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☆ Opinion | The Met Gala, or When Fashion Consumes Art
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Natasha Degen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Met Gala began in 1948 as a $50 fund-raising dinner. The fanfare surrounding the event takes center stage: celebrity selfies, red-carpet gossip and attention-seeking fashion stunts. The Met Gala is perhaps the most high-profile example of a much broader phenomenon: the accelerating convergence of art and fashion. It raises millions for the Met ($17.4 million last year) and generates more “media impact value” than the Super Bowl. Michael Burke has called the Met Gala “the pinnacle of our business.”

☆ The Supreme Court's Citizens United decision was a pain in the neck for Democrats. Now, it could be used to their advantage in the Disney v. DeSantis feud.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Democrats have criticized the ruling since 2010 but may now benefit from its power against the GOP governor. When the Supreme Court in 2010 handed down its ruling on Citizens United v. FEC, Democrats were scandalized. Liberals remain scandalized (albeit for different reasons) but now seek the protections the Citizens United ruling offers. A political reversalAs recently as 2020, a decade after the Citizens United decision, President Joe Biden lambasted the ruling: "It's not enough to just end Citizens United — we have to eliminate all private dollars from our federal elections." "Nor do I think, if DeSantis is about to launch a presidential campaign, will he likely want to settle," Dorf told Insider.

☆ US Special Operations Command's workhorse helicopter is getting upgrades to replace parts that are nearly 50 years old
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

US special operators rely on their variant, the MH-47, for missions at night and behind enemy lines. As such, the US special-operations community's workhorse helicopter is getting upgrades to replace parts that are nearly 50 years old. US Army Special Operations Command has used Chinooks for several decades. Early versions had modifications for special operations. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, nicknamed "the Night Stalkers," is the cream of the crop when it comes to US military aviation.

☆ Opinion | American Road Deaths Show an Alarming Racial Gap
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Adam Paul Susaneck | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +15 min

The year before, pedestrian deaths reached a 40-year high. Pedestrian and cyclist injuries tend to be concentrated in poorer neighborhoods that have a larger share of Black and Hispanic residents. Roosevelt Boulevard North Philly High Injury Network West Philly 3 miles Percent Black and Hispanic 20 40 60 80% Washington D.C. Oslo and Helsinki, which adopted Vision Zero in the 1990s, recorded zero traffic deaths in 2019, and Helsinki had just two pedestrian deaths in 2021. In Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Washington, pedestrian deaths have actually risen since the adoption of Vision Zero.

☆ NBCUniversal insiders are asking what's next after CEO Jeff Shell's 'shocking' exit, and female execs are watching leadership closely after a string of high-profile sexual allegations
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

They're asking what Comcast exec Mike Cavanagh's elevation to handle Shell's remit means for NBCU's future. NBCUniversal insiders are reeling after chief Jeff Shell's stunning departure and asking questions about what's next for the Comcast division. News of Shell's hasty exit dropped Sunday after an investigation into what he called an "inappropriate relationship" with a company employee. "It's shocking," said one employee, wondering how an executive at Shell's level would take such a risk with his career. Keeping Cavanagh atop NBCU could serve another purpose — to help bring about a merger of Comcast with Warner Bros.

☆ N.Y.C. Libraries Stave Off Sunday Closings in Adams’s New Budget Plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Emma G. Fitzsimmons | Jeffery C. Mays | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Why It MattersWith more than 200 locations across New York, the city’s public library systems are beloved as a community resource and a foundation of critical priorities like childhood reading and providing access to the internet. “This investment is an investment in the people of New York City,” he said in a statement. What’s NextLeaders in the City Council have vowed to fight the mayor’s cuts, with a budget deal expected in June. On Wednesday, Adrienne Adams, the City Council speaker, said the budget fight was far from over. The mayor’s executive budget, she said, “still leaves our libraries facing significant service cuts, agencies that deliver essential services harmed, and programs that deliver solutions to the city’s most pressing challenges without the investments needed.”

☆ Tucker Carlson's next move
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Aaron Short | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Tucker Carlson's dismissal signals a new realignment in conservative media. Nobody at Fox "was as connected to the MAGA base as Tucker Carlson," one ex-Trump official said. Whatever the reason, Carlson's dismissal signals a new realignment in conservative media. Last month, Tucker Carlson Tonight was the top-rated program among all news channels with 3.25 million viewers including 421,000 viewers in the coveted age 25-54 demographic. His previous work includes the 2022 profile of Carlson, The Tucker Carlson Origin Story.

☆ Microsoft-backed tech group pushes for A.I. regulation: Here's what it's suggesting
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

BSA, a tech advocacy group backed in part by Microsoft , is advocating for rules governing the use of artificial intelligence in national privacy legislation, according to a document released on Monday. Microsoft is one of the leaders in AI due to its recent investment in OpenAI, the creator of the generative AI chatbot ChatGPT. The group is advocating for four key protections:Congress should make clear requirements for when companies must evaluate the designs or impact of AI. "If it is, we should have a national agenda for digital transformation," he said, which would include rules around AI, national privacy standards and robust cybersecurity policy. Though the bill still faces a steep road ahead to becoming law, BSA said it already has the right framework for the sort of national AI guardrails the government should put in place.

☆ LGBTQ Ugandans live in fear as new law looms
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A British colonial-era law bans gay sex, and members of the community are often victims of violence and discrimination. One resident contrasted the current atmosphere with 2013, when parliament passed a bill that strengthened penalties for same-sex relations. After parliament passed the bill, she deleted her Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter accounts. Other LGBTQ Ugandans said they were taking security precautions like changing the routes they use to travel between home and work and carrying pepper spray. For LGBTQ Ugandans living abroad, the new reality is also clouding their prospects of coming home.

☆ I'm a vet who had a retro pug live for 18 years. Here's how I kept her healthy and why this super breed lives longer than pugs.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Crystal Raypole | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

She says retro pugs are playful and energetic and have fewer breathing problems than purebred pugs. Kasey was a retro pug who lived for 18 years, a few years longer than what's typical for a traditional pug. How healthier retro pugs came aboutAn 1802 painting of what pugs may have looked like in the early 19th century. Not only did retro pugs resemble historical pugs, they had improved genetics, fewer health issues, and a longer life expectency than purebred pugs. Bread and Butter Productions / Getty ImagesEye issues are common among pugs and retro pugs, but I've found retro pugs can heal much faster than their purebred relatives.

☆ The Janes 1960s underground abortion network
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +28 min

The group was officially created in 1969 as the “Abortion Counseling Service of Women’s Liberation.”But after running ads in an underground newspaper: “Pregnant? “It wasn’t just abortion,” Barron explained. “Vacuum aspiration was much easier to do, and I think it’s less difficult for the woman,” Scott said. We had to keep the service running.”Laura Kaplan volunteered for the Janes, later immortalizing the group in her book, "The Story of Jane: The Legendary Underground Feminist Abortion Service." Each Jane was charged with 11 counts of abortion and conspiracy to commit abortion, with a possible sentence of up to 110 years in prison.

☆ Janet Yellen says U.S. economic competition with China must be 'fair to both sides'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

China has pivoted away from market reforms "toward a more state-driven approach that has undercut its neighbors and countries across the world," Yellen said. Her comments come as Washington, and the Republican-held House in particular, increase pressure on Beijing as part of a sustained U.S. backlash against China's economic tactics. WASHINGTON — The U.S. seeks healthy economic competition with China even as the country pursues intellectual property to gain an economic edge, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Thursday. Hundreds of Chinese firms are listed on our stock exchanges, which are part of the deepest and most liquid capital markets in the world," Yellen said. Yellen vowed to partner with U.S. allies in countering China's "unfair economic practices" while advancing "our vision for an open, fair, and rules-based global economic order."

☆ A new long Covid treatment shows promise, but insurance won't cover it and some doctors are skeptical: Here's why
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Some long Covid patients swear by the treatment, with one describing it to CNBC Make It as a "total game changer." That's a huge stumbling block for many medical experts, who caution against viewing it as a universal remedy for long Covid. Most of the ones who do get treated have reported improved long Covid symptoms, the clinic adds. That's because a variety of underlying physiological conditions — like chronic lung issues, for example — can "drive different manifestations of long Covid," says Dr. Lucy Horton, an infectious disease physician who founded the long Covid clinic at UC San Diego Health. "For many [Covid] long haulers, including myself, financial freedom is gone because we can't work full-time."

☆ The talent whisperer for Citadel, Blackstone, other firms breaks down the 4 biggest hiring mistakes and how to avoid them
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Emmalyse Brownstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

About 40% of Smart's clients are in the financial services industry, which is keenly aware of the importance of attracting and maintaining talent. But not all financial services companies are getting it right, Smart said. While he directed his advice to financial services companies, his tips are broad-based and could be used by hiring managers in many different industries. Smart said most leaders recognize the importance of hiring and talent decisions but aren't dedicating enough time to it. "Five percent of your time as a senior leader in financial services is not enough," he said.

☆ Dollar bounces as expectations of Fed rate hike climb
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Rae Wee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

While U.S. retail sales fell more than expected in March, so-called core retail sales, which excludes automobiles, gasoline, building materials and food services, slipped just 0.3% last month, data released on Friday showed. So I think that will increase (expectations) for the Fed to continue raising interest rates," said Tina Teng, market analyst at CMC Markets. The two-year U.S. Treasury yield , which typically moves in step with interest rate expectations, stood at 4.1161%, after hitting a roughly two-week top of 4.137% on Friday. Some hawkish Fed speak also aided the higher interest rate expectations, with Fed Governor Christopher Waller and Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic suggesting that the Fed could hike another 25 bps next month. The offshore yuan fell roughly 0.1% to 6.8786 per dollar.

☆ GM Ditches Apple CarPlay on EVs as Fight for Your Car’s Screen Intensifies
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( Mike Colias | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV, featured earlier this year at the Washington, D.C., auto show, will be equipped with GM’s new display-screen software. Apple Inc.’s CarPlay, the app that allows drivers to use their iPhones through the car’s display, has become a staple in millions of cars and trucks sold each year and a mission-critical feature for some buyers. Now, General Motors Co. is ditching the popular app on many of its new electric models, along with a similar one made by Alphabet Inc.’s Google for Android phones.

☆ A baby boomer who quit his 6-figure job rather than return to the office says managers are threatened by remote work and just want people back so they can see them working
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

In 2018, higher-ups at his job handed a day of remote work out as a reward. But as 2020 rolled in and sent everyone home, he discovered he loved full-time remote work even more. He loved remote work for the same reasons he thinks other people do: more time to concentrate, and fewer meetings. But remote work also calls into question the purpose of a boss, he said. "I think a lot of people that have exposure to remote work will say, 'Hey, that worked,'" Dennis said.

☆ Wall St dips to lower close as rate hike bets firm, banks jump
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Stephen Culp | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"Today we're taking bit of a breather," said Sal Bruno, chief investment officer at IndexIQ in New York. Citigroup Inc (C.N), JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N) and Wells Fargo & Co (WFC.N) beat earnings expectations, benefiting from rising interest rates and easing fears of stress in the banking system. The S&P 500 banking sector (.SPXBK) jumped 3.5% and JPMorgan Chase surged 7.6%, its biggest one-day percentage gain since Nov. 9, 2020. Among the 11 major sectors of the S&P 500, seven ended the session lower, with real estate (.SPLRCR) falling most. The S&P 500 posted 11 new 52-week highs and two new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 47 new highs and 205 new lows.

☆ Wall St slides as rate hike expectations firm, banks surge
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Stephen Culp | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"As expected, the bigger banks were probably not harmed that much by the regional banking turmoil, and possibly even beneficiaries of it," Mayfield added. "We saw mostly strong and healthy balance sheets, and it's pretty clear (the regional banking) crisis isn't systemic." The S&P 500 banking sector (.SPXBK) jumped 3.4% and JPMorgan Chase surged 7.3%, setting itself up for its biggest one-day percentage gain since Nov. 9, 2020. Among the 11 major sectors of the S&P 500, financials (.SPSY) were the sole gainers. The S&P 500 posted nine new 52-week highs and two new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 37 new highs and 182 new lows.

JPMorgan's shares rallied 7.3%, set for its steepest one-day gain in over two years, while Citigroup rose 3.8%. The S&P 500 Banks index (.SPXBK) rose 3.3% to a one-month high, among the few sectors to outperform. Traders largely stuck to bets that the Fed will raise rates by another 25 basis points in May. Ten of the 11 S&P 500 sectors were in the red, with real estate (.SPLRCR) and utilities (.SPLRCU) leading declines. Bank stocks lag S&P 500 this yearReporting by Sruthi Shankar in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak DasguptaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The S&P 500 banks index (.SPXBK) has lagged the broader S&P 500 (.SPX) this year with a 13% decline, while the KBW Regional Banking index (.KRX) has already lost 20% in its worst performance since 2009. "The retail sales are kind of a disappointment," said Robert Pavlik, senior portfolio manager at Dakota Wealth. Traders stuck to bets the U.S. central bank will raise its benchmark rate in May by another 25 basis points after the retail sales data. Among other big-ticket earnings, healthcare conglomerate UnitedHealth Group Inc (UNH.N) beat estimates for quarterly profit and raised its annual forecast, pushing its shares up 0.4%. BlackRock Inc's (BLK.N) quarterly profit also beat analysts' estimates as investors continued to pour money in the world's largest asset manager's various funds.

The S&P 500 banks index (.SPXBK) surged 3.3% to a one-month high, while the KBW Regional Banking index (.KRX) rose 0.8%. Bank stocks lag S&P 500 this yearDampening the mood, however, data showed retail sales fell more than expected in March as consumers cut back on purchases of motor vehicles and other big-ticket items, raising fears of an economic slowdown. "The retail sales are kind of a disappointment," said Robert Pavlik, senior portfolio manager at Dakota Wealth. Following Friday's retail sales data, traders stuck to bets the U.S. central bank will raise rates by another 25 basis points in May. The S&P index recorded six new 52-week highs and no new low, while the Nasdaq recorded 14 new highs and 25 new lows.

☆ 35 Ways Real People Are Using A.I. Right Now
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Francesca Paris | Larry Buchanan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +24 min

People are using ChatGPT and other A.I. Here’s how 35 real people are using A.I for work, life, play and procrastination. People are using A.I to …Plan gardens. Chris Norn Researcher at the University of Washington Two years ago researchers cracked the code on using A.I. When you run a Dungeons & Dragons game, Mr. Green says, you have to be creative, but that almost always means pulling from existing fantasy literature.

☆ Gold set for 2nd weekly gain on weak dollar, Fed pause hopes
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Kavya Guduru | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Spot gold was up 0.1% at $2,042.01 per ounce, as of 0534 GMT, hovering near a one-year high reached on Thursday. The dollar index slid to a one-year low, making bullion cheaper for buyers holding other currencies. Data this week showed the U.S. producer price index in March dropped the most since April 2020, while the consumer price index rose less than expected. Gold is considered a hedge against inflation and economic uncertainties, but higher interest rates dim non-yielding bullion's appeal. Spot silver rose 0.5% to $25.90 per ounce, hitting a one-year peak earlier, while platinum gained 0.5% at $1,051.93.

☆ Wall St surges as inflation, labor data raise Fed pause hopes
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Stephen Culp | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Data released before the bell showed a steeper-than-expected cooldown in producer prices and new claims for jobless benefits coming in above consensus. Both signal that the Fed's hawkish barrage of rate hikes, which began over a year ago, is working as intended. Analysts expect aggregate first-quarter S&P 500 earnings to come in 5.2% below the year-ago quarter, a stark reversal from the 1.4% year-on-year growth seen at the beginning of the quarter, according to Refinitiv. Among the 11 major sectors of the S&P 500, communication services (.SPLRCL) was up the most, while industrials (.SPLRCI) and materials (.SPLRCM), outperformers in recent sessions, suffered the steepest percentage declines. The S&P 500 posted eight new 52-week highs and one new low; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 58 new highs and 121 new lows.

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