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A photograph of three people with blood-absorbed cords on their abdomen, each holding a new Apple iPhone 14, gave rise to hotness in Thailand, and people thought that the marks on the body had been caused by the surgical removal of the kidney for sale in order to obtain funds for the purchase of a new "apple smartphone".
According to the Singapore edition of Mothership, the photograph was taken in Laos and, in fact, it was a joke; however, Thais took it so seriously that an authoritative Red Cross representative condemned the photo if someone perceived it as a clean coin and infected it.
Sophon Meckton, managing director of the Body Donor Center of the Thai Red Cross Society, condemned the image as unethical and inappropriate and warned people that organ trafficking was illegal in Thailand.
According to Bangkok Post, he said, "There is no organ trade. It's forbidden. It's inappropriate to offer to sell organs, especially in order to get money to buy an iPhone. It's morally wrong and unethical."
Previously, selling body parts for new iPhone 14 models became a topical topic after the beauty clinic in Laos published a picture of three people, people holding new smartphones and showing allegedly tied abdominal wounds with blood marks, and they looked like scars after surgery.
Remember, a Chineseman once sold a kidney on the black market for money on a mobile phone and Apple tablet, and now suffers from kidney failure.


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Maldives is showcased at FITUR 2021, the leading international travel and tourism market held in Spain. During the event held from 19th – 23rd May 2021, Visit Maldives aims to create destination awareness and increase the arrival numbers to Maldives. 5 industry tourism establishments will take part in the event alongside Visit Maldives.
Maldives is represented at an attractive 72 sqm stand designed specially to represent the beauty and wonder of Maldives through colorful imagery and videos. The unique geographical formation of Maldives and the safety provided by the scattered islands of Maldives will be emphasized and highlighted at the stand through eye-catching promotional videos on an LED TV screen. In addition, a quiz regarding details on Maldives will be held at the stand to entice travelers and winners will receive a goodie bag.
In line with the Visit Maldives’ health and safety guidelines for in-person events to ensure health and safety of everyone, the Maldives stand is configured to accommodate restricted numbers of visitors at one given time as well as regularly sanitised surfaces.
The 5-day event welcomes both trade visitors and professionals from the tourism industry as well as the general public who come for first-hand information about the destination. The trade fair is open exclusively to trade visitors on the first three days and the general public is invited for the weekend. During 2020, FITUR surpassed the previously held record with an audience of 11,040 companies representing 165 countries, 150,011 trade visitors, 111,809 visitors from the general public as well as over 5,300 media representatives.
Visit Maldives is taking part in @fitur_madrid, the leading trade fair for inbound and outbound markets in Spain and Latin America. Visit our team at IFEMA, Madrid (Pavillion 06, Stand number 6A02).#FITUR2021 #WorldsLeadingDestination #Maldives #VisitMaldives #SunnySideOfLife pic.twitter.com/50btMif69I— Visit Maldives (@visitmaldives) May 19, 2021
FITUR presents the opportunity for the global travel trade to meet, network, maintain old business relationships and build new ones. The participants alongside Visit Maldives will have the opportunity to present their latest products and experiences as well as taking part in one-on-one meetings, seminars, networking sessions and more.
As of March 2021, Maldives has welcomed over 3,400 travelers from the Spanish market ranking the market as the 18th top market to Maldives. With the mass vaccination drives and easing of travel restrictions, it is hopeful that the arrival figure from Spain will increase within the next few months. As of 15th May 2021, the Maldives has welcomed a total of 428,400 travelers.
Furthermore, Visit Maldives is currently conducting a digital campaign with Passporter APP, a leading travel application in the Spain market to create awareness of the destination and to reach a large audience through influencers with large followerbases. Other activities in the pipeline include media and media fam trips and roadshows to target the Spanish market.
Maldives reopened its borders for tourists of all nationalities on 15th July 2020, with rigorous procedures in place to ensure the safety of tourists and tourism workers. Tourists are required to fill an online health declaration form within 24 hours prior to their departure, as well as have a negative PCR test result, conducted 96 hours prior to their departure.In order to strengthen the measures, the administration of the Covid-19 vaccine was initiated on 1st February 2021 with the government of Maldives set to provide free COVID-19 vaccines to all citizens and residents of the country in the upcoming months.
Visit Maldives together with the Ministry of Tourism launches “I’m Vaccinated” campaign in order to share a positive message regarding the vaccination of staff working in the tourism sector as well as promoting the initiatives undertaken to ensure the Maldives remains one of the safest destinations in the world for travelers. The ultimate target is to make Maldives the destination with the first fully vaccinated tourism sector in the world.

domain: news


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The review of the BBC’s charter overseen by culture secretary John Whittingdale doesn’t just have important implications for one of the UK’s most iconic institutions, it is also a symptom of a broader phenomenon: the disruption of television by on-demand content. The future for broadcasters might look bleak, but there are also some likely winners. Streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime or Apple TV spring immediately to mind, but there is also room in the market for investigative news media such as The Guardian, The Times, or The Economist.
The big challenge for TV broadcasters is the fierce competition for people’s time from an ever-increasing group of content, media and entertainment providers. Competitive strategy scholars would describe the problem as follows: the level of competition in an industry is determined by the degree of substitution for a particular product of service. In other words, the more alternatives to fulfil a particular need, the more competitive the industry.
For Harvard’s Clayton Christensen such substitution is particularly likely if a common technology platform emerges. In this case, the improvement in broadband coverage and the affordability of Smart TVs have made web content a serious rival for traditional television.
Business model broken
The value proposition of traditional television has been to cater for a very diverse audience, produce unique content and provide high-quality journalism. This has all been paid for by TV license fees or advertising revenues. However, this business model seems to be broken, for a number of reasons.
First, the underlying logic of service provision is still the “TV programme” with pre-defined broadcasting time slots, and now accompanied by restricted availability after broadcasting via platforms such as the BBC’s iPlayer or Channel 4’s All 4 streaming service.
Second, TV stations aim to be “everything for everybody”. While this has made sense in the past, it is questionable whether this still appeals to the media and technology savvy viewers of today. Finally, the legitimacy of the TV licence as a quasi–tax is increasingly open to challenge, while the advertising model looks fragile too as people are only prepared to pay for what they use.
Who are the likely winners?
It looks grim, but there is also a big chance in all of this.
The internet and online streaming as a common technology platform allows content providers to focus on what they are really good at, be it sports, drama, shows or news coverage. This is a clear opportunity for TV broadcasters. It reduces the pressure of that suffocating “everything for everybody” idea and opens the door for increased specialisation. Look at it this way, and the demise of traditional television starts to be a potential source of exciting and innovative programmes and formats.
Success is going to be a question of scale; the availability of up to date, high quality content on-demand. Much has been written about how streaming services like Amazon Prime and Netflix are likely winners in the battle for primacy in home entertainment. These companies are already fighting their own battles for dominance by expanding their libraries of on-demand films, documentaries and TV shows at a breathtaking speed.
The move by streaming services into original content also offers a direct challenge which bites into the core model for traditional broadcasters. One key example is Netflix’s “House of Cards”, an international hit. Amazon Prime also just announced that they are going to add a music streaming service as part of their already existing streaming service; another example for the importance of scale.
There is space for others, however. News media such as traditional broadsheet newspapers are in a strong position to benefit in future. Earmarked for a slow death even before the big broadcasters, these stately institutions have endured their fair share of suffering due to shrinking circulations. But some of them, such as the British paper and website The Guardian or German weekly Der Spiegel have developed innovative web platforms which not only provide traditional news content but timely video content. Der Spiegel even has its own TV channel broadcast via the internet.
News was always one of the crucial propositions of the major broadcasters; yet, as we move deeper into an on-demand world, newspapers and news magazines are in a very strong position to be the news or documentary providers of choice.
Brand recognition is an asset of course, and their success will particularly depend on their ability to leverage the authenticity and subject expertise these organisations clearly have accumulated. Using business news as an example, both the Financial Times and The Economist appear well-positioned, and have already proven an ability to develop innovative content in a fast paced and highly competitive environment. These are important skills to have in order to thrive in a “post-television” industry whose shape is yet to be determined.
As this evolution continues, traditional broadcasters need to engage in serious soul searching. In a world that is increasingly fractured and where TV programmes are substituted by content provided in YouTube channels, by pioneering newspapers or a growing band of specialist publishers, they need to find an answer to the question: What is unique to what we have to offer?
One thing seems to be clear: this soul-searching will reveal some unloved truths, it will be painful and, ultimately, it will lead to significant changes to how TV broadcasters around the world operate. So, the pressure is on for John Whittingdale and his panel of experts. In their bid to set the foundations for the BBC to navigate a chaotic next ten years, there are plenty of dangers, but also a chance to create media history.


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Jim Cramer, the Street’s Action Alerts PLUS Portfolio Manager and host of CNBC’s ‘Mad Money,’ discussed Alibaba (BABA) while answering social media questions from viewers on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Tuesday. Cramer said Alibaba had an extraordinary quarter, but the way to play Alibaba is to buy Yahoo (YHOO), and Cramer said you should buy Yahoo right now. Yahoo owns a minority stake in Alibaba. Cramer was asked about what he’d like to hear on Twitter’s (TWTR) earnings call, and he responded that he’d like to hear whether advertising is picking up. Cramer also said that Twitter is a work in progress, and that CEO Jack Dorsey needs time to turn it around. With several oil companies reporting quarterly results this week, Cramer was asked whether Occidental Petroleum (OXY), Chevron (CVX) and Exxon Mobil (XOM) will miss earnings expectations. Cramer thinks everyone misses their numbers, but some companies are better positioned to protect their dividends. Cramer answers questions from social media in a daily segment with TheStreet TV. Send your questions to him on Facebook, and on Twitter @JimCramer using #CramerQ.
More from Video
How quickly do we find support, is what we'll want to know now, as the correction is occurring while economic optimism builds.
Despite the president's promise of no stimulus until after Nov. 3, there are no signs yet that this is the sort of correlated selling that leads to a deep correction.
Salesforce, Amgen and Honeywell will give a lift to the DJIA going forward.
CAG has hung onto the bulk of its recent gains, and could rise to the $50 area, according to the charts and indicators.


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Thermo Fisher Scientific Opens $40 Million Production Center in Lenexa, Kansas
Built in just six weeks, this $40 million facility has created more than 300 new full-time jobs and added 120,000 square feet of manufacturing capacity in Lenexa. The company estimates that more than 150 million testing products will be produced by the end of the year.
"Thermo Fisher is proud to support virtually every aspect of the global COVID-19 response and our colleagues in Lenexa have played a key role in those efforts," said Gianluca Pettiti, senior vice president and president of the company's Specialty Diagnostics business. "Thanks to their hard work, Lenexa significantly increased production of VTM units. The team has worked with unrelenting intensity to build out and open a new site in just about six weeks. They understood the urgent national need, accepted the challenge and have delivered for the American people."
In early May, Thermo Fisher received a contract from the U.S. government to provide a significant quantity of highly specialized VTM for COVID-19 sample collection. VTM is dispensed into plastic tubes that are used to safely collect and transport clinical specimens containing viruses. This ensures that the sample collected from a COVID-19 nose swab maintains viability while it is shipped to a lab for testing. Thermo Fisher has responded quickly to meet increased demand for VTM by ramping up production in Lenexa from 50,000 units per week to now more than 8 million per week since the new facility began production in early July.
“I want to thank the Thermo Fisher team for its work in protecting our health and safety and helping Kansas tackle the many challenges brought on by COVID-19,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “By significantly increasing the manufacturing capacity of this facility, Thermo Fisher will not only have a positive impact on public health, but will help my administration as we work to rebuild our state’s fiscal foundation and make our economy stronger than it has ever been, not just returning to pre-pandemic conditions.”
Thermo Fisher has been producing COVID-19 testing products since the onset of the pandemic.
Secretary of Commerce David Toland said, “The need for research and development of pharmaceuticals to test for and combat COVID-19 is essential to our economic recovery, and Thermo Fisher is stepping up to help take on this huge task. Thermo Fisher is doing extremely important work for COVID-19 research, and I’m proud that such important, critically needed products will be produced in Kansas.”
To ensure accuracy of COVID-19 test results, VTM must be manufactured and dispensed into tubes in an aseptic environment, company officials explained. The new facility will accelerate production and ensure quality control by utilizing the proven blueprint for high-quality VTM production that has been developed in Lenexa. In addition to supporting America's pandemic response, the products will be used for collection and sampling for flu and other viruses.
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Metalpha Technology Holding Ltd announced today that its Next Generation Fund I has secured a $5 million anchor investment from a leading crypto company. This investment comes at a time of high growth for Metalpha’s licensed fund products, which cater to institutional investors, family offices, and high-net-worth individuals seeking exposure to the crypto market.
The Next Generation Fund I provides a regulated and compliant channel for investing in Grayscale Investments LLC’s products through structured derivatives. The fund is aiming to raise $100 million in capital from global investors and has already secured $20 million as of March 2023.
Metalpha’s President, Adrian Wang, expressed excitement for the future of their licensed fund products, emphasizing their mission to capitalize on Hong Kong’s fast-growing digital assets industry and provide clients with competitive and compliant investment options worldwide.
The CEO of NextGen Digital Venture, Jason Huang, also expressed gratitude for Metalpha’s support and highlighted the expertise and confidence their partnership with the leading crypto company brings. NextGen Digital Venture aims to provide legitimate and secure exposure to the rapidly evolving crypto landscape, acting as a trusted bridge between traditional and digital assets for investors.
Metalpha, headquartered in Hong Kong, aims to offer high-quality investment products and trading capabilities to cryptocurrency market participants. The company is committed to delivering the best structured derivative products in the industry.
Founded in 2015, Metalpha Technology Holding Limited is dedicated to providing investment and wealth management services through a full-service, institutional-grade platform. With a focus on blockchain expertise, the company aims to become a leader in the field of crypto wealth management services, bringing innovation and transparency to its customers and businesses.
NextGen Digital Venture, founded in 2023, aims to be Asia’s premier platform for providing traditional finance with exposure to cryptocurrencies. Their goal is to connect traditional capital with emerging technologies that are on the verge of widespread adoption. The team at NextGen Digital Venture is made up of experienced professionals from leading investment firms, top-tier family offices, and successful tech startups, showcasing their commitment to delivering reliable and trustworthy financial solutions to clients.


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Honda is the latest victim of WannaCry Ransomware outbreak lately this week. The outbreak was bad enough to stop production at its Sayama plant northeast of Tokyo. That factory can churn out nearly 1,000 vehicles a day, by the way, so this is not a small amount of money lost for the company.The company says it discovered the malware Sunday, and by Wednesday it had managed to spread to several regions including Japan, North America, Europe, China and other locations (Sayama was the only place to experience an actual shutdown of operations, however).
The outbreak was “solved” by this Tuesday, though there is no word on whether that solution involved paying the ransom or not. This is especially frustrating for Honda as their IT department had reportedly taken precautions against the worm only to be struck anyhow. The delivery method used for the WannaCry ransomware is unknown at this time, and one could theorize it may be a new variant, but that would be only theory at this point since there is unfortunately little technical information forthcoming in the source article.


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Apollo in Talks to Supply VW in Europe
Apollo Tyres has confirmed that its OE arrangements with Volkswagen may be extended into the European market. Addressing journalists in Cologne, Germany, Neeraj Kanwar stated “only recently, five years ago, we went into the OE segment in India. Today in India we supply to all the top automotive industry. Recently we’ve gone into VW, supplying them tyres for the cars that they’re launching in India, and we are in discussions with them to supply tyres to them in Europe.”
In March, Apollo was awarded the contract to supply OE tyres to Volkswagen Polo models sold in India. The compact VW is manufactured at the company’s plant in Chakan (near Pune in the state of Maharashtra), which has a capacity to produce 110,000 Polos per annum. Depending on the model, the Indian produced Polo is either fitted with 175/70 R14 tyres on steel rims or 185/60 R15 tyres on alloy rims.


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Taylor Swift stops by Target in Jersey City to check on her 'Lover' CD
Attention Target shoppers...
Taylor Swift was spotted Friday afternoon at the Target in Jersey City.
Swift and her friends headed to the store to check on her new album, "Lover."
The star teased the trip on her Instagram story saying, "We are doing our tradition that we do where we go to Target... we are going to do a basic inventory check... make sure everything is in order."
Target has an exclusive deal with Swift to sell a deluxe version of her new CD that includes the "Lover" CD, bonus audio memos from Taylor’s songwriting sessions, a set of Taylor’s journal entries, handwritten lyrics & archived photos, poster and a lyric book.
Of course, fans spotted the star and her entourage and snapped photos and selfies with Swift.
Swift is in New Jersey for the MTV Video Music Awards Monday night at the Prudential Center in Newark.
The star has been nominated for 10 VMAs, including Song of the Year for "You need to calm down."


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- Today VG247.com (linked above) has shared some screenshots of PS3 Debug Firmware 3.20 which appear to reveal a new '3D Video Output' XMB menu option.
While the 3.20 update is reportedly still "months away" for consumers, Sony previously confirmed
that a simple PS3 Firmware update is all that is required to make the PlayStation 3 system compatible with 3D gaming.
To quote: "We've landed some pics of a new debug build of PS3's Firmware, clearly showing a "3D video output" option.
As you can see from the images below, the feature appears to be included in the 3.20 release, which is apparently now in the hands of developers.
There's been a great deal of talk about 3D games in recent months, with Sony especially being a strong supporter of the tech."


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Orange County housing sales jumped by nearly 28% in April as buyers continued to take advantage of low home prices, according to figures released Monday.
A total of 3,260 new and existing homes were sold during April, compared to 2,549 transactions for April, 1993--an increase of 27.9%, according to TRW Redi Property Data, a real estate data company in Riverside.
"This is a continuation of what we've seen since the beginning of the year," said Nima Nattagh, market analyst for TRW. "This bodes well for everyone in the industry."
For the first four months of 1994, Orange County home sales increased 34.8% from the same period a year earlier, TRW reported.
Nattagh noted that a recent rise in interest rates is nudging some prospective buyers off the fence, especially those who want to take advantage of the current low prices. The average price of an Orange County home sold in April was $237,496, compared to $240,390 a year earlier.
The Orange County market--which showed the largest percentage increase in April homes sales among the six Southern California counties--continues to be driven by entry-level or first-time home buyers. More than 35% of homes sold here in April were priced below $175,000.
April Home Sales Top 1993
Total sales of new and existing homes in Orange County jumped nearly 28% in April compared to the same month last year. The average selling price dipped slightly:
1993 1994 % change New 506 425 -16.0 Existing 2,043 2,835 +38.8 Total 2,549 3,260 +27.9
1993 1994 % change New $234,748 $237,990 +1.4 Existing 241,826 237,421 -1.8 Total 240,390 237,496 -1.2
Strong home sales this year are being driven by high demand for entry-level houses. In April, more than a third of homes resold in Orange County went for less than $175,000--a slight increase from last year. April sales by price range:
1993 1994 Price Resales New homes Resales New homes Less than $175,000 34.2% 31.0% 35.1% 28.0% $175,001-$250,000 37.1 33.2 36.2 35.8 $250,001-$325,000 14.3 19.8 15.2 19.5 $325,001-$600,000 11.3 15.6 10.7 16.4 More than $600,000 3.2 0.4 2.7 0.2
Note: Totals may not add to 100% because of rounding
Source: TRW Redi Property Data


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Mattel Ordered to Pay $225M in Punitives, Attorney's Fees and Costs in Bratz Doll Case
A federal judge in Santa Ana, Calif., today nearly trebled the $88 million that Mattel Inc. was earlier ordered to pay a competitor in a hard-fought case over the rights to the popular Bratz doll line.
Mattel must pay MGA Entertainment Inc. $85 million in punitive damages and $2.5 million in attorney’s fees and costs in addition to the earlier $88 million verdict in the trade-secrets case the Bratz maker filed against the renowned toymaker, ruled U.S. District Judge David Carter. Plus, Mattel owes MGA another $137 million in attorney’s fees and costs for forcing it to defend an unreasonable copyright case, Bloomberg reports.
“Mattel asserted a copyright claim that was stunning in scope and unreasonable in relief it requested,” Carter said in a written opinion. “The claim imperiled free expression, competition, and the only serious competitor Mattel had faced in the fashion doll market in nearly 50 years.”
As detailed in an earlier ABAJournal.com post, the April verdict was a huge reversal of fortune for Mattel, which had been awarded $100 million in an initial trial of the case and had sought as much as $1 billion in damages. However, the award could have been even worse, from Mattel’s standpoint: Carter could have trebled the $88 million verdict, due to a finding of willfulness, rather than simply doubling it.
ABAJournal.com: “Mattel Loses Latest Bratz Doll Trial, Owes MGA $88M, Possibly Trebled”
ABAJournal.com: “After Reversal-of-Fortune Win, Bratz Doll Maker Seeks $130M in Legal Fees”
ABAJournal.com: “Orrick Seeks to Withdraw from Bratz Case, Cites $1.2M in Unpaid Fees”


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Suspecting natural fibres are better for your skin than synthetic ones is far from woolly thinking, new New Zealand research suggests.
A new trial by scientists at Crown research institute AgResearch investigated how human skin reacted to different fabrics, and initial findings put wool over polyester.
"There's been a lot of science looking at the connection between our health and what we put in our bodies, but here we are looking what we wear on our bodies and what that may mean for our skin health," AgResearch scientist Dr Alex Hodgson said.
The team recruited eight men and eight women aged between 25 and 63 to look at how their healthy skin reacted to wearing close-fitting wool and polyester fabrics during the day.
The volunteers wore merino wool base-layer shirts, with a patch of polyester on one side of their upper back area.
The researchers took skin measurements from both sides of their upper backs in a lab over a period of four weeks to look at factors such as hydration, water loss through the skin, and inflammation.
"We discovered that polyester tended to reduce the hydration of the wearers' skin and also - especially for men - resulted in increased redness or inflammation of the skin," Hodgson said.
"By comparison, the skin covered with wool did not show any negative effects during the study.
"From this we can see that wool promoted the maintenance of healthy skin whilst polyester had a drying effect with some inflammation."
The study, funded by Australian Wool Innovation (AWI), was the second phase of a programme that involved a "long-term wear" study in which the volunteers wore the trial garments continuously for five days and nights.
The results would be assessed later this year.
"Ultimately this work is about providing guidance and reassurance for consumers," Hodgson said.
"We know consumers now consider many factors before they buy goods.
"Just as people now know what different foods can do to their health, our aim is that people will also be able to make informed choices about what they wear, and what that might mean for the health of their skin."
It followed Australian studies that showed significant reductions in sufferers' eczema symptoms from wearing superfine wool garments against the skin.
• Kiwi research into rare and quirky Felting Lustre mutant sheep could lead to innovative new products - and even help us better understand what makes our own hair curly or straight.
• Auckland-based company Lanaco's Helix filter, manufactured using pure New Zealand wool, traps particles and bacteria, making it ideal for use in face masks, air purifiers, automative filters, household appliances and medical devices.
• AgResearch and Scion scientists are also investigating how woollen clothing and carpet biodegrades in seawater. The research may boost the appeal of the natural fibre as concern grows about synthetic microfibres entering the food chain.


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WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- With mounting job losses and pervasive gloom among consumers, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday that consumer spending fell 1% in October, the largest decline since September 2001.
The result matched analysts' expectations. Real consumer spending, which is adjusted for inflation, fell 0.5%.
Personal income rose 0.3% in October after a 0.1% gain in September. Analysts were looking for a 0.1% income gain for October. Real disposable income, or after-tax income adjusted for inflation, rose 1% in October.
As expected by analysts, the core personal-consumption expenditure price index was unchanged in October. This index gained 0.2% in September, and is up 2.1% in the past year.
On Tuesday, the Conference Board reported that persistent job worries pinned down consumer confidence in November at relatively low levels. Further, consumers' plans were lower for buying automobiles, homes and major appliances.
The spending downturn may be picking up steam. The Commerce Department reported Tuesday that consumer spending declined 3.7% in the third quarter -- the first drop in 17 years, and the largest in 28 years.
"Spending was also negatively impacted by tight credit conditions and further sharp declines in net household worth," wrote Brian Bethune, U.S. economist with IHS Global Insight. "Overall conditions for consumer spending in the fourth quarter are challenging, to say the least. ... The economy is now gripped in the worst phase of the recession."
With the holiday-shopping season looming, the Federal Reserve announced a plan on Tuesday to help increase lending to consumers and small businesses by backing credit-card and auto loans, along with other debt.


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John and Diane James have joined RE/MAX Partners in Steamboat Springs.
It’s no coincidence that many Steamboat Springs home builders are turning to more modern and contemporary mountain designs as they begin new projects — it’s where the demand is.
The Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association has hired from within and chosen Kara Stoller as its next CEO.
The “for lease” signs on the windows of All That in downtown Steamboat Springs are not signs the 40-year-old business is closing anytime soon.
Andrew Armstrong is the new owner of SignCentral, a Steamboat Springs sign and graphics service shop located in Elk River Plaza, according to a news release.
Steamboat Sotheby’s International Realty brokers believe the $9 million sale of the Wildflower Meadows home just south of Steamboat Springs is the highest transaction of its kind in the region’s history.
Steamboat Ski Area reported reaching 102 inches of snowfall at the summit of Mount Werner in the month of January, resulting in back-to-back months that topped the century mark.
About 1,900 acres of the Elk River Valley’s Deep Creek Ranch sold last week for $9.79 million to a buyer planning to use the property as a family retreat.
Steamboat Sotheby’s International Realty has published the winter 2016-17 edition of “The Collection,” a signature publication that includes articles on local Noah Wetzel’s photography, the new SIR AppleTV App, SIR Mobile and photos of properties in and around Steamboat Springs.
The owner of 655 Yampa Street pitched the property to the city in the fall with a price tag of $1.3 million.
Resort Group acquires Simply Steamboat, adds to exec team.
After commissioning the art for a Winter Carnival poster that raised $15,000 for the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club last year, Steamboat Sotheby’s International Realty is bringing back the tradition in 2017.
Soda Mountain Construction owner Chris Rhodes took a chance when he set out to build a 4,000-square-foot spec home on Ridge Road in 2012.
Steamboat Springs restaurant servers and bartenders are likely to be the biggest winners when the state begins ratcheting up the minimum wage Jan. 1, 2017.
The Ski Locker in downtown Steamboat Springs isn’t your typical office space.


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http://www.bobhook.com/ OR CALL US AT 888.819.5744
Derek from Bob Hook Chevrolet, in Louisville, KY, demonstrates how to pair your smartphone to the Chevrolet system in this weeks Tech Tip of the Week! Check back with us each week for great Chevrolet tech tips! For more information come on by Bob Hook Chevrolet located at 4144 Bardstown Rd, Louisville, KY.
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Police are following up on a tip that two B.C. homicide suspects were seen southwest of Gillam, the northern Manitoba community that has been the focus of their search since last week. RCMP posted ...


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CRE prices have increased considerably this year, up 12.7% in Q3 compared to 2019.
Commercial real estate prices have increased measurably this year delivering positive results for investors, John Chang, Senior Vice President and National Director Research Services at Marcus & Millichap said in a recent video.
In the third quarter CRE sales are up 12.7% over 2019 and the preliminary data for the fourth quarter look promising, he pointed out.
While pundits and consumers are worried headline inflation has risen to 6.2% compared to 1.3% a year ago this month, Chang said in times like this when inflation pressure is elevated, CRE can outperform.
“Commercial real estate is a long investment,” he stressed.
Speaking to the strength of CRE currently, the Marcus & Millichap research leader said self-storage property transactions have surged by 56% in the third quarter of this year compared to the third quarter in 2019 with hospitality deals up 46% and industrial property transactions up 17.4% while apartment sales are up 15.4%.and retail up 7.9%
The only property transaction lagging is office, down 4.6% from 2019.
Industrial has been an investor darling throughout the pandemic, with prices increasing steadily among booming demand for space. More than $100 billion has been spent on industrial properties this year, according to Real Capital Analytics, and the asset class saw the fastest annual and monthly price upticks of all sectors at 18.9% in October from a year ago and 1.9% from September.
“Investors are purchasing these properties based on rising demand driven by e-commerce and supply chain disruptions,” said Chang. “But even though industrial absorption is at a record level, so is construction, and new development could ultimately bypass demand.”
Randolph is a Multifamily Investment Sales Broker with eXp Commercial servicing Multifamily Buyers and Sellers in the Greater Chicago Area.


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'Locationgate' implicated Google, Apple and Microsoft -- seemingly with only the BlackBerry manufacturer, Research in Motion, catching a lucky break.
iPhone devices, in a nutshell, collected location data which was stored unencrypted on iOS devices, which was available to anyone who could access the device. This kick started a mass furore over privacy, and the "third party" which was involved in the sharing of personal location data.
Apple put the problem down to a 'flaw' which was eventually patched in iOS 4.3.3, but not before the United States Senate got involved -- questioning Apple and Google alike on their privacy practices.


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Today’s research published in Lancet Public Health sheds interesting new light on what may constitute the healthiest diet.
Researchers found consuming a diet that is either very high or very low in carbohydrates is associated with a shorter life expectancy, with a “sweet spot” found somewhere in the middle at 50 per cent of calories.
But good science requires putting the findings in the context of the best available up to date totality of evidence.
A few weeks ago a robust systematic review carried out by some leading independent researchers from the prestigious Cochrane Collaboration and an eminent Professor of diabetes revealed that when comparing all randomised trials of low fat versus low carbohydrate diets for type 2 diabetes, the latter was significantly more effective in the short term and marginally better in the long term for controlling blood glucose and improving all cardiovascular risk factors.
‘Consuming refined carbohydrates in excess, from foods such as white rice, bread, pasta and of course sugar is harmful’
What is crucial to understand is that consuming refined carbohydrates in excess, from foods such as white rice, bread, pasta and of course sugar is harmful. Starchy foods provide very little nutrition, are not particularly satiating and rapidly raise blood glucose which is particularly detrimental to those with diabetes. If you don’t burn the energy rapidly from exercise it will quickly get converted to fat.
So what does a healthy diet involve?
Last year the largest observational study on diet and health in the world, PURE, also published in the Lancet also revealed a high carbohydrate diet was associated with increasing death rates. Conversely, a higher consumption of saturated fat from foods such as butter and cheese was found to correlate with less likelihood of stroke and death. This has been reinforced by another study on full-fat dairy published a few months ago suggesting the same.
But what does this all mean for the general public? What should you be eating if you want to live a healthy life for as long as possible? From my own analysis of the research in this area, which is detailed in my book The Pioppi Diet ( based on one of the world’s healthiest villages, what I personally follow and what I advise my patients to) is to avoid as much as possible starchy carbohydrates, cut out sugar and base one’s meals on extra virgin olive oil, a handful of nuts daily, oily fish at least three times per week, eat plenty of vegetables and low sugar fruits. The Deputy leader of the Labour party, Tom Watson attributes his dramatic 94lb weight loss (including putting butter in his coffee every morning) in less than a year to following this plan and more importantly says he feels healthier and happier than ever
At the other extreme the low carbohydrate consumption association with premature death also found in this latest Lancet study is likely a reflection of this particular group not consuming enough vegetables which are abundant in antioxidants and polyphenols, an organic chemical, that exert a beneficial effect in reducing inflammation within the body.
Diet and lifestyle-related diseases
As with heart disease, chronic inflammation is being increasingly accepted within the scientific community as a driver of many chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes, dementia and even cancer. But educating the public on an individual level needs to be translated into helping the population as a whole if we are to reverse the twin epidemics of obesity and type 2 diabetes and solve the NHS crisis with increasing demand now predominantly being driven by diet and lifestyle-related diseases.
This will require a massive reduction in our consumption of ultra-processed food (a simple rule of thumb is any packaged food that contains more than five ingredients) which now makes up a staggering half of the British diet. It’s instructive to note this is predominantly made up of cheap heavily processed sugar and carbohydrates, not fat. The likes of cakes, chocolates, biscuits, crisps and sugary drinks have saturated the food environment making them almost unavoidable. Even our hospitals have become a branding opportunity for the junk food industry.
‘For years we’ve been misled by low-fat foods marketed as healthy which have been laden with shocking levels of sugar’
As with cigarettes making such nutritionally deficient, energy dense food items less available, less affordable (through taxation) and less acceptable to the public will have the biggest impact in curbing our ever-increasing waistlines. This will require political intervention and regulation to protect citizens from the excesses and manipulations of industry. For years we’ve been misled by low-fat foods marketed as healthy which have been laden with shocking levels of sugar.
Perhaps Tom Watson is the man to lead the charge, being bold enough to admit on Radio 4 Westminster hour that after suffering with obesity for 20 years from following conventional advice he decided to ignore and now challenge Public Health England’s Guidelines that suggest we should base our diet on starchy carbohydrates. But until further effective government action is taken to build on the welcome implementation of the sugary drinks tax, and dietary guidelines are updated the message should be loud and clear, eat real food.
Dr Aseem Malhotra is an NHS Consultant Cardiologist. All personal royalties from the sale of his book, The Pioppi Diet, is being donated to charity.


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HONG KONG – When Jim McNiel, a vice president at Pequot Capital Management, toured Asia a few months ago with the management team of Internet communications company Asia Online Ltd., he couldn’t believe what he saw.
“I felt like I was going back in time,” he says, referring to the burgeoning Asian Internet market. With the impending deregulation of the region’s local telecommunications industry, Asia bears an uncanny resemblance to the United States market of three or four years ago, as scores of Internet service providers (ISPs) and hundreds of other e-businesses lined up to take advantage of the situation.
Pequot Capital, which sent McNiel to the Far East to conduct due diligence on Asia Online, certainly is not the only venture firm eyeing Asia as a huge opportunity for Internet investing. With the region slowly creeping out of its two-and-a-half year economic slump and China emerging as a potentially huge market as it shifts to a market economy (VCJ, July, page 48), American investors are beginning to clamor for an understanding of – and a presence in – the Asian Internet market.
Sitting on the crest of this trend is Asia Online, which, since its founding in 1995, has attracted a slew of big-name backers. In early August, Pequot joined a syndicate including SOFTBANK Technology Ventures, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based SOFTBANK Corp., J.P. Morgan, GE Equity, Nexus Capital Partners and Concentric Network, which together poured $35 million in private equity into Asia Online to help the company embark on an aggressive expansion plan.
SOFTBANK first invested in Asia Online in late 1996, purchasing the assets of ISP Asia Online Hong Kong and Asia Online Philippines, better known as a Web site developer. The Japanese conglomerate in mid-1998 also helped recruit Asia Online Chief Executive Kevin Randolph, who has been a key figure in outlining the company’s growth strategy.
Randolph, who was working as a start-up, take-over and turnaround consultant in the United States when SOFTBANK approached him, quickly became enamored of Asia Online’s potential and accepted SOFTBANK’s offer to take Asia Online’s vacant CEO post.
Surveying a market that looked strikingly similar to ground zero for the Internet boom in the United States, Randolph saw an opportunity to capitalize on the inevitable expansion of the market by widening Asia Online’s business to a complete, full-service communications company for corporate and consumer users. Asia Online’s services include Internet connection, Web hosting and design, advertising and e-commerce, and other services in development.
The upcoming deregulation of the local telecommunications market throughout Asia, which took place in the U.S. earlier this decade, will provide a host of opportunities for ISPs to gain an early foothold in the Far East. Asia Online will use much of its recent round of financing to acquire ISPs in markets that are closest to deregulation, or already deregulated, such as Hong Kong, Australia and South Korea.
“Deregulation is an opportunity,” McNiel says. Despite the fact that the Greenwich, Conn.-based firm never had made an investment overseas, McNiel’s firm believed now was the ideal time to start. “If we get in there early and establish relationships with the incumbent players … then we’re getting an edge on the market.”
Internet access, however, is not the company’s only ambition. Asia Online also will continue to develop its presence as a Web developer and a portal site that can be read in several different languages.
“What we want to do is show customers how the technology can be used to better reach their customers,” Randolph says. Overseas Chinese and others interested in the region, for instance, can read the site in both Cantonese and Mandarin, something that differentiates Asia Online from its competitors, Randolph says.
As for possible rivals, Randolph is confident that Asia Online’s diverse lineup of services will turn portal companies such as China.com and Sina.com – other players in similar spaces that earlier this year received large rounds of private equity financing – into potential customers, rather than competitors. Randolph hopes that portals like these – and the portfolio companies of Asia Online’s investors, like SOFTBANK’s Yahoo! Inc. – will work with Asia Online to leverage its technology, such as its ability to provide several different languages.
Investors understandably are excited about tapping into the heavily-populated region and establishing an early presence there as the Internet mirrors its development in the U.S. and creeps into everyday life across Asia.
“We did not want to miss an opportunity [to invest] in what is going to be the largest Internet market in the world,” McNiel says. “There’s only a finite number of companies there that can be [capitalized] and acquired.”
Companies such as Asia Online, however, also stand to benefit from U.S.-based VC firms that have experience backing similar businesses and can guide a young e-business through the emerging industry overseas. J.P. Morgan, which led the company’s recent round of financing, had been scouting Asia for companies that sought to take advantage of telecom deregulation in the region and could learn from the experiences of the bank’s U.S. portfolio companies. Asia Online is J.P. Morgan’s first investment in an Asian ISP.
“Asia is behind [the U.S in terms of the development of the Internet], but that gap narrows every six months or so,” says Karl Fooks, a vice president in J.P. Morgan’s Asian private equity division. “It’s good to be able to see ahead a bit.”
“We chose these investors because they brought more than just money,” Randolph explains, adding that companies such as SOFTBANK, GE Equity and J.P. Morgan provide access to portfolios filled with companies that can benefit from Asia Online’s service.
And Asia Online’s aggressive strategy likely will require another financing event sometime soon, so the company is always on the lookout for new equity partners, he adds.
“The opportunity out here is huge,” Randolph says. “If we continue to evolve at the speed we [have been], we’ll be a monster.”


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Reigning WEC title holder Mark Webber will parade the Le Mans winning prototype through the streets of the capital tomorrow
The Porsche 919 Hybrid Le Mans racing car will be driven through the streets of London at about 0600hrs on Tuesday 27 September with FIA World Endurance Championship title holder Mark Webber behind the wheel.
The demonstration run will take place on a route of about four miles, running from Park Lane, taking in Piccadilly, Charing Cross, the Embankment, Parliament Square and finishing on the east side of Westminster Bridge.
Depending on the early-morning traffic, it is hoped that a return leg and then a further run from Park Lane to Westminster can be completed.
The 900bhp, all-wheel-drive prototype has a top speed of about 210mph, but will have to adhere to road speed limits at all times. The roads will not be completely closed, but the Porsche will benefit from a rolling road block established by a team of eight Police outriders. London’s Congestion Charge isn’t an issue because it doesn’t come into force until 0700hrs, besides which the 919 Hybrid isn’t road registered.
Webber said: “This will be the first time ever that the Porsche 919 Hybrid has been driven on a public road. I’m stoked to be behind the wheel – it’s going to be pretty cool.”
Revised Suzuki S-Cross will go on sale next month with styling updates and new engines
As well as styling revisions, the S-Cross has a revised engine line-up, improved specification and extra features. The entry price is now £14,999, up from £14,000 for the current 1.6-litre petrol model. It will go on sale in the UK on 17 October.
The 1.6-litre petrol engine is absent from the new S-Cross and has been replaced by turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder and 1.4-litre four-cylinder Boosterjet units, which promise improved CO2 emissions and fuel consumption. The 1.4-litre Boosterjet was introduced in the Vitara earlier this year, and the 1.0 version is also available in the Baleno.
The 109bhp 1.0-litre engine has 9% more torque than the outgoing 1.6, up to 125lb ft. It also reduces emissions by 11% to 113g/km when used with a manual gearbox and improves fuel consumption by 10%.
The 1.4-litre unit generates 138bhp and 162lb ft, which is 41% more torque than the outgoing 1.6-litre engine. A 1.6-litre diesel unit is also available.
The S-Cross’s design has been updated by way of a new front end that Suzuki describes as being more distinctive and upright, while new headlights sharpen the look and are said to operate more efficiently. New LED tail-lights keep the back end up to date and the new car rides higher than the current model, with 180mm of ground clearance compared to 165mm.
Inside, the soft-touch dashboard has been redesigned and the SZ4 and SZ-T models have a new design of seat fabric.
Three grades of S-Cross will be available: SZ4, SZ-T and SZ5. All have seven airbags and ESP as standard, as well as a DAB, air conditioning and cruise control with a speed limiter.
The SZ-T model, which is aimed primarily at fleet users, adds features such as 17in alloys, a rear parking camera with front and rear parking sensors, dual-zone air conditioning and front foglights.
The range-topping SZ5 features radar brake support, heated leather seats and a panoramic sunroof.
Suzuki’s Allgrip four-wheel drive system is available on the top two grades and with all-three engine choices.
Keep up with all the latest Paris motor show news, with all the latest reveals and details here
Japanese rival to the BMW 4 Series coupé will be priced from £33,990 to £38,690 when it goes on sale in October
The Infiniti Q60 coupé will be priced from £33,990 when it goes on sale in the UK this October.
That price is for the Premium trim level, but Premium Tech, Sport and Sport Tech trims will sit above this, priced from £37,690 to £38,690.
The new model will first be available exclusively with a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine, but a high-performance twin-turbocharged V6 will join the line-up later. Full specifications are listed below.
As a replacement for the G37, the Q60 is both longer and wider than the old model, measuring 4683mm in length and 1850mm wide, and it sits 1385mm high with a 2850mm wheelbase.
Engines and gearbox
At launch the Q60 comes with a turbocharged 1991cc four-cylinder petrol engine that puts out 205bhp at 5500rpm and 258lb ft at 1500rpm. This engine returns a claimed 24mpg (US highway) and emits 154g/km of CO2.
Later on, the Q60 will gain a twin-turbocharged 2997cc petrol V6, codenamed VR30, from Infiniti’s VR new-generation powertrain family, available in two states of tune.
The lower-powered unit produces 296bhp at 6400rpm and 295lb ft from 1600-5200rpm. The more powerful derivative serves up 396bhp at 6400rpm and 350lb ft from 1600-5200rpm.
The 296bhp engine returns a claimed 23mpg (US highway) and emits 154g/km of CO2, while the 396bhp variant is capable of 22mpg (US highway) and emits 206g/km of CO2, according to the manufacturer’s calculations.
All engine variants are mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission. The transmission has adaptive shift control, a system that uses a lateral acceleration sensor to detect changes in the road topography and enhances gear selection patterns according to the conditions.
The Q60 is rear-wheel drive as standard, although a rear-biased all-wheel drive system is also available.
The model also gets the second generation of Infiniti’s controversial Direct Adaptive Steering. The car maker says its electric steer-by-wire system has undergone significant retuning to enhance feel and feedback.
A Drive Mode Selector gives the driver the option to tailor the precise levels of steering response and feel to their personal preference. There are six choices of steering response: Standard, Snow, Eco, Customise, Sport and Sport+, with the latter only available on certain variants.
The Customise steering mode offers drivers a choice of three core modes – Standard, Sport and Sport+ – and then a preferred level of response: Default, Dynamic or Dynamic+.
For the highest level of steering assistance, the driver would choose Sport+ mode with Dynamic+ response.
Sport mode enhances the response of Direct Adaptive Steering, increasing the steering effort required while reducing the required steering movement from lock to lock.
In Sport+, steering effort remains the same as Sport mode but the response of the steering is further increased with an even quicker steering ratio for precise performance.
Infiniti Q60 models equipped with the 3.0-litre V6 engine feature Rack Electronic Power Steering as standard. It’s an new system that can be tuned through the Drive Mode Selector and is claimed to provide a linear driving experience without the imprecision of traditional assisted steering systems.
Cars with the 2.0-litre four-pot engine have a speed-sensitive electrohydraulic rack and pinion power steering system as standard.
Two suspension set-ups are available. The standard version has link layouts and bushings specific to the Q60 and shock absorbers relocated for optimised sports coupé ride and handling. A new Dynamic Digital Suspension system is standard on Q60 Sport models and benefits from software and hardware upgrades, including a dedicated set of dampers. The Drive Mode Selector enables the driver to choose firmer set-ups for dynamic driving.
As standard the Q60 is offered with a new design of 19in alloy wheel, and for the first time on an Infiniti sports coupé 20in rims will be offered in some markets. Sport-specification models come with wider wheels and tyres on the rear axle.
The Q60 has a drag coefficient of 0.28, made possible thanks to its sleek new design and intended to keep the car stable at high speeds in crosswinds. Ducts in the front bumper channel air out of the engine bay, and the bonnet is also shaped to reduce drag.
Q60 models with the new V6 engine feature an active grille that remains shut during normal driving conditions and opens when greater performance is required. Narrow door-mounted side mirrors are intended to improve the flow of air along the flanks of the vehicle.
Dr. Stefan Knirsch
Days after investigators found no evidence of wrongdoing by Audi boss Rupert Stadler, the company’s head of powertrain development stands down
Audi’s head of powertrain development, Stefan Knirsch, has quit amid accusations he was involved in the Volkswagen Group’s emissions scandal.
The board of management member, who had held his latest role for just nine months, is accused of knowing about the diesel engine emissions manipulation practices that were brought to light last year. Audi has today confirmed he has now stood down after being suspended by the brand.
Earlier claims had suggested Stadler, who was made chairman of Audi in 2010, was involved in the scandal because he had knowledge of the software used to manipulate emissions tests for the 3.0 TDI engine. Stadler maintained he had no prior knowledge of the affair, and it seems investigators have agreed with him so far.
The latest updates follow the leaking of documents in the German media that claim Audi was heavily involved in the manipulation of diesel engine emissions through the use of cheat software at the Volkswagen Group.
Citing email correspondence recently uncovered by internal investigators at Jones Day, German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung revealed that Audi engineers were actively involved in the decision-making process that led to emissions of the company’s own 3.0-litre V6 diesel being manipulated during tests in order to pass strict US regulations.
In an email from 2007 that was circulated to what is described as “a wide range of senior managers’ at the German car maker, an Audi engineer outlined the difficulties in complying with the strict US regulations for nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.
In the email, which was leaked to Süddeutsche Zeitung and two other media outlets, the Audi engineer is claimed to have written: “Without cheating, we cannot meet the US limits.”
Audi has denied its engineers were involved in the manipulation of diesel emissions, saying only that it had neglected to disclose a specific detail of the engine’s electronic control unit (ECU) with authorities in the US.
Audi officials contacted by Autocar refused to comment on the latest revelations, although sources at the German car maker suggest up to four engineers previously involved in the development of the company’s 3.0 TDI engine have been suspended while internal investigations by Jones Day continue.
Stripped-down electric saloon makes its public debut in Ibiza this week; championship races will be held at Brands Hatch, Circuit de Catalunya and the Nürburgring
A racing-spec Tesla Model S that will take part in the new Electric GT championship series has been revealed ahead of its official debut.
The EDT Car V1.3 is a renamed, revised Tesla Model S P85+, which has been race-prepared by EGT Engineering and will make its first public appearance in Ibiza tomorrow (27 September).
According to Electrek, the Tesla P85+ was chosen for its rear-wheel drive layout, rather than the all-wheel drive found on other Tesla models. The race-ready cars have been stripped down inside but retain the original powertrain from the road cars. The suspension has been beefed up and steering modified, and brake cooling has been improved to cope with the extra strains of racing.
Videos from Electric GT show considerable body modification, as well as the installation of a roll cage.
The official launch of the Electric GT Championship is tomorrow night in Ibiza Marina, with public demonstration runs and a tour around the waterfront in the town of Ibiza. The racing series starts next year.
The championship will feature 20 drivers from 10 teams competing in seven championship rounds at tracks across Europe: the Nürburging in Germany; the Circuit de Catalunya in Spain; Mugello in Italy; Brands Hatch in the UK; Zandvoort in the Netherlands; Estoril in Portugal and Paul Ricard in France. Non-championship rounds are also planned in the Americas.
Race weekends will consist of a 20-minute practice session, 30 minutes of qualifying and two 60km races, one in the day and one at dusk. Organisers say each weekend will be a “festival of technology and innovation for sustainability”, and each race will be streamable on YouTube, Twitch and Periscope.
The Kia Soul 1.6 T-GDi has been revealed; with its turbocharged engine producing 201bhp, it’s the hottest model in the Soul range. It will make its debut at the Paris motor show
The Kia Soul 1.6 T-GDi has been revealed as the model to spearhead the facelifted Soul range.
With the same 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine as the Cee’d GT, the Soul T-GDi has a power output of 201bhp, with 195lb ft of torque delivered to the front wheels. It can go from 0-62mph from a standstill in 7.5sec, with a top speed of 122mph.
The most powerful Soul in the range doesn’t get the GT badge that Kia is poised to apply to more models across its line-up, but it does get upgraded bodywork and interior tweaks over the standard car.
This includes more sportily-styled bumpers and twin exhaust pipes, as well as model-exclusive 18in alloys. Despite the non-GT badging, the car also gets red highlights on its front bumper and sides.
Inside, the Soul T-GDi gets an exclusive colour scheme, with black leather and cloth with orange highlights. Kia has also fitted a flat-bottomed steering wheel.
The T-GDi also gets larger brakes, which improve the car’s stopping distance over the regular Soul. Also making its debut on the hottest Soul is a drive mode selector coupled to its seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, which allows drivers to choose between Normal, Eco and Sport driving modes. The feature also tweaks the weight of the steering.
As is usual for the more powerful cars among manufacturers’ lineups, the T-GDi will be the most expensive Soul to run, with CO2 emissions of 156g/km and fuel economy slightly less than the Ceed GT’s 38.2mpg, due to the Soul’s less aerodynamic shape. An official fuel economy figure is yet to be confirmed, though.
Kia has launched this new car as part of the facelifted Soul range, which will go on sale in the UK from late this year. The facelifted regular model gets the usual raft of subtle interior and exterior tweaks, as well as new headlights and LED daytime running lights and a revised grille.
On the inside, new gloss black and metallic trim has been added, as has a choice of 5.0in, 7.0in or 8.0in infotainment touchscreens. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility are likely to be offered on mid-range Mixx trim and above.
A reversing camera is also available, and there’s a rear USB port for back-seat passengers to charge their devices with. New safety tech includes a blind spot monitor and a system that alerts the driver of approaching traffic across the rear of the car when reversing, although these are likely to be on higher-spec cars only.
The facelifted Soul is likely to be priced from above £13,000, a small price hike from the current model. The warmed-up Soul T-GDi is likely to be priced from around £21,500.
Keep up with all the latest Paris motor show news, with all the latest reveals and details here
Special edition GT-R gets bespoke Bilstein suspension and some interior tweaks; arrives in November
The Track Edition sits below the top-of-the-range GT-R Nismo, but above other GT-R models. Changes include new, specially developed Bilstein Damptronic suspension and a revised interior.
The suspension is race-tuned to optimise straight-line performance, as well as cornering, and a new lightweight anti-roll bar has been added to reduce mass and increase the GT-R’s stiffness.
Sporting a wider front bumper and forged 20in aluminium wheels, finished in Nismo Racing Black, the Track Edition cars vary in specification slightly by country. In the UK, it gets the same black and red Recaro seats as the GT-R Black Edition and a carbon spoiler as standard. A carbon bootlid can be ordered as an option, as can carbon-backed seats. Each car gets its own Track Edition carbon badge attached to the dashboard.
Equipment-wise, the GT-R Track Edition features the same technology found in the latest ‘standard’ GT-R, which arrived in the UK in August. This includes an 11-speaker Bose sound system and an 11in touchscreen to control the NissanConnect infotainment unit.
The Track Edition’s power output is also unchanged. That means the 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V6 engine pushes out 562bhp and 470lb ft to all four wheels. Official acceleration figures haven’t been published, but our drive of the GT-R Prestige suggested 60mph in around 3.3sec and 100mph in 7.6sec. It certainly won’t be slow.
Prices for the Nissan GT-R Track Edition start at £91,995 and deliveries will begin in early November.
Britain’s Guy Wilks talks us through the start procedure of his Mini Countryman RX
Drag racing aside, World Rallycross Championship cars are pretty much the quickest things on four wheels.
Based on humble hatchbacks but extensively reengineered into almost unrecognisable machines, they make use of tremendous traction and heavy boost to launch off the line quicker than even F1 cars.
This start performance is not just staggering, it’s also highly important because the races can be as short as four laps long, meaning a fluffed first few hundred metres will pretty much end all hopes of a good result.
Guy Wilks, Britain’s sole remaining entry in this year’s WRX championship, has plenty of all-wheel-drive competition experience to his name. Ahead of his final qualifying race at last weekend’s Circuit de Catalunya round, we ask him how he nails a start in his JRM World Rallycross Team Mini Countryman.
“It’s pure aggression. It’s a reaction thing,” he says enthusiastically.
“We’ll do a tyre clean before we roll up to the start. It’s just to get dirt and debris off of the tyres and warm them a little, but we don’t want to warm them too much because these tyres are actually cross-plies, not radial, so if you heat them too much they start to move more and more.”
Wilks says while the tyres do have a manageable operating window, multiple starts can quickly damage them. “One clean usually does the job,” he confirms.
“We roll up to the start line, and the start martial brings us 10 to 15 centimetres from a trigger point. The trigger is a little rod that sticks up in front of the bumper to recognise a jump-start,” he continues. “If we’re too early, we’ll knock the trigger down and that signals we’ve jumped the start.”
Once in position, the start procedure begins. Wilks’ routine is slightly different to most, because his car’s gearbox is still under development, so isn’t yet able to make good use of first gear.
“I’ll engage second straight away – I have a short first ratio in the Mini so start it in second because in first it spins the wheels for too long,” he explains. “To grab second it’s a double click of the gear lever.”
Observations of earlier starts show that this initial gear selection jolts the car as it sits on the line, such is the brutality of a racing sequential gearbox. There’s also a loud thud as the cogs are forced into place.
Wilks carries on: “At this point the clutch is obviously in, and anti-lag [ALS] is on. ALS keeps the turbo spinning so I get no lag off the start line,” he says.
It’s now that Wilks can press the launch control button on his steering wheel. “The launch control is like a rev-limit so I can go full throttle,” he says. “We’ll have set the rpm limit for the launch depending on whether the start is up hill, down hill, how grippy or slippy it is.”
In Barcelona, Wilks’ launch control limiter is set to 5200rpm. “That is to get just enough wheelspin not to bog [down the engine], but not too much that we drag it for a long period of time, because obviously we’d go slower – we want traction.”
Having selected the right gear and primed the car’s launch system, Wilks pulls the handbrake on so he can release the footbrake. “I’ve got to make sure I don’t pull it too tight because we don’t want to release the rear diff,” he adds. “Only pull it just enough to hold the car so it doesn’t roll.”
Wilks’ focus now turns to the red lights ahead. “When they come on they’re on for four seconds,” he explains.
Now Wilks floors the throttle to send the car’s turbocharged four-cylinder engine bouncing into its launch controlled 5200rpm limiter. Exhausts start blasting unburnt fuel out like gunfire, and the drivers, eyes locked ahead, are now breathing heavily.
“We’re watching for the start lights – the green ones – as they can come on from anything between two to six seconds after the red lights go out,” explains Wilks. “So that window of time is completely random. The pressure is immense.”
As soon as the green lights flash on, Wilks releases the launch button, sidesteps the clutch and pulls the handbrake off all at the same time. “I do all these things simultaneously, and the foot’s already flat to the floor.”
The car charges forwards. “Bam!”
Now the launch button’s released, the engine is free to rev to its maximum. “But with the loading from the traction the engine revs get dragged down to the point of not stalling,” explains Wilks. “The revs are just above stall, so you get a little bit of wheelspin, and then traction!”
Wilks now bangs through the gears as quickly as possible, with the car’s nose angled towards the sky and its exhaust violently spitting flames.
“If you get a really good start and the surface is flat, Petter [Solberg] proved yesterday that you can hit 62mph in 1.9, even 1.89 seconds. It’s real pinning in the seat stuff,” says Wilks.
“Do all that and put five abreast into the first corner, and you can imagine the pressure…”
The London motor show will return in 2017 on 5-7 May 2017, for the second show since its resurrection last year
The 2017 London motor show will take place on 5-7 May next year, with a press and exhibitor day prior to the show’s public opening. It will return to Battersea Park, where last year’s show took place.
Last year’s show was the first time the event has been held after a hiatus since 2008, with a handful of cars making their debut at the show.
According to event organisers, a limited number of tickets will go on sale on 15th October, although when the rest of the tickets go on sale is as yet to be confirmed.
One car has already been confirmed to make its debut at the London motor show; MG’s upcoming small SUV, which will rival the Nissan Juke. Although the car’s name hasn’t yet been confirmed, MG’s head of sales and marketing, Matthew Chenyne, confirmed the internally-named ZS’s debut at next year’s show.
It’s the second MG model to make its official world debut at the show, after the brand revealed the GS SUV at the last show, which took place earlier this year.
Also at last year’s show, resurrected supercar maker TVR teased its upcoming model, and although no official announcement has been made, it’s very likely that the brand will have some presence at the show.
Although MG is the first carmaker to announce a presence at the show in 2017, last year’s debuts are likely to have given the reborn show some traction, so a similar, if not greater, number of models making their debut, and large manufacturers with presence at the show, is likely.
Having roared at Le Mans and whimpered in F1, Jaguar Racing is back in motorsport to take on the electrified challenge of Formula E
We all know that most electric cars don’t go very far on a charge, need too much socket time to get going again and usually cost too much to buy.
So what better way to develop the somewhat impractical innards of electric cars than to subject them to the hothouse of highly competitive motorsport? There’s nothing like harnessing the urge to get ahead to spur development, especially when money and milliseconds are involved.
That’s part of the lure for Jaguar Racing, which is about to compete on track with electricity rather than internal combustion. It will field two cars in the 2016-2017 Formula E championship that starts next month, the third season of an innovative race series staged on pop-up circuits in some of the world’s most glamorous cities. Jaguar’s drivers will be Adam Carroll and Mitch Evans.
Team director James Barclay explains Jaguar’s reasons for competing: “We looked at a return to motorsport, but we had to have a compelling reason. One area that stood out was Formula E. We have an electric future. We’re developing that area on the production side, so having a racing team developing that technology made a compelling story. It’s relevant in terms of technology transfer; it asks a lot from the battery and powertrain in terms of managing thermal efficiency and getting the most from the battery. It’s a real-world test bed and a competitive, aggressive environment.”
Barclay is unable to elaborate on Jaguar’s “electric future” but adds that “the timing couldn’t be better for us”. As Autocar revealed last month, the company is planning an all-electric SUV, likely to be called the E-Pace, that may be revealed later this year prior to going on sale in 2018. But entering Formula E is about more than promoting roadgoing battery-powered Jaguars.
“Motorsport is central to the Jaguar brand,” says Barclay, noting that it’s 12 years since the company competed in Formula 1. “This is a message that this is part of our DNA. We have the most successful British sportscar programme, although we don’t shout about it. People new to the brand don’t see Jaguar in motorsport.
“One really cool thing is the way Formula E is going about it,” he continues. “It has all the traditional motorsport features, but the racing is in city centres. Silverstone and the traditional tracks are wonderful, but you’ve got to get there. Many people in the city don’t get the chance to go to traditional tracks.”
Persuading major cities to stage motor racing on their streets is no small challenge, but Barclay says they are keen to have them as they move towards electrification. “That’s helped the championship to develop quite rapidly,” he adds.
Jaguar is developing its cars in league with Williams Advanced Engineering, the technology arm of the group that already has extensive electrification expertise developed by the Williams F1 team. More than that, all of the cars on the Formula E grid use a Williamsengineered battery pack, which will be used until season five.
Another attraction for Jaguar is that the technology rules for the coming season are freer than before. “The relevance is not just hardware but also optimising regeneration and getting the most out of the battery in an intense environment with huge performance requirements,” explains Barclay. “These are very interesting areas of development.”
Besides this development, Jaguar has some catching up to do. Its rivals have already completed two seasons, so the shakedown tests we’re seeing at Donington Park are even more vital, despite the track’s lack of resemblance to any street circuit. In the pit garage, the two elegantly liveried Jaguars look much like conventional, 21st century singleseat racers, if a little unsophisticated in the aero department. The cars are surrounded by the paraphernalia of a modern, professional race team: dryice blowers lightly roar into the car’s air intakes and assorted uniformed personnel dart about while multiple umbilical cords supply energy to the car and download data to rows of laptops at the back of the pit.
Although Formula E has been around for a couple of years, it’s still a surprise to see a single-seat racer that makes so little noise. When it departs, you hear little more than an urgent whine. From a distance, your ear could confuse it with a mobility scooter – but not when you see the car on the track. The whine turns more urgent, the cars look quick and on today’s drizzle-sheened track you can see that keeping the wheels in line demands concentration.
So does the driver’s management of the race. “The driver has a huge amount to do,” says Barclay. Battery conservation plays a large part, with the driver needing to trade coasting, regenerative braking and accelerating with staying in the race and getting to the end, and all with a car swap in between. “You can end up needing 3% to finish but only have 4% left, so you have to back off and defend,” says Barclay. That all adds excitement, although it highlights what undeniably remains one of the flaws of electric cars and, more positively, the reason to fast-track their development.
“We have real expertise in electrification already,” says Barclay. “We will have engineers embedded in the team who are part of the R&D department. The race team has direct links, so each can benefit from their key learnings. It doesn’t always happen, but we feel it can and there will be a free flow of information.
“There’s plenty to go at in terms of development with the powertrain; this is the crucial element, along with the motor generator, inverter, the rear suspension and the software.”
Powertrain development is not entirely unfettered, however, because it must fit within the car’s crash-tested carbonfibre structure. Despite this limitation, Barclay reckons we’ll see more development in the next two years than in the past two decades.
“The race engineers are getting excited about the technology,” he says. “One told me it’s the most engaging project they’ve ever been involved with.”
So is the Formula E travel plan. “I’ve never seen a race calendar like it,” he enthuses. “It starts in Hong Kong and ends in New York City; it doesn’t get a lot better. It’s the most accessible form of world motorsport.”
Admittedly, Hong Kong and Buenos Aires are a bit distant for weekend city breaks, but Berlin, Marrakech, Paris, Brussels and Monaco are all doable from the UK.
“What we’re really excited about,” Barclay says, “is bringing Jaguar back into motorsport, and to do it in a technical area that is becoming more relevant. It’s a brave decision, but we’re at the forefront.”


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If it hadn’t been for a perfectly fitting slipper, where would Cinderella be today?
Such is the historical importance of footwear in our lives – and the arguments rage as fiercely today as they ever did – should women be forced to wear heels to work – when are flats the right option, and are 5 inch Cubans ever a good idea?
One enterprising entrepreneur is leveraging the power of today’s technology and launching a
target=”_blank”>Crowdcube campaign to help her create shoes for women that she believes will finally put an end to the debate over comfort vs style.
Taxing problem solved with Tech
Iris Anson, a former tax accountant, believes that 3D scanning technology could make it easier than ever before to create shoes “made to exact foot specifications”.
Anson is now launching a crowdfunding campaign to raise £70k to help develop her company Solely Originals’ 3D foot scanning technology to create shoes made to exact foot specifications.
Every curve and every quirk of one’s instep, heel and toes measured to within nanometers – it may sound too good to be true, but thanks to technology originally developed in Japan, Anson says she is ready to go to market and put her product to the test.
Thanks to extensive R&D the project has been two years in the making but with the launch of their crowdfunding campaign Solely Original takes another step towards empowering women to design and build their own shoes online.
It wasn’t just a perfect fit that was important to Anson and her peers, however; the technology also prioritises chic design, encouraging users to create original, personalised, and inspiring shoes.
Love Shoes – Love Solutions For Shoe Lovers
Says Anson: “Solely Original is a product of passion. I, like many women out there, have always loved shoes, however I have found that lots of traditional retailers were designing beautiful shoes that were incredibly painful and impractical to wear after long periods of time.”
For Anson, this was down to one thing, and one thing only; the fit.
Inspired to make a difference, Anson enrolled at the London College of Fashion where she and her colleagues developed “the innovative 3D scanning technology, which enables us to create shoes that are the perfect fit, and unique to each customer”
Solely Original has already built a significant fan-base and Anson wants them to become part of the company’s unique and ground breaking journey by joining the crowdfunding campaign.
“We’ve always put our customers at the heart of what we do, so we’re incredibly excited to give our loyal fans the opportunity to invest in Solely Original alongside professional investors, and join us on our journey to become the UK’s most loved footwear brand.”
The company is raising £70k in exchange for 8% equity in the business, at a pre-money valuation of £800k.
Even Deborah Meadon would be hard pressed to put the boot into this campaign.
How does it work?
Lovers of shoes, (and not to put too fine a point on it, we understand there are many such people, quite a few of them female) can choose from hundreds of different designs, and combine them with their favourite choice of colour, materials and heels easily thanks to the company’s online 3D design tool.
Standard sizes are also available, but for a little extra the premium bespoke fitting service is available – either for home use thanks to an innovative 3D fitting kit, which uses a specially delivered sock to create a “flexible, reliable and detailed cast”, or at one of Solely original’s pop-up stores.
It takes 8 seconds per foot for the sock to work its magic – 16 seconds of effort for a lifetime of spring heeled comfort.
Your feet will thank you, especially in the long run.
When it comes to shoes, people talk a lot of cobblers, but thanks to the efforts of one determined, bootstrapping entrepreneur – the future of style looks a whole lot less painful.


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Legislature: "We Do Things To Piss People Off Every Day"
In response, Sen. James Hargrove (D-Hoquiam) questioned why the law needed to change at the statehouse, Hargrove said that "He never knew of a case of a lawmaker being threatened with a gun." "Threatening somebody with a gun is illegal everywhere. Why would this be different than a grocery store or a park?"
Fairley also wants to ban .50 caliber weapons. After all, Kalifornia banned them, so it must be a good thing.


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POULTRY AFRICA 2022 OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED
Utrecht – May 31, 2022
The 3rd edition is scheduled on October 5 & 6 in Rwanda, preceded by a Leadership Conference on October 4. Visitor registration is now open.
Today, Poultry Africa 2022 has been officially launched during the press conference held at Jaarbeurs, Utrecht amidst the ongoing edition of VIV Europe 2022. Poultry Africa started in 2017 as a biennial B2B international trade show, and is now in its 3rd edition bringing the Feed to Food concept to the poultry industries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Kigali Convention Centre (KCC), which is one of the largest in the region, will be again the venue for this premium event. Rwanda, Kigali is a popular MICE destination in the East African region as highlighted by the press conference opening video “Meet in Remarkable Rwanda”.
2022 Edition Gaining Momentum
“After a halt caused by the pandemic, the industry is looking forward to meeting again in person and doing business face-to-face. The excitement can clearly be seen in the exhibition space booking that has already been sold out to the capacity of 60% by May 2022,” said Ms. Nienke van Soest, Poultry Africa Assistant Project Manager. Some of the exhibitors you will meet at the show are: Agrotech, AgroMex / Champrix, Aviagen, CEVA, Evonik Africa, Hendrix Genetics, Jacobs Global, Marel Poultry, Peruvian Pharmaceutical, Trouw Nutrition Middle East & Africa, Vencomatic Group.
During the Press Conference, Mr Peter-Bart Lichtenbeld, Sales Director at Vencomatic shone a light on why should international companies jointly enter the Sub-Saharan market and how European suppliers can tackle local challenges together. He emphasized on how being one of the first key players of the livestock markets in the Sub-Saharan Africa will serve as a great advantage over competition. The final goal is to bring knowledge and sustainability to the region and grow together with the local farmers.
Following in the footsteps of the last edition, this year as well the show will be opened with the Leadership Conference taking place a day before the exhibition, on October 4, 2022 at the KCC – giving Poultry Africa just the right start.
The most complete trade show for poultry professionals in Sub-Saharan Africa
The fast-growing market of Africa will represent 15% of the global poultry market growth and 12% of the global egg market growth until 2027.
After a successful 2nd edition in 2019 that solidified Poultry Africa’s grasp in the region, this international event comes back for the 3rd time in full swing. With over 100 exhibiting companies from Europe, North-America, Asia and Africa that represent more than 25 countries, this edition of Poultry Africa will be as big as the last one. The event is truly a Sub-Saharan platform with visitors coming from Rwanda, Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, Ethiopia, Tanzania and also from South Africa, Sudan, and more African countries. This year, the show is expected to welcome more than 2000 visitors, decision-makers, and buyers – nutritionists, vets, farmers and food manufacturers are the main target profiles for the event.
The sectors that will be highlighted during the show are: breeding and hatching, animal health, feed milling, feed ingredients and additives, farming and animal housing, slaughtering and processing, egg handling.
Further plans: Themes & Concepts
Mr Zhenja Antochin, Senior Project Manager at VNU Europe explains, “Poultry Africa 2022 will see two new additions to the usual poultry focus of the event – Dairy and Horticulture. By providing high-quality content on these topics via dedicated conferences and seminars, we offer our attendees the tools to address the current challenges and solutions in the dairy farms and horticulture business in Africa.” A detailed lineup of these content-driven sessions will be made available in the coming months on the official show website.
Poultry Africa will also focus on increasing local production thereby decreasing dependency on imports. Bio-security, automation, farm management and cold chain solutions are the other reoccurring themes that will be showcased during the show.
Femke Konatey-Dekker, program manager at NABC introduced during today’s press conference the Impact Cluster Kukua Na Kuku project, which was officially launched on May 26. This is a collaboration between Tanzania and the Netherlands to transform Tanzania’s poultry sector using Dutch technologies. The potential of the poultry sector in Tanzania opens up opportunities for investments, and Poultry Africa is honored to help facilitate this process by bringing to the region a highly professional event for top suppliers to meet with local markets.
The show is supported by some of the most important associations and organizations from within the industry – Ministry of Agriculture in Rwanda (MINAGRI), Africa Agribusiness Academy, Dutch Poultry Centre (DPC), Netherlands-Africa Business Council (NABC), Traide, Poultry Association of Rwanda and World Poultry Science Association (WPSA).
Poultry Africa 2022 will again prove to be the connecting bridge between the African and global players to take the industry forward by sharing knowledge, showcasing innovations, strengthening partnerships and building on new business relations. To reserve a booth space or to have any participation info as an exhibitor, please contact Ms. Nienke van Soest at firstname.lastname@example.org.
To register as a visitor, please visit the official website www.poultryafricaevent.com. The event benefits from very good accessibility and visa on arrival, which makes it easy for foreign visitors and exhibitors to enter Rwanda, a country that is famous for its high level of safety & security in the region.
The Leadership Conference opening time on 4 October will be from 09:00 – 17:00. Poultry Africa exhibition opening time on 5 & 6 October will be from 10:00 – 17:00.
See you from 5 – 6 October, in Kigali, Rwanda at Poultry Africa 2022.
KIGALI CONVENTION CENTRE (KCC)
KG 2 Roundabout
1 – 2 September 2021
Wednesday 1 Sept.: 10:00-17:00 hrs
Thursday 2 Sept.: 10:00-17:00 hrs


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Social Media Store, a recently launched internet marketing service provider, has just introduced a wide array of packages to help businesses increase their Facebook Fans.
Facebook Fans has got more affordable for the business owners around the world. Social Media Store has just come up with as many as five excellent service plans to help businesses reap maximum benefits out of their Facebook pages. It may be recalled that Social Media Store is a recently formed company that has already grabbed the attention of business owners with their cost effective service. The company provides top class social media marketing packages leveraging all popular platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google Plus, and YouTube. Apart from social media, the company also offers a wide range SEO and web related services within a shoe string budget.— Increasing the number of
The advent of social media is probably the most noteworthy development in the online marketing fraternity during the last few years. As per the latest reports, Facebook is the most frequently visited website throughout the world and all businesses are now keen to make use of this efficient social media platform for their business. Businesses with a Facebook Fan page can provide a lot more information and updates to their prospects comparing to those still relying solely on their websites. Facebook pages have also emerged now as an effective means to drive more traffic for a business. Other benefits include better customer engagement, improved branding, and more effective SEO. However, in order to gain maximum benefits, it is important to have a sizeable number of Facebook fans.
With the increase in popularity of Social Media Marketing, lots of companies have started offering service for better utilization of different social media platforms. Social Media Store has done well to stand out from these companies by working out a strategy that only offers real Facebook fans with super fast delivery. Depending on the specific requirement of customers, they have introduced five packages within the price range of $37 and $327. Businesses can receive up to 20,000 Facebook fans within a week by availing these efficient service packages. The company has an efficient team of experts providing round the clock support to customers. Availing these packages is extremely convenient because no password is required.
Official sources have informed that a number of reputed businesses have already received excellent results from these Facebook packages. It has also been revealed that the company is about to launch a series of social media marketing packages built around Twitter, Pinterest, Google +, and YouTube. Revealing the future plans of the company, a senior official from Social Media Store recently said, "The response for our Facebook Fan packages has been extremely encouraging till now. We are looking forward to continuing this success story with several other services that are to be launched very soon. Twitter, Google +, Pinterest, and YouTube are the top most priorities for us".
About the Company: Social Media Store is a recently launched company offering a wide spectrum of Social Media Marketing related services for the best price in the market.
Release ID: 2352


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Carine Roitfeld: 'I think to stay young, you need young people around you'
Updated 10:26 AM ET, Mon September 12, 2016
Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds.
This September editor and fashion director Carine Roitfeld celebrates the launch of issue 9 of CR Fashion Book with a contributing editorship for CNN Style. See exclusive images from the issue here.
(CNN)She is kept busy as the editor in chief of CR Fashion Book and global fashion director of Harper's Bazaar, as well as muse and consultant stylist for a bevy of designers, including Tom Ford and Karl Lagerfeld, but Carine Roitfeld is still looking to add to her ever growing portfolio.


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13 Sep Send Money with Facebook?
Facebook has combined all of the tasks we do on a daily basis and incorporated them into their site. This makes life as a whole lot less complicated for users. Now we can discuss and share our lives, like always, message our friends in Messenger, make phone calls, make video calls, and the latest inclusion, send cash! Let’s take a look at this money situation …
Facebook just uncovered an all new service that helps you send money by means of its instant messaging app, Facebook Messenger. It’s kinda like existing services from SnapChat, Square, and Venmo, letting you immediately exchange cash with otherÂ individuals both far and wide. But there’s a substantial distinction: It works on Facebook.
Now that you can send money with Facebook instantaneously, all of a sudden, it’s way simpler for a big chunkÂ of the population to send out and receive cash. But friend-to-friend payments can also feed the much greater objectives of Mark Zuckerberg and company.
The moment Facebook has your bank card, it can easily tempt you with other purchases too.
Facebook’s new payments tool encourages all those millions of Facebookers to keep their credit card details on the company’s machines. And this will most likely feed Facebook’s initiatives to turn itself into a sort of e-commerce engine that competes directly with the likes of Amazon.Facebook is currently trying out a “buy” button on its social network that lets you immediately buy stuff that shows up in your newsfeed. However such button is a whole lot more effective and easier to click if you’ve already typed in your card into Facebook.
Facebook is going in the same directionÂ as Apple and Google. It wishes to be the spot where you spend not only your time but your cash.
Payments On Facebook Are No Surprise
The new Facebook service is not a surprise. Last summer, David Marcus, the Chief Executive Officer of payments giant PayPal, joined Facebook to manage Messenger. And subsequently, on a Facebook earnings call, CEO and creator Mark Zuckerberg suggested that Messenger would dovetail with some kind of peer-to-peer payments service.
Meanwhile, Snapchat incorporated a payments method to its favored messaging app, piggybacking on an existing tool from San Francisco start-up Square. But Snapchat isn’t nearly as well-known as Facebook. And its variety of other services is not even close to as big.
The Facebook social network is usedÂ by over 1.3 billion users globally, and Messenger now provides services to close to 500 million, according to the company’s most current public numbers. That’s probably about two and a half times the volume on SnapChat.
This indicates that manyÂ more users are likely to use Facebook’s payments solution in comparison toÂ others. But more vital for Facebook, especially due to the fact that it claims it’s never going to charge for sending and receiving funds, is your data, in this particular situation, your credit card numbers. To send money, you will have to save your Visa or Mastercard details with Facebook. To receive money, the company revealed, you will have to do the very same. And once Facebook has that information, it is able to construct out services– revenue-generating services– that motivate you to spend.
So on one hand it makes it more convenient for users to send money to each other and the appealing aspect is that they don’t take a cut. However, alternatively, Facebook is gearing up to take on significant online retailers. What are your thoughts? Is it good to have the convenience or does this worry you that it would be far too easy to spend?
JHG Media Group offers social media management, SEO services, and content development to small and medium sized businesses around the globe.