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☆ An idyllic California town, a celebrity landlord, and a rental from hell
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Tatiana Walk-Morris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Sonaar Luthra and Sarah Szalavitz left Los Angeles for a rental in La Quinta, California, last March. The couple found a rental home online for $4,000 a month in La Quinta, California, a palm-tree-dotted hamlet about 2½ hours away, nestled between the resort-haven Palm Springs and festival-famous Coachella. They were relieved, they told Insider, because they believed someone in the public eye would be a reliable landlord. Luthra and Szalavitz thought moving to La Quinta would afford them the time and space to begin personal projects, including planning a wedding. The couple detailed how the celebrity-owned house in a desert paradise became a rental from hell.

☆ The Best Book Judy Blume Ever Got as a Gift? ‘Lady Chatterley’s Lover.’
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

I’m about to start Rebecca Makkai’s “I Have Some Questions for You.” I just finished “Still Pictures,” by Janet Malcolm. Yesterday afternoon I read a graphic memoir, “Gender Queer,” by Maia Kobabe, the most banned book in the country right now. Books I’ve finished but still in the pile: “Ms. A train is good but how often am I on a train these days? So maybe the best place for reading is sitting on my balcony overlooking the ocean (I know, right?).

☆ Finding Love in a Fake World
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Julia May Jonas | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A lightly varied collection of conventionally attractive heterosexual humans compete to marry a single conventionally attractive human of the opposite sex. Argy’s heroine did not submit an application for the reality TV show “The One,” the novel’s stand-in for the “Bachelor” franchise. Instead, she was plucked off the streets by Miranda, a producer who has devoted her adulthood to working her way up the ranks. Each producer is responsible for a group of girls on “The One,” and the more prominently their girls feature, the more the producer is rewarded. The win will provide Miranda with job security, remuneration and confirmation of her own excellence.

☆ Florida Governor Desantis signs 6-week abortion ban law
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"We are proud to support life and family in the state of Florida," DeSantis said in a statement. A Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on Wednesday found that about 50% of Americans strongly or somewhat oppose a national six-week abortion ban, including 44% of Republicans. The fate of the ban will depend on the outcome of a court challenge to the state's 15-week abortion ban, which abortion providers have argued violates the state constitutional right to privacy. If the Florida Supreme Court rules that the 15-week ban is constitutional, the six-week ban would take effect 30 days later. Patients from across the U.S. Southeast have been traveling to Florida to end their pregnancies since the U.S. Supreme Court gutted federal abortion rights.

☆ 19 Unique Gifts for Women Who Have Everything
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +10 min

“There’s something a little decadent about wearing a matching cashmere set when you’re traveling by plane, for example,” Deyette notes. Note: The earrings can also be purchased as singles if you or your recipient like to mix and match. Constructed of 100% Australian sheepskin upper and footbed, they feel incredibly luxe and confer the benefit of breathable, moisture-wicking materials. “I love lighting this candle when I take a bath or just want to relax with a good book,” she says. It comes with a 72-ounce pitcher and an ice-crushing blade, as well as two single-serve blender cups for beverages on the go.

Kashtanova received a copyright in September, and declared on social media that it meant artists were entitled to legal protection for their AI art projects. Copyright Office suddenly reversed itself, and Kashtanova became the first person in the country to be stripped of legal protection for AI art. A spokesperson for the copyright office declined to comment. Copyright Office, petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court and has a patent case before the U.K. Supreme Court. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton 1 2 3 4Meanwhile, many artists and companies that own creative content fiercely oppose granting copyrights to AI owners or users.

☆ I'm a drag queen in Tennessee and scared the new law banning cabaret performances will hurt the drag community and leave me without a steady income
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( Alexandra York | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Bella DuBalle, a Memphis-based drag queen, said this law will hurt both her and small businesses. DuBalle has been doing drag for a decade and working as a full-time drag queen in nightclubs and other venues for three years. However, a new law in Tennessee that takes effect on April 1 threatens her business and that of fellow drag performers in the community. DuBalle believes the law will harm the income and livelihoods of both drag performances and the local businesses that feature them. Building a full-time career took perseveranceBella DuBalle has been a full-time drag queen for three years.

☆ Philadelphia to pay $9.25 million to protesters at George Floyd demonstration
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Brad Brooks | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Law enforcement deploys tear gas and smoke canisters at the I-676 Vine Expressway during a rally against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., June 1, 2020. REUTERS/Bastiaan SlabbersMarch 20 (Reuters) - Philadelphia will pay $9.25 million to settle a class-action lawsuit brought by racial justice protesters who accused police of abusing them at a 2020 rally following the killing of George Floyd, the city said on Monday. The Legal Defense Fund, one of the organizations representing the plaintiffs, called the settlement one of the largest in the city's history. The Fund said police had agreed to meet with West Philadelphia residents every six months to provide data on its use of force and to take questions from the community. New York City recently agreed to pay out millions to protesters who alleged police abuse during that city's demonstrations in the wake of Floyd's death.

☆ 5 ways to beat the blues and be productive when you just don't feel like it
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( Jeanne Omlor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

By actively using creative visualization, you can activate intrinsic motivation to beat the blues. You need intrinsic motivation. With intrinsic motivation in mind, here is a simple action plan for getting motivated or re-motivated this winter:1. Of course, the best way to begin this entire journey to intrinsic motivation is just to start. Follow these five steps, and not only will you beat the winter blues, but you will accomplish goals with more ease and passion than ever before.

☆ How academy president Janet Yang went from 'feeling like an outsider' to becoming one of the most powerful people in Hollywood
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-11 | by ( Morgan Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Janet Yang, the President of the Academy at the 95th Oscar Nominations Announcement held at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater on January 24, 2023 in Beverly Hills, California. Janet Yang is one of the most powerful people in Hollywood — but for a long time, she thought a career in entertainment was impossible. On the Universal Studios lot, Yang met two people that would change the course of her career: Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy. Last summer, when the academy announced they were looking for a new president, Yang nominated herself for the job. Outside of the academy, Yang has earned a reputation as a "godmother" to other Asian Americans working in Hollywood and is actively involved in several organizations working to amplify AAPI voices in entertainment.

REUTERS/Octavio JonesMarch 7 (Reuters) - Republican lawmakers in Florida filed bills on Tuesday to outlaw most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, a ban that would severely undercut access to the procedure in the U.S. South if passed by the state's Republican-controlled legislature. Data from Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration showed that the number of out-of-state abortion patients rose 38% in 2022 compared to 2021. He has previously said he would sign an abortion ban as early as six weeks. Abortion rights advocates and Democrats, including White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre, spoke out on Tuesday against the new bills, which would ban abortion before many women know they are pregnant. Reporting by Gabriella Borter and Joseph Ax; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Richard ChangOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ See inside the marble-lined, $15 million luxury apartment Putin reportedly bought for his suspected lover
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Although Russian President Vladimir Putin is famously secretive about his personal life, he's been rumored to be in a relationship with Alina Kabaeva for years. Russian President Vladimir Putin carries a bouquet of red roses during a ceremony at the Red Square, in Moscow, on November 4, 2022. Contributor/Getty ImagesIt's unclear when the couple got together but rumors have been circulating since at least 2008, The Project reported. Putin was previously married to Lyudmila Shkrebneva from 1983 to 2014. Despite the couple having two daughters, a biographer speculated the marriage may have been problematic and loveless.

☆ Guns N' Roses and Arctic Monkeys to headline Glastonbury along with Elton John
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Sumaya HishamLONDON, March 3 (Reuters) - Guns N' Roses and Arctic Monkeys will join Elton John as headliners at the Glastonbury Festival in June, organisers said on Friday, drawing attention to the largely male line-up of its biggest performers this year. The festival's official poster gave U.S. rapper Lizzo joint headline billing but she was the lone, high-profile female performer among the main acts this year. Paul McCartney, 80, played last year's Glastonbury, as the festival returned from a three-year absence due to the coronavirus pandemic. While English rock act Arctic Monkeys will be making their third appearance as headliners at Glastonbury following the release of a new album in October, it will be the first time for American rock legends Guns N' Roses, who will be touring Europe in June. Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar, Editing by Paul Sandle and William SchombergOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ I quit my job as a nurse to house-sit — and I've now lived rent-free in LA, Portugal, Costa Rica, and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Claire Turrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Costa Rica and Mexico were the top two. We booked a trip to Costa Rica, but in March 2020, the pandemic hit and all our travel plans were put on hold. We checked out the site, and we typed in "Costa Rica" when it asked "Where do you want to go?" So far, we've stayed in 10 homes in landscapes as varied as the desert of Palm Springs and the jungle of Costa Rica. Our first house-sit was at a jungle casita in Costa Rica, where we looked after a little rescue dogIt proved to be one of our favorites.

BUCHA, Ukraine/VILNIUS, Feb 22 (Reuters) - The brightly painted nails were what gave the identity of the body away. A year on from the full-scale invasion, her family and friends have parted ways, their lives upended by the conflict. Ukraine and the West accuse Russia of war crimes in Bucha, an allegation the Kremlin denies. February 24 is the day when life was taken away from all Ukrainians, but we are trying to get it back." Additional reporting by Yiming Woo in Bucha; Editing by Mike Collett-White and Alexandra HudsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Tesla workers launch union campaign to secure better pay and challenge workplace monitoring, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tesla workers in New York emailed Elon Musk about their campaign to unionize, per Bloomberg. Workers told the publication they wanted to secure better pay and working conditions. Workers who are part of the union effort told Bloomberg that their keystrokes were monitored to check how long employees worked on tasks. Per Bloomberg, the workers are organizing with Workers United, a union that has helped Starbucks' cafes across the US push to unionize. Previous unsuccessful unionization efforts by Tesla employees included one in California in 2017.

[1/4] A Palestinian man carries flowers in an agricultural greenhouse in Khan Younis in southern Gaza Strip, February 12, 2023. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu MustafaGAZA, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Valentine's Day is considered un-Islamic by many of the 2.3 million Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip and business was slower than usual on Tuesday at those shops selling red roses, fluffy hearts and teddy bears. While Hamas doesn't prevent Valentine's Day commerce, some clerics have in the past roamed the streets, urging people and store owners to eschew what they deem a Western rite. Picking up a bouquet of her favourite flowers, Palestinian Nehaya Jarada said she was determined to enjoy the day nevertheless. "I still want to celebrate Valentine's Day, despite the wars we live through and the earthquake," she said.

☆ Patrick Mahomes' wife Brittany Mahomes has built her own sports empire as a professional soccer player, part owner of a women's soccer team, and a fitness guru
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Kelly Mclaughlin | Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | Meredith Cash | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is celebrating his latest win with his wife Brittany. The Kansas City Chiefs selected Patrick in the first round of the NFL Draft in April 2017. Her team won its league in September 2017, according to her Instagram, and by October 2017 she was in Kansas City. I think the people are what we love the most about Kansas City," Mahomes said. He took the Chiefs to their second-consecutive Super Bowl in February 2021, though the team lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

☆ Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue, ChatGPT Made a Valentine for You - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

OpinionA Valentine, From A.I. to YouWe asked ChatGPT to try tocapture that most human of emotions: love. Try our valentine generator anddecide for yourself if artificial intelligencehas developed emotional intelligence. We asked ChatGPT to tryto capture that most humanof emotions: love. Try ourvalentine generator and decidefor yourself if artificialintelligence has developedemotional intelligence.

LONDON, Feb 13 (Reuters) - This Valentine's Day is set to look different after a year of record food inflation that has sent up prices of everything from flowers to chocolates and dining in restaurants. Last year, British restaurant chain PizzaExpress offered a three-course set menu complete with "a prosecco and raspberry mimosa, heart-shaped dough balls and a main, such as our Padana, with creamy goat’s cheese and sweet caramelised onion". This year, PizzaExpress is advertising a slightly less impressive "love bundle" of a starter and a "classic" pizza for 15 pounds. Reuters GraphicsThe nation's supermarkets are seeking to cash in, keepingprices for their Valentine's Day meal-deals stable in the hope of luring customers from restaurants. Tesco (TSCO.L), whose CEO recently noted that consumers are shifting away from eating out, has reduced the price of its Valentine's Day dinner-for-two to 12 pounds - down from 15 pounds last year - for a main, side dish, dessert and drink.

☆ Rashford, Garnacho earn Man United hard-fought win at Leeds
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Peter Hall | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Soccer Football - Premier League - Leeds United v Manchester United - Elland Road, Leeds, Britain - February 12, 2023 Manchester United's Marcus Rashford celebrates scoring their first goal with Bruno Fernandes Action Images via Reuters/Lee SmithLEEDS, England, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Late goals from Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho earned Manchester United a hard-fought 2-0 Premier League victory at Leeds United on Sunday. Chances were few and far between in a feisty first half between the Roses rivals, with Crysencio Summerville twice going close for Leeds and Bruno Fernandes wasting the visitors' best opportunity. Gaps started to appear with the deadlock broken and substitute Garnacho took advantage to put the game to bed five minutes from time, racing clear before firing home. With champions Manchester City in action later on Sunday, United leap-frogged their rivals into second place having played two games more. Reporting by Peter Hall, editing by Ed OsmondOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Valentine's Day roses turn Miami, usually a freight desert, into trucking's busiest hot spot
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Bianca Giacobone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The US will spend $25.6 billion on Valentine's day this year. "There's not a lot of freight in the South Florida markets," Robert Rouse, product manager for truckload freight marketplace and data analytics platform DAT Freight & Analytics, told Insider. The overwhelming majority of Valentine's day roses and carnations come from Colombia and Ecuador. The overwhelming majority of Valentine's day roses and carnations come from Colombia and Ecuador, which are conveniently just a few hours plane ride from Miami. Valentine's roses are to Miami what Christmas trees are to Oregon and North Carolina, or pumpkins to Illinois.

☆ For Magic Mike, Channing Tatum Looked for Strippers Moms Could Love
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Ellen Gamerman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

MIAMI—Magic Mike Live is a male strip show where men take off their pants the regular way—at the ankles, not ripped down a side-seam of snaps. The full monty is not skin, but a sensitive guy talking to the crowd about consent. “Before you enter a lady’s space, you should always know that you’re welcome.”The language of empowerment and self-care is employed liberally at Magic Mike Live, a dance revue based on the 2012 movie starring Channing Tatum. Mr. Tatum and Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh spent $7 million to make that film, an almost-satirical look at the towel-snapping world of male strippers. Just over a decade later, Magic Mike is a more than $500 million brand that spawned two more movies, live shows with yearslong engagements in Las Vegas and London, and a multicity North American tour that recently kicked off in Miami.

☆ A new app that lets people create avatars and hang out with friends in virtual bedrooms made its debut 3 weeks ago, and it's already taking Asia by storm
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Reena Koh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Bondee is a new social networking app created by a Singapore-based tech company. Bondee's popularity remained strong against rumors of credit card info leaks. Bondee is a social networking app that allows users to connect with up to 50 of their closest friends in a virtual plaza. In the early days of its release, the app's creators were battling rumors of credit card info leaks. The company has also rejected all claims accusing the company of leaking credit card information, as reported on CNA.

☆ Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes' wife Brittany Mahomes has built her own sports empire as a professional soccer player, part owner of a women's soccer team, and a fitness guru
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Kelly Mclaughlin | Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is celebrating his latest win with his wife Brittany. The Kansas City Chiefs selected Patrick in the first round of the NFL Draft in April 2017. She also became a part owner of Kansas City's women's soccer team when the National Women's Soccer League expanded to the city in 2020. I think the people are what we love the most about Kansas City," Mahomes said. On Sunday, Mahomes led the Chiefs to victory against the Bengals to secure a slot in the 2023 Super Bowl.

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