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☆ Opinion: What Putin’s awkward meeting with Russia’s war bloggers reveals
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Opinion Mark Galeotti | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

However, in Russia there is a particular issue: Russians have long become used to being lied to by their state. Even before the war, almost half got their news from social media, with the proportion having risen since the invasion. They have thus become powerful not just in shaping the domestic narrative, but also in the Kremlin’s wider information war. Even Putin has come to realise that to spin his message, he can no longer stick to the official media. Hence his carefully-choreographed sit-down with a group hand-picked from both the official war correspondents and the online voenkory.

Persons: Mark Galeotti, Vladimir Putin, influencers, ”, –, Semyon Pegov, Yury Podolyaka, Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, Igor ‘ Strelkov, Girkin, ’, voenkory, He’s, voenkor ” Organizations: Mayak Intelligence, University College London, CNN, Mark Galeotti Mayak Intelligence, Kremlin, Twitter, Facebook Locations: Chechnya, Ukraine, Russia, Afghanistan, Russian, Kremlin Ukrainian, Crimea, Belgorod

☆ The Joys of Summer in My Backyard - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Margaret Renkl | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

A lovely native grape has sprung up beside the pokeweed plants at the end of the privacy fence between our driveway and the driveway next door. Our late neighbor installed the fence decades ago, and it isn’t much of a fence anymore. Only a few yards long, falling to ruin, it nevertheless sets a banquet every summer for wildlife. Perhaps my favorite volunteers this year are the pumpkin vines planted last fall by the thumbless hands of squirrels. All because we did nothing but let the wild world run wild in this half-acre patch of suburbia.

☆ South Koreans tap cash-giving apps to help offset rising living costs
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Hyunsu Yim | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

As many as three in four adults earn cash through such applications, showed a recent survey by job portal Incruit. Retiree Han Sun-jae, 77, said he had made some 50,000 won ($37.91) so far through the Toss app. The trend shows people are going the extra mile to help overcome an increasingly dire economic situation, experts said. "While the effort to make pocket money is commendable, it could also leave people vulnerable to personal data use," said Lee Eun-hee, a consumer studies professor at Inha University. ($1 = 1,318.79 won)Reporting by Hyunsu Yim; Additional reporting by Ju-min Park; Editing by Christopher CushingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Legendary Female Artists on the Younger Women Who Inspire Them
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +20 min

The Artist’s Mind What it feels like for female artists to wrestle with ambition, ego, ambivalence and inheritance. That isolation has, historically, been especially true for women artists, some of the most celebrated of whom have seen “writer” or “painter” or “filmmaker” treated as a secondary part of their identity. For this issue, we asked legendary female artists to tell us about a younger woman whose work excites them and gives them hope. But for the current generation of women artists, who have come of age with models who more closely resemble them, identity seems more like a source of community than a trap. Women artists, born into a Babylon of exclusion and possibility, reveal that creative inheritance is as promiscuous as legal inheritance is strict.

☆ GameStop's surprise profit triggers short squeeze, meme stocks rally
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Medha Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

AMC and GameStop were at the heart of a meme-stock frenzy in 2021 driven by small investors coordinating on social media. Among other highly shorted meme stocks, Koss Corp (KOSS.O) climbed 9.5%, Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY.O) reversed course to slip 1.3%, while the Roundhill MEME ETF (MEME.P) rose 4.2%. "Luckily, this go around is not due to meme investors, but an actual tangible fundamental event," said David Wagner, portfolio manager at Aptus Capital Advisors. SOURING SHORT BETSWhen there is a rush of demand from short sellers looking to exit their bearish bets amid a rise in a stock's price, it pushes prices even higher, resulting in a short squeeze. Another favorite among retail investors - Carvana Co (CVNA.N) - jumped 22% after the used-car retailer said it expects a smaller core loss in the current quarter.

☆ GameStop jumps after swinging to profit, ignites rally in meme stocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 22 (Reuters) - Meme stock GameStop Corp (GME.N) jumped nearly 40% in premarket trading on Wednesday after the video game retailer posted its first profitable quarter in two years, igniting a surge in other stocks popular among retail traders. GameStop posted an adjusted profit of 16 cents per share for the fourth quarter, compared to a loss of 47 cents a year ago, helped by a tight lid on costs including job cuts. Other popular stocks among retail traders also rose, with AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc (AMC.N) gaining 10%, while Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY.O) added 11%. The high interest rate regime of the past year has roiled stock markets, with speculative areas of the market such as meme stocks taking a severe blow. GameStop shares slid 25% in the past 12 months, compared to a 10.3% slide in the S&P 500 (.SPX).

☆ Thousands without power as California storms bring rain, snow and cold
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( Sharon Bernstein | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] The Los Angeles river during a rare cold winter storm in the Los Angeles area, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., February 24, 2023. REUTERS/Aude GuerrucciFeb 25 (Reuters) - Nearly 85,000 households and businesses were without power in the Los Angeles area on Saturday, as storms continued to pummel parts of California, bringing snow to higher elevations and dumping rain and hail in the flatlands. In Southern California, "this is a rare case of a cold, significant storm event," Jackson said. On Saturday, scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms were expected to bring rain, hail and a mixture of snow and moisture called "graupel" to the area, the National Weather Service said. Reporting by Sharon Bernstein in Sacramento, California; Editing by Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Brothers Jeff and Spencer Jan didn't have to reinvent the wheel to build a $400 million company with a cult following. Their company, Grapevine, Texas-based Solo Brands, makes the Solo Stove — a backyard fire pit that the Jan brothers describe as a "virtually smokeless" campfire alternative. As of Tuesday morning, the company now has a $406.74 million market cap under the stewardship of CEO John Merris, who signed on in 2018 after meeting with the brothers. "I remember in that first conversation with them, Spencer and Jeff telling me that they had reinvented fire," Merris tells CNBC Make It. Then, the brothers sent Merris home with a Solo Stove — and the first time he tried it out on his Texas ranch, he was "absolutely blown away."

☆ Managers at my company have to give at least one bad review on their teams. How can I make sure I don't get targeted?
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Rebecca Knight | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Stack ranking is when managers score employees' performances relative to that of their coworkers. It's not easy to fight it if your company uses stack rankings, but you can take a few actions. Forced, or stack, ranking — a system in which managers score their employees' individual performances relative to that of their coworkers — needs to die but, alas, refuses to do so. Stack ranking is still used today, including at companies like Amazon, though it's largely been found to be a terrible management practice. Why, then, do some companies persist in stack ranking?

DHEISHEH, West Bank ⁠— Palestinian tradition dictates that only men transport the dead to their graves. For a few moments, she led the funerary procession for Amr, 14, who Palestinians say was killed by an Israeli bullet during a raid in the Dheisheh refugee camp. Around her, mourners packed the street inside the camp in the Israeli-occupied West Bank just south of Bethlehem. Around Khamour, posters large and small from a variety of Palestinian organizations and institutions declared Amr a martyr. In 2022, 29 people were killed by Palestinians in Israel, east Jerusalem and the West Bank, according Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

There have been 53 reports of tornadoes since early Tuesday morning in seven states, including three confirmed whirlwinds in Louisiana that killed three people. Reports came in from Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida. Typically, reports are made by citizens or law enforcement who spot the tornadoes or areas of damage. St. Charles Parish President Matthew Jewell said 55 structures were damaged during the storms, 21 of which have been deemed uninhabitable. One family had their home destroyed in Wayne, about 50 miles southeast of Oklahoma City, NBC Montana reported.

☆ Tornado touches down in Louisiana, as Alabama and Mississippi remain under watches
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Minyvonne Burke | Minyvonne Burke Is A Senior Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

A tornado struck New Iberia, Louisiana, on Wednesday, briefly trapping people in their homes, police and the National Weather Service Lake Charles said. The tornado touched down in the Southport subdivision area just before 11 a.m. An NWS spokesperson said a storm survey will be conducted to determine its strength. Earlier Wednesday, tornado watches had been issued for parts of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana — where two people, including a child, were killed when a storm tore through the area Tuesday. Thousands of people in Louisiana and Mississippi remain without power after Tuesday's storms. Other injuries were reported in Farmerville, Louisiana, and in Texas after a tornado struck the city of Grapevine.

☆ Child among 2 dead after tornadoes, storms tear through swaths of Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Kathryn-Prociv.Jpg | Kathryn Prociv | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

A tornado touched down south of Shreveport, damaging several homes and knocking down trees and power lines, according to the sheriff's office. The National Weather Service in Fort Worth said there may have been 12 tornadoes, which will be confirmed by storm surveys. The severe weather in Texas occurred as a major winter storm was also pummeling Louisiana, with more than 10 million people under winter weather warnings or advisories across the Rockies and the northern Plains states. High winds toppled big-rig trucks Tuesday morning in Parker and Wise counties in Texas, according to the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center. George Frey / AFP - Getty ImagesWestbound Interstate 70 was closed near the Kansas-Colorado border because of fear of dangerous winter weather, officials in both states said.

☆ At least 5 tornadoes confirmed in Texas as storms roll through southwestern US and blizzard conditions mount in the northern Plains
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Amir Vera Jason Hanna Monica Garrett | Amir Vera | Jason Hanna | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

More than 18 million people from Texas to Mississippi are under threat of severe storms Tuesday, including tornadoes. In Mississippi, the Meridian Public School District – which serves over 4,900 students – announced they will be closed Wednesday due to the threat of severe weather. The Lawrence County and McComb School Districts also announced they were closing Wednesday due to the threat of severe weather. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency also noted the severe weather expected in the state and asked residents to prepare. “With severe weather expected throughout Mississippi tonight and tomorrow, please review your severe weather preparedness checklist to make sure you are ready for the storms,” the agency said in a message on Twitter.

☆ Storm blowing through California dumps snow in Sierra
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — Heavy snow fell in the Sierra Nevada as a winter storm packing powerful winds sent ski lift chairs swinging and closed mountain highways while downpours at lower elevations triggered flood watches Sunday across large swaths of California into Nevada. More than 250 miles (400 km) of the Sierra from north of Reno south to Yosemite National Park remained under winter storm warnings either until late Sunday or early Monday. The Heavenly ski resort at Lake Tahoe shut down some operations on Saturday when the brunt of the storm hit. The UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab reported Sunday morning that more than 43 inches (110 cm) had fallen in a 48-hour span. A stretch of California Highway 89 also was closed due to heavy snow between Tahoe City and South Lake Tahoe, the highway patrol said.

☆ Gladys Knight, George Clooney, Amy Grant feted at Kennedy Center Honors
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

WASHINGTON — A heartfelt Patti LaBelle praised her lifelong friend Gladys Knight. Matt Damon playfully teased his friend George Clooney — a lot — while Sheryl Crow gave thanks and a heartfelt rendition of “Baby Baby” to her fellow singer Amy Grant during Sunday’s Kennedy Center Honors. Every year the Kennedy Center honors a select group of people for their artistic influences on American culture. 2022 Kennedy Center Honorees, front row from left, Amy Grant, Gladys Knight, George Clooney, Tania León, join, back row from left, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr., The Edge, and Bono for a group photo at the State Department following the Kennedy Center Honors gala dinner, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, in Washington. León said during an interview when the honorees were announced that she wasn’t expecting “anything spectacular” when the Kennedy Center initially reached out to her.

[1/6] Kennedy Center honorees U2 band member Bono greets Cuban-born American composer, conductor and educator Tania Leon during a reception for Kennedy Center honorees ahead of the official gala at the State Department in Washington, D.C., U.S., December 3, 2022. REUTERS/Sarah SilbigerWASHINGTON, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Actor George Clooney, singer-songwriter Amy Grant, singer Gladys Knight, composer Tania León and rock group U2 were set to be celebrated on Sunday for their contributions to the arts with a White House reception and Kennedy Center Honors show. The Kennedy Center event, now in its 45th year, honors stars from music, stage and screen for their "contribution to American culture." Grant rose to prominence as a contemporary Christian music singer who later crossed over to pop stardom, amassing six Grammy Awards. Irish band U2, with members Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr., has won 22 Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005.

☆ George Clooney, Gladys Knight among Kennedy Center honorees
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, second from left, and his wife, Evan Ryan, left, join 2022 Kennedy Center Honorees, front row from left, Amy Grant, Gladys Knight, George Clooney, Tania León, and Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter, back row from left, Kennedy Center Chairman David Rubenstein, along with fellow 2022 Honorees Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr., The Edge, and Bono for a group photo at the State Department following the Kennedy Center Honors gala dinner, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, in Washington. Sometimes the Kennedy Center honors not just individuals but groups; "Sesame Street" once got the nod. Composer and conductor León said during an interview when the honorees were announced that she wasn't expecting "anything spectacular" when the Kennedy Center initially reached out to her. After all, she's worked with the Kennedy Center numerous times over the years going back to 1980, when she was commissioned to compose music for a play. León left Cuba as a refugee in 1967 and eventually settled in New York City.

☆ 'Instagram vs. Reality': Homeowner shares unedited videos of a house she bought from aspiring DIY influencers to make a point on how misleading social media can be
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sara Van Ess told Insider she started uploading the reality of her new home to highlight how heavily edited social media can be. I started searching for it and stumbled across a kitchen I recognized," Van Ess told BuzzFeed. "The content we put out there does not just impact us, it impacts the people who view it," Van Ess told Insider. In her videos, Van Ess showed the imperfections around her home that may not be shown on social media. Commenters urged Van Ess to continue her series as an insight into how DIY home improvement projects actually turn out.

☆ I'm one of 11,000 people Meta just laid off. It was an incredibly emotional experience, but I felt Mark Zuckerberg handled it with humanity.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

On Wednesday, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced plans to lay off 13% of the company's workforce. This felt different than other layoffs I'd been throughMark announced the layoffs in a memo this morning on our internal employee page. Everyone felt like it felt like the last day; people said it was very depressing. At Meta, I felt like it was done really delicately and intentionally, with humanity intact and with respect for everyone. We hired some really great positions, and to just get fired as soon as things don't work out is pretty emotional, you know?

That means vineyards - which have for centuries transplanted cuttings to ensure robust and flavourful fruit - are now looking for grape types that are more resistant to climate change. It has determined that vines aged 35 years and older appear to cope better with climate change because they are more genetically diverse. The lab's ultimate goal is to ensure winemakers plant specific vines proven to be "more adaptable to climate change conditions", said Carbonell. "We are very worried about climate change," said Iñigo Torres, director of Grupo Rioja, an association representing 60 wineries that together account for 80% of sales. The grapevines were transplanted after being carefully selected from another vineyard where RODA studies the behaviour of old vines - some up to 110 years old.

☆ What to do when something at work goes against your moral code — and your boss doesn't care
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-29 | by ( Rebecca Knight | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

This week's letter is from a manager whose colleague has lied and his boss doesn't care. Experts say he's experiencing moral injury — when an event or behavior violates your values. I'm a bank procurement manager who's dealing with a difficult situation with one of my colleagues, "Melanie." Most research related to moral injury concerns members of the military, as combat and war create situations that might conflict with people's moral and ethical values. There's no easy remedy for moral injury.

A cluster of spotted lanternflies on a grapevine. Spotted lanternflies aren't great fliers, but are great hitchhikers. Penn State associate research professor Julie Urban conducts research in the field to combat spotted lanternflies. Shrawder said it's been four years since spotted lanternflies started feasting on his vines. Right photo: Vines destroyed by spotted lanternflies.

We took over four school boards.”“Eleven seats on school boards, took over four!” Bannon shouted as a crowd of CPAC attendees erupted in applause. In the neighboring city of Southlake, Patriot Mobile donated framed posters that read “In God We Trust” to the Carroll Independent School District during a special presentation before the school board. Nearly 200 people signed up to speak during public comments before the board vote at the school board meeting in Grapevine, Texas. Patriot Mobile paid Vanguard Field Strategies nearly $150,000 to run get-out-the-vote canvassing operations across the four school districts, according to financial disclosures. “This is the most extreme board policy that we have seen related to classroom censorship,” Huddleston said.

☆ A 20-year-old Marine who makes $3,000 a month from real estate investments shares 6 books that got him started in everything from house hacking to short-term rental strategies
▼ + stars: | 2022-05-10 | by ( Lisa Kailai Han | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

He shared with Insider six books that helped him get started in his real estate journey. In an interview with Insider, Adesada mentioned six specific books that helped him get started on his journey to financial freedom through real estate investing. "So by the end of that exercise, I had started developing a plan to buy my second property." Adesada hired her team based on the strategies in "Long-Distance Real Estate Investing" by David Greene, which instructed investors to choose "rockstar real estate agents" for markets outside of their local area. "It's really all the information you need to run a successful real estate property management company — not just own a property or two," he explained.

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