Breaking News

Opinion

A message to recent grads facing an AI-affected job market

Columns

As 2026 college graduates prepare for the next chapter of their lives, the news on the job market front is kind of mixed. Those going to graduate school full time may be a little relieved that they are not entering the workforce just yet, but a report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers offers a somewhat encouraging outlook. According to their projections, employers are expected to increase 2026 graduate hires by 5.6%. This data is based on a survey sponsored by Jobscan, administered from Feb. 12 to March 17 to 185 respondents, including 142 NACE members. It is ...

AI replacing workers gives government less tax revenue

Columns

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the U.S. government would receive most of the revenue to provide services to the American people via the revenue received from personal income taxes. It also is how we fund Social Security, Medicare and unemployment compensation as “workers pay into” those systems to derive their benefits, respectfully, from these government systems when eligible. My question: What happens when we have a dramatic decrease in monies going into those funds as well as into the federal coffers? Well, it would mean we would have to make major adjustments in the ...

Dear Annie: Peace and quiet comes at a price

Columns

Dear Annie: I’m 26 and sharing an apartment with two roommates who make my home life miserable. There’s constant noise, passive-aggressive notes and one of them regularly invites people over late on weeknights (plus, they usually make dinner without cleaning up). I work long hours and need a peaceful home to recharge. I’d do anything to come home to silence. I’ve tried addressing it directly; it didn’t stick. I’ve found a studio I love that I can afford on my own, technically. But “afford” means rent, utilities, and groceries — nothing left over. No savings, no ...

Dear Annie: Fish-sitting favor ends in guilt

Columns

Dear Annie: I am 22 and working at my first job out of college. My salary is low and just covers my rent, car payments and basic living expenses. I have no savings yet. Recently, my neighbor, whom I know only to wave at, asked me to feed her fish while she went out of town. I agreed, and she took me into her apartment where she showed me her aquarium. She switched on the tank light and demonstrated how to sprinkle fish food on the water. She didn’t give me her phone number. When I went into her apartment the next day to feed the fish, it was pitch dark, with all her curtains ...

Qintel puts Pittsburgh on the map for cyber intelligence

Columns

Western Pennsylvania’s leadership in AI, robotics and cyber intelligence companies that work with the Department of War was reinforced recently. Qintel was selected for an $84 million contract with the United States Cyber Command to deliver a threat intelligence solution in support of full-spectrum cyber operations. Qintel also just announced it will be part of the inaugural Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit in the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, which Sen. David McCormick (R-Pa.) is hosting in July. The two-day conference convenes CEOs, investors and senior military ...

America was much more of a mess at the bicentennial than it is today

Columns

As we approach the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, America is in a pretty foul mood, and I understand why. For starters, Washington is broken, prices are high and rising, and AI is scaring the stuffing out of people. Understanding, however, is not synonymous with agreement. In other words, some complaints about America in 2026 have more empirical weight than others. Crime may be too high, but it’s been going down for a while. Actually, let’s start there because crime is a good example of how perceptions don’t necessarily reflect reality. Since 2000, ...