Back on March 10, BetOnline.ag posted odds on which Major League manager would get fired first. Pirates manager Derek Shelton was fifth on the list at 9/1.

Shelton? Fired as manager of the Pirates? Dont you have to fail to deserve to be fired from a job?

And if you are failing, dont there have to be some sort of expectations that you were unable to meet?

The only debate about expectations around Pittsburgh for the 2021 Pirates seems to be, How many games beyond 100 do you expect the Pirates will lose?

By my estimation, if Shelton keeps the loss total somewhere between 90 and 95, he shouldnt be on the hot seat. He should be in Manager of the Year consideration.

If Shelton was honestly to be viewed as a candidate to be fired, what would have to take place? Short of the team plummeting off a cliff for the last month and players fighting one another on multiple occasions as was the case at the end of Clint Hurdles time in Pittsburgh I think Sheltons job should be safe.

But those silly betting lines do spawn a real conversation about expectations (or lack thereof) for this team as it prepares for Opening Day in Chicago Thursday.

Not to mention the lack of stakes associated with results for the organizations fans. Well, those that remained interested through the pandemic and yet another offseason of familiar names departing for greener pastures.

Lets be honest, even some big patches of crabgrass across MLB may look really nice as opposed to having to slog through 2021 in Pittsburgh.

The Pirates die-hards will stay engaged and come to games because they missed the team during the pandemic, and if they havent been beaten into apathy over the last 40 years or so, whatre another 100 losses at this point?

The baseball die-hards will stay engaged because they missed the game during the pandemic, and Major League Baseball is Major League Baseball. Even if many of the Pirates in uniform dont belong in the big leagues themselves.

But as for those players, how are they staying locked in through 162 contests when so little seems to be attached to the final scores of those games. Granted, since baseball is the ultimate individual sport within a team concept, its easier to gauge personal wins or losses over your 100 pitches on the mound. Or your four at-bats. Or your one inning of relief.

For guys who put more of a premium on the team Ws and Ls, though, theres a lot of priority about to be given to players who are just being graded on their individual development and their trajectory.

Not that Shelton or anyone else within the organization would ever acknowledge anything less than attempting to win any given game, on any given day.

But the 2021 edition of the Pirates will have to absorb defeats in the name of gaining experience for the collective and the group-wide improvement of individuals. On occasion, at-bats, innings, playing time and roster spots will be sacrificed or in some cases, limited based on pre-ordained development plans.

The leadership group within the locker room has to rationalize that.

We have a good group of guys that understand what we are doing, Shelton said during a recent spring training media Zoom call. We are extremely open and transparent, and we have very direct conversations with guys. We are very honest with people. We tell them what we are doing. How we are doing it. Why we are doing it. And work from there.

Fortunately for Shelton, the team is so green and the roster is so absent of experienced talent, a lot of the agendas surrounding individual progression paths and team success or failure may be intertwined anyway.

They are all in, Shelton said. They understand what we are doing, and they understand the process. And I can say they have taken to it and have started to run with it. We allow them the forum to ask questions. We encourage them to ask questions. We do not want it to be a gray area of thinking about what we are doing.

Trust runs both ways. I have to earn trust with our guys as they need to earn trust on the backside.

General manager Ben Cherington has to earn Sheltons trust, too. That hell at least equip Shelton with tools to make the team competitive enough so that individual career arcs arent occurring in an utter vacuum of inconsequential innings.

We didnt have any preconceived notions, Shelton said of his roster which will break spring training. We had general concepts that we were working around. And Im happy with the guys we are going to take to Chicago.

Who is left of that group by the time the team leaves Pittsburgh at the end of the season? Those are some more bets I really dont want to make.

Kevin Gorman covers the Pirates for TribLive. He joins me for Tuesdays Breakfast With Benz podcast. We look at the Pirates roster as it shapes up to come north for the opener. We talk about any expectations that may exist for this club in 2021. And players to track on the farm throughout the year.

Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at tbenz@triblive.com or via Twitter. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.

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Not so 'Great Expectations': Pirates balancing development process and final result as Opening Day nears - TribLIVE

Divisions have become more entrenched in our education system but Britain is paying a high price for failing poor pupils

Monday April 05 2021, 6.00pm, The Times

The lost Einsteins are the missing geniuses of their generation whose talents are being wasted by a flawed and unfair education system. One study in the US found that if this group invented at the same rate as white men from high-income families there would be four times as many inventors in America, creating billions of dollars in economic growth.

There is a similar problem in Britain, where it typically takes five generations for someone to go from the bottom to the middle of income distribution. In Denmark it takes two. That lack of opportunity is underlying a lot of identity politics, Minouche Shafik, director of the London School of Economics, told the BBC recently. She pointed out that there is an economic as well

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Schools need help to spot the 'lost Einsteins' - The Times

The savings provider has been digging into the psychology behind spending and discovered 75% of Brits thought saving 1,000 would make them happier than spending the same amount of money.

Meanwhile 69% of self confessed spenders had experienced postspending guilt.

And in a physical experiment the app-based bank found post-shopping happiness was largely a psychological concept, with self-reported happiness levels increasing by 29% through shopping.

Indeed, the experiment showed going for a brisk walk provided the same psychological high as a shopping spree.

With this in mind money experts, Atom bank and behavioural psychologist at Durham University, Mario Weick, share their top tips to spending wisely this lockdown, getting your finances in order and above all, increasing happiness.

If you struggle to avoid temptation, one of the best ways to control your urges is to focus on a future goal that saving your money could lead to, whether thats saving up for driving lessons or taking a step onto the property ladder.

Weick said: The benefits of saving money materialise over time, so focusing on a future goal can make it easier to save money, whereas focusing on the here and now may encourage spending.

Weick warned: Impulsive behaviour can be triggered by things such as tiredness, alcohol, or information overload.

Browsing your favourite online sites when youre super tired at the end of a stressful week of work, or after a couple of glasses of wine, can lead you to make purchases without fully thinking them through.

Be mindful of only shopping when you feel fully alert and rested and for added benefit, get into the habit of taking the time to mull a purchase over for at least a few hours before heading to the virtual checkout.

Weick explained: It may sound simplistic, but one way to alleviate the pressure is to reduce ones exposure and avoid the situation, if possible. Something like going for a walk could be a good idea.

This is further backed up by Atoms experiment, which found that shoppers got the same physical high from taking a brisk walk, as they did from hitting the checkout button.

If youre tempted to make a large purchase, just a 5 minute walk in the fresh air or a ten minute workout video could curb your spending. If youre still keen on making the purchase when your heart rate returns to neutral, then its unlikely that your body is just craving the endorphins that shopping can bring.

When youre trying to limit your spending, you can feel like going cold-turkey is the only answer, especially in January after spending at Christmas. However, evidence suggests that this all or nothing attitude is actually harder to maintain than a split-budget approach.

Weick added: Saving some income, while giving oneself a spending allowance really does appear to be the golden formula.

A healthy balance between restraint and allowing oneself some pleasure and spontaneity is an optimal strategy to boost happiness.

Weick added: The purchasing experience is designed to give us a quick kick, with products to match that often emphasise fleeting pleasures.

Spending money is more likely to promote happiness when the purchase is intrinsically rewarding, e.g. life experiences, personal development or on gifts that nurture meaningful relationships, rather than those driven by superficial motives.

Take January as a time to work out what you want to gain from your purchases. Although treating yourself can give you a little boost of joy, make sure youre not only shopping for the sake of it, or to experience the excitement of grabbing a bargain.

This chance to reflect on whether your purchase will bring you long-term happiness will give the brain time to digest properly and lower the risk of spending on things that only have a short-term impact.

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Tips to help you spend less, save more and feel better - The Money Pages

I have two distinct memories from a 2009 meeting with Ved Mehta, who passed away earlier this week. The first is of Mehta speaking about why he always tried to be precise and lucid in his writing no literary roundabouts or convolutions.

Because I left India when I was very young, in the 1950s, he said, I was very conscious of the explaining I had to do to people, about who I was and where I came from. That initial impulse may have made the writing clearer. When scientists arent precise, he pointed out, the whole edifice collapses: But we who do non-scientific work, we often get away with murder.

The second memory is of Mehta who lost his sight at age three discussing his use of conjecture. Once, writing about someone he had interviewed, he described the person accurately, it turned out as smoking his cigarette from the side of his mouth, so that it seemed like the cigarette was stuck to his lower lip. I reinterpreted what I was hearing and put it in visual terms. I could have said his voice sounded muffled, which led me to realise this, and so on but I dont want to repeatedly draw attention to my blindness by explaining my impressions. It would be cumbersome.

So here was a writer-journalist who tried to be as direct as possible in his prose, simply setting things down rather than being a stylist; but here, too, was a man who practised a version of imaginative writing even in his non-fiction to the degree that his visual descriptions made some readers uncomfortable.

Over a long and prolific career, Mehta was both these people and many others. After writing his first book Face to Face an autobiography in his early twenties, an act of hubris, you might think, until you actually read this gentle, searching work he began a long stint at The New Yorker with the encouragement of the celebrated editor William Shawn. In the decades that followed, he wrote many features and books on contemporary India, Mahatma Gandhi, philosophy and theology. He also wrote, with characteristic clear-sightedness, about his blindness: The journey to America as a teenager for the education that wasnt available to an unsighted adolescent in India; how loneliness made way for self-reliance; his use of facial vision (the ability to sense objects by the feel of the air and differences in sound) to navigate the world around him.

However, his defining work remains the autobiographical Continents of Exile series, which began with the desire to record the stories of his parents. Though the series wasnt planned beforehand, the books grew to tell a vast cross-cultural tale involving India, England and America. Shawn even created a Personal History section to accommodate the earliest versions of these pieces. (How absurd it was, Mehta said, smiling, for a leading American magazine to publish a multi-part profile of my mother right in the middle of the Vietnam War!)

Writing several books about ones family history and personal development can easily be dismissed as navel-gazing, and Mehta was often seen as an unfashionable writer, out of touch with shifting currents in the literary world.

Youngsters working on the literature beat in the early 2000s were tutored in the canon of major Indian-English writers Rushdie, Roy, Seth, Ghosh, and from an earlier generation, Naipaul and Anita Desai but Mehta was rarely mentioned (except perhaps in the context of an amusing run-in with the cantankerous Naipaul at a 2002 Neemrana gathering). I knew almost nothing about him until I chanced to read his plaintive 2004 book The Red Letters, about his fathers adulterous relationship with a married woman in the 1930s.

In that book, as in much of his other work, Mehta did justice to his conviction that if you tell a very specific story and tell it well, it will have a wide resonance. His flair for attentive character portraits and for setting an individual tale against a larger background is visible in other works like Sound-Shadows of the New World and Up at Oxford too.

Above all, they have a quiet elegance that makes them very easy to slip into. Though Mehta practised a great deal of journalism and wrote about big subjects in books such as Portrait of India he was eventually a master of the intimate canvas, always using the personal to illuminate the universal.

This article first appeared in the print edition on January 14, 2021 under the title Master of the intimate canvas. The writer is a Delhi-based critic and author

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For Ved Mehta, the personal was a way to illuminate the universal - The Indian Express

Published 01-13-21

Submitted by Arcos Dorados Holdings

Despite the global context and with the adjustments needed to comply with the new normality, the solidarity campaign that donates proceeds from Big Mac sales to support dozens of institutions and projects exceeded by far the established goals.

In the new edition of the Gran Dia, the company reinforced its commitment to keep families together and to promote first formal job opportunities in the region.

January 13, 2021 /CSRwire/- Arcos Dorados, the worlds largest independent McDonalds franchisee, operating the largest quick-service restaurant chain in Latin America and the Caribbean, announces the results of the Gran Da* (Big Day) 2020 edition, the campaign where all the proceeds from the days Big Mac sales in its 20 markets are donated to collaborate with children and young people from local communities in all of those countries. This initiative enables the company to strengthen its ESG framework, known as Recipe for the Future, and the 2020 edition exceededits goals by raising a total of more than 5 million dollars to be distributed among dozens of social organizations.

As a result of this edition, Arcos Dorados was able to collaborate to keep together those families of children undergoing medical treatments housed in the Ronald McDonald Houses of the region, as well as the beneficiaries of the programs promoted by organizations such as the Ayrton Senna Institute (Brazil), Fundacin S (Argentina), Fundacin Coanil (Chile), Aldeas Infantiles SOS (Peru, Mxico, Panam, Costa Rica & Colombia), Fundacin El Tringulo (Ecuador), Liceo Impulso (Uruguay), Centro Man Na Obra (Aruba), Fonditut (Curacao), The Heroes Foundation (Trinidad) and P.E.C.E.S (Puerto Rico), amongst others.

For more than 10 years, at Arcos Dorados we have turned into action our commitment to the families and young people of the communities in which we operate. Today, we are proud to confirm that, despite the global context and the changes that we were forced to make as a society, peoples solidarity has been reinforced and that once again we managed to exceed our expectations. In a challenging year for everyone such as 2020, we were able to adapt and keep our main solidarity campaign of the year in full effect, which allows us to continue contributing to the health and well-being of children and opening doors so that more and more young people in America Latin America and the Caribbean have the chance to access a first formal job," stated Woods Staton, Executive Chairman of Arcos Dorados.

A different edition

In such a challenging year, Arcos Dorados adapted the celebration of its Gran Da to the new regulations, in order to maintain its commitment to the communities in which it operates.

That is why, for the 2020 edition, the company offered those interested the possibility of buying the coupons in advance through its digital channels, in addition to extending the period in which they could be redeemed and strengthen sales through AutoMac or McDelivery. With the aim of maintaining the festive spirit of the day, virtual events were held giving renowned artists the possibility of taking part, without breaking the social distancing.

Social commitment and sustainable development

ESG is part of Arcos Dorados DNA. In order to have a meaningful effect on the communities in which it operates and on the planet, the company has developed its social and environmental framework called Recipe for the Future (www.recetadelfuturo.com), focusing on five key pillars: Sustainable Sourcing, Climate Change, Packaging and Recycling, Youth Employment and Family Welfare. Guided by them, the company keeps its commitment to positively impact the wellbeing of employees and customers, offering personal development opportunities as well as contributing to local economies through a sustainable supply chain that strives to minimize the environmental impact of its proceeding.

* In Brazil, the initiative bears the name of "McDa Feliz" (Happy McDa)

About Arcos Dorados

Arcos Dorados is the worlds largest independent McDonalds franchisee, operating the largest quick-service restaurant chain in Latin America and the Caribbean. It has the exclusive right to own, operate and grant franchises of McDonalds restaurants in 20 Latin American and Caribbean countries and territories with more than 2,200 restaurants, operated by the Company or by its sub-franchisees, that together employ over 100 thousand people (as of 09/30/2020). The Company is also solidly committed to the development of the communities in which it operates, to providing young people their first formal job opportunities and to utilize its Scale for Good to achieve a positive environmental impact. Arcos Dorados is listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: ARCO). To learn more about the Company, please visit our website:www.arcosdorados.com

Arcos Dorados is the world's largest independent McDonald's franchisee in terms of system-wide sales and number of locations. The company is the largest fast-service restaurant chain in Latin America and the Caribbean. You have the exclusive right to own, operate, and franchise McDonald's locations in 20 countries and territories in Latin America and the Caribbean, including Argentina, Aruba, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Curaao, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique , Mexico, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, St. Croix, St. Thomas, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and Venezuela. The company operates or franchises more than 2,200 McDonald's restaurants with more than 90,000 employees and is known as one of the best companies to work for in Latin America. Arcos Dorados is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: ARCO).

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Arcos Dorados' Gran Da Donated More Than USD 5 Million in 2020 to Support Several Social Organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean -...

WhatsApp is facing a legal challenge in India, its biggest market, after a petition was filed Thursday before Delhi High Court over the upcoming change in the Facebook-owned apps data-sharing policy.

The petition alleges the new terms that WhatsApp requires its roughly 450 million users in the country to accept is a violation of their fundamental rights to privacy and poses a threat to national security.

Through an in-app alert, WhatsApp has asked users in recent days to agree to new terms of conditions that grants the app the consent to share with Facebook some personal data about them, such as their phone number and location.

Users will have to agree to these terms by February 8 if they wish to continue using the app, the alert said. The change has been mischaracterized by many as their personal communication being compromised, which WhatsApp clarified this week was not the case.

The Facebook-owned service, which serves over 2 billion users worldwide, said private conversations between people remain just as private as before. Facebook has also bought front-page newspaper ads in several leading Indian dailies this week to explain the change, which it first outlined last year.

The petitioner said the new terms grant WhatsApp a 360-degree profile into a persons online activity without any government oversight.

WhatsApp has made a mockery out of our fundamental right to privacy while discharging a public function in India, besides jeopardizing the National Security of the country by sharing, transmitting and storing the users data in some [other] country and that data, in turn, will be governed by the laws of that foreign country, the petition, which is expected to be heard Friday, reads.

Several high-profile startup founders and executives in India have also criticized WhatsApps new data-sharing policy. Vijay Shekhar Sharma, founder and chief executive of Indias most valuable startup Paytm, accused WhatsApp of operating with double standards, pointing to how the new change was not affecting the apps users in Europe.

The outrage over the new change has resulted in tens of millions of users exploring other communication apps such as Signal and Telegram in recent days. In an interview with TechCrunch earlier this week, Signal co-founder and chairman executive Brian Acton said the smallest of events helped trigger the largest of outcomes. Were also excited that we are having conversations about online privacy and digital safety and people are turning to Signal as the answer to those questions.

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WhatsApp faces legal challenge over privacy in its biggest market - TechCrunch

Companies in the Scottish Hospitality Group (SHG) have said they have taken on more than 16m of debt over the last year to stay afloat which, if multiplied across Scotland's 16,000 licensed premises, means the industry would be carrying a debt burden of between 800m and 1.2b.

It is expected that this figure will rise "significantly" due to the "worst ever" December trading figures and a "major shortfall" in government support.

The debt is a combination of CBILS (coronavirus business interruption loans), bank loans, overdrafts and payment deferrals to pay property and equipment rent, among other fixed costs, and is set to severely impact on firms' ability to bounce back from the pandemic and invest for recovery.

Stephen Montgomery, spokesperson for SHG, said: "Our members don't have their usual Christmas reserves to see them through the quieter months and government help doesn't even cover the costs of employer furlough contributions for most operators. This debt is necessary to keep jobs alive, but it will come at a heavy price to the sector, and that's if we even survive.

"It's another reminder of why both governments need to stop playing politics with lifeline support for the sector. This week we've seen Kate Forbes re-announce 25,000 each for bigger operators, which she already announced and agreed with the sector in December before the Boxing Day lockdown. And last week we had Rishi Sunak admitting his 375m wasn't new money.

"Both sides are at it and this confusing, conflicting behaviour needs to end. Businesses must have clarity and honesty about what's available and for that help to be in their hands much quicker than it has been so far."

Meanwhile, the industry welcomed the launch of a Scottish government-funded leadership, management and supervisory training programme.

The new Tourism and Hospitality Talent Development Programme, which will be delivered by the Hospitality Industry Trust (HIT) Scotland and the Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA), seeks to motivate and develop top talent to support the sector's recovery.

The virtual programme was one of the key recommendations of the tourism task force. There will be 975 places available across three categories supervisor, manager and leader open to anyone over the age of 16 working in the Scottish tourism and hospitality industry.

The programme is now open for applications with a closing date of 5 February and it is scheduled to commence on 16 February.

David Cochrane, chief executive of HIT Scotland, said: "The tourism and hospitality industries continue to deal with the many challenges that Covid-19 has brought, but I am pleased that we can start 2021 with some positive news about personal development and the recovery of our industry."

Marc Crothall, chief executive of the STA, added: "It is absolutely critical that we focus on the development of our people and future skills agenda, in line with one of the key priorities of Scotland's future tourism strategy, Outlook 2030 to lead us through recovery and deliver what will undoubtedly be a different offering in our post-Covid world."

Photo: Shutterstock

All you need to know about Veganuary, from plant-based menus to vegan hotel rooms

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Growing debt burden set to severely impact... - The Caterer.com

Flatiron by Meridian will be the perfect place to indulge in a vast array of culinary choices with the partnership Thalias Hospitality Group.

Meridian International Holding and Thalias Hospitality Group kicked off the new year by announcing their strategic partnership. The fruit of this collaboration is a seamless dining experience, which will be a showpiece at the Flatiron by Meridian.

Flatiron by Meridian will be the perfect place to indulge in a vast array of culinary choices, as Thalias Hospitality Group will be the sole provider of a holistic dining experience to all consumers in this development.

The food and beverage establishments offered in Flatiron by Meridian by the Group promise to provide consumers with a plethora of dining options and excellent service.

Several celebrated brands under the Group will be housed in Flatiron by Meridian, such as the all-time favourite Khma, famous for its free-flow offerings, as well as Khma Go, which will offer a range of bakery, viennoiseries, savouries and beverages.

The Group has also created the Siena Restaurant & Wine Bar a new restaurant concept that is set to debut in this landmark development in Phnom Penh City Centre.

This new upscale food collective, will surely be the top choice for diners looking for quality cuisine in a social and relaxed atmosphere.

Arnaud Darc, CEO of Thalias Hospitality Group (left) and Murray Ko, CEO of the Meridian Group.

Thalias Hospitality Groups delectable offerings are not limited to just consumers at its establishments in Flatiron by Meridian.

Guests staying at the ApartHotels managed by Citadines will also enjoy the scrumptious fare provided by the Group in the form of breakfast and room service dining options.

Having a renowned F&B group like Thalias partner with us is further affirmation of the formidable reputation Flatiron by Meridian has accrued.

Especially in todays climate, we find it refreshing for two organisations to consider ways to elevate and support one another by leveraging on our combined strengths, expertise, resources to deliver and enhance the guest experience in the dining options offered by the Group in Flatiron by Meridian.

We are delighted to embark on a new milestone together by sharing the same strategic planning, which further deepens our collaboration, both now and in the future.

It surely helps us enrich our businesses as well as provide newer services together by enhancing Meridian International Holdings competitive edge in Cambodia and allowing us to contribute to the continued economic growth in this Kingdom, said Murray Ko, CEO of the Meridian Group.

Meticulous focus on consistency of quality, service, investment in personal development and social responsibility are values that brought us together, Murray and I. Partnering together through the Flatiron by Meridian project was obvious almost from the first day we met.

Khma is famous for its free-flow offerings.

Together, we are confident that our collaboration will delight discerning travellers and guests who want the best in dining matched with outstanding hospitality. To a wider extent, I believe that this new partnership will flourish with new opportunities for both our groups, said Arnaud Darc, CEO of Thalias Hospitality Group.

About Thalias Hospitality Group Established in 1997, Thalias Hospitality Group has founded some of Phnom Penhs most renowned restaurants, delis and bakeries that serve excellent cuisine delivered with outstanding hospitality.

Founded by CEO Arnaud Darc 24 years ago with the first in the line of many food establishments being the opening of Topaz Restaurant the Group has now extended its focus beyond just eateries.

In addition to creating Malis and Khma, Thalias Hospitality Group offers operational consulting and runs a multi-faceted catering and events business.

In addition to its foothold in Phnom Penh, the Group also has operations in Siem Reap providing exceptional fare and first-rate service.

With its solid grounding in the food and beverage industry, the Group has received multiple awards and numerous accolades for its distinctive style of hospitality.

Siena Restaurant Wine & Bar is a new restaurant concept.

Some of the awards and accolades that Thalias Hospitality Group has collected over the years include Restaurant of the Year in Cambodia by International Travel Expo, Table Set-Up Competition by Cambodia Restaurant Association and Best Hospitality by Cambodias Ministry of Tourism.

About Meridian International Holding Phnom Penhs property sector is reaching world-class standards with the help of multi-national developer Meridian International Holding. The organisation announced its arrival in Cambodia capital in a big way with its ventures in the textile and garment industry before diversifying into property development and investments.

In recent years, the Group has developed industrial parks, residential and commercial properties. Casa by Meridian and Skylar by Meridian were the Groups first few statements of intent in developing world-class commercial and residential properties in Cambodia.

With the arrival of Flatiron by Meridian, an ambitious 41-storey building located in Phnom Penh City Centre the capitals new central business district area the Group has reached new heights in its ever flourishing property development endeavours.

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Meridian International Holding and Thalias Hospitality Group form partnership - The Phnom Penh Post

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --X1 today announces a $12 million investment led by Spark Capital with participation from Jared Leto, Box CEO Aaron Levie, Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman, Affirm CEO and PayPal co-founder Max Levchin and Y Combinator Continuity CEO Ali Rowghani.

Ash Gupta is joining X1 as an advisor. Ash retired from American Express in 2018 after 40 years of continuous service where he was the Chief Risk Officer. As the President of Global Risk and Information management teams, he was instrumental in navigating American Express successfully through the great recession.

The funding follows X1 Card's viral growth since opening up its waitlist in September. The waitlist is already nearing 300,000 signups and is on its way to becoming the largest ever waitlist for a fintech product.

Built with 17g of stainless steel and laser etching technology, X1 Card reimagines the credit card from the ground up. It harnesses the power of technology to offer smart credit limits, an unparalleled rewards program, and automated features that will transform the way you shop and spend.

"The reaction to X1's unveiling and waitlist was outstanding, and we cannot wait to bring this card to market and to the hundreds of thousands who have signed up for it," said X1 co-founder and CEO, Deepak Rao. "We're honored to partner with Spark Capital and this phenomenal group of investors as we continue to build X1 and modernize the credit card industry."

To learn more about X1 Card and sign up for the waitlist, visit x1creditcard.com.

About X1 CardX1 Card is the smartest credit card ever made. Built with 17g of stainless steel and laser etching technology, X1 Card reimagines the credit card from the ground up. It harnesses the power of technology to offer smart credit limits, an unparalleled rewards program, and automated features that will transform the way you shop and spend. The company is cofounded by Twitter alums Deepak Rao and Siddharth Batra and backed by Spark Capital, Craft Ventures, Harrison Metal, Jared Leto, Box CEO Aaron Levie, Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman, Affirm CEO and PayPal co-founder Max Levchin and Y Combinator Continuity CEO Ali Rowghani.

PR ContactDeepak Rao [emailprotected]

SOURCE X1 Card

https://x1creditcard.com/

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X1, the smartest credit card ever made, raises $12 million - PRNewswire

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nearly half (46%) of Americans say their debt level creates stress1. New Years resolutions are a first step to changing financial habits, but it takes a proven plan and small wins to get real peace of mind. Thats why Ramsey+, the all-in-one financial guide, is hosting RESET Live, a free virtual event Jan. 12 at 7 p.m. CST. Viewers can RSVP to RESET Live by texting RESET to 33789 and tuning in at http://www.daveramsey.com/reset.

Nationally syndicated radio host Dave Ramsey, bestselling authors Chris Hogan and Rachel Cruze, and Life.Church pastor Craig Groeschel will host RESET Live, where viewers will discover how to:

We're looking in the rearview mirror at 2020, a year when so many families were completely devastated financially. Looking ahead, we need a reset a time for families to leave behind what was lost and dream about what the future will look like, said Dave Ramsey, personal finance expert and host of The Dave Ramsey Show. People need a plan for working their way out of debt, saving for the future and building wealth. More than that, they need hope, and thats what this event is going to provide.

Ramsey+ has guided millions with an easy-to-follow, personalized plan for their money. Members learn Ramseys 7 Baby Steps, which start with saving for an emergency fund. Within the first 90 days, the average Ramsey+ member saves $2,700 and pays off $5,300 in debt. A Ramsey+ membership comes with access to online financial courses like Financial Peace University, the EveryDollar budgeting tool, the goal-tracking BabySteps app, virtual and in-person classes and communities, and more. To start a free trial of Ramsey+, visit http://www.daveramsey.com/ramsey-plus.

About Ramsey Solutions

Ramsey Solutions is committed to helping people regain control of their money, build wealth, grow their leadership skills, and enhance their lives through personal development. The companys success is defined by the number of people whose lives are changed by a message of hope. Through a variety of mediums including live events, publishing, nationally syndicated radio shows and columns, Ramsey Solutions uses common sense education to empower people to win at life and money. Millions of families have graduated from Financial Peace University classes across the country, and Ramsey Solutions world-class speakers have brought vision, inspiration, and encouragement to more than a million more. Recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of best places to work in the country, Ramsey Solutions and its team of more than 950 are dedicated to doing work that matters. For more information, visit ramseysolutions.com.

1.Source: The State of Debt Among Americans Study is a research study conducted by Ramsey Solutions Research with 1,072 U.S. adults. The nationally representative sample was fielded November 29, 2017 to December 5, 2017 using a third-party research panel.

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Free RESET Live Virtual Event to Teach Viewers How to Gain Control of Their Money In 2021 - Business Wire