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☆ In ‘Twisted Metal’ Series, Killer Clowns Come With Class Commentary
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Chris Vognar | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When Stephanie Beatriz likes a script she enjoys reading it aloud at home to get a better feel for the character and story. She warmed up quickly to “Twisted Metal,” the new Peacock mayhem machine based on the popular PlayStation game series that first burned rubber in 1995. But as she turned the pages, encountering psycho clowns, murderous religious cults, cannibalism and other manner of good times, she had to pause. Premiering July 27, “Twisted Metal” is nothing if not extreme. One of them is sprinkled with a generous portion of lemon pepper spice as a human foot dangles from a line; Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s “Shimmy Shimmy Ya” (“Ooh, baby, I like it raw”) blares on the soundtrack.

Persons: Stephanie Beatriz, “, I’m, blares, Anthony Mackie, John Doe, Beatriz, Max ” Organizations: PlayStation, wiz Locations: America

☆ 7 of Twitter's most followed users have jumped onto Threads: 'May this platform have good vibes'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Kai Xiang Teo | Reena Koh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ellen DeGeneres is currently the Twitter user with the greatest following to have posted on Threads. Already, some of Twitter's most followed users have jumped onto the Threads wagon. Shakira, 53.8 million Twitter followersShakira Marc Piasecki/FilmMagic/Getty ImagesShakira made her move to Threads on Tuesday with her first post: "Well hello Threads 👋." Jennifer Lopez, 44.9 million Twitter followersJennifer Lopez in 2023. read her first post, followed by: "Hola a todos!!!!!"

Persons: Ellen DeGeneres, Shakira, Kim Kardashian, Twitter's, twit, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Ellen DeGeneres Brooks Kraft, DeGeneres, Bill Gates, Bill Gates Taylor, Shakira Marc Piasecki, witter, J, ola, hal i, ari Organizations: Twitter, Getty, unc, lse Locations: usk

☆ Mixtape Sites Like DatPiff Propelled Rap. Can They Be Preserved?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Brian Josephs | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

In a phone interview, Wiz Khalifa said that after he started releasing mixtapes on DatPiff, he saw his popularity grow throughout the United States. But mixtape sites lost steam as hip-hop artists started to take advantage of another innovation. As streaming platforms began to serve up an unlimited buffet of songs, there were fewer incentives, especially for established artists, to release music on mixtape sites. “You want this stuff to be accessible, and media changes and our consumption of media changes and the way that we access music changes,” the producer said in a phone interview. “If you want the music to live on, then you need to adapt to those changes and make sure that the music is accessible.”

Persons: Wiz Khalifa, “, ”, Obsessives, “ It’s, Tim Larew, DatPiff, “ Taylor Allderdice ”, monetize, Chance, Mac Miller, Miller, Miller’s Organizations: Twitter, Apple Music, Spotify Locations: United States

☆ Gucci’s horsebit loafer is still a coveted status symbol 70 years on
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Leah Dolan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Despite their vastly differing personal styles and occupations, they have all been spotted in a pair of Gucci horsebit loafers. In mid-June, coinciding with the menswear shows at Milan Fashion Week, Gucci will stage an exhibition celebrating the legacy of its signature loafer. In 1974, George H. W. Bush wore a pair of horsebit loafers to meet then-President Gerald Ford. Through the decadesThe success of Gucci’s horsebit loafers has been far-reaching, and the secret to their ongoing relevance may lie in the shoe’s versatility. The horsebit loafer is Gucci’s answer to the near-philosophical question: What shoes do I wear?

Persons: George H, Bush, ’, Jane Birkin, Wiz Khalifa, Gucci horsebit, Gucci, loafers, Gerald Ford, David Hume Kennerly, Birkin, Francis Ford Coppola, Sophia Loren, Charlotte Casiraghi, Jodie Foster, Brad Pitt, Zoe Kravitz, Gigi Hadid, Guccio Gucci —, —, Aldo, Rodolfo, Vasco, Guccio, Serge Gainsbourg, Gucci’s, Alessandro Michele, JB Lacroix Organizations: CNN, Metropolitan Museum of, Milan Fashion, Golden Globe, MTV VMA, Savoy, Wall Locations: Cannes, Monégasque, London, Florence, Italy, New York, France

☆ Wiz ranks as No. 5 on Disruptor 50 list with a start as a $10 billion startup
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWiz ranks as No. 5 on Disruptor 50 list with a start as a $10 billion startupAssaf Rappaport, Wiz CEO, one of the companies on this year’s annual Disruptor 50 list, joins 'Squawk on the Street' to discuss the state of cybersecurity.

☆ Wiz's rapid ascent to $10 billion valuation in market downturn shows cloud security is 'still huge'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The accelerated shift to cloud computing has boosted adoption of security software that can identify the spots where hackers can wage attacks. Older security companies such as Palo Alto Networks and Rapid7 have widened their portfolios to specialize in securing the cloud. Regardless of how Thomas views Wiz, in February his company added the startup to its list of competitors, putting it alongside Palo Alto Networks . Rappaport called out Palo Alto Networks, which has an offering called Prisma Cloud, as his company's best place to snag business. Rappaport also knows plenty about Microsoft, having sold his prior security startup, Adallom, to the company for $320 million in 2015.

☆ The 2023 CNBC Disruptor 50: How we chose the companies
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( David Spiegel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The last Disruptor 50 company to go public was Gojek, which debuted on the Indonesia Stock Exchange more than a year ago. The last Disruptor 50 IPO in the U.S. market, Nubank , happened on December 9, 2021. Here's how we chose them:All private, independently owned startup companies founded after Jan. 1, 2008, were eligible to be nominated for the Disruptor 50 list. The 2023 list also features the first founder to have two companies make the Disruptor 50 (Rodney Williams of SoLo Funds). Imagine what that number could have been a year or two ago …Special thanks to the 2023 CNBC Disruptor 50 Advisory Council, who again offered us their time and insights.

☆ The Star Wars timeline: All movies and shows in chronological order
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Scottie Andrew | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

These details are pulled from the official “Star Wars” resources “Ultimate Star Wars” and “Star Wars Character Encyclopedia,” as well as experts from outlets like USA Today and the AV Club. ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ (animated series)Ahsoka is Anakin's padawan in "The Clone Wars," and he lovingly calls her "Snips." ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’"Solo" shows how Han and Chewie became best friends. ‘Star Wars Rebels’Kanan Jarrus, Zeb Orrelios and Sabine Wren take on the Empire in "Star Wars Rebels." ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’Heroes attempt to find the plans to blow up the Death Star in "Rogue One."

☆ Premarket stocks: Main Street investors bet on comeback for regional banks
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —Forget the banking crisis — Main Street’s retail investors have barreled into embattled bank stocks. At the same time, he said, institutional investors, the so-called “smart money,” have been trading out of volatile regional bank stocks. That could mean bad news for those who are betting they’ll see big returns on regional bank stocks. This is a risky move for retail investors, said Iachini, and a speculative play. We’re not seeing a meaningful recovery, at least yet, for regional bank stocks, he said.

☆ Analysis: Israel's tech sector reels from SVB collapse, proposed judicial reform
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Steven Scheer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

In an industry of around 400,000 there are currently around 6,000 vacant tech jobs, according to government data. More than half of the country's startups held an account with SVB, companies and venture capital investors said, in some cases their only U.S. banking facility although the amounts involved are not fully known. Tech companies and investors alike said SVB was a rarity in the banking industry, familiar with Israel's tech ecosystem and offering loan terms unmatched by other banks. Citing the judicial reforms, Adam Fisher, a partner at investment firm Bessemer Venture Partners, said fewer American banks may be willing to lend to Israeli companies, which means less competition and more onerous terms. Israel's tech companies are therefore likely to flock to register as U.S. companies, while keeping R&D back home, said Yaron Samid, managing partner of the TechAviv Founder Partners fund.

☆ Microsoft Patched Bing Vulnerability That Allowed Snooping on Email and Other Data
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Robert Mcmillan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Microsoft has been adding generative AI capabilities to much of its software and services. Microsoft Corp. patched a dangerous security issue in Bing last month just days before it launched a new artificial intelligence-powered version of the search engine. The problem was discovered by outside researchers at the security firm Wiz Inc. It was created by a mistake in the way that Microsoft configured applications on Azure, its cloud-computing platform, and could be used to gain access to emails and other documents of people who used Bing, the researchers said.

☆ Uber Eats is cracking down on an explosion of 'ghost' menus, where restaurants feature the same food under as many as 20 different brands
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Uber Eats has new rules for delivery-only brands on its app, the Wall Street Journal reported. Those restaurants represent about 13% of all virtual brands on Uber Eats, according to the Journal. Uber Eats offers food from roughly 40,000 virtual brands, up from 10,000 in 2021, according to the Journal. Some restaurants, such as Denny's, use virtual brands to offer items that aren't on the menu at their physical restaurants. Uber Eat's new requirements are part of a broader set of rules for virtual brands that the company plans to roll out this week, Uber told Insider.

☆ No, 'Stranger Things' star Noah Schnapp didn't open his own restaurant. It's the latest 'virtual brand' offering from IHOP.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Thousands of virtual brands continue to flood delivery apps like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub. IHOP is launching a third delivery-only brand – a chicken menu by a "Stranger Things" star. Partnering with Noah Schnapp and Nextbite were a seamless fit to meet the consumer target for our newest Virtual Brand." Stranger Things star Noah Schnapp helped create a virtual chicken menu for IHOP. Nextbite's other celebrity-backed virtual brands include Packed Bowls by Wiz Khalifa and 'Wichcraft sandwiches by Tom Colicchio.

☆ Israeli cyber security firm Wiz raises $300 mln, valued at $10 bln
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

JERUSALEM, Feb 27 (Reuters) - U.S.-Israeli cyber security startup Wiz said on Monday it raised $300 million in a private funding round that values the firm at $10 billion. The late stage round was led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and existing investors Greenoaks Capital Partners and Index Ventures. Since its founding three years ago, Wiz, which focuses on cloud security and has 650 employees globally, has raised $900 million from investors, including Sequoia Capital, Insight Partners, Blackstone and G Squared. It said it plans to open new offices in Austin, Dallas and Washington D.C. Reporting by Steven Scheer Editing by Ari RabinovitchOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Cyber firm Wiz moving funds out of Israel due to judicial plans -source
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Steven Scheer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Israelis working in the hi-tech sector hold signs with the Hebrew words "No democracy, no hi-tech" as they demonstrate against proposed judicial reforms by Israel's new right-wing government in Tel Aviv, Israel January 24, 2023. The source, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said Wiz, a unicorn with a value of some $6 billion, has concerns about growing uncertainty in the Israeli market in light of the proposed changes. Wiz declined to comment on the transfer of money out of Israel which was initially reported by Channel 12 news. The proposed judicial overhaul, which has yet to be written into law, would tighten political control over judicial appointments and limit the Supreme Court's powers to overturn government decisions or Knesset laws. On Monday, Bank of Israel Governor Amir Yaron told lawmakers that institutional independence was vital for Israel's sovereign credit rating.

☆ BuzzFeed's $300M purchase of Complex promised to grow both brands, but insiders say strategies have clashed and Complex's culture is being 'completely gutted'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Complex insiders worry that the cuts threaten their brand's culture and future. Clashing video strategies as some fear Complex culture is being 'completely gutted'Kevin Hart appeared on Complex's "Hot Ones" series. Before joining with BuzzFeed, Complex's then-CEO Rich Antoniello had conversations with Vice Media and Vox Media. But Complex insiders felt especially aggrieved when, this fall, BuzzFeed announced a global expansion for ComplexCon. To Complex insiders, BuzzFeed's plan to take the event to Australia, Europe, and Asia simultaneously was unrealistic and under-resourced.

"Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" will kick off at 8 p.m. You can watch it on ABC, or livestream it via services like Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV. Here's how to stream "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve," along with a full breakdown of performers. Where to watch 'Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2023'You can watch "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" on ABC at 8 p.m. Who is performing at 'New Year's Rockin' Eve 2023'?

☆ Israeli businesses decry calls to revise anti-discrimination law
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Steven Scheer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

JERUSALEM, Dec 26 (Reuters) - Several leading Israeli businesses pledged on Monday to strengthen their internal anti-discrimination rules following remarks by hard-right members of Israel's incoming government seen as undermining gender equality and minority rights. "Recent calls for revoking basic rights heard in the political arena in Israel are of grave concern to our society," Wiz said in a statement. His political rivals have accused the veteran conservative leader of being vulnerable to his far-right allies’ policy demands. Maoz says he is not anti-gay but is opposed to the LGBTQ movement and has called for the cancellation of the annual Jerusalem gay pride march. Reporting by Steven Scheer; Editing by Ari Rabinovitch, Gareth Jones and Howard GollerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ I've gotten celebs like Post Malone and DJ Khaled to share stories about being self-made. Here's what they've told me and how I get them to open up.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Eboni Boykin-Patterson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Brett Berish is the CEO of liquor company Sovereign Brands, which sold one of its brands to Jay Z. He hosts the celebrity interview series 'Self-Made' where celebs share their rags to riches stories. When I see people hold the bottles on Instagram or somewhere, I feel like I've achieved something — I've created something. My favorite conversations on the show are the most transparentMy first "Self-Made'' interview was in 2017 with Post Malone. I'm intrigued by these 'Self-Made' stories because I have one tooI've been in the liquor business for over 20 years.

☆ How to Spot a Ghost Restaurant on DoorDash, Grubhub, and Uber Eats
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Thousands of virtual brands are flooding delivery apps like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub. According to a joint report by Grubhub and the market-research firm Technomic, 41% of independent restaurants are operating virtual restaurants. Uber Eats and GrubhubUber Eats and Grubhub do not label virtual brands. Our perspective is that a virtual restaurant is a real restaurant," Uber Eats told Insider. The Miami address for the virtual brand Sam's Crispy Chicken is listed as "MIA07-2" on the Uber Eats app.

☆ Complex insiders say owner BuzzFeed has shed key talent, failed to invest in core content, and threatens to dilute the hip culture brand: 'The BuzzFeed ethos does not get it'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Clashing video strategies as some fear Complex culture is being 'completely gutted'Kevin Hart appeared on Complex's "Hot Ones" series. Before joining with BuzzFeed, Complex's then-CEO Rich Antoniello had conversations with Vice Media and Vox Media. Rubbing salt in the wound, Complex insiders said they felt their brand was scrappier and more culturally relevant than BuzzFeed, which many consider past its prime. But Complex insiders felt especially aggrieved when, this fall, BuzzFeed announced a global expansion for ComplexCon. To Complex insiders, BuzzFeed's plan to take the event to Australia, Europe, and Asia simultaneously was unrealistic and under-resourced.

☆ Cloud-Security Startup Lacework Taps New CFO as It Weighs IPO
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Kristin Broughton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +3 min

Cloud-security business Lacework Inc. on Thursday named a finance chief with public-company experience as the startup lays the groundwork for an eventual initial public offering. He has also held senior finance roles at technology companies ServiceNow Inc. and Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. At Lacework, Mr. Casey succeeds Mike Staiger, who stepped down in June. Lacework has ample cash from last year’s fundraising round and likely won’t need more capital for at least a couple of years, Mr. Casey said. Additionally, Mr. Casey is helping Lacework adjust its pricing model, for instance by offering customers a wider range of functionalities and price points. Newsletter Sign-up WSJ | CFO Journal The Morning Ledger provides daily news and insights on corporate finance from the CFO Journal team.

☆ Index Ventures picks Israeli partner to boost high tech investment
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Steven Scheer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TEL AVIV, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Index Ventures has appointed a local partner to help significantly boost its already sizeable investments in Israel's technology sector, officials from the U.S. and European venture capital firm said. Index, which mainly invests in seed and so-called Series A funding rounds has named Juriaan Duizendstraal as a Partner based in Tel Aviv. In the past 26 years, Index has invested $350 million in 27 Israeli companies and firms with an Israeli founder but has not had a local presence. Among the Israeli companies Index has invested in are Wiz, Slack, Figma, Datadog, Discord, Robinhood, Adyen, Elastic, Plaid, Roblox and Scale. Those conversations are difficult if you are in New York or London," said Carlos Gonzalez-Cadenas, another Index partner based in London.

Lena Horne made history this week as the first Black woman to have a Broadway theater named in her honor. The Brooks Atkinson Theatre on West 47th Street, near Broadway in Manhattan’s Theater District, was renamed the Lena Horne Theatre on Tuesday in recognition of the famed performer and civil rights activist. The Lena Horne Theatre seats more than 1,000 people and is one of nine Broadway theaters throughout New York City belonging to the Nederlander Organization. The Lena Horne Theatre was previously named the Brooks Atkinson Theatre and the Mansfield Theatre. Horne won several awards during her career, including two Grammys, in 1982 and 1996, along with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1989.

☆ Read the 33-page pitch deck that landed the Gen Z founders of a digital résumé for influencers $1 million in funding and Wiz Khalifa as an advisor
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

MediaKits cofounders Kieran O'Brien and Casey Adams raised $1 million in pre-seed funding last year. MediaKits gives influencers and creators digital résumés that update social metrics in real time. The duo shared their pitch deck, including how they made MediaKits the solution to a problem in their industry. Influencers can send brands their custom MediaKits profiles, which showcase numbers across their Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook accounts. O'Brien and Adams shared their pitch deck with Insider, including how they positioned MediaKits as the solution to a problem in the creator economy and what investors look for.

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