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☆ The Inspirations Behind ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Carlos Aguilar | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In the 2018 animated hit “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” Miles Morales, a Brooklyn teenage superhero in development, receives multiple unexpected visits from other dimensions. For the film’s sequel, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” it’s Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore) who must follow Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), a version of Spider-Woman, into new realms where other spider people exist. “It’s almost like we’re jumping from one book to another,” Thompson said. Rick Leonardi, who designed the comic “Spider-Man 2099,” came on board to help devise 3-D animation tools that could emulate his line work. And Brian Stelfreeze, a seasoned artist for Marvel Comics, was instrumental in formulating the film’s take on Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman.

Persons: ” Miles Morales, ” it’s Morales, Shameik Moore, Gwen Stacy, Hailee, Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K, Thompson, Miles, Stan Lee, Steve Ditko’s arachnid, “, ” Thompson, ”, Rick Leonardi, Brian Stelfreeze, Jessica Drew Organizations: Marvel Comics Locations: Brooklyn

[1/5] An eight-year-old male African lion rests on the plains of Kafue National Park, Zambia, September 19, 2020. In the recent assessment, scientists found that more lion cubs were born into Kafue prides from 2018 to 2021. A half-century of intensive poaching has decimated wildlife populations in Africa's third-largest national park, as it has across much of the continent, with Kafue's free-roaming big cats among the victims. Bushmeat poachers have targeted the lions' grass-eating prey, leaving too little behind for the park's 200 or more of these hungry carnivores. "African white-backed vultures will come in really large numbers," said Corinne Kendall, curator of conservation and research at North Carolina Zoo which is leading the program.

Persons: Sebastian Kennerknecht, Kim Young, Overton, Panthera's, Andrew Loveridge, Corinne Kendall, It's, it's, Kendall, Gloria Dickie, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Reuters, Leopards, Africa Parks, Zambia's Department of National Parks and Wildlife, North Carolina Zoo, Thomson Locations: Park, Zambia, Handout, Kafue, Africa, West Africa, London

In the recent assessment, scientists found that more lion cubs were born into Kafue prides from 2018 to 2021. A half-century of intensive poaching has decimated wildlife populations in Africa's third-largest national park, as it has across much of the continent, with Kafue's free-roaming big cats among the victims. [1/5] An eight-year-old male African lion rests on the plains of Kafue National Park, Zambia, September 19, 2020. But the carcasses also attract the critically endangered white-backed vultures, whose population has declined by more than 90% across West Africa in the past 40 years, largely due to poisoning. "African white-backed vultures will come in really large numbers," said Corinne Kendall, curator of conservation and research at North Carolina Zoo which is leading the program.

Persons: Kim Young, Overton, Panthera's, Andrew Loveridge, Sebastian Kennerknecht, Corinne Kendall, It's, it's, Kendall, Gloria Dickie, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Reuters, Leopards, REUTERS, Africa Parks, Zambia's Department of National Parks and Wildlife, North Carolina Zoo, Thomson Locations: Kafue, Park, Zambia, Handout, Africa, West Africa, London

☆ A YouTuber ditched his Tesla for a Mercedes EQS. It came down to quality issues.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Austin Evans said he decided to sell his Tesla Model Y over a variety of small build defects. Evans replaced the Tesla with a Mercedes EQS, which he said feels like a private jet. Tech YouTuber Austin Evans sold his family's 2021 Tesla Model Y because he was fed up with a myriad of quality concerns. In the video, Evans also provided a sneak peek at his new family car, a Mercedes EQS SUV. Evans is one of many Tesla owners to describe quality control issues with the EVs, including issues with panel alignment on the car, paint jobs, and leaks in the cabin.

☆ Despite all odds, consumers are still traveling this summer. Here are the stocks you need to own
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-26 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

Yet despite all odds, 61% of those surveyed said they plan to travel this summer, up from the 49% who said the same in summer 2021. Some 56% of adults are more likely to stay in a hotel this summer than they were in 2022, according to the AHLA/Morning Consult survey. Booking Holdings is also an analyst favorite, with an average rating of overweight and 10% upside to the average price target, per FactSet. While prices are still high, the latest consumer price index for April showed the airline fares index fell 2.6% month over month, after rising in February and March. Airlines are essentially sold out for summer travel, according to TD Cowen analyst Helane Becker.

Persons: Matt Kramer, They're, You've, Sylvia Jablonski, Kramer, Freed, Bernstein, David Vernon, Price, Robin Farley, Farley, James Hardiman, Hardiman, Josh Weinstein's, RevPar, Tony Capuano, Chris Nassetta, Biden, Hilton, they've, Airbnb, Brian Chesky, it's, Evercore, Mark Mahaney, amortization, Mahaney, Cowen, Helane Becker, Becker, — CNBC's Michael Bloom, Ashley Capoot Organizations: KPMG, KPMG Consumer, Survey, Cruise ETF, Royal, Holdings, Marriott, United Airlines, Morning, American, & Lodging Association, Cruises, UBS, Citi, CCL, CNBC, Hilton Worldwide, U.S . Travel Association, State Department, Booking Holdings, Booking, Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Copa Holdings, Panamanian, Copa Airlines Locations: United States, Royal Caribbean, United, Caribbean, CocoCay, Thursday's, China, North America, Asia, Europe

☆ Walmart employees are inundating the company's social-media site with memes making fun of management
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-25 | by ( Ben Tobin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Walmart started using Workplace, a Meta-designed social-media app, in 2017. "Most of the posts I see on Workplace are just memes making fun of management and corporate," a Walmart employee from Minnesota said. On Walmart's Workplace site, the first photo was captioned "using workplace for work-related posts," and the second photo said "using workplace for memes." Just as on Facebook, users have Workplace feeds where they see what other Walmart workers post, with their names attached. The Walmart employee from Michigan said he was "surprised at first" that workers would share memes on Workplace without being anonymous.

☆ Scientists propose long Covid definition based on key symptoms in large study
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-25 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

South_agency | E+ | Getty ImagesScientists funded by the federal government have proposed a definition of long Covid based on symptoms identified in a large study published Thursday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The scientists assigned points based on how much each symptom distinguished participants with long Covid from those who did not catch the virus. There are no tests that can diagnose long Covid based on markers in the blood. Scientists participating in RECOVER are trying to understand the underlying biology that causes long Covid, which could potentially lead to such tests in the future. Horwitz said the proposed definition could help create a rubric to diagnose patients with long Covid in a manner similar to Lupus.

☆ Failures in Ukraine haven't left 'cracks' in Putin's hold on power, German spy chief says, warning Russia has what it needs to wage a long war
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-23 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Germany's spy chief, Bruno Kahl, said there are no "cracks" in Putin's system despite Russia's failures in Ukraine. The Kremlin has gone to extraordinary lengths to stifle opposition to the war in Ukraine. Kahl warned that "Russia is still capable of waging a long-range war" in Ukraine. In this kind of environment, it's difficult to get an accurate read on public sentiment toward the war in Russia. Russia was expected to easily defeat Ukraine, and its failures in the war have raised questions as to whether Putin's firm grip on power in Russia might slip.

So I quickly found a W-2 job and qualified, then quit the job months later and went back to freelancing. Why mortgage lenders get skittish around 1099 contractorsIf W-2 employees fit neatly inside the box occupied by typical, salaried employees, 1099 contractors present a bit like wild cards. While the former have signed a contract and work regular hours according to their employer's needs and schedule, the latter function as independent contractors (often called gig workers) who work job to job. The boxy conventions don't stop there: W-2 employees are paid via their employer's payroll, participate in employee benefit programs, and have payroll taxes withheld throughout the year. Rather than strike out, I balked and applied for and took a W-2 job just to qualify to buy my ex out of his half of equity in our family home.

☆ Russia adapted to the game-changing HIMARS, but Ukraine's new Storm Shadow missiles could put the fear back into its commanders, warfare experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Experts say Russian commanders are now facing logistical headaches and a renewed sense of fear. Warfare experts say Storm Shadow missiles could spark new logistical headaches for Russia, giving Kyiv a massive capability to put the fear back into Moscow's commanders who thought they were safe and out of reach. With an operational range of 155 miles, Storm Shadow will more than triple the distance for Ukraine's long-range strike capabilities. "So the more that these Russian commanders are exposed to Ukrainian fires, I expect their survivability to decrease," Barros said. "Employed well, in conjunction with psychological operations and other capabilities, Storm Shadow offers myriad opportunities to cognitively attack the enemy," he said.

☆ The federal government is rapidly running out of cash as debt ceiling talks hit a new impasse
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The federal government is running out of cash as debt ceiling talks hit a new impasse. The Treasury General Account was $68.3 billion on Wednesday, down from $140 billion on Friday. It's also a considerable drop from the end of April, when the federal government's cash balance was $316 billion. The Treasury General Account is used to pay for debt service on government bonds — preventing the US from defaulting — among the myriad other outlays like entitlements and federal employee salaries. Lawmakers remain at odds on lifting the debt ceiling.

A typical in-state four-year degree is around $100,000 on average, but there are ways to make it cheaper. Dual enrollment, in-state schools, and community college will all be cheaper than many expensive options. Experts have six tips for paying less in tuition, fees and other higher education expenses this year. Earn college credits in high schoolCollege consultant Chad Dorman of Leonard Andrew Consulting says that, in many cases, high school students can earn college credit via dual enrollment. This is especially true if community colleges in your area have reciprocity agreements with nearby four-year schools.

☆ The federal government's bank account just saw a sharp drop in cash as the default deadline looms
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Jason Ma | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The federal government's bank account just saw a sharp drop in cash as the default deadline looms. The Treasury General Account had $87.4 billion on Monday, down from $140 billion on Friday. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen reaffirmed this week that the government could run out of money as soon as June 1. The Treasury General Account had $87.4 billion on Monday, down from $140 billion on Friday, according to the latest update. The Treasury General Account is used to pay for debt service on government bonds — preventing the US from defaulting — among the myriad other outlays like federal employee salaries.

☆ Walmart investors eye margins amid grocery focus
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Siddharth Cavale | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Home improvement chain Home Depot (HD.N) cut its annual forecast on Tuesday, indicating weakness for retailers who sell discretionary merchandise. Yet many shoppers have turned to Walmart for its low-priced basics such as toilet paper, milk, green beans and eggs. Investors such as Charles Sizemore, chief investment officer of Sizemore Capital Management, are looking for any specific hit to Walmart's so called gross profit margin. David Klink, senior equity analyst at Huntington Private Bank, which holds $77 million in Walmart shares, said that if Walmart can re-affirm its margin targets, "that would be very well appreciated by investors." Analysts on average are expecting the retailer to post first quarter margins of 3.7%, according to UBS.

WASHINGTON, May 16 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden continues to hold an edge over potential Republican challengers Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis as the 2024 U.S. presidential election draws closer, according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll. But there are potential hazards ahead for Biden should the situation at the U.S. southern border worsen, the poll shows. In a mid-March Reuters/Ipsos poll, Biden led Trump by five points after trailing him by three points in February. Sixty-three percent of registered voters - including 73% of independents - said they were less likely to support a presidential candidate who backs severe restrictions on abortion. In the poll, 64% of Democrats and 93% of Republicans said they favor a presidential candidate who supports tougher measures to secure the border.

☆ What’s a President to Do When a Nation’s Capital Is Sinking? Move It.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Hannah Beech | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +38 min

A new capital city for a place with such disparities and diversity presents both a challenge and a chance for reinvention. Moving the Seat of Power From Java to Borneo Detail area Malaysia Nusantara Borneo Java Sea Indonesia Jakarta Java Indian Ocean Detail area Malaysia Nusantara Borneo Java Sea Indonesia Jakarta Java Indian Ocean Indonesia’s new capital, Nusantara, will be about 800 miles from the current capital, Jakarta. It cannot be overnight, it’s not like Aladdin comes with his genie,” said Bambang Susantono, the head of the Nusantara Capital City Authority. We have to prove that this will be a self-propelling city.” — Bambang Susantono, head of the Nusantara Capital City AuthorityCritics of I.K.N. Indonesia’s capital city faces sinking land and rising seas.

☆ How Reuters pinpointed bat-virus risk zones worldwide
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +12 min

Areas where conditions are similar are more prone to spillover, scientists say. The Reuters analysis, which assessed spillover risk through 2020, has proven to have some predictive power. Similar statistical models are used widely to analyze data in ecology, and researchers use them to understand spillover risk. More than one of every five people on the planet is living in areas where the risk is highest for spillover. Using epidemic modeling software called GLEAMviz, the news agency simulated a worldwide pandemic originating from the spillover of a theoretical novel virus.

☆ Harvard happiness expert says these 2 common pieces of job advice are 'both terrible'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Arthur Brooks has a happiness formula — and he doesn't think young people hear it enough. Brooks warned new graduates against two common but "terrible" pieces of advice: 1) "Go find a job that you love, and you'll never work a day in your life" and 2) "Go save the world." To expect your day job to solve the world's myriad problems is another recipe for disappointment, he said. Some may guess that the actual ingredients for job satisfaction are money, prestige, power and admiration: "No, no, no," Brooks said. Here are his two answers to finding happiness at work:

☆ Dozens of Democrats defend CFPB at Supreme Court as case threatens its existence
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON — Over 140 current and former Democratic lawmakers filed an amicus brief in the Supreme Court on Monday to defend the country's leading consumer protection agency from challenges to its regulatory authority. Brown chairs the Senate Banking Committee while Waters is the ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee. The Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments in the case in February, four months after a federal appeals court panel unanimously ruled that the CFPB's funding method was unconstitutional. The Biden administration appealed the 5th Circuit's decision to the Supreme Court, but a final decision could be delayed until June 2024 to hear other arguments in the case. In the brief, lawmakers said succinctly that "the judgment should be reversed."

☆ CNN's town hall with President Trump: He's set to face questions from New Hampshire GOP primary voters as legal clouds hang over his 2024 bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Jeremy Herb | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Former President Donald Trump, the frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination, will take questions from New Hampshire Republicans and undeclared voters in a CNN town hall Wednesday as myriad legal issues loom over his 2024 White House bid. New Hampshire, home to the first-in-the-nation GOP primary, is also home to many swing voters. That’s a view many GOP voters share, according to recent surveys. Ron DeSantis, has not yet officially launched a bid – Trump has maintained a healthy lead in early GOP primary polling. Wednesday’s live town hall audience will be made up of Republicans and undeclared voters who plan to vote in the GOP primary.

☆ Carl Icahn's company stock falls as much as 20% after prosecutors seek financial information
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Regulators sought information a day after notable short seller Hindenburg Research took a short position against Icahn's company. The shares fell as much as 20% in morning trading, following a near 25% loss last week. Icahn Enterprises , Carl Icahn's conglomerate, saw its stock drop again Wednesday after a disclosure showed regulators are seeking information regarding its corporate governance. Headquartered in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, Icahn Enterprises is a holding company that invests in a myriad of businesses including energy, automotive, food packaging, metals and real estate. Shares of Icahn Enterprises are now down more than 35% year to date.

☆ Why buzzy weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy cost so much more in the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Trendy weight-loss drugs cost much more in the US than in other countries. The price of semaglutide, the drug sold as Wegovy, was three times higher in the US than in the UK. If you're searching for affordable weight-loss drugs, you may be better off looking outside of the US. New weight-loss drugs are unaffordableGetty ImagesWegovy and Ozempic are part of a class of weight-loss drugs known as GLP-1 agonists that have soared in popularity in recent months. Drug prices are highest in the USThe variation in prices for weight-loss drugs across the world is striking.

☆ Wendy’s, Google Train Next-Generation Order Taker: an AI Chatbot
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Angus Loten | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A Wendy’s drive-through using natural-language AI at a company-operated location in Columbus, Ohio. Photo: Wendy’sWendy’s is automating its drive-through service using an artificial-intelligence chatbot powered by natural-language software developed by Google and trained to understand the myriad ways customers order off the menu. With the move, Wendy’s is joining an expanding group of companies that are leaning on generative AI for growth.

☆ A number of outperforming stocks have bucked macro trends, Jim Cramer says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Rohan Goswami | In Rohangoswamicnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Investors should be wary of bearish strategists who opt for a macro view and instead focus on individual companies, CNBC's Jim Cramer said Monday. In a market where idiosyncratic performers are plentiful, following one-size-fits-all macro advice can leave investors confused, Cramer says. Cramer pointed to outsize performers in myriad industries that would have been written off by those same bearish strategists. Investors might expect that industrial and homebuilding stocks would be suffering given the continued rate hikes, Cramer said. But industrial names like General Electric or Cummins have done extremely well, as have housing stalwarts like KB Home and Lennar , Cramer said.

A group of mostly Democratic senators pressured Tesla CEO Elon Musk to end the company's use of forced arbitration clauses in employee and customer contracts, in a letter on Monday. Forced arbitration clauses in consumer contracts have similarly obscured important details about Tesla's vehicle safety and business practices from the public, the lawmakers wrote. They asked for the same details about sexual harassment complaints from Tesla workers. However, Tesla makes and sells its cars direct to consumers so its forced arbitration clauses cover more than the norm where auto sales are concerned. Tesla uses arbitration clauses as a tactic to shunt people into a forum that's pretty rigged for the corporation."

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