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☆ Explainer: The Fed says disinflation is welcome. What is that, exactly?
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Ann Saphir | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

But what, exactly, is disinflation, and why is it welcome? Central banks globally tend to target 2% annual inflation (the Fed formally adopted a 2% target in 2012). DISINFLATION = SLOWING INFLATIONCurrently inflation by the Fed's preferred measure - the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index - is running at about 5%. Economists expect those softer new leases to start showing up in official measures in coming months - another part of the "good story" of disinflation, Powell said. Former Fed Chair Alan Greenspan famously warned in 2003 that with inflation low, at 1.8%, "substantial further disinflation would be an unwelcome development."

☆ DeSantis' plans for Florida this year include tax cuts for gas stoves and more elections police. The proposals are widely viewed as targeting GOP voters nationally.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

Banning vaccine and mask mandatesDeSantis wants the Florida legislature to permanently ban COVID vaccine and mask mandates. It's not clear how much of a difference a new, permanent Florida law would make. DeSantis will ask the Florida legislature to permanently lift the state's 6% sales tax on baby necessities including on cribs, strollers, clothing, shoes, wipes, and diapers. But some analysts, such as Howard Gleckman at the Tax Policy Center, have warned that tax breaks could actually worsen inflation because people will spend and consume more at a time when supplies are limited. Currently, state law requires a vote be unanimous.

☆ What Elon Musk has said publicly — and in private texts — on his ideas for Twitter and X, an 'everything app'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Elon Musk has discussed his plans for X, an "everything app," on Twitter and in private texts. AP Photo/Jacquelyn MartinPrivate texts about a blockchain-based platformMusk has also discussed creating a social media platform built on a blockchain. In April, the billionaire privately outlined his idea for a "Doge" social media platform in texts to his younger brother, Kimbal Musk. "I have an idea for a blockchain social media system that does both payments and short text messages/links like Twitter," Musk texted. Shortly after buying Twitter, Musk began charging Twitter users for the app's blue check mark.

☆ Electronic tracking has been required on semi-trucks for 5 years. Fatalities haven't decreased.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Bianca Giacobone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The devices help ensure truckers don't drive longer than they should, a maximum of 11 hours per day, to avoid fatigue and keep roads safe. Another driver, Brian Stauffer, pointed out that ELDs don't allow for adjustment, and that a driver that has reached the 11-hour limit shouldn't be forced to stop in a high-crime area, for example. "They used to say, 'I'll get there in about 11 hours'. Now they really only have 11 hours. Before ELDs, hours of service were noted down on paper logbooks, which were easy to falsify.

☆ Unemployment is lasting longer for more Americans—here are 3 ways to boost your savings
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Kamaron Mcnair | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Layoffs and extended periods of unemployment are a few of the many reasons you might have to use your emergency fund. Use these tips to beef up your emergency fund, whether you're just getting started or looking to add extra cushioning. Ideally, you'll be able to routinely put money toward both your emergency fund and retirement savings, but if you have to pick one, prioritize emergency savings first. Your emergency savings, on the other hand, should be readily available, such as in a high-yield savings account. Plus, when you're young, you have time to catch up on your retirement savings.

As of Jan. 19, U.S. soybean sales for 2022-23 totaled 46.5 million tonnes, up 5% from a year earlier. Robust sales are not necessarily needed from here as only 7.6 million tonnes stand between Jan. 19 sales and USDA’s full-year forecast. Net U.S. soybean sales to unknown destinations in 2022-23 are record-large for the date at 4.6 million tonnes. Sales to China of 28.2 million tonnes as of Jan. 19 are up 11% from last year. Some 129,000 tonnes had been sold to China in the week ended Jan. 19, revealed in Thursday’s weekly export sales.

☆ The purple Wiggle responds to his TikTok heartthrob status: 'It's opened up a new world of followers'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Kahlan-Rosenblatt.Jpg | Kalhan Rosenblatt | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

On TikTok, parents and nonparents alike have been thirsting after a member of one of the biggest children's acts in the world — the new purple Wiggle from The Wiggles. — likely stems from a video Pearce posted this week in which he participated in a trend that stems from the movie "Zoolander." Originally, Pearce wanted to film the clip with the original purple Wiggle, Jeff Fatt, while the two were on a recent tour together. In the clip, Pearce's purple Wiggle persona bumps into his everyday self dressed in a cutoff T-shirt, revealing his toned and tattooed arms. He added that he's looking forward to meeting his newest slew of fans when The Wiggles tour later this year.

☆ A busier movie calendar will lead to a 15% jump in box office sales, JPMorgan predicts
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Christina Cheddar Berk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Slow and steady will win the race at the box office this year, according to JPMorgan analyst David Karnovsky. The first is tied to the depressed state of the box office last year . However, if additional movies are released, here's where there could be upside to his box office forecast. DIS 3M mountain Disney shares have gotten a boost from a proxy battle, but box office gains could be ahead. Paramount's "Top Gun: Maverick" topped the box office charts last year, while NBC Universal had new films in the Jurassic Park and Minions franchises.

☆ DeSantis' 'Freedom Blueprint' for Florida is taking shape, and it's widely viewed as paving the way for a 2024 presidential run
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-14 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

It's widely viewed as a blueprint for theHe has already made some of his intentions clear, on areas from Disney to anti-China policy. DeSantis will ask the Florida legislature to permanently lift the state's 6% sales tax on baby necessities including on cribs, strollers, clothing, shoes, wipes, and diapers. He also wants the state to nix the sales tax on medical equipment and on medicines for pets. Other tax cuts would be temporary, including lifting the sales tax for a year on children's books, athletic equipment, and toys, as well as a proposal to suspend the sales tax on pet food and on household items that cost $25 or less. Loosening gun restrictionsDeSantis wants lawmakers to pass legislation that would change Florida law so that gun owners could carry a gun in public without a concealed weapons permit.

☆ More than two-thirds of Americans’ financial situation did not improve or stayed the same in 2022 — here's how to better your finances in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Jasmin Suknanan | Jason Stauffer | Benji Stawski | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

With a higher credit score, you can qualify for better interest rates on your credit card, mortgage, or loan, better loan terms and sometimes even higher funding amounts. One of the most important ways to increase your credit score is to continue making on-time payments on any existing debt. So if you've spent $5,000 on a credit card with a credit limit of $10,000, your credit utilization rate is 50%. Keep in mind that it can take some time to see drastic improvements in your credit score, however, every little score bump helps. Another way to put a little extra money in your pocket is by using a cash-back or rewards credit card.

☆ Here's how to get your student loans forgiven — even if Biden's plan falls through
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"Income-driven repayment plans are also student loan forgiveness plans," Kantrowitz said. The best way to find out if your job qualifies as public service is to fill out a employer certification form. Full-time teachers who work for five consecutive years in a low-income school may be eligible for up to $17,500 in loan forgiveness under the Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program. The Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program allows certain nurses to get up to 85% of their student debt cancelled. Meanwhile, there are numerous state-level student loan forgiveness programs.

☆ James Cameron says 'Avatar 2' is successful enough for 3 more movies
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

James Cameron says that "The Way of Water" is successful enough to make the next three "Avatar" movies. He'd previously suggested the fate of "Avatar" 4 and 5 relied on the box office of "The Way of Water." Director James Cameron says it's enough to guarantee those planned third, fourth, and fifth installments get made and released. Cameron had previously said that "Avatar 3" was already filmed and pretty much guaranteed to be released. Cameron has said that he would be open to another filmmaker directing the fourth and fifth movies.

☆ Some flight attendants have their attendance tracked by a game-like 'point system' that they say values efficiency over health
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Hannah Towey | Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

During a year marked by labor strikes and protests, flight attendants and rail workers told Insider that these points-based attendance policies create an industry culture that values efficiency over employee health and well-being. But workers say the point systems form the foundation of punitive attendance policies that force them to work while sick or dangerously fatigued. At American Airlines, flight attendants have pushed back on the system for years. "I don't think you'd speak to one flight attendant who thinks the point system is necessarily fair, or balanced," Anthony Cataldo, an American Airlines flight attendant of 33 years, told Insider. So we're on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year," a BNSF railway conductor of over a decade told Insider.

FHA mortgages and conforming mortgages have borrowing limits that vary by state and county. If you need to borrow more than $726,200 in South Dakota, you'll want to consider getting a jumbo loan. In South Dakota, the 2023 borrowing limit for FHA mortgages is $472,030. In some states, certain counties may have higher borrowing limits than others because it is more expensive to live in that area. South Dakota borrowing limits in 2023 for conforming and FHA mortgages by countyCounty Conforming mortgage limit (single-family home) FHA mortgage limit (single-family home) Aurora County $726,200 $472,030 Beadle County $726,200 $472,030 Bennett County $726,200 $472,030 Bon Homme County $726,200 $472,030 Brookings County $726,200 $472,030 Brown County $726,200 $472,030 Brule County $726,200 $472,030 Buffalo County $726,200 $472,030 Butte County $726,200 $472,030 Campbell County $726,200 $472,030 Charles Mix County $726,200 $472,030 Clark County $726,200 $472,030 Clay County $726,200 $472,030 Codington County $726,200 $472,030 Corson County $726,200 $472,030 Custer County $726,200 $472,030 Davison County $726,200 $472,030 Day County $726,200 $472,030 Deuel County $726,200 $472,030 Dewey County $726,200 $472,030 Douglas County $726,200 $472,030 Edmunds County $726,200 $472,030 Fall River County $726,200 $472,030 Faulk County $726,200 $472,030 Grant County $726,200 $472,030 Gregory County $726,200 $472,030 Haakon County $726,200 $472,030 Hamlin County $726,200 $472,030 Hand County $726,200 $472,030 Hanson County $726,200 $472,030 Harding County $726,200 $472,030 Hughes County $726,200 $472,030 Hutchinson County $726,200 $472,030 Hyde County $726,200 $472,030 Jackson County $726,200 $472,030 Jerauld County $726,200 $472,030 Jones County $726,200 $472,030 Kingsbury County $726,200 $472,030 Lake County $726,200 $472,030 Lawrence County $726,200 $472,030 Lincoln County $726,200 $472,030 Lyman County $726,200 $472,030 McCook County $726,200 $472,030 McPherson County $726,200 $472,030 Marshall County $726,200 $472,030 Meade County $726,200 $472,030 Mellette County $726,200 $472,030 Miner County $726,200 $472,030 Minnehaha County $726,200 $472,030 Moody County $726,200 $472,030 Oglala Lakota County $726,200 $472,030 Pennington County $726,200 $472,030 Perkins County $726,200 $472,030 Potter County $726,200 $472,030 Roberts County $726,200 $472,030 Sanborn County $726,200 $472,030 Spink County $726,200 $472,030 Stanley County $726,200 $472,030 Sully County $726,200 $472,030 Todd County $726,200 $472,030 Tripp County $726,200 $472,030 Turner County $726,200 $472,030 Union County $726,200 $472,030 Walworth County $726,200 $472,030 Yankton County $726,200 $472,030 Ziebach County $726,200 $472,030Note: In South Dakota, you'll need to get a jumbo loan if you want to borrow more than $726,200, regardless of which county you hope to reside in.

☆ No, Netflix isn't losing its mega-hit 'Wednesday' to Amazon
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Speculation swirled online this week that the show could leave Netflix for Amazon. It garnered 1.2 billion hours — behind just "Squid Game" and "Stranger Things" season four. One of the people said deals with MGM for "Wednesday" were made long before Amazon bought MGM in May for $8.5 billion. But Netflix licenses other original shows that are produced by other parties; based on everything we know, it would be surprising to see Netflix let "Wednesday" slip through its fingers. All of this is not even mentioning the fact that Netflix has never played by conventional TV standards and isn't always quick to renew a series just because it's popular.

In Nebraska, the 2022 borrowing limit for FHA mortgages is $420,680 in all but three counties. Conforming mortgages and FHA mortgages both have borrowing limits. Nebraska borrowing limits in 2023 for conforming and FHA mortgages by countyCounty Conforming mortgage limit (single-family home) FHA mortgage limit (single-family home) Adams County $726,200 $472,030 Antelope County $726,200 $472,030 Arthur County $726,200 $472,030 Banner County $726,200 $472,030 Blaine County $726,200 $472,030 Boone County $726,200 $472,030 Box Butte County $726,200 $472,030 Boyd County $726,200 $472,030 Brown County $726,200 $472,030 Buffalo County $726,200 $472,030 Burt County $726,200 $472,030 Butler County $726,200 $472,030 Cass County $726,200 $472,030 Cedar County $726,200 $472,030 Chase County $726,200 $472,030 Cherry County $726,200 $472,030 Cheyenne County $726,200 $472,030 Clay County $726,200 $472,030 Colfax County $726,200 $472,030 Cuming County $726,200 $472,030 Custer County $726,200 $472,030 Dakota County $726,200 $472,030 Dawes County $726,200 $472,030 Dawson County $726,200 $472,030 Deuel County $726,200 $472,030 Dixon County $726,200 $472,030 Dodge County $726,200 $472,030 Douglas County $726,200 $472,030 Dundy county $726,200 $472,030 Fillmore County $726,200 $472,030 Franklin County $726,200 $472,030 Frontier County $726,200 $472,030 Furnas County $726,200 $472,030 Gage County $726,200 $472,030 Garden County $726,200 $472,030 Garfield County $726,200 $472,030 Gosper County $726,200 $472,030 Grant County $726,200 $472,030 Greeley County $726,200 $472,030 Hall County $726,200 $472,030 Hamilton County $726,200 $472,030 Harlan County $726,200 $472,030 Hayes County $726,200 $472,030 Hitchcock County $726,200 $472,030 Holt County $726,200 $472,030 Hooker County $726,200 $472,030 Howard County $726,200 $472,030 Jefferson County $726,200 $472,030 Johnson County $726,200 $472,030 Kearney County $726,200 $472,030 Keith County $726,200 $472,030 Keye Paha County $726,200 $472,030 Kimball County $726,200 $472,030 Knox County $726,200 $472,030 Lancaster County $726,200 $472,030 Lincoln County $726,200 $472,030 Logan County $726,200 $472,030 Loup County $726,200 $472,030 McPherson County $726,200 $472,030 Madison County $726,200 $472,030 Merrick County $726,200 $472,030 Morrill County $726,200 $472,030 Nance County $726,200 $472,030 Nemaha County $726,200 $472,030 Nuckolls County $726,200 $472,030 Otoe County $726,200 $472,030 Pawnee County $726,200 $472,030 Perkins County $726,200 $472,030 Phelps County $726,200 $472,030 Pierce County $726,200 $472,030 Platte County $726,200 $472,030 Polk County $726,200 $472,030 Red Willow County $726,200 $472,030 Richardson County $726,200 $472,030 Rock County $726,200 $472,030 Saline County $726,200 $472,030 Sarpy County $726,200 $472,030 Saunders County $726,200 $472,030 Scotts Bluff County $726,200 $472,030 Seward County $726,200 $472,030 Sheridan County $726,200 $472,030 Sherman County $726,200 $472,030 Sioux County $726,200 $472,030 Stanton County $726,200 $472,030 Thayer County $726,200 $472,030 Thomas County $726,200 $472,030 Thurston County $726,200 $472,030 Valley County $726,200 $472,030 Washington County $726,200 $472,030 Wayne County $726,200 $472,030 Webster County $726,200 $472,030 Wheeler County $726,200 $472,030 York County $726,200 $472,030Note: You'll need to get a jumbo loan if you want to borrow more than $726,200, regardless of which county you hope to reside in. Depending on the lender and term length, you might be able to lock in a lower rate for a conforming mortgage. If you plan to buy a more expensive home in Nebraska, jumbo loans let you borrow more money than the conforming mortgage limit.

For starters, you'll pay credit card interest whenever you carry a balance from month to month, and you'll likely encounter other fees like over-the-limit fees and late fees. Note that credit card lenders may use many different variations of credit score models when considering your application. But some credit cards don't charge any late fees for your first late payment, or, in some cases, any late fees at all. It's best for those with limited credit histories who can't qualify for a traditional unsecured credit card quite yet. Review: Citi Simplicity credit card reviewApple CardLate fee benefit: The Apple Card doesn't charge any penalty fees or late fees.

☆ ISSB Plans to Finalize Rules on Disclosure of Climate-Related Risks in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( Jennifer Williams-Alvarez | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +5 min

And then quite naturally, we’re now looking at what’s next,” Mr. Faber said. The International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation, an accounting standards body based in London, launched the ISSB to develop sustainability reporting standards. One of the rule proposals would see companies disclose significant climate-related risks, such as floods and other extreme weather events. The number of global companies reporting under four different frameworks rose to 255 in 2020 from eight in 2019, the data shows. These “adjacent topics” are top of mind for investors, according to Mr. Faber.

Both would be setbacks for the Biden administration. In another immigration-related case, the court has yet to rule on the Biden administration’s attempt to implement its immigration enforcement priorities. For Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the administration’s top advocate at the court, arguing before such a conservative court is a constant uphill battle. The government similarly failed to convince the conservative majority not to expand gun rights in another major ruling issued that month. The Biden administration can point to some hard-fought victories.

But the sheer number of nurses working travel jobs, and the difference between what they thought was promised and what they pocketed, has led to a substantial legal pushback by travel nurses around the country on the issue. Courtesy Jordyn BashfordThis summer, Stueve Siegel Hanson, a Kansas City, Missouri, law firm, filed class-action lawsuits against four travel nurse agencies: Aya, Maxim, NuWest and Cross Country. Advertisements touted an hourly rate of $8 to $11, but many nurses wound up making less than $6, according to Pan Travelers, a professional association of travel nurses. But by February, after her first 13-week contract, Covid hospitalizations had waned and the demand for travel nurses had fallen. Mark Humphrey / APTwo travel nurses walk the hallways during their shift at a hospital in Rhode Island.

☆ Carrying holiday debt may be especially troubling these days. These 5 tips can help you knock down those balances faster
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

High inflation and rising interest rates mean holiday shoppers who turned to credit cards and other methods of borrowing are left with bigger balances this year. Slightly more than a third, or 35%, of shoppers took on debt this holiday season, down from 36% last year, according to a new survey from LendingTree. But the average debt borrowers took on climbed to $1,549 in 2022, a 24% increase from last year's average of $1,249. Most people — 63% — who took on debt were not planning to do so, up from 54% last year. Even in the best economic conditions, most people have a tiny financial margin for error, according to Schulz.

☆ The Tom Brady of Other Jobs
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-24 | by ( Francesca Paris | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +17 min

Meet them, and decide for yourself:The Tom Brady of Paramedics Jesse Izaguirre, 70Gardena, Calif.Jesse Izaguirre loves working with younger paramedics. Hopefully never.”The Tom Brady of Bakers Helen Fletcher, 83Clayton, Mo. Chalk it up to a great big fib.”The Tom Brady of Artists Lilian Thomas Burwell, 95Highland Beach, Md. “I should’ve signed them.”The Tom Brady of Biologists Maria Elena Zavala, 72Los AngelesProfessional longevity runs in Maria Elena Zavala’s family. It didn’t vanish when they crossed the border.”The Tom Brady of Loggers Earl Pollock, 82Hamburg, Ark.

☆ Some flight attendants and rail workers have their attendance tracked by a game-like 'point system' that they say values efficiency over health
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Hannah Towey | Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

In 2023, my family will deliberately be saving less money. We'll reinvest in our businessThe biggest way we're "spending more" in 2023 is by reinvesting in the financial planning firm that my wife and I run together. We're spending money on childcare for the first timeIn 2022, my wife was the lead parent to our infant daughter. The fact that we didn't have to pay additional money for childcare did help our budget last year. That includes having the wiggle room in our financial plan to make an adjustment like saving less, at least for this year.

☆ I work with Gen Zers entering the job market. They're demanding more money, benefits, and opportunities and employers should actually be thrilled about it.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Alli Hoff Kosik | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Williams said Gen Z job seekers have higher demands because they have more access to company data. For Gen Z, we can't overestimate the impact of the pandemic, social unrest, and an ever-increasing attachment to technology. Gen Z professionals certainly have higher expectations than those that came before themIt's about more than just salary. Companies must address these questions in order to effectively negotiate with and bring Gen Zers into their organizations. Gen Zers ask them because they're savvy, ambitious, and motivated.

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