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Larry Magid: Is artificial intelligence the next search engine?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:42:46 GMT

I still remember the impact of Google, back around 1998, which fundamentally changed the way we search for information.Related ArticlesBusiness | Magid: Scammers get trickier in pursuit of your money Business | Magid: Using tech to help with taxes Business | Magid: New tool helps young people remove explicit online images Business | Magid: Supreme Court grapples with definition of publisher Even though I still use it multiple times a day, that quarter-century-old search engine is looking pretty anemic compared with ChatGPT from OpenAI and the “new Bing” from Microsoft, which uses technology from OpenAI. But Google isn’t sitting still. It’s launching its own AI chatbot, called Bard, which is currently available only to a limited number of people in the U.S. and U.K.New Bing from Microsoft uses AI technology from OpenAI These chatbots work by analyzing very large language models from online bo...

1 dead after solo crash, car fire on I-880

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:42:46 GMT

(KRON) -- One person was killed late Wednesday night after crashing into a guardrail, a sign pole and catching on fire on Highway 880, the California Highway Patrol reported. The crash happened just before midnight on southbound I-880 north of 237 in San Jose, CHP said.Officials said a Toyota Tundra was driving south on I-880 in the second lane from the left. For unknown reasons, the driver traveled across the right two lanes and onto the right shoulder before crashing into a guardrail. The Tundra continued out of control and then crashed into a metal freeway sign and then caught fire, engulfing the car in flames, CHP officials said. Dead body found in water near Pier 39 The driver was alone in the car and pronounced dead at the scene. Their identity has not been released.The investigation is ongoing. The CHP is asking for witnesses, or anyone with information regarding this crash, to contact the San Jose CHP Area office, (408) 961-0900.

Coast Guard leads search for possible missing 7-year-old boy near Moss Landing

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:42:46 GMT

(BCN) -- The Coast Guard is leading a multi-agency search for a possible missing 7-year-old boy in the vicinity of Moss Landing, according to an emailed news release received at 1:01 a.m. Thursday. The Coast Guard received a relayed report of the missing boy at 7:47 p.m. Wednesday from Monterey County dispatchers, who reported that a 3-year-old boy told a Good Samaritan that his mother went missing near Moss Landing.Coast Guard Sector San Francisco watchstanders launched a 47-foot boat and diverted a helicopter aircrew to assist in the search. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KRON4 Breaking News SIGN UP NOW CalFire crews located the missing woman and took her to a local hospital, and reported that the 3-year-old boy later said his 7-year-old brother was also missi...

Another storm coming to Bay Area to bring more rain Monday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:42:46 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- Skies may be mostly dry Thursday, with just a slight chance of brief midday showers. But as crews still work to repair roads and return electricity to many parts of the Bay Area, forecasters see a cold front arriving for the weekend followed by at least a couple days of wind and rain. Why do so many eucalyptus trees fall during storms? While Thursday and Friday appear to be mostly clear from any severe weather, overnight Friday into Saturday morning will see colder than normal temperatures with frost expected in the North Bay as well as south in Monterey and San Benito counties. The expected cold front could arrive as early as Thursday night, according to the National Weather Service, with near record low temperatures possible. A frost advisory for the North Bay and Central Valley begins Friday morning and will continue through the weekend.That will repeat overnight into Sunday morning and Sunday evening, with the South Bay joining the frost fray, accor...

South Africa’s Ramaphosa welcomes Belgium’s King Philippe

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:42:46 GMT

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed Belgium’s King Philippe and Queen Mathilda to the capital Pretoria, lauded the European country for its assistance to Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic.Ramaphosa emphasized the role played by Belgium in backing the World Health Organization’s mRNA technology transfer hub initiative established in South Africa to improve Africa’s access to vaccines and therapeutics.“I wish to express our appreciation to the kingdom of Belgium for its role in the global fight against COVID-19. Belgium is an important donor to the vaccine alliance GAVI, for the operation of COVAX, the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access initiative,” said Ramaphosa at a press briefing with the Belgian king on Thursday.He added that Belgium had donated about 10 million doses of vaccines during the pandemic, with a significant proportion going to African countries in need of vaccines.Ramaphosa praised the collaboration between South Africa&...

Former Man United goalkeeper Ben Foster signs for Wrexham

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:42:46 GMT

WREXHAM, Wales (AP) — Former Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster has come out of retirement to sign for Wrexham, the soccer team owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.The 39-year-old Foster, who was also an England international, last played for Watford before stepping away from the game last year. He signed a deal until the end of the season.Foster had a loan spell at the Welsh club, which currently plays in the fifth tier of English soccer, in 2005.Wrexham has gained global recognition since being taken over by Reynolds and McElhenney and featuring in a television series that streams worldwide.“It’s changed a lot since I was last here, but it’s nice to be back and it’s nice to be back as a player, too,” Foster said Thursday. “It will be interesting to see how my body feels after training today.“The first time I was here, it was genuinely the springboard to the rest of my career.”Wrexham is aiming for promotion to England’s fourth division this season,...

Ride On – A look back at 48 years of innovation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:42:46 GMT

This content is provided by Montgomery County Department of Transportation.For the past 48 years, Ride On has been at the forefront of transit growth and opportunity in Montgomery County. The bus service has continued to learn and adapt to the growing needs of the community, economy, and environment. To fully grasp where Ride On is headed, it’s worth looking at where it has been.The Ride On system, the first county-run bus service in the Washington, DC area, debuted in 1975 with 20 buses and was designed to provide service in Takoma Park and Silver Spring where large buses could not travel. The service also included a dial-a-ride operation in Gaithersburg. Deemed to be more efficient economically than other public transportation options at the time, within weeks of its introduction, the bus service was transporting twice the number of riders originally projected – nearly 2,000 passengers each day.Three years after Ride On started service, in 1978, Montgomery County expanded the popu...

Grains mostly higher, Livestock mixed

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:42:46 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Grain futures were mostly higher Thursday in early trading on the Chicago Board of Trade. Wheat for May was up 3.50 cents at $6.67 a bushel; May corn gained 9 cents at $6.3425 a bushel; May oats rose 7.75 cents at $3.6875 a bushel; while May soybeans fell 16 cents at 14.30 a bushel.Beef was mixed and pork higher on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.Apr. live cattle was up .12 cent at $1.6197 a pound; Mar. feeder cattle off .10 cent at $1.8867 a pound; Apr. lean hogs rose .60 cent at $.7775 a pound.Source

Aurora dentist formally charged with 1st-degree murder for death of wife

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:42:46 GMT

AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — The Aurora dentist accused of poisoning and killing his wife was formally charged on Thursday. James Toliver Craig, 45, was arrested on a count of first-degree murder Sunday in the death of his wife, Angela Craig. According to an arrest affidavit obtained by FOX31, the Aurora Police Department believes James went to great lengths to kill his wife by allegedly searching for ways to kill someone undetected, ordering multiple different types of poison, pouring them into her protein shakes, and then attempting to begin a new life with another woman. East High School shooting suspect found dead near car in Park County The 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office filed a formal charge of first-degree murder against James Thursday morning. James appeared in person at the court hearing. Angela first became sick on March 6 and died on March 19. One of the key elements in this case will be the autopsy which will reveal anything Angela had in her system at the time of ...

DeSantis walks back ‘territorial dispute’ remark on Ukraine

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:42:46 GMT

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is walking back his characterization of Russia’s war in Ukraine as a “territorial dispute,” following criticism from a number of fellow Republicans who expressed concern about the potential 2024 presidential candidate’s dismissive description of the conflict.In excerpts of an interview with Piers Morgan set to air Thursday on Fox Nation, DeSantis said his earlier comments referenced ongoing fighting in the eastern Donbas region, as well as Russia’s 2014 seizure of Crimea. Ukraine’s borders are internationally recognized, including by the United Nations.“What I’m referring to is where the fighting is going on now, which is that eastern border region Donbas, and then Crimea, and you have a situation where Russia has had that. I don’t think legitimately, but they had,” DeSantis said, according to excerpts. “There’s a lot of ethnic Russians there. So, that’s some difficult fighting, and that’s what I was referring to, and...