#annabelle liang

[beyondthedustjacket]

A to Z Reading Challenge of 2024

These are all the books I read in 2024 that helped me (sort of) complete my annual A to Z Reading Challenge.

Completed Letters

A

Alex

Annabel

B

Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

C

Charlotte’s Web

Christmas Quiet Book

D

Dasher

H

Harvest Days

Hana

Hooray for Hat!

I

I Hope You Stay

I Wish My Teacher Knew

K

Kevin and His Dad

L

Let’s Meet Taylor: Story of a Superstar

Liang and the Magic Paintbrush

Love, Theoretically

M

Montgomery & the Case of the Golden Key

O

Over and Under the Snow

T

Thumbelina and Other Fairytales

Treasury of Classic Fairy Tales

V

Velveteen Rabbit

W

Wild Robot

What Teachers Make

Why the Sky is Far Away: A Tale from Nigeria

Uncompleted Letters

E, F, G, J, N, P, Q, R, S, U, X, Y, Z

[eyashadow]

Super Micro Computer CEO Charles Liang at the Computex conference in Taipei, Taiwan, on June 5, 2024.Annabelle Chih | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesSuper Micro Computer joined the Nasdaq 100 in July. Five months later, it's out, and the stock is down 8% on the news.Nasdaq said late Friday that Super Micro is being removed from the index, which is made up of the top 100 nonfinancial stocks on the Nasdaq and is the basis for the Invesco QQQ Trust exchange-traded fund, one of the most actively traded ETFs.The announcement is the latest in a roller coaster of a year for Super Micro, whose shares rocketed to a record high of $118.81 in March, as demand soared for the company's servers packed with artificial intelligence processors. The company's market cap reached over $70 billion, high enough to merit inclusion in the S&P 500.Super Micro is now worth about $20 billion, about a quarter the size of the median market cap of companies in the Nasdaq 100. Nasdaq will also remove Illumina and Moderna from the group, effective Dec. 23.The revision will make room for the additions of Axon Enterprise and Palantir Technologies, as well as MicroStrategy, a company whose value is tied to its billions of dollars worth of bitcoin purchases. MicroStrategy shares have gained more than 500% so far this year and were flat in Monday's trading.For Super Micro, the story started to turn in August, when the company said it wouldn't file its annual report with the SEC on time. Noted short seller Hindenburg Research then disclosed a short position in the company and said in a report that it identified "fresh evidence of accounting manipulation."In October, Ernst & Young resigned as Super Micro's auditor, resulting in a 33% stock plunge. An independent special board committee evaluated concerns from Ernst & Young and found no misconduct following a three-month investigation. The report recommended the company replace its CFO. The company said in November that BDO was its new auditor.Super Micro was at risk of being delisted from Nasdaq altogether for a second time because of its delayed financial reports, but two weeks ago it received an extension until February 2025.In a preliminary earnings report, the company said revenue for the third quarter was up 181% year over year, below consensus."Competition is strong, but I believe we are in good position," CEO Charles Liang said during a November conference call with analysts. Rivals include Dell and HPE.WATCH: Super Micro appoints BDO as independent auditor https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/108055705-1730389067662-gettyimages-2155472599-TAIWAN_COMPUTEX.jpeg?v=1734384106&w=1920&h=1080 2024-12-17 03:25:07

[trendingnews19]

Super Micro Computer CEO Charles Liang at the Computex conference in Taipei, Taiwan, on June 5, 2024.Annabelle Chih | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesSuper Micro Computer joined the Nasdaq 100 in July. Five months later, it's out, and the stock is down 8% on the news.Nasdaq said late Friday that Super Micro is being removed from the index, which is made up of the top 100 nonfinancial stocks on the Nasdaq and is the basis for the Invesco QQQ Trust exchange-traded fund, one of the most actively traded ETFs.The announcement is the latest in a roller coaster of a year for Super Micro, whose shares rocketed to a record high of $118.81 in March, as demand soared for the company's servers packed with artificial intelligence processors. The company's market cap reached over $70 billion, high enough to merit inclusion in the S&P 500.Super Micro is now worth about $20 billion, about a quarter the size of the median market cap of companies in the Nasdaq 100. Nasdaq will also remove Illumina and Moderna from the group, effective Dec. 23.The revision will make room for the additions of Axon Enterprise and Palantir Technologies, as well as MicroStrategy, a company whose value is tied to its billions of dollars worth of bitcoin purchases. MicroStrategy shares have gained more than 500% so far this year and were flat in Monday's trading.For Super Micro, the story started to turn in August, when the company said it wouldn't file its annual report with the SEC on time. Noted short seller Hindenburg Research then disclosed a short position in the company and said in a report that it identified "fresh evidence of accounting manipulation."In October, Ernst & Young resigned as Super Micro's auditor, resulting in a 33% stock plunge. An independent special board committee evaluated concerns from Ernst & Young and found no misconduct following a three-month investigation. The report recommended the company replace its CFO. The company said in November that BDO was its new auditor.Super Micro was at risk of being delisted from Nasdaq altogether for a second time because of its delayed financial reports, but two weeks ago it received an extension until February 2025.In a preliminary earnings report, the company said revenue for the third quarter was up 181% year over year, below consensus."Competition is strong, but I believe we are in good position," CEO Charlies Liang said during a November conference call with analysts. Rivals include Dell and HPE.WATCH: Super Micro appoints BDO as independent auditor

[globalnews1]

Super Micro Computer CEO Charles Liang appears the Computex conference in Taipei, Taiwan, on June 5, 2024.Annabelle Chih | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesSuper Micro Computer joined the Nasdaq 100 in July. Five months later, it's out, and the stock is down 7% on the news.Nasdaq said late Friday that Super Micro is being removed from the index, which is made up of the top 100 non-financial stocks on the Nasdaq and is the basis for the Invesco QQQ Trust exchange-traded fund, one of the most actively traded ETFs.The announcement is the latest in a roller coaster of a year for Super Micro, which rocketed to a record high of $118.81 in March, as demand soared for the company's servers packed with artificial intelligence processors. The company's market cap reached over $70 billion, high enough to merit inclusion in the S&P 500. Super Micro is now worth about $20 billion, about a quarter the size of the median market cap of companies in the Nasdaq 100. Nasdaq will also remove Illumina and Moderna from the group, effective Dec. 23. The revision will make room for the additions of Axon Enterprise and Palantir Technologies, as well as MicroStrategy, a company whose value is tied to its billions of dollars worth of bitcoin purchases. MicroStrategy shares have gained almost 600% so far this year and were up 4% on Monday. For Super Micro, the story started to turn in August, when the company said it wouldn't file its annual report with the SEC on time. Noted short seller Hindenburg Research then disclosed a short position in the company, and said in a report that it identified "fresh evidence of accounting manipulation."In October, Ernst & Young resigned as Super Micro's auditor, resulting in a 33% stock plunge. An independent special board committee evaluated concerns from Ernst & Young and found no misconduct following a three-month investigation. The report recommended the company replace its CFO. The company said in November that BDO was its new auditor.Super Micro was at risk of being delisted from Nasdaq altogether for a second time because of its delayed financial reports, but two weeks ago it received an extension until February 2025.In a preliminary earnings report, the company said revenue for the third quarter was up 181% year over year, below consensus."Competition is strong, but I believe we are in good position," CEO Charlies Liang said during a November conference call with analysts. Rivals include Dell and HPE.WATCH: Super Micro appoints BDO as independent auditor

[youthchronical]

Super Micro says board found 'no evidence of fraud,' still has no timetable for annual results

Charles Liang, chief executive officer of Super Micro Computer Inc., during the Computex conference in Taipei, Taiwan, on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. The trade show runs through June 7.  Annabelle Chih | Bloomberg | Getty Images Super Micro, the embattled server maker that’s late in releasing annual financials and at risk of being delisted by the Nasdaq, reported unaudited first-quarter results on…

[olko71]

New Post has been published on All about business online

New Post has been published on https://yaroreviews.info/2023/11/former-openai-boss-sam-altman-pictured-at-firms-hq-amid-reports-of-return

Former OpenAI boss Sam Altman pictured at firm's HQ amid reports of return

Reuters

By Zoe Kleinman, technology editor, and Daniel Thomas, business reporter

BBC News

The ex-boss of leading artificial intelligence firm OpenAI has posted a photo of himself at its HQ, following reports he is set to return after being sacked on Friday.

Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Sam Altman is pictured holding a guest ID pass and comments: “First and last time i ever wear one of these”.

The 38-year-old helped launch the firm which created the popular ChatGPT bot.

On Friday the board dismissed Mr Altman saying it had lost confidence in him.

Reports this weekend, however, have suggested investors and employees are pushing for Mr Altman to be reinstated.

According to tech news site The Information, Mr Altman and Greg Brockman – another co-founder who quit on Friday as the company’s president – were invited to the firm’s San Francisco headquarters for talks on Sunday.

The BBC has contacted OpenAI for comment.

AI boss Sam Altman ousted after board loses confidence

The extraordinary firing of an AI superstar

Mr Altman is seen as one of the most influential figures in the fast-growing generative AI space and his sacking sent shockwaves across the industry.

In a letter on Friday, the company’s board accused him of not being “consistently candid in his communications with the board, hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities”.

The board did not specify what he is alleged to have not been candid about.

However, whatever the board was so alarmed about on Friday has perhaps been overtaken by the global reaction to its decision. There may also have been fears of Mr Altman setting up a rival company and taking OpenAI’s top talent with him.

Reports this weekend suggested his sacking had angered current and former employees who were worried it might affect an upcoming $86bn (£69bn; €79bn) share sale.

The firm’s venture capitalist backers and the tech giant Microsoft – which has a $10bn stake in OpenAI – have also called for his return, according to the FT.

Sources say there have been a couple of sleepless nights in Seattle, the headquarters of Microsoft, which has also integrated OpenAI’s technology into its applications.

PA Media

If Mr Altman does indeed return, some speculate he may demand the creation of a new board of directors.

Dan Ives from investment firm Wedbush Securities told BBC News he believes Mr Altman will be restored as OpenAI’s chief executive.

“The board clearly overplayed their hands. I would almost call it a coup attempt, in terms of trying to get Altman out. But this is going to backfire,” Mr Ives said.

“I would expect the board to be out in the next 24 hours and Altman to be back. He is the golden child of AI. That continues to be what Microsoft and other investors are focused on.”

OpenAI is widely seen to be a company at its peak, with lucrative investment pouring in, and ChatGPT – which was launched almost a year ago – is used by millions.

Mr Altman has been the face of the firm’s rise. More than that, he is seen by many as the face of the industry more widely.

He testified before a US Congressional hearing to discuss the opportunities and risks created by the new technology and also appeared at the world’s first AI Safety Summit in the UK at the beginning of November.

His ousting sparked an outpouring of support from Silicon Valley bosses, including former Google chief executive Eric Schmidt who called Mr Altman “a hero of mine” and said that he had “changed our collective world forever”.

Additional reporting by BBC business reporter Annabelle Liang

Related Topics

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1 day ago

The extraordinary firing of an AI superstar

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[jcmarchi]

Celebrating diversity and cultural connections

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/celebrating-diversity-and-cultural-connections/

Celebrating diversity and cultural connections

The aroma of global delicacies filled MIT’s Bush Room, as students made cultural connections and answered trivia questions at the third “Heritage Meets Heritage” event.

The event is organized by MIT Global Languages, and has become a tradition. It was first held in spring 2022, and again that fall. The third event, held Oct. 19, continued in the same theme: celebrating the diversity and culture of the MIT community.

The event is co-sponsored by the MIT International Science and Technology Initiatives (MISTI) and Hermanas Unidas.

Annabel Tiong, a first-year student studying biological engineering, is taking Chinese this semester, and came to meet other students taking Chinese. “But I also wanted to see some of the other languages that are available. I knew a lot of other students from other language classes would be here. So it was a good chance to meet them,” she said.

Tiong is Chinese herself and grew up speaking the language, but she never knew how to read or write Chinese. She’s taking the Chinese streamlined class, and hopes it will help her with communicating in Chinese with her parents over text and email.

While enjoying an empanada, Tiong said the event helped her learn about other cultures. 

“Some of the people at my table are from Korea and they were telling me about Korean traditions. I didn’t realize how similar they were to Chinese traditions. It was great to make those kinds of connections,” she said.

Min-Min Liang, a lecturer in Chinese, says she had no idea how the event would go when she helped launch it in 2022. She saw it as a way to highlight the beauty of diversity among the MIT community.

“My intention back then, as it is now, was to bring everyone together,” she says.

She says that with the tremendous support from the Global Languages department and all instructors from each language group, the third event was a success. “I witnessed our community — teachers and students alike — coming together to celebrate our differences while also recognizing our similarities.”

Students sat in groups at desks throughout the room, and between rounds of trivia questions, they took time to discuss various topics that presented opportunities to share something unique about their respective heritage.

Some of the discussion topics included: 

“How is love and appreciation celebrated in your culture?” 

“Do you consider yourself biracial? If so, how is this expressed?” 

“On what holidays do people give gifts to each other in your culture?” 

At the end of the event, everyone in attendance enjoyed samplings of the food, from pão de queijo (Brazilian cheese rolls) to baklava.

First-year student Nielsen Euvard says he enjoyed making connections with the other language departments at MIT and with MISTI. And he found the conversations with other students insightful. “The discussion activities were really great for my friends and I to reflect on ourselves and how our cultural backgrounds shape our decisions. And the variety of food was great,” he says.

Brain Carrick, a second-year PhD student in chemical engineering, is taking Portuguese this semester. He isn’t a heritage speaker, but attended the event to learn more about the global experiences of those within the MIT community. “It was so fun to learn about just a few of the cultural celebrations and experiences that other students grew up with. It really puts a bigger picture into perspective,” he says.

Emily Goodling, a German language lecturer, helps to organize the event. She says “Heritage Meets Heritage” reveals a sort of deeper purpose behind the learning and teaching of languages that happens in the Global Studies and Languages Section: that of bringing people together, of creating community across national borders and linguistic barriers. 

“It was incredible to see students from so many different backgrounds in a single room, having meaningful conversations about what it means to participate in multiple cultures,” says Goodling. “I think this mirrors what happens when we learn languages: we grow our ability to communicate empathetically and authentically with people who are different than us. And that is vitally important right now.”

Maria Khotimsky, a senior lecturer in Russian, also helps to organize the event.

“’Heritage Meets Heritage’ is a unique event that brings MIT students for meaningful conversations about languages and cultures, and a feast of treats from around the world,” says Khotimsky. “It is also a testament to the camaraderie and the incredible teamwork of Global Languages lecturers and staff who work together to make this event possible.”

Khotimsky says Global Languages plans to host the event annually each fall semester.

[andronetalks]

Italy to seize $835m from Airbnb in tax evasion inquiry

BBC News By Annabelle Liang November 7, 2023 An Italian judge has ordered the seizure of €779.5m ($835.5m; £676.8m) from short-term rental giant Airbnb, over alleged tax evasion. Prosecutors say the firm failed to collect a tax from landlords on around €3.7bn of rental income. Landlords in Italy are required to pay a 21% tax on their earnings. Airbnb told the BBC that it was “surprised and…

[petnews2day]

Ukraine to clinch first IMF loan to nation at war

New Post has been published on https://petn.ws/kKQmh

Ukraine to clinch first IMF loan to nation at war

By Annabelle Liang Business reporter 22 March 2023 Image source, Getty Images The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says it has reached an agreement with Ukraine on funding worth $15.6bn (£12.8bn). The organisation’s first loan to a country at war is expected to be approved in the coming weeks. It would also be one of the […]

See full article at https://petn.ws/kKQmh #OtherNews

[gadgetsforusesblog]

Click to read Adani Group: Controversial Indian giant closes $1.87 billion US deal

By Annabelle Liang Business reporter March 3, 2023, 03:52 GMT Updated 1 hour ago image source, Getty Images caption image, Multi-billionaire businessman Gautam Adani Indian multi-billionaire Gautam Adani’s embattled business empire says it has secured $1.87bn (£1.6bn) in investment from a US-based asset manager. Florida-based GQG Partners has bought shares in four of the group’s companies,…

[beyondthedustjacket]

2024 Reading Wrap Up

January

Liang and the Magic Paintbrush ⁕ ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ ½

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes ⁕ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Hooray for Hat! ⁕ ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Kevin and His Dad ⁕ ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

I Hope You Stay ⁕ ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ½

February

I Wish My Teacher Knew

June

Why the Sky is Far Away: A Tale from Nigeria

July

Dasher ⁕ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Thumbelina and Other Fairytales

A Treasury of Classic Fairy Tales

What Teachers Make

Charlotte’s Web ⁕ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Love, Theoretically ⁕ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

September

The Wild Robot ⁕ ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ ½

October

Annabel

Alex

Hana

November

Let’s Meet Taylor: Story of a Superstar

Montgomery & the Case of the Golden Key ⁕ ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Harvest Days

December

The Christmas Quiet Book

The Velveteen Rabbit ⁕ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Over and Under the Snow

[hicginewsagency]

Cost of living: How onions became a luxury in the Philippines

Onion prices have tripled in the Philippines in recent months By Annabelle Liang Business reporter “No onion toppings. Every restaurant is facing a shortage of onions. You see the signs everywhere.” According to official statistics, the price of onions surged in the Philippines to around 700 pesos ($12.80; £10.40) per kg last month. That is more than the cost of meat, and the Southeast Asian…

[indizombie]

Palm oil prices surged this year when Indonesia, the top producer of the ingredient used in everything from processed food to soap, stopped exports for three weeks to bring down local cooking oil prices. Mr Laborde also warned about the severe impact of the export curbs on consumers, especially those on low incomes. "While food is still around, it is more expensive and the poor are the first victims. In some cases, they even have to cut health or education expenditures," he said.

Annabelle Liang, Derek Cai, ‘Chicken rice: Why Singapore's much-loved dish is under threat’, BBC

[globalnews1]

Charles Liang, CEO of Super Micro Computer Inc., during the Computex conference in Taipei, Taiwan, on June 5, 2024.Annabelle Chih | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesSuper Micro Computer surged more than 20% after a special committee ruled that it found "no evidence of misconduct" at the embattled AI server maker, and appointed a new chief accounting officer."The evidence reviewed by the Special Committee did not raise any substantial concerns about the integrity of Supermicro's senior management or Audit Committee, or their commitment to ensuring that the Company's financial statements are materially accurate," the company said in a release.Super Micro said it's also currently searching for a new chief financial officer, and looking to fill additional financial leadership positions. The company appointed current Vice President of Finance and Corporate Controller Kenneth Cheung as its chief accounting officer.The news from Super Micro Computer comes on the heels of a volatile year for the company. Shares sank in August after Hindenburg Research revealed a short position in the company, saying that it found "fresh evidence of accounting manipulation" and the company delayed the release of its annual filing.Those troubles continued, with Ernst & Young resigning as the company's auditor in October due to concerns about the board's governance and independence. Shares are up about 30% this year, after giving back much of its rally. Last month, the company averted a potential delisting from the Nasdaq following its monster plunge.Among the findings, the committee ruled that the conclusions reached by Ernst & Young in its resignation were "not supported by the facts" and that the firm's audit committee exhibited "appropriate independence and generally provided proper oversight."The special committee consisted of a member of Super Micro's board, counsel from Cooley LLP and a team from forensic accounting firm Secretariat Advisors.

[youthchronical]

Super Micro's 45% plunge this week wipes out stock's gains for the year

Charles Liang, chief executive officer of Super Micro Computer Inc., during the Computex conference in Taipei, Taiwan, on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. The trade show runs through June 7.  Annabelle Chih | Bloomberg | Getty Images Super Micro investors continued to rush the exits on Friday, pushing the stock down another 11% and bringing this week’s sell-off to 45%, after the data center company lost…

[olko71]

New Post has been published on All about business online

New Post has been published on https://yaroreviews.info/2023/10/oil-prices-rally-on-fear-of-middle-east-supply-disruptions

Oil prices rally on fear of Middle East supply disruptions

Getty Images

By Annabelle Liang

Business reporter

Oil prices jumped by 4% on Monday on concerns that the situation in Israel and Gaza could disrupt output from the Middle East.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the benchmark for US oil, rose to more than $86 (£70) a barrel.

The price of Brent crude also surged in early Asian trading.

The Israel and Palestinian territories are not oil producers. But the Middle Eastern region accounts for almost a third of global supply.

A wave of attacks launched by the Hamas militant group on Saturday was the biggest escalation between the two sides for decades.

Western nations condemned the attacks but a spokesperson for Hamas told the BBC that the group had direct backing for the attack from Iran.

Iran denied involvement in the attack at at UN Security Council meeting in New York on Sunday, Reuters reported. But Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has expressed support for the attack.

“The risk premium on oil is rising due to the prospect of a wider conflagration that could spread to nearby major oil producing nations such as Iran and Saudi Arabia,” energy analyst Saul Kavonic told the BBC.

“If the conflict envelops Iran, which has been accused of supporting the Hamas attacks, up to 3% of global oil supply is at risk,” he added.

Around a fifth of global supply would be “held hostage”, Mr Kavonic said, if passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil trading route is disrupted.

The Strait of Hormuz is crucial for the main oil exporters in the Gulf region, whose economies are built around oil and gas production.

Uncertainty over how events could develop in the coming days may also drive investments into US Treasury bonds and the dollar – which investors traditionally bought at times of crisis, said James Cheo from HSBC bank.

“At this stage, there is a bit of nervousness. [Investors] want to see a little more clarity, particularly on economic data and on developments associated with geopolitical uncertainty,” added Mr Cheo, the Southeast Asia and India chief investment officer of the bank’s private banking and wealth management division.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, oil prices soared, hitting more than $120 a barrel in June last year.

They fell back to a little above $70 a barrel in May this year, but have steadily risen since then as producers have tried to restrict output to support the market.

Saudi Arabia, a major oil producer, said it would make cuts of million barrels per day in July.

Other members of Opec+, a group of oil-producing countries, also agreed to continued cuts in production in an attempt to shore up flagging prices.

Opec+ accounts for around 40% of the world’s crude oil and its decisions can have a major impact on oil prices.

Related Topics

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