DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Student-loan borrowers have delayed buying a home or car, having kids, and getting married because of their debt — even for those with balances smaller than $10,000
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

A new Gallup and Lumina Foundation report delved into the impact of college costs on adults' lives. It found that student-loan borrowers often delay key milestones, like having kids, because of the debt. Even borrowers with balances smaller than $10,000 have pushed off life events. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementMany student-loan borrowers—even those with relatively small balances — can't progress in life because their debt is holding them back.

Persons: —, weren't Organizations: Gallup, Lumina Foundation, Service, —, Wednesday, Lumina, Business

☆ Opinion | Abortion Is Remaking Our Political Landscape. Why Aren’t Guns?
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Gail Collins | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

But think about the public debate on gun control versus the one we’re having on abortion rights. Perhaps the two biggest long-running social issues in American politics, and the gulf does seem huge. A lot of politicians who were historically opposed to abortion have clearly gotten very nervous about public opinion, worrying that being anti-choice is costing them votes. Take Arizona’s Kari Lake, one of the Republican Party’s most famous crazy-person candidates, now running for a Senate nomination. Hoping to dump the problem on the governors, he embraced the theory that abortion was a state issue.

Persons: Kari Lake, Lake, “, I’m, there’s, Donald Trump Organizations: Republican Locations: Arizona

☆ I have 5 income streams and make $142,000/mo from Amazon alone: Top 3 side hustle mistakes I always tell others to avoid
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Dr. Jenny Woo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

This side hustle saw me through the next five years while I completed my Ph.D. When I started, I didn't know much about running a business, but today, I have five income streams. I bring in $142,000 a month from the Amazon business alone. Don't overcomplicate your productWhen I started my side hustle, I had major imposter syndrome. So before you begin any side hustle, ask yourself two key questions: What is the fundamental need that my product or service fulfills?

Persons: I've, hustlers Organizations: University of California Locations: University of California Irvine

☆ Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy file for union vote at Disneyland
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Chris Isidore | Natasha Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The group had announced a union organizing effort in February, but very often such campaigns fall short of filing to hold a vote. Union organizing efforts have picked up in the last year, especially in the wake of a number of high profile contract wins by unions that provided union members with large pay raises. There are more than 21,000 Disneyland “cast member” employees, who are represented by more than a dozen unions. But it doesn’t include the performers who dress up as characters such as Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy and interact with visitors. Vo said it’s difficult for cast members to afford living on their own, and many have roommates.

Persons: “, ”, Kate Shindle, Mickey, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Disney, Mai Vo, Vo, Zach Elefante, Elefante Organizations: California CNN, Actor’s Equity Association, National Labor Relations Board, Disneyland, Disney, Union, Workers, CNN, showtime, Magic Kingdom Locations: Anaheim, California, Los Angeles, Orlando , Florida, Orlando, Southern California, Vo

Until inflation slows further and the Federal Reserve is able to start lowering the federal funds rate, mortgage rates are likely to remain elevated. If the latest PCE numbers support the narrative that inflation is remaining stubbornly high, mortgage rates could inch up further. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Essentially Flat (+0.01%)The average 15-year mortgage rate is 6.12%, just a single basis point higher than last week. Mortgage rates also rose dramatically in 2023, though they started trending back down toward the end of the year.

Persons: you'll, It's, refinance Organizations: Federal Reserve, US, of, Fed, Zillow, FHA Locations: Chevron

☆ A Beloved Copenhagen Cafe Gets Serious About Dinner
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Gisela Williams | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

But by 2020, the cafe’s success had begun to weigh on him. Bille Brahe, now 40, felt he’d become more of a manager, overseeing invoices and catering events, rather than the creative person he’s always strived to be. His initial impulse was to leave it and do something completely new. He decided to recommit to the Apollo and “to rediscover my gastronomic ambitions,” he said. In addition to other, more subtle changes, that meant shifting his focus away from lunch and breakfast and toward dinner.

Persons: Bille Brahe, he’d, he’s, “, Donna J, ”, Bille Brahe — Locations: American

☆ Watch out Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez — Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan are trying out mob chic, too
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez aren't the only couple that's stepping it up in the fashion arena. Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan were seen trying out the "mob chic" look at Saturday's UFC event. AdvertisementStep aside Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez; there's a new it couple in town, and they're coming for the "mob chic" crown. At the time, Zuckerberg wore an army-green T-shirt, while Chan wore a floral print dress. Related storyChan, meanwhile, appeared to be trying her hand at the "mob wife" aesthetic that's gone viral on social media.

Persons: Jeff Bezos, Lauren Sánchez aren't, Mark Zuckerberg, Priscilla Chan, Zuckerberg, swag, Chan, —, Lauren Sánchez, Jeff Bottari, Lauren Sanchez, Gabbana parry, Jacopo Raule, Jensen Huang, Huang, Anant Ambani's Richard Mille Organizations: UFC, Service, Getty, Dolce, Gabbana Party, Milan, Nvidia, Meta, Business Insider Locations: Bezos, Milan

☆ Israel’s Choices on Response to Iran’s Attack All Come With Risks
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Isabel Kershner | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

As Israel’s leaders continued on Monday to mull a possible response to the massive Iranian aerial attack over the weekend, they faced several choices, all of which carry their own risks. In the past, Israel has hit back hard when its enemies attacked, hoping to discourage further hostilities. But this time Israel is juggling a host of conflicting interests, as well as some new factors. Some Israelis see an opportunity to use military strikes to fulfill the longstanding Israeli goal of degrading Iran’s nuclear program. Analysts say the success of Israel and its allies, led by the United States, in blocking most of the Iranian attack has given Israel the leeway to choose how and when to respond, if at all.

Persons: —, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, ” Organizations: Iranian Embassy Locations: mull, Israel, Iranian, Gaza, Syria, — Israel, United States

☆ Online Dating After 50 Can Be Miserable. But It’s Also Liberating.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Maggie Jones | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Online dating is a mixed bag for most people — queer, hetero, nonbinary. That includes profiles that are fake, created by scammers to try to lure private information from users. As tough as the process can be, older women have it worse than most. They report more negative online-dating experiences compared with men of all ages and younger women, according to a Pew Center for Research study. The pool of men narrows with time: Men’s life expectancy is seven years shorter than women’s.

Persons: scammers, ” “ Organizations: Pew Center for Research Locations: nonbinary . Plenty

☆ Nike says there are less-skimpy options for its Olympic outfits after athletes called them sexist
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Geoff Weiss | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Nike said it's just one of many options — and competitors will have access to tailoring. AdvertisementNike's new uniform for female track and field athletes at this year's Olympics may be a bit too skimpy for athletes, some of whom called the high-cut outfits sexist. But the sportswear brand said it's actually offering an array of choices for athletes — with tailoring options on hand at this year's games. Related storiesIt reignited a familiar debate on social media surrounding uniforms for female athletes. In addition to an array of choices, the company told BI it will have tailoring options for Olympic and Paralympic athletes.

Persons: it's, —, Lauren Fleshman, Tara Davis, Katie Moon, Anna Cockrell Organizations: Nike, Service, New York Times, Times, Olympic, Paralympic Locations: Paris, Woodhall

This week, a reader's car was damaged when their friend drove it with the parking brake engaged. When he finally finished, my best friend did me a huge favor by driving from Portland to Seattle to bring me my car. While these feelings are perfectly natural, allowing them to ruin your relationship with your best friend would be unfair to you both. Knowing that your best friend "can barely afford rent" and still expecting her to repay you for the car parts is the wrong choice. But even if it isn't, I hope you don't lose your best friend over a single space-out.

Persons: I've, I'd, doesn't Organizations: VW Locations: Seattle, Portland , Oregon, Portland

☆ STIs: How to talk about them with a new partner
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-14 | by ( Kristen Rogers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

However, “how to bring it up is tricky because any topic related to sexual health is so taboo and so value-based,” Brito said. But regardless, “it’s important for you to be assertive about your own health,” Brito said, especially as rates of STIs have been rising over the last several years. Whether it’s due to shame or selfishness, not everyone is forthcoming about their sexual health status. Additionally, it’s easier to be proactive and prevent contracting STIs than it is to have to handle a health problem. “There are many … STIs that have really bad stigmas that actually don’t cause any long-term problems,” Earle-Cruickshanks said.

Persons: CNN — You’ve, haven’t, Janet Brito, ” Brito, “, Germaine Earle, Cruickshanks, — won’t, Earle, you’re, ” Earle, Brito, —, you’ve, I’m Organizations: CNN, Hawaii Center, Sexual, Health, Mount Auburn Hospital Locations: Honolulu, Cambridge , Massachusetts

☆ Rejoice, millennials: The vampire boyfriend is cool again
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-14 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

If you've spent time on TikTok or X in the past few months, you may have spotted a proliferation of videos and posts about two video game characters. There's Astarion from "Baldur's Gate 3," and more recently, there's Vincent Valentine, a fan-favorite character from Square Enix's "Final Fantasy VII" remake. Square Enix; Gregg DeGuire/Getty ImagesMercer's opening line in "Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth" is now a fandom legend. from within the depths of his velvet-lined coffin, longtime "Final Fantasy" fans were introduced to the super-cool, uber-goth gunslinger. "I hope viewers of the work see, too, that there's more underneath the surface of a person than the trope of this decadent, hedonistic, theatrical vampire," Newbon said.

Persons: —, hasn't, you've, There's, there's Vincent Valentine, Edward Cullen sparkled, Edward, he's, there's, Alucard, Valentine, Matthew Mercer, Neil Newbon, Matt Mercer, Zelda, Vincent Valentine, Gregg DeGuire, Vincent, Mercer, I've, Vox, Scott Garfitt, who's, Astarion, Newbon Organizations: Service, Business, BAFTA, Getty Images

☆ What Was the Moment That Changed Your Family’s History or Trajectory? - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-14 | by ( Meher Ahmad | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

American history is often recounted through major events. But every family has its own stories, moments that were perhaps never recorded in a history book — the purchase of a home, a hometown disaster, a death, a move — yet speak to the events that define the United States. Times Opinion wants to know about the story, whether passed down through generations at family gatherings or something shared quietly, that has influenced choices you or your family has made. It doesn’t matter how small or how specific to your family, or how much the story has become myth as much as fact: We want to hear the story that your family has passed on from generation to generation.

Locations: United States

☆ Why Hawaii is becoming a leader in U.S. EV adoption
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-13 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Alex Tai | SOPA Images | Lightrocket | Getty ImagesU.S. consumers have been making the move to all-electric vehicles more slowly than many expected — but a growing leader in EV adoption is Hawaii. Power's "EV Adoption Score," which is weighted based on market, consumer preference and EV availability, among other conditions, with a score of 33.8. Hawaii also is the top state for EV adoption that hasn't agreed to the California Air Resources Board's Zero-Emission Vehicle program, according to J.D. (For reference, the "Hawaii Belt" around the Big Island, or Hawaii Island, is only about 260 miles.) Power reports the top-selling EVs in the state are the Tesla Model Y, Tesla Model 3 and Ford F-150 Lightning.

Persons: Alex Tai, Elizabeth Krear, hasn't, Ivan Drury, Edmunds, Drury, –, I'm, Scott Sageman, Hawaii Aloha Kia Russell Wong, Wong, there's, That's Organizations: Tesla, Getty, EV, California Air Resources, Hawaii that's, AAA, Ford, Aloha Kia, Hawaii Aloha, Aloha, Kia, Gallup Locations: Honolulu , Hawaii, Hawaii, Power, California, Washington, J.D, ., Washington , Oregon, Colorado, Waikiki, U.S, Waipahu, EVs, Edmunds

☆ A 79-year-old triathlete didn't get fit until her 40s. She shared her 5 longevity tips for healthy aging.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-13 | by ( Serafina Kenny | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

But by the time the marathon was over, Gruenfeld had decided she would run the 26.2 miles the next year. In October 1992, at 48 years of age, Gruenfeld crossed the finish line at Kona. And her Ironman career isn't over — Gruenfeld is training for her next triathlon, which she will compete in as an 80-year-old. The 80:20 rule — choosing healthy foods 80% of the time and being flexible the other 20% — is one way to make this easier, dietitian Nicole Ludlam-Raine previously told BI. Dr. Heidi Tissenbaum, a molecular, cell, and cancer biology professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, previously told BI that keeping the mind and body active is the most important factor in longevity.

Persons: —, Cherie Gruenfeld, Gruenfeld, who'd, Donald Miralle, it's, Bryan Johnson, Nicole Ludlam, Raine, Meena Khan, You've, Dr, Heidi Tissenbaum, Ben Foster Organizations: Service, Boston Marathon, Business, Ohio State University, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Mobility, People's Athletic Club Locations: Boston, Kailua, Kona, Hawaii

☆ I'm a millennial who avoided cruises because I thought they were full of germs and kids. My first experience proved me wrong.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-13 | by ( Sophie Katzman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewThis is an as-told-to essay based on a transcribed conversation with millennial Eliza Green, who took her first cruise vacation on Virgin Voyages. Virgin Voyages sounded particularly appealing. In October 2023, my husband, two other couples, and I embarked on Virgin Voyage's Scarlet Lady Dominican Daze. Cruise food was better than an all-inclusive resortThe food was a pleasant surprise, far better than the buffet options I'd imagined on other cruises. The cabin was a needed respiteBefore traveling on a cruise, I'd heard of windowless cabins and cramped rooms.

Persons: —, Eliza Green, I'd, Scarlet, Bimini Organizations: Service, Voyages, Business, Virgin Locations: Miami, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, Bimini, Bahamas, Jamaica

☆ Opinion: ‘Civil War’ is more than a reflection on America’s divisions
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-13 | by ( Opinion Noah Berlatsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Noah Berlatsky Noah BerlatskyAlex Garland’s “Civil War” has mostly been discussed as a reflection of, and a warning about, America’s current partisan divisions. Unlike the actual US Civil War, this one doesn’t seem to have any particular racial or racist connotations. But it’s the same kind of cop out that powers most of Hollywood’s most iconic Vietnam war movies. Hollywood Vietnam war movies generally aren’t about whether America did the right thing, nor are they about how America’s choices affected people in Vietnam. Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket" (1987), starring Matthew Modine as Joker, is based on the events of the Vietnam war.

Persons: Noah Berlatsky, CNN —, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Noah Berlatsky Noah Berlatsky Alex Garland’s “, ”, he’s, Garland, Nick Offerman, Lee, Kirsten Dunst, Joel, Wagner Moura, Jessie, Cailee, Sammy, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Lee Wagner, Trump, Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi, Jesse Plemons, that’s, Francis Ford Coppola’s, Stanley Kubrick’s, don’t, —, Dawn ”, Stanley Kubrick's, Matthew Modine, It’s, transfixed Organizations: CNN, Union, Hollywood, America, Central, Warner Bros Locations: Chicago, Vietnam, Viet, American, Washington, California, Texas, Hollywood Vietnam, American Vietnam, Hollywood

☆ What happens when Taylor Swift wears your brand? One business reached its monthly sales goal in a day.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-13 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

It was a $75 velvet mini skater dress from Little Lies, a small business in Scotland. The green dress Swift wore. When Swift wore the Little Lies dress, the business hit its month's sales target in a day. Meanwhile, Robertson is waiting for perhaps another Swift boom: The night Swift wore the Little Lies dress, she ordered a "whole bunch of other stuff," Robertson said. Have you bought something Taylor Swift wore or experienced the Swift bump at your business?

Persons: Taylor Swift, —, Jade Robertson, He'd, Robertson, Swift, we'd, Blake Lively, Sarah Chapelle, Taylor, Chapelle, Chappelle, Kat Cacho, Cacho, beanie Taylor Swift, Susan Bali, Michelle Wie West, Travis Kelce, Bali, Kelce, It's, she's Organizations: Service, Business, Kansas, Chiefs, Gillette, Swift, Kansas City's Westside Storey, Patriots, Super Locations: Scotland, New York City, Kansas, Swift, Bali

☆ When my 6-year-old asked to get her ears pierced, I took her to a professional piercer. It was much safer than the way I did it.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-13 | by ( Saba Khonsari | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewThis year, we took our 6-year-old to get her ears pierced. If our kids wanted them, we would take them to get their ears pierced. I got my ears pierced with a piercing gun at a mallI myself was not allowed to pierce my ears until I was 12. AdvertisementWhen my kids decided they wanted to get their ears pierced, I opted to take them to a professional piercing studio. AdvertisementNow, it's a place I go on a Monday night to get my daughter's ears pierced.

Persons: —, Merle Norman, Professional Piercers, it's, Johns Hopkins, Rachel Dawkins, piercers Organizations: Service, Business, Professional

In the late 90s, I invested money in the stock market without knowing much about the stock I bought. AdvertisementThe stock market has recently hit several all-time highs. I have some money sitting in an investment account that I manage myself, and it is so tempting to buy some individual stocks. Don't get me wrong, the stock market can and does (for many people) give better returns than safer investments. I tried and failed at researching and buying individual stocks without the guidance of a financial advisor.

Persons: I'm, I've, doesn't Organizations: Amazon Locations: —

☆ Eastern Europeans buy up property in the West as Putin steps up ‘war on nerves’
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

But several realtors told CNN that their clients are now citing another reason: Russia’s war in Ukraine, and the fear that the conflict could spread. A record-breaking number of Poles bought property in Spain in 2023, topping the previous record set the year before, according to Polish outlet Bizblog. Lopez said a client last month bought a property because they wanted to avoid being conscripted into the Polish military. “The trigger, really, was the war in Ukraine.”But most buy just for peace of mind – a back-up plan, for those wealthy enough to afford one. “Obviously, we are in NATO, but I must say there’s a big amount of people who are really, really afraid,” she said.

Persons: Agnes Marciniak, She’s, “, ”, Kostrzewa, Volodomyr Zelensky, Ukraine “, Donald Trump, Donald Tusk, –, Maria Ruiz Lopez, Lopez, Wieslaw, John Keeble, Liivia Illak, she’s, ” Illak, Alexey Navalny, Putin, they’ve Organizations: CNN, realtors, United States, NATO, Getty Locations: Baltic, Ukraine, Russia, Europe, Spain, Warsaw, Poland, Andalucia, Malaga, Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Russian

☆ A couple that quit full-time work in their 20s share the money mindset that 'propelled' them to financial independence without altering their quality of life: 'We made zero sacrifices'
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Kathleen Elkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Lauren and Steven Keys built a million-dollar portfolio from scratch, which set them up to quit their full-time jobs in their 20s and pursue various side projects and creative work. "We made, honestly, zero sacrifices on our journey," Steven said, noting that they never budgeted or tracked their spending. The couple kept the cost of their hobbies in check and sometimes even found ways to monetize them. In fact, it made us significantly more money than it cost us in the first place," said Steven. Playing Magic: The Gathering, on aggregate over my lifetime, has actually made me money, not cost me."

Persons: Lauren, Steven Keys, Steven, we're Organizations: Business, Bureau of Labor Statistics — Locations: The Florida, United States

☆ Republican Women Are Divided on Abortion as Bans Spread
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Elizabeth Dias | Lisa Lerer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Rebecca Gau, a self-described “reasonable Republican” in Mesa, Ariz., is conflicted about many things that her party promotes. But she knows exactly what she thinks about Arizona’s new — or rather, very old — Civil War-era abortion ban. “Are you nuts?” she said, adding that she was frustrated with the ban and Republican politicians inserting themselves into women’s health choices. Across the country, fractures are emerging among conservative and centrist Republican women, as they confront an unrelenting drumbeat of new abortion bans and court rulings. For years, the party’s message was simple and broad: Republicans oppose abortion.

Persons: Rebecca Gau Organizations: Republican Locations: Mesa, Ariz

☆ The 1 filling snack Michael Pollan swears by to curb his insatiable craving for potato chips
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-11 | by ( Ellyn Lapointe | Hilary Brueck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

"I have a weakness for potato chips," Pollan told Business Insider, ahead of the release of his latest film. In his new documentary, Food Inc. 2, Pollan explores America's addiction to ultra-processed foods. Ultra-processed snacks, like potato chips, are designed to make you want to scarf down the whole bag. AdvertisementThe speed at which ultra-processed foods deliver carbs and fats to the gut also plays a role in the cycle. Advertisement"A very good definition of ultra-processed food is it is made from ingredients that no ordinary person keeps in their pantry," Pollan said.

Persons: —, Michael Pollan, he's, Pollan, they'll, Peter Dazeley Organizations: Service, Business, Food Inc, Nestle, Coca, Omega

Search resuls for: "Choices"

25 mentions found