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Sunday, December 15, 2019

Diddy’s birthday party reunites Jay-Z and Kanye West amid Kim Porter tribute

Sean “Diddy” Combs celebrated his 50th birthday a month late with a lavish party, which brought Jay-Z and Kanye West to the same room and sparked fans’ memories of their feud that has lasted for years.

Fans online read into every facial expression of Jay and Ye as they posed with the Bad Boy Records icon, Pharrell Williams, Kim Kardashian West and more at the star-studded event.

— Strip club exec wants to host Kanye West and his Sunday Service

The beef between the Kanye and Jay-Z stretch back to 2016. Rolling Stone details the incident when West called out Beyonce and Jay-Z during a tour stop and the relationship to be strained ever since.

Buzzfeed pointed out numerous images where the two hip-hop artists occupy the same space, sometimes catching Ye with a scowl and Hov with an unbothered stale face. The two cornerstones of Roc-a-Fella records would eventually shake hands and crack a smile during their greetings, however, that did not stop fan speculation that they made nice for the occasion.

Beyond seeing if the big brother-little brother relationship of JAY-Z and Kanye West would mend, fans also received a tribute to the late Kim Porter on Instagram from Diddy. According to E! Online, his party was held on what would have been her 49th birthday.

 

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Words can’t explain how much we miss you but today is your birthday. We’re celebrating you today! We love and we miss you!!!!!

A post shared by Diddy (@diddy) on

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY @ladykp,” he wrote. “Words can’t explain how much we miss you but today is your birthday. We’re celebrating you today! We love and we miss you!!!!!”

Diddy continues to mourn ex-girlfriend Kim Porter’s death one year later

Kim Porter died last year from lobar pneumonia. The two were together for over a decade, breaking up in 2007, but still co-parenting their children. Together they had 21-year-old Christian, 12-year-old twin daughters D’Lila Star and Jessie James. Diddy would also help raise Quincy Brown, who was born to Porter and singer Al B Sure! In addition, Didy has a 25-year-old son Justin and 13-year-old daughter Chance from other relationships.

The post Diddy’s birthday party reunites Jay-Z and Kanye West amid Kim Porter tribute appeared first on theGrio.



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Wells Fargo employee accused of stealing $88,000 found flashing cash online

A Wells Fargo employee in North Carolina has been accused by federal authorities of stealing over $88,000 cash from a bank vault and then posting the cash on Facebook.

29-year-old Arlando M. Henderson, who is believed to have taken the cash from deposits of customers 18 times throughout 2019, would adjust the books to hide the money he took, according to the Miami Herald. Henderson used the cash to pay for personal needs, which included a $20,000 down payment on a 2019 Mercedes-Benz.

Henderson, a resident of Charlotte, was arrested on December 4 in San Diego and charged with over 30 counts of financial institution fraud theft, embezzlement, money laundering and more.

— North Carolina marker now calls 1898 violence a ‘coup,’ not a ‘race riot’

According to The Charlotte Observer, the money Henderson received from his thefts would often show up on his social media pages. On his Facebook page, (which has been removed) Henderson used the nickname “AceeyFoez” and has been seen showing off large amounts of cash in his hands or on the floor surrounding him. The white Mercedes also was present on social media, which he reportedly gave the down payment in all $100 bills.

Online he would also wear a T-Shirt with the abbreviation AWBB, in long-form “Ain’t wit being broke.”

Henderson would go on to say that while it looked easy to get the money it is not. “This shyt really a PROCESS,” he wrote online.

— Steve Harvey to premiere new Facebook Watch show on Jan. 6

It is being reported that Henderson worked the cash vault at a Wells Fargo location in Charlotte last April. The indictment says the first amount taken was $446 on June 12, he would drop down to $200 a week later, before escalating to $411 two days later. He is being accused of then going on to take amounts in four digits range and would have his one day high in July of $13,450. After taking the money he would deposit it in an ATM near work. The transactions would show amounts of $50 and $100 bills.

Henderson’s last Facebook post came with his white Mercedes behind him. Henderson is being represented by a federal public defender, Benjamin Davis, who has not provided a statement on his client.

The post Wells Fargo employee accused of stealing $88,000 found flashing cash online appeared first on theGrio.



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Jada Pinkett Smith’s New Card Game brings the ‘Red Table Talk’ To Your Home during the Holidays

The holidays are the perfect time to sit down with family and friends to catch up. Nevertheless, it can often be a little nerve-wracking if you don’t know where to start the conversation or what questions to ask. For those very reasons, Red Table Talk hosts Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith, and Adrienne Banfield-Norris (aka Gammy), partnered with Koreen Odiney, creator of the purpose-driven card game, We’re Not Really Strangers, to launch their first-ever product, the Inner Circle expansion pack to the core game.

The hosts of the hit Facebook Watch show are known for their tightknit bond. After falling in love with the game, they were inspired to help others bond in a unique way over the holidays and throughout the year.

“I really love it [the game] because I think that it’s a fun way to get into deeper conversation. It can be a little intimidating if everybody’s like, ‘OK, let’s all sit at the table and talk.’ You can pick different questions to ask. I did [played] it with Willow and my mom on a deeper level of topics we had already talked about. You can play [this game] with strangers, but you can also play with loved ones,” said Pinkett Smith in a sit down conversation with Odiney.

We’re Not Really Strangers was specifically developed for the purpose of getting to know people in your inner circle on an even deeper level than you (think) you already do. It brings the transparency of Red Table Talk to you, so you can grow deeper with whoever you are closest too. The card game expansion pack features 25 curated questions developed by Jada, Willow, and Gammy to help deepen relationships with those closest to you.

The We’re Not Really Strangers Core Game + Inner Circle Expansion Pack Bundle (Image: We’re Not Really Strangers)

The We’re Not Really Strangers x Red Table Talk bundle is $33.99, and the expansion pack retails on its own for $10.99  on the Red Table Talk website.



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West African leaders meet over Niger army base attack

Seventy-one Nigerien soldiers were killed in a militant raid last week.

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Chrome Will Automatically Scan Your Passwords Against Data Breaches

Google's Password Checkup feature will be fully integrated into the desktop and mobile versions of Chrome 79.

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Botswana cancels hunters' licences for killing elephant

The professional hunters had shot dead a collared elephant in Botswana, angering conservationists.

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The Word 'They' Tops This Week's Internet News Roundup

It marks an important moment of recognition for a lot of people.

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Robotic Drones, a New Flight Simulator, and More Car News This Week

Cities get the okay to speed up buses, while Seattle tries to slow traffic. 

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The 6 Best TVs to Buy for Every Budget (2019)

The best, boldest, and most budget-friendly 4K and 8K TVs WIRED has seen, including LG, Samsung, Vizio, and TCL.

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Mathematician Terence Tao Cracks a ‘Dangerous’ Problem

Tao has made huge progress on the Collatz conjecture, a simple-seeming puzzle that has bedeviled hapless mathematicians for decades.

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16 Gift Ideas for Movie Buffs: Posters, Books, Blu-Rays, Soundbars

From soundbars to movie posters, these are great gifts for your favorite cinephile.

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Lisa Willis Becomes New York Knicks’ First Female Coach as Assistant for G League Team

History has been made in the state of New York! According to The Washington Informer, the Westchester Knicks have added former WNBA player Lisa Willis to their coaching staff, becoming the first female coach in the history of New York’s basketball franchise.

In addition to Willis’ hiring, the Westchester Knicks—the official NBA G League affiliate of the New York Knicks—also announced the hiring of Allen Deep as an assistant coach.

Willis, who was the fifth overall pick in the 2006 WNBA Draft, played for the Los Angeles Sparks her first two seasons before continuing her playing career with the New York Liberty (2007-08). While attending UCLA (2002-06), the Long Beach, California, native was recognized as the nation’s best defender by ESPN’s Nancy Lieberman. She graduated as the Bruins’ all-time three-point leader and second all-time in then-PAC-10 history and ranked ninth all-time in scoring.

“The Westchester Knicks continue to be a vital part of our player development program at the New York Knicks,” said Steve Mills, president of the New York Knicks in a press release. “Today, we’ve added two talented coaches who will improve our players’ skills both on and off the court.”

Willis participated in the heralded NBA’s Assistant Coaches Program (ACP), a program formed by the NBA G League’s Player Development department, providing an educational conduit for former NBA, WNBA, and NBA G League players to the ranks of coaching and front office opportunities.

“I am very excited to welcome Allen and Lisa to our Westchester Knicks family,” head coach Derrick Alston said. “Lisa has had the benefit of playing professionally and winning at the highest levels. Given Lisa’s acumen for the game, there is no doubt in my mind that her transition to the sideline will be seamless.”

Alston continued, “Deep has shared spaces with some of the NBA’s most esteemed coaches and has experience developing high level guys. Deep also has a great understanding of the NBA and G League landscape and will be a valuable asset for our organization as we continue to develop the next crop of potential NBA players!”



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Bing Maps Make the Revived *Flight Simulator* Eerily Realistic

The 3D mapping, along with data and technical guidance from avionics manufacturers, make Microsoft’s long-loved flying program more than just a game.

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The Chrome Browser Settings You Should Tweak Right Now

Get the most out of Google's Chrome browser with these tips and tricks.

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5G Is More Secure Than 4G and 3G—Except When It’s Not

The next-generation wireless networks make it harder to track and spoof users, but security holes remain because devices still connect to older networks.

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Nigerian Usman retains UFC title

Welterweight champion Kamaru Usman retains his title by defeating challenge of Colby Covington in the final round at UFC 245 in Las Vegas.

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Saturday, December 14, 2019

Eliud Kipchoge wins World Sport Star of the Year 2019

Marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge is voted Sports Personality's World Sport Star of the Year.

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Mary Gehring: Using flowering plants to explore epigenetic inheritance

Genes passed down from generation to generation play a significant role in determining the traits of every organism. In recent decades, scientists have discovered that another layer of control, known as epigenetics, is also critically important in shaping those characteristics.

Those added controls often work through chemical modifications of genes or other sections of DNA, which influence how easily those genes can be expressed by a cell. Many of those modifications are similar across species, allowing scientists to use plants as an experimental model to uncover how epigenetic processes work.

“Many of the epigenetic phenomena we know about were first discovered in plants, and in terms of understanding the molecular mechanisms, work on plants has also led the way,” says Mary Gehring, an associate professor of biology and a member of MIT’s Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research.

Gehring’s studies of the small flowering plant Arabidopsis thaliana have revealed many of the mechanisms that underlie epigenetic control, shedding light on how these modifications can be passed from generation to generation.

“We’re trying to understand how epigenetic information is used during plant growth and development, and looking at the dynamics of epigenetic information through development within a single generation, between generations, and on an evolutionary timescale,” she says.

Seeds of discovery

Gehring, who grew up in a rural area of northern Michigan, became interested in plant biology as a student at Williams College, where she had followed her older sister. During her junior year at Williams, she took a class in plant growth and development and ended up working in the lab of the professor who taught the course. There, she studied how development of Arabidopsis is influenced by plant hormones called auxins.

After graduation, Gehring went to work for an environmental consulting company near Washington, but she soon decided that she wanted to go to graduate school to continue studying plant biology. She enrolled at the University of California at Berkeley, where she joined a lab that was studying how different genetic mutations affect the development of seeds.

That lab, led by Robert Fischer, was one of the first to discover an epigenetic phenomenon called gene imprinting in plants. Gene imprinting occurs when an organism expresses only the maternal or paternal version of particular gene. This phenomenon has been seen in flowering plants and mammals.

Gehring’s task was to try to figure out the mechanism behind this phenomenon, focusing on an Arabidopsis imprinted gene called MEDEA. She found that this type of imprinting is achieved by DNA demethylation, a process of removing chemical modifications from the maternal version of the gene, effectively turning it on.

After finishing her PhD in 2005, she worked as a postdoc at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, in the lab of Steven Henikoff. There, she began doing larger, genome-scale studies in which she could examine epigenetic markers for many genes at once, instead of one at a time.

During that time, she began studying some of the topics she continues to investigate now, including regulation of the enzymes that control DNA methylation, as well as regulation of “transposable elements.” Also known as “jumping genes,” these sequences of DNA can change their position within the genome, sometimes to promote their own expression at the expense of the organism. Cells often use methylation to silence these genes if they generate harmful mutations.

Patterns of inheritance

After her postdoc, Gehring was drawn to MIT by “how passionate people are about what they’re working on, whether that’s biology or another subject.”

“Boston, especially MIT and Whitehead, is a great environment for science,” she says. “It seemed like there were a lot of opportunities to get really smart and talented students in the lab and have interesting colleagues to talk with.”

When Gehring joined the Whitehead Institute in 2010, she was the only plant biologist on the faculty, but she has since been joined by Associate Professor Jing-Ke Weng.

Her lab now focuses primarily on questions such as how maternal and paternal parents contribute to reproduction, and how their differing interests can lead to genetic conflicts. Gene imprinting is one way that this conflict is played out. Gehring has also discovered that small noncoding RNA molecules play an important role in imprinting and other aspects of inheritance by directing epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation.

“One thing we’ve found is that this noncoding RNA pathway seems to control the transcriptional dosage of seeds, that is, how many of the transcripts are from the maternally inherited genome and how many from the paternally inherited genome. Not just for imprinted genes, but also more broadly for genes that aren’t imprinted,” Gehring says.

She has also identified a genetic circuit that controls an enzyme that is required to help patterns of DNA methylation get passed from parent to offspring. When this circuit is disrupted, the methylation state changes and unusual traits can appear. In one case, she found that the plants’ leaves become curled after a few generations of disrupted methylation.

“You need this genetic circuit in order to maintain stable methylation patterns. If you don’t, then what you start to see is that the plants develop some phenotypes that get worse over generational time,” she says.

Many of the epigenetic phenomena that Gehring studies in plants are similar to those seen in animals, including humans. Because of those similarities, plant biology has made significant contributions to scientists’ understanding of epigenetics. The phenomenon of epigenomic imprinting was first discovered in plants, in the 1970s, and many other epigenetic phenomena first seen in plants have also been found in mammals, although the molecular details often vary.

“There are a lot of similarities among epigenetic control in flowering plants and mammals, and fungi as well,” Gehring says. “Some of the pathways are plant-specific, like the noncoding RNA pathway that we study, where small noncoding RNAs direct DNA methylation, but small RNAs directing silencing via chromatin is something that happens in many other systems as well.”



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Mark Boucher: South Africa name ex-Test wicketkeeper as head coach until 2023

Former Test wicketkeeper Mark Boucher is named South Africa's new head coach on a four-year deal.

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How Africa will be affected by climate change

The African continent is more vulnerable than any other region to the world's changing weather patterns.

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Dare to Dream: The organisation getting women into aviation

Captain Phatsima founded Dare to Dream, an organisation trying to get women into aviation.

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Senate Bill Funding Historically Black Colleges and Universities Cements Trump’s Support of HBCUs

The Congressional budgeting process is often like a low-scoring football game comprised of fumbles, interceptions, and dropped passes—especially when it comes to funding historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

Practically every year, HBCU funding is punted by each chamber of Congress until a deal is reached on whether to increase financial support, keep it the same, or worse, decrease aid. But not anymore. The days of HBCUs being used as a bargaining chip are over.

That’s because earlier this month, the Senate passed a historic bill by unanimous consent to permanently fund HBCUs, and the House passed a similar bill last month. Now, the amended Senate bill heads to the House for a final vote before going to President Trump to sign into law. From this impending historic moment forward, funding for HBCUs shall never be in question again.

The bipartisan bill is known as the FUTURE Act (Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education) and will provide HBCUs with a minimum of $255 million, annually.

The guaranteed funding will aid HBCUs in fiscal sustainability management in good times and downward trends in enrollment during economic uncertainty. A staunch supporter of HBCUs is South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott (R), who stated, “It is critical we ensure that every American family has access to a high-quality education, and today’s action is a big step in that direction. Our HBCUs will have more certainty in their financial planning, and millions of students will benefit from a streamlined FAFSA form. I’m thankful we were able to reach a bipartisan, common-sense solution to help students across the country.”

In addition to the FUTURE Act, HBCUs have made great strides in the last three years under the Trump administration. Now, before you question the results, stay with me until the end of this article to review a few unknown facts.

  1. On Feb. 28, 2017, a little more than 30 days after his inauguration, President Trump signed executive order 13779 that established ‘The White House Initiative to Promote Excellence and Innovation at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.’ Although many people scoffed at the presidential order to empower HBCUs, the historic and tangible results that followed the highly criticized photo-op in the Oval Office speak volumes.
  2. President Trump has given more money to HBCUs than any other president in history for both undergraduate and graduate studies. Federal funding for HBCUs is up 17% under the Trump administration with an increase of more than $100 million, which surpassed the previous record set by President Obama amid the first black president’s tenuous and love-hate relationship with HBCUs.
  3. In March 2018, the Trump administration provided financial relief to HBCUs impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita that struck the Gulf Coast in 2005. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos issued full forgiveness of loans in the amount of $322 million to Dillard University, Southern University at New Orleans, Tougaloo College, and Xavier University of Louisiana under the HBCU Hurricane Supplemental Loan program. The monies saved can be repurposed to provide tuition assistance and expansion of curriculum, where feasible.
  4. To comply with President Trump’s executive order for more strategic partnership investments in HBCUs, Congress has drafted the HBCU PARTNERS Act (Propelling Agency Relationships Towards a New Era of Results for Students). HBCUs are in 19 states which gives those academic institutions greater access to compete for more than $52 billion in state-based federal agency research and development investments.

The above progress to support HBCUs is undeniable but with a historic level of financial support comes the expectation of prudent fiscal accountability and responsibility of the leadership of HBCUs. In recent years, there were financial scandals that shocked the HBCU family; namely, Howard University which is arguably the pinnacle in the bastion of black academic institutions.

Another reason to ensure the current and long-term survival of remaining HBCUs can be found in school closures and risks related to the potential loss of accreditation stemming from declining enrollment and anemic finances.

The closure of HBCUs and subsequent purchase of its land and real estate is alarming at the highest frequency of social consciousness. For example, the Richmond Free Press reported that 130 acres and the 30 campus buildings of Saint Paul’s College (SPC) were sold in 2017 to Xinhua Education Investment Corp. (XEIC)—a Chinese-backed group. SPC was an HBCU founded in 1888 but closed its doors in 2013 after 125 years of service. SPC’s assets had been on the market four years without any interested buyers until XEIC purchased the school’s land and buildings and the investment group has yet to reveal its plans for development.

Going forward, the passage of the FUTURE Act will help prevent HBCU closure but the aforementioned fiscal accountability and responsibility must be equally as important. Regardless of your political views and personal opinions about President Trump, he is delivering on his promises to support the perennial viability of HBCUs. I’m delighted to express from a black perspective, there are now three things that are guaranteed in life: death, taxes, and funding for HBCUs.


This is an opinion that may not necessarily reflect the views of Black Enterprise.



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Rapper Cam’ron has some unconventional opinions on whether dinosaurs ever existed

During a sit-down interview with ItsTheReal’s, A Waste of Time podcast, rapper Cam’ron took the time to share some interesting thoughts about dinosaurs and if they actually ever existed.

Speaking on the movie Jurassic Park with hosts Eric Rosenthal and Jeff Rosenthal back in October, the video of the Dipset artist just made its rounds where he can be heard saying that he has his suspicions of whether dinosaurs actually walked on this earth, Complex reports. 

“I have fights with people about dinosaurs and their existence all the time,” he said. “I’m not believing or disbelieving. It’s like no proof, like, because they throw these big bones . . . up into the museum and be like ‘Yo, these are the people that were here before us.'”

READ MORE: Petition to remove Michael Vick as honorary Pro Bowl captain receives over 200,000 signatures

The hosts appeared to be taken aback by Cam’ron’s comments.

“No, no see that is the proof,” Eric hilariously said in response to Cam’ron’s statement. 

In response, Cam’ron questioned whether dinosaur bones were strong enough to be displayed in museums and “not crumble.” 

“I’m not necessarily going for that,” he said. “If we get more proof on it, cool. I’m not going off museum facts. I been to every museum when I was young. I’m like, word? So they found all these bones and glued them together? Nah. I’m not sure I’m gonna go for that one. It sounds like more of a moneymaker to me.”

The hosts, still in shock from these surprising opinions also took the time to see whether he believes the Earth is flat or round. He did clarify that he does side with the majority of people who know our planet is round, but went back to further explain his statement on dinosaurs by emphasizing that he’s not depending on “museum facts” or “finding bones” to determine whether they actually existed.

READ MORE: How Jada Pinkett Smith schooled an ‘incredibly apologetic’ T.I. during a candid ‘Red Table Talk’

 “Like, we need a little more proof and I don’t know whatever proof you could give me,” Cam’ron said. “But who found these bones? . . . I wish I could be an archaeologist and be like ‘I found some shit!’ I’ll be at the beach every day and be like ‘Yo, look what I discovered!’ and just make some shit up.”

Check out more about what the rap artist had to say during the interview below:

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Ja Rule drops new track called “FYRE”

It looks like Ja Rule is still trying to benefit from the controversy surrounding the Fyre Festival.

The rap artist released his new single called, “Fyre” this week and rebranded the name of the fraudulent festival by changing the meaning of the title to “For Your Real Entertainment,” according to Complex.

Ja Rule posted the announcement on his Instagram with a picture of the song’s artwork. He also gave his followers the opportunity to listen to the song where he explains what actually went down in the Bahamas.

READ MORE: Ja Rule says despite colossal failure, he’d do a Fyre Festival 2

“For Your Real Entertainment…

Fyre…🔥🔥🔥 New album release date LEAP YEAR!!! Until then Have fun!!! love y’all… Rule❤️ 12.Twelve.XII #Iconn 🖼: @supremerivi11

The track samples instrumentals from Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick’s legendary song “The Show.” It is accompanied by some interesting lyrics from the rapper. 

“The fest—the festival is on fire/We don’t need no water, make that motherfucker hotter,” Rule says in the song. “Hotter than the sun, but it wasn’t that/Show of hands if you got your money back?/Just playing, I got sued for that/100 mil to be exact.”

The Fyre Festival was one of the most talked-about music gatherings of the decade. The 2017 festival scammed thousands of people out of their money for what was supposed to be “a luxury musical festival,” according to NBC News.

READ MORE: Ja Rule claps back at critics over NBA halftime performance

Ja Rule, whose formal name is Jeffrey Atkins and Fyre Fest’s chief marketing officer, Grant Margolin were recently dismissed from the $100 million lawsuits tied to the festival in November, Billboard reported.

He apparently didn’t waste any time to release the song and based on comments under his post, it looks like fans are really liking it.

The rap artist also announced that he is set to release a new album next year.

I’m still working on the album it’s coming out dope… be patient wit me I’m working on a lot!!!,” he wrote. “Feb. 29 new date my bday…”

Grio fam, are you excited to hear new music from Ja Rule? 

 

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Lizzo and mayor Pete Buttigieg pose in ‘not so good’ photo

Multi-talented artist, Lizzo was reportedly not feeling her interaction with presidential candidate, Pete Buttigieg during their appearance on CBS This Morning show on Thursday.

The Time’s “Entertainer of the Year” posed in a photo with the Indiana mayor barely “cracking a smile,” Mashable reports.

READ MORE: Tamron Hall denies rumors that she exploded after learning Kelly Clarkson show renewed

Buttigieg appeared to take advantage of the moment standing alongside the popular artist in an attempt to get cool points by mixing politics and entertainment.

When host, Gayle King asked him to describe himself in three words, he responded, “Standing near Lizzo, right now.”

Lizzo then followed up with her response to the question by saying “Glamorous, talented, and booty-ful.”

Referencing one of Lizzo’s popular songs “Truth Hurts” King then asked Buttigieg if recently took a DNA test and he responded, “Yes, and I am 100 percent that nominee …”

Lizzo nervously interrupted the presidential candidate by making sure that he did not state the original lyrics to the song, but showed signs of relief when he took another route. 

It seems like the photo Buttigieg posted of the two at the morning show, with the caption, Feeling good after chatting with @lizzobeeating on set at @cbsthismorning!” 

 

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Feeling good after chatting with @lizzobeeating on set at @cbsthismorning!

A post shared by Pete Buttigieg (@pete.buttigieg) on

 But it looks like Lizzo wasn’t apparently feeling the same way. She revealed how she felt about their time on-camera together in the pic, and users on social media noticed, according to the site. 

Twitter user @bridgetgillard stated, “I’ve never seen Lizzo look uncomfortable, another accomplishment for the accomplishment candidate.”

READ MORE: Michigan child’s adoption hearing is cuteness overload as he brings kindergarten class for support

Other Twitter users interpreted their own take of the photo as well. Writer Ira Madison captioned the photo, “Green Book (2018)” in reference of the controversy behind the film winning Best Picture last year. While another user pointed out the awkward placement of the Toyota sign in the background. 

Let’s hope the presidential candidate doesn’t have any other awkward interactions with entertainers in the future. 

 

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Al Hilal 1-0 Esperance Sportive de Tunis: Ex-Swansea striker Bafetimbi Gomis scores winner to reach Fifa Club World Cup semis

Former Swansea striker Bafetimbi Gomis scores the winner as Al Hilal beat Esperance Sportive de Tunis 1-0 to reach the Fifa Club World Cup semi-finals.

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Atlanta lawyer reported missing earlier this week found died in hospital

South Fulton Police Department revealed on Friday that the attorney who was reported missing earlier this week has died.

Demetrice Allen, 30, passed away at a local hospital after being injured in a car wreck, according to the department’s press release, CNN reports. 

READ MORE: Michelle Obama snubbed on Forbes’ list of the ‘World’s 100 Most Powerful Women’

Allen was last seen on Dec. 6 after hanging out with friends at a bar in East Atlanta, the police said. His godmother, Daphne Handley reported him missing two days later.

“Our investigation determined that Mr. Allen was involved in a traffic accident in Clayton County before he was reported missing by loved ones,” according to the police statement. “Unfortunately, Mr. Allen succumbed from his injuries the next day at an area hospital. Mr. Allen’s next of kin has been notified.”

Allen was staying with his godmother in the Atlanta area while he was interviewing for jobs. He recently moved from Orlando, according to the site. 

Clayton County police also reported on Friday in a news release that Allen was involved in a multi-vehicle car wreck on Interstate 285 East on Dec.  7 and was reportedly the driver who was at fault. 

“Mr. Allen’s injuries were severe, but did not appear to be life-threatening,” the news release stated. “He was alert, conscious, and combative when he was transported to a local area hospital for treatment.” 

Allen’s friends said he was reportedly on his way to The Cookout Restaurant after leaving the bar that night, according to the New York Post. 

Police were not able to identify at the scene because of his condition after the accident.

READ MORE: Back to Africa: New York politician experiences the ultimate homecoming during a life-changing visit to Senegal

“Upon following up at the hospital, officers discovered Mr. Allen succumbed to his injuries and hospital staff subsequently contacted the Georgia Bureau of Investigations, who took custody of Mr. Allen’s body.”

Additional details surrounding the car wreck or Allen’s injuries have not been released.

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Space Photos of the Week: Starkiller Base? Nope, Just Real-Life Icy Moons

There’s more to these frozen, frost-covered satellites than meets the eye.

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Back to Africa: New York politician experiences the ultimate homecoming during a life changing visit to Senegal

Much has been said throughout this year about “going back to Africa.” And as we mark the 400 years that have elapsed since the first enslaved Africans arrived on these shores in 1619, stripped of their freedom, their kinship, and their basic birthrights as human beings, many people of African descent have indeed made that pilgrimage back to the motherland. It’s a way to reinforce those ties that, though stretched to the point of breaking, have instead managed to hold fast, despite the trauma and sabotage that had threatened to sever them over the ensuing centuries.

I am one of those expatriates who was privileged to recently make the life-changing and affirming trek back to the home of my ancestors—Senegal, to be exact. And although this was not my first visit to the African continent, I am humbled and overjoyed to share that it was indeed the most insightful and significant one—especially since I have traced my roots back to originating in that very country.

From the moment my feet touched the Earth in Senegal, and throughout my travels during my all too brief stay there, the sense of welcoming and belonging that I felt was overwhelming. Rather than shrinking from the intensity of the sun, I reveled in its warmth, as it enveloped me in its loving embrace. The salt-tinged smell of the nearby ocean was pure aromatherapy for my soul, but it was the sights and sounds of the people—my people—that plays over and over in a virtual loop in my head now that I’ve returned to American shores.

READ MORE: 400 Years Later: Why Aug 20,1619 is a date all Black Americans need to know

As the president of New York City’s borough of Brooklyn, which boasts the richest representation of the African diaspora in any major city in this country, and is home to nearly 900,000 African-Americans, I am no stranger to finding myself immersed in a sea of Black and brown faces. Those proud, beautiful, and expressive faces that greeted me, coupled with the joy-filled music that their voices rendered, are like none other that I’ve ever found elsewhere.

Typically, we gather together for a common cause. However, in Africa, particularly on the island of Gorée, home of the Door of No Return— the haunting portal through which scores of free Africans walked before being dispersed to lands far and wide as slaves— the feeling of connected oneness was more vibrant, more enriched, and more compelling than any I have felt beyond my Brooklyn borders.

The Door of No Return is a museum and memorial to the Atlantic slave trade on Gorée Island off the coast of Dakar, Senegal. (From Wikimedia Commons)

As I walked the roads of Malicounda in Dakar and traversed across the volcanic rock on Gorée Island, I was struck by the undeniable natural beauty. And yet, this majestic continent has continued, over the last four centuries, to feel the aftershocks of being unrelentingly stripped of her lucrative natural resources represented by her land and by her people, our people, for the world’s gain.

READ MORE: Statue of Liberty was created to celebrate freed slaves according to its museum

While there, I witnessed dire needs, some of which were reminiscent of those faced by many of my constituents back in Brooklyn. Needs related to issues of health, education, quality of life, and overall freedom of access, which made the sister city agreements that were forged during my visit all the more appropriate and essential.

The differences I saw in our brethren there were far outweighed by our commonalities of cultural pride, boundless potential, and shared dreams and aspirations. I say the time is now for this symbiotic relationship to be nurtured and strengthened as never before, actualizing the transformation of the Door of No Return into the Door of Our Return.

 

Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams signs sister city agreement in Dakar. (photo provided by the office of Eric Adams.)

All of us, irrespective of our complexions or the country of our birth, owe much to Mother Africa, the undisputed cradle of civilization. During this milestone commemoration, as we reflect on the millions of lives lost, the atrocities that were endured, and the traumas that inflicted by slavery, it is important that we think of reparations that are due. Not to us as African Americans, but of those due to Africa and her people. We work to not move on, but to move forward in our shared history and our collective investment in our promising future, entrusted into the hands of present-day Africans and African-Americans, and those yet to come.

READ MORE: NAACP remembers the day the first enslaved Africans arrived on American soil

As the beneficiaries of the rich and enduring legacy of culture and history that has been left to those of us who can call Africa “home,” we should and must stand ready and willing to partner with anyone who shares the same vision and commitment to paying it forward.

Undoubtedly, attempts to make restitution for what has been lost over the course of the past 400 years of fortitude is a very tall order. But with all worthwhile journeys, it will only commence by taking the first step that each of us individually is willing to make.


Eric L. Adams is the borough president of Brooklyn, New York. He vows that this, his fifth visit to his continent of origin, will not be his last.

The post Back to Africa: New York politician experiences the ultimate homecoming during a life changing visit to Senegal appeared first on theGrio.



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Caf wins case against Lagardere Sports over decision to scrap $1 billion deal

Caf wins a legal battle against Lagardere Sports over its decision to scrap a US$1 billion television and marketing rights deal with the France-based company.

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The Best Sales on Xbox, PS4, and Switch for Christmas 2019 (Consoles and Games)

Every major console and critically acclaimed games are on sale at multiple retailers for the holidays.

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15 Million Iranian Bank Accounts Were Breached

Telegram hacks in Russia, Senate encryption hearings, and more in the week’s top security news.

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'Final Space' Has Heart but Needs More Brains

The sci-fi cartoon has a lot going for it, but it's still mostly kids' stuff.

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4 Things To Know About Kaiser Permanente’s New CEO Greg Adams

Healthcare veteran Gregory Adams stepped in to lead Kaiser Permanente as soon as the sudden death of Bernard Tyson was announced on Nov. 10. Adams’ interim position became official one month later when the nation’s largest integrated healthcare system’s board of directors cemented his role as CEO earlier this week.

It is one of few times in history that a major organization has appointed one black male CEO to succeed another. While Adams has inherited a financially healthy entity Oakland, California-based Kaiser is an $80 billion nonprofit organization with more than 250,000 employees and physicians serving 12.2 million members – it is also a grieving institution. Tyson was a bright light who cast a long shadow, making this transition uniquely complex.

Stepping into the wake of an extraordinarily dynamic leader who was broadly respected and revered is no easy task. Here are four reasons why Adams, the sixth CEO in Kaiser’s almost 75-year history, should succeed.

  • He already knows the ropes. Tyson was a lifer at Kaiser, having started there as a college intern. While Adams had an impressive decades long career in health care prior to joining Kaiser, he’s also logged 20 years moving up the Kaiser ranks. Starting in 1999 as a Los Angeles-based senior vice president, in the last 10 years, he rose swiftly through roles that prepared him well for this moment. In, 2013, the year Tyson was named chairman and CEO, Adams rose from Kaiser’s regional president for Northern California to executive vice president reporting directly to Tyson. Adams was named group president in 2016. There, he had direct responsibility for health plans and hospital operations in all eight Kaiser regions, impacting 12 million of its plan members.
  • He began his career as a caregiver.. A native of rural Georgia, Adams graduated from Atlanta’s Ogelthorpe University with a degree in nursing and proceeded to work in the emergency department at nearby Crawford Long Hospital. It was there that he confronted the social determinants of healthcare and began to consider other ways that he might craft an even more impactful career in the industry. He went on to earn his master’s degree in nursing administration from Wichita State University. His clinical background, though brief, may give Adams an edge with Kaiser’s physicians and healthcare providers, who are a powerful force.
  • Adams is up for the challenges. Kaiser has successfully negotiated new contracts with several of its unions in the past year, but testy labor relations disputes continue, including with the National Union of Healthcare Workers, which plans a weeklong strike beginning on Dec. 16 (a previous strike was postponed out of respect following Tyson’s death). If carried out, the strike could shut down services at 100 Kaiser clinics. That said, in a statement released following Adams’ appointment, the Alliance of Health Care Unions, a coalition of unions that represents 50,000 Kaiser employees, praised him as the “best choice to lead Kaiser Permanente seamlessly and boldly forward.” The group’s leader, Peter DeCicco, was quoted by The Sacramento Bee, lauding Adams’ vision, depth of knowledge and experience: “We are confident that with Greg’s record of commitment to labor management partnership, together we will continue to ensure that Kaiser Permanente is the best place to receive care and the best place to work, a community anchor for good, stable jobs and healthy neighborhoods.”
  • Adams is committed to a seamless succession. During his seven years as CEO, Tyson oversaw major expansions in Kaiser’s membership, workforce, and revenue, but he became perhaps best known for his unflinching leadership on social justice issues ranging from racism, mental health and gun violence to homelessness, poverty and affordable housing. Under Tyson’s leadership, Kaiser committed $200 million to fight homelessness, which is rampant in the Bay area. At Tyson’s memorial service last month, Adams was moved to tears as he paid tribute to his late boss and friend. Even in that raw moment, Adams stated his full commitment to continuing the work Tyson was so passionate about. “It is truly an honor to be named Chairman and CEO of this amazing organization and follow Bernard,” Adams said in a statement. “Kaiser Pernamanente will continue to move forward together to deliver on our mission.”

 



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8 Best Subscription Boxes for Kids: Bitsbox, Foodstirs, and More

Stressed about holiday shopping for a young'un? Give a gift that keeps on giving.

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Three Friends Combine To Launch Real Estate Firm, On Track To Reach $100M In Deals

Three black entrepreneurs have joined forces to create a real estate firm called Coalition Properties Group (CPG). Harrison Beacher, Ryan Butler, and Keith James decide to merge their firms and in less than a year are already on track to reach $100 million in closed deals.

Coalition Properties Group focuses on helping individuals buy and sell real estate in the Washington DMV area. CPG buys, renovates, and sells real estate. The firm also assists individuals who are interested in wealth building and investing in real estate. In addition, it offers seminars on financial literacy, helps individuals find jobs, and teaches techniques to rebuild credit.

The three friends were all successful in their own right prior to teaming up and creating the firm, but they decided it was better to band together rather than compete against each other.

Butler was an owner of an IT consulting firm and was involved in real estate prior to teaming up with his friends. James purchased his first property at the age of 23; he went on to become a full-time realtor and closed $20 million in deals. Beacher is the national director of the National Association of Realtors, which has more than 1.2 million members. He was also featured in Realtor Magazine‘s 30 under 30 in 2016.

CPG has also been holding free wealth-building seminars as part of a goal to create a community and to sustain long-term legacies. They teach individuals and families how grants and different financial opportunities allow for purchasing a home with little or no money down. CPG also plans to host a series of career nights for people considering a career in real estate and what it takes to be a successful realtor.

“Whether you’re volunteering, giving back, or connecting with others, these relationships are vital in not only building your business but also learning how to better help your clients achieve their goals,” Beacher said via Instagram.



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Omar al-Bashir: Sudan ex-leader sentenced for corruption

Bashir has been sentenced to two years for corruption - but cannot be jailed because of his age.

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Google's AI Chief Wants to Do More With Less (Data)

Jeff Dean says the company is trying to build systems that have general smarts, rather than highly specialized intelligence.

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Sometimes Red Means Go—When It Comes to Bus Rides

New Federal Highway Administration rules give cities more leeway to create special bus lanes.

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Friday, December 13, 2019

Africa’s 'condom king' wants no more HIV infections

Kenyan Stanley Ngara gives out free condoms in his bid to encourage safe sex and lower HIV rates.

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The New Xbox Has a Name and a Questionable Shape

Xbox Series X is a sort of desktop-tower-shaped black box with an aesthetic quite similar to the consoles that came before.

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Nike's Victory Swimsuit Steals Tricks From Fish Gills

It took Nike 55 design attempts over 18 months to come up with a suit that caters to hijab-wearing swimmers, paddle boarders, and SPF enthusiasts.

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Meet the Real Estate Investor Who Owns 18 Properties at 26-Years-Old

Homeownership is a secure way to build wealth. For many Americans, homeownership is an instrumental way of creating generational wealth for their families. For Jamisa McIvor-Bennett, founder and CEO of Rosebud’s Investments, her introduction to ownership began with a conversation with her grandmother which ultimately led her to become a real estate investor at the age of 19.

After a conversation with her guardian about being next in kin to own and manage the family home, Mclvor-Bennett was added to the deed. Months later, her grandmother passed away unexpectedly.

“I took what she said to heart…to be responsible and to help my family because this [family home] is all we had. That kept replaying in my mind over and over again,” says Mclvor-Bennett.

At that time, she worked as a cashier and could not afford home renovations on her own, so she had to make an executive decision.

Related: This Investor Has Raised $165 Million to House Black and Hispanics In Opportunity Zones

“In the back of my mind, I kept hearing my grandmother say, ‘this is all we have’, and one day I asked my myself, ‘why is this all we have?’” and that question led to her selling the house for $152,000. After doing research of her own and speaking with financial advisers, Mclvor-Bennett decided that investing her earnings into real estate would be the best way to never have to work for someone else again.

Building wealth requires a millionaire mindset 

Mclvor-Bennett’s humble beginnings taught her how to be conservative with money and wise in her dealings.

“During that journey, I ran into a guy who was a real estate investor. That was my first time making the differentiation between an investor and a little estate agent,” says Mclvor-Bennett.

Under the tutelage of her mentor’s guidance, she went on to purchase her first home for $6,500 in cash. And she didn’t stop there.

Now 26, McIvor-Bennett is the owner of 18 properties throughout Pennsylvania—and she only has one mortgage. In addition to owning and investing in properties, she also teaches others looking to generate more income and learn the ins and outs about real estate and real estate investing.

Her company, Rosebud’s Investments, caters to people interested in real estate investment but unsure of where and how to get started. The company offers individualized services in investor processes, for both new and seasoned investors who are looking to enhance their knowledge and expertise. Beginning with their individualized investment call, new clients work with a member of the Rosebud’s Investments team to create a blueprint for purchasing property without using credit.

Related: 5 Ways To Earn Money In Real Estate Without A License

Knowledge and mentorship are key

Like many business owners and investors, Mclvor-Bennett has been met with challenges. After purchasing nine properties, she began to hit a wall.

“I was down to $15,000 and some of my properties needed to be rehabbed. I wasn’t educated on the loan process. And keep in mind, I didn’t even have credit cards. These are all things that I had to pretty much learn as I went along. But I do remember playing monopoly as a child—so, I decided I was going to sell a house.”

After selling a few of her properties, she learned more about the business through that process. As a first-generation real estate investor and entrepreneur, Mclvor-Bennett knew that she had to seek the formal training to educate herself so that she could grow her business after buying her properties in cash.

“It was helpful to me to learn the terminology and more about contracts.”

Related: Black Woman Real Estate Developer Felt Unwelcome In the Community So She Built Her Own

Mclvor-Bennett further invested in her education by attending industry seminars and conferences across the country to learn other markets and industry trends.

“That was one of the ways that I would meet new friends and gained a lot of mentors,” says Mclvor-Bennett.

How to make a living off of real estate

With 18 properties in her portfolio, Mclvor-Bennett is currently working on number 19. And, she wants to help you get started.

Here are some tips:

  • Know your numbers. Whether you’re buying to hold, flip, or if you’re doing a wholesale deal; the numbers have to add up.
  • Save and invest what you can. Be conservative and strategic. Ask yourself, ‘What can I stand to lose?
  • Learn your market. That will give you an entry point because then you actually have a goal to work toward.
  • Make sure that all deals are done contractually.
  • Don’t be afraid to take risks. If your objective is to have a property that produces some type of income on a consistent monthly basis, it’s can be worth it even if the value of the property drops. Every market has its ups and downs.

To learn more about how you can begin your real estate journey with Rosebud’s Investments, click here.



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An engine for game-changing innovation

In 2016, MIT launched The Engine as a new way to fund and support Boston-area entrepreneurs who are using transformative technologies to address the world’s most pressing problems.

By definition, these entrepreneurs’ plans for impact were as ambitious as they were uncertain; each would need to overcome fundamental technical and business challenges as they readied their breakthrough innovations to compete with legacy systems and technologies.

Such uncertainty is often a deal breaker for venture capitalists, who prefer to invest in companies with easer paths to profitability than many startups working with cutting-edge technologies can promise. But The Engine, as MIT President L. Rafael Reif announced, would prioritize “breakthrough ideas over early profit, helping to shorten the time it takes these startups to become ‘VC-ready,’ providing comprehensive support in the meantime, and creating an enthusiastic community of inventors and supporters who share a focus on making a better world.”

In the three years since its inception, The Engine has bridged the gap between “tough tech” companies and venture capital with remarkable success. It has invested in 20 startups to date — companies working on quantum computing, long-term energy storage, cancer therapies, nuclear fusion, and more. Those companies have raised more than $300 million in total venture capital to date and collectively employ more than 280 people.

And much of The Engine’s early success lies beyond these numbers. Even as the firm’s team immerses itself in some of the hardest problems of science and engineering, its main focus remains on people. A core tenet of The Engine’s mission is to turn technical pioneers into leaders. Its emphasis on community and networking is also reflected in the Tough Tech Summit it hosts each year.

Consequently, The Engine’s footprints are all over the world-changing paths its founders are traveling. Now, with its recently announced plans to add 200,000 square feet of work and lab space — enough to accommodate 1,000 entrepreneurs — that footprint is about to get a lot bigger.

“It’s so inspiring to see the transformational innovations coming out of The Engine,” says MIT Executive Vice President and Treasurer Israel Ruiz, who also serves as chair of The Engine’s board of directors. “We’re all excited to see the original expansion plans come to reality, and I can’t wait to see how The Engine and its portfolio companies impact the region and the world.”

Founded around a mission

The Engine provides “patient” funding, mentoring, work and lab space, specialized equipment, and an extensive network to entrepreneurs working on transformative technologies. As a for-profit, public-benefit corporation, it has a unique structure, particularly in academia. But its creation didn’t surprise Katie Rae, who became its CEO and managing partner in 2017.

“MIT is very willing to break new ground and try something unusual if it will tackle a big problem or impact the world,” Rae says.

From the beginning, The Engine has sought out radically different approaches to some of the world’s most intractable problems — the kinds of ideas that might send more risk-averse investors running.

Among the first seven startups The Engine invested in were Form Energy, which is using inexpensive alternatives to lithium to develop a new battery capable of storing energy from renewable sources for months at a time; Analytical Space, which is deploying a network of small satellites in low Earth orbit to improve the tracking of things like agricultural production, industrial assets, and weather; and Kytopen, which is developing an electric cell-engineering tool capable of delivering DNA to bacterial cells up to 10,000 times faster than current methods.

“We want to create really important, breakthrough companies that last 100 years,” Rae says. “They have to be going after really big change, really big markets, and we want to give them an advantage; that’s our infrastructure, that’s our network.”

The approach has allowed many innovators in the Boston area to pursue the full potential of their technologies in an environment that keeps them focused on the real-world problems they’re trying to solve.

“I think a lot of the companies The Engine has invested in would not have been funded, or teams wouldn’t have formed, without significant pre-seed or seed capital,” says Adam Behrens, the CEO of Cambridge Crops, which has developed a natural, edible coating capable of dramatically extending the shelf life of food.

When The Engine made its first financial commitment to the company in 2018, Cambridge Crops consisted of Behrens and co-founder Sezin Yigit dipping pineapples into its coating in the back of a warehouse. This summer, the company raised a $4 million seed round and hopes to earn approvals from the Food and Drug Administration next year.

Cambridge Crops’ progress is not unique. In fact, all seven of The Engine’s first investments have raised additional funding in the form of investments or grants since The Engine’s early support. The companies have used that money to move into their own work spaces, hire local talent, and deploy their technologies in the areas that need them most.

Those technologies are not limited to the physical realm. New approaches in artificial intelligence and other kinds of “deep software” have also featured prominently in The Engine’s investment strategy.

Another one of The Engine’s early investments was iSee, which is developing humanistic AI to advance the capabilities of autonomous vehicles. Co-founders Yibiao Zhao and Chris Baker based the technology on theory of mind, or the ability to infer the intents and beliefs of others. The technology enables vehicles to deal with uncertainty by considering context and discerning the intentions of other drivers.

Zhao, fresh off a postdoctoral research stint in the lab of MIT Professor Josh Tenenbaum, faced a steep learning curve when he began serving as the company’s chief executive in 2017. Since then, iSee has recruited a team of full stack engineers, deployed iSee’s software on roads in pilots with Fortune 400 companies, and, most recently, raised a $15 million funding round led by the well-known VC firm Founders Fund.

Rae thinks the success of The Engine’s portfolio has made tough tech companies more attractive investments for corporations and venture capitalists.

“We've uncovered many very important companies and brought them to market,” Rae says. “We've gathered a phenomenal group of founders, and I think we've excited a lot of people about this area of investment.”

Leveraging its ties across industry, academia, and government, The Engine has also helped facilitate entirely new kinds of collaborations, like the one that formed around Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), a company pursuing what has been called the holy grail of energy.

The company is working to develop a potentially unlimited, carbon-free energy source based on nuclear fusion, the reaction that powers stars like our sun. CFS was launched as part of a collaboration with MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center and with funding from the Italian energy corporation Eni.

“In the very beginning of CFS, there were a lot of people around who really loved the idea and wanted to see it happen, but didn't really want to take the first steps,” CFS co-founder and CEO Bob Mumgaard SM ’15 PhD ’15 says of early 2018, before his company had raised funding. “Those first steps are really hard to get when the idea is really big. It's sort of a standoff; everyone's ready to go, but who will be the first person to move? The Engine was really the first one to say, ‘We're going to jump in,’ and as soon as they did that, it broke the ice. It was so important to have The Engine in the room.”

A pillar for progress

The Engine’s expansion plans, announced in August, will increase its space sevenfold and place it squarely between Kendall Square and MIT’s campus. That should only enhance what is already a deeply collaborative environment.

“It’s a like-minded community that expects excellence from one another,” Behrens says. “We’re all doing really good things, and trying to do big things; that takes diligence and execution, but it also takes support.”

And as The Engine’s companies grow, Rae hopes they’ll become pillars in the greater Boston area’s innovation ecosystem similar to the local biotech industry.

“Sometimes, entrepreneurs’ first decision when they start a company is to move to the [San Francisco] Bay Area,” Zhao says. “The Engine is the type of investor that wants to provide an environment for the founders from Boston to stay here and grow their team here. It’s working hard to be the influencer that makes the Boston area really tech friendly.”



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8 Expert Steps to a Successful TEDx Talk – Plus Three Bonus Tips From Me

The year is winding down and as I take my inventory of goals achieved, abandoned, or rolled over to next year, I’m especially satisfied with one big checked box: I finally did a TEDx Talk.

As someone who does public speaking regularly, you might think the idea of TED was no biggie to me. Just another speech, right? Uh, wrong.

I was deeply intimidated by the idea (1) Because it will live online FOREVER. (2) Because it’s typically LIVE—no notes, no teleprompter. (3) Did I mention … FOREVER? Call me a commitment phobe, but that eternity piece is scary.

Despite my fear, an affiliation with TED offers a sort of seal of approval on your brand, a  bit of credibility you can leverage. If you make any part of your living as a speaker, a lack of TED in your life feels akin to a skills gap.

The good news is, the risks are relatively small and if your talk takes off, it could be the most efficient work you’ll ever do. The most successful TED Talk of all time was a lighthearted riff by a British neuroanatomist, on whether schools kill creativity. To date, it’s been viewed 63,284,949 times.

The distinction for the longest standing ovation in TED conference history goes to civil rights lawyer Bryan Stevenson, who delivered an 18-minute talk in 2012 about the power of identity. To date, more than 6 million viewers have watched it online and Stevenson has said his nonprofit Equal Justice Initiative received about $1 million from those who attended the live speech alone. It may not have been his goal, but almost eight years later, the video continues to serve as a powerful fundraising vehicle for Stevenson’s work.

My “The Power of Belonging” TEDx Talk goals were simple. (1) I wanted to communicate clearly (2) I wanted to move people to embrace the importance of belonging—because, as corny as it sounds, I believe that if we all thought more, cared more, and worked harder to create a world where everyone feels they belong, everything that most divides and conquers progress on a daily basis would change for the better. (3) I wanted to feel good about it when it was over, a.k.a., I didn’t want to mess up and then be able to revisit my embarrassment, forever.

There are books on how to nail a TED Talk. There are even TED Talks on how to give great TED Talks. They all say pretty much the same thing: Attempt to touch people with something unique that they won’t forget. Breaking that down, there are about eight fail-safe steps:

1.      Tap into a topic you’re truly passionate about.

2.      There are sermons, lectures, powerpoint presentations, and straight talks. Your goal is to tell a vivid story.

3.      No matter how serious the topic, be conversational, casual, chill.

4.      Teach something new.

5.      Throw in a surprise or two.

6.      Make ’em laugh.

7.      Be brief (the TED timing sweet spot is 12-18 minutes).

8.      Aim for 360-degree authenticity.

I add this trio of tips that were key to me leading up to my TEDx Talk:

1.      Over-prepare. Weeks ahead, I knew anxiety was my enemy. It was going to keep me up at night, fretting and sweating until I had my talk written out and was fully satisfied. Whatever mode of preparation works for you, be sure of exactly what you plan to say well ahead. I refined, rehearsed, and memorized every word. Did I rigidly stick to my script? No. But I had it down, and that was key.

2.      Phone a friend. TEDx usually assigns a mentor or small group of knowledgeable people—let’s call them TEDdies—who will help you. I gratefully used them and took their advice, but I also leaned on two close, discerning friends of my own. A few times. On the phone and in person. You don’t want to find out in the midst of your big moment that your big joke or reveal is a big, fat fail.

3.      What will you wear? TED is notoriously casual and they offer little advice on the matter other than standard broadcast news fashion tips like don’t wear plaid or busy patterns; don’t wear grey or blindingly bright colors. I was so focused on the speech that I honestly didn’t put much thought into my look—and it shows. If my biggest flubs were in the fashion lane, I can live with that. Until next time!



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