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☆ 17 creator-economy startups that raised big funding rounds this year, as investors chased AI and other buzzy areas
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-13 | by ( Sydney Bradley | Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

AdvertisementIn 2024, 17 creator startups raised at least $10 million in new funding, totaling over $900 million. AdvertisementStartups that offer automated dubbing, AI editing, or generative AI features — such as Captions, ElevenLabs, and OpusClip — all raised hefty rounds this year. Here are 17 of those companies, listed in alphabetical order:AdvertisementAgentio, an ad platform streamlining creator-brand marketing on YouTube, raised a $12 million Series A. Influur, an influencer-marketing platform, closed a $10 million Series A in November, led by Point72 and HTwenty Capital. ShopMy, an affiliate and influencer-marketing company, raised an $18.5 million add-on to its Series A in March, closing the round at $26.5 million.

Persons: Ollie Forsyth, Levanta, Forsyth, Substack, Kleiner Perkins, cofounders Steven Galanis, Devon Townsend, Martin Blencowe, Jared Leto, A16z, Nat Friedman, Daniel Gross, Flip, Point72, Grant, Alexandra Botez, Emma Grede, Michael Ovitz, Lucy Guo, OnlyFans, Jon Oringer, Sean Rad, Slushy Organizations: Investor, YouTube, Benchmark, Craft, Lightspeed Venture Partners, New Enterprise Associates, Sapphire Ventures, Valor Siren Ventures, Endeavor Catalyst, Business, Index Ventures, Sequoia Capital, Adobe Ventures, HubSpot Ventures, Smash, SV Angel, HTwenty, Millennium, Horizons, Ventures, Samsung, Crossbeam Venture Partners, Mosaic Ventures, Sierra Ventures, RTP Global, Mayfield Fund, Revolution Ventures, Prime, Lab, VC, Electric Feel Ventures Locations: Sequoia, London

☆ The TSA-approved hack that allows travelers to bring a bottle of water through airport security
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-27 | by ( Karla Cripps | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

“Frozen liquid items are allowed through the checkpoint as long as they are frozen solid when presented for screening,” a TSA spokesperson confirmed to CNN by email. What to do if your frozen bottle starts to melt? Ultimately, the best advice is to not pack any foods or frozen liquid items into your carry-on luggage that you would be upset to throw away. Some travelers question why someone would bother to freeze a bottle of water before their flight given most airports now have free refilling stations. “While I’ve never personally brought a frozen water bottle through security, there are times when this travel hack makes sense,” he told CNN.

Persons: “, Malaika Casal, John E, Johnny Jet, I’ve, ”, ‘, ” DiScala Organizations: CNN, US Transportation Security Administration, TSA, ”, Canadian Air Transport Security Authority Locations: Canada

☆ Starbucks Exec Quit to Launch a Rum Brand, 3 Tips for Success
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-17 | by ( Maria Noyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

AdvertisementMarc Farrell became Starbucks' youngest vice president at the age of 33. He left to launch his rum brand, Ten To One, which counts Howard Schultz as an investor. AdvertisementMarc Farrell left behind his role as Starbucks' youngest VP to launch his own rum brand. On the surface, a global coffee giant, and an up-and-coming rum brand don't seem to have much in common. Don't wait until the product is perfectAt Starbucks, Farrell was he was very well paid and great colleagues and mentors.

Persons: Marc Farrell, Farrell, Howard Schultz, Jack Sparrow, Marc, Kwesi Farrell, Gabrielle Wesley, Schultz, Ciara Organizations: Starbucks, Mars, Harvard Business, Michelin Locations: Trinidad and Tobago, Mars Wrigley, America, Caribbean, Seattle, Trinidad, Korean, New York City

☆ When we adopted our daughter, we chose her name with her birth mother
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Sarah Buttenwieser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

We chose the name with the birth motherMaybe a month before this baby was due, our shared social worker gathered us and Caroline, the intended birth mother, who was pregnant. Our social worker asked, "What are you thinking about the name?" Caroline shared her mother's maiden name with us. "That's beautiful," our social worker declared. With adoption, the birth certificate issued just after birth isn't the final one, though.

Persons: —, I'd, Caroline, Jasmine, Saskia, Kezia, we'd, Hosea, Saskia Raine Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Caroline

☆ We need to talk about whatever's happening with Starbucks' drinks
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-04 | by ( Katie Notopoulos | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Whatever is happening on the Starbucks menu right now is making me feel like I'm a senior citizen. AdvertisementThe rise of complicated, multi-ingredient sweet drinks has coincided with the rise in popularity of the Starbucks app, accelerated by the start of the pandemic in 2020 when many locations couldn't take walk-in orders. I tried the newer Starbucks drinks myselfMy Oleato Golden Foam Iced Shaken Espresso with Toffeenut drink, which was 360 calories and tasted like coffee ice cream. Katie Notopoulos / Business InsiderI acknowledge I'm a bit of a crank when I say: The Starbucks menu is out of control. (I should note here that my grande iced drink was 360 calories, which does seem like a dessert treat rather than a morning coffee.

Persons: —, anyone's, It's, lattes, chino, Lindsey Wasson, Katie Notopoulos, slurped Organizations: Service, Business, AP Locations: TikTok, chino

☆ A Slushy, Snowy, Icy Mix
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

A nor’easter disrupted daily life across the Northeast on Tuesday, upending school and work commutes, as rain turned to a slushy mix and then to snow in many regions. Some parts of New England were braced for more snow than they were likely to get as the storm rerouted itself. New York City was expecting up to 8 inches. In all, the weather was good news for small children and dogs, who quickly found their ways to parks and sledding hills — but was less pleasant for delivery workers on bikes and scooters.

Locations: New England, New York City

PETERBOROUGH, N.H. (AP) — Trying to upset President Joe Biden in New Hampshire's primary, Democratic challenger Dean Phillips is running a TV ad across the state comparing him to Bigfoot — the argument being both are hard to find. "So I challenged myself to find President Biden in New Hampshire during this primary season. He pushed through Democratic rule changes that prioritized voters of color, deemphasizing New Hampshire's primary. But New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley, who once warned that the new calendar meant a major Democratic challenger could embarrass Biden, now says his write-in campaign should easily prevail. That means Biden supporters could vote in the Republican primary, where Trump and former U.N.

Persons: Joe Biden, Dean Phillips, Biden, ” Biden, —, Phillips, Marianne Williamson, Donald Trump, Trump, There’s, ”, Angela Brennan, ” Phillips, Andrew Yang, Yang, cued, Yang wasn’t, “, it’s, ’, Biden “, Peter Leishman, ” Leishman, Ray Buckley, ” Buckley, Williamson, trumpeting Biden, Kathy Sullivan, “ I’ve, ” Sullivan, ” Ellen Lavoie Cooke, “ I’m, Desmond Kager, I’ll, Nikki Haley, Tracy Moloney, she'd, he's, Moloney, Rodrigue Ngowi Organizations: Democratic, Dartmouth, Trump, White, New Hampshire Democratic, New Hampshire, Democratic Party, New, AFL, Granite, New Hampshire Democrats, Social, Biden, Republicans, Republican, GOP, Dartmouth College Locations: PETERBOROUGH, N.H, New, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Hampshire, Peterborough, Portsmouth, America, Dover, American, Plymouth, ”, Portsmouth , New Hampshire

☆ War Is on the Agenda in Davos, but the Focus Is Elsewhere
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Jim Tankersley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Each day this week has brought a new and fleeting reminder to the executives and politicians at the annual World Economic Forum meeting of the two wars threatening global security and clouding the economy. Ukraine’s president spoke on Tuesday. Neither was able to hold the collective attention of a gathering that this year has focused overwhelmingly on artificial intelligence and populist politics. Gaza and Ukraine have made daily appearances on the public agenda in Davos, along with climate change and economic inequality. The Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel led by Hamas or the ensuing Israeli bombing of Gaza?

Persons: Israel’s Organizations: Hamas Locations: Gaza, Ukraine, Davos, United States, Israel

☆ A former TSA agent reveals little-known tips about getting through airport security, including taking frozen water bottles on a plane
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A former travel security officer shared tips for airline travel on TikTok. Caleb Harmon-Marshall says there are a lot of misconceptions about airport security. Harmon-Marshall told Business Insider that airport security is nothing to fear, and staff are first and foremost there to keep you safe. For starters, you can bring water, or any liquid, with you through airport security as long as it's frozen. Overall, Harmon-Marshall said it's important to be vigilant before and during airport security.

Persons: Caleb Harmon, Marshall, —, Harmon, Hartsfield –, they're, they'll Organizations: Service, TSA, Business, Hartsfield, Hartsfield – Jackson Atlanta International Airport Locations: TikTok

☆ Astronomers surprised to find planet 'too massive for its star'
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] An undated handout image shows an artistic rendering of the mass comparison of the star LHS 3154 and its planet LHS 3154b, and our own Earth and Sun. The mass ratio of this planet with its star is more than 100 times greater than that of Earth and the sun. "We discovered a planet that is too massive for its star," said Penn State astronomer Suvrath Mahadevan, one of the leaders of the study published this week in the journal Science. The planet, called LHS 3154 b, orbits at about 2.3% of Earth's orbital distance from the sun, circling its star every 3.7 days. So a very low mass star should have a disk that is also low mass.

Persons: Suvrath Mahadevan, Guðmundur Stefánsson, Stefánsson, Mahadevan, Will Dunham, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: LHS, Penn State University, Handout, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Penn State, Princeton University, University of Texas, McDonald, Thomson

The flood began shortly after midnight Wednesday, when the waters of a glacial lake overflowed, cracking open the biggest hydroelectric dam in Sikkim state. Political Cartoons View All 1202 ImagesIt wasn’t clear what triggered the deadly flood in the mountainous Sikkim state, the latest to hit northeast India in a year of unusually heavy monsoon rains. The design and placement of the 6-year-old Teesta 3 dam, the largest in Sikkim state, were controversial from the time it was built. Disasters caused by landslides and floods are common in India’s Himalayan region during the June-September monsoon season. In February 2021, flash floods killed nearly 200 people and washed away houses in Uttarakhand state in northern India.

Persons: Prem Singh Tamang, Lhonak, Storm Daniel, ___ Hussain Organizations: Police, Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority, International Center, Integrated, Development Locations: GANGTOK, Sikkim, India, Himachal Pradesh, Nepal, Derna, Libya, Uttarakhand, Gauhati

☆ 7-Eleven is giving the Slurpee a makeover
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —The Slurpee, an iconic 7-Eleven frozen drink, is getting a makeover. Currently, stores sell at least three flavors (Coca-Cola, cherry and blue raspberry) and 7-Eleven often changes up its limited-time offerings. In 1965, 7-Eleven licensed the machine and changed its name from ICEE to Slurpee, because it described the sound drinkers made while sipping it through the straw. In the 1970s, 7-Eleven sold special cups with sports stars, video games and singers and some people even saved them to collect all of the designs. Every year, 7-Eleven celebrates the frozen concoction on July 11 (you know, 7/11) and hands out free small Slurpees to customers.

Persons: didn’t, Omar Knedlik “, ICEE Organizations: New, New York CNN, National Association of Convenience Stores Locations: New York, Queen, ICEE

☆ Woman arrested after reportedly throwing drink at Matt Gaetz, with the Florida congressman insisting on pressing charges
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A woman intentionally threw a drink at Rep. Matt Gaetz during an event on Saturday, police said. Gaetz decided to press ahead with criminal charges against the woman. A previous case of a drink being thrown at Gaetz resulted in a woman serving 15 days in prison. A woman with Chambers told police that she was actually the one who cursed at Gaetz as they walked past, according to the Pensacola News Journal. This is the second time Gaetz has had a drink thrown at him resulting in criminal charges, with the first incident leading to a prison sentence.

☆ Uber's 2023 lost and found report includes dentures, weed, a lightsaber and slushy machine
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Emmy Abbassi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

The ride-share company published its 2023 Uber Lost & Found Index on April 27 as Mercury makes its way back into retrograde, a time of the year astrologists say influences forgetfulness, according to Uber. But their list of the 50 most unique items lost is where things get weird. The most common time of the day to report lost items is 11 p.m., Uber said. The annual report, which is in its seventh year, aims to remind passengers how to get lost items back using the Uber app. Using a feature within the app, riders can report items as lost and contact drivers to have them returned.

☆ Here are the weirdest items in Uber's annual lost-and-found report, including a Danny DeVito ornament, unicycle, and fake blood
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Aaron Mcdade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Uber released its seventh annual "Lost & Found Index" tracking unique lost items. Among the strangest items include fake blood, pets, a Danny DeVito Christmas ornament, and chicken wings. The most commonly lost items include clothes, tech devices, and wallets. Several living things were also reported lost, including multiple dogs, turtles, hamsters, and at least one rat, all safely reunited with their owners. Among the most commonly lost items are more predictable belongings like clothing, wallets, and devices like phones and laptops.

☆ Why Did I Spend My Last Birthday Alone in Alaska? Ask My Astrologer.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Mya Guarnieri | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

I’m deep in an Alaskan forest halfway through an 8K race when I find myself alone. Above me, 100-foot spruces bend and bellow, set upon by wind so loud I mistake it for an airplane. I see my 7-year-old daughter’s chubby cheeks and dirty blond curls, my 5-year-old son with his thumb in his mouth. I was all swagger: Back when I lived in Jerusalem, I ran on isolated trails in the forest almost every afternoon. And being in Alaska — with its vastness, the way it dangles, lonely, at the edge of the continent — has only magnified those feelings.

First Nations ice fishermen risk going out on ice as climate change affects the quality of the ice. He blames climate change for the unseasonal weather and worries ice fishing season will only get shorter in future. "People tell us across the board they would like more traditional food but there are barriers, and one of them is climate change," Batal said. Families in communities like Kitigan Zibi wind up spending more in grocery stores to supplement their diet. Reporting by Blair Gable in Kitigan Zibi and Nia Williams in British Columbia Editing by Denny Thomas and Rosalba O'BrienOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ U.S. Northeast braced for arrival of sprawling winter storm
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Vehicles are covered by snow in Murdo, South Dakota, U.S., December 16, 2022 in this screen grab taken from a social media video. Rick Dorion/via REUTERSDec 16 (Reuters) - A massive winter storm that spawned deadly tornadoes in the South and pummeled the Northern Plains with blizzard-like conditions earlier in the week was expected to arrive in the Northeast on Friday, bringing heavy snows and fierce winds. The conditions will make driving "very difficult to impossible" as slushy snow covers roadways during the day and into the afternoon commute, the NSW warned. The weight of the wet snow could also bring down trees and power lines, causing widespread power outages, forecasters said. Some 33,000 homes and businesses were without power in Pennsylvania and West Virginia as of Friday morning, Poweroutage.us reported.

☆ The 8 Best Winter Boots for Women
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +5 min

By Lauren IngramDepending on where you live, your ideal winter boot can vary widely. To help you find a stylish boot that also meets the practical demands of your local weather, we asked style pros from a variety of climates which boots are their winter MVPs. “It’s the most durable winter boot,” says Gall, who has worn her pair for nearly a decade of East Coast winters without having to get them resoled or refurbished. The sporty hiker“A true winter boot keeps you warm, withstands rain and snow—and has a proper anti-slip sole,” says Paris-based fashion photographer Sandra Semburg. For Giangola, this minimalist silhouette checks all the boxes of wearability needed for a Los Angeles winter where style trumps snow-readiness.

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