Many proptech startups, born and funded during the low-interest-rate heydays, are in the throes of struggle. With investments into U.S.-based real estate startups falling from $11.1 billion in 2021 to $3.7 billion last year, according to PitchBook data, some are selling themselves off, while others are closing shop.The two most recent examples are the latest casualties of a challenging interest rate environment and the years-long slowdown in real estate fintech funding.Rent-to-own proptech startup Divvy Homes is being acquired in a fire sale by Charleston, South Carolina-based Maymont Homes, Fast Company reported last week. Maymont is a division of Brookfield Properties.EasyKnock abruptly shut down, NPR reported last month. This closure followed several lawsuits filed against the proptech company and an FTC consumer alert about its controversial sale-leaseback models, which involved buying homes from the owners and simultaneously leasing the homes back to them.While 9-year-old Divvy declined comment, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to TechCrunch that Divvy is having conversations with Brookfield and is close to signing a purchase agreement. This person disputed that the acquisition was a fire sale. However, neither the company nor the source shared how much Brookfield could pay for Divvy, so its not yet clear if the price is a bargain or a boon.Its sale, fire or not, isnt entirely a shock. Signs of trouble began appearing at Divvy in 2022, when the company began laying off staff. By November 2023, Divvy had conducted its third layoff in a years time.The once-buzzy startup had raised more than $700 million in debt and equity from well-known investors such as Tiger Global Management, GGV Capital, and Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), among others. Divvys last known funding occurred in August 2021 a $200 million Series D funding led by Tiger Global Management and Caffeinated Capital at a $2 billion valuation. The Series D round was announced just six months after a $110 million Series C. Divvy Homes last known valuation was $2.3 billion in 2021, according to PitchBook.EasyKnock, a startup that billed itself as the first tech-enabled residential sale-leaseback provider, was founded in 2016 and had raised $455 million in funding from backers, including Blumberg Capital, QED Investors, and Northwestern Mutuals corporate venture arm, according to PitchBook data. Approximately $200 million of that capital was in a form of debt that allowed the company to buy the homes, according to a person familiar with the startup.So what went wrong?In its heyday, Divvy Homes claimed to be different from other real estate tech companies because it worked with renters who wanted to become homeowners by buying the home they wanted and renting it back to them for three years while they built the savings needed to own it themselves, it said.But the Federal Reserve began raising interest rates in 2022 on a mission to curb inflation. For companies like Divvy Homes, which purchased homes as part of its business model, high rates were devastating, limiting its ability to purchase homes and make money off those buys.EasyKnocks business model also involved buying homes and renting them. But its arrangement attracted homeowners with poor credit scores because it gave them access to quick cash, along with the option to repurchase the home at a future date.High interest rates also hurt it, as it took on debt to finance its operations, sources familiar with the company told TechCrunch. But EasyKnock had additional problems. More than two dozen lawsuits were filed against EasyKnocks, and Michigan attorney general alleged that the company used deceptive practices by purchasing homes from those in financial stress at low prices and then charging them high rents.According to our sources, EasyKnock was insolvent when it shut down, overburdened by debt.And with interest rates still relatively high, and funding still difficult to come by, we can likely expect more of this type of news from the real estate fintech space in the coming months and perhaps for all of 2025.Are you aware of a proptech startup in trouble? Contact Mary Ann at maryann@techcrunch.com or via Signal at 408.204.3036 or Marina.temkin at techcrunch.com.

Published January 18, 2025 10:00am EST close 'CyberGuy': The FBI's new warning about AI-driven scams that are after your cash Kurt Knutsson discusses some tips to keep you safe. The job market hasnt been great in the last few years, especially in tech, leaving a lot of people actively looking for jobs.Scammers are taking advantage of this. They have come up with a new trick where they pretend to be recruiters to spread crypto miners on peoples devices.It starts with an email inviting the person to schedule an interview for a job. But when they click the link, it installs a malicious app that secretly mines cryptocurrency.This app hijacks your PCs resources, like the CPU and GPU, which slows down its performance significantly. A person typing on their laptop. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)What you need to knowThis malicious campaign begins with an email that tricks victims into thinking it is part of a recruitment process, as reported byDark Reading. In most cases, these emails are pretending to be from recruiters at the cybersecurity company CrowdStrike.The fraudulent email contains a link claiming to take the recipient to a site where they can schedule an interview. However, in reality, it redirects the victim to a malicious website that offers a download for a supposed "CRM application."WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?The site provides download options for both Windows and macOS. Regardless of which option the victim selects, the download will be a Windows executable written in Rust. This executable then downloads the XMRig cryptominer.The executable performs several environmental checks to analyze the device and avoid detection. It scans running processes, checks the CPU and more. If the device passes these checks, the executable will display a fake error message while secretly downloading additional payloads needed to run the XMRig miner. Fake CrowdStrike job application download. (CrowdStrike)How does a cryptominer affect your PC?A cryptomining app can significantly impact your PCs performance. Once installed, it hijacks your computer's resources, including the CPU and GPU, to secretly mine cryptocurrency. This process requires a lot of computational power, which can cause your system to slow down drastically. You might notice your computer becoming unresponsive, running hotter than usual, or consuming more power.In some cases, prolonged use of cryptominers can also lead to hardware damage due to the increased strain on your components. Additionally, these miners often run in the background without your knowledge, making it harder to detect the issue until the damage is already done.CrowdStrike is aware of the scam and advises individuals to stay vigilant."This campaign highlights the importance of vigilance against phishing scams, particularly those targeting job seekers. Individuals in the recruitment process should verify the authenticity of CrowdStrike communications and avoid downloading unsolicited files," thecompany said in a blog post."Organizations can reduce the risk of such attacks by educating employees on phishing tactics, monitoring for suspicious network traffic and employing endpoint protection solutions to detect and block malicious activity."GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE People working on their laptops. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)5 ways to stay safe from job interview scams1. Check if you applied for the job: If you receive an unsolicited interview invitation, think back to whether you actually applied for that job or company. Scammers often target jobseekers randomly, hoping someone takes the bait. If you didn't apply, it's likely a scam. Always confirm directly with the company before proceeding.2. Verify recruiter credentials:Always double-check the recruiters details before responding to an email or clicking any links. Verify their email address, LinkedIn profile and company association. Legitimate companies will use official email domains, not free services like Gmail or Yahoo.3. Avoid downloading unsolicited files:Be cautious of emails asking you to download any files or applications. Legitimate recruitment processes rarely require you to install software. If unsure, contact the company directly to confirm the request.4. Inspect links before clicking:Hover over any links in the email to see their actual URL. Scammers often use URLs that mimic legitimate sites but have subtle differences. If a link looks suspicious, avoid clicking on it.5. Use strong antivirus software:Use strong antivirus or endpoint protection software to detect and block malicious downloads. Regularly update your security tools to ensure they can handle new threats effectively.The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.Kurts key takeawayCybercriminals always manage to come up with new ways to exploit people. While this particular scam is more focused on using your computers resources than stealing data, it is still very dangerous. It shows that if a hacker can easily install software on your PC, they can also go ahead and steal your financial information and other personal data. Always verify the emails you receive, and try not to download anything you dont trust.Have you ever received a suspicious email that looked like a job offer? Let us know by writing us atCyberguy.com/ContactFor more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/NewsletterFollow Kurt on his social channels:Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions:New from Kurt:Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com.All rights reserved. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on "FOX & Friends." Got a tech question? Get Kurts free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com. Related Topics

BlackJack3D/Getty ImagesVirtual private networks are no longer just for tech enthusiasts and privacy buffs -- they've become an essential tool for navigating a more restricted internet. VPNs offer a lifeline to digital freedom and security, from bypassing censorship to securing data from prying eyes. In the US, legislation in several states has blocked adult websites orplacedthem behind strict age gates. Regional policies limit access to various types of content, including streaming services and political materials. As more sites and services become geographically restricted, more individuals are using VPNs to bypass these blocks, protect their digital freedoms, and safeguard their data. Beyond unblocking adult websites or region-locked media, many users worry about government surveillance, data retention laws, and the sale of personal browsing data by ISPs. A VPN addresses these privacy risks by encrypting your traffic and masking your IP address. However, a VPN alone may not provide a comprehensive solution for network security or privacy concerns. To truly safeguard your data and enhance network privacy, combining a VPN with robust protocols like WireGuard and integrating them into advanced hardware setups (such as Firewalla and others mentioned below) can make a significant difference. Also: How AI will transform cybersecurity in 2025 - and supercharge cybercrimeThis guide outlines how to pair the open-source WireGuard protocol with Proton VPN, a Swiss-based provider celebrated for its strong privacy policies, and to integrate them into router-based setups for entire-network coverage. I'll also explore advanced techniques like policy-based routing, IP passthrough, zero-trust segmentation, and even building your firewall router on Linux or FreeBSD. Understanding VPN protocols and WireGuard Many commercial VPNs (ExpressVPN, NordVPN, etc.) rely on proprietary protocols that often lock users into specific apps. For example, NordVPN'sNordLynx protocol is based on WireGuard but deviates from the standard implementation. It does not use standard WireGuard .conf files for direct use on routers. Instead, NordVPN (and ExpressVPN) employs the older OpenVPN protocol for router configurations, which is less performant and more complex to set up. In contrast, WireGuard provides a refreshing alternative with an open-source design, a tight codebase (4,000 lines total), and notably high performance. Its modern cryptographic methods and lean architecture result in lower latency and faster speeds than legacy protocols like OpenVPN or IPSec, making it an excellent fit for bypassing region locks, streaming content, or engaging in latency-sensitive tasks like gaming. Example of a simple WireGuard configuration (.conf) file created by Proton VPN's download portal. Screenshot by Jason Perlow/ZDNETWireGuard's key management is also straightforward and highly efficient. Each peer -- whether a router, laptop, or smartphone -- is assigned a public/private key pair, eliminating the need to manage complex certificates. This simplified design reduces the overall attack surface and eases auditing, as fewer lines of code typically mean fewer potential vulnerabilities. Notably, you can install WireGuard on a router (rather than on each device in your network), allowing all network traffic to pass through the secure tunnel without managing separate VPN clients or profiles on individual computers or mobile devices. This router-based approach is especially valuable for environments where multiple devices -- from personal laptops to IoT gadgets -- must be secured, as it centralizes the VPN configuration and simplifies network-wide encryption. Legal and ethical disclaimer Using VPNs to bypass regional blocks or consume restricted content may be unlawful in certain jurisdictions. VPNs bolster privacy but do not guarantee total anonymity. If you evade local laws concerning adult content, abortion information, or other regulated material, understand there may be legal consequences. Always research your VPN provider's logging policies -- some free solutions log user data or inject malware, compromising rather than enhancing user privacy. WireGuard VPN providers Although this article primarily showcases Proton VPN for its transparent WireGuard .conf files (no proprietary lock-in), strong no-log policy, and free vs. paid plan structure, many other reputable VPN providers offer WireGuard configuration files for router-based setups. These include: Mullvad An independent, Swedish-based VPN service run by Mullvad VPN AB. Mullvad is praised for its no-email registration, strict no-logs policy, and the option to pay anonymously in cash or cryptocurrency.CyberGhost Part of Kape Technologies, which owns ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access (PIA), and ZenMate. CyberGhost is known for specialized servers (streaming, torrenting) and user-friendly apps.Private Internet Access (PIA) Another Kape Technologies brand, recognized for its large server network, advanced configurations like split tunneling, and its built-in ad/malware blocker ("PIA MACE").Surfshark Now under the Nord Security umbrella (following a 2022 merger), Surfshark is popular for unlimited device connections, ad/malware blocking ("CleanWeb"), and relatively budget-friendly pricing.Many of these services let you select a server in their portal or app and generate a .conf file for WireGuard, which you can then import into your router. The basic steps -- choosing a region, downloading the configuration, and applying it -- are similar to those we'll follow with Proton VPN below. Why Proton VPN? Proton VPN was founded in 2017 by the team behind Proton Mail, the world's largest secure email service. Operated under the Swiss-based, non-profitProton Foundation, Proton VPN prioritizes user privacy over profit-driven motives, similar to theSignalmessaging service. Its structure ensures that no shareholders or external investors influence its mission, maintaining a focus on privacy and security.Proton generates revenue through paid subscription plans to sustain its services, but it remains a not-for-profit organization governed by the Proton Foundation. This unique approach allows Proton to regularly publish transparency reports, invest in independent security research, and avoid corporate ownership by large VPN conglomerates. Proton VPN is a compelling choice for users seeking privacy-first, router-friendly configurations. Even on the free tier, Proton VPN delivers reliable and fast connections. Its focus on privacy extends to its router-friendly WireGuard configurations, which are transparent and free of proprietary lock-in. Proton VPN's tiered Free and Paid plans cater to a broad range of needs.PlanFreePaidServer Locations 35 countries (limited) 110 countries (city-level selection) Speed Decent, not guaranteed Often near max ISP speeds, priority servers Advanced Features Basic NetShield (ad block) Full NetShield, multi-hop, Secure Core Devices 1 device 10+ devices (tier-dependent) Performance ~5070% of ISP bandwidth Potentially close to full ISP bandwidth Step-by-Step: Using WireGuard on Proton VPN Step 1: Create a Proton VPN account Visit ProtonVPN.com and click Get Proton VPN Free.Choose a Free or Paid plan, depending on your needs.Verify your account via email.Log in to your Proton VPN dashboard once your account is confirmed. Proton VPN's download portal. Jason Perlow/ZDNET Step 2: Generate your WireGuard configuration Go to Downloads (or the WireGuard Configuration section) in your Proton VPN dashboard.Enter a descriptive name for your configuration in the "Device/certificate name" field, such as "ZDNET Test Router."Choose Router (or whichever platform you're setting up).Configure NetShield (ad/malware blocker) by selecting the desired filter level, or leave it off if you prefer.(Optional) Enable NAT/PMP (for port forwarding) or Moderate NAT based on your networking needs.(Optional) Check "VPN Accelerator" to improve speeds, if supported.Pick a standard server or region. Proton VPN may also auto-select the best server based on load.Click Create (or "Download") to generate and save the .conf file. Many WireGuard-compatible routers, such as the Firewalla Purple and Gold series, allow direct import of WireGuard .conf files generated by services such as Proton VPN. Screenshot by Jason Perlow/ZDNET Step 3: Configure your router Log in to your router's admin interface (commonly accessed via 192.168.x.x).Navigate to the VPN / WireGuard settings section.Import or Paste the Proton VPN .conf file you downloaded. Some routers let you upload the file directly; others might require copying the keys, peer settings, and endpoint details manually.Save your changes and enable the WireGuard interface or tunnel. Step 4: Enable IP Passthrough or Bridge Mode (if needed) If your ISP modem also acts as a router (e.g., AT&T BGW-320, Arris, etc.), you risk double NAT (Network Address Translation) unless you enable "Bridge Mode" or "IP Passthrough." This configuration ensures your custom router (Firewalla, OpenWRT, or another) receives a public IP directly, managing NAT independently. Access the ISP gateway's admin interface (often 192.168.1.254 or 192.168.0.1).Locate Bridge Mode or IP Passthrough in the advanced settings.Assign the MAC address of your router as the passthrough device.Save and reboot both devices. Step 5: Verify your connection Check your public IP at ipinfo.io. It should show Proton VPN's server location. Speedtest.net will also display your IP configuration.(Optional) Run a ping or traceroute to confirm stable routing.All traffic on your network should now traverse the WireGuard tunnel. Which routers support WireGuard? Many router manufacturers are adding native WireGuard support to their devices. Asus, Netgear, and Linksys regularly include WireGuard in their firmware updates, especially for mid-to-high-end models. Open-source firmware platforms like OpenWRT also offer extensive support, making them an excellent choice for advanced users. Other router options GL.iNet OpenWRT-based routers come pre-loaded with WireGuard, making them ideal travel VPN routers. OpenWRT One, developed by the Software Freedom Conservancy and Banana Pi, is a $89 dual-band Wi-Fi 6 router (available from Amazon fully assembled for US and EU power supplies) with full OpenWRT firmware. It features a 2.5GbE PoE WAN port, an M.2 slot for hardware add-ons, and a hardware switch to prevent bricking by toggling between NOR and NAND memory. Because it's standard OpenWRT, you can access thousands of packages (including WireGuard) and frequent security updates. Firewalla Purple and Gold series devices are widely praised for their simple configuration, high performance, and mobile app. Its newAP7 Wi-Fi 7 access pointallows zero-trust segmentation, meaning you can isolate IoT gadgets on separate networks to minimize the impact if one device is compromised. Firewalla routers also offer multiple VPN profiles, letting you fine-tune which devices or users tunnel through WireGuard. If you have enterprise-level or advanced requirements, consider a Firewalla Gold Pro, Ubiquiti Dream Machine, Mikrotik, OPNSense, or Netgate device for robust VLAN configurations, advanced QoS, and large-scale LAN deployments. Troubleshooting and FAQ Even with WireGuard's simplicity, a few issues may arise: Handshake failure: Check that your public/private keys match Proton VPN's settings. Ensure the router's clock is accurate, as major time differences break WireGuard's cryptographic handshake.DNS leaks: Your real location is exposed if DNS requests still go to your ISP. Update your router's DNS to Proton VPN's resolvers and validate at dnsleaktest.com.Policy-based routing: If you want to use the VPN only for specific devices or domains (e.g. streaming boxes that need local region access), explore split tunneling or "policy-based routing" in your router firmware (Firewalla, OpenWRT, OPNsense, etc.).Wi-Fi performance: Upgrading to Wi-Fi 7 or adding multiple access points can alleviate coverage gaps. However, your overall VPN speed also depends on your router's CPU speed for WireGuard encryption.General security tips: Stick to reputable VPNs like Proton VPN, avoid free apps, and keep firmware updated. Router-based VPN setups typically offer better consistency than phone-based VPN apps. Show more Advanced tips and security best practices Key rotation: Change your WireGuard keys periodically to reduce the chance of compromised credentials over time. Proton issues profiles that are valid for one year until a new profile import is required.Hardware constraints: Lower-power routers (~700 MHz single-core) might cap out at ~100 Mbps for WireGuard, while dual-core ARM or x86 at 1.4+ GHz CPUs on these devices can handle hundreds of Mbps or more. (Firewalla Gold Pro can handle 2Gbps WireGuard connections.)Kill switch/fail-closed: In advanced firewall OSes (pfSense, OPNsense), you can configure firewall rules that drop all traffic if the VPN goes down, preventing accidental leaks.Zero-trust segmentation: Isolate IoT or guest devices on separate SSIDs/VLANs. If a device is breached, attackers can't easily pivot across the rest of your network. Building your WireGuard-compatible firewall router on Linux or FreeBSD For advanced users, building a WireGuard-compatible firewall router using open-source platforms like Linux or FreeBSD offers near-limitless customization. Solutions such as OPNsense and pfSense (FreeBSD-based) or OpenWRT and IPFire (Linux-based) provide robust options for integrating WireGuard at the OS level. These platforms allow for refined firewall rules, VLAN management, bandwidth shaping, and multi-WAN failover. While setup requires more technical expertise and hardware compatibility considerations, the payoff is unmatched control over advanced routing and security features. Next steps After you've set up WireGuard on a router via Proton VPN: Explore multi-hop/secure core: Proton VPN's paid plans offer layered routing for heightened privacy.Check WAN failover: If your router supports dual WAN or cellular backup, set up automatic failover so your VPN reconnects if one link drops.Refine policy-based routing: Split tunneling allows selective encryption, perfect for devices that need local content or minimal latency (e.g. gaming consoles).Self-host WireGuard: Platforms like AWS Lightsail, Linode, or DigitalOcean let you build your own VPN server, cutting out third-party operators entirely.Intrusion detection: Tools like Suricata or Snort on OPNsense or pfSense can monitor and block suspicious traffic in real time. The increasing need for router-based VPNs Growing geoblocks, censorship laws, and privacy concerns have made VPNs indispensable for many users. WireGuard stands out with its speed, simplicity, and open-source ethos. Proton VPN offers a robust, privacy-centric VPN that's straightforward to deploy on a wide range of routers, including Firewalla's Gold Series/AP7 for zero-trust segmentation or OpenWRT One for budget-friendly Wi-Fi 6 performance. Also:How we test VPNs in 2025With proper planning, you can maintain the freedom to access geo-blocked content and the security to navigate the modern web safely. Security

[UNVERIFIED CONTENT] A picture looking towards downtown Atlanta showing the city during the throws ... [+] of a snowstorm when traffic is at a standstill in one direction. This is the 2014 snowstorm the jammed up the city.Flickr VisionIf you live in the southern part of the United States and like wintry precipitation, 2025 has not disappointed you. On the heels of a recent storm, the Deep South is bracing for another round of winter weather. Here are my three big concerns with the looming storm.The National Weather Service is sounding the alarm about the potential for a winter storm in the Deep South this week. The Weather Prediction Center wrote Saturday morning, There is increasing confidence in a winter storm across the southern tier, which could produce snow/sleet close to the western/central Gulf Coast across the Southeast and Carolinas, with notable freezing rain possible from the Florida Panhandle and just north. While there is still uncertainty about the exact totals, there is also some clarity emerging.Potential impacts of the Deep South winter storm.NOAA and NWSWinter Weather In Inexperienced PlacesFirst, the storm will start to take shape Monday near Texas and then move eastward into the Southeast. This brings me to my first big concern. Given the expected track of the low pressure system, an array of winter precipitation is expected from Texas to the Carolinas. To make matters worse, cities like Houston, New Orleans, Tallahassee, Mobile, Jacksonville, and other places along the Interstate 10 corridor could experience freezing rain. At the same time, the Interstate 20 corridor and points southward will be in the snow belt of this storm. Even if you live along the Interstate 95 corridor (Georgia, Florida, and the Carolinas) you need to be paying close attention too.Forecast weather map for Monday January 20th, 2025.NOAA and NWSMORE FOR YOUIt always baffles me when residents from places more accustomed to winter weather make fun of the South for shutting down or struggling with this type of weather event. As a native of Georgian, I assure you it is warranted. The Deep South has far less snow removal infrastructure. Here in Atlanta, we average under 2 inches of snow annually, and it is not guaranteed to happen each year. I am happy to see investments elsewhere.People generally are not as experienced with driving on snowy or icy roads. One of the reasons I moved back to the South from Maryland was to avoid such conditions (smile). I have a son in high school and a daughter in college. Both of them are drivers with virtually no experience with winter weather driving. According to the Worldcraft Logistics website, four of the busiest transportation corridors in the U.S. are found in the region to be affected by this storm. These facts portend a transportation mess.A salt and plow truck scraped snow from South Broadway near Alexandria Drive as rain, snow and ice ... [+] covered Lexington, Kentucky, Tuesday, January 27, 2009. (Photo by David Stephenson/Lexington Herald-Leader/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)Tribune News Service via Getty ImagesRapid Freezing and Deteriorating Travel ConditionsThis brings me to my second big concern with this storm. It is going to be brutally cold in the eastern U.S. including the Deep South. In fact, we are expecting a plunge of air that originated in Siberia. Why is that concerning? Any snow that falls this coming week will immediately start to cause transportation problems. Ground temperatures will be sufficiently cold to produce rapidly deteriorating conditions. I lived through Snowmaggedon in Atlanta. Even though it was only 1 to 2 inches of snow, the event featured extremely cold temperatures, which caused a transportation nightmare. Cities like Birmingham, Atlanta, Charlotte, and Raleigh could be dealing with a similar event. The city of Atlanta is hosting the College Football National Championship game. While conditions should be fine for the game on Monday evening, travel logistics (air and ground) could be quite challenging the following day.HOUSTON, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 21: A view of high voltage transmission towers on February 21, 2021 in ... [+] Houston, Texas. Millions of Texans lost their power when winter storm Uri hit the state and knocked out coal, natural gas and nuclear plants that were unprepared for the freezing temperatures brought on by the storm. Wind turbines that provide an estimated 24 percent of energy to the state became inoperable when they froze. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)Getty ImagesHazards Associated With Extreme ColdI am also concerned about the implications of the cold temperatures. Many places in the Deep South could experience days of temperatures at or below freezing. Wind chills will be in the teens or single digits as well. Extreme cold is a hazard to infrastructure (remember the Texas energy issues a few years ago), home plumbing, and public health. Additionally, places along the Gulf Coast that experience freezing rain will likely deal with fallen trees and power outages.At the time of writing, meteorologists like me are awaiting new information from more detailed weather models becoming available in the next day or so. If you live in the South, it is critical that you pay attention to the evolving forecast. Do not anchor onto information you saw days ago. I also encourage everyone in the region to start thinking about winter weather, travel, and emergency plans.

The big picture: It appears that these new CPUs will build on the strengths of their predecessors, maintaining the same core and thread counts. However, generational performance improvements will still be delivered through the latest Zen 5 architecture and a more advanced TSMC manufacturing process. AMD's Threadripper lineup continues to deliver high-performance processors for enthusiasts and demanding workstation users. The company is sticking with the same successful formula for the upcoming Threadripper 9000 series, codenamed "Shimada Peak." These new chips have been spotted in shipping manifests, courtesy of Everest on X, providing an early look at core configurations and more.The shipping manifest, sourced from NBD, a logistics company, reveals that AMD is preparing 96-core, 64-core, 32-core, and 16-core variants for the Threadripper 9000 series. Notably, all the listed SKUs share a 350W TDP, which is identical to the "Storm Peak" CPUs they are likely set to replace.At the top of the lineup is the 96-core, 192-thread powerhouse, featuring a massive 12 CCDs, each with eight cores and 32MB of L3 cache. This adds up to a total of 384MB of L3 cache.The design closely mirrors that of the existing Threadripper Pro 7995WX processor. However, the efficiency and performance gains from the Zen 5 architecture, coupled with a newer TSMC process node, offer significant improvements. Expect better performance-per-watt compared to the Zen 4 chips.At the other end of the spectrum is the 16-core variant, which features dual 8-core CCDs, delivering substantial power for tasks that require high single-thread and moderate multi-thread performance. // Related StoriesOverall, the Shimada Peak series' core configurations appear to be tailored to meet the needs of a broad range of users, from professionals seeking maximum parallel processing power to enthusiasts looking for more mainstream options.While the shipping manifest references the SP6 socket (LGA-4844) introduced with AMD's EPYC 8004 series (codenamed Siena), it's unlikely the Threadripper 9000 series will use this socket. As Tom's Hardware points out, their electrical layouts are incompatible, despite the physical similarities between the SP6 and sTR5 sockets. Instead, these new CPUs should be compatible with sTR5 motherboards using the TRX50 or WRX90 chipsets.AMD's commitment to supporting the sTR5 socket for at least two generations is a welcome move, as previous socket transitions haven't always been this user-friendly. This compatibility offers a degree of future-proofing for those investing in such a high-end platform.That said, AMD has not yet officially confirmed the Threadripper 9000 series, but these leaks align with rumors pointing to a launch later this year.

After two years on Paramount+, Varietyis reporting that theFrasierrevival will not move forward at Paramount+. The show, which originally debuted in October of 2023, will be shopped to other streamers by CBS Studios, which produces it.The series was a revival of the smash sitcom from the 1990s, which was itself a spin-off ofCheers. Kelsey Grammer reprises his central role from the original series and is joined by Jack Cutmore-Scott, Nicholas Lyndhurst, Toks Olagundoye, Jess Salgueiro, and Anders Keit.Frasier (2023) | Official Trailer | Paramount+When it first debuted, theFrasierrevival was met with a mixed response from critics, many of whom felt it lacked some of the bite that had made the original series so successful. Part of the reason for the shows limited success might be that other than Grammer himself, the cast is comprised largely of new actors and characters, although there are some cameos and appearances from familiar faces. Because the show features Frasier returning to Boston to start the next chapter of his life, the only real continuity it has with the original show is the character himself.Recommended VideosAlthough CBS is the studio shopping the project around, the revival is not expected to land on CBS, which already has an established lineup of comedies to rely on. Potential destinations reportedly include Prime Video and Hulu, which both house the shows original run. The two seasons of the revival that already exist will remain on Paramount+.Please enable Javascript to view this contentWhile its not impossible that the show could land somewhere else, its also possible that this will be the end of the road for this particular revival.Editors Recommendations

Reddit COO Jen Wong said the company's content is "foundational" to training AI models.Google and OpenAI have deals with Reddit to use its content to train their large language models.Reddit has also leveraged AI for a translation tool that's helped it grow internationally.Last year was a big one for Reddit.The company went public in February. Then it began investing heavily in AI for features like its translation tool and an AI-powered search tool. It also struck agreements with Google and OpenAI that allow the tech companies to train their AI models using Reddit comments and posts.Reddit COO Jen Wong says those investments are paying off."AI itself, more broadly, is incredibly important to everything we're doing," Wong told AdExchanger at the CES technology conference.Wong added that Reddit is now "foundational to the training" of large language models.In February, Reddit signed a licensing deal with Google to train Google's AI using Reddit content for $60 million a year. Then, in May, Reddit signed another massive content data-sharing deal with ChatGPT-maker OpenAI to train its AI models.Reddit CEO Steve Huffman said the company is in talks with "just about everybody" when asked if Reddit would consider working with Microsoft during The Wall Street Journal's Tech Live event in October.Huffman said Reddit posts and comments contain a wealth of "colloquial words about pretty much every topic" that are constantly updated, making them valuable in teaching machines how to think and speak like humans.Wong told AdExchanger that Reddit's introduction of AI translation features, meanwhile, has helped the company grow at an "accelerated rate" outside the United States.In September, Reddit announced the expansion of an AI-powered translation feature that lets users translate Reddit posts and comments into different languages. The expansion covered more than 35 countries, including Brazil, Spain, Germany, Italy, the Philippines, and countries throughout Latin America."It's made our core product better," Wong said. "People find a home on Reddit."Wong also said that Reddit plans to use AI on its advertising platform to create more "creative variants" and "make things more Reddity.""We bought a company, Memorable AI, that allows us to do that," Wong told AdExchanger. "So we see a lot of opportunity for our AI application."Reddit acquired Memorable AI, an AI-based advertisement company, in August 2024. Reddit said that the acquisition would give Reddit advertisers access to Memorable's "best-in-class" tools for advancing advertising campaigns in a blog post at the time.Reddit did not immediately return a request for comment from Business Insider.

Joe Biden has had a rough go of things. He leaves the presidency with the worst end-of-first-term approval rating of any president since Jimmy Carter; 55.8 percent of Americans disapprove of his job performance and only 37.1 percent approve, as of Friday.Bidens legacy will take years to sort out, and I certainly think he made serious mistakes. But one of the greatest triumphs of his presidency has gotten far too little attention, including from journalists like myself. That triumph is the reevaluation of the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP).The phrase reevaluation of the Thrifty Food Plan feels like it was concocted by an AI instructed to design the most boring string of words in the English language, but bear with me. This action, taken by Bidens Department of Agriculture in 2021, resulted in a 21 percent increase in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, or food stamps colloquially) benefits. The safety net program that is most precisely targeted at Americas poorest and most vulnerable people got a substantial, ongoing increase.That last part is notable, because so much of Bidens presidency was spent on temporary measures, with a spree of short-lived programs unleashed in 2021 to tackle the Covid pandemic and help the economy recover from its aftereffects. The TFP hike stands out because its still going indeed, its meant to be permanent and its something that the Biden administration did on its own, in accordance with a law that Congress passed in 2018.As a fan of the food stamps program, I think this was an outstanding measure by Biden, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, and USDA nutrition leaders Stacy Dean and Cindy Long. Critics of food stamps, in particular among House Republicans, have long sought to roll back the measure, and it is a possible target for cuts in the Trump years. But whatever you think of the food stamp expansion, its an important part of Bidens legacy, one that will reverberate longer than a burst of inflation or a temporary stimulus bill.Food stamps benefits, explainedA shocking amount of US government policy is based on the eating habits of people in the 1950s.The best known case of this is the construction of the official poverty measure, the most frequently invoked statistic for measuring the extent of poverty in the US. It was devised in 1963 by Mollie Orshansky, an economist at the Social Security Administration, and based on the US Department of Agricultures 1962 Economy Food Plan. That plan was itself based on 1955 data, and meant to determine how much money a family of four would need for food, if they were really pinching pennies.The USDA had been putting together plans like this for decades; the 1962 report gives a short history, which goes back to pioneer nutrition investigator Wilbur Olin Atwater, who worked at the department in the 1890s. The point of the plans was instructional, similar to the food pyramid of more recent decades: to demonstrate for average families how they could purchase food that met their caloric and nutritional needs at a reasonable cost. The Economy Food Plan was the result of an attempt to find the cheapest possible diet that could still provide basic nutrition. The report clarifies that this means it assumes households will buy less fruit, vegetables, or meat, and focus on cheap and lasting items like dry beans and potatoes. It is essentially for emergency use, the report concludes. Orshansky tripled the cost of this emergency diet to arrive at a level of income below which a family would be in poverty, since families of three more typically spent a third of their income on food at the time. (For all the complaints about grocery inflation, Americans now spend only about 10 percent of their income on food.)That was the poverty line, and it has not changed since, with the exception of annual adjustments for inflation, according to the consumer price index. It serves to determine eligibility for programs like Medicaid, health insurance credits, and food stamps, and its all based on 1950s eating habits.For food stamps, though, food plans take on additional significance. Eligibility is based on the poverty line (which is in turn based on the 1962 Economy Food Plan), but the benefit amount received under SNAP is determined by something called the Thrifty Food Plan, which succeeded the Economy Food Plan starting in 1975. The maximum SNAP benefit for a given family is set as equal to the cost of a diet for a family of that size under the Thrifty Food Plan; benefits are then steadily reduced as the familys income increases. For instance, a four-person household this year has a maximum monthly benefit of $975, because that is the cost of the Thrifty Food Plan for a family of four. Food stamps assumes that a family can afford to pay 30 percent of their income on food, so a four-person household with $1,000 in monthly earnings would receive $975 minus (30 percent times $1,000) = $675 a month.When the Thrifty Food Plan was first established in 1975, it was set at the same level as the 1962 plan, only adjusted for inflation. It was the same approach used when setting the poverty line. The plan was then updated repeatedly, in 1983, 1999, and 2006, but each time the cost of the Thrifty Food Plan only grew according to inflation. This was required: The updates were, as a matter of policy, meant to be cost-neutral. The plans allocation of the budget between different types of foods changed quite a bit over this period, but the overall cost could not.This was inadequate on a number of grounds. For one thing, food price inflation and overall inflation are not the same, and there have been key moments, like the mid-1970s and the aftermath of the pandemic, when food inflation was notably higher than overall inflation. But more importantly, the requirement to not increase prices meant that the Thrifty Food Plan came to involve a diet that assumed families had far more time to cook and meal prep than they actually did, and that they would subsist on bizarre diets that no one actually eats anymore.My favorite example is that the 2006 Thrifty Food Plan, to produce a cheap diet that provides adequate protein, suggested that a family of four should eat 40 pounds of low-fat milk and yogurt a week. Thats 18.1 kilograms, and since a Chobani cup of yogurt is 150 grams, that implies that the household is eating the equivalent of 120 yogurt cups a week. No one actually eats like this. The TFP also assumed that households had 2 hours and 18 minutes free, every day, to prepare food; the actual amount for households on SNAP was more like 50 minutes. As such, the plan prescribed bulk purchases of goods that took time to chop, process, soak, etc., that many households just did not have. It also did not budget for people to buy convenient items that might be slightly more expensive, like canned beans instead of dry ones.How the Biden administration revamped food stampsStacy Dean, who served as deputy undersecretary for USDAs Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services from 2021 to 2024, explained to me that her teams efforts to reform the Thrifty Food Plan were authorized by the 2018 Farm Bill, passed by a Republican Congress and signed by Donald Trump. Section 4002 of the law stated that the Department of Agriculture should by 2022 and at 5-year intervals thereafter reevaluate and publish the market baskets of the thrifty food plan based on current food prices, food composition data, consumption patterns, and dietary guidance.The team was thus instructed that the Thrifty Food Plan had to reflect how people actually ate (consumption patterns) and the foods they actually chose (food composition data), rather than assuming that poor Americans subsist largely on giant tubs of yogurt, or oatmeal and beans. The administration concluded that complying with that instruction meant the total cost of the Thrifty Food Plan could not stay the same. It was not possible to accurately reflect the actual cost of food and not increase the cost of the plan.You can see this in the long report the USDA put out in 2021 outlining the changes. (They beat the 2022 deadline by a year.) For the first time in more than 45 years, maintaining cost neutrality did not drive the process, the report states. Instead, the Thrifty Food Plan reevaluation process started first with assessing the foods and beverages that make up a healthy, practical diet, then determining a cost at which they could be purchased by resource-constrained households.Dean said that by far the most important factor driving the 21 percent increase in the cost of the plan was that the department had better data on food prices with which to work. In the past, they were using peoples recollection of what they paid for food. Do you remember what you spent on food last week? she asked me. You might remember in aggregate, but not for individual items. Instead of that survey data, Dean and her team used data directly from retailers that the USDA was already collecting for other purposes. This provided a much more accurate and up-to-date sense of what people were paying for food which led to a conclusion that food costs were greater than the old Thrifty Food Plan reflected.Dean emphasized to me that the goal was to get an accurate sense of what a thrifty household was actually paying for food, rather than an attempt to change SNAP per se. To that point, USDA has actually been revising downward the Thrifty Food Plan for Hawaii (which, along with Alaska, gets its own estimate separate from the mainland) because it believed the earlier estimate of the plans cost was too high.But the overall effect of the TFP reevaluation was to substantially increase food stamp benefits for the more than 41 million people who use it. While the resulting SNAP program is still quite modest (it went from offering $4.80 per person per day to $6.20 per person per day), that had significant budgetary implications. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the TFP change would cost $250 billion to $300 billion over 10 years. Where SNAP goes under TrumpWhile the Biden team saw the Thrifty Food Plan update as merely following the law Congress wrote, Republicans unsurprisingly saw the matter differently. Conservative think tanks like the Foundation for Government Accountability made attacking the change a major priority, and Republican members of Congress railed against it in hearings. Some will cynically point to provisions to update the Thrifty Food Plan in the 2018 Farm Bill as the basis for USDAs action, but Congress never agreed to permit a quarter of a trillion-dollar spending increase, Sen. John Boozman (R-AZ), the incoming chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, argued in 2023.The 2018 Farm Bill itself expired on September 30, 2023, and has been continually extended as-is since then by Congress. But that means were overdue for a new farm bill, and Republicans like House agriculture chair GT Thompson (R-PA) have signaled they want to use the bill to roll back the TFP boost. Donald Trump proposed sweeping cuts to food stamps in each of his budgets as president, and lists of spending options being circulated by congressional Republicans give reversing the Thrifty Food Plan changes a prominent place, alongside cuts to Medicaid.All that suggests that Republicans will probably try to cut food stamps this year. But theres reason to be optimistic theyll fail. Food stamps have always survived based on an unusual coalition between farm-state members of Congress and urban members, where the latter support farm subsidies that dont help their constituents in exchange for food stamps that do, and vice versa. Farm bills pass through regular order, meaning they need 60 Senate votes, and no Senate Democrat is going to vote for a bill that substantially cuts food stamps. Even if Republicans try to use budget reconciliation to avoid needing 60 Senate votes, their thin House majority means only a few defections would be needed to kill food stamp cuts. Theres a reason Trump merely proposed cuts last time, while signing a farm bill that didnt cut the program at all.If the Thrifty Food Plan changes endure, they stand as an unambiguously positive part of the legacy of Dean, Vilsack, and Biden himself. Its tempting to view the 20212025 period as an interregnum in an era mostly defined by Donald Trump and the ways in which hes reshaped American politics. But interregna can leave lasting marks too. And this could be an immensely positive one.Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More:

EXCLUSIVE: Mark Listwan is a card collector that recently purchased a one-of-one Gold Grail Cristiano Ronaldo card for 11,000 I caught up with the man himself to talk about what it means to meTech16:00, 18 Jan 2025Listwan showing the gold card with a classic Ronaldo Real Madrid shirtBetween Pokemon cards, Magic the Gathering and Disney Lorcana, there's no shortage of cardboard to spend your money on these days.But one collector has gone above and beyond in his pursuit for a 'one-of-one' card featuring his favourite footballer. Mark Listwan, 28, lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and grew up learning about football from his grandfather.After falling in love with football and following Chelsea around 2004, he turned to collecting football cards from Topps, leading to a staggering recent addition to his collection."It was around 2004 that I fell in love with the Chelsea squad," Listwan told the Daily Star.This Chelsea fan spent 11k to earn this one of a kind Ronaldo card"Cech, Lampard, Terry, Carvalho, Makelele, Cole, Robben, Drogba, to name a few, those names stuck out to me. They moved the ball up and down the pitch so effortlessly, scoring incredible goals while also defending so meticulously. The team attracted me in a way no other side could.""On top of all of that, my favourite colour is blue, so I think it was the perfect match. I've been following the team ever since, through thick and thin. A crazy rollercoaster ride is the best way to describe the Mighty Blues."Rollercoaster is right given recent seasons for Chelsea, but that love of football led to Listwan collecting trading cards made by Topps. When the company started a "Grail Chase" competition last year which featured a series of Cristiano Ronaldo cards, Listwan said he "had to go all out", and spent 5,000 on one card."When I had eight of the nine Ronaldo cards registered on the official leaderboard, I knew I had to go all out for the last one," he revealed."5,000 was merely a number in the quest for card-collecting greatness. To pay that much for the final card in the complete set? It was totally worth it."That took his total on acquiring the cards, and earning the one-of-a-kind 'Gold Grail' Ronaldo card to 11,000.The full Ronaldo collection"Who knows what valuation the true Gold Ronaldo can be given at the end of the day? I've heard so many things. six figures, seven figures, you never really know. I'm so extremely delighted with my decision to push through with the competition. I may try to get all 10 cards in a display case in my office. It surely is a sight to behold."Aside from being a self-identifying "completionist", I asked Listwan why he was so drawn to Ronaldo as a player, given he's never played for Chelsea."Ronaldo never had to play for Chelsea to show me that he knew how to play the game so properly," he says."His grit, perseverance, and determination to succeed is what really drew me to him. Everyone faces many obstacles in their lives. The way he has overcome so many challenges presented to him in his career, whether privately or in public, it just shows great character.""Some can disagree, but fighting these hardships are what truly make a person so strong and unique. It would be an absolute honor to meet and have a chat with Ronaldo himself."Despite being a Chelsea fan, Listwan is a huge admirer of RonaldoAs for his collection, Listwan says it's probably worth between 30,000 and 40,000, and says most of the cards are Chelsea players."I've put a lot of effort (and money) into my entire collection, which mainly consists of Chelsea cards, different parallels of base cards found in sets released throughout the past few years, and a lot of Mykhailo Mudryk, who I believe has so much potential for the future."When it comes to getting into collecting and starting out, Listwan says he wants to see more people doing it."I want to see more people collecting, whether that's with cards, memorabilia, coins, stamps, you name it."There is so much to explore. I believe that the realm of the card-collecting hobby is quite peculiar and special to say the least. You learn about different athletes and you find out more about the history of sports. You also end up understanding the true notion behind pulling base cards, inserts, crazy parallels, and whatever else companies like Topps decide to sneakily throw into packs.Article continues below"The grail cards were the perfect example of that. Whether you're collecting cards to give to a friend, as an investment, or even just to pass down to your children so they too can learn about the joys and mysteries of the hobby, everybody's adventure is different and noteworthy."Mark completed Topps The Grail, a competition in which collectors chase nine Cristiano Ronaldo cards in a bid to win prizes. He will receive a hotel, airfare, and two tickets to the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League Final in Munich. The first five runners-up will each receive a rare 1/5 card.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.RECOMMENDED

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