iCloud.Info

• The time to buy a house is now, "Shark Tank" investor Barbara Corcoran said.
• That's because as mortgage rates drop, housing demand will surge, driving prices up.
• "Find yourself a great broker who knows how to hustle, because there's always a deal to be had."

The housing market is beginning to ease, but "Shark Tank" star Barbara Corcoran maintains that waiting for a better

Generative artificial intelligence is everywhere you look these days, including on the web: advanced predictive text bots such as ChatGPT can now spew out endless reams of text on every topic imaginable and make all this written content natural enough that it could plausibly have been written by a human being.

Read more...

• Japan said it is selling Patriot missiles to the US.
• The country changed a decades-old ban on exporting weapons.
• The missiles will replenish US stocks and could free up more to be sent to Ukraine.

Japan is

• President Joe Biden is considering seizing frozen Russian assets, reports said. 
• The frozen Russian bank reserves would be used to fund Ukraine's war effort. 
• But the plan has its pitfalls, with critics arguing it could destabilize the financial system. 

The Biden administration is gearing up plans

The latest Apple Watch’s big main draw was the double tap gesture control, but now the wearables maker is performing a more lethal kind of double tap on its latest Series 9 watches and premium Ultra 2 device. The company has already taken the device down from its online store, and in just two days, you’ll be cut off…

Read more...

• Former Cisco boss John Chambers thinks CEOs need to be selective about the issues they speak about.
• His comments come as companies and leaders face pressure to take a stance on highly-charged issues.
• Consumers are largely avoiding shopping with brands whose values don't align with their own. 

CEOs are increasingly under pressure to take a

• As Ukraine's counteroffensive ends, it's now bracing for a hard winter and renewed Russian advances.
• It's unclear what 2024 holds, but Ukraine could be relying on irregular, guerrilla

• A Russian influencer is in hot water after hosting a risqué party in Moscow this week.
• Conservative activists accused the "nude illusion" event of promoting gay propaganda.
• Influencer Anastasia Ivleeva defended the party in a since-deleted Telegram post, per The Washington Post. 

A costume party in Moscow that featured half-naked celebrities has

• Holiday markets are mini examples of the ideal city.
• Patrons enjoy shopping, activities, and socializing — all in a walkable space.
• They don't need to be short-lived attractions and could be models for how to rebuild downtowns. 

The hottest spot in town this time of year is the

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be

• Elon Musk bemoaned the downsides of running a public company in an X Spaces livestream Thursday.
• "There's immense pressure… to not have a bad quarter," he told ARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood.
• The Tesla CEO added that he often works until midnight on New Year's Eve to meet delivery targets.

Elon Musk sounded off on public companies Thursday, saying that

• Fast-food chains employ 3.3 million workers. The average wage is $13.53 an hour.
• A majority of fast-food workers are females. The average age is 26.4 years old. 
• Fast-food workers prioritize convenience and personal development over pay, especially