umbertino

By MIKE STOBBE Updated 9:57 PM CET, November 14, 2025 NEW YORK (AP) — Researchers have reported what they believe is the first documented death from a meat allergy that can be triggered by tick bites. A 47-year-old New Jersey man died last year from alpha-gal syndrome, which in 2011 was first linked to bites from the Lone Star tick. More than 100,000 people in the U.S. have become allergic to red meat since 2010 because of the syndrome, according to one estimate. Some outside experts said it appears to be the first documented case of someone suffering a deadly alpha-gal reaction shortly after eating meat. It’s possible other deaths have happened but were assumed to be from other causes and not thoroughly investigated like this one was, said Joshua Benoit, a tick biologist at the University of Cincinnati. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spokesperson said the agency was not involved in this investigation and could not speak definitively about whether it’s the first such death. The CDC recently released a free online training module to increase awareness and improve diagnosing, she added. Dr. Scott Commins, a leading alpha-gal syndrome researcher at the University of North Carolina, called the death an “unmitigated tragedy.” “Totally unnecessary and with increased awareness, this won’t happen again,” he said in an email. The case report was published this week in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. The lead author was the University of Virginia’s Dr. Thomas Platts-Mills, who led the 2011 paper that first linked Lone Star tick bites to the meat allergy. People with alpha-gal syndrome can experience symptoms including hives, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, severe stomach pain, difficulty breathing, dizziness and swelling of the lips, throat, tongue or eye lids. Unlike some other food allergies, which occur soon after eating, these reactions typically hit hours later. The new report tells of a healthy airline pilot who in the summer of 2024 went on a camping trip with his wife and children. They had steak as part of a late supper. That was unusual — the man rarely ate meat. He woke up at 2 a.m. with severe stomach pain, diarrhea and vomiting. He gradually felt better, went back to sleep, and the next morning he felt well enough to eat breakfast and walk 5 miles. Two weeks later, back home in New Jersey, he went to a barbecue, where he ate a hamburger. About four hours later, he grew ill. A short time after that, his son found him unconscious on the bathroom floor. The son called paramedics, but the man was declared dead that night at a hospital. The researchers said blood tests revealed evidence of alpha-gal syndrome. Proof that it came from a Lone Star tick is incomplete. The authors made the link based on a statement from the man’s wife, who had said he had 12 or 13 “chigger” bites around his ankles earlier in the summer........ https://apnews.com/article/ticks-alphagal-death-meat-allergy-0db604bb7419a3b3b1b7c2639e40af1f

Most of Gaza’s schools are destroyed and hundreds of thousands of children cannot go back to class By WAFAA SHURAFA and KAREEM CHEHAYEB Updated 3:42 PM CET, November 17, 2025 DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Bissan Younis looked dejected as she stood outside a cluster of tents surrounded by rubble and debris, a wasteland that is a common sight across the Gaza Strip. The tiny encampment was yet another makeshift school that has no room for her teenage son Kareem. “Most of the schools are destroyed,” she told The Associated Press. “Every school I go to tells me there is no room.” More than 600,000 Palestinian children in Gaza have missed the past two years of school because of the war between Israel and the militant Hamas group. Instead of studying and socializing, they have been repeatedly displaced, fled airstrikes and shelling and often spent their days scouring for water and food for their families. With a ceasefire reached last month largely holding, humanitarian officials are now working frantically to reopen dozens of makeshift schools. John Crickx, a spokesman for the U.N. children’s agency UNICEF, said it’s critical for children to return to classes as soon as possible, not just because of basic education but also for their mental health. “In the weeks to come, if we don’t offer education,” he said, there could be “terrible consequences for an entire generation.” UNICEF estimates that over 630,000 Palestinian children missed out on school during the war. Crickx says that so far, only about 100,000 children have been able to return. Separately, UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, is providing some education through their contracted teachers — for about 40,000 students. Most of the UNRWA-run schools, which catered to half of the Gaza children before the war, have since turned into shelters for displaced people. Lack of space is a key obstacle: Dozens of schools were badly damaged or completely destroyed. Many are still being used as shelters for Palestinians who have been repeatedly displaced during the enclave’s intense bombardment. “It’s basically tents among the displaced people’s tents or it is some prefabs or shelters, said Crickx. “It’s very much ... the most basic learning.” At one school — a cluster of tents with the UNICEF logo erected on a patch of land amid bombed-out buildings in the southern city of Khan Younis — children huddled closely in one classroom, eagerly listening to their teacher. Crickx said that finding a location to put up the tents has been tricky. Another challenge is getting supplies into Gaza, whether concrete to fix damaged schools or simple pencils, erasers and other basic supplies. Since the Oct. 7, 2023 start of the war with the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, these items have not been allowed into Gaza. Israel, which controls the flow of goods into the territory, considers them “non-critical, non-life saving,” Crickx said. COGAT, the Israeli military body that coordinates aid to Gaza, had no immediate comment on allowing in school supplies to Gaza. Even the children who return to makeshift schools were able to enroll carry the psychological burdens that come with war and displacement. “The level of trauma among the people of Gaza, including children, is horrific,” said UNRWA communications director Juliette Touma. U.N. agencies say they are struggling to asses the damages and figure out the costs — with the ceasefire still in its early stages, reconstruction of Gaza has not yet begun and U.N. experts say the process could take years and cost some $70 billion............ https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-schools-war-children-0ed9ac47e5273258c69ed46d724d0f33

UN to vote on Gaza stabilisation force plan that references Palestinian state Netanyahu faces pressure from far-right ministers after Saudi insistence on ‘credible pathway’ to statehood Patrick Wintour, and Jason Burke in Jerusalem Mon 17 Nov 2025 14.39 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/17/un-to-vote-on-gaza-stabilisation-force-plan-palestinian-state

Far-right group with links to neo-Nazi leader offers online military training Experts say Observations Group’s connections to the Base and Rinaldo Nazzaro present ‘urgent danger’ Ben Makuch Mon 17 Nov 2025 12.00 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/17/far-right-paramilitary-the-base

At least 98 Palestinians have died in custody since October 2023, Israeli data shows Exclusive: Real toll likely substantially higher as hundreds of detainees from Gaza are missing, says NGO Physicians for Human Rights - Israel Emma Graham-Harrison and Yuval Abraham in Jerusalem Mon 17 Nov 2025 08.23 GMT Israeli data shows at least 98 Palestinians have died in custody since October 2023, and the real toll is likely substantially higher because hundreds of people detained in Gaza are missing, an Israel-based human rights group has said. Physicians for Human Rights – Israel (PHRI) tracked deaths from causes including physical violence, medical neglect and malnutrition for a new report, using freedom of information requests, forensic reports and interviews with lawyers, activists, relatives and witnesses. Israeli authorities only provided comprehensive data for the first eight months of the war. Over this period official figures show an unprecedented casualty rate among Palestinian detainees, on average one death every four days. The military last updated data on deaths in detention for May 2024, and the Israel Prison Service (IPS) in September 2024. PHRI researchers identified another 35 deaths in detention after these dates and confirmed them with Israeli authorities. Although the total number of deaths charted is significantly higher than other recent estimates, it likely fails to capture the full scale of Palestinian loss, said Naji Abbas, director of the prisoners and detainees department at PHRI. “Even though we are providing evidence for a higher number of deaths than [previously reported] this is not a full picture,” he said. “We are sure that there are still people who died in detention that we don’t know about.” Classified Israeli data indicates the majority of Palestinian prisoners from Gaza who died in jail were civilians, according to a parallel investigation by the Guardian, the Israeli-Palestinian publication +972 Magazine and the Hebrew-language outlet Local Call. In May this year a military intelligence database tracking all Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad fighters in Gaza, a list of more than 47,000 named individuals, listed only 21 deaths in custody. By that point 65 Palestinians from Gaza had died in jail. The figures for death in detention cover “security prisoners”, a category that includes civilians from Gaza held without charge or trial and prisoners of conscience from the occupied West Bank. Three of the dead were Palestinians with citizenship or residency in Israel....... https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/17/at-least-98-palestinians-have-died-in-custody-since-october-2023-israeli-data-shows

Quote Other residents described conditions growing worse as the storm advanced, echoing scenes from the past two winters when winds and flooding tore through shelters during the Israeli war that killed more than 65,000 people, mostly women and children. With temperatures dropping and more rain forecast, aid agencies warn that Gaza’s displaced population is facing a new humanitarian emergency, as makeshift shelters cannot withstand even mild weather. End Quote It is once again a tragic situation...... Thanks Ron for sharing

Cuban band ...Used to live in Paris..Then they got back to Cuba a few years ago....Don't know if they split up by now.... The Cuban Way Orishas : African-Catholic Deities ( Sincretism) https://lyricstranslate.com/en/lo-cubano-cuban-way.html

If only I hope the leaves won't touch your body when they fall So that you won't be able to turn them into crystal I hope the rain stops being a miracle that runs down your body I hope the moon could come out without you I hope the soil won't kiss your every step (Chorus) I hope you'll stop having that constant gaze The precise words, that perfect smile I hope something that will erase you suddenly, happens A blinding light, a Nievy ( Russian sniper) shot I hope that at least death will take me with it So I won't have to see you so much So I won't have to see you all the time Every second, In every vision I hope I won't be able to touch you, not even in songs [1] I hope the dawn won't utter screams that fall on my back I hope your name will be forgotten by that voice I hope the walls won't keep in the noise of your weary walking I hope this desire will be gone with you Towards your old reign made of dead people and flowers (Chorus) I hope something that will erase you suddenly, happens A blinding light, a Nievy ( Russian sniper) shot I hope that at least death will take me with it So I won't have to see you so much So I won't have to see you all the time ( it seems he's referring to the continuous showing of Fidel Castro-RIP on Cuban TV) Every second, In every vision I hope I won't be able to touch you, not even in songs One of the most famous ( if not the most famous) singers / songwriters in Cuba...And one of the most known Cuban artists abroad https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silvio_Rodríguez

Cuba how beautiful your landscapes are Celia Cruz-RIP & Willy ChIrino....Both expats In the above vid...At 3:23 you can see Parque Cespedes which is one of Santiago de Cuba ( Cuba 2nd largest city in the South-East) main squares in front of the Cathedral ( which is on the back of photographer, unfortunately) ...I used to stay practically on the side of that square in a rented apartment for a couple of months in the winter of 1998.....When I'd wake up I could see that vista....Great memories.......

She's gone (live)

Love of my life Pablo Milanes-RIP...Another great singer / songwriter https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pablo_Milanés https://www.translatelyrics.net/en/pablo-milanes/el-amor-de-mi-vida/38484/

Another dedication to Havana .... this time by Carlos Varela Magnificent song ...... Besides...I happen to know how beautiful Havana is ....All of Cuba for that matter.....Visited 7 times....My 2nd (ex) wife is Cuban Pic: Hotel Nacional, Havana https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Varela_(singer-songwriter) Original Lyrics Mirando un album de fotos de la vieja capital, desde los tiempo remotos de La Habana colonial. Mi padre dej su tierra y cuando al Morro llego, La Habana le abri sus piernas y por eso nac yo. Habana, Habana si bastara una cancion para devolverte todo lo que el tiempo te quit. Habana,mi Habana si supieras el dolor que siento te canto y no entiendes que es amor. Escuchando a Matamoros desde un lejano lugar la Habana guarda un tesoro que es difcil olvidar. Y los aos van pasando y miramos con dolor, como se va derrumbando cada muro de ilusion. Habana, Habana si bastara una cancion para devolverte todo lo que el tiempo te quit. Habana,mi Habana si supieras el dolor que siento te canto y no entiendes que este llanto es por amor. Translation Looking at a photo album of the old capital from the remote times of Colonial Havana my father left his country and when he got to the Morro Havana opened her legs and that's how I was born Havana Havana if a song was enough to give you back everything that Time took away Havana, my Havana if you knew the pain that I feel when I sing about you and you don't understand this is love Listening to Matamoros from a place far away Havana attends a treasure that it's difficult to forget And the years go by and we watch with pain how all the walls of delusion go crumbling Havana Havana if a song was enough to give you back everything that Time took away Havana Havana if you knew the pain that I feel when I sing about you and you don't understand this cry is for love

Beautiful & moving song ...Great singer / songwriter...Gerardo Alfonso White sheets A dedication to his hometown Havana ( La Habana) I ADORE this one..... http://www.radiorebelde.cu/english/news/gerardo-alfonso-between-the-songs-and-literature-20121222/ Original lyrics Habana, mi vieja habana señora de historia de conquistadores y gente con sus religiones, hermosa dama... Habana, si mis ojos te abandonaran... si la vida me desterrara a un rincon de la tierra yo te juro que voy a morirme de amor y de ganas de andar tus calles, tus barrios y tus lugares... Cuatro caminos, virgen de regla, puerto de mar Lugares, destinos... el largo muro del litoral, el capitolio y prado con sus leones, sus visiones Sabanas blancas colgada en los balcones Sabanas blancas colgada en los balcones Habana, mi gran habana Costumbre de darle una vuelta a la ceiba de noche Y fiestas en casas de barrios modernos y pobres de gente noble... Habana, si mis ojos te abandonaran... si la vida me desterrara a un rincon de la tierra yo te juro que voy a morirme de amor y de ganas de andar tus calles, tus barrios y tus lugares... Virgen del camino, nuevo vedado residencial lugares, destinos... Faro del morro y la catedral Barrios pequeños y llenos de tradiciones y emociones... Sabanas blancas colgada en los balcones Sabanas blancas colgada en los balcones Translation Havana, my old Havana Lady of History, Conquerors and People with its religions, beautiful Lady Havana, if my eyes should abandon you if Life should confine me to a corner of the Earth I swear I'm going to die of Love and Desire of walking your streets, your neighborhoods, your places Cuatro caminos, virgen de regla, puerto de mar places, destinations.... the long shoreline wall, the capitol and the Prado with its lions, its visions white sheets hanging from the rooftops white sheets hanging from the rooftops Havana, my great Havana habit to walk around the ceiba ( tropical trees?) at night and parties in homes of modern and poor neighborhoods of noble people Havana, if my eyes should abandon you if Life should confine me to a corner of the Earth I swear I'm going to die of Love and Desire of walking your streets, your neighborhoods, your places Virgin of the path, nuevo vedado residencial ( neighborhood) places, destinations The Morro lighthouse and the Cathedral small neighborhoods and filled with traditions and emotions white sheets hanging from the rooftops white sheets hanging from the rooftops

Forever, Comandante ( Ernesto "Che" Guevara) Youtube pic: BVSC vocalist Ibrahim Ferrer -RIP Actual singer here is Carlos Puebla who is also the author We have learned to love you from the historical height, where the Sun of your bravery laid the siege to the death. Chorus: And here remains the clear, the charming openness of your dear presence, Comandante Che Guevara. Your glorious and strong hand fires at the History when all people in Santa Clara wake up to see you. [Chorus] You come, burning the breeze with the sun-rays of the spring, to stick the flag with the light of your smile. [Chorus] Your revolutionary love leads you to a new venture where they expect the firmness of your liberating arm. [Chorus] We will go forward, as we used to go with you, and with Fidel we say to you: Forever, Comandante! [Chorus] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Che_Guevara Great movie about him by US director Steven Soderbergh.........Recommended... "Che" (2008) starring Benicio Del Toro (extraordinary act)....He should have deserved an Oscar for that one imho

Guantanamera (woman from Guantanamo) Likely one of the most popular Cuban songs internationally Singer Omara Portuondo turned 95 last Oct 29 https://lyricstranslate.com/en/guantanamera-guantanamera.html-0

Flame https://lyricstranslate.com/en/candela-fire.html

2 Gardenias (for you) RIP Ibrahim Ferrer - vocals in this song RIP Compay Segundo https://lyricstranslate.com/en/dos-gardenias-two-gardenias.html

https://lyricstranslate.com/en/chan-chan-chan-chan.html-1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buena_Vista_Social_Club Ry Cooder wanted to realize this project so much....And he did accomplish it Great doc. indeed...I do recommend watching it... By German director Wim Wenders....Most BVSC musicians were / are really old folks.....Many have died so far.....Compay Segundo, Ibrahim Ferrer etc https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buena_Vista_Social_Club_(film)

Big hit in France and all Europe years ago https://lyricstranslate.com/en/Mon-petit-garcon-My-little-boy.html

US aircraft carrier arrives in the Caribbean in major buildup near Venezuela By BEN FINLEY Updated 9:09 PM CET, November 16, 2025 WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation’s most advanced aircraft carrier arrived in the Caribbean Sea on Sunday in a display of U.S. military power, raising questions about what the new influx of troops and weaponry could signal for the Trump administration’s intentions in South America as it conducts military strikes against vessels suspected of transporting drugs. The arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford and other warships, announced by the Navy in a statement, marks a major moment in what the administration insists is a counterdrug operation but has been seen as an escalating pressure tactic against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Since early September, U.S. strikes have killed at least 80 people in 20 attacks on small boats accused of transporting drugs in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean. The Ford rounds off the largest buildup of U.S. firepower in the region in generations. With its arrival, the “Operation Southern Spear” mission includes nearly a dozen Navy ships and about 12,000 sailors and Marines. The carrier strike group, which includes squadrons of fighter jets and guided-missile destroyers, transited the Anegada Passage near the British Virgin Islands on Sunday morning, the Navy said. Rear Adm. Paul Lanzilotta, who commands the strike group, said it will bolster an already large force of American warships to “protect our nation’s security and prosperity against narco-terrorism in the Western Hemisphere.” Adm. Alvin Holsey, the commander who oversees the Caribbean and Latin America, said in a statement that the American forces “stand ready to combat the transnational threats that seek to destabilize our region.” Holsey, who will retire next month after just a year on the job, said the strike group’s deployment is “a critical step in reinforcing our resolve to protect the security of the Western Hemisphere and the safety of the American Homeland.” In Trinidad and Tobago, which is only 7 miles from Venezuela at its closest point, government officials said troops have begun “training exercises” with the U.S. military that will run through much of the week. Minister of Foreign Affairs Sean Sobers described the joint exercises as the second in less than a month and said they are aimed at tackling violent crime on the island nation, which has become a stopover point for drug shipments headed to Europe and North America. The prime minister has been a vocal supporter of the U.S. military strikes. The exercises will include Marines from the 22nd Expeditionary Unit who have been stationed aboard the Navy ships that have been looming off Venezuela’s coast for months. Venezuela’s government has described the training exercises as an act of aggression. It had no immediate comment Sunday on the arrival of the aircraft carrier. Meanwhile, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said Sunday that U.S. troops have been training in Panama, underscoring the administration’s increasing focus on Latin America. “We’re reactivating our jungle school in Panama. We would be ready to act on whatever” Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth needed, he told CBS’ “Face the Nation.”............... https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-carrier-venezuela-trump-ford-strikes-drugs-241ea9e039d717b9f80f793922cb7cc9

Netanyahu faces far-right backlash after US-backed statement on Palestinian state By Reuters November 16, 20252:20 PM GMT+1 JERUSALEM, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday Israel remained opposed to a Palestinian state after protests by far-right coalition allies over a U.S.-backed statement indicating support for a pathway to Palestinian independence. Netanyahu spoke two days after Israel's key ally the United States and many Muslim-majority nations endorsed a draft U.N. resolution backing President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan, saying the process offered a route to Palestinian statehood. The 15-member U.N. Security Council began negotiations on Nov. 7 on the draft, which would mandate Trump's proposal for a "Board of Peace" transitional administration in Gaza to address issues including post-war reconstruction and economic recovery. Trump's 20-point plan includes a clause saying that if there were reforms within the Palestinian Authority, "the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognise as the aspiration of the Palestinian people". That point infuriated Israeli far-right leaders who had opposed the Trump-brokered October ceasefire in Gaza, testing Netanyahu's awkward governing coalition of conservatives and ultra-nationalists. On Saturday far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich called on Netanyahu to denounce the idea of a Palestinian state. Ben-Gvir threatened to leave the governing coalition if the prime minister did not act. Netanyahu said in a statement on Sunday: "Our opposition to a Palestinian state in any territory has not changed. Gaza will be demilitarised and Hamas will be disarmed, the easy way or the hard way. I do not need affirmations, tweets or lectures from anyone." A far-right walkout could bring down Netanyahu's right-wing government well before the next election, which must be held by October 2026. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar also issued statements on X against a Palestinian state on Sunday, without mentioning Netanyahu. Trump's Gaza plan ended major fighting between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas after two years of war that devastated the Palestinian enclave and triggered spillover conflicts across the Middle East. Netanyahu embraced Trump's plan during a visit to the White House in September but until Sunday had made no new statement on the Palestinian statehood issue. Ahead of his White House visit, Netanyahu said he would respond to a number of major Western nations including France that formally recognised a Palestinian state in September, angering Israel, but has not followed up with any diplomatic actions. Smotrich had on Saturday accused Netanyahu of failing to live up to his promise and called on him to formulate a response immediately: "Two months have passed in which you have chosen silence and political disgrace." He urged Netanyahu to "make clear to the entire world (that)a Palestinian state will never arise on the lands of our homeland." Two years of intense Israeli bombardment and ground offensives in the Gaza Strip killed more than 69,000 people, according to local health authorities. The war was touched off by Hamas' cross-border attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 that killed around 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies. The ceasefire came into effect on October 10 although there have been repeated, though scattered, outbreaks of violence since then. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/netanyahu-faces-far-right-backlash-after-us-backed-statement-palestinian-state-2025-11-16/

Do small business owners think that Visa and Mastercard won’t just recoup their fees elsewhere? Sun 16 Nov 2025 15.00 GMT Gene Marks Want to buy a new shirt from your friendly neighborhood small business? In some cases, be prepared to pay out 2.5% more as a “financing” fee because you’re using a credit card. Enjoying that meal at the local diner? Better have cash or you could be subject to the same fee. Grabbing a bag of chips and a soda at the local convenience store? Oops … Unless you’re prepared to spend a minimum of 10 bucks you can’t use your credit card, sorry. I’ve always been irritated by these practices. And I know I’m not alone. Who carries cash any more? Why are we, the customer, being shamed because we choose to buy something using what has become a standard form of payment over something that’s clearly a thing of the past? Merchants have been fighting the credit card companies about these fees for years. And now they’ve won. This past week, Visa and Mastercard ended their battle, and now future fees will probably be lower for consumers that use some cards, particularly the ones that offer fewer rewards. But did these businesses really win? I’m not so sure. Be careful what you ask for. Because thanks to this “victory”, these businesses are complicating things even more for the consumer and themselves. Fees will probably be layered based on the card used and some business owners may even find themselves rejecting some cards altogether because the fees are too high. The average consumer carries about four credit cards, according to some studies. Up until now all were treated equally. But no longer. Can I use this card to buy a packet of chips or that card? Will merchants now provide a list of cards that are acceptable to them? Will I be penalized otherwise or turned away at the door? By making things more difficult for your customer, you’re risking the sale. Or a future sale if the headaches of doing business with you outweigh the benefits. And you’re increasing your costs to account for the different cards used and fees charged and for what you’ll probably pay your point of sale system provider to help you do this. Small business owners complain about the high merchant fees charged by credit card companies, and yet it’s those very same small businesses who heavily rely on these services. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, credit card payments (and usage) by small businesses increased from $10,000 a month on average in 2020 to $24,000 a month by April 2022. About 55% of small businesses surveyed said they used a corporate credit card in the past 12 months. The settlement will probably have a rewards boomerang effect on these very same businesses. Credit card companies use merchant fees to establish partnerships with thousands of businesses so that their customers can enjoy more products, services and travel perks by using their cards. Some cards offer as much as 1% to 5% back at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services, as well as at gas stations, restaurants and other locations. Others have partnerships with brands such as Google Workspace, ZipRecruiter and Lyft that offer ongoing credits and price reductions on their services specifically to small businesses. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you. These services and programs will probably be rolled back, or made more expensive. And it’s the small business owner who will be penalized. Limiting awards also means limiting revenue. Many studies have shown that consumers tend to spend more at a business when using their credit card. Credit card rewards programs also include countless small merchants offering their wares. By participating in these programs, these small business owners enjoyed introductions to new customers that never would have known about them otherwise. Finally, who are we kidding? Do we really think Mastercard and Visa aren’t going to make up for these costs elsewhere? Of course they will. They’ll charge higher annual membership fees to the business owners who enjoy these perks and increase late payment and penalty fees or special charges for things like fraud investigations which are paid by – you guessed it – business people. They’ll raise interest rates on foreign transaction and cash advance fees that are also paid by businesses, or pass down higher costs to their partners like banks and other financial service providers, who will in turn pass these costs to their customers who are – ready? – business people. If you run a retail shop or a diner, isn’t it easier to just calculate how much the merchant fee costs as a percentage of your total revenues and then spread out a small price increase among all your products, where the impact would be barely noticed? Will a customer care if they’re paying $12.50 or $12.75 for a burger? No. Will they raise an eyebrow because you’re charging an additional fee on top of the entire bill because – gasp – they don’t use cash? Yes, they will.......... https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/nov/16/small-business-credit-card-fees

The one singing along w him is his daughter Luvi ( good vocalist) 1998 https://lyricstranslate.com/en/geordie-geordie.html

Song of lost love https://lyricstranslate.com/en/la-canzone-dellamore-perduto-song-lost-love.html

The Fisherman His son Cristiano ( half crazy and a drunkard...but talented musician) at the violin...That young woman is his daughter Luvi Live https://lyricstranslate.com/en/il-pescatore-fisherman.html-0