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☆ A rare 'wanted' poster for John Wilkes Booth after Lincoln assassination sold at auction for over $160,000
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Zoe Sottile | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A rare reward poster seeking the capture of the men responsible for President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination has sold at auction for $166,375. The poster, printed on April 20, 1865, advertises a total of $100,000 in rewards for the capture of John Wilkes Booth and his accomplices. Booth fatally shot Lincoln on April 14, 1865, at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, DC. Bidding for the document started at $100,000, according to a news release from Nate D. Sanders Auctions, which sold the poster on Thursday. The piece is from the first printing of the poster and is the rarest of three different poster designs released by the War Department, says the auction house.

☆ Moderna's billionaire CEO draws criticism for earning nearly $400 million in stock options last year, and then getting a raise on top of it
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

French businessman Stéphane Bancel made $393 million in stock options in 2022, according to securities filings. Bancel, 50, also owns stocks valued around at least $2.8 billion, and received a 50% raise from 2021 to 2022. Moderna's chief executive officer Stéphane Bancel raked in about $393 million in 2022 thanks to stock options, and then received a raise on top of it — compensation that's giving some analysts pause. In addition to exercising his stock options in 2022, 50-year-old Bancel earned a $1.5 million salary — a 50% jump from 2021, according to securities filings from March. Meanwhile, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy's pay dropped from $212 million in 2021 to $1.3 million in 2022 due to receiving any stock awards.

☆ Opinion | Why I Don’t Worry About Nuclear Waste
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Madison Hilly | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

On a visit to the site of the Fukushima nuclear plant meltdown in Japan in February, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York did something refreshing: She discussed radiation exposure and nuclear waste without fanning fear. So it’s no surprise that many Americans believe nuclear waste poses an enormous and terrifying threat. We must stop seeing nuclear waste as a dangerous problem and instead recognize it as a safe byproduct of carbon-free power. The countries that have cleaned up their electricity production the fastest have generally done so with hydroelectric power, nuclear, or a combination of the two. The International Energy Agency believes it’s so crucial that global nuclear capacity must double by 2050 to reach net-zero emissions targets.

☆ Amazon's $300 million new spy series 'Citadel' debuts to mediocre reviews and could be another high-profile miss for the streamer
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Amazon's ambitious new spy series, "Citadel," starring Priyanka Chopra, premiered today. Costing as much as an estimated $300 million, it stands to be one of the most expensive series ever made. It has a 56% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 41 reviews. Amazon has a lot riding on its new ambitious spy series, "Citadel," but so far critics are less than impressed. Rotten Tomatoes deems a 60% score or less to be "rotten."

Kids in Hammond, Indiana, are forced to climb over and through stopped trains block their way to school. Jamie Kelter Davis for ProPublicaState lawmakers have tried to curb blocked crossings by restricting the lengths of trains. Spielmaker, the Norfolk Southern spokesperson, said: "We work with first responders on a daily basis to assist however we can. A favorable court opinion could allow other states to finally enforce their laws on blocked crossings. Among those who hope to voice their concerns about the blocked crossings are rail workers themselves who worry about the kids.

☆ The Big Tech stock rally is over for now – but the equity market could still approach record highs this year, veteran investor says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Zinya Salfiti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Big Tech stock rally has run its course, but the broader equity market will still approach record highs this year, according to the chairman of Sanders Morris Harris. Tech stocks have surged this year, rebounding after a tough 2022. "We expect the broader markets to move back near record highs at some point in 2023, but it won't likely be because of Big Tech," George Ball told Fortune on Tuesday. Tech stocks have rallied this year, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite up nearly 14% year to date, recovering after a tough 2022. But in order to rise toward record highs, further major increases in the key stock indexes would be required, Ball suggested.

☆ Limit access to most secret US documents, Senate intel panel head says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, April 23 (Reuters) - Too many people have access to the U.S. government's closest secrets and a central entity should oversee the classification process, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee said on Sunday, addressing leaks of documents in an online chat group. The United States has numerous intelligence gathering entities and Warner said the situation needed to be dealt with. "We need somebody fully in charge of the whole classification process and I think for those classified documents there ought to be a smaller universe," he said. As an example, Warner said the National Security Agency has suffered leaks in the past and internal controls limit the copying of documents. Warner also said that not everyone handling a document needs to see the whole document and that just seeing the header could be enough.

☆ How HBO survived merger after merger and changed television forever
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Darren Geeter | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The network has survived merger after merger with one of the mergers, AOL Time Warner, considered the worst deal in modern American corporate history. The birth of HBO coincided with the modernization of television across the United States with the emergence of cable in the 1960s and 70s. HBO debuted on November 8, 1972, and it was one of the first paid television networks with 344 total subscribers in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania. We're going to have to do original series," Bewkes told CNBC. The Time Warner era ushered in a multiplex model for HBO to reduce churn and debuted original programming "Dream On" and "The Larry Sanders Show."

☆ Opinion | Will Biden Face a Democratic Challenger?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Ross Douthat | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Biden has also avoided the kind of gambits and defeats that might leave a large constituency ready to revolt. None of this eliminates the difficulty of imagining his campaign for four more years. But it’s outstripped by the difficulty of seeing how any serious and respectable force inside the Democratic Party could be organized to stop it. However, as the Trump era has taught us, the serious and the respectable aren’t the only forces in American politics; disreputability has potency as well. Right now there’s no clear opening for a major rival like Newsom to replace Biden as the Democratic nominee.

☆ Deion Sanders Launches College Football’s Loudest and Most Extreme Makeover
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Laine Higgins | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The University of Colorado football team had the dubious honor of being the worst among major conferences in 2022. The Buffs won a single game and lost the remaining 11 by an average of more than 32 points. Yet Colorado has already sold out of season tickets for the 2023 campaign. The athletic department expects more than 45,000 fans at Folsom Field for the team’s Black & Gold Day on Saturday. And the Buffs’ spring game will be the only one ESPN televises on its main channel during the offseason.

☆ Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi CEOs to testify before Senate on lowering insulin prices
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

In this photo illustration, an insulin pen manufactured by the Novo Nordisk company is displayed on March 14, 2023 in Miami, Florida. Those companies — Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi — had announced in March that they will slash prices of their most widely used insulin products by 70% or more. The companies' versions of insulin cost at least $275 before the announced price slashes, Sanders noted. Novo Nordisk said its CEO looks forward to "a productive and collaborative discussion about this important issue." PBMs have come under criticism for inflating drug prices and not passing on all the discounts they negotiate to consumers.

☆ Battle Over Labor Secretary Nominee Reflects a Larger Fight for Biden
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Noam Scheiber | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

And once again, there are signs that the administration may fall short, with at least two Democrats and an independent wavering over whether to support Ms. Su. The administration may not be able to lose any of those votes if her nomination is to succeed. Ms. Su noted her role helping the department expand apprenticeships and other training programs under Mr. Walsh, and working at his side to avoid a potentially costly freight rail strike. She said she would seek employers’ advice on improving worker safety, and described the reverence she gained for small business owners after watching her immigrant parents operate a dry cleaner and a pizza franchise. Democrats argue that Ms. Su, who has strong backing from labor unions, would be a strong worker advocate and enforcer of provisions like the minimum wage, safety regulations and restrictions on child labor, as well as the right to join unions.

☆ US Senate Republicans go after Biden's labor nominee for stance on Uber, Lyft, others
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Nandita Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Julie Su speaks at a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on her nomination to be Labor Secretary, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., April 20, 2023. She needs at least 50 votes in a Senate where Democrats have a slim 51-49 majority. Industry groups that represent companies employing gig labor have launched an aggressive campaign to oppose her nomination. Cassidy also accused her of eliminating independent contracting during her tenure as Biden's deputy secretary of labor. It is not a given that all Senate Democrats will support Su.

April 19 Reuters) - Seagate Technology Holdings (STX.O) has agreed to pay a $300 million penalty in a settlement with U.S. authorities for shipping over $1.1 billion worth of hard disk drives to China's Huawei in violation of U.S. export control laws, the U.S. Department of Commerce said on Wednesday. Seagate sold the drives to Huawei between August 2020 and September 2021 despite an August 2020 rule that restricted sales of certain foreign items made with U.S. technology to the company. Seagate shipped 7.4 million drives to Huawei for about a year after the 2020 rule took effect and became Huawei's sole supplier of hard drives, the Commerce Department said. The other two primary suppliers of hard drives ceased shipments to Huawei after the new rule took effect in 2020, the department said. Even after "its competitors had stopped selling to them ... Seagate continued sending hard disk drives to Huawei," Matthew Axelrod, the Commerce Department's assistant secretary for export enforcement said in a statement.

☆ Bernie Sanders once again wants to raise taxes on rich heirs
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sanders wants to expand the estate tax to 45% on estates worth at least $3.5 million. The amount exempted from estate tax essentially doubled under Trump's 2017 tax legislation. Sanders, alongside Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Jimmy Gomez, is introducing new legislation targeting heirs who receive over $3.5 million. The Tax Policy Center similarly found that fewer than 0.1% of people who would die in 2020 would owe estate tax. However, like Sanders' previous attempts to hike taxes on the rich, the proposal is unlikely to make it far.

☆ U.S. Senate panel to hold hearing on Biden's Labor nominee Su next week
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON, April 13 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate Labor committee will hold an April 20 confirmation hearing on U.S. Labor Secretary nominee Julie Su, panel chairman Senator Bernie Sanders said in a statement. President Joe Biden had nominated Su for the Cabinet post in February but her nomination has raised some pushback from industry circles. Reporting by Jasper Ward and Moira Warburton; writing by Susan HeaveyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Amazon Union President Chris Smalls Seen Fighting Worker in Video
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Katherine Long | Jack Newsham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +27 min

On the night of December 5, the president of the Amazon Labor Union pummeled another union member. Some longtime Amazon Labor Union organizers decided to begin organizing on their own, without Smalls. All three said they believe in Smalls' mission and support the goals of the Amazon Labor Union, but worry about Smalls' ability to lead. Amazon Labor Union members consoled each other after the union lost the vote at its second warehouse, LDJ5, last April. One purpose of the organization appears to be to raise funds for the Amazon Labor Union, according to its certificate of incorporation.

☆ Arkansas governor signs sweeping bill imposing a minimum age limit for social media usage
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Sarah Huckabee Sanders has signed a sweeping bill imposing a minimum age limit for social media usage, in the latest example of states taking more aggressive steps intended to protect teens online. The legislation, known as the Social Media Safety Act and taking effect in September, is aimed at giving parents more control over their kids’ social media usage, according to lawmakers. It defines social media companies as any online forum that lets users create public profiles and interact with each other through digital content. The confusion over YouTube appears to stem from the carveout for businesses that offer cloud storage and that make less than 25% of their revenue from social media. “The purpose of this bill was to empower parents and protect kids from social media platforms, like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat,” Dees said in a statement.

☆ Trump dismisses criticisms about Biden's age, saying when people 'do the age thing' they're coming after him as well
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Former President Trump said anything "wrong" with President Joe Biden has nothing to do with age. Whether you like him or not, he's 100% sharp," Trump said of his fellow 2016 presidential candidate, adding "so it's not an age thing." Trump also levied criticisms at President Joe Biden, saying he could not see Biden running for president in 2024 — but made clear that he did not think what was "wrong" with Biden had anything to do with him being 80 years old. "I think they do the age thing because I'm 4-5 years behind. In October, Biden addressed the concerns, saying they were "legitimate" but said that voters should judge him not by his age, but by his health.

☆ Here's Goldman's winning options strategy heading into earnings season
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Brian Evans | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Goldman Sachs is looking at using stock options as a way to play the forthcoming earnings season. In a note last week, the firm recommended buying at-the-money straddles, which involve purchasing both a put and a call option. "One of our preferred options strategies ahead of earnings is buying straddles that are inexpensive relative to their typical one-day earnings move," Goldman Sachs derivatives specialists Sesha Phani wrote. Goldman posits that the options market hasn't yet fully priced in the volatility that some of the stocks on its list have shown in the past. NFLX YTD mountain Shares of Netflix have been higher from the start of the year, although shares remain vulnerable to volatility.

☆ Millions of student-loan borrowers will face 'catastrophic consequences' like delays in debt relief if Congress doesn't give Biden's Education Department more money, 17 Democratic lawmakers say
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Seventeen Democrats wrote a letter to lawmakers asking them to increase Federal Student Aid funding. The Democrats said lack of funding is "catastrophic" for millions of borrowers relying on relief. Congress didn't increase FSA funding last year, causing delays in repayment reforms. They called on the subcommittee to provide $2.7 billion in funding for FSA in fiscal year 2024, consistent with President Joe Biden's budget request. "The lack of adequate resources creates more barriers for students to continue their education," the lawmakers wrote.

☆ Why sympathy for the Palestinians among Americans is shifting and at an all-time high
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Sympathy toward the Palestinians among US adults is at a new high of 31%, according to Gallup data. Social media is changing the way Americans perceive the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. The police used tear gas and fired stun grenades as young Palestinians threw firecrackers back, according to multiple reports. But while the cycles of violence in the long-running conflict between Israelis and Palestinians remain unchanged, the way Americans perceive the conflict is altering. Gallup Poll conducted between conducting the poll between Feb 1-23, 2023.

☆ Gary Vaynerchuk to managers: Forget a 4-day workweek. If you want to make your people happy, fire the jerks.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Jason Lalljee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Gary Vaynerchuk said companies should fire the "assholes" creating "toxic" work environments. He has also said recently that companies need to appeal to Gen Z better, given their many work options. In TikToks posted this week, Vaynerchuk railed against "toxic work environments," slamming companies for retaining employees and management that compromise the "joy" of their staff members. "Joy doesn't come from four-hour workweeks," Vaynerchuk said in one video, seeming to reference the current movement for a four-day workweek. And Vaynerchuk is betting that people also want to be treated right while on the clock.

CNN —The Arkansas House of Representatives passed a bill on Wednesday that would require social media companies to verify their users’ ages and confirm that minors have permission from a parent or guardian before opening an account. The bill, dubbed the Social Media Safety Act, was passed by an overwhelming vote of 82-10, according to a tweet from the House account, and adds to the swell of efforts by state and federal lawmakers to regulate social media platforms and protect children online. If the Arkansas bill is signed into law, social media companies would be required to use third-party vendors to verify Arkansas residents’ ages – regardless of whether or not they are minors. For users younger than 18, the platform must obtain the consent of their parent or guardian in order to open an account for them. Similar bills have also been proposed in Connecticut and Ohio, where the legislation would require a guardian’s consent for minors younger than 16 to have accounts.

☆ Blockbuster pushed HBO to start investing in original content, cable giant's ex-chief says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

What's less known is it was also the catalyst for HBO's pivot toward original programming, according to former HBO and Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes. HBO, at the time led by Michael Fuchs, decided the answer was original programming. Source: HBO | YouTubeEven after "The Sopranos" debuted, HBO still faced a dilemma over how much to invest in original shows. HBO's TV schedule was always shifting, based on the length of feature films. Had HBO's early investments in original programming not hit, Bewkes acknowledged he's not sure what HBO would have done to fight off Blockbuster.

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