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Ubisoft: Traditional controllers still key to big action games
While the PS3's and Xbox 360's respective motion control technologies, unveiled at E3, may be drawing all the hype they can muster in the wake of the show - Ubisoft chief Yves Guillemot has said that big action games will still be about traditional controllers in the future.
"The current pad for gamers is giving them a lot," Guillemot replied, when asked whether Assassin's Creed or Splinter Cell might one day be played 'motion-style'.
"They play for hours, so they don't want to get up and down. They don't want to be tired after five minutes. These games are about reactivity."
The big cheese was quick to add that family titles, such as Rayman, will certainly make use of motion control technology in the future.
- Microsoft doubles down for April's Games With Gold
- Every wondered what it would be like in James Bond and Joanna Dark met? Cara Ellison and Irene Koh have answered that question
- Dirty Bomb beta is back online
- Obsidian's saviour Pillars Of Eternity launches today, Watch it streamed live here later today
- Infinite Crisis launches fully today on Steam
- Here's what the new Hunters and the Behemoth for Evolve look like in action
- Blood and Burning and Celts Culture DLC Packs arrive for Total War: Attila
- F1 2015 coming to PC, PS4 and Xbox One this summer, first screenshots released
- Ubisoft introduces Alex Parizeau, the new head of Ubisoft Toronto


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Voters in the state of California will have a pair of ballot measures to look at in November when it comes to legalizing sports betting. Each ballot measure is different from the other option, but both could actually be approved by the voters.
Native American tribes in the state have been able to get a question on the ballot that would allow them to offer retail sports betting at their casino properties. Online betting would not be a part of this offer, and the entire industry would flow through the tribes.
Sportsbook operators such as DraftKings and FanDuel are hoping that voters pass a measure that would legalize online sports betting. This group is fine with letting the tribes offer retail betting, but they at least want a chance to operate in the state.
Ad campaigns have already started, and the Native American tribes took the first shot, specifically at DraftKings and FanDuel. The sportsbooks that have banded together are calling their initiative “Californians for Solutions to Homelessness.”
According to the plan that was proposed by this group, 85% of online sports betting tax revenue would be devoted to helping fight homelessness in the state. Native American tribes that were not offering sports betting would be eligible to receive the other 15%.
BetMGM is another one of the big financial backers of this measure, and the list also includes companies such as Bally’s, Fanatics, Penn National, and WynnBET. Each company is preparing to spend up to $100 million in campaign funds to help ensure that this measure passes in November.
Smaller Tribes Chasing Partnerships
There are more than 100 Native American tribes in California that are federally recognized, and only about a quarter of those support a full retail sports betting option. The biggest tribes have banded together, but the smaller tribes have started to announce a commitment to the “Californians for Solutions to Homelessness” campaign.
The Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians, Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians, and Santa Rosa Rancheria Tachi Yokut Tribe have all publicly announced their support of the online sports betting plan. One of the biggest reasons for this is that each tribe could form a partnership with a sportsbook operator to set up a retail sportsbook as well.
Sportsbook operators have expressed optimism that the two measures can pass and then work together, but the Native American tribes are uninterested in a compromise.
Card Rooms Still Left Out
One group that won’t be a part of the sports betting scene in the state of California is the card rooms that are located throughout the state. Leaders of card rooms fought hard to be included in sports betting legislation, but lawmakers were unable to reach an agreement.
Tribal leaders fought back against allowing card rooms to be a part of any sports betting industry, and the sportsbook operators have not included them either. Card rooms in California already have very strict rules about the games that they can offer, and they are going to be even more limited if there is no sports betting on-site.

domain: news


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Social media influencers have been promoting cryptocurrencies to their followers during this crypto craze and Amanda Cerny seems to have joined the party now!
However Amanda Cerny rather decided to stay lowkey and secretive with her new tweet that is ‘arguably’ promoting a crypto coin in town!
Amanda’s Dogecoin Money
Just few days ago, Amanda Cerny sent out a tweet to her followers revealing that she earned more than $150,000 trading Dogecoin.
Amanda tweeted “$Doge just made me $160,000.00in a week ”.
After she revealed her income from Dogecoin in the past week, Amanda went on a tweeting spree where she revealed that she is also holding other coins like BNB, ETH, UBT, LTC, and more.
‘I Want You To Win’ – The Decode
Now, a new tweet put out on her account says ‘I want you to win’.
I want you to win!— Amanda Cerny (@AmandaCerny) August 8, 2021
The tweet seems rather a regular one but crypto enthusiasts know there’s a hidden secretive message in the tweet. There is a crypto called ‘WINkLink’ and fans think that Amanda is subtly promoting the coin in her new tweet.
One user wrote ‘I think she is getting $win’. Another said ‘wink buy you always win’. It was evident that the crowd realized what Amanda Cerny was secretively talking about. Have a look at few of the comments:
‘Do Your Own Research’
Earlier she had also advised her followers to ‘do your own research’ or else they will pay expensive lessons.
The model has also changed her bio to ‘not a financial advisor’ on Twitter.
What do you think about the crypto hype and social media personalities turning into short-term traders and crypto ‘experts’? Tell us your views in the comments.


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Showing results 38976-39015 of 40891
After the revelations of "The Truth," Christopher Priest examines the story's impact in the modern Marvel Universe, in the new ongoing series, "The Crew."
Later this year DC will launch an all new 'Firestorm' series. In his first extensive interview on the book, writer Mike Carey discusses the character, who's been mostly absent from the DCU, what you can expect from him and where he'll be taking the character next. Updated
Image Comics and Devil's Due have announced the talent line-up for 'G.I. Joe,' 'G.I. Joe: Frontline' and 'G.I. Joe vs. Transformers' and have supplied CBR News with a cover gallery for upcoming issues.
Andi Watson, the creator behind the upcoming Marvel title 'Namor,' talks about another ongoing monthly he's got in the works from Oni called 'Love Fights,' a romantic comedy in a superhero world. Plus, a five-page preview of the series.
Diamond Comics Distributors has released the top comic numbers for March, 2003 including Overall Market Share, Top 300 Comics and Top 50 Graphic Novels/TPB's.
The acclaimed writer of "Flash," "Hawkman," "JSA" and a host of other titles has signed an exclusive, three-year agreement to work with DC Comics.
Image Comics has released their solicitation text and cover images for comics and product shipping in May, 2003.
Author Steve Niles talks about the sequel to the '30 Days of Night,' 'Dark Days,' coming this June. Plus an update on the '30 Days' movie, news on other upcoming projects like 'Wake the Dead,' Cal McDonald books, 'Fused' and a look at art from each.
Marvel Comics has released their solicitation text and cover images for comics and product shipping in May, 2003.
DC Comics has released their solicitation text and cover images for comics and product shipping in May, 2003.
Brian Hibbs, owner of San Francisco's Comix Experience, discusses the new IDW release 'Tilting at Windmills' which collects over 100 columns he's written on the industry from a retailer perspective, discusses his 'Savage Critic' review column and picks his favorite comics published today.


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Windows 8 hits 100 million licenses sold
Microsoft reveals new sales milestone for latest operating system; Windows Blue update will "respond to consumer feedback."
Microsoft has now sold over 100 million Windows 8 licenses, the company announced today in an official blog post to its website. This figure includes licenses that ship on new tablets and PCs, as well as upgrades to Windows 8. It is up from 60 million announced in January.
In addition, Windows chief marketing officer and chief financial officer Tami Reller revealed that the number of Windows 8 and Windows RT certified devices has jumped to 2,400.
Also in the blog post, Reller said consumer feedback will shape the future of Windows 8. She revealed Windows Blue, a codename for an update to the OS that will be available later in 2013.
In addition to introducing various performance updates and new options, Windows Blue will make changes based on input Microsoft has received from customers.
"The Windows Blue update is also an opportunity for us to respond to the customer feedback that we've been closely listening to since the launch of Windows 8 and Windows RT," Reller said.
This new update is rumored to mark the return of the Windows Start button and a boot-to-desktop option, which will allow users to bypass the Windows 8 Metro interface altogether.
Windows 8 launched in October. GameSpot sister site CNET found that the operating system "embraces the future wholeheartedly," but said the learning curve was "steep" and in-app navigation can be difficult.
How Sex And Relationships Work In Cyberpunk 2077 Firearms Expert Reacts To Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare’s Guns What Is DLSS And Should You Use It? 10 Minutes Of Brand-New Immortals: Fenyx Rising Gameplay First 16 Minutes Of PS5 Bloodborne Gameplay Cyberpunk 2077 – Official PlayStation 4 And Playstation 5 Gameplay Trailer GS News Update: New Fortnite Battle Pass Detailed GS News Update: Star Wars: Battlefront 2 Underperforms, Microtransactions Coming Back GS News Update: Metal Gear Survive Requires Constant Internet Connection, Has Microtransactions Battlefield: Bad Company 3 Rumors Surface - GS News Roundup Red Dead Redemption 2 Mission Discovered In GTA Online?! - GS News Roundup PUBG Xbox One Performance Issues - GS News Roundup
Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email firstname.lastname@example.org


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Owners of shopping mall, ‘Chumuk’, ‘Kacchi Bhai’ sued
Police have filed a case against Amin Mohammad Group and three persons for the deadly fire at the Green Cozy Cottage shopping mall on Bailey Road in Dhaka that claimed 46 lives.
Amin Mohammad Group is the owner of the seven-storey shopping mall. The other three accuses are Anwarul Haque, 29, the owner of "Chumuk" fast food," where the fire originated; Munshi Hamimul Alam Bipul, 40, the building's manager, and Sohel Siraj, 34, the owner of "Kacchi Bhai" restaurant.
Shahidul Islam, sub-inspector of Ramna Police Station filed the case last night, charging the accused of causing death by negligence and attempted murder, Muhammad Salman Farsi, assistant commissioner (Ramna zone) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, told The Daily Star.
Among the accused, Anwarul and Hamimul have already been arrested in the case.
Besides, two more persons were detained for questioning, said Salman Farsi.
In the case statement, the SI said that the Green Cozy Cottage is owned by Amin Mohammad Group, and managed by Hamimul.
The building has been rented out for carrying out commercial activities in violation of rules. The accused and other restaurant owners and managers have been operating their business illegally by "managing the shop inspectors of Rajuk," it said.
After primary investigation, it is known that the owner and manager of the building rented out the facility to several restaurants and shops without proper approval from the concerned authorities. These restaurants used gas cylinders and stoves for cooking without proper safety measures, said the statement.
With the connivance of the building owner and the manager, the proprietors of various restaurants within the building have been storing a large number of gas cylinders on the ground floor and have been using these gas cylinders and gas stoves in a negligent, reckless, careless and dangerous manner without regard for public safety, the case statement said.
The statement said one such gas cylinder, stored in the kitchen of "Chumuk" restaurant, exploded, triggering a fire that engulfed the building, causing deaths and injuries through burns and suffocation to individuals in restaurants and shops on various floors.
The statement said the building was constructed as a residential building. Later, the accused, along with other businesses on different floors, managed to obtain commercial certificates from relevant authorities for conducting business within the structure.
However, the statement said, the restaurant owners didn't have permission from the fire service office to use gas cylinders, and stoves for cooking. Moreover, the absence of sufficient fire extinguishers, firefighting equipment, and fire exit stairs further exacerbated the situation, it added.
The negligence, recklessness, and carelessness of the building owner and the accused led to the tragic deaths of 46 people, with many others sustaining severe burns and smoke-related injuries, added the case statement.


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REGION / Tainted Mushrooms Lead to Indictment
A federal grand jury indicted Ray Chiu and Sunny Pacific Foods of Foster City yesterday for allegedly importing dried mushrooms that were infested with rat feces, rodent hairs, bird droppings and insect filth.
About $25,000 of the contaminated mushrooms from China were sold to customers in the Bay Area, including wholesalers in Hayward that supply pizza companies and Chinese restaurants, said U.S. customs agent Michael Donofrio.
Chiu was charged with smuggling and making false statements to federal agents. If convicted, Chiu faces five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 on each count.


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Despite challenging economic circumstances, Copper Fox Brewery has continued to flourish since its launch.
Home brewing has taken the nation by storm, especially over the course of lockdown.
A new brewery has opened in Aberdeen.
A north-east drinks firm has released a new beer and relaunched an old favourite among north-east beer fans.
A north-east drinks firm has released its first miniature beer kegs.
An award-winning north-east microbrewery has added to its impressive line-up of five-litre miniature beer kegs.


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Lansing, MI - Adams Outdoor Advertising (AOA), one of the largest independent suppliers of premium out-of-home media, today announced a partnership with Vistar Media, the leading provider of programmatic technology for digital out-of-home (DOOH). With this agreement, AOA’s nearly 300 digital billboards across the United States will be accessible through Vistar’s programmatic platform. Marketers will now be able to purchase AOA’s unique inventory across all DOOH transactions, including open exchange and private marketplace (PMP) deals.
“Programmatic represents an enormous opportunity in our industry, enabling us to expose new digital buyers to the impact and relevance of out-of-home media,” said Jim Balestino, Director of National Sales at Adams Outdoor Advertising. “Vistar Media is the leader in the space, demonstrated by the volume of demand and quality technology. We’re thrilled to offer our high-impact inventory to today’s data-driven buyers through programmatic transactions.”
“There is significant demand for large format inventory in the programmatic space, and this partnership will allow digital buyers from leading global brands to seamlessly access AOA’s unique offerings,” said Jordan Fraser, Publisher Solutions at Vistar Media. “We’re pleased to partner with AOA, a premier out-of-home publisher, to drive programmatic innovation across the industry, and help more marketers tap into the power of out-of-home advertising.”
About Adams Outdoor
Adams Outdoor Advertising is an outdoor and location-based advertising firm, who’s goal is to form marketing partnerships with advertisers, providing them the best media strategies.


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UK Government slashes draught beer tax whilst Australia surges up the global tax rankings.
UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak MP, used his Budget announcement yesterday to slash the tax on draught beer to support the hospitality and brewing sectors.
The move came after over 100 British Conservative MPs wrote to the Treasurer last week calling for immediate action in the Budget to support the UK’s pub industry which has been hit hard by the pandemic.
In the Budget the Chancellor announced that from 2023 he would reduce the rate on beer sold through pubs by 5 per cent by creating a new draught beer rate. The Chancellor said this was the biggest tax cut for beer in 50 years and that it was “a long-term investment in British pubs of £100m a year, and a permanent cut in the cost of a pint by 3p.”
The Chancellor also announced that he was cancelling the planned tax increase for beer set to take effect immediately which will freeze the beer duty rate for a further year.
This welcome decision comes as new research released by the Brewers Association today shows that Australia is set to have the third highest tax rate on beer in the developed world by 2023.
The research, conducted by the School of Economics at the University of Adelaide, found that Australia’s beer tax rate, currently the fourth highest in the OECD, will overtake Japan’s in October 2023. This is due to the twice yearly beer tax increases in Australia and a beer tax cut that has been announced by the Japanese Government.
At that stage only Norway (1st) and Finland (2nd) out of the entire OECD will have higher beer taxes than Australia and Norway reduced its beer tax rate by 10 per cent this year narrowing the gap with Australia.
Commenting on the UK Budget decision and this research, CEO of the Brewers Association, John Preston said:
“This is a fantastic decision by the British Government which recognises the pain and damage that has been inflicted on the hospitality sector in the UK.”
“Here in Australia our pubs and clubs have done it just as tough with longer lockdowns and ongoing restrictions. What we are seeing though is Australia’s already high beer tax moving in the wrong direction.”
“As other countries cut their beer tax to help the hospitality industry or ease pressure on consumers ours still goes up twice a year. We are totally out of step on beer tax with comparable countries like the UK and on a different planet from major beer producing nations such as Germany, the US and Belgium where the rate is less than a quarter of what we pay here.”
“Australian beer drinkers have the earned the right to a reduction in beer tax following decades of evidence of more moderate beer consumption in Australia, including the world leading take up of lower strength alcohol beers.”
“Pubs, clubs, brewers and beer drinkers need action now to get the beer tax rate back to a sensible level and the Brewers Association is calling on the Australian Government to substantially cut the draught beer excise rate.”
Media enquiries: John Preston, 0416 209 351


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Foreigners continued to net buy Vietnamese shares on both two bourses, level of participation raised.
These players net bought VND18.14 billion worth of shares on HOSE after buying 4.44 million shares for VND67.45 billion and selling 3.9 million units for VND49.31 billion, accounting for 10.87 percent buying value and 7.95 percent selling value.
Today, foreigners’ top buying shares were GAS (VND13.8 billion), REE (VND8.8 billion), MSN (VND4.9 billion), VCB (VND3.7 billion) and CSM (VND2.5 billion).
Foreigners’ top selling shares were VIC(-VND8 billion), VSH (-VND7.1 billion), STB(-VND4.7 billion), HAG(-VND2.3 billion) and KBC(-VND1.9 billion).
On the Hanoi Stock Exchange, foreigners net bought VND2.76 billion worth of shares after buying 0.52 million shares for VND5.62 billion and selling 0.3 million units for VND2.87 billion, accounting for 2.52 percent buying value and 1.28 percent selling value.
They actively bought BVS, HDO, DBC, PPS, PVC while they actively offloaded VND, KHL, SCR, S55 and PVA shares.


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How this entrepreneur signed up over 250,000 people to his underwear subscription service
Subscription services are becoming more popular in Australia but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to build up a loyal following, according to the founder of an online retailer with more than 250,000 subscribers.
DailyJocks specialises in men’s underwear and swimwear and is on track to turn over $2.5 million this year, up from $1.5 million the previous year.
Founder Nicholas Egonidis says the business’s subscription service – which ships new underwear to subscribers’ doors each month – was a result of a lot of hard work, patience and trial and error.
In particular, Egonidis says social media has been critical to the subscription service’s success.
“For me, that was priceless – getting people’s ongoing feedback really shaped what we were doing,” he says.
“What people need to accept is social media might start free but it’s never free if you want a really big response. Companies need to make it part of their marketing budget and be prepared to spend money on advertising.”
Subscription services are taking off in Australia as consumers become accustomed to the likes of Spotify and Netflix.
Egonidis says this represents an unprecedented opportunity for entrepreneurs – and not just in the content space.
“It’s a win-win for the customer but also the retailer or company,” he says.
“For the customer often it will offer value, so they may be paying less if they’re a regular customer. But it also offers convenience – there’s a lot of convenience delivery services on subscription. And then for a business it’s a great model because you can forecast a lot more easily if you know how many customers you’ve got.”
DailyJocks launched its subscription service in 2012, signing up 2000 users within the first month.
Egonidis says he has learnt a lot since then, encouraging other entrepreneurs looking to leverage a subscription model to find a good web developer and look beyond the Australian market.
“It can also be a cash flow intensive model too, especially if you’re having to pre-purchase significant amounts of stock for customers if they haven’t paid for it yet,” he says.
“It’s definitely something businesses need to factor in. You need to be able to grow sustainably because fast growth without the cash flow or margins can be very difficult as I found initially.”
Do you know more on this story or have a tip of your own? Raising capital or launching a startup? . Follow StartupSmart on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.


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STOP the clocks, because there’s a new Apple smartwatch in town – and it’s called the Apple Watch Series 4. The new Apple Watch 4 was unveiled during a special iPhone launch event on Wednesday night, at Apple’s California HQ. Apple Watch 4 – a brand new look The watch was described as “beautiful” by ...
New iPhone price list for UK — here’s how much the XS, XS Max and XR cost
iPhone XS dual SIM support – what is it and how does it work?
What is OLED? New iPhones feature OLED screens, but are they any good?
iPhone XS – new iPhone release date, specs, features, price and more
iPhone XS Max is most expensive Apple phone EVER at £1,449 – and experts are already defending it
Apple event – New iPhone XS, colourful iPhone XR, Apple Watch series 4 launch and more
iOS 12 release date REVEALED – all the new features coming to your iPhone this month
Apple’s missing gadgets – iPad Pro and 3 other rumoured products that DIDN’T launch on Wednesday
What are the UK prices for the new iPhones? What is the most biggest and most expensive iPhone Apple has launched yet?
Apple just quietly killed off three iPhones – here’s why it’s BAD news
iPhone XS dual SIM support – what is it, and how does it work?
Apple unveils most expensive iPhone EVER as new XS Max to go on sale for £1,449
Apple Watch 4 REVEALED – fall detect and health features, plus launch date, specs and UK price info
Apple event LIVE – New iPhone XS, iPhone XR, Apple Watch 4 launch and more
iPhone XR REVEALED – third surprise Apple smartphone announced at tonight’s event


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DARK HORSE Goes Same-Day Digital
Dark Horse Comics will be releasing all of their single-issue comics on their "Dark Horse Digital" platform the same day the print product goes on sale, the publisher announced Wednesday. The new initiative goes in effect on Dec. 14, and makes Dark Horse — the publisher of comics including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Usagi Yojimbo and several Star Wars titles — the latest major publisher to adopt to a same-day digital release schedule across their product line. The news formalizes what looked to be inevitable — frequently, new comics have been released on Dark Horse Digital just one week after the print on-sale date. New single-issue releases sell on Dark Horse Digital for $1.99, typically $1 to $1.50 less than the print price. In January of this year, Archie Comics moved to same-day digital releases for their publishing line. DC has released their "The New 52" titles on a same-day digital schedule since their September relaunch. Marvel has been incrementally moving to same-day digital, and earlier this month announced that the move would extend to their entire line by the end of March 2012. Got a comment? There's lots of conversation on Newsarama's FACEBOOK and TWITTER!
Twitter activity Tweets by @Newsarama


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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson is assuring his colleagues that he didn't supply the incorrect information that led the troubled Internet company to list a bogus college degree in his official biography, according to a person familiar with the matter.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Cash, coins and credit cards are so Twentieth Century.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Microsoft's Bing search engine is heading in a new direction as it drills deeper into Facebook's social network and Twitter's messaging service to showcase information unlikely to be found on Google.
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - Advisers to government health regulators late Thursday recommended that they approve sales of what would be the first new prescription weight-loss drug in the U.S. in more than a decade, despite concerns over cardiac risks.
NEW YORK (AP) - A change to the design of a needle that will sit atop One World Trade Center is raising questions over whether the building will still be America's tallest when completed.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Will Americans buy a Chinese smartphone? We're about to find out, as Huawei, one of the world's biggest phone makers, is planning a big push into U.S. cellphone stores.
NEW YORK (AP) - Macy's Inc.'s first-quarter profit rose a better-than-expected 38 percent. But investors sent its shares down nearly four percent because the department store chain mostly left its annual profit guidance intact.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Vidal Sassoon used his hairstyling shears to free women from beehives and hot rollers and give them wash-and-wear cuts that made him an international name in hair care.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Cisco raised the specter late Wednesday of a jarring slowdown in technology spending, alarming investors already fretting about the economy's fragile condition.
WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. companies in March posted the highest number of job openings in nearly four years, a sign that hiring could strengthen in the coming months after slowing this spring.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Homeowners with a Bank of America mortgage have good reason to check their mailbox.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A Yahoo director embroiled in an investigation into an inaccuracy about CEO Scott Thompson's academic credentials is surrendering her seat on the troubled Internet company's board.
NEW YORK (AP) - AT&T Inc. will start selling home automation and security services nationwide, taking on incumbents led by Tyco International Ltd.'s ADT.
DETROIT (AP) - Toyota's electric RAV4 will save you gas. But it'll cost you.
LAS VEGAS ( - Nevada drivers could soon be sharing the road with vehicles that don't need them.
NEW YORK (AP) - Burger King said bringing back its "Chicken Fries" helped sales jump in the U.S. and Canada by the biggest amount in two years.
SANTA MONICA (AP) - Activision Blizzard Inc., maker of the blockbuster "Call of Duty" video game franchise, said Tuesday that strong sales led to better-than-expected results for its third quarter and raised its full-year forecast. The stock jumped in after-hours trading.
CVS'S 3Q BENEFITS FROM GENERICS, SPECIALTY DRUGS: WOONSOCKET, R.I. (AP) - CVS Health Corp. reported better-than-expected third-quarter earnings Tuesday as increased use of specialty drugs helped offset missing sales of tobacco products, which the company stopped selling this fall.
NEW YORK (AP) - This year more Americans than ever are expected to make their lists, check them twice, and then click the "add to cart" button.
NEW YORK (AP) - Hotels don't want guests to have to linger at the front desk - or even stop by at all.
NEW YORK (AP) - It turns out people go to Red Lobster for the seafood.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A federal judge on Monday said Honeywell Inc. could begin penalizing workers who refuse to take medical or biometric tests.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Twitter's third-quarter revenue outpaced expectations, but investors concerned about user growth and holiday-quarter revenue clipped the company's stock price late Monday.
NEW YORK (AP) - Dunkin' Donuts plans to roll out a croissant-doughnut hybrid in the U.S. next week, but the company says please don't call it a "Cronut."
WASHINGTON (AP) - The number of Americans signing contracts to buy homes ticked up only slightly in September, as it remained difficult to qualify for mortgage financing.
DETROIT (AP) - Toyota continues its winning streak atop Consumer Reports' annual reliability rankings.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The city's parking authority lived up to its threats to impound vehicles and fine drivers participating in the UberX ride-sharing service.
NEW YORK (AP) - It might be a blue Christmas for Amazon.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Union Pacific Corp. delivered a 19 percent increase in its third-quarter profit as the railroad hauled 7 percent more freight and increased rates.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Microsoft's quarterly profit and revenue sailed past expectations Thursday, as CEO Satya Nadella's push to embrace cloud computing and diversify into mobile devices helped lift sales by 25 percent.


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RENAULT GCC CELEBRATES "NEW ERA" OF PARTNERSHIP WITH GULF ADVANTAGE AUTOMOBILES.
Renault is the fastest growing automotive brand in the GCC region clocking more than 250% growth, ranks one among the top ten brands and the number 1 amongst all European brands in KSA.
Following an agreement between Saudi Arabia's Al Baazei and Suhail Bahwan Automobiles of Oman, Gulf Advantage Automobiles (GAA) was formed as a joint venture. GAA formally commenced its operations on July 17, 2010.
Enormous investments have been committed and continue to be made by Gulf Advantage to strengthen the Renault brand in the Kingdom. Currently, Gulf Advantage operates through 8 Showrooms, 19 Service Centers, and 49 spare parts outlets across Saudi Arabia. Gulf Advantage's investment in Riyadh, the exclusive Renault Service center the largest in the GCC is an example of its commitment to provide top notch and most competitive after-sales service and spare parts availability in Saudi Arabia. Gulf Advantage is also in the process of opening new facilities during the coming months and expanding its reach to serve customers across KSA with new showrooms, service centers, and parts outlets.
Since the appointment of Gulf Advantage Automobiles, the Renault brand has achieved record sales in Saudi Arabia. Since 2010, Renault has registered sales of over 14,000 vehicles in KSA – a commendable achievement in just three years that clearly highlights the strategic partnership between the two companies. Renault continues to make forward strides of growth which will accelerate in the coming years. Renault's focus on customer service will be the key driver for growth.
At Gulf Advantage Automobiles, we consider our partnership with Renault GCC as exceedingly valuable. We have witnessed the exponential growth of this remarkable brand and will continue facilitating its expansion. We have ensured that the most frequently required parts are competitive and their availability is near 100% at all times. Competitive parts pricing with relatively low service labour cost and extended service interval of 10,000 k.m. compared to competing brands' 5,000 k.m. ensures that the Renault owners enjoy the least cost of ownership. Further, services such as a 24-hour Helpline and 24x7 Roadside Assistance ensure that a Renault customer has complete peace of mind after purchase. Gulf Advantage Automobiles have also introduced Mobile Van Service to cater to their corporate customers. Recent independent survey found that Renault parts' availability in Saudi Arabia is the best among the 26 countries that were covered under the survey.
With an unwavering commitment to enhancing the skills of the local Saudi workforce, Gulf Advantage has achieved 40 % of Saudisation in the short span of three years. It has tied up with various Training Institutes to provide technical and soft skills training to locally recruited personnel who are then absorbed into the company. Gulf Advantage is proud of its local talent and is committed to increasing their numbers in the years to come.
Renault is a top global brand with a heritage of over 113 years of automotive excellence and innovation. In 1999, Renault bought a 44.3 per cent stake in Japan's Nissan Motors, forging a powerful alliance. Today, the Renault-Nissan alliance forms the fourth largest automotive group in the world. With its worldwide slogan 'Drive the Change', Renault aims to offer sustainable mobility for all.


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Hero Honda Motors, the countrys largest two-wheeler manufacturer, was the first to declare on Tuesday that the company will reach the targeted 4-million units much before the end of the financial year. The largest and second largest passenger carmakersMaruti Suzuki India and Hyundai Motor Indiaare well on course to meet their targets for the current year.
This is in line with FEs earlier report that the overall automobile industry is expected to end the financial year with nearly 1,06,95,730 units at a conservative growth of 10% compared to the sales of 97,23,391 units in 2008-09. This years figure would be higher than the previous record domestic sales of 1.01 crore units in 2006-07.
Anil Dua, senior vice-president (sales and marketing), Hero Honda Motors, said, We will be crossing our original indication of 4-million-units-mark much earlier than the close of this fiscal.
He attributed this to the continuous refreshment of our product portfolio, expansion of our network to over 4,000 outlets now and the fact that there has been a lot of pent up demand in the system, which is showing now.
The companys cumulative sales in the financial year so far (April-November, 2009) surged by 21% at 30,37,556 units.
Likewise, Maruti Suzuki India, which has a target of 1-million units by the end of 2009-10, has already sold 6,46,139 units in the first eight months of the current financial year. With an average total monthly sales (domestic and export) of 85,000 units over the past few months, the company is hopeful of creating a benchmark by the end of 2009-10.
Hyundai Motor India is also on track to sell 5,60,000 units in 2009 and may even exceed the target if the record sales of September and November continued in December. While September and October sales were due to the festivals, sales in November is largely on the buoyancy in the economy and if the growth trend continues, we might exceed our target of 5,60,000 units for this calendar year, Arvind Saxena, senior vice-president, Hyundai Motor India, said. The company has so far sold 5,12,687 units between January and November with a record sales of 53,000 units in September and 55,265 units in November.


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HVCB plans meetings push
Looking to bolster a flat year for meetings, convention and incentive travel, the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau and industry partners are gearing up for a two-week mainland marketing blitz.
Marketing teams will be meeting with approximately 20 to 30 A-list meeting planners per day, said Michael Murray, vice president of sales and marketing for HVCB's convention, meetings and incentive division.
"We've had two banner years for arrivals, but it isn't realistic to keep up with that kind of pace," Murray said.
The meetings, convention and incentive market is an important niche market for Hawaii because it represents six percent of statewide arrivals and roughly 12 percent of all visitor expenditures, Murray said.
"It's our second-highest spe-nding market after Japan," he said. "It's much higher than the North American leisure travel market."
Daily sales presentations marketing Hawaii will be made in San Diego, Orange County and Los Angeles from Tuesday through Friday. The following week, May 29-31, HVCB will shift its efforts to northern California for regional sales presentations in San Jose, San Francisco and Sacramento.
"We're reaching out to major producers in our biggest California markets to convey the value of a Hawaii meeting for both clients and exhibitors," said Cheryl Fernandez-Louie, HVCB's Western regional director of accounts.
California is the top arrival-producing state for Hawaii's MCI market, but Oregon, Washington state and western Canada are also strong producers, Murray said.
Joining HVCB on the sales blitz are representatives from Aloha Airlines, Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows, Prince Resorts Hawaii, the Fairmont Orchid Hawaii, the Kahala Hotel & Resort, and Turtle Bay Resort.
HVCB will also be marketing Hawaii at the Meetings Market Academy and Exhibition trade show in Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday.
"Florida is a secondary market for us, but it does produce results," Murray said. "It's very cyclical. They like to cycle between Europe, the Caribbean, Mexico and we'd like them to add Hawaii as well."


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Browsing: Asia Pacific
Jefferies Expands Asian Coverage through Partnership with Philippines Broker
Jefferies continued its partnership expansion strategy with an alliance with a leading Philippines broker. Jefferies is entering into an alliance with BPI Securities Corporation to distribute BPI Securities’ equity research ...
GLG Invests in Startup
Gerson Lehrman Group was one of 57 investors in a Pakistani company that builds software for startups in return for an equity stake. CoVenture, a ‘service focused venture firm’, raised $3 ...
Former Roubini CEO Becomes CFO at Wealth-X
After being ousted as CEO at Roubini Global Economics in December, Richard Green has landed as CFO at Wealth-X, a Singapore-based information company specializing in gathering intelligence on ultra high ...
Nomura Expands Asian Research After Recent Cuts
After years of shrinking its research staff in the US and Europe, Nomura is expanding its research coverage in China, Malaysia, and Singapore. However, as is typical for Nomura, the ...
FT Investigation of Chinese Solar Company Follows Short Report
A major Financial Times expose of the leading Chinese solar company follows in the footsteps of an obscure Hong Kong research boutique run by a former UBS analyst. The FT cited ...
Morningstar Asia Adds Institutional Salesperson
Morningstar Asia Limited appointed Adam Grabow vice president of buy side and advisor sales. Grabow will oversee sales and business development for Morningstar’s equity research, manager research, and investment management ...
Creating Investment Product From Big Data
China Securities Index Company, a joint venture between the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges, is launching an index which incorporates online sales data from Alibaba, China’s largest online commerce company. ...
India’s Role in Big Data
Alok Aggarwal, the founder of Evalueserve who recently started a big data outsourcing firm, has authored a white paper examining the big data space and how India might contribute to ...
Standard Chartered Exits Equities
Standard Chartered is closing its equities business globally under pressures to cut costs. The UK bank said it was shutting its equity research, cash equities and equity capital markets businesses, ...
Outlook for the Buy-Side and Its Impact on the Research Biz
Portfolio managers and analysts working at asset management firms are the key consumers of the investment research services produced by sell side investment banks and independent research providers. Thus to ...


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The music business has had to be more creative and resourceful than ever before in recent years, not so much to market specific artists, but to get listeners to purchase music through legal and profitable transactions. While nobody has yet to hit the nail on the head, BitTorrent took 2014 to expand to the music community, looking to provide a space of online commerce that would give some control to the artists themselves.
Thus BitTorrent Bundles were born, a service that allows albums to be paywalled and artists to control how their work is being distributed. The most notable of these musicians and in turn the most downloaded, was Thom Yorke, the Radiohead frontman who released his second solo album, “Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes” exclusively via BitTorrent in September. Yorke’s Bundle was downloaded 1.1 million times in the first week it was released. It’s not the first time Yorke has been innovative in his experimental releasing techniques. Radiohead’s 2007 album, “In Rainbows” was one of the first to use the “pay-what-you-want” method, a technique that has been replicated by thousands of artists since, some more successfully than others. The band’s latest release, “King of Limbs” got somewhat of a surprise release, being announced just days before it was available to the public. Since then, musicians like Beyonce have found tremendous success following similar models.
Keep in mind that the following list only takes into account music downloaded via BitTorrent, and doesn’t include legal downloads from other services. It’s an interesting reminder, however, that the music industry continues to be in its most malleable state, continuously searching for a commerce model that will make both listeners and creators satisfied.
BitTorrent’s 10 Most Legally Downloaded Artist of 2014
1. Thom Yorke
4. De La Soul
5. Zeds Dead
7. Ace Hood
8. Mad Decent
9. Vinyl Williams
10. Hundred Waters
(via The Fader)


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In a blog post on Monday, Amazon said that the first critical steps of Kuiper’s Protoflight mission are complete. The satellites rode a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida into space Friday at 11:06 a.m. PT.
“There’s plenty of work ahead, but at this point in the mission, I’m thrilled to report that KuiperSat-1 and KuiperSat-2 are operating nominally,” Rajeev Badyal, Project Kuiper’s vice president of technology, said in a statement. “The two satellites are stable in orbit, harvesting energy from the sun, and communicating across all links from Earth to space and space to Earth.”
Amazon plans to use the prototypes — which were built at Project Kuiper’s Redmond, Wash.-based headquarters — and the monthslong testing mission to test the hardware on the spacecraft, as well as ground operations and customer terminals.
“We’re already learning a lot from this mission that will inform further improvements to our production systems, and the team should be very proud of this milestone,” Badyal added.
Amazon said the next phase of the mission will be used to test its data network end to end. That involves routing data from the internet, through the company’s Amazon Web Services-powered ground network, from a ground gateway antenna up to the prototype satellites, and then down to customer terminal antennas at Amazon’s test site, as well as sending data in the other direction.
Satellite production will begin before the end of the year, in parallel with the Protoflight mission, according to Amazon. The first production satellites are planned for launch in the first half of 2024, and the company expects to enter beta testing with early commercial customers in the second half of next year.
The tech giant said it has committed $10 billion to getting Project Kuiper off the ground. More than 1,000 employees are said to be working on the project, and Amazon’s careers website lists an additional 200-plus open positions — with most of those positions based in Washington state.


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Following predictions of an increase in shop vacancies from research firm Experian, the British Retail Consortium has called on landlords and the Government to take action now to save at risk retailers.
The BRC is calling for four measures to ease the situation facing retailers, including:
-Retail rents to fall in line with market realities
-An immediate switch to monthly rent arrangements
-A total freeze on business rates
-A complete restoration of empty property rate relief
"Retailing is caught between falling sales and rising costs,” said BRC business director Jane Milne.
“Property is one of retailers’ major costs and it has spiralled out of control as landlords and the Government cashed in on competition for prime sites during the boom times," Milne added.
140,000 shops are expected to become vacant by the end of 2009, although Experian told BikeBiz that bike dealers are not likely to be most at risk.


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Wheels Up, a membership-based flight club for private business aircraft passengers, plans to add Cessna Citation Excel and Sovereign business jets to its fleet, Wheels Up said in a news release.
Cessna will provide the maintenance on the aircraft as well.
Wheels Up expects to offer Cessna Citations to its members as soon as possible, it said.
Details are being finalized, but Wheels Up projects delivery of 15 to 20 Cessna business jets in 2014, a Wheels Up spokesman said.
Those jets are expected to be pre-owned, refurbished jets, with an average age of 7 to 10 years, the spokesman said.
The Citations will be outfitted with a Wheels Up blue-and-white-paint scheme and the word “Up” on the tail, along with customized interiors that include Wi-Fi connectivity, Wheels Up said.
The company could take 15 to 20 planes a year, depending on how its membership stacks up, Wheels Up founder Kenny Dichter told CNBC.
The planes will be a combination of new and pre-owned, Dichter said.
A Cessna spokesman said the two companies are still in the discussion stages about some specific details of the initiative.
“Cessna is not prepared to discuss further at this time,” the company said in an e-mail.
Dichter was the founder of Marquis Jet, which pioneered a 25-hour fractional jet card to clients. The Marquis Jet card had generated $4 billion in business by the time the company was sold to fractional ownership company NetJets.
“We feel that we know the Cessna product better than anyone else in the industry; while at Marquis Jet, we drove over $4 billion in revenue, the majority of which was on Cessna aircraft,” Dichter said in a statement. “To have Cessna, the industry authority in light, midsize and super midsize jets, working with Wheels Up is a significant achievement and a testament to the business model we’ve created.”
Scott Ernest, CEO of Cessna, said in a statement that Cessna is excited to be in business with Wheels Up because its membership model is one of the futures of private aviation.
“Wheels Up opens up a whole new space of customers who can access the Cessna product,” Ernest said.
The first 35 King Airs are to be delivered by mid-2015. The order includes options for 70 additional King Airs as Wheels Up expands nationally over the next two to three years.


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ANOTHER six small business owners in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), on Saturday received the $150,000 small business grant from the Small Business Bureau (SBB) and will be able to boost their businesses.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the SBB, Mohamed Ibrahim, told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that the distribution is only part of the support the agency gives to small businesses in Guyana. The SBB assists persons with grants, training, business development and loan guarantee.
“We are here distributing grants and we did just about 130 just for this region, Region Six. We have people in a variety of small enterprises and we give out about $150,000 each grant and these grants are all within the plans of the small business bureau to promote sustainable growth and to help with poverty reduction within the entire region.
“This is one of the major aspects and we focus on helping these small businesses grow,” Ibrahim said.
The distribution was done at the business incubator at Belvedere, East Berbice. And several beneficiaries related how these grants will enable them to expand their businesses.
“I think it’s good, it’s great, at least it’s a help for starting a small business,” said Bibi Rahaman, who owns a grocery business.
Meanwhile, young businessman Devindra Ramnarine, is excited to finally receive his grant.
“I have been waiting months now and I finally get it and this will help me to restock my shop…I receive $150,000,” he said.
Subike Solomon, a mother of two, was also grateful for receiving the grant. “This sum of money that we can put into our business and it would help especially me — a mother of two — to expand in my business,” she said
The SBB, a release from the DPI noted, will be in several other regions shortly to distribute more small business grants.


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Kraft Foods Group announced Tuesday it is voluntarily recalling about 242,000 cases of select Macaroni & Cheese dinners because of the possibility that small pieces of metal may be inside the boxes.
The Illinois-based company said in a statement that recalled boxes are limited to 7.25-oz. Original flavor boxed dinners with the best-when-used-by dates of Sept. 18, 2015, through Oct. 11, 2015. The recalled products were shipped to customers in the U.S. and “some Caribbean and South American countries — but not to Canada.”
Kraft said the recall was issued following reports by eight consumers, but added that no injuries had been reported.
Additional specifications on recalled products are listed in a statement posted on Kraft’s website. The company advises customers who purchased recalled products to return them to the store where they were purchased for a full refund or exchange.


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Boca Raton, FL (PRWEB) February 8, 2006 –-
The American structured products industry is booming on Wall Street, with an estimated $45 to $50 billion worth of products placed in the United States in 2005, according to the New York-based Structured Products Association (“SPA”).
Yet despite the fourth straight year of high double-digit growth, the investment class continues to be "Wall Street's best-kept secret," according to SPA Chairman and Founder, Keith A. Styrcula.
“As an investment class for American investors, 2005 was a breakthrough year for structured products,” Styrcula said in a speech at the recent LaSalle Bank/ABN-Amro's 24th Annual Fixed-Income Symposium & Exposition at the Boca Raton Resort & Hotel. “The penetration among retail investors in the last year was unprecedented.”
As result, the growth of the structured products business in the United States today resembles the growth of hedge funds in the 1990s, according to Styrcula. “Six, seven years ago, many mainstream investors were just beginning to understand what a 'hedge fund' was.”
“The same could be said for structured products at this point in time,” he stated.
The SPA Chairman's third annual state-of-the-industry speech also enumerated several highlights and new milestones for the industry in 2005:
-- Commodities-linked structured products were the hottest new category of the investment class, driven by rising commodity prices and lower returns from the equity and fixed income markets in 2005. The phenomenon was exemplified by a near 450% increase in structured products linked to the Dow Jones AIG Commodities Index in 2005 ($5.3 billion vs. $1.2 billion for 2004), according to Eric Kolts, Director of Fixed Income and Commodities at Dow Jones Indexes.
-- Buy-write equity index-linked structured products continued to dominate the structured funds category with nearly $18 billion in 35 new products issued by firms such as Nuveen, Eaton Vance, Claymore, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley and Citigroup, the result of a survey from by Matt Moran, Vice President of the Chicago Board Options Exchange.
-- The American Stock Exchange reported an 18 percent increase in the number of structured products issues listed on the Exchange (136 in 2005 vs. 115 in 2004) bringing the notional amount of structured products on the AMEX over $13 billion, reported Richard Mikaliunas, Senior Vice President of Capital Markets at the exchange.
-- The New York Stock Exchange reported $14 billion in new listings in corporate-issued structured products in 2005, stated Susan G. Waiter, head of the NYSE's Structured Products Group, with ten issues of over $500 million including launches from MetLife and Aegon.
-- The Chicago Board Options Exchange experienced a record year as its options volume rose 30% and its membership prices reached record levels, most of the growth attributable to structured products and structured funds tied to buy-write indexes. In the past year, the CBOE set daily volume records on Expiration Fridays; the average daily volume on the 12 Expiration Fridays rose 40% to 2.9 million contracts in 2005, again, with much of the growth tied to structured products.
Styrcula also identified other positives for the structured products industry in 2005, including significant legal and regulatory advances. “In October, the NASD established a clear framework for the industry to develop best practices in marketing structured products to their clients, and on December 1, the SEC provided some relief on December 1 to permit firms to provide educational materials to investors as part of the prospectus delivery requirement.”
He noted that this provides “an unprecedented opportunity for the industry to educate brokers and investors on the risks and attributes of these instruments.”
For 2006, the SPA is forecasting a 20% to 25% growth in overall business in structured products industry over the next four quarters, with new channels of distribution, and the emergence of structured investments in mutual funds, closed-end funds and variable annuities.
“The challenge for the industry continues to be promoting structured products as investments that can provide retail investors with benefits such as principal protection, enhanced upside, tax benefits and above-market income potential,” Styrcula concluded. “The continued upsurge in the investment class depends entirely on how successful we as structured products professionals can communicate this message.”
The Structured Products Association is an 1,800-member professional trade association headquartered in New York.
The SPA is dedicated to developing best practices among structured products professionals; identifying legal, regulatory, tax and compliance challenges to the industry; fostering innovation and education for the benefit of investors in the products. The website of the SPA is located at http://www.structuredproducts.org.
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Report finds independent fuel stations cheaper than major retailers
With fuel costs a major strain for one in four Australian household budgets, the ACCC says there are real savings available.
A new report has found independent fuel stations offer the lowest petrol and diesel prices, compared with major retail chains.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) found drivers in Sydney and Adelaide could save 10.7 cents per litre annually when compared with the average market price, while Melburnians could save 8.6 cents per litre each year.
During 2020, Speedway in Sydney, United in Adelaide, and Metro Petroleum in Melbourne offered the best prices at the bowser, followed by Metro in Canberra, Vibe in Perth, and United in Brisbane.
Those in Darwin and Hobart saw the least benefit by switching to an independent, but were still able to save 1.9 cents per litre at FuelXpress and 1.5 cents per litre at United, respectively.
But it was Sydneysiders who were hit with the highest markups, paying as much as 6.4 cents per litre more than the average annual market price, with stations owned and operated by BP being the main culprits.
|City||Potential annual household savings|
By comparison, Melbourne drivers only paid 3.6 cents per litre more as an annual average, while those in Perth paid up to 3.2 cents per litre more on average each year – both recorded at BP fuel stations in those capital cities.
The ACCC found the average Sydney motorist could save as much as $445 annually by switching from the most expensive fuel station to the cheapest. It's estimated Aussies spend an average of $1296 each year on fuel.
"The range of petrol prices available to most Australian motorists means the potential savings from filling up at one of the cheaper retailers are very significant," ACCC Chair Rod Sims said.
Consumer advocates Canstar Blue found the cost of fuel is a major strain on budgets for 26 per cent of Australian households.
"We often hear that all petrol prices are the same but this report shows that people living in capital cities do have [a] choice about where they get their fuel, and how much they pay for it," Mr Sims said.
The ACCC report also found 2020 had the most disparity between the lowest fuel prices and the highest, jumping by some margin when compared with previous years.
While Coles Express was found to be the most expensive fuel retailer in 2017, 2018, and 2019, BP stores took the title for 2020.
United fuel stations have consistently been the cheapest place to fill up in most capital cities, bar Sydney, which has seen Speedway offer consistently low prices since 2017.
"Consumers should bear in mind that regular unleaded petrol sold in Australia typically comes from the same refineries or import terminals, and there are minimum quality standards that all retailers are required to adhere to," Mr Sims said.
"This means that motorists are getting petrol of a similar quality regardless of where they fill up."


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The holidays are upon us, and we here at The Motley Fool are back to dole out our preferred brand of merriment -- stock picks. To that end, we asked a group of our contributors for their best consumer goods stock picks for investors this month. Here's what they had to offer.
Poised to extend this year's business momentum,IMAX should benefit from what appears to be a lock for the biggest movie opening of 2015 next week when Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits theaters. Short-term currency headwinds have kept a lid on online travel booking giantPriceline's stock price, creating a compelling buying opportunity for a great long-term business. After again flexing its muscles on Cyber Monday, e-commerce powerhouseAmazon.com has once more demonstrated why its mix of competitive spirit and massive market opportunity make it one of the few truly generational growth stocks in the consumer goods space today. And thanks to a recent, and possibly misguided, pullback in its shares, athletic apparel powerhouseUnder Armour offers investors an attractive entry point as it continues its brisk business expansion.
Read on to see why investors ought to consider adding these stocks to their wish lists this month.
Rick Munarriz(IMAX):It's a great time to be IMAX, and not just becauseStar Wars: The Force Awakensis going to pack theaters with its super-sized sci-fi experience. IMAX has already been rolling through 2015 with revenue up 35% through the first three quarters and earnings nearly doubling along the way.
IMAX is at the right place at the right time with a compelling value proposition for exhibitors, movie studios, and audiences. Multiplex operators and studios can charge a few bucks more for a ticket to an IMAX screening, and audiences aren't flinching at the prospect of paying up for a sense-stirring outing that they can't duplicate on a home theater.
There are now 1,008 Imax screens all over the world, and the growth prospects both here and abroad are great. China has become IMAX's largest market outside of the U.S., accounting for more than a quarter of its installed base and more than half of the order backlog. And the deals keep coming: IMAX just signed its biggest theater deal in Japan.
Analysts see growth decelerating sharply in 2016. They're now targeting revenue and earnings per share to climb 4% and 16%, respectively. However, that could all change as the new Star Wars flick and IMAX's impressive slate of 2016 digitally mastered releases encourage more multiplex operators and movie goers to go IMAX. December will be a big month for IMAX because ofStar Wars: The Force Awakens, but the real growth will come once it harvests the benefits of its growing global exposure.
Andres Cardenal (Priceline): Wall Street typically puts too much attention on short-term factors versus overall business strength and fundamental quality. This is particularly true when it comes to online travel leader Pricelinelately, and the situation could be creating a buying opportunity for long-term investors.
Priceline has a big presence in Europe, a key destination for travelers from all over the planet. While this is a valuable strategic advantage in the long term, the euro is depreciating versus the U.S. dollar lately, and this is hurting the company's performance. In addition, growing concerns centered around fears of terrorist attacks and military conflicts in the Old Continent are keeping investors away from Priceline stock.
On the other hand, the company is still delivering impressive performance during challenging times. Total gross profit grew 29% on a constant -currency basis during the third quarter, and Priceline's Booking.com platform ended the quarter with over 820,000 properties, an annual increase of 38%. Management is typically cautious when it comes to guidance, yet the company is anticipating that constant-currency gross profit will grow between 14% and 21% during the full year 2015.
External conditions come and go, but Priceline is a top-quality business to buy on any temporary weakness and hold in your portfolio for years to come.
(Amazon.com): I'm not reinventing the wheel by recommending e-commerce titan Amazon.com here. However, Amazon's dominant performance this Cyber Monday once more demonstrated why Amazon remains one of my favorite long-term stock picks in this space. According to ChannelAdviser, Amazon saw its Cyber Monday sales increase an impressive 21.1%, outperforming overall online sales, which rose 18% in total.
Amazon has built a better model for shopping and distribution online. It's the Wal-Mart of the 21st century. And most importantly in my investment thesis, most consumers vastly underappreciate the massive scope of Amazon's long-term market opportunity. See for yourself.
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce
According to the Department of Commerce, e-commerce accounted for only 7.4% of total U.S. retail sales during Q3 2015. It isn't clear what the full extent of retail sales that Amazon will be able to ultimately fulfill is; grocery sales and delivery remain clear sticking points. However, as the company doing the most to reinvent the modern retail supply chain (drones, 1-hour delivery, etc.), it's reasonable to expect Amazon will fight for every percentage of market share it can.
It's also worth noting that Amazon realizes about 60%of its total sales from the U.S., where, as we saw above, e-commerce penetration is still in its infancy. When thinking about the long-term opportunity facing Amazon globally, the company's growth runway becomes truly awe-inspiring. It's a generational buy-and-hold type company whose best days still remain decades into the future.
Under Armour's UA Record App offers incremental sales and brand rapport. Credit: Under Armour,
Steve Symington (Under Armour):Under Armour recently achieved its first billion-dollar quarter, beating analysts' expectations on both its top and bottom lines, and raising full-year revenue guidance in the process. But shares of the athletic apparel specialist plunged anyway as investors eyed an 80-basis-point decline in gross margin during the quarter, as well as an expected 100-basis-point gross margin decline in the fourth quarter due to currencies and a higher mix of lower-margin footwear revenue. As of this writing, shares of Under Armour are down nearly 20% from their 52-week high set in late September.
But I still have confidence in Under Armour's recently accelerated plan to nearly double this year's revenue to $7.5 billion by 2018. To achieve that growth, Under Armour will rely on continued momentum not only from its core apparel business, where sales grew 23% year over year last quarter, but also from its budding footwear (up 61%) and international (up 52%) businesses. Under Armour also reiterated confidence in the promise of its enormous Connected Fitness platforms to contribute strong incremental sales and -- admittedly harder to measure -- brand awareness and rapport with consumers.
In the end, though, as a longtime Under Armour shareholder, I can safely say we've read this book before. In fact, I've beenrewarded handsomelymore than once for taking advantage ofsimilarpullbacksover the past few years. And even if it comes at the expense of the bottom line in the near term, I'm convinced this one is no different as Under Armour continues to invest heavily in its ambitious growth initiatives.
The article 4 Top Consumer Stocks to Buy in December originally appeared on Fool.com.
Andrs Cardenal owns shares of Amazon.com and Priceline Group. Andrew Tonner has no position in any stocks mentioned. Rick Munarriz has no position in any stocks mentioned. Steve Symington owns shares of Under Armour. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon.com, Imax, Priceline Group, and Under Armour. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright 1995 - 2015 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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Why financial institutions need a multi-layered security approach to survive the digital transformation
By John E. Ahrens, CEO of Veratad Technologies
In August 2003, hackers breached Yahoo’s secure personal records, impacting 3 billion accounts. The company did not reveal the breach to the public until three years later. It was the largest data breach to date and temporarily derailed a major acquisition.
Fast forward to the present. In August 2021, T-Mobile, a telecommunications company confirmed that hackers gained access to the personal data of 54 million users. That included names, addresses, dates of birth and — perhaps, social security numbers. The latter are the Holy Grail for identity thieves because they can be used to unlock financial services, government benefits and private medical information.
These massive data breaches expose personal data on a large scale, rendering hundreds of millions of Americans more vulnerable to identity theft. And it exposes financial organizations to a consumer confidence deficit.
Security experts maintain that the government does not need to entirely do away with social security numbers as personal identifiers. The answer, rather, is simpler. Organizations must start requiring more than a single form of ID as proof of identity.
The explosion of digital banking technology has sparked a digital revolution towards touchless transactions and managing their assets absent of retail outlets.
And although cybersecurity threats are on the rise, there’s new evidence consumers may be letting down their guard. Many still use the same passwords for multiple accounts. As nearly 75 percent of consumers believe their financial institution will protect them, banks and credit unions could be put in a tough spot.
But with so many emerging players and connection points come cybersecurity risks. And there are sobering statistics that extend those risks beyond data security to business risks.
In 2020, the Federal Trade Commission recorded 1.4 million reports of identity theft, costing victims an estimated $56 billion.
Complacency might play a role. The number of people who are not worried about security rose to 15 percent from 8 percent in 2019, according to a Harris poll.
The implications for businesses are dire.
Almost half of people surveyed would abandon their financial institution in the event of a data breach. That makes the data risk a serious business risk.
And in PricewaterhouseCoopers’ 2020 Global Economic Crime and Fraud Survey, nearly half of the more than 5,000 respondents reported a fraud in the past 24 months. The respondents lost $42 billion in assets.
Banks and financial institutions are under pressure to get on board with the rapidly changing world of digital financial services ― and to do it right.
Fraud attacks are becoming more sophisticated. Yet, consumers want convenient authentication and verification options that keep their data safe. Banks and financial institutions need to embrace advanced technologies that will address these issues while simplifying digital onboarding and transactions, maintaining their customers’ trust, and preventing fraud.
And all the while, making the process simple and seamless to consumers.
We must build complex, multi-layered security strategies that use several different robust forms of identity verification, from Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) to biometrics, document verification and more.
New avenues for verification
Today’s technology allows us other ways to verify identity: A password manager can generate a long, hard-to-guess password for each account, and this type of program often makes it easy to change those passwords in the event of a data breach. A USB key can be plugged into a computer to authenticate its owner. Biometric information, such as a fingerprint or facial recognition, can be scanned by a smartphone.
Yet, experts do not recommend replacing the social security number with any one of these methods alone; the most secure option is to protect identity with multiple factors.
Instead of focusing our security risks on this single data point, we need to develop these more holistic and multilayered approaches to identity management. So if any one or two elements of that identity are compromised, it doesn’t compromise the entire identity.
Knowledge-based authentication, or KBA is the practice of proving an identity with a personally known fact, such as a social security number. But these are vulnerable to hackers. Other KBAs, such as birthdays or mothers’ maiden names, may even appear on social media for anyone to find.
For effective multifactor authentication (MFA), to simply require two or more pieces of knowledge is not enough. In fact, breaches like the one at T-Mobile release a variety of data about each victim. Some have suggested a physical USB key or even a phone, which can receive a text message with a unique one-time code. The latter category can include physical traits, which can be measured by biometric scans.
As an example, a multifactor authentication process might require a person to enter their social security number and follow-up with a code word texted to their phone. Another version might involve them entering a password and then scanning their fingerprint.
How to choose a verification solution
Choosing an identity verification solution is a big decision and one that must not be rushed. Stakeholders would do well to seek out a company that understands modern identity challenges and knows how to embrace the latest verification technologies and methods to keep you and your customers safe.
The only way to truly protect your business from the likes of fraud, money laundering, underage signups, and regulatory penalties is with a comprehensive solution that can flex to your needs. Every transaction must be considered independently; every threat vector assessed. Only then can you call upon and leverage the right verification methods for the situation.
What kind of methods should you look for? And what matter of delivery works best? Leading platforms should be able to provide everything you need to start verifying identity information under a single API. This includes methods that utilize:
- Identity documents:
Verifying customers with automated identification document capture and certification that includes an optional manual document review;
- Identity data:
Verifying customers with fast, global and cost-effective age and identity verification based on trusted and verified data for over billions of citizens worldwide;
- Knowledge-based authentication:
Verifying customers with knowledge-based authentication (KBA) multiple choice “out of wallet” question sets;
- “Smart” Two-Factor Authentication:
Leveraging ID verification and Two-Factor Authentication for the highest level of surety in customer onboarding;
Adding a layer of biometric authentication alongside your verified identity documents with liveness and selfie checks.
The importance of staying flexible
Data risk is multi-faceted. And preventing and overcoming it requires flexibility. Holistic approaches that harness multiple methods and technologies for verification are the only way forward when it comes to protecting your business and customers from external threats.
About the author
John E. Ahrens is CEO of Veratad Technologies, the leading provider of global identity verification solutions. Veratad provides a full suite of trusted and highly flexible solutions designed to verify an individual’s identity and/or age while protecting sensitive personal data and promoting a high level of consumer privacy. Veratad’s goal is to keep clients safe without losing focus on their goals of increasing business profits, reducing costs, preventing fraud, enhancing compliance and creating a seamless online experience for customers.
DISCLAIMER: Biometric Update’s Industry Insights are submitted content. The views expressed in this post are that of the author, and don’t necessarily reflect the views of Biometric Update.
biometrics | cybersecurity | data protection | digital identity | document verification | financial services | fraud prevention | identity verification | KYC | multi-factor authentication | onboarding | Veratad


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This is particularly problematic once you remember that all Bitcoin transactions are permanent and irreversible. It's like dealing with cash: Any transaction carried out with bitcoins can only be reversed if the person who has received them refunds them. There is no third party or a payment processor, as in the case of a debit or credit card – hence, no source of protection or appeal if there is a problem.
Illiquidity. This is mostly moot due to Bitcoin’s $47 market cap but it still makes users sweat. It’s highly unlikely that Bitcoin’s price would plummet and you’d be unable to take action, but it’s still unsettling. As more investors invest, however, illiquidity becomes a negligible risk, as there will likely always be a buyer for Bitcoins waiting.
Full clients verify transactions directly by downloading a full copy of the blockchain (over 150 GB As of January 2018). They are the most secure and reliable way of using the network, as trust in external parties is not required. Full clients check the validity of mined blocks, preventing them from transacting on a chain that breaks or alters network rules. Because of its size and complexity, downloading and verifying the entire blockchain is not suitable for all computing devices.
Jump up ^ Mooney, Chris; Mufson, Steven (19 December 2017). "Why the bitcoin craze is using up so much energy". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018. several experts told The Washington Post that bitcoin probably uses as much as 1 to 4 gigawatts, or billion watts, of electricity, roughly the output of one to three nuclear reactors.
If fewer people begin to accept Bitcoin as a currency, these digital units may lose value and could become worthless. There is already plenty of competition, and though Bitcoin has a huge lead over the other 100-odd digital currencies that have sprung up, thanks to its brand recognition and venture capital money, a technological break-through in the form of a better virtual coin is always a threat.
The use of bitcoin by criminals has attracted the attention of financial regulators, legislative bodies, law enforcement, and the media. In the United States, the FBI prepared an intelligence assessment, the SEC issued a pointed warning about investment schemes using virtual currencies, and the U.S. Senate held a hearing on virtual currencies in November 2013. The U.S. government claimed that bitcoin was used to facilitate payments related to Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections.
Transactions are verified by network nodes through cryptography and recorded in a public distributed ledger called a blockchain. Bitcoin was invented by an unknown person or group of people using the name Satoshi Nakamoto and released as open-source software in 2009. Bitcoins are created as a reward for a process known as mining. They can be exchanged for other currencies, products, and services. Research produced by the University of Cambridge estimates that in 2017, there were 2.9 to 5.8 million unique users using a cryptocurrency wallet, most of them using bitcoin.
The simplest way to approach the model would be to look at the current worldwide value of all mediums of exchange and of all stores of value comparable to bitcoin, and calculate the value of bitcoin's projected percentage. The predominant medium of exchange is government backed money, and for our model we will focus solely on them. The money supply is often thought of as broken into different buckets, M0, M1, M2, and M3. M0 refers to currency in circulation. M1 is M0 plus demand deposits like checking accounts. M2 is M1 plus savings accounts and small time deposits (known as certificates of deposit in the US). M3 is M2 plus large time deposits and money market funds. Since M0 and M1 are readily accessible for use in commerce, we will consider these two buckets as medium of exchange, whereas M2 and M3 will be considered as money being used as a store of value.
Bitcoin is the world’s first open-source, decentralized proof-of-work digital currency and platform powered by blockchain technology. Transactions on the network are peer-to-peer, cryptographically secure, and do not require an intermediary. Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency to introduce the concept of non-tangible, programmable money that is stored on a public blockchain. The now-famous Satoshi Nakamoto released the Bitcoin whitepaper in 2008, referencing the financial crisis of that year. It discussed the implementation of a cashless, digital payment system to counter fallible fiat currency systems. By January 2009, the first Bitcoin was mined. Nakamoto publicly released his research to the cryptocurrency community soon thereafter. It remains the largest digital currency by market cap.
By December, Bitcoin was on track to hit its all-time high thanks to a dramatic and steady increase in price. On Dec. 17, 2017, it reached $19,783.21, the all-time high that has yet to be broken. Unfortunately, that high was followed by a drop of about 30 percent, with a market correction that brought it down to under $11,000. The price did recover, reaching $16,000 again on Dec. 27.
This website is intended to provide a clear summary of Ethereum's current and historical price as well as important updates from the industry. I've also included a number of ERC20 tokens which can be found in the tokens tab at the top right. Prices are updated every minute in real-time and the open/close prices are recorded at midnight UTC. Bookmark us!


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General Motors Corp.'s minority dealer program hit all of its growth targets last year but its future may be even tougher than its imperfect past.
The number of GM minority dealers grew from 320 in 1999 to 350 last year, 70% of them owned their businesses and 77% of GM's minority dealers were profitable. Those numbers are in stark contrast to 1998, when only 62.5% of GM's 280 minority dealers were profitable, which meant there was almost a 40% failure rate and a 20% profitability gap between the automaker's minority dealers and its Caucasian dealers.
That was one of the more glaring deficiencies found in a 1998 internal review that GM commissioned of its own minority dealer program. GM claims the program, dating to 1974, is the industry's first.
The review, which Ward's Dealer Business obtained a copy of, found that GM's minority dealer program was adrift within the corporation and disconnected from the operational goals of the automaker.
There were 215 recommendations by the review team to improve the automaker's minority dealer program. GM says it has implemented 213 of them.
Eric Peterson, GM's executive director of dealer development, attributed the program's shortcomings to the poor preparation of candidates, the poor quality of the points they were put into and to a failure to coordinate the minority dealer program with GM's field organization.
Since then, Mr. Peterson says GM is working hard to implement the review team's recommendations, most of which fall into three broad categories: candidate selection and training, dealership acquisition and dealership operation.
“Anything that sells less than 400 new vehicles, we're not interested in because the throughput is not significant enough to generate the type of return that we and the candidate are looking for.”
— Eric Peterson
GM has installed a rigorous screening process, which includes leadership evaluation, to objectively evaluate candidates before they are admitted to the minority dealer program.
“The selection process is a lot keener,” says Gregory Jackson, president of Michigan-based Prestige Automotive, which is comprised of Prestige Pontiac Oldsmobile in Mt. Morris, Prestige Lincoln Mercury in Flint Township, the Prestige Used Car Center also in Mt. Morris, Prestige Chevrolet in Flushing, Prestige Ford in Clare and Prestige Ford in Harrison. “Certain people who would have got in in the past would never get in now,” he says. Once enrolled, there are six checkpoints, or “gates” through which candidates must pass during the year-long training program. Simply being admitted to the program no longer implies, as the review found in the past, that a candidate will graduate and be awarded a dealership.
Mr. Jackson, who is also treasurer of GM's minority dealer association, says, “That is where a lot of the problems of the past lie because a lot of people felt that if they got in the first door, they would be a successful GM dealer. There's been a renewing of the understanding that there are no promises.”
GM also standardized the process for acquiring points for its minority dealers. The automaker is after stores in metropolitan areas or in hub towns which are on the periphery of metropolitan areas and the centers of commerce in their areas.
GM will not consider acquiring a store with less than 400 annual new vehicle sales.
“In the past, we looked at any opportunity that was out there,” says Mr. Peterson. “If a dealer raised his or her hand and said ‘I want to sell,’ we'd say, ‘Let's consider it.’” Not anymore. “Anything that sells less than 400 new vehicles, we're not interested in because the throughput is not significant enough to generate the type of return that we and the candidate are looking for.”
Candidates also have the right to refuse the deal. “In the past, it was kind of like we knew best,” says Mr. Peterson. In other words, it was take this deal or there will be no deal.
“There are three things that they (minority dealers) really can control: advertising, personnel and your floor planning expense,” says Mr. Peterson. “You have to feel that you have control over those things. And many times (minority dealers) didn't.”
In terms of operating the dealership, GM initiated a three-part plan. Before the store is launched, the stakeholders — which include GM's legal department, GMAC, marketing and dealer network development — meet with the dealer to address any needs he or she may have.
There is a review every 90 days during the first year of operation. Mr. Peterson's office makes sure that the field offices are working with minority dealers on a day-to-day basis.
Perhaps most important though is that under the new setup Mr. Peterson reports to Michael Grimaldi, vice president of field sales, service and parts.
“If there are any problems, I'm sitting right on his staff,” says Mr. Peterson. “Anytime we talk about sales, customer satisfaction, warranty — anything — minority dealers, their appointments and their profitability is on that list.”
But even Mr. Grimaldi can't help Mr. Peterson quell controversy and the criticism of some minority dealers about GM's Women's Retail Initiative which was announced in March.
The program, modeled along the lines of GM's minority dealer program, is aimed at creating more points for women. But it is more than that.
“We want to get more women involved in helping us,” Mr. Peterson says. “How do we market to women, how do we design our cars better, those kinds of things. So it's not single-focused, there's more to it than just women dealers.”
However, one former GM minority dealer thinks the company's Women's Retail Initiative is a shill.
“This is a white female program,” he says. “The majority (white) dealers are going to put their wives, their daughters and other female relatives in dealerships. Just watch, this is how they're going to come at us and they're going to show this number (of dealerships) for minorities really skyrocketing.”
Glenda Gill, director of the Rainbow Push Coalition's automotive project in Detroit, says GM's women's initiative “only becomes an issue with us when it begins to distract from the minority dealer program.”
Still, Ms. Gill is suspicious of GM's women's initiative. “I have a cautionary attitude about this. If the first candidates come out and they do not reflect a rainbow, GM is going to have some morale issues with its minority dealers.”
Rainbow could be another word for minority. Thirty years ago, minority meant blacks. Today, it means African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans and women.
More minorities want to become GM dealers, but there are less GM dealerships. In 1974, according to the review, there were 12,939 GM dealers. By 1997, their numbers had shrunk to 8,090. Today, it's around 7,500.
Mr. Peterson, who is also responsible for GM's Women's Retail Initiative understands the problem, but says GM is still committed to having dealers who reflect the company's customer base. The automaker has more women dealers than ethnic ones, and its Hispanic stores outnumber the ones owned by African Americans.
“We've already had discussions to see how we can expand our acquisition efforts so that we can bring more deals to the table,” Mr. Peterson says.
“And we've got our folks aligned as to how we're going to go out and beat the bushes to find more deals.”
As the yin and yang between minorities and women for dealership intensifies in the future, GM has apparently not forgotten one lesson it learned in the past.
Says Mr. Peterson, “What we found was if we didn't commit ourselves to bringing on good, solid quality dealers and putting them in good, solid quality points, you end with a 62.5 profitability rate. Nobody wants that, it's not good business.”
Minority dealer runs impressive fleet empire
By Frank S. Washington
Gregory Jackson has been a hustler, albeit a clean-cut one, all of his life.
As a youngster, Mr. Jackson sold so many subscriptions to the Detroit News that he was lauded with trips to Disney World, Toronto and even London.
He once started a cookie company that led him to develop a dough for cookies that were baked and served at a Midwest department store chain from 1984 to 1992.
And when the rise left his cookie business, Mr. Jackson ended up in General Motors Corp.'s' minority dealer program, acquiring his first dealership in 1993. Since then, he has experienced a growth rate that even Microsoft's Bill Gates might envy.
In 1995, Mr. Jackson's Prestige Pontiac Oldsmobile in Mt. Morris, MI, had $24.5 million in sales. That put Mr. Jackson on Black Enterprise magazine's list of the top 100 black-owned car dealer-ships in the nation Mr. Jackson was named Black Enterprise's top automotive growth leader with sales of $253 million in 1999, up 218% from 1998's $79.8 million. And last year, Mr. Jackson says Prestige Automotive Group revenues reached $670 million, primarily from fleet sales.
That puts Mr. Jackson, 42, in the same neighborhood as Mel Farr whose automotive group had $432 million in sales in 1999 — mostly retail sales. That ranked Mr. Farr as Black Enterprise's top black-owned business last year. The magazine's new rankings are due out soon, and it looks like Mr. Jackson is going to give Mr. Farr a run for his money, although the nature of their sales (fleet versus retail) is different.
Says Mr. Jackson, “I always had a strong interest in working for myself because it became real apparent to me in college that the people who are going to make any real money in America, they're not going to make it working for anybody else.”
He adds, “What you're going to make is a salary. There's nothing wrong with that. But if you aspire to more, you have to be willing to do more. And if I'm going to do more, I might as well do it for myself.”
“If you aspire to more, you have to be willing to do more. And if I'm going to do more, I might as well do it for myself.”
— Gregory Jackson
Mr. Jackson's do-more translates into more dealerships. He's acquired five more since the first one he purchased in 1993.
In addition to Prestige Pontiac Oldsmobile, Prestige Automotive consists of Prestige Lincoln Mercury in Flint Township, the Prestige Used Car Center also in Mt. Morris, Prestige Chevrolet in Flushing, Prestige Ford in Clare, and Prestige Ford in Harrison.
At each one of those stores Mr. Jackson has increased business, but the catapult for his increased revenue is fleet sales.
“I run approximately 70% fleet and 30% retail,” Mr. Jackson says. “We're doing about $200 million retail.” The growth of Prestige Automotive can be attributed to more dealerships, increased retail sales at each one of them and a surge in fleet business. But Mr. Jackson's business philosophy is at the core of his success.
He is an African-American who owns dealerships in small and mid-size towns that are predominantly white. To that Mr. Jackson says, “The real money to be made by entrepreneurs is in the cracks. I consider middle America to be a crack.
“There is a lot of money to be made in secondary markets. That means any market that's not part of a large metropolitan area. Everybody is trying to compete in the heart of Detroit, that's why everybody is marginally profitable.”
Mr. Jackson's other business tenet is service. The back of his business cards say:
“We pride ourselves in providing personalized attention to each customer. Our goal is lifetime customers through first-time quality service. We are dedicated to work together as a team to meet and exceed customer needs.”
Mr. Jackson says business today has nothing to do with race, it has everything to do with service. “People of all nationalities and ethnic backgrounds want quality service, they want it fast and they want it with a smile.
“You've got to be willing to give high-quality service the first time. If you don't, you've got a problem, because those people are not coming back.”
Mr. Jackson doesn't think in terms of dollars, he set goals rather than revenue targets. His dream was to be financially independent, live in reasonably comfortable and create some wealth to pass on to his daughter and son, now 16 and 12 respectively.


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Intel has raised Apple in what has become a small little poker game for U.K. graphics house Imagination Technologies.
According to documents filed with the London Stock Exchange, Intel Capital has purchased an additional 934,422 shares, which represents a total stake in the company of about 3.04 percent. Intel already owned 6 million shares via Intel Capital.
That’s just slightly more than what Apple invested in Imagaination last week, or just about 3 percent. Intel warned that it could try and bid for Imagination outright, but has not indicated any plans to do so.
The two respective stakes imply that Imagination’s PowerVR core will be tied to products manufactured by both Intel and Apple. Only Intel has made comments supporting the PowerVR architecture, however, in conjunction with its Atom processor.


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Neon District Announces Free Loot Box Airdrop
Blockade Games’ upcoming blockchain RPG Neon District has officially kicked-off the third week of its 5-week Public Loadout.
In addition to the launch of Week 3 of the Loadout, Neon District has announced a free loot box airdrop. According to the announcement, users simply need to like and retweet this tweet and refer 3 people to Neon District using the referral link found in the game’s portal by November 14.
These airdropped loot boxes include weapons and armor from the Ceres, Yume and Zeno corporations, in addition to the Syndicates and The Quarter — two corporations from previous weeks.
Additionally, each referral that makes a purchase will count towards the free ‘Juice’ gamers can receive. Juice is critical to Neon District as it is required to level up characters.
Blockade Games also recently announced that its Founders Program has been pushed until November 16. This program will give Founders Keyholders access to Neon District to provide final feedback on the current build.
Disclaimer: This article’s author has cryptocurrency holdings that can be tracked here. SludgeFeed has a partnership with Blockade Games to help drive forward the adoption of blockchain gaming. This article is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as investment advice. Always conduct your own due diligence before making investments.


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If you’re not familiar with Grenfell and the remarkable life of its valiant and honourable founder, plus the ground-breaking innovation of a little-known cotton mill in Burnley, Lancashire in 1923, it’s well-worth reading its history here.
The Rake has long been a champion of Grenfell, and working with the team at its factory in east London has been an absolute joy; they have an open-minded approach to collaborations, and bring new ideas into the mix in an effort to create something truly special and unique. For example, earlier this year the outerwear specialist took part in the Flâneur Collection, a four-way collaboration with three other artisans, all of which are leaders in their respective fields, which was spearheaded by The Rake and the hallowed family-owned mill, Vitale Barberis Canonico.
We now have the pleasure of presenting several new styles, one of which is the Mayfair coat. Exclusive to The Rake Atelier, it’s inspired by motorcycle styles from the 1920s – including the Despatch riders coat – and it’s cut down to the knees in navy Grenfell Cloth. The double-breasted coat features wide lapels, a double buckle fastening on the front and underarm gussets to aid movement. “It’s slightly less aggressive than the Despatch Rider coat and perhaps more civilian,” says Creative Director, Joslyn Clarke, who’s worked for several well-known British heritage brands and specialises in outerwear. It by no means needs to be worn whilst straddling a Harley and it comes with a detachable shearling collar in a sumptuous ivory tone.


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|For Immediate Release:
July 22, 2016
Georgia DOT suspends lane closures for Sales Tax Holiday Weekend
TENNILLE—Shoppers will get a break from lane closures to go along with the state’s suspension of the sales tax for school supplies, clothing and computer equipment.
The Georgia Department of Transportation will suspend construction-related lane closures within five miles of a shopping mall or major shopping district on interstates and major state routes from 8 a.m. Saturday, July 30 through 10 p.m. Sunday, July 31.
“The sales tax holiday is an opportunity for Georgians to save a little money during these challenging economic times,” said District Engineer Jimmy Smith. “We are glad to offer some relief from lane closures as families prepare for the start of school.”
During the annual “back to school” sales tax holiday, Georgia shoppers have the opportunity to purchase certain clothing items, computers and computer accessories tax-free. More information about the 2016 Sales Tax Holiday and tax exempt items can be found on the Georgia Department of Revenue’s website at: https://dor.georgia.gov/press-releases/2016-04-27/2016-sales-tax-holidays.
The Department reminds travelers to exercise caution as heavy traffic is expected throughout the state; crews may still work in close proximity to highways; and safety concerns may require some long-term lane closures remain in place. Also, incident management or emergency, maintenance-related lane closures could become necessary at any time on any route.


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News by Dan Seifert on Wednesday May 16, 2012.
|Sponsored links, if any, appear in green.|
China Mobile the world's largest carrier says that it is negotiating with Apple to carry the iPhone, which it has not yet been able to do. It's a story we've heard before - in fact, back in 2010, the same claims were made, and then again in 2011.
The iPhone is offered by other carriers in China, but since China Mobile uses a unique network technology, called TD-SCDMA, the iPhone has yet to be available from it. Reportedly, the next iPhone to come from Apple will use a Qualcomm modem that has support for China Mobile's unique 3G network, removing that roadblock.
"We've been actively talking to Apple on how we can cooperate," said Chairman Xi Guohua. "I can't give you too many details, but I'd like to repeat that both sides do hope to boost our cooperation."
A deal with China Mobile would open the iPhone up to nearly 700 million new potential customers. China Unicom and China Telecom already offer the device, and some 15 million China Mobile customers are using unlocked versions of the iPhone, though they lack access to any 3G services.source: Reuters
Dan is MobileBurn.com's Editor-in-Chief. Based in Poughkeepsie in New York, Dan can be found on Twitter as @DCSeifert.