Entertainment
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India reached 100B digital payments in 2023: Could it work in the US?
The National Payments Corporation of India introduced a digital public infrastructure project called Unified Payments Interface in April 2016, which has helped the country attain digital sovereignty by reducing its dependence on foreign service providers for digital payments. Uniqode used NPCI data to explore the growth of the country's UPI.
...Read more
Governments are scrambling to control AI
In the 2004 film "I, Robot," a detective interrogates a robot in the year 2035, asking it if it could write a symphony or turn a canvas into a beautiful masterpiece. The questions were rhetorical—the answer was clearly no—yet here in 2024, machines have proven themselves more than capable of producing art indistinguishable from that created...Read more
Why Indianapolis 500 winners drink milk and the history of other race-day traditions
It's called the "greatest spectacle in racing," but fantastic auto racing isn't what makes the Indianapolis 500 one of the most iconic auto races of the year—the race traditions do.
Stacker compiled five of the race's quirky traditions, sourcing information from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and other news outlets.
Although the race ...Read more
Which common college majors have the highest earning potential?
More Americans than ever are earning diplomas, which boosts earnings and decreases their risk of unemployment. However, as tuition costs continue to rise, higher education is coming at a greater cost to many Americans.
Learner analyzed data from the Census Bureau via the University of Minnesota IPUMS to determine the most common college ...Read more
6 tips on packing light, according to travel experts
There's nothing worse than putting your suitcase on the scale at the airport and seeing that number tip over the dreaded weight limit. The only solution is to fling open your bag, take a quick inventory of what you can take out, and stuff those items in your carry-on while customers harrumph in that very long line behind you.
Not only is ...Read more
The 6 US national parks requiring an entry permit in summer 2024
Jam-packed parking lots, gridlocked roads, bustling crosswalks—these aren't scenes from New York City or Los Angeles but from some of the country's most popular national parks.
According to reports from the National Park Service, destinations like Arches and Rocky Mountain National Parks have seen record visitation numbers in recent years,...Read more
Celebrities who you may not know are serious golfers
Anyone who's played golf knows it's a nuanced sport. The smallest details can make the largest differences, from knowing how wide your stance should be depending on the club you're using to finding the perfect ball position. The sport is also perceived as luxurious and exclusive, which might be why it's so attractive to celebrities.
Owning a...Read more
Most military spouses have relocated at least once--here are their most common challenges
Military families face many distinct challenges, from the inherent stress of a high-risk occupation to long-term separations from loved ones that occur during active duty. As anyone who has been through boot camp knows, enlistment in the military isn't just a job—it's a way of life.
Mobility is a major feature of military life, and ...Read more
The fascinating stories behind the names of 10 major airports in North America
Airports are a traveler's gateway to new destinations, but the names of those airports also serve another purpose, as a window into that city's history.
Many North American airports are named after prominent politicians. Former U.S. Presidents John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and George Bush all have large airports named after them, but ...Read more
25 photos of what Paris looked like the last time it hosted the Olympics
Following three unsuccessful bids over 25 years, the 2024 Summer Olympic Games are returning to Paris, with an estimated 300,000 spectators expected to watch the opening ceremonies on July 26. The city hosted the Summer Games twice before: in 1900, as the first location outside Greece, and then again in 1924.
Much has changed in the 100 ...Read more
Families are experiencing food insecurity as Americans grapple with higher grocery costs
The double whammy of economic disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent record inflation have Americans going without food at rates not seen since the last American financial crisis.
As costs have risen at grocery stores and restaurants, Link2Feed analyzed data from the Department of Agriculture on food insecurity rates across ...Read more
How does the VA support the nearly half of veterans who are 65 and older?
Despite a decrease in the number of veterans, the Department of Veterans Affairs spends three times more today than it did 20 years ago, according to expenditure reports from the organization.
In addition to the VA substantially expanding its benefits, veterans are trending older as the overall number of veterans declines. VA data suggests ...Read more
Two agencies oversee food inspection in the US, but who regulates what? It's complicated.
On your most recent trip to the grocery store, you may have checked your packaged salad for withering leaves or your apples for bruises.
Yet when it comes to more serious food safety concerns, like contracting salmonella from your favorite frozen chicken pot pie or contracting norovirus from contaminated fruit, Americans largely depend on ...Read more
How the racial wage gap has fallen--and risen--over the past two decades
For every dollar a typical white worker earns in America, a Black worker earns 84 cents, and a Hispanic or Latino worker earns just 76 cents. The racial wage gap is persistent, and as policy and the economy change, so do the disparities.
Differences in education and experience—which are often used to explain away the pay gap—explain less...Read more
The new sports and events you'll see at the 2024 Paris Olympics
You're used to seeing track and field, gymnastics, and swimming at the Summer Olympics, but did you know breakdancing is now an Olympic sport? Stacker examined the new sports and events coming to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Many sports vie to be in the Olympics for greater visibility and to fuel participation. The International Olympic ...Read more
These names are more popular across the pond
What's in a name? No matter which side of the Atlantic you're on, these few letters meant to sum up a whole person's being take on a lot of significance.
Pop culture holds sway over the names people choose for their newborns, even across borders. In parts of the U.K., certain baby names have spiked in popularity from American cultural ...Read more
Love don't cost a thing? Behind the rise of nontraditional wedding venues
Weddings hold significant cultural and historical importance—steeped in tradition, but are those customs changing?
Wedding celebrations have evolved, with couples embracing unconventional trends that reflect their unique values and personalities, and wedding venues are no exception. According to 2023 research from The Knot, couples ...Read more
Veteran homelessness is on the rise despite government efforts--here's how it happens
Homelessness reached record levels in 2023, as rents and home prices continued to rise in most of the U.S. One group was particularly impacted: people who have served in the U.S. military.
"This time last year, we knew the nation was facing a deadly public health crisis," Jeff Olivet, executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on ...Read more
How often you should really wash your jeans and 4 more laundry conundrums answered
Americans like doing laundry—according to The American Cleaning Institute, it's the nation's favorite cleaning task. There are few chores as satisfying, it seems, as the transformation of a basket of dirty clothes into a load of fresh, clean laundry. There are also a few things as frustrating as laundry mishaps—be it that errant red sock in...Read more
The history behind poker
Whether playing with strangers at a casino, friends in the basement, or amateurs inside an online room, poker is filled with ascendant highs and devastating lows. That's just the nature of this classic, volatile, and gambled-upon game, starting with its humble beginnings floating up the Mississippi River to its current worldwide status as one ...Read more