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☆ Factbox: Facts about actor-activist Harry Belafonte
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

* Belafonte received a Tony Award in 1954 for his role in Broadway's "Almanac" and became the first Black actor to win an Emmy for a 1959 television variety special. * Belafonte received three Grammys, including a Lifetime Achievement Award. * Although Belafonte and co-star Dorothy Dandridge were accomplished singers, their vocals in the 1954 movie "Carmen Jones" were sung by LeVern Hutcherson and Marilyn Horne. * Belafonte's movies often had racial themes. * Belafonte produced the 1984 movie "Beat Street," one of the first movies about break-dancing and hip-hop culture.

☆ CNN is axing Laura Coates' 11 p.m. anchor slot to save on costs, according to sources, and insiders are concerned about on-air representation
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Claire Atkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

CNN is still shifting its late night lineup, and Laura Coates will no longer anchor solo at 11 p.m.Coates is said to be "stunned" and "disappointed" by losing the opportunity. On paper, Coates would seem like the ideal figure to fill the network's 11 p.m. slot, particularly as CNN already shared a press release about her appointment to the role in January. CNN and news industry insiders who commented for this story spoke on the condition of anonymity because they're not authorized to speak to the press. "They pulled her off to save money," said one person familiar with internal conversations at CNN. The network's only Black solo anchors now are Abby Phillip, who helms the high-profile "Inside Politics Sunday," and Fredricka Whitfield, who also hosts a weekend show.

☆ Texas judge's ruling to ban mifepristone nationwide cites Wikipedia, contains pro-life talking points, and gets basic facts about abortion wrong: Experts say it's 'completely flawed'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

"So many of the things in this ruling I would say are completely flawed," a researcher told Insider. But an OB-GYN told Insider the judge's interpretation of what the drug does is medically inaccurate. Mifepristone and misoprostol are used before we can even see an embryo on ultrasound," Grossman told Insider. Spreading such misinformation through an official judicial ruling, Biggs said, is "inappropriate, unethical, and jarring." It's definitely not going to help or prevent mental health harm or physical harm as it claims – it's going to do the opposite."

☆ I make $130K in revenue a year running 2 Airbnbs in the Colorado mountains. It's automated and only takes a few hours a week — here's how we set it up.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( Dorothy Cucci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Our earnings definitely fluctuate from month to month — but this past year, we've averaged about $10,000 a month in revenue and made around $130,000 in revenue total. Typically, glamping Airbnbs feature tiny homes, trailers, or tents. It's a large piece of land, so the glamping Airbnb and the mountain home operate as completely separate Airbnbs. Investing back into your listings is crucial to scalingBerghoff's glamping Airbnb exterior. Unique experiences are the future of AirbnbBerghoff's glamping Airbnb.

☆ I began selling stickers on Etsy as a fun hobby and now make 6-figures from my business. Here's how I got started.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Dorothy Cucci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Jenkinson makes hundreds of thousands of dollars a year from selling stickers and courses. Mim JenkinsonI wanted a creative hobby to keep my mind occupied, so I started to make stickers for my planner. A few months after I started, I started getting questions from customers about how I was making the stickers. I aim to find out what I can make easier for them, whether they're buying or making stickers. I would never have imagined that selling stickers would've had the impact that it's had on my life.

☆ I'm a former Google recruiter. Here's how to land a job in tech — and what can blow your interview (edited)
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Dorothy Cucci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jeff Sipe, a private tech career coach and former Google recruiter. Big Tech layoffs were always going to receive backlash — that said, I don't think any of them have been handled perfectly, and many of them could have been avoided. Yes, companies needed to cut down on costs, but more than that, I think layoffs have become trendy. After layoffs, the company's stock price usually goes up, and the board of directors and shareholders (most of whom don't work there) are happy. Anyone can create one for free, using Canva for example, that says, "Impacted by Google Layoffs."

☆ Fiction: ‘Biography of X’ by Catherine Lacey
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Sam Sacks | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

By the time of her sudden death in 1996, X had achieved worldwide celebrity for her tireless transformations and the mystique they sustained. But one role remained unknown to the public: That of the wife to a largely ordinary woman named C.M. “Biography of X” is framed as Lucca’s book, written partly to correct the errors of unauthorized biography but mostly in an anguished effort to uncover the secrets of a woman with whom she was so intimate yet knew not at all. As the chapters recount Lucca’s interviews with the people whom X, under different guises, knew, loved and exploited through the decades, it describes a strangely mutated version of American history as well. The imagined details of the Great Disunion, as it’s called, yo-yo between the plausible and the preposterous (FDR chief-of-staff Emma Goldman?

☆ 8 questions with Instagram's 'it girl' Matilda Djerf, who started a $34 million fashion empire at 22 years old
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Dorothy Cucci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Djerf co-founded the fashion brand Djerf Avenue in 2019; it made $34 million in sales last year. This Q&A is based on a conversation with Matilda Djerf, a 25-year-old influencer and founder of the fashion brand Djerf Avenue, which made $34 million in sales in 2022. "Apart from the creative and the design, I really didn't know what we were doing at first." Apart from the creative and the design, I really didn't know what I was doing at first. What are some of the biggest lessons you've learned since founding Djerf Avenue, and what are your ambitions for the brand?

☆ Who is Matthew Kacsmaryk, the Trump-appointed Texas judge who could ban abortion pills?
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Matthew Kacsmaryk is a Texas federal judge who was nominated by Donald Trump in 2017. Kacsmaryk graduated from Abilene Christian University in 1999 and received his law degree from the University of Texas School of Law in 2003. The Post reported that it was during law school when Kacsmaryk focused on abortion rights. Kacsmaryk also served as the executive editor of the Texas Review of Law & Politics and received two Dean's Achievement Awards, according to the questionnaire. During his undergraduate years, studying political science, Kacsmaryk was outspoken about his conservative views and stances on abortion.

☆ My laundry side hustle makes me $30,000 a year and only takes 15 hours a week — here's how I built it as a stay-at-home mom
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Dorothy Cucci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Laurie Fulford is a stay-at-home mom who makes makes extra cash washing people's clothes on SudShare. Fulford signed up for the on-demand laundry service app in 2021 and now makes $30,000 a year. Giving great customer service helped her rise up the ranks and stand out among the competition. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Lori Fulford, a 39-year-old stay-at-home mom and SudShare user in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Now, I make $30,000 a year washing other peoples' laundry and have fun doing it.

☆ Black couples pay a higher tax penalty for marriage than White couples. Here’s why
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

A recent study by the Tax Policy Center, for example, found that Black couples on average face higher tax costs associated with marriage than White couples. “We find that Black couples are more likely than White couples to experience an income tax penalty from marriage and to face higher penalties. Differences in dollars and centsResearchers found that among couples hit with a marriage penalty, Black couples paid less in dollars ($1,804 versus $2,091) but more as a share of their income than White couples (1.8% versus 1.4%). Only 33% of Black couples got a marriage bonus compared to 44% of Whites, and those bonuses were roughly $170 smaller on average. “Taken together, Black couples in this income group paid, on average, a net penalty of $358.

☆ I was the original voice of Siri. Even though Apple used my voice without my knowledge, it's been a fun ride.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Dorothy Cucci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Susan Bennett is the voice actor behind Apple's first iteration of Siri, released in 2011. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Susan Bennett, a voice actor based in Atlanta, Georgia. One day, while I was there recording, a voice actor for another commercial didn't show up. I unknowingly did the initial Siri recordings in 2005In July 2005, six years before Apple would introduce Siri, I made the recordings that would eventually be used for the famous personal assistant. I also connected with Karen Jacobsen, a voice actor and singer who was the original Australian Siri.

☆ Kyle Cooke, star of Bravo's 'Summer House,' shares the playbook his hard tea brand used to compete with legacy brands and generate $38 million in sales
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Dorothy Cucci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

'Summer House' star Kyle Cooke founded Loverboy, a sparkling hard tea brand, in 2018. He found the right niche and built a strong direct-to-consumer relationship though 'Summer House.' This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kyle Cooke, 39-year-old Loverboy founder and star of Bravo's 'Summer House.' When we filmed the first season of 'Summer House' in 2017, I was working on a nutrition coaching app. We were able to sell to our fans directly because we'd built a strong relationship with our consumer base through 'Summer House.'

☆ McDonald’s Ruling Shifts Oversight Liability Focus to Corporate Officers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Dylan Tokar | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +9 min

Photo: McDonald’sThe ruling by Vice Chancellor Laster focuses on the claims against Mr. Fairhurst specifically. At the time of his termination, Mr. Fairhurst had been the subject of multiple reports of sexual harassment during his tenure, according to the Delaware ruling. Emerging oversight liabilityThe legal doctrine driving the McDonald’s shareholder lawsuit extends back to a 1996 Delaware Court of Chancery decision. The ultimate impact of Judge Laster’s ruling vis-à-vis McDonald’s shareholders is as of yet unclear. If the judge approves the McDonald’s directors’ motion to dismiss, the claims against Mr. Fairhurst would be moot.

☆ Ivana Trump's will directs Eric Trump to sell all of her furs and donate the rest of her clothes to charity
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ivana Trump's will directed Eric Trump to sell all her furs and divy the proceeds among his siblings. Ivana Trump — a Czech-American former model, businesswoman, and ex-wife of Donald Trump — died in July 2022 at 73. Her longtime friend and furrier Dennis Basso spoke to the New York Times shortly after her death in July about Ivana's affection for furs. Basso told the New York Times he met Ivana at his debut fashion show in New York City in 1983. The execution of Ivana Trump's final wishes was finalized at the end of last year, according to probate records in Miami-Dade County, Florida, where she held her permanent residence.

☆ In her will, Ivana Trump left her former nanny a $1 million condo — and her Yorkshire terrier, Tiger Trump — and nothing to ex-husband Donald Trump
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ivana Trump's last will is now a matter of public record, following her death last July. She left a majority of her estate to her children: Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka, and Eric, records show. Ivana left her dog and a $1 million condo to her former nanny, and donated her clothing. Curry spoke at her funeral last July, alluding to Ivana Trump feeling isolated and in pain. Ivana Trump went on to marry twice more before her death at age 73.

☆ I make up to $10,000 a month as a notary signing agent. I was able to quit my 9-to-5 and have more time with my kids — here's how I got started.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Dorothy Cucci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Amber Gist is a notary signing agent, a notary who specializes in property or loan documents. Becoming a notary signing agent gave her a flexible schedule and more time at home with her kids. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Amber Gist, a 39-year-old notary signing agent in Texas. A notary public and notary signing agent aren't the same thing: Every notary signing agent is a notary public, but not every notary public is a notary signing agent. I also spend about 4 hours a week teaching classes on how to become a notary signing agent and hold a webinar about every other month.

☆ Salary Transparency Is Coming — so I Decided to Tell Everyone What I Make
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Aki Ito | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +37 min

But there's a glaring catch to my support for pay transparency: I haven't actually practiced it in my own life. To find out why, I decided to commemorate the dawning age of salary transparency by telling pretty much everyone in my life what I earn. Norway responded to pay transparency with yet another level of transparency, and that brought down the level of snooping.. Thanks to its nationwide experiment, Norway has been fertile ground for scholars trying to measure the consequences of extreme pay transparency. But I do believe that as more states implement pay-disclosure laws — and as Gen Z increasingly comes to dominate the workforce — salary transparency is going to become the new norm.

☆ I made $163,000 in revenue in one year as a freelance writer. Here are 5 game-changers I wish I knew sooner in my career.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Dorothy Cucci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

I went back to full-time freelancing in January 2020, and last year, I made about $163,000 in revenue. Here's what I wish I knew sooner about making it as a freelance writer. Make sure that everyone in your corner knows that you're freelancing and that you're looking for work, and don't be shy about reminding them of that. I never went back to working a full-time job because I love the freedom and sense of job security freelancing gives me, especially in a dicey economy. If I were laid off from a full-time job, my entire income would get taken away all at once.

HONG KONG — On the first day of unimpeded travel between mainland China and Hong Kong, Olivia Gai was one of the first in line. On Tuesday, the Chinese embassies in South Korea and Japan said they would stop issuing short-term visas for travelers to China. The South Korean Foreign Ministry says its restrictions on travelers from China are based on science. According to some estimates, China’s Covid death toll could reach 1 million or more in the coming months. Nonetheless, more countries have begun requiring negative Covid tests for travelers from China, and at least one country, Morocco, has banned arrivals entirely.

☆ With drag drawing fire in the U.S., RuPaul's DragCon U.K. is a family affair
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Ellie Rudy | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

After a three-year pandemic hiatus, RuPaul’s DragCon U.K. — one of the world’s largest drag conferences — returned to London this past weekend. RuPaul, center, is joined by drag queens during the ribbon cutting ceremony for RuPaul's DragCon U.K. in London on Jan. 6, 2023. Lady Camden struts the pink carpet at RuPaul’s DragCon U.K. 2023. Maxine, 5, strikes a pose with her mom, Trish, at RuPaul’s DragCon U.K. 2023 in London. Drag performer Kitty Scott Claus at RuPaul’s DragCon U.K. in London on Jan. 6, 2023.

☆ Hong Kong to resume hamster imports a year after mass cull over Covid
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Marie Brockling | Dorothy Kam | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

HONG KONG — Hong Kong is lifting a ban on the importing of hamsters for sale, a year after it ordered more than 2,000 hamsters and other small mammals to be culled in an effort to prevent pets from spreading Covid-19 to people. The Hong Kong government ordered the culling last January after a small virus outbreak was traced to a pet shop called Little Boss that had imported hamsters from the Netherlands. Hong Kong residents who had recently purchased hamsters were advised to surrender their pets, shops selling hamsters were temporarily shut down and an import ban was enacted. But at the time of the Hong Kong government’s decision last year, the Chinese territory was following a strict “zero-Covid” approach in line with mainland China, leading officials to act aggressively. In recent weeks both Hong Kong and mainland China have relaxed anti-Covid restrictions that minimized cases and deaths but also caused widespread public frustration.

☆ Final farewell: From Sidney Poitier to Pope Emeritus Benedict a look back at the influential figures who died in 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +55 min

Other world leaders who died in 2022 include former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who died in August. The final days of 2022 saw the loss of some exceptionally notable figures, including Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Here is a roll call of some influential figures who died in 2022 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available):___JANUARY___Dan Reeves, 77. A Cuban-born artist whose radiant color palette and geometric paintings were overlooked for decades before the art world took notice. A prolific character actor best known for playing villains and tough guys in “The Manchurian Candidate,” “Ocean’s Eleven” and other films.

☆ I'm an Airbnb multimillionaire. Here's why I'm optimistic about the platform in 2023, and my best advice for renters to weather the economy.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Dorothy Cucci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Chris Choi, a self-made Airbnb multimillionaire and real-estate investor from California. And class C listings are usually one- to two-bedroom apartments, with nightly rates ranging from $100 to $250. Meanwhile, I've noticed that bookings for my class C and B properties have decreased in recent months. If not, they should focus on targeting business travelers with class B or C properties, which I'll get into a bit later. Instead of choosing your next Airbnb near Disneyland or national parks, I would focus on locations that will accommodate business travel — in other words, metropolitan areas.

☆ Nancy from 'Love Is Blind' shares how she built her 6-figure real-estate portfolio and achieved 'financial freedom'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Dorothy Cucci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Nancy Rodriguez is a former "Love Is Blind" contestant and current real-estate investor. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Nancy Rodriguez, a"Love Is Blind" Season 3 contestant and real-estate investor. Now, I own and rent out five properties that bring in six figures in revenue a year. By renting out half of the duplex, I had enough cash flow to be able to save up to purchase the next property, a second duplex, about 10 months later. My second duplex had been in a fire.

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