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☆ AI-generated audio of Joe Biden and Donald Trump trashtalking while gaming is taking over TikTok
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Allegra Rosenberg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

On TikTok, faked audio created by AI of Joe Biden and Donald Trump gaming has become a hit meme. But the ease with voice AI can be used for jokes also shows how easy it is to fake convincing quotes. The Biden Cinematic UniverseOn the @bidenandfriends TikTok account, "Sleepy Joe" plays Minecraft and other video games with his best (and worst) buddies. Other political and celebrity figures pop up in various installments, but the core trio of Trump, Biden, and Obama seems to persist across the lore. "I remember when people thought AI would kill us all, but this is how we use it," commented one TikTok user.

☆ This startup found success using A.I. to build beauty products. But can it keep making money?
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Oddity Il Makiage Coutesy: OddityOddity — the direct-to-consumer beauty and wellness platform known for its ubiquitous Il Makiage social media ads — is making money and growing in an environment that's increasingly risky for purely digital retailers. Since its U.S. launch in 2018, Oddity has achieved profitability, the company said, making $380 million in gross sales in 2022. In Spoiled Child's first year on the market, the new brand brought in $48 million in gross sales. Oddity builds out new products and brands by using its tech to figure out what customers are looking for. Oddity is in the process of integrating the tech into its Il Makiage powermatch quiz to improve accuracy.

☆ 100 gecs Shook the Underground. Can the Duo Explode … With Rock Music?
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Joe Coscarelli | More About Joe Coscarelli | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

LOS ANGELES — Laura Les and Dylan Brady, the experimental pop duo known as 100 gecs, wanted to set off fireworks indoors. In its anarchic “Jackass” ethos, few things could be so gecs-y. But at the end of last year, with an upcoming major-label album to market — and all the corporate guardrails that entails — 100 gecs were being forced to blow stuff up a bit more by the book. Fortunately for Les, 28, and Brady, 29, the other thing that comes with a fat recording contract — besides a boatload of commercial expectations, various handlers and more rules — is resources. The fireworks, after all, were not just for mayhem but a music video — the one expected to help propel the band’s new single, “Hollywood Baby,” into a mainstream crossover success.

Persons: Laura Les, Dylan Brady, Les, Brady

☆ Stock pickers continue to shine after a better year and here are their favorite names in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Wall Street investment bank analyzed the holdings of 543 mutual funds with $2.4 trillion of assets under management at the start of 2023, based on regulatory filings. It then compiled a basket of the most popular bets, called "Mutual Fund Overweight basket," consisting of 50 stocks in which mutual funds are the most overweight. Year to date, 43% of large-cap mutual fund managers have outperformed their benchmarks, well above the long-term average of 38%, Goldman said. Goldman's mutual fund overweight basket has gained 2% in 2023, in line with the S & P 500's performance. Credit card duo Mastercard and Visa were the two most loved names by mutual funds at the start of 2023, according to Goldman.

☆ Black dominates at Dolce & Gabbana, Ferragamo back goes to old Hollywood
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] A model presents a creation from the Dolce & Gabbana Fall/Winter 2023/2024 collection during Fashion Week in Milan, Italy, February 25, 2023. The duo Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana opened their autumn/winter 2023-2024 show with a black sheer dress accessorised with a furry collar and black gloves. Cropped black jackets and trousers were worn with white shirts and black ties in the collection called "Sensual". Dolce & Gabbana also had shiny gold and silver designs, including draped dresses and belted macs. Milan Fashion Week wraps on Monday.

☆ Putin gave Biden a $12,000 writing set in 2021. It was among the unusual presents world leaders offered the US president that year.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

These are 7 of the most unusual, unique, or noteworthy presents gifted to President Joe Biden that year. These are 7 of the most unusual presents gifted to President Joe Biden in 2021. Putin gave Biden a $12,000 desk setLess than a year before Vladimir Putin launched his unprompted war in Ukraine, the Russian president gifted Biden a Kholuy Lacquer miniature workshop desk writing set and pen valued at $12,000, according to the State Department. Queen Elizabeth gave the president a photo of herselfThe late Queen Elizabeth gave the gift of herself during the 2021 G7 summit in England. President Joe Biden meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office of the White House, Sept. 1, 2021, in Washington.

☆ NBA roundup: Malik Beasley leads revamped Lakers to win
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Anthony Davis scored 12 points with 12 rebounds for Los Angeles. Klay Thompson scored 22 points and Ty Jerome added 20 for the Warriors, who were without Stephen Curry (leg) and Andrew Wiggins (personal). Evan Mobley had 31 points and nine rebounds, Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland scored 22 points each, and Jarrett Allen had 14 points and 13 rebounds for the Cavaliers. Tatum had 31 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. Anunoby returned from a wrist injury to score 12 points, but Toronto was without Fred VanVleet (personal).

It's big what happens to Jules," Freeman told Reuters of the film, which premiered at the Berlinale film festival last Sunday. For George MacKay, playing the role of Preston was a chance to tap into currents in his own personality. While the film will especially appeal to LGBTQ+ viewers, its moving human story and racy plot has something for everyone, Freeman said. "This is a film that is for queer audiences, but it's also a film for all audiences," he said. "The queer is a label that we proudly attach to it, but it's not all that it is."

☆ Hot dog fingers and googly-eye rocks from 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' could be yours as A24 auctions dozens of props and costumes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Aaron Mcdade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A24 announced an auction of dozens of props and costumes from "Everything Everywhere All at Once." There are over 40 items for sale, including the famous "hot dog finger" gloves and several costumes. A mix of props and costumes are available in the auctions, including the famous "hot dog finger" gloves worn by Yeoh's character Evelyn. Many of the other props and costumes, including a rock with googly eyes and the fanny pack worn by Quan's character Waymond, are selling for a few hundred or thousand dollars. A24 has also auctioned items for charity from some of its past films including "Uncut Gems" and "Midsommar," as well as other general Hollywood memorabilia.

☆ American Girl enters the 1990s with a new set of 'historical' dolls from the not-so-distant past
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

American Girl announced its first set of twin dolls since the company's founding in 1986. The sisters are historical characters from the year 1999, and their accessories are a blast from the past. American Girl has produced historical characters from each decade of the 20th century. The latest additions to the historical characters have people speculating what a doll from the 2000s will eventually look like. American Girl has had a historical character for each decade of the 20th century, and a few dolls from the 19th century.

☆ Berlinale film marks Chinese star Fan Bingbing's return to cinema
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( James Imam | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] Cast member Fan Bingbing attends a news conference during the promotion of 'Green Night' at the 73rd Berlinale International Film Festival in Berlin, Germany, February 23, 2023. Her reappearance also spotlighted the return of Chinese-language film to the international stage, as mainland China and Hong Kong have eased zero-COVID policies, allowing for international travel. Featuring both Mandarin and Korean dialogue, the film is one of several from China and Hong Kong receiving world premieres at the Berlinale. In "Green Night", Fan plays the role of Jin Xia, a Chinese immigrant working as a security guard at Seoul airport. Chinese cinema is showing signs of thriving in Berlin, Fan said.

☆ S&P ends down as Fed minutes fail to halt losing run
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( David French | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

However, a general weakening in the final hour of trading pushed both the S&P 500 (.SPX) and the Dow Jones Industrial (.DJI) back into the red. The Dow fell 84.5 points, or 0.26%, to 33,045.09, the S&P lost 6.29 points, or 0.16%, to 3,991.05 and the Nasdaq added 14.77 points, or 0.13%, to 11,507.07. Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., February 17, 2023. Most of the 11 major S&P 500 sectors fell, with energy (.SPNY) and real estate (.SPLRCR) the poorest performers. The S&P 500 posted four new 52-week highs and one new low; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 36 new highs and 110 new lows.

☆ GenZers who own an Android have lost track of how many times they've been bullied for not having an iPhone but they still refuse to switch
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Gen Z accounts for 34 percent of iPhone users and just 10 percent of Samsung users, according to data reported by Financial Times. Two Android phone users in their twenties told Insider that because of the wide disparity, they face challenges as minorities in the digital world. However, issues with being the only one with an Android phone still affect Carrier's friendships. According to Avila, Android users were seen as "poor or a loser," and the mentality gained popularity online. "Even if Androids are the better phone, that stigma would never make me get one," Avila told Insider.

☆ British supermarkets confront their German discounting demons
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( James Davey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

And the discounters' supermarket sweep still has a long way to run, industry executives say, with Aldi UK CEO Giles Hurley pledging Britain's lowest prices "no matter what". "Over the Christmas period alone shoppers switched 58 million pounds ($70 million)(of purchases) to Lidl from Tesco and Sainsbury's," Lidl GB CEO Ryan McDonnell told Reuters. Tesco and Sainsbury's are now matching Aldi prices on hundreds of key items and using customer loyalty schemes, while they have accepted a profit hit to keep prices down. Sector executives, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the further rise of Aldi and Lidl is inexorable. "Nobody's going to take Tesco out but at some point somebody might take Sainsbury's out," the sector veteran said.

☆ Robinhood’s stock awards tell a cautionary fable
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( John Foley | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

The now-abandoned payouts to Tenev and Bhatt were a slab of “market-based restricted stock units” distributed ahead of Robinhood’s initial public offering in July 2021. The system works in reverse, too, however: When executives give back stock awards, the company gains nothing in cash terms. U.S. accounting rules treat stock awards geared to a company’s stock price as a gift that cannot be returned. In short, by handing back their awards, Robinhood’s founders have neither robbed from themselves, nor given to anyone else. Even without this unhappy effect on earnings, shareholders should be wary of the kinds of awards Robinhood doled out at its public company debut.

☆ Why Twitter's SMS 2-factor authentication is changing — and how can you keep your account secure without paying to subscribe
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

It recently announced it would restrict SMS two-factor authentication to Twitter Blue subscribers. Users who don't want to pay can use an authenticator app or a security key to access their account. Here's how to secure your Twitter account without paying up for Twitter Blue. Security keyA security key also generates a code for a user to enter — but unlike an authentication app, it's a physical device. Under "settings and support," navigate to the "settings and privacy" menu to "security and account access," then to "security," and finally to "two-factor authentication."

☆ Here's who's keeping top payment players like Stripe, PayPal, and Square ahead of the competition
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Fun fact Friday: The only letter of the alphabet that doesn't appear in a US state name is "Q." There are plenty of reasons to want to get in (money changes hands A LOT, whether it's between people, companies, or both). This list from Insider's Bianca Chan and Paige Hagy looks at the people pushing top payment companies to stay ahead of the innovation curve. Bianca and Paige spoke to more than a dozen industry insiders to identify executives who are making sure companies like PayPal, Stripe, Apple, and Visa are keeping the competition at bay. Click here to check out eight executives ensuring the top payment players stay ahead of the competition.

☆ Louis Vuitton Looks to Tap Pharrell Williams as Next Menswear Designer
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Jacob Gallagher | Nick Kostov | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Louis Vuitton is in talks to hire Pharrell Williams , the music producer and streetwear entrepreneur, to be its next men’s head designer, according to people familiar with the matter. If appointed, Mr. Williams, 49, would assume the role previously held by Virgil Abloh, who died in November 2021. Mr. Abloh was the first Black American to be appointed to a head design position at a European luxury house. Mr. Williams, a native of Virginia Beach, Va., who rose to prominence in the late ’90s as a part of hip-hop production duo the Neptunes, could be the second.

☆ Louis Vuitton Taps Pharrell Williams as Next Menswear Designer
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Jacob Gallagher | Nick Kostov | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Louis Vuitton has hired Pharrell Williams , the music producer and streetwear entrepreneur, to be its creative director of menswear, the company said. Mr. Williams, 49, assumes the role previously held by Virgil Abloh, who died in November 2021. Mr. Abloh was the first Black American to be appointed as the head designer at a European luxury house. Mr. Williams, a native of Virginia Beach, Va., who rose to prominence in the late 1990s as a part of hip-hop production duo the Neptunes, is now the second.

☆ What were Elon Musk and Rupert Murdoch talking about at the Super Bowl? A Twitter thread wanted wrong answers only.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Felise Seah | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk and Rupert Murdoch were spotted sitting next to each other at the Super Bowl on Sunday. Guesswork erupted on Twitter after a user asked what these two could be discussing and wanted "wrong answers only." On Monday, a Twitter user posted a picture of the duo seated next to each other, asking "what are they talking about?" and wanting "wrong answers only." "Oops you said wrong answers," the poster added.

☆ 'Big Short’ Michael Burry bought a slew of stocks last quarter, including two Chinese internet names
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Michael Burry, known for calling the subprime mortgage crisis, picked up a slew of stocks in the fourth quarter including two Chinese internet giants, according to a new regulatory filing. The famed investor bought $9.3 million worth of mortgage data vendor Black Knight last quarter, as well as $5.3 million worth of Coherent , a manufacturer of optical materials and semiconductors. Burry also bought into a duo of Chinese e-commerce leaders — Alibaba and JD.com — during the fourth quarter. Burry was depicted in Michael Lewis' book "The Big Short" and the subsequent Oscar-winning movie of the same name. It's also unclear if Burry took any bearish bets last quarter, as short positions are not disclosed in these reports.

☆ Here are Warren Buffett's latest moves to the Berkshire Hathaway stock portfolio
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Omaha-based conglomerate slashed its shares in Bank of New York Mellon by 60% in the fourth quarter to a bet worth $1.1 billion. Meanwhile, it also cut its US Bancorp stake by 90% to $291 million by the end of 2022. The filing reflects moves made in the fourth quarter and holdings as of the end of 2022. The chip stock gained nearly 9% in the fourth quarter, but the rebound in the new year was even more dramatic with shares up over 30% year to date. Meanwhile, Buffett's Chevron stake dipped marginally last quarter, worth $29.3 billion at the end of the fourth quarter, the filing showed.

☆ A husband-wife duo turned the $1,700 Snoo into the holy grail of parenting, but some say they run their company like a dysfunctional 'surveillance state'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Kate Taylor | Jake Swearingen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +31 min

Karp and Montée Karp built the hype into a parenting-media empire that put out three books and two instructional films in 10 years. Karp and Montée Karp met at a Hollywood party in the early '90s. Karp and Montée Karp promised her independence and flexibility to accommodate her two young children's day-care schedules and a 90-minute commute. Karp and Montée Karp insisted on being involved in minutiae that most top executives hand off. Karp and Montée Karp turned the Snoo into an award-winning holy grail of parenthood in just a few years.

☆ Super Bowl LVII commercials came with serious star power from Steve Martin, Jack Harlow, and Ben and Jen at Dunkin
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Aaron Mcdade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Dunkin' DonutsDunkin' Donuts staked an early claim, surprising viewers with a Super Bowl ad featuring Ben Affleck in a brief stint as a Dunkin' employee. T-MobileT-Mobile opted for a more low-key approach, recruiting movie star Bradley Cooper and his mother to pitch viewers on the benefits of the mobile carrier. At least, that's what the plan was when Cooper was signed to do the commercial, the ad says. DoritosDoritos has become one of the most notable Super Bowl advertisers in recent years, and the chip brand continued its run, calling on music star Jack Harlow for most of its triangle-themed ad. In the ad, Harlow decides he is going to quit rapping in order to pursue his new passion: the triangle.

☆ NBA roundup: Kings spoil Mavs' Luka Doncic-Kyrie Irving debut
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Kevin Huerter scored all 15 of his points in the second half, Trey Lyles added 14 points and Harrison Barnes had 13 for the Kings. Mikal Bridges scored 23 points in his Nets debut after being obtained from the Phoenix Suns on Thursday for Kevin Durant. The Hornets' losing streak reached seven games despite LaMelo Ball coming within a rebound of a triple-double. Jokic, who pulled in seven offensive rebounds, scored 40 points in a mid-December home victory against the Hornets. DeMar DeRozan followed with 16 points, and Nikola Vucevic notched a double-double of 14 points and 14 rebounds.

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