David Lidsky's Blog, page 320

Leonids meteor shower peak: Where and when to see shooting stars tonight and this weekend

For stargazers, this weekend may be a prime time to make a wish, as the Leonid meteors are set to put on a spectacular show.

When observing a streak of light in the night sky, you might think of it one of two ways. Romantics will call it a shooting star, but more practical scientists will label it a meteor. For those who think of these lights as shooting stars, this might be a good weekend to make a wish. Because according to scientists, the Leonids meteor shower will reach its peak late Sunday night.

Polymarket nailed the 2024 election call—Then came the FBI

Just hours after its prediction shook the election world, Polymarket’s CEO found himself at the center of a federal investigation.

As polls closed Tuesday evening, live cable networks watched the vote tallies, but they were still too close to call. Meanwhile, Polymarket, the world’s largest prediction market, pegged Donald Trump’s chances of victory at 58%. By 11:43 p.m. ET—nearly six hours before the Associated Press called the election—Polymarket’s odds for Trump surged to 95%.

Retail sales rose in October ahead of holiday season

October’s retail sales figures suggest that the economy is growing briskly again in the current quarter, after having expanded at a sturdy 2.8% annual rate in the previous quarter.

Americans stepped up their spending at retailers last month in the latest sign that healthy consumer spending is driving the economy’s steady growth.

How Europe is fighting brain drain as talent goes north

Talent flight to wealthier countries of the north is a problem Portugal shares with several others in southern and central Europe, as workers take advantage of freedom of movement rules within the trade bloc.

Until recently, aerospace engineer Pedro Monteiro figured he’d join many of his peers moving from Portugal to its richer European neighbors in the quest for a better-paid job once he completes his master’s degree in Lisbon.

Tech layoffs update: AMD, iRobot, 23andMe, and other big firms see job losses in November 2024

A number of high-profile companies have announced staff reductions during the first half of November as the holiday season approaches.

While the massive layoffs of 2022 and 2023 have thankfully not been replicated in terms of numbers in 2024, this year has seen a fair amount of job losses across various industries, with the tech sector continuing to see some of the most high-profile announcements. In October, major tech companies, including Meta, Dropbox, and Tidal, cut jobs ahead of the holidays. And November so far is no different when it comes to major names cutting workers. 

Gen Z workers are more likely to witness workplace violence—but not speak up

A new report by compliance training company Traliant found that nearly half of Gen Z workers would only report concerns about workplace violence anonymously.

In September, New York enacted a law designed to protect retail workers from violence on the job. The Retail Worker Safety Act requires companies with 10 or more employees to adopt a clear workplace violence prevention policy, as well as a training program and even a panic button system in large workplaces.

What Is ‘MATGA?’ All about the latest anti-Trump trend sweeping TikTok

Women are bringing up the story of Renaissance murderer Giulia Tofana in response to Trump’s reelection.

Trump supporters are demanding an FBI investigation into the latest TikTok trend, where women are reviving the spirit of Renaissance murderer Giulia Tofana in response to Donald Trump’s reelection. 

Advance Auto Parts will close 700-plus stores as the list of struggling retailers grows

The auto-parts provider is the latest U.S. chain to downsize as consumers spend less due to rising prices.

Advance Auto Parts, a leading automotive aftermarket-parts provider in North America that serves both professional installers and do-it-yourself customers, said it will close more than 700 of its 5,000 stores in a “strategic plan to improve business performance.” Of those closing, it said 523 will be corporate stores, 204 will be independent locations, and four will be distribution centers.

Gold prices have dropped since Trump’s reelection. Here’s why

Gold fell more than 4% in the four days since Election Day, when the broad U.S. stock market climbed nearly 4%.

After ripping higher for much of this year, the price of gold has suddenly become not so golden since Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential election.

Will Super Micro Computer stock be delisted from the Nasdaq? Critical deadline looms amid accounting scandal

The server company said that it had 60 days from mid-September to come up with a plan to regain compliance with the stock exchange. Time is almost up.

Investors in Super Micro Computer (Nasdaq: SMCI) may be wondering this week if there is any bottom.