Zeros

For the past couple of weeks, if you’ve glanced at the Billboard Hot 100 , you might have felt a little dizzy. The chart has been packed — and I mean packed — with multiple entries from J. Cole and entire waves of tracks from Bad Bunny at the same time. Album bombs, streaming surges, algorithm avalanches. It’s impressive. It’s modern. It’s how the game works now. But if you’re north of 35, you may also have found yourself scrolling and thinking: Where’s the record that feels familiar ? Enter T.I . with Let Em Know , now in its third week on the Hot 100. And suddenly — finally — there’s something on the chart that doesn’t feel like it was engineered in a lab for playlist dominance. It feels lived-in. Let Em Know is unapologetically Georgia . Not just Atlanta trap as a genre label, but Georgia as a mood . There’s heat in it. Patience. That slow-rolling confidence that doesn’t need to shout because it already knows. The production leans into that syrupy Southern rhythm...

Who's Holding Your Bitcoin? The Coinbase Custody Question and the Rise of Paper Bitcoin When the SEC began approving spot Bitcoin ETFs in early 2024, millions of digital currency enthusiasts cheered. Finally, mainstream investors could gain exposure to Bitcoin through familiar brokerage accounts . But buried in the fine print of many of these funds was a detail that has quietly unsettled a corner of the Bitcoin community: Coinbase , the publicly traded digital asset exchange, was named custodian for a significant portion of these ETFs. And with that appointment came a term worth unpacking — Paper Bitcoin . If you've spent any time in digital currency forums lately, you've probably seen the phrase tossed around with varying degrees of alarm. The concept is slippery, and depending on who's using it, Paper Bitcoin can mean slightly different things. At its most straightforward, it refers to Bitcoin that exists as a financial instrument — a claim, a share,...

For those of us who still remember saving up for vinyl, reading liner notes, and arguing about who really wrote that bridge, the latest debate between artificial intelligence companies and record labels can feel… exhausting. The so-called AI walled gardens compromise is being floated as a kind of legal test balloon between major tech firms and record companies. The basic idea? Instead of AI systems scraping the open internet freely for songs, they would operate inside licensed environments — controlled databases where music is provided by rights holders under negotiated terms. In theory, everyone wins: labels get paid, AI companies get clean data, and courts get fewer lawsuits. In reality, it’s more complicated. Major labels like Universal Music Group , Sony Music Entertainment , and Warner Music Group have already shown they’re willing to go to court to protect catalogs. Their argument is straightforward: if an AI model trains on copyrighted recordings withou...

When Digital Assets Meet Community: Lessons from Polymarket, Kalshi, and Dogecoin's Next Chapter A remarkable event recently occurred in the prediction markets space that should make the broader digital currency community pause and take note. Both Polymarket and Kalshi launched free grocery store pop-ups, offering essential goods to their communities at no cost. These weren't publicity stunts—they were genuine efforts to give back to the people who've supported these platforms. And here's where it gets interesting for those of us watching the digital asset landscape: these initiatives raise important questions about how platforms in this space generate and share value. The Revenue Revolution The traditional model for digital currency platforms has been straightforward: transaction fees, trading spreads, and service charges . But prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi are exploring a different path. While both platforms do charge fees on certain tr...

For many older pop culture observers, Don Lemon will always be associated with late-night cable news , sharp suits, and the unmistakable rhythm of primetime television. His years at CNN placed him at the center of national conversations —sometimes steady, sometimes stormy. Now, in a new chapter as an independent YouTube commentator, he finds himself facing something far more personal than ratings: a court battle that could shape both his finances and his public legacy. While details continue to unfold, the broad outline is clear enough. Lemon is defending himself against legal claims tied to his professional conduct and contractual relationships . Cases like this can stretch on for months—or even years— moving through motions, depositions, and possible settlements before ever reaching a courtroom verdict . For someone whose career has been built on speaking with authority, the shift from anchor desk to defendant’s chair is jarring . There are several possible...

Prediction Markets Are Giving Away Free Groceries? What's Really Going On Here When you think of prediction markets, free groceries probably aren't the first thing that comes to mind . Yet here we are in 2026, and both Kalshi and Polymarket have launched pop-up stores where everything is completely free. As someone who spends time navigating digital asset platforms, I had to do a double-take when I first heard about this . These aren't your typical promotional stunts. Both platforms have set up legitimate, temporary grocery stores stocked with everyday essentials— produce, pantry items, household goods —and they're not charging a cent. The pop-ups are limited-time affairs, but while they're open, anyone can walk in and grab what they need. The timing is fascinating. Prediction markets have been having a moment lately, moving from niche corners of the digital currency world into mainstream consciousness . Polymarket, in particular, has seen...