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As PC-based virtual reality gets off the ground, Oculus has come under fire from some corners of the community for saddling certain Oculus Rift games with exclusivity deals, barring them from working on competing headsets like the HTC Vive. Detractors argue this unfairly limits the market for competing VR hardware and goes against the ethos of interoperable accessories and controllers that has traditionally been key to the PC hardware market.
Speaking to Ars at E3 this week, though, Oculus executives defended their continuing efforts to secure exclusives for the Rift and the technological measures meant to stop exclusivity-breaking workarounds like Revive.
The thrust of Oculus' argument for headset-exclusive software is that these exclusives are games that wouldn't exist (or wouldn't exist in quite as polished a form) if not for Oculus' often substantial funding investment. "The developer normally wouldn't be able to go and make these titles as big and immersive and deep as we enable them to do," Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe told Ars.
In exchange for Oculus paying the full development costs, Oculus Studios titles (such as Playful's Lucky's Tale and Insomniac's Edge of Nowhere) are exclusive to Oculus headsets in perpetuity. But Iribe notes that the outside studios making those games still own the intellectual property, "so they can take that IP to other platforms [for new games] in the future if they want."
That's separate from Oculus Publishing, which gives partial development grants to VR developers in exchange for a short, "launching on Oculus first" exclusivity window. "[Oculus Publishing] goes out and looks at 'How can we help the ecosystem?'" Iribe said. "'How can we help developers?' If a developer wants to add multiplayer but they don't have enough funding for it... If the developer wants to work on their game longer, what can we do to help them invest more into their games?"
For Oculus Publishing titles, "they can take it to other platforms [after an initial exclusivity period]," Iribe said. "In no way, shape, or form do we ever tell them to not work on other platforms."
Spread the wealth around
Virtual reality developers aren't forced to take Oculus up on any of these exclusivity deals, Iribe stressed. "Some developers say, 'No, I'm good, I don't need any additional funding." The ones that say yes to exclusivity "are developers wanting to invest more in content," he said.
Another way to look at it, though, is that developers are "turn[ing] down a shitton of money" if they refuse an Oculus exclusivity deal. That's how Serious Sam VR game and level designer Mario Kotlar described on Reddit CroTeam's decision not to take an Oculus grant (and timed Oculus exclusivity) for the upcoming game. CroTeam turned it down, he said, because "we believe that truly good games will sell by themselves and make profit in the long run regardless. And also because we hate exclusives as much as you do."
(CroTeam CTO Alan Ladavac later clarified that "Oculus did approach us with an offer to help fund the completion of Serious Sam VR: The Last Hope in exchange for launching first on the Oculus Store and keeping it time-limited exclusive. Their offer was to help us accelerate development of our game, with the expectation that it would eventually support all PC VR platforms. We looked at the offer and decided it wasn’t right for our team.")
Oculus obviously sees throwing around substantial sums of money for exclusives as a good way to differentiate its Rift headset. But the company also sees the move as good for the acceleration of the nascent VR market as a whole.
Oculus Head of Content Jason Rubin (perhaps best known as co-founder of Crash Bandicoot creator Naughty Dog) said he remembers the days when computer games were made in a weekend and sold in Ziploc baggies. He doesn't think virtual reality gaming can afford the three-decade process that led PC gaming from that niche point to budgets of tens of millions of dollars.
"We believe that by pushing large amounts of capital to talented developers to do what they would want to do if the ecosystem was bigger, that we would get better results which will make more compelling content," Rubin said. "That will bring consumers, and those consumers will then justify other developers jumping in and making bigger products, and we can kickstart what was a three or four decade process to take significantly less time. We believe that that is the right way to kickstart the VR ecosystem."
The technological battleTying VR software to one headset is more than a philosophical battle of business models and funding levels. It's also now a cat-and-mouse battle of technologies. That's thanks to Revive, a patch that let certain Rift titles sold on Oculus' platform work on the HTC Vive headset. That workaround stopped working when Oculus rolled out a recent runtime update. That in turn led to a further Revive update, which also breaks the DRM on Oculus games, potentially making piracy easier.
While obviously opposing piracy, Rubin told Ars that Oculus has no problem with these kinds of hacks at a root level. "If somebody has purchased content and they want to mod something to work on their PC and do whatever they want to do, nobody at Oculus has ever had a problem with that," he said. Oculus wouldn't even have any way of knowing of the existence of such personal mods, he argued.
The problem, Rubin said, comes with the wholesale distribution of a hack like Revive to the whole community, rather than to a few individuals. "[A personal hack] is a far cry difference from an institutional tool made and distributed to a mass number of people to [support other headsets], strip out DRM, strip out platform features and the like. For an individual to do that for themselves, that would be all right. Mass distribution is an entirely different situation."
As for Oculus' role in the tech battle, Iribe at first minimized it by simply noting that Oculus' frequent platform updates might "inadvertently break a hack." When pressed, he added that such updates are the company's way of "protecting developers' content and protecting the platform."
"We're making a big investment, a really huge investment in this [exclusive] content," Iribe said. "We want to make sure that people are buying the content that developers are spending so much time making, that we're spending so much money investing in."And they also want people to buy Oculus headsets, no doubt. "Right now, at this stage, of course I want people to buy the Rift [over the competition]," Oculus founder Palmer Luckey told Ars in March. "Our goal is not to lock every piece of software to it, just like we have software that's on the Rift and on Gear VR, and I don't care which of those they buy it on."
But that may not always be the case. "We've optimized the experience for the Rift right now," Iribe told Ars. "There will be other hardware in the future on the Oculus platform, but right now we're focused on the Rift and we're focused on making sure that the content and the platform all deliver the best experience on the Rift."
Or, as Luckey put it in March, "eventually there's going to be a lot more headsets to support."
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A French art school has set up a research center in east China's Jiangxi Province, hoping to strengthen exchanges between French ceramic artists and Chinese craftsmen.
ENSA Limoges (Ecole Nationale Superieure d'Art de Limoges) opened a research and testing center at Kudan, a famous workshop in the city of Jingdezhen, China's "Porcelain Capital."
Five ceramic artists -- three holding master's degrees and two researchers -- will study pottery and exchange ideas with Chinese craftsmen.
Jeanne Gailhoustet, director of the school, said it will be a great experience for young French artists to communicate with Chinese companies. They are expected to create new ideas and products at Kudan, she added.
Duan Zhenmin, who runs a shop at Kudan said Jingdezhen's ceramics don't sell well in European markets because the designs are completely different from western styles.
The center will serve as a platform where local craftsmen can learn European designs and marketing methods, Duan said. "Chinese ceramics businesses must also look to the international market, not just the domestic market," he added.
The French city of Limoges, where the school is based, is widely known for its porcelain. It is said to produce more than 50 percent of all porcelain made in France.

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The Fresh Market Partners With World Central Kitchen to Provide Meals to Ukrainian Refugees; Jason Potter Details
GREENSBORO, NC - Last week, The Fresh Market launched a critical fundraising campaign to support the country of Ukraine. Like multiple other industry members have done, the retailer is teaming up with World Central Kitchen (WCK), committing to donate 100 percent of the proceeds from purchases of a five-stem pack of sunflowers and a special bouquet with blue and yellow flowers as a nod to the Ukrainian flag.
“We are profoundly moved by the efforts being made by World Central Kitchen and the volunteer chefs who are providing a warm meal and food stability to the Ukrainian people who are fleeing their homes and homeland,” states Jason Potter, Chief Executive Officer. “We understand the importance of fresh food and the comfort of a warm meal and welcome the guests of The Fresh Market to join us in these fundraising efforts to help provide food to those in need.”
WCK is currently providing freshly made, nutritious meals to those fleeing their homes in the Ukraine. The organization’s Chef Relief Team mobilizes to the frontlines to start cooking and provide meals to people in need. WCK depends on a model of quick action, leveraging local resources, adapting in real time, and partnering with organizations on the ground.
Currently, the organization’s #ChefsforUkraine effort has expanded its distribution to serve refugees in five countries, according to a press release. WKC has served more than 1 million meals to Ukrainian refugees as part of these relief efforts.
The Fresh Market’s fundraiser is set to run through April 12.
As our industry continues its support for Ukrainians, AndNowUKnow will keep you informed.


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Lenovo will leave us this week with several models for the Indian market. One of them is the K10 Note, whose filing date was announced recently. Another of the models in this event will be the Lenovo A6 Note, of which we already have enough data. Because its design and a large part of its specifications are already known.
The design of the Lenovo A6 Note It was recently revealed thanks to the president of the company itself. Now part of your specifications are filtered Thanks to several phone announcement posters. So it already has few surprises for us, ahead of its presentation this Thursday.
The Lenovo A6 Note will have a screen of 6.09 inches in size, with a water drop shaped notch in it. The processor in the phone will be Helio P22, which will be accompanied by a battery of 4,000 mAh capacity, as has been known. It will be one of the most outstanding features of this model of the Chinese brand.
A double 13 + 2 MP sensor awaits us in the rear, as the brand itself has revealed. While a 5 MP sensor will be used on the front, which also has support for facial unlocking. We also have fingerprint sensor, which is located at the back of the phone.
For now is all we know about this Lenovo A6 Note. At least we can see that it is a model that will fulfill well, halfway between the low and middle range. So if you have an adjusted price, which is likely to be the case, you may have a good chance of selling well.
On September 5 it will be officially presented, along with two other models. For now only the launch of this Lenovo A6 is confirmed Note in India. We do not know if it will also have a presence in other markets or not. Although the phones of the brand are launched in other markets, so it is likely.


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Report shows 43% of businesses have lost or potentially lost vital data
A recent survey concluded that as many of 72% of businesses are “happy” to lose over 24 hours worth of data after a cyber breach. This means that if businesses were targeted by a widespread cyber attack, it would cost the UK billions.
The survey, conducted by Cloud Computing experts, asked participants to complete questions based around Disaster Recovery preparedness within the participants company.
It is worth noting that the survey was conducted just two days after the WannaCry incident that affected the NHS among many other organisations across the globe, so there was a heightened awareness of data protection overall.
Disaster Recovery preparedness has been surveyed before and compared with last year, there has been a slight improvement in overall trends. However, far too many companies are running the risk of serious consequences should an incident occur.
The number of businesses continuously protecting their data has increased by 8%, compared to last year. Also, compared to last year, businesses were more confident in their continuity plans that they had in place, with a 2% increase in those who had an active recovery plan in place.
The report concluded that only 41% of businesses were confident they had a business recovery plan in place, the results also showed that there were was a huge lack of education surrounding disaster recovery. Astonishingly, 13% of companies had never backed-up any of their businesses data.
The research showed that a staggering 43% of businesses had either lost or potentially lost vital company data over the last two years. Surprisingly, 28% of recipients had a turnover of over £10m and 44% had more than 51 employees.
Furthermore, 28% of businesses did not know that whether they would be able to recover any of their data if their systems were breached. While under 30% of companies protected their data on a regular basis.
Last year, it was reported that 15% of businesses knew that if their systems were attacked, they would not be able to recover all of their data, this year it is down to 13%.
Scott Sanderson, Partner at Hawsons, had this to say: “It cannot be stressed enough the importance of protecting your data. While it is understandable that when running a business, other things can get in the way, businesses must regularly back-up and protect all of their company data just in case of a breach. Cyber crime is on the rise, and as we saw with the WannaCry data breach, these attacks are getting more and more sophisticated.”
Charles Kavazy heads up the firm’s IT services providing independent IT advice helping businesses with data security. He also helps businesses purchase, implement and get the most out of their software and hardware. For more information or advice on anything covered in this article, please contact Charles on email@example.com or 0114 266 7141.[/author_info]


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13 Dec 2022
Minister McConalogue must heed the legitimate concerns of rural co-ops and independent merchants
Branches face closures if measures in currently stalled Vet Bill are not revised
Tuesday 13th December 2022 – Minister McConalogue must use his discretion to adjust the currently stalled Veterinary Medicinal Products, Medicated Feed and Fertilisers Regulation Bill in order to ensure that elements of the Bill, which would inhibit competition, can be ruled out, ICOS has stated.
ICOS Livestock and Environmental Executive, Ray Doyle said:
Minister McConalogue has cited an opinion from the Attorney General which led to his withdrawal of the Bill, but this shouldn’t be used simply now as a way of setting matters in stone. There is still leeway for the Minister to revise aspects of the Bill in a way that would satisfy all legislative requirements while ensuring that fair market competitive conditions are upheld.
A further solution can and must be brought forward and the Minister has the authority to do so.
We welcome the Minister’s recent comments that he is keen to ensure no dilution of competition but we must now see this commitment realised in terms of how the Bill is revised.
We have stated to the Minister on multiple occasions since 2019 that the new veterinary medicines regulations will create a dramatic shift in the veterinary medicines supply chain, in favour of Private Veterinary Practitioners (PVPs) to the detriment of Co-operatives and Independent Licenced Merchants (LMs).
The Minister says non-vets can’t prescribe veterinary medicines, ruling out designated responsible persons in co-ops and licensed merchants from the supply chain. As matters currently stand, this means that all co-operative branches will be negatively impacted by the Bill, as farmers will need to have prescriptions in place for all anti-parasitic products – before they could purchase from their co-op branch.
This clearly disadvantages co-operatives and independent merchants where, for example, a vet writing a prescription has the obvious first opportunity to fill and dispense the product, before a co-operative has an opportunity to dispense it. This will strip out the co-operative or independent licensed merchant from what is a reasonable, fair market entitlement, it will remove footfall and it will remove freedom of choice for farmers.
We have suggested solutions to the Minister, one of which is that veterinary surgeons should be exempted from having to call to farms directly if they are prescribing anti-parasitic medicines. This is based on their knowledge of data sources for these products and how they are intended to be used. Remote prescribing of anti-parasitics can and should be allowed by the legislation and it is this more measured and reasonable approach that the Minister must deliver upon.
Prescribing anti-parasitic products contributes generally to animal health; it does not typically involve any emergency for the animal and there are no human resistance issues with these products. Therefore the threshold of knowledge required to enable a vet to accurately prescribe is lower and this can be the basis for remote prescription.
Conversely, nobody is suggesting that anti-microbials should be prescribed remotely.
There is precedent which empowers the Minister to amend Irish legislation in order to ensure that EU law does not negatively impact on fair market competitive conditions in the particular sectors to which the Bill applies. This power can be triggered if the Minister decides to do so.
If he continues to push through the legislation without revision, farmers will be faced with decreased availability of anti-parasitic products and generally increased costs. There will be serious economic effects for rural Ireland from Carndonagh to Cahirciveen. The sustainability of the co-op store network, independent merchants and veterinary pharmacists will be undermined as a key pillar of their offering will be diminished.
We have requested an immediate meeting with the Minister to seek amendments to this legislation in the interests of rural jobs, fair treatment and farmers’ best interests.


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“McDonald’s commitment to enhancing the customer experience from our menu and operations to our value and convenience – continues to move us closer to becoming our customers’ favorite place and way to eat and drink.”
– CEO McDonald’s Restaurants.
McDonald’s is one of the greatest brands in the world.
Kids love it, elders love it and youngsters love it too.
No matter you are in Europe, Asia, US or Far East, big “M” signage attracts you as a choice for quick bite. The restaurant chain operates in 117 countries and employees over 1.7 million people. How many people are indirectly engaged with McDonald’s, information which is too hard to obtain. One can only guess “Millions”!
Despite its massive outreach, the brand has suffered from bad publicity too.
Its Twitter campaign #McStories went bananas. And more recently, at London Olympics 2012 where McDonald’s was one of the lead sponsors, the brand got another hit when brand managers were trying to improve ratings, and in the process, they managed to get Mayor of London speak to reporters saying that criticism of McDonald’s was “all just bourgeois snobbery”.
Mayor said that “It’s classic liberal hysteria about very nutritious, delicious, food – extremely good for you I’m told – not that I eat a lot of it myself,” he said. “Apparently this stuff is absolutely bursting with nutrients.”
Comments were not so liked by the McDonald’s haters who consider fast food as an extremely bad thing and the massive negative reactions became viral when a famous comedian Frankie Boyle who has over 800K Twitter followers tweeted “Don’t know how much sponsorship McDonalds paid for the Olympic mayor to be a fucking clown”.
Large brands such as McDonald’s, Coca Cola and others invested Sterling 750 million as sponsorship money in Olympics. It was awful for McDonald’s branding team to see that during Olympics 2012, Tweeter popularity tracker ranked McDonald’s at very low.
Logically speaking this massive damage to the brand in world’s greatest sports event and backlash from anti McDonald’s campaigners who were spreading the adverse sentiments on Social Media should have made significant impact on its brand, resulting company’s bottom-line!
But surprisingly, that was not the case. Only on 21st September McDonald’s Chief Executive Officer Don Thompson said, “Today’s announced dividend increase brings our 2012 expected total cash return to shareholders to at least $5.5 billion through dividends and share repurchases.”
Strong brands have multiple shock absorbers. Their biggest asset is the customer base that loves the brand. They keep building the customer base with just one philosophy “Giving customers the best experience whenever they return to them” – McDonald’s not only sustained the adverse campaign, but also kept its brand value intact.
Suresh Shah, M.D., Pathfinders Enterprise


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NBC is celebrating its third annual Healthy Week. The network is dedicated to spreading the word on all things health & wellness.
After all, 35 percent of American adults are considered to be obese and that’s a number that needs to go down! Or, as predicated by 2030, more than half of Americans could be obese.
As part of NBC’s call to action, nutrition expert and “Today” show contributor Joy Bauer took part in “Healthy Week’s Small Plate Movement.” An enormous dining table complete with massive plates was set up in New York’s Union Square park to highlight America’s need to downsize their meals.
“In the last 50 years, our plate size has increased about 36 percent and it continues to grow. Our waistline is growing as well, so this whole movement is about down-scaling your plate,” Joy tells Healthy Hollywood.
For instance, if you switch from a 12” plate to a 10” plate, you will eat over 20 percent less food at mealtime. In other words, this simple plate makeover could equal a weight loss of close to 20 pounds in a year’s time.
“At home we’re serving bigger portions, so now we’re expecting bigger portions and plates have grown bigger, so we need a reality check and start to downscale our plates and our portions,” adds Joy.
Say goodbye to the super-sized meal plan! America’s obesity epidemic clearly shows ‘bigger is not better.’ Joy tells Healthy Hollywood the simplest weight loss tip is for people to simply buy smaller plates.
As for how much to eat of each food group, Joy says the recipe is simple, adding, “Here’s the easiest thing to know – vegetables unlimited. You can never eat too many vegetables so pile them on. When it comes to protein (meat, fish and chicken) a serving size should be no bigger than your palm to your extended hand.”
In terms of a side starch, such as potatoes, rice or pasta, Joy says a tennis ball size serving is perfect.
Healthy Hollywood recently spent an afternoon with Joy at her home chatting about healthy snacks. Joy says it’s important to have a protein-packed snack in the afternoon to avoid a midday energy crash. I got to sample a number of her yummy go-to treats, but my favorite was her green tea smoothie. The combo of caffeine from the tea and protein from the yogurt keeps you alert and focused. Plus, it’s less than 200 calories.
Here’s the recipe:
1 green tea bag
1/2 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt
1 cup frozen mango chunks
3-5 ice cubes
Brew the tea bag in 4 ounces hot water for 3-5 minutes; remove tea bag and cool to room temp.
Blend tea, yogurt, mango and ice until smooth.
-- Terri MacLeod


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Napier Port’s two new mobile harbour cranes arrived at the Port this morning after a five week voyage from Hamburg, Germany.
The Port’s two replacement cranes, representing an investment of over $13 million, are expected to start commercial operation in October in time for the Port’s forthcoming busy export season.
Napier Port Chief Executive, Garth Cowie says, “With container volumes jumping from last year’s 220, 048 TEUs (twenty foot equivalent units) to around 250, 000 TEUs this year, our crane fleet must adapt to the increasing volumes through the Port as the region’s export sector continues to expand.
“These new cranes represent a significant investment and will help ensure we deliver a faster and more consistent performance for our customers at our busiest times, thanks to their improved technology, higher cycle speeds and impressive lifting capacity.”
The cranes have a similar design and construction as the Port’s two existing Terex Gottwald Model 6 mobile harbour cranes that were commissioned in 2013, lifting up to 100 tonnes each.
Their arrival means that the Port will have four front line, high-spec cranes it can operate continuously to unload vessels, with a further two support cranes as back-up. The boom length will also allow the Port to service wider vessels up to a beam of 40m if future ship changes dictate, significantly wider than the current Panamax class of vessel at 32m beam.
Over the next six weeks, the cranes are being assembled by Terex Gottwald technicians and will undergo a comprehensive testing programme before commissioning and joining the existing fleet.
The fleet upgrade is part of a wider investment programme the Port is undertaking to help ensure it remains Central New Zealand’s leading international sea port and meets the needs of both the region’s growing cargo base and the 13 international container lines calling in Napier.
Other recent investments include the opening of its new 7ha offsite empty depot, a new vehicle booking system, additional lanes and realignment of its container terminal gate, a new Port Central Building combining both operations and administration, employing more staff and buying more container handling equipment.


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China-based technology giant faces anemic sales and revenue as it grapples with slack demand, supply-chain challenges
China-based Huawei Technologies suffered a significant growth setback in the first quarter as the COVID-19 pandemic cut into sales of its smartphones and U.S. sanctions squeezed supply chains and sales opportunities.
The Lowdown: According to published reports, Huawei’s first-quarter revenue growth slowed to just 1.4%. In the same quarter in 2019, the telecom and networking manufacturer reported revenue growth of 39%.
The Details: Huawei is grappling with multiple factors hindering its performance. The COVID-19 pandemic has sapped demand for its smartphones, which are best-sellers in China and Asia. Smartphone sales in China plummeted 38% in the first quarter as the country went into lockdown to stem the spread of the virus.
The pandemic is also stalling 5G network rollouts around the world. Huawei is a leading provider of 5G network equipment, particularly in Asia, Africa, and Europe. The slowdown in deployments is delaying revenue recognition of equipment orders.
Prior to the pandemic, Huawei was feeling a revenue and growth pinch as sanctions imposed by the United States took hold. Washington regulators labeled Huawei a national security threat, barring the sales of its products in the U.S. and prohibiting American companies from selling its components. As a result, Huawei has seen markets around the world close to its products. The sanctions are forcing it to shift supply chains away from the United States.
The Impact: Other smartphone and networking equipment manufacturers will likely see the same sales slump as Huawei as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Analysts, though, expect a rebound in the second half of the year as demand for new devices returns and telecom service providers upgrade their networks to support work-from-home employees’ need for bandwidth.
Background: For years, Huawei faced criticism by the U.S. government for its ties to the government of China and suspected corporate espionage. The Trump administration stepped up regulatory efforts to put more pressure on the company by banning sales in the United States and pushing European countries to follow suit.


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Tipping on the table in Washington vote
A sign calling on Washington residents to reject a ballot measure called Initiative 77, which would impact tipping by instituting a higher minimum wage for restaurant workers
Finish your meal, calculate the tip -- 10 to 20 percent, more if you're feeling generous -- and pay the bill.
The culture of tipping is deeply ingrained in the United States.
But the practice is being put to the test in the nation's capital with a vote on Tuesday that would impact tipping by instituting a higher minimum wage for restaurant workers.
The Minimum Wage Amendment Act, or "Initiative 77" as the ballot measure is known, has divided restaurant employees and owners and sparked a heated debate in Washington.
"Save Our Tips," read posters put up by opponents of the measure in windows and bathrooms of bars and restaurants around town.
Supporters of a mandated minimum wage have countered by standing on street corners with "One Fair Wage" flyers of their own.
Employers of tipped workers are currently exempt from paying the standard minimum wage, and some waiters and waitresses are paid as little as $3.33 an hour.
But many tipped workers are against the legislation because they currently earn most of their money through tips, and they argue that a decrease in tipping could severely affect their income.
Employers are currently legally required to make up the difference between an employee's earnings and the full minimum wage, which is currently $12.50, if their tips fall short.
But Christopher Maggiano, a Washington small business owner who supports "Initiative 77," said "this is difficult to enforce" with a high rate of noncompliance.
The proposed legislation would do away with the low minimum wage and require restaurants to pay their servers a full minimum wage of no less than $15 an hour by the year 2025.
Opponents of the measure argue that it would cause menu prices to rise and tips to decline, hurting both restaurant owners and the servers the move is designed to protect.
"One Fair Wage" claims it would help combat wage theft, tip discrimination against "back-end" workers such as dishwashers, many of whom are immigrants, and harassment linked to tipping.
"Depending upon tips (means) putting up with unwelcome advances and comments to avoid losing a tip from a table with a large bill," said Maggiano, who serves on the board of Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, which backs "Initiative 77."
- Pass on cost to customer -
Restaurant investor Malachi Broadnax opposes the measure saying it will lead to higher prices and fewer customers.
"We're going to have to pass on (that cost) to the customer," Broadnax said, through higher prices or a service charge.
Natalia Ribera, a 24-year-old bartender at a trendy bar and cafe on 14th Street, said discouraging tips was likely to lead to a decline in service.
The Minimum Wage Amendment Act, or "Initiative 77" as the ballot measure is known, has divided restaurant employees and owners and sparked a heated debate in Washington
"I think the service in the US is really good partially because people are relying on tips almost 100 percent," said Ribera. "Whereas overseas, service typically is not as great."
Broadnax agreed, comparing servers to car salesmen working on commission.
"We are selling two products -- I mean there's a reason people say bartenders are cheap psychologists," he told AFP, gesturing to his bartender watching the World Cup with patrons.
"I don't think (customers are) coming in just for the food."
Woong Chang is a 36-year-old bartender who grew up in California, one of seven states which have approved proposals similar to "One Fair Wage" already.
"It's highly fluctuating," Chang said of relying on tips. "There will be weeks where you won't make what you expected to make.
"Anything can happen, and suddenly you're looking at the last shift before you pay your rent, or pay your bills -- and you won't be able to," he said.
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Coca-Cola shares jumped more than 4% after the company posted earnings and revenue that topped analyst expectations. United Technologies advanced nearly 2%.US Marketsread more
The IMF trims its economic growth forecast again as the U.S.-China trade war continues, Brexit worries linger and inflation remains muted.Economyread more
In advance of Amazon's earnings report on Thursday, Craig Johnson says the stock chart is pointing to big gains. Mark Tepper also likes the stock.Trading Nationread more
Citigroup thinks Tesla investors hoping for a post-earnings rally later this week should scrutinize a pair of related financial metrics.Investingread more
Olive branches were extended from both China and the U.S. as the two nations are set to restart face-to-face trade negotiations after a monthlong truce.Marketsread more
Coca-Cola topped Wall Street's expectations for earnings and revenue.Food & Beverageread more
New disclosures show Facebook and Amazon each spent more than $4 million on lobbying activity in the second quarter of 2019.Technologyread more
Boris Johnson, one of the biggest voices in the Brexit movement, wins the Conservative Party leadership race by a 2-1 margin.Europe Politicsread more
Disney can nearly double its earnings by 2024, Morgan Stanley said in a note to clients on Tuesday.Investingread more
Amazon is expected to report its second-quarter earnings on Thursday.Investingread more
The largest residential brokerage company in the U.S. is partnering with the largest online retailer in a strategy to boost sales for both.Real Estateread more
Stocks mostly fell on Thursday as tech shares added to steep losses seen in the previous session while global trade fears lingered.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq dropped 0.9 percent to 7,922.73 as Amazon and Apple fell 1.8 percent and 1.7 percent, respectively. The index is on track to fall 2.5 percent for the week and has posted three straight days of losses.
The declined 0.4 percent to close at 2,878.05 as tech fell 1 percent. Facebook shares also declined 2.8 percent on Thursday, while Alphabet dropped 1.3 percent.The Dow Jones Industrial Average eked out a slight gain, however, rising 20.88 points to 25,995.87.
Chipmakers were among the worst-performing tech stocks. Micron Technology dropped 10 percent, while Lam Research and Applied Materials fell 6.7 percent and 5.3 percent, respectively. These stocks fell after a Morgan Stanley analyst and an executive at KLA-Tencor issued demand warnings for the semiconductor space.
"Tech did get a head of itself recently," said Jeff Kravetz, regional investment director at U.S. Bank Wealth Management. "Investors are a bit cautious right now given several factors," including trade and emerging-market risk. So "the natural place to pull back from is tech."
Tech shares are up more than 16 percent this year, outperforming the broader market. However, they are down more than 2 percent this week. On Wednesday, they fell 1.5 percent.
Officials from the U.S. and Canada worked late into the night on Wednesday, as both sides sought to secure a new trade agreement to replace the current North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) pact, a deal they failed to secure by last Friday's initial deadline. These extended talks are likely to continue in the coming days, and could potentially last weeks.
Meantime, the relationship between China and the States remains tense. Markets remain in wait-and-see mode after a report from Bloomberg last week revealed that the U.S. administration was on standby to inflict additional levies on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods as soon as this week.
China's commerce ministry stated Thursday that Beijing would retaliate if Washington was to inflict new tariffs, Reuters reported. The deadline for comments on the proposed tariffs is at midnight.
President Donald Trump's "trade tactics are more likely to slow the economy, certainly in the near term, because of damage done to capital spending plans," said Steven Blitz, chief U.S. economist at TS Lombard. "The seemingly random aspect of his tactics, including the uncertainty of how long tariffs will be in place and their direct impact, will cause firms to pause before starting up capital projects – just when investment spending looked set to surge, aided by Trump's tax cuts."
The rising trade tensions, along with a stronger U.S. dollar and tighter monetary policy, have pressured emerging-market stocks recently. The iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM) briefly entered bear-market territory before closing slightly higher.
Private companies added 163,000 jobs last month, according to ADP and Moody's Analytics. Economists polled by Reuters expected a gain of 190,000. The report comes ahead of the US. government's nonfarm payrolls report, which is set for release Friday.
"The ADP data fell well short of expectations; however, the disappointing statistics mean very little for tomorrow's Nonfarm Payrolls reading," said Jeremy Klein, chief market strategist at FBN Securities, in a note. Klein noted the two reports have differed by an average of 57,000 in the past year and that weekly jobless claims remain near multi-decade lows.
"In short, the state of employment, which includes only moderate wage growth, will continue to keep a flame underneath the economy," Klein said.


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Moncton-based start-up Sum Good Foods Inc. is planning to pitch its product in the Dragon’s Den.
Owners Matt Pennell and April Glavine created a hydrating freezie made of pressed fruit and electrolytes “without any dyes, added sugars, or natural flavouring,” said a news release from the company.
Glavine says they first presented their products and company to the show producers.
“Back in January, we were selected to pitch. It went really well, and then they have to go in and sell it to the rest of the team as an opportunity to go further. We’re preparing ourselves for now and that will come up the first week of May,” Glavine says.
She says they are now practicing their pitch every day before they head to Toronto next month.
Pennell expects there will be some nerves to go on live television.
“Especially in front of the panel of such influential people in the business world. You are asking them for their money, so you have to make sure that you know everything that you’re saying to them is on board and you’re representing your brand to the best of your ability,” says Pennell.
He says the producers have been very helpful with suggestions on how to shorten things and how to make these more impactful, but even if they do get a deal, they won’t know for months whether or not the segment will even be chosen to air on television.
Neither of them has a favourite choice for who they’d like to work with, but they both agree Arlene Dickinson could help them open doors nationally.
“It’s getting that help across the country and nationally is really what we are looking for,” Glavine says.
Sum Good freezies are already available in all Atlantic Canadian Sobeys stores and various local wellness stores.
Pennell is an award-winning chef featured on Chopped Canada, Canada’s Great Kitchen Party, and You Gotta Eat Here.
Glavine is the creator of the award-winning Lean Machine Healthy Vending Machines Inc.
As new parents, they identified the need for better-for-you products that tasted great, which led to the creation of Sum Good Foods.
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to showcase our brand and innovative product on Dragon’s Den,” says Pennell.
“Our mission is to create healthy snack options that families can feel good about, and we believe that Dragon’s Den is the perfect platform to help us expand our reach and grow our business.”


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SHARES of Citic Envirotech surged as high as 45.9 per cent after resuming trade on Thursday on news that its majority owner is planning to take it private.
CITIC Envirotech's net profit plunged 92.2 per cent to S$3.08 million for the first quarter ended March 31, as two major projects in China experienced delays due to adverse wintry conditions.
CITIC Envirotech (CEL) has secured a 474 million yuan (S$94.9 million) industrial hazardous waste treatment project in Linfen City, Shanxi Province, China. A project company, Novo Envirotech (...
CITIC Envirotech (CEL) has secured a 474 million yuan (S$94.9 million) industrial hazardous waste treatment project in Linfen City, Shanxi province, China.
VIDEO solutions provider Artivision Technologies is in discussions to extend the Dec 31, 2018 long stop date on its acquisition of electronic payment and online retail business Mobile Credit...
MAINBOARD-LISTED CITIC Envirotech has clinched two engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) projects worth a total of 490 million yuan (S$97 million), it said on Wednesday.


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American businesses produced more goods and services with fewer workers in the third quarter, a signal that they have decided to make a sudden change in strategy and slash employment and other costs well before a recession.
That became evident Tuesday, when the government reported that productivity, a measure of the economy`s efficiency, rose 1.6 percent in the July-October period. Economic output rose 1.5 percent, but the number of worker hours devoted to creating that output dropped 0.1 percent.
Economists still are debating the implications of this aggressive new cost-cutting stance by U.S. firms.
But they said one implication is that though workers will become victims of a downturn sooner, companies will limit their profit declines in a recession and perhaps come out of it sooner.
Still, when the economy emerges from a recession, companies are apt to be slower in rehiring workers because they will want to enjoy the fruits of their efficiency gains as long as possible, said Steven Roach, senior economist at Morgan Stanley & Co., a New York investment banking firm.
``American businesses have adopted a new approach to cost control in the 1990s, making pre-emptive adjustments to cut costs before a recession actually occurs,`` Roach said. And workers have become the prime means of cost-cutting, the new leading indicators of recession.
Roach said that before Saddam Hussein`s Aug. 2 invasion of Kuwait, manufacturers had been laying off 22,000 workers a month because of a softening economy. But after the oil shock seemed to signal that a recession was on the horizon, they increased the layoff rate to 60,000 a month, he said. This activist approach to cutting workers is a new economic phenomenon. Employees are thus more vulnerable to ups and downs in the economy, and their jobs are more directly related to competitive pressures at home and abroad. Firms are doing it because of fears they will lose market share in a global economy, economists said.
``I think it`s a good sign,`` said William Niskanen, a former member of President Ronald Reagan`s Council of Economic Advisers. ``It means that businesses are tightening up on costs before a recession happens. It (cost-cutting and layoffs) usually happens toward the end of a recession.``
Roach said the new strategy helps explain a decline in job loyalty and a rise in fears about future economic prospects, but he added he expects firms to use the same strategy again and again because the world economy has changed.
Niskanen said this obviously is not a happy time for workers affected in the short run, but he added that the rise in productivity, if it continues, will contribute to a greater increase in the American standard of living in the long term.
Even at that, the overall rise in productivity isn`t that impressive. From 1948 to 1973, productivity, measured as economic output per hour worked, increased by 3 percent annually. This was an era of impressive growth in national income and prosperity that enabled the nation to shake off the aftermath of the Great Depression and become the world`s economic leader.


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CCK denies approving price fixing
GOVERNMENT| April 25, 2012, 4:05 p.m.
Kenya’s regulator has set the record straight on reports that it gave tacit approval to mobile price fixing.
In a statement issued by Francis W. Wangusi, Ag. Director-General of the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK), the organisation said no official authorisation had been sought or granted for mobile operators to fix prices for cross-network calls.
The CCK said: “While the CCK recently held discussions with some licensees regarding the wholesale interconnection rate and the attendant glide path, no request has been officially made regarding the intention to fix the retail mobile voice tariff either by those players on any other licensee. As such, no such approval has been granted.”
“Retail price fixing as practiced in collusive oligopoly markets is an anti-competitive business practice that is contrary to the prevailing competition law and policy. Retail price fixing in the mobile voice market in Kenya would, therefore, be in breach of the law; and as such no approval can be granted.”
The statement said CCK considered the retail mobile voice market as sufficiently competitive, thus making it unnecessary to impose any stringent retail price regulatory obligations on the licensed mobile operators. However, even for such competitive market segments where the Commission does not impose retail price setting obligations, the law (i.e. clause 4(3) of the Kenya Information and Communications (Tariff) Regulations, 2010,) prohibits licensees from applying tariffs that distort competition, exploit consumers and, possibly even prevent market entry.
“Therefore, all mobile operators set their retail prices independently guided primarily by their costs of providing a particular service and are only obligated to file with the Commission their retail rates as provided for in their respective licences.”
The statement concluded that the Commission is currently carrying out a study to evaluate the impact of competition on the mobile voice market on the entire economy. “We would like to clarify that the study, which is being undertaken by the Kenya Institute of Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA), is in not in any way meant to determine interconnection rates for the mobile telecoms market.”
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Polish developer Red Dot Studios has today announced that, alongside publisher PlayWay, they'll be releasing Car Mechanic Simulator 2015 on April 14th, 2015.
The game wasearlier on in the year as it topped out at $22,866, surpassing its $20,000 funding goal on Kickstarter.
A follow-up to the four million selling Car Mechanic Simulator 2014, the 2015 edition of the game puts players in the oily shoes of a mechanic who has to repair cars for a variety of different and eccentric clients.
With 16 base car models, a whole host of tools to get to grips with such as spray, part replacements, oil changes and more, the experience is further broadened by money that can be accrued to purchase expansions or junk carts which can then be renovated and sold for some extra scratch.
It's quite an involved experience as it turns out, so take a peak at the Kickstarter trailer for Car Mechanic Simulator 2015 and see what you think.
Folks who are interested in last year's edition, can nab it on Windows PC or Mac via.


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I have been scratching my head since I heard the rumors of Apple buying Beats and continuing to scratch it since it actually happened. The reasons flowing through the interwebs simply do not equate in my mind. On one hand, you have the camp that is firmly placing the purchase on Beats streaming music service, which hasn’t been all that successful. Some pundits claim Apple’s attempts at a streaming music service are even more dismal and that Beats could shore it up and bring it back to life. On the other hand, you have the camp that says Apple’s $3 billion purchase is being invested for the hardware, technology, and R&D behind Beats. But let’s face it, there’s really nothing that special about any of those that Apple couldn’t have done on its own.
So I started to think, what else could Apple possible want with Beats? What does Beats have that Apple doesn’t? And why would they hire on Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine when they simply do not fit into the Apple culture?
The answer that came to me…Apple is buying their demographics. I started looking around for sources that could help me understand who it is that buys Apple’s iPhones, and I came across a report at MarketingProfs.com. The numbers they report are interesting. For example, it shows the percentage of white, non-Hispanic iPhone and Android owners are about equal at 27 and 26%. It also shows that the percentage of Hispanic iPhone and Android owners is also pretty equal at 26 and 27%. But then we take a look at the percentages for black, non-Hispanic and that’s where we see a significant difference. 16% of African Americans say they own an iPhone while 42% say they own an Android. Take a look at the graphic below.
Android and iPhone owners are equally common within the cell owner population as a whole, although this ratio differs across various demographic groups. Cell phone owners from a wide range of educational and household income groupings have similar levels of Android adoption, but those from the upper end of the income and education spectrum are much more likely than those with lower income and educational levels to say they own an iPhone. Indeed, fully half—49%—of cell owners with a household income of $150,000 or more say their phone is an iPhone. And African-American cell owners are more likely than whites or Latinos to say that their phone is an Android device as opposed to an iPhone.
This finally makes sense to me. What do we know about Dr. Dre, Jimmy Iovine and Beats? Well, we know that Iovine and Dre have been marketing geniuses. They have managed to reel in a whole culture of Rap listeners into buying their product. Sure there are more than just Rap and Hip-Hop listeners that buy Beats, but I believe the core is that demographic. This is the same culture of users that is not buying Apple iPhones but opting for Androids. We know that loyalty to Dr. Dre and Iovine in that culture is extremely high and that is why Dre and Iovine came with this deal. Arguably, we can say that Dre and Iovine’s services comprised most of the deal. Simply buying Beats and discarding Dre and Iovine wouldn’t have worked. I can’t imagine Tim Cook or Jony Ive trying to market to the Beats culture, just not going to work. But I can imagine Dre and Iovine injecting the Apple and Beats branding into the outlets they already have, thereby increasing the market for Apple devices. It could very well work!
As a minority myself and with many African-American friends I understand the fierce loyalty they have to Dre and Iovine. Beats was born and bred by one of their own, they show support and solidarity because of that. With Apple’s market share of that culture so low, it’s a great chance for them to try and catch up to Android by attempting to win the one demographic they have yet to crack. Now it makes sense and it’s a brilliant move. But what impact will this have on Apple as a whole? We’re talking about merging two different business cultures into one. Tim Cook got a good taste of that culture when Dr. Dre’s celebratory video (posted after the break) was posted on Facebook way ahead of any kind of official announcement. Both parties will have a lot to learn from each other, and I remain skeptical of this purchase but certainly wish them both success. I still think Steve Ballmer purchasing the LA Clippers was a better deal, but I digress.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or on Google+, Facebook and Twitter. Social links to the left of your screen.
About the research: The report was based on data from telephone interviews of 2,252 adults, age 18 and older, conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International from April 17 to May 19, 2013
Data Source: MarketProfs
Last Updated on November 27, 2018.


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Wal-Mart is slashing prices on 15,000 more items this week in an effort to capture sales during the holiday shopping season, Reuters reported today. The nation's largest retailer reduced prices two weeks ago on popular toys, and has now discounted 20% more items than in the previous holiday season. New discounts go beyond the toy department to home and apparel items.
Wal-Mart is aggressively using the holiday season to try to take back shoppers either claimed by low-cost internet retail or alienated after the store attempted to sell more upscale products, a move that backfired with its lowest-price-possible core constituency. Today's cuts might not be the end, either—Wal-Mart says further savings are on the horizon.


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The average price of a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline has dropped to $3.54 in Georgia, 11 cents below the $3.65 mark of last week. The national average is $3.59, which is 7 cents lower than last week. So that's good news, but just for a bit of perspective, we were paying $2.62 a gallon just a year ago.
The metro Atlanta average price is $3.57, while the highest prices in state are found in Athens at $3.61, and the lowest being in Augusta, at $3.41.
Gas prices are expected to stay low through the coming Labor Day holiday, which is good news for road trippers.
"Economic growth is not only slow in the U.S., but in Europe as well and is expected to keep oil prices below $90 a barrel throughout the remainder of the month," said Jessica Brady, spokesperson, AAA Auto Club South in a news release. "Some retailers are slow to drop prices at the pump since the market is so volatile at this time. However, consumers should start to see retail gas prices fall even further this week as a result of crude oil continuing to trade below $90 a barrel."


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After hearing from PETA, Dermstore, which is owned by Target, has stopped selling fur eyelashes. Madame Madeline, Glad Girl, Coco Mink Lashes, and Lurella Cosmetics have also banned the sale of mink lashes after hearing from us. These are huge wins for minks and other animals who would otherwise be tormented and killed on fur farms. We continue to call on lash manufacturer Lilly Lashes to join these companies in banning fur lashes.
“Almost all of us grew up eating meat, wearing leather, and going to circuses and zoos. We never considered the impact of these actions on the animals involved. For whatever reason, you are now asking the question: Why should animals have rights?” READ MORE
— Ingrid E. Newkirk, PETA President and co-author of Animalkind


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The Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals is urging Australians to mark International Credit Union Day by looking for a better deal on their banking.
“Competitive rates are business as usual for the nearly 80 credit unions and mutual banks across the land,” says the CEO of the Business Council of Co-ops and Mutuals, Melina Morrison.
“They consistently have some of the best deals around on home loans, credit cards and deposit accounts.”
“And credit union customer service is legendary – and award-winning!”
She said people should visit the BCCM website www.switchitup.com.au where they will find more information about their options, as well as assistance in making the switch.
Credit unions and mutual banks are member-owned financial co-operatives that provide an effective and viable alternative to investor-owned financial institutions for over 235 million members in 109 countries worldwide.
4 million Australians are a member of a customer owned banking institution, according to the Customer Owned Banking Association.
Every year the international network of customer owned banks and credit unions celebrates this day and urges customers to switch to a better value bank.
Melina Morrison, CEO of the Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals (BCCM), is available for comment.
Erin Clare Ph: 0405 258 863 E: Erin.Clare@thoughtbroker.com.au


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Has European innovation dried up? Back in 2010, the EU set itself a target for 3% of GDP to be invested in R&D by 2020. According to the latest update, the European economy has some way to go: investment hovers at around the 2% mark. Could the circular economy offer businesses and governments the path to a new, regenerative growth model?
According to the new report Achieving Growth Within, released in Davos last week, an additional €320 billion of circular economy investment opportunities could be unlocked through modest political and business action in the European Union (EU) until 2025. The research, released by SystemIQ in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, identifies the investment needed to realise the €1.8tr opportunity found in Growth Within, which was published at the European Commission in June 2015. It showcases 10 key themes for investment including integrated mobility, circular cars, indoor farms, developing new protein sources and closing material loops in buildings.
The European economy currently captures just five per cent of the original value of the raw materials it uses, according to the initial Growth Within report. Written in the context of the European Commission’s much-discussed circular economy package, the research revealed that combining circular economy principles with the impending technology revolution could help to create a net benefit of €1.8tr by 2030, twice the calculated benefits of the current path, and would be accompanied by better social outcomes with the average EU household projected to be €3000 better off.
Further benefits were also found, including an 11 per cent GDP increase, compared with four per cent in the business-as-usual scenario, and the potential to halve carbon dioxide emissions in Europe relative to today’s levels. Primary material consumption measured by car and construction materials, real estate land, synthetic fertiliser, pesticides, agricultural water use, fuels and non-renewable electricity could drop 32 per cent by 2030 and 53 per cent by 2050 compared with today.
At the core of Growth Within is a paradigm shift where maximising the use of assets become the point of focus. Businesses have already begun to seize the opportunities related to the circular economy, but perhaps one of the key remaining questions left unanswered by the 2015 report was, how does this reach scale?
That’s where Achieving Growth Within picks up the story. The study explores how, in an era characterised by sluggish post-crisis recovery and stagnant industrial investment in Europe, a circular economy could be a source of innovation, industrial renewal and investment opportunities.
European investors are looking for attractive propositions with positive medium term prospects to place their money, while also undoubtedly being aware of the risks of stranded assets in sectors like the fossil fuel industry with questionable long-term prospects. Meanwhile, innovators and businesses who are taking advantage of the opportunities in a new economy need investment to reach scale and the market – it’s a potential win-win and this report highlights 10 key areas, across three focus sectors in food, mobility and built environment, where there are significant opportunities.
The report highlights the relevance of each theme, recent developments, opportunities identified, case studies of businesses already in operation, existing barriers and potential interventions from policy makers and business. Based on their analysis, SystemIQ estimates the size of the investment opportunity and potential economic benefit. For example, moving to the design and production of fully circular cars could create an industry based on more durable vehicles, the looping of component and material flows, and reducing negative impacts, potentially leveraging robotics, 3D printing, lightweight materials and material tracking. “Circular cars” could be achieved with an investment of up to €35bn between now and 2025 and could put the EU on a pathway to realise a total cost benefits of €75bn per annum by 2030 driven by reduced material costs and a smaller car fleet.
In total, a €135bn investment opportunity was uncovered for integrated mobility, circular cars and more effective vehicle manufacturing, while regenerative agriculture, urban indoor farms and new protein sources could contribute to a €70bn opportunity for investors in the food sector, and the total potential for investment in the built environment was calculated at €115bn, taking into account design of modular, multi-use buildings, boosting material reuse and integrating circular economy principles into urban design.
Achieving Growth Within represents a fundamental shift in the circular economy conversation in Europe, a transition from identifying opportunities and making the case for the concept to the idea of exploring how to maximise the benefits of the shift as it happens.
Download and read the full Achieving Growth Within report.
The post Is this how Europe realises its circular economy potential? appeared first on Circulate.
Source: Circulate News RSS


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Couche-Tard to sell 70 CST stores, winning antitrust approval
The Quebec company that’s acquiring San Antonio’s CST Brands Inc. has won antitrust approval for the $4.4 billion deal after agreeing to divest 70 Corner Stores — including 19 in Texas.
Couche-Tard now expects the deal to acquire CST will close Wednesday.
Besides Texas, the 70 CST convenience stores with fuel stations are in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, New Mexico and Ohio.
None of the 19 Texas stores set to be sold is in San Antonio. Twelve of the stores are in El Paso, three in Corpus Christi and one each in Austin, Kenedy, Del Valle and Mathis.
Empire also will have the option of buying an additional location in Georgia owned by Couche-Tard , the FTC said. The store was damaged by a tornado earlier this year.
The 70 stores represent about 6 percent of the 1,178 stores that CST operates in the U.S. Couche-Tard operates almost 4,700 convenience stores in the U.S., primarily under the names Circle K and Kangaroo Express.
According to an FTC complaint, Couche-Tard’s acquisition of CST would have created a monopoly in 10 markets without the divestitures. The deal also would have reduced the number of independent operators in the 61 other markets and resulted in a “highly concentrated market” in all 71 markets.
The sale of the CST stores to Empire is expected to close in August or September.


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IBM yesterday announced the world's largest private cloud computing environment for business analytics, which will provide IBM sales teams and developers new levels of insight to better meet the needs of clients worldwide. The cloud will launch initially with more than a petabyte of data, the equivalent of more than 300 billion ATM transactions.
IBM also announced a new solution, the IBM Smart Analytics Cloud, for clients to build their own private cloud environments based on the same Cloud infrastructure that IBM is using internally.
Internally called Blue Insight, IBM's cloud environment democratises information, providing access to a variety of client and market data regardless of where an employee sits in the company. It gathers information from nearly 100 different information warehouses and data stores, providing analytics on more than a petabyte (1,000 terabytes or 1,000,000 gigabytes) of data.
By turning that data into insight for IBM's sales force and development communities, IBM will be able to deliver more value in the solutions and services it offers to its clients.
More than 200,000 IBMers will have access to the new system.
"This new cloud and the insights that our analytics will provide are the next step in the continuous transformation of our business to better serve our clients," said Pat Toole, chief information officer of IBM. "I expect this first-of-its-kind approach will help drive both new growth opportunities as well as have a significant impact in cost savings, which is exactly the kind of client-focused value that businesses are asking of their IT organizations."


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An emergency grant program was launched in Prince George’s County, Maryland, on Thursday, allowing small businesses to apply for short-term relief grants of between $1,000 and $3,000.
“So many of our smallest businesses, particularly owned by residents of color, have been devastated,” said County Council member Mel Franklin.
The program is open to businesses with at most 10 employees and less than $250,000 in annual revenue.
“These entrepreneurs need our help,” Franklin said. “They are the life blood of our economy, and essential to job and wealth creation for our communities.”
Organizers have at least $20,000 available in the fund to start with, but they are hoping for donations so they can keep the program going indefinitely.
The project was put together by the PFC Black Chamber, an advocacy group focused on Black-owned businesses in the county.
“It’s important we focus on our small Black businesses and provide them with some relief,” said the group’s president, Jerry McLaurin.
McLaurin said his goal is to “strengthen the capacity of Black businesses to serve their communities by providing a collective voice, fair access to capital and leadership support.”
State and local leaders across Maryland have been searching for ways to prop up business owners financially until the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic passes and businesses can start generating a profit once again.
In late October, Gov. Larry Hogan announced that the state was doubling its economic recovery and relief efforts for small businesses by tapping into the state’s rainy day fund.
Maryland had already allocated about $250 million for COVID-19 relief. The additional $250 million included $50 million for the state’s small business relief fund, and $50 million specifically for restaurants to expand outdoor dining in the winter months by buying tents and heaters, and making HVAC improvements.
Hogan said small businesses are facing a “desperate situation,” with some “hanging on by a thread.”
Though Maryland’s economy has rebounded faster than the nation as a whole, “it’s still really bad,” Hogan added. “It’s not a great situation.”


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Only six percent of consumers have tried to purchase a home in the last year, according to survey from American Consumer Credit Counseling
Boston, MA – July 30, 2018
With home and condo prices soaring around much of the nation and limited inventory that can lead to bidding wars, a large majority of consumers have not tried to purchase a home within the last year, according to a new survey by national nonprofit American Consumer Credit Counseling.
“Homeownership is a major financial investment and an important life milestone consumers weigh heavily before making,” said Steve Trumble, President, and CEO of American Consumer Credit Counseling. “Given a variety of factors in the housing market – particularly soaring sales prices – many consumers are choosing not to move or purchase a house.”
The survey found that only 6 percent of respondents have tried to purchase a home within the last year. According to the National Association of Retailors’ report, sales in June decreased 0.6 percent from May and 2.2 percent from June 2017. Of the respondents living in a single-family home, 24 percent say the cost of housing has forced them to be late or miss monthly bills. Almost half – 41 percent – of respondents say that they would like to move to another home but in the current climate they cannot afford to. The report also found that the median cost of a single-family home has increased 5.2 percent, soaring to $279,300, from June 2017.
According to the survey, 40 percent of respondents have refinanced their mortgage. Of those that have refinanced their mortgage, 42 percent are spending 20 percent or less of their income per month on housing.
The survey also found that a majority of homeowners are spending less of their monthly income on housing (52 percent spend 20 percent or less of their monthly income), compared to a majority of renters (48 percent spend 31-35 percent of their monthly income).
The online poll surveyed 344 consumers on the organization’s website, www.consumercredit.com. You can view the infographic illustrating the survey results here: https://www.consumercredit.com/debt-resources-tools/infographics/information/housing-survey
ACCC is a 501(c)3 organization that provides free credit counseling, bankruptcy counseling, and housing counseling to consumers nationwide in need of financial literacy education and money management. For more information, contact ACCC:
- For credit counseling and student loan counseling, call 800-769-3571
- For bankruptcy counseling, call 866-826-6924
- For housing counseling, call 866-826-7180
- Or visit us online at https://www.consumercredit.com
About American Consumer Credit Counseling
American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) is a nonprofit credit counseling 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to empowering consumers to achieve financial management through credit counseling, debt counseling, bankruptcy counseling, housing counseling, student loan counseling and financial education. Each month, ACCC invites consumers to participate in a poll focused on personal finance issues. The results are conveyed in the form of infographics that act as tools to educate the community on everyday consumer debt issues and problems. By learning more about financial management topics such as credit and debt management, consumers are empowered to make the best possible financial decisions to reach debt relief. As one of the nation’s leading providers of personal finance education and credit counseling services, ACCC’s certified credit advisors work with consumers to help determine the best possible debt solutions for them. ACCC holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and is a member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling® (NFCC®). To participate in this month’s poll, visit ConsumerCredit.com and for more financial management resources visit https://www.consumercredit.com/debt-help/.


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Latest Toy Stories
Babies begin to learn about the connection between pictures and real objects by the time they are nine-months-old, according to a new study by scientists at Royal Holloway, University of London, and the University of South Carolina.
SARASOTA, Fla., April 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- How do you get successful billionaires to play like children on national television? Build forts with the
Random House Author of Toy Time! Cites Benefits of Different Kinds of Play to Children (PRWEB) April 07, 2014 Responding to concerns of children's
Educational Toy Specialists Donate $500 Gift Certificate to ‘Viral Birthday Plea’ Boy Milford CT (PRWEB) March 22, 2014 Colin Cunningham, the special-needs
Global contest promises to rewrite the future of play. Boulder, Colorado (PRWEB) March 14, 2014 DevelopHer Toy & Game Challenge (DevelopHer), the
Build & Play in the Titanfall™ World With Officially Licensed Building Toys by K’NEX Hatfield, PA (PRWEB) March 12, 2014 One of the most highly
mombo Play™ Toy Bar turns lounge time into playtime. (PRWEB) March 04, 2014 In another why-didn’t-I-think-of-that moment, Comfort & Harmony introduces
A swing with personalized entertainment styled for contemporary homes kicks off new collection. Atlanta, Georgia (PRWEB) March 04, 2014 Ingenuity™
Cheap parents rejoice! Australian researchers have found that giving buckets, boxes and other makeshift toys push children to be more creative and active than being in a normal playground setting.
Little Tikes® and Lalaloopsy® Stand Out Across Major Sales Category NEW YORK, Feb.
The slinky consists of a helical spring that stretches and can bounce up and down. The spring can travel down stairs as it stretches and re-forms itself with the aid of gravity and momentum. Invented by Richard James in 1940's the slinky was demonstrated at Gimbels department store in 1945. The store sold its entire inventory of 400 units in ninety minutes. James Industries was formed to manufacture the slinky. It was until 1998 that the James family cashed in by selling the company to...
- An armed gangster.


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We brought you news not too long ago that Google was adding a huge feature to its Image search results and this innovation could end up benefitting photographers way more than it might initially seem on the surface.
Namely, Google is adding the option to license images directly from Google Image search results via a “licensable image” tag.
As Google explains on their blog post about the official live release of the feature:
“For the last few years, we’ve collaborated with the image licensing industry to raise awareness of licensing requirements for content found through Google Images. In 2018, we began supporting IPTC Image Rights metadata; in February 2020 we announced a new metadata framework through Schema.org and IPTC for licensable images. Since then, we’ve seen widespread adoption of this new standard by websites, image platforms and agencies of all sizes. Today, we’re launching new features on Google Images which will highlight licensing information for images, and make it easier for users to understand how to use images responsibly.”
So how does it work, exactly?
“Images that include licensing information will be labeled with a ‘Licensable’ badge on the results page. When a user opens the image viewer (the window that appears when they select an image), we will show a link to the license details and/or terms page provided by the content owner or licensor. If available, we’ll also show an additional link that directs users to a page from the content owner or licensor where the user can acquire the image,” Google explains.
Of course, this feature is intended to do two things: Combat piracy and give photographers another way to make money from their work. So far, it sounds like a win-win situation for everyone involved.
To figure out how to participate if you’re interested, click here.
For Frequently Asked Questions about this new feature, click here.
What do you think of Google’s new licensable images feature? Is it something that you will take advantage of moving forward? Let us know your thoughts on this story in the comments section below if you like.
Don’t forget to check out our other photography news articles on Light Stalking by clicking this link right here.


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City Interactive has announced 'Lords of the Fallen', a "hardcore" third-person action-RPG due for release on PC and next-generation consoles in 2014.
Development on Lords of the Fallen is being led by The Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings' senior producer Tomasz Gop, and sees players take on the role of a human named Harkyn on an adventure across a rich, fantasy world.
The game features a branching storyline, City Interactive suggests, and players will be forced to make a series of decisions that alter both the world and their character.
"Our team is building Lords of the Fallen specifically for players who enjoy taking on huge challenges, where the odds are stacked against them," said Tomasz Gop, executive producer at City Interactive.
"From the very beginning, Lords of the Fallen will intrigue and satisfy players' hunger to explore each corner of a brand new world, freely customize and build their own character and take down some of the most epic enemies ever seen."
Lords of the Fallen appears to be the new name for "Project RPG", a title revealed during April 2012 that had initially been due for release on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC later this year.
A gameplay demo of Lords of the Fallen will be revealed at E3.
Source: City Interactive press release


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There is an increasing risk that popular ‘smart’ Christmas presents could leave people vulnerable to cyber-attack and allow criminals to invade their privacy.
That is the message from leading cyber-security company C3IA Solutions, which has said that the market is being flooded with cheaper, less secure products.
Anything that can be connected to the internet presents a potential risk and users – which include businesses – are often unaware of the potential dangers.
There are estimated to be more than 15 billion smart devices in use across the world and many criminals are committed to hacking them.
These devices include doorbells, smart plugs, home assistants, tracking devices, smart locks and doors, modern televisions and children’s toys.
Hannah Baverstock from C3IA Solutions, which is headquartered in Poole, Dorset, has been researching the dangers.
She said: “The Internet of Things is the term for all those devices that connect to the internet.
“And while they are incredible pieces of tech that often make our lives easier, there are risks.
“And these risks are increasing because of the growing number of them and the types of company around the world producing them.
“They are designed to seamlessly fit into our lives, but they do require maintenance to keep them secure.
“Many will use cameras or microphones and so are potentially capable of invading your privacy.
“We have also seen a new wave of products that are cheaper and less secure and can become vulnerable very quickly.
“But there are things people can do to reduce the risks. Buy reliable, well-known brands that have websites, helplines and support.
“Check the reviews and buy products that have long support periods and receive regular security updates.
“All default passwords should be changed because they are easy to guess and often are available to find on the internet. And choose strong passwords – three random words is a good method.
“Disable features that are not required and also pay attention to any associated apps. Sometimes the apps ask for permission to access your camera which the device doesn’t need, so deny it permission.
“Most devices will connect to a home’s Wi-Fi and the router acts as the gatekeeper so it needs to be secure. Its default password should be changed, and any firewall should be enabled.
“It is also wise to change the SSID (Service Set Identifier) because this makes it harder for any hacker to guess the make of the router.
“Millions of devices will be given as presents this Christmas which provides hackers with another attack vector.
“Whether they want to spy on you in a voyeuristic way or gain access to your passwords they will attempt to do it through poorly secured devices.
“One thing they do is hack into multiple devices and use them as a botnet. A botnet is an army of devices that can be used to bombard targets with traffic and hide the activity of the hackers.
“If people ensure their devices are as secure as possible the hackers will quickly move on to a new victim.
“Businesses too are often unaware of the risks that internet-connected devices pose even if their computer systems have good security.”


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Airtel bets on World Cup, IPL to flag 3G service
India's largest mobile service operator Bharti Airtel is betting on the upcoming World Cup and Indian Premier League (IPL) to hook customers on to its 3G (third generation) service to view cricket matches live on their mobile phones.
"We will pitch for more subscribers during the World Cup and IPL matches to flag our 3G service being rolled out, as they will be able to capture the exciting matches live from anywhere and when on the move," Airtel chief executive V. Venkatesh told IANS.
Airtel is the main corporate sponsor for all international cricket series played in India during the next three years, bagging the rights at Rs 3.33 crore per match, covering Tests, one-day internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 (T-20) games.
The 10th International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup ODIs will be played in the sub-continent during Feb 19-April 2 and the fourth edition of IPL T-20 matches in April-May.
The company, which paid Rs 12,290 crore for the 3G spectrum licence in 13 circles, rolled out the high-speed multimedia service this week in Karnataka and plans to cover about 40 cities in other circles by March.
"In the run-up, we will carry promos to showcase the benefits of our latest service in watching the World Cup and the IPL in real time. Such big-ticket sporting events give us an opportunity to demonstrate the advantages of the 3G service," Venkatesh said.
With over 150 million subscribers in the circles, it operates across the country. The company is targeting 20-30 percent of them to migrate to 3G from 2G on its GSM (global system for mobile communication) network in the first year of operation.
"About 20 per cent of our customers are already using the 2-2.5G spectrum for various data services, including internet access to check mails, websites, news portals and chat," Venkatesh said.
"We are confident that they will migrate to 3G for the advantages and host of services we offer at attractive tariffs," he added.
Airtel chose this tech hub as a launch-pad for unveiling the 3G service as Karnataka is its largest circle by revenue with 15 million customers and commands about 50 per cent of the market share in the state.
The company's high-speed download packet access technology will enable customers to watch live streaming television on the mobile phone with quality visuals and sound.
"It is a common strategy to make best use of sporting events for promoting one's product or service. We see sales of televisions surge during World Cup soccer, Olympics and international cricket matches in India," Venkatesh pointed out.
"Similarly, World Cup and IPL offer us a great marketing opportunity to hardsell our new service," he added.
According to Airtel brand & media head Mohit Beotra, cricket is a game that hooks Indian masses as no other sport so passionately.
"We believe that cricket as a sport represents the zeal and vigour our youth stand for. We are hence looking forward to a long-term association with the game for our brand promotion," Beotra said in a statement earlier.
The Airtel 3G also gives its customers the power of high speed mobile broadband to enjoy other services, including video calling, social networking, video watching and music downloads.
In view of the competition hotting up, with other operators too rolling out their 3G service, Airtel is offering time-based tariff plans for light users of data where usage and billing will be by hour and flexi-shield plans for heavy users of data where the service will be capped.


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A Reuters Events report into cross-border e-commerce reveals that nearly all businesses experience delays due to incorrect documentation.
The report – The state of Cross-border e-commerce 2023-24 – shows that a staggering 94% of supply chain respondents say they encounter paperwork delays. Reuters says such delays are “hugely costly” because, second only to cost, global consumers value speed, convenience and reliability of deliveries.
E-commerce operations have expanded massively in recent years, following sky-high growth rates during the pandemic, and Reuters says “there is still huge momentum in the space that businesses are scrambling to take advantage of”.
“The opportunity is vast,” it continues, but adds that "so are the operational challenges”.
The global cross-border e-commerce market was worth US $824.9bn in 2021-2022 and is expected to expand by 18.67% by 2030.
The report explores roadblocks to smooth cross-border e-commerce, including delays caused by improper documentation or inaccurate classification of goods.
It was produced in partnership with Avalara, a company specialising in software for automated tax compliance.
Evan Wright, Senior Director of Cross Border Growth with Avalara, says in the foreword to the report that international e-commerce “has become an impossible-to-ignore force in global spending patterns”.
He adds: “While this massive opening of new markets has been a welcome revenue injection for many companies, fulfilling those demands has been, and remains, far from painless.
Conditions for cross-border e-commerce 'improving'
“The step-up from sales to domestic customers is considerable and this can create issues for sellers, shippers and buyers alike. Many are thrust into an unfamiliar world of compliance and customs duties, which can lead to higher costs and delays."
Wright says matters are improving due to a better global environment for cross-border e-commerce, underpinned by an increase in digitally-driven trade deals.
He adds that, alongside such international agreements, are “improvements and innovations at the organisational level”.
“There’s an increasing suite of digital tools and expertise are to help firms to navigate the complex world of international trade," he says. "Now, companies can draw on databases and automation to instantly understand the terms of trade, present these to the buyer and maintain a consistent pathway from seller to customer that minimises the costs of crossing borders. With this in mind, we are highly optimistic about the future.”


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Image source: TheBlaze
© 2023 Blaze Media LLC. All rights reserved.
A black man walked into a Starbucks store and demanded free coffee as "reparations" for racism in America — but there's a whole lot more to the story than what's being reported.
What's the catch?
Sharpe, also an online influencer, has published "Twitter Marketing: How to Build a Cult-like Following."
On his video page, he blasts liberals in a large variety of videos, lamenting that "the evil left controls us all."
What happens in the video?
In the video, Sharpe, who is filming from a first-person point of view, can be seen entering a Starbucks.
Sharpe patiently waits for the barista to finish ringing up the customer in front of him when he demands the gratis beverage.
"I heard y'all was racist, so I came to get my free coffee," Sharpe can be heard saying.
The young white barista responds, "I saw that!" referencing the recent Starbucks incident in which two black men were arrested for "defiant trespassing."
The young barista adds that she saw a lot of talk about the incident on social media the previous night, and adamantly says, "Not our store!"
"I heard you guys don’t like black people, so I came to get my Starbucks reparations voucher," Sharpe explains in response.
The barista happily obliges, and asks him if he wants milk or flavoring with his coffee. Sharpe opts for both.
"That’s what I’m talking about! This is justice," Sharpe answers. "This is justice. This is what I’m talking about."
Toward the end of the video, Sharpe can be heard saying, "Black privilege gets me free coffee. I love racism. Only in America."
Sharpe shared the video on his Twitter page, and the video has received over 71,000 views and over 1,000 likes.
Starbucks is racist https://t.co/fPf3ERMlXX
— Hotep Jesus (@VibeHi) April 15, 2018
When reached for comment, Sharpe tells TheBlaze, "Racism is a business. Thanks to the ridiculousness of BLM activists, it's the new publicity stunt — and I think I just proved it."
On a different note, Starbucks announced on Tuesday that it will close 8,000 stores on May 29 to provide racial-bias training to about 175,000 store associates.
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It’s been almost confirmed by various reliable sources that the iPhone 5 is already in production and will be available in 2012 Q4.
Singapore has always been among the first group of countries to get new iDevices, so it will not be a surprise if we see the iPhone 5 here in Singapore in October.
A round-up of the purported new features in iPhone 5:
- Taller screen, bigger and having a better display quality than before. The screen will also be thinner, shaving off significant millimetres from the phone’s thickness and grammes off its weight.
- Smaller connector. Apple is moving from the 30-pin dock connector to a new 19-pin connector.
- NFC. Contact payment maybe?


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Microsoft’s Windows Vista will run on just about any PC available today, but it will only show its true colors on about half of them, according to a new report from Gartner.
Whereas today’s mainstream processors and hard drives offer plenty of performance and capacity to keep up with the new OS—now scheduled to arrive for large businesses in November and consumers in January 2007—IT managers and their counterparts, in addition to consumers buying PCs, should take care to specify at least 1GB of memory. If they aim to tap Vista’s Aero user interface, they will need a recent graphics processor, a new report by Gartner said.
Microsoft offers some basic guidelines for Vista on its Web site. For example, it states that the OS will require a minimum of 512MB of RAM and a modern processor to run.
Microsoft is also set to roll out a “Windows Capable” program, which helps highlight PCs capable of being upgraded with the OS for consumers, in April. However, it has not yet put forth final hardware recommendations for the OS, including details on the hardware necessary to run its full Aero interface.
The dearth of information has, so far, left IT managers—as well as PC enthusiasts and other consumers—to wonder how to best configure new machines they might purchase over the balance of 2006 and into 2007. Thus Gartner stepped in with some guidelines.
“Since most organizations keep PCs for three to five years—we recommend three years for mainstream notebook users and four years for mainstream desktops. PCs purchased in 2006 will be in service well after Windows Vista ships,” Gartner said in a March 28 report entitled, “Is Your PC Hardware ‘Ready for Windows Vista?'”
“While nearly all PCs on the market today will run Windows Vista, we estimate that about half will not enable the user to take full advantage of the advanced Windows Aero user experience, so care must be taken to properly configure them.
“This will be important for some users, but less important for others. Organizations that plan on upgrading 2006 PCs to Windows Vista, or those that want to keep their options open, need to buy the right PCs now to reduce migration costs later,” said the report.
Thus, assuming their intent is to run the OS and all of its features, IT managers and consumers must do their homework before placing orders for new PCs through at least the balance of 2006, even if they don’t expect to upgrade to Vista immediately upon its release.
Indeed, most businesses will wait a year or longer before upgrading to Vista, several senior-level IT managers told eWEEK recently.
“We are particularly concerned about the increased graphics requirement, so we will need to do a fair amount of testing to ensure that it doesn’t bog down the systems too much with our current hardware,” said Robert Rosen, CIO of the National Institute of Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases in Bethesda, Md., and an eWEEK Corporate Partner, in a recent interview.
While Microsoft is currently suggesting a minimum of 512MB, the new OS will require at least 1GB of dual-channel memory to provide its full capabilities, and in some cases should be fitted with even more, Gartner said in the report.
“New PCs should have at least 1GB RAM to prepare them for running Windows Vista. If PC virtualization will be used during the migration to run an older OS and Windows Vista on the PC simultaneously, an extra 512MB of RAM should be added,” the report said.
Choosing the right graphics will require the most advanced planning, however.
Vista’s most basic user interface, which is expected to be able to run on just about any PC released in the recent past, will offer a redesigned start menu and taskbar, along with tweaks to the control panel and features such as search.
Windows Aero, the advanced interface, adds a translucent task bar and window frames, in addition to things like real-time thumbnail previews. Under the hood, it also employs a new WDDM (Windows Display Driver Model), which promises to increase a PCs’ stability.
These new features require extra graphics horsepower, which most, but not current, graphics processors can offer. Indeed, part of Vista’s hardware guessing game involves determining which graphics processors will not only support WDDM, but also have the capability to show all of what Aero has to offer—assuming a buyer wants to use it. Some companies, Gartner points out, may not.
Next Page: Hardware needs for Vista still unclear


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Electric vehicles manufacturer Fisker Inc (NYSE:FSR) announced Wednesday a manufacturing deal with Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) supplier Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. (OTC:HNHPF), which is popularly known as Foxconn.
What Happened: California-based Fisker said it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Foxconn for a project, codenamed "PROJECT PEAR," to develop a breakthrough new segment EV.
Under the agreement, Foxconn will manufacture the vehicle, with projected annual volumes of over 250,000. The company expects to have the vehicle to have a global scope, targeting markets in North America, Europe and China.
Teams from Fisker and Foxconn will establish several workstreams focused on design, technology, engineering and manufacturing, the companies said. They expect to conclude discussions and enter into a formal partnership agreement during the second quarter.
Production is expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2023.
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This will mark Fisker's second EV brand following the anticipated launch of the Ocean SUV in the fourth quarter of 2022. Fisker went public in October through a SPAC deal.
"The creation of Project PEAR with Foxconn brings together two likeminded and complementary companies, each focused on creating new value in a traditional industry. We will create a vehicle that crosses social borders, while offering a combination of advanced technology, desirable design, innovation and value for money, whilst delivering on our commitment to create the world's most sustainable vehicles," said Henrik Fisker, CEO of Fisker.
Why It's Important: The deal underlines the value proposition of EV, which is touted as the future of the automotive industry.
Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives estimates the EV market opportunity at $5 trillion in the next 10 years and sees many winners around the globe.
Foxconn's ambitious EV plans include a partnership with Chinese startup Byton and an automotive contract manufacturing services along with Chinese automaker Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd (OTC:GELYF). It also recently appointed Nio Inc – ADR (NYSE:NIO) co-founder Jack Cheng as head of MIH, its open software and hardware platform for developing EVs.
In premarket trading Wednesday, Fisker shares were jumping 26.21% to $20.56.


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One of the few bright spots of 2020 has been the performance of plenty of IPOs. Palantir ($PLTR), Lemonade ($LMND), and Snowflake ($SNOW), are some of the biggest IPOs to date, all coming this year. With a little over a month left in this rollercoaster of a year, we will look to see if two companies who recently filed for an IPO can make some more noise in 2020.
AirBnb was initially a ridiculous idea, but 12 years later is now a billion dollar company. The company filed for an IPO on November 16th, and it got investors buzzing. AirBnb has established itself in the travel industry due to its cheaper prices compared to hotels, and showed very strong resiliency during the pandemic, finding a way to obtain a profitable quarter three as most hotels are still losing money. AirBnb is being accepted more and more, as people are oddly becoming more willing to let strangers into their home, as long as they make a profit. Expect to see the IPO date for AirBnb sometime in December, released into the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol $ABNB.