text stringlengths 237 126k | date_download stringdate 2022-01-01 00:32:20 2023-01-01 00:02:37 ⌀ | source_domain stringclasses 60 values | title stringlengths 4 31.5k ⌀ | url stringlengths 24 617 ⌀ | id stringlengths 24 617 ⌀ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Most widely available loan
Highest loan amount
No frills loan
Lowest APR
Most additional perks
Compare the best credit builder loans
What is a credit builder loan?
Who offers credit builder loans?
Credit builder loan frequently asked questions (FAQ)
The 5 best credit builder loans of 2022
Installment loans add to your credit mix, which can improve your credit score, but they're difficult and expensive to take out without good credit. To address this, some lenders offer credit builder loans, which require borrowers to pay off their loans before they get the money. These loans pose little risk to lenders, so borrowers with bad or no credit can qualify.
Whether you want to add an installment loan on your credit report or you're looking to build credit from scratch, credit builder loans are a great option if you want to see your credit score rise.
Most widely available loan: Self
In All 50 States
Self Credit Builder Account
$9 administration fee
At Self's Site
Four different plans
Customers eligible for Visa secured credit card
No hard credit check
Relatively high APRs for credit builder loan
$9 one-time administrative fee
No hard credit report pull
Reports to all 3 bureaus
Build credit AND savings
Join over 1 million credit builders
Unlock a Secured Credit Card after meeting eligibility criteria
12-24 months loan duration
Highest loan amount: Credit Strong
Credit Strong Build and Save Installment Loan
On Credit Strong Build and Save's website
Three different plans
Available in 48 states (excludes Vermont and Wisconsin)
$15 one-time administrative fee
Offers loan between 24 - 36 months
Three different loan options to pick from
Monthly payments are $38, $48, or $96 depending on plan
Offered in 48 states excluding Vermont and Wisconsin
Best no-frills loan: Mission Lane Credit Builder Account
Best no-frills loan
Mission Lane Credit Builder Account
On Mission Lane's website
No interest rate
No service fee
One plan
Low installment amount
Pay off a $300 loan using a secured savings account
Make a $25 payment to your account each month for 12 consecutive months
Mission lane will report your credit builder account to all three bureaus each month
If you miss a payment, you'll have access to what you've made in payments so far
FDIC insured through TAB Bank
Lowest APR: Digital Credit Union
Digital Credit Union Credit Builder Loan
On Digital Credit Union's website
DCU membership required
Membership is hard to obtain
The information related to Digital Credit Union Credit Builder Loan has been collected by Business Insider and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
Offers flexible terms between 12-24 months
Fixed loan rate at 5.00% APR
Helps earns dividends in your DCU savings account
Most additional perks: MoneyLion
Best perks
MoneyLion Credit Builder Plus Loan
On MoneyLion's website
TransUnion credit monitoring included in the membership
Low potential APR
$20 monthly membership fee
High potential APR
The information related to MoneyLion Credit Builder Plus has been collected by Business Insider and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
Apply for a loan up to $1,000 with no hard credit check
Has a 12 month loan length
Membership fee of $20
Access of 0% APR cash advances
Most widely-available loan: Self
Better Business Bureau rating: B
Rate: 15.65% - 15.92%
Why it stands out: Self is one of the more established credit builder loan providers and one of the few providers that operate in all 50 states. It has four plans available from small to extra large that range from $25 per month to $150 per month.
One of Self's biggest benefits is its secured Visa credit card , which borrowers can qualify for after three months of on-time payments and $100 deposited. The Visa credit card is secured by the money you have already deposited on your credit builder loan.
This card may not come with the lowest APR compared to other cards — it bounces around 26.24% (Variable), but it's another credit-building tool that is available to you as Self customer. Keep in mind that your credit limit on this card will not be terribly high since it's based on the money you've already deposited. You will want to be careful how you use it so you don't upset your credit utilization ratio, which will hurt your credit score and defeat the purpose of taking this loan out in the first place.
Why it stands out: Credit Strong offers the most options out of any of the credit builder loan products out there with availability in 48 states (not available in Vermont or Wisconsin). In total, there are seven plans divided into three categories: Build, Build and Save, and Magnum.
The Build category focuses on the customer making the lowest possible monthly payments, which go as low as $15 per month over 120 months. On the other end of the spectrum, there's Magnum, which focuses on large loan amounts. You can take out a $5,000 installment loan or a $10,000 installment loan and pay it back over a payment period that can go up to 120 months.
The Build and Save is the middle ground with three plans within this category, and it's the one we recommend. One plan has you pay $38 over 36 months, of which you receive $1,100 back in savings. The two other plans have 24-month payment periods with $48 or $96 monthly payments totaling $1,000 and $2,000 in savings after interest is charged. These plans have the highest APRs of all the plans that Credit Strong provides, but with a shorter payment term, you'll end up paying less money than you would with the other plans.
Note: A longer payment period will help boost your payment history on a credit report, which will help your credit score. That said, the longer the payment period, the more interest you will end up paying.
Better Business Bureau rating: A+
Rate: None
Why it stands out: The Mission Lane credit builder account is significantly cheaper than the other credit builder loans on the market and fairly straightforward. Its credit builder loan has you paying $25 per month over 12 months. When you finish those payments, you get back the $300. There are no other plans, no bells and whistles, and no interest rate.
That said, the credit-building potential of this loan is limited compared to some of the other loans on this list because that limit is lower. For one, your payment period is shorter and the installment loan recorded on your credit report isn't terribly high. Mission Lane is also available in just 19 states.
Rate: 5.00%
What stands out: Digital Credit Union offers a good amount of flexibility with its credit builder loans, with loan amounts ranging from $500 to $3,000 over 12 to 24 months. The APR for these credit builder loans is at 5%, though DCU notes that can change at any time. Your money will also earn dividends in the savings account DCU puts your money in.
The biggest downside to DCU's credit builder loan is its exclusivity. You have to be a member of Digital Credit Union to qualify for this loan, and membership is quite limited. DCU is available to a handful of organizations and communities around New England. It also partners with over 800 workplaces to give employees DCU memberships. You can find the full list of DCU membership qualifications here.
That said, you can access a DCU membership by joining one of the affiliated organizations listed on DCU's website since they aren't region-specific. Most of these organizations just require a membership fee. You hold a DCU membership for life, so even when your membership at one of the listed organizations expires, you'll still be a DCU member. Your family will also be eligible for memberships.
Better Business Bureau rating: D
Rate: 5.99% - 29.99% and $19.99 monthly fee
Why it stands out: MoneyLion offers one plan, a $1,000 credit builder loan that you pay off in 12 months. Calculating the APR can be tricky. MoneyLion offers rates as low as 5.99%, though they can also be as high as 29.99% based on the information you provide in your application, primarily information from your primary checking account.
The biggest drawback to MoneyLion's loan is that to access the credit builder loan, you have to pay a monthly $19.99 membership fee. While these costs add up throughout your loan, your membership gets you services in addition to the credit builder loan. It comes with an investment account, deposit account, and credit monitoring services with TransUnion.
Other loans we considered that didn't make the cut
We considered quite a few loans for this list. The following products offer pretty good rates, but they're a little too niche to be called the "best credit builder loans."
Republic Bank: We considered this provider because of its multiple payment plans and decent rates. The reason it didn't make the cut is accessibility. Republic Bank's loan is only available in five states: Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee.
Metro Credit Union: Metro Credit Union offers lower rates than DCU at 4.1%. Its credit builder loan can go as high as $3,000 with payment plans as long as 24 months. Unfortunately, Metro Credit Union is even more exclusive than DCU because it doesn't have that affiliated organization workaround. MCU will also pull a hard inquiry on your credit if you apply.
One takeaway from these honorable mentions is that many local banks provide pretty decent rates compared to the lenders who offer credit builder loans nationwide. If you don't see a credit builder loan that checks off your boxes, check with your local credit unions or banks to see if they offer what you need.
When you take out a credit builder loan, the creditor sets aside the money you "borrow" in a savings account. As you pay off your loan, the creditor reports your payments to the three main credit bureaus, so you build up payment history. Once you reach a certain number of payments or pay the loan off entirely, the creditor some or all of the money to you.
Because of the way credit builder loans work, they are often marketed as savings accounts, since you are putting money away in increments that you'll receive later. That said, many of these credit builder loans charge interest, so you'll be getting back less than you put in. If you're looking for a savings account, there are better places to look.
Not only does this add an installment loan onto your credit reports, but it also builds up payment history, another major factor in your credit score. Since the creditor keeps the money until it's paid off, it's not at a huge risk of losing money. This means it can approve people with low credit scores or no credit at all. Credit builder loans also generally charge a lower APR than traditional loans.
You can find credit builder loans from a variety of financial institutions, though the larger banks like Bank of America or American Express usually don't offer a credit builder loan, though they offer secured credit cards, another credit-building product. Here are some places you may find a credit builder loan:
The most important factors that determined which credit builder loans were the "best" were availability, flexibility, and affordability (the -bility trinity, if you will). Credit builder loans with more state availability did better than regional loans, even if the regional loans had lower APRs.
Flexibility looks at the types of plans that the lender offers including limits, monthly payments, and payment periods. It also takes into account the borrower's ability to pay off their loans early or cancel their account before their loan is fully paid off. All these loans let their borrowers pay their loans early without penalty. Additionally, all accounts, except for MoneyLion, will not penalize you for canceling your account before your total amount is settled.
The third factor is affordability, which comes down to how much money you're spending to build credit. This can be factored into interest paid, origination fees, or any additional costs such as MoneyLion's monthly membership fee.
Some of these services did have perks such as Self's secured credit card or MoneyLion's credit monitoring. While we folded these into our considerations, they aren't nearly as important as the core product. Those perks can be found elsewhere at a better price point.
Credit builder loans are a great tool to build credit; however, it's important to note that these should be a means to an end. Your loan provider might offer you additional perks so you stick around, but once you've built your credit to a certain level, there are better, cheaper ways to continue building credit. If you're not sure that you can keep up with the monthly payments, it might be smart to find another way to build credit because missing those payments will set you further back than where you started.
Are there alternatives to a credit builder loan? Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
Becoming an authorized user on a friend or family member's credit card is one way to build credit. As an authorized user, you get a credit card in your name. When you use the card, the primary cardholder is responsible for settling your charges.
If this isn't an option, you can apply for a secured credit card instead. Providers of these cards will have you make a security deposit when you open the card. You will be borrowing from this money, so the amount you deposit will become your credit limit. The security deposit also acts as collateral for the lender in case you default on your payments. Because the lender is letting you borrow from money that you already gave them, you pose very little risk to them so they can accept applicants with bad credit or no credit at all.
Can I pay off credit builder loans early? Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
Yes, you can generally make payments on your loan that exceed your normal monthly payment. In doing so, you pay your loan off quicker and reduce the interest you pay. On a traditional loan, this would be ideal. However, because the goal of this loan is to build credit, it's more advantageous to make the scheduled payments so you get the full benefit that the payment history grants.
If you need to make payment early, you can. Some lenders will charge a penalty fee to do so. None of the loans in the "best of" list will charge you for paying off your loans early.
How is credit score calculated? Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
Your credit score is calculated based on information on your credit reports, assembled by the three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. How that information is crunched into your credit score depends on which credit scoring model you look at: usually VantageScore or FICO.
Here's how FICO calculates scores:
your payment history (35%)
Credit balances (30%)
Mix of credit accounts (10%)
Here's how VantageScore calculates their scores:
Length and types of credit (21%)
Credit utilization (20%)
Recent credit applications (5%)
Available credit (3%)
PERSONAL FINANCE 10 best credit cards for bad credit of December 2022: Secured and unsecured cards, including some that earn cash back or flexible points
PERSONAL FINANCE How to build your credit with bad or no credit
PERSONAL FINANCE The best personal loans for bad credit of December 2022
PERSONAL FINANCE The 6 best credit cards for adding someone as an authorized user — so they can build credit and get benefits like airport lounge access
Personal Finance Insider pfi Credit | 2022-12-29T17:44:41Z | www.businessinsider.com | The Best Credit Builder Loans of 2022 | https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/best-credit-builder-loans | https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/best-credit-builder-loans |
How to set up dual monitors on your Windows PC or Mac computer
Setting up dual monitors can boost your productivity and free space.
Nisian Hughes/Getty Images
To set up dual monitors on Windows 10, connect the monitor to your PC and open "Display settings."
On a Mac, you can connect another monitor to it using the "Display" menu in "System Preferences."
You can set up your dual monitors to display the same image, or work separately.
In an office, it's common to see people using multiple monitors at the same computer. It's a great way to expand your workspace and use lots of different apps at once.
Luckily, dual monitors aren't just for professionals. You can set up dual monitors on your PC and Mac easily. You just need the monitors and cables to connect them.
Important: You can set up dual monitors on a laptop, too. The laptop's screen will just count as one of the monitors.
How to set up dual monitors on a Windows 10 computer
1. Connect both monitors to the computer tower or laptop you're using, and make sure they're both turned on. Depending on the monitor and your computer, you'll need a VGA, HDMI, or USB cable. In some cases, you might need a combination of different cables.
A windows laptop before it's been connected to the second monitor, and after.
Your computer should recognize the new monitor right away. Both screens will go black and might flicker a bit.
2. Once the screen comes back, right-click on an empty part of your PC's desktop to bring up the context menu and select Display settings.
Open your PC's "Display settings" menu.
Quick tip: You can also get to your Display settings on Windows by going to Settings > Ease of access > Display, and then click on the Additional display settings link in the Related settings section.
3. Scroll down to the Multiple Displays section, open the drop-down menu, and choose how you want the dual monitors to work. Here are your options:
Extend these displays: You can set your screens up so that they display different things and your mouse cursor can move between them.
Duplicate these displays: This option will show the same image on both screens, which can be useful for PowerPoint presentations and lectures.
Show only on 1: Select this if you only want to use the primary monitor.
Show only on 2: Select this if you only want to use the secondary monitor.
4. Once you've picked an option, click Keep changes in the pop-up.
Choose how you want your monitors to operate.
5. If you chose the Extend these displays option, scroll back up to the Rearrange your displays section. Your main monitor will be listed as 1, and your new monitor will be listed as 2. Click and drag them around to match their arrangement in real life, then click Apply.
You'll need to click "Apply" to save your changes.
How to set up dual monitors on a Mac
1. Connect your second monitor to your MacBook, iMac, or Mac Mini using an HDMI cable. If your Mac device doesn't have an HDMI port, you'll need to connect the HDMI cable to a USB cable or hub, and then connect that to the Mac.
A Mac laptop before it's been connected to an external monitor, and afterwards.
2. Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen and select System Preferences.
3. Select Displays.
Open your Mac's "Displays" menu.
4. In the Display window, click on Display Settings in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
5. In the left sidebar, you will see all the monitors connected to your computer. Click on your Mac's display, and, in the right panel, make sure the Use as dropdown is set to Main display.
Make sure your Mac's screen is set to be the main display.
6. Click on the second display in the left sidebar, and set the Use as dropdown to one of the following options:
Extended display: This will allow you to display different things on the screens. That means you can, for example, have Finder open on one screen while browsing Google Chrome on the other.
Mirror for [name of main display]: This will show the same thing on both screen – the secondary display will mirror what is happening on the main one.
You can choose either an extended or mirrored display.
Note: If you want to use an iPad as a second monitor for your Mac, you'll have to use the Sidecar feature. Check out our article on the feature for tips on setting it up.
Will an HDMI splitter work with dual monitors?
The short answer is yes – an HDMI splitter will work in a dual monitor setup. However, it's important to note that the device will only split the signal between the added monitors. That means both monitors will mirror what is being displayed on your computer's screen.
TECH How to change the screen brightness on any Windows 10 computer in 2 ways
TECH How to mirror your iPhone screen to a Mac computer with QuickTime or AirPlay
TECH 9 ways to fix your Mac's mouse when it keeps disappearing
Tech How To Dual Monitors Windows | 2022-12-29T19:16:06Z | www.businessinsider.com | How to Set up & Use Dual Monitors on a Windows PC or Mac | https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/how-to-setup-dual-monitors | https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/how-to-setup-dual-monitors |
Users of the Bespoke Refrigerator Family Hub Plus can watch TikTok Videos and order Amazon groceries.
Samsung announced its latest smart fridge called the Bespoke Refrigerator Family Hub Plus.
The new fridge includes a 32-inch screen so users can watch TikTok videos and buy Amazon groceries.
It's the latest addition to Samsung's SmartThings home product line, though there's no release date.
Samsung just announced its new smart fridge called the Bespoke Refrigerator Family Hub Plus, the latest addition to its line of Family Hub smart fridges.
The fridge has a 32-inch, built-in vertical touchscreen — more than double the screen on its existing model — that lets users watch TikTok videos and order groceries on Amazon. Videos can be minimized to a smaller window so users can multitask on the display.
The Family Hub Plus also comes with the Samsung TV Plus service which includes more than 190 TV channels in the US and 80 channels in South Korea that can be accessed for free.
In addition to Microsoft's cloud storage system OneDrive, the smart fridge is now also linked to the Google Photos cloud, which allows users to display personal photos on the screen. Art can also be displayed on the screen through Samsung's Bespoke Atelier app.
Through the SmartThings app, the fridge can control air purification and monitor energy use.
The Family Hub Plus is an expansion of Samsung's SmartThings home product line, which launched in 2016 and aims to automate tasks through a connected home.
Lee Jun-hwa, vice president of Samsung Electronics' home appliances business division, said that the new fridge "provides a vastly expanded experience" that "will lead the innovation and evolution of refrigerators by reflecting style trends," according to a Samsung press release written in Korean.
Samsung did not say how much the fridge will cost or when it will be available for purchase. More information could be provided when the fridge is shown at the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show — the world's biggest consumer tech showcase based in Las Vegas — which starts on January 5th.
The new fridge can connect to any Samsung smart device.
Samsung Smart Devices smart fridge | 2022-12-29T19:16:36Z | www.businessinsider.com | New Samsung Smart Fridge Has Big Screen for TikTok, Amazon | https://www.businessinsider.com/samsungs-new-smart-fridge-screen-amazon-tiktok-in-your-kitchen-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/samsungs-new-smart-fridge-screen-amazon-tiktok-in-your-kitchen-2022-12 |
Snapchat has a hidden library of built-in games — here's how to play them with friends
You can access and play a variety of Snapchat Games with other users.
Snapchat includes a library of multiplayer games within its Chat pages.
To start a game, tap the Rocket icon while you're in a chat with a friend or group.
You can continue chatting even while you are in a Snapchat game with your friend.
While you probably already use the Snapchat app for text chats as well as voice and video calls, you can also use it for gaming.
Here's everything you need to know about the "hidden" Snapchat Games feature.
Snapchat has a library of built-in games
Snapchat Games are designed as another way to keep you engaged with friends. They are generally short and simple multiplayer games designed for two or more players.
You can browse and launch Snapchat games from within the Snapchat app, and the games are an extension of the Chat page, so you can easily launch a game while having a conversation with someone. While these games are relatively simple, you can earn points and rewards in the game which are generally saved between sessions, so you can progress through the game each time you play.
Snapchat Games debuted back in 2019, and Snap has been steadily adding new titles to the collection since the launch. Currently there are nearly four dozen games to choose from in Snapchat.
How to play Snapchat Games
1. In the Snapchat app, tap the Chat tab at the bottom of the screen.
Start by going to the Chat tab to see your conversations with friends and groups.
2. Tap the friend or group you want to play a game with.
3. Continue the conversation the way you normally would. When you're ready to start a game, tap the Rocket icon beside the text field.
4. In the list of available games, tap the game you want to launch.
The Rocket icon displays a list of all the games you can play.
5. After the game begins, your friend (or everyone in the group) gets a notification and can tap a game icon to play as well.
Once in the game, you have some options:
Chat. You can continue to chat with your friend using the chat field at the bottom of the screen.
Configure the game. You can set options in many games by tapping the three-line menu at the bottom right of the screen.
Exit. To leave the game, tap the Chat icon at the bottom of the screen, to the left of the text field and then tap Leave in the popup window.
You can use the controls at the bottom of the game to configure game settings, chat and exit.
TECH 9 ways to fix Snapchat if it's not working
TECH 'Does Snapchat notify users when you take screenshots?': Here's what you need to know
TECH How to 'half swipe' on Snapchat to view an unread message without letting the sender know you've read it
Snapchat Snapchat Games Tech How To | 2022-12-29T21:00:43Z | www.businessinsider.com | How to Play Snapchat Games With Friends | https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/snapchat-games | https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/snapchat-games |
Now's the 'perfect storm' to ask for a raise, an MBA professor says. She shares 5 tips for negotiating — including giving a precise salary number.
Leigh Thompson
Leigh Thompson.
Leigh Thompson is an MBA professor at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern.
She said it's a great time to ask for a raise and you should quantify your achievements when you do.
Thompson also said science suggests asking for a precise number instead of rounding up.
Employees are dreaming about nice raises, but companies are trying to cut costs and engaging in massive layoffs — this year more than most others.
This is the perfect storm for those seeking a raise. As a business-school professor, I work both sides of the table, coaching the raise-seekers and prepping the raise-givers or raise-decliners.
Before you march into your boss's office with your remuneration demands, take each request to heart — it could mean the difference between smooth sailing or a shipwreck.
Based on extensive experience in this space, I have five key pieces of advice.
1. Gather your data
Just because it's the year's end or inflation is high doesn't ipso facto entitle you to a raise.
Two weeks ago, a young woman who'd just received a promotion and small raise sought my advice on how to "raise the raise." "Inflation is high," she said. "Wrong answer!" I quipped. You don't want to use a rationale every colleague could use — companies are aware of inflation.
Instead, your rationale should be idiosyncratic. I asked this woman how her contributions were measurably different than anyone else's in the company. She created a detailed list of accomplishments. I then asked her to quantify it — did those achievements, for example, lead to a 5% improvement on metrics the company cared about? She then provided even more detail on how her contributions had moved several important indicators. She used this much stronger argument to get her raise raised.
2. Figure out a precise number
It's a scientific fact that people who make precise-point offers are more successful than those who make vague or round-number offers.
Last fall, I coached a young man who'd just been offered a job and wanted to make a counteroffer. "Don't use a round number," I said. "People respond more aggressively to those. Best to be specific, instead."
When you make a specific, non-round-number proposal, the person on the receiving end regards you as more prepared, credible, and worthy; it signals you've thought carefully about it. Word of advice: expect to be asked "Where did you get that number?" That gives you the opportunity to lay out your thought process and all your data.
3. Don't get emotional or demanding
Let's face it: Salary and raise negotiations are about us — specifically, our worth. So it's natural for people to get defensive and emotional. However, acting emotional won't serve you well.
One emotional trap employees fall into is comparing themselves to colleagues when, in fact, they should be looking at the larger market. People can become dysfunctionally myopic when it comes to how much money they're paid, and may do things in the heat of the moment that they later regret.
One research study found, for example, that people are more likely to devalue a salary offer from their own company that's higher than a salary offer from another company, if they think the salary is "unfair" based on how much they're paid relative to others. To put numbers to it, people may evaluate a $120,000 salary offer from their own company as less attractive if their same-level colleague is earning $125,000, but regard a $115,000 salary offer from another company if others there are earning only $110,000. Try not to let emotion prevent you from acting in your best interests.
4. Time it right
It's not a good idea to ambush your boss at the holiday party or at 4 p.m. on Friday afternoon. Also don't attempt the "Tag it to the end of a meeting" approach, another form of ambush.
Instead, do what one young manager did: She sent an email to her boss asking for 15 minutes of calendar time to talk about remuneration. This manager held a psychology degree, and used research on decision fatigue in her favor by scheduling the meeting early in the day, early in the week, before everyone was mentally overloaded.
It's well-established that people make more thoughtful, research-based decisions when they're not fatigued, and are more likely to make rash, emotional decisions when overloaded.
5. Don't make threats
The most commonly uttered phrase in any negotiation is, "This is my final offer." Unfortunately, that rarely works. Any reference to walking away or taking another job is a threat — and the typical reaction to a threat is a counter-threat, leading to an escalating spiral that never ends well. Sure, you may have another job offer. That's great. Just resist the urge to use that as "leverage" in the first moments of the negotiation.
A former MBA student of mine, call him Eric, had a nice position at a company and was happy with his starting salary. As the months went on, it became clear that Eric was crushing it, and his phone started to ring with other companies looking to poach him. When end-of-year discussions came around, I told Eric to resist the urge to dangle these alternatives in the face of his current employer. "Save that," I said.
I knew from the research that any mention of an outside offer — any hint of "I can go elsewhere" — is a threat and that it's best to play your threat card later, lest you create a tense power struggle. I advised Eric to think of a set of terms that would delight him and yet appear reasonable to his managers. "Begin there," I told him and if — and only if — they're not receptive, he should bring up attractive outside options. In the end, Eric put together an assertive yet reasonable bonus and raise ask, to which the company agreed.
Leigh Thompson is a professor at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and an adjunct professor of psychology at Northwestern University.
original contributor contributor 2022 Thought Leadership | 2022-12-29T21:00:49Z | www.businessinsider.com | How to Ask for a Raise at Work: 5 Tips for Success | https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-ask-for-get-raise-boss-negotiation-tips-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-ask-for-get-raise-boss-negotiation-tips-2022-12 |
The 1979 Barbie Dreamhouse.
Evelyn Pustka/Pin-Up
The Barbie Dreamhouse debuted in 1962, three years after its plastic resident hit toy store shelves.
A new book about its design says that six Dreamhouse iterations since then reflect our society.
Nine details in the homes show us what Barbie — and we — value, from ambition to accessibility.
Life in plastic is fantastic, especially for ever-independent Barbara Millicent Roberts — better known as Barbie — cozied up in her iconic Dreamhouse.
Barbie hit toy store shelves in 1959, with the first Dreamhouse following three years later for $8. (The price tag was slightly higher west of the Rocky Mountains, according to an old ad.)
The new book "Barbie Dreamhouse: An Architectural Survey" takes a look at Barbie's history through the architecture and interiors of her consistently updated bachelorette pad.
In the decades since her debut, Barbie's been criticized for perpetuating impossible beauty standards and gender stereotypes, but her oft-evolving home has always been surprisingly modern, the book argues. Its design centers the idea that single women can truly have it all, and live a robust and enriching life outside of the confines of domesticity.
When the Barbie Dreamhouse debuted, it was a vision of a bachelorette pad for a woman unmoored from the expectations of her day. In 1962, women were not yet allowed to have their own bank accounts, so they were not often purchasing their own homes.
"But here is Barbie, owning her own Dreamhouse," Kim Culmone, Mattel's senior vice president of design, said in the book.
The coffee-table tome — published in December 2022 by Mattel in collaboration with design magazine Pin-Up, and edited by the magazine's Felix Burrichter and Whitney Mallett — makes the case that Barbie's house has always reflected cultural trends of the time.
Take the 1979 Dreamhouse's turn towards environmentalism, featuring its flower-filled window boxes, skylights, and a natural color palette. Or the addition of a Barbie wheelchair-accessible layout and recycling bins in later versions of the Dreamhouse.
The book is full of fascinating tidbits about and observations of the pint-sized abode, and points to the many design influences and intersections that would pique the interest of any true architecture, interior design, or Barbie buff.
We've extracted nine of the most noteworthy details.
Barbie's first Dreamhouse suggested she was a college-educated girl.
Barbie's 1962 Dreamhouse featured studious-looking books and varsity pennants, suggesting Barbie had attended college.
Another cheeky facet: Its single bed alluded that Ken was not a constant fixture in the pad, according to the book.
The 1974 Barbie Townhouse appears to be modeled after the work of a pioneering Modernist architect from Switzerland.
The furniture in the 1974 Barbie Townhouse, left, has a yellow dining chair that closely mimics the lines of famed architect Marcel Breuer's Cesca chair from earlier in the century.
The Barbie Townhouse from 1974 bears a striking resemblance to the Maison Dom-Ino, a modular house designed by Modernist architect Le Corbusier.
The design for Maison Dom-Ino debuted in 1914 as a prototype for mass-produced housing that could act as a solution for the post-World War I reconstruction of Europe.
The 1979 A-frame marked the beginning of open-concept space for Barbie.
In this house, rooms were no longer assigned a specific use by printed interior backdrops depicting a kitchen or dining room wallpaper. Kids could rearrange the furniture into different rooms to create whatever spaces they wanted, a reflection of the free-wheeling spirit of the era.
The book compares the house's open-plan and nature-focused interiors to those at The Sea Ranch, a 1970s residential development along Northern California's coast with architecture that's informed by nature. (Design lovers adore Sea Ranch.)
The 1980s is the first sign of Barbie's now-signature all-pink aesthetic.
The 1990 Barbie Magical Mansion.
The rosy-hued 1985 Glamour Home didn't get its own spotlight in the book, but it's noted as a precursor to the 1990 Magical Mansion.
The Magical Mansion, for its part, was dripping in aspirational furnishings and architecture in shades of pink, including its Doric columns and rose-patterned wallpaper that evoked the Laura Ashley obsession.
It was a reflection of the romanticism and opulence of the era.
The Magical Mansion sold for $399 when it debuted in 1990, roughly equivalent to $900 in 2022.
The brush-stroke fabric in the Magical Mansion is visible on this sofa.
Mint condition models of the house fetch "well over $4,000" on the secondary market these days. The house also featured a brush-stroke pattern on its furniture that got ahead of the "Jazz" pattern that would become immortalized on paper cups after its 1993 debut.
A hanging depiction of a Victorian-era house in the 1962 Dreamhouse appears to have inspired the 2000 Dreamhouse.
A close-up view from the painting of a turreted house in the 1962 Dreamhouse, left, alongside the Victorian-inspired 2000 Dreamhouse, right.
"Perhaps the painting was of Barbara Millicent Roberts's childhood home, a token of where Barbie grew up — the fictional town of Willows, Wisconsin — offering inspiration for the turreted two-story to come," according to the book.
The 2021 Dreamhouse is a beachy flat-roofed take on the "content houses'' of today.
The Barbie Dreamhouse took a decidedly modern turn in the last two years. Check out its third floor karaoke set-up, complete with a disco ball and a movable slide.
Teams at Mattel watch how children interact with the toy to design future Dreamhouses.
"It has a lot to do with accessibility and dexterity, because for most of our core audience, the house is taller than they are," said Culmone. "We want to make sure they're able to get in it and play in it, and that it has rooms that keep them occupied, which requires a high level of observation and analysis."
The teams have learned that kids like a recognizable roof line that gives the illusion it's a single-family home.
The cover and dust sleeve of "Barbie Dreamhouse: An Architectural Survey."
In addition to a roof line, kids also like sound effects.
Flushing toilet sounds? Always a hit.
Features Barbie Barbie Dreamhouse | 2022-12-29T22:40:34Z | www.businessinsider.com | 9 Hidden Details in Barbie Dreamhouses Throughout History | https://www.businessinsider.com/barbie-dreamhouse-history-mattel-coffee-table-book-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/barbie-dreamhouse-history-mattel-coffee-table-book-2022-12 |
Gidget Fuentes
A US Navy marine mammal handler with a dolphin during a port-security exercise in May 2005.
US Navy/Illustrator Draftsman 1st Class Pierre G. Georges
The US Navy has been training dolphins and sea lions to detect undersea threats since the 1960s.
The Navy wants to move away from its marine mammals and use drones and other new sensors instead.
But those dolphins and sea lions can still do their jobs better than that new technology.
Since 1959, the US Navy has trained a small force of bottlenose dolphins and sea lions to recover lost equipment, intercept intruders in ports, and detect buried sea mines.
This year, the Navy sought to end one of those marine mammals' most important missions — hunting for and neutralizing mines buried in the seabed — and use sophisticated underwater vehicles and sensors instead.
But there's a problem: That technology hasn't yet equaled a dolphin's unique ability to find mines.
So Congress balked, using the 2023 defense bill to bar the Navy from retiring its mine-detecting dolphins or ending port-security training for its marine mammals until it deploys new mine-countermeasure systems that are as good or better.
A US Navy trainer with a Mark 5 Marine Mammal sea lion in Key West in October 1990.
US Navy/PH1 (Ac) Scott M. Allen
Congress' move halts the long-planned retirement of Marine Mammal Systems, a program run by Naval Information Warfare Center-Pacific at Point Loma Naval Base in San Diego.
The proliferation of high-quality, relatively inexpensive drones means that the Navy's dolphins and sea lions may soon be deactivated, but for now they remain a part of the service's mine-countermeasures systems, alongside ships, helicopters, sonars, and mobile explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams.
The Navy's mine-countermeasures force continues to struggle with aging equipment and is already incorporating unmanned underwater vehicles such as the Mk 18 Mod 1 Swordfish and Mk 18 Mod 2 Kingfish, which have sensors that sweep for mines and navigational hazards.
"Someday it may be possible to complete these missions with underwater drones," said Darian Wilson, a NIWC-Pacific spokesman, "but for now, technology cannot do everything the animals can do."
Dolphins perform at Marineland near Daytona Beach in Florida in 1959.
Erich Andres/United Archives via Getty Images
The first oceanarium with dolphin shows opened in St. Augustine, Florida in 1938 and featured dolphins performing tricks with fish-toting trainers.
That drew the Navy's interest. In 1959, it began work with mammals for mine-countermeasure missions and established the Marine Mammal Program a few years later. The program worked with sharks, rays, and sea turtles but settled on dolphins and sea lions.
Bottlenose dolphins are born with a biological sonar that they use to navigate and find food. Navy personnel, using food as a reward, train them to use it to locate objects that electronic sonar might miss, like mines, enemy swimmers, or lost weapons. The whiskered sea lion has keen eyesight and an extraordinary sense of directional hearing, giving it a natural ability to locate food or, with Navy training, to find mines or human intruders in the murkiest water.
While often seen at the surface, both are deep divers. Sea lions can dived 900 feet, and trained bottlenose dolphins have dived more than 1,000 feet, according to the Dolphin Research Center and SeaWorld.
That's nearly seven times deeper than most humans can comfortably do with basic scuba gear — without suffering decompression sickness. They can also zip around dense kelp beds, underwater obstacles, cluttered harbors, and busy shipping channels.
A US Navy sea lion attaches a recovery line to a piece of test equipment.
The Navy Marine Mammal Program's budget for 2023 provides $40 million for "food, medicine, veterinary care, husbandry, and facilities," Wilson said. Just over half of that — about $21 million — covers care and feeding for the program's 77 dolphins and 47 sea lions. The program employs 54 Navy civilians and six Army veterinarians, as well as 220 contractors and 22 graduate students or undergraduate volunteers.
The dolphins and sea lions work as a Marine Mammal System and train with divers or explosive ordnance disposal technicians and equipment for one of three missions, Wilson said:
The MK 5 MMS "object recovery system" are sea lions that locate and attach recovery lines to Navy equipment, like a diver's dropped tool or a training mine that then can be pulled from the water. The current budget provides about $1 million for it, half of what's needed for personnel and equipment.
The MK 6 MMS "intruder interdiction" system is dolphins and sea lions that work with security personnel to find and apprehend unauthorized swimmers or divers that could threaten ships, ports, and people. The mammals tap and tag the intruder, who then are nabbed by security sailors. The current budget funds it fully at about $7 million.
The MK 7 MMS "mine countermeasures" are dolphins working with EOD teams to find and mark mines. The dolphin drops a marker near a suspected mine, which EOD personnel or an unmanned system then neutralizes. The Navy planned to fund it with about $3.5 million for 2022 — half of what's needed. The 2023 defense bill blocks the Navy's plan to eliminate its funding next year.
A Mark 6 swimmer-defense dolphin in the Persian Gulf in August 2003.
US Navy/PH2 Veronica Birmingham
The program's budget includes about $3 million for research in bioacoustics to understand how sound affects marine mammals. "We also continue to study the dolphin's natural sonar to glean lessons that might improve electronic sonar and signal processing," Wilson said.
The program has led to more than 1,200 scientific papers, and parallel research efforts, many funded by the Navy, have shed light on dolphins' built-in sonar capabilities and aided work on electronic sonar that's critical to modern naval warfare.
The Navy is one of a few military forces with marine mammal programs. (Notably, Russia has used trained dolphins to guard important naval facilities.) The US sent mine-hunting dolphins and sea lions to Vietnam in 1970, and dolphins helped guard ships in Bahrain in 1987 and in the northern Persian Gulf in 2003.
US Navy dolphins have also patrolled during major public events and contribute to public safety even when not on duty: Two dolphins inadvertently found a rare, 130-year-old torpedo buried off Coronado, California while training in 2013.
A US Navy marine mammal trainer with a dolphin at Naval Air Station Key West in April 2017.
US Navy/Trice Denny
Kaj Larsen, a former Navy SEAL, said he'll never forget the first time a dolphin rammed him underwater.
"The truth is, it's really one of the most effective ways to prevent attacks by combat divers, because everything else doesn't really work," said Larsen, who first experienced Flipper's furor during the dive phase of the Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL course some 20 years ago.
BUD/S students' combat-swimmer missions doubled as anti-combat-swimmer training for the dolphins. While combat divers learn to defeat sonar nets, "we really have no way to defeat a dolphin. You're in their element," Larsen said, "and they find you every single time underwater."
Aside from brief public statements, however, the mammals' real-world missions remain classified.
"We generally do not discuss or release operational details of the Marine Mammal Program for security reasons," said Wilson said, who did not make program officials or trainers available for interviews, citing "ongoing program-related issues."
Mine threats remain
A US Navy boarding party inspects mines on an Iranian ship in the Persian Gulf in September 1987.
(AP Photo/Mark Duncan)
Sea mines, especially cheap ones, remain widely used and highly potent, whether floating freely, tethered just below the surface, or hidden on the seafloor.
Fifteen of 19 US ships sunk or damaged by enemy mines since the end of World War II were in shallow waters, said Scott Truver, a researcher, author, and mine-warfare expert. During the weeks-long Gulf War in 1991, several US warships were severely damaged by Iraqi mines.
In recent years, Iran has threatened to use its arsenal of mines to halt vital oil shipments in the Persian Gulf, and the appearance of mines in the Black Sea amid Russia's war in Ukraine has caused shipping disruptions.
Those familiar with the program say marine mammals remain an affordable option to protect ships, harbors, and ports until better tech is operational. Truver said the cost is "pixie dust compared what we're spending on an aircraft carrier."
"The nation needs the capability to deal with buried mines," particularly as the mine threat grows, Truver said. "Houthi rebels are capable of making us have a bad day, let alone Russia and the likes."
Repair crews inspect amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli after it struck an Iraqi mine in the Persian Gulf on February 18, 1991.
US Navy/JO1 Gawlowicz
China's navy regularly trains with sophisticated mines, Truver added, noting that "the number of mines produced and ready for deployment have grown in the last 10 years."
While opinions differ about the program's cost, few question the marine mammals' capabilities. "It is infinitesimally small [budget] compared with what has been and is being spent on a variety of other types of technology," said Scott Savitz, a senior engineer at Rand Corporation, a nonpartisan think tank.
The marine mammals "offer so much at a relatively low cost that it seems absurd not to continue to use them, certainly in the near-term," Savitz added.
The Navy expected advanced UUVs and side-scanning sonar to render marine mammals obsolete, but the technology hasn't advanced to that point. "We're always five years away from supposedly having technology that will obviate the need from having to use the mammals. I question whether we're at that point yet," said Savitz, who's worked with unmanned surface and undersea vehicles.
The Mk 18 Kingfish "has been spectacular," Truver said, "but it still can't do what a portion of what the mine-warfare Navy thinks is important for buried mines, for example."
A Mk 18 Mod 2 UUV during a mine-countermeasures exercise in the Baltic Sea in June 2019.
US Navy/Chief Mass Comm Specialist Shannon E. Renfroe
Savitz said that dolphins and sea lions are capable of a faster "detect-to-engage" sequence than existing technologies, which use a set sequence of decisions and actions to detect an object, determine if it's a mine, and decide what countermeasures are needed. The mammals simply tap on paddles to alert their trainer or EOD handler when they find a suspected mine.
"They have great precision in being able to differentiate objects that are similar to mines or mines themselves from the massive detritus that is on the seafloor in populated areas," Savitz said, calling it "an exquisite capability that's able to overcome a lot of environmental challenges."
Dolphins "have no problem" working in strong currents, which battery-operated systems may struggle with, Savitz said. "Just as we use dogs to find drugs or explosives, there's a lot of benefit for relying on the natural ability of dolphins," he added. "We don't need to reinvent something we have a capability [for] already."
Lifetime front-line care
Navy dolphins on a C-17 aircraft en route to New Caledonia in November 2009.
US Air Force/Tech. Sgt. Cohen A. Young
The dolphins and sea lions' home base are floating pens at Point Loma and three other bases on San Diego Bay and at other key Navy ports, Wilson said. Like seagoing sailors, they sometimes deploy on ships or aircraft for exercises and missions overseas.
Officials say the animals are not held captive. When working with trainers, they leave their pens almost daily and are free to swim away and not return. Stories of dolphins swimming up to nearby boaters looking for fishy treats are not uncommon.
"They get the highest-quality care available anywhere in the world" as dictated by a standing Secretary of the Navy instruction, Wilson said. "They spend their days exploring with us out on the bay here in San Diego or further offshore, in the Intracoastal Waterway down south, in Puget Sound up north, and when they aren't working, they're at home socializing with their companions."
A US Navy sea lion jumps into a riverine command boat during a mine-countermeasures exercise in Bahrain in November 2014.
US Navy/MCS1 Kathleen Gorby
Releasing dolphins raised in captivity — where their lifespan is usually 40 to 60 years — is a contentious issue; in the past, such dolphins have died after being introduced to the wild. If the program ends, the mammals will remain with the Navy.
"The Navy is committed to caring for our animals for the rest of their lives," Wilson said. "As our animals age, the number of animals will continue to decrease. We typically lose one or two marine mammals per year from natural causes. We have never experienced an animal casualty in combat."
Dolphins are "highly advanced" and "are perfect" for their mission, said Richard "Ric" O'Barry, an animal trainer-turned-activist and author known for his work in the 2009 documentary "The Cove."
"Their sonar makes our Navy's best sonar system" look like "a toy," O'Barry said. "That's why they were conscripted into the Navy."
Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at the marine mammal facility in San Diego in March 2012.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Joshua Scott/US Navy
A former Navy diver, O'Barry worked at Miami Seaquarium for 10 years. On his first day he captured five dolphins for the Navy. "I didn't question the orders," he said. "It seemed like a great fun thing to do."
He trained dolphins for the 1960s TV show "Flipper" before he began questioning captivity. In 1996, he and another activist were fined for released two former Navy dolphins from a marine park.
O'Barry, 83, remains active with a rescue dolphin sanctuary in West Bali, where three once-captive dolphins were rehabilitated and released in September. He believes it's time for the Navy to retire the mammals.
"I like the Navy. I've spent five of the most important years of my life in the Navy," he said. "But I don't like what the Navy does with dolphins."
Gidget Fuentes is a freelance writer based in Southern California and has reported extensively on the military including the Marine Corps, the Navy, and Pacific regional issues.
NOW WATCH: A Navy SEAL explains what to do if you're attacked by a dog
Marine Mammal Program Navy dolphins Bottlenose Dolphin | 2022-12-30T00:20:43Z | www.businessinsider.com | The US Navy Trains Dolphins and Sea Lions to Guard Sensitive Hardware | https://www.businessinsider.com/us-navy-trains-dolphins-sea-lions-to-guard-sensitive-hardware-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/us-navy-trains-dolphins-sea-lions-to-guard-sensitive-hardware-2022-12 |
Proud Boys attend a pro-Trump rally at Freedom Plaza, Washington DC on December 12, 2020.
Luis M. Alvarez/AP Photos
Crypto advocate Samuel Armes had an eventful interview with the January 6 committee in July 2022.
While being asked about a key riot planning document, he ended up on the floor with a leg cramp.
Before speaking about his ties to the document, he bragged about how much weight he had squatted.
A Florida cryptocurrency advocate struggled to maintain his composure during questioning over a planning document prosecutors have alleged was tied to the Proud Boys and their efforts in the January 6. insurrection.
Samuel Armes, the founder of the Florida Blockchain Business Association, told the January 6 committee in a July 2022 interview that his name is not attached to a document titled "1776 returns," which was in the possession of Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio ahead of the insurrection. Prosecutors have alleged in the Proud Boys' upcoming trial on seditious conspiracy charges that the document was circulated by the group in December 2021.
The members of the group have pleaded not guilty and have denied the charges.
In the middle of being grilled about who authored the document, Armes ended up on the floor with a leg cramp and then bragged about how much weight he had just lifted.
"Sorry, I'm cramping," Armes told Rep. Zoe Lofgren during the virtual interview, per the transcript released on December 23.
"He's on the floor. Charley horse. Charley horse," Anessa Santos, Armes' lawyer, responds. "Just exhale."
According to the transcript, Armes then took the opportunity to shift the conversation to his gym routine.
"I'm good. I just did leg day today, and I maxed out my PR squats," Armes said. "By the way, that PR was 425 pounds."
"That will now be in the congressional Record, so that's good," an unnamed January 6 investigator responds.
Throughout the course of the interview, Armes confirmed that he had met with Tarrio but denied authoring "1776 Returns," a 9-page right-wing planning document tied to the January 6 riot, which included plans to occupy congressional offices, the Supreme Court, and CNN. The goal, according to the document, was to "fill the buildings with patriots and communicate our demands," and to demand a re-do of the 2020 election with "Paper Ballots only."
Armes said that an associate of his in the crypto world, Erika Flores, and Tarrio, who knew each other, were "trying to get me to help him figure out a way to make money off of selling T-shirts online."
Flores did not respond to Insider's request for comment.
"And they wanted me to, like, brainstorm with them on, like, T-shirt ideas and setting up some kind of warehouse in Miami to help underserved kids," Armes said.
He added that he drafted his own 3- to 5-page document, which he had shared with Flores, claiming that he used his political science background to play out "war gaming" scenarios in case there was not a peaceful transition between administrations. He acknowledged in the interview with the committee that elements of his plan were used in the lengthier "1776 returns" document he was shown.
"I ended up sharing it with her on a Google Drive," he told the committee, referring to Flores. "And after that, I thought nothing of it. I would've never imagined that it turned into the document that I was shown last week, would've had zero clue, zero idea. It's horrific for me to even imagine that something that I would've written would've been used to source this kind of, like — I guess call it 'terroristic document.'"
Armes' attorney did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment. An attorney for Tarrio did not return Insider's request for comment.
Proud Boys January 6 committee January 6 riot | 2022-12-30T01:56:43Z | www.businessinsider.com | Florida Crypto Man Bragged About 'Legs Day' PR During J6 Interview | https://www.businessinsider.com/florida-crypto-man-bragged-legs-day-pr-during-j6-interview-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/florida-crypto-man-bragged-legs-day-pr-during-j6-interview-2022-12 |
New York topped a list of places where prime residential rents have risen.
Luxury rents rose 10.2% across 10 cities in the third quarter of 2022 from a year ago.
Rents were driven by interest rate hikes and strong demand following the easing of pandemic restrictions.
Prime rents have been rising in major cities around the world as pandemic restrictions ease.
Housing rents have risen 10.2% across 10 major cities around the world in the third quarter of 2022.
Following the lifting of pandemic restrictions and border controls, housing rents gained 10.2% in 10 major cities around the world in the third quarter of 2022 from a year ago. That's according to the latest Knight Frank Prime Global Rental Index report.
The Prime Global Rental Index, which is released on a quarterly basis, tracks luxury residential rents across ten cities using data from Knight Frank's global research network.
Out of the 10 cities tracked by the real estate consultancy, only two of them — Hong Kong and Auckland — registered declines in prime rental prices. Financial hub Hong Kong was affected by pandemic restrictions, while supply was strong in Auckland's luxury property segment, Knight Frank wrote in its report.
As for the seemingly relentless rise in other cities' rentals, there's some good news. The rate of growth is slowing: The 10.2% rent increase is lower than the 11.9% increase Knight Frank recorded in the second quarter of the year.
Keep reading for a look at the five major cities where prime — or luxury — rentals rose the fastest in the third quarter of 2022. Rounding out the top 10, but not included in our list, are Geneva, Monaco, Tokyo, Auckland, and Hong Kong.
1. New York rebounded from the pandemic, sending rents soaring.
New York rents have soared this year as the city rebounded from the COVID-19 pandemic.
City: New York City, USA
Third quarter rental price change from a year ago: 31.3%
New York topped the ranking for the third straight quarter.
While the 31.3% increase is lower than its high of 39% in the second quarter, rentals were still elevated due to limited stock and continued demand, Kate Everett-Allen, the head of international residential research for Knight Frank, wrote in the report.
The number of properties available for rent across Manhattan fell 5% from a quarter ago and was down 65% from September 2020.
Rents have risen in New York City as the city rebounds from the pandemic, a development that has sent some renters fretting about expiring leases, Insider's Alcynna Lloyd reported in March 2022.
2. Singapore's rents have been driven by strong demand after borders reopened.
Rents in Singapore's private residential market are still expected to rise in 2023 — but at a slower pace.
City: Singapore, Singapore
"The opening of borders, along with the introduction of new visas to attract top talent from around the world, has generated an uptick in demand," Everett-Allen wrote of Singapore.
Demand has been fueled by immigration and by people who need interim housing while waiting for the construction of their homes to be completed after work was disrupted by the pandemic. Younger people — who traditionally live with families until they marry — are also seeking to rent amid a rise in remote work.
Residential property prices have also been on the rise in Singapore for all three quarters of this year, according to an official index of private residential prices.
To tame the market amid the uncertain global economic outlook, the Singapore government introduced new rules to limit those selling private residential property from buying a government subsidized flat for 15 months — further fuelling demand for rental property.
Rents in Singapore's private residential market are still expected to rise in 2023 — but at a slower pace of 13% to 16% in 2023 as compared to 26% to 29% in 2022 due to an increase in the number of homes coming on stream, real-estate firm Orange Tee wrote in a December 23 report.
3. London rents have risen nearly 19% amid a cost of living crisis.
The UK government has said it doesn't support rent control.
Sylvain Sonnet / Getty Images
City: London, UK
The third quarter reflected a slowdown from the summer rental peak in London, with prices growing at 19% in the third quarter and 27% in the second quarter, per Knight Frank.
Surging rents have made life unaffordable for those in London, with some facing up to 60% rise in their rents, according to research undertaken by the Guardian.
The UK government has said it doesn't support rent control, as it would "discourage investment in the sector," according to a policy paper updated on August 2.
4. Toronto's rents are supported by robust demand as interest rates put off home-buying.
Rents in Toronto have been boosted by rising interest rates — which deter potential homebuyers from purchasing.
Roberto Machado Noa/ Getty Images
City: Toronto, Canada
Residential rents in Toronto, Canada rose 14.5% in the third quarter of 2022 from a year ago due to strong demand.
Rents in Toronto have been boosted by rising interest rates, which deter potential homebuyers from purchasing, Urbanation, a Canadian real-estate data analysis firm, wrote in an October report.
"We're getting close to that point where rents are just simply becoming unaffordable for renters," Shaun Hildebrand, the president of Urbanation, told CBC News on December 14.
5. Sydney rents are up nearly 9% from a year ago, but the pace of increase is slowing.
The practice of rental bidding is drawing government scrutiny in Sydney.
Prasit photo
City: Sydney, Australia
Third quarter rental price change from a year ago: 8.9%
Like Canada, residential rents in Sydney are driven by interest rate hikes and increased immigration after borders reopened, per Knight Frank.
Meanwhile, housing supply has not caught up with demand, leading to bidding rental bidding wars for property, News Corp-owned news.com.au reported on December 6.
The state of New South Wales, where Sydney is located, is investigating the practice of rental bidding and looking at reforming the system, according to the media outlet.
Real Estate residential rents | 2022-12-30T03:36:25Z | www.businessinsider.com | How Much Luxury Rents Have Gone up This Year in Major Cities | https://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-luxury-rents-have-gone-up-new-york-london-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-luxury-rents-have-gone-up-new-york-london-2022-12 |
Elon Musk's SpaceX has launched a government satellite network called Starshield, which uses Starlink technology.
JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images/Taras Podolian/Gazeta.ua/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images
SpaceX's government satellite network Starshield will bring in extra cash for Starlink, per experts.
One analyst said Starlink, with one million users, doesn't have enough customers to be viable.
Elon Musk has previously said that Starlink was "losing money."
SpaceX's new government satellite network, Starshield, is expected to help inject money into Starlink, according to analysts and industry experts.
The extra cash is crucial given that Musk has spoken about how Starlink was losing money and burning through $20 million per month to run the service in Ukraine during the war.
Elon Musk's SpaceX announced Starshield on its website in early December, but has given no further details about the network. What is certain is that Starshield is intended to "support national security efforts" and will use Starlink technology.
"Starlink needs to start earning some money," Bill Ray, vice president analyst at management consulting firm Gartner, told Insider.
He said Starlink needs between five and 10 million customers to be viable. SpaceX recently said Starlink has more than one million active subscribers worldwide. But Ray believes that isn't enough.
"They need to ramp up very quickly. And if that means government customers, defense customers, yeah, absolutely," Ray said. He said Starshield would be "an alternative revenue stream for Starlink" but it was "hard to say how much."
"Starshield will be another SpaceX offering to utilize the launch vehicle capabilities that have been developed over the past two decades," Oughton said.
On top of customer subscriptions that cost around $710 each upfront, Starlink receives funding through government contracts. The company landed a $2 million Air Force contract in August to provide Starlink in Europe and Africa, but was rejected $886 million in US subsidies by the Federal Communications Commission around the same time.
More recently, SpaceX asked the Pentagon to foot the bill for operating Starlink in Ukraine because the company couldn't afford it, per CNN. SpaceX executives have also noted how Starlink terminals cost around $1,500 to make, but the company sells them for significantly less, at $499.
The big question is how much of a "cash cow" government-targeted products such as Starshield are, according to Brad Grady, research director at consulting firm Northern Sky Research.
"Starlink economics are hard to predict," Grady said. He added that providing satellite connectivity for governments and military is "a growing opportunity" and is expected to be worth more than $90 billion over the next decade.
"The best way to maximize the returns from these customers is through a tailored, focused product offering," he added.
SpaceX didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
Elon Musk Starlink Starshield | 2022-12-30T11:17:35Z | www.businessinsider.com | Elon Musk's Starshield Will Boost Cash-Strapped Starlink: Experts | https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-spacex-starshield-government-satellite-pump-money-starlink-experts-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-spacex-starshield-government-satellite-pump-money-starlink-experts-2022-12 |
Inside climate tech's record-breaking year where the energy crisis, new regulation, and a maturing debt market helped European startups raise $17.5 billion
Climate tech startups in Europe raised a record $17.5 billion in 2022.
Climate tech was a clear green shoot in a tumultuous 2022 but there will be a delayed correction.
The sector has been shaped by an abundance of capital and emissions-curbing regulation.
2023 will be defined by real efforts to decarbonize and energy startups will emerge as winners.
War, the soaring cost of living, and surging interest rates have bruised almost all aspects of the tech market in 2022.
The era of cheap capital has also come to a close as venture capitalists swapped riskier bets for businesses boasting strong fundamentals, a shift that has sparked waves of layoffs across the industry. Sectors that were once VC favorites like Web3 and fintech have recorded sizeable slumps from their record 2021 highs.
But there has been one green shoot: Climate tech. Investment in technology to solve the world's largest challenges rocketed in 2021, and the trend continued into 2022.
For European climate tech, the year has been defined by an abundance of capital, regulatory changes, and an increased demand for energy solutions due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"The ultimate culmination of that is that boards now understand that decarbonizing is a must-have of doing business," said Mauro Cozzi, cofounder and CEO of London-based carbon accounting company Emitwise.
Investment in purpose-driven companies – defined as those working towards one of the UN's 17 sustainable development goals – is on track to match that of last year despite the economic downturn. Such companies raised $17.3 billion in 2021 and are expected to raise $17.5 billion in 2022, according to Atomico's latest State of European Tech report.
A host of funds have been established to back startups clamping down on Co2 emissions. Satgana, Climentum Capital, and Contrarian Ventures represent some of those that have reached first close this year.
Cash is still flowing into earlier bets: Direct air capture startup Climeworks landed $650 million in April, solar company Sunly nabbed $210 million (200 million euros) in October, and carbon credit rating startup BeZero carbon secured $50 million last month.
There has been a shift away from software to hardware, European investors said. Carbon accounting – once considered a safer bet for SaaS-oriented firms dipping their toes into green investing – has shown early signs of consolidation with layoffs and acquisitions. Notably, Berlin-based Planetly was acquired by US company OneTrust and closed down less than a year later.
Hardware has benefited from Europe's maturing debt ecosystem, which can fund asset-heavy and infrastructure plays that may not be appropriate for full equity rounds.
"In climate, you have lots of physical things," Kiko Ventures partner Arne Morteani said. But debt is also useful for the energy markets, for example, where companies need a balance sheet for security, hedging, or working capital, he added.
Specific funds are appearing to help hardware, biotech, or infrastructure ventures grow, but there is a funding gap between this and getting companies to scale, the investor said. For example, at the point a biofuel or water treatment company has its first plant but needs investment to build its second. People want to address this, Mortaeni said, but the economic downturn has stopped progress "in its tracks."
The goldrush will slow
Climate tech is a 2022 outlier, but it has not escaped the downturn. The future of Britishvolt was thrown into question when the company reportedly struggled to secure financing, while Berlin-based Infarm has been plagued with layoffs, cutting more than half of its headcount.
The goldrush will slow, investors and founders said. "We've just gotten started when it comes to climate tech," Emitwise's Cozzi said. "One of the realities of being a sector that's a little bit more isolated is that the ripples just take a little bit more time to go through it." Emitwise reduced its headcount this year.
Many climate tech companies have raised at high valuations, said Magda Lukaszewicz, principal at Balderton Capital. In the new environment, they will have to "achieve a lot" to justify additional capital at a higher valuation. They will also need to be more thoughtful about hiring, burn rates, and company goals, she said.
Energy and infrastructure companies are tipped as winners, while pure software plays may see some consolidation, climate tech investors and founders said. The jury is still out on hardware: some investors are bullish, while others expect capital-intensive companies to struggle as the cost of that capital increases.
"I think both arguments are right; it's hard to predict the weighting," Balderton's Lukaszewicz said.
"But you can still not eat software. You cannot fly software. You cannot breathe software," she added.
The regulatory impact
Investment funds jumped on climate tech's tailwinds, promising to back impact companies. There has already been some backlash as new regulation, the EU Taxonomy, introduced concrete and data-driven definitions of impact.
The most impact-driven Article 9 funds must consist of only sustainable investments with specific goals, such as removing a ton of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and therefore adhere to the most stringent reporting requirements. A wave of such funds have been downgraded to Article 8, which invest in social or environmental companies but have less stringent impact requirements. French asset manager Amundi and investment management giants BlackRock and Pimco have reclassified some of their Article 9 funds.
Regulation mandating corporate emissions reporting was also introduced but will really take off next year, which should help to curb corporate greenwashing.
Watershed's head of Europe, Ellen Moeller.
Ellen Moeller, the European head for Kleiner Perkins and Sequoia-backed carbon management company Watershed, said businesses were moving beyond target setting and measuring emissions to enacting decarbonization plans. "That is probably the most fundamental shift," she said.
Regulation will continue to be a driving force in 2023, as will the energy crisis. This lines up with Atomico's analysis, which found companies that address the use of the planet's resources gained traction this year.
Investors are bullish on backing energy storage solutions and the next generation of renewables. Lukaszewicz is interested in energy decentralization; she sees a future where people produce and store their own energy, then sell it back to the grid. Solar, storage, heat pumps, other retrofits, and ways to finance these are all categories to watch, she said.
The need for sustainable solutions to the climate crisis is more urgent than ever, Atomico partner Tom Wehmeier said. "Technology can, and must, have a role to play here, and Europe is emerging as a leader." | 2022-12-30T11:17:47Z | www.businessinsider.com | Inside European Climate Tech's Record-Breaking $17.5 Billion 2022 | https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-climate-techs-billion-year-regulation-hardware-energy-crisis-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-climate-techs-billion-year-regulation-hardware-energy-crisis-2022-12 |
Today's mortgage and refinance rates: December 30, 2022 | Rates are expected to start dropping soon
Mortgage rates will likely hold steady near their current levels for a bit before starting to trend down in the coming months.
As inflation increased this year, so did mortgage rates. But now that the Federal Reserve appears to have gotten a handle on out-of-control price growth, mortgage rates are expected to ease throughout 2023 and 2024. However, we likely won't see rates drop to the historic lows borrowers enjoyed in 2020 and 2021. | 2022-12-30T11:17:53Z | www.businessinsider.com | Today's Mortgage, Refinance Rates: Dec. 30, 2022 | Rates Are Expected to Start Dropping Soon | https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/best-mortgage-refinance-rates-today-friday-december-30-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/best-mortgage-refinance-rates-today-friday-december-30-2022-12 |
'Investors changed the rules of the game overnight.' The CEOs of Rapyd, Revolut, Wefox, and Klarna look ahead to fintech in 2023.
Revolut cofounders Nikolay Storonsky, and Vlad Yatsenko, right.
After a bruising year for the sector, fintech startups are prioritizing profitability.
The CEOs of Revolut, Klarna, Wefox, and Rapyd outlined the new reality for consumer-facing fintech.
"Investors changed the rules of the game overnight," Rapyd CEO Arik Shtilman told Insider.
Consumer fintech is facing something of an identity crisis.
Many startups in the sector have been forced away from their rapid growth strategies and instead told to focus on making their businesses profitable after years of losses that were sustained by investor cash.
"Investors changed the rules of the game overnight," Arik Shtilman, CEO and founder of $15 billion fintech Rapyd told Insider at the Slush conference in Helsinki.
"Think about the fact that you are a professional football player for all your life playing in the Premier League and one day wake up in the morning and they tell you you're playing basketball in the NBA starting from today. This is not fair but life is not fair. Companies need to adapt to the new rules and new game."
Profitability has been touted by a number of fintech's biggest CEOs, including Revolut's Nik Storonsky. The $33 billion British neobank posted healthy profits in 2020 and Storonsky insisted that his company was profitable still to this day. However, the company's annual results for 2021 have yet to be released.
Sebastian Siemiatkowski, the CEO of buy now, pay later giant Klarna, which recorded an 85% drop in its valuation this year, said in December the company would be profitable on a month-by-month basis after summer 2023.
Similarly, Mubadala-backed German insurance tech startup wefox's CEO said the company had reduced its growth plans for 2023 as part of its changed profitability targets.
"We're still seeing investor interest at higher valuations but I think being a healthy business growing on strong fundamentals is important for public markets," CEO Julian Teicke told Insider. "We are aiming to be all-in profitable ahead of going public."
Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski.
David M. Benett/Getty Images for Klarna
A stark outlook
The reality of the current market is stark for consumer-facing fintechs.
Fintech investment has returned to pre-pandemic levels with around $13.4 billion invested in the sector in the third quarter of the year, according to Dealroom data. It has dropped by 64% – around $23.6 billion – from its all-time high in the last three months of 2021.
The downturn has not just been contained to the private markets. Publicly-listed trading app Robinhood and card issuer Marqeta have both recorded massive drop-offs in their share prices since their IPOs. Meanwhile, the outlook for growth is no longer as rosy with inflation and a looming recession biting into spending and transaction volumes.
Layoffs have become a fixture of tech startups in 2022, with Klarna notably cutting 10% of its staff in May. The consensus from CEOs appears to be one of caution going into 2023 with less hiring expected, rather than any kind of overall freeze.
Revolut tends to cull its lowest-performing staff on a quarterly basis but CEO Nik Storonsky told Insider the company would continue to be "conservative on hiring because we look at what goals we want to achieve and work backward with departments to get a budget for staff," he said.
The decision to layoff staff is never easy and in some cases, the move may come from a pure cost-cutting perspective or is perhaps an admission of over-hiring during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Regardless of whether a focus on profitability has been pushed by investors or not, the tide has now turned for the fintech sector in Europe. A bevy of leading private players like Starling Bank, Zilch, and Zopa have all claimed profitability in 2022, dispelling the notion that cash flow positivity is too lofty a goal. | 2022-12-30T11:17:59Z | www.businessinsider.com | Rapyd, Revolut, and Klarna CEOs Look Ahead to Fintech in 2023. | https://www.businessinsider.com/rapyd-revolut-and-klarna-ceos-look-ahead-fintech-in-2023-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/rapyd-revolut-and-klarna-ceos-look-ahead-fintech-in-2023-2022-12 |
20 books to read in 2023 to think like a Wall Street investor
Lisa Kailai Han, William Edwards, and Marley Jay
From "Thinking in Bets" to "On Grand Strategy," these are the 20 titles investing pros are reading in 2023.
weerapatkiatdumrong/Getty Images
In 2023 markets may be plagued by ongoing inflation and recessionary fears.
We asked experts for their essential reads heading into a new year filled with uncertainty.
Here are the 20 books to read in 2023 to help you make smart investment decisions.
After a year of floundering returns and whiplash from highly volatile markets, it's no surprise that most investors are eager to turn the page into a new year.
But looking ahead, 2023 may be very similar to the current macroeconomic environment characterized by a brewing recession, sticky inflation, and plunging equities.
Still, that doesn't mean all hope is lost. In every economic cycle there's always opportunities to make money — if investors know where to look.
Insider asked a number of veteran Wall Street investors which books they're reading or most looking forward to reading in the new year to shed some light on their investing strategies and how they plan to cope with ongoing economic uncertainty. Here are their responses.
1. "21st Century Monetary Policy: The Federal Reserve from the Great Inflation to COVID-19" by Ben Bernanke
"21st Century Monetary Policy" by Ben Bernanke
Recommended by: David Souccar, portfolio manager at Vontobel Asset Management
In this book, former Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke walks readers through the history of the US central bank, giving a behind-the-scenes look at key monetary policy decisions — and their resulting repercussions — during his tenure there.
"A helpful book to understand the challenge the Fed is facing in its current battle against inflation," said David Souccar, a portfolio manager at Vontobel Asset Management.
2. "Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology" by Chris Miller
"Chip War" by Chris Miller
Recommended by: David Souccar
Over the past two years, pandemic-induced bottlenecks have squeezed global supply chains and led to a shortage in the production of semiconductor chips, a critical component for many electronics and appliances. In "Chip War," author Chris Miller details how intense foreign competition from countries like China has placed immense pressure on the US's title as the world's leading manufacturer of semiconductor chips — effectively showcasing the US-China struggle for dominance on a new stage.
3. "The Great Inflation and Its Aftermath: The Past and Future of American Affluence" by Robert J. Samuelson
"The Great Inflation and Its Aftermath" by Robert J. Samuelson
Recommended by: Jason Pride, chief investment officer of private wealth at Glenmede
Robert J. Samuelson's "The Great Inflation and Its Aftermath" provides a detailed look at the high inflation that characterized the US economy in the 1970s and 1980s, which investors can draw many parallels from today. While the conclusion of this period led to an era of uninterrupted economic growth, Samuelson argues that it also indirectly contributed to the 2008 financial crisis by giving Americans recency bias.
"In order to understand 2022, the rise in inflation, and the potential paths forward, it is important to know — in depth — the pattern of the inflation cycle of that time. That includes the causes; the responses of government, business, and consumers; their mistakes that prolonged the cycle; and their later actions that finally brought it to an end," said Jason Pride, chief investment officer of private wealth at Glenmede.
4. "The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times" by Michelle Obama
Recommended by: Priya Misra, head of global rates strategy at TD Securities
In Michelle Obama's newest book, the lawyer and former first lady shares her insights on how to move forward when unforeseen challenges or obstacles arise.
"It talks about how to stay true to oneself and stay balanced in the face of uncertainty," said TD Securities' head of global rates strategy Priya Misra. "2022 was a reminder of how uncertain life can be."
5. "The Lion Tracker's Guide To Life" by Boyd Varty
"The Lion Tracker's Guide To Life" by Boyd Varty
Recommended by: Brian Ferguson, portfolio manager at BNY Mellon
While this book may be somewhat off the beaten path, portfolio manager Brian Ferguson told Insider that many of his investment insights nowadays come from non-financial sources. In the book, South African wildlife activist Boyd Varty shares how the ancient skills used to track lions can also be applied to our own lives to find more meaning and to better understand our true selves.
"In the book, there is a great quote: 'I don't know where we are going, but I know exactly how to get there might be the motto of a great tracker,'" said Ferguson. "My take on this as a portfolio manager is — the future is uncertain and never clear until it is in the present — so like a lion tracker we do not know where we are going. However, our people and time-tested process and philosophy is our anchor to the windward and epitomizes our conviction in exactly how to get there — just like a lion tracker."
6. "Millionaire: The Philanderer, Gambler, and Duelist Who Invented Modern Finance" by Janet Gleeson
"Millionaire" by Janet Gleeson
Recommended by: James Abate, founder and chief investment officer at Centre Asset Management
Janet Gleeson's book "Millionaire" thrusts readers into an enthralling journey to understand John Law, the man behind finance as we know it today. While Law charmed Louis XV and his court with his ideas to issue paper money for credit backed by land values, making him rich beyond his wildest dreams, Law later saw his entire empire come crashing down as unchecked speculation and widespread panic swept European financial markets.
"John Law was the original Sam Bankman-Fried," said portfolio manager James Abate. "This is a must-read for understanding human psychology in any time period and speculating in cryptocurrencies or the dot-com bubble … Also great to understand how pandemics have been around since the start of time and their impact on finance."
7. "More Than You Know: Finding Financial Wisdom in Unconventional Places" by Michael J. Mauboussin
"More Than You Know" by Michael Mauboussin
Recommended by: Joshua Wein, portfolio manager at Hennessy Funds
Michael J. Mauboussin's widely-acclaimed "More Than You Know" chronicles traditional investing wisdom for professionals through a wide array of unorthodox sources, like analyzing poker-playing strategies or comparing fish mating patterns to bull markets. "It spoke to how difficult it is to beat the market," portfolio manager Joshua Wein told Insider.
8. "How Much is Enough?: Money and the Good Life" by Robert Skidelsky and Edward Skidelsky
"How Much is Enough?" by Robert Skidelsky and Edward Skidelsky
Recommended by: Savita Subramanian, head of US equity, quantitative, and ESG strategy at Bank of America
"How Much is Enough?" offers a deeply reflective and philosophical spin to the age-old quest for the meaning of life. In the book, its authors use Keynesian economics as the lens to explore what "enough" really means in our society today.
"It's kind of an interesting glimpse into where we are right now in terms of this income divide and how much of it an economy can tolerate before it becomes unstable," said Savita Subramanian, head of US equity, quantitative, and ESG strategy at Bank of America. "If capitalism can work you can't get too far out there on the spectrum, so I thought it was interesting to read from the perspective of a strategist."
9. "The New Map: Energy, Climate, and the Clash of Nations" by Daniel Yergin
Recommended by: Dan McGoey, portfolio manager at Lazard Asset Management
In "The New Map," global energy expert Daniel Yergin lifts the veil from one of the most topically turbulent conflicts today: the clash of powers and politics leading up to the ongoing worldwide energy shortage. Yergin also explores how access to energy amid extreme scarcity can shape the new world order — as well as how the transition to clean energy might dictate a new ranking going forward, with resulting economic and political implications.
10. "On Grand Strategy" by John Lewis Gaddis
"On Grand Strategy" by John Lewis Gaddis
John Lewis Gaddis' "On Grand Strategy" is hailed as a master class in leadership and strategic thinking, drawing from a plethora of historic examples like Sun Tzu, Augustus, Elizabeth I, and the Founding Fathers of America, just to name a few — and diving into the pivotal decisions these political leaders had to make under great uncertainty.
"It is a great non-investment book for investors," Souccar said. "The book argues that effective leaders combine a strategic understanding of the situation with a flexible mindset to adapt to new information."
11. "The Platform Delusion: Who Wins and Who Loses in the Age of Tech Titans" by Jonathan Knee
"The Platform Delusion" by Jonathan Knee
Technological firms may have taken financial markets by storm in the last two decades, but Jonathan Knee's "The Platform Delusion" argues that not all tech companies are created equal.
In the book, Knee successfully demystifies the success of tech titans, separating those that have real competitive advantages, such as Google, from those who don't, such as Netflix, Souccar explained to Insider. It's a great read for any investors or entrepreneurs looking for a long-term roadmap for success and profitability in the tech industry.
12. "Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Explain Everything About the World" by Tim Marshall
"Prisoners of Geography" by Tim Marshall
Recommended by: Dan McGoey
In "Prisoners of Geography," journalist Tim Marshall takes a look at the most crucial element that predetermines a nation's strengths and vulnerabilities, and its accompanying political decisions and conflicts — its geography. Marshall's book encompasses a global view, taking readers through conflicts in the Americas, Europe, the South China Sea, and more.
"My aim was to read a book that foresaw the conflict in the Ukraine correctly to better understand what it might teach us about potential outcomes," McGoey told Insider. "Among many key points, the book makes it very clear that maritime access and naval power is as important today to both national security and commerce as it was centuries ago. Readers will leave with a much deeper understanding of how geography often determines politics. And while politics may change, geography does not."
13. "Quit: The Power of Knowing when to Walk Away" by Annie Duke
"Quit" by Annie Duke
Recommended by: John Bailer, portfolio manager at BNY Mellon
In "Quit," former professional poker player Annie Duke explores how the inherent human fault of not being able to walk away holds us back from better opportunities. By using anecdotes drawn from famous figures, Duke dispels common paradoxes and proves why quitting is integral to finding success, especially for investors.
"It is so important for an investor to think in probabilities and understand that making mistakes, emotion and losing are all part of investing. The good investors can learn from their mistakes and try to understand luck versus skill. It is the quality of the decision that matters; don't just focus on the outcome," said portfolio manager John Bailer.
14. "The Struggle for Mastery in Europe: 1848-1918" by A. J. P. Taylor
"The Struggle for Mastery in Europe" by A. J. P. Taylor
Recommended by: James Abate
A. J. P. Taylor's "The Struggle for Mastery in Europe" chronicles the political and diplomatic developments that shaped European history from 1848 to 1918. "A lot of details that sometimes confuse but great understanding of alliance diplomacy that led to WWI and insight to Putin as he's a man who acts like it's the 19th century and he's Metternich or Bismarck," Abate said. "Another lesson is the trip-wire effects of alliances sometimes."
15. "Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don't Have All the Facts" by Annie Duke
"Thinking in Bets" by Annie Duke
Recommended by: John Bailer
Another title from former pro poker player Annie Duke, "Thinking in Bets" teaches readers how they can still optimize their decision making skills even when faced with great uncertainty during times of high stakes and stress. Duke successfully shows why employing a degree of confidence is key to avoiding making knee-jerk and emotionally-charged decisions, which can ultimately be destructive over the long term.
16. "Three Days at Camp David: How a Secret Meeting in 1971 Transformed the Global Economy" by Jeffrey E. Garten
"Three Days at Camp David" by Jeffrey E. Garten
Recommended by: Brian Levitt, global market strategist at Invesco
Famed economist Jeffrey E. Garten's "Three Days at Camp David" provides a gripping behind-the-scenes look at one of the most pivotal and dramatic turning points in global macroeconomics: the depegging of the US dollar to gold. Garten argues that this action permanently introduced instability and speculation into financial systems, but simultaneously turbocharged the cross-border trade and capital flow that is responsible for our world today. The book also brings to light the arguments made that ending the gold standard could dramatically increase future inflation — an extremely topical point today — and explains to readers the thinking of Fed chairs of the past, which may shed some light on how the central bank will handle its current inflationary challenges.
17. "Trillion Dollar Triage: How Jay Powell and the Fed Battled a President and a Pandemic — and Prevented Economic Disaster" by Nick Timiraos
"Trillion Dollar Triage" by Nick Timiraos
Recommended by: Ganesh Rao, head of financial technology & services at Thomas H. Lee Partners
In "Trillion Dollar Triage," The Wall Street Journal's chief economics correspondent Nick Timiraos gives readers an inside look at the Federal Reserve's unprecedented response to the COVID-19 pandemic — and the repercussions of the drastic measures Chair Jerome Powell took to keep the economy afloat during this time.
"Given how important the Fed is today in the economy and markets, I found this a really informative read of the history of the Fed, its inner workings, and how they are now responding to inflation, one of the greatest economic challenges of 2022," said Ganesh Rao, head of financial technology & services at Thomas H. Lee Partners.
18. "The Unlucky Investor's Guide to Options Trading" by Julia Spina
"The Unlucky Investor's Guide to Options Trading" by Julia Spina
Recommended by: JJ Kinahan, CEO of IG North America
In "The Unlucky Investor's Guide to Options Trading," Julia Spina removes the blindfold and demystifies one of the most arcane areas of modern finance. One of the book's highlights is its ability to take an often overcomplicated topic — the math behind options — and break it down into a digestible format for readers, said JJ Kinahan, the CEO of IG North America.
"It gives a very understandable and actionable view of options, relying on statistics and historical data to tell the story," Kinahan shared with Insider. "Most importantly, it starts from a position of risk and how to understand and manage it."
19. "What Works on Wall Street: A Guide to the Best-Performing Investment Strategies of All Time" by James O'Shaughnessy
"What Works on Wall Street" by James O'Shaughnessy
Recommended by: Ryan Kelley, portfolio manager at Hennessy Funds
Legendary investor James O'Shaughnessy's "What Works on Wall Street" is one of the most quintessential reads for any investors seeking long-term success.
"He takes you through reasons why you want to invest for the long-term and why you want to stick to this idea of quantitative fundamentals — how if you look over a long period and focus on just a few fundamentals and valuations of companies, you can see what has worked over time. You can also then tweak those models and change them — it's all about backtesting," said portfolio manager Ryan Kelley.
Kelley added that all "Cornerstone" Hennessy Funds — including the Hennessy Cornerstone Value Fund (HFCVX), which beat 97% of its peers in 2022 — are based on methodologies drawn from this book.
20. "When Genius Failed: The Rise and Fall of Long-Term Capital Management" by Roger Lowenstein
"When Genius Failed" by Roger Lowenstein
Recommended by: Joshua Wein
Esteemed journalist Roger Lowenstein's "When Genius Failed" is an engrossing story behind the rise and catastrophic fall of Long-Term Capital Management, a highly-leveraged hedge fund and the darling of Wall Street at its peak.
"It's an older book about long-term capital, but I think it speaks volumes about this idea that there are these really, really smart people that have the secret," Wein explained. "I think it's kind of this fallacy that we all love to believe is possibly true — that if you gather enough PhD's in a room, then you're all set."
Investing Reading List | 2022-12-30T11:18:11Z | www.businessinsider.com | 20 Crucial Books to Read in 2023 to Think Like a Wall Street Investor | https://www.businessinsider.com/stock-market-2023-book-reading-recommendations-investing-strategy-wall-street-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/stock-market-2023-book-reading-recommendations-investing-strategy-wall-street-2022-12 |
Good morning, readers. I'm Phil Rosen, reporting from Los Angeles. If my math is correct, this is something like the 260th Opening Bell newsletter of 2022.
With so much competing for our attention, the privilege of writing to you each day is not lost on me. It's an honor to greet you in your inbox every morning, and I look forward to continuing.
Thank you for a great year.
Now, unlike this newsletter and all you readers, the stock market is rounding out a year to forget. Investors got wrecked and portfolios took a bludgeoning.
But we can look to that as a hint for what comes next.
Programming note: There will be no newsletter Monday, January 2, 2023. See you back here on Tuesday.
Reuters / Brendan McDermid
1. Here's a startling fact: 94% of the S&P 500's losses for the year took place over five trading days.
A new report from DataTrek Research found that the index endured most of its 20% annual loss across a small handful of sessions.
Usually, the declines happened around spiking inflation concerns, big corporate earnings misses, and reactions to Fed interest rate hikes.
The largest dip happened September 13, when the August inflation report came in hotter than expected. That pushed the S&P 500 to finish 4.3% lower.
"This framework of 'a handful of days make the year' is also a good one with which to consider 2023," DataTrek cofounder Nicholas Colas said.
He later added: "At some point next year, equity markets should have some outsized up days as investors conclude that the Fed is done raising rates."
It's worth noting, too, that alongside slumping stocks, investor sentiment is worse than it was during the 2008 Financial Crisis.
But in Fundstrat's view, that suggests a stock market bottom is near, if it hasn't happened already.
"We are currently at the most 'entrenched' and persistent level of bearish sentiment in the survey's history," the firm said. "Think about that. More negative than [the] 2002 tech bubble and 2008 Great Financial Crisis."
I certainly wouldn't say investors are misguided to feel downbeat. Inflation brought serious pain this year, and recession fears remain top of mind.
Nonetheless, Fundstrat's position fits into a silver lining of sorts, as a bottom would open the door for a new bull market to begin.
"Investors are more focused on the shocks that are now 'realized' (in the past) and less on how things can change. We think the key to 2023 will be to focus on the latter (how things can change) rather than the former (what has been realized)."
In other words, overly bearish sentiment suggests stocks could be set up for a big rally in 2023.
What's your stock market outlook for the new year?
2. US stock futures fall early on the final trading day of 2022 — the worst year in over a decade for stocks. Here are the latest market moves.
3. Earnings on deck: Time Out Group PLC, Tencent Music Entertainment Group, and more, all reporting.
4. This couple went from having "terrible credit" and working restaurant shifts to building a multimillion-dollar real estate portfolio. Now, Natia and Jervais Seegars earn $30,000 a month in revenue. They explained how anyone can start buying property in four steps.
5. Sam Bankman-Fried's life under house arrest doesn't seem too shabby. The ex-FTX chief is staying at his parents' $4 million property in California, near the Stanford University campus. The home has five bedrooms and a pool, and SBF reportedly goes on a daily jog with a private security detail.
6. Credit Suisse's chief US equity strategist expects stocks to perform "pretty well" in the coming months. As falling inflation expectations and a potential pickup in consumption hit the economy, that could pose good news for markets. See Jonathan Golub's full breakdown.
7. Alameda Research just sold $1.7 million in crypto. Data showed that wallets associated with the hedge fund Bankman-Fried founded unloaded Ethereum-based coins, which were then swapped for bitcoin. The bankrupt company still holds over $112 million in tokens.
8. Court documents show how FTX misused customer funds. Early deposits of users' cash were never separated from Alameda's own funds, filings show, and SBF used it all as his own personal ATM. Get the full details.
9. "Big Short" investor Michael Burry rang the alarm on a market crash this year. He warned the S&P 500 could halve in value, the US economy could suffer a prolonged downturn, and Tesla would come under pressure. Here are his best calls from 2022.
Solana price on December 30, 2022
10. Solana has tumbled 96% from all-time highs and was heavily championed by Sam Bankman-Fried, but not just through upbeat public comments. Dig into the relationship between FTX and the crumbling token. | 2022-12-30T11:18:17Z | www.businessinsider.com | Stocks Have Taken a Beating This Year, but That May Bode Well for 2023 | https://www.businessinsider.com/stock-market-news-crypto-ftx-bankman-fried-investors-finance-2023-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/stock-market-news-crypto-ftx-bankman-fried-investors-finance-2023-2022-12 |
Wells Fargo's top strategy exec details the bank's the multi-year internal reorganization to cut down its tech development cycle
Ather Williams, senior executive vice president and head of strategy, digital platforms, and innovation at Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo launched a digital strategy group in 2020 amid a broader re-org.
Ather Williams III heads the Strategy, Digital Platform, and Innovation team.
Williams detailed a how the bank is re-designing how it goes about building tech products.
Since joining in 2019, Wells Fargo CEO Charlie Scharf has recast the top ranks of the bank, sold off once-core businesses like asset management, simplified business lines — and in some cases, created new divisions entirely.
In 2020, Wells Fargo spun up a new group — Strategy, Digital Platform, and Innovation (SDI) — to tie together its vast tech footprint on the back end and establish a unified online banking experience for customers on the front end. SDI is now headed by Ather Williams III, who joined Wells Fargo in 2020 from Bank of America and sits on Wells Fargo's operating committee, reporting directly to Scharf.
Like all traditional banking players, Wells Fargo faces intense competition from fintech startups and Big Tech giants that, particularly since the pandemic began, have sought to offer customers easier, simpler ways to bank digitally.
SDI is responding by joining together the bank's disparate tech offerings into one, simplified structure, Williams told Insider. In doing so, SDI is also one part of a broader effort taken by the nation's fourth-largest bank by assets to shake off a legacy of mismanagement that has led to a range of regulatory actions — from asset caps to fines — in the last decade.
"The heritage of Wells Fargo has been very fragmented. It was very product focused, region focused. Every location was itself. It was an, '80 businesses under one roof' mentality," Williams told Insider. "The only way to do integrated banking is to create a coherent strategy that focuses on the client, not our own internal structure or product set."
Amid a reset, competition from Big Tech
For Williams, a key goal of the SDI team is to make Wells Fargo more digitally competent in the face of increasing mobile options for banking customers. "I would argue that our biggest competitors are not the other large banks, it's tech companies," he said.
SDI's task has been to re-design how tech products are built at Wells Fargo, and Williams said he's taking notes from Big Tech competition, as are others on Wall Street.
Traditionally, finance split "people who understood bank products and regulation, and people who understood technology," he said. New app development was done in silos, communication between tech and business was fragmented and often drew little input from technologists to inform the necessary product requirements.
"We've skipped that whole thing and mashed it together," Williams said.
The bank now maintains multi-disciplinary groups called "garages" that integrate various departments into one persistent team of product owners, tech people, business analysts, marketing, risk, compliance, and legal.
Previously, the bank used to have different teams overseeing ACH, wires, real-time payments, and credit cards. Now, those different teams are combined into one "garage" that covers those different services, called "money movement" that will work together on new product development for the foreseeable future, Williams said.
The new team formations, along with Wells' investments in cloud technology, have sped up tech development timelines dramatically, Williams said.
The bank launched a new mobile app in late-2021 within 10 months, something that would've taken "multiple years" without the cloud and SDI. The bank's new platform for commercial and investment banking customers, called Vantage, released in December, took 11 months to develop, Williams added.
The SDI group, Williams said, is ultimately designed to act as a bridge, not only between Wells Fargo's business and tech teams but also between large divisions that span different products and customers.
Since SDI was established, the bank has brought on two new executives under Williams: Michelle Moore and Reetika Grewal. Moore leads Wells Fargo's consumer, lending, and wealth digital efforts, and Grewal is her counterpart within commercial and corporate and investment banking.
It hasn't been easy to meld together different teams that, at least on Wall Street, haven't traditionally worked together. "You have to cross train these people," Williams said. "Now you have to teach business people about tech development and tech development people about how the business works. And, you know, that's part of the challenge."
Attention from regulators
Williams leads SDI at a critical time for Wells Fargo. This December, Wells Fargo agreed to pay a record $3.7 billion fine levied by the nation's top consumer finance regulator, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, comprised of $2 billion in damages to customers and $1.7 billion in penalties.
According to the CFPB complaint, Wells Fargo unlawfully repossessed cars financed for customers by the bank, wrongly denied mortgage modifications, and illegally charged overdraft payments, among other violations.
As Bloomberg columnist Matt Levine wrote after the CFPB's enforcement action became public, the consumer harm evident in the agency's complaint spoke as much to a lengthy string of technological errors committed by Wells Fargo as it did to deliberate malfeasance.
"Our top priority is to continue to build a risk and control infrastructure that reflects the size and complexity of Wells Fargo and run the company in a more controlled, disciplined way," Scharf said in a statement in response to the CFPB action.
In the wake of the CFPB announcement, Wells Fargo said it expects operating losses in the fourth-quarter to reach $3.5 billion. Wells Fargo reports quarterly earnings on January 13.
Wells Fargo Fintech | 2022-12-30T11:18:35Z | www.businessinsider.com | Inside Wells Fargo's Tech Strategy Reorg, New Approach to Products | https://www.businessinsider.com/wells-fargo-tech-strategy-reorganization-product-development-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/wells-fargo-tech-strategy-reorganization-product-development-2022-12 |
Tech experts say employees laid off by startups and small firms are also in demand by recruiters.
Tech workers laid off by startups don't generally get as much support as those from giants like Meta and Twitter.
Tech experts told Insider that workers from startups are just as valuable as those from big tech firms.
They explained three reasons why tech talent from startups are in high-demand with companies.
Tech firms have laid off thousands of employees this year to brace for the upcoming recession.
Over 150,000 tech workers have been laid off in 2022, according to the latest data, with Meta and Amazon laying off over 10,000 employees last month.
Many of big tech's former employees have since taken to social media to share their experiences of being laid off in viral posts, and have been inundated with job offers. After one former contract recruiter at Meta, Stephanie Washington, shared a post about being laid off on LinkedIn and got over five million views, she received interview offers from Lyft, Amazon, and TikTok.
But employees laid off by startups are not so lucky. Hundreds of startups and small to mid-sized companies have also let go of staff including firms like SwyftX, Bybit, Polly, and DataRails.
One recruiter Adam Karpiak said in a LinkedIn post: "Absolutely hate how laid off folks only seem to get help when it's a company that people know.
"Don't get me wrong, I feel for everyone, but I can't imagine being laid off and not getting much social love bc no one knows where they worked and their layoff didn't make the news."
Nikita Gupta, a technical recruiter and founder of job search company Careerflow, told Insider that recruiters feel "more confidence" in hiring people from big tech firms because they have already cleared a "grilling" application process before.
But she emphasized that workers laid off by startups also have relevant skills and qualifications that can help them land roles.
Gupta and another expert offered three reasons why employees from startups are in high demand with companies.
1. Employees at startups have more expansive experiences
David Richards, CEO of software firm WANdisco, said he prefers to hire startup employees because they already have "a wide variety of skills."
"The thing is about a really big company is that often you're a small cog in a very big process and it's almost like you're a piece on the production line," Richards explained adding that a "great brand name" isn't enough to get hired.
He said if he had the option to choose between a laid-off employee from Twitter and an employee laid off by a less well-known firm with the same credentials, he'd likely choose the latter.
"[At big tech firms] the scope of your job is so narrow that you don't get exposure to the wide variety of things that you do in a small company for example, in a small company, if I don't build this feature the company might go out of business. But at Twitter, if I don't build this feature, nobody cares."
Richards asked: "How many people at Meta have been for a beer after work with the CEO? Zero."
Workers at startups have more access to senior management like the CEO which means "your proximity to the strategy of the business is much closer than it is in a larger company where you don't really understand why decisions are being made, or what the objectives of the business are."
2. It's about brand impact
Gupta said that employees who have done impactful work at their companies are the most valuable hires.
In interviews, candidates who emphasize the useful contributions they made to a company like increasing profitability or other amazing work are much more valuable than those who say "I was working in XYZ tech company and I was not making any impact."
"I don't think brand matters at all," she said. "If that small startup person has a good network and good connections and the person has made an impact, then no one can stop that person."
3. Big tech employees are overwhelmed with offers
Often big tech employees who have been laid off and gone viral on social media are overwhelmed with messages and offers, so reaching out as a recruiter has little impact.
"Even if I leave a message there, even if I reach out to the person, they might already have a job," Gupta said.
Gupta said she wouldn't "rely" on a big tech employee for a role, but instead continue her sourcing and outreach to other candidates.
"If I'm getting a candidate from a smaller company or a startup and I'm filling my role by those candidates, it would be good for me because the goal is to fill the role with a quality candidate," she said. "So for me it does not matter whether they're coming from Google or they're coming from a smaller firm."
Weekend BI UK Feature Tech layoffs Layoffs | 2022-12-30T11:18:47Z | www.businessinsider.com | Workers From Small Firms Can Still Compete With Laid-Off Meta and Twitter Staff | https://www.businessinsider.com/why-tech-workers-from-startups-are-in-demand-by-companies-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/why-tech-workers-from-startups-are-in-demand-by-companies-2022-12 |
Southwest has canceled almost 16,000 flights since December 22.
A woman drove for 10 hours through torrential rain to pick up her 78-year-old mom in Oakland.
Tracy Hurst told The Mercury News her mother was stranded for 5 days by the Southwest chaos.
Ita M. Kelly, who is diabetic, flew from New Orleans but her connection to Portland got canceled.
A woman drove for 10 hours in bad weather to pick up her 78-year-old mom who got stranded in Oakland for five days over the Christmas weekend by the Southwest Airlines chaos.
Tracy Hurst told The Mercury News that Ita M. Kelly had flown from New Orleans to Oakland with Southwest on Thursday December 22, but her connecting flight to Portland was canceled.
"I was abandoned," Kelly, who is diabetic and has bad knees, told the outlet. "Nobody reached out to me to help."
Hurst said she tried to get a response from Oakland International Airport on Twitter.
"I was asking 'Can you check on her? Can you get her a wheelchair and maybe potentially put her in a sky lounge,'" she told The Mercury News, but didn't get a response.
Kelly spent the Christmas weekend shuttling between a hotel and the airport, hoping to make it onto a flight, the publication reported.
An airport spokesperson eventually notified Southwest after seeing a tweet from Hurst, according to The Mercury News. A Southwest flight attendant located Kelly and they shared a hotel room on Monday night while her mother made the lengthy drive from Oregon in poor weather, the report added.
A spokesperson for Southwest said "apologies for this are just beginning" in response to a request for comment from The Mercury News.
Southwest has faced huge disruption to its schedules since the winter weather began affecting travel on December 22 and has canceled almost 16,000 flights since then.
Shobi Maynard, a 22-year-old from Cleveland, Ohio, told Insider his Southwest flight got canceled right before Christmas, so he rented a car with three strangers and drove 20 hours home.
Another passenger, Brady Goodman-Williams, said his "quick" trip took 41 hours. He never made it to his destination, nor did his luggage.
Southwest asked corporate workers to volunteer for shifts to help with crew scheduling to restore its flight schedule.
The airline expects to resume regular services on Friday and vowed to refund tickets and reimburse passengers for hotels, car rentals, and other expenses incurred after its mass cancelations ruined holidays plans for hundreds of thousands of people.
Hurst, Southwest Airlines and Oakland International Airport didn't immediately respond to requests for comment from Insider.
Southwest Airlines passengers Weekend BI UK News | 2022-12-30T11:18:53Z | www.businessinsider.com | Woman Drove 10 Hours to Get 78yo Mother Stranded by Southwest: Report | https://www.businessinsider.com/woman-drove-10-hours-get-her-stranded-mother-southwest-chaos-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/woman-drove-10-hours-get-her-stranded-mother-southwest-chaos-2022-12 |
Happy Friday, folks! I'm Jordan Parker Erb. Before we begin, I have some ~professional news~ to share.
There won't be a newsletter on Monday (we'll be off figuring out what 2023 is) and then Tuesday's edition ... will be my last! I'll be moving into a different role at Insider, and Diamond Naga Siu, a senior reporter on our tech analysis team, will be taking over the newsletter.
I'll be back in your inboxes on Tuesday to say goodbye — so hold onto your tissues until then.
For now, we've got a lot to cover, including more of the year's top stories. From burnout among open-source developers to the downfall of Andreessen Horowitz's buzzy tech publication, Future, it's a packed edition.
1. Could TikTok vanish from the US? Amid security and privacy concerns, there's a renewed push for TikTok to sell its US operations, and government bans on the app are raising questions about a full ban for consumers in the United States. We broke down how TikTok could avoid a ban.
2. These are Microsoft's most significant departures and hires of 2022. The company's most significant departures include executives who resigned following Insider's reports on misconduct allegations. Microsoft also made some notable hires, like ex-Amazon Web Services executive Teresa Carlson. See who joined and left Microsoft this year.
3. An Insider reporter asked ChatGPT to write her cover letters. The writer gave the bot some real job descriptions, then sent the cover letters to hiring managers — both of whom said they'd have given her an interview, but that the letters lacked personality. See what hiring managers said about the AI cover letters.
4. An anonymous worker describes cheating on an exam to boost their career in the tech industry. The worker told Insider that they used "exam dumps" to pass technical certifications, and that the answers were easy to find online with a quick Google search. But even though it gave them an advantage, they now see it as harmful — they explain why.
5. Here's how European VCs are advising their founders ahead of a looming recession. We asked investors from firms like Lightspeed, Balderton, and Kiko Ventures what they're advising their portfolios. From focusing on the long-term vision to watching their runway, here's the advice they shared.
More top reads from 2022:
6. Open-source developers are burning out — and it's putting the entire internet at risk. The internet and many of the world's largest companies rely on open-source software, which is built by developers who make little to no money. This year, developers told us that they're fed up, and some are quitting and even sabotaging their own projects. Why that's bad news for the rest of the internet.
7. Intuit gave most Mailchimp employees a 10% raise this year. But morale remains low. Despite the 10% raise, doled out in April, Mailchimp employees told Insider that people nonetheless felt belittled and were quitting in droves. Inside the attrition at Mailchimp.
8. Following Russia's invasion, Ukrainian software developers used code to inspire, launch attacks, and defend their country. Insider talked to Ukrainian developers about how they were mounting a defense both online and off, from attacking Russian websites and creating bots to combat disinformation to picking up artillery. How eight developers fought back.
9. Eighteen years after news-aggregator website Digg, Kevin Rose is staking his redemption on a new kind of media company. Rose, an early internet entrepreneur, founded a members-only club, called Proof, for people who buy and sell one-of-a-kind art on the blockchain — a move that put him back on top as a pioneer of the new-new internet. Inside Rose's meteoric resurgence.
10. Earlier this year, Andreessen Horowitz's buzzy tech publication Future shut down. The publication from prestigious venture capital firm a16z was supposed to be the next big thing in media. But a year and a half later, the publication is dead in the water. A look at what happened. | 2022-12-30T11:34:47Z | www.businessinsider.com | How TikTok Can Avoid a Ban in the US | https://www.businessinsider.com/how-tiktok-can-avoid-a-ban-in-the-us-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/how-tiktok-can-avoid-a-ban-in-the-us-2022-12 |
There are several ways to keep your Android screen on for longer.
By default, most Android phones turn off the screen quickly to save battery life.
You can keep the screen on for up to 30 minutes using the Display options in the Settings app.
You can also keep the screen on indefinitely using a third-party app like Screen Alive.
Your Android phone is designed (by default, at least) to turn off the screen fairly quickly to conserve battery life and keep the phone running as long as possible between charges. If you want the screen to stay on longer, though, there's nothing stopping you — the Android OS allows you to leave the screen on unattended for up to 30 minutes. And if you want to keep the screen on your Android phone on ever longer, there are a few ways to do that.
How to keep your Android screen on for longer
By default, your phone is probably set to keep the screen on for a very short time — depending on the model, it might default to a minute or two. But you can extend that timeout up to 30 minutes.
2. Tap Display.
3. Tap Screen timeout.
4. Choose the time that the screen will stay on. You can select up to 30 minutes.
5. Tap the Back button at the top of the screen.
You can set the screen timeout to as long as 30 minutes.
Quick tip: Some Android models have a screen attention feature. As long as you are looking at the screen, it will not turn off. If your phone has this feature, you'll find it here.
How to keep your Android screen always on using an app
If you want your phone to stay on longer than 30 minutes, you can install a third-party app that'll force it to stay on for whatever length of time you desire. There are several apps which can do this, but a free and dependable app is Screen Alive.
After installing Screen Alive, you need to give the app permission to change your phone's system settings. Then, on the Home tab, you can choose Always to keep the screen on until you manually turn it off, or tap the other option and dial in how long you want the phone to stay on, up to 24 hours 59 minutes and 59 seconds.
Using an app like Screen Alive, you can leave your phone’s screen on more or less indefinitely.
Keep in mind that if you use an app like this, you will run your phone's battery down very quickly.
How to keep your Android's lock screen always on
You have one other option at your disposal. If you don't want to keep the phone's main screen on all the time but just want to see some basic information like the time and weather, you might be able to enable your phone's always on lock screen. Not all Android models support this feature, but you can see if yours does. While it does affect your phone's battery life, you might find that it's a worthwhile compromise.
3. Tap Lock screen.
4. Turn on Always show time and info by swiping the button to the right.
Enable the lock screen to have access to information like the time and weather all the time.
Depending on your model and version of the Android OS, this feature might have a different name or be found somewhere else in the Settings app.
TECH How to turn on Data Saver mode on your Android to save internet data and battery life
TECH How to screen mirror your Android to a TV or computer, even without a Chromecast
TECH How to update an Android device with the latest software and security fixes
Android screen Smartphones | 2022-12-30T15:17:04Z | www.businessinsider.com | 3 Ways to Keep Your Android Screen on for Longer | https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/android-keep-screen-on | https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/android-keep-screen-on |
The Hersehey display at the US Candy Store in Glasgow.
Hershey is being sued over claims that its dark chocolate contains high levels of lead and cadmium.
A customer said in the lawsuit that these metals posed a "serious health risk."
The Mayo Clinic says lead builds up in the body and can cause headaches and high blood pressure.
A customer has filed a class-action lawsuit against candy maker Hershey after a report claimed that its dark chocolate contained dangerous heavy metals.
Christoper Lazazzaro said in the lawsuit, first reported by Reuters, that the metals posed a "serious health risk" and sought damages of at least $5 million.
Lazazzaro accused Hershey of "deceptive and misleading" marketing of its Special Dark Mildly Sweet Chocolate, Lily's Extra Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa, and Lily's Extremely Dark Chocolate 85% Cocoa by not stating on the packaging that they contained lead and cadmium.
Consumer advocacy nonprofit Consumer Reports sent 28 dark chocolate bars from brands including Hershey's, Lily's, Trader Joe's, and Lindt for testing. The results, published earlier this month, found that for 23 of the bars, eating an ounce a day meant an adult could consume more lead and cadmium than public-health authorities generally considered safe.
"Even small amounts of lead can cause serious health problems," the Mayo Clinic says, noting that it builds up over time and can cause high blood pressure, joint and muscle pain, headaches, and memory problems. It is particularly dangerous for pregnant women and children, according to the Mayo.
The CDC says that exposure to low levels of cadmium can cause the metal to build up in the body over time and may cause kidney disease, fragile bones, and even cancer.
Consumer Reports' testing found that one ounce of Hershey's Special Dark Mildly Sweet Chocolate contained 265% of the level of lead and 30% of the level of cadmium that California classed as the maximum allowable dose.
For Lily's Extra Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa, one ounce contained 144% of the lead level and 42% of the cadmium level, while for Lily's Extremely Dark Chocolate 85% Cocoa this was 143% for lead and 101% for cadmium.
There aren't any federal limits on how much lead and cadmium most foods can contain, Consumer Reports said.
Consumer Reports found that cacao plants take up cadmium from the soil, while lead seems to contaminate the beans as they dry in the sun after being picked.
Lazazzaro said in the lawsuit that Hershey "knew and could not be unaware of the existence of lead and cadmium" in the products because it sources the ingredients, manufactures the products, and carried out quality-control testing. He said the class-action group likely contains "thousands" of members who were damaged by the company's "deceptive and misleading practices."
Lazazzaro's attorneys did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment on why he decided to file a lawsuit against Hershey specifically.
Hershey did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment on the lawsuit.
Hershey Hershey's The Hershey Company | 2022-12-30T15:17:10Z | www.businessinsider.com | Hershey Is Sued Over Chocolate Bars Allegedly Containing Lead, Cadmium | https://www.businessinsider.com/hershey-chocolate-dark-sued-lawsuit-containing-lead-cadmium-metal-poisoning-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/hershey-chocolate-dark-sued-lawsuit-containing-lead-cadmium-metal-poisoning-2022-12 |
4 things I did wrong with my money when I was laid off for the first time
Courtesy of Jen Glantz
When I was laid off in 2015, I panicked and neglected to be strategic with my money.
Looking back, I should have established a budget and opened up additional income streams.
I should also have opened a 0% APR credit card and created a strategy for when I had money again.
The day I was laid-off from my full-time job as a copywriter at a tech startup in 2015, I came home and I panicked.
I had spent six years in the workforce, at back-to-back jobs, without ever being unemployed. I had relied on my salary to pay for my expenses, rent, and recurring bills, hardly saving more than a couple hundred dollars a month.
I wasn't sure how long it was going to take to find a new job, and all I could think about was how this career setback was going to drive me into debt.
Years later, I look back at that experience as a financial wakeup call. I was able to learn from all of my money mishaps, like not having an emergency fund, or even additional sources of income. But during that time, I made plenty of mistakes. Here are the main things I did wrong with my finances when I was laid off.
1. Failed to follow a budget
When I got laid off, I was given severance payments for four weeks. Instead of panic-spending that money on my rent and miscellaneous expenses, I wish I had been smarter with how I spent that incoming final paycheck.
First, I would have tried to negotiate my bills by calling my landlord, internet provider, and credit card company to see if I could defer payment for a month or two without penalty. I wish I'd audited my spending by looking over every credit card transaction and immediately ended recurring subscriptions I couldn't pay for, like streaming services and cable.
I would have carefully created a strict budget for extra spending around groceries and activities, whether outings with friends or networking opportunities that required a paid ticket. In an effort to make sure I was keeping up with that budget, I'd sit down every night and track all of my spending.
I'd put any extra cash in a high-yield savings account so it could earn money and potentially be used for future months where I needed a boost of money to pay for fixed expenses.
2. Ignored additional income streams
It took me a few months to start earning income again. I did this not through a new job, but by starting my own company. What I wish I'd done, during the months where I didn't have any pay, was start introducing new income streams.
I could have immediately put up profiles on freelancing websites, like Upwork or Fiverr, where people could have hired me to be a copywriter for projects. I could have also invested in low-cost side hustles that have the opportunity to generate passive income, like selling a copywriting course or e-book.
Years later, I have over five streams of income that bring in money every month, from selling courses, to freelancing, and making affiliate income through social media and my newsletter. That way, if I lose clients from my business, I still have money coming in to support my financial obligations and goals.
3. Stuck with a high-interest credit card
During the early months of getting laid off, I had to put most of my purchases on a credit card with an 18% interest rate. Since I couldn't make my monthly payments, I was starting to accumulate debt at a high interest rate.
What I wish I did instead, was open a 0% APR credit card. My card offered that rate for at 12 months, so I could put essential items on my credit card and pay them off, interest-free, later in the year.
15.74% - 26.74% Variable (as of 12/15/2022)
0% intro APR for 18 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers (three months intro APR extension with on-time minimum payments during the intro period)
4. Overlooked the details of my money
Right after I got laid off, my first thought was how do I make more money fast. I didn't sit down and look over my financial portfolio and I didn't have any strategy with my money. If I had, I would have realized a lot of big money mistakes sooner.
For example, I was typically spending more money than I was making, which impacted how much I had in savings, didn't allow me to have an emergency savings fund, and kept me in a revolving cycle of credit card debt.
If I had looked at my finances from a holistic standpoint, I would have been able to determine changes to make once I started earning income again, so I'd never be in that desperate financial state.
job loss Layoffs Personal Finance Insider | 2022-12-30T15:17:16Z | www.businessinsider.com | 4 Things I Did Wrong With My Money When I Was Laid Off | https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/laid-off-first-time-money-mistakes-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/laid-off-first-time-money-mistakes-2022-12 |
Corsair's Xeneon Flex computer monitor can be flattened and bent.
Corsair launched its latest gaming monitor called Xeneon Flex earlier this month that costs $2,000.
The 45-inch screen can be bent to create a curved monitor, which can add immersion when gaming.
It also includes many ports and a low blue light feature intended to reduce eye strain.
A new bendable computer screen lets you take matters into your hands, literally, if you want a curved display.
Gaming hardware company Corsair unveiled its newest computer monitor earlier this month, the Xeneon Flex. It's the latest addition to its line of gaming monitors which is now available purchase for a whopping $2,000.
The 45-inch OLED screen can be bent at a curve up to 800 millimeters by pulling the handles on each side forward, giving you the option to switch between a flat and curved display. Curved displays can make for a more immersive gaming experience, though some people also prefer them when working.
Xeneon Flex is built with cutting-edge visual features and customizable lighting effects.
Of course, you might be asking yourself if all that bending takes its toll on the screen, but Corsair said that the monitor can be bent between 10,000 and 15,000 times and is expected to last for more than five years.
The Xeneon Flex is an OLED display with a resolution of 3440 by 1440 and 240Hz refresh rate. It also includes features like flicker-free imagery, anti-glare, motion blur cancellation, and low blue light that Corsair says can reduce eye strain after staring at the screen for long periods of time.
For further customization, the bendable monitor features an array of ports in the back, including a display port, two HDMI ports, a USB video port, and other USB ports for accessories.
However, some reviewers were quick to point out how finicky bending the monitor can be. IGN found that bending the screen is "unsettling" and that the plastic panel "squeaks and squawks while the entire display shakes." Similarly, a reviewer at The Verge found that bending the monitor takes "a nerve wrecking amount of force."
You can see the display being bent in a video overview from The Verge below.
A post shared by The Verge (@verge)
Still, the reviewers concluded that the monitor contains "an impressive display" and "looks great from multiple viewing angles," according to IGN and the Verge respectively.
The monitor is now available for pre-order and will begin shipping at the end of December 2022.
The Xeneon Flex will be showcased at the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show — the world's biggest consumer tech showcase based in Las Vegas — which starts on January 5th.
gadget Tech corsair | 2022-12-30T17:10:06Z | www.businessinsider.com | Video: New PC Screen Lets You Bend It From Flat to Curved | https://www.businessinsider.com/bendable-pc-monitor-switches-between-curved-flat-corsair-xeneon-flex-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/bendable-pc-monitor-switches-between-curved-flat-corsair-xeneon-flex-2022-12 |
Donald Trump/Richard Nixon
Joe Raedle/Getty Images/Don Carl STEFFEN/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
Rep. Don Beyer said Donald Trump "abused his power" to hide his finances.
The Democrat compared Trump's attempts to "block basic transparency" to Richard Nixon.
A House committee published six years' worth of Trump's tax returns on Friday after a years-long legal fight.
A Democratic congressman compared former President Donald Trump to Richard Nixon, saying Trump "abused his power" to hide his finances from the public.
"Despite promising to release his tax returns, Donald Trump refused to do so, and abused the power of his office to block basic transparency on his finances and conflicts of interest which no president since Nixon has foregone," Democratic Virginia Rep. Don Beyer said in a statement Friday.
Six years of Trump's personal and business tax returns were released by the House Ways and Means Committee on Friday.
Beyer accused the former president of having "something to hide" as he refused to release tax documents as presidents since Nixon had done and fought Congress' attempts to access them.
"As the public will now be able to see," Beyer continued, "Trump used questionable or poorly substantiated deductions and a number of other tax avoidance schemes as justification to pay little or no federal income tax in several of the years examined."
Beyer noted that tax laws in the US are "often inequitable, and that enforcement of them is often unjust."
"Trump was able to bypass even the mandatory IRS presidential audit program for years, but many other wealthy and powerful people evade billions in tax dues every year through more quotidian tax avoidance. Congress has so much work to do to make tax enforcement in this country fairer, and that will continue to be a major priority for me as a member of the Ways and Means Committee going forward," Beyer said.
The Ways and Means Committee voted on December 20 to release Trump's tax returns from 2015 to 2020 after a long legal battle in which none of the courts who heard the case — including the US Supreme Court — sided with Trump.
The returns revealed just how much Trump earned in each of those years, showing that the former president — who campaigned as a successful businessman and passed sweeping tax cuts while in office — told the IRS he lost millions in the years before and during his presidency.
Speed desk Don Beyer Donald Trump | 2022-12-30T17:10:18Z | www.businessinsider.com | Congressman Beyer: Donald Trump 'Abused His Power' Like Nixon | https://www.businessinsider.com/congressman-beyer-donald-trump-abused-his-power-like-nixon-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/congressman-beyer-donald-trump-abused-his-power-like-nixon-2022-12 |
Netflix is now offering workout videos from Nike Training Club — just in time for New Year's resolutions
Netflix is now offering workout videos from Nike Training Club.
The videos are being released in two batches that will total 30 hours.
It's just in time for people to start on any New Year's fitness-related resolutions.
Netflix subscribers now have access to 46 workout videos from Nike Training Club, just in time to get started on fitness-related New Year's resolutions.
The episodes dropped on Friday and include:
13 episodes of "Kickstart Fitness with the Basics"
Seven episodes of "Two Weeks to a Stronger Core"
Six episodes of "Fall in Love with Vinyasa Yoga"
14 episodes of "HIT and Strength with Tara"
Six episodes of "Feel-Good Fitness"
This is the first of two planned batches of workout videos, with the second batch dropping sometime in 2023. All the videos will total 30 hours of fitness classes.
Nike Training Club is a wellness program that offers classes and workouts from Nike trainers across fitness routines, from yoga to home workouts to core strength. Its YouTube page has over 6,000 subscribers. It offers an app on iPhone and Android devices.
For Netflix, this expands its content slate even further as it looks to attract and retain subscribers after a rocky 2022, in which it lost members during the first two quarters.
The streamer has dabbled with other types of new content recently, including mobile video games; a push into sports with Formula 1 content and an upcoming tennis docuseries called "Break Point"; and an attempt at live TV with a Chris Rock comedy special in March.
Netflix Nike Streaming | 2022-12-30T17:10:36Z | www.businessinsider.com | Netflix Is Now Offering Workout Videos From Nike Training Club | https://www.businessinsider.com/netflix-workout-videos-nike-training-club-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/netflix-workout-videos-nike-training-club-2022-12 |
A CVS store in the Boston area had empty shelves in December 2022, due to a children's pain medication shortage.
David Slotnick.
A combination of COVID-19, flu, and RSV has made kids sick and skyrocketed demand for medications.
But the demand for that medicine has far exceeded the supply, experts say, causing shortages.
CVS, Target, and Walgreens have all put limits on the amount of children's meds parents can buy.
First parents had a difficult time finding diapers for their kids on shelves. Then baby formula was nowhere to be seen.
And now, a shortage of children's medications is leaving parents scrambling to care for their kids as three potentially deadly diseases permeate the United States.
Four parents told Insider about their struggles dealing with yet another supply crisis of a critical child health item. Many have felt angry and stressed by these shortages, with some saying it reminds them of the early days of the COVID pandemic when it was difficult to find certain items at stores.
Parents can't find children's medicine
Caroline Moore's 3-year-old son has "basically been sick" since he started preschool in September, she said. The child's doctor recommended Moore purchase children's Motrin to alternate with Tylenol.
But she was out of luck.
"They had absolutely none on the shelves, only a generic chewable NSAID for kids, and I didn't think he'd chew it," said Moore, who didn't provide her location or which store she went to.
She added that not being able to find medicine is "very stressful on top of having a sick toddler in a tripledemic" — the term used to refer to the flaring of COVID-19; the flu; and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.
Why children's Tylenol and other drugs are in short supply
The explosion of the three illnesses has left parents demanding more medications than stores and suppliers anticipated — leading to a shortage.
"Everybody is sick, and everybody needs medicine at once," and companies can't keep up with the high demand, Joanna Dolgoff, a pediatrician and spokeswoman for the American Academy of Pediatricians, told the Washington Post this month.
And with short supply, retailers from CVS to Walgreens to Target have limited the amount of children's pain medication customers can purchase at once.
Srividya Chandrashekhar is one worried mother who needed medicine earlier in the month, as her 9-year-old daughter faced flu-like symptoms.
When she arrived at her local CVS in San Diego County, California, she only spotted two bottles of children's Tylenol left on the shelves. She only took one: "I really didn't want to empty the shelf."
"It felt very discouraging and frustrating to find empty shelves as my kid was ill," Chandrashekhar said.
Those who don't have sick children but need the pain medication for other reasons have also suffered.
Monica Rohleder went skiing with her family in Mammoth Lakes, California, earlier this month. When her nine-year-old daughter hurt her back while skiing, Rohleder and her husband went to a local Rite Aid for children's Tylenol or aspirin — only to find nothing.
"My husband said it felt like we were back to COVID hoarding days," Rohleder told Insider, "It felt pretty scary and stressful that if our child had been really bad off, there would have not been anything to help her."
'Lucky' dad's 5th trip to CVS
David Slotnick, a former Insider reporter, said that his 4-month-old son has begun to show signs that he's about to start teething, which can cause immense pain in infants. Because of that and the tripledemic, Slotnick's pediatrician recommended they keep infant Tylenol and Motrin in their medicine cabinet.
But when he went to a CVS in the Boston area, he couldn't find any vials of the medicine. Nor could he at the second. It took him until his third CVS to find only a single bottle of infant Tylenol. And he didn't get the infant Motrin until he tried his fifth CVS.
"All in all we're lucky," he said. "We didn't need the meds immediately, and it only took me a few hours of looking to find a bottle of each med. I can't imagine if we'd waited till we really needed them urgently and had a sick baby to contend with during the hunt."
He added: "Finding infant medicines now is as frustrating as trying to find formula a few months ago."
Having trouble finding medications for your child? Contact reporter Ben Tobin on email at btobin@insider.com or on Signal at +1 703-498-9171.
CVS Walgreens Tylenol | 2022-12-30T17:27:24Z | www.businessinsider.com | Children's Med Shortage: Parents Scramble to Find Kids Tylenol, Motrin | https://www.businessinsider.com/childrens-med-shortage-parents-scramble-to-find-kids-tylenol-motrin-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/childrens-med-shortage-parents-scramble-to-find-kids-tylenol-motrin-2022-12 |
A Chinese J-11 fighter jet alongside a US RC-135 over the South China Sea on December 21.
Screengrab/US Indo-Pacific Command
A Chinese J-11 fighter jet flew within 20 feet of a US military aircraft over the South China Sea.
US Indo-Pacific Command said the Chinese "flew an unsafe maneuver" during the December 21 encounter.
The US plane, an RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft, had to take evasive action, the command said.
A Chinese fighter jet recently flew within 20 feet of a US Air Force plane and forced it to take evasive actions to avoid a crash, US Indo-Pacific Command said on Thursday.
The command said in a statement that on December 21, an RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft was "lawfully conducting routine operations" in international airspace over the South China Sea when a Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy J-11 fighter jet intercepted the RC-135 and performed an "unsafe maneuver."
The Chinese "pilot flew an unsafe maneuver by flying in front of and within 20 feet of the nose of the RC-135, forcing the RC-135 to take evasive maneuvers to avoid a collision," the command said.
A video of the incident released by the US military shows the Chinese J-11 jet flying alongside the RC-135.
US Indo-Pacific Command, which oversees US military operations in the region, said its forces are "dedicated to a free and open Indo-Pacific region and will continue to fly, sail and operate at sea and in international airspace with due regard for the safety of all vessels and aircraft under international law."
"We expect all countries in the Indo-Pacific region to use international airspace safely and in accordance with international law," the command added.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Friday that US reconnaissance activity threatens China's national security and claimed that the US was undertaking "provocative and dangerous moves" and "deflecting blame" on China.
A J-11 flying near a US Navy P-8 aircraft east of Hainan Island in August 2014.
REUTERS/US Navy
China has made sweeping territorial claims in the South China Sea, which are disputed by many of its neighbors, and has established military bases on reefs and artificial islands in the sea.
US officials also say China's military is conducting more aggressive intercepts of US and allied forces. In June, Canada said Chinese pilots were performing risky intercepts of Canadian planes operating from Japan and Australia said a Chinese fighter jet cut in front of an Australian surveillance aircraft and released chaff that entered its engine.
Ely Ratner, the assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, said in July that over the last five years the number of "unsafe" intercepts by Chinese jets had dramatically increased, including dozens of incidents just in 2022.
"This is really dangerous behavior that I would liken to driving with road rage in a school zone," Ratner said of the intercepts during an event this month. "It is tempting a crisis that could have geopolitical and geoeconomic implications."
Speed desk Breaking China | 2022-12-30T17:27:30Z | www.businessinsider.com | A Chinese Fighter Jet Flew Within 20 Feet of a US Military Aircraft | https://www.businessinsider.com/chinese-fighter-jet-flew-within-feet-of-us-military-aircraft-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/chinese-fighter-jet-flew-within-feet-of-us-military-aircraft-2022-12 |
Prices for organic and other specialty eggs are lower than regular eggs at grocery stores, demonstrating the effects of avian influenza.
Jim Vondruska/Reuters
Organic eggs are cheaper than regular ones, according to the largest egg producer in the US.
Avian influenza has decimated chicken flocks, leading to fewer eggs and higher prices.
Prices might not come down until well into 2023 as farms rebuild their flocks.
Next time you're at the grocery store, buying organic eggs instead of regular ones might actually save you money.
Egg producer Cal-Maine Foods said in an earnings report on Wednesday that the average selling price for its specialty eggs rose to $2.370 per dozen. That's higher than the $2.883 average price for conventional eggs. "Specialty" eggs include kinds of eggs that have historically been more expensive, such as organic eggs and cage-free eggs.
Grocery shoppers have taken note: Cal-Maine said that sales volumes of its specialty eggs increased 24% in the quarter that ended on Nov. 26. Sales volumes of regular eggs, meanwhile, fell about 2% over the same period. Cal-Maine is the largest egg producer in the US.
"Conventional egg prices exceeding specialty egg prices has occurred for the past three quarters but is atypical historically," Cal-Maine said in a statement outlining its second-quarter earnings.
Vital Farms lets consumers see where their eggs come from
Avian flu has taken a toll on chicken flocks, leading to fewer eggs and higher prices
Inflation has driven prices for a variety of foods higher over the last two years. But the story behind egg prices involves another factor: Avian influenza.
The latest US outbreak started in February 2022. Since then, it has affected as many as 58 million chickens, according to data updated Thursday by the US Department of Agriculture, or USDA. Avian flu spreads rapidly and is often fatal, killing 90% to 100% of the chickens it reaches within a couple days of infection, according to the CDC.
Many commercial farms that raise chickens for regular eggs have had to kill birds when the disease appears in their flocks. That has led to a drop in the number of egg-laying chickens in the US, according to USDA.
Prices have moved higher as a result. In November, egg prices rose 49% over the same month in 2021, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. No other food product tracked by the Bureau's Consumer Price Index saw prices increase as much during that period.
The higher prices for eggs on grocery store shelves have continued into the holiday season, which is traditionally a time of high egg demand as people bake seasonal sweets. Grocery stores normally tout their egg prices to consumers as a way to get them in the door, but avian flu "has led to a virtual halt by grocery retailers in including shell eggs in their weekly circulars," a Dec. 23 USDA report on the egg market reads.
Farms that raise organic and other specialty eggs haven't been as hard-hit by avian flu, leading to a more stable supply and prices
But farms that produce cage-free and other specialty eggs tend to be smaller than their mainstream counterparts. As a result, they haven't been as hard-hit by avian flu and have been more reliable suppliers, Phil Lempert, a grocery industry analyst, told NPR's Marketplace on Monday.
Organic and other specialty eggs still only make up a minority of the eggs sold in the US. They accounted for just over one-third of the eggs Cal-Maine sold during its latest quarter, the company said in its earnings report.
Cal-Maine said that avian flu "will continue to exert downward pressure on the overall supply of eggs." That pressure, and higher prices, could last well into 2023 as farms grow their flocks back to pre-outbreak levels.
Some consumers have started buying more expensive brands of eggs as prices on conventional eggs have gone up. Vital Farms, which sells pasture-raised regular and organic eggs for several dollars per dozen at grocery stores, has attracted new customers who previously bought mid-priced eggs.
"We're capturing some of those people in the middle and the cheapest eggs are capturing some of the people in the middle," Russell Diez-Canseco, Vital's president and CEO, said on an earnings call in August.
Are you a consumer who has been affected by rising egg prices? Reach out to Alex Bitter at abitter@insider.com or via encrypted messaging app Signal at (808) 854-4501.
Food Fast Food Eggs | 2022-12-30T18:58:51Z | www.businessinsider.com | Why Avian Flu Has Made Organic Eggs Cheaper Than Conventional Ones | https://www.businessinsider.com/avian-flu-has-made-organic-eggs-cheaper-than-conventional-ones-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/avian-flu-has-made-organic-eggs-cheaper-than-conventional-ones-2022-12 |
Dry January is almost here. Here are 7 of our favorite, tasty non-alcoholic beverages to enjoy all month
Non-alcoholic rosé all day.
Dry January is almost upon us, and people around the world are gearing up for a booze-free month.
The non-alcoholic beverage market is booming, with sales up 7% to become a $11 billion market in 2022.
Here are some of our favorite booze-free options to enjoy all month long, and beyond.
As 2023 fast approaches, it's time to store the six-packs and ditch the cocktails — Dry January is almost here.
Whether it's your first experience with a sober month or a long-held annual tradition, abstaining from alcohol for 31 days not only tests your willpower, but also can improve your health, save money, and help revamp your relationship with booze.
And thanks to an explosion of the "sober curious" market in recent years — sales of non-alcoholic drinks increased 7% in 2022 to become an $11 billion market — there are now a variety of booze-free drinks to choose from, including imitations of the real deal or unique concoctions.
As I prepare for my fourth Dry January, here are some of the drinks I plan to stock this year:
Athletic Brewing controls 45% of the non-alcoholic craft beer market.
The non-alcoholic beer market grew by 20% in 2022, an uptick largely driven by industry leader Athletic Brewing, which currently holds 55% of the market share, according to Nielsen data. In November, Keurig Dr Pepper invested $50 million in the market leading brand, which is dominating sales for good reason — it's one of the first non-alcoholic beers that actually tastes like beer.
When Insider's Avery Hartmans spent a month this year abstaining from alcohol and drinking Athletic Brewing beers, she was impressed with Free Wave, which "tasted pretty close to a normal IPA" with "a foamy head, a nice golden color, and that telltale hoppy aroma."
Athletic Brewing CEO Bill Shufelt told Hartmans the company's core consumer is a growing number of "flex sober" drinkers — individuals who still occasionally drink socially, but are increasingly choosing alcohol-free substitutes for a healthier lifestyle.
All in all, a great option for beer lovers jonesing for a hoppy non-alcoholic brew this January. A six-pack costs around $13.99, on average.
Lagunitas Hoppy Refresher
Spiked seltzer enthusiasts, this one's for you. Lagunitas describes its non-alcoholic Hoppy Refresher as "a zippy and zingy highly carbonated dry-hopped sparkling water" that includes "a pinch of brewer's yeast to biotransformate the hops."
The company offers bubblegum, lime, lemon, tangerine, and pine flavors and is expected to expand options in the coming months.
In addition to containing zero alcohol, it also has zero calories, zero carbohydrates, and zero gluten, making it a health-conscious option as well. The fizzy beverage has become a fan favorite on social media, with several TikTok posts dedicated to the drink. A four-pack retails for $5.99.
Psychedelic Water
Psychedelic Water is currently available in two flavors: hibiscus lime and blackberry yuzu.
If you're going for more of a "Cali sober" approach this Dry January, Psychedelic Water can give you a bit of an alternative buzz, sans alcohol. The kava-based seltzer exploded in popularity this year, going viral on TikTok for its relaxing effects.
Despite the name, the drink does not include LSD or psilocybin. Instead it's made with kava root — along with damiana leaves and green-tea extract — to help reduce anxiety, boost energy, and help with relaxation, all at once.
Insider's Hannah Towey tested the drink earlier this year, and found it was a "great way to decompress from stress or relieve social anxiety, with the added benefit of avoiding a hangover." And with flavors like prickly pear, hibiscus lime, and oolong and orange blossom, they're also enjoyable to drink. A four-pack goes for $24.
Cann Social Tonic
If you live in a state that's legalized marijuana, Cann Social Tonic — a sparking beverage infused with low doses of THC and CBD — can be a nice alternative to alcohol. The company describes its Social Tonic as "drinkable, delicious cannabis that's as bubbly, refreshing, and sociable as your favorite cocktail, but hold the booze — and the hangover."
Its classic cans have a blend of 2mg of THC and 4mg of CBD, intended to create "a relaxing-yet-sociable buzz," and it comes in fun flavors like grapefruit rosemary, lemon lavender, yuzu elderflower, and blood orange cardamom. Cann retails for $24 per six-pack.
St. Agrestis Phony Negroni
For the moments when you just really want a cocktail, there are now plenty of prepared mocktails to help you kick the craving and avoid having to get too crafty in the kitchen.
One solid option is St. Agrestis's Phony Negroni, which in addition to having an incredible name, was described in the New York Times as "so well balanced and delicious that it bowled us over" with a taste that is "startlingly close to an alcoholic Negroni." You can get a 12-pack on the St. Agrestis website for $60.
Sounds like it would make Stanley Tucci proud.
GT's Synergy Kombucha
GT's Living Foods
Made with real fruit juices and purees, GT's Kombucha is a fresh and tasty alternative to booze. Each kombucha is fermented for 30 days with kiwi juice, and contains 9 billion living probiotics that help with "improved digestion, sustained energy, and holistic physical and mental wellbeing," according to the brand.
You can find GT at most grocery and health food stores, and an individual bottle typically retails for between $4 and $5.
It's worth nothing, however, that as a result of the fermentation process, kombucha does contain small trace amounts of alcohol. Though it is not classified as an alcoholic beverage, strict Dry January followers and pregnant individuals may opt to stay away.
Noughty Alcohol-Free Sparkling Rosé
For those who still want to "rosé all day," Thomson & Scott's Noughty Rosé can help you maintain that pink lifestyle sans booze. The top-rated, non-alcoholic wine is made with organic Spanish grapes that are "fermented in stainless steel before being dealcoholized through vacuum distillation," according to the company.
"Aromas are recovered and, after a short maceration, the wine is lightly carbonated and bottled," Thomson & Scott said. It retails for $22.
Personally, I've realized much of the appeal of cracking open a beer or sipping a glass of rosé at the end of a long day is actually just the bubbles. If, like me, you're looking for a bit of chilled effervescence, you can't go wrong with a simple, yet classic, seltzer or soda. Plus, it's cheap — a 12-pack typically costs around $5.
If you're feeling crafty you can even mix flavors and add a bit of fresh fruit to create your own mocktail. I'm not that imaginative, so my go-to is typically a LaCroix (tangerine flavor is my favorite).
NOW WATCH: How real Vermont maple syrup is made
Retail Business Visual Features Sober Curious | 2022-12-30T18:59:03Z | www.businessinsider.com | Dry January: Seven of the Best Non-Alcoholic Beverages | https://www.businessinsider.com/dry-january-best-non-alcoholic-beverages-photos-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/dry-january-best-non-alcoholic-beverages-photos-2022-12 |
Elon Musk is a member of various Silicon Valley and Hollywood circles. Here, he is pictured at Heidi Klum's Halloween party.
Elon Musk has built connections with some of the most powerful people in Silicon Valley and Hollywood.
At one point or another, Larry Ellison, Jack Dorsey, and Kanye West all seemed to be in his circle — though he's fallen out with some of his friends since his Twitter takeover.
Here's a closer look at the relationships Musk has built over the years.
Larry Ellison in San Francisco in 2014.
The Oracle founder has repeatedly said he is "very close friends" with Elon Musk.
Ellison has defended Musk against critics in the past, and in 2018, Musk even added him to Tesla's board of directors.
"I think Tesla has a lot of upside," Ellison said at the time. "I am not sure how many people know, but I'm very close friends with Elon Musk, and I'm a big investor in Tesla."
While Ellison announced earlier this year that he was leaving Tesla's board, the two men appear to have maintained their close friendship. The Oracle founder pledged $1 billion to Musk's Twitter acquisition, and the two billionaires were texting into the early hours of the morning ahead of Musk's decision to put the acquisition "temporarily on hold" in May.
Elon Musk embraces his brother, Kimbal Musk.
Musk has been known to bring his younger brother, Kimbal Musk, into his business ventures. The younger Musk is a board member at both Tesla and SpaceX.
The two brothers founded Zip2 together in 1995. The startup was designed to create a searchable business directory and was later sold for $300 million. Kimbal Musk told Vanity Fair in 2015 that the two would have wrestling matches in the office over business disagreements at Zip2.
More recently, at a November trial over Musk's Tesla compensation, Kimbal Musk said that the two men often vacation together with their families, visiting spots like Jackson Hole and David Copperfield's Island, as well as Burning Man.
Sources: Vanity Fair, The Wall Street Journal, Insider.
The Twitter cofounder and Musk had been friends for years, though that appears to have changed in recent months.
Dorsey publicly praised Musk as early as 2016, saying the Tesla CEO was a "really good model" of how to use Twitter. Dorsey has also asked Musk for feedback on how to run Twitter in the past, and Musk has repeatedly praised the former Twitter CEO, saying on more than once occasion that he believes Dorsey "has a good heart."
Dorsey was also quick to support Musk when he first attempted to join Twitter's board of directors and then later when he decided to purchase the company.
"In principle, I don't believe anyone should own or run Twitter. It wants to be a public good at a protocol level, not a company," Dorsey tweeted in April after Musk offered to buy Twitter. "Solving for the problem of it being a company however, Elon is the singular solution I trust. I trust his mission to extend the light of consciousness."
Now that Musk is leading the company, Dorsey has criticized some of his decisions, including his release of the so-called "Twitter Files."
Elon Musk (R) next to Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner.
HANNIBAL HANSCHKE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Musk and Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner appear to have a longstanding relationship. (Insider is owned by Axel Springer.)
The Tesla CEO has sat down for several interviews with the German billionaire, and private text messages between the two men revealed in October showed that Döpfner suggested Musk buy Twitter days before his accumulation of just over 9% of Twitter's stock became public.
"Why don't you buy Twitter?" Döpfner asked. "We run it for you. And establish a true platform of free speech. Would be a real contribution to democracy."
"Interesting idea," Musk replied a few minutes later, according to the text log.
"I'm serious. It's doable. Will be fun," Döpfner wrote back.
Musk's relationship with the LinkedIn cofounder goes back to one of his first startups.
Both Hoffman and Musk are members of the PayPal Mafia — the group of entrepreneurs that helped build the business venture and later went on to found some of Silicon Valley's most successful companies.
Earlier this year, Hoffman told Axios that he was initially wary of Musk's decision to buy Twitter, but said he never doubts Musk for long and that he texted Musk when he learned about the deal.
Hoffman has been known to support Musk in the past. In July, the entrepreneur went to bat for Musk after former president Donald Trump slammed the Tesla CEO.
"Not surprised to see Trump's attacks on @elonmusk. Elon's a classic immigrant story — an entrepreneur with a real record of success," Hoffman tweeted at the time. "Started EV revolution w/Tesla, resurrected US rocket industry w/SpaceX, fighting climate change while promoting American innovation."
Sources: Insider, Axios
Zenefits COO David Sacks
Zenefits
David Sacks, the CEO of investment firm Kraft Ventures, is another member of the PayPal Mafia who has publicly supported Musk.
Sacks was subpoenaed by Twitter earlier this year in its court battle against Musk after Sacks responded to Musk's tweets with several ideas about how to fix Twitter. At the time, the investor called Twitter's legal request "a giant fishing expedition."
Sacks has been quick to defend Musk's actions at Twitter since he took the company private and was even brought in to assist in the transition. The New York Times reported in November that Sacks and other members of Musk's team were privately referred to by Twitter employees as "Elon's goons."
Musk also appears to be close with several other members of the PayPal Mafia, including investors Joe Lonsdale and Keith Rabois.
Sources: Insider, The New York Times
Duffy-Marie Arnoult/WireImage via Getty
Calacanis is an angel investor and friend of Musk who often promotes the CEO on Twitter and in the"All-In Podcast" that he hosts with Sacks, among others.
Twitter's lawsuit against Musk revealed numerous text messages between Calacanis and Musk.
At one point, Calacanis offered to serve as Twitter's CEO and pitched several ideas about how to change the social media company, including how to oust Twitter employees without having to pay severance.
"You know I'm ride or die brother — I'd jump on a grande [sic] for you," Calacanis told Musk, per the text messages that were revealed as a part of the pretrial discovery process in Twitter v. Musk.
Sources: Insider, "All-In Podcast"
James Murdoch Co-COO 21st Century Fox attends a Keynote during MIPCOM at the Palais des Festivals on October 13, 2014 in Cannes, France.
Toni Anne Barson/FilmMagic via Getty
Murdoch is the son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch and a longtime associate of Musk who serves on Tesla's board of directors.
The former CEO of 21st Century Fox and his wife Kathryn Murdoch also texted Musk ahead of his Twitter acquisition.
"Will call when some of the dust settles," Murdoch texted Musk on April 26. " Hope all is ok."
Sergey Brin and Larry Page
Google cofounders Larry Page (left) and Sergey Brin
Musk's friendship with the Google cofounders dates back years.
The Tesla CEO said in 2016 that he took Brin and Page on a test drive during the electric-car maker's early days. Both Page and Brin invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in Tesla, and the three men reportedly used to hang out in a Google-owned apartment to brainstorm futuristic tech ideas.
Page has said that Musk used to sleep at his house when he visited Los Angeles and that he'd rather leave his money to Musk than give it away to charity.
But it's unclear whether Musk's relationship with Brin has gone sour. In July, The Wall Street Journal reported that their friendship had ended after Musk allegedly had an affair with Brin's wife. Brin filed for divorce last year and sold all of his holdings in Musk's companies, the publication reported.
Several hours after the story was published Musk, who denied the rumored affair, tweeted: "This is total bs. Sergey and I are friends and were at a party together last night!"
Sources: Insider, The Wall Street Journal, New York Post
Steve Jurvetson
YouTube/TechCrunch
Investor Steve Jurvetson says he's been friends with Musk for over 25 years, and Musk has been known to party at his house in Half Moon Bay.
He's also a board member at SpaceX and served as a board member at Tesla from 2006 to 2020.
Musk appeared to stand by Jurvetson in 2017 when the investor left his firm Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ) after he was accused of sexual harassment. Jurvetson denied the allegations in a Facebook post at the time, calling them "vicious and wholly false."
At the time, a Tesla spokesperson said that Jurvetson was placed on leave "from the SpaceX and Tesla boards pending resolution of these allegations."
DFJ later apologized for hosting an event at Jurvetson's Half Moon Bay home, which reportedly featured sex and drug use. But Musk, who attended the event, appeared to defend Jurvetson.
"If there are 'sex parties' in Silicon Valley, I haven't seen or heard of one ," he told Wired at the time. "If you want wild parties, you're in the wrong place."
In July, Musk posted pictures of himself with Brin at Jurvetson's birthday party for his wife, per the New York Post.
Sources: The New York Times, "The Twenty Minute VC," USA Today, Quartz, Wired, New York Post
Peter Thiel (left) and Elon Musk (right) pose for a story about PayPal.
Musk and billionaire investor Peter Thiel have had their ups and downs over the years. Their relationship goes back to the beginning of Musk's career in Silicon Valley, and the two men have worked together for decades, but they haven't always seen eye-to-eye.
In 2000, they combined their respective banking companies when Thiel's Confinity merged with Musk's X to eventually become PayPal.
Soon after, Musk reportedly crashed his $1 million McLaren with Thiel in the passenger seat ahead of an investor meeting. Musk was allegedly trying to show off the sports car's acceleration.
In a book on Thiel, "The Contrarian: Peter Thiel and Silicon Valley's Pursuit of Power," Max Chafkin said a source close to both men said the Tesla CEO views Thiel as "a sociopath," while Thiel sees Musk as "a fraud."
Chafkin said Thiel and his allies at PayPal worked to oust Musk as CEO while he was on his honeymoon.
Despite their differences, Thiel was instrumental in helping keep SpaceX afloat, investing $20 million in 2008 after the company had three failed rocket launches.
Sources: Insider, "The Contrarian: Peter Thiel and Silicon Valley's Pursuit of Power,"
JB Straubel is the founder and CEO of Redwood Materials.
Musk and the CEO of Redwood Materials JB Straubel worked together during Tesla's early years.
The two men said they ultimately decided to join Tesla after a lunch meeting during which they discussed the future of electric cars. They were later introduced to Tesla cofounders Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning, and joined the company in 2004.
Earlier this year, the Tesla CEO said he wished Straubel was Tesla's only other cofounder. Straubel, who served as Tesla's CTO until 2019, eventually founded his own EV battery recycling company called Redwood Materials in 2017.
Last year, Musk publicly sent Straubel his "condolences" when it was reported that Straubel's wife had died in a car accident.
Earlier this year, Straubel told Time he was still on good terms with Musk and talks to him often. But he added that the Tesla CEO "can be a very difficult guy to work for."
Sources: Time, Clean Technica, Twitter, Tesla
Billy Markus
Dogecoin co-creator Billy Markus has a seemingly friendly relationship with Musk on Twitter.
Markus, who calls himself "Shibetoshi Nakamoto" on Twitter, is often seen tweeting back and forth with Musk. The two men seem to share similar senses of humor and viewpoints on social and political issues.
Earlier this year, Markus appeared to support the billionaire after he criticized Dogecoin's other creator, Jackson Palmer, saying Palmer didn't write a "single line of Dogecoin code."
Musk has been promoting Dogecoin on social media since 2019 and has helped buoy the currency to new highs in the past. Last year, Musk booked a mission to the moon that would be funded entirely by Dogecoin, naming the satellite that would be launched Doge-1.
Joe Rogan (right) and Elon Musk
The Joe Rogan Experience/YouTube
Musk and UFC commentator Joe Rogan appear to have fostered a relationship.
The billionaire famously smoked marijuana on Rogan's podcast in 2018 and has been on "The Joe Rogan Experience" two more times since. Rogan has promoted Musk's companies on social media, including a sneak peek of the Tesla Cybertruck earlier this year, dubbing it "the coolest car I've ever seen in my life."
Last year, the two men posted pictures together at Stubbs barbeque in Austin alongside Dave Chappelle and Grimes, Musk's girlfriend at the time.
In April, Rogan congratulated Musk for attempting to join Twitter's board and later offering to buy the company outright.
"Are you going to liberate twitter from the censorship happy mob?" Rogan texted Musk on April 4, per a court exhibit in Twitter v. Musk.
A few weeks later, after Musk had offered to acquire Twitter, Rogan on April 25 texted again. "I REALLY hope you get Twitter. If you do, we should throw one hell of a party," Rogan said. Musk replied with the "100" emoji.
Sources: Insider, Electrek
Ariel Emanuel, CEO of Endeavor
Musk also has some buddies in Hollywood — most notably, Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel.
Emanuel is one of Hollywood's most powerful agents and was the basis for the character of Ari Gold on the HBO show "Entourage."
The two men have been spotted together on several occasions while yachting or lunching. In July, they were photographed vacationing on a superyacht off the coast of Greece.
More recently, Emanuel reportedly tried to help Musk broker a deal with Twitter to avoid a court battle.
In October, The New York Times reported that Musk is fan of deadpan comedian Nathan Fielder.
The publication said Musk tries to make Fielder laugh at parties. The comedian wrote, directed, and starred in the Comedy Central show "Nathan For You" that ran for four seasons. On the show, Fielder offers unusual ideas and strategies to struggling small businesses
In 2016, Musk invited the comedian to have lunch at SpaceX, per the Times. That year, the two men also interacted on Twitter after Musk shared a photo of his "Dumb Starbucks" coffee mug — a nod to one of Fielder's business projects that went viral.
—nathan fielder (@nathanfielder) February 20, 2016
Since, Musk has invited Fielder to his parties, per The Times.
Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon
"Rick and Morty" was created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon.
Musk has also developed a relationship with the creators of "Rick and Morty," Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon.
In 2017, Musk said on Twitter that he was a fan of the TV show.
—Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 23, 2017
"'Kinda' disgusting? Just wait," @RickandMorty, the TV show's official account responded. "We'll have the whole Musk family fully disgusted by the end of the season."
Musk's Twitter thread soon spawned a discussion of singularity — the theory that machine intelligence will one day surpass our own — with @RickandMorty.
Two years later, Musk made a cameo on the show as "Elon Tusk," the CEO of Tuskla and a business magnate in the multiverse.
The New York Times reported earlier this year that Musk set up meet-and-greets with Harmon and Roiland at one of his parties.
In April, Roiland congratulated Musk for buying into Twitter.
"I fucking love that you're the majority owner of Twitter," Roiland texted Musk on April 6, per court documents.
He proceeded to suggest that Musk meet friends of his who had created a program to verify people's identities.
Musk corrected him two days later, saying "I just own 9% of Twitter, so don't control the company," adding he said he would "raise the identity issue" with Twitter's then CEO.
Sources: The New York Times, Insider
George Lucas (right), Kanye West (center), and Elon Musk in 2015.
Kanye West, also known as Ye, and Musk have a complicated history.
The two men appeared to develop a friendship in 2011 when Musk shared a photo of him and West in front of what appears to be a SpaceX capsule with the caption, "Kanye stopped by the SpaceX rocket factory today."
In 2015, Musk praised Ye, saying "he fought for his place in the cultural pantheon with a purpose." A few years later, Musk cited Ye as someone who inspires him, and in 2020, Musk expressed support for Ye when he announced his plans to run for US president.
And Ye has also defended Musk in the past. In 2018, the rapper gave an impromptu speech at a school, telling people to "Leave that man the fuck alone," allegedly referencing Musk's funding secured fiasco from 2017.
More recently, the two men's friendship appears to have hit some roadblocks after Musk booted Ye off Twitter when the rapper tweeted an antisemitic image.
After Ye was suspended, Musk tweeted about the suspension saying: "I tried my best. Despite that, he again violated our rule against incitement to violence. Account will be suspended."
Musk later said in a Twitter Spaces meeting that he wanted to "punch" Ye after he tweeted the image of a swastika.
Since, Ye has made some strange comments about Musk. In December, Ye posted a bizarre Instagram rant in which he called the billionaire a "genetic hybrid." Musk responded to the comment via Twitter, saying "I take that as a compliment," and Ye said on Instagram "It was meant as a compliment my friend."
Elon Musk has two children with Grimes.
Musk has appeared to remain friends with his former girlfriend Claire Boucher, more commonly known as the musician Grimes.
The two broke up last year after welcoming their first child together, X Æ a-12, in 2020.
Grimes told Vanity Fair earlier this year that the two have remained in contact. The pair welcomed their second child via surrogate in 2022.
Features Elon Musk Larry Ellison | 2022-12-30T18:59:09Z | www.businessinsider.com | Musk's Associates: From Larry Ellison to Kanye West | https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musks-friends-associates-larry-ellison-jack-dorsey-peter-thiel-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musks-friends-associates-larry-ellison-jack-dorsey-peter-thiel-2022-12 |
Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Dalton, Georgia on January 4, 2021.
Some White House aides wanted President Donald Trump to "peacefully protest" outside of the Capitol in a glass box on January 6.
Tony Ornato, a former aide and Secret Service agent, testified the idea was "ridiculous."
Trump ultimately didn't join the crowd as they swarmed the Capitol building on January 6.
White House aides floated the idea of having President Donald Trump "peacefully protest" in a glass box on a stage outside of the Capitol alongside supporters on January 6, 2021, newly-released testimony from the House January 6 Committee reveals.
Tony Ornato, a former Secret Service agent and White House aide, testified in a deposition in late November that two White House aides— Bobby Peede and Max Miller — asked him if the president could join supporters and protest Congress counting of the electoral votes.
"I thought this was a ridiculous idea," Ornato said.
When Ornato asked what Trump would even do outside of the Capitol, the aides suggested placing Trump in a secure glass box on a stage.
Riots at the US Capitol Building on January 6, 2021.
"They said... they would build maybe a small stage, and the service can glass him in, and he could peacefully protest with people near the Capitol grounds," Ornato said the aides suggested, before repeating that it was a "ridiculous" idea.
Prior hearings from the January 6 Committee previously revealed that Trump wanted to protest outside of the Capitol with supporters on January 6 — he also said in a public speech on January 6 that he would march to the Capitol alongside them.
But despite his wish to go to the Capitol that day, his team shot down the idea and brought him back to the White House.
Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House aide, testified at a January 6 Committee hearing that the president was irate after learning he could not join the protesters, going as far as lunging at a Secret Service agent for not bringing him to the Capitol.
Capitol Siege tony ornato capitol riot | 2022-12-30T18:59:21Z | www.businessinsider.com | White House Aides Wanted Trump in a Glass Box on January 6: Testimony | https://www.businessinsider.com/white-house-aides-trump-glass-box-january-6-testimony-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/white-house-aides-trump-glass-box-january-6-testimony-2022-12 |
'Lizzo: Live in Concert' lets fans enjoy the pop star's latest tour at home — here's how to stream it
Lizzo performs on the opening night of "The Special Tour" in Sunrise, Florida, on September 23, 2022.
"Lizzo: Live in Concert" showcases the award-winning artist performing on stage during her "Special" tour.
The show also includes special guests like Cardi B, SZA, and Missy Elliot.
The concert starts streaming exclusively on HBO Max ($10/month) on December 31.
Not only can you listen to Lizzo's catchy bops at home, but starting December 31, you can watch her latest tour from the comfort of your own couch. "Lizzo: Live in Concert" is a new music special set to stream exclusively on HBO Max.
The show aims to give fans front-row seats to Lizzo's "Special" tour, which began in September 2022. In addition to the superstar herself, the concert film also features special guests like Cardi B, SZA, and Missy Elliot. It promises to be a show full of positivity, killer performances, flute riffs, and of course, contagious pop songs performed live.
Check out the trailer for 'Lizzo: Live in Concert'
"Lizzo: Live in Concert" was filmed in November 2022 at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, CA. The show is directed by Sam Wrench and produced by Kevin Beisler and Done+Dusted. Lizzo also serves as an executive producer via her production company Lizzobangers.
How to watch 'Lizzo: Live in Concert'
You can watch "Lizzo: Live in Concert" on HBO Max starting December 31. The concert is a Max original, so it won't be available to stream on other services.
If you're not a subscriber yet, HBO Max costs $10 a month with ads, or $15 a month without ads. The ad-free plan also offers 4K streaming on select titles and download support.
The HBO Max app is available on most connected devices, including streaming players, smart TVs, phones, tablets, and gaming consoles from major brands. You can also access the service through web browsers on PCs, Macs, and laptops.
Can I watch 'Lizzo: Live in Concert' for free?
Though HBO Max doesn't offer a free trial directly, you can watch "Lizzo: Live in Concert" for free if you sign up for HBO Max through Prime Video. Amazon Prime subscribers can lock in a free seven-day trial of HBO Max by adding it as an extra channel to their Prime Video service.
You can cancel at any time in order to avoid the recurring monthly fees. Only new HBO Max members are eligible for the free trial.
What other concerts can I stream on HBO Max?
HBO Max is home to a handful of concerts from artists across a variety of genres. Some other notable concerts you can stream right now include:
"Shakira in Concert: El Dorado World Tour"
"Santana - Corazon, Live from Mexico: Live It to Believe It"
"Led Zeppelin's The Song Remains the Same"
"Jimi Plays Monterey"
"Romeo Santos: The King Stays King — Live at Madison Square Garden"
"Natti Natasha"
Subscribers can also find specials and documentaries focused on musical artists like Carrie Underwood, the Bee Gees, George Harrison, and Linda Ronstadt. | 2022-12-30T20:43:16Z | www.businessinsider.com | How to Watch 'Lizzo: Live in Concert': Streaming December 31 on HBO Max | https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/streaming/how-to-watch-lizzo-live-in-concert | https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/streaming/how-to-watch-lizzo-live-in-concert |
Why you could be drinking more prosecco than Champagne at your New Year's party this year
sergeyryzhov/Getty Images
Consumers are choosing prosecco over Champagne and opting for cheaper tequila amid economic uncertainty.
It follows a boom time for top-shelf liquor, which saw double-digit sales growth in 2021.
Still, the Champagne industry is on track to beat its sales record thanks to higher-income drinkers.
Drinkers are starting to reach for the cheap stuff after months of booming sales for top-shelf alcohol.
Sales of premium spirits declined 3.7% in the 48 weeks ending December 3, compared to 4% growth in 2021. And while the highest-end liquor — tequila that costs more than $50, for example — is still seeing sales growth, it slowed to 2% this year compared to 24% in 2021, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing an analysis of Nielsen data by beverage industry consulting firm Bump Williams.
The premium alcohol business saw a boom in 2021 thanks to traveling and partying finally being back on the table. According to data from the Distilled Spirits Council of the US published by Forbes, drinkers shelled out for high-end whiskey and tequila at a rate that was more than double the previous five-year average.
Sales of Champagne also reached a record high of $5.7 billion in 2021, 14% higher than the pre-pandemic record, Reuters reported. In fact, heading into New Year's weekend last year, retailers were worried about keeping Champagne in stock as demand jumped and supply chain challenges made it harder to get.
But 2022 looked a lot different. Months of inflation-induced budget stress and worries over what's in store for the economy in 2023 have led shoppers to make different choices, including buying less and trading down to cheaper products, including lower-priced bubbly like prosecco over top-shelf Champagne.
Even before the holidays, retailers were predicting that drinkers would make trade-offs when it came to products like Champagne. Alcohol delivery service Drizly found in its annual retail report that 59% of retailers were anticipating shoppers would choose less expensive Champagne, or switch to other types of sparkling wine altogether, when shopping for the holidays. Liz Paquette, Drizly's head of insights, told The Journal that an average bottle of prosecco costs $16 on Drizly's site, compared to $57 for an average bottle of Champagne.
But before you feel too bad for the Champagne industry, don't worry — it's still on track to beat its 2021 sales record, David Chatillon, chairman of the Union of Champagne Houses, told Reuters.
"We have consumers who are perhaps less impacted by inflation than others, and we have noticed since the end of the pandemic crisis that people want to have fun, they want good products, and opening a bottle of champagne is in itself a celebration," Chatillon said.
Champagne Wine Tequila | 2022-12-30T21:00:34Z | www.businessinsider.com | New Year's Champagne Swapped for Cheaper Prosecco Amid Economic Woes | https://www.businessinsider.com/new-years-champagne-swapped-for-cheaper-prosecco-amid-economic-uncertainty-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/new-years-champagne-swapped-for-cheaper-prosecco-amid-economic-uncertainty-2022-12 |
What is Bestow?
Who needs life insurance?
Bestow life insurance cost
Why use Bestow?
Apply for life insurance with Bestow
Melanie Lockert and Lina Roby
Bestow Life
Premiums as low as $8/month
Easy online access
Company only offers term policies
Limited support for customer needs
Maximum coverage limits are low
If you have dependents — others who rely on your income, whether that's children, a spouse, or aging parents — you probably need life insurance. The good news is that with the rise of online companies that sell life insurance, it's not nearly as hard as it sounds to get hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of dollars in life insurance to protect your family should you die unexpectedly.
Bestow is one of those companies.
Policygenius Bestow Life is an online company whose mission is "helping people protect their people." Technically, it's an insurance agent, meaning it's the link between customers and the insurance carrier North American Company for Life and Health Insurance®.
Bestow offers term life insurance plans that are valid for a specific period of time. Term life insurance, as opposed to whole or permanent life insurance, is the type often recommended by financial experts. Term life covers the policyholder for only the pre-determined period of time, and then expires after, say, 30 years, when the policyholder might no longer have dependents. Because the value expires, term life insurance is much cheaper than whole life insurance, and the rate and payout are fixed: You'll pay the same amount every month throughout the entire policy, and your death benefit won't change over time.
It's standard when getting life insurance to undergo a medical check-up, but with Bestow (like with some other online life insurance companies), there are no medical visits required. Instead, the company asks you about your health and lifestyle and uses predictive models to get information about your health and wellness. It also provides customer support, advice from licensed life insurance agents, and the ability to cancel your plan at any time.
Let's face it: Life insurance isn't exactly something people love to talk about, but it's an important part of a comprehensive financial plan. Life insurance provides a lump sum of money to your chosen beneficiaries (in most cases, your spouse or children) upon your death. This money can cover the cost of the funeral, help cover loss of your income, or pay any of your outstanding debts.
Anyone who has dependents — others relying on their income, whether that's children, a non-working spouse, or aging parents — probably needs life insurance.
How much does life insurance by Bestow cost?
Bestow offers 10 and 20-year plans. The cost of these plans will vary by person based not only on how long they last, but also factors like your age, smoking status, and weight. Note that Bestow offers 20-year terms to people ages 21 to 45, and 10-year or two-year terms to people ages 21 to 54.
Both plans allow you to cancel any time, without paying any fees. You can apply for a plan in a matter of minutes and get approved quickly.
10 and 20-year plans start at $8 per month
Its 10 and 20-year term life insurance plans start at $8 per month for up to $1 million in coverage.
Under the 10 and 20-year terms, you can get affordable coverage for your family and protect your financial life for the long term. You'll pay the least amount per month if you're young and healthy. The price can go up with an increase in age and any medical issues.
This is a good plan if:
You have a family and are the breadwinner
You have dependents — other people relying on your income to live
You have large debt where a loss of income would be catastrophic
You're young and healthy, and want to lock in a low rate for the long term
You want up to $1 million in coverage
Life insurance is a serious decision, and there are plenty of companies that can help you get it. Here are the primary pros and cons for using Bestow for your life insurance needs:
Since Bestow only offers term life insurance, the monthly premium is low, making life insurance very affordable (although rates will vary by person).
There are no medical visits required, so this may be a good option for those who are doctor-averse.
It's easy to apply online without a phone call or meetings.
Not everyone will qualify for life insurance — although this isn't unique to Bestow. If you can't qualify for coverage through Bestow, it recommends comparing more coverage options through insurance comparison site Policygenius.
Compared to other online life insurance options, Bestow has a lower maximum coverage amount of $1 million. For example, with Haven Life, you can get coverage for up to $3 million. With Fabric, you can get coverage up to $5 million.
How to apply for life insurance with Bestow
If you think Bestow is the right life insurance for you, you can apply online quickly. Here's how it works:
1. Start with some basic information to get a quote
You'll input your gender, birth date, height, weight, and state you live in, as well as whether you currently use any nicotine products.
2. Get a quote for your monthly premium
I input my information as an example. I'm mid-30s and height and weight proportional. I don't smoke, and my prospective rate is $22.50 a month for a $500,000 policy with a 20-year term.
3. Create an account with an email and password
This is exactly as easy as you'd expect.
4. Answer 7 questions about your health
After that, you'll answer a quick seven-question survey about your health. The questions are about rapid weight loss, HIV status, disability payments, and depression, to determine whether there are any health conditions that affect you now and could affect you in the long term.
5. Answer 10 questions about your lifestyle
Then you'll answer a 10-question lifestyle survey. You'll be asked if you're a US citizen, where you were born, if you're traveling more than 30 days to another country, your employment type and income, and info about your driver's license.
6. Provide your Social Security number and sign
After that, you'll be asked to provide your Social Security number and digital signature. You'll be able to review your application before submitting. After, you'll verify your ID. Then, there's the underwriting process for approval. Here's what my final offer looked like:
The final number was about $17 a month more than my initial quote, once I filled out the in-depth survey. Your physical and mental health history may affect your final rate.
Overall, Bestow can be a good option for those who prioritize convenience and no doctor visits. Just make sure that the maximum coverage works for your needs, and consider getting quotes from other insurers to find the most affordable coverage for you.
Is Bestow life insurance a legit and reliable company? Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
Bestow has a long history of providing quality life insurance products. It has an A+ (Superior) rating with AM Best, meaning the company will likely be around for decades to come.
Many life insurance companies offer online calculators. We recommend talking to a licensed insurance agent. Agents can advise you on common issues for people of your age, familial status, etc. Then you can get a customized quote that makes sense for you.
Is life insurance worth it for seniors? Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
Seniors have more limited life insurance options compared to 20-year-olds. Some companies only offer small death benefit policies. But even small policies have significant benefits for funeral and other costs.
Is life insurance worth it for college students? Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
Your college years are one of the best times to buy life insurance. You may qualify for small no-medical exam policies. If you want a larger policy, qualification will be easier, and monthly premiums are naturally lower.
Life Insurance Personal Finance Insider pfi | 2022-12-30T22:23:31Z | www.businessinsider.com | Bestow Life Insurance Review | https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/bestow-life-insurance-review | https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/bestow-life-insurance-review |
Screenshots from viral videos of police threatening to arrest stranded passengers at the Nashville International Airport.
Amani Robinson/TikTok
A police officer at the Nashville International Airport threatened to arrest stranded Southwest Airlines passengers.
The incident was captured in viral videos shared to TikTok that have been viewed nearly 1.5 million times.
In a statement, the airport said Southwest Airlines contacted them "asking that a police officer be dispatched to ... escort passengers to the pre-security ticketing counters."
Just when yet another stranded group of Southwest Airlines passengers thought things couldn't get worse, a police officer threatened to arrest them.
In two viral TikTok videos shared Wednesday by Amani Robinson, a police officer is seen on ordering travelers at the Nashville International Airport to "leave nearly 1.5 million times.
Robinson and fellow passengers in the posts were among thousands stranded at airports across the US over the holidays, with several unable to rebook tickets. Southwest was hit especially hard by the cancellations, which stemmed from winter storms and outdated scheduling technology that heavily impacted the airline's staffing.
In the first video, a police officer is seen demanding "everybody to the unsecured side." When questioned by members of Robinson's family and other confused travelers, he replies sternly, "You have no ticket, you don't need to be on the secured side."
"But we have tickets," an unseen person says in the video.
"Your ticket just got canceled," the officer replies.
"Ok, so are we just going to be kicked to the curb?" Robinson asks.
"If you don't have a valid ticket, and you're on the secured side and refuse to leave then you're going to be arrested," the officer says.
A woman later identified by The Tennessean as Shelley Morrison, Amani's mother, then questions the officer for more information. She explains she's an attorney, and is seeking more details about the legal jurisdiction for the arrest threat.
"Right now Southwest is calling us because you guys are congregated right here, and they're trying to close that gate, and we're telling you your information is at the ticket counter," the officer responds. "Please go to the ticket counter, outside of the secured zone."
Southwest Airlines did not immediately respond to Insider's request to comment about the officer's claims.
@a.ndreart Me and my family were trying to go to Ohio and we were threatened and followed by this police officer,, lmk if y’all want a part 2 #southwestairlines #southwest #police #fypシ #foryoupage ♬ original sound - A.ndreart
In a followup video posted by Amani Robinson, the police officer approaches her family at a different gate after they have relocated. He again tells them to leave, but Morrison tries to explain that Southwest sent them updated information about their flight.
"Just for clarity, is it customary for the police to stop everybody to check their tickets? Why was I singled out to check my tickets and what was the reason?" Morrison asks the officer.
"Because of our encounter from earlier, I have reasonable suspicion to believe your tickets have been canceled and you were advised to leave the secure side," he responds.
"I am not the only one, you said it to everybody in that line, and there are other witnesses and it's videotaped," Morrison responds. "But I will no longer argue with you about it, I will go to the next place, the ticket counter, but I do have information concerning your badge, your name, your conduct, and your misconduct."
The plight of Robinson's family and her fellow passengers drew the attention of many on social media, including 2020 congressional candidate Lindsey Simmons.
Simmons reposted the video and tagged Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a call to action.
—Lindsey Simmons (@LynzforCongress) December 28, 2022
Nashville International Airport did not immediately respond to Insider's request to comment on the status of the police officer, or if any potential disciplinary action was taken. He reportedly works for Nashville International Airport's Department of Public Safety.
In a statement released Wednesday after the videos were posted, the Nashville International Airport said Southwest Airlines "contacted the Airport Communications Center asking that a police officer be dispatched to C-concourse, Gate C-7/9, to escort passengers to the pre-security ticketing counters."
The statement was seemingly removed from Twitter as of Friday afternoon.
Planes Transportation Travel | 2022-12-30T22:23:37Z | www.businessinsider.com | Southwest Passengers in Nashville Threatened With Arrest by Police | https://www.businessinsider.com/southwest-passengers-nashville-threatened-arrest-police-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/southwest-passengers-nashville-threatened-arrest-police-2022-12 |
Big Lots sales in the most recent quarter were down nearly 10% over the year before.
I visited a Rochester, New York location to see why.
I found a confusing, disorganized store with no clear brand to draw in customers.
I visited a Big Lots store in Rochester, New York to see why the chain is suffering with sales down 10% year over year, even as consumers are eager for deals and low prices.
The chain sells many different things, and the corporate website describes it as " amazing values that other stores just can't match" on "everyday consumables and housewares to toys and seasonal goods."
The location I visited had a few carts available, though I didn't see anyone actually using them.
When I stepped inside, I didn't have any more clarity about what kind of store this was.
There was a tailgating display near the entrance with some folding chairs and blankets.
The setup of the store was confusing and didn't seem to follow any real reasoning.
Messily arranged boxes of clothes lined shelves behind the tailgate setup.
That same aisle also had some exercise equipment, which was on sale.
There was half an aisle entirely dedicated to Baby Yoda merchandise, with blankets, stuffed toys, pillows, and other items.
Big Lots had success selling mugs, toys, and towels from the Disney popup section, president and CEO Bruce Thorn said in a December earnings call.
I was surprised at how much furniture was set up and for sale inside, from beds to large sectionals to kitchen tables.
Furniture sales were down double digits in the most recent quarter because customers are delaying big purchases, Thorn said.
The chain is lowering prices on furniture and adding more in-store discounts to move furniture, which I saw in sale signs posted throughout the store.
Aside from a few beds and table sets, the furniture setup felt very haphazard and unorganized.
Once I moved past the furniture, the store had more small, low-cost items for sale.
Many of the end caps advertising sales were totally emptied.
These displays are usually "unique, quirky, trendy and seasonal items" Big Lots says.
The back side of the store felt like several different chains in one.
Aisles of wall decor, faux plants, and candles reminded me of Home Goods or TJ Maxx.
There was a surprisingly robust pet section, with toys, food, treats, and cat trees.
The food section was similar to what you might find at a dollar store.
It was limited to name brands with all kinds of pantry staples and baking supplies.
There was a huge selection of soda, too.
Walking through the store, it's hard to tell what Big Lots wants to portray itself as, and why shoppers should see it as a destination over other stores.
Big Lots says it saw success in the fourth quarter with "Grinch branded apparel and accessory items, novelty family sleepwear, giant candy bars, ugly holiday sweaters, and leggings."
The store definitely reflected that confused, miscellaneous quality.
Other sections of the store were just extremely disorganized, making it difficult to tell what specific items cost or if they were on clearance.
St. Patrick's Day items were half stocked and sitting on a cart in the middle of the store.
The clothing section was extremely full, to the point where it was almost impossible to look through and take items off the rack.
Toys are a big sector for Big Lots, and it was easy to see why.
The toy section was the easiest to navigate and find prices marked on items.
There was also a section of $5 and under stocking stuffers near the register that I was tempted to buy from.
Big Lots kind of reminded me of Five Below in its mix of interesting novelties and moderate disorganization.
However, at Five Below it's easy to justify an inexpensive purchase. Big Lots has many more items priced at $10, $25, and higher.
After visiting, I understand better why Big Lots isn't benefiting from more consumers looking for deals.
The chain has a huge range of items at comparatively low prices, but it's not clear why people should shop there over other stores.
It doesn't have an established brand as a destination for cheap home goods, toys, or anything in particular.
It's a store for everything, but a destination for nothing.
It's definitely entertaining to walk around and kill some time, but it wouldn't be my first choice for anything I needed to shop for.
Features Retail Business Visual Features | 2022-12-31T00:03:17Z | www.businessinsider.com | Big Lots Store Tour Is Confusing and Disorganized | https://www.businessinsider.com/big-lots-store-tour-is-confusing-and-disorganized-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/big-lots-store-tour-is-confusing-and-disorganized-2022-12 |
A passenger on board the Iona said she had "the worst Christmas" of her life.
A cruise passenger had "the worst Christmas Day" of her life on board P&O Cruises' Iona.
She tweeted that her party that included seven children had to queue for two hours for dinner.
Another Iona passenger said the "Christmas party spirit" had gone when she was eventually seated.
A cruise passenger said she'd had "the worst Christmas day" ever after she and her party were forced to queue for two hours to have dinner.
The passenger, named Claire, tweeted P&O Cruises about her experience on the Iona: "The worst Christmas Day of my life, was given a 8.15pm booking although have 7 children with us and then a 2 hour wait in a queue."
Her comments were first reported by The Times of London.
Margaret Hardcastle, another passenger on the Iona, told Insider that restaurant reservations "played no bearing in what we were given."
A post shared by Margaret Hardcastle (@magshardcastle)
After arriving for an 8:15 p.m. booking, she "soon realized that this queue, of several hundred people possibly, was just to get into the Horizon buffet."
By the time Hardcastle was seated, she said "the Christmas party spirit had gone for everybody. People were tired, bored, hungry, keen to get fed." Dinner was "okay," but some Christmas touches were missing, she added.
After posting a video on social media, Hardcastle was offered a table in the ship's top "fine dining" restaurant for New Year's Eve. "My anticipated repeated fiasco has been averted," she told Insider.
A spokesperson for P&O Cruises told Insider: "We are so sorry for those guests affected by an isolated IT issue on Iona which caused a delay to dining for a proportion of guests on Christmas Day. This service was certainly not up to our usual high standards and we wholeheartedly apologise."
"We are doing everything possible to ensure our guests have a wonderful holiday for the rest of their time on board this cruise and enjoy all the activities, entertainment and celebrations."
The Iona is the biggest cruise liner ever built for the UK market, with more than 30 restaurants and bars and a capacity of 5,200 passengers, according to the website cruisecritic, which said it has the "feel of a lively but classy floating resort".
The ship is due back in Southampton, England on Monday after sailing to the Canary Islands, Portugal and Spain.
The problems come after passengers on another P&O cruise ship, the Arvia, said Christmas Day was an "absolute disaster," with some waiting until 11 p.m. to have dinner.
P&O Cruises christmas dinner Christmas Day | 2022-12-31T10:34:11Z | www.businessinsider.com | Cruise Passenger Had 'Worst Christmas Day of My Life' Over Dinner Delay | https://www.businessinsider.com/cruise-passenger-had-worst-christmas-day-of-her-life-iona-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/cruise-passenger-had-worst-christmas-day-of-her-life-iona-2022-12 |
Logan Paul (left) and KSI promoted the drink.
Getty Images/WireImage
Aldi says it's sold out of Prime just one day after it started selling the energy drink.
Videos on social media show people waiting outside stores and scrambling to buy the drinks.
"It's not a nice drink at all," one shopper who bought the drink for his son told Insider.
Shoppers scrambled to grab bottles of Prime, the energy drink promoted by YouTubers Logan Paul and KSI, causing Aldi to run out of the product. Some stores appear to have sold out within minutes of opening.
"As with all our Specialbuys, Prime was available for a limited period only and has now sold out," a spokesperson for Aldi told Insider on Friday.
The discount retailer started selling Prime on Thursday for £1.99, or $2.40, in three flavors: Blue Raspberry, Lemon and Lime, and Ice Pop.
Aldi limited customers to one bottle of each flavor per purchase in anticipation of "high demand."
"The drink will be a Specialbuy — and as with all Specialbuys, once they're gone, they're gone," it said in a press release.
There has been huge demand for Prime. The drink was available in seven flavors online and cost £24.99 for a 12-pack but stock has sold out. One mom told Insider that her son's school had banned students from bringing in the drink because kids were trying to sell it.
Videos posted on social media showed huge lines of people waiting outside Aldi stores before they opened to get their hands on the drink on Thursday morning.
—alfie (@AlfieSims04) December 29, 2022
@gooble_wooble Found it at aldi #aldi #prime #success #win @ksi @loganpaul #screammovie ♬ original sound - speed💤✔️
—Craig Westbrook (@CraigWestbrook5) December 29, 2022
—Chay Phinbow (@Chaayp) December 29, 2022
Bloomberg reported that more than 100 people were waiting outside a store in southwest London on Thursday morning to buy the drink. Shopper Kristina Sheppard told The Daily Mail that she saw people seemingly buying whole cases of Prime and parents "pushing" children. The whole store was "absolute carnage," she said.
Some videos showed people scrambling, shouting, and shoving to get their hands on the drinks, but some customers said they had a much calmer experience.
Rob Leat, a fitness trainer and online coach from Bristol, said he arrived at his local store 15 minutes before it opened and there was already a line of people there wanting to buy the drink. Customers were told to head straight to two checkouts to buy it, he said.
"Hats off to Aldi," he said. "It was really well organized and everybody in the queue was respectful, nobody tried to queue jump."
Chay Phinbow, a teaching assistant, told Insider her 11-year-old twins had wanted to try the drink since it was launched, and that it had been "extremely difficult to get hold of for many months."
Phinbow said that on Thursday she arrived at the Kidbrooke branch of Aldi in southeast London about half an hour before the store opened. They were the first in the line, she said.
By 7:55 a.m., there were some 150 people waiting for the store to open but Phinbow said: "Although there was a mad dash the staff handled it fairly."
Brandon Tough said he'd only managed to get his hands on the drink twice – once at supermarket chain Asda, which was the sole Prime distributor in the UK before Aldi started selling it too, and once at the German discount retailer. He used the app Prime Tracker to find out which stores had the drink in stock.
Asda started selling the drinks in September and limited them to three bottles a customer.
"We knew the drink would be popular which is why we picked it up exclusively," an Asda spokesperson said. They noted that greater supply meant that stocks had improved, leading to fewer long lines for the drinks.
"We certainly aren't seeing the kinds of scenes that we were a few months ago," the spokesperson said.
Many who bought Prime are fans of Logan Paul and KSI, who have been promoting the drink on their social-media platforms.
Leat told Insider he had followed KSI for a long time, "so I wanted to see for myself if his product lived up to the hype."
"It was a pretty average drink but I did like the ice pop flavor," he said.
Sam Kinsella, a landscape gardener from Bedfordshire, told Insider that he'd bought it because his son had seen it on TikTok. His verdict was much less positive. "It it's not a nice drink at all," Kinsella said.
Jake Dickinson, a motor factory manager from Lincoln, told Insider that some flavors were better than others.
KSI Logan Paul Retail | 2022-12-31T10:34:35Z | www.businessinsider.com | Aldi Runs Out of KSI and Logan Paul's Prime Energy Drink in a Day | https://www.businessinsider.com/prime-energy-drink-aldi-runs-out-ksi-logan-paul-uk-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/prime-energy-drink-aldi-runs-out-ksi-logan-paul-uk-2022-12 |
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Paris in November 2018.
Yoan Valat, Pool via AP
Bruges, Belgium.
Photolibrary / Getty Images Plus
Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
George Pachantouris/Getty Images
The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in Astana, Kazakhstan, in October 2022.
Vyacheslav Prokofyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP
Stockholm, Sweden.
Mistervlad/Shutterstock
Supporters of Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro wave a Brazilian flag during a campaign rally.
Fred Magno/Getty Images
Basel, Switzerland.
Boxun Liu / EyeEm / Getty Images
The Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia in Barcelona, Spain.
Pol Albarrán/Getty Images
Iranian flag in Tehran, Iran
President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks to the press in the town of Bucha on April 4, 2022.
Mumbai, India.
Frank Bienewald/LightRocket via Getty Images
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the G7 summit in Germany in June 2022.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid.
Sebastian Scheiner/AP Images
The Dubai Marina.
Jumana Jolie for Getty Images
Tokyo, Japan.
Seoul, South Korea.
Time, Life, Enjoy.../ Getty Images
City of London financial district: the Bank of England and Royal Exchange
Jeff Overs / Contributor/Getty Images
Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz at an EU summit in Brussels on December 15, 2022.
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets soldiers during a visit at a military training centre outside the town of Ryazan on October 20, 2022.
Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, China, in October 2022.
Features News UK China | 2022-12-31T10:34:47Z | www.businessinsider.com | World's Most Powerful Countries in 2022 Ranked: US News & World Report | https://www.businessinsider.com/worlds-most-powerful-countries-2022-ranked-us-news-world-report-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/worlds-most-powerful-countries-2022-ranked-us-news-world-report-2022-12 |
A customer sips her coffee in Starbucks' Mayfair Vigo Street branch in central London
Starbucks just announced changes to its popular rewards program.
Many items, like free coffee, lattes, and sandwiches, will soon be more difficult to redeem.
Some customers are angry and say they'll stop buying Starbucks in response.
Starbucks just announced changes to its massively popular reward system, and some customers aren't happy. Under the new system, which goes into effect in February 2023, more points will be required to redeem many menu items.
Customers who enroll in the chain's Starbucks Rewards program earn points — or "stars" — when purchasing food or drinks, which can then be redeemed for free menu items, like coffee. Free hot coffee, tea, or baked goods will now require 100 stars, doubling the previous price of 50 stars. Cold brews, lattes, and all other "handcrafted drinks," along with hot breakfast items like sandwiches, which previously required 150 stars to redeem, will now require 200 stars.
Many of those angry customers took to social media to complain. Insider spoke to four Starbucks customers who said they'll visit the chain less often thanks to the change.
"Starbucks just torpedoed their rewards system," L.C. Graf-Juarez tweeted the day the announcement was released. Though she's been a loyal customer since 2015, Graf-Juarez plans to stop visiting Starbucks, she told Insider. "Starbucks has slowly been chipping away at any sense of goodwill I thought they had and as inflation rises, there's so little reason for me to 'treat' myself to a company's products when they won't treat us right in return."
Amy Babby, another former Starbucks devotee, told Insider that she plans to discontinue the habit completely. From now on she plans to visit local coffee shops, she said.
Starbucks says the changes are necessary for the health of the rewards program.
"We occasionally need to make changes to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Starbucks Rewards program and to meet the changing needs of our members," the company said in a press release.
Some customers, however, aren't satisfied with that reasoning.
"I understand having to raise prices with inflation, and I happily pay more for my lattes!" customer Katy Biddle told Insider. "But it seems a little ridiculous to make us spend $100 dollars before getting a free latte...It just seems like they're taking advantage of us at this point," she told Insider.
Xochi Mendoza, a customer since 2013, felt the same way.
"I've stopped going so often because of the price hikes and would save up my stars for free drinks that I want to try," she told Insider. "No one is happy about these changes and I really hope they take a step back and rethink these changes."
A Starbucks representative directed Insider to the company's press release when reached for comment.
Retail News Starbucks | 2022-12-31T10:55:50Z | www.businessinsider.com | Some Starbucks Customers Are Furious About Rewards Program Changes | https://www.businessinsider.com/some-starbucks-customers-are-furious-about-rewards-program-changes-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/some-starbucks-customers-are-furious-about-rewards-program-changes-2022-12 |
A 30-year investing vet who called the latest bear market warns that stocks have another 41% downside with US economy already in recession and the Fed continuing to ratchet up rates
AP/Peter Morgan
Jon Wolfenbarger thinks the US economy is already in recession.
With growth slowing and the Fed still tightening, Wolfenbarger thinks stocks are due for big losses.
The S&P 500 is already down around 20% year-to-date.
Sure, consumer spending is still positive and unemployment remains near historic lows. But those facts are likely to change in the months ahead, says Wolfenbarger — the founder of Bull And Bear Profits — who's been working in financial markets for three decades and who has been warning of a significant drop in stocks since last year.
Right now, other recession indicators show the writing is on the wall, he says.
Take manufacturing activity, for example. The S&P Global Flash US PMI Composite Output Index shows manufacturing activity shrinking, as it's fallen below 50. The only two times before 2022 the index dipped below 50 were during the 2020 pandemic recession and during the Global Financial Crisis in the late 2000s.
Then there's The Conference Board's Leading Economic Index, which takes into account 10 different economic indicators, including housing starts, stock market performance, consumer sentiment, jobless claims, and manufacturing activity. The index has dipped below -5, which has historically been a recession signal. The index dropped below this level during the last three recessions.
Further, the yield curve has inverted, which has happened before every recession since the 1960s. The yield curve inverts when yields on 3-month Treasury bills rise above those on 10-year Treasury notes.
This phenomenon likely occurs in part because investors are wary about the economy's health and want to lock in risk-free long-term yield with the 10-year note. Increased demand for bonds pushes up their price, causing their yield to fall.
At the same time, rising 3-month yields also reflect a hawkish path for the fed funds rate, which usually hampers economic growth.
In addition to all of these signals of economic trouble in the near-future, the Federal Reserve also continues to tighten policy, Wolfenbarger points out. Right now, the central bank is expected to hike interest rates another 75 basis points before pausing. Once they finish hiking rates, they're expected to keep them elevated for an extended time.
Their aim is slow consumer demand to bring inflation down closer to 2%. In November, consumer prices rose 7.1% on a year-over-year basis.
All of that spells further trouble ahead for stocks, Wolfenbarger said, despite the fact that the S&P 500 has already fallen about 20% in 2022.
But high valuations make matters worse.
Wolfenbarger told Insider this week that he thinks the S&P 500 will fall another 41% (to 2,250, or 53% peak-to-trough) or more from current levels. This is because, according to some metrics, stock valuations remain as high as they were at the height of the dot-com bubble a little over two decades ago. Stocks fell around 45% during the dot-com bubble and more than 50% during the Global Financial Crisis.
Valuations tend to explain much of how the market performs over the long-term (higher valuations usually mean poor long-term performance, and vice versa), and do not necessarily mean a larger sell-off is imminent.
Wolfenbarger cited renowned market pundit John Hussman's most-preferred valuation metric, market cap of nonfinancial stocks-to-total revenue of nonfinancial stocks. Wolfenbarger said the metric is comparable to the so-called Warren Buffett indicator of total stock market capitalization-to-GDP.
Below are charts of both indicators, with Hussman's being first.
Longtermtrends
Wolfenbarger thinks the market will bottom about halfway through 2023.
Wolfenbarger's views in context
Wolfenbarger's view that a recession is already progress is disputed by some.
One who doesn't list a recessionary scenario as his base case is Cam Harvey, the director of research at Research Affiliates, who discovered the yield curve inversion as a recession indicator.
Harvey told Insider this month that despite that 3-month and 10-year yields will likely stay inverted for a full quarter, the curve is being distorted by short-term inflation expectations being higher than those for the long-term. He also pointed to the fact that job openings are still high at more than 10 million, and that expectations for a recession are likely prompting consumers and businesses to behave more cautiously.
But continued Fed tightening will increasingly put the economy at risk of a recession, Harvey warned.
Economists at Goldman Sachs, including Jan Hatzius and David Struyven, have also recently said that they believe the US economy will avoid a downturn in 2023 thanks to strong job growth, falling inflation, positive GDP growth, and more.
The list of economists, strategists, and money managers expecting a recession, however, is long.
Ken Rogoff, a former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund now at Harvard, told Insider last week that a soft landing scenario for the US economy would be difficult and would have to occur over a period of multiple years while inflation falls slowly. Rogoff thinks a downturn will begin in Q2 of next year.
Economists at banks like Deutsche Bank, Bank of America, JPMorgan, UBS, and Citigroup, are also forecasting a recession ahead.
As for Wolfenbarger's call on where stocks end up, even the most bearish strategists on Wall Street have a much milder view of where the market will head in 2023.
Bank of America's Savita Subramanian sees downside as far as 3,000, would mean roughly another 20% downside for the market.
Morgan Stanley's Mike Wilson sees the S&P 500 falling to 3,000-3,300, and Deutsche Bank's Binky Chadha sees the index falling to 3,375 in the second half of next year. In a recessionary scenario, Goldman Sachs' David Kostin said the S&P 500 could fall to 3,150, though that is not his base case.
Rob Arnott, the founder of Research Affiliates, told Insider last week that there's a "decent likelihood" stocks fall to new lows in 2023. The S&P 500's low point in 2022 was 3,577 in October.
Still, many equity strategists on Wall Street — even some of the most bearish — see the index ending 2023 above 4,000, with most expecting a recession to unfold in the first half of the year. | 2022-12-31T10:55:56Z | www.businessinsider.com | Stock Market Crash: Why Expect Says S&P 500 Has 41% Further Downside | https://www.businessinsider.com/stock-market-crash-sp500-bear-market-prediction-recession-outlook-wolfenbarger-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/stock-market-crash-sp500-bear-market-prediction-recession-outlook-wolfenbarger-2022-12 |
The concept Kia EV9.
In 2023, you'll be able to choose from more electric vehicles than ever before.
Startups like Fisker and Polestar will release their very first SUVs.
Major brands like Kia and Chevy plan to unleash new battery-powered SUVs, too.
Electric cars are way, way more expensive than their gas counterparts on the whole. But Chevrolet is looking to change that.
The 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV electric SUV.
The new Equinox EV coming next spring promises a starting price of around $30,000 — less than almost every other electric car on the market today.
Chevrolet Equinox EV.
That base model will offer a respectable 250 miles of range, while models with the larger battery option will deliver 300 miles.
The Equinox EV will be available in all-wheel drive or front-wheel drive. But keep in mind, the promised $30,000 version won't be on sale until 2024.
Chevy also plans to launch the Blazer EV, a slightly pricier model that takes aim at popular rivals like the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Tesla Model Y.
Chevy says it'll start at $45,000 and deliver up to 320 miles of range.
A high-performance SS model promises a whopping 557 horsepower and 648 pound-feet of torque.
The Chevrolet Blazer EV RS.
It'll blast to 60 mph in under four seconds, the brand says.
But not every electric vehicle coming from General Motors in 2023 will be focused on economy or everyday practicality.
Case in point: The GMC Hummer EV SUV.
The behemoth comes with an initial price of $106,000. That gets you the fully loaded Edition 1 model, which promises more than 300 miles of range and a beastly 830 horsepower.
Over time, GMC plans to introduce cheaper Hummer SUVs.
Big SUVs have been a bit of a weak spot in the auto industry's transition to EVs. But Kia is cooking up one that looks incredibly cool.
The EV9 debuted in concept form a couple of years ago, but in 2023 we'll get to see the real thing.
Unfortunately, the production version probably won't look quite as interesting as the original design. But Kia's striking EV6 model shows the brand is down to break from the norms of car design.
Kia hasn't said much about the EV9's specifics but does promise 300 miles of driving range and ultra-fast charging.
Want to stand out from the pack but stay low-key? Try out a Polestar.
The Polestar 3 is the startup's second all-electric model and its first SUV.
It's priced at $83,900 and up and has Polestar's signature minimalist, chiseled aesthetic.
Polestar says the SUV should deliver 300 miles of range, 489 horsepower, and 620 pound-feet of torque. Not too shabby.
Genesis, Hyundai's premium brand, has been making inroads into the EV market. And it's launching the Electrified GV70 soon.
The Genesis Electrified GV70.
We don't know exactly how much the sleek SUV will cost yet. But there are a few details Genesis has let slip.
The Electrified GV70 will get the same super-fast charging ability as Hyundai's other EVs. It'll be able to recharge from 10% to 80% in 18 minutes.
It boasts up to 429 horsepower and a swanky interior.
Lots of new electric-car startups are having a go at becoming the next Tesla. Fisker is on the brink of delivering its first vehicles.
The Ocean SUV will start at $37,500, but the first limited-edition model costs $69,000.
Fisker says some models will return 350 miles of range, placing the Ocean solidly near the top of the EV market.
The Ocean's most unique feature: A big touchscreen that rotates from a portrait to landscape orientation. | 2022-12-31T12:40:45Z | www.businessinsider.com | The Coolest Electric SUVs Coming in 2023 From Chevy, Hummer, Kia | https://www.businessinsider.com/evs-electric-suvs-coming-2023-chevy-polestar-kia-fisker-hummer-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/evs-electric-suvs-coming-2023-chevy-polestar-kia-fisker-hummer-2022-12 |
US House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy speaks to reporters during a weekly Capitol Hill news conference on January 13, 2022 in Washington, DC.
Kevin McCarthy is working to clinch the votes needed to become House speaker in 2023.
Around a dozen House Republicans currently have issues with giving him the job.
Dragging out the process will determine where McCarthy fits in with other contested speakers.
Eight years after abandoning his first speaker bid to sidestep a conservative rebellion, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is vowing to take the GOP leadership fight to the floor this January to finally clinch his dream job.
The current parlor game in Washington is trying to figure out how long — Minutes? Days? Weeks? — frustrated Republican hardliners like protest candidate Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona, anti-McCarthy agitator Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, and the half-dozen, concession-seeking conservatives aligned with Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania can keep the gavel out of his hand.
Thwarting an outright victory on the first ballot would automatically bump McCarthy into the fraternity of House speakers who had more convincing to do in order to sew up their own contested candidacies.
The question is: Can McCarthy barter his way into the ranks of those who won over skeptics after just a couple of retries? Or do his opponents have enough clout to keep McCarthy — and by extension, the general functioning of the House of Representatives — twisting in the wind longer than the two-month wait and 132 rejections that current record holder Rep. Nathaniel Banks endured back in 1855 (he limped through on the 133 ballot).
McCarthy's career trajectory remains uncertain due to the narrow majority House Republicans will have in the 118th Congress. Although they flipped the chamber in November, the modest midterms win leaves House GOP leaders with a 10-seat advantage over House Democrats, but just a handful of members they can lose for a majority vote (218 in the 435-seat House).
As former Congressional Research Service staffer Matt Glassman points out in his cheat sheet on speaker elections, the math works a little differently in leadership contests because the threshold changes if lawmakers abstain from voting or don't name their alternative candidate.
Which means that the anti-McCarthy bloc including Biggs, Gaetz, and Reps. Bod Good of Virginia, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, and Matt Rosendale of Montana can try to jam McCarthy by voting no, or rallying around a specific candidate like Biggs. But they would actually help McCarthy's cause by voting "present" (that would drop the House total to 430, meaning McCarthy only needs 215 other votes to win).
So, with five hard no's from the Biggs contingent, seven holdouts craving procedural changes, and four dozen GOP moderates who view McCarthy as the only viable candidate, the aspiring speaker's place in the history books could still break several different ways on January 3.
If detractors stick him on the the first vote to make a political statement, but then let McCarthy off the hook the second time around, the California Republican can take his place among fellow two-ballot-needing speakers Theodore Sedgwick (1799), Joseph Varnum (1809), and John Taylor (1825).
If he turns out to be a third-time's-the-charm type of guy, McCarthy will join triple-ballot takers Frederick Muhlenberg (1793), Nathaniel Macon (1805), and Robert Winthrop (1847).
Should deliberations stretch into double digits in terms of balloting, McCarthy must then begin jockeying for position among Frederick Gillet (nine ballots; 1923), John Bell (10 ballots; 1833), Robert Hunter (11 ballots; 1839), and Philip Barbour (12 ballots; 1821).
Pulling it out in less than two dozen ballots would place McCarthy back in the running with John Taylor, who had to sit through 22 votes to get the job in 1819. (Taylor must've worked on his salesmanship by 1825.)
Running the gauntlet close to four dozen times would land McCarthy in the realm of William Pennington, who battled through 44 ballots over two months.
Should getting a promotion require more than five dozen ballots, McCarthy would move into Howell Cobb territory (63 ballots; 1849).
In order to push McCarthy past Banks in terms of all-time ballots, blockers would have to keep McCarthy at bay at least 134 times.
As daunting a task as that may seem, Gaetz mused to political outlet The Hill that he's prepared to dig in his heels though the spring.
"We may see the cherry blossoms before we have a Speaker," the Trump-aligned Floridian said, citing DC's seasonal spectacle.
Kevin McCarthy Andy Biggs Matt Gaetz | 2022-12-31T12:41:07Z | www.businessinsider.com | McCarthy's Down-to-the-Wire Speaker Bid Is One for the History Books | https://www.businessinsider.com/kevin-mccarthy-andy-biggs-matt-gaetz-historic-contested-speaker-race-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/kevin-mccarthy-andy-biggs-matt-gaetz-historic-contested-speaker-race-2022-12 |
Who should play Sam Bankman-Fried, Caroline Ellison, and his parents when the FTX implosion gets made into a movie or TV show
The saga of Sam Bankman-Fried and his crypto firm FTX will likely be made into a film or TV series.
Sam Bankman-Fried has reportedly met with "The Big Short" author Michael Lewis.
And Apple is already reportedly closing in on a deal for the rights to adapt that book on screen.
We thought of our dream casting for the inevitable movie or TV series.
Michael Lewis, author of "The Big Short" and "Moneyball," has reportedly interviewed disgraced FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried multiple times for an upcoming book.
Sam Bankman-Fried outside at the federal court in Manhattan on Thursday.
The Hollywood trade The Ankler reported in November that Lewis had been interviewing Bankman-Fried for six months, and the New York Post followed up on Tuesday, reporting that Lewis met with Bankman-Fried for "several hours" soon after the latter was put under house arrest at his parents' home in Palo Alto.
Bankman-Fried was released on bail last week from a New York federal court after being extradited to the US from the Bahamas. He's facing several fraud-related charges after the implosion of FTX, the cryptocurrency firm he founded and of which he was formerly CEO.
Last month, Apple was reportedly closing in on a deal for the rights to Lewis' book, meaning a movie or TV adaption could be on the way.
Deadline reported last month that Apple was closing in on a deal for the rights to Lewis' eventual book on the fall of Bankman-Fried and his bankrupt crypto firm FTX, with plans to turn it into a film.
An Apple TV+ representative did not immediately return a request for comment.
Recent Silicon Valley fiascos have been getting the TV and film treatment.
They include Hulu's "The Dropout," about the fall of Theranos and Elizabeth Holmes; Showtime's "Super Pumped," about Uber; and Apple's "WeCrashed," about the implosion of WeWork. "The Big Short" and "Don't Look Up" director Adam McKay is making a movie about Theranos based on the book "Bad Blood."
So it's not too surprising that Hollywood is already itching to bring Bankman-Fried and the FTX drama to the screen.
We have some ideas about who should play the key characters in the inevitable movie or TV series about the FTX implosion, starting with Harry Melling as Bankman-Fried.
Harry Melling, who would make a great Sam Bankman-Fried.
Bankman-Fried typically appears disheveled, with his curly hair looking like he just rolled out of bed. So the curls are essential for nailing the look.
I had that in mind when thinking about which actor could play Bankman-Fried. Such names like Timothée Chalamet and Alex Wolff popped up, but they didn't quite fit the mold.
I'm picking Harry Melling, who, at a young age, nailed being a terrible person as Dudley Dursley in the "Harry Potter" movies. More recently he's made appearances in "The Queen's Gambit" and the new Netflix movie "The Pale Blue Eye."
He'd have to hide the English accent, but I have confidence that he could channel SBF's often awkward energy.
Next up: Caroline Ellison, the mysterious former CEO of FTX's crypto trading arm, Alameda Research, and Bankman-Fried's ex-girlfriend.
There are very few details about Caroline Ellison available.
There aren't many photos of or details about Ellison, and her social media accounts were scrubbed soon after FTX's implosion.
We know that she is a 28-year-old math whiz and "Harry Potter" super fan who grew up in the Boston suburbs.
Like Bankman-Fried, she was released on bail in New York last week after pleading guilty on seven counts related to the FTX collapse. She's been portrayed as Bankman-Fried's right-hand person.
Kaitlyn Dever, who gained stardom with 2019's "Booksmart," is my pick to play Ellison.
Kaitlyn Dever has proven her acting chops.
With so few photos and videos of Ellison available, it might be difficult for an actress to nail her down. I thought of Joey King, who showed in "Bullet Train" she can pull off a villainous vibe. Elsie Fisher was suggested to me, and she has that nerdy appeal.
But Dever is one of the most talented young actresses under 30 working today. She's showed her chops in roles like Netflix's "Unbelievable" and Hulu's "Dopesick," the latter of which got her an Emmy nomination.
At 26, she's the perfect age to play the young Ellison, who, along with Bankman-Fried, seemed to be in over her head.
Lastly, we have to cast Bankman-Fried's parents, Barbara Fried and Joseph Bankman.
Barbara Fried has attended court appearances with her son.
Fried and Bankman were both law professors at Stanford University (Fried recently retired from teaching), and the two have been in the spotlight since their son's arrest and his company's meltdown.
In November, Fried resigned from the Democratic super-PAC Mind and Gap that she cofounded, The New York Times reported. A tax-policy class Bankman was set to teach this winter was canceled and moved to the spring, according to The Wall Street Journal.
With Melling and Dever lacking the kind of star power of more veteran actors, let's get some big names for Bankman-Fried's parents.
This movie needs some star power. I dig Jamie Lee Curtis as Bankman-Fried's mom, Barbara Fried.
Curtis.
Jamie Lee Curtis never went away, so it's unfair to call her recent years a "comeback." But, at 64, she has been noticeably more active lately, with memorable turns in "Knives Out" (2019) and this year's "Everything Everywhere All at Once," as well as her return to the "Halloween" franchise. Let's continue the hot streak with an FTX movie.
And for Joseph Bankman: what the heck, why not Steve Carell?
Steve Carell in 2022.
Steve Carell has the silver-hair-and-glasses look of a law professor, but would have to perfect Bankman's cartoonish and nasally voice.
It would be fun to see him and Curtis on screen together, embroiled in their son's chaos. Carell also starred in the movie adaptation of Lewis' "The Big Short," and Hollywood loves connections like that.
Features Sam Bankman-Fried Caroline Ellison | 2022-12-31T12:41:50Z | www.businessinsider.com | Who Should Play Sam Bankman-Fried, Caroline Ellison in FTX Movie | https://www.businessinsider.com/who-should-play-sam-bankman-fried-caroline-ellison-ftx-movie-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/who-should-play-sam-bankman-fried-caroline-ellison-ftx-movie-2022-12 |
15 of the most powerful images from Ukraine since the start of Russia's invasion
Ukrainian artillery fires in the fiercely-contested Bakhmut region of eastern Ukraine on November 8, 2022.
Russia launched an all-out invasion of Ukraine on February 24, changing European history.
Since then, almost eight million Ukrainians have fled bombings and devastation in the country.
The scale, devastation, and humanity of the conflict is captured in striking images like these.
On February 24 this year, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbor Ukraine, prompting vast lines of traffic out of Kyiv, the capital, as people fled.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy quickly announced martial law, forcing many Ukrainians to say goodbye to their loved ones to fight.
A Ukrainian soldier says goodbye to his girlfriend before departing in the direction of Kyiv at the central train station in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on March 9, 2022.
Aleksey Filippov / AFP via Getty Images
Tides of people pushed to evacuate as Russian forces blasted the smaller cities surrounding Kyiv, prompting scenes like this in Irpin.
Ukrainians crowd under a destroyed bridge as they try to flee crossing the Irpin river in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 5, 2022.
Since the start of the war, around 7.8 million Ukrainians have left the country, 4.8 million of which have sought refuge in Europe, according to the UNHCR.
Thw wounded Ukrainian teacher Olena Kurilo made international headlines with this picture of her standing outside her destroyed home.
Olena Kurilo after a strike on an apartment complex outside of Kharkiv, Ukraine, on February 25, 2022.
Kurilo needed multiple surgeries in Poland and the UK to regain some of her eyesight, she told Anadolu Agency last month.
In March, Russia bombed a maternity hospital in Mariupol, injuring this pregnant woman. The woman and her baby later died.
An injured pregnant woman outside a maternity hospital damaged by shelling in Mariupol, Ukraine, on March 9, 2022.
In April, mass graves were uncovered in the Ukrainian town of Bucha in the wake of Russia's occupation there. The images sparked revulsion around the world.
A team pulls a body from a mass grave in Bucha, Ukraine, in April 2022.
Erin Trieb for Insider
Russia has denied responsibility for the killings of civilians in Bucha, The Guardian reported.
Russia's invasion has had a profound impact on Zelenskyy, who is seen here both before the war in 2021, and during a visit to Bucha in April 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Berlin, Germany, on July 12, 2021 (left) and in Bucha, Ukraine, on April 4, 2022 (right).
Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Stefanie Loos/Pool via Getty Images
In May, the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol became the last pocket of resistance to Russian attack. Ukrainian soldiers stayed in the plant for months, rarely seeing sunlight. They eventually surrendered, but were hailed as heroes in Ukraine for their long resistance.
A Ukrainian soldier inside the ruined Azovstal steel plant stands under a sunlight ray in his shelter in Mariupol, Ukraine, on May 7, 2022.
Dmytro Kozatski/Azov Special Forces Regiment of the Ukrainian National Guard Press Office via AP
Fighters of the Azov Batallion said their wounded comrades were living in unsanitary conditions "without the necessary medication and even food."
Two injured Ukrainian servicemen inside the Azovstal iron and steel works factory in eastern Mariupol, Ukraine, on May 10, 2022.
Dmytro Kozatsky/Azov Special Forces Regiment of /AFP via Getty Images
Ukraine was able to evacuate all of the remaining people in the steel plant in May, effectively ceding the city to Russia.
This heartbreaking photo, also taken in Mariupol, shows a father cradling the body of his teenage son who was killed by a Russian bomb.
Serhii, the father of Iliya, cries over his teenage son's lifeless body on a stretcher in Mariupol, Ukraine, on March 2, 2022.
Source: The New York Post
The fighting between the two countries has been relentless, dominated by artillery fire. These photo from Izyum, northeastern Ukraine, shows a a field covered in craters from shelling.
A field is covered with craters left by the shelling close to Izium, Ukraine, on September 13, 2022.
Kostiantyn Liberov via AP Images
The most senior US general, Mark Milley, said in November that around 100,000 Russian and 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed or wounded since February, according to the BBC.
Ukraine has been provided with military equipment like artillery pieces, long-range rocket launchers, and tanks, by more than 30 countries.
A Ukrainian soldier fires toward Russian positions outside Bakhmut, Ukraine, on November 8, 2022.
Ukraine has had some positive moments in the war, like the recapturing of the Kherson and Kharkiv regions, which led to this heartfelt moment between a civilian and a soldier.
A Kherson resident kisses a Ukrainian soldier in central Kherson, Ukraine, on November 13, 2022.
But Russia has changed its tactics in the last few months, attacking vital power infrastructure in Ukraine and thereby plunging millions into darkness.
People sit in a café without power on December 09, 2022 in Lviv, Ukraine.
The war shows no sign of stopping. Earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin said it may be a "long process."
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence, outside Moscow, on October 28, 2022.
Features News UK Ukraine | 2022-12-31T14:41:58Z | www.businessinsider.com | 15 of the Most Powerful Images From Ukraine Since the Start of the War | https://www.businessinsider.com/15-of-most-powerful-images-from-ukraine-since-start-war-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/15-of-most-powerful-images-from-ukraine-since-start-war-2022-12 |
Meet the workers who 'acted their wage' at their 'silly little jobs' and made life their 9-to-5 this year
Avery Monday/Sarai Soto/Micah Nadwodny
The pandemic and post-vaccine era have led to a massive rethink of work for Americans.
Some are quiet quitting, or acting their wage, and others are recontextualizing their jobs.
It all speaks to a labor market jolted by the pandemic, and how workers want more of a say.
For workers, the past two years have been a whirlwind — and a fundamental reexamining of what work means.
And 2022, in particular, has been marked by several workplace trends that demonstrate how people are feeling about their jobs. "Quiet quitting," "acting your wage," having a "silly little job," and treating your personal life as a full-time job fascinated Insider readers.
It goes back to 2020, when the low-wage work that became increasingly dominant in the wake of the Great Recession was suddenly rebranded. The in-person workers who kept grocery stores and warehouses running were "essential" "heroes." But as the pandemic dragged on, meager pay increases didn't.
At the same time, laid-off workers — some of whom saw work as intrinsic to their own identities — were flung out of the workplace. Expanded unemployment benefits meant that some jobless Americans received higher and more steady incomes than they ever had before.
Once vaccines became widely available, Americans were ready for a rethink of work, even if the workplace wasn't ready for them. The result over the past year and a half has been workers quitting at near-record rates, unionizing across previously untouched industries, and redefining the role work plays in their lives.
Insider has spoken to Americans as they rethink work, grapple with structural barriers to doing better, and push for better. All of their perspectives — from those acting their wage to younger workers shaking up workplace norms – show an appetite for a workplace changed by and for workers.
Some workers are 'acting their wage'
Sarai Soto.
Courtesy of Sarai Soto
Sarai Soto's TikTok skits on the workplace have become wildly popular. The 30-year-old content creator portrays characters pushing back on overbearing workplaces by "quiet quitting," or acting their wage. It's like an instruction manual for workers looking to establish better and firmer boundaries — and one that clearly resonates.
"I can't tell you how many messages I receive of people being like, okay, I know your content is funny and provides this comedic relief, but I'm telling you, although it's exaggerated, I've been through those exact same scenarios," Soto told Insider.
Meanwhile, Billy, a warehouse worker in Ireland, has enacted his own version of acting his wage: He makes work work for him. One way he did that was through listening to the entirety of "Das Kapital" as an audiobook, instead of just listening to music during work.
Read more: How to 'act your wage,' according to 2 millennials who did it: 'If a company is paying you, let's say minimum wage, you're gonna put in minimum effort'
The youngest workers see their lives as a full-time job
Avery Monday.
Courtesy of Avery Monday
Since joining the workforce, Gen Z's brought their own values — including a strict work-life balance — to an already pandemic-disrupted economy.
Their resistance to the norms of work aren't necessarily new; millennials have been trying to push beyond cushy workplace perks for better balance, and so have their predecessors. This time, though, popular sentiment seems to be backing Gen Z up. It left some older workers happily jealous.
"Older generations, if they could wrap their mind around it, they would be able to be a lot more fulfilled and be able to have hobbies and do different things," Avery Monday, a 21-year-old influencer-marketing manager told Insider. "My hope is for them one day to also take part in that and enjoy it, because every generation deserves a good work life balance."
Read more: Gen Z treats life as a full-time job and work as a side gig. Other generations are jealous.
Jobs aren't your whole world anymore — they're silly and little now
Micah Nadwodny.
Courtesy of Micah Nadwodny
Americans have always had a lot to deal with outside of work, and those pressures have only intensified over the last few years. The pandemic added a new challenge: Simply surviving. The overlapping crises of the pandemic, war, and everything getting more expensive has weighed heavily on workers.
The result has been a recontextualization of work, exemplified in the meme phrase "silly little job," which originated in 2020.
"Early pandemic, everything felt like silly little X, as the world was so out of control around us," Amanda Brennan, a meme librarian and senior director of trends at XX Artists, told Insider. "It's like, how do you do your silly little tasks when it feels life or death?"
Read more: 2 years of pandemic, war, and climate crisis have made many Americans rethink work as just 'silly little jobs'
Features Economy quiet quitting | 2022-12-31T14:42:23Z | www.businessinsider.com | A Year of Rethinking Work: Quiet Quitting, Silly Little Job, Act Your Wage | https://www.businessinsider.com/rethinking-work-quiet-quitting-silly-little-job-act-your-wage-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/rethinking-work-quiet-quitting-silly-little-job-act-your-wage-2022-12 |
A dog was found abandoned outside an airport after its owner was stopped from taking it on a flight, animal shelter says
The dog (not pictured) was left tied up outside Des Moines International Airport.
Sebastian Gollnow/Getty Images
A traveler was blocked from boarding a plane with their dog because they didn't have a carrier.
They left the airport with the dog but returned to the gate alone and took the flight, workers said.
The one-year-old dog was later found tied up outside Des Moines International Airport.
An animal shelter in Iowa rescued a one-year-old dog that was abandoned outside Des Moines International Airport on Thursday.
Airport workers told officers from the Animal Rescue League of Iowa that a traveler — presumed to be the dog's owner – had been blocked from taking the pet on a flight because they didn't have a carrier.
The workers said the traveler left the airport with the dog, but then returned alone to board the flight.
The dog, which has been named Allie, was later found tied up outside the airport.
—Animal Rescue League (@ARLIowa) December 30, 2022
"Allie is incredibly sweet and is now safe in our care and loving attention from our staff team," said the Animal Rescue League.
They added: "The incident is still an active investigation, and more details will be released as they are able to be shared."
It is illegal to abandon an animal in Iowa. The dog's owner, if located, could be fined up to $625 and/or face 30 days in jail.
Des Moines International Airport and ARL Animal Services did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Insider.
Pets Airlines Airports | 2022-12-31T14:42:35Z | www.businessinsider.com | A Traveler Left Their Dog Tied up Outside an Airport and Flew Home Alone | https://www.businessinsider.com/traveler-abandoned-dog-at-airport-and-flew-home-alone-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/traveler-abandoned-dog-at-airport-and-flew-home-alone-2022-12 |
Nicole Gaudiano and Brent D. Griffiths
Challenges with inflation, COVID-19, and immigration persisted throughout Biden's second year as president.
But he made progress on his legislative agenda in Congress, despite Democrats' razor-thin majorities.
He has also rallied world leaders in support of Ukraine against Russian aggression.
As he ended his first year in office, President Joe Biden was asked by a reporter about a laundry list of problems facing the nation: high inflation, his stalled domestic agenda, COVID-19, and division throughout the nation.
"Why are you such an optimist?" Biden responded, drawing laughter.
A year later, some of those issues persist. Grocery prices are high, gas prices have been volatile, and the White House is warning of another COVID-19 winter surge. Biden faces other setbacks, including his efforts to unravel former President Donald Trump's controversial border policies.
But he has also made progress on his domestic agenda.
His second year in office was marked by historic legislative achievements despite Democrats' razor-thin majority in Congress. The measures included bills to improve the nation's infrastructure, reduce prescription drug costs and climate change, boost semiconductor manufacturing, and promote gun safety. He nominated, and the Senate confirmed, the first Black woman to the Supreme Court.
And he rallied world leaders in defense of Ukraine against Russian aggression.
Biden's approval ratings, though still underwater, have ticked up slightly since the midterm elections, which exceeded expectations for Democrats when predictions of a so-called "red wave" of Republican victories fizzled.
Here are some of the highs and lows from Biden's second year:
Success: Ukraine
President Joe Biden talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy outside the White House.
Russian President Vladimir Putin expected a swift and decisive victory when he ordered an invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Instead, Russian forces are struggling and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country "is alive and kicking."
"Against all odds and doom-and-gloom scenarios, Ukraine didn't fall," Zelenskyy told members of Congress during a historic visit to Washington, DC, in December.
Biden has led a multinational coalition to support Ukraine and impose sanctions on Russia while the US has provided billions in humanitarian and military assistance, including a Patriot missile battery in December to boost Ukraine's air defense.
"I've spent several hundred hours face-to-face with our European allies and the heads of state of those countries, and making the case as to why it was overwhelmingly in their interest that they continue to support Ukraine," Biden said during a joint news conference with Zelenskyy.
Biden faced criticism for calling Putin's actions in Ukraine "genocide" and saying he "cannot remain in power." Republicans blamed the war on Biden, calling him weak.
Biden could have "tried harder to prevent the war," wrote Michael E. O'Hanlon of the Brookings Institute in October. But Biden helped lead an economic response that has "cut off most high-tech cooperation between the West and Russia" and "rightly decided that the United States should not directly enter the conflict and risk World War III," O'Hanlon wrote.
Conservative New York Times columnist Bret Stephens in September called the "staggering gains" by Ukrainian forces "a victory for Joe Biden, too." Beyond military equipment assistance, he wrote, the US is providing "battlefield intelligence that enables them to maneuver, target, strike and evade in ways they otherwise couldn't."
Success: First Black woman to SCOTUS
President Joe Biden congratulates Ketanji Brown Jackson moments after the U.S. Senate confirmed her to be the first Black woman to be a justice on the Supreme Court in the Roosevelt Room at the White House on April 07, 2022.
Biden's judicial nominations have promoted diversity on the federal bench, most notably with the historic confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to serve as a Supreme Court justice.
Jackson won bipartisan support with three Republicans — Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Mitt Romney of Utah — joining 50 Democrats to vote in favor of her confirmation.
Her swearing-in represented "a profound step forward for our nation, for all the young, Black girls who now see themselves reflected on our highest court, and for all of us as Americans," Biden said in June.
Judicial nominations have been a priority for Biden, with more than 90 Article III federal judges confirmed, according to the Federal Judicial Center.
The White House in November said 67% of his nominees were women and 66% were people of color.
Success: Pushing through some bipartisan legislation
As a presidential candidate, Biden was greeted with skepticism by progressives when he touted the virtue of bipartisan dealmaking. But his second year in office ends with trillions of dollars pledged to infrastructure and semiconductor manufacturing.
Even Republicans, such as former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, have conceded that many in the GOP underestimated the president, whom right-wing critics taunt as being too old. Instead, the leader some Democrats refer to as "Dark Brandon" continued to sign more deals into law, including the largest gun safety legislation in nearly 30 years and expanded benefits for veterans exposed to toxic environments such as burn pits.
In ceding the spotlight to Congress, Biden has found a way to fulfill a slew of campaign promises.
But it hasn't been all kumbaya across Washington. Just as with COVID-19 relief, Democrats turned to a budget maneuver that allowed them to pass major priorities — including the largest investment in climate-related programs in US history and major expansion of Medicare's power to lower drug costs — without a single Republican vote.
Success (mostly): The midterms
Supporters of then-Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman celebrate on election night in Pittsburgh. Fetterman went on to a flip a seat to Democrats.
Midterms are supposed to humble a first-term president.
But there was no "red wave" in 2022. In fact, Democrats expanded their Senate majority and the number of governorships they control. Republicans did retake the House, but their majority is so slim that it's still an open question whether House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy will win enough far-right support to become Speaker of the House.
Like many items on this list, Biden can't take sole credit.
The Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade galvanized a major segment of voters. And like his predecessors — outside of Trump — Biden had a limited presence on the campaign trail.
But he and the White House by all accounts appear vindicated in their branding of far-right Republicans as "ultra MAGA" and election deniers as a fundamental threat to democracy. And, no malarkey, Biden and his allies are delighting in how the fallout has left Trump weakened with GOP leaders calling for him to step aside.
Failure: Free community college, voting rights, and everything else Biden abandoned
President Joe Biden pauses as he speaks to reporters following a rare meeting at the Capitol with Senate Democrats where he implored them to partially kill the filibuster. His efforts failed.
The filibuster is still alive.
The survival of that procedural Senate hurdle meant a Democratic president was forced to accept that major campaign promises must be either broken or at least severely curtailed.
Candidate Biden stumped repeatedly for tuition-free community college. It was first lady Jill Biden, a longtime community college professor, that marked its demise.
"We knew this wouldn't be easy," Jill Biden told a summit of community college leaders in early 2022. "Still, like you, I was disappointed.
It was far from the only major policy that didn't survive 2022. Democrats' much-hyped push for voting rights ended in a failed effort to gut the filibuster.
Universal pre-K was included in a sweeping spending plan passed by House Democrats until their Senate colleagues cut that out too. The back-and-forth between the two sides at the Capitol — especially when it involved the views of Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema — helped kill another Biden pledge to help raise taxes on major corporations.
Even early successes, such as the expansion of the Child Tax Credit, which was credited for a large drop in poverty, weren't renewed by a divided Congress.
Failure: Immigration
Border Patrol agents transfer Venezuelan and Nicaraguan migrants after they crossed the Rio Grande river from Ciudad Juarez in late December
Legal challenges have been an obstacle for Biden in his attempts to end controversial Trump-era immigration policies at the southern border, including Title 42. The 2020 policy allows the US to expel certain migrants to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and Biden has said the policy's revocation is "overdue."
The Department of Homeland Security had been planning a surge of resources for the border in anticipation of Title 42 lifting in December, allowing migrants to make long-delayed cases for asylum.
But the Supreme Court allowed the policy to remain in effect temporarily after Republican-led states argued the states would be harmed by a potential influx of migrants.
Another Trump-era policy known as "Remain in Mexico" is still in effect after a federal judge in Texas paused the administration's attempt to end it. The policy requires certain non-Mexican citizens to await immigration proceedings in Mexico instead of the US.
Migrants waiting across the border have described a desperate situation, living in encampments with tarp-covered tents in the cold. In December, El Paso's mayor issued an emergency declaration after thousands of migrants crossed the Rio Grande into the city.
The US Customs and Border Protection agency says it has stopped migrants 2.38 million times at the southwest border for the fiscal year ending in September, compared to 1.73 million for the previous fiscal year.
Republicans routinely call on Biden to visit the border, and some say Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas should be impeached for failures there. The GOP has already vowed to use their power in the House to probe the Biden administration's handling of the border.
Failure: Inflation
President Joe Biden arrives for an event focused on inflation and the supply chain at the Port of Los Angeles in June.
It was supposed to be "transitory." It wasn't.
The good news is that Americans are starting to feel relief as inflation has cooled for five months straight.
The bad news is that inflation still hit peaks not seen in 40 years and there's still no guarantee disaster isn't looming for the broader economy.
Biden and his team like to point out that the US is far from the only nation that faced record inflation as COVID-19 mostly receded and riddled the world with supply chain disasters.
Some economists, including Clinton Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, argue that Biden made it worse last year by pushing for a $1.9 trillion pandemic relief plan that overheated the economy.
Over time, the administration ramped up pressure on large corporations that it blamed for exacerbating price hikes.
At the pump, gas prices soared as supply-chain issues and Putin's invasion of Ukraine disrupted the global market. Biden signed off on record releases from the nation's strategic oil reserves — even though economists said such action wouldn't provide much relief. Gas prices have since fallen back below their record highs.
The reality is that both issues are difficult for a White House or even Congress to tackle. That's why now and next year the focus will be on the Federal Reserve, which has aggressively raised interest rates to keep inflation in check — a move the central bank is likely to continue in 2023.
Failure (still lingering): Afghanistan
A Taliban fighter stands guard as a woman walks by him in Kabul in late December.
Biden's record in the war-ravaged country was mixed in 2022 after his chaotic troop withdrawal in 2021.
In August, he announced that "justice has been delivered" after a drone strike killed Ayman al-Zawahiri, the al-Qaeda leader who oversaw the September 11, 2001 attacks with group founder Osama bin Laden.
The CIA operation in Kabul gave Biden an accomplishment to tout in Afghanistan. But the fallout from his handling of the withdrawal still lingers today.
Thousands of Afghans who worked with the US during the 20-year war remain in the country, fearing retaliation from the Taliban, the militant Islamist group that seized control after the US withdrawal.
A $1.7 trillion federal spending bill that passed Congress in December includes a measure to provide more visas for Afghans who worked with the US, but it omits legislation to provide a pathway to permanent residency for them.
The Taliban has taken severe action against women, including banning female education, most jobs for women, and most freedoms.
Investigating the botched withdrawal is likely to be a priority for Republicans when they take control of the House.
Anthony Cordesman, emeritus chair in strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Biden could have done better in handling the collapse of the Afghan government and forces.
"But he inherited a lost cause, a failed and corrupt Afghan government, Afghan forces that could not fight on their own, and a peace process where the previous President had already announced the U.S. would leave on a fixed date," he wrote in an email. "The war was effectively lost before he took office."
Joe Biden White House Ukraine | 2022-12-31T16:35:05Z | www.businessinsider.com | Biden's Biggest Successes and Failures in His Second Year in Office | https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-biggest-successes-failures-second-year-recap-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-biggest-successes-failures-second-year-recap-2022-12 |
Buffalo stores' shelves are bare as people try desperately to restock groceries and essential items after deadly winter storm
Residents enter a local corner store in Buffalo, New York, on December 26, 2022, as many major grocery stores remained closed.
Buffalo grocery stores are struggling to keep up with heavy demand after reopening in the wake of Winter Storm Elliott.
Local outlets reported bare shelves and a lack of items including fresh produce, bread, and eggs.
Response to the storm, and lack of access to essential items, has shed light on structural inequality in the city.
As Buffalo emerges from a harrowing winter storm that has killed dozens of people and trapped several residents in their homes without heat, many are struggling to find basic necessities at grocery stores.
With roads clearing and companies reopening, the surge of demand has left many stores in the Western New York city unable to keep shelves stocked, according to local outlets. The response to the storm, as well as a pronounced lack of access to essential goods among working class communities of color, also has exacerbated disparities in class and the racial divide in one of the nation's poorest cities.
Shoppers at a Tops grocery store told WIVB Buffalo that they are struggling to find basic items like fresh produce, lunch meat, eggs, bread, and baby formula.
"We came out just to pick up a couple items. Unfortunately they ran out of lunch meat, brown beef, bread, but hopefully we can find everything we want," Carl Phillips and Sandra Jackson told WIVB Buffalo. "There is some items left here, but not very much, you just grab what you can and be thankful."
"There's a lot of empty ... especially the fresh stuff, produce, bread, but it seems like everything else is picking up," Tony Pecoraro, another Tops shopper, told WIVB Buffalo.
WIVB Buffalo reporter Sarah Minkewicz shared photos of the empty shelves on Twitter.
—Sarah Minkewicz (@SarahMinkewicz) December 28, 2022
Working class communities of color especially are having a difficult time finding groceries and essentials, as the storm has shed light on persistent structural inequality in the city, including inadequate housing, food desserts, and lack of government funding, according to The Washington Post.
Of the 39 people reported dead from the storm, 31 hailed from Buffalo, a majority of which were people of color found outside or trapped in cars, the Post reported.
"This area is so heavily impacted by these systemic issues, and it's largely because of poverty," Al Robinson, a Christian leader in Buffalo who helped house residents displaced by the storm in his church, told The Washington Post. "And impoverished people happen to be people of color."
Retail Buffalo News | 2022-12-31T16:35:11Z | www.businessinsider.com | Buffalo Store Shelves Are Empty Amid High Demand After Winter Storm | https://www.businessinsider.com/buffalo-store-shelves-empty-winter-storm-elliott-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/buffalo-store-shelves-empty-winter-storm-elliott-2022-12 |
Aylin Woodward and Ashley Collman
Climbers walk past the Hillary Step while pushing for the summit of Everest.
There is a deadly traffic jam on Mount Everest as climbers are forced to wait in the "death zone."
Twitter/@nimsdai
When climbing in the "Death Zone," your brain receives one-quarter of the oxygen it needs.
Lhakpa Sherpa
Climbers can only spend 20 minutes on Everest's summit before having to descend.
NOW WATCH: What it's like in the death zone of Everest, K2, and other mountains
Health Mount Everest death zone | 2022-12-31T16:35:17Z | www.businessinsider.com | Mount Everest 'Death Zone': What Happens to Your Body at 26,000 Feet | https://www.businessinsider.com/mount-everest-death-zone-what-happens-to-body-2019-5 | https://www.businessinsider.com/mount-everest-death-zone-what-happens-to-body-2019-5 |
Insider Investigations Team
Insider investigated 175 recent homicides of transgender people.
Killings of transgender people doubled between 2019 and 2021, as anti-trans legislation and rhetoric accelerated.
Most of the killers were young men in their teens and twenties, many of whom were intimate with their victims.
At least 39 transgender people were killed in acts of intimate violence, by spouses, partners, boyfriends, housemates, dates, or clients.
Only 28 killings out of 175 cases Insider examined resulted in murder convictions; only one resulted in a hate crimes conviction.
Nearly two-thirds of victims were misgendered or misnamed by law enforcement.
Starting in November, Insider published its series "Deaths in the family," a comprehensive investigation into five years of transgender homicides. It features infographics illustrating our starkest findings, including that homicides spiked just as states accelerated their introduction of anti-trans legislation, and eight long reads on law enforcement killings, hate crimes, intimate partner violence, the vulnerabilities of sex workers, unsolved cases, how transphobia colors the criminal justice system, the troubled history of police and the transgender community, and the fatal attack on an LGBTQ nightclub, Club Q, in November.
Read more about each of those stories below.
Insider compiled a comprehensive account of the rising fatal violence targeting transgender people
Deaths in the family: Investigating 175 transgender homicides over 5 years
A wave of hatred crashed down on transgender communities over the last five years, as anti-trans rhetoric and legislation began to dominate the cultural conversation. During that same period, murders of transgender people spiked, doubling between 2019 and 2021.
Prompted by this growing crisis, and building on previous reporting, Insider filed hundreds of public-records requests and sent reporters around the US to gather information on homicides targeting transgender and gender nonconforming, nonbinary, and two-spirit people across the United States and Puerto Rico from 2017 through 2021.
The FBI doesn't track crimes by gender identity. So we sifted through 175 cases to fill in the gaps. Among our unique findings: Most victims were Black women; most victims knew their killers; most killers were young men in their teens and 20s; and only 16 percent of cases led to murder convictions.
Only one killing was successfully prosecuted as a hate crime
Left to right: Layla Pelaez Sánchez, Nikki Kuhnhausen, and Serena Angelique Velázquez Ramos
'Love us in private and kill us in public': How transphobia turns young men into killers
Nikki Kuhnhausen was killed at age 17 while on a date in Vancouver, Washington, by a man who called transgender people "disturbing" and "disgusting" and used a Russian anti-gay slur.
"I was born here, but my culture, my roots, and everything it's for me it's even disturbing when I'm around like a gay person or somebody bi or transsexual or something," David Bogdanov told an officer. "So for me it's just very disturbing and disgusting when people are like this."
Bogdanov was convicted of murder in Nikki's death — and was the only killer of a transgender person over the past five years convicted of a hate crime. Hate crimes charges were filed in only two other cases, that of Layla Pelaez Sánchez and Serena Angelique Velázquez Ramos, which are still pending.
Intimate partner violence dominated killings of transgender women
While Jaylow McGlory's Facebook page remained aglow with adoring posts about Desmond Harris and their new love, Harris' private texts to her turned threatening.
She called him her 'king.' He shot her dead.
When Desmond Harris agreed to be Jaylow McGlory's "official" boyfriend in June 2017, her joy, on social media at least, was incandescent. The next day, she posted a picture of Harris and commented, "daddy my king."
Soon, however, Harris' texts to McGlory turned threatening. They moved in together, but there were fights — and death threats. The night Jaylow was killed, she dialed her brother Jimmie McGlory, distraught and sobbing, begging him to drive over to pick her up.
But police and prosecutors alike refused to acknowledge Jaylow was a woman or recognize that the pair were in a domestic relationship. Harris successfully argued self-defense at trial, claiming she had tried to rape him.
Catherine Shugrue dos Santos of New York City's Anti-Violence Project told Insider that for transgender people, escaping domestic violence is especially difficult, because many shelters don't serve transgender people — and because many transgender people have experienced bias, harassment, or even violence from police.
Sex workers were particularly vulnerable
The unsolved murders of Eastern Avenue
For transgender women of color, discrimination often means working in marginal economies like sex work. But it puts them at high risk for violence.
Zoe Spears and Ashanti Carmon were both sex workers who frequented Eastern Avenue, a well-known stroll near Washington, D.C. In the early-morning hours of March 30, 2019, according to an eye-witness account, the two were on a date together when a man in a white car pulled up. After threatening Carmon, he shot her in front of Spears.
A few months later, Spears met with police to recount her version of what happened that night. Just weeks after her police interview, she, too, was shot and killed — despite telling police she feared for her life and requesting protection orders against two men she said harassed her in the wake of Carmon's murder. Police continue to deny a connection between the two killings, something community members have trouble believing.
There were no criminal charges filed in any of the police killings we tracked
An expert report prepared for Sean Hake's family by criminologist Paul McCauley described the conduct of the officers who shot him as "reckless."
They called 911 for assistance. Then police used lethal force.
Sean Hake, Jayne Thompson, and Scout Schultz all had knives during their fatal encounters with law enforcement — and all were in the midst of a mental health crisis. But in each case, officers failed to try less-lethal force or deescalate the crisis situation they walked into before opening fire.
Kiwi Herring was also shot by police who responded to a call for assistance. In that case, the identity of the officers involved had been shielded from the public; Insider was able to identify them by filing public records requests.
No officers involved in any of these cases were criminally charged.
More than a third of cases remain unsolved
Ja'Koya Dowdell with a photograph she saved of her and Jaheim "Bella" Pugh, her chosen sister.
A gender nonconforming teen was killed at a party in small town Alabama. Why haven't police solved the case?
Jaheim "Bella" Pugh, 19, was tough to miss the night she was shot at a crowded party, dressed in a shiny rainbow jumpsuit, glittery eyeshadow, and a long, curly wig. Two years later, no one has been arrested for Pugh's murder.
The police arrested one suspect, but prosecutors let him go. Another suspect was killed before an arrest could be made. A third man was fingered as suspicious by someone who knew him. Many in the area heard the rumors about that night, but most of those who know the truth remain silent.
Like more than a third of all killings targeting transgender people over the past five years, Pugh's case remains unsolved. Her chosen sisters Ja'Koya Dowdell; her cousin, Carmen Dowdell; and their friend Jasmine Johnson, all told Insider they were traumatized by Pugh's death.
The police have a long, troubled history with transgender communities
53 years after Stonewall, police dealings with transgender people are still poisoned by abuse and disrespect
The NYPD, and police departments across the country, used to routinely arrest queer and transgender people for cross-dressing under archaic "masquerade" bans. Participants recall that the Stonewall Uprising in 1969 was sparked by one such incident, when police tried to haul away Stormé DeLarverie.
Since then, police departments across the country sought to mend the distrust by appointing LGBTQ liaisons. But for many of them, the work was simply piled on top of their already heavy caseload. And despite new sensitivity guidance at many police departments, problems persist: When Insider examined 175 homicides of transgender people from 2017 to 2021, nearly two-thirds were misgendered or misnamed by the police.
Missteps and bias were frequent in the legal system
San Antonio's River Walk, where Kenne McFadden was pushed into the river by her date in April 2017 and drowned.
Kaylee Greenlee Beal for Insider
One April night in 2017, Kenne McFadden was hanging out in her favorite place with someone she knew: Mark Daniel Lewis, 19. Surveillance video captured the two standing close together and sharing a cigarette. A park police officer saw them hugging. At some point, police records indicate, they kissed.
Later that night, Lewis approached the park officer, according to a police report. "Do you know the guy I was with on the River Walk?" Lewis said, misgendering McFadden. "Well, I kind of pushed him in the river." Her body was discovered by a tourist the next day.
A prosecutor didn't think a jury would sympathize with McFadden, who wasn't, in his words, "born a woman." And a judge accepted Lewis' claim of self-defense. Lewis was never held responsible in her death.
From judges to attorneys to jurors, criminologist Rayna Momen told Insider, key players in the criminal legal system "do not value trans lives, do not care to understand them, do not have any interest in humanizing these individuals as victims, and instead often really view them as blameworthy."
Colorado Springs was a center for anti-trans vitriol long before the deadly Club Q attack
Colorado Springs has been a center of anti-LGBTQ vitriol since the early 1990s, when it became home to a growing number of Christian right ministries, including Focus on the Family. That ministry now reinforces anti-transgender messaging to millions of followers nationwide.
Those who stoke anti-trans bias are "essentially creating a boogeyman and then unleashing forces on that boogeyman," one expert on extremism told Insider. Then they deny responsibility.
Many media reports said the Club Q attacker's motives were unknown. But Insider found that the alleged shooter often deployed a common anti-gay slur and was steeped in extremist culture. A friend said he ran an extremist website, which Insider reviewed; it was populated with racist and homophobic memes calling for violence.
Experts call the killings that result from participation in online extremism stochastic, or "scripted," violence, because perpetrators are acting in response to demonizing rhetoric rather than to the command structure of a radical militia or extremist cell.
"The shooting was a tragedy, but it strengthened their enemy," Erin, a local transgender woman, told Insider. "We still want to come together — come together despite adversity."
Features insider investigates Researched | 2022-12-31T20:04:09Z | www.businessinsider.com | Insider Investigation: 5 Years of Transgender Homicides | https://www.businessinsider.com/insider-investigation-5-years-of-transgender-homicides-2022-12 | https://www.businessinsider.com/insider-investigation-5-years-of-transgender-homicides-2022-12 |
LAWRENCE COUNTY, Ohio (WSAZ) - One man has died following a crash in Lawrence County, Ohio.
According to a release from Ohio State Highway Patrol, the accident happened Sunday evening on State Route 141.
A Harley Davidson trike drove off the roadway and struck an embankment before overturning and rolling over a steep embankment.
The driver, Darrel Setterlund, 74, of Locust Grove, Va., was transported to Cabell-Huntington Hospital by helicopter, where he later died.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol was assisted on scene by Lawrence Township Fire Department, Lawrence County EMS, and MedFlight. | 2022-05-30T22:25:50Z | www.wsaz.com | One dead in Lawrence County crash | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/30/one-dead-lawrence-county-crash/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/30/one-dead-lawrence-county-crash/ |
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - The Charleston Dirty Birds ended a seven game homestand with a loss on Memorial Day. The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs jumped out to a big lead and won the game 10-3. Joe Deluca smashed two home runs in the win while Charleston falls to 15-19 on the year.
The next home game for the Dirty Birds is Tuesday June 7th and here are the highlights from the game as seen on WSAZ Monday evening. | 2022-05-30T23:57:05Z | www.wsaz.com | Dirty Birds fall to Blue Crabs | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/30/dirty-birds-fall-blue-crabs/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/30/dirty-birds-fall-blue-crabs/ |
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - A wreath was placed at the base of the West Virginia Veterans Memorial Monday in recognition of the people who have lost their lives serving in the military.
Families also came to look at the memorial, including Lisa Gillman and her husband, who brought their 4-year-old grandson Keaton to the memorial.
“It means a lot to me because my dad and my brother was in the military and retired,” said Gillman. “Let him know about some of his heritage.”
The wreath was placed by members of the Charleston Civil Air Patrol.
I feel sorry for all the people that were lost during the war times and i think it is important to remember that they did fight for us for our freedom,” said Gillman.
Kanawha County joined in the day of remembrance with a moment of silence across all county dispatch frequencies at 3 p.m.. | 2022-05-31T03:43:36Z | www.wsaz.com | Wreath placed at West Virginia Veterans Memorial | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/31/wreath-placed-west-virginia-veterans-memorial/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/31/wreath-placed-west-virginia-veterans-memorial/ |
Kentucky State Police has identified the deceased as Gordon McKinney, 54 years old, of Harold, Kentucky.(WSAZ)
FLOYD COUNTY, KY (WSAZ) - Kentucky State Police has released the identity of the body discovered in the Levisa Fork of the Big Sandy River in Prestonsburg.
Investigators are working to determine what caused the death of Gordon McKinney, 54, of Harold, Kentucky.
McKinney’s body was found just after 3 p.m. Wednesday, May 25. | 2022-05-31T19:46:33Z | www.wsaz.com | Body found in Levisa Fork of Big Sandy River identified by KSP | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/31/body-found-levisa-fork-big-sandy-river-identified-by-ksp/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/31/body-found-levisa-fork-big-sandy-river-identified-by-ksp/ |
KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Two people had to be rescued Tuesday following an accident in Kanawha County.
According to dispatchers, the accident involving two vehicles happened in the 5100 block of Lens Creek Road in Hernshaw.
Two people had to be extricated. Both were taken to the hospital.
Crews say the road will be shut down for an extended period of time.
Keep checking the WSAZ app for the latest information, | 2022-05-31T19:47:08Z | www.wsaz.com | Two taken to hospital following crash, road closed | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/31/two-taken-hospital-following-crash-road-closed/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/31/two-taken-hospital-following-crash-road-closed/ |
By Kristen Bentley and Sarah Sager
HUNTINGTON/CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - When a high-ranking state official was fired, we filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to find out why.
We were denied – twice. It raises the question: What is the government hiding?
In West Virginia, the Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) is the state’s largest agency. It’s so large that during the legislative session, both the House and Senate voted to split the DHHR into two different agencies. While Gov. Jim Justice ultimately vetoed that split, he’s also publicly acknowledged the department has problems.
“All of us know that there are challenges and issues within DHHR,” Justice said.
But how deep do those issues run internally? Deep enough for the agency’s number two, now former Deputy Secretary Jeremiah Samples to be fired. So on April 8 when we confirmed Samples was no longer with the agency, we immediately filed a FOIA to find out what happened.
In our request, we asked in part for “all communications and documentation regarding the termination of Jeremiah Samples as DHHR deputy secretary,” as well as all email communication between Samples and Secretary Bill Crouch between Dec. 1, 2021, and April 7.
That following Monday (April 11), Samples put out a statement about his departure. It reads in part, “DHHR has struggled to make and even lost progress in many critical areas.”
He goes on to name several of those areas, from child welfare to protection of the vulnerable, management of state health facilities, EMS and provider capacity and says “many more DHHR responsibilities have simply not met anyone’s expectation, especially my own.”
Samples also states that he and Secretary Crouch have not shared the same views on what the problems are, how to handle them or the urgency of achieving results, which Crouch addressed publicly when asked about Samples firing.
“We all have to pull the rope in the same direction, Crouch said. “This is a large agency, so we have to have everyone on board with what we’re doing.”
That’s despite Samples issuing a statement and Secretary Crouch’s public comments, our FOIA request was denied not once but twice – with the state claiming, in part, that the documents are protected under an exemption that states public disclosure would “constitute an unreasonable invasion of privacy.”
So, we went to Patrick McGinley, a law professor at WVU, who’s an expert in public access to information. WSAZ’s Sarah Sager asked him some questions.
Sager: “if there is a difference of opinion between two top officials so massive that it ends with one of them fired, shouldn’t the public have access to that information?”
McGinley: “Absolutely. In fact, West Virginia law requires transparency of public bodies, and this is one of those situations where the public has a right to know.”
We sent McGinley a copy of our request and the state’s responses -- so we could get his thoughts on our questions and the state’s answers.
McGinley: “I’ve taken a look at your Freedom of Information Act request, and it’s clear to me that there definitely should be information that should be disclosed.”
Sager: “In your opinion why do you think our FOIA was denied?”
McGinley: “In my opinion, there is something the department wants to hide. The issues are extraordinarily important. They’re life-and-death issues with regard to those people whose lives are affected by DHHR and clearly according to Mr. Samples’ statement when he left his job, he had very serious concerns about the agency and how it was conducting its business and that’s something the public has a right to know, and the government should be forthcoming and they’re not.”
McGinley says WSAZ is taking the right course of action by filing suit to try to get the documents we were denied but also says this is a step we never should have had to take.
“It’s inexplicable, he said. “It’s the responsibility of government agencies to be transparent and when they’re not and they’re hiding behind exemptions that don’t apply to them that’s really problematic, and it undermines the rule of law and citizens’ respect for government.”
So, the big questions that remain for DHHR Secretary Crouch: What are you hiding? And why do you want to keep these emails and documents from the public?
We have reached out to the DHHR for comment. Now that we know they have received the lawsuit, they haven’t responded yet. As for what happens next, the state now has about 30 days to respond. | 2022-05-31T22:49:23Z | www.wsaz.com | WSAZ Investigates | Access Denied | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/31/wsaz-investigates-access-denied/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/31/wsaz-investigates-access-denied/ |
IRONTON, Ohio (WSAZ) - For those who were part of the 1972 Ironton Fighting Tiger baseball team, the memories of that season are still vivid. On Tuesday, Jim Tordiff and Jimmy Payne recalled some of their favorite moments with Coach Mike Burcham.
“Going into the seventh inning with a one-run lead, there was no hesitation, Coach!” said Tordiff recalling Burcham’s decision to put Jerry Murnahan on the mound late in the state championship game. “You said, ‘how about giving me an inning?’ and he said ‘absolutely’ and that’s all there was to it!”
Tordiff, Payne and Burcham could talk about the 1972 season for as long as you would let them. That team was built long before they walked the halls at Ironton High School.
“We played together since we were kids,” Payne said. “We either played with each other on the same team or against each other, so we knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses.”
The Fighting Tigers brought home Ironton High School’s first state championship in the summer of 1972. It was a magical run that included an 18-game winning streak, three come from behind victories in the tournament, and a 29-3 overall record.
“Coach Burcham cultivated winning and that it took a team effort. Everybody pulled for everybody on that ball team and that was huge,” Tordiff said.
Top to bottom, the 1972 Fighting Tigers were dominant. Their pitching staff was headlined by Jerry Murnahan, Rick Massey, and Jeff Collins. At the plate, there were no easy outs for opposing pitchers. Ironton boasted a team batting average over .300, and several players went on to play various sports at the college level.
“The guys that weren’t starters on the team could have probably played and started for any other team in this area. They were that good,” Payne said.
Burcham says it was the 1972 state championship that established an expectation of success for Fighting Tiger athletes. The team recently received state championship rings, and a team photo now hangs in Tiger Alley. Payne and Tordiff hope it inspires the young athletes of today to chase success.
“There is no substitute for hard work,” Tordiff said.
“We were able to go out every night and put a team out on the field that Ironton could be proud of. We just want to share that with everybody and let them know that they can do the same thing if they put the time and effort into their work. Tino Boll, Jeff Collins, Steve Massey, Chip Rogers and Keith Parker. They are not here with us to celebrate like this, but I know they’d be proud,” Payne said. | 2022-05-31T23:32:55Z | www.wsaz.com | Ironton celebrates 50 year anniversary of 1972 baseball state championship | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/31/ironton-celebrates-50-year-anniversary-1972-baseball-state-championship/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/31/ironton-celebrates-50-year-anniversary-1972-baseball-state-championship/ |
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - A 2021 study found about 3,100 Charleston residents out of the city’s 48,000-person population regularly recycle.
Tuesday, Mayor Amy Goodwin unveiled one strategy to boost those numbers.
Starting next week, more than 3,000 48-gallon bins designated specifically for recycling will be delivered to the residents who indicated to the city they recycle.
It is one of the strategies the city is using to improve the program for the better.
“Experts in the field told us what’s the first step, second step, third step in building a robust recycling program,” Goodwin said. “The first step was, y’all don’t need to have plastic recycling bags that are certainly not recyclable, manufacturers don’t like them, our recycling companies don’t like them. And we weren’t doing it properly.”
Goodwin said a better program also adds to the city’s appeal.
“This is top of mind, businesses come to the city of Charleston and they ask a lot of different things,” she said. “They do ask about a recycling program. It is something that people expect.”
Each bin comes with a QR code taking users to a section of the city’s website that explains what can go in each bin expanding recycling education.
“It’s very top of mind and especially to our youth,” Goodwin said. “This is a great opportunity for us to provide more of an education and getting young kids used to doing this.”
The mayor hopes more people will be encouraged to make the city greener.
“We want to encourage folks, listen, this is now the best opportunity for you to begin to recycle,” she said. “You have the equipment you need to recycle, you have the information now.”
Bin delivery will initially go to those who indicated to the city they already recycle.
Residents who want a bin can call 304-348-6831. | 2022-06-01T00:20:55Z | www.wsaz.com | City of Charleston to expand recycling program | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/31/city-charleston-expand-recycling-program/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/31/city-charleston-expand-recycling-program/ |
ASHLAND, Ky. (WSAZ) - Alex Brown started his own landscaping company in 2016, providing lawncare services to homes and businesses throughout the tri-state area.
He tells WSAZ he travels anywhere from 300 to 500 miles per week in his work truck, visiting clients and providing free estimates. But as fuel prices surge across the country, higher than he’s ever seen them in his time as a small business owner, he might have to rethink some of his prices.
“It’s getting to the point where we’re either going to have to do a fuel surcharge or just raise prices in general,” he said. “Our consolidation of our routes, whether it’s mowing or grass fertilization, weed control is huge for us. If we can park the truck and do four or five services, that’s what we want to do.”
After crunching the numbers, Brown says his business uses somewhere between 700 to 900 gallons of gas a week. He estimates his fuel costs have jumped about 50% with about 20 vehicles out on the road.
“All of our mowers, our trimmers, our hedge clippers, everything runs off fuel,” he said. “That’s really something we’ve noticed on our bottom line.”
According to AAA, gas is about 44 cents a gallon more than it was about a month ago. Analysts say prices typically peak around mid-May but are now estimating the market may not cool down till July.
“Who knows how high they’re gonna go,” he said. “That’s the scary thought. We’re hoping for them to go down, but you just never know.”
Brown says they have their own fuel tanks on site, saving money where they can. But he’s also seen an increase in his price for supplies, as well.
“I feel bad for trucking companies that bring our materials, our mulch, so we feel that on our end,” he said. “So it affects everyone.”
He’s looking forward to the day they can get back to cutting grass, without having to save gas.
“I just hope it ends soon and hopefully we can get back to business,” he said. “Doing it the way we should be doing it.”
Seven states across the U.S. are now averaging prices well above $5 a gallon. The sting is especially being felt by those on a fixed income. | 2022-06-01T00:21:02Z | www.wsaz.com | High fuel costs impacting small businesses | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/31/high-fuel-costs-impacting-small-businesses/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/31/high-fuel-costs-impacting-small-businesses/ |
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - West Virginia’s governor and legislative leaders say they do not anticipate a special session in relation to gun control, school security in response to the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting. The May 24 incident killed 19 elementary students and two teachers.
Gov. Jim Justice, having just recovered from Lyme disease, made his first remarks about the shooting Tuesday. He said there is no word, no adjective strong enough to describe the sense of tragedy. He also lacked a quick solution to prevent similar tragedy in West Virginia.
“This situation is so complex, it’s unbelievable,” he said.
Justice said repeatedly the ultimate solution is a comprehensive, all-in approach -- one that prohibits the sale of certain firearms to those under 21 years of age and increases school security, while also seeking to reduce the negative impact of pornography, violence and social media consumed by today’s young people.
“We can put out the most violent games or whatever, all the different things across social media, and we expect, we really expect that some way, some how, our youngest are going to be able to grow up -- they’re going to grow up and they’re going to be good citizens -- all of them. We’re not going to have situations like this,” he said. “You’re kidding yourself. You’re just plain kidding yourself.”
WSAZ asked about a potential timeline for when Justice could take the first step toward a comprehensive, all-in approach. He said a special session was unlikely.
“I can call a thousand special sessions, and if all I’m doing is calling a thousand special sessions for people just to come, and talk, and get up on a soapbox and get nothing done, why,” he said. “And it’s 10,000 times worse in Washington, D.C.”
Whether Democrat or Republican, legislative leadership said Uvalde gives no trigger for a special session.
“I think we have to look at everything,” said Sen. Majority Leader Tom Takubo, R-Kanawha. “I think the most important thing is not so much the age, but who is the person that’s purchasing the weapon. I mean, it is a weapon. I’m a big proponent of the Second Amendment, but at the same time there’s a reason why we are a nation laws, and we need to have those laws to protect those the best we can by at the same time, not taking away people’s rights.”
Sen. Minority Leader Del. Doug Skaff Jr., D-Kanawha, called for a special committee. He described it would be non-partisan and all inclusive with a commitment to look at all issues.
“This isn’t just going to be a special session issue,” he said. “We all come together and do a knee-jerk reaction. This needs to be talked about every time the Legislature gets together. We should have a special select committee that talks about keeping our children safe, preventing tragedies from happening.”
With regards to school security, West Virginia’s Homeland Security secretary touted more than $1 million in funding for in-school police officers and the training of more than 7,000 -- mostly teachers -- on what to do if a shooting occurs at their school.
The secretary also urged anyone who suspects a potential threat at any school in West Virginia to call the safe schools helpline at 1-866-SAFEWVA.
If it is an immediate emergency, state officials say call 911. | 2022-06-01T00:21:14Z | www.wsaz.com | W.Va. Gov., lead lawmakers hesitant to call special session on gun, school-safety issues | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/31/wva-gov-lead-lawmakers-hesitant-call-special-session-gun-school-safety-issues/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/05/31/wva-gov-lead-lawmakers-hesitant-call-special-session-gun-school-safety-issues/ |
The accident happened Monday afternoon along County Road 115 in Lawrence County, Ohio.
LAWRENCE COUNTY, Ohio (WSAZ) - A family is in mourning after a crash took the life of 62-year-old Jack Day. The accident happened Monday afternoon along County Road 115 in Lawrence County.
“He was born and raised on this road. He died on this road,” Day’s daughter Rebecca Gaither said.
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Day was traveling along CR-115 with his step-grandson in the car. Troopers say the car traveled off the roadway, over an embankment and hit a tree -- killing Day.
His step-grandson was taken to the hospital with serious non-life threatening injuries.
“I miss him, I wish he was here. I’d take him home with me, so I could take care of him cause I know he had a lot of health issues,” Gaither said.
Rebecca says he meant the world to their family.
“So glad he finally got to meet his great-granddaughter that is two months old before he passed, because he loved his grandkids, they meant the world to him,” Gaither said. “Tell him I love him one last time and for him to call me ‘son.’ I’m going to miss that so much. That was just his and my thing, nobody else’s.” | 2022-06-01T00:21:20Z | www.wsaz.com | Family shares grief following fatal crash | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/01/family-shares-grief-following-fatal-crash/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/01/family-shares-grief-following-fatal-crash/ |
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Neighbors can now sign-up for the curbside recycling program in Huntington that will launch on October 1, 2022.
Rumpke Waste & Recycling will handle the sign-up registration process, billing, customer service and pick-up service for the program.
This is a voluntary program, and it will not affect household garbage service that will continue to be provided by the City of Huntington’s Public Works Department.
Residents will not be required to sort or separate recyclable materials.
All recyclable materials will go into a container provided by Rumpke. Rumpke will haul away recyclable materials once every two weeks. The recyclable materials will then be transported to Rumpke’s processing facility in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Acceptable materials will include paper, cardboard, plastic, glass bottles and jars (all colors accepted) and cartons (juice boxes, milk cartons, etc.).
Huntington residents whose household garbage is collected by the City’s Public Works Department are eligible for the curbside recycling program. This includes owner-occupied properties and renters who live in apartment buildings with four or fewer units.
At this time, renters who live in apartment buildings with five or more units will not be eligible to sign up for the program. However, the City and Rumpke may pursue a pilot project with a large apartment complex in the future to determine whether it is feasible to expand the service to these properties.
Businesses also are not eligible for this residential curbside recycling program. However, Rumpke offers commercial recycling services for businesses. Business owners inquiring about this service may call Rumpke at 1-800-828-8171, Ext. 8765.
The curbside recycling program will come at no cost to the City of Huntington if more than 910 individuals sign up for the program. The cost for residents will be $10 per month. By signing up, residents will agree to make an up-front payment for the first six months of service, plus a one-time delivery charge of $10 for a 95-gallon container. The one-time delivery charge for these containers will increase to $20 if residents sign up after October 1. Rumpke will send invoices for the up-front payments to residents in August or September.
Huntington residents who sign up for curbside recycling will be eligible to receive a $5 per month credit on their quarterly refuse fee bills from the City of Huntington. More information about how to receive the credit will become available in the near future.
To sign up >>> CLICK HERE.
Residents can also call 1-800-828-8171, Ext. 8755, between the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and tell the agent you want to sign up for the Huntington Recycles program.
“Implementing a curbside recycling program in Huntington has been a vision of mine since I served on City Council prior to being elected mayor in 2012, and I was proud to see Huntington City Council vote unanimously in support of this partnership with Rumpke,” Mayor Steve Williams said. “With the credit that the City of Huntington will apply to refuse fee bills, our residents will ultimately pay only $5 per month for this service.” | 2022-06-01T14:04:35Z | www.wsaz.com | Sign-up period begins for Huntington curbside recycling program | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/01/sign-up-period-begins-huntington-curbside-recycling-program/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/01/sign-up-period-begins-huntington-curbside-recycling-program/ |
It is estimated more than 600,000 veterans live with flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, or other symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder.
For veterans, this can make the transition to civilian life even more daunting. Wounded Warrior Project offers different programs to help with that.
For more information, visit the Wounded Warrior Project. | 2022-06-01T17:51:55Z | www.wsaz.com | Wounded Warrior Project | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/01/wounded-warrior-project/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/01/wounded-warrior-project/ |
Country club vandalized by people on four wheelers
The vandalism happened Sunday morning.(Shannon Litton/WSAZ)
LAWRENCE COUNTY, Ohio (WSAZ) -- The Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office is looking for the people responsible for vandalizing the Ironton Country Club with their four wheelers.
It happened around 2:20 a.m. Sunday.
Dennis Miller has been coming to the Ironton Country Club for the last three years.
It’s why he was shocked to learn people riding four-wheelers tore up the golf course.
“I was outraged,” he told WSAZ.
Security cameras caught video as three people were riding around the golf course Sunday morning.
“This course, like a lot of other courses are struggling,” Miller said. “The damage that was done to the greens is inexcusable.”
“It’s disheartening and aggravating,” said Tate Bennington, who owns the Ironton Country Club. “We’ve got guys out here that are working so hard to try and get this place going and a couple punks come around and do this. It hurts.”
Bennington says the damage is between $8,000 and $10,000.
“This cost a lot of money to fix and repair and they need to be taught a lesson,” Bennington said.
“They need to be financially responsible so the repairs can be made and the greens can go back to the condition they were in,” Miller said. “They ought to have to go to jail.”
If you recognize the people responsible, you’re asked to contact the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office at (740) 532-3525.
You can find their number by going to Shannon’s story on the WSAZ App. | 2022-06-01T18:38:52Z | www.wsaz.com | Country club vandalized by people on four wheelers | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/01/country-club-vandalized-by-people-four-wheelers/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/01/country-club-vandalized-by-people-four-wheelers/ |
Sanderlin has been charged with two counts of Rape, a felony of the 1st degree, one count of Permitting Drug Abuse, a felony of the 5th degree, and one count of Trafficking in Drugs, a felony of the 5th degree.(Scioto County Sheriff's Office)
PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (WSAZ) - A man is behind bars accused of rape and other drug-related offenses, according to the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office says it was contacted by the Portsmouth Police Department regarding a report of a sexual assault on May 27.
The sheriff’s office was advised that the victim in the incident had been taken to the hospital and then transported to another health center for a sexual assault examination
Interviews conducted by detectives led to the arrest of George Case Sanderlin, 45, of Portsmouth, Ohio.
Sanderlin was arrested at a home along 8th Street in Portsmouth, the sheriff’s office reports.
During the investigation, detectives also say they received a tip about drug abuse and drug trafficking.
Sanderlin has been charged with two counts of rape, a felony of the 1st degree, one count of permitting drug abuse, a felony of the 5th degree, and one count of trafficking in drugs, a felony of the 5th degree.
Sanderlin appeared in Portsmouth Municipal Court on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, and is currently being held on a $120,000 bond.
Sheriff Thoroughman more charges could be presented to the Scioto county Grand Jury on a later date. | 2022-06-01T20:54:03Z | www.wsaz.com | Scioto Co. Sheriff | Man arrested on rape, drug trafficking charges | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/01/scioto-co-sheriff-man-arrested-rape-drug-trafficking-charges/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/01/scioto-co-sheriff-man-arrested-rape-drug-trafficking-charges/ |
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - The heat did not stop Charleston residents from enjoying the sunshine Wednesday.
Ronnie Harmon said he bikes daily, and high temperatures would not stop him.
“I enjoy the scenery, the weather. I use weights a lot, I’m a big fitness person. I love keeping good health,” he said.
Dr. Anna Corbin, an Emergency Room physician at St. Francis Hospital, said it is important to keep the weather in mind as you plan your routine during the summer months.
“Heat exhaustion is when somebody feels actual fatigue, sometimes nausea. They are usually quite warm when you actually take their body temperature is quite elevated, usually less than 105 [degrees],” she explained. “They just don’t feel well, they may feel like they want to collapse.”
Corbin said all age groups are prone to heat exhaustion, while older adults may experience heat stroke.
“Somebody actually has mental status changes. That means they’re mentation; how they’re acting truly differs,” she explained.
“They can have something like a seizure, maybe they may start talking out of their head. They don’t seem like themselves.”
She said it is important to check on elderly loved ones and neighbors during high-heat periods.
“If they don’t [have one on] start a fan on them, give them cool liquids, if they need to. Cool them down immediately,” she said. “Cool them down with room temperature pray mist. A fan actually does an amazing amount of cooling if you do not have the ability to be near an air conditioner.”
Corbin also encouraged taking breaks from working outside, staying hydrated, and replacing electrolytes but not to overdo it.
“There can be a little bit too much water and people neglect replacing electrolytes, that’s one thing you can see, then you actually end up with another problem, which is hyponatremia, low sodium,” she said. “People who work outside may want to have up to three liters of water a day.”
In Charleston, community centers are open for people to cool down during normal hours of operation.
Manna Meal soup kitchen is open seven days a week, allowing people to cool down from 6 a.m. until after lunch. | 2022-06-01T23:13:23Z | www.wsaz.com | St. Francis ER Doctor provides heat illness prevention tips | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/01/st-francis-er-doctor-provides-heat-illness-prevention-tips/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/01/st-francis-er-doctor-provides-heat-illness-prevention-tips/ |
Gov. Mike DeWine has announced multiple steps his administration is taking to help school districts take action.
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Following the mass shooting at an elementary school in Texas, killing 19 children and two teachers, one governor in our region is helping school districts take action.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has announced multiple steps his administration is taking. Some of those steps include a comprehensive behavioral threat assessment training, as well as encouraging student wellness and enhancing school security.
“My job is to get as much done that I can that will actually get done,” DeWine said.
School administrators like Mark Christian, who is a superintendent at South Point Schools, says enhancing physical security in schools could be a help.
“Some districts might not have the two-locking doors with a camera system that you can see the person -- you can ask them what they want and you can kind of look to see if they have any kind of weapons on them before you buzz them in the first door ... so that’s something that the governor’s proposal might help some older school districts or older buildings to try and get that in place for those schools,” Christian said.
From enhancing physical security in schools, to offering training and building support among students and teachers, these efforts focus on helping school officials evaluate potential threats and develop appropriate responses to ultimately keep safety as top priority.
More details on these steps DeWine has outlined can be found below:
Comprehensive Behavioral Threat Assessment Training for Ohio Educators: The Ohio Department of Public Safety and Ohio Department of Education will provide comprehensive, evidence-based behavioral threat assessment training for all Ohio educators. This training will help schools comply with H.B. 123, sponsored by Rep. Gayle Manning during the last General Assembly, which requires some schools to have threat assessment teams. Threat assessment models help schools and teachers uniformly evaluate troubling student behaviors, develop plans for intervention, and connect students in need to services.
Enhanced Statewide Safety Support for Schools: Governor DeWine announced that the Ohio School Safety Center (OSSC) will increase its number of regional school liaisons across the state. Governor DeWine created the OSSC in 2019 and added five school liaison positions in 2020. These liaisons assist schools in implementing best practices in physical school safety, training, and planning in each of the Ohio Department of Education’s 16 State Support Team regions. The expanded team will also assist schools and law enforcement with conducting annual security and vulnerability assessments to ensure security practices are up to date.
Improved Physical Safety in Ohio’s School Buildings: Every school building in the state, public and private, should meet the best practices for physical school safety. Governor DeWine will work with the Ohio General Assembly to invest more funding to assist school districts with enhancing the physical safety and security of their schools. This funding will be in addition to previous capital investments in Ohio schools which included $5 million to fund K-12 safety measures.
Enhanced Penalties for Violent Crime: Because most gun violence is committed by a relatively small number of repeat violent offenders who do not have the legal right to possess a gun, penalties for violent offenders must be strengthened. DeWine on Wednesday called on the Ohio General Assembly to swiftly pass House Bill 383, sponsored by Representative Kyle Koehler, which increases the penalty for violent offenders who continue to illegally obtain and possess firearms.
Accurate and Complete Background Checks: DeWine has used his executive authority to ensure more of the information necessary for accurate background checks is entered into the federal background check systems. Since forming a task force to study the issue in 2019, the number of warrants entered into the National Crime Information Center database has increased by more than 1,000%. Despite this progress, legislative change is needed to ensure background checks are accurate. DeWine called on the Ohio General Assembly today to mandate that local court and law enforcement agencies enter all of their warrants and protection orders into the appropriate state and national databases within 48 hours after they are issued.
DeWine announced earlier this month, as part of his Wellness Workforce Initiative, a plan to invest $85 million, with the help of the General Assembly, to expand Ohio’s behavioral health workforce to meet the need.
DeWine created the Student Wellness and Success Fund, a $1.2 billion investment that is now a part of the school funding formula, to provide wraparound services to students. Wraparound services are programming and supports meant to build skills and fulfill a student or familial need. To date, this funding has launched 1,300 mental health programs and trained 6,500 educators and school professionals.
After hearing about the need for more accessible mental health services for students on college campuses, DeWine led the nation with a $13.5 million investment to expand mental health services for higher education students.
Governor DeWine developed the Ohio School Safety Center within the Ohio Department of Public Safety to be a comprehensive, statewide office focused exclusively on enhancing the safety of Ohio schools. The center maintains and promotes the Safer Ohio Schools Tip Line (844-SAFEROH) and assists schools and first responders in preventing, preparing for, and responding to threats and acts of violence including self-harm. Staff also proactively scans social media and websites to identify threats against schools.
DeWine created the Ohio School Safety Working Group consisting of experts in the fields of public safety, education, mental health, emergency management, and others. The group meets quarterly to discuss school safety issues, trends, and local needs.
The governor has invested millions in helping public schools, chartered nonpublic schools, licensed preschools, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and houses of worship with funding for safety and security improvements.
He created the Ohio Ballistics Testing Initiative to double the number of National Integrated Ballistic Information Network units in Ohio to help law enforcement identify criminals responsible for deadly shootings and other incidents of gun violence in Ohio.
The governor created the Ohio Crime Lab Efficiency Program to eliminate backlogs in the testing of criminal evidence at Ohio’s certified crime labs across the state with the goal of returning evidence test results back to law enforcement faster.
He directed the Ohio State Highway patrol to assist local law enforcement with “surge operations” designed to interdict gun violence and repossess stolen or illegally possessed guns.
“We continue to pray for the families who have lost their children; there’s nothing in the world more difficult than losing a child,” DeWine said. “It is important to identify early on someone who is having problems in order to intervene and get them the help they need. We must do more to strengthen our schools’ physical security, and we must ensure school personnel have the proper training and support to keep themselves and their students safe. While our work continues, I commend Ohio’s school officials, who have worked very hard over the last few years to prepare, prevent, avert, and avoid tragedies.” | 2022-06-02T00:44:35Z | www.wsaz.com | Gov. DeWine outlines next steps for enhancing student and teacher safety | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/01/gov-dewine-outlines-next-steps-enhancing-student-teacher-safety/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/01/gov-dewine-outlines-next-steps-enhancing-student-teacher-safety/ |
WELLSTON, Ohio (WSAZ) - City leaders in Wellston have called a special meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday. Councilwoman Teresa Ponn-Lemaster says the meeting will be open to the public and will give residents a chance to voice their concerns about stray cats in the city.
“People that don’t own cats can’t even go out and work in their flower beds because of cat feces and everything else. They run all over the streets,” Ponn-Lemaster said.
She hopes the public meeting will provide a chance for residents to speak directly to city leaders and help start a conversation that could eventually lead to a solution.
Wellston resident Donna Smith plans to attend and says she won’t be shy about the way she feels.
“People who are irresponsible, get animals and then throw them out for the rest of the community to deal with need to be dealt with harshly. They need to be fined and we need somebody in charge of that enforcement. We need a way to enforce these laws so that they apply to all of the animals involved,” Smith said.
The meeting will be held inside council chambers at City Hall.
“It’s something we need to look into and see if there is a solution or try to work towards a solution that we can all agree upon,” Ponn-Lemaster said. | 2022-06-02T00:44:42Z | www.wsaz.com | Wellston to host open meeting to discuss concerns about stray cats | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/02/wellston-host-open-meeting-discuss-concerns-about-stray-cats/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/02/wellston-host-open-meeting-discuss-concerns-about-stray-cats/ |
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -Fairland’s baseball team hasn’t hung around the postseason this long for some 13 years, but on Friday the Dragons want to go a step further in the Ohio Playoffs.
Fairland will put its 15 game winning streak on the line against the Minford Falcons in Chillicothe on Thursday morning with a chance to get to the regional finals.
The Dragons have been impressive on the mound and on defense by shutting out their last four opponents.
Fairland and Minford met in a scrimmage earlier this year but didn’t play during the regular season.
The game at Paints Stadium is set for 11:00 a.m. | 2022-06-02T01:28:14Z | www.wsaz.com | Fairland heading to Division III semifinals | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/02/fairland-heading-division-iii-semifinals/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/02/fairland-heading-division-iii-semifinals/ |
If the Kannapolis Intimidators want to make it to the South Atlantic League championship series, they have some work to do as they are already down in the Northern Division championship series.(WBTV Graphic)
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -Hurricane’s Redskins need no GPS to find Appalachian Power Park. The 3-time Class AAA baseball champions made the trip to the tournament in 2021 and didn’t like the result.
Hurricane lost to eventual champion Bridgeport 10-4 and will face the Indians again Friday in the AAA Semifinals.
The two teams played earlier this year in Hurricane and the Redskins won 7-6 but there’s a whole lot more on the line Friday evening.
The winner will play in the Class AAA Championship game Saturday against the winner of the Jefferson-GW game. | 2022-06-02T01:28:20Z | www.wsaz.com | Hurricane heading to state championships | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/02/hurricane-heading-state-championships/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/02/hurricane-heading-state-championships/ |
The sheriff says four people were taken into custody at the scene.
CHESHIRE, Ohio (WSAZ) - Four people were arrested Tuesday after the Gallia County Sheriff’s Office searched a home in Cheshire.
Sheriff Matt Champlin says deputies served a search warrant at a home along Little Kyger Road and found narcotics, cash, and stolen property.
He says two men and two women were taken into custody at the scene and taken to the Gallia County Jail.
Melvin Valentine Jr., 46, of Gallipolis, is charged with possession of narcotics and trafficking in narcotics.
Christina Belcher, 38, of Gallipolis, also is charged with possession of narcotics and trafficking in narcotics.
Shyla Jarrell, 34, of Racine, was arrested on a warrant as a fugitive from justice.
Derek Daniels, 40, of Cheshire, was arrested for outstanding warrants.
Sheriff Champlin says more charges may be coming.
Anna North and her family had just moved into a new home in Cheshire a few months ago near the property that was searched.
“For them to be that close by, it’s kind of scary,” North said.
In a written statement, Sheriff Champlin said, “If you are suffering from addiction and you need help, the time to reach out for help is now. Our local partners in the substance abuse community are prepared to help you. If you are trafficking drugs in our communities, no matter the amount or frequencies, we are coming for you. It’s going to be a long summer, and you might as well plan on looking over your shoulder, as we are coming.” | 2022-06-02T02:59:39Z | www.wsaz.com | Stolen property, drugs found during search in Gallia County; 4 arrested | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/02/stolen-property-drugs-found-during-search-gallia-county-4-arrested/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/02/stolen-property-drugs-found-during-search-gallia-county-4-arrested/ |
MASON COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - A portion of Crab Creek Road in Mason County is down to one lane after a slip made part of it impassable.
Those who live nearby, including Randy Searls, said the area has been a problem for months and has only gotten worse.
“It started probably six months ago, and it’s progressively gotten worse and now it’s really getting bad, so it needs attention quick,” he said.
Searls lives about half a mile from the slip and said he doesn’t feel safe driving through the area, but there aren’t really other options.
He said he’s spoken with people from the state Division of Highways, and while he’s grateful a traffic light has been put up, he says it’s not enough.
“I’ve talked to our supervisor in Mason County, and he’s a terrific guy,” he said. “And, you know, it’s above him. I mean, there’s nothing that he can do. Everybody’s hands are tied. It’s tough because we don’t know what to do.”
We both called and emailed the DOH to find out what’s being done and to see if they would do an interview with us. We got an email response that said:
“I spoke with our District 1 Maintenance Engineer, who provided the following information. We are indeed working on a repair for this location. This location has overhead utilities, which make an emergency repair difficult. District 1 solicited proposals from soil nail vendors, which were received last week and are being evaluated. Temporary traffic signals have been placed and will remain at the site until the repair is complete. Mason County crews will continue monitoring the area, especially when heavy rains are predicted such as those that occurred earlier this month. "
While Crab Creek is a major concern for Searls, he’s worried about roads throughout the entire county.
“It’s the whole north, south, east and west,” he said. “Mason County needs help.” | 2022-06-02T03:47:32Z | www.wsaz.com | Road slip has nearby residents asking for help | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/02/road-slip-has-nearby-residents-asking-help/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/02/road-slip-has-nearby-residents-asking-help/ |
The accident happened around 8 a.m. Thursday(WSAZ)
CABELL COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) – A rollover crash along I-64 has shut down both eastbound lanes, according to dispatchers.
The accident happened around 8 a.m. Thursday near the 16-mile marker close to the US 60/29th Street exit.
During the crash, the vehicle hit the guardrail and landed on its side. | 2022-06-02T12:56:09Z | www.wsaz.com | Rollover accident closes portion of I-64 | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/02/rollover-accident-closes-portion-i-64/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/02/rollover-accident-closes-portion-i-64/ |
One person was injured during the incident along Route 60.(WSAZ)
CABELL COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Two people are in police custody Thursday following a stabbing near a business, according to Cabell County Sheriff Chuck Zerkle.
One person was injured during the incident along Route 60.
Officials report the victim drove to a medical center for treatment.
One of the individuals arrested was located about a mile away from the scene at a gas station, according to the sheriff.
West Virginia State Police is taking over the investigation. | 2022-06-02T18:14:01Z | www.wsaz.com | Sheriff | Two in custody following stabbing; one injured | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/02/sheriff-two-custody-following-stabbing-one-injured/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/02/sheriff-two-custody-following-stabbing-one-injured/ |
James Tysean Lynch, a former aide at Horace Mann Middle School, was sentenced Thursday to 24 months in prison on two battery charges involving the abuse of a special needs student.(wsaz)
KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) – A former aide at Horace Mann Middle School was sentenced Thursday to two years in prison on two battery charges involving the abuse of a special needs student.
According to information from Kanawha County Circuit Court, James Lynch, who’s in his late 30s, was sentenced to 12 months each on two of seven counts he had pleaded guilty to, with the sentences to be served consecutively. All of the counts were misdemeanors.
Lynch was the fourth aide from the school to be charged.
According to the indictment, Lynch shoved a child, causing that child to fall. Lynch also was accused of striking the child’s thigh with his left leg, as well as striking and squeezing the student’s hand. On another occasion, according to the indictment, Lynch struck the student in the chest, causing him to fall.
Investigators say the abuse happened from February to March of 2021.
Aide arrested in alleged abuse of special needs student | 2022-06-02T20:33:14Z | www.wsaz.com | Former middle school aide sentenced to 2 years for abuse of special needs student | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/02/former-middle-school-aide-sentenced-2-years-abuse-special-needs-student/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/02/former-middle-school-aide-sentenced-2-years-abuse-special-needs-student/ |
Mountain Health Network(Mountain Health Network)
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – Pleasant Valley Hospital, located in Point Pleasant, will become part of the Mountain Health Network by combining forces with Cabell Huntington Hospital.
Mountain Health Network made that announcement Thursday, saying both hospitals have signed a Letter of Intent “to solidify and expand their relationship.”
“Our goal is to ensure access to advanced medicine and compassionate care for all residents of Mason, Jackson, Gallia and Meigs counties,” said Mountain Health Network CEO Dr. Kevin Yingling in a news release. “Key to the acquisition is maintaining Pleasant Valley Hospital as an acute care hospital with emergency services. Thanks to the commitment of our academic medical center partner, increased access to medical specialties will be supported through Marshall Health and graduate medical education programs will be provided by Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine. Additionally, we plan to enhance telehealth services and connect PVH to our electronic health platform.”
According to the release, the agreement calls for a $25 million investment by Cabell Huntington Hospital in Mason County. Among the improvements will be renovations to Pleasant Valley Hospital’s emergency department.
Also, according to the release, “PVH and its Board of Trustees plan to contribute an estimated $14 million to be used by Cabell toward capital improvement projects at PVH. A total of upwards of $39 million will be invested in PVH over the next five years.”
The hospitals will work together in the coming weeks to finalize the agreement. St. Mary’s Medical Center in Huntington is also part of the Mountain Health Network. | 2022-06-02T21:17:05Z | www.wsaz.com | Pleasant Valley Hospital to become part of Mountain Health Network | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/02/pleasant-valley-hospital-become-part-mountain-health-network/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/02/pleasant-valley-hospital-become-part-mountain-health-network/ |
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - For months, WSAZ has been trying to figure out how a man with documented dementia was able to walk away from a hospital and die.
Now, we have answers. A report details a series of deadly deficiencies that led to Charles “Chuck” Carroll’s death.
Carroll went missing Dec. 30, 2021, from Cabell Huntington Hospital after being taken by ambulance from an assisted living facility.
He can be seen in surveillance video wandering in and around the hospital for hours before finally walking away.
More than seven weeks later, his body was found in an outbuilding, just blocks away from Cabell Huntington Hospital.
He was still wearing his hospital bracelet.
Now, about five months later, how this happened is finally becoming more clear after WSAZ obtained new documents highlighting a series of “failures” at the hospital the day Carroll arrived.
Getting these documents though, wasn’t easy.
Since Carroll’s body was found, we’ve been asking the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) questions by email.
On Feb. 22, we asked if there was an investigation into protocols since Carroll died after going missing while in Adult Protective Services. We were told the state’s Bureau for Social Services will be reviewing the matter.
On March 3, we asked about an investigation at the hospital and was told the agency’s Office of Health Facilities Licensure and Certification (OHFLAC) was conducting a survey, but “the process can take several months.”
On April 27, WSAZ’s Sarah Sager followed up, asking if the survey was complete.
She received a response on April 29 that reads, “CMS has not approved the report to be released yet.”
We obtained emails between lawmakers and a former DHHR official on March 22 - more than a month earlier - referencing that OHFLAC’s investigation report and citations that were issued to the hospital.
The email chain begins with a senator reaching out to DHHR after hearing from a constituent about our investigation into the timeline of Carroll’s disappearance and death.
The senator says the constituent wanted to know “what could be done to prevent this in the future.”
The former DHHR official responded in part, saying “a lot of things went wrong here on the provider side.” He also included details of the investigation and the citations.
So, WSAZ’s Sarah Sager reached out to CMS. It’s the agency that provides the federal guidelines OHFLAC used in that survey and report.
On May 26, Sager asked if the survey report was ready.
Less than 24 hours later, the results were posted online by the state.
The survey found that each patient has rights under federal guidelines.
According to the report, investigators found deficiencies at the hospital regarding two aspects of those rights.
The first, resulted in what’s called an immediate jeopardy. The report reads in part, “the facility failed to provide care appropriate for a patient who presented to the emergency department with a diagnosis of dementia, which contributed to the patient’s elopement.”
The second deficiency states “the facility failed to ensure care was rendered in a safe setting”.
So, according to the report, not only did the facility fail to provide “care appropriate” for a patient with dementia, the facility “failed to provide adequate re-education to all staff to prevent this from occurring again.”
It goes on to state, “this failure has the potential to adversely affect all patients who present to the ED by EMS.”
The report also lists a lot of information about what went wrong and it starts from the minute Carroll arrives.
Documents sent to the hospital by the assisted living facility revealed Carroll had dementia, but according to the report - that information was never added to his chart.
The report states the triage nurse looked at the papers and gave them back to EMS and the patient, but Carroll can be seen walking to registration without any papers in hand. The report goes on to say, “no one knows where the paperwork is.”
In the report, Carroll’s medical records show he was documented as leaving against medical advice at 6:55 p.m.
There was no documentation the assisted living facility, security or police were notified when the emergency department realized Carroll left.
The supervisor of security says normally nurses inform security a patient with dementia has left and give a description.
The supervisor even says “sometimes security can locate a patient on the grounds.”
Surveillance video shows Carroll leaving the waiting room and walking outside at 6:06 p.m.
Then at 8:17 p.m., more than an hour after he walked away, he’s seen on camera back inside the hospital speaking with a guest services representative.
Had security been notified, Carroll may have been found and taken back to the ER.
But instead, at 8:20 p.m. Carroll walks out of the hospital again and down Hal Greer Boulevard. That’s the last known time he was seen alive.
The report does detail the actions the hospital is taking as a result of the survey.
Some of those include:
notifying the care facility or next of kin anytime someone over the age of 65 or anyone with a diagnosis of dementia walks away against medical advice or elopes from the hospital.
emergency department auditing records of all patients who walk away to make sure all protocols were followed.
We asked Cabell Huntington for an interview before the results of the survey were released, but no one ever replied.
When we asked after the results were released, we only received automatic replies stating they are out of the office. | 2022-06-02T22:48:10Z | www.wsaz.com | WSAZ Investigates | Deadly Deficiencies | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/02/wsaz-investigates-deadly-deficiencies/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/02/wsaz-investigates-deadly-deficiencies/ |
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - More and more people are switching to hybrid or electric vehicles, intending to save money at the pump or help the environment.
The National Transportation Safety Board said electric vehicle fires pose a threat to first responders.
In an 80-page report based on an investigation of four electric vehicle fires, the NTSB found that the vehicles’ high-voltage lithium-ion batteries “pose the risk of electric shock to emergency responders from exposure to the high-voltage components of a damaged lithium-ion battery.”
On Thursday, the Huntington Fire Department participated in safety training for these types of emergencies.
In a training exercise on Thursday, 24 AA batteries were burned to simulate what could happen during an electrical or hybrid vehicle fire.
If the car was on fire, instructors said it would be 300 times greater then the demo.
“We’re in changing times. As we adopt electrical and hybrid vehicles, it poses some interesting challenges for firefighters,” said Huntington Fire Chief Greg Fuller.
Fuller said because electrical vehicles or hybrid vehicles burn toxins the department would have to change protocol on how they respond.
“In many cases, instead of treating it like a vehicle fire, we’ll treat it like hazardous materials incident,” Fuller said.
The Huntington Fire Department is the first career department in the country that requires this training for all their firefighters. | 2022-06-02T23:35:57Z | www.wsaz.com | Electric and hybrid vehicles pose new risks to first responders | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/02/electric-hybrid-vehicles-pose-new-risks-first-responders/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/02/electric-hybrid-vehicles-pose-new-risks-first-responders/ |
PUTNAM COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - A couple of weeks ago, we told you about the deterioration of Riders Creek Road in Putnam County. It’s so bad the Putnam County School District told us their school buses won’t try and cross it.
Since that story aired, we’ve received more messages from those who live in the area who say, in just two weeks, the condition of the roadway has gotten even worse.
“It’s been slowly going all through the winter,” David Carpenter said. “But here in the last couple of weeks, it’s got really bad. Spring rain has just about done it in.”
We first told you about the slip on May 19 after learning the road was so bad local school buses wouldn’t even try and drive through, forcing some students to walk more than a mile home.
Jessica Wood says the slip is even worse than two weeks ago.
“I mean you can’t even walk on it,” she said. “I mean, it’s breaking.”
How much has it changed? When we compared the video we took on May 19 to the video taken on June 2, the cracks have expanded much farther into the road.
Those who live nearby said they’re worried they won’t be able to drive through much longer. If they can’t get through, it’s a much longer drive to get just about anywhere.
“People who travel this way to get to work to Charleston, it’s probably going to add at least 25-30 minutes to their drive,” Carpenter said.
When initially working on this story, the state Division of Highways sent us a statement two days after the first story aired that said:
“Putnam County WVDOH noticed that Riders Creek settled in January 2022, and installed a pipe and gravel. During the recent storm Riders Creek sustained additional settlement. D1 Design evaluated the site and requested bids from soil nail contractors. Bids are due 5/25/22; we will coordinate with the low-bid contractor’s schedule to construct the repair (planned completion this summer).”
We reached out to them again Thursday about how neighbors are worried about the deterioration, but so far we haven’t heard back.
‘It’s a deathtrap’: Road slip halts school buses | 2022-06-02T23:35:59Z | www.wsaz.com | Neighbors fear road closure as slip worsens in Putnam County | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/02/neighbors-fear-road-closure-slip-worsens-putnam-county/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/02/neighbors-fear-road-closure-slip-worsens-putnam-county/ |
The show is called ‘Into the Woods’
H.A.R.T. presents 'Into the Woods'
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Outdoor theatre has returned to the region with the gang from H.A.R.T. in the Park, Huntington Area Regional Theater for short, debuting their rendition of “Into the Woods” this weekend.
Here in June for three weekends, the H.A.R.T. players are exploring the Ritter Park forest with their revival of the Tony Award winning Broadway play. “Into the Woods” is a dream come true for lovers of kids fairy tales as four heroines and heroes share the same stage: Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Red Riding Hood and damsel in distress Rapunzel as played by Abbie Browning are ready for opening night.
Abbie said, “I am nervous but excited to finally get to sing by myself!”
Act one showcases the depth of musical talent that H.A.R.T. enjoys. Fresh faced and confident thespians with marvelous voices!
For the Smirls‚ Mary and Tommy, it’s a family affair … a decade long in the making.
Daughter Riley is using this summer to unwind before she begins her law studies at GW in the fall.
For likeable veteran Tamara Meadows a chance to play an evil witch … for soon to be Marshall freshman R.J. Blankenship a breakthrough role in a promising career!
It’s a colossal convergence of fairy tale characters, and it’s on stage for three weekends starting Thursday at Ritter Park. | 2022-06-03T02:38:57Z | www.wsaz.com | H.A.R.T. in the PARK returns for a 9th season of outdoor theater | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/03/hart-park-returns-9th-season-outdoor-theater/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/03/hart-park-returns-9th-season-outdoor-theater/ |
Billy Joe Thompson, 53, of Ravenswood, West Virginia, faces charges after a shots-fired incident.(WVRJA)
RAVENSWOOD, W.Va. (WSAZ) – A man faces wanton endangerment charges after shots were fired in Ravenswood, according to the Ravenswood Police Department.
Billy Joe Thompson, 53, of Ravenswood, was arrested after the incident on Dye Street. Police said it happened just after 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Officers said no one was hurt during the incident. Another man was detained at the scene but wasn’t arrested.
Thompson is in custody in the South Central Regional Jail. His bond is $30,000. | 2022-06-03T04:10:15Z | www.wsaz.com | Man arrested after shots-fired incident | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/03/man-arrested-after-shots-fired-incident/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/03/man-arrested-after-shots-fired-incident/ |
Huntington Police say the crash happened just after 8 p.m. Wednesday.(Raegan Williams/WSAZ)
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- People in one neighborhood are calling for more safety measures after a tractor trailer hauling chairs crashed into an underpass because it was too big to get through.
It happened on Riverside Drive in Guyandotte.
Andrew Savage says he was driving that box truck when he crashed into the underpass railroad bridge on Riverside Drive.
“I hit the bridge,” Savage told WSAZ. “The truck was driving was 13 foot 6. The bridge was only 10 feet.”
He says while he’s been driving for 7 years, this was his first day on the job with that particular company.
“If there was a sign, I would’ve stopped. I would’ve turned around,” Savage said. “If there was any sign. Even if it said it was 13 feet 6 inches, I wouldn’t have tested my luck. I would’ve made the decision to not risk the truck, the load, or my life.”
Huntington Police say the crash happened just after 8 p.m. Wednesday.
“He even ran to the other side of the bridge to see if there was a clearance sign, there was not,” said Cliff Wilks who lives in the area.
It’s not the first time this area has seen a crash at that underpass.
Cabell County 911 says in the last year there have been two crashes there involving semis hitting the bridge.
“Every year, there’s usually one or two big trucks that they’re too high that they hit the bridge,” said Burl Edwards, who also lives in the area. “It’s happened several times.”
While you can see a 10 feet maximum clearance sign on one side of the underpass, there isn’t one on the side of the road where the crash happened. But there are clearance signs about a half a mile away from the underpass in each direction.
Neighbors say though, they want to see bigger and clearer signs.
“There’s no signs bolted on either side showing the clearance like they used to have before this new construction,” Wilks said.
Neighbors say the bridge was recently painted and old signs were removed and never put back up, eliminating the warning of the bridge clearance.
“Usually they have a small sign up with a warning,” Edwards said. “I think when they know it’s a hazard, which that is when it happens two or three times a year, there ought to be a bigger sign.”
WSAZ reached out to CSX Thursday and Friday to see if the bridge and the tracks have been inspected since the crash.
They have not responded to our emails.
WSAZ Reporter Shannon Litton also reached out to the City of Huntington to see if they would add another sign.
A city spokesperson told him there was already a sign there.
Shannon then pointed out while there were signs about a half a mile away from both sides of the underpass, there was only a sign near the bridge on one side of the road and not the side where the accident happened, so he asked if another sign would be added.
The city has not yet responded to WSAZ. | 2022-06-03T17:05:13Z | www.wsaz.com | Neighbors call for more signs after truck hits bridge | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/03/neighbors-call-more-signs-after-truck-hits-bridge/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/03/neighbors-call-more-signs-after-truck-hits-bridge/ |
Folks who usually head to the Nitro City Pool for a swim will need to head elsewhere this summer, but it's not without some perks in exchange.
NITRO, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Folks who usually head to the Nitro City Pool for a swim will need to head elsewhere this summer.
The city shared that the pool will not open this summer.
Marie Terry used the pool for decades.
“What I used it for was the water aerobics class they would have. I think it was three days a week, and it was just a lot of good exercise,” she recalled. “Then, it would close down for the kids to come in and play and during that time kids from the school and neighboring cities would come in because of the quality pool it was and the workers would come in and take such good care of the kids.”
Terry’s been keeping busy this summer by playing pickleball.
The closure, however, is not without giving residents something in return.
A $6.5 million bond recently approved by the City Council includes an addition of a splash park and a brand new pool.
Jamie Wright, Nitro’s building inspector, said the pool has been in need of an upgrade.
“The operational system, the mechanics just had reached the end of their operating capacity for the pool. We were having some problems make getting the chemicals degenerate into the pool properly,” he explained. “There needed to be some new underground plumbing and things done here with the drainage system, and the way that the pool, it just needed to stay at a certain clarity and one end of the pool, it was because the mechanics were just getting old and worn out.”
Wright said the pool’s remodeling is just one of many upgrades coming to the city’s park all in hopes to give an enjoyable experience for everyone who visits.
“Next summer, you’ll see a new complex with a new pool with a splash pad for the kids, some pickleball courts and some tennis courts,” he said. “The playground will be removed from the current location and placed by the pavilion.”
Wright said because of the bond, no taxpayer dollars are touched.
“We hope that people realize the citizens realize that it’s not their tax dollars, that is being drawn to do this,” he said. “We did receive a bond to do this project.”
Terry said she looks forward to what is coming.
“What is happening to the city is one of the most wonderful things that a small town can do, in the interest of all age groups,” she said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a newborn or a senior citizen like me, there is something to do.”
Construction on the new pool is expected to start July 1, in hopes to open up by summer of next year. Season passes should still be available. | 2022-06-03T22:27:07Z | www.wsaz.com | Nitro to make a splash with new pool opening next year | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/03/nitro-make-splash-with-new-pool-opening-next-year/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/03/nitro-make-splash-with-new-pool-opening-next-year/ |
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – Jury selection remains underway in the trial of Joshua Phillips who’s charged with the murder of Charleston Police Officer Cassie Johnson.
The deadly shooting happened in December 2020.
While jury selection is expected to continue into next week, it also appears the trial will also begin next week. The judge told potential jurors that they need to be available all of next week and possibly the beginning of the following week.
During the process on Friday, 23 potential jurors were brought in – with the judge and defense lawyers asking them if they have any connection to the case. At this point, each potential juror is having a one-on-one session with lawyers to determine if they’re fit for the case. A few already have been dismissed because of personal conflicts.
The process will continue next week with more people being considered as jurors.
Keep checking the WSAZ app for the latest information. For previous coverage:
CPD Officer Cassie Johnson laid to rest after Hero’s Funeral Service | 2022-06-03T23:58:28Z | www.wsaz.com | Jury selection underway in trial of man accused of fatally shooting police officer | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/03/jury-selection-underway-trial-man-accused-fatally-shooting-police-officer/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/03/jury-selection-underway-trial-man-accused-fatally-shooting-police-officer/ |
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - The first weekend in June promises to deliver weather-wise with decent sunshine, low humidity, and pleasantly warm afternoon temperatures following a bit of a “chill” in the mornings. While the dry stretch continues Monday, scattered rain chances return Tuesday through the rest of the next week as several systems pass. This keeps the heat at bay as afternoon temperatures hover around seasonable in the low 80s.
Saturday morning starts with a clear sky and temperatures generally in the low to mid 50s, although some readings as low as the upper 40s have been seen in rural spots. Patchy fog is being observed in some river valleys as well.
Plenty of sunshine is expected throughout the day on Saturday as high temperatures rise to the low 80s.
Saturday night stays mostly clear and turns cool again with low temperatures in the low to mid 50s. Patchy fog is possible in the river valleys.
By Monday night into Tuesday, showers and thunderstorms are possible as a cold front crosses. High temperatures Tuesday afternoon stay near 80 degrees. | 2022-06-04T11:21:03Z | www.wsaz.com | First Warning Forecast | Stunning weekend ahead! | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/04/first-warning-forecast-stunning-weekend-ahead/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/04/first-warning-forecast-stunning-weekend-ahead/ |
NICHOLAS COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - A community is mourning the loss of a deputy who lost his life protecting others.
According to the Nicholas County Sheriff Department’s Facebook page, Deputy Tom Baker was killed while responding to a situation around 5 p.m. Friday in the Birch River area.
State Senator Stephen Baldwin told WSAZ that Baker was beloved in the community. “He was a former school resource officer and he was also a family man.”
U.S. Senator Joe Manchin released a statement, “Gayle and I are absolutely heartbroken to hear of the death of Nicholas County Deputy Tom Baker. I know our entire state feels this loss, and we are praying for the Nicholas County community. We extend our deepest condolences to Deputy Baker’s family.”
According to the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Facebook page, Cpl. J. Ellison was also shot. He was struck in the leg. He was treated and released from a nearby hospital.
Sheriff William Nunley says Tyler Kelly, 28, is charged with first-degree murder. He’s now lodged at the Central Regional Jail in Flatwoods.
West Virginia State Police said a second suspect is dead. | 2022-06-04T21:30:33Z | www.wsaz.com | Emotional reaction to the death of Nicholas County Deputy Baker | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/04/emotional-reaction-death-deputy/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/04/emotional-reaction-death-deputy/ |
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Sunshine, low humidity, and seasonably warm temperatures are a keeper any time of year but especially in early June. Saturday saw all of the above, and Sunday looks to deliver as well. Even as temperatures creep towards the upper 80s on Monday, humidity stays comfortably low. However, this changes starting Tuesday when several weather systems are set to pass, bringing an increase in moisture and therefore renewed rain chances for the rest of the week. If there is a silver lining, it is that the heat will be kept at bay.
Saturday night stays mostly clear and turns cool again with low temperatures in the low to mid 50s. A bit of fog is possible in the river valleys.
By Monday night into Tuesday, showers and thunderstorms are likely as a cold front crosses. High temperatures Tuesday afternoon stay near 80 degrees. | 2022-06-04T23:32:03Z | www.wsaz.com | First Warning Forecast | Beautiful weather continues | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/04/first-warning-forecast-beautiful-weather-continues/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/04/first-warning-forecast-beautiful-weather-continues/ |
RIPLEY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - A home and puppy were spared from fire damage Saturday afternoon, while a single-wide trailer was destroyed by flames in Ripley.
The Ripley Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to Blue Berry Lane for reports of a structure fire.
Units arrived on scene to find a single wide trailer fully involved. There was a second structure beside the one on fire that had also caught on fire.
Crews focused on preserving the house that was still standing. According to a post on social media, the house was saved, suffering only minor fire damage.
The original home was a total loss. One small puppy was found and saved from the blaze.
Station 60, Station 70, and JCEMS were on scene assisting with operations as well. | 2022-06-06T01:16:30Z | www.wsaz.com | Crews rescue puppy from multi-structure fire | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/06/crews-rescue-puppy-multi-structure-fire/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/06/crews-rescue-puppy-multi-structure-fire/ |
NICHOLAS COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) – A criminal complaint is providing a rough timeline of events that lead to two deputies being shot, one fatally injured.
Baker was shot and killed Friday, June 3 while responding to a situation involving two barricaded individuals inside a camper along Fire House Road in Birch River, West Virginia.
The two men inside were identified as Brent Tyler Kelly and Richie Holcomb.
Around 7 p.m. the men were found barricaded inside of the camper with a 9mm handgun and a AR-15.
Friday, June 3, 2022, 911 log:
7:34 p.m. – shots fired from inside of the camper toward deputies
7:40 p.m. – deputy hit by bullet
7:42 p.m. – another deputy hit by bullet
7:45 p.m. -- deputy pinned down
8:26 p.m. – Brent Kelly taken into custody.
Shortly after, Richie Holcomb was found dead at the rear of the RV in possession of a semi-automatic assault rifle.
Kelly is now in the Central Regional Jail in Flatwoods. He is set to be arraigned Thursday, June 9.
The incident began around 6 p.m. with Nicholas County 911 receiving a call about the destruction of property at 21 Holcomb Street, Birch River, West Virginia. | 2022-06-06T18:01:30Z | www.wsaz.com | Criminal documents provide details about deputy’s line of duty death | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/06/criminal-documents-provide-details-about-deputys-line-duty-death/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/06/criminal-documents-provide-details-about-deputys-line-duty-death/ |
IRONTON, Ohio (WSAZ) – For two days, crews have been working to mitigate a water main break in Ironton, Ohio.
The break has not impacted service to customers; however, the city has lost a significant amount of water over the course of two days, Mayor Sam Cramblit says.
Officials believe the break happened sometime Sunday. It is located on a hillside along U.S. 52 and is not spilling onto city streets.
Crews do not know what caused the water main break but say weather could have played a role.
Significant rises and falls in temperatures tend to cause water lines to swell and sometimes break.
The mayor tells WSAZ.com the rainy forecast hasn’t helped with repairs as workers attempt to use heavy equipment in very muddy conditions. | 2022-06-07T16:56:34Z | www.wsaz.com | Crews work to repair water main break in Ironton, Ohio | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/07/crews-work-repair-water-main-break-ironton-ohio/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/07/crews-work-repair-water-main-break-ironton-ohio/ |
On June 8th, Kentucky Career Center and Ashland Town Center are co-hosting a regional hiring event.
Companies from around the region, along with Town Center businesses will be exhibiting career opportunities, accepting applications, and some will do on-the-spot interviews.
Hundreds of job openings will be represented.
The event is being held at Ashland Town Center on June 8 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | 2022-06-07T19:54:43Z | www.wsaz.com | Ashland Regional Hiring event with Kentucky Career Center | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/07/ashland-regional-hiring-event-with-kentucky-career-center/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/07/ashland-regional-hiring-event-with-kentucky-career-center/ |
Longtime local government official Gary Bunn has died. He was 88.(MGN)
CABELL COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) – Longtime local government official Gary Bunn has died. He was 88.
Cabell County Commissioner Kelli Sobonya on Tuesday released the following statement about Bunn, a former commissioner in Cabell County and a former Huntington City councilman:
“Gary Bunn was a long-time public servant at both the county and city levels. He had many accomplishments that will be realized by generations yet to come. As a county commissioner, I am glad he paved the way and led by example. He will be greatly missed in our community. I extend my heartfelt condolences and prayers to his entire family.”
According to Bunn’s death notice, his time in public office included serving as the city of Huntington’s planning director from 1967 to 1989, as well as the city manager in the late 1970s.
Most recently, Bunn was elected as a Huntington City Council member in 2012.
Funeral services are set for 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Fifth Avenue Baptist Church in Huntington. Visitation will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Beard Mortuary in Huntington. | 2022-06-08T00:28:44Z | www.wsaz.com | Former commissioner and city councilman dies at 88 | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/07/former-commissioner-city-councilman-dies-88/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/07/former-commissioner-city-councilman-dies-88/ |
Joshua Phillips trial continues. (WSAZ)(WSAZ)
Kanawha County, W.Va. (WSAZ) - As the trial against the man accused of shooting and killing a Charleston police officer entered its third day, pictures were shown to the jury of the crime scene.
Joshua Phillips, 38, of Charleston, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Charleston Patrolman Cassie Johnson. Officer Johnson was shot on December 1, 2020 when responding to a traffic complaint.
To begin the third day of the trial on Wednesday, dozens of pictures were shown to the jury from the crime scene along Garrison Avenue in Charleston.
Those pictures featured wide-shots of the entire scene as well as close-ups of evidence.
Some of the close-ups showed individual bullet casings, while others were parts of Johnson’s police uniform.
One by one they showed each item and the damage inflicted to the uniform, vest, and even the badge she was wearing.
After showing those pictures, the defense asked questions about where the bullet casings landed and how they ended up in the places they were found. | 2022-06-08T15:51:10Z | www.wsaz.com | Trial of man accused of killing Charleston police officer enters third day | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/08/trial-man-accused-killing-charleston-police-officer-enters-third-day/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/08/trial-man-accused-killing-charleston-police-officer-enters-third-day/ |
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Late this Wednesday afternoon, the wheels have been set in motion for some locally violent evening weather.
With the notion that the National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Watch for Ohio, and Kentucky and West Virginia counties on the border with Ohio, here is what you need to know.
4. If you live in a mobile home, consider leaving until the storm watch has ended. While the chance that any one home would be impacted is small, should a high wind storm (straight line or circular) move through your community, the safer place to be would focus on a sturdier structure. | 2022-06-08T20:17:02Z | www.wsaz.com | Tornado Watch in effect for the Ohio Valley | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/08/tornado-watch-ohio-valley/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/08/tornado-watch-ohio-valley/ |
William Lucas Ferguson, 27, of Ashland, Kentucky, was arrested Tuesday on child sexual abuse charges.(Kentucky State Police)
GREENUP COUNTY, Ky. (WSAZ) – A man from Ashland faces several sexual abuse charges involving the alleged abuse of a child under 12 years old.
William Lucas Ferguson, 27, was arrested Tuesday, Kentucky State Police said.
Troopers say Ferguson possessed images of child sexual abuse and potentially sexually abused a child under age 12.
He is charged with 10 counts of use of a minor in a sexual performance under 16, one count of first-degree sexual abuse, and one count of first-degree sodomy.
Ferguson was taken to the Greenup County Detention Center. | 2022-06-08T21:47:59Z | www.wsaz.com | Man faces child sexual abuse charges | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/08/man-faces-child-sexual-abuse-charges/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/08/man-faces-child-sexual-abuse-charges/ |
Company confirms an Olive Garden restaurant is coming to Ashland, Kentucky.
ASHLAND, Ky. (WSAZ) - A company says a new restaurant is coming to Ashland, Kentucky.
Meagan Bernstein, with Darden Restaurants, told WSAZ that they plan to open an Olive Garden in Ashland.
Bernstein said, “Darden is looking forward to joining the community, but since the project is still in it’s early stages, we don’t have many details to share.”
As for a location or when it will open, Bernstein said that will come at a later date. | 2022-06-09T16:04:04Z | www.wsaz.com | Olive Garden restaurant coming to Ashland, Kentucky | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/09/olive-garden-restaurant-coming-ashland-kentucky/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/09/olive-garden-restaurant-coming-ashland-kentucky/ |
CenterStage Magazine gave the show 5 Stars, quote “...its an electrifying show of all the timeless hits, delivered with modern sensibilities. The show connects the audience with all memories and feelings that Cash’s music gave to generations.”
Forever Johnny Cash: The Musical Tribute will be in Charleston on Saturday, May 18 at 8 p.m.
For more information, visit foreverjohnnycashtribute.com. | 2022-06-09T19:07:02Z | www.wsaz.com | Johnny Cash Tribute Show coming to Charleston | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/09/johnny-cash-tribute-show-coming-charleston/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/09/johnny-cash-tribute-show-coming-charleston/ |
Ky governor asks feds to issue wavier for lower-cost gas, issues baby formula state of emergency
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Gov. Beshear issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency over the baby formula shortage that has impacted the nation and the commonwealth. The Governor’s order activates state price-gouging laws, which aims to protect families seeking to purchase formula from the predatory pricing that can occur when supplies are limited due to high demand.
The Governor said, at this time, the attorney general has not reported any claims of price gouging or requested that the price gouging laws be activated, but other states have reported such claims and are taking steps to address them. Under current law, the state of emergency and price gouging laws can last for 30-days; however, local county and city officials can request an extension.
In a letter sent to top administrators at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Gov. Beshear requested that the administration grant a waiver and remove the requirement that more costly, “reformulated” fuel be sold in many urban areas – including the Louisville metropolitan area. On top of the price spike, the supply of reformulated gasoline that Kentucky relies on has faced the added pressure of a global supply crunch. | 2022-06-09T19:07:22Z | www.wsaz.com | Ky governor asks feds to issue wavier for lower-cost gas, issues baby formula state of emergency | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/09/ky-governor-asks-feds-issue-wavier-lower-cost-gas-issues-baby-formula-state-emergency/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/09/ky-governor-asks-feds-issue-wavier-lower-cost-gas-issues-baby-formula-state-emergency/ |
Appalachian Power introduces rate increase proposal
KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) – The Kanawha County Commission has spoken out about a proposed $297 million rate increase that would add more than $18 to the average customer’s bill.
In a release, commissioners called the request “unprecedented.” The increase would go into effect by Sept. 1 – if approved by the state Public Service Commission.
In a filing, commissioners Kent Carper, Ben Salango, and Lance Wheeler wrote, ”The Public Service Commission (PSC) must recognize APCo’s request for what it is – flagrant price gouging of the thousands of residents and businesses that are held captive to APCo’s monopoly. It is far past time for the PSC to do what is right when it comes to the cost of electricity. The PSC must reject APCo’s outrageous $297 million request in its entirety.”
Commissioners also referenced media reports showing that the average residential customer’s bill has increased 182% since 2006 and that American Electric Power’s CEO makes $15 million per year.
The Public Service Commission has scheduled four public hearings on APCo’s request: June 22 at the Ohio County Courthouse in Wheeling at 5:30 p.m., June 27 at the Mercer County Courthouse in Princeton at 5:30 p.m, June 28 at the Cabell County Courthouse in Huntington at 5: 30 p.m, and July 26: PSC headquarters in Charleston at 5:30 p.m.
According to the release, Commission President Carper plans to appear at one or more hearings to testify in opposition to the rate hike.
Appalachian Power requests to raise rates $297 million | 2022-06-09T20:46:46Z | www.wsaz.com | Commissioners speak out about proposed $297 million rate increase by Appalachian Power | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/09/commissioners-speak-out-about-proposed-297-million-rate-increase-by-appalachian-power/ | https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/09/commissioners-speak-out-about-proposed-297-million-rate-increase-by-appalachian-power/ |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.