By Chris Isidore | CNN

New York – The best time to purchase an electrical vehicle might be now. That's because a $7,500 tax credit could soon disappear.

President-elect Donald Trump has said he may eliminate the tax credit as soon as he takes office. It's even conceivable that the elimination of the tax credit might be retroactive to early January, which might give electric vehicle buyers just every week to be certain they're securing the credit.

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“I would be very inclined to say, yes, it will go away,” said Ivan Drury, director of insights at automobile buying site Edmunds. While it's unclear exactly how Trump would eliminate the credit, Drury said he doesn't expect it to last long in the brand new administration. This might be done as a part of the tax bill that Republicans are promising in early 2025. Or a Trump-controlled Internal Revenue Service could simply issue a brand new rule making the credit now not available.

“The easiest route possible is the one they’re probably going to take,” Drury said.

But the tax credit is only one reason potential electric vehicle buyers will want to act sooner fairly than later. The combination of federal tax incentives and declining sales could make this a great time to buy an electrical vehicle.

Declining demand from American buyers and greater collection of electric vehicle models led to record inventories of electrical vehicles on dealer lots earlier within the 12 months, and this oversupply stays. Drury said 64% of electrical vehicles in dealerships are last 12 months's models, nearly double the speed of traditional internal combustion engine vehicles. Automakers traditionally launch next 12 months's models in the autumn fairly than waiting for the brand new 12 months.

The oversupply of electrical vehicles and increasing competition have led to long-established automobile manufacturers offering attractive financing terms to attempt to bring the older electric automobile models to market. Data from Edmunds shows that the common lease payment for non-Tesla electric vehicles has fallen 40% because the start of 2023, driven way more by the decline in transaction price alone. The difference is that the common rate of interest on the lease has been reduced by greater than half.

“If you buy an electric vehicle now, not only can you be sure you'll get the electric vehicle tax credit that may not be around for much longer, but you'll also get incentives from automakers that can't convert them,” Drury said. “You’re doubling down. It’s not going to get better.”

Industry let down

The lack of the tax credit and the inevitable weaker demand that might result could cause legacy automakers to cut back their electric vehicle production even greater than they have already got, Drury said. Therefore, the incentives which are now being offered could also disappear.

The auto industry will likely fight to get the tax credit. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, an industry group that features most automakers – but not Tesla – wrote a Letter to Congress in October, before the election, and pushed for the tax credit to stay in place.

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However, the group and individual automakers declined to comment on their plans or their views on what happens if the tax credit goes away when recently contacted by CNN.

The disappearance of the tax credit would likely hurt legacy automakers that plan to release more electric vehicles in the approaching years, akin to General Motors, Ford and Stellantis, or other small EV upstarts like Rivian, none of that are yet benefiting from EV sales has. This is due largely to the large start-up costs. If demand for electric vehicles declines together with the lack of the tax credit, these automakers might be forced to cut back their electric vehicle production to limit their losses, which would scale back competition for Tesla amongst electric vehicle buyers.

Despite the slowing demand for electric vehicles, many experts still predict that overall electric vehicle sales within the U.S. could proceed to grow, albeit at a significantly slower rate than previously.

“There are still over 20 electric car models coming to market in 2025,” said Chris Hopson, chief automotive analyst at S&P Global. He said these expanded offerings will attract recent buyers, leading to more electric cars being sold.

He said if the tax credit goes away early within the 12 months, it could cause S&P to cut back its EV forecast barely, but he would still expect a modest profit. But how automakers reply to the shortage of a tax credit could determine how much sales decline. They could reduce prices greater than lately.

“Automakers can play with pricing to make up for a lack of credit,” Hopson said.

And some states may increase their very own tax credits to offset the lack of federal tax credits. This is something California desires to do.

During the election campaign, President-elect Donald Trump frequently criticized electric vehiclesHowever, he qualified this criticism when Musk became certainly one of his more distinguished and financially vital supporters. Still, Trump vowed to scrap the Environmental Protection Agency's goal of selling not less than 35% of all recent cars by 2032, which he called the “EV mandate.”

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Controversial billionaire Elon Musk responded Speculation that MSNBC could possibly be put up on the marketand asked Friday how much the cable news network would pay him back.

Media conglomerate Comcast announced Wednesday that it plans to spin off a few of its NBCUniversal properties – including MSNBC, CNBC, USA, Oxygen and E! – into it “a new listed company.”

The announcement prompted some social media users, including Donald Trump Jr., to suggest the world's richest man can purchase MSNBC.

Many of the left-leaning network's hosts, including Joe Scarborough, Rachel Maddow and Mika Brzezinski, have criticized Musk and the MAGA movement he supports.

“Hey @elonmusk, I have the funniest idea ever!!!” Trump Jr. posted a graphic on Friday joking that MSNBC would sell for the “best deal.”

“How much does it cost?” responded Musk, whose net value was estimated to have reached a record high of $321.7 billion on Friday.

Musk's response was very much like the one he gave in 2017 when some social media users suggested he buy Twitter. Five years later, he spent $44 billion to purchase the platform, which he renamed X and which he has since used to advertise his right-wing ideology and conspiracy theories.

“I mean, it can’t be much.” Trump Jr. wrote back. “Look at the reviews.”

According to The Wrap, MSNBC viewership reportedly plummeted 38% after Election Day.

Musk's banter with Trump Jr. continued, with the entrepreneur writing: “The most entertaining outcome, especially if it is ironic, is the most likely.”

While Comcast didn't mention selling MSNBC to Musk, the free-spending tech expert has proven he can acquire firms despite opposition from their board, just as he did at Twitter.

Speculation about Musk buying a progressive cable news network comes every week after satirical site The Onion announced it had purchased Alex Jones' far-right “InfoWars” empire in a bankruptcy auction.

Jones was forced to sell the disgraced brand to satisfy a judgment against him related to the lies and conspiracy theories he spread concerning the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. A Texas judge has delayed the acquisition while a court examines details of the bidding process.

Originally published: November 25, 2024 at 11:14 am PST

Electronic Arts was ahead of its time when it got here to developing the Madden NFL series. The venerable football franchise comes out yearly and offers a handful of improvements and a roster update. Every at times, the developers push the genre forward by way of graphics or gameplay, but otherwise the series is all about incremental improvements.

The video game's production cycle is comparable to that of the iPhone. Apple's flagship product generally stays the identical for a couple of years and is refined before the smartphone gets a significant redesign. This essentially implies that the improvements 12 months after 12 months aren't exciting, but every so often there's an iPhone that's well worth the hype.

GREAT THROUGH SMALL REFININGS
I see the identical approach with the Madden NFL series. Some years the sport is a must-buy, while other installments are skippable. With Madden NFL 25, gamers are treated to an update that refines long-standing franchise elements, but doesn't necessarily offer anything groundbreaking.

The developer is adding what it calls Boom Tech to its animation branching system. The feature now calculates the physics of player tackles and collisions, which impact the defense and the running game. EA Tiburon supports these changes with skill-focused tweaks to the hit stick and ball carrier abilities with Setup State, which allows players to outsmart defenders for larger gains. Receivers even have a spectacular catch option that expands their radius at the price of the next probability of dropping the ball.

These changes improve realism and offer players a greater level of control while also benefiting veteran players. They're the sort of incremental improvements that casual fans will overlook but hardcore “Madden” players will scrutinize closely.

VARIOUS WAYS TO PLAY
That's at all times been the balancing act EA Tiburon has needed to walk. They needed to make the franchise accessible to a wide selection of skills and fans, and so they've done that by adding more modes and ways to play. Madden NFL 25 continues that effort with Ultimate Team, Franchise Mode and Superstar Mode.

Over the years, Franchise mode has grow to be less necessary and Ultimate Team, a variety of fantasy football, has gained prominence. EA Tiburon now puts it front and center. In this mode, players start with a squad of average players and may expand it by opening packs and collecting cards. The developers have refined this a part of the gameplay in past versions by adding more role-playing elements.

Ultimate Team is where Madden NFL 25 makes extra money through microtransactions while extending the sport's lifespan beyond the Super Bowl. Franchise mode, alternatively, has remained largely the identical, letting players tackle the role of coach or owner and manage various elements of constructing a team right into a championship contender.

It stays an all-encompassing experience and players can spend a whole lot of hours scouting players, negotiating contracts, improving players and coaches while constructing a dynasty that stands the test of time. It may even be played as a multiplayer league. With so many areas to oversee, that is essentially the most difficult and intimidating mode.

I actually liked Superstar higher, which lets players create a player and manage their profession from college to pro. What's recent about this mode is that players can import the player they created in Road to Glory into College Football 25 and transfer it to that game. Madden NFL 25 tracks the player's college history and mentions it within the draft and through broadcasts.

This is an option that players haven't had in years, but with the return of a faculty football game, Madden NFL 25 opens up a brand new opportunity for growth. The superstar isn't as cinematic as previous attempts, however it does give players the sensation of being an NFL star on the rise. The mode also features microtransactions in the event that they want to provide their athlete a lift.

Those who’ve friends over can rejoice with Quick Play. It's easy and easy, and EA Tiburon doesn't forget newbies either. The developers offer Training Camp, a mode where players can check out mini-games, skills trainers, or a free training program. This studio has refined this beginner-friendly a part of the title, and never only is it an amazing method to learn the best way to play video game soccer, but it can also deepen players' understanding of the game.

Madden NFL 25 isn't a groundbreaking game. It's not an iPhone X or 5S, but for fans who haven't played the sport in a couple of years, it's well worth the price of admission.

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“Madden NFL 25”

3 out of 4 stars
Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox One, PC
Evaluation: All

Originally published: August 23, 2024 at 12:47

I do know you're going to make fun of me, so let's just get this over with. I purchased art on a cruise ship. OK, laugh. Gallery owners and art appraisers will mock you for it, but it surely might be worse.

My husband and I were faced with an unusual situation in our home: a blank wall. Normally this wouldn't be an issue, but now we have different tastes and different philosophies. I wish to buy art from local artists. He likes art from “well-known” artists. And we rarely have time to walk through galleries or visit art auctions together.

“We'll see when we cruise,” DC said a number of months ago. I sighed. He's a much bigger fan of cruises. The considered those oversized ships with their central parks, ice rinks, huge buffets, and free-flowing alcohol used to make me need to camp. But he convinced me to offer it a try. I've modified my mind. And that's marriage.

He also convinced me to attend the ship's art auctions, which I used to think were kitschy because a few of the art on the market there’s actually the sort that involves two olives holding hands and dancing in a martini glass. That's not a judgement. It's only a fact.

Park West, the corporate that conducts art auctions for a lot of cruise lines, knows what its cruise customers like. They also know that vacationers, with all their worries at sea on a distant shore, are willing to spend money. These pals hold a glass of champagne in a single hand and a numbered paddle in the opposite, while a jaunty auctioneer on stage unveils artworks and explains why you could change into their owner – this very minute.

Numbers and money (from 50 to five-figure amounts) fly through the air. Hammers bang. And before you understand it, someone goes home with a signed, numbered and framed Salvador Dali. It's crazy. But I used to be there.

We agreed on one thing: we wanted a recent work, as original as possible, about 30″ x 40″, in shades of blue and orange, with a water theme, and, oh, inside our budget. So we told the auctioneer what we were searching for. He opened his laptop and pulled up several works on the boat, including one by an up-and-coming artist from Florida that miraculously met all of our criteria.

We researched the artist online to search out out what prices his works have sold for. The opening bid for the framed original was significantly lower. Now “Sailing at Dawn” is on its option to our home.

Back home, I called Susan Filebark, an art appraiser from Florida. She had learned her craft from her mother, who also worked as a museum appraiser, and had a rule: “Never buy art on a cruise ship!”

After we got past that laugh, she explained to me what affects the worth of a murals, so in case you ever end up standing there with a paddle in a single hand and champagne in the opposite, you'll be prepared.

The artist: Fame, in fact, influences the selling price. Some collectors only want signed originals or limited edition artworks by listed artists, i.e. those that have sold their works at auction.

Original or limited edition: A signed original will fetch the best price, but when that's out of your price range, search for serigraphs, stone lithographs, or engravings by that artist. These limited edition prints are still considered art. As the printing plates age with multiple impressions, production stops when the artist is not any longer satisfied with the standard, making it a limited edition.

Signed and numbered: Look for a fraction, similar to 42/150, written in pencil at the underside of a limited edition print. This indicates that it’s the forty second print in an edition of 150. The artist often signs each print. Typically, these editions are under 250. Editions much higher make the print less useful.

Open edition prints: They are principally posters. If the artist signs it, for instance at an exhibition, that may increase the worth but doesn’t make it a limited edition. Candace Hill, an art appraiser from Colorado, gives the next example: At auction, a signed poster of Andy Warhol's “Marilyn” sold for $952. A signed limited edition screen print brought in $156,250 and a signed original brought in $28 million.

“If you want to buy art by a particular artist,” Filebark advises, “search the second-hand market. Look for works offered at auction, or find the artist and buy directly from their studio.”

Originally published: July 11, 2024 at 2:03 p.m.