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☆ Small California town wonders if restored floodplain prevented disaster
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Daniel Trotta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

[1/5] An aerial view shows the town of Grayson near floodwaters from the San Joaquin River in Grayson, California, U.S., January 25, 2023. Advocates for floodplain restoration say it can help solve California's dual dangers of flooding and drought, replenishing groundwater for future drought relief while protecting towns from the catastrophic flooding that scientists predict will come with climate change. One of the volunteers was David Guzman, who works in an almond processing plant and lives right up against a slough of the San Joaquin River. But some experts say floodplain restoration can help spare adjacent towns, and they envision a day when a proliferation of projects will prevent wider flooding throughout the state. The valley lies west of the north-south Sierra Nevada mountain range and includes the smaller San Joaquin Valley.

☆ Sooner or later, Fed may need technical tweaks for rate control toolkit
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Michael S. Derby | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The tweaks they envision are not shifts in the federal funds target rate, the central bank’s main tool for influencing the economy to achieve its job and inflation goals. Those two rates exist to keep the market-driven fed funds rate in the desired range. One, called the reverse repo rate, sets a floor underneath short-term rates, while another, which pays deposit-taking banks to park cash at the Fed, sets the high end. Those adjustments happened purely to ensure control of the fed funds rate, while this sort of move would speak more directly to bigger monetary policy concerns around managing the size of its $8.5 trillion balance sheet. Some in the market fear rate control toolkit tweaks might create unneeded headaches if done too aggressively.

☆ Self-made millionaire: Here are 8 things rich people do differently that make them 'ultra wealthy'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( Grant Cardone | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

But I wish I had known sooner how ultra wealthy people think about money. Instead, cash-flow real estate is the place to protect and grow money. On the flip side, cash-flow real estate — commercial real estate where you are making a monthly profit off of rent after your mortgage payments, property taxes and maintenance — is a great way to grow your money. This can apply to a business — the rich may contract to buy bulk supplies or equipment — or to you personal life. And most of the real estate I own today was purchased from sellers who picked me over other qualified buyers because we had existing relationships, and they had confidence in my ability to close.

☆ Wehrlein takes the Formula E lead with a double in Diriyah
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jan 28 (Reuters) - Porsche's Pascal Wehrlein won his second Formula E race in two days in Saudi Arabia to take the lead in the electric world championship on Saturday. The German beat his British rival Jake Dennis, driving for Porsche-powered Avalanche Andretti and making more overtakes than anyone else, by 1.252 seconds in a repeat of Friday's top two at the Diriyah street circuit. "Our race pace is incredible, again today we had the perfect strategy," said Wehrlein, who started fifth on the grid and became only the fifth Formula E driver to win both races in one weekend. "This weekend will be one I will never forget," added the former Formula One driver, who finished second to Dennis in this month's Mexico City opener. Wehrlein now has 68 points to 62 for Dennis, with Envision Racing's Sebastien Buemi a distant third on 31.

☆ UK car production is at its weakest since 1956. And the industry is losing the EV race
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

London CNN —UK car manufacturing hit a 66-year low in 2022, as the closure of two plants, a global shortage of semiconductors and the effect of Covid lockdowns in China on auto supply chains crippled output. “The relationship between the UK and the EU, especially as you electrify, is still fundamental to the success of UK car manufacturing,” he said. UK factories made a record 234,066 electric vehicles in 2022, almost a third of all UK car production. Aston Martin and Jaguar Land Rover, owned by India’s Tata Motors (TTM), are also positive about the prospects for electric vehicle manufacturing in the United Kingdom. “Our continued investment in our UK facilities … will herald an exciting new era of electric car production in the UK,” the company said.

☆ Latest Microsoft results show the tech giant is still a buy despite near-term pressures, analysts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Microsoft may be facing some near-term pressures, but most analysts think the stock remains a buy at current levels. Radke has a buy rating on the stock, and raised his target price slightly to $282 from $280. His $300 price target represents more than 23% upside from Tuesday's closing price for the stock. Davidson's Gil Luria was especially bullish on Microsoft, saying that the tech giant "deserves a premium valuation relative to the market and its Pac4 comparables." He lowered his price target to $265 from $267.

☆ How 'Cryptoqueen' Ruja Ignatova ended up as the only woman on the FBI's most-wanted list
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Faith Karimi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Ruja Ignatova is one of the FBI's 10 most-wanted fugitives -- the only woman currently on that list. FBIShe is now one of the FBI’s 10 most-wanted fugitives, alongside accused gang leaders and murderers, and is the only woman currently on that list. The bureau declined to provide additional details to CNN beyond court documents from the US Department of Justice, which did not list an attorney for Ignatova. “The cryptocurrency OneCoin was established for the sole purpose of defrauding investors,” IRS Special Agent John R. Tafur said in a statement. Less than two weeks later, on October 25, 2017, she boarded a commercial flight from Sofia, Bulgaria, to Athens, Greece, court documents said.

☆ Digital twins are set for rapid adoption in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( Bob Violino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

This avatar is a personalised, hyper-realistic, 3D, #seriezero digital twin that they can use to interact on digital platforms and in the metaverse. In life sciences, digital twins are being used to create twins of human organs, enabling new approaches to medical research and care, Diana said. "We are going to see digital twins adopted rapidly in 2023, in many different industries," Diana said. Digital twins are gaining momentum in adoption and sophistication as more organizations see positive outcomes from the early adopters, Barrington said. "As more twins of critical assets and processes come online, leaders will leverage digital twins to not only model and simulate their supply chain, but to optimize and automate a dynamic and intelligent supply chain model — all orchestrated by digital twins," Barrington said.

☆ Indonesia's Bakrie Group seeks nickel mine, partners up for $9 bln EV project
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Stefanno Sulaiman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Gilarsi W. Setijono, chief executive of Bakrie Group's EV distributor unit PT VKTR Teknologi Mobilitas, said the Indonesian company plans to acquire a nickel mine in Central or Southeast Sulawesi to supply the park. It also aims to produce 20 GWh worth of EV batteries per year by 2028 for both domestic and export markets, he said. The consortium will launch a pre-feasibility study in March and firm up each company's investment afterwards, Gilarsi said, noting that Bakrie Group hopes to become a controlling stakeholder. Separately, Bakrie's VTKR plans to launch a $60 million initial public offering in the first half of 2023 to invest in its own EV production, Gilarsi said. Indonesia is keen capitalise on its rich nickel reserves to develop battery and EV industries.

☆ Rolls Royce and Porsche's gravity-defying sales numbers show the rich aren't cutting back on luxury spending just yet
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ultra-wealthy shoppers meanwhile have kept up spending, driving record sales for Rolls Royce and Porsche. But the 2022 sales of brands like Rolls Royce and Porsche appear to defy this financial gravity. Rolls Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös. Porsche 2022 Taycan GTS and Taycan GTS Sport Turismo. While most average households are balancing the math of higher-priced eggs against shifting energy bills, an exclusive few are busy making sure the Rolls Royce they buy is one-of-a-kind.

☆ Mark Cuban: ‘People thought I was an idiot’ for launching the company I sold for billions
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Tom Huddleston Jr. | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Take Broadcast.com, the pioneering audiov streaming company that made Mark Cuban a billionaire. In 1995, Cuban was living off of the roughly $2 million in proceeds from the sale of his first tech company, MicroSolutions. But it was great timing for Cuban, who sold most of his stock before the market crashed. "[It's] the origin story of streaming," Cuban told CBS. I'll just turn on the radio,'" Cuban said on a 2021 episode of the "Starting Greatness" podcast.

☆ How to start and grow a business in 2023, according to founders who booked 6 figures in revenue last year
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Alexandra York | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Understanding the inevitable ebbs and flows in business will be the key to success in 2023. Many realized that utilizing new technologies, creating positive workplace cultures, and understanding the inevitable ebbs and flows of business are key factors for success. Founders who hit six figures in revenue last year shared the most important lessons for starting and growing a business amid fluctuating economies and changes in consumer behavior. Tap into new technologies to stay relevantA post shared by Seth Fowler (@realsethfowler)Utilizing new technologies as they emerge has helped Seth Fowler grow his small business. "Every business has peaks and valleys, business is cyclical and everybody needs to understand that," she said.

☆ The 4 best success tips CEOs shared this year—from Tim Cook to Delta’s Ed Bastian
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( Natasha Piñon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Here are some of the best success tips that top CEOs shared this year. And magic to be found in the service of others.”Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, Feeding America CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, the CEO of Feeding America, knows the importance of giving back. Beth Ford, Land O'Lakes CEO Land O'Lakes CEO Beth Ford is no stranger to success. “Often, we think, ‘Nobody is going to see the good job I’ve done,’ or we’re scared to ask for help. Yet, if you do ask someone for help, or ask for what you want, people will reach out and give it to you.”

☆ Zelenskyy address to Congress about Ukraine-Russia war doesn't mean the U.S. has no limits
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Daniel R. Depetris | Daniel R. Depetris Is A Fellow At Defense Priorities | A Foreign Affairs Columnist For Newsweek. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

Zelenskyy then received a rousing welcome on Capitol Hill before he made a prime-time address to a joint meeting of Congress. America has been Ukraine’s primary security benefactor since Russian President Vladimir Putin opted for a war of choice that is failing in all respects. The U.S., however, has other national security priorities beyond aiding a Ukrainian military victory, however morally satisfying it would be. Given these priorities, the Biden administration would prefer the war in Ukraine end in a diplomatic settlement to short-circuit a long, drawn out and even more catastrophically destructive war. Indeed, with Republicans taking control of the House next year, skepticism of U.S. aid for Ukraine is likely to intensify.

☆ VCs say hybrid work, generative AI, and niche collaboration tools will be some of the top future-of-work trends that dominate 2023
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Stephanie Palazzolo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Insider talked to VCs about the rising trends they say will revolutionize the way we work and live. Insider spoke with 15 venture capitalists about the trends and verticals they think are most likely to revolutionize the way we work and live today. Therefore, startups that will thrive going forward are those that embrace a mix of in-person and remote work, known as hybrid work, Thacker and other VCs said. An increase in workers caregiving for aging or sick family members is also supported by flexible work, the CRV general partner Kristin Baker Spohn said. "A lot of employees, whether it's the Great Resignation or the pandemic, found themselves changing the way that they work."

☆ A Secret Society Tied to the Underground Railroad Fights to Save Its Home
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Dodai Stewart | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

That said, “They need money,” Ms. Britt acknowledged. “They need money to deal with the house. They need money to deal with the issues with the city and the taxes. If we get weak: Look at that building. If we feel like we can’t go on anymore: Look at that building.”

No one knows what they need better than they do, and gift cards give them the ability to choose it. Gift cards are requested for people in needGift cards can get a bad reputation. But, when it comes to charitable giving, I've realized that gift cards hold a lot of merit. Featured Partner Offer Cash App - Send Gift Cards to Friends and Family Instantly A tooltip *Cash App is a financial platform, not a bank. However, if a customer does not have a Cash App Card, they can instead convert their gift card to cash in the app.

☆ Exclusive: Grab to implement cost cuts, cites uncertain macroeconomic situation- CEO in memo
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Anshuman Daga | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SINGAPORE, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Grab Holdings Ltd (GRAB.O), Southeast Asia's biggest ride-hailing and food delivery firm, is rolling out cost-cutting measures to cope with an uncertain macroeconomic situation, the Singapore-based company's chief executive told staff in a memo. Tan said in the memo that Southeast Asia has not, and will not, be spared from rising prices and interest rates, and the consequent effects on growth. Grab, which operates in 480 cities in eight countries, had about 8,800 staff at the end of 2021. The memo circulated on Wednesday said Grab would "freeze the majority of current open job requisitions which are not in offer stage". These measures, Tan said, had helped Grab get closer to its profitability goals.

☆ GM recalls 825,000 trucks, SUVs over headlight issue
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The recall covers 740,000 U.S. vehicles and 85,000 in Canada. GM said the body control module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air update to address the issue. The recall is an expansion of a recall GM announced in November for the sale issue. The recall was prompted after a GM engineer submitted a report about the issue in October prompting a company investigation. Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Andrew Heavens, Marguerita Choy and David GregorioOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Redwood Materials joins electric vehicle, battery trek to South Carolina
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Paul Lienert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 14 (Reuters) - Redwood Materials is the latest company to set up shop in South Carolina's growing community of electric vehicle and battery manufacturers, the Carson City, Nevada-based firm said on Wednesday. Redwood said it will build a $3.5 billion battery materials campus in Ridgefield, about 30 miles (48.28 km) northwest of Charleston, that will recycle, refine and remanufacture cathode and anode materials such as nickel, cobalt, lithium and copper. The Ridgefield facility is expected to supply battery materials to Ford Motor (F.N) and SK On in Kentucky, Toyota Motor (7203.T) in North Carolina and Volvo and Envision AESC in South Carolina. Volvo is building a battery plant next to its assembly facility in Ridgeville and BMW is partnering with Envision AESC on a $700 million battery plant in Woodruff. A second North American “battery belt” is springing up in Canada, in Becancour, Quebec, on the St. Lawrence River.

Why did Field create Tár as a lesbian rather than a straight woman, or one of the great men themselves? The decision by director and screenwriter Todd Field to make Tár a lesbian unsettled me. The film’s core is not so much about a lesbian predator but about the more general use and abuse of power, including sexual power, that Lydia wields at will. So why did Field create Tár as a lesbian rather than a straight woman, or one of the great men themselves? — “Tár on Tár,” and is soon to conduct a landmark live recording of Gustav Mahler’s “Symphony No.

☆ Goldman says it’s ‘difficult’ to envision a scenario where market goes substantially higher in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

"It is difficult to outline a realistic scenario that drives the S & P 500 substantially higher next year," David Kostin, Goldman's head of U.S. equity strategy, said in a note. The Wall Street firm said its base case is the S & P 500 will fall about 8% from here to 3,600 in the first half of 2023 before rallying 11% to 4,000 by the year-end. If the economy tips into a recession, Goldman said the S & P 500 would decline to 3,150. The S & P 500 fell into a bear market, and today stands more than 17% lower on the year. The firm noted that S & P 500 companies' third-quarter reports showed margins contracted year over year for the first time since the pandemic.

☆ JP Morgan asset managers buck the doomsayers of Wall Street, predicting a better 2023 for stocks and bonds
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Anil Varma | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

JP Morgan Asset Management sees a better 2023 for stocks, even as big Wall Street banks warn of sharp falls. "The worst of the market volatility is behind us and both stocks and bonds look increasingly attractive," JP Morgan Asset said. More interest-rate rises look limited, bringing some cheer for markets in 2023, top asset manager Janus Henderson agreed. Here's a selection of commentary and predictions from the two asset managers on 2023 investment prospects. JP Morgan Asset Management"Our base case sees a moderate recession in most major developed economies in 2023.

☆ Wells Fargo says 2023 won't be a year for the buy-and-hold crowd
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Get used to the volatility as 2023 won't be any easier for stock investors, according to Wells Fargo. The Wall Street firm established a 2023-end S & P 500 target of 4,200, implying a modest 6% price upside potential. Wells Fargo said the equity benchmark will trade as low as 3,410 in the new year, or 13% lower from here. While Wells Fargo sees a slim chance of a soft landing, it still believes that the economic downturn will be relatively mild. Wells Fargo said the S & P 500 could see a significant margin contraction partly due to net cost pressures in labor, materials and logistics.

☆ 4 one-minute habits that helped me stop procrastinating and get more done every week
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Akshad Singi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Working on your hardset task first thing each day leaves you time and energy to get more done later. Courtesy of Akshad SingiHere's why it works wonders:It eliminates the procrastination that stems from trying to decide "when" to start working. If you decide when to start working in real-time, procrastination is inevitable. You might think that you'll start working in five minutes — but those five minutes will turn into an hour without you realizing it. If it's already decided that you'll start working at two o'clock the next day, the chances of procrastination are reduced massively — if not completely.

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