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NEW YORK, April 18 (Reuters) - Burger King is banking on its viral "Whopper Whopper" jingle to lift sales as part of the flagging fast-food chain's turnaround plan, as broader economic uncertainty pushed two big franchisees into bankruptcy. "I'm optimistic about the trajectory of sales in 2023," said U.S. and Canada Burger King president Tom Curtis in an interview, adding that the jingle's fervent success was "unanticipated." Unlike other fast-food chains like Subway that are consolidating restaurant ownership among fewer franchisees, Burger King is expanding the number of owners in its system. This year, two large U.S. Burger King franchisees that run more than 200 locations across at least 10 states have filed for bankruptcy, citing poor sales atop surging costs for labor and goods. "We don't want to diminish the importance of this crisis, but we also will leverage it to bring in new operators," Curtis said.

☆ 5 marketing experts on how to pull off a heritage-month campaign that's authentic and builds trust with the community
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Erica Sweeney | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

"I want all businesses to make people of all stripes feel warm and welcome," he told Insider. "There are times when something can be well-intentioned but could be wildly off," he told Insider. Michelle Thames, founder of Thames Media Solutions. Courtesy of Michelle ThamesAuthentic marketing resonates with people and is more likely to boost brand awareness, said Michelle Thames, founder of Thames Media Solutions in Chicago. "It's definitely important to have a connection instead of just posting a meme and slapping up a picture, which doesn't really resonate," she told Insider.

☆ Jake Gyllenhaal and Jamie Lee Curtis spent the Covid-19 lockdown together
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Marianne Garvey | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —It’s sourdough bread and handstands for Jake Gyllenhaal and Jamie Lee Curtis. Curtis, who won best supporting actress Oscar at lthe 2023 Academy Awards, is friends with Gyllenhaal’s parents, director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner. He and Jeanne lived in the house next door that I have. “He made a lot of sourdough bread, a lot,” Lee said. It also stars Alexander Ludwig, Antony Starr, Bobby Schofield and Jonny Lee Miller.

☆ Western Australia assesses Cyclone Ilsa's 'path of destruction'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, April 15 (Reuters) - Emergency authorities in Western Australia were assessing damage on Saturday from a tropical cyclone that hit the state's northwest, sparing heavily populated areas but affecting several remote communities. Ilsa, downgraded to a severe weather system, made landfall in the sparsely populated Pilbara region of Western Australia early on Friday with an intensity rating of 5, the highest. Western Australia Department of Fire and Emergency Services Assistant Commissioner Rick Curtis said crews were surveying damage in the "very large area" hit by Ilsa. "It’s quite a remote part of Western Australia so getting support services to the area will take some time and effort." Australia's weather forecaster warned of possible severe weather on Saturday in parts of the neighbouring Northern Territory, including potential flooding in the outback town of Alice Springs, as the ex-cyclone tracked east.

☆ Burger King is selling more Whoppers than ever before in early days of its U.S. turnaround
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Amelia Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Seven months after Burger King unveiled a strategy to revive its U.S. business, the chain is selling more Whoppers than ever before. Burger King also held roundtables for general managers in 45 cities. Additionally, Burger King launched its "You Rule" marketing campaign in the fall. The chain's mascot, the Burger King, is nowhere to be seen in the ads. Two Burger King franchisees have filed for bankruptcy so far in 2023.

☆ A 25-year-old entrepreneur shares the marketing budget she uses to build her successful professional and personal brands
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Alexandra York | Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Alexa Curtis, the founder of a blog and mentorship company, shares her $5,000 monthly budget. She says social media, marketing, and personal branding are the most important investments. For her personal brand, she spends about $350 each month on a branding coach who helps her decide what message she wants to project through her work. But GrasshoppHer relies more on monthly and annual membership fees to grow, and the new business has more opportunities for sponsorships, Curtis said. courtesy of CurtisSince merging companies, "it's becoming less of a personal brand," Curtis said.

☆ Blogs are a low-lift but high-reward tool for starting your own business. Two founders share tips for how to use blogs to stand out and prove credibility.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Alexandra York | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

They share best practices for search-engine optimization and choosing the right blog platform. "The blog is the thing that supports your mission, that continues to prove your credibility and value to people," Dunlap said. Dunlap and Curtis shared their tips for launching a blog, including leveraging search-engine optimization and choosing the right platform. Dunlap said SEO should play into every aspect of a blog post, including the browser title, post title, URL, blog copy, and image captions. "If a brand is paying me for a social-media post, I offer a sponsored blog post for an extra amount," she said.

☆ A simple rule can help you build a savings habit, says advisor: ‘Do it no matter what’
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Budgeting and saving money may seem challenging — but the 50-30-20 rule is an easy way for people to get started, said Cathy Curtis, a certified financial planner based in Oakland, California. When using the 50-30-20 rule, you should "pay yourself first," said Curtis, founder of Curtis Financial Planning and a member of CNBC's Advisor Council. In other words, set aside the 20% for savings and debt immediately, and then budget the remainder (for needs and wants) afterward. "Saving [for the future] is as important as every other expense you have," she said. If you don't, it might mean not having enough money to fund your lifestyle later in life, perhaps even living in poverty, Curtis said.

The movie about a Chinese-American laundromat owner struggling to finish her taxes also claimed three acting awards, for lead female actor Michelle Yeoh and supporting actors Ke Huy Quan and Jamie Lee Curtis. The film honorees are closely watched because actors make up the largest group of voters for March 12's Academy Awards. Quan, a former child star who had given up on acting for years, claimed the trophy for male actor in a supporting role. Jamie Lee Curtis, who played an exacting tax agent in "Everything Everywhere," claimed the award for female actor in a supporting role. Brendan Fraser won best male movie actor for "The Whale."

☆ George Santos has been accused of lying constantly. This is what experts say about the psychology of compulsive liars.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Experts said pathological lying could exist on its own or be a feature of a personality disorder. What drives compulsive liars, and is George Santos one? Many psychologists say compulsive lying is often a feature of a personality disorder, such as antisocial-personality disorder or narcissistic-personality disorder. Curtis explained that it is important to distinguish people who are just pathological liars, and those that engage in pathological lying as part of a personality disorder — a key difference being that pathological liars do typically exhibit some remorse about lying. "That is unusual for him and unusual for many of the cases that we've explored of pathological liars," Hart said.

Add to that mix the classic 60/40 portfolio model — a standard investing benchmark — that helps investors achieve that last point. Below, CNBC Select spoke to two financial professionals about how novices can put a 60/40 portfolio strategy in action. Once you're ready to invest, here are four simple ways to start putting money into a 60/40 portfolio. Vanguard Learn More Minimum deposit and balance Minimum deposit and balance requirements may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. Wealthfront Learn More Minimum deposit and balance Minimum deposit and balance requirements may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected.

☆ Reported tornado causes damage east of Houston
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Strong winds damaged commercial buildings, homes and power lines in nearby Pasadena, a city southeast of Houston. Utility poles and power lines were downed, and several vehicles, including a trailer, were damaged or flipped over in a parking lot. A home is damaged in Pasadena, Texas, where a tornado was reported to have passed Tuesday. In Baytown, there were downed power lines and damage to homes and businesses, but no reports of serious injuries, said Baytown spokesperson Jason Calder. People cross under downed power lines where a tornado was reported on Jan. 24, 2023, in Pasadena, Texas.

☆ UV light from gel manicures can cause cancer-causing mutations, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Kristen Rogers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

In fact, the results reaffirm the reason why some dermatologists have changed the way they get their gel manicures or have stopped getting them altogether. “Tanning beds are listed as carcinogenic and UV nail lamps are mini tanning beds for your nails in order to cure the gel nail,” Curtis said. “I would recommend alternatives to gel nails, such as the new wraps that are available online.” (Gel nail wraps or strips are stick-on gel nail products that don’t always require being set by UV nail dryers.) Some salons use LED lights, which “are thought to emit either no UV light or much, much lower amounts,” Lipner said. Russak doesn’t get gel manicures very often but uses sunscreen and gloves when she does, she said.

Persons: ”, Julia Curtis, wasn’t, ” Curtis, Ludmil Alexandrov, ” Alexandrov, Julie Russak, Russak wasn’t, there’s, ” Russak, Shari Lipner, Lipner wasn’t, Curtis, “, ” Lipner, Lipner, —, Russak, Joshua Zeichner Organizations: CNN, Nature Communications, University of Utah, UCAR Center for Science Education, University of California, Dermatology, Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical Center, Mount Sinai Locations: San Diego, New York City, corneocytes, Mount

The study didn't look at real people, however: The researchers exposed cells derived from humans and mice to UV light from nail dryers. Previous studies have linked only a few instances of skin cancer to gel manicures. Scientists will need to study the effects of UV nail dryers in actual humans before they can make definitive conclusions about cancer risk, she added. Even so, Curtis and Zhivagui said that in their own lives, they don't ever get manicures that require UV nail dryers. Davis said some people may decide that exposure to UV radiation from gel manicures just isn't worth the gamble, given how much we still don't know.

☆ Barclays upgrades AMD, says semiconductor maker can maintain server leadership while branching out
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Advanced Micro Devices could rally as it maintains server leadership and branches out in other areas of technology, Barclays said. Analyst Blayne Curtis upgraded the semiconductor maker to overweight from equal weight. "We would like to see AMD capture more of the AI opportunity and are intrigued by its recently announced MI300 (CPU+GPU shipping in 2H23)." In addition to AMD, Curtis upgraded Qualcomm and Seagate Technology to overweight from equal weight given his improved outlook for companies with exposure to data centers, personal computers and headsets. On the other hand, he downgraded Applied Materials and KLA to underweight from equal weight and Veeco Instruments to equal weight from overweight, citing continued challenges for wafer fab equipment.

☆ As climate change makes wildfires worse, FEMA faced with calls to change
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Sharon Bernstein | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Building at the bottom of a hill would keep the station from experiencing the worst fires, which tend to run uphill. But Mayor Chris Rogers says the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) denied funding in part due to rules designed to protect infrastructure harmed in storms from flood damage, saying the proposed new location was in a flood zone. Devastating fires in Santa Rosa and communities elsewhere in California led survivors to press for changes in the way the agency handles wildfires. In Santa Rosa, a midsized city about 55 miles north of San Francisco, the Tubbs Fire in 2017 raced through established suburban areas, jumping six lanes of highway, destroying homes. But without help from FEMA, it has taken a while to put together rebuilding resources, Rogers said.

☆ Asia's year in review: Who had it good — and who had it bad — in 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Curtis Chin | Jose Collazo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

As the new year approaches, we turn again to our annual look at Asia's winners and losers. Government and business leaders in every major economy — China now included — may well hope 2023 is the year when draconian pandemic-related lockdowns become a matter of history. Underscoring the Taiwanese tech industry's critical role, a Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA)/Boston Consulting Group 2021 study found that 92% of the world's most advanced semiconductor manufacturing capacity is located in Taiwan. With numbers like those, Taiwan's semiconductor industry ends the year on the move, still building ties and winning growing support from business and government in the United States and elsewhere. Mixed Year: Asia's 'love' for cryptoAs in much of the world, investors in Asia — once bedazzled if not bewitched by the crypto industry — end the year in a mixed mood.

☆ Jamie Lee Curtis says 'the single greatest thing' she can do for her legacy is remain sober
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Gabi Stevenson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Jamie Lee Curtis said the best thing she could do for her legacy was to remain sober. The actor spoke about sobriety with Colin Farrell for Variety's "Actors on Actors" series. Curtis said maintaining sobriety would stop a "generational issue in my biological family." AdvertisementJamie Lee Curtis has said she wants her legacy to show that she maintained her sobriety from drugs. In a conversation with Colin Farrell for Variety's "Actors on Actors" series published Saturday, Curtis discussed how staying sober could impact her legacy not just as an actor but as a person.

Persons: Jamie Lee Curtis, Colin Farrell, Variety's, Curtis, — Organizations: Service, Business

[1/3] A natural gas flare on an oil well pad burns as the sun sets outside Watford City, North Dakota January 21, 2016. REUTERS/Andrew Cullen/File PhotoWASHINGTON, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Major energy companies are not doing enough to prevent the worst effects climate change despite public promises to fight the problem, a U.S. House panel said about documents released on Friday that it got in a probe. Shell's Smith said the House panel's probe failed to uncover evidence of a climate disinformation campaign. "Today's new evidence makes clear that these companies know their climate pledges are inadequate, but are prioritizing Big Oil’s record profits over the human costs of climate change." The House panel previously released a memo on Sept. 14 showing that oil majors "greenwashed" their record on climate change "through deceptive advertising and climate pledges - without meaningfully reducing emissions."

☆ ‘Love Actually’ director feels ‘a bit stupid’ about movie’s lack of diversity
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Every year, as the days grow colder and Christmas draws nearer, “Love Actually” quickly becomes a festive favorite on people’s television screens. But nearly 20 years on from the release of the 2003 romantic comedy, the movie has faced scrutiny over its story lines and lack of diversity. He was speaking to Diane Sawyer as part of a documentary on ABC News titled: “The Laughter & Secrets of Love Actually: 20 Years Later.”“Love Actually” features interweaving story lines, following several romantic relationships. Hugh Grant plays the British prime minister who falls in love with his assistant, played by Martine McCutcheon. Universal/Dna/Working Title/Koba/ShutterstockNearly 20 years on, “Love Actually” remains popular, becoming a staple of the holiday season.

☆ NFL roundup: Joe Burrow helps Bengals get revenge vs. Steelers
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

Both of Herbert's touchdown passes were caught by Joshua Palmer, who finished with eight catches for 106 yards. Quarterback Marcus Mariota paced Atlanta's offense with 131 passing yards, a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown. Hurts finished with 190 passing yards and 86 passing yards. Saints 27, Rams 20Andy Dalton threw three touchdown passes as host New Orleans defeated Los Angeles, which lost Matthew Stafford to a possible concussion. Kirk Cousins was ineffective in the passing game, totaling 105 yards through the air while completing 12 of 23 passes.

☆ Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried and allies lose influence in Washington as company collapses
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried and his allies are losing advocates in Washington, as the company hits rock bottom. 2 Senate Democrat told CNBC on Monday that the contribution "will be donated to an appropriate charity." It was announced in February that FTX and FTX US were joining the group's board of directors. A spokesman for the crypto trade group told CNBC that "on Thursday, ADAM removed FTX.com and FTX.US from its membership." The lobbying group is led by the former Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge.

[1/2] A woman uses her mobile phone as she walks past in front of an Optus shop in Sydney, Australia, February 8, 2018. This week 37 countries, including Australia, will meet at the White House with the goal of tackling ransomware and other cyber crime. Australian cybersecurity insurance premiums rose by an average of 56% year-on-year in the second quarter, said insurer Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc (MMC.N). The average Australian cybersecurity base salary is A$105,000, according to jobs website Glassdoor. Neil Curtis, an Australian cybersecurity executive of U.S. technology contractor DXC Technology Co (DXC.N), who runs a programme retraining military veterans in cybersecurity, said he had requests for about 300 trained personnel in the next six months.

☆ Airline apologizes after a woman says she was forced to crawl off a plane because staff couldn't provide a wheelchair
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A woman says she was forced to crawl off a plane after staff couldn't provide a wheelchair for her. Natalie Curtis was traveling from Singapore to Bangkok with the Australian budget airline, Jetstar. Curtis told the Australian Channel 7 breakfast show, Sunrise, that she was offered a standard aisle wheelchair to board the flight in Singapore. Curtis told the news channel that the incident may have resulted from a language barrier between herself and airline staff. A spokesperson for Jetstar told Insider the airline had apologized for the incident and clarified that it did not charge for wheelchair use.

☆ How Yasmin Curtis turned her Chicago restaurant's seafood boil into a frozen product and made $2.6 million in 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

During the pandemic, she broadened her customer base by selling her seafood boil in grocery stores. Creating a frozen product from her signature seafood boilTwo Fish sells seafood boil with shrimp and snow-crab legs. Two FishBefore the pandemic, Two Fish Crab Shack had an average wait time of 2 ½ hours to get a table. Two Fish Crab ShackBillboards to reach new demographicsWhen Curtis was first getting her frozen product into stores, she turned to an old-school marketing method: billboards. She's also expanded her frozen seafood boil to include corn and potatoes, which appealed to customers who wanted quick, complete dinners.

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