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Ask Amy: Photoshop can’t “fix” this awkward picture

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:40 GMT

Dear Amy: “Carlos” and I are both volunteers in an arts organization.Before knowing him well, I emailed him a photograph I entered into two juried exhibitions. The photo was chosen both times and has been exhibited.Carlos lists himself as a photographer, which is why I chose to share it.He wrote back, asking if I’d ever heard of Photoshop.He then sent me his Photoshopped version of my photo along with an explanation of how he had “fixed” it.I didn’t respond. It didn’t have anything to do with our volunteer work, so I let it go.Then, another person sent him two photographs for us to use in publicizing an event for our organization.Carlos replied to that person, cc’ing me, and sent her his photoshopped versions of her photos.He then asked me to use those photos, and provided a text he authored that I was to copy and paste verbatim, in a social media post. (I alone handle social media posts for the organization.)I’m not using a photoshopped picture. I’m insulted for the photographer. A...

Government finance statistics: Updated information

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:40 GMT

In connection with the news releases for the Excessive Deficit Procedure (EDP) and the Government Finance Statistics (GFS) published today, a series of related documents have been updated:Note on the stock of liabilities in trade credits and advances;  Stock-flow adjustment note explaining the link between government deficit and debt; Background note on government interventions to support financial institutions; Note on main revisions.  These are available on the publications page for government finance statistics. The annual and quarterly GFS summary tables in Statistics Explained have also been updated.More informationExcessive Deficit Procedure and annual Government Finance Statistics, 2022Quarterly government debt news releaseQuarterly government deficit news release If you have any queries, please visit the contact page.

Far from good. New study examines Georgia's air pollution from the space observations

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:40 GMT

Pollution from obsolete industries, heavy traffic, old vehicles and outdated heating threaten Georgian citizens. A new study (1) based on remote sensing of the Earth carried out by the European Union satellites in the Copernicus Programme, published in collaboration with the NGOs Arnika (Czech Republic), Green Pole (Georgia) and a company World from Space, recommends the steps to improve the environment of Georgia.“The satellite imagery shows that Rustavi is a key pollution hotspot of the country, probably due to its concentration of obsolete industries. Tbilisi is also heavily polluted, and an unregulated car traffic and insufficient public transport are among the main causes,” summarizes Jan Labohy, head of the World from Space research team. “Also, other big cities, mainly Gori, Kutaisi and Batumi, show increased pollution, probably due to the high traffic,” he adds. The study detailing the distribution of three pollutants (NO2, CO and particulate matter - PM10) over the ter...

Woman killed in two-vehicle crash in South San Jose

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:40 GMT

SAN JOSE – A driver was killed in a two-vehicle collision Tuesday night in South San Jose, according to police.Related ArticlesCrashes and Disasters | A fatal East Bay crash led to a chain-reaction wreck that killed another motorist, CHP says Crashes and Disasters | Motorcyclist killed in San Jose crash; man suspected of drunken driving arrested Crashes and Disasters | Palo Alto: Motorcyclist dies in Highway 101 crash Crashes and Disasters | Pedestrian killed by suspect fleeing Vallejo police Crashes and Disasters | Man arrested following fatal crash Thursday in Campbell The crash happened in the area of Blossom Hill Road and Winfield Boulevard, the San Jose Police Department said in a social media post. Officers arrived to find a woman suffering from life-threatening injuries.The woman was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead, according to police.The Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Cor...

Death Valley, the driest place in North America, has sprung to life with lakes and flowers after Hurricane Hilary

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:40 GMT

By Mary Gilbert | CNN MeteorologistCalifornia’s Death Valley is the hottest place in the world and the driest place in North America. But two months after Hurricane Hilary’s epic rainfall, parts of the national park look more oasis than desert.Parched ground turned to ponds, wildflowers are in bloom in remote areas and a salt flat is now a massive lake. The salt flat-turned-lake is an exceptional but fleeting sight to behold.“It is definitely a rare and special event,” Death Valley park spokesperson Abby Wines told CNN, only happening roughly once a decade.It’s all because Hilary unloaded a year’s worth of rain, 2.2 inches, on Death Valley in just 24 hours on August 20 – the wettest day in the park’s history. Until then, the park had never recorded more than 2 inches of rainfall in a single day, according to records that date to 1911.A visitor walks in the sprawling temporary lake at Badwater Basin salt flats in Death Valley National Park on October 21, 2023. (Mario Tama/Getty Image...

Universal Stainless: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:40 GMT

BRIDGEVILLE, Pa. (AP) — BRIDGEVILLE, Pa. (AP) — Universal Stainless & Alloy Products Inc. (USAP) on Wednesday reported profit of $1.9 million in its third quarter.The Bridgeville, Pennsylvania-based company said it had net income of 20 cents per share.The specialty steel maker posted revenue of $71.3 million 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 USAP at https://www.zacks.com/ap/USAPSource

Amazon rolls out independent cloud for Europe to address stricter privacy standards

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:40 GMT

Amazon is rolling out an independent cloud for Europe as it looks to address strict regulations that companies and those in the public sector face in the European Union.Amazon Web Services said Wednesday that its AWS European Sovereign Cloud, which will be located in and operate out of Europe, will have the same security, availability, and performance as existing AWS regions but will be separate from them. The cloud will let customers keep all metadata they create in the European Union and will have its own billing and usage metering systems.“The AWS European Sovereign Cloud reinforces our commitment to offering AWS customers the most advanced set of sovereignty controls, privacy safeguards, and security features available in the cloud,” Max Peterson, vice president of Sovereign Cloud at AWS, said in a written statement. Transatlantic data protection has been a growing concern since the European Union’s top court struck down a data sharing agreement in 2020 known as Privacy Shield. ...

MSC Industrial: Fiscal Q4 Earnings Snapshot

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:40 GMT

MELVILLE, N.Y. (AP) — MELVILLE, N.Y. (AP) — MSC Industrial Direct Co. (MSM) on Wednesday reported fiscal fourth-quarter earnings of $87.6 million.The Melville, New York-based company said it had net income of $1.56 per share. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, came to $1.64 per share.The results beat Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of nine analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $1.62 per share.The distributor of industrial tools and supplies posted revenue of $1.04 billion in the period, also surpassing Street forecasts. Nine analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $1.01 billion.For the year, the company reported profit of $343.2 million, or $6.11 per share. Revenue was reported as $4.01 billion._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on MSM at https://www.zacks.com/ap/MSMSource

Constellium: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:40 GMT

PARIS (AP) — PARIS (AP) — Constellium NV (CSTM) on Wednesday reported earnings of $69.7 million in its third quarter.The Paris-based company said it had net income of 47 cents per share.The aluminum company posted revenue of $1.87 billion 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 CSTM at https://www.zacks.com/ap/CSTMSource

Wales fullback Leigh Halfpenny to retire from international rugby after more than a century of caps

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:40 GMT

CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Wales fullback Leigh Halfpenny is retiring from international rugby after more than a century of caps for his country.The 34-year-old Halfpenny’s final game in the Welsh red will be against the Barbarians in Cardiff on Nov. 4.Halfpenny, who has played 101 games for Wales along with four tests for the British and Irish Lions, is third on the all-time list of men’s points scorers for his country with 801 — behind Neil Jenkins (1,049) and Stephen Jones (917).He has just appeared in his third Rugby World Cup, having reached 100 caps in a World Cup warmup fixture against England in August.“There’s no better feeling running out to a full Principality Stadium wearing the Welsh jersey and singing the national anthem,” he said. “I’m going to miss it, but I will be forever grateful for the opportunities I’ve had and to every single person who has helped me along the way.”Wales coach Warren Gatland described Halfpenny as “probably the best defensive fullback in the ...