Good morning and a warm welcome to your show, Sunny Mornings in Boston.
I'm your host Melissa and it's Friday, April 12th.
Coming up on today's show, we'll get into the weather report, then we'll jump into
some local news and a few interesting happenings in business, science and entertainment.
But first, you'll be interested to know 163 years ago, today in 1861.
Fort Sumter, one of the few military installations in the South still in federal hands, came
under fire from Confederate guns in Charleston, South Carolina, thus initiating the American
Civil War.
So now you know.
And now you know what time it is.
It's time for the weather report.
In the Boston area.
This morning it's rainy and windy and feels like 53 degrees, with 21 mile per hour wind.
The sunset will take place at 723 and it will rise again tomorrow at 605.
It looks like we're in for some showers and possibly a thunderstorm before noon.
Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall.
We'll have a high near 62, with breezy south wind of 20 to 25 mile per hour and gusts as
high as 40.
Gensit precipitation is 100%, with new rain amounts between a half and three quarters
of an inch.
Tonight partly cloudy, with more wind and a low around 47.
For all you beach runners out there, the first low tide Friday will be just after 8 a.m.
with a high tide just before 2.
The nearshore buoy at Cape Cod Bay reads 44 degrees for the water temperature.
Looking ahead in the weather.
Saturday will be mostly cloudy and breezy, with a high near 56 degrees.
Sunday turns mostly sunny, with less wind and a high near 62.
A chance of showers arrives Sunday night.
Monday and Tuesday will be mostly sunny, with highs near 67.
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 crates.
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.
Well folks, it's now time for a new segment.
We've reached out to some local sports fans to have them share their thoughts on the state
of the union.
And today we have a guest contributor, Danny from Cape Cod.
Here's what Danny has to say about a few things concerning Red Sox Nation.
His article is titled, John Henry and the Red Sox, a fan's lament.
You're a lifelong Sox fan as, I am, no doubt you've been disappointed, to say the least,
with John Henry and the Red Sox ownership for a while.
And now the frustrations are starting to boil over as they've been percolating since 2022.
We all know they finished last place in three of the last four years.
And the reason?
They just don't want to spend money for elite or even just good players.
But did this new cash-strapped approach just start a couple of years ago?
Not really.
Like John Lester, for example.
You'll recall the Sox offered him what was considered a laughable contract back in 2014,
laughable because it was so low.
Then they traded him at the deadline that year for a bag of balls, and he eventually
signed a contract with the Cubs in 2015.
The very next year, he went on to help the Cubs win their first World Series title since
1908.
That year, Lester was 19-5 with a 2.44 earned run average, the second best of his 20-year
career.
That accomplishment earned him a spot as an All-Star, one of two nominations he received
with the Cuvvies.
Good for you, John.
And if that wasn't bad enough, he'd been a fan favorite with the Sox, and it was really
hard to see him go.
But that didn't make any difference to Red Sox ownership.
Henry just wouldn't pay him what he was worth, so the Boston fans suffered.
And Lester is just one example.
There's the Mookie Betts' blunder and the Zander Bogart's botched negotiations to add
in the mix.
I still can't believe we lost those All-Stars as well.
So maybe Henry just can't afford to pay these guys.
I don't think so.
Henry and his group paid $380 million for the Red Sox back in 2002.
And today, the Sox are worth an estimated $4.5 billion.
And John Henry's personal net worth?
Over $5 billion.
Whether the Sox win or lose this year, John Henry and the Fenway Sports Group just gotta
go.
And to end on a positive note, it's been rumored that Theo Epstein is back in town
to help broker a sale of the Sox.
Fingers crossed.
Danny loves the idea of a sale.
Now on to sports.
On the first day of the 88th Masters, despite a rain delay, Bryson DeChambeau and Scotty
Scheffler stole the show.
DeChambeau, known for his bold claims about Augusta National, delivered his career best
at the course shooting a 65, showcasing a significant improvement in his putting.
Scotty Scheffler, just one stroke behind, played a boaty-free round, exemplifying his
mastery with a particularly strong performance in approach shots and short game.
The day highlighted not just individuals, but also hinted at emerging storylines, such
as Danny Willett's unexpected comeback and Max Homa's strong start, setting the stage
for a compelling tournament.
In local sports, the Red Sox are on a bit of a streak, a losing streak that is, as they
lost another one at home against the Orioles, 9-4.
Not helping themselves out, the Celtics at home lost to the Knicks, 118-109.
Tonight the Sox are at home again to take on the Angels.
And the Celtics are at home again to play the Hornets.
In top news, in the high-stakes world of professional golf, a pivotal lawsuit marked a turning point
in the PGA Tour and live golf rivalry.
Initially, live golf launched an antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour, challenging
exclusivity practices that restricted players' participation in other events.
However, in a stunning development, live golf agreed to drop this lawsuit as part of a framework
agreement where the Saudi Public Investment Fund would become a minority investor in a
new venture, PGA Tour Enterprises.
This agreement suggested a potential bribe.
Excuse me, got a tickle in my throat.
I meant to say reconciliation, aiming to merge interests and stabilize the sport.
The resolution of this lawsuit was not just a legal maneuver, but a strategic play towards
transforming and possibly unifying professional golf under shared interests and governance.
In business news, Meta and Google are advancing into AI technology by announcing their own
in-house AI chips, challenging NVIDIA's dominance in the AI hardware market.
These new chips are designed to support their AI platforms more efficiently, reducing reliance
on external chip manufacturers like NVIDIA and Intel.
This move is seen as a strategic effort to tailor hardware to specific AI models, improving
performance and energy efficiency.
While NVIDIA remains a key player in the AI chip market, the development of custom chips
by tech giants like Meta and Google could reshape the competitive landscape, raising
questions about NVIDIA's future market position.
In crypto movement, Bitcoin is $71,000.
Ethereum is at $3,500.
And Solana is $175.
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,
Pangam, Brookline, and Framingham.
Just be sure to tell them, Sunny Morning sent you by.
And now, back to the show.
Let's talk science.
The Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research Reactor, also known as K-Star, has
made a significant breakthrough in fusion energy by extending plasma containment to
48 seconds, surpassing its previous record by 60%.
This achievement is crucial for magnetic confinement fusion, where one of the main challenges is
maintaining plasma long enough for fusion reactions to occur.
The improvement was made possible by using advanced materials, such as a new tungsten
diverter and optimization models to manage plasma instabilities.
This progress brings us closer to the dream of sustainable fusion energy, especially as
the global community anticipates the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, reaching
its first plasma by late 2025.
To put it simply, it's a star, or sun in a bottle, and has the potential to surpass
our nuclear energy generation significantly.
And in entertainment news…
In an interesting Rolling Stones article, Walton Goggins, known for his roles in The
Shield, Quentin Tarantino's films, and The Righteous Gemstones, discusses his acting
career and his new jewel role in Amazon's Fallout.
Goggins reflects on being typecast early on and the evolution of his career, including
the significant impact of The Shield.
He shares insights into his process of finding humanity in his characters, his introverted
nature despite his rascally on-screen persona, and the challenges of transitioning after
a major role ends.
Goggins also touches on his experience playing Baby Billy in The Righteous Gemstones, and
the possibility of reprising his role as Boyd Crowder in future Justified projects.
Personally, my favorite character is Boyd Crowder.
That guy just had a special way with words.
Well, alrighty folks, it's time for the quote of the day.
And today, our quote comes from a man who was pivotal in commanding key victories during
the American Civil War as a lieutenant general, and the 13th President of the United States,
Ulysses S. Granset.
If we ever have another contest, in the near future of our national existence, I predict
that the dividing line will not be Mason and Dixons.
But between patriotism and intelligence on the one side, and superstition, ambition,
and ignorance on the other.
And that's a wrap for this morning.
You can check out our Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok for some captivating aerial videos
with local news and the weather reports.
Have an amazing weekend, my good friends.
We'll see you Monday with another episode of Sunny Mornings in Boston.