Daily Archives: July 7, 2022

Qatar 2022: The refined technology that would have made playing the FIFA World Cup in summer possible – Bolavip

Posted: July 7, 2022 at 9:08 am

One of the great flags that Qatar 2022 is flying to conquer the hearts of millions of soccer fans around the world is that of innovation, as this edition of the FIFA World Cup will mark a milestone in the history of this tournament.

Never before has the FIFA World Cup been held in such a small country. Prior to Qatar 2022, the editions held on the smallest surfaces had been those of Italy in 1934 and 1990, and Switzerland in 1954. The host country of the edition to be played has an area of only 11,570 square kilometers. For the aforementioned reason, this is the first time that two matches will be played on the same day at the World Cup.

Also, Qatar 2022 will be the first edition to be held in the Middle East and to allow rosters of 26 players with 5 substitutions per match. However, there is one novelty that shook the world when it was announced: the date on which this FIFA World Cup will be held.

Since its establishment in Uruguay 1930, the FIFA World Cup has been held zealously every four (except at the time of the Second World War, from 1938 to 1947 approximately) in the months of May, June or July. However, in March 2015, the bomb exploded.

FIFA made it official that Qatar 2022 would not be held in the middle of the year, i.e. not in May, June and July, but from November 21 to December 18. This forced all the world's leagues to adjust their calendars to allow their players to participate in the upcoming World Cup.

The summer in the Middle East, and specifically in Qatar, delivers days with extreme temperatures, which would make it impossible to practice not only soccer but any sport: on average 106 degrees Fahrenheit, with the possibility of reaching temperatures of 132 degrees Fahrenheit.

While in the months of November and December, those attending the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will experience temperatures ranging from 68 degrees Fahrenheit to 86 degrees Fahrenheit, just 41 degrees higher than the highest temperatures experienced during the Russia 2018 edition.

Rarely in the history of the FIFA World Cup have the vast majority of the stadiums used to host the tournament's matches been new or purpose-built. In Qatar 2022, 7 of the 8 stadiums meet this condition. And in all of them there are technological details that would impress even the greatest skeptics.

For example, almost all the stadiums used in Qatar 2022 will be reduced to half their capacity, and one will be completely dismantled. However, there is one technological advance that will be surprising to experience: climate control.

In the upcoming FIFA World Cup will use a system called directed cooling, which was created by the engineer and doctor Saud Abdulaziz Abdul Ghani Abdulaziz, whose purpose will be to maintain a temperature between 20 and 24 degrees inside the stadium regardless of the weather outside it.

"What we have done is to work on thermal comfort for the players and for 40,000 fans because it is not only a question of temperature. We have to be able to make sure that even if the temperature and the thermal sensation outside or the quality of the air is not good, inside the stadium vault it is," the scientist shared in an interview forDiario AS.

The really amazing thing about the targeted cooling system, for which Saud Abdulaziz Abdul Ghani is already known in Qatar as the "Cold Doctor" is that it allows the stadium to be used 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, since its technology not only cools the air, but also purifies it.

"Thermal comfort is something with many details because each person inside the stadium has a particularity, is dressed in long-sleeved clothing, short, is more or less bulky. Each person perceives the temperature in a different way.... We control the temperature, the humidity, the air and the sensation that each person perceives. We have sensors scattered throughout the stadium because each area of the field is different..... Our obsession is not to cool the air, but to clean it. The most important thing is to keep the hot, dusty air outside and blocked, and the cleanest air possible inside," said the "Cold Doctor".

Thus, this advanced technology breaks FIFA's argument that the Qatar 2022 World Cup will be played at the end of the year because of the impossibility of holding it in summer due to the high temperatures experienced in the host country. Regardless of the above, the fate has already been decided and the 22nd edition of the tournament will be remembered as the first time it was played at the end of the year.

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Piper Sandler to Acquire DBO Partners Growing Technology Investment Banking – Business Wire

Posted: at 9:08 am

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Piper Sandler Companies (NYSE: PIPR), a leading investment bank, announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire DBO Partners, an independent technology investment banking firm in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Founded in 2012, DBO Partners provides trusted, client-focused M&A and capital raising solutions to leading public and private companies, private equity, venture capital and alternative investment firms. The team has led many of the largest and most complex transactions for its clients in key technology verticals, including software, security, engineering, semiconductors & infrastructure and emerging technology. In addition, DBO Partners dedicated private equity general partner advisory services will add a new and growing capability to the Piper Sandler investment banking platform. Notable transactions include AMDs $35 billion acquisition of Xilinx, Dell Technologies $4 billion sale of Boomi and Thoma Bravos sale of a majority stake in Centrify to TPG.

The DBO team has built an exceptional practice advising leading global companies on their most important transactions. The addition of DBO significantly increases our presence and capabilities in the technology sector and is an important step towards building a leading technology investment banking practice, said Michael Dillahunt, global co-head of investment banking and capital markets at Piper Sandler.

DBO is co-led by three founding partners each with over 35 years of industry experience: Gordon Dean, Mark Bradley and Nick Osborne. Dean joined Morgan Stanley in 1986 where he rose to become a managing director, co-head of the western region and vice chairman of investment banking. Bradley started his career with Morgan Stanley in 1985 where he spent 25 years, including as the global head of the financial sponsors group from 20002012 and a member of the Investment Banking Management Committee. Osborne also joined DBO from Morgan Stanley where he was the head of global technology mergers & acquisitions. They are joined by Brian White, who has built a leading security investment banking business at DBO.

We chose Piper Sandler because we share a client-first culture and they have a proven track record of adding successful, industry-focused, advisory businesses and enabling them with more capabilities and resources to provide enhanced solutions for clients and opportunities for their teams, commented Nick Osborne, co-founder of DBO. Importantly, the partnership with Piper Sandler is highly complementary to our business, with Piper Sandlers existing team of talented technology banking professionals. Together we will continue to offer exceptional service and outcomes to our clients with more products, including debt and equity capital markets, more vertical expertise and more resources.

The team including the three co-founders will be integrated into the Piper Sandler technology investment banking group. Nick Osborne will be named co-head of technology investment banking alongside current technology group head Steve Schmidt. Together, they will lead a group of over 50 investment banking professionals. Gordon Dean will be named vice chairman, investment banking, Mark Bradley will be named chairman, financial sponsor coverage and Brian White will be named head of security and defense technology. Piper Sandlers expanded technology team will serve as an important pillar of growth for the firms investment banking business.

We are thrilled to add DBOs tenured team to our platform on the heels of what was a record-breaking year for our technology investment banking group in 2021. We look forward to combining our expertise to build a market-leading franchise, said Steve Schmidt, head of technology investment banking at Piper Sandler.

The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2022 and is subject to customary closing conditions

Piper Sandler was advised by Sullivan and Cromwell LLP. Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen and Katz served as legal advisor and KBW served as financial advisor to DBO Partners in connection with the transaction.

About DBO Partners

DBO Partners is an independent technology investment banking firm headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, whose partners advise global leaders on their most important strategic and financial transactions. The team of veteran advisors have led many of the largest and most complex transactions for leading global companies and private equity firms in multiple key verticals across the technology landscape, including software, security, engineering, semiconductors & infrastructure and emerging technology. The firm offers expertise in mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, restructurings, debt and equity capital raising, shareholder relations and financing, and general partner advisory services. Learn more at dbopartners.com.

About Piper Sandler

Piper Sandler is a leading investment bank driven to help clients Realize the Power of Partnership. Through a distinct combination of candid counsel, focused expertise and empowered employees, we deliver insight and impact to each and every relationship. Our proven advisory teams combine deep product and sector expertise with ready access to global capital. Founded in 1895, the firm is headquartered in Minneapolis with offices across the United States and in London, Aberdeen and Hong Kong. Learn more at PiperSandler.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. Statements that are not historical or current facts, including statements about beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements cover, among other things, the future prospects and growth of the Company. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, including the following: (1) the transaction described in this announcement is subject to customary closing conditions and may not close on the expected timing or at all; (2) the costs or difficulties relating to the combination of the businesses may be greater than expected and may adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition and our ability to realize anticipated synergies from the transaction; (3) the expected benefits of the transaction may take longer than anticipated to achieve and may not be achieved in their entirety or at all, and will in part depend on the ability of the Company to retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with its clients; (4) developments in market and economic conditions have in the past adversely affected, and may in the future adversely affect, the business and profitability of the Company generally and its investment banking business specifically; and (5) other factors identified under Risk Factors in Part I, Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, and updated in our subsequent reports filed with the SEC. These reports are available at http://www.pipersandler.com or http://www.sec.gov. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update them in light of new information or future events.

Piper Sandler Companies (NYSE: PIPR) is a leading investment bank driven to help clients Realize the Power of Partnership. Securities brokerage and investment banking services are offered in the U.S. through Piper Sandler & Co., member SIPC and NYSE; in Europe through Piper Sandler Ltd., authorized and regulated by the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority; and in Hong Kong through Piper Sandler Hong Kong Limited, authorized and regulated by the Securities and Futures Commission. Alternative asset management and fixed income advisory services are offered through separately registered advisory affiliates.

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2022. Since 1895. Piper Sandler Companies. 800 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402-7036

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Big technology stocks like Tesla, Amazon and Microsoft just finished their worst quarter in years – CNBC

Posted: at 9:08 am

Elon Musk attends The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Gotham/Getty Images)

Gotham | Getty Images

Investors lowered the valuations of the world's largest technology companies in the second quarter as central bankers ratcheted up interest rates to ward off inflation.

Big technology names became less valuable in the first quarter, with Russia's invasion into Ukraine cutting into business and adding to supply complications that appeared in the pandemic, sending the broad S&P 500 index down about 5%. The situation worsened in the second quarter as the Federal Reserve swung into action with rate increases. While the S&P tumbled another 16%, the technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite index declined 22%.

U.S. stocks fell Thursday to end the second quarter, prompting the S&P 500's weakest first half of the year since 1970.

Electric-vehicle maker Tesla endured its largest quarterly decline since its 2010 initial public offering as the stock sank almost 38%. In the quarter CEO Elon Musk made a bid to acquire social-media company Twitter for $44 billion.

Amazon stock dropped almost 35%, the most since the third quarter of 2001. The company's first-quarter earnings fell short of analysts' estimates in April as revenue growth slowed. In early June, Amazon said Dave Clark, CEO of the e-commerce company's worldwide consumer business, was resigning. In September he will start as CEO of supply chain software startup Flexport.

Shares of Google's umbrella company, Alphabet, ended the quarter down almost 22%, the worst results since the fourth quarter of 2008. Microsoft shares dropped about 17%, the sharpest decline since the second quarter of 2010.

Apple's stock fell almost 22% in the second quarter in the stock's worst performance since the fourth quarter of 2018, when Apple reported light guidance and the stock market overall endured a steep selloff.

Facebook parent Meta Platforms whose ticker symbol changed to META from FB this month to match its new corporate identity reflecting a stronger emphasis on virtual worlds where people can transact and interact saw its stock fall more than 27%. That was a better outcome than the first quarter, when the stock's value compressed by about 34%. In February the social-network operator said its count of daily active users (DAUs) on Facebook had decreased quarter-over-quarter for the first time.

Drugmakers Eli Lilly and Merck, cereal manufacturer Kellogg and discount retailer Dollar General all outperformed these six companies, posting gains of at least 10% in the quarter.

WATCH: A lot of names will never recover in growth tech, says EMJ Capital's Eric Jackson

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Scientists are still fleshing out Darwins theory of evolution – The Guardian

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Stephen Buranyi misses some key points in his article (Do we need a new theory of evolution?, 28 June). Darwin saw novel speciation as resulting from natural selection acting on anatomical variants, but that simple skeleton needed fleshing out. It took a century of research, for example, for us to understand the importance of inheritance in very small populations if novel variants were to become predominant.

The major problems in understanding evolutionary change today are as follows. First, working out how anatomical variants form and this is hard because we dont yet have a full understanding of how normal embryology works (evolution, it has been claimed, is development gone wrong) and can only rarely recognise a favourable mutation. Second, unpicking the generally opaque processes of selection (there are at least four independent reasons why zebra stripes would be favoured). Third, understanding why substantial evolutionary change seems so slow, albeit that this is what the fossil record demonstrates. This is the topic that excites the community that Buranyi discusses, even though modern molecular genetics and systems biology show that heritable novelties can form more rapidly than they realise.

The deeper problem is that evolutionary change involves the complete scale of nature, from DNA mutation to climate change, so of course there can be no unifying theory. The difficulty for scientists is that convincing experimentation is hard and slow.Prof Jonathan BardOxford

Those biologists who are critical of current Darwinian orthodoxy and who want to modify the theory in the direction of the extended Darwinian synthesis need to take things further. They need to recognise that all living things are purposive. They pursue goals without necessarily being aware of it the ultimate goal being survival and reproductive success.

Purposive action can, in a multitude of ways, influence what has survival value and thus influence the future course of evolution. Purposive action that results in living in a new environment, or pursuing new kinds of food, can change what has survival value for that creature and its offspring, and thus can influence the future course of evolution. Foxes hunting rabbits breed rabbits better able to escape; and rabbits escaping breed foxes better able to catch them.

Above all, when animals make discoveries and learn from one another, cultural evolution becomes possible, and that can have a massive impact on subsequent evolution, as the case of human evolution, and the evolution of language, show.

We need a new, unified version of Darwinian theory that recognises that the purposive actions of living things play a vital role in evolution. This is very definitely not Lamarckism, although too many biologists have denied the Darwinian role of purposive action in evolution for fear that that commits one to Lamarckism. For more about this, see chapter 6 of my 2020 book Our Fundamental Problem: A Revolutionary Approach to Philosophy.Nicholas MaxwellEmeritus reader, science and technology studies, University College London

Surely theres no problem with having several conflicting theories of evolution? Eventually the fittest will survive.Pete BibbySheffield

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Schwazze Debuts Star Buds Brand Evolution With The Remodel Of Star Buds Aurora, Colorado – Yahoo Finance

Posted: at 9:07 am

Schwazze Will Host A Grand Opening on July 9, 2022 To Debut The Remodeled Star Buds In Aurora, Colorado

DENVER, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Schwazze, (OTCQX: SHWZ) (NEO: SHWZ), a vertically integrated regional cannabis company with assets in Colorado and New Mexico, announces the evolution of the Star Buds brand with the remodel of two Star Buds cannabis dispensaries in Colorado. Schwazze will debut the first Star Buds dispensary to display the brand evolution and renovation on July 9, 2022 at its Montview store located at 10100 E Montview Blvd, Aurora, CO 80010.

SCHWAZZE LOGO (CNW Group/Schwazze)

Star Buds is a premier marijuana dispensary that offers a wide selection of products and best-in-class service. The Star Buds evolution is designed to capture a 70s retro persona; fun-loving, easy-going, and one that never lets you down. The Star Buds evolution highlights that each location is more than a dispensary, as they embody a nostalgic presence about the good times, while also helping customers find their way.

The Star Buds brand evolution moves away from a color theme traditionally used within the cannabis industry and incorporates a warmer color scheme of kelly green, yellow, and orange. The dispensaries feature in-store signage that highlight distinctly unique Star Buds phrases such as, "Good Vibes This Way," "Find Your Happy," "The Freshest Greens Served Daily," including brand pillar messaging of the Company's core values: "Top Quality, Widest Selection, Stellar Service." The new design provides an enhanced consumer experience and more space for budtenders to better serve customers.

"We're proud to debut the Star Buds brand evolution, driven by the team at Schwazze, to offer our customers a fun, colorful environment that combines the traditional bud bar model with a shop-the-store, more hands-on experience," said Collin Lodge, Vice President of Retail for Schwazze. "As owners of Star Buds in Colorado, our stores are entering a new era that aligns perfectly with our mission of offering the widest selection of top quality products with stellar service."

Story continues

The festivities celebrating the debut of the first Star Buds brand evolution and renovation kick off on Saturday, July 9, 2022 at 11 am. The first 50 customers will receive a backpack filled with Star Buds branded swag. The celebration will feature games, giveaways,a social media scavenger hunt, and representatives from various prominent cannabis brands, such as Wana, O.Pen, Willie's Reserve, Ripple and more. The dispensary, located at 10100 E Montview Blvd, Aurora, CO will offer in-store discounts all weekend.

In late summer 2022, Schwazze will complete the remodel of Star Buds Glendale located at 492 S Colorado Blvd, Glendale, CO 80246. The brand evolution and remodel follows the acquisition of 13 Colorado Star Buds locations in March of 2021. The acquisition and brand evolution of the Star Buds retail spaces are part of a proven integration, which has grown the total number of Colorado dispensaries to 23 along with four cultivation facilities.

Star Buds N. AuroraAurora10100 E Montview BoulevardAurora, CO 80010

Grand Reopening CelebrationSaturday, July 9, 202211 am to 3 pm

About Schwazze

Schwazze (OTCQX:SHWZ, NEO:SHWZ) is building a premier vertically integrated regional cannabis company with assets in Colorado and New Mexico and will continue to take its operating system to other states where it can develop a differentiated regional leadership position. Schwazze is the parent company of a portfolio of leading cannabis businesses and brands spanning seed to sale. The Company is committed to unlocking the full potential of the cannabis plant to improve the human condition. Schwazze is anchored by a high-performance culture that combines customer-centric thinking and data science to test, measure, and drive decisions and outcomes. The Company's leadership team has deep expertise in retailing, wholesaling, and building consumer brands at Fortune 500 companies as well as in the cannabis sector. Schwazze is passionate about making a difference in our communities, promoting diversity and inclusion, and doing our part to incorporate climate-conscious best practices.

Medicine Man Technologies, Inc. was Schwazze's former operating trade name. The corporate entity continues to be named Medicine Man Technologies, Inc. Schwazze derives its name from the pruning technique of a cannabis plant to enhance plant structure and promote healthy growth.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements." Such statements may be preceded by the words "plan," "will," "may,", "predicts," or similar words. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future events or performance, are based on certain assumptions, and are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control and cannot be predicted or quantified. Consequently, actual events and results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with (i) our inability to manufacture our products and product candidates on a commercial scale on our own or in collaboration with third parties; (ii) difficulties in obtaining financing on commercially reasonable terms; (iii) changes in the size and nature of our competition; (iv) loss of one or more key executives or scientists; (v) difficulties in securing regulatory approval to market our products and product candidates; (vi) our ability to successfully execute our growth strategy in Colorado and outside the state, (vii) our ability to consummate the acquisition described in this press release or to identify and consummate future acquisitions that meet our criteria, (viii) our ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses and realize synergies therefrom, (ix) the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, * the timing and extent of governmental stimulus programs, (xi) the uncertainty in the application of federal, state and local laws to our business, and any changes in such laws, and * out ability to satisfy the closing conditions for the private finding described in this press release. More detailed information about the Company and the risk factors that may affect the realization of forward-looking statements is set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise except as required by law.

Cision

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Schwazze Debuts Star Buds Brand Evolution With The Remodel Of Star Buds Aurora, Colorado - Yahoo Finance

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The Evolution of Thor, Marvels Mainstay – The Ringer

Posted: at 9:07 am

The first time the titular God of Thunder appears in 2011s Thor, the Asgardian hero is obscured by a swirling cloud of dust after landing in New Mexico. As a result, he is struck by a van and knocked out cold before even getting the chance to introduce himself. The next time Chris Hemsworths Thor appears, though, its on the day that the prince of Asgard is to be crowned its new king.

As Thor struts his way through Odins throne room, past a crowd of adoring Asgardians, he flips his ancient, mystical hammer in the air as if it were a toy, roaring back at his fans and relishing the spotlight. When a group of Frost Giants are caught stealing from Asgards weapons vault moments later, interrupting Thors coronation, the prince decides to act against his fathers wishes and leads a small team of warriors to the Frost Giants homeworld to essentially start a war. The God of Thunder acts like a petulant child when Odin intervenes and reprimands him for his disobedience, and in turn, Thor is exiled to Earth so that he can learn to become worthy of his mighty hammer and the power that comes with it.

The Thor that will return for an eighth MCU film appearance (excluding cameo-sized roles) later this week in Thor: Love and Thunder has changed tremendously from the one first seen in those introductory Thor scenes. In his first two solo movies, Thor and 2013s The Dark World, Thor shifts from being an arrogant manchild who cares only about glory and succeeding his father to the Asgardian throne to, well, still being an arrogant manchildbut at least one who becomes capable of subordinating his selfish desires to the greater good, and understanding that he is better suited to be Asgards protector than its king. But while the character was still figuring out what sort of god he wanted to be, Marvel Studios was trying to decide what to do with the Thor franchise after two lackluster films.

In Thor, Marvel chose Kenneth Branagh to set the tone for the franchise and its star, bringing in the noted Shakespearean filmmaker and actor to lend his dramatic touch to the ancient world of Asgard and its royal family. (In an interview with The Washington Post in 2011, Branagh even likened Thor to the reckless Prince Hal and Loki to his Hotspur in Henry IV, and he saw similar themes and conflicts in Thor as Hamlet and Henry V.) For The Dark World, the studio turned to future Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins, but she left the project over concerns about the script and was replaced by Game of Thrones director Alan Taylor. Even then, the movie that Taylor made was not at all the one he had envisioned or wanted to see himself. In the first two Thor films, the franchise felt aimless, and the growth of its lead character was stifled. The movies were often too dramatic and self-serious for their own good, caught in a strange tonal midpoint between The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars; Thors story had heavy fantasy and sci-fi elements, unfolding on various planets in modern times. The fact that characters would speak as if they were written by the Bard didnt help, either.

And then, for the third installment, Thor: Ragnarok, Marvel called on Taika Waititi to direct.

[Thor] is the franchise that has the least amount of identity, Waititi told The Hollywood Reporter ahead of the release of Ragnarok in 2017. It sort of doesnt know what it is yet. So I came in saying, Well it could be THIS. I ignored the source material and even the first two films and tried to do my own thing.

Even before Ragnarok hit theaters to near-universal acclaim and an improved performance at the box office compared to its predecessors, fans could see Hemsworths Thor in a new light and witnessed the impending tonal shift for the franchise in a pair of mockumentary-style short films directed by Waititi and released in 2016 and 2017. The two-part Team Thor series reveals what the God of Thunder was up to while he was sidelined in 2016s Captain America: Civil Warnamely, how he moved to Australia and roomed with some guy named Darryl. But above all, the shorts were a showcase for the heros underutilized secret weapon: his humor.

Comedy is key to the success of Ragnarok, and Marvel selected Waititi, whose previous credits included What We Do in the Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople, to lead the charge in creating this tonal shift. [Marvel Studios] wanted it to be a departure from what they had done before, Waititi told THR in the same 2017 interview. And Chris had wanted to do something that felt less familiar. The secret weapon to all of this was letting Chris be more himself, because he is very funny and that part of Thor was not exploited in the right ways. I know he wanted to do more in the other movies, but there are just so many characters. And the other ones, like Iron Man, have already been established a bit stronger.

Speaking to ET Canada ahead of the release of Ragnarok, Hemsworth expressed similar sentiments about a need for change when asked about his past MCU appearances: They were all a lot of fun, but I just became a little sick of what I was doing, Hemsworth explained. It became too familiar, I felt like Id built these walls on what the characters expectations were and what he could and couldnt do. So in [Ragnarok], we just sort of broke the mold, and anything that was familiar, we just threw it out the window and tried something different.

In Thor and The Dark World, much of the movies comedic relief was entrusted to supporting players like Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings), while Thors chances to be funny were rather few and far between. But Waititi keyed in on those sparing moments from the character, such as when Thor smashed a coffee cup with glee in Thor, or when he casually hung his hammer on a coat rack in The Dark World, both of which were improvised by Hemsworth, according to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige. In Ragnarok, Funny Thor is unleashed in full force, while characters that never really worked in previous movies, like the Warriors Three, die quick deaths to make room for the likes of Korg, the rock warrior voiced by Waititi, and the Grandmaster, an absurd villain embodied by Jeff Goldblum, whos basically playing himself.

Few moments in Ragnarok serve as a better representation of the difference between the former Thor films and the characters new comedic direction than the early scene that sees Thor returning to Asgard to discover that Loki has disguised himself as Odin. After making a fool of Surtur, the fire demon, Thor arrives in Asgard to find a theatrical production in progress that depicts the death of Loki. With Matt Damon, Luke Hemsworth, and Sam Neill playing Asgardian actors, the in-world performance is melodramatic and wildly over the top. It also happens to be a spoof of Lokis actual (faked) death from The Dark World, which was unironically just as melodramatic. Ragnarok even goes as far as using some of the same lines.

The reimagination of Thor in Ragnarok brought new life to the franchise, and to the character as well, as Thors new comedic side followed him into Infinity War and Endgame as he left his hyperdramatic image further behind. (Fortunately, the misguided Fat Thor phase that transpired between Waititis films comes to an end early in Love and Thunder.) Its also a big reason, with Love and Thunder, Thor will become the first MCU franchise to earn a fourth installment.

Even with Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) gone, Hemsworths Thor remains, and the latest entry in the Thor saga looks to recreate everything that worked in Ragnarok while reinventing itself in new ways. There are flying goats and new gods, and Natalie Portman returns as Jane Foster after sitting out Ragnarokand this time, she plays a role that allows her to be much more than Thors love interest. In Love and Thunder, Foster is set to pick up Odinsons broken, famed hammer and become the Mighty Thor herself.

On Friday, Thors journey continues, and the evolutions of both the character and the franchise are ongoing. Those bleached eyebrows may be long gone, but if Love and Thunder can build off of the success of Ragnarok, and if Hemsworth gets his wish to remain in the role, Thor might just stick around for whatever apocalyptic crossover event awaits the MCU in the years to come.

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BetMGM: "We’re confident that our private studio with Evolution will amplify our market-leading casino offering in Michigan" – Yogonet…

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BetMGM opened a private live dealer studio in Michigan late last month, built in partnership with itslive casino partnerEvolution. BetMGM Casinolaunched its Michigan live dealer offeringin July 2021 as one of the nine operators that went live from day one with Evolution, and currently holds 39% market share in a jurisdiction that keeps setting new revenues for online casino revenue.

"Were thrilled to finally be able to deliver the opportunity to sit exclusively among other BetMGM Casino players at branded tables, inspired by the iconic branding and iconography of MGM Resorts," Oliver Bartlett, Director of Gaming for BetMGM, tells Yogonet in an exclusive interview. "Aside from building a beautiful environment for our players to enjoy, a private studio offers us specific control on operational hours, table limits and player promotions, which will only serve to enhance the overall BetMGM gaming experience."

Michigan online casinos and poker sites generated $127.4 million in revenue in May, falling 3.8% from the Michigan record $132.4 million in April. The state has 15 online casino operators, of which 9 went live from day one with Evolution's third studio in the U.S. Bartlett who before joining BetMGM in March 2021 served for over two years and a half as Evolution's Business Development for US & Canada says that through BetMGM's relationship with Evolution, "the leading B2B supplier of live casino content," the operator was again able to work closely together to design and construct the studio with its players preferences in mind: "The studio is adorned with the iconic golden lion and the familiar black and gold BetMGM color scheme. Comprised of six blackjack tables of varying bet limits, a roulette table, and a speed baccarat table, were confident that it will amplify our market-leading casino offering in Michigan."

Also last month, BetMGM announced an agreement with Sony Pictures Television and IGT to launch Wheel of Fortune Casino, the first full brand-led online casino in North America, initially in New Jersey. "Our partnership with Sony and IGT is the latest example of our dedication to building the industrys largest and strongest game portfolio," Bartlett tells Yogonet. "BetMGM often looks to strengthen our own brand by developing partnerships and leveraging established IP that we know players recognize and trust. Weve done it with MGM Resorts properties and countless popular land-based titles in the past, and were doing it again through the Wheel of Fortune brand and our partners Sony and IGT. Were thrilled to bring Wheel of Fortune Casino to New Jersey, where players will feel the excitement of their favorite gameshow paired with real money wagering in the palm of their hand."

When asked about BetMGM's recent deal with Carnival Corporation to deliver retail and mobile sports betting and iGaming in over 50 ships ported in the U.S., the executive says the company will share more details closer to the technology implementation.

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The evolution of threat modelling as a DevSecOps practice – ComputerWeekly.com

Posted: at 9:07 am

Threat modelling is the process of visualising vulnerabilities in software from the design phase through the software development lifecycle. A relatively new software security practice, it has gathered significant traction over the past few years.

Historically, threat modelling was literally conducted by security professionals using whiteboards. Today, though, its becoming more integrated into software architecture design, with developers increasingly able to take it on in collaboration with the security team, complementing the DevSecOps model.

And its continuing to evolve. Open source threat modelling is arguably the next step, with tool agnosticism meaning it can be much more widely adopted.

The practice of examining the design of a software system to identify potential security problems, the ultimate purpose of threat modelling is to anticipate and proactively address how an attacker might compromise an application.

Fundamentally, it involves answering the following questions during the design phase. What are we building? What can go wrong? What are we going to do about it? And did we do a good job?

By finding vulnerabilities in this way early in the software development lifecycle, developers can build protections into the code from the start, thereby saving considerable time and money on tackling any security breaches that occur further down the line.

Any threat model built during this early stage should then be used to inform all downstream security activities, including implementation, testing and beyond. In many cases, however, the model is only used during the design phase, becoming less relevant as the project progresses.

But, by embracing threat modelling, developers can build valuable relationships with their organisations security team. Such relationships are ever more important with security joining the shift left movement and becoming an increasingly essential part of the application build pipeline development and security teams need to work closely together to create repeatable processes that result in secure software.

This, then, is DevSecOps, an extension of the DevOps model in which security has a seat at the table through every phase of the DevOps process. And, given that its inherently a collaborative activity involving the security and development teams, threat modelling closely lends itself to this model. In fact, the iterative nature of the threat modelling methodology fits the DevOps process well. Each time a new plan phase is reached, for instance, there is an opportunity for threat modelling. Then, with each new sprint or iteration, that threat model can be further reviewed and revised.

With its importance as part of the DevSecOps model now recognised, its likely that the evolution of threat modelling will soon see the practice becoming more widely adopted.

At its most basic, threat modelling can be carried out by experts and engineers using a whiteboard.

Over time, though, software development has become increasingly about moving fast with a culture of continuous integration and deployment. This, coupled with development teams working on dozens or even hundreds of services simultaneously means the manual whiteboard method of threat modelling is largely untenable. Its often not practical and its certainly not scalable.

Threat modelling has had to evolve to keep up with the pace and demands of software development. With security now a board-level priority for most organisations, its become a critical capability for business leaders. Indeed, its now recognised as critical software security practice. In the US, for example, the National Institute for Standards and Technology recommends that threat modelling is undertaken as part of its Recommended Minimum Standards for Vendor or Developer Verification of Code.

Until recently, threat modelling was still primarily the domain of an organisations security experts. Now though, the advent of open source tools the next logical step in threat modellings evolution means it is accessible to developers, too essential as part of the DevSecOps model.

There are offerings currently available in the market which are designed to be used by security teams and developers, and contain templates, pre-defined databases of common threats and easy-to-use dashboards, as well as the ability to gather threat intelligence from open global libraries.

Threat modelling has come a long way from the manual whiteboard approach. Open source tools are set to transform the threat modelling process. By making it an increasingly simple and widely adopted practice, they will have a significant impact on secure design. As the delivery pipeline becomes faster and more complicated, and as the threat landscape continues to grow in its sophistication, the benefits of open source threat modelling tools in enabling an effective DevSecOps approach represent a huge step towards achieving true secure software design.

Stephen de Vries is co-founder and CEO of IriusRisk

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Data Integration and the Digital Experience Platform Evolution – Channel Futures

Posted: at 9:07 am

Data management is key to turning random touch points into a better customer experience.

Brian Atkiss

To stay competitive, organizations need to speak to the customer through content and listen to the data collected throughout the customers journey. Its often a struggle to digitize business operations, deliver connected customer experiences and gather actionable customer insights across multi-experience customer journeys. However, a solution has emerged over the last several years to address this struggle; a solution that isnt user-interface based but relies on data.

Digital experience platforms (DXPs) are an evolution of content management systems (CMS) and web content management (WCM) systems used to deliver user interfaces for corporate marketing and commerce systems. At the heart of the DXP process is its ability to listen to the data collected throughout the customers journey. Data captured through the listening process will ease customer journeys by providing context, personalization and analytics to drive a better experience; but it needs proper management first.

The management and flow of data within a DXP are crucial to its ability to drive the users digital journey. When you look closely at the evolution of the various technology solutions from CMS and WCM into complete DX platforms, youll see evolutionary commonalities, e.g., the addition of an underlying data management layer within the architecture. From Adobe to Liferay and from Salesforce to Acquia, some aspect of a customer data platform underpins every DPX solution.

Before leaping into a DXP creation, IT teams need to understand the standard user profile, where the data resides, how to collect it and how to move it into a DXP data lake. Once this knowledge has been attained, IT can move into the architecture phase, which requires vital components, such as:

Data is what separates DXPs from standard CMS and WCM solutions. DXPs empower organizations to consolidate and understand user profile data. This rich data lake of knowledge comes from an IT architecture that promotes listening through a targeted digital experience using segmentation, personalization, content targeting and relevant marketing campaigns.

DXP isnt just a UX project; its identifying customer journeys vis--vis data and integration. Data distinguishes DXPs from CMS and WCM solutions by turning random and individual user touch points into an orchestrated journey.

Brian Atkiss is director of applied intelligence at Anexinet. He has more than a decade of experience building analytics solutions that generate actionable insights for the Fortune 500 and has an extensive background in social listening and advanced analytics solutions around data integration, machine learning and artificial intelligence. You may follow him on LinkedIn or @anexinet on Twitter.

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Data Integration and the Digital Experience Platform Evolution - Channel Futures

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Whereowares Evolution as a Digital Experience Agency Continues with Acquisition of LookThink – Yahoo Finance

Posted: at 9:06 am

The acquisition strengthens Whereowares capabilities as a full-service digital experience agency

MCLEAN, Va., July 07, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Award-winning digital experience agency Whereoware today announced that it has acquired LookThink, a user experience consultancy and digital services provider based in Washington, DC. The move accelerates Whereowares growth and continued strategic transformation into a full-service, strategically-led solutions partner.

Together, Whereoware and LookThink advance as a digital experience agency with a full range of digital strategy and activation capabilities that can drive sustainable growth by attracting larger clients, increasing retention rates and upsells, and delivering impactful results. Clients will benefit from a broader strategy offering, deeper UX and design expertise, and a wider array of supported technology platforms, including Salesforce, Optimizely, Acquia, Drupal, WordPress and Acoustic.

The two companies have complementary capabilities, similar business approaches, and a shared focus on driving measurable results for clients, which include Cuisinart, Yamaha Motor Corporation, Pitney Bowes, Marriott Inc., and League of Women Voters. With more than 20 years in business, Whereoware is widely known for helping clients build profitable digital experiences through meaningful personalization and automation, data maximization, and custom technology solutions. Likewise, LookThinks practical approach to UX design and delivery sets the agency apart, with projects characterized by valued-based metrics, such as clients employee time-savings, increased engagement rates, reduced call center volume, and improved customer retention.

"The addition of LookThink greatly expands our capabilities and resources to help our clients achieve their objectives, creating intuitive solutions that make a positive impact," stated Michael Mathias, Chief Executive Officer of Whereoware. "Together with LookThink, we can deliver even stronger results for our clients through deeper expertise and a broader technology stack."

Story continues

Joe Mallek, President of LookThink, will assume the role of Chief Strategy Officer and oversee client strategy, UX, and design for Whereoware. "Both Whereoware and LookThink remain committed to building great companies that make a difference for employees and clients, with an unwavering focus on doing the right thing for all stakeholders," stated Mallek. "Combining our talents creates a stronger, diversified foundation of opportunities."

Whereoware recently incubated and successfully sold a software-as-a-service (SaaS) business to International Market Centers, a Blackstone portfolio company, in early 2020. Through 2021, the company prioritized investment in adding executive, management, and subject matter experts, improving systems and processes, and creating a scalable, strategically-led engagement approach for clients.

The combined companies bring together a cross-functional team of over eighty digital marketers, strategists, technologists, UX consultants, experience designers, business analysts, project managers and solution architects. As the companies join together, the first priority is to quickly build a business that helps clients and employees grow and succeed. Both offices will be maintained and evaluated in normal course as teams, systems, and processes are integrated to bring out the best from each company and provide industry-leading strategic guidance and digital implementation.

"This move not only accelerates our advancement as a full-service digital experience agency, but also allows us to better serve our clients with the expansion of our offerings and expertise. Im very excited to lead us into this next chapter of growth and highlight the combined talents and experiences of our teams!" stated Michael Mathias, Chief Executive Officer of Whereoware.

For more information about this acquisition, please visit: https://www.whereoware.com/lp/whereoware-welcomes-lookthink

About Whereoware

Leading digital agency for 20 years, Whereoware drives smart growth through digital strategy and activation. We specialize in successfully guiding brands through the ever-changing digital landscape, through customer acquisition, retention, and maximization; marketing optimization; and e-commerce solutions. Pioneering online personalization and holistic digital experiences, we design and build award-winning websites and email campaigns, and generate impactful results with data integrations, analytics, digital advertising, and SEO/PPC services. To learn more, please visit http://www.whereoware.com.

About LookThink

LookThink is a Washington, DC based User Experience Consultancy, providing design and development expertise optimizing internal systems and processes, improving customer experiences, and increasing operating efficiencies. Success is measured based on the impact that the work delivers for clients. Distinct from typical digital agencies, projects are characterized by value-based metrics such as employee time savings, increased rates of adoption, completion or engagement, reduced call center volume, and improved customer retention.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220707005212/en/

Contacts

Bonnie MossMoss Networksbonnie@mossnetworks.com 818-995-8127

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