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A woman paid a witch on Etsy for a love spell. Instead of following through, the witch found the man online and sent him screenshots of the conversation. Now, people are calling it a WIPPA violation. Guys the Etsy witch told on me, @andtheg4gis cried in a TikTok posted on Monday. I said the guy’s name, his birthday and stuff, and she literally DMd him on Instagram and exposed me. The video has since been viewed 2.4 million times and spread across other social media platforms. Imagine getting a hey girly text from a witch, one person commented. Many in the comments are calling for the TikTok user to drop the name of the Etsy seller, just so they know who to avoid. Some are calling for her to report the witch for violating her trust. As a former Etsy witch, either she was a hater or you wanted something HENIOUS, one wrote. Others are less sympathetic. Honestly good on the Etsy witch, one person commented. The ethical considerations of love spells, if you believe they exist, are complex. I mean that sucks but thats also what you get for trying to use a love spell on someone, wrote another. Fast Company has reached out to @andtheg4gis for comment. The $2.3 Billion Business of Belief Love spells are a thriving cottage industry on TikTok and Etsy. A quick search found over 1000 results of love spells for sale, starting from as little as $0.78, up to $5000+. Fast Company can not verify the legitimacy of these spells; use at your own risk. A commitment spell to help you get that ring is currently on sale for $45. The seller has 2,750 reviews. Another seller, with over 150 reviews, offers a Dark Bind spell currently on sale for $49.70. Send over the name, age, gender, your relationship to the subject and a brief explanation. Adding a photo is optional, but does claim to strengthen the spellwhich is available in two intensities. Psychic services, including spells, are big business. About 3 in 10 Americans make use of astrology, tarot cards or fortune tellers at least once a year, according to a nationwide survey by the Pew Research Center. The industry, which includes various specialties such as astrology, palm-reading, psychic readings and fortune telling, generated an estimated $2.3 billion in revenue in 2024 and employed 105,000 people, according to market research firm IBIS World. While 20% use these services “just for fun,” according to Pew, about 1% rely on what they learn from these practices for major life decisions. If you cant trust witches, who can you trust?
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E-Commerce
GameStop is taking its promised bitcoin investment seriously$500-million-worth-of-bitcoin serious, in fact. The video game retailer (which has also become a meme stock) announced the purchase of 4,710 bitcoin, the oldest and largest cryptocurrency, on Wednesday. The company first announced that it had set its sights on cryptocurrency in early March, Fast Company reported, following the GameStop board’s unanimous decision to add bitcoin as a treasury reserve asset, allowing the company to invest its corporate cash, future debt, and equity issuances on digital tokens. Valued at $108,493 per bitcoin at the time of writing, today’s announced investment amounts to around $511 million. As of February of this year, the company held around $4.8 billion in cash, and said in a regulatory filing that it has not set a ceiling for accumulated bitcoin. While the news had an initial positive response in premarket trading, the stock sank as much as 4% (at the time of writing), trading at $30.9 in comparison to the prior day’s closing at $35. Fast Company reached out to GameStop but did not receive a comment at the time of publishing. The bitcoin purchase marks the next step for CEO Ryan Cohen’s plan to improve the company’s profitability. Cost-cutting efforts included closing 590 brick-and-mortar locations last fiscal year. While this year’s fourth-quarter net sales fell to $1.2 billion compared to the prior year’s $1.7 billion, the retailer saw an increase in net income, rising to $131.3 million compared to $63.1 million the year before. The company’s direction has been relatively effective, with stock up around 8% this year, and a current market valuation of $14.2 billion. Following an uptick in stock price in Marchdue in part to the initial investment policy announcementGameStop has seen a steady rise despite a decline in early May. The expansion of the company’s portfolio investment toward cryptocurrency follows in the footsteps of software company Strategy (formerlyMicroStrategy), which is the largest corporate holder of bitcoin following years of investments. The decision to turn to digital tokens also follows President Trump’s focus on cryptocurrency, with his administration establishing the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, and the president launching his eponymous token and hosting a private dinner with holders.
Category:
E-Commerce
The Trump administration has decimated climate science across the country, from the mass layoffs at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to the shuttering of NASAs Goddard Institute for Space Studies. Now, scientists are defending their work, and its value to the country, by speaking directly to Americans through a 100-hour livestream full of presentations on everything from air quality to extreme heat to weather stations. Beginning Wednesday, May 28 at 1 p.m. ET, the Weather and Climate Livestream will span five days, ending on Sunday, June 1 at 5:30 p.m. ET. It will feature climate scientists and meteorologists who will talk about their work and the impact of research cuts, and take audience questions. The event kicks off with Kate Marvel, a climate scientist who was formerly an associate researcher at GISS, who will be live streaming the last hours of the GISS lab. That 43,000-square-foot space near Columbia University has been crucial to climate science, but is closing because the Trump administration terminated its lease. The livestream will also include a panel discussion with terminated NOAA employeesin March, the Trump administration laid off more than 1,000 peopleand another with the former directors of the National Weather Service, as well as “primetime” talks from experts on topics like floods, drought, and hurricanes. Prominent climate scientist Daniel Swainwho often hosts his own virtual office hours on climate news, heat waves, and wildfireswill be participating with an Ask Me Anything session, open to audience questions, on Saturday, May 31 at 9:30 p.m. ET. The 100-hour Weather and Climate Livestream is available on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@wclivestream/live. Its billed as a non-partisan event, organized in part by members of the Union of Concerned Scientists. To the participants, it’s also an opportunity to try to save Americas weather forecasts; the event website includes a link for Americans to contact their representatives and urge them to restore weather and climate funding. Trump’s funding cuts Scientists, and everyday Americans are already feeling the cuts from the Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE): The National Weather Service, for example, is already flying fewer weather balloons, which hampered forecasters ability to get accurate and timely data to the public about recent hail storms and tornadoes. NWS field offices are short staffed and scrambling to have regular coverage. Hurricane season is also approaching, and is expected to be above-average, with 13 to 19 named storms. Trumps cuts would eliminate climate models that provide accurate forecasting, as well as FEMA services that would help Americans recover from climate disasters. The administration’s cuts would also close multiple research institutions and labs, all six of NOAA’s regional climate centers, and end $70 million in grants to research universities. That means thousands of scientists will lose their funding, which translates to less storm forecasting, no more climate monitoring for farmers, and coastal communities without information on things like tides and flood risk. For generations, the U.S. government has invested in the science that helps us do so, building one of the greatest meteorology and climate science communities in the world, the Weather and Climate Livestream website reads. In recent months, this community has been thwarted in our mission of serving the public due to substantial cuts and firings. But its not too late to stop those cuts, the livestream organizers note. Already, the Trump administration has walked back some cuts in the face of public pressurelike by reopening shuttered weather data centers. The 100-hour livestream is a way to “help keep this pressure building, the site reads. The Weather and Climate Livestream website includes more information on topics, speakers, and the schedule for the 100-hour event.
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E-Commerce
Elon Musk is criticizing the centerpiece of President Donald Trumps legislative agenda, a significant fracture in a partnership that was forged during last year’s campaign and was poised to reshape American politics and the federal government. The billionaire entrepreneur, who supported Trumps candidacy with at least $250 million and has worked for his administration as a senior adviser, said he was disappointed by what the president calls his big beautiful bill. The legislation includes a mix of tax cuts and enhanced immigration enforcement. While speaking to CBS, Musk described it as a massive spending bill that increases the federal deficit and undermines the work of his Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE. I think a bill can be big or it could be beautiful, Musk said. But I dont know if it could be both. His CBS interview came out Tuesday night. White House officials did not immediately respond to questions. Republicans recently pushed the legislation through the House and are debating it in the Senate. Musks comments come as he steps back from his government work, rededicating himself to companies like the electric automaker Tesla and rocket manufacturer SpaceX. He’s also said he’ll reduce his political spending, because “I think Ive done enough. At times, he’s seemed chastened by his experience working in government. Although he hoped that DOGE would generate $1 trillion in spending cuts, he’s fallen far short of that target. The federal bureaucracy situation is much worse than I realized, he told The Washington Post. I thought there were problems, but it sure is an uphill battle trying to improve things in D.C., to say the least. Musk had previously been effusive about the opportunity to reshape Washington. He wore campaign hats in the White House, held his own campaign rallies and talked about excessive spending as an existential crisis. He was also effusive in his praise of Trump. The more Ive gotten to know President Trump, the more I like the guy,” Musk said at one point. “Frankly, I love him. Trump repaid the favor, describing Musk as “a truly great American. When Tesla faced declining sales, he turned the White House driveway into a makeshift showroom to illustrate his support. It’s unclear what, if any, impact that Musk’s comments about the bill would have on the legislative debate. During the transition period, he helped whip up opposition to a spending measure as the country stood on the brink of a federal government shutdown. But Trump remains the dominant figure within the Republican Party, and many lawmakers have been unwilling to cross the president when he applies pressure for his agenda. The Congressional Budget Office, in a preliminary estimate, said the tax provisions would increase federal deficits by $3.8 trillion over the decade, while the changes to Medicaid, food stamps and other services would reduce spending by slightly more than $1 trillion over the same period. House Republican leaders say increased economic growth would allow the bill to be deficit neutral or reducing, but outside watchdogs are skeptical. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates the bill would add $3 trillion to the debt, including interest, over the next decade. Chris Megerian, Associated Press Associated Press writer Kevin Freking contributed.
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E-Commerce
The issuer of USDC, a popular stablecoin thats pegged to the U.S. dollar, is officially launching an initial public offering. Circle Internet Group filed paperwork with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday to raise up to $624 million by offering 24 million shares to investors. With its IPO plans, New York-based Circle is hoping to put a lot of circleswell, zerosbehind its valuation, targeting up to $6.71 billion. Tuesdays filing has been long-awaited, as the company confidentially filed for an IPO in January 2024 after scrapping 2022 plans to go public via a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). While more players in the crypto space have been diving into public markets in recent years, Circles filing comes at pivotal timing amid a lot of interest in stablecoins. The companys biggest coin, USDC, is the seventh-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, according to CoinMarketCap, and second-largest stablecoin behind Tether. You may have been hearing more talk of stablecoins among investors and even the U.S. government. But what even is a stablecoin, anyway? If you’re confused, read on for a complete breakdown of what you need to know. What is a stablecoin? Stablecoins serve a much different role in the crypto space than the likes of Bitcoin or Ethereum, which can experience wild spikes in their prices. As the name suggests, stablecoins are intentionally stable in price because their value is pegged to an asset like the U.S. dollar. Both the Tether and USDC coins are pegged 1:1 to the U.S. dollar, meaning that for every unit of these cryptocurrencies in circulation, theyre backed by $1 of cash or U.S. Treasury bonds. Their prices typically fluctuate only tiny fractions of a cent higher or lower than $1. Even amid Tuesdays IPO news, the price of USDC was essentially flat. Circle is also the issuer of EURC, which is pegged to the value of the euro. Given their price stability, stablecoins offer a valuable ballast to investors amid the volatility of crypto markets for investors. Once popular as a bridge between traditional and decentralized finance markets, theres been more interest in stablecoins as various countries around the world embrace cryptocurrencies. What’s the government’s stance on stablecoins and regulation? If you feel like youre hearing more about stablecoins lately, its because theyve been the topic of recent debate in the U.S. Senate. In February, Senator Bill Hagerty, a Republican from Tennessee, introduced the GENIUS Act, which would have classified stablecoins as securities under the jurisdiction of the SEC to establish regulatory guardrails for these coins. That Act would have brought a new layer of legitimacy to the crypto industry by bringing stablecoins into the regulated financial system. But the U.S. Senate voted earlier this month to block further advancement of the GENIUS Act, which was widely viewed as a significant setback for the industry. Once a skeptic, President Donald Trump has become a vocal proponent of cryptocurrencies, though some investors worry his support isnt helping. The $TRUMP meme coin launched just days before he returned to the office for his second term. In March, he voiced his support for legislation that provides regulatory certainty for stablecoins and has said he wants the U.S. to be the crypto capital of the world. When is Circle’s IPO? Even though stablecoins have been the topic of much debate in Washington, D.C. thats not likely to affect Circles IPO. Theres been a relative dearth of initial public offerings since an all-time record in 2021 and investors may be eager to hop aboard a new offering, particularly amid a broader market recovery. Circle has applied to list its stock on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol CRCL and indicated that shares could be priced between $24 and $26. But theres no definitive timeline yet for when the stock could begin trading.
Category:
E-Commerce
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