Kanzuri is a traditional fermented chile paste that is exclusively produced in Myoko in Japan's Niigata Prefecture by the Tojo family. Before the family started selling the condiment in 1966, it was only made in small batches for household use. Today, a six-year-aged 2.5-ounce bottle sells for almost $20.
Footage from the real-world test of a dogfight between an AI-controlled fighter and a manned fighter.
Giancarlo Casem/DARPA/USAF
The US military won't say who won the dogfight between an AI-controlled F-16 and a human fighter pilot.
It's the first real-world test of its kind, and officials said the program is progressing even faster than they'd hoped.
Back in 2020, AI smoked a seasoned Air Force F-16 pilot 5-0 in simulated dogfights.
The US military won't say who won a landmark real-world dogfight between an artificial intelligence-controlled F-16 and a manned jet, citing national security concerns.
Officials would only say the groundbreaking battle went well. "Things are progressing as well or faster than we had hoped," Lt. Col. Ryan Hefron, ACE program manager for DARPA, told reporters on Friday. "But unfortunately, we can't provide more detail."
The tests occurred last September at Edwards Air Force Base in California, where the two jets flew at speeds of up to 1,2000 miles per hour and practiced a range of dogfighting scenarios. Footage released by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency showed the jets maneuvering through the skies around one another in a step up from previous testing.
The AI-controlled fighter jet, called the X-62A Variable Stability In-flight Simulator Test Aircraft, is a modified version of an F-16.
Col. James Valpiani, commandant of the US Air Force Test Pilot School, said the AI agents in the aircraft were able to be upgraded or switched out between missions, potentially complicating air warfare for the enemy.
"We were able to generate changes to software overnight," he explained, adding that "we were able to upload the software changes to the aircraft while it was holding short, ready to take off and even airborne." He said that "we're able to transition between multiple versions of the same AI agent airborne, between combat sets."
The X-62A has taken at least 21 test flights since it was built in December 2022.
Despite the historic nature of this moment, with DARPA calling it a "transformational moment in aerospace history," the US military isn't sharing an answer to the big question: who won. Officials were mum on details but emphasized how important the exercise was for future progress.
F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 62nd Fighter Squadron, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., fly over southern Florida during a flight from Luke to Key West, Fla., Oct. 16, 2004.
Stocktrek Images/Getty Images
Although it remains unclear if the man or machine prevailed in this moment, AI's track record in this area has been stellar. Back in August 2020, AI won a simulated dogfight against a human operator 5-0. It was a sweep, and the human pilot never even scored a hit.
At the time, former US Navy and US Air Force pilots told Business Insider they weren't surprised by the outcome given that the fight may not have necessarily been realistic.
One argued that the AI algorithm appeared to have had access to information that it wouldn't have in the real world and was operating in a combat environment it was trained for. In many ways, it was like a video game, not actual air-to-air combat with real aircraft racing into the merge. They said they AI would've probably "crashed and burned" in a real fight.
That was years ago though, and the AI has evolved tremendously.Hefron told reporters that they trained this AI model for the real-world fight by conducting "over millions and in some cases, billions" of runs, rewarding specific successful outcomes and reinforcing positive behaviors.
Both Hefron and Valpiani also said that trusting the AI was a key priority for the program, emphasizing a "responsible application of autonomy" and situations where the AI must follow explicit instructions and guidelines.
Hefron said that the simulation and real-world have their unique differences, leading to problems when AI has been trained for specific situations that may not happen.
"That's something we've been able to collect data for, we've been able to kind of dissect and understand, and then come up with many new approaches to tackle that problem," he said.
In 2019, DARPA said that "no AI currently exists" that "can outduel a human strapped into a fighter jet in a high-speed, high-G dogfight," but warfare is evolving, especially when it comes to manned-unmanned teaming and autonomous systems.
That may or may not still be true — the military won't say — but the progress in this space is notable.
DARPA said it "seeks to automate air-to-air combat, enabling reaction times at machine speeds and freeing pilots to concentrate on the larger air battle."
The US debt is skyrocketing to unprecedented levels not seen since World War II. Our investing correspondent explains how we got there and how this looming financial crisis could impact you.
"Knowledge spillovers" are IRL meetings that can expand your network or help you learn new things.
They're more common in industry hubs.
It's one reason the big-city exodus post-pandemic could hamper future career prospects.
"Knowledge spillovers" are just one reason why a big-city exodus in the wake of the pandemic could impair future career prospects for people.
Economists define knowledge spillovers as serendipitous meetings — on the bus or in a bar, for example — that can expand your professional network or help you learn new things.
That's why innovation, as measured by patents, is higher in large markets, and why businesses in big cities tend to have higher productivity.
It's one reason big cities have been "underappreciated" during the pandemic, says economist Enrico Moretti.
A 2022 study on knowledge spillovers in Silicon Valley cited the work of developer AnnaLee Saxenian, stating that "frequent face-to-face interactions, and the knowledge flows that resulted, were a large part of what made Silicon Valley the dominant technology hub it is today."
The study used smartphone data to measure meetings, and concluded that "face-to-face interactions — instrumented by the meetings of workers in adjacent establishments in unconnected industries — substantially increase knowledge flows."
You can read more about the professional benefits to living in a big city right here.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has been threatening to call a vote on ousting Speaker Mike Johnson if he approves more Ukraine aid.
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images)
For months, Israel and Ukraine aid have stalled in the House. That's about to change.
Speaker Johnson is planning separate votes on the aid in order to ease GOP opposition.
He's also including a bill that gives TikTok's Chinese owners one year to sell off the app.
For months, the House has been sitting on a bill that would provide aid to Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and humanitarian funding for Gaza.
That's about to change on Saturday.
House Speaker Mike Johnson — working with House Democrats — is holding separate votes on aid to Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan, along with a bill that would force TikTok's Chinese owners to sell the app within the year.
It's a modified version of a $95.3 billion aid package that passed the Senate by a strong bipartisan margin in February. In an effort to deal with increasingly complicated politics on both Ukraine and Israel aid, he's holding separate votes on each component, then bundling it up and sending it to the Senate.
All of this is happening as Johnson contends with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's threat to call a vote on his ouster if he allows more Ukraine aid to pass.
Here's what's in the four bills
The contents of the four bills largely mirror the contents of the Senate-passed bill, just broken into parts. Each will receive an individual vote.
Israel aid: $26.38 billion total, including $14.1 billion in military aid to Israel, $2.4 billion for US military operations in the Middle East, and $9.2 billion in humanitarian aid for Gaza. Funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) remains prohibited following a report that some employees participated in the October 7 Hamas attack, a move likely to anger progressives.
Ukraine aid: $60.84 billion total, $23.2 billion of which will go toward replenishing US weapons stockpiles. It also allows the aid to Ukraine to be structured as a loan.
Taiwan aid and Indo-Pacific military funding: $8.12 billion total, including $3.3 billion for US submarine infrastructure, $2 billion in military aid for Taiwan, and $1.9 billion to replenish US weapons already given to Taiwan and other countries.
TikTok bill and other provisions: A package that includes a recently passed bill to force the sale of the popular app TikTok, a bill to confiscate Russian assets, and more. In contrast to a version of the TikTok bill that passed the House last month, this one would extend the amount of time for the sale to roughly a year, easing some senators' concerns.
Many Republicans oppose Ukraine aid, while Democrats are increasingly skeptical of Israel aid
Johnson's plan is aimed at addressing two separate pockets of opposition to the foreign aid package.
After October 7, the Biden administration and Senate leaders insisted on tying Israel and Ukraine aid together, with the idea being that including Israel aid would incentivize Republicans to swallow more Ukraine aid.
Republicans, hoping to avoid that, have made numerous attempts at passing Israel aid on its own, but they've either failed or been stalled in the Democratic-controlled Senate.
Democrats unanimously support Ukraine aid, and there are plenty of Republicans — including Johnson, a former Ukraine skeptic — who feel the same, meaning a majority of the House would vote to approve it.
But as the war in Gaza has unfolded, and the Democratic base has increasingly turned against the war as civilian casualties mount, Democrats have grown to be either outright opposed to the Israel aid or supportive of conditions.
Johnson's plan is designed to allow progressive Democrats to vote against Israel aid, while hard-right Republicans can vote against the Ukraine aid — all while allowing the whole package to move forward.
Nancy Pelosi pulled off a version of this back in 2007
There's some precedent for what Johnson's trying to do here.
After retaking the House in 2007, Democrats faced pressure to continue funding the War in Iraq — but most House Democrats were opposed to that.
To solve the issue, then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tied the funding to an increase to the federal minimum wage, while keeping the votes separate.
Thus, Democrats got a win — increasing the minimum wage by $2.10 — while Iraq war funding passed the House and made it to then-President George W. Bush's desk.
The hard-right is still furious, and Johnson could face a vote to oust him
Many hard-right Republicans remain opposed to this plan, and on Tuesday, Greene won a new ally: Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who is co-sponsoring the Georgia congresswoman's "motion to vacate" and is now calling on Johnson to resign.
I just told Mike Johnson in conference that I’m cosponsoring the Motion to Vacate that was introduced by @RepMTG.
He should pre-announce his resignation (as Boehner did), so we can pick a new Speaker without ever being without a GOP Speaker.
Of course, both Greene and Massie are outliers among House Republicans — they were the only two lawmakers to vote against every single Russia-related bill following the start of the Ukraine war in 2022 — but Johnson has little room for error given Republicans' dwindling vote margin.
But all of this depends on what happens on Saturday, and if the aid is actually passed.
"In the absence of an organized, logical demonstration of leadership, I'm not making any promises," said Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, who previously indicated a willingness to save Johnson in exchange for more Ukraine aid.
It's all likely to pass both chambers and be signed into law
While Democrats and some Republicans have generally expressed some skepticism about the plan, they're willing to do whatever it takes to get the foreign aid package approved.
Ultimately, there are majorities in the House and Senate for each component of this bill — it's just that the coalitions behind them are different.
The Senate is likely to take up votes on the combined package sometime next week, and President Joe Biden has said he will sign it into law.
That means Ukraine is going to get the help it needs to continue fighting, Israel will get the military aid that some progressives have called for Biden to halt, and TikTok will have roughly a year to be sold off — or it will be banned in the United States.
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QLED and OLED TVs both have key strengths and weaknesses.
Amazon/Business Insider
I've been reviewing home theater gear for more than a decade, and I test all the latest TVs every year. Though there are a few types of displays to choose from, two options consistently rank among the best TVs you can buy: QLED and OLED.
When comparing QLED versus OLED, both options have pros and cons. QLEDs, like the TCL QM8, have an advantage in brightness and affordability, while OLEDs, like the Samsung S90C, have an edge in black-level quality and viewing angles. There are also a few subsets of each display type that you should be aware of since certain features can make a big difference in overall performance.
To help explain all the technical jargon and make it easier for you to decide which TV type is right for you, I broke down all the ins and outs of each panel technology and put them head-to-head in a few key categories. Here's how the battle between QLED and OLED is shaping up in 2024.
What is a QLED TV?
The TCL QM8 is an example of a top QLED TV.
Ryan Waniata/Insider
QLED TVs are a type of LCD (liquid crystal display) that incorporate a color technology called quantum dots into their screens. Like other LCD TVs, these displays rely on LED (light-emitting diode) backlights to illuminate their picture since each pixel can't emit light on its own.
To get to the "QLED" branding, manufacturers simply married the "Q" from quantum dots with "LED." But, the "QLED" acronym is more of a marketing term than a truly distinct TV technology. In other words, when you buy a QLED TV, you're really buying an LED-backlit LCD that just happens to have quantum dots. That said, quantum dots are a cool feature and they can make a big difference when it comes to picture quality.
Quantum dots are nanocrystals that can emit different colors when exposed to light. QLED TVs include a layer or filter of quantum dots, which enables them to produce a wider and brighter range of colors than displays without quantum dots. QLED TVs are available from every major brand, including Samsung, Sony, TCL, Vizio, and Hisense. LG also sells TVs that incorporate aspects of QLED tech, but it brands them as "QNED."
QLED TVs may or may not include an additional feature called full-array local dimming. This feature enables a QLED to brighten or darken specific zones across its backlight to enhance its contrast and produce brighter highlights while maintaining deeper black levels. Some QLEDs even use Mini LEDs in their backlights rather than regular-sized LEDs, which allows them to have more dimming zones for more precise contrast control.
Entry-level QLEDs with local dimming start at around 16 to 32 zones, while midrange models often have a couple hundred, and high-end options with Mini LED backlights can have over 1,000. But even with thousands of zones, local dimming on a QLED can't produce pixel-level contrast control since there are over eight million pixels in a 4K display.
What is an OLED TV?
Samsung's S90C is our favorite OLED TV.
Ryan Waniata/Business Insider
OLED TVs use "organic light-emitting diode" panels. Unlike QLED TVs, which are a type of LCD, OLED TVs rely on an entirely different technology.
Whereas a QLED TV requires a backlight in its screen to illuminate its pixels, OLED TVs don't need a backlight at all. Instead, each subpixel in an OLED panel can emit light. This enables perfect precision over contrast and black levels with the ability for each pixel to completely dim or brighten independently, something that QLEDs can't achieve.
OLED TVs are available in the US from LG, Sony, Samsung, and Sharp. There are a few different variations of OLED TV technology, but they all provide the same general contrast and black-level capabilities. However, certain types of OLED panels can offer different color and brightness performance.
The standard type of OLED is called WRGB OLED, and this is the type of panel you'll find in most entry-level and midrange OLED TVs from LG and Sony. Compared to other OLED types, these panels tend to be the dimmest and can't reach the same color volume as more advanced OLEDs.
To help improve brightness, LG makes some WRGB OLEDs with an additional panel feature called MLA (Micro Lens Array) technology. MLA allows a WRGB OLED to get much brighter, and it's currently used in LG's high-end G3 and G4 OLED TVs.
Finally, there are also QD-OLED TVs to consider. The "QD" before OLED stands for quantum dots. Yep, that's right, this type of OLED incorporates quantum dots just like QLED TVs do. By using quantum dots in their panels, QD-OLEDs can achieve a brighter image with a wider range of colors than a WRGB OLED. Samsung sells various QD-OLED models like the S90C 4K TV, while Sony also uses the tech in its premium A95L 4K TV.
QLED vs. OLED: Contrast and black levels
OLED TVs, like the LG G4, offer pixel-level contrast control for exceptional picture performance in a dark room.
Steven Cohen/Business Insider
Though some high-end QLEDs can get close, OLED TVs are still the kings of contrast and black levels, no matter which model you buy.
Thanks to their self-illuminating pixels, OLEDs can achieve an infinite contrast ratio while producing perfect black levels since their pixels can completely turn off. QLEDs, on the other hand, rely on a backlight, which can cause black levels to look elevated while veering more toward a gray or even slightly blue appearance. This can give images an overall washed-out, milky, and flat look, especially when watching TV with the lights off.
However, QLED models with local dimming can greatly reduce this issue, and there are several high-end options, like the Samsung QN90C and TCL QM8, that get remarkably close to producing OLED-like black levels. But even the best local dimming implementations still introduce side effects that OLED TVs don't suffer from.
An example of blooming around candle flames on a QLED TV. (Note: The camera sensor exaggerates the appearance of blooming, so it's a bit less noticeable in person)
Steven Cohen/Business Insider
Most notably, local dimming can cause an issue called "blooming." This results in a halo-like effect around bright objects against dark backgrounds, like burning candles, since even top QLEDs simply don't have enough zones to dim every pixel surrounding these objects precisely.
Blooming is usually hard to see when watching TV with the lights on, but it can be distracting when watching certain scenes in a dark room. Likewise, blooming becomes more noticeable when you sit off to the side of a QLED.
Though manufacturers continue to make improvements with local dimming, for now, OLEDs still have a clear edge in the contrast and black-level department, and these picture quality attributes have the most dramatic impact on overall image performance.
QLED vs. OLED: Brightness
Top QLED TVs, like Samsung's QN900D, can get brighter than any OLED model.
Steven Cohen/Business Insider
For a long time, top QLED TVs were the undisputed champs of brightness, but the gap between a high-end QLED and a high-end OLED has narrowed in the last two years. The most expensive QLEDs are still brighter than even the most advanced OLEDs, but high-end OLED TVs are no longer as dim as they once were.
When evaluating brightness on a TV, the industry uses a unit of measurement called a "nit." The more nits a TV can output, the brighter its image appears. Entry-level QLED TVs can hit about 250 to 400 nits of brightness, while midrange models offer around 600 to 1,000 nits, and high-end QLEDs can achieve 2,000 to 2,500 nits. The upcoming Sony 2024 Bravia 9 QLED TV is expected to hit an even higher number, with a peak of around 4,000 nits.
On the other hand, entry-level OLED models are capable of 500 to 700 nits, while midrange models can hit 800 to 1,000 nits, and the very best OLED TVs can max out at around 1,400 to 1,700 nits. So, even at their brightest, top OLEDs are still about 600 to 800 nits dimmer than a typical high-end QLED.
High brightness is most handy when watching TV in a room that lets in a lot of light since pumping up the brightness can help overcome glare and reflections. Likewise, high brightness enables a TV to accurately reproduce high-dynamic-range movies and TV shows with the full intensity that filmmakers intended.
Most HDR content is graded for a max of 1,000 nits, so ideally, you want a TV that can get as close to that peak as possible. Some movies are graded for an even brighter peak of 4,000 nits, which is where top QLEDs have an advantage over OLEDs. For more info about high dynamic range formats and display technology, check out our HDR TV guide.
Ultimately, most OLED TVs can still get bright enough for an average room, and their pixel-level contrast helps them deliver exceptional HDR performance even if some especially bright objects look a little dimmer than they would on a QLED. But, if you want the absolute brightest image you can get, a high-end QLED TV will yield the best results.
QLED vs. OLED: Color performance
Many QLED TVs have a slight edge over OLEDs when displaying bright colors
Steven Cohen/Business Insider
Regarding color, OLED and QLED TVs offer very similar performance. That said, high-end QLEDs have a slight edge.
Thanks to quantum dot technology, the best QLED TVs can provide a wide spectrum of colors, along with high color volume, which enables those colors to look very bright when called for. Meanwhile, all OLED TVs, even those without quantum dots, can also achieve an equally wide spectrum of colors, but color volume isn't as high on an OLED as it is on a QLED.
QD-OLED TVs, which also use quantum dots, can offer higher color volume than a regular OLED, but they still can't match the color volume of a premium QLED TV. Ultimately, this means that some extremely bright colors may look dimmer than they're supposed to on an OLED, while they'll get closer to their intended vibrancy on a top QLED TV.
QLED vs. OLED: Viewing angles
OLED TVs have exceptional viewing angles so you can sit to the side of the display without any loss of image quality.
Steven Cohen/Insider
All OLED TVs offer better viewing angles than even the best QLED models. This means you can sit off to the side of an OLED display without seeing any major shifts in color, contrast, or overall picture quality. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for a QLED TV.
Though there are certain QLED panel types and screen filters that can help reduce this problem, many QLED TVs suffer from poor viewing angles. This is especially true on entry-level and midrange models from budget-friendly brands like TCL and Hisense. While image quality looks great on these TVs when sitting in a centered position, colors fade and black levels distort if you move off to the side.
Some LG and Samsung QLED TVs, like the QN90C, are much better at handling off-axis viewing than cheaper options. But even those models are inferior to the wider viewing angles of an OLED TV. If you want the same picture quality no matter where you sit in your room, an OLED TV is the display type to go with.
QLED vs. OLED: Burn-in
I haven't encountered any hints of burn-in on my LG OLED TV after more than two years of use.
Steven Cohen/Insider
Burn-in is an issue that can occur on some displays when you leave a static image on the screen for an extended period of time. When burn-in happens, a faint outline of the static image gets stuck on your display.
Though QLED TVs are not 100% protected from this problem, cases of burn-in on a QLED are so uncommon that they're not considered to be at risk. The same can't be said about an OLED TV. Burn-in can occur on an OLED in extreme cases if you don't take the proper precautions.
For instance, if you frequently watch the same cable network with a big static logo at the bottom of the screen all day long without ever changing the channel, you could eventually encounter an issue with burn-in. But while viewers should be mindful of this, all OLED TVs have built-in features designed to reduce the risk of burn-in, including pixel-refreshers, pixel-shift modes, and logo dimmers.
I've had an LG CX OLED TV for more than two years. I use it to watch cable TV, stream movies, and play video games (with lots of static elements), and the screen shows no signs of burn-in. QLEDs do have the advantage here since burn-in isn't something QLED owners ever need to think about, but I don't think people with regular viewing habits should consider the idea of burn-in to be a dealbreaker when deciding whether to buy an OLED.
QLED vs OLED: Price
Budget QLED TVs, like the Hisense U6K, are much more affordable than entry-level OLED models.
Ryan Waniata/Insider
Compared to OLED TVs, QLEDs are available across a wider range of budgets, with more affordable entry-level and midrange options to choose from.
You can find budget-friendly 65-inch QLED TVs, like the Hisense U6K, for under $500 and midrange models for around $650 to $1,000. Meanwhile, the cheapest 65-inch OLED TVs start at around $1,200, and midrange options start at around $1,600. Once you jump up to larger screen sizes, the price difference between QLED and OLED models gets even more dramatic.
However, it's important to note that image quality varies much more across different QLED models depending on which budget class you buy, while the difference between an entry-level OLED and a premium OLED's picture performance is far less substantial.
The bottom line
OLED TVs still offer the ultimate movie-watching experience in a dark room.
Steven Cohen/Business Insider
QLED and OLED TVs each have pros and cons, with OLEDs having an edge in contrast and viewing angles, and QLEDs having an edge in brightness and color volume. Ultimately, which is right for your needs really comes down to what you prioritize most, how much you want to spend, and what kind of room you plan to put your TV in.
When it comes to overall picture quality, an OLED's superior black-level performance and infinite contrast ratio offer a more noticeable benefit than any of a QLED's unique strengths, especially if you like to watch movies with the lights off. However, top QLED TVs can be better suited for bright rooms and you can find a larger assortment of affordable midrange models to choose from so long as you're willing to step down in performance.
Consider an OLED TV if …
You want the best movie-watching experience in a dark room
You want an infinite contrast ratio with perfect black levels
You want wide viewing angles so you get great picture quality no matter where you sit
You're willing to spend top dollar, especially at larger screen sizes
Consider a QLED TV if …
You want an extra-bright display to combat glare in a well-lit room
You want the brightest colors and most intense HDR highlights
You want more budget-friendly options to choose from, albeit with downgraded performance
The aftermath of the scene outside of the Manhattan criminal courthouse where Donald Trump's trial is underway.
Laura Italiano
A person set themselves on fire outside of the Manhattan courthouse where Trump stands trial.
The fire was spotted at a park across the street from the courthouse.
It is unclear what prompted self–immolationor the condition of the victim.
A person lit themself on fire Friday outside of the Manhattan courthouse where Donald Trump's criminal hush-money trial is taking place, witnesses and police sources told Business Insider.
The incident unfolded inside a barricaded area across the street from the Manhattan criminal courthouse where a full jury had just been selected in the former president's historic trial.
Emergency responders received a 911 call at 1:37 p.m. and paramedics rushed a man to a local hospital in critical condition, according to a New York Police Department spokesperson.
"There are no additional safety concerns at this time and the investigation is ongoing," the spokesperson said
At the park, one witness told Business Insider that he saw the man pull out a can and pour something on himself before the fire.
"After pouring himself with obviously something flammable, he took out, I think, a lighter and lit himself on fire," the man, an Upper Westside resident, told reporters.
The witness said people at the scene started screaming. The flames engulfed his entire body.
Before the fire, the man threw a couple dozen pamphlets titled "The True History of the World."
It's unclear whether the act was related to Trump's trial. Witnesses said he was standing among a group of pro-Trump protesters before the fire.
The complaint says the group rented equipment from the retailer using stolen credit card numbers.
Instead of returning the items, prosecutors say the crew sold it on Facebook and other marketplaces.
Home Depot's rental department continues to battle the theft of its heavy equipment in schemes where suspects sell the machinery on sites like Facebook Marketplace, prosecutors allege.
Earlier this month, federal prosecutors in Oregon brought charges against a group of seven defendants, accusing them of conspiring in a scheme in which they stole heavy machinery from Home Depot by renting it and not returning it.
According to the indictment, first reported by Court Watch, members of the group would go to the retailer's rental desk at locations in Oregon, Washington, and Colorado to borrow the equipment using stolen credit and debit card information.
Prosecutors also said the defendants would "often use their real driver's license" for the required identification.
But rather than return the equipment, the defendants instead sold it on Facebook Marketplace and other online platforms, according to the court documents.
In each instance, the equipment was borrowed under a one-day rental, GPS tracking devices were disabled, and items were listed for sale on Facebook and elsewhere, the prosecutors said.
The thefts bear a striking resemblance to several cases in the past year, one in Washington, and two in Florida.
In one, Florida prosecutors sentenced a man to eight years in prison for leading a crime ring that rented more than 60 pieces of heavy equipment, such as trenchers, stump grinders, and excavators, which were never returned, costing Home Depot more than $1 million.
Officials said he too used his actual ID when borrowing equipment, the local Fox affiliate reported.
And just last month, Florida's Attorney General brought charges against another man in a strikingly similar scheme that involved 21 pieces of equipment and cost Home Depot more than $460,000.
Beyond the rental desk, Home Depot and other retailers have been raising the alarm in recent years over theft, which cost the industry an estimated $41 billion in 2022.
In response to shoplifters, the home improvement retailer, in particular, has turned to measures including locked-up displays and power tools that won't work unless they've been activated at purchase.
A close-up of Taylor Swift's jewelry at the Super Bowl.
Joe Camporeale/Reuters
Taylor Swift's impact on the economy is having a positive impact on individual companies.
Swift's name has been popping up on Wall Street earnings calls recently, often referencing how she's helped business performance.
Detailed below are five times Swift has been mentioned by companies in recent months.
Taylor Swift's impact on the US economy started to become clear last year during the middle of her incredibly popular Era's Tour, and the impact has spilled over to the bottom line for individual companies.
Individual companies are starting to take notice too, with several mentioning Swift on Wall Street earnings calls in recent months to help explain the underlying strength of their business performance.
These are the five times Swift has been mentioned on Wall Street recently:
1. Lyft
SOPA Images
"Fans flocked to stadiums, with these rides growing by more than 35% year-over-year, driven by high-attendance stadium events including Taylor Swift and Beyonce concerts," Lyft said in its fourth-quarter earnings report in February.
2. AMC Entertainment
Noam Galai/Getty Images
"What is particularly noteworthy is how much AMC benefited from our trailblazing industry leading efforts with our highly successful distribution of two concert movies TAYLOR SWIFT | THE ERAS TOUR and RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ," AMC Entertainment CEO Adam Aron said in the company's fourth-quarter earnings report in February.
"All of that increase in AMC's Revenue and EBITDA is attributable to our having shown these two movies in our theatres in the U.S. and internationally," Aron said.
3. Disney
Disney+
NurPhoto / Getty
"Over the past year, we've all witnessed the creative genius and sheer power of a true cultural phenomenon Taylor Swift," Disney CEO Bob Iger said on the company's first-quarter earnings call in February.
Disney secured the exclusive streaming rights to Taylor Swift's Eras Tour concert movie for Disney+.
"We know audiences are going to absolutely love the chance to relive the electrifying Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (Taylor's Version) whenever they want on Disney+," Iger said.
4. National Bank Holdings
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift embrace after the Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium.
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
"In terms of markets, I'm really proud of our team and the Midwest based out of Kansas City. We've seen really nice growth coming out of that market. We've historically described that market as kind of middle of the road solid player, but that's a market that's really stepped up," National Bank Holdings CEO Timothy Laney said on his company's fourth-quarter earnings call in January.
"I jokingly say, I think it's got something to do with Taylor Swift and the Chiefs, but there is momentum int hat market that we're benefiting from," Laney said.
5. Live Nation
Taylor Swift performs at Accor Stadium on February 23, 2024, in Sydney.
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"Every 18 and 16 year-old in the world that has a TikTok wants to see Drake and Taylor Swift. We think we're at the start of a new revolution," Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino said, according to CNBC.
A US Army soldier assigned to 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, helps set conditions to start operations at Dillingham Army Airfield, Hawaii, in October 2023.
U.S. Army photo by Spc. Evangelos Wilson/ 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team
The US Army is contemplating reducing financial aid programs that encourage education.
Budget cuts to two major financial aid programs could affect over 100,000 soldiers.
Talks of budget cuts coincide with a time where Army recruitment is falling short of its goals.
The US Army is considering making reductions to two key financial assistance programs that promote higher education, something which has long been a selling point for military service.
Potential budget cuts to the Army's Credential Assistance and Tuition Assistance programs could impact over 100,000 soldiers, policy experts recently told Inside Higher Education.
Army Secretary Christine Wormuth told the House of Representatives last week that budget changes may be made as the program has become a "catastrophic success," explaining that the program has become widely popular but costly for the Army.
"The challenge we have is we really, frankly, didn't put any guardrails around the program to help us scope it," she said.
Altogether, these programs cost the Army roughly $278 million in 2023.
The Credential Assistance program provides soldiers with $4,000 dollars a year going toward earning various certifications, and the Tuition Assistance program allows active-duty service members to receive $250 per hour of credit.
Wormuth emphasized that she wants to keep these programs but believes the number of credits and certifications soldiers can receive should be capped to manage costs. The qualifications making troops eligible for these programs could also be tightened as another solution.
"Those kinds of guardrails are very similar to what our sister services have done in the Air Force and the Navy," she said. "We obviously want to keep them. That's our number one goal, is to keep everybody. But how we transition them is critically important."
The Army is thoroughly reviewing the program, a service spokesperson told Business Insider, explaining that "we must implement the programs in a way that not only maximizes the benefit for our Soldiers, but also puts rules in place that ensure the responsible stewardship of resources and continued program viability."
Talks of budget cuts come at a time where recruiting for the Army is notably struggling. In 2023, the Army fell about 10,000 soldiers short of its 65,000-person goal.
Will Hubbard, the vice president for veterans and military policy at Veterans Education Success, an organization advocating to protect military and veteran benefits, told Inside Higher Education that these benefits "serve a long-term purpose of being valuable both to the individual and the Service, and therefore, any cuts to this program, now or in the future, would be met with strong opposition."