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☆ Why a new autism diagnostic aid leaves me conflicted as a scientist and a mom
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( Sarah Gundle | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

Now a new test is being developed that can help clinicians spot autism in children earlier than ever. For kids whose needs are far greater — those who are more deeply impaired by their autism — interventions can alleviate real suffering. While it’s still in the early stages and will need federal approval, as a scientist, I am tremendously excited by this news. Any breakthroughs in the science of autism are welcome after decades of stumbling in the dark. And for kids whose needs are far greater — those who are more deeply impaired by their autism — interventions can alleviate real suffering.

☆ Storms in California have led to high snowpack and great skiing conditions — but the deluge still may not be enough to fill the state's empty reservoirs after years of drought
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

California has faced heavy precipitation in recent weeks, leading to a high snowpack. The snowpack provides a third of California's water needs, but it's too soon to assess the impact on the drought. The snowpack in the Sierra Nevada, the mountain range that runs along the eastern part of the state, is often called California's "frozen reservoirs." Though the high snowpack this early in the season is promising, if the precipitation doesn't continue, it may not be enough to significantly address the drought. "It's great for the state of California to get out of this drought, and it's great for skiing."

☆ Inside Amazon, there's chatter, and jokes, about Jeff Bezos coming back as CEO in the midst of massive layoffs and a plummeting stock price
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Eugene Kim | Claire Atkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Some Amazon employees are calling for Jeff Bezos to return as CEO. Some Amazon employees are calling for the return of founder Jeff Bezos as CEO in the midst of massive layoffs and a plunging stock price. "Apparently not even Andy is safe," one employee wrote, referring to Jassy who took over from Bezos as CEO in July 2021. "He should come…he is the best," another employee wrote, referring to Bezos. In the turkey-themed email, viewed by Insider, the CEO acknowledged challenges, thanked Amazon employees, and called for resilience and optimism.

A majority of the 10 global asset and hedge fund managers surveyed by Reuters said commodities are undervalued and should thrive as global inflation stays elevated in 2023. Preqin said just 915 hedge funds were launched in 2022, the lowest in 10 years. "It's the perfect environment for macro hedge funds: central bank policy divergence, interest rate differentials, geopolitical tension, bottlenecks and each country on its own. Macro hedge funds led the industry performance through November, according to financial data firm HFR, up roughly 8%. Lyons is keen to allot more to macro hedge funds and also thinks there are good opportunities in corporate credit.

☆ The Mega Millions jackpot is $785 million. Taking the lump sum is 'typically a big mistake,' lottery lawyer says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

This could be a very good year for one lucky winner of the fourth-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history. "The curse of the lottery losers is very real," said Andrew Stoltmann, a Chicago-based lawyer who has represented several recent lottery winners. One of the very first decisions a winner must make — whether to accept the jackpot as a lump sum or as an annuity — often ends up being their downfall, Stoltmann said. The upfront cash option — which most jackpot winners choose — for this drawing is $403.8 million, as of midday Tuesday. Still, "over 90% of winners take the immediate lump sum," Stoltmann said.

☆ FTX Customers Want Identities Redacted From Bankruptcy Filings
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Andrew Scurria | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A group of FTX’s international customers asked for a court order shielding their names from the public, spotlighting a privacy issue that has divided bankruptcy courts in other crypto-related cases. Unnamed customers of FTX.com, the failed company’s largest exchange platform outside the U.S., said in court papers Wednesday their interest in keeping their identities and contact information secret trumps the public’s interest in an open and transparent bankruptcy process. Public disclosure of customer identities puts them at risk of identity theft and cyber scams, and could diminish whatever value remains in FTX, according to the customer group.

☆ How a Swedish fighter jet managed to catch the un-catchable SR-71 spy plane
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Peter Suciu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Only one aircraft even has the distinction of achieving radar lock on the legendary spy plane. It wasn't a Soviet interceptor such as the MiG-25 however, but rather the Swedish-made Saab J37 Viggen fighter that successfully achieved a missile lock and visual contact with the speedy spy plane. The Saab J37 and the Baltic ExpressA Swedish Air Force Saab Viggen arrives at RAF Fairford in July 1993. Andrew Surma/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesThe United States Air Force pilots likely believed the same about the Saab J37 Viggen too. Swedish pilot Per-Olof Eldh scrambled in his Saab J37 Viggen fighter and started the head-on attack protocol.

Law firms Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP FollowDec 27 (Reuters) - Sam Bankman-Fried's criminal case over the collapse of his FTX cryptocurrency exchange has been reassigned to a judge recently known for handling defamation lawsuits against former U.S. President Donald Trump and a sexual abuse lawsuit against Britain's Prince Andrew. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan replaces his colleague Ronnie Abrams, who recused herself on Friday after learning that the law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell, where her husband is a partner, advised FTX in 2021. Trump has sought the dismissal of both lawsuits, including a battery claim. Kaplan also recently oversaw Virginia Giuffre's civil lawsuit accusing Prince Andrew of sexually abusing her when she was 17 at the London home of Ghislaine Maxwell, the now-convicted former associate of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware and Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and David GregorioOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ 13 influencer management firms and talent agencies with BIPOC leaders that are helping creators from underrepresented backgrounds break through
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | Amanda Perelli | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Influencer-management agencies help content creators land brand deals and increase their income. Some in the industry noticed a lack of opportunities for BIPOC creators and started their own firms. Insider highlights 13 influencer-management firms and talent agencies founded by a person of color. He founded his own talent-management agency after feeling that there was a lack of a dedicated space for LGBTQ+ and BIPOC creators. Here are 13 influencer-management agencies led by a person of color, listed in alphabetical order by company name:

☆ Bitcoin Miner Core Scientific Files for Chapter 11
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Andrew Scurria | Will Feuer | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Cryptocurrency miner Core Scientific Inc. filed for chapter 11 to hand control to creditors, a further indication of the squeeze on mining companies from declines in the price of bitcoin and rising electricity costs. Shares of Core Scientific, which agreed to go public last year through a merger with a special-purpose acquisition company, declined another 15% to 18 cents a share in premarket trading on Wednesday. The company’s shares were already down 98% this year as it warned investors about increasingly-dire financial strains.

☆ DeSantis' latest education plan targets teachers' unions by ending automatic dues in favor of monthly mailed-in checks
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

DeSantis' latest so-called "Freedom Blueprint" proposal appears similar to a measure the Florida legislature considered in 2021 and 2022 that the state's largest teachers' union, the Florida Education Association, called "anti-freedom" and "anti-educator." Even Charlie Crist, a former congressman and DeSantis' failed 2022 challenger, picked Miami-Dade's teachers' union boss, Karla Hernández-Mats, as his running mate. State lawmakers and the governor gave teachers bonuses this past year and increased pay — though largely among new teachers, according to the Florida Education Association. DeSantis acknowledged during his speech that changes to union dues might emaciate the labor groups, but said if teachers aren't paying dues then they should be decertified. The last two versions of the anti-union died in committee under opposition from Florida AFL-CIO and the Florida Education Association.

Avaya Holdings Corp. is nearing a chapter 11 bankruptcy filing to restructure its balance sheet as it looks to turn around its business and move past problems surrounding the company’s accounting, people familiar with the matter said. Avaya disclosed earlier this week it has reviewed various restructuring proposals from competing creditor groups. One plan, supported by a senior lender group including Apollo Global Management , would significantly reduce Avaya’s debt load through chapter 11, wipe out shareholders and, pending the completion of an internal investigation into controls over financial reporting, provide directors and executives with releases from potential litigation.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried denied he was part of a secret chat group called 'Wirefraud' alongside other top FTX executives
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sam Bankman-Fried denied he was in a secret chat group called "Wirefraud" in a tweet on Monday. The former FTX CEO was arrested and charged with eight counts of fraud and conspiracy this week. Although the chat group was set up to keep communications hidden, the contents of it will become public throughout legal proceedings, AFR reported. FTX did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment about the chat group, made outside of normal working hours. Hours after Bankman-Fried denied involvement in the chat group, he was arrested by Bahamian authorities.

A GOP congresswoman went viral Thursday for tearfully begging her colleagues to vote against a bill that would protect same-sex marriage nationwide. “Today, my aunt Vicky started crying because gay people like me can get married,” Andrew, 24, said in the video, which was shared Thursday. “I’ll tell you my priorities: Protect religious liberty, protect people of faith and protect Americans who believe in a true meaning of marriage," Hartzler said through tears. In addition to ensuring that the federal government recognizes same-sex marriages that were validly performed, the legislation will also protect interracial marriages. The legislation went on to pass the House by a vote of 258-169, with 39 Republicans supporting the legislation.

SHANGHAI/HONG KONG, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Investors caught off-guard by China's dramatic COVID policy pivot are betting on both greed and fear as the economy starts to gradually reopen, snapping up shares in businesses from travel agencies and casinos to funeral companies. Providers of death care services, including Hong Kong-listed Fu Shou Yuan International Group (1448.HK), China's biggest cemetery operator and funeral service provider, have also drawn investors. The positioning for both the bright and dark side of China's COVID pivot reflects growing concerns from investors surprised by the rapid policy change, especially as COVID vaccination rates among the elderly remain relatively low. "But we still think that the way China can flatten the curve of new COVID cases without doubling down on tightening looks quite challenging." Morgan Stanley Chief China economist Robin Xing said China's economy may remain sluggish for another quarter or two, but growth will pick up after Spring.

☆ 13 BIPOC-led influencer management firms and talent agencies helping their clients build careers in the creator economy
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | Amanda Perelli | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Influencer-management agencies help content creators land brand deals and increase their income. Insider highlights 13 influencer-management firms and talent agencies founded by a person of color. As influencers build their brands, some of them have turned to influencer-management agencies to help them navigate the industry. He founded his own talent-management agency after feeling that there was a lack of a dedicated space for LGBTQ+ and BIPOC creators. Here are 13 influencer-management agencies led by a person of color, listed in alphabetical order by company name:

Don't be surprised if economic data coming out over the next week kicks off a rally into the end of the year and potentially 2023, according to Andrew Slimmon, Morgan Stanley Investment Management's senior portfolio manager. The key period of data releases begins Friday with the producer price index, followed by November's consumer price index and another likely rate hike from the Federal Reserve next week. "The last time those were released they all led to rallies in the stock market because we had better inflation prints," he said. Like many investors, Slimmon expects a downturn ahead, given the inverted yield curve, but does not anticipate the "big earnings collapse," or downturn, many people are predicting in the first quarter. This is in part due to the fact that many consumers have beefed up savings in recent years given the proximity of the most recent recession.

☆ Morgan Stanley strategist sees EM equities gaining 10% over next year, with China in line or better
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailMorgan Stanley strategist sees EM equities gaining 10% over next year, with China in line or betterThe macroeconomic environment in 2023 will be more friendly to emerging market assets, according to Morgan Stanley's Andrew Sheets, benefiting China along with South Korea, Taiwan and Mexico.

☆ Watch CNBC's full interview with Morgan Stanley Senior Portfolio Manager Andrew Slimmon
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWatch CNBC's full interview with Morgan Stanley Senior Portfolio Manager Andrew SlimmonAndrew Slimmon, Morgan Stanley Investment Management senior portfolio manager, joins 'The Exchange' to discuss the resilience of earnings in Q1, a slowdown following the yield curve inversion and worthwhile stock investments.

☆ China could be the asset class to own, says Morgan Stanley's Andrew Slimmon
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailChina could be the asset class to own, says Morgan Stanley's Andrew SlimmonAndrew Slimmon, Morgan Stanley investment management senior portfolio manager, joins 'The Exchange' to discuss the resilience of earnings in the first quarter, a slowdown following the yield curve inversion and worthwhile stock investments.

Here's how to file for unemployment insurance benefits, whether you're laid off, furloughed, or your hours are severely reduced. Here's how to file for unemployment insurance benefits, whether you're laid off, furloughed, or have had your hours severely reduced. Fill out an application through your state's unemployment websiteYou should apply for unemployment insurance as soon as you're no longer working. Depending on the state, unemployment insurance claims can be filed in person, on the phone, or online. "Start with your state's unemployment insurance benefits site.

☆ Dr Pepper forced to give $100K prize to BOTH contestants after boos erupt following odd tie-breaker at SEC championship halftime contest
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Bethany Biron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Dr Pepper drew scorn for its handling of a college tuition giveaway during halftime of the SEC championship game. "Well, you all saw the unprecedented double tie of the Dr Pepper halftime tuition giveaway," Dell said. "We 've just been told by Dr Pepper that they're going to award both finalists $100,000. Congratulations, ladies, and great job by Dr Pepper there." Keurig Dr Pepper, the brand's parent company, has held the contest since 2008 and given away a total of $13 million in college tuition.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried says FTX had 'no wild parties' and most people didn't even drink alcohol, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sam Bankman-Fried said FTX had "no wild parties," at the New York Times' DealBook Summit. He said people would play board games at his parties and barely consumed any alcohol. He told reporter Andrew Sorkin that he only drank half a glass of alcohol a year. "There were no wild parties here," Bankman-Fried said. He clarified that he "didn't see any illegal drug use" in the office and that his parties were just "having people over for dinner."

☆ A 1930s eugenics experiment is the reason women's clothing sizes are so damn frustrating
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Isabella Zavarise | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

A 1930s eugenics experiment is the reason women's clothing sizes are inconsistent, as per Radke. In an email to Insider, Radke said the discovery about women's clothing sizes was one of the biggest surprises to her when researching "Butts, a Backstory." Andrew SemansThe life-sized plaster casts made by Dickinson and Belskie were dubbed Normman and Norma and helped create standardized clothing sizes. During the 1950s, standardized clothing sizes were adopted by clothing brands. "It's just too expensive for garment manufacturers to make enough clothing sizes to accommodate the wide variation of human bodies.

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