Icon Mann Reimagines African Diasporic Narratives With Salute To ‘The Woman King’ Director Gina Prince-Bythewood, ‘Sidney Poitier’ Director Reginald Hudlin, Director George Tillman Jr. and Uzodinma Iweala

Yesterday,  ICON MANN (IM) unveiled their upcoming in-person events centered around this year’s awards season where IM will celebrate the achievements and accomplishments of filmmakers Reginald Hudlin (Sidney Poitier, House Party, Boomerang), George Tillman Jr. (Soul Food, Men of Honor), Gina Prince-Bythewood (The Woman King, Love & Basketball, The Old Guard), and The Africa Center’s Uzodinma Iweala, in addition to partnerships with the National Film Authority of Ghana, Uganda Communications Commission, and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC.

ICON MANN returns to awards week with an expanded format to include film sessions with emerging media-driven African nations Ghanaand Uganda on Tuesday, March 7th at the Fairmont Century Plaza, the new luxury hotel from the Accor Group. The forum, entitled ‘Africa2 America,’ places the African creative sector in Hollywood for the development of bilateral exchange. ICON MANN reteamed with Sony Pictures for the annual ICON MANN HONORS dinner, which will take place on Wednesday, March 8th at Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills, California. This season the theme is ‘Reimaging African Diasporic Narratives.’ 2023 Honorees include Gina Prince-Bythewood, Reginald Hudlin and Uzodinma Iweala, CEO of the Africa Center NYC and NY Times Best-Selling Author of ‘Beasts of No Nation.’

“It’s a marvelous time to be Black and creative. We are griots, world builders, and originators of culture. There is great joy and cause for celebration in that as we reimagine African Diasporic narratives with the Africa 2 America delegation sessions and our ICON MANN Honors,” states Tamara N. Houston, Founder. “We know how imperative it is to amplify collective communities of wealth, wellness, and enterprise across professional sectors. Being intentional about our work and collaborations with media-driven African countries like Ghana and Uganda is foundational to being authentic storytellers and way makers.”

Private Events include:

Tuesday, February 28

• ICON MANN + SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT present ‘An Evening With George, The MIraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World,’ a fireside chat and film retrospective with ‘Big George Foreman,’ director George Tillman Jr., moderated by Tom Rothman, Chairman & CEO of Sony Pictures’ Motion Picture Group.

Tuesday, March 7

• ICON MANN’s Africa 2 America film market sessions partners officially with the National Film Authority of Ghanaand Uganda Communications Commission.
• Delegation leaders include:
  • Juliet Asante, CEO of the National Film Authority (NFA) representing Ghana
  • Irene Sewankambo, Executive Director of Uganda Communications Commission
  • Mukiza Robert, Director General of Uganda Investment Authority
  • Dr. Lilly Ajarova, CEO of the Ugandan Tourism Board

Wednesday, March 8

• ICON MANN HONORS, a red-carpet media awards dinner in Beverly Hills at the Waldorf Astoria, salutes those who are ‘Reimaging African Diasporic Narratives’ 2023 Honorees: Gina Prince-Bythewood (The Woman King), Reginald Hudlin (Sidney Poitier), and Uzodinma Iweala, CEO of the Africa Center NYC

Saturday, March 11

• ICON WoMANN the inaugural all-female session, presented by Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. An exclusive forum of sisterhood invested in financial and emotional wellness with Senior Level female executives, producers, directors, and actresses (inclusive of six MS Advisors)

Former Presenters and Attendees: Kevin Feig (President of Marvel Studios), Halle Berry, Kobe Bryant, Channing Dungey, David P. White (Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco), Common, Quincy Jones, Barry Jenkins, Chadwick Boseman, Charles King, Derrick Johnson (CEO of NAACP), David Oyelowo, Djimon Hounsou, Don Cheadle, Hayma Washington (Television Academy, former President), Idris Elba, John Ridley, Kevin Hart, Leland Melvin (NASA), Lonnie Bunche (Smithsonian), Michael B. Jordan, Ndaba Mandela, Paris Barclay (DGA, former President), Ron Kirk (U.S. Ambassador), Ryan Coogler, Steve McQueen, Ted Sarandos (Netflix), and more.

For all information and the latest news, please follow ICON MANN on Instagram @Icon.Mann.

* This article was originally published here

* This article was originally published here

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11 Most Pet Friendly Airlines

If you’re planning to travel with your dog, researching pet friendly airlines is essential. If your dog can fit under the seat in front of you, you will have more options, but some airlines are still more accommodating for pets than others. So, this article will cover some of the details for the most pet-friendlyRead More

The post 11 Most Pet Friendly Airlines appeared first on Life Family Fun.

* This article was originally published here

* This article was originally published here

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$1599 & up -- Explore Ecuador, Galapagos & Amazon: 10-night tour w/air

See endemic animals in a bucket-list trip to the Galapagos, explore the vibrant capital of Quito and stay in the Amazon Rainforest.

* This article was originally published here

* This article was originally published here

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Angkor Wat Half Marathon Review

Updated Feb/2023 – The Angkor Wat International Half Marathon 2023 is scheduled for 3rd December. 

Angkor Wat Half Marathon, the opportunity to run through millenary temples, enjoy the breathtaking landscape and help charity institutions. The challenging side is to keep the pace running in such a beautiful place.

The Angkor Wat International Half Marathon is growing year after year. Thousands of athletes from all around the world travel to Siem Reap, Cambodia to be part of this event. In the edition we raced, there were about 5 thousand runners. Nat went for the 10k and I for the 21k distance. There is also a 3k “fun run”, with a lot of kids running this distance.

We arrived in Siem Reap, Cambodia 3 days before the race. Our plan was to visit the Angkor Wat Complex and enjoy the worldwide famous, Angkor Wat sunrise, before the competition.

Also arriving a few days in advance helps the body get used to the heat and humidity. Now my advice, leave to visit the Angkor Wat complex after the race. The place is huge, you walk a lot, climb a lot of stairs, it is really tiring.  So it is better to arrive about 3 days in advance and relax at the hotel.

We recommend at least 2 days to visit Angkor Wat, but if you really like history you can easily spend a week there.

Check out our complete guide to plan your visit to Angkor Wat

The race starts at 6 AM, you should organize your transfer from the hotel to the start area one day in advance.

We hired the same Tuk Tuk driver for the tours and to take us to the race. At 4 am sharp he was in the lobby, I thought that it was too early but as soon we hit the road I was glad that we left so early. With crazy traffic and a lot of people in the start area, it was a bit hard to find a good spot.

The bad guy in this race is the heat, it was about 5:30 am and I was already sweating. You have to take special care of hydration. Since the race starts in front of Angkor Wat Temple we could enjoy the Angkor Wat sunrise one more time. Seriously one of the most beautiful sunrises I ever saw.

One advantage is that the whole course is flat. If we have some hills plus the heat then this competition would kill me.  Also, most of the course is lined with huge trees which provide well-deserved shade.

The race starts at Angkor Wat Temple and goes towards Prasat Kravan, Barneai Kdei, Ta Phrom, Ta Keo, Victory Gate, Elephant Terrace, Bayon Temple, South Gate, Basei Chamkrong, Phom Bakheng, and reaches again Angkor Wat.

The race is really well organized, with different starts for the different distances (21k, 10k & 3k), hydration stations with water every 2k, isotonic at 9k, 14k, 16k, 18k, and 20k, banana at 6k, 10k and 18k. WC at 9k and 20k.

The marking in the whole course and around the start/finish area was perfect, and the total distance was accurate, it matched my GPS.

One funny thing that I saw during the race happened near one aid station where they were giving bananas. As some athletes just run by they couldn’t manage to get the bananas that fell on the ground, suddenly coming out from nowhere some monkeys grab the bananas and run into the forest. They were way faster than the athletes!

This competition was kinda “luxury training” for me. I was getting ready for the Paris Marathon that happened in April. I wasn’t worried about time and as this was my first long-distance competition since my hip surgery in 2013, I need to take it easy.

The plan was to run at a comfortable pace up to 17k, if all is fine I could speed up a bit. So I didn’t miss any opportunity to stop to take pictures of the temples, elephants, monkeys, the kids cheering, monks… This is a unique race with an incredible vibe.

With all the stops, I finished the Angkor Wat Half Marathon in 2 hours and 19 minutes. Natalie did really well; she finished the 10k in 1 hour and 2 minutes and got the 92 position among 1012 runners!

 

» Angkor Wat Half Marathon Quick Guide:

Where:  Siem Reap, Cambodia

When – December

Official Web Site 

 

» Hotels for the Angkor Wat Half Marathon in Siem Reap, Cambodia

If you want to splurge and treat yourself, book your stay at Shinta Mani Resort, it’s known as the best hotel with the best staff in Siem Reap.

For a midrange hotel, you can try the stylish Angkor Pearl Hotel, for less than USD 30 you can get a beautiful and comfy room.

The option for the hostels’ fans is Mad Monkey Siem Reap, which has great staff, comfy rooms and they do great work supporting the local community. Win-win all around.

 

» How to get to the Angkor Wat Half Marathon 

The easiest way is to fly. From Bangkok, Singapore, or Kuala Lumpur you can reach Siem Reap. Or you can fly to the capital, Phnom Pem, and then get a bus. If you want to save money you can board a bus in Bangkok, it’s about 10 hour trip.

The bus journey from Bangkok to Siem Reap is quite tiring, the traffic is crazy and the drivers are mad.

To make it worst the Immigration officers at the Cambodian border will demand a bribe to give you the VISA.  We crossed this border twice and on both times they charged an extra USD 5 for every single passenger.

On our second time, we refused to pay and the officer held our passport for about one hour, the bus was waiting only for us and after a lot of talks, they gave us the Visa. Unfortunately, our first impression of Cambodia wasn’t the best one. And it’s not about money or USD 5, it’s about doing the right thing.

12GoAsia is our favorite site to search and book trains, buses and ferries in Asia. Skyscanner is great for flights.

Lonely Planet guides about  Siem Reap and Angkor Wat, Cambodia.

My sports equipment for the Angkor Wat Half Marathon: I used my Garmin Forerunner 310 XT and my New Balance 890 V4. 

So, fly to Siem Reap a few days before the Angkor Wat Half Marathon, get used to the weather, treat yourself in a nice hotel, enjoy your race day, and after that take a few days to explore the temples of Angkor Wat.  I’m sure you will have a great time at this competition!

Did you run the Angkor Wat Half Marathon? Or any other competition in a unique place?

The post Angkor Wat Half Marathon Review appeared first on Love and Road.

* This article was originally published here

* This article was originally published here

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What's Mastodon & Should Social Media Marketers Keep it on Their Radar?

A new social network has taken the internet by storm, and it goes by the name of Mastodon. Having amassed a following of almost two million active users by this January, the platform is described as an alternative to Twitter.

So what does this new name have to offer marketers? And can your brand benefit from having a presence on it? In this post, we'll break down what Mastodon is and how to leverage it — according to an experienced and trusted marketing partner here at HubSpot.

Image Source

What can you do on Mastodon?

On Mastodon, users can explore different servers according to their favorite topics of interest or industry spheres. When you find a forum you're interested in, you can join in and engage with whomever you like — more or less like you would on Twitter. You can:

• Follow users
• Reply to other people's posts
• Engage in or begin your own conversations

You can build a feed tailored to what you want to see and use features like an explore tab to find new and exciting content.

Tips for New Mastodon Users

We asked Crystal King, one of HubSpot's very own Senior Marketing Managers and Principal Inbound Professor, if she had any useful tips for people new to the platform. Here's what she had to say.

1. Put yourself out there and join a variety of servers.

"Like any new social platform you might join, there is a learning curve with Mastodon. The hardest thing to get used to is the idea that not everyone is on the same server as you are, but that you can still talk to them.

"It doesn't really matter what server you are using, but if you want to find a topic-specific server to join then it may mean your local feed is slightly more curated toward that topic, but it's not a necessity to do so."

No one's an expert at something when they first begin. When you join Mastodon, don't feel you belong on only one or two servers. Everyone has a place to share their thoughts and opinions just as much as the next person.

Mastodon has much more freedom of choice regarding the content you're given. While it can recommend conversations and servers to you, it won't crowd your personalized feed with content you haven't followed, like Instagram or Twitter — where recommended, sponsored, or related content can clutter your feed.

2. Find your favorite accounts from Twitter and find where they reside in Mastodon.

"One thing you can do to find your Twitter followers that are also on Mastodon is to go to Twitter and search for the word 'Mastodon.' Then, click the three dots to the right of the search bar and click 'Search filters.' That narrows down the search to only people you follow, and by doing this you can often see tweets where they have shared their Mastodon profiles."

If you're lost on where to start, look at who you already follow on Twitter. Chances are that if they're a full-time influencer or a frequent poster, they may have already made their way to Mastodon — and can help you identify which servers you'd enjoy the most.

3. Don't expect visuals, expect conversations.

"Mastodon is a text-heavy platform, and you won't see many moving .gifs, videos, or big images. Those things are present, but you usually have to click through to see them. Instead, focus on creating and having conversations. Share interesting information. Ask great questions to get people talking. And engage with others. That's where you'll find the most value."

King recommends that new users focus on contributing insightful conversations to gain traction in the platform. While Twitter and Instagram prioritize visual-heavy content, Mastodon will display trending conversations and forums where visuals are more of an added detail than a priority.

Why would a brand want to use Mastodon?

According to King, Mastodon allows marketers to get creative with their digital marketing.

"Brands may feel skeptical about using Mastodon. After all, there are no ads. There aren't any rewards for having a certain number of followers. There aren't any algorithms to push content to more people. In short, it feels like Twitter without all the things that made Twitter great for marketers.

"And that's sort of the point — people don't typically like to be marketed to, and that's what the platform's creators had in mind when developing it. But that doesn't mean brands can't or shouldn't use it. You just can't think about the platform as a replacement for Twitter. It's something different. Mastodon is a place to share information and engage with an audience. And brands that can do that will find a niche on the platform."

Marketers can't rely on paid or promoted ads to reach targeted audiences. Instead, they can use Mastodon to provide value, insight, or content that engages prospects — rather than sell to them.

"The engagement rate on Mastodon is much higher than that of Twitter. Plus, there's a heavy journalist presence on the platform as well, which bodes well for your brand's visibility. If you are a brand that loves chatting with your audience, it may be a great place for you. The best way to find out is to develop a test of three to six months and see how it works for you. Just don't expect it to look or act like Twitter, because it's not."

You can't approach Mastodon expecting the same results as you've gotten from previous social media channels. If anything, King is saying that brands can position themselves for better brand visibility on the platform if they focus on thought leadership — delegating designated content marketers or journalists to post about buzzing conversations and news.

See All the Possibilities Mastodon Has to Offer

With the rise of new social media channels, marketers can use new greenspace to attract prospects. While Mastodon itself isn't directly optimized for paid advertising, there are many ways to grow a following and engage with your target audience.

* This article was originally published here

* This article was originally published here

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2023: The Year of The Dress with NET-A-PORTER

*This post contains a collaboration with NET-A-PORTER & loaned products 2023 is the year of the dress – I’m calling it now. I’m slowly reaching for the dress section in my wardrobe more and more and if you’re wondering what that section consists of it’s the Baserange Shaw Wrap Dress in Cream* and the Baserange Shaw […]

* This article was originally published here

* This article was originally published here

* This article was originally published here

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Cultivating Change: Accelerating the Shift to Purpose-Driven Business

The American Sustainable Business Network has always led from the front, showcasing values-based leadership, social ventures, corporate social responsibility, and the ‘triple bottom line.’ Today, as ‘purpose’ goes mainstream, we have a profound opportunity to reshape the way the world does business.

* This article was originally published here

* This article was originally published here

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Fintech Finance News – Breathe!™ Pursues Edenark Group ISO 14001 Sustainability Certification

We are excited that Fintech Finance News is promoting 5AM Global d/b/a Breathe! for its pursuit of the Edenark Group ISO 14001 environmental sustainability certification.

Breathe! is producing a Web3 Universe convention at the Las Vegas Convention Center this May 3-5, 2023.  If you are involved in, or interested in, the Web3 Universe, this is the event you want to attend.

Further, if you care about the planet and our environment, follow the lead of 5AM Global d/b/a Breathe! and pursue the Edenark Group ISO 14001 certification for your company.

The post Fintech Finance News – Breathe!™ Pursues Edenark Group ISO 14001 Sustainability Certification appeared first on Edenark.

* This article was originally published here

* This article was originally published here

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Revealed: FC Barcelona Rejected And Overlooked New Real Madrid Striker Alvaro

FC Barcelona overlooked and rejected new Real Madrid striker sensation Alvaro Rodriguez when he was right under their noses.

* This article was originally published here

* This article was originally published here

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Twitch Bans Adin Ross for the 8th Time

For the eighth time in his streaming career, controversial content creator Adin Ross has been banned off Twitch. The decision was made on Saturday night, following Ross' recent non-exclusive move over to Kick, one of Twitch's streaming competitors, though whether that played a part in this decision is still not known.

* This article was originally published here

* This article was originally published here

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TikTok Announces New Brand Safety and Suitability Partners

The new partners will provide assurance on ad placement in the app.

* This article was originally published here

* This article was originally published here

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Testing 1, 2, 3

Testing, 1, 2, 3 Your normal supplier is out of the ingredient you need, so you order the ingredient from another supplier. You have an order to fill for a wholesale account and are in a hurry, so instead of testing the ingredient, you launch right into the large batch. The result is a product …

* This article was originally published here

* This article was originally published here

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Ukrainians Recite ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ Lyrics in UK Donation Drive

To mark the one-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine, the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has released a film featuring Ukrainians still living in their country reciting the lyrics to the song of hope "You'll Never Walk Alone." The DEC brings together 15 aid charities from the U.K. to raise funds in times of crisis....

* This article was originally published here

* This article was originally published here

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How to turn on Quiet Mode on Instagram

At times, abstaining from social media can pose a challenge since it is how most of us stay connected with acquaintances, loved ones, and admirers. However, when you need to concentrate or unwind, Instagram's Quiet Mode can come in handy by halting notifications and messages. Discover the steps to enable Quiet Mode on Instagram and grant yourself a respite from alerts.

* This article was originally published here

* This article was originally published here

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Dwight Howard Ejected After Taiwanese Basketball Teams Participate in Brawl

There probably hasn’t been much excitement for former NBA player, Dwight Howard since he left the NBA and is now playing on a professional team in Taiwan. That has recently changed.

According to CBS News, Howard was playing in a game that was interrupted by a fight that turned into an outright brawl over the weekend. Although it appears that he was not directly involved in the fisticuffs, the former Los Angeles Lakers player was ejected along with a total of 11 other players from both teams.

On Sunday, the team that Howard plays on, the Taoyuan Leopards in Taiwan’s T1 League was playing against the Taiwan Beer HeroBears. During the course of the game, while the Leopards’ Chen Hsiao-Jung was handling the basketball, the player elbowed his opponent, Chiang Yu-An of the HeroBears which started the altercation.

After Yu-An reacted to the hit by attacking Hsiao-Jung, the other players on the basketball court went to intervene and in the process, a coach with the HeroBears went after Hsiao-Jung setting off the brawl that involved multiple players from both teams.

The game was delayed for over 20 minutes. During this time, according to the New York Post, the referees reviewed video footage of the incident and tossed 12 players, five from the HeroBears, and the remaining seven playing for the Leopards.

The video below reveals that Howard was not directly involved in the fight, yet the officials ejected him along with players who were seen participating in the brawl. Howard’s stats for the game were a very respectable 28 points and 14 rebounds.

Although the former Orlando Magic player did not finish the contest, his team won the game, 120-108. The victory upped the record of the Leopards to 4-11. That places them in last place in a league that has six teams.

Howard is also playing extremely well as he is averaging 24.4 points, 14.1 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game.

The New York Post reported that this a brand new league as it just started in 2021.

* This article was originally published here

* This article was originally published here

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IPG Mediabrands Wins GEICO’s $1.4B Media Review

IPG's Mediabrands won Geico's business following a competitive review that began last fall and concluded this week. The account is worth more than a billion dollars. By COMvergence's estimates, it spent $1.38 billion last year on measured media. Of that, Geico funneled $827 million into offline spend, including TV. It spent $553 million on digital...

* This article was originally published here

* This article was originally published here

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The 17 Best Checked Luggage of 2023

About a decade ago, I purchased my first “real” luggage for weekend trips and school breaks. I did approximately zero research before impulsively picking out a cheap, hardside checked bag and matching carry-on suitcase. I couldn’t wait to use them. Finally, I could shed my ratty backpack and walk confidently through the airport, roller wheels […]

* This article was originally published here

* This article was originally published here

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Cathay Pacific collaborates with Duddell’s on new inflight menu

The partnership will see new Cantonese dishes available for premium passengers

* This article was originally published here

* This article was originally published here

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How De-Fi is Changing the Financial Landscape

DeFi has the potential to modify the structure of financial systems at a macroeconomic level and may have a significant impact on how banks do business in the future. DeFi refers to the concept of a system that uses self-executing contracts to carry out trades without the aid of middlemen such as banks, insurers, or clearinghouses. The power of smart contracts entirely powers it. DeFi apps universally and transparently fulfill the duty of traditional finance.

How has De-Fi Changed the Following Financial Institutions 1. Commercial Banks 

The emergence of Decentralized Finance (DeFi) has revolutionized the way people and businesses access and manage their financial services. 

DeFi is designed to offer a more efficient, cost-effective alternative to commercial banks’ services, such as lending, borrowing, and payment processing. With DEFI applications built on top of public blockchains like Ethereum, users can access these services without going through a third-party bank or other centralized service providers. 

DeFi also provides greater access to features that allow users to trade assets 24/7 with low latency and comparatively low transaction costs. Additionally, DeFi enables users to borrow funds from peer-to-peer lenders at more competitive interest rates than what commercial banks offer.

As a result, commercial banks have had to rethink their core offerings in order to remain competitive in the digital age.

2. Investment Banks and Issuers of Financial Instruments

The business activities of investment banks generally involve the offering of investment advice and related regulatory services. The trading or creation of complex financial products and management of assets also belong to the investment banking industry. Similar products are available through DeFi protocols. 

Synthetix, for example, is a derivative issuance protocol that permits the decentralized generation and trading of derivatives on assets such as equities, currencies, and commodities. Decentralized asset management for various cryptos is constantly emerging. Another example supporting this is Yearn Finance, an autonomous protocol that looks for the best yields in the DeFi sector while also investing for its consumers.

3. Exchanges

DeFi is transforming traditional exchanges, both in terms of the services they offer and how they operate. 

Exchanges can now provide decentralized trading solutions with improved security, liquidity, and access to different markets that were previously unavailable. This allows traders to take advantage of a broader range of investment opportunities while also enjoying lower transaction costs due to reduced middlemen fees. 

Additionally, DeFi-enabled exchanges are often more secure since assets are held on chain rather than in custodial accounts held by third parties, which reduces counterparty risk. Furthermore, users benefit from increased transparency in the order books, which helps them make better-informed decisions when trading assets or executing transactions.

4. Insurances

The most important function of insurance coverage is to bring stability and security to marketplace participants. One example of decentralized insurance is Nexus Mutual. This insurance is designed to protect users from critical bugs in smart contracts. The decentralization of smart contracts all-encompassing in DeFi particularly opens the door to a high degree of risk exposure for customers. Decentralized insurances are currently in the early stages of development. In the DeFi market, larger and more complex insurance models are expected to develop.

Use Cases And Their Impact On Organizational Structure  1. DAO

One of the main structures emerging from DeFi is the decentralized autonomous organization (DAO). A DAO is a self-governed organization comprised of members that have chosen to decentralize their decision-making process and consensus-building. It utilizes smart contracts to facilitate these decisions viz. with managing their treasuries linked with a project and providing transparency and trust between its members.

By using DAOs, organizations can leverage their resources more effectively by removing traditional intermediaries such as lawyers or accountants and instead relying on automated systems based on preprogrammed rules and incentives for those taking part in it.

2. Automated Workflows

The emergence of decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols has opened up new possibilities for how organizations manage their operations, allowing them to automate workflows in ways that were never before possible. Organizations can now use DeFi solutions such as smart contracts and automated market makers (AMMs) to facilitate efficient automation of processes like payrolls, payments processing, auditing, accounting, compliance management, and more. By using these technologies to automate tasks that would normally require manual labor or extensive administrative overhead, companies can save time and money while also increasing efficiency within their operations.

3. Streamlined Accounting

Using blockchain technology, DeFi can provide organizations with an automated accounting system that is highly secure and efficient. This eliminates manual entry errors, reduces operational costs, and improves accuracy – all while reducing reliance on third-party services. Furthermore, the distributed ledger technology provided by DeFi allows companies to keep track of their finances in real time, giving them greater visibility into financial trends and insights into their businesses.

4. KYC Procedures

DeFi has also had a significant impact on KYC procedures. These processes are generally slow and manual in the traditional banking system, requiring clients to provide a substantial quantity of personal information to firms in order to comply with anti-money laundering (AML) and countering-the-financing-of-terrorism (CFT) requirements. DeFi protocols, on the other hand, have offered new methods of identity verification that are both quick and efficient. As a result, the time and resources required to complete KYC processes have been decreased, allowing finance departments to focus on other duties.

Final Thoughts

The DeFi revolution has changed how organizations function, pushing finance departments worldwide to adopt new methods in order to remain competitive. DeFi’s influence on the world of finance will only grow in importance as it grows in popularity. Businesses have a fantastic opportunity to capitalize on the DeFi revolution and earn a competitive advantage.

The post How De-Fi is Changing the Financial Landscape appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

* This article was originally published here

* This article was originally published here

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How to Do Into the Deep in Warzone 2 DMZ

In the first season of DMZ, you get to chase Weapons Cases, eliminate enemy squads, solve Building 21, and more.

The path to the season 2 update contains new locations, a refresh and reset, and a new faction.

Ashika Island is a brand-new Exclusion Zone where players will invade the shores before making their way inland.

The occupying force, Shadow Company, and operators are concealed under heavy fog.

In season 1, Building 21 has an access card and a timed infiltration window.

Operators will return to Building 21 in season 2 and if you need access cards, you need to look for them in Al Mazrah of Ashika Island.

The update also includes developments to Al Mazrah with updated intel.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to complete the Into the Deep mission (Legion) in Call of Duty: Warzone 2 DMZ.

How to do Into the Deep in Warzone 2 DMZ

To do the Into the Deep mission in Warzone 2 DMZ, you need to kill 8 enemies while swimming in Ashika Island.

You also need to kill 4 enemies while underwater in Al Mazrah.

1. Kill 8 enemies while swimming in Ashika Island
2. Kill 4 enemies while underwater in Al Mazrah

1. Kill 8 enemies while swimming in Ashika Island

Screenshots: TroubleChuteBasics

How to kill 8 enemies while swimming in Ashika Island (expand the screenshots above):

• Go to the canal in Port Ashika.
• While swimming in the canal, kill 8 enemies.

2. Kill 4 enemies while underwater in Al Mazrah

Screenshots: TroubleChuteBasics

How to kill 4 enemies while underwater in Al Mazrah (expand the screenshots above):

• Go to Sarrif Bay in Al Mazrah.
• Dive underwater and kill 4 enemies with a pistol.

Further reading

How to Do Health Conscious in Warzone 2 DMZ

How to Do Hideout Preparation in Warzone 2 DMZ

How to Do Muddy Waters in Warzone 2 DMZ

The post How to Do Into the Deep in Warzone 2 DMZ appeared first on Followchain.

* This article was originally published here

* This article was originally published here

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How to write an effective SEO job description

Do you know what makes an SEO eager to apply for an open position and what makes them click “back” quicker than a guest posting request email?

I do. I’ve been reviewing thousands of job descriptions for open SEO positions for almost a year now. Some were bad, many were OK but few were great.

Today, we take the first step in addressing all the above. No more excuses for subpar job descriptions. You’ll learn how to match great candidates with great companies.

5 of the biggest mistakes SEO job descriptions contain

Do you know why people view your description and choose not to apply? You might be surprised at what turns potential applications off before talking to them. 

Below are a few items that SEO professionals dislike about job descriptions based on my Linkedin and Twitter polls that received more than 500 responses.

1. Lack of salary transparency

We get it, not every company can pay the top of the market. However, not posting a salary range and hoping you can get applicants in your interview process with promises of “we have a family culture” and “we have beer on tap” isn’t going to work anymore.

Pay transparency has upsides beyond compliance. Up to 91% of job seekers said that including salary ranges in a job post affect their decision to apply, according to a recent LinkedIn survey.

Share your salary range regardless what it is. If you know your not competitive than you can further leverage the rest of the description to explain why applicants should still consider you. 

While we all have to pay our bills, many applicants are interested in the total compensation package including benefits.

Word of advice

Putting a salary range that is extremely vague may end up being worse than putting no salary range at all.

Your first impression with your applicants shouldn’t be simply meeting legal requirements (if required in your state).

2. Lack of remote working flexibility

SEOs spend most of their day behind a computer screen.

If there was any benefit to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was realizing that in most instances, a remote work culture can be just as effective as in-office working. This is especially true for SEO roles.

Word of advice

Flexible working arrangements are quickly becoming an expectation and I’ve talked to many SEOs who would even take a lower salary for this benefit.

If you cannot offer a remote working arrangement, consider how you make up for this in other areas of compensation.

3. Off-putting terminology

Are you even an SEO if you aren’t called an “expert,” “guru,” “ninja,” “pro” or “rockstar”? 

Please, let’s stop using these. 

There are so many ways to articulate the required skillsets for all roles ranging from entry-level position all the way of to VP of SEO.

Word of advice

Are you aware that terminology such as this can be considered gendered language?

4. Educational requirements

No higher education institution offers a dedicated degree in search engine optimization. 

Setting the expectation that your future SEO needs both an undergraduate and graduate degree will severely limit your pool of applicants.

Those who do meet all your higher educational requirements are likely to demand top compensation.

Word of advice

Reconsider your education requirements in favor of real-life and proven SEO experience.

Focus on testing your applicants’ SEO knowledge similar to how you would any other technical role.

4. Multi-channel skillset requirement (vs. nice-to-have)

You’ve removed the requirement for having a masters degree in astrophysics for your open SEO role, that’s a great step forward. 

Now, we need to address that your SEO job position requires individuals to not only be efficient in search engine optimization but also equally experienced in paid advertising, affiliate marketing, email marketing, social media, and at least a bronze medal in ice skating from the last Winters Olympics.

Does having multi-channel marketing experience provide you some benefits when it comes to the organic search channel? Sure! 

But these are skills that should be sussed out during the interview process and help differentiate a good from great candidate.

Word of advice

Mentioning that additional consideration will be given to candidates with multi-channel marketing experience will likely increase your applicants.

Making it a requirement will only reduce the number of applicants that may otherwise be fully qualified for the role.

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See terms.

Reviewing a world-class SEO job description

In the thousands of SEO job descriptions we've reviewed, one job description from the Upgrow team continues to stand out to me. 

I've kept the job listing live (despite no longer needing to be filled) simply so I can share with people looking for a great example.

First and foremost, let's check to see if this job description passes the "cringe test" (everything we outlined above to avoid):

Base salary transparency.
Remote working opportunity.
Clear experience and education expectations.
Prioritizes SEO channel, but upside for T-shape marketers.
Minus one point for use of "wizard warrior." (We're not all perfect!)

What makes this job description special?

There are several components within this job description that go beyond that of a standard job listing.

You'll see why adding just a few of these extras can make a difference in making your SEO description stand out from the competition.

Team hierarchy

Wouldn't it be great to understand exactly where a "Sr. Manager" position at this company sits within its hierarchy?  

This job listing not only explains what's expected of this role but how it works within the ~five different roles within the company.

Is this role a good fit for me?

Imagine if you could avoid multiple rounds of interviews to find out a component of the job simply isn't a good fit? 

This job description outlines qualities of individuals who find working at this company awesome and some that may make this not the right fit.

A transparent hiring process

If you are like most people, you've been through hiring processes that are a single interview and an offer/no offer. On the flip side you may have gone through 4-5+ interviews to receive an offer/no offer. 

This job listing goes the extra mile in outlining the complete hiring process starting with the online application all the way through to the job offer/onboarding process.

Let's help everyone win

Job descriptions aren't easy to write but neither is finding a new job. 

Taking the time to articulate what the position requires but is transparent with expectations and company goals, that it will only make it easier to hire.

Look at Search Engine Land's weekly post on "The latest jobs in search marketing" for more examples of search marketing job listings or if you want to submit your own. 

The post How to write an effective SEO job description appeared first on Search Engine Land.

* This article was originally published here

* This article was originally published here

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