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☆ 35 secret terms only cruise workers know — and the ones you don't want to hear as a passenger
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Cruise workers have their own secret language they use to communicate with one another. That's because crew members have dozens of secret code words and sayings they use to communicate while keeping passengers in the dark. Insider compiled a dictionary of cruise ship language based on interviews with cruise workers, previous reporting, and industry blogs. GUSTAVO GRANADO/AFP via Getty ImagesBabaloo: Alternatively spelled "Babalu," this is widespread cruise worker slang that means "fool" or "idiot." Cruise to Nowhere: Also called a "stay-cation" by some cruise workers, this is when a ship cruises at sea without stopping at any ports.

☆ The most expensive home in the Caribbean just listed for $200 million – take a look inside
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Ray Parisi | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

It's located on the small private island of Mustique, which lies in the southern Caribbean nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Last year, Mustique's largest transaction was recorded at about $35 million, according to de Mallet Morgan. Here's a closer look at the most expensive home to ever hit the market in the Caribbean. The Bali Cottages house four more guest bedrooms and surround the estate's third swimming pool. De Mallet Morgan said the estate is currently operated by 18 staff.

☆ From 'babaloo' to 'slop chest,' these are 35 secret terms only cruise workers know — and the ones you don't want to hear as a passenger
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Cruise workers have their own secret language they use to communicate with one another. That's because crew members have dozens of secret code words and sayings they use to communicate while keeping passengers in the dark. Insider compiled a dictionary of cruise ship language based on interviews with cruise workers, previous reporting, and industry blogs. GUSTAVO GRANADO/AFP via Getty ImagesBabaloo: Alternatively spelled "Babalu," this is widespread cruise worker slang that means "fool" or "idiot." Slop chest: A tiny convenience store in the crew-only section of a cruise ship that sells essential items.

☆ I work remotely from the Maldives. Here's what I love about my routine — and what I find downright odd about life here.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( Sarah Harvey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

I've slept at some of the most expensive resorts in the world for my work, and am often surprised by how the atmospheres vary — some are really sociable, while at others all the guests ignore each other. Private pools and butlers are standard at Maldives resorts. Sarah Harvey/Insider

☆ Commodity-linked stocks push FTSE 100 higher; retailers slide
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Shashwat Chauhan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The blue-chip FTSE 100 (.FTSE) gained 0.6% to hover near a more than four-year high scaled on Wednesday, while the more domestically focused FTSE 250 mid-cap index (.FTMC) rose 0.9%. Retailers Tesco (TSCO.L) and Marks & Spencer (MKS.L) slipped between 0.3% and 1.6% despite strong sales, as both companies warned of inflationary pressures. Financial stocks were among the top gainers on the FTSE 100, with banks like HSBC (HSBA.L) and Barclays (BARC.L) rising 0.9% and 1.4%, respectively. The FTSE 100 has had a bright start to the year so far, rising in almost every session. Centrica (CNA.L) climbed to the top of FTSE 100, jumping 6.1% after the British Gas owner raised its full-year earnings forecast.

☆ UK's FTSE boosted higher by healthcare sector
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Johann M Cherian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SummarySummary Companies FTSE 100 rose 0.1%, FTSE 250 falls 0.2%GSK escapes U.S. lawsuit on Zantac allegationsMoonpig drops to bottom of FTMCDec 7 (Reuters) - UK's export-oriented FTSE 100 climbed on Wednesday as the healthcare sector was boosted by shares of GSK after the drugmaker escaped U.S. lawsuits over its heartburn drug Zantac. The blue-chip FTSE 100 (.FTSE) edged 0.1% higher by 0930 GMT. The pharmaceutical sector (.FTNMX201030) rose 3.3% in its biggest one-day percentage gain since late February. A nearly 10% jump in shares of GSK Plc (GSK.L) boosted the index after the drugmaker was spared thousands of U.S. lawsuits claiming that Zantac caused cancer. The real estate sector (.FTUB3510) fell 0.2% and is down 34% year-to-date and is heading towards its biggest fall since 2008.

☆ UK bond turmoil leaves smaller pension schemes with longer-term costs
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Carolyn Cohn | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

As pension funds scrambled for cash to meet margin calls, the Bank of England intervened to stabilise the market and avoid the collapse of some LDI-exposed funds. But pension schemes that could not meet margin calls in time - many of them smaller schemes - had their positions liquidated by LDI fund managers. Larger schemes in segregated funds were more likely to have retained their hedges, industry sources said. Large schemes in segregated funds pay lower fees for more volume - a benefit small schemes cannot enjoy. LDI fund managers BlackRock (BLK.N) and Insight Investment did not respond to requests for comment.

☆ British pub operator Marston's annual sales rise above pre-pandemic levels
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Oct 11 (Reuters) - British pub operator Marston's (MARS.L) said on Tuesday its annual retail sales rose above pre-pandemic levels, as people splurged on drinks more than food despite the worsening cost-of-living crisis. Pubs, restaurants and hotels in Britain, still recovering from pandemic restrictions, are now grappling with rising costs and lower consumer spending in the face of rising inflation. "We are managing cost inflation well with food, drink and energy costs covered for the immediate future," Chief Executive Officer Andrew Andrea said in a statement. Total retail sales for the year were 2% higher from 2019, with sales of drinks outperforming food because of hot weather during the summer, Marston's said. Marston's rivals Mitchells & Butlers (MAB.L) warned of tighter margins in its new financial year as costs rise, while Wetherspoon's (JDW.L) annual operating costs nearly doubled.

☆ British pub group Mitchells & Butlers warns on costs, shares drop
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SummarySummary Companies Q4 LfL sales up 1.5% vs 2019Flags higher energy and utility costsShares down ~7%Sept 29 (Reuters) - Mitchells & Butlers (MAB.L) warned of tighter margins in its new financial year as costs rise, driving shares in the British pub operator to two-year lows. Energy and utility costs have risen to roughly 150 million pounds ($161.6 million) in the year ending September 2022, from 80 million pounds in the 2019 period, and could rise further next year, it said in a statement on Thursday. Shares in the company, which have nearly halved in value this year, fell nearly 7% to their lowest since Oct. 2020. read moreBritain has tried to ease the pressure of soaring energy costs, saying it would cap wholesale electricity and gas costs for businesses at less than half the market rate from the coming month until the end of March. Like-for-like sales were up 1.5% for the fourth quarter ended Sept. 24, against 2019 levels, amid rail strikes and extreme heat.

☆ Amazon wants us to believe the robots are coming — but most people won't find them useful
▼ + stars: | 2022-06-29 | by ( Annie Palmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Last week, at Amazon's re:MARS technology conference in Las Vegas, the e-commerce giant and other technology companies in attendance showed off the latest in robotics. I noticed there weren't bold marketing proclamations of "robot butlers" or "AI dogs" as I walked the show floor. The robots were designed to look more practical, and many of the devices could only do a few simple tasks. Take Amazon's Astro robot, for example. Amazon says it was most surprised to find that users want more features that let Astro interact with their pets.

☆ Insider Life: 200K cruise around the world — Luxury ultramarathon — Weddings return
▼ + stars: | 2021-07-30 | by ( Jordan Parker Erb | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

It's that time of week again — settle in for another edition of Insider Life. In today's collection of our best reads, you'll find stories about an around-the-world cruise, a $20,000 ultramarathon, and a woman's time traveling alone through Barbados. He walked us through the differences between Breeze and JetBlue, and gave us an inside look into the low-fare airline. Regent Seven SeasA five-month cruise that takes passengers on a voyage around the world just sold out in less than three hours. Tickets for the cruise, which will hit 31 countries and four continents, started at almost $73,500 per person, and climbed to an astounding $200,00 per person.

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