Daily Archives: July 12, 2021

A crew based in Cork have achieved their third world record after making the journey from Kilybegs in Donegal to Reykjavk in Iceland by powerboat in just 32 hours.

The Safehaven Marine crew made the 866 nautical miles journey on their trusted boat Thunder Child II, which has been involved in a previous record.

Now recovering from the journey in the Icelandic capital, the team, made up of Frank Kowalski, Ciaran Monks, Carl Randalls, Mary Power and Robert Guzik, are waiting for their result to be verified by the power-boating governing body UIM - the Union Internationale Motonautique, which designed the lengthy route.

The trip included two stops to refuel the Thunder Child II - once by the Outer Hebrides and once on a small island close to Iceland's coast.

Thunder Child II is a Safehaven Marine-designed high-speed vessel that can accommodate a crew of five or six.

The record-breaking team is delighted with the result and hoping, once the pandemic ends, they can venture even further afield, according to Ms Power.

"We're thrilled. We're tired now alright, but it's great. The weather wasn't ideal. We were hoping for calm waters for optimal speed to break the record, but the weather was not calm," she said.

"You get into routine. We've done it a lot together. We all take turns navigating while other people try to rest on a pillow or the floor."

Crew members now plan to continue voyaging to northern Iceland, then head north west, crossing the Arctic Circle line and on to Greenland.

The team had previously broken a record for a Cork to Fastnet to Cork route with a time of 2:36:31, which was also done on the Thunder Child II.

They had previously set a world record after circumnavigating Ireland via Rockall on the original Thunder Child vessel.

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Cork crew achieve third world record after Iceland trip - RTE.ie

Financial companies have been all over the news for the past few decades or even longer. If you havent been living under a rock all this time, youve certainly heard of Stripe and how it has revolutionized the payment industry or Robinhood and its quest to make trading accessible to everyone.

FinTech Industry Nonstop Growth Statistics & Facts

However, do you actually know how huge the Financial Services industry is? You might arm yourself with a calculator, start crunching the numbers and arrive at a certain ballpark figure pretty soon. While there is a little doubt in your numerical prowess, most peoples estimates, however, are far off and will never go above a couple hundred billion dollars.The industry is actually much bigger than most people expect it to be: the value of all financial services industry is expected to reach about 26,5 trillion dollars by 2022 which is larger than the GDP of such economic superpower as the United States and almost twice as large as the Chinese juggernaut economy. With this whopping number you might think that the industry is operating with maximum efficiency and that there is little room for improvement. Youd be surprised at how much the sector can be improved. There are plenty of inefficiencies in the financial sector. So many, in fact, that the largest banks, insurance companies, and private equity firms lose billions of dollars every year due to technological shortcomings and bureaucratic inefficiencies. Thats precisely when fintech startups jump on the scene and bring about much needed improvements in the staid and slow-moving industry.

FinTech Startups Influence

A few years ago, a fintech trailblazer Robinhood literally turned the complacent and slow-to-change trading industry upside down. Long the haven of the affluent elites, the trading market was harsh on less moneyed newcomers. So were the trading arms of major investment banks or brokerage giants such as Charles Schwab and TD Ameritrade. Unless you had at least a few thousand dollars stashed away to pay a hefty commission for every transaction the traditional players were not for you. The founders of Robinhood saw the opportunity and pretty soon their company has changed the industry forever. All of a sudden, anyone with internet access and a few hundred dollars to burn could become a trader. The giants had to adopt the model and scrape off their commissions or risk losing to a bold newcomer started by ambitious Stanford grads.Robinhood is now valued at more than 7 billion dollars reaching this milestone in little more than 6 years, its co-founders are billionaires, and its ascent is only gaining traction.

Inspiring Potential of FinTech Industry for Ambitious Startups

This success of an at first sight humble company started by scrappy young entrepreneurs with a clear vision of how they can take on the towering giants serves as a clear example of how much room for improvement there is in the financial industry. It also showcases that fortunes can be made if you have the right idea that could help streamline the processes in the industry that has become so big that it finds it hard to keep abreast with the latest technological innovations. Few spheres hold as much potential for striking it big and improving the world along the way, which is something most young entrepreneurs aspire to, as Fintech.

This potential, however, is far from being unnoticed. More and more of the worlds best and the brightest ones see the allure of taking the path of a fintech entrepreneur who, instead of joining the financial industry, creates a company that will disrupt it and keep the high-paid and complacent bankers sitting in the towering skyscrapers of the Londons City, New Yorks Wall Street, and Hong Kongs financial district up at night. The graduates of Oxford, Harvard, or Tsinghua who would normally go on to obtain highly coveted investment banking and finance jobs are instead opting to start their own companies and flock to the technological and venture capital hubs of Silicon Valley and Shenzhen.

FinTech Unicorns Statistics

This entrepreneurial drive is certainly reflected in the value of fintech unicorns that have emerged all over the world in the last decade. Their combined valuationhas reached a massive 147 billion dollars and continues to growby leaps and bounds each passing year. The bulk of the industry, contrary to expectations, is concentrated in China where, buoyed by the tech-savvy and ambitious government and tech giants such as Alibaba and Tencent, fintech has enjoyed truly rocket growth. The United States and Europe are no slouches though. Some of the most disruptive and successful fintech unicorns were born in California surrounded by the palms and miles of sandy beaches, in strict and rainy London or in Stockholm during its perennially dark winters.

These FinTech unicorns are far from being a uniform bunch however. In fact, they are as varied as the financial industry itself.

FinTech Giants

The payment giants of Ant Financial (Alipay), Stripe, and Klarna are for many outside of the industry the epitomes of the rising power of fintech. As often as the word disruptive is thrown around, this word is probably apt to describe these juggernauts. All of them are changing the industry, all of them are valued at billions of dollars, and all of them keep rising fast conquering new niches either by buying existing companies or expanding their expertise. Alipay, for instance, is responsible for the near elimination of cash transactions in China. In fact, the first thing that surprises a cash-carrying European in China is how few Chinese people have actually seen their money and how everybody, from an old lady selling vegetables in the Shanghai market to a taxi driver in a small town tucked away in the far west Sichuan province has an Alipay account that enables paying with a smartphone by merely scanning a QR code. Stripe has been equally disruptive across the ocean. Seeing how cumbersome and expensive it can be to accept payments online, Stripes founders decided to bank on their products simplicity, and it panned out. Stripe has now become one of the largest payment processors in the United States and, armed with a stash of cash it has earned in this lucrative market, it is now gearing up for a major international expansion.With a fragmented market that comprises hundreds of lenders espousing sometimes drastically different policies, the consumer and small business loan market proved to be another fertile ground for an unstoppable fintech expansion. In a matter of several years several strong unicorn contenders emerged to rival the more established players. One such company is the Atlanta-based Kabbage that just recently raised a hefty250 million from a slew of VC companies and institutional investors. Determined to eliminate the numerous hoops small businesses have to jump through to obtain funding, Kabbage introduced an AI-based lending platform that proved to be enormously popular in the United States. The unicorn is now voraciously expanding overseas bringing much needed-and long overdue-change to the industry leaving some of the traditional players who are unwilling to adapt bite the dust.

To Sum It Up

Rest assured though, traditional players are still huge, and they are not going to give up so easily. Slowly, but markedly established companies are starting to pay attention to the Fintech wave that is threatening to dethrone some of them and occupy niches that some of those companies have held for decades. Yet, the size of these companies plays against them: they are slow to react. There are so many opportunities to revolutionize the financial industry that stemming the tide of new fintech startups is likely to prove impossible.

As you can see, there is a lot of work to be done infintech software developmentright now and to meet the demand software development companies that can help turn your brilliant fintech idea into a polished and wholesome product ready to conquer the world. The traditional companies will have to adopt the new rules and make more and more online services available as well as adopt all the latest innovative processes that startups thrive on. Fun times full of change and uncertainty are ahead in the fintech industry as startups and established players duke it out over the market domination. Fintech has never been more interesting to keep your eyes on.

Excerpt from:

Fintech Startups Disrupting the Whole Industry - Finextra - Finextra - Finextra

Singer/songwriter and mom-to-be, Elle King has made a huge step in immersing herself in the country music community with her first official country radio single, Drunk (And I Dont Wanna Go Home).

From indie,Americana and rock all the way to country music, King has shown that she can shine in pretty much any genre, but her career journey hasnt always been smooth sailing. In an interview with The Ty Bentli Show on Apple Music Country,King shared her thoughts on the country music genre and the impact it has had on her life already.

Its just fun because the shows are so great because its hardworking people. They save up for months and this is their night to let off some steam and let their hair down and go sing along to their favorite country artists, King explained. Thats what I started to see when I came into country music, I was like, These people, they dont care. They want to have fun tonight and they want to see you having fun, because were all in this together.'

I dont know, country music has just really grabbed me and grabbed hold of me, and its really opened up my career and its kind of changed my life in a lot of ways, King added. Its just been amazing, and I felt really, really embraced. I feel like its my people.

Kings debut solo single, Exs and Ohs quickly rose up the charts and peaked at No. 1 in 2015 on Billboards list of Greatest of All Time Adult Alternative Songs. A year later, she branched out into the country genre for the first time as she joined Dierks Bentley on his single, Different For Girls.

Now, with her very own country single, King is ready to embark on her next chapter within the genre. She revealed the writing process behind Drunk (And I Dont Wanna Go Home) and how she came to join forces with superstar Miranda Lambert to record the single.

I started writing it when I was 24, much, much drunker, King revealed. I was really living that life too. I wrote it with Martin Johnson and then we wrote two songs in two days. The other song was Americas Sweetheart and Americas Sweetheart made the record. I always knew that the chorus of Drunk was a banger chorus. It was a big chorus. I always felt like I had that in my back pocket, but I didnt like the original verses.

Six years go by, and then Martin reaches out to me to ask me if I would sing on something. I was like, This is perfect because this is my segue into rewriting the verses,' added King. I was like, Yeah, Ill do you favor. Ill do you a favor. Well, we have to rewrite Drunk. I was going back to Nashville from tour with Miranda, and I was working with Martin and we were writing songs, we were rewriting Drunk, and then it was done by the end of tour. I was like, Okay, this is good. We were just going to put it out, and then this idea came, Miranda and I, we were becoming friends and everything. We were like, Wouldnt it be crazy, but wouldnt it be fun if Miranda sang on this? She thinks so too.

King and Lambert gave an electrifying performance of Drunk on stage as they opened the 2021 Academy of Country Music Awards. This powerful duo brought the same energy to the music video for this single, which showcases the pair living it up at an 80s-era wedding.

When it came down time to the video, I was like, How can we make this really fun, so that its one day of her life that she enjoys, and that if we had to sing it together, shes going to be happy about it. I was like, Why dont we play characters and take the pressure off of Elle king and Miranda Lambert, she recalled. Honestly that music video day, that was one of the most fun days Ive ever had working because it was just me and Miranda in these ridiculous costumes and we laughed the whole time.

Although her songs are full of vigor and fun, King revealed that her daily life doesnt quite match that energy anymore. She opened up about previous drinking habits and feeling blessed to be pregnant after two miscarriages.

Its weird to be putting out a song thats like all about partying and raging and being outside of your house, when Im very much inside my house, baby chickens, lots of animals, baby inside here, many naps, King reflected. Its weird, cause I feel like I always have to really live up to the music that I put out. This is weird, but I also feel like Ive been drunk enough my entire life that people get that. They know Im pregnant. They know how I got pregnant, probably drinking, and so I feel like its fair game. I dont know.

This summer King joins Chris Stapleton as a special guest on his All American Road Show tour beginning July 28 in Gilford, NH.

Read more from the original source:

Elle King Talks Collaborating with Miranda Lambert and Diving Head First Into the Country Genre - Country Now

A drive-in-style laser light show will take over Coney Island's parking lot July 8-11.Photo: cabinfeverlasershow.com

If you thought giant animatronic dinosaurs invading the parking lot of Coney Island was cool, hold onto your butts.

Some company called Cabin Fever is producing a drive-in-style laser light show July 8-11. There are shows at 9 p.m. July 8; 9 and 10:30 p.m. July 9 and 10; and 9 p.m. July 11. Tickets start at $29.99 per carload and go up to $99.99 per car for front-row parking.

So what exactly is a drive-in laser light show? According to an exclamation-point-infused description, it includes "some of your favorite Musical Hits from Current Pop to Classic Rock! All choreographed with cutting-edge effects, high-powered lasers, and DUAL large screen video projection!"

The show is family-friendly and aimed at all ages. Event organizers say ticketholders will pull their cars into the lot and park like they would at a drive-in movie. There will be tailgating space in front of each spot so people can set up lawn chairs while still socially distancing. An FM radio station will be synced to the musical score.

Parking is first-come, first-served, and gates open at least an hour before each show. Feel free to bring your own snacks.

Each show runs about 60 minutes. Once you park, you can't leave, apparently. And if you're late, you can't get in.

Coney Island is located at 6201 Kellogg Ave., California, Ohio. More info and tickets at freshtix.com.

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Originally posted here:

Drive-In Laser Light Show to Take Over Coney Island Parking Lot July 8-11 - Cincinnati CityBeat

For a game thats been out as long as Fortnite has, there are bound to be more popular skins than others.

When it comes to Fortnite, there are plenty of skins that some of the sweatier players in the game like to gravitate to.

Theres a good chance you can rattle a few of them off the top of your head and maybe youve even been eliminated by a few of them. Perhaps youre even one of the players who wear these skins.

Whatever the case may be, lets dive right into five of the sweatiest skins in all of Fortnite.

While this list doesnt have a particular order, the first thing that comes off the top of our head is the Superhero skin.

Epic almost certainly intended this skin to be used to create your very own superhero, but instead, players decided to just make them all white or all black in an effort to blend in with the environment. Epic did nerf them a lot, but there are still some issues with them.

If you see somebody rocking a solid color on one of these skins, just know youll be in for a fight.

The Elite Agent is a skin that comes back to the Item Shop from time to time, and while it doesnt seem like something a lot of players would rock all the time, its actually surprising how often we see it.

Whenever somebody wants to step up their game and go for high elimination Victory Royales, this is a go-to skin for some reason.

Its relatively cheap when compared to many of the other styles that show up in the Item Shop, and the fact its been around for a long time could be why so many players have it.

This is a strange addition to the list but we have to throw it on here. Tony Stark was part of the Chapter 2 Season 4 Battle Pass, and usually, you wont be seeing a ton of characters using Battle Pass skins in later season.

Something you do see still is a Tony Stark skin running around, and you see it pretty often. On top of that, theyll often be wearing one of the colored versions, showing that they level beyond their Battle Pass.

Tony Stark is a cool skin to rock, especially since it can turn into Iron Man, so we cant fault them too much. Just know that these players tend to be pretty good at the game. Of course, you could steamroll somebody wearing the skin because they are just a little skin who likes Iron Man.

Aura has been gaining popularity as of late and you actually see a lot of pro players rocking this skin. She was part of Reverse2Ks locker bundle, and given that hes been very successful in the past couple FNCS tournaments, perhaps that has helped her gain noteriety.

Nothing about her really stands out other than the backwards hat, but that hasnt stopped her from becoming quite popular.

Of course, putting on a skin wont make you good overnight, but it could be enough to make your enemies become nervous.

Dummy is a very strange thing to put on this list but it feels like any time this character isnt a bot, it will crank 90s on you within a few seconds.

To its credit, Dummy does look slimmer than your regular skin, but it has the same hitbox as the rest of them.

Maybe Dummy is used by good players as a way to bait fights. Nobody particularly fears this skin when they see it, but all it takes is getting wrecked once to change that opinion.

READ NEXT: Fortnite Season 7 Has Interesting Parallels with Chapter 1

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Top 5 Sweatiest Skins in Fortnite - Heavy.com

A couple that slays together, stays together! Russell Wilson and Ciara have proven this statement to be true as they celebrated their 5-year anniversary yesterday. The couple jetted to Italy to celebrate their union, and we cant get enough of the stylish travel looks they are serving on Instagram! So what better way to honor the beautiful couple than by highlighting the five times they crushed the fashion scene on their anniversary trip?

Russell and Ciara have been the couple to watch since their bond first began. With Russell being a star professional football player equipped with the personality of the guy next door and Ciara being the talented southern belle and sexy vixen all mixed in one, these two are like the perfect couple we cant keep our eyes off of! From stalking their Instagram page to begging Ciara for the prayer she chanted to manifest Russell, our obsession with this couple runs deep. So its purely our pleasure to present to you 5 times Russell and Ciara made us covet not only their relationship, but their threads as well.

Even when this stylish couple dresses down, they are still fly! Ciara posed alongside her hubby on their anniversary trip in a Gucci t-shirt dress, paired with tie-up ankle heels. Russell kept it cool in navy blue Prada collared shirt, white jeans, and white sneakers.

If youre going to be in the spotlight, you may as well give the people a show! Russell and Ciara have us glued to our Instagram feeds to catch a glimpse of their fly anniversary looks because they have been on it! In this steamy picture, Ciara turned heads in a cut-out Dundas leopard dress with black ankle strap heels. We love that Russell let his lady have the spotlight and kept it simple in a black suit. We are absolutely swooning over these two!

The couple is living it up in Italy as they celebrate their 5th anniversary, and one thing they didnt forget to pack is their styleof course! The Wilsons snapped it up on their anniversary trip in some fashionable gear. Russell rocked a Versace baroque shirt while Ciara posed in a David Koma faux leather wrap dress. We cant get enough of them!

You cant go out of the country and not rock all white! Russell and Ciara looked godly in their white ensembles as they posed for the camera in an outside setting. They wore threads from Good Man Brand a clothing company that Russell is the co-founder of. While Russell kept is simple in his white sneakers, his wife Ciara chose to jazz her look up with white stiletto boots. Spicy!

The beautiful couple took a fashionable stroll through Venice, Italy, and we are quite sure onlookers stopped and stared. Russell was clean-cut in a black shirt that accented his muscular frame with jeans to match. Ciara was effortless in printed pants that featured a printed bodice. She paired the pants with a spaghetti strap top and heels. What a stylish love story!

Originally posted here:

Stylish Couple Goals: 5 Times Russell And Ciara Slayed On Their Anniversary Vacation - HelloBeautiful

The evergreen star Shilpa Shetty has a yellow outfit in every silhouette that will steal your heart. We have got all the proof! Check it out.

Shilpa Shetty is definitely one of those stars who stunned Bollywood with her groundbreaking fashion in the 80s and the 90s and continues to do so. The diva ruled Bollywood with her incredible acting and heart-robbing dance moves and we arent surprised how this yoga enthusiastic cum actress dons any style with complete perfection. Be it western or desi looks, take cues from the one and only Shilpa Shetty to rock all silhouettes glamorously. Here are 5 proofs that sunny shades are her go-to favourites to look top-notch on every occasion.

Bridesmaids, bookmark this gorgeous look for the upcoming wedding. Shilpa looked like a princess in Seema Gujrals summery hued sharara set crafted using lightweight georgette. Dipped in intricate mirror work embroidery, her bright yellow number is definitely a show-stealing number to stand out from the crowd. The star paired the ethnic look with an ornate oxidised nose pin and juttis from Coral Haze.

Her chrome yellow bandhani lehenga set from Karishma and Ashita bore white dots all over. The set consisted of a flared maxi skirt and a matching crop top featuring a french knot at the centre and voluminous balloon sleeves that brought in the much-needed drama to her ensemble. Shilpa styled her hair in a half-up, half-down style and rounded off her look with neutral makeup and funky accessories.

Shilpa looked drop-dead gorgeous in her one-shouldered shimmery yellow gown from Neetu Rohra. She wore an emerald green bracelet, rings and earrings contrasting her chrome yellow figure-hugging gown. She teamed the look with gold sandals and elevated her style with glam makeup featuring perfectly filled-in brows, red lips and contoured cheekbones.

Her recent post on Instagram saw Shilpa wearing a yellow shirt with dramatic wing-like elongated sleeves and an A-line pencil skirt looking like a modern angel. She opted for yellow heels and painted the picture-perfect donning head-toe the sunshine hue. Statement ruby-stone rings and a minimal necklace rounded off her stunning look.

Shilpa made our heart race by taking power dressing a notch higher in an ochre button tailored suit with wide-legged slit trousers from Alina Anwar Couture. She styled the look with a brown Gucci belt and cream stone-embellished Valentino heels. She picked contemporary accessories from Misho Designs and looked jaw-droppingly beautiful and powerful in her statement-making style.

Which of her 5 styles in shades of yellow is your favourite? Tell us in the comments below.

Also Read:5 Times Deepika Padukone gave us the ultimate guide to rocking all white desi outfits

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5 Times Shilpa Shetty picked bright yellow hue and proved to be the eternal sunshine of Bollywood - PINKVILLA

More than 150people have died in Hertfordshire, leaving behind potential fortunes which remain unclaimed.

In three cases, in St Albans and Stevenage,less than 12 weeks remain for long-lost relatives to come forward and stake their claim.

One case will time out in just over seven weeks.

Nina TheresaSpaggiaridied on August 28, 1991, in Stevenage.

Born in France in February 1898, she married her husband GiovanniSpaggiari also known as John in Holborn in March 1921.

He died in Chelsea in 1962. No other relatives of MrsSpaggiarihave been found.

Ifher next of kin is nottracedquickly,her estate will be seized by the Crown.

Time Limit

Philip Turvey is an heir hunter.

His company, Anglia Research, searches for long-lost relatives of those who have died without a will, then helps them claim the estates in return for a commission.

They trace around 500 heirs per year through genealogy. Some estates, he said, turn out to be worth many millions.

But the heir hunters are working against the clock.

The government department will accept a claim from any relative who can prove that they have an entitlement for up to 12 years from the date of death, and pay interest, said Mr Turvey.

They will accept claims up to 30 years from the date of death, but will not pay interest."

Butoncethose30 yearsare up, the Crown will keep the estate for itself.

Herts cases

Approximately 160 peopleare known tohave died in Hertfordshire, leaving behind unclaimed estates.

There are nine in St Albans, 20 in Stevenage, 30 in Watford and 14 in Welwyn Hatfield.

Other areas, like Hitchin, Royston and Bishops Stortford, have one each.

Eight out of the nineSt Albans caseswere registered in the 1990s.

The timer on five of them will run out within the next year and on two of those,injust over twomonths.

StefanLemiszewskidied on September 17, 1991. The government was notified by the North West Herts Health Authority.

All thegovernmentknowsis that he was born in Poland in December 1910 and died, aged 81, a bachelor.

Six days after MrLemiszewskisdeath, another St Albans resident died, leaving no easily identifiable family.

Rose Rockallwas bornin March 1899andnever married. Her death was registered by Hill End Hospitalon September 23, 1991.

The day after that September 24 Cyril Stevens died in Hatfield, aged 79.

Born in Steyning, Sussex, in 1911, he married his wife Gilda on an unknown date but she died in Edmonton, Middlesex, four days before Christmas, 1952.

Government records statethat he may have blood relatives in South Africa - but if so, they must be found in the next 11 weeks.

Heir hunters like Anglia Research use genealogy to track down long-lost relatives, like BBC show Who Do You Think You Are, so they can received unclaimed estates.- Credit: Archant

Othercases are far more recent.

Brian Michael Breen died in January this year in Stevenage, aged 71. His wife Carole pre-deceased him.

Julie Eva Welch died in St Albansin February.All the authorities know about her is that she was born in 1936 in London.

Why are they unclaimed?

The first reason estates go unclaimed, said Mr Turvey, is that people fail to leave a will.

Some people dont like contemplating their possible demise, so dont want to address the issue, he explained.

Some people might not think they have anything to leave, or anyone to leave it with. Maybe they dont realise the property they bought 50 or 60 years ago is now worth a significant sum.

Most people without wills have family to take care of their affairs.

The heirhuntersstep in when thereisno will and no close family.

Perhaps they are the last of their generation still alive, said Mr Turvey. If they didnt marry or have children, their next of kin may be cousins. The last time they may have seen their cousins was when they were children.

Firmslike Anglia Research typically start with the deceased and then look for heirs, rather than helping individuals look for possible inheritances.

That would be like searching for a needle in a haystack, he said although they will represent individuals who come to them with a strong connection to a known case.

To view the register of unclaimed estates, visit:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/unclaimed-estates-list

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Time running out to inherit unclaimed Hertfordshire estates - Herts Advertiser