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It is estimated by the U.S. Postal Service that 1 billion packages will be delivered this holiday season. Last year, there were 2,000 reported thefts.
Tucson, Arizona (PRWEB) December 20, 2012
The holidays are upon us, and now is the time of the year when evenings are spent with loved ones and gifts are exchanged. While some shoppers braved the crowds for Black Friday deals, other holiday shoppers have turned to the Internet for their gift giving needs. Online shopping has made buying holiday gifts easier; however, there are some serious risks that are associated with it. It is estimated by the U.S. Postal Service that 1 billion packages will be delivered this holiday season. Last year, there were 2,000 reported thefts, and this number is on the rise this year already.
While it is certainly concerning to learn that there has been an uptick in the number of packages stolen after they have already been delivered to homes, there are preventative measures that can be taken. The Arizona insurance agents at D.M. Lovitt Insurance agency want residents in Arizona to be cautious because although Arizona home insurance policies may cover stolen property, who really wants to deal with the hassle?
- Expecting a package but will not be at home? Reach out to a trusted neighbor or friend to pick up the parcel.
- Take advantage of the delivery confirmation or signature required options for delivery.
- Have packages delivered to the office instead of the house.
- Track packages to be sure of their arrival and make a point to pick up the package at that time.
Thieves are generally looking for electronics; therefore, big boxes may tip them off. Additionally, expecting a large number of packages on the same day can be very tempting to thieves who may think a resident will not notice one gone missing. Keep track of all online orders and shipment dates as well as when the package should arrive and what should be in it.
Remember, if a package has gone missing the first step is to call the delivery provider and request a shipment update. If the delivery was confirmed by the post office, UPS or FedEx and the package hasn’t been received, the next step is to call the company and report the items missing. Some companies will understand and reship the contents. Others will open a claim on the package.
Residents with questions or concerns about how Arizona home insurance plays into a stolen package are encouraged to speak with one of the friendly agents at D.M. Lovitt Insurance.
About D.M. Lovitt Insurance:
D.M. Lovitt Insurance is a full-service, independent insurance agency serving the state of Arizona with comprehensive, affordable insurance solutions for both their personal and business lives. Built on honesty and reliability, the agency has been servicing customers for three decades with dedication. At D.M. Lovitt, customers can speak with qualified and friendly agents to create comprehensive and personal insurance solutions for personal, business, health or group protection.


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News on Nissan continually updated from thousands of sources around the net.
2 hrs ago | Newsday
According to Nissan, more than 2,000 of their Leaf electric cars have been sold in the UK in the first six months of 2014 According to Ecotricity, the company that has installed a network of charging stations along the UK's motorways, we are seeing a "revolution".
6 hrs ago | Inhabitat
Volkswagen just announced the pricing details for its first electric car to be offered in the United States! The 2015 e-Golf will offer a 115 horsepower electric motor and a 24.2 kWh lithium-ion battery - and it's set to arrive in November with a price tag starting at $36,265 before any federal or state tax credits are applied.
10 hrs ago | AutoWeek
Andy Palmer, the car-guy chief planning officer at Nissan Motor Corp. , who was once tipped as a possible future CEO, is leaving the company to head UK sports-car maker Aston Martin.
Mexican nationals smuggling over a total of $1 million worth of narcotics were apprehended in two separate incidents on the same day along the I-5 corridor through the cooperation of Border Patrol Agents and their K-9s.
Ford long-wheelbase version of the Ford Transit Connect Wagon seats up to seven and starts at about $25,000.
Nissan is in hot water-specifically, hot red water-over the pretty French name attached to its GT-R-powered concept sedan.
The next Nissan Titan has to be a home run. All of its competitors have significantly upgraded and improved their half-ton pickup trucks, with one going through two iterations since the Titan went on sale as a 2004 model.
Nissan Rogue prices unchanged on 2015 models Nissan says prices unchanged for the 2015 Rogue crossover Check out this story on USATODAY.com: http://usat.ly/1u6RGwT Nissan says prices are unchanged for the 2015 Rogue crossover SUV, despite a few enhancements that Nissan thinks will make the already popular model a better seller.
Thus, the 2015 model year only features minor adjustments and some new features: the Xtronic transmission gains a new Eco mode; the SV Premium Package receives heated cloth seats and there's also a new body hue - the Arctic Blue Metallic color.
We look ahead to the next Volt and Leaf, get a first look at the only seven-passenger plug-in hybrid, and a price for the Volkswagen e-Golf.
If you thought "Nissan Juke" when you saw the photo above, you are by no means incorrect.
Despite all the changes going on in automobiles lately, one thing that's remained pretty consistent in every car I've driven has been the rearview mirror.
In case you're keeping score, when we close the books on calendar-year 2014 there will be 13 distinct pure-electric automobiles for sale in the United States.
Nissan's compact crossover was completely redesigned for 2014, with new exterior and interior styling, lots of standard amenities, and new standard and optional high-tech features.
With a real-life driving range of about 80 miles, the current generation of the Nissan Leaf can't travel very far - but the next Leaf will have a much longer range.
In a previous article I explored the potential of electricity storage for Tesla and I hope to address many comments with this one.
Updated: Tue Sep 02, 2014 06:42 pm
Copyright © 2014 Topix LLC

domain: news


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The acquisition is the largest in the coffee chain’s history.
Starbucks just announced its largest acquisition in the brand’s history. On Thursday, the fan favorite coffee chain said that it will become the full owner of its East China joint venture. According to a Fox Business article, the move is a part of Starbucks’ plan to increase its presence across Asia.
Starbucks is acquiring the remaining 50 percent stake from Unit-President Enterprises Corp. and President Chain Store Corp for about $1.3 billion in cash. After the deal is finalized, the coffee chain will operate 1,300 stores in the Shanghai and Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces, in addition to the company’s previously laid out plan to operate 5,000 stores in mainland China—which is its fastest growing market—by 2021.
Starbucks’ chief executive, Kevin Johnson, said, “Unifying the Starbucks business under a full company-operated structure in China reinforces our commitment to the market and is a firm demonstration of our confidence in the current local leadership team.”
To read the full article, click here.


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Like a passionate love affair, it was brief and unforgettable. But now, buried under a heap of recrimination and Polaroid flatscreen TVs, the romance between Asda and Black Friday is over. And it was Asda doing the dumping.
I’m not saying it was callous about it, but Asda doesn’t even seem upset. “The decision to step away from Black Friday is not about the event itself,” said Andy Clarke, reaching for the old ‘it’s not you it’s me’ routine. “Customers have told us loud and clear that they don’t want to be held hostage to a day or two of sales,” he added.
So Asda has walked away. It’s not the most shocking thing to happen around Black Friday (that would be the deaths) but even so, the news that Asda was having a rethink was definitely up there for Black Friday surprises (including one of the biggest: that strangers are prepared to fight over a 37% discount on a TV in the middle of Asda).
Asda’s retreat might be bad news for demented shoppers and anthropologists, but it is a very responsible move. Or maybe whipping up shoppers until they are prepared to trample others to grab a Dyson was plain irresponsible to begin with. Either way, it’s very likely financial prudence also played its part in the decision.
“Asda’s retreat might be bad news for demented shoppers and anthropologists, but it is a very responsible move”
Black Friday is called Black Friday because in the US it was traditionally the day retailers tipped their balance books into the black. So if it makes no money, or simply takes from Christmas sales, or further lowers the public perception of how low prices can go, what’s the point?
Especially when you consider the hassle, the additional operational pressures, the bad publicity and the negative knock-on effect on grocery sales as shoppers are put off doing their actual grocery shopping because of the Black Friday chaos. There is also an apparent spike in shoplifting thanks to light-fingered opportunists taking advantage of it.
I wonder what Tesco must be thinking at this point. It bore the brunt of the chaos last year, copped a ticking-off from a very annoyed high-ranking police chief and there were reports checkout staff were left in tears after being ordered into action to control the rampant crowds. So this year it has big plans to keep things under control at its 250 Extra stores involving extra crowd protection, giving stores extra time to prepare for the crush and ensuring all management (including all store and retail directors) are on duty. It’s a lot of work, so it’s possible it is looking at Asda’s decision to cancel and wishing it had done the same. Or maybe it thinks the way is now free for it to clean up?
Who knows, although if this year escalates out of control in similar ways to last year, don’t expect it to bother next year. And why should it, when Tesco could just introduce ‘Singles Day’ to the UK instead! It’s all the rage in China, where shoppers hammered their wallets online to the tune of £6bn in 12 hours on 11/11 (it’s known as Singles Day because of all those ‘1’s).
“If the UK does follow Asda’s lead and fall out of love with Black Friday, what will replace it?”
Tesco may have a problem if they try, however. Alibaba, the Chinese online giant, claims to own the rights to Singles Day. Although earlier today The Guardian reported JD.com had complained to the Chinese government that Alibaba was monopolising the 11/11 opportunity. But Alibaba “shrugged off” the suggestion. “Today the chicken reported on the duck, accusing the duck of monopolising the lake,” an Alibaba spokesman apparently told Chinese media, which must have cleared everything up.
So if the UK does follow Asda’s lead and fall out of love with Black Friday, what will replace it? Even if the UK fell for Singles Day, the fact that 11/11 is also Armistice Day might raise questions of taste and judgement, just like Black Friday did, and we’d have to start looking for a fresh love all over again. Or maybe nothing will replace it at all, and it will linger, less passionately than before, but still there, sort of like a couple staying together for the kids, resenting each other a little more every November.
Either way, we can say this for sure – if it is dying a death then Black Friday was interesting and fun while it lasted. As sales go it offered great deals and thrills and spills for shoppers. But whether it will be missed is a different story altogether.


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News about the GMC Canyon, General Motors’ premium midsize pickup truck, surfaced today during a meeting the automaker hosts to update its dealers on the coming model year.
General Motors confirmed earlier this year that the Chevrolet Colorado would be headed back to the North American market. Now it sounds like the automaker will offer the Canyon, a truck that used to share everything but a badge with the Colorado, as its own product, saying “the Canyon will be a GMC through and through.”
Specifics on the truck are still under wraps, but GM exec Tony DiSalle said today that the truck will be built at the comapny’s Wentzville, Mo. plant. The Chevrolet Colorado is expected to make its North American launch sometime in 2014, but it still isn’t clear when the Canyon will be available.
[Source: GM Inside News]


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NISSAN REVEALS LE MANS CHALLENGER DURING SUPER BOWL
◾First glimpse of race-ready Nissan GT-R LM NISMO during Super Bowl XLIX
◾Innovative new LM P1 racing car is like no other Le Mans car
◾TAG Heuer, Motul and Michelin revealed as Nissan LM P1 partnersYOKOHAMA, Japan
– Nissan today declared itself ready to take on the world's best sports car manufacturers after revealing a glimpse of its Le Mans challenger – the Nissan GT-R LM NISMO – during the commercial break for Super Bowl XLIX.
Last year's Super Bowl was the most watched television program in Ú.S. television history with over 110 million viewers. The 2015 game was therefore the perfect opportunity for Nissan's 'With Dad' commercial (view at www.withdad.com) to air for the first time, revealing the much-anticipated Nissan GT-R LM NISMO, the car that will take on the best in the world in the race to glory at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
In a bold move, the Japanese manufacturer has interpreted the sport's technical regulations in an innovative way, producing a front-engined, front wheel drive car that is powered by a V6 3.0-liter twin turbo gasoline engine and a kinetic energy recovery system.
'It gave us great pride to reveal the Nissan GT-R LM NISMO during the Super Bowl,' said Roel de Vries, global head of Marketing and Brand Strategy at Nissan. 'The combination of the Super Bowl and the Le Mans 24 Hours – two of the most watched sporting events in the world – presented us with a unique opportunity to showcase our most ambitious motorsport program in recent times. The GT-R is our flagship road car. This, the ultimate GT-R, continues a sporting bloodline that goes back three decades with NISMO, the motorsport and performance arm of Nissan. Le Mans drives innovation, so success on the track will lead to greater innovation in our road car range. We are the new kids at Le Mans. Our opponents are the best in the world, but we are ready.'
The new car will contest the LM P1 class of the FIA World Endurance Championship, the highest category in world sports car racing. Starting at Silverstone, ÚK on April 12, the series travels around the world to Spa in Belgium, onto the Le Mans 24 Hours and Germany's Nürburgring, before going global with races in the Ú.S., Japan, China and the Middle East.
The FIA World Endurance Championship is the ultimate proving ground for automotive companies as technological gains on the track can carry through to road cars. Racing car engineers are facing the same challenges as road car engineers as the spotlight falls on energy efficiency. With more technical freedom than Formula 1, the LM P1 engineers have ample opportunity to innovate.
'This is innovation that excites,' said Shoichi Miyatani, president of NISMO. 'Sustainability is at the top of our agenda, and the technical regulations for Le Mans give us the freedom to pursue new ideas in this area. Our record at Le Mans is third place overall, so we have unfinished business there. We want to win and we have the knowledge to do that – for our customers, our employees and our fans. The competition is exceptionally strong and we are excited by the challenge.'
Engine : 3.0 L., 6-cylinder
'Our LM P1 program makes the connection between NISMO on the road and NISMO on the track, showcasing our brand DNA to a global audience,' said Darren Cox, global head of Brand, Marketing & Sales, NISMO. 'We are taking motorsport to the masses, telling tales of technical innovation but also human stories via all of the exciting communications channels that are open to us now. We will innovate off the track as well as on it, so you can be assured that this is just the beginning of the story.'
The intensive test program for the Nissan GT-R LM NISMO that began in Arizona last year continues in the Ú.S. Nissan's full LM P1 driver line-up will be revealed soon.New LM P1 Partnerships Revealed
Nissan also announced three multi-year partnerships that will feature prominently in its LM P1 program.
Swiss watchmaker TAG Heuer is the Official Watch Partner and Official Timekeeping Partner. The LM P1 drivers will all wear TAG Heuer watches, and the partnership will be activated globally by both parties with several exciting developments to be announced in the coming months.
Motul is the Official Lubricants Partner for the program, working closely with NISMO's engine department to develop high-performance products to enhance competitiveness and efficiency. Motul has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with NISMO over the past two decades, and this natural expansion into the LM P1 program comes soon after the Super GT Championship victory for the iconic #23 MOTÚL AÚTECH GT-R.
The LM P1 program will use tires supplied by Michelin. The French manufacturer has developed tires especially for the Nissan GT-R LM NISMO and been an integral part of the car's extensive test program.
About Nissan North America
In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program and has been recognized as an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 by the Ú.S Environmental Protection Agency. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.NissanÚSA.com and www.InfinitiÚSA.com, or visit the Americas media sites NissanNews.com and InfinitiNews.com.About Nissan
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 244,500 employees globally, Nissan sold almost 5.2 million vehicles and generated revenue of 10.5 trillion yen (ÚSD 105 billion) in fiscal 2013. Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of more than 60 models under the Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun brands. In 2010, Nissan introduced the Nissan LEAF, and continues to lead in zero-emission mobility. The LEAF, the first mass-market, pure-electric vehicle launched globally, is now the best-selling EV in history with almost 50% share of the zero-emission vehicle segment.Source - Nissan
NISSAN'S REVOLUTIONARY GT-R LM NISMO RACER SET TO TAKE CENTER STAGE AT 2015 CHICAGO AUTO SHOW
• LM P1 machine makes first public appearance following world debut in Nissan's dramatic 'With Dad' Super Bowl XLIX commercial; joins new NISMO street concept vehicle on stage at showNASHVILLE, Tenn.
– Nissan today announced that after its brief cameo appearance in Sunday's Super Bowl XLIX 'With Dad' commercial, the radical new Nissan GT-R LM NISMO race car will make a two-week pit stop at the Chicago Auto Show from February 14 to 22 at Chicago's McCormick Place.
The GT-R LM NISMO, which will take on the best in the world in the race to glory at the Le Mans 24 Hours, will be the centerpiece of a performance-oriented NISMO display at the auto show – which will also include the 600-horsepower Nissan GT-R NISMO, the 370Z NISMO, JÚKE NISMO and JÚKE NISMO RS and two concept vehicles, the Sentra NISMO Concept and a new NISMO street concept that will debut February 12.
A truly global effort, the GT-R LM NISMO has been created by a team of carefully selected experts in Japan, the Únited States and Europe. Únlike other LM P1 cars, the GT-R's V6 3.0-liter twin-turbo gasoline engine sits in the front of the front-wheel-drive car, while the hybrid power is harvested from the front driveline to augment acceleration.
'LM P1 cars are the most extreme sports cars in racing today so, for Nissan and NISMO, the opportunity to innovate at the highest level could not be missed,' said Darren Cox, Global Head of Brand, Marketing & Sales, NISMO. 'Taking on the best in the world and competing to win is a daunting task for Nissan. The competition is well-established and the racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship is ultra-close, but this is a challenge that Nissan has accepted and the Nissan NISMO team will fight like it has never fought before.'
Full details and photography of the Nissan GT-R LM NISMO are available at www.NissanNews.com. To view the 90-second 'With Dad' commercial, go to www.withdad.com or www.NissanÚSA.com.Source - Nissan


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The changes will apply to Yahoo search on the mobile web in the U.S., in browsers such as Safari and Chrome. Yahoo’s mobile app and desktop site already provide some additional content within results.
A search on the mobile web for Barack Obama, for instance, displays information about him from Wikipedia, such as his height and birth date, as well as links to news, images and YouTube videos. In one search Thursday, the videos included some curious choices, including “Barack Obama is Illuminati.”
Google already highlights a variety of content related to search queries, including news and related tweets, as well as links to other services like Maps. Microsoft’s Bing does something similar.
Because Yahoo is playing catch-up, the changes might not attract many new users, but they could help it retain people who use Yahoo for mobile searches today.
In the last quarter of 2014, mobile accounted for half of Yahoo’s search traffic in North America, up from 32 percent during the same period in 2013, according to research firm eMarketer.
Premium cable network HBO said it would make available the premiere episodes of two new comedy series on Facebook, underlining the growing popularity of the social networking site as a video platform.
The popularity of web videos have led to U.S. networks experiment with new platforms to attract new viewers. With about 1.44 billion monthly active users, Facebook has become a sough-after outlet for companies looking to market their products via online videos, the fastest growing category of Internet ads.
Last week, Amazon.com Inc released the pilot episode of its show “Catastrophe” for a limited time on the social media network, instead of its own Prime Instant Video streaming service.
HBO, owned by Time Warner Inc, said on Wednesday viewers would be able to access the premiere episodes of Dwayne Johnson-starrer “Ballers” and “The Brink” on Facebook for a limited period. The two new original series premiered this past Sunday.
Turner Broadcasting, another Time Warner network, said in April it granted exclusive video-on-demand rights to its Cartoon Network and Adult Swim programs to video streaming service Hulu.
On Tuesday Hulu said it would soon allow users to add CBS Corp’s TV network Showtime to their subscriptions.
Facebook Inc has begun allowing users without an account to sign up for its Messenger app with a phone number, the social media company said on Wednesday, in another move to broaden the app’s reach and make it a standalone platform.
Earlier this year, Facebook opened up Messenger to developers, and Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said he wanted to connect users directly with retailers, restaurants and other businesses.
With the latest update, users will be prompted by an option that says “Not on Facebook?” when they open the app. They can then sign up with their name, phone number and a photo.
The mobile messaging service, which has 600 million users, has added a number of new features in recent months, including games and video calling.
Facebook’s flagship social network has 1.4 billion users.
Individuals that are interested in trying their hand at capturing 360-degree video with Jump can fill out a form Google posted on Monday that asks basic biographical questions as well as details on how they would use the system.
Google didn’t say how many “select creators” it would chose, but those who are picked will be able to start using the 16-camera rig this summer.
Google seems especially interested in people with creative backgrounds. The jobs that people can select in the form’s occupation section include filmmaker, director, artist and production staff — but there is an “other” section that allows write-ins if none of the above apply.
There’s also a section where applicants can explain why they want to test Jump — and “awesome answers might put you at the top of the list,” Google said.
Google worked with GoPro to build Jump, which has 16 of the company’s Hero4 cameras attached to a circular frame. Jump’s price and availability weren’t provided when the rig was shown at Google’s I/O developer’s conference in May. However, given that a Hero4 camera retails for approximately US$500, initial Jump buyers will likely have deep pockets.
The first videos created with Jump will appear on YouTube this summer, Google said at I/O. People will be able to experience them via the Google Cardboard viewer.
As of the next build to the Windows Insider program, Microsoft will require that participants associate their Microsoft Account — typically the same username and password combination for accessing company services such as Outlook.com, OneDrive and Skype — with the preview on their PC.
“You’ll need to connect the MSA [Microsoft Account] that you registered for the Windows Insider Program with (and accepted the ‘Microsoft Windows Insider Program Agreement’) in order to continue receiving new Windows 10 Insider Preview builds (both Fast and Slow rings) from Windows Update,” wrote Gabriel Aul, the engineering general manager for Microsoft’s operating system group who regularly blogs about the preview.
Most testers have already done so, but those that haven’t need to toe the line. “We’re introducing new infrastructure in Windows Update to help us deliver new builds more effectively to Windows Insiders, and ensure that we’re flighting builds to people who have registered and opted in to the program,” said Aul.
Part of that move is due to the impending release of Windows 10, another to the fact that Microsoft will — contrary to past practices with beta programs — continue Insider after the initial launch.
Insider will then become Windows 10′s fastest release “branch” — Microsoft’s label for the multiple update cadences it will offer users — and receive new features, functionality and UI (user interface) and UX (user experience) changes before those on other tracks. Within Insider, users can select from different “rings” — subsets that denote how rough-edged the builds are — as they will be able to do if updating on the other tempos, “Current Branch” and “Current Branch for Business.”
Aul also reiterated what he had said previously on Twitter, that Insider participants would receive the July 29 first stable release starting that day.
The competition for video viewers opens up a new front in the clash between the two web giants that already compete in other types of advertising given their appeal to young and international consumers, Ampere Analysis said in a study.
London-based Ampere predicts a new advertising “arms race” between the two rivals, neck and neck in terms of audience sizes with around 1.4 billion to 1.3 billion monthly active users, respectively for Facebook and YouTube. That means consumers are likely to be forced to see more ads, but also enjoy a richer range of video programming as a result, it said.
The Internet will overtake TV advertising in 12 key markets, representing 28 percent of global ad spending by 2017, separate research by media-buying firm Zenith Optimedia said on Monday. Ad spending is projected to reach $531 billion this year.
Online video is now growing faster than any other digital category or subcategory, rising 33 percent in 2014, and is forecast to grow 29 percent a year through 2017, Zenith said.
The two reports were released as the week-long Cannes Lions international advertising conference opens this week.
Ampere Analysis argues that Facebook is morphing from a platform most advertisers use for building general brand awareness to one that can deliver “pre-roll” advertisements that marketing companies prefer for ensuring their messages are actually viewed.
Currently, YouTube remains a more flexible marketing platform, offering advertisers the full range of video ads which run before, during or after a video program is shown.
“If the social network’s own video ambitions are to be realized, and if it is to convince content owners it is a viable alternative to YouTube, it must deliver comparable returns,” Ampere Research Director Richard Broughton said.
As part of the acquisition, announced Wednesday, Twitter will discontinue Whetlab’s beta service on July 15, and will no longer accept sign-ups for the product. Current users will be able to export their data from Whetlabs’s website in either tab-separated format or JSON.
It’s not clear how Twitter plans to use Whetlab’s technology to enhance its existing machine-learning plans. However, the startup’s tool seems useful for any company implementing machine-learning techniques. The technology, which was developed by researchers at Harvard, Toronto and Sherbrooke universities, takes in information about the problem a user wants to solve with machine learning. It then gives the user a series of suggestions to help them optimize a machine-learning model to solve the problem.
Users don’t have to send Whetlab their data, nor do they need to use a special machine-learning toolkit, according to the company’s product page. “You can run your code on your own private machines at whatever scale you want. What we do is help you use those resources optimally by telling you what you should try next,” the page reads.
The acquisition makes sense for Twitter, which is trying to offer users more customized experiences to improve adoption of its microblogging service. Machine learning is likely critical to those initiatives, and acquiring technology that makes the application of machine-learning technology easier could benefit Twitter’s in-house development process.
Advertisers’ videos and those uploaded to Twitter natively through its new video recording tool will play automatically on the company’s desktop site and in its iOS app, with Android functionality coming soon, the company announced.
The changes also apply to videos recorded with Twitter’s Vine app and GIFs.
Autoplaying videos, though possibly annoying, will help Twitter compete against Facebook, which started placing autoplaying videos, including those from advertisers, in users’ feeds in 2013. Twitter makes the bulk of its money through advertising, and more Internet companies are looking to siphon video advertising dollars away from traditional TV.
On Twitter, the videos will start playing without sound unless they’re tapped on.
Twitter users who don’t want autoplaying videos can change their settings to revert to the click-to-play format. Users can also change their settings so videos only play automatically when they’re connected to Wi-Fi.
Users will not see auto-playing videos if they have a low bandwidth connection on their device, Twitter said.
Twitter is using the same amount of viewing time as Facebook to define a video “view”: three seconds.
Twitter began testing auto-playing videos earlier this year.
Facebook announced that it has decided to build a new data center in Ireland, the social network said on Monday, becoming the latest technology giant to open an energy efficient center in Ireland’s recovering economy.
Facebook said it had applied for planning permission to build the center, which, after Sweden, is its second in Europe for housing computers that run cloud computing services, where users store data on secure servers instead of their own network or computer.
Ireland is fast becoming a cloud hub helped by its temperate climate and the presence of many of the biggest internet companies, which have been attracted by the country’s low corporate tax rate.
Apple Inc said in February that it would spend 1.7 billion euros on two new data centers in Ireland and Denmark, its largest investment in Europe.
Google and Microsoft also have opened Irish date centers in recent years.
Microsoft is currently fighting a legal battle with the U.S. government over its demand that the software company turn over customer data stored in its Irish data center.
The service, to be available in the form of an app as well as a website, will focus exclusively on gamers and gaming.
More than 25,000 games will each have their own page on the site, bringing videos and live streams about various titles together in a single space, Google said.
Users will be able to add games to their collection for quick access, subscribe to channels, and receive recommendations on new games based on the games and channels they follow.
“When you want something specific, you can search with confidence, knowing that typing “call” will show you “Call of Duty” and not “Call Me Maybe,” Google said in a blog post.
Amazon bought Twitch Interactive last year for $970 million, beating a rival bid from Google.
“We welcome new entrants into the growing list of competitors since gaming video is obviously a huge market that others have their eye on,” said Matthew DiPietro, Twitch’s vice president of marketing.
Twitch also tweeted a welcome message to its rival, saying, “@YouTubeGaming Welcome Player 2. Add me on Google +. #kappa”
“Kappa” is an emoticon used mostly by Twitch users to convey sarcasm.
YouTube Gaming will available on the web, mobiles and tablets on both Android and iOS operating systems, according to a tweet from its official account.
The service will launch this summer, starting in the United States and UK.
The plan drew attention from critics who, in blogs and on social media, questioned the prudence and legality of the new policy, which is slated to go into effect July 1. If the changes are adopted, PayPal would be able to make autodialed and prerecorded calls, and send text messages using any telephone number account holders have provided to PayPal or that the company has “otherwise obtained.”
PayPal says it may contact users for numerous reasons, which include troubleshooting account problems, resolving disputes and collecting debts. But the calls may also be made to advertise offers and promotions, or to conduct user surveys.
Federal Communications Commission rules state that unsolicited robocalls are only legal if a company has obtained written or oral consent from consumers. In a post on financial education and services site Credit.com, syndicated columnist, book author and self-described consumer advocate Bob Sullivan questioned whether a change in PayPal’s terms legally constitutes consent.
Plus, the policy, as it reads, provides no way for users to opt out, aside fromclosing their account.
Now a PayPal spokesman’s tone has changed. “Our policy is to honor customers’ requests to decline to receive auto-dialed or prerecorded calls,” he said.
The spokesman wouldn’t say how users would be able to opt out, or when. He said the company is planning to provide more details and address this issue in a blog post, although he couldn’t say when that will be published.
The new stance comes as PayPal prepares to split from parent company eBay, and establish itself as an independent publicly traded company.
Federal regulators are also preparing to vote on new rules that would make it easier for consumers to say no to telemarketing and robocalling.
Yahoo has been quietly axing shedloads of its services, claiming that its focus is on “search, communications and digital content” to cover a cull which is a bit like a Game of Thrones Wedding.
First to go was maps.yahoo.com (a.k.a. Yahoo Maps) at the end of June. Though maps will live on within Yahoo search and Flickr in some fashion.
Yahoo maps has been around for eight years, and probably did not get the same level of attention that Google or Microsoft managed.
Support for Yahoo Mail on the built-in Mail app on Apple devices running iOS older than Version 5 as of June 15 is also toast.
Yahoo Chief Architect Amotz Maimon said that if you use iOS 4 & earlier, you can continue to use Yahoo Mail on their Safari mobile browser at mail.yahoo.com.
Yahoo Pipes, a tool for building visually-enticing Web apps from feeds, pages and other services, will no longer by supported as of August. 30.
GeoPlanet and PlaceSpotter APIs are being retired. Media funtions which we never new existed such as Yahoo Music in France and Canada, will be axed.
Xobni email app it has acquired, along with the Yahoo toolbar on Chrome and the Yahoo People Search directory has gone the way of the dodo.
All these seem to be reasonably useful functions which most people didn’t know about because they were on Yahoo.
As of Oct. 1, apps will have to use SHA-2 certificate signatures rather than ones signed with SHA-1. Both are cryptographic algorithms that are used to create a hash of a digital certificate that can be mathematically verified.
Apps that use SHA-1 after October won’t work on Facebook anymore, wrote Adam Gross, a production engineer at the company, in a blog post.
“We recommend that developers check their applications, SDKs, or devices that connect to Facebook to ensure they support the SHA-2 standard,” Gross wrote.
SHA-1 has been considered weak for about a decade. Researchers have shown it is possible to create a forged digital certificate that carries the same SHA-1 hash as legitimate one.
The type of attack, called a hash collision, could trick a computer into thinking it is interacting with a legitimate digital certificate when it actually is a spoofed one with the same SHA-1 hash. Using such a certificate could allow an attacker to spy on the connection between a user and an application or website.
Microsoft, Google, Mozilla and other organizations have also moved away from SHA-1 and said they will warn users of websites that are using a connection that should not be trusted.
The Certificate and Browser Forum, which developers best practices for web security, has recommended in its Baseline Requirements that digital certificate issuers stop using SHA-1 as of Jan. 1.
Congress must pass a new wiretap law that requires social media websites and operators of other Internet communication tools to share customers’ communications with law enforcement agencies the same way that telecom carriers do, Michael Steinbach, assistant director of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division, said Wednesday.
Congress should use the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) as a model for new rules focused on Internet-based communications, Steinbach told the U.S. House of Representatives’ Homeland Security Committee. His comments build upon the FBI’s call in recent months to expand CALEA to Internet communications tools. Agency Director James Comey first called for a CALEA rewrite to cover encrypted mobile phone data last October.
CALEA requires telecom carriers and equipment vendors to build wiretap capabilities into their products or networks, and critics have accused the FBI of wanting Congress to mandate encryption backdoors in technology products. But the FBI isn’t asking for backdoors, Steinbach said.
“We’re not talking about large-scale surveillance techniques,” he said. “We’re not looking at going through a backdoor or being nefarious; we’re talking about going to the company and asking for their assistance.”
Instead, the FBI wants access to stored or ongoing Internet communications after it shows evidence of criminal or terrorist activity and gets a court order, he said. The FBI needs help from Congress and from communications providers to make that happen, Steinbach said.
“We understand privacy,” he said. “Privacy above all other things, including safety and freedom from terrorism, is not where we want to go.”
Google has enhanced privacy controls for users and launched a website that answers frequently asked questions in response to increasing concern over how the search giant collects and uses its massive amounts of data.
Users have been able to control certain privacy settings for months or years, such as whether to save web browser and location history, which is also used in targeted advertising.
But managing the controls is confusing and time consuming because the settings are in various places across the web that are not always easy to find.
Now users will be able to use My Account, which provides a privacy checkup and security checkup, or lists where people can check off which data they want to be public and private.
Google’s new website answers frequently asked questions, such as whether the company sells personal data and what information is given to advertisers.
“We knew that users find privacy and security really mysterious so we wanted to make it very approachable,” said Guemmy Kim, product manager for account controls and settings.
Data control has become increasingly important to users in recent years as more day-to-day activity has moved to the Internet.
In 2013, Edward Snowden leaked classified documents that showed the U.S. National Security Agency was engaging in mass collection of phone records, placing companies that have enormous amounts of data, such as Google, Facebook and Apple, under increasing scrutiny.
Only 9 percent of people in a recent Pew survey felt they had a “lot” of control over their data.
Google privacy updates comes on the heels of newly increased app permissions for Android, which were announced at its annual developer’s conference last week. The new system mirrors the app permissions on Apple’s iPhones, which do not allow apps to automatically access numerous types of data, such as location or phone contacts.


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Les Anonymous ont de nouvelles cibles dans leur viseur : les multinationales impliquées dans le commerce du coltan, un minerai rare utilisé dans la fabrication des téléphones et des ordinateurs portables. Une grande partie des réserves connues se trouvent en RDC au Nord et au Sud-Kivu. Des hackers se sont attaqués aux sites internet de […]
In the lead up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup’, Official FIFA Partner, Sony Corporation, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have launched a campaign to bolster efforts to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) a set of eight internationally-agreed goals designed to reduce poverty, hunger, disease, and maternal and child deaths by 2015. […]
The refrain of a popular children’s song –‘‘the morewe get together the happier we’ll be’’ – may sound like a simplistic formula for solving the complex challenges of climate change and sustainability. But if any area is ripe for collaboration, it’s ‘‘green’’ innovation. ‘‘We all want to save the planet, and the problems are bigger […]
Leading members of the corporate community have come together in a first-of-its-kind effort to help the environment, unleashing dozens of innovative, environmentally responsible patents to the public domain. Availability of these patents will encourage researchers, entrepreneurs and companies of all sizes in any industry to create, apply and further develop their consumer or industrial products, […]
After ranking dead last in a March Greenpeace electronics recycling report, Sony thought it might be a good idea to give consumers a free place to recycle Sony branded products. Starting September 15th US consumers will be able to bring their used Sony products to an eCycling center run by Waste Management. This is a […]
Despite growing concern for the environment, people aren’t prepared to pay more for green products, technology, media and telecoms executives told an industry summit this week. Ideas are multiplying for ways to save energy, increase recycling and use more environmentally friendly materials, but such measures could not be implemented fully unless consumers accepted at least […]
Lenovo has jumped to the number-one spot in Greenpeace International’s influential, if controversial, rankings for environmentally-friendly technology companies. The Chinese giant displaced Nokia in the third and latest Green Electronics Guide studying the policies and activities of 14 leading technology companies. The new rankings mark a sharp improvement by Lenovo over the first Greenpeace poll […]
Climate change is one of the most environmental problems facing the world today. Rising global temperatures will bring changes in weather patterns, rising sea levels and increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.


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According to data released by the Ministry of Finance on December 14, 2012, November year to date profit for State Owned Enterprises was 1.94 trillion yuan (US$310 billion), down seven percent compared to the same period last year.
The revenue for November year to date was 37.94 trillion yuan (USD$6.08 trillion), up 10.9 percent from the same period in 2011 and 11.8 percent from October. The industries that showed the largest increase in profit included electric power, tobacco, electronics, light industry, and the auto industry. The industries that showed the sharpest decrease in profits include the chemical industry, nonferrous metals, transportation, construction material, and mechanical areas.
Source: Xinhua, December 15, 2012


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To understand the gold rush underway, look no farther than the frenzied race to develop self driving cars. The going rate for a self driving car engineer is $10 million a person, according to an early leader of Google’s self driving car project. Tech and car companies, such as Uber and GM, have made pricey investments in young self driving car startups essentially very expensive acqui hires..
Why in 2014: Head up north next year to take advantage of Atlantic Canada’s always low prices and to see an UNESCO World Heritage Site on the cheap. Composed of four provinces New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Atlantic Canada is well known for its amazing seafood and rich history.
Even worse, it normalizes a practice that undermines confidence in the American political system. This is far from a pure hypothetical. Those claiming that Obama is being held to an unfair standard seem to forget how much Hillary Clinton choice to cash in on the Wall Street lecture circuit wholesale jerseys damaged voters trust in her ability to crack down on banks.
“You also pay a fee for services a la carte in the US so if you are worried about the pain of the childbirth and have an epidural, you’ll have to pay for it. If you ask for a painkiller after giving birth, you’ll have to pay for it. And all those costs rack up.”.
“I was nervous, not cheap jerseys gonna lie, coming here,” Pugh said. “I was intimidated. I wanted to prove myself, and I still think I need to prove myself. Being short cheap nfl jerseys on cash doesn mean you have to forgo healthy eating. It easy to pull together cheap and healthy meals if you plan carefully, cook for yourself and skip the takeout and convenience foods. While you may have to be a bit more careful about where you shop, there are plenty of inexpensive and healthy ingredients available at all grocery stores.
Something I will talk about outwardly, I think Bicentennial Park is important to CAPA and all the neighborhood cheap football jerseys councils (on the near West Side). Focusing on a specific issue, I think it would be development on the near West Side. I don’t want to use the word “beautification.” I think that is too cheap of a word. But in order for the city to move forward, there are a lot of basic things that need to be done to encourage businesses to move here and for people to live here. If you look at the far West Side Essington Road and Route 59 it’s great out there.
We offer:”I have been taking my Audi A4 to IVC since I bought it (4 years ago). They have always provided an excellent service. They don’t claim to be the cheapest; sometimes you have to pay a little extra to get a quality service and that is exactly what they deliver.


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Insider Buying: GMS Inc (GMS) Director Buys $37,580.00 in Stock
GMS Inc (NYSE:GMS) Director J David Smith purchased 1,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 13th. The stock was bought at an average price of $37.58 per share, for a total transaction of $37,580.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director now directly owns 2,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $75,160. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink.
GMS Inc (NYSE GMS) traded up $0.20 during trading on Monday, reaching $36.93. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 382,600 shares, compared to its average volume of 376,178. GMS Inc has a 12 month low of $27.14 and a 12 month high of $39.98. The company has a current ratio of 2.62, a quick ratio of 1.70 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06. The firm has a market capitalization of $1,515.27, a P/E ratio of 20.75, a P/E/G ratio of 2.65 and a beta of 3.20.
GMS (NYSE:GMS) last released its earnings results on Thursday, December 7th. The company reported $0.51 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.54 by ($0.03). GMS had a net margin of 2.26% and a return on equity of 14.24%. The business had revenue of $648.00 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $662.03 million. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.49 EPS. GMS’s revenue was up 9.5% compared to the same quarter last year. equities analysts anticipate that GMS Inc will post 1.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.
A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in GMS. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in GMS by 17.2% in the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 2,312,282 shares of the company’s stock worth $64,976,000 after buying an additional 339,051 shares during the last quarter. Citadel Advisors LLC raised its position in GMS by 3.2% during the second quarter. Citadel Advisors LLC now owns 1,199,845 shares of the company’s stock valued at $33,716,000 after purchasing an additional 37,668 shares in the last quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN raised its position in GMS by 43.4% during the second quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 960,661 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,994,000 after purchasing an additional 290,711 shares in the last quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company raised its position in GMS by 1,659.1% during the second quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 827,403 shares of the company’s stock valued at $23,250,000 after purchasing an additional 780,368 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Emerald Advisers Inc. PA raised its position in GMS by 0.4% during the third quarter. Emerald Advisers Inc. PA now owns 819,787 shares of the company’s stock valued at $29,020,000 after purchasing an additional 3,530 shares in the last quarter. 59.34% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
Several equities analysts have commented on GMS shares. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $46.00 price target on shares of GMS in a research note on Friday, December 8th. Zacks Investment Research raised GMS from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $38.00 price target for the company in a report on Wednesday, November 1st. SunTrust Banks reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $40.00 price target on shares of GMS in a report on Friday, November 10th. ValuEngine downgraded GMS from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, December 1st. Finally, Barclays set a $43.00 target price on GMS and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, December 8th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company. GMS currently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $39.63.
GMS Inc is a distributor of wallboard and suspended ceilings systems, or ceilings. The Company provides a product offering of over 20,000 stock keeping units (SKUs) of wallboard, ceilings and complementary interior construction products for interior contractors. It offers steel framing and ancillary products for its customers.
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Philips ready to light up market
Major US buyout funds including Blackstone were keen to buy the division (Rex Features)
Dutch electronics giant Philips is set to launch a £4bn stock market float of its lighting division after spurning bids from some of Wall Street’s biggest investors.
An announcement could come from Philips as soon as Tuesday, City sources said. The company is ditching lighting in order to focus on healthcare electronics.
The division attracted bids from some of America’s biggest buyout funds. Blackstone is said to have offered the highest price. London-listed Melrose expressed an early interest.
Sources said the Blackstone bid had failed to match Philips’s price hopes of roughly £4bn. The company’s share price fell after it said last week that a float was a “more likely outcome” than a sale.
The company is expected to rake in cash from the Amsterdam float before the end of summer. Eight banks, including Morgan Stanley and Société Générale, are advising


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On our daily market perspectives page, we have been discussing the mystery surrounding the lack of discussion on Amazon at public events involving MACOM Technology Solutions and Fabrinet. While there is not access to what was totally addressed at these conferences, as we go to publication of this article, it appears that both of the companies are ignoring the opportunity, and for whatever reason, the financial analysts at these meetings are not asking any questions on the matter. As a result, there remains only the notes of one investment firm, which was likely selected for being the most bullish on the optical space recently, as the only obvious source of the apparent agreement between the three companies. However, as we pointed out on our last blog post, even if Amazon were to change its mind in building its own 100G CWDM4 devices, the jolt of the possibility has already affected vendors in the space in a profound way.
Certainly, it is hardly out of character for Amazon to want to keep its networking plans as secretive as possible. Perhaps these analysts already know that neither MACOM nor Fabrinet executives will answer any inquiries involving Amazon.
Evidently, MACOM would have a lot riding on a deal with Amazon because of its dependence on optics for revenue growth. The big retailer, which is well-known for its frugality, will undoubtedly look to take even further advantage of the supplier on price with this knowledge. In fact, the vendor may be in for a rude awakening to whatever extent the company actually believes its contention that “the cloud operators are different in being preoccupied with optimizing revenue, while OEM customers as well as carriers are more about optimizing cost.”
The stakes are even higher for MACOM in the optical space for another reason. About a couple of months ago, we mentioned problems with delays at the company: “When Macom acquired Applied Micro Circuits, the former said it ‘intends to divest [the] non-strategic compute business within the first 100 days of closing. In hindsight, such a goal was probably optimistic, and there is apparently no detail on this sale, or any sign that it was successful in this endeavor.”
At that time, we also wrote: “It seems there is an interface problem between MACOM’s PAM4 DSP chip and any off -the-shelf driver chip. While we understand that the difficulty is not complicated, it will delay the adoption of this solution by about six months.”
Getting back to the combination of Fabrinet and MACOM, we disagree with one of the more prominent investment houses in the optical space that “employing a contract manufacture model, may be the most controversial source of competition.” There will be no question on “who is responsible for the engineering” – that will be Amazon.
As we have previously said, “Amazon has an excellent engineering team, and it is hard to believe that it would go ahead with this project without an excruciatingly, high-level vetting process, which would have resulted in rigid assurances of adequate quality of piece-parts and in a solid commitment by both MACOM and Fabrinet to come through on high-volume shipments.”
To follow us on our separate, daily company blog, please click here.
[written by Mark Lutkowitz]


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Following the price cut for the iPhone 4 last month, the upgraded 4S model’s price has now been revised by Apple. The smartphone is selling for Rs 31,500 and the new retail tag has gone into effect, albeit online outlets are yet to modify their listings.
The price mentioned for the iPhone 4S is for the 8GB model. The device was earlier listed at Rs 38,500, making it now available at a discount of Rs 7,000. The 32GB model isn’t listed online anymore, while the 16GB variant costs Rs 36,000. The iPhone 4 8GB base model is pegged at Rs 21,000, while the 16GB option comes for Rs 25,000. Apple couldn’t have picked a better time for a price cut on the 4S seeing as it’s the festive season.
The iPhone 5 hasn’t received such treatment as yet. With the 5S and 5C models official for India, we could see a drop in the retail tag for last year’s flagship early next month. So far, Reliance and Airtel have confirmed to offer both devices and we expect Vodafone as well as Aircel amongst others to do the same in the future.
The iPhone 5S will be available for a starting price of Rs 54,000 (16GB), while the 5C variant is tagged at Rs 42,000. Both offerings come with iOS 7 out of the box. In recent news, Apple is said to be adopting the store-within-a-store concept in India where it will have a space dedicated for its phones and tablets. The company is planning to have 100 such stores across the country.
The new iPhones go on sale starting November 1, 2013.


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A local company is hoping their video game Clandestine: Anomaly will define a new genre in the mobile gaming market – but first they need your help to raise $50,000.
ZenFri Inc., an indie start-up headquartered in Winnipeg, recently launched a campaign on Kickstarter to raise funds for production of their mobile game. Kickstarter allows people to raise funds to get their projects off the ground by developing a campaign and convincing strangers to donate.
Corey King, 27, is ZenFri’s chief executive artist. He describes Clandestine: Anomaly is the world’s first Emergent Reality Game. He says the science fiction game is a mash-up of several genres, including Alternate Reality, wherein the premise is the game is happening in real time and in a real place – where you live.
The game uses Augmented Reality – or AR – technology, which makes 3D computer graphics appear as though they are actually in the players’ own physical environments when viewed through a smart device.
“The AR means that when you look through your phone, you’ll see spaceships, and robots you can control and bug-like aliens, and they all look like they are really there,” King says.
That means the technology incorporates players’ communities into part of the game story – you may be fighting off an alien invasion in your local park.
“The game starts when your phone intercepts a distress signal from a crashing space ship that’s headed for your community,” King says. “They put alien software on your phone that transforms it into a device where you can see a new layer of reality, and command and control technology to protect against an alien invasion.”
ZenFri has built an all-new “Augmented Environments” technology that takes AR to a new level.
See a video of the game in action in a Winnipeg Park:
“It’s ultimately about playing a science fiction adventure game that feels real, because it really looks like there are aliens and spaceships fighting in the sky above where you live,” said King. “It makes for an intense experience – because you’re actually defending your own turf, but it means you can have a video-game type adventure in the real world, instead of on the couch.”
The Kickstarter campaign kicked off May 7 and raised over $2,000 in the first 12 hours. It was also chosen as a Kickstarter Staff Pick. The campaign aims to raise a minimum of $50,000; ZenFri hopes to raise more to get the first chapter of the game released within the next year. It will be available on iOS and Android.
ZenFri secured $250,000 from the Canadian Media Fund last year and has used it to develop the game’s story, concept art, and a working proof-of-concept “tech build” – something that shows they have the basic parts working, even if it isn’t a full chapter of the game.
The mobile gaming market is huge. In the U.S alone it’s worth $12 billion and has 100 million gamers.
You can watch a video of the game’s tech in action here.
The game’s key play elements are:
- Geolocative Augmented Reality – 3D game elements are placed in real-world locations. Players can go on real-world missions, collect “nanobots” scattered around their neighbourhood to build technology, or (in bad weather) send virtual probes from home.
- Customizing and building units – Players use their collected nanobots to build and customize arrays for defense and attack, and deploy them against attackers.
- “Tower Defense” gameplay – Players defend their own community from attack.
- Role Playing Game (RPG)-style play -Decisions the player makes and the way he or she plays the game affect outcomes later on.
The other aspect of the game is that it is story-based, which was important to King, who comes from an indie filmmaking background.
“It’s about using this tech to tell a story that you really feel that you’re a part of, that’s also truly mobile and part of your environment,” King says.
King started ZenFri Inc. with his wife, Danielle King, who is also an artist, in order to work on in multiple media.
For the Clandestine: Anomaly project, King has attracted top-notch talent and industry veterans from across Canada, including Jei Kohlenberg, Todd Bryanton (aka LilDeuceDeuce), Ryan FitzGerald, J.C. Hutchins, Tom Lepp, Dougald Lamont and Dwayne Rudy.


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5G is all about lightning-fast speed, for your phone and beyond. This next-generation wireless technology promises to make downloads and uploads ultrafast, but it’s also poised to open up new or better ways of doing everything from growing food to saving lives.
5G will take time to expand
For now, 5G’s benefits start with the phone. When it eventually replaces 4G, 5G data transfer will be between 10 and 100 times faster than today’s networks.


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Reaffirming its commitment towards small and independent businesses, METRO Cash & Carry India announces 5th edition of ‘Own Business Day’
METRO to help list kirana customers’ business on Google to enhance their business visibility & footfalls
Digital Solution for Kiranas: Providing ‘special’ offers for customers on METRO e-commerce app
Encourages employees to shop at neighborhood Kiranas to help boost their income
Independent & own businesses can register on https://www.metro.co.in/own-business-day-2020 or at nearby METRO wholesale stores
Bangalore, 24th September 2020: METRO Cash & Carry, India’s largest modern wholesaler and food specialist is introducing slew of digital solutions for small and medium businesses with its fifth edition of Own Business Day (OBD); a special day celebrated on second Tuesday of October every year (13th October). The registrations have already been opened for all independent ‘own businesses’ to participate. As part of the initiative, the company is helping small businesses & kiranas to list their business on google to augment their business visibility, revenue and footfalls. Apart from rolling out special offers for the kiranas to stay agile in the upcoming festive season, kiranas are also being incentivized for ordering on METRO’s e-commerce app, which also includes free delivery on select days.
This year, the celebration is also to laud the efforts of the resilient kiranas and small, medium businesses who have been fighting to sustain operations and combat the adverse effects of COVID-19 pandemic. To drive festive cheer, METRO is inviting participation from Kirana stores and other small and medium business owners across the country. Businesses can either register on https://www.metro.co.in/own-business-day-2020 or visit the nearest METRO wholesale stores.
In preparation of the upcoming festive season, METRO has partnered with its supplier partners to provide ‘special’ discounts to kiranas and small, medium businesses who can then choose to pass on the ‘special’ offers to their end customers. The entire initiative is aimed at driving more footfalls, enhance customer base and revenue stream for business owners, especially during the festivities. In addition to this, METRO is also encouraging its workforce to participate in the Own Business Day celebration by asking them support their favorite Kirana store that enriches their life every-day and gifting INR 1500 to each employee to shop at any Kirana stores registered with METRO.
Speaking about Own Business Day, Mr. Arvind Mediratta, MD & CEO, METRO Cash & Carry India said, “We have always been vocal about empowering small businesses and kiranas with digital solutions and have promoted technology enabled inclusive growth for them. COVID-19 crisis has led to dramatic shifts in consumer behavior, and own businesses today needs to be more forthcoming in embracing technology. Continuing our efforts to acknowledge and empower them, we have outlined a special program that would help in seamless adoption and execution of smart technology by these kiranas & independent businesses.”He further added, “Over the last 17 years in India, we have been part of several success stories of small and medium businesses, and seen them evolve. Covid-19 pandemic is posing as a major threat to the survival of small businesses & MSMEs who are struggling with low demand, liquidity crunch and a general sense of uncertainty. In these unprecedented times, it is important to praise and recognize the effort of these independent businesses. ‘Own Business Day’ is our endeavor to celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit of the country.”
The special day reiterates METRO’s mission of being ‘Champion for Independent Business’, and is part of METRO’s global campaign to celebrate & contribute to the growth of independent businesses and foster their business visibility to build a stronger network.
To highlight importance of ‘own businesses’ to the local economy and to create new opportunities for them; METRO Cash & Carry had launched Own Business Day (OBD) in 2015. OBD will be celebrated on 13th October (second Tuesday of October) as a tribute to business owners in all the countries where METRO operates. OBD offers business customers various tools and digital solutions to enhance businesses' visibility, particularly online, and garner more customer loyalty and footfalls.
About METRO Cash & Carry
METRO Cash & Carry is a leading international wholesale company with food and non-food assortments that specializes on serving the needs of hotels, restaurants and caterers (HoReCa) as well as independent traders. The company operates in 34 countries and employs more than 100,000 people worldwide. In financial year 2018/19, METRO generated sales of €27.1 billion. Around the world, METRO has some 16 million customers who can choose whether to shop in one of the large-format stores, order online and collect their purchases at the store or have them delivered. METRO in addition also supports the competitiveness of entrepreneurs and own businesses with digital solutions and thereby contributes to cultural diversity in retail and hospitality.
METRO Cash & Carry entered the Indian market in 2003. The company currently operates twenty-seven wholesale distribution centres under the brand METRO Wholesale including six in Bangalore, four in Hyderabad, two each in Mumbai and Delhi, and one each in Kolkata, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Zirakpur, Amritsar, Vijayawada, Ahmedabad, Surat, Indore, Lucknow, Meerut, Nasik and Ghaziabad.


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Terra Luna crashed from being among the top traded cryptocurrency to the depth of market dumps. Investors lost their investments worth millions of dollars. In contrast, Bitcoin is expected to fall to $8000. All this has made people wonder, are NFTs dead too? We got answers.
What Tells Us NFTs Dead? Is it the Truth?
NFT owners are wondering if NFTs are still worth picking up after the cryptocurrency market witnessed a drop in value following several incidents, like the fall of Terra (LUNA). NFTs, on the other hand, aren’t the only digital asset that has depreciated.
Therefore, isn’t it unjust to conclude that NFTs are dead?
NFT prices have come down as fewer people buy them. Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs now are half the price as they were in April when they started at $400,000. Other higher-priced collections have experienced similar decreases.
The entry fee for photorealistic Moonbirds has dropped from $110,000 to $45,000, while the fee for Reese Witherspoon’s World of Women has dropped from $34,000 to $10,000.
NFTs are plummeting like different cryptocurrencies (Terra, Bitcoin, ETH), compounding the problem. On Wednesday, bitcoin dipped below $28,000 for the first time after 2020, and ether fell near to $2,000, a far cry from its November high of $4,600. Web3 isn’t in a good mood currently.
However, as per stats, NFTs have been around for a while, but their popularity has only just begun to grow. This suggests that NFTs existed even before they traded for millions of dollars, and they will continue to exist after the present price drop.
On the other side, a future metaverse built by Bored Ape Yacht Club developers Yuga Labs encapsulates the fortunes of NFTs in many ways. Yuga Labs released NFT land deeds for
When the largest ever trading day occurred within the last two weeks, it’s difficult to conclude NFTs are dead.
What Makes NFTs Worthy of Trust? Top 2 Reasons
We can trust NFTs for multiple reasons. One of them is how international companies as diverse as Emirates, Visa, Mastercard, Square, PayPal, and others have embraced blockchain-based cryptocurrency as the future of corporate transactions.
This also included NFTs as a way of monetary exchange. All of the well-known brands strive to be the first to develop and plan for the long term of NFTs.
Another noteworthy factor here is how experts or analysts perceive NFTs. They’ve discovered that cryptocurrency is the ideal way to manage customer relations. They also believe that NFTs will play a significant role in the rise of travel, media, social, and commerce.
The other reasons to discuss are given below.
NFTs Boost Branding
Non-fungible tokens are, without question, a tried and true model of advertising for both organizations and individuals.
NFTs help foster healthier customer relationships with the brands by giving sufficient value to the customer base. As a result, brands would not want to miss out on the opportunity to preserve a dependable consumer relationship through NFTs.
Gary Vee’s NFT initiative, VeeFriends, has already demonstrated the enormous potential of NFTs. This product is built around well-known property rights, and it allowed Gary to build a 150k-strong discord group in just 6 months.
NFTs are Reforming Gaming
One of the main reasons NFTs are dead is mere hearsay is how metaverse gaming has boosted NFTs. There were hardly any games built atop distributed ledger technology than there are now using NFTs as a reward.
With better graphics and AR/VR technology mix, thousands of GameFi, Play-to-earn, and metaverse games are coming to the launch while hundreds of them are already on the list. This is huge.
These games work by paying the player with either the game’s native cryptocurrency token or a non-fungible token for taking the time to play and master the game (NFT).
NFTs can change the game business forever. It is now easy to generate revenue or gaming items while playing computer games with NFTs. This has given NFTs an edge over the declining crypto market. The potential to be a transition for NFTs.
Non-fungible tokens can now be used to make a full-time living for skilled players. This has the potential to change the game business. In the course of its operations, NFTs will attract more gamers, and as a result, game producers will benefit greatly from the rapid growth of their activities.
People loathe NFTs since they are generally detrimental to the environment. But, it’d be a deception to state that the NFTs are dead or the market is doing well. True, NFTs are in a state of flux. However, claims that NFTs are no longer relevant disregard a simple fact: the industry is in turmoil.
But, if you despise NFTs, you may be inclined to suggest stories of its doom.


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Heineken is rolling out a national Hispanic campaign in support of its new Heineken Premium Light Slim can. The campaign spans various platforms, including TV, radio, out of home, print and online.
The company is promoting the product with its traditional tagline “Descubre lo Delicioso” – (Discover the Delicious) – as well as a new one, “Amor a Primera Probada,” which translates to “Love at First try.”
The company is also featuring promotional material on its website, http://www.heinekenlight.com/espanol. Heineken’s agency of record is the Vidal Partnership.
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Many Americans never even heard of Starlink a couple of months ago. Now, discussion about it is everywhere and many consumers are eager to make the switch to this new Internet service.
What Is Starlink?
Starlink is a SpaceX brand and a project to deliver broadband internet to areas where it has traditionally been difficult to get. The initial focus is rural America, but the plan is to provide the service globally. In the past, the public perception of satellite internet has been negative, but that is largely because companies like HughesNet and Viasat have a small number of fixed-location satellites. Starlink, on the other hand, has thousands of satellites that actually orbit the Earth.
50% of Americans Are Ready to Make the Switch
The Starlink beta program has been a great success. It already encompasses more than 140,000 customers. With that success, there was little doubt that Starlink was going to be reasonably popular with rural Americans. It was not clear how popular it would be with Americans in general, but a recent consumer survey suggests that as many as 50% of Americans are ready to make the switch as soon as it is available, and there are five core reasons why this is.
1. Wide Availability
One reason is that Starlink will be available practically anywhere—at least in North America to start. That means that everyone has the option. That includes people who do not currently have access to broadband internet but also those who do but have faced high prices and poor service due to a lack of competition. There is also a great deal of flexibility inherent to the service Starlink provides. If you move, you can just take your satellite dish and internet service with you.
2. Faster Than Expected
Nobody was quite sure how fast Starlink would be initially, but it is already providing at least 100 Mbps, which meets the needs of the average American household. These speeds are possible because of lower latencies than were traditionally associated with satellite internet, and low latency itself also makes Starlink an attractive option. Furthermore, Elon Musk asserts that the speeds will continue to increase and will eventually challenger fiber, which is 1 Gbps or 1,000 Mbps.
3. More Affordable Than Expected
Starlink requires a one-time $499 equipment fee. The service costs $99 a month. While this may not be cheap enough to appeal to low-income rural Americans, it is rather attractive to the average American. Many of them are already paying that much and locked into an ongoing equipment fee. They also offer bundle packages that includes telephone and streaming services like Dish TV and more.
4. Positive Beta Reviews
Outside of Musk and the Starlink team, no one expected Starlink to be this successful this fast. But it is, and there have been beta users on web forums like Reddit gushing about it. It may not have been planned, but this is one of the best examples of word-of-mouth-advertising in a long time.
SpaceX has been very successful in its endeavors thus far, and that makes investors and consumers very bullish. When Musk says that speeds will increase and soon, people believe him because SpaceX is going to continue launching satellites. In fact, the FCC has recently approved about 2,800 more.
Do not doubt for a second that the cable companies have taken notice. Cable ISPs have long been able to operate without much competition, but that is about to change. As soon as Starlink leaves its beta period, expect cable ISPs to begin lowering their prices and increasing speeds and bandwidth.


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Mobials aims to generate credit-qualified leads through AutoVerify revamp
Mobials Inc. announced this week that it has revamped its AutoVerify product to answer common questions that might arise when consumers are doing vehicle research, and in the process of doing so, generate credit-qualified leads.
The user flow of AutoVerify has been retooled to answer the question of greatest interest to the shopper. For example, what their trade-in value or insurance options might be.
Then, the tool then guides the shopper towards a credit lead.
Mobials said 23% of credit leads that AutoVerify generated in its first year converted to sales.
“These numbers made one thing clear,” AutoVerify president Marty Meadows said in a news release. “A one-stop solution that encourages all users to complete a credit lead is a great way to maximize the number of these highly-converting leads for our dealers. So that’s what we built.”


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BlueConic raises $3M, brings HQ to Boston from Europe
Marketing software firm BlueConic on Thursday said it's raised a $3 million Series A round led by Sigma Prime Ventures and brought its corporate headquarters to Boston from the Netherlands.
The firm offers software-as-a-service that aims to help companies improve their customer engagement.
The funding for Boston-based Sigma Prime was led by partner John Simon, who said in a news release that "there is a huge hole in the market and a huge demand for this kind of a SaaS solution."
The company is answering a key question for CMOs and online marketers: "How can I better engage anonymous prospects and known customers across an ever-growing number of online channels?" Simon said.
BlueConic reports it has more than 70 customers, among them Volvo, ING and Pitney Bowes.
Founded in 2010 by CEO Bart Heilbron and CTO Martijn van Berkum, in the Netherlands, the company's corporate headquarters and executive team is now moving to Boston's Financial District. The firm employs 20 currently, and expects to add 15 in Boston by the end of the year.
The funding will be used to fuel BlueConic's expansion into the U.S. market, the firm said. BlueConic had previously raised $4 million in funding.
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Aug 10 FT China upgrades LGFV debt, Supply Chain Changes, Taiwan, Mask Diplomacy and more
MARKETs at 2:45pm
JAPAN closed reopens Tuesday
S KOREA Kosdaq opened flat and traded sideways initially before working higher currently +0.6% and the Kospi opened slightly lower but worked better through the day currently +1.5%.
TAIWAN opened flat and saw an initial rally and then has traded sideways currently +0.5%
CHINA opened but rallied into the Inflation and PPI data which were inline, prompting a little pull back but then continues to work higher; currently +1%
HONG KONG Opened -155pts and saw some initial margin call selling but rebounded on the inline China data and then has traded sideways. Saw an initial spike after lunch but now trending lower in choppy trading Currently -0.3%
EUROPE Expect markets to open higher, no data due but earning in focus and some +VE sentiment after Trump signed a new stimulus package which could trigger a deal between democrats and republicans.
US Futures opened slightly lower but trended higher along with S&P futures but NDX flat/lower
China Data was inline with forecasts
Inflation Jul +2.7% YoY vs +2.5% Jun (F/cast was +2.7%)
Inflation Jul +0.6% MoM vs -0.1% Jun (F/cast was +0.6%)
PPI Jul -2.4% YoY vs -3% Jun (F/cast was -2.4%)
Inflation the highest since April driven but rising food prices, especially pork. Non-food prices were flat. Falls seen in transport, rent, fuel and utilities
PPI sixth month of declines in PPI and the slowest in four months due to covid.
Cost of means of production fell less (-3.5% vs -4.2% in June) due to extraction (-7.1% vs -10.5%), raw materials (-6.9% vs -8.5%) and processing (-1.8% vs -2%). At the same time, consumer goods price inflation rose to 0.7% from 0.6% in June, with cost of food productions rising faster (3.7% vs 3.2%) while prices of clothing dropped more (-1.1% vs -0.8%). Meanwhile, cost of both daily use goods (-0.8% vs -0.3%) and consumer durables (-1.6% vs -1.8%) declined further.
Chinese rating agencies in record boost of local government vehicles Bond issuers are upgraded despite fiscal income declining and analysts warn of potential wave of defaults.
The article says that the Local Government Financing Vehicles have been upgraded on the basis of good performance at the end of 2019 with the impact of covid being discounted on the basis it was unclear what the long term impact on the economy would be. Saying they could downgrade later if they impact was more severe than they are currently expecting.
The stronger rating makes then more appealing for investors with a mandate to buy high grade securities and lowers the cost for local governments. They are a key part of the governments plan to restarting the Chinese economy with local infrastructure projects; so many think the upgrades are more political than fundamental.
It highlights how China along with many other nations id seeking to draw in fund to kick start their economies while the real impact of covid remains a big unknown.
How close is China’s economy to a full recovery? Looks at todays CPI number which was in-line with forecasts and showed that inflation was being pushed higher by rising food prices especially pork as bouts of ASF continue to hit herds in China.
The next key data point for many will be Friday’s Retail Sales number with the expectation that it will rise for the first time in six months but some worry it could continue to fall in part due to the recent heavy floods in China. I also think that Chinese consumers are still cautious about spending due to the unknowns associated with covid, not least job security and hence I think the unemployment data due this week will also be important. Should the retail sales number miss then that might mean the government comes under pressure to increase stimulus. I think they will remain conservative on stimulus.
Global threats spark rethink on company supply chains looks at the new report from McKinsey Global Institute (MGI). Forecasts that 25% of global product sourcing could switch to new countries in the nest 5 years; with a big impact on profits. It notes 'Cost considerations and government pressures to become more self-reliant could see more than half of pharmaceutical and clothing production move to new countries’
Covid has been a significant factor but notes some pressure had been building for a while. A large part of that the US/China tariff dispute but it also mentioned cyber attacks and climate risks from heatwaves to hurricanes.
Interesting statistic they reckon 'companies can on average expect a disruption lasting more than a month to hit them every 3.7 years, costing more than 40 per cent of a year’s profits every decade.’
Meaning that you can invest in resilience and still be profitable.
The report follows the BCG consultancy report with similar headline findings.
Whilst some caution against a rapid reversal of globalisation; as many will find it difficult to find alternatives to Chinese suppliers as well as being reluctant to lose access to the Chinese market.
Read also Garment workers in Asia lose $6bn wages. Notes how many fashion workers started having their pay stopped back in February when covid prompted a lockdown in China which hampered the flow of textiles, zippers, buttons and other accessories. It then got worse when the pandemic hit Europe and US in March prompting refusals to take orders or demands for heavy discounts. Just shows how even simple supply chains can be disrupted.
Opinion The great global trade unwinding. Notes how TikTok is now part of the US/China de-coupling story. It mentions how some users took to TikTok to undermine a Trump rally but doesn't comment on whether that added to the case against it in the US.
It does reference the new McKinsey Global Institute report about supply chains changing. It suggests that part of that was the pendulum having swung too far in favour of concentrated supply chains, especially low-value ones in Asia which were efficient but not resilient to natural disasters or politics. Notes how China and India produce the bulk of global pharmaceutical ingredients. Cites the MGI report which found '180 key tradable products for which a single country accounts for more than 70 per cent of exports. Concentration is highest in mobile and communications equipment, one of the most politically contentious areas right now. It is also common in lower profile industries such as textiles and apparel.’
The point is that we live in a world with two super powers who have very different political and economic systems. They are both producers and consumers. The Chinese are in the ascendancy as wages rise but those rising wages could also mean the production of lower value goods moves to other countries. China has also ringfenced areas it considers important like tech and its assertion for made in China was partly the trigger for the current standoff with the US and others. The rise of Chinese consumers has also seen a rise in domestic brands popularity. As the US makes it difficult for Chinese sellers they look to other markets like Europe. The point is that as the MCI report says “as a new multipolar world takes shape, we are seeing more trade disputes, higher tariffs, and broader geopolitical uncertainty. The share of global trade conducted with countries ranked in the bottom half of the world for political stability, as assessed by the World Bank, rose from 16 per cent in 2000 to 29 per cent in 2018. Just as telling, almost 80 per cent of trade involves nations with declining political stability scores.”
It thinks the shift in trade will reshape economics and politics. Notes that in the US both parties 'support public intervention in private markets in strategic areas including semiconductors. In China, supply chains that once churned out cheap clothes and assembled devices to sell to richer consumers in the west are now increasingly serving domestic markets.’ The last point is interesting because China has certainly been trying to develop its domestic consumption markets with some success but all too ofter locally made products do not have the reliability of foreign ones still. That is an area that China is going to have to concentrate on if it wants to change the landscape.
US official’s Taiwan trip widens rift with China US Sec of Health visiting the Taiwan the highest ranked official since 1979. In some ways good for Taiwan but in doing so it increases the threat from China.
The article notes
‘Under commitments made to Beijing as part of its switch in diplomatic relations from Taiwan to the People’s Republic of China 41 years ago, Washington has long avoided any semblance of official ties in its dealings with Taipei. It has a set of internal rules stipulating that communication between government officials must go through the AIT, that Taiwan’s government must be referred to only as “authorities” and that administration officials must not meet representatives of Taiwan in US government offices.’
But that was 41 years ago and many are realising that the situation has dramatically changed since 1979. Trump and his administration have increasingly ignored previous protocols.
Adding to the current pressure will be the funeral arrangements for Taiwan’s former leader Lee Teng-hui. Again China is likely to be upset depending on the attendees, especially from the US and whether the event is acknowledged internationally.
US catches chill from Beijing ‘mask diplomacy’ in push for post-pandemic Latin America trade. Looks at how Beijing is making a big push with support for Latin American countries except for those that have criticised China over the pandemic like Brazil did and Paraguay which has diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The question will be how much real business it generates for China post covid and whether the countries can afford to repay the costs involved as most of those countries were already under pressure.
Pressure builds Inflation threat looms as money supply rockets in US economy. The latest Morgan Stanley report thinks the US’s aggressive monetary and fiscal moves may trigger inflation that the Fed then struggles to control. That could have a significant impact on equities.
Nice quote from Milton Friedman’s dictum that “inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon”
Notes that the growth in M2 to reduce the impact of covid has been significant and that deflation likely in the short term but a “greater likelihood for inflationary pressures to build”. The report notes that in 2008 inflation failed to materialise but that this time the fact that the response has been fiscal and monetary and with much of the money going direct to individuals the chances of inflation have risen. Banks are in better shape which is good.
For equities it tends to be positive as earnings rise with higher prices and fixed income is less attractive. But it notes that currently the markets are pushing deflationary winners and so inflation would lead to another re-organisation of portfolios.
S Korea retail investors hit by Brazil fiasco. Another hiccup for S Korea investors, they were caught in the EFT’s linked to crude oil and now Brazilian government bonds which have tanked due to the weakness in the currency.
It once again highlights concerns over exotic products being sold to investors who do not fully understand the risk associated with them. In this case many investors failed to hedge the currency risk and are now suffering.
Many are saying that the regulator should be doing more to shield investors from risky products but at present the Financial Supervisory Service is saying “These are direct investments by individual investors. They should be responsible for the investment losses incurred by market volatility.”
It will be interesting to see if public opinion rises enough to change that attitude.
FTfm Top 10 institutional investors fuel market volatility, study finds. Looks at how the large funds (BlackRock, Vanguard, State Street, Fidelity and Capital Group) are increasing volatility and adding mispricing. Notes the top 10 funds own more than 25% of the US stock market. Their strategies are more correlated than those of smaller funds and therefore have more impact. It notes this is less about index funds and more about their other offerings. It may increase the calls for more regulation which would mean lower profit for investors.
Building a global intelligence network. An interview with Takehiko Kakiuchi, chief executive, Mitsubishi Corporation. The pandemic has not changed the 65-year-old’s faith in the supreme value of information.
There are no easy answers for investors in the low-return era by John Plender. Notes that Eriuc Knight of Knight Vinke is saying that reinvestment risk is increasingly destructive as today investments cannot be replaced by equally good ones tomorrow. I think that is questionable. But his point is that insect a situation investing in very long term assets should be more profitable and hence the attraction of real assets like property. He also like restructuring conglomerates to crystallise value when subsidiaries productivity has started to fall.
Fed likely to leave retirees broke after crisis by John Dizard
An interesting read. Nice quotes From David Rosenberg of Rosenberg Research who says: “As the boomers head into retirement age, what do they need? Income. What has this Fed strategy done? It has stripped the markets of income and forced investors into growth stocks. Those are long duration stocks. Retirees don’t need duration. They need cash flow.”
From 'Jim Grant, editor of Grant’s Interest Rate Observer, gives some thought to the inflation experienced by the near-retiree: “I wonder if our monetary masters realise that they have created a rip-roaring inflation in the cost of retirement. The lower the interest rate, the greater the principal required. At a 5 per cent yield, a $1m nest egg delivered $50,000 a year. You need a fivefold larger egg to produce that at 1 per cent.’
His points that with the US population not replacing itself, there will not be the workers to pay into the pension system; so you’ll have to keep working for longer.


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Bernard Arnault, chairman of French luxury goods giant LVMH (LVMHF), just became the first European to top Bloomberg’s list of the richest people in the world, relegating Elon Musk to second place.
Now worth $171 billion, Arnault’s wealth eclipsed the Tesla CEO’s $164 billion fortune on Tuesday, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Arnault had already ousted Musk from the top spot on Forbes’ list of “real-time billionaires” last week.
Musk’s net worth has plunged $107 billion this year, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Arnault’s wealth, which comes from his controlling stake in LVMH, took a more modest $7 billion decline.
The divergence is partly due to the stock performance of the companies in which the pair own shares. Musk’s purchase of Twitter (TWTR) didn’t help either. However, he is not in imminent risk of falling further down the list: his fortune remains vastly superior to that of Indian industrialist Gautam Adani ($125 billion) and Amazon (AMZN) founder Jeff Bezos ($116 billion), which rank third and fourth on Bloomberg’s list.
While Tesla’s (TSLA) share price has tumbled 54% this year, LVMH’s shares have held steady, supported by robust selling in the US and Europe. The luxury market has remained relatively stable this year, even as rising inflation has led underserved shoppers to change their spending habits. LVMH has a market value of €362.4 billion ($386 billion).
Born in Roubaix, northern France, in 1949, Arnault is a graduate of the prestigious École Polytechnique, an engineering school in Paris. He began his career in the family building firm, Ferret-Savinel, becoming its president in 1978 after successive promotions.
Six years later, he learned that the French government was looking for a new investor to take over Boussac Saint-Freres. The bankrupt textile group owned a key asset: Christian Dior, a famous French fashion house.
Arnault acquires control of the group, bringing it back to profitability and launching a development strategy for the world’s leading company in the luxury goods sector. “Meanwhile, he reinvigorated Christian Dior as the cornerstone of the new organization,” according to a biography on the LVMH website.
Arnault bought a controlling stake in LVMH in 1989, two years after the group was formed from the merger of Louis Vuitton and Moët Hennessy. Since then he has been president and CEO of the company.
While his name may not be instantly recognizable to many, the brands Arnault helped grow – from Christian Dior to Dom Pérignon – have become household names.
Over the past three decades, Arnault has transformed LVMH into a luxury goods powerhouse with 75 labels selling wines, spirits, fashion, leather goods, perfumes, cosmetics, watches, jewelry, luxury travel and hotel stays. He opened the first Louis Vuitton store in China in Beijing in 1992.
In January 2021, the group completed the $15.8 billion acquisition of iconic US jeweler Tiffany & Co, the largest-ever acquisition by the luxury industry.
Arnault’s philanthropic efforts are pursued primarily through LVMH, which focuses its advocacy on arts and culture. In 2019, the group donated 200 million euros ($212 million) to help rebuild Notre Dame after a huge fire ravaged the Paris cathedral.
Arnault has long held the title of Europe’s richest person, but the 73-year-old maintains a much lower profile than Musk and isn’t personally active on any major social media platform. In October, he told the LVMH-owned Radio Classique that he sold his private jet because he was Twitter-shamed for his frequent use of the plane.
Arnault is married with five children, all of whom currently work at LVMH or one of its brands, according to Bloomberg.