text:
by Robert Palmer | 10/1/15
On September 22, HP introduced three new LaserJet machines aimed at the enterprise sector. The new models deliver a host of capabilities that help set them apart from previous HP products. To begin with, HP’s latest printers and MFPs are all based on the firm’s JetIntelligence cartridge technology, which was introduced earlier this year. As a result, each of the new machines has a smaller overall footprint and offers faster print speeds compared with its predecessor.
Despite significant advancements in hardware and functionality, it is the advanced built-in security features that really define HP’s latest products. “Protecting against security breaches is one of the biggest challenges our customers face,” said Tuan Tran, vice president and general manager of HP’s LaserJet and Enterprise Solutions business, in a prepared statement. “HP is helping customers secure their devices, documents, and data by defending our enterprise printers with the strongest protection in the industry.”
That is a fairly bold statement, but when you consider the depth and breadth of security technology built-in to the new devices, it is one that is hard to argue. HP says that printer security issues are rising to a level of greater importance among customers in the enterprise space. Citing a study from Ponemon Institute, HP claims that 64 percent of IT managers believe that their printers are likely infected with malware. At the same time, however, 56 percent of enterprise companies ignore printers in their endpoint security strategy.
According to vice president and general manager Jim Nottingham, HP is addressing three strategic initiatives with the launch of its latest products: establish HP as the leader in secure printing, extend its JetIntelligence technology further into the HP lineup, and reinforce a leadership position across both PCs and printing. It is the tightly integrated relationship between HP’s printer and PC businesses that helped foster some of the technological advancements achieved in the firm’s latest products.
There are three different built-in security features that have been added to HP’s latest enterprise machines. First is Sure Start, which enables detection of and self-healing recovery from malicious BIOS attacks. HP says that it is extending the same BIOS security that is used to protect its Elite line of PCs to its LaserJet enterprise printers and MFPs. With its Sure Start technology, HP electronically isolates a portion of flash during the boot-up process to detect malicious BIOS attacks. If an attack is detected, the technology can revert back to the original state by flushing the memory and reloading the previous BIOS.
To protect printer firmware from outside attacks, HP has embedded whitelisting security features, which ensures that only known, good firmware can be loaded and executed on the device. Whitelisting is different from blacklisting, which is typically deployed for PCs and servers. Blacklisting essentially monitors the device to detect known viruses and prevent them from executing. With whitelisting technology, only approved, uninfected firmware code is allowed to execute.
Lastly, Run-Time Intrusion Detection is a new feature that provides for in-device memory monitoring for malicious attacks. Essentially, this feature performs continuous in-memory scanning to search for anomalies and ongoing malicious attacks. Once an attack is detected, the technology will reboot to put the system back in a known good state.
While these new security features will be standard on all new HP LaserJet Enterprise printers and OfficeJet Enterprise X machines, the firm says that it will also be enabled on several previous LaserJet printers with a firmware update. In addition, Whitelisting and Run-Time Intrusion Detection can be added to many existing HP LaserJet Enterprise printers and OfficeJet Enterprise X printers launched since 2011 through an HP FutureSmart service pack update.
Along with the advanced embedded security features, HP’s new devices offer support for the firm’s JetAdvantage Security Manager, which offers policy-based printer compliance and allows IT departments to establish and maintain various security settings. When a reboot occurs, the HP Instant-On Security feature checks and resets any impacted settings automatically to bring devices into compliance with the organization’s policy.
There are three different models included in HP’s latest product introduction:
· The HP LaserJet Enterprise M506 series monochrome printer offers a 25 percent smaller footprint compared to the model it replaces, and features duplex print speeds up to 71 percent faster than its predecessor.
· The HP LaserJet Enterprise MFP M527 series is a monochrome machine that includes single pass, two-sided scanning, an eight-inch color touchscreen control panel to support advanced workflow features, and first page out speeds up to 33 percent faster than its predecessor.
· The HP Color LaserJet Enterprise MFP M577 series includes single pass, two-sided scanning, an eight-inch color touchscreen control panel and optional keyboard to support advanced workflow, as well as dual-sided print speeds up to 43 percent faster than its predecessor.
The HP LaserJet Enterprise M506 series will be generally available on October 1, while the LaserJet Enterprise MFP M527 and HP Color LaserJet Enterprise MFP M577 series machines are expected to be generally available by November 2, 2015.
For more on HP’s latest announcement, see press release here .
Network security has become a major concern for businesses of all sizes, but in the enterprise space it is now a top strategic priority. Today, IT security includes everything from securing computing devices to protection of data, networks, and processing power. Mobile devices and cloud-based computing have become common platforms in the enterprise, which makes securing the network and protecting access to data much more challenging.
As HP points out, however, printers and MFPs have more or less been treated as an afterthought when it comes to network security. This is somewhat surprising considering the growing number of major cyberattacks that can be traced back to network access gained through a non-traditional connected device. Today’s office-class printers are not just network peripherals — they are intelligent devices that serve as on-ramp and off-ramp to the Internet. Indeed, features such as embedded Web servers, support for cloud integration, and the ability to run downloadable apps make these devices even more vulnerable to outside attacks.
Meanwhile, the security risks posed by network printers and MFPs extends well beyond network access. For many businesses, the printer is one of the primary means for distributing sensitive corporate information. It is surprising how often this data is left exposed for the simplest of reasons, such as failure to remove material stored on internal hard drives or print jobs left unattended in the output tray.
HP has certainly improved the security features for its LaserJet products, especially by embedding device-level protection into the device itself. Other vendors have taken similar action. Xerox, for example, embedded whitelisting technology and partnered with McAfee to include advanced malware detection for many of its products when it unveiled its ConnectKey platform.
Today’s office-class printers and MFPs present an interesting dichotomy. On the one hand, the connected MFP is a definite security risk, particularly if it is left unmanaged and unprotected. On the other, these machines could be utilized as a front-line asset for managing content security and protecting access to information. For these reasons, we expect OEMs and software vendors to continue to promote security solutions much more aggressively.
Robert Palmer is chief analyst and a managing partner for BPO Media, which publishes The Imaging Channel and Workflow magazines. As a market analyst and industry consultant, Palmer has more than 25 years experience in the imaging industry covering technology and business sectors for prominent market research firms such as Lyra Research and InfoTrends. Palmer is a popular speaker and he presents regularly at industry conferences and trade events in the U.S., Europe, and Japan. He is also active in a variety of imaging industry forums and currently serves on the board of directors for the Managed Print Services Association (MPSA). Contact him at email@example.com.


text:
MINI China, part of BMW Group, has officially appointed BBH China as its lead integrated creative and marketing communication agency after a competitive pitch. BBH China will begin the partnership from January 1st 2022, taking over from incumbent agency Anomaly Shanghai.
The Chinese automotive market is rapidly evolving, as a premium compact vehicle in the Chinese market, MINI is keeping up the pace to explore more opportunities and unlock new growth. As the future strategic and creative partners of MINI China, BBH China will work closely with the Clients to develop and craft their business, marketing, and communication strategies across MINI’s product portfolio, including origination of creative work across all channels. All in service to support MINI China’s growth ambitions.
MINI China has inked a 5-year contract with BBH China.
Kelly Pon, Chief Creative Officer of BBH China, said: “We’re thrilled to be working with MINI China, an iconic brand steeped in heritage and personality that is much-loved by all. It’s a brand that’s been doing great work and we are looking forward to working with the MINI team and leveraging our partners within the Publicis family to take the brand to the next level.”
Christine Ng, CEO of BBH China and Chairperson of BBH Singapore, said: “MINI China is a brand with solid product and reputation in the market. We are grateful to have the opportunity to partner with them to break new ground for the brand and the business in our journey ahead.”
BBH China is part of Publicis Groupe, and is a world-class business reputed to have propelled creative to the global stage. BBH China has won numerous creative, strategy and company awards, with highlights being awarded as creative agency with highest client satisfaction by R3, the only agency to have won this recognition three times.

domain: news


text:
Industrial sites in Melbourne’s south-east are setting new local sales records, with average prices now more than one-third higher than those fetched at their former peak in 2007.
Sites are now selling for an average about $270 a square metre, compared with about $200 a square metre in 2007, according to
The agency’s industrial senior executive,
Precincts such as Dandenong South, Keysborough and Cranbourne – particularly those near Eastlink – have been most popular.
“We did 12 deals in the first quarter alone in this area," he said.
“We have seen significant labour force growth in this market, which is resulting in increasing demand from distribution centres that service the Victorian south-east metropolitan market."
There are three prime-grade buildings above 5000 square metres available for sale or lease in the south-east.
Mr Fried said demand for A-grade facilities below 5000 sq m was high, and there were only three development-ready lots of about two hectares available in the east.
There has been an increase in smaller sites under 2000 sq m, the bulk of that in four estates, held by
Dandenong Logis Industrial Park
Three lots remain in the Dandenong Logis Industrial Park, an eco-industrial area that
Mr Fried said local developers were taking advantage of the lack of prime stock and have been buying up sites.
“Developers are responding to the lack of space available, and the supply pipeline for the south-east over the next 12 months is reasonably strong," he said.
“Driving around, it looks like there is plenty of land, but there is not a lot that is ready to go, and that’s what we’re interested in," he said.
“Anything food-related is performing well; about 40 per cent of our business is linked to food supply."
The Australian Financial Review


text:
Innovative business ideas are growing steadily from the seed planted by the Pierce Junior Achievement Club. The Pierce students have been participating in the global educational “Company Program” where they form their own student company. The program helps students develop an entrepreneurial mindset, as well as work as a team towards a common goal, among many other skills.
Our students will be participating in the 2016 Student Trade Fair, which will take place on Friday, April 1, at 10:00 – 15.00, at the Mall Athens in Marousi. We wish them the best of luck!
This year’s idea is a mobile app called Budgee (stands for Budget Electronic Education), through which young users can learn to manage their money properly. The business cooperates with the IT Company iProject, has ALPHA BANK as its primary sponsor, and The American College of Greece is its proud, main supporter.
Budgee works like an anonymous company in simulation, in that it has its own capital, organization, and business plan, and operates like a modern business, passing through all the stages of development.
Our students will be participating in the 2016 Student Trade Fair in April, which will take place at the Mall Athens in Marousi, in April. We wish them all the best of luck!
Head over to Budgee’s Facebook page to show your support, and don’t forget to watch the Alpha TV News segment on Budgee and the Junior Achievement Club!


text:
(PRWEB UK) 16 September 2013
This October, one of the world’s most famous opera houses will celebrate its 40th anniversary. Austravel, the leading Australasia specialist is offering customers great value holidays to New South Wales during the iconic Opera houses anniversary.
To mark the milestone anniversary, the Sydney Opera House will receive a visit from the Danish Royal couple. Crown Prince Frederik and his Australian wife Princess Mary will visit Sydney in October as a tribute to the Danish designer of the Opera House, Jorn Utzon. During the month of October the famous Opera House will host a range of exciting events from an Anniversary concert, a birthday tribute full of cake and famous faces, exhibits and much more.
Whether you are visiting Australia for the first time or have been before, Sydney is a great city stay. For first time visitors there is no better place to begin in Australia with iconic monuments including the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. For both first time visitors or Australia lovers, the vibrant city plays host to a mix of cultures, laid back and friendly locals, trendy eateries and lots of attractions, offering a holiday that cannot fail to impress.
Enjoy a five day ‘Sydney City Essentials’ holiday with Austravel from £1,349 per person. This holiday to Sydney includes four nights at the three star Travelodge Sydney, return flights from Heathrow with Qantas, Captain Cook Harbour Cruise, Bridge Climb and Opera House Tour. Based on departures between 21-25 October.
For those looking for more flexibility, Austravel is offering a seven day ‘Sydney, Blue Mountains, Wines & Beyond Self-Drive’ holiday from £1,249 per person. This self-drive Sydney holiday includes one night stay at the three star Travelodge in Sydney, six day Blue Mountains & Wines self-drive. Based on departures between 21-25 October from Heathrow with Vietnam Airlines.
Alternatively, take advantage of a seven day Sydney & Pacific Coast Self-drive from £1,295 per person. This Australia holiday includes one night at the three star Travelodge in Sydney, six day Pacific Coast Self-Drive and flights into Sydney and departing out from Brisbane. Based on departures between 21-25 October from Heathrow with British Airways.
For more information on Austravel and great offers to New South Wales, visit http://www.austravel.com or call an expert on 0800 988 4834.


text:
E-commerce giant expects the campaign will be China’s largest sales event since the Coronavirus outbreak.
Visitors will be invited to design their own KitKat bar, explore exclusive creations and dine at the in-house chocolate ...
Businesses will be subject to spot checks and could face fines of up to $9913 if they force staff back to the office.
The retailer is recognising its employees for their efforts during a year of unprecedented challenges.
"Despite accusations of price gouging, delivery problems, and supply chain failures Woolworths rode the storm best and c...
Danielle Jenkinson, EGM Retail Channels, Metcash Food shares an insight into the company's e-commerce venture.
OPINION: "Most retailers and brands still rely on 20th century technologies to drive sales."
Amatil's beverage range will return to the menu at Domino's stores in New Zealand from June 2020.
The supermarket giant has partnered with analytics provider IRI to launch Coles Synergy.
Online penetration will rise to 17 per cent by FY24, compared to the ~11 per cent seen today, according to UBS.
Premium products take centre stage at Coles Local Rose Bay.
Coles goes big on value, while Woolies ramps up convenience as supermarkets seek to avoid a dip in sales.
PantryShop.com and Snacks.com were developed in-house by PepsiCo's e-commerce team after less than 30 days in developem...


text:
Posts Tagged 'Apple'
You may have seen #HowILiveSafe floating around on Twitter. We thought it would be a great way to share some tips from the Intel Security family about what we, as security professionals, do to stay safe online. Instead of flooding Twitter with my contributions to this effort, I’m writing a longer form post so I […]
Let’s go back in time. Here’s the scenario: You’re hosting a party and the party prep includes a trip to the grocery store, the craft store, and the mall for the perfect dress. That’s three separate stops and several hours logged for party prep, before it even begins. Fast forward to 2016. What used to […]
Computer maintenance is often a simple equation: avoid behavior that might land you a virus, and keep your software up-to-date. Thanks to security update pop-up reminders, the latter is usually an easy step. However, while these alerts may be helpful to you as a user, not all of them are to be trusted. Take, for example, […]
Good news for iPhone users: Apple recently released its latest software update, iOS 9.2.1, to the general public. And boy, we’re glad they did. The update fixes a rather serious security flaw, which allowed cybercriminals to potentially monitor, copy and steal the data you use, send and access over a phony Wi-Fi connection. The stolen […]
This week in cybersecurity was yet another for the books, as we watched a tech giant swiftly avert a security crisis. In a nutshell: a group of hackers found a way to access hundreds of iOS apps in Apple’s App Store in China, and potentially compromise user information. A wide variety of apps were found […]


text:
The vendors along the streets in Davao City started dismantling their stalls as the holiday season comes to end.
Paul Revildo Bermejo, Davao City Ancillary Services Unit (ASU) officer-in-charge, said the vendors voluntarily took down their stalls early in the morning of Jan. 2 per their agreement for a temporary authority to sell on otherwise prohibited areas.
“They started dismantling already. For the restoration of sidewalks, we will make sure that there will be no more vendors in the next days,” Bermejo told TIMES on Wednesday.
The office is set to begin their inspection on Thursday to make sure all the vendors are compliant.
“We will begin our inspection on January 3. Vendors who will resist and delay dismantling their stalls will be warned,” Bermejo added.
The ASU will be first check the areas in Ramon Magsaysay Avenue, San Pedro Street, and Pichon Street.
Bermejo reported that about 60 vendors along Ilustre Street already began dismantling their stalls and cleaning up the area.
There are over 600 vendors in the city, according to Bermejo.
These vendors will no longer be able to display their products and set up their stalls along the streets and sidewalks to ensure the safety of the pedestrians.
- 400 get jabs in school-based mobile vaccination vs. COVID
- Drug suspects arrested in front of Ecoland terminal
- ADAP: Punish people using words offensive to PWDs
- 5 IPs in Haran brought home
- Scene City | Davao Medical Society’s Pillars Night
- NPA regional committee in R-11 to be dismantled in next months
- City, DavOr, 5 towns under Alert Level 1
- Rough Cuts | Discretion still the better part of valor
- Be responsible for posting vax info to avoid confusion
- DA XI: Free horse to support remote farms


text:
If you’ve got a sweet tooth, you’re in luck. Girl Scout cookies went on sale Friday.
Girl Scouts like Laura and Angel Campbell of Papillion Troop 44461 are sharing cookie information on Facebook and promoting their individual cookie links for contactless delivery.
“We’re going to do some drive-thrus and cookies booths but safely, as contactless as possible,” Angel said.
Laura said the girls hope to offer booths in a trunk-or-treat format like people do for Halloween, with cookies set up in the back of cars so people can come around to find cookies.
“Similar to how many businesses were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Girl Scouts will be making adjustments to face the challenges the pandemic presents,” said Susan Payne, public relations specialist with Girl Scouts of Nebraska. “Because the cookie funds are so vital to the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, we are introducing new sale methods that ensure the safety of Girl Scouts and our volunteers, while giving customers access to easy, safe and touchless transactions.”
Alongside traditional sale methods, Girl Scouts of the USA is giving Scouts the tools for virtual cookie bookies, drive-thru and curbside pickup options, online orders that ship directly to the customers door and a partnership with Grubhub food delivery service.
This year, Troop 44461 has a goal of 3,500 boxes between all its members. The Campbell sisters were each part of the 500 Club last year, a first for both.
“They make people happy and they’re delicious,” Laura said.
All proceeds earned by Nebraska Girl Scouts stay in the state, benefiting fun projects, as well as service projects decided on by the Troop. Troop 44461 often uses proceeds for camping trips.
“When we sell them, we get more cash,” Angel said. “We can also get cute prizes and badges.”
This year’s cookie menu offers the new Toast-Yay! — a French toast-inspired cookie dipped in icing — alongside longtime favorites: Thin Mints, Caramel deLites, Peanut Butter Patties, Peanut Butter Sandwich, Lemonades, Girl Scout S’mores and Shortbread; all for $4 each. A newer gluten-free offering, Caramel Chocolate Chip, are $5 a package.
Girl Scout S’mores will be retired after the 2021 cookie season.
To buy cookies from Angel, visit app.abcsmartcookies.com/#/social-link-landing/571992e1-5f9c-4dba-b760-791febee7a5b. To buy cookies from Laura, visit app.abcsmartcookies.com/#/social-link-landing/b74ca898-868b-4b49-955f-74d4df3f972c.
To find Girl Scouts selling cookies near you, visit girlscoutsnebraska.org or use the official Girl Scout Cookie Finder app.
For families of Papillion-area girls not involved with Girl Scouts, an upcoming Papillion-area winter hike and scavenger hunt will offer more information.
The free, family-friendly recruitment event will be held March 20 from 2 to 3 p.m. at Camp Maha, 17114 S. 63rd St., and includes in-park and take-home outdoor activities, as well as information about the opportunities and adventures available in Girl Scouts.
Girl Scout staff will be on-hand to answer questions and help girls register. There will be statewide prize drawings for anyone who registers as a new Girl Scout member after attending the event. Girls must register by March 6 to be eligible for the prize drawing. Two $20 Girl Scout program credits will be given away.
Masks are required, and participants are asked to stay appropriately distanced from other families. There will be a check in/check out station.
The hike, originally set for February, was rescheduled due to icy trail conditions.


text:
Zappos Inc. moving Downtown is a game changer...
In what could be the biggest paradigm shift in the history of Downtown Las Vegas, Zappos.com one of the most innovative and creative companies in the United States has decided to roll the dice and move to the city core, or at least that is what the city has recently announced (see below). Zappos is one of America's top 100 companies to work for. It's workforce is dedicated to the highest standards of customer service and with Tony Hsieh at the helm, one of America's youngest and most successful CEO's, this can only be the story of the decade for Downtown.
With Zappos moving into one of the most rapidly redeveloping areas of the city, this will instantaneously create a synergy that will unlock potential that many naysayers said could never happen. In addition to Zappos, The Beat Coffeehouse at Emergency Arts, the El Cortez, The Ogden (formerly Streamline Tower), The Gold Spike, The MOB Museum, and all of the businesses in the Entertainment District are creating what has been championed in the seminal book, "The Rise and Fall of Great American Cities" by Jane Jacobs and recanted in part by Richard Florida in his book "The Rise of the Creative Class." Basically the premise of these books is Live, Work and Play within walking distance thus creating a true urban core.
Slowly but surely Downtown is creating small synergistic centers that will eventually be interconnected with each other. Even where I live at the L'Octaine building on Las Vegas Boulevard and Gass, synergy has been created. With the hugely successful show "Pawn Stars" broadcasting from Gold and Silver Pawn, the opening of the Verdict's Inn Cafe on the first floor of the L'Octaine, Studio 810, Super Cleaners, Globe Salon and a new market at Soho Lofts, a new urban vibe is being harnessed. Not to mention all the success that the Arts District is having just a few feet away.
As I have always said it takes a cultural arts infrastructure to lure creative and innovative businesses to an area. Creative industries demand the arts for their creative workforces, it is basically a quality-of-life issue. If the workforce is happy with their surroundings, they will be very productive. Productivity equals prosperity. The cultural arts are demanded by the creative class and today's announcement is most definitely up there with the opening of the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, the building of the Smith Center for the Performing Arts and the Groundbreaking of the new Discovery Childrens Museum. All this positive energy has finally created the spark that we so longed for.
It is a good day to live, work and play in Downtown Las Vegas...
Check out this link for more details and an awesome video by Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh...
The Resort Gaming Group (RGG), wholly owned by founder and CEO Andrew Donner, made an unsolicited offer to the city of Las Vegas to buy the site and about seven surrounding acres earlier this year with the intent of developing it as a corporate campus for Zappos.
Such a move is expected to bring an initial 1,000 jobs into the downtown area. Zappos.com is a leader in on-line clothing and footwear sales by way of an unparalleled focus on customer service. Zappos is known as having a fun and family-type culture with a focus on employee happiness. Highlighting Zappos’ accomplishments is inclusion in Fortune Magazine’s “100 Best Companies To Work For” list for 2009 and 2010.
“This will be a game changer for Southern Nevada,” said Mayor Oscar B. Goodman. “This move will bring about a critical mass of creative persons to the inner core of Las Vegas in addition to causing a significant shot in the arm for the economy and for new jobs.”
City leaders have noted the importance of keeping local businesses excited about being in Las Vegas. “Having Zappos in the Las Vegas area is vital to diversifying our economy beyond gaming,” said City Manager Betsy Fretwell. “This move will also encourage similar companies to look at Las Vegas as a potential site for corporate headquarters.”
The city had already made plans to relocate City Hall to another downtown location with a timeline to vacate the current facility in 2012. Zappos hoped to capitalize on the city’s move, expressing an interest in being in a downtown environment with room to grow. The current City Hall campus and nearby city-owned properties comprise approximately 17 acres.
"At Zappos, our number one priority is our company culture. Our belief is that if we get the culture right, most of the other stuff -- like delivering great customer service and building a long-term enduring brand and business -- will be a natural byproduct of our culture,” said Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com, Inc. “Our proposed future downtown location will be a great urban environment that will help grow the cultures of both Zappos and Las Vegas."
Founded in the San Francisco Bay Area, Zappos first moved to the Las Vegas Valley in 2004. At the time, the fast-growing start up brought 70 employees with it.
“Zappos is among the world’s most successful, progressive and forward-thinking companies as created by its incredibly visionary leaders,” said Donner. “To work in partnership with Tony Hsieh, Fred Mossler and the entire Zappos team has been both humbling and enlightening. The company is committed to this project and more importantly, to reinvigorating downtown. The support of this caliber of business leader speaks volumes for our city. We believe this project will have more impact on downtown revitalization than any other development to date.”
The city had been in exclusive negotiations with The Cordish Companies to build an arena and entertainment district on the current City Hall site. City officials could not negotiate with any other potential developers unless Cordish was agreeable. The city and Cordish agreed to move the arena/entertainment complex to Symphony Park, clearing the way for RGG to discuss the purchase of the City Hall site with city leaders. A new exclusive negotiating agreement (ENA) with The Cordish Company was approved by the City Council on November 17.
The City Council must now consider the sale of the current City Hall site to RGG. The item is scheduled to be on the council agenda of December 1. If approved, the parties will enter a due diligence period, meaning this would be the first step in seeing the deal come to fruition. The transaction is expected to take several months to finalize and is expected to close by mid-2011. Construction will begin as soon as the new City Hall is complete in the spring of 2012 and city workers have transitioned to the new facility.
“The economic uplift that will be created by Zappos’ move to downtown will be significant,” said Donner. “Zappos’ corporate campus will elevate downtown, its profile, its vibe and its appeal to both locals and tourists alike.”
Established in 1999, Zappos.com, operated by Zappos Development, Inc., has quickly become the leading destination in online apparel and footwear sales by striving to provide shoppers with the best possible service and selection. The Zappos Family has gross merchandise sales exceeding $1 billion annually. Zappos.com currently showcases millions of products from over 1000 clothing and shoe brands. Zappos.com, Inc. was recognized in 2009 and 2010 by FORTUNE MAGAZINE as one of the "100 BEST COMPANIES TO WORK FOR". More information about the customer service philosophy, unique culture, and job openings can be found at http://about.zappos.com. More information about Zappos Insights, Inc. and its business membership program can be found at http://www.zapposinsights.com.
About Resort Gaming Group
Resort Gaming Group (RGG) is a Las Vegas, Nevada-based, regional hospitality management and development company founded in 2002 and privately owned by Andrew B. Donner. Currently, RGG provides management services to several businesses including gaming taverns, full-service restaurants, quick service restaurants, catering operations and casino gaming operations under the direction of President Keith E. Grossman. RGG is licensed by Nevada Gaming Control. RGG and its affiliates are partners in the redevelopment of the Lady Luck Casino and Hotel. The newly renovated hotel casino is expected to open under a new name in fall 2012 along with many new food, bar, club and retail venues in the exciting, new 3rd Street District. RGG and its affiliates are also developing approximately 100,000 square feet of retail, food, beverage and convention space surrounding The Mob Museum, which is expected to open fall 2011.
Public Information Officer
City of Las Vegas
Brian Paco Alvarez enculturating Las Vegas into the millennium...


text:
Honda has been marketing its first electric automobile on the old continent since 2020, with the Honda e, a tiny car explicitly designed for Europe. In the coming years, the Japanese seek to progressively electrify their portfolio, including hybrids and new fully electric vehicles. Therefore, we are now interested in learning more about the future generation of electric cars.
According to some industry rumors, Honda will unveil a new electric vehicle next year and put it on the market in 2023. The concept is based on Honda's research on Honda SUV E: Prototype unveiled in April at the Shanghai Auto Show. The battery-powered Honda SUV will be built on the same chassis as the Honda e, but will be slightly larger and thus have more inside room. The Honda e has a length of 3895 millimeters, a width of 1750 millimeters, and a height of 1510 millimeters, with a wheelbase of 2530 millimeters.
According to the source, the Shanghai electric study's appearance will be available exclusively in China beginning in spring 2022 and will be nearly identical to that of the current model. However, another electric SUV for other markets, such as Europe and the United States, should only be based on the draft SUV E: Prototype, as the little Honda e's design does not serve as a model - at least not from the exterior. Instead, the interior is believed to take features from the compact Honda electric car, including a fully digital cockpit with five monitors.
In terms of driving technology, it is expected that the larger electric SUV will be fitted with a greater battery capacity. According to the WLTP standard, the Honda e has a 35.5 kWh lithium-ion battery that provides a range of 220 kilometers. The electric drive, which comprises a rear-mounted electric motor, produces 100 kW (136 hp) or 114 kW (154 hp).
According to news reports, two additional fully electric cars will be available at Honda dealers starting in 2024. They'll be built on a GM electric chassis that allows for battery packs with capacities ranging from 50 to 200 kWh and all-wheel drive. In addition, Honda and its substantially smaller Japanese competitor have agreed to produce two entirely new electric vehicles for Honda in 2020. Honda will be solely responsible for the exterior and interior design. It said the technical foundation is GM's new flexible electric car platform with "Ultium" batteries.
In April, Honda provided an update on its e-mobility plans. The corporation intends to raise the share of battery-only and hydrogen-electric car sales dramatically. By 2030, sales in key markets are predicted to rise to 40%, increasing to 80% by 2035. Only locally emission-free automobiles will be marketed internationally after 2040. The specific goals for Honda in European countries have yet to be revealed. @via auto-motor-und-sport.de.
From July, consumers in Europe will be able to purchase the 2022 Mazda MX-30, which is an improved version of the automaker's first fully electric car. The updated Mazda MX-30 has received upgrades to its charging performance and the… Continue reading
There are more Spanish drivers who prefer a car with an engine adapted to the use of LPG or CNG instead of a fully electric one. Sustainable mobility continues to gain followers in Spain. When buying a new car, more and more Spanish drivers… Continue reading
Lucid Motors, an electric vehicle company based in the United States, is eyeing the European market with its Lucid Air electric sedan. Consumers in Germany will receive the brand's first product first, but customers in Austria and Switzerland… Continue reading
The eSprinter will be available as a van with a gross vehicle weight of 3,500 kilograms in a high-roof version. Its electric drive drives the front wheels and, like the entry-level diesel unit, produces 85 kW with a torque of up to 300 Newton meters. The… Continue reading


text:
The Worldwide AI in Telecommunication Industry is Expected to Reach $6.3 Billion by 2026
DUBLIN, Oct. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global AI in Telecommunication Market (2021-2026) by Component, Technology, Application, Deployment Mode, Geography, Competitive Analysis and the Impact of COVID-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
The Global AI in Telecommunication Market is estimated to be USD 1.2 Bn in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 6.3 Bn by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 38%.
Why buy this report?
Key Topics Covered:
3 Executive Summary
Research and Markets
SOURCE Research and Markets
IoT Evolution #TECHSUPERSHOW Networking Live Party
Earth Intelligence World #TECHSUPERSHOW Expo Hall Open
Small Cells: Why Smaller Means Faster!


text:
By: Sarah Faith, Account Director
March is National Nutrition Month®, an annual campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound habits related to eating and physical activity. This year’s theme is “Go Further with Food” and it has a dual focus, encouraging healthy eating habits, while also urging Americans to find ways to eliminate food waste. The campaign aims to connect the dots between the health benefits of meal and snack planning with the resulting implications related to food waste.
The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) states that one-third of food produced for human consumption is either lost or wasted globally. Each day in the United States, an average of more than 1,200 calories per person is wasted, according to a 2017 study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In addition to the implications related to combating hunger when calories like these are wasted, it’s important to consider what is wasted from a nutritional standpoint. Researchers found that the food discarded in the average household is rich in nutrients that are often lacking in the American diet, including vitamin D, fiber and potassium. So, Americans are throwing away the nutrients they need yet might not be getting.
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, “responsible food planning can lead to reduced food loss and waste, saving both nutrients and money.” The “Go Further with Food” campaign and others like it help to raise awareness of the issue and provide educational resources so Americans can make responsible decisions for themselves and others. But what about the food business community? Below, we’ll take a look at what three major players in the food industry are doing to promote the reduction of food waste and, in turn, shifting potential wasted calories into hard-working nutritional calories.
- In Fall 2017, Quaker partnered with the James Beard Foundation and Chef Marco Canora to “rethink the power of the oat to help recover foodsthat often go to waste while discovering new ways to eat more nutritiously every day.” The “More Taste, Less Waste” campaign challenged professional chefs to create recipes that used oats and rescued food that would otherwise be wasted, like onion and garlic skins. Consumers then got in on the action, voting in a contest for their favorite recipe online. Winners were able to select a food non-profit to receive a $5,000 donation in their name.
- Anheuser-Busch InBev is funding a startup that uses spent grain left over from the beer making process to produce nutritious beverages. Canvas, billed as “the first sustainable, plant-based beverage made from saved grain”, is a ready-to-drink smoothie-like beverage that is rich in dietary fiber, complete plant protein, and fatty acids from coconut. Billions of pounds of highly perishable spent grain are produced around the world each year, and Canvas is rethinking how would-be waste can be converted into something nutritious.
- More than 20% of fruits and vegetables grown in America never make it off the farm because, to grocers, they just aren’t perfect enough. As a result, billions of pounds of nutritious produce is wasted. Subscription service company Imperfect Produce is at the forefront of changing that. In looking to find a home for “ugly” produce, the company sources directly from farms and delivers to customers’ door at prices that are 30-50% less than grocery stores. In addition to providing access to “ugly,” yet nutritious produce, the company is working to start an “eating ugly” movement that helps build a more sustainable and effective food system.
Food is lost and wasted throughout the supply chain. When this happens, nutritious calories go by the wayside. Initiatives like “Go Further with Food” during National Nutrition Month® help to educate and arm Americans with the resources they need to make sound food decisions. But, it takes a village. As we are seeing with brands like Quaker, Canvas, and Imperfect Produce, food business can have an impactful role in promoting nutrition while working to eliminate waste.
Visit EatRight.org to learn more about National Nutrition Month® and download the campaign toolkit.


text:
Online ticket sites 'routinely breaking law'
Music and theatre tickets are routinely being sold unlawfully on the UK's biggest secondary ticketing websites, according to consumer magazine Which?
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, buyers must be told the original face value of any tickets being resold and, where appropriate, the seat numbers.
After investigating more than 200 listings Which? found "numerous examples" of the rules being breached.
The findings of a government report into the market are due on Thursday.
One Direction, Arctic Monkeys, Adele, Elton John, Little Mix, Mumford and Sons and Radiohead are among the artists who have called for action against secondary sites, which they claim prevent fans from buying tickets at face value.
Calls have been made to make touting a criminal offence for concerts, plays and musicals - as is already the case for sporting events.
Others want the government to prevent tickets being resold at a profit, capping the price at the original face value, plus 10%.
At the time of writing, some sites are advertising tickets to see Radiohead's shows at the Roundhouse, London, this week for £5,900 - 91 times the original face value.
Which? looked at listings for Beyonce's Formation Tour, Catherine Tate's comedy show, Jersey Boys, Magic of the Musicals and Wicked the Musical across the four main ticketing sites - Viagogo, Seatwave, Stubhub and Getmein!
Researchers posed as sellers to find out what information was required when listing tickets - but discovered that the information often wasn't displayed to fans.
It found that Viagogo failed to consistently list the face value of tickets for Beyonce and Catherine Tate, despite sellers being legally obliged to enter this value.
Instead, Viagogo's small print said the face value of each ticket was within a certain range. For Beyonce, this range was often very large - from around £40 to more than £200.
None of the Viagogo listings, and only one on Getmein!, showed seat numbers, and many of the listings on Stubhub and Seatwave gave only row numbers or section numbers.
Alex Neill, director of policy and campaigns at Which? said: "It is clear the protections put in place by the Consumer Rights Act aren't being followed by some of the biggest players in the market, and no action is being taken against them.
"The government must crack down on bad practice so that people know what they're buying and don't get ripped off."
In response to the report, StubHub said its sellers must comply with the law, but added: "There are instances where sellers may not have access to this information at the time of listing, as some primary vendors do not provide this at the time of purchase."
Seatwave, GetMeIn! and Viagogo declined to respond.


text:
The Four Seasons has been a Houston establishment for decades and has served the city well. With smaller, boutique hotels en vogue at the moment, luxury standards like this incredible hotel often get overlooked for newer options. However, the Four Seasons, a luxury brand and with a recent renovation, has kept up with its smaller competitors. It is brand new once again.
General Manager Tom Segesta, new to Houston but a seasoned professional of almost 30 years, is clearly proud of the Houston property. “I think we’re unique in a few different ways. We’re essentially located downtown, which allows us to be close to the financial district and close to the wonderful parks in the city and all of the activities that happen there,” said Segesta.


text:
Here’s good news — or relief — to owners of the 9.7-inch iPad Pro: Apple has finally released a software patch to address an issue that rendered some of the tablets useless after an upgrade, according to a report.
Apple rolled out Thursday, June 2, the new version of iOS 9.3.2 specific to the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, Apple-oriented site MacRumors said.
“The new version of iOS 9.3.2, build 13F72, can be downloaded over-the-air on any 9.7-inch iPad Pro that has not previously been updated to the latest version of iOS 9,” the report said.
It said the issue had bricked some iPad Pro devices after the original iOS 9.3.2 update was installed.
Apple released iOS 9.3.2 last May 16, but owners of 9.7-inch iPad Pro tablets complained of getting an “error 56” message, prompting Apple to pull out the update for the model.


text:
Toyota to build two car plants in China and Mexico
The new plant in China, which is expected to be located in the city of Guangzhou, will be able to produce up to 100,000 cars a year and is expected to be opened in 2018. The other the plant, in Mexico, which is expected to be located in the central state of Guanajuato, will be opened in 2019 and is slated to have a production capacity of around 200,000 cars.
More free plastics newsPlastic resin (PP, LDPE, LLDPE ,HDPE, PVC, GPS; HIPS, PET, ABS) prices, polymer market trends, and more...
- Bearish PP trend takes no respite on lackluster demand in Turkey
- India import PVC market recedes from all-time high on COVID-hit demand
- Stats: China’s total PP, PE imports in Q1 mark lowest volume in a year
- Vietnamese PE buyers hold off purchases on fears of further price pullback
- European PS on brink of a softer trend after 6 months
- Turkish PP and PE players voice bearish expectations for May
- China’s local homo-PP prices slide below imports
- Irregular PE origins emerge at competitive prices in Europe
- Mid-Eastern sellers backpedal in Africa on competitive PP, PE offers from Asia
- European PVC set to extend longest rising streak into May


text:
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WXYZ) – New Year’s Eve will be a big day for Michigan fans as the Wolverines prepare to take on TCU in the Fiesta Bowl. The game was in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff, and the national championship berth was up in the air.
Despite being nearly 2,000 miles from Glendale, Ariz., where the race takes place, downtown Ann Arbor businesses like The Brown Jug are bracing for busy crowds.
“Definitely hope it’s packed, it’s always packed on game days,” said Annabelle Hubbard, a server at The Brown Jug. “I think it’s definitely going to affect our business because everybody wants to see it.”
As the famous sports bar in town, the Brown Jug is ready for big crowds, as it has been on most game days this undefeated season.
“I watched the Ohio State game here, and after we won, everybody hit the street,” Hubbard said.
Michigan fan Logan Lajiness said he was visiting family in Colorado for the holidays, but made sure to be back in Ann Arbor for kickoff so he could watch the game with other Wolverines fans.
“I’ve got to make sure I have a flight back to watch this game,” Lajiness said. “There’s no other place I’d rather watch this game.”
The excitement was also felt at the M-Den on State Street. On Friday, some fans even drove from hours away to shop for last-minute costumes.
“I live in Rockford and just decided to come over and do some shopping,” said Michigan fan Sam Hargrove. “I’m a crazy fan, that’s all.”
“People are very excited about this year’s bowl game, feeling more optimistic and more confident than last year,” said M-Den Assistant Manager Rose Balzer.
Balzer said the store has been selling Fiesta Bowl playoff jerseys and many back-to-back Big Ten championship jerseys. She hopes bigger and better merchandise, like national championship gear, hits shelves soon.
“If we go all the way, we’re going to have a really busy couple of months,” Balzer said with a laugh.
The Brown Jug, also hoping for the title, advised people to show up early for the semis to break the queue.
“I’d say get here at 1 or 2 p.m. to make sure you get a table,” Hubbard said.
“We’re going to be there early on,” Raginis said, “and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens.”


text:
In Russia, AWDC strengthens ties with Alrosa
March 13, 2014
Diamonds from Russia apparently love Antwerp. According to the Antwerp World Diamond Centre, 25 percent of its 2013 imports came from Russia and the Belgian diamond hub is home to the world’s largest concentration of long-term Alrosa clients.
Moscow--Leaders from Antwerp and Russia inked an agreement in Moscow Wednesday that deepens the partnership between the Antwerp World Diamond Centre and diamond miner Alrosa.
At a networking event held Wednesday night at the Belgian Embassy, an AWDC delegation and representatives from 35 Antwerp-based diamond companies met with a delegation from Gokhran, the Russian State Precious Metals and Gems Repository, top Alrosa management and other Russian diamond industry stakeholders.
There, AWDC President Stéphane Fischler and Andrei Yurin, head of Gokhran, signed a memorandum of understanding, or MOU, that commits both parties to share market information, knowledge and technology and to work more closely toward their common goal: strengthening the market for natural diamonds.
The MOU comes on the heels of a cooperation agreement the AWDC and Alrosa signed a few months ago that dictates both parties contribute to the development of a competitive rough and polished market in Russia while promoting sales of Alrosa’s rough diamonds in Antwerp.
According to the AWDC, 25 percent of Antwerp’s rough imports, a total of 22.8 million carats worth $2.8 billion, came from Russia in 2013. On average, more than 50 percent of Alrosa’s rough diamonds are traded in Antwerp, and the Belgian diamond hub is home to the largest concentration of long-term Alrosa clients, the AWDC said.
Industry leaders in both Russia and Antwerp have been forging new partnerships around the globe in recent years.
Alrosa, which has its eye on surpassing De Beers as the world’s No. 1 diamond producer in value terms over the next couple of years, has been extending its reach in the United States and recently inked a joint venture with Angolan mining company Endiama for exploration in the African nation.
Meanwhile, in Antwerp, the AWDC has been auctioning off rough diamonds from Zimbabwe following the European Union’s September 2013 lifting of sanctions that prohibited trade of diamonds from Zimbabwe’s Marange region.
While AWDC President Fischler was in Moscow signing a new agreement with Alrosa, AWDC CEO Ari Epstein was attending a parliamentary hearing in in Harare, Zimbabwe where he delivered an address expressing the organization’s support for long-term growth in the African nation.
During the event, the AWDC presented government officials with an MOU draft covering long-term technical assistance, knowledge transfer and common value creation.


text:
AmEx Record Profit Tops Estimates as Credit-Card Spending ClimbsDakin Campbell
American Express Co., the biggest credit-card issuer by purchases, posted a record profit in the second quarter, exceeding analysts’ estimates, as customer spending increased.
Net income rose 4.9 percent to $1.41 billion, or $1.27 a share, from $1.34 billion, or $1.15, a year earlier, the New York-based lender said yesterday in a statement. The average estimate of 26 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg was $1.22.
Chief Executive Officer Kenneth I. Chenault is trimming the firm’s workforce to contain expenses and investing in new products such as a prepaid card sold by Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to broaden the lender’s reach beyond more affluent customers.
“We are well on track with the restructuring and related initiatives that we announced earlier this year,” Chenault said in the statement. “They are helping us contain expense growth and that, in turn, is giving us the flexibility to make substantial investments designed to grow the business and expand into newer segments.”
American Express dropped the most in a year yesterday, falling as much as 4.7 percent on an intraday basis, after some analysts said a European Commission proposal to cap bank-card fees would crimp profit. The shares pared losses, declining 1.9 percent to $76.80 after the company said the impact would be limited. The stock gained 34 percent this year.
“American Express has been in touch with senior policymakers at the commission and will continue to represent its positions vigorously throughout the process,” Chief Financial Officer Dan Henry said on a conference call.
Second-quarter net revenue rose 3.5 percent to $8.25 billion, missing the $8.28 billion average estimate of analysts in the Bloomberg survey. Consumer spending in the U.S., where AmEx gets about 70 percent of its revenue, climbed at a 1.5 percent annualized rate in the second quarter and retail sales rose 0.4 percent in June, less than forecast, according to Commerce Department figures this week.
Worldwide card spending, or billed business, advanced 7.3 percent to $237.7 billion, according to a financial supplement. Customers spent an average of $4,097 in the quarter, a 3.8 percent increase from a year earlier, when AmEx had fewer cards outstanding. Expenses rose 0.6 percent to $5.66 billion, within Chenault’s 3 percent growth threshold.
Global Network Services, a unit that licenses other banks to issue AmEx-branded cards, would be directly affected by the European Commission proposal, Henry said. GNS purchase volume in European Union markets accounted for less than 15 percent of the $100 billion spent on AmEx cards last year in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, he said. Total worldwide spending in 2012 was $888.4 billion, according to the firm’s annual report.
Second-quarter U.S. card income climbed 3.5 percent to $743 million and international card income rose 17 percent to $208 million, according to the statement.
The 5,400 job cuts announced in January mainly affect travel services as consumers and businesses rely more on digital technology for bookings. Travel commissions and fees declined 5 percent to $495 million in the period amid a slide in worldwide sales, AmEx said.
Write-offs for loans deemed uncollectible averaged 1.97 percent for AmEx in the second quarter, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Loans at least 30 days overdue, a signal of future defaults, averaged 1.1 percent, the lowest among the six biggest U.S. credit-card issuers, the data show.
Chenault, 62, who said April 15 that he’s in no hurry to retire, is overseeing a transition in senior management. That same day, Ed Gilligan, 54, was promoted to president from vice chairman, rekindling questions about succession plans. Last month, AmEx appointed McKesson Corp.’s Jeffrey C. Campbell to succeed Henry, who’s retiring after more than 20 years with the lender.
Former International Business Machines Corp. CEO Samuel J. Palmisano and ex-Areva SA chief Anne Lauvergeon joined AmEx’s board in March. Palmisano, 61, serves on the governance and compensation committees, and Lauvergeon, 53, is a member of the audit and public responsibility committees.
Palmisano is a senior adviser to Bloomberg LP, the parent of Bloomberg News.


text:
Companies use online games as hiring toolShilpa Phadnis | TNN | Oct 17, 2012, 04.54 AM IST
BANGALORE: Online games are emerging as a recruitment tool. For tech-savvy millennials, games are fun and constitute a higher engagement model. For companies, they allow them to better quantify a candidate's performance.
At L'Oreal India, the cosmetics and beauty products company, graduates and post-graduates being considered for a job have to play a game called Reveal. It simulates the work environment; players move through various challenges across departments - finance, sales, marketing, operations and research and innovation.
Candidates pick an avatar and interact with graphical characters in different departments. They start with product development, and then navigate their way through three rooms and answer over 500 questions. Meanwhile, a computer program keeps a tab on time spent to complete each task and assesses logical reasoning and analytical skills.
"Many candidates get stuck when they have to design the media plan for their product launch. They have to choose between print, TV and social media. Different graphical characters pitch for a specific media, throwing up data as to how it helped the brand. It can be tricky for candidates," says Mohit James, HR director, L'Oreal India.
The game's first edition played last year in India had tested 1,031 students from 84 institutes. The company shortlists candidates based on this game, and then holds a ground event called B-Revealed, the final round. "The game reduces process-oriented delays," says James.
Hotel chain Marriott International has a social game called My Marriott Hotel, similar to FarmVille and CityVille. In this case, gamers first manage a "virtual" hotel restaurant kitchen before moving on to other areas of hotel operations. Gamers can create their own restaurant, buy equipment and ingredients on a budget, hire and train employees, and serve guests.
They earn points for happy customers and lose points for poor service. Candidates are rewarded when their operation turns a profit.
"The game adds a layer to the conventional interview process and enables you to quantify the candidate's performance," Gurleen Bhalla, director-HR, Ritz Carlton, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Marriott, in Bangalore said. She said since a lot of non-hotel management graduates are hired in the hospitality sector, the game is useful to give them a hands-on experience of things like running a kitchen. The game is yet to be used as a recruitment tool in India.
Gaming as a tool for recruitment has been prevalent in the West for the past couple of years and is now fast picking up in India. Technology companies typically use games to test strategy, intuitiveness, logical reasoning, personality identification and problem-solving capacity of candidates. Defence organizations create real-world scenarios in the form of games as part of the recruitment process.


text:
Boycott Gay ole' Starbucks
Boy (and Girl) Cot by NOM is Working
STOCK PLUNGES 48%
At current rate, will be a penny stock in 9 months
A once-busy local Starbucks is already EMPTY
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 2012
Dear Marriage Supporter,
We are urging consumers across the globe to "Dump Starbucks" because the massive international corporation has taken a corporate-wide position that marriage between one man and one woman should be eliminated and that same-sex marriage should become the norm. As such, Starbucks has declared it will use its influence and resources in a culture war against at least half its US customers, and against the vast majority of its international consumers who do not share Starbucks' position.
On January 24, 2012, the Starbucks corporation issued a memorandum to all "US Partners" declaring that same-sex marriage "is aligned with Starbucks business practices" and "is core to who we are and what we value as a company."
In addition to declaring its corporate-wide position in support of gay marriage, Starbucks also used its resources to participate in a legal case seeking to overturn a federal law declaring marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
In taking these actions, Starbucks has declared a culture war on all people of faith (and millions of others) who believe that the institution of marriage as one man and one woman is worth preserving.
NOM does not take this step lightly.
Unlike our opponents, we would never take action against a corporation because of the statements of one of its executives. However, Starbucks has declared gay marriage to be a corporate value and has intentionally inserted itself into the debate. Furthermore, NOM officials attended a meeting of the Board of Directors of Starbuck to bring this issue to their attention, and they did nothing.
This is why we must urge all consumers to "dump Starbucks," as well as Seattle's Best Coffee and Evolution Fresh juices, which are owned by Starbucks.
A portion of every cup of coffee purchased at a Starbucks anywhere in the world goes to fund this corporate assault on marriage. Voters in thirty US states have voted to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman. No state vote has ever supported gay marriage.
In many areas of the world where Starbucks does business, the concept of "gay marriage" is unheard of and deeply offensive to cultural, moral and religious values. We urge consumers across the globe to join the "Dump Starbucks" campaign.
By going to www.dumpstarbucks.com, you can sign our petition, and take action to contact Starbucks directly. You can also see places near you where you can buy coffee rather than patronize Starbucks. Let your local Starbucks manager and the corporate leadership know that you've joined the Dump Starbucks campaign, and tell them where you'll be going instead to buy coffee.
Please sign the Dump Starbucks petition to register your protest of Starbucks waging a culture war against its customers who believe that marriage is the union of one man and one woman.
Brian S. Brown
NOM Education Fund
Baylor Univ. Applauded for Yanking Starbucks Coffee Cups
Containers Display Homosexual-Affirming Quotation from Author
By Jim Brown
October 3, 2005
(AgapePress) - A pro-family leader is praising the largest Baptist university in the world for pulling coffee cups from its Starbucks store that featured a quote from a homosexual author.
Baylor University in Waco, Texas, has removed the offending coffee cups from its Starbucks store, citing the school's opposition to the homosexual lifestyle. The cups that were removed display a quote from homosexual author Armistead Maupin lamenting that he waited so long before embracing his homosexual identity.
Bob Knight with the Culture and Family Institute in Washington, DC, says his group has challenged the Starbucks Coffee Company by asking why it has a pro-homosexual quote, but not one from a former homosexual.
"Starbucks shouldn't be putting a cup like that out, certainly not on college campuses," says Knight. "And I think Baylor was right in saying [it was] not going to distribute something like this [because] it goes against [the school's] mission." He also suggests the school stand firm on its convictions and tell those who would criticize Baylor "that's the way it goes."
According to the CFI director, the popular coffee retailer has a history of supporting pro-homosexual and other liberal causes. Knight points out Starbucks' sponsorship of the San Diego Gay Pride Parade and Festival, which he says included "nudity, sex acts, and even a float from a porn store in the parade" as well as a :children's garden."
"I don't think they ought to be mixing those things," Knight states. "And when it was brought to Starbucks' attention that they shouldn't promote this kind of thing, they just said 'tough, we're going to do it anyway.'"
Knight suggests that opponents of the homosexual agenda either let Starbucks know they do not appreciate its support for pro-homosexual causes -- or buy their coffee elsewhere.
The coffee cup controversy began after a staffer with Knight's group wrote a column for WorldNetDaily revealing that Starbucks has been shoveling dollars into the homosexual movement.


text:
Who doesn’t like a little extra “bling” on their personal ATV or side-by-side. To help with that our pals at STI introduced these affordable and
When the John Deere RSX850i burst onto the side-by-side it marked a decided change in direction and attitude at big green. The RSX marked the
There’s big and there’s High Lifter Outlaw 2 big, as in a new 34.5-inch beast of a tire designed to deliver all of the coveted
The kids at Pro Armor caught up with seven-time SX champ and professional off-road racer Jeremy “Showtime” McGrath, at his private ranch recently. He ran
More is more, and in keeping with that theme, the Poalris RZR XP 1000 and XP 4 1000 will come to market this summer with
Flashing the true roots of the Ranger line, Polaris has returned to them in a big way with their latest Ranger equipped with HIPPO multi-power
Seems barely a week goes by when we don’t hear about another Polaris RZR or Scrambler finding its way on the box in anyone of
Yup… you read it right, the crew from Speedwerx have wrapped up final testing details with their supercharger kit for the already kick-butt RZR 1000XP.
The made for TV closed-course racing dubbed Terracross is gearing up for another season, and hey guess what…its gonna be bigger and better. Of course
The big boys on the ATV/UTV block were at it again this week. Not only did Polaris announce plans to open up another facility in
Who doesn’t like some kick-butt bling for their buggy. After all, nothing says I’m the king of the trail more than a pimped ride, even
Seems we can’t turn on our damn glowing desktop boxes anymore without another Polaris off-road press release hitting our inbox. In fact it just happened
After the ATV World crew got dirty, stranded, and shocked at the original High Lifter Mud Nationals in Texas earlier this spring, those crazy kids
Just got word over the old interweb that the big P is on the move again, this time hooking up with those young lads who
Seems like the kids at Polaris never sleep, or lift their foot off the accelerator when it comes to growing their already expansive business portfolio.
We’re not sure what is funnier…the poor line choice or the maniacal laughter of his so called riding buddy that follows!
The product design team at Polaris have been hard at work again. Introducing the all new 2015 Sportsman ACE, which is a combination of all


text:
Times may be tough, but I still want my MTV. In fact, I want it now more than ever. As the recession forces us to take a harder look at what we consider "necessity" and what is mere "indulgence," a few surprising personal revelations have surfaced.
During our latest budgetary tune-up, my husband suggested trimming back the TV bill. That's when I found myself with a virtual death grip on cable television, something I'd gone happily without for years in the past.
The same goes for broadband Internet. I would no sooner unplug my high-speed connection than a loved one's life support.
In fact, when a local Internet service provider called recently pitching a story on the MoneySmart virtues of returning to online dial-up, my initial reaction was, "Nah, nobody will ever go for that."
This, from the neurotic cheapskate who -- raised in the shadow of her grandparents' Great Depression -- was stockpiling beans and rice while her middle school peers were saving up for New Kids on the Block tickets.
So what's the deal? According to Nancy Upton, a Harvard-educated social psychologist and marketing professor, it's an extension of the Lipstick Effect.
The Lipstick Effect was so named during the Great Depression when squeezed consumers began indulging in cheap pick-me-ups as mood enhancers.
Back then, shoppers rationing every penny would splurge on an inexpensive lipstick as a sort of poor man's Prozac.
We've begun doing the same thing today, only now it might be called the Doughnut Effect. According to a recent article in Supermarket News, sales of the devilishly delicious treats have held steady like troupers, and are up at both Tops and Wegmans.
The story, calling doughnuts "inherently indulgent," says the high-fat, high-calorie treats are a beacon of light to stressed consumers in these dark times. They're freshly baked, delicious and cheap.
So while you may forego the $4 latte and French pastry at the fancy cafe, you're much more likely to drop 59 cents on one of these guilty pleasures at the grocery store.
In a similar way, we shun fancy dinners with friends after work and reward ourselves instead with drive-thru fast food fare in front of the TV during "America's Next Top Model."
As for cable and Internet, Upton says it's a common occurrence to binge on "nesting" accessories, feeling they're justifiable expenses as we wait out the economic storm from the comfort of our homes. That explains all those folks putting the kibosh on a pricey vacation but spending serious coin on plasma widescreen TVs instead.
Cable TV, Internet and cell phones are important mood regulators, Upton says, since they offer immediate gratification in addition to offering one of the most important coping mechanisms of all -- communication.
It makes sense, really. If I'm going to give up, say, $30 concert tickets, you better believe I'm going to have the girls over to watch "Project Runway" and eat cookie dough every once in a while.


text:
Apple has added two new cities to the areas covered by Maps' Flyover feature, users note. These include
Helsinki, Finland and Cape Town, South Africa. The official list
of cities with Flyover support has yet to be updated, but Apple hasn't made any changes to it in some time, despite constant service improvements during 2013.
One omission from the official list, for example, is Paris; Canada as a country is omitted entirely. Throughout the past year, Apple added cities in Canada, France, Spain, the UK, and the US.
Flyover lets users with compatible Mac or iOS devices see a 3D view of scenery that can be rotated or zoomed at will. The feature debuted with iOS 6 Maps in 2012, but initially covered just a handful of cities, like San Francisco and New York City. Maps made the jump to Macs last fall with OS X Mavericks.


text:
Fueled by acquisitions and surging demand for drugs, the top generics suppliers are starting to look less like the industry's underdogs and more like major players.
Last year, Israel's Teva Pharmaceutical Industries regained the top spot among generics makers, overtaking Novartis' Sandoz unit by acquiring Ivax. Teva now accounts for more US prescriptions than any other pharmaceutical companybranded or generic according to IMS Health.
In revenue terms, Teva and its competitors are still small compared with the brand-pharmaceutical giants. Before buying Ivax, Teva's worldwide revenues were only about a tenth of Pfizer's, for instance. The top generics companies are growing much faster, however. The 10 largest averaged 24% growth in generic drug sales in the United States last year, according to IMS, while the top brand-pharma companies managed only a meager 1.2% average sales growth.
Growth is being driven partly by strong demand for generic pharmaceuticals. Yet, the picture is not as rosy as it might seem. Competition is intensifying, cutting deep into prices and profits.
The increased competition can be seen in the number of applications for new generics, which reached a record 766 last year. The new competitors include fast-growing companies from India that can compete at low cost. "There are more generics players than ever before," said Doug Long, vice president of industry relations at IMS Health. With this level of competition, "prices are getting lower and lower, to where [a drug] may become unprofitable."
Analysis by banking firm ABN AMRO suggests that the price wars may continue. In 2005, Ranbaxy and smaller players including Dr. Reddy's and Aurobindo together had more than 120 products in the pipeline, many of which will compete with generics already on the market. When patents expire, prices will fall dramatically and almost instantly, as multiple competitors enter the market simultaneously, according to the company's research.
The competition is a major reason for one of the industry's top trends, consolidation. Companies are seeking to cut costs by bringing all the stages of drug production in-house, including active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacture. Analysts say that Teva is one example of a company that benefits from having a strong API division.
The Teva-Ivax combination created what IMS calls a "generics giant," accounting for 1 in 5 US generic prescriptions. Teva, like Novartis' Sandoz unit, is trying to "build the broadest product line possible," said Long. The company has more than 150 applications for generic drugs filed and awaiting FDA approval. Its progress has not been painless, however. Teva announced a $1-billion loss attributed largely to costs associated with acquiring Ivax.
Like other generics players, Teva also has diversified into branded drugs, which generate larger profits. Its Copaxone (glatiramer acetate injection) drug for multiple sclerosis has reached blockbuster status, generating more than $1 billion in sales. In addition, the firm has been highly successful in patent challenges, which result in an exclusivity period during which a company sells its generic at a comparatively high price.
Other generics companies also are trying to find ways to escape the price wars, Long said. One method is to concentrate on specific markets. An example is Barr Laboratories, with its focus on contraceptives such as Seasonique and Seasonale. Another method is to target hard-to-make products, a route followed by Mylan with its fentanyl transdermal patch, a generic competing with Duragesic.
Generic biologics could provide another route to profit. After long delays, the FDA recently approved Sandoz'Omnitrope (somatropin), a generic human growth hormone (HGH) and the first biogeneric to win US approval. The generics industry has long argued that there is plenty of evidence that generic versions of simpler biotech products, such as HGH and insulin, can be made safely. Biogenerics are expected to be comparatively expensive, at 70% to 80% of the branded drug's price, partly because they are more expensive to make and require more testing than small-molecule generics.
Yet overall, as the market has expanded, many generics companies have focused on growth, boosting top-line revenues while profits have languished, said Kate Kuhrt, manager of industry research at Newport Strategies. That strategy may have to change. "The low margins are not sustainable," she said.
Mr. Faden is a freelance medical writer based in Portland, Ore.
Get to know RESPIMAT, the slow-moving mist inhaler from Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Watch the RESPIMAT video and test your knowledge with a short multiple-choice quiz. When you get all the answers right, you’ll receive a certificate naming you a RESPIMAT T.O.P. Performer. Why not check it out today?
Clinical features with downloadable PDFs


text:
Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook has just announced that it has found a way to bypass ad blockers in the web browsers. The company plans to pass on advertisements in its website impersonating them as general contents. The algorithm of current ad blockers will be unable to distinguish between ads from organic contents, thus failing to filter advertisements. As of now, this will only affect the users of the desktop version of Facebook’s website, while the mobile users will remain unaffected. The social network giant has assured users that it will work on showing more personalized ads and stop featuring unwanted annoying ads.
Ad blocking affects a huge number of internet content providers from around the globe. Several websites have taken steps to curb this practice which grossly affects their primary source of income. The steps vary from politely asking the visitors to switch off ad blocker to blocking the website content until ad blocking is disabled.
Facebook wishes to opt for more advanced but controversial way of pushing advertisements. It targets to actively force all its users to see ads instead of passively asking them. The company has always been aggressive in making as much money as possible. To achieve its goal, it does not care to play with its users’ freedom or privacy.
In India, with the Internet.org or the Free Basics initiative, Facebook wanted to squash all competitions in an unfair manner. Needless to say, the company failed in its attempt to forcefully conquer the internet in the country. But, the social media giant has not given up hope, instead trying every way possible to permanently secure its position at the top. The company is now working with a drone program using which it wishes to achieve its irresistible crave for monopoly.
According to census, Facebook is far from being vulnerable from ad blocking. It collects about 84 percent of its total income from its mobile application, which is almost free from ad blocking. The ad blocking policy adopted by the company does not need to be that much aggressive. Facebook’s method may serve as an inspiration to many websites around the world, which will try the same way to spam users with disturbing number of advertisements.
In response to Facebook’s latest policy, developers of ad blocking software have expressed mixed feelings. Some have become doubtful about how to outstrip this new method, while others have not lost a bit of confidence. The latter has boasted about their huge open source contributors and are positive of overcoming this new obstacle.


text:
In the wake of the Kevin Tsujihara sex scandal, WarnerMedia announces its new CEO for Warner Bros. with Ann Sarnoff, the first female in its history to hold the title.
Sarnoff, who is currently the president of BBC Studios Americas, has been named as the new Chair and CEO of Warner Bros and will oversee its production, marketing, and distribution of film, television and interactive entertainment, which includes the DC movies and more.
Here is the official announcement:
ANN SARNOFF NAMED CHAIR AND CEO OF WARNER BROS.
(June 24, 2019 – New York, NY) – WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey today announced the appointment of Ann Sarnoff as the new Chair and CEO of Warner Bros. Sarnoff, who is currently President, BBC Studios Americas (formerly BBC Worldwide Americas), brings more than thirty years of diversified business and media experience to the role of overseeing worldwide operations at Warner Bros. including the production, marketing and distribution of film, television and interactive entertainment.
“I am delighted Ann is joining the WarnerMedia team and excited to work side by side with such a talented and accomplished individual. She brings a consistent and proven track record of innovation, creativity and business results to lead an incredibly successful studio to its next chapter of growth,” said Stankey. “Ann has shown the ability to innovate and grow revenues and has embraced the evolution taking place in our industry. I am confident she will be a great cultural fit for WarnerMedia and that our employees will embrace her leadership, enthusiasm and passion for our business.”
Sarnoff comes to Warner Bros. with an established track record spanning an array of prominent media and entertainment businesses from Viacom to the NBA to Dow Jones to the BBC. Her vast knowledge from this range of experience puts the company in the hands of a seasoned, successful executive that is keenly aware of the continuous need to innovate. A widely admired leader, she has full appreciation and respect for the creative process and has worked in close collaboration with talent and business partners for many years to develop effective engagement strategies for global audiences.
“It is a privilege to join a studio with such a storied history. Warner Bros. has been an industry leader for decades and is known for creating many of the most iconic film, television and gaming properties,” said Sarnoff. “I accept this position excited by the opportunity to work with the most accomplished executives and teams in media, and confident about carrying this incredible heritage forward with them.”
As President of BBC Studios Americas, Sarnoff has been responsible for driving growth and profit across the company’s diversified business division in the U.S., Canada and Latin America. She oversaw L.A. Productions, linear and digital program sales and co-productions, home entertainment, and licensing. She also led efforts to amplify BBC Studios’ global brands “Doctor Who,” “Top Gear,” and the natural history brand “BBC Earth.” As Board Chair of BritBox Sarnoff has guided the development and growth of the direct-to-consumer service which offers U.S. and Canadian customers the largest collection of British television programming.
“Ann’s contribution to BBC Studios has been immense,” said Tim Davie, CEO BBC Studios. “She has grown our core business as well as driving significant innovation, including the successful creation of BritBox, the growth of BBC America alongside our partner AMCN, the launch of new channels like BBC Earth in Canada, and major new content and production deals. We will miss her generosity and her spirit of collaboration, and we wish her great success at Warner Bros.”
During a leadership transition, Warner Bros. was managed by an interim team of leaders made up of Toby Emmerich, Chairman, Warner Bros. Pictures Group, Peter Roth, President and Chief Content Officer, Warner Bros. Television Group and Kim Williams, EVP & CFO, Warner Bros.
“I want to thank Toby, Peter and Kim for stepping up during this transition and making sure Warner Bros. didn’t miss a beat. Their commitment to delivering operationally and creatively is evident in our results over the last several months. It’s clear that Ann becomes part of a team that is second-to-none,” Stankey added.
Sarnoff will be based in Los Angeles and will officially join the company later this summer.
Additional biographical information:
Alongside her role at BBC Studios Americas, Sarnoff also served as head of BBC Worldwide’s Global Production Network from 2016-2018 and was charged with developing the strategy for and optimizing the company’s global production operations. From 2010, when she joined the company, to 2015, Sarnoff was COO, BBC Worldwide North America, where she was responsible for most major revenue streams for the company and led cross-business franchise development for global brands, resulting in significant revenue gains. Sarnoff led the team that increased distribution of BBC America across the country to 80 million subscribers and managed the transition of digital program sales to where they exceeded linear program sales.
Prior to joining BBC Worldwide, Sarnoff was President of Dow Jones Ventures and Senior Vice President of Strategy. In this role, she was responsible for leveraging the assets of Dow Jones to create new businesses focusing on digital and B-to-C markets, and for overseeing corporate strategy and business development.
During her career, Sarnoff also served as COO for the Women’s National Basketball Association, where she was recruited by and sat on the executive team of NBA Commissioner David Stern. In addition to running the league’s business operations and overseeing player personnel and programs, Sarnoff redefined the WNBA brand, secured new sponsorships, and instituted innovative marketing campaigns for the league.
Sarnoff has also worked with some of the best-known brands in television while at Viacom from 1993-2003. As Nickelodeon’s Executive Vice President for Consumer Products and Business Development, she led the team that launched the channel Noggin, and then pioneered a franchise-building approach to properties like Rugrats and Blue’s Clues, growing Nickelodeon consumer products into a multi-billion-dollar revenue business at retail. Subsequently, she became COO for VH1 and CMT where, in addition to strategic planning and business operations, she oversaw the company’s websites, radio, audio and video products, and launched the channel VH1 Classic.
Sarnoff holds a BS from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She sits on the boards of PayPal Holdings, Inc. and Georgetown University, and is the vice chair of the advisory board of the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown. She also serves as co-chair of the Digital Task Force for New York Public Radio. She has two adult children, and presently lives in New York City with her husband.
WarnerMedia is a leading media and entertainment company that creates and distributes premium and popular content from a diverse array of talented storytellers and journalists to global audiences through its consumer brands including: HBO, Warner Bros., TNT, TBS, CNN, DC Entertainment, New Line, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies, truTV and others.
WarnerMedia is part of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T).


text:
From The Vault - Fallout Wiki
|This page lists all news items posted at The Vault.|
- Anybody may post news items which are related to the Fallout series or the wiki itself.
- To submit news, simply create a new blog.
- To see the most recent news and comments, you might need to refresh this page's cache.


text:
Disney Shatters Earning Expectations with 'Star Wars'
Disney shared its best quarterly earnings ever yesterday, resulting mostly from the success of "Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens." The company brought in a record-breaking $2.9 billion, according to Wired.
“Driven by the phenomenal success of 'Star Wars,' we delivered the highest quarterly earnings in the history of our company,” Bob Iger, the chairman and CEO of Disney, told Wired. “We’re very pleased with our results, which continue to validate our strategic focus and investments in brands and franchises.”
Disney's success with "Star Wars" is due, in large part, to its consumer product lineup, including toys, games and other merchandise.
Disney also unveiled a preview of the 2016 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival merchandise. There will be both a women's and men's apparel collection, a limited edition MagicBand, a multitude of pins, a "Star Wars" garden decorations collection, a Dooney and Bourke collection and more.
To preview the collection, check it out on Inside the Magic.


text:
This article is taken from our FREE daily investment email Money Morning.
Every day, MoneyWeek’s executive editor John Stepek and guest contributors explain how current economic and political developments are affecting the markets and your wealth, and give you pointers on how you can profit.
• Don’t miss the chance to see MoneyWeek editor-in-chief Merryn Somerset Webb and guests live at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year. Merryn will be talking economics, politics and money at Panmure House – Adam Smith’s only surviving home – from 16 to 25 August. Book now!
In this week’s issue of MoneyWeek magazine
The slump in emerging markets is a great buying opportunity
Private equity has cash to burn
The real value of rebalancing your portfolio
Three top-quality wealth creators at bargain prices
Take a punt on Premier Oil
● Share tips of the week
Not a subscriber? Sign up here
If one entrepreneur sums up the spirit of the age, it’s Elon Musk.
He’s a social crusader. Tesla’s business was built on a form of consumerist “virtue signalling” – early adopters making the sacrifice of buying sleekly expensive cars with limited ranges to show both how wealthy and how ethical they were.
He is polarising. Tesla is the most-shorted stock in the US for a reason. It’s basically a divide between Musk believers and Musk sceptics. Both parties are heavily invested in their view of Musk being the right one, and they want to collect their just rewards when they are proved right.
He has an intriguing relationship with the truth, and with the media. Oh, and he loves Twitter.
In short, Elon Musk is the zeitgeist. And when everything about our current gilded age goes pear-shaped, I expect him to be right at the heart of it.
Some of the big themes driving markets right now
I’ve talked about this before here, so forgive me if I’m going over old ground.
And I want to make one thing clear before I start again: timing the market is largely a mug’s game. The stockmarket saying goes that “no one rings a bell at the top”. And it’s true.
I say sort of, because when I look back at every major market turning point that I can remember (and going back further than that as well), there’s always been some epic, headline-grabbing deal that marks the end of that era with an almost-elegant flourish.
RBS and Barclays squabbling over ABN Amro at the top of the banking bubble in 2007; Glencore going public at the top of the commodities bubble in 2011; AOL merging with Time Warner at the top of the tech and media bubble in 2000.
I haven’t done exhaustive scientific research into this. It feels like one of those indicators like the “cover story” indicator. It’s part art, part science, and there’s a bit of “eye of the beholder” interpretation in there – it’s always hard to account for “false positives” – deals that look like “the one” but aren’t.
But there’s definitely a logic to it. You tend to get big deals happening towards the end of bull markets. That’s just the nature of them. More and more money becomes available to undertake increasingly rash projects. There’s a sense of panic as everyone wants a piece of whatever is the next big thing. So we should expect to see extreme stories occurring at market extremes.
As George Soros puts it, markets are reflexive. Soros has written whole books about this (and it’s certainly worth reading his stuff), but the basic concept is pretty easy to grasp. In essence, markets don’t just measure reality – they help to shape it.
High prices encourage different sorts of behaviour to low prices, and the behaviour then feeds back into the market.
So what have been the big themes of this bull market? The most obvious one has been the zero-interest-rate world. This has enabled many industries that would not have survived in harsher times to get off the ground and keep going, despite demonstrating a consistent inability to fund themselves.
The shale oil industry is a good example of this. Which leads onto one of the other big “flavours” of our current era – the energy revolution. America has become one of the world’s biggest oil producers again. Renewables have gone from being the flaky fringe of energy production to being seen as the future. Battery technology and a breakthrough there is the key to a glorious new world.
Finally, I’d say another theme is visionary founders being given the freedom to act. Most of the big tech companies have shareholder structures that have allowed the founders to maintain complete control, despite owning a minority of the shares. Others haven’t bothered going to the market at all – instead, if you want a piece of the hottest companies around, you have to go through other routes – venture capital, private equity and the like.
Fundamentally, all of this is backed by cheap debt. People can afford to chuck money at talented “visionaries” when it doesn’t cost much. Take a room full of vaguely photogenic young people with a uniform of black turtlenecks or hoodies, wild-eyed stares, and ridiculous mission statements. Hose them down with cheap money. Some of them might build something useful and/or profitable.
The perfect top-of-the-market deal
I’ve wondered frequently about what deal could mark the top of this particular bull market. I imagine that the end deal will involve a remarkably complex debt structure that has never been attempted before. Something so “cov-lite” that it will astonish all who see it.
It would also have to involve some big names. I joked to someone in the office a while ago that it should ideally be something like Softbank (a wildly extravagant tech investment fund led by a visionary Japanese entrepreneur) buying a big name company like Tesla (which we already know about) in a deal funded with some sort of cryptocurrency.
I’m not sure about the cryptocurrency bit, but earlier this week, Musk tweeted something that might – just might, assuming it’s not yet another twisted fantasy of his, which it might well be – have fired the starting gun on the dream deal to end this particular cycle.
First, the FT learned that Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund has bought up a stake (no more than 5%) in Tesla over the last few months. It’s now one of the company’s biggest shareholders.
In the wake of that particular scoop, Musk dropped a bombshell tweet, followed up by a brief note to staff. In short, Musk argued that he is a bit fed up with running Tesla as a public company because it means he – gasp – needs to be accountable to the outside world. Visionary founders don’t like that one little bit.
So, he tweeted that he’s got plans to take Tesla private at $420 a share.
Now, Musk could be just mouthing off, having spotted a chance to try to stir up trouble for Tesla’s legions of short sellers. Trouble is, mouthing off like that is a pretty serious offence if you do it as a public company, because Musk said that he had the funding secured for the deal, and if it’s not true then that’s arguably price manipulation.
So let’s say that there’s something to this deal. The FT has a rundown of potential funders. SoftBank is one – but apparently it reckons Tesla is overvalued already. Chinese tech giant Tencent is another.
The Saudi sovereign wealth fund is an interesting one. If it’s worried about the end of oil, then buying Tesla has a sort-of “statement of intent” logic to it (although only conceptually – it’s still nuts to buy an electric-car maker at this price when you could buy any other car manufacturer and have change left over).
The problems for everyone else is that Tesla just doesn’t throw off the cash to justify the sort of leveraged buyout that you’d need.
In other words, if this deal to take Tesla private actually gets off the ground, it would require extraordinary ingenuity, unheard-of levels of financial engineering, and absolutely incredible levels of irrational exuberance.
Put another way, it would be the epitome of the absolutely perfect top-of-the-market deal.
Look, this is all speculation. And it’s great fun to pontificate. And it may never happen.
But in my view, if this deal gets done and it actually goes through, then that’s the top. From that point, it’s all over bar the big bear market.
We’ll revisit when and if it happens.


text:
Hain Celestial income down 13% in year
August 27, 2008
by FoodBusinessNews.net Staff
MELVILLE, N.Y. — For the year ended June 30, The Hain Celestial Group posted net income of $41,221,000, equal to $1.03 per share on the common stock, down 13% from $47,482,000, or $1.21 per share, during fiscal 2007.
Sales for fiscal 2008 were $1,056,371,000, down 17% from $900,432,000 during the previous year.
"Our fiscal year has come to a close with record fourth-quarter sales, driven by the successful introduction of new products, continued contribution from our existing brands and our continued sharp focus on improving our productivity, expense efficiency and pricing, appropriate steps for this extraordinary environment," said Irwin D. Simon, president and chief executive officer. "With consumers staying at home more and the continuing expansion of our presence in grocery, mass-market and specialty retailers along with strong performance in the natural channel, we are seeing indications that consumers have prioritized leading a healthy lifestyle despite the challenging economy and inflationary pressures."
For the fourth quarter, the company posted net income of $6,504,000, or 16c per share, down 46% from $12,140,000, or 30c per share, during the same quarter of the previous year. Sales for the quarter were $278,261,000, up 25% from $222,320,000 during the same quarter of the previous year.
For fiscal year 2009, Hain Celestial expects to have $1.2 billion to $1.3 billion in sales and earnings per share in the range of $1.54 to $1.61.