Poker is a game of extreme variance. Professional poker players can go stretches without winning or placing at a level that earns any cash. The wins, however, can make up for the droughts with players earning thousands to millions of dollars depending on the game or tournament entered. Considering poker is an inconsistent sport, players look to offset the risk involved. This is done through staking, where an “investor” will pay a player’s way through tournaments for a piece of the action.
Category Archives: Business
Analysis: Can ‘Restoration Hardware – RH’ Become A Global Luxury Brand?
COVID-19 has dealt a harsh blow to countless retailers, many of which were already struggling. However, RH, formerly Restoration Hardware, is doing rather well. The company’s stock price had cratered in March 2020 and struggled in early April, as forced lockdowns endangered retail. But by December 2020, shares had rebounded and risen more than 110 percent since the beginning of the year. RH is now ambitiously trying to turn it into a global luxury brand providing an array of services.
Media Streaming: ‘How Disney+ Quickly Became A Top-Tier Player’ (WSJ)
The launch of Disney+ has brought a bit of magic to a company whose stock had taken a nosedive after the coronavirus shut down theme parks and movie theaters. WSJ explains how Disney’s streaming platform has become a top competitor in an already crowded field. Photo illustration: Jacob Reynolds/WSJ
Business Analysis: ‘Work From Home’ & The Rise Of Williams Sonoma (Video)
In the midst of the pandemic, Williams-Sonoma has stood out as a company, its stock price reaching a new all-time high in January 2021, despite many businesses declining. Paired with its strength in e-commerce, the company’s ongoing success is due in large part to consumers staying at home more than ever before. Still, the company faces potential headwinds as the shift to online shopping impacts home furnishing sales and rivals like online furniture retailer Wayfair increase their market share. As a retailer known for its brick-and-mortar locations, can the brand keep up its success?
Analysis: The Rise & Fall Of E-Cigarette Maker ‘Juul’
In 2017, Juul catapulted to the top of the e-cigarette market. But the company’s valuation has fallen just as quickly, as a series of crises have led to hundreds of lawsuits alleging that the company marketed its products to teens. Photo Illustration: Jacob Reynolds/WSJ
Analysis: ‘Can Prefab Homes Fix U.s. Affordable Housing Crisis?’ (Video)
The affordable housing crisis in the United States continues to be a problem and it’s only getting worse. And in places like San Francisco, where construction costs are some of the highest in the world, overcoming the housing shortage seems impossible. However, one solution is gaining traction that could dramatically reduce the cost and time to build new housing – factory-built apartments.
Europe: An Economic History Of Iceland (Video)
Iceland’s Economy had a banking debt ten times larger than its GDP. Iceland was that one Economy which went left when everybody else went right. Whilst most thought the banks were too big to fail, Iceland thought they were too big to save. It let its largest banks go bankrupt and threw dozens of bankers in jail. And yet despite its unusual approach, its Economy recovered. Going on to enjoy a decade of unbroken economic growth and high standard of living. But why did an island just outside the arctic circle have a financial crisis? What strategies did it deploy to rack up such monumental debts? How did it recover? And does its future rely on impressive tourist growth and crypto currencies?
Travel & Culture: ‘Chá Gorreana’ Tea Plantation, The Azores, Portugal
There are few parts of Europe that produce tea. The Azores, a Portuguese archipelago, are one of them. Here, tea is cultivated and processed without the use of chemicals. Chá Gorreana, located on the largest of the islands, is Europe’s oldest tea plantation. The family-run business has been producing black and green tea since 1883. DW reporter Hendrik Welling visited the plantation to learn about the fine art of producing Azores tea.
Analysis: The Size And Scope Of ‘Google’ (video)
No other tech firm in history has managed to infiltrate and influence daily life to the same insane extent as search giant Google. The Californian company’s impact on how we work, play, and settle drunken arguments is so well documented it more or less goes without saying. What’s perhaps less well understood is just how vast the company has grown, since deciding it wasn’t satisfied simply being everybody’s omniscient online know-it-all. So today we’re on the search for just what this modern-day behemoth actually does and asking the question – how big is Google?
Analysis: ‘Why Big Tech Companies Are Leaving California’ (CNBC Video)
As Oracle, Palantir and Hewlett-Packard Enterprise move their headquarters out of California and Elon Musk moves to Texas, California is considering raising taxes on the wealthy to unprecedented levels. Experts say California needs to find more ways to reverse the trend.