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☆ A couple with 22 active Airbnb properties that bring in $1.3 million in annual revenue said on YouTube that they're planning to 'quit' the platform because they want 'more control'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Dan Latu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Sara and Tony Robinson told their 30,000 YouTube followers they wanted to "quit" Airbnb. They won't pull their 22 active properties off Airbnb, but they'll try to increase direct bookings. The couple added that they will not delist their 22 active properties from Airbnb entirely, but rather embark on an aggressive push to lure direct bookings. Airbnb prohibits hosts from giving guests who book via Airbnb a direct-booking link, and bans moving conversations off the platform or embedding any links in instruction manuals. More YouTube channels: The Robinsons want to create additional YouTube accounts with content showing off activities in the local markets for their properties.

☆ Video shows dramatic helicopter rescue after vehicle plunged into California canyon
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Antonio Planas | Antonio Planas Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Authorities say it's a miracle two people had only minor injuries after their vehicle plunged hundreds of feet off the road and into a canyon Tuesday in California. A man and a woman in their early 20s fell about 300 feet when their vehicle veered off the road into Monkey Canyon in Angeles National Forest, about 30 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Sgt. “Nearly all of the vehicles that go over the side of the road in that particular area turn out to be fatalities. Had it not been for the smartphone technology, Gilbert said, the two risked hypothermia, because temperatures were expected to drop into the 30s overnight. The sheriff’s department’s Special Enforcement Bureau tweeted dramatic video and photos of the rescue.

"Avatar: The Way of Water" premiered December 16 exclusively in theaters. Though the movie is currently exclusive to theaters, it's expected to hit Disney Plus at some point in 2023. Like the original movie, "Avatar: The Way of Water" is directed by James Cameron ("Titanic"). As of December 16, there is no official streaming date set for "Avatar: The Way of Water." The sequel repeats one of the biggest draws of the first "Avatar" movie in terms of being a groundbreaking visual spectacle.

You can eke some extra performance out of your own Windows computer by following NASA's lead. But of course, the best way to speed up any Windows computer is by upgrading the hardware. Here are 17 ways to speed up Windows 10 and Windows 11. To do this, open the Settings app on your computer and click Apps, and then Apps & features. Modern Windows users are lucky, because both Windows 10 and Windows 11 come pre-installed with Windows Defender.

☆ The Best Electric Razor for a Smoother Shave
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +19 min

You can find a capable electric shaver for even less, but the learning curve (and lack of add-ons) could prove problematic. If you’d like to read how we vetted and tested these electric shavers, scroll down for all the details. Best overall electric shaverBuy Side Top Pick Braun Series 7 7027cs $137 at Amazon $ 150 Save $ 13 $139 at Walmart The best combination of performance, accessories and price of any electric shaver. Best lower-price electric shaverAndis ProFoil Lithium Titanium Foil Shaver $55 at Amazon $ 68 Save $ 13 $55 at Walmart This model is priced as low as you’ll want to go for a quality electric shaver. Make sure the electric shaver you’re buying has the accessory package that makes the most sense for your needs and your budget.

☆ Tesla shares have fallen 28% since Elon Musk took over Twitter, lagging other carmakers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

CEO of Tesla Motors Elon Musk speaks at the Tesla Giga Texas manufacturing "Cyber Rodeo" grand opening party in Austin, Texas, on April 7, 2022. U.S. electric truck maker Rivian has fallen by 27% over that period. Shares in electric vehicle maker Tesla have fallen 28% since October 27, when CEO Elon Musk bought Twitter and appointed himself "Chief Twit," or CEO, of the social media business. Musk sold billions of dollars' worth of his Tesla holdings to finance the Twitter takeover. Since he took over the company, Musk has been regularly posting incendiary tweets, especially aimed at people who hold center-to-left political values, and whom Musk often paints as enemies with a "woke mind virus."

☆ Citi/AAdvantage cardholders can now book American Airlines flights with Citi Flex Pay, but it may cost you more then it's worth
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Tessa Campbell | Personal Finance Reviews Fellow | Read More | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +27 min

Book your American Airlines flight with your Citi/AAdvantage credit card and select Citi Flex Pay to spread payments over time. Hinterhaus Productions/Getty ImagesCiti/AAdvantage cardholders can now use Flex Pay for large American Airlines purchases. Now, with your eligible Citi/AAdvantage credit card you can book any American Airlines flight (must be worth $75 or more), and pay down the large purchase in smaller, equal monthly payments. Earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles with no annual fee Check mark icon A check mark. How to pay for your flight with Citi Flex PayCiti/AAdvantage cardholders can choose the Flex Pay option at checkout either on aa.com or through the American Airlines app.

Delta Sky Club locationsWithin the U.S., there are more than 50 Delta Sky Club locations in 35 airports, with a new outpost scheduled to open at Kansas City International Airport (MCI) in 2023. Outside the U.S., there is just one Delta Sky Club lounge at Tokyo Haneda International Airport (HND). Upcoming changes to Sky Club access policy Starting Jan. 1, 2023, Delta Sky Club memberships will only be available for purchase if you have Delta Silver Medallion elite status or higher. While existing Delta Sky Club memberships may be renewed — regardless of elite status — through the end of 2022, next year you'll need to have elite status with the airline in order to renew your Delta Sky Club membership. Cards that offer Delta lounge access With the recently announced changes, the value of the few cards that come with Delta Sky Club access has increased tremendously.

☆ From an industrial-sized pizza oven to a statue of the Twitter bird, here are all the weird things you can buy from Elon Musk's Twitter fire sale
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Twitter will be getting rid of hundreds of surplus office supplies in a January auction. The items being auctioned off include kitchen appliances, Twitter sculptures, and office chairs. The company is cleaning out perhaps some of its most — and least — interesting items in an auction next year. The auction comes at a time when Twitter CEO Elon Musk is reducing expenses after purchasing the social media platform for $44 billion. The auction items also include tons of industrial kitchen equipment, including refrigerators and pizza ovens, dozens of display screens, iMac monitors, and gray swivel office chairs.

☆ A strong China open for 'Avatar' lays the ground for a film stock rally, Morgan Stanley says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Christina Cheddar Berk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Chinese audiences appear eager to see Disney's "Avatar: The Way of Water," according to initial ticket sales ahead of the film's Dec. 16 opening. In 2009, China accounted for only $910 million in ticket sales, but 10 years later its box office receipts swelled to $8 billion. Stage set for box office recovery Morgan Stanley's Xu expects China's box office to rebound 50% in 2023, to Rmb51 billion, with the assumption that China's reopening gains momentum in the spring. In China, there is a "rich slate of blockbuster films" ready to come to theaters, Xu said. With this in mind, Xu raised her price targets for IMAX China, Ali Pictures, Wanda Film , Enlight and China Film.

☆ Broadcom gives upbeat revenue forecast as server, data center demand booms
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 8 (Reuters) - Broadcom Inc (AVGO.O) forecast current-quarter revenue above Wall Street estimates on Thursday, signaling strong demand for chips used in data centers and networking equipment. Companies are increasingly investing in the infrastructure needed to support a switch to hybrid work models, giving Broadcom - which makes chips for data centers, routers and Wi-Fi modems - an edge over competitors with more exposure to smartphones and PCs. Shares in Broadcom, which are down over 20% this year, rose 3% in extended trading. The company forecast first-quarter revenue of about $8.9 billion, compared with analysts' estimates of $8.78 billion, according to Refinitiv data. Revenue rose 21% to $8.93 billion in the fourth quarter ended Oct. 30.

Thomas Pallini/Business InsiderThe U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card will add valuable new travel benefits in February 2023. According to my most recent account statement, the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card will add Priority Pass Select membership as a benefit as of February 2, 2023. Both the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card ($95 annual fee) and The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card ($95 annual fee) come with a Priority Pass Select membership that includes 10 complimentary visits a year. Since the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card is at a similar price point, it's possible the new membership will be similar. You can read more about all the card's benefits and perks in our full US Bank Altitude Connect card review.

☆ Priyanka Chopra Jonas says she is finally earning as much as her male co-star
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Lianne Kolirin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Priyanka Chopra Jonas says she is finally earning as much as her male co-star, after two decades in the movie industry. In an interview with the BBC, the actress and activist revealed that she never had “pay parity” in all the years she worked in Bollywood. Chopra Jonas was among the women to feature in the UK broadcaster’s list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world, published Tuesday. The BBC posted a short video clip on its website from a wide-ranging interview with the Indian star, due to be broadcast next year. In the clip, Chopra Jonas said: “I’ve never had pay parity in Bollywood.

☆ 'Context switching is the mind-killer': Elon Musk shared a strange, altered quote from 'Dune' as he juggles leading Twitter with running 4 other companies
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk has three times shared an altered version of a famous quote from sci-fi classic "Dune." "Fear is not the mind-killer, context-switching is the mind-killer," Musk tweeted Wednesday. Context switching is the mind-killer," altering the words of a famous passage from the sci-fi series: "Fear is not the mind-killer." Musk's altered quote is taken to mean that switching tasks and contexts repeatedly can be mind-numbing, while maintaining focus on one task is the real winner. The scene Musk posted to Twitter shows the sect member ordering Atreides to put his hand in a box filled with "pain."

☆ 2022 People’s Choice Awards: The winners list
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The fans have spoken about what they found to be the best in movies, television, music and pop culture. “Saturday Night Live” cast member and comedian Kenan Thompson hosted the 2022 People’s Choice Awards from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California, which aired on NBC and E! Award-winning actor, producer, screenwriter and entrepreneur Ryan Reynolds was honored with the People’s Icon Award, while Emmy and Grammy award-winning performer Lizzo was presented with the People’s Champion Award. Lizzo is seen performing at the Citi Concert Series for the 'Today' show at the Rockefeller Plaza on July 15, 2022 in New York City. Shania Twain performs on stage during the 2022 People's Choice Awards held at the Barker Hangar on December 6, 2022 in Santa Monica, California.

Economic worries have made this holiday season particularly stressful for some. The holiday season can bring out the absolute worst in some kids. Some parents welcome that break from structure, and that’s OK. “Parents get to decide what works and what doesn’t work with their family,” Dr. Naumburg said. “Gratitude and savoring are the opposite.”Dr. Kurtz recommended starting a simple gratitude practice early in the holiday season. As the holidays unfold, make an effort to savor the season, Dr. Kurtz said.

☆ What TV Shows Did We Watch in 2022? So Far, A Lot of Crime
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Beth Decarbo | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Jason Bateman as Marty Byrde, the money-laundering financial adviser in ‘Ozark,’ one of the top streaming shows of the year. Even when Americans chill out in front of the TV, crime is on their minds. In the first half of 2022, six of the top 10 shows offered by the major streaming services dealt with crime and criminals, both real and fictional, according to an analysis of the first half of the year by Nielsen Co. Topping the list was “Stranger Things,” a sci-fi mystery that investigates a boy’s disappearance. Coming in second was “Ozark,” in which a fictitious financial adviser moves to Missouri’s Ozarks to launder money.

☆ Elon Musk is an 'avid' reader of science-fiction and likes to text about it, says Affirm CEO
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk texts Affirm CEO Max Levchin texts about their mutual love for sci-fi, Levchin told Wired. Musk has talked about his love for sci-fi books and media in the past. "Our friendship is on a texting basis," Levchin told Wired. "I think what's happening at Twitter is Elon is sort of making sense of it," Levchin said. Levchin knew Musk back when they worked at early-stage PayPal together in 2000 — Levchin was CTO and Musk was CEO.

☆ Google uses 30th anniversary of SMS texting to pressure Apple over 'green vs. blue bubble' texting, says iPhones are 'stuck in the 1990s'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Britney Nguyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In a "happy birthday" post to SMS, Google called Apple out, saying it's time to switch to RCS. "But after 30 years of SMS texting, it's truly time." Unlike SMS, RCS supports more multimedia features and makes it easier to send GIFs and hi-resolution videos through texts. Texting between devices using RCS is a similar experience to iPhone users texting with Apple's proprietary iMessage system, according to The Verge. "Hopefully Apple can #GetTheMessage so we don't have to keep waiting to remove the whole 'green-versus-blue bubble' thing," Budhiraja wrote.

☆ Silicon Valley startup beaming electricity wirelessly raises $30 million
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Jane Lanhee Lee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Dec 2 (Reuters) - Reach Power Inc, a Silicon Valley startup that beams electricity wirelessly, said on Friday it had raised $30 million in a funding round that will help it commercialize its products. In a demonstration for Reuters, Davlantes connected a radio with no batteries to an antenna-based wireless power receiver that turned on the radio as far as 25 feet (7.6 meters) from the power transmitter. Asked about the safety of shooting stronger beams of electricity, Dalvantes said the systems can detect objects and switch off or route around them. "We always guarantee when you're around one of our systems, you're getting exposure that meets the same limits as all of the cellphones," he said. Reach has signed a contract with the U.S. Defense Department for prototypes that can combine multiple energy-beaming modules for stronger power transmission or longer ranges, he said.

Thankfully, there are a few ways to get around those extra fees, with more airlines offering passengers access to free Wi-Fi than ever before. Hawaiian Airlines is also planning to launch free in-flight Wi-Fi in 2023 thanks to its partnership with SpaceX's SkyLink. American Airlines also seems to be testing out free Wi-Fi on many of its aircraft that are equipped with Viasat — as part of an ongoing trial, passengers who opt to watch a sponsored video can access 30 minutes of Wi-Fi free of charge. Some international carriers offer free Wi-Fi, but with certain stipulations. Then, choose the airline's Wi-Fi network and login on the Wi-Fi homepage using your T-Mobile or Sprint phone number.

☆ Delta’s Airport Lounges Are About to Get a Little More Exclusive
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Jennifer Calfas | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The airline said it saw a record number of visitors to its Sky Clubs in 2022 and hasn’t been able to keep up with long lines. For some Delta Sky Club denizens, free cookies, carrot sticks, wine and Wi-Fi at the airline’s lounges may soon be a perk of the past. Delta Air Lines is overhauling its requirements for fliers to access its airport lounges in an effort to stymie overcrowding, an issue raised often by customers. The airline said Wednesday it saw a record number of visitors to its Sky Clubs in 2022 and hasn’t been able to keep up with the long lines for food and seating.

☆ Scientists build 'baby' wormhole as sci-fi moves closer to fact
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Scientists have long pursued a deeper understanding of wormholes and now appear to be making progress. It was a "baby wormhole," according to Caltech physicist Maria Spiropulu, a co-author of the research published in the journal Nature. But scientists are a long way from being able to send people or other living beings through such a portal, she said. The researchers observed the wormhole dynamics on a quantum device at Alphabet's Google (GOOGL.O) called the Sycamore quantum processor. A wormhole - a rupture in space and time - is considered a bridge between two remote regions in the universe.

☆ Apple limited a crucial AirDrop function in China just weeks before protests
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Protests in China have attracted international attention as the greatest challenge of President Xi Jinping's premiership and a major knock to the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) longstanding authority. But their spread within China was partially hobbled by a key change in Apple 's AirDrop feature, launched just weeks before the unrest. AirDrop, which allows users to share content between Apple devices, has become an important tool in protestors' efforts to circumvent authoritarian censorship regimes over recent years. That is because it relies on wireless connections between phones, rather than internet connectivity, placing it beyond the scope of internet content moderators. More recently, in mid-October, AirDrop was reportedly used to disseminate messages based on banners produced by a Beijing demonstrator known as "Bridge man."

☆ Amazon's Cyber Monday sales continue: 40+ deals you can still shop
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Mili Godio | Mili Godio Is An Associate Reporter For Select On Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +15 min

SKIP AHEAD Home and kitchen deals | Tech deals | TV deals | Beauty and wellness deals | Pet deals | Best Amazon Cyber Monday sales | Do you need a Prime membership to shop Amazon’s Cyber Monday deals? The best Amazon Cyber Monday 2022 dealsBelow, we rounded up some of the best deals from Amazon’s ongoing Cyber Monday savings event based on our previous coverage and Select reader interest. 4.5-star average rating from 33,540 reviews on AmazonAccording to Kasa, this smart light switch is designed to fit into a standard junction box. Best Amazon Cyber Monday 2022 sales to shopHere are some of the best ongoing sales to shop during Amazon’s extended Cyber Monday sale that we think you’ll want to know about. Do you need a Prime membership to shop Amazon’s Cyber Monday deals?

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