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☆ Louis Gossett Jr., 1st Black man to win supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries "Roots," has died. Gossett became the third Black Oscar nominee in the supporting actor category in 1983. "More than anything, it was a huge affirmation of my position as a Black actor," he wrote in his 2010 memoir, "An Actor and a Gentleman." "I knew too little to be nervous," Gossett wrote. Gossett went to Hollywood for the first time in 1961 to make the film version of "A Raisin in the Sun."

Persons: Louis Gossett Jr, Oscar, Gossett's, Neal L, Gossett, Nelson Mandela, Louis Gossett, Ben Vereen, LeVar Burton, John Amos, Richard Gere, Debra Winger, David Susskind, Ed Sullivan, Red Buttons, Merv Griffin, Jack Paar, Steve Allen, James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, Martin Landau, Steve McQueen, Frank Silvera, Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, Diana Sands, Billy Daniels, Sammy Davis Jr, Melvyn Douglas, Anne Baxter, Patrick O'Neal, Royce Corniche, Richard Pryor, Sharon Tate's, Charles Manson's, Louis Cameron Gossett, Louis Sr, Sadat, Dave Karger's, Satchel Paige, Josephine Baker, Oscar didn't, Satie, Robert Gossett, Hattie Glascoe, Christina Mangosing, Cyndi James, Reese Organizations: HOLLYWOOD, TCM, Associated Press, Oscar, Globe, Broadway, New York University, Hollywood, Beverly Hills Hotel, Universal Studios, Eracism Foundation, Rockford, Mamas, White Locations: CA, Hollywood , California, Santa Monica , California, Malibu, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Hollywood, Los Angeles County, Beverly Hills, Coney, Brooklyn , New York, Malibu .

☆ Louis Gossett Jr., 87, Dies; ‘An Officer and a Gentleman’ and ‘Roots’ Actor
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Anita Gates | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Louis Gossett Jr., who took home an Academy Award for “An Officer and a Gentleman” and an Emmy for “Roots,” both times playing a mature man who guides a younger one taking on a new role — but in drastically different circumstances — died early Friday in Santa Monica, Calif. Mr. Gossett’s first cousin Neal L. Gossett confirmed the death. Mr. Gossett was 46 when he played Emil Foley, the Marine drill instructor from hell who ultimately shapes the humanity of an emotionally damaged young Naval aviation recruit (Richard Gere) — in “An Officer and a Gentleman” (1982). Reviewing the movie in The New York Times, Vincent Canby described Sergeant Foley as a cruel taskmaster “recycled as a man of recognizable cunning, dedication and humor” revealed in “the kind of performance that wins awards.”

Persons: Louis Gossett Jr, ”, —, Gossett’s, Neal L, Gossett, Emil Foley, Richard Gere, Vincent Canby, Sergeant Foley Organizations: Naval, New York Times Locations: Santa Monica, Calif, “

☆ The Baltimore bridge disaster may lead to the 'largest single marine insurance loss ever,' Lloyd's of London bosses say
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Read previewThe collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key bridge could lead to the biggest losses in the history of marine insurance, the bosses of Lloyd's of London warned on Thursday. "The tragedy has the capacity to become the largest single marine insurance loss ever," the commercial insurance market's chairman Bruce Carnegie-Brown said in an interview with Reuters. Related stories"I would say it's certainly going to be one of the largest marine losses in history, of that there is little or no doubt," he said. Barclays analysts estimate that the disaster could lead to $3 billion in insurance claims, while Morningstar DBRS put the figure at $4 billion. AdvertisementBoth of those figures would surpass the $1.5 billion losses triggered by the Costa Concordia disaster.

Persons: —, Baltimore's Francis Scott Key, Bruce Carnegie, Brown, John Neal, Neal, Dali, Morningstar DBRS Organizations: Service, Reuters, Business, BBC Radio, Maersk, Barclays Locations: London, Costa Concordia, Italy

☆ Auto Industry Expects Minimal Disruption From Port Shutdown
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Neal E. Boudette | More About Neal E. Boudette | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Concerns about the impact of the Baltimore bridge collapse on auto imports and exports are beginning to ease as car companies turn to other ports along the East Coast. On Thursday, Cox Automotive, a market researcher, said it expected the situation in Baltimore to have no material impact on vehicle sales in the United States. “While Baltimore is the top port for auto shipments, this is not likely to cause or create a sudden new problem in vehicle supply that will materially impact the market,” Jonathan Smoke, Cox’s chief economist, said in a conference call. “The port is heavy for exports and imports, but there are alternatives.”Mercedes-Benz said it has already found other ways of handling the vehicles it usually imports from Germany through Baltimore.

Persons: Jonathan Smoke, ” Mercedes, Benz Organizations: Cox Automotive Locations: Baltimore, East Coast, United States, Germany

☆ As cocoa prices soar this Easter, chocolatiers consider alternatives
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( John Towfighi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Cocoa prices are surging so high, the Easter Bunny might want to hoard its chocolate. Poor climate and crop diseases in West Africa – home to 70% of global cocoa production – have tightened supply and caused prices to skyrocket. As prices rise, some chocolatiers are exploring cost-cutting alternatives, like diversifying their products to depend less on cocoa. Yet mining often destroys farms and the possibility of a livelihood in cocoa production, Issaka said. “Given the persistently high cocoa prices, it may be necessary for us to make responsible adjustments to pricing in the future,” the spokesperson wrote in an email.

Persons: Hershey’s, Shaquille O’Neal, Michele Buck, Billy Roberts, Roberts, ” Roberts, Issaka, Will Kletter, Kletter, “, Peng Xu, Christopher Taylor, Li, Taylor, ”, “ We’re, “ It’s, ” Taylor Organizations: CNN, Cadbury, NCA, “ Brands, Industries, International Cocoa Organization, Rabobank, US, ”, Euromonitor Locations: West Africa, North Region, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Silicon, Washington ,, Manhattan

☆ Automakers Are Rerouting Car Shipments Away From Baltimore
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Neal E. Boudette | More About Neal E. Boudette | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Several large automakers said on Tuesday that they were working to reroute shipments of cars because of the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. The Port of Baltimore plays an important role in the shipment of vehicles and handled more than 750,000 cars and trucks in 2023, according to the Maryland Port Administration. Pete Buttigieg, the U.S. transportation secretary, said that the rerouting would affect the national supply chain. “It will not be quick, and it will not be inexpensive.”Among the automakers that use the port are General Motors, Ford Motor, Stellantis, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Some automakers said they were planning to divert imports and exports of vehicles to other East Coast ports while they assessed how the collapse would affect their logistics.

Persons: Francis Scott Key, Wes Moore, Pete Buttigieg Organizations: Maryland Port Administration, Gov, General Motors, Ford Motor, Volkswagen, Mercedes, Benz, BMW Locations: Baltimore, The Port, United States, Maryland, U.S, East Coast

☆ Diddy is one of hip-hop's richest and most powerful businessmen. Take a look at his net worth and web of influence.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Madeline Berg | Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Read previewFederal officials raided the Los Angeles and Miami homes of Sean Combs on Monday. Despite media speculation, neither Mr. Combs nor any of his family members have been arrested nor has their ability to travel been restricted in any way. Mr. Combs is innocent." Within the first two years of the partnership, annual sales grew from 75,000 to 400,000 cases, according to a lawsuit Combs filed against Diageo last year. "She recognized that she was powerless, and that reporting Mr. Combs to the authorities would not alter Mr. Combs's status or influence but would merely give Mr. Combs another excuse to hurt her."

Persons: —, Sean Combs, Combs, Casandra Ventura, Ventura, Cassie, Rodney Jones Jr, Lil Rod, groping, Aaron Dyer, Mr, Diddy, Craig Mack, Faith Evans, Mase, B.I.G, Forbes, Sean John, they'd, DeLeon, He'd, Mark Wahlberg, Ciroc, Ethan Miller, Zack O'Malley Greenburg, Jay, — he's, he's, Kerry James Marshall, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Jean, Michel Basquiat, Joi Dickerson, Neal, Jane Doe, Sean Jean Organizations: Service, Federal Homeland Security, AP, Business, Bad Boy Records, Uptown Records, East, Bad, Arista Records, Global Brands Group, Diageo, of, Hulu, Combs Enterprises Locations: Los Angeles, Miami

☆ How Diddy got to be one of hip-hop's biggest businessmen
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Madeline Berg | Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

AdvertisementFederal officials raided the Los Angeles and Miami homes of Sean Combs on Monday. Despite media speculation, neither Mr. Combs nor any of his family members have been arrested nor has their ability to travel been restricted in any way. Within the first two years of the partnership, annual sales grew from 75,000 to 400,000 cases, according to a lawsuit Combs filed against Diageo last year. "She recognized that she was powerless, and that reporting Mr. Combs to the authorities would not alter Mr. Combs's status or influence but would merely give Mr. Combs another excuse to hurt her." AdvertisementIn a separate lawsuit filed in November, Joi Dickerson-Neal alleges that Combs drugged and assaulted her in 1991.

Persons: Sean, Diddy, Combs, He's, —, Sean Combs, Casandra Ventura, Ventura, Cassie, Rodney Jones Jr, Lil Rod, groping, Aaron Dyer, Mr, Craig Mack, Faith Evans, Mase, B.I.G, Forbes, Sean Jean, they'd, DeLeon, He'd, Mark Wahlberg, Ciroc, Ethan Miller, Zack O'Malley Greenburg, Jay, — he's, he's, Kerry James Marshall, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Jean, Michel Basquiat, Joi Dickerson, Neal, Jane Doe Organizations: Service, Federal, Federal Homeland Security, AP, Business, Bad Boy Records, Uptown Records, East, Bad, Arista Records, Global Brands Group, Diageo, of, Hulu, Combs Enterprises Locations: Los Angeles, Miami

☆ Feds raid Sean Combs properties in LA, Miami on search warrants out of New York: NBC News
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Federal agents on Monday raided homes owned by hip-hop mogul Sean Combs in Los Angeles and Miami, NBC News reported, citing sources. The Department of Homeland Security agents were authorized to search the properties by warrants issued in Manhattan federal court, months after a series of lawsuit accused Combs of serious sexual misconduct, law enforcement sources said. Benjamin Brafman, a New York attorney who has represented Combs, did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment. "We will always support law enforcement when it seeks to prosecute those that have violated the law," Wigdor said in a statement. Combs was sued in Manhattan federal court by Ventura, who is known as Cassie.

Persons: Sean Combs, Combs, Diddy, Jane, HSI, Benjamin Brafman, Douglas Wigdor, Casandra Ventura, Jane Doe, Wigdor, Rodney, Li Rod, Jones, Tyrone Blackburn, Ventura, Cassie, Cassie's, Liza Gardner, Joie Dickerson, Neal, Blackburn, Gardner, Dickerson Organizations: NBC News, Department of Homeland Security, NBC, Homeland Security Investigations, Security, Combs, Bad Boy Records Locations: Los Angeles, Miami, Manhattan, New York, HSI Los, HSI Miami

☆ VW Workers Seek Union Vote at Tennessee Plant for Third Time
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Neal E. Boudette | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Volkswagen employees in Tennessee who are hoping to join the United Automobile Workers asked a federal agency on Monday to hold an election, a key step toward the union’s longtime goal of organizing nonunion factories across the South. With the union’s backing, Volkswagen workers filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board asking for a vote on U.A.W. representation, saying that more than 70 percent of the 4,000 eligible workers at the plant had signed cards supporting the union. “Today, we are one step closer to making a good job at Volkswagen into a great career,” Isaac Meadows, an assembly worker at the plant, said in a statement. If held, an election would be the first test of the U.A.W.’s newfound strength after staging a wave of strikes in the fall against the three Detroit automakers — General Motors, Ford Motor and Stellantis — and winning record wage increases.

Persons: ” Isaac Meadows, ’, — Organizations: United Automobile Workers, Volkswagen, National Labor Relations Board, “, Detroit, —, Motors, Ford Motor Locations: Tennessee

☆ People are using AI to talk to dead celebrities like Marilyn Monroe. Not everyone is excited about it.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-17 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

South By Southwest attendees got to speak with a Marilyn Monroe AI chatbot. But critics say celebrities who can't consent should not be used in AI recreations. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said previously that he thinks AI celebrities will become popular. AdvertisementLast year, Robin Williams's daughter, Zelda, said that she found AI recreations of her father's voice to be "personally disturbing." AdvertisementSoul Machines partnered with Authentic Brands Group — which acquired the rights to Marilyn Monroe's intellectual property in 2018 — to create the AI Marilyn, according to Deadline.

Persons: Marilyn Monroe, —, Kim Kardashian, Mark Zuckerberg, Meta, Tom Brady, Kendall Jenner, Naomi Osaka, Chris Paul, Charli D'Amelio, Israel Adesanya, Roy Choi, Dwayne Wade, Zuckerberg, Marilyn, Marilyn chatbot, Maureen Lee Lenker, Robin Williams's, Zelda, Williams, Marva Bailer, Bailer, Marilyn Monroe's, Elvis Presley, Muhammad Ali, Shaquille O'Neal, David Beckham Organizations: Southwest, Service, Kanye West, SXSW, Federal Trade Commission, Machine, Machines, Fox News, Authentic, Brands, Fox Locations: United States

☆ Marriage rates are up, and divorce rates are down, new data shows
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-17 | by ( Madeline Holcombe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —After Covid-19 lockdowns, 2022 was a year of marriages, according to new data. The number of marriages took a dive around the start of the pandemic, numbers show. But in 2020, the marriage rate was down to 5.1 per 1,000 people, the data showed. Growth in marriage rates may be due to more than just rescheduling, said Marissa Nelson, a licensed marriage and family therapist in Washington, DC. Divorce rates are going downIntentionality may also be behind declining divorce rates, she added.

Persons: Marissa Nelson, Nelson, Ian Kerner, I’ve, ” Kerner, ”, Monica O’Neal Organizations: CNN, US Centers for Disease Control, Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics Locations: Washington ,, Boston

☆ Beyoncé's country songs are bringing new listeners to the genre, boosting streams for Black artists
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Micah Washington | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

While some music critics praised Knowles' country tracks, other fans of the genre refrained from a warm welcome. Beyond just radio, Black artists and artists of color represented less than 4% of country songs played on the radio, airplay, charting songs, artists signed to major labels and award nominations, according to SongData. One such fan, Tenley Patterson, 26, said she didn't bother listening to country music before Beyoncé's releases, but was impressed with the country tracks. Rachel Whitney, head of editorial for the Nashville team, said playlists outside of the country genre are playing Knowles' country tracks, broadening its reach. The Beyoncé draw is also boosting exposure for other artists on some lists, like Lainey Wilson and Cody Johnson, who have more "traditional" country songs, Whitney said.

Persons: Beyonce, James Devaney, Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé Knowles, Tanner Adell, Mickey Guyton, Reyna Roberts, Knowles, Alice Randall, Randall, —, Rhiannon Giddens, hasn't, Jocelyn Neal, Maren Morris, Luke Combs, Kacey, Lil Nas, Nas X, Tim Mosenfelder, Neal, Knowles —, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, George Bush, Tenley Patterson, I've, Patterson, It's, there's, Z, Rachel Whitney, Lainey Wilson, Cody Johnson, Whitney, Kevin Mazur Organizations: Scott, New York, Spotify, The New York Times, Radio, University of North, NBC, Houston, CMA, Republican, Nashville, Crypto.com Arena, The Recording Academy Locations: Brooklyn, New, New York City, U.S, Texas, an Oklahoma, University of North Carolina, San Francisco , California, Iraq, Los Angeles , California

☆ The dark side of DINKs: People who want kids but can't afford them
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Some DINKs are using their higher net worth to retire early, travel, and afford luxury items. But there's an even darker side to DINKs: The slice that forgoes kids not by choice but out of necessity. It's difficult to parse out the exact number of Americans who might want kids but can't have them. We know that the childfree group — people who don't want kids — might be about 20% of the US adult population. It's contributing to a whole population of DINKs who can't afford to shed the moniker.

Persons: DINK, —, you've, Gen Zers, it's, Kimberly Palmer, Kathryn Edwards, Larry Bienz, he's, Bienz, civically, let's, Amelia, Kevin, They've, We're, Amelia's, Roe, Wade, Zachary Neal, Neal, Jennifer Neal, Priscilla Davies, she's, Davies, They're Organizations: Service, Harris, RAND Corporation, American Society for Reproductive, US Children's Bureau, Michigan State Locations: NerdWallet, DINKs, Chicago, Michigan

☆ Temu has officially opened to US-based sellers in a strategy shift that could help it compete more closely with Amazon
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Madeline Stone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewTemu has opened its marketplace to sellers with US-based warehouses, marking a shift to its strategy that has focused on shipping orders from China. Business Insider previously reported that US Amazon sellers were largely eager to try selling on Temu once it was made available to them. Offering faster shipping options could help Temu to better compete with US e-commerce incumbents like Amazon. The company's use of de minimis shipments has gotten increased attention from US lawmakers as of late. Shein, another China-linked e-commerce marketplace, also began onboarding US merchants last year.

Persons: —, Temu, Brightever, Bernstein, De minimis, Earl Blumenauer, Neal Dunn, Dan Bishop, Shein Organizations: Service, Pinduoduo Holdings, Business, US, US Customs Locations: China, Palm Springs, Las Vegas

☆ A clip that's seemingly of the CEO behind Devin, the 'first AI software engineer,' at a math event is wowing viewers
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewOn Tuesday, Scott Wu's startup Cognition launched what it claims to be the world's "first AI software engineer," Devin, creating quite the buzz — and a little discomfort — in the tech community. The autonomous AI developer, Cognition claims, is the first of its kind to write code, fix bugs, and train AI models, among other tasks, all on its own. Today we're excited to introduce Devin, the first AI software engineer. Devin is… pic.twitter.com/ladBicxEat — Cognition (@cognition_labs) March 12, 2024Cognition claims that Devin can radically change how software engineers do their jobs. And reactions to the capabilities of Devin — which Cognition claims can resolve 13.86% of coding issues found in open-source projects on GitHub — seem mixed.

Persons: —, Scott Wu's, Devin, Wu, Reddit, He's, Wu didn't, Peter Thiel's, Scott, Neal, …, Kyle Shevlin, Athagist, Devin —, Aravind Srinivas, Evan You, they'd, I'd, Bro, isn't Organizations: Service, Twitter, Raytheon, Business, Cognition, Harvard University, LinkedIn, Fund, Bloomberg Locations: Singapore

☆ Air defense for $13 a shot? How lasers could revolutionize the way militaries counter enemy missiles and drones
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

And it is claimed it also take out its targets for a tiny fraction of what current air defense missiles cost. In contrast, the Standard Missile-2 used by the United States Navy for air defense costs more than $2 million per shot. The DragonFire laser weapon is tested in January on a British firing range. UK Defense Ministry“It has the potential to be a long-term low-cost alternative to certain tasks missiles currently carry out,” a January statement from the UK Defense Ministry said. Meanwhile expensive air defense systems from Western allies have been crucial to Ukraine’s ability to defend itself from attacks by Russian missiles and drones.

Persons: “, ”, Houthi, Leon Neal, ” James Black, DragonFire, Black, Grant Shapp, Iain Boyd, Boyd, Fred Pyle, ” Shimon Fhima Organizations: CNN, United Kingdom’s Defense Ministry, Defense Ministry, UK Defense Ministry, The Defense Ministry, United States Navy, ExCel, Getty, RAND, ”, Center for National Security, University of Colorado, Navy, Warfare, Breaking Defense, US Navy, Office, DOD Locations: Britain, Scotland, Ukraine, Gulf of Aden, Russian, London, England, RAND Europe, Ponce, Persian, USS Portland

☆ Boeing whistleblower who warned of aircraft safety flaws found dead
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Patrick Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

A Boeing 737 MAX sits outside the hangar during a media tour of the Boeing 737 MAX at the Boeing plant in Renton, Washington. In a statement Monday, Boeing said: "We are saddened by Mr. Barnett's passing, and our thoughts are with his family and friends." A former Boeing quality inspector who filed a whistleblower complaint over alleged plane safety flaws was found dead "from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound," officials in Charleston, South Carolina, said Monday. Boeing said then that it was following the ruling and would look to improve the design of the nut, but also said it wasn't a flight safety issue. After his retirement in 2017, Barnett filed a whistleblower complaint to federal regulators about his experiences at the South Carolina plant.

Persons: Barnett, Mitch, , Barnett's, Bobbi Jo O'Neal, John Barnett, —, I'd, John, Vicky Melder Stokes, Mike Barnett, Robbie Barnett, Rodney Barnett Organizations: Boeing, Boeing, NBC, The New York Times, FAA, Times, Department, Alaska Airlines, Max, Prevention Locations: Renton , Washington, Charleston , South Carolina, Charleston County, South Carolina, Charleston, Sydney, Auckland , New Zealand

☆ Toyota’s Hybrid-First Strategy Is Delivering Big Profits
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( Neal E. Boudette | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In today’s high-tech, high-stakes auto industry, fortunes can change quickly, and there’s no better example of that right now than Toyota Motor. Not long ago, it looked as if Toyota had fallen dangerously behind in electric vehicles. Tesla, the electric car pioneer, has grown rapidly and become the world’s most valuable automaker. Toyota, however, was more deliberate — or lethargic, its critics would say. Amid all the enthusiasm for electric vehicles in the last few years, it seemed Toyota just didn’t get it.

Organizations: Toyota, Motors, Ford Motor Locations: United States

☆ It's a do-or-die moment for debt-riddled Warner Bros. Discovery's live-sports strategy as it vies for NBA rights
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

WBD generated $6.2 billion of free cash flow through 2023 and likely shelled out around $1.4 billion of that for NBA games. Analysts estimate that figure would be closer to $2 billion if WBD re-ups its NBA package. WBD wants a big NBA deal, despite Wall Street's wishesSixteen months ago, Zaslav said WBD didn't "have to have" the NBA. NBA ratings have been lackluster lately, with national TV games averaging 1.6 million viewers in the last two seasons. Zaslav's latest public remarks on the NBA negotiations reflect that.

Persons: —, Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, Tim Nollen, Max, Jason Bazinet, WBD, David Zaslav, it's, Jessica Reif Ehrlich, Wall, Zaslav, John Hodulik, Chuck, Ernie Johnson Organizations: Service, Basketball Hall of Famers, NBA, TNT, ESPN, Warner Bros, Business, Media, Amazon, NBC, Comcast, Apple, Netflix, WWE, Macquarie, Disney, Fox, Cable, Citigroup, Warners, of America, Street, Zaz, UBS Locations: Shaq

☆ Labor unions, domestic manufacturing groups launch coalition to reform de minimis import loophole
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

-WASHINGTON — Labor unions, domestic manufacturers, business associations and other interest organizations on Wednesday announced a bipartisan coalition to target an import loophole allowing billions of un-taxed goods into the U.S."The coalition we have assembled is a testament to the mounting pressure to close the de minimis loophole," Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., said. The ranking member of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade is working in conjunction with the new Coalition to Close the De Minimis Loophole. CBP said it processed over 1 billion de minimis shipments in FY '23, according to a report last modified on March 1. The company has been valued at over $66 billion according to a November report, while PDD reported third-quarter revenue of $9.44 billion that month. "Our industry has lost astonishingly 10 plants in five months as a result of the de minimis loophole," Glas told reporters.

Persons: Rep, Earl Blumenauer, minimis, Blumenauer, Mike Gallagher, Gallagher, Neal Dunn, Sherrod Brown, Marco Rubio, Dunn, Dan Bishop, Rosa DeLauro, Conn, Shein, PDD, Kim Glas, Glas Organizations: Port, WASHINGTON — Labor, Wednesday, Trade, Coalition, Chinese Communist Party, U.S . Customs, CBP, CNBC, House CCP Committee, PDD Holdings, National Council of Textile Organizations, AFL, Alliance for American Manufacturing, Coalition for, Prosperous Locations: China, Port of Los Angeles, Long Beach , California, U.S, United States, Sens, Ohio, Singapore, Prosperous America

☆ Playing Infinite Craft Is Like Peering Into an A.I.’s Brain
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Kieran Press-Reynolds | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Playing is like peering into an A.I.’s brain, a role-play of what life would look like if regulated by a large language model. Many of Infinite Craft’s recipes make practical sense, but the A.I. also comes up with wild results: Players have uncovered “Bubble Butt Wizard,” “Farming Simulator 2013: Furry Shades of Grey” and an open-mic comedy night at a brewery in Toronto. “Making a game with A.I. is at a weird place,” said Neal Agarwal, Infinite Craft’s solo developer.

Persons: Grey ”, ”, Neal Agarwal Locations: Toronto

☆ Meet a millennial DINK who feels like an outlier in a child-centric world
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-02 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

None of that was true for her, but today she is part of a double-income, no-kids — or DINK — couple. AdvertisementWhile Michelle and her spouse's parents have been supportive, the couple still feels the weight of a culture that's oriented around having kids. There's also a familiar refrain — one that many DINKs come up against — that it's a selfish decision to forego having kids. AdvertisementShe thinks that being a DINK, and opting into it as a lifestyle choice, needs to be more normalized. Are you a DINK or someone grappling with the realities of a child-centric world?

Persons: Michelle, DINK, —, Michelle didn't, DINK —, They've, She's, it's, Zachary P, Neal, Jennifer Watling Neal, childfree, There's, they're Organizations: Service Locations: DINKs, North Carolina, Europe, Orlando, NerdWallet

☆ The Absurd Problem of New York City Trash
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-02 | by ( Emily Badger | Larry Buchanan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +30 min

In New York City, trash has no dedicated space all its own. The Absurd Problem of New York City Trash And the Trade-Offs Required to Fix ItConsider the ubiquitous New York trash bag. The prospect has prompted much snickering: New York’s big idea to clean up trash is to … put it in trash bins? New York City Municipal Archives1913: A century in the past, but the same problems as today. New York City Municipal ArchivesBut those cans overflowed to horrifying effect during the 10-day strike:When New York streets resembled landfills.

Persons: …, that’s, ” Anthony Crispino, “, ” Cole Stallard, Stallard, Gerard Koeppel, Oscar, Neal Boenzi, New York Times Garbage, Larry C, Morris, Meyer Liebowitz, Rudy Giuliani, ‘, ”, Norman Steisel, Eric Adams, Jessica Tisch, Tisch, Hiroko Masuike, Ms, there’s, It’s, ” Harry Nespoli, workarounds, Martin Melosi, Clare Miflin, Miflin, don’t, Benjamin Miller, Martin Robertson, ” Mr, Robertson Organizations: Sanitation Department, New York City Municipal, New York Times, York’s Sanitation Department, Department, York City Municipal, District of Columbia Department of Public, New York, New York Public, The New York Times, City Hall, Avenue, West 22nd, West, Eighth, 21st, West 21st, Bronx Manhattan Queens, Financial, Center, Zero Locations: New York City, stairwells, York, New York, York City, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Washington, Houston, what’s, Chelsea, Erie, Manhattan, ”, New Yorkers, Staten Island, New, East, Bronx, Bronx Manhattan Queens Brooklyn Staten Island, European, Harlem, New York . New York, Relatedly, Brooklyn

☆ Task associates and paralegals are some of the loneliest workers in the country
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-02 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Task associates and paralegals are among the loneliest jobs in the country, a new study shows. Task associates, who stock merchandise in retail stores, reported the highest levels of loneliness, according to a new study from Solitaired. "While that might sound like a job beaming with human interaction with customers, it's not always the case," the study's author, Neal Taparia, told Business Insider. Senior paralegals, in particular, ranked as the second loneliest job, suggesting that the higher up the corporate ladder someone is, the lonelier they might be. And paralegal roles have evolved over the years to include substantive legal work — without the title or pay grade of a full-time lawyer.

Persons: —, it's, Neal Taparia, Taparia, Jasmine Gavigan Organizations: Service

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