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☆ Depending on who you ask, BlackRock just saved, or killed, crypto
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Today we've got stories on a startup helping you build your credit with rent payments, Wall Street reentering the home-buying frenzy, and how to cut out late-night snacking. But that hasn't stopped critics from painting BlackRock's filing as part of a wider power shift in crypto benefiting traditional financial firms. (It's worth noting that the announcement coincides with the launch of EDX Markets, a crypto exchange backed by Wall Street royalty like Citadel Securities, Fidelity, and Charles Schwab, per The Wall Street Journal.) Wall Street isn't in the business of supporting causes that could put it out of business. By partnering with traditional finance firms, crypto companies are letting the fox in the hen house.

Persons: Dan DeFrancesco, we've, Andrii Shyp, Arif Qazi, Wall, Insider's Rebecca Ungarino, Rebecca, Morgan Chittum, hasn't, Charles Schwab, I've, Read, Teresa Heitsenrether, Here's, We're, Netflix's, Jeffrey Epstein, Epstein, Bel, Gary Winnick, Kaja Whitehouse, Nathan Rennolds Organizations: EDX, Wall, Citadel Securities, Fidelity, Street, JPMorgan, Bloomberg, Netflix, US Virgin Islands, Bel, Air, LinkedIn Locations: BlackRock, New York, London

However, the golf simulator transaction appears to have been structured to avoid Florida’s rigorous ethical disclosure requirements, said two governance experts in Florida. Florida state law requires public officials to file quarterly reports listing all gifts received with a value over $100. Uthmeier wrote that the loan was “permissible” according to state law and the Governor’s Ethics Code. Trump paid for his own golf simulator, according to the Washington Post. According to the list, the “acquisition cost” of both the treadmill and the golf simulator are listed as $1.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, Morteza, Donald Trump, Lynn Blais, Ben Wilcox, James Uthmeier, ’, Uthmeier, Barbara Petersen, Hosseini, Trump, Barack Obama, Ronald Watson, cabana, Watson, Wilcox, Caroline Klancke, Jason Szep Organizations: cabana, ICI Homes Residential Holdings, Mansion Commission, Commission, Florida’s Department of Management Services, Florida Center, Government, University of Florida, Reuters, aboutGOLF, Washington Post, Thomson Locations: Florida, Hosseini, DeSantis, Tallahassee, Ohio

☆ What Is a Jumbo Mortgage, and How Do You Get the Best Rates?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Beth Decarbo | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +9 min

What is a jumbo mortgage? Do jumbo loans come with jumbo mortgage rates? Many times, jumbo rates are lower than those for conforming loans, in part because the stringent requirements to qualify for a jumbo loan lessen the risk that borrowers will default. Tips to save on a jumbo loanWith some savvy strategies, house hunters in need of a jumbo mortgage can reduce their costs. Chase, for example, offers the highest jumbo limits (up to $9.5 million), which is one of the reasons it is Buy Side’s pick for best jumbo mortgage lender.

Persons: Beth DeCarbo, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac won’t, Greg McBride, ”, Jacob Channel, Andy Wagner, Wagner, Bankrate’s McBride, Michael P, aren’t, Lani, —, Guy Cecala, ” Cecala Organizations: New, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Government, Jumbo, Nations Lending, ARM, American Mortgage Resource Inc, Inside Mortgage Finance, Bank of America, Chase, Mortgage Finance Locations: Minneapolis, Sacramento, CA, Denver, Boston, San Diego, New York City, Jackson, Chicago, Massachusetts, Wells, Fargo

☆ 10 Things in Tech: Low morale at Microsoft
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Hallam Bullock | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Morale appears to be low at Microsoft. According to internal messages, those changes were another blow to morale, after Microsoft announced it was laying off 10,000 staff in January. In other news:The AGI House is the Bay Area's hottest AI hacker house, hosting dinners, hackathons, and fireside chats on a weekly basis. Founders and VCs are clamoring to get into a $68 million AI hacker house. AGI House, an 18,000 square foot Hillsborough mansion, serves as a hacker house and community hub for the Bay's exploding AI scene.

Persons: Hallam Bullock, Satya Nadella, Kathleen Hogan, Stephanie Palazzolo, ElevenLabs, Andreessen Horowitz, Wharton, Eddie Wu, Daniel Zhang, Wu, Meta, Ashley Flowers, Jordan Pettitt, Shona Ghosh Organizations: CBS, US Coast Guard, Microsoft, Workers, Tmall, Getty Locations: London

☆ Nintendo Direct teases a Princess Peach game for Switch
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Michael Nam | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

New York CNN —Princess Peach, the iconic video game damsel-in-distress, is getting her own Nintendo Switch adventure — sans Super Mario. The Japanese video game giant made the surprise brief announcement of its untitled project during its latest Nintendo Direct stream Wednesday, teasing some cinematics and gameplay that showed the heroine moving through a theatrical-stage-like environment, fighting enemies and magically transforming her pink dress to a white one. Another Mario second banana, his brother Luigi, also got some tantalizing stream time with a remake of his Nintendo 3DS game, “Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon,” originally released a decade ago. There was little other information provided other than that the two titles would be dropping some time in 2024, according to the hosts, Nintendo executives Shinya Takahashi and Yoshiaki Koizumi. The pair also showed off a parade of more classic brands:Some lesser-known titles announced that might intrigue Switch owners include “Palia,” a free-to-play multiplayer community simulator coming this holiday season; “Silent Hope,” an action role-playing fantasy game slated for October; “MythForce,” an action role-playing game inspired by Saturday morning cartoon styles; and “Head Bangers: Rhythm Royale,” a multiplayer collection of musical mini-games featuring pigeons, dropping on Halloween.

Persons: Peach, Luigi, ”, Shinya Takahashi, Yoshiaki Koizumi, “ Organizations: New, New York CNN, Nintendo, Nintendo 3DS Locations: New York

☆ Top Donor Provided Ron DeSantis, an Avid Golfer, With a Costly Simulator
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Alexandra Berzon | Maggie Haberman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

A list of the mansion’s acquisitions that was provided by the governor’s office included rugs and a Peloton bike donated to a previous administration. On the campaign trail, Mr. DeSantis, an avid golfer, has been playing up his working-class roots in an effort to connect with voters in early voting states. His appointment predated Mr. DeSantis’s first term in office, but he was reappointed by Mr. DeSantis in 2021. The front-runner, Mr. Trump, has repeatedly sought to draw attention to Mr. DeSantis’s use of private donor planes. Jason Miller, a Trump aide, reacted to the news reports on Wednesday on Twitter, saying it was “Ron DeSantis’ Florida Swamp in Action!”

Persons: DeSantis, Donald J, Trump, Hosseini, Jeremy Redfern, ” Mr, Redfern, DeSantis’s, James Uthmeier, Jason Miller, Ron DeSantis Organizations: Republican, New York Times, ICI Homes, University of Florida, Mansion Commission, Twitter Locations: Florida, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Milwaukee

☆ Founders and VCs are clamoring to get into this $68 million AI hacker house. Here's how the AGI House exploded into a community hub for the red-hot Bay Area AI scene.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Stephanie Palazzolo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

In February, the AGI House launched as a community hub for the buzzy Bay Area AI scene. Since launching in February this year, it's served as a hacker house and community hub for the Bay's exploding AI scene. Depending on the day, the residence houses between eight to ten AI founders and researchers, including a researcher from AI giant OpenAI. Stephanie PalazzoloFrom flying cars to fireside conversationsThe AGI House wasn't always the AGI House. "It's great to live in a community house where you're naturally connected to the AI founder community," she said.

Persons: Steve Jobs, Elon, it's, Demi Guo, Stephanie Palazzolo, wasn't, Andrej Karpathy, Rocky Yu, Karpathy, Sergey Brin, Kelly Peng, Yu, Jeremy Nixon, Tim Shi, Lerer Hippeau, Peng, Guo, There's, Greylock's, Corinne Riley AGI, they're Organizations: AGI, Technologies, Genesis, Foundation Capital Locations: buzzy, Hillsborough, Stanford, Alamo, LA, AGI, New York City, Stanford's

☆ Adele threatened to sink $58 million deal for Sylvester Stallone's mansion if 'Rocky' poolside statue wasn't included
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Nicolas Vega | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Sylvester Stallone faced off against many foes in his decades playing the boxer Rocky Balboa, but he was no match for Adele. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Stallone revealed that the "Hello" singer drove a hard bargain when it came time to close the deal for his Los Angeles mansion last year. While the two had agreed on a $58 million price tag for the eight-bedroom, 12-bathroom 21,000-square-foot home, negotiations hit a snag when Adele revealed that she wanted to keep one of the home's most unique features. Stallone had planned to take the Rocky statue he installed overlooking the property's infinity pool, but was met with an ultimatum from Adele.

Persons: Sylvester Stallone, Rocky Balboa, Adele, Stallone Organizations: Wall Street Locations: Los Angeles

Earlier this year, Insider highlighted the 32 most important VCs in Los Angeles. Now we are highlighting the next wave of VCs in Los Angeles. To identify the top up-and-coming VCs in LA, Insider surveyed more than 75 local investors. Earlier this year, Insider highlighted the 32 most important VCs in Los Angeles, but venture capital is a young person's game where no one can rest on their laurels. To identify the top up-and-coming VCs in LA, Insider surveyed more than 75 local investors and sought input from its editorial team.

Persons: Marc Andreessen, Peter Thiel, Andreessen Horowitz Organizations: LA Tech, SpaceX, Netflix, Apple, Meta, Telstra Ventures, Marquee Locations: Los Angeles, LA, Southern California, VCs, New York, Santa Monica

☆ Who paid the $500,000 to bail George Santos out of jail? We'll probably find out on Thursday.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Bryan Metzger | Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A group of three people are on the hook for $500,000 to keep Rep. George Santos out of jail. On Thursday at noon Eastern Time, documents revealing the identities of the three people who paid the scandal-plagued congressman's $500,000 bond will be unsealed after US District Judge Joanna Seybert denied Santos' most recent appeal. The judge allowed Santos to walk free instead of going to jail ahead of trial on the condition that he stays in Washington, DC and New York, and agrees to a $500,000 bond. But in a highly unusual decision, the magistrate judge who imposed the bond allowed the identities of those bail sponsors to remain secret. One of the three people who originally agreed to sponsor the bond already dropped out, Murray said.

Persons: George Santos, —, Joanna Seybert, Santos, Joseph Murray, Murray, Guo Wengui, GUO Organizations: Rep, Service Locations: George Santos of New York, Washington , DC, New York

☆ In 7 Great Cities, 7 Great Walks
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Christine Chitnis | The New York Times | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +32 min

Urban Walks In 7 Great Cities, 7 Great Walks The pleasures of strolling through an urban landscape are manifest. Credit... Joann Pai for The New York Times Its organically styled bouquets feel as though they’ve been freshly picked from the garden. Credit... Joann Pai for The New York Times Image Astier de Villatte specializes in antiques and tableware. Three quarters of a mile into the walk, you’ll be standing atop the first of three mountains, the 1,100-foot-high Inwangsan. Credit... Petrina Tinslay for The New York Times Few cities are so abundant with forest-like parks, coastal walks and beaches as Sydney, which is best explored on foot.

Persons: Joann Pai, Sandra Sigman, ”, Sigman, de Mars, you’ll, Dominique, Boulangerie Laurent B, Bellechasse, Germain, Bac, Pierre Hermé, monsieur, Le, Rue de Babylone, Sèvres, Rue de l’Abbaye, de Furstemberg, Furstemberg, they’ve, Tournon —, Villatte, Queen Marie de ’, Palazzo Pitti, Fna, Imane, —, Rue Riad Zeitoun, Rue Djane Ben Chegra, Rue Laarassi, darija, Rue Sidi Boulabada, Rue Bab Ahmad, Rue Bin Lafnadek, Michael Park, it’s, Earl Grey scones, Hadid, Petrina, It’s, Strickland, Carlos Drummond de Andrade, Ian Cheibub, Ayrton Senna, touristy, Clarice Lispector, altinha, Tom Jobim, toting Tom Jobim, Osório, Rua Vinícius de Moraes Organizations: Shops, Jardin de, The New York, Rue Saint, Mars, ., The New York Times, des Invalides, Saint, Blvd . Saint, Rue de, Rue du, Rue de Rennes, de, Compagnie Française, Français, du, Palazzo, Credit, Rue Riad, des, Rue Bahia Bab, Moors, Jewish, Rue, Rue Sidi, Tachenbacht, Rue Bin, Wall ., Korean, South Korean, Milk, Nielsen, New, Opera, Milk Beach, Gibsons, Reserve, South, Heritage, Hornby, Fort, Francisco, Rua Locations: Cities, Paris, Seoul, Marrakesh, Jardin, Jardin de Luxembourg, Rue, Esplanade des Invalides, Blvd, Raspail, bac, Rue de Bac, Bac, Rue de Babylone, Seine, Astier, Français ., du Luxembourg, Italian, Florence, medina, Moroccan, Central Park, Jemaa, ., El, unburied, El Badi, Spain, Marrakesh ., darija —, Marrakesh enfolds, Morocco, Naksan Park, Gyeongbokgung, Scoff, Inwangsan, Seongbuk district, Dongdamun, Sydney, Hermitage, Bayview Hill, Vaucluse, Watsons, Queens Beach, . Credit, Bayview, Fort Denison, Sydney Harbour’s, Milk, Camp Cove . Credit, Parsley Bay, Hopetoun, Palmerston, Moreton, Camp Cove Beach, Mosman, Balgowlah, Manly, Bay, Watsons Bay, de Janeiro, Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian, Ipanema, Rio, Beach . Credit, Italy, Copacabana Beach . Credit, de, Leme, Fort Copacabana, Arpoador, Vero, Polis Sucos, Polis

At the same time, the property price surge and demand for the ultra-high-end segment is stirring memories of old excesses. In 2008, the global financial crisis hit Dubai hard, leading to a flight of capital and people, a crash in property prices and highly leveraged flagship companies known as government-related entities (GREs) struggling to repay debts. Dubai set up a Debt Management Office in 2022, has repaid or restructured some outstanding debt, and announced plans to list government stakes in 10 companies to raise capital and deepen financial markets. 'GLOBAL SAFE HAVEN'The United Arab Emirates' commercial centre, Dubai has shovelled resources into social and business reforms and sectors like digital technology. Average property prices rose 12.8% in Q1, with villa prices up almost 15%, according to property research firm CBRE.

Persons: Knight Frank, Nasser Al Shaikh, GREs, Shaikh, Justin Alexander, Betterhomes, Richard Waind, Philippe Zuber, Beyonce, Rachna Uppal, Yousef Saba, Lisa Barrington, William Maclean Organizations: Reuters, Khalij, GlobalSource Partners, Dubai Media Office, Management, HAVEN, United Arab Emirates, Villa, Dubai Inc, Emirates, Kerzner, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, DUBAI, Dubai, glitzy, Property, Jebel Ali, Abu Dhabi, Gulf, India, Saudi Arabia, UAE

☆ ‘The Idol’ Season 1, Episode 3 Recap: Tedros Has Notes
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Esther Zuckerman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

So it’s not only Tedros who is pushing his ideology onto Jocelyn but also his followers, who preach his ideas that good art comes out of pain. Even the sweet-seeming Chloe pushes Jocelyn to evoke her mother in her music — and this is before Chloe learns the full extent of what Jocelyn’s mom did. After berating her that “you make superficial music because you think about superficial things,” Tedros pushes Jocelyn to tell everyone just how her mother hurt her. It was a tool of motivation — Jocelyn’s mother used the hairbrush to keep her awake, or to make her learn her lines or dance moves. Tedros feigns sympathy but also immediately identifies another way to control Jocelyn.

Persons: it’s, Jocelyn, Chloe, Izaak, Robert Plant’s, ”, Tedros, Xander, — Locations: Jocelyn’s

☆ A former Florida GOP state lawmaker says many people in the state capital are 'terrified' of Ron DeSantis and his political enforcers: 'They just chop off heads and move on'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-18 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

An ex-Florida lawmaker told WaPo that many in Tallahassee are "terrified" of DeSantis and his team. "There's no inner circle because they just chop off heads and move on," the former lawmaker said. This year, boosted by a GOP supermajority, DeSantis ramped up his conservative policymaking agenda. DeSantis has earned the endorsements of 100 of the 113 Republican state lawmakers in Florida, with 12 remaining neutral and only one backing former President Donald Trump. A former Republican state lawmaker told The Post that people are "terrified" of DeSantis and his political operation.

Persons: WaPo, DeSantis, DeSantis ramped, —, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, deriding, they're Organizations: Service, Sunshine State, The Washington Post, Florida Republicans, Republican, Post, GOP, Growth Locations: Florida, Tallahassee

☆ Addicts Went in for Treatment. Instead They Were Enslaved.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-18 | by ( Richard C. Paddock | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Most of the victims were forced to work at the factory or on the plantation, often alongside paid workers. Many were tortured, whipped, burned and sexually assaulted. Six prisoners died, including at least three who were tortured to death, according to Indonesia’s National Commission on Human Rights. Former captives also cleaned Mr. Perangin-angin’s mansion, washed his vehicles and fed his 200 cows. Some police officers and soldiers even helped guard or torture the men, victims and the authorities said.

Persons: Perangin, didn’t, ”, Ardi, angin Organizations: National, Human Rights, New York Times Locations: Regency

☆ As Casey DeSantis prepared to become the first lady of Florida, she sought to model herself after Melania Trump: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-18 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Casey DeSantis sought to model herself after Melania Trump as she prepared to become Florida's first lady, per WaPo. DeSantis inquired with an aide about the sort of clothes that Melania Trump wore, per the report. Casey DeSantis, a former television journalist, was known by her colleagues for skillfully preparing for assignments and interviews during her professional career. But Casey DeSantis also made it clear that she wanted to pursue a different course than Florida's previous first ladies. Throughout her husband's political career, Casey DeSantis has been a huge force that has helped guide him.

Persons: Casey DeSantis, Melania Trump, DeSantis, —, Ron DeSantis —, readying, Donald Trump Organizations: Service, Florida Gov, The Washington Post, The, Sunshine State, Republican Party of Florida, GOP Locations: Florida, Tallahassee

☆ A Scottish coastal estate on sale for $1.7 million comes with an entire village, a laird's mansion, and historic ruins — check it out
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( Joshua Zitser | Sama Ansari Pour | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Husabost Estate on Scotland's Isle of Skye is on the market for around $1.7 million. Strutt & Parker/InsiderHusabost Estate is a 2,396-acre estate on the northwestern part of Scotland's picturesque Isle of Skye. It was originally part of an estate belonging to the MacLeods of Dunvegan, a historic Scottish clan, whose family seat is at the nearby Dunvegan Castle. The clan "pretty much owned half of the Isle of Skye," Euan MacCrimmon, director at realtor Strutt & Parker Inverness, told Insider. The estate is available for £1,350,000, the equivalent of $1,689,241.

Persons: Strutt, Euan MacCrimmon, Parker Inverness Organizations: Parker Locations: Husabost, Scotland's Isle, Skye, Dunvegan, Scottish, Dunvegan Castle, Isle

☆ Los Angeles Country Club: One of the world’s most exclusive golf clubs is opening its doors to host the US Open
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Now, the club is opening its doors to a curious public and media as the host of the US Open, the first individual event to visit the famed Los Angeles County Club since 1940, though it hosted the Walker Cup in 2017. It’s mythic in some ways.”But even if its exclusivity prevents stars from playing on the golf course, the club is surrounded by them. Lionel Richie’s mansion is a stone’s throw away while Hefner’s famous Playboy Mansion, and zoo which he reportedly built as revenge after being refused entry to the Los Angeles Country Club, sits next to the 14th hole. Whatever Hefner’s intentions, even today golfers say they can still hear the monkeys, parrots and peacocks from the golf course. The Los Angeles Country Club is hosting this year's US Open.

Persons: CNN —, Bing Crosby, Groucho Marx, Hugh Hefner, “, Gene Sykes, Lionel Richie’s, Hefner’s, Harry, ” Patrick Cantlay Organizations: CNN, Los Angeles Country Club, Daily Telegraph, Los Angeles County Club, Walker, LA Times Locations: Los, Beverley Hills

☆ You can rent the iconic mansion where Walt Disney created 'Bambi' and 'Snow White' for $40,000 a month
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Nicolas Vega | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

There's a new one-of-a-kind opportunity available to Disney's biggest fans. Walt Disney's famous "Storybook Mansion" has hit the market, with the Los Angeles home available to rent for $40,000 per month. Disney himself lived in the 6,400-square-foot mansion for 18 years from its construction in 1932 until 1950, a period during which he oversaw the creation of classic films like "Bambi" and "Snow White." "This property was chosen by Walt Disney as the place to raise his family, and also coincided with a transition of Disney Studios from fledgling enterprise toward entertainment giant," listing agent Chase Campen said in a statement.

Persons: Walt Disney's, Disney, Walt Disney, Chase Campen Organizations: Los, Disney Studios Locations: Los Angeles

Then, a deep dive into MrBeast and what his YouTube empire says about the future of the internet. Reddit came along and said, oh, we need to protect Reddit from the rise of these large language models. So I don’t think they’re totally out of the woods. But I don’t think people would say it was a golden age for how safe the platforms fell to use. But I want to challenge you on this, because I don’t necessarily think that it’s a bad thing if we have past peak trust and safety.

Persons: kevin roose, you’ve, casey newton, casey newton Yes, I’ve, there’s, kevin roose I’m, Kevin Roose, ” casey newton, Casey Newton, Casey, Reddit, casey newton Right, roose, Steve Huffman, you’re, Kevin, It’s, They’re, casey newton Well, they’ve, we’re, Huffman, “, Redditors, We’ve, Everyone’s, we’ve, I’m, let’s, Sam Walton, Max, kevin roose Hey, kevin roose Oh, kevin roose Max Read, MrBeast, it’s, Jimmy Donaldson, He’s, Willy Wonka, he’s, somethings, haven’t, kevin roose We’ll, We’ll, kevin roose She’s, she’s, kevin roose MrBeast, Jeremiah, jeremiah howard, Jeremiah Howard who’s, Jimmy, Burger, You’re, Stefan Molyneux, PewDiePie, Paul, Let’s, Raman, kevin roose It’s, MrBeast financials, doesn’t, Logan Paul, they’re, Vincent Miller, Jon Hamm’s, Matthew Weiner’s, kevin roose Max, Will, Max Read, ” kevin roose, casey newton Max, Robert F Kennedy, COVID, Kennedy, Instagram, Connor Roy, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Robert F Kennedy Jr, Elon, Donald Trump, We’re, Jim Jordan, kevin roose Totally, Alex Jones, casey newton Totally, Kate Kalanick, Trump, Tucker Carlson, aren’t, — casey newton, hasn’t, Rachel Cohn, Jen Poyante, Caitlin Love, Alyssa Moxley, Dan Powell, Elisheba Ittoop, Marion Lozano, Sofia Lanman, Rowan Niemisto, Paula Szuchman, Tam, Nell Gallogly, Kate LoPresi, Jeffrey Miranda Organizations: The New York Times, Twitter, YouTube, Lamborghini, Netflix, Walmart, News, Producers, Meta, Instagram, COVID, Democratic, Washington Post, Apple, Republicans, Facebook, 4chan, Republican Party, Trump, Fox News, Stanford, Davis Locations: Hawaii, Reddit, Greenville , North Carolina, hysterics, New Jersey, New York, Greenville, North Carolina, Central, United States, Bay, San Francisco, Stanford

☆ De Blasio Owes City $475,000 for Bringing Police on Presidential Campaign
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Michael Gold | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Shortly before Mr. de Blasio launched his campaign, the board said it told Mr. de Blasio that the city could pay for salary and overtime for his security detail, but that paying for the officers’ travel costs would be a “misuse of city resources.”But Mr. de Blasio did not heed the board’s guidance, it said. The former mayor’s presidential campaign reported having just $1,422.76 on hand in its last filing with the Federal Election Commission, in December 2020. A political action committee associated with Mr. de Blasio, Fairness PAC, last reported having more than $32,000 in debt and less than $3,000 on hand. Mr. de Blasio, who ran New York City from 2014 through 2021, was plagued by ethics questions during his time in office. He was the subject of a number of investigations into whether his fund-raising methods violated the city’s ethics law, a ban against soliciting contributions from people who had business in front of the city.

Persons: de Blasio, de, Gracie, Jocelyn Strauber Organizations: city’s Department of Investigation, Federal, Commission, Mr Locations: New York City

☆ New Zealand court sentences Megaupload coders to prison, Herald reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SYDNEY, June 15 (Reuters) - Two coders at the file-sharing website Megaupload were sentenced to prison by a New Zealand court on Thursday after pleading guilty in a deal in which they promised to testify against the site's founder Kim Dotcom, according to the New Zealand Herald. Mathias Ortmann was sentenced to two years and seven months in prison and Bram van der Kolk to two years and six months by the High Court in Auckland, the newspaper reported on its website. German-born Dotcom, who has a New Zealand residency, is fighting extradition to the United States relating to his Megaupload site, which was shut down in 2012 following an FBI-ordered raid on his Auckland mansion. The sentences for Ortmann and van der Kolk were significantly lowered from 10 years as the court gave substantial discounts for the guilty pleas, assistance to the FBI and rehabilitation efforts, the NZ Herald said. U.S. authorities say Dotcom, Ortmann, van der Kolk and a fourth Megaupload executive who has since died had cost film studios and record companies more than $500 million and generated more than $175 million by encouraging paying users to store and share copyrighted material.

Persons: Megaupload, Kim Dotcom, Mathias Ortmann, Bram van der Kolk, Dotcom, van der, Praveen Menon, Peter Graff Organizations: SYDNEY, New Zealand Herald, High, FBI, NZ Herald, Twitter, Thomson Locations: New Zealand, Auckland, Zealand, United States

June 15 (Reuters) - Nine women have filed a lawsuit in Nevada accusing comedian Bill Cosby of sexual assault, the latest in a long series of misconduct allegations against the once-beloved entertainer. The complaint arrived just weeks after the state enacted a "lookback" law eliminating a two-year window for sexual assault victims to bring civil claims, following the lead of several other states. The Nevada lawsuit accuses Cosby of drugging each victim with drinks or pills before assaulting them, a pattern that matches allegations from other women, including Constand. Lili Bernard, one of the plaintiffs in Nevada, has separately sued Cosby in New Jersey for an alleged assault in 1990 under a similar law. Last year, a California jury found that Cosby sexually assaulted teenager Judy Huth at the Playboy Mansion in 1975 and ordered him to pay her $500,000.

Persons: Bill Cosby, Cosby, Andrea Constand, Andrew Wyatt, drugging, Lili Bernard, Judy Huth, Joseph Ax, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Las, mater Temple University, Constand, Playboy, Thomson Locations: Nevada, Las Vegas, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, California, New Jersey

☆ Someone brought a severed pig's head to the Miami courthouse where Trump is due to appear on Espionage Act charges
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Edith Honan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Trump critics and the MAGA faithful gathered in Miami ahead of the former president's arraignment. "I am here expressing my joy, because in the end the system works," Estrada told the Miami Herald. Osmany Estrada holds the pig's head near a group wearing 'Blacks for Trump 2020' shirts. A Trump impersonator outside the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. United States Courthouse. Win McNamee/Getty ImagesA supporter of former President Donald Trump pulls a trailer around outside the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. courthouse in Miami.

Persons: MAGA, Trump, —, Donald Trump's, Osmany Estrada, " Estrada, Estrada, Giorgio Viera, Getty Images Trump, Wilkie, Ferguson Jr, Waltine Nauda, Domenic Santana, Win McNamee, Donald Trump, Scott Olson, Stormy Daniels, Joe Biden Organizations: Trump, Service, Miami Herald, Blacks, Getty Images, Federal, White House, Politico, Miami, Miami Police Department, United States, Getty, Manhattan, Attorney's, Prosecutors, Washington Post Locations: Miami, Lago, Cuban, Mar, Florida, Fulton County , Georgia

☆ We bought a 9,000-square-foot mansion in Kansas that dates to 1885 and have found antique jewelry, silver coins, and Civil War memorabilia. We still have so much more to explore.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Zoe Rosenberg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Thad and Robin Krasnesky bought a 140-year-old Victorian mansion in Kansas in 2021. They document their explorations on their Facebook page, Krasnesky Manor For Wayward Cats. He and his wife Robin, 49, document their adventures at the house on their Facebook page, Krasnesky Manor For Wayward Cats. A peek inside the Krasneskys' home, which they chronicle on their Facebook page, Krasnesky Manor For Wayward Cats. We've got 14,000 people on our Facebook page now.

Persons: Thad, Robin Krasnesky, —, Thad Krasnesky, Robin, we'd, A.J, Angell, there's, There's, Robin's, Rachel, we've, We've Organizations: Wayward, Service, Broadway, Union, Facebook Locations: Kansas, Texas, Leavenworth , Kansas, It's, England

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