DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Warren Buffett's dream business is a little chocolate maker that's generated a 8,000% return for him. Here are 5 reasons why he loves See's Candies.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

"Every person in California has something in mind about See's Candies and overwhelmingly it was favorable," Buffett told a group of business-school students at the University of Florida in 1998. "They had taken a box on Valentine's Day to some girl and she had kissed him … See's Candies means getting kissed," he added. Unsurprisingly, See's has raised its prices from less than $2 a pound in 1972 to more than $20. When Tesla CEO Elon Musk criticized economic moats like brand loyalty as "lame" on an earnings call in 2018, Buffett fired back. "Elon may turn things upside down in some areas," he said at the next annual shareholder meeting, according to Fortune.

☆ DeSantis' latest anti-COVID-19 vaccine push puts him on a collision course with Trump over the pandemic
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Ron DeSantis intensified his attacks on the COVID-19 vaccines on Tuesday, in a move that positions the Republican governor to contrast his pandemic record with that of former President Donald Trump. It's not clear whether Trump will lean into his success on the COVID-19 vaccine through his Operation Warp Speed program. Then-President Donald Trump with then-Florida governor candidate Ron DeSantis at a July 2018 “Make America Great Again” rally in Tampa, Florida. For instance, the FDA and CDC have cleared the bivalent booster for those as young as 6 months of age depending on what COVID-19 vaccine a person has previously had. The committee will issue guidance about COVID vaccines and other healthcare matters.

The records, a series of state tax lien notices from the last two years, show the state of California claiming that Yeezy Apparel, a company managed and reportedly owned by Ye, owes over $600,000 in unpaid tax debt. Four tax law experts said the amount owed by Yeezy Apparel is significant and could be a sign of deeper issues at the company. “Multiple California tax liens, adding up to $600,000, that’s certainly a sign of either extreme incompetence or extreme cash problems,” said USC Gould School of Law Professor Edward McCaffery, who specializes in tax law. Yeezy Apparel has been operating in California since 2017, according to public California business records, and was recorded as being active and in “good” standing in an annual filing in January. “Tax lien indicates that the state maintains that a debt is owing to the state,” LoPucki said.

☆ The University of Florida officially dismisses quarterback Jalen Kitna from team over child sex abuse images charges
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida has formally dismissed quarterback Jalen Kitna from the team following his arrest on charges that police said included an image of a man having sex with a young girl. Kitna was released from jail on an $80,000 bond and ordered to have no unsupervised contact with minors and no internet access. Kitna, 19, returned with his parents, retired NFL quarterback Jon Kitna and wife Jennifer, to Burleson, Texas. The Gainesville Police Department released Kitna’s arrest report Thursday, providing graphic details about the complaints filed against him. The Gators suspended Kitna following his arrest on Wednesday and took the step of dismissing him a day later.

☆ Crypto meltdown a boon for bankruptcy lawyers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Andrew Goudsward | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

“You’ve got to pay the gravedigger,” said Adam Levitin, a law professor at Georgetown University who specializes in bankruptcy law. Law firm billing rates are normally not public, but in bankruptcy cases lawyers for the debtor company must detail their billings and request a judge's approval for their fees. The lawyers are paid from the assets of a bankruptcy estate, and experts said judges rarely demand significant reductions in professional fees. Lawyers in the crypto cases must deal with a host of issues new to bankruptcy law, including whether digital assets deposited on a platform are owned by the customer or the platform itself, according to bankruptcy law experts. Levitin, a former member of the restructuring department at law firm Weil, Gotshal, & Manges, said such complex questions call for top-shelf lawyers.

☆ Florida homeowners got swindled by brokers who paid them a paltry sum in cash upfront for the rights to sell their properties for 40 years
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Robert Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A Florida brokerage had offered homeowners upfront cash payments in exchange for exclusive rights to sell their property. Florida's attorney general alleges MV Realty's 40-year homeowner agreement is "deceptive" and "unconscionable." Roy Brightwell, 70, is one complainant that the Tampa Bay Times interviewed about his experience with MV Realty. The lawsuit claims that MV Realty's agreement is illegal under Florida law because it does not meet the statutory requirements for liens. When asked about the pending litigation, a spokesperson for MV Realty responded to Insider suggesting that the practice is perfectly legal.

☆ University of Florida quarterback arrested and accused of sharing child sexual abuse images on Discord
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Tim Stelloh | Tim Stelloh Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

University of Florida quarterback Jalen Kitna was charged Wednesday with distributing child exploitation material, accused of sharing images of sexual abuse on the messaging platform Discord, authorities said. Kitna, 19, faces two counts of the crime and three counts of possession of child pornography, Gainesville police said in a statement. The school’s University Athletic Association said Kitna, a freshman, was suspended indefinitely from its football program. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children alerted local authorities Wednesday that someone shared an image depicting child abuse on Discord, the police department said. A preliminary analysis of Kitna's devices found three other images depicting child sexual abuse, according to the police department.

☆ Florida is running out of homes people can actually afford
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-27 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

She worries she won't be able to find an affordable home in Florida if hers can't be repaired. But with housing inventory levels falling in Florida and demand rising, she is having a difficult time finding a permanent home she can afford. Conditions continue to worsen as natural disasters destroy its limited supply of existing inventory and builders slow down their production of affordable housing. That will make it harder for residents like Ulrich, who plans to remain in Florida, to find safe and affordable housing. Ray says the pullback in affordable inventory has exacerbated the crisis, especially as transplants move into the market.

☆ Tech's reality check: How the industry lost $7.4 trillion in one year
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Rohan Goswami | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +14 min

Not one of the 15 most valuable U.S. tech companies has generated positive returns in 2021. In total, investors have lost roughly $7.4 trillion, based on the 12-month drop in the Nasdaq. In the war for talent and the free flow of capital, tech pay reached new heights. Loading chart...SPACs allowed companies that didn't quite have the profile to satisfy traditional IPO investors to backdoor their way onto the public market. A slowing IPO market informs how earlier-stage investors behave, said David Golden, managing partner at Revolution Ventures in San Francisco.

☆ Fact Check-WiFi access inside a polling place is not proof of election fraud
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Access to WiFi inside a polling place is not automatic proof of voter fraud, despite claims made online, experts told Reuters. The post led to claims that a new WiFi network suddenly appearing from inside a polling station can lead to voter fraud. WIFI PRESENCE NOT EVIDENCE OF FRAUDBut the presence of a WiFi network inside a polling place is not automatic proof of nefarious activity, experts in election security told Reuters. The presence of a WiFi network inside a polling place is not automatically proof of fraud, experts told Reuters. WiFi-connected electronic polling books that check in voters are commonplace at polling stations across the country.

☆ Here's why Mark Zuckerberg can't be fired as CEO of Meta
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-06 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Zuckerberg structured Meta so that he has total control of any decisions that affect the company. Meta isn't the only company that gives insiders super-voting powers. However, that has never been the case at Zuckerberg's company. Meta isn't aloneBut Meta isn't the only tech company that gives its insiders supervoting powers. Ritter thinks Zuckerberg truly believes he's doing what's best for Meta shareholders by pivoting his company toward the metaverse.

☆ Meet the 11 execs leading Bridgewater into a new era after Ray Dalio relinquished control of the hedge fund
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Alyson Velati | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

Bridgewater AssociatesAs cochief investment officer, Jensen oversees Bridgewater's investment strategies and research efforts as well as its investment talent. Karen Karniol-Tambour, cochief investment officer for sustainabilityKaren Karniol-Tambour, Bridgewater's cochief investment officer for sustainability. Rebecca Patterson, chief investment strategistBridgewater's chief investment strategist, Rebecca Patterson. In 2012, she joined as the chief investment officer of Bessemer Trust, managing $85 billion in client assets. The partnership elected three directors to Bridgewater's operating board of directors, which now has control over Bridgewater after Dalio relinquished control of the hedge fund.

☆ U. of Florida trustees approve Sen. Sasse as next president
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Nebraska U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse won approval Tuesday from the University of Florida Board of Trustees to be the school’s next president despite vocal opposition from some faculty and students. Sasse, a Republican, was recommended for the top post by a unanimous vote of the trustees. A final vote to elevate Sasse as the school’s 13th president is set for Nov. 10 by the state university system Board of Governors. “I would have no activity in partisan politics in any way as I arrive at the University of Florida,” Sasse said, adding that his candidacy was not pushed by GOP Gov. And despite his strong criticism of the communist Chinese government, Sasse said students and faculty from China should feel welcome.

☆ Patriots owner Robert Kraft urges people to 'stand up to Jewish hate' with ad during NFL games
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Chantal Da Silva | Chantal Da Silva Is A Breaking News Editor For Nbc News Digital Based In London. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft sponsored an ad that ran during broadcasts of NFL games on Sunday calling on viewers to "stand up against Jewish hate." “Antisemitism is hate. For being Jewish,” the 30-second ad released by the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism and the Robert K. Kraft Family Foundation said. "My hope is this commercial will continue to enhance the national conversation about the need to speak out against hatred of all types, and particularly to stand up to Jewish hate," he said. "Those who spread messages of hate, racism and antisemitism will not be able to change the heart of this city or her people.

☆ Officials condemn 'cowardly' and 'despicable' antisemitic messages displayed at University of Florida-Georgia football game supporting Ye
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-30 | by ( Julianne Mcshane | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

The same antisemitic message appears to have flashed across at least one other nearby building soon after appearing at the stadium, another video shows. An antisemitic message referencing Kanye West was projected on a building in Jacksonville, Fla. He was also locked out of his Twitter account and restricted from posting on Instagram earlier this month after he posted antisemitic messages on the platform. As of Sunday afternoon, he had not made any public comments on the antisemitic message that appeared at the game. Jacksonville City Council President Terrance Freeman and state Rep. Angie Nixon (D) also denounced Saturday's message in statements they posted on Twitter.

The second round of voting in the race between far-right populist President Jair Bolsonaro and his challenger, Lula, has divided the nation as well as Brazilian nationals living abroad. While Lula beat Bolsonaro by about 4 percentage points, he came shy of the 50% threshold needed to avoid a runoff. “Honestly I never thought I would be voting for Lula again — I was quite disappointed in how corrupt his government was,” said Ferrari. Bolsonaro has cast doubt on the 2020 U.S. election results, echoing false claims that there was widespread fraud. "I think that the imperfections on the Bolsonaro side are just unneglectable.”Follow NBC Latino on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

☆ 4 social-media managers say the job requires long hours and unrealistic expectations. They share the breaking points that made them quit.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-29 | by ( Jacqueline Gualtieri | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

While the social-media profession continues to grow in popularity, many social-media managers are deciding to leave their positions for greener pastures. According to Zippia, 29% of social-media managers stay in their roles for less than a year. Even though 70% of social-media managers wanted to be promoted, only 40% saw any possibility to advance where they were, according to the 2020 study. Insider spoke with four social-media managers about how they reached a breaking point in their corporate jobs and what they've chosen to do now instead. Through working with other social-media managers, she's seen how things have changed since her days of working in their shoes.

☆ Zuckerberg motivates supervoting stock resistance
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Jeffrey Goldfarb | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

NEW YORK, Oct 27 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Mark Zuckerberg is providing fresh motivation for investors everywhere. If there was ever a time for shareholders to rally against the sort of dual-class structures that surrender control to entrepreneurs, Zuckerberg has provided the ammunition. At the time of the stock sale, Zuckerberg commanded 57% of the vote with just a 28% economic stake, subjugating other owners with supervoting shares that carry 10 votes apiece. Meta reckons its board is sufficiently independent to keep watch over Zuckerberg, despite his codified influence over it. Rejecting supervoting stock would be the best option.

☆ 'We're going to hang you': DOJ cracks down on threats to election workers ahead of high-stakes midterms
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

That is just one example of the rising number of violent threats election workers in the days leading up to the Nov. 8 midterms. "These threats against election officials continue," Michael McDonald, a professor of political science at the University of Florida, told CNBC. Additional funding from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan can also be used to protect election workers, Polite said. DOJ launched an election threats task force in July 2021 to ensure voters are safe at the polls and to look into the rise in threatening behavior against election workers like Moss. Jared Polis signed an act protecting election workers from threats, coercion or intimidation into law.

☆ University of Florida to enforce protest ban after anti-Sasse rally
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Sasse, a Republican in his second Senate term, has drawn criticism from some at the school for his opposition to same-sex marriage. While the university supports the First Amendment right to free speech, “with this commitment comes an obligation to protect the rights of everyone in our community to speak and to hear,” Fuchs said. Others question his qualifications to run such a sprawling school with more than 50,000 students, and the secretive selection process used in choosing Sasse. A new Florida law allows universities to conduct much of the process outside of the state’s open meetings and public records laws. Sasse, 50, was previously president of Midland University in Fremont, Nebraska, which has just over 1,600 students.

☆ It's time to stop saying 'fully vaccinated' for Covid, experts say—here's why
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

If you still say "fully vaccinated" for Covid, it's time to stop. 'Fully vaccinated' is not the term that we want to use," Cindy Prins, an epidemiologist at the University of Florida, tells CNBC Make It. The definition of fully vaccinated hasn't changed since the first Covid vaccines were rolled out almost two years ago. It means two initial doses of a vaccine from Pfizer, Moderna or Novavax, or one dose from Johnson & Johnson. Here's why experts say you shouldn't use the term anymore, and what you should do instead:

☆ FDA panel recommends revoking the approval of controversial drug for preterm births
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Berkeley-Lovelace-Jr.Jpg | Berkeley Lovelace Jr. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

The panel voted on three questions: whether the drug is effective, whether trial data support its approval and whether it should remain on the market. The trial found that the drug failed to reduce the risk of preterm births or produce better health outcomes for newborns. When a 2019 trial showed that the drug produced no benefits, the same FDA advisory panel voted to revoke the drug's approval. What's more, "retaining Makena’s approval likely hinders study of more promising treatments for preterm birth," FDA scientists wrote. It also proposed a partial withdrawal of the drug, making the drug only available to women at the highest risk of preterm birth.

"Look we all love Emmanuel the Emu but he has avian flu. Avian flu experts, too, said touching an infected emu isn't advisable, given that the virus can jump from animals to humans in rare cases. H5N1, the bird flu strain currently spreading, is highly contagious among birds, and it can be deadly to them. "Once an avian virus can move to mammals, now we’re in the realm of 'Yeah, we better be careful.'" All three experts said scientists are watching this bird flu closely even though the risk to humans is low.

☆ Florida farmers and ranchers could see up to $1.5 billion in Hurricane Ian-related losses
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Vanessa Yurkevich | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Florida farmers and ranchers lost up to $1.56 billion in crops, livestock, and nursery and aquaculture products due to the devastation caused by Hurricane Ian, according to a new preliminary analysis from the University of Florida released Tuesday. The assessment done by the UF/IFAS Economic Analysis program puts the preliminary losses between $787 million and $1.56 billion across millions of acres of agricultural lands impacted by the hurricane. Citrus, vegetables, melons, and livestock sustained the most “significant production losses,” the report said. “Our preliminary estimate is a range, a wide range, to account for many of these unknowns. Assessments are still ongoing and the final value of agricultural losses to the state will not be complete for weeks, according to the report.

☆ University of Florida students protest against Ben Sasse’s anti-LGBTQ past
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Zachary Schermele | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

Hundreds of University of Florida students held protests this week criticizing the anticipated appointment of Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., to lead the school. Sasse has said that as university president, he would do his best to represent the views of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer students. But for some, his candidacy has called to mind the university’s anti-LGBTQ history and the extent to which many of them feel it continues to sideline their needs and experiences, four LGBTQ students told NBC News. The university’s LGBTQ+ Affairs office, for example, has a high staff turnover rate, he said. He said a “silver lining” of the protests was that many LGBTQ students made their concerns more widely known.

Search resuls for: "The University of Florida"

25 mentions found