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Speedway Children's Charities Cars at the Colosseum Event Builds on 2012 Success
Saturday, Oct. 12 luxury cars and locally owned antiques roll into Bristol Motor Speedway for the second annual Cars at the Colosseum fundraiser. Building upon the success of last year's Cars at the Castle, Speedway Children's Charities not only decided to move the event for 2013 but also improve it by adding locally owned antiques, muscle cars and classic cars to the returning slate of Lamborghinis, Bentleys, Ferraris, Porsches and Rolls Royces.
The event, which raised more than $40,000 last year, kicks off Friday, Oct. 11 with an opening VIP dinner. Hosted in Bruton Smith's suite overlooking the World's Fastest Half Mile, guests have the opportunity to dine high above the track's legendary high banks and take track laps in one of the event's exotic machines. Cost to attend the dinner is $100 per person and also includes one ticket to Saturday's car show.
On Saturday, guests are invited to browse the complete line-up of classic, exotic and luxury vehicles from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. in the Bristol Motor Speedway infield. The Cars at the Colosseum show also includes demonstrations, vendors and a silent auction located inside the Infield Media Center. A limited number of test drives are also available the day of the event.
Cost to attend Saturday is $30. Tickets for Friday or Saturday can be purchased here or by calling (855) 580-5525.
Speedway Children's Charities would like to thank Bentley High Point, Holston Valley Broadcasting, Tri-Cities Gold Inc., Foreign Cars Italia, Harper of Knoxville and TitanRoof for their support of Cars at the Colosseum. All proceeds benefit children's charities in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.


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Calling Boss’ most recent runway presentation spectacular would do the Italian brand a disservice. At the heart of Milan’s La Madunina, guests and members of the press alike all consensually agreed on the grandeur of the event that was collectively witnessed on Thursday night. The late show, that kicked off at 9:00 p.m., saw heavyweights from all over the world of fashion, music, and culture, descend upon the Vigorelli Stadium for what will be remembered as one of the main highlights of Fashion Month.
Hosted in the Italian city’s only American football ground, references to Uncle Sam were tangibly felt all throughout the label’s latest ready-to-wear collection. If last year, Boss decided to tap into baseball culture, fall 2022 was a real cocktail of US symbolism. From the very sports-like seating in the stands to the unbounded decor (comprised of a 360° runway), and a striking motor bike show, Boss clearly wanted to leave its mark this Milan Fashion Week.
It was almost impossible to walk into the venue without bumping into your favorite celebrity. Usually, front-rows are left aside for the guests of the highest caliber, but last night, VIP guests could be seen occupying the first five rows at once, given the uncountable number of stars that were present yesterday.
Russian supermodel Irina Shayk was sat on one side, American it girl Lori Harvey on the other, reggaeton legend J. Balvin also made an appearance, and so did Korean actor Lee Min-Ho. Some of the region’s most notable names, including Mohammed Habtoor, the Habdan twins, and Italian-Egyptian content creator Aya Mohamed, to mention a few, were also seen mingling ahead of the show.
Suddenly, the lights went out and the room is plunged into semi-darkness, and all guests make their way back to their seats: the show is about to begin. To everyone’s surprise, Naomi Campbell emerges on the runway, coated in a charcoal-colored suit. Did anyone expect her to open the show? No. Did everyone’s jaw drop when she did? Yes. From there, it was like scrolling through an Instagram feed given the amount of blue-ticked personalities turned models for Boss’ latest offering.
Italian Tik-Toker Khaby Lame strutted down the field-turned-catwalk in an all-white ensemble, British boxer Anthony Joshua followed wearing a beige jumper accessorized with high, leather boots and a Daft Punk-inspired helmet, and Zaineb Al-Eqabi, an Iraqi para-athlete, who is an above-the-leg amputee, was also part of the diverse and inclusive cast that included hijab-wearing model Ugbad Abdi and deaf actor Chella Man. Atlanta rapper Future closed the star-studded 66-look show wearing a loose blazer overtop a black button-up and paired with matching trousers.
What’s more, the fall 2022 presentation was live-streamed across several platforms online, including the brand’s own eponymous website. Pieces were immediately made available for purchase through the Live and the brand made history in the UK by being the first to introduce a direct shopping option for viewers via TikTok’s newest feature.
Followed by an after-party where drinks, food, and snacks were made available for guests to help take in the dizzying show that just took place, it was safe to say that Boss came, saw, and conquered Milan for a handful of hours.

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Arizona AG Breaks Silence On Cellphone Consumer Fraud Investigation
Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich spoke out for the first time about his investigation into a major search engine company's possible violation of the Consumer Protection Act.
The investigation launched shortly after the Associated Press and Princeton University reported that Google was tracking consumers after they thought they had opted out of location and tracking services.
Brnovich called that a violation of consumer privacy, even if the tech industry claims there are other ways to turn off cell phone tracking.
"I should not be a tech expert in order to figure out how not to have a third party know everything about my private life," he told Capitol Media Service, "including my emails, my conversations with my wife, my kids, what they're up to, how many hours I spend watching sports or checking scores on my phone or how long I spend at the mall on Sundays."
In a letter to investigators the tech firm's name was redacted. However, when asked if the company on the letter was Google, Brnovich only said, "You know I can't say anything other than 'you don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.'"
His office will wait to file a class action lawsuit, pending the investigation.


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Cancer research fundraiser planned
Evergreen Gene’s in Carson City will host a Pink Day fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 6 to benefit cancer research. The store is at 1811 N. Carson St.
“We are donating 20 percent of all sales of pink items from plants, gourmet foods, gifts and Christmas items to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation,” Gene Munnings, president of the firm, said in a news release. He said his firm is part of a national campaign to raise $1 million for the foundation.
“There will be live music, food from local vendors, and a representative from David Austin Roses,” said Munnings, who added the representative will speak about “these unique roses.”
There also will be a raffle and a silent auction, Munnings said.
He asked that people donate items or gift certificates for the event, adding that the donations are tax-deductible. People can either send things to the store or contact him. If the item needs to be picked up, call 775-882-1807; otherwise, call Munnings at 775-530-0946.


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Last week, a website popped up promising to sell brand new PS5 consoles that would be purchased, painted black, then resold for a $100 premium. That’s no longer going to happen.
SUP3R5 began taking orders—priced at $649—for these black PS5s on January 8 and claimed to have quickly sold out. This should have been the point at which orders started being fulfilled for the promised “Spring 2021" shipping date, but with customers’ money now in the bank, only a few days later this statement was issued claiming “credible threats” to the team’s safety:
That message was tweeted out over the weekend before the team’s entire Twitter account was then taken down.
As techradar report, some purchasers have gotten their promised refunds, while others are still waiting.


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Cvent acquires Elite Meetings International
Cvent has acquired hospitality marketing company, Elite Meetings.
Terms were not disclosed, but, in a statement today, Cvent said it expects
“the financial impact of the transaction to be immaterial to revenue in 2015 and to be dilutive to 2015 adjusted EBITDA by approximately $3.5 million.
The acquisition boosts Cvent’s list of meeting planners who are sourcing events, plus greater inventory of hotels, resorts, and venues.


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Payments startup Klarna is ramping up its valuation again as it picks up a new, strategic investor. Last valued at $2.25 billion in 2015, the company today announced that Brightfolk, controlled by fashion tycoon Anders Holch Povlsen, is becoming a “qualified owner” of Klarna — that is, buying up at least 10 percent of the company.
At Klarna’s $2.25 billion valuation, Brightfolk’s 10 percent+ stake is valued at $225 million or more. But while the company is not commenting on any of the financial terms of today’s deal, TechCrunch understands that this is an “up” round, with the valuation now higher than $2.25 billion. Klarna enables payments on third-party websites and apps, with flexible purchasing options such as paying upon delivery or over time (it also handles the finance, and says it is the largest company of its kind doing that), and, perhaps uniquely among finance startups, it is already profitable.


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No description is currently available.
Latest Articles for Animal Crossing
Regiie has promised a return for some classic Nintendo franchises. We let him know what we'd love to see.
Nintendo financials also reveal a new Kirby game and Wii Music for this year.
The website for the movie based on Nintendo's blockbuster franchise has launched, revealing some details about the film.
Nintendo has announced that Animal Crossing: Wild World has now shipped more than three million copies worldwide.
Huh? Your code expired? That's really, really weird. I've got one of those code slip things for fire emblem right in front of me and it says here it doesn't expire till October...


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Natus, an paternity prenatal DNA testing agency, has announced the launch of their new, revamped website. The new site has been optimized for mobile use so that customers can browse Natus’ DNA testing services on their smartphone device, order products or retrieve account information on-the-go.
Natus offers prenatal DNA testing, adoption DNA testing, and paternity testing services. All DNA tests are reviewed and reported by
“We’re excited to launch our redesigned website for our mobile customers,” states a Natus representative. “By offering a mobile option our customers can order the DNA testing kits they need while they’re at work, on the road or anywhere they go while keeping their information 100% secure.”
Natus offers noninvasive prenatal testing without causing harm to the child or mother. Natus offers a prenatal DNA testing kit that identifies to determine the father of the child in a comfortable and un intrusive way, both to the mother and child.
Women can order their prenatal testing kits and other DNA testing kits online through the Natus website. Ordering has been simplified so that customers just input their test, fill out contact information, and purchase. Additional options, including test result receiving options, expedited services, and adding additional tested parties to be tested, are also available. women are encouraged to visit the new online store, to check out the DNA testing options and try out the new, simplified ordering process. Natus looks forward to customer feedback so that they can enhance and improve the user experience in the future.
Natus is a DNA testing agency that offers a wide range of testing services at affordable prices. These noninvasive testing options are safe for children, pregnant women and adults. The new online store and exclusive pricing is offered to Natus customers only. All information is protected and kept private and DNA tests are overseen by
Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/10/prweb11252186.htm
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The COVID-19 pandemic instigated a boom in personal-computer sales, and supply-chain issues pushed prices up, but analysts see softening sales and a normalizing supply/demand environment in 2022, which slammed a few stocks Thursday.
Advanced Micro Devices Inc.
shares dropped as much as 8.4% in Thursday trading after Barclays analyst Blayne Curtis downgraded the stock on concerns that several end markets the chip maker serves are poised for a correction.
“Where we have an issue is for 2023, as we see cyclical risk across several end markets (PC, Gaming, and broad-based/XLNX),” Curtis wrote, while downgrading the stock to neutral from overweight, and lowering his price target to $115 from $148. “We don’t have a smoking gun pointing to a correction under way in any of these markets, but it’s very clear to us that all 3 segments are running at elevated levels.”
While the analyst said he expects AMD to top its 31% growth target this year and to continue taking market share from Intel Corp.
he wants to move to the sidelines for now.
“The core issue here is what will be AMD’s growth trajectory coming out of this potential correction and the answer to this will be just how competitive Intel and ARM will be in 2024/25,” the analyst wrote.
Morgan Stanley analyst Erik Woodring sounded a similar alarm in a note that downgraded the two biggest PC manufacturers in the U.S., HP Inc.
and Dell Technologies Inc.
Both stocks were down more than 5% in Thursday trading.
“We see increasing risk of negative hardware budget revisions, hardware earnings revisions peaking, and the potential for further multiple compression, which historically has resulted in IT hardware underperformance,” Woodring wrote, while downgrading HP to underweight from equal-weight and Dell to equal-weight from overweight. “Specifically, we believe PC and consumer hardware spending will be pressured as supply improves and demand normalizes after two years of above-trend growth.”
The analyst also reduced his price targets on both stocks, taking HP to $31 from $34 and Dell to $60 from $66. He suggested investors wanting a piece of the hardware industry instead look to CDW Corp.
which he upgraded to overweight from equal-weight, while raising his price target to $214 from $201.
Even with the drop, AMD shares are still up 40% over the past 12 months, compared with an 11% gain in the PHLX Semiconductor Index
and a 15.4% rise in the S&P 500 index.
HP’s and Dell’s stock performance has been about in-line with the S&P 500 over the past 12 months, gaining 14.4% and 15.7%, respectively.


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Resonance Technology International Inc., winner of the 2003 Bank of Montreal first prize, has sold two of its revolutionary resonant hammers, with expectations to sell four more this year and twice as many next year. The resonant hammer uses sonic vibrations to drive foundation pilings into the earth quickly, with no ground vibration.
It has been a long journey to refine the technology and deal with market acceptance issues, but president Matthew Janes says a new trend towards legislation demanding zero ground vibration during pile driving will help his company to move forward.
The poor economy, particularly in the construction sector, initially put a damper on expectations for 2009 but Janes reports that the company has had several promising inquiries this year and is currently working on designs for two European clients.
Resonance currently has three full-time and two half-time employees, and uses B.C. subcontractors to manufacture the resonant hammer.


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A pilot project led by Toshiba with Pelion, Data Communications Company (DCC), Vestel and has.to.be will yield vital data necessary to inform future national strategies for EV smart charging.
The pilot seeks to augment, rather than replace, the current fragmented approach to EV charging in the UK.
The project will trial a proof-of-concept using a Vestel charge point installed at the DCC’s Manchester testing facility, Brabazon House, and demonstrate how current technology can be cost-effectively modified and linked to a secure national network. The solution will help manage consumer data, charging control, and energy metering and features end-to-end encryption for enhanced security. Simultaneously, this allows consumers to have confidence in their charging device and gives the energy distribution network operators the control needed to ensure the grid maximises its use of renewables.
The DCC currently supports more than 12 million meters nationwide, and with the massive growth in EVs sales constantly adding to the challenge, effective solutions must be found, trialled, and made ready to scale.
Toshiba supplies the cyber-physical security for UK smart meters and will work with Pelion for managed global cellular connectivity. This will be used with the software from has.to.be for scalable operation of charging infrastructure to the end-to-end management of worldwide mobility solutions.
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“The technology already exists to simplify electric vehicle charging for everyone, and this partnership has the resources and expertise to show the industry what’s possible,” said Angus Flett, CEO of DCC.
“Drawing on this partnership’s significant technical expertise, we intend to demonstrate how the DCC’s secure nationwide network can be opened up to support the EV charging industry. This will help ensure that EV smart charging is secure and consumer friendly, and allows the system to make the best possible use of renewable sources.”
“Toshiba’s diverse business ranges from energy and social infrastructure to electronic devices – with world-class capabilities in information processing, digital, and AI technologies, many of which are contributing to the decarbonisation of society. These distinctive strengths position Toshiba to become one of the world’s leading cyber-physical-system technology companies,” said Tom Cunliffe, General Manager & COO of Toshiba’s M2M Business Unit within Toshiba Europe.
“Toshiba has successfully designed, manufactured and delivered millions of communication hubs into the UK smart metering programme. Through this, we have established and now lead a consortium of leading, innovative partners across a broad spectrum of technologies that have created a solution to integrate the EV charger with DCC’s systems; crucially, this same module can support additional, future smart IoT device integrations in to the DCC.”
While many EV charging networks use robust security practices, there are no clear, agreed standards to ensure that all networks protect consumer data and the energy grid. The DCC smart metering network, as critical national infrastructure, was designed from the ground up with the highest security and operates to standards endorsed by the NCSC (National Cyber Security Centre). These standards, applied to a national EV charging network, would safeguard consumer data and protect the energy grid from the threat of cyber-attacks.
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Canadian diamond miner Harry Winston has reported a first quarter net loss of $45.1m, down on last year’s figures, which saw the company end the period in profit.
The company took the loss in the quarter ending 30 April, against a $21.3m net earning in the first quarter of 2008.
The loss includes a non-cash dilution drop of $34.2m that was incurred due to investment by Kinross Gold in the company’s 40% stake in the Diavik Diamond Mine in Canada.
Total sales were also down to $109.6m from $156.1m in 2008.
Its mining segment recorded sales of $57.7m, a 29% decrease from $81.4m in the comparable quarter of the previous year.
Harry Winston chairman and CEO Robert Gannicott said the company experienced a number of challenges at the start of 2009 including a decline in retail sales from its high-end jewellery business.
“We began this quarter with a rough diamond market that could see no bottom and retail sales effectively stalled. Rough diamond prices fell to levels not seen since the inception of the Diavik Project seven years ago,” he said.
The company has, however, experienced a pick up since May, Gannicott said.


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Here’s a little nugget of information to keep in mind for the next time you head out to play trivia: The Ford Mustang once again reigns supreme as the world’s best-selling sports coupe in 2018. Ford took the opportunity of the Mustang’s 55th anniversary on National Mustang Day to announce that its prized pony topped global sales for the segment it founded for a fourth year in a row.
“We broke the mold when Ford launched the Mustang 55 years ago,” said Jim Farley, Ford president, global markets. “Nothing says freedom, the wind in your hair, and the joy of driving like Mustang; it’s an icon. The roar of its V8 on a spring day, there’s nothing better. No wonder it’s the most popular sports coupe in the world.”
Ford sold 113,066 Mustang cars around the world in 2018, including 75,842 in the United States. The success of the Mustang was driven in no small part by the new Ford Mustang BULLITT, which beat its global sales expectations by a whopping 25 percent — thanks in large part to its 480-horsepower performance.
You can expect the Mustang to repeat this title for a fifth year in 2019. Ford’s already revealed its 700-plus-horsepower 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 and announced a 2.3L High Performance Package for the Mustang EcoBoost® that makes it the most powerful four-cylinder sports car out there. If you want to get in on the action, stop into Olathe Ford and check out our selection of Mustang fastbacks and convertibles.


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30% of corporate BlackBerry users want new device
Dissatisfaction rates high among BlackBerry users in large companies, survey finds
Computerworld - The BlackBerry device and its maker, Research in Motion, were in serious trouble even before last week's global service outage.
More than 30% of BlackBerry users in large companies said in September, a month before the outage, that they were looking to use a different smartphone model in 2012, according to a survey of 243 smartphone users in companies with more than 10,000 workers by Enterprise Management Associates (EMA).
"With last week's outage, I suspect the 30% number is even higher," said Steven Brasen, the EMA analyst who conducted the survey. "User satisfaction with BlackBerry is by far the lowest of smartphones. A huge number are dissatisfied."
Brasen said the survey found that 11% of BlackBerry users in large companies are "completely dissastisfied" with the device, while only 2% of iPhone users and 0% of Android users are completely dissatisfied with their smartphones.
Brasen said the opinions of end users are becoming very important to IT executives.
EMA, Forrester and other IT research firms say the majority of new smartphones now used in workplaces are brought in by users who either pay for the smartphones themselves or get reimbursed by their employers.
"The apps are not available on the BlackBerry like they are on the other smartphones and users feel more personally productive on iPhone and Android than with corporate BlackBerry devices," Brasen said.
"Now that end users are taking control, they are moving away from BlackBerry," he added. "It's the end users that are driving IT."
Because of the increasing importance of end-user opinions, the traditional allure of the BlackBerry Enterprise Server and its security and management capabilities to large companies has faded, Brasen said.
The shift to end-user control is behind Brasen's belief that RIM's new BBX operating system introduced on Tuesday is likely to fall flat.
"It's too little, too late," Brasen said of BBX, noting that a heterogeneous platform had been promised in June but was not unveiled until this week's BlackBerry DevCon conference in San Francisco. "I don't see how RIM can radically alter the path they've been on."
Several BlackBerry developers and commenters on the forums on CrackBerry.com also complained that RIM has not yet given a rollout timetable for QNX OS-based BBX, which is designed to run RIM's PlayBook tablet, smartphones and embedded systems.
"Just look at all of the chatter and disappointment ... regarding the BBX announcement," wrote one commenter, HofstraJet. "RIM has made a lot of promises and hasn't delivered much. I anxiously await the future [and] just hope RIM doesn't make me wait too long."
Ken Dulaney, an analyst at Gartner who on Monday had commended RIM for offering free apps or a free month of support to customers after the outage, said BBX is just a new name for what RIM had been planning for awhile.
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Indian esports organisation Revenant Esports has signed a multiyear deal with esports fantasy platform FanClash, the latter becoming the Official Fantasy Partner of the former. Through this partnership, FanClash will engage with the massive fan following of the team and collaborate with Revenant over various fantasy engagement activities.
While Revenant Esports boosts India’s renowned gamers and creators across numerous esports titles, this association will give gaming enthusiasts an opportunity to be actively involved with Revenant’s various gaming rosters as well as the tournaments they participate in.
Rohit Jagasia, CEO and founder, Revenant Esports, said:
“FanClash is now an aspirational name in the world of esports and we are thrilled to have them associated with us as our fantasy gaming partner. We at Revenant Esports believe that the popularity of our esports roster and content creators are secure in times to come. Our association is a step taken towards revolutionising Esports fandom in the country.“
Archana Sangran, Marketing Head, FanClash, added:
“Esports as an industry has been gaining greater popularity alongside receiving traction at a national and worldwide scale. Valorant has also been gaining a great fan following from the esports community. Therefore, the company has been aggressively exploring opportunities for increasing fan engagement along with creating excitement and anticipation. Our endeavour has always been to bring accessibility through compelling associations for gamers. We will be announcing many more developments in the upcoming months.“
FanClash is an esports startup for gamers to compete, access curated content and get their daily dose of thrill by playing fantasy leagues on popular esports titles from across the globe. FanClash also provides its users with the latest happenings from the gaming world apart from hosting fantasy games. FanClash is committed to revolutionising the esports fantasy world with thrilling, fair and accessible gameplay. The company employs the latest technology and data-driven mindset while building for esports enthusiasts of all levels.
According to the industry reports, the number of esports players doubled from 300,000 in 2020 to 600,000 in 2021, esports revenue grew by 29%, from ?750 crore in 2020 to ?970 crore in 2021, as esports teams also grew by over 50%, from 60,000 in 2020 to 100,000 in 2021. The total prize money in 2021 crossed the ?20,000-crore mark, with there also being a meteoric rise in viewership, from 600,000 hours in 2020 to 2 million hours in 2021.


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Amsterdam has staked its claim to be the jeanswear capital of Europe with a citywide initiative for the denim sector.
Along with Sweden, the Netherlands has long been seen as a vibrant and innovative market for jeanswear. It’s no surprise that G-Star, Denham, Hilfiger Denim and ethical pioneer Kuyichi are all based in Amsterdam.
Trading on this tradition, on May 7-8 new denim fabric fair Kingpins made its debut in the Dutch capital alongside a citywide initiative called Amsterdam Denim Days. This involved a separate denim show called Blueprint, full of inspiring vintage stalls, seminars with industry leaders including the legendary Adriano Goldschmied, and denim brand concepts. It was hosted by the House of Denim, a newly launched innovation centre in Amsterdam that will combine a jeans school, denim archive and sustainable laundry laboratory. Founder James Veenhoff is also setting up a jeanswear insiders’ meeting place called the Indigo Embassy, due to open by December.
Housed in Westergasfabriek, a former gasworks that is now an events space, Kingpins is the brainchild of Andrew Olah. Having worked in textile development since 1976, from 2004 he has run Kingpins shows in the US and Hong Kong. For his first European event, he handpicked 40 exhibitors encompassing fabric mills, denim laundries and denim service businesses. Visitors could attend seminars featuring denim leaders including Denham founder Jason Denham and trend forecasting service WGSN.
Olah’s plan is to create a forum in which retailers, buyers, brands and designers can be inspired, build personal relationships and take away strategies that can help them differentiate their own collections.
The Dutch initiative was welcomed by British jeanswear specialists, who are also being courted by Denim by Première Vision, the French fabric show’s specialist offshoot, which takes place in Barcelona on May 21-22.
Of Kingpins, Matt Brown, men’s denim designer from River Island, said: “This really is a denim event,” while his colleague, men’s denim buyer Tom Thurlow, added: “It’s a place to be inspired and build relationships.”
Trendwise, the two-day Dutch initiative underlined that technical fabric innovation and craftsmanship are the major concerns in jeanswear product development. No consumer “needs” a new pair of jeans, so it is critical for any denim business to deliver fabric innovation that exceeds customer expectation in order to give them a new reason to buy. Denim is enjoying a revival and buyers are reporting buoyant sales, with consumers purchasing from brands and retailers that offer superior fit and quality.
Goldschmied told a Blueprint seminar: “Consumers are requiring functionality in denim that they have not asked for before in terms of comfort. Brands need to pay attention, as do buyers to deliver it.” Denham highlighted the importance of fabric innovation for men’s as well as women’s jeans: “I never thought I would see the day when guys with beards and tattoos were coming into our stores asking for super-soft, comfortable, skin-tight jeans.”
In the other strong trend, elements of craftsmanship are being used to build the brand experience and a compelling product offer.
Exhibitors illustrated some of the ways craftsmanship can be used to build collections: Crafted fits Stretch innovation from expert denim mills means brands can deliver sculpted fits like never before. Investing in these high-performance fabrics helps deliver a quality guarantee to customers that can improve brand loyalty.
Personalisation Whether at product development stage or in store, using techniques such as lasering, 3D texturing, foiling or customisation is critical to developing a unique point of view.
Denim details Customers value extra details in denim. Whether in pocket lining, stitch colours or construction ideas that are unique to a brand, creating distinctive details gives customers an extra gift.
Using crafted in a modern way Building in traditional craftsmanship features, which might originate from Japanese workwear or American mend-and-repair techniques, offers a way for modern denim collections to create distinctive brand stories. Alex Jaspers, global brand manager for Scotch & Soda, summed up the approach: “We aim to deliver a jean that is as beautiful on the inside as it is outside.”
The next Kingpins event in Amsterdam will be on October 28-29, and expect to see an even stronger turnout from the denim community there. With Kingpins and Amsterdam Denim Days, you get a lot of jeanswear inspiration as a return on your investment.
- Sara Simmonds is a fashion consultant. www.sarasimmonds.com


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Top Glove seemed to end a strong but tumultuous year when the world’s largest rubber glove maker was named Asia’s Top Employer by a magazine for the fifth year in March.
Shares of the Malaysian personal protective equipment maker have jumped more than 500% since reports of a new coronavirus emerged in China a year earlier.
However, the share price was affected by the vaccine approval in late 2020. Then, the day after the award in March, US Customs and Border Protection ordered the seizure Top Glove products upon arrival at U.S. ports over allegations the company used forced labor.
The US accusations have shone the fortunes of one of the largest companies in the world to benefit from the pandemic. The company’s rise was so rapid in the early days of Covid-19, that Lim Wee Chai, founder and chairman of Top Glove, saw his fortune nearly triple in the 12 months leading up to April to $ 3.5 billion, according to Forbes, making him the eighth richest person in Malaysia.
Today, aside from the US seizure order, the company’s prospects are clouded by the rapid deployment of vaccines in developed markets, potentially reducing demand for Top Glove’s products and increasing competition from Chinese producers at low prices.
Last week, Top Glove reported a 22% drop in quarterly revenue to RM 4.16 billion ($ 1.01 billion), although it was still up 147% year on year . The company attributed the decline in third-quarter profits to higher latex prices and a 16% drop in the average selling price of gloves.
“At every peak there will always be a correction,” Top Glove chief executive Lee Kim Meow told the Financial Times.
The company also said the drop in revenue in the third quarter was a result of the US ban. Sales volumes in North America – Top Glove’s largest market that pays the highest prices for its gloves – fell 68 percent in the third quarter.
The group likely had to lower prices to attract buyers to new markets, said Ng Chi Hoong, analyst at Affin Hwang Capital in Malaysia. Top Glove “was forced to look for new avenues to fill the void left by the American market”.
The US ordinance, which has exposed allegations of forced labor linked to the Malaysian glove industry for years, also delayed the company’s proposal to hold a $ 1 billion listing for “a few more months”. dollars in Hong Kong, ”Top Glove’s Lim said on earnings call.
The company had responded to customs and border protection concerns and was “just” waiting for the agency to verify Top Glove’s payment and remediation practices, he said. The US agency told the Financial Times it was in talks with Top Glove, adding that these types of orders were only lifted when it was proven that forced labor was no longer being used.
US import ban came after Top Glove employee died of Covid-19 Last year, an epidemic spread through factories and dormitories of the company’s workers, which Malaysian authorities at the time described as overcrowded, uncomfortable and lacking adequate ventilation. The epidemic has since been contained.
Top Glove, which houses nearly 12,000 foreign workers in Malaysia, said it was investing RM200 million in additional dormitories for 14,200 employees. Conditions in his homes now meet or exceed the requirements of a new Malaysian workers’ housing law that came into effect last year, he said.
Norges Bank Investment Management, which oversees Norway’s $ 1.3 billion oil fund, voted in January against electing multiple directors at Top Glove’s annual meeting. The fund, which owns a 0.89% stake in Top Glove worth $ 109 million, declined to comment.
Asked about the vote, Lee said institutional investors “probably weren’t that comfortable” with “what happened last year,” adding that the company is working to improve the engagement with shareholders.
Top Glove’s Lim said the US ban was “temporary,” but analysts don’t see it lifted until the end of the year.
“Even if [Top Glove] guided by the fact that they have rectified all indicators by the International Labor Organization, we expect the ban to be lifted only by the end of 2021, ”said Ng of Affin Hwang Capital .
Patrick Stokvis, vice president of research firm Third Bridge, said in a report that the review of Top Glove’s labor practices “will continue to drive up costs for Malaysian rubber glove manufacturers.” This would potentially erode their cost advantages over Chinese competitors.
Top Glove’s Lee, however, predicted that demand for his products would remain strong as countries stockpile gloves in anticipation of future health crises.
Supramaniam Shanmugam, president of the Malaysian Association of Rubber Glove Manufacturers, said glove consumption would not stop because of the vaccines. The pandemic, like the Sars outbreak in 2003, would stimulate longer-term demand for protective equipment, he added.
The association estimated that global demand in 2021 would increase by 18-27% to 420 billion gloves, with Malaysia producing around two-thirds.
While Top Glove appeared to have responded to the forced labor allegations, analysts believe the U.S. ban should be lifted to allay investor concerns.
“What we’ve done in the past isn’t good enough,” admitted Top Glove’s Lee.


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Like every other automaker, Porsche, famous for its sports cars, is thinking about fuel economy. New regulations in the U.S. and Europe mean every car will have to burn less fuel. Even an iconic sports car like the 911.
So the new 2012 Porsche 911, going on sale here in February, has a host of new fuel-saving technologies that will lead to an estimated fuel economy improvement of about 16% based on European tests.
But most Porsche 911 buyers aren't looking for fuel economy. They're after one thing: performance.
"Fuel economy is certainly not a purchase reason for people in this market," said Alexander Schildt, Porsche's manager of product planning for the U.S.
That means that Porsche engineers had to find ways of saving gas without slowing the car. And they're going to need even more of this sort of creativity in the future as fuel economy demands grow.
While most Chevrolets are fairly ordinary cars, a few make history and sell for huge sums of money.
|Congress just killed your Internet privacy protections|
|Hedge fund exec whose former firm was linked to Madoff jumps to his death|
|Bill O'Reilly apologizes after making racially charged joke about congresswoman|
|Protecting your browsing history: Here's what you can do|
|Women's national team agrees to 4-year deal with USA Hockey|


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In an attempt to shut down his critics, IOHK CEO Charles Hoskinson published the map of the Cardano ecosystem.
It includes all enterprise and businesses, developer tools, wallets, infrastructure providers, exchange as well as research centers.
The most notable application powered by Cardano is e-commerce platform Bondly. Other DeFi names associated with Cardano are Zurich-based GenTwo AG and cryptocurrency liquidity provider Algoz.
In spite of its massive market capitalization, Cardano often attracts criticism for essentially being a ghost chain due to a lack of any notable applications running on top of it.
Yet, Hoskinon’s map shows that Cardano has already partnered with countries such as Georgia, Mongolia, and Ethiopia. As reported by U.Today, Hoskinson recently mentioned that new deals in Africa could bring millions of users to the Cardano ecosystem.


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Lenovo was one of the first manufacturers to leak their upcoming products with a slew of new laptops and ultrabooks.
ZDNet's James Kendrick highlights the X1 Hybrid Thinkpad which is a 13-inch device that operates on both Linux and Windows. You can run Linux and save battery life.
About 60 new ultrabooks are expected to debut this year - with many of them being shown off at CES.
Lenovo is also showing off T430U ultrabook. ZDNet's James Kendrick describes it:
The ThinkPad T430u is the first business-class Ultrabook from Lenovo that starts at $849 and comes with up to 1 TB of HD storage.
Intel continues to tout its upcoming slew of Ultrabook releases this year — to the point where it neglects some of its key hardware brands like Ivy Bridge and Thunderbolt, according to ZDNet's Rachel King.
Here's Intel's ntel Vice President Mooly Eden showing off an ultrabook powered by an Intel processor.
See more from Intel's presentation.


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Chinese smartphone manufacturer ZTE has unveiled its latest offering “Axon” in New York, a hi-fi audio phone the company calls its “first phone made in the US, for the US”. Also Read - Android 12 beta 2 rolling out: New privacy features, tweaked design and more
The device, a 5.5 inch unlocked phablet, boasts of “dual lens” — a 13 megapixel and two megapixel camera on the rear, that would lead to sharper video capture, Xinhua reported on Tuesday. The dual-lens system will allow users to focus before and after taking a shot. Also Read - Let our firms take part in 5G trials, China tells India
The features of the phone includes low-light and fast-image capture and high-quality audio. It is available for order direct from ZTE, Amazon and Ebay starting Tuesday, with shipping beginning on July 27. Lixin Cheng, chairman and CEO of ZTE USA, said: “We put consumers at the heart of everything we design, build and deliver, and our phones reflect what consumers want, value, and use. ZTE AXON is a product that devotes to meet all of consumer’s’ requirements.” Also Read - India could block China's Huawei over security concerns, says officials: Report
ZTE USA, the fourth largest smartphone manufacturer, has more than 20 million customers in the US.


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The bricking of Sanlitun's "Dirty Bar Street" is under way. In fact, one could even say the construction's progress is already quite advanced.
Shop, restaurant and bar facades have been razed, and are currently being covered over with a fresh layer of concrete.
But before we continue, let's clear up some rumors. Not all of Dirty Bar Street is under construction. Only one half of the West side of the alleyway has fallen to the hammer – a section that includes Luga's and Yashow DVD Store.
Well, here's Luga's:
And here's Yashow DVD Shop:
Luga's is looking for a new location, and is currently closed. The DVD shop, meanwhile, is still open. To enter, we holler past construction workers through the open window, where store employees are hanging out. A staffer yells, "Wait a moment!" and rushes outside to meet us before escorting us to a back entrance in an alleyway behind bar street. We enter via a dirty staircase – also under construction – and walk past their old sign, rather depressingly just sitting on the floor.
But the atmosphere inside is lively. It's amazing, really, how many people have time to DVD shop at 4pm on a Tuesday. Have they heard of the Internet? Anyway, good to see Yashow DVD Shop lives on.
Other venues do, too – the other side of the street is virtually unaffected. On our walk past, First Floor is bumping as usual. And the construction on the West side ends just by MASH Bar, which is untouched. As are Youth Club, Smugglers, Pure Girl Bar and Steak Cup. Long live Steak Cup!
Anything in 3.3 Mall is also unaffected, which is good for fans of La Pizza (yum) and Subway (why?).
Hopefully, the current construction will be the extent of it. But this is Beijing, so no one really knows.


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the next president-elect, Donald Trump has announced he was leaving all the business in order to focus on your presidency and to avoid conflicts of interest, told the BBC.Trump said that he will tell you more about the plans at a briefing with their children next month.U.s. law does not require that the president to change their ownership to cash-in, but previously presidents have put their business aside to the presidency for the period.Trump tweeted on Wednesday a series of tweets, in which he said: I Held the biggest press conference in New York City with kids December 15. day to talk about that I'm leaving a great business to completely focus on completely to lead the country and make America great again!Although the law does not me to this obligation, I feel, that it is seemingly important to the president, that there is no conflict of interest several of my business.
Sdp, fresh vice-president criticise the Saturday, the government postponed the plans and indicated that they were part of the president Antti rinne of the teams that aims to win in the next few years held viisissä election.the New vice president of triad Sanna Marin, Maarit Feldt-ranta and Ville Skinnari stated in a joint press conference his intentions to fight the government's social and health care services reform, which is based on service activities for the transfer of publicly owned companies.Feldt-beach view, the sote-reform should be to prepare together .however, He did not specify cooperation partners in its detail.Together , Feldt-Beach characterize future Sdp-driven sote-the preparation.it is not Intended that the reform would be returned completely to the starting box.
minister of economic affairs, Mika Lintilä among its members, according to the ministry supports the project of the Tesla factory project in order to obtain in Finland."Toteutessaan it would be a billion-dollar project, very big project," Lintilä said in a press conference on Tuesday.Lintilä, Finpro has cleared the project for nine cities."makes the Final decision, of course, Tesla.in Vaasa we have a strong and functional energy of the cluster and the total consideration on the basis of it is we offer our factory location in Finland", explains minister of economic affairs, Mika Lintilä.we Play together at the same finish line, so the Tesla factory project will be in Finland.
after Reading an article about how the Us president Donald Trump I hate bad news, I was left to ponder the business leaders similar pattern of behavior.the Article quoted a Washington Post story, which discussed Trump's reactions to the women's march news coverage as well as Trump and president Barack obama's inauguration, the audience number of comparison:"president Trump had just returned to the White house Saturday's final inauguration event, a peaceful interfaith prayer moment, when the anger of the thunderhead began to accumulate.Trump turned on the tv and saw a slice of confrontation – on the one hand, different parts of the world organised huge demonstrations in his day-old president, through the against the and on the other hand, few people read inaugural audience, around which remained empty on the broad white areas of the National Mall park.As we know, in a hurry convened a press conference.Spicer played the occasion, the obvious lies Trump the inauguration of the public amount, and the suppliers the criticism was harsh.
Everything you need to know about the Huawei P10The Huawei P10 release date draws ever closer and, with a press conference now just weeks away, the rumours have become interminable.Huawei has consistently impressed us with flagship smartphones, and so it s no surprise that the tech world is excited to see what the Huawei P10 has to offer.The Chinese tech giant has already confirmed a press conference for the end of February where we ll see a new flagship device , but the finer details remain a mystery.First, here s a brief rundown of release dates for previous flagship Huawei smartphones:The next big clue comes from Huawei itself: the company has invited journalists to a press conference at MWC 2017, Barcelona s annual technology tradeshow.
The service will be available for free from 12th-22nd June if you re an Xbox Live Gold member.EA Access is a monthly subscription service that allows Xbox One owners to download a selection of free games from the Access Vault, as well as gaining early access and exclusive discounts on upcoming titles.The free trial offer was revealed in an e-mail sent out by EA last night:EA will hold its E3 2016 press conference on June 12, making it the perfect time to promote the service.During the conference we can expect live gameplay demonstrations of Battlefield 1 and Titanfall 2, as well a sneak peak at Mass Effect Andromeda.It is unclear if the publisher plans to add new games and features to EA Access during E3, but it d certainly make sense.EA Access is currently available for £3.99 a month on Xbox One and PC.
Update: The Google IO liveblog keynote is being updated continually as the two-hour press conference rolls on.11:50 AM: Sundar is back on stage talking about deep learning and machine learning, and focusing on advancements like curing diseases.Google is making web development through Android Studio smarter and faster, going as far as writing some of the code.11:30 AM: Google is now shifting to Chrome with over 1 billion active users every month, and its touting its accelerated mobile pages, saying these pages load almost instantly.10:00 AM: Google IO has started with music, but not just any music - it looks to be music played through Project Jacquard, which put all sorts of sensors in clothing thank to Google's ATAP division.Here are your humble hosts for this Google IO liveblog, Global Editor-in-Chief Darren Murph, and Senior Mobile Editor, Matt Swider.
As Google announced at its I/O developer conference today, the company recently started building its own specialized chips to expedite the machine learning algorithms.These so-called Tensor Processing Units TPU are custom-built chips that Google has now been using in its own data centers for almost a year, as Google s senior VP for its technical infrastructure Urs Holzle noted in a press conference at I/O.Google says it s getting an order of magnitude better-optimized performance per watt for machine learning and argues that this is roughly equivalent to fast-forwarding technology about seven years into the future.Google also manages to speed up the machine learning algorithms with the TPUs because it doesn t need the high-precision of standard CPUs and GPUs.If you are using Google s voice recognition services, your queries are already running on these TPUs today — and if you re a developer, Google s Cloud Machine Learning services also run on these chips.Holzle said that Google decided to build these application-specific chips instead of using more flexible FPGAs because it was looking for efficiency.
Brian Horton, game director of Rise of the Tomb Raider, speaks during the Square Enix press conference at the JW Marriott on 16 June 2015 in Los Angeles, CaliforniaSquare Enix has announced some of its plans for the annual E3 gaming trade show in Los Angeles.The Japanese game developer-publisher has begun a "Road to E3" blog series, kicking off its first post with a list of games that will be playable at the event and teasing some "exciting Tomb Raider news".The company will once again host a "Square Enix Presents" live show that will cover the latest news, give viewers an in-depth look into their games, developer interviews and exclusive live game demos.Visitors to the Square Enix booth will also get to play demos of some of their latest upcoming titles including Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, the third episode of Hitman, Just Cause 3's newest DLC entitled the Land Mech Assault pack, Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness and I am Setsuna.The next blog post in the series promises to include details on some other demos for Square Enix's booth as well as "some exciting Tomb Raider news", which could mean that a release date for the Rise of the Tomb Raider's PS4 version will soon be announced.Square Enix's next Active Time Report broadcast is also scheduled to take place during E3, which is expected to reveal more details about the company's highly-anticipated upcoming RPG Final Fantasy 15.
Rockstar GamesRockstar Games is "hard at the work on future projects" which will be "revealed soon", according to the latest financial report from parent company Take-Two.Given how much money GTA Online is making, this likely wouldn't be the case if the studio were releasing a new game soon.Take-Two's list of upcoming games for the current financial year ending 31 March 2017 includes Mafia 3, Civilisation 6, WWE 2K17 and NBA2K17.No further details were offered on whatever it is Rockstar has in the works, or whether any announcement would be made at next month's E3 trade show in Los Angeles.The news will ramp up speculation regarding a follow-up to 2010 classic Red Dead Redemption – which is believed to be Rockstar's next game.Were Rockstar to make an appearance at E3, which they rarely do, it would likely be during Sony's press conference.
Sainul Abudheen KWith US$1.34, you could probably buy 2.5 kg of tomatoes in India but not a smartphone.Oh, wait.From today, you can buy a smartphone for less than US$2.00 in India.Bangalore-based company Namotel has announced in a press conference that it has launched the world s cheapest smartphone, priced at INR 99 US$1.34 — which is cheaper than Freedom 251, priced at US$4, launched by another Indian firm The company is, however, under investigation for misleading the public .Christened Namotel Acche Din Namo is apparently the nickname of Indian PM Narendra Modi , the cheaper-than-the-cheapest handset will be available for booking between May 17 to 25, 2016.According to the company, Namotel Acche Din has a 4-inch display, runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop, and is powered by 1.3GHz quad-core processor.It has 1 GB RAM and 4GB storage space.For handset and accessory defects under normal use circumstances and at the discretion of the company, Namotel shall provide free-of-charge repair and/or replacement services within the warranty period, it claims on its website.The company is promoted by Madhava Reddy, who claims to have worked as a relationship manager in the Axis Bank s Home Loans.Established in 2016, the company looks to promote the Make in India initiative launched by Modi.In February, Ringing Bells launched Freedom 251.This Indian company has just launched world s cheapest smartphone priced at US$1.34 first appeared on e27.Sainul Abudheen K is a startup writer, with almost eight years experience.He has been tracking the Indian startup ecosystem for the past four years, and worked for leading Indian Indian publications, including, VCCircle a NewsCorp company , Cybermedia and AOL.
I'm ready to play cowboy againRockstar Games is "hard at work on future projects" to be "revealed soon" according to the latest financial reports from parent company Take-Two.The studio's last title was the hugely successful Grand Theft Auto 5 in 2013 and since then they've been working on PC, PS4 and Xbox One version of the title, in addition to producing new content for GTA Online.The financial report references Rockstar's future project in a section referring to the next financial year, which doesn't begin until 1st April 2017 and means Rockstar's next title probably won't be released until that period at the earliest.Of course, a small part of me says: what if this is the return of Agent?The game has been sat in development for several years, with the last trace of it being 2 trademarks registered in 2013.There's no word on whether or not Rockstar will appear at E3 next month, although they very rarely attend, but if they did it's likely they'd show up during Sony's press conference.
Gran Turismo producer Kazunori Yamauchi revealed the first details of upcoming PS4 racer GT Sport at a press conference in London , confirming details of the game's main Sport Mode and its offline campaign mode.The game will feature 137 "Super Premium" cars – a mix of real and concept vehicles split into four classes – each of which has been remodelled by developer Polyphonic Digital since Gran Turismo 6.He also described it as "the most innovative GT since the original".Other features talked about at the event include a redesigned museum mode for showcasing vehicle models, the ability to create custom car decals for the first time in the series, an improved photo mode called "Scapes" that supports 4K images, and a smartphone companion app.A livestream to be held at 6:30pm BST will reveal the first gameplay from GT Sport.GT Sport was announced during a Sony press conference held at Paris Games Week in October 2015.
In yet another story about car manufacturer errors in mileage testing.The company also said that only cars sold in Japan used the improper road tests.The firm asserts that even with the wrong tests, the original mileage ratings weren t incorrect, and claims that it didn t cheat on fuel consumption statements.After the recent Mitsubishi Motors admission that it had cheated on mileage numbers for years for at least four of its smallest cars, the Japanese government ordered all car manufacturers in the country to confirm they were testing correctly for fuel consumption.Appearing at the transport ministry, Suzuki Chairman and Chief Executive Osamu Suzuki, president Toshihiro Suzuki, and vice president Osamu Honda bowed in acknowledgement of the error during a press conference.Mitsubishi President Testuro Aikawa, who denies any personal involvement in the fuel misstatements, has announced that while he will stay in office through the investigation of the cheating, he will subsequently resign.
The Segway creator's DEKA Research and Development Corp and the Japanese automaker said this weekend in a joint press conference at the Paralyzed Veterans of America Convention that they would be teaming up to develop the stair-climbing wheelchair."Our company is very focused on mobility solutions for all people," Toyota North America EVP and chief administrative officer Osamu Nagata said in announcing the partnership."We realize that it is important to help older adults and people with special needs live well and continue to contribute their talents and experience to the world."The iBot had originally been developed in the 1990s and was introduced as a more agile and capable alternative to the wheelchair, most notably for its ability to climb stairs.DEKA, meanwhile, will use the proceeds to help fund the revival and continued development of the iBot, which at the time it was discontinued carried a retail price of $25,000.No word was given on when the revived iBot wheelchairs are due to return to the market.
Peter Eriksson becomes residential and digitization Minister. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Stefan Löfven presented three new ministers. Digitization pipes opportunities for Swedish companies to remain competitive, said Peter Eriksson during the press conference. However, he focused mainly on housing issues during his short speech. I am humbled and proud to lead this important work in the coming years, said the newly appointed minister. Read more: Sweden live on the old digital credentials
MP-veteran Peter Eriksson will be the first digitization minister. When Prime Minister Stefan Löfven at a press conference on Wednesday morning announced his cabinet reshuffle, it was clear that Sweden gets new ministers. Crucial for creating jobs in Sweden is to start housing construction, said Stefan Löfven at the press briefing. Peter Eriksson thus have the main responsibility for managing the digitization, but not for the digitization of the public sector. Anna-Karin Hatt C 2010 was Sweden's first IT Minister, an area previously included in the area of infrastructure. He was relieved of the responsibility for trade matters, which is taken over by the new Trade Minister Ann Linde, former Secretary of the Interior Minister Anders Ygeman.
But both offer some interesting justifications for their existence: Since the $349 Xbox One is the lowest-priced living room product that Microsoft is currently selling, there s certainly room for lower-cost options.Microsoft s shown that capability on conventional Intel Core-based PCs, though, which are far more powerful than the embedded processors found in media streaming sticks.Sams, as well as Tom Warren at The Verge, speculate that a second, Roku-like device could also debut, providing the ability to play some UWP games from the Windows Store.Besides PCs and the Xbox One, however, Microsoft offers no inexpensive way beyond picking up an older Xbox 360 to rent Microsoft-provided movies and TV shows—still, with a dearth of original content, consumers can easily find those shows anywhere else.Comcast s X1 cable box has an amazingly accurate voice search capability, and the Roku 3 offers one as well.Microsoft will hold its E3 press conference on June 13, where we ll finally find out what it has up its sleeve.
That s a loss for Intel, as Lambert was managing director of Intel Capital s Software and Services Fund as well as the Intel Capital Diversity Fund.Last June, Lambert was the executive who announced the Intel Capital Diversity Fund in a press conference that included Intel CEO Brian Krzanich.We ve asked Intel for a comment.Lambert has 16 years of venture experience, and she was associated with investments that yielded seven initial public offerings and 30 acquisitions, Westly Group said.Westly Group is focused on investments related to sustainability.Lambert will focus on investing in high growth software, Internet and Internet of Things companies for the Westly Group.Lambert serves on the board of directors for Silkroad Technology, Brit Co, and Mark One and is a board observer for Urban Airship, Kaltura, and Fonality.She is also on the board of directors for the National Venture Capital Association NVCA .Lambert has invested in and helped grow some of Silicon Valley s biggest technology successes including: VMware IPO , MySQL acquired by Sun Microsystems , Endeca acquired by Oracle , DATAllegro acquired by Microsoft , JBoss acquired by Red Hat , Joulex acquired by Cisco , X 1 acquired by Rocket Fuel , TOA Technologies acquired by Oracle , and Nexmo acquired by Vonage .We are delighted to have someone of Lisa s caliber join our firm , said Steve Westly, in a statement.It s no surprise that someone who was once a Division I college athlete and team captain, has become one of the best coaches for young start-ups in Silicon Valley.
A new trailer for Ubisoft s Ghost Recon Wildlands has been released, shedding new light on the game that closed out the company s E3 2015 press conference.The trailer gives the game a very Mad Max meets Just Cause meets The Division vibe, as we see a squad of soldiers walking, driving and flying across different terrains, before seeing the action really kick off in a series of different enemy strongholds.There is still no official release date for Wildlands, but the game is set to launch on PS4, Xbox One and PC.The trailer reveals that people who pre-order the game from Uplay will get a bonus in-game mission.With E3 2016 right around the corner, we can expect to see much more from the game during Ubisoft s press conference.Let us know in the comments.


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Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle company Goop has linked with everyone from Stella McCartney to Michael Kors on exclusive merchandise, and its latest tie-up comes with LeCatch blogger and former Lucky editor Marlien Rentmeester. The Marmy army jacket, which Rentmeester unveiled for a Clare V. collaboration, has gotten a holiday upgrade for Goop with the addition of a removable faux-fur stole and cuffs. The piece, which retails for $595, will launch on Goop.com Dec. 14 and is also available at the Goop Lab store in the Brentwood Country Mart.
“I don’t think my wardrobe could survive without an army jacket. They’re just so versatile,” said Rentmeester, who is often seen about town wearing hers over a cocktail dress. “My goal with Goop was to design the all-time, most sophisticated army jacket, one that’s polished, luxe and eternally chic. It goes beyond the basic by essentially being three jackets in one flattering one-size-fits-all piece. The detachable, ribbon-trimmed stole was inspired by Jon Snow’s lush fur capes on ‘Game of Thrones.’ I wanted it to look warm and extravagant, something that I could throw over a dress or a cozy sweater and look ‘done.’ The fur arm trim is also removable, which allows the jacket to be worn during warmer months.”
Considering it was 80-plus degrees in Los Angeles this week, seasonal versatility is a must. On Tuesday night, Rentmeester and Goop Lab hosted a cocktail party that drew designer Mary Alice Haney and neighboring retailer Jenny Belushi, among others. LeCatch last year partnered with Haney on a limited-edition minidress, and Rentmeester said she’s planning more seasonal collaborations as she expands her web site. In addition to buying the Marmy jacket, guests perused Goop’s other apparel offerings, including its Italy-made line, Goop Label, which launched in September 2016 with monthly drops of elevated classics.


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The internet of things will undoubtedly lead to a smarter, more connected future. But if there’s anything acting as a threat to this future, it’s the security of the IoT network.
Warren Buffet recently said that cyber attacks are the number one threat facing mankind – far greater than nuclear weapons. While Buffet may not be a cybersecurity expert, his statement isn’t without logic.
Data breaches are occurring more often and costing businesses and consumers billions of dollars every year. Most businesses don’t even discover their data breaches until more than six months have passed. By that time, 90 percent of hackers would have already covered their tracks through encryption.
Are you surprised by the rise in cybercrime? My guess is probably not.
Data acts as the window to our personal lives – making it extremely valuable. Phones, tablets, laptops, smart watches, and more are reservoirs of sensitive data. Through our internet-connected devices, we generate roughly 2.5 quintillion bytes of data every day. As more devices come online, this number is expected to skyrocket.
So, while the internet of things will present new and exciting opportunities, its rapid growth will give way to various cybersecurity issues.
IoT security challenges
One of the more obvious challenges is keeping up with the production of IoT devices. There are more of these devices in use today than there are people in the world, but this number doesn’t even come close to what’s expected by 2020.
Research from GSMA Intelligence estimates there will be at least 20 billion IoT devices up-and-running over the next few years. As 5G mobile networks come online, this number could easily increase.
The math isn’t hard. More devices equal more opportunities for cybercriminals to attack. When these devices become connected within an IoT network, a single vulnerability could lead to thousands of compromised devices – and there are instances in which this has already happened.
Larger and more frequent botnets
A botnet can send spam, steal data, and allow remote access to devices without the owner’s knowledge. One botnet, Mirai, did so by scanning the internet for open telnet ports – a protocol giving access to other devices within the same network.
The 2016 Mirai botnet was powered by 61 default usernames and passwords. You can see the list of these login credentials below, complimentary of CSO.
Once Mirai identified an open port, it would apply these usernames and passwords in an attempt to access and cease control of a device. This tactic is called brute-force and is comparable to someone trying to guess your smartphone’s four-digit passcode.
In just a few days, nearly 400,000 IoT devices were compromised.
The Mirai botnet revealed just how easy it was to brute-force into IoT devices, which was possible due to this next major contributor to cybersecurity issues.
Default passwords have become common
If you’re thinking the Mirai botnet was an isolated incident, just know that default passwords are actually quite common amongst newer IoT devices. As a matter of fact, Positive Technologies states that only five sets of default passwords can be used to invade roughly 10 percent of today’s IoT devices.
For those who are curious, the five passwords are:
admin – Accounting for 36.5 percent of default logins
The default passwords above are so painfully obvious that even the least-tech-savvy users could probably guess a login within 30 minutes.
With weak out-of-box security features, users are expected to take security measures into their own hands. Unfortunately, about 15 percent of all IoT device owners fail to change default passwords – leaving their devices open for attacks.
Even more troubling are devices with hard-coded passwords that cannot be changed by the user. Ben-Gurion researchers experimented with off-the-shelf IoT devices containing hard-coded passwords and were able to brute-force in them within minutes.
“Using these devices in our lab, we were able to play loud music through a baby monitor, turn off a thermostat and turn on a camera remotely, much to the concern of our researchers who themselves use these products.” – Professor Yosi Oren
So, what’s the purpose of default passwords? Manufacturers are both trying to meet the high demand for new IoT devices and reduce the time it takes a consumer to set up their device. But is this worth the security risk?
New devices with outdated hardware
Default passwords are only one of two reasons why so many IoT devices today are poorly equipped for future cybersecurity challenges. The second is that the hardware within these devices doesn’t exactly age well.
In its most basic form, an IoT device is really just a “thing” giving off data through microtechnology, sensors, actuators, or other hardware elements. While the software within these devices can be updated and patched, its hardware has physical limits.
Outdated hardware poses an obvious security threat. In 2017, the FDA recalled approximately 465,000 pacemakers due to IoT security concerns. The embedded hardware contained security loopholes that could have allowed the pacemaker to be remotely controlled by hackers.
While this may have been one of the more prominent security threats, it shows just how vulnerable some of these devices are.
Fortunately, the semiconductor industry, which consists of companies that develop things like microchips and processors, is expected to grow exponentially. By 2020, an estimated $34 billion will be spent toward new-and-improved IoT semiconductors – with a focus on hardware security.
The growth of big data
From consumer electronics to manufacturing, IoT devices generate massive amounts of data. This rapid expansion of the digital universe is referred to as big data.
There’s already more data on-hand than we can keep up with. By 2025, an estimated 163 zettabytes, or 163 trillion gigabytes, of data will have been generated. A bulk of this data is expected to come from IoT devices.
Big data isn’t inherently a cybersecurity issue. When applied correctly, big data can aide marketers with more targeted campaigns, help environmentalists see future sustainability, help healthcare professionals predict epidemics, and much more.
Instead, the way big data is managed by companies can pose a security threat. As a matter of fact, over 95 percent of U.S. consumers stated they were concerned with having their personal data in the hands of companies.
With IoT devices exposing more varieties of personal data and data breaches occurring more often, it’s understandable why consumers have grown uneasy.
Securing the IoT
Just like big data, the internet of things will continue to grow and thousands (sometimes millions) of devices will interact with each other over massive networks.
Soon, things like smart cities, autonomous cars, delivery drones, and other farfetched concepts will work in-sync – changing our everyday lives. It’s for this reason why securing devices within the IoT network has become a top priority.
Businesses that rely on the internet of things for future success can turn to IoT management software to safeguard their devices.
For example, equipment failure in an industrial sector like manufacturing, mining, or oil can be extremely time-consuming and costly for a business. With IoT management, sensors embedded within equipment can send alerts regarding poor health or signal a hot-fix – meaning the device requires updating.
Resolving device issues remotely (whether software or hardware-related) has become an increasingly popular way for businesses to manage their IoT environments.
For consumers still using “1234” as their IoT device passwords, it’s probably best to go back and change it to something a bit harder to guess. Until the security of these devices become more robust, most cybersecurity experts recommend taking your own measures.
Interested in learning more about cybersecurity? We compiled the top cybersecurity trends to look out for in 2019.
Devin is a former Content Marketing Specialist at G2, who wrote about data, analytics, and digital marketing. Prior to G2, he helped scale early-stage startups out of Chicago's booming tech scene. Outside of work, he enjoys watching his beloved Cubs, playing baseball, and gaming. (he/him/his)


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Latest Covid limitations in China have dealt a further setback to cosmetics large Estee Lauder as it tries to emerge from a pandemic slowdown.
The proprietor of Clinique and Bobbi Brown minimize its revenue forecast virtually in 50 percent for the 12 months to July, citing weeks-extensive shutdowns that stopped it from transport products in China.
It now expects total progress of just 7% to 9%, down from as a lot as 16%.
Executives said it marked a temporary hit to a broader “makeup renaissance”.
The beauty market has been doing the job to get well from the pandemic, which prompted a prolonged shift to much more nominal magnificence routines.
Estee Lauder said that outside of China, consumers are getting makeup and fragrance once again, spurred by returns to the place of work, greater restaurant eating and an uptick in parties.
Product sales in the Americas in the January-March period of time jumped 15% calendar year-on-yr, although in Europe, the Middle East & Africa they attained 17%. The Uk led growth in Europe, as in-human being browsing rebounded.
Potential buyers are in a temper to pamper on their own, with status skincare traces these types of as La Mer escalating primarily rapid, stated chief government Fabrizio Freda.
The company’s fragrance business enterprise has also been booming, with sales up 31% in the quarter, as opposed to the prior 12 months.
But constraints in China – which generally accounts for extra than a 3rd of the Estee Lauder’s business enterprise – weighed on its effects, dragging down the firm’s income in the Asia Pacific location by 4%.
When on line need remained potent, gross sales at bricks and mortar shops dropped precipitously and logistics were being seriously disrupted.
For the very last 15 times of March, the agency was not able to ship any orders due to the shutdowns in Shanghai, its distribution hub, executives reported.
They explained they did not anticipate the logistics hurdles to relieve until mid-May possibly at the earliest.
“It is not about client desire,” Mr Freda. ” It is really about obtain to customers.”
“Of course that is non permanent,” he included.
General gross sales at Estee Lauder rose much less than predicted, up just 10% to $4.25bn compared to the similar interval very last year. Earnings have been $558m, up much more than 20%.
Shares sank far more than 5% next the effects.
Whilst the attractiveness business proceeds to deal with worries from the pandemic, its profits have been lifted as individuals choose for extra expensive goods – even with using makeup and washing hair fewer usually, according to investigation business Kantar.
Estee Lauder rival L’Oreal explained very last thirty day period that income rose 19% in the 1st 3 months of the yr, when compared to 2021 – in advance of analyst anticipations.
It explained purchasing behaviour experienced been unaffected by inflation.
Estee Lauder has previously improved selling prices and expects to do so once again in July, executives stated.


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“I had a lady message me and ask if I was running any deals, and I really can’t afford to,” Fountain said. “Everything is already priced as low as I can.”
Rumors also chose to abstain from Black Friday sales this year, instead offering a $1 sidewalk sale with all proceeds going to the LGBT Center of Raleigh in addition to their normal prices.
Longyear started the Small Business Saturday market after the success of Jaws Fest, a punk rock flea market held over Memorial Day Weekend that started three years ago in Chapel Hill.
She said the market is good for small vendors because they do not have to pay to set up a table. The market also allows customers to meet the designers of the products, which Longyear said can help increase sales.
Shops of all kinds participated in this year’s market. While some owners run their businesses full-time, others sell their products in addition to being a student or working other jobs.
After running Porch Opossum Art Experiments for nearly five years, Fountain recently transitioned to making upcycled tie-dye and other art full-time. She said though it is difficult at times, she is happy with her decision.
“I absolutely love it,” Fountain said. “I can do what’s important to me at that time. I can have control over the process and the environmental impact of what I’m doing.”
Tessa McGuire, a 17-year-old high school student at Eno River Academy, said she began making her own earrings as a hobby. She now runs Honeybee Designs and sells her jewelry at Rumors and on Depop, an online marketplace.
McGuire used the Saturday market to introduce her new line of polymer clay earrings, hoping to gauge customers’ interest in the new designs.
Similarly, Gina Kowalski said she opened Damn! Gina after making macrame jewelry to relieve stress. She said she had high hopes for the market, which was her first, and she was eager to meet other vendors.
“There is so much creativity and intelligence and passion in Carrboro,” Kowalski said.
Though it can be difficult to succeed as a small business owner, Longyear said Chapel Hill and Carrboro provide small businesses with space to thrive.
“Not trying to be like the mall retailers is a good thing,” Longyear said. “This community is very supportive of small business.”


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Buy this article as PDF
New release targets Linux professionals.
The Fedora project adds Wayland and Gnome 3.22
CeBIT 2017: Open Source Forum Call for Papers
Long-time Linux antagonist joins the revolution.
Major bug affects Debian/Ubuntu distributions.
Canonical releases the minimal edition for embedded devices, Internet of Things, and cloud deployments.
The new release features improvements across the board, from performance to security.
Two out of three of the new members are women.
More than 5,000 people attended the event.
Linux Magazine will include the best of both magazines.


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When the heads of General Motors gm, Chrysler and Ford Motor f and their major union go to Capitol Hill on Tuesday, they will try to convince lawmakers that if the Big Three automakers go under, the fragile U.S. economy will be dealt a blow far costlier than the $25 billion in aid the companies want.
There's no question the automakers are in dire straits. Without federal aid, or a sales rebound that no one is forecasting soon, at least one of them could have to file for bankruptcy protection. GM has said it's just a quarter or two away from running out of cash. It told dealers it will delay their reimbursement for rebates and incentives due next week, a sign cash flow problems are deepening.
Congress is considering aid for automakers during a special, lame-duck session. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., on Monday introduced a bill to amend the $700 billion financial rescue package to mark $25 billion for loans for automakers and their suppliers.
CEOs Rick Wagoner of GM, Alan Mulally of Ford and Robert Nardelli of Chrysler — as well as United Auto Workers union President Ron Gettelfinger — will make their case Tuesday before the Senate Banking Committee, with a similar session set for Wednesday in the House.
The question legislators, pundits, lobbyists and taxpayers are asking is: If we let these guys fail, how bad will it really be for the economy?
Critics say Detroit created its own problems by relying too much on trucks and SUVs and cite a healthier foreign auto industry operating mostly in Southern states that isn't seeking a taxpayer bailout. But even Toyota said this weekend that it fears the impact on the parts suppliers it uses if the USA's domestic auto industry collapses.
Moody's Economy.com chief economist Mark Zandi estimates that 2.6 million jobs — about 1.9% of the U.S. workforce — would be lost if GM, Chrysler and Ford were to go under.
That includes more than 255,000 people directly tied to the three companies and an additional 2.3 million whose jobs are indirectly dependent — everything from people who work in the steel, glass, fabric, tire and electronic industries to the barista who makes $4 cappuccinos for the ad executive who'll be out of work when his auto industry business ceases to exist.
Zandi argues the economy is too weak to absorb the fallout from an auto industry crisis.
"We are in a very fragile state. This could be the thing to push us over," he says. "The ripple effect is like throwing a big boulder into the economic pond."
The auto industry is woven into the roots of the U.S. economy, through its dealer networks, the advertising it buys in newspapers and local TV and radio stations, the health care it buys for its workers and their families and the retirees it supports who are scattered across states well beyond the Midwest, where the domestic auto industry is based.
Advocates of a bailout argue that if one of the Big Three fails, it could take down an entire supply chain that cuts a wide swath from Wisconsin to Ontario, Canada, and south from Florida to Texas. As Toyota officials pointed out, that would affect all companies making vehicles in the USA.
The impact of the industry woes already is being felt beyond Detroit. Saturday, a Chrysler-Dodge dealership in Brattleboro, Vt., closed after 20 years, citing slumping sales. It became one of the projected 700 dealers nationwide expected to have closed by the end of this year.
Major ad agencies and local media from New York to New Mexico are seeing revenue dry up because automakers and dealers are spending less.
Suppliers in North Carolina, host to roughly one-quarter of the parts-manufacturing base for the auto industry, are declaring bankruptcy at an alarming rate.
"It's really a national impact across the service sector, as well as the manufacturing sector," says John Paul MacDuffie, co-director of the International Motor Vehicle Program at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
The ripple effect of an industry collapse could cause further deterioration in consumer confidence and unemployment, says Lyle Gramley, a former Federal Reserve Board governor who is senior economic adviser at the Stanford Group.
"As a general principle, I don't think that bailing out individual companies is a good idea. Under present circumstances, you're looking at an economy in a steep fall already," says Gramley, who, as a member of the Council of Economic Advisers, opposed Chrysler's bailout in 1979.
However, he says, "You have to contemplate the possibility of 1 million employees losing their jobs and the entire industry at risk" if an automaker were to fail.
'Very difficult judgments'
Comerica Bank chief economist Dana Johnson says there are "very difficult judgments" for lawmakers to make about the impact an auto industry failure would have on the economy.
If one or more of the companies were to go under, the U.S. government would be on the hook for unemployment benefits, retraining and pension obligations, while receiving less in taxes, he says.
"There are roughly two parts producers for every employee at the car companies, and there are a lot of vendors — steel producers, paint producers, glass producers, business services, accounting, advertising," Johnson says. "There's no question that it is an important industry, that there are linkages to employment elsewhere."
Zandi and many other economists argue there is a better way to aid the auto sector than to bail it out. There is growing support for letting the companies go into bankruptcy, using federal funds to guarantee bank financing.
That would allow the automakers to restructure, including tearing up old labor contracts and reducing their sizes. Government support could give consumers confidence that the car companies would exist after bankruptcy, soothing worries about car warranties and availability of replacement parts.
"Like the airlines, I think they should go into Chapter 11 bankruptcy … and start with a clean slate," says Michael Cusumano, a professor at MIT's Sloan School of Management who has written two books on the auto industry. He says any reorganization should replace management.
In bankruptcy, there still would be layoffs. "But that will happen in an orderly way," Zandi says. "It won't be millions, or hundreds of thousands, but it would be tens of thousands over a period of time."
Allowing the companies to go into bankruptcy also signals to other industries that the government isn't in the business of easy handouts. And many economists say they don't buy claims by auto industry officials that if the companies go into bankruptcy, the U.S. industry would die.
"When we talk about bankruptcy, we're not talking about them disappearing," Macroeconomic Advisers President Chris Varvares says. "Maybe three become two, and the two are both leaner and meaner."
There are two auto industries in the USA. The first one, based in and around Detroit, is GM, Ford and Chrysler. The second is sprinkled around the Southeast and includes foreign automakers Toyota, Honda, Subaru, Nissan, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
Parts suppliers spread out between them "like pearls on a necklace" along the highways connecting the South and the Midwest, says Thomas Klier, senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
Suppliers in the past tended to focus on one customer, but now almost all have overlapping customer bases. That's why Toyota worries about the Big Three. About 75% of Toyota's suppliers here are North American firms that also make parts for Detroit.
"We are concerned with the industry in general, but we're mostly concerned about our suppliers," Toyota spokesman Mike Goss says. "If the worst happens in Detroit and these companies suffer, we're worried about their longevity as well."
And if the supply chain falls apart, Goss says, it could stop production at Toyota's plants, too.
Brian Sanderoff is the president of a New Mexico polling group that does a lot of political work. That meant watching a lot of TV before the presidential election. One of the main things he noticed was a lack of auto ads.
"When one watched the local news in the evening, they used to be filled with car dealer ads," Sanderoff says. "Now, those have been cut back significantly."
In 2007, automakers and their dealers spent more than $17 billion on TV, magazine, Internet, newspaper and billboard advertising, according to TNS Media Intelligence. This year, that's on track to fall at least 17%.
"The auto category obviously has hurt our local television stations quite a bit," CBS CEO Leslie Moonves says.
Banking, an industry battered and bruised already, is at further risk if the auto industry falls apart. In 2007, banks lent $77.1 billion to the auto sector, up 47% from 2000, according to Thomson Reuters.
Yet even if auto companies go into bankruptcy, that doesn't mean the loans held by banks will default, says Joshua Rosner, managing director at investment research firm Graham Fisher.
Automakers say that if they collapse, banks will go down, too. Joe Belew, president of the Consumer Bankers Association, calls that argument "a little hysterical." He says, "The economy is in extremely fragile shape." But "it's a little extreme to say this will pull the banking industry down."
The domestic auto industry supports nearly 800,000 retirees and spouses with pensions and, until recently, health care for everyone. Now, that's being cut back for white-collar retirees, but if the automakers file for bankruptcy, they could shed their pension costs and force the government to pick up the tab.
Most of the Big Three's big plants are in the Midwest, but there are retiree groups for each in Florida, Arizona, Alabama, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana and Tennessee.
John McAlpine, president of a GM retiree club in Phoenix with about 250 members, says retirees have been writing letters and calling lawmakers, urging them to help bail out the auto industry.
"We would hope that they would help, because the domino effect on the number of people involved" would be huge, McAlpine says. "It's not just the people who work at GM or Chrysler or Ford, it's all the suppliers, the subsuppliers, all the people involved in the industry."


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Getting you up to speed with all the latest in the Catching up.
Gold rush/Brexit woes/Android double clampdown/GDPR cookie consent/Secret Instagram profiling/Scared Sundance.
The next gold rush…
San Fran-based investment firm SparkLabs Global Ventures has published an article about the new “gold rush” for cultivated data (such as ERP data). It highlights the fact that many industries are only just beginning to understand the importance of obtaining actionable customer insights. With Fortune 1000 companies more willing to pay for cultivated data, it is now becoming appropriately valued and even key to a company’s success. The article also points out that with the lack of AI experts on the market, analytics platforms today not only need to give users access to data that is both relevant and actionable but that also empowers them to become their own data scientists. Data that is accessible to everyone is the future and “the time to mine it for insights and prosperity is now”.
Brexit and data flows
With Brexit looming, companies are being advised to prepare for a no-deal scenario. Many DPOs will therefore be looking for alternative ways to legally transfer data once Britain leaves the EU. One of the safeguards companies can use to transfer data in compliance with the GDPR is Standard Contract Clauses (SCCs), as recommended by the UK ICO. SCCs are standard sets of contractual terms and conditions which the sender and the receiver of the personal data both sign up to. They include contractual obligations which help to protect personal data when it leaves the EU and the protection of the GDPR.
However, companies relying on SCCs may have cause for concern with upcoming cases challenging their legality of SCCs in the European Court of Justice. Repeated hearings in the past have shown the extent to which US authorities (i.e. surveillance agencies) engage in the mass processing of European’s data and have questioned whether SCCs provide enough protection. While multinational companies will surely take advantage of (costly and time-consuming) Binding Corporate Rules, SMEs who currently rely on SCCs are being advised to stay up to date with the latest information and see how the Brexit saga rolls out in a few weeks.
Android under fire
Google has been once again been accused of abusing its dominant position on Android by placing its default search engine on it. German ‘ethical’ search engine Ecosia has charged Google with artificially limiting user options with unethical, anti-competitive and damaging monopolistic behaviour. Google announced in early August that it will hold an auction to allow alternative search engines to become the default providers on mobile devices in Europe from 2020. This means that all users who set up a new Android device, or factory reset their existing device, will see a choice screen asking them to choose which search engine they want to use as a default – essentially making Google’s competitors pay at auction for each installation of a non-Google search engine. Following on from its $5 billion fine in 2018 by European Union regulators, this is more smooth work from the tech giant…
Android pay-out for 28 million French users?
Google is also in the limelight in France once again, this time by consumer rights group UFC-Que Choisir, accused of “drowning consumers in endless confidentiality rules”. A first of its kind for both France and Europe, this compensation claim could mean that 28 million Android users in the country are eligible for up to €1000 each. The group’s president, Alain Bazot points out that your phone geolocates you 340 times a day even when you’re not using any of Google’s services, which constitutes a genuine “invasion of privacy”. He also advocates pursuing more class action lawsuits against the major tech companies, calling Google’s €50 million CNIL fine a mere ‘mosquito bite’ out of its $36.3 billion revenue from last year.
GDPR cookie-consent pop-ups: “meaningless and manipulative”
A recent study has flagged up the dubious nature of the GDPR cookie-consent notices that bombard users on a daily basis. In a paper entitled (Un)informed Consent: Studying GDPR Consent Notices in the Field,co-authored by academics at Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany, and the University of Michigan in the US, researchers gathered 1000’s of online cookie notices and looked at the range of cookie consent mechanisms in place. It turns out that many use subversive techniques to obtain consent and that “the vast majority of cookie consent notices are not compliant with European privacy law” – who would have guessed?
Instagram ad partner’s secret user-tracking
Instagram ad partner Hyp3r reportedly collected and stored location and other data secretly on millions of users. Hyp3r is a location-based marketing platform that allows advertisers to target users attending specific events. Listed until recently in the official Facebook Marketing Partners directory, the company was taking advantage of Instagram’s Location pages to collect and save personal account stories and build detailed shadow user-profiles. The fact that Facebook allowed such a blatant violation of the prohibition against automated data collection to carry on for so long remains a mystery.
How to terrify Sundance audiences
On a lighter note (!!!), The Great Hack caused quite a stir at the Sundance festival this year. Labelled as “one of 2019’s best horror films” the film looks into Cambridge Analytica, election rigging and how our data has become weaponised. Here’s an in-depth article by data-privacy crusader Carole Cadwalladr who also features heavily in the film. 1984-style mass data manipulation and global brainwashing – what better way to round off the summer holidays?
See you next time on the Internets!
Credits: Netflix.com 2019