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The fragile state of the American economy and the euro zone’s surprise resilience could leave the European Central Bank as the lone hawk among major rate-setting institutions. Investors can benefit from the split by favouring the euro and European equities. Yields on 10-year U.S government bonds have dropped by 17 basis points to 3.62%, while equivalent German sovereign debt yields 2.29% – 15 basis points less than at the start of the year. By November it could be down to 150 basis points. On Feb. 2 the European Central Bank increased its key rate by 50 basis points to 2.5%, its fifth successive hike.

☆ Google just introduced Bard, a new rival and competition for ChatGPT
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The technology is powered by LaMDA, a large language model Google unveiled in May 2021. On Monday, Pichai unveiled its Bard AI service in a blog post on Google's website, which he described as "an experimental conversational AI service." Bard is powered by LaMDA, a language model trained on dialogue that Google announced in May 2021. Pichai noted that Bard will draw on information from the web to provide "fresh, high-quality responses." However, Pichai noted that Google is releasing Bard with a "lightweight model version of LaMDA."

"(The balloon can) induce and mobilise the enemy's air defence system, providing the conditions for the implementation of electronic reconnaissance, assessment of air defence systems' early warning detection and operational response capabilities," the researchers wrote. Balloons are also used for scientific purposes such as weather monitoring, including by the likes of the China Meteorological Administration. "In response to the growing threat posed by ground-based air defence systems to air attack forces, it is necessary to use cheap air balloons to create active and passive interference to effectively suppress enemy air defence early warning systems and cover air attack forces to carry out their missions," it argued. TECHNOLOGY PURCHASESChinese military units and state-run research institutes have bought high-altitude balloons and related technology in the past two years, a Reuters analysis of government tenders shows, though the documents are heavily redacted. The Aerospace Information Research Institute, part of the official Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), is among state institutions to have shown interest in balloons, frequently publishing articles about high-altitude balloons on an official WeChat account.

☆ U.S. credit card debt jumps 18.5% and hits a record $930.6 billion
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

On the heels of another rate hike this week by the Federal Reserve, credit card annual percentage rates are already near 20%, on average, and set to climb even higher. At the same time, more consumers are leaning on credit to afford increasingly expensive necessities, like food and rent. That helped propel total credit card debt to a record $930.6 billion at the end of 2022, a 18.5% spike from a year earlier, according to the latest quarterly report by TransUnion. For now, the unemployment rate is at a 53-year low, after a better-than-expected January jobs report. How to tackle high-interest credit card debt

☆ Some Neanderthals couldn't smell their own stink, suggests a new study recreating early humans' noses
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Meanwhile, one group of a related species — Neanderthals — developed a mutation that could have spared them the smell of their own body odors. It's a popular idea that humans have a bad sense of smell, as compared with dogs, for instance. Will Oliver/PA Images/Getty"We have to really understand ourselves within our own context," rather than comparing humans to dogs or monkeys, as previous research on smell receptors has done, Hoover said. To Hoover's surprise, the Neanderthals, Denisovan, and humans all appeared to have the same repertoire of smells. More research like it, with more samples of ancient genomes, could reveal a clearer picture of Neanderthal and Denisovan life.

☆ A couple trying to rent an Airbnb in Texas were turned away after the host learned they were gay. It's the short-term-rental giant's latest problem with discrimination.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Dan Latu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Curtis Kimberlin Jr. and his boyfriend booked an Airbnb in Dallas to travel to a wedding. Curtis Kimberlin Jr. and his boyfriend, Jonathan, sent a booking request to the host, whom NBC 5 identified only as Pete. Airbnb told Insider the host was no longer on the short-term-rental site. The American nonprofit Color of Change has found that guests perceived to be Black were less likely to be accepted than guests perceived to be white. Kimberlin told NBC 5 that he and his boyfriend accepted accommodations for the wedding weekend from Hilton after the hotel chain's account responded to Kimberlin's tweet.

☆ Wait until age 70 to claim Social Security: 'The return on being patient is huge,' says economist
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"The return on being patient is huge with Social Security," Kotlikoff said. Why it pays to wait to claim Social SecurityEligibility for Social Security retirement benefits starts at age 62 for workers who have earned 40 credits, or 10 years of qualifying work. Those contributions count toward the Social Security retirement benefits workers may claim later in life. For each year delayed past full retirement age, 8% is added to Social Security benefits. The return for waiting to claim Social Security benefits may also beat stock market returns, which are highly risky, Kotlikoff noted.

☆ Fed opts for small rate hikes, expects to deliver 'ongoing increases'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The decision lifted the benchmark overnight interest rate to a range between 4.50% and 4.75%, a move widely anticipated by investors and flagged by U.S. central bankers ahead of this week's two-day policy session. MARKET REACTION:STOCKS: U.S. stocks fell after the Fed statement, but the Nasdaq recovered, last flat on the day. RYAN DETRICK, CHIEF MARKET STRATEGIST, CARSON GROUP, OMAHA"The Fed threw no curve balls, as they did what was widely expected. The door is cracking open to end rate hikes, but they still have a chance for one more rate hike at the next meeting." How close are we now with ending the rate hike cycle, when it’s clear employment costs are slowing?"

☆ Tyre Nichols' death has reignited the debate around police brutality. Here are 5 proven ways to reduce it - and 2 strategies that don't work.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Michelle Mark | Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Here are five proven, data-based changes that could make a difference, and two approaches that don't seem to work, according to Campaign Zero. Track complaints about officers' use of forceMost complaints against officers aren't public, making them hard to track. These changes, along with requiring departments to report and publish online data on all uses of force, could reduce police violence. Body cameras are another method that haven't been proven effective when it comes to excessive force instances. Research has shown that 93% of prosecutors' offices have used body cameras mostly in cases against citizens, not against police.

☆ For the lucky workers who survive layoffs, anxiety and heavier workloads rule
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | Rebecca Knight | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Employees who were kept on told Insider they felt anxious about their job security and overworked. And while those who've lost their jobs are experiencing tremendous financial and professional uncertainty, evidence suggests that workers who survive layoffs also suffer. In June 2020, Hannah was unexpectedly told she was being put into a redundancy pool with seven other colleagues. "There wasn't a lot of time to process the whole thing," Hannah told Insider. "You become very acutely aware that you are dispensable," Hannah told Insider.

☆ Fact Check-Cleveland Clinic study did not conclude eggs are causing thousands of blood clots
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A 2017 study by Cleveland Clinic researchers did not find a direct link between egg consumption and blood clotting, the study authors told Reuters. Users online are sharing a headline that misrepresents these findings to say scientists are now warning that eggs are causing blood clots in thousands of people and the clots are really a COVID-19 vaccine side effect. Reuters reported on the 2017 study at the time of its publication (here). “The research did not show a direct link between egg consumption and ‘suddenly forming blood clots,’” they said. Researchers of the referenced 2017 study did not warn that egg consumption would cause thousands of people to form blood clots.

The Biden administration is proposing to allow people to check off Hispanic or Latino as their race. Currently people of such origin are included in the white category, something people in the MENA category have advocated to be changed for three decades, the proposal states. "The nation does periodically examine how it asks about race and ethnicity and the ways we report out those findings can be important," Mark Hugo Lopez, director of race and ethnicity research for Pew Research Center, said Thursday. The Census Bureau defines Hispanic or Latino as an ethnicity, not a race. For example, people could check white and then check boxes for Italian, German or other countries of origin and also check American Indian or Hispanic or Latino and then check Mexican or Mexican American or Puerto Rican and others.

☆ The secret to having successful relationships and being a superstar manager comes down to 2 words
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Natasha Piñon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Psychologists Dr. John Gottman and Dr. Julie Schwartz Gottman, who studied 40,000 couples, found those simple words were the No. For starters, saying "thank you" is good for your health — no matter the context. In his 2022 book "Say Thank You for Everything: The Secrets of Being a Great Manager," Edwards outlines 19 things every new manager needs to learn — and saying "thank you" is the kicker. Two out of every three workers surveyed said their manager could improve at giving in-the-moment, positive feedback. Managers can start by saying "thank you" for small, everyday tasks.

☆ India's Adani Group says evaluating action against Hindenburg Research
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BENGALURU, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Adani Group said on Thursday it is evaluating "remedial and punitive action" under U.S. and Indian laws against short-seller Hindenburg Research, which in a report accused the conglomerate of improper use of offshore tax havens. In a statement to Indian exchanges, Adani Group head of legal, Jatin Jalundhwala, called the report by the U.S. research group "maliciously mischievous, (and) unresearched". "We are evaluating the relevant provisions under U.S. and Indian laws for remedial and punitive action against Hindenburg Research," the statement said. The report has "adversely affected the Adani Group, our shareholders and investors. It also said key listed Adani companies had "substantial debt" which has put the entire group on a "precarious financial footing".

☆ Ketamine is being sold as a depression wonder drug. For some, it's making everything worse.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Anna Silman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +42 min

The infusions at the ketamine clinic in his West Texas hometown were a Christmas gift from his grandmother. About five years ago, more and more of my friends started using ketamine recreationally. IV ketamine treatment centers charging $400 to $2,000 an infusion popped up all over the country. "Ketamine used as directed in an appropriate clinical setting very rarely leads to any dependence," Mindbloom says on its website. Like Nadia, most of the people I interviewed said when they started using ketamine, they didn't think it was possible to become dependent on it.

☆ Generation X carries the most credit card debt, study shows. Here's how to get those balances down
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Sarah O'Brien | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Maskot | Digitalvision | Getty ImagesWhen it comes to credit card debt, Generation X may be struggling the most. "I think Gen Xers can be especially squeezed by credit card debt because they're living expensive years right now," said Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst for CreditCards.com. The cost of carrying credit card debt has become higherCredit card balances across all age groups hit $930 billion in the third quarter of 2022, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's latest quarterly report on household debt. The average credit card now charges a record-high 20.16%, Rossman said. Those calculations, made using Credit Karma's credit card calculator, also assume no additional credit card debt was incurred while paying off that amount.

☆ Are jerks more likely to get ahead at work?
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Aki Ito | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Even worse, all the cutthroat role models we're surrounded by at work make us hesitant about being nice ourselves. In the social sciences, the technical term for jerks — those who are combative, selfish, and manipulative — is "disagreeable." Call this the jerk way. All in all, being a jerk doesn't help you get ahead — but it also doesn't hurt. Sutton's no-asshole rule has become widely adopted, and businesses like Atlassian have overhauled their performance reviews in part to ensure that "brilliant jerks" can't get ahead.

☆ Digital twins are set for rapid adoption in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( Bob Violino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

This avatar is a personalised, hyper-realistic, 3D, #seriezero digital twin that they can use to interact on digital platforms and in the metaverse. In life sciences, digital twins are being used to create twins of human organs, enabling new approaches to medical research and care, Diana said. "We are going to see digital twins adopted rapidly in 2023, in many different industries," Diana said. Digital twins are gaining momentum in adoption and sophistication as more organizations see positive outcomes from the early adopters, Barrington said. "As more twins of critical assets and processes come online, leaders will leverage digital twins to not only model and simulate their supply chain, but to optimize and automate a dynamic and intelligent supply chain model — all orchestrated by digital twins," Barrington said.

☆ I have visual-snow syndrome. This is what it's like living with static-like vision 24/7.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Paola Rosa-Aquino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Sierra Domb is the CEO and founder of the Visual Snow Initiative and has visual-snow syndrome. I immediately contacted the doctor who wrote the article, and he subsequently diagnosed me with visual-snow syndrome. When I first experienced the onset of visual-snow syndrome, I wasn't even aware there were other people out there who had it too. This graphic showcases the vision of someone without visual-snow syndrome, on the left, and the vision of someone with visual snow, on the right. Visual Snow InitiativePeople might link their visual snow to a specific incident.

The only HIV vaccine in a late-stage trial has failed, researchers announced Wednesday, dealing a significant blow to the effort to control the global HIV epidemic and adding to a decadeslong roster of failed attempts. “I don’t think that people should give up on the field of the HIV vaccine,” Fauci said. Fauci said that a critical limitation of the Mosaico vaccine was that it elicited what are known as non-neutralizing — as opposed to neutralizing — antibodies against HIV. As with the Thai trial, the hope is to channel research findings into future HIV vaccine development. To prove a vaccine works, researchers must recruit participants who remain at substantial risk of HIV over time.

☆ Netflix reality TV head on how doc series 'Break Point' can become a 'Drive to Survive' for pro tennis — and whether the streamer's sports doc success will lead it into live sports
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Elaine Low | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Formula 1 racing saw a boost in TV viewership and fandom since Netflix began streaming docuseries "Drive to Survive." Amid a boom in sports docs, the streamer is looking for another hit in tennis series "Break Point." Netflix unscripted TV head Brandon Riegg spoke to Insider about the streamer's ambitions in live sports. Netflix execs and tennis fans are hoping that "Break Point," the streamer's new docuseries centered on the 2022 Grand Slam season, can be the racket sport's "Drive to Survive." "I wouldn't be surprised," Netflix VP of unscripted and docuseries Brandon Riegg told Insider the day before "Break Point" premiered.

☆ Stores say shoplifting is a national crisis. The numbers don’t back it up
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Videos of brazen shoplifting incidents, like this one posted to social media in 2021, have turned retail theft into a national issue. The metric incorporates inventory losses caused by external theft, including organized retail crime, employee theft, human errors, vendor fraud, damaged or mismarked items and other losses. Whatever the numbers say, though, retailers maintain that organized retail crime has gotten worse. Organized retail crime typically refers to large-scale retail theft and fraud by groups of professional shoplifters who conspire to steal and resell stolen merchandise. The NRF estimates that organized retail crime costs companies an average of just 7 cents for every $100 in sales.

☆ What happens to the human brain during a near-death experience that can trigger vivid memories and bizarre spiritual encounters
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Erin Heger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

But people who have had a near-death experience (NDE) typically report feeling peace, comfort, and calm throughout the ordeal. What a near-death experience feels likeNDEs can trigger a lot of peculiar sensations, including feeling like you're floating above your body or an out-of-body experience. What a near-death experience does to the brainThe temporal lobe, highlighted here, is responsible for language and visual memory, among other things. It might differ based on cultural or spiritual beliefs, but it is essentially the same," San Filippo said. "That leads us to believe that a near-death experience is a transpersonal experience happening outside of the brain."

110 30% 50 70 90 150 200 300 400 Short-term view: Past month Long-term view: Past 3 years Redding Redding Sacramento Sacramento San Francisco San Francisco Fresno Fresno Los Angeles Los Angeles San Diego San Diego 110 30% 50 70 90 150 200 300 400 Short-term view: Past month Long-term view: Past 3 years Redding Redding Sacramento Sacramento San Francisco San Francisco Fresno Fresno Los Angeles Los Angeles San Diego San Diego 110 30% 50 70 90 150 200 300 400 Short-term view: Past month Long-term view: Past 3 years Redding Redding Sacramento Sacramento San Francisco San Francisco Fresno Fresno Los Angeles Los Angeles San Diego San Diego 110 30% 50 70 90 150 200 300 400 Short-term view: Past month Redding Sacramento San Francisco Fresno Los Angeles San Diego Long-term view: Past 3 years Redding Sacramento San Francisco Fresno Los Angeles San Diego 110 30% 50 70 90 150 200 300 400 Short-term view: Past month Redding Sacramento San Francisco Fresno Los Angeles San Diego Long-term view: Past 3 years Redding Sacramento San Francisco Fresno Los Angeles San Diego 110 30% 50 70 90 150 200 300 400 Short-term view: Past month Long-term view: Past 3 years Redding Redding Sacramento Sacramento San Francisco San Francisco Fresno Fresno Los Angeles Los Angeles San Diego San Diego Source: PRISM Climate Group at Oregon State University Note: Data from the past six months is preliminary. California has built its water infrastructure — reservoirs, wells and irrigation systems — in part to account for the imbalanced timing in precipitation. California has a naturally variable climate: Periods of drought are punctuated by periods of wetter weather. A chart shows average snow water equivalent levels for each water year from 2003 through Jan. 17, 2023. Atmospheric rivers don’t always bring more snow; storms can actually shrink the snowpack if precipitation falls as rain instead of snow at high elevations.

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☆ Here's where to look for the next developments in the fight against Alzheimer's disease
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Christina Cheddar Berk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 5.8 million Americans were living with the disease in 2020 . BIIB 6M mountain Biogen's stock is trading well above its lows Leqembi treats Alzheimer's disease by targeting amyloid-beta plaques in the brain. Attention shifts to Eli Lilly Shares of other Alzheimer's drug developers have often mirrored Biogen's moves. Small drug developers Smaller Alzheimer's drug developers have also been boosted by research developments. Still in an early stage of its research, Prothena has traded as a proxy for developments in Alzheimer's treatment.

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