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The cost of flying is becoming increasingly out of reach for the average American in 2025. The President of the United States, however, is gearing up to accept a $400 million super jet, complete with nine bathrooms and a master bedroom, as a gift from the Qatari government. News of the proposed gift broke this week, when ABC News reported that the royal family of Qatar plans to present President Trump with a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet next week during his trip to the region. ABC News also reported that Trump is preparing to accept the gift and retrofit it to use as Air Force One until shortly before he leaves office. At that point, ownership of the plane will be turned over to the Trump presidential library foundation. Overhauling the jet would be at taxpayer expense. This follows a stalled deal with Boeing to update two 747-8 jets for use as Air Force One planes in 2018. Trumps potential acceptance of the opulent gift comes as, for the average American, the price of a standard airline ticket has shot up by 25% in the past year. The news also comes mere weeks after Trump chastised critics for concerns over how his global trade war might impact prices of everyday goods, encouraging Americans to embrace a more frugal lifestyle by cutting down on purchases like dolls for their children. Aside from the dystopian optics of the situation, experts have warned that Trump accepting the colloquially named palace in the sky, which is believed to be worth $400 million, could present very real security consequencesand sparks concerns around foreign bribery. Heres what we know about the design of the super luxury plane so far. A photo provided by Boeing with the caption “Boeing Delivers First 747-8 Intercontinental VIP Airplane . . . taking off for its delivery flight from Paine Field on Feb. 28th [2012]” [Photo: Boeing] What kind of plane is it? The plane in question is a Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental jumbo jet. According to a design overview published by Boeing, the 747-8 Intercontinental (747-8I) has a wingspan of about 225 feet, which is double that of Boeings fastest-selling commercial plane, the Next-Generation 737. Boeing also claims that the 747-8 is the worlds fastest commercial jet, capable of traveling at 0.86 Mach or roughly 660 miles per hour. The double-decker plane is designed with luxury in mind, including a flowing grand staircase to connect the first and second floors, sculpted ceilings, and dynamic LED lighting throughout the cabin. What amenities does it have? Details about the specific plane that Trump is set to receive have not been officially revealed. However, based on images of the aircraft published by MSNBC, it appears likely that the $400 million jets interiors have been customized beyond Boeings specifications to suit the needs of a wealthy client. A page from an Amac Aerospace brochure. [Image: Amac Aerospace/Internet Archive] An aircraft specification summary of the Boeing 747-8I model published by the Swiss aviation company Amac Aerospace provides more insight into the amenities available on board this type of aircraft. According to the summary, the jumbo jet, which is the same model as the Qatari plane, is more like an airborne mansion. It comes with five galley kitchens, nine bathrooms (including several showers), and a master bedroom suite. Pages from an Amac Aerospace brochure. [Images: Amac Aerospace/Internet Archive] A few business class seating sections are sprinkled throughout the plane, but, for the most part, it’s divided into a series of swanky lounges and one private office. For entertainment, the plane is equipped with live TV and radio, 13 Blu-ray players, speakers, and subwoofers. When the aircraft specification summary was published back in 2020, the plane was decked out in a color scheme of red, tan, and gold. What are the security concerns? To meet security standards for carrying the President, the current Air Force One planes are equipped with radiation shielding, antimissile technology, and multiple communication systems that allow the President to communicate with the military from anywhere in the world. According to information provided to The Wall Street Journal, the defense contractor L3 Harris has already been contacted to retrofit the Qatari plane to serve as a presidential aircraft. L3 Harris declined to comment for this story. Further, a Trump administration official told the AP that it would be possible to quickly add some countermeasures and communications systems to the Qatari plane, but that it would be less capable that the existing Air Force One aircraft or the Boeing replacements. Now, many experts are raising the alarm that this gift could present major security risks and ethical concerns. One anonymous former government official told The Washington Post that Air Force One is a flying nuclear-hardened command post, and that the Qatari plane would need to be literally ripped open to bring it up to an acceptable security standard. Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall added that bugs on the plane would be a top concern, concluding that the only way Trump will be flying on the plane while hes in office is if he waives a lot of the security requirements needed to deem it safe. Meanwhile, several politicians have condemned the idea of accepting the plane. Even Trump allies have cast doubt on the idea, with Republican Senator Lindsey Graham telling reporters Monday that he wanted to make sure the gift was kosher, while the far-right conservative activist Lara Loomer said the plane would be a stain on Trumps legacy. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer condemned the concept in no uncertain terms in a string of tweets posted to his X account, calling the Qatari plane shameless self-enrichment and a national security betrayal. Nothing says America First like Air Force One, brought to you by Qatar, Schumer wrote. Its not just bribery, its premium foreign influence with extra legroom.
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E-Commerce
California’s top insurance regulator said Tuesday that State Farm can soon start raising premiums by 17% for all of its home insurance customers in the state to help the insurer rebuild its capital following the Los Angeles wildfires.State Farm has argued the emergency rate hikes are necessary to help the company avoid a “dire” financial crisis that could force them to drop more California policies. The state’s largest home insurer said it was already struggling financially before this year but the LA fires, which destroyed more than 16,000 buildings in January, have made things worse.The increase will apply to all of the roughly one million homeowners State Farm insures in the state.The decision comes as California is undergoing a yearslong effort to entice insurers to continue doing business in the state as wildfires increasingly destroy entire neighborhoods. In 2023, several major companies, including State Farm, stopped issuing residential policies because of high fire risk. Last year, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara unveiled a slate of regulations aimed at giving insurers more latitude to raise premiums in exchange for more policies in high-risk areas. Those rules kick in this year.State Farm initially asked for a 22% rate increase for homeowners but revised it to 17% during a recent hearing before an administrative judge. The request also includes a 38% hike for rental owners and 15% for tenants. The new rates will take effect in June. In exchange, State Farm will get a $400 million cash infusion from its parent company and agree to halt some nonrenewals through the end of this year.On Tuesday, administrative Judge Karl Frederic Seligman ordered a ruling supporting State Farm’s request, calling it “a rescue mission to stabilize State Farm’s financial condition while safeguarding policyholders.”Lara adopted the recommendation the same day. The new rates are temporary until the state has a chance to consider State Farm’s request from last year for a 30% rate increase for homeowners. The hearings for that request are set for October.“I expect State Farm provide the highest level of service to its California customers and to fulfill its promises. State Farm must now justify its financial condition and detail its recovery plan in a full rate hearing before a neutral judge and my Department’s experts,” Lara said in a statement.State Farm said in a statement that the approval “is a critical first step for State Farm General’s (SFG) ability to continue serving our California customers.” The company received a financial rating downgrade last year and has seen a decline of $5 billion in its surplus account over the last decade.The company said it has paid more than $3.51 billion and is handling more than 12,600 claims as of this week.“Today’s decision that would make consumers pay now but allow State Farm to wait months before having to show its math is a great disappointment for consumers,” Carmen Balber, executive director of Consumer Watchdog, said of the ruling. The group opposes State Farm’s request for higher premiums.State Farm said it plans to refund the emergency rates if California later approves lower rates. The insurer last received state approval for a 20% rate increase in December 2023. Trān Nguyn, Associated Press
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E-Commerce
Apple just announced new accessibility features coming to its operating systems. Theres a redesigned braille input experience, and a new reader that allows you to customize your text so its more legible. But theres one that will be great for anyone attending any lecture or presentation: Magnifier for Mac.The iPhone and iPad got their Magnifier apps back in 2016. It worked pretty much like the iOS camera: You point your device anywhere you want and zoom in to the desired level. It also allows you to apply real-time filters to enhance readability depending on your visions condition, like turning a books black text over white page into white text over blue, as well as changing the images contrast and brightness. It also can detect objects around you.The new Mac version takes all that up to an 11 with its new features. To get the view of the world the new Magnifier needs, you will need to use a USB camera or an iPhone. The latter automatically connects to your computer using MacOSs Continuity Camera feature, allowing you to use your phone as the eyes for your Apple desktop or laptop. Zoom in to focus on something far away, apply the same filters, and adjust the image, just like in iOS and iPadOS.[Image: Apple]A matter of perspectiveWhat makes the update brilliant is the new perspective adjustment. Since you cant move your Mac around like with Apples handheld devices, you need a way to frame the text you want to read correctly.Like Apples introductory video shows, you can point your Mac with the attached camera to a whiteboard. Since you are probably not going to be looking at it from a fully perpendicular perspective, the app allows you to draw a polygon by clicking on each corner of the whiteboard in your screen. Then, applying some image deformation magical maths, Magnifier will automatically correct the perspective, turning the skewed whiteboard with deformed text into a perfect flat image that gives you the best view in the class, auditorium, or conference room.From there, you can do whatever you want with that text, including transforming handwriting into a typeface for easier reading. Magnifier uses Apples new Accessibility Reader, too, which allows you to customize how a page looks with the colors, fonts, and sizes you preferas well as copying and pasting from the whatever text the camera is looking at, regardless of it being handwritten or not. Its similar to what you can do now with other Apple apps, like Preview, but in one continuous, seamless experience.Bonus points: Magnifier also supports reading any paper-based media using Desk View, the feature that uses your iPhones wide-angle lens to capture whats flat on the table in front of your screen. Just put that novel on the table and transform its small type into something you can read easily (or have your Macs text-to-speech abilities to read it for you). Its easy to imagine every single student, office person, and TED Talk drone using the new Magnifier to get a better experience possible at a presentationsleeping pills notwithstandingonce it comes out later this year (according to Apple). This new little jewel will make your Macbook the best seat in the house no matter where you are sitting.
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E-Commerce
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