Exploring the Success of Jacob Rothschild, A Modern Icon of Wealth and Philanthropy

Exploring the Success of Jacob Rothschild, A Modern Icon of Wealth and Philanthropy

Nesianetwork    Februari 29, 2024    Comment   

 

Nesianetwork.id - In the echelons of global finance and philanthropy, few names resonate with as much gravitas as Jacob Rothschild. Born into one of the wealthiest and most influential families in history, Rothschild has carved out a remarkable legacy of his own, blending astute business acumen with a deep commitment to philanthropy and social responsibility. This article delves into the life, career, and success of Jacob Rothschild, shedding light on the factors that have shaped his journey and the enduring impact he has had on the world stage.

Jacob Rothschild was born on April 29, 1936, into the illustrious Rothschild banking dynasty, which traces its origins back to Mayer Amschel Rothschild in the late 18th century. Raised in a family steeped in tradition and finance, he received a world-class education at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford. These formative years instilled in him a strong sense of duty, coupled with a thirst for knowledge and excellence.

Rothschild's entry into the world of finance was marked by his tenure at N M Rothschild & Sons, the family's banking business. He quickly rose through the ranks, demonstrating a keen intellect and a knack for strategic decision-making. In 1980, he founded J. Rothschild Assurance Group, a pioneering insurance company that became a cornerstone of his financial empire.

Throughout his career, Rothschild has been a shrewd investor, navigating complex markets with aplomb. His ventures span a wide array of industries, from finance and mining to agriculture and technology. Through his investment vehicle, RIT Capital Partners plc, he has amassed a diverse portfolio of assets, generating substantial wealth for himself and his investors.

Beyond his success in the financial realm, Jacob Rothschild is perhaps equally renowned for his philanthropic endeavors. He has long been a champion of causes related to education, healthcare, and the arts, channeling his resources towards initiatives that promote social progress and cultural enrichment.

Rothschild's philanthropic footprint extends across the globe, with contributions to numerous charitable organizations and institutions. His support for educational initiatives, such as scholarships and research grants, has empowered countless individuals to pursue their academic and intellectual aspirations. Likewise, his patronage of the arts has helped preserve and promote cultural heritage for future generations to appreciate and enjoy.

As Jacob Rothschild approaches his twilight years, his legacy looms large, encompassing not only his remarkable financial success but also his enduring commitment to philanthropy and social responsibility. He stands as a beacon of inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs and altruists alike, showcasing the transformative power of wealth when wielded with integrity and compassion.

In a world grappling with economic inequality and social injustice, the example set by Jacob Rothschild serves as a potent reminder of the potential for positive change when individuals of means dedicate themselves to the greater good. Through his tireless efforts and unwavering dedication, he has left an indelible mark on the tapestry of human history, enriching the lives of countless individuals and leaving a legacy that will endure for generations to come.

Despite his unparalleled success and philanthropic efforts, Jacob Rothschild has not been immune to criticism and controversy. The Rothschild family's immense wealth and influence have often been the subject of speculation and conspiracy theories, fueling mistrust and skepticism in certain circles. Accusations of undue political influence and economic manipulation have dogged the family for generations, though evidence to substantiate such claims remains elusive.

Moreover, Rothschild's business dealings have occasionally drawn scrutiny from regulatory authorities and watchdog groups. Allegations of market manipulation and conflicts of interest have surfaced over the years, prompting inquiries and investigations into his financial activities. While Rothschild has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, these incidents have cast a shadow over his otherwise sterling reputation.

As the global landscape evolves, Jacob Rothschild has demonstrated a remarkable ability to adapt and thrive in the face of uncertainty. In an era marked by technological disruption and geopolitical upheaval, he has remained at the forefront of innovation, leveraging his vast resources and expertise to capitalize on emerging opportunities.

Rothschild's investment strategy reflects a keen understanding of macroeconomic trends and geopolitical dynamics, allowing him to anticipate market shifts and position himself accordingly. Whether it be navigating the complexities of Brexit or navigating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, he has exhibited a steady hand and a deft touch in steering his financial empire through turbulent waters.

As Jacob Rothschild enters the twilight of his illustrious career, the question of succession looms large. With no clear heir apparent, speculation abounds regarding the future direction of the Rothschild dynasty. Will the next generation uphold the family's legacy of wealth and philanthropy, or will they forge their own path in an increasingly interconnected world?

Regardless of what the future may hold, one thing remains certain: the impact of Jacob Rothschild's life and legacy will endure for generations to come. From his pioneering efforts in finance to his unwavering commitment to philanthropy, he has left an indelible mark on the world stage, inspiring countless individuals to strive for excellence and to make a positive difference in the world. As history continues to unfold, the Rothschild name will stand as a testament to the power of vision, perseverance, and compassion in shaping the course of human destiny.

Jacob Rothschild, a wealthy financier, patron of the arts and philanthropist with close ties to Israel, who broke with his family’s fabled banking dynasty at a time of radical change in the world of high finance, has died. He was 87.

His death was announced on Monday by the Rothschild Foundation, a British charity of which he was the chairman. It did not specify when or where he died or give the cause of death. (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/26/business/jacob-rothschild-dead.html)

From TechCrunch: Tech for Palestine launches to provide tools to help support Palestinians

From TechCrunch: Tech for Palestine launches to provide tools to help support Palestinians

Nesianetwork    Januari 03, 2024    Comment   

 

Nesianetwork.id - More than 40 founders, investors, engineers and others in the tech industry are today announcing a coalition called Tech for Palestine to build open source projects, tools and data to help others in the industry advocate for the Palestinian people.

The launch of the group comes during a tense time in the region. Hamas’s October 7th attack on Israel led to the deaths of more than 1,100 individuals. The war in the Gaza Strip that followed has seen the displacement of millions of Palestinians and tens of thousands of deaths.

The Israel-Hamas war has proved divisive to the tech industry. Israel, home to a well-known technology and startup market, has seen strong support from tech individuals and institutions. In contrast, calls for ceasefires and speaking in support of Palestine have caused some to lose their jobs.

Paul Biggar, the founder of Tech for Palestine, hopes to raise more awareness of the war in Gaza, fight for a permanent ceasefire and provide ways for those who are afraid to speak publicly in support of Palestine to still offer support. It is one of the first tech initiatives to take a public stance supporting Palestine and could represent a turning point in the venture industry’s posture regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict as more people seek to speak out in favor of a ceasefire.

Biggar, the founder of the company CircleCI — last valued at $1.7 billion — formed the coalition after writing a viral blog post that criticized the lack of support the tech industry has shown Palestinians. He said that after he wrote his blog post, thousands of people reached out to him with words of support, many of them afraid to speak up themselves for fear of potential career impacts.

Among them, he said, were “dozens of people not only speaking up but who had started projects to change the industry to ensure that people speaking up for Palestine could be heard. Dozens of others were volunteering to help,” Biggar added. “I started connecting these folks together, and the [Tech for Palestine] community came together very quickly.”

The platform, still in its early days, will feature projects run by small groups and serve as a place to share resources and advice, something many pro-Palestinian tech workers are already doing privately. It has already secured names like Idris Mokhtarzada, founder of the unicorn Truebill, to help build out the platform. So far, it has created a badge for engineers to use on GitHub that calls for a ceasefire and created HTML snippets for people to use on their websites to put up a support ceasefire banner.

Biggar said there are plans to eventually work more with Palestinian organizations and help Palestinian startups with mentorship and cloud credits. TechCrunch previously reported that the war has destroyed much of Palestine’s burgeoning tech industry.

Arfah Farooq, founder of Muslamic Makers, said the last three months have changed everyone in many ways. At the same time, there has been a togetherness and activism that she has never seen before. “I’ve seen firsthand people come together to work for Palestine with nothing but their laptops from across the globe,” she said.

She decided to work with Tech for Palestine after reading Biggar’s viral blog post and has already started to share resources on how to support Palestine. “Due to the siege, we can’t go to Gaza and help on the ground, but we help regardless of where we are in the world,” Farooq said.

One engineer, who asked to remain anonymous, decided to join the coalition because this person felt suffocated at work. This person has agreed to work as an engineer and product manager to help build resources for Tech for Palestine, saying, “I hope this initiative will spark a significant shift and give people their voices back.”

A former tech brand marketer, who is also scared to speak out publicly for fear it will impact a new job search, also told TechCrunch about feeling happy to have a way to get involved with the cause.

“This period has been incredibly isolating to Arabs, Muslims and other people of color in VC and tech,” she said. “Tech for Palestine is a necessary initiative. When we are seeing mobilization around the world and the U.S. in the numbers of hundreds of thousands calling for peace and [the] humanization of the Palestinians, the tech community can no longer be silent.”

The Tech for Palestine initiative comes as the death toll among Palestinians continues to rise. In recent weeks, U.S. officials have reportedly prodded Israel to do more to protect civilians in Gaza even as they have called U.S. support for Israeli security unshakable.

Biggar hopes, at the very least, that this new coalition will augur a larger shift in people speaking up.

“The narrative has only just turned,” he said. “We are working to enable many more who feel silenced to speak out, we are only getting started.”

Source:

https://techcrunch.com/2024/01/02/tech-for-palestine-launches-to-provide-tools-and-projects-to-help-advocate-for-palestinians/

by Dominic-Madori Davis

This is Success Story of The New York Times $100M Side Business

This is Success Story of The New York Times $100M Side Business

Nesianetwork    Januari 03, 2024    Comment   

 

Nesianetwork.id - This is Success Story of The New York Times’ $100M Side Business. Print media is dying, and the internet killed it. Daily newspaper circulation has dropped by over 50% since 2020, and roughly two newspapers go out of business every week. 

Now, amidst all this chaos, the New York Times hasn't just weathered the storm of declining newspaper sales, but their revenue has actually been growing since 2016. And while many attribute this to "digital transformation," beneath the surface lies a secret, a strategic move that most haven't noticed. 

And the answer probably isn't what you're thinking. Because it has nothing to do with journalism - but it has everything to do with how we shop. But before we get there, we need to talk about this so-called "digital transformation." In March 2011, the New York Times announced that it would be launching digital subscriptions. 

This meant that you could read up to 20 articles on their site each month and have access to some of their apps. And adoption was actually quite good. Their digital subscription revenue has been growing year over year for over a decade. And today, it brings in around a billion dollars per year in revenue. 

Now, that digital subscription has evolved into what the New York Times CEO, Meredeth Kopit Levien refers to as a "digital product experience". And this "experience" can be bought for around $6 per week to gain access to news, games like Wordle, the Cooking App, and more. But this 'digital product experience' narrative was far from the whole story. 

Under the hood, something else was brewing — a pivotal change that kick-started near the end of 2016. You see, while the rest of the print world  continued sinking, The New York Times' revenue grew a notable amount for the first time in over a decade. And while much of this growth is because of more digital subscriptions, the part that no one's really talking about is this "Other" revenue source which has nearly tripled since 2016, making up roughly 10% of their total revenue today. 

So what's this mysterious 9-figure side business all about? Well, according to the New York Times' 2022 annual report, they state that "Other revenues primarily consist of revenues from licensing," and right after that, "Wirecutter affiliate referrals," which was not so coincidentally acquired in October 2016, right before they began a new wave of growth. 

And in their Q2 earnings call from that same year, they noted that "other revenues" came in higher than guidance, specifically calling out "higher Wirecutter affiliate referrals." Now, affiliate referrals are commissions that are generated through affiliate marketing. And this is when a company is compensated a commission in exchange for referring leads or sales to an affiliate merchant. 

This is the primary monetization method used by the Wirecutter. To better illustrate what this looks like in action, say you want to buy an air fryer. You'll probably go to Google and  search for "best air fryer." In fact, your search is just one of 123,000 that happen in any given month in the US alone. Now, you click on the link to the New York Times Wirecutter because it ranks high and you know the brand. Then you scroll through the article, click some links to Amazon, and then make a purchase based on some Amazon reviews and your budget. Nothing out of the ordinary here. 

But what you might have missed while  shopping is that the links you clicked   have a tracking tag attached to them. This is called an affiliate link. And when someone clicks this affiliate link, it tells Amazon that the Wirecutter referred those shoppers to them. And when those clickers make a purchase, Amazon is going to give the New York Times a cut of that sale. How much of a cut? Well, according to Amazon Associate's  commissions table, an air fryer falls into the "kitchen" category so it pays out 4.5%. 

So for a $100 air fryer, a standard affiliate would get around $4.50. And while this may not sound like a hundred million dollar business, the scale at which the New York Times is doing affiliate marketing is absolutely bonkers. And I'll show you exactly how big they've taken this site soon, but first, it's vital that you understand why affiliate marketing was and still is the perfect add-on business for the New York Times. 

And there's two main reasons. First: It doesn't require a lot of cash to start or operate. In fact, there are plenty of solo bloggers who are running multi-six-, seven- and even eight-figure affiliate marketing sites – perfect for a company that was probably being a bit more cash-conscious. And second and perhaps the most important part: the New York Times is one of the most authoritative brands on the planet. 

They have around 100 million followers across their social accounts. And from a search engine standpoint, their website is just outside of the top 100 most powerful domains, making nytimes.com an optimal home to attract substantial organic traffic. So basically, The New York Times has all three ingredients to make an untouchable affiliate site: a content and editorial team that can produce top-notch content, the domain and audience to quickly generate tons of traffic, and a brand name that's well-known and trusted, which I'm sure contributes to higher conversion rates. And they knew all this and capitalized on it. Let's look at the journey of the Wirecutter. 

So, pre-acquisition, thewirecutter.com was getting around 1 million monthly visits from Google search. Then in October 2016, the site was acquired for a reported $30 million. Now, their first act of order was to do what they do best: scale content like crazy. And within just one year from the acquisition date, they more than doubled content and tripled organic traffic. And they continued to scale content and rank it in Google on thewirecutter.com domain. 

Then in May 2020, the New York Times would take a risk that not many marketing professionals would do with a site that's getting five million monthly visits from Google and generating tens of millions of dollars. They migrated all of the content from thewirecutter.com to the New York Times domain, dropping their traffic to zero. And if you've ever dealt with migrations, you know that they almost always come with problems. But something absolutely crazy happened once the migration was done. 

They restored all of their traffic on the New York Times domain and by November that same year, they had hit over eight million monthly organic visits from Google. And using their brand and authority, they've tripled search traffic to nearly 15 million monthly visits from Google search alone. 

So with 15X the organic traffic since the acquisition and likely higher commission rates with affiliate merchants, I'd say that their 30 million dollar bet paid off big time. And today, the New York Times' Wirecutter  ranks for just about every "best product name"  query in Google like "best air purifier," "best gifts for dad," "best wireless outdoor home security cameras," and thousands more. 

Now, unfortunately, we can't put an exact dollar amount on the Wirecutter's revenue because, even if we knew the affiliate numbers, that's not the whole picture. And the reason for that is because some Wirecutter visitors almost certainly end up buying the New York times main cash cow: the digital subscription. And other digital subscribers are probably buying the subscription because it includes full, unrestricted access to the Wirecutter's content. 

What we do know is that when the New York Times took over the Wirecutter, an already successful business, they continued to publish high-quality reviews at scale, leveraged SEO as their primary marketing tactic to get free and consistent visitors to their site, and used the affiliate marketing model to passively generate revenue, creating this amazing, yet valuable eight to nine-figure side business.

Source:

Youtube Channel Ahrefs

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjvIph3Sx4c

This is How Watermelon Became a Symbol of Resistance in Palestine

This is How Watermelon Became a Symbol of Resistance in Palestine

Nesianetwork    Desember 31, 2023    Comment   

 

Nesianetwork.id - T he watermelon may be a enormous portion of Palestinian culture, including in numerous dishes and crossing into the craftsmanship world where it has ended up a image of resistance. The ruddy, green, white and dark colored natural product held in hand, portrayed in craftsmanship or posted as an emoji has moreover ended up a way for Palestinians and their supporters to dissent against Israel. 

We've been seeing the natural product including in social media posts over the web ever since the Gaza intrusion started after Hamas assault on Israel on October 7. As of nowadays, more than 6,546 Palestinians have been murdered, counting 2,704 children, and over 17,000 individuals have been injured so distant in continuous Israeli retaliatory strikes.

The utilize of the watermelon as a Palestinian image isn't modern. It to begin with developed in 1967, when Israel seized control of the West Bank and Gaza and added East Jerusalem. Taking after this, the Israeli government utilized a military arrange to create open shows of the Palestinian hail a criminal offense in Gaza and the West Bank. In arrange to bypass the forbiddance, Palestinians begun utilizing watermelons since, when cut open, the natural product shows the energetic tints of the Palestinian hail - the ruddy watermelon substance, dark seeds, white skin, and green external skin.

Israel lifted the ban on the Palestinian flag in 1993, as part of the Oslo Accords, which entailed mutual recognition by Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organisation and were the first formal agreements to try to resolve the Israel-Palestine situation. The flag was accepted as representing the Palestinian Authority, which would administer Gaza and the West Bank. 

In 2007, just after the Second Intifada, artist Khaled Hourani created The Story of the Watermelon for a book titled Subjective Atlas of Palestine. In 2013, he isolated one print and named it The Colours of the Palestinian Flag, which has since been seen by people across the globe. In 2021, the symbol returned when settlers, supported by an Israeli court ruling, took over the homes of Palestinian families in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of East Jerusalem.

In January 2023, Israel’s national security minister granted the police the power to confiscate Palestinian flags. There was an attempt to turn this into a law but before that could happen the government collapsed.

In June, Zazim, an Arab-Israeli community organisation, launched a campaign to protest against the ensuing arrests and confiscation of flags. Images of watermelons were plastered on to 16 taxis operating in Tel Aviv, with the accompanying text: “This is not a Palestinian flag.” Amal Saad, a Palestinian from Haifa who worked on the Zazim campaign, told Al Jazeera they had a clear message: “If you want to stop us, we’ll find another way to express ourselves.” Since the invasion began, many authors, activists, journalists, filmmakers, and ordinary users across the world have reported that social posts containing hashtags such as “Free Palestine” or “I Stand With Palestine” are receiving less engagement than their other posts. They believe their messages expressing support for Palestinian civilians killed by Israeli forces are being shadowbanned by social media platforms. A shadowban is when social media platforms actively censore accounts or reduce the reach of certain posts and content. To counter this blockade of information X, Instagram and Facebook users have started using the watermelon emoji in their usernames, stories and posts in place of Palestine.

Sara Jamil, a lecturer at Indus Valley School and graphic designer, experienced something similar. “My Instagram account kept getting shadowbanned, which made me angry and frustrated,” she said. In a bid to do something, Jamil created an artwork around the resistance symbol and posted it on Instagram. Unsurprisingly, it got thousands of views. “People will always find a way to express themselves, sitting so far, they can’t do much. Hence, they connected with the issue through small actions like these,” the designer added. Social media is battleground right now, with many people trying to fight for Palestine online. Spreading awareness and keeping the movement alive the best way they know how, they too have adopted the watermelon as a symbol of hope for Palestine.

This article was published in thejakartapost.com. Click to read: https://www.thejakartapost.com/world/2023/11/06/how-watermelon-became-a-symbol-of-resistance-in-palestine.html.

This is How Airbnb Fell From Successful Startup to Crisis Mode

This is How Airbnb Fell From Successful Startup to Crisis Mode

Nesianetwork    Desember 27, 2023    Comment   

 

Nesianetwork.id - 2020 was supposed to be the golden year for Airbnb, it was supposed to be the year that Airbnb went public. They were supposed to be the hottest offering of this year.

In just under a decade, Airbnb went from a single air mattress for rent to a global company valued at more than 30 billion dollars. The home sharing giant has thousands of employees, over three million hosts, and seven million listings in over 220 countries. It even branched out with a new division called Experiences. Which allows guests to book outings. But travel is now at a stand still. Airbnb's planned listing is in doubt. 

Expected revenue is down by at least half, and CEO Brian Chesky said 25% of staff will be cut. So how did one of the most successful startups of the decade become such a vulnerable company? - Airbnb was founded in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. A lot of ordinary people had lost their jobs and were looking for secondary income. 

Once the idea of sharing your home with someone took off, a lot of people bought into that promise. - You know we had revenue from day one. And we didn't actually need to raise money at any given point. We decided that we invest ahead of growth and we've always tried to think about it like a throttle. So that we could at any given point throttle into profitability. - Airbnb was profitable by a certain measure in 2017 and 2018. So that gave investors a lot of confidence and excited everyone, really, about the prospect of a startup like this that has become a household name around the world to go public. - These are beautiful homes. 

The company spent big during this period of growth. Administrative costs increased 113% between 2017 and 2019 as they hired thousands of employees and built out a corporate headquarters in a trendy San Francisco neighborhood. Then 2019 ended with a tragedy. - Airbnb now says it is banning house parties. That after a shooting left five people dead in San Francisco in a suburb there on Halloween night. - This mass shooting was really a moment of reckoning for Airbnb and that's what led them to invest over 100 million dollars into safety initiatives. 

These expenses helped bring Airbnb's total costs to 5.3 billion dollars last year. More than double what they were in 2017. - You had board members grilling some of the executives and saying, "Hey, your costs "are outpacing your revenue growth. "Lets reign that in, let's control that." And then of course the pandemic hit and changed everything for Airbnb. - China says the number of people infected by a mysterious respiratory virus has more than tripled over the weekend. In January, officials in China issued local travel warnings and restrictions following the spread of Covid-19. - It wiped out bookings over night in China. So remember at the time, no one thought this would become a global problem. 

And then on March 11th, President Donald Trump announced new international travel restrictions. As Airbnb bookings fell, Chesky held in-person meetings with employees to discuss what these new developments meant for Airbnb and their plans to go public. - What was happening was a lot of anxiety was building among employees because a lot of them have stock options. And those are set to expire later this year, which meant that if they didn't go public this year, a lot of valuable options that employees hold would just be worthless. So Mr. Chesky really took it upon himself to reassure employees, to say, "It's gonna be okay. "We are still very much going to list this year." That changed in a matter of days. By the end of March, he struck a more cautious tone. He held a video conference with employees where he said everything is on the table. 

Around this time many guests began to demand refunds for reservations. But Airbnb had a long time practice of allowing hosts to set their own cancellation policies. - But in a world where you have guests fighting back and saying, "Hosts are not giving us any refunds, "what's Airbnb gonna do about it?" I think that really shook the company as well. 

This led to a sudden decision by Chesky to give guests refunds for certain bookings. After backlash from some hosts, Chesky issued an apology to them. - I am sorry. I'm sorry we didn't consult you as partners. And I've heard from you ever since that decision. 

Airbnb said it would pay hosts 25% of what they would have received for canceled bookings. They also created a 17 million dollar mortgage fund to help top rated hosts cover mortgages. By April the company had barely any revenue coming in from short term stays. - So they ended up raising a billion dollars in debt at a very high interest rate that is associated with distressed assets. So overnight Airbnb went from being the Silicon Valley unicorn that is a household name around the world, to being reduced to business that is in distress. 

On May fifth, Brian Chesky announced massive staff cuts in a memo that has drawn praise for addressing the impending layoffs with compassion and clarity. Chesky said nearly 2000 employees, a quarter of Airbnb's workforce would be cut. He also said 2020 revenue would be less than half of what it was in 2019. - I think everyone would be very surprised if they choose to go public later on this year. What I'm hearing from investors is that Airbnb would need at least two good quarters before they go public. 

The pandemic has shifted Airbnb in fundamental ways. The company is pivoting to longterm stays, and recently rolled out cleaning guidelines to help guests feel safe whenever they do return to rentals. The sudden collapse of the Airbnb economy that was a lifeline for many has also exposed deep cracks in the sharing economy. 

If you think about it, Airbnb is really a property manager without the property risk. Unlike hotels that run and manage their properties, Airbnb doesn't own any of the properties. The pandemic has really held a mirror and has really made us all question the very fundamentals of the sharing economy. Who takes on the risk.

Source:

Youtue Channel Wall Street Journal

Link:

https://youtu.be/c-y69rCGx_8?si=5ekNo_hx00N0HlH4

This is Pantone, The Company That Turns Color Into Money

This is Pantone, The Company That Turns Color Into Money

Nesianetwork    Desember 27, 2023    Comment   

 

Nesianetwork.id - This is Peach Fuzz. Pantone's 2024 Color of the Year. It'll make headlines, but we're not gonna talk about it a lot in this video because selling colors is not how the company makes money. It also doesn't make money selling paint or color mixing machinery or even color itself. 

What Pantone sells is something much more abstract, a promise of uniformity so that the color Peach Fuzz looks the same, whether it's printed out on a billboard or a ceramic mug. This whole idea that you can sell consistency is relatively new. It's the brainchild of this guy, Lawrence Herbert, AKA, the king of color. This is the economics of Pantone. New Jersey, 1956. Recently graduated chemistry major Lawrence Herbert joined a small printing company called Pantone as a part-time printer. 

At the time, product packaging was less consistent. Now we're used to seeing products come in identical packaging, like all these blue Modelo boxes. But Pantone's president says "It didn't use to be that way, "back when everything was done over the phone." - It's really difficult to say, "Hey, that's a, it's kind of like a cherry wrap, "but not as bright, but maybe slightly darker." It is really hard to actually convey that message. - For example, see these two camera boxes? The yellow on the right is brighter than the one on the left. Kodak says customers were more likely to buy the lighter yellow boxes, logically thinking that the darker boxes were older and therefore contained older film. 

Customers didn't know that the difference in color was due to the fact that the boxes were printed at different factories. Each of which mixed their own versions of Kodak yellow. Herbert recognized this was a problem as he worked his way up the ranks at Pantone, he became known for his expertise in color chemistry, and when he bought the company in 1962, he had an idea to change it from a printing company into something entirely different that could solve Kodak's problems. H

is team created a set of formulas, so every factory printed the packaging in the same color. - For a lot of companies, color is part of their brand identity. There's Tiffany and they have that specific blue, and it's very important because we say, "Oh, that's Tiffany Blue." We see the box and we go, "Oh, you got me a Tiffany ring." - 67 years after Herbert joined the company, Pantone has developed these formulations into over 10,000 colors, - So no one actually owns color. What we have is the IP of the Pantone color system, which is a collection of colors that we have selected for it's not just this beauty, but it's reproducibility across different formats. 

Matching colors across formats is harder than it sounds, but it's vital for companies. - They may have a color in mind that they want to make sure that can be reproduced across different materials that they may be presented color, whether it could be from their clothing line, all the way to the storefront, all the way to the internet representation on the website. - So say a company wanted the same color on its packaging and its magazine ads, the ink might look one way on cardboard and another way on glossy paper. 

So Pantone would have to provide slightly different formulas to make the colors look exactly the same. For example, the cardboard formula would be adjusted to a matte, absorbent, slightly textured surface, while the formula for magazine paper would be altered to account for the shiny finish. To ensure all colors look the same, Pantone has a rigorous quality control process. 

The company uses a tool called the Spectrophotometer to compare the same color on different surfaces. So Pantone would analyze reflected light from the materials and generate a number value based on that color. Then they'd compare it to the number for the color in their official index. If the data doesn't match, they'd have to reformulate. - You know, basically someone's out there checking these cards to make sure that the fabric that we've dyed are within a certain Delta E difference, meaning that it the color is consistent one by one, and it's highly, it has to be highly accurate. 

Pantone has done color testing for over 10,000 colors, which it compiles into these Color Guides, like this 1964 version, which cover the whole gamut or range of colors logged by the company. There are dozens of different versions of the guidebooks. Some are even made specifically for certain companies. - About half of our revenue comes from the physical Guides that we have. Because there are so many different formats of it. 

They can cost about $700 for this essentials kit to about $9,000 for a set of color display towers. Pantone says the guidebooks generate the most revenue. It sells them to designers, marketers, and artists annually. Each year they're updated with new colors. - Your book is exposed to air and it can oxidize, and then what you see in your book can visually change when you look at it. So then you won't accurately know if that's the exact color that you are looking for. So for that reason, it is important to keep getting fresh books so that you can view them accurately. 

Pantone says the other half of its revenue comes from its consulting and licensing and digital services businesses. Universal Studios approached Pantone for the 2015 movie "Minions", asking them to make a new yellow. It made this banana inspired hue and standardized it for the franchise. - Banana? - Uh, Stuart? (foreign language) - Banana! 

Companies can trademark specific colors, so you can't say, "Make and sell your own competing products "using Tiffany Blue," but when it comes to all the other colors in Pantone's guidebooks. - So those who get their hands on the color, of course they can use the color, but when we're communicating colors between different people, and this is where the Pantone IP comes into handy because we can refer to a specific shade, a hue of a color through its name.

While the majority of Pantone's revenue comes from those branches, it's well-known marketing campaign might be what makes it a household name. 2024's Peach Fuzz is inspired by warmth and healing. A Pantone spokeswoman said they anticipated increased interest in self-care in the next year, which they felt the shade represented. 

We want to make sure that our community of creatives and designers, you have a conversation about color every year, at least once a year. After nearly five decades of ownership, Lawrence Herbert's family sold Pantone to X-Rite in 2007. The company makes color measurement tools, which helped to cement Pantone status as a color authority. Just five years later, X-Rite was acquired by the Danaher Corporation, a life sciences and technology conglomerate. In October, Pantone and X-Rite spun off from Danaher with 11 other companies into a newly traded company, Veralto Corp. 

While Lawrence Herbert could have never predicted Pantone's evolution. His idea was a leap forward for the marketing industry and the world of color. And as products advance from physical to digital, Pantone's scope will have to keep evolving. - When it comes to color, we want to make sure that it's always going to be consistent no matter where you are, whether it's in digital format where we can continue to expand on that, those products and services, or in different types of physical format to help by our customers and clients find the right color and be able to execute those colors the way that they want it to be.

Source:

Youtube Channel Wall Street Journal

Link: 
https://youtu.be/y4HfxwzdCNg?si=xWQg4EnkZnp4K-ez

This is How WeWork Went From $47B Startup to Bankrupt Penny Stock

This is How WeWork Went From $47B Startup to Bankrupt Penny Stock

Nesianetwork    Desember 27, 2023    Comment   

 

Nesianetwork.id - This is How WeWork Went From $47B Startup to Bankrupt Penny Stock. We work once a venture capital darling has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy. The filing marks a stunning reversal for the desk rental giant that was once valued at $47 billion. 

Wework was the poster child of the unsustainable start up frenzy of the 2010 s rise and fall so dramatic. It was characterized in an Apple TV series who is in a fight, the smart guy or the crazy guy. Are you crazy enough? I may be, I may be, here's how we work went from being one of the country's most valuable start ups to a bankrupt penny stock now worth a fraction of its peak value. 

We work co founded by Adam Newman specialized in leasing shared workspaces in metropolitan areas around the world. We're a company that builds communities. We have our mission. Our main thing that we do is curate and create culture. Wework was founded in 2010 right after the global financial crisis and it basically seized on this casualization of the workforce that was emerging after that, we work raked in funding from a roster of major investors from venture capital firm, benchmark capital to banks like JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs, the founder, Adam Newman was able to convince all of these people that, that we work was a disruptive tech company that that was going to do to the office market. 

What, what Facebook did to sort of social media and, and, and what Uber did to, to uh transportation, they ended up raising over $10 billion for what was effectively a real estate company worth a lot less than $10 billion. In 2019. Wework hit a peak valuation of $47 billion and took steps towards an initial public offering. At the time, the private tech start ups were seen as this really sort of powerful engine of the future economy. And there was a lot of optimism about them.

So they get ready to go public and sort of reveal their numbers to the world and people kind of wake up while we worked revenue was growing. So were its expenses despite raking in billions in funding, we were yet to announce a profit since its founding in 2010. There were also all of these, these conflicts of interest and related party transactions that are really concerning for investors in the IPO documents. So Adam Newman owns stakes in four buildings that he leased to Wework. And so he's on both sides of those deals on top of concerns about wework from public market investors. Questions over Newman's leadership style also threatened the company, Adam Newman had this a chaotic approach to management. 

One day, he would decide that 20% of the staff, the bottom 20% needed to be fired every year. Adam was really into spending in all these eclectic ways. They had a small unit and we work that was making self driving robots to go around and drop mail off at people. They bought a $63 million jet that Adam directed and was a huge fan of it is just like one excess after the other at its peak, we work ultimately their 2019 IPO and shortly after Newman resigned as CEO walking away with more than $1 billion from Softbank, a tech investor that acquired Wework. 

It was such an extraordinary amount of money for someone who had actually really destroyed so much value after creating it. I think that's a stain that still stays with him. When you sort of mention Adam Newman and we work, people often say like, isn't that the guy who got really rich while investors lost everything? And that's accurate. 

Not long after Newman's departure, COVID-19 spread across the globe. Demand for office space decreased rent dropped and we work's entire business model became its own Achilles Heel. So they just have these rents that are from a different era that they're paying while their tenants are paying them a lot less. They have been burning through $300 million a quarter of cash. Four years after pledging to restructure to rationalize. It's just completely untenable. 

We filed for bankruptcy barely four years after the company reached its peak valuation and more than two years after it went public under new leadership in 2021 the tank of cash that once overflowed ran out, they were never able to make a profitable business. It's an extraordinary tale in that they raised over 16 billion of equity and debt over 13 years, but this may not be the end of wework story. 

The business will likely go on. They're going to need to cancel a ton of leases, cancel their debt and presumably can come out of this a real business that can make money. They have some locations where it's profitable, but it's going to need a lot of work in bankruptcy court to get there.

Source: 

Youtube Channel  The Wall Street Journal

Link: 

https://youtu.be/p3q5m0ILTfk?si=R3PM6-5dfy26B6Ml

Recomended 5 Best and Wonderful Places Across the World to Celebrate New Year 2024

Recomended 5 Best and Wonderful Places Across the World to Celebrate New Year 2024

Nesianetwork    Desember 24, 2023    Comment   

Nesianetwork.id - Recomended 5 Best and Wonderful Places Across the World to Celebrate New Year 2024. 

1. Bali, Indonesia 

In case you are looking to celebrate New Year in a quiet and serene way, we would suggest you head to Bali for some amazing trekking experiences, exotic architecture and cultural performances.

2. Bangkok, Thailand

Offering a range of activities and shows on New Year's Eve, ranging from concerts to light shows, Bangkok is the place to be for New Year celebrations. Central World Plaza, Khao San Road, Meta Music Festival, Beam NYE are some of the places to visit in Bangkok on New Year's Eve.

3. Dubai, UAE

Celebrate New Year in Dubai style! In case you are headed to Dubai for the New Year celebrations, it is best to visit Burj Khalifa and watch the sky light up with fireworks at midnight. Visiting souks for shopping and having a lavish dinner on a river cruise are some other ways of observing the special day.

4. New York, United States

What can be better than taking a walk with thousands of people in Times Square and watch the clock strike 12? Times Square and New Year’s Eve Cruises are the best places to celebrate New Year.

5. Moscow, Russia

Dance to the tune of New Year celebrations in the streets of Moscow as the entire place lights up and decks up in festive colours. At midnight, the astonishing display of fireworks lighting up the night sky is a vision to behold.

That all, Recomended 5 Best and Wonderful Places Across the World to Celebrate New Year 2024.

Source: hindustantimes.com

Turkey’s Erdogan accuses the West of ‘barbarism’ and Islamophobia in the war in Gaza

Turkey’s Erdogan accuses the West of ‘barbarism’ and Islamophobia in the war in Gaza

Nesianetwork    Desember 21, 2023    Comment   

 

Nesianetwork.id -  ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan used a speech on human rights Saturday to accuse the West of “barbarism” for its stance on the Israel-Hamas war and what he alleged was its toleration of Islamophobia.

“Israel has carried out atrocities and massacres that will shame the whole of humanity,” Erdogan told a packed hall in Istanbul the day before the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

“All the values relating to humanity are being murdered in Gaza. In the face of such brutality, international institutions and human rights organizations are not taking any concrete steps to prevent such violations,” the Turkish leader said.

The human rights declaration, proclaimed by the U.N. General Assembly in Paris on December 10, 1948, enshrines a standard for human rights and freedoms for all people

Referring to Friday’s U.S. veto of a United Nations resolution calling for a humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza, Erdogan said a fairer world was possible “but not with America because the USA stands with Israel. … From now on, humanity won’t think the USA supports the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”

Turkey’s human rights record during Erdogan’s two decades in power has come under frequent criticism over the targeting of government critics and political opponents, the undermining of judicial independence and the weakening of democratic institutions.

Turkey withdrew from the Istanbul Convention on preventing and violence against women and has failed to implement European Court of Human Rights judgments.

On Saturday, the president defined Islamophobia and xenophobia, which he said “engulf Western societies like poison ivy,” as the greatest threats to human rights.

He told the cheering audience that the only value “the West holds on to is its barbarism. We have seen this example of the West’s barbarism in all those unfortunate events that they either supported or perpetrated.”

Erdogan cited the 2019 attack on mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in which a gunman killed 51 people, as an Islamophobic attack that was “legitimized” and “even encouraged” by the West.

“According to their understanding, non-Westerners don’t have the right to enjoy those universal human rights … they overlook Islamophobic attacks and they show the twisted perception and mentality of the West,” he said.

In October, Erdogan told a massive protest crowd in Istanbul that his government was preparing to declare Israel a “war criminal” due to its actions in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli government said in response that it would reassess its diplomatic relations with Turkey.

Source: https://apnews.com

Trump says he's 'not an insurrectionist' after Colorado high court removes him from ballot

Trump says he's 'not an insurrectionist' after Colorado high court removes him from ballot

Nesianetwork    Desember 21, 2023    Comment   

 

Nesianetwork.id -  WASHINGTON - Former President Donald Trump said Thursday that he's "not an insurrectionist," in an apparent response to the Colorado Supreme Court's decision to remove him from the state's 2024 primary election ballot, which President Joe Biden and others have commented on.

"I’m not an Insurrectionist (“PEACEFULLY & PATRIOTICALLY”), Crooked Joe Biden is!!!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social account.

The Colorado high court on Tuesday barred Trump from appearing on the state's primary ballot because of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, also known as the Constitution's insurrectionist clause.

Section 3 of the Civil War-era 14th Amendment says: “No person shall ... hold any office, civil or military, under the United States ... who, having previously taken an oath ... as an officer of the United States ... to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.”

A majority of the court argued that the former president did engage in an insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, in an effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.

Trump's Truth Social post alluded to a remark he made just before his supporters marched to the Capitol on Jan. 6.

"I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard," he said during his rally at the White House Ellipse that morning.

The Colorado Supreme Court has put its decision on hold until Jan. 4 to allow for appeals. The Trump campaign has signaled that the former president will file an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

If the case is brought before the U.S. Supreme Court prior to early January, the state's high court said the pause on its decision will remain in effect, meaning Colorado would have to include Trump’s name on the primary ballot unless the U.S. Supreme Court decides otherwise.

Many Republicans have denounced the ruling, and the Colorado GOP said that, if it stands, the party would change from a primary to a caucus system next year.

The Colorado Supreme Court decision reversed a lower court’s ruling that said Trump had engaged in insurrection by inciting a riot on Jan. 6, 2021, but that presidents are not subject to the insurrectionist clause of the Constitution because they are not an “officer of the United States.”

Some constitutional scholars have debated whether the president is covered by Section 3 of the 14th Amendment because it doesn’t explicitly mention the president. A report from the Congressional Research Service, however, says that “it may be more likely that the office of the President is included as an office under the United States” and that the history of Section 3’s drafting suggests the president is covered.

Biden, meanwhile, believes that his predecessor supported an insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, he told reporters Wednesday.

"Well I think certainly it’s self-evident,” Biden said. “You saw it all. Now whether the 14th Amendment applies, I’ll let the court make that decision. But he certainly supported an insurrection.” 

“No question about it — none, zero. And he seems to be doubling down on everything,” the president added.

Rebecca Shabad

Rebecca Shabad is a politics reporter for NBC News based in Washington.

Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-says-not-insurrectionist-colorado-supreme-court-ruling-rcna130786

Climate change witnesses describe evolving weather impacts

Climate change witnesses describe evolving weather impacts

Nesianetwork    Desember 21, 2023    Comment   

 

Nesianetwork.id -  Our planet is heating up and many people are experiencing the climate crisis firsthand. DW asked people around the world how rising temperatures have altered their lives.

The climate is changing. Temperatures have risen an average of 1.2 degrees Celsius compared to the pre-industrial age — due in most part to the burning of fossil fuels that release planet-heating greenhouse gases. 

But how is the resulting climate change making itself felt in everyday life? 

DW spoke to people across some of the most climate-vulnerable regions in the world to understand how they are being impacted.

1. Northern Alaska: Snow much later, says Utquiagvik resident

How I remember it in the past, like 20 years ago, it would start snowing before school because school would start the second week of August and then the kids would start walking to school in the snow. But now look!

2. Colombia: Alfonso Florez, 64, notes worsening drought

There is a connection between drought and electricity because Colombia gets a huge part of its electric energy from hydroelectric power stations. And when they [reservoirs and dams] dry out, there is no more power. There is no other way to get power.

We are totally depending on water to produce power. And if the reservoirs dry out then we will be left without energy.

3. South Africa: Magqabi Buka, 80, remembers seasons in South Africa

The weather changed. I mean it changed because now there are no longer seasons like before. 

We used to have summer [and] winter, yes. But now we don't have that anymore. It's just one season throughout the year.

4. Austria: Retired woman Susanne Schulze recalls ice and snow that is no more

Just outside Vienna, there's the Hohe Wand grassland with a ski lift where I used to go skiing with my children. And that's definitely no longer possible.

And the old Danube [river] used to freeze over, we could ice skate there, and now it's just too hot. Also here, you're longing for rain. I used to always look forward to nice weather. And now I'm careful when I say: 'Why isn't the sun shining today?'

I'm almost happy when it rains. What is bad weather? It's almost as if bad weather is sunshine!

5. Indonesia: Toni Cahyono, 70, says heat is becoming more extreme

The heat is unbelievable, especially lately. This is probably because of the El Nino effect, I think.

If you want to go out during the day, you don't have the energy for it.

6. India: Fisherman Sadashiv Gopal Raje experiences rising heat in his village near Mumbai

In my childhood days, our village had so many coconut plantations, and there was open space and a breeze and no pollution.

Due to climate change, we now use AC (air conditioners), which was not required back then. The cool breeze was enough, electricity was saved, and we could sleep in our homes without a fan.

Now due to this climate change, we need to install fans and air conditioners.

India: Pravin Choudhury, 50, remembers a much shorter monsoon

We have seen changes in our time. When I was maybe 15,16 years of age, we used to see the rain start on the 7th or 8th of June, and it ended closer to the end of July or the first week of August.

But now we see these rains start in the middle of June and they continue to the end of September. This is definitely a big change we have seen which has come with a lot of issues.

The rain is much longer and brings too many changes in our life. The humidity is increasing, the temperatures are raising up, which is affecting our day-to-day life.

 Edited by: Tamsin Walker

The interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/climate-witnesses-relate-changing-weather-impacts/a-67534877