Author: Alan Wass

Japanese Billionaire Yusaku Maezawa Backs First PGA Golf Tour Event in Japan

After many years of trying to get a PGA Tour event, Japan has finally secured its first official tournament. Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa is over the moon and will be the first sponsor and main backer for the event.

The Japanese fashion specialist Maezawa founded the popular website Zozotown but is more famously known in his native land for attempting to become the first commercial passenger to try to fly around the moon. Get your heads around that one!

PGA Tour Golf Event in Japan

The Japanese are golf-crazy, so the announcement of the first-ever PGA Tour golf event in Japan is massive news across the Orient. The tournament will take place between October 24-27 in 2019 as the PGA Tour swings through the far east with other tournaments planned for China and South Korea.

Talking with a translator on Tuesday at a press conference in a central Tokyo hotel, Japanese billionaire Yusaka Maezawa was extremely upbeat not only about the event but also in regards to going to the moon:

“I think this will be the first PGA Tour sponsor that is going to the moon. I haven’t decided who I will take to the moon with me yet. I would like to talk to many people with an open mind.”

The new PGA Tour golf event in Japan is part of a six-year deal and will run in conjunction with golf’s high profile in the country in the lead-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The event will replace the current Malaysian event on the PGA Tour.

The Popularity of Golf in Japan

Did you know that 10 million people in Japan play golf? That’s almost 10% of the population. The main problem the Japanese have always had is they are limited in terms of space and golf courses.

There are only 2,450 golf courses in Japan, which is minute when compared to the number of players. This is why so many Japanese visit major golf tours destinations across the world. Most Japanese golfers never get to play on a course and are relegated to lofty driving ranges on top of buildings in major cities such as Tokyo.

Japanese billionaire Yusaka Maezawa is not the only person who can’t contain his excitement since the announcement of the PGA Tour golf Japanese event. Japanese golfers Hideki Matsuyama and Isao Aoki were also sat next to Maezawa at the press conference. Aoki, who is now 76 and was the first Japanese golfer to win a PGA tour event was quoted as saying:

“Finally this day has come. If I were younger, I’d like to play in a PGA tournament in Japan. I wish this day had come earlier.”

The event will be called the Zozo Championship and will be a 78 strong field with a purse of $9.75 million. There will also be a further 10 Japanese players who will be allowed to play the event to give it a local appeal.

Featured image from the Valdosta Daily Times.

November 22, 2018
Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo Owns a $2.5 million LaFerrari

If you can afford to spend $2.5 million on a single vehicle, you deserve it! World-renowned footballer Cristiano Ronaldo owns a vast array of super-cars, but one of his favorites is his stunning $2.5 million LaFerrari. And it’s not even his most expensive car!

More known for his award-winning football career playing for Manchester United, Real Madrid and now Juventus, Cristiano Ronaldo is also making news for his plush selection of high-end super-cars.

Cristiano Ronaldo Car Collection

In an article by The Sun newspaper that discusses the most expansive cars owned by footballers, it really is an eye-opener to see the current wealth of football’s top-earning players.

Cristiano Ronaldo has a net worth of $450 million and apparently earned $108 million in 2018 alone. His lifetime sponsorship deal with sports giants Nike is believed to be worth in the region $1 billion. Forbes listed Ronaldo as the 10th highest earning athlete in the world in 2018.

With that much dough in the bank, what else are you supposed to do? Buy cars worth in the region of $2.5 billion dollars.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s LaFerrari is a special type of limited edition F150 Ferrari. The hybrid sports car has a 6.3 L F140FE V12 engine with design elements created by Ferrari’s F1 technical director Rory Byrne.

The article also mentioned that the Portuguese footballer also owns a $2.1m Bugatti Veyron, and a $3.2 million Bugatti Chiron.

Cars of Rich and Famous Footballers

Cristiano Ronaldo is not the only footballer who owns stunning multi-million super-cars. Fulham footballer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also owns a $2.5 million LaFerrari.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s former Real Madrid teammate, Karim Benzema, also owns a Bugatti Veyron and Bugatti Chiron just like his friend.

Other famous footballers who made the list are David Beckham and his $500,000 Rolls Royce Phantom, Zlatan Ibrahimovic with a Porsche 918 Spyder that is worth approximately $1 million, and former Barcelona star Samuel Eto’o with his $1.8m Aston Martin One-77.

Cristiano Ronaldo signed for Juventus earlier this year becoming Italy’s highest paid footballer with a reported deal worth $350 million over the next four years. Rumors are that Ronaldo took a pay cut to leave Madrid for Juve. Must be rough for him!

Footballers are the modern-day movie stars, but when you take into account the multi-billion television and sponsorship deals, players such as Cristiano Ronaldo generate more than they are paid, so it must be worth it.

Featured image from Shutterstock.

November 22, 2018
George R.R. Martin Releases Game of Thrones ‘Fire & Blood’ Book

If you are a Game of Thrones book fan who has been waiting seven years for George R.R. Martin to release the next installment, Winds of Winter, we have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that the author has just released a new GOT-related book called “Fire & Blood”.

It seems the reasons why George R.R. Martin has yet to complete Winds of Winter is because he has been writing other GOT-based material and is busy with other projects.

Game of Thrones Fans Spitting Fire & Blood

At this moment, it is unclear whether Game of Thrones book aficionados are happy with the new book or are simply too tired waiting for Winds of Winter. GOT novel fans have the patience of a Saint, but no doubt the recent release will soften the blow somewhat.

Fire & Blood is a 736-page ‘history’ book of the Targaryen bloodline and dynasty. The book is set 300 years before Game of Thrones and obviously doesn’t include any of the characters from the HBO drama series. Although appearances from some Starks and Lannisters from centuries before will definitely tickle the fancy of fans of the books and the TV series.

The book looks into the potential sources for Dany’s future dragons and although isn’t a replacement for the original books, it definitely gives them leverage with a look into the past.

Game of Throne Season 8

If you are pining for the next and final season of the HBO Game of Thrones adaptation of the “A Song of Fire and Ice” books, but don’t want to get caught up reading all six books so far, buying Fire & Blood could well fill the void.

The final season of Game of Thrones will be shown in April 2019, which will be almost two-years since season 7 finished.

Spoilers are currently rife across the internet in regards to who will end up on the Iron Throne, although at this point it is all speculation. Will Jon and Dany reign over the Seven Kingdoms? Will the Night King and his White Walkers run amok on Westeros and turn the place to rubble? Will Cersei Lannister remain on the throne?

Nobody knows for sure at this moment on how the series is going to pan out.

One thing is for sure. We will find out the ending many years before George R.R. Martin finishes the final two books of the series, if ever at all!

Featured image from the Herald Sun.

November 22, 2018
Inventor Billionaire James Dyson Buys $74m New York Penthouse

British inventor billionaire James Dyson between constructing electric cars in Singapore and ensuring the universe has a clean floor is buying up New York penthouses worth $74m. From a dusty floor to penthouse panorama!

The Dyson vacuum cleaner inventor extraordinaire has purchased a stunning and palatial 9,138-square-foot penthouse on 520 Park Avenue in New York for a reported $73.8 million.

James Dyson at the Top of New York

The British inventor revolutionized the world of cleanliness around the turn of the century with his bag-less vacuum cleaners that pretty much took the world by storm. He has become the poster boy of house-cleaners and OCD patients the world over.

The New York Post has reported that the inventor has purchased the Park Avenue penthouse that comes equipped with six-bedrooms. The property has a balcony that is 279-square-feet, which is larger than most people’s studio apartments in the city.

The penthouse enjoys staggering 360-degree views of the city and is situated close to Dyson’s main store in New York on East 60th Street.

Still Pushing the Boundaries of Innovation

The 71-year-old British inventor might be getting towards the twilight years of his life, but he still has the thirst for invention and innovation.

James Dyson is listed on Forbes for having a net worth of $5.3 billion and was even ranked on their rich list in 321st place. But he is not hanging up his Inspector Gadget hat just yet.

MoneyMakers reported in October that the vacuum cleaner aficionado was delving headlong into the construction of electric cars. He even took some flack in the British media because he was a Brexit supporter who has now moved the majority of his electric car manufacturing business to Singapore.

With the electronic car industry now becoming big business, Dyson is looking to challenge the likes of Elon Musk to become a major player over the next few years.

As it stands, James Dyson already has over 12,000 employees across the globe, mainly in the vacuum cleaner and electric car industries. 4,800 of those employees are in the United Kingdom, which shows he is still very much committed to his homeland.

However, with the acquisition of his new $74 million 530 Park Ave. Penthouse, he will probably be spending more time in the Big Apple as opposed to sucking pieces of it from off the floor.

Featured image from the official Dyson website.

November 21, 2018
Coca-Cola Cannabis Drink Anyone? Apparently Not Says CEO

Amidst news and rumors that Coca-Cola was looking to penetrate the cannabis industry, the CEO of the soft-drink giants, James Quincey, has come out to say they are not interested in concocting a Coca-Cola cannabis drink.

As companies and celebrities from Mike Tyson to Richard Branson show a willingness to promote the fledgling cannabis industry, Coca-Cola is now distancing themselves from entering the pot affray.

Coca-Cola Cannabis Infused Drink?

Over the past two months, the news was circulating that the soft-drink company was interested in developing a Coca-Cola Cannabis CBD beverage infused with the medical aspects of cannabis that would be used to treat a number of conditions.

Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey has now poured scorn on the idea and has said that the evidence on consumable cannabis is still sketchy.

That’s quite amusing considering how many chemicals are in your pre-existing drink that you happily sell to people of all ages, especially kids. Sounds like someone needs a slap with the contradiction stick! Cannabis infused drink or chemical soup? I know which one I prefer.

Coca-Cola Firmly Sidelines Cannabis Drink

As Canada and many parts of the USA are now accepting the herb with open arms, and minds, Coca-Cola is heading in the opposite direction. Although a Coca-Cola cannabis drink sounds delicious, CEO Quincey gave his opinion when talking to CNBC’s Jim Cramer:

“I have a very simple way of thinking about ingredients, including CBD: is it legal, is it safe and is it consumable? It’s not legal in the United States and it’s not even legal for beverages in Canada yet. The science is out [on safety].”

Aspartame is fine though of course! Thank god Quincey is here to safeguard human beings! Because everyone knows that his main concern is people becoming health conscious, right? If so, Coca-Cola would’ve already gone bankrupt.

He went on further to say that consumers want are looking for trust. He also went onto to say in the same discussion that:

“We want to sell drinks that people can drink each day, so it’s not like something you have once, you have to be able to have [for example] one a day.”

So, is he concerned with people’s health or creating a product that will consistently sell? We already know the answer to that one. What a hypocrite.

I don’t think herb consumers will be concerned that a Coca-Cola cannabis drink is not being produced as they smoke on their phat blunts. Maybe it’s a decision Coca-Cola will come to regret.

Featured image from Maxim.

November 21, 2018
Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine Arrested Facing Racketeering Charges and Life Imprisonment

Renowned rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine has been arrested and is currently in Federal custody on racketeering-related charges. The alleged charge is related to his supposed involvement in the July shooting of a bystander and other gang-related issues.

Tekashi 6ix9ine has been loudly beefing with another famous rapper, Curtis ‘50-Cent’ Jackson, over the past week or so, but it seems that back and forth bravado with ‘Fiddy’ is now the least of his woes.

Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine on RICO Charges

Known just as much for his loud and charismatic persona, rainbow-colored hair and tattoo coverage than for his mic skills, Tekashi 6ix9ine has landed in hot water. The life of rappers seems exclusively tied up with gun violence more than record sales in recent years, and the case of Tekashi 6ix9ine is no different.

Although his hit single “Fefe” with Niki Minaj reached multi-platinum status across the US and hit number-3 in the US charts, the Brooklyn-based rapper could now be facing life in prison.

Tekashi 6ix9ine, known by his mother as Daniel Hernandez, was arrested in New York on Sunday night with five associates in relation to a gang-related racketeering charge, which has been linked into an incident in July where an innocent person was accidentally shot. The incident was allegedly between 6ix9ine and his boys against a rival gang.

All four men now face firearms and racketeering charges and are currently locked up in federal custody.

What Happened to Tekashi 6ix9ine?

Why is controversial rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine facing racketeering charges for allegedly being involved in a shooting? Apparently, it runs much deeper as you would expect from an alleged RICO charge.

The charges relate to Tekashi 6ix9ine allegedly operating and managing a gang that was involved in all manner of crimes from assault and robbery to drug dealing and murder.

An eight-count indictment has been issued that involves the rapper and his supposed gang. The indictment says that Hernandez and his associates “participated in the operation and management of” their alleged Nine Trey Gangsta Blood gang.

The charges relate to the aforementioned incident in July and another robbery incident in April supposedly involving his crew. Breaking down the indictment, two of the charges have a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, so at this moment, it’s not looking good for the rapper.

Hernandez already had a myriad of cases and charges against his name, such as the alleged choking of a 16-year old in Houston last January. It seems that Tekashi 6ix9ine is not a plastic gangster with a fake image. It seems he is very real. It might cost him his freedom for the rest of his life.

Featured image from the Daily Beast.

November 20, 2018
Pop Star Alecia Beth Moore “Pink” Grosses Over $80m From Recent Australian Tour

Is pop music dead? In a recording sense maybe, but definitely not at the live gate. Pop star Pink might be more near the twilight of her pop career, but she is still raking in the big bucks, recently grossing over $80 million on the Australian and New Zealand leg of her world tour alone.

It seems that she is still a massive across the world as legions of fans have come out to support her most recent tour on the continent.

Pop Star Pink is Massive Down Under

Did you know that pop star Pink is now the second highest grossing musical artist in Australia and New Zealand? She is second only to the Rolling Stones in terms of career gross earnings.

The Aussie/New Zealand leg of her ‘Beautiful Trauma World Tour’ saw the pinkish vocalist sell a ginormous 559,361 tickers. According to stats published by Billboard, the recent Pink tour in Aus and NZ grossed in the region of $80 million.

This is her biggest tour of the region up to date, even surpassing the figures at the height of her career in the late 2000s. Her 2013 tour, The Trust About Love Tour, grossed upwards of $73 million.

Over the course of her career, pop star Pink has performed approximately 180 shows in Australia and New Zealand since first playing in the region back in 2004.

Massive Career Earnings in Australia

Some of Pink’s most popular songs include her first hit single ‘There You Go’ back in 2000 and other favorites such as ‘Stupid Girl’, ‘Who Knew’, ‘Just Give Me a Reason’, ‘Leave Me Alone’ and a myriad of other hit singles and albums.

Pink is now the second highest selling musical artist in Australia and New Zealand, with a career gross of $228 million, which is staggering. She is second only to the Rolling Stones who have grossed a total of $429.8 million.

The fact that she is a higher grossing star than The Beatles, ABBA and even Michael Jackson should put things into perspective for you.

Pop star Pink finished up on the last day of her 42-date tour of Australia and New Zealand in September, but the stats have only just come to light. She is still currently in the middle of her world tour with a further 60 dates left across the UK, US, Europe, Canada, and South America, which will not finish until mid-way through 2019.

Featured image from Shutterstock.

November 19, 2018
India’s First Homegrown Satellite by Exseed Space to Launch on Tuesday

Strap on your seatbelts, pray to your deities and get ready for blast-off! India’s first homegrown satellite, built by Exseed Space is almost ready to take-off and will be launched on Tuesday on-board SpaceX Falcon 9.

India is poised to send their first-ever satellite into space, designed and produced in Mumbai-and Hyderabad, by the Mumbai-based startup company Exseed Space.

One Small Step for India and Exseed Space

The first living thing human beings successfully sent to space was a monkey named Albert II on June 14, 1949. We don’t want to tell you what happened to the original Albert I. It’s safe to say he went on a scenic journey to a special place in the cosmos.

A new chapter for India’s space exploration history will be written on Tuesday when their first ever homegrown satellite, named ExseedSat-1, will be launched into space from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

The Indian satellite ExseedSat-1 will be one of 70 satellites from 16 countries that will be launched on-board Elon Musk’s SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Tuesday. It’s an exciting time not just for the Indian space industry and Exseed Space, but also on a global scale.

Exseed Space From Mumbai

Exseed Space is a Mumbai-based startup that has designed and constructed Indian’s first privately built satellite. They will become the first ever Indian company to send a satellite to space.

The firm was first established in 2017, founded by Kris Nair and Farhan Ashhar to build and develop small satellite platforms. They are hoping to become a major player in the design, assembly, testing, and integration of satellites.

Exseed Space is currently working to create Indian’s first satellite manufacturing facility that can cater to the growing interest and demand in global markets for Nano and Microsatellites, and Cubesats.

Exseed Space was funded by a Mumbai finance company named First Cheque, who is also in the early stages of helping 100 new startups over the course of the next five years in India.

The takeoff time for the SpaceX Falcon 9 and ExseedSat-1 will be at 6.32 pm GMT on Tuesday, November 19. Everyone will be holding their breath simultaneously as the Exseed Space satellite will be propelled into outer space creating history for India.

November 19, 2018
Music Technology Company Pirate Studios Secures $20m Investment

Pirate Studios is a music tech company in the UK that has recently secured $20 million worth of investments from some of the industry’s most high-profile players. They offer 24-hour self-service recording studio time and plan to expand throughout the UK and globally.

The music industry has been going through a serious reshuffle since the early 2000s. Long gone are the heydays for record companies who used to make a vast fortune. Multi-platinum selling albums that rake in tens of millions of dollars are generally a thing of the past. And so is the way music is now recorded.

Pirate Studios Founded by Musicians

Pirate Studios is a Bristol-based music tech company in the UK that uniquely operates a fully-automated 24-hour recording studio service, founded by musicians for musicians.

The studios have recently announced they have secured $20 million in funds from a syndicate of investors called the Talis Capital Group that include some high-profile names from the world of music.

The list of investors who are funding Pirate Studios’ expansion is led by Spotify investor Eric Archambeau. Other investors include Bart Swanson from Horizons Ventures, alongside partners from Gaw Capital, which is a Hong-Kong-based tech fund worth $20 billion.

Pirate Studios plan to expand their operations across locations in the United Kingdom, the US, and Germany, introducing automated recording to a larger market.

A New Way of Recording Music

The key element to the success of Pirate Studios is its unique self-serving and automated recording studio ethos. The studios are open 24-hours, have keycode access and allow users to take advantage of automated technology for live recording and live online streaming.

The CEO and co-Founder of Pirate Studios David Borrie had some interesting words when talking about the secured funds and expansion:

“When we founded Pirate Studios our dream was to create innovative spaces to support emerging talent. We are so excited about the next stage of our expansion, which has been made possible by Talis Capital’s big commitment to this project, with the potential to put musicians back at the heart of the music industry.”

The music industry is finally evolving to encourage new and emerging talent. We live in a modern world of convenience where everything must be done today. Pirate Studios is paving the way for new musicians and artists who want to record any time of the day or night for prices they can afford.

Featured image from Pirate Studios.

November 18, 2018
Floyd Mayweather Japan Fight Back On? Is Floyd Trolling Everyone?

The Floyd Mayweather vs Tenshin Nasukawa fight has been off and on more rapidly than a red light in Amsterdam. Was the Japanese press conference real or fake? Is the fight happening or not? It seems the fight is back on for the moment!

Floyd Mayweather has now come out to say that the fight against Japanese kickboxer Nasukawa is going to happen on the originally proposed date, just days after claiming he was set up by the Japanese fighting company Rizin.

Conflicting Reports from Floyd Mayweather

Floyd Mayweather has told TMZ that the fight is back on and will be a ‘no kicking’ nine-minute exhibition and will be the highest paid exhibition fight in history.

Two weeks ago, retired boxing legend Floyd Mayweather surprisingly took the mic at a press conference in Tokyo, Japan, to announce a New Year’s Eve fight against Tenshin Nasukawa. A disheveled Floyd looked lost and confused at the time that led many to pour scorn on the proposed fight. A scam alert was raised across the internet and seemed to be right.

As soon as Floyd landed back in America after his visit to the Orient, he quickly poured water on the fight on his Instagram account to reveal he was blindsided by the Japanese MMA fighting company Rizin.

Floyd said on Instagram that he thought it was going to be an exhibition fight and then Rizin flipped the script on him without warning. It seems that Rizin and Floyd might have come to a deal after all.

Floyd Says the Fight Is On

Some people started to believe that maybe Floyd had been paid a large sum of money to appear at the press conference to promote the Rizin New Year’s Eve event and it was all a ruse. However, Mayweather has more recently told the entertainment and gossip website TMZ a completely different story:

“There’s no official fight. It’s an exhibition. A small, nine-minute exhibition. No kicking. It’s going to be the highest paid exhibition ever. Just for promoting this event I’ve made seven figures. It’s a no-brainer. Just because I’m retired, I still make appearances around the world and make a ton of money.”

Is Floyd Mayweather just trolling the public? Can we take him seriously? Can we believe anything he says? The recent statement has posed more questions than answers. We will wait with bated breath to see what is true and what is not.

Featured image from USA Today.

November 17, 2018