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Will El Niño make airplane turbulence worse?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:19 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – This year's El Niño is likely to affect droughts, heat waves and hurricane season — and possibly your next flight. New research suggests the climate phenomenon could have an impact on how much turbulence planes experience in the air. Paul Williams, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Reading, presented his research on the subject during a meeting of the American Meteorological Society earlier this year. The science is complicated, but essentially Williams found a link between El Niño or La Niña years and the amount of clear-air turbulence (or CAT) in the atmosphere. CAT is one type of turbulence you might experience while flying. It happens when skies look clear — there are no major storms — but the plane shakes anyway. It happens when there are curves in the jet stream (air currents that circle around the planet), pilot Stuart Walker explained in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. Along those curves there are pockets of wind sh...

You don't want this 4-digit code on your boarding pass, TSA says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:19 GMT

(KSNF/KODE) — Getting through airport security is already stressful enough, but an additional screening method you may be subject to could add to that stress.Any airline passenger with the letters "SSSS" printed on their boarding pass has been selected by airport security for extra screening. Used by the Transportation Security Administration, the letters SSSS stand for Secondary Security Screening Selection or Secondary Security Screening Selectee.What Is 'Secondary Security Screening Selection' (SSSS)?Iranian-born bioengineer researcher Nima Enayati holds up his boarding pass at Milan's Malpensa International airport in Busto Arsizio, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)According to the TSA, any passenger with the four-letter code on their boarding pass can be swabbed for the residue of illegal substances, such as drugs or explosives. Those passengers will also face additional questioning about travel plans and previous trips. The special security measures that ...

Man who gave up seats on Titan submersible says OceanGate CEO was 'dismissive' of concerns

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:19 GMT

(NewsNation) — Las Vegas businessman Jay Bloom revealed that he and his son were offered seats on the submersible that went missing on a trip to see the wreckage from the Titanic, but ultimately gave them up. Bloom shared texts on Facebook he exchanged with Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate, the company that owned the Titan submersible. Rush, along with four other passengers, was on the submersible when it embarked June 18 on what was meant to be an eight-hour dive to the Titanic site. Less than two hours in, however, the support vessel Polar Prince lost contact with the Titan.The U.S. Coast Guard taking the lead on search efforts. On Thursday, officials and OceanGate confirmed that debris found near the Titanic wreckage was from the submersible. “The debris is consistent with a catastrophic loss of the pressure chamber,” Rear Adm. John Mauger with the First Coast Guard District said. All five passengers, including Rush, British businessman Hamish Harding, Pakistani businessman Sh...

How long do electric car batteries last?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:19 GMT

(iSeeCars) -- Electric cars have soared in popularity in the wake of high gasoline prices. While improvements in vehicle battery technology have led to increased battery range, consumers are still left wondering how long they can expect their vehicle battery to last. After all, the battery pack is the most expensive part of an electric car, with a new battery costing upwards of $20,000.So what can you expect for an electric vehicle’s battery lifespan? We have the important answers.What are EV Batteries?Internal combustion engined cars are powered by gasoline, while EVs are powered by a battery pack driving one or more electric motors. The batteries that power electric cars are rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which is the same type of battery found in cell phones and other consumer electronics. Lithium-ion batteries have a higher energy density than lead-acid or nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries, which means they don’t take up as much space while providing an equivalent level...

Taking care of your feline fur baby in this relentless heat

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:19 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — KXAN spoke with an expert on tips you need to know so that your cats/kittens withstand this current heatwave gripping Central Texas. Our guest is Halle Hamilton, Cat Adoption Manager with Austin Pets Alive.First, she suggests that outdoor cats should have cool places in shady areas in which to retreat. Freeze water bottles under blankets are a good source of cooling but make sure the feline is not lying directly on the frozen bottle itself. Have more deep water dishes with cool water for them to lap up. It is okay to drop ice cubes in the water to keep it cooler but remember that those cubes will melt and the water temperature will increase. Keep those water dishes in the same shady area where the cat would be prone to seek shelter.She says to not hose or spray down a cat. They don't like it. Their fur acts as insulation.We asked her what signs to look for if a cat/kitten owner has concerns about the feline's health. Halle says they may be lethargic if they are layin...

Mixed-use project breaks ground next to Harriet Island in St. Paul

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:19 GMT

Across the street from Harriet Island on St. Paul’s West Side, construction is underway on a new mixed-use district, Farwell-on-Water.The 7.25-acre property will house market-rate and affordable housing, artist studios, office space, a restaurant and a one-acre public green space, according to the Edina-based real estate investment firm Buhl Investors.This architectural rendering shows the one-acre green space that will open to the public in the summer 2024 as part of the Farwell-on-Water district on St. Paul’s West Side. (Courtesy of Buhl Investors)Construction on the $113 million project should be done next summer.Rents have not yet been determined but the affordable units will be available to people making up to 50% of the area median income.“Access to affordable housing is not just about providing stable shelter; it’s also about improving the lives of our residents so they can focus on employment, education, and taking steps to achieve long-term success,” St. P...

Yes, you can make a wedding cake

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:19 GMT

By Natasha Pickowicz, The New York TimesEver scroll through a friend’s wedding registry and feel uninspired by the cavalcade of appliances and trinkets? Consider going rogue and asking the couple if you can give them something major: a wedding cake.With their vertiginous tiers, sculpted sugar roses and fondant as smooth as clay, professional wedding cakes are engineered to look good for long stretches of time — some even come with a sneaky Styrofoam layer — but they can fall short in flavor. A more personal homemade cake subverts expectations, and can feel less formal in the best possible way: big, exuberant and celebratory.Toasted Sesame and Citrus Wedding Cake: Baking a tiered wedding cake may seem ambitious, but you can break it down into smaller, more manageable tasks over a few days. In this recipe, everything — the tender chiffon cake layers, the sturdy buttercream, the flavorful citrus compote, the sesame crunch — can be refrigerated for days or even f...

Why are some California beaches always considered 'dirty'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:19 GMT

California’s famous coastline is a popular destination for residents and tourists alike, especially during the summer; however, not everyone enjoys the ocean water.From multiple oil spills to floating debris, the Pacific Ocean off California's coastline has endured much hardship. The consequences of these events have left some people hesitant to even step foot in the water at some Golden State beaches. California could lose up to 70% of its beaches by 2100, study finds Experts with Heal the Bay recently published their annual Beach Report Card, which measures the cleanliness of California’s coastal waters. For more than three decades, Heal the Bay has assigned A-F letter grades for more than 700 beaches across the U.S., with 500 of those locations being in California, according to the organization’s website.Some locations with failing grades, like those in San Mateo and Los Angeles counties, have been named on the organization's “Beach Bummer” list multiple times.The “Beach Bummer...

Pac-12 basketball: Breaking down the top prospects for the 2024 NBA Draft

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:19 GMT

As expected, the Pac-12 produced a single first-round pick, UCLA forward Jaime Jaquez Jr., on Thursday in the 2023 NBA Draft — the lowest total since the 2010 draft.The second round was a tad busier with UCLA’s Amari Bailey and Jaylen Clark joining Washington State’s Mouhamed Gueye on the draft board and pushing the conference’s total number of selections to four. By comparison, the SEC generated 10 picks, followed by the Big Ten with eight and the ACC and Big East with five each.But the Pac-12 fared much better in another relevant category: Players who declined to make themselves available.In all, eight all-conference honorees from the 2022-23 season are scheduled to return in the fall — the highest total in more than a decade.Add several touted recruits and transfer portal acquisitions and the Pac-12 is well positioned for a better showing in the 2024 draft.Here’s our look at the top prospects:1. USC G Isaiah Collier: The top-rated recruit in th...

One killed, one arrested in Oakland traffic collision

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:19 GMT

OAKLAND — An East Oakland traffic collision early Saturday involving two vehicles left one driver dead and the other, who briefly fled the scene, under arrest, police said.The driver killed was a 39-year-old Alameda resident whose name has not yet been released.The other driver, who police arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and felony hit-and-run, is a  21-year-old Alameda man whose name was not released.Police said the collision happened about 12:15 a.m. Saturday in the 2300 block of International Boulevard.Police said the 39-year-old man was driving a 2005 Toyota Avalon and was making a U-turn when his vehicle was broadsided by a 2019 Toyota Camry driven by the 21-year-old man who was traveling westbound on International.The 39-year-old man was taken to a hospital where he later died.The Camry driver fled the scene on foot but later called police from a store in the area to say he had been involved in the collision. He was taken to a hospital for treat...