Tips to claim tax losses with the US Internal Revenue Service

Crypto volatility is nerve-wracking, and it may not be over yet. The turmoil may make crypto investors and crypto-related businesses less enthusiastic than when prices seemed ever to be climbing. With the market falling off a cliff, there will be big losses to claim on your taxes, right? Not necessarily. As your United States dollars shake out in the digital world, it is worth asking whether there is any lemonade you can make by claiming losses on your taxes.

First, ask what happened from a tax viewpoint. If you’ve been trading and triggering big taxable gains, but then the floor drops out, first consider whether you can pay your taxes for the gains you have already triggered this year. Taxes are annual and generally based on a calendar year unless you have properly elected otherwise. Start with the proposition that each time you sell or exchange a cryptocurrency for cash, another cryptocurrency, or for goods or services, the transaction is considered a taxable event.

That is a result of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service’s shot heard ‘round the world in Notice 2014-21 when the IRS announced that crypto is property for tax purposes. Not currency, not securities, but property, so most any transaction means the IRS wants you to report gain or loss.

Related: Things to know (and fear) about new IRS crypto tax reporting

Before 2018, many crypto investors claimed that crypto-to-crypto exchanges were tax-free. But that argument was based on section 1031 of the tax code. It was a good argument, depending on the facts and the reporting. But that argument went away starting in 2018. Section 1031 of the tax code now says it applies to swaps of real estate only.

The IRS is auditing some pre-2018 crypto taxpayers and, so far, doesn’t appear to like the 1031 argument, even before 2018. The IRS even released one piece of guidance saying that tax-free crypto exchanges don’t work. We may need a court case to resolve it if the IRS pushes it that far. After all, it only applies to 2017 and prior years, so it’s of diminishing importance.

But regardless of whether you use crypto to pay someone, swap crypto, or outright sell it, do you have gains or losses? For most people, gains or losses would be subject to short-term or long-term capital gains/losses based on the basis (what you paid for the crypto), holding period, and the price at which the cryptocurrency was sold or exchanged. Yet some people may have ordinary gains or losses, and that topic is worth revisiting. Are you trading in crypto as a business?

Related: The major tax myths about cryptocurrency debunked

Most investors want long-term capital gains rates on gains if they buy and hold for more than a year. However, ordinary income treatment could be helpful for some, at least for losses. Securities traders can make a section 475 mark-to-market election under the tax code, but does that work for crypto? It’s not clear. To qualify, one must argue that the crypto constitutes securities or commodities.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has argued that some cryptocurrencies are securities, and there may be arguments for commodity characterization, too. It’s at least worth considering in some cases. However, in addition to establishing a position that a digital currency is a security or commodity, you would need to qualify as a trader in order to make a mark-to-market election. Whether one’s activities constitute “trading” as opposed to “investing” is a key issue in determining whether one is eligible to make a mark-to-market election.

The IRS lists details about who is a trader, usually characterized by high volume and short-term holding, although sometimes investing and trading might look rather similar.

If crypto turns out to be eligible for mark-to-market and if you qualify and elect it, you could mark to market your securities or commodities on the last business day of the year. Any gain or loss would be ordinary income, and gains, too. A benefit would be that the cumbersome process of tracking the date and time that each crypto was acquired and identifying the crypto you sold would not be required.

For most people, this election, if available, likely won’t make any sense, but as with so much else in the crypto tax world, much is uncertain. In the past, some drops in crypto value have been called a “flash crash,” an event in electronic securities markets where the withdrawal of stock orders rapidly amplifies price declines, and then quickly recovers. In the case of stock, the SEC voted on June 10, 2010, to enact rules to automatically stop trading on any stock in the S&P 500 whose price changes by more than 10% in any five-minute period.

A stop-loss order directs a broker to sell at the best price available if the stock reaches a specified price. Some people use the same idea with crypto. Some even want to buy the crypto back after a sale, and with crypto, you can do that. In contrast, with stock, there are wash sale rules, which restrict selling (to trigger losses) and buying back stock within 30 days. There are no wash sale rules for crypto, so you can sell your crypto and buy it right back without a 30-day waiting period.

This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal advice.

The views, thoughts and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.

Robert W. Wood is a tax lawyer representing clients worldwide from the office of Wood LLP in San Francisco, where he is a managing partner. He is the author of numerous tax books and frequently writes about taxes for Forbes, Tax Notes and other publications.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Everything We Know

Rocksteady’s last game, Batman: Arkham Knight, released in 2015, which means it has been seven years since we played a new Rocksteady game. In video game time, that is an eternity. As a four-player co-op shooter, Suicide Squad is a big departure from its previous single-player action games, but we’re excited to see the studio tackle something new… even if it is taking place in a familiar universe.

Task Force X is either looking at a bird or a plane. There is nothing else it could be.

As we head into Summer Game Fest and all the various Not-E3 summer events, we decided to check in on Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and outline everything we know about the game ahead of its 2023 release.

Release date

Despite the game’s announcement and follow-up trailers boldly proclaiming a 2022 release window, Rocksteady announced earlier this year that it had made the “difficult decision” to push the game to 2023. On Steam, Suicide Squad is listed with a vague 2023 release date. On the PlayStation Store, the section of the page that would typically feature a release date simply displays the word, “Announced”.

Captain Boomerang calls The Flash Barry in one the trailer implying that his identity is widely known.

What we know

Suicide Squad is four-player co-op shooter that takes place after the events of the Batman Arkham trilogy of games and is set in Superman’s Metropolis. Following the city being taken over by Brainiac, high-ranking government official Amanda Waller assembes Task Force X, using Arkham Asylum as her base of operations. Waller then recruits Arkham’s most menacing minds to enter the invaded city and kill the members of the Justice League, most of whom appear to be under the control of Brainiac.

Purple eyes are not a good thing in Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League

Task Force X is staffed by Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, Deadshot, and King Shark. Waller has ordered them, under threat of blowing up their heads, to kill the Justice League, which is currently composed of Superman, The Flash, Green Lantern, and potentially more. Wonder Woman is also present, but the footage shared in various trailers hints that she is not under the control of Brainiac. In fact, she is briefly seen fighting Superman in the most recent trailer for the game.

We still haven’t gotten a very good look at Wonder Woman, even after three trailers.

A few other characters have been shown, like Gizmo, the Teen Titans antagonist, and Oswald “The Penguin” Cobblepot with his broken glass bottle monocle from the Arkham games. There are a few references to Batman in the trailers even though he hasn’t actually physically appeared. After the events of Arkham Knight, it’s entirely possible that he is dead after enacting the Knightfall Protocol and blowing up Wayne Manor.

It’s not yet clear if Nolan North will be reprising his role as The Penguin.

The gameplay we’ve seen so far places an emphasis on cooperation, movement, and shooting. Harley Quinn uses a hookshot that attaches to floating bat-shaped platforms. Captain Boomerang uses some kind of warping technology to zip around the environment. Deadshot uses a jetpack to fly that can also be used as an offensive weapon. King Shark can jump incredible distances and also scale walls at high speed. Using all these abilities in tandem, the team has been shown fighting Brainiac’s invading alien army.

Amanda Waller is borrowing the likeness and voice of Debra Wilson, who also played Waller in Telltale’s Batman games, The Enemy Within.

The trailer features a few other teases, as well. There is a single shot of a vehicle with a bat symbol on the front shown driving through the city. It’s not the Batmobile, at least not one that has been in the Arkham games, but it does hint at the potential of driving to move around Metropolis.

It looks like someone stole the Bat Signal from Gotham.

What we want

Primarily, the main thing we want from Suicide Squad is a new Rocksteady game. The developer has proven itself multiple times over by creating not only some of the best licensed games ever, but also some of the best games ever. Its Batman Arkham trilogy is an undeniable showcase of technical know-how, game design, and fun storytelling. Our hopes for Suicide Squad is that it meets the high standards the studio has set for itself with its past games.

In the top left of this image, you can see Green Lantern’s symbol.

Rocksteady has confirmed Suicide Squad does take place inside its established Arkham Universe and we hope it acknowledges the groundwork it laid for its Batman games and picks up where Arkham Knight left off. It may be following new characters in a new city, but hopefully it doesn’t undo some of its boldest narrative decisions, like killing the Joker and leaving Batman and Alfred’s fate up in the air with Arkham Knight’s cliffhanger ending.

Superman is always showing off.

In the long term, we’d like to see more members of Suicide Squad be playable characters (Peacemaker is so hot right now) as well as new opponents to fight (what about Aquaman?). We also hope it is fun to play whether you’re alone, or with others.

Gizmo usually fights the Teen Titans. Fighting the Justice League could be considered an upgrade.

Platforms

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is releasing for PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5. It was never officially announced for PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, but rumors and reporting prior to its official debut say that a last-gen version was in development at one time before they were abandoned and it became an exclusively next-gen title.

PC system specs

The game’s Steam page does not currently offer any details about system specs, but considering it will not be releasing for the previous generation of home consoles, it’s safe to assume it will be demanding.

Trailers

You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League – Official Cinematic Reveal Trailer

Want us to remember this setting for all your devices?

Sign up or Sign in now!

Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos.

This video has an invalid file format.

Sorry, but you can’t access this content!

Please enter your date of birth to view this video

By clicking ‘enter’, you agree to GameSpot’s
Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

The announcement trailer is a pre-rendered affair, but it establishes the tone and gameplay style of the game, and also introduces evil Superman.

You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos.

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League Gameplay Trailer | Game Awards 2021

Want us to remember this setting for all your devices?

Sign up or Sign in now!

Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos.

This video has an invalid file format.

Sorry, but you can’t access this content!

Please enter your date of birth to view this video

By clicking ‘enter’, you agree to GameSpot’s
Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

The second trailer focuses primarily on The Flash in terms of story, but also shows off plenty of gameplay.

You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos.

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League Official Story Trailer

Want us to remember this setting for all your devices?

Sign up or Sign in now!

Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos.

This video has an invalid file format.

Sorry, but you can’t access this content!

Please enter your date of birth to view this video

By clicking ‘enter’, you agree to GameSpot’s
Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

The third trailer is the most dense and offers the most insight into the game’s story showing off characters like Amanda Waller and Gizmo, as well as the main Suicide Squad cast and the majority of the Justice League. This is the trailer that makes it the most clear that Wonder Woman is not under Brainiac’s control.

Multiplayer details

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League is a four-player co-op game, but Rocksteady has assured the game can be played single-player. It’s unlikely the game will offer split-screen, but Rocksteady has neither confirmed nor denied this feature.

It’s important that you check if the eyes are purple before you start throwing punches.

Price and Preorder details

There is currently no way to pre-order the game either through retailers or through first-party platforms. On Steam and the PlayStation Store you can only add the game to your wishlist. There is no store page for the game on Xbox yet.

GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers.



Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Bitcoin to set a new record 9-week losing streak with BTC price down 22% in May

Bitcoin (BTC) threatened to continue an unprecedented losing streak on May 29 as BTC/USD stayed in a right intraday range.

BTC/USD 1-day candle chart (Bitstamp). Source: TradingView

Stocks correlation offers no comfort to BTC bulls

Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView flagged the largest cryptocurrency heading for nine weeks of downtrend in a row — the most in history.

Already at a dubious record, Bitcoin’s weekly chart closes provided the backdrop to weakness that continued to disappoint analysts over the weekend.

Even stock markets, troubled by central bank tightening, managed to put in gains over the week, while Bitcoin and the majority of altcoins added to losses.

“Most concerning has been the divergence between Equities and Crypto. S&P and NASDAQ have traded about 10% higher since 20 May lows while both BTC and ETH have traded lower in the same period,” trading firm QCP Capital wrote to subscribers of its markets newsletter, the latest edition of which was released on May 29.

“This is not the direction of decoupling we were hoping for!”

QCP echoed existing sentiment over Bitcoin’s underperformance compared to previously highly-correlated equities.

Continuing, popular Twitter account Il Capo of Crypto forecast fresh pressure thanks to those indices now encountering sellside friction of their own.

“Last time SPX rallied making a new high while $BTC was making lower highs, we saw bearish continuation once SPX reversed. Now SPX is at resistance,” a post on the day read.

Bitcoin faces the “darling dips of May”

With that, BTC/USD was primed to end the month down around 22%.

Related: Small Bitcoin whales may be keeping BTC price from ‘capitulation’ — analysis

This would make May 2022 the second worst May in Bitcoin’s history, data from on-chain monitoring resource Coinglass confirmed.

BTC/USD monthly returns chart (screenshot). Source: Coinglass

Analysis of downtrends over time meanwhile revealed that the current descent from highs was the fourth-longest ever, now at 200 days.

Noted by analyst Matthew Hyland, the longest-ever such downtrend occurred in 2014-15 and lasted more than twice as long.

As Cointelegraph further reported, historical patterns dictate that a period of sideways price action could now continue, followed only later a capitulation event and macro bottom.

The views and opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cointelegraph.com. Every investment and trading move involves risk, you should conduct your own research when making a decision.



Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

What is chain reorganization in blockchain technology?

A blockchain reorganization attack refers to a chain split in which nodes receive blocks from a new chain while the old chain continues to exist.

On May 25, the Ethereum Beacon chain suffered a seven-block reorg and was exposed to a high-level security risk called chain organization. Validators on the Eth2 (now consensus layer upgrade) Beacon Chain became out of sync after a client update elevated specific clients. However, during the process, validators on the blockchain network were confused and didn’t update their clients.

Seven-block reorganization means that seven blocks of transactions were added to the eventually discarded fork before the network figured out it wasn’t the canonical chain. Therefore, blockchain reorganization happens if some node operators are faster than others. During this scenario, faster nodes will be unable to agree on which block should be processed first and they’ll continue to add blocks to their blockchain, leaving the shorter chain when the next block is created.

For instance, miners X and Y may both locate a valid block at the same time, but due to the way the blocks spread in a peer-to-peer network, a portion of the network will see X’s block first, followed by Y’s block. 

If the two blocks are of equal difficulty, there will be a tie, and clients will be given the option of picking at random or selecting the previously seen block. When a third miner, Z, creates a block on top of either X’s or Y’s block, the tie is usually broken, and the other block is forgotten, leading to blockchain reorganization.

In Ethereum’s Beacon chain reorganization case, up-to-date nodes were around 12 seconds faster than validators that hadn’t updated their clients at block 3,887,074. Ethereum chain reorganization occurs when updated clients submit the next block before the rest of the validators. This confused validators about who should submit the initial block.

Preston Van Loon, a core Ethereum developer, stated that the reorg of the Ethereum blockchain is due to the deployment of the Proposer Boost fork decision, which has not yet been fully rolled out to the network. Furthermore, this reorganization is a non-trivial segmentation of updated versus outdated client software, not a sign of a bad fork choice.



Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

12 Biggest Game Releases For June 2022

Please enter your date of birth to view this video

By clicking ‘enter’, you agree to GameSpot’s

Terms of Use and
Privacy Policy

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Can Paramount Compete With Netflix and Disney?

In January, the board of Paramount, including Shari Redstone, the company’s chair, met with a group of bankers to get an update on the media industry and to hear about potential deals that might help the company better compete with streaming giants like Netflix and Disney.

The bankers, from Goldman Sachs and LionTree, came with many deal ideas, according to four people with knowledge of the meeting. The most logical one, the bankers said, was combining some parts of Paramount — which owns networks like Nickelodeon and MTV, and the Paramount+ streaming service — with those owned by Comcast, the cable giant that owns NBCUniversal and the Peacock streaming service. The two companies already have a streaming joint venture in Europe.

But in the end, the board, Ms. Redstone and Bob Bakish, the company’s chief executive, did not feel compelled to pursue any of the combinations. They would continue to zig while Hollywood zagged.

That is, Paramount — with its collection of streaming services including Pluto TV and Showtime in addition to Paramount+ — would keep going it alone.

The fast rise of streaming has reshaped the media industry in just a few years as companies have felt pressure to spend billions on new TV shows and movies to attract enough subscribers to compete with the industry’s giants. MGM, the famed movie studio, sold to Amazon. And Discovery combined with WarnerMedia, the film and TV giant behind “Game of Thrones” and “Succession.”

Not Paramount. Since the company was created from the merger of Viacom and CBS three years ago, it hasn’t sought another big deal. Instead, the company has been trying to build its own profitable streaming business before the flow of cash from traditional TV, still its big moneymaker, runs dry.

In interviews, both Ms. Redstone and Mr. Bakish said that Paramount, with its global footprint, its streaming businesses and the movie studio behind the new hit film “Top Gun: Maverick,” would have success on its own terms.

“In many respects we continue to be the underdog, and that’s OK,” Mr. Bakish said. “But I think as time goes on, people will continue to increasingly see that Paramount is powerful.”

Ms. Redstone and Mr. Bakish still have to persuade much of Wall Street. In the years since Ms. Redstone championed the effort to unite the two halves of her family’s media empire — Viacom and CBS — to form Paramount, the value of the combined company has fallen significantly. The day the merger was announced, in August 2019, Wall Street valued both companies at $29.6 billion. Today, Paramount is worth $22.1 billion, a 25 percent decline. The share prices of Paramount’s competitors, including Disney and Netflix, have also declined over the same period.

Rich Greenfield, a co-founder and analyst at LightShed Partners, a research firm, is skeptical that Paramount can survive on its own. Paramount’s streaming business is growing quickly, but it’s still not profitable, Mr. Greenfield said. And much of the audience for Paramount’s signature content — think MTV and Nickelodeon — has shifted to new-media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

“I don’t think there’s anybody who believes that in five years, this company won’t either have bought other things or become part of something larger,” Mr. Greenfield said. “It’s eat or be eaten time.”

In recent weeks, Wall Street has put a sharper focus on the profitability of streaming businesses. Netflix said in April that it lost streaming subscribers in the first quarter of the year, reversing a decade of growth and causing its stock to tumble. Mr. Bakish said that competitors like Netflix — which he cheekily calls “legacy streamers” — are only now coming around to the importance of the revenue strategies Paramount has embraced for years, including advertising.

The box office, another traditional business largely eschewed by Netflix, is another example, Mr. Bakish said. “Top Gun: Maverick,” is on pace to generate $150 million in ticket sales during its opening weekend, but, in an exception to most movies produced by the studio, it won’t appear on Paramount+ within the typical 45-day window.

Still, some experts think Paramount’s strategy is sound. Brett Feldman, an analyst for Goldman Sachs, said that the global market for streaming subscribers is far bigger than the audience for pay-TV subscribers. Paramount+ added 6.8 million subscribers in the first quarter of 2022. Mr. Feldman is in the minority of analysts who have a “buy” on Paramount.

“Not everybody pays for cable, especially outside the U.S.,” Mr. Feldman said. “Most people have an internet connection or cellphone to stream video.”

Paramount got a recent vote of confidence this month from Berkshire Hathaway, the holding company run by the billionaire Warren Buffett. Berkshire Hathaway said in a filing that it had amassed a $2.6 billion stake in Paramount. Berkshire Hathaway did not explain its rationale for investing in Paramount, and the company declined to grant an interview to The Times. But the news caused Paramount’s shares to spike 15 percent.

Ms. Redstone said Berkshire Hathaway’s investment in Paramount took her by surprise. She got the news hours after it had become public.

“I was out to dinner and the person said to me, ‘What do you think of Buffet’s investment?’” Ms. Redstone said. “And I was like, ‘What?’”

Paramount’s ultimate fate will most likely be determined by Ms. Redstone, who emerged victorious in 2018 from a bitter legal fight with Les Moonves, then the chief executive of CBS, to keep control of the entertainment assets her family had owned for decades. Like her father, the shrewd and bellicose lawyer-turned-mogul Sumner Redstone, Ms. Redstone controls Paramount through National Amusements, a holding company she runs that owns voting stock in the company.

Whereas Mr. Redstone was known for cantankerous and impulsive decisions — he once threatened to sever Paramount’s ties with Tom Cruise after his couch-jumping episode on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” — Ms. Redstone is a more understated leader. She underscored the contrast with a joke.

“As I said to my dad once, I said, ‘Everything I am is because of you, except for the nice parts — that came from my mother,’” she said, laughing.

Ms. Redstone said she weighs in on the direction of the Paramount in one-on-one conversations with Mr. Bakish and spends time cultivating business relationships inside and outside the company. She introduced Mr. Bakish to Brian Robbins, who eventually became chairman of Paramount with her support, and helped broker a deal with the South Korean entertainment firm CJ ENM by connecting Mr. Bakish to Miky Lee, the vice chairwoman of the firm’s parent company.

Ms. Redstone was an early supporter of Paramount’s decision to compete directly with major players like Disney and Netflix in direct-to-consumer streaming — a strategy that was still up in the air when Viacom and CBS merged in 2019.

In the aftermath of the merger, leaders at the company debated whether to invest in its existing subscription streaming service — then known as CBS All Access — or to forgo streaming for an “arms dealer” strategy: selling movies and TV shows to other streaming companies, according to three people with knowledge of the discussions.

So In early 2020, just weeks after the deal closed, Paramount decided to make an initial foray into streaming: The company would put some content from Viacom on CBS All Access, effectively bulking up the service quickly without spending to produce original content.

A few months later, with encouragement from Ms. Redstone and Marc Debevoise, then the company’s digital chief who had co-founded CBS All Access, Paramount decided it would spend money on original movies and TV shows for the service, effectively entering the streaming fray, the people said.

That spring, Mr. Bakish called a series of meetings and asked the heads of each of the company’s network groups to pitch projects for inclusion in a companywide subscription streaming service.

By July of that year, the company was finalizing its current course. At a board meeting, company executives summarized the strategy, along with several possible names for the as-yet unnamed streaming service: Paramount+, Honeycomb, The Eye and Pluto+. (The last option was inspired by the company’s popular advertising-supported streaming service.) Over the summer, they settled on Paramount+, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Under the revamped streaming strategy, major Paramount movies — with the exception of some hits, like “Top Gun: Maverick” — are released on Paramount+ within 45 days of theatrical release. The idea behind that approach is that it gives Paramount one foot in the emerging streaming era and one planted firmly in the traditional moneymaking ways of old Hollywood.

At the premiere of “Top Gun: Maverick” last month, shortly after a splashy promotion on a rented aircraft carrier in San Diego, Mr. Cruise paid homage to Sumner Redstone. As Ms. Redstone looked on, Mr. Cruise noted that the movie was being widely released on May 27, which would have been Sumner Redstone’s 99th birthday. (He died in 2020.)

Ms. Redstone said she believed that her father would generally agree with her approach toward Paramount. And she said she thinks that Wall Street will ultimately come around, provided the company delivers on its promises.

“I think the market keeps saying, ‘Show me, show me,’” Ms. Redstone said. “And I really believe we keep showing them.”

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

NFL Coach Sean McVay Shares Look Into His Romance With Veronika Khomyn

In the game of love, Sean McVay knows he won big.

For more than six years, the Los Angeles Rams coach has had Ukrainian model Veronika Khomyn by his side—including when he made NFL history this year as the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl.

As the 36-year-old prepares for another season, Sean is showing support for his fiancée and the people of Ukraine by partnering with Chunky to make a donation of $50,000 to the American Red Cross.

“I’m really happy to be able to do this because this really hits home for me,” Sean exclusively shared with E! News. “My fiancée grew up there. She still has family there. I’ve been incredibly impressed with just the grace at which she and her family have handled it and really the people of Ukraine.”

“I always tell our players that I see better than I hear and what I’ve seen is an impressive show of resilience, love for their country, pride in their country and ability to stand up and unite in some of the toughest of times,” he added. “It’s such a credit to that culture and my fiancée and her family have certainly been a part of that.”

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Who can Tottenham can face in 2022/23 Champions League group stage?


Tottenham secured Champions League qualification on the final day of the 2021/22 Premier League campaign when they beat Norwich City 5-0.

It was something of a shock as Spurs had a pretty patchy season and just a few weeks back would drop points in ties vs Brentford and Brighton that meant Arsenal had a tidy lead in the race for 4th.

However, the Gunners then had a mini collapse of their own, allowing Antonio Conte’s side to swoop in and steal 4th.

Tottenham will now compete in the 2022/23 Champions League, but which sides can they face?

As is the norm, teams who qualify for the Champions League group stage will be split into four pots. Pot 1 contains the 2021/22 Champions League and Europa League winners, along with the league champions from England, Spain, Italy, France, Germany and Portugal.

Advertisement

Open Account Offer. Bet £10 & Get £50 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. 18+. begambleaware.org. UK & ROI residents only

But, as Real Madrid did win La Liga and the Champions League this season, Ajax are in Pot 1 as the champions of the Eredivisie. Pots 2, 3 and 4 are then determined by a club’s UEFA coefficient. Tottenham will be in Pot 2 for August’s Champions League draw thanks to their club coefficient of 83.000

At present, 26 teams have already qualified for next campaign’s group stage, with the remaining six teams set to battle it out in August when the play-off round finishes.

But, the pots for the 2022/23 Champions League so far are as follows:

Pot 1:  Manchester City, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Bayern Munich, PSG, FC Porto, Ajax, Eintracht Frankfurt

Pot 2: Tottenham,  Liverpool, Chelsea, Barcelona, Juventus, Sevilla, RB Leipzig, Atletico Madrid

Pot 3: Borussia Dortmund, RB Salzburg, Shakhtar Donetsk, Inter Milan, Napoli, Sporting CP, Bayer Leverkusen

Pot 3 or 4: Marseille

Pot 4: Club Brugge, Celtic

It is also worth pointing out that Tottenham cannot be drawn against sides from the same league in the group stage, meaning Manchester City will not be in Spurs’ group despite being in Pot 1.

Therefore, the teams the Lilywhites can face from Pot 1 are Real Madrid, AC Milan, Bayern Munich, PSG, FC Porto, Ajax and Eintracht Frankfurt.

They could then face all of Borussia Dortmund, Red Bull Salzburg, Shakhtar Donetsk, Inter Milan, Napoli, Sporting CP, Bayer Leverkusen and potentially Marseille in Pot 3. And, for now, one of Club Brugge or Celtic from Pot 4.

So, on paper, Tottenham’s easiest group stage draw right now would be something like FC Porto, RB Salzburg and Club Brugge.


Tottenham betting odds, next game:

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Wayfair Memorial Day Deal Alert: Score a $120 Cooling Pillow for $25!

We independently selected these products because we love them, and we hope you do too at these prices. Shop with E! has affiliate relationships, so we may get a commission if you purchase something through our links. Prices are accurate as of publish time. Items are sold by the retailer, not E!. 

Shoppers, get excited! Memorial Day weekend is officially here, which means we can all enjoy a nice long weekend full of incredible deals that usually accompany the holiday. If you’re ready to shop all things home, we’ve got the one sale you don’t want to miss.

Wayfair’s Memorial Day Clearance Event is officially on and you can score some pretty incredible deals up to 89% off. In fact, Wayfair put over 7,000 items on sale this weekend, so anything and everything you might need for your home this summer season and beyond is on sale right now. We’re talking stylish cocktail glasses for summer entertaining, boho chic hammocks for total relaxation and colorful patio finds that are sure to impress your guests. 

Some of the best deals you can score right now are on mattresses, beddings, pillows, sheets and more. If you want to refresh your bedroom and upgrade your bed for the new season, now is the perfect time to shop. We found some crazy deals that are sure to sell out fast like this top-rated $120 king sized memory foam cooling pillow that’s on sale for just $25. We even found a nearly $900 12-inch queen mattress for just $244! It has over 2,000 perfect reviews from Wayfair shoppers and many rave over how comfy it is. 

If you want to score a truly budget-friendly deal, this contemporary duvet cover set with over 3,000 perfect reviews is originally $90 but is on sale today for only $10! 

We highly recommend checking out the Wayfair Memorial Day Clearance Sale to see what kind of amazing discounts and goodies they have for you. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite deals from the Wayfair sale. Check those out below.  

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

In the Economy 3.0, metaverses will create jobs for millions

Job creation is traditionally engineered by politicians desperate to get the country back to work and to be seen as stimulating the economy. From the job creation programs of the Great Depression to United States President Barack Obama’s American Jobs Act, employment schemes have a long, checkered history. Today, fostering meaningful employment for the masses remains as popular as ever with policymakers, and yet, the next great job creation scheme is unlikely to be issued as a top-down order.

Rather, it will emanate from a realm that most politicians have little dominion over and few powers to control: the Metaverse. That virtual world running parallel to our physical one is not constrained by national borders, nor is it the fiefdom of social media companies cynically commandeering its name.

The Metaverse comprises an interconnected series of virtual worlds in which humankind can recreate, interact and transact. As avatars, its users are free to flit between games, meeting spaces and markets, reenacting many of the tasks once constrained to meatspace.

The greatest promise the Metaverse holds, however, is not the ability for humans to don lurid skins and twerk as one in virtual concert halls. Rather, it is for these same people to obtain meaningful employment in worlds, realms and spaces across the Metaverse that will form the beating heart of Web3.

Related: Demystifying the business imperatives of the Metaverse

Making bank in the Metaverse

Given the amorphous nature of the Metaverse, it can be hard to envisage what a virtual world in which millions clock in and out to earn their crust might resemble. As it happens, though, there is already work being performed in fledgling metaverses the (virtual) world over.

In the play-to-earn — or “GameFi” — sector, virtual pets roam freely, with their human owners petting, dressing and training them. But it’s not just about recreation: With their respective metaverses, players can collect tokens and other in-game assets that spawn and trade them for real money.

Related: Crypto gaming and the monkey run: How we should build the future of GameFi

Workers from developing countries such as the Philippines earn around $30 per day for performing these tasks on behalf of owners, using the creatures to collect tokens. Owners, in turn, earn money from lending out their stable of virtual pets — without needing to concern themselves with the drudgery of collecting tokens all day.

It’s a simple economy in which all participants benefit commensurate with their interests and financial expectations. How might this earning model work for Metaverse participants higher up the chain?

Well, for celebrities and creators, specialist platforms enable virtual experiences to be entertained in the Metaverse. Fans can pay to interact with their favorite creators within a virtual world, whether they’re playing golf with a YouTube influencer or learning new skills through a one-on-one with a thought leader. It’s yet another example of the vast potential the Metaverse holds.

Meta-work for the masses

Not all of the work centered around the Metaverse will occur within it. Much of it will involve connecting the nuts and bolts that keep it turning — coders, designers, testers and developers. For the millions currently employed in offices and on shop floors around the globe, however, the ascendancy of the Metaverse will see their work transition to a virtual world not so dissimilar to that to which they are accustomed.

Real estate: Virtual land is already selling for millions of dollars in metaverse worlds such as The Sandbox and Decentraland. The battle for desirable virtual real estate is fierce — flipping pixels for profit is a specialist role that will create a slew of jobs for those with an eye for a prime plot. At the same time, real-world property will also transition to the metaverse, enabling prospective buyers to “walk around” a beachfront condo on the other side of the world or ogle one that is still in spec. In a virtual world where anything is possible, “try before you buy” is the norm.

Related: The Metaverse is booming, bringing revolution to real estate

Fashion: From Louis Vuitton to Nike and Gucci, fashion brands are clamoring to catch a slice of the Metaverse action, and it’s easy to see why. A world in which millions mingle while represented as avatars provides endless opportunities for sartorial splendor. No longer are people constrained by gender, body type and, indeed, imagination when dressing. In the Metaverse, you can assume any identity you want, with the accessories to match. Models will strut their stuff on virtual catwalks, and fashionistas will pay top dollar to dress their avatars in limited-edition threads from the hippest brands.

Music: As much a boon to independent artists as it is to major labels, the Metaverse showed its worth during global lockdowns, with over 27 million fans tuning in to Travis Scott’s Fortnite concert in 2020. Enterprising artists have already experimented with Web3 technology such as nonfungible tokens (NFTs), using them to release limited-edition and exclusive albums and foster intimate experiences. The emergence of a fully immersive Metaverse will elevate this capability to a new level, providing endless ways to monetize and engage with fans.

Related: The Metaverse will change the live music experience, but will it be decentralized?

Movies: Technology is a double-edged sword, creating new opportunities while destroying others. Actors who’ve found their likeness being assumed by artificial intelligence and their intellectual property infringed know this only too well. But the very same tech that threatens their livelihoods can be utilized to enrich them within the Metaverse. Just imagine the capabilities presented by a world in which voice, television and movie actors can use their digitized doppelgangers to interact with fans and sell experiences that incorporate one-on-one time — without the celeb needing to leave the comfort of their Malibu mansion.

As the Metaverse materializes and its promise becomes a reality, the employment opportunities it offers will lift everyone from the mechanical turk, toiling for $2 per hour, to the rich and famous. Already, there are Metaverse stores you can visit with your avatar to order everything from fast food to medical marijuana — and then have it delivered to your real-world front door. In the near future, many of those earning from the Metaverse — such as delivery drivers and food producers — may have no inkling that they owe their livelihood to a world they have yet to discover.

Not all of us will play and interact in the Metaverse, but just like the internet itself, we will be more prosperous because of its existence. The sooner the Metaverse becomes a mass reality, the better we will all be.

This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

The views, thoughts and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.

Johnny Lyu is the CEO of KuCoin, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges, which was launched in 2017. Before joining KuCoin, he had accumulated abundant experience in the e-commerce, auto and luxury industries.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Exit mobile version