Good morning and a warm welcome to your show, Sunny Mornings in Boston.
I'm your host, Melissa, and it's Monday, February 26th.
Coming up on today's show, we'll get into the weather outlook, then we'll jump into
some local news and a few interesting happenings in business, tech, and science.
At first, you'll be interested to know 105 years ago. Today, in 1919, U.S. Congress established
the Grand Canyon National Park in northwestern Arizona.
And 10 years after that, on this day, they established Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.
I highly recommend seeing Grand Teton. It will blow your mind.
Checking out the weather in the Boston area. This morning, it's mostly cloudy and feels
like 25 degrees, with 11 mile per hour wind. The sunset will take place at 529 p.m. and
it will rise again tomorrow at 623 a.m. It looks like we're in for a slight chance of
snow before 8 a.m., then a slight chance of rain between 8 and 9 a.m.
It will be cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 49 and southwest
wind of 9 to 11 mile per hour. The chance of precipitation is 20 percent.
Tonight, partly cloudy, with a low around 31.
And for all you beach runners out there, the first low tide Monday will be just after 6
a.m., with a high tide just after noon.
The nearshore buoy at Cape Cod Bay reads 39 degrees for the water temperature.
Looking ahead in the weather. We'll see partly sunny skies on Tuesday, with a high near 57
degrees, turning to a rainy and breezy night. Rain continues through Wednesday, with wind
and highs around 59. The first day offers a chance of rain, partly
sunny and breezy, with a high near 45 degrees. Expect clearer skies by Friday, with sunny
conditions and a high around 41.
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.
And local news. Boston's housing market is currently the hottest in the nation, outpacing
even San Francisco. Data from Altos Research places the Boston,
Cambridge and Quincy Metro area at the top, with a market action index score of 60.59,
indicating a strong seller's market. This heat is largely due to a severe lack of inventory,
with active single-family listings in the area significantly lower than pre-pandemic
levels. Real estate agents like Dove Danzi and Nichol
highly observe a return to aggressive buyer tactics, such as paying over asking prices
and waiving home inspections. Interest rates, a key factor affecting the
market, are leading to increased buyer activity as they stabilize.
Despite this, the market isn't as frenzied as during the pandemic peak, with fewer multiple
offer situations. The average median list price in the metro
area has soared to $879,000, reflecting a substantial increase over the past few years.
As spring approaches, agents anticipate a slight increase in inventory, but properties
in desirable locations are expected to continue selling rapidly.
Now onto sports. Hootie Bellinger, once a star with the Dodgers,
has reportedly signed a three-year, $80 million deal with the Chicago Cubs.
This comes a year after the Dodgers decided against offering him arbitration.
Bellinger's journey saw highs and lows. He was the 2019 National League MVP and 2017
Rookie of the Year, but his performance dipped significantly in subsequent seasons due to
injuries. Despite these challenges, he had a remarkable
resurgence with the Cubs in 2023, leading to this lucrative contract.
The deal includes opt-out clauses after the first two years, offering flexibility.
Bellinger's agent, Scott Boris, attributes his earlier struggles to injuries, but is
optimistic about his client's future. This contract represents a significant turn
in Bellinger's career, highlighting his potential as a valuable player in Major League
Baseball. In the NBA Saturday, the Celtics on the road
beat the Knicks 116-102. Al Horford, the 37-year-old backup center,
delivered a subtly dominant performance in their latest win.
Despite a modest line of 10 points and seven rebounds in 26 minutes, Horford's impact
was significant. He grabbed four offensive rebounds in the
final quarter, showcasing his strength in post-ups and making crucial defensive plays.
This contributed to the Celtics' eighth consecutive victory, extending their streak
of road wins since January 11th. Holding the best record in the East, they lead
by eight games and have a lead-best point differential of 10.3 per game.
Horford's role has evolved this season, transitioning to a six-man, but his impact
remains pivotal. His physicality and ability to create plays,
especially in the fourth quarter, were key factors in overcoming the Knicks' early
rebounding advantage. Also on Saturday, the Bruins on their third
road game lost to the Knucks in overtime 3-2. Tonight, the Bruins are in Seattle to take
on the Kraken. In top news, the U.S. electric vehicle market
is growing, not declining. In the last quarter of 2023, EV sales increased
by 40%, hitting over 1 million sales. However, there are some challenges, include
high prices, limited charging infrastructure, and complex tax credits.
Also, most electric vehicles are pricey, which led Ford to cut prices for the Mach-E and
develop cheaper models. The U.S. needs more fast chargers, currently
having less than 40,000 against a requirement of 182,000 by 2030.
Automakers are investing in expanding this network.
Tax credit rules for EVs are intricate, affecting consumer decisions.
But leasing has become popular, allowing broader access to tax credits.
Despite these issues, the EV market is actually on an upward trajectory.
In business news, this week, major retailers like Macy's, Urban Outfitters, Best Buy,
and TJX report earnings amidst cautious market sentiments.
Shoppers have prioritized essentials over clothing and electronics due to higher grocery
and gas prices. Macy's, facing leadership changes and takeover bids, reports on Tuesday.
Analysts are wary due to challenging mall traffic and evolving fashion relevance.
Urban Outfitters, also reporting Tuesday, grapples with price-sensitive younger customers
and is reinvigorating its brand appeal. TJX reports Wednesday, potentially benefiting
from a shift to off-price retailing amidst economic pressures.
Best Buy, reporting Thursday, might see a demand uptick for electronics as consumers
replace aging devices. These reports follow Walmart's indication
of lower general merchandise prices, impacting retailer profits.
Additionally, results from Vizio, AMC Entertainment, Domino's, Papa John's, Dell, and Lowe's
are expected. Paramount Global's Wednesday report is notable
amid the streaming industry's spending cuts and potential mergers and acquisition activity.
The week also brings insights into cloud services demand with Salesforce, Snowflake, Okta, and
Workday reporting reflecting on employers' tech budgets and AI demand.
In crypto movement, Bitcoin is currently just under $52,000, Ethereum is over $3,000, and
Solana is $103. 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. Let's talk science.
Scientists at the Technical University of Dortmund in Germany have achieved a significant breakthrough
in physics by creating a time crystal that lasted about 40 minutes, significantly longer
than previous ones which only lasted a few milliseconds.
Time crystals, a new state of matter, have atoms arranged in repeating patterns in time,
unlike traditional crystals which are arranged in space.
This particular time crystal was made using a semiconductor crystal of indium gallium
arsenide doped with silicon, cooled to 6 Kelvin, and then exposed to laser light.
This process resulted in nuclear spins that oscillated continuously for 40 minutes without
decaying, indicating the potential for even longer-lasting time crystals.
This discovery could revolutionize quantum computing, where time crystals might serve
as qubits. This advancement not only challenges our current
understanding of physics, but also opens up new avenues for technological innovation.
And be sure to stay tuned tomorrow for an explanation of qubits.
And in entertainment news, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav just announced a significant
shift in streaming strategy, confirming that HBO Max will be bundled with a new sports
streaming service launching this fall in partnership with Disney and Fox.
This move aligns with Zaslav's long-standing advocacy for bundling to simplify consumer
experiences and drive business growth. The bundling strategy, reflecting a pivot
back to traditional cable bundle benefits, aims to streamline access to diverse content
across multiple platforms. Despite some controversial decisions, Zaslav's
approach has led to profitability in the Warner Bros. Discovery streaming segment, signaling
potential future savings for consumers through more integrated streaming services.
Well, alrighty folks, it's time for the quote of the day.
And today our quote comes from the writer and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson.
What lies behind you? And what lies in front of you?
Nails in comparison to what lies inside of you.
Have a great day everyone. And that's a wrap for this morning.
Remember to stay tuned tomorrow for more news and updates.
Have an amazing day my good friends.