Comment "Hi Jack! (Score 1) 135
Try saying that.
Submission + - New Lawsuit Against Amazon: 'Subscribe and Save' Program Actually Costs You More (msn.com)
destinyland writes: A married couple claims in a new lawsuit that Amazon duped them — and leagues of other U.S. customers — into signing up for its popular "Subscribe & Save" program under the guise that they'd save money on automatically recurring purchases... In some cases, the lawsuit claims that customers were paying more for the exact same items through the Subscribe & Save program than they would be if they bought the items from other sellers on the site. That was true even when the up to 15% discount that the subscription program offers was calculated into the final purchase price, according to the suit. The Seattle law firm that filed the May 15 lawsuit says that Amazon’s business practices amount to “deceptive,” “misleading” and “bait and switch tactics.” The firm is seeking class-action status in U.S. District Court for western Washington, a move that could potentially draw tens of millions of Amazon customers from across the U.S. into the litigation...
[The suit says the plaintiffs' first order of espresso coffee grounds was $16.60.] When their order auto-renewed a few months later, the price had gone up to $17.04. A few months later, it rose to $21.25. Then in October 2024, the price increased to $28.69 — about $12 more than the Hermans had paid at the beginning of their subscription, according to the lawsuit. [The discount can be as little as 5% or up to 15%, Amazon told Oregon Live in a statement, noting customers do receive an email showing "applicable savings" before the orders ship. But...] The suit says Amazon gave the Hermans little notice to cancel the order or to shop around because it notified them of the latest price increase in an email at 8:54 p.m. — the same night it processed their order and charged them.
The suit says if the Hermans had been given the time to shop around for a better price, they would have found that another Amazon seller was charging $25.90 — or $2.79 less — for the identical item. Amazon’s “Subscribe & Save Terms & Conditions” page tells customers that it “may change the price for a Subscribe & Save subscription at any time for any reason....”
The analytical group Consumer Intelligence Research Partners says about 25% of U.S. Amazon customers are enrolled in the Subscribe & Save program.
[The suit says the plaintiffs' first order of espresso coffee grounds was $16.60.] When their order auto-renewed a few months later, the price had gone up to $17.04. A few months later, it rose to $21.25. Then in October 2024, the price increased to $28.69 — about $12 more than the Hermans had paid at the beginning of their subscription, according to the lawsuit. [The discount can be as little as 5% or up to 15%, Amazon told Oregon Live in a statement, noting customers do receive an email showing "applicable savings" before the orders ship. But...] The suit says Amazon gave the Hermans little notice to cancel the order or to shop around because it notified them of the latest price increase in an email at 8:54 p.m. — the same night it processed their order and charged them.
The suit says if the Hermans had been given the time to shop around for a better price, they would have found that another Amazon seller was charging $25.90 — or $2.79 less — for the identical item. Amazon’s “Subscribe & Save Terms & Conditions” page tells customers that it “may change the price for a Subscribe & Save subscription at any time for any reason....”
The analytical group Consumer Intelligence Research Partners says about 25% of U.S. Amazon customers are enrolled in the Subscribe & Save program.
Submission + - Maryland Governor Signs K-12 AI Bill Under Microsoft's Watchful Eye
theodp writes: "Thank you, Gov. Wes Moore, for signing SB 720 into law yesterday!" exclaimed Microsoft Sr. Director of Education and Workforce Policy Allyson Knox in a LinkedIn post celebrating the passage of the Artificial Intelligence Ready Schools Act. "Microsoft was proud to support this legislation, and I was honored to represent the company at yesterday’s bill signing at the Maryland State House. This law accomplishes the following: 1) Establishes statewide AI guidance for schools ... 2) Requires every district to have an AI plan ... 3) Builds teacher capacity and professional learning ... 4) Promotes AI literacy for students ... 5) Creates tools to evaluate AI technologies ... 6) Establishes a statewide AI Education Collaborative." At the same bill-signing ceremony, Gov. Moore paradoxically also signed into law the Phone-Free Schools Act, "prohibiting the use of certain electronic communication devices by a student during the academic school day."
Knox reports up to Microsoft President Brad Smith, who last July told Code.org CEO Hadi Partovi it was time for the tech-backed K-12 CS education nonprofit to "switch hats" from coding to AI as Microsoft announced its new $4 billion Microsoft Elevate initiative to advance AI education. The Maryland State Department of Education is one of many government agencies that are participating in Code.org's Microsoft-advised TeachAI initiative. Code.org also took to social media to celebrate the Maryland win, proclaiming that "Maryland just made AI and CS Education the law."
Interestingly, Maryland's commitment to K-12 AI comes in the same week as the NY Times reports a $22.5 million AI partnership to 'bring AI into the classroom' struck last July between the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) union, Microsoft, and OpenAI has hit a bump in the road as the AFT urges schools to curb AI chatbots and screen time, recommending 'no screens' at all for those in second grade or younger, and no AI chatbots for students in elementary school. AFT president Randi Weingarten said that the union was negotiating safety and privacy standards for AI use in schools with 'our partners in the AI academy,' and that Microsoft, OpenAI and Anthropic had agreed in principle to those standards. "We’re willing to walk away from the funding that we receive here if we don’t get the safety and privacy," Weingarten said.
Knox reports up to Microsoft President Brad Smith, who last July told Code.org CEO Hadi Partovi it was time for the tech-backed K-12 CS education nonprofit to "switch hats" from coding to AI as Microsoft announced its new $4 billion Microsoft Elevate initiative to advance AI education. The Maryland State Department of Education is one of many government agencies that are participating in Code.org's Microsoft-advised TeachAI initiative. Code.org also took to social media to celebrate the Maryland win, proclaiming that "Maryland just made AI and CS Education the law."
Interestingly, Maryland's commitment to K-12 AI comes in the same week as the NY Times reports a $22.5 million AI partnership to 'bring AI into the classroom' struck last July between the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) union, Microsoft, and OpenAI has hit a bump in the road as the AFT urges schools to curb AI chatbots and screen time, recommending 'no screens' at all for those in second grade or younger, and no AI chatbots for students in elementary school. AFT president Randi Weingarten said that the union was negotiating safety and privacy standards for AI use in schools with 'our partners in the AI academy,' and that Microsoft, OpenAI and Anthropic had agreed in principle to those standards. "We’re willing to walk away from the funding that we receive here if we don’t get the safety and privacy," Weingarten said.
Comment Marcia Lucas Finally Speaks Out | Icons Unearthed (Score 1) 21
Nacelle Company posted this four months ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
Comment the stock is set to EXPLODE! (Score 1) 73
"Where are my engines Tory?!!"
"One's over in the swamp over there and one's over that-a-way on the beach."
Didn't they blow up a second stage during testing a few weeks ago? Two KABOOMS in such close succession?!!
"One's over in the swamp over there and one's over that-a-way on the beach."
Didn't they blow up a second stage during testing a few weeks ago? Two KABOOMS in such close succession?!!
Submission + - Teachers' Union Urges Schools to Curb AI Chatbots and Screen Time
theodp writes: The New York Times reports the $22.5 million AI partnership to 'bring AI into the classroom' struck last July between the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) union, Microsoft, and OpenAI has hit a bump in the road as the AFT urges schools to curb AI chatbots and screen time, recommending 'no screens' at all for those in second grade or younger, and no AI chatbots for students in elementary school.
The union’s effort reflects a backlash among parents and educators against heavy use of school-issued laptops and apps. Some parents and nonprofit children’s groups are also pushing back against campaigns by tech giants like Google and OpenAI to spread their AI products in schools.
This week, AFT president Randi Weingarten said that the union was negotiating safety and privacy standards for AI use in schools with 'our partners in the AI academy,' and that Microsoft, OpenAI and Anthropic had agreed in principle to those standards. “We’re being transparent,” Weingarten said, adding that "We’re willing to walk away from the funding that we receive here if we don’t get the safety and privacy."
The union’s effort reflects a backlash among parents and educators against heavy use of school-issued laptops and apps. Some parents and nonprofit children’s groups are also pushing back against campaigns by tech giants like Google and OpenAI to spread their AI products in schools.
This week, AFT president Randi Weingarten said that the union was negotiating safety and privacy standards for AI use in schools with 'our partners in the AI academy,' and that Microsoft, OpenAI and Anthropic had agreed in principle to those standards. “We’re being transparent,” Weingarten said, adding that "We’re willing to walk away from the funding that we receive here if we don’t get the safety and privacy."
Comment I'm sorry Dave... (Score 1) 36
...I'm afraid I can't do that trade.
Comment Re:Always surprised that facebook still exists. (Score 1) 52
Lots of people still use it.
Comment WHERE'S MY ELEPHANT?!! (Score 1) 66
When did bsd.slashdot.org drop the red header scheme?
Submission + - POLLS: Pope Leo XIV's Encyclical Letter on AI
theodp writes: My knowledge of Pope Leo XIV's AI encyclical letter comes from:
* A full reading of the 42,000-word letter
* News report summaries
* Social media (TikTok, Instagram, X)
* Search engine AI summaries
* "What you talkin' bout, Willis?"
* A full reading of the 42,000-word letter
* News report summaries
* Social media (TikTok, Instagram, X)
* Search engine AI summaries
* "What you talkin' bout, Willis?"
Submission + - Code.org Co-Founder Pivots From K-12 CS and AI Education to Piano Lessons
theodp writes: Not long after pivoting his tech-backed nonprofit Code.org's mission from K-12 CS education to include AI literacy late last year, Code.org Co-Founder Hadi Partovi announced he was officially stepping down as CEO of the tech-backed nonprofit, explaining: "For the past two years, I have been operating primarily as Chairman while Cameron handled CEO responsibilities. With Karim’s appointment, my title will be updated to better reflect my contributions and commitment to this organization as Chairman of the Board."
On Sunday, a CBS 60 Minutes segment and USA Today interview revealed Partovi's new passion project has been Payam Music, a small for-profit piano school that Partovi aims to take national as its President and CEO with investors including Mark Cuban, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, and Dropbox CEO Drew Houston.
In a Sunday LinkedIn post, Partovi wrote: "I have a big career announcement: I’m taking my experience teaching computer science to hundreds of millions and connecting it to my lifelong love of piano. Announcing Payam Music: the first nationwide piano school, with a new way of teaching—the Payam Method—endorsed by Hans Zimmer and showcased on 60 MINUTES and USA TODAY. With Payam Music, students learn faster, they outperform traditional methods, and they even learn to write their own music. Every year our students rank nationally for their composition and creativity. If you’re worried about kids’ obsession with screens and social media, the solution is to give them a new obsession: piano. Proven over 10 years, the learning outcomes of the Payam Method are extraordinary, and so is the team behind it. Besides Hans Zimmer, we’re announcing the support of iconic business leaders including Mark Cuban, Dara Khosrowshahi, Michelle Zatlyn, Drew Houston, and many others. Payam Music is available in cities around the US and expanding rapidly. Our schools teach 1-on-1 lessons, in person and even online. We have limited spots, so if you or your child want to learn piano, sign up now! And if we don’t have a school near you, join our wait list, we’re growing fast."
On Sunday, a CBS 60 Minutes segment and USA Today interview revealed Partovi's new passion project has been Payam Music, a small for-profit piano school that Partovi aims to take national as its President and CEO with investors including Mark Cuban, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, and Dropbox CEO Drew Houston.
In a Sunday LinkedIn post, Partovi wrote: "I have a big career announcement: I’m taking my experience teaching computer science to hundreds of millions and connecting it to my lifelong love of piano. Announcing Payam Music: the first nationwide piano school, with a new way of teaching—the Payam Method—endorsed by Hans Zimmer and showcased on 60 MINUTES and USA TODAY. With Payam Music, students learn faster, they outperform traditional methods, and they even learn to write their own music. Every year our students rank nationally for their composition and creativity. If you’re worried about kids’ obsession with screens and social media, the solution is to give them a new obsession: piano. Proven over 10 years, the learning outcomes of the Payam Method are extraordinary, and so is the team behind it. Besides Hans Zimmer, we’re announcing the support of iconic business leaders including Mark Cuban, Dara Khosrowshahi, Michelle Zatlyn, Drew Houston, and many others. Payam Music is available in cities around the US and expanding rapidly. Our schools teach 1-on-1 lessons, in person and even online. We have limited spots, so if you or your child want to learn piano, sign up now! And if we don’t have a school near you, join our wait list, we’re growing fast."
Submission + - Of Course They Booed
theodp writes: In Of Course They Booed, Audrey Watters takes a look at the chorus of boos greeting college commencement speakers who heralded the glorious AI future students are poised to step into:
And perhaps it’s a little ironic that this graduating class, a group that we've been told time and time again has spent the last four years using ChatGPT to cheat their way through college, would display such sour sentiment towards "AI." But as most commencement speakers seem duty-bound to repeat, graduation marks the entry into adulthood; it is "the beginning of your life"; "the future is now" – that sort of thing. And just these students are now officially adults, they’re being told a very different story: that there really is no future. There are no jobs. And whatever thing they might have learned to do or learned to love in college, whatever career they might have believed they were preparing for, "AI" is going to destroy all of that. No wonder they boo.
But the growing pushback against "AI," and the growing pushback against ed-tech more generally, is not simply a rejection of technology. These efforts are, as Astra Taylor and Saul Levin recently argued in The Guardian, a rejection of the profoundly anti-democratic practices that have pushed technologies into all aspects of our lives without our consent and often in the face of our outright opposition. These technologies have been marketed to us as solutions to all sorts of social problems — and have done so, in no small part, by bypassing and undermining the very public sphere in which debate and discussion can take place: schools, libraries, the arts, the media. The adoption of education technology, "AI" or otherwise, has been anti-democratic in practices both big and small. Despite all the talk of progressive education and ed-tech, it has been experienced as something else entirely. Throughout the country for the past few decades Gates (via the Gates Foundation), other billionaire philanthropists, and giant companies have shaped education funding and policy through a combination of technology and testing.
At one point, perhaps, people were willing to welcome devices into schools, into the classroom. They believed the stories, not just that "this is the future," but that future meant something better for everyone. “Access” signaled equality. But as the tech billionaires have embraced authoritarianism and inequality, and as their apocalyptic rhetoric about not just the "end of work," but quite literally the end of the world grows louder and louder — all while they amass more wealth than anyone in history — it is quite apparent that their promises about the future do not include us. Their vision of future does not make any space or allowance for our children to choose their own futures.
And perhaps it’s a little ironic that this graduating class, a group that we've been told time and time again has spent the last four years using ChatGPT to cheat their way through college, would display such sour sentiment towards "AI." But as most commencement speakers seem duty-bound to repeat, graduation marks the entry into adulthood; it is "the beginning of your life"; "the future is now" – that sort of thing. And just these students are now officially adults, they’re being told a very different story: that there really is no future. There are no jobs. And whatever thing they might have learned to do or learned to love in college, whatever career they might have believed they were preparing for, "AI" is going to destroy all of that. No wonder they boo.
But the growing pushback against "AI," and the growing pushback against ed-tech more generally, is not simply a rejection of technology. These efforts are, as Astra Taylor and Saul Levin recently argued in The Guardian, a rejection of the profoundly anti-democratic practices that have pushed technologies into all aspects of our lives without our consent and often in the face of our outright opposition. These technologies have been marketed to us as solutions to all sorts of social problems — and have done so, in no small part, by bypassing and undermining the very public sphere in which debate and discussion can take place: schools, libraries, the arts, the media. The adoption of education technology, "AI" or otherwise, has been anti-democratic in practices both big and small. Despite all the talk of progressive education and ed-tech, it has been experienced as something else entirely. Throughout the country for the past few decades Gates (via the Gates Foundation), other billionaire philanthropists, and giant companies have shaped education funding and policy through a combination of technology and testing.
At one point, perhaps, people were willing to welcome devices into schools, into the classroom. They believed the stories, not just that "this is the future," but that future meant something better for everyone. “Access” signaled equality. But as the tech billionaires have embraced authoritarianism and inequality, and as their apocalyptic rhetoric about not just the "end of work," but quite literally the end of the world grows louder and louder — all while they amass more wealth than anyone in history — it is quite apparent that their promises about the future do not include us. Their vision of future does not make any space or allowance for our children to choose their own futures.
Submission + - Musk v. Altman Verdict: Victory for OpenAI and Microsoft, Not Vindication
theodp writes: Let's play Jeopardy! A. OpenAI, Sam Altman, Microsoft. OJ, the Golden State Killer, Bill Cosby, Jeffrey Epstein, Harvey Weinstein. Q. Who are beneficiaries of statute of limitations laws? (source: ChatGPT).
For Superman fans, yesterday's Musk v. Altman verdict in favor of OpenAI may conjure up memories of the 1958 Adventures of Superman episode The Mysterious Cube, in which a fugitive hides inside an impenetrable cube for seven years so that he can legally escape prosecution once the limitations period for presumptive death expires.
A press release celebrating OpenAI's legal team win in Musk v. Altman reminds us that the win was a victory for OpenAI, Altman, and Microsoft — not vindication. From the press release: "After three weeks of trial, the jury deliberated for about ninety minutes before finding that both OpenAI and Microsoft had proven their statute of limitations defense for all claims. Because the Defense prevailed on the statute of limitations, which was the very first question on the verdict form, the jury did not need to consider the merits of Musk’s claims. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers adopted the jury’s findings and promptly dismissed all of Musk’s claims from the bench."
For Superman fans, yesterday's Musk v. Altman verdict in favor of OpenAI may conjure up memories of the 1958 Adventures of Superman episode The Mysterious Cube, in which a fugitive hides inside an impenetrable cube for seven years so that he can legally escape prosecution once the limitations period for presumptive death expires.
A press release celebrating OpenAI's legal team win in Musk v. Altman reminds us that the win was a victory for OpenAI, Altman, and Microsoft — not vindication. From the press release: "After three weeks of trial, the jury deliberated for about ninety minutes before finding that both OpenAI and Microsoft had proven their statute of limitations defense for all claims. Because the Defense prevailed on the statute of limitations, which was the very first question on the verdict form, the jury did not need to consider the merits of Musk’s claims. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers adopted the jury’s findings and promptly dismissed all of Musk’s claims from the bench."
Comment Let Them Eat AI (Score 2) 177
Eric Schmidt's ChatGPT prompt begins: "You are Marie Antoinette, writing a commencement speech for the Univ. of Arizona graduating class of 2026..."
Submission + - Code.org, Microsoft Celebrate Georgia's New CS + AI Graduation Requirement
theodp writes: From tech-bankrolled nonprofit Code.org's Tuesday LinkedIn post boasting that Georgia just made AI and CS education the law: "Georgia is now our 14th CS [high school] graduation requirement state, and the 3rd to legislate AI as part of that requirement. Governor Brian Kemp signed SB 179 into law today. Years of work. Countless conversations. Real results. [...] And a special thank you to the Technology Association of Georgia and Microsoft, whose partnership was instrumental in making this happen. [...] AI and CS education for every student. One state at a time."
Microsoft State Government Affairs employees threw the partnership love right back at Code.org with their own LinkedIn posts, saying: "At Microsoft, we’re proud to support this milestone. SB 179 positions Georgia as a national leader in workforce innovation, expanding access to computer science and AI education to build a durable, diverse talent pipeline aligned with the demands of a modern digital economy. This approach reflects Microsoft’s commitment to advancing responsible, transparent, and secure AI, and reinforces the importance of early education in shaping how the next generation develops and uses technology. Grateful for the leadership and partnership that made this possible."
The Bill specifies that "grants shall be provided to eligible entities to deliver professional development programs for teachers providing instruction in computer science courses and content," explaining that "'High-quality professional learning providers' means institutions of higher education in this state, local school systems, nonprofit organizations, or private entities," which would seem to include Code.org, Code.org's higher education Regional Partners, and Microsoft.
While the legislation celebration may begin in 2026, the Bill notes the Class of 2037 will be the first whose graduation is impacted by the new requirement: "Each local board of education shall require all students who will graduate in 2037 or later, as a condition of graduation from high school, to complete a course in computer science or a career, technical, and agricultural education (CTAE) course embedded with computer science which meets the requirements provided in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph".
Microsoft State Government Affairs employees threw the partnership love right back at Code.org with their own LinkedIn posts, saying: "At Microsoft, we’re proud to support this milestone. SB 179 positions Georgia as a national leader in workforce innovation, expanding access to computer science and AI education to build a durable, diverse talent pipeline aligned with the demands of a modern digital economy. This approach reflects Microsoft’s commitment to advancing responsible, transparent, and secure AI, and reinforces the importance of early education in shaping how the next generation develops and uses technology. Grateful for the leadership and partnership that made this possible."
The Bill specifies that "grants shall be provided to eligible entities to deliver professional development programs for teachers providing instruction in computer science courses and content," explaining that "'High-quality professional learning providers' means institutions of higher education in this state, local school systems, nonprofit organizations, or private entities," which would seem to include Code.org, Code.org's higher education Regional Partners, and Microsoft.
While the legislation celebration may begin in 2026, the Bill notes the Class of 2037 will be the first whose graduation is impacted by the new requirement: "Each local board of education shall require all students who will graduate in 2037 or later, as a condition of graduation from high school, to complete a course in computer science or a career, technical, and agricultural education (CTAE) course embedded with computer science which meets the requirements provided in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph".
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