By Amanpreet Singh <p> New Delhi, Apr 14 () India's tennis players -- both current and former -- are not just counting financial losses as they cope with the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p> What worries them equally is the time lost and a future which is hazy right now.</p><p> The closure of the Pro Tour means that doubles exponent Purav Raja is set to lose at least USD 50,000 in this lockdown period, according to his own assessment.</p><p> Prajnesh Gunneswaran, Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Divij Sharan can't exactly tell how much they would lose but considering the fact that they are consistently in contention to be in Grand Slam main draws, the massive financial hit is not difficult to assess.</p><p> Former Davis Cup captain and one of the greatest Indian tennis players Mahesh Bhupathi says the need of the hour is to "keep the ecosystem alive". </p><p> "It has to be kept alive. The players, coaches, markers even ball boys in clubs. Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and FFT (French Tennis Federation) have announced packages but they have lots of money," Bhupathi told .</p><p> This is exactly what Davis Cup coach Zeeshan Ali, Fed Cup captain Vishal Uppal and another India coach Ashutosh Singh are doing.</p><p> They all run academies and have not stopped the salaries of their respective coaches, taking a hit that runs into lakhs. There are 3827 certified coaches in India and around 10,000 Assistant coaches. There would be thousands others who are not registered with AITA but attached with at least 2000 academies across the country.</p><p> "Your values reflect in crisis. We are tennis servants. We have been associated with the game for so long. Definitely, it's a hit that we are taking but you can't ditch people who have been loyal to you," said Ashutosh, who runs a private academy at DLTA. </p><p> Ashutosh has five coaches and has committed to pay their salary without any cut.</p><p> Similarly, Zeeshan who runs an academy in Bengaluru with a staff of 12, has been paying salaries to his coaches, </p><p> "We are not in a industry where we can work from home and earn. We have outstation coaches and we gave them the option to go back if they wanted. We are paying them and hope to continue to pay them but can we afford to pay them indefinitely?," he asked.</p><p> Uppal, who has a staff of 14, pays about Rs 4.5 lakh a month in salaries. He says they have not stopped payments but fears once the lockdown is over, parents may not send all the kids back. </p><p> "We have to see how many players comeback. Sports is still largely a recreational activity in India. It's not a necessity. They won't stop paying school fee but sports is extra-curricular activity. In case there are job losses, sport will suffer," he warns.</p><p> Uppal said the government needs to take some drastic steps to revive tennis and other sports in the country.</p><p> "There will be economic chaos. The government has to abolish GST on sports and bring it under education. We are also imparting knowledge. There is 18 percent GST on on academies, it's unfair." </p><p> The players feel the national federation now must stand up to offer support.</p><p> "The long shutdown will definitely impact all of us. We have a limited career span as a sportsperson, so this break definitely takes away from that. A lot of the national federations have pledged support to their players," Divij Sharan told  from England. </p><p> "AITA has said it will formulate a plan to support the Indian players. We will all be waiting to hear more about this and hope it can alleviate some of the financial pressure that the players are facing."</p><p> Prajnesh said no travel means no cost to players but there are other expenditures involved.</p><p> "It definitely has financial impact for the players. Especially the ones who have constant expenses for example an annual commitment for coaching etc. Most players outside of 150 in India are spending money and not making money. Since most players in India are outside that ranking, they really aren't spending any more than they did before the lockdown." </p><p> "The main downside in my opinion is that players lose time, so one cannot improve and get to a place where tennis helps them earn a living."</p><p> Jeevan Nedunchehiyan said the way forward is forming a players' council which works in tandem with AITA. </p><p> "With the ATP tour on hold I won't be making any income until we can compete again which is why I think it would be great for the players to step up , create a players' council which works with AITA to better the Indian tour," he said.</p><p> India's top woman singles player Ankita Raina says AITA's role starts only once some normalcy resumes.</p><p> "I think they should start region wise prize money national ranking tournaments. This will be an opportunity for strengthening our national circuit and it will cut down travel, at the same time keep players in match zone. </p> "Plan for next year to conduct more international level tournaments in India so that Indians are in a position to earn more since travel and other expenses will be lesser in India than abroad," she said.  AT PM  PM

Not just money, we are losing time too: Indian tennis players talk about COVID-19 fallout

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<br /> <keyword id="188" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diwali">Diwali</keyword> is just round the corner and excitement for the festival of lights has started building in. Diwali melas, cards parties, shopping, colourful lights, etc are taking the festive fervour higher.<br />
<br /> As India is excited for Diwali, Singapore also seems to be excited and is soaking itself in the Indian <keyword id="36208" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="festive-season">festive season</keyword>. Yes, this Diwali, Singaporeans are also going to celebrate the festival of lights in the same grandeur and enthusiasm and the preparations have already begun.<br />
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In a first-of-its kind initiative, The Land Transport Authority in Singapore has launched Diwali-themed trains.<br />
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The trains are decked up with colourful pictures, banners reading ‘Happy Deepawali’, elegant elements such as lotus and peacock, etc.<br />
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You must see the Little India station, which is brightly lit, keeping Diwali theme in mind. The authority has decorated North East Line and Downtown Line platforms as well.<br />
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Here’s what the trains and platforms look like<br />
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(Images: LTA Singapore Facebook page)<br />



Singapore’s
Diwali-themed trains are nothing like you’ve seen before. Take a look

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a253795f914c351018b794f-1199/princess charlotte kate middleton ap star max ipx.jpg" alt="princess charlotte kate middleton ap Star Max IPx" data-mce-source="AP/Star Max/IPx" /><p class="source"><span>AP/Star Max/IPx</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul><li><strong>Princess Charlotte is reportedly a keen tennis player.</strong></li><li><strong>The two-year-old royal has been taking tennis lessons at The Hurlingham Club in south-west London.</strong></li><li><strong>Other members of the exclusive club are reportedly unhappy, as the young royal and her parents are not members of the club.</strong></li></ul><hr /><p><br />Princess Charlotte has started taking tennis lessons - and is a complete natural, <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/uncategorized/5054523/princess-charlotte-natural-tennis-player/">according to the Sun</a>.</p><p>The two-year-old royal - who has yet to start nursery - reportedly started taking tennis lessons at <a href="https://www.hurlinghamclub.org.uk/">the prestigious and exclusive Hurlingham Club in Fulham, London</a> earlier this year.</p><p>A source close to the family told the Sun: "She might not be three until May but [parents, William and Kate] were convinced she'd love it and so far she has. She seems a bit of a natural."</p><p>With her mother, the Duchess of Cambridge, being a tennis fan and current patron of the <a href="https://www.lta.org.uk/">London Tennis Association</a> - the governing body of tennis in Great Britain - it should come as no surprise that the princess took to the sport easily.</p><p>Charlotte's paternal grandmother, the Queen, has also previously spoken in public about her love of the sport and was also the patron of the LTA before Kate took over.</p><p>But some members of the club, which prides itself on its traditions, reportedly aren't too happy that the princess has been allowed to use the facilities.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img style="color: #000000;" src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a252b833dbef48a6a8b94f9-1044/hurlingham club flickr herry lawford.jpg" alt="hurlingham club flickr herry lawford" data-mce-source="Flickr/Herry Lawford" data-mce-caption="One of The Hurlingham Club's many sports lawns." data-link="https://www.flickr.com/photos/herry/6059946934/" /><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/herry/6059946934/">Flickr/Herry Lawford</a></span></p><p class="caption">One of The Hurlingham Club's many sports lawns.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p><a href="https://www.hurlinghamclub.org.uk/visitors/sports/">The club's rules state</a> that the sports facilities are only open to members and those directly invited by members to join them. Since Charlotte's parents aren't members, some of the club's other guests are reportedly kicking up a fuss.</p><p>"Unfortunately some patrons feel Charlotte shouldn't be allowed to play there," a source told the Sun.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img style="color: #000000;" src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a252bd93dbef4a7748b9542-1040/hurlingham club croquet flickr herry lawford.jpg" alt="hurlingham club croquet flickr herry lawford" data-mce-source="Flickr/Herry Lawford" data-mce-caption="A croquet lawn on The Hurlingham Club's estate." data-link="https://www.flickr.com/photos/herry/6059372283/" /><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/herry/6059372283/">Flickr/Herry Lawford</a></span></p><p class="caption">A croquet lawn on The Hurlingham Club's estate.</p></div><p></p></div></div>But it isn't a simple as William and Kate applying for membership - the waiting list for even being considered is long and closed for the time being, anyway.</p><p>"Club rules are usually very rigid and they don't see why exceptions should be made, even if they happen to be royal," the source added.</p><p>Kensington Palace declined to comment when contacted by Business Insider.</p><p>Members or not, it's easy to see why the exclusive Hurlingham Club has attracted the royals.</p><p><strong>The club's estate boasts perfectly lavish dining rooms, manicured grounds, wandering peacocks, and a clubhouse with plenty of sports facilities including croquet, bowls, cricket, outdoor swimming, and tennis.</strong></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img style="color: #000000;" src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a252c3b3dbef4ae078b9b7f-1200/hurlingham club inside flickr herry lawford.jpg" alt="hurlingham club inside flickr herry lawford" data-mce-source="Flickr/Herry Lawford" data-mce-caption="The members club, which was founded in 1829, prides itself on its exclusive rules and traditions." /><p class="source"><span>Flickr/Herry Lawford</span></p><p class="caption">The members club, which was founded in 1829, prides itself on its exclusive rules and traditions.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p><strong>The stunning club identifies itself as "a green oasis of tradition and international renown," according to its website.</strong></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img style="color: #000000;" src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a2530c83dbef484008b9d00-1200/conservatory flickr herry lawford.jpg" alt="conservatory flickr herry lawford" data-mce-source="Flickr/Herry Lawford" data-mce-caption="Perfectly manicured sports lawns, colourful flowerbeds, and hidden away corners for relaxing -including this flower-filled conservatory - all contribute to The Hurlingham Club's &amp;quotgreen oasis." data-link="https://www.flickr.com/photos/herry/6059966750/" /><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/herry/6059966750/">Flickr/Herry Lawford</a></span></p><p class="caption">Perfectly manicured sports lawns, colourful flowerbeds, and hidden away corners for relaxing -including this flower-filled conservatory - all contribute to The Hurlingham Club's "green oasis.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>"Recognised throughout the world as one of Britain's greatest private members' clubs, it retains its quintessentially English traditions and heritage," the club's website added - making it the perfect backdrop for royal P.E. lessons.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cryptocurrency-value-explained-by-crypto-hedge-fund-cio-ari-paul-2017-11">The CIO of a crypto hedge fund explains the value in cryptocurrency - and why the market will explode over the next 2 years</a></h3>        <div>            <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/eUIMbufw-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script>        </div>    </div>

Inside the lavish private members' club where 2-year-old Princess Charlotte is reportedly taking tennis lessons - despite not being a member

<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/565628b0c28144ba018b59b9-2400/rtx1tuou.jpg" alt="Sergey Brin" /><p class="source"><span>Yudhi Mahatma/Antara Foto/Reuters</span></p><p class="caption">Sergey Brin</p>More details are leaking about Google co-founder <span>Sergey Brin's secret quest to build a giant airship.</span><p><span><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-04-25/with-secret-airship-sergey-brin-also-wants-to-fly">Bloomberg broke the news</a> last month that Brin was working on a secret blimp project at Moffett Field. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/lta-research-and-exploration-llc-is-likely-the-name-of-sergey-brins-blimp-project-2017-4">Business Insider subsequently reported</a> that Brin's company was called LTA Research &amp; Exploration and that it has been leasing space from Google parent company Alphabet. </span></p><p><span>Now anonymous sources tell The Guardian that the ship is being personally funded by Brin at an estimated cost of over $100 million. The blimp is expected to be massive in both scale and grandeur - something like 200 meters long. That's not as big as the famously unfortunate Hindenburg, <a href="http://www.airships.net/hindenburg/size-speed/">which was 245 meters</a>. But some say it would be among the biggest aircraft flying the skies today, and possibly the biggest.</span></p><p><span>These sources expect that Brin plans to use it to bring humanitarian food and supplies to the far corners of the world. And they also expect him to use it as luxurious "air yacht" for the billionaire and his family and friends to enjoy, according to the report.</span></p><p><span>Brin declined common on the original Bloomberg story, nor did he comment on the Guardian story and Alphabet declined comment to Business Insider as well.</span></p><p><span></span></p><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/52e2c08569bedd766bf141c7-1988/raytheon-jlens-blimp-security.jpg" alt="raytheon jlens blimp security" /><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.raytheon.com/capabilities/products/jlens/">Raytheon</a></span></p>Brin is said to be fascinated with air travel. The unit he oversees at Google's parent company Alphabet is working on all kinds of aircraft, including balloon type crafts. Brin is the executive champion of the unit formerly called Google X, now calling itself simply X.<p><span>Earlier this week, the unit gave updates on several of its projects including </span><span>Project Loon, which delivers internet connectivity to remote regions using balloons.<a href="https://blog.x.company/helping-out-in-peru-9e5a84839fd2"> Loon is being</a> used by tens of thousands of people in flood-affected zones in Peru, X says. That's the first time that balloon-powered internet has been used to connect so many people.</span></p><p><span>X also has a project called Makani that's trying to generate electricity from an energy kite. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=An8vtD1FDqs&amp;feature=youtu.be">Earlier this month</a>, it had a successful prototype test of the kite, which X says is the largest ever of its kind at 600 kilowatts. </span></p><p><span>And then there's Project Wing, the unit's drone delivery project. Although we've reported on this project's troubles and set-backs, it was also called out as a project to watch by Alphabet CEO Larry Page in his annual <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/read-alphabet-ceo-larry-page-2016-letter-to-shareholders-2017-4">letter to shareholders in April.</a></span></p><p><span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ex-military-contractor-google-x-employee-collapsed-on-the-job-2017-3">As we previously reported,</a> Brin is actively involved at X and even has his own desk installed in some of the projects, like Wing. So, when it comes to objects that fly, Brin just can't seem to get enough.</span></p>            <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/henry-blodget-bitcoin-could-go-to-one-million-zero-2017-5">HENRY BLODGET: Bitcoin could go to $1 million (or fall to $0)</a></h3>                                    Please enable Javascript to watch this video                    

Sergey Brin's secret blimp will be a luxury 'air yacht' and be used to deliver humanitarian aid, report says

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/582f5dd9e02ba738018b5510-2400/gettyimages-540065070.jpg" alt="tennis fall" data-mce-source="Steve Bardens/Getty Images for LTA" data-mce-caption="Barbara Strycova of Czech Republic falls over as she attempts to play a forehand during her women's singles first round match against Lucie Safarova of Czech Republic on day two of the WTA Aegon Classic at Edgbaston Priory Club on June 14, 2016 in Birmingham, England." /><p class="source"><span>Steve Bardens/Getty Images for LTA</span></p><p class="caption">Barbara Strycova of Czech Republic falls over as she attempts to play a forehand.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>From the time that we're young until the end of our lives, we're most likely to injure ourselves while engaged in sports or recreational activities in a simple way.</p><p>We fall down.</p><p>That's one of the main takeaways from a <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr099.pdf">newly released CDC study</a> that documents sports- and recreation-related injuries. Every year, there are about 8.6 million of these injuries requiring medical attention in the US. About half are treated at doctor's offices or clinics instead of emergency rooms or hospitals.</p><p>More than a quarter of those injuries, 27.9%, are caused by falls. Other common injury causes include overexertion, "being struck by or against a person or object," and injuries sustained in transportation related to sports or recreation. These are each responsible for somewhere between 12% and 17% of sports injuries.</p><p>The most common actual injuries are strains or sprains (41%), broken bones (20%), and bruises or superficial injuries (19%). Brain injuries like concussions represent only about 4.5% of the total.</p><p>What's perhaps most interesting about the study is the way that the breakdown of injuries by age and gender tells the common stories of our lives.</p><p>Kids ages 5-14 are most likely to hurt themselves on a playground or engaged in "general exercise," the sort of running around you might imagine for young kids. For ages 15-24, when many of us are in high school and college, team sports become common - this is where you see basketball, soccer, and football injuries make their main appearance, especially for males. After age 25, those sports become less common and people become more likely to hurt themselves generally working out, running, biking, or while engaged in water sports.</p><p>Injuries can be serious, especially for older people, but when you consider <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/exercise-benefits-brain-creativity-stress-2016-11">all the benefits of exercise</a>, the occasional sprain or strain is probably worth it. Just make sure to get anything treated if you get hurt so you can get moving again soon.</p>     <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/einstein-concept-space-time-theorist-brian-greene-science-physics-2016-11">Albert Einstein's famous space-time theory could just be a stepping stone to something much greater</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="RwdnJhNzE6K0g6HUlGk0UmseH8Z8NTTr" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'RwdnJhNzE6K0g6HUlGk0UmseH8Z8NTTr',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

These are the most common sports injuries

<ul><li>Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget for 2022-23 in Parliament on Tuesday.</li><li>This year's budget is indexed towards startups, MSMEs, infrastructure projects, rural revival, digital payment apps, telecom growth and affordable housing.</li><li>We reached out to digital, media and creative agencies to understand how the increased focus on digitalisation, sustainability, blockchain and push to MSME can impact the ad and marketing industry.</li></ul>Be it the introduction of a Digital University to make education accessible across the country or the proposed launch of a Digital currency by the Reserve Bank of India to the government’s focus on promoting digital payments and fintech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made it is clear that digital is the way forward. The Union Budget 2022-23 aims to boost the country's digital infrastructure and enable a cashless economy. <br /><br />The government also announced that it will set up an Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) promotion task force to give a push to the animation and gaming industry. <br /><br />To facilitate the roll-out of 5G mobile services in India, FM Sitharaman said that Spectrum auctions will be conducted in 2022. This, in turn, will give impetus to Voice, Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality and pave the way for the Metaverse. The Digital Rupee using blockchain will help Indians accept virtual currency and accelerate cryptocurrency exchange in India. Overall, the budget also shows a promise for Electric Vehicle brands, digital payment apps, MSMEs, gaming industry and start-ups. <br /><br />We reached out to digital, media and creative agencies to understand how the increased focus on digitalisation, sustainability and blockchain can impact the advertising and marketing industry. Here’s what they said:<br /><br /><strong>Anupriya Acharya, South Asia CEO, Publicis Groupe:</strong><br /><br />The Budget is positive, growth-oriented and with reforms in the right direction.<br /><br />The advent of 5G is sure to transform communications – for our industry it will help creation of better AV, voice and AR/VR experiences. It will also fuel digital payments, streaming entertainment, gaming, e-commerce, tele-medicine etc which in turn will aid more Unicorns! It is also heartening to note that a special Task Force is being set up for AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comic) as this will help us build the much needed capacity both for domestic as well as global markets. And then there have been no changes in income-tax slabs for people, which many consumer segments were worried about. This in turn boosts consumer sentiment. From e-passports, to battery swapping for electric vehicles, setting up of optic fiber in the remotest of villages, setting up of a digital university and skilling through an e-portal, the big push is for technology, digital infrastructure and empowerment.<br /><br /><strong>Narayan Devanathan, Chief Client Officer, dentsu India:<br /></strong><br />Having gone through the 38-page document of the Finance Minister’s budget speech, I decided to do a search for a couple of words that I thought kept repeating throughout her speech. The words “will be” occurred 110 times in the entire speech. When I narrowed my search to the single word “will,” the number rose to 362.<br /><br />To me, those two words sum up the essence of what this year’s budget is and is not. What it is, is a future-focused budget, aiming at the distant vision of India@100, with a 25-year Amrit Kaal lead-up. What it is not, and what I felt was sorely needed this year of all years, is a present-focused budget.<br /><br />A punishing 2021 for the aam aadmi with more-than-usual expenditure on health and sustenance meant the general populace was looking for immediate relief that would place more cash in their household budgets. That did not happen. Nor was there any extraordinary investment in relieving the healthcare expenditure burden. For all the importance of farmers in upcoming poll-bound states, there was neither major sop nor stimulus given to back the importance of agriculture as a spine if not engine of the economy. Even the MSME sectors were only handed a slightly longer lease of life with the extension of the ECLGS, but there was no real move to stimulate consumption by placing more cash at consumers’ disposal, for example, extending LTA claims to restaurants (and not just accommodation).<br /><br />There is perhaps plenty for the industry to cheer about since it can afford to think about the future and a slightly longer term than just the here and now of survival. The stock market did cheer up even before the FM’s speech, but that only served to underscore the dichotomy between the real health of the population and the Minority of Haves. When the general population probably can’t afford to wait for the benefits of trickle-down economics to reach them in yet another trying year, the dreams and wheels of a consumer-driven economy might move slower than the industry might like, despite the many future-facing and progressive policies announced.<br /><br /><strong>Virat Tandon, Group CEO, MullenLowe Lintas Group:<br /></strong> <br />The union budget can be termed as consistent with the government's vision to reach the 5 trillion GDP mark by 2025-26. Hence, the strong focus on capex to boost infrastructure that connects and streamlines middle India and provides the engines of entrepreneurship across the length and breadth of the country. It also shows India's commitment to bring a digital first economy with the 5G rollout planned for next financial year, clarity on India's policy for cryptocurrency, data centres, EVs and our very own digital Rupee. Start-up culture will continue to flourish with the right policy framework. These investments and policies will generate jobs and go a long way in inclusive and sustainable growth for Bharat.<br /> <br /><strong>Anurag Bansal, COO &amp; CFO, DDB Mudra Group:</strong><br /><br />This Union Budget looks neutral, with no major changes in taxation. The launch of digital Rupee based on blockchain technology is a big move to bring in official cryptocurrency in India. New e-passports with embedded chips would definitely ease overseas travel. Managing the Fiscal deficit while pushing for growth and investments is a great balancing act taken on by the government. It will give a boost to capital investments and infrastructure development.<br /><br /><strong>Kartik Sharma - Group Chief Executive Officer – India, Omnicom Media Group:</strong><br /><br />With an impetus on holistic growth, developing infrastructure and job creation across sectors, the 2022 union budget shows promise with a focus on the big picture.<br /><br />Reviving economic growth in the post-pandemic environment has been a focus for this government and this progressive, digital-first, and development-oriented budget reflects that. Not only does it provide a boost to the MSME, agriculture and healthcare verticals, but also signals that investing in infrastructure today will connect India better tomorrow.<br /><br />With an increased focus on digitization, some of the standouts for me were that the budget recognized the current gaps and opportunities within the education sector, and is advancing towards uplifting India with the creation of a digital ecosystem - one that is focused on upskilling and creating more employment; aligned with the dynamic needs of today. It also aims to further strengthen communications in the rural sector and build upon the overall financialization of India. Furthermore, while the rollout of a 5G ecosystem will improve the quality of services, the launch of digital money, supported by blockchain, signals an increasing focus on transparency.<br /><br />With consistency in strategic direction and focus on propelling the MSME and start-up ecosystem, this is a welcoming budget for new-age businesses and a hopeful one that will ultimately lead to a boost in the A&amp;M industry as well. We're at the cusp of the next stage of India's digital revolution and although certain factors like data privacy still remain an area to be delved deeper into, as infrastructure and banking penetrate further into rural India, we’re looking hopeful and strong to transform into a forward-leaning digital economy of tomorrow.”<br /><br /><strong>Deepak Mittal, CEO and Co-Founder, TO THE NEW:</strong><br /><br />The government's unprecedented commitment to technology innovation and adoption in this union budget is highly encouraging. Breakthrough developments and futuristic technology such as the introduction of digital currency, the rollout of 5G within FY22-23, and e-passports using embedded chips are exciting for the country's future. Among the measures announced, the budget highlights special incentives to startups and the launch of a progressive, new portal encouraging a digital ecosystem for skilling and upskilling. These initiatives will serve as a successful catalyst for the country's economic growth.<br /><br /><strong>Atul Shrivastava, Group CEO &amp; Executive Director at Laqshya Media Group:</strong><br /><br />The union Budget underlined the government’s focus on long-term growth. As India’s economic growth is estimated to be 9.2% in the upcoming financial year so it would be good for all the industry and with overall growth, we are sure advertising &amp; media will also show remarkable growth which was low due to the pandemic in the last couple of years. As announced the National Highways to be expanded by 25,000 km under PM Gati Shakti mission. Highways are adding a new dimension to the growth of the OOH Industry as advertising on the Highways is emerging as very strong choice for brand building for many categories.<br /><br /><strong>Prasad Shejale, Founder and CEO, Logicserve Digital:</strong><br /><br />The FM has announced a very progressive budget with an intention to widen India's horizons and outlook in the next five years, leveraging emerging technologies. The Government has addressed some urgent priorities underpinning the digital sector, including the launch of digital currency, API-based skill credentials, digital learning channels, digitization of manual processes, etc.<br /><br />On the digital connectivity front, the 5G spectrum auctions will finally make the dream of a tech-savvy India a reality, further boosting the country's digital infrastructure. Additionally, the launch of a design-led manufacturing scheme for the 5G ecosystem as part of the PLI scheme will ensure affordable broadband and mobile communication even in far-flung areas. The availability of high-speed internet connectivity in urban as well as rural areas will encourage marketers to experiment with blockchain, AR, VR.<br /><br />On the skilling front, initiatives like establishing a digital university will provide an opportunity for youth to learn new skills from the comfort of their homes. The creation of a new task force to build domestic capacity in the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comic (AVGC) sector is commendable.<br /><br />The overall budget is future tech-enabled and balanced.<br /><br /> <strong>Ahmed Aftab Naqvi, Global CEO &amp; Co-founder, GOZOOP Group:</strong><br /><br />While there will always be hope for more and better, the continued push towards digital, fintech and the boost for start-up ecosystem with the extension of tax benefits till March 2023 along with capping the surcharge at 15% irrespective of the amount of long term capital gains, will fuel the fire of entrepreneurship in our nation.<br /><br /><strong>Varun Duggirala, Entrepreneur, Co-founder of The Glitch, Author, Content Creator and a Podcaster:</strong> <br /><br />The twin announcements of the digital rupee and the taxation on ‘virtual digital assets’ is clearly a focused drive from the government to regulate the crypto space. What needs to be seen is how this plays out because regulating a decentralized space is a paradox in itself. <br /><br />Another point that stood out for me was the national mental health program. More than anything else it signifies the normalizing of mental health as a legitimate area of focus for us as a nation.<br /><br /><strong>Shrenik Gandhi, CEO and Co-founder, White Rivers Media:</strong><br /><br />In my opinion, it is a fairly balanced budget. There is sufficient emphasis being laid on up-skilling, and making right investments in tech which is the need of the hour. The previous budget was more inclined towards setting up a strong foundation in the digital space, and this one is essentially focused on making further advancements.<br /><br />Besides, Digital Rupee being introduced is indeed, a great news across sectors and it will be exciting to finally watch it become a reality. It can prove to be a game-changer in India's future as transactions will become even more instantaneous. <br /><br />Speaking of the expected benefits, let’s not forget that this is India’s #Budget and not a Big Bazaar scheme announcement. So, the immediate benefit may not be seen right now but considering the long-term narrative, it is a fairly established budget.<br /><br /><strong>Sahil Chopra, Founder &amp; CEO- iCubesWire:</strong><br /><br />While the general trend of the <keyword id="12134566" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="union-budget-2022" source="Orion">union budget 2022</keyword> has its emphasis on ease of doing business, I strongly believe, data and digital occupied the centerpiece of the budget. The plans to focus and promote the fintech and digital economy are a very strong positive move. New age technologies, keeping data and digital at heart of it will allow the tech enablers to transform multiple industries. For MSMEs, the government has plans to outlay Rs 2 trillion which is again a welcoming move that will help in enhancing startups as well as entrepreneurial opportunities for all. Besides, extension on tax exemption to startups and promotion of startups to facilitate ‘Drone Shakti’ through varied applications and drones as a service is also encouraging. The ambitious optical fibre to the villages under PPP in 2022-23 shall get the next 100M in the Digital Universe soon. To sum up, it’s a positive budget for the digital sector which has always vouched for a strong digital infrastructure in the country."<br /><br /><strong>Chetan Asher, Founder and CEO, Tonic Worldwide:</strong><br /><br />The budget clearly will help the country march towards digital adoption and transformation in many sectors. With 5G rollout on the cards we will see an acceleration across the board. The digital rupee will put India right up on the map of advanced digital economies. Clarity on Digital assets and crypto will give it new impetus. All of these initiatives will help us emerge as leaders in adoption and growth of blockchain technology<br /><br /><strong>Ambika Sharma, Founder &amp; MD, Pulp Strategy:</strong><br /><br />The Budget is interesting as the Government has focused on all sectors. The financial support for the digital payments ecosystem is a welcome move and further reaffirms the Government of India's digital banking push. This push on digitization will make way for more inclusion in the ecosystem. The focus on 'Ease of doing business is a great step, as it will further promote entrepreneurship in the economy” . The 2022-23 budget finely balanced fiscal retreat with supporting economic recovery. The budget focused on a familiar strategy of driving capital expenditure to drive growth, to crowd in private investment through higher public spending. Although markets could be disappointed with a higher fiscal deficit of 6.4% of GDP for FY23 than expected, it is perhaps prudent to not undertake aggressive fiscal consolidation at this nascent stage of recovery. While elevated market borrowings are likely to pressurize bond yields, the inclusion of green bonds in the borrowing plan is an interesting innovation. In terms of specific policy announcements, the move towards self-reliance through protection for domestic manufacturers (change in custom and import duties) aligns with the long-term goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat. The government has extended the startup tax holiday and concessional tax for manufacturing startups by a year. While that was on the cards, it doesn’t address the core need of startups to be given a longer tax holiday of 5 years as required. One of the most encouraging aspects of the budget has been the announcement to set up an AVGC (animation, visual effects, gaming, and comics) promotion task force to plan and build domestic capacity for serving domestic as well as global markets. Loss from the transfer of virtual digital assets cannot be set off against any other income. The creation of a unified logistics platform and the developments of 100 new cargo terminals in the next three years are significant steps in improving the supply chain ecosystem in the country. Infrastructure status given to Data Centers will provide a huge boost to the fast-evolving digital environment of the country. The fiscal outcome is broadly in line with our expectations with the government having continued its focus on infrastructure and rural demand.<br /><br /><strong>Himanshu Arya, Founder and CEO, Grapes:</strong><br /><br />The Union Budget for the financial year 2022-23 has set the stage with an invigorated focus on ramping up the process of the digital revolution. The government’s focus on the digital ecosystem is a progressive move to render an inclusive landscape for job openings and entrepreneurial opportunities. The extension of tax incentives for startups for one more year will give a slight relief to the industry. I hope that the cash flow improves in the market. The Union Budget has various encouraging initiatives and is directed towards a more viable and flexible business ecosystem that completely aligns with the ideologies of Make in India.<br /><br /><strong>Siddharth Devnani, Co-Founder &amp; Director, SoCheers:</strong><br /><br />Digital and digitization stood out as a strong overall trend in the Union Budget 2022. The budget put a great focus on long-term growth and given how intricately ‘digital’ was integrated into several measures, it can be seen as an integral part of that growth.<br /><br />Implementation of the Central Bank digital currency will definitively aid the growth of digital economy and finance in the country, opening doors for digital acceleration across sectors. The announcement about the new digital university and the renewed focus on digital learning, further presents an opportunity, especially to the fast-evolving Educational Technology sector. However, a definite plan on how this will pan out for all corners of India remains to be seen.<br /><br />Moreover, digital will also be leveraged in the set-up and operation of tele-mental health centres, providing the necessary focus and access to mental health services to the Indian masses. This comes as one of the most welcome move as it’ll contribute infinitely to the nation’s long-term growth.<br />

The advertising industry voices its enthusiasm about the government’s steps towards boosting digital ecosystem in Union Budget 2022-23

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/552bce56eab8ea8656187244-1065-799/lane-becker-get-satisfaction.jpg" border="0" alt="lane becker get satisfaction"><p class="source"><span>LinkedIn</span></p><p class="caption">Lane Becker, co-founder of Get Satisfaction</p></img></div><p></p></div></div>In 2007, Lane Becker co-founded an online customer service startup, Get Satisfaction. It raised nearly $21 million and was acquired by social media management company Sprinklr last week.</p><p>The price wasn't disclosed, but Becker made it known that the terms weren't good - at least not for him. On Twitter, he said <a href="https://twitter.com/monstro/status/585797211679657984">Get Satisfaction was a "firesale"</a> and that he and many of Get Satisfaction's early investors didn't get a penny from the acquisition.</p><p>According to Becker, Get Satisfaction's current CEO and CFO made out well, and so did some of the later-stage investors in the startup who "worked to remove" some of the early founders (presumably from the company and its cap table). But Becker and his early investors, including First Round Capital, SoftTech, Freestyle Capital and O'Reilly Alpha Tech Ventures, didn't.</p><p>Worse, Becker says he wasn't even made aware that a sale was in the works. He had to hire a lawyer after to learn the terms of the acquisition.</p><p>We've reached out to Becker and Sprinklr CEO Ragy Thomas for comment and will update this article when we hear back.  <span style="line-height: 1.5em;">In the mean time, here's Becker's very honest Twitter rant about what startup acquisitions can really be like for founders.</span></p><div class="storify"><iframe width="100%" height="750" frameborder="no" src="//storify.com/ashontell/founder-explains-why-he-didn-t-get-a-dime-during-s/embed?border=false"></iframe><script src="//storify.com/ashontell/founder-explains-why-he-didn-t-get-a-dime-during-s.js?border=false" type="text/javascript"></script><noscript>[&amp;lt;a href="//storify.com/ashontell/founder-explains-why-he-didn-t-get-a-dime-during-s" target="_blank"&amp;gt;View the story "Founder explains why he didn't get a dime during startup acquisition" on Storify&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;]</noscript></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/charge-iphone-faster-apple-battery-life-2015-2">How to supercharge your iPhone in only 5 minutes</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="9hdGRuczob3nOr91AW6QS6gV7dw6BzKX" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', '9hdGRuczob3nOr91AW6QS6gV7dw6BzKX',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

The founder of a startup that raised $21 million says he didn't make a dime when his company was acquired

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5553adcaeab8ea0423fda382-1077-807/jon-stewart-jeb-bush.png?maxX=480" border="0" alt="Jon Stewart Jeb Bush" width="480"><p class="source"><span>Screenshot / The Daily Show</span></p><p class="caption">Jon Stewart mocking Jeb Bush</p></img></div><p></p></div>Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R), a likely 2016 presidential candidate, has been ridiculed this week over <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/05/10/exclusive-jeb-bush-says-hillary-clinton-would-have-backed-iraq-invasion/">a comment he made in an interview with Fox News host Megyn Kelly</a> saying he would have authorized the Iraq invasion in 2003.</p><p>This was obviously the wrong answer, according a wide range of critics. </p><p>Bush's brother, former President George W. Bush, authorized the US invasion of Iraq on the premise that the country was harboring weapons of mass destruction. That turned out not to be true.</p><p>When Kelly asked Bush if he would have authorized the invasion in 2003, even knowing what we know now, he responded: "I would have, and so would have Hillary Clinton, just to remind everybody. And so would almost everybody that was confronted with the intelligence they got."</p><p>Jon Stewart was incredulous.</p><p>"When an Iraq war question starts with 'knowing what we know now,' 'Hell yes, I'd still do it' is not an acceptable response," Stewart <a href="http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/jon-stewart-jeb-bush-iraq-invade?utm_content=bufferc19ec&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter.com&amp;utm_campaign=buffer">said on his show Tuesday night</a>.</p><p>Stewart continued sarcastically: "'Sure I'd get on the Titanic again! I mean at the time, it had a terrific buffet!'"</p><p><span>The comedian also claimed that Bush embracing his brother's foreign policy record is like wearing an "I f--k dogs" t-shirt on the campaign trail.</span></p><p>Bush <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/jeb-bush-says-he-misinterpreted-question-about-iraq-war-n357946">later backtracked from his comments</a> and said that he misheard the question and was referring to whether he would have invaded Iraq knowing what we knew back in 2003.</p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Here's the full video from "The Daily Show":</span></p><div style="background-color: #000000; width: 520px;"><div style="padding: 4px;"><iframe width="512" height="288" frameborder="0" src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/embed/mgid:arc:video:thedailyshow.com:699cb745-3091-4e9c-b8e1-f40a48084051"></iframe><p style="text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 4px; margin-top: 4px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong><a href="http://thedailyshow.cc.com/">The Daily Show</a></strong><br>Get More: <a href="http://thedailyshow.cc.com/full-episodes/">Daily Show Full Episodes</a>,<a href="http://www.facebook.com/thedailyshow">The Daily Show on Facebook</a>,<a href="http://thedailyshow.cc.com/videos">Daily Show Video Archive</a></br></p></div></div><p><br>And here's the Fox interview:</br></p><script type="text/javascript" src="http://video.foxnews.com/v/embed.js?id=4228116795001&amp;w=466&amp;h=263"></script><noscript>Watch the latest video at &amp;lt;a href="http://video.foxnews.com"&amp;gt;video.foxnews.com&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;</noscript>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/secret-world-war-two-era-basement-inside-grand-central-trains-nazis-2015-3">We went inside a secret basement under Grand Central that was one of the biggest World War II targets</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="RtaTN5czph8JWBuLRWgPH0bveNBLU3oi" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'RtaTN5czph8JWBuLRWgPH0bveNBLU3oi',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

Jon Stewart compared Jeb Bush's Iraq war comments to saying, 'I'd get on the Titanic again'

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54259ade6da8110e35ae9493-1065-799/lucas-duplan-7.jpg" border="0" alt="lucas duplan"><p class="source"><span>Clinkle</span></p><p class="caption">Clinkle founder Lucas Duplan with wads of cash. Andreessen Horowitz is a Clinkle investor.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div>Netscape cofounder and Andreessen Horowitz partner Marc Andreessen sounded the alarm in the tech world on Thursday. He explained on Twitter that too many startups are burning dangerous amounts of cash and that many of them will <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/marc-andreessen-on-startup-burn-rates-worry-2014-9">"vaporize" when the market turns. </a></p>
<p>He's not the first investor to say this. Earlier, Benchmark's Bill Gurley stated there's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gurley-silicon-valley-is-taking-on-too-much-risk-2014-9">too much "risk"</a> in Silicon Valley right now. Union Square Ventures' <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/fred-wilson-on-startup-burn-rates-2014-9">Fred Wilson agreed</a>, stating: "<span>We have multiple portfolio companies burning multiple millions of dollars a month."</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">One person on Twitter criticized Andreessen and said his comments were "hypocritical," stating that venture capitalists have been "over-funding reckless founders at out of control startups."</span></p>
<p>Andreessen agrees some funding rounds are reckless. But he explains why startups sometimes need gobs of money from investors. </p>
<p>According to Andreessen, it's "irresponsible" for venture capitalists not to invest in companies that could become the top contender in a big new market, like Uber or Lyft in the on-demand space. Startups that are bloated with cash can implode, but startups that are underfunded can also fail, and that's a risk investors have to weigh.</p>
<p>"In tech-driven markets," Andreessen writes, "overwhelming economic returns tend to go to the company with the highest market share." And the "winning company," one that can afford to invest in research and development and build advance products, gets "the prize."</p>
<p>He encourages startups to find just the right amount of funding necessary to become the top player in a market, then stop raising. When startups get the formula right, it's great for the job market and the economy.</p>
<p>Here's Andreessen's full 13-tweet tweet storm, below:</p>
<p> </p>
<div class="storify"><iframe width="100%" height="750" frameborder="no" src="//storify.com/ashontell/why-vcs-invest-in-reckless-founders/embed?border=false"></iframe>
<script src="//storify.com/ashontell/why-vcs-invest-in-reckless-founders.js?border=false" type="text/javascript"></script>
<noscript>[&amp;lt;a href="//storify.com/ashontell/why-vcs-invest-in-reckless-founders" target="_blank"&amp;gt;View the story "Why VCs invest in "reckless" founders" on Storify&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;]</noscript></div><p class="tagline">Disclosure: Marc Andreessen is an investor in Business Insider.</p>

Top Investor Explains Why VCs Throw Tons Of Money At 'Reckless Founders At Out-Of-Control Startups'

<p><table class="image-container float_right" width="200"><tr><td><div class="image"><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5113b43becad04a93400003f-400-300/o'reilly-3.jpg" border="0" alt="Bill O'Reilly Fox News Obama drones" /></div><p class="source">Fox News</p></td></tr></table><keyword id="1739100" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Bill-OReilly">Bill O'Reilly</keyword> bizarrely chided <keyword id="5601" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="NBC">NBC</keyword> on "The O'Reilly Factor" Wednesday night, suggesting they hadn't reported on a story they broke two nights before.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.mediaite.com/tv/bill-oreilly-bizarrely-claims-nbc-has-not-reported-on-the-drone-strike-memo-that-nbc-broke-the-story-on/" target="_blank">Mediaite points out O'Reilly's segment</a> with left-leaning guest Bob Beckel, in which O'Reilly hit NBC and other stations for not devoting the same attention to a leaked memo of the Obama administration's policy on drone strikes as they did to the so-called "torture memos" and waterboarding practices of the Bush administration.</p>
<p>The problem? NBC's <a href="http://openchannel.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/04/16843014-exclusive-justice-department-memo-reveals-legal-case-for-drone-strikes-on-americans?lite" target="_blank">Michael Isikoff is the one who scooped the story</a>.</p>
<p>Beckel told O'Reilly that he thought drone strikes were even worse than waterboarding. O'Reilly used that to point out the disparity between coverage of the Bush administration's waterboarding vs. the Obama administration's drone policy.</p>
<p><span>"Remember the outcry about waterboarding?" O'Reilly said. "You know, everybody jumping up and down? NBC News — I thought they were going to, like, melt down over there. You heard anything on NBC about the <keyword id="94769" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="drones">drones</keyword>?"</span></p>
<p><span>Beckel's answer should have been, "Yes!" But he shamefully bowed his head and said, "Not yet."</span></p>
<p><span>So O'Reilly continued: "<span>So you haven’t heard anything over about this, and neither have I. Neither has my staff. OK? So we haven’t heard anything. But we heard a lot about waterboarding, but nothing about drone strikes. How do you process that?"</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>Beckel couldn't give an answer, but O'Reilly thought he knew: "They're protecting the President!"</span></span></p>
<p>Here's <a href="http://openchannel.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/04/16843014-exclusive-justice-department-memo-reveals-legal-case-for-drone-strikes-on-americans?lite" target="_blank">NBC's full scoop on the drone memo</a>. It's also been covered regularly on MSNBC, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/joe-scarborough-obama-drone-policy-memo-white-paper-2013-2" target="_blank">on shows from "Morning Joe"</a> to Rachel <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/05/rachel-maddow-michael-isikoff-drone-memo_n_2622016.html" target="_blank">Maddow's show</a>. </p>
<p>Here's the clip of O'Reilly and Beckel:</p>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://video.foxnews.com/v/embed.js?id=2147471195001&amp;w=466&amp;h=263"></script>
<noscript>Watch the latest video at &amp;lt;a href="http://video.foxnews.com"&amp;gt;video.foxnews.com&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;</noscript>

Bill O'Reilly Complains That NBC Has Not Reported On The Drone Memo Story They Broke

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/540ed69f6bb3f7925edc85fd-1200-800/rtr45c8n.jpg" border="0" alt="elon musk"><p class="source"><span>Toru Hanai/Reuters</span></p><p class="caption">Mr. Big Government? Maybe, but not a big secret.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Elon Musk has once again addressed the charge that his various companies are dependent on US government money. </p><p>This time around, his response was provoked by a <a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hy-musk-subsidies-20150531-story.html#page=1">Monday article in the Los Angeles Times by Jerry Hirsch</a>. It was a lengthy analysis of all the government assistance that has flowed in Tesla's direction. Musk jumped on CNBC on Monday to address the issue and sought to correct what he defined as misperceptions, specifically about how Tesla's deal with Nevada to construct a $5-billion battery Gigafactory (he also fielded questions about other govenment subsidies, supporting the oil and auto industries).</p><p><span>"Tesla Motors Inc., SolarCity Corp. and Space Exploration Technologies Corp., known as SpaceX, together have benefited from an estimated $4.9 billion in government support, according to data compiled by The Times," Hirsch wrote. "The figure underscores a common theme running through his emerging empire: a public-private financing model underpinning long-shot start-ups."</span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">If there's a single, major criticism of Elon Musk, it's that he presents himself as a hero of capitalism while investing in and running companies - Tesla, SpaceX, SolarCity - that wouldn't exist without government funding and support.</span></p><p><em>"Elon Musk is addicted to government money!"</em></p><p>You hear it all the time. We heard it last year when <a href="http://www.jasonmattera.com/">Jason Mattera</a> - author of a book titled "Crapitalism: Liberals Who Make Millions Swiping Your Tax Dollars" and something of an aggressive, rising star in the world of conservative journalism and commentary - went on Fox News and listed Musk's offenses.</p><p>The thing is, critics of Musk who claim the man is reliant on big government to keep his companies afloat aren't wrong. </p><p>But the other thing is that Musk and his companies have never denied this.</p><p>When <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthew-debord/the-dream-of-the-electric_b_138994.html">I was reporting on Tesla</a> during some darks days for the startup back in 2008, the company made it abundantly clear that it needed to hit certain marks to obtain a Department of Energy loan guarantee and stay in business. </p><p>A few years later, Tesla warned <a href="http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1318605/000119312510017054/ds1.htm#toc51863_4">in an SEC filing</a> that its DOE guarantees represented a meaningful business risk, something that investors needed to be aware of. "We are dependent upon our ability to fully draw down on our loan facility from the United States Department of Energy, which may restrict our ability to conduct our business," the company said in early 2010.</p><p>As for SpaceX - <a href="http://www.universetoday.com/112653/elon-musk-im-hopeful-that-the-first-people-can-be-taken-to-mars-in-10-12-years/">Musk has never pretended that there would be a SpaceX without NASA</a>. The space agency is by far the fledgling private space company's most important customer. </p><p>Mattera focuses on the fact that Tesla can sell <a href="http://www.marketplace.org/topics/sustainability/teslas-secret-success-selling-emissions-credits">zero emission credits in California</a> to automakers who don't produce enough zero-emission vehicles to satisfy the state's requirements. </p><p>And of course SolarCity customers can <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/08/solarcity-idUSL2N0S22MV20141008">claim tax credits</a> when they use the company to provide solar panels. This mitigates some of the cost of installing the technology.</p><p>But Musk isn't trying to <em>hide</em> this stuff. He just happens to have two companies that are in the green energy and green <keyword id="34991" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="transportation">transportation</keyword> spaces - businesses that the government is actively encouraging.</p><p>SpaceX, for its part, was in the right place at the right time to help NASA transition from the Space Shuttle to deep-space manned missions.</p><p><em>You bet we're addicted to government money!</em> Musk might say. </p><p>But he would then argue that the benefits of what Tesla, SpaceX, and SolarCity offer outweigh the cost to the taxpayer.</p><script type="text/javascript" src="http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/embed.js?id=3827895970001&amp;w=466&amp;h=263"></script><noscript>Watch the latest video at &amp;lt;a href="http://video.foxbusiness.com"&amp;gt;video.foxbusiness.com&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;</noscript>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/waterfall-climbing-fish-goby-evolution-hawaii-2015-5">Scientists are astonished by these Goby fish that can climb 300-foot waterfalls</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="djMXJkdTpXxb0FwhBHlUoNNT3m6RuJH9" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'djMXJkdTpXxb0FwhBHlUoNNT3m6RuJH9',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

Elon Musk takes on LA Times article that says his companies depend on US government money

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image"><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/52d5bffeecad04673295c171-998-750/scott-delong-viralnova.jpg" border="0" alt="scott delong viralnova" /><p class="source"><span>Google+</span></p><p class="caption">Scott Delong, founder of ViralNova</p></div><p></p></div></div>Most people dream of getting rich instantly. That's why the lottery is so popular.</p>
<p>One man, Scott Delong, found a way to do it. Eight months ago, he founded ViralNova.com. It's a media company that uses click-baity headlines to draw in readers. The content is perfect for Facebook sharing. Headlines include: </p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.viralnova.com/light-chandelier/">It Might Look Like A Normal Chandelier. But When You Stand Underneath It And Look Up...Wow.</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.viralnova.com/ice-block-project/">This Guy's Crazy Idea Started To Make His Wife Nervous. But It Was Worth It, Trust Me.</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Last month, his website pulled in 100 million visitors. That means, 100 million people visited ViralNova.com. Delong uses remnant ads (cheap ads, like Google AdSense). There are two ads on every page. A site like ViralNova, which pulls people in via external leaks, usually has a high bounce rate (or people who leave the website quickly). That means each user is probably reading one or two articles, and ViralNova's two ads are probably running on 100 - 200 million pages every month.</p>
<p>If we're being generous, ViralNova's AdSense rate might be $2 per thousand views, $1 for each ad on the page. Assuming ViralNova pulled in 200 million page views last month, he'd have made $400,000 in December. He also pays two freelancers and he has to shell out some to keep his servers running. But most of that money is being pocketed by Delong.</p>
<p>Delong told Business Insider's Steve Kovach that he is indeed <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/viral-nova-considering-a-sale-2014-1">making 6-figures each month</a>. That means his annual revenue run rate is between $1.2 million and $4.8 million per year, assuming his traffic stays high.</p>
<p>But now, Business Insider has learned that Delong might sell ViralNova. He hired a domain broker to reach out to larger publishers on his behalf and see if they might be interested in acquiring ViralNova.</p>
<p>Delong told Kovach that he's tired of running ViralNova day in and day out. He wants to explore options.</p>
<p>Some think Delong is making the right choice. Afterall, Facebook just changed its NewsFeed algorithm to highlight high quality content on Facebook, rather than dinky links from websites that try and game it. ViralNova arguably tries to game Facebook, hence its ability to scale to 100 million monthly visitors in just eight months.</p>
<p>But Delong told AllThingsD's Mike Issac on Twitter that ViralNova's traffic has only increased since Facebook's algorithm changes.</p>
<p>So what gives?</p>
<p>One investor who spoke with Delong tried to convince him to expand ViralNova and create a big business. Delong turned the investor down and said he'd rather start fresh on something else.</p>
<p>I asked the same question on Twitter and Delong pinged me back. We proceeded to have a long conversation about why he's trying to sell off his "easy money" company. After all, any acquirer would want him, the sole employee of the company, to stay on and run ViralNova which Delong has indicated he doesn't want to do.</p>
<p>Here's Delong's explanation for exploring the sell of a startup most entrepreneurs would die to run. Viral successes, after all, are few and far between. That's presumably why Evan Spiegel decided not to sell Snapchat for $3 billion to Facebook.</p>
<div class="storify"><iframe width="100%" height="750" frameborder="no" src="//storify.com/ashontell/viral-nova-on-selling-versus-bootstrapping/embed"></iframe>
<script src="//storify.com/ashontell/viral-nova-on-selling-versus-bootstrapping.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<noscript>[&amp;lt;a href="//storify.com/ashontell/viral-nova-on-selling-versus-bootstrapping" target="_blank"&amp;gt;View the story "Viral Nova On Selling Versus Bootstrapping" on Storify&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;]</noscript></div>

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