Comedy club prohibits Botox

Today’s topics

• Amtrak Mocks Southwest for Free Baggage Perk

• Google Unveils Its “Most Powerful” AI Yet

• Former Google CEO Enters the Space Race

• EPA Moves to Overturn Carbon Dioxide Regulation

• EPA Proposes Significant Rollbacks of Environmental Regulations

• The Man Who Elevates Walking to an Art Form

  and more…

Amtrak Mocks Southwest for Free Baggage Perk

After Southwest Airlines scrapped its free checked bag policy, Amtrak didn’t miss a beat. "Guess we're the only ones doing free baggage now," the train company quipped on X, reveling in its non-airline status. Unlike most carriers, Amtrak still allows passengers to bring one personal item and two carry-ons for free—provided they meet the weight limits (25 lbs. for personal items, 50 lbs. for carry-ons).

Salesforce Invests $1B in AI Expansion

Salesforce is pouring $1 billion into Singapore over the next five years to strengthen its AI capabilities. CEO Marc Benioff announced the investment at a high-profile business summit, touting it as a move to “accelerate digital transformation” (translation: sell more AI products).

The company is aggressively promoting its AI tool, Agentforce—likely due to mounting competition from Microsoft. With tech giants racing to dominate AI, the stakes are even higher as Trump returns to the White House, pushing companies to secure their position against OpenAI and other major players.

Spotify, Nvidia, and Others Still Reject Strict RTO

While leaders like Trump and Jamie Dimon push for strict return-to-office (RTO) policies, companies like Spotify and Nvidia are holding firm on remote and hybrid work. Some executives see mandatory office returns as outdated—Mindbody CEO Fritz Lanman even likened it to using a fax machine instead of email (harsh).

Meanwhile, employees continue to favor flexible work arrangements, and companies that embrace them maintain a significant advantage in attracting top talent.

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Google Unveils Its “Most Powerful” AI Yet

Google has introduced Gemma 3, calling it the most powerful AI that can run on a single GPU—meaning top-tier performance without needing a supercomputer. Unlike previous versions, this model processes text, images, and short videos, making it a versatile option for developers across various devices, from smartphones to workstations.

Google claims Gemma 3 outperforms Meta’s Llama, DeepSeek, and OpenAI models when running on a single GPU. To keep things in check, it also features ShieldGemma 2, a new safety filter designed to block explicit and violent content.

China’s DeepSeek Hype Takes Over

DeepSeek fever is sweeping China, with industries from video game developers to nuclear power plants rushing to adopt the AI model—whether they actually need it or not. In the past two months, automakers, banks, pharma companies, and even government offices have eagerly jumped on the DeepSeek bandwagon, using AI adoption to boost stock prices and showcase national pride.

While some businesses are finding practical applications, others seem more interested in the publicity. It’s reminiscent of ChatGPT’s 2022 debut, when every Western company suddenly had to integrate AI—ready or not.

Former Google CEO Enters the Space Race

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt has a new mission—leading rocket startup Relativity Space. He’s stepping in as CEO, replacing co-founder Tim Ellis, because, let’s be honest, every tech billionaire eventually turns to space.

Schmidt now joins the ranks of Elon Musk (SpaceX), Jeff Bezos (Blue Origin), and ex-Amazon exec Dave Limp (also Blue Origin) in the quest to leave Earth behind. Relativity Space made headlines with the first 3D-printed rocket—though it didn’t get very far. Now, the company is betting on the Terran R, a reusable heavy-lift rocket set to launch in late 2026. Just another billionaire looking for an exit strategy.

SpaceX Delays Astronaut Relief Mission Due to Launch Pad Issue

SpaceX has postponed a critical flight to the International Space Station intended to relieve two NASA astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been in orbit for nine months. The delay was caused by a launch pad issue involving the hydraulic system needed to release a clamping arm from the rocket. With launch just hours away, engineers were unable to resolve the problem in time, prompting SpaceX to reschedule the launch for no earlier than Friday.Read more

EPA Moves to Overturn Carbon Dioxide Regulation

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), under Administrator Lee Zeldin, has announced plans to overturn the 2009 endangerment finding that identified carbon dioxide pollution as harmful to human health. This decision aims to challenge the foundation of regulating climate pollution. Additionally, the EPA will reconsider 30 other significant environmental regulations from the Obama and Biden eras, targeting rules on emissions from coal and gas power plants, vehicle pollution standards, methane leak controls, and national air quality standards. The agency also plans to reassess the "social cost of carbon," a metric measuring the economic impact of carbon emissions. These changes could dismantle years of environmental protections aimed at addressing climate change and pollution. Read more

EPA Proposes Significant Rollbacks of Environmental Regulations

On March 12, 2025, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced nearly three dozen deregulatory actions aimed at boosting the U.S. economy by reducing regulations deemed burdensome to industry. These proposals, while applauded by industry stakeholders, have raised concerns among environmentalists. Notable rollbacks include reconsidering emission standards for power plants, loosening toxic metal limits from coal plants, revising wastewater rules for power plants, and expanding permissible uses for oil and gas wastewater. Additionally, the EPA is reevaluating vehicle emission regulations, the 2009 Endangerment Finding, the hydrofluorocarbon reduction program, and the 'Good Neighbor Plan' which limits cross-state air pollution. These moves could significantly reduce environmental protections and have financial implications for residential energy costs and public health. Read more

Major Tech Companies Pledge to Triple Global Nuclear Power Capacity by 2050

On March 12, 2025, Amazon, Google, and Meta signed a non-binding pledge to triple global nuclear power capacity by 2050. The Large Energy Users Pledge, also supported by the World Nuclear Association and industry leaders like Dow and Occidental, signifies substantial backing for nuclear energy despite historical opposition from environmental groups. These tech giants, known for their energy-intensive data centers utilized in AI development, advocate for nuclear energy’s ability to provide consistent power regardless of external conditions. This initiative aligns with former U.S. President Joe Biden’s emphasis on nuclear power for reducing greenhouse emissions, supported by legislation passed in 2024. Read more

St. John's Basketball Achieves Historic Big East Honors

St. John's University has made a remarkable impact in the Big East Conference this season with significant individual accolades. RJ Luis was named Big East Player of the Year, becoming the first St. John's player to receive this honor since Walter Berry 39 years ago. Luis, a transfer from UMass, has excelled under Coach Rick Pitino, showcasing impressive scoring, rebounding, and improved 3-point shooting skills. Coach Pitino's leadership also earned him the Big East Coach of the Year award, as he guided St. John's to their first outright regular-season title since 1985. Additionally, forward Zuby Ejiofor was recognized as the Most Improved Player, and both Luis and Ejiofor secured spots on the All-Big East first team. These achievements highlight the team's dedication and the effective coaching strategies implemented this season. Read more

The Man Who Elevates Walking to an Art Form

Simon Beck, a 60-year-old with an extraordinary amount of patience, spends hours trekking through snow to craft massive, intricate designs—using nothing but his feet. A former cartographer with an engineering degree from Oxford (no big deal), Beck has dedicated the past decade to transforming snow and sand into breathtaking, temporary masterpieces.

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