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☆ VCs say hybrid work, generative AI, and niche collaboration tools will be some of the top future-of-work trends that dominate 2023
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Stephanie Palazzolo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Insider talked to VCs about the rising trends they say will revolutionize the way we work and live. Insider spoke with 15 venture capitalists about the trends and verticals they think are most likely to revolutionize the way we work and live today. Therefore, startups that will thrive going forward are those that embrace a mix of in-person and remote work, known as hybrid work, Thacker and other VCs said. An increase in workers caregiving for aging or sick family members is also supported by flexible work, the CRV general partner Kristin Baker Spohn said. "A lot of employees, whether it's the Great Resignation or the pandemic, found themselves changing the way that they work."

How Bots Pushing Adult Content Drowned Out Chinese Protest TweetsTwitter and its new owner, Elon Musk, have recently vowed to crack down on bots. When contacted, two businesses that appeared in spam tweets said that they had purchased the tweets using advertising services. The bots posting content during the protest did not focus on related hashtags; instead they included broader terms like the names of Chinese cities alongside adult content. BOT n BOT BOT BOT Searching for “北京” A search on Twitter for “Beijing” in simplified Chinese brought up tweet after tweet of spam ... BOT BOT BOT BOT Searching for “Beijing” ... but searching for “Beijing” in English showed no bot or spam activity among the top tweets. Bot advertising on Twitter A company listed on some spam tweets confirmed it ran an advertising business using bots.

☆ Congress approves removing statue of Supreme Court chief justice who wrote Dred Scott decision
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Zoë Richards | Zoë Richards Is The Evening Politics Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

The House passed a bill Wednesday that would remove from public display at the U.S. Capitol a statue of Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Taney, who wrote the 1857 Dred Scott decision that defended slavery and denied the citizenship of Black Americans. Roger B. Taney (1777-1864), former chief justice of the Supreme Court. The House overwhelmingly passed the measure a few months later in a 305-113 vote, but it did not advance in the Senate. A statue of Taney, who lived in Maryland, was removed from Maryland's State House grounds in 2017. Congress in recent years has taken similar actions to remove other statues from the Civil War era.

☆ Biden signs marriage equality act to tune of Cyndi Lauper's 'True Colors'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Steve Holland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Dec 13 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act into law on Tuesday at a jubilant celebration that featured U.S. singer Cyndi Lauper performing "True Colors" in front of thousands of supporters on the White House lawn. The law recognizes that everyone should have the right to answer those questions for themselves," Biden said. [1/8] U.S. President Joe Biden celebrates with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, U.S. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque 1 2 3 4 5"Well, this time, love wins," Lauper said before starting to sing. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, whose daughter and her wife are expecting a child, called it "a day of jubilation."

☆ At least 5 tornadoes confirmed in Texas as storms roll through southwestern US and blizzard conditions mount in the northern Plains
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Amir Vera Jason Hanna Monica Garrett | Amir Vera | Jason Hanna | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

More than 18 million people from Texas to Mississippi are under threat of severe storms Tuesday, including tornadoes. In Mississippi, the Meridian Public School District – which serves over 4,900 students – announced they will be closed Wednesday due to the threat of severe weather. The Lawrence County and McComb School Districts also announced they were closing Wednesday due to the threat of severe weather. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency also noted the severe weather expected in the state and asked residents to prepare. “With severe weather expected throughout Mississippi tonight and tomorrow, please review your severe weather preparedness checklist to make sure you are ready for the storms,” the agency said in a message on Twitter.

☆ See the pitch deck that startup Assembly used to convince investors to bet $10 million on its approach to business software
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Melia Russell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Assembly is a software app aimed at helping businesses manage their teams and projects. Here's the pitch deck it used to fundraise at an interesting time for the business apps category. Instead of splurging on a dozen business apps, they want "one single Swiss Army knife," said Hunter Walk, an Assembly investor. "One of the things we're trying to do is help you speed up your work," Purvis said, "and make it more delightful." Read the pitch deck Assembly used to woo clients and to land a preemptive funding offer in 2022:

☆ 2023 is shaping up to be a big year for dealmaking in live sports. Here's why.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Big deals for the big (and little) screen. Next year is shaping up to be a big one for media deals. Like many other industries, media quickly turned quiet on the dealmaking front this year as the economy soured. However, a stabilization of interest rates, along with money burning a hole in investors' pockets, could lead to a big 2023, insiders say. The landscape for media deals is fascinating when you consider the two opposing forces, as Lucia pointed out to me.

In their appeal to the Supreme Court, the Republicans argued that North Carolina's top court usurped their authority by throwing out the map. In that context - a fight over counting ballots in Florida - Rehnquist said the U.S. Constitution limits the authority of state courts. "This court has never second-guessed state court interpretations of their own constitution," said Katyal. Thomas Wolf, an attorney at New York University School of Law's Brennan Center for Justice, said if the Supreme Court gives itself too much leeway to intervene in state court disputes, it risks appearing politically motivated and lawless. The Supreme Court's ruling is due by the end of June.

☆ Watch CNBC's full interview with New Constructs' David Trainer
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | 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 EmailWatch CNBC's full interview with New Constructs' David TrainerDavid Trainer, New Constructs CEO, joins 'Power Lunch' to discuss what gives him the confidence to say rates have not peaked, where his company differs from others and more.

☆ As long as we have good capital chasing bad investments, we'll have inflation, says New Constructs' Trainer
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | 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 EmailAs long as we have good capital chasing bad investments, we'll have inflation, says New Constructs' TrainerDavid Trainer, New Constructs CEO, joins 'Power Lunch' to discuss what gives him the confidence to say rates have not peaked, where his company differs from others and more.

The recent attack on two North Carolina substations that cut power to thousands of people has raised concerns about security standards for the country’s electric grid and its numerous power stations, which have faced greater threats in recent years. Nearly 600 electric emergency incidents and disturbances were caused by suspected and confirmed physical attacks and vandalism on the electric grid in those nine years, the reports show. The incidents, which are self-reported by power companies to the federal government, provide little to no detail about what occurred. Paths forward for a new standardThose who want a new security standard said there remain significant bureaucratic headwinds against such a proposal. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation, a nonprofit originally created by the electricity industry, said it created security requirements based on risk, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

Another state court then replaced that map with one drawn by a bipartisan group of experts. Conservative Chief Justice John Roberts wondered whether such broadly worded provisions provide proper "standards and guidelines" for state courts to apply. The Republican lawmakers argued that the state court usurped the North Carolina General Assembly's authority under that provision to regulate federal elections. Justice Brett Kavanaugh emphasized the "historical practice" that "nearly all state constitutions regulate federal elections in some way." David Thompson, arguing for the North Carolina lawmakers, said the Constitution "requires state legislatures specifically to perform the federal function of prescribing regulations for federal elections.

The position of others including Chief Justice John Roberts was harder to read, raising the possibility of a ruling less broad than the Republican state lawmakers pursuing the appeal seek. The Republican lawmakers are asking the Supreme Court to embrace a once-marginal legal theory that has gained favor among some conservatives called the "independent state legislature" doctrine. The Republican lawmakers have argued that the state court unconstitutionally usurped the North Carolina General Assembly's authority to regulate federal elections. Thompson also argued that state constitutions cannot impose substantive limits on the actions of legislatures on federal elections. A lower state court subsequently rejected the legislature's redrawn map and adopted one drawn by a bipartisan group of experts.

The Supreme Court's eventual decision, due by the end of June, could apply to 2024 elections including the U.S. presidential race. The Republican lawmakers have argued that the state court unconstitutionally usurped the North Carolina General Assembly's authority to regulate federal elections. Kagan noted that in a series of cases over the years the Supreme Court expressed that state courts had a role to play in this area. A lower state court subsequently rejected the legislature's redrawn map and adopted a new map drawn by a bipartisan group of experts. The Supreme Court in March declined a Republican request to put those lower court actions on hold.

☆ Supreme Court justices grapple with a Republican challenge that could upend how elections are run: 'This is a theory with big consequences'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The Supreme Court heard three hours of oral arguments on a GOP-led challenge from North Carolina. Barrett said adopting the North Carolina Republicans' approach would mean judges would have "notoriously difficult lines to draw." The state supreme court ruled that the map was a partisan gerrymander that favored Republicans, deeming it a violation of the state constitution. Alito noted that in some places, like North Carolina, state supreme court judges are elected by voters. The Supreme Court is expected to hand down its decision in the case by June.

Three people close to FTX and Bankman-Fried told CNBC that the former CEO lobbied aggressively for a partnership with 11-time Grammy Award winner Taylor Swift. Bankman-Fried's commitment to getting the Swift deal done despite the deteriorating business environment fit a pattern of ignoring his lieutenants and going it alone, a half-dozen former company insiders and business partners said. The Financial Times reported earlier that FTX held talks with Swift about a potential sponsorship. Part of the Swift deal would have included the production by the singer of a collection of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), or digital items that can rise and fall in value. Beyond that, there was a lack of clarity over what Swift would be doing for the company, sources said.

☆ White House to ask oil and gas execs to support Ukraine energy infrastructure
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Roman Baluk/File PhotoDec 5 (Reuters) - The Biden administration is convening a virtual meeting on Thursday with oil and gas executives to discuss how the United States can support Ukrainian energy infrastructure, according to a letter seen by Reuters. The meeting comes as Russia seeks to cut off Ukraine’s energy supplies and destroy infrastructure as winter approaches with missile attacks. "As you know Ukrainian energy assets are being aggressively targeted in an effort to take advantage of the winter's coldest temperatures and harshest weather conditions. Together, we can help to boost Ukrainian resilience," wrote David Turk, U.S. deputy secretary of energy, in a letter to oil and gas executives. It involves members of the Oil and Natural Gas Sector Coordinating Council, which includes 26 trade associations.

☆ Biden administration looks to oil and gas execs to help bolster Ukraine energy assets
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] People sit in a pub lit with candles during a power outage after critical civil infrastructure was hit by Russian missile attacks, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, in Lviv, Ukraine November 24, 2022. REUTERS/Roman Baluk/File PhotoDec 5 (Reuters) - The Biden administration is convening a virtual meeting on Thursday with oil and gas executives to discuss how the United States can support Ukrainian energy infrastructure, according to a letter seen by Reuters. The meeting comes as Russia seeks to cut off Ukraine’s energy supplies and infrastructure as winter approaches with missile attacks. "As you know Ukrainian energy assets are being aggressively targeted in an effort to take advantage of the winter's coldest temperatures and harshest weather conditions. Together, we can help to boost Ukrainian resilience," wrote David Turk, U.S. deputy secretary of energy, in a letter to oil and gas executives.

☆ Baird downgrades Darden Restaurants as macro risks linger
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Darden Restaurants is due for a pause after a recent rally, according to Baird. Analyst David Tarantino downgraded the Olive Garden parent to neutral from outperform, saying the "risk/reward looks more balanced" following the stock's recent outperformance. Darden shares have rallied more than 16% in the fourth quarter. Along with the downgrade, Baird upped its price target on the stock to $150 a share, implying that the stock should hover near current levels. Tarantino remains confident in the long-term outlook for Darden Restaurants and said pullbacks in the stock, or increased confidence in the casual dining industry, would warrant a positive sentiment shift.

☆ Analysis: COP27 loss and damage fund heralds 'new dawn for climate justice'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Megan Rowling | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Yeb Saño, head of Greenpeace Southeast Asia, said the fund's approval "marks a new dawn for climate justice." While the loss and damage fund would not be enough to deal with growing climate losses, "it is a much-needed political signal to rebuild broken trust" between rich and poor nations, he said in a video statement. Their opposition was rooted in fears of being held financially liable for the impacts of their historically high greenhouse gas emissions. FOSSIL FUELS MISSINGPolitical figures had urged countries at COP27 to set aside geopolitical fights in order to keep climate action on track. Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, global climate and energy lead for environmental group WWF, who presided over COP20 in Peru, said leaders had missed the chance in Egypt to speed up the rapid and deep emissions cuts essential to limit climate damage.

☆ Chinese stocks roar in a comeback, but here’s why big investors remain cautious
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Seema Mody | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

A stunning reversal in Chinese stocks in November has investors once again reassessing whether now is the time to double down on this once-hot market. "Biden's comments that he did not see an imminent threat to Taiwan from China were also noteworthy...," said Chang to CNBC. Investors CNBC spoke to remain encouraged by the country's much-needed reopening but want more evidence to suggest Beijing is easing its zero-Covid policy. The latest third-quarter 13F filings ending Sept. 30 also show several reputable hedge funds reducing their exposure to Chinese tech stocks. These positions may have changed since the end of September, but the data does suggest buy-side investors remain cautious on owning Chinese tech.

☆ Maverick Capital bets again on Netflix, reveals new stake in this chemicals stock
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Lee Ainslie's Maverick Capital is betting on Netflix once again and beefing up positions in several beaten-up technology stocks after a rough year for the sector. The hedge fund opened a fresh stake worth $82.9 million in Netflix during the third quarter, according to regulatory filings. Ainslie owned the streaming stock earlier this year, but liquidated his position during the second quarter. Netflix shares have come under pressure this year in an increasingly competitive streaming environment, with shares down roughly 49%. Coatue Management, meanwhile, trimmed its position in the streaming stock.

Nov 14 (Reuters) - Squire Patton Boggs on Monday said it will open an office in Dublin next year, becoming the latest international law firm to expand into Ireland. Agnew was a founding partner of Pinsent Masons' Dublin office. A Squire Patton Boggs spokesperson said the firm is currently looking at space in Dublin's central business district. Agnew said in an email that the exact timing of his departure from Pinsent Masons "has still to be agreed." Squire Patton Boggs was created in 2014 by the merger of Washington, D.C.-founded Patton Boggs and Cleveland-founded Squire Sanders.

☆ David Tepper's hedge fund narrows its holdings, dumps Kohls and Occidental Petroleum
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Jesse Pound | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

David Tepper's Appaloosa Management exited small positions in several big name companies during the third quarter as the hedge fund continued to pull back from stocks. Appaloosa exited positions in Kohl's and Occidental Petroleum that had been worth $66.9 million and $51.5 million, respectively, at the end of June, according to a securities filing released Monday . The fund also zeroed out a stake in Micron Technology valued at $31.8 million and positions in Netflix and Disney that were worth less than $10 million. Appaloosa even trimmed some of its biggest holdings, such as Amazon and Alphabet , when accounting for the Google-parent's stock split in July. The latest moves echoed a similarly strategy in the second quarter, when Appaloosa also cut its equity holdings .

☆ Mehmet Oz and 15 other candidates together spent over $223 million of their own money — and lost their 2022 midterm races anyway
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Mehmet Oz spent nearly $27 million on his failed US Senate run. According to an Insider review of federal and state campaign spending, 16 out of the 22 top-spending candidates in the midterm elections lost their races. Combined, the 16 also-rans spent over $223 million of their own money — just over half of the nearly $443 the top self-funding candidates spent this cycle. They are Rep. David Trone of Maryland (roughly $12.6 million); Gov. Read Insider's entire list of the 22 largest self-funders in the 2022 midterm elections.

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