Latest news with #Becker
Qatar Tribune
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Qatar Tribune
Germans could use a bit more humour, says Becker
DPA Berlin Three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker thinks Germans could use a bit more humour. 'I'm known for my sense of humour. Not every German can say that. I've noticed this quality has somewhat faded here,' said the former tennis star during an event in Berlin on Thursday with an advertising partner. Becker, who hasn't lived in Germany for many years, said he considers humour to be a fundamental part of a person's character. Still, the former world number 1 said he's had his share of awkward moments with jokes over the course of his career. 'People often didn't know whether I was being ironic or serious. In Germany, you often have to announce: 'Attention! Here comes irony,'' the 57-year-old said, adding that he's since become more cautious. Together with his wife, Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro, Becker is currently demonstrating his sense of humour in commercials for a mail-order window company. He remains a familiar face in Germany thanks to advertisements, public appearances and as a commentator. He lived in London for many years. Since retiring in 1999 with six Grand Slam titles, Becker has struggled to replicate his sporting success, becoming a regular subject of gossip coverage amid financial and personal difficulties. In 2022, he was imprisoned in Britain for seven and a half months for concealing assets to avoid paying money he owed after his bankruptcy.
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
1964 Mercedes-Benz 230SL For Sale With Just 54,282 Miles
Mercedes-Benz's classic lineup is full of nothing but head-turners, with its SL models being some of the most recognizable. The 230SL isn't quite the headline-maker that the 300SL is, but the "Pagoda" Mercedes, so-called for its slightly concave hardtop, still deserves praise in its own right. If you feel the same way, this particular one is for sale on Exotic Car Trader, and you can check out the listing by clicking here. Production of the Mercedes-Benz 230SL ran from 1963 to 1967, with a 2.3L inline-six engine making 148 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque through either a 4-speed manual or automatic transmission. The engine was based on the M180 inline-six but featured several modifications needed to boost output, like a higher compression cylinder head, bigger valves, a modified camshaft, and a fuel injection pump with six plungers. To further ensure this luxury roadster could glide across the road as smoothly as possible, the hood, trunk lid, door skins, and tonneau cover were made of aluminum to reduce weight. Out of the 19,831 230SLs produced, less than a quarter were sold here in the US. This 230SL is finished in Creme over an Ivory leather interior with two seats, a carpeted luggage area behind them, and the classic Mercedes-Benz instrumentation. The dashboard is free of cracks or defects and even houses the original Becker radio and analog clock. It looks like an extremely cozy and comfortable place to be, the perfect kind of cabin for a grand touring kind of trip. Get a value estimate and list it online with Exotic Car Trader. Click here to learn more. Under the hood of this one is a more powerful, rebuilt 280 cu in engine, presumably out of a Mercedes-Benz 280SL. If it is that engine, then it should make 168 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque through the 4-speed automatic transmission it's made to. The entire car rides on front and rear coil springs with power-assisted recirculating ball steering, with the power part being an available option. The Mercedes-Benz 230SL Pagoda is highly regarded by enthusiasts and collectors, and you'll be hard-pressed not to find one driving around Monterey Car Week or similar automotive events. The fact that this example has a later, more powerful engine swapped into it might make it lose some points to those who prefer an original, untouched example. Those who prefer having more power over a numbers-matching car, though, will find themselves right at home with this one. According to the Hagerty Valuation Tool, prices for 230SLs have been steadily decreasing, with one in Excellent condition commanding around $90,500 and one in Good condition bringing about $56,700. The fact that this low-mileage example is only going for $49,950 makes it a relative bargain if, again, you don't care about the engine swap. No information is provided about the engine swap or the rebuild, so we'd get some more information on that from the seller before getting your wallet out. That said, if you imagine a cross-country road trip at the helm of this 230SL, you'll understand why enthusiasts yelp in excitement whenever one drives by and why this one should excite you. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
CBS News
4 days ago
- CBS News
Driver cooperating after fatally striking boy riding bike in central Minnesota, sheriff says
A driver in central Minnesota hit and killed a 10-year-old boy riding his bike Monday morning, authorities said. The fatal collision happened just before 8 a.m. in Becker, the Sherburne County Sheriff's Office said. The driver stayed at the scene at Brenda Boulevard and Edgewood Street to speak with investigators. The boy died at the scene. Neither the driver nor the boy has been publicly identified. Becker is about 50 miles northwest of Minneapolis.
India Today
21-07-2025
- India Today
AI was supposed to speed up coders, new study says it did the opposite
Contrary to popular belief, new research has found that using AI tools can actually slow down experienced software developers, especially when working in codebases they already know well. The study, conducted by the nonprofit research group METR, revealed that seasoned open-source developers took 19 per cent longer to complete tasks when using Cursor, a widely used AI-powered coding assistant. As per the study, the result was based on a randomised controlled trial, which involved contributors working on their own open-source projects. advertisementBefore the trial began, developers believed AI would significantly increase their speed, which is estimated at a 24 per cent improvement in task completion time. Even after finishing their tasks, many still believed the AI had helped them work faster, estimating a 20 per cent improvement. But the real data showed otherwise.'We found that when developers use AI tools, they take 19 per cent longer than without, AI makes them slower,' the researchers wrote. The lead authors of the study, Joel Becker and Nate Rush, admitted the results came as a surprise. Rush had initially predicted 'a 2x speed up, somewhat obviously.' But the study told a different story. The findings challenge the widespread notion that AI tools automatically make human coders more efficient, a belief that has attracted billions of dollars in investment and sparked predictions that AI could soon replace many junior engineering studies have shown strong productivity gains with AI. One found that AI helped developers complete 56 per cent more code, while another claimed a 26 per cent boost in task volume. But the METR study suggests that those gains don't apply to all situations, especially where developers already have deep familiarity with the of streamlining work, the AI often made suggestions that were only 'directionally correct,' said Becker. 'When we watched the videos, we found that the AIs made some suggestions about their work, and the suggestions were often directionally correct, but not exactly what's needed.'As a result, developers spent additional time reviewing and correcting AI-generated code, which ultimately slowed them down. However, the researchers do not believe this slowdown would apply to all coding scenarios, such as those involving junior developers or unfamiliar the results, both the study's authors and most participants continue to use Cursor. Becker suggested that while the tool may not speed up work, it can still make development feel easier and more enjoyable.'Developers have goals other than completing the task as soon as possible,' he said. 'So they're going with this less effortful route.'The authors also emphasised that their findings should not be over-generalised. The slowdown only reflects a snapshot of AI's capabilities as of early 2025, and further improvements in prompting, training, and tool design could lead to different outcomes in AI systems continue to evolve, METR plans to repeat such studies to better understand how AI might accelerate, or hinder, human productivity in real-world development settings.- Ends
Indian Express
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
He's a realist: Boris Becker on Novak Djokovic's chase for elusive 25th Major title
Novak Djokovic's wait for Major title No 25 continued after he suffered third straight semifinal loss at a Grand Slam event this year. Despite looking the part on his way to the semi-finals beating the likes of Dan Evans, Alex de Minaur and Flavio Cobolli before he was defeated by eventual champion Janik Sinner. Just like he suffered a defeat at the hands of the Italian in the French Open prior to the Wimbledon, Djokovic went down 3-6, 3-6, 4-6. As Djokovic has been made to wait till the US Open for his 25th title, his former coach Boris Becker has weighed in with his thoughts about the elusive number. Speaking on the podcast 'Becker Petkovic', the former World No 1 was asked if Djokovic could win another Grand Slam. 'That's the big question now, because to win a Grand Slam, he probably has to beat both [Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner],' Becker said. 'That's how it was with Wimbledon, and he said Wimbledon was the tournament where he had his best chance of winning a Grand Slam. As a reminder, he has already won the tournament seven times. He's now reached the semifinals of Wimbledon 14 times, just imagine. That's so absurd, it's an insane number,' Becker who coached Djokovic not too long ago said. With Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz showing leading the way, Becker questioned if the 38-year-old Djokovic could match his young rivals. 'He also has to realise, yes, he did injure himself a bit on match point against [Flavio] Cobolli, but at 38, you get injured more easily,' he said. 'Against [Jannik] Sinner, in the first two sets, I think he was relatively fit. Sinner, of course, was the better player, because for me, Sinner is Djokovic 2.0; he's another version of Djokovic, 15 years younger. Novak knows that, too,' Becker added. Given these factors Becker wasn't sure how 'realistic' it is for Djokovic to chase Major title No 25. 'I'm glad he reached the semifinals; he played a great tournament, but is that enough for him?' he asked. 'He's still playing tennis because he wants to win 25 Grand Slams, to become the sole record holder. But it must be said that on their good days, Sinner and Alcaraz are better than Djokovic is on his good days. That frustrates him, but he's a realist. The question is, how realistic are the chances he'll win another Grand Slam now, because time is running out for him.'
