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Interestingly, though, people tend to spend less on so-called sin industries like alcohol and cigarettes during recessions. The reason, some experts say, is not that people stop indulging during lousy times, but that they cut back some or downgrade the quality of their favorite vice.
For example, the National Restaurant Association reported that wine sales "by the glass" rose sharply as whole bottle sales slumped in 2008. And the Beer Institute said that beer sales in restaurants dropped in 2008, while wholesale beer sales from cheaper stores went up [source: Cohn].
While Vegas claims that its casinos have only seen a drop in revenues once since 1970 (9/11), other sources assert that gambling certainly suffers during a recession. The real payday for casinos is when the economy is hot and everyone is feeling lucky [source: Beattie].
Porn used to be the classic recession-proof industry, but developments in technology have left the sector "exposed" to tons of free online content [source: Shiffman].


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Fitness: Did you hear?…
'Queer Eye' gives Cybex priceless plug, study shows upbeat music means better workout, Life Fitness' Gibbons leaves company, adidas-Salomon reports 3Q sales, Copeland Sport plans SF Bay Area store, Sport Chalet 3Q up 9.8%, CI releases show numbers, plus much more...
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>> Not that SNEWS watches such trendy programs as “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.” Naaaah. But if you saw the one about the guy who lost 100 pounds and was getting a TV makeover, you’ll see the Fab 5 take him to the New York Sports Club, discuss some workout components with a rather dull trainer, then watch him do some assisted pull-ups on a Cybex piece. Boy, exposure you couldn’t buy — a pan across the back of the piece with the big bold words CYBEX across the middle of the screen. Wonder how many viewers saw that?
>> Something for equipment manufacturers to pay attention to are the results of a recent study by researchers at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. The study found that if you listen to up-tempo music OF YOUR OWN CHOOSING, you get a better workout. On a stationary bike workout used in the study, for example, subjects pedaled faster, produced more power output, and their hearts beat faster with their own fast-paced beat than when they listened to slow-tempo music or sounds that had no tempo. “People are going to work about 5 percent to 15 percent harder when they are listening to up-tempo music,” said lead author John Porcari, a UW-La Crosse professor of exercise and sports science. “It shifts their focus. They are caught up in the music, and they work harder.” Here’s the conundrum, however: In gyms and other workout settings, you may not get to choose your own music. You have to listen to what’s piped in, what a teacher chooses and likes, or perhaps the beat of the class in the next room makes it impossible to hear your own tunes on a headset anyway. That’s where it seems equipment like bikes and treadmills that allow a user to easily be enveloped in his or her own choice of music may actually encourage a workout and make it more effective. For the study, 20 graduate student volunteers were told to produce their own list of 13 songs ranging from slow to fast tempo. Using MP3 players, the researchers mixed the selections with the “no tempo” sounds of waves crashing. The volunteers then were told to ride exercise bikes for an hour while they listened to the selections with headphones. Their average heart rates increased with the tempo of the music: 133 beats per minute for no tempo; 140 bpm for slow tempo; and 146 bpm for medium and fast tempo. Power output on the bikes as measured in watts also increased: 111 watts for no tempo; 121 for slow; 127 for medium; and 130 for fast. The study was presented at the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation annual meeting. Note: Watching television seems to work in the opposite manner. A 1996 study of a small group of women found they worked out about 5 percent harder when they weren’t watching TV than when they were.
>> Life Fitness Vice President for Business Development and Strategic Planning Dave Gibbons has left the company, effective Nov. 4. According to the company, he left “to pursue other business interests.” He was responsible for new business development, implementation of the company’s long-term strategic plan and market research. He also led commercial and consumer product management on a global basis, including all cardiovascular, strength training, flexibility and Pilates products. “For the past three years, Dave has played an integral role as part of the company’s senior management team. We appreciate his contributions and wish him well in his future endeavors,” the company told us. Steve Lenz, vice president of engineering, will take over some of the duties on an interim basis to keep product development on track. Life Fitness has said it will have a new structure in place by early 2004.
>> Tom Ouren has left Hoist Fitness, where he was the longtime central regional sales manager, to head up the commercial sales division at Fitness HQ. “It’s going to be hard to replace him,” said a Hoist spokesman about the amicable departure last week.
>> GERMANY — adidas-Salomon has reported currency-neutral sales for the group in the third quarter grew 6 percent. On a reported basis, however, third quarter sales were slightly lower than the level achieved in 2002. During the first nine months, sales increased 7 percent on a currency-neutral basis. This represents a decline of 2 percent in reported terms from Euro 5.0 billion in 2002 to Euro 4.9 billion in 2003. Sales were driven mostly by growth in Europe, Asia and Latin America. In addition, gross margin increased by 0.7 points to 44.1 percent, while operating margin was up 0.9 points to 9.1 percent. The company has also announced some personnel changes: Karl-Heinz Maurath, currently head of Area Nordic within adidas Region Europe, will take over the position of head of adidas Region Latin America as of Dec. 15. Patrik Nilsson, currently head of adidas Global Sport Heritage Division, will succeed Karl-Heinz Maurath as head of Area Nordic as of Dec. 1. Nilsson’s role in the Sport Heritage Division will be assumed by Hermann Deininger, currently adidas head of Global Strategic Business Development. Lionel Ortega, currently head of Region Latin America, will leave adidas in order to pursue new personal challenges. For more information about this company or its financial reports, as well as to view stock prices updated every 15 minutes, visit the SNEWS® Stock Market Updates. Click on: www.outsidebusinessjournal.com/cgi-bin/snews/stock_report.html.
>> Copeland Sports will open another store in the San Francisco Bay Area this weekend that will be built around “7 Performance Shops in One,” as the company called it. The layout takes equipment, accessories, footwear and apparel and features them in seven distinct performance shops: athletics, fitness, outdoor, golf, cycling, women’s and skateboard/snowboard. The 37,000-square-foot store will also offer services and programs such as bike repair, professional golf instruction, home delivery, team discounts, ski rental, and home gym design and layout advice. The store will be in El Cerrito.
>> Town Sports International has announced for the quarter ended Sept. 30 that revenues were $86.7 million, an increase of $5.5 million, or 6.7 percent over the same quarter of 2002. During the quarter, revenue at TSI’s mature clubs (those in operation for 24 months or longer) decreased by $344,000 or 0.5 percent. During the quarter, same club revenue at clubs opened over 12 months increased 2.2 percent. Operating income for the quarter was $10.9 million compared to $9.8 million in the third quarter of 2002, while net interest expense increased to $6.6 million from $4.1 million. The company recorded net income for the quarter of $2.3 million compared to net income of $2.8 million for the comparable period in the prior year. The company’s EBITDA increased by 12.4 percent to $19.7 million from $17.5 million in last year’s quarter. EBITDA margin improved to 22.7 percent in the quarter ended from 21.5 percent in 2002. Town Sports owns and operates 129 health clubs in major cities from Washington, D.C., through New England.
>>The Sears American Dream Campaign (SADC) is partnering with Kids in Distressed Situations (K.I.D.S.), United Way of America and local United Way organizations serving fire-ravaged California communities to aid families impacted by the recent wildfires. SADC will donate family apparel valued at nearly $1 million that will be distributed to families most affected. The merchandise is currently being shipped into impacted areas and will be distributed as soon as receiving and sorting have been completed. Sears (NYSE: S) is also providing local United Ways with more than $40,000 in Sears Gift Cards to help impacted families purchase items needed to re-outfit their homes and families. Additionally, Sears Portrait Studios is set to help families in impacted communities replace cherished photographs. Sears Portrait Studios generally archives film for six months. Families who have had a recent sitting and whose film is still being archived may order free replacement photographs.
>> Sport Chalet Inc. (Nasdaq: SPCH) has announced that sales for its second quarter ended Sept. 30 increased from $56.3 million last year to $61.8 million this year, a 9.8 percent increase. The increase is the result of opening two stores in late November 2002, aided by a same store sales increase of 3.7 percent. The gross profit margin increased to 29.9 percent, compared to 29.8 percent in the second quarter of last year, as a result of the company’s continued focus on inventory management which yielded lower markdowns. Selling, general and administrative expenses, as a percentage of sales, decreased from 25.5 percent for the three months the same quarter last year to 25.2 percent for this year’s quarter, primarily a result of higher same store sales. As a result, net income increased 22 percent from $1.4 million, or $0.20 per diluted share, in the second quarter last year to $1.7 million, or $0.25 per diluted share. For more information about this company or its financial reports, as well as to view stock prices updated every 15 minutes, visit the SNEWS® Stock Market Updates. Click on: www.outsidebusinessjournal.com/cgi-bin/snews/stock_report.html.
>> Final Club Industry trade show numbers that are being given out: Attendees, including exhibitors, approximately 7,500; 240 total exhibitors (including approximately a dozen from the concurrent Medical Fitness Association Conference); total square footage 87,650, which is only about 2.6 percent less than last year’s reported 90,000 with 230 booths. SNEWS View: The number of companies was up, while the square footage and total booths were down, indicating further consolidation and economy-driven downsizing. We expect there will be a couple of other independent booths that could be MIA by next year — bought up by other larger companies.
>> Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) reported net sales for the four-week period ending Oct. 31 of $19.066 billion, an increase of 11.8 percent over the $17.051 billion in the similar period in the prior year. Sales for the 39-week period were $182.312 billion, an increase of 11.3 percent over $163.806 billion in the similar period in the prior year. For more information about this company or its financial reports, as well as to view stock prices updated every 15 minutes, visit the SNEWS® Stock Market Updates. Click on: www.outsidebusinessjournal.com/cgi-bin/snews/stock_report.html.
>> One of these days we’ll get to have a week without more distressing obesity news. But that week is not this one: Last week the state of California reported that most of the state’s students are failing fitness tests, with only one in four scoring well enough to be considered fit. Of the 1.3 million fifth-, seventh- and ninth-grade students tested last spring statewide, very few actually passed in all six areas tested. Those areas include cardiovascular endurance, body fat percentage, upper body strength and overall flexibility. The state called the results “discouraging.” SNEWS View: No kidding. And this in the state that has the most opportunities, it seems, both indoors and out. We aren’t only discouraged, we are utterly depressed.

domain: news


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Hindustan Copper falls to daily limit after share sale
Reuters Market Eye - Shares in state-run Hindustan Copper(HCPR.NS) fall 20 percent, to their maximum daily limit for the second day after government's stake sale.
India raised 8.1 billion rupees by selling shares of Hindustan Copper on Friday, kick-starting a stalled divestment programme that is crucial to reining in a ballooning fiscal deficit.
Dealers say spot market prices are inching closer to the weighted average price of 156.56 rupees in the recently concluded offer for sale.
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- India's demands block $1 trillion WTO deal on customs rules
- Disappointment, uncertainty after India blocks WTO trade deal
- Tata Motors bets on new sedan to revive weak India sales
- Panasonic confirms will invest in $5 billion Tesla battery plant
- In cat-and-mouse game, India uncovers new gold smuggling route
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday that India's refusal to sign a global trade deal had sent the wrong signal, and urged New Delhi to work to resolve the row as soon as possible. Full Article
China PMIs jump to multi-month highs in July, add to view economy is steadying Full Article


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| Sep 27, 2013
| 12:30 PM
The rise of designer collaborations is one of the best things to happen to your small yet stylish budget in recent years.
These partnerships are sometimes called high-low collaborations, meaning that a high-fashion designer will create a collection for...
| Jan 25, 2013
It's high season for celebrity fashion watching. "Who are you wearing?" rang out (endlessly) from the red carpet at the recent Golden Globe Awards, and there's more to come in February with the Oscars. This focus on which TV and film stars are wearing...
| Sep 19, 2013
| 5:15 AM
Just as temperatures began to reflect autumn's imminent arrival on the East Coast, designers in New York City showed their visions for spring 2014 during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.
While many of the collections this go-round seemed to focus on safe,...
| Oct 22, 2012
| 4:48 AM
Even though Halloween has become synonymous with "sexy" and "trashy" — heck, there's even a naughty ladies' "Bert & Ernie" ensemble — you have a choice. And you can choose fashion and sophistication.
There are plenty of options that will have...
| Mar 14, 2013
| 9:27 AM
Poor Camila Alves.
First the Brazilian beauty was a model.
Then she became the designer of the Muxo handbag line.
Next she hosted the third season of "Shear Genius" on Bravo-TV.
In between she had three children with hunka-hunka-burning-love...
| Feb 7, 2013
| 5:15 AM
It's the dead of winter, which means that while the rest of us get ready for spring, high fashion is already showing us fall.
Photos from recent shows in Europe left us mostly breathless — except for a disaster from Chanel. From the monochromatic...
| Oct 6, 2012
At Tark's Grill, diners arrive early for a shot at Table 601, with views of the patio scene and the goings-on at the bar. At Hampden's hot new Food Market, regulars have started zeroing in on the two quiet tables by the front window.
And at Kali's Court,...
| Aug 23, 2012
| 4:40 AM
In years past, Sima Blue would never have dreamed of stocking her Green Spring Station boutique with ivory sheath dresses, cream lace blazers and eggshell pleated skirts this late in the season.
But times are changing.
With major designers including...
| Sep 9, 2012
Ricki Lake jumps off the couch and struts across the expansive set of her new talk show in a pair of killer black YSL Trib Toos.
"Divine taught me to walk in high heels," she says. "He said, 'Honey, I'm gonna show you how to walk in those things.' He...
| Apr 13, 2011
| 4:22 PM
Chicago magazine's Sales Check has deets on a new Armitage Avenue boutique: Shortly after moving to Chicago from New York, Kelli Jones, a former executive at L’Atelier Group, a New York fashion showroom featuring designers such as Three Dots and The...
| Oct 24, 2011
| 4:32 PM
Anthony Franco's spring and summer 2012 runway collection show on Oct. 21 kicked off L.A. Fashion Weekend's three-day run at Sunset Gower Studios....


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The mechanics of ad fraud are widely discussed but hard to understand. For the latest in our anonymous Confessions series, we talked to a fraud researcher who does work for brands, agencies and ad tech platforms. The researcher said agencies have perverse incentives when it comes to picking verification firms and a poor understanding of statistical sampling.
Here are excerpts, edited for clarity.
Content-recommendation widgets like Taboola and Outbrain have been getting a lot of criticism since the presidential election for their role in funding misleading and extreme content. Do these widgets also have a role in funding fraud?
Anything on a cost-per-click is a very dangerous model, and they pay publishers who put their widgets on their sites by the click. And these widgets drive more revenue if they are on sites with high click-through rates, and sites with high CTRs are likely to have fraud. So it all creates an environment to support fraud.
GroupM’s chief digital officer Rob Norman recently wrote that the impact of ad fraud is often overestimated. What did you think of this?
It was an attempt to calm the frantic concern on the client side because everywhere else clients are reading, ad fraud is portrayed as a huge and growing problem.
But how do you know whose numbers to believe? Sure, agencies and verification vendors want to tell clients that there is little fraud, but anti-fraud consultants have motivation to make fraud seem like a gigantic problem they can help fix.
Fraud lives in the shadows and does everything it can to not be counted, so estimates are just estimates. It is healthy that we have a wide range of estimates because it shows people’s different perspectives. But what has remained constant is that the prevention is always one step behind.
Since fraudsters are always finding new ways to trip the verification services, are these vendors actually effective?
For sure. But they only help point out where the problem might be. Their clients still need to do their own digging and continually remove fraud from their supply chain.
A lot of verification vendors remain. By now, shouldn’t advertisers have figured out which ones are the most effective?
Clients don’t always have incentive to pick the most accurate vendors. A lot of times agencies do a bake-off. They will run tests with two vendors, compare results and pick the vendor that reported the lowest percentage of fraud.
What’s so bad about that?
The agency is just picking the number they are comfortable with. Let’s say one vendor reports 80 percent fraud and another reports 20 percent. Many agencies will pick the vendor that reports 20 percent because they don’t want a bad number to get out to clients. But the smart ones focused on the long term will pick the vendor with a higher percentage so that they can figure out what’s going on.
Aside from using vendors, what else can advertisers do to lower their exposure to fraud?
Ask basic questions. Ask whoever you are buying from how they get their audience. If they continue to have a fixed cost-per-user acquisition, there is fraud going on because when you are gaining real audience, you don’t actually know for sure what the click-through rate will be ahead of time. Ask the websites what proportion of their traffic is paid. A lot of fraud publishers and their shady ad networks will back away the more you question them.
That seems pretty simple. Aren’t advertisers already doing this vetting?
The industry is so busy executing buys, they assume their vendors are doing the screening. It is just a matter of having time to look under the hood periodically.
What do you think is the biggest thing people get wrong about fraud research?
The sampling. When advertisers talk about fraud detection, how often do they look at how much of their campaign is really being scanned by their vendors?
What do you mean?
A lot of vendors will scan just 10 percent of an advertiser’s impressions. And they’ll say that’s a big enough sample size. But sample sizes and confidence intervals are only correlated if the sample is representative of the population. And they don’t know if what the vendor is collecting is actually representative of the entire campaign.
Why a CBD brand is experimenting with OOH advertising to counter e-commerce buzzkills
As the digital marketing landscape continues to be murky for niche brands, CBD brand Sunday Scaries looks to OOH as a workaround.
How work-anywhere trend helped Vista attracted senior talent from heavy hitter brands
A remote-first, flexible working operating model has enabled Vista to snag top talent from major brands like Nike, Spotify, Converse and Netflix in the last year.
Quontic Bank’s metaverse outpost demonstrates the importance of brand utility in metaverse activations
Legal concerns notwithstanding, Quontic’s plans for its Decentraland location show that the bank is approaching the metaverse as a functional space for every day use, rather than an escape from reality.
SponsoredHow marketers and retailers are unlocking the true value of retail media
Ben Kneen, senior director of product management, Xandr It’s a challenging time for retailers in the advertising industry. As they cope with supply chain woes and inflation-related pressures, they seek high-margin revenue streams amid evolving privacy regulations and massive shifts in identity solutions — including IDFA, the deprecation of third-party cookies and more. In light […]
‘Cost conscious consumers, restrictive economy’: Advertising’s tough ride in 2022
The big issue for advertisers from an ad spending impact isn't the war in Europe. It’s the supply chain woes emanating from china, the pandemic and the lockdown
In-game advertising experts question Microsoft and Sony’s gaming advertising plans
The importance of free-to-play titles is one reason why some in-game advertising experts are skeptical about the tech giants’ ability to succeed in their chosen business.


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RadPad Android Pay Free Promotion Ends
I have some bad news for your renters out there who were hoping to generate free miles for paying your rent. Radpad had recently announced a new promotion allowing users who paid via Android Pay to avoid fees when using a credit card to pay their rent. Of course this was an amazing deal and thus it is no more.
According to the company, Android Pay users were only 5% of their user base before the promotion and that spiked up to 70% in just 6 days! Since the promotion began, renters have paid over $5 million dollars in rent. That is a lot of credit card rewards and a lot of fees not being paid!
Although we are overwhelmed that the promotion has gained so much traction, we drastically underestimated just how many people would sign up to pay their rent with Android Pay; and within only a few weeks we’ve surpassed the budget for the entire year that was allocated to subsidize the credit card fee.
That is why we regret to inform everyone that beginning today, August 24th, 2016 we will no longer be able to offer the Android Pay promotion.
Good News? Sort Of.
If you signed up and qualified for the promotion before today and your rent is charged on or before August 31, 2016 then that payment will be fee-free. After August 31, 2016 all credit card payments will be subject to the 2.99% fee. To avoid the 2.99% fee you can pay with a debit card for $4.95 or switch to ACH for no fee.
This promotion was way too generous although I am not sure why they are surprised that it got so much coverage. Either way, I’m sure the terms allowed for this and it no doubt will hurt their reputation so they will suffer a bit. Hopefully none of you went out and purchased an Android phone just to use Android Pay.


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What's The Future For Johnston Press?
The Edinburgh based publishers of hundreds of local newspaper titles and associated websites, appears to be facing ever increasing financial difficulties. Many of Calderdale’s own local newspapers including the Halifax Courier, Todmorden News and Hebden Bridge Times, could soon cease to exist if the downward spiral of Johnston Press’ share price continues.
At this time last year, the publishing giant’s shares (JPR.L) were trading at around 250p, and six months later in July, they had plummeted to just above 30p. By December, things begun to look disastrous, as shares hit an all time record low of 6.40p. By dramatic contrast, in August 2007 their shares were changing hands at a much healthier looking 380p.
To add to their woes, NUJ representatives from their main publishing centres unanimously backed a motion of no confidence in the company’s senior management during the Summer 2008, and the union took industrial action on several occasions to express their concerns and dissatisfaction.
In December, Johnston Press effectively froze the pay of all it’s employees by deferring this years basic salary reviews for six months, and in response the NUJ issued a strongly worded statement which levelled an accusation of “appalling financial mismanagement” at the company.
At around the same time, it was announced that advertising revenues had slumped by 21% for the second half of 2008, and pre-tax profit had also fallen by 18.1%. And with rising costs, around £700m worth of debt and ad revenue being such a crucial part of the modern publishing business, analysts have suggested that a covenant breach was “likely”.
The situation raises serious concerns about the future of titles such as Todmorden News and the Hebden Bridge Times, and the viability of the continuing production of these titles under Johnston Press’ governance appears slim at best.
In his book, Nick Davie’s cites a Cardiff University study of four quality newspapers which found that 60% of their home news stories were wholly from wire agencies, mainly the Press Association, or PR material, 20% partially so, 8% from unknown sources, and just 12% generated by reporters. The Press Association reports only what is said, it has no time to check whether it is true. There are now more PR people, 47,800, than journalists, 45,000.
- Posted: 13 October 2011Vote For Your Favourite Park Or Playing Field
- Posted: 27 September 2011Get Ready For Apple Day 2011!
- Posted: 21 September 2011Local Jobless Figures Highest In Years
- Posted: 15 February 2011Element Jewellery Leads Way With Fairtrade Gold
- Posted: 13 February 2011Council Budget Proposals Show Cabinet Has Listened
- Posted: 9 February 2011Meeting To Secure Future Of Picture House
- Posted: 7 February 2011Summer’s coming…and it’s going to be wearing a squid hat!
- Posted: 4 February 2011Council Funding To Support Local Business
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By the time this article appears, we will likely know the next CEO of
And leading the committee who selected the new CEO is Silicon Valley wunderkind Marc Andreessen. Andreessen was the public face of HP when it ousted former CEO Mark Hurd in August (after granting Hurd an estimated $35 million severance package to get him through in between jobs).
When HP and
crossed legal swords after Hurd became Oracle's next co-president 30 days after leaving HP, it was apparently Andreessen who called Larry Ellison to smooth things over.
HP shareholders might be surprised to learn, however, that Marc Andreessen owns exactly zero shares in HP. As an HP shareholder, I'm very disappointed that Andreessen and most of his colleagues on the HP board haven't dug into their own (deep) pockets to buy some HP stock.
I'd prefer feeling that my representatives on the board feel the same pain that I do when the stock tanks. For this reason, I've recently filed a shareholder resolution with HP to adopt high stock ownership requirements for all directors. I hope that HP will allow its shareholders to vote on this matter at the spring annual meeting.
Long-term shareholders have been disappointed in HP's stock returns relative to the
index return over the last decade. As of Sept. 22, 2010, HP's 10-year stock return was 25.14% vs. -22.64% for the S&P 500.
Over that time period, HP's board has been criticized for lax governance practices, including (1) the recent decision to oust Mark Hurd for questionable behavior, while still paying him a rich severance package, (2) the decision to use "pretexting" to gather information on a
Wall Street Journal
reporter and some of HP's own directors in 2006, and (3) the decision to pay Hurd $98 million in total compensation (before severance) for the three years prior his departure even though HP's stock return for the three years prior to Aug. 6, 2010, was -2.33%.
The Corporate Library, a corporate governance ratings firm, has consistently rated HP's board as "high risk" for its inability to manage incentive compensation. Nell Minow, co-founder and executive editor of The Corporate Library, has called HP's board "a serial corporate governance offender."
I believe that HP's outside directors would be more vigilant and effective monitors of management, as well as better judges of effective compensation packages (including executive perks such as personal use of corporate aircraft, personal travel and meals expenses, and gross-ups at the expense of shareholders for these executive taxable benefits), if all of them owned a significant equity stake in HP which they had to dig into their own pockets to buy, rather than being granted stock or stock options.
As of HP's last proxy statement filed in the spring 2010, the outside directors' HP shareholdings were as follows:
- Lawrence T. Babbio Jr., former Verizon (VZ) - Get Verizon Communications Inc. Report executive (who has been on the HP board since 2002) owns 36,836 shares (not including stock options)
- Lucille S. Salhany, CEO of JHMedia (who has been on the HP board since 2002) owns 34,406 shares (not including stock options)
- Robert L. Ryan, former Medtronic (MDT) - Get Medtronic Plc Report CFO (who has been on the HP board since 2004) owns 16,152 shares (not including stock options)
- Sari M. Baldauf, former Nokia (NOK) - Get Nokia Oyj Report executive (who has been on the HP board since 2006) owns 14,130 shares (not including stock options)
- Joel Z. Hyatt, former CEO of Hyatt Legal Plans (who has been on the HP board since 2007) owns 9,725 shares (not including stock options)
- G. Kennedy Thompson, former Wachovia CEO, who made the decision in 2006 for Wachovia to buy Golden West Financial for just under $25.5 billion calling it a "crown jewel" for Wachovia (who has been on the HP board since 2006) owns 9,360 shares (not including stock options)
- John H. Hammergren, McKesson (MCK) - Get McKesson Corporation Report CEO (who has been on the HP board since 2005) owns 7,198 shares (not including stock options)
- John R. Joyce, former IBM (IBM) - Get International Business Machines Corporation Report executive (who has been on the HP board since 2007) owns 6,426 shares (not including stock options)
- Rajiv L. Gupta, former CEO of Rohm & Haas (ROH) (who has been on the HP board since 2009) owns 306 shares (not including stock options)
- Marc L. Andreessen, Netscape founder (who has been on the HP board since 2009) owns zero HP shares.
As of Sept. 24, 2010, a majority of the HP outside directors each owned less than $500,000 stock - even though that amount would be pocket change compared to their personal net worth.
And remember that, of these stock holdings, it is unclear how much each director acquired through open market purchases versus from stock grants or past exercising of stock options. In my view, this is an insufficient level of outside director "skin in the game" to ensure an adequate level of motivation for proper oversight.
Several academic studies have concluded that significant equity holdings by outside directors lead to them more vigorously representing the firm's owners - because they are owners, not just on the company dole.
As Harvard Business School Professor Michael Jensen has argued: "the idea that outside directors with little or no equity stake in the company could effectively monitor and discipline the managers who selected them has proven to be hollow at best."
Furthermore, these empirical studies show a clear link between boards filled with outside directors with significant equity stakes and long-term stock price appreciation.
Yet, studies have only found this link when the outside directors put their own money at risk and not when they're given a lot of stock or stock options. The reasons are obvious: As humans, we pay more attention when it's our own hard-earned money at risk versus "found money" or "other peoples' money" at risk. This isn't rocket science.
Therefore, I'm calling on HP to immediately adopt a clear policy requiring all outside directors to purchase a minimum of the lesser of $500,000 or 5% of their personal net worth in open market purchases of HP stock within six months of being elected to the board of directors.
In other words, everyone serving on this board should experience the same joy and pain as other shareholders when the stock price moves. They should have a minimum of $500,000 of their own money at risk. But, let's face it, $500,000 doesn't mean as much to someone like Marc Andreessen when his net worth was estimated at being $500 million 10 years ago - it's likely much more today.
For most of us, if we had 5% of our net worth on the line with a particular investment, we'd pay attention. Whether our net worth is similar to
or a recently laid off construction worker in Florida, we don't want to lose money on 5% of our net worth.
I think Marc Andreesen is eminently qualified with his extensive tech experience to sit on the HP board and he is not over-committed with other boards so he has sufficient time to give to the job at hand.
He has his professional reputation at risk in serving on the HP board and I'm sure that he takes his director responsibilities seriously. Yet, that's enough. If Andreessen's net worth is $1 billion today, he should put $50 million of that at risk in HP stock. I'm sure Andreessen would say he'll do just as good a job whether or not he invests in HP. Empirical research says otherwise.
Jensen is right: Until outside directors put their own skin in the game for owning stock in the boards they sit on, they are no better than the talking heads who come on TV with market predictions when they have none of their money at risk if they're wrong.
Everyone needs to be an owner inside the boardroom. The talking heads can go home.
At the time of publication, Jackson was long Hewlett-Packard.
Eric Jackson is founder and president of Ironfire Capital and the general partner and investment manager of Ironfire Capital US Fund LP and Ironfire Capital International Fund, Ltd. You can follow Jackson on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ericjackson or @ericjackson


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The recent announcement from Google, which highlights coming YouTube updates, shows the growing need to adapt to an ever increasing mobile world. According to their latest stats, YouTube now has more than half of their views occurring on mobile devices.
To adapt, Google will be rolling out a series of targeting updates and measurement tools that will allow advertisers to easily incorporate YouTube into a cross-device, consumer journey campaign.
What is New and Changing?
While much of the announcement has limited details available now, below is the latest summary of what we know:
– New targeting segments – Includes “consumer pattern” and “Life Stage”, which will help advertisers reach users based on their shopping intent as well as during key life phases.
– Inclusion of Search Data – Likely the most reported update is the inclusion of the data from both Google and Map search to make existing segments more accurate and even larger. This update will either increase or reduce audience sizes, as it will further validate if users are applicable for a given segment.
– Customer Match on YouTube – The ability to upload your own 1st party data for targeting will now be extended to YouTube. The “Similar Audiences” feature will also be available, as well as a 3rd-party uploader for encrypted data transferring.
Management & Measurement
– Cross-Screen Frequency Management – Improved ad sequencing has always been challenging. For advertisers, especially with limited budgets and who could be focused on brand lift, this could be a welcome update.
– “BigQuery” Cloud Measurement – This update will be part of a migration over to a “login” based approach in place of cookies (think Facebook and other social channels). This will allow for more accurate cross-screen measurement, which will be critical for advertisers to show continued success on YouTube, especially on mobile.
What does this mean for Advertisers?
The new and improved targeting segments are an overall welcome update. For users who have long tried to reach consumers at key life stages and moments – yet lacked the targeting tools, these coming additions will be both welcome and likely heavily utilized.
The latest announcements are exciting developments which address the need to make YouTube a more cross-device friendly ecosystem. Advertisers should begin prepping for these updates, the potential effect they will have on upcoming campaigns, and ensure they are working with vendors who are equally as ready.
Robert Knapp, Associate Director, Search Marketing, DigitasLBi


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While many of today’s enterprises are embracing the advantages of IP-telephony by way of solutions such as unified communications (UC) or virtual PBXs, to name a few, it seems that many small to medium sized businesses (SMB) haven’t quite caught up yet.
In fact, a recent study revealed that between 60 and 70 percent of SMBs have yet to switch to IP. However, the study also said that upcoming years will be crucial as more than 70 percent of businesses surveyed plan to adopt IP telephony within the next two years.
In many cases, the slow IP adoption rate amongst SMBs isn’t due to skepticism or hesitation, but rather solidifying the right implementation strategy and solution. After all, every business has different needs and therefore must create a phone system that is tailored specifically to meet its company’s requirements.
For instance, a business with less than 15 employees may not need as many robust collaboration features as, say, a larger business with over 100 employees. So, a smart solution for a small business phone system might be a hosted solution such as virtual PBX. Many enterprise businesses employ this solution for the purpose of keeping remote workers in the loop at all times by affording them access to a virtual version of the company’s phone system and communications features.
However, a small business can realize great cost efficiency from this solution as it requires zero in-house maintenance or on-premises infrastructure. Rather, businesses can simply leverage a virtual PBX for in-house and remote usage; this way if there is no IT staff on-site, business owners don’t have to worry about maintaining a phone system on their own because it’s managed by a third-party provider.
What’s more, implementing this type of solution is nothing to fret about as it doesn’t require on-site installations. Thus, the implementation process won’t produce any workflow disruption or productivity hiccups. Rather, your phone system provider can do the legwork for you, and all that is required of you is an understanding how to operate the phone system. Luckily, doing so is just as simple as the implementation process because all it requires is a working knowledge of a computer-based interface.
For medium sized businesses, a more robust phone system with on-premises infrastructure might make more sense. For example, rather than implementing a hosted system a business with more staff, including a dedicated IT team, can manage an IP-PBX system on-site.
As well, a bigger business might gain more from implementing a robust suite of UC features in its phone system such as instant chat, Web conferencing, voicemail-to-email, etc. A medium sized business, with a staff of on-the-go sales representatives can benefit from tools such as these as they can access important messages and receive quick updates from colleagues even when they are not physically in the office.
Implementing your phone system the right way is more important than how fast you get it done. Focus on choosing the solutions that work best for your unique business needs.


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The team over at Devcellent Solutions have let us know they have updated their BlackBerry 10 LED app HUB++ to version 126.96.36.199 bringing us filters and enhancements. The update was going to be a paid update but they decided to let us have it for free.
What else is new in v188.8.131.52:
- Notification enhancements
- Customized vibration length
- Queued multiple LED notifications
- Filters for contacts, subjects and more
- Social integration
Get the update via BlackBerry World.


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Press Release (ePRNews.com) - ELMHURST, Ill. - Jun 18, 2020 - Stenograph, LLC, has announced the launch of a new color for the Luminex II writer. The Blush Luminex II is a soft pink top, with white keys, white thumbwheels, and a white bottom shell.
“I am really excited for this launch,” said Ryan Piper, Product Manager. “We know that there are some users out there who have been asking for this type of subtle color scheme, and I think we’ve hit the mark.”
The new color is only the most recent reason to consider a Luminex II. The Blush Luminex II is far and away the most advanced writer on the market today. Amazingly accurate right out of the box, yet customizable to your personal comfort and touch, the innovative hardware technology mixed with cutting-edge software creates a writing machine that is unmatched with its extraordinary degree of precision and high level of functionality.
Stenograph has been the leading supplier of productivity tools for the court reporting profession for over 80 years. During that time, we have built our reputation on innovation, quality, and service.
If you have any concerns regarding this press release, please contact the Author / Media Contact / Business of this press release. ePRNews is not resposible for the accuracy of the news posted and do not endorse, support any product/ services/ business mentioned and hereby disclaims any content contained in this press release.


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A new camera registration suggests that a Sony A5 full-frame mirrorless camera could soon follow the A7S III.
With everything that’s happening here on Earth, many people are looking upward for hope, and not just in the metaphorical sense. Space has always sparked the imagination as humanity’s next frontier and perhaps final hope and history will mark this day as another milestone in that ongoing journey. After successfully carrying two astronauts to the International Space Station, the collaboration … Continue reading
The impending release of the Xbox Series X has largely overshadowed another upcoming Microsoft release: Microsoft Flight Simulator. The much-loved series is finally making a comeback this year, nearly 15 years after the last major entry in the series, Microsoft Flight Simulator X, which launched way back in 2006. Microsoft Flight Simulator X also came to Steam in 2014, but … Continue reading
Apple's first 5G iPhones, which will use Qualcomm modems, may not arrive in September but instead could launch later in the fall.
Hello again, Petey Pigeon, how are you?
Both the Apple AirPods Pro and Apple iPad Mini are on sale right now at Verizon and Amazon
Drug and alcohol use has risen, but the pandemic could force some treatment centers out of business.
While mobile chip makers expect 3nm designs by 2022, Intel has delayed its 10nm and 7nm chips once again.
Disclosure: Microsoft is a client of the author.In the new Microsoft, Azure has – to a certain extent – taken over the center stage from the company's Windows Server platform, and the new Chromium Edge Browser has taken center stage from Windows. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated this result as the market rapidly turns from focusing on local hardware to using the Cloud as its primary place to do computing. As a result, each new browser update now feels a bit like what the old Windows refresh cycles used to feel like – but without the old compatibility drama. [ Related: FAQ: What the new Edge offers the enterprise ]
Microsoft Inspire took place this week, so let’s talk about the browser's new features, mostly focused on business users (now mostly working from home) that look compelling. To read this article in full, please click here
Psilocybin, the best-known psychoactive compound found in psychedelic mushrooms, has been implicated as a potential way to treat depression, anxiety, end-of-life fears, and possibly PTSD. A new study has found evidence that this compound may also be an effective way to treat Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), assuming it is paired with other known strategies like psychotherapy. The scientific community is experiencing … Continue reading
Mark Zuckerberg told Facebook employees the company might not be able to introduce a donation-matching program because of the "global recession," BuzzFeed News reported Thursday.
In reply to a request from employees during an all-hands meeting in June amid ongoing racial-justice protests, Zuckerberg said Facebook's revenue was "less than we expected it to be," according to BuzzFeed.
Other major tech companies, such as Apple, have pledged to match employee donations to racial-justice causes in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, and Facebook eventually announced it would invest $100 million in Black-owned businesses.
Facebook has faced widespread criticism from employees, civil-rights groups, and advertisers who say the company has not done enough to address systemic racism on its platform or within its company.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
When Facebook employees asked CEO Mark Zuckerberg in June whether the company would introduce a donation-matching program, he told them to temper their expectations because the company was in "the middle of a global recession," BuzzFeed News reported Thursday.
As protests against systemic racism swept the nation following the killing of George Floyd, many tech companies announced support for the Black Lives Matter movement and — often after pressure from their employees — eventually took concrete steps to put money toward racial-justice causes.
But as many of its peers pledged to match employees' donations, Facebook, which at first had committed $10 million from its corporate coffers, was initially reluctant to do the same, according to BuzzFeed News.
"Our revenue is significantly less than we expected it to be," Zuckerberg told employees at the all-hands meeting, according to BuzzFeed News.
While Facebook's business dipped at the beginning of the pandemic, it still managed to beat Wall Street's revenue expectations last quarter. The company's stock has already returned to pre-pandemic levels, despite seeing $60 billion in market value erased last month when major advertisers boycotted the platform over its hate-speech policies.
Facebook eventually announced it would invest $100 billion in Black-owned businesses and spend at least $100 million with Black-owned suppliers annually starting next year.
The company has faced increasing pushback internally and externally in recent months from critics who say it's not doing enough to address racial bias in its products, on its platforms, and within its walls.
Employees spoke out last month after Zuckerberg's decision not to remove controversial posts by President Donald Trump about protests against police brutality and racial injustice, while civil-rights groups have continued to pressure advertisers to keep up their boycott after Facebook executives including Zuckerberg failed to address their concerns in private meetings.
Earlier this month, Facebook also released its first civil-rights audit, which criticized the company's refusal to fact-check or moderate politicians and called on it to hire more civil-rights experts beyond the one new position it said it would fill. Despite Facebook's pledges over the years to increase diversity within its ranks, its latest annual report showed little progress.
Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment on this story, and it was not clear from BuzzFeed News' reporting whether the company eventually agreed to match employee donations to racial-justice causes.
SEE ALSO: Elon Musk says Tesla is creating a 'major insurance company' after its botched rollout in California last year
Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Why American sunscreens may not be protecting you as much as European sunscreens
An insider tip this week suggests a Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (Fan Edition) could be released in or after October with a “nice” price. This iteration of the Galaxy S20 would follow previously released “Fan Edition” phone cues, bringing a phone that’s extremely similar to its predecessor with a price that’s much more in-tune with your wallet. This device will … Continue reading
Which, let's be real, is a fancy way to say 'we got phished' Twitter has said that around 130 accounts were targeted by miscreants this week as high-profile individuals and businesses had their accounts hijacked to promote a Bitcoin scam.…
A new Poco phone has been spotted in India, which has the same model number as the Redmi 9C in China.
The Andrew Neil Show has been axed, the BBC announced on Wednesday, as it revealed a further 70 jobs are to be cut on top of 450 announced earlier this year.The additional posts to be lost are all from BBC News and are due to increased financial pressure because of the coronavirus pandemic, the broadcaster said.The political programme, which has been off air during the crisis, will not return to screens.A BBC spokesperson said: “We remain committed to Andrew Neil’s in-depth interviews, as well as the Budget, US election and other specials. The Andrew Neil Show will not be returning but we’re in discussions about a new interview series on BBC One.”Despite only hitting TV screens in September last year, it played an outsized part in the General Election when Boris Johnson refused to appear after Jeremy Corbyn was mauled on the show.Neil even went so far as to issue a challenge to the PM to commit to an interview with him in a powerful straight-to-camera monologue.In the key section of his message, the BBC presenter said the theme running through the questions he would ask is “trust”, and why “in so many times in his career, critics and sometimes even those close to him, have deemed him to be untrustworthy”.“It is not too late. We have an interview prepared. Oven-ready, as Mr Johnson likes to say”Andrew Neil issues a challenge for Boris Johnson to commit to an interview with him, to face questions on why people have “deemed him to be untrustworthy”https://t.co/daHLxEYn4rpic.twitter.com/oQ21uDdtJe— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) December 5, 2019Johnson never accepted the chance to be scrutinised and even hid in a fridge to avoid being questioned by a Good Morning Britain reporter.Speaking of the wider cuts to BBC News, director of BBC News and Current Affairs Fran Unsworth, said that “Covid-19 has changed all of our lives” and “we are still covering the most challenging story of our lifetimes”.She added: “But if we don’t make changes, we won’t be sustainable. This crisis has led us to re-evaluate exactly how we operate as an organisation. And our operation has been underpinned by the principles we set out earlier this year – fewer stories, more targeted and with more impact.“We’re aiming to reach everyone, every day. For BBC News to thrive, and for us to continue to serve all our audiences, we have to change.”
The NEOWISE comet has been delighting skygazers around the world this month – with photographers turning their lenses upward and capturing it above landmarks across the Northern Hemisphere.
Our robot colleague Satoshi Nakaboto writes about Bitcoin every fucking day. Welcome to another edition of Bitcoin Today, where I, Satoshi Nakaboto, tell you what’s been going on with Bitcoin in the past 24 hours. As Kant used to say: Do what you love and you’ll never work another day! Bitcoin price We closed the day, July 13 2020, at a price of $9,243. That’s a minor 0.36 percent decline in 24 hours, or -$33.59. It was the lowest closing price in one day. We’re still 53 percent below Bitcoin‘s all-time high of $20,089 (December 17 2017). Bitcoin market cap… This story continues at The Next WebOr just read more coverage about: Bitcoin
Hot coffee tastes especially good in every season, so we gathered the best deals for coffee and espresso makers.
A photographer in Italy captured the image of a lifetime when he snapped a picture showing two astronomical phenomena, including a streaking comet and "night-shining" clouds.
Chocolate is the latest material to be colorized by nanotechnology instead of chemical dyes
Här möts beslutsfattare, forskare och företag för att diskutera frågan som är hetare än någonsin.Vera Roadshow, döpt efter Sveriges första kvinnliga ingenjör Vera Sandberg, initieras av Sveriges Ingenjörer, Teknikföretagen och Ingenjörsakademin, IVA.Att kvinnors teknikintresse har betydelse för hela branschen.Bilden av vad en ingenjör faktiskt gör som yrkesverksam är inte tydlig för alla, samtidigt som många barn inte känner någon som naturligt kan inspirera till yrket.Därför börjar evenemanget på Mälardalens högskola den 20 november med en workshop.Vi vill visa att tekniska yrken och problemlösning är spännande, säger Anna Bird, verksamhetsledare Mälardalen Industrial Technology Center, MITC vid Mälardalens högskola, MDH.
Dell has unveiled its new consumption-based and as-a-service offering called Dell Technologies on Demand to provide its customers with more choice, flexibility and consistency in the consumption and delivery of modern IT infrastructure.The new offering delivers IT with the agility of the cloud while also providing customers with the control, performance and predictability of on-premises infrastructure.Dell has also expanded its extensive flexible consumption portfolio to support Dell EMC PowerEdge servers as well as the all new Dell EMC PowerOne autonomous infrastructure system.Vice chairman at Dell Technologies, Jeff Clarke explained how Dell Technologies on Demand gives customers more choice over how they consume and pay for IT solutions, saying:“The multi-cloud world is here and will only grow, which means customers need on-demand and consistent infrastructure that yield predictable outcomes across all of their clouds, data centers and edge locations.Dell Technologies On Demand makes it possible for organizations to plan, deploy and manage their entire IT footprint.
Facebook Pay is a new payment service that will let users send and receive money across the Facebook family of apps— Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp.Facebook Pay must be setup for each app individually, so signing up for Facebook Pay on Instagram wont automatically setup Facebook pay for WhatsApp too.Facebook Pay arrives as Facebook works to approve a new digital cryptocurrency called Libra, but the company says Facebook Pay is separate project.Facebook launched a new payment service on Tuesday that will let users of its family of apps — including Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger — send and receive money and make purchases, a move that lets Facebook match popular features offered by competitors while its more ambitious Libra digital payments system is mired in scrutiny.The Facebook Pay service is similar to Venmo, Google Wallet and Apple Pay, allowing users to transfer money directly from their bank account or credit cards.Facebook Messenger already had a service called Payments that let people send money from their bank accounts, but it didn't support major credit cards.
The chinese shoppinghögtiden ”Singles day,” which takes place on the 11th of november, has grown to become the largest e-trading in the world.the phenomenon has begun to make an impression on traders as well.But above all, it is in the country of China on the day noted.this year, The sales of its e-handelsjätte, Alibaba's record, the company announced.During the first nine hours, was sold, namely, the goods of the 23 billion u.s. dollars.in honour of the Day alert now, Greenpeace and a number of non-profit organisations in a report on the skräpnivåerna of the chinese e-commerce, and expressleveranssektorn hold on to it.
Between Bose, Sony and now Apple AirPods Pro, active noise-canceling headphones are all the rage.And now, we're seeing an old favorite from Sennheiser that's currently just $80 at Amazon -- down from $200.We reviewed the nearly identical Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNC two years ago, and found it to be a formidable Bose competitor at that $200 price.That model is down to $108 on Amazon, but this model -- the HD 4.50 SE -- has literally the exact same specs, aside from some cosmetic color differences.The wireless headphone supports Bluetooth 4.0 and aptX and features active noise cancellation and a frequency response of 18Hz to 22,000Hz.Sennheiser rates battery life at up to 19 hours with noise cancellation on and up to 25 hours with it off.
We don’t mean to be impolite, but—your personal data is showing.Facebook and Google and Amazon and a million other companies scoop it up and then dish it out, for billions of dollars, to advertisers and analysts and anyone else who wants to buy it.It’s owned by people you’ve never heard of and collected by entities and devices that you did not give your content to.Of course your phone was tracking you.)It’s the spit inside that Ancestry.com kit, the image of you captured by your neighbor’s Ring doorbell.Reckoning with all of this data has become something of an obsession among lawmakers and presidential wannabes, who have their own ideas for how to police it.
Travis Kalanick, the ousted Uber cofounder, opened a San Francisco location for CloudKitchens, a startup that rents commercial space and turns it into shared kitchens for restaurateurs, The Wall Street Journal reported.Kalanick's CloudKitchens concept is right in line with a growing trend in the food-delivery world that has restaurants and chefs turning to rentable kitchen stations in a shared space to prepare food for delivery.Travis Kalanick, the ousted Uber cofounder, has pivoted from the ride-hailing industry to another kind of shareable market: "ghost kitchens."There are many names for these kitchens — commissary, virtual, dark, cloud, or ghost kitchens — but the idea is that restaurateurs can rent out space in them to prepare food that can be delivered through platforms like DoorDash or, yes, UberEats, which was launched during Kalanick's time at the company.They've become a hot trend in the food-delivery arena, allowing existing restaurants to be closer to a market without shelling out the cash needed for a brick-and-mortar location.Kalanick's CloudKitchens is right in line with the growing trend — so much so that Saudi Arabia's sovereign-wealth fund funneled $400 million into the startup in January in what was the first known financial backing by the country since the murder of the American journalist Jamal Khashoggi, The Wall Street Journal reported this week.
The key to success through it all, is aligning with programs and resources that can help your journey stay on track.It typically involves identifying a problem, an opportunity or gap in the marketplace, which leads to a profitable business opportunity.Throughout his journey, he has taken risks and put virtually everything he has financially into ideas he’s passionate about, and as a result, today owns a number of very profitable, very successful businesses.No expensive focus groups and no relying on family and friends who might just tell you what you want to hear.Part of Bill Gates’ success comes from partnering with the right resources (namely, his childhood friend Paul Allen) and having access to technology (in Harvard University’s computer lab) to perfect his skills.After proving successful, they founded Microsoft with a vision to put “a computer on every desktop and in every home.” Today, its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
It’s also offering the best price we’ve seen on the Xbox One X, and it’s including a gift card with the purchase.There are a bunch of other great deals to check out, too.As far as when you’ll be able to get in on these deals, Target will open its doors for its doorbuster sale on Thursday, November 28th, at 5PM local time.Compared to the sixth-generation iPad, this newer model has a larger display (10.2 versus 9.7 inches) and a Smart Connector to connect with Apple’s Smart Keyboard.Another noteworthy Apple deal at Target will be on the Apple Watch Series 3 smartwatch.This is the lowest price that we’ve seen on a new Apple Watch, and even though it’s a couple generations old at this point, it should suit you well if you just want notifications on your wrist and a wrist-based workout buddy.
Chinese fintech giant Ant Financial has introduced an international version of its mobile payment app, Alipay, allowing travelers to link foreign bank cards to the service for use in China.Why it matters: This marks Ant Financial’s latest move to expand Alipay’s footprint and the first time it has provided a payment service targeting overseas users on the mainland.Ant Financial has been eager to expand its user base beyond China’s 800 million-plus internet population.The company has been working with overseas partners to serve Chinese tourists as well as provide localized e-wallet services.Details: The new feature allows international visitors to use Alipay’s services including QR code payment at restaurants and shops, as well as online purchases.To access the international version, users need to download the Alipay app and register with their overseas mobile phone number.


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For those of you who have been waiting we have some great news, the 2019 Honda Insight Hybrid now in stock at your local Honda dealer, Weir Canyon Honda! The 2019 Honda Insight Hybrid offers drivers a superior driving experience in a sharply styled car that is tech-savvy. Come in and see our 2019 Honda Insight Hybrid inventory for yourself!
Family-friendly vehicles need to meet exacting needs for today’s families. How do you then sift through the overwhelming number of vehicles to determine family cars apart from the rest? Parents Magazine and Edmunds.com have made this mission quick and easy with their ‘10 Best Family Cars 2018’ list. Two well-made Honda models have made it onto the latest best family cars list: 2018 Honda Accord and 2018 Honda Odyssey. The two Honda models were among 300 entrants that were evaluated according to safety focused features, comfort, affordability and efficiency.  Continue reading Parents Magazine and Edmunds.com Places 2018 Honda Accord and Odyssey on ‘10 Best Family Cars 2018’
The 2019 Honda Fit is known for its fun-to-drive appeal, premium features and exceptional hauling capacity. Now it’s available in the new Honda inventory for you to check out for yourself. This addition to the 2019 Honda lineup is stylish, versatile and fun.
We’ve always known that Honda vehicles are something special, but now the Kelley Blue Book Honda awards just prove it. The three newest Honda awards are for the “Best Overall Brand,” “Most Refined Brand” and “Best Value Brand” for 2018.
Car & Driver magazine has just given out its “Editors’ Choice” awards and Honda has swept the competition with eight winning models. With such a high-quality and versatile lineup, it’s no wonder Honda is such a leader. Let’s take a closer look at these Honda awards!
For all Honda owners, it comes as no surprise when car awards are announced with a Honda vehicle as the winner. These awards are the latest of many accolades to recognize Honda’s constant work toward and improving its vehicles. This year, both the 2018 Honda CR-V crossover and the Honda Clarity series won the 2018 Edmunds CES Tech Driven Awards .
Honda recently announced its brand-new Honda Accord was the named the 2018 Car of the Year by the Detroit Free Press. This new midsize sedan has everything a modern-day driver needs in a car: practicality, comfort, reliability and excitement .
 Honda News, 2018
An early release of the 2018 Honda Odyssey proved to be beneficial for the team at Honda. 2018 models hit dealership lots in May of 2017, and customers were eager to get their hands on them right from the start. By December of 2017, the surveys were in, and Strategic Vision named the 2018 Honda Odyssey “Most Loved Minivan” of the year.
Popular Science has awarded the 2018 Honda Odyssey CabinWatch™ with the Best of What’s New Award. This innovative, family-friendly feature uses a ceiling-mounted camera so parents have a birds-eye view into the second and third-row seats to make it the clear choice for your family .
The Honda Accord has long been America’s best-selling car. For the 2018 model year, the Accord got its most dramatic remake in the past 41 years. With updates and upgrades throughout the vehicle, from a restyled nose, through the upgraded 192-horsepower engine and a sleek back end, the new Accord is sure to impress . Keep on reading to find out why more than 13 million Honda Accords have been purchased over the past 41 years and why the Accord will continue to be the No. 2 car in the industry.


text: On the heels of the last weeks’ announcements that USA Today and 4Info have deepened ties to introduce mobile search services (paired with interactive advertising), Gannett Co., USA Today’s parent company, has lead a new round of funding, investing $10 million in 4Info. This fourth round of funding also included previous investors U.S. Venture Partners and Draper Fisher Jurvetson. Sand Hill Capital joined the round as a new investor. 4Info will use the additional funding for product development and to expand its sales and distribution teams. Gannett has been a 4Info distribution partner since September 2005 and a strategic investor in the company since January 2006.


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HSBC has announced the closure of five more bank branches in 2013, with 20 more expected to be announced before October.
The bank has closed over 200 branches in the last three years, 70 of which were in 2012. HSBC attributes the need to shut branches to a shift in the way consumers access banking facilities.
The branches affected will be in Cumbria, Yorkshire, Dorset and Warwickshire. A spokesman for HSBC told the BBC that branch closures were a ‘last resort’ and the result of the shift to phone, internet and mobile banking.
The UK has lost 40% of its banks and building societies since 1989, according to a study by Nottingham University, which revealed that 7,500 branches have been closed in that time.
RBS has closed 60 branches this year, with more closures expected to follow, whilst Barclays has shut 16. Lloyds Banking Group has said it will not be shutting any branches before 2015.
The nature of retail banking is changing rapidly, presenting new challenges to those working in the industry. Find out more about retail banking.


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The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Alcohol Misuse suggested that all alcoholic products should carry a label having 'harmful effects of drinking'.
It was also declared by the government that it is working on reducing the excessive alcohol consumption and to work against the sale of cheap alcohol.
"Health warnings are a familiar and prominent feature on all tobacco products”, says the recommendation document written by the All-Party Parliamentary Group. It also says that the label which contains all the details on food is a must on all food items and soft drinks.
Still the ultimate information still remains to be the volume strength and unit content of the alcohol. In order to make the consumers aware of the risk factors, every alcohol should contain the label that includes health warnings based on evidences. These warnings should explain the nutritional, alcohol content and calorific value of the product.
They have also recommend a campaign on 'national public awareness on alcohol-related matters and issues. It would focus mainly on social workers, health care professionals and midwives to make alcohol treatment available to 15% of problem drinkers compared with 6% currently.
A random government spokeswoman said: “We are taking immediate steps to reduce excessive alcohol consumption and to inform people about the ill-effects which would take a toll on your health”.


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Palladium consumers are bracing for a surge in demand following Fiat’s recall of almost 900,000 of its gasoline-fueled vehicles.
Following Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ (NYSE:FCAU) voluntary recall of close to 900,000 gasoline-fueled vehicles on Thursday (March 14), consumers of the precious metal began to brace for an additional palladium deficit that could spur from replacing the catalytic converters in these vehicles.
In a move that would require an additional 77,000 ounces of palladium, the recall could cause even greater demand within the palladium market, which is already reeling from shortages.
“This recall is the result of in-use emissions investigations conducted by EPA [United States Environmental Protection Agency] and in-use testing conducted by FCA as required by EPA regulations,” the EPA noted in a press release.
“This eventually will be a bit of a supply shock,” Maxwell Gold, director of investment strategy at Aberdeen Standard Investments, told Bloomberg. Adding, “[o]verall, this does paint a very positive picture of just growing emission standards globally, particularly in the US for palladium and gasoline engines.”
Demand for palladium has significantly spiked in the last year as newer and stricter regulations have been put into place in an attempt to curb emissions in gasoline vehicles. These regulations have caused automakers to boost their consumption of palladium, which has acted as the catalyst to the surge in demand.
In the case of the Fiat recall, approximately 70 percent of 110,000 ounces of precious metals needed to replace the catalytic converters will be palladium, said Miguel Perez-Santalla, sales and marketing manager at refiner Heraeus Metals New York.
Although it is likely that the metal from the recalled cars will be recycled, in turn helping to ease tight supply, “it’s just going to take a few months for it to come back into the system,” Perez-Santalla noted.
“EPA will continue to investigate other FCA vehicles which are potentially non-compliant and may become the subject of future recalls,” the regulator said in its statement.
As a result of the recall, market watchers are predicting that palladium could climb to US$1,650 per ounce if the automaker is able to swiftly replace the catalytic converters.
“The demand could be impactful on this market, and if nothing else could hold these prices at these levels, which we haven’t had ever before,” said Peter Thomas, senior vice president at Chicago-based metals broker Zaner Group.
As of 12:35 p.m. EST on Thursday, palladium was trading at US$1,527.00 per ounce.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Nicole Rashotte, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.


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What do Hilton, Starwood, Mandarin Oriental and Trump Hotels have in common? They have all acknowledged that payment systems at some of their properties have been infected with malware in 2015, putting some guests’ credit card data and confidential information at risk. As hackers intensify their efforts to steal financial information, this year may be a preview of more troubles ahead for the hotel industry. In a recent article from The Financial Times, Tom Kellermann, chief cyber security officer at global IT security firm Trend Micro, highlighted that hotels are hot targets for online thieves.
“The reality is the [hotel] sector as a whole is dealing with a cyber crime wave,” Kellermann told The Times. “Customers should be very concerned because, in general, the industry has insufficiently invested in cyber security.”
Data breaches have dominated headlines over the past two years as organizations ranging from Home Depot to Target to the IRS have discovered that hackers outsmarted their security. As major retailers make adjustments to strengthen their systems, it seems that hackers will be shifting their attention toward tens of thousands of unsuspecting hotel guests. Kellermann added that he believes Marriott is the only major hotelier that has taken necessary steps to mitigate the risks of cyber crime. He even added that Marriott should evaluate Starwood’s existing payment systems as it works to finalize its $12.2 billion acquisition of Starwood’s portfolio of brands.
“They need to conduct an assessment of the entity that they are going to acquire,” Kellermann said. “What malware is already living in Starwood? Is the target already diseased?”
SEE ALSO: The Serious Cyber Threat That Could Hurt Hotels
Conventions Face A Big Challenge, Too
Hackers aren’t just going after hotel properties. Earlier this year, at the PCMA Education Conference, Michael Robinson, CCE, Senior Cyber Threat Analyst & Professor, Stevenson University, issued a serious warning for meeting professionals.
“Hacking and stealing of data at conferences has been professionalized,” Robinson said. “Your attendees are targets.”
From credit card numbers to email addresses to stored passwords, there is a mountain of valuable private information stored in registration systems and transmitted on open Wi-Fi networks at conventions. As meeting professionals welcome their attendees and members to hotels and convention centers around the globe, it’s crucial to take extra steps to protect attendee data. If you’re looking for help, PCMA just worked with Robinson to develop a new Cyber Security Toolkit. Click here
to make sure your next conference is covered.


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Shopping Lists for Troubled Times
By LISA GUERNSEY
Published: November 1, 2001
THE day after the terrorist attacks in Manhattan, Ilene Walerstein, a 40-year-old marketing manager, was evacuated from her apartment because of a bomb threat at the Empire State Building nearby. Since then, Ms. Walerstein has made a few decisions about the technology she wants to purchase. ''Larger electronics and appliances are just not a priority right now,'' she said.
But putting together a survival kit is. So last week Ms. Walerstein visited the AT&T Wireless store near Bryant Park to add an extra cellphone battery to the list of essentials she has recently decided to keep handy.
''I wanted an extra battery in case my cellphone dies,'' said Ms. Walerstein, whose family has set up a phone tree to keep in touch during crises. ''I want to make sure the phone's available in case of emergencies.''
After the attacks of Sept. 11, there was speculation, and some evidence, that electronics shoppers were focusing on gadgets like cellphones that might offer them a lifeline. Now, with a continuing stream of unsettling news -- anthrax scares, military action, an economic downturn, the prospect of being homebound for the holiday season -- industry analysts, manufacturers and store owners are watching for signs of a longer-term impact on consumers' tastes and buying behavior.
Are they going to shop as Ms. Walerstein is, buying small necessities and holding back on larger purchases? Are they going to spend the money they might have used for travel on items like cellphones, radios and computers, to help them stay better connected or better informed? Or are they going to shake off their anxieties and, with the holiday shopping season approaching, pull out their wallets as readily as they might have before?
Interviews with shoppers suggest that all of these impulses might be in play at once, though perhaps anxieties are more pronounced around New York City than elsewhere. In Denver, for example, some shoppers appeared inclined to shrug off the uneasy climate and carry on as usual. ''The Sept. 11 attacks haven't really affected me that much, or affected what I'm buying,'' said Dillard Rollison, a 44-year-old engineer who stopped at a Radio Shack in Denver on Monday to buy a 3.5-inch disk drive.
On Friday afternoon on Fifth Avenue in New York, Joseph and Shelley Brooks of Manhattan said they were inclined to buy more electronics than usual because they thought the economy would slow further and their own finances would tighten after December. Ms. Brooks had just bought a fax machine for her home office, and a few weeks ago she bought cellphones for her two sons to give herself more peace of mind about their safety. (Her sons are adults, but that does not stop her, she said, from buying what she thinks they need.) Now, she added, she is thinking about getting them DVD players for Christmas.
In the recent past, national crises have had a strong impact on sales of technology, and the historical data may argue against an optimistic forecast. During the Persian Gulf war in 1991, for example, the economy took a dive and the information technology market went with it, until jumping back to its previous levels in 1992. IDC, a market research company in Framingham, Mass., used that conflict as a model for examining what might happen to the technology industry in the coming months. Taking into account the technology slump that was already in progress before Sept. 11, the company concluded that consumers and businesses would proceed so cautiously that they would not purchase items like computers and software.
''I just can't really see any good news,'' said John Gantz, chief research officer at IDC.
Britt Beemer, the founder of America's Research Group in Charleston, S.C., said he was predicting that sales of consumer electronics would show a decline of about 3.5 percent to 4 percent from a year ago. Part of his research is based on national telephone surveys of consumers and store owners. His latest surveys, he said, lead him to believe that fewer people will be shopping and that many will avoid department stores and traditional retail shops in favor of discount stores.
''Sept. 11 may establish new normal levels,'' Mr. Beemer said, referring to sales at retail stores. ''And I think the new normal level may be only 95 percent'' of the levels seen before that day, he said.
Cellphones, however, may follow their own market trajectory. In the weeks since the attacks, many people have talked about finally buying a cellphone, or purchasing a second or third phone for family members as a backup. Before Sept. 11, the Yankee Group, a research group based in Boston, expected that the number of cellphone users in the United States would rise from 109 million in December 2000 to 128 million by the end of this year. Now the company expects an additional 2 million people, or 130 million in all, to subscribe to cellphone plans.
In two surveys conducted after Sept. 11, America's Research Group asked parents what they might consider buying their children for Christmas. About 6 percent of parents said that cellphones were on their list. ''When we've asked that in previous years,'' Mr. Beemer said, ''cellphones barely make 1 percent of responses.''


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July spending trends: Spending shifts as rates rise
CO-OP Payments Trends Report (Spending Data from July 1-31)
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA (August 16, 2022) — The Fed is doing all it can.
Following another strong jobs report for July, the Federal Reserve is committed to staying on its path of raising rates, in an effort to tamp down inflation that remains at 40-year highs.
The U.S. added 528,000 new jobs in July, keeping unemployment at a low 3.5% rate. That is certainly good news for workers, but the cost of living keeps rising as U.S. consumers deal with annualized inflation hovering around 9%. The Federal Reserve raised the Fed Funds rate another 75 basis points at its July 27 meeting, and it is almost assured of doing so again at its next meeting in September.
Co-op’s July credit union card portfolio data exploited credit’s growth year-over-year at a 42.8% increase in purchase counts, while debit remained flat year-over-year at a mere 1.6% increase. Credit’s growth highlights the stark reality that consumers’ spending habits have shifted, with most categories showing modest to significant increases. Main categories in credit reflecting this consumer spending shift are computers, gas, grocery, retail, primarily discount stores, medical and travel.
Month over month results from June 2022 to July 2022 across most categories in both credit and debit showed very little change. However, some exceptions included strong growth in Campers and Camping, Gambling and Entertainment, and Sports and Recreation, with declines in Education, Home Improvement, Auto Rental, Airline, Medical and Political Giving.
Here are some of the key spending trends Co-op’s SmartGrowth team are watching closely this month:
#1: Staycations are here to stay
According to Co-op’s month-over-month credit union portfolio data for July, overall travel spending was up modestly at just over 3% in debit and credit. But a deeper look into the data shows that Airline and Auto Rental spend were down for the month. Meanwhile, the Camping and Campers category showed strong double-digit increases in both debit and credit for the month, the largest among any major classification code. Spend at Golf Courses was also up by around 9% for the month. These trends indicate that in light of rising inflation, consumers continue to stay close to home, forgoing longer vacations to cross-country and international destinations.
Despite these weaker recent trends, the Travel category is still up by 59% year over year in credit and 25% in debit with largest increases occurring in airlines at 55% increase in credit and 14% increase in debit, evidence that a resilient public has ventured out following the darkest days of the pandemic.
“More people are headed to the golf course and campsite due to the pandemic-induced changes in habits over the past three years,” said John Patton, Co-op Senior Payments Advisor. “These experiences represent freedom, but with a dose of budget consciousness. We see spending in travel categories like airline and lodging up significantly year over-year, but the staycation habits developed over the past few years remain strong.”
#2: Furniture Spending Jumps Up as Supply Worries Ease
Although supply chain issues have been a constant source of frustration for consumers and retailers alike over the past year, they are finally beginning to ease, as July saw a marked shift in spending in the Furniture category. Following double-digit declines in June, spending grew by nearly 8% in both debit and credit in July, in a possible nod to back-to-school spending as retailers tightened their focus on capturing these transactions. Another category to come out ahead with back-to-school mindsets taking hold were Computers with a modest increase in July from the prior month, after several months of depressed spending.
These increases fly in the face of continued high inflation, perhaps indicating that much of this spend is occurring at discount retailers and furniture liquidators. As reported previously, Walmart and Target recently offloaded an oversupply of appliances, furniture and apparel to liquidators.
Discount Stores also saw a modest uptick in spend in July, as rising costs and fears of recession are driving more consumers to these less-expensive outlets.
#3: Home Improvement Off from Spring
The Home Improvement category has shown a gradual month-over-month increase over the last quarter. However, since June, spend in this category has started to decline. This is to be expected, as home improvement spending is highly seasonal, and consumers typically do most of their renovation projects in the winter and spring. These declines also coincide with the increase in furniture spend, as furnishing new spaces is typically the last step in a major renovation project.
“Home improvement has a seasonality to it,” said Patton. “As kids are getting ready to go back to school, their parents are reprioritizing their budgets from home improvement over to books, supplies and other necessities.”
Month-Over-Month Category-Level Spending (Comparing July 2022 to June 2022)
Please note that the category spending below reflects year-over-year (% Difference from 2021 vs. 2022 YoY August – July) in the first two columns, and month-over-month comparisons in the last two columns.
What Credit Unions Should Do Now
As rates rise, it’s a great time for credit unions to dust off their balance transfer campaigns. Members are starting to feel the effects of rising rates on their wallets, so reward cardholders and entice non-cardholders to open a card with a low-rate balance transfer offer. According to Nerd Wallet’s 2022 card program trends, 0% APR offers doubled from Q42020 to Q3 2021, so a competitive offer will be crucial for success. In addition to a compelling offer, members should be reminded of the credit union difference of competitive rates, low fees and exceptional service. A well-timed balance transfer campaign will help to grow a credit union’s portfolio balances and burnish their primary financial relationships.
As spending picks up going into the fall Back to School season, rewards become increasingly important. Make sure to offer a compelling loyalty rewards program to compete with the leading programs on the market and to keep cards top of wallet.
More information on the Co-op SmartGrowth Consulting Team can be found here.
About Co-op Solutions
Co-op Solutions is a credit union-owned financial technology platform built using an industry-leading ecosystem, and whose mission is to connect credit unions to the technology, strategic partnership and scale they need to best serve their members and grow now and into the future. Co-op Solutions partners with credit unions to unlock their potential so they can compete; does the hard work of innovation, creating a one-stop opportunity to help credit unions grow; and offers knowledge and expertise in a world where everything must be integrated. Founded in 1981, Co-op Solutions services 2,650 credit union clients, processes eight billion transactions annually, and manages a nationwide ATM network of more than 30,000 and a 5,700-location shared branch network. For more information, visit www.coop.org.


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AMD Pushes Updated AMDVLK Vulkan Code Following Adrenalin 2020 Unveil
Earlier this week AMD unveiled the Radeon Software Adrenalin 2020 Edition driver and we await a Radeon Software for Linux / AMDGPU-PRO driver update for Linux users on supported distributions. But AMD has begun pushing some updated AMDVLK open-source Vulkan driver code ahead of a possible tagged release in the next few days.
AMD has begun pushing some new code to their AMDVLK source repositories as their official albeit less popular than RADV Vulkan driver (at least when it comes to popularity among Linux gamers). Their last tagged release was AMDVLK 2019.Q4.3 at the end of November and now off their week/bi-weekly cadence, hopefully we'll see a new tagged release tomorrow or before the Christmas holidays at least.
In looking through the latest Git code following the Adrenalin 2020 embargo lifting, some of their latest Vulkan driver commits include:
- VK_EXT_pipeline_creation_feedback support. (This was mentioned in the previous tagged release albeit the code commit from some 17 hours ago as of writing says the extension is now introduced.) This extension has been part of the Vulkan spec since March and is a means of feedback to the game/application about pipeline creation details.
- Subgroup cluster support.
- The shader optimizer has been better tuned for Dawn of War III.
- Pipeline cache improvements.
- Various Navi/GFX10 Changes.
Until the next tagged release there aren't any convenient Ubuntu/Debian binaries but those building AMDVLK from source can do so via GitHub. Also waiting to see when the next Radeon Software for Linux (PRO) driver release will happen and what it will bring, but at least on the Adrenalin 2020 press calls, there wasn't any Linux items to mention. Then again, we see a lot of great open-source work from the Radeon team frequently and Linux gamers generally not looking for much else besides possibly a GUI control panel.


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Healthy eating not as expensive as many think, study says
(WJLA) - Eating healthy is widely regarded as an expensive proposition, as those who make their best efforts to do so find themselves stretching their grocery dollars to afford healthy options.
Harvard researchers, though, would like to debunk that notion.
Researchers at the Massachusetts university scoured 27 studies to pinpoint the real cost of healthy eating, and they found that the difference between purchasing nutritious options over less-healthy counterparts boils down to just $1.50 per day.
When the study looked at various food categories, they found that the biggest price differential came in the meat department, but when it comes to dairy, the difference is quite small.
Doctors say that it's worth paying that little extra to avoid obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes.


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Netflix is not in deep trouble. It’s ending up being a media business. Netflix has actually had a terrible 2022. In April, it said it shed subscribers for the very first time given that 2011. Its stock has actually toppled more than 60% up until now this year.
Yet its current battles may not be the start of a descending spiral or the beginning of completion for the streaming giant. Instead, it’s an indicator that Netflix is ending up being a more traditional media firm.
Netflix Stock Quote was originally valued as a Big Tech company, part of the Wall Street phrase, “FAANG,” which meant Facebook (FB), Apple (AAPL), Amazon.com (AMZN), Netflix as well as Google (GOOG). Wall Street as soon as valued the company at concerning $300 billion– a number on par with several Large Tech companies that Netflix’s business model inevitably couldn’t measure up to.
” I assume Netflix was exceptionally overvalued,” Julia Alexander, supervisor of method at Parrot Analytics, informed CNN Service. “Unlike those companies that have different arms, Netflix does not have a great deal of tentacles.”
Netflix'’ s vision for the future of streaming: A lot more costly or less hassle-free
Netflix’s vision for the future of streaming: A lot more pricey or less hassle-free
But Netflix was never actually a tech business.
Yes, it relied upon subscriber growth like lots of business in the tech globe, however its client development was built on having films and TV programs that people intended to see and also spend for. That’s even more a like a studio in Hollywood than a tech firm in Silicon Valley.
Netflix looked a whole lot even more like a technology business than, state, Disney, Comcast, Paramount or CNN moms and dad business Detector Bros. Discovery. Yet as those typical media business start to look a whole lot even more like Netflix, Netflix subsequently is beginning to take page out of its rivals’ playbooks: It’s mosting likely to begin offering ads and it has been launching some shows over the course of weeks and also months instead of at one time.
Netflix has said that its cheaper advertisement rate and also clampdown on password sharing may come next year It’s partnering with Microsoft (MSFT) for its ad organization.
” I believe in many ways the moves Netflix are making recommend a change from technology company to media firm,” Andrew Hare, a senior vice head of state of research study at Magid, informed CNN Service. “With the introduction of ads, crackdown on password sharing, marquee shows like ‘Stranger Things’ explore a staggered release, we are seeing Netflix looking even more like a standard media firm each day.”
Hare added that Netflix’s previous business approach, which was “when sacrosanct is now being thrown out the home window.”
” Netflix as soon as compelled Hollywood deeply out of its comfort area. They brought streaming to the American living-room,” he said. “Now it shows up some even more conventional practices could be what Netflix needs.”
At Netflix now, “a great deal of these critical steps are being made as they mature and also relocate into the following phase as a company,” kept in mind Hare. That consists of concentrating on capital and profits rather than simply growth.


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Everyone knows the three Ls of housing: Location, location, location. But the Ls might as well stand for something else: Local, local, local. It’s worth remembering when looking at the latest S&P/Case-Shiller home-price figures, which show a disturbing decline nationwide that may not reflect prices in your local market.
“Location” refers to neighborhood, street, schools and the property taxes – the things that factor in a particular property’s appeal. “Local” focuses on the fact that home values, unlike prices on almost any other product, are governed almost entirely by local conditions. In fact, there really is no such thing as a national housing market.
Buy a computer, a car, a basket of wheat or an article of clothing, and the price will be pretty much the same anywhere in the country. But a 2,000 square foot condo in Manhattan might cost 10 times as much as one in a small town in Ohio, Nebraska or Arizona.
That’s because houses cannot be moved – not far, at least. If car prices were 10 times higher in San Francisco than in Little Rock, manufacturers and dealers would haul cars to San Francisco until the excessive supply drove prices down to Little Rock levels. Or San Franciscans would buy their cars in Little Rock, reducing demand in San Francisco until prices dropped.
But if your job or family situation forced you to live in San Francisco, where there’s not much room to build more homes, you’d be stuck with the prices set by local forces of supply and demand. Cheap prices in Las Vegas would have little effect on prices in San Francisco.
The Case-Shiller 20-city index, which serves as something of a nationwide home-price barometer, showed prices falling by 0.8% in the 12 months ending in October, reversing a period of price increases that began early in 2009.
But the city by city breakdown shows lots of variation. Prices fell by 6.2% in Atlanta and 6.5% in Chicago, but rose by 3% in San Diego and 3.7% in Washington, D.C.
The October figures show that prices in Detroit are 30% below their levels of Jan. 2000, while prices in Las Vegas, Cleveland and Atlanta are about where they were back then. At the same time, prices in Los Angeles, New York and Washington are more than 70% higher than they were in Jan. 2000.
If you’re thinking of buying a home, or selling one, it will pay to assess a variety of factors influencing prices, keeping in mind that the local factors are the most important.
Mortgage rates are governed by a national market, since borrowers aren’t limited to local lenders. Low rates tend to drive up home prices because they give buyers more to spend, though this hasn’t happened in the past couple of years because other factors, such as unemployment, job fears and the excessive supply of homes caused by foreclosures have been more powerful.
Mortgage rates are now rising, which could be bad for home prices – unless it spurs people to buy before rates go even higher.
Local factors, as mentioned, are much more powerful in determining an individual home’s value. If falling unemployment indicates the local job market is getting stronger, buyers will feel more confident about making the long-term commitment to purchasing a home, helping to shore up prices.
Your real estate agent should be able to provide data on the number of homes on the market and how long it takes the average home to sell. Together, those figures show how many months it would take to sell all the homes offered. If that number is stable or falling, it may help home prices recover. If it’s rising, prices may fall, as an oversupply of homes drives values down.
The agent should also know how many of the homes in the local area involve foreclosures, short sales or lender-owned properties. In these cases, properties often go for fire-sale prices that undermine other homes’ values.
Finally, whether you are buying or selling, look carefully at the “comparable sales” data which shows typical prices in the neighborhood. Be wary of data more than a few months old, as conditions may be changing quickly.
You might double-check the realtor’s “comps” by looking up recent sales on sites like Zillow.com. In addition to current listings and recent sales, Zillow can display foreclosed homes for sale. If there’s a cluster of those in your neighborhood, it’s sure to damage prices.
—For the best rates on loans, bank accounts and credit cards, enter your ZIP code at BankingMyWay.com.