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Opinion: California’s boosts privacy laws, cracks down on data brokers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:53 GMT

Californians are more aware than most when it comes to the privacy problems linked to tech giants headquartered in their backyard like Apple, Google, Meta and TikTok. However, lurking in the shadows is the overlooked data broker industry, which has become a multibillion-dollar business, primarily fueled by the collection and sale of your personal data.When the California Legislature cannonballed into the privacy conversation in 2018 by passing the California Consumer Privacy Act, or CCPA, it created a wave that continues to crest to this day. California’s bold leap, coupled with continued inaction by Congress, has encouraged more and more states to take up the cause on their own, with baseline privacy rights extended to more than 100 million Americans through comprehensive state laws.However, even with CCPA and other state privacy laws, there are still blind spots that leave consumers underprotected. Thankfully, California took another huge step toward addressing this problem by pas...

Federal judge blocks California law banning gun shows at county fairs

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:53 GMT

SANTA ANA  — A federal judge on Monday blocked California’s ban on gun shows at county fairs, ruling that the state is violating the rights of sellers and would-be buyers by prohibiting transactions for firearms that can be bought bought at any gun shop.The decision by U.S. District Judge Mark Holcomb halts enforcement of two state laws, both written by Democratic state Sen. Dave Min, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. The first, effective Jan. 2022, barred gun shows at the Orange County Fair, and the other, which took effect this year, extended the ban to county fairgrounds on state-owned land.“California’s interest in stopping crimes committed with illegal weapons, as important as it is, cannot justify prohibiting the complete sale of lawful firearms at gun shows,” Holcomb wrote.Min called Holcomb’s injunction “shocking,” and predicted it would be overturned on appeal.“California’s vital ban on gun shows at state properties, encompassing even our iconic fairgrounds sites, serve...

Marin County settles lawsuit with man who lost eye in batting cage injury

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:53 GMT

Marin County has reached an out-of-court settlement with a man who lost an eye and suffered a traumatic brain injury after being struck by a ball from by a pitching machine at McInnis Park Golf Center.“He was clearing balls from the batter’s box so he could begin another round when he was struck by a 70-80 mph pitched ball several seconds after the warning lights on the pitching machine went dark,” said the lawsuit by the injured man, Phillip Jaret.As a result, Jaret, who lives in Marin, suffered complete loss of sight in his right eye as well as fractures to his nose and orbital socket, and a traumatic brain injury.The accident occurred on May 28, 2021. The batting cages at the golf center have since been closed.The nine-hole golf course — which includes a driving range, restaurant, banquet facilities, a miniature golf course and, until recently, batting cages — is owned by Marin County. The county entered into a 10-year lease agreement with Tayman Park Golf Group for operation and...

Large brush fire burning in Southern California prompts evacuations

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:53 GMT

A fire churning through brush in the rural Riverside County community of Aguanga damaged or destroyed nine buildings Monday, Oct. 30, and prompted orders to residents to flee.The flames were moving at what Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department described as a critical rate.Related ArticlesCalifornia News | Santa Clara County Supervisor seeks broader use of AI to help prevent wildfires California News | Dangerous fire conditions return to Bay Area amid weekend of heavy winds, dry air California News | Consumer group accuses California insurance chief of drafting proposed market fix with industry lobbyists California News | PG&E electric bills outpace Bay Area inflation rate by huge margin California News | Wildfires, other ravages jeopardize California’s prized forests The so-called Highland fire was reported at 12:37 p.m. at Highlands Road and Aguanga Ranchos Road. By 7:30 p.m. the fire had consu...

Candy inflation casts a sour pall on Halloween

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:53 GMT

“Swift swings” takes a quick peek at one economic trend.The number: Here’s a spooky hit to your wallet: The buying power of American wages has been cut by a candy bar in two years.The source: My trusty spreadsheet looked at some Halloween-themed research from S&P Global Market Intelligence comparing candy costs and wages.Quick analysis: The pay of an average US worker bought 15.2 candy bars an hour in 2023 – that’s a 4% drop from 15.9 bars in 2022 and off 7% from 16.3 in 2021.Related ArticlesBusiness | California shoppers get 4% less for their money after inflation’s bite Business | Chipotle says it may need to tick its food prices up to pay California wages Business | PG&E electric bills outpace Bay Area inflation rate by huge margin Business | More working Californians slipped into poverty as pandemic aid expired Business | Why this Bay Area couple swapped California for Spain The problem isn’...

Abcarian: No one should get fired for stating an unpopular view

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:53 GMT

Should Americans be punished or lose their livelihoods for things they say about a gut-wrenching conflict taking place halfway across the world? In an ideal world where freedom of speech is absolute, short of advocating violence, no one should get fired for stating an unpopular view.But we don’t live in that world, as some professionals with strong points of view and the irresistible urge to share them on social media are finding out.One day after the heinous Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israeli civilians, the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team tweeted out a message of support for Israel: “We stand with the people of Israel and join them in mourning the hundreds of innocent lives lost to terrorism at the hands of Hamas.”Jackson Frank, a young sports reporter who had been hired in September to cover the 76ers for PhillyVoice, took exception.“This post sucks!” Frank quote-tweeted. “Solidarity with Palestine always.”He was fired the next day.‘...

UN expert call on the Taliban to free 2 women rights defenders from custody in Afghanistan

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:53 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — U.N. experts on Tuesday demanded the Taliban immediately release two women rights defenders who have been in detention for more than a month with no reason given for their arrest.The Taliban have barred women from most areas of public life and work and stopped girls from going to school beyond the sixth grade as part of harsh measures they imposed after taking power in 2021, as U.S. and NATO forces were pulling out of Afghanistan following two decades of war. U.N. experts, including the special rapporteur on Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, described the release of Neda Parwan and Zholia Parsi and their family members as an urgent matter. They have not been granted legal representation, charged with a crime or brought before a court. “We are increasingly concerned about their physical and mental wellbeing,” the experts said in a statement. They urged Taliban authorities to demonstrate respect for rights and freedoms and said there was no justification for the det...

Pfizer: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:53 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — NEW YORK (AP) — Pfizer Inc. (PFE) on Tuesday reported a loss of $2.38 billion in its third quarter.The New York-based company said it had a loss of 42 cents per share. Losses, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, were 17 cents per share.The results exceeded Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of six analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for a loss of 32 cents per share.The drugmaker posted revenue of $13.23 billion in the period, missing Street forecasts. Six analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $13.77 billion.Pfizer expects full-year earnings in the range of $1.45 to $1.65 per share, with revenue in the range of $58 billion to $61 billion._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on PFE at https://www.zacks.com/ap/PFESource

Ranger Energy: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:53 GMT

HOUSTON (AP) — HOUSTON (AP) — Ranger Energy Services, Inc. (RNGR) on Tuesday reported profit of $9.4 million in its third quarter.The Houston-based company said it had profit of 38 cents per share.The company posted revenue of $164.4 million in the period.Ranger Energy expects full-year revenue in the range of $630 million to $640 million._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on RNGR at https://www.zacks.com/ap/RNGRSource

PJT Partners: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:53 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — NEW YORK (AP) — PJT Partners Inc. (PJT) on Tuesday reported net income of $17.4 million in its third quarter.On a per-share basis, the New York-based company said it had net income of 68 cents. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs, were 78 cents per share.The investment bank posted revenue of $278.4 million in the period._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on PJT at https://www.zacks.com/ap/PJTSource