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‘All we can do is fight’
(BPT) - Has it been a while since you purchased a new TV? You might be surprised by how far TV technology has come since you bought your last set! Today's smart televisions offer dramatic improvements in picture quality and home screens that are far easier to navigate. Plus, they come with a host of cool features like voice control that you may not even know about. It's time to discover what you've been missing — and if you're asking yourself where to start, the Fire TV Buyer Insights Report can help. This independent study surveyed over 2,000 recent purchasers of smart TVs to learn everything from where they did their product research to why they decided to buy. With the holidays almost upon us, the insights in this report can help guide you as you kick off your seasonal shopping. Whether you're buying a gift, hosting a holiday gathering or looking for the perfect game-day screen, read on to find the best TV for your needs. How do you find the right TV? Here's how recent purchasers did it. When it comes to buying a new TV, there are several factors you'll want to consider, starting with who's going to be using it. The study found that spouses (36%), kids (13%), and even grandparents (1%) were involved in the purchase process, so be sure to keep your home's audience in mind. Beyond that, you'll also want to think about: Room size Smart TVs range in size from a 32-inch screen all the way up to a whopping 100 inches or more. To determine the right screen size for your room, follow this guideline: Small rooms: 32"–43" screen Medium rooms: 43"–55" screen Large rooms: 55+" screen As for viewing distance, divide the screen's diameter by 8 to get the ideal viewing distance in feet. For example, a 32-inch screen should be watched from about 4 feet away, while you'll want to be about 8 feet away from a 65-inch screen. Usage How you plan to use your new TV should play a large part in your decision-making process. If you're always looking for the latest show or movie to watch, your smart TV should offer optimal access to the latest streaming services. Gamers will experience better play on a TV with a high refresh rate, while sports enthusiasts will want to watch the big game on a set with smooth motion handling. Connected TV experience One of the most important considerations is how you'll use TV. In the study, 83% of TV purchasers said that easy access to content was one of the things they liked best about their new TV. But beyond being an all-in-one source for entertainment, your smart TV should also play well with other smart home devices. For instance, Fire TV allows you to pair compatible devices seamlessly like video doorbells, smart home devices, and more. And with select models, Fire TV's Ambient Experience can turn the biggest screen in your home into a beautiful, always-on smart display rotating through beautiful art, personal photos, and glanceable information like calendars and reminders. Knowledge is power Before you land on the perfect TV, you'll need to do a little research first. The study found that only 12% of shoppers bought their TV on an impulse, while 65% engaged in some form of product research. Most (82%) respondents conducted some or all of their research online for instant access to smart TV reviews and feature comparisons. In fact, over half of respondents who searched online mentioned digital retailers like Amazon as a great source for honest ratings and buyer reviews. Timing is everything According to the study, the time from research to purchase takes about two weeks, so plan ahead — especially if you're thinking about giving a TV as a holiday gift. There are also some great deals available during this time of year, so keep an eye out for sales and promotional offers. The big picture A new TV is a big purchase, so don't make it an impulsive one. Take the time to do your research and remember that everyone takes a different path to finding the perfect TV. Whether your search begins online, offline, or with a mix of both, it will end with a next-level viewing experience that's just right for the way you watch.
One of the smallest states in the US has been punching way above its weight in terms of installed solar capacity for almost 25 years, and it’s not stopping there. A new statewide project is in the works to draw more farms into the agrivoltaic movement, in which solar panels and agriculture combine for mutual benefit. If you guessed the state in question is New Jersey, either you caught the Garden State reference or you’re reading this now. Either way, New Jersey holds the #10 position for installed solar capacity in a 50-state ranking. That’s quite a feat for a state that sits down at #46 by land mass. To further complicate the prospects for solar growth, New Jersey is a densely developed state sandwiched between Philadelphia and New York City, packed with suburban towns, malls, roadways, railways, and commercial activity including major airports and seaports. That leaves little room for the kind of sprawling solar arrays common in Texas and other land-rich states. To shrink the pool of available space further, New Jersey ranks high on the scale of land set aside for public parks and wildlife conservation. One survey puts it at 20%, second only to Alaska. That explains why much of the growth in solar capacity has consisted of rooftop solar arrays, parking lot canopies, and other small-scale installations. Agriculture comprises one of the few remaining sectors in which private property is not already developed for other uses. Solar developers have been encountering rising opposition in rural communities, but the 2022 New Jersey agricultural census indicates that farmers in the state are already amenable to infrastructure that leverages solar energy. The census includes farms earning annual revenue, or potential revenue, of $1,000 or more. As of 2022, it showed that greenhouse operations lead the state’s agriculture industry along with nurseries, floriculture, and sod production. “New Jersey ranks fifth in the nation in nursery stock sales at $296 million and is third in potted flowering plant sales at $77.5 million,” the NJ Department of Agriculture explained in a recap of the 2022 census posted earlier this year. Of note, the census also revealed the New Jersey outstrips larger states in the production of certain specialty crops and row crops, two areas in which agrivoltaic activity is beginning to ramp up. That includes eggplant (#3 in state rankings), cranberries and asparagus (#4), and blueberries (#5). The Agriculture Department also lists New Jersey in the Top 10 for peaches, plums, bell peppers, spinach, bok choy, escarole, and other crops. In a state where farmers are already squeezed for space, farms are also getting smaller. That trend is also consistent with the potential for agrivoltaic projects to maximize the use of space. The 2022 census showed that the amount of acres farmed in New Jersey fell in accord with national trends, but the number of farms rose by 115 to hit 9,998. In contrast, the number of farms in the US fell by 7%. Agrivoltaic projects can also complement the state’s growing agritourism sector. Despite the interruption of the COVID-19 outbreak, farmer revenue from agritourism in New Jersey topped $29 million in 2022, up from $18 million in 2017. Against this backdrop, in October the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities announced the launch of the new Dual-Use Agrivoltaics Pilot Program. Billed as one of the first dual-use agrivoltaic programs in the country to be implemented on a statewide basis, the three-year program is aiming at a total of up to 200 megawatts over the next three years. That’s just for starters. The Utilities Board notes that its NJBPU Solar Program has shepherded the installation of more than 205,000 solar projects in New Jersey since its inception in 2000, for a total capacity of 4.9 gigawatts. Last year the Solar Program held a record-setting pace for applications, bringing the total up to 6.2 gigawatts if projects in the pipeline are included. Research culled from participating farms in the Dual-Use Program will support a permanent program, complete with construction and operation standards that will help accelerate more widespread adoption. The Rutgers University Agrivoltaic Program is charged with administering the program. In an interesting twist, BPU also notes that its community solar program has been taking off. Community solar projects are another area in which agrivoltaic practices are beginning to emerge, providing new business opportunities for local livestock grazers and other farmers. Interested? Stay tuned for a Notice of Availability sometime in January. Updates will be posted on the BPU website and the New Jersey Clean Energy Program website, or sign up for BPU and Clean Energy listservs. CleanTechnica has been following the agrivoltaic movement since 2018, when researchers at the US Department of Energy and elsewhere began to assemble evidence that some crops can thrive in the partial shade of solar panels. The shade also fosters a supportive microclimate for soil and water conservation, while the cooling effect of vegetation helps to increase solar conversion efficiency (see lots more dual-use background here ). In the following years, much of the activity has focused on livestock grazing or habitat restoration with a focus on pollinator-friendly plants that support nearby crops. More recently, the agrivoltaic field has branched out with an assist from new, vertical bifacial solar technology . Rutgers recently installed the first such vertical solar panels in New Jersey at its farm in New Brunswick, to assess how the vertical configuration can facilitate hay mowing as well as livestock grazing. The case for agrivoltaics is also gaining attention for its role in preventing a catastrophic decline in the global insect population. Last year, researchers from the Energy Department and academic partners published the results of a five-year study assessing the impacts of habitat restoration on the grounds of utility-scale solar arrays . “We found increases over time for all habitat and biodiversity metrics: floral rank, flowering plant species richness, insect group diversity, native bee abundance, and total insect abundance, with the most noticeable temporal increases in native bee abundance,” the research team concluded. Overall, they assessed that insect communities responded to the habitat restoration project at the relatively rapid pace of less than four years. In another key finding, the researchers found that bee visitations from the solar array to a nearby soybean field were comparable to the visitations from a nearby farmland preserved under the US Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Reserve Program. That’s interesting from a rural solar development perspective. The CRP is tasked with helping farmers restore marginal lands. It covers millions of acres under 10-15 year contracts. If utility-scale solar arrays can achieve similar goals while generating clean kilowatts, then so much the better. Follow me via LinkTree , or @tinamcasey on Threads, LinkedIn, and Bluesky. Photo (cropped): Space-saving bifiacial PV technology is a new addition to the dual-use agrivoltaic movement, which enables farmers to continue working their land while realizing income from solar projects (courtesy of Rutgers University). 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Former President Jimmy Carter was remembered for his leadership and commitment to public service following his death. Carter died on Sunday at his home in Plains, Georgia, at the age of 100. RELATED STORY | Former President Jimmy Carter dies at age 100 Jimmy Carter Tributes President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden: Today, America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian. Over six decades, we had the honor of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well. With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us. He saved, lifted, and changed the lives of people all across the globe. Donald and Melania Trump: I just heard of the news about the passing of President Jimmy Carter. Those of us who have been fortunate to have served as President understand this is a very exclusive club, and only we can relate to the enormous responsibility of leading the Greatest Nation in History. The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude. Melania and I are thinking warmly of the Carter Family and their loved ones during this difficult time. We urge everyone to keep them in their hearts and prayers. Bill and Hillary Clinton: Hillary and I mourn the passing of Jimmy Carter and give thanks for his long, good life. Guided by his faith, President Carter lived to serve others—until the very end. Statement from President Clinton and Secretary Clinton on the Passing of President Jimmy Carter pic.twitter.com/1Ejol6yjav — Angel Ureña (@angelurena) December 29, 2024 Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer: President Carter's faith in the American people and his belief in the power of kindness and humility leave a strong legacy. He taught us that the strength of a leader lies not in rhetoric but in action, not in personal gain but in service to others. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell: President Carter served during times of tension and uncertainty, both at home and abroad. But his calm spirit and deep faith seemed unshakeable. Jimmy Carter served as our commander-in-chief for four years, but he served as the beloved, unassuming Sunday school teacher at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia for forty. And his humble devotion leaves us little doubt which of those two important roles he prized the most. U.S. Sen. Jon Osoff (D-GA): Among his lifetime of service and countless accomplishments, President Carter will be remembered for his commitment to democracy and human rights, his enduring faith, his philanthropic leadership, and his deep love of family U.S. Sen. Rafael Warnock (D-GA): President Carter was one of my heroes. His leadership was driven by love, his life’s project grounded in compassion and a commitment to human dignity. For those of us who have the privilege of representing our communities in elected office, Jimmy Carter is a shining example of what it means to make your faith come alive through the noble work of public service. U.S. Sen. John Thun (R-SD): President Carter dedicated his life to serving the people of Georgia and our great country – as a naval officer, a governor, and as the 39th President of the United States. From peanut farming to the presidency and every step in between, his wife Rosalynn was by his side. House Speaker Mike Johnson Because of his work in brokering the Camp David Accords and his advocacy with Habitat for Humanity, the world is a more peaceful place, and more Americans have a place to call home. No one can deny that President Carter led an extraordinary life of service to his country. May he rest in peace.Italy, Japan sign agreement on defense cooperationLeslie's swings to quarterly loss as higher costs drag profits; shares drop 20%