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Opinion: The AI chatbots are coming for our voices. Are we ready?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:04:30 GMT

At a time when so many people want to project their voices as writers and speakers, and when many members of marginalized groups seek to finally make their voices heard, a technology has emerged — generative AI chatbots — that is perhaps the most effective voice silencer ever created.Communication is about coming together and having a common, intimate experience, not just sharing information. The vehicle for such experience is the individual, unique human voice, whether it’s someone telling stories around a campfire, giving a speech on a TED talk stage, or projecting their voice stylistically in the pages of a novel.AI can simulate human voices but only superficially. That’s because AI isn’t about human expression. It’s about the collection, aggregation and dissemination of information structured according to known and perhaps newly discovered patterns.From an artistic standpoint, there is great power and benefit to AI’s ability to synthesize and combine information. And...

2 Varsity Blues college admissions scam convictions reversed by US Appeals Court

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:04:30 GMT

Two parents who had been convicted in the Varsity Blues college admissions cheating scandal scored a major win on Wednesday, as a federal appeals court reversed the high-profile convictions.The First Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the admissions scam convictions for former Staples exec and Massachusetts resident John Wilson, and for former senior gaming and hospitality exec Gamal Abdelaziz, of Las Vegas.Four years ago, Operation Varsity Blues led to federal charges against dozens of wealthy parents, including Hollywood stars Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman. Those actresses, like many others charged in the bombshell case, pled guilty and spent time in prison.Wilson and Abdelaziz were the exception, fighting the charges and facing eventual convictions. On Wednesday, the federal convictions that were vacated were for mail and wire fraud, along with conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery. Wilson’s conviction for filing a false tax return was upheld by the court.“I’m more ...

Detached house sells for $1.5 million in Milpitas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:04:30 GMT

299 Duarte Court – Google Street ViewA 1,634-square-foot house built in 1964 has changed hands. The property located in the 200 block of Duarte Court in Milpitas was sold on April 24, 2023. The $1,500,000 purchase price works out to $918 per square foot. The property features five bedrooms, two bathrooms, a garage, and one parking space. The backyard also has a pool. The unit sits on a 6,300-square-foot lot.Additional houses that have recently changed hands close by include:A 1,166-square-foot home on the 1500 block of Arizona Avenue in Milpitas sold in November 2022, for $1,355,000, a price per square foot of $1,162. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.On Valmy Street, Milpitas, in March 2023, a 1,100-square-foot home was sold for $1,150,000, a price per square foot of $1,045. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.In December 2022, a 1,295-square-foot home on Arizona Avenue in Milpitas sold for $1,150,000, a price per square foot of $888. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathroo...

San Jose metro area tops nation in fastest pace for hiring grads: report

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:04:30 GMT

SAN JOSE — The San Jose metro area is the nation’s strongest region for the hiring of college graduates, according to a new report that offers a welcome counterpoint to a steady drumbeat of Silicon Valley cutbacks.Monthly employment for college graduates is up 9.6% in the San Jose metro region, which is defined as Santa Clara County, stated a report from Gusto, a San Francisco-based online platform that provides payroll, health care and human resources services geared primarily towards small businesses.“Across major metropolitan areas, hiring of new graduates is strongest in San Jose, where monthly employment has grown on average 9.6% over the past year,” the Gusto survey found.The South Bay’s robust employment picture for new college graduates has emerged at a time when the overall market for students who have completed their education is showing some signs of weakness.“Hiring in May 2023 is forecast to grow by 5.4%, compared to 7.2% growth in Ma...

CHP reports fatal crash in Vacaville near state prison

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:04:30 GMT

(BCN) -- The California Highway Patrol reports a fatal crash near the state prison in Vacaville early Thursday morning. Officers responded to a 5:03 a.m. report of a single-vehicle crash in the 2100 block of Peabody Road just east of California State Prison Solano. At 5:18 a.m. the CHP contacted the coroner. No further information was provided. This story is developing and will be updated. Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

CHP responds to fatal crash on Hwy 4 in Martinez

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:04:30 GMT

(BCN) -- The California Highway Patrol responded late Wednesday night to a fatal crash on Highway 4 in Martinez. The crash was reported about 10:45 p.m. on westbound Highway 4 near the Morello Avenue offramp, according to the CHP. No other information about the crash was immediately available. Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

13-year-old, police officer injured in gun battle outside Florida apartment complex, authorities say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:04:30 GMT

LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) — A 13-year-old exchanged gunfire with police during a chase through a residential neighborhood in Florida, wounding one officer and ending up in the hospital after being shot himself, officials said. One officer was shot in the foot Wednesday evening in Lakeland, between Tampa and Orlando in central Florida, and is expected to be released from a hospital in coming days, police said. No other officers were injured.Officers were responding to reports of a drive-by shooting at a park. Officer Jamie Smith spotted the suspect’s vehicle and pursued it. When it stopped, the three occupants jumped out and fled, according to Police Chief Sam Taylor.Smith saw the 13-year-old running down a sidewalk next to an apartment complex, carrying a firearm, Taylor said. The teen went into the complex despite being commanded to stop. As Smith turned a corner, the teen was crouched in wait for him and fired at least one round from a handgun, Taylor said.The officer was struck in the ...

Alexandria neighborhood makes Virginia group’s list of ‘most endangered historic places’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:04:30 GMT

Alexandria’s Town of Potomac Historic District has made Preservation Virginia’s newly released “Most Endangered Historic Places List.”The Town of Potomac Historic District, which includes the popular Del Ray neighborhood, is losing historic, mid-sized houses as newer residents and developers build outsized and out-of-character ones, according to the historic preservation group.Preservation Virginia’s solution to preserving the area’s historic charm: setting up a local overlay district with guidelines and review by an architectural review board, “such as in Old Town Alexandria and the Parker-Gray Historic District.”Preservation Virginia’s 2023 list of “Most Endangered Historic Places,” includes eight other “individual locations and two thematic listings from across the Commonwealth.” They are:African American Watermen Sites of the Chesapeake Bay: The rural, coastal locations of most watermen communities mak...

OncoCyte: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:04:30 GMT

IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — OncoCyte Corp. (OCX) on Thursday reported earnings of $2.4 million in its first quarter.The Irvine, California-based company said it had net income of 2 cents per share. Losses, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, were 4 cents per share.The cancer diagnostic test developer posted revenue of $297,000 in the period._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on OCX at https://www.zacks.com/ap/OCXSource

Salarius: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:04:30 GMT

HOUSTON (AP) — HOUSTON (AP) — Salarius Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (SLRX) on Thursday reported a loss of $5.3 million in its first quarter.The Houston-based company said it had a loss of $2.23 per share._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on SLRX at https://www.zacks.com/ap/SLRXSource