Things To Do In SW Florida

It’s a good thing kids are adorable, because they take a lot of effort to keep happy, healthy and fed. They’ll also drain your savings, to the tune of more than $230,000 by the time they turn 17 (that’s according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s data on the cost of raising a child born in 2015).

Related Articles

• 
  DeSantis proposes plan for AI regulation in Florida

• 
  Average US long-term mortgage rate falls to 6.19%, near its low for the year

• 
  Tourist tax revenue surges again in Orange County

• 
  WhatsApp faces European antitrust investigation over artificial intelligence

• 
  This $12.5M Lake Maitland mansion is built for parties. Big parties.

Anything that saves you money, time and energy as a parent is a godsend. That can include your credit card. Depending on the cards you choose, you could earn valuable cash back, lower the cost and difficulty of travel, and protect your purchases. It’s not quite a personal assistant in your pocket, but your card may already offer some features that will make your life a bit easier. read more

By MATT OTT, AP Business Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. applications for unemployment benefits fell to their lowest level in more than three years during Thanksgiving week, potentially complicating the Federal Reserve’s upcoming decision on interest rates.

Related Articles

• 
  DeSantis proposes plan for AI regulation in Florida

• 
  Average US long-term mortgage rate falls to 6.19%, near its low for the year

• 
  Tourist tax revenue surges again in Orange County

• 
  WhatsApp faces European antitrust investigation over artificial intelligence

• 
  This $12.5M Lake Maitland mansion is built for parties. Big parties.

The number of Americans applying for jobless benefits for the week ending Nov. 29 fell to 191,000 from the previous week’s 218,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s the lowest level since September 24, 2022, when claims came in at 189,000. Analysts surveyed by the data provider FactSet had forecast initial claims of 221,000.

Kathy Bostjancic, chief economist at Nationwide, said that unemployment benefit filings are often distorted by the Thanksgiving holiday, which can cause some people who may have lost jobs to delay filing claims. read more

Q: I’m relocating to a new area a few hours away for a job. I plan to stay there for the long term. I’m unsure whether I should buy a new house or rent one. What are your thoughts? —Charles

A: Moving to a new area for a job is an exciting opportunity, but it also involves important decisions, one of the biggest being whether to buy a house or rent one.

Both options have pros and cons, and the best choice depends on your personal situation, finances, and long-term plans.

If you are relocating to an unfamiliar area, renting might be the better initial option. Renting gives you the flexibility to explore the neighborhood, learn about local amenities, and determine the best area for your lifestyle.

It also lets you avoid the commitment of homeownership while settling into your new job and community.

Plus, renting usually requires less upfront cost than buying, which can help if you are still adjusting financially after relocating.

Conversely, buying a home can be a wise move if you are confident you will stay in the area for the long haul. Homeownership offers stability and the opportunity to build equity over time, but if you have to sell quickly, you will be behind due to the up-front costs of buying. read more

By MATT BROWN

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang met separately with President Donald Trump and Republican senators Wednesday as tech executives work to secure favorable federal policies for the artificial intelligence industry, including the limited sale of Nvidia’s highly valued computer chips to U.S. rivals like China.

Related Articles

• 
  Trump is fighting the Institute of Peace in court. Now, his name is on the building

• 
  US opens massive $796M consulate in Irbil to strengthen Kurdish ties

• 
  A dozen former FDA leaders lambast claims by the agency’s current vaccine chief

• 
  A vocal Jeffrey Epstein accuser is urging judges to unseal his court records

• 
  Newly released photos show ‘disturbing look’ into Epstein Island

Huang’s closed-door meeting with Republicans on the Senate Banking Committee came at a moment of intensifying lobbying, soaring investments and audacious forecasts by major tech companies about AI’s potential transformative effects. read more

A Manhattan judge has ordered OpenAI to provide the Daily News and other news outlets with millions of anonymous chats between ChatGPT and its users in a major ongoing copyright infringement case.

In a nine-page order made public Wednesday, Manhattan Magistrate Judge Ona Wang denied OpenAI’s request to reconsider her November ruling requiring the tech giant to hand over 20 million ChatGPT output logs to the media outlets.

The newspapers want to analyze a sample of ChatGPT’s consumer logs to test its language-learning model to see whether and how it’s propagating journalists’ work.

The ruling comes in a major consolidated class-action lawsuit against Microsoft and OpenAI initiated in 2023, in which The New York Times, The News and affiliated outlets with Tribune Publishing and MediaNews Group allege the artificial intelligence company is stealing and distorting their copyrighted works. The Authors Guild and a litany of best-selling writers are also parties in the complex litigation. read more