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☆ Simon Harris Is About to Become Ireland’s Youngest Leader. Who Is He?
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Megan Specia | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Simon Harris was three years into a university degree when he dropped out in 2008. On Tuesday, at 37, he is set to become the Republic of Ireland’s youngest ever head of government, the culmination of a swift political rise to a post he has long aspired to. “He’s always been hungry for this role,” said David Farrell, a professor of politics at University College Dublin, noting that although Mr. Harris was young, he was not lacking in political experience. “His career has been short, but it’s been meteoric.”But Mr. Harris will reach the top at a moment when his center-right party, Fine Gael, has stagnated in the polls. And unless he can revive its fortunes, his time as premier may also be short-lived.

Persons: Simon Harris, Harris, HotPress, “ He’s, ”, David Farrell, “, it’s Organizations: University College Dublin, Fine Gael Locations: Irish, County Wicklow, Dublin, Republic of Ireland’s

CNN —“Ireland, we are at war,” UFC star Conor McGregor declared to his millions of social media followers on November 22, 2023. This comes after the Garda – as Ireland’s police are known – told CNN there were 231 anti-immigration related public gatherings in 2023. A working-class boy from Dublin, McGregor was driven by a desire to become world champion in a sport relatively unknown in Ireland. Political analysts and far-right experts have told CNN that McGregor’s unique brand of Irish patriotism that won him supporters as a fighter has mutated into a strand of “far-right” Irish nationalism. O’Keefe regularly writes to McGregor on X, calling him “President McGregor.” O’Keefe did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.

Persons: CNN —, ”, Conor McGregor, It’s, McGregor, Ciarán, ” O’Connor, McGregor’s, “, Petery Murphy, Paul Murphy, –, Murphy, Drew Harris, ” Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, Stacy Revere, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Floyd Mayweather Jr, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, ” Ewan MacKenna, ” McGregor, Patrick T, Fallon, ’, “ McGregor, Matthew Donoghue, Megan Briggs, Mick O’Keefe, O’Keefe, ” O’Keefe, Keith Woods, lambasts, Woods, Nick Fuentes ’, Fuentes –, Padraig Pearse, Artur Widak, Europe’s, Heidi Beirich, ” Donoghue Organizations: CNN, CNN — “, ” UFC, Institute for Strategic, Police, Flames, Getty, Irish, People, Profit, Irish National Party, Irish Freedom Party, Garda, Local, UFC, Guardian, Mobile, Forbes, Labour, RTÉ, Central Statistics Office Ireland, Ireland, University College Dublin, Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat, Kaseya Center, North, American White, Blacks, Leinster House, ”, Global, Twitter Locations: CNN — “ Ireland, Dublin, Irish, Ireland, Algeria, AFP, Las Vegas , Nevada, It’s, East Wall, Miami , Florida, North America, American, “ Ireland, Europe’s “, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden

☆ Russia Moves to Label Gay Rights Movement as ‘Extremist’
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Neil Macfarquhar | More About Neil Macfarquhar | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In recent years, L.G.B.T.Q. people in Russia have lived under increasing fear as the Kremlin has ratcheted up measures curtailing gay and transgender rights in tandem with the repressive search for “internal enemies” during the war in Ukraine. In the latest threat, the Ministry of Justice will seek a court order on Thursday to declare the international gay rights movement an “extremist organization.”Gay rights activists and other experts say that a ruling in favor would put gay people and their organizations under the threat of being criminally prosecuted at any time for something as simple as displaying the rainbow flag or for endorsing the statement “Gay rights are human rights.”That prospect has heightened angst and alarm in the country’s already beleaguered gay communities. “It is not the first time we are being targeted, but at the same time, it is another blow,” said Alexander Kondakov, a Russian sociologist at University College Dublin, who studies the intersection of law and security for the L.G.B.T.Q. “You are already marked as foreign, as bad, as a source of propaganda, and now you are labeled an extremist — and the next step is terrorist.”

Persons: ”, Alexander Kondakov Organizations: Ministry, Justice, ” Gay, University College Dublin Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Russian

☆ Interns and college students are using virtual reality to learn office skills without ‘repercussions’—but not everyone is sold on the metaverse
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Apple's new Vision Pro virtual reality headset is displayed during Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California, on June 5, 2023. College classes and internship programs are employing VR headsets to teach students and early talent the ropes of an office environment. Laura Bedalov, a customer success manager at Cappfinity, sets up the virtual reality workplace environment that colleges and internship programs are using to train young people. Within UCD's virtual reality world, which was developed in partnership with Cappfinity, students may take on the role of a human resources employee choosing a job candidate to hire. Maurice Knightly, education innovation lead at UCD's Innovation Academy who helped spearhead the VR class, says headset prices have gotten cheaper over time.

Persons: Laura Bedalov, Jeannie Liakaris, Rebecca Picciotto, Cappfinity, Ernst & Young, Alan O'Donnell, O'Donnell, Maurice Knightly Organizations: Apple's Worldwide, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, University College Dublin, UCD's Innovation Academy, UCD, VR, CNBC, Netflix, Pico Locations: Cupertino , California

☆ Some Neanderthals couldn't smell their own stink, suggests a new study recreating early humans' noses
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Meanwhile, one group of a related species — Neanderthals — developed a mutation that could have spared them the smell of their own body odors. It's a popular idea that humans have a bad sense of smell, as compared with dogs, for instance. Will Oliver/PA Images/Getty"We have to really understand ourselves within our own context," rather than comparing humans to dogs or monkeys, as previous research on smell receptors has done, Hoover said. To Hoover's surprise, the Neanderthals, Denisovan, and humans all appeared to have the same repertoire of smells. More research like it, with more samples of ancient genomes, could reveal a clearer picture of Neanderthal and Denisovan life.

☆ Maryland bill would subsidize employers that pilot a 4-day work week
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —In a first-of-its-kind proposal in the United States, some Maryland lawmakers want to subsidize employers that choose to experiment with a 4-day workweek. While many 4-day workweek experiments have been conducted recently in the US and Europe, no US state has offered to subsidize the cost of the experiment for its employers, Stewart added. Employers that participate would have flexibility over how they allow workers to organize their shorter workweek, Stewart said. “It may be more advantageous to have different approaches.”The experiment should include both blue-collar and white-collar employers, Stewart added. So if there is huge interest by employers, Maryland’s Department of Labor will have to select which ones may participate.

☆ Inflation is so bad people are buying pigs and chickens to save on groceries — and even holding off on getting tattoos
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Some are buying pigs for meat, and others are looking into raising chickens for cheap eggs. In Houston, people are buying and even renting chickens for their fresh eggs, according to the Houston Chronicle. The possibility of a downturn, coupled with still-high inflation, is also prompting some Americans to shake up their hairstyles. Inflation expectations fell again, although consumers don't seem to be quite sold on avoiding a recession — two-thirds still think a downturn is coming. Are you buying chickens or pigs or doing something else creative to bring down your bills?

☆ Americans are going 'recession brunette' as economic woes force cutbacks on luxuries like hair-coloring
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

With prices still high, and recession concerns looming, people are going "recession brunette." Jacque Garza went recession brunette. Alonso charges $550 to dye a client's hair brunette, with little pops of lighter color to add dimension. If I had the money I would a hundred percent be blonde," Fitzgerald, the 25-year-old recession brunette, said. "It definitely has made me realize, okay this person can afford to do this to their hair right now.

☆ In the largest-ever experiment of its kind, 33 companies adopted a four-day workweek. The results were conclusive: It's time for everyone to take Fridays off.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Molly Lipson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

The results of the new report were unequivocal: The four-day workweek was better for everyone. And nearly all of the 495 employees involved in the trial wanted to maintain the four-day working week. The 4 Day Week trial found that participants spent an hour less time commuting than before the trial. A four-day week also provides vast improvements in well-being, life satisfaction, and sleep for women. As companies continue to grapple with attracting and retaining staff, the four-day week could be a relatively simple solution.

☆ This company plans to keep a 4-day working week because it makes staff happier – and stops them leaving
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Stephanie Stacey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Employees got more sleep and felt less stressed in a trial of a four-day working week. Prost told Insider that employees were happier, but he still works on Fridays. Prost told Insider that internal metrics showed a rise in employee satisfaction and a 50% increase in average productivity. As a managing partner, Prost has not adopted a four-day working week. He told Insider: "The directors have to pick up the slack on Fridays by answering the phones and meeting with clients."

☆ Global 4-day week pilot was a huge success, organizers say
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN Business —The verdict is in: A four-day work week is good for business. None of the 27 participating companies who responded to a survey by 4 Day Week Global said they were leaning towards or planning on returning to their former five-day routine. About 97% of the 495 employees who responded said they wanted to continue with a four-day week. 4 Day Week Global, a nonprofit organization, collaborated with researchers at Boston College, University College Dublin and Cambridge University for the trial. A separate six-month trial in the United Kingdom, also run by 4 Day Week Global, and which included 70 companies and 3,300 workers, wrapped up this month.

☆ Kids’ average daily screen use increased by more than an hour and twenty minutes during the pandemic, analysis finds
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Carma Hassan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Average daily screen use by children during the Covid-19 pandemic increased by more than an hour and twenty minutes, according to an analysis published in JAMA Pediatrics on Monday. Kids’ average daily screen use increased by 1.5 times during the pandemic – from a baseline of 162 minutes a day before the pandemic to 246 minutes during the pandemic, according to the analysis. Also, some of the studies in the analysis used retrospective estimates, meaning parents could have misremembered how much screen time their kids had before the pandemic. Parents and caregivers’ amount of screen time, as well as their stress levels, during the pandemic were found to be associated with the duration of kids’ screen use, the analysis said. It is also critical to discuss balancing screen use with other important daily functions, such as sleep and physical activity,” the researchers advised.

☆ Addiction drug shows promise lifting long COVID brain fog, fatigue
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Julie Steenhuysen | Nancy Lapid | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Lauren Nichols, who has long COVID, takes a break and rests in a lounge bed in the office in her home in Andover, Massachusetts, U.S., August 3, 2022. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterResearchers chasing long COVID cures are eager to learn whether the drug can offer similar benefits to millions suffering from pain, fatigue and brain fog months after a coronavirus infection. Younger, author of a scientific review of the drug as a novel anti-inflammatory, in September submitted a grant application to study LDN for long COVID. It worked so well that he ran a pilot study among 38 long COVID patients. He studied LDN in 18 long COVID patients, with 11 showing improvements, and said he believes larger, formal trials could determine whether LDN offers a true benefit.

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