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It's no secret that Valentine's Day means big business.
It's no secret that Valentine's Day means big business. According to numbers calculated by the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association in 2013, annual spending in the U.S. is about $13.19 billion. A whopping 34.6 percent of that is routed to restaurants for a romantic night out, narrowly edging out flowers and behind only candy and cards.
Respected dining guide Zagat compiled survey data in 2012 showing that 44 percent of couples intended to eat out, with average anticipated expenses budgeted at $147 per table. And – listen up, gents – only 11 percent planned on going Dutch.
For area eateries, the holiday is typically one of the toughest dates to land a reservation.
"It's our busiest day of the year and has been for as long as I can remember," said Riverboat Landing Restaurant & Bar owner Steve Kohlstedt.
His establishment, which will be celebrating its 30th anniversary later this year, is extra-desirable thanks to second and third floor seating overlooking the Cape Fear River and historic Water and Market streets.
"I have nine balcony tables and 117 people who want them," he said.
That number crept up to 125 just an hour later. His advice? Stretch out the holiday.
Riverboat Landing typically runs a Valentine's special for a day or two before and after the big day, and those tables are much easier to book. Kohlstedt said, with the holiday landing on a Friday this year, the restaurant will likely run the 12-item menu featuring romantic classics like filet mignon and a showy fish presentation Thursday through Sunday.
Ultimately, it's all about the chocolate.
"It's usually the desserts people are into that day," Kohlstedt said, and the menu doesn't disappoint.
Kohlstedt noted that food service industry employees particularly appreciate the extended celebration. Nearly all available hands are on deck during Valentine's Day, and very few get a chance to spend the evening with loved ones.
Fortunately, after three decades in business, Kohlstedt won't have any trouble assembling a well-honed team to serve what he estimates to be somewhat shy of 300 patrons that night.
If you do manage to snag balcony seats, you'll be in storied company. Kohlstedt has lost track of the number of wedding proposals made in past Valentine's Days, guessing an average of two or three every year. He cited one pair of customers who became engaged at the restaurant in 1985. Twenty-four years later, the son of that couple came back to propose to his own bride-to-be.
No matter how you choose to celebrate, it probably isn't a bad idea to keep another statistic in mind. If a gift of some sort fails to arrive, 53 percent of women say that would be grounds for terminating the relationship. Just be careful what you wish for – an estimated 11,000 children are conceived on Valentine's Day each year.
Contact Paul Stephen at 343-2041 or Paul.Stephen@StarNewsOnline.com. Find him on Twitter @pauljstephen, or drop a note at the Port City Foodies' Facebook page.


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Hostess And Union To Negotiate
Hostess Brands Inc, its lenders and the unions representing its striking workers, agreed to start mediation hearings on Tuesday at the urging of a U.S. bankruptcy court judge. A hearing on Monday during which the bankrupt maker of Twinkies snack cakes and Wonder Bread was set to ask for permission to liquidate was quickly adjourned until Wednesday after the judge urged the parties to mediate in private.The new talks begin tomorrow. Maybe all those eBay postings were for naught. Twitter wags are already claiming that the "gone forever" claim was just a bargaining trick.

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Tesla's Supercharger network - currently exclusive for its cars - will be made available to rival electric vehicles later this year, says Elon Musk
- Musk tweeted that Tesla is 'making our Supercharger network open to other EVs later this year'
- Access to the devices has - until now - been exclusively reserved for Tesla cars
- Tesla has over 25,000 Superchargers globally and more than 600 in the UK
- The network is the highest rated in Zap-Map's most recent satisfaction survey
Tesla will open its network of superchargers to other electric vehicles later this year, Elon Musk has declared on Twitter.
Exact details on when the US car firm will make its charging stations available to other manufacturers hasn't yet been confirmed - and there has been no clarification about which countries will benefit from the new arrangement first.
The electric-car maker's fast charging network comprises of over 25,000 superchargers globally.
The US manufacturer confirmed in March that it has over 600 in the UK, with more than 100 being installed since last summer when it celebrated its 500th supercharge in Britain in June 2020.
Tesla Superchargers open to all: Elon Musk said in a tweet on Tuesday that the brand's network of rapid chargers will be open to all EV drivers from the end of the year
'We're making our Supercharger network open to other EVs later this year,' Musk said on Tuesday.
He later responded to another tweet confirming that, over time, Tesla's charging network will be available to other electric vehicles in all countries.
We created our own connector, as there was no standard back then & Tesla was only maker of long range electric cars.— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 20, 2021
It’s one fairly slim connector for both low & high power charging.
That said, we’re making our Supercharger network open to other EVs later this year.
The Supercharger network is the highest rated among electric car drivers, according to the latest Zap-Map satisfaction survey.
Tesla's network topped the ratings of 16 service providers, achieving an overall score of 4.8 out of five in the poll of 1,500 EV owners.
Access to the devices has - until now - been exclusively reserved for Tesla cars only, with the company controlling access in its older vehicles by engineering its own charging connector.
However, since 2018 the US brand has switched to more conventional Type 2 and CCS charging sockets that would be compatible with other EV models.
It has retained exclusivity for Telsa customers via a software limitation, though this could be disabled before the end of the year, as suggested by Musk's recent tweet.
This has given Musk's brand a significant edge over rivals, which have been forced to form alliances or invest in startups for networks as they rush new electric vehicle entrants to market.
Currently, Tesla has just over 6,000 Superchargers across Europe, with 624 across the UK and Ireland, based on the latest count up in March.
If the network would be made available across vehicle brands, it would ultimately provide access to one of the faster-charging services available right now.
When connected to a Supercharger, the latest Tesla Model S Plaid can add 200 miles of range in 15 minutes.
Access to the devices has - until now - been exclusively reserved for Tesla cars only, with the company controlling access in its older vehicles by engineering its own charging connector
Since 2018, the US brand has switched to more conventional Type 2 and CCS charging sockets that would be compatible with other EV models. Non-Tesla customers will need the company's app to access the network and be charged for the amount of electricity they consume in each plug-in session and the speed at which they charge their cars
While models from other brands might not have the compatibility to charge at such high speeds, the devices will still offer shorter plug-in periods than drivers can find elsewhere.
Currently, Tesla owners are charged based on the amount of electricity they consume in each charging session and the speed at which they charge their cars.
Once a session is complete, the bill amount is automatically updated on their personal Tesla accounts.
Musk said in during Telsa's quarterly financial conference that non-Tesla drivers would need to download the app to access the chargers - and admitted that slower charging older EVs pay more for the service due to the longer charging periods.
Best and worst public charging networks ranked
Zap-Map, the UK's leading electric vehicle mapping service, in February revealed the results of its annual network satisfaction study, surveying 1,500 plug-in car owners about their experience using 16 different suppliers.
The research found that Tesla had retained its top spot as the country's most appreciated EV charging provider, described by one driver as 'the standard all networks should aspire to'.
In second place overall, and the top place for multi-brand networks, is InstaVolt, which retains its second spot for the third year running while Osprey (formerly Engenie) posted the best improvement in performance since the 2019 results to be ranked third overall, scoring highly for reliability and ease of use.
At the opposite end of the scale, Ecotricity was the worst rated.
It recently controlled the entire Electric Highway network of devices at motorway service stations, though earlier this year was bought out by Gridserve - the firm that's setting up over 100 dedicated charging stations across the UK.
Dr Ben Lane, co-founder and chief technical officer at Zap-Map, said earlier this year: 'This year's network rankings should focus the minds of all EV charging providers.
'As the survey demonstrates, EV drivers are very clear about the factors that make for a good charging experience, with reliability and ease of use being key priorities.
'A new generation of drivers want to arrive at a charge point and be confident that it will be simple to use and a trouble-free experience.
'They are quick to pick up that different networks offer varying levels of service, and will actively visit networks that provide a reliable and easy-to-use experience.'
He added: 'The Zap-Map user rankings also highlight which networks urgently need to improve their charging services.
'As the EV market moves from early adopters to the mass market, EV drivers just want to be able to charge without any fuss.
'Poor-performing networks will need to take a long, hard look at the quality of the services they offer if they want to retain their customers as the EV market grows apace.'


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They've Driven A Ford Lately
You would think the world's most successful Ford dealer might be in, say, Detroit or Los Angeles. Think again. Last year, New York Motors, on a commercial strip in southwest Moscow, sold more Fords than any other dealership in the world. All told, salesmen in the crowded showroom moved 10,060 vehicles, helping Ford (F) race past rivals Hyundai, Toyota (TM), and Chevrolet to become the top-selling auto nameplate in Russia. "This record has pleased and amazed everyone," says Andrey Pavlovich, general director of New York Motors. "Last year was a boom year."
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Tesla will begin charging 15 yuan per hour at its 1,300 charging stations across China. The charging service will also be open to non-Tesla electric cars.
CarTek, a manufacturer of auto filters and brake discs, recently posted a photo on its public account revealing that a Tesla charging station in Beijing has imposed the service charges, Leiphone reports.
According to the notice visible in the photo, the fee includes 10 yuan for utilities and a five-yuan service fee. “Our charging service is open to electric cars from any other brands,” the last line reads.
It is reported that charge targets vehicles from third parties. Tesla’s Superchargers are permanently free to all Tesla car owners.
As for destination chargers, some are free while other station owners charge a fee. A Tesla customer service representative said that if car owners find destination chargers that are over-charging, Tesla will help to adjust the prices.
By far, Tesla has already established in China some 200 Superchargers and some 1,300 destination chargers, making itself the automobile brand with the most intensive charging network. The network includes Beijing-Shanghai Line, Beijing, Tianjin, the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta, where single charging is available.
Tesla has not yet confirmed information from the notice shown in the photo.
By Joyce Ng
[Images via Leiphone]


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A poem of gratitude.
Thank you to our generous in-kind donors.
This Nasty Virus, by an ARK client
During “Good Day Chicago” […]
Food pantries are seeing an enormous increase in clients.
The ARK and other community health centers are facing hard choices as the coronavirus pandemic and social distancing take their toll
Read about the challenges facing The ARK and other food pantries and social services during the COVID crisis
Learn more about changes to SNAP benefits.
The story starts back in 1965, when I was 14 years of age. I was an impressionable teenager
West Rogers Park has seen many changes it has been Thirty years since The ARK first opened its doors.
There are several areas where businesses have the opportunity to […]
A college summer intern realizes the impact of her work at The ARK.
Help The ARK provide food and toiletries for over 2,000 families by shopping for these needed items.
When Stefan came to America from Romania four years ago, he got a green card and found work as a handyman. Things were looking up, until...
From Skokie to Highland Park, there are a growing number of families struggling to make ends meet.


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Down by 20 per cent
The global GPU market has fallen by 20 per cent over the last year.
Super GPU for home builders
Just when you thought that AMD was having a bit of a snooze until Zen appeared to save its bacon, it has announced that the A10-7890K processor chip,has shattered some records for integrated graphics.
Chinese GPU maker expands into foreign markets
Colorful, which is currently the largest graphics card vendor in the China, is about to spread its wings.
Nicolas Thibieroz announces GPUOpen
AMD’s top gaming guy Nicolas Thibieroz is starting to open up GPU technology to make sure the technology evolves.
And only at the high end
While AMD fanboys expect Zen to arrive and cause Intel to immediately surrender its stonking market lead, it seems that it will not be saving the company’s bacon until next year.
Powered by Pascal
Nvidia is applying all that it knows about deep learning to enable autonomous vehicles.
Integrated graphics have nearly caught up
Chipzilla claims that casual or mainstream gamers no longer need a discrete graphics card, because integrated graphics have nearly caught up.
Sooner than expected
While AMD recently announced its fourth generation GCN architecture, known as Polaris, at the CES 2016, it was keeping quiet on a launch date.
Strong performance in 2015 due to gaming segment
According to a latest report from MKM Partners, Nvidia's target stock price should rise due to an increase in gameing segment revenue.


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Tumblr has signed a deal with analytics company DataSift to provide insight to advertisers on what consumers are saying on the site.
Starting on Monday, DataSift will have access to Tumblr's data in real-time. The company's deal with Tumblr also includes access to historical data. According to DataSift, the company will be able to see what people are saying about organizations through its collection of Tumblr data. The company attempts to help advertisers with their social marketing campaigns by providing such insight. DataSift has a similar partnership in place with Facebook and Twitter.
The move could be an important one for Yahoo, which acquired Tumblr earlier this year for $1.1 billion. At that price, investors are expecting Yahoo to generate more revenue through Tumblr, and the best way for the company to do that is through ads. Tumblr ostensibly hopes that by sharing its data with advertisers, it can attract more marketing dollars to its service.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.


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Tell us your story.
Lord Barnett, the former Labour cabinet minister and author of the Barnett formula, has died aged 91. The formula Lord Barnett devised has become a hot button issue in British politics, particularly in the wake of the Scottish independence referendum. Barnett created the system as a temporary solution to arguments in the cabinet about the [...]
Taxi app company Uber took a fresh hit today after a court in the Netherlands ruled that the San Francisco startup's UberPop service is now banned because of licensing issues. The Trade and Industry Appeals Tribunal in The Hague decided UberPop drivers could be whacked with fines of €10,000 (£7,800) if they violate the rule, [...]
London Mayor Boris Johnson has fired a broadside at Ukip's Nigel Farage for blaming his tardiness on immigrants. Farage was due to address the party's first Welsh conference in Port Talbot this weekend but was held up by traffic on the M4. The senior Tory lambasted Farage's excuses as "feeble" and one of the "poorest" [...]
While the initial excitement surrounding Thomas Piketty's treatise Capital in the 21st Century may have subsided, its impact endures – and now one of the most renowned free-market economists has sought to reignite the debate. After receiving a wave of adulation, the book came under withering assault for its use of statistics, data and methodology. [...]
The majority of mortgage borrowers could cope if interest rates rose two percentage points, the Bank of England said today. According to the Bank's quarterly bulletin, which looked at the results of the annual NMG Consulting survey of household finances, if interest rates rose from their historic low of 0.5 per cent to 2.5 per [...]
Hacker group Lizard Squad has claimed responsibility for an attack on Sony's PlayStation network that left some unable to log into the service. The company said its working to fix the problem and greets visitors the site with the message "page not found! It's not you. It's the internet's fault". Sony suffered another attack last [...]
An anti-trust lawsuit brought against tech giant Apple could soon fall apart thanks to last-minute objections raised by the company's lawyers. The case is to decide whether Apple misused its position in the digital music market between 2006 and March 2009. Apple used software that meant only music bought from iTunes could be played the [...]
US venture capitalist Tim Draper was won 2,000 Bitcoins worth $750,000 in a bid auction held by the US Marshals Service. The Bitcoins were part of a haul of 50,000 that were seized after the shutdown of online drugs marketplace Silk Road last year. The Bitcoins were taken from wallet files that belonged to the [...]
The good time are back for finance giant Morgan Stanley which has announced it will doling out more its bonuses to employees upfront thanks to the company's healthy condition. The move aligns Morgan Stanley with many of its competitors and will raise its fourth quarter compensation by around $1.2bn. The investment bank said that 50 [...]
As Brits are being urged to get out onto the high street to mark Small Business Saturday new research shows consumers aren't too impressed with the pace of change in the country's small shops. Only six per cent of the public think local shops are sufficiently equipped for an era of online retail and more [...]
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In desperate need to fix a young girl's heart, a team of cardiovascular surgeons at Miami Children's Hospital tap 3D-printing to help make the operation a success.
Gone is the patronizing pink twaddle as Lego releases an ad that celebrates the relationship between girls, their mothers and their imaginations.
Six years after starting her offbeat Internet-based talk show, Draper this week winds up on the big -- well, bigger -- screen on a couple of Bay Area TV stations.
The annual Girl Scout cookies frenzy is finally entering the modern age as the national organization approves online and app-enabled cookie sales.
Mattel says a Barbie book that suggests girls can't handle computer code doesn't reflect its brand vision. That won't stop the uproar surrounding the title, which is still available to buy.
A new initiative aims to teach women how to create apps and launch their own startups, with the aim to reach one million people by 2025.
Letters from young fans of comic star fashion model-cum-amateur sleuth Toni Gayle from the 1940s are both endearing and fascinating.
To avoid the pain of another Singles Day, a Chinese programmer reportedly organizes an elaborate Apple-centric proposal. Her answer is no.
This charming fan-made trailer recasts famous scenes from "Ghostbusters" with toy cars, homemade ghosts and girls lip-syncing Bill Murray's funniest dialogue.
Disparity Games co-director Nicole Stark spoke with us about the real message beneath the pizza and martial arts toppings.


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PM Modi launches nation-wide ‘Fit India’ Movement
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that fit and healthy nation is the call of New India. Launching a nation-wide ‘Fit India’ Movement on the occasion of National Sports Day in New Delhi today, Mr Modi said, fitness is not just a word but a necessary condition of healthy and prosperous life.
He said, fitness has been an integral part of life in India but over time, people have become indifferent to fitness. He said the physical activity has been reduced with the advent of technology.
Stressing the need to make fitness a mass movement, Mr Modi said, lifestyle diseases are happening due to lifestyle disorders and it can be cured by changing lifestyle.
He said many lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension are increasing in India and small lifestyle changes can prevent these diseases. He asserted that the Fit India Movement is to inspire the country for these changes.
The Prime Minister urged the people to lead the Fit India campaign saying the initiative is the need of the hour and will take the country towards a healthier future. He said, people of the country will carry forward this campaign and will take it to the height of success.
He said the relationship of success and fitness is also interlinked and most of the successful people are fit.
Remembering Hockey Wizard Major Dhyanchand whose birth anniversary is celebrated as National Sports Day, Mr. Modi said, today is the day to congratulate India’s young players, who are constantly giving new glory to the tricolor at the world stage.
He said, be it Badminton, Tennis, Athletics, Boxing, Wrestling or other sports, Indian players are giving new wings to country’s expectations and aspirations.


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What is in this article?:
- NRN Social 200: Brands go beyond 'dads, grads' in June
- Giveaways are here to stay
NRN looks at the social media trends that spurred the biggest movement in the NRN Social 200 index during the month of June.
Giveaways are here to stay
(Continued from page 1)
Quick-service chain Panda Express was among the top five biggest weekly gainers in the NRN Social 200 three out of the four weeks measured in June, with most of its engagement derived from Facebook. Panda’s most popular Facebook post for the month advertised its systemwide Orange Chicken giveaway set for June 21, earning more than 20,000 likes, nearly 6,000 shares and nearly 950 comments.
Ninety Nine Restaurant and Pub improved upon its lower base index score in the second half of June with a giveaway of its own — albeit in a less formal style on Facebook. Rather than advertise an official named giveaway, Ninety Nine asked in a June 18 post, “Tell us what your favorite entrée is, and we will randomly pick one of the responses to win a Ninety Nine gift card!”
The chain’s index score increased 15.9 percent and 12 percent, respectively, in the third and fourth weeks of June.
Offering a second box of doughnuts for 76 cents with one full-price purchase is almost like giving away its signature product, but Krispy Kreme Doughnuts’ June 13 promotion exemplified another marketing tactic that drove social engagement: the brand anniversary.
To celebrate its 76th anniversary, Krispy Kreme created a Facebook event for the offer on the 13th and promoted the day with several posts showing old photos of its doughnut shops through the years. The brand’s index score rose 18.2 percent over the second week of June.
Marie Callender’s 65th anniversary contest also made use of vintage photos to drive engagement in the sweepstakes, including photos of chain founder Marie Callender and a black-and-white picture of the Quonset hut where she started selling pies in 1948.
Similarly, A&W All-American Food shared vintage magazine advertisements and photos of its restaurants to celebrate its 94th birthday on its Facebook page and its Twitter account, which serves as the personal handle for its fictional mascot, Rooty. The quick-service chain’s index score increased 12.3 percent and 7.6 percent, respectively, the third and fourth weeks of June.
Contact Mark Brandau at firstname.lastname@example.org.
Follow him on Twitter: @Mark_from_NRN


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The new owner of Britain’s Game and Gamestation stores has reaffirmed its belief that high street games retailing has a future.
The UK assets of Game Group – which last week shut down 277 shops – were yesterday sold to Baker Acquisitions, a business set up by the investment partnership OpCapita, which last year bought Comet for £1.
“There is a huge amount to do but we look forward to the challenge of restoring Game’s fortunes in partnership with its employees and suppliers,” said OpCapita managing partner Henry Jackson. “We strongly believe there is a place on the high street for a video gaming specialist.”
Baker said it had no plans to close any of the remaining 333 Game and Gamestation stores, which between them employ 3,200 staff. It plans to rehire a handful of head office workers made redundant last week.
Game Group filed for voluntary administration two weeks ago following a poor sale performance during 2011 and increased pressure from online retailers and the supermarkets. Publishers including Activision and Nintendo had stopped supplying the business after refusing to accept new credit terms.
OpCapita said it had assembled a team on industry operators to make the necessary changes to the business.


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Tillberg Design of Sweden are pleased to announce that the company once again be working on Titanic II. Blue Star Line Chairman Clive Palmer, said TDoS was the perfect choice to bring the grand vision of Titanic II to life.
“We are very fortunate to be collaborating once again with the exceptional cruise-ship design firm Tillberg Design of Sweden, who were one of our inaugural partners when plans for Titanic II were first announced in 2012,’’ Mr Palmer said.
The Titanic II will be a faithful reproduction of the original vessel with replicated restaurants, dining rooms, interiors and cabin layouts.
Passengers will be treated to the authentic Titanic experience while benefiting from the integration of modern safety procedures, navigation methods and 21st century technology to produce the highest level of luxurious comfort.
Fredrik Johansson, Owner & Executive Project Director of Tillberg Design said “We are delighted by Blue Star Line’s continued vote of confidence in Tillberg Design of Sweden, and we are very excited by the prospect to bring the development of the design of the Titanic II to a successful completion’’.
Titanic II will follow the original journey of its iconic namesake, carrying passengers from Southampton to New York. The ship will also circumnavigate the globe, inspiring and enchanting people while attracting unrivalled attention, intrigue and mystery in every port she visits!
Please send questions regarding Titanic II project to TDoS at email@example.com


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Online gambling firm 888 fell into the red in the first half of the year after $50.8m (£39.3m) of provisions relating to a record fine for failing to protect vulnerable customers and a potential tax bill in Germany.
The company swung to a pre-tax loss of $17.3m in the six months to 30 June, from a pre-tax profit of $27.8m in the same period a year earlier, as a result of the charges.
888 was publicly shamed last week by the industry regulator, the Gambling Commission, which fined the company a record £7.8m for “outrageous” failings. The watchdog found that more than 7,000 people who had voluntarily banned themselves from gambling were still able to access their accounts.
One customer was allowed to make 850,000 bets worth £1.3m in one year, using money stolen from their employer, highlighting what the Gambling Commission found to be “serious flaws” in 888’s efforts to protect consumers from harm.
The company said it was making a first-half provision of $5.5m relating to the fine.
The remainder of the first-half charge – $45.3m – relates to money set aside by 888 for a potential VAT bill in Germany for business in the country before 2015. The company said it was taking a cautious approach by setting aside the sum and is still in discussions with German tax authorities.
The chief executive, Itai Frieberger, said revenue at the gambling firm increased by 3% in the first half of the year, to $270.1m, bolstered by growth in its core casino business, fast-growing demand for 888 Sport and a good performance in poker.
He added: “While the industry will continue to face regulatory headwinds in the second half of the year, trading in the third quarter has started well and in line with the board’s expectations. Underpinned by this momentum as well as the proven strengths of the group’s business model the board remains confident that 888 will achieve further progress and deliver its expectations for the full year.”
888’s revenue from the UK fell to 39% of the total in the first half, from 46% a year ago, after growth in markets such as Spain and Italy.
The firm said costs would increase because of increased regulation in the UK.
“Further regulation, such as the expansion of gaming duty on casino, poker and bingo free bets in the UK taking effect in the second half of 2017, will increase the cost base for operators in the UK. At the same time, enhanced regulation in the UK around areas such as television advertising and bonuses will impact overall UK market growth.”


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J.C. Penney is changing its pricing — again.
Just six months after the mid-priced department store chain got rid of the hundreds of sales it offered each year in favor of everyday lower pricing, it is reversing course.
Penney on Feb. 1 began using a three-tier pricing approach that called for consistently lower daily prices, monthlong sales and periodic discounts on merchandise throughout the year.
But starting Aug. 1, Penney will eliminate one of the monthly sales and bring back the word “clearance.” Penney also plans to tweak its advertising to better communicate the pricing plan to customers.
The moves come at a time when shoppers — and investors — have voiced confusion over Penney’s pricing strategy, which was spearheaded by CEO Ron Johnson when he took the helm in November. In May, Penney’s stock plunged nearly 20 percent, its biggest decline in four decades, after the retailer posted a larger-than-expected quarterly loss and a 20 percent drop in revenue on poor reception from shoppers for its pricing strategy.
The latest change also calls into question how patient Main Street and Wall Street will be with Johnson, a longtime retail executive who has been lauded as the mastermind behind the success of Apple’s retail stores and Target’s cheap-chic strategy. Penney’s pricing plan is presenting a challenge for Johnson because it turned out to be a tough sale to shoppers who came to expect deep discounts and to investors who look for Penney to turn around its business quickly.
Brian Sozzi, chief equities analyst for research firm NBG Productions, said since Johnson’s strategy is long-term, investors likely will give him at least until 2013 to prove himself.
“With a visionary type of strategy like this, you have to take a lot of painful medicine upfront,” he said, adding that Johnson “is essentially trying to change the consumer mindset.”
Johnson, who asked investors to be patient during a meeting with them in May, said he’s confident that the pricing strategy will work. Johnson has acknowledged that Penney has a long way to go to convince shoppers that they don’t have to wait for sales to get low prices at Penney. He said this week that Penney’s first-quarter sales drop is “the price we’re paying to get integrity back.”
“We thought simplifying 590 unique sale events into three types of pricing would be easier, but it turns out ... customers and others found the pricing a little confusing,” he said. “Now we’re going from 590 to 3 to 1: The first price is the right price.”
•Under the new system, Penney is keeping “Every Day” low prices that are consistently 40 percent lower than regular prices before the company eliminated sales. That level of pricing has accounted for about 70 percent of sales since the company began the new strategy, Penney said
•It also will keep its periodic discounting events, which make up 15 percent of sales, but increase their frequency to every Friday. The company will also change their name from “Best Price” to “Clearance.”
•Penney will get rid of “Month Long” deals, which account for 15 percent of sales.
Johnson said the new approach should make the pricing plan easier for customers to understand.
“We thought: ‘Why are we trying to teach customers new language to shop?’ ” he said. “We’re just trying to be straightforward.”
To go along with the new pricing, the company will tweak its ads. That will include inserts in newspapers every Friday during the back-to-school season that will highlight specific products like jeans. A TV ad will tout free haircuts that the stores will offer students during the back-to-school season.
J.C. Penney reports second-quarter results Aug. 10.


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Wednesday, June 20, 2018 - American Shipper Article
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Recent prices of steel and aluminum increased in excess of Section 232 tariffs that started in March, and the Commerce Department is investigating whether companies are using the tariffs as justification to ultimately boost profits, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said during a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Wednesday.
“What has been happening — and it’s a very unsatisfactory thing — there has been a lot of speculative activity,” Ross said. “Storing inventory, withholding product from the market, by various intermediary parties. So the price of steel, and for awhile the price of aluminum, went up far more than is justified by the tariffs, and so we’re starting an investigation into that, trying to find out whether there are people who illegitimately are profiteering out of the tariffs. There’s no reason for a tariff to increase the price of steel by far more than the percentage of the tariff.”
Commerce in March started assessing global tariffs of 25 percent on steel imports and of 10 percent on aluminum imports, which expanded to the EU, Canada and Mexico on June 1, after the U.S. government lifted temporary country exemptions.
The fact that there have been some price increases on steel products “clearly is not a result of the tariff; it’s clearly a result of antisocial behavior by participants in the industry,” Ross said.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, asked Ross when previously inactive domestic steel production facilities could come back online, adding that increased steel capacity could have downward pressure on prices in the U.S.
Ross added that “it should be fairly quick” for those facilities to come back online, after U.S. Steel announced a few months ago the first production restart — of 1 million tons — and subsequently announced a second restart to produce 1.5 million tons.
“It’s coming,” he said. “Exactly what month it will come, I don’t know. But right around the edge of the year, that problem should be pretty well-addressed by most of these new restarts of facilities.”
Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, asked Ross why his department isn’t granting exclusions for products from countries subject to Section 232 quotas.
Ross noted that the presidential tariff proclamations don’t authorize the Commerce Department to grant such exclusions, but that Commerce is taking into consideration a request made for exclusions from quotas that have already been exceeded or shortly will be exceeded.
South Korea, Argentina and Brazil are subject to straightforward quotas and no tariffs.
“The problem is that a number of countries rammed in a huge amount of product prior to the president’s decisions, and therefore, have put in much more than they had in the prior year,” he said. “So there’s an intellectual challenge as to whether or not to reward those countries that were trying to game the system.”


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As of Wednesday, February 11th, many smartphone owners in the United States will be able to ask their mobile carriers to unlock their phones—for free. Previously, mobile device users have had to pay extra—sometimes a lot extra—in order to get their hands on unlocked phones. Back when Apple first launched the iPhone, for instance, the company’s exclusivity agreement to AT&T made unlocked versions of the device hot commodities.
Since then, carriers have been willing to sell unlocked smartphones, but usually at a price tag of around $700. In comparison, most buyers in recent years have paid between $100 and $200 for new smartphones, a price that the mobile carriers were will to subsidize because they were selling phones bundled with a two-year service contract.
A New Set of Rules
Now, though, everything is about to change. A new code passed down by the Cellular Telephone Industries Association has stipulated that, as of February 11th, all mobile carriers must unlock their customers’ phones, for free, upon request. The one caveat is that users will only be eligible to request an unlock once the terms of their two-year contract have expired. At that point, customers will theoretically be able to unlock their devices and use them on different carriers.
Most major mobile carriers have agreed to comply with the CTIA’s new code. These include AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile. The code also requires the carriers to let their customers know when a phone is up for unlocking.
Fairness and Freedom
From the looks of it, the new CTIA code strikes a good balance between fairness for the carriers and new freedom for the customers.
The mobile carriers will still be able to lock in business with two-year contracts. This system has served companies like AT&T and Sprint well over the years, as Apple, Samsung, and other device manufacturers have continued to innovate and flood the market with exciting new smartphone models. Since many customers are ready to upgrade to a shiny and new smartphone model after a year or two, the two-year contract model has been ideal for mobile carriers, consistently driving network usage.
However, customers that don’t want to buy a new device every two years have generally been out of luck at the end of their contract period. Of course, they could continue using the same phone and mobile carrier outside of a contract, but they had virtually no option to switch to a new carrier without purchasing a new phone. It’s a system that has made it difficult for customers to explore mobile network possibilities without making a multi-year agreement.
With the new nationwide unlocking movement, customers will have new levels of freedom when it comes to choosing the right mobile carrier. The change could also help curb the two-year phone cycle that many Americans seem to follow. And if more people are willing to hold onto their phones for longer periods of time, perhaps that would in turn push device developers to up their game and find new ways to encourage purchases. Whatever happens, it’s tough to see a scenario where the new CTIA rules will impact customers negatively.


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- On September 15, 2014, the New York Attorney General filed a suit against Actavis alleging that the company was planning to discontinue sales of Namenda (memantine), for treatment of Alzheimer's disease, in order to force patients to switch to a newer XR version. An injunction was issued.
- A final decision to either remove or retain the injunction is expected from the court by February 16.
- Actavis president and CEO Brent Saunders has suggested that if the injunction stands, it could reduce sales in the Namenda franchise by as much as 15% in 2016.
In 2014, Namenda generated roughly $1.5 billion in sales—sales that Actavis would like to protect. However, patent expiry is imminent in many markets starting this year, as is an anticipated onslaught of generic competitors. The heart of the issue for those who are attempting to prevent discontinuation of brand-name Namenda is that "product-hopping" or forced switches are unfair to patients. In fact, 40% of patients have already switched to Namenda XR and eventually many more will gain access to generic memantine.


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Ford has confirmed that it is going ahead with the planned closure of its engines production factory in Bridgend, Wales, next September.
The company has started a consultation process for the closure, blaming “significant underutilisation” of the plant for the decision.
"Creating a strong and sustainable Ford business in Europe requires us to make some difficult decisions, including the need to scale our global engine manufacturing footprint to best serve our future vehicle portfolio,” said Ford of Europe president Stuart Rowley in a statement.
"Changing customer demand and cost disadvantages, plus an absence of additional engine models for Bridgend going forward make the plant economically unsustainable in the years ahead," said Rowley referring to the end of a supply contract to Jaguar Land Rover in 2020.
JLR will be producing engines in-house at its Wolverhampton facility as of next year.
According to Reuters, Ford’s Bridgend plant in Wales built around 20% of the UK’s 2.7 million automotive engines last year.
Ford manufactures over a million engines at its two UK locations in Bridgend and Dagenham in eastern England.
According to Rowley, slowing demand for petrol engines and a shift towards hybrid models were deciding factors for the closure.
Ford announced in December last year that it was working on a restructuring plan for Europe called Sprint to 6 Reset and Redesign.
The company is also closing down plants in France, Germany and Russia as part of its pan-European restructuring.


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Port Gets $5 Million Grant To Provide Offices For Small Businesses
The Chelan Douglas Port Authority is getting a nearly $5 million federal grant to develop a "trades district" at the Pangborn Airport Business Park.
Port commissioners have signed off on a required covenant on the property to access the grant from the Economic Development Administration, also know as the EDA.
Port CEO Jim Kuntz says the covenant serves as a guarantee for the agency.
"This gives EDA the protection that a board in five years won't sell the property or start selling buildings and doing things going off in a different direction because they want their $4.9 million back," said Kuntz.
The 8-acre site includes 25 pods in varying stages of construction that were abandoned by the failed crypto currency company Giga Watt.
The buildings will be repurposed to house small businesses. The 25 buildings will contain nearly 31,000 square feet of potential business space.
The Port hired Design West Architects to create a plan to redevelop the site to serve small businesses that need reasonably priced production space. This would include start-up businesses and existing small businesses needing to expand.
The Port thinks the pods could assist with the growth of underserved, Latino owned or young startup businesses through an incubator program.
Target tenants would include:
- Workshop spaces (metal shop/woodworking/cabinet shops etc.)
- Specialty trade spaces (HVAC/electrical/plumbing/ contractor shops)
- Production shops (bakery/microbrew/wineries)
- Limited retail (coffee shop/art studio/food trucks)
The Port has secured funding, at the federal and state level, to complete Phase 1 of this project which includes building out 12 pods.
The project is currently at the schematic design level.
The intention is to build-out each structure as a self-contained space suitable for a variety of business needs. Buildings will range from 1,590 square feet to 2,304 square feet.
The design of the project is scheduled to be completed by June. Construction is scheduled to begin in September with completion by the summer of next year.
The Port is using a covenant to secure the federal grant because it would otherwise be required to provide a mortgage or lien, which the Port does not have the authority to do.


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Hong Kong S.A.R., 16th Jun 2023, King NewsWire – The recent lawsuits against Coinbase and Binance by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have sent shockwaves through the cryptocurrency market.
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Tunisian actress, Hend Sabry launched her first fashion brand, "Second Chance". The label was established in the UAE with the collaboration of fashion designer Rym Turki.
Sabry teased the brand last January, saying: "I’ve been granted so many second chances in my life that I’m so grateful for. I’m working on something that's so close to my heart and I can’t wait to share it with you on the 22nd of January. In the meantime, go follow @secondchanceonline,"
The 43-year-old star took to Instagram to celebrate the launch of her fashion line.
"When @rym.tu and I first thought about #SecondChance, we wanted to empower women in the Arab World by bringing them fashion that is made for ladies with strong personalities who want to flaunt their colors, own their identity and culture, are unapologetically themselves, and are effortlessly elegant and want to feel good in their own skin without bothering with extra bling, and that's how the label was born," Sabry said in a statement on Monday.
The Tunisian actress used the name Second Chance for her project in season one of Netflix's series “Finding Ola”.
Sabry, born on November 20, 1979n is one of the most prominent actresses in the Arab world, with several successes under her belt across a career of more than 50 works in cinema, television, and radio.
Several of her movies achieved massive commercial success, including "Blue Elephant 2" and "Kira and El Gin", both of which broke Egyptian box office records. She also received much critical acclaim for her performances, winning more than 30 awards so far, including five for her performance in the film "Asma" (2011), in which she embodied a woman suffering from AIDS and its associated societal stigma.
Sabry has been known to seek out roles in which she sheds light on critical social issues, especially with regard to women, cooperating with international organizations such as the United Nations Food Program whenever possible.
Furthermore, she won the Medal of Arts and Literature from the French Ministry of Culture and works as an ambassador for a number of international brands through her company Salam Production.


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Each wave of supply shock to hit the global economy during the pandemic seems to produce a different scapegoat.
First came the shipping container shortage of late 2020, caused largely by American consumers stocking up on everything from backyard games to home-office equipment.
In 2021, companies overordered parts and products to avoid running out, while a series of freak accidents – like the blocking of the Suez Canal – helped shake the global economy close to paralysis.
The first half of this year brought the additional uncertainty of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s strict Covid lockdowns. With the second half of 2022 just underway, there may yet be another culprit for supply stress – labor unrest.
That’s because after years of stagnating wages, workers want to get paid. They’re tired of seeing their incomes evaporate as inflation surges, especially those in logistics or other front-line industries that kept economies functioning during the pandemic.
Labor is still getting sick in the literal sense and needing to take time off to recover. Ports in northern Europe are among the world’s most congested partly because of Covid outbreaks and sporadic cases of labor stoppages. Ship bottlenecks are widening from Antwerp, Belgium, to Hamburg, Germany, as clogged inland rail and trucking networks fail to keep pace with the flow of cargo.
Even the threat of a major port strike can cause congestion. Part of the reason is tied to importers rerouting cargo from Asia to avoid any potential labor unrest at the nation’s busiest trade gateways in Los Angeles. The contract for West Coast dockworkers and their employers expired last Friday, and talks are continuing.
Perhaps the most visible signs of worker discontent appears at airports in the US and Europe, where the passenger carriers are canceling thousands of flights because of shortages of grounds crews, flight attendants and pilots. The return of a healthy summer travel season was supposed to hasten the shift back to normal, but the recovery is hitting some turbulence.
That instability may ripple to the market for air cargo, which tightened considerably over the past two years because so many grounded flights cut capacity in the cargo holds below the passenger cabins. As the Drewry Air Freight index shows, rates have come down some from their peaks, but they’re still more than double pre-pandemic levels. Next thing to watch: how air-freight rates fare when Europe’s temporary rules allowing goods to ride in vacant passenger cabins expire later this month.
Plus, any strike on the US West Coast could boost demand to move goods by plane and send air cargo rates skyward again.
Delays and bottlenecks paralyze 10% of container market capacity
Wage negotiations for German port workers postponed


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CNBC’s Daryl Guppy Cautions Viewers For a Bitcoin Correction
Daryl Guppy, a technical analyst, recently cautioned his readers to “watch out for a correction in Bitcoin after a parabolic rise.” The statement was made after witnessing bitcoin increase at an astonishingly fast rate over the last several weeks, capturing the attention of traders and mainstream media alike.
The article goes on to talk about the trend, which can be defined using a segment of an ellipse. It further explains that once the trend has been set, it starts slow but picks up very quickly, with the charts almost going vertical.
As the saying goes, “what comes up must go down,” and the price will eventually come back, with CNBC saying at a “rapid retracement of 50 percent or more.”
It doesn’t take a technical analyst to realize this, but many first time buyers came in this wave, and the reminder to keep a cool head when the things get tough is a good reminder, as it is very easy to get caught up with the continuous green candles that is a cryptocurrency bull market.
Guppy argues cryptocurrencies are fiat currency in its truest sense, as it solely relies on investors confidence for its values. Since no sovereign state backs the currency, with some even questioning its legitimacy as a currency altogether, Guppy claims that these only make “cryptocurrencies suitable for short-term trading with exceptionally good risk management.”
Despite the recent Bitcoin contracts on the CME and CBOE, Guppy states that since the contracts can only be settled in USD, it shows how little confidence traders have in the currency itself. While Futures may legitimate and regulate trading activity, it does not regulate the underlying currency itself.
Guppy’s predictions seem to be true, with bitcoin below $17,000 and down 10.5 percent at time of writing. Many other cryptocurrencies are following suit, with a few outliers. Bitcoin cash is up 50 percent and broke $3,000 for the first time since the fork off the main network, as well as several other cryptocurrencies such as IOTA, EOS, and Bitcoin Gold.
Bitcoin typically has a history of picking itself up rather quickly, but after a bull run like this, price trends may fall into a slight recession, before picking steam backup. Either way, bitcoin still has had a spectacular year, with several other cryptocurrencies increasing in similar magnitude as well.


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The Bank of England’s governor, Mark Carney, has said that the ‘Brexit effect’ is starting to take hold as we see a slowdown consumer spending. Many economists and financial experts have been warning since the June 23rd referendum that the slowdown was possible, even inevitable, as the economic climate shifts to one of uncertainty.
Essentially, the slow growth in consumer spending is showing that UK households are refusing to buy what they perceive as unnecessary items, preferring to focus their spending on necessary everyday items like food and petrol; the basics we need to get by.
Adding further pain is a recent report that showed that consumer lending was also down, and with fewer people applying for credit at a time of economic uncertainty, and with banks finding themselves lending to commercial, rather than personal, customers, there’s less money floating about the economy.
And it’s Carney’s belief that this slowdown in consumer spending can be blamed on the UK’s decision to leave the European Union. His statement followed the Bank of England’s release of the Quarterly Inflation Report, where he told gathered reporters that:
‘For some time, the responses of financial markets and households to the UK’s decision to leave the EU have diverged. In its February projections, the MPC expected that this tension between consumer strength and relative financial market pessimism would be reduced over the course of this year. That process has now begun. With wage growth moderating and inflation picking up, both household spending and GDP growth have slowed markedly.’
This comes, despite the fact that wages are not currently maintaining pace with rising inflation (wage growth sits at 2.2% to 2.3% inflation), which ultimately means we’re getting paid less while prices rise.
No wonder, then, that UK households are being forced to tighten their budgetary belts and being financially prevented from spending out on ‘luxury items’. However, while the decrease in spending has now begun ‘in earnest’ – it’s not just a blip in the financial forecasts – Carney was also keen to allay fears over a prolonged slowdown, saying:
‘The factors currently weighing on wage growth are unlikely to persist, and it [the MPC] projects that wages will rise significantly as the output gap narrows throughout the forecast period and closes by the end.’
Tellingly, the Bank of England also cut its growth forecast for the year from 2% in February to 1.9% in May, reporting that:
‘The Committee judges that consumption growth will be slower in the near term than previously anticipated before recovering in the latter part of the forecast period as real income picks up.’
But while the consequences of Brexit and its full effect on the economy are still unknown, it’s not all bad news for growth, with the Bank of England revising its forecast for 2018 from 1.6% to 1.7%; they also project growth to be at 1.8% in 2019.
However, that’s going to feel like small beer for the squeezed budgets of households across the country right now.


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British Airways is facing a record fine of £183 million, after its systems were breached by hackers last year and the personal and payment card information of around 500,000 customers were stolen.
Read more about what you need to know in my article on the Tripwire State of Security blog.
A deeper investigation has revealed that hackers were stealing information for much longer than initially thought, and an additional 185,000 British Airways customer payment cards were compromised.
Malicious script is being blamed for the British Airways hack, Trend Micro’s apps are booted out of the Mac App Store for snaffling private data, and Paul Manafort’s daughter wants Twitter to remove a link.
All this and more is discussed in the latest edition of the award-winning “Smashing Security” podcast by computer security veterans Graham Cluley and Carole Theriault, joined this week by David Emm of Kaspersky Lab.
Within hours of British Airways admitting that it had suffered a serious security breach, with hackers accessing customer data and the full details of 380,000 payment cards, a British law firm announced that it was launching a £500m group action against the airline.
Hackers have stolen the personal and payment card information of hundreds of thousands of British Airways passengers from its website.
Big companies like British Airways have a variety of safety nets in place. Should one system fail, then it should be easy to switch over to another.
So how did things go so badly wrong?
In this latest edition of the “Smashing Security” podcast, the team are joined by John Hawes to discuss bare naked blackmail, the British Airways IT catastrophe, and Facebook fines.
Check it out, and subscribe to the show on iTunes!
Thousands of Facebook users have liked a fake British Airways promotion, and shared the post, in the hope of winning a non-existent prize.
A scammy Facebook page has tricked thousands of social networkers into liking a bogus page, in the belief that they could receive free flights on British Airways for a year.
Members of British Airways Executive Club are reporting that their accounts appear to have been hacked, and emptied of their Avios reward points.
If you have received an unexpected email, claiming to come from British Airways, about an upcoming flight that you haven’t booked – please be on your guard.
Find out more, by reading my article on the We Live Security blog.
Criminals are spamming out a malware via email, posing as an e-ticket from British Airways.
Be on your guard – or risk ending up with an infected computer.


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Last week, seven SPAC deals were announced, and here’s a look back at the week that was dedicated to these PSPCs, along with some rumors and headlines, all covered by Benzinga’s “SPAC Attack”.
SIGNA Sports United announced a PSPC agreement with Yucaipa Acquisition Company (NYSE: YAC) in a deal valuing the company at $ 3.2 billion.
SIGNA is a leading company in sports e-commerce. As part of the merger, the company will acquire WiggleCRC, the world’s second largest online bicycle retailer. The combined company will serve more than 7 million active customers, more than 1,000 partner brands and a global base of more than 15 million users.
The four categories of SIGNA are cycling, tennis, outdoor sports and team sports.
Growth plans include international expansion. The company has completed the acquisition of Midwest Sports and acquires Tennis Express, two companies that could help with expansion in the United States
NextNav announced a PSPC agreement with Spartacus Acquisition Corp (NASDAQ: TMTS) bringing the company GPS to the stock exchange. NextNav offers several GPS products, including one that is already deployed in 4,400 cities.
The company will showcase a next-generation 3D geolocation platform that can help cover multiple segments of a $ 100 billion market.
The company focuses on ridesharing apps, delivery apps, indoor mapping, autonomous vehicles, eVTOL, drones, critical infrastructure, and public safety.
Valo Health announced a merger between SPAC and Khosla Ventures Acquisition Co (NASDAQ: KVSA) valuing the biotech company at $ 2.8 billion.
Valo Health’s Opal platform has a pipeline of drug categories, including the targeted markets of cardiovascular disease, oncology and neurodegeneration.
Valo uses an end-to-end approach to develop drugs from target to approval. The company’s pipeline includes two clinical-stage assets and 15 preclinical assets.
Kensington Capital Acquisition II (NYSE: KCAC) announced a SPAC merger with Wallbox valuing the company at an enterprise value of $ 1.5 billion.
Wallbox designs, manufactures and distributes electric vehicle charging solutions for the residential, public and semi-public sectors. The company’s products include Level 2 AC chargers and DC fast chargers. Wallbox, present in 67 countries, has sold more than 100,000 chargers since 2015.
Former Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) Charging Facilities Program Manager Enric Asuncion is the co-founder and CEO of Wallbox.
Dave assists over 10 million customers with products such as banking, financial information, credit building, and concert research parallel in the concert economy. The company announced a PSPC merger with VPC Impact Acquisition Holdings III Inc (NYSE: VPCC) valuing the company at a pro forma net worth of $ 4 billion.
Marc Cuban is an investor in Dave and also sits on the company’s board of directors. The company continues to launch new products such as Dave Banking, introduced in December 2020 to introduce expense accounts and debit cards with no monthly fees.
Broadstone Acquisition Corp (NYSE: BSN) announced a SPAC merger with Vertical aerospace.
Investors in vertical aerospace include Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT), American Airlines Group Inc (NYSE: AAL), Honeywell International Inc (NASDAQ: HON) and Rolls Royce, belonging to Bmw (OTC: BMWYY).
The company has pre-orders for 1,000 eVTOLs worth up to $ 4 billion. Vertical Aerospace aims for profitability with annual sales of less than 100 aircraft. Commercial operations are expected to begin in 2024.
VIYI algorithm announced an agreement to go public with Venus Acquisition Corp (NASDAQ: VENA). VIYI is controlled by WiMi Hologram Cloud Inc (NASDAQ: WIMI). The company will be renamed MicroAlgo after the transaction closes.
VIYI is a company working on the development and applications of custom central processing algorithms.
Related Link: 10 PSPC and Former PSPCs Who Could Be Short Squeeze Candidates: Clover, Nikola & More
that of Peter Thiel Bridgetown 2 Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ: BTNB) SPAC in talks to acquire Singapore-based online real estate company PropertyGuru Pte. The company is also present in Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. PropertyGuru abandoned plans for an Australian IPO in 2019.
brazilian airline Embraer SA (NYSE: ERJ) has confirmed he’s in discussions with Zanite Acquisition Company (NYSE: ZNTE) regarding a possible SPAC deal for his EVTOL company, Eve Air Mobility.
Solid State Battery Company Solid power, who counts Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) and BMW as investors, is in talks to go public with Decarbonization Plus Acquisitin Corp III (NASDAQ: DCRC). A deal could value Solid Power at $ 1.2 billion according to Bloomberg. Ford and BMW have a working relationship for Solid Power batteries to be used in future electric vehicles.
Satellite company Virgin orbit is in talks with NextGen Acquisition II Corp (NASDAQ: NGCA). The deal could value the company at $ 3 billion and be announced in the coming weeks, according to Sky News.
Health Lui & Elle Inc (NYSE: HIMS) announced the addition of Miley Cyrus as Creative Advisor. Cyrus will help launch a line of prescription skin care products and assist in the company’s marketing efforts.
Latch Inc (NASDAQ: LTCH), which recently completed a PSPC merger, reported first-quarter revenue of $ 6.6 million, up 143% year-over-year. Total first quarter bookings of $ 71.7 million increased 89% year-on-year.
The company expects revenues of between $ 47 million and $ 51 million and bookings of $ 290 million to $ 325 million for the full year.
Actions of SoFi Technologies Inc (NASDAQ: SOFI) rose during the week on news that Softbank had acquired a stake in the company on May 28.
Actions of Horizon Acquisition II Corp. (NYSE: HZON) came across the news that his alleged PSPC partner Sports radar goes public via a traditional IPO, dropping SPAC talks.
Actions of Lordstown Motors Corp (NASDAQ: RIDE) were under pressure last week over an updated dossier with companies underway to enter production of the Lordstown Endurance pickup truck. Without additional funding, the company said it would not be able to meet production in 2022 and beyond.
Be sure to tune in to “SPAC Attack,” Monday through Friday, 11:00 am EST. Here are the links to shows from last week:
© 2021 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


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The heads of Japan’s three largest shipping lines addressed their employees today as the nation headed back to work. The mood among the three was decidedly sombre, albeit with a grim determination to transform their giant corporate structures to better serve a changed world economy. All three also spent much time outlining the rationale for the shock move announced last October to merge their boxship divisions to compete with other global liners.
“In no sense can we be optimistic about the coming year,” Eizo Murakami, president and CEO of Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line) warned in his address.
Murakami said the planned box merger – due in 2018 – was down to the fact that “competitors cannot be defeated without significantly higher cost competitiveness”.
“Our new containerships business strategy for the future will be as follows,” Murakami explained: “To fight equally with overseas competitors that pursue economics of scale by applying cost competitiveness generated from the size of our combined fleets and integrated systems together with the sales competitiveness each of us has developed over the years.”
Murakami’s peer at Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) also touched on the merger as well as outlining how he sees MOL positioning itself in the coming decade during his speech today.
“The integration of the three companies will give us a foundation to compete with the world’s leading mega-carriers. That is why I expect the new company to pursue integration synergies and become a leaner, stronger business enterprise,” Ikeda said.
Ikeda, who heads up the world’s second largest shipping line by fleet size, said he felt both the container and dry bulk markets were bottoming out.
He proceeded to give employees a vision of how MOL will develop in the coming years.
“My vision of MOL 10 years from now is a group with a strong presence as the world’s top logistics partner,” Ikeda said.
“I believe that changes in the business environment, notably the slow trade phenomenon, are not short-lived trends,” he elaborated, “They reflect a long-term structural change in global trade. Faced with structural changes in the world economy, we cannot break through this impasse by relying on the methods and strategies of the past and outmoded rules of thumb.”
As a result Ikeda called for reforms at MOL with what he described as “bold, flexible thinking that breaks from the past”.
“Please remember that the environment, ICT, and technological development hold the key to our future,” he said, adding: “Corporations can rise above the competition only if they thoroughly analyze their customers’ industries, venture into customers’ value chains and identify unmet needs, explore how they can add value, and steadily propose solutions that deliver value.”
For his part, Tadaaki Naito, the president of Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK), instructed his staff to get Japan’s second largest shipping line back on a more even financial keel.
“We need to be fully aware of the fact that shareholders are very troubled with our decision to not pay a dividend for the first time in 52 years,” Naito warned.


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Cunard has launched a new travel agent competition to win a cruise to Alaska, Cruise Trade News can exclusively reveal.
The luxury brand will be hosting six winners on six separate voyages on Queen Elizabeth this summer.
To enter and be in with a chance of winning, agents need to make and play all their Alaska bookings on Cunard’s Shine Rewards Club platform, whether they are Cunard fare, early saver fare or net rate bookings.
Bookings need to be made between 13-28 February 2023 to be valid.
There is no limit to how many bookings agents can submit, so the more bookings, the better the chance of winning.
Cunard will cover the cost of the flights, transfers, hotel, and dining charges. The cruise line will be in touch with agents within 14 days of the closing date.
Cunard ‘repaying’ agents’ hard work
Cunard UK director of sales Tom Mahoney said: “We are delighted to be launching this competition and we are incredibly excited to be providing six worthy winners the chance to go on the ultimate Alaskan voyage.
“As the demand for expedition travel continues to grow, Cunard is proud to offer adventure seekers a range of unique and thrilling itineraries to some of the most fascinating destinations in the world, such as Alaska.
“Our agent partners do a brilliant job of selling these immersive expedition experiences and so it seems right that we repay their hard work in this way.
“It will be an experience of a lifetime and we look forward to hearing all about the unforgettable memories they make this summer.”
In late January, Cunard reported “strong booking momentum” across 2023 and 2024 sailings.


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500 Startups is rebooting its efforts in Greater China after it hired a new head of business for the region, which covers mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Edith Yeung, a former executive with browser firm Dolphin Mobile, is taking up the reins.
The VC firm had been without a recognized setup in China for some time after former lead Rui Ma relocated to the 500’s U.S. operations last year. 500 doesn’t have a China fund, but it has made some 35 investments in the region, Yeung told TechCrunch in an interview.
She admitted that the firm, which has a sprawling global presence across North America, Europe and Asia with over 1,000 investments, “is thinking about” creating a dedicated China fund. For now, though, it will continue to make investments through an array of funds, including 500 Durians in Southeast Asia, the global 500 Startups vehicle, and the $10 million ‘Mobile Collective’ fund that Yeung herself leads. That kind of loose arrangement is not entirely uncommon at the firm. It is the same in India, where it said tax issues scuppered a prospective $25 million fund first announced a year ago.
Among her primary focuses, Yeung is tasked with finding a place where 500 can sit in China’s crowded and competitive investor ecosystem and a message that is relevant and meaningful to prospective startups, many of whom, Yeung admitted, are happy to work with local organizations. Also, on a more practical level, she needs to pick a base and build a team. Right now, her first port of call will be a return home to Hong Kong in March.
Already though, Yeung’s strategy appears to be based upon leveraging 500’s international presence, particularly in North America, and pushing a cross-border agenda. She explained that she will work with existing portfolio companies that want to explore or expand to China, and seek out deals where 500 can use its presence in the U.S. and links to its portfolio, which includes Twilio, one of last year’s top performing tech IPOs. Deals-wise, Yeung said that she is initially attracted to B2B prospects, and is putting her attention to scouting out education and health-related startups because they represent areas where Chinese consumers are willing to spend.


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Stock shortage sees increase in cattle prices
By Tim Relf
CATTLE prices have risen, with finished stock in short supply in the seasonal gap between yarded and grass-fed beef.
"Up 10p/kg in three weeks," says auctioneer Michael Gamble at Norwich. The best are now topping 100p/kg and grossing more than £500. "Important psychological barriers," he says.
Inclement weather in June has also taken its toll on numbers marketed. "The cattle like all this grass, but they would also like more sun on their backs," says Mr Gamble.
Elsewhere, price increases have also been seen, with values now back up from the mid-May low of 84p/kg lw, according to the Meat and Livestock Commission.
In the middle of June, prime beasts averaged nearly 92p/kg lw, just 3% lower than a year earlier.
Reduced imports, particularly from Ireland, have also contributed to the upturn, says the MLC. Trade data for March shows beef imports down a quarter on the same month in 1997.
The calf slaughter scheme – which since its introduction has accounted for 1.15m dairy-type calves and 101,000 beef sorts – is also impacting on numbers.
Meanwhile, its all about producing a quality product, says Oxfordshire farmer Robert Florey. A batch of Aberdeen Angus animals which he sold two weeks ago, grading R4L, made 201p/kg dw to Waitrose. "We get a good price for quality – but get marked down for the poorer ones," says Mr Florey. "Buyers do not want cattle too fat or with poor conformation."
There is little sign of further price improvement for the rest of the year, says the MLC, partly because the current shortage of Irish beef is expected to be only temporary.
As auctioneer Michael Parry at Gaerwen mart says: "We take it day by day." Do not over ripen cattle, is his advice to farmers. "Buyers want finished cattle – but not thick, fat ones."
Similarly some under-finished beasts are also arriving in markets, he says, as farmers rush to beat the 30-month age limit on cattle entering the food chain. *


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Four more top-shelf ice cream brands produced at the Dr. Bob’s production plant are under recall because federal officials found Listeria monocytogenes at the plant and in an unnamed brand of ice cream.
Los Angeles-based ISB Food Group LLC recalled two flavors each of L.A. Creamery brand ice cream and Nancy’s Fancy brand gelato Wednesday according to recall notices posted on the Food and Drug Administration’s website.
The ISB recalls for the L.A. Creamery and Nancy’s Fancy products include almost identical language identifying Dr. Bob’s of Upland LLC as did two other ice cream recalls in the past week. Those recalls were for McConnell’s brand out of Santa Barbara, Calif., and AC Creamery Inc. of Anaheim, Calif.
The L.A. Creamery Honeycomb and L.A. Creamery Salted Caramel ice cream was distributed from March to October in California, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Massachusetts.
The Nancy’s Fancy Butterscotch Budino Gelato and Nancy’s Fancy Peanut Butter with Crunchy Peanuts Gelato were distributed from March to October in California, Oregon and Texas.
Palos Verdes Peninsula, Calif.-based Agave Dream is recalling all vanilla, chocolate, cappuccino, chocolate chip and lavender ice creams packaged in pint sized containers.
No illnesses had been reported in connection to any of the recalled products.
To read more, click here.


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Breathe again until August, commerce secretary Ross tells Huawei and users
The US government has relaxed its embargo on Huawei until 18 August, easing the restrictions on US-based companies – including rural operators plus Google and chip maker..
The Department of Commerce (DoC) has issued a temporary general licence which sets out limited exclusions to last week’s order under which Huawei was added to the government’s entity list – forbidding US companies and people, and non-US people in the US, from trading with the company.
“The temporary general licence grants operators time to make other arrangements and the Department space to determine the appropriate long term measures for Americans and foreign telecommunications providers that currently rely on Huawei equipment for critical services,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross (pictured). “In short, this licence will allow operations to continue for existing Huawei mobile phone users and rural broadband networks.”
Last year Huawei submitted a legal deposition saying that the US government was being “arbitrary and capricious” in its opposition to the company, and saying that it the policy would make small rural carriers uneconomic. According to Capacity’s informants, Huawei’s prices for network equipment can be 25-30% lower than prices by vendors such as Ericsson and Nokia.
The DoC said that the temporary general licence permits “certain activities necessary to the continued operations of existing networks and to support existing mobile services, including cybersecurity research critical to maintaining the integrity and reliability of existing and fully operational networks and equipment”.
That will allow not only rural carriers to continue to work with Huawei, but will permit Google to supply updates to the Android operating system used by Huawei phones – and to supply Google software such as Gmail. Over the weekend Google and chip makers indicated they would stop supplying Huawei until further notice as a result of the US embargo.
Meanwhile company founder Ren Zhengfei told Chinese media that “there will be conflict with the United States sooner or later” over the rapidly developing trade war.
Ren, whose daughter Meng Wanzhou, Huawei’s CFO, is facing extradition from Canada to the US over charges connected with smuggling kit to Iran, said: “The current practice of US politicians underestimates our strength. Huawei’s 5G will absolutely not be affected. In terms of 5G technologies, others won’t be able to catch up with Huawei in two or three years.”


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The companies say this partnership will see Quadient’s accounts receivable Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution YayPay extend Flywire’s digital payment solutions to its B2B clients around the globe.
“As YayPay’s international footprint and customer base has grown, the need to provide seamless cross-border payments has increased,” the companies said in a news release Friday (Oct. 22). “Flywire’s solution for B2B, which combines a next-gen payments platform, proprietary global payment network and vertical-specific software, will embed into the YayPay platform.”
Qudient’s customers, meanwhile, will enjoy “flexible and dynamic” payment solutions that help businesses accept and settle payments in 240-plus countries and in more than 140 currencies.
The companies say YayPay users can use Flywire for international transactions and make direct debit or electronic banking payments. Flywire offers foreign exchange market management and currency exchange, local collection and settlement, automated reconciliation and the ability to track when payments are coming in.
“When the opportunity came up to partner with the YayPay by Quadient invoice and billing solution, this was a natural fit,” said Ryan Frere, executive vice president and general manager of B2B for Flywire. “Flywire is committed to driving operational efficiencies for business all around the world, and this partnership enables us to extend the reach of our solution.”
In an interview with PYMNTS earlier this year, Flywire CEO Mike Massaro said payment modernization, when done well, can help senior managers avoid wasting time.
“The most experienced person is the one who’s dealing with the most complicated issues” related to operational inefficiencies, Massaro told PYMNTS’ Karen Webster.
Instead of dealing with these issues, he added, that manager could be working on strategy and looking toward the next technological change that might signal a competitive threat or a revenue opportunity.


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The total number of shipments of TVs and other devices that can watch 4K / 8K satellite broadcasts, which started three years ago, has exceeded 10 million units nationwide.
The 4K / 8K satellite broadcasting, which allows you to enjoy clear and immersive images and sounds, began in December 2018.
In order to enjoy 4K / 8K broadcasting, compatible TVs are required, and the "Broadcasting Service Advancement Promotion Association", which NHK and commercial broadcasting stations are members of, announced on the 22nd that the number of devices that can be viewed was as of the end of August. Announced that the cumulative total of 130,000 units nationwide has exceeded 10 million units.
The number of shipments has doubled in the past year, and the Promotion Association says that the holding of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics and the refraining from going out due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection supported the expansion of demand.
The Promotion Association is aiming for a cumulative total of 25 million units to spread around the Paris Olympics and Paralympics three years later.Keywords:


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The Bitcoinz USA team has been working rather diligently to open three Bitcoinz USA locations equipped with machines in the U.S. and Canada.
Over the past several months the popularity of Bitcoins and all virtually currencies has sky rocketed, experiencing perhaps some of the greatest exposure they’ve had since their inception.
This exposure has a lot of positives but simultaneously it’s also quickly changing the regulatory climate, resulting in the potentially aggressive regulation of virtual currency companies by federal and state agencies in the U.S. and Canada.
Additionally, most of the regulatory attention revolves around the licensing of virtual currency companies. Requiring them to obtain a “money transmitter” license. Furthermore, many Canadian banks have also started to sever ties or connections with virtual currency companies in Canada, which the company has been closely monitoring.
Over the past several months the Bitcoinz USA management team has spent a lot of time seeking legal counsel to determine how to navigate through pending regulations and the shifting regulatory climate in both countries.
As a result, the company’s management team is currently preparing to make several applications to obtain a “money transmitter” license in several states. Also, based on legal opinion, the management team expects that Canada will also follow suit and adopt similar requirements, in which virtual currency companies will be required to have a “money transmitter” type of a license to operate a virtual currency business in Canada, the company is also carefully monitoring this scenario as well.
Moreover, the company’s management team continues to carefully conduct its due diligence to ensure that when the company opens its Bitcoinz USA locations that there will be no negative disruption to its business activities and will continue to provide updates as the company moves forward.
In conclusion, the Bayside management team believes that it’s important to communicate the company’s overall vision, objectives, goals and intentions to its shareholders so that the steps that the Bayside management team is currently taking makes better sense along the way. This year, Bayside is currently celebrating 30 years of business success, innovation and vision. At Bayside, we believe that the future is now because our efforts to build shareholder value for the future will have a positive impact on the world around us today.


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The Chinese app makers behind the smash-hit Camera360 seem to be busy spending their $10 million in new funding on creating new stuff . The latest addition is called “Camera360 Cloud Albums” (for want of an official English name yet), allowing users to upload and backup their funky-filtered photographic work into the cloud.
On your laptop or tablet, the new Camera360 Cloud Albums service is accessible via this web app. This backup feature will soon be added into the regular Camera360 app (for iPhone and Android), and a beta version that incorporates this new cloud element is available to snag from the new albums homepage. But the current versions of the popular camera app in iTunes and Google Play don’t have this yet.
I downloaded the beta of the update, and inevitably it involves signing up for a Camera360 ID before making use of the cloud backup. It seems like a smart move by the startup, Sichuan-based Pinguo, to turn its app downloaders (a claimed 30+ million) into verifiable, registered users. It’s not clear if Camera360 Cloud Albums will charge for extra storage space.
For heavy users of the Camera360 app, the new feature will be an alternative to other cloud offerings from Xiaomi (the new Mi-Drive), Baidu (with its Dropbox-like WangPan), the startup Yun.io, and plenty more choices.


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The Athens Saturday Market is scheduled for Saturday. The event takes place at 409 Green St. from 8 a.m. — noon.
“We will have a special fall craft for the kids to make and they can trick or treat at each of the vendor booths,” Market Manager Kat Greene said in a press release received by The News Courier.
Local produce and goods will be sold.
According to the press release, Taylor Burton of the Silver Silos will provide live music from 9-11 a.m.
Happi Pappi Beignet truck will be there with breakfast food items.
All the produce is locally and naturally grown in North Alabama or the Tennessee Valley and is certified by the Alabama Farmers Market.
Local master gardeners will also be in attendance.


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ARLINGTON, VA., April 2, 2018 – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today released its final determination finding current fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards for light-duty vehicles model years 2022-2025 are not appropriate. In response, the Aluminum Association today issued the following statement:
“The U.S. aluminum industry supports nearly 713,000 jobs and $186 billion in direct and indirect economic output and we look forward to continuing working with the Administration and other stakeholders to ensure final emissions and fuel economy standards are premised on facts, data and on-the-road examples. Vehicles made lighter through greater aluminum use offer consumers better performance, affordable choices, higher fuel economy, lower emissions and improved safety. The Aluminum Association, whose member companies invested more than $2.6 billion in auto-focused manufacturing jobs since 2013, strongly supports regulatory certainty to 2025 through one national program,” said Heidi Brock, president and CEO of the Aluminum Association.
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About the Aluminum Association
Through its Aluminum Transportation Group, the Aluminum Association communicates the benefits of aluminum in ground transportation applications to help accelerate its penetration through research programs and related outreach activities. The ATG’s mission is to serve member companies and act as a central resource for the automotive and commercial vehicle industries on aluminum issues. Members of the ATG include: Alcoa Inc., Aleris, Aluminum Precision Products Inc., Arconic, Constellium, Hydro, Kaiser Aluminum, Novelis Inc., Rio Tinto Alcan, Sapa Group and Tri-Arrows Aluminum. Visit us online at DriveAluminum.org, and follow us on Twitter.
- Lincoln’s all aluminum-bodied 2018 Navigator wins North American Truck of the Year
- Honda’s 2018 Accord with aluminum chassis wins North American Car of Year
- Aluminum a key feature in finalists for all award categories
DETROIT, January 16, 2018 – The aluminum-intensive 2018 Lincoln Navigator was named Truck of the Year and the 2018 Honda Accord was named Car of the Year in the North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year (NACTOY) Awards, announced Monday, Jan. 15 at the 2018 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). This is the second consecutive year an aluminum-intensive vehicle has won a NACTOY award, a testament to the growing consensus that aluminum builds better cars and trucks, delivering on consumer preference for exceptional performance, safety ratings, fuel efficiency, durability, towing capability and sustainability. The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica was named North American Car Utility Vehicle of the Year in 2017.
DETROIT, September 6, 2017 – Today, Ganesh Panneer, chairman of the Aluminum Association Aluminum Transportation Group (ATG) and vice president and general manager of automotive at Novelis, testified on behalf of the aluminum industry before the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during a public hearing held in Washington, D.C.


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In case anyone hasn’t noticed, pickup trucks have become increasingly expensive. With extensive option packages, several new pickup trucks more than $100,000.
But considering the new Ford Maverick, soon debuting as a 2022 model, many pickup trucks are still reasonably priced.
The Maverick is already upsetting the industry since it will undercut the current cheapest pickup truck, the Toyota Tacoma, by more than $4,000.
Of course, payload, towing capacity, model year and many other factors make the list of the current cheapest pickup trucks skewed. But via dollars alone, Ford has put the other manufacturers on notice: the pickup truck battle is on.
Pickup Trucks: Bargains Abound
As for the Maverick, here’s what $21,490 as starting price will buy:
The least-expensive Maverick XL is a two-wheel, front-wheel drive and it’s a hybrid. It’s the only hybrid on the 10-top cheapest pickup truck list, according to MotorTrend.
The new Maverick also has an all-wheel-drive option and a turbocharged, four-cylinder, non-hybrid and it has a unibody. And the Maverick comes with a crew-cab body style, not a stubby extended-cab or two-door regular cab.
Here, in reverse order are the top-10 cheaters pickup trucks currently available and the respective entry level starting prices:
10. 2021 GMC Sierra 1500, $31,695;
9. 2021 Ford F-150, $30,635;
8. 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, $30,595;
7. 2020 Ram 1500 Classic, $29,895;
6. 2020 Nissan Frontier, $27,885;
5. 2021 GMC Canyon, $26,595;
4. 2021 Chevrolet Colorado, $26,395;
3. 2020 Ford Ranger, $26,250;
2. 2021 Toyota Tacoma, $25,630;
1. 2022 Ford Maverick, $21,490.


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Due to unforeseen construction delays due to weather conditions, the Now Natura Riviera Cancun will be opening on Jan. 31, 2020.
"We wholeheartedly look forward to serving our mutual guests upon the new grand opening date," a statement from Colette Baruth, SVP, global commerce & distribution, AMResorts said.
Baruth also stated that all bookings affected by this change will be protected.
The Now Natura Riviera Cancun was originally scheduled to open Dec. 1, 2019.
Eugenia Montes, associate director of sales for Now Natura Riviera Cancun, will be reaching out to clarify which resorts guests will be re-protected at in destination. The focal point resorts for these stays will be at Dreams Riviera Cancun, Breathless Riviera Cancun, Secrets The Vine Cancun and other similar AMResorts branded properties offering the same elevated Unlimited-Luxury vacation experience.
Guests affected by this change will also receive a return certificate to Now Natura Riviera Cancun for a similar number of nights, persons and room type.
Travel must occur between Jan. 31, 2020, and Dec. 20, 2020, and holiday blackout dates apply. Travel agent commission will be protected on these complimentary stays.
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Alyce and General Catalyst’s LundenTech: What it Means for the Future
In recent years, the venture capital landscape has seen a dramatic change. One of the most recent developments has been the investment of Alyce and General Catalyst into LundenTech, a tech startup based in the US. This strategic move has the potential to have a major impact on the industry, and it is important to understand the implications of this investment. In this article, we will discuss the details of this investment and its potential impact on the venture capital market.
Background of Alyce and General Catalyst
Alyce and General Catalyst’s LundenTech firm based in California. It was founded in 2012 and has since invested in more than 70 startups. Its focus is on early-stage investments, particularly in the technology sector. It has invested in companies like Lyft, Slack, and Stripe.
General Catalyst is another venture capital firm with a presence in several countries across the world. It was founded in 2000 and has invested in more than 400 companies since then. Its portfolio includes well-known companies like Airbnb, Snapchat, and Palantir.
Overview of LundenTech
LundenTech is a tech startup based in the US. It was founded in 2014 and has since become one of the leading providers of cloud-based software. Its products are used by companies in various industries, including finance, retail, and healthcare.
Details of the Investment
Alyce and General Catalyst recently announced an investment in LundenTech. The two venture capital firms have invested a combined total of $100 million in the company. This investment is seen as a major step forward for LundenTech, as it will help the company to expand its operations and reach new markets.
Impact of the Investment
The investment by Alyce and General Catalyst is expected to have a significant impact on the venture capital market. This new capital will enable LundenTech to further develop its products and expand its operations. Additionally, the investment is likely to attract other venture capital firms to invest in the company. This, in turn, could lead to increased competition in the industry, which could result in better deals for startups.
Alyce and General Catalyst’s LundenTech is a significant development in the venture capital world. This investment has the potential to have a major impact on the industry, and it is important to understand the implications of this move. This investment is likely to lead to increased competition in the industry, which could result in better deals for startups. Ultimately, this could lead to a more vibrant venture capital market.