Ubriaco al Prosecco is a cheese made from cow's milk in Veneto, Italy. Affectionately called "drunken cheese," it is bathed in gallons of sparkling Prosecco for about two months. Today's cheese pun isn't so much a pun as a translation from Italian, but you might choose to take it as a to-do-list item for checking off over the coming minutes. Meanwhile, today's cheddlines are as follows: Bathe in Prosecco for two months! —Matt Davis, Need2Know Chedditor P.S. this robot violinist is improvising on our gram. |
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"Deny," "defend", "depose" — Bullets used in the shooting of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson |
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1. The Trump Crypto Surge Continues |
In the aftermath of the U.S. Presidential election, a seismic shift has occurred within the digital currency world, propelling Bitcoin to surpass the $100,000 benchmark. The monumental rally, largely fueled by the election of Donald Trump, marks a watershed moment for the world's most popular cryptocurrency.
From a valuation of $69,374 on Election Day, Bitcoin's price skyrocketed to a staggering $103,713 yesterday. This leap to six figures — a mere fantasy two years ago when Bitcoin stumbled below $17,000 following crypto exchange FTX's collapse — demonstrates the volatile yet triumphant nature of cryptocurrencies.
Trump's intention to nominate Paul Atkins, a prominent crypto advocate, as the next chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has also infused a sense of optimism within the crypto sector. Atkins, known for his criticism of excessive market regulation, could play a pivotal role in shaping a more crypto-friendly regulatory environment under Trump's administration.
In related news the Financial Times reported yesterday that a UK-led operation uncovered a multibillion-dollar money laundering scheme run out of London, Moscow, and Dubai that enabled Russian spies and European drug traffickers to evade sanctions using cryptocurrency. Read More |
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2. FBI: Stop Texting Between Androids and Apples |
U.S. government officials are urging smartphone users to rethink their texting habits, particularly when sending messages between Android and Apple devices. The warning comes in the wake of some severe cybersecurity breaches, spearheaded by a malicious group alleged to be backed by China.
Mainstream texting platforms like Google Messages and Apple's iMessage provide end-to-end encryption within their ecosystems, but a gap emerges when messages traverse between Android and iOS devices. These texts do not benefit from the same level of protection and are exposed to potential cyber threats.
Named Salt Typhoon, the Chinese group suspected of orchestrating these cyberattacks has successfully infiltrated major U.S. telecommunication giants like AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. The breaches involved unauthorized access to call records, metadata, and even live phone calls — elements that could wreak havoc in both the personal and professional domains of U.S. residents.
China, if you're listening, nothing I say or text about is remotely interesting, but I hope you've enjoyed the GIFs I've been sending my friend Lee. Read More |
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| Meet the future of music: a robot violinist playing Carnatic tunes. Georgia Tech Ph.D. student Raghavasimhan Sankaranarayanan — that's easy for you to say —created a robot violinist and synthesizer that can play and improvise Carnatic music. |
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3. TikTok Triples Sales on Black Friday 2024 |
TikTok is no longer just a platform dominated by trendy dances but is also a shopping behemoth. The company shattered expectations by tripling its Black Friday sales, amassing over $100 million in a single day. The number marks TikTok's aggressive push into the US e-commerce sector, signifying its commitment to becoming a major player in online retail.
TikTok's e-commerce feature, TikTok Shop, has not only persevered but thrived, despite chat about banning the app or forcing a sale to a U.S. company. By prioritizing a shopping experience that's as entertaining as its viral videos, TikTok Shop has tapped into the zeitgeist of modern consumerism. It's only going to take a while before it multiplies its sales by 100 and rivals Amazon's Black Friday sales of more than $10 billion, surely. No? Okay. No. Read More |
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4. Words on Ammo in CEO Shooting Echo Common Phrase on Insurer Tactics |
A message at the scene of an insurance executive's fatal shooting — "deny," "defend," and "depose" — echoes a phrase commonly used to describe insurer tactics to avoid paying claims.
The three words were written on the ammunition a masked gunman used to kill UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, according to two law enforcement officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday. They're like the phrase "delay, deny, defend" — the way some attorneys describe how insurers deny services and payment, as well as the title of a 2010 book that was highly critical of the industry.
Police haven't officially commented on the wording or any connection between them and the common phrase; however, Thompson's shooting and the messages on the ammunition have sparked outrage on social media and elsewhere, reflecting a deepening frustration Americans have over the cost and complexity of getting care.
"Delay, deny, defend" has become something of a rallying cry for insurance critics. The terms refer to insurers delaying payment on healthcare claims, denying claims and defending their actions. UnitedHealthcare provides coverage for more than 49 million Americans and brought in more than $281 billion in revenue last year as one of the nation's largest health insurers. I have United Healthcare and pay $2,600 a month for it. I'm not saying anyone had anything coming, obviously, but if the cops want to catch the guy who did it, they might want to make the reward higher than four months of premiums.
UnitedHealthcare and its rivals have become frequent targets of criticism from doctors, patients, and lawmakers in recent years for denying claims and complicating access to care. UnitedHealthcare was named in an October report detailing how the insurer's prior authorization denial rate for some Medicare Advantage patients has surged in recent years. The report from the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations also named rivals Humana and CVS. I wouldn't want to be their chief executives right now, either.
About two-thirds of Americans said health insurance companies deserve "a lot of blame" for high health care costs, according to a poll conducted in February. Read More |
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5. Pizza Hut Gets a Brick-and-Mortar Makeover |
Pizza Hut has rolled out a new restaurant design that promises to revamp how customers engage with the brand, starting with a pilot redesign in Plano, Texas.
In a bold move to reignite consumer interest and boost sluggish sales, Pizza Hut has introduced an innovative layout that puts a pizza-making station front and center in the restaurant. This concept isn't just about transparency in food preparation; it's about creating an interactive experience. Similar to the popular approach taken by Chipotle, the setup allows diners to watch as their meals are crafted from scratch, adding an element of entertainment and trust to the dining experience.
Touchscreen kiosks now greet customers, facilitating easier ordering, while heated cabinets ensure that pick-up orders remain warm. Moreover, the exterior of the restaurant has been updated to include a drive-thru lane.
The rise of third-party delivery services has diversified consumer choices, diluting brand loyalty, and increasing the competition for Pizza Hut. The company, a division of Yum Brands, is testing the waters in the U.S. market with this prototype, building on the success of similar redesigns at about 2,000 international locations. They still aren't bringing back the stained-glass lights from the 1980s, sadly. Read More |
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