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April 16, 2014
INDOCHINO’S TECHNOLOGY HIGHLIGHTED IN NEW “THIS IS RETAIL” CAMPAIGN
The National Retail Federation Calls Out the Menswear Brand’s Unique Tech-First Approach
Indochino, the leader in custom online menswear, has been selected to participate in the National Retail Federation’s “This is Retail” campaign for its unique take on technology. NRF is going behind the scenes to discover the technology that powers the custom suiting brand.
This is Retail aims to address misconceptions about jobs in retail, highlighting opportunities for innovative and creative careers within the retail industry. At Indochino, the technology department is one of the largest in the organization – with over a dozen full-time engineers. These engineers are responsible for developing the ecommerce platform, building the mobile apps that power the in-store experience, and creating the systems and processes that create patterns, manage partners, and assess quality.
The important role of technology is visible in the video NRF produced in partnership with Indochino, which launched this week and is viewable at thisisretail.org.
“I never set out to build a retail company,” explains Kyle Vucko, Indochino Co-Founder and CEO. “I wanted to address a problem – helping guys get into great fitting clothes, affordably and simply, in a way that made sense for them. That’s what Indochino aims to do and we use technology to make it possible. It’s an honor to be recognized by NRF for the innovative approach that we’re taking when it comes to technology and retail.”
“Indochino, easily one of the most innovative companies known in retail, was an obvious choice for NRF’s This is Retail campaign,” said NRF SVP for Communications and Public Affairs, Bill Thorne. “Their use of cutting-edge technology previews the future of retail – a seamless customer experience from online to in-store. We are eager to showcase their unique company culture and modern approach to e-commerce.”
Other components of the partnership include trend analysis of the men’s fashion industry and a wide-ranging Q&A with an Indochino software engineer. According to a recent government study, retailers now hire more engineers than Silicon Valley.
Indochino is the pioneer and global leader in online custom menswear, making fashion accessible for every man. Indochino lets any man regardless of size, budget or location measure customize and order a high fashion, made to order and affordable suit in as little as 10 minutes. Co-founded in 2007 by Kyle Vucko, CEO, and Heikal Gani, chief creative officer, Indochino offers an ever-changing assortment of both classic and fashion-forward suits, shirts, and outerwear- all with an unparalleled number of customization options. The company is headquartered in Vancouver, BC. To learn more about Indochino, visit www.indochino.com. To receive updates on Indochino's latest collections and style services, join Indochino on Facebook or follow Indochino on Twitter.


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TOKYO — Satellite platform operator Sky Perfect JSAT, together 50 other Japanese companies, including major commercial networks, is gearing up to launch a Pan-Asian satellite service for Japanese content.
It plans to begin broadcasting the new channel in January 2014 in cooperation with MNC Sky Vision, Indonesia’s largest satellite channel operator, with 2.5 million subscribers. The consortium intends to expand the service to Myanmar, Thailand and eventually other Asian markets. Most of the service’s earnings are expected to come from TV ads supplied by
Japanese ad agencies, though MNC will share subscription revenue.
A spokeswoman for Sky Perfect JSAT said that the deal with MNC Sky Vision has not yet been formalized, but added that “negotiations are definitely underway.” She added that Sky Perfect “cannot comment on the rollout of the service beyond Indonesia.”
Japanese TV content, including cartoons and dramas, are favorites with Asia audiences, but export revenues have lagged behind those of rival South Korea. Korea earns three times more than Japan from its contents biz, despite having only one-fifth Japan’s population.

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Without perhaps even knowing it, it is highly likely that you’ve owned or interacted with numerous BASF products.
Labelling the German enterprise a chemical company is exceedingly narrow. Although chemistry is its core, the firm operates in almost as many markets as you can think of; from chemicals and electronics, to nutrition and textiles; construction and furniture, to energy and footwear. Among many, many more.
In the face of this vast portfolio and steady growth, BASF’s Asia-Pacific PR team has grown accordingly. Genevieve Hilton, head of external communications, corporate affairs Asia-Pacific, says she wants her staff to set the benchmark for the industry, and that means learning evermore as the PR world evolves.
"Over the past few years the size of the regional team has remained essentially the same, while the country and business unit communications teams have grown in line with the growth of the business. However, the required skill sets have expanded significantly," she says.
Hilton explains that in Asia-Pacific, a regional team in Hong Kong provides communications resources, support and guidance to 15 countries, stretching from Japan to New Zealand to Pakistan; to 13 regional business units and to various regional functions.
Each of these countries and business units also has one or more dedicated communicators and in some larger countries such as China and India, this can include a position fully dedicated to media and stakeholder relations.
All BASF’s public relations functions in APAC belong to the external communications team, which is part of corporate affairs.
At the regional team in Hong Kong, where Hilton is based, the external communications team handles issues including media relations, crisis comms, online platforms, stakeholder relations and corporate reporting.
In the past two years, in line with BASF’s corporate strategy, ‘We Create Chemistry’, Hilton’s team has also played an increasingly active role in regulatory advocacy.
This year, communications have all been based around BASF’s 150th anniversary, with the brand marking this milestone through a year-long co-creation programme called ‘Creator Space’; it is also the 130th anniversary of the brand’s presence in China.
Hilton says the Creator Space programme "aims to create innovations that address global sustainability challenges – in the areas of smart energy, urban living, and sustainable food, in a collaborative way."
Examples of activities include innovation workshops with customers and also with NGOs, academics, external experts and even artists. The implementation of this programme has been the major focus for BASF communications in 2015 and Hilton expects to realise the outcomes in 2016 and beyond.
"The ‘Creator Space’ programme is a joint effort by BASF colleagues from the communications and innovation teams," explains Hilton. "Some of the major activities include Creator Space online, an online collaboration platform which invites stakeholders from diverse backgrounds to post ideas to tackle the challenges of sustainability in energy, urban living, and food."
Other initiatives include open innovation contests such as the Asia-Pacific PhD Challenge, which focuses on chemistry innovations for more environmentally friendly cars, and employee jamming sessions in Malaysia, where BASF brought together its Shared Service Center colleagues, business colleagues, and joint venture colleagues to brainstorm on potential BASF products that could address the problems around sustainable urban living.
Customer workshops have also been held with Panasonic in Japan, where BASF is exploring opportunities in energy harvesting, while the brand has also hosted expert summits, such as the Creator Space Summit in India, where it sought to develop ideas on sustainable water solutions for Mumbai.
BASF employs retainer agencies on an ongoing basis in countries such as Korea and Japan, where its activities are more consistent. However, says Hilton, the needs of the 13 business units in this region are normally so diverse – especially in China – that project-based relationships make more sense.
Among other agencies, it frequently works with Edelman, Ogilvy and Ketchum, as well as a number of local firms.
"Specifically for media training, at our regional headquarters in Singapore and Hong Kong, as well as in some other markets, we have had an ongoing relationship with FleishmanHillard for several years," explains Hilton. "For media analysis, we work with Unicepta in China and iSentia in all of Asia-Pacific."
As a brand that servers nearly every industry, with products that often have niche applications, defining focus areas is a challenge. In this context, says Hilton, it is extremely difficult to identify the single most resonant or most interesting topic for a particular market at a particular moment, and at the same time the one that best meets the brand’s business needs.
BASF therefore often spends a significant amount of its PR efforts on what Hilton terms ‘infotainment’ – presenting stories, some of which are based on highly technical and complex subjects, in an accessible way that helps the brand connect with the needs of its stakeholders.
A further challenge is overcoming category barriers. Not all chemical companies operating in this region, says Hilton, are equally committed to safety and environmental protection – and a serious incident from any chemical company can damage trust in the entire industry.
For this reason, adds Hilton, BASF places a huge emphasis on bringing its sustainability focus to the broader chemical industry through workshops, formal education, dialogue, and the promulgation of international standards.
"Over the past years we have moved away from a focus on pure media relations skills, and now demand that our PR colleagues be able to handle stakeholder mapping and dialogue, corporate sustainability reporting (including on a country level), community relations, and also regulatory advocacy," affirms Hilton.
The brand also demands a high level of crisis communications skill from its PR colleagues and all of this now takes place much more in an online environment than it previously did.
Hilton believes the work her team does on a PR scale meets the wider business need as everything "we do is designed to have a direct and positive impact on our business, in line with our corporate purpose: we create chemistry for a sustainable future".
But she also believes BASF always has room for improvement in its target-setting and measurement capabilities.
"We currently use a combination of media analysis, feedback forms, brand tracking studies, online metrics, and other methods to assess our performance against targets," she says.
As an example of her team’s work being part of BASF’s business strategy, Hilton’s team has to use communications strategies to create dialogue around the brand’s so-called "Accelerator" products; those which have the most direct and significant impact in helping BASF’s customers meet their sustainability goals.
"We have an ambitious goal to increase the share of our Accelerator products to 28 percent of BASF’s total chemical sales by 2020, and for this we require extensive communications with our customers and other stakeholders," adds Hilton.
"As we have more than 100 production sites throughout Asia-Pacific, we also see the strong contribution of PR in supporting our operations."


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A study released last week finds a somewhat befuddling discrepancy between what consumers want restaurants to offer in the way of healthy items and what they want to order.
The 2010 Healthy Eating Consumer Trend Report, released on November 8 by Technomic Inc., a Chicago-based food-industry consulting firm, finds that “nearly half of all consumers want healthier menu items, but only about a quarter of them actively consider nutrition when dining out.”
This finding would seem to present restaurants with a predicament: disappoint and risk losing customers by not offering healthy menu choices, or invest time and money in offering healthy menu choices that are unlikely to draw many customers.
“For most consumers, health is more of a nice to have, not a must have,” says Technomic’s consumer research manager Kelly Weikel. “Consumers want and expect operators to be offering them different options, but when they go out to eat they are in the mindset of wanting to treat themselves.”
The report found that 55 percent of consumers say they eat more healthfully at home than at restaurants. At the same time, 37 percent said they do not consider health when eating out because they consider it a treat. These findings suggest that the more health-conscious populace expects to see their evolving eating habits reflected in restaurants, even though restaurants are where they tend to take a break from healthy eating.
Confusing the matter further, the Technomic report finds that different sets of customers have very different definitions of healthy and value different aspects of healthy eating over others. For example, one set of consumers may value the origin (local, regional, foreign) and method of cultivation (organic, fair-trade) of the ingredients in a given menu item more than its calorie count or fat content. Another set of customers may have those priorities reversed, or different priorities altogether.
These differences exist from region to region, city to city, and customer to customer, making it more important than ever for restaurants to know whom they are serving.
“They are going to have to pay closer attention, because it is not going to be one formula for each concept or each consumer base,” Weikel says. “It really depends on a lot of different elements, and restaurants have to make sure that the offers that they are putting out there resonate with their customers.”
Weikel cited Burgerville, which has 39 locations in Oregon and Southwest Washington, as a regional chain that is ahead of the curve when it comes to understanding its customers’ health concerns. In May, the chain began printing calorie, fat, carb, and fiber content of specific orders on customer receipts as part of a program called Nutricate.
“This is what our guests said they were most interested in seeing,” says Debe Nagy-Nero, director of quality assurance, nutrition, and safety at Burgerville. “The Nutricate receipt helps guests take control of their food choices and makes sure that they feel satisfied and empowered each time they eat at Burgerville.”
For larger chains, appealing to their customers’ health concerns at the granular level is more difficult, Weikel says. One tactic national brands employ is letting their customers customize their menu choices, which to a certain extent puts them in charge of how healthy their meal is. They can opt for bacon strips, for example, or they can opt for cucumber strips.
“Once our customers get into the restaurant, it is easy to stick to ordering a healthier choice since almost half the menu items are Fresh Fit options,” says Lanette Kovachi, R.D, corporate dietician for Subway, which has more than 23,000 U.S. locations and a health-centric marketing strategy. “And since each sandwich is made to order, customers can choose the exact ingredients they want.”
The Technomic report also revealed that menu semantics play a surprisingly important role in motivating consumers’ choices. For example, 67 percent of consumers said they were willing to spend as much as 20 percent more for a food or beverage item with a certified organic label, whereas only 18 percent said they would do so for an item labeled simply organic.
Similarly, 67 percent of consumers said they would spend up to 20 percent more for a food or beverage item labeled all natural compared to 59 percent who said they would do so for an item labeled simply natural.
These findings further indicate the complexity of the healthy eating trend. In fact, they suggest that it is not a trend at all, but a complicated phenomenon that restaurant operators must try to understand.
“Consumers definitely expect restaurants to offer something they consider to be healthy, and they expect them to be able to do it in a way that still tastes really good,” Weikel says. “The expectations are really high.”


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Local TV show spotlights farmers, chefs touting local food
A new cooking show puts the spotlight on local farmers and their homegrown goods.
An episode of “Cleveland County Kitchen” is filmed each month and airs on Cleveland Community College’s TV station. The shows can also be watched online.
The host, Debra Blanton, is retired after nearly three decades as Cleveland County’s elections director. She operates BBB Vineyard, growing and selling two acres of muscadine grapes.
The kitchen show was her idea and developed as a partnership with N.C. Cooperative Extension and the college broadcast program. County extension director Greg Traywick is involved, as his office promotes supporting local growers.
Blanton said it’s a great way to showcase farmers, let them tell what makes their goods special, and show what’s offered. Each show includes a segment featuring a local chef preparing a dish using locally grown food.
“We hope to feature as many people and as many farms as possible,” she said.
The first program in November spotlighted Lloyd Lewis, of Lewis Family Farm. The December show introduced viewers to Lawndale grower Elbert Hoyle and his collard greens.
Dante Parrott, a chef at Shelby’s Deer Brook Golf Club, cooked greens for the show. Blanton looks forward to featuring more farmers as a way for them to expand their customer bases.
Want to watch online episodes? Recipes, information, and links to watch episodes online available by visiting: cleveland.ces.ncsu.edu/cleveland-county-kitchen-project/ Want to watch TV episodes? Program airs periodically at various times on Cleveland Community College’s C19TV station. For TV listings, visit www.clevelandcc.edu.
Why buy local? “Cleveland County Kitchen” host Debra Blanton shares five benefits of buying local produce: Freshness – Local produce is fresher, giving you the benefit of nutrients from the plant as it comes out of the ground or off a stalk. Carbon footprint – When produce grown far away is brought to North Carolina, fuel is burned in transportation. There’s also the cost associated with transport. You can talk to the farmers – Curious about the produce you’re buying? You can often talk to the farmer who grew the plants to ask questions and get specifics. Buying local stays local – Money spent on local produce goes into the pockets of farmers in your community and circulates here. Eat better – Rather than eating heavily processed food from other parts of the United States and around the world, you’re eating food grown here with more nutrients.


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Elon Musk Reveals Tesla Cybertruck Release Date, Supercharging Process & NEW Feature In HUGE UPDATE!
Welcome to Tesla Tech Central, in today’s video we will be sharing Elon Musk’s confirmation of the Tesla Cybertruck’s release date, super charging process and new features. This is a channel where we share the latest news, rumours, and insights into all things Tesla, SpaceX, Elon Musk related and whatever else we think is interesting. You’ll be able to find news surrounding all of the Tesla 2022 vehicles including the Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Roadster, Cybertruck, and Semi! I would really appreciate it if you could please like and subscribe, also I just wanted to announce the giveaway winner who is Patrick Ben, so well done to Patrick Ben, I have messaged you on the YouTube messaging platform, However, I will be doing another giveaway but this time it will be $100 Amazon gift card which will be given to a random subscriber, so to enter all you have to do is be subscribed and that $100 Amazon gift card could be yours. I would also like to add that as we are a channel who has built up a following we are looking for sponsorships. If you would like to sponsor our videos please contact our email address which is in the description below. Now let’s carry on with the video. Tesla chief executive Elon Musk has announced that the Cybertruck will go into production in June 2023, following manufacturing delays. In a recent shareholder meeting, Mr Musk also confirmed that the Tesla Semi heavy goods vehicle and the Tesla Roadster sports car would also begin production that year. “This year has been a constant struggle with parts supply. We’ve been limited by so many supply chain shortages – not just chips. Most likely what we’ll see is Cybertruck start production at the end of next year, then reach volume production in 2023”, Mr Musk said. “Hopefully we can also be producing the Semi and the new Roadster in ‘23 as well, so we should be through our severe supply chain shortages by 2023 and I’m optimistic that’ll be the case.” It is unclear whether regulations on the truck would mean it makes it off the United States’ shores, due to its size and angular profile making it an impediment for pedesrtians, as well as the general appetite for large pick-up trucks abroad. Last year, Mr Musk said that Tesla was “designing the Cybertruck to meet the American spec … because if you try to design a car to meet the superset of all global requirements, basically, you can’t make the Cybertruck. It’s impossible.” Mr Musk has hinted at the possibility of a smaller type of truck, but details are as-yet scarce. Delays to the Cybertruck were known well before Mr Musk’s announcement. Reuters reported the news earlier this month, and Tesla had originally promised that the vehicle would be coming at the end of 2021. Following that, full production was scheduled until 2022 until this announcement – pushing the date back another year. It was initially reported that the delay was a result of “changing features and functions” that the Cybertruck would have, but now it appears that it has been more heavily affected by external factors. In other news, We can now see signs that the Tesla Cybertruck is nearing production (2023), as massive supercharging stalls appeared in Santa Nella, California. Some Tesla owners report that these have already begun popping up around California, most notably in Santa Monica. These would also come in handy for anyone towing a trailer or even the future Tesla Semi, although the latter would require a different type of charging cable. Production of the dual-motor AWD and tri-motor AWD Cybertruck was originally planned to begin in late 2021, with the base RWD model set for a late 2022 release, but it was pushed back.
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This Bluetooth Baseball Cap Is Bound to Turn Heads
You know we are all about wearable tech over here. We’re totally obsessed with Tory Burch’s Fitbit collection and have already proclaimed our love for Ringly. That being said, there are some wearable tech products that do make us go, “hmm.”
One of those products is SnapTrax, a baseball cap with a hidden Bluetooth device and speaker system in its rim that works through voice command. The connected cap allows users to discreetly make and receive calls, reply to texts, search the web and shoot off emails while on-the-go.
Sure, it sounds pretty cool, but we couldn’t help but notice that the users in the video below have to press their fingers on their temples like a television psychic to activate the cap’s function. And, there’s the whole possibility of having radio waves so close to your head all day that has us scratching our own heads. The brand says they have kept this concern in mind and plans to source components that will eliminate most of the electronics related radiation issues at may arise. Uh, most?
SnapTrax currently comes in four different styles, so it may not work with everything… or anything… in your closet just yet, but here’s hoping the team expands color choices soon after they take care of that pesky radioactive wave business.
We may not be the only ones skeptical of donning a SnapTrax — the company was hosting a Kickstarter campaign to funds the first shipment of hats slated for an early 2015 release, but canceled it this week.
What do you think of SnapTrax? Are we taking wearable tech too far? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section.
(h/t NY Mag)


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Alpaca operation hosts holiday events
KEWAUNEE – The Holiday Sale at KeLe Alpacas, E1870 Pine Grove Road, begins 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday and runs throughDec. 7.
More than 70 artists’ works displayed in an 1880s log building. A wine and cheese open house will be 2-5 p.m. Nov. 23. More details are online at kelealpacas.com or call (920) 845-5571.


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When India’s Hindustan Construction Ltd (HCC) was building a bridge in 2008 to transform the congested commute in Mumbai, its stock was at a record high as low interest rates had sparked a construction boom.
Today, like many small- and mid-sized Indian firms, Hindustan Construction is struggling, after a borrowing binge that saw its debt surge from $674 million in fiscal year 2007/2008 to $1.6 billion in 2014/15, according to Thomson Reuters data.
Companies are still struggling to recover from those years of exuberance, and say that Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan’s caution in cutting rates despite historically low inflation is making it harder for them to get back on track.
Having cut India’s main lending rate by three-quarters of a percentage point to 7.25 percent this year, the RBI is widely expected to keep it unchanged at its next policy review on Tuesday, though market watchers predict one more cut by the end of the year.
For many bosses, that is not enough.
“I’m disappointed with the RBI,”said Praveen Sood, chief financial officer of the HCC group.
“I just don’t know if they care enough about the industrial sector.”
The growing discontent comes as wholesale inflation has declined for eight consecutive months, while consumer inflation remains far from the double-digit levels less than two years ago and within the RBI’s target of 2 to 6 percent.
At the same time, the Indian economy is widely seen as weak, with much scepticism over official data in May which showed its growth overtook China’s.
Corporate profits are hurting. An analysis of 70 companies with a market capitalisation of at least $100 million showed net income fell by 5 percent in April-June, the second consecutive quarterly decline, according to Thomson Reuters data.
HCC, for example, reported last week that its April-June net profits slumped by about 70 percent to 80.2 million rupees.
The builder is looking to sell additional shares and has sold stakes in an commercial complex in Mumbai and in a highway, with proceeds going to service debt or interest costs.
“High interest rates at this point of time are basically killing the growth of the company,” said Sood.
“When inflation has gone down so much, there’s no reason why interest rates shouldn’t be coming down.”
Some economists now worry the RBI is excessively focused on prices, having this year shed its previous policy of managing multiple objectives towards one that targets consumer inflation while “keeping in mind the objective of growth”.
Soumya Kanti Ghosh, chief economic adviser of State Bank of India, argues that weak commodity prices are keeping inflation down, giving the RBI scope to do more to help companies.
“The RBI should also try to boost growth,” he said.


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Heineken, the world's third largest brewer, reported lower than expected increases in beer volumes and revenue on Thursday.» Read More
Since going public in 2011, Crumbs stock has nosedived. Its CEO sat down with CNBC to discuss the business' future and cupcake demand.
Wal-Mart will provide shoppers with organic food options at the same price as its nationally branded non-organic items.
SACRAMENTO, Calif., April 9- A California bill to require sugary soft drinks to carry labels warning of obesity, diabetes and tooth decay passed its first legislative hurdle on Wednesday, the latest move by lawmakers nationwide aimed at persuading people to drink less soda pop.
April 9- Constellation Brands Inc said it expects to spend upto $1.1 billion- almost double its previous forecast- to increase capacity at a Mexican brewery, hurting its full-year profit and cash flow forecasts and sending its shares down 5 percent.
A new virus has killed millions of baby pigs in the U.S. in less than a year. The consequence? Bacon prices rising by more than ten percent.
The iconic chicken chain is recalibrating its moral and culinary compass. It wants to go from old school to almost cool, USA TODAY reports.
Coca-Cola stands to lose a big chunk of revenue if a rival buys Monster Beverage. But there's a solution: Acquire the energy drink company.
In a new measure, food companies will be asked to label their products as "blend" if sweeteners are added to honey, in an effort to regulate food.
China's clampdown on prostitution in nightclubs and bars will hit cognac producers, analysts have warned.
The owner of KFC is testing a new concept chicken restaurant with more premium items, AdAge reports.
Perhaps the most perplexing food-delivery decision is the final one: How much to tip?
Shares of online food delivery company GrubHub rose as much as 57 percent in their market debut, valuing the company at about $3.20 billion.
"I lived through 2000 and you just don't want it to happen again," Jim Cramer said Friday of the recent IPO market.
Mighty Taco, a Buffalo-based chain of Mexican fast-food restaurants, has banned Putin from all of the company's 23 locations in western New York.
A new study found that cartoon characters on cereal boxes are angled downward, which helps kids connect to the product.
As the prices of and ethical concerns over meat mount, companies are getting better at providing animal-free alternatives. NYT reports.
ORLANDO, Fla., April 3- Beer fans line up every winter at Intuition Ale Works in north Florida for the annual tapping of Underdark, a world-class dark brew aged for a year in bourbon barrels that sells out quickly even at $15 a bottle.
ZURICH, April 3- Barry Callebaut, the world's biggest chocolate maker, reported a rise in half-year profits on Thursday, boosted by the turnaround of the Petra Foods' cocoa business it bought over a year ago, and reaffirmed its medium-term sales growth target.
ZURICH, April 3- Barry Callebaut, the world's biggest chocolate maker, reported a rise in half-year profits on Thursday, boosted by the turnaround of the Petra cocoa business it bought over a year ago, and reaffirmed its medium-term sales growth target.
Coca-Cola investor Wintergreen Advisers blasts the company's plans for executive compensation.
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When Sanae Nakano pulled into her usual gas station the other day, she was handed a leaflet explaining the ABCs of filling the tank, starting with "Park the car in an open space."
Nakano wasn't pleased to learn that her neighborhood General Oil station in Yokohama had become one of Japan's self-serve-gas guinea pigs.
"I'm afraid I'll set the place on fire," Nakano confided, as an attendant coaching first-time gas-pumpers held the nozzle while she and her two young children huddled around the pump. "It's a lot of trouble. You didn't have to get out of the car before."
Though self-serve stations have been part of the U.S. landscape for two decades _ and most Americans now fill their own tanks _ Japanese drivers could do so only beginning April 1.
Despite a lot of hoopla in Japan, however, self-serve appears to be off to a slow start. Daunted by the high cost of equipment conversion, extensive safety requirements and thin profit-margin forecasts, only a handful of stations nationwide have gone the do-it-yourself route.
And those that have made the switch are counting on a rather curious draw to lure new customers: shame. Most customers feel too embarrassed to order anything less than a full tank in return for full service. In Japan, where gas sells for double what it costs in the United States, that can be a pricey proposition.
So far, there's been little monetary incentive to entice drivers to prime the pumps themselves. At least not while full-service coddling is available down the street for, at most, dimes more per tank. Such a small premium is hardly an indulgence in an expensive country with an excellent public transit system, where cars are more ornament than utility.
"They just make my windshield squeaky clean and wash my tires so they look brand new," gushed Rei Yaegashi, 25, as three attendants yelling "Irashaimase!" _ "Welcome!" _ ushered him into a full-service station in Tokyo, filled his tank, washed his windows, dumped his ashtray and checked his oil, transmission fluid and battery. "I don't think most Japanese will want to do it themselves, especially girls," he said.
As Yaegashi pulled away, an attendant jumped into a busy street to halt oncoming traffic and directed him out of the lot _ all part of the full-serve routine here. Explained station manager Yasunori Kikuchi, "I don't think consumers can pull in, pump gas and leave the station without bumping into each other or making a mess in a small place like this."
Indeed, even the oil companies that have ventured into the self-serve business are skeptical of its viability. Cosmo Oil, the third-largest gas station operator in Japan with 6,573 stations, has opened just one self-serve stand and plans only a dozen in the next year. Nippon Oil, the largest with 9,700 stations, has launched just two, including one joint venture with a McDonald's restaurant in Kobe. (The idea is to entice customers pulling out of the station to drive directly into the adjacent hamburger stand.)
General Oil, a joint venture between Exxon Corp. and several Japanese companies that has 2,400 stations, initially planned 20 self-serve stations but cut back to four.
"We didn't think the returns would be so quick," said Hidenobu Fujiyama, General Oil's managing director, who was on hand during the launch of the self-serve station in Yokohama.
Converting from full-serve to self-serve involves a $200,000 investment, he said, since Japan mandates far more equipment than the United States requires. Devices that automatically douse flames at the pump and detect when diesel fuel is mistakenly pumped into an unleaded tank are mandatory. Video cameras must be trained on each pump to relay images to a monitor at the cashier stand. And an attendant equipped to deal with hazardous materials must be on duty at all times.
Nevertheless, Fujiyama figures self-serve cuts labor costs in half _ and labor expenses constitute half of total operating costs. A union representing workers has complained about possible staff reductions, although the gas stations maintain they employ mostly part-timers anyway.
Despite the savings, General Oil sells self-serve gas in Yokohama for 78 yen, or 60 cents, per liter, only about 2 cents less than the price offered by the full-serve JOMO station down the street. So customers save only about 60 cents on a typical 30-liter purchase. High-octane fuel sells for exactly the same as when the station was full-serve.
The paltry incentives prompt about one of every five customers at the self-serve station to complain, said a General Oil cashier in Yokohama.
"It's okay today because the weather is nice," said Yukie Seki. "But if it's cold or rainy and you have to get out of your car, it's not worth it."
Indeed, dozens of customers said they'd convert to self-serve if the savings were greater. "I'm not motivated to go now," said Junichi Anzai.
But ferocious competition keeps prices at the pump from falling, said General Oil's Fujiyama. Though still expensive, gas prices have been tumbling in the two years since Japan began allowing imports of oil products refined outside the country. So supermarkets and other non-oil companies have begun selling gas, too.
"If we lower the price, then others will lower the price, and it will be difficult to catch up," Fujiyama said.
One group that's accepting the changes better than anticipated is women, says Fujiyama. The gas company thought of dispensing gloves to offset concerns that women wouldn't want to get their hands dirty. They rejected the idea, however, after concluding that using gloves worn by other customers would be even more of a turnoff than pumping barehanded.
But the attendants make sure the station is kept clean, wiping down the pumps and even the trash bins during lulls in business.
And some, like Kumiko Takada, who filled her Jeep Cherokee herself for the first time, find it's far easier than they thought. "Americans do everything for their cars by themselves, so it's good for Japanese to start doing it, too."


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If you are thinking of buying an automatic Patek Philippe Ref. 5711 in stainless steel with a black-blue dial, think again.
The Nautilus sports watch line, which includes the Ref. 5711, has been produced without interruption for 43 years. But demand for that particular model has so surpassed supply in recent years that neither Patek Philippe nor any of its retailers will sell one just because a customer is waving cash around. New watches go to carefully vetted clients who gained places on the waiting list thanks to longstanding relationships with the Swiss watchmaker.
And, while no one will specify, the wait is said to be as long as eight years.
“Why is the Nautilus so popular,” Thierry Stern, president of Patek Philippe, asked rhetorically in an interview last October in Milan during one of the family-owned house’s promotional events. “Of course I am happy about it, but honestly I don’t know the answer.”
For Mr. Stern, the subject is at once both somewhat irritating and a source of pride. “We make about 140 different models at Patek Philippe, and the basic Ref. 5711 in steel is just one of them,” he said. “We have many other models that are more complicated and arguably more beautiful.”
Tell that to frustrated buyers.
The first Nautilus, the Ref. 3700, was introduced in 1976, while Mr. Stern’s father, Philippe, was still leading the company. Gérald Genta, who had created the Royal Oak for Audemars Piguet four years earlier, designed the timepiece, both its name and the rounded octagonal bezel and case (inspired by a ship’s porthole) referencing Philippe Stern’s passion for sailing.
“When the Nautilus was introduced, the watch industry was confronted with the quartz crisis,” said Nicholas Foulkes, author of “Patek Philippe: The Authorized Biography” published in 2016. “Philippe Stern had an incredible vision that mechanical watches would come back.”
The advertising tagline said “one of the world’s costliest watches is made of steel.” And that, too, was something of a revolution for Patek, which previously had made only classic watches in precious metals. “What was interesting then was not that it was a steel watch,” Mr. Foulkes said, “but that it was a Patek Philippe in steel.” Within a few years, women’s versions were introduced and complications added.
In 2006, the Ref. 5711/1A debuted — a reworked version of the Ref. 3700 model in steel but with a bluer dial and an automatic caliber.
It was not Patek’s most expensive watch nor its most complicated. But the consensus among watch fans is that it is the most coveted.
“If I had a penny for every client who came in every day asking for a Ref. 5711 in steel, I would be long retired,” a salesman at Tourneau, an authorized retailer in New York, said last fall. The official retail price is ,803 (or, in Europe, 27,040 euros).
Founded in 1839, and closely held by the Stern family since 1932, Patek Philippe does not disclose its annual production or revenue — but reports have estimated it produces 60,000 timepieces annually and generates 1.5 billion Swiss francs in sales. In January Bloomberg reported that the company might be offered for sale, with analysts estimating it could be worth billion to billion.
“We don’t discuss production quantities, but clearly we don’t make enough Ref. 5711s,” Mr. Stern said. “Today we are meeting maybe 10 percent of the demand, and it is going to stay that way.”
“For us, this is not a race to make more money,” he said. “It is a race for beauty, for the long term, and for greater choice in our collections.”
Rarity breeds desire, but also speculation. The scarcity of the Ref. 5711 on the primary market has resulted in corresponding price increases for new and pre-owned models at auction.
Consider the new automatic Ref. 5711/1A in stainless steel with a so-called Tiffany dial that was sold in November at a Phillips auction in Geneva. The timepiece was accompanied by its Patek certificate of origin, showing it had been sold on July 30 at the Tiffany & Company Fifth Avenue flagship in New York.
Tiffany, an official Patek retailer since 1851, has stamped its name on the dial of certain Patek models; other retailers have had similar arrangements in the past, but now only Tiffany has such an agreement. Tiffany will not say how many Ref. 5711 dials it has stamped or how many have sold, but the watches are widely considered to be among the rarest in production.
For the consignor, whose identity was known to Patek, Tiffany and Phillips but was not made public, the payout was immediate and exponential: The watch sold for 125,000 Swiss francs or 4,362, including the buyer’s premium, setting a world record for a steel Ref. 5711.
“If you want to distinguish yourself with a Ref. 5711, you need that Tiffany dial,” said Aurel Bacs, the auctioneer who brought down the hammer. “This is the endgame in Ref. 5711s.”
Several owners have their own histories with the Ref. 5711.
A PRIVATE COLLECTOR
Claude Sfeir is a prominent Patek Philippe client who says he owns “almost all” the watches in the Nautilus series, including a one-of-a-kind prototype Ref. 3700 that he acquired a few years ago at auction.
“This prototype is the symbol of the success of the Nautilus and proof of the genius of Gérald Genta,” Mr. Sfeir said in a phone interview from Beirut, Lebanon. “This watch carries the history of all the Nautilus watches in a simple design that is still very current.”
“I happened to be in Geneva, and it was my birthday, and also beginning of a new love story,” he said. “It is a watch I love because it has even more special significance for me.”
“I have always loved watches, and people liked the photos I posted on my private profile,” Ms. Daud said in a phone interview from London. She said she owns all the watches she features (she wouldn’t specify how many that is) and attributes the site’s appeal to its fashion-savvy orientation (watches are shown worn with a stack of Cartier Juste un Clou bracelets or a Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra chain, for example).
“It was like a breath of fresh air and we were all very excited at Patek Philippe,” Mr. Reardon said in a phone interview from New York, where he has been international head of Christie’s watch department since 2013.
“The retail price was around ,500 then,” he added. “People wanted the watch, but there was no craziness over what was just a new watch in a line that people appreciated.”
In 2011, after he had left Patek, a reseller offered Mr. Reardon a pre-owned Ref. 5711 for ,300.
“I put it in on, it made a clicking sound and I fell in love,” Mr. Bacs said in an interview in Geneva. “Since then, this has been my universal watch.”
“It has traveled with me many times on every kind of business occasion, on airplanes, on the auction podium, and to every exotic destination I have traveled,” he said.
His passion for the Ref. 5711 began with a Ref. 3700: His mother gave it to his father as a 50th birthday gift in 1983.
“Back then, the Ref. 3700 was the ‘nec plus ultra’ in terms of style and wearability for an everyday watch,” Mr. Bacs said, using an expression that translates as “nothing further beyond.”
He worked his way up through a Ref. 3800, a smaller version of the Ref. 3700, to the Aquanaut, before finally purchasing his Ref. 5711 in 2009.
“Technically speaking, this may be the simplest Nautilus reference, but I like it because it does everything I ask from a watch without going beyond,” he said.B:
马经玄机图荐2018【他】【带】【她】【来】【的】，【是】【另】【一】【处】【院】【子】，【院】【子】【不】【算】【大】，【也】【不】【算】【小】，【天】【太】【黑】，【也】【看】【不】【清】，【只】【知】【道】【这】【个】【院】【子】【里】【有】【三】【四】【个】【人】，【应】【该】【是】【一】【家】【人】，【看】【到】【苏】【岩】，【还】【叫】【着】【老】【爷】。 【老】【爷】，【一】【听】【这】【个】【称】【呼】，【苏】【静】【差】【点】【喷】【笑】，【不】【过】，【这】【也】【正】【常】，【他】【可】【不】【就】【是】【老】【爷】【么】。 【苏】【静】【以】【为】，【他】【带】【她】【来】【这】【里】，【会】【有】【什】【么】【重】【要】【的】【事】，【谁】【知】，【就】【是】【为】【了】【看】【她】【睡】【觉】，【好】
“【什】【么】？【你】【们】【要】【去】【古】【堡】【里】？【那】【里】【可】【是】【很】【危】【险】【的】，【据】【说】【里】【面】【封】【印】【者】【远】【古】【的】【邪】【恶】【契】【约】，【就】【连】【光】【明】【教】【会】【的】【人】【都】【不】【敢】【轻】【易】【进】【去】。”【谢】【尔】【曼】【紧】【张】【的】【提】【醒】【道】。 “【嗯】，【所】【以】，【我】【不】【会】【让】【你】【们】【冒】【险】【的】。”【菲】【雅】【点】【点】【头】，【跟】【谢】【尔】【曼】【说】【道】。 “【不】【是】，【殿】【下】，【我】【不】【是】【那】【个】【意】【思】，【只】【是】【说】，【现】【在】【事】【情】【还】【没】【有】【调】【查】【清】【楚】，【不】【如】【我】【们】【先】【回】【村】【子】【了】
【一】【睁】【眼】，【久】【违】【两】【月】【的】【阳】【光】【照】【射】【在】【云】【韵】【身】【上】。 【几】【人】【颤】【颤】【巍】【巍】【的】【来】【到】【齐】【昊】【跟】【前】，【两】【个】【斗】【王】【更】【是】【直】【接】【跪】【下】。 【在】【精】【神】【世】【界】，【一】【旦】【意】【志】【不】【坚】，【以】【任】【何】【形】【势】【死】【亡】，【都】【会】【代】【表】【精】【神】【死】【亡】。 【可】【齐】【昊】【需】【要】【的】【可】【以】【效】【力】【的】【手】【下】，【所】【以】【他】【们】‘【活】【着】’，【毫】【发】【无】【损】【的】【回】【来】【了】。 【但】【是】【他】【们】【的】【意】【志】、【灵】【魂】【都】【不】【再】【属】【于】【他】【们】，【他】【们】【的】【一】【切】
【数】【名】【官】【兵】【堵】【在】【门】【口】，【亲】【眼】【目】【睹】【项】【志】【诚】【操】【刀】【剐】【肉】，【听】【着】【渔】【民】【撕】【心】【裂】【肺】【的】【叫】【喊】，【不】【禁】【感】【同】【身】【受】，【一】【个】【个】【眼】【角】【抽】【搐】，【咧】【开】【嘴】【倒】【吸】【凉】【气】。 “【项】【兄】，【这】【怎】【么】【回】【事】？”【林】【逸】【刚】【问】【完】，【肩】【膀】【就】【被】【人】【轻】【轻】【一】【拍】。【他】【转】【过】【头】，【便】【瞧】【任】【定】【北】【正】【盯】【着】【自】【己】【手】【中】【长】【刀】，【立】【马】【会】【了】【意】，【对】【周】【围】【兵】【卒】【吆】【喝】【道】：“【诸】【位】【当】【心】，【别】【被】【锋】【刃】【伤】【着】。” 【说】马经玄机图荐2018【两】【人】【向】【着】【炎】【焱】【谷】【进】【发】，【随】【着】【一】【路】【向】【前】，【周】【围】【温】【度】【急】【剧】【攀】【升】，【此】【时】，【林】【琨】【才】【发】【现】，【他】【们】【降】【临】【太】【玄】【星】【之】【地】，【便】【是】【炎】【焱】【谷】【的】【正】【背】【面】，【整】【颗】【星】【球】【温】【度】【最】【低】【的】【区】【域】。 【忽】【然】，【有】【攻】【击】【自】【地】【下】【熔】【岩】【射】【出】，【来】【自】【一】【火】【焰】【凶】【兽】。 【此】【凶】【兽】【体】【型】【不】【大】，【只】【有】【一】【米】【高】，【浑】【身】【上】【下】【由】【岩】【浆】【构】【成】，【燃】【着】【火】【焰】。 【是】【一】【只】【弱】【小】【的】【没】【有】【灵】【智】【的】【凶】【兽】
【双】【手】【不】【受】【控】【制】【地】【结】【印】，【瞳】【力】【和】【查】【克】【拉】【都】【如】【同】【山】【洪】【泄】【地】，【宣】【涌】【而】【出】。 【本】【来】【精】【壮】【的】【长】【门】，【肉】【眼】【可】【见】【的】【消】【瘦】【起】【来】，【一】【头】【旺】【盛】【如】【火】【燃】【烧】【的】【红】【发】，【竟】【出】【现】【了】【白】【发】，【色】【泽】【黯】【淡】、【干】【枯】【灰】【白】。 【宇】【智】【波】【信】【不】【知】【何】【时】【再】【次】【使】【用】【了】【一】【次】【伊】【邪】【那】【歧】，【复】【活】【的】【地】【点】【正】【是】【在】【长】【门】【身】【边】！ 【只】【见】【他】【甩】【出】【一】【个】【卷】【轴】，【瞬】【息】【解】【封】。 【砰】【的】【掉】【出】【一】
【极】【简】、【轻】【奢】【的】【体】【验】【中】【心】。 【端】【木】【菲】、【乐】【炎】【良】【以】【及】【两】【位】【地】【产】【界】【名】【流】【正】【在】【进】【行】【圆】【桌】【论】【坛】。 【主】【持】【人】【常】【声】【发】【问】：“【端】【木】【小】【姐】，【你】【如】【何】【看】【待】【天】【曜】【地】【产】【的】【新】【作】【品】——【菡】【棠】【合】【院】？” 【端】【木】【菲】【微】【笑】【答】【道】：“【这】【是】【天】【曜】【地】【产】【在】【产】【品】【研】【发】【上】【的】【再】【一】【次】【创】【新】。【大】【家】【知】【道】【限】【墅】【令】【不】【是】【一】【天】【两】【天】【了】，【而】【高】【净】【值】【人】【群】【对】【别】【墅】【生】【活】【的】【需】【求】【是】【真】【实】


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Green tea beats the blues22nd December 2009
Older adults who consume a lot of green tea are less likely to feel depressed, according to a new Japanese study.
The researchers said that the antidepressant effect is probably a biochemical reaction to something in green tea, which is less oxidised on the whole than the black tea consumed throughout Europe.
Many people living in east Asia consume the tea on a daily basis, and the Japanese research team found that people aged 70 and older reduced their likelihood of depression when they drank four or more cups of green tea daily.
Of the 1,058 study subjects, 34% of the males and 39% of the females had depression.
488 of them reported drinking more than four cups of green tea a day, while 284 drank between two and three cups of the drink.
The researchers were able to confirm a statistical correlation between the consumption of green tea and alleviated symptoms of depression independent of gender, diet, economic status, or antidepressant use.
However, they could not find any similar association between oxidised green teas (such as oolong tea), coffee, or black tea, suggesting that their finding relates to an alkaloid or molecule present only in fresh tea leaves.
The recent Japanese study is not the first to link psychological health with green tea consumption, and the researchers believe that further studies are needed in order to confirm their finding.
Niu said that the amino acid theanine, which is thought to have a tranquillising effect on the brain, might add to the potentially beneficial effects of green tea.
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Title: Green tea beats the blues
Author: Luisetta Mudie
Article Id: 13587
Date Added: 22nd Dec 2009


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By Abby Hassler
There’s no denying Bruno Mars admiration for Donatella Versace’s family’s brand in his latest hit “Versace on the Floor,” and now the fashion icon returned the sentiment in a tribute to Mars via a video on social media.
Versace recruited several models to lip sync along with the musician’s hit single which she dedicated “To my special friend,” as written in the caption for the clip. The video is extravagant in and of itself, as every model is donned in, what else, but Versace and they are dancing around a room that looks like it could be part of a museum or palace.
Included in the tribute to Mars are super models such as Candice Swanepoel, Natasha Poly, Hana Soukupova, Kiki Willems, Binx Walton, Alexandra Micu, Hiandra Martinez, Faretta, Mag Cysewska, Diletta Paci, Alpha Dia, Leonard Mushiete, Jurriaan Seppenwoolde and Adrian Chabada, according to W Magazine.
Watch the video and check out the photos from the shoot below.


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Simu ya Solar is the unlikely new name in mobile phone brands. It also happens to be first solar-charged mobile phone, built from recycled material by Chinese company ZTE and released in Kenya by Safaricom. It comes with a conventional charger, but it is the built-in solar panel that sets it apart.
Kenya’s largest mobile network operator, Safaricom, has introduced the first solar-charged mobile phone on the African continent into the Kenyan market.
Branded Simu ya Solar and manufactured under a partnership with ZTE of China and Intivation of the Netherlands, the handset is made from recycled materials and has an in-built solar panel that charges the phone using the sun’s rays. It is available at all Safaricom retail and dealer channels countrywide and comes with a one-year warranty.
Simu ya Solar, which also comes with a conventional charger, will be retailing at all Safaricom shops countrywide at a price of KSh2,999.
Speaking during the launch of the phone, Safaricom Chief Executive Officer Michael Joseph said the company had always been keen on embracing business processes and products that were environmentally-conscious.
‚Solar power is definitely the way to go as it is cheap, green and renewable. This solarcharged phone will come in handy, particularly in the rural parts without grid electricity and even urban areas, for those who are keen on saving on phone maintenance costs,‚ he said.
Safaricom CEO Michael Joseph
‚Our subscribers will not have to take their phones to merchants for charging and wait all day for their handsets to charge in order to make calls. They can now talk all day and night without worrying about the level of charge and charging costs.‚
The launch of Simu ya Solar underpins Safaricom’s credentials as a green and environmentally-sensitive company in all facets of its operations. Safaricom already has over 60 Base Transmission Stations (BTSs) that are operating on renewable energy sources ‚ wind and solar-driven turbines ‚ in various parts of the country. Safaricom House, the firm’s head office, is also fitted with motion-sensitive light bulbs to minimize the use of electricity within the office environment.
Environment Minister John Michuki, who presided over the event, said sustainable companies would be those that do not just look at bottom line but also the impact of their activities on the environment in which they do business.
‚Businesses will have to take due consideration of the environment and issues such as renewable energy, carbon dioxide emissions and climate change in order to remain sustainable,‚ he said. The minister urged Kenyans to support initiatives such as tree planting to increase forest cover and slow down climate change and its disruptive effects on lives.
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Mass Effect: Andromeda will soon be available on Origin Access
Less than seven months after launch, Andromeda lands on a subscription serviceBy Rob Thubron
Few games generated as much hype in the run up to their release quite like Mass Effect: Andromeda, but everyone knows the final product fell very short of expectations. Now, having only launched in March this year, it's about to arrive on the subscription-based Origin Access service.
Costing $5 per month, Origin Access lets members play over 75 games "whenever they want for as long as they want." The majority of the library consists of older titles such as Crysis 3 and The Sims 4, as well as indie games and "Play First" trials.
Andromeda's addition doesn't look good for a game that was released less than seven months ago. While Origin Access does include some newer titles, it's shocking to see the latest entry in such a prestigious franchise land on a subscription service so quickly.
Andromeda was roundly condemned and mocked on its release, partly because of its numerous bugs and bizarre facial animations. BioWare did release patches that fixed almost all of the issues, but the game's reputation had taken a hammering, and it just wasn't on par with the brilliant original trilogy.
Back in July, to get more people to buy the game, Andromeda's 10-hour free trial that had been exclusive to Origin Access was made available to everyone. But it seems the plan wasn't enough; a month later, BioWare officially dropped single-player support for Andromeda, meaning no more updates or DLC for the solo campaign.
EA executive vice president Patrick Söderlund believes Andromeda was criticized more than it deserved. Personally, I think the version available today is a solid 7/10 game --- mostly good, but far from great. Living in the shadow of one of the greatest gaming trilogies ever made was always going to be a hindrance, and there are times when it feels BioWare went for quantity over quality. One good thing about it hitting Origin Access, though: not paying full price means more people trying it for themselves and making their own minds up.


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Is Bitcoin Free Bitcoin Misery Index Live 25 Jun 2019. The record low level of the "bitcoin misery index" suggests an opportunity for investors. 10 Sep 2019. The Bitcoin Misery Index (BMI) by Fundstrat is a subscription-only technical indicator based on the profitability
HongChun Research has announced the launch of Cryptocurrency and Blockchain market report, a comprehensive study enumerating the latest price trends and pivotal drivers rendering a positive impact on.
Bitcoin price has became a hotly discussed topic across the world, including India, recently as its value skyrocketed to.


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Flutter Entertainment has imposed new regulations and measures in a bid to improve safer gambling in Ireland
Flutter Entertainment, who have major brands under their umbrella such as PaddyPower, Betfair, Sky betting & gaming, have upgraded their policies in responsible gaming to reduce potential harm.
There is a significant push to promote safer gambling from Flutter as they have committed 1% of their net gaming revenue (NGR) to support any research, education and treatment of problem gambling.
This should amount to €1.25m in 2021, and €3m by 2023.
The updated policies will include:
- Ban on credit card usage for online and retail accounts
- Restrict advertising during live sports
The Entertainment brand’s Paddy Power, Betfair and Skybet will all stop accepting credit card payments while advertisement restrictions will be implemented as from 1st May.
These new measures will help improve the already implemented rules in relation to problem gambling, utilising AI and human monitoring to identify potential harmful behaviour.
Flutter UK & Ireland CEO, Conor Grant, highlights that in today’s society gambling accessibility has transformed:
We recognise that gambling has undergone a technological transformation over the past two decades. The influence of the smartphone, social media, and on-demand streaming has been profound.
We have not always got it right as an industry and we must ensure collectively that we are doing all we can to prevent problem gambling.
The reality is that protection and promotion measures will continue to evolve over time and new measures will need to be considered to promote moderation, safety and enjoyment in this era of digital gambling.
Flutter has increased safer gambling guidelines on all marketing channels, established Safer Gambling Week in Ireland, while developing robust policies and governance structures to implement high safe gambling standards.
Source: Flutter Entertainment
The SiGMA Roadshow
The SiGMA Roadshow is stepping up its game; now virtual, the webinar will take on a new jurisdiction every month, targeting a global agenda of gritty conference topics and a small, yet buzzing expo floor. Hosted on an interactive platform, the 2 hours mini conference will delve into 5 key areas of debate, bringing key themes specific to the region – such as regulation, tax and compliance, and emerging tech, to a table of thought leaders and academics at the top of their game. The SiGMA Virtual Roadshow will reflect SiGMA’s global events opening in 5 major regions over the next few years, specifically Europe, the CIS region, Asia, the Americas, and Africa. The monthly event, which launches with a worldwide tour of 14 countries, starts off with the recently legislated Ukraine, and will be published via podcast.


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CINCINNATI (AP) - Federal judges have reinstated a Florida man’s lawsuit against the maker of a computer software product used to secretly monitor his online communications with an Ohio man’s then-wife.
A Cincinnati-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel voted 2-1 Tuesday to return the case to a district court to consider plaintiff Javier (HAH’-vee-ehr) Luis’ contention that Awareness Technologies Inc. violated federal wiretapping law.
His attorneys argued that the company has responsibility by actively operating the WebWatcher technology used to intercept Luis’ emails, instant messages and other electronic communications from his Tampa computer.
A message was left Tuesday for an Awareness Technologies attorney.
Dissenting Judge Alice Batchelder agreed with the lower court’s dismissal of the suit, saying the product maker wasn’t liable.
Judge Ronald Lee Gilman wrote the majority opinion.
Copyright © 2023 The Washington Times, LLC.
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Much has been said about the security implications of Touch ID, the new fingerprint scanner in the iPhone 5s. But TidBITS contributor and accessibility expert Steven Aquino has a different take on it, as a tool for the disabled. Steven argues that Touch ID will be a boon for iPhone users with visual or motor disabilities that make passcodes difficult to enter.follow link
Thoughtful, detailed coverage of the Mac, iPhone, and iPad, plus the TidBITS Content Network for Apple consultants.
Will Touch ID Make the iPhone 5s More Accessible?


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Pizza Rock Genius Tony Gemignani Brings Three Tasty New Restaurants to Off-Strip Casinos
He’s the man behind the best pizza in Las Vegas: Tony Gemignani. Oh, and the best meatballs, but let’s not get bogged down by details.
Gemignani’s downtown Pizza Rock restaurant, otherwise known as “this blog’s second home,” has taken Sin City by storm, and in 2015 he’ll bring three new restaurants to two off-Strip casinos.
The three new restaurants are Slice House by Tony Gemignani and another outpost of Pizza Rock, both at Green Valley Ranch Resort, and Little Tonys, a new Italian concept, at Palace Station.
Slice House by Tony Gemignani opens this weekend at Green Valley Ranch, and features pizzas by the slice, including New York, Sicilian, and California-style pizzas. The menu will also have calzones, stromboli, panini, baked ziti, salads and meatball subs.
This is the third Slice House in the country. The others are located in Sonoma County and San Francisco, both of which we’re relatively sure are in California. Hey, we attended public school.
Also coming to Green Valley Ranch is another Pizza Rock, with classic Italian entrees, pasta and Gemignani’s award-winning gourmet pizzas. The new Pizza Rock will open in March.
Tony Gemignani’s third restaurant offering will be Little Tony’s, a name inspired by Gemignani’s nickname for his dingle. Unless we’re completely making that up.
The new Palace Station restaurant is scheduled to open in April 2015 and will be an Italian trattoria and classic pizzeria.
At Little Tony’s, pizza will again take center stage, as will house-made pastas, calzones, stromboli, antipasti and salads.
Tony Gemignani’s expanding empire means he’s clearly going to have a lot on his plate in 2015.
There are few sure bets when it comes to Las Vegas restaurants, but based upon our deep and abiding love for the original Las Vegas Pizza Rock, Tony Gemignani’s three new restaurants sound like guaranteed winners.


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A HIMSS Event | SANTA CLARA, CA | SEPT. 16-18, 2019
By Heather Munro, freelance writer focusing on emerging technology.
HB0’s Silicon Valley famously lampooned the tech industry by featuring an egomaniacal co-founder hiring a personal “blood boy” to give him plasma infusions meant to prolong life. While this is an extreme—and fictional—example of the growing biohacking trend, it illustrates just how commonplace the idea of putting health directly into the hands of the consumer has become.
From nootropics to meal-replacement drinks, products for “hacking” the body’s biology to feel and perform better are fast becoming a lucrative health tech business model. For many entrepreneurs, Dave Asprey, CEO of Bulletproof 360, Inc., is the founder to emulate.
Asprey’s first product, Bulletproof Coffee, has spawned a multi-million dollar empire that now offers supplements, foods and technologies that promise consumers will feel a difference in how they perform the first time they experience them.
In 2017, the cutting-edge company expanded into another vertical when it opened Bulletproof Labs, which it touts as “the world’s first human upgrade center.” Targeting consumers looking to improve their mental and physical performance, the center offers cryotherapy to boost immunity and increase fat burning; red and infrared LED light therapy to promote muscle recovery, decrease inflammation and boost mitochondrial function; and a dry sensory deprivation tank that promotes a theta-wave state in the brain for deep relaxation. Could upgrade centers like this become as ubiquitous as Starbucks? Time will tell.
In addition to innovative new products and therapies, biohacking is getting a serious boost from technology, especially for managing chronic health issues like diabetes. The founder of Bigfoot Biomedical created an automated insulin delivery system when he “hacked” into a closed-loop off-the-shelf insulin pump and a continuous glucose monitor for his daughter. Today, the company’s proprietary smart pump automatically doses insulin in the right amount at the right time—a distinct advantage for parents of young children with diabetes, not to mention adults with the disease.
In addition to helping people manage chronic illness, biohacking is giving consumers the knowledge they need to fight off disease in the first place. Perhaps one of the biggest trends in biohacking is DNA testing from companies like 23andme. Using at-home genetic testing kits, consumers learn their genetic risk for developing conditions like breast cancer, Parkinson’s disease and age-related macular degeneration, to name a few. Armed with this kind of information, consumers are beginning to champion their own health, and changing how physicians treat them in the process.
For the healthcare industry, do-it-yourself biology, as biohacking is sometimes called, is a powerful shift in thinking that is helping move precision medicine forward. And for the health tech entrepreneurs, it’s an amazing opportunity to help make a difference in people’s health. Most powerful of all, biohacking technologies and products are coming not from scientists, but from an engaged community of lifelong learners, deep thinkers and passionate health seekers fed up with the status quo.
Award-winning journalist David Ewing Duncan will moderate a discussion with leading biohacking companies and explore how the lines between precision health, genomics and behavior changes are blurring to create a new way to provide healthcare.


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-Contact Thomas Rasmussen
The over-hyped world of online video is going through massive turmoil at the moment. While most investors and companies agree that online video is likely the future of broadcasting, no one has been able to make any money from it so far. And it’s likely to get even harder due to tighter venture funding, the closed IPO window and next-generation Web 2.0 entrants such as Hulu and even Apple’s iTunes. These factors have left the online video players scrambling toward any exit, no matter how cheap.
Consider the case of CinemaNow, which was picked up by Sonic Solutions for a mere $3m last month. The portal never managed to turn a profit and had estimated revenue of less than $4m. Yet it secured five rounds of funding (totaling more than $40m) and brokered partnerships with major studios, VCs and strategic investors. When CinemaNow went to investors begging for another round a few months ago, it found that there was no money to be had and a quick exit became the only alternative. That’s a common occurrence these days, and may well have driven rival MovieLink to sell for a paltry $6.6m to Blockbuster last year. (Expect more of these types of deals next year. According to corporate development executives who completed our annual M&A outlook survey, lack of access to VC will be the major catalyst for deal flow in 2009.)
If this sounds eerily familiar, it’s because a similar situation played out during the music industry’s awkward and reluctant switch to digital a few years ago. Several startups, even major ones backed by large studios, tried to become the distributor of choice. Yet, many of those went away in scrap sales or had the plug pulled on them (Viacom’s Urge, Napster and Yahoo’s music service, to name just a few high-profile failures). We’re now left with just a handful of dominant distributors: iTunes, RealNetworks’ Rhapsody, Amazon and, to an increasing extent, MySpace’s heavily funded music effort. Many of these companies are likely to also dominate online video. In fact, add in Google and Microsoft, and you have a list of the companies that are likely to be buyers for the few remaining online video startups.
Recent online video M&A
Source: The 451 M&A KnowledgeBase


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It’s International Women’s Day, and once again brands are out in full force to support women around the world. It’s become commonplace for brands to launch a campaign, announce fundraising for female-focused funds and so on during the month of March and in honor of this day specifically. From elevating female artists to combating sexism, here are some of the ways brands are celebrating women today.
Only 61 percent of ads out in the world today portray women in a positive light. Budweiser wanted to make a statement about that not by pointing a finger at others but instead looking back at some of the brand’s old campaigns. Budweiser took three ads from the 1950s, a time when women weren’t typically portrayed in a powerful way, and reimagined them for 2019. Budweiser worked with illustrators and the #SeeHer community to transform the images into ones that champion women and paint women as strong and independent.
There’s no shortage of strong, powerful women featured in some of HBO’s biggest shows, from Game of Thrones to Big Little Lies. In honor of those women, HBO released the spot “Make a Little Trouble,” created by HBO Creative Services and Mekanism New York. The ad is part of the “Because of Her” campaign and featured a speech that Nora Ephron delivered to Wellesley College graduates in 1996.
Throughout March, PayPal will be highlighting stories of female-run businesses and will donate $2 to the PayPal Giving Fund for every purchase made at a select number of retailers (including ThirdLove and Food52). The brand will donate up to $30,000 to a select group of charities through March 23.
The brand also filmed PayPal’s evp, chief business affairs and legal officer Louise Pentland in conversation with Heidi Zak, co-founder and co-CEO of ThirdLove; Kara Goldin, founder and CEO of Hint Water; Blythe Harris, co-founder and chief creative officer at Stella & Dot; Lisa Edwards, svp of global boutiques at Benefit Cosmetics; and Yunha Kim, founder and CEO of Simple Habit.
ModCloth launched a star-studded “Against the Current” campaign with Halsey, Awkwafina, Dascha Polanco and Hari Nef to celebrate International Women’s Day. The work is meant to encourage women to tap into their inner strength and overcome life’s obstacles. The anthem spot shows each of the four women overcoming the elements (earth, water, wind and fire) while solo spots dive deeper into the challenges and obstacles each of the four women have had to overcome.
This year marks the fourth year of Brawny’s “Strength Has No Gender” campaign, an effort from the paper towel company that highlights strong woman of all ages. This year the brand created “Generations of Strength,” a 45-second spot applauding brilliant woman throughout history.
Brawny will once again replace its signature Brawny Man mascot on its packaging. This year the brand will have three women from different generations on the commemorative packs. Finally, the brand is also entering a multi-year partnership with nonprofit
Stacy’s Pita Chips
For 2019, Stacy’s Pita Chips will release limited-edition bags of chips designed by all female artists for the third year in a row. The colorfully illustrated bags depict the six stages of a female entrepreneur’s journey: inspiration, courage, grit, nourishment, success and community. Additionally, the brand is pledging to raise up to $400,o00 throughout the month—$200,000 to help United Way achieve its mission of reducing the funding gap for female-founded businesses and $200,000 solely to help female entrepreneurs achieve their goals.
“Together with Stacy’s Pita Chips, we are bridging the gap and helping female businessowners pursue their passions. Each donation will help provide funding support that will not only initiate new female-led businesses but sustain their growth through the years,” Lisa Bowman, CMO, United Way Worldwide, said in a statement.
For Women’s History Month, United Airlines is championing female artists by giving two women the chance to create something on a massive canvas: the side of United Boeing 757. According to research from The National Museum of Women in the Arts, while 51 percent of artists are female, less than 13 percent of art shown in museums is done by female artists. So, United created “Her Art Here” in partnership with Laundry Service and Cycle Media. The campaign also includes interactive out-of-home in New York and Los Angeles.


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GOOGLE is now letting anyone who owns its smart speaker in the UK make calls to landlines and mobiles for free.
So if you already own a Google Home, you'll now be able to place voice calls using your home Wi-Fi internet – without paying a penny.
A software update that rolls out this week will add the new feature automatically.
But if you've never heard of a Google Home, it's basically a "smart" speaker that works using voice controls.
You can ask it about the news or weather, and even control your other smart home gadgets.
The ability to make phone calls for free is the latest reason to buy this artificial intelligence-powered gadget.
With Google Home's calling system, you can call any number in your Google Contacts, and even businesses too.
However, you won't be able to place free calls to premium-rate or international numbers.
How to voice call with Google Home
Here's what you need to know
- To start a voice call, just say 'Hey Google, call...'
- Then, say the name of the person you're trying to call
- You'll need to make sure they're saved in your Google Contacts on your phone or laptop first
- You can also set it up so your Google Home phone calls have the same caller ID as your mobile phone number
- But it gets better – Google will learn your voice, too
- That means different people in your house will be able to call their personalised contacts
- So if you say 'call mum' and your partner says 'call mum', the Google Home will know which parent to call
Smart home products like Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Apple's HomePod are constantly getting smarter.
That's because they're powered by AI software that learns about your habits, and improves over time.
The cheapest way to invest in Google's smart home speaker ecosystem is with the Google Home Mini, a cute but powerful speaker that costs just £39:
You can also buy the larger Google Home speaker, which offers more impressive sound – but will set you back £129:
MOST READ IN TECH
Both speakers will support Google's new free UK call feature, so it could be a great way to dodge those monthly phone bills.
Are you tempted to buy a Google Home because of this news? Let us know in the comments.


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CNBC's Robert Frank reveals the latest results from CNBC's Millionaire Survey which found half of millionaires believe the economy will be stronger next year. » Read More
The "Squawk Box" crew chats about the morning's top headlines, including Goldman Sachs CEO's tweet attraction and President Trump's dig at the DNC during a meeting with tech executive. » Read More
Mickey Chadha, Moody's vice president, and Edmund Lee, Recode managing editor, weigh in on how Amazon's takeover of Whole Foods will likely impact consumers and grocery retailers. » Read More
Barton Crockett, FBR Capital Markets, weighs in on why the departure of Bill O'Reilly from Fox News will unlikely impact the stock.
CNBC's Morgan Brennan takes a look at the big business of defense contractors.
The U.S.beef industry wants to make sure any new trade deal is at least at good as the one they have in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, reports CNBC's Ylan Mui.
CNBC's Ylan Mui reports President Trump is following up on his promise to Democrats to restore the Export-Import Bank but his nominees for the bank's board is not what the Dems had in mind.
CNBC's Kate Rogers takes a look at how top brand companies make sure their employees are giving customers top-notch service.
Richard Bove, Rafferty Capital, provides his expectations on first quarter results from big banks.
The "Squawk Box" crew discusses some of the morning's top stories, including the IPO of Brazilian airlines Azul Airways.
CNBC's Diana Olick reports despite headlines of store closures, retail real estate is not quite in dire straits and there may actually be some good buys out there.
CNBC's Eunice Yoon reports on Chinese reaction to President Xi's meeting with President Trump.
The "Squawk Box" crew discusses some of the morning top stories.
Wildfire season is getting underway and the heatwave, dry conditions and thick grasses could spell danger for California
President Donald Trump's administration would like to see a Westinghouse nuclear reactor deal with India move forward.
A new study shows how to actually detect psychopathy in the C-suite, Dealbreaker reports.
To some market analysts, quiet, expensive stock markets are overlooking speculative activity into products such as bitcoin.
Jim Cramer looks to the stocks and events on his radar next week, including a meeting at Cisco and a key Fed report.
There are many reasons to buy shares of those firms, but a play on cryptocurrencies is not one of them, Jim Cramer says.
CNBC's annual study measures all 50 states on more than 60 different metrics.
The International Paris Air Show is celebrating its 52nd anniversary this year with the big movers and shakers in the aerospace and defense industry all attending the event.
International business and political leaders gather in Dalian, China for the 2017 instalment of the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the New Champions.


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WestJet poised to announce St. John's-London Gatwick flight
Canadian airline company WestJet is set to announce a new non-stop flight from St. John's starting next spring at a news conference Tuesday.
Airline industry website Airline Route indicates there will be a daily flight from St. John's to London Gatwick starting next May.
In a news release Monday, WestJet said executives from the company will be on hand for the announcement at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown St. John's Tuesday at noon.
According to Airline Route, the new flight is one of several the airline is offering across Canada, direct to London Gatwick Airport.
Last year, WestJet began offering flights direct between St. John's and Dublin, Ireland, resulting in tickets selling out fast for the transatlantic flight.


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Public health and sanitation authorities in south China's Guangdong Province have begun large-scale, daily examinations of the food market, especially cooked food, in local cities and towns.
The move represents a major step towards guaranteeing high hygiene standards of food on New Year's Day and the traditional Spring Festival, which falls on February 12.
According to examination results released Wednesday by the municipal public health department of Guangzhou, the quality of most cooked food and meat on the market remains basically satisfactory.
"Only 15 kilograms of salted fish were found not up to standard when we conducted random examinations in Guangzhou's free markets and supermarkets," said Fu Yiguang, director of the sanitary law and supervision department of the Guangzhou Public Health Bureau.
Some sellers in the city of Shanwei reportedly add pesticide to salted fish to keep them looking fresh, according to officials from the provincial department of industry and commerce, who did not give details.
Fu said the examination this year is focused on small stalls, cooked food shops and family factories, where problems usually occur.
"Marinated meat and fish is a necessity for many families in Guangdong, so it has been a main target for our examinations during the past three years," Fu said.
Sellers of bulk cooked meat on the market are still not required to show identification issued by the sanitation and anti-epidemic department before peddling it.
"But we will tighten law enforcement and call for further legislation," Fu said.
Last week, a producer of improperly cooked food in Dongguan who sold food to the Wal-Mart supermarket was closed down by the local departments of police, health and industry and commerce.
The small factory managed to provide cooked beef, bean jelly and pork for the world's largest supermarket retailer even though it lacked a business licence and sanitation approval.
Wal-Mart China vowed on Tuesday it would stop selling the products from that factory and re-examine the licences of all cooked food providers for its stores.
(China Daily December 20, 2001)


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Daily Objectives could be more important to GTA Online than Heists. These theories and more, from a giddy Matt Martin.
Yesterday Rockstar dropped a bombshell. Not only is it releasing Heists next week – the mythical 4-player missions for GTA Online – but it’s also going to be introducing daily challenges and more modes to the game on the same day.
I was so excited I couldn’t sleep, so I put together my theories about the future of GTA 5, GTA Online, Heists and what that means for future Rockstar games. I know!
No rest for the wicked
Firstly, the amount of work Rockstar continues to put into GTA Online is encouraging for the future. As well as adding five new Heists it’s now also openly discussing three new Adversary Modes, Daily Objectives and more Free Mode activities.
None of those are small beans, especially when you consider the often-delayed PC version of the game is also out in April. The good news is the game clearly has legs 18 months after release. In a world where online titles are shut down quicker than an Xbox One policy reversal, it’s good to know the hours and money invested by players isn’t going to be slammed back in our faces any time soon.
Daily objectives will keep the game alive more than Heists
This is something we called for at the start of the year. Players need a reason to come back regularly, even if it’s just for 30 minutes a day. Rockstar says it’s going to issue three challenges a day, all with cash rewards. Interestingly there’s no mention of dedicated RP as a reward, although presumably you’ll get the usual bonus for kills.
Rockstar also mentions you can “stack up challenges over consecutive days” so presumably there will be a limit to the amount of objectives you can have running at the same time. Like Destiny’s bounties?
The amount of money as rewards for Daily Objectives is interesting too – “up to $500,000” according to Rockstar. That’s a fair amount of greenbacks, even in a game that can charge $10,000 for a haircut. But then I think the game is about to get a whole lot more expensive anyway…
Heists are going to cost you
We’re not entirely clear on the cost of putting on a Heist. We know that the Heist leader will need to front costs to begin with, which will include buying gear, weapons, vehicles and more. Presumably if you fail the big Heist or any of its side missions you’re going to have to pay up again. As talented as we all think we are, there are many random elements to GTA Online that can cock-up even the tightest of plans. From erratic NPCs to a malicious cop car, it only takes a second for a job to go from peachy to pissed. You’re going to need a lot of cash in the bank.
Rockstar is listening to the community
Two of the new Adversary jobs, Hasta La Vista and Come Out To Play, are typical hunters versus runners modes. One team is almost overpowered but slow, the other is very nimble but weak. These are the sort of creator-games you’ll find all over YouTube. It’s good to know Rockstar is paying attention to the way regular players are creating their own content and replicating that.
And obviously Rockstar is still obsessed with movies – in this case, Terminator 2 and The Warriors.
Public events are increasingly important
While there was no mention of RP in the Daily Objectives (that’s not to say there won’t be), it was mentioned in the new Free Mode activities, Rockstar’s acknowledgement that some people are just happy to hang out and go crazy under their own rules. Check out the description:
“Players should be on the lookout for calls from Lester, who may need help to distract the cops in a specific area while Lester’s accomplices finish their criminal business. Lamar may call looking for help destroying a vehicle or two, while Trevor and Ron need occasional help picking their business rival’s planes out of the sky.”
So that’s what the overpowered guided missile launcher introduced in the Xmas update was for.
The above sound almost like Missions, but are more likely going to be similar to random crate drops or vehicle jacking calls from Simeon. They’ll happen as and when, and players can race each other or team-up to complete the objectives (it also sounds a bit like the public events in Destiny). Rockstar is also promising more Awards for doing these side-missions in “style”. I would expect RP bonuses similar to those you get for riding shotgun with another player, or the $2,000 gifted for being a Good Sport.
We’re getting more Awards
This is just a throwaway mention at the end of the press release but one of the many nice things GTA Online does is gift little RP bonuses for regular activity like slipstreaming. More are welcome, as are a bunch of new t-shirts you think you don’t need but actually love collecting.
Are the bi-monthly updates a thing of the past?
With all the new modes, Awards, clothing and Heists mentioned so far, I wonder if Rockstar is moving away from last year’s approach, which was to release extra free content every six weeks or so. We got some great additions to the game that rounded-out the city as a whole and gave players more options in who they could be: beach bums, hipsters and business execs, more apartments and vehicles, a handful of weapons and extra clothing.
They were great, but a little random or themed around public holidays such as the Valentine’s Day Massacre and the Independence Day update. There was no update on Feb 14th this year though, which makes me think Rockstar has shifted to a more focused approach with future DLC, at least for the time being.
GTA Online is in danger of splitting its dedicated player base
GTA Online’s connectivity is notoriously flaky. There’s a big and legitimate concern that come March 10 with all this new content and a flood of returning players that the infrastructure is going to collapse. In fact, I’d put money on it.
But just as worrying is how the player base is being split. From April the game will be available across five different formats. Unlike something like Destiny, which launched on four consoles at the same time, GTA 5 has gradually appeared on more formats, meaning those of us that used to play on 360 have now graduated to PS4 or another console of choice. I’m no longer playing with some of the friends I made online last year (Hello W33dWizard1974!), and with the introduction of the PC release the player base will thin out again. Sure, more people continue to buy and play the game, but some people are lost to another format forever.
DLC continues to be free! But for how long?
In these days of money-grubbing, the fact that GTA Online is getting major updates for free is something to celebrate. Rockstar seems to understand that it’s unfair to have vehicles and weapons only available to those with spare cash, and introducing them could unbalance the gameplay significantly.
But that’s not to say future Heists are going to be free. If there’s a demand for them (and there clearly is), Rockstar could sell more Heists at a premium. So long as the unique vehicles and weapons specifically used for those jobs aren’t introduced into the rest of GTA Online, there’s no risk of unbalancing the gameplay. Rockstar has been extremely generous to players so far, but it has to continue to make the game pay…
Single-player GTA 5 content is still coming, and it’s most likely going to cost you
Which brings us to single-player content. Rockstar has always said there will be more from Trevor, Michael and Franklin in the future and we believe them. It’s just its sense of timing is awful.
Earlier this year it was reiterated that single-player content was still on the cards, and you can bet your ass you’ll be paying for it, just the same as you did for The Ballad of Gay Tony and The Lost and the Damned. Why even consider GTA 6 when the game is (almost) out on all platforms? Rockstar can just keep updating it with single-player content for as long as this generation is relevant.
What does this mean for other Rockstar games?
I have a theory: Any contemporary games Rockstar has made in the past will be incorporated into GTA Online. Smuggler’s Run is already a mini-game in GTA 5. Why make another Midnight Club when you already have millions of people racing in GTA Online, some with crews purely dedicated to car culture? With a little work why not add the gunplay of Max Payne or the sleuthing of LA Noire? GTA is Rockstar’s biggest franchise and money-spinner which is why it’s still creating so much content and selling GTA 5 again for the third year running.
Apart from a new Red Dead Redemption, I can’t see a reason why it would create another game outside of Grand Theft Auto.
Heists and more modes for Grand Theft Auto 5 will be released on March 10.