DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ US military atomic cleanup crews were sent out in the wake of American nuclear testing, and many paid a heavy price, veterans say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Over a period of more than a decade, the US military conducted dozens of nuclear tests in the Pacific. Years later, soldiers were sent to the Marshall Islands to try and clean up the fallout from the testing. Nuclear tests like Castle Bravo produced a substantial amount of nuclear fallout that negatively affected the people of the Marshall Islands, according to the Brookings Institution think tank. Impact of radiation contaminationNuclear weapons testing in the Marshall Islands had "devastating effects" on the country's environment that "remain unresolved," according to a 2019 report by the Republic of the Marshall Islands' National Nuclear Commission. However, he, like thousands of others, are excluded from the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, which only covers veterans present for atmospheric nuclear tests.

☆ 'Grey's Anatomy:' Former writer for the ABC drama admits she lied about having cancer
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Elisabeth Finch, who had served as a writer and consulting producer on ABC’s hit series “Grey’s Anatomy,” has given an interview in which she admitted that she lied about her health and personal life. Talking to The Ankler, Finch said she never had “any form of cancer.”“What I did was wrong,” she said. I miss my fellow writers,” Finch told The Ankler of her former job. Finch said she began telling lies during the 2007 Writers Strike after she hurt her knee during a hike. That was my coping and my way to feel safe and seen and heard.”CNN has reached out to representatives for “Grey’s Anatomy” for comment.

☆ Student-loan borrowers who are behind on payments can avoid facing collections for one year after the payment pause ends. Here's how Biden's Education Department wants to make sure companies holding t
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

introduced its "Fresh Start" plan, which would help defaulted student-loan borrowers. Last week, the department released updated guidance to the agencies that hold those borrowers' debt. Borrowers will have one year after payments resume to make use of the program. According to Cordray's guidance, the agencies that hold defaulted student-loan borrowers' debt will be required to suspend collection attempts for borrowers in the Fresh Start program for a year following the end of the payment pause. Along with guidance to the guaranty agencies, borrowers in default will also need to take action to return to good standing.

☆ Top strategist Ed Yardeni explains the biggest risks that could send the US economy into recession - and shares the 3 stock sectors he's most bullish on for 2023
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In an interview with Insider, Ed Yardeni broke down his his 2023 outlook for the US economy and stock market. He put the odds of a soft landing next year at 60% and the odds of a hard landing at 40%. And by the end of 2023, Yardeni predicted the S&P 500 could climb to around 4,800. But Yardeni said the yield curve may not be as reliable of a recession indicator compared to previous years. Geopolitics presents the second largest risk to the economy, Yardeni continued, pointing to the Russia-Ukraine war, US-China tensions, Beijing's zero-COVID policies, and Iran.

☆ Twitter is less safe due to Elon Musk’s management style, says former top official
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN Business —Twitter owner Elon Musk’s dictatorial management style risks driving the company headlong into unforced business blunders, content moderation disasters and the degradation of core platform features that help keep vulnerable users safe, according to a former top Twitter official who led the company’s content moderation before abruptly resigning this month. For two weeks after Musk closed his purchase of Twitter, Roth presented himself as a voice of stability and calm at the center of a company undergoing dramatic change. Roth knew that by remaining at the company, Musk was using him to help keep advertisers from abandoning the platform. In a subsequent New York Times op-ed, Roth said his reason for leaving came down to Musk’s highly personal and improvisational approach to content moderation. Before Musk took over Twitter, Roth wrote down several commitments to himself that would trigger the decision to quit.

☆ 3 senators call for DOJ to potentially unwind the Ticketmaster and Live Nation merger: 'High prices and labyrinth-like ticketing process for Taylor Swift's Eras tour are clear examples of the harms co
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

"The high prices and labyrinth-like ticketing process for Taylor Swift's Eras tour are clear examples of the harms consumers face in an anti-competitive ticketing market," the senators write. Live Nation Entertainment has said that it "does not engage in behaviors that could justify antitrust litigation, let alone orders that would require it to alter fundamental business practices." The DOJ and Live Nation Entertainment did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment on the letter. UMAW is also pushing for the merger between Live Nation and Ticketmaster to be unwound. Put simply, artists, venues, and consumers should no longer be at the mercy of a single seller."

☆ Elon Musk runs 3 companies — and his executive juggling act is the perfect example of how the modern CEO job is broken
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Ed Zitron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

Musk is currently the CEO of three different companies: SpaceX, Tesla, and, of course, Twitter. But like many CEOs, he's accumulated a huge fortune by juggling several companies and directorships at once. While Musk may be an extreme case, he's also the perfect example of the modern CEO: a chaotic blend of unproductive micromanagement and highly-paid absenteeism. In the extreme, some CEOs like Musk have taken on the management of multiple large companies. And Musk isn't the only executive who would be better served focusing on one task.

☆ Twitter impersonators ran amok. But has Musk really learned anything?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Kara Alaimo | Ph.D. | Is An Associate Professor At The Lawrence Herbert School Of Communication At Hofstra University | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

The only problem was the company wasn’t accurately verifying the people behind the accounts or ensuring that verified accounts hadn’t changed their names. Many people appeared to be creating obviously fake accounts to make fun of Musk and make a point about why Twitter Blue’s new system wouldn’t work. With Musk at the helm of the social media platform, it’s certainly possible for the subscription-based Twitter Blue to come back just as flawed. Given Musk’s flip-flopping nature so far, it’s safe to assume that the dangers that can come from verified spoof accounts on Twitter are still present. Not only have many verified accounts impersonated other people, but disinformation may be worsening.

☆ Op-ed: Crypto markets need regulation to avoid more washouts like FTX, says Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Brian Armstrong | Coinbase Ceo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The problem is that, so far, U.S. regulators have refused to provide clear, sensible regulations for crypto that would protect consumers. All of this helps explain why more heavy-handed regulation would just make the problem of crypto companies and crypto users going overseas worse. Instead, we need smarter regulation that protects consumers and makes the U.S. a more attractive place for crypto companies to operate. Despite the prevailing notion that crypto companies don't want to be regulated, many — if not most — companies have been working with policymakers for years. Until then, however, regulators need to establish clear rules that bring crypto back on-shore, encourage innovation, and protect consumers.

☆ Bitcoin and other cryptos spiral lower as worries about the fallout from FTX's troubles grow
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Zahra Tayeb | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Bitcoin and most cryptos extended losses Wednesday as worries built about the FTX fallout. Sol plunged 31% and the crypto market cap dropped 11% on fears the troubles would spread. In a stunning turn of events, FTX CEO Sam-Bankman Fried announced Tuesday that the crypto exchange had agreed to be taken over by rival Binance. The emergency deal sent chills through the crypto world, reviving fears about liquidity risks that could lead to company collapses. The overall value of the crypto market dropped over 11% to $871 billion over the last day, according to CoinMarketCap data.

☆ 'Sirens should go off': How to avoid getting duped by Medicare scammers during open enrollment
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Sarah O'Brien | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

You may know that it's open enrollment time for Medicare. The Federal Trade Commission is warning that fraudsters could take advantage of this annual period to impersonate Medicare agents. More from Personal Finance:What to know if dropping Medicare Advantage PlanHow investors can tackle the fear of missing outOp-ed: Don’t reject the 60/40 portfolio. Embrace it"If someone asks for your Medicare identification number, sirens should go off," said Ari Parker, a senior advisor at Chapter, a Medicare advisory firm. During open enrollment, beneficiaries are encouraged by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to review their current coverage and make sure it will still be the best fit for them in the next year.

☆ Your coworkers aren't less productive because they're 'quiet quitting.' They're just new to the job.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Some say "quiet quitting" is among the key reasons why. But "quiet quitting" likely isn't why. But while quiet quitting may be a real phenomenon and newly coined phrase, the practice is not a new one. "I don't think "quiet quitting" is real or affecting productivity growth," Adam Ozimek, chief economist at the policy organization Economic Innovation Group, wrote on Twitter last week. But while remote workers may be productive once they're up and running, it's possible new remote employees are less productive.

☆ Education Secretary Miguel Cardona says the department is 'moving full speed ahead' to implement student debt relief despite an appeals court temporarily blocking the plan
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-23 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Miguel Cardona says student debt relief is "moving full speed" despite a temporary hold on the plan. The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday issued an administrative stay for the relief plan. "Already, 22 million people have provided the department with the necessary information we need to review their eligibility for student debt relief." In framing the debt relief plan as one that would benefit working and middle-class families, Cardona criticized efforts by several Republican attorneys general to invalidate Biden's student-loan forgiveness plan. The Biden administration also faces legal challenges from Arizona GOP Attorney General Mark Brnovich, the Job Creators Network Foundation, and the Cato Institute over its debt relief plan.

☆ Kevin Spacey denies Anthony Rapp's allegation and testifies about 'terrifying' upbringing as the son of a 'neo-Nazi'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | Daniel Arkin | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

In a significant development Monday, the judge overseeing the trial tossed out Rapp's claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress. Judge Lewis A. Kaplan said that claim "repeats and re-alleges" Rapp's allegation of battery. The actor testified that he "certainly had a degree of shame" about being gay because he grew up with his father's hateful views. Spacey is expected to rebut Rapp's allegation of sexual misconduct on Monday afternoon following a roughly hour-long lunch break. Rapp testified that Spacey invited him to a party at his apartment.

☆ Young Black activists are done waiting their turn for political office. They're taking on the 'John Lewis generation' of elder lawmakers who they say are out of touch.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-29 | by ( Elvina Nawaguna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +30 min

Most members of the Congressional Black Caucus are twice as old as the median Black person living in the US. The Congressional Black Caucus, a powerful voice for Black Americans, is significantly older than those it speaks for. Clay had replaced his father, William Lacy Clay Sr., a civil-rights icon and founding Congressional Black Caucus member who had represented the area since 1969. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty ImagesThe Congressional Black Caucus is reckoning with a leftward shift it's struggled to embrace. A spokesperson for the Congressional Black Caucus did not respond to Insider's request for comment.

☆ Bill Clinton's Secretary of Labor blames soaring corporate profits for inflation and says the US government should consider directly controlling prices
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Corporate greed, not wages, is fueling inflation, says former President Bill Clinton's Secretary of Labor. Some experts say government antitrust enforcement and even price controls deserve consideration. "Profit-price inflation" — caused by companies "raising their prices above their increasing costs" — is the key factor fueling inflation, Reich wrote in a Guardian op-ed Sunday. Still others, like Reich, believe cracking down on record-high corporate profits is the best way to cool prices in the US. "This is why corporate profits are close to levels not seen in over half a century," he wrote.

☆ I coordinated sex scenes for 'Blonde,' the new NC-17 Marilyn Monroe biopic with Ana De Armas. Here's how I protect actors' boundaries.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Eboni Boykin-Patterson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jean Franzblau, an intimacy coordinator based in Los Angeles, CA. My first intimacy coordinator job was 'Blonde,' Netflix's new NC-17 filmThe original intimacy coordinator who worked on "Blonde," the new Marilyn Monroe biopic, recommended that I replace her when she had to leave the production. Luckily, it worked out well — and once recommended, getting my first intimacy coordinator job on a big production was smooth. Just like any production job, work can be sporadicSometimes I'm working as an intimacy coordinator, and sometimes I'm not. The best way to get started as an intimacy coordinator is to start with student films and short films.

☆ YouTubers are pushing dodgy crypto investment advice. Here’s why you should ignore it.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Rob Price | Meghan Morris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

Together, these revenue streams mean cryptocurrency influencers profit off their viewers no matter which way the market turns. Of course, crypto YouTube is a far cry from the regulated world of traditional finance. Armstrong told the Post that he made "maybe close to a million" from before dropping sponsored content in January 2022. A price list leaked by ZachXBT appears to show that dozens of small crypto influencers also have menus for similar undisclosed deals. But with little regulatory oversight, crypto influencers show little sign of slowing down — despite the precipitous decline of the crypto market.

Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kan., is putting abortion rights front-and-center in her rematch against Republican Amanda Adkins in the state's 3rd Congressional District, launching a new ad Saturday targeting her opponent on the issue. That amendment failed in August with nearly 60% of voters casting ballots against it — a vote that has influenced the conversation around abortion rights nationally in the weeks since. The ad, which airs on broadcast, cable and satellite TV, also highlights Adkins' support for the proposed Republican Study Committee's fiscal year 2023 budget. "She was 100% for allowing politicians to ban abortion in Kansas," the ad begins. Abortion rights have emerged as a flashpoint nationally after the Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling this summer, energizing abortion rights supporters.

☆ Millennials and Gen Z want to stop a climate catastrophe. But first they have to get elected.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +24 min

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, told young climate activists in 2019, "You didn't vote for me." AP Photo/Gemunu AmarasingheBut most policy debates aren't genuinely existential in the way climate change is. "Younger Democrats tend to have a much more friendly relationship and response to the party's activist class than older Democrats do." Fossil-fuel interests have played a central role in stymieing progress on climate change for decades. Nearly a decade later, Trump ran for and won the presidency — with Gingrich's early and staunch support — while calling climate change a "hoax."

☆ Trina McGee, who played Angela on ‘Boy Meets World,’ says she was asked to ‘turn down’ her ‘Black meter’
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Another “Boy Meets World” mystery was solved during a recent episode of the rewatch podcast, “Pod Meets World.” Trina McGee, who portrayed Angela Moore during the final three seasons of the sitcom, revealed why she wasn’t part of the series finale. She’s somehow taking our light.’ [That] was the gist of it,” said McGee, who played Shawn Hunter’s (Rider Strong) girlfriend on the show. I remember when I was doing ‘Angela’s Ashes’ episode, somehow my Black meter had slipped up and I was at about a 9. Just got her for her hat.’”After the scene, McGee told Friedle his comment referring to her as Aunt Jemima was not okay. McGee recalled feeling “very small,” to which Friedle responded, “How could you not?”“It literally changed my life,” he continued.

☆ Former US general says he is 'even more concerned' about Putin using nukes as Ukraine makes astonishing progress in its counteroffensive
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-13 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Western officials and experts have said Putin may use nukes in Ukraine if he gets desperate enough. After failing to take Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, in the early days of the war, Russia shifted its focus to Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, which is made up of Donetsk and Luhansk. And as we know, that is a trigger for using nuclear weapons." But not everyone is convinced that Putin would do something as drastic as using a nuclear weapon to achieve his goals in Ukraine. If Russia used a nuclear weapon in Ukraine, it could trigger a military response from the US, which could spiral into a direct conflict between Russia and NATO — a 30-member alliance.

☆ What it's like working for lawmakers whose golden years are clouded by power struggles, rumors of senility, and constant second-guessing
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-13 | by ( Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +25 min

Doug Heye, a Republican strategist, told Insider that some political maneuvering is more tactical. Emanuel, now the US's ambassador to Japan, didn't refute that the exchange took place but told Insider he didn't remember it. It serves the institution," the former GOP aide told Insider, adding that seasoned dealmakers are preferable to partisan bomb-throwers "with some agenda that they're driving." Paul Morigi/Getty ImagesWhite, now the executive director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation, told Insider his boss always had the final word. 'Preserving their dignity'Convincing career lawmakers to hang it up before they tarnish their respective legacies is tricky business, a veteran GOP leadership aide told Insider.

☆ SoulCycle is closing 25% of its studios
▼ + stars: | 2022-08-15 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN Business —It’s not just Peloton that’s spinning into trouble: Indoor cycling studio SoulCycle is closing about 25% of its locations. In the coming days, SoulCycle will shutter around 20 of its 83 studios: six in the New York City area, five in California and others in Washington, DC, Massachusetts, Illinois, Florida and Georgia. But SoulCycle, which has largely focused on in-studio classes, was hit with the other side of that trend. The privately held company, owned by Equinox, did open some SoulCycle studios outdoors and even created an $2,500 at-home bike in an effort to weather the pandemic. Affordable chains thrivingFitness chains and independent gyms at large have been hit hard, with roughly one-third of fitness locations closing during the pandemic.

☆ Trump's most important 2016 donor is sitting out 2020
▼ + stars: | 2020-07-24 | by ( Dave Levinthal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +20 min

Robert and Rebekah Mercer ranked among President Donald Trump's most influential backers in 2016. A representative for Priorities USA Action, a leading pro-Biden super PAC, said the organization wasn't underestimating Trump's reelection forces, Mercers or no Mercers. (Bossie, like former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski and many others, has recently found himself back in Trump's favor.) The Cambridge Analytica data that the Trump campaign paid for was "so stupidly wrong" and a "complete joke," Spicer added. But sources familiar with the Mercers' political spending said they have no evidence that the Mercers are doing so.

Search resuls for: "Ed —"

25 mentions found