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☆ A Florida lawmaker thinks the so-called 'Don't Say Gay' bill doesn't go far enough — and is pitching a major expansion
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Chris Panella | Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A Florida GOP state representative filed a proposal expanding the state's so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill. The bill, HB 1223, would prohibit instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity up to eighth grade. The bill's creator, GOP Rep. Adam Anderson, said in a statement to the Orlando Sentinel that the bill "promotes parental rights, transparency, and state standards in Florida schools." LGBTQ advocacy groups, such as Equality Florida, condemned the bill. DeSantis and Florida Republicans responded by stripping Disney of its special tax district and taking control of the area around Disney World.

☆ Open-source software braces for trade war
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Pete Sweeney | Thomson Reuters | Asia Economics Editor Pete Sweeney Joined Reuters Breakingviews In Hong Kong In September Previously He Served As Reuters' Chief Correspondent For China Economy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

HONG KONG, Feb 27 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The open-source software movement has been an unprecedented driver of global innovation and productivity growth. As with most Chinese handset makers, founder Ren Zhengfei relied on Android’s open-source code to run his company’s smartphones. Beijing has reciprocated, per a Nikkei report, by instructing its own tech companies not to incorporate ChatGPT into their platforms - a rare example of a mutual firewall. Dividing the world into competing open-source camps would mark another reverse for free trade. Follow @petesweeneypro on TwitterCONTEXT NEWSRegulators have told major Chinese tech companies not to offer ChatGPT services, the Nikkei news service reported on Feb. 22 citing sources with direct knowledge, causing shares in Chinese companies building chatbots to fall.

☆ Book bans and restrictions are a losing issue for Republicans
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Polling says books bans are popular with most GOP respondents, but it could backfire in 2024. But the issue could come back to haunt the GOP in the 2024 general election, with book bans remain unpopular with the general electorate. Independents don't like book bans. According to YouGov polling, 67% of respondents who voted for President Donald Trump in 2020 said they approved of banning books. "Did you ever think when you were teaching, you'd be worrying about book burning and banning books all because it doesn't fit someone's political agenda?"

☆ Here are answers to 5 key questions about the labor board’s severance agreement rule change
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Can my employer no longer ever require that I stay quiet in exchange for severance? Normally there is a six-month window akin to a statute of limitations to bring an alleged violation to the board’s attention. So can employers now never require me to stay mum about the company as a condition of receiving severance? It’s easy to forget, but there is no legal requirement for employers to offer laid off workers severance. “There’s a real risk to employees that the case will have a negative impact on the size of severance packages going forward,” he said.

☆ Elon Musk calls US media and schools 'racist against whites & Asians'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Tesla Chief Executive Office Elon Musk speaks at his company's factory in Fremont, California. In the video, Adams discussed a poll conducted by right-leaning Rasmussen Reports that said 26% of Black respondents disagreed with the statement "It's OK to be white." In his video, Adams called Black people who rejected that phrase as a "hate group." He then added, "For a *very* long time, US media was racist against non-white people, now they're racist against whites & Asians. Musk claimed that the media coverage is "Very disproportionate to promote a false narrative."

☆ Tennessee takes lead in Republican effort to restrict drag shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Jonathan Allen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Feb 23 (Reuters) - Tennessee lawmakers will debate on Thursday whether to restrict drag performances in public or in front of children, one of more than a dozen bills limiting drag advanced by Republican politicians in at least 15 states in recent months. They see the bills as part of a Republican effort to advance laws limiting LGBT people's conduct across the country. Drag performances typically do not involve nudity or stripping. Established in 2015, Drag Story Hour, in which costumed drag performers read to children, has expanded to at least 20 states. Drag performers say they are just as able to tailor their act to their audience as other artists, like an actor who might appear in both a sexually explicit R-rated movie and in a children's movie.

☆ AMC Networks names a new CEO: Kristin Dolan, spouse of chairman James Dolan
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Lillian Rizzo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

AMC Networks , the company that owns TV channels like AMC and IFC, named Kristin Dolan its new CEO on Wednesday. She's an industry veteran, and most recently served as CEO of 605, a data analytics firm that measures audience numbers for TV networks. She is also the spouse, albeit separated, of James Dolan, the AMC Networks interim executive chairman James Dolan. The Dolan family has been considering the best way to move AMC Networks forward as it deals with cord-cutting and a tight ad market. For some time now, AMC Networks has been considered an acquisition target for larger media companies looking to bulk up their libraries.

☆ The benefits of ‘body doubling’ when you have ADHD, according to experts
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Kristen Rogers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Body doubling provides that motivation, experts said. “But I do know that the idea of externalizing motivation is a long-standing, evidence-based mechanism for managing ADHD,” Roberts said. The other person doesn’t have to be doing the same thing as you, unless the activity you need body doubling for — such as exercising — requires that assistance. How transparent you are about why you need a body double is up to you, as is whether you have more than one body double. There are also body doubling or coworking platforms or apps such as Flown, Focusmate or Flow Club.

Persons: Robin Nordmeyer, ”, Nordmeyer, ” Nordmeyer, Billy Roberts, J, Russell Ramsay, Roberts, ” Ramsay, ” Roberts, —, Allie K, Campbell Organizations: CNN, Center, University of, Research, Harvard University’s Center Locations: Minnesota, Minneapolis, Columbus , Ohio

☆ Ukraine withdraws 19 mln Russian, Soviet-era books from libraries
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Yevheniya Kravchuk, deputy head of the Ukrainian parliament's committee on humanitarian and information policy, said that of the 19 million books, 11 million were in Russian. It was not immediately clear what happened to the withdrawn books. After Russia moved to annex Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014, Kyiv increasingly restricted the use of Russian books. "In general, the ratio of books in Russian and Ukrainian languages in our libraries is just very regretful," Kravchuk said. She added that about 44% of books in Ukraine's libraries are in Russian, the rest in Ukrainian or languages of the European Union countries.

☆ How Paramount+ is punching above its weight with Stallone, Showtime, and reinvented library shows like CBS' 'Criminal Minds' and MTV's 'Teen Wolf'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Elaine Low | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Paramount+ (formerly CBS All Access) is beefing up by bringing sister network Showtime into the fold. "The shows with rich, deep libraries are the ones that get a lot of consumption," said Paramount+ streaming chief Tanya Giles. But Paramount+ (formerly CBS All Access) is beefing up by bringing sister network Showtime into the fold — rebranding both the Showtime cable network and the streamer as Paramount+ With Showtime. Paramount+ is also building upon its library with originals: The streamer recently revived "Criminal Minds," which aired on CBS for 15 seasons. In anticipation of "Criminal Minds: Evolution," viewership of the original CBS "Criminal Minds" jumped 46%, a Paramount+ spokeperson shared with Insider.

☆ The Proud Boys crashed my story hour: A drag king recounts a joyful but 'terrifying' showdown at a NYC library
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Proud Boys protested Drag Story Hours on 18 occasions across the US last year, new data shows. 'Oliver H,' a NYC drag king, read to 50 kids during 2022's 'terrifying' but joyful final protest. Outside the library, some three-dozen Proud Boys, neo-Nazis, and religious activists were shouting "groomer!" Drag performer Oliver H prepares for Drag Story Hour at Queens Public Library in Jackson Heights on December 29, 2022. See Insider's interactive US map of what happened each of the 53 times the Proud Boys joined or led anti-LGBTQ+ protests last year.

☆ Anti-LGBTQ+ protests are at an all-time high. A Proud Boys war on drag is a big reason why.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Once a week on average in 2022, Proud Boys joined or led anti-LGBTQ+ protests held across the US. Proud Boys joined in seven anti-LGBTQ+ protests in September, 10 in October and 6 in November. In December, they protested at 13 anti-LGBTQ+ protests, more than in any other month last year, ACLED data shows. And the group's anti-LGBTQ+ push is continuing, said Kaufman, who tracks the Proud Boys' estimated 119 chapters in 46 states. Proud Boys are turning up these days at nearly half of all anti-LGBTQ+ activity across the country, she told Insider.

Bumb three weeks ago blocked other parts of the law in a similar lawsuit brought by different plaintiffs. Those measures included bans on carrying guns in public libraries, museums, bars and restaurants and on private property without the owner's explicit permission, as well as transporting loaded guns in vehicles. Other parts of the law, including measures tightening gun licensing requirements and handgun safety rules, remain in effect. Both lawsuits argue that the state's new restrictions violate the right to bear arms guaranteed by the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York; Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Lisa ShumakerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Here's everything you need to know about the history and meaning of drag
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Yelena Dzhanova | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Drag culture has centuries of history behind it, from Ancient Greece to the Harlem Renaissance. Here's a guide to drag culture in the US and how what it means today. But in drag, cis men don't have to present as women, and cis women don't have to present as men. But at the end of the day, Giuliani wasn't actually participating in drag culture, Walsh said. There's been a lot of grassroots-level organization around drag recently, Walsh said, partly in response to the uptick in violence against drag culture.

☆ Why companies are eager to strike massive music catalog deals
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

In the last few years, generational stars have inked nine-figure deals to hand over the rights to their catalogs. And, younger artists have taken part in the action too, with singers such as John Legend and Iggy Azalea striking deals. Now, services like Spotify and Apple Music have revolutionized the music industry. Unlike legacy companies, these new businesses don’t have a long track record managing music. The labels, he said, often have a disparate set of goals, including creating new hits, which could distract them from the singular mission of managing older music.

☆ The DeSantis administration's ban on AP African American studies 'is eroding traditional public education' in Florida, state school board member says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Taiyler Simone Mitchell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

"It just feels like there's an erosion of democracy," a school board member told Insider. Ron DeSantis' administration banned the teaching of Advanced Placement African American Studies classes in Florida schools this week. Hillsborough County School Board member Jessica Vaughn, who represents District 3 in Tampa, told Insider the decision made her feel "extremely upset and horrified, but not surprised." I mean, aside from the erosion of traditional public education, it just feels like there's an erosion of democracy," Vaughn told Insider. DeSantis' office, the College Board, and the Florida Department of Education did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

☆ A GOP-backed bill in Oklahoma would fine drag performers up to $20,000 and have them face up to 2 years in jail for performing in front of a minor
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An Oklahoma bill would make it a felony punishable by a $20,000 fine for drag artists to perform in front of minors. The bill by GOP Rep. Kevin West would also make it a misdemeanor for one to organize drag performances in public. At least ten states have proposed legislation that targets drag performances, including drag queen story hours. State GOP Rep. Kevin West, who filed House Bill 2186 on January 19, did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. The bill is scheduled to have its first reading in the Oklahoma House on February 6, per the Oklahoma legislature's website.

☆ Union membership fell to record low in 2022, Bureau of Labor Statistics says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Rebecca Shabad | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Amazon Labor Union interim president Chris Smalls celebrates the first union election win at an Amazon warehouse on April 1, 2022, in New York. Union membership in the U.S. dropped to the lowest since the federal government began collecting such data in 1983, according to a report released Thursday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The agency found that the union membership rate fell to 10.1% in 2022, down from 10.3% in 2021. he Bureau of Labor Statistics began measuring the union membership rate in 1983, when it was 20.1% and there were 17.7 million workers. According to the 2022 data, the highest union membership rate was among people who worked in protective service, in education, training and libraries.

How LGFCU accounts compare Local Government Federal Credit Union Share SavingsLocal Government Federal Credit Union Checking AccountLocal Government Federal Credit Union Money Market AccountLocal Government Federal Credit Union Share Term Certificates Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. How Local Government Federal Credit Union worksLocal Government Federal Credit Union is a financial institution that serves North Carolina's local government employees and volunteers. The credit union doesn't have branches, but it's partnered with State Employees Credit Union. Local Government Federal Credit Union vs. Truliant Federal Credit UnionTruliant Federal Credit Union is a CDFI that serves local communities in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Local Government Federal Credit Union offers higher interest rates, but Truliant Federal Credit Union doesn't charge monthly services.

☆ North Dakota weighs ban of 'sexually explicit' library books
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

Books containing “sexually explicit” content — including depictions of sexual or gender identity — would be banned from North Dakota public libraries under legislation that state lawmakers began considering Tuesday. Though supporters of North Dakota’s bill repeatedly called the sexual content “obscene,” opponents said the material in question is not actually considered legally obscene. Library Director Christine Kujawa at Bismarck Veterans Memorial Public Library said the library has a book with two little hamsters on the cover. Bills to restrict mature content in school libraries became laws last year in Tennessee, Utah, Missouri, Florida and Oklahoma. The investigation followed a complaint by the ACLU and appeared to be the first based on a nationwide movement to ban school library books dealing with sexuality and gender.

The Library of Congress named Medina the national ambassador for young people’s literature for 2023-24. Meg Medina. Medina is taking on the job in a political uproar over literature aimed at young people and in school libraries, largely with LGBTQ themes and characters. But to Medina's daughter, whose first language is English, the word means “story me,” said Medina, who now lives in Richmond, Virginia. She knew little about American literature, but she bought Medina the World Book Encyclopedia, on installment, and took her to the library.

☆ Columbia University will be led by a woman for the first time in its 268-year history
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Since 1754, Columbia University has had a male president — but that's about to change. The University announced Wednesday that Nemat (Minouche) Shafik, a leading economist and author, will become its 20th president and first woman leader. In an announcement from Columbia's Board of Trustees, Shafik was praised for her character and dedication to sparking change. By age 36, Shafik had become the youngest-ever vice president of the World Bank in the 1990s. "I feel like, if I had looked all over the world for the best person to next lead Columbia, I would have chosen Minouche Shafik," Bollinger said in a statement.

☆ This a16z-backed startup wants to make it easier for designers to create interactive, animated graphics. Here's an exclusive look at the pitch deck Rive used to raise $10 million from Two Sigma Ventur
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Stephanie Palazzolo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Rive offers designers and developers a tool to create animated, interactive graphics. Brothers Guido and Luigi Rosso cofounded the graphic design startup in 2016. Currently, design processes are inefficient, with engineers forced to rebuild mockups that designers create in tools like Figma, Guido Rosso told Insider. To that point, Rive also offers open-source libraries to load and run Rive graphics across a variety of destinations, including apps, games, and websites. Here's an exclusive look at the 10-slide pitch deck Rive used to raise $10 million in Series A funding from Two Sigma Ventures:

☆ 2 Colorado libraries close after meth contamination
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — For the second time in a month, a Colorado library has closed its doors to clean up methamphetamine contamination. The city of about 33,000 just south of Denver decided to test for the drug after officials in the nearby college town of Boulder closed its main library after finding meth contamination, Harguth said. The group declined to comment on whether drug use has been increasing in libraries, citing a lack of up-to-date data. They also pointed out that standards for how much meth contamination is acceptable were developed with an eye toward homes, where frequent exposure is more likely than in public buildings. The Englewood library has made some changes to help homeless people who go there.

☆ With over 100 anti-LGBTQ bills before state legislatures in 2023 so far, activists say they're 'fired up'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-14 | by ( Jo Yurcaba | Jo Yurcaba Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +10 min

So far, Texas has taken the lead with 36 such bills, according to Equality Texas, a statewide LGBTQ advocacy group. Four states — Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee and Arizona — have enacted restrictions on gender-affirming medical care for minors, though federal judges have blocked them from taking effect in Arkansas and Alabama. State Sen. David Bullard, the Republican sponsoring the bill, told The Oklahoman that gender-affirming medical care is a “permanent change in your body that cannot be reversed. Accredited medical associations — including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychological Association — have supported gender-affirming care for minors. Advocates and doctors who treat trans youth have said many of the health care restrictions proposed by state legislators mischaracterize what gender-affirming care is.

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