM EST • Health • wcvb.com
The essential first-hire checklist for small businesses

Hiring your first employee is a major milestone, and being prepared makes all the difference. In this episode of Small Business Smarts, go through the essential steps every business owner should complete before making that first hire. For more, visit ADP.com/SPARK

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Feb 3 • 8:02 AM EST • Business • mediacenter.adp.com
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What can you do today to improve your heart health? Simple steps can make a difference

It’s never too late to protect yourself from heart attack and stroke. Here’s what experts say you can do now. #HeartMonth

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Feb 2 • 7:00 AM EST • Health • heart.org
Not a fan of the gym? Why you should try VILPA

How you can make a big difference to your health and fitness without signing up for a marathon or joining a gym.

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Feb 1 • 8:49 PM EST • Health • bbc.com
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South African pediatric cardiologist joins Manning Family Children's in New Orleans

"I've been very fortunate to be able to make the differences that I've been able to make," Dr. Russel Hirsch said. "And hope to continue that."

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Jan 30 • 1:00 PM EST • Health • nola.com
AirTag 1 vs. AirTag 2 Buyer's Guide: All 15+ Differences Compared

Apple's new AirTag introduces a series of small improvements, so how does it compare to the original model from 2021? The second-generation...

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Jan 29 • 11:54 AM EST • Technology • macrumors.com
Elora Cordier’s passion for unified sports shines on and off the court

Elora Cordier's dedication to unified sports shines as she wins the Falcon Award for basketball. Her passion and efforts have made a difference.

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Jan 29 • 9:34 AM EST • Sports • concordmonitor.com
Xi-Starmer meeting: Chinese leader tells PM he hopes both countries can ‘rise above differences’

At Beijing talks, British prime minister Keir Starmer tells Xi he wants a ‘more sophisticated’ relationship with China

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Jan 29 • 12:31 AM EST • Politics • theguardian.com
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Investment and Statecraft: The International Politics of Sovereign Wealth Funds - Georgetown Journal of International Affairs

In 1953, Kuwait established the world’s first sovereign wealth fund to invest the country’s oil revenues and generate returns that would reduce its reliance on a single resource. Since then, over 100 separate funds have been created to preserve national wealth and ensure long-term fiscal sustainability. Today, they manage over $10 trillion in global assets. In this discussion with GJIA, political economist Kathryn Lavelle explains the increasingly novel dynamics that surround fund behavior and what the world can come to expect from their growing presence in international financial markets. GJIA: When it comes to the roles sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) play in global markets and politics, what would you say makes them unique? Kathryn Lavelle: Sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) operate on behalf of governments as investors. That in itself is a strange relationship. Within them, a core contest takes place between the state’s interests (or sovereign) part of the dynamic, and the money interests (or wealth) part of it, and these two aspects are frequently in contradiction, serving fundamentally different goals. SWFs are also quite fascinating because when you talk to the people who manage these funds, they have an interest in convincing you that the decisions are made almost exclusively on a financial basis—they really will go to great lengths to differentiate their government owners and those who make the management decisions. At the same time, these people ultimately answer to someone in power. Therefore, for most SWFs, it remains deeply unclear who is actually making the investment decisions and for what purposes. Of course, it is not always clear how other vehicles, such as hedge funds and private equity make the decisions they do, but I think what a lot of people find particularly disconcerting about SWFs is that they seem to act on behalf of people who have a different identity from their own. People who could be trying to manipulate politics and markets in a way that would have a long-term effect on their own populations. Regular investors come and go at will, and they only share an interest in profit as far as most of us understand. However, SWFs have that extra “sovereign” part right behind them that obscures their true interest. GJIA: These funds can be found in countries all across the globe, in both authoritarian states and democracies. Would you say SWFs differ in their goals and structures between regime-type? KL: It is not necessarily regime type that makes the goals and structures of SWFs different. It has to do with their economies. Let’s look at a country like China. There’s going to be a debate about exactly how to characterize the regime, but it is a country with many different kinds of sovereign wealth funds, and a particularly opaque state connection to each. At one time, some of the state-owned Chinese oil companies created specialized investment vehicles listed outside Chinese markets that excluded parts of the firms that were more associated with human rights violations. At the same time, the China Investment Corporation (CIC)­—China’s largest SWF—draws a lot of concern, not necessarily because of its investment activities, but because of the dynamics of global politics. So, I wouldn’t really tie differences to regime types themselves in a wholesale way, but rather to how such funds are perceived and how they are structured. Saudi Arabia’s SWF is getting all kinds of attention for its involvement in Hollywood, and this takes me right back to when I was a student in the 1980s, when people were concerned about Japanese investment entities buying assets in Hollywood. They aren’t quite the same in financial terms, but it’s the same kind of concern about foreign investment that drives people to be suspicious, and the whole idea that “foreigners are influencing Hollywood.” This holds true across industries, and it reflects where politics are in places like the United States right now. One metric we can try to look at is transparency, where all the funds will tell you, “we are transparent.” The problem you’ll keep running into with this approach is how you value things. When trying to do comparative studies of equity markets, you’ll find that every country doesn’t use Generally Accepted Accounting Principles like we do in the United States. A fund may appear opaque politically and not want people to show what they’re invested in or what their intent with that investment is, but they could also just not be able to report it because of the way it was purchased, or the kinds of shares they purchased. There are some assets out there that really are difficult to put a monetary value on. GJIA: To what extent do domestic politics shape SWF behavior in both the investing “home” country and the recipient “host” country? KL: This depends on the type of fund present and also on the extent to which voters’ political views are able to influence the fund. For example, in a democratic home state like Norway, the SWF doesn’t invest in nuclear weapons or tobacco because of social concerns, but there is a continuing debate over whether it should invest in oil, even though that’s where most of the money comes from. The degree to which Norway will continue to make those investments, and whether they contradict the government’s overall climate goals, is an open question in Norwegian politics. Because of the way the fund’s governance is structured, it may not be easy to resolve. On the other hand, some people consider pension funds, like the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) in Ohio, to be quasi-SWF. They have a very strict separation between the people who make up the management division and the fund owners. No teacher or professor would want to invest in things that may harm the future of their students. At the same time, a fund manager might see an opportunity in a diversified multinational corporation that offers a good return, despite it deriving part of its revenue from e-cigarettes. These contests are very apparent. Domestic politics can work in host countries too. A good example is Singapore’s SWF, Temasek, investing in Thailand’s telecommunications sector. If you study political economy, you already know that countries everywhere are uncomfortable with foreign ownership of their telecom sectors because a foreign entity could monitor or manipulate our communications with each other. In the case of Temasek, there was significant pushback from Thai citizens surrounding the deal, which went on to influence national political sentiment toward Singapore as a whole, underscoring the risks some SWFs may face with their investment choices. In this case, fund behavior led to the dissolution of the entire Thai government in 2006 and a subsequent coup d’état. GJIA: To address some of this unease, the Santiago Principles were established in 2009 to ostensibly promote trust and transparency. From your perspective, have these mechanisms actually changed fund behavior? KL: In international relations theory, we always like to have a clear set of norms and best practices­—the orientation we want the proverbial ship to be going in. In that regard, the Santiago Principles at least got the discussion going about which direction SWFs should take at a time when people were very skittish about the growing size of these funds. Nobody wanted them to be out there and potentially destabilizing economies, so talks about disclosure, conditions for withdrawal, and the independence of managers were helpful when initiated. The biggest stumbling block was that there wasn’t exactly a good way to measure compliance with the Principles, let alone how to hold funds to them. If you read the Principles, they’re overall quite vague. In general, a fund doesn’t want to reveal how and why they make certain investment decisions because that information is proprietary—a fund makes money off of how and why it makes decisions—so how do you reconcile that with loosely-defined ideas of openness? Some decisions might have a political purpose. The bottom line is that trying to figure out and assign a score to compliance is not easy, and it is therefore the reason why the Santiago Principles never really got off the ground to the point where they could truly direct fund behavior. GJIA: Many emerging markets are looking to build their own SWFs from mineral and oil revenues. Historically, have funds shaped development trajectories in these countries? KL: I think the big story in international emerging markets investment is that the investment is increasingly no longer unidirectional. In the past multinational corporations of primarily Western background were the main form of foreign direct investment in a country. That has changed dramatically, to the point where you have companies from so-called “developing countries” taking over companies in the United States. Therefore, the landscape of international investment has changed, and I think SWFs are certainly a possibility to be the next step in the game. Historically, you didn’t need an entire financial vehicle to reinvest commodity revenues in your country, but as emerging markets get more financially sophisticated, their capacity to operate such funds has increased. SWFs would allow treasuries to move from relying on holding foreign exchange assets like cash or government bonds to having broader financial markets and targeted growth areas, while easing pressure on welfare expenditures. GJIA: With their increasing financial weight, do you see the presence of SWFs being a factor in the political choices leaders will have to make with regard to domestic and foreign policy? KL: It will depend on just how big the funds get. One of the reasons people are already apprehensive is because of their scale, and if certain SWFs in certain countries achieve a large-enough size, the presence will absolutely be cause for concern. The other factor political leaders will have to consider are their objectives. It’s not always clear how to define a SWF, or even where its activity is concentrated, but it is certainly a worry from the perspective of national security of opaque external investment. More than that, I think one of the most interesting questions going forward is whether the United States, the home to the world’s largest financial markets, will develop its own fund, for which the Trump administration announced a plan. There have also been several proposals in Congress. Were it to come into being, it would have tremendous weight. At the same time, one of the hallmarks of U.S. capitalism is a lack of government ownership of shares, so it would not be clear how such a fund would be received in domestic politics, or which direction it would take. Given how politically fragmented the country is, a Democratic administration would likely be concerned about different sectors of the economy, such as healthcare, and want investment there, rather than a Republican administration, which might prefer defense industries. No investment vehicle could thrive under conditions of such instability. Moreover, it remains unclear where the money to fund a theoretical U.S. SWF would come from. It would be a fundamentally different entity depending on whether it is financed with debt, economic surplus, commodities, or the sale of state companies, as in the case of Singapore. If it is debt, or government borrowing of some form, then the fund would have to outperform whatever the cost of that debt is, which is not an easy thing to do. I think our political leaders have enough on their plate. Our system has worked well keeping political and investment functions generally separate. We have seen different forms of business rise and fall, and even the perception of different countries, all of which funds are tied to. Unless a major SWF either starts—like in the case of the United States—or collapses—an issue that concerns the Saudis, I don’t see any political tsunamis on the horizon. . . . Kathryn Lavelle is the Ellen and Dixon Long Professor of World Affairs at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Her research explores the exchange between domestic and international and political institutions with a particular emphasis on political economy and multilateralism. Dr. Lavelle’s first book, The Politics of Equity Finance in Emerging Markets, explored the political circumstances that surround large issues of stock in the developing world. After being granted tenure at Case Western, she was awarded an American Political Science Association Congressional Fellowship and named the William A. Steiger fellow, a designation given to the most promising political scientist in her class of fellows. While in Washington during 2006-2007, she worked on the staff of the House Committee on Financial Services on issues related to domestic and international monetary policy. Dr. Lavelle holds a PhD in political science from Northwestern University; an M.A. in government and foreign affairs from the University of Virginia; and a bachelor’s degree in international economics from Georgetown University. She is a permanent member of the New York Council on Foreign Relations. This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity and length. Interview conducted by Sid Mehrotra. Image Credit: Jason Leung, Unsplash Content Licenses, via Unsplash

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