DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ Review: A Space Raccoon Story
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Kyle Smith | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper) Photo: MarvelIt’s been a superhero’s journey for writer-director James Gunn : He rose to great heights, was ruined, then re-emerged more powerful than ever. Five years ago Marvel Studios’ corporate parent, Disney, publicly fired Mr. Gunn as he started work on his third “Guardians of the Galaxy” movie over some inappropriate jokes he’d made years earlier on Twitter. A year later Mr. Gunn got himself uncanceled. He is now not only the sole writer and director of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. Mass production of comic-book movies has stretched thin the talents of Mr. Gunn and most of his fellow toilers on the superhero assembly line.

☆ DC Studios' future begins with Marvel's 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +15 min

And, for once, the success of a Marvel film could bode well for the future of its longtime adversary. On the theatrical side, DC Studios has announced five new projects that will roll out starting in 2025 with Gunn's own "Superman: Legacy." "And I think Marvel Studios, sooner rather than later, needs to tell us what's going on with Spider-Man." He sees this as the result of predictable plotlines within the genre that are repeated across both studios' films. Marvel Studios

☆ After Pandemic Rebound, U.S. Manufacturing Droops
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Lydia Depillis | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The pandemic had a bright silver lining for Elkhart, Ind. The city, renowned as the capital of recreational vehicle production, had a surge in demand as cooped-up families took to the highways and avoided hotels. The area has lost nearly 7,000 manufacturing jobs over the past year, and unemployment is now above the national average. Thor Industries, which owns a wide portfolio of RV brands, saw its sales tumble 39.4 percent from the quarter a year ago. That’s manufacturing in America in 2023.

☆ NBA roundup: Mavs' playoff hopes dashed by Bulls
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

The result ended the Mavericks' hopes of reaching the Western Conference play-in tournament. Chicago, which had already clinched an Eastern Conference play-in spot, played without leading scorers DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine as well as Patrick Beverley. Orlando, which was in contention for a play-in spot over the past month following a 5-20 start, played its second game since being eliminated Tuesday. Grizzlies 137, Bucks 114Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 36 points to lead seven Memphis players in double figures as the Grizzlies clinched the No. Pascal Siakam scored 19 points, Precious Achiuwa added 16 points, and Fred VanVleet had 12 points and eight assists.

☆ 'Lets go': Body camera video shows Nashville officers rushing school shooter
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Daniel Trotta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"Let's go," Engelbert directed others, as police quickly closed in on the shooter who had killed three 9-year-old school children and three adults at the Covenant School. Their actions contrasted with those of police in Uvalde, Texas, who during a school shooting last May waited more than an hour before storming the assailant. [1/2] Metropolitan Nashville Police Department officers search for the mass shooting suspect in The Covenenant School, in a still image from body camera video in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. March 27, 2023. Engelbert's body camera video shows police converge on the shooter. In Collazo's body camera video, he runs through a hallway with other officers toward the gunfire.

The biggest makers and network operators of EV charging stations include Tesla Inc (TSLA.O), ChargePoint Holdings Inc (CHPT.N), EVgo Inc (EVGO.O) and Electrify America. In Arizona, the state's Department of Transportation is leading efforts to build charging stations, and expects $76.5 million in federal charging funds over the next five years. The first, $1.25 billion round of the Biden buildout is focused squarely on the highway fast chargers, with later rounds including slower chargers for overnight charging, for instance. Its South Korean charger manufacturer, SK Signet Inc (260870.KN), is planning to open a Texas factory to produce up to 10,000 direct-current fast chargers annually by 2026. Shares of EVgo jumped nearly 10% on Feb. 15, when the U.S. government announced the new rules for chargers.

☆ The history of the swastika: From a sign of luck and fortune to a symbol of evil
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The statue was discovered alongside a range of "phallic objects," suggesting the swastika was used as a good luck symbol to invite fertility. Swastika in EuropeWorshipers of the Norse religion used the swastika symbol as early as 401 AD. US art director Steven Heller, author of "Swastika: Symbol Beyond Redemption?" Co-opted by the NazisSome researchers believe that people of Aryan culture used the symbol as a sign of luck and prosperity. Sheetal Deo and her husband, Sanmeet Deo, hold a Hindu swastika symbol in their home in Syosset, N.Y., on Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022.

☆ Disney CEO Bob Iger says it's time for 'newness' from Marvel movies
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

After a fourth Thor movie and a third standalone Ant-Man film, even Disney CEO Bob Iger wants something new out Marvel. "Sequels typically worked well for us," Iger said during the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom Conference on Thursday. "There's nothing in any way inherently off in terms of the Marvel brand," Iger said. Additionally, the amount of time between Disney+ Marvel series has grown. A new Marvel series has not debuted since the final episodes of "She-Hulk" launched in early October.

☆ Thor Industries Cuts Guidance as Demand for Recreational Vehicles Cools
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Will Feuer | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Manufacturer Thor Industries Inc., which owns assembly plant Airstream, enjoyed healthier sales during the height of the pandemic. Thor Industries Inc. cut its sales and earnings outlook as Americans hold off on buying new recreational vehicles amid persistent inflation and rising interest rates. The RV maker, based in Elkhart, Ind., posted steeper-than-expected declines in sales and profit for the recently ended quarter, as customers shied away from big purchases at dealerships. Thor throttled production of its RVs in an effort to match sagging demand and keep costs in check.

☆ RV Market Slows as Inflation, Rising Rates Cool Demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Will Feuer | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Thor Industries, which owns Airstream, enjoyed healthier sales during the height of the pandemic. Thor Industries Inc. cut its sales and earnings outlook as Americans hold off on buying new recreational vehicles amid persistent inflation and rising interest rates. The RV maker, based in Elkhart, Ind., posted steeper-than-expected declines in sales and profit for the recently ended quarter, as customers shied away from big purchases at dealerships. Thor , which owns brands such as Airstream and Jayco, throttled production of its RVs in an effort to match sagging demand and keep costs in check.

☆ This week's jobs report will help determine if this nascent March rally has legs
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Where the market heads next will once again depend on inflation data — especially this week's highly anticipated jobs report. No portfolio companies report earnings next week. However, with mortgage rates bouncing back in recent weeks, it remains to be seen if the strong monthly report will see any follow up. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio.

☆ The Fed and a big jobs report could drive the market in the week ahead, as investors watch rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Patti Domm | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The seesaw-like tension between interest rates and stock prices should remain in play in the week ahead, as investors focus on comments from Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and the February employment report. There are few earnings in the week ahead, so economic data will likely be a main driver for stocks, along with the comments from Powell. The futures market is pricing in a high chance for a quarter point, or 25 basis point hike in March. Week ahead calendar Monday Earnings: WW International, ThredUp, Trip.com, Lordstown Motor, Ciena, Grindr 10:00 a.m. Initial claims 10:00 a.m. Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr Friday Earnings: Embraer 8:30 a.m. Employment report 2:00 p.m. Federal budget

☆ 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' box office suffered steep decline in second week
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

That's the sentiment from box office analysts after the Marvel Cinematic Universe's latest film "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" saw the sharpest decline in ticket sales from opening weekend to second weekend in franchise history. To be sure, "Quantumania" is one of the worst reviewed Marvel films, with a 48% "rotten" critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes. "Thor: Love and Thunder," "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" and "Spider-Man: No Way Home," a co-production with Sony , all saw second week drops in excess of 67%. The film also has more counter-programming than other Marvel films released in the last few years. He pointed to "Violent Night" and "M3gan," in addition to "Cocaine Bear," as films that have outperformed expectations at the box office.

☆ NBA roundup: Hornets win again, lose LaMelo Ball
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Gordon Hayward added 19 points and Kelly Oubre Jr. joined ball with 18 points for Charlotte. Mark Williams provided 15 points and 11 rebounds. Heat 101, 76ers 99Jimmy Butler had 23 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists and four steals to help Miami edge host Philadelphia. Jayson Tatum, who entered Monday averaging 30.4 points per game, was limited to 14 points before he was ejected late in the fourth quarter. Moritz Wagner and Markelle Fultz added 14 points each and Wendell Carter Jr. had 11 points and 11 rebounds for Orlando, which began a three-game road trip by finishing a season series sweep against New Orleans.

☆ NYC's gaming fight heats up as Saks Fifth Avenue proposes casino at flagship, and developer pitches ferris wheel
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( Bethany Biron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Saks Fifth Avenue has placed a bid to build a casino on the upper floors of its flagship store. Saks Fifth Avenue is throwing its hat in the ring for a coveted license to open one of New York City's first casinos. "The Saks Fifth Avenue flagship store is a staple of one of the most iconic streets in Manhattan," the source told Insider. "It is of particular importance to us that we continue to invest in the vibrancy and spirit of Fifth Avenue itself." A rendering of the Saks Fifth Avenue casino lobby.

☆ All 31 Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, ranked by how much money they made at the global box office
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( Travis Clark | Samantha Delouya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Universal Pictures Worldwide box office: $264.7 million Total domestic box office: $134.8 million Domestic opening weekend: $55.4 million Budget: $150 million 29. Disney/Marvel Worldwide box office: $370.6 million Total domestic box office: $176.7 million Domestic opening weekend: $65 million Budget: $140 million 28. "Ant-Man" (2015) Marvel Worldwide box office: $519.3 million Total domestic box office: $180.2 million Domestic opening weekend: $57.2 million Budget: $130 million 23. Marvel Studios Worldwide box office: $644.8 million Total domestic box office: $206.4 million Domestic opening weekend: $85.7 million Budget: $170 million 19. Marvel/Sony Worldwide box office: $880.2 million Total domestic box office: $334.2 million Domestic opening weekend: $117 million Budget: $175 million 11.

☆ ‘Linoleum’ Review: Jim Gaffigan’s Cosmic Midlife Crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Kyle Smith | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Midlife disappointment becomes a problem in much the same way as bankruptcy overtook Mike Campbell in “The Sun Also Rises”—gradually, then suddenly. Jim Gaffigan is an inspired choice to play its flabby, saggy embodiment in the quirky dramedy “Linoleum,” in which he plays a frustrated, 50-something children’s television-show host who is beginning to agree with everyone around him that his existence hasn’t added up to much. Mr. Gaffigan is a sneakily brilliant stand-up who deserves more opportunities to shine on the big screen. I wouldn’t cast him as Batman or Thor, but in the small subset of movies that remain centered on characters much like ourselves, he is underutilized. With his body-by-Pillsbury shape and his aura of being woefully familiar with defeat, he makes for a much more convincing option as an aggrieved Everyman than, say, George Clooney .

☆ ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ Review: Where More Is Less
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Kyle Smith | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Anyone who has been to a comic-book movie lately can tell you that should any interlude dare to linger more than about 37 seconds in a situation where not much is taking place except people talking, the theater will start twinkling like a galaxy as viewers take out their phones to check their messages. To forestall such fidgeting, superhero sagas grow increasingly desperate not to let any period appreciably longer than a Toyota commercial elapse without a frenzied chase, thunderous battle, jolly musical interlude, display of things not seen on this earth, or instance of the universe being turned inside out. The latest hectic example, “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” inaugurates Phase Five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which is as financially hale as it is creatively tired. Thanks to a few sweet father-daughter moments and a relatively direct plot, this entry is a notch better than some even-more-febrile recent efforts such as “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” and “Thor: Love and Thunder.” But overall it’s another lackluster blockbuster. It does contain one genuinely awe-inspiring visual spectacle (the face of Paul Rudd , the only American man who looks nearly as good now as he did during the Clinton administration) and one truly scary concept (teen activist daughters bent on achieving universal social justice when you wish they’d just do their homework).

"Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania" premiered in theaters on February 17. How to watch 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania'"Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania" is now available to watch exclusively in theaters. When will 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' be available on Disney Plus? "Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania" is expected to start streaming on Disney Plus later this year. With this range in mind, "Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania" should hit Disney Plus in April or May.

☆ This startup turning human waste into fertilizer just raised $7.5 million. Here's the 17-slide pitch deck Wasted used to raise the fresh funds.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Wasted is making fertilizer out of urine and just raised $7.5 million in fresh funding. Wasted, which he created alongside Taylor Zehren and Thor Retzlaff, is redesigning the porta-potty to ultimately turn human waste into agriculture fertilizer. At least 40 wastewater treatment plants were damaged as a result of the 2017 hurricane Harvey, which saw raw sewage spill out onto streets. Nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium are common fertilizers found in human waste but are typically extracted from the earth for use. There is a long history of some countries using untreated or partially-treated human waste as fertilizer.

☆ Artist Àsìkò explores Yoruba culture through mythology
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Lamide Akintobi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Lagos, Nigeria CNN —Appreciating cultural heritage and using it to imagine a better future: that’s one of the goals of self-taught photographer and visual artist Ade Okelarin. Drawing on aspects of traditional Yoruba culture has been an important aspect of his creative journey. In this work, Okelarin reimagines Olokun, the Yoruba goddess of the oceans, seas and wealth. Okelarin also uses digital rendering, layering the photographs with aspects of his cultural heritage, such as fabric and textures. “Living in the diaspora, now more than ever, my cultural heritage is a big part of my identity and who I am.

Persons: Ade Okelarin, ”, Okelarin, ” Okelarin, Thor, Okelarin reimagines Olokun, “, ’, – Okelarin, didn’t, – Organizations: Nigeria CNN, Sun Locations: Lagos, Nigeria, ”, West Africa, Caribbean, South America, UK

☆ Disney's Marvel movies are returning to China after almost four years with 'Black Panther' and 'Ant-Man'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” will open in China on February 7, roughly three months after its global debut, while “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” will open on February 17, Marvel Studios announced on Chinese social media Tuesday. Since then, Marvel’s last eight movies have not been shown in the country, though that will drop down to seven with the upcoming “Black Panther” release, Dergarabedian said. Stars of Marvel Studios' "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" attending the film's European premiere in London on Nov. 3, 2022. “This likely played a part in this welcome shift in playability for Marvel films in the country.”China’s box office generally rakes in billions of dollars a year. That put North America’s box office ahead once more in 2022, generating more than $7.5 billion compared with China’s $4.4 billion, according to Comscore data.

☆ Marvel movies are set to return to China, but Covid could weigh on ticket sales
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Marvel films are returning to China in February, marking the first time in nearly four years that Disney's comic book cinematic universe landed a release in the country. Since 2012′s "The Avengers," China has been the second-highest-grossing box office market for all Marvel movies, just behind the U.S. and Canada. The last Marvel film to open in China was 2019's "Spider-Man: Far From Home." There are also concerns about muted ticket sales from China as the coronavirus once again roils the region since the government lifted its "zero Covid" policy. For comparison, the first "Avatar" collected around $250 million in ticket sales during its run in 2009 and 2010.

☆ The world's largest RV maker says it will add SpaceX's Starlink to its 2023 tiny homes on wheels
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Brittany Chang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

RV giant Thor Industries is working with SpaceX to add Starlink to some of its RVs. Thor say its brands are the first RV OEMs to work with SpaceX to make Starlink-enabled RVs. Within months, several small RV makers like Alphavan announced plans to integrate Starlink equipment into their tiny homes on wheels. Some RVers have already been independently using this SpaceX tech for fast WiFi on the road. And in the future, Stream It's Cyberlandr RV attachment for the upcoming Cybertruck will also come equipped with Starlink.

☆ Marvel movies are finally returning to China after being shut out for nearly four years
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

"Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" and "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" will be released in China next month. They're the first Marvel Cinematic Universe movies to be approved in the region since 2019. "Wakanda Forever" will debut in China three months after it hit theaters elsewhere. Marvel announced on Tuesday that "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" and "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" will be released in China on February 7 and February 17, respectively. "Wakanda Forever" has grossed $835 million worldwide, lagging behind its 2018 predecessor, which grossed $1.3 billion globally.

Search resuls for: "Thor"

25 mentions found