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Across much of America and especially in the normally chilly north, the country went through the winter months without, well, winter. The Lower 48 states averaged 37.6 degrees (3.1 degrees Celsius), which is 5.4 degrees (3 degrees Celsius) above average. But Iowa blew past its warmest February by 2 degrees, while parts of Minnesota were 20 degrees warmer than average for all of February, Gleason said. A strong ridge of high pressure kept the eastern United States warm and dry, while California kept getting hit with atmospheric rivers, she said. Winter weather expert Cohen, who is based outside of Boston, joked that the U.S. no longer has four seasons: "We have two seasons.

Persons: “, El Nino, ”, Jeff Masters, Masters, Karin Gleason, Gleason, Copernicus, Judah Cohen, Cohen, ” Cohen, Theresa Crimmins, weren’t, Crimmins, ” Crimmins, Patrick Whittle, ___ Read, Seth Borenstein Organizations: National Phenology Network, El, Climate, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, National Centers for Environmental, Iowa, El Nino, Associated Press, Atmospheric Environmental Research, National Weather Service, Rutgers Snow Lab Locations: America, Colorado, New Jersey, Texas, Carolinas, U.S, Michigan, United States, Minnesota, Great, California, El, That's, Boston, Europe, Asia, Fort Kent, Maine, Portland , Maine, AP.org

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Bernhard Langer tore his Achilles tendon while exercising and had surgery on Friday, putting the 66-year-old German out of golf during a year he planned to play the Masters one last time. Langer last year broke Hale Irwin's record for PGA Tour Champions victories when he won twice to reach 46 titles on the 50-and-older circuit. Masters champions have a lifetime exemption, and it's possible Langer could still return next year for one last Masters. “Yesterday, during training exercises in Boca Raton, I tore my Achilles tendon. “It’s going to be very emotional, especially Augusta, because it’s been a big part of my life,” Langer said.

Persons: — Bernhard Langer, Langer, Hale, ” Langer, “ It’s, it’s, “, ___ Organizations: Augusta National, PGA, U.S . Senior, U.S ., Pinehurst Locations: BEACH, Fla, Boca Raton, Florida, Augusta

☆ Peter Thiel says the Trump administration 'couldn't get the most basic pieces of the government to work'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Peter Thiel says he's done giving money for GOP candidates for the 2024 cycle. Thiel told the Atlantic that he hopes his comments will "lock me out of the cycle for 2024." Thiel has given tens of millions to GOP candidates in recent years. Thiel told the Atlantic that he has no intention of giving money to Republican politicians in advance of next year's elections after playing a major role during the midterms. But by talking to you, it makes it hard for me to change my mind," Thiel told the Atlantic.

Persons: Peter Thiel, he's, Thiel, —, Donald Trump, Blake Masters, Democratic Sen, Mark Kelly, Vance, doesn't, Trump, Barton Gellman Organizations: GOP, Service, Democratic, Trump, Mr, FBI Locations: Arizona and Ohio

☆ Blake Masters Announces Run for Congress, Skipping New Senate Bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Anjali Huynh | More About Anjali Huynh | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Blake Masters, a Republican who lost his U.S. Senate campaign in Arizona last year, announced on Thursday that he would run to represent the state’s Eighth Congressional District — ending speculation that he would pursue a second Senate run in 2024. “I’m running for Congress, to fight for Arizona’s 8th,” Mr. Masters wrote on X, the site formerly known as Twitter. We need to stop inflation, Build the Wall, avoid WW3, and secure Arizona’s water future. We need to fight for our families.”Representative Debbie Lesko, a Republican, has represented the district, in the Phoenix suburbs, since 2018. Also this month, Kari Lake, a former news anchor who ran for governor in Arizona last year, declared that she would run for the seat held by Senator Kyrsten Sinema.

Persons: Blake Masters, “, ” Mr, Masters, “ Biden, Trump, Debbie Lesko, Lesko, Kari Lake, Kyrsten Sinema Organizations: Republican, U.S, Senate, Eighth Congressional, Arizona’s Locations: Arizona, Phoenix

☆ A phone call between Trump and conservative tech billionaire Peter Thiel reportedly turned 'pretty contentious'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Haley Tenore | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tech investor Peter Thiel had a heated phone call in recent months with Donald Trump, Puck reported. Thiel's public support for Trump wavered in recent years, and apparently, Trump noticed. Apparently, Trump was "fuming" because the former president had supported Thiel-backed candidates like J.D. Thiel even left Facebook's board of directors to give his full attention to supporting Republican candidates, including mentees J.D. A year later, however, Peter Thiel took a step back from politics and no longer planned to support candidates in 2024.

Persons: Peter Thiel, Donald Trump, Puck, Thiel, Trump, —, Puck's Theodore Schleifer, Vance, Blake Masters, wouldn't, mentees J.D, Thiel's, Masters, Kari Lake Organizations: Republican National Convention, Trump, Service, Republican, PayPal, Facebook, RNC, Wall Street, Thiel, Kyrsten, Arizona, The New York Times Locations: Arizona

Former President Donald J. Trump on Sunday called Blake Masters, the failed Arizona Senate candidate considering a second run next year, and told him he didn’t think Mr. Masters could win a primary race against Kari Lake, the former news anchor who ran unsuccessfully for governor last year, according to two people briefed on the conversation. Mr. Trump’s delivery of this blunt political assessment — which could indicate that Mr. Trump may endorse Ms. Lake if she has a relatively open path to the nomination — is at odds with Mr. Trump’s posture so far this political cycle, in which he has shown more restraint in endorsing candidates than he had in the 2022 midterms. Mr. Trump’s call on Sunday came days after a report that Mr. Masters, a 37-year-old venture capitalist, was preparing to make a second run for the Senate in the swing state after his loss to Senator Mark Kelly, the Democratic incumbent, in 2022. Ms. Lake, who lost a bitter contest with Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, is looking at announcing a Senate campaign in the first half of October, two people familiar with the matter said.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Blake Masters, Masters, Kari Lake, Trump’s, Mark Kelly, Katie Hobbs, Kyrsten Sinema Organizations: Senate, Democratic, Gov, Democrat, Republican Party Locations: Arizona

☆ In Iowa, a Voter Asks DeSantis: Why Should I Choose You Over Trump?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Nicholas Nehamas | More About Nicholas Nehamas | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The question from Mr. Masters was a rare chance for the governor to make his single best argument in one place. I think he appointed a lot of duds to office, and it really hurt his ability to get his agenda done. True to his debate performance and campaign trail events, Mr. DeSantis never delivered a real punch. While Mr. DeSantis may not have had a breakout moment at the debate on Wednesday, Republican voters thought he performed best of all the candidates, according to a snap poll by the Washington Post, FiveThirtyEight and Ipsos. And his campaign said he raised more than $1 million the following day, the most its raised in 24 hours, apart from the day Mr. DeSantis announced he was running.

Persons: Masters, Hillary Clinton, Paul Ryan, DeSantis Organizations: Republican, Washington Post Locations: Florida

☆ 'Really exciting': Fund manager picks A.I. stocks and names an opportunity 'we haven't seen yet'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Weizhen Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Big tech isn't dead, according to portfolio manager Trent Masters, who identified his favorite stocks to play artificial intelligence and more. While there were minimal changes to earnings estimates in aggregate, this was better than feared heading in," said Masters, global portfolio manager at Sydney-based Alphinity. Masters said that one "really exciting area" yet to be explored is the creation of verticals that sit on top of large language models like ChatGBT. Large language models, or LLMs, are programmed to understand human language and generate responses based on large sets of data. Microsoft Masters said Microsoft is "the first port of call" for investors who want to delve into AI.

May 4 (Reuters) - Albemarle Corp (ALB.N) is open to renegotiating its Chile lithium contract before 2043 and would seek access to even more of the country's vast reserves of the metal used to make electric vehicle batteries, CEO Kent Masters told Reuters on Thursday. Albemarle and SQM's contracts only grant access to the Atacama salt flats, or salars, but Boric hopes to open up many other salars across his country for lithium production, a step that will require DLE technologies. Many DLE technologies use lots of potable water and electricity, a limitation that Albemarle has acknowledged and one it is working to limit. Chile and Albemarle could cement their dominant role in the global lithium and EV industries if they can get one or more DLE technology to succeed. Masters declined to comment on Australian lithium developer's Liontown Resources Ltd (LTR.AX) rejection in March of Albemarle's $3.7 billion takeover bid.

☆ Peter Thiel's reported romantic partner was found dead in Miami. Police are investigating as possible suicide.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Jack Newsham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Jeff Thomas, a 35-year-old actor and model, was found dead in Miami in a possible suicide. Miami police view the case as a possible suicide and plan to interview Thiel, The Intercept said. The Intercept reported that Thomas and Thiel had been seen at each others' homes, including at raucous parties. "And he did, and so he didn't support Trump in 2020. Thomas said he had doubts about his relationship with Thiel, the Intercept reported, and the two were not living together.

☆ Six Exercises to Relieve Stiff Hips and Ankles
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Jen Murphy | Photographs Evan Kafka For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

As we age, we can start to feel like we are made of rust. About 70% of people over age 50 said they experience at least occasional joint pain, according to the 2022 University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging. Decreased range of motion in our joints often causes pain and stiffness, says Bo Hickey , a Huntersville, N.C.-based U.S. Masters swimming coach.

☆ 2023 is set to be tough — but this 'exceptional' stock is rock solid, fund manager says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Weizhen Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Masters highlighted a core stock in his portfolio that he described as having "quite exceptional performance": luxury powerhouse LVMH . "LVMH — very, very powerful business, very strong house of brands, the performance has been quite exceptional. LVMH owns companies ranging from luxury brands Louis Vuitton and Givenchy, to cosmetics names such as Fenty Beauty by Rihanna. "What we have seen post Covid is a real bifurcation between consumers, and this has flowed through to stronger performance among luxury brands. "Today, the performance of their business and the execution has been rock solid.

☆ 'Absolutely unique': Fund manager names 2 stocks to play the semiconductor sector
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Zavier Ong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The iShares Semiconductor ETF is up 11% this year, in stark contrast to the index's 35.8% decline in 2022. Semiconductor chips are an important component of EVs, and it is for that reason that veteran fund manager Trent Masters is bullish on Arizona-based semiconductor supplier company ON Semiconductor . Masters said a driver-assisted traditional vehicle has about $150 worth of electronic content, while a "Level 5" autonomous vehicle has about $1,600 worth of electronic content. An 'absolutely unique' business Masters is also a fan of Dutch chip firm ASML . The company sells $200 million extreme ultraviolet lithography machines , which are required to make the most advanced chips, to semiconductor manufacturers like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company.

☆ Thinking of jumping back into Big Tech? This investor is wary of 2 stocks in particular
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Weizhen Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Investors have been getting back into tech stocks, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq leading all three major Wall Street indexes since the start of the year, rising over 6%. But fund manager Trent Masters of Alphinity Investment Management isn't convinced — and told CNBC Pro Talks last week which two Big Tech stocks might be worth avoiding for now. He doesn't own any Big Tech names at the moment, except for a "residual position" in Apple. Meta Masters told CNBC Pro there are "genuine questions" over a few companies' business models — and Meta is the "most exposed" of the lot. Apple Masters said the latest iPhone release was "fairly tepid" as "there wasn't really much in terms of product iteration."

☆ Fund manager names two U.S. stocks he thinks might not survive 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Ganesh Rao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Businesses that relied on "free and infinite capital" are now facing a harsh reality, according to fund manager Trent Masters, and could even go bankrupt. Carvana One company that falls into this category is online car dealer Carvana , Masters told CNBC Pro Talks . Affirm Masters also said that some buy now pay later (BNPL) companies, like consumer credit lender Affirm, were coming under strain in the current market conditions. Shares of Affirm Holdings have fallen by more than 80% over the past year to $12 a share. AFRM 1Y line Shares of credit lender Affirm have fallen by more than 80% in the past 12 month

☆ Want a recession-proof portfolio? Fund manager names two stocks that could fit the bill
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Ganesh Rao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Investors looking for stocks to ride out a recession may want to consider NextEra Energy and cyber security firm Fortinet , according to one fund manager. The remaining 40% of revenues come from its NextEra Energy Partners subsidiary, one of the biggest wind and solar generators in the United States. When asked by CNBC's Mandy Drury to name recession-proof stocks, Masters said NextEra Energy fit the bill. The fund manager said Fortinet would likely see revenue growth this year despite a global recession as companies fear being hacked amid an increase in online crime. Masters manages the Alphinity Global Equity Fund, which outperformed the MSCI World Index last year.

☆ CNBC Pro Talks: Portfolio manager Trent Masters shares how to beat the market — and his top stock picks
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Cnbc.Com Staff | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Global stocks were hit hard in 2022, with the MSCI World Index falling almost 20%. Join CNBC's next Pro Talks for insights on how to play the market in 2023. Watch the next Pro Talks here . Join CNBC's next Pro Talks for insights on how to play the market in 2023. Watch the next Pro Talks here.

☆ An Arizona election official went into hiding over threats as Trump-backed Kari Lake refuses to concede
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A top election official in Maricopa County said Sunday he moved to an "undisclosed location." Maricopa County Supervisor Bill Gates made the move after his office received death threats. Kari Lake, who lost the governor race, raised doubts about the election and suggested legal action. Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix, is the state's most populous, with more than 4.4 million residents. Masters also said there were "obviously a lot of problems with this election," previously citing long lines and issues with ballot printers, but ultimately called Kelly to concede.

☆ Kari Lake calls Arizona 'the laughingstock of elections' as her race has yet to be called 5 days after election day
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

On "Sunday Morning Futures" Arizona candidate for Governor Kari Lake lambasted the state's election process. It has been five days since the election on Nov. 8 and her race has not yet been called. Lake called the state's voting procedures "embarrassing" and called Arizona "the laughingstock of elections." "We need to get in there and restore faith in our elections," Lake said. "We can't be the laughingstock of elections anymore here in Arizona and when I'm governor I will not allow it.

☆ Mark Kelly wins Arizona Senate race, bringing Democrats one seat away from majority, NBC News projects
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and his wife former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, daughters Charlotte, Samantha and son in law Mark Sudman wave during his election night rally at the Rialto Theatre on November 08, 2022 in Tucson, Arizona. Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly will hold on to his U.S. Senate seat in Arizona, pushing Democrats closer to retaining control of the Senate, NBC News projected. In Nevada, Republican candidate Adam Laxalt was ahead by 1 percentage point with 88% of the votes counted as of Friday morning. Kelly raised and spent vastly more than venture capitalist Masters, bringing in over $81.8 million and spending over $75.9 million through mid-October. He was elected to the Senate in 2020 to finish the term of Republican Sen. John McCain, who died of an aggressive form of brain cancer.

Democrat Sen. Mark Kelly is running against Republican Blake Masters in Arizona's high-profile Senate race. Polls closed in Arizona at 7 p.m. local time, or 9 p.m. EST, as freshman Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona faces off against newly-minted Republican candidate Blake Masters in a highly charged race for the state's US Senate seat. Embattled former President Donald Trump endorsed Masters in early June based on Masters' denial of Joe Biden's lawful victory. His opponent, Masters, has raised $12 million, spent $9.4 million, and has $2.6 million of cash still left to spend, as of October 19. Thiel's pro-Masters Saving Arizona PAC, for one, has poured more than $17 million into the race through September.

☆ Kelly or Masters, Lake or Hobbs: 12 Arizona Voters Discuss - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Patrick Healy | Adrian J. Rivera | Mr. Rivera Is An Editorial Assistant In Opinion. Mr. Healy Is The Deputy Opinion Editor. | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The contest between Mr. Kelly and Mr. Masters could determine who controls the Senate, and the next governor of Arizona will hold significant power over the 2024 elections there. Several of our participants saw each of the two races as a choice between the lesser of two evils. More than a few participants said their dislike was rooted in a gut feeling about Mr. Masters. For the governor’s race, some participants saw Ms. Lake’s inexperience with government as a liability, while others, tired of career politicians, viewed it as an asset. Ms. Hobbs engendered fewer strong feelings, with one participant calling her “a wet noodle.”Of the 12 participants, one said he might split his vote for Mr. Kelly and Ms. Lake.

☆ Sen. Mark Kelly, one of the most vulnerable freshman Democrats, faces off against Blake Masters in Arizona for a seat that could decide control of the Senate
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Sen. Mark Kelly is running against Republican Blake Masters in Arizona's high-profile Senate race. A Masters win could help Republicans win control of the currently 50-50 Senate. Arizona Senate candidatesKelly, a former NASA astronaut who is also married to retired Democratic congresswoman-turned-gun-control advocate Gabrielle Giffords, has jumped into a variety of issues during this first term in Congress. Masters is a first-time candidate vying to reinsert some red into the battleground state after voters handed control of the Senate delegation to Democrats Kelly (2020) and Kyrsten Sinema (2018). A Masters win would tip the balance of power to Republicans, ending the 50-50 split that's been in effect since January 2021.

A sacks of lithium carbonate is seen at Albemarle Lithium production facility in Silver Peak, Nevada, U.S. October 6, 2022. The European Commission is weighing a proposal by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) that would classify lithium carbonate, chloride and hydroxide as dangerous for human health. Albemarle has been lobbying against the proposed rules, but believes that they're likely to be approved, Kent Masters, Albemarle's CEO, said in an interview. Albemarle had warned earlier this year that the regulations might force it to close a processing plant in Germany. Europe produces very little lithium and must import the metal to processing facilities such as Albemarle's.

WisconsinDemocrats see Republican Sen. Ron Johnson as a vulnerable incumbent. Barnes has espoused progressive views in office, but his Senate campaign has focused more on pocketbook issues such as inflation and taxes. Vance appears locked in a tight Senate race against Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan, despite running in a red-leaning state that Trump won handily in 2020. Incumbent Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan's approval ratings have fallen, including among unaffiliated voters who make up a major chunk of the state's electorate. FloridaFormer Orlando police chief and Democratic Rep. Val Demings aims to unseat incumbent Republican Sen. Marco Rubio.

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