January 2024 - Page 13 of 17

Paxlovid Cuts Covid Death Risk. But Those Who Need It Are Not Taking It.

09

Jan

Health

Paxlovid Cuts Covid Death Risk. But Those Who Need It Are Not Taking It.

As Covid rises again, killing about 1,500 Americans each week, medical researchers are trying to understand why so few people are taking Paxlovid, a medicine that is stunningly effective in preventing severe illness and death from the disease.A study of a million high-risk people with Covid found that only about 15 percent who were eligible for the drug took it. If instead half of the eligible patients in the United States had gotten Paxlovid during the time period of the research, 48,000 deaths could have been prevented, the authors of the study, conducted by the National Institutes of Health, concluded.It’s…

Michigan stymies Michael Penix Jr., Washington to claim first national championship since 1997 season

09

Jan

By William Lee

Sports

Michigan stymies Michael Penix Jr., Washington to claim first national championship since 1997 season

By Lauren Merola, Max Olson, Austin Meek, Jim Trotter and Nicole AuerbachIt’s been 26 years, but finally, no one has it better than Michigan.The Wolverines, who ranked second in passing yards allowed per game with 150.0 heading into title town, faced their toughest task yet in taming the flamethrower that is Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Michigan answered the bell, subduing Penix to 255 yards and one touchdown — the only Washington TD on the night — against two interceptions on 27-of-51 passing, a vast divergence from the usual performance of the nation’s leader in passing yards per game (332.0)…

OpenAI Says New York Times Lawsuit Against It Is ‘Without Merit’

09

Jan

By William Lee

Technology

OpenAI Says New York Times Lawsuit Against It Is ‘Without Merit’

OpenAI said on Monday that a New York Times lawsuit against it was “without merit” and that it supported and created opportunities for news organizations, as it waded further into a debate over the unauthorized use of published work to train artificial intelligence technologies.The Times sued OpenAI and Microsoft on Dec. 27, accusing the companies of infringing on its copyrights by using millions of its articles to train A.I. technologies like the ChatGPT chatbot. Chatbots now compete with The Times as a source of reliable information, the lawsuit said.In a 1,000-word blog post on Monday, OpenAI said it collaborated with…

United and Alaska Airlines Find Loose Parts on Boeing 737 Max 9 Jets

09

Jan

By William Lee

Business

United and Alaska Airlines Find Loose Parts on Boeing 737 Max 9 Jets

United Airlines and Alaska Airlines said on Monday that they had found loose parts on some of their Boeing 737 Max 9 jets after a fuselage panel blew out during an Alaska flight on Friday, adding to growing safety concerns about the Max 9.The disclosures followed reports that Alaska Airlines had been warned three times before the Friday flight about problems with cabin pressure on the plane. Those warnings were significant enough that the airline had decided the plane, a Max 9, could no longer be used on flights to Hawaii.United said on Monday that it had found loose bolts…

Blessing of Same-Sex Couples Rankles Africa’s Catholics

07

Jan

By William Lee

New miscellaneous

Blessing of Same-Sex Couples Rankles Africa’s Catholics

The Vatican’s recent declaration allowing the blessing of same-sex couples caused a stir around the globe, but perhaps most of all in Africa, a rising center of the Roman Catholic Church’s future. In one statement after the next, bishops in several countries spoke of the fear and confusion the declaration has caused among their flocks, and said it was out of step with the continent’s culture and values.The bishops also harbored a deeper fear: that in a place where the church is growing faster than anywhere else in the world, and where many forms of Christianity are competing for worshipers,…

The Income Gap Jeopardizing Retirement for Millions

07

Jan

By William Lee

Health

The Income Gap Jeopardizing Retirement for Millions

Monique Louvigny, an event coordinator in the San Francisco Bay Area, economizes where she can. She drives a 10-year-old Prius, brings a thermos of coffee to work instead of patronizing a place with baristas, and takes advantage of a drive-through food pantry once a month.Laid off at 57, “I kind of reinvented myself,” she said. She rebuilt her career as a freelancer, overseeing receptions and conventions for many companies and institutions, including the local de Young and Legion of Honor art museums.But her income fell to less than $30,000 last year. “It’s erratic,” she said. “In January, I have 12…