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Gift Guide for the 2022 Holiday Season

YourUpdateTV

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/2Gwzr4rYqQA A new survey finds holiday shoppers are planning to spend more than $800 on average this season. Trends Editor for Daily National, Mike Bako has compiled some of his favorite items to help consumers navigate the holiday hustle and bustle. MONEY MANAGEMENT Money is top of mind this year. In fact, Google trends data shows searches for financial matters are up more than 350%. Before buying anything, Bako says, “It’s important to know how you’re going to pay for all those gifts.” The trends editor highlights the convenience of Square and Afterpay, saying, “They are the perfect way to shop your favorite brands and avoid interest and revolving debt. As the leading Buy Now Pay Later platform, Afterpay offers consumers the ability to split approved purchases into four interest-free bi-weekly payments.” With Afterpay, consumers are able to unlock access to the things they want and need without using expensive credit cards. Consumers can schedule payments to sync up with their paychecks and receive text and email reminders to make sure the funds are in their accounts. With Square, shoppers can choose Afterpay's Buy Now Pay Later as an option in-person and online at their favorite businesses, while still having flexibility and control of their money. Visit the entire Shop Directory on the Afterpay app and www.afterpay.com. Social media handles: Instagram: @square and @afterpayusa GEAR & GADGETS Some of the biggest trends of the year come from social media and platforms like TikTok. Bako says, “That means content creators of all ages will love the GoPro HERO11 Black. It's one of my favorites!” The GoPro HERO11 Black delivers the highest resolution with 5.3K video and 27 megapixel photo, highest 10-bit color depth, highest level of video stabilization with HyperSmooth 5.0 and widest field of view ever featured on a GoPro HERO camera. Bako adds, “Sharing memories on-the-go has never been easier with HERO11 Black’s auto highlight video feature, which automatically creates highlight reels of your footage with the GoPro Quik app and a GoPro Subscription, which comes with unlimited cloud storage.” GoPro HERO11 helps people get creative with their shots. The camera is rugged and waterproof to 33ft right out of the box or creators can try the built-in Night Effects that let them practice night photography from light painting to capturing star trails with just the press of a button. This season, the HERO11 Black is being bundled with GoPro’s favorite adventure-ready accessories for just $399.98 with a GoPro Subscription, a steal for only $50 more than the standalone camera. Find out more at GoPro.com. Direct Link: https://gopro.com/en/us/shop/cameras/hero11-black/CHDHX-111-master.html Social media handles: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gopro/ Instagram: @gopro Twitter: @GoPro SMART TECHNOLOGY Tech gadgets continue to rank high on many wish lists and Bako says shopping tech is always about the latest and greatest smartphones. “Here’s something that caught my eye! T-Mobile is bringing back a deal so good it hasn’t been seen in years. Four lines for $25 a line per month with autopay for unlimited talk, text and data including 5G access. That means you can switch a whole family of four to T-Mobile’s Essential Plan for just $100 a month… and get access to the nation’s largest, fastest and most reliable 5G network!” T-Mobile also has a selection of FREE 5G smartphones with savings up to $800 off, including the latest Samsung Galaxy 5G smartphones. For more information, visit t-mobile.com/offers. Social Media Handles: Facebook Address: @TMobile Instagram Handle: @TMobile Twitter Handle: @TMobile SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS CONSUMER One of the fastest growing trends has been the rise of the socially conscious consumer who values sustainability over things. The trends editor highlights how TerraCycle’s Zero Waste Box picks up where local recycling programs stop. “Picture it – Christmas morning, the mountains of gift wrap and plastic packaging thrown everywhere, and it’s time for the cleanup. This year instead of throwing it all away, and having it end up in a landfill, incorporate the Holiday Decorations - Zero Waste Box, and the Plastic Packaging Zero Waste Box into your festivities and do your part to recycle everything from coffee capsules to broken holiday decorations and all the plastic packaging you can’t recycle in your blue bin,” adds Bako. There is a Zero Waste Box for almost any type of trash. For more, visit TerraCycle.com. Social Media Handles: @zerowasteboxes @TerraCycle Hashtags: #RecycleEverything Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

December 15, 2022 01:15 PM Eastern Standard Time

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New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Orders NYC to Drop Foie Gras Sales Ban

Catskill Foie Gras Collective

Hudson Valley duck farmers, organized as the Catskill Foie Gras Collective, announced today that the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets has ruled that NYC’s proposed ban on the sale of foie gras in NYC restaurants and retail stores violates State law. The Department has issued an Order directing that New York City “immediately comply with the provisions of Section 305-a of the Agriculture and Markets Law” and refrain from taking any action “that would restrict [the farmers’] ability to sell their product in the New York City market.” Agriculture and Markets Law § 305-a prohibits municipalities, like New York City, from enacting laws that unreasonably restrict farming operations in certified agricultural districts. The Hudson Valley duck farms are located within certified agricultural districts. The Department issued its Order after investigating the farmers’ complaint that NYC’s sales ban, which is known as Local Law 202, would unreasonably restrict their operations. “After reviewing our complaint, the Department of Agriculture has determined the City’s proposed actions do, in fact, violate New York State Law,” said Marcus Henley, a spokesperson for the Catskill Foie Gras Collective. “We are extremely grateful that the Department has taken this action, as hundreds of Sullivan County farm worker jobs were hanging in the balance.” Local Law 202 would have become effective on November 25, 2022, but in a separate lawsuit, a Manhattan judge issued a preliminary injunction that enjoins the City from enforcing the law pending further proceedings in that suit. Had Local Law 202 gone into effect at that time, the sales ban would have caused millions of dollars in revenue loss to the State, New York City, restaurants, wholesale distributors, retail store owners, and related transportation companies. “On a broader scale, the order stops local municipalities from establishing a dangerous precedent of dictating to us what farmers can grow and what people can eat,” added Henley. “It’s great news for farmers and fine diners everywhere.” Proponents for the sales ban, including animal rights groups, mistakenly claim that ducks are treated inhumanely during the foie gras production process. Hudson Valley Foie Gras and La Belle Farms respond that their ducks are well cared for, are allowed to roam freely, and are processed in a government-inspected facility, strictly adhering to animal welfare and federal regulations. Both farms produce foie gras using a special hand-feeding method, like no other farm in the world, so as not to harm the ducks. “These well-funded groups are reactionary and powerful, often times acting without knowing all the facts,” said Sergio Saravia, President of La Belle Farms. “We welcome politicians and reporters to visit our poultry farms and see, firsthand, the farming practices we have in place.” New York City has thirty days to challenge the Department’s Order by filing a court proceeding in Albany County. “We hope the City will accept the Order given the Department’s authority and expertise enforcing the Agriculture and Markets Law, but we will continue to fight to protect our farms if the City decides to spend even more taxpayer dollars on taking the matter to court in Albany.” For more information about foie gras production visit: https://foiegrasfacts.org. About Catskill Foie Gras Collective: The Catskill Foie Gras Collective is comprised of Hudson Valley Foie Gras and La Belle Farm, the main producers of foie gras to restaurants and retail food stores. The collective serves as a resource for factual information and independent articles about our farming. For more information, visit: https://foiegrasfacts.org/ Contact Details Lynn Munroe +1 845-548-1211 lynn@maracaibomedia.com Company Website https://foiegrasfacts.org/

December 15, 2022 11:58 AM Eastern Standard Time

Origin Dollar OUSD V2 Launch to Attract Users Burnt by FTX, BlockFi, and Voyager With Safer Alternative

Benzinga

By Ryan McNamara, Benzinga Contributor At a time when uncertainty in crypto is at an all time high, Origin Protocol launched OUSD V2, allowing users to take full control of their yield directly from their crypto wallet. Users that hold OUSD see their token balance grow in their wallet –– the entire process is passive. After diving into the mechanics of Origin Dollar, it’s clear that Origin’s decentralized solution is a secure alternative to risky centralized finance (CeFi) interest alternatives. The protocol’s new yield generation strategies are audited by OpenZeppelin, the auditors of Coinbase, Aave, and the Ethereum Foundation. In response to recent CeFi failures, Origin seeks to give power back to users through true asset ownership. Origin Dollar is completely transparent, fully collateralized, and has instant liquidity at all times via Ethereum’s blockchain. With the implementation of new Convex and Morpho strategies for OUSD V2, Origin Dollar now provides the highest stablecoin interest rates available on a risk-adjusted basis. “Origin has been building OUSD with a security-first philosophy for years. For a long time, the yield on OUSD was inline with what’s found on USDC and DAI, and it’s incredibly exciting to see the improvements made to the protocol this month. Over the last 30-days, OUSD has earned holders over 6% APY. That’s over twice the rate of the prior month with no additional risk, thanks to OUSD V2,” said Josh Fraser, co-founder at Origin Protocol. OUSD has deployed two new strategies for yield generation using the Convex protocol. As evidence of Origin’s ongoing commitment to prioritizing security, both strategies have been audited by industry leading auditing firm, OpenZeppelin. View the full audit findings here. The strategies are designed to provide liquidity to decentralized stablecoin exchange Curve’s 3Pool (3CRV) via different mechanics. 3CRV comprises USDC, USDT, and DAI – the three stables that act as collateral for OUSD. Origin’s long-standing partnership with both Convex and Curve has allowed us to implement these strategies and innovate on their efficiency. "OUSD empowers individuals to own their crypto, which has been brought into the limelight in 2022. And for new users, OUSD is the perfect way to dip one’s feet into DeFi. There’s no need for active management, and yield is passively earned and deposited to one’s web3 wallet daily.” Nicolau continued, “OUSD is also a great tool for DAOs. Most DAOs want to stay decentralized and directly own their assets, so it’s hard to manage funds off-chain or trust another party to manage a DAO’s treasury. With OUSD, DAO treasuries can directly own their assets like any other token, and interest from OUSD’s collateral will be deposited into the DAO treasury daily.” - Andra Nicolau Head of BD, OUSD As centralized crypto alternatives must fight to gain back investors’ trust, decentralized finance and OUSD offer an opportunity to eliminate trust completely. With funds managed by code instead of humans, the risk-profile of DeFi is far different than the risks on centralized exchanges. OUSD remains fully collateralized, transparent, and permissionless on Ethereum. OUSD is only one of six projects that have received a AAA security rating from premier decentralized insurance platform InsurAce. All smart contracts are meticulously audited prior to deployment, as has been done with the convex strategies via OpenZeppelin. OUSD is a constantly evolving protocol. Origin is consistently working to build new strategies on top of Curve, Convex, Aave, and Compound to deliver the best possible yields to holders. These strategies and allocations can be viewed via OUSD’s governance portal and will be subject to the same rigorous security measures currently being utilized. As part of Origin’s commitment to transparency, all OUSD allocations and statistics can be accessed via the analytics dashboard. Holding OUSD allows you to benefit from incredible APYs using the space’s hardest collateral, deployed to premier, battle-tested DeFi protocols. Yield is delivered straight to your wallet – no lockups required. About Origin Protocol Founded in 2017, Origin Protocol is a web3 pioneer developing innovative products in the crypto industryâs fastest growing verticals of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and decentralized finance (DeFi). Originâs NFT platform, Origin Story, the platformâs NFT product, has powered NFT sales like 3LAU's $11.7M record-breaking music sale, the Charlie Bit My Finger viral video sale that generated global headlines, Paris Hiltonâs iconic âPast Lives, New Beginningsâ series drop, and many more. Origin has worked with top NFT creators like Trevor Jones and Alotta Money as well as brands like Rolling Stones and Inspiration4/SpaceX, in addition to developing branded marketplaces for beloved NFT collections, including Pudgy Penguins and Karafuru. Contact Details ORIGIN PROTOCOL MEDIA CONTACT Denis Serikov | ThronePR denis@thronepr.com Company Website https://www.originprotocol.com/

December 15, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

More Than Two-Thirds of Sports Bettors Find Parlays and Futures More Exciting Than Straight Bets: WagerWire Survey

WagerWire

WagerWire, an innovative marketplace for open sports bets, found in a new study that a strong majority of bettors believe parlays and futures are more exciting than “straight bets” (i.e. spreads, moneylines and over/unders). Findings from WagerWire’s second release of data from a 2022 study conducted by Leger, a leading market research and analytics company, revealed that 76% of bettors feel parlays are more exciting than straight bets, while 67% indicated futures are more exciting than traditional bets on the spread, moneyline or total. WagerWire’s initial data release focused on the need for education in the sports betting market, discovering non-bettors were 78% more likely to bet online if they were educated on how to bet. Study participants conveyed similar consensus regarding their fondness of parlays and futures, citing the high-reward nature of those bet types, the thrill of predicting something correctly over the long-term future and the ability to have a vested interest in a team over a long period of time. Most appealing factors of making Parlay Bets: 88% - Generally high-reward wagers 83% - Thrill of predicting several different outcomes correctly all at once 79% - Vested interest in many different players or teams/outcomes at once Most appealing factors of making Futures Bets: 88% - Generally high-reward wagers 81% - Thrill of predicting something correctly over the long-term future 80% - Vested interest in a player or team over a long period of time While bettors derive significantly more excitement from parlays and futures, there are a variety of impediments preventing users from placing more of these wagers. 41% of bettors stated futures bets take too long to settle. 49% of bettors said parlays are very difficult to win. 40% of bettors commented both futures and parlays bets offer no control over the bet once it's been placed. “Parlays and futures are already entrenched as mainstream bet types among US consumers, but this study has shown that as an industry we’re still only scratching the surface in terms of their true potential for bettors and operators alike,” said Zach Doctor, the co-founder and CEO of WagerWire. “Our bet trading marketplace turns these types of bets into tradable assets that gain and lose value in accordance with how the game unfolds and the market fluctuates. Doctor continued, “Now you can jump in and out of futures all season, or capitalize on your crazy parlay after a few legs hit before it goes bust. Also you could sell just a fraction of your bet to lock in some gains or take some chips off the table, and let the rest ride toward that big win. That increased optionality is going to foster deeper and more consistent levels of user engagement with these attractive bet types, which in turn will serve to steadily grow their share of handle for operators.” WagerWire is partnering with sportsbooks to create more opportunities to derive new value from parlay and futures bets. They most recently partnered with Wagr, a Tennessee-based sportsbook, to help accomplish the mission of reinventing sports betting. Both companies have a social-centric ethos and are collaborating on building community and providing a differentiated and engaging user experience. The study was completed between July 8 - July 21, 2022, including 500 U.S. sports bettors and 200 non-sports bettors. WagerWire believes that all bettors should have proven, confident options at their disposal. WagerWire empowers you to take control of your action and view your bets as a portfolio of assets that can be bought and sold at any time. Seamlessly sync your favorite sportsbooks to track the real-time value of your bets, stack rewards, and play with celebrities or friends. Contact Details Bailey Irelan birelan@hotpaperlantern.com Company Website https://www.wagerwire.com/

December 15, 2022 09:01 AM Eastern Standard Time

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COMCAST IS LAUNCHING NEW MULTI-GIG INTERNET SPEEDS TO DENVER AREA HOMES AND BUSINESSES

Comcast Colorado

On the heels of increasing internet speeds for the majority of customers in Colorado, today Comcast launched an additional multi-gig internet speed tier for Xfinity and Comcast Business customers throughout the Denver Metro Area. Comcast is now delivering download speeds up to 2 gigabits-per-second (Gbps) and up to 5x to 10x faster upload speeds to customers throughout the Denver metro area. “Our network is made for anything, so you can do anything,” said J.D. Keller, Senior Vice President Comcast Mountain West Region. “Comcast continues to be ahead of customer demand, which enables our network to meet our customers’ needs for fast, reliable internet connections. My own kids and family are working, learning, chatting, watching movies or playing games online whenever we are in the house. I know others have the same experience. Comcast’s investments in our network will provide peace of mind to Coloradans that they can stay reliably connected through the technology they have today and be able to meet their needs tomorrow.” The new multi-gig tier and faster upload speeds are part of the largest- and fastest multi-gig network and WiFi deployment in the United States, which Comcast launched earlier in 2022. As an additional component of this initiative, the company plans to introduce multi-gig symmetrical services in the second half of 2023. As markets launch, Xfinity Internet customers who subscribe to xFi Complete will have their upload speeds increased between 5 and 10 times faster. xFi Complete includes an xFi gateway, advanced cybersecurity protection at home and on the go, tech auto-upgrades for a new gateway after three years, and wall-to-wall WiFi coverage with an xFi Pod included if recommended. “By investing in infrastructure upgrades that ensure secure, reliable connectivity for all our residents and businesses, installing free Community WiFi Lift Zones in neighborhoods with the most connectivity needs, and supporting area families with their Internet Essentials Program, Comcast has shown a commitment to the Denver metro area to ensuring Colorado is prepared for tomorrow – today,” said J. J. Ament, President and CEO, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. Speeds Supported by an Unbeatable WiFi Experience While fast speeds are table stakes, Comcast is regularly introducing new capabilities to help our customers manage their increasingly connected homes: Next-Level Cybersecurity: Advanced cybersecurity that blocks threats at the gateway, before they reach devices, to keep everyone safe and secure online. WiFi Controls: A dashboard for all the devices connected to the home network with built-in capabilities to pause access, set up parental controls or automate screen-time rules. Wall-to-Wall Coverage: A reliable connection for all connected devices and coverage throughout the home with Xfinity xFi Pod WiFi extenders. Most Recommended Mobile: A top-ranked mobile service according to the ACSI, Xfinity Mobile combines the most reliable 5G with more than 20 million WiFi hotspots to deliver the fastest mobile speeds in Comcast service areas and save people hundreds of dollars per year. Unbeatable Entertainment: 4K streaming to enjoy content in one place and an award-winning voice remote to navigate between them seamlessly. Plus, thousands of hours of free entertainment. More information about the industry’s efforts toward a 10G future can be found here. Visit Xfinity to learn more and sign up for these exciting new products. Facts about Comcast in Colorado: • Comcast has more than 1,200 miles of fiber in the City of Denver – nearly 9,000 miles throughout the state of Colorado. • More than 2.3 million homes and businesses have access to Xfinity and Comcast Business products and services statewide. • Comcast has invested more than $1.2 billion in its network in Colorado alone in the last three years. • We make continuous strategic investments in building broadband network capacity to stay ahead of demand — effectively doubling our capacity every 2.5 years. • Since 2011, Comcast has connected nearly 600,000 income-constrained Coloradans to the Internet through its Internet Essentials Program – the nation’s largest and most successful private-sector low-income broadband adoption program. The program provides income-eligible people the ability to connect to the Internet for $9.95 per month. Additionally, Comcast participates in the Federal Affordable Connectivity Program which provides those who are eligible a $30 per month credit for the Internet service. • As part of Comcast’s ongoing commitment to help connect low-income families to the internet, Comcast also worked with our network of nonprofit, community, and city partners to equip nearly 100 locations across Colorado with WiFi connected Lift Zones where students and adults can get online, participate in learning and workforce development trainings, and access critical resources. About Comcast Corporation Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on connectivity, aggregation, and streaming with 57 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information. Contact Details Leslie Oliver +1 303-810-6326 leslie_oliver@comcast.com Company Website https://colorado.comcast.com/

December 14, 2022 11:00 AM Mountain Standard Time

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Holiday Season Retail Sales Forecasts Are Down – Yoshitsu Could Be Well Placed To Make The Most Of Potentially More Robust Wholesale Trends As Demand Is Pulled Forward

Benzinga

Consumer behavior has changed in many ways since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world in 2020. One of the key changes was in the way people did their shopping. Most people had to work from home at the time and due to the stay-at-home orders and multiple lockdowns, consumers looked for avenues to shop online and avoid indoor venues like shopping malls and restaurants. E-commerce witnessed an all-time peak in 2020 increasing by $244.2 billion or 43%, rising from $571.2 billion in 2019 to $815.4 billion in 2020. Two years on, these consumer behavior changes continue to be evidenced and e-commerce seems to be here to stay with many brands pivoting their business strategies to include e-commerce in a more significant way to remain competitive. Even with e-commerce, the holiday season is usually the perfect time for a boost in sales, when holiday discounts, gift-giving, festivities, parties and social pressures create a massive influx of consumer spending. Holiday Ecommerce Sales Growth In 2022 Could Likely Drop Below Pre-Pandemic Levels Although the fabulously high levels of e-commerce sales reached during the pandemic and its corresponding holiday season may have been something of an exception, typically the U.S. has always seen a double-digit increase in e-commerce growth during the holiday season. During 2021 the increase in retail e-commerce sales dipped to below pre-pandemic levels to 8.6%, seemingly on account of the post-pandemic economic slowdown –- with cash-strapped consumers being hesitant to open their wallets. The downward trend may continue this year, with reports estimating that U.S. consumers will spend even less in the 2022 holiday season. E-commerce sales seem set to grow by an underwhelming 2.5% according to Insider Intelligence. One of the factors affecting this number could be the sales events that e-commerce giants like Amazon and Walmart initiated in October, ahead of the holiday season which have likely pulled demand forward. While the retail e-commerce scenario seems not so encouraging, wholesale e-commerce could continue to thrive regardless of seasonal trends, as the key drivers of the business are quite different for wholesale e-commerce as compared to retail. Wholesale Businesses Might Benefit Greatly From Using Ecommerce Wholesale e-commerce is a business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce model where businesses sell products in bulk at a discounted price to other businesses, instead of selling products individually to consumers – essentially acting as the intermediary between the manufacturer and the distributor or retailer. A significant advantage of e-commerce for wholesale businesses is that they aren't bound by physical location and can reach customers all around the globe via their website, social media and various marketplaces. Moreover, e-commerce makes life much more convenient for wholesalers by enabling them to research options and make their purchases right from their mobile phones while on the move, without having to involve sales. In addition, by using e-commerce platforms, wholesalers can lower or even eliminate unnecessary costs even as they expand their online presence, resulting in improved profitability. Yoshitsu’s Wholesale Businesses Could Help It Sail Through The Holiday Season Tokyo-based Yoshitsu Co. Ltd. (NASDAQ: TKLF), a Japanese retailer and wholesaler of beauty and health products, home goods and food has seemingly benefitted from its mixed model approach of straddling both the wholesale and retail business worlds and selling its products through the use of e-commerce as well as via brick and mortar stores. Yoshitsu has an extensive business network both in Japan and abroad, including over 200 wholesale clients, numerous online stores in China, Korea and Japan, several franchise stores in the United States, Canada, China (Hong Kong) and the United Kingdom, apart from company-operated stores in Japan. The company’s online stores, franchised stores and wholesale operations account for up to 95% of its revenue, which hit $221.51 million in 2021, up from $139.57 million in 2020. The company has been expanding its warehouse operations to support its wholesale businesses and as part of its proposed global expansion in Europe, recently leased its first 2,362-square-foot warehouse in London. Yoshitsu also recently opened a new retail store in China (Hong Kong) as part of the company's long-term plan to expand its presence in China. China reportedly contributed 75% of the company's annual revenue in 2021 and the company was also featured as one of the top five stocks to buy to invest in China in a recently published article on WealthyVC. The health and beauty products market in Japan is expected to grow from $24.6 billion in 2022 to $29.7 billion in 2025. In North America, it is projected to do even better and reach $455.1 billion, and in China it's expected to grow to $137.7 billion during the same time frame. With its growing footprint in all the right markets, and a strong wholesale and retail presence straddling both e-commerce and brick-and-mortar approaches, Yoshitsu could be positioned for growth in the coming years. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

December 14, 2022 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

“Goodbye Princess” makes waves across the internet with almost 42 million views

Redhill Asia

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach - 14 December 2022 - Tia Lee (Lee Yu Fen), a global C-POP singer, film and television actress, and fashion icon, today launched the global #EmpowerHer campaign following the successful release of the “Goodbye Princess” music video (MV) on 9 th December 2022. It has already achieved significant success with over 1 million in 10 hours after premiere, and within 5 days after the premiere, the viewership on Tia’s YouTube channel exceeds 26 million viewership, breaking the record for C-pop songs. As of now, “Goodbye Princess” garners an overwhelming combined almost 42 million views on YouTube and Weibo, the MV marks Tia’s comeback as a global solo artist and her bold resurgence as she rises above and conquers her past challenges. With “ Goodbye Princess” symbolising Tia’s evolution into a new, empowered and uplifted version of herself as she explores her new world, the global #EmpowerHer campaign aims to reinforce the song’s themes of female empowerment and encourage all women to bravely embrace their true selves, become stronger and build a more promising future. Tia launched the global #EmpowerHer campaign today The Creation of the Global #EmpowerHer Campaign Inspired by her own personal journey and renewed inner strength, Tia launched the #EmpowerHer campaign to rally women and girls worldwide to believe in themselves, say goodbye to stifling obstacles, and stand up taller and stronger in the face of any adversity. Overall, the campaign aims to support and promote the ‘Female Empowers Female’ concept and benefit as many female-centric charitable causes as possible on a global scale to create a greater good for the global female population. The campaign’s selected beneficiaries include Daughters Of Tomorrow in Singapore, Beats By Girlz and Women in Music in the United States, Teen’s Key in Hong Kong, and more. As the #EmpowerHer campaign hits its stride globally, donations will be channelled to these beneficiaries during the campaign period, supporting their operations and goals to build a better future for women. To get the ball rolling in support of these charities, each view of the “ Goodbye Princess ” music video will help to empower women around the world. Every time a viewing benchmark is met a donation will be made to the #EmpowerHer campaign, one of the biggest initiatives to support the empowerment of women worldwide. The #EmpowerHer campaign will split up to a maximum of HKD3.8million (approximately USD$480,000) between the selected charities. Tia chose the figure 3.8 million because of its significance as the date of International Women’s Day, March 8th. “Our goal is for every young woman to have the opportunity to follow the path they envision for herself. In our eyes, success is when young women become independent, confident, and capable of making their own decisions. Tia's journey of resilience inspires not just our girls and young women, but also the world – giving us the confidence to believe that we are all unique and each of us has the potential to create a future filled with more possibilities than we can even imagine. Thank you for such a meaningful initiative! It is a pleasure to be one of the beneficiaries of the #EmpowerHer campaign,” said Rachel Chow, Resource Development Manager, Teen’s Key Hong Kong. "Donations like those from the #EmpowerHer campaign allow Women in Music to educate, empower, and advance women in the music industry. We're delighted to be included alongside other non-profit organisations working to create change," said Nicole Barsalona, President, Women in Music. "Daughters Of Tomorrow'' is delighted to be the benefiting charity for the launch of Tia Lee's "Goodbye Princess" and the #EmpowerHer campaign, which seeks to inspire, uplift and empower women. This resonates with DOT's mission of empowering women through economic means, enabling them to uplift their families,” said Fannie Lim, Executive Director of Daughters Of Tomorrow. “We recognise that every person has their own journeys – milestones to check, circumstances to overcome and aspirations that they wish to live for. Recognising that everyone has dreams of their own, our role is to cheer each one towards creating a better tomorrow for themselves. We wish Tia Lee great success in empowering many more women during this campaign." "Beats By Girlz is delighted to be a part of the #EmpowerHer campaign. We have a shared vision of empowering women and gender minorities through music and are happy to be doing this work in partnership with Tia Lee," said Erin Barra, Executive Director, Beats By Girlz. Rise of the Global #EmpowerHerDance TikTok Dance Challenge Dancers around the world have risen to the challenge of covering the signature choreography to “Goodbye Princess” on the short-form video platform TikTok, featuring energetic yet rhythmic full body movements and a signature ‘goodbye’ hand gesture. The upbeat, unabashedly feminine choreography embodies a revitalisation of Tia’s mind and body after overcoming past challenges in the fashion and entertainment industry, setting her free to express her own strength. Among the earliest dancers and personalities to have joined the dance challenge include globally renowned Australian-Filipino dancer and choreographer, Hannah Balanay, Australia’s most popular creator on TikTok last year. She is best known for her dance to Dua Lipa’s song “Don’t Start Now”, which went viral on the platform. Hannah Balanay initiated #EmpowerHerDance TikTok Dance Challenge The emergence of this dance challenge has birthed the hashtag #EmpowerHerDance, which contains all the videos of the dance covers and further lends strength to the global #EmpowerHer campaign. Tia Lee has championed female empowerment throughout her career and has made it a key focus of the “Goodbye Princess” campaign. Prior to releasing the MV, Tia launched an associated 6-part animation series that told the tale of her journey in the music and entertainment industry through a creative synergy of music, animation, and fashion videography. Her story of bravely overcoming obstacles resonated with many, garnering a viewership of over 100 million within a month and putting the pre-release campaign well on track to become the most successful engagement campaign of all time by a C-Pop artiste. Beyond her music, Tia has also advocated for female empowerment in beauty and fashion. She has joined many A-listers such as Justin Bieber and Alicia Keys on the covers of popular magazines such as Vogue and ROLLACOASTER, and has used these illustrious platforms to spread her message of inner strength and empowerment – as well as to inspire other women with her story, which is built on a strong foundation of persistence, hard work, and self-belief. The “Goodbye Princess” MV and full pre-campaign series with complementing fashion videography can be watched on Tia’s social media channels. Official press materials: Tia Lee Official Channels: Instagram @leeyufen: https://www.instagram.com/leeyufen/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tialeeofficial/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leeyufentialee/ Weibo: https://weibo.com/u/1396928042/ About Tia Lee | Lee Yu Fen: Tia Lee (李毓芬), born in Taipei, is a global C-pop singer, film and television actress, and fashion icon. In addition to her acting roles and musical career, Tia appears frequently at major fashion shows. As a fashion icon and trend-setter, Tia has graced the covers of fashion, beauty and lifestyle magazines such as Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, and shares her beauty and fashion tips through a number of Vogue’s social media channels. Contact Details Redhill Asia Media Contact +852 6077 7342 global@redhill.asia

December 14, 2022 04:15 AM Eastern Standard Time

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News Release

CSGO Case Opening Sites 2023: Best Free Cases and Skin Boxes

Esports Division

If you want to stock up your inventory with new skins, then look no further than the best CSGO case opening sites. As their name suggests, here you can buy boxes, open them, and obtain CSGO skins. You can also gamble with the cases and skins, giving you more opportunities to win legendary skins. You need to choose a good CSGO case opening site to take advantage of generous bonuses, an incredible catalog of cases, and games to win even more skins, all within a safe and audited platform. Choosing it on your own can take too much time, and that’s why we’ve built the following ranking, with the top case opening sites in 2023. The Best 9 CSGO Case Opening Websites We’ve carefully analyzed each one of the sites in this list, to bring you the best possible experience. Because you can win lots of valuable skins at these sites, and at the same time, take advantage of exclusive bonuses and gambling games. Take a look at the best CSGO case opening sites: Farmskins: Best Daily Skin Cases Bonus CSGOLuck: Best Welcome Bonus DaddySkins: Best Site with Upgrader DatDrop: Best Loyalty Program Hellcase: Best Free Money Bonus CSGOFast: Best CSGO Case Games G4Skins: Best New CSGO Case Opening Site KeyDrop: Best Giveaways GGDrop: Best First Deposit Bonus All you have to do is to pick your favorite site, join it, claim your welcome bonus and that’s it. You’ll be ready to open as many CSGO cases as possible. Farmskins: Best Daily Bonus Farmskins is one of the most important cases opening sites in the world because it has tons of available cases and skins, a great cashback program, and a solid upgrader, as well as giveaways and promos for existing users. However, it stands out thanks to their Free Daily Case, which you can claim since you join the site. Even though many sites offer free daily cases, Farmskins does it better. Based on our experience, this site tends to give better drops than the competition, so you stand a higher chance of obtaining more valuable skins instead of cheap ones. The site is also popular due to its great Case Battles, so you can win even more skins. The only issue is that the customer support department could respond faster, but other than that, it’s our favorite CSGO case opening site. CSGOLuck: Best Welcome Bonus CSGOLuck has the best welcome bonus because it will reward you with 5 FREE Cases when you join the site. Because your focus is on opening CSGO cases, then we’re sure that this bonus will be a perfect match for you. CSGOLuck has lots of cases and skins, so you have a lot of options when it comes to opening boxes. You can also win more skins by playing Crash, Roulette, Coinflip, Towers and Mines. The site is easy to use and the games are fun, and alongside with the huge welcome bonus and the other ongoing promotions, CSGOLuck is one of your best options. DaddySkins: Best Site with Upgrader DaddySkins is a solid CS:GO case opening site, and in addition to their great selection of cases and skins, it also offers you an excellent Upgrader that will help you to turn cheap skins into valuable, rare, and legendary ones. We’ve found that the Upgrader on DaddySkins tends to work better than in other sites, so it’s fair to say that you have a slightly bigger chance of succeeding in upgrading your skins. They also have good daily bonuses and great features: Arenas and Gunfights. They both will allow you to win even more skins. DatDrop: Best Loyalty Program DatDrop is one of the most popular sites nowadays, especially because they have an excellent loyalty program divided in 5 levels, which will reward you with free daily cases. The value of the drops will depend on your current level. DatDrop is also popular because of its great Case Battles. Because it has so much liquidity, you can have battles practically at any time of the day. The only issue is that you cannot withdraw skins directly, so that will make your day a bit harder when you want to cash out. Other than that, it’s one of the best sites at the moment. Hellcase: Best Free Money Bonus If you want a free money bonus, look no further than Hellcase. It will bring you over $0.50 in free money, which is more than what the majority of the competition will ever give you. Hellcase also offers you the classic Case Battles, an Upgrader, and a Mixxer, alongside frequent events and bonuses that will help you to win more cases and skins. The only con of Hellcase is that it lacks more games beyond Case Battles, so if you want to venture into skins gambling, you will have a better time at sites like CSGOFast. CSGOFast: Best CSGO Case Games If you’re here to open cases but you also want to wager your skins and cases, then CSGOFast will be ideal for you. On top of being a solid case opening site, it also offers a great selection of skins gambling games such as Crash, Hi-Lo, Slots, Tower, Wheel of Fortune, amongst others. CSGOFast has the best selection of games in this category, because it also offers new titles such as X50, Poggi, and Double Game. This site will also reward you with free money that you can use on all of these games, just by using a promo code. All in all, it’s a solid site that you can join today. G4Skins: Best New CSGO Case Opening Site G4Skins has been around since 2019, making it one of the newest sites in the industry. It’s started to pick up pace thanks to the great platform they’ve managed to build, which brings you benefits such as deposit bonuses, lots of cases and skins, exclusive events, skin gambling games, and more. The site is fairly easy to use, so you can get started right off the bat. The only downside of G4Skins is that they don’t host frequent giveaways or promotions for existing users, so this is something that they can definitely improve. The reason why many people join G4Skins is because of the big variety of skins and cases, as well as the Battles, which bring you more opportunities to win big prizes. KeyDrop: Best Giveaways KeyDrop is one of our favorite CSGO case-opening sites because it hosts the best giveaways in the sector. Just click on “Giveaways” and you’ll find all the active campaigns at the moment, which are several throughout the day. Although they’re not worth thousands of dollars, they are enough to give your account a good boost. The site is easy to navigate and fun to use because they’ve designed it with the goal of providing an excellent UX. Apart from opening cases, you can also play games such as Case Battles and use the Upgrader. The downside of KeyDrop is that it doesn’t offer many games, the only one you can play is Case Battles, and then you have the Upgrader. Pretty limited in this sense, but it’s still the best site when it comes to giveaways. GGDrop: Best First Deposit Bonus If you want to make a first deposit and receive an extra percentage as a bonus, then look no further than GGDrop. This site will reward you with a nice 11% extra on your first deposit, which is far more than what other sites offer, including giants like DatDrop. Most of them limit the bonus to 5% extra. Apart from the bonus, GGDrop hosts a big variety of cases and skins, alongside games like Case Battles and Roulette, promos and bonuses for existing users. The only downside of GGDrop is that it lacks more games beyond Case Battles and Roulette, so this might be a con to consider if you want to do something more besides case opening and a little skins gambling. How to Sign Up on a CSGO Case Unboxing Site If you’ve already picked your favorite CSGO case opening site, it’s time to show you how to join it really fast - here’s the entire process, step by step: Choose a site from our list Sign up or join via Steam Create your account instructed Use your promo code Claim your bonus and start opening cases! As you can see the process is quite easy. It might change a little bit depending on the site, but for the most part, these are the unique steps you will have to follow. Are Third-Party Case Opening Sites Better Than Valve? The sites we recommended are third-party, and hence, they are not owned by Valve. However, are they really better than just buying cases from Valve? Here’s what you need to know. Get cases for cheaper Third-party case opening sites are way cheaper than Valve. Here the prices for the cases are cheaper because you don’t have to buy expensive keys, so it will drive down the costs of your gambling by a significant margin. Obtain more skins In addition to the official cases that you can find at CS:GO, these sites also invent their own cases. For example, you can find knives only cases, which as the name clearly suggests, only contain knife skins. You can find such types of special cases at our recommended sites, so you will get access to even more chances of winning valuable skins. Take part in exciting games. Many of our recommended sites also offer different CSGO skin gambling games where you can place a bet to win outstanding prizes. For example, if you obtain cheap skins from a case, you can opt for wagering them on games like Crash, which can easily turn your not-so-valuable skins into pretty expensive ones. One of the most popular games on our recommended sites is Case Battles, where you can bet against another player to see who gets the most valuable skins from all the cases you decide to wager. Whoever wins, takes the entire lot of skins. How to Select The Top CSGO Case Opening Sites: Complete Checklist Here’s the exact process that we used at the hour of analyzing each one of the sites from our ranking. You’re free to follow it yourself to pick your own CSGO case opening sites, or you can simply read this section to verify that we know what we’re talking about. Licenses and Audits For a CS:GO case opening site to be trustworthy, it needs to be licensed. It can be a license from a gambling control board from Gibraltar, Curacao, Malta, Isle of Man, or any other relevant jurisdiction that’s known for issuing licenses to gambling platforms. Case opening is gambling, so you need to ensure that the odds are not against you. The best way to ensure this is to verify that the site you want to use is Provably Fair. This blockchain system makes it possible to generate 100% random results that no party can know beforehand. If a CSGO case opening site is licensed and Provably Fair, then you have a good start. But you also need to verify if the site has been audited. This will guarantee that the Provably Fair system works properly, in order for you to deposit and open cases at the site without problems. Online Reputation You also need to check the online reputation of the CS:GO case opening site. Start by searching its name on Google, so you can obtain the following data: Relevant news Reviews Ratings Comments Etc. Gather as much info as possible that will help you to determine if the site in question is reputable or not. If you see that there are too many bad reviews and accusations, then it’s better to dismiss the site. On the other hand, if the majority of news, reviews, ratings and comments are positive, you can move on with the rest of the items in this checklist, to see if the site in question is actually good for you. Quality of Cases and Skins You’re here to open cases and win valuable skins, so after verifying that the site is licensed, legal, fair, and reputable, it’s time to check the quality of their offering in terms of cases and skins. Because you need lots of them. You can check this by joining the site and analyzing the options on their marketplace, or when you try to buy/open a CSGO case. You will get a full list of all the cases you can buy from the site, be it original ones or cases created by the site itself. If you see that the variety is good enough, then you can proceed with the other steps in this checklist. You can go the extra mile and check their prices, so you can compare it against other sites, to see if they’re really bringing you a competitive edge in this sense or not. Games Even though the focus is on case opening, it’s also good that a case opening site can bring you gambling games that will allow you to win even more skins. For example, these are the games we usually look for when selecting a case opening website: Case Battles Roulette Crash Dice Coinflip Minesweepers Plinko Case Battles, Dice, and Coinflip fall into the category of Peer to Peer games, because you will be playing against another user, removing the house edge from the equation. These games allow you to bet different cases/skins against other players, and whoever wins the battle, will take the whole prize home. As you can see, these games are a good addition to any CSGO case opening site, because they will bring you more possibilities when it comes to opening cases and winning skins. Welcome Bonuses and Offers For a CSGO case opening site to be excellent, it also needs to offer solid bonuses, offers and promotions. We usually look for the following bonuses and promos when evaluating a new website: Free skins bonuses Free money bonuses First deposit bonuses Cashback bonuses We also look for seasonal or frequent giveaways, because these can help you to win even more skins. You can participate in these giveaways for free, so that’s another huge plus that you will obtain by joining our recommended sites. We also analyze the Terms and Conditions of every bonus and promotion, to make sure that there are no problematic restrictions or hard wagering requirements. Online Security A proper CSGO case opening site also needs to protect you as a customer. That’s why we verify that they have high standards of online security, by implementing solutions such as… SSL Certificate Encryption of Communications CDN DDoS Protection 2FA and Email/SMS Alerts for Logging Attempts Dedicated Online Security Team These security measures will protect your information and your assets, as well as the money you have on the website, be it in the form of credits or crypto. We understand that these sites are always on the radar of hackers and cyber criminals, and that’s why we’ve only selected the sites that can really guarantee your online safety. Deposit and Withdrawal Methods It’s also important for the site you select to bring you a wide myriad of deposit and withdrawal methods, so you can administer your money and assets the way you wish. Most of our recommended sites support the following payment methods: CS:GO Skins PayPal Skrill Neteller Visa MasterCard AmericanExpress Cryptocurrencies Pay by Mobile AstroPay Etc. As you can see, you can administer your assets and money the way you wish at our recommended sites. But we also verify the following: The sites must be able to process the payments quickly They must be able to offer high limits for deposits and withdrawals The KYC procedures must be fast and easy to complete The sites must be able to process the payments with little or no fees. Our CSGO case opening sites will make your experience incredible because you won’t have to deal with limited, slow or expensive payment methods Customer Support Service We also make sure that the sites can bring you the customer support service you deserve. We check the following: The sites must be able to offer 24/7 customer support service (or 24/5 at least) They must be able to help you through live chat, phone or email They must have a proper F.A.Q section They must be able to respond to questions and solve issues fast. Testing the customer support service of every site is a really big task, so we’ve done it for you. Just choose a site from our list and you will have the peace of mind that you’re joining a good CSGO case opening platform. Free Cases and Promotions Available on CSGO Case Opening Sites These sites also offer different bonuses and promotions that will help you to win even more skins. Here’s what you need to know about them. Free Money Bonus These bonuses bring you a specific amount of free money that you can use to open different cases. Most of these bonuses bring you anywhere from $0.50 to $2.00 in free credits, with no deposit required, and most of the time, with very easy or non-existent wagering requirements. Free Skins/Cases Bonus This is one of the coolest bonuses when you want to focus on case opening, because you will get either free skins or cases. For example, CSGOLuck will bring you 5 FREE cases as a welcome bonus, just by joining the site with a special promo code. Extra Percentage Deposit Bonus If you’re ready to deposit real money, then you should take advantage of this bonus. For example, sites like DatDrop will bring you an extra 5% on your first deposit, so you can grow your funds to buy even more cases. This is especially sound if you’re ready to deposit big money, because you want to get serious on obtaining valuable and legendary skins. The Best CSGO Cases To Open You can find dozens over dozens of cases in CSGO, but what are the best ones you can open at our recommended sites? We’ll recommend the top cases, so you can focus your attention and resources on obtaining them: Recoil Case Gamma 2 Case Operation Broken Fang Case Winter Offensive Weapon Case Operation Riptide Case Prisma Case Operation Hydra Case Prisma 2 Case Falchion Case Chroma 3 Case All of these cases contain valuable skins, so it’s a good idea to focus on them. Be it by buying them directly or using them in Case Battles, you stand a fair chance at winning expensive skins that will have a huge positive impact on your inventory and CS:GO finances. For example, you can get a USP-S | Printstream from the Recoil Case, which can cost up to $300 USD if it’s factory-new. Another example is the StatTrak™ M4A4 | Asiimov from the Winter Offensive Weapon Case, which can cost over $500 USD. As you can see, you can find lots of valuable cases at our recommended sites, be it for opening them or gambling. You can use them to take your inventory to the next level. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) If you still have questions about our recommended CSGO case opening sites, then this section will bring you the answers you need. Are CSGO case opening sites legal? Yes, as long as your jurisdiction considers online gambling as legal. This is true for the majority of countries, but certain regions such as North America might have a different take on it. Therefore, to make sure that a CSGO case opening site is legal in your country, check your local regulations and laws. Is CS:GO case opening the same as gambling? In many senses, yes. Because you’re placing a bet (paying the price to open the case) and you don’t really know what you will get in return. It could be a very valuable skin, or a dirt cheap one. You’re at the mercy of luck once you open the case, so it’s very similar to gambling. Can you open CSGO cases only with knives? Yes, you can find cases that will only contain knives at our recommended CS:GO case opening sites. Make sure to read the description so that you can verify that the content is 100% composed of knife skins. Remember that these cases are usually created by the site itself, so they do not belong to any official collection by CS:GO, but they’re rather grouped up together to form a knives only case. Are CS:GO case opening sites backed up by Valve? No, since all of our recommended sites are third-party, they’re not recommended, endorsed or supported by Valve. However, as we’ve seen on this page, third-party case opening sites are superior to Valve because you can get cases for a cheaper price, obtain more and valuable skins, and even take part in games to win even more skins and items. Can you play at CSGO case opening sites with cryptocurrencies? Yes, many of our recommended CSGO case opening sites support different cryptocurrencies such as BTC, ETH, USDT, DOGE, XRP, SOL, etc. You can use them for deposits and withdrawals whenever you want, and they usually process such payments real fast with very small fees. Contact Details Acroud Media Gabriel Hall gabriel@acroud.media

December 13, 2022 10:15 PM Eastern Standard Time

Mike Bako Captures the Holiday Season with GoPro Hero 11 Black

YourUpdateTV

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/qjpGbNVC1x0 Some of the biggest trends of the year come from social media and platforms like TikTok. Mike Bako says, “That means content creators of all ages will love the GoPro HERO11 Black. It's one of my favorites!” The GoPro HERO11 Black delivers the highest resolution with 5.3K video and 27 megapixel photo, highest 10-bit color depth, highest level of video stabilization with HyperSmooth 5.0 and widest field of view ever featured on a GoPro HERO camera. Bako adds, “Sharing memories on-the-go has never been easier with HERO11 Black’s auto highlight video feature, which automatically creates highlight reels of your footage with the GoPro Quik app and a GoPro Subscription, which comes with unlimited cloud storage.” Find out more at GoPro.com. Direct Link: https://gopro.com/en/us/shop/cameras/hero11-black/CHDHX-111-master.html Social media handles: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gopro/ Instagram: @gopro Twitter: @GoPro Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

December 13, 2022 04:10 PM Eastern Standard Time

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