Quantcast
Channel: Business Insider
Viewing all 101983 articles
Browse latest View live

Nintendo's new $60 game console has a smart way to save games

0
0

Nintendo's got a new video game console, sort of!

The NES Classic Edition is technically brand new — the $60 console launched on November 11 — but it both looks identical to the original Nintendo Entertainment System and plays games from that era. 

NES Classic Edition

Rather than insert NES cartridges, you simply plug the little box into your TV and play the games that are built-in — 30 games in all, including the original "Super Mario Bros." trilogy, the first two "Legend of Zelda" games, and even third-party classics like "Ninja Gaiden," "Double Dragon 2," "Final Fantasy," and "Mega Man 2."

There's even a new version of the original NES gamepad:

NES Classic Edition

Even with all the nods to the past, Nintendo made one incredibly smart, decidedly modern update in the NES Classic Edition: Nintendo calls them "Suspend Points."

The concept is simple: Save your game, in any game, wherever you want. Instead of leaving the console on, like some kind of savage, you save wherever you want. The next time you turn on the system, you can restart right where you left off.

You get four slots per game, like so:

NES Classic Edition

With four save slots, multiple family members or roommates can save progress in the same game; alternatively, you could be a scoundrel and use suspend points to play a particularly hard part of a game over and over until you get past it. Not that we're suggesting that! But you could.

Since the NES gamepad doesn't have any additional buttons, you have to manually press the Reset button on the front of the console to lock in a save point. It's also just the main menu button — the "Home" button of the console, if you will.

NES Classic Edition

Of course, the console won't ever be too far away: the gamepad has just three-measly-feet of wire, so you'll either need to sit close to the TV or get yourself a lengthy HDMI cable. 

At just $60 for the NES Classic Edition console, you could splurge and drop an extra $20 on this wireless gamepad. Of course, the first issue is getting your hands on the system — it's selling out everywhere, to the point where people are paying insane mark-ups for it on eBay.

Don't despair: Nintendo promises more systems are on the way in time for the holidays

SEE ALSO: Nintendo just released a brand-new $60 game system — here's what we know

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Unboxing the Nintendo NES Classic Edition everyone's going crazy for


Activision Blizzard has formed a new eSports league for Overwatch (ATVI)

0
0

Global ESportsThis story was delivered to BI Intelligence "Digital Media Briefing" subscribers. To learn more and subscribe, please click here.

Blizzard Entertainment, one half of giant gaming company Activision Blizzard, is creating an ambitious new eSports league for its “Overwatch” shooter game, The Verge reports.

In an effort to elevate the wealth and standing of eSports, Overwatch League will adopt a similar structure as traditional professional sports leagues, including:

  • A clear path from amateur to pro. Borrowing from the NFL, Overwatch League will incorporate a scouting combine, where the best amateur players have a chance to showcase their talents to coaches and team owners. Invitation to this combine will be based on a player’s position in the Overwatch’s ranked ladder, and on qualifying rounds in third-party tournaments.
  • Robust compensation schemes. Players will be drafted onto professional teams, and sign contracts that guarantee salary and benefits. Although Overwatch League is expected to have a seven-digit championship prize pool, Blizzard wants to shift the conversation around player compensation to stable salaries and benefits.
  • Featuring teams based in major cities. Similar to traditional sports, Overwatch League will pit teams based in major cities against each other. Focusing on city-based teams will lead to opportunities around local advertising, and also help build localized fan bases around the world. Right now, eSports events tend to be sponsored by companies at the national or global level, and the lack of city-based teams holds fans back from geographic alliances. 

eSports could help propel live streaming video as more people tune in to watch these competitions. If 2015 was the year that brands and advertisers embraced online video, then 2016 will see the medium take the next step as live streaming takes off.

Live streaming video refers to broadcasts in real time to an audience over the internet. While the concept of live streaming has been around for years, mobile-first video platforms with user-generated content have just recently begun to make serious waves thanks to improved video quality, faster broadband speeds, and enhanced mobile technology.

Online video has become a key part of the strategic business model for both brands and marketers as they seek more innovative ways to capture consumer attention. Creative live streaming video initiatives and campaigns are a way for companies to cut through the digital clutter and have emerged as the medium of choice not only for person-to-person sharing, but also for business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) communication. 

Brands are increasingly using live streaming to reach audiences. Its importance has grown significantly thanks to substantial investments by social platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, and Twitter to build and enhance their live-streaming platforms.

And advertising dollars are likely to follow. 88% of agency respondents stated that they “might” or “definitely will” invest in live stream video advertising over the next six months, according to a recent Trusted Media Brands survey.

BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, has compiled a detailed report on live streaming video that examines the eruption of online video from the perspective of both consumers and advertisers and assesses how live streaming is emerging as the medium's next catalyst for growth.

Here are some key points from the report:

  • Live streaming video will further accelerate streaming videos overall share of internet traffic. Streaming video accounts for over two-thirds of all internet traffic, and this share is expected to jump to 82% by 2020, according to Cisco’s June 2016 Visual Networking Index report.
  • Live video’s value comes from its unique ability to add an authentic human element to digital communications. As a result, brands are leveraging three main streaming methods to connect with their viewers: tutorials, product launches, and exclusive and behind-the-scene footage.
  • Advertisers will continue to invest heavily in online video, especially as live streaming video gains traction. Already in the US, digital video ad revenue reached $7.8 billion in 2015, up 55% from 2014, according to figures from the Internet Advertising Bureau.
  • While live streaming is still in its early stages, brands are leveraging micropayments, mid-roll video ads and direct payments from social platforms, to monetize their live streaming videos.
  • The success of live streaming video hinges on brands overcoming a lack of measurement standards in the space, as well as changes in social media sites' algorithms that affect what content users see.

In full, the report:

  • Examines the eruption of live streaming video.
  • Explores the differences between platforms that host live streaming video.
  • Breaks down successful approaches from both brands and publishers.
  • Discusses unique monetization opportunities live streaming presents.

To get your copy of this invaluable guide, choose one of these options:

  1. Subscribe to an All-Access pass to BI Intelligence and gain immediate access to this report and over 100 other expertly researched reports. As an added bonus, you'll also gain access to all future reports and daily newsletters to ensure you stay ahead of the curve and benefit personally and professionally. » START A MEMBERSHIP
  2. Purchase & download the full report from our research store. »BUY THE REPORT

The choice is yours. But however you decide to acquire this report, you’ve given yourself a powerful advantage in your understanding of live streaming video.

Join the conversation about this story »

David Bowie's out-of-this-world art collection just sold for over $41 million — see 21 of his best furniture pieces

0
0

David Bowie Memphis Collection 15

Over the weekend, the late David Bowie's art collection — including his many Memphis Design furniture pieces — was auctioned off at Sotheby's in London.   

Little was known about Bowie's private collection until after his death, when his estate reached out to Sotheby's about putting it up for auction. Apparently, the musician had an obsession with Memphis Design, a colorful and bold form of architecture and design founded by Ettore Sottsass in the early 1980s.

The Memphis Design collection, which was made up of over 100 pieces, sold collectively for more than $1.7 million on the second day of the auction. All together, Bowie's art sold for $41.1 million over the course of the two-day auction, according to Pitchfork.

Below, see 20 of his most interesting and valuable furniture pieces, plus what they ended up selling for. 

SEE ALSO: Gorgeous photos give a look inside the closets of 4 famous entrepreneurs

Designer Ettore Sottsass' "Carlton" room divider was estimated to sell at auction for $9,258 — it sold for $65,993.



The "Adesso Pèro" Bookcase from Sottsass' "Ruins" series was estimated to sell at auction for $9,258. It sold for $43,995.



Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni's radio-phonograph, Model No. Rr126, was estimated to sell for $1,587. It sold for $323,049.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Wanda Sykes slammed Trump and flipped off her booing crowd: 'F--- all y'all'

0
0

Wanda Sykes

When a crowd booed her for criticizing President-elect Donald Trump, Wanda Sykes didn't back down.

The comedian clashed with her audience over the weekend when she did stand-up for a Comics Come Home fundraiser in Boston.

“I am certain this is not the first time we’ve elected a racist, sexist, homophobic president,” Sykes said Sykes during her set. “He ain’t the first one. He’s just the first confirmed one.”

Certain members of the thousands in the audience at the TD Garden quickly started responding negatively, and Sykes quickly fired back at them in turn.

“F--- you, motherf---ers,” Sykes said in response. “F--- all y’all. F--- all y’all.”

She proceeded to point toward audience members and repeat, "F--- you."

"The evidence is there," she said. "How can you say he’s not racist? 'Grab them by the p---y'? How can you say he’s not sexist?"

The Boston Herald reports that the Trump criticism came five minutes into her set, and Sykes stayed on the stage to tell other, non-political jokes.

But Sykes reportedly then flipped off audience members as she left the stage when they continued to boo her at the end of her set.

You can watch video of part of Sykes' stand-up set below:

SEE ALSO: 100 movies on Netflix that everyone needs to watch in their lifetime

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 'Media rigging the election!': Trump slams SNL for mocking his debate performance

The Rock says he might run for president in 2020: 'I wouldn't rule it out'

0
0

Dwayne Johnson The rock

In the wake of Donald Trump's election win, "anything can happen," according to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

The Hollywood mega-star said that to Vanity Fair about his own political prospects while promoting his new Disney movie "Moana" on Sunday. 

When asked if he would consider running for president in 2020, the 44-year-old actor said, "I wouldn't rule it out." 

"It would be a great opportunity to help people, so it's possible," Johnson said. "This past election shows that anything can happen."

The former WWE star has wrestled with the idea of making a political bid in the past. In March, he tweeted that he would "maybe one day" run for president. In June, he wrote on Instagram that "the idea of one day becoming President to create real positive impact and global change is very alluring."

Johnson previously spoke at the Republican National Convention in 2000, and he's currently a registered Republican voterIf he were to oppose Trump in the Republican primaries of 2020, Johnson would certainly have the odds stacked against him, as no primary challenger has ever defeated an incumbent president of the same party.

"Moana," the computer-animated Disney musical that he stars in, opens in theaters nationwide on November 23. 

SEE ALSO: Here's the first clip of Dwayne Johnson singing in Disney's upcoming 'Moana'

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The first trailer for Marvel's ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ sequel is here

The 18 best TV shows right now, according to critics

0
0

game of thrones

The Critics Choice Awards released its annual nominations of the past year's best television shows.

This year, HBO leads the pack with 22 nominations. There's a tie for second place between ABC and Netflix, with each earning 14. And FX takes the third position with 12 nominations.

"In this golden age of peak TV, viewers have an embarrassment of riches to choose from every day and night," said Joey Berlin, the president of the Broadcast Television Journalists Association, which gives out the awards. "The Critics' Choice Awards are chosen to help people find the best of the best."

The winners will be announced in a televised ceremony on Sunday, December 11, at 8 p.m. on A&E.

Here are the critics' top TV shows and the awards they're nominated for:

SEE ALSO: 14 TV shows you're watching that are probably going to be canceled

DON'T MISS: The 11 most successful new shows on TV, ranked

"Transparent" (Amazon)

Best actor in a comedy series — Jeffrey Tambor

Best actress in a comedy series — Judith Light



"The Good Wife" (CBS)

Best supporting actress in a drama series — Christine Baranski

Best guest performer in a drama series — Michael J. Fox



"The Americans" (FX)

Best actor in a drama series — Matthew Rhys

Best actress in a drama series — Keri Russell



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

22 famous people who served in the military

0
0

Elvis

While some famous names are well-known for their stint in the military, like Elvis and Chuck Norris, others on this list might surprise you.

Here are 22 famous people who served in the US military in some capacity:

SEE ALSO: 29 American presidents who served in the military

DON'T MISS: http://www.businessinsider.com/famous-people-who-served-on-d-day-2016-6

Drew Carey

In 1981, Drew Carey entered the United States Marine Corps Reserve, a stint that lasted six years.

It was during his service that he first started performing stand-up comedy.

"While in the Marine Reserves, I was looking for a way to make some more money, and it was suggested that I try using my jokes," he later said.

Carey, who teamed up with the United Services Organization, has since visited military bases in Iraq to perform comedy for troops.



Hugh Hefner

Before Playboy existed, Hefner had a successful career in the military.

In 1944, after graduating high school, Hefner enlisted in the Army as an infantry clerk.

He frequently contributed cartoons for various military newspapers before he was discharged in 1946.



Bea Arthur

Before she landed a lead role in "Golden Girls," Bea Arthur served in the Marine Corps.

Though she once flat out denied it, The Smoking Gun dug up files proving the actress had served 30 months in the Marines as a typist and truck driver.

According a personal account detailing her reasons for joining, a then 21-year-old Arthur said she "heard last week that enlistments for women in the Marines were open, so decided the only thing to do was to join."

On an obtained personality appraisal sheet, Arthur was described as both argumentative and frank.

She was initially a typist in Washington D.C., and was then stationed at air stations in Virginia and North Carolina. Arthur was honorably discharged in 1945 with the title of staff sergeant.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Bernie Sanders to Colbert: 'Something is fundamentally wrong' with the Democratic Party

0
0

bernie sander late show with stephen colbert cbs

A clearly peeved Bernie Sanders said he's calling for big changes in the Democratic Party as a result of Donald Trump's presidential election win.

The former presidential candidate and senator appeared on Monday's "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" to express his annoyance with his party. He admitted that there is some commonality between his supporters and those who voted for Trump.

"Above and beyond the incredible bigotry of the Trump campaign, what he did was he tapped into a lot of pain and anxiety and angst the American people are feeling, which is very rarely reported in the media or understood by the punditry," Sanders said.

He then described the huge economic problems facing many Americans, including low wages and the inability to save for retirement or pay to send their children to college. Sanders said he thinks the most important thing for Democrats is to figure out what to do now.

"The truth is, Democrats should not be losing to a candidate who insults so many people, who wants to give huge tax breaks to the top two-tenths of 1%, and who rejects climate change," he said. "How are we losing these elections? Something is fundamentally wrong."

The senator, whose new book, "Our Revolution," is available on Tuesday, told Colbert that he is pushing for "structural changes" in his party to make it more "grassroots." But while he's doing that, what should worried Americans do?

"What you do now is get involved heavily into the political process," he said. "When millions of people stand up and fight back, we will not be denied."

Watch Sanders' interview on the "Late Show" below:

SEE ALSO: 'Mr. Robot' creator says Trump inspired the show's scary, corrupt world

DON'T MISS: John Oliver warns against being hopeful about Trump: 'He is not normal'

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: OBAMA: Certain elements of Trump's temperament 'may not serve him well' in the White House


What Donald Trump and 24 other successful people were doing right out of college

0
0

Donald Trump Liberty University

The first few years after college can be the launching pad for the rest of your career — it's why successful people often advise young people to start doing what they love as soon as they can.

But while some tech geniuses and business tycoons took this route to success, finding the optimal career path right away is easier said than done for many, and others found career bliss many years down the road.

To show that no two paths to success are alike, here's what 25 successful people were doing right out of college.

Aaron Taube contributed to an earlier version of this article.

SEE ALSO: The unglamorous first jobs of Donald Trump and 24 other successful people

DON'T MISS: What Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, and 23 other successful people were doing at age 25

Donald Trump worked for his father's real-estate-development company

After graduating from Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania in 1968 with a degree in economics, Trump went to work as a young real-estate developer at his father's company, Elizabeth Trump & Son.

In 1971, he was given the reins of the company, which he later renamed the Trump Organization, according to Bio, and soon became involved in large, profitable building projects in Manhattan, as well as a high-profile housing-discrimination lawsuit brought by the US The Department of Justice.

Before becoming current president-elect, Trump would go on to develop the Grand Hyatt next to Grand Central Station in Manhattan, build his real-estate empire, and eventually star in NBC reality series "The Apprentice."



Hillary Clinton worked in an Alaska salmon-processing factory

After graduating from Wellesley University and before enrolling at Yale Law School, Clinton struck out for Alaska, where she spent a summer doing a number of odd jobs, like washing dishes at Mt. McKinley National Park and working in a salmon-processing factory.

Her salmon-processing job required her to remove guts from salmon with a spoon and pack the salmon head to tail, Clinton said during a "Today" show interview.

She was ultimately fired for telling one of her supervisors that some of the fish looked bad, but she later joked that the work was great training for her time in Washington, where she eventually served as a US senator and secretary of state.

 



Barack Obama was finding himself in New York

After transferring from Occidental College in California "to be around more black folks in big cities," Obama graduated from Columbia University in New York City in 1983 with a degree in political science.

The period of his life spent living in New York is often referred to as his "lost years." According to Mir Mahboob Mahmoud, one of Obama's close acquaintances at the time, Obama struggled during that period "deeply within himself to attain his own racial identity, and [the novel] 'Invisible Man' became a prism of that reflection."

During this time Obama "read deeply and widely" about political and international affairs, and he spent an additional year after graduating in New York as a researcher with Business International Group, a global business consulting firm, according to the University of Virginia's Miller Center.

Obama went on to accept an offer to work as a community organizer for low-income residents in Chicago, which biographer David Mendell wrote was "his first deep immersion into the African American community he had longed to both understand and belong to."

He would go on to go to Harvard Law School, return to Chicago after graduation to practice as a civil rights lawyer, successfully run for a seat in the Illinois State Senate, and become the 44th president of the United States.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

An uncovered John Lennon letter reveals the bitter breakup of The Beatles

0
0

the beatles

The Beatles' breakup in 1970 left some bad feelings both in the band and among its followers, but a newly uncovered letter written by John Lennon exposes just how poisonous things got.

The undated typed letter, with handwritten annotations, is being auctioned off by RR Auction at an estimated value of $20,000 or more.

In the letter, which was likely sent around 1971, Lennon addresses his ex-bandmate Paul McCartney and McCartney's wife Linda, in an apparent reply to correspondence from Linda.

Lennon tells her, "I was reading your letter and wondering what middle aged cranky Beatle fan wrote it."

Lennon also reacts to negativity surrounding his relationship with Yoko Ono at the time, which continues to be a sore spot for Beatles fandom — with some fans even alleging that Ono was somehow responsible for the Beatles breakup.

“I hope you realise what s--- you and the rest of my ‘kind and unselfish’ friends laid on Yoko and me, since we’ve been together,” Lennon wrote.

Lennon goes on to say that he doesn't "resent" Paul McCartney but instead feels "sorry for him."

Curiously enough, however, he does say "love to you both" at the end, in spite of all the acrimony.

If you've ever wondered what was swirling around the breakup of one of the greatest bands of all time, it's an essential, albeit nasty, read.

See images of the letter below:

john lennon letter

john lennon letter

SEE ALSO: Here are the must-see movies most likely to win Oscars in 2017

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here's how to survive the zombie apocalypse according to 'The Walking Dead' fans

Seth Meyers blasts Trump's most controversial hire: 'We gave him a chance — bye, chance!'

0
0

donald trump steve bannon seth meyers late night nbc

Seth Meyers never fully embraced the about-face many of President-elect Donald Trump's critics had taken since Trump won last week's election, but the appointment of Steve Bannon to chief strategist has apparently diminished whatever hopes the late-night host had.

"They talk about giving him a fresh start like he was on a diet and ate a cupcake," Meyers said of Trump on Monday's "Late Night." "Many in the media are doing everything they can to delude themselves and the nation into thinking this is a normal situation, that Trump's behavior and campaign promises don't pose a unique threat to fundamental American principles and norms."

Meyers was willing to humor the idea of giving Trump a chance, but then over the weekend the president-elect announced the hiring of Bannon. In the position, Bannon will basically be Trump's right-hand man. This has caused uproar among Trump's critics, as Bannon is also the former executive chairman of the far-right website Breitbart News and has associations with the alt-right movement and white nationalism. Critics accuse him of promoting racist, sexist, and anti-Semitic views through the website.

"Well, we gave him a chance — bye, chance!" Meyers said. "Thank-you for stopping by. Good to see you, chance."

He then added: "A quick sidenote to everyone referring to Bannon as 'controversial.' He's not 'controversial.' He's a white nationalist and an anti-Semite. Don't talk about him like he's pineapple on pizza."

Watch Meyers take a closer look at Trump's appointment of Bannon below:

SEE ALSO: Why we need these late-night TV hosts more than ever under President Trump

DON'T MISS: Bernie Sanders on Colbert: 'Something is fundamentally wrong' with the Democratic Party

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: OBAMA: Certain elements of Trump's temperament 'may not serve him well' in the White House

MICHAEL MOORE: These are Obama's biggest failures and accomplishments

8 celebrities who might run for president in 2020

0
0

Dwayne Johnson

Donald Trump's unprecedented win in the 2016 presidential election has opened the floodgates of speculation about other notable people with no political experience who may consider a run for the Oval Office in 2020.

Some celebrities have even themselves suggested that they'll run for president — like Kanye West and Chris Rock — though possibly as well-timed one-liners made in reaction to Trump's ascendence.

But for someone like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who has expressed a genuine interest in policy change, a successful run for the presidency seems much more feasible in the wake of Trump.

Here are 8 celebrities who might run for president in 2020:

 

SEE ALSO: Celebrities react to Donald Trump's presidential victory with shock and horror

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson

The Hollywood star and former WWE wrestler has repeatedly hinted at making a presidential run in 2020. Most recently, he told Vanity Fair, "I wouldn't rule it out," when asked if he would make a bid for the highest office.

The Rock is a registered Republican voter. If he were to run as a Republican candidate against Trump in 2020, the odds are not in his favor, as no primary challenger has ever defeated an incumbent president of the same party.



Chris Rock

Comedian Chris Rock took to Twitter after Trump's win last week to announce, "I'm gonna run in 2020 wish me luck." The post included a Photoshopped version of the movie poster for his 2003 film "Head of State," in which Rock played the first African-American president. 



Kanye West

While speaking at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards last August, West concluded his 13-minute monologue by saying, "And yes, as you probably could’ve guessed by this moment, I have decided in 2020 to run for president."

In a recent interview with the BBC, the 39-year-old rapper seemed to double down on his bid for the presidency.

"When I talk about the idea of being president, I’m not saying I have any political views," West said. "I just have a view on humanity, on people, on the truth. If there is anything that I can do with my time to somehow make a difference while I'm still alive, I'm all for it."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Amazon Music Unlimited has launched in Europe (AMZN)

0
0

US Music RevenueThis story was delivered to BI Intelligence "Digital Media Briefing" subscribers. To learn more and subscribe, please click here.

Amazon’s on-demand music streaming service, Amazon Music Unlimited, has launched in the UK, Germany, and Austria, TechCrunch reports.

The debut comes with a redesign of Amazon’s mobile music app, and more impressive integrations with Echo and Alexa.

Amazon Music Unlimited is the company’s main on-demand music streaming offering. It has a catalog of 40 million tracks, as opposed to Prime Music’s more limited 2-million-song library. Music Unlimited is available for £7.99-a-month ($10-a-month) or £79-a-year for Prime members, and £9.99-a-month for non-Prime members. There’s also a bargain £3.99-a-month option that limits the service to Amazon Echo, the company’s voice-controlled speaker.

Here is a primer on Amazon’s approach to the music streaming space:

  • Voice is the main differentiator for Amazon Music Unlimited. Curated playlists, offline listening, and exclusive artist offerings are becoming standard features across music-streaming services. Amazon will offer all of these, but is banking its digital voice assistant Alexa as a key differentiator. Alexa will be able to play music based on moods, genres, original release dates, and other queries by tapping into a song’s metadata.
  • The home will usher in the second phase of music streaming. Mobile helped drive the first growth of music streaming subscriptions, and Amazon believes that peoples' homes will be instrumental in ushering in a second wave. In particular, Amazon sees voice interfaces as the future of music listening in the home, and probably the car too, according to a Musically interview with Amazon’s Paul Firth. All of this plays into Amazon's plans to place the Echo at the center of the smart home

To receive stories like this one directly to your inbox every morning, sign up for the Digital Media Briefing newsletter.Click here to learn more about how you can gain risk-free access today.

Join the conversation about this story »

How Trump's right-hand man — accused of anti-Semitism — made millions off 'Seinfeld'

0
0

seinfeld steve bannon copy

Steve Bannon, President-elect Donald Trump's recently appointed chief strategist, is a polarizing figure.

He is best known today for running the far-right website Breitbart, with critics having accused him of anti-Semitism and of spreading white-nationalist views. But few know he also made a fortune off "Seinfeld," the sitcom known for its Jewish humor.

Before we get around to how he made millions from "Seinfeld," we have to begin with a young Bannon. After earning an MBA and serving in the military, he worked in mergers and acquisitions at Goldman Sachs in the 1980s.

In 1990, he and some colleagues decided to form their own boutique investment bank called Bannon and Co. It had a media focus and would administer several big Hollywood deals. One in particular would become very fortuitous for Bannon.

In about 1991, Bannon was tapped to help sell Castle Rock Entertainment for his client, Westinghouse Electric, according to Bloomberg. Castle Rock was the producing studio behind "Seinfeld." Bannon brought Ted Turner, the founder of Turner Entertainment, to the table. But when it was time to close the deal, Turner didn't have enough cash.

To get the deal done, Bannon decided to waive some of his fee in exchange for some ownership in five TV shows. One of the shows was "Seinfeld," then in its third season. It wasn't yet the big hit it would later become; at the time, it was watched by 18 million people and ranked a sad No. 42 on TV.

But Bannon had some vision.

"We calculated what it would get us if it made it to syndication," he told Bloomberg. "We were wrong by a factor of five."

In fact, "Seinfeld" ended its nine-season run averaging 38 million viewers in the No. 1 spot on TV.

In reruns, the show is estimated to have generated $3.1 billion by 2013, according to the Financial Times. And as TheWrap points out, if Bannon were entitled to even just 1% of that, he would've made $31 million on syndication.

It's an interesting twist to Bannon's story, since the newly appointed Trump chief strategist (a position that essentially makes him a right-hand man for Trump), has been accused of being anti-Semitic by many in media. At the same time, "Seinfeld" is known for its Jewish-American, New York City-centric humor courtesy of creators Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld.

SEE ALSO: Seth Meyers blasts Trump's most controversial hire: 'We gave him a chance — bye, chance!'

DON'T MISS: 'Mr. Robot' creator says Trump inspired the show's scary, corrupt world

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: OBAMA: Certain elements of Trump's temperament 'may not serve him well' in the White House


A futurist explains what Black Mirror's 'San Junipero' episode gets wrong about future tech

0
0

SPOILERS BELOW.

black mirror 1

The "San Junipero" episode of "Black Mirror" has been hailed as brilliant and one of the few in the series with an optimistic vision of the future. (Again: major spoiler warning).

The series, now produced by Netflix, presents science-fiction short films about how tech could change the world in the near future.

"San Junipero" imagines a world where people can upload their brains into computers. Old people can live out fantasies in the virtual reality city of San Junipero. Dying people can be "uploaded to the cloud" and live there forever.

Futurist Robin Hanson, who wrote extensively about uploaded brains in "Age of Ems," saw the episode and wasn’t impressed.

"As usual, it misses the huge implications to focus on minor ones," Hanson wrote in a message.

Hanson, an associate professor of economics at George Mason University who has a background in physics and computer science, predicts that we’ll be able to upload brains within 100 years and that we'll have extensive virtual reality, so he thinks the show is believable there.

"The unrealism is in assuming the rest of the world stays the same, only effect is a new form of retirement," Hanson writes.

The rest of the world doesn’t seem to have changed much in "San Junipero"— at least the parts that we see.

Hanson’s prediction, by contrast, sees whole brain emulations (aka ems) radically and rapidly changing human society. Once brains can be uploaded to computers, he argues, we'll make countless copies of the most effective brains, running them at a thousand times human speed: soon ems will take over almost every job on the planet, while also building their own super-dense cities and evolving their own strange civilization. For more on Hanson’s vision, read our interview with him.

That is, of course, a pretty dramatic vision of change in the next century, but Hanson is not alone in predicting that radical changes will follow the next major breakthrough in computing (whether that's human-level AI or brain uploading).

While"San Junipero" doesn’t reveal much about the broader world, there’s not much evidence of radical social change. Retirement homes are populated by old people and staffed by young people, and it appears the only difference is having access to futuristic virtual reality.

Hanson, who has watched all of "Black Mirror," is dismissive of a lot of sci-fi.

“Even what they call hard science fiction tries often to get the physics or get the science right, but they’re usually just laughably wrong about the social science," he told Business Insider.

SEE ALSO: Economist says uploaded brains will take over all jobs within 100 years

DON'T MISS: Every "Black Mirror" episode ranked

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Elon Musk just unveiled something that could revolutionize how you power your home

Actor Michael Shannon: Trump was elected by a 'country of moronic a--holes'

0
0

trump michael shannon

Actor Michael Shannon held nothing back about the 2016 presidential election and President-elect Donald Trump while promoting his new film "Nocturnal Animals" in a new interview with RogerEbert.com

When asked if he could make sense of how exactly Trump was elected, Shannon had a vitriolic response about Trump's supporters.

"Yeah, I’ll tell you how to make sense of it: This country’s filled with ignorant jacka--es," he said. "The big red dildo running through the middle of our country needs to be annexed to be its own country of moronic a--holes. You can call it the United States of Moronic F---ing Assholes."

Shannon ("Man of Steel," "Take Shelter") elaborated on how he thinks the eight years of Obama's presidency now feel "like a lie" because racism and sexism have been "festering underneath the whole time" in disenchanted Trump voters.

"A lot of these people, they don’t know why the f--- they’re alive," he said. "They’re doing drugs, f---ing killing themselves. Because they’re like, 'Why the f--- am I alive? I can’t get a job, I don’t know anything about anything, I have no curiosity for life or the world.' So this Trump thing is like getting a box of firecrackers, or something. It’s like, 'Well, this will be fun for a little while, this’ll kill some time.' Because, y’know, the jacka-- will be amusing on television, stay stupid sh--." 

Shannon went on to call Trump's presidency "the worst thing that's ever happened." 

"It’s the worst," he said. "This guy is going to destroy civilization as we know it, and the earth, and all because of these people who don’t have any idea why they’re alive."

SEE ALSO: Actor Michael Shannon says 'I could very easily just not do this anymore and not miss it'

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The first trailer for Marvel's ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ sequel is here

How The Rock went from $7 to his name to the highest-paid star in Hollywood

0
0

Dwayne Johnson Sergi Alexander GettyDwayne "The Rock" Johnson has been on an incredible run of late and things have only gotten better.

Along with Forbes naming him the highest-paid actor in the world in August with $64.5 million earned in the past year, People magazine has just anoited him the Sexiest Man Alive in its annual issue.

Johnson has been able to do this by looking good while gaining major coin from franchises like "Fast and the Furious" and "San Andreas," which have put his lifetime worldwide box-office gross at over $6 billion. And coming up he's got a "Baywatch" movie and "Jumanji" sequel.

He's also stepping into the superhero world in the near future, as he's signed on to be Doc Savage.

That's not to mention his other endeavors like a YouTube channel, a production company, and endorsement deals. And Johnson knows how to connect with his fans via social media like no other star.

Here we look back on the incredible career of The Rock, from a washed-up football player with only $7 to his name to Hollywood mega-star.

Frank Pallotta and Mallory Schlossberg contributed to an earlier version of this story.

SEE ALSO: Here's the most popular music artist in every state, according to Pandora

Before he was "The Rock," Dwayne Johnson was born on May 2, 1972, in Hayward, California.

Source: Biography



Wrestling is in Johnson's blood. His father, Rocky "Soul Man" Johnson, was a member of the first African-American tag-team champions, and his grandfather Peter Maivia was one of the first Samoan wrestlers.

Source: YouTube



Johnson didn't go straight to wrestling. His first sport was football. After starring in high school, he played in college for the Miami Hurricanes. Over his tenure at the University of Miami, Johnson started just once but appeared in 39 games and had 77 tackles, and he was a part of the 1991 national championship team.

Source: ESPN



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here's why AT&T is buying Time Warner, and why it thinks the government can't stop the sale (TWX, T)

0
0

randall stephenson

AT&T wants to buy Time Warner in a monster $85 billion deal, but some are concerned the government, particularly under Donald Trump, will move to block it.

“In an example of the power structure I’m fighting, AT&T is buying Time Warner and thus CNN — a deal we will not approve in my administration because it’s too much concentration of power in the hands of too few,” Trump said while campaigning.

AT&T, however, is telling Wall Street not to worry.

At RBC's recent Technology, Internet, Media and Telecommunications (TIMT) Conference in New York, AT&T management suggested there wouldn't be any trouble with the merger.

The FCC question

One big reason AT&T is smiling is because the company believes the merger won't be under the jurisdiction of the FCC.

"The only scenario in which the FCC would have jurisdiction is if Time Warner transfers certain broadcast licenses to AT&T," RBC analyst Jonathan Atkin, who viewed the presentation by AT&T's Chris Womack and Michael Black, wrote. "The company believes these licenses (primarily business radio licenses and licenses related to Time Warner’s ownership of the WPCN superstation) can be offloaded easily, obviating the need for an FCC review."

That would mean the merger would only need to clear the Department of Justice, which AT&T is optimistic about.

"The major difference between an FCC and DOJ review is that a DOJ review provides AT&T legal recourse while the FCC, if it chooses not to support the deal can defer the issue to an administrative law judge, a process that can last upwards of three years, usually resulting in the dissolution of the deal," Atkin wrote.

AT&T likes its odds, and expects the timeline on the merger to be 12-14 months.

Why Time Warner?

In the presentation, AT&T also outlined some of the rationale for the Time Warner deal.

Here's the most interesting bit: "AT&T hopes to strengthen its quad-play offering by zero-rating Time Warner content, which the company believes will provide consumers an incentive to adopt the AT&T bundle," Atkin wrote. 

"Zero-rating" is when wireless carriers don't count data used with certain streaming services against your data cap. So for AT&T-Time Warner, it could mean that you never have to pay for data to watch HBO. You won't have to worry about data overages when you're watching "Game of Thrones."

This sounds great for the customer on the surface, but the FCC has said it has "serious concerns" about the way AT&T is using zero-rating, particularly with regards to its upcoming DirecTV Now streaming TV service.

Why?

AT&T has said it will treat its rivals (and friends) equally when it comes to zero-rating. That likely means that every company, from Netflix to Showtime, will have to pay a certain fee to have their video zero-rated. No freebies for HBO. But since AT&T would own HBO, that "fee" money would just be shifting from one pocket of AT&T to another. That's a place AT&T could potentially act anti-competitively.

That said, there have been some indications that a Trump administration might be very friendly to zero-rating, so AT&T might have a clearer path moving forward.

At the conference, AT&T provided a few other reasons for the Time Warner merger, as well. Here they are:

  • AT&T thinks it could help reduce churn (cancellations) in its wireless business.
  • It could help AT&T maintain control of content distribution in the face of potential rivals like Amazon, Google, and Facebook, as video shifts toward over-the-top (OTT) delivery.
  • AT&T thinks it can boost ad revenue. "In internal trials, the company has successfully increased sales of certain products by as much as 80% through targeted advertising," Atkin wrote.

SEE ALSO: AT&T will give away free Apple TVs and Fire Sticks with its new $35 streaming TV service

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Obama: 'We are going to have to guard against a rise in a crude sort of nationalism'

13 photos of Princess Diana's most iconic gowns

0
0

Princess Diana John Travolta

To mark 20 years since her tragic death, Kensington Palace is launching a special exhibition next year to celebrate the life and style of Princess Diana.

Titled Diana: Her Fashion Story, the exhibition, which opens February 24 at Princess Diana's former home of over 15 years, will display outfits from throughout her life in the public eye, from evening gowns in the 80s to Catherine Walker suits in the 90s, and will showcase original fashion sketches.

"Diana, Princess of Wales, was one of the most photographed women in the world, and every fashion choice she made was closely scrutinised," said exhibition curator Eleri Lynn in a press release Tuesday. "Our exhibition explores the story of a young woman who had to quickly learn the rules of royal and diplomatic dressing, who in the process put the spotlight on the British fashion industry and designers."

Whether it was her feminine and romantic looks in the 80s to her more glamorous and elegant gowns in later years, Princess Diana used fashion not only to set trends but also to call attention to causes she cared about.

From her memorable white wedding dress in 1981 to the iconic blue velvet Victor Edelstein gown she wore to dance with John Travolta at the White House in 1985, we've rounded up some of her most memorable looks below. 

 

July 29, 1981: Wearing a gown with a 25-foot train made of ivory silk taffeta and antique lace which is believed to have cost £9,000, Lady Diana Spencer married Prince Charles at Saint Paul's Cathedral on July 29, 1981.

The dress has since become one of the most famous in history.



November 9, 1985: This image of Princess Diana dancing at the White House with John Travolta has become one of her most memorable, partly due to the ink-blue Victor Edelstein gown she wore.

The dress sold for £100,000 in 1997 at a charity auction held in New York two months before she died, and was one of 10 dresses to raise money for AIDS and cancer charities in Britain and the US. In 2013 it was sold again for £240,000 to a British collector.



February 12, 1986: The Princess of Wales wore this off the shoulder gown to a banquet at Ajuda Palace in Lisbon where she met Portuguese President Mario Soares.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider
Viewing all 101983 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images