Good morning and a warm welcome to your show, Sunny Mornings in Boston.
We're the daily podcast that gets you started on the right foot and always with a positive
vibe.
I'm your host, Melissa, and it's Friday, February 2nd.
You'll be interested to know, today is Groundhog Day.
137 years ago, in 1887, the first Groundhog Day was held in Ponsutani, Pennsylvania.
Originating from ancient Celtic and Christian festivals, it later evolved with German immigrants
in America, substituting the groundhog for the badger.
The famed Ponsutani fill in Pennsylvania has become a major media event, although his predictions
show less than 40% accuracy.
That's about the same rate of flying safely in a Boeing 737 MAX.
It's funny, but not funny.
Now let's check out the weather in the Boston area.
This morning it's mostly cloudy and feels like 31 degrees, with 4 mile per hour wind.
Tonight, the sun will set at 4.59 p.m. and it will rise again tomorrow at 6.56 a.m.
It looks like we're in for a mostly cloudy day with a high near 42 and west wind 5 to
9 mile per hour.
Tonight, mostly cloudy with a low around 26 and north wind around 11 mile per hour.
The first low tide Thursday will be at 10.30 a.m. with a high tide around 4.30 p.m.
The nearshore buoy at Cape Cod Bay reads 40 degrees for the water temperature.
Looking ahead in the weather, we'll see sunny skies on Saturday with a high near 36 degrees
and a north wind around 11 mile per hour.
The night will be mostly clear with a low around 25.
This pattern of sunny days and mostly clear nights continues through Monday, with highs
in the mid-30s and lows around 25 degrees.
From Tuesday to Wednesday, expect partly sunny days with highs in the mid-30s.
Bonjour, food enthusiasts.
This podcast is brought to you by Versailles Cafe and Pastries in Encinitas.
Nestled on El Camino Real South, just north of Encinitas Boulevard, this cafe is a haven
for culinary delights.
Indulge in their amazing eggs Benedict or their gluten-free crepes.
You can grab a panini for lunch or just breeze on through to get your morning coffee.
They are open every day from 8 to 5.
So stop on by and don't forget to tell them.
Sunny mornings send you.
In top news, in a groundbreaking discovery, scientists at Stanford University, leading
an international team, have shed light on why autoimmune diseases predominantly affect
women.
These diseases, which include lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, impact around 80% of women among
their sufferers.
The key lies in a molecule called Zist, unique to women, which plays a crucial role in inactivating
one of the two X chromosomes in females.
This process, while essential, seems to inadvertently generate molecular complexes linked to autoimmune
diseases.
This finding, detailed in the journal called Cell, could pave the way for earlier detection
and more effective treatments of these conditions.
Although it doesn't fully explain the occurrence of autoimmune diseases in men, it's a significant
step in understanding these complex ailments.
Now let's talk technology.
Meta's Reality Labs, responsible for virtual and augmented reality technology, recorded
a substantial operating loss of $4.65 billion in the fourth quarter.
Despite generating over $1 billion in sales, this marks the unit's largest quarterly loss,
contributing to a total loss of over $42 billion since 2020.
This heavy investment in the metaverse faces new competition as Apple launches its Vision
Pro headset.
Meanwhile, the VR and air market experienced a 40% decline in sales in 2023.
Let us push into the metaverse with products like the Quest 3 VR headset, is part of a
broader strategy to pioneer what Mark Zuckerberg calls the next frontier after the mobile internet.
And business news, US stocks rallied today, recovering from the year's worst sell-off.
The S&P 500 climbed 1.2%, the Dow Jones rose nearly 1%, and the NASDAQ led with a 1.3%
gain.
This rebound comes as investors adjust to the Federal Reserve's rate plans and anticipate
major tech earnings.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell's recent comments suggest rate cuts are unlikely at the Fed's
next meeting, shifting expectations to May.
Tech giants Apple, Amazon, and Meta are poised to release earnings following Microsoft and
Alphabet's results that didn't meet investor expectations.
Additionally, the job market state will be revealed in the upcoming Non-Farm Payrolls
Report, adding another dimension to this week's financial narrative.
In crypto, Bitcoin is up around 43,000, Ethereum is at 2,200, and Dogecoin is about 8 cents.
Now on to sports.
The 2024 NHL All-Star Game is hosted by the Toronto Maple Leafs this year, marking their
first hosting since 2000.
This event features a return to traditional skills competitions, contrasting the creative
editions in previous years.
Competitions include shooting, skating, passing, breakaways, and stick handling.
There is also a three-on-three tournament, which reintroduces the team selection by captains,
a practice last seen in 2015.
Viewers can catch the draft on ESPN2, the skills competition on ESPN, and the All-Star
Game on ABC.
For live streaming, ESPN Plus is the go-to.
And last night in Lakers at Celtics.
Without their star duo, LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers secured a surprising 114-105
victory over the Boston Celtics.
The Celtics, after a dominant 22-2 start at TD Garden, faced only their third home loss.
Austin Reeves emerged as the unexpected hero for the Lakers, scoring 32 points and achieving
a personal best with seven three-pointers.
The Lakers defense effectively limited Celtic stars Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown.
This big win is particularly meaningful for the Lakers, who are in the ninth spot in the
Western Conference, as it comes during a critical six-game road stretch.
The win, combined with their earlier success against the Golden State Warriors, offers
hope for a team striving to improve their playoff chances.
Moving on to a more local vibe.
In our community spotlight on health and wellness, we are working with a national Pilates studio
to bring you some free classes, so listen up.
Check out Club Pilates with several locations in the Boston area.
Pilates presents a comprehensive wellness approach, cultivating strength, reducing tension,
and elevating mental well-being.
Scientific research affirms its benefits.
So now you can check out Club Pilates for a free class.
With locations in Canton, Wellesley, Hingham, Brookline, and Framingham, just be sure to
tell them Sunny Morning sent you by.
And now, back to the show.
In local news.
John Henry, the billionaire owner of Fenway Sports Group, has expanded his sports empire.
His consortium, Strategic Sports Group, inked a $3 billion partnership with a PGA Tour.
This deal grants them a minority share in PG Day Tour enterprises, offering almost 200
pro-golfer's, equity worth over $1.5 billion.
The PGA Tour, known for its rivalry with Live Golf, has moved towards collaboration, ending
pending litigation.
Henry's net worth is estimated at $5.1 billion, and his portfolio includes the Boston Red
Sox, Liverpool Football Club, the Pittsburgh Penguins, and more.
Maybe it's about time to find some new owners for the Sox.
There isn't a single sports fan in Boston who likes John Henry, and frankly it's just
time for him to go.
I'm sure Pittsburgh will welcome him with open arms.
And in entertainment news.
Disney is set to enforce a ban on password sharing for its streaming services.
Disney+, Vulo, and ESPN+.
This move, announced in an email to Hulu's subscribers, will start on March 14.
Violations could lead to account limitations or termination.
This follows Netflix's successful crackdown on password sharing, which significantly increased
its subscriber count.
Disney, CEO Bob Iger, had previously indicated tackling password sharing as a 2024 priority.
Further details are expected in Disney's fiscal first quarter earnings call on February
7.
Sorry for the lame news.
Well, alrighty folks, it's time for the quote of the day.
And today our quote comes from Mark Twain.
Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel which has crushed it.
Deep.
And that's a wrap for this week.
We did it.
Keep an eye out tomorrow for a bonus episode.
Have an amazing weekend, my good friends.
We'll be back soon with another Sunny Mornings podcast.
Thanks for tuning in.