sure bet

Common utility tunnel system feasible for new developmentsCHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 21, 2024-- ACH remains a popular payment method for B2B finance operations. At the same time, ACH is one of the most commonly and easily defrauded forms of payment. Victim organizations risk significant losses, compromised reputation and possible legal consequences. Bectran, Inc. , the credit, collections and accounts receivable platform leading the way in fraud prevention, has partnered with GIACT, part of the London Stock Exchange Group and the leader in helping companies positively identify and authenticate customers, to offer robust, persistent protection against ACH fraud for credit departments. “Partnering with GIACT marks a significant step in Bectran’s commitment to streamlining credit risk management,” comments Bectran’s CEO, Louis Ifeguni. “Identifying potential ACH fraud automatically and reliably gives departments a profound additional security in their decisioning.” Know Your Business Many credit departments collect ACH forms on their credit applications. Requests backed by valid bank accounts should represent a lower risk, making decisioning quick and more confident. Without verification, though, unstable or stolen bank account information can easily pass as trustworthy — garnering quick approvals. While such ACH fraud has historically been associated mostly with consumer transactions, more and more scammers have begun targeting B2B credit, lured by the high-dollar transactions and relative ease of ACH forgery. Even departments that do verify ACH may still be vulnerable. Some services use outdated databases to check account funding and standing. Few services include the ability to match applicants to account owners, meaning applications could be approved based on stolen credentials. Protect It Automatically With GIACT , Bectran provides users leading coverage for account verification and ACH fraud prevention. GIACT’s real-time account checks keep credit reviews and customer experience running smoothly. At the same time, as part of the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), GIACT has access to the largest bank account database in the US, giving credit departments more confidence and security in their decisions. Bectran utilizes GIACT to give creditors two layers of account validation. The first verifies each account’s status, indicating whether the account is open and whether it has any risk indicators such as recent returns or insufficient funds notices. The second attempts to authenticate the account, comparing the applicant information with the account owner’s information when available, which can help catch applicants using stolen bank account information. Bectran combine these checks and presents them seamlessly in the credit workflow, aiding departments in protecting their businesses. Bectran automatically flags transactions indicated by GIACT as high-risk and provides a report of GIACT’s findings on each application. Backed by Bectran and GIACT, credit departments can more quickly and confidently identify safe accounts while assessing risky transactions with more reliable and complete information. “GIACT brings the trustworthiness of the London Stock Exchange Group to credit departments using ACH,” says Ali Kidwai, Product & Implementation Sr. Manager, Bectran. “You can move through credit reviews faster and more securely, trusting that bank accounts are verified thoroughly.” Learn more about Bectran’s partnership with GIACT, and about Bectran’s full fraud prevention suite, at Bectran.com . About GIACT GIACT is part of the London Stock Exchange Group, one of the world’s leading providers of financial markets infrastructure. GIACT’s account and identity verification solutions enable businesses to verify accounts quickly and seamlessly so that they and their customers can transact with confidence. With GIACT’s integrated bank database and open banking solution, businesses can verify accounts, safeguard payments and reduce unauthorized returns — all in real time. About Bectran Bectran is the premier SaaS platform for Finance Departments, akin to CRM for Sales. Trusted by diverse organizations, from SMEs to Fortune 500 companies, we streamline credit processing by over 98%, reducing credit defaults and collection costs. Many businesses rely on Bectran for efficient Accounts Receivable and Collections management, achieving up to 95% cost savings. With rapid onboarding in days, our platform is hailed by credit professionals as the future of credit management. Visit Bectran.com to learn more about financial solutions for your industry. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241121050944/en/ CONTACT: Bectran Inc 224-231-4160 PR@Bectran.com KEYWORD: ILLINOIS EUROPE UNITED STATES UNITED KINGDOM NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: SOFTWARE FINANCE BANKING DATA MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TECHNOLOGY FINTECH SECURITY SOURCE: Bectran, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 11/21/2024 02:01 PM/DISC: 11/21/2024 02:01 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241121050944/enBELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 5, 2024-- Smartsheet Inc. (NYSE: SMAR), the AI enhanced enterprise grade work management platform, today announced financial results for its third fiscal quarter ended October 31, 2024. Third Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial Highlights Revenue: Total revenue was $286.9 million, an increase of 17% year over year. Subscription revenue was $273.7 million, an increase of 18% year over year. Professional services revenue was $13.2 million, a decrease of (2)% year over year. Operating loss: GAAP operating loss was $(3.4) million, or (1)% of total revenue, compared to $(35.5) million, or (14)% of total revenue, in the third quarter of fiscal 2024. Non-GAAP operating income: Non-GAAP operating income was $56.4 million, or 20% of total revenue, compared to $19.4 million, or 8% of total revenue, in the third quarter of fiscal 2024. Net income (loss): GAAP net income was $1.3 million, compared to GAAP net loss of $(32.4) million in the third quarter of fiscal 2024. GAAP basic and diluted net income per share was $0.01, compared to GAAP basic and diluted net loss per share of $(0.24) in the third quarter of fiscal 2024. Non-GAAP net income: Non-GAAP net income was $61.0 million, compared to $22.6 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2024. Non-GAAP basic and diluted net income per share was $0.44 and $0.43, respectively, compared to non-GAAP basic and diluted net income per share of $0.17 and $0.16, respectively, in the third quarter of fiscal 2024. Cash flow: Net operating cash flow was $63.5 million, compared to $15.1 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2024. Free cash flow was $61.8 million, or 22% of total revenue, compared to $11.4 million, or 5% of total revenue, in the third quarter of fiscal 2024. Third Quarter Fiscal 2025 Operational Highlights Annualized recurring revenue ("ARR") was $1.133 billion, an increase of 15% year over year Average ARR per domain-based customer was $10,708, an increase of 16% year over year Dollar-based net retention rate was 111% Number of all customers with ARR of $100,000 or more grew to 2,137, an increase of 20% year over year Number of all customers with ARR of $50,000 or more grew to 4,293, an increase of 15% year over year Number of all customers with ARR of $5,000 or more grew to 20,430, an increase of 5% year over year Third Quarter Fiscal 2025 Business Highlights Announced that Smartsheet entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Blackstone and Vista Equity Partners in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $8.4 billion, or $56.50 per share Sold out our U.S. ENGAGE customer conference for the second consecutive year, welcoming over 4,000 attendees to Seattle to participate in more than 60 breakout sessions Unveiled the most comprehensive transformation of our offerings to date, debuting a new user experience and a range of first-of-a-kind features to empower organizations to operate at their peak Introduced a Smartsheet connector for Amazon Q Business, which will give Amazon Q Business customers the power to ask an intelligent assistant for information about their work in Smartsheet, eliminating data silos and enhancing visibility The section titled "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below contains a description of the non-GAAP financial measures with a reconciliation between GAAP and non-GAAP information. The section titled "Definitions of Key Business Metrics" contains definitions of certain non-financial metrics provided within this press release. Transaction with Blackstone and Vista Equity Partners In a separate press release issued on September 24, 2024, we announced that we have entered into a definitive agreement ("Merger Agreement"), to be acquired by Blackstone and Vista Equity Partners. A copy of the press release and supplemental materials can be found on the "Investors" page of our website at www.investors.smartsheet.com and on the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, website at www.sec.gov . Additional details and information about the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement are available in the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on September 24, 2024. Given the announced transaction, we will not be hosting an earnings conference call nor providing financial guidance in conjunction with this press release. For further detail and discussion of our financial performance, please refer to our third quarter 2025 Form 10-Q for the quarter ended October 31, 2024, filed today with the SEC. Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures To supplement our condensed consolidated financial statements, which are prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP, we use certain non-GAAP financial measures, as described below, to understand and evaluate our core operating performance. These non-GAAP financial measures, which may be different than similarly titled measures used by other companies, are presented to enhance investors’ overall understanding of our financial performance and should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. Investors are encouraged to review the reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. A reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measures to such GAAP measures can be found in the accompanying financial statements included with this press release. We believe that these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information about our financial performance, enhance the overall understanding of our past performance and future prospects, and allow for greater transparency with respect to important metrics used by our management for financial and operational decision-making. We are presenting these non-GAAP financial metrics to assist investors in seeing our financial performance through the eyes of management, and because we believe that these measures provide an additional tool for investors to use in comparing our core financial performance over multiple periods with other companies in our industry. We define non-GAAP operating income as GAAP operating loss excluding share-based compensation expense, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, one-time costs associated with mergers and acquisitions, lease restructuring costs, and litigation expenses and settlements related to matters that are outside the ordinary course of our business, as applicable. We define non-GAAP net income as GAAP net income (loss) excluding non-recurring income tax adjustments associated with mergers and acquisitions and the same exclusions that are used to derive non-GAAP operating income. We define basic non-GAAP net income per share as non-GAAP net income divided by weighted-average shares outstanding ("WASO"). We define diluted non-GAAP net income per share as non-GAAP net income divided by diluted WASO. Diluted WASO includes the impact of potentially dilutive securities, which include stock options, restricted share units, performance share units, and shares subject to our 2018 employee stock purchase plan. There are a number of limitations related to the use of these non-GAAP measures as compared to GAAP operating loss and net income (loss), including that the non-GAAP measures exclude share-based compensation expense, which has been, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future, a significant recurring expense in our business and an important part of our compensation strategy. We use the non-GAAP financial measure of free cash flow, which is defined as GAAP net cash flows from operating activities, reduced by cash used for purchases of property and equipment (inclusive of spend on internal-use software) and principal payments on finance lease obligations. We believe free cash flow is an important liquidity measure of the cash that is available, after capital expenditures and operational expenses, for investment in our business, share repurchases, and potential acquisitions. Free cash flow is useful to investors as a liquidity measure because it measures our ability to generate excess cash beyond what is required for our operations. Once our business needs and obligations are met, cash can be used to maintain a strong balance sheet and invest in future growth. There are a number of limitations related to the use of free cash flow as compared to net cash from operating activities, including that free cash flow includes capital expenditures, the benefits of which are realized in periods subsequent to those when expenditures are made. Definitions of Key Business Metrics Annualized recurring revenue We define annualized recurring revenue, or ARR, as the annualized recurring value of all active subscription contracts at the end of a reporting period. We exclude the value of non-recurring revenue streams, such as our professional services revenue, that are recognized at a point in time. We use ARR as one of our operating measures to assess the strength of the Company’s subscription services. ARR is a performance metric and should be viewed independently of revenue and deferred revenue, and is not intended to be a substitute for, or combined with, any of these items. Both multi-year contracts and contracts with terms less than one year are annualized by dividing the total committed contract value by the number of months in the subscription term and then multiplying by 12. Annualizing contracts with terms less than one year results in amounts being included in our ARR calculation that are in excess of the total contract value for those contracts at the end of the reporting period. The value of subscription contracts that are sold through third-party resellers, wherein we do not have visibility into the pricing provided, is based on the list price. Average ARR per domain-based customer We use average ARR per domain-based customer to measure customer commitment to our platform and sales force productivity. We define average ARR per domain-based customer as total outstanding ARR for domain-based subscriptions as of the end of the reporting period divided by the number of domain-based customers as of the same date. We define domain-based customers as organizations with a unique email domain name. Dollar-based net retention rate We calculate dollar-based net retention rate as of a period end by starting with the ARR from the cohort of all customers as of the 12 months prior to such period end (“Prior Period ARR”). We then calculate the ARR from these same customers as of the current period end (“Current Period ARR”). Current Period ARR includes any upsells and is net of contraction or attrition over the trailing 12 months, but excludes subscription revenue from new customers in the current period. We then divide the total Current Period ARR by the total Prior Period ARR to arrive at the dollar-based net retention rate. Any ARR obtained through merger and acquisition transactions does not affect the dollar-based net retention rate until one year from the date on which the transaction closed. The dollar-based net retention rate is used by us to evaluate the long-term value of our customer relationships and is driven by our ability to retain and expand the subscription revenue generated from our existing customers. About Smartsheet Smartsheet (NYSE: SMAR) is the modern enterprise work management platform trusted by millions of people at companies across the globe, including over 85% of the 2024 Fortune 500 companies. The category pioneer and market leader, Smartsheet delivers powerful solutions fueling performance and driving the next wave of innovation. Visit www.smartsheet.com to learn more. Disclosure of Material Information Smartsheet announces material information to its investors using SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls, and on its investor relations page of the company’s website at www.investors.smartsheet.com . SMARTSHEET INC. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (in thousands, except per share data) (unaudited) Three Months Ended October 31, Nine Months Ended October 31, 2024 2023 2024 2023 Revenue Subscription $ 273,703 $ 232,470 $ 786,328 $ 659,993 Professional services 13,168 13,448 39,939 41,396 Total revenue 286,871 245,918 826,267 701,389 Cost of revenue Subscription 41,445 34,258 115,216 101,009 Professional services 12,291 12,780 36,693 38,948 Total cost of revenue 53,736 47,038 151,909 139,957 Gross profit 233,135 198,880 674,358 561,432 Operating expenses Research and development 63,477 58,257 189,514 172,805 Sales and marketing 127,854 137,920 383,315 382,685 General and administrative 45,155 38,153 124,489 109,654 Total operating expenses 236,486 234,330 697,318 665,144 Loss from operations (3,351 ) (35,450 ) (22,960 ) (103,712 ) Interest income 8,272 6,976 24,934 18,040 Other income (expense), net 47 (790 ) (593 ) (1,381 ) Income (loss) before income tax provision 4,968 (29,264 ) 1,381 (87,053 ) Income tax provision 3,644 3,164 1,057 8,602 Net income (loss) $ 1,324 $ (32,428 ) $ 324 $ (95,655 ) Net income (loss) per share, basic $ 0.01 $ (0.24 ) $ 0.00 $ (0.71 ) Net income (loss) per share, diluted $ 0.01 $ (0.24 ) $ 0.00 $ (0.71 ) Weighted-average shares outstanding used to compute net income (loss) per share, basic 139,007 135,189 138,287 133,868 Weighted-average shares outstanding used to compute net income (loss) per share, diluted 142,668 135,189 141,306 133,868 Share-based compensation expense included in the condensed consolidated statements of operations was as follows (in thousands, unaudited): Three Months Ended October 31, Nine Months Ended October 31, 2024 2023 2024 2023 Cost of subscription revenue $ 2,983 $ 3,164 $ 9,055 $ 9,980 Cost of professional services revenue 1,485 1,777 4,734 5,602 Research and development 17,763 17,220 54,036 52,263 Sales and marketing 14,453 17,462 45,472 55,505 General and administrative 9,151 10,024 29,827 30,099 Total share-based compensation expense $ 45,835 $ 49,647 $ 143,124 $ 153,449 SMARTSHEET INC. Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (in thousands, except share data) (unaudited) October 31, 2024 January 31, 2024 Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 454,281 $ 282,094 Short-term investments 306,640 346,701 Accounts receivable, net of allowances of $5,335 and $6,560, respectively 200,436 238,708 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 69,840 64,366 Total current assets 1,031,197 931,869 Restricted cash 18 19 Deferred commissions 156,724 148,867 Property and equipment, net 39,139 42,362 Operating lease right-of-use assets 29,693 39,480 Intangible assets, net 20,635 27,960 Goodwill 141,477 141,477 Other long-term assets 4,408 5,445 Total assets $ 1,423,291 $ 1,337,479 Liabilities and shareholders’ equity Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 1,128 $ 2,937 Accrued compensation and related benefits 74,840 77,453 Other accrued liabilities 37,309 30,534 Operating lease liabilities, current 15,288 16,040 Finance lease liabilities, current 255 216 Deferred revenue 556,320 568,670 Total current liabilities 685,140 695,850 Operating lease liabilities, non-current 23,936 33,100 Finance lease liabilities, non-current 279 455 Deferred revenue, non-current 4,095 1,785 Other long-term liabilities 696 434 Total liabilities 714,146 731,624 Shareholders’ equity: Preferred stock, no par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized, no shares issued or outstanding as of October 31, 2024 and January 31, 2024 — — Class A common stock, no par value; 500,000,000 shares authorized, 139,302,943 shares issued and outstanding as of October 31, 2024; 500,000,000 shares authorized, 136,884,011 shares issued and outstanding as of January 31, 2024 — — Class B common stock, no par value; 500,000,000 shares authorized, no shares issued and outstanding as of October 31, 2024 and January 31, 2024 — — Additional paid-in capital 1,621,429 1,468,805 Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) 196 (146 ) Accumulated deficit (912,480 ) (862,804 ) Total shareholders’ equity 709,145 605,855 Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 1,423,291 $ 1,337,479 SMARTSHEET INC. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (in thousands) (unaudited) Nine Months Ended October 31, 2024 2023 Cash flows from operating activities Net income (loss) $ 324 $ (95,655 ) Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities: Share-based compensation expense 143,124 153,449 Depreciation and amortization 21,121 20,008 Net amortization of premiums (discounts) on investments (6,059 ) (8,746 ) Amortization of deferred commission costs 50,328 38,439 Unrealized foreign currency (gain) loss (577 ) 684 Non-cash operating lease costs 7,513 9,450 Impairment of long-lived assets 3,237 1,448 Other, net 5,495 3,089 Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable 33,770 16,541 Prepaid expenses and other current assets (5,576 ) 1,060 Other long-term assets (1,039 ) (1,401 ) Accounts payable (1,665 ) (997 ) Other accrued liabilities 6,656 4,100 Accrued compensation and related benefits (5,483 ) 2,021 Deferred commissions (58,185 ) (58,705 ) Deferred revenue (9,952 ) 25,439 Other long-term liabilities 262 278 Operating lease liabilities (10,544 ) (12,326 ) Net cash provided by operating activities 172,750 98,176 Cash flows from investing activities Purchases of short-term investments (235,421 ) (375,387 ) Maturities of short-term investments 281,965 281,900 Purchases of property and equipment (1,437 ) (2,097 ) Proceeds from sale of property and equipment 53 28 Capitalized internal-use software development costs (6,549 ) (7,850 ) Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities 38,611 (103,406 ) Cash flows from financing activities Proceeds from exercise of stock options 10,957 1,330 Taxes paid related to net share settlement of restricted stock units (14,896 ) (1,644 ) Proceeds from contributions to Employee Stock Purchase Plan 14,403 15,664 Principal payments of finance leases (141 ) — Repurchases of Class A Common Stock and related costs (50,000 ) — Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities (39,677 ) 15,350 Effects of changes in foreign currency exchange rates on cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash 379 (248 ) Net increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash 172,063 9,872 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of period 282,442 223,757 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of period $ 454,505 $ 233,629 Supplemental disclosures Cash paid for interest $ 43 $ — Cash paid for income tax 7,655 9,471 Accrued purchases of property and equipment, including internal-use software 1,081 1,264 Share-based compensation expense capitalized in internal-use software development costs 2,355 3,283 Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for new operating lease liabilities 558 1,684 Right-of-use asset reductions related to operating leases 2,832 4,451 Purchases of fixed assets under finance leases — 693 SMARTSHEET INC. Reconciliation from GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures (unaudited) Reconciliation from GAAP operating loss to non-GAAP operating income and operating margin Three Months Ended October 31, Nine Months Ended October 31, 2024 2023 2024 2023 (dollars in thousands) Loss from operations $ (3,351 ) $ (35,450 ) $ (22,960 ) $ (103,712 ) Add: Share-based compensation expense (1) 46,842 50,170 145,511 154,919 Amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets (2) 2,308 2,701 7,320 8,117 Lease restructuring costs (3) 40 1,934 3,359 2,051 One-time acquisition costs 10,525 — 10,525 — Non-GAAP operating income $ 56,364 $ 19,355 $ 143,755 $ 61,375 Operating margin (1 )% (14 )% (3 )% (15 )% Non-GAAP operating margin 20 % 8 % 17 % 9 % (1) Includes amortization related to share-based compensation that was capitalized in internal-use software and other assets in previous periods. (2) Consists entirely of amortization of intangible assets that were recorded as part of purchase accounting. The amortization of intangible assets related to acquisitions will recur in future periods until such intangible assets have been fully amortized. (3) Includes charges related to the reassessment of our real estate lease portfolio. Reconciliation from GAAP net income (loss) to non-GAAP net income and per share data Three Months Ended October 31, Nine Months Ended October 31, 2024 2023 2024 2023 (in thousands, except per share data) Net income (loss) $ 1,324 $ (32,428 ) $ 324 $ (95,655 ) Add: Share-based compensation expense (1) 46,842 50,170 145,511 154,919 Amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets (2) 2,308 2,701 7,320 8,117 Lease restructuring costs (3) 40 2,142 3,359 2,258 One-time acquisition costs 10,525 — 10,525 — Non-GAAP net income $ 61,039 $ 22,585 $ 167,039 $ 69,639 Non-GAAP net income per share, basic $ 0.44 $ 0.17 $ 1.21 $ 0.52 Non-GAAP net income per share, diluted $ 0.43 $ 0.16 $ 1.18 $ 0.51 (1) Includes amortization related to share-based compensation that was capitalized in internal-use software and other assets in previous periods. (2) Consists entirely of amortization of intangible assets that were recorded as part of purchase accounting. The amortization of intangible assets related to acquisitions will recur in future periods until such intangible assets have been fully amortized. (3) Includes charges related to the reassessment of our real estate lease portfolio. SMARTSHEET INC. Reconciliation from GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures (unaudited) Non-GAAP reconciliation from basic to diluted weighted-average shares outstanding Three Months Ended October 31, Nine Months Ended October 31, 2024 2023 2024 2023 (in thousands) Weighted-average shares outstanding; basic 139,007 135,189 138,287 133,868 Effect of dilutive securities: Shares subject to outstanding common stock awards 3,661 3,232 3,019 3,653 Weighted-average common shares outstanding; diluted 142,668 138,421 141,306 137,521 Reconciliation from net operating cash flow to free cash flow Three Months Ended October 31, Nine Months Ended October 31, 2024 2023 2024 2023 (in thousands) Net cash provided by operating activities $ 63,528 $ 15,146 $ 172,750 $ 98,176 Less: Purchases of property and equipment (414 ) (702 ) (1,437 ) (2,097 ) Capitalized internal-use software development costs (1,232 ) (3,035 ) (6,549 ) (7,850 ) Principal payments of finance leases (89 ) — (141 ) — Free cash flow $ 61,793 $ 11,409 $ 164,623 $ 88,229 View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241205301940/en/ CONTACT: Smartsheet Inc. Investor Relations Contact Aaron Turner investorrelations@smartsheet.comMedia Contact Lisa Henthorn pr@smartsheet.com KEYWORD: WASHINGTON UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: SOFTWARE DATA ANALYTICS FINANCE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE DATA MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TECHNOLOGY FINTECH SOURCE: Smartsheet Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/05/2024 04:07 PM/DISC: 12/05/2024 04:06 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241205301940/ensure bet 。

The annual celebration of Thanksgiving gives us the opportunity to express our gratitude at a civic, that is political level. We should daily express our gratitude to God, but this day is carved out as a national celebration of events found in American history. Who are we supposed to give thanks to? Are we supposed to express gratitude to being Americans and the Pilgrims for their bravery? Are we thanking the indigenous peoples for sharing their food and being forced off their land via Pilgrim thievery? Celebrating America is already encased in several holidays throughout the year. Thanksgiving is no longer a matter of universal celebration if it ever was. Native American push back has been strong in the past 50 years and it has been called Unthanksgiving Day. The United American Indians of New England have called it a Day of Mourning for obvious reasons. I can get excited about eating turkey and being with family, but I can understand if Native Americans and turkeys hesitate to celebrate the day. This is not an exercise in debunking history or “woke” awareness. It is an exercise in historical accuracy. In my life, I have been down this road with Thanksgiving on many occasions. We dutifully watched teachers put up displays of happy Pilgrims and grinning Indians in our early grades. In my first year in elementary school in California, I was typecasted along with three or four other “brownish” students to play Indians in a teepee. Of course, teepees were not part of the indigenous experience in what came to be known as New England. But accuracy is not the point. In college, I read a book called the Whig Interpretation of History. I don’t think many people have read it and it wasn’t about Pilgrims and indigenous peoples. Its main thesis was that winners in history are entitled to write about the events of the past in which the winners are celebrated. The winners inevitably write about their victories as if no other outcome was possible. I guess this is to be expected. But it doesn’t end there. Winning was good not just for the winners but for the losers as well. Even if there were a few abuses of power, deception, mass starvation and plagues, it was the best thing that happened for all concerned. It is this summative “winners’ “conclusion which keeps the original colonial enterprise and power relations dominant. We are told that this is the price of progress. Can we at least take the time to report what actually occurred? Can we take the time to honor the original inhabitants accurately? There are many lessons to be learned from this here in Guahan. These come to us from the original colonization by Spain right through to the time that the Americans took the helm as colonizers. The cultures were re-shaped and the land was taken and used for other purposes in somewhat the same way as occurred in North America. If the natives tried to take it back, they were called “Indian givers.” But at the end of it, we are supposed to be grateful for the events that have taken place. I am grateful for many things, but I will not have my gratitude forced from me. If that were to be the case, I would not call it Unthanksgiving as the New England Indians have. I will call it THANKSTAKING. Put fabot.Change to the date of Innofactor Plc's Annual General Meeting in 2025Color Star Technology Regains Compliance with Nasdaq Minimum Closing Bid Price Rule

NEW YORK (AP) — Bitcoin topped $100,000 for the first time this week as a massive rally in the world's most popular cryptocurrency, largely accelerated by the election of Donald Trump, rolls on. The cryptocurrency officially to rose six figures Wednesday night, just hours after the president-elect said he intends to nominate cryptocurrency advocate Paul Atkins to be the next chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Bitcoin has soared since Trump won the U.S. presidential election on Nov. 5. The asset climbed from $69,374 on Election Day, hitting as high as $103,713 Wednesday, according to CoinDesk. And the latest all-time high arrives just two years after bitcoin dropped below $17,000 following the collapse of crypto exchange FTX . Bitcoin fell back below the $100,000 by Thursday afternoon, sitting above $99,000 by 4 p.m. ET. Even amid a massive rally that has more than doubled the value of bitcoin this year, some experts continue to warn of investment risks around the asset, which has quite a volatile history. Here’s what you need to know. Cryptocurrency has been around for a while now. But chances are you’ve heard about it more and more over the last few years. In basic terms, cryptocurrency is digital money. This kind of currency is designed to work through an online network without a central authority — meaning it’s typically not backed by any government or banking institution — and transactions get recorded with technology called a blockchain. Bitcoin is the largest and oldest cryptocurrency, although other assets like ethereum, XRP, tether and dogecoin have also gained popularity over the years. Some investors see cryptocurrency as a “digital alternative” to traditional money, but most daily financial transactions are still conducted using fiat currencies such as the dollar. Also, bitcoin can be very volatile, with its price reliant on larger market conditions. A lot of the recent action has to do with the outcome of the U.S. presidential election. Trump, who was once a crypto skeptic, has pledged to make the U.S. “the crypto capital of the planet” and create a “strategic reserve” of bitcoin. His campaign accepted donations in cryptocurrency and he courted fans at a bitcoin conference in July. He also launched World Liberty Financial, a new venture with family members to trade cryptocurrencies. On Thursday morning, hours after bitcoin surpassed the $100,000 mark, Trump congratulated “BITCOINERS” on his social media platform Truth Social. He also appeared to take credit for the recent rally, writing, “YOU’RE WELCOME!!!” Top crypto players welcomed Trump’s election victory last month, in hopes that he would be able to push through legislative and regulatory changes that they’ve long lobbied for — which, generally speaking, aim for an increased sense of legitimacy without too much red tape. And the industry has made sizeable investments along the way. Back in August, Public Citizen, a left-leaning consumer rights advocacy nonprofit, reported finding that crypto-sector corporations spent more than $119 million in 2024 to back pro-crypto candidates across federal elections. Trump made his latest pro-crypto move when he announced his plans Wednesday to nominate Atkins to chair the SEC. Atkins was an SEC commissioner during the presidency of George W. Bush. In the years since leaving the agency, Atkins has made the case against too much market regulation. He joined the Token Alliance, a cryptocurrency advocacy organization, in 2017. Under current chair Gary Gensler, who will step down when Trump takes office, the SEC has cracked down on the crypto industry — penalizing a number of companies for violating securities laws. Gensler has also faced ample criticism from industry players in the process. One crypto-friendly move the SEC did make under Gensler was the approval in January of spot bitcoin ETFs, or exchange trade funds, which allow investors to have a stake in bitcoin without directly buying it. The spot ETFs were the dominant driver of bitcoin's price before Trump's win — but, like much of the crypto’s recent momentum, saw record inflows postelection. Bitcoin surpassing the coveted $100,000 mark has left much of the crypto world buzzing. “What we’re seeing isn’t just a rally — it’s a fundamental transformation of bitcoin’s place in the financial system,” Nathan McCauley, CEO and co-founder of crypto custodian Anchorage Digital, said in a statement — while pointing to the growth of who's entering the market, particularly with rising institutional adoption. Still, others note that the new heights of bitcoin's price don't necessarily mean the asset is going mainstream. The $100,000 level is “merely a psychological factor and ultimately just a number,” Dan Coatsworth, investment analyst at British investment company AJ Bell, wrote in a Thursday commentary . That being said, bitcoin could keep climbing to more and more all-time highs, particularly if Trump makes good on his promises for more crypto-friendly regulation once in office. If Trump actually makes a bitcoin reserve, for example, supply changes could also propel the price forward. “It is hard to overstate the magnitude of the change in Washington’s attitude towards crypto post-election,” Matt Hougan, chief investment officer at Bitwise Asset Management, said via email Thursday, reiterating that prices could keep rising if trends persist. “There is a lot more demand than there is supply, and that’s usually a pretty good recipe for success.” Still, as with everything in the volatile cryptoverse, the future is never promised. Worldwide regulatory uncertainties and environmental concerns around bitcoin “mining" — the creation of new bitcoin, which consumes a lot of energy — are among factors that analysts like Coatsworth note could hamper future growth. And, as still a relatively young asset with a history of volatility, longer-term adoption has yet to be seen through. Today’s excitement around bitcoin may make many who aren’t already in the space want to get in on the action. For those in a position to invest, Hougan says it's not too late — noting that bitcoin is still early in its development and most institutional investors “still have zero exposure.” At the same time, Hougan and others maintain that it's important to tread cautiously and not bite off more than you can chew. Experts continue to stress caution around getting carried away with crypto “FOMO,” or the fear of missing out, especially for small-pocketed investors. “A lot of people have got rich from the cryptocurrency soaring in value this year, but this high-risk asset isn’t suitable for everyone,” Coatsworth noted Thursday. “It’s volatile, unpredictable and is driven by speculation, none of which makes for a sleep-at-night investment.” In short, history shows you can lose money in crypto as quickly as you’ve made it. Long-term price behavior relies on larger market conditions. Trading continues at all hours, every day. Coatsworth points to recent research from the Bank for International Settlements, a Switzerland-based global organization of central banks, which found that about three-quarters of retail buyers on crypto exchange apps likely lost money on their bitcoin investments between 2015 and 2022. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, bitcoin stood at just over $5,000. Its price climbed to nearly $69,000 by November 2021, during high demand for technology assets, but later crashed during an aggressive series of rate hikes by the Federal Reserve. And the late-2022 collapse of FTX significantly undermined confidence in crypto overall, with bitcoin falling below $17,000. Investors began returning in large numbers as inflation started to cool — and gains skyrocketed on the anticipation and then early success of spot ETFs, and again, now the post-election frenzy. But lighter regulation from the coming Trump administration could also mean less guardrails. This story has been corrected to refer to Anchorage Digital as a crypto custodian, not a crypto asset manager.

A second young person is on the run from the government's trial boot camp, after one vanished while at the funeral of another participant , Oranga Tamariki senior executives have told a parliamentary committee. On Thursday it was reported that one of the young men taking part in the boot camp pilot was on the run after attending the funeral of another who had died. Those taking part in the pilot were released from the youth justice facility in Palmerston North in October, and have been in the community phase of the boot camp programme. Oranga Tamariki deputy chief executive of youth justice services and residential care Tusha Penny told a parliamentary select committee on Friday morning that two participants were actually on the run. One escaped from the tangi and another a day later, she said. Penny acknowledged the death of one of the boot camp's participants and their whānau. Speaking to MPs, Penny said the whānau of the teenager who has died was dealing with having to bury a son and brother, and that needed to be acknowledged first and foremost. "We sat here probably a year ago now and said transition is going to be tough, because it's evidenced up the wazoo and everyday people are fighting. The recidivism rates we have every week going into the youth justice residences are around 60 to 80 percent. "So I want to put that out there, because we need the reality." Penny says she was not going to give up, despite how tough it is, and everyone in the programme has had traumatic experiences. "Right now, two of the remaining nine rangatahi have absconded - one absconded from the tangi and one absconded a day later. "It's been tough, we've had two of the young people arrested on charges already, one of those people the charges were withdrawn," she said. "Do I think there will be further offending? Absolutely. "We also though have to look for the good cholestreol, because there's always some good. "We have one of our people in fulltime employment today, I say today because this is dynamic," Penny told MPs. "We have one of our young people on work experience, we have one likely to start work soon, we have six engaged in some education course." National MP Joseph Mooney, who chairs the social services committee, has worked as a youth advocate and criminal lawyer and got emotional talking to Penny about how tough it is to try and change young people's lives. Penny said the boot camps have been "incredibly politicised" but the programme was making change despite the whole thing not always "being successful". "I'm not saying this is the panacea, I'm not saying it's the answer, but I'm definitely saying what we're seeing could be an improvement for youth justice across the board with an operating model." Oranga Tamariki and Waikato police both confirmed the 15-year-old, who was granted bail on compassionate grounds to attend the funeral by the Youth Court, had absconded. Waikato police said he was wanted for arrest. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

COMMUNITY CALENDAROregon already secured its spot in the Big Ten championship game, but the top-ranked Ducks have plenty to play for in their regular-season finale. Revenge may be on Oregon's mind when the Ducks host longtime rival Washington on Saturday in Eugene, Ore. Oregon (11-0, 8-0 Big Ten) would perhaps be closing in on its second straight College Football Playoff appearance had the Huskies (6-5, 4-4) not dealt the Ducks their only two losses last season. Washington edged Oregon 36-33 in Seattle last October, then slipped past the Ducks 34-31 in the Pac-12 title game to secure a playoff spot for the second time in school history. Both teams joined the Big Ten in August. Third-year Oregon head coach Dan Lanning is 33-5 leading the Ducks. But he remains winless against the Huskies (0-3). Oregon plots to sprint out of its late-season bye after using time to heal injuries, but Lanning doesn't believe the break should stall the flow of an undefeated season. "It's always about what we're able to do on the field. Motivation is overrated," Lanning said. "Our guys have to want to go out there and execute at a really high level. Since the beginning of the season we've talked about playing our best football at the end of November. We're there. This is our opportunity to go play our best football against a good team." The Ducks could have star wide receiver Tez Johnson back from a shoulder injury this week. Johnson has missed the past two games. That would be good news for quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who would regain the team's leader in receptions (64), receiving yards (649) and receiving touchdowns (eight). Washington, under first-year head coach Jedd Fisch, is 63-48-5 all-time against Oregon but is just 1-12-1 when facing the No. 1-ranked team in the country. The Huskies are led on offense by running back Jonah Coleman, who has racked up 1,008 yards and nine scores on the ground this season. Coleman averages 5.8 yards per carry and has 36 runs of at least 10 yards. In the passing game, wide receiver Denzel Boston is tied for the Big Ten lead with nine in touchdown catches and ranks sixth in the conference with 764 receiving yards. Whom Boston will be catching passes from is not yet known, however. Washington has not revealed whether Will Rogers or Demond Williams Jr. will start at quarterback. Rogers has started every game for the Huskies but was benched in favor of Williams two weeks ago after throwing a pair of interceptions in a 31-19 win over UCLA. Fisch said he has a "good idea" of how he will use his quarterbacks on Saturday, and while he wouldn't go as far as to name a starter, he did say Rogers responded well in practices last week. "On the same token, Demond's energy and Demond's confidence showed up. His ability to jump right in and feel really good about leading the group whenever it was his turn... he did a really nice job there as well," Fisch told Seattle Sports. "I think both guys responded well to the week of practice, and now, really, it's important for us that the guy we believe will start the game gets a significant amount of reps in practice week. But as you know, we're not afraid to play two quarterbacks." --Field Level Media

NonePut politics aside and act on online harms, mother of sextortion victim tells MPsAston Villa denied last-gasp winner in Juventus stalemate

Ever wonder what the world of Zootopia would be like if it was a 1950s noir world? Me neither, but it turns out it looks awesome, folks. Wild Tactics is a story-driven strategy game about a team of anti-organized-crime animals fighting to return peace to their city's utopian project: Let all animals live in peace. It sounds bizarre and it kind of is, but the gameplay reveal at the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted has a lot of the unique energy you want to see from this kind of game. Focusing on the core of XCOM-like isometric tactics prioritizing cover and positioning, Wild Tactics sends your team of unique animal weirdos against 15 story-driven missions to take down a criminal element that has grown all too powerful. The trailer shows off in-game footage of the cover-based combat, as characters hop between map areas while deploying special powers to outwit enemies. A bruiser ram stops mid-run to bash some heads with a baseball bat. A fennec foxvanishes in a puff of smoke to sneak past foes and flank them. Meanwhile, a wolf cop—maybe soldier—lets loose a howl that lets her allies know the plan. Those story-driven missions are backed up by the social system that underlies your Wild Squad's crew: "All the characters have different relationships with each other, giving them various buffs and debuffs. Hate, love, or friendship, each influences the battles differently. These relationships can be upgraded or downgraded, based on the character’s performance in combat and on the time they spend together," say the developers. Wild Tactics is made by The Wild Gentlemen, a studio that previously made the Chicken Police series of weirdo absurdist visual novels, the most recent of which released just last month. They hope to get Wild Tactics out the door and into your hands in the first quarter of 2025. You can find Wild Tactics on Steam . The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.

NoneMusk's Neuralink to launch feasibility trial with brain implant, robotic arm

George Horne: I took Scotland snub as a bit of a kick up the backside

Looking to rebound from lost opportunitySCOTT COUNTY, Minn. — The preliminary investigation into what happened to 20 ballots unaccounted for in the closest state House race in Minnesota concluded that they were likely thrown away and won't be recovered, the Scott County attorney said Wednesday. The update adds a new layer to a contest that Republicans have pledged to challenge in court. A recount of ballots last week showed DFL incumbent Rep. Brad Tabke maintained his lead over GOP challenger Aaron Paul, widening his victory by just one vote for a total of 15. But looming over that recount was the question of a 21-ballot discrepancy that Scott County officials found in two precincts: Officials said they had records of 21 more people voting than ballots received. "The preliminary investigation into the 21-ballot discrepancy hasn't been determinative thus far, and it appears likely to be the result of human error that occurred during the collection of early absentee ballots at the City of Shakopee," said Ron Hocevar, the Scott County attorney in a news release. "This unfortunate situation resulted in a level of confusion that should not have occurred." Hocevar provided more details in an investigative summary: According to county staff findings, 20 of those voters were in a single precinct and the one other was in another precinct. Staff noted, he explained, that it is not uncommon for one voter to check in and not vote so the focus shifted to the precinct with the 20 ballot discrepancy. Absentee ballots arrive at the election office with two envelopes inside — one with the voter's certification that they can legally vote and a witness signature, and the other a secrecy envelope containing the actual ballot. The investigation is not complete but Hocevar said county staff made a preliminary conclusion that the absentee ballots "were likely in their secrecy envelopes when the secrecy envelopes were thrown away" and "most likely will not be recovered." "Even if 20 ballots were found, it is unlikely that their chain of custody can be proven to assure they have not been tampered with," he added. This story is developing and will be updated. Caroline Cummings is an Emmy-winning reporter with a passion for covering politics, public policy and government. She is thrilled to join the WCCO team.

Tech Firms Ride AI Wave With New Tools and Partnerships