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Wrestling - MMA News
WWE . Anaheim, California
February 19, 2024
UFC @ufc fighter Michael Chandler issues a challenge.aka call out to Conor McGregor
The WWE cross-over TKO Group era is in full swing
TKO Group's UFC promotion had held its 298 event at the same Honda Center arena just two nights early.
UFC 298 live attendance was announced at the UFC press conference as 18,186.
Raw's live attendance is understood to be in the 12,000 range.
It was an enthusiastic crowd who appeared to also enjoy the announcement of the UFC's Chandler as well as boxer "King" Callum Walsh earlier in the evening.
After the conclusion of the Raw main event - Gunther vs Jey Uso, ended by Jimmy Uso ringing the bell earlier as well as interfering, Cody Rhodes @CodyRhodes address the ruckus crowd.
"Anaheim, did you have a good time tonight? Rhodes continued for a few minutes (of which the video is available via the official WWE YouTube Channel).
He continued: "Please welcome the voice of the voiceless - CM Punk" @CMPunk
Fans: "CM Punk, CM Punk, CM Punk"..
"It is not easy sitting backstage watching the show knowing that Anaheim showed up 11,000 strong and ya all have been hot all night long. Three hours, countless superstars, awesome matches. I had to come out here and feel this myself. And to let you all know this is a bump in the road and I promise you the next time we are in Anaheim I will be here and I will have my boots on" CM Punk
Fans: CM Punk, CM Punk, CM Punk"...
Videos via WWE YouTube
Media Man: A super hot crowd and the WWE - Pro Wrestling and combat sports connection can cbe considered a strong success - especially at this relatively early stage of the game. TKO Group top brass is super connected in the media, live sports, live events and sports business world, and it showed. Recently CM Punk has also been doing some media and hasn't been shy to discuss this forey in MMA, via the UFC, nor his injury as the dangers of pro wrestling and mixed martial arts. The positive energy on this episode came through in spades. Well done wrestlers, fighters, WWE team, and most importantly, fans.
Image credit: WWE with AI
Pro Wrestling, Boxing And MMA News
Via Media Man report
Wrestling with TKO!
Combat Sports is WWE RAW in Anaheim, California - February, 19, 2024
Pro Boxer and Pro MMA Fighter Appear: WWE cross-over combat sports promotion era is here!
Michael Chandler and "King" Callum Walsh
"Thank god for the captions" Pat McAfee
@PatMcAfeeShow
"The stars are out here in Anaheim. Your looking at. Dana White bash" Pat McAfee
"Freddie Roach trained. 9 and 0 boxer with 7 knockouts named King Callum Walsh out of Cork, Ireland. His next fight is coming up March 15 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden..9 and 0. 7! knockouts. Absolute dog" PM
and
Michael Chandler from the UFC is in the building and now on camera with a live mic!
Media Man: Chandler was first to appear on camera and be acknowledged by the WWE broadcast team. Chandler just challenged Conor McGregor!
"Hey, what's up Anaheim? Hey, you are now in the presence of the most entertaining UFC fighter on the planet. Hey, now there's a man from Ireland bean been making me wait for too long and I still got one dude on my mind. Conor McGregor, get your candy ass back to the Octagon. We got some unfinished business boy. God bless. I'll see you at the top" Michael Chandler
Media Man: The news has started to trend as to may expect. This is the sort of promotion that can and will deliver both more new WWE, UFC and boxing fans. The cross-over appeal is something we touched on at the past UFC Fan/Media Q and A in Sydney, Australia last September. It is expected the WWE and maybe even other TKO Group social media channels will further promote the surprise combat sports participants showing up at the RAW event in the Honda Center. The WWE X account has already featured Chandler at least once as we go live to web.
Getting you ready for more via the award winning WWE YouTube channel
http://youtube.com/WWE
Pro Wrestling
WWE Raw
February 19, 2024
Honda Center. Anaheim, California
Awesome Truth and DIY vs Judgement Day
"He still is wearing the rain poncho. It's been raining all day in Anaheim" Michael Cole
"Southern California with a rain storm" Pat McAfee
"R-Truth a bit delusional. I guess that's a word we could use" MC
"Go inside. Put on a poncho. That seems to be intelligent" PM
"Friday night he thought Kevin Owens was The Miz. I don't quite get how that works" MC
"He thinks he's teaming up with DX tonight.. it's DIY, but you can get with this or you can get with that" PM
"McDonagh said no more fun and games" MC
"Get with the group ... make money for the group" PM
"The whole world wants to see R-Truth get into this match.. Judgement Day just keeping him at bay" PM
"This guy's been running for 14 straight minutes" PM
"Ciampa doesn't get tired" PM
"I'm outta breath looking at him" MC
"Truth is magical" PM
"A long way down for R-Truth from Damian Priest" PM
And more great moments and highlights via the official WWE YouTube Channel
http://youtube.com/wwe
Pro Wrestling
WWE RAW
Women's Last Chance Battle Royal
"But tonight it's every woman for herself" Michael Cole
"If you want to get real intense one day just listen to Zoe Starks intro music clearance here. Real serious. The California girl is a beast" Pat McAfee
@PatMcAfeeShow
"I'm going to hop on a plane and go visit" PM
"You could sign autographs" MC
"Nah, they don't wanna see me... There's a lot of Cole miners in Riyadh" Pat McAfee
"It has been a long week for Chelsea Green and also Natayla. Part of this Battle Royal tonight. They just got back from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia" MC
"Speaking of" PM
"Zelina Vega went right after Electra Lopez" MC
"Full chaos in the ring Cole" PM
"There's 14 fights happening at one time on Monday Night Raw" PM
"Raquel just caught a Viking and dumped a Viking over the top rope" PM
"No anders" MC
"People say you've got too many feelings for those anders" PM
"Stark on the top rope. Baszler from behind" MC
"We're down to Zoe and Raquel" MC
"Stark eliminated... Raquel Rodriguez is heading to Elimination Chamber ...now she is... and one step closer to WrestleMania" MC
"You'd have to think the odds have changed mighty now.. " PM
WWE past, present and future via the official WWE YouTube Channel
http://youtube.com/wwe
Pro Wrestling
WWE
@WWE
RAW
Honda Center. Anaheim, California
We are five days away from Elimination Chamber and Monday Night Raw is live from
just down the street from Disneyland. We're at Anaheim, California at the sold out Honda Center and there is a big fight feel tonight" Michael Cole
@MichaelCole
"Can Main Event Jey Uso get it done tonight" MC
"And we're starting things off tonight Mr McAfee with a banger" MC
"The Scottish Warrior one of six men who will be locked in Elimination Chamber this coming Saturday in Perth, Australia. The lone survivor will head to WrestleMania to face Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship Pat. McIntyre saying the others want to win. He needs to win" MC
"And has already won. An absolutely stacked Elimination Chamber in Australia on Saturday and Drew McIntyre's rolling in there with aronica" Pat McAfee
@PatMcAfeeShow
"This is not something I'd be signing up for"! PM
Media Man:.Broadcasting live. Pumped. Cody, Cody, Cody! Moments and highlights soon to be added to the official WWE YouTube Channel
http://youtube.com/wwe
Pro Wrestling
WWE
@WWE
RAW
Feb. 19, 2024
Cody Rhodes vs Drew McIntyre
Gunther vs Jey Uso - Intercontinental Title
R-Truth, The Miz and DIY vs The Judgment Day. Truth or Dare?!
Women's “Last Chance” Battle Royal:
Michin, Shayna Baszler, Zoey Stark, Alba Fyre and Zelina Vega. We're picking Stark for the W on this one.
Chad Gable. Presidential Wrestling Machine vs Ivar, the Scandinavia scrapper. The Presidents Man vs The God's Must Be Crazy! Catch vs Viking cosplayer? Valhalla and maybe Hollywood is watching.
WWE announcers may have their hands full tonight, especially with the battle royal and femme fatales flying everywhere.
Videos via the award winning WWE YouTube channel
Jey Uso wants to take Gunther’s Intercontinental Title: WWE Now, Feb. 19, 2024
https://youtube.com/watch?v=AM9PMdz-WCI&t=6s&ab_channel=WWE
Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre headed for a collision on Raw
https://youtube.com/watch?v=T5x57j02NUY&t=4s&ab_channel=WWE
Jey Uso challenges Gunther's historic Intercontinental Title reign
https://youtube.com/watch?v=XbWKHXgwNLI&t=12s&ab_channel=WWE
Expect the unexpected and so much more!
http://youtube.com/wwe
Wrestling - UFC Connection
WWE
@WWE
Superstar Opens Up On Wrestling Injuries; UFC - MMA environment
Pro Wrestling Living Legend CM Punk Attends UFC 298; Speaks To Media On Recent Injury, Risks And Plans Forward
"Loosing a a fight in the UFC
@ufc
I think is different to loosing to hockey game or loosing a basketball game or a baseball game or something like that. It's real heartbreak for these guys and my heart goes out to Volkanovski right not 'cause I know he's heartbroken and I know the chatters going to be 'Should he have fought four months out after getting knocked out', but that's the fight game. My hats off to him for being such an active, fighting champion. For taking the risks, at 155 against the pound for pound best fighter in the world, Islam Makhachev, twice. Those are the things"...
"We're thinking maybe six to eight months, but I'm not really in a rush to get back to compete. I'm in a rush to get healthy. I'm in a rush to get better. The sooner I do that, the better I'll be when I come back...it's good to be back. I'm super happy it happened"
"My mouth still works so I'm still going to be able to talk some trash... it's the best part, it's what I do"..
"It's what happens to athletes. Mentally, I think it's harder because the physical pain is whatever. But I look at it just like a bump in the road. This is an occupational hazard. It happens, and I'll be back bigger and better. I'm a clumsy idiot. I tore my left triceps about two years ago, so the right one was jealous."
"I think one of the things that I never did before was try to balance things out"..
"Time heals old wounds you know. You slowly start to realise, you know, a lot of that staff then happened 10 years ago doesn't matter. Different people come and go Different people are in charge now. Maybe I can go back - it kinds of fits like an old slipper"... CM Punk
Video via TNT Sports YouTube
"THE ROCK COMING BACK IS FANTASTIC" 🔥 - CM Punk looks ahead to WrestleMania XL at #UFC298
https://youtube.com/watch?v=eBVw3jmCDQs
#CMPunk #UFC298 #UFC #Volk #Volkanovski #Topuria #Whittaker #TheRock #WWERaw #WWE #prowrestling #wrestling #interview #backstage #injuries #MMA #pressconference #interviews #bio #bios #YouTube #Video #wrestlingnews #fighting #Goat #legends #popculture #mmanews #sportsnews #sportsmedia #trends #trending #buzz #media
Media Man: One of the greatest CM Punk interviews we've ever seen/heard. Not a traditional pro wrestling hype - promo type interview, but from the heart. Punk speaks from experience as far as fighting in both arenas and recovering from injury. Sports based commentary with colour and sincerity. Nailed it. And great questions and vibe by interviewer Caroline Pearce. Cheers warriors.
Image credit: WWE
Pro Wrestling
All Elite Wrestling @AEW
AEW Rampage
H-E-B Center in Cedar Park, Texas
A Rhodes & the Von Erichs team for the first time in over 40 years! | 2/16/24, AEW Rampage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxRwDl7eaz4&ab_channel=AllEliteWrestling
"Well this is certainly a very interesting team. The first time The Rhodes and Von Erich familes have teamed in more than 40 years" Excalibur
"Wow. How about that"
Bang Bang Scissor Gang make their in-ring debut as a team! 12-man action! | 2/16/24, AEW Rampage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQfSQHGlZNk&ab_channel=AllEliteWrestling
"Our main event our of Rampage continues. A massive 12 person tag team match" Excalibur
NO DQ! Jeff Hardy & Sammy Guevara meet 1-on-1, for the first time! | 2/16/24, AEW Rampage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Cg06QQTI-A&ab_channel=AllEliteWrestling
"Exchange of blows"
"This is a treacherous position for both competitor Tony"
"Absolutely it is Excalibur" Tony Schiavone
Media Man: Watching the great Von Erichs is a bit like a virtual time machine for long time wrestling fans. Great that the tradition lives on. Having more than one pro wrestling promotion is primarily great news for wrestlers and fans. The compeition of sorts has lit a fire under wrestling promotions across the globe.
And more great action and drama via the official AEW YouTube channel
www.youtube.com/AEW
#AEWRampage #AEW #DustinRhodes #VonErichs #BBSG #JayWhite #JeffHardy #SammyGuevara #prowrestling #wrestling #entertainment #popculture #broadcast #broadcasting #YouTube #YT #trends #trending #TV #Texas #media
Image credit: AEW
Media Man brand shuffle on streaming, combat sports, energy drinks, videogames, tech solutions, agency deals. For a business media/publicity/online media campaign email us at Media Man
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"WrestleMania is a week-long series of events, and the logistics of executing that week along with the week leading into it and the week after it are extraordinarily difficult in our own back yard" Triple H
#TripleH #quote #wwe #wrestling #prowrestling #WrestleMania #WrestleMania40 #RomanReigns #TheRock #CodyRhodes #SethRollins #EliminationChamber #wwenews #wwemedia #wwepress #pressconference #creative #creativity #entertainment #popculture #PLE #PPV #LiveEntertainment #LiveSports #trend #trends #buzz #media #mediaman
Pro Surfing
World Surf League @wsl
SUNSET BEACH, Oahu, Hawaii, USA
Tuesday, February 20, 2024
Women's Opening Round, Elimination Round, and Round of 16 Called ON at Hurley Pro Sunset Beach
The Hurley Pro Sunset Beach, Stop No. 2 of the 2024 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), is ON today and will see the world's best surfers get their Sunset campaigns underway in clean four-to-six-foot waves. A big day of competition is upon us, with the women’s Opening Round starting at 8:03 a.m. HST, followed by the Elimination Round. The Round of 16 will run utilizing the overlapping format with 40-minute heats to determine the Quarterfinalists.
The Opening Round is stacked with major battles from the get-go, starting with the day’s opening heat featuring last year’s winner at Sunset, Molly Picklum (AUS), up against Gabriela Bryan (HAW) and Isabella Nichols (AUS).
The current World No.1 Caitlin Simmers (USA) will surf in the second heat against Luana Silva (BRA) and Sophie McCulloch (AUS). Reigning World Champion Caroline Marks (USA) will be in the next heat with perennial threat Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) and event wildcard Zoe McDougall (HAW).
Tyler Wright (AUS) and Brisa Hennessy (CRC), two former winners at Sunset, will battle it out in Heat 5 alongside rookie Alyssa Spencer (USA), while Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) will be up against Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) and India Robinson (AUS) in the final heat of the Opening Round. (Credit: WSL)
Watch the Hurley Pro Sunset Beach LIVE at WorldSurfLeague.com
Hurley Pro Sunset Beach Women’s Opening Round Matchups:
HEAT 1: Molly Picklum (AUS), Gabriela Bryan (HAW), Isabella Nichols (AUS)
HEAT 2: Caitlin Simmers (USA), Luana Silva (BRA), Sophie McCulloch (AUS)
HEAT 3: Caroline Marks (USA), Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Zoe McDougall (HAW)
HEAT 4: Tyler Wright (AUS), Brisa Hennessy (CRC), Alyssa Spencer (USA)
HEAT 5: Johanne Defay (FRA), Lakey Peterson (USA), Sawyer Lindblad (USA)
HEAT 6: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA), Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW), India Robinson (AUS)
Hurley Pro Sunset Beach Men’s Quarterfinal Matchups:
HEAT 1: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) vs. Seth Moniz (HAW)
HEAT 2: John John Florence (HAW) vs. Jordy Smith (RSA)
HEAT 3: Liam O'Brien (AUS) vs. Ryan Callinan (AUS)
HEAT 4: Italo Ferreira (BRA) vs. Jack Robinson (AUS)
Videos via WSL YouTube
Johanne Defay, Lakey Peterson, Sawyer Lindblad | Hurley Pro Sunset Beach 2024 - Opening Round
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A71UhSLZtsQ&ab_channel=WorldSurfLeague
Molly Picklum, Isabella Nichols, Gabriela Bryan | Hurley Pro Sunset Beach - 2024 Opening Round
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-0i3UZcNN4&ab_channel=WorldSurfLeague
Tyler Wright, Brisa Hennessy, Alyssa Spencer | Hurley Pro Sunset Beach 2024 - Opening Round
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyd5rck2s2Y&ab_channel=WorldSurfLeague
Tatiana Weston, Zoe McDougall, Alyssa Spencer | Hurley Pro Sunset Beach 2024 - Elimination Round
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFfY9OYOLNQ&ab_channel=WorldSurfLeague
YouTube Live
VER EN DIRECTO Hurley Pro Sunset Beach 2024 - Dia 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfESO-GjmfA&ab_channel=WorldSurfLeague
Gabriela Bryan Talks Prepping For “Her Spot” Sunset Beach, From Kauai To The CT, Goals for 2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7wbdY_ahKA&t=2s&ab_channel=WorldSurfLeague
WSL Official YouTube
www.youtube.com/wsl
Since it hosted the first Championship Tour event ever in 1976, Sunset Beach has long stood as an old-school test of power surfing. And while timeless rail-to-rail surfing still dominates, a new school of surfers is beginning to redefine the wave with a more modern approach. Who will win out, and who heads to colder waters on a hot streak? (Credit: WSL) About WSL The World Surf League (WSL), established in 1976, is the global home of surfing. The WSL is dedicated to changing the world through the inspirational power of surfing by creating authentic events, experiences, and storytelling to inspire a growing, global community to live with purpose, originality, and stoke. The WSL is a global organization, headquartered in Santa Monica and with regional offices in North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and EMEA. The WSL possesses a deep appreciation for the sport's rich heritage while promoting progression, innovation, and performance at the highest levels. The WSL is comprised of Tours & Events, celebrating the world’s best surfers across all disciplines and annually running more than 180 global contests and crowning the undisputed World Champions across all divisions; WSL WaveCo, where innovation meets experience; and WSL Studios, which offers best in class storytelling across competition, lifestyle, and conservation. (Credit: WSL)
Media Man: Special thanks to the good folks and great riders at World Surf League. A flashback to when we were great. Cheers from the Maroubra Beach to Bondi Beach to Newport Beach, Sydney, Australia connection up to Sunset Beach. The Ripple Effect!
Media Man Int
World Surf League: News (Media Man Int) www.mediamanint.com/articles/world_surf.html
#WSL #WorldSurfLeague #HurleyProSunsetBeach #HurleyPro #MollyPicklum #GabrielaBryan
#IsabellaNichols #CaitlinSimmers #LuanaSilva
#SophieMcCulloch #CarolineMarks #SallyFitzgibbons #ZoeMcDougall #TylerWright #BrisaHennessy
#ItaloFerreira #JackRobinson #GabrielMedina #SethMoniz #KanoaIgarashi #MatthewMcGillivray #LeonardoFioravanti #JacobWillcox #KellySlater #SunsetBeach #surfing #prosurfing #surftour #surfingtour #surfingindustry #surfingnews #surfingbiz #surfinglifestyle #surfculture #sportsnews #sportsmedia #YouTube #Video #broadcast #broadcasting #trends #trending #buzz #media
Image credit: WSL
Finance / World Business News
Euro, Gold, Crypto and more via Media Man and FX Pro
A strong current account surplus may not help euro
The eurozone's current account surplus climbed to a six-month high of 31.9bn in December. Analysts, on average, had expected a decline to 20.3 bn from 22.5 bn the previous month. The current level was seen in the eurozone during the relatively benign pre-Covid period and sometime before Natural Gas prices spiked in the second half of 2021.
The normalisation of the surplus is good news for the single currency, as it means more net capital inflows into the region. But this growth has been fuelled by falling imports, which can be the result of lower commodity and energy prices (which is a very good thing), but also partly indicative of a slowdown in domestic demand. This threatens to translate into economic contraction in the coming months.
The euro area experienced periods of severe import contraction in late 2008 and early 2010, and in both cases, the economy experienced a severe downturn. Back in 2008, all this was accompanied by the collapse of the euro.
Gold
Gold rises but within a downward channel
Gold rallied for the fourth consecutive session to reach $2023, recovering almost all the losses suffered the week before on the back of the inflation report. Gold's ability to rally suggests continued domestic demand, as some investors are clearly rushing to buy back any losses.
At the same time, however, we note that since the beginning of the year, gold has been characterised by solid selloffs on the news, forming a smooth downtrend. In the context of this downtrend, a rise to $2040-2045, which is the upper boundary of the bearish range, looks quite acceptable.
The area around $2035 - the highs of two weeks ago - also appears to be a crucial intermediate level. Confident buying from this level would be the first important signal that the recent correction is over and that gold is ready to make a fresh assault on the highs.
Much more important, however, will be the behaviour of gold as it approaches the $2050 level, where the reversal of the decline in late January took place. Consolidation at this level would confirm the breakdown of the downtrend and set the stage for a move towards $2100 and the subsequent renewal of historic highs.
However, as long as gold is trading within the downtrend, there is a greater chance of a breakdown or even an acceleration of the downtrend.
Among the fundamental factors, the potential for growth could be provided by the fall in the dollar if Fed officials show a softening of their position, bringing the start of interest rate cuts closer.
On the bearish side, equities could come under pressure following the optimistic rally in the tech giants and the news of a sharp slowdown in economic activity. We also do not rule out the possibility that the recent support measures for the Chinese stock market and property sector will cool demand for gold as a safe-haven for investors from that part of the world.
Cryptocurrency
Crypto market growth halted amid capital inflows
Market picture
The crypto market has corrected 0.46% in the last 24 hours, fluctuating within a narrow range without a clear direction. Bitcoin is down 1% but up 3.7% over seven days, Ethereum is flat for the day but up 10.6% over the week. The top coins are mixed with BNB +2% and Solana -2.5%.
Bitcoin is currently drawing its fourth daily candle with opening and closing levels close to each other. Such sideways consolidations are characteristic of strong bull markets, as opposed to corrective pullbacks on smoother rallies.
Ethereum hit local highs on rumours of a positive regulatory decision before the end of March. Bloomberg analyst James Seyffarth bet 4 ETH that the SEC will not approve a spot Ethereum ETF next month.
According to data from CoinShares, investment in crypto funds rose by a record $2.452 billion last week, following inflows of $1.116 billion the previous week. Bitcoin investments increased by $2.424 billion, Ethereum by $21 million, Cardano lost $6 million, and Solana lost $1.6 million.
Since the beginning of the year, crypto funds have seen inflows of an impressive $5.2 billion, with total AUM rising to $67 billion, the highest since December 2021.
News background
Bitcoin will see institutional support in the next three to six months, according to Coinbase. Bitcoin ETFs could eventually become a major competitor to gold funds.
According to IntoTheBlock, there is an 85% chance that Bitcoin will reach a new all-time high within the next six months. Five factors could contribute to this: the halving of the price, ETFs, monetary easing, the US election, and companies accumulating BTC as part of their treasuries.
Former CIA contractor Edward Snowden, who has been living in Russia since 2013, called bitcoin the most significant achievement of the financial system in the entire existence of money and means of exchange.
Amberdata admitted that Ethereum will outpace Bitcoin in terms of growth due to more constructive deflationary policies. The supply of ETH has been decreasing since September 2022, thanks to the update of The Merge, as well as the implementation of a mechanism to burn part of the commissions. During this time, around 0.36 million ETH, or 0.3% of the total supply of 120 million coins, have been removed from circulation.
News (Media Man Int)
www.mediamanint.com/news.html
#Euro #EuroNews #Gold #GoldNews #commodity #Commodities #Bitcoin #BitcoinNews #BTC #BitcoinETF #BitcoinETFs #cryptocurrency #cryptonews #CryptocurrencyNews #Solana #CoinMarketPro #Coinbase #Celcius #ETF #Tether #USDT #Grayscale #Stablecoins #fintech #NFT #NFTS #market #trading #tradingnews #bitcoinbiz #bitcoincafe #bitcoingames #bitcoingaming #bitcoinpr #bitcoinewsmedia #FxPro #AlexKuptsikevich #GregTingle #affiliate #affiliates #AffiliateMarketing #aff #trends #trending #buzz #PR #newsbiz #X #media #mediaman #mediamanint
Search Engine News via Search Engine Journal
'Google Responds To Evidence Of Reviews Algorithm Bias', By Roger Montti
Via Search Engine Journal @sejournal
Media Man: Peg On/Social Media commentary
Journalism, Gonzo Journalism and Life and Business Experience
SEJ's Roger with an excellent deep dive and probe of sorts into Alphabet's Google. The search engine has its algorithm programmed by programmers (humans) right! It's programmed to give certain results, organic or not. Almost like a "random number generator" on a game in a casino?! Or, perhaps some parallel, but one gets the point. Not random. Not by coincidence or by accident. By design. The architect of The Matrix?! Follow the White Rabbit to Google's Alphabet and beyond the Forbidden Zone (ala The Running Man, Planet Of The Apes and Logan's Run). Pop culture reference for the day. Be the algorithm and master of your own domain and universe.
#Google #GoogleNews #SEJ #SEO #searchenginejournal #searchenginenews #algorithm #Algorithms #reviews #reviews #GoogleReviews #authority #experience #expert #experts #trend #trends #buzz #AI #media
Image credit: Google
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Business News
Via Roy Morgan Research and Media Man social media
Copper, gold, and Bitcoin rise; Iron ore and oil fall; ASX to fall in response to selling on Wall Street; US vetoes Arab-backed UN resolution demanding ceasefire in Gaza; Assange's lawyers warn that he risks 'flagrant denial of justice' if he is tried in US
Latest updates on Key Economic Indicators
21 February 2024
Roy Morgan Summary
Australian Dollar: $0.6550 USD (up 0.0011 USD)
Iron Ore Mar Spot Price (SGX): $120.85 USD (down $6.40 USD)
Oil Price (WTI): $78.27 USD (down $1.02 USD)
Gold Price: $2,024.37 USD (up $6.43 USD)
Copper Price (CME): $3.8595 (up $0.0465 USD)
Bitcoin: $52,059.35 (up 0.35% in last 24 hours)
New report reveals Roy Morgan is one of Australia's leading data companies - with in-depth information on millions of Australians based on their Helix Personas
Market Research Update
20 February 2024
Roy Morgan Summary
Roy Morgan leads the way as one of Australia's leading data companies. A special in-depth report into Australia's leading data companies interviewed Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine and Executive Chairman Gary Morgan about the role the company plays in compiling data and building profiles of different Australians. One of Roy Morgan's key products is 'Helix Personas' which profiles people under headings such as "young and platinum", "smart money", "cautious conservatives", "fair go", "working hard" and nearly 50 other personas. For example, the "young and platinum" group love their mobile devices and are "always on the hunt for the shiny, new and cool" and "making the rent". Their income is around the $64,000 a year mark and they can often be found "living a conventional life centred around family".
Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine confirmed that the Helix Personas market segments are based on statistical information, not data from individual people. "It's totally ethical. Unlike Facebook or any of these things, it's not any particular individual", Roy Morgan's chief executive Michele Levine, said.: 38,582.12 at 3.22pm NY time (down 45.87 points on Friday's close)
Roy Morgan wins three-year contract to deliver domestic tourism statistics for Austrade
21 February 2024
Roy Morgan Summary
From 2025, Roy Morgan will provide Austrade with the world's best practice survey methodology, big data integration and modelling techniques to deliver accurate domestic tourism statistics. Roy Morgan has reimagined the future of domestic tourism statistics to move Austrade and its stakeholders to the forefront of tourism intelligence with a new platform that will drive the future of Australia's tourism industry, which is estimated to be worth in excess of $160 billion. Portia Morgan, the Head of Client Services at Roy Morgan, says that using face-to-face interviewing, which is the gold-standard for surveying the population, enhanced with big data and cutting-edge data science techniques, Roy Morgan will be delivering a future-proofed system that will be cost effective, reliable, and accurate. She adds that Roy Morgan has been delivering survey-based tourism insights via its Holiday Tracking Survey for 20+ years and the company is thrilled to be working with Austrade and the broader industry to provide a deeper of understanding of how many people are travelling, where they go, what they do and how they spend their valuable tourism dollars.
Anti-mining PM pushes BHP's cash offshore
Roy Morgan Summary
It is somewhat hypocritical of the federal government to flag possible support for Australia's nickel industry, given that Labor's anti-mining legislation may jeopardise the expansion of BHP's copper operations in South Australia. BHP is still likely to proceed with an expansion, but the previously touted investment of between $10bn and $15bn is now only a 50 per cent chance. The new labour laws in the government's industrial relations reforms mean that BHP is now more likely to redirect much of this capital investment to its criticals minerals projects in other countries; rival miner Rio Tinto is already doing this.
More than 2.7 million New Zealanders now read newspapers and magazine audiences surge to over 1.7 million
21 February 2024
Roy Morgan has released its readership results for New Zealand's newspapers and magazines for the 12 months to December 2023. The data shows that 2.73 million New Zealanders aged 14+ (64.4%) now read or access newspapers in an average 7-day period via print or online (website or app) platforms. In addition, 1.71 million New Zealanders aged 14+ (40.3%) read magazines, whether in print or online either via the web or an app. The New Zealand Herald is still the nation's most widely-read publication, with a total cross-platform audience of 1,720,000 in the 12 months to June 2023 - almost five times as many as the second placed Dominion Post with a readership of 341,000. Meanwhile, New Zealand's most widely read magazine is still the driving magazine AA Directions, which had an average issue readership of 379,000 during the year to December (an increase of 63,000 on a year ago).
These are the latest findings from the Roy Morgan New Zealand Single Source survey of 6,254 New Zealanders aged 14+ over the 12 months to December 2023.
New report reveals Roy Morgan is one of Australia's leading data companies - with in-depth information on millions of Australians based on their Helix Personas
Market Research Update
20 February 2024
Roy Morgan Summary
Roy Morgan leads the way as one of Australia's leading data companies. A special in-depth report into Australia's leading data companies interviewed Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine and Executive Chairman Gary Morgan about the role the company plays in compiling data and building profiles of different Australians. One of Roy Morgan's key products is 'Helix Personas' which profiles people under headings such as "young and platinum", "smart money", "cautious conservatives", "fair go", "working hard" and nearly 50 other personas. For example, the "young and platinum" group love their mobile devices and are "always on the hunt for the shiny, new and cool" and "making the rent". Their income is around the $64,000 a year mark and they can often be found "living a conventional life centred around family". Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine confirmed that the Helix Personas market segments are based on statistical information, not data from individual people. "It's totally ethical. Unlike Facebook or any of these things, it's not any particular individual", Roy Morgan's chief executive Michele Levine, said.
(Credit: Roy Morgan Research)
Roy Morgan Summary
Roy Morgan leads the way as one of Australia's leading data companies. A special in-depth report into Australia's leading data companies interviewed Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine and Executive Chairman Gary Morgan about the role the company plays in compiling data and building profiles of different Australians.
One of Roy Morgan's key products is 'Helix Personas' which profiles people under headings such as "young and platinum", "smart money", "cautious conservatives", "fair go", "working hard" and nearly 50 other personas. For example, the "young and platinum" group love their mobile devices and are "always on the hunt for the shiny, new and cool" and "making the rent". Their income is around the $64,000 a year mark and they can often be found "living a conventional life centred around family". Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine confirmed that the Helix Personas market segments are based on statistical information, not data from individual people. "It's totally ethical. Unlike Facebook or any of these things, it's not any particular individual", Roy Morgan's chief executive Michele Levine, said.
(Credit: Roy Morgan Research)
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Analysts Warn of Spread of AI-Generated News Sites
The spread of websites designed to look like news sites, but which trade in low quality or false information, could further damage media trust, some experts say.
The media watchdog NewsGuard has seen an increase in websites filled with what it says is AI-generated content.
"These are websites that are using artificial intelligence to sometimes generate content in mass [amounts], and it does not appear as content and it does not appear as though they have human editorial oversight," said Jack Brewster, NewsGuard's enterprise editor. "They are masquerading as news sites and act as advertising click bait."
NewsGuard defines the sites as Unreliable AI-Generated News Websites, or UAINS.
When it started identifying them in May 2023, it found 49. By February 2024, its AI Tracker listed more than 700.
The Tracker looks for evidence that a site has mostly AI-generated content; little to no human oversight; is designed to look like journalists or writers produced the content; and does not clearly disclose that the material is AI produced.
Most sites operate under names such as "Ireland Top News" and "Daily Times Update." And in at least one instance, the domain name of a former established outlet — Hong Kong's Apple Daily — has been taken over and filled with AI-generated content.
A Serbian businessman bought the domain after the media outlet shuttered in 2021. Authorities charged its publisher, Jimmy Lai, under the national security law, detained staff and froze assets.
Last Edition: Hong Kong’s Apple Daily Signs Off With Million-Copy Run
Now, instead of news, Apple Daily is filled with "SEO-bait" headlines, according to digital news site Wired.
Some media experts say these sites damage legitimate journalism and hurt its credibility.
"I think in recent years we've already seen a strong decline in the trust in the media and local news sources," said McKenzie Sadeghi, who is the news verification editor at NewsGuard.
"When we see the proliferation of these AI-generated websites that are presenting themselves as the average local trusted publication with human journalists, that creates an issue because it further reduces trust," added Sadeghi.
The issue spans several languages too, with NewsGuard identifying AI-generated websites in more than a dozen languages including English, Arabic, Chinese and Turkish.
One of the main goals, says NewsGuard, is to generate ad revenue.
NewsGuard found that Google is behind 90 percent of the ads on these sites. The watchdog says it believes the content violates Google's policies.
Google policy communications manager Michael Aciman told VOA via email that its policies do not allow the placement of advertisements "alongside harmful or spammy content."
But said Aciman, "NewsGuard has not shared the full list of sites in question, so we cannot review them nor confirm whether or not they violate our policies."
Some experts say they fear the spread of AI-generated fake news sites could affect elections. About 40 countries are scheduled to hold significant elections this year, and Brewster says disinformation looms over them.
"I don't think people realize that right now I can set up a website that is completely automated from start to finish and set up targets for certain key words like stolen election or the vaccine is dangerous," said Brewster.
"Think of any false claim you want to, and this web scraper would search the entire internet, and find the content they think will be the most viral and produce it automatically," he added.
Most of the sites the researchers identified are populated with content titled "Who Was the Most Decorated Soldier in the Third Reich" and "Is Oatmeal Healthy or Not?"
But NewsGuard also found one site pushing a false claim about U.S. presidential hopeful Nikki Haley and Palestinian refugees. Another site, named Celebritydeaths, falsely claimed President Joe Biden died and Vice President Kamala Harris had taken over his duties.
UCLA researcher Shazeda Ahmed says inaccurate information is potentially harmful if people act upon it.
"I also worry about what this will mean for media literacy," said Ahmed, a UCLA Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellow who focuses on AI safety.
"When a person reads one of these articles that is AI generated, do they realize it? And if not, there's no recourse and there's not really anyone that's being held accountable for that," she said.
Part of the problem in accountability is the difficulty in tracing the owners or producers of the sites.
NewsGuard says many owners use privacy services to hide their identities.
VOA attempted to contact four owners of some of the sites NewsGuard identified via their contact us online form but received only one response.
That response referred VOA to a company named Byohosting.com. When contacted, Byohosting did not respond to the request for interview or comment. Instead, it offered its content services.
WWE Elimination Chamber: Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson teases trip to Perth for Optus Stadium wrestling showdown - 22 Feb, 2024
The Rock has sent the strongest indication yet that he will be in Perth on Saturday night, sending a video message to fans threatening to appear if Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins talk trash about him at the Elimination Chamber on Saturday night.
The People’s Champion and Hollywood superstar isn’t on the card and hasn’t been advertised as appearing. He wasn’t even on the plane with the group when it arrived on Wednesday.
But after opening a video message to fans apologising for not being in Australia, he laid the strongest hint possible that he will turn up to confront Rhodes and Rollins during their interview on The Grayson Waller Effect.
“Cody Rhodes and his little girlfriend Seth Rollins are going to go on the Waller Effect,” The Rock said.
“Here’s the thing. I need you and you and this goof holding the camera and this one holding the microphone over here - I need all of you guys to make sure that Perth knows there’s some bulls...t happening.
“And if those guys, those guys meaning Cody and his little girlfriend Seth, if they start talking trash, let The Rock know.
“Tell The Rock because here’s what’s going to happen. The Rock is going to slap the piss out both of them just like that. As a matter of fact, if they talk trash, The Rock will fly down there to Perth before that interview is over and he’ll do it. Don’t wonder why The Rock can make it that quick. The Rock makes magic happen.”
Rhodes and Rollins began a feud with The Rock just weeks ago when the WWE made a major change to their storyline leading into WrestleMania.
The Rock slapped Rhodes in the face at the WrestleMania kick off event after hearing him challenge his cousin Roman Reigns and criticise their real life family. That led to Rollins promising to be by Rhodes’ side when he the match happens to ensure no members of that Bloodline faction get involved in the fight.
Perth will lose its mind if The Rock appears.
(The West Australian)
WWE superstars including Rhea Ripley, Triple H, Nia Jax, Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch arrive in Perth - 21 Feb 2024
Australia’s Rhea Ripley has headlined a WWE’s plane full of superstars which has landed in Perth to prepare for Saturday night’s extravaganza at Optus Stadium.
Some of the highest profile wrestlers in the world went straight from WWE Raw in Anaheim’s Honda Center to the airport in Ontario, then stopped in Honolulu before flying straight to WA in 20 hours.
Ripley posted from her hotel room about two hours after landing as the clock ticks down on her first match in Australia on the main WWE roster.
WWE Chief Content Officer and former champion Triple H quickly put out a video expressing his joy at being in Perth. “We’re excited to be here. It’s been a while,” he said.
He also sent an extended social media message to fans.
Women’s Elimination Chamber combatants Tiffany Stratton and Liv Morgan shared their excitement from the plane shortly after taking off.
Nia Jax, who will face Ripley for the women’s championship posted a video with Stratton during the flight, followed by another clip of her drinking coffee after nearly 19 hours in transit. The pair then took a photo together after landing in WA.
Former United States Champion Austin Theory also posted a photo on his social media of the plane landing in Perth at 12.39pm.
Tag team champion Finn Balor also posted from the plane, tagging his Judgment Day partner Dominik Mysterio in one shot, in a sign he will still be part of the show despite not being part of the card.
Mysterio is likely to be ringside when Judgment Day defend their titles and when Ripley fights Jax.
Becky Lynch posted videos of herself and husband, WWE Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins, getting their bags.
The WWE will hold a televised free event for the public onstage on the Southern Oval outside Optus Stadium at midday on Friday. The train station will be operating that day and a merchandise tent will also be open.
Theory will also appear at Westfield Carousel at 10am on Saturday while Grayson Waller will be at Karrinyup Shopping Centre at 3pm on Friday.
(The West Australian)
WWE’s Triple H gets his first look at Optus Stadium ahead of Elimination Chamber on Saturday Feb 22, 2024
WWE Chief Content Officer and 14-time World Champion Triple H has talked up Optus Stadium to the world after visiting the venue for the first time on Wednesday night.
He has also revealed more than 40,000 people will be in attendance at the Elimination Chamber extravaganza on Saturday night.
A planeload of WWE superstars arrived in Perth on Wednesday to prepare the premium live event which is one of the biggest shows on the WWE calendar.
It will attract enormous attention around the world because the results of the matches will dictate what happens at WrestleMania in April.
Triple H visited Optus Stadium shortly after arriving in town and observed a large group of local wrestlers taking part in a WWE try out in the changerooms.
He then stepped onto the stadium surface and was mighty impressed by what he saw.
“This is a beautiful stadium,” he said.
“It’s brand new. Only I think a few years old - I think right before COVID.. It’s brand new. Just a beautiful stadium. It’s exciting.
“This is going to be an epic event. There’s a lot of buzz here already in Perth. I could feel it when we were getting off the plane and going through the airport. and the excitement of the WWE being in town.
“I can imagine when this place is packed on Saturday - we’ll have over 40,000 in here - it’s going to be quite something.”
Tickets are still available for the event and many of the most expensive seats recently had their price slashed.
The Elimination Chamber is already set to be one of the largest attended shows outside of North America.
Australia’s Rhea Ripley will headline the show and defend her Women’s Championship against Nia Jax. A six-man match inside the Elimination Chamber will determine who fights for the men’s World Title at WrestleMania. That match already includes multiple former champions.
The winner of Ripley and Jax will defend the title at WrestleMania against the winner of the six-woman Elimination Chamber match.
The tag team championships are also on the line in Perth, while there is huge anticipation to see if The Rock makes a sudden appearance when Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins are interviewed in the ring about their feud with him during the show.
(The West Australian)
Elimination Chamber to determine the No. 1 Contender to World Heavyweight Champion Seth "Freakin" Rollins at WrestleMania - Feb 9, 2024
Six Superstars will collide inside the dreaded Elimination Chamber to earn the right to challenge World Heavyweight Champion Seth "Freakin" Rollins at The Showcase of the Immortals.
On the Feb. 9 edition of SmackDown, the first two entries into the career-altering structure were decided, as Drew McIntyre overcame AJ Styles, and Randy Orton defeated Sami Zayn.
Two more entrants secured their tickets on the Feb. 12 episode of Raw as Bobby Lashley dispatched "Big" Bronson Reed and LA Knight dispelled Ivar.
Kevin Owens and United States Champion Logan Paul rounded the field on the Feb. 16 episode of SmackDown after they defeated "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio and The Miz, respectively.
The Elimination Chamber Match will begin with two Superstars in the ring and four other competitors enclosed in their respective pods. At equally timed intervals, a pod door will open, allowing another competitor to join the bout. This process will continue until all pods are empty. When a Superstar is pinned or submits, that Superstar is eliminated and must exit the Chamber. The last Superstar remaining will be the winner.
Find out in the coming weeks who else will earn the right to step into the Chamber for a chance to punch their ticket to The Showcase of the Immortals. Don’t miss all the action of WWE Elimination Chamber, streaming live from Optus Stadium in Perth, Western Australia, at 5 a.m. ET /2 a.m PT on Peacock in the United States and on WWE Network everywhere else.
WANDERLEI SILVA NAMED TO UFC HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2024 - Feb 16, 2024
Former Pride FC Middleweight Champion Will Be Inducted To The Pioneer Wing
FC today announced that former PRIDE FC middleweight champion Wanderlei Silva will be inducted into the 2024 Class of the UFC Hall of Fame as a Pioneer. The 2024 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place this summer in Las Vegas and will be streamed live exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS.
“Wanderlei Silva is one of the true pioneers of the sport of MMA,” UFC CEO Dana White said. “Wanderlei was an absolute savage who left his mark by delivering some of the most memorable fights in combat sports history. He had legendary fights against Mirko Cro Crop, Chuck Liddell, Dan Henderson, Brian Stann, and his fights against Rich Franklin, as they were absolute wars! He was also one of the early superstars of PRIDE who helped grow the MMA fanbase on a global scale, and it will be an honor to induct him into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer.”
UFC HALL OF FAME 2024: Frankie Edgar
Silva will enter the UFC Hall of Fame as the 19th member of the Pioneer Era Wing. The Pioneers Era category includes athletes who turned professional before November 17, 2000 (when the unified rules of mixed martial arts were adopted), are a minimum age of 35, or who have been retired for one year or more.
A veteran of 51 fights during his 22-year professional MMA career, Silva registered a record of 35-14-1 Draw / 1 NC (27-11-1-1, – UFC / PRIDE), securing victories over UFC Hall of Famers Kazushi Sakuraba, Michael Bisping and Dan Henderson (Fight Wing); UFC® 13 lightweight tournament winner Guy Mezger; former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson; former Pancrase middleweight, light heavyweight, and open weight champion Yuki Kondo; former Strikeforce U.S. middleweight champion Eugene Jackson; and former WEC® light heavyweight champion Brian Stann.
Silva made his professional MMA debut on November 1, 1996, by competing in Brazilian Vale Tudo 6. He defeated his opponent via knockout in the first round and would win four of his next five fights across Vale Tudo before entering UFC with a 5-1 record.
Silva made his UFC debut as part of UFC BRAZIL: ULTIMATE BRAZIL, which took place on October 16, 1998, in Sao Paulo. He faced UFC 12 heavyweight tournament champion and future UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort, losing via punches 44 seconds into the first round.
Following his loss to Belfort, Silva would return to Vale Tudo and earn two wins before returning to the Octagon® and defeating Tony Petarra via first-round knockout at UFC 20: BATTLE FOR THE GOLD on May 7, 1999.
Silva left UFC and won his next three fights in PRIDE FC, a legendary Japanese MMA promotion, before returning to the Octagon to face future UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz for the vacant UFC light heavyweight title in the main event of UFC 25: ULTIMATE JAPAN 3. Silva and Ortiz would go the distance with Tito capturing the title via unanimous decision.
After losing his shot at the UFC light heavyweight title, Silva spent the next seven years competing primarily in Japan for PRIDE FC. During this time, he fought 25 times for Japan, becoming the PRIDE FC middleweight champion by defeating future UFC Hall of Famer Kazushi Sakuraba during PRIDE 17 in 2001. Silva successfully defended his title four times, and his reign would last for 1,939 days, the longest title run in PRIDE FC history.
During his tenure as middleweight champion, Silva also entered the 2003 PRIDE FC Middleweight Grand Prix, defeating Sakuraba, as well as four-time World Judo Champion and three-time Olympic medalist Hidehiko Yoshida and former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton Jackson to become the Grand Prix Champion. His win would make history as the first athlete to win a PRIDE Championship and Grand Prix. He would also enter the 2005 and 2006 Grand Prix, advancing to the semi-finals each year.
Silva returned to UFC in 2007 to face former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell in the co-main event of UFC 79: NEMESIS. Silva would lose via unanimous decision, but he would become a fan favorite as the bout won several “Fight of the Year” accolades from media outlets.
For the next six years, Silva would compete against the top contenders in the UFC middleweight and light heavyweight divisions. He defeated former WEC light heavyweight champion Brian Stann via knockout in the main event of UFC on FUEL TV: SILVA vs. STANN on March 3, 2013. This would serve as his final UFC fight. He would compete two more times outside of the Octagon before retiring on September 29, 2018.
Silva enters the UFC Hall of Fame with an impressive resume that includes:
UFC:
Most knockouts in Zuffa history (PRIDE / UFC / WEC / Strikeforce) – 19
Most knockdowns in Zuffa history (PRIDE / UFC / WEC / Strikeforce) – 27
PRIDE:
Most wins in PRIDE history – 22
Most knockouts in PRIDE history – 15
Most knockdowns in PRIDE history – 18
Most significant strikes in PRIDE history – 720
Longest undefeated fight streak in PRIDE history – 20 (18-0-1, 1 NC)
Longest title reign in PRIDE history as middleweight champion – 1,939 days
Tied for most knockouts by soccer kicks/stomps in PRIDE history – 4
Outside the Octagon, Silva has been honored with numerous awards during his career, receiving Knockout of the Decade honors in 2004 by Sports Illustrated for his KO of Quinton Jackson at PRIDE 28. In 2008, he received Fight of the Year for his bout against UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell at UFC 79, and Knockout of the Year for his KO of Keith Jardine at UFC 84 during the Fighters Only World MMA Awards. In 2020, Sem Coleira, a Portuguese biography of his life, was published.
A native of Curitiba, Brazil, Silva began training in Muay Thai and kickboxing when he joined the Chute Boxe Academy. As a member of the Brazilian army, he also began to train in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He currently lives in Curitiba, with his wife and children.
To view Silva’s UFC FIGHT PASS collection please visit: https://ufcfightpass.com/playlist/20539
To see a complete list of UFC athletes and fights enshrined in the UFC Hall of Fame, as well as details regarding the UFC Hall of Fame format, please visit UFCHOF. For additional information, please visit UFC.com.
Search Engine News via Search Engine Journal
'Google Responds To Evidence Of Reviews Algorithm Bias', By Roger Montti
Via Search Engine Journal
Media Man: Peg On/Social Media commentary
Journalism, Gonzo Journalism and Life and Business Experience
SEJ's Roger with an excellent deep dive and probe of sorts into Alphabet's Google. The search engine has its algorithm programmed by programmers (humans) right! It's programmed to give certain results, organic or not. Almost like a "random number generator" on a game in a casino?! Or, perhaps some parallel, but one gets the point. Not random. Not by coincidence or by accident. By design. The architect of The Matrix?! Follow the White Rabbit to Google's Alphabet and beyond the Forbidden Zone (ala The Running Man, Planet Of The Apes and Logan's Run). Pop culture reference for the day. Be the algorithm and master of your own domain and universe.
Business News
Via Roy Morgan Research and Media Man social media
Copper, gold, and Bitcoin rise; Iron ore and oil fall; ASX to fall in response to selling on Wall Street; US vetoes Arab-backed UN resolution demanding ceasefire in Gaza; Assange's lawyers warn that he risks 'flagrant denial of justice' if he is tried in US
Latest updates on Key Economic Indicators
21 February 2024
Roy Morgan Summary
Australian Dollar: $0.6550 USD (up 0.0011 USD)
Iron Ore Mar Spot Price (SGX): $120.85 USD (down $6.40 USD)
Oil Price (WTI): $78.27 USD (down $1.02 USD)
Gold Price: $2,024.37 USD (up $6.43 USD)
Copper Price (CME): $3.8595 (up $0.0465 USD)
Bitcoin: $52,059.35 (up 0.35% in last 24 hours)
New report reveals Roy Morgan is one of Australia's leading data companies - with in-depth information on millions of Australians based on their Helix Personas
Market Research Update
20 February 2024
Roy Morgan Summary
Roy Morgan leads the way as one of Australia's leading data companies. A special in-depth report into Australia's leading data companies interviewed Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine and Executive Chairman Gary Morgan about the role the company plays in compiling data and building profiles of different Australians. One of Roy Morgan's key products is 'Helix Personas' which profiles people under headings such as "young and platinum", "smart money", "cautious conservatives", "fair go", "working hard" and nearly 50 other personas. For example, the "young and platinum" group love their mobile devices and are "always on the hunt for the shiny, new and cool" and "making the rent". Their income is around the $64,000 a year mark and they can often be found "living a conventional life centred around family".
Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine confirmed that the Helix Personas market segments are based on statistical information, not data from individual people. "It's totally ethical. Unlike Facebook or any of these things, it's not any particular individual", Roy Morgan's chief executive Michele Levine, said.: 38,582.12 at 3.22pm NY time (down 45.87 points on Friday's close)
Roy Morgan wins three-year contract to deliver domestic tourism statistics for Austrade
21 February 2024
Roy Morgan Summary
From 2025, Roy Morgan will provide Austrade with the world's best practice survey methodology, big data integration and modelling techniques to deliver accurate domestic tourism statistics. Roy Morgan has reimagined the future of domestic tourism statistics to move Austrade and its stakeholders to the forefront of tourism intelligence with a new platform that will drive the future of Australia's tourism industry, which is estimated to be worth in excess of $160 billion. Portia Morgan, the Head of Client Services at Roy Morgan, says that using face-to-face interviewing, which is the gold-standard for surveying the population, enhanced with big data and cutting-edge data science techniques, Roy Morgan will be delivering a future-proofed system that will be cost effective, reliable, and accurate. She adds that Roy Morgan has been delivering survey-based tourism insights via its Holiday Tracking Survey for 20+ years and the company is thrilled to be working with Austrade and the broader industry to provide a deeper of understanding of how many people are travelling, where they go, what they do and how they spend their valuable tourism dollars.
Anti-mining PM pushes BHP's cash offshore
Roy Morgan Summary
It is somewhat hypocritical of the federal government to flag possible support for Australia's nickel industry, given that Labor's anti-mining legislation may jeopardise the expansion of BHP's copper operations in South Australia. BHP is still likely to proceed with an expansion, but the previously touted investment of between $10bn and $15bn is now only a 50 per cent chance. The new labour laws in the government's industrial relations reforms mean that BHP is now more likely to redirect much of this capital investment to its criticals minerals projects in other countries; rival miner Rio Tinto is already doing this.
More than 2.7 million New Zealanders now read newspapers and magazine audiences surge to over 1.7 million
21 February 2024
Roy Morgan has released its readership results for New Zealand's newspapers and magazines for the 12 months to December 2023. The data shows that 2.73 million New Zealanders aged 14+ (64.4%) now read or access newspapers in an average 7-day period via print or online (website or app) platforms. In addition, 1.71 million New Zealanders aged 14+ (40.3%) read magazines, whether in print or online either via the web or an app. The New Zealand Herald is still the nation's most widely-read publication, with a total cross-platform audience of 1,720,000 in the 12 months to June 2023 - almost five times as many as the second placed Dominion Post with a readership of 341,000. Meanwhile, New Zealand's most widely read magazine is still the driving magazine AA Directions, which had an average issue readership of 379,000 during the year to December (an increase of 63,000 on a year ago).
These are the latest findings from the Roy Morgan New Zealand Single Source survey of 6,254 New Zealanders aged 14+ over the 12 months to December 2023.
New report reveals Roy Morgan is one of Australia's leading data companies - with in-depth information on millions of Australians based on their Helix Personas
Market Research Update
20 February 2024
Roy Morgan Summary
Roy Morgan leads the way as one of Australia's leading data companies. A special in-depth report into Australia's leading data companies interviewed Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine and Executive Chairman Gary Morgan about the role the company plays in compiling data and building profiles of different Australians. One of Roy Morgan's key products is 'Helix Personas' which profiles people under headings such as "young and platinum", "smart money", "cautious conservatives", "fair go", "working hard" and nearly 50 other personas. For example, the "young and platinum" group love their mobile devices and are "always on the hunt for the shiny, new and cool" and "making the rent". Their income is around the $64,000 a year mark and they can often be found "living a conventional life centred around family". Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine confirmed that the Helix Personas market segments are based on statistical information, not data from individual people. "It's totally ethical. Unlike Facebook or any of these things, it's not any particular individual", Roy Morgan's chief executive Michele Levine, said.
(Credit: Roy Morgan Research)
Roy Morgan Summary
Roy Morgan leads the way as one of Australia's leading data companies. A special in-depth report into Australia's leading data companies interviewed Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine and Executive Chairman Gary Morgan about the role the company plays in compiling data and building profiles of different Australians.
One of Roy Morgan's key products is 'Helix Personas' which profiles people under headings such as "young and platinum", "smart money", "cautious conservatives", "fair go", "working hard" and nearly 50 other personas. For example, the "young and platinum" group love their mobile devices and are "always on the hunt for the shiny, new and cool" and "making the rent". Their income is around the $64,000 a year mark and they can often be found "living a conventional life centred around family". Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine confirmed that the Helix Personas market segments are based on statistical information, not data from individual people. "It's totally ethical. Unlike Facebook or any of these things, it's not any particular individual", Roy Morgan's chief executive Michele Levine, said.
(Credit: Roy Morgan Research)
Finance / World Business News
Euro, Gold, Crypto and more via Media Man and FX Pro
A strong current account surplus may not help euro
The eurozone's current account surplus climbed to a six-month high of 31.9bn in December. Analysts, on average, had expected a decline to 20.3 bn from 22.5 bn the previous month. The current level was seen in the eurozone during the relatively benign pre-Covid period and sometime before Natural Gas prices spiked in the second half of 2021.
The normalisation of the surplus is good news for the single currency, as it means more net capital inflows into the region. But this growth has been fuelled by falling imports, which can be the result of lower commodity and energy prices (which is a very good thing), but also partly indicative of a slowdown in domestic demand. This threatens to translate into economic contraction in the coming months.
The euro area experienced periods of severe import contraction in late 2008 and early 2010, and in both cases, the economy experienced a severe downturn. Back in 2008, all this was accompanied by the collapse of the euro.
Gold
Gold rises but within a downward channel
Gold rallied for the fourth consecutive session to reach $2023, recovering almost all the losses suffered the week before on the back of the inflation report. Gold's ability to rally suggests continued domestic demand, as some investors are clearly rushing to buy back any losses.
At the same time, however, we note that since the beginning of the year, gold has been characterised by solid selloffs on the news, forming a smooth downtrend. In the context of this downtrend, a rise to $2040-2045, which is the upper boundary of the bearish range, looks quite acceptable.
The area around $2035 - the highs of two weeks ago - also appears to be a crucial intermediate level. Confident buying from this level would be the first important signal that the recent correction is over and that gold is ready to make a fresh assault on the highs.
Much more important, however, will be the behaviour of gold as it approaches the $2050 level, where the reversal of the decline in late January took place.
Consolidation at this level would confirm the breakdown of the downtrend and set the stage for a move towards $2100 and the subsequent renewal of historic highs.
However, as long as gold is trading within the downtrend, there is a greater chance of a breakdown or even an acceleration of the downtrend.
Among the fundamental factors, the potential for growth could be provided by the fall in the dollar if Fed officials show a softening of their position, bringing the start of interest rate cuts closer.
On the bearish side, equities could come under pressure following the optimistic rally in the tech giants and the news of a sharp slowdown in economic activity. We also do not rule out the possibility that the recent support measures for the Chinese stock market and property sector will cool demand for gold as a safe-haven for investors from that part of the world.
Cryptocurrency
Crypto market growth halted amid capital inflows
Market picture
The crypto market has corrected 0.46% in the last 24 hours, fluctuating within a narrow range without a clear direction. Bitcoin is down 1% but up 3.7% over seven days, Ethereum is flat for the day but up 10.6% over the week. The top coins are mixed with BNB +2% and Solana -2.5%.
Bitcoin is currently drawing its fourth daily candle with opening and closing levels close to each other. Such sideways consolidations are characteristic of strong bull markets, as opposed to corrective pullbacks on smoother rallies.
Ethereum hit local highs on rumours of a positive regulatory decision before the end of March. Bloomberg analyst James Seyffarth bet 4 ETH that the SEC will not approve a spot Ethereum ETF next month.
According to data from CoinShares, investment in crypto funds rose by a record $2.452 billion last week, following inflows of $1.116 billion the previous week.
Bitcoin investments increased by $2.424 billion, Ethereum by $21 million, Cardano lost $6 million, and Solana lost $1.6 million.
Since the beginning of the year, crypto funds have seen inflows of an impressive $5.2 billion, with total AUM rising to $67 billion, the highest since December 2021.
News background
Bitcoin will see institutional support in the next three to six months, according to Coinbase. Bitcoin ETFs could eventually become a major competitor to gold funds.
According to IntoTheBlock, there is an 85% chance that Bitcoin will reach a new all-time high within the next six months. Five factors could contribute to this: the halving of the price, ETFs, monetary easing, the US election, and companies accumulating BTC as part of their treasuries.
Former CIA contractor Edward Snowden, who has been living in Russia since 2013, called bitcoin the most significant achievement of the financial system in the entire existence of money and means of exchange.
Amberdata admitted that Ethereum will outpace Bitcoin in terms of growth due to more constructive deflationary policies. The supply of ETH has been decreasing since September 2022, thanks to the update of The Merge, as well as the implementation of a mechanism to burn part of the commissions. During this time, around 0.36 million ETH, or 0.3% of the total supply of 120 million coins, have been removed from circulation.
