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Regardless of how the all-new 2019 BMW X5 stacks against its predecessor, automakers will always be more interested in how new models are perceived within their specific segments. The X5 needs to worry less about the past and more about the likes of the Audi Q7, Volvo XC90 and Porsche Cayenne. Why you ask? Sales, of course. Two of these three models (the Q7 and the XC90) have ran almost neck and neck with the old X5 in European sales, while the race has have been reasonably close in North America too. The Cayenne isn’t as popular on the sales chart, but that’s only because of it costs more, especially when you pile up extras, pretty much everywhere in the world. Still, we can’t overlook the Porsche in any sort of comparison when it comes to BMW’s SUV. A quick word on why we skipped Mercedes‘ GLE As in any other segment BMW is present these days, one of the X5’s chief rivals comes from Mercedes-Benz. The reason why we didn’t include the GLE is … [Read more...] about How Does BMW’s New X5 Compare To Porsche Cayenne, Volvo XC90 And Audi Q7?
Suv volvo xc90
The current generation of the XC90 might be the safest car of all time, or at least the safest model that doesn’t come with a roll cage, five-point harness, and racing seats. And according to new research, the XC90 hasn’t killed anyone after 14 years on British roads. That’s impressive, considering that 54,000 XC90s have been sold in Britain since the model’s introduction in 2002. Here’s more from The Sunday Times: Thatcham Research, which tests new cars for safety, analysed Government records based on police accident reports, and compared them with data from car insurers, and found no record of anyone having been killed in Volvo’s largest SUV. [...] Matthew Avery, director of research at Thatcham, said that the car’s safety record stood out for being unblemished: “Often when a vehicle is new, you don’t see fatalities, as it takes time for models to build up sales numbers. But we have around 14 years’ history of the XC90, … [Read more...] about The Volvo XC90 Hasn’t Killed Anyone In Britain In 14 Years
THE Volvo XC90 has been hailed as one of Britain's safest ever cars. The big SUV has never recorded any fatalities on UK roads since records began, according to latest figures. Analysis by Thatcham Research of police accident stats and insurance claims found no record of anyone ever dying in a XC90. That includes as a driver or passenger and dates back to when records began in 2004. At that point the first generation of the Swedish SUV had only been on sale for two years. And since then around 54,000 models have been sold in the UK with the mark two 2015 model proving a big hit. It was one of the first cars to adopt safety systems that could detect hazards and warn drivers. These have since evolved to autonomous emergency braking (AEB) systems which allows cars to slam on the brakes before a crash. Thatcham says this type of tech has the chance to save 1,100 lives in the UK over the next decade - and prevent 122,000 casualties. The XC90 news puts Volvo on track to help its "Vision … [Read more...] about Volvo XC90 could be the safest car EVER as it’s revealed there have been no UK deaths since 2004
Motoring by Press Association 17/04/2018, 9:50 am Updated: 17/04/2018, 9:52 am FacebookTwitterWhatsAppEmail Send us a story Sign up to our Daily newsletter Volvo’s commitment to having zero occupant fatalities in its cars by the year 2020 appears to be well on track, after new data showed that its XC90 SUV had not suffered a single fatal accident in the UK since it was first released in 2002. The XC90, now in its second generation, has regularly been touted as a super-safe car – both generations achieved five stars in their respective Euro NCAP crash tests, and the most recent was named the organisation’s safest car of 2017. That second-generation car offers class-leading active safety features, including standard-fit autonomous emergency braking (AEB), large animal detection, and blind-spot monitoring. But it’s not just the active safety that contributes to safety, says Matthew Avery, research director at Thatcham. “All … [Read more...] about No fatal crashes in Volvo XC90 since 2002 release
Tweet TweetIn the automotive industry, whenever you think of safety, generally the name Volvo springs to mind, and for good reasons too. The car maker has always been a keen adept of safety features, and the new XC90 SUV will be no different. One of the newer features to be installed is Volvo’s Pedestrian Detection in Darkness, a system with a self explanatory name. When a pedestrian is detected in low light situations, a signal will be displayed to the driver, and if he doesn’t react in time, the car will even brake before hitting said pedestrian. The XC90 model will also be fitted with a Road Edge and Barrier Detection with Steer Assist. Again, the name says it all. The system will not only detect the edge of any road, marked or otherwise, it will also apply corrections to the steering to keep you from going off it. There are a few more safety feature present onboard the Volvo XC90 SUV like an adaptive cruise control and the car maker has plans to install even more after … [Read more...] about Volvo XC90 SUV jam-packed with safety features


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Fortunately is that since today RadioShack. What Happened With Micronaut From Radioshack… has officially been bought by Retail Ecommerce Ventures (REV), offering the distressed company a new lease on life. The drawback, at least for folks like us, is that there are no immediate plans to return the renowned electronic devices retailer to its brick-and-mortar roots. As the name indicates, REV focuses on online retail, having previously revamped the Internet presence of other bankrupt organizations such as Pier 1 Imports and Dressbarn.
While journalism release does not straight-out prevent the possibility of brand-new physical RadioShack locations, it’s clear that REV thinks the future of retail isn’t to be discovered in your local shopping center. As the United States mulls further lockdowns in action to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, it’s tough to disagree. There will be millions of bored kids and adults looking for something to do throughout the long winter season nights, and an electronic package or more delivered to their door might be just the important things.
REV says they plan to relaunch the rather dated RadioShack website just in time for the company’s 100th anniversary in 2021. Since this writing the website presently states that sales have actually been temporarily halted to permit stock restructuring, though it’s uncertain if this is directly related to the buyout or not. Getting an accurate count of how much merchandise the business still has on hand after shuttering most of their physical areas in 2017 definitely seems like something the brand-new owners would want to do.
Like most of you, we have fond memories of the Golden era of RadioShack, back before they believed offering phones and TVs was somehow a good idea. To their credit, they did try and rekindle their relationship with hackers and makers by asking the community what they ‘d wish to see in their shops. But we all understand how that story ended. While it doesn’t look like this news will get us any closer to having an area store that stocks resistors, there’s a certain comfort in understanding that RadioShack kits and books will still be around for the next generation.
RadioShack’s shambling remains were given another shock of life today when they were purchased by another company that prepares to relaunch the once-great retailer as an online-focused brand name.
The shop’s remains were acquired by Retail Ecommerce Ventures (REV), a startup founded in 2019 that’s been scooping up brands from other faded retail giants also, including Pier 1, Modell’s Sporting Goods, Dressbarn, and more. REV says RadioShack’s site currently has “strong existing sales and sales capacity,” and the company is “positive” it can further raise awareness of the brand worldwide.
REV claims it’s successfully turned around other business it’s introduced as online brand names. The Wall Street Journal reported that Dressbarn more than doubled its earnings between the 2nd and first quarter of 2020.
RadioShack was founded in 1921 and ended up being a retail staple in the ’80s and ’90s for anyone looking to get tech basics. REV didn’t say whether those RadioShack licenses would stick around. What Happened With Micronaut From Radioshack
REV states it will “quickly relaunch” RadioShack’s site. For those of you still clinging on to fond memories of the shop, there’ll be a familiar sufficient place to go when you desire to purchase overpriced HDMI cable televisions and knockoff headphones.

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The Home Theater Season
With limited film festivals and theater viewing opportunities, it’s important for movie studios to think outside the box to reach movie lovers where they’re watching. Now is the time to plan on the impact that awards season will have on audiences – as we can see, an Oscar-nominated film can serve as a content discovery tool to reach new viewers. Since the Oscars have been tentatively rescheduled for April, this is a great opportunity for media companies to try new things and reinvent the experience.
In this case, it’s important to think about how to reach streamers where they’re watching, like on platforms like Roku.
Targeted ads can really work - more than two in three Roku users become interested in seeing a movie after seeing an ad on the Roku platform.
Through advertising solutions like Roku OneView, you can target the right audiences, building campaigns that generate excitement and buzz around a picture before and after awards season.
And with limited in-person movie viewing opportunities, streaming delivers reach that advertisers need during these critical theatrical windows. Roku has found that by building Branded Experiences through creative microsites that deliver curated content, advertisers can enhance these campaigns, offering studios a way to engage audiences beyond the traditional video ad.
We already know that the movie season for this year and next will be like nothing we’ve ever seen before. But that also means that there are going to be new ways that audiences research, view, and engage with upcoming titles. With the right platform, it’s possible to be there with audiences every step of the way.


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Luke Bould was appointed commercial director at TEGlive entertainment, ticketing, digital and data giant based in Australia.
In his new role, Bould, an experienced marketing and commercial executive, is responsible for TEG’s commercial operations across the group, operating more than 30 brands in 40 countries , works with media conglomerate businesses to “identify and drive growth opportunities globally,” according to an announcement issued Monday.
In addition, he oversaw the communication and work activities of TEG.
Based in Sydney, Bould reports to TEG CEO Geoff Jones. “We are excited to welcome Luke in this important role as we continue to demonstrate the power of in-person experiences to connect brands with consumers and generate ROI,” Jones said. “Luke is an experienced executive with a strong track record of driving commercial growth, digital innovation and creative deals in sports, events and music. He is a great addition to our senior leadership team.”
Bould joins the company with a resume packed with international experience in the sports and entertainment sectors, including the music industry.
The new hire has held senior commercial positions at Cricket Australia, and is the commercial director and marketing director of Football Australia.
He also founded alacria, a strategic management consulting firm; very well suited to Universal Music Group’s Polygram in the UK; and has held a number of non-executive director positions.
Bould notes: “This is an exciting time for TEG,” with huge growth opportunities, so I look forward to leading the commercial growth of the business. “
Currently, the TEG empire includes TEG Live, TEG Sport, TEG Experiences, TEG Dosystem, SXSW Sydney, TEG MJR, TEG Van Egmond, Laneway Festival, TEG Rockefeller, Handsome Tours, Qudos Bank Arena, Ticketek and Ovation, with business operating business of seven national offices.
Their Ticketek branch has won multiple winners at the 2022 Ticketing Business Forum international awards in Manchester, UK, where they collect ticketing business of the year and analytics & information awards details for Ovation’s partnership with Cricket Australia.
“As we continue to roll out our integrated model internationally, these Awards are a welcome recognition that an Australian company committed to rapid growth and innovation can lead the world. world in his field,” Jones said after the July 7 ceremony at Old Trafford.
TEG was acquired in 2019 by Silver Lake, a US-based private equity firm specializing in technology investments. Financial terms are not disclosed, but sources say TEG carries a price tag Over 1 billion dollars.
https://www.billboard.com/pro/teg-luke-bould-chief-commercial-officer/ TEG Taps Luke Bould is Commercial Director – Billboard


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UP plans ‘facelift’ for Parag to take on Mother Dairy, Amul
- India to convey concerns over Ladakh incursion to Chinese Premier
- IPL spot-fixing case: Delhi Police to trace money trail in four cities
- IPL 2013 LIVE SCORE: Mumbai Indians bowl, Sachin Tendulkar misses out
- Rajapaksa slams Tamil diaspora for lack of support in reconciliation process
- 5 differently abled orphan girls beaten, raped in Jaipur residential school
Alarmed over Amul and Mother Dairy getting a foothold in Uttar Pradesh, the Akhilesh Yadav government has decided to improve the marketing of the state's Parag dairy products and make their packaging more attractive.
This is the first time since Parag brand was launched around 30 years ago that the packaging will be redesigned.
For this purpose, the government has engaged Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Lucknow, to submit a plan to improve the marketing of UP Pradeshik Cooperative Dairy Federation Limited (UPPCDF) which makes Parag products. Ahmedabad-based National Institute of Design (NID) has been engaged to redesign the packaging of Parag products.
The Parag brand dairy products include ghee, table butter, curd, flavored milk, plain milk, toned milk, kheer, butter milk, paneer, and sweets like peda, gulab jamun, rasgulla and kalakand.
UP Agriculture Production Commissioner Alok Ranjan said that IIM-Lucknow will study the operation and marketing of UPPCDF and give its report by the end of October. He said that NID will soon start its work and suggest attractive packaging designs for Parag.
Officials said that the need for engaging these specialised institutions was felt because Gujarat-based Amul and Delhi-based Mother Dairy had captured parts of the dairy market in UP, which was dominated by Parag until a few years ago. "While Mother Dairy is dominating western UP, Amul is gaining ground in other parts of the state," said an official.
As these dairies are better organised, Parag is losing the market share day by day in small districts. UPPCDF has its collection and milk processing units in 59 districts, of whom 33 are now running in loss and four are closed. The district units which are running in profit include Lucknow, Allahabad, Varanasi and Meerut.
Sources said that the installed capacity of UPPCDF dairy plants is 17.40 lakh litre per day, but only 36.84 per cent of that capacity is being utilised because the availability of milk to UPPDF has reduced, said an official.
- Destitute, orphan students outclass rest in Andhra Class 10 exams
- To re-energise ties, PM wants to visit US, waits for confirmation
- NIA court says no terror link, frees 'Hizbul militant' Liyaqat on bail
- CBI arrests its coal allotments investigator on bribery charge
- ‘Cricketer-bookie Amit may have used Jiju to reach Sree’
- BCCI chief N Srinivasan says police must prove spot-fixing allegations


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of illnesses and death linked to vaping have been all over the news. Although
the exact cause of the lung illness is not known, the FDA is investigating
the presence of vitamin E in many vaping products as a possible culprit. This
may cause consumers to be concerned, more generally, about the safety of
vitamin E, so it is important to do what many media outlets are not and get the
facts straight: the “vitamin E” being referred to in the FDA’s investigation
is not natural vitamin E, but a synthetic compound possessing none of the antioxidant properties of real
vitamin E. It is crucial that regulators, the media, and the public, not
mix this up.
Write to the New York Times and The Washington Post, telling them to get the facts right about vitamin E.
Set the record straight on vitamin E
Dear [Decision Maker],
Sincerely,[Your Name] [Your Address] [City, State ZIP][Your Email]


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Motorola’s folding screen phone Razr will have a big move this year, it is reported that the company plans to launch two new Razr phones, one of them is a cheaper “Razr Lite”, and renders of the machine have been revealed.
It’s no secret that Motorola is about to launch its new Razr 2023 folding screen phone, as there have been several revelations showing the phone’s large external screen, and even Motorola officials have explicitly confirmed the existence of the new device. According to the latest news, the new device will be called “Razr Plus”.
Now, the MySmartPrice website has revealed another device dubbed Motorola’s “Razr Lite”, with prototype renders provided by @OnLeaks confirming Motorola’s upcoming launch of two folding screen phones. The “Lite” version appears to have a much smaller external screen than the previous model, unlike the “Plus” version, which has a large external screen. The external screen is the same width as the device, but the height takes up about 25% of the area below. In addition, like the “Plus” model, the screen is wrapped around two cameras.
More information about this “Lite” model is not yet known, but it is expected to be equipped with a lower-performance processor or smaller memory.


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Thinking back while looking forward
2022 was a pivotal year for the video streaming industry. After a huge boom in demand for online video content in 2020 and 2021, while the world was locked down due to COVID-19, we now see many more services competing for eyeballs with vast content libraries, while demand has not followed that same super speedy trajectory in 2022. Yet, there is still a constant need for streaming video, served by well-known media and entertainment companies as well as eLearning, Faith, Social Media, Health and Fitness, and Gaming brands. This even applies to the corporate world, applications, and many more use cases within every industry that engage users with video.
It’s estimated that in 2022, the average viewer spent 150 minutes a day watching digital videos. Regarding this, I wouldn’t be surprised if TikTok and other social media platforms make up at least 100 minutes because it’s so easy to fall into a video reel rabbit hole and lose track of time.
2023’s hot topics
So online video consumption still growing, but what are the trends that will define video streaming in 2023?
We all know that video streaming is much more than what Netflix and Disney are up to, but it’s undeniable that they are the major players that define industry trends. One of the biggest stories of 2022 was when Netflix announced it would introduce an ad-supported tier to its business model, a significant move for the company that pioneered the SVOD business model. However, Netflix introduced its ad-supported tier at the right time as it faces increased competition and consumers who are currently scrutinizing every cost due to the looming global recession. While current Netflix subscribers are unlikely to switch to the ad-supported tier, this may convince consumers who are on the fence about having a Netflix subscription to sign up. Disney, and many others, have also decided to introduce an ad-supported tier, so we can expect advertising to be a massive trend in 2023, with an increased focus on delivering a high-quality viewing experience for both SVOD, AVOD, and hybrid monetization models. This is backed up by the findings in our latest Video Developer Report that a quarter of respondents see advertising as the area with the most opportunity for innovation over the next 12 months.
I am also excited to see the growing buzz around live streaming. While live streaming isn’t a new concept, once again, Netflix has brought the topic back into focus when it announced it would deliver its first live stream with Chris Rock’s upcoming comedy special. In addition, our Video Developer Report indicates that live streaming and low latency will be among the top priorities for video streaming companies next year.
While increasing top-line revenues and finding more eyeballs is a great way to answer the economic challenges we see in the world right now, companies will also be evaluating their costs closely, especially the ones related to streaming infrastructure, which is clearly shown in our recent report. I foresee there will be more efforts in making video streaming more efficient, using less bandwidth, and minimizing costs by adopting state-of-the-art compression and streaming technologies. Making the streaming infrastructure more efficient not only helps on the cost side but can also be a driver for better customer retention, as startup times, buffering, and stream errors benefit from this as well, which are some of the leading causes of users canceling their subscriptions.
On a slightly more technical note, I am excited about the future of AV1 in 2023. Netflix, Google, and Qualcomm announced support for AV1 in 2022, which is pretty huge, and we’re expecting AV1 adoption to double next year. At Bitmovin, we are huge advocates for AV1, which can be seen from our AV1 Hub, and we continue to improve our dedicated encoding support for it, so I am ready for this next-generation codec to finally take off!
Along with broadcasters and OTT platforms, we expect consumers to remain willing to pay for eLearning, health and fitness, gaming, and other subscriptions. With the current state of the global economy, more people are staying at home, so they want things to do at home to keep them entertained, healthy or allow them to upskill. This is a huge growth area for us, as our focus is ensuring developers at these companies, which are often smaller, can get their video streams up and running at speed and scale with solutions like Streams.
Daring to stream bigger in 2023
I am super excited and optimistic about the video streaming industry in 2023 and what’s in store for Bitmovin. 2022 saw us lay the foundation for our successes in 2023. We returned to in-person events in a big way, including NAB and IBC. We launched our Next-Generation VOD Encoder, Live Event Encoder, Playback, and Streams solutions, with tremendous success, and none of it would be possible without the amazing team of Bitmovers who constantly strive to be bold and innovative.
In 2023 and beyond, we intend to become synonymous with video streaming infrastructure and the go-to company for innovations in video streaming. It’s a bold ambition, but one we are on track to achieve because we are daring to stream bigger in 2023.
Until then, the team will enjoy some well-deserved downtime to recharge, so we are ready to take on 2023!
On behalf of everyone at Bitmovin, I’d like to wish you Happy Holidays and a healthy, prosperous, and happy new year.


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Downstream of a 2021 closed with a collapse of 27% of new registrations, the share of electric cars in the Italian market reaches unexplored peaks, passing from 0.6 to 4.6 of sales between January and December. A result obtained above all thanks to state incentives, currently not renewed for 2022, even if there are positive signals from the Government. The offer of new models for 2022 effectively sanctions the acceleration on alternative formulas to fossil fuel, with a predominance of SUVs and high-end sedans to the detriment of city cars. The exception that confirms the rule is represented by the model which, together with the already known Yaris Cross, will combine the characteristics of a compact SUV with those of a city car: the smart Concept # 1. Will it replace the eq forfour? Let’s see which are the most interesting electric cars coming in 2022.
© REPRODUCTION RESERVED


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Ubisoft has just announced that we will get more details on the next Assassin’s Creed game on May 12th via live stream. The stream will start on May 12 at 12pm EDT so make sure you tune into the official website. While not much is known about the game, we expect to see the game in late fall.
What do you think of the news? Will you be tuning into the live stream.


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It’s the last Friday of the year and while we bid adieu to 2016, let’s talk about the things that dominated the world of technology this year. Although the year has been marred by several mishaps and a lot of cybercrime attacks. Nevertheless, 2016 has certainly seen some big changes and it would be certainly worthwhile to read some of the biggest tech stories this year.
- AI Assistants
Call it inspiration from Hollywood but 2016 has marked phenomenal advancements in Artificial Intelligence. With the launch of AI based voice assist technologies by Google, Amazon this year has been a stepping stone towards AI implementation in consumer technology. The coming year might see more of such AI Assistant smart-speakers by Microsoft and Gartner. At this rate, we will all have our personal AI assistants like Tony Stark’s JARVIS in the coming years.
- Cyber Security Shenanigans
Even if we choose to ignore the, cybercrimes are still happening across the globe and are as real as terrorist attacks. Unfortunately, 2016 will be remembered as the year when people lost faith in cybersecurity. We’ve heard countless news of data breaches from some of the biggest internet names such as Facebook, amazon, yahoo, Netflix, snapchat and twitter etc. where millions of users had their personal information compromised by hackers. This not only tarnishes the security claims by these internet powerhouses but also shows how unsafe our personal information is on the internet.
image source: imgflip.com
- Jack-less iPhone 7
Never before in tech history, has the absence of a small hole caused so much outrage among buyers. This was seen when Apple shocked buyers by revealing iPhone 7 to not include the 3.5 mm audio jack. This was done in order to cross-sell their new AirPods Bluetooth earphones. Unfortunately, the experiment seems to be falling flat on Apple’s face as the accompanying earphones were delayed for release and are still tough to find in several areas across the globe.
image source: 9gag.com
- Driverless Tech Boom and Crash
2016 was hailed as the year when we would finally see a fully-functioning driverless cars. With some major advancements in artificial intelligence and image recognition we thought they’d finally come up with something substantial this year. Unfortunately, the news of a man dying while using Tesla Model S autopilot mode has raised a lot of suspicions and doubts about the viability of this tech. This month we also heard the news about Google shelving its autonomous car project, which seems to be the final nail in coffin for this highly ambitious tech.
- Smartphone Gaming on the Rise
Regardless of how insignificant hardcore gamers find people who play games on smartphones, this year has shown a major change in people’s tastes in gaming. After some extremely popular smartphone games such as angry birds, temple run and subway surfers getting tons of media attention in the past years, a major breakthrough came mid 2016 with the release of Pokémon Go. With over 20 million users in the US alone, this augmented reality game showed how the smartphone platform might be a preferred choice for future gamers. The success was solidified by the release of Super Mario Run which became one of the highest grossing app this year.
- Virtual Reality Galore
After presenting us with half-assed debacles like the Virtual Boy in mid-90s and cheap (yet revolutionary) gimmicks like the Google Cardboard, we’re finally seeing some great Virtual Reality gears this year. Wearable VR devices such as the HTC Vive and Facebook’s Oculus Rift were released and were met with highly favorable reviews from buyers and gadget experts. Some advanced VR apparatus such as the Microsoft HoloLens has also shown immense promise and created some new possibilities for gaming industry.
- Exploding Phones
We’ve seen plenty of faulty smartphone devices that explode due to some manufacturing defects. But when a brand like Samsung releases such unfinished technology, this would certainly raise a lot of eyebrows. This year, their highly prized and heavily marketed smartphone the Note 7 was heavily scrutinized by buyers as they started exploding and bursting into flames, after being purchased by customers. This news caused a worldwide phenomenon and soon became viral on social media and YouTube with videos. Samsung has issued recalls for the device, citing the reason as a faulty battery.
- Ransomware Galore
If you’re still unfazed by the increasing number of cybercrime attacks this year, this deadly computer virus will certainly change your mind. 2016 has also been termed by experts as the year of Ransomware. This highly malicious virus is known to infect the victim’s computer and encrypting various files required by system functioning. The victim is then informed by the virus about the hijack and is demanded a sum to retrieve their locked data. The worst part of this virus is that even if you’re able to remove it from your system, the encrypted data is still inaccessible and cannot be viewed without authentic decryption key.
It would be easy to blame all mishaps on the year itself, but that doesn’t mean it’s all bad. Each security or data breach shows us how important is it to protect your details online and each new technology opens up possibilities for further improvements and advancements. With that been said, we would wish you a Happy New Year and hope that we get to see some even more exciting technologies in 2017.
Note: Images source: images.google.com


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India-China Trade in 2021
The trade between India and China was around 125 billion USD in 2021. India’s imports from China stood at 100 billion USD. Most of the import demands were in machinery.
India – China Trade in 2021
India faced a trade deficit of 69.4 billion USD with China in 2021. This was 22% higher than the trade deficit faced in 2019. In 2021 alone, the total imported goods from China exceeded the total trade between the countries.
Imports and Exports
The Indian imports from China were 20% greater than those in 2019. On the other hand, the Indian exports to China increased by 56% between 2019 and 2021. The Indian exports to China in 2021 were 28.1 billion USD. But still, India’s import from China stands at 100 billion USD. Though the exports have increased largely, it appears meager.
India’s Major Exports to China
In 2021, the major Indian exports to China were cotton, iron ore, and raw material based goods.
India’s Major Imports from China
Electrical machinery, mechanical machinery, medical supplies such as oxygen concentrators, active pharmaceutical ingredients, semiconductor devices, electrical batteries
The data about the trade between India and China was released by the China General Administration of Customs (GAC).
Chinese trade with ASEAN and EU
In 2021, the Chinese trades increased considerably with three other partners. They are ASEAN, European Union and United States. Today, these three are the leading trading partners of China. The Chinese trade with ASEAN increased by 28.1%. It was around 878.2 billion USD. The Chinese trade with European Union was 828 billion USD and increased by 27.5%. The trade with US increased by 28.7% and it was around 755.6 billion USD.
The Chinese officials have warned about disruptions in Global supply chain. This might happen due to Omicron.
Trade achievements of China during COVID period!
- Chinese medical exports doubled in 2021
- Exports of Chinese laptops and home appliances increased 13%. They mainly targeted on exporting “Stay at Home” appliances
Category: International / World Current Affairs
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Digital technology has given rise to the sharing economy with examples such as Uber, TaskRabbit and Getaround, but business-to-business (B2B) sharing has been commonplace in industries such as agriculture and forestry for years. It certainly wasn’t unheard of in the construction industry during booms. However, in the current economic environment, the B2B sharing economy has become increasingly attractive to both owners and renters.
Colin Evran, founder of San Francisco, Calif.–based Yard Club, sees a future for the sharing economy in B2B industries where the investment in specialized heavy equipment can exceed $1 million, such as construction, manufacturing and farming. His online equipment rental service helps contractors maximize the return on investment for their heavy equipment fleets. The service benefits the contractors who earn income on idle equipment and the renters who can’t invest in expensive equipment because of uncertainty over future contracts.
Cat joins the Club
With strategic financing from Caterpillar in 2015, Yard Club developed an online rental platform that includes both Cat and non-Cat equipment and launched the service in targeted U.S. and Canadian metropolitan markets. Finning Canada, one of the main Caterpillar dealers in the country, “saw how the increased utilization on contractors’ fleets would make their customers more successful,” Evran says.
Ehtisham Anwer, director of heavy rentals and used equipment at Finning Canada, helped roll out the pilot of the technology application. “There are two sides to the Finning–Yard Club offering. The first is the Finning rental management application that any customer can access—and the entire experience can be done online. The other piece is a contractor-to-contractor service, which is invite only. Both have been very well received,” he explains.
For the rental-management side of the service, the technology allows customers to gain access to Finning Canada’s rental inventory. Customers can easily manage all their equipment from Finning Canada online. Rentals can include both operator and equipment or equipment alone.
For the invite-only, peer-to-peer offering, the club members gain access to web or mobile phone technology used to locate and request contractor inventory, list their own fleet for rent, and receive and provide quotes to other invite-only member contractors.
Members agree just once to a master rental agreement that covers all parties. The comprehensive agreement clearly outlines insurance requirements, responsibility for equipment, damages and indemnity. The platform has been designed to be a one-stop shop; it even allows members to invoice each other and make and receive payments.
After launching to select customers in Alberta and B.C. in April 2015, the application has started to gain momentum. It has even helped some customers make decisions about purchases. For example, a Grande Prairie, Alta.–based customer did not have an immediate need for a piece of heavy equipment, but with the help of Anwer and the Yard Club application, he decided that he could just rent out the equipment and earn revenue until he needs to use it himself.
Daveida Quinn, operations manager of assets and equipment with Pacific Blasting & Demolition, a division of Canadian-owned NorLand Limited, needed to source equipment in Edmonton for a demolition contract. Using the application from the company’s headquarters in Burnaby, B.C., she booked a CAT 336E from ConTrac Equipment, a local Edmonton company and Finning customer. “Yard Club was very user-friendly and straightforward for our rental. We put out a request and within moments had multiple replies back. We used to scour the Internet for equipment rentals when we had to work in a new city. Now we will use Yard Club,” Quinn says.
Finning Canada plans to further expand the invite-only, peer-to-peer offering in Alberta and B.C. later in 2016.
New to the market, AnyQuip offers the local construction industry another equipment-sharing option. Co-founded by Steve Skiba, the owner of North Star Contracting, this made-in-Alberta service grew out of his dismay at seeing his own equipment sit idle after the economic downturn. He teamed up with tech-startup entrepreneur Clark Johannson to create a secure, user-friendly platform allowing owners and renters to connect.
To become a member of AnyQuip, both owners and renters must demonstrate eligibility. Each member must provide corporate details, verification of insurance coverage, equipment conditions of use and payment ability. “These are very expensive pieces of equipment,” says co-founding partner and chief marketing officer Jennifer Lussier. “You don’t just rent million-dollar equipment to anyone. We protect our contractors and their equipment. Members must qualify.”
Once approved, members may list their equipment from their desktop or smartphones by choosing from a database containing more than 94,000 models of equipment. AnyQuip will optimize contractors’ listings by supplementing them with key equipment specifications and by offering calculation tools for setting pricing based on true costs of ownership. The application enables contractors to manage their fleet by setting prices and specifying rental preferences.
On the rental side, members may search through thousands of types of equipment, using filters such as distance, size class, attachments and accessories. Renters can request equipment be transported to their job site and can also specify if an operator is needed as well. “Since AnyQuip is based on a trusted community of members, all members are accountable through a transparent ratings system. Those with the highest ratings post in the top of the search pool,” Lussier says.
The team at AnyQuip knows they are not the only game in Alberta and that others will be trying to cash in on the sharing economy during the recession. What will set AnyQuip apart will be price and the brand variety, Lussier believes.
“Some rental businesses are trying to maintain the premium prices you would see during boom times. We’re providing a disruptive solution, which means our prices will be considerably lower than some other options,” she says. “We’ll also strive to offer a variety of different brands.”
AnyQuip officially launched in February 2016, and so far it has reported 300 per cent compounded monthly growth in both members and equipment listings. “We’re proud to offer our members an innovative solution for improving their profitability, as well as alternative to the auctions that we’re seeing so much of these days in Alberta,” Lussier says. “I think three years from now, we’ll be seeing equipment rental on all contractors’ revenue forecasts.”


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Google recently announced that it would shut down the consumer version of Google+ (G+), their social media network in August 2019.
The shutdown announcement was tied to a potential data leak risk that affected up to 500,000 accounts. However, it’s been apparent for some time that G+ has been a steadily shrinking presence in the social media world.
The Promise of Google+ that Never Materialized
G+ was created in 2011 as a response to consumer’s concerns over the growing influence of Facebook.
Google worked to align G+ to search engine results. They asked that content authors use their G+ accounts to add search weight to their latest posts.
Until 2015, Google encouraged local businesses to use G+ Local to gain traction in search results. Today, many of those local content features—reviews, posts, events—are found in Google My Business.
While Google touted 395 million active Google+ accounts, the social media network never managed to pull people permanently away from Facebook or other social media outlets.
Over the years, it became somewhat of a ghost town. Its impact over local search results ended long ago.
Time to Audit Your Marketing
Many small businesses followed Google’s lead to promote their G+ pages on their website and marketing collateral. Just this week, we found the G+ logo on a couple front entrances of local businesses.
You should take the time to remove G+ presence from your:
- Email signatures
- Store signage
- Printed collateral
If you have G+ account, consider downloading your content and deleting the account.
The Lesson to Small Businesses: Be Strategic with Your Online Presence
The shutdown of G+ shows how disposable social media networks can be.
As we’ve seen with G+, Facebook and other social media networks, features for businesses come and go based on decision totally out of your control.
If you’re building your total online business presence on social media networks, you could be a corporate whim or an accounting decision away from losing it.
The best strategy for your online presence is to build it first with something you own—and control. Post your content, articles, tips on your website then push it out to your online outposts—the social media networks your target market is using.
Reach Out for Help on Tasks
If auditing your marketing materials for G+ logos and updating your website and printed collateral is now another task on a long list you’re trying to get through—consider delegating.
Give Business Solutions Unlimited a call today at (904) 429-4588 and let us help you with that…and more.


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Dallas-area home prices rose at the slowest rate in 10 months, according to the just-released Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller Home Price Index.
Dallas prices were up 8.6 percent in May from a year ago. Nationwide, prices rose 9.4 percent in the same period.
The lower home price gains had been predicted by analysts who see some moderation after many months of double-digit price increases. Eighteen of the 20 cities Case-Shiller surveys had lower gains in May than in April.
Dallas’ increase was the smallest since July of last year. Earlier this year local home prices were growing at more than 10 percent from a year ago.
The largest annual gains in May were in Las Vegas, 16.9 percent, and San Francisco, 15.4 percent. The smallest increase was in Cleveland, 2.4 percent.
Dallas-area home prices are now at a record level – up more than 9 percent from where they were before the recession. And prices here are almost 25 percent ahead of where they were at the worst of the economic downturn in 2009. Dallas-area prices have been rising in the Case-Shiller study for more than 24 months.
PHOTO: The Dallas Morning News


text: Widespread London Underground adverts for a brand are a sure way to generate broad awareness. Add in a newspaper article or two and the cross-media awareness builds. This is what is happening with Airbnb, the marketplace for those with and those looking for accomodation across the world. Upwardly mobile people of all cultures and walks-of-life can now find a place to stay pretty much anywhere in the world. As such a new Marketplace, in a similar way to the launch of online dating sites a few years ago, the social tipping-point has been achieved on both the Demand and Supply side. More opportunities for innovative Marketplaces to come!


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Data shows that UK ad spend has dipped dramatically for the third quarter in a row as marketers grapple with Covid-19 restrictions, Brexit and economic uncertainty. The Drum delves deeper into the numbers presented in latest Bellwether report from the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA).
In the three months to October, UK ad budgets were reduced drastically, representing the second-biggest decline since records began.
Though reductions softened slightly in the third quarter of the year (after hitting the nadir in Q2), the figures show the severe pressure facing marketers as they navigate coronavirus-related lockdowns, declining consumer confidence and the increasing possibility of a ‘no-deal’ Brexit.
According to the IPA’s latest Bellwether report – which draws data from a panel of around 300 UK marketing professionals from the UK’s top 1,000 firms each quarter – the pandemic has led to sharp declines in ad spend across all monitored categories.
Paul Bainsfair, director general at the IPA says the trade body had hoped for “a slightly sharper rebound to UK marketing budgets” than the data revealed.
“With a second wave of Covid-19, coupled with ongoing Brexit negotiations, including bracing for no-deal, I think green shoots in the immediate term are increasingly unrealistic,” he added.
“We are at the mercy of these macro trends and we can’t know for sure right now whether it will be a V-shaped, U-shaped or perhaps a W-shaped recovery.”
What were the top findings from the IPA’s Q3 Bellwether?
The study found that a net balance of -41.0% of panellists saw their marketing budgets cut in the third quarter (up from -50.7% in Q2). The result represented the second-quickest decline since the survey’s inception in 2000, only superseded by the reduction in the second quarter of this year. In Q3, over half of respondents (52.6%) recorded a decrease in budgets from three months ago, compared to only 11.6% that saw an increase.
Top marketers cited reduced revenues owing to coronavirus and the need to cut costs in order to maintain profitability as two key factors driving this downward trend. Ongoing social distancing measures meant that many firms were still operating below full capacity in the third quarter, particularly some services companies that rely on face-to-face client engagement – factors which were also blamed.
As has been the case since the start of 2016, Bellwether panellists were pessimistic towards industry-wide financial prospects. This was reflected by a net balance of -31.3% of firms that were downbeat, with only 16.8% of firms reporting an optimistic view compared to exactly 48% that were pessimistic.
When reporting on own-company financial prospects, firms were also pessimistic during the third quarter. Only 30.7% of panellists were more optimistic compared to three months ago, while 34.6% had a more negative view on financial prospects for their companies. That said, the resulting net balance of -3.9% was the least downbeat so far this year after severely pessimistic readings in both the first (-26.0%) and second (-55.1%) quarters.
What marketing disciplines were hit hardest?
Faced with reduced cashflow, businesses reported lower budgets in each of the seven monitored marketing categories. Events remained the hardest hit type of advertising, with a net balance of -64.1% of firms registering tumbling revisions compared to last quarter (up from -76.6% in Q2). Overall, just 3.8% of panellists saw an increase in available spend for events, while 67.9% recorded a decline.
At the other end of the spectrum, direct marketing and main media advertising saw the softest budget cuts. However, with a net balance of -25.3% of firms recording downward revisions in both categories, declines were again historically marked in both cases (-41.6% and -51.1% respectively in Q2).
What do the experts say?
The IPA’s Bainsfair pointed to the adage that evidence proves that those who can invest in marketing during the downturn will reap rewards in both the short and longer term:
“They will increase their brand recognition, strengthen their brand positioning and get ahead of the competition. In fact, because many advertisers do not heed this advice, just maintaining spend at normal levels leads to a greater share of voice and in turn greater brand share,” he advised.
Eliot Kerr, economist at IHS Markit and author of the report said broad-based decline across all types of marketing budgets highlights the negative impact that the public health crisis is continuing to have on business conditions.
He explained: “Looking forward, if the UK can avoid another large-scale coronavirus outbreak and achieve a smooth exit from the European Union, we should see an improvement in economic conditions as firms learn how to better operate in this new business environment.”
When is a recovery likely?
The Covid-19 outbreak and resulting restrictions on businesses have led IHS Markit, the Bellwether authors, to forecast an -11.2% contraction in GDP during 2020 as a whole.
Assuming restrictions remain at their current level of stringency, it foresees a -13.2% reduction in consumer spending and a -20.0% decline in business investment during 2020. These figures correspond to a Bellwether forecast of a -23.3% fall in ad spending for the year as a whole.
Looking forward, IHS Markit anticipates a robust recovery in economic conditions during 2021, as firms continue to adapt to a ‘new normal’.
This would translate to a +4.6% expansion in GDP and a Bellwether forecast of a +11.3% rise in ad spending during 2021, followed by a steady trend towards long-term growth rates.
These outcomes, however, hinge largely on positive outcomes regarding the evolution of the pandemic and the development of Brexit negotiations before the end of the transition period at the end of this year.


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Kim's busted for piracy
Bootlegs being crushed, after the good
ones went in their pockets, of course.
Police Raid Video Store in East Village in Piracy Case
By THOMAS J. LUECK
Published: June 10, 2005
A longtime fixture in the East Village, Mondo Kim's, a mecca for independent music and video at 6 St. Marks Place, was raided and closed for five hours on Wednesday by police officers who left with boxes filled with CD's, DVD's and computer equipment. Five store employees were charged with trademark counterfeiting.
According to several employees of the store, known widely for the its independent labels, and sometimes ornery staff, the police arrived about 1 p.m. on Wednesday, and ordered all customers to leave.
Then, all of the 20 or so clerks, managers and other employees who were working in the three-floor store, which sells DVD's, CD's, books and production equipment, were told to line up on the ground floor. The police quickly identified four men and one woman and led them away in handcuffs. They ordered everyone else to leave and searched the store until about 6 p.m., when officers filed out carrying boxes.
The police said yesterday that investigators had carried out a search warrant for counterfeit trademarked goods and that the material seized included nine computer towers, a CD burner, a laptop computer, 471 compact disks and 53 videos.
This place is one of the landmarks of the East Village.
My bet is that someone from one of the film companies realized they had a bootleg and called the cops.
Given how it is frequented by film industry people, if they're guilty, this was really, really stupid.
posted by Steve @ 12:06:00 AM


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Picking up trash and pulling weeds may not sound terribly posh, but at a growing number of high-end resorts, where rooms often cost $400 or $500 a night, these activities are becoming yet another hotel amenity. One morning you can sleep in and order room service, and the next you can serve breakfast at a soup kitchen.
The trend is part of a larger movement toward voluntourism, i.e., trips with a heavy focus on volunteering. But unlike programs like Habitat for Humanity that pair weeklong projects with unglamorous accommodations, hotel-organized excursions generally take up no more than a day, and participants can cap off the experience back at the ranch with $15 cocktails and a night on high-thread-count sheets. Many of these short-term voluntourism projects involve hard work. The Mandarin Oriental in Miami, for instance, offers a two-night package in which guests spend a morning removing invasive plants and assisting with recycling programs in Everglades National Park. The Fairmont Mission Inn and Spa in Sonoma, Calif., recently invited guests to help fix up a hiking trail. But perhaps no luxury-hotel brand has ventured as far into voluntourism as Ritz-Carlton. Since the company launched its “Give Back Getaways” in April 2008, more than 2,000 vacationers have signed up in dozens of locations around the globe. Sue Stephenson, vice president of the company’s “Community Footprints” initiative, says the half-day programs range from assisting local food banks to participating in music therapy for disabled kids. The excursions are designed to connect tourists with the communities they visit. “When done correctly, these programs can also help maintain the natural environments that are the draw for particular regions of the world,” says Kara Hurst, a top executive at Business for Social Responsibility, a nonprofit that develops corporate-social-responsibility initiatives. Silver-spoon voluntourism has its critics, of course. Christopher Elliott, a syndicated travel columnist and blogger in Orlando, Fla., thinks these efforts are aimed at wealthy guests “who want to soothe their guilty conscience by doing something that’s billed as ‘giving back.'” Still, it’s hard to find fault with hotels that link local charities to potential donors. And do guests get discounts for being do-gooders On the contrary, some hotels charge participants an extra $40 or more to cover transportation and other costs associated with their manual labor.


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Aside from Search, Google has a handful of products that command dominating strategic advantages, one of them being Google Maps. Together with Android Auto, this positions Google brilliantly to capitalize on one of the tech industries most promising yet unharvested sectors. From performing simple turn-by-turn navigation that displays relevant advertising to the futuristic but not too far reality of driverless cars, there is a lot more money to be made- and Uber wants a piece of Google’s pie.
Here is what Google Maps looked like when it was announced in 2005:
Under the direction of Brian McClendon, VP Engineering at Google, here is what it looks like 10 years later:
Now McClendon, the man who took the Maps team from Point A to Point B, has officially joined Uber to help take their mapping efforts to the next level.
At one point Uber was just a taxi alternative but the size and speed of the company’s growth has been astronomical. Rather than simply being a service that relies on APIs from Google Maps and Apple Maps, Uber looks to compete directly. Not only could they create their own alternative as a broad solution, but it’ll prove invaluable down the road as the companies seem headed towards an inevitable collision course in the fight for eventual self-driving car prominence.
“Google was actually Ubering before Uber”
Before you begin claiming that Google is trying to use their sheer size to eat everyone else’s lunch, let us not forget that Google was actually was Ubering before Uber, announcing Google Ride Finder way back in 2005 aside Google Maps.
It’s way too early to tell who has the upper hand, but one thing is for sure: it’ll be fun to look back in another 10 years and see how far mapping, navigation, and transportation of come in relation to these two companies.


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Merrell has announced the appointment of industry veteran Sumi Scott as the brand’s chief merchant officer. With nearly 20 years of experience in product development and retail merchandising, Scott will drive the development of Merrell’s global growth strategies while setting the brand’s roadmap for future category growth, the company said. ...
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Amazon, Microsoft and Google are often referred to as the Big 3 in the cloud infrastructure market, and if you had any doubt about the growth potential of the cloud, take a look at this quarter’s eye-popping revenue numbers from these three companies, which reached almost $22 billion this earnings’s season.
Before we get into each company’s specific numbers, it’s important to note that it’s difficult to get a firm grip on what the cloud numbers actually mean and what each company includes in that cloud revenue category. What’s more, this quarter Google didn’t even report specific cloud revenue, so we are left to rely on comments from July.
It’s also important to note that we are talking about the cloud infrastructure, not SaaS revenue, so Microsoft earned additional money from their SaaS business, but Google combines SaaS and infrastructure into a single number.
That said, we have a rough idea and we know the market is growing. Consider that based on last year’s earnings reports that revenue has grown from around $16 billion to around $22 billion in just one year for these Big 3. In fact, Synergy Research reports that the entire market is on $100 billion run rate for the first time this month.
Let’s start with AWS. They have the purest numbers when it comes to the cloud market, and they have the largest chunk of marketshare by far. Most analysts peg them at around 33 percent or so, well ahead of any other player on the market.
Amazon reported revenue of almost $9 billion this month, putting it on a run rate of almost $36 billion. Not bad for a side business for the main Amazon e-commerce site. Amazon’s overall growth rate dropped from around 45% to around 35%, but as John Dinsdale from Synergy Research points out, that’s still a good rate, and it becomes much harder to sustain large growth numbers the bigger you get.
Microsoft had a good week. It reported Intelligent Cloud earnings of around $11 billion, and it was awarded the Pentagon’s $10 billion, decade long JEDI cloud contract. The company is in second place in terms of marketshare with around 16%.
Like Amazon, Microsoft saw its cloud growth slow a bit, down to 59% compared with 76% a year ago, but it faces a similar challenge to Amazon, even though it has half the marketshare. It’s scaling so quickly that it can’t really maintain that growth pace it’s been on, according to Dinsdale. “To be at the scale that Azure has achieved and to be still growing at around 60% per year is impressive. Sure the growth rate is nudging down but that is entirely to be expected for a business that has rapidly grown,” he told TechCrunch.
It’s important to point out that Intelligent Cloud includes much more than Azure including SQL Server, Windows Server, Visual Studio, consulting and support.
Finally we have Google. It has far less marketshare than Amazon or Microsoft, somewhere around 8%, still in the single digits, but growing fast. The company brought on former Oracle executive Thomas Kurian to replace Diane Greene at the end of last year to help drive growth at the cloud division.
In July, at the company’s earnings report, Google CEO Sundar Pichai reported that the company was on an $8 billion run rate, or $2 billion a quarter. To put that into perspective, the company’s cloud revenue had doubled in 18 months. It’s important to note however that figure includes both Google’s infrastructure services and its commercial SaaS tools like G Suite. It probably ticked up this week, but Google wasn’t sharing specific numbers this time.
While it’s always been difficult to compare cloud numbers, we have a good sense of how each of the Big 3 is doing overall. One thing is clear: this is not a fixed pie. The cloud market is still growing rapidly, and all three companies are taking advantage.
social experiment by Livio Acerbo #greengroundit #techcrunch http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/LlIV_z657_4/


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As one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency investors and executives, Malcolm CasSelle jumped at the chance to take up the role of President of the Worldwide Asset eXchange, WAX. A long-time investor and interested party in the development of new ways of building on the success of video gaming in the 21st-century, Malcolm CasSelle has overseen the development of the WAX Online marketplace which remains important to the overall expansion of the video gaming community into a self-supporting business model.
WAX is hoping to build on the success already achieved by the tokenization of the video gaming experience which includes the purchase of a range of different items during gameplay which often left individuals frustrated due to the lack of options to sell and trade purchased items. Transaction costs will remain low under the guidelines for the marketplace set out by Malcolm CasSelle with new markets opened over the course of the coming months as individuals will have the ability to sell and trade items with proof of ownership supplied.
As a self-governing Online marketplace, a series of guilds will be established with members drawn from the community surrounding individual games to assist in the operation of Online sales and trades.
Malcolm CasSelle has a long history of finding success in the digital and business worlds where he has been a consistent success as an investor and executive for a number of years. Social media has long been at the top of the list of priorities for Malcolm CasSelle after he was one of the first investors in Facebook and used social media signals to establish his own Timeline Labs company.
Many video gamers will already know of Malcolm CasSelle from his time working as the CEO of Xfire, a video game-based social media platform which grew from establishment to a total in excess of 20 million members globally.


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Walmart spokesperson Kory Lundberg has dismissed the Walmart worker strike as a fringe effort that will have no impact on the most profitable day of the year. “We are preparing to have our best Black Friday ever,” Lundberg said in a statement. But while the PR team promotes an air of indifference, mandatory meetings—in which Walmart managers imply striking employees could be fired—say otherwise. Nation contributor Josh Eidelson joined Democracy Now! to cut through Walmart’s mixed messages about Friday’s strike. The megastore has a reason to be nervous: if the strikers can win, it will send a message to low-wage, anti-labor corporations everywhere.
For the latest on the Walmart worker strike, follow Josh Eidelson’s coverage here.


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The Nike Mac Attack, a tennis sneaker originally produced for John McEnroe in 1984, will return as a retro for the first time ever next year, sneaker industry sources tell Complex. According to one source, the retro treatment will include a collaboration with retailer Social Status that’s expected to launch in May 2023.
Nike did not respond to a request for comment about the upcoming retro; Social Status declined to comment about its collab. There are no image leaks of the retro Mac Attack, and the pairs shown here are originals.
Although next year will mark the first proper retro of the Mac Attack, Nike has flirted with bringing the shoe back before. In early 2012, the brand released the Nike Manor, a Swoosh-less retro design based on the Mac Attack. Samples of Mac Attack retros have circulated in recent years, suggesting Nike was planning a retro toward the end of the last decade, but the shoe was never put back into production.
More recently, some of Nike’s biggest endorsers have worn pairs of vintage Mac Attacks in what now feel a bit like calculated moves to build hype around the model’s eventual return. LeBron James wore Mac Attacks in January 2021, walking the NBA tunnel in a rare version of the shoe outfitted with a grass-specific sole. A Nike employee helped source that size 15 for James from collector Jon Migdal, who loaned them out and now has the shoes back in his possession.
Travis Scott wore a pair of vintage Mac Attacks in March 2021, then broke the shoes out again for a courtside appearance at a Brooklyn Nets playoff game that June. He got his pair from Los Angeles-based sneaker shop Rif in January 2021.
According to Rif co-owner Jeffrey Malabanan, the sneakers had been sitting at the shop for around 10 years before the rapper picked them up. The pair was pristine, complete with its original box. The Mac Attacks were listed at $500, but Rif actually gifted them to Travis as a token of appreciation for his patronage.
“He wanted to come by the new shop and show support,” Malabanan says. “He dropped, like, $20,000 on Dunks and SBs.”
Malabanan recalls that a friend of his at Nike had reached out about getting the Mac Attacks for Travis, who apparently needed them for inspiration on his own Nike projects. Although he was happy to make the connection, it struck him as an odd request.
“That’s the most random shoe somebody can ask for in brand-new condition with box and everything,” Malabanan says.
The ask for Mac Attacks makes a bit more sense now—with Nike prepping a retro for 2023, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect the brand to have gotten an early lead on fueling anticipation for the shoe. But the former Nike employee who helped Travis find the vintage pair at Rif insists that it wasn’t part of a marketing push, and was motivated instead by the artist’s genuine appreciation for the shoe.
Whether those moments of A-list Nike affiliates breaking out the Mac Attack affect the model’s retro success will be tested when the shoe returns next year. But Malabanan has already seen the trickle-down hype on the secondary market. Resale prices immediately went up. How many other people reached out to him to get a pair of Mac Attacks after Travis wore a pair publicly?
“Everybody,” Malabanan says.
UPDATE (06/14/23): Official images of the “Light Smoke Grey” Mac Attack retro have loaded on the backend of Nike’s website. As of now, the sneaker is scheduled to drop on June 23 for $120.
UPDATE (01/15/24): After making its much-anticipated return to retail last June, Nike has confirmed that the original "Light Smoke Grey" Mac Attack colorway is restocking on Jan. 26 via SNKRS for $120. Grab a closer look at the retro below.


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Here’s your Daily News for Monday, August 2.
- Melissa Humble and her husband moved back to Alabama in March 2020, just before much of the state shut down.
- Looking for a way to earn income and stay home to protect her immunocompromised spouse from COVID-19, Humble began baking and selling French macarons and other treats.
- HumbleBee Bakes is now a regular at farmers markets around Headland in Henry County, and Humble locally sources the fruit, jellies and eggs that go into her products.
- But the state’s laws regulating the cottage food industry were limiting. It capped gross sales at $20,000 a year and didn’t allow for Internet sales.
- That online restriction especially hurt Humble around the holidays.
- “I have had so many people ask about purchasing online and shipping, and that just wasn’t an option,” Humble said. She estimates she lost about $400 in sales in December from people who contacted her wanting to order her macarons.
- Starting this month, those restrictions will be eased under Senate Bill 160, approved in the spring. Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, sponsored the law change.
- “It takes the ridiculous shackles off of people who want to start home businesses,” Orr said. “This could be the first step, the incubation of new small businesses in the home.”
- Read more from Mary Sell HERE.
- After much delay, senators unveiled a nearly $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package, wrapping up days of painstaking work on the…


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Divers dressed as Santa Claus perform underwater at the Sunshine International Aquarium in Tokyo, and the Coex Aquarium in Seoul, South Korea, The annual show at both acuariums attracts visitors until Christmas Day. Christmas is one of the biggest holidays in South Korea, where over half of the population are Christians.
Photos: McQ by Alexander McQueen -- London Fashion Week Fall 2012
Sarah Burton, the creative director of McQ who designed the wedding dress Kate Middleton wore for her marriage to Prince William last April, notched up the drama at her Fall 2012 show. Check out images from the runway at London Fashion Week


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Freshways has at least 300 farmer suppliers in the south, South East and beyond. But after a wave of complaints from dairy farmers about contract terms, the NFU was forced to consult lawyers.
In a statement, the NFU said it was helping individual farmers through its legal assistance scheme which provides financial help towards subscribers’ professional costs. “The NFU is not funding any class action against any dairy company,” the statement added.
South East Farmer has contacted Freshways to ask why the contract changes were necessary, and we have not received a reply to date but we have talked to a number of farmers who explained that they were being asked to predict production over the year so that Freshways would know exactly how much each farm was supplying. When farms said that their production was too variable and they could not provide a level profile, they were hit with penalties which cut the price of their milk.
Oxfordshire dairy farmer John Hook is at Cote Lodge Farm near Witney and used to have a contract with Freshways, but left because he was unhappy and is now supplying Pensworth, a dairy company based in Southampton. “We are not getting enough for our milk and will try anything we can,” said Mr Hook. “We have been here since 1895 and saw the start of the Milk Marketing Board.”
Freshways, said Mr Hook, had given a lot of ultimatums which persuaded him to leave. “We had to give forecasts for milk production and we were penalised if we went below them and penalised if we went above. I think they were trying to get rid of a lot of people because their business model did not work any more.”
Another Freshways supplier – who asked to remain anonymous – said he had been asked to give a weekly average estimate of milk production over 12 months. Because he had been unable to comply and insisted a quarterly estimate was more reasonable, he is facing a milk price penalty. “Freshways wants a level profile, but we cannot provide it,” the farmer said. He has given Freshways notice that he wants to leave, but has signed the company’s new contract which begins from 1 April. Under the terms of this contract, the farmer has been hit with retrospective price penalties for having water in milk.
Exactly the same happened to Will Craig, who has 150 dairy cows at Gote Farm in East Sussex. “We never had a problem with water before, and then it happened in fairly quick succession,”said Mr Craig, who did not sign Freshways contract which starts on 1 April and is switching to Pensworth. “With Freshways, if you are over supplying when the average market price is down, then you are hit with a penalty,” Mr Craig explained. “They want a level milk supply, and it is difficult for a lot of businesses to do that.”
Pensworth, he said, were trying to secure supplies of milk from farms rather than buying off the spot market.
Brian Leggat, Pensworth’s farm liaison manager, said the company was putting in a second glass bottling line, making it the only dairy company in the UK with two glass lines running. The company supplies between 120 and 130 independent doorstep delivery men across the south and into south Wales and the South West. The company also supplies bottled milk buyers and a lot of school milk.
Pensworth has its own depots – including one at Bridgend in Wales – and a majority stake in Kirby & West Ltd, a Leicestershire dairy business. From 1 April, Mr Leggat said another batch of eight or so farms would be joining, taking production up to between 30 and 40 million litres over the next three years. Currently, the dairy can process about 70 million litres a year. But adding the second glass line and changing some packaging and machinery would allow expansion.


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It looks as if work has begun on the first Nokia smartphones that will be based on Microsoft's Windows Phone software, at least according to an interview that took place with former Microsoft executive and Nokia's current CEO, Stephen Elop.
Elop spoke to Reuters today and said “We're right now, today, having people work on the first Windows Phone devices from Nokia.” The news doesn't really come as much of a surprise to many, especially as Nokia hopes to have Windows Phone based hardware out by early next year.
Currently the agreement between Microsoft and Nokia still has to be finalized, something that both companies expect to see happen within the next few months. Microsoft will pay Finnish phone company more than one billion US Dollars as part of the pair's new Windows Phone 7 partnership according to reports.
The deal, which is believed to run for five years, is expected to be beneficial for both parties, with Microsoft gaining a new partner with a track record for impressive hardware, and Nokia being able to reduce costs while still being in possession of a potentially strong software platform for its handsets. Elop was also quick to state that he sees no reason for Microsoft to buy out Nokia, something that has been speculated over the last month or so.
Nokia has struggled to keep up with companies such as Apple over the past few years, especially in the United States where they are not as well known as they are in Europe, while Microsoft has also seen its market share plummet in the smartphone market. Nokia will be hoping that the deal pays off in the end; especially with their share prices dropping by nearly 30 percent after the team up with Microsoft was announced.
Image Source: Sailorsoft


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Studio Techland, the authors of the zombie action series Dying Light, are working on a new computer game in a fantasy setting. The developers revealed her concept art on Thursday, March 16 via their Twitter account.
On the art you can see the hero climbing a tree and contemplating the majestic temples. Nature is rich in waterfalls, mountain slopes, which are connected by bridges. A cosmic body with a large broken-off part also stands out – probably this is the Moon.
Game analyst Benji-Sales said that the story of the new game will unfold in a huge “exotic” world, which will be open for free exploration. The exact name of the game and the release date are not yet known.
It is reported that this is a high-budget project focused on the PS5 and Xbox Series consoles. The game is being developed by former employees of CD Projekt RED and other major studios.
In February, Techland announced support for Dying Light 2: Stay Human throughout 2023. Updates, new content, and smaller improvements are being prepared for the game.
In December, Digital Foundry experts, who assess the technical condition of video games, analyzed and selected the projects of 2022 with the best graphics. The list included Dying Light 2 by Techland.
For latest updates and news follow BLiTZ on Google News, YouTube, Facebook, and also on Twitter.


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Retool — a company that provides a platform designed to streamline the process of building internal business applications — has published a comprehensive State of AI report that sheds light on the changing dynamics of artificial intelligence in the business world.
For this research, Retool surveyed over 1,500 technical professionals, including software engineers, business and engineering leaders, executives and designers to find out how they’re using and building with AI.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the findings from the report, to see what we can learn about how companies and individuals are integrating AI into everyday business practices.
Perceptions vs. reality in AI utilization
There is a popular belief that AI’s immediate impact is overstated, but Retool’s research indicates the opposite. The report highlights a significant shift in workplace practices due to AI.
A striking 68% of respondents reported a decreased reliance on Stack Overflow, with 94% attributing this change to the adoption of advanced tools like GitHub Copilot and ChatGPT.
Even among the most critical voices who rate AI's current hype as 10/10 on the “overrated” scale, only 14% believe their companies are overinvesting in AI.
Driving forces behind AI adoption
Businesses are primarily motivated to invest in AI for three key reasons: cost savings, staying abreast of industry trends and addressing customer needs.
This means AI isn’t just a technological fad — it has the potential to offer tangible benefits to companies.
AI in action: Internal vs. external applications
The landscape of AI applications within companies is rapidly evolving. Two-thirds (66%) of businesses have implemented at least one internal AI use case, and 43% have created external apps.
Prominent internal uses include programming, handling knowledge base queries and copywriting. Externally, AI has found a place in product features, customer service chatbots and external knowledge bases.
Challenges in AI development
The primary concern in AI application development is the quality and accuracy of model outputs — 39% of respondents noted this as a potential challenge.
Data security is a close second at 33%, with concerns scaling up with company size — peaking at over 40% in larger organizations.
The dominance of OpenAI's models
Not surprisingly, most of the survey respondents are using the industry leader in artificial intelligence — OpenAI.
In fact, OpenAI is the overwhelming leader in the popularity of AI models, representing 80% of all use cases. Among businesses using a single model, 89% opt for OpenAI.
Trends in model hosting and customization
There’s currently a strong trend toward hosted AI models, with nearly 70% of companies following this route and an additional 20% planning to implement open-source models soon.
Larger companies show a greater inclination towards self-hosting. Surprisingly, half of the companies Retool surveyed do not engage in any form of model customization.
AI development tools and databases
Retool also asked respondents questions about AI dev tools. Over a quarter of respondents are using Hugging Face, followed by Langchain and AWS Bedrock. Pinecone takes the top spot in vector databases, trailed by MongoDB and PGVector.
AI is becoming essential for operational excellence and innovation in business
Retool’s report indicates that companies aren’t just implementing AI because it’s trendy — they’re increasingly adopting it to address concrete operational and customer needs.
As AI continues to reshape the business landscape, companies must navigate challenges like model quality and data security, while strategically leveraging AI tools to stay competitive and innovative.
It is clear we are in the early innings of the AI investment supercycle. AI is a core investment area at Wing — find out more about how we are seeking investment opportunities with companies that are driving the forward motion of data and AI.
To stay on top of the latest news for founders and practitioners navigating the data and infrastructure software landscape, subscribe to my Substack.


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A new study review suggests zinc supplementation may reduce the risk, duration and severity of respiratory illness, including coughing, congestion, colds, flu, pneumonia, SARS-CoV-2 infections and recovery from stroke.
Indirect evidence has demonstrated a link between zinc supplementation and reduced virus risk, particularly in populations at risk of zinc deficiency, including people with chronic disease co-morbidities and older adults.
Crucially, the study warns over 17% of the global population is estimated to be zinc-deficient and 20% of national diets contain insufficient zinc to meet minimum health requirements.
This review paper arrives amid scientific debate on zinc’s ability to reduce coronavirus symptoms. Some researchers have argued zinc, along with vitamins B3, C and D hold promise in reducing the risk or severity of COVID-19, while others flag zinc “fails to live up to its hype.”
Beyond immunity boosting
Published in Advances in Integrative Medicine, the review included 118 publications of 1,627 records. Four randomized clinical trials specific to SARS-CoV-2 are ongoing, with two investigating zinc for prevention and two for treatment.
“The potential role of zinc as an adjuvant therapy for SARS-CoV-2 may be broader than just antiviral or immunological support,” the study authors write.
“Zinc also plays a complex role in hemostatic modulation, acting as an effector of coagulation, anticoagulation and fibrinolysis. Zinc is also essential for neurological function.”
Unclear on dosage
While these study findings are “promising,” the effectiveness of zinc in preventing or treating SARS-CoV-2 infections is “yet to be systematically evaluated.”
Most consumers are familiar with zinc supplements in the form of a lozenge, tablet, capsule, liquid or syrup. However, the study flags safety concerns associated with high doses or prolonged intake of zinc include anosmia (loss of smell) and copper deficiency.
Zinc gaining ground
Critically, zinc deficiency results in the impaired formation, activation and maturation of lymphocytes, disturbs the intercellular communication via cytokines and weakens the innate host defense.
Consequently, zinc rose to the top of consumers’ immune health strategies, as evidenced by increased Google searches for the keywords.
A survey from this March revealed 41% of US consumers believe the ingredient supports immunity.
Zinc was also among the fastest-growing ingredients for immune health between 2019 to 2020, which grew at a CAGR of 78%. Examples of industry innovation in this space include new research to improve crops’ zinc uptake and zinc-biofortified ingredient launches.
On the flip side
Although these findings appear promising, other research highlights zinc supplementation may not be as effective as consumers assess it to be.
In an analysis of 300,000 UK users of the ZOE COVID Symptom Study App, study researchers were “surprised” they did not observe an effect for zinc, vitamin C or garlic supplements. These findings were reproduced in another ZOE study four months later.
The researchers behind a controversial US study, which found zinc and vitamin C did not help patients with COVID-19, stood behind their findings despite backlash from The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN). At the time, NutritionInsight spoke with experts from both sides of the debate.
By Anni Schleicher
Johnson & Johnson has announced that it plans to separate its Consumer Health business, leaving the new Johnson & Johnson to focus on pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Alex Gorsky, current CEO, will become the Executive Chairman of the new Johnson & Johnson. Joaquin Duato, currently Vice Chairman of the Company’s Executive Committee, will become the new CEO.
Novo Nordisk today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Dicerna Pharmaceuticals (Dicerna). The acquisition of Dicerna’s ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi) platform is a strategic addition to Novo Nordisk’s existing research technology platforms and supports the strategy of using a broad range of technology platforms applicable across all Novo Nordisk’s therapeutic focus areas.
Naomi predicts that start-ups will continue to take over the healthcare industry, and Big Pharma companies will be forced to adapt to the future by partnering with small tech start-ups, or fade away due to irrelevance. Discover more of industry leader Naomi Fried’s insights as she discusses the future of healthcare with Andrew Kris of Borderless


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Ease in commodity prices will make the tractor makers earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margin resilient despite lower volume retail.
Tractor industry is going to witness a de-growth in sales by 5-7% in FY20, according to a Crisil report.
Weak growth in rural income, moderation in rural infrastructure spending, higher channel inventory and the effect of a high base will lead to de-growth in tractor sales volume by 5-7% in FY20 from an all-time high of 8.78 lakh units in FY19, the report said .
The tractor industry is heavily dependent on rural incomes and monsoon. “Rural incomes were impacted towards the second half of last fiscal because crop production was flat after two years of 5-6% growth and farm profitability declined due to weak pricing. Consequently,rural wage growth was lower at 3-4% compared with an average 6% in the preceding two fiscals.” Lower growth in rural infrastructure due to reduction in spending also impacted the non-farm tractor demands in the recent months.
However, the report also mentioned that the sharp improvement in the progress of south-west monsoon in the past few weeks would drive the tractor demand in the second half of FY20. It has already brought down the deficiency from 19% of the long period average (LPA) as on July 24 to a surplus of 1% of the LPA on August 28.
Gautam Shahi, director, Crisil Ratings,said, “The likelihood of a normal monsoon this fiscal has increased with the rains catching up in the last few weeks. This augurs well for farm income and tractor demand. Additionally, the recent Budget announcements for agriculture and allied activities,loan waivers in some states and hike in minimum support prices for kharif crops along with rural development initiatives of the government are likely to push sales.”
Ease in commodity prices will make the tractor makers earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margin resilient despite lower volume retail. Correction in prices of steel and pig iron by 7-10% between April and July in FY20 would help to mitigate the impact of discounts being offered by tractor makers in order to push sales. Steel and pig iron accounts for 90% of the raw material costs.
Crisil mentioned in the report that long-term growth potential of the tractor industry remains healthy but an immediate revival in sales remains contingent on an improvement in purchasing power in rural markets.


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Industry analyst firm NanoMarkets today announced the addition of two new photovoltaics reports to its publication schedule.
Glen Allen, VA: The two reports titled, “Dye Sensitized Cells: Materials, Applications and Opportunities – 2011” and “OPV: Materials, Applications and Opportunities – 2011” will be released in April and continue the firm’s coverage of the photovoltaics business since 2006. Details of the reports are available on the firm’s website at www.nanomarkets.net. The firm is offering the reports at pre-publication pricing through the second report’s release date.
About the Reports:
OPV: Materials, Applications and Opportunities – 2011
Money continues to be invested in the OPV space and new companies have appeared in the past year or so. This is despite the fact that conversion efficiencies remain well below those of every other PV technology and OPV costs have failed to meet the expectations of a few years back.
In this brand new report from NanoMarkets the firm provides a comprehensive examination of the marketplace, technologies, manufacturing approaches and the overall current state of the OPV business. Starting with a look back over the past year, we examine both key materials suppliers and panel manufacturers and the applications for their products. We consider how revenues will be profitably generated by this interesting technology over the near and longer term. The report contains detailed forecasts broken out by materials, technologies and markets by volumes and dollars.
Dye Sensitized Cells: Materials, Applications and Opportunities – 2011
Dye sensitized cells (DSC) were once little more than a curiosity, positioned at the edge of the organic photovoltaics space. However, recent developments suggest that this approach to photovoltaics is rapidly commercializing; offering a potential low-cost technology solution for BIPV and mobile PV applications. Much of the new bullishness surrounding DSC has been enabled by recent materials-related innovations. These innovations new transparent electrolytes, replacing platinum electrodes with less costly electrodes using carbon and cobalt, and re-thinking the DSC cell architecture.
More companies are also into the DSC and as a result, NanoMarkets believes the time has come for this industry analysis report that focuses exclusively on the DSC space. In addition to analyzing the opportunities for this technology in the BIPV and mobile PV space, this report appraises the strategies of the main firms active in this space. As with all NanoMarkets reports, it also provides an eight-year forecast for the DSC sector by volume and value of shipments.
NanoMarkets tracks and analyzes emerging market opportunities in energy and electronics markets created by developments in advanced materials. The firm is a recognized leader in industry analysis and forecasts for thin-film and organic photovoltaics. Visit www.nanomarkets.net for a full listing of the firm’s coverage.


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We’re all eager for the pandemic to end. COVID-19 has introduced change at such an alarming rate that many of us haven’t even had time to grieve what used to be. The ‘new normal’ includes rigid cleaning protocols, virtual yoga classes, one-way shopping aisles, and a loss of human connection. All have felt the impact of the coronavirus, whether it’s the loss of a job, a loved one, or even just the familiar Monday evening group ride. Amid all the uncertainty and loss is a desire to keep looking toward the future—to make an educated guess at what’s coming next, and to hold onto some semblance of normalcy as we move forward. Here’s a few prescient predictions on how we’ll be adventuring in the coming months, as well as what some of the top experts in the outdoor and adventure travel industries are saying.
Doing more solo adventures
By now, health guidelines have drilled us on the danger of extended time in groups, whether they’re small or large. This novel virus loves company and, as we’ve seen, groups can wreak havoc on the immune systems of those who choose to gather. But who said that all adventures need a group? More and more people are leaning into solo adventures, some for the first time. If you’ve never gone camping in the backcountry by yourself, or even completed a day-hike on a local trail, now is the perfect time to extend yourself. Who cares if it took a pandemic for you to finally sleep under the stars alone?
We’ll be on two wheels
If bikepacking gear sales and rentals are any indication, more and more of us will be pedaling into the future. Greg Hardy, the owner of Rockgeist, a bikepacking company in Asheville, NC, says, “Bikepacking was growing before COVID. What I’m seeing is people getting their feet wet. Whether it starts with a single overnighter or a long day-ride, more and more people are getting a taste of what’s possible. Everyone’s stuck in their local towns and those types of trips aren’t going to be a one-month journey, they’re going to be day-trips in your local state park and then you get back to where you started.”
Going with guides we know and trust
It’s no secret that many of us rely on guides to help us find the good spots. Some even revisit a town year after year and book our vacations based on the availability of our favorite guides. With COVID, local knowledge becomes more and more important. Find a guide who can steer you toward a hidden gem, i.e., a place less trafficked. Cody Bradford is an AMGA-certified Rock Guide with 10 years in the industry. He’s partnered with 57Hours, an international network of independent guides, since 2017. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, his last guided trip was in March 2020. When asked where he sees things headed in 2021 and beyond as far as guiding goes, he says: “2021 will look different for mountain guiding country to country, state to state, and person to person. Lacking a vaccine, mountain guiding should come back fairly similar to pre-COVID-19, with added measures. For many private guides and guide services, ratios will be low, masks required when in close proximity (belay and instruction), pre-trip interviews may be held to ensure lack of exposure to the virus, and hygiene (especially on overnight outings with food preparation) will all be held to a higher standard. Cancellation policies for guests will also likely be relaxed or changed entirely for many guide services and guides alike to ensure confidence in canceling a trip, should a guest display symptoms of illness or have experienced possible exposure to the virus prior to a trip.” The long and short: You can still count on guides to help you access the best experiences in the outdoors; just expect a few changes moving forward.
We’re hitting the road in RVs
Still feeling anxious about staying in a hotel or escaping town on a plane? Join the crowd. One workaround has been to rent an RV, or an adventure van. April Cumming with Outdoorsy, which is like the Airbnb for RV rentals, reports that during COVID, their growth, “took off by more than 4,500 percent (measured from the low point in late March to June 2020).” Outdoorsy also reports that they’ve seen, “up to a booking a minute on [their] platform over the past few weeks.” If the data is any indication, we’re eager to hit the road. Oh, and the vehicle options on Outdoorsy are plentiful: vintage Airstreams, converted Sprinter vans, pet-friendly RVs and even the Instagram-friendly VW van. If you simply cannot put your travel plans on hold, renting a ready rig offers a safe option to explore.
Planning will be more important than ever
Though the unplanned, go-where-the-wind-blows-you road trip will always occupy its special place, we’ll likely be scripting things out for the foreseeable future. There’s just so many more factors to consider in the midst of a pandemic. Marisa Jarae, a Denver-based outdoor adventure photographer and instructor, says: “When in the wilderness, in particular, hygiene is key. It always has been. But now we have to think about, talk about, and plan for the surfaces we touch and share beyond the poop scoop and soap bottle. Stoves, tent zippers, water bottles, hiking poles, the list goes on. We also have to think about space. If camping or backpacking, or even car camping, is there space for tents to be spread out far enough from each other?” Logistics have always been a key component in successfully executing trips, but pre-trip plans will be more critical than ever.
We’ll be taking unique adventures in national parks
Our National Parks have always been a huge destination for travelers and COVID-19 hasn’t really changed that. People are still eager to get out and explore our public lands. They’re just getting a little more creative about it and taking advantage of unique adventures and experiences within the parks. Mary Johnson, Senior Director of Marketing for Aramark, which operates numerous lodges, resorts, and recreational activities at several national and state parks, says: “We’ve seen that our guests are still eager to get out and enjoy a vacation in the fresh air and open spaces of our national parks and public lands. Many of our locations offer lodging, such as kitchenette cabins near the Tetons at Togwotee Mountain Lodge or fully equipped houseboats on Lake Powell, which are ideal for a socially distant vacation away from the crowds.” We can’t think of a better way to have a safe adventure than on a 59-foot houseboat in Lake Powell. Bonus: It’s got its own waterpark-style tube slide, wet bar, and barbecue.
One way we won’t be adventuring anytime soon?
On a cruise. The U.S. government recently issued a No Sail Order “for cruise ships in waters subject to U.S. jurisdiction,” and has advised American travelers to defer all cruise travel. The No Sail Order has already been extended twice and is currently in effect until Oct. 31, 2020, unless the Secretary of Health and Human Services declares that COVID-19 is no longer a public health emergency, or if/when the Director of the CDC rescinds or modifies the order. Cruise ships have started sailing in other parts of the world but it might be some time before U.S. ships are pushing off again. Continue to check the CDC website for updates, and in the meantime, consider plotting out a solo or family-only trip on the water with that old canoe or kayak that’s been gathering dust in the garage. It’s going to be a while before things go back to normal; the quicker you can adapt, the sooner you’ll be outside an off-line.
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Pachter Says PlayStation Now is a Joke, “Has no Prayer of Working”
Because we’re never ones to pass up an opportunity for you to laugh, we’ll let you know of Michael Pachter’s latest ‘prediction’, where he called PlayStation Now, Sony’s upcoming game streaming service, “a joke.”
PlayStation Now is a joke. There is no publisher that is going to license content that’s less than two-years old because they would be concerned that they can’t sell as many copies if they make it available for subscription or rental.
This has no prayer of working. None.
Just looking at the PlayStation Now beta happening right now, Sony is already supporting it with Puppeteer, a game that came out 5 months ago in September. Most of the other titles from 1st and 3rd party publishers, however, are much older.
On the 3rd party side, John Koller did say they’re working with publishers to get titles at PlayStation Now launch, and he specifically singled out titles from “‘06 to ’09” for PS Now, showing how Sony isn’t necessarily targeting newer games for the service.
Also, if you compare PlayStation Now to PlayStation Plus, Sony has managed to partner with many 3rd party publishers to give away games for free through PS+ less than a year after those games released at retail.
PlayStation Now is scheduled to release in full this summer for the US, with other countries and territories to follow.
All joking aside, do you think PlayStation Now will be a success, or as Pachter believes, a failure? Let us know in the comments below.