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Wow! We have to look all the way back to 2007 to see a January like we just had. Sales of single family homes in January this year are up 58% over January last year and have not been this high in 9 years! With just 7 months of inventory on the market, we have not seen January inventory this low since 8 years ago in 2008. An early look at February shows that month-to-date sales are up 40% over last year! Is this the year for the North Okanagan real estate market to really shine? These early indicators could be telling us to watch for a Seller’s market in 2016.
Sales - The total sales for the 12 months ending January 2016 was at 960, down 5% from the 1,013 for the 12 months ending January 2015. With the BC economy continuing to lead the country, our North Okanagan region may be poised for some stable recovery if January sales for this year are any leading indicator.
Inventory - The average monthly inventory of single family homes rose again for the second time in 5 years, a response to slowing sales. The average monthly inventory rose 2% to 555 for the last 12 months ending in January 2016 compared to 543 for the same period in 2015. Again, that can all change quickly if the trend set by January sales gathers steam.
Prices - Despite slower sales and rising inventory, prices continue to edge up and we are seeing continued upward pressure on average median prices. At $355,339, average median prices for the last 12 months ending in January 2016 rose 3.5% from 12 months ending in January 2015 and was up 8.7% from 2012 when we reached the lowest average median price of the last 9 years. With price being one of the last indicators affected by changes in sales and inventory, it will be interesting to watch what happens to prices if sales continue to climb in 2016.
Absorption Rate - The rate at which our inventory is being absorbed by sales continues to fall over the short term. The average absorption rate of 14.10% over the 12 month period ending January 2016 dropped below last year’s figure of 15.17% for the fifth time this year. However, it was higher than last months 12 month average of 13.73%, another encouraging sign. Also, at the end of January 2016, the inventory dropped to where there are now only 7 months of available homes on the market, down 3 from last month. This is still considered a balanced market but moving towards a Seller’s market.
It seems that we are starting the year pretty much on a high note. With the indicators of higher sales, lower inventory AND higher prices, it is looking like 2016 could be a better year for the North Okanagan real estate market.
For Buyers and Sellers it remains important to look carefully at comparable sales of similar homes in areas similar to where your home is located. That is our only valid indicator of home values in this contradicting market. 2016 will be an interesting year to watch and I will keep you posted as it unfolds.


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Five Canadian banks have rolled out a new blockchain-based mobile service from SecureKey to let customers securely verify their identities.
After demoing a beer vending machine at SXSW, Civic is announcing a blockchain identity deal with 12 suppliers in the automated retail space.
A new $50 million VC fund set up by Nasdaq-listed company Okta has invested in its first startup, blockchain identity project Trusted Key.
A former prime minister of Denmark and secretary-general of NATO has joined blockchain identity startup Concordium as a strategic advisor.
General Motors Financial has partnered with blockchain startup Spring Labs on solutions for identity verification.
Blockchain startup Civic has hired Apple veteran Phillip Shoemaker as executive director of Identity.com.
An Abu Dhabi financial center and KPMG say they have successfully completed a trial of a blockchain-based know-your-customer application.
Swiss Federal Railways has trialed a blockchain-based credentials management system for construction workers.
Cryptocurrency exchanges will likely have to reckon with VPN access as part of any regulatory or law enforcement actions for market manipulation.
Privacy-focused internet browser Brave will use Civic's identity verification services to ensure that publishers are paid for their content.

domain: news


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Technology conglomerate Samsung has voluntarily recalled one of their smartphones. Last month, the phone carrier announced that the lithium-ion battery used in the Galaxy Note7 device had the potential of overheating and catching fire. This poses a serious threat of major burns to telephone users and those nearby. Approximately 1 million units are believed to have been affected by the product defect. Colors included in the recall are blue coral, black onyx, silver titanium and gold platinum – each with a matching stylus. Defective phones have “Samsung” printed on the front of the phone at the top and the back of the phone reads “Galaxy Note7”. They would have been purchased from August 2016 to September 2016 from electronics and phone carrier retail stores, including but not limited to Verizon, Sprint, Best Buy, T-Mobile, AT&T, US Cellular, www.samsung.com, as well as other websites.
The recall from Samsung included further details in that 92 batteries have been reported overheating at this time in the U.S. 26 of those resulted in burns and 55 in some type of property damage, including garage and car fires.
Samsung advises that owners stop using their devices immediately, and to turn off the recalled phones. To find out if your phone is included in the recall, simply locate the IMEI number on the back of the phone or packaging. This number can be entered into the online registration form at www.samsung.com. You can also call Samsung at 844-365-6197 to speak to a representative about the device. To receive a replacement device or refund, Samsung advises owners to contact the retail location or carrier where the device was originally purchased.
Jones & Swanson hopes to alert as many owners of defective devices as possible prior to injuries being sustained. These types of product defects can often times lead to legal claims on a large scale.


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Coffee Times Coffee House on Regency Road is scheduled to reopen Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. following a small fire Monday afternoon.
Lexington Fire officials said the fire began in the smoke stack on the coffee roaster.
The fire started around 3:45 p.m.
Investigators said the damage was minor.
Coffee Times Coffee House and Lexington Coffee and Tea were both forced to temporarily close following the fire.
Lexington Coffee and Tea was expected to resume roasting coffee by Tuesday afternoon, according to the owner. The business supplies restaurants and businesses in the area.


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Word has it that Twitter is close to launching its own photo-sharing service and plans other acquisitions that will help a compelling, popular medium advance in its plans to create a viable, cash-generative business.
It has been the lack of a viable business platform that has bedevilled Twitter despite its success.
Twitter has amassed more than 200m users but advertising is still elusive, and clearly not helped by the myriad of various Twitter clients that are only serving to confuse the picture for the five-year-old company.
The acquisition of TweetDeck for US$40m was clearly the first step in what can be considered a fight-back by a social media platform that needs to monetise faster.
According to TechCrunch, Twitter plans to launch a photo sharing service that lends itself perfectly to the medium as a speedy way of distributing content. Such a service would compete with existing services by players like Twitpics and Yfrogs.
It could also help Twitter see off competition in the form of the Instagram app, which is gaining in popularity every day.
The company is also planning to buy AdGrok, a firm that creates contextual keywords on Google Adwords – another clear signal that Twitter means business.


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We live in an age of technological breakthroughs on an almost daily basis. Advances in AI are beginning to revolutionize modern medicine, we are more globally connected than ever before, and automation is making us more productive than previous generations. But most importantly, advances in technology have allowed us to create and consume some pretty cool stuff.
Last year we saw advances in flying car technology, drones, microchips (no matter how difficult they were to achieve), EVs, and a myriad of other industries.
that’s why Innovation and Technology Today features the annual Top 50 Most Innovative Products as we move to 2023.
All of 2022’s top tech is curated by our tech-savvy team in Innovation & Tech Today’s print mega buyer’s guide.
Last year, it featured the best in outdoor, fitness, gaming, office, home and entertainment products. This year, we’re raising expectations with the addition of visionary tech from CES 2023 and a selection of the best versatile gadgets that continue to improve exponentially year after year.
Top 50 Most Innovative Products I&TT’A very popular feature every year. The features include gadgets for industries such as healthcare, smart home, outdoor and adventure, STEM, gaming and entertainment, as well as a series of business he innovations, new products and connected services.
“Every year we discover some of the most innovative products on the market. We pride ourselves on having a keen eye for finding new products that are technologically advanced and highly useful. said CEO of Innovative Properties Worldwide, Innovation and Technology Today“Each product is vigorously tested by our entire editorial staff to narrow down applicants to reflect as closely as possible a product that appeals to our readers.”
Products are selected from the following categories.
• Health and wellness technology
• Connected Life
• Outdoor and Adventure Tech
• Games and Entertainment
•General Tech Products
To learn more about the Top 50 Most Innovative Products and register your most innovative gear, visit https://innotechtoday.com/top-50-most-innovative-products-registration Please give me.


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The Australian National University (ANU) has launched a new research project to provide a blueprint by which Australia can look to install itself as the renewable energy powerhouse of the region. The project raises both political and feasibility questions about Australia’s economic future.
Polysilicon manufacturer Daqo has announced the start of pilot production in Xinjiang and expects to ramp up to full output by the end of the year, doubling the company’s annual capacity to 70,000 MT. Some 90% of its poly will be mono by that stage and Daqo expects 40% to be suitable for n-type products next year.
The GCL System chief executive made comments that fly in the face of an expected solar gold rush in China that analysts predict will start this month. Though rising overseas demand will address overcapacity fears, according to Luo, the soundbite is sure to chill PV boardrooms across the world’s biggest solar market.
The Chinese giant has argued its 166mm M6 product should be the new iteration used worldwide, even though larger products have been launched by rivals. Longi says the fact existing cell and module production lines can be adapted for the M6 means rising demand for solar worldwide can be swiftly satisfied.
The two nations are due to sign an MoU today to set up the capacity in the north of Bangladesh along with 50 MW of wind power facilities in the south, near the port of Payra. China will supply an estimated $500m with the host nation freeing up land for the projects.
A mix of higher operating costs and ageing coal assets – plus historically generous solar tariffs – meant the utility banked more profit from the 1.53 TWh of solar electricity it sold in the first half than it did from 25.9 TWh of coal-fired power.
Two reports have described how the world’s largest renewable energy market is moving towards maturity. According to the Brookings Institution, the Chinese clean energy market could become more open to Western investors and tech. A report by Fitch claims projects are moving back to inland provinces from coastal regions.
The manufacturer says its Kwafoo product improves efficiency and, if used in the optimal p-type PERC type of panel, could boast a module output of 610 W.
The energy storage market is set to be the latest affected by Trump’s trade war, and lithium-ion batteries were not included in a group of Chinese imports where tariffs will be delayed until December 15.
A report produced by an AI and automation market research company says an anticipated boom in the European storage market – driven by a desire to reduce carbon emissions – will attract producers as demand outside China tails away.
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LAW graduate Mamun Kalam has swapped the Bar for a bhuna after taking over an Indian restaurant from his curry king dad.
The 22-year-old is the son of renowned Lichfield-based restaurateur Abdul Salam, who has repeatedly broken the record for serving the world's largest curry.
Now Abdul's Bukhara restaurant in Tamworth has been handed over to Mamun and renamed The Bollywood after a #250,000 investment.
The new boss has created a new menu inspired by the Bollywood film industry.
"The name says it all really - it's all food of the Indian movie stars," he said.
"Our chefs have been trained in restaurants where Bollywood stars eat and we are recreating that food to give people here a modern taste of the glamour of Bollywood.
"A lot of our new dishes have been taken directly from India and are different to what you would traditionally eat in an Indian restaurant, so it's a different taste experience and kind of unique.
"We want people to come and experiment and learn about real, modern Indian cuisine."
Mamun has instructed his staff to wear traditional Indian dress and will show Bollywood films at the venue.
Abdul, who cooked the world's largest curry, weighing in at ten tonnes, also has restaurants in Birmingham and Stafford.
"I'm very proud of my son," he said. "He was born in England and has worked with me in my restaurants since he was 12. But even though I'm the one who grew up in Bangladesh, he has impressed me with the menu he has come up with."
Mr Kalam hopes to expand the venue from 80 to 200 seats and plans to stage Bollywood-theme evenings where customers will be encouraged to wear Bollywood-style clothes.


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How can your company react to the new normal of COVID-19
COVID-19 has shaken up life and business. Companies have struggled as suppliers have been shut down, supply chains have been disrupted and for those that can still work they need to adjust to social distancing and higher than normal absenteeism. COVID-19 will continue to impact society till we develop and administer an effective vaccine. So what is the new normal till then? How should companies react to the effects of the pandemic on their business? These are just some of the subjects that Tim Lindner and I explored in the interview for "The Profit Chain." (https://www.theprofitchain.com/)
How is the pandemic affecting your business? Let us know your thoughts on these subjects?


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Steinbeck's Home Brew Fest early bird tickets on sale
In a few weeks, locals will have a unique opportunity to sip on brews created in homes across the region during the largest homebrew event in Monterey County.
The Steinbeck’s Home Brew Fest returns for its second year on May 6, and early bird tickets are available through April 29.
At the inaugural Steinbeck’s Home Brew Fest last year, hundreds of attendees had the chance to try 83 different beers created by 30 area home brewers.
More than 400 gallons of beer were poured at the event and included more traditional styles as well as some more unusual ones such as a cucumber hibiscus pale ale, Mexican chocolate chili stout or raspberry sour ale.
“There were fascinating flavors, and they were more intriguing than some of the more mundane beers,” said Steinbeck Rotary President Anne Olsen. “I learned a lot from the homebrewers last year. They are incredibly excited about what they do and there were ones I never knew existed. It was really interesting to get feedback from them and how they do it.”
While many have tried beer from craft beer giants such as Firestone Walker Brewing Company or Stone Brewing, usually just friends and family of home brewers get to taste their unique creations since home brewers can’t sell without a license.
At the homebrew fest, the brewers essentially donate their beer for the festival, and in turn, receive a chance to not only share it with others but get feedback from the public on their craft.
"They’re really donating a lot of effort time and money to put that together so they’re a huge in-kind sponsor on this kind of festival because otherwise, it would not work," Olsen explained. "It gets people talking and interested in homebrewing."
The event serves as a fundraiser for the Steinbeck Rotary Club’s various local and international projects such as local student scholarships, youth programs and more.
“It’s a unique event, and it’s a lot of fun," Olsen added. "It’s helping the community by supporting Rotary, and it’s also a good way to meet people."
The afternoon festival includes a street fair with live music, food vendors and performances from local schools and community organizations.
There will be three beer gardens with two located in the Steinbeck Center and one at the Taylor Farm building.
Duane Shima of Bottoms Up Homebrew Supply store in Seaside is helping to organize the home brewers before the big event.
The home brewers at the festival will be competing in various categories as well as for the coveted “People’s Choice Award,” which was won last year by Salinas’ own Hanyak Brewing, a collaboration between Adam Carr, David Maynard, and Chris Stark.
Shima said it will be a great chance for home brewers to get feedback.
“I think the biggest difference between a homebrew event and a commercial event is talking to the person who actually made the beer … So one, you can talk to someone who actually knows about the beer, and two, you’re going to get everything under the sun,” Shima said. “You’re going to find very unique beers, combinations of flavors that you can’t buy and you can only make at home.”
While last year’s event encountered some rainy weather, Olsen looks forward to seeing the event grow in its second year based on the positive feedback from those who attended before. The festival also hopes to promote Oldtown businesses which have seen a positive turnaround in recent years.
“The whole idea is to get out that wonderful things happen in Salinas, and we have really good restaurants and really good things that go on here,” Olsen said.
All ticket holders will receive a special production glass with their ticket. All ticket holders must be at least 21-years-old, and identification will be checked at Will Call and the sales table the day of the event.
For more information or to buy tickets, visit www.steinbeckrotary.org
For more information on the homebrew competition itself, contact Bottoms Up Homebrew Supply at www.bottomsuphomebrew.com
If you go…
What: Steinbeck’s Home Brew Fest
When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 6
Where: 100block of Main Street in Salinas
Cost: $35 early bird general admission until midnight April 29; $50 general admission after April 29


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Recently having celebrated its tenth birthday, Minecraft has continued to grow exponentially and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down.
It’s called the Pewdiepie Effect. Ever heard of it? Basically, whenever Pewdiepie, that extremely popular YouTuber you may have heard of, begins playing something the game in question skyrockets in popularity. Which isn’t to say that Minecraft needed any help being popular, it’s already estimated to be the best selling game of all time according to the numbers posted by Microsoft in July, stating that the game had sold over 176 million copies. Although this number has definitely grown much higher since then as Microsoft has recently announced that the game has gained over 20 million monthly players over the course of a year.
I’m not saying that Pewdiepie’s return to Minecraft is the only reason that Minecraft has grown to be an even larger success but I have to imagine that it’s played some role in it. Minecraft is seemingly going from strength to strength as the game has shown consistent growth of the years with reports that the game is currently sitting at 112 million active players compared to the measly 91 million in the October of 2018. These numbers are taking into account the various different platforms Minecraft is available on and considering how prolific the game is, it shouldn’t really surprise anyone that those numbers are so high. Except maybe Roblox, who’ve once again been punted back into second place following the announcement that the free to play game has 100 million active users earlier this year.
I’ll be honest, even I’ve been considering getting into Minecraft. The meme that Minecraft was a game played almost exclusively by (and for) ten-year-olds has long since died as people have come around to the idea that maybe this extremely non-linear, innovative and well-designed game is pretty good. Who would have thought?
Last Updated: September 17, 2019


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Microsoft has come along way since the days of Windows 1.0 and even Windows 95. Over the years, Microsoft has made some important investments including: Apple Computers, BestBuy, Nextel Communications, and many Internet service providers.
Microsoft has also made a lot of bold and strategic acquisitions of companies, including: Hotmail, Groove Networks, Rare, and of course their latest takeover, Skype. One of Microsoft’s bigger purchases in the last few months has been Skype; an Internet phone software company that provides free calling from computer-to-computer, and even supported mobile devices running Skype.
The InfoGraphic below show just how many investments and acquisitions Microsoft has made over the past decade:
Click to enlarge:


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SYDNEY, Oct 20 (Reuters) – Australia plans to allow companies to ditch physical shareholder meetings and move to gatherings that are completely online, making rules introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic permanent.
A bill, which has been criticised by shareholder groups, was introduced in parliament on Wednesday.
Under the new rules, companies will be able to hold online meetings if the company’s constitution expressly permits it “provided that members, as a whole, are given reasonable opportunity to participate”, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said in a statement.
In recent months, some companies have sought to amend their constitutions to allow such a move. A resolution by pallet maker Brambles (BXB.AX), however, was withdrawn by the company after receiving little support from shareholders.
Rachel Waterhouse, chief executive of the Australian Shareholders Association said the group was disappointed with the government’s decision because online-only meetings can limit investors’ ability to hold executives to account.
“This allows executives and directors to avoid transparency and answering questions, potentially leaving retail shareholders uninformed about the true performance of the company and frustrated about directors impacting their oversight,” she said.
The shareholder group believes hybrid meetings should be the norm instead because they achieve greater transparency, shareholder engagement and participation.
The proposed laws will also permit annual reports or website links to them and other information to be emailed rather than printed and physically mailed to shareholders.
The temporary measures were introduced in May 2020 as part of the government’s response to the coronavirus crisis and were later extended until March 31, 2022. If passed, the laws will be reviewed in two years to ensure that they are operating as intended, Frydenberg added.
Reporting by Renju Jose and Paulina Duran; Editing by Richard Pullin and Edwina Gibbs
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


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Burger chain Wimpy UK has replaced plastic straws across all its restaurants with bio-degradable paper straws.
The company said the move reinforces its commitment to reducing non-recyclable waste throughout its estate.
Chris Woolfenden, general manager of Wimpy UK, said: “We’re making good on the promise we made in 2018 to source a sustainable and suitable alternative to plastic straws. We are delighted to have come up with a solution which we believe will go down extremely well with customers and adds a big tick to our sustainability goals.”
The brightly-coloured red and white paper straws are made from FSC managed forests and are 100% bio-degradable.
They can be composted – breaking down within four to six weeks – and can also be disposed of as food waste.
Suitable for both hot and cold drinks, the straws come in two sizes, a larger one for thick shakes and a normal size for soft or sparkling drinks.
Wimpy said the straws are made from a special blend of bamboo and wood pulp, giving the paper the best liquid resistance. Each straw has a six hour use time when totally submerged.
The glue used in the three ply construction of the straws is a 100% natural, food safe, plant-based glue, which has been specially developed to be safely compostable at the same rate as the straws
Last summer Wimpy introduced 100% recyclable menus made from a new biodegradable laminate and Mr Woolfenden said the company would continue to look for new opportunities to add to its sustainability credentials.


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Normally I would wait until Winner Wednesday to tell you about a big winner, but I just couldn’t wait on this one! It’s too exciting! Plus, it’s a fun story to tell on a Monday when we all need a little pick-me-up.
Imagine you just bought a new home and you’re now looking at your monthly payment. Kristy and Walter Albert of Wellston just went through that process, and soon they’ll be kissing the monthly payment goodbye.
Kristy says Walter picked up two Big $10 Tickets from Super Quik. “He bought one for him and one for me, his was a loser mine was a winner, and a big one on top of that!” Kristy said.
She won $500,000! The first payment on their new home isn’t due until later this month, and now they’ll be paying it off in full thanks to this big win. Kristy says it couldn’t have come at a better time as they’ve struggled for the last few years. She said she wants better for her children, and this is going to help them pay off the house and invest for the future.
“We’re going to pay off the house, my son just turned 16 so we’re going to get him a car and take the kids to Disney World. We’ve already started making our plans,” she said.
Kristy says when she walked back into the store with her winning ticket the retailer was as excited as she was because this is one of the biggest winning tickets they’ve ever sold.
Congratulations Kristy and Walter! Enjoy your win, your new home and your vacation!


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The next iteration of Samsung flagship device i.e Samsung Galaxy S5 may not be unveiled at upcoming Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on Feb 24-27 this year. If you look back, you will find that Samsung never launched any new smartphone at Mobile World Congress after Samsung Galaxy S2. Samsung may want some exclusive press space / buzz around Galaxy S5 instead of unveiling it at WMC 2014 with loads of other products.
This new tip or information about Samsung Galaxy S5 to be launched in mid March in London comes from an Italian journalist Flavio who tweeted that a reliable source confirmed about this Global launch event to him.
Samsung to hold its next Global launch (S5?) event in London in a mid March date, a reliable source confirmed me.
— Flavio (@flapic) January 12, 2014
We are yet to hear any official information or even a hint from Samsung about this launch though, so we will wait for more credible information about this flagship launch of Galaxy S5. We will keep you updated as and when we hear more about it.


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Steve Kovach, Business Insider
Of course it is. That's the point.
Amazon has a long history of selling stuff at slim margins or a loss in order to gain rapid adoption. It really had no choice but to do the same with the Fire.
Amazon is one of the few companies out there that can afford to take a huge hit like this in order to get people using its tablet.
Disclosure: Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, is an investor in Business Insider.


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Apple, Samsung and 19 other technology companies sent a letter to the European Union asking for limits on injunctions in patent infringement cases, reports Bloomberg. These limits would be incorporated into the future European Unitary Patent system and Unified Patent Court.
The letter requests that judges in the new EU patent court be given guidance on when to issue an injunction in cases where the validity of a patent is questionable. The guidelines would make it harder for patent holding companies to block the import and sales of devices by filing infringement lawsuits.
"Without this guidance, the potential exists for a court to order an injunction prohibiting the importation and sale of goods even though the patent may ultimately be found invalid."
These rules would be incorporated into the proposed Unitary Patent system and Unified Patent Court, which establishes one patent system and a single jurisdiction court for all participating European Union member states.
A similar group of technology companies are petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court for permission to collect legal fees when patent holding companies lose an infringement case. This change in the allocation of fees would cut down on the number of frivolous suits, argues the group.
Top Rated Comments
Your example doesn't relate to the proposal. Currently one team (using your analogy) can tell the ref a player violated a penalty drawing rule
and the ref penalizes without seeing instant replay (validate claim of infringement), ejects "supposed" violator and at some later point in game reviews replay tape and discovers, perhaps, there was no violation but the team has already lost that player (profits from sales) because someone called foul (patent infringement) with no cause. If there is cause found, appropriate penalties follow, but with no cause found, the team penalized can't get back minutes on clock or what ejected player could have done.
Actually it is exactly what they are doing the 21 companies are asking for the NEW EU Patent system which is replacing the individual countries patent systems to not allow a device to be banned over a patent especially if its likely the patent will be thrown out. We have a large number of patent troll companies and them stopping Samsung from selling a Galaxy Model for 6 months could cost Samsung 100s of millions of Euros and then the case gets thrown out, and Samsung has no way to recoup the lost money because even sueing the patent troll company into bankruptcy doesnt recoup the loss. On the other hand, if Samsung sells the phone for 6 months, the judge decides they are in violation, Samsung can be fined a hefty portion of the profits from the sales and the patent owner gets paid. Its win, win either way and its how they cases should be handled instead of companies with the no assets costing companies billions only to be told 6 months later that the patent isnt valid.
Don't joke! If you lived in Argentina, this would actually be true. The government has made that decision for you.


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Everyone's got a theory on the zooming Sensex. And if it has a mind of its own....
Jeevan Prakash Sharma / Second of Outlook’s six-part series that captures the horror and heartbreak at Hathras village in Uttar Pradesh a year ago.
Outlook Web Desk / Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said the government will receive over 30 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines in October and over 100 crore doses in the next three months.
PTI / The result will not just boost their morale immensely but also improve KKR's net run rate going ahead.
The e-commerce retailer was responding to a report alleging a certain amount paid by Amazon in legal fees have been used to pay bribes by one or more of its legal representatives.


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There is so much talk about buyers sitting on the sidelines right now, but let’s talk about sellers who are also sitting. This is a local trend, but it’s something showing up in many markets across the country also.
UPCOMING (PUBLIC) SPEAKING GIGS:
2/8/23 SAFE Credit Union “Snacks & Facts” (for RE) (register here)
3/06/23 Matt the Mortgage Guy YouTube Live 3pm PST
3/08/23 Matt Gouge Event TBD
3/10/23 PCAR Market Update Lunch & Learn
3/28/23 Downtown Regional MLS meeting
4/1/23 NAA Conference in Sacramento
WORST JANUARY EVER OF NEW LISTINGS:
New listings in January 2023 were down 39% from last year in the Sacramento region. And remember, last year was a lower year of new listings. We basically saw about 800 fewer listings this January. For a national perspective on listings, check out Redfin data and Altos Research.
SELLERS HAVE BEEN SITTING SINCE THE SHIFT
January 2023 is obviously lower than the start of any other year, but check out the black line (2022). New listings have been tapering since the market changed last year, so we have a trend on our hands of sellers holding tight.
QUICK CLOSING THOUGHTS
1) The replacement home: Many would-be sellers are sitting comfortably with a sub-3% mortgage rate, and there isn’t any plan to list. Low rates have been like stay-at-home orders for sellers, and the contrast of higher rates and prices has made it really difficult to afford a replacement home.
2) Not the reason volume is low: Sometimes I hear stuff like, “Bro, sales volume is low because we’ve had fewer new listings.” I know, this sounds logical, but it’s a false narrative. The reason why sales volume has taken such a hit has to do with affordability – not the number of listings. I’m not saying anemic new supply can’t affect the market, but blaming low volume on low supply is ignoring the bigger issue of affordability. For instance, there are over 2,000 active listings in the region today, and buyers could devour these units if they really wanted to, but the problem is affording these properties.
3) Squeezing supply & demand closer: One of the struggles of having fewer new listings is it squeezes the gap between supply and demand, which creates more competition. Last week I talked about the market going from an ice bath in the fall to a hot shower in January, but imagine how different the temperature would be with 800 more listings like a normal January.
I hope this was helpful.
Questions: What would it take for you to move right now? When do you think sellers will list more? I’d love to hear your take.


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So, at this point, we've all heard the stories of the pre-order folks getting rid of PS3s for $9,000, and $6,000, (and I do see one or two more on the ps3 search list that have a bid on them for $8,000) but the vast majority are significantly lower than that. There's entire pages of $4900 "buy me nows" without a single bid on them. How are the folks who camped out in line since Tuesday morning faring just a few hours now after the release of the PS3s?
I'm guessing they're not going to fare as well as they'd hoped. A lot of people thought they'd have a net profit of about $2000 (selling them for $2600). However, as Kotaku is diligently reporting, it seems that the vast majority of people camped out in order to sell a PS3 on eBay. I'm guessing that this will probably lead to a flooded market.
At time of this writing, there are a bunch of the pre-orders that have been up for bid for awhile about to sell. One of them is going for $4300. Currently, the rest of them are hovering at the $2,000 to $1500 mark.
If you camped out to buy a PS3, here's the breakdown of how much you'd profit by hour if you've been camped out since Tuesday (72 hours) and you sold them at the going rates:
Will update tomorrow with more price breakdowns.


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Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, working professionals have seen a tremendous change in their day-to-day working role as the pandemic has hit every profession with its complex effect. The same follows with security guards. They have got additional functions that were unexpected before the pandemic. One such important addition to the role is doing event security guards in San Diego and maintaining the social distancing norms at every place or spot.
In this unexpected time, the companies offering security guard services in San Diego ask their manpower to be at the pivot situation. Irrespective of the tasks like planning the logistics or treatment of an individual from the virus or even safeguarding the elderly or the vulnerable, the security guards play a central role.
Within a short period, the presence of security guards outside the stores has become a common practice. It is because of their sharp sights, which are vigilant around the clock. The security guards preserve safety for shoppers along with the distancing, which is maintained in the store.
As with several things that are a must for day-to-day business activities, a security guard is one such which tops the list of the most crucial asset for a company or a firm.
Typical roles of security guards San Diego
Keeping in mind the vigilant nature of security guards, the most common roles they play are:
Safeguarding at every step:
Safeguarding at every stage involves the safety of an individual at every step possible. It mainly happens in crowded places as security involves maintaining social distancing norms or safeguarding against theft.
Store security is more about keeping the business secure. It helps offer positive services to the business unit, preventing their assets from any harm.
The purposeful nature of security guards involves their multi-talent option. It usually occurs at the bank, where the security personnel is vigilant and helps in task completion.
Before COVID-19, the retail guarding was highly focused on employee safety and loss prevention. However, it is an issue, but yet not the sole focus in today’s time.
Some of the recurring roles offered by security guard companies in San Diego are incident assistance, Patrolling, working welfare checking, and high-risk product protection. However, as most of the retail parks and high streets are shut, the need for increased mobile patrols for the security of closed and empty commercial, office, retail premises, and security fire watch pistols.
Indeed, tremendous changes are made in the market, like avoiding any change or seat to takeout to keep the customer safe. Now, the market will have security guards at their entrances to ensure an adequate number of crowds enter the market.
Thanks to the security companies that were equipped to meet the challenges due to the covid-19 crises. With the advancement in technology, the clients can garner an evident shortage of their vacant site of what is happening there. In case of any incident, an instant notification can be sent and received by an adequate person. Ultimately, with message boards’ help, the head office can communicate any information about covid-19 or any other mishappening.
However, if there’s any change, the information can even be sent through post orders and verified if the updated technology is acknowledged.
Indeed, future-proof technology supports the security guards who are the ultimate source of making the world a better and safe place.
With the most advanced and feasible technology like cloud applications, security guards services can be more effective, which ramps up the type of service offered by them.
Security guards might not hold much fame as with front-line workers like medical personnel. However, security guards are the most effective service providers to keep the city safe and secure.
If you want to hire the top security services in San Diego Call Cityguard NOW


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Diageo announces raft of new products backed by £10m marketing budget
Deep inside a large warehouse on an industrial estate in North-West London is a full-sized supermarket, a pub, and a cash-and-carry. And none have ever served a single customer.
The dummy stores are part of the research and development arm of drinks giant Diageo, which uses full scale replicas to simulate how its products look in different environments.
The maker of Smirnoff Vodka and Guinness opened the doors to its innovation centre yesterday as it announced a raft of new products backed by a £10m marketing budget.
Drinking to success: Diageo has announced a raft of new products backed by a £10m marketing budget
It will start selling Guinness Golden Ale next month along with a Cider infused with Pimms, a strawberry flavoured Pimms and Captain Morgan White Rum.
New ideas such as this are the lifeblood of the FTSE 100 firm’s future growth.
In the UK products hatched by the innovation centre accounted for just 3 per cent of sales five years ago but grew to 14 per cent last year.
Louise Robinson, head of innovation, says this will grow to 20 per cent by 2018. The state of the art R&D centre in Park Royal, London, is what Diageo uses to showcase its products to supermarket customers such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
By demonstrating how products look on the shelves, complete with promotional signage, it forms the basis for a negotiation on price.
Diageo pays to place its products in a premier position at the supermarkets.
It even has virtual reality software which recreates the inside of a supermarket beaming the image on a giant screen.
Customers can simulate what it would look like walking into their grocery store and move products around into different positions in real time. This has cut the time it takes to agree deals from 10 weeks to two weeks because buyers used to have to physically recreate the various scenarios.
Robinson said: ‘The birth of an idea will come from spotting a new trend such as the popularity of elderflower and then establishing how that could be translated back to one of our brands. We then get inspiration in one of our labs “stretching and screening” ideas and once we have what we call a gold standard it goes to commercial who work out how to make it financially viable.’
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YOUNG valley smokers can discover the facts about nicotine replacement therapy.
The website at www.quitbecause.org.uk will help.
It has launched the New 2008 QUIT Because Guide to Stopping Smoking.
The online guide has been published to mark the October 1 rise in the legal minimum age for buying tobacco, and includes sections on the benefits of quitting and signposts further help and support.
The website is run by QUIT, the UK charity that helps smokers to stop, and its viewers can also enjoy two new exciting web videos, an interactive forum and stop smoking freebies.
For more information, telephone Glyn Mcintosh on 07958 795199.


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The Botswana Football Association in partnership with computicket stores will like to formally announce that the tickets to the Zebras vs. Mauritania game built for Saturday 10 June 2017 at the Francistown sports complex, will go on sale TODAY (Friday 19/May 2017) from 1700hrs.
Tickets will be sold at;
- Grand Stand: P80 .00
- Other stands: P30.00
The Senior national team will play against Mauritania as the first opponents in a bid to qualify for the 2019 total African Cup of nation’s finals.
The zebras is expected to get into camp on Sunday 28th May 2017 to start preparations for their game, a more detailed schedule for the team will be released Friday 26 May 2017
In preparation for the Mauritania BFA marketing department will carry out activation around the country to mobilise support.
The following are our points of sale;
- Gaborone Shoprite station, Ok furniture’s station, Ok furniture’s main Mall, Airport junction Checkers stores, House and homes, Shoprite Game city
- Francistown: Shoprite bus rank, Ok furniture Nzano
- Mahalapye: Shoprite New mall
- Palapye: Ok Furniture’s
- Serowe: Ok Furniture’s
- Phikwe: Ok Furniture’s in the Mall
- Molepolole: Shoprite
- Maun: Shoprite, Ok Furniture’s
- Lobatse: Ok Furniture’s
- Kanye: Usave Kang Usave
Thank you Regards. #WeAreTheZebras


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What you need to know
- The ROG Phone 2 listing on TENAA has revealed the smartphone will arrive with a massive 5800mAh cell.
- Apart from the battery capacity, ROG Phone 2 listing on TENAA also confirms the presence of a 6.59-inch display.
- ASUS ROG Phone 2 will debut at an event in China on July 23.
Earlier this week, ASUS confirmed that its upcoming flagship gaming smartphone, ROG Phone 2 will feature Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 855 Plus mobile processor. Ahead of its formal launch in China next week, the ROG Phone 2 has passed through Chinese certification agency TENAA. The smartphone's listing on the TENAA website reveals the upcoming gaming smartphone will be a solid upgrade over the original ROG Phone.
As per the TENAA listing, ASUS ROG Phone 2 features a large 6.59-inch display, although the resolution of the panel hasn't been confirmed yet. It is expected that the phone will have a 120Hz refresh rate display, just like the Razer Phone 2. Thanks to the bigger display, the ROG Phone 2 is going to be significantly larger than its predecessor in terms of physical footprint.
Along with a larger display panel, the ROG Phone 2 will be a significant upgrade over the ROG Phone when it comes to battery life as well. The TENAA listing reveals the smartphone will have a 5,800mAh cell, much bigger than 4,000mAh battery inside its predecessor. It should also be noted that TENAA lists the minimum capacity of the battery, so the typical capacity of the ROG Phone 2's battery will be slightly higher.
The listing on TENAA also includes images showing the ROG Phone 2, which confirm the smartphone will offer dual front-facing speakers and dual cameras on the back. It will also have an ROG Aura RGB logo at the rear and an under-display fingerprint scanner.


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Posted: Jan. 8, 2013, 2:45 p.m. EST
John R. Ranelli will take over as president and CEO of Central Garden & Pet Co., the Walnut Creek, Calif.-based company reported Monday.
Ranelli, whose appointment is effective Feb. 11, will replace Bill Brown as CEO. Brown will remain chairman of Central Garden & Pet, whose pet brands include Aqueon, Zilla, Kaytee, Super Pet and Nylabone.
The new president is a Central Garden & Pet board member and most recently was CEO of Woolrich Inc., an outdoor clothing company based in Woolrich, Pa. He previously served as CEO of the dinnerware and home accessories company Mikasa Inc. and of the optical company FGX International.
John R. Ranelli
Photo courtesy of Woolrich Inc.
Brown called his successor “a leader on our board and a trusted partner.”
“His close to 40 years of experience in building consumer products companies will be invaluable as we position Central for the next phase of growth and continue our transition
to an integrated branded consumer products company,” Brown said.
“While we have considerable work yet to do, Central is a different company today than it was a year ago,” Brown continued. “We are transforming Central from what was essentially a collection of over 20 operating companies into an integrated organization. We are focused on building our brands and introducing innovative new products to the marketplace. We are eliminating redundant costs and pursuing a plan to achieve significant savings over the next few years.”
Ranelli, 65, signaled that he would continue Central
’s investments in marketing and new products.
“I am confident that as we strengthen our customer relationships, develop stronger ties with the consumer and continue to improve our execution, we will deliver the sustainable, profitable growth that we expect of our company and create meaningful value for our shareholders,” Ranelli said.
Industry Professional Site: Comments from non-industry professionals will be removed.


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Lunds & Byerlys offers same-day pay for workers who want it
The Twin Cities supermarket chain will let employees decide when and how often they want to be paid as a perk to attract more workers
November 19, 2021
Every day can be payday at Lunds & Byerlys, as the grocer adopts one of the the latest perks to attract workers in a tight labor market.
Lunds & Byerlys this week announced a new benefit provided via Bloomington-based Ceridian that lets its employees decide when and how frequently they would like to be paid for the hours they work.
"We are excited to be among the first 100 companies in the United States to utilize Ceridian's on-demand pay feature so our team can get paid when it's most beneficial to them," said Casey Enevoldsen, vice president of employee experience at Lunds & Byerlys.


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BY: Jarone Ashkenazi
While international prices continue to soar over the July 4 holiday weekend, domestic airfare is dramatically lower than last year. Prices have dropped 27 percent compared to last year, as some round-trip domestic flights over the holiday weekend can be had for as little as $300.
That is $100 less than last year, according to the travel app Hopper. This is welcome news for travelers as these prices are in line with pre-pandemic prices.
Domestic trip pricing though is contingent on the days of travel as the most popular days to travel are Friday, June 30, and Tuesday, July 4. If you’d like to save a little money, depart on Saturday, July 1 instead to save an average of $74 per ticket.
Hopper advises that travelers should travel on Saturday, July 1, as and return on Monday, July 3 if they truly want to save money as some fairs are only $90 between major cities, if booking through the Hopper app of course.
Pricing isn’t the only item travelers should be worried about during the holiday weekend, it is also the crowds. With millions on the go, it is best to avoid departure times from about 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Popular domestic cities for trips are many of the larger US cities with a number of travelers booking trips to Las Vegas, Atlanta and New Orleans.
Unlike domestic flights, travels abroad remain the highest they’ve been in at least five years with round trip tickets to Europe costing $1,167 compared to only $850 last year.
It is not only Europe that has seen an increase in pricing, trips to Asia have also ballooned, with the average round trip tickets fetching $1,817, compared to only $917 during the Summer of 2020.
If you are looking for an international getaway over the long holiday weekend, deals can still be found to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
The post 4th Of July Domestic Travel To Be Cheaper Than Last Year, According To Data appeared first on Traveling Lifestyle.


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GM CEO Making $16B Investment in America
May 6 (Bloomberg) -- In today's "Movers & Shakers," Bloomberg's Betty Liu reports that General Motors CEO Dan Ackerson is investing $16 billion in the United States through 2016. She speaks on Bloomberg Television's "In The Loop."
Most Recent Videos
SignalFire CEO on Company’s Data-Driven VC Methodology
53:30 - SignalFire CEO Christopher Farmer discusses his data-driven approach to venture capital and the technology behind the company’s system of tracking companies. He speaks with Cory Johnson on “Bloomberg Technology.” (Source: Bloomberg)


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Audi shifted its Super Bowl XLV campaign into high gear yesterday, running Promoted Trend and Promoted Tweet ads on Twitter. The German carmaker will hit top social media speed in the final two days leading up to its :60 spot in the big game.
The brand’s Twitter ads will run through mid-February and feature a “#ProgressIs” hashtag, which will also appear at the end of Audi’s Super Bowl spot on Sunday. Viewers who use that hashtag and tweet the campaign URL will be entered to win a trip to Sonoma, CA in late February. Audi will also award $25,000 to a charity on behalf of the winner.
Audi has 26,000 Twitter followers and looks to add more over the weekend. Andrew Lipman, spokesperson for the carmaker, said, “We’re confident that the ‘#ProgressIs’ hashtag will drive online conversation amongst our current base and attract new fans as well.”
On Facebook, Audi will spur Super Bowl chatter with an “Estate Sale” app. Facebook users will be challenged to tag various items that show up in Audi’s TV ad. That event begins at 7 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, one-half hour after the Super Bowl kicks off. As in the other contest, the grand prize is a trip to Sonoma, CA. On Thursday evening, nearly 700 people on Facebook had tapped the “I’m Attending” button for the online event.
Also on Sunday, Audi has purchased a homepage takeover on YouTube, while, according to Lipman, it will have “significant presence” on NYTimes.com, CNN.com, Slate.com, and WashingtonPost.com. The spokesperson said in an e-mail the brand will appear on those news sites in instances “to share the story of how Luxury has progressed with our affluent, thought-leader prospects.”
Additionally, the carmaker has put up a pair of three minute teaser videos for its Super Bowl spot on YouTube. Those videos and the Super Bowl commercial feature pop jazz player Kenny G. and two well-dressed inmates who are trying to escape from a luxury prison.
Lastly, it’s the fourth consecutive year Audi has purchased an in-game commercial.
What are some of the major developments that are likely to shape multi-channel marketing in 2017?
So what makes content go viral? And what makes people participate in these phenomena?
Brands have been upping their investments in new ad products from popular social media services, but are they getting their money's worth?
Instagram is determined to introduce as many new features as possible in 2016 and that's why it has launched Live video on Stories, as well as ephemeral posts on direct messages.


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Ford Expects Rise in Fleet Sales to be Spurred by 2010 Fusion
With signs of a slowly rebounding economic picture, fleet sales are once again starting to rise as companies replace aging fleet vehicles with newer, more reliable, and more fuel-efficient models. For Ford, typically a large supplier of commercial vans and trucks for fleet service, this also means more interest in an atypical fleet vehicle: the 2010 Ford Fusion.
"We're seeing a whole new group of clients come to us saying 'we want to buy Fusions,'" said Jim Farley, Ford's group vice president of global marketing. "We've never had that before, at least in the recent past, and that has really grown our commercial fleet business."
Part of the attraction, according to Automotive News, is Fusion's strong residual values. The Kelley Blue Book says a 2008 Fusion SE has a 36-month residual value of 45 percent; a similar figure for the 2010 model jumps to 47 percent.
Although fleet sales to rental car companies are rarely profitable, selling fleets to other corporate entities can help put an automaker in the black. These clients are more likely to spend a little extra on optional amenities, and many are increasingly looking at purchasing "green" vehicles, like the top-end Fusion Hybrid.
In December 2009, Ford saw its fleet sales jump 74 percent over the previous year, a growth of 27,000 vehicles. George Pipas, Ford's chief sales analyst, says the company expects another increase in total fleet sales for the first quarter of 2010.


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Daimler (DAI), the world’s third-largest luxury auto maker, represents all that an upscale brand should be. With its Mercedes-Benz and Maybach brands, Daimler offers customers cachet and quality of the highest standard. To its shareholders, the car company offers hefty profit and is even learning to cut costs. Mercedes has established itself as the top choice for luxury auto buyers across the globe.
Sales volume for the brand exploded in emerging markets last year — up between 40 and 140 percent in the vaunted BRIC countries, Brazil, Russia, India, and China.
Mercedes-Benz USA recently reported record results for June and the first half of the year. Sales in June totaled 22,563 vehicles, surging 18.8 percent from a year earlier. For the first six months of the year, sales hit 118,021 vehicles, jumping 10.4 percent from 2010.
In addition, Daimler and Rolls-Royce Group (RYCEY) recently snapped up 94 percent of German engine maker Tognum (TGNMF), valuing the company at about $4.9 billion. In size, Tognum trails only Caterpillar (CAT) among the world’s makers of high-speed diesel engines for the marine, energy, and defense industries.
All systems go
“We see great potential in this global market worth more than 30 billion euros ($43 billion) a year,” Daimler Chief Financial Officer Bodo Uebber said in a statement. “We are very pleased with the final acceptance rate.”
Daimler’s first-quarter earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) soared 71 percent from a year ago to $2.88 billion, topping analysts’ consensus forecast. The gain stemmed from strong car demand in emerging markets and a booming truck business.
Morgan Stanley analysts recently raised their price target for Daimler shares traded in Europe by almost 10 percent to 68 euros from 62 euros previously. They expect a strong earnings report for the second quarter, including buoyant revenue growth and significant cost cuts.
© 2017 Newsmax Finance. All rights reserved.


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The National Restaurant Association's Restaurant Industry Outlook Softened in May as Restaurant Performance Index Posted First Decline in Five Months.
Calculated Risk noted this marks the 21st straight month of traffic declines at restaurants. The blog also produced a chart of the index going back to 2002, which you can view below.
(Click for larger image)
Here are some other news and notes on retail and retail real estate from around the Web today.
- Bloomberg recapped a new CBRE report on retail rents on the world's most expensive streets. The verdict? "Store rents tumbled in the world's most expensive locations in the first quarter and will continue to decline through the middle of 2010."
New York City kept its top rank from a year earlier as the most expensive retail market even as asking rents on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue fell 10 percent to $1,800 a square foot per year, the Los Angeles-based commercial broker said in a report today. Rents in Hong Kong's most desirable shopping area ranked second at $975 a square foot and Moscow was third at $790. Paris and Tokyo followed at $776 and $771, respectively.
“Everything cratered in the fourth quarter and that carried over into the first,” Ray Torto, global chief economist for CB Richard Ellis, said in an interview. “This is not a landlord market.”
- U.S. chain stores posted their best week since the beginning of the year, according to ICSC and Goldman Sachs. Sales rose 1.6 percent week over week.
- Consumer confidence fell in June following two months of gains.
- CNBC previewed the unveiling of further details of the Treasury Department's PPIP program, which will take place tomorrow. There will be at least nine participants, including a joint venture between GE Capital and private investor Angelo Gordon & Co.
- REIT.com notes that new legislation signed into law by President Barack Obama on June 23 authorizes the administrators of the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), the federal government's defined contribution retirement program, to expand participants' investment options, potentially including distinct REIT funds.
- Reuters provided an update on the CMBS market in the wake of S&P's coming downgrades of some AAA-bonds.
- Our weekly newsletter story looks at the current state of concessions.
- Sears is offering buyers of appliances a guarantee in the event that they lose their jobs.


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BAKERS from Chatwins have filmed a Christmas pudding masterclass for ITV’s Daybreak.
Filming took place at their bakery and Pepper Street shop in Nantwich on Thursday, November 25.
Chatwins chairman Edward Chatwin said: “It was a real compliment to get a phone call from ITV’s London office to ask to come and film at our bakery.
“I know our reputation locally is very good, but I didn’t realise it had spread as far as London!
“Our Christmas pudding recipe has been passed down four generations and won numerous awards so I don’t think they could have chosen anyone better.”
As well as passing on top tips for making Christmas puddings, craft bakers Paul Bates and Pat Peel also gave advice on the making of a Yuletide chocolate log.
Paul said: “It was a pleasure to share my 30 years experience and it was a challenge to adjust our recipes so they could be made in a domestic kitchen.”
The clips are due to be featured on Daybreak between December 6 and December 20.


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Brits consume 1,460 cups of coffee every year
Caffeine loving Britons consume an average of 1,460 cups of coffee a year with latte the most popular, according to research by syrup maker Monin.
The data reveals that we consumer four cups of coffee a day and on spend an average of £676 a year at coffee shops and cafes – equivalent to £43,264 over a lifetime.
While latte was the most popular with 41% saying it is now their coffee of choice, this was followed closely by cappuccino (38%), americano (26%) and mocha (16%). When it comes to added extras, 18% of Brits like caramel syrup in our coffee, while 14% ask for vanilla and 10% want a touch of hazelnut.
Three in ten, meanwhile, (30 percent) claim they have their own signature coffee.
According to the research, Cardiff has the biggest fans of the black stuff with folk from the Welsh capital downing a staggering 1,825 cups a year, more than any other city in the UK.
There are now 22,845 coffee shops in the UK, a six percent increase year on year.


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French giant Peugeot prepares according to program Push to Pass more new models and technologies for the near future, plug-in hybrids, electric, crossovers and even pickup, and it seems a new flagship in the range?
Recently the head of PSA Peugeot Citroen, Carlos Tavares, presented an ambitious program for the future of the concern under the name Push to Pass. It forecast growth of autonomous management of cars and the promotion of seven plug-in hybrid and four all-electric models by 2021 the French are prepared in the meantime to let even a pickup, but far more necessary look renewal of the range of conventional models.
Candidates substantive changes is the current flagship of the range, the model 508. In 2011 and 2012 in Europe sold 80,000 copies on the model, but then dropped his demand seriously. So in 2015 it was realized only 43,301 sedans and station wagons, and leading segment Volkswagen Passat placed 226,127 units. While this is a catastrophic decline, by Peugeot do not intend to highlight the white flag and the French believe to position its largest model in another segment.
In an interview with British magazine. Autocar, the head of the brand, Maxim Peak confirm that considered two options for the future successor to the 508. The first draft of the market predicted to play it safe with transforming crossover model, the fastest growing segment globally but nivo.Postojat and bolder ideas according to a Peugeot who have to face competition in the German class E, with quite a larger model of the 508 who will succeed retired in 2004 – 607 Factory?


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Parkville residents got what they asked for at a neighborhood meeting Tuesday at the Parkville School: a chance to get jobs at the new Super Stop & Shop supermarket.
William Cummings, vice president of operations for the supermarket, told about 15 residents he was looking for dedicated, hard-working neighborhood people to fill openings at the new store.
The Super Stop & Shop is under construction on New Park Avenue, at the site of the former Royal Typewriter factory. It will employ about 300 people. When it opens, perhaps in November, Cummings said, the new store will replace the Stop & Shop on Park Street. Employees of the Park Street store will be transferred to the new location.
Cummings said most job openings are for part-time employees. The 40 full-time management positions will be filled by current employees, he said. Starting salaries for part-timers range from $4.27 an hour for grocery bundlers to $4.85 an hour for cashiers. Part-timers work 15 to 30 hours each week, he said.
"We're going to be looking for those people who are dependable and have good track records," Cummings said. He said he would like to get names from a job bank kept by members of the community group HART and is especially interested in interviewing members of community and church groups.
Cummings also responded to allegations that Stop & Shop offers money-saving coupons only to suburban customers and charges more for goods in its Hartford store. He said circulars with coupons will be available to Hartford residents at the new store and merchandise will be competitively priced. "I think you'll be happy with the pricing and promotional activity," he said.
Cummings also said he will work with local mental health organizations in hiring people with special needs.
Many of the residents liked what they heard. "Our city is crumbling around us, and you are like a fresh breath. We appreciate your coming to Hartford," said community leader Cesar Mejia.
Miguel Diaz of James Street said he was optimistic he could land a job at the new store. He said he works at the Parkville School as a crossing guard and is looking for a part-time job.
But Migdalia Ortiz of Dorothy Street wasn't sure a job at Super Stop & Shop would be right for her. "I don't have the experience," she said. "I've worked, but not at big stores."


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AMAZON MAY have just suffered a leak of the next-generation Echo Dot, the pocket-money priced voice-assistant.
The third-generation Echo Dot (the first wasn't released outside the US) does away with a lot of the harsh lines of its predecessors in favour of something more cuddly and homely.
The rounded edges seem to take inspiration from Mobvoi's TicHome and there's generally an eerie feeling of….
…wait a minute… is that an Echo Dot or a Google Home?
Assuming that these are the real deal you can tell that Amazon is looking to blend in far better with its surroundings for the new device - in no small part we suspect due to the success of the Google Home Mini which manages to look innocuous in almost any surroundings.
The photos, first released by French site Numerama suggest that there's fabric around the side, another Google Home trope, that will leave room for some side facing speakers of, we suspect, superior quality.
We'd expect to hear more in the autumn.
Meanwhile Amazon has more pressing matters - specifically the launch of its new casting feature.
At present, Alexa Cast does very little - you can cast Amazon Music from your phone to a Bluetooth speaker. Big whoop.
But once third parties get to it, we could be looking at something significant, given the sheer number of Alexa devices doing the rounds.
Why Amazon felt the need to invent yet another casting standard instead of using Miracast, Airplay, or at least something compatible with Google Cast, is beyond us, but there it is, better late than never. Although even that's a dubious statement to be honest.
Google's Chromecast reached its fifth birthday this week and shows no signs of slowing down, with a myriad of apps now offering streaming to a range of devices, most notably the first smart screen, released in the US by Lenovo yesterday. μ
Firm's first high-end speaker gets the thumbs up from us
Yes. Yes you can
A fantastic ultraportable that's almost devoid of innovation
Screen if you want to go faster


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To see more pictures and video of the New adidas Nemeziz 18.1 Energy Mode soccer-football boots with Discount Coupon Codes click the link above.
Tag: adidas soccer
It seems like the Adidas Predator series has been around forever, and that’s because it has. With the release of the Predator Instinct, we’re now 20 models in with one of the most iconic lines in soccer cleat/football boot […]
The standard F50 adizero is already the lightest boot around, but Adidas has gone and made it lighter! Weighing in at a mere 4.7 ounces (135 Grams), the F50 adizero Crazy Light is the lightest boot ever! With several changes […]


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According to an anonymous tipster, who called The House on the Hill after reading Saturday’s investigative report on Maine’s Missing Sidewalks, the world’s largest candy manufacturers have joined forces to quash the introduction of this no cal chocolate right before the second biggest candy selling holiday of the year!
It’s time for this Modern Philosopher to put on his investigative reporter toga again!
“The Candy Cabal understands that if this new product were to hit stores right before Valentine’s Day, the market would be turned upside down,” Candy Land News Editor-in-Chief, Guillermo Juan Querr told this Modern Philosopher. “Could you imagine how insane people would go over chocolate with no calories? All other chocolate would become obsolete, and Big Candy would go bankrupt!”
While no one will actually go on the record to confirm that the chocolate without calories even exists, my sources tell me that a Swiss company has been working on such a product.
My calls to the company have yet to be returned, but everyone knows that Swiss Chocolatiers are as secretive as Swiss Bankers. Clearly, I would have to go to another source to get my information.
“Your tipster is absolutely correct, Austin,” Cupid confirmed via Skype. “I’ve tasted the prototypes from both countries, and they are delicious. It actually tastes better than the high calorie chocolate we’ve been eating for centuries.”
Hold the bow, Cupid. Did you say two countries?
“That’s right,” he told me as a huge smile crossed his cherubic face. “The Canadians actually beat the Swiss by a couple of weeks.”
Canada came up with zero calorie chocolate before the rest of the world?
“None of the other Chocolate Super Powers had any interest in developing the product. That means the Canadians and the Swiss were the only ones working on it, and the Swiss only got into the game when they heard the Canucks were getting close.”
I had no idea there was so much intrigue in the world of chocolate. Or that Canadians were really interested in anything other than hockey and Canadian bacon.
“Big Candy has promised me the world if I help them to keep the new chocolate off the shelves for Valentine’s Day,” Cupid continued. “They’re fairly confident that they have the Easter Bunny in their pocket, and that the world will forget all about the special chocolate by the time Halloween arrives.”
Cupid isn’t going to help the Candy Cabal, though, is he?
“Candy isn’t my gig, so they’re wasting their time,” Cupid replied with a mischievous laugh. “I’m all about spreading the love on Valentine’s Day. I’m no Candy Man, but if I can keep the Candy Conglomerates busy, and that helps get this new, healthier chocolate out on the market, then so be it!”
What do you think, Modern Philosophers? If no calorie chocolate really does exist, does the American Government have a duty to its overweight citizens to make sure it is made available? Or should Big Candy be allowed to continue to line its pockets while the world falls deeper into a diabetic daze?
All I know for sure right now is that I am totally craving chocolate…


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CES 2011 Report
Every year, the tech industry goes gaga over CES, the annual Las Vegas trade show that represents the world’s largest gathering of new consumer-electronic wizardry. In addition to scoping out the copious numbers of A-listers, Vegas showgirls and porn starlets (the Adult Video News Awards Show runs at exactly the same time), we media types get to peruse the newest, coolest technology before it hits stores. And then we get to tell you what you’ll be buying over the next 12 months. It’s really a win-win all around. Here’s what we saw:
First up, the Sony Headman: a Tron-like visor that runs 3-D movies directly into your eyes at 720p high definition -- which, among other things, dispenses with the problem of having a giant 3-D TV dominating your living room.
|The Japanese company also announced the Flip-obliterating MHS-FS3/B Sony Bloggie 3-D HD Camera, the world’s first high-def, 3-D pocket camcorder. Sony’s final offering was, admittedly, a gogglebox -- but it’s one that you don’t need to wear dumb glasses for. The company showed a prototype with a 23-inch, OLED, autostereoscopic and glasses-free 3-D display from an overlaid lens on top of the screen.
|The other CES 2011 3-D hit was the JVC GS-TD1, the world’s first consumer camcorder with Full HD 1080p 3-D recording. It also comes with 5x optical zoom in 3-D, optical image stabilization, and a glasses-free 3-D LCD screen to check shots on. A finger poking out of the screen at us would not have impressed us more.
While you’re staring at your smarter TV, why not talk to it (or maybe even wink at it) as well? Microsoft used CES to announce Avatar Kinect, an upcoming upgrade to its full-body motion-sensing Xbox 360 peripheral. The spring upgrade will see the Kinect camera able to track not only waving limbs, but also facial expressions by mapping your face onto your virtual avatar’s. Raise an eyebrow at your virtual friends over that one.
Undoubtedly the biggest news of CES 2011 was what was missing: the Apple iPad 2. A shell of one was supposedly spotted, but Steve Jobs’ about-to-be-announced product was not officially in the hizzouse. What was? Samsung’s Sliding PC 7 Series, featuring a tilt-and-slide-away keyboard that allows the PC to transform from netbook to tablet in seconds. So was the MOTOROLA XOOM: the world’s first tablet with a dual-core processor and Android 3.0 software. Super-powerful -- and probably super-pricey too.
|No More PC Upgrades
Intel used CES to announce the next generation of its core processor, dubbed “Sandy Bridge.” Awful nickname, but legendary game designer Gabe Newell of Valve Software (“Half-Life,” “Left 4 Dead,” “Team Fortress,” etc.) described the chipset as allowing a “console-like experience on the PC.” Commentators have taken that to mean that the combination of graphics and a central processor is so powerful it’ll put a stop to the endless cycle of graphics/processor upgrades required for cutting-edge hardcore games.
Hyperspeed-data-browsing 4G phones were all over CES 2011 (Verizon’s LTE network press conference was a big ticket), but there’s another reason souped-up handsets are big news this year: dual-core processors. It’s not just PCs getting a chip-boost; the LG Optimus 2X is the world’s first dual-core smartphone (hotly followed by the Motorola Atrix).
|Also on the cell phone tip: the Casio Bluetooth Low Energy Watch. Sure, watches that wirelessly link to your phone, display emails, etc., are old news -- but not ones with battery lives that are measured in years rather than days.|
Weird Music Kit
Other crazy music kit included the MISA Kitara, a stringless guitar with a touchscreen at its heart, and the Ion Audio Vertical Vinyl -- a wall-mounted turntable, natch. More serious kit came in from respected Brit speaker-makers Bowers & Wilkins in the form of the new Zeppelin Air: the most stylish iPod dock ever, now to come with Apple AirPlay wireless streaming capabilities.
|Lady Gaga appeared at CES 2011 to launch not music kit, but a pair of sunglasses as out-there as the “Fame Monster” herself. The first result of her collaboration with Polaroid’s Grey Label line, the GL20 shades incorporate a camera and LCD screens that face outward, allowing the wearer to shoot what he sees -- and instantly display the results to the world.|
All CES Event Images: Getty Images
MHS-FS3/B Sony Bloggie 3-D HD Camera: Sony.com
Copyright (c) 2011 Studio One Networks. All rights reserved.>
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MSI announced the MSI Creator Awards 2021. The MSI Creator Awards, consisted of three categories: Graphic Design, 3D Creation and Film, is to honor the most creative and outstanding creators from all around the world.
Winners of MSI Creator Award will be prized with MSI’s latest Creator series laptop PCs, desktops, graphic cards or monitors, total valued at over $35,000 USD.
In addition, there will be an MSI Special Prize for one entry chosen from all categories that best presents MSI’s brand spirit.
MSI Creator Awards 2021 will take “Technology meets Aesthetic” as the competition theme. MSI aims to inspire all potential creators and is looking for artworks that can perform the concept, convey vital insight, and display exceptional skill in every field.
Sam Chern, Vice President of Marketing at MSI said, “We received a great response in the last MSI Creator Awards. Many creators around the world surprised MSI with their creative works and enthusiastic submissions. This is the support that drives MSI to go on this event. This year, we take “Technology meets “Aesthetic” as the competition theme as well as the feature of our future products. Through such an event, more and more creators will have a stage to show their creativity to the world, and make MSIology the mainstream science and technology”.
The MSI Creator Awards 2021 winners will be evaluated by a panel of recognized experts from various fields. MSI is to deliver a balanced assessment from these industrial experts with their extensive knowledge, enthusiasm and expertise, ensuring that the winning entries are truly outstanding and worthy of receiving the awards. These juries will also present online sessions during submission period on MSI YouTube and Facebook to share professional skills and interesting thoughts.
People are encouraged to submit their creative work on https://www.msi.com/Landing/creatorawards and submission will close on May 31st 23:59 PST.
You can read more details here.


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If you’re planning on grabbing lunch at your local eatery, you may need a Plan B.
Fast food workers and retail workers nationwide are on strike today. They are demanding $15 an hour and the right to unionize. Organizers say workers in 100 U.S. cities, including Chicago, walked off the job as early as 6:30am.
A similar strike in August attracted fast-food workers from 60 cities, they say. The President weighed in on the issue this week, saying the federal minimum wage needs to be raised.
Not so fast, others say. Some restaurants are questioning how large the movement really is.
A McDonald’s spokeswoman says they are not strikes, but rather rallies staged by outside groups.
One Chicago McDonald’s employee, Janah Bailey, says she works two jobs at two different fast food restaurants and attends school. She says her family needs the money and a pay raise would help.


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Photo Credit: Justin Sullivan, Getty Images
The age old tactic of bundling albums with concert tickets to boost chart performance is finally being taken off the table thanks to the Coronavirus, and honestly, it’s about time.
In the week ending March 26th, The Weeknd‘s ‘After Hours’ debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 with a career-best sales week of 444k units sold. Of that total, Billboard reports 275k represented traditional sales that were largely driven by a concert ticket/album sale redemption for The Weeknd‘s upcoming tour along with merchandise bundles. By purchasing a ticket to the ‘After Hours’ concert, fans were also emailed a digital copy of the album that would be counted toward the Billboard 200 chart once redeemed.
With the COVID-19 pandemic cancelling or postponing all live events indefinitely, it’s clear that The Weeknd‘s debut week would’ve looked a lot different had it been released following the cancellation of the ‘After Hours’ tour scheduled to begin in June.
Moving forward, artists who have already cancelled their shows due to COVID-19 won’t have the same advantage The Weeknd was afforded with his ticket/album bundle. The shift poses an interesting scenario that could finally even the playing field and eliminate what many stans describe as B.S. sales numbers. There’s also the possibility, however, that social distancing will result in wilder and even more roundabout strategies to secure the #1 spot on Billboard 200.
While Billboard often fails to delineate how many chart sales are attributed to ticket/album bundles as opposed to merchandise in a given week, there are a handful of chart debuts that give us strong indicators. Take the Jonas Brothers for example, whose comeback album ‘Happiness Begins’ debuted at #1 with 414k (357k sales) thanks to a concert ticket/album sale redemption offer. The group’s effort to bolster their chart position through concert tickets was put into better focus the second week when ‘Begins’ dropped 87 percent in sales to #4 (52k units), proving that most of its chart points came from concert-goers and not streaming.
Madonna‘s ‘Madame X’ is another notorious example of the concert bundle strategy. After debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200 with 95k units, the project experienced the fourth-biggest fall of all time in its second week to #77 with a 97 percent decrease in sales. If an album experiences a steep drop from #1 in its second week, there’s a good chance there was some sort of bundle work at play. The record for the biggest fall is held by Bon Jovi‘s ‘This House Is Not For Sale,’ a 15-month-old project at the time that surged to #1 thanks to another ticket/albums sale redemption offer before dropping to #169.
Madonna’s ‘Madame X’ show at the Met in Philly (photo credit: Stufish)
Big chart debuts like the ones above don’t fool stans, though, who have long drawn issue with Billboard’s policy allowing for such manipulated figures. Stan Twitter’s outrage on the issue reached a fever peak when Travis Scott‘s ‘Astroworld’ beat out Nicki Minaj‘s ‘Queen’ in it second week thanks to – you guessed it – merchandise and concert ticket bundles. Minaj later addressed her #2 debut on ‘Queen Radio’ where she criticized Scott for selling clothes/concert tickets and passing them off as album sales:
“On Thursday, when he realized the queen was about to have the no. 1 album in America, he and his label decided to have Kylie and baby Stormi put up a tour pass. He had her go and post and say, ‘Hey, me and Stormi can’t wait to see y’all.’ How are you selling something that doesn’t have anything to do with your album, but it’s being counted on Billboard as album sales? What we’re not going to do is have this auto tune man coming up here selling fucking sweaters and telling y’all he sold a half a million fucking albums, because he didn’t.”
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) August 19, 2018
Billboard grabbed headlines again last summer when they disqualified a portion of sales for DJ Khaled‘s ‘Father of Asahd’ that were bundled with energy drinks on the e-commerce site, Shop.com, for $23. Khaled later announced plans to sue Billboard for disqualifying an alleged 100,000 units and costing him to lose out on the no. 1 spot to Tyler, The Creator‘s, ‘IGOR.’
DJ Khaled is planning to sue Billboard after they disqualified sales bundled with his energy drink.
His new album, ‘Father of Asahd’ recently debuted at #2 with 136k equivalent units, falling short of Tyler, the Creator’s ‘IGOR,’ which debuted at #1 with 165k equivalent units. pic.twitter.com/VQX6mmVcGd
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) June 10, 2019
Public squabbles like these over chart points has only added to the stigma around bundling. Last year November, Billboard announced they were working to combat sales baked into merchandise and concert tickets with new rules. Under the updated policy, an album sale will only be counted as part of a bundle if all the items in the bundle are available for purchase “concurrently and individually” on the same website. Pricing for individual items must be lower than the bundle that includes both merchandise and an album, the policy reads, while third-party sites are prohibited from selling bundles.
According to the New York Times, 39 albums that reached #1 on the Billboard 200 in 2018 were sold as part of a ticket or merchandise bundle. Because the market is so saturated with schemes like these, debuting at #1 without the aid of a bundle is now considered a badge of honor among stans who consider the tactic desperate and sneaky. Most recently, stans celebrated BTS when ‘Map of the Soul: 7’ earned the biggest debut of 2020 with 422,000 album units (347,000 unit sales ) that didn’t rely on bundles. Notably, however, the group released four collectible CD packages for the album.
BTS are the first artist in 2019 to sell 300,000 pure copies in the US. In a fcking DIGITAL ERA. With NO tour/merch bundles. See what happens when you do TALENTRY.. @BTS_twt pic.twitter.com/SbZjNR9MpN
— ➶ ⁷ (@bhxcyphers) May 24, 2019
With live events shut down indefinitely due to COVID-19, it looks like artists will have to find new and creative ways to sell albums under the bundle method if they want to secure big debuts. Right now, The Weeknd‘s merch store on his official site includes album bundles with playing cards ($15), a 3D sculpted keychain ($14), a gold ashtray ($25), a hotel gift shop matchbox ($7) and various items of clothing ranging from $34 to $82, among other things.
It’s difficult to tell how big of an impact items like hoodies, t-shirts and keychains will have in securing a #1 debut, especially since a big incentive behind these purchases is to wear the gear to concerts. Will fans still be willing to buy an $82 hoodie that they’ll wear inside their house when millions of Americans are filing for unemployment? Is anyone going to buy a $23 energy drink bundled with a DJ Khaled album they could stream for free online?
It’ll be interesting to see how the elimination of a concert ticket/album bundle affects chart sales moving forward. In the best case scenario, it looks like we’ve finally gotten rid of a faulty practice that should’ve been fixed a long time ago. On the other hand, it’s likely we’ll see artists pulling some silly stunts to continue scoring big debuts.
Do you think it’s fair to bundle concert tickets with album copies? Share your thoughts with us on Twitter at @PopCrave!


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Pandora Plus Launches For $5 Per Month To Replace Pandora OneBy cheatmaster 05:26 Thu, 05 Aug 2021 Comments
Pandora has revamped its $5 per month subscription today. First off, there's a name change - it's no longer Pandora One, but now goes by Pandora Plus. Also, the subscription has a few recent features.
A predictive offline mode will switch to one of your top stations when your device loses data connectivity, and music will haged flowing. You also acquire unlimited skips and replays.
The stuff that made Pandora One an fascinating option is still there - you acquire higher quality streams than users of the free tier, and your experience is ad-free of course.
Those using the free Pandora service are in for some news too. From now on they can replay and skip more songs by opting to watch a video ad. And later this year a recent $10 tier will be coming as a fully interactive on-demand option.
The transition from Pandora One to Pandora Plus will be gradual, but automatic for existing users. Pandora Plus will become available in the Android and iOS apps "in the coming months". For listeners in Australia and New Zealand, Pandora Plus and the recent ad-supported features will only arrive in 2017.
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- Yakuza 6: The Song of Life editions detailed, new gameplay trailer up
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance story trailer released for gamescom
- Deep Silver signs on to publish Shenmue III for PC and PS4
- Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite gets new story trailer, modes detailed
- Katanas flash with Etrian Odyssey V’s Therian Masurao
Fancy A Date?
Developer- and Publisher-specific Articles: Burnout
Criterion Games’ arcade-style take on the Burnout series, Burnout Crash!, is now available on PSN and will be available tomorrow on Live Arcade. The EA-published racer is said to be “a crazy mix of pinball arcades, TV game shows and 80s pop music.”
Electronic Arts has announced that Burnout Crash!, the next iteration of Criterion Games’ Burnout series, will launch this fall on Live Arcade and PS Network. As the name implies, the focus of the game’s three modes will be on the series’ popular Crash mode. A new top-down perspective and cartoon visuals help to shake things up as six locations and 18 crash junctions offer players a chance to wreck as many cars and cause as much destruction as possible.


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The world’s largest exhibitor AMC Theatres will open 450 of its US sites on July 15 and aims to have the remaining 150 open by July 24, when Disney’s Mulan is scheduled to open.
The company will open its doors after a four-month closure due to the pandemic with a raft of hygiene and safety protocols in place. Theatres will show classic films and new releases.
AMC’s phased strategy will see cinemas open on July 15 at 30% capacity through staggered seating, rising to 40% in Phase 2, and 50% in Phase 3, expected to commence around the Labor Day holiday that falls on September 7.
The company may not return to full capacity until the Thanksgiving holiday in the last week of November.
AMC CEO Adam Aron said retrained employees will wear masks and take regular temperature checks, while patrons will be encouraged to don masks. AMC will sell masks for $1.
Aron, who perhaps of all the heads of major US exhibition concerns has faced the most intense scrutiny given AMC’s status, and his executive team consulted with Harvard University School of Public Health and Clorox prior to drawing up protocols.
Enhanced sanitation means there will be deep cleaning between shows. Concessions areas have come under review to minimise contact with high-frequency touchpoints and enable social distancing. Patrons will be encouraged to use the online ticketing site and the mobile app. Hand sanitiser and wipes will be available for guests throughout AMC venues.
The reopening plan is by no means set in stone given ongoing uncertainty over the course of the pandemic and how cities and regions across the country can emerge safely.
Should Disney or Warner Bros push back Mulan and Tenet from their current July 24 and July 31 berths, it is understood AMC Theatres would need to revisit the plan.
Thursday’s statement follows Cinemark’s announcement of a phased reopening that will start on Friday (June 19) in Dallas, with the remaining phases rolling out from July 3-17.
Earlier in the week Regal owner Cineworld said its US sites would begin to reopen on July 10.


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On Friday, the 22nd of March 2019, the share prices of Nike Inc, US footwear manufacturing company headquartered near Beaverton, dipped as much as 6 percent, after the US footwear’s North American sales had fallen short of estimates for the first time in a year, yet the Wall St.
analysts stayed upbeat about its online growth and new products. While this report was being prepared, March 22th, GMT. 18.00, the share prices of Nike Inc. listed in NYSE, had drooled as much as 6.23 percent to $82.52 per share, while the daily opening had been over $88 per share.
The American multinational footwear had been facing steep pressures from its European rivals such as Puma and Adidas more than a year ago, however it had managed to grapple with the pressure and won back much of its market shares by launches of its popular Jordan Sneakers, alongside Air Max, enhancing focus of women’s wear and making higher investments in online business.
Adding that the Nike Inc. shares might remain slightly down for a while given the extent of “higher expectation”, Jefferies' analysts said, “The athletic footwear cycle and brand power are solid. Nike’s business is strengthening in North America, and we expect the company to continue to recapture the share it has lost to Adidas”.
At a post-earnings conversation with the press, the Company had blamed a delay in launches of apparel sales in North America during the first quarter of 2019 behind its recent downfall.


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This holiday season the BCGEU is running radio advertisements around the province reminding people to shop at B.C.'s public liquor stores.
Public stores have a better selection, knowledgeable staff and lower prices than the private stores.
B.C.'s public liquor stores also return hundreds of millions of dollars to government to fund important public services. Read more »


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“We’ll see a drop again with the news out of Tasmania this week and the ongoing closure of WA, but to be honest there’s hardly any more room to move. You can’t get much closer to zero than almost zero.”
His warning came as well-known youth travel brand STA Travel hit the wall, with its Swiss parent company declaring bankruptcy. It flagged day-to-day operations in Australia would continue.
Lack of planning at a government level is what’s really hurting us. All we’re asking for is a clear, logical six-month plan.
— Flight Centre CEO Graham Turner
Flight Centre is already running at less than 30 per cent of its normal pre-COVID-19 staffing levels.
“We can’t cut the business much more and stay operational, but certainly things won’t improve until they bring back domestic travel,” Mr Turner said.
“Lack of planning at a government level is what’s really hurting us. All we’re asking for is a clear, logical six-month plan. At the moment, there’s no logic or consistency.
“We’re told we’re all meant to be flattening the curve so hospitals can cope with patients. But it looks much more like some state governments, without telling their constituents or being honest about it, are in actual truth pursuing a policy of elimination and ‘wait for global eradication’.”
Australia – the world’s seventh-largest country (by area) – has probably never felt so small as we contemplate yet another school holiday break spent in the backyard.
But there was some good news this week. Interstate travel might remain a train wreck, but intrastate tourism appears to be thriving, with the exception of Victoria.
In June, Tourism Australia partnered with Luxury Escapes’ booking platform on a multi-channel, destination-focused Australian travel campaign on the back of its “Holiday Here This Year” campaign.
The first phase of the campaign generated nearly 47,000 room nights in three weeks, and bookings for regional destinations made up 42 per cent of total bookings. There were strong results for many bushfire-affected regions, including the Blue Mountains and Snowy Mountains in NSW, South Australia’s Barossa Valley and the ACT.
Product views on Luxury Escapes’ site for intrastate travel were up 180 per cent compared with the 12-month average, while interstate product views were up 100 per cent.
Luxury Escapes named Broome, Sydney, Hamilton Island, Coffs Harbour and Perth as the top five destinations booked over the past few weeks.
“Our consumer research shows that more than half of Australian travellers are keen to travel or are considering travel around Australia once they can,” Tourism Australia managing director Phillipa Harrison said.
“Although some travel restrictions remain in place around the country, we need to continue to encourage those who have the means to, to book a holiday or tourism experience, as the recovery of our industry hinges on Australians getting out and exploring their own wonderful country.”
They are hopeful words, but a quick look at the WA government’s website offers another dampener.
The most common query on its frequently asked questions is: “Will the WA state borders be open in time for Christmas?” The government’s reply? “The West Australian border will only be reopened when it is appropriate to do so based on health advice for WA.”


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R4 cards, which allow Nintendo DS owners to run their own code, homebrew applications and, in some cases, illegal copies of games, have been outlawed in the UK.
MCVUK carries word that a London High Court issued the ruling in a case against Playables Limited, decreeing that the R4 cards are now illegal to import, advertise or sell. Defendant Wai Dat Chan had attempted to argue that the cards should be legal since they allow users to run homebrew applications, but the court ruled that “the R4 must first must circumvent Nintendo’s security systems before it can work, therefore making it illegal.”
Nintendo, which apparently was the plaintiff in the case, issued a statement saying “Nintendo initiates these actions not only on its own behalf, but also on behalf of over 1,400 video game development companies that depend on legitimate sales of games for their survival.”
Nintendo has been actively pursuing distributors, resellers and importers of the R4 devices around the world, including the Netherlands, the UK and the U.S.