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Holograms are coming to a virtual meeting near you

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:50 GMT

Zoom has become so commonplace, it’s now a proprietary eponym for the video call."I think we’ve all experienced zoom fatigue after a couple of years of dealing with the pandemic," started Conor O'Reilly of ARHT Media.Various companies are working to make virtual conversations more realistic.Technology from ARHT can turn anyone into a realistic looking hologram instantly. Google is working on a technology called Project Starline. Apple's new Vision Pro turns you in to a Digital Persona so you can FaceTime even while wearing a headset."When a hologram appears, people sit up in their seats a little bit," said O'Reilly.Their technology consists of two parts: a basic studio, then a person-sized box with an LCD screen.The two elements can be thousands of miles apart and you can still present and interact live.I tried recording myself in the studio, then watching the playback in the holographic box. I also chatted live with another ARHT employee located in Seattle.Both experiences were inc...

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle part ways with Spotify

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:50 GMT

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's union with Spotify is over.“Spotify and Archewell Audio have mutually agreed to part ways and are proud of the series we made together,” the music streaming service and the couple's production company said in a joint statement obtained by the Wall Street Journal.Back in 2020, the Sussexes reportedly inked a $20 million deal with Spotify.The partnership lasted 2 1/2 years and produced Markle's podcast "Archetypes," which lasted only one season. Due to the dissolution of the partnership, the podcast won't see a second season."Archetypes" featured celebrities like Mariah Carey, Serena Williams, Paris Hilton, Mindy Kaling and more. It even received the Top Podcast Award at the People's Choice Awards."I loved digging my hands into the process, sitting up late at night in bed, working on the writing and creative. And I loved digging deep into meaningful conversation with my diverse and inspiring guests, laughing and learning with them, and with each of you...

Dodgers clutch in wild walk-off win over White Sox

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:50 GMT

One swing of Freddie Freeman's bat changed everything for the Los Angeles Dodgers.Coming off a 2-4 road trip, the Dodgers were in danger of losing a fourth consecutive series until Freeman singled to deep center field with the bases loaded in the 11th inning, giving them a 5-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night.“A series win is huge, you can build off those,” Freeman said. “It's good to be home and good to play some good baseball the last couple days.”Chris Taylor was the designated runner at second base to start the 11th. He took third on a passed ball by Yasmani Grandal. Miguel Rojas walked and Mookie Betts drew a 12-pitch walk against Garrett Crochet (0-1) to set up Freeman, who had been hitless in the series.Luis Robert Jr. was playing in shallow center and never moved a muscle on Freeman’s winning hit that landed on the warning track.“I knew I hit it good enough,” Freeman said.The teams combined for 32 strikeouts — most in an MLB game this season — and 11 walk...

California owners lost $59,600 in home equity in a year

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:50 GMT

California housing’s stumble off its pandemic peak means an owner with a mortgage lost $59,600 of equity in the past year.Please do not forget that falling home prices are good news for house hunters. And this stat tracked by CoreLogic is more evidence this year’s housing market started with some noteworthy discounting.These losses were found in my trusty spreadsheet’s look at CoreLogic’s calculations of homeowner “equity” – that’s the gap between what’s owed on a home and the property’s estimated value. CoreLogic tracked this wealth for owners with home loans in 46 states and the District of Columbia. (Stats were unavailable for South Dakota, Mississippi, Vermont and West Virginia).Look, the current homebuying climate is saddled with seriously low housing affordability tied to soaring mortgage rates. Those financial hurdles sharply pruned the pool of qualified buyers. Thus, values dipped.And it’s not just California. Home equity dropped in 13 others states plus D.C. for the year en...

Mike Dunleavy Jr. named Warriors’ next general manager

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:50 GMT

The answer to one of the biggest questions heading into next week’s NBA Draft came to light early Friday morning.Mike Dunleavy Jr. has agreed to a deal to become the Warriors’ next general manager, the team announced.Dunleavy, 42, appeared to be a logical successor to Bob Myers, who announced last month that he’d be stepping away from the team after 12 years and four titles. Dunleavy is a former Warriors’ first-round draft pick who worked his way up from scout to Myers’ right-hand man over the last five years. He most recently served as the vice president of basketball operations, stepping in to cover some of Myers’ duties at times. Dunleavy represented the Warriors at general manager meetings and helped handle some of the team’s recent transactions.Myers seemed to be preparing Dunleavy for this role over the last few years and gave his stamp of approval to Dunleavy during his exit interview.“Well, Mike’s great,” Myers said May 30. “He’s a g...

Why the Sharks and Karlsson appear ready for a trade this offseason

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:50 GMT

SAN JOSE – The San Jose Sharks and representatives for defenseman Erik Karlsson are reportedly on the same page in terms of trying to move the two-time Norris Trophy winner to more of a championship-contending team.Sharks management met with Karlsson’s agents from Newport Sports Management last week, according to Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic, and agreed that a trade could be in order with San Jose in an apparent rebuilding state under general manager Mike Grier.Reaching this point was not necessarily hard to predict.Karlsson has repeatedly said he wants to win, having now spent four straight playoff-less seasons with the Sharks. While he and his family like San Jose and his mind and body are in a good place, it likely does not make sense for him to remain with the Sharks if the franchise needs more years to retool after a 22-44-16 season.Asked in April about potentially playing for another team in the fall, Karlsson, who was surrounded by trade rumors almost all year, said,...

Mom and 12-year-old daughter dead in Tesla vehicle collision in Santa Clara

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:50 GMT

(KRON) -- A 44 year-old mother and her 12-year-old daughter died after their Tesla collided with a tree Wednesday afternoon. The car engulfed in flames following the collision which caused delays in Santa Clara, according to the City of Santa Clara. The crash happened in the northbound lanes of San Tomas Expressway between Forbes Avenue and Homestead Road. Local police and fire departments are on the scene. Cinemark and Westfield abandoning downtown SF just the latest in string of bad news As of 3:45 p.m. San Tomas Expressway was closed in both directions near the scene of the crash. By 4:30, the southbound lanes of San Tomas Expressway were reopened. The northbound lanes were closed for several hours but have since reopened as of 8:25 p.m.Viewer photos from the scene of the crash show a white Tesla fully engulfed in flames. The vehicle appeared completely destroyed after the flames were extinguished. A witness who said they saw the crash told KRON4 that speed may have been a fac...

Drunk driver arrested following collision in Pacifica

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:50 GMT

(KRON) – A woman was arrested Wednesday night in Pacifica after driving under the influence and crashing her car into a parked vehicle.Pacifica police say at around 9:26 p.m., officers and fire officials responded to a collision in the 500 block of Miller Avenue. Officers located a black Honda Civic that had collided with a parked vehicle and was blocking the roadway, police said.  Motorcyclist hospitalized after solo crash in San Jose Both vehicles were majorly damaged from the collision. The driver, who was the only occupant in the black Honda, was transported to a local hospital after sustaining minor injuries, PPD said. KRON On is streaming news live now.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }The driver was identified as Guadalupe Linette Barba, 25, of Pacifica. It...

Over 60 firefighters battle 21-acre brush fire in Clearlake Oaks

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:50 GMT

(KRON) – Over 60 firefighters helped stop the forward spread of a 21-acre brush fire Wednesday, according to Cal Fire.Crews responded to the scene of a two-acre vegetation fire near the 200 block of Henderson Drive. Due to the fire’s moderate rate of spread, additional resources were ordered to help contain the fire. Photo: Cal FirePhoto: Cal FirePhoto: Cal FireFifteen engines, three hand crews, a bulldozer, one helicopter, one air attack, three tankers and three water tenders were dispatched, according to Cal Fire.The fire eventually grew into a 21-acre brush fire. The spreading was able to be stopped and the fire was last updated to be at 80-percent containment Thursday morning. Fire officials say spotting is still a concern.North Shore and Lake County Fire Departments helped assist Cal Fire.

How Henry Kissinger Paved the Way for Orlando Letelier’s Assassination

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:50 GMT

On the morning of September 21, 1976, Orlando Letelier, the former foreign minister of Chile living in exile in the United States, was driving to work in downtown Washington, D.C., when a bomb planted in his car exploded, killing him and one passenger while wounding another.Letelier was assassinated in the heart of Washington by the brutal regime of Chilean President Augusto Pinochet, a far-right dictator who gained power in a 1973 coup backed by the Nixon administration and the CIA, overthrowing the socialist government of President Salvador Allende. Letelier served as foreign minister for Allende, and later was arrested and tortured by Pinochet. After a year in prison, Letelier was released thanks to international diplomatic pressure and eventually settled in Washington, where he was a prominent opponent of the Pinochet regime.Even in exile, Letelier still had a target on his back. The Pinochet regime, along with the right-wing governments of Argentina and Uruguay, launched a vici...