www lol646 com login password
www lol646 com login password
At major IEA conference, decision-makers from tech, energy and government underscore AI’s implications for energy security and transitions
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes drifted lower Tuesday in the runup to the highlight of the week for the market, the latest update on inflation that’s coming on Wednesday. The S&P 500 dipped 0.3%, a day after pulling back from its latest all-time high . They’re the first back-to-back losses for the index in nearly a month, as momentum slows following a big rally that has it on track for one of its best years of the millennium . The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 154 points, or 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.3%. Tech titan Oracle dragged on the market and sank 6.7% after reporting growth for the latest quarter that fell just short of analysts’ expectations. It was one of the heaviest weights on the S&P 500, even though CEO Safra Catz said the company saw record demand related to artificial-intelligence technology for its cloud infrastructure business, which trains generative AI models. AI has been a big source of growth that’s helped many companies’ stock prices skyrocket. Oracle’s stock had already leaped more than 80% for the year coming into Tuesday, which raised the bar of expectations for its profit report. In the bond market, Treasury yields ticked higher ahead of Wednesday’s report on the inflation that U.S. consumers are feeling. Economists expect it to show similar increases as the month before. Wednesday’s update and a report on Thursday about inflation at the wholesale level will be the final big pieces of data the Federal Reserve will get before its meeting next week, where many investors expect the year’s third cut to interest rates . The Fed has been easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high since September to take pressure off the slowing jobs market, after bringing inflation nearly down to its 2% target. Lower rates would help give support to the economy, but they could also provide more fuel for inflation. Expectations for a series of cuts through next year have been a big reason the S&P 500 has set so many records this year. Trading in the options market suggests traders aren’t expecting a very big move for U.S. stocks following Wednesday’s report, according to strategists at Barclays. But a reading far off expectations in either direction could quickly change that. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.22% from 4.20% late Monday. Even though the Fed has been cutting its main interest rate, mortgage rates have been more stubborn to stay high and have been volatile since the autumn. That has hampered the housing industry, and homebuilder Toll Brothers’ stock fell 6.9% even though it delivered profit and revenue for the latest quarter that topped analysts’ expectations. CEO Douglas Yearley Jr. said the luxury builder has been seeing strong demand since the start of its fiscal year six weeks ago, an encouraging signal as it approaches the beginning of the spring selling season in mid-January. Elsewhere on Wall Street, Alaska Air Group soared 13.2% after raising its forecast for profit in the current quarter. The airline said demand for flying around the holidays has been stronger than expected. It also approved a plan to buy back up to $1 billion of its stock, along with new service from Seattle to Tokyo and Seoul . Boeing climbed 4.5% after saying it’s resuming production of its bestselling plane , the 737 Max, for the first time since 33,000 workers began a seven-week strike that ended in early November. Vail Resorts rose 2.5% after the ski resort operator reported a smaller first-quarter loss than analysts expected in what is traditionally its worst quarter. All told, the S&P 500 fell 17.94 points to 6,034.91. The Dow dipped 154.10 to 44,247.83, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 49.45 to 19,687.24. In stock markets abroad, indexes were mixed in China after the world’s second-largest economy said its exports rose by less than expected in November. Stocks rose 0.6% in Shanghai but fell 0.5% in Hong Kong. Indexes fell across much of Europe ahead of a meeting this week by the European Central Bank, where the widespread expectation is for another cut in interest rates. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.
NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for December 1
NEW YORK — For about 50 years, adding cavity-preventing fluoride to drinking water was a popular public health measure in Yorktown, a leafy town north of New York City. But in September, the town’s supervisor used his emergency powers to stop the practice. The reason? A recent federal judge’s decision that ordered U.S. regulators to consider the risk that fluoride in water could cause lower IQ in kids. “It’s too dangerous to look at and just say ‘Ah, screw it. We’ll keep going on,’” said the town supervisor, Ed Lachterman. Yorktown isn’t alone. The decision to add fluoride to drinking water rests with state and local officials, and fights are cropping up nationwide. Communities in Florida, Texas, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming and elsewhere have debated the idea in recent months — the total number is in the dozens, with several deciding to stop adding it to drinking water, according to Fluoride Action Network, an advocacy organization against water fluoridation. In Arkansas, legislators this week filed a bill to repeal the state’s fluoridation program. The debates have been ignited or fueled by three developments: —In August, a federal agency reported “with moderate confidence” that there is a link between high levels of fluoride exposure — more than twice the recommended limit — and lower IQ in kids. —In September, the federal judge ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to further regulate fluoride in drinking water because high levels could pose a risk to the intellectual development of children. —This month, just days before the election, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declared that Donald Trump would push to remove fluoride from drinking water on his first day as president. Trump later picked Kennedy to run the Department of Health and Human Services. In Durango, Colorado, there was an unsuccessful attempt to stop fluoridating the water during Trump’s first term in office. A new push came this year, as Trump saw a surge of political support. “It’s just kind of the ebb and flow of politics on the national level that ultimately affects us down here,” said city spokesman Tom Sluis. Fluoride strengthens teeth and reduces cavities by replacing minerals lost during normal wear and tear , according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 1950, federal officials endorsed water fluoridation to prevent tooth decay, and the addition of low levels of fluoride to drinking water has long been considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the last century. Fluoride can come from a number of sources, but drinking water is the main source for Americans, researchers say. Nearly two-thirds of the U.S. population gets fluoridated drinking water , according to CDC data. There is a recommended fluoridation level, but many communities exceed that, sometimes because fluoride occurs naturally at higher levels in certain water sources. Opposition is nothing new, though for decades it was considered a fringe opinion. Adherents included conspiracy theorists who claimed fluoridation was a plot to make people submissive to government power. Health officials could point to studies that showed that cavities were less common in communities with fluoridated water, and that dental health worsened in communities without it. But fluoride isn't just in water. Through the years it became common in toothpaste, mouthwash and other products. And data began to emerge that there could be too much of a good thing: In 2011, officials reported that 2 out of 5 U.S. adolescents had at least mild tooth streaking or spottiness because of too much fluoride. In 2015, the CDC recommended that communities revisit how much they were putting in the water. Beginning in 1962, the government recommended a range of 0.7 milligrams per liter for warmer climates where people drink more water to 1.2 milligrams in cooler areas. The new standard became 0.7 everywhere. Over time, more studies pointed to a different problem: a link between higher levels of fluoride and brain development. The August report by the federal government’s National Toxicology Program — summarizing studies conducted in Canada, China, India, Iran, Pakistan and Mexico — concluded that drinking water containing more than 1.5 milligrams of fluoride per liter was associated with lower IQs in kids. “There’s no question that fluoride prevents cavities,” said Dr. Tom Frieden, who was director of the CDC when the agency changed the recommended fluoride levels. “There’s also no question we’re getting more fluoride than we were 50 years ago, through toothpaste and other things.” Frieden said “a legitimate question” has been raised about whether fluoride affects brain development, and studies making that link “need to be looked at carefully.” Many people in health care strongly embrace water fluoridation. The American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics reaffirmed their endorsement of current CDC recommendations in the wake of the federal report and the judge’s ruling. Colorado’s health department, which weighed in during a Nov. 5 Durango city council meeting, said in a statement that it “seeks to align its public health recommendations with the latest scientific research. The facts of this court ruling are not sufficient” to revise current fluoridation levels. Durango officials are waiting to see what the EPA does in reaction to the recent court decision, said Sluis, the city spokesman. “We follow the science,” he said. “It wouldn’t be in the best interest of the city to stop fluoridation based on one judge’s interpretation.” In Yorktown, Lachterman concluded the judge’s decision was enough to halt fluoridation. He recalled a community discussion several years ago in which most people in the room clearly favored fluoridation, but recently it seems public comment has reversed. “It’s like a total 180,” he said. But not all public pressure these days is against the idea. In September, Buffalo, New York, announced it would resume water fluoridation after not having it for nearly a decade. News reports had described an increase in tooth decay and families sued, seeking damages for dental costs. The Buffalo Sewer Authority’s general manager, Oluwole McFoy declined to discuss the decision with The Associated Press, citing the litigation. For its part, the EPA “is in the process of reviewing the district court’s decision,” spokesman Jeff Landis said this week. In Monroe, Wisconsin, fluoridation “has become a very hot issue,” said its mayor, Donna Douglas. The small city, near Madison, started fluoridating its drinking water in the early 1960s. But in the late summer, some residents began calling and emailing Douglas, saying she needed to do something about what they saw as a public health danger. The first call “was more like a threat,” she recalled. Douglas said she did not take a position on whether to stop, but decided to raise it to the city council for discussion. The discussions were unusually emotional. Few people tend to speak during public comment sessions at council meetings, said Douglas. But more than two dozen people spoke at a city council meeting last month, most of them in favor of fluoridation. At a subsequent meeting, about a dozen more people — all opposed to fluoridation — came out to speak. “This is the first time we’ve had any debates at all” like this, Douglas said. “I didn’t realize it would be such a heated discussion.” ___ AP video journalist Brittany Peterson and AP reporter Andrew DeMillo contributed to this report. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.BY MATT GLYNN Dec. 9, 2024 Jim Bernecki of Jim’s Java Repair at his workshop in Tonawanda, Dec. 4, 2024. Jim's Java Repair grinds out growth James Bernecki was working as a Starbucks barista when he had a conversation with a technician who came into the store that night to repair a machine. That chance conversation a few years ago would put Bernecki on a new career path. Now, at 26, he is the owner of Jim's Java Repair, a Town of Tonawanda-based business that maintains coffee and espresso machines across the state. He has a staff of five and is looking to expand the business. For budding entrepreneurs thinking about launching their own businesses, Bernecki's story contains lessons to learn from: Seize the moment . The technician Bernecki struck up a conversation with offered him an opportunity to join Overdrive, his employer. On that particular day, Bernecki was working an extra shift and had declined a chance to leave work early. "That's where it really felt like the stars aligned for me," he said. Bernecki accepted the offer, and the company flew him to Ohio for a couple of weeks of training. The company assigned him to New York State to handle its Western New York territory. Thinking bigger . Bernecki decided to leave after a couple of years. He felt like he had learned a skill set from the company, but the company worked on only one type of machine. He returned to Starbucks to work as a manager, while starting to develop his own repair business on the side. "It was always in the back of my mind, and Starbucks has always been one of the places where they encourage doing your own thing once in a while, and sometimes using that as a steppingstone," Bernecki said. Hiring help . For about the first year of his business, Bernecki did everything on his own, driving all over the state to work for customers. "I grinded it out for about a year," he said. Eventually, after repeated trips around the state, he realized he could benefit from some help. Fortunately, he knew some other technicians who were eager to join him in the business. Finding customers. "Everything has been word of mouth and cold calls," Bernecki said. "I took that one out of the Mark Cuban book: Get your boots on, start calling people." It wasn't always easy, but he gradually built a customer base. "I think the biggest thing is preparing for the opportunity that you don't know exists yet," he said. Jim's Java Repair customers have included chain stores, along with mom-and-pop shops. "I also wanted to branch out and start helping all those local shops, because it's incredibly tough to find good technicians," he said. Managing growth . The company serves customers all over New York State. Bernecki has his eye on expanding his geographic reach. "That's the next true step of a service company, is that market expansion," he said. Bernecki is planning to hire another technician to support those growth plans. "The opportunities are endless with this industry," Bernecki said. "We have so many ideas of how we want to help local clients and commercial clients going into the future." Power of specializing . "People are very excited because we're completely dedicated to coffee and espresso," Bernecki said. Some other coffee machine repair businesses also handle repairs for equipment like ovens and fryers. Bernecki believes there is value in specializing. "We found it best to just have that focus on coffee, and I think that shows with the coffee shops," he said. "They can trust us to diagnose and fix deeper issues that you face with these machines." Mentoring. Bernecki is receiving advice from Kevin Schmidle of Chase Bank. As a senior business consultant, Schmidle is delivering Chase's complimentary "Coaching for Impact" program to small businesses in the region. Schmidle said Jim's Java Repair "fits our Coaching for Impact program perfectly − he is growing, in our community and elsewhere, and looking for guidance on how to scale his business." Schmidle credits Bernecki with launching a business that focused on meeting a need, based on an idea that arose from working in a particular industry. "These types of businesses that are 'behind the scenes' are very vital toward growing our community and economy," he said. Bernecki said it's helpful for him to have someone like Schmidle to bounce ideas off, as he looks to scale up. "This is very much the beginning of what we're doing," Bernecki said. Want to know more? Three stories to catch you up: Small businesses tapping into free advice To boost entrepreneurs, SCORE needs more volunteers 'Game on': AOL co-founder urges Buffalo to build on startup gains Welcome to Buffalo Next. This newsletter from The Buffalo News will bring you the latest coverage on the changing Buffalo Niagara economy – from real estate to health care to startups. Read more at BuffaloNext.com . THE LATEST With demise of Braymiller , will downtown Buffalo ever get another grocery store? The snowstorms of the past week have been exactly what local ski areas have been hoping for. Buffalo officials are seeking a $2 million Restore NY grant to repair the downtown hostel buildings A Buffalo housing court judge is losing patience with the owner of the Buffalo Grand Hotel and Wonder Bread building. Sumitomo Rubber USA reached an agreement with its unionized former workers on a severance package. A Clarence plaza is getting a major makeover that will add apartments and townhouses, along with more commercial space. Ingram Micro is cutting 850 jobs across its operations , but isn't specifying the impact on its Western New York workforce. Federal regulators have lifted the consent order that Lake Shore Savings Bank operated under for nearly two years. Work is beginning this week on People Inc.'s latest housing project in Western New York. Hundreds of former Sumitomo Rubber workers flocked to the Lincoln Park Athletic Center in the Town of Tonawanda on Tuesday for a job fair. The City of Niagara Falls is seeking to buy a cluster of Main Street properties to keep them out of the hands of out-of-state investors. Developer Doug Jemal is tweaking the design of his project at Elmwood and Bidwell avenues. The snow put a damper on holiday shopping in the Southtowns. With fewer shoppers going out to stores for their holiday shopping, hiring has dropped sharply for seasonal retail jobs. It's not like the old days, but some hardy souls were out in the darkness to start their Black Friday shopping . Two of Buffalo's top development officials have been ousted . New solar project starts construction in Great Valley. Scanlon, Poloncarz criticize land bank for delays and cost of homes on projects in Buffalo and Cheektowaga. How do the Bills believe they will ever get to the more than 5,000 potential season ticket holder accounts on their waitlist for the new stadium and why advertise for more of them? Developers battle over Tonawanda Island site but sewer capacity may hinder projects. What went wrong at Tonawanda's Sumitomo tire plant ? And why did Sumitomo's Japan-based parent decide to pull the plug now? Work has begun on venture studio built to fill void in Buffalo's entrepreneurial space . Artisans report as much as 50% of their annual revenue comes from the holiday shopping season. ICYMI Five reads from Buffalo Next: Buffalo Niagara Partnership sees new home as a 'hub' . Business group preparing to move to Cobblestone District. Report notes pay gap between men and women has significant economic effects in NY. Women's Foundation of WNY says gap impacts women into retirement. Sumitomo, union reach separation agreement. The deal covers about 1,200 Steelworkers who lost their jobs when the plant closed. Lake Shore Bank freed from order that found 'unsafe and unsound business practices'. Federal regulators announced the consent order nearly two years ago. Ingram Micro not specifying Western New York cuts. The technology company has 1,250 employees in Amherst. The Buffalo Next team gives you the big picture on the region’s economic revitalization. Email tips to buffalonext@buffnews.com or reach Buffalo Next Editor David Robinson at 716-849-4435. Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up to get the latest in your inbox five days a week . Email tips to buffalonext@buffnews.com . Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Friendly reminder |
The authenticity of this information has not been verified by this website and is for your reference only. Please do not reprint without permission. If authorized by this website, it should be used within the scope of authorization and marked with "Source: this website". |
Special attention |
Some articles on this website are reprinted from other media. The purpose of reprinting is to convey more industry information, which does not mean that this website agrees with their views and is responsible for their authenticity. Those who make comments on this website forum are responsible for their own content. This website has the right to reprint or quote on the website. The comments on the forum do not represent the views of this website. If you need to use the information provided by this website, please contact the original author. The copyright belongs to the original author. If you need to contact this website regarding copyright, please do so within 15 days. |