EU proposes 15% cut to gas consumption that could become mandatory as Russia is expected to resume reduced Nord Stream flows

European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen. Twitter/European Commission The European Union asked countries to cut natural gas consumption by 15% starting next month.  The voluntary cut would become mandatory if the energy situation worsens.  Russia’s Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline is set to come back online Thursday but at reduced levels.  The European Union…

8 of the biggest stock market crashes in history — and how they changed our financial lives

Stock market crashes, like the one in October 1929, don’t single-handedly cause depressions, but they often expose weaknesses in the economy. ullstein bild Dtl. / Contributor/Getty Images Stock market crashes can leave positive legacies in their wake — even though they cause plenty of immediate pain.In the US, stock market crashes led to the creation…

Joe Manchin blocked climate spending so the national debt won’t crush his grandkids. His legacy risks handing them much bigger problems.

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol March 3, 2022 in Washington, DC. Alex Wong/Getty Images Manchin has expressed concern about future generations having to pay down the national debt. But he risks handing them bigger problems by blocking climate spending in Congress. “Your legacy is being written…

US QR code usage statistics (2019-2025)

QR codes are becoming embedded in the ways customers engage in marketing. Retail, quick-service restaurant (QSR), and hospitality businesses have been the main users of QR codes thus far. Marketers have significant opportunities to leverage QR codes in areas such as shopping centers, billboards, interactive TV, interactive screens, and nonfungible tokens (NFTs). The number of…

Discord voice chats are finally coming to Xbox consoles, but it’s complicated

Discord voice chats are coming to Xbox. Starting today, those enrolled in Microsoft’s Xbox Insider beta program can test the functionality before a wider rollout later this year. The feature allows Discord users on Xbox, PC and mobile to join the same voice channel, thereby making it easier to communicate when playing cross-platform games like…