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Universal's theme parks division is getting a new name

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:52:18 GMT

The theme park parent company of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man is getting a new name.Officials at Universal Parks & Resorts said Wednesday the division of Comcast NBCUniversal was changing its name to Universal Destinations & Experiences to better reflect the breadth of its offerings in Orlando, Florida, Southern California, Japan, China and other locations.The company recently announced it was building a new park geared toward young children in Frisco, Texas, and a Las Vegas-based immersive horror entertainment experience based on Universal’s classic horror films.“Universal Destinations & Experiences aligns with our aspiration to be the destination of choice in the markets where we are today and the markets we enter in the future,” said Mark Woodbury, chairman and CEO of Universal Destinations & Experiences.

California woman wins over $1 million from historic Powerball jackpot

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:52:18 GMT

One California lottery player was one number shy of winning the historic $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot, California lottery officials announced Wednesday.However, the second-place prize still made the Golden State resident a millionaire.Ana Contreras claimed her $1,149,661 Powerball ticket recently. The lucky ticket was sold at Stues Dairy in Gardena, a news release said.The lottery office didn’t reveal what Contreras plans to do with her winnings.Edwin Castro was revealed to be the sole winner of the record-breaking Powerball jackpot in February.Castro also didn’t reveal what he plans to do with his newfound riches, but he recently purchased a Hollywood Hills mansion for $25.5 million.The ultra-expensive purchase only cost Castro less than 3% of his winnings.The historic Powerball jackpot also led to a big payday for California schools. Ticket sales from the draw game generated $156 million for public schools statewide. The money will be used for supplemental funding.This is the h...

Curbivore puts gig economy tech on display

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:52:18 GMT

At a yearly event called Curbivore, innovation in the gig economy is on display."If you’ve ever walked a curb, sat on a curb, dined on a curb seen a little delivery robot on a curb this is the conference for you if you care about any of that," explained Harry Campbell, known as The Ride Share Guy and co-founder of Curbivore, which was recently held in Downtown Los Angeles.This year's event had over 35 exhibitors. A combination of delivery tech, robots, food and vendors trying to figure out the future of delivery and more."That type of freedom and flexibility of being able to take a day off, take a week off.. You don’t get that with a lot of W2's," said Pedro Santiago, a gig worker who chronicles his journey on YouTube. He traveled from Saint Louis to attend the event."I think it’s still a really good way to make money if you’re willing to adapt and change because these apps are changing every day," said Santiago.There’s plenty of tech trying to solve last mile delivery - everything ...

California bill would prohibit K9 units from using force on people

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:52:18 GMT

A bill before the California Assembly might change the way police K9 units are used in the state.Assembly Bill 742 does not intend to prevent law enforcement agencies from using dogs, but it would prohibit dogs from being used as crowd control or for capturing a suspect, said the bill's author, Assemblymember Corey Jackson (D-Riverside)."We are seeing when police canines are being used, they are causing more injuries than police batons and Tasers," he said. "When we began to dissect the data, we found gross disparities with who the police dogs were being used on and the severity of the injuries we began to see."Almost two-thirds of people hurt or injured by K9 units are Black or Latino, Jackson said, and 12% of all serious or deadly injuries involving police use of force were injuries from a canine."We believe this is a commonsense and balanced approach to public safety" said Carlos Marquez, executive director of ACLU California Action. "We trusted them with this tool for the purpos...

Best Waterproof Jewelry: Top 7 Brands & Buyers Guide

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:52:18 GMT

Nobody wants to leave the house wearing cheap-looking jewelry. However, the quality of a jewelry piece is not always predicated on its price tag. After all, jewelry is an expression of one’s personality, and we understand that finding high-quality, waterproof, and tarnish-free jewelry can be a challenge. The best waterproof jewelry is corrosion-free, scratch free, lightweight, and durable. So whether you’re looking for 18k gold jewelry for everyday wear or something fancier that’s tarnish resistant, we created a comprehensive guide to help you find your perfect fit.Top 7 Waterproof Jewelry BrandsAfter evaluating multiple jewelry brands, we have narrowed our list to the top 7:EVIE Jewelry– Best overallHey Harper – Runner UpEllie Vail – Best durable jewelryGorjana – Best jewelry for giftsCatbird – Best minimalist jewelryBubs & Sass – Best hand-stamped jewelryMejuri – Good ValueHow We Chose the Seven BrandsHere are the pri...

Women Can Do It All: Senior Director of Foxit, Alisa Fetic, Shares Her Story of Success and Why Equality in the Workplace Is a Non-negotiable

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:52:18 GMT

From the beginning of the 20th century, women have taken their place in the workforce through their resiliency and genius. In the past decade alone, they have made extraordinary strides in the business world and beyond. From entrepreneurs to corporate leaders, they continue to break barriers and transform industries with their innovative ideas.Not only that, but they are an undeniable driving force for economic growth. According to recent studies, the increased participation of women in business activities can lead to greater economic prosperity. For example, women-owned businesses are a significant contributor to the economy, generating millions of jobs and trillions of dollars in revenue each year. So if the goal is to create a more prosperous and sustainable economy, this is the way forward.However, it is important to acknowledge the underrepresentation they still face in the upper echelons of corporate America – still present today and in the near future. For this reason – and t...

The Art of Connecting: Finding Your Tribe in LA’s Event Scene

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:52:18 GMT

Going out in Los Angeles is an art form. It’s a big city, in every way. So how do smart Angelenos make sense of the chaos? What platforms are they using, and how are they making the most of life right now?A sophisticated strategy is the only way to go out in LA – there’s too much going on for a scattergun approach. What you need is so much more than a guide to going out. What you need is a means of cultivating the right connections when you get there. Ideally, even before you get there.THE GUIDESIRL is one such guide. IRL is a platform – short for ‘In Real Life’ – designed specifically to help outgoing folks in Los Angeles and beyond connect seamlessly around shared interests. So there’s events, such as standup comedy and music concerts, but also the potential to link up with the right community around the event. More on that in a moment.Eventbrite is an OG ticketing platform that’s been transitioning into curation and promotion – everything from beer fests to underground jazz sessi...

Top 10 Industry Disruptors to Follow in 2023

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:52:18 GMT

#1 – Steve SchofieldSteve Schofield is a highly accomplished individual, boasting a multi-faceted career that has spanned numerous decades in various industries. Among the entities that Steve’s been involved in, he acts as the head and visionary behind three diverse ventures — Zoic Studios, Modop Digital & Films, and Schofield’s Flowers, and holds the prestigious titles of President, Chief Creative Officer, and Founder, respectively. Of the three companies, Schofield’s Flowers holds a particularly intriguing history, as it represents a revival of a family brand that was established initially as a flower shop in 1896. The flower shop was renowned for its exceptional services, catering to an elite clientele of its era’s top celebrities, mobsters, and athletes, and was even the site of Dean O’Banion’s killing by Al Capone. Today, Schofield’s Flowers continues to operate with the same level of distinction, its mission to assist brands in thriving ...

Rap Legend Kurupt of “Tha Dogg Pound” Joins Lil Pimpin & Luckie Mazi on  “Gotta Get It”

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:52:18 GMT

“Gotta Get It” is a syncopation of west coast lyrics, midwest sound, east coast flow and dirty southern bounce. After premiering on the nationally syndicated radio program, “The Ryan Show FM” listeners of the show crowned the single the best of the “2022 West Coast Marathon”.Luckie Mazi also known as “The Greatest Promoter on Earth” is a seasoned entertainment industry professional hailing from the Windy City. While traveling the country as an upcoming artist, Luckie learned the business from the late long-time music veteran and record promoter DeWayne Holmes. After nearly a decade of working alongside Mr. Holmes and major record labels including Interscope, Capitol and J Records, Luckie decided to move to Las Vegas.It was in “Sin City” that Luckie partnered up with west coast staple Lil Pimpin of DPG. The duo presented the idea of a potential collaboration to hip hop legend Kurupt. After hearing the track the icon proceede...

Bay Area arts, 8 shows to see this weekend and beyond

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:52:18 GMT

There are a lot of great shows to see in the Bay Area this weekend and beyond. Here is a partial rundown.Classical picks: ‘La Boheme,’ Frederica Von StadeA traveling “Boheme,” a cello quintet, and Frederica Von Stade at Kohl Mansion are three of this week’s premier classical events.“Boheme Out of the Box”: Attention, opera lovers — “La Boheme” may be coming your way. In the coming weeks, San Francisco Opera’s new initiative will bring Puccini’s opera to outdoor locations throughout the Bay Area. Directed by Jose Maria Condemi, who recently staged a dynamic “Falstaff” at Opera San Jose, this condensed, family-friendly “Boheme” includes S.F. Opera Adler fellows and guest artists in a traveling caravan, with afternoon and evening performances in Alameda, South San Francisco, Los Gatos, and Dublin. Details: Friday through April 2; free; more information at sfopera.com.Five Cellos at Gold Coast: The Gold Coast Chamber Players welcome the Sakura Cello Quintet in a wide-r...