Premier NFT Market MakersPlace Raises $30 Million From Former Sotheby's CEO, Eminem And Bessemer
Dannie Chu hopes to create the world's most trusted marketplace for premium digital art. At the time, MakersPlace was a barely three-year-old company, the brainchild of Pinterest employee number one Yash Nelapati, fellow Pinterest employee Dannie Chu, and Ito. Digital artist Beeple's NFT collage Everydays: The First 5000 Days, sold at Christie's for over $69 ... [+] million in March, 2021. “Our theory is that by providing the technical infrastructure to prove originality will allow humans to start embracing the digital art side.”Humans may already have. According to a report by L’Atelier BNP Paribas and Nonfungible.com, the global NFT market grew by 299% in 2020, exceeding $250 million in trade volume.
Source:Forbes
August 04, 2021 11:50 UTC
Obama scales back big birthday bash amid Covid worries
(CNN) Former President Barack Obama has dramatically scaled back his planned 60th birthday party on Martha's Vineyard this weekend due to concerns about the highly transmissible Delta variant of Covid-19, according to a spokeswoman. More than 400 guests, including celebrities and former Obama administration officials, were reportedly expected to attend the affair, along with nearly 200 hired staff working the party. But now, the celebration for Obama, who turns 60 on Wednesday, will be only be for family and close friends. "This outdoor event was planned months ago in accordance with all public health guidelines and with covid safeguards in place," Hannah Hankins, a spokeswoman for Obama, said in a statement Wednesday provided to CNN. "Due to the new spread of the delta variant over the past week, the President and Mrs. Obama have decided to significantly scale back the event to include only family and close friends."
Source:CNN
August 04, 2021 11:42 UTC
Fully Vaccinated Half As Likely To Catch Covid-19 And Less Likely To Infect Others, Study Finds
Fully vaccinated people are half as likely to catch Covid-19 than those who are unvaccinated, a ... [+] study found. gettyKey FactsThree times as many unvaccinated people tested positive for Covid-19 than those who had not been vaccinated, the REACT study found, with all positive samples analyzed indicating an infection with the delta Covid-19 variant. That’s the chance of being infected with Covid-19 if you’re in contact with an infected individual and fully vaccinated, the researchers found. What We Don’t KnowThe findings from this study suggest lower viral loads in the fully vaccinated people who are infected, which correspond with lower chances of passing the virus on to others. A lower chance does not mean zero chance, and the CDC recommends even the fully vaccinated to wear masks in certain places.
Source:Forbes
August 04, 2021 11:37 UTC
‘Vaccinated or You Can’t Come In’
‘I know this isn’t easy’The federal government continues to pressure private companies to introduce coronavirus vaccine mandates to help the U.S. raise its inoculation rates. is accelerating its timetable to fully approve the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, aiming to complete the process early next month. And yesterday, Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York said the city would require proof of vaccination for people to eat indoors, exercise at gyms and go to shows. “You have to give proof that you’ve been vaccinated or you can’t come in,” he said. “The folks who want to come back to the office are all vaccinated,” said Kathryn Wylde, the president of Partnership for New York City, an influential trade group.
Source:New York Times
August 04, 2021 11:37 UTC
NASCAR to require masks in enclosed areas going forward
Beginning this weekend at Watkins Glen International, NASCAR will require all personnel to wear a face mask in enclosed areas at all times, regardless of vaccination statusWATKINS GLEN, N.Y. -- NASCAR is adjusting its health protocols as COVID-19 cases increase across the country. Beginning with this weekend's events at Watkins Glen International, all personnel must wear a face mask in enclosed areas at all times, regardless of vaccination status. Enclosed areas include haulers and buildings, restrooms, the infield care center, race control and suites. Masks will not be required outdoors at NASCAR events, provided individuals refrain from sustained close contact. Last year's Cup race at Watkins Glen was switched to the road course at Daytona International Speedway because of COVID-19.
Source:ABC News
August 04, 2021 11:26 UTC
Millennial Money: How to handle mixed-income friendships
Here’s how to reenter the world of socializing and spending while keeping friendships and finances intact. “I would imagine that, after COVID, people really understand financial stress no matter their level of income or assets,” Kingsbury says. But try to understand that your friends can’t always join you. HOW TO TALK ABOUT MONEY WITH FRIENDSThese spending situations become easier when you and your friends can talk openly about money. To keep the conversation casual, avoid having it while you’re already out spending money, Evans says.
Source:ABC News
August 04, 2021 11:26 UTC
Greece and Turkey battle heatwave and fires in Europe's summer of extreme weather
The Greek Fire Service said Wednesday it had been called to intervene in 78 forest fires in the past 24 hours. Wildfires also continued to burn Tuesday in parts of Turkey, fueled by the extreme heat. Temperatures were expected to again be up to 10 degrees above average Wednesday, at over 40 degrees Celsius, in Greece and western Turkey. "Smoke plumes from the fires are clearly visible in satellite imagery crossing the Eastern Mediterranean Basin from southern Turkey." The mayor of Milas, a city in southwestern Turkey, said flames from the ongoing fires had reached close to a power plant Tuesday evening.
Source:CNN
August 04, 2021 11:24 UTC
Israel Olympian apologizes for TikTok bed video: 'We meant no disrespect'
Israel’s Olympic team was forced to apologize over a TikTok video showing how many players it would take to collapse a cardboard bed in one of the players’ rooms at the Tokyo Games. About nine Israeli baseball players were seen on the bed. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMBen Wanger, a pitcher for Israel’s baseball team who recorded the viral TikTok video, apologized in remarks to the Times of Israel on Friday. JAMAICA OLYMPIAN ELAINE THOMPSON-HERAH BOOTED FROM INSTAGRAM OVER COPYRIGHT VIOLATIONSHe said the bed in the video was recycled after it was broken. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPIsrael’s baseball team finished 0-2 in group play but defeated Mexico in the knockout stage.
Source:Fox News
August 04, 2021 11:23 UTC
The New York Times Reaches 8 Million Subscriptions
The company estimated that it will have 8.5 million paid print and digital subscriptions by the end of 2021. At the end of June, The Times had 7.9 million total subscribers, with 7.1 million paying for its digital products. Of the digital subscribers, 5.3 million subscribed to the News app. The company reported $93 million in adjusted operating profit on $499 million in revenue, beating estimates. Investors were looking for $73 million in adjusted operating profit on $488 million in sales.
Source:New York Times
August 04, 2021 11:17 UTC
Podcast: The big-shot lawyer, Real Housewife and vanished $23 million
She’s a Real Housewife. Together, Tom and Erika Girardi made a striking couple. In this crossover episode with our sister podcast “The Envelope,” we get into a story straight out of a reality TV plotline. We speak to the Los Angeles Times investigative reporters who are covering the Girardis’ downfall. And we talk to a Los Angeles Times television reporter about why the public just can’t turn away from this story.
Source:Los Angeles Times
August 04, 2021 11:15 UTC
After decades in woods, New Hampshire man forced from cabin
As the owner of the land seeks to tear down the cabin, Lidstone has been jailed since July 15 on a civil contempt sanction. “He’s just a really, really, big caring guy, and just chooses to live off the grid,” she said. But in the eyes of the current owner, he's a squatter and needs to go. The judge suggested Wednesday that Giles and town officials work with a mediator, but Giles' lawyer said the logistics would be too daunting. Lidstone's decision to live in the woods is “exactly the lifestyle he wants," said his brother, Vincent Lidstone, 77, of Lafayette, Georgia.
Source:ABC News
August 04, 2021 11:15 UTC
Is ‘Fail-Fast’ Strategy A Non-Starter For Women And Minorities?
Fail forward fast. Three words of management strategy you hear regularly in Silicon Valley and increasingly from would-be innovators in other industries, as well. ADVERTISEMENTThere’s a problem, however: Minorities and women face a unique set of challenges – and rules, for that matter – that unfortunately prejudge performance and stereotype it back to their identity group. The bottom line: Black women are both the most visible people in an organization while, at the same time, are totally invisible. Going ForwardHere’s the reality: women and minorities have to approach things differently.
Source:Forbes
August 04, 2021 11:15 UTC
What Does Your Workplace Of The Future Look Like?
No matter what stage you are in, determining your workplace of the future should be driven by the needs of your employees. Many found increased flexibility and productivity by working remotely and don’t want to return to the office. This empathetic model offers each employee flexibility in choosing their own workplace classification: on-site, remote or hybrid. Companies should assess which parts of their population can, and wish to, continue working remotely on a permanent basis. Hybrid: Nearly 90% of workers in the U.S. now prefer to work remotely at least one day per week.
Source:Forbes
August 04, 2021 11:15 UTC
Ways To Boost Customer Engagement Using Conversational AI
Using natural language understanding (NLU), conversational AI enhances customer engagement between humans and machines. Now that we have a better understanding of the technology and why customer engagement is crucial for brands, let’s talk about ways to boost customer engagement using conversational AI:1. Understanding your customer better: Conversational AI helps understand your customer, their asks and their preferences better. Build a conversational AI platform where customers can be automatically routed to support agents in order to make customer engagement seamless. Benefits Of Conversational AI• Cost efficiency: Conversational AI reduces human intervention and helps create chatbots that provide better, more efficient and faster resolution.
Source:Forbes
August 04, 2021 11:03 UTC
Post-Pandemic Active Travel - Your Best All-Inclusive Adventure Vacations
Tour operators and hotels specializing in active travel are seeing high demand, and in many cases, record reservations, especially for 2022. Today is all about one of the most enjoyable but least well-known active vacations, a trip to an all-inclusive adventure lodge. “In particular, travel agents turn to us and confirm that the type of travel Explora is renowned for is exactly what their clients are interested in. ExploraThe best example of this type of travel comes from South America, where a handful of companies have specialized in all-inclusive adventure lodges in the most beautiful settings. Explora lodge guests on a hike on Rapa Nui (Easter Island) Explora“Hiking is a common ground for all Explora travelers.
Source:Forbes
August 04, 2021 11:03 UTC