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☆ Ticket Giants, Under Pressure From Biden, Promise Transparency on Fees
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Ben Sisario | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Live Nation, the world’s largest concert company, said it would begin introducing “all-in pricing” — showing consumers the full price up front — at the venues it controls, which include more than 200 amphitheaters, clubs and other spaces in the United States. Ticketmaster, which is owned by Live Nation, said it would make this tool available to other venues and promoters as well. Those changes are expected beginning in September. SeatGeek, a major vendor for ticket resale that also works for major venues and sports teams like the Dallas Cowboys, said it too would begin introducing a feature that would reveal to consumers the full price of a ticket. Those changes come as the Biden administration has stepped up its pressure on the entertainment and travel industries to rein in what it calls “junk fees.” At his State of the Union address in February, President Biden said he wanted to ban “surprise resort fees that hotels charge on your bill,” and added: “We can stop service fees on tickets to concerts and sporting events and make companies disclose all the fees upfront.”

Persons: Biden, ” Organizations: Ticketmaster, Live, Dallas Cowboys Locations: United States, SeatGeek

☆ Opinion: Trump backers are going bonkers with dangerous threats
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( John Avlon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

No one will be above the law.”That’s what then-candidate Donald Trump said at a campaign rally in August of 2016. Trump has reached for apocalyptic rhetoric, calling for his supporters to protest at the Florida courthouse when he is arraigned on Tuesday. The threats of violence reflect an authoritarian impulse completely at odds with the alleged principles of the Republican Party and the conservative movement. Here’s the key difference: Trump was not charged for having the classified documents but for willfully trying to hide the documents after the feds enquired. When facts and reason no longer apply, desperate individuals resort to threats of violence.

Persons: John Avlon, “, ”, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Trump, Andy Biggs, Kari Lake, Merrick Garland, Jack Smith, Joe Biden —, That’s, MAGA, Edmund Burke’s, Lincoln, Nikki Haley, Chris Christie, Asa Hutchinson –, –, It’s, Mike Pence, Jonathan Turley, Andrew McCarthy, Bill Barr, Barr, don’t Organizations: CNN, John Avlon CNN, Democratic, Trump, Arizona Republican, Capitol, Arizona GOP, Georgia Republican, NRA, Republican Party, Trump’s Republican, South Carolina Gov, GOP, DOJ, Twitter, Facebook, Washington Post Locations: “ Lincoln, Florida, Arizona, Georgia, Mar, France, Italy, Israel, United States

☆ Gen Z is drinking less. That's bad news for concert venues that depend on alcohol sales for profits.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( Brad Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

That's worrying concert venues that depend on alcohol sales for their profits, Billboard reported. "Bar sales are important for every music venue, but especially for smaller ones," a talent agent told the magazine. That's because alcohol sales help keep the lights on at clubs around the country. David Slutes, who runs a venue called Club Congress in Tuscon, Arizona, said that he'd noticed alcohol sales had dropped up to 25% when booking shows for a Gen Z-focused crowd. Some venues told the magazine they're experimenting with renting out their facilities for more private events to make up for lost revenue.

Persons: Z'ers, —, it's, Evan Johnson, Daydream, David Slutes, he'd, Z, Dayna Frank, Nielsen Organizations: Gallup, Billboard, Service, Daydream State, Nielsen Locations: Seattle, Tuscon , Arizona

☆ The IRS is cracking down on a popular small business tax break that could lead to a costly audit
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Cheryl Winokur Munk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

A cottage industry of specialist firms has sprung up to help business owners claim the Employee Retention Credit (ERC), a governmental tax incentive intended for companies stressed by the pandemic. To be sure, the IRS warned business owners last October to be on the lookout for third parties promoting improper ERC claims. The IRS went so far as to add fraudulent claims involving the ERC to its annual "Dirty Dozen" list of tax scams. Start by understanding the basic ERC claim requirementsStart by knowing the basics so you can understand whether your business may qualify for a credit. Another red flag is when a third party doesn't ask for documentation to ensure a business owner qualifies, Perrone said.

Persons: Donald N, Hoffman, Danny Werfel, Gina Perrone, Sax, Jenn McCabe, Perrone Organizations: ERC —, Eisner Advisory, IRS, ERC, CPA, Small Business Administration, Armanino

☆ Kim Kardashian, Floyd Mayweather can’t evade EMax crypto investors’ claims, judge says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Alison Frankel | Thomson Reuters | Alison Frankel Has Covered High-Stakes Commercial Litigation As A Columnist For Reuters Since A Dartmouth College Graduate | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Pierce, who allegedly received nearly $250,000 in EMax tokens as payment for touting the investment, paid $1.4 million in February to settle the SEC’s allegations of deceptive securities promotion. The new ruling, Masson said, should serve as a blueprint for crypto investors who contend they were duped by celebrity promoters. The beefed-up amended complaint convinced the judge that investors had plausibly accused the celebrity influencers of doing just that: exerting influence over their followers by endorsing EMax tokens. Fitzgerald’s previous decision dismissing claims against Kardashian and the other EMax promoters, Masson said, might have created an impression that celebrities can’t be held responsible for allegedly deceptive crypto touting. “You cannot get away with this.”Read more:Kim Kardashian, other celebrities beat EMax crypto investors' lawsuitKim Kardashian pays $1.26 million fine for paid crypto ad, SEC saysOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kim Kardashian, Michael Fitzgerald, Kardashian, Floyd Mayweather, famer Paul Pierce, Mayweather, Pierce “, ”, Fitzgerald, Hyping, you’ve, Scott, “, ” Fitzgerald, Michael Rhodes, Cooley, Pierce, Joel Weiner, Katten Muchin Rosenman, James Sanders, Reed Smith, influencer Logan Paul, Paul, King & Spalding, Sean Masson, Scott —, Kardashian —, EMax, Masson, ’, can’t, ” Masson, ” Read Organizations: District, Los, NBA, famer, U.S . Circuit, Securities, Exchange Commission, King &, SEC, Thomson, Reuters Locations: California, “, Florida

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) said over 70 bills it considers anti-LGBTQ were passed in statehouses this legislative session, double last year's previous record. The number of such bills introduced has steadily increased in recent years, growing from 115 in 2015, HRC said. HRC President Kelley Robinson named Florida, Tennessee and Texas as the most hostile states, saying Florida Governor Ron DeSantis had "weaponized his position." Twenty states now ban gender-affirming care, and 32 states introduced such legislation this year, HRC said. HRC praised Michigan and Minnesota for expanding LGBTQ rights in 2022-23.

Persons: Florida's, Octavio Jones, Kelley Robinson, Ron DeSantis, " Robinson, Jeremy Tedesco, Jeremy Redfern, Daniel Trotta, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, Tuesday, Rights, HRC, Republican, Alliance Defending, Heritage Foundation, Family, Promoters, Michigan, Thomson Locations: Tallahassee , Florida, U.S, United States, statehouses, Florida , Tennessee, Texas, Florida, Minnesota

If your credit history is limited, the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards for Good Credit is worth a close look. How to use rewards from the SavorOne for Good Credit cardThe Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards for Good Credit comes with a straightforward reward redemption: Cash back in the form of a statement credit or a check. There's another redemption option if you also have a Capital One credit card that earns miles, like the aCapital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. SavorOne for Good Credit benefits and featuresThe Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards for Good Credit is fairly low-frills in terms of extra benefits. If you wouldn't otherwise be approved for the regular Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card or Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card because your credit is on the lower side of good, the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards for Good Credit is worth considering.

Persons: Cash, Cardholders, It's, SavorOne, —, David McMillin David McMillin, Guy, David, he's Organizations: Uber, Capital, Walmart, Capital One Entertainment, Reading Chevron, Credit, Good Credit, Target, Costco, Entertainment, Netflix, Hulu, Disney, Verizon, PayPal, Good, Chevron, Business Locations: U.S, Chicago, Alaska , Utah , Oklahoma, Vermont

☆ Argentina eases access to 'morning after pill', broadening reproductive rights
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Anna-Catherine Brigida | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Catholic country and homeland of Pope Francis approved a law allowing abortion up to 14 weeks in December 2020, part of a wave of liberalizing legislation around the region, even as the United States further north has seen abortion access tightened. In the official bulletin, the health ministry wrote that the measure would help avoid unintentional pregnancy by helping overcome "difficulties of access to health services, contraception supplies, and education" faced by some. "This removes an important barrier to access," Valeria Isla, director of sexual and reproductive health at the Health Ministry, told Reuters. The day-after pill is available without a prescription in at least 70 countries, including the United States. "For a long time it was thought to induce an abortion, which is not true," Gagliardi said, referring to the common criticism of emergency contraception from pro-life groups.

Persons: Wade, Read, Pope Francis, Valeria Isla, Vanessa Gagliardi, Juntas, Izquierda, Gagliardi, DerquiXlaVida, Anna, Catherine Brigida, William Maclean Organizations: U.S, Embassy, Supreme, Women's Health Organization, Catholic, Health Ministry, Reuters, World Health Organization, Thomson Locations: Buenos Aires, Dobbs, Argentina, BUENOS AIRES, American, United States, Argentine

☆ Kosovo tensions: Why did ethnic Serbs attack NATO peacekeepers?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Dozens of NATO peacekeepers were injured after they were attacked by ethnic Serbs in northern Kosovo, during protests over the installation of ethnically Albanian mayors. More than a decade on, these municipalities have not been created, leaving disputes over the degree of autonomy for Kosovo’s Serbs to fester. Valdrin Xhemaj/ReutersFearing potential violence, Kosovo’s central election commission changed plans to put voting booths in local schools, instead setting up mobile huts patrolled by NATO peacekeepers. Of these, more than 16,000 are ethnic Serbs – with only around 500 ethnic Albanians. The peacekeeping mission said that it had increased its presence in northern Kosovo after the newly elected ethnically Albanian mayors took office in majority Kosovo Serb areas.

☆ Katie Taylor faces Chantelle Cameron in 'huge boxing event for Ireland'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The undisputed lightweight world champion, Taylor holds 18 gold medals – including an Olympic gold – and sits second in the Ring’s women’s pound-for-pound rankings. On May 20, national hero Taylor will face Chantelle Cameron – the undisputed super-lightweight world champion – at the 3Arena in Dublin in front of a partisan home crowd as she attempts to become a two-weight undisputed world champion. Cameron, the 32-year-old from Northampton, United Kingdom, was previously signed to MTK Global but is now signed to Matchroom Boxing alongside Taylor. Four international boxing promotions have been held across Ireland over the last six months, according to Mel Christle, chairman of the Boxing Union of Ireland. The presence of Katie Taylor headlining the bill, in her hometown, is making it a huge sporting event for Ireland,” added Christie.

☆ Las Vegas resident charged in $45 million metaverse scam that touted trillion-dollar returns
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Rohan Goswami | In Rohangoswamicnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Bryan Lee, a 57 year-old Las Vegas resident, was named in a superseding indictment over his involvement in an alleged investment fraud scheme called CoinDeal. Lee was charged with conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud and criminal monetary transactions. Lee worked alongside three other individuals to convince investors that CoinDeal was a legitimate family of businesses working towards developing virtual reality products, federal prosecutors alleged. The SEC charged a Nevada man, Garry Davidson, who matches the description of Individual-1. He and his backers "targeted mostly unsophisticated investors," claiming that his technology would be sold for "trillions of dollars" to the fake billionaire-backed consortium, the SEC alleged.

☆ Justin Sun argues crypto winter is over and addresses the SEC charges against him
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Talia Kaplan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Crypto World reached out to the Securities and Exchange Commission for comment in response to Sun’s claim that the agency lost a lot of credibility on its crypto legal actions and a spokesperson pointed to a prior statement from SEC Chair Gary Gensler. When the SEC charged Sun and his companies in March Gensler said, “This case demonstrates again the high risk investors face when crypto asset securities are offered and sold without proper disclosure." “As alleged, Sun and his companies not only targeted U.S. investors in their unregistered offers and sales, generating millions in illegal proceeds at the expense of investors, but they also coordinated wash trading on an unregistered trading platform to create the misleading appearance of active trading in TRX,” Gensler's statement continued. “Sun further induced investors to purchase TRX and BTT by orchestrating a promotional campaign in which he and his celebrity promoters hid the fact that the celebrities were paid for their tweets.”

☆ MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell asked supporters to buy stock in his online channel because his campaign to overturn the 2020 presidential election cost him $40M
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell said he's spent $40 million trying to overturn the 2020 election result. "I've spent over $40 million," Lindell said. "I need help. We need help." "The money that I used to save this country, that I've been out spending — I've spent over $40 million," Lindell said.

☆ Weird and wonderful trains that break the rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Ben Jones | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

Here’s a selection of unusual railways that break the rules in order to reach the places other trains can’t roll. The single rails carrying the trains are supported by a series of 486 steel portals weighing almost 20,000 tonnes in total. It is the oldest continuously operating pier railway in the world. Six miles of the route are along a rural railway line, with the rest in bus mode. Katoomba Scenic Railway, AustraliaNot far from the wonderful city of Sydney is a railway experience unlike anything else in the world.

☆ A T. rex skeleton sold at auction for more than $5 million. It's been named Trinity and will reside in Europe's oldest skyscraper.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Nearly 300 T. rex bones dug up from three US sites were assembled into a single skeleton dubbed "Trinity." It was the first time such a T. rex skeleton was put up for auction in Europe. Including the "buyer's premium" and fees, the sale came to 5.5 million Swiss francs (about $6.1 million), Koller said. The Koller auction house in Zurich identified the new owner as The Phoebus Foundation, which is backed by the engineering and logistics conglomerate Katoen Natie-Indaver. The auction house said the skull was particularly rare and also remarkably well-preserved.

☆ Taylor Swift sidestepped FTX lawsuit by asking a simple question—investors can use the same strategy to avoid potential scams
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

When it comes to making business decisions, Taylor Swift does her due diligence all too well. Before inking the deal, Swift asked FTX representatives a simple question: "Can you tell me that these are not unregistered securities?" Adam Moskowitz, one of the attorneys leading a class-action lawsuit against FTX's celebrity endorsers, said during an episode of "The Scoop" podcast. The lawsuit claims that FTX's high-profile promoters didn't properly research FTX before participating in the "offer and sale of unregistered securities in the form of yield-bearing accounts ('YBAs')." Swift was one of only a few celebrities to question the exchange, Moskowitz says on the podcast.

☆ Warren Buffett's former deputy slams crypto and meme stocks, heralds AI's 'iPhone moment,' and flags big risks to commercial real estate. Here are the 6 best quotes from her annual letter.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Warren Buffett's ex-deputy blasts meme stocks and cryptos and welcomes a more sensible market. Tracy Britt Cool advises investors to be careful and touts ChatGPT as groundbreaking. Here are the six best quotes from Britt Cool and her Kanbrick cofounder in their annual letter. Tracy Britt Cool and her Kanbrick cofounder, Brian Humphrey, also jabbed at meme stocks and cryptocurrencies, and hailed artificial intelligence as a game-changing technology. (Britt Cool and Humphrey singled out commercial real estate, heavily indebted companies with floating-rate loans, and the mushrooming federal debt as areas of concern.)"

☆ Taylor Swift didn't sign $100 million FTX sponsorship because she was the only one to ask about unregistered securities, lawyer says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Taylor Swift pulled out of a $100 million sponsorship deal with Sam Bankman-Fried's FTX. The lawyer suing other celebrities for promoting FTX says she was the only one to ask about unregistered securities. Taylor Swift managed to avoid signing a $100 million sponsorship deal with FTX because she was reportedly the only celebrity to question the crypto exchange, according to the lawyer handling a class-action lawsuit against several FTX promoters. "The one person I found that did that was Taylor Swift," Moskowitz told The Scoop's Frank Chaparro. "In our discovery, Taylor Swift actually asked them: 'Can you tell me that these are not unregistered securities?'"

☆ Fed Governor Bowman casts doubt on the need for a U.S. digital dollar
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Federal Reserve Governor Michelle Bowman expressed skepticism over the possibility of a digital U.S. dollar, noting Tuesday the multiple risks such a system could impose. For the past few years, Fed officials have been studying whether to join a handful of other central banks to implement its own type of cryptocurrency. However, she said an interest-bearing Fed digital dollar could provide harmful competition for banks, limiting their ability to lend. Like other Fed officials, Bowman said the looming implementation of the FedNow payments system also will address many of the needs cited by central bank digital currency promoters. Perhaps the CBDC's biggest Fed advocate has since left the central bank: Former Governor Lael Brainard is now director of the National Economic Council.

☆ How Gay Men Saved Us From Monkeypox - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( Ina Park | Dan Savage | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

We know gay sex has been unfairly blamed for everything from natural disasters to the fall of Rome. But in their efforts to avoid stigmatizing the community, health authorities and the media failed to effectively warn gay and bi men. Ignorant of the threat as the virus spread, gay and bi men couldn’t take steps to protect themselves and their partners. Gay party promoters canceled long-planned events and individual gay men temporarily deleted hookup apps from their phones and reduced their sexual contacts. They acknowledged the realities of gay sexuality and its breadth of expression, using the actual language gay men use when discussing sex with each other.

☆ I'm a celebrity photographer. I captured the true nightlife-energy of famous people and refused to sell photos to paparazzi.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( Costa B. Pappas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Mark Hunter is a celebrity photographer who started uploading nightlife-photos to his blog in 2003. My approach to nightlife photography was very forward thinking. After every party I'd post the photos on my blog. I've learned nightlife photography is all about your reputation, working hard, and networkingI feel like I'm just as in demand now, if not more than I was back in the day. Becoming a nightlife photographer is going to be challenging because there's no formula like at a corporate job.

☆ Catholic leader accuses Ron DeSantis — who has positioned himself as a defender of the Christian faith — and Florida Republicans of seeking to criminalize 'empathy' with new anti-immigrant crackdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski says a Republican immigration bill would criminalize "empathy." Wenski accused Florida Republicans of trying to "demonize" vulnerable people. In a statement issued Thursday, Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski echoed that criticism, accusing Florida Republicans of playing state-level politics with a federal issue. It is not the first time that DeSantis and Florida's Republicans have run afoul of the Catholic Church. In February, the Florida Catholic Conference, which represents the state's bishops, told Insider that it opposes a DeSantis-led push to expand the death penalty.

☆ Exclusive: India's LIC plans investment exposure caps post Adani share rout
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Nikunj Ohri | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

After the Adani group lost over $100 billion in valuation post scathing allegations by U.S.-based Hindenburg Research, state-run LIC was criticized for having over $4 billion exposure to companies from the group. "LIC is looking to have 'boundary conditions' on its investments that would limit its exposure to scrips," said the source. The caps, once approved by the LIC board, would further limit the insurer's exposure. The move is aimed at strengthening investment strategies, and fence LIC from public criticism of its investment decisions or exposure to entities like the Adani group, the second source said. LIC had invested 301.2 billion rupees in shares of Adani group companies, and has a debt exposure of 61.82 billion rupees.

Lindsay Lohan attends/performs during a photocall for "Speed The Plow" at Playhouse Theatre on September 30, 2014 in London, England. The Securities and Exchange Commission has unveiled fraud and unregistered securities charges against crypto founder and Grenadian diplomat Justin Sun, alongside separate violations against the celebrity backers of his Tronix and BitTorrent crypto assets, which included Jake Paul, Lindsay Lohan and Soulja Boy. The unregistered offer and sale charges, on the other hand, are similar to charges the SEC has unveiled against other crypto offerings and exchanges, including Genesis, Gemini and Do Kwon's Terraform Labs. “This case demonstrates again the high risk investors face when crypto asset securities are offered and sold without proper disclosure,” said SEC Chair Gary Gensler. Tron and his backers' alleged behavior was part of an "age-old playbook to mislead and harm investors," SEC enforcement chief Gurbir Grewal said in a statement.

☆ Fox bosses ‘shut down’ fact checking with 2020 conspiracies, Dominion lawyer says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Marshall Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Dominion is suing Fox News over the right-wing channel’s airing of false claims of election fraud around the 2020 presidential election. Fox News argued that Dominion should instead rely on the “lengthy depositions” that these witnesses already gave. It claims Dominion hasn’t shown anything strong enough to overcome the high bar that the First Amendment provides, protecting good-faith journalists from speech-chilling defamation lawsuits. Dominion lawyer Rodney Smolla said its high-stakes defamation case against Fox News will protect the public discourse and hold accountable people who deliberately lied about the 2020 election. “They endorsed,” Murdoch said, referring to Fox hosts Sean Hannity, Jeanine Pirro, Maria Bartiromo, and former host Lou Dobbs.

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