Wednesday's Daily Pulse

Posted 3/18/2015

Updated 9 yearss ago

Cruise industry leaders eye emerging markets for growth

After recent years defined by safety and reliability concerns, the cruise industry is looking to establish new markets and drum up fresh interest. An estimated 11,000 people are attending the cruise industry's largest annual conference, which runs through Thursday at the Miami Beach Convention Center and includes sessions on ports of call, energy efficiency, technology, public health issues, safety and more. [Source: Miami Herald]

Florida ranks No. 2 in nation for rate of uninsured

Florida ranks No. 2 in the nation in the rate of residents without health insurance, but that figure has declined since 2010. Figures released by the U.S. Census Bureau on Tuesday show that Florida had an uninsured rate of 24.3 percent in 2013. Only Texas had a higher rate at 24.8 percent. Read more from the AP and CBS Miami.

Do humans still need to study the humanities?

The majority of undergraduates today are majoring in business, science and technology disciplines. What does all this mean for higher education? Why have the humanities undergone a crisis of legitimacy? And why does this matter? In this article, four former presidents of universities -- inlcuding Bernie Machen from the University of Florida -- answer these important questions. Read the full article here.

Canines, drones battle deadly avocado fungus

In just a few weeks, redbay ambrosia beetles will be on the move in Florida, a major concern for the state’s multimillion dollar avocado industry. FIU researchers believe a combination of drones and dogs could be game-changers in the fight to stop a deadly fungus spread by these invasive pests. [Source: FIU News]

Why small business means big business for Facebook Inc.

Followers of Facebook may recall last year's "Facebook Fit" nationwide series of boot camps for small business owners. New data suggest that the timing of Facebook's -- and to a lesser extent, Twitter's -- focus on small business couldn't have been better. [Source: The Motley Fool]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Capitol Buzz: 5 things to watch today in Tallahassee [Times/Herald]
Another jam-packed day awaits in the Florida Legislature on Wednesday as lawmakers debate guns, schools and water. Here are five things to watch from the Times/Herald, plus see our Legislative Roundup below:
» Online voter registration passes Florida Senate committee
» Florida House poised to make some changes to state testing
» House advances guardianship bill
» Amendment 1 sponsors no fans of House spending plan

› Orlando-area tech firm adding high-wage jobs [Orlando Business Journal]
A local software development and IT company is looking to hire system administrators and software engineers with an average annual salary ranging from $90,000 to $100,000.

› Florida oranges, brewer pair on promotion [The Packer]
To stir increased interest and sales of Florida oranges, slices of Florida oranges are being placed in mugs of beer throughout the Sunshine State’s bars and eateries.

› Naples-based clothing line out to save your skin [Fort Myers News-Press]
Florida's sun and elements can cause damage to the skin. To avoid ugly bumps and barnacles, protecting the skin during outdoor activity with clothing and products are key. Roy Smith, CEO of Snikwah, has a line of activewear made of DriRelease® fabric which has SPF woven into it to provide optimal sun protection.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› Getting Gators to stay in Gainesville [UF News]
With so many career opportunities and a thriving entrepreneurial climate, why would a UF student not explore life in Gainesville after graduation? That’s the thinking behind the “Stay in the Swamp” Career Fair to be hosted this Thursday in Hough Hall by the Hough Graduate School of Business.

› Florida Gaming not a pretty picture [Gaming Today]
Results for the first 6 months of the 2014-15 Florida Pari-mutuel fiscal year are not a pretty sight. The overall drop: $36.9 million for the period; with overall handle tumbling under $350 million. While one sector (harness) was up 1.2%, the five others were not.

› More tourists means more bartenders for Brevard [Florida Today]
Apparently Brevard County isn't one of the easier places to get a drink. Well, sort of. According to a new analysis by CareerBuilder, there are 1.8 bartenders per 1,000 people in Brevard. That compares to 13.3 bartenders per 1,000 residents in Key West.

› New York group buys student housing near UCF [Orlando Sentinel]
A New York investment group purchased a 624-student apartment near the University of Central Florida as part of a $300 million portfolio acquisition.