March 31: Cesar Chavez Day in various U.S. states (1927); International Transgender Day of VisibilityWoodcut picture of Matthew C. Perry1854 U.S. Navy Commodore Matthew C. Perry (Japanese depiction pictured) and the Tokugawa shogunate signed the Convention of Kanagawa, forcing the opening of Japanese ports to American trade.1959 After a two-week escape journey from Tibet, the 14th Dalai Lama reached the Tawang Monastery in Arunachal Pradesh in India.1964 The Brazilian Armed Forces overthrew President Joo Goulart, establishing a military dictatorship that lasted 21 years.2004 The Old National Library Building in Singapore was closed to make way for a tunnel, despite widespread protests.Guru Angad (b.1504)J. P. Morgan (d.1913)Ewan McGregor (b.1971)Ahmad Sayyed Javadi (d.2013)More anniversaries: March 30March 31April 1ArchiveBy emailList of days of the yearAbout

Hello everyone! Cara is proud to be the official platform partner once more for this years #PleinAirpril 2025 with Warrior Painters! What is PleinAirpril?PleinAirpril is a social media event started in 2017 to celebrate Earth Day. The aim is to challenge and engage with plein air artists across the globe and to encourage them to share their artworksone per dayduring the month of April. How to participate in PleinAirpril 2025Every day of April 2025, paint one painting based on the themes "Plants, Aqua, Industrial, Nocturne" and post your work on Cara and/or Instagram: Use the hashtag #PleinAirpril, and tag @warriorpaintersYou can use any medium you want as PleinAirpril is about experimentation, practice, and exploration! Challenge yourself to paint more from life, but feel free to create photo studies or virtual plein air piecesDue to Instagrams limitations on artwork discovery via hashtags, Warrior Painters encourages participants to post on Cara for increased visibility. Content shared on Cara stands a better chance of being discovered and reshared by both the Warrior Painters and Cara community. About Warrior PaintersWarrior Painters was founded in 2016 as a way to connect artists from all walks of life, who share the same passion of showcasing natural and architectural diversity through plein air painting. The majority of painters in the group work in the entertainment industry, spanning from animation and games, to live action films and theme park designs. There is also a good number of freelance illustrators and concept artists. We look forward to how the community will be inspired and enjoy this event, and hope to see you join us this PleinAirpril! - The Cara Team

I had initially placed an order with Play-Asia, but they cancelled my order due to stock shortages, though the second listing recently appeared so you have a shot with that.I ended up securing a copy through Videogamesplus, but sadly it looks like they've already sold through their stock.@Wool_SheepSquare Enix have put out a few full on-cart releases like this in the "Asia" region, which aren't Japanese releases but apparently intended for markets like Singapore where internet access to download updates or full games isn't a guarantee.Their release of Final Fantasy X & X-2 for example, most territories has X-2 as a download code, but the Asia region release (and apparently also the Japanese release) actually has both on-cart. It's one of the rare 32GB Switch cartridges, which are expensive to manufacture so publishers often avoid going for it unless there's a good reason.These Asia region imports that end up having all content on-cart with multi-language support are understandably quite popular.

The David G. Fales House of Central Falls, Rhode Island, is an excellent example of the Second Empire architecture style in a high-end residence. The home was built around 1858 and belonged to David Gilmore Fales (1806-1875), one of the partners of the nearby Fales and Jenks machine works. Mr. Fales either built or purchased the home which was then a flat-roofed Italianate style home, and hired architect Clifton A. Hall, to modernize the residence, adding trim and the mansard roof. Its broad eaves are supported by brackets with pendants; segmental-head dormers are set in the mansard and a square belvedere with round-head windows tops the roof. A major fire gutted much of the house in the 1960s, and its future was uncertain. It was preserved and is now a multi-family apartment building.

ZDNET's key takeaways The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds are on sale now for $129 They're a reboot of the previous model with an even more comfortable, light fit, improved ANC, and booming, rich sound The app is a little clunky, the touch controls take some getting use to, and the voice commands can be finicky. more buying choices The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds (2024) are on sale for $149 at Bose, Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart. Bose will offer these earbuds for their sale price until March 30.In response to Apple's latestAirPods 4, Bose just released its 2024 generation of theQuietComfort earbuds, a reset on the previous version with an improved fit, better noise-cancellation, voice command controls, and a redesigned app.Right off the bat, I can tell you that these earbuds fit and feel fantastic. I am a bit of a tough customer when it comes to earbuds since I have small ears, and I typically prefer over-ear headphones or earbuds without a silicone tip. The new QuietComfort earbuds, however, have a design that feels far lighter and more comfortable than they look.Also: The best noise-canceling earbuds of 2024: Expert tested and reviewedThe buds appear somewhat chunky, but when they're in-ear, they feel incredibly light and minimal. The angled, oval-shaped ear tips differentiate themselves from the wide, completely round tips that a lot of other earbuds have, resulting in a secure but comfortable fit. details View at Amazon That being said, there seems to be one single way that these earbuds go into the ear: there's a single optimal angle where they "click" into place, and if you don't get it right, they don't feel secure. I took the QuietComfort buds to the gym with me for a week, and a rushed placement one day resulted in not one, butbothearbuds falling out of my ears onto the floor.Needless to say, I now make sure to take the time to put them in correctly before hitting the floor.So let's talk about the sound. As you'd expect from Bose, the audio quality on these earbuds is rich and booming. The bass is fat and all-encompassing, the mids are distinct, and the highs allow for a textured, dynamic soundstage. There is a good deal of separation between sound elements, and the sound quality is virtually indistinguishable whether the active noise-cancellation (ANC) is on or not.The approach with these earbuds seems to be to provide an aggressive, bass-forward audio profile that pairs well with noise-cancellation to be good for commuting, exercising, or in otherwise loud environments.The sound quality goes hand-in-hand with the redesigned companion app, which provides a fair amount of customization. You get a few pre-set EQ settings, including a bass booster and reducer, and a custom five-band EQ window where you can adjust as you see fit. The bass booster setting sounds pretty good on most content, but the low-end is so fat that it can end up sounding a little muddy on some tracks.Also: These $70 wireless earbuds are my go-to recommendation for audiophiles on a budgetI found the custom EQ settings to provide the best sound profile, bringing up the mids and highs to compete with the hefty bass these earbuds are capable of. On my custom setting, the buzzing, bone-shattering low end in Asha Devi's "The Seventh Element" pairs seamlessly with lighter tones, giving life to the airy flute that rides atop the abyss.Another track with intense bass, Sega Bodega's "Adulter8" sounds expansive and textured in my custom EQ -- despite the crushing bass at high volumes -- whereas in the custom "Bass booster" setting it sounded a little too thick and soupy, with the lower end bleeding into other sound elements. Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETThe touch controls on the buds are very sensitive, recognizing even the lightest taps, and allow for a high degree of customization with one-, two-, and three-tap controls or a tap-and-hold associated with any action you can think of. These, I found to be reliable and straightforward for the most part, although if you're in motion (running, for example), you might need to be extra deliberate about how you tap.By comparison, I found the voice controls to require some getting used to. You need to say the "Hey headphones" command clearly and loudly, then wait for the chime to give the command. Additionally, it only recognizes its list of pre-determined commands. For example, you have to say "Hey headphones," and then "Pause". You can't say "Stop."Also: One of the best earbuds I've listened to are not by Bose or AppleSwapping between the different noise control settings is best done with voice commands, but these also need to be spoken correctly. You have to say "Aware on" to turn on the pass-through aware mode if you want to hear your surroundings, and "Quiet on" to turn on the ANC. The app has a list of acceptable commands you can use, so I recommend reading through that list and just memorizing those commands before trying to use the voice control features.Unfortunately, the voice command capability has a tendency to disable itself for some reason, requiring you to restart the app to enable it again. Hopefully, this is something that will be addressed with further software updates. Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETBose's ANC is pretty solid, though. I wore these earbuds over the course of a week commuting to and from the office in New York, and they hold their own on the subway, on the street, and in a loud office. With the ANC on, it will still pick up sounds on the higher end of the spectrum, particularly voices, but these earbuds do a fantastic job at eradicating ambient noise and chatter.Regarding call quality, I did have some intermittent issues being understood by the person on the other end. Most of the time, the quality was fine, but the earbuds did occasionally drop out my voice, especially if I wasn't speaking particularly loudly.Also: These Beyerdynamic earbuds delivered glorious sound for any kind of music I playedOther features that come with the QuietComfort app include a low latency mode, which is great for gamers (but does require extra battery), and a battery prediction mode that gives you a rundown of how long your buds will last.Luckily, the battery life on these is pretty good. You're looking at over eight hours of use time on the buds with a full charge and over 30 hours with a fully charged case. You also have a few ways to charge, including USB-C on the case itself and Qi2 wireless charging, which couldn't be more convenient. Do note that the case tends to heat up after sitting on your wireless charger.ZDNET's buying adviceBose's latest QuietComfort Earbuds are one of the best pairs of earbuds on the market for anyone looking for strong ANC paired with bold sound and a light, airy fit. Even better is the $179 price point, which is highly competitive given all the features.The bold, expansive level of sound these earbuds provide is matched by how good the ANC is, making them shine in urban environments. The voice commands can be finicky, but once you get the feel for them, become second nature. Additionally, if you like a high degree of customization with touch controls, these are about as granular as you can get.This article was originally published on September 23, 2024, and was updated on November 16, 2024.Featured reviews

When is Amazon's Spring Sale 2025?Amazon's Big Spring Sale runs from now through Monday, March 31.Are deals really better during Amazon sales?Deals on flagship Amazon products are typically the best during Amazon's own sales. These sales are also a great opportunity to scoop up decent savings across dozens of categories. Keep in mind that you'll be able to shop at plenty of other retailers during the same period as Amazon's sale as retailers look to compete.Will other retailers offer spring savings?Yes, other major retailers will likely offer their discounts via competing sales. Often, retailers like Walmart, Best Buy, Target, and more directly match (or sometimes outdo) Amazon's pricing during sale events. It's not unusual to see the same products on sale for the same price across many retailers. I expect many competing sale events to precede, overlap, or follow Amazon's spring sale.How did we choose these anti-Amazon Spring Sale deals?ZDNET only writes about deals we want to buy -- devices and products we desire, need or would recommend. Our experts looked for deals that were at least 20% off (or are hardly ever on sale), using established price comparison tools and trackers to determine whether the deal is on sale and how frequently it drops.We also reviewed customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the deals we recommend. Our recommendations may also be based on our testing -- in addition to extensive research and comparison shopping. The goal is to deliver the most accurate advice to help you shop smarter.What are the best Amazon Spring Sale 2025 deals?ZDNET's experts are searching through Amazon's Spring Sale deals to find the best discounts by category. These are the best deals so far:You can also find the best Amazon Spring Sale deals by price:And the best deals from other retailers this week:Best anti-Amazon Spring Sale dealsLooking for the next best product? Get expert reviews and editor favorites withZDNET Recommends.

A pedestrian bridge in Tongan district in Xiamen, Fujian province, ChinagettyHeres a question thats a little bit more in the zone of philosophy when it comes to artificial intelligence how do we think about these technologies impacting our world? In what way do we understand the discovery of LLMs and their capacities, and what happens to our societies, not just in business, but beyond that, where we live?A corollary question would be how we apply it to commerce and development, and how we see those crucibles where the technologies are actually developed and worked on before they get to consumer technologies.Listening to some words from Alvin Graylin recently, I was thinking about some helpful analogies and frameworks that he pointed out for an AI roadmap that we could all use a look at when considering the future of our coexistence with powerful digital sentience.Three Types of AI Approaches - and a Fourth OneFirst Graylin enumerated three distinct approaches that many people are taking toward new technology.The first one is to slow down, and move as close to a snails pace as possible. This is where you hear the most about heavy regulation of AI project and deployment where some urge universal caution, and suggest that we cant allow these things to spiral out of control.Theres another school of thought, though, that may be called accelerators. They feel like its in our best interest to go as fast as possible, to improve the world at the most rapid pace.Then theres selective accelerators, which is a third way of looking at the issue,We're heading to a world of abundance, and we understand that that's the future, he said. We're going to change the way that we think.But Graylin has his own construct, too, and its pretty different. He asks us to think about all of us as standing on a bridge, either with or without tethers, and thinking about how we stay on that bridge, rather than falling off into oblivion.We have 8 billion people already, everybody's tied together, he said. So (if) we fail, we all fail. I think that's something that is not encapsulated in any of these three concepts.I thought that was rather important to think about as we try to figure out how were going to implement the power of a quickly evolving artificial intelligence capability.The Big IssuesThis was also impressive to me: Graylin mentioned that one of the biggest impacts will be job displacement. Not just job displacement, he noted, but the mental health issues that come along with job displacement.This is especially true in America, where we tie someones job to their identity, their routine, even their healthcare. For most of us, our jobs are our identification they inform our sense of self. So if we lose them to AI, you have some considerable angst and discomfort that goes along with that, if not existential despair that can work itself out in all kinds of disturbing ways.He also mentions misinformation and the potential of AI to introduce confusion and chaos.Then, too, Graylin notes that theres a geopolitical race on around development of AI technologies. Weve heard people call the DeepSeek announcement the Sputnik moment for the U.S., as American officials try to tighten export controls and contain China in this way. Theres no doubt that the Americans and the Chinese are in competition in certain aspects of AI development.However, Graylin also talks about the prospect of AI maturity. Initially, he suggests, certain problems will crop up, but in the end, they will subside as the technology matures. And thats something we can hope for, since the power of AI seems to be growing exponentially.All of this informs what we do at events and conferences, and in the classroom, and in the business world. We simply have to reckon with both the good and the bad sides of AI disruption, and figure out how to tackle these problems now, before they get worse. We have to move forward confidently, while holding onto our humanity, and making sure that it is valued, in a world where robots can do almost anything.

Discarded cellphone screens are part of the e-waste problem.Getty ImagesFederal researchers are making gains in experiments to ease the process of harvesting recyclable materials in electronic waste from discarded cellphones and computers.Scientists at two leading national laboratories under the U.S. Department of Energy are pioneering solutions to solve the growing and tedious problem of recycling e-waste.The Problem of e-wasteE-waste is one of the fastest growing solid waste streams in the world, the World Health Organization noted in an October 2024 fact sheet.Less than one-fourth of the 62 million tonnes of e-waste generated globally in 2022 was verified as being recycled from the millions of broken and obsolete electrical and electronic devices tossed into the trash per year, according to WHO.Millions of tonnes of e-waste are recycled using unsound activities, as well as being stored in homes and warehouses, dumped, and illegally exported, WHO stated. When e-waste is recycled using unsound activities, it can release up to 1,000 different chemical substances into the environment, including known neurotoxicants such as lead.Two New Tactics Discovered at Pacific Northwest National LaboratoryBattery innovation. gettyTwo new methods developed by Richland, Wash.-based Pacific Northwest National LaboratoryPNNL is one of the DOEs top laboratories for scientific discovery and technical innovation in chemistry, data analytics and Earth science. In recent efforts, PNNL materials scientists have been working on how to extract critical minerals such as:Dysprosiumused in magnets for hard drives and flash (thumb) drives,Neodymiuma component in hard drives, cellphones and televisions, andManganesein lithium ion batteries.One project tackled both neodymium and dysprosium. Scientists created a device funneling dissolved e-waste from both substances. Then they used a chemical solution to split and extract both neodymium and dysprosium as purified solids. The new technique was completed in a few hours compared to traditional methods that require as long as a full week to accomplish.Another PNNL innovation involved a demonstration project that used a gel-based system to dissolve and extract manganese from lithium batteries. This new method is being viewed as a potential solution for how to best recycle cobalt, lithium and nickel from discarded batteries.Argonne National Laboratorys New Way to Make, Recycle Electronic Lighting ComponentsRobotic arm welding and installing component at semiconductor circuit board.gettyScientists at Illinois-based Argonne National Laboratory spearheaded a project to make and recycle luminescent polymers in semiconductor materials that light up such electronics as computer screens and car dashboard navigation displays.ANL is a multidisciplinary science and engineering research center where scientists and engineers work to solve national problems through innovation.Recycling this electronic waste is complex, requiring expensive and energy-inefficient processes. Although there is an economic incentive to recycle the key semiconducting materials in this case, luminescent polymersthere has been no method to achieve this due to the challenge of designing those materials at the molecular level, PNNL noted when it announced the discovery in July.ANL led a team that included researchers from the University of Chicago, Purdue University and Yale University to tackle this problem. The solution they found was to create a new type of biodegradable and recyclable luminescent polymers for light-emitting semiconductors. This unique invention includes adding a chemical into the process that enables the e-waste to be broken down under heat or with mild acid for recycling.This is a $46 billion-a-year industry, and it is only growing, Jie Xu, the lead ANL scientist on the project, noted when the discovery was made public. By 2032 the industry is estimated to grow to $260 billion. With this method, we can eliminate this type of electronic waste that would otherwise be piling up in landfills.

Anna Miroshina moved to Thailand and started her own real estate agency in Koh Samui, Thailand. Anna Miroshina 2025-03-31T00:14:01Z SaveSaved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? Anna Miroshina, 40, moved from Russia to Koh Samui, Thailand, over a decade ago.She started working at a friend's bar and now owns her own real estate agency.She considers the island home and has no interest in leaving.This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Anna Miroshina, 40, owner of the real estate agency Siam.Villas in Koh Samui, Thailand. It has been edited for length and clarity.Twelve years ago, Imoved to Koh Samui, an island in the south of Thailand that has recently been in the spotlight because of the latest season of "The White Lotus."I was young and had started a career in IT career in Russia, but I didn't feel like I had a plan. I was grappling with issues in my personal life and fell into depression.My friend had opened a bar in Samui and asked if I'd like to help him for a year. I wanted to take a break from life at home, so I packed up my bags and left St. Petersburg.While working at the bar, I had a lot of free time and started exploring real estate on the side. I went on to become a freelance agent, as the income was much better than what I was making at the bar.I also changed my mind about going back to Russia, I wanted to stay in Thailand.Enjoying life in ThailandTwo years ago, I started my own real estate agency. In Thailand, you don't need a license to be an agent. In Samui, I have the right work-life balance.Whenever I'm tired, I go to the beach or stay on a neighboring island to recharge for a couple of days. When I was living in St. Petersburg, life often felt complicated and stressful. There was no outlet for relaxation.There isn't too much traffic on the island. In my car or motorcycle, it's only a seven-minute trip home from my office.Unlike the cold months in Russia, it's summer all year round in Samui. People are friendlier and life is just more relaxed. Everything feels slower and easier I live near the sea and get to dive and swim as often as I'd like. There's this Thai saying "sabai sabai" which means it's important to take it easy and enjoy life.As a woman, I feel safe living in Samui. Crimes, especially serious ones, are rare. I find the culture matriarchal, so women are well-respected. I feel like I'm on the same level here with everyone. Living and working in Russia was different, it felt like men ran the show, and women were often told to stay at home and take care of the household. It's part of why I run a business in Samui people empower me.I've been taking Thai language lessons for the past year and plan to apply for citizenship in the next two years. Miroshina spends her mornings exercising and lounging at the beach. Anna Miroshina The cost of island lifeMy typical day starts bright and early. I wake up at 5:30 a.m. to catch the sunrise. I spend my morning exercising and lounging at the beach. Work takes up most of my day advertising properties, consulting with prospective buyers, and scouting new locations. I often watch the sunset at around 6:30 p.m. before winding down an hour later and preparing for bed.Please help BI improve our Business, Tech, and Innovation coverage by sharing a bit about your role it will help us tailor content that matters most to people like you. What is your job title? (1 of 2) Entry level positionProject managerManagementSenior managementExecutive managementStudentSelf-employedRetiredOther What products or services can you approve for purchase in your role? (2 of 2) Advertising / MarketingClient / Account ManagementCompany strategyHR / Training / Office supportManaging budgetsIT / Telecoms / TechRecruiting new employeesSalesSoftware developmentFinancialOtherNone of the above By providing this information, you agree that Business Insider may use this data to improve your site experience and for targeted advertising. By continuing you agree that you accept the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . Thanks for sharing insights about your role. Living in Samui can be more expensive than in other parts of Thailand, especially if you're looking for comfort or luxury. While it's possible to find a small apartment for as little as $300 a month, many expats choose to stay in mid-range, slightly larger apartments with amenities like a common pool for about $1,300 a month. Those looking for a more luxurious life have the option of living in beachfront villas. Rentals for four- to five-bedroom houses with direct sea access usually start from $20,000 a month.No "White Lotus" real estate effectParts of "The White Lotus" were filmed just across from my office at the Anantara Bophut Resort. The show was filmed in Samui last year during high season, and there were traffic jams on the island. A couple of my friends worked on the set as extras. So far, "The White Lotus" hasn't had much impact on local real estate. I didn't see an increase in buyers or people moving here. People have been interested in Samui for years, even before the show.Three years ago, I realized I should stop renting and buy a house. I felt ready to commit. Samui is my home.Recommended video

Elon Musk's America PAC has spent $12 million on Wisconsin's Supreme Court election. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images 2025-03-31T00:04:48Z SaveSaved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? Wisconsin's high court declined to hear a case challenging Elon Musk's million-dollar handouts.Musk said he'd issue the checks at a Sunday town hall ahead of a pivotal state Supreme Court race.Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said Musk's offer violated state law.The Wisconsin Supreme Court, in a unanimous ruling on Sunday, declined to block Elon Musk from giving away $1 million checks to voters at a town hall in Green Bay in advance of a pivotal race for one of the court's seats on April 1.Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, a Democrat, had asked the Wisconsin Supreme Court early Sunday to prevent Musk from issuing the funds to voters, hours before the high-profile event."This case involves an issue of great public importance that requires urgent and authoritative resolution," Kaul wrote in his filing. He requested that the court issue an injunction "as soon as possible but no later than the planned event on Sunday evening."The ruling comes after the Wisconsin Court of Appeals on Saturday denied Kaul's bid to stop Musk from making the payments. Kaul had previously been denied a request for an emergency injunction by a county court judge.Kaul argued that Musk's planned giveaway violated a state law that makes it a felony to offer voters "anything of value" to influence their vote."Wisconsin law prohibits offering anything of value to induce anyone to vote," Kaul wrote in his filing. "Yet, Elon Musk did just that."Last week, Musk deleted a post on X where he said he'd issue two separate $1 million checks "in appreciation for you taking the time to vote." In a new post, he wrote that entry to the town hall would be limited to individuals who sign a petition "in opposition to activist judges," adding that the two recipients of the $1 million checks would be spokesmen for the petition.The Wisconsin high court now has a 4-3 liberal majority. Tuesday's contest between liberal Dane County Judge Susan Crawford and conservative Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel will decide the court's ideological direction moving forward. Musk has lined up behind Schimel.Schimel previously served as Wisconsin's attorney general for one term and was narrowly defeated in his 2018 reelection bid by Kaul.Musk's America PAC has spent over $12 million on the race, which is officially nonpartisan. However, as has been the case in recent years, the two parties have both lined up behind candidates in the state's Supreme Court contests. President Donald Trump endorsed Schimel, while Crawford has been backed by an array of Democrats, including former President Barack Obama.Recommended video