Author: ricardofrancois

Tara Moore | stone | Getty ImagesCatherine Dowling has an analogy that might be helpful for investors who are considering buying a cryptocurrency like Bitcoin and wondering what the right amount is.It's “like hot pepper,” said Dowling, general counsel and chief compliance officer at Bitwise Asset Management, a cryptocurrency fund manager. “A little goes a long way” in a portfolio, she explained earlier this month at Financial Advisor magazine's annual Investing in Women conference in West Palm Beach, Florida.More personal finance:How to spot and overcome “ghost” jobsThese features help your home sell for $10,000+“Gray divorce” has doubled since the 1990sIvory…

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Open Editor's Digest for freeRula Khalaf, editor of the Financial Times, picks her favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.Amazon has committed an additional $2.75 billion to AI startup Anthropic, strengthening its ties with the company as the race for Big Tech to dominate the booming AI sector intensifies. The deal is Amazon's largest venture investment ever, and brings its total commitment to Anthropic to $4 billion. The partnership is one of a number struck between AI startups and tech giants over the past year, with Google, Microsoft, Amazon and others betting that strength in generative AI will be their biggest…

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When large numbers of gray whales began washing up along North America's Pacific coast nearly six years ago, marine scientists could only speculate about the cause: Was it a disease? Ocean pollution? Increased ship collisions? Many of the stricken cetaceans appeared thin or emaciated, while others appeared torn apart by the killer whales. Some of them apparently died after being hit by a ship, or caught in fishing gear. And still others have not provided any clear evidence.Now — after more than 700 gray whales have washed ashore in Mexico, Canada, California and other U.S. states since late 2018 —…

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Former state Comptroller Betty Yee on Wednesday launched her campaign for governor of California in 2026, joining a crowded field of Democratic candidates nearly a year after she initially announced she planned to run for the office. In an announcement video posted on social media, Yee emphasized her humble upbringing and financial leadership in state government. “People worry that we don't have any power over our future, but I know we do,” Yee said. “That's why I'm running for governor. We have the resolve and strength to make California add more for all of us again. Yee joins a list…

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Open Editor's Digest for freeRula Khalaf, editor of the Financial Times, picks her favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.Paying for everyday transactions with a tap, swipe or tap of your card or phone is convenient. But it's not free. In the United States, merchants paid a record $172 billion in processing fees to accept $11.2 trillion in card payments last year, according to a Nielsen report. The bulk of so-called swipe or interchange fees — about 79 percent — were from credit cards.This week's landmark class action settlement wants to change that. Visa and Mastercard — the country's two largest…

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This article is an on-site version of our Working It newsletter. Sign up here to get the newsletter sent directly to your inbox every WednesdayHello and welcome to working on it.This week, I was pleased to see that smartphone use has finally been recognized as extremely damaging to children and young people. A parent-led mass movement to stop giving smartphones to children is well underway. We adults don't make great role models for ourselves, as many of us are addicted to using smartphones. We would certainly think more clearly and waste less time at work if we did not have…

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When businessman Stephen Chen's mother began approaching retirement age, she had to borrow money from Chen – and Chen's brother – to make ends meet. They wanted to help, but the siblings also wanted to come up with a more sustainable, long-term solution that would help their mother retire without having to worry about finances. Chen tried to get guidance from a financial advisor, but no one would accept his mother as a client because her net worth was not high enough. So Chen started creating spreadsheets and financial models himself, doing his best to figure out how his mother…

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The remains of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, 2024 in Baltimore Michael A. McCoy | The Washington Post | Getty ImagesThe collapse of a Baltimore bridge on Tuesday prompted automakers to evaluate operations after the busiest auto port in the United States was closed. Many do not expect major disruptions yet.In a dramatic scene, a cargo ship collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the early hours of Tuesday morning, causing it to collapse into the water almost immediately. Six people working on the bridge are believed to have died on Wednesday, after rescuers failed to…

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Good morning. It's Wednesday, March 27th. I'm Teresa Watanabe and I cover higher education. Here's what you need to know to start your day. the news Start your day right Sign up for Essential California to get news, features and recommendations from the LA Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. Enter your email address Involve me You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. How much algebra do students need to succeed in college? How many of you took Algebra 2 and need these skills to succeed in college? This question is at…

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Seven of the country's largest gaming companies are teaming up to create a trade group to promote responsible gaming and, for the first time ever, will share information about problem gamblers.The seven operators – fan duel, kings project, MGM House, bin entertainment, Fanatics Betting & Gaming, Hard Rock Digital and bet365 will form the Responsible Online Gaming Association, or ROGA, the group announced on Wednesday.Members represent more than 85% of the legal online betting market in the United States. They have collectively pledged more than $20 million in funding for ROGA.“I'm very excited to move forward with this and do…

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