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☆ Franck Bohbot’s nostalgic photos evoke the arcade’s ‘golden age’
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Marianna Cerini | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Franck Bohbot Bohbot's book features shots from over a dozen arcades, which he described as each having their own "very different vibe." Franck Bohbot Bohbot said his project was intended to "document arcade culture and the escapism it provides." Franck Bohbot Most of Bohbot's shots were captured in 2019, before the pandemic brought his project to a temporary halt. Franck Bohbot Bohbot documented not only the games but also the crowds that the arcades attracted. Franck Bohbot Bohbot said the book serves as a love letter to L.A., which he called "a complicated city that often feels like it's hiding parts of itself."

Persons: Franck Bohbot’s, “, Bohbot, ” Bohbot, Franck Bohbot's, Franck Bohbot Bohbot's, Franck Bohbot, Franck Bohbot Bohbot, ”, California’s, Japan —, Kong, seeped, —, we’ve, Franck Bohbot “, ‘ Organizations: CNN, Dave, Buster's, Amusement Corporation, East Hollywood, New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, Chicago Coin’s, New York Times, America’s, Atari, Setanta Books Locations: Los Angeles, California, Calimesa , California, North Hollywood, Hollywood, Santa Monica , California, L.A, East, New York, Japan, Chicago

☆ How Ford, GM auto dealers are thinking about Detroit's EV transition and their future
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( Trevor Laurence Jockims | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

If consumers are to be sold on the mass adoption of battery-powered electric vehicles, car dealers are going to be essential to the pitch. But she expects more Ford dealers will opt in at a future date, once they observe a meaningful consumer shift to EVs. "Despite significant increases in EV sales in 2023, dealers are largely skeptical about the OEM's timeframes on the EV rollout," Kerrigan said. A dealer in Santa Monica may decide more quickly, "I need to be all-in on EVs," Maas said. It also caps their total EV sales at 25% of inventory.

Persons: Robb Hernandez, Hernandez, Brian Maas, Maas, EVs, Kerrigan, Ford, Erin Kerrigan, Kelley, BEV, Dealers, Jim Farley, Farley, Tesla, Tesla's, Ford's Organizations: Ford, Bloomberg, Getty, EV, GM, Camino Real Chevrolet, Car Dealers, California Air Resources Board, Kerrigan Advisors, Toyota, ICE, CNBC, Auto Locations: Colma , California, Monterey Park, Calif, California, U.S, Santa Monica, EVs, Eureka

☆ Biologists found 3 adorable female mountain lion kittens. Now the trio will have to survive the harsh urban landscape of Los Angeles.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Biologists discovered three mountain lion kittens in a patch of poison oak outside of Los Angeles. Jeff Sikich, the lead field biologist of the NPS mountain lion study, said in the release. According to the main findings of the NPS observations, mountain lions in Los Angeles County are significantly threatened by the development of roads and cities. A leading cause of mountain lion deaths are vehicle strikes, which often occur when they cross major freeways like the 101, 405, and 118. Sikich told the Los Angeles Times that since March 2022, 15 mountain lions have died, many after being struck by vehicles.

☆ Here's why Jim Cramer is sticking with Foot Locker despite terrible quarter and big stock drop
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Club holding Foot Locker (FL) reported disappointing fiscal 2023 first-quarter results and guidance before the opening bell Friday. Foot Locker, which announced the Eastbay closure in December, will concentrate on its namesake and Champs stores. Unfortunately, the rebound from these headwinds has also proven weaker than management previously expected. When starting a position in Foot Locker in March, we knew the company would not be fixed quickly. Shoppers and pedestrians pass in front of a Foot Locker store on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, California.

☆ Meet Bob’s Dance Shop, ‘World-Class Vibe Curators’
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Margaret Fuhrer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

If you lived through the early 2000s, the phrase “flash mob” might arouse a vague feeling of dread. Then, several years and several vibe shifts later, came flash Bobs. Like their older cousins, flash Bobs involve fake-impromptu gatherings in public spaces. But as orchestrated by Bob’s Dance Shop — a group of five performers that its founder Vince Coconato describes as an “immersive dance crew” — the mobs lean silly, colorful and joyfully queer. Eighty colorfully attired mobbers took to the cobblestones, performing a disco-inflected number to a remix of “Le Freak” by Chic.

☆ Tom Brady honors exes Gisele and Bridget Moynahan on Mother's Day
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-14 | by ( Alli Rosenbloom | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Tom Brady is honoring the moms in his life on Mother’s Day. The football legend shared a series of photos on his verified Instagram page on Sunday of ex-wife Gisele Bündchen and their two children, Vivan and Benjamin, alongside photos of Brady’s former partner Bridget Moynahan, who is mom to their son Jack. “Happy Mothers Day to all these amazing women who have given our family so much throughout their lives. The pair have continued to support each other publicly since they went their separate ways. “Listen, I have always cheered for him, and I would continue forever,” Bündchen said, going on to say he’s the “one person” in this world she hopes is the happiest.

☆ Tala: 2023 CNBC Disruptor 50
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Cnbc.Com Staff | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

That's up from $2.7 billion to more than 6 million people the year before, as the popularity of digital financial services continues to grow in the wake of Covid. Tala offers micro-loans between $10 to $500 for consumers and small businesses through its smartphone app. The financial sweet spot for Tala aims to create a more equitable financial system in emerging markets including Kenya, the Philippines, Mexico and India. Last November, Tala launched a new app with digital wallet features that moves beyond lending. Customers receive credit to their Tala wallet to manage money without fees, and eliminating the need to go to a remittance center for their money.

☆ Los Angeles Can’t Forget P-22, the Mountain Lion Who Made the A-List
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Jill Cowan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

He was believed to have been born roughly 12 years ago in the Santa Monica Mountains that bisect Los Angeles. P-22’s father was P-1, the first mountain lion collared under a National Park Service program aimed at helping scientists understand the threats to wild animals in the region. Like his father, P-22 was known only by his tracking identifier even as his fame grew (the “P” stands for puma, the scientific name for the animal that is often called a mountain lion or cougar). Wildlife officials trapped and examined P-22, then determined that he should be euthanized because he was suffering trauma likely from being struck by a vehicle. They loved that the cougar was a reminder that wilderness persists, against seemingly insurmountable odds, amid the dizzying chaos of Los Angeles.

☆ Roth MKM says this health care apparel brand can rally more than 30%
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Figs has a strong story for investors who can look beyond the past two years of chaotic price moves, Roth MKM said. His $9 price target implies the stock could rally 32% from where it closed Tuesday. That will also help free cash flow, Koranda noted. Koranda said the brand should be able to maintain its leading market share among medical professionals by leveraging its well-regarded brand and using its scale. He noted Figs was essentially the first direct-to-consumer medical scrub brand when it was created in 2013.

New York/London CNN —JPMorgan Chase is buying most assets of First Republic Bank and assuming all of the lender’s deposits in a deal announced Monday that was arranged by the US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. JPMorgan said it had acquired “the substantial majority of assets” and assumed the deposits, insured and uninsured, of First Republic Bank from the FDIC, the independent government agency that insures deposits for bank customers. The FDIC took control of the embattled First Republic and then immediately announced a sale of many of its assets and deposits. Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank both were taken over by the FDIC last month following runs on those banks by their customers. “As part of the transaction, First Republic Bank’s 84 offices in eight states will reopen as branches of JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, today during normal business hours,” it noted.

☆ What’s next for troubled First Republic Bank
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —First Republic Bank is still an independent bank. The FDIC had already done so with two other similar sized banks just last month — Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank — when runs on those banks by their customers left the lenders unable to cover customers’ demands for withdrawals. Nervous major depositorsThe financial report showed depositors had withdrawn about 41% of their money from the bank during the first quarter. In its earnings statement, the bank said insured deposits declined moderately during the quarter and have remained stable from the end of last month through April 21. So when customers lose confidence in a bank and rush to withdrawal their money, what is known as a “run on the bank,” it can cause even an otherwise profitable bank to fail.

☆ These indicators tell us the housing market is hitting the brakes
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Before we rush into the weekend, let's check in with the slowing pace of the housing market, and what that means for the rest of the year's outlook. Another sign pointing to a softer housing market is lumber. But that's going to reverse in the decade ahead as Boomers age out of the housing market and post-Millennial generations shrink. What are you seeing in the housing market in your part of the country? In other news:A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., March 9, 2020.

☆ Snap misses revenue expectations, warns on second quarter outlook
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Sheila Dang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

While Snap said it was not providing formal financial guidance, its internal revenue forecast for the second quarter is $1.04 billion, which would be a 6% decline year-over-year. The internal forecast is below analyst expectations of $1.13 billion, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. "Snapchat users primarily use the app for messaging, and messaging apps are notoriously difficult to monetize," she said. Along with AR, Snap has deepened its investment in artificial intelligence and recently expanded its chatbot called My AI to all Snapchat users globally. Snap said it expects between 394 million and 395 million daily active users in the second quarter.

☆ Goldman Sachs M&A team doesn't get out of bed for less than $10 billion
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Goldman Sachs' M&A team operates under a similar mandate, albeit with a few more zeros. Why bother stressing over 10 $1 billion deals when you can just do a $10 billion deal? It's not just the M&A market that's facing issues. The bank has held the top spot on the year-end M&A league tables for decades, but it is hearing footsteps. More on Goldman's M&A strategy amid an industry drought.

☆ Snap says Snapchat+ has 3 million paid subscribers
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Sheila Dang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 19 (Reuters) - Snap Inc (SNAP.N) on Wednesday said its subscription service Snapchat+ now has 3 million users, as the tech company aims to diversify its business. The number of subscribers for Snapchat+ indicates the company is seeing success at a time when social media platforms are increasingly seeking to charge users for certain features. Snap's subscription service allows users to gain early access to new features. In February, Snap introduced a generative artificial intelligence chatbot called My AI, which can produce written responses to queries, rolling it out first to Snapchat+ subscribers. Last month, Snap launched an enterprise division to help other companies build AR experiences for their own apps and websites.

☆ Snap expands AI chatbot with ability to create images
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Sheila Dang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Snap's chatbot, called My AI, which can help users with everything from writing poems to searching for information, was built using startup OpenAI's ChatGPT technology. My AI is now available free to all Snapchat users and can be invoked to respond to questions in conversations between friends on Snapchat, Snap said on Wednesday. My AI's ability to respond to users with its own AI-generated images will be available first on Snapchat+, which has reached 3 million subscribers, Snap said. Snap analyzes conversations with My AI and has found that 99.5% of the chatbot's responses adhere to Snapchat's community guidelines, Spiegel said. The venture could also help Snap diversify beyond digital advertising, which currently makes up the majority of its revenue.

☆ Upfront's Mark Suster has become the star of LA's booming startup scene. Not everyone is a fan.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Ben Bergman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +29 min

"I have worked with more than 50 VCs and nobody comes close to what it is like to work with Mark Suster," said a founder backed by Suster. "Mark and the Upfront Summit helped put LA tech and investing on the map," said Jeffrey Katzenberg, the cofounder of DreamWorks and WndrCo. Several years ago, a founder whose startup Suster invested in was in a conference room rehearsing their presentation for the Upfront Summit. If you're going to put him on your board, you're letting the fox guard the henhouse. "If you're going to put him on your board, you're letting the fox guard the henhouse."

☆ 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.

☆ Snap hires Google ad executive to help improve ad performance
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Sheila Dang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 12 (Reuters) - Snap Inc (SNAP.N), owner of photo messaging app Snapchat, said on Wednesday it has hired a former Google executive to help the tech company improve the performance of its digital ads. Darshan Kantak, who previously led product management for search ads at Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O) Google, joins Snap as senior vice president of revenue product. Snap is rebuilding its ad sales team after two key leaders left for Netflix Inc last year. Last month, Snap hired Rob Wilk, a longtime Microsoft ad executive, to lead ad sales in the Americas region. Kantak will lead the teams that develop ad formats and also focus on improving how to measure and optimize the effectiveness of Snapchat ads, the company said.

☆ In Wake of SVB Collapse, Venture Lending Faces Uncertainty
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( Lori Ioannou | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

What will SVB’s demise mean for the venture-debt market? A Silicon Valley Bank branch in Santa Monica, Calif. The demise of Silicon Valley Bank was a shock for the $32 billion venture-debt industry, a critical source of alternative financing for startup companies. Since its inception, SVB had been a pioneer in the venture-debt field, and a linchpin for venture-backed startups looking for capital to expand their businesses. Last year, SVB had $6.7 billion outstanding in venture loans, according to PitchBook-NVCA Monitor.

☆ Tesla cuts U.S. prices for fifth time since January
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A Tesla electric vehicle drives past the Tesla Inc Santa Monica Place store, in Santa Monica, California on March 20, 2023. Tesla cut prices in the United States between 2% and nearly 6%, its website showed on Thursday, as the company extends a discount drive on its electric vehicles that analysts caution could hurt profitability. Tesla cut prices on both versions of its Model 3 sedan by $1,000 and on its Model Y crossover by $2,000, the website showed. It also cut prices on both versions of its more expensive Model S and Model X by $5,000. Tesla has cut the price of its base Model 3 by a cumulative 11% since the start of the year, with a 20% reduction on its base Model Y.

☆ This Philly suburb is the No. 1 best place to live in America for the fourth year in a row
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( Celia Fernandez | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The best place to live in the U.S. isn't a major metropolis such as New York City or Los Angeles, but a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, according to Niche's 2023 ranking. The best places to live were decided based on the following factors: AffordabilityLocal housing marketNeighborhood diversityArea public schoolsWalkabilityTop 10 best places to live in the U.S. 2023Chesterbrook, Philadelphia, Pa. Colonial Village, Arlington, Va. Ardmore, Philadelphia, Pa. Hyde Park–Spanishtown Creek, Tampa, Fla. Penn Wynne, Philadelphia, Pa. City Center, Santa Monica, Calif. Cambridgeport, Mass. North Quarter, Orlando, Fla. Devon, Philadelphia, Pa. Great Neck Gardens, Long Island, N.Y. Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania, is the No. 1 best place to live in America for the fourth year in a row. The Philadelphia suburb is known for its high-ranking education system.

Constellation Brands is pouring into the streaming business. The company, which owns beer, wine and spirits brands, is forming a partnership with media company Tastemade to create a content studio and produce shows that revolve around Constellation's brands. Discovery and Walt Disney Co.Its partnership with Constellation will take a similar form. "What was exciting about this partnership is we just got kind of unprecedented access to some story hunting within Constellation Brands," said Fitzgibbon. Constellation's leading brands include Corona, Modelo Especial, The Prisoner Wine Company, Kim Crawford, Svedka Vodka and others.

☆ I'm the founder of Mud/Wtr and prefer to invest in employee health rather than perpetuate startup hustle culture
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

In a time when many large companies are calling employees back to the office, Heath leads a 32-person remote team. You can make a high-performing company culture without following the hustle modelMud/Wtr employees attend a meeting in the company's office. My daily routine includes a cold plunge and hyperbaric chamberShane Heath takes a cold plunge Mud/WtrI treat myself like a professional athlete. When I wake up, I exercise and follow that up with a sauna and cold plunge, which I have at my home. The cold plunge temperature is around 30 degrees Fahrenheit.

One hedge fund manager described trades in the financial sector as being "all over the map", with nobody agreeing on anything. Some breathed a sigh of relief that a competitor stepped in with a rescue offer for Credit Suisse. Others worried that the $3.2 billion UBS will pay is far less than the $9.5 billion Credit Suisse was valued at on Friday, and one investor said the market may not consider this to be a positive. loadingLater, short seller Jim Chanos tweeted his shock that $17 billion of Credit Suisse bonds would be wiped out, asking "What are the Swiss doing here…?!" There was also little agreement on how investors would be positioning themselves in smaller U.S. banks, including First Republic.

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