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Strengthening the domestic economy
The main factor that supports the Indonesian economy is its huge market. This allows it to continue to grow in the midst of difficult situations. In other words, if the domestic market demand can be sustained, the economic growth outlook will continue to be bright. This means that a recession can be avoided if efforts to strengthen the domestic market are continuously carried out.
Reinvigorating the domestic market requires stability in purchasing power from the consumer side and sufficient supply of goods and services from the producer side. If one of them is impacted, inflation will rise and the economic pressure becomes much more difficult to deal with.
Therefore, with the current domestic economy driven by household consumption, the strategy to strengthen the domestic market needs to take both the consumer and producer side into account.
From the consumer side, there are indications that consumer optimism remains strong so far. This can be seen from the Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) which still hovers above 100 (128.2 in June). In addition, the current Economic Condition Index is also above 100 (114.5 in June). Likewise, the Index of Consumer Expectations is at 141.8 in June. Taken together, these indices denote an economy in optimistic territory, despite the looming global recession.
From the macro side, the economic recovery is still on the right track, although it may not be able to accelerate faster due to the global uncertainty. Economic growth in the first quarter of 2022 stood at 5 percent, which indicates that the recovery is underway. While there is upward trend of inflation (which touched 4.35 percent yoy in June), this value is still relatively moderate compared to Indonesia’s inflation in 2014, which registered 8.36 percent, due to the US stimulus withdrawal. The current spike is driven by rising inflation from volatile goods, administered prices and core inflation.
We can also see that the current domestic economic recovery is still strong from the rebound of goods and people movement as the pandemic subsides. When Indonesia entered a recession in 2020, the supply and demand sides were simultaneously disrupted. This further shows that the resilience of Indonesia’s economy lies at the strength of its domestic economy. So far, it can be said that the Indonesia’s economy is quite “immune” to the risk of looming global recession.
Of course, we must remain alert and not be consumed by excessive euphoria. The increase in global commodity prices can potentially hit consumer pockets as some industrial sectors are still heavily reliant on imported raw materials. As a result, an increase in commodity prices will be followed by an increase in raw material prices. The implication is that producer price inflation will certainly increase. This is the challenge currently faced by the domestic economy, where consumer price inflation can be said to be moderate while producer price inflation is quite high. If the upward trend in raw material prices is not stemmed, at a certain point producers will pass on the increase in raw material prices to consumers. This in turn will erode purchasing power and the economy will slow down.


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Cashing in on its turnaround of an ailing retail center, Boca Raton, Fla.-based real estate owner and developer Pebb Enterprises has sold the second phase of Marketplace at Four Corners in Bainbridge Township for $15.8 million.
The 116,436-square-foot shopping center at 7705 Market Place Drive was purchased Monday, March 5, by RE Ohio Family LLC, according to a news release that Pebb issued on Tuesday, March 6. The buyer is a Santa Ana, Calif., real estate investor, according to Geauga County land records.
Pebb said the center is fully leased with tenants such as Old Navy and Stein Mart; it was empty when Pebb bought it from a lender in 2013. The company said it not only invested in outfitting space for tenants but upgraded the center's grounds.
Pebb did not say how much it originally paid for the retail center, but Geauga County land records say it bought the shell of a center for $3.36 million. It had been recouped by U.S. Bank, in its role as trustee for a securitized loan, at a Geauga County sheriff's sale, according to county records.
The center adjoins the larger Walmart-anchored first phase of the Marketplace at Four Corners, which is separately owned and sold for almost $56 million last month. Both properties are near Aurora Road and the former site of the former Geauga Lake Amusement Park.
Aaron Zucker, Pebb director of leasing, said in the news release that the project benefited from the synergy with the larger shopping center and retailers in both properties. Pebb was founded in 1973.

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Ready to add another rumor to the pile surrounding the US Galaxy Nexus release date? No? I don't blame you. Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do to stop this whirlwind of release date madness.
We've been hearing December 9th as the final release date for the Galaxy Nexus on Big Red for several days now; heck, an orgy of proof showed up yesterday that all but confirmed it - or so we thought.


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There may not have been an official fall '12 fashion week in San Francisco, but that doesn't mean Bay Area designers haven't been hard at work on their most recent collections. And the latest locally grown label unveiling its cool-weather offerings is Sara Shepherd. The Central St. Martins alum, who now teaches fashion design at the Academy of Art, found widely varied inspiration for her sculptural pieces for fall, all shot by Hellin Kay at S.F.'s Bently Reserve. "This season was about the story of Icarus meets the novel 1984," Shepherd tells us of the moody offerings. "It's about the concepts of aspiration and exploration juxtaposed with restriction and oppression." Check out what this boils down to, sartorially, in the lookbook after the jump.
Kara Ross Is No Longer On The CFDA Board — & Tom Ford Announces N...
The Council of Fashion Designers of America is slowly making changes following the appointment of Tom Ford as chairman, and this week marks another step


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WhichBingo, the UK’s leading bingo review bingo website, has announced that voting is officially open for the WhichBingo Awards 2022, which recognises the nation’s favourite bingo and slots brands as voted by real players and the best operators across a number of special judged categories.
Bingo fans are encouraged to show their support for their favourite bingo brands to see them take home a coveted award, with voting running from now until the 16th June.
The player-voted awards up for grabs include the Best Bingo Site, Best Slots Site, Best New Bingo Site and Best New Slots Site, as well as accolades for the Best Chat Team, and best site under specific providers – Entain, Playtech, Dragonfish and Pragmatic Play.
As well as the user-voted awards, bingo operators can also win one of four special judged awards, which are: Most Socially Responsible Operator, Best Customer Service, Best Mobile Bingo Site, and Best Live Stream Entertainment.
This year, the esteemed judges are Anita Heffernan from WhichBingo, Leigh Nissim, Founder and CEO of Future Anthem, Lee-Ann Johnstone, Founder and CEO of Affiliate Insider, and Christina Thakor-Rankin, Principal Consultant at 1710 Gaming Ltd.
And there’s all to play for, with previous winners of the awards including Mecca Bingo, Sun Bingo, Buzz Bingo, Ladbrokes Bingo and Heart Bingo.
To vote, players are asked to visit the WhichBingo Awards 2022 voting page and cast a vote for their favourite bingo brand or operator across each of the nine categories. Once users have submitted their responses, all that’s left to do is keep your fingers crossed for your favourite brands!
The WhichBingo awards have been running for almost a decade, with this year’s iteration – the 9th annual instalment, being hosted once more as a live event that will take place in Amsterdam on 7th July – being particularly highly-anticipated after the last two annual events were hosted online rather than in-person.
This year’s awards are well worth the wait, with the ceremony hosted at an incredibly immersive, eclectic and very Instagram-worthy venue – The Upside Down in Amsterdam.
The Upside Down is Europe’s largest interactive museum with 25 themed rooms and attention-grabbing decors – which perfectly suits the event, given WhichBingo is known for taking its award shows to the next level.
The awards are hosted alongside the popular iGB Amsterdam Affiliate Conference, which sees iGaming and Affiliate titans share expert strategies and leading products for growth.
Speaking on the launch, Charlie Shakespeare, WhichBingo’s very own awards host, said: “After switching to online awards for the last two years, we resolved to make this year’s in-person event better than ever – and with an amazing venue and leading brands in the running, it’s set to be a night to remember.
“The awards give bingo fans the opportunity to show their support for their favourite bingo providers – which is especially beneficial for brands, given that the WhichBingo awards are considered a real benchmark of quality and reliability within the bingo industry.”
To vote for your favourite bingo operators and see the full award details, please visit: https://www.whichbingo.co.uk/awards/vote/
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Londoners like free HD TV
Freeview-based HD trial shock result revealed
UK broadcasters the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five have hailed the trial run pumping out HD content across the Freeview free-to-air digital TV network a "technical success", paving the way for terrestrially broadcast nationwide HDTV in the very near future.
The trial was launched in June this year, sending HD TV broadcasts to 450 users in the London area. The sample group were largely very positive about the service, with 86 per cent saying they expect the service to be rolled out fully within three years.
Of course, that's up to the broadcasters rather than the punters, and none of the channels took the opportunity to commit to a specific timeframe for as-standard HD broadcasts.
Indeed, the statement put out by the broadcasters was long on take-as-read consumer comments - they think HD's good for sport and wildlife programming, which you'd never guess in a million years, would you? - and short on action on the part of the broadcasters. ®
Read Reg Hardware's HD TV in the UK special report here


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Charter Walk Shopping Centre in Burnley is to have a new Shopping Centre Manager. Debbie Hernon has been appointed into this role by Addington Capital, the property investment and asset management company. Debbie has been appointed by Addington for the Burnley Shopping Centre amidst a number of other changes that are taking place at the Centre.
Debbie is expected to be a great asset to Charter Walk and with all of the other activity taking place, Debbie’s appointment is timed well in order to make maximum impact. The 250,000 sq. ft. shopping centre in Burnley has already seen a flurry of activity this year. The Shopping Centre are making preparations for a new 40,000 sq. ft. Primark Store. The popular clothing chin is expected to be trading from their new store at Charter Walk in the Spring of next year. In order to prepare for this move and to make the most out of the space at Charter Walk, the asset managers at Addington have also managed to successfully move the popular high street brand Wilko’s into the unit previously occupied by the 99p store on the mall.
In order to welcome Primark in the Spring of 2018, the contractors are already on site stripping the allocated unit and carrying out the structural alterations that are required before the successful Primark fit out can go ahead. The contractors that have been working in the unit so far have been Lambert Smith Hampton and the Project Manager, Gayle Taylor has said that a number of investigations in the unit have gone ahead successfully and the construction work is moving ahead as planned.
It is good news for Burnley that a large high street store such as Primark is opening. The new addition will bring an economic boost to the town centre as well as attracting shoppers to the area.


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SoundExchange will now provide monthly royalties to artists, labels and rights owners signed up to receive electronic payments. Previously, SoundExchange sent royalty payments quarterly to its registrants, and is now the first sound recording performance rights organization in the world to offer monthly distributions. Most sound recording performance organizations in other countries pay only annually.
“While SoundExchange was already a market-leader with quarterly distributions, moving to monthly payments takes our service to the next level,” said SoundExchange President and CEO Michael Huppe. “By making performance royalties available sooner, we are making it easier for recording artists and record labels to focus on creating the music we all enjoy.”
Initially, monthly royalty payments will be sent to those that are signed up to receive electronic payments, and have royalties due of at least $250. Artists and labels that do not meet this minimum threshold will continue to be paid on a regular, quarterly schedule under the organization’s existing guidelines. After the initial roll out period, SoundExchange will re-evaluate eligibility qualifications for its monthly payment program.
SoundExchange, which recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary, represents recording artists, rights owners and record labels from every type of musical genre. Since inception, SoundExchange has put nearly $2 billion into music creators’ pockets. SoundExchange administers the statutory license for more than 2,000 digital music services that rely on it for the use of sound recordings.
For more information, visit www.SoundExchange.com.


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Until last week, not many people had even heard of Chingari. Now, the short-form video-sharing app is clocking around 300,000 downloads per hour.
The reason for this overnight popularity? It’s Indian.
The Narendra Modi government’s ban on TikTok has benefitted a host of homegrown apps like Chingari, which was first launched in 2018 but had only 2.5 million downloads until May.


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The 29th annual meeting of the APEC Pacific Rim states has got underway in Vietnam. Key topics include the US government's current protectionism stance under Donald Trump.
Japan and the EU have agreed to increase cooperation on trade, the environment and security. The two sides enacted a large trade deal in February, an agreement they believe counters the "global trends of protectionism."
Vietnam is hosting this year's Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which gives it an opportunity to tout the benefits of global free trade. But convincing protectionists like Trump remains an uphill task.
The EU and Japan have signed an unprecedented free trade agreement which will create one of the world's largest trading blocs. European Council President Donald Tusk says it is a "clear message" against protectionism.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hailed a "special strategic and global partnership" with Japan, the second-largest economy in Asia. Japan is aiming to expand free trade relations amid US' protectionist policies.
© 2019 Deutsche Welle |
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Is Samsung's Galaxy Note lineup dead or not dead? That is the question. According to Samsung's president and head of mobile communications business, Roh Tae-moon, it pretty much is — in the U.S., at least.
On Tuesday, the company published a press release reflecting on all of the devices it released in 2020 while also looking ahead to what we can expect in 2021. And, it appears the company has basically confirmed the Galaxy Note 21 isn't one of them.
Toward the bottom of the post, Roh writes:
We’ve also been paying attention to people’s favorite aspects of the Galaxy Note experience and are excited to add some of its most well-loved features to other devices in our lineup.
After reading this line over and over, I think there's no other way to interpret it: The Note is clearly no more, starting next year.
This news comes only a few weeks after rumors of the Note's impending death surfaced on the internet.
According to Reuters, sources close to the matter claim "the South Korean tech giant does not have plans to develop a new version of the Galaxy Note for 2021." The report also claims the company plans to include a stylus in its Galaxy S21 flagship with compatibility for its next foldable phone — which is likely the Galaxy Z Fold 3.
But Korean publication, ET News, claims that 2021 will be the Note's last hurrah. Rather than launching two variants of the device, Samsung will apparently only release one version before officially discontinuing the lineup.
However, judging by Roh's words, it seems as though Samsung is hinting that the Note is truly no more. Instead, the lineup will likely live on through the company's existing Galaxy S series and Fold devices.
But it looks like we won't have to wait long to see what Samsung has up its sleeve for the coming year. Roh signed off by mentioning there will be more news to come in January.
When reached for comment, Samsung said it had no further details to share at this time.


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As Americans grow increasingly comfortable with technology, so does the demand for connectivity and tech tools in and around the home. But technology—and customer expectations—are always evolving. That’s why knowing precisely which kinds of technology prospective home buyers really want—and are ready to pay for—gives builders, remodelers and product manufacturers a sharp edge over the competition, especially with regard to rivals from the resale market.
Underscoring the value of a home’s “third space,” Zonda Home industry research expert and principal Mollie Carmichael revealed fascinating findings from their recent Producers Confidence Survey—a comprehensive questionnaire completed only by those actively shopping for a home in 2020 through 2021—in the “Outlook for Manufacturers: Redefining the Connected Home” webinar. Highlighting technology product and design features—with corresponding with cost estimates—for both the home and the community designated as “very important” or “important,” the data provide valuable insight into what consumers desire most, allowing builders and manufacturers to target operations more deliberately, focus costs more efficiently and even determine the demographic groups most amenable to their services or products.
Here are some valuable takeaways vis-à-vis community and home technology considerations:
Connectivity through community
In the 21st century, people want to be connected to technological bells and whistles almost wherever they are, and that includes home and community connectivity.
A wide world of Wi-Fi
Buyers crave a connected community, as demonstrated by the 55% of consumers who want free Wi-Fi and streaming in all common areas such as parks and pools. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg:
- 50% desire community-specific Smart apps.
- 49% seek virtual access to amenities like the pool, lights, clubs and more.
- 50% like having a remote guard shack and 45% want video views of common areas.
- 38% would like 24/7 access to telehealth services, which can help home owners age in place.
- An impressive 56% find local grab-and-go Wi-Fi cafés appealing, and 21% would pay $10 more each month for access to a community IT or tech desk.
- 39% want an Amazon package locker to handle those incoming parcels, but 37% prefer built-in drop zones—a great way for builders to distinguish themselves from resale offerings.
Technology in the Home
Whether constructing an all-new house or remodeling something older, considering how the residents plan to incorporate tech into their lifestyles is crucial, as technology’s tentacles have reached into almost every aspect (and room) of the modern home.
The global pandemic forced many employers and employees to adopt ad-hoc work-from-home strategies, but remote work options are likely to continue, necessitating a functional space:
- 61% of respondents would pay another $10,000 for a small, separate office with a door.
- 49% say a large laundry room-like space would suffice.
- 19% wanted two office or more.
- Only 15% like the idea of an office connected to common spaces.
Smart home health and environmental impacts
As Zonda says, “A Smart home is a safe home,” and there have never been more ways for technology to provide cleaner, healthier and greener lifestyles. In fact, general health and wellness concerns are up 18% from the same time last year, so consider these findings:
- 85% would pay $7,500 for air conditioning, and 80% would lay out another $800 for a controlled clean air unit.
- 70% will pay $250 for ceiling fans in primary living spaces, and another 68% would double the expense to install fans in secondary rooms as well.
- 68% want whole-home water filtration for $1,200.
- 38% would spend $700 to embrace circadian lighting, a relatively new phenomenon.
The virtual (and greener) life
Given how much we’ve come to rely on technology, connectivity is key when one considers how much we’ve come to rely on technology, and since tech can be incorporated into almost everything (so don’t forget to use Wi-Fi-ready outlets everywhere), remodelers and builders can impress prospective buyers by including some of these features:
- 72% want a virtual video doorbell, and 51% find remote door access appealing.
- 63% would pay $800 for a virtual monitoring camera.
- 26% will spend $600 for virtual appliances, but a whopping 68% crave Smart learning apps (energy, water, etc.), marking a 20% increase from last year.
- While 36% thing remote window shades are worth an extra $5,000, 43% would spend $25,000 for solar panels. Of course, region plays a key role in the popularity of both, but solar panels are now becoming architecturally appealing solar shingles. In fact, 33% would pay between $20,000 and $30,000 for solar roof tiles, while 7% would prefer to lease them.
- Tesla’s home battery is ideal for those off-the-grid homes, but it’s equally appealing to homeowners of all kinds, as 41% would invest $7,500 to own one.
- 49% want electric car charging stations, a 13% year-over-year increase.
Since 73% of respondents believe going green is about monthly savings and another 62% feel green living is better for the environment, net-zero-ready homes have never been more popular—31% would pay $30,000 for such a home, up 12% from last year. Environmentally friendly insulation is also trending, with 51% willing to spend $7,500 for foam and 41% would spend the same on blown insulation.
Technology is constantly evolving, but the builders and manufacturers who stay abreast of these trends will be better positioned to meet changing home buyer’s needs—and that means more customers and projects.


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Wanted: Operations specialist with commitment to cookie-less advertising and in-depth knowledge of GDPR compliance to oversee Unified ID 2.0 implementation throughout EU
Tough position to fill, according to multiple sources familiar with a new role at The Trade Desk (TTD), which runs the ad exchange marketers use to select audiences on an ad bidding exchange. This is a key role as the ad industry heads into a new post-cookie world intending to supplant those with a unified, encrypted form of ID compliant with GDPR regulations. Speculation is that overseeing this for digital ad spending, which is projected to hit $91.44 billion in Western Europe by 2025, is a hard job to commit to, as it is likely to come with liability if there were found to be GDPR violations. TTD has said it is partners and organizations around the world on the regional rollout.


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Eyewear e-tailer Lenskart has invested $1 million (around Rs 6.5 crore) in US-based Ditto which develops 3D face models for Lenskart’s virtual trial service.
The online platform, which is operated by Lenskart Solutions Pvt. Ltd, has been using Ditto's 3D try-on services on its website and app, it said in a statement.
With the integration of Ditto, Lenskart will be able to enhance its online engagement with consumers.
“Ditto provides us with the patented 3D virtual try-on technology that allows customers to see themselves in eyewear in 180 degree angles. The response to this service has been impressive with over 10,000 trials a day. Ditto has now become a strategic partner for Lenskart and this will help us achieve a wider and more satisfied customer base,” said Peyush Bansal, founder and CEO of Lenskart.
Ditto, which is operated by Ditto Technologies Inc, was founded by Stanford Graduate School of Business alumnus Kate Endress, former Google executive Sergey Surkov and former Nokia executive Dmitry Kornilov. In 2012, it raised $3 million from a group of investors led by August Capital.
Lenskart, which was founded in 2008, is promoted by Bansal, Amit Chaudhary, Neha Bansal and Sumeet Kapahi. In addition to the online platform, it has a wholesale division which is engaged in assembly, distribution and supply of eyewear products.
In January this year, media entrepreneur-turned-investor Ronnie Screwvala’s Unilazer Ventures invested Rs 24 crore ($3.5 million) in Lenskart through a secondary transaction.
In September last year, Lenskart raised follow-on funding from PremjiInvest, the private investment arm of Wipro chairman Azim Premji.
In May 2016, the firm raised Rs 400 crore ($60 million) in a Series D round from International Finance Corp, TPG Growth and other investors. The round also saw participation from Adveq Management, IDG Ventures, Tata Sons chairman emeritus Ratan Tata and Infosys co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan.
In FY2015-16, Lenskart’s net loss widened to Rs 113 crore as it spent more on advertising and promotions to generate sales. The company’s advertising expenditure grew 52% to Rs 58 crore, and its revenue jumped 63% to Rs 99 crore. It had posted a net loss of Rs 63.5 crore on a total income of Rs 60.9 crore in FY2014-15, according to VCCEdge, the data research platform of VCCircle, based on the company’s filings with the Registrar of Companies.


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Digital TV News: Silicondust
Pearl TV and Phoenix Model Market announce 2021 NEXTGEN TV plans
Jan 7, 2021 – Pearl TV and the Phoenix Model Market partners have announced a push this year that will initiate ATSC 3.0 services in nearly 20 more cities by the end of the summer.
News categories: Pearl TV, Anne Schelle, ATSC 3, CES2022, Content Distribution, Digital TV, In-Car, Set Top Box, Smart TV, USA
MaxLinear launches 1-channel ATSC tuner-demod ICs for streaming boxes
Sep 15, 2017 – MaxLinear (NYSE: MXL) has announced the MxL69x family, the industry’s first family of single-channel integrated ATSC tuner-demodulator ICs. The family provides a solution for adding over-the-air TV to OTT STBs and streaming media devices.
News categories: MaxLinear, Will Torgerson, ATSC 3, Digital TV, IBC, ICs, North America, Semiconductor, Set Top Box, Streaming, USA
Zenverge powers SiliconDust next gen gateways
Jan 21, 2014 – Zenverge has announced that SiliconDust has incorporated Zenverge's ZN200 system-on-a-chip (SoC) into their latest HDHomeRun and Simple.TV Branded Network Attached TV tuner products, the HDTC and STV2 series.
News categories: Zenverge, SiliconDust, Raghu Rao, Theodore Head, Mobile, Semiconductor, Set Top Box, Smart Home, Terrestrial, USA
Simple.TV partners with Silicondust for new hardware and expansion into Europe
Sep 5, 2013 – Simple.TV has announced a manufacturing and distribution partnership with Silicondust to build and distribute their next generation streaming DVR device and bring broadcast, over-the-air (OTA) television to connected devices everywhere.
News categories: Simple.TV, Silicondust, DVR, Europe, IFA, Set Top Box, USA
Zenverge to unveil multiscreen video gateway ICs at The Cable Show 2013
Jun 4, 2013 – Zenverge has announced that it will unveil its multi-screen hybrid gateway solutions and real-time HD HEVC content networking technology at The Cable Show.
News categories: Zenverge, Cable TV, Gateway, ICs, Placeshifting, Semiconductor, Smart Home
SiliconDust Picks MaxLinear MxL241SF for HDHomeRun® PRIME™ Next-Gen Cable TV System
May 9, 2011 – MaxLinear (NYSE: MXL) has announced that SiliconDust has selected the company's MxL241SF cable TV tuners for its three-tuner HDHomeRun® PRIME™ HD cable TV system. The HDHomeRun PRIME has achieved CableLabs® certification for OpenCable™ devices.
News categories: MaxLinear, SiliconDust, Cable TV, Semiconductor, Smart Home, USA
- Tata Sky expands quality and availability monitoring with DataMiner
- Slow recovery in European pay TV revenues expected
- Share of smart TVs and UHD TVs in Germany continues to grow
- Vewd enables Smart TV for pay TV operators with Vestel
- LG brings more content to third-party TVs powered by webOS
- 70% of audiences reached via streaming are not reachable via linear
- t4h. Android TV remote control for SKY Brasil
- ATEME joins Google Cloud Partner Advantage Program
- discovery+ to launch in Canada on October 19
- LiveRamp launches enhanced TV platform
- Comscore enables deduplicated ad campaigns on YouTube and YouTube TV
- Four Hartford TV stations launch NEXTGEN TV
- Vestel rolls out Red Bull TV app to Smart TVs across Europe
- Viaccess-Orca powers Vialis hybrid DTT/OTT service
- TalkTalk selects Netgem for launch of 4K TV service
- 39% of U.S. OTT viewers access video services for specific content
- 60% of UK marketers expect to spend more on Advanced TV
- Foxtel confirms syndication of Sky Glass streaming platform
- Survey highlights attraction of interacting with streaming video
- Yahoo and Tubi partner to streamline CTV ad buying


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Skoda has unveiled its facelifted Fabia in the lead-up to its official debut at the Geneva motor show next month.
The Czech light car will arrive in the fourth quarter of this year with sharper styling and a comprehensive technology injection.
The Fabia now incorporates LED lights at both front and rear, and the signature grille and rear bodywork have been treated to a more angular design.
Buyers will have a wider choice of alloy wheels, including 18-inch rims for the hatchback body style.
Safety-wise, the latest Fabia will offer the latest suite of semi-autonomous driver-assist technologies including blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and auto-switching high-beam headlamps.
The Fabia has also undergone changes inside, with a redesigned instrument cluster, two-tone finishes for the seats and new trim highlights for the dashboard.
The 'Swing' infotainment system has been updated to include a 6.5-inch touchscreen display. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come as standard, though buyers will have to fork out a bit extra for the sat nav system that features real-time traffic information.
As usual, Skoda has embraced its 'Simply Clever' tagline, offering USB ports for the rear-seat passengers, a double-sided boot mat, a tyre-tread measuring tool and a portable LED flashlight for wagon variants.
Like the previous model, the new Fabia features a reversing camera and auto emergency braking (AEB) up to 30km/h.
For the European market, the Fabia will be offered with a 1.0-litre three-cylinder powertrain, producing 44kW and 55kW in the lower-spec naturally-aspirated variants.
Range-topping models add forced-induction, pushing the Fabia's outputs to 70kW and 81kW.
Australia-bound Fabias will carry over their existing powertrains; a 70kW TSI petrol engine matched to a six-speed manual, and an 81kW 1.2-litre four-cylinder paired with a seven-speed DSG.
The facelifted Fabia will make its in-the-metal debut at the Geneva Motor Show, which kicks off on March 8.
Will the added technology help the Fabia perform in the showroom? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.


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Rooftop PV installations have soared in the U.S. over the past several years, but activity has been heavily concentrated in just a few states offering strong policy support. Retail net energy metering (NEM), which allows the homeowner to sell surplus solar power back to the grid at retail rates, has been a particularly critical driver of rooftop PV development. The policy has long been controversial, but recent activity in several key states suggests a middle ground consensus may finally be emerging.
Rooftop PV capacity, also known as distributed PV generation (or DG), has risen from 2.9 GW in 2013 to 14.2 GW as of May 2017. The pace of development has fallen behind utility scale solar, which now totals 23.1 GW, but has still been remarkably rapid. Well over a million U.S. homes and commercial businesses now have rooftop PV installations.
There have been many drivers of DG capacity growth, including sharply falling installation costs, the widespread availability of third-party leasing options, state-level Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS), high solar renewable energy credit (SREC) prices and the continued extension of the federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC).
Yet few drivers have proven more critical to rooftop PV development than the availability of retail net energy metering (NEM). Nearly every state allows surplus solar generation to be sold back to the grid; the key differentiator is whether it’s sold back at the retail rate, or a rate closer to the wholesale rate. If retail NEM is allowed, the economics for rooftop PV installations can be quite positive, especially in states with higher than average retail power prices.
It’s not surprising that California, which combines a strong solar resource with retail NEM (not to mention an aggressive RPS), is the clear leader in rooftop PV capacity—with 5.6 GW, it comprises nearly 40% of total U.S. capacity. Yet other leading states show how critical retail NEM is to rooftop PV development. New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Maryland all possess poor solar resources, but with high retail power prices and retail NEM, each has experienced considerable expansion of rooftop PV (though as in California, aggressive RPS targets and high SREC prices have helped, as well).
While certainly a strong driver of rooftop PV growth, retail NEM has always been surrounded by controversy. Beyond the technical considerations of adding a large amount of behind-the-meter generation, retail NEM is at the heart of political questions about how costs for grid maintenance should be distributed.
More specifically, opponents of retail NEM have long argued that the policy allows homeowners with rooftop PV to avoid paying their fair share of costs for maintaining the transmission and distribution grid. In most jurisdictions, such costs are rolled into the retail rate, thus the less net energy used, the less paid for the fixed grid infrastructure. Because rooftop PV owners remain entirely reliant on the grid (i.e., at night and on cloudy days), opponents argue they must still pay their fair share for its upkeep—failure to do so unfairly shifts costs to consumers without rooftop PV.
Further, the threat of cross-subsidization is particularly concerning to some policy makers due to the socio-economic dynamics at play. Because rooftop PV owners tend to skew toward higher income demographics, the cross-subsidization may be highly regressive in effectively shifting costs from the affluent to lower-income ratepayers.
Debates over retail NEM have popped up throughout the country, with more than 20 states reviewing their NEM policies, and a few have already taken action. In Nevada, the specter of regressive cross-subsidization was one of the key pillars of its decision, in late 2015, to eliminate retail NEM. It switched to lower compensation rates for rooftop PV owners (i.e., closer to the wholesale price or avoided cost) and didn’t grandfather-in existing rooftop PV owners.
The Nevada experience likely provides the most guidance for the future trajectory of state-level NEM policy. Eliminating retail NEM outright was highly controversial and quickly drew backlash. The impact on the state’s rooftop solar industry was immediate, with several major installers sharply reducing operations or leaving the state.
The controversy refused to fade and in June 2017, the state legislature (voting almost unanimously) changed course and re-established retail NEM for existing rooftop PV owners and agreed to allow new customers sell excess power back to the grid at 95% of the retail rate. This will gradually be stepped down to 75% of retail as new capacity is added.
Nevada is not alone in recognizing the perils of rapidly eliminating retail NEM. California, in 2015, agreed to keep its NEM structure largely in place through 2019. More recently, New Hampshire largely did the same, at least temporarily, as it continues to study the value of solar. Many states are likely to eventually stepdown compensation from full retail NEM, and/or add minor fixed costs for rooftop PV owners to ensure adequate payment for grid services. But as rooftop PV becomes more popular with a broader set of voters, few will be willing to replay the Nevada experience and set forth policies that would have an immediately negative effect on solar PV installations.


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Companies are attracting an increasing number of consumers on Twitter, with brands recording an average of 43% increase in followers last year, according to a recent report from ExactTarget Marketing Cloud.
Four industries in particular significantly increased followers in 2013: technology and manufacturing (up 93%), retail and e-commerce (75%), CPG (55%), and financial services (55%).
Below, key findings from the report, which was based on data from 3.6 million tweets (paid and organic) sent in 2013 by companies in 15 industries.
Engagement Rates by Industry
- Consumers across all the examined industries gravitate toward tweets that include photos.
- Tweets containing photos receive 3.3 replies on average, compared with 1.7 replies on average for non-photo tweets.
- On average, nine consumers retweet a photo tweet compared with five for a non-photo tweet.
- Retail and e-commerce companies sent the most tweets (303K) in 2013 of any brands examined.
- Media and entertainment companies received the most replies on average (7.7) and retweets (23.6).
Engagement by Day and Time
- Tweets sent by brands on Sundays get most retweets and replies, on average, but companies tweet the least on this day, the analysis found.
- During the workweek, companies tweet the least on Mondays and increase volume as the week goes on.
- The highest volume of tweets occurred last year between 3 PM and 6 PM CST.
- The highest engagement rates occurred between 9 PM and 12 AM CST (4.9 replies and 27.3 retweets, on average).
About the research: The report was based on data from 3.6 million tweets (paid and organic) sent in 2013 by companies in 15 industries.
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Smart Cards Dispense 'Cash' At Your Home
For most people, banking from home means using the telephone to get balances or move money around between accounts, and maybe to pay bills. The more advanced can use personal computers to do the job. But if you need cash, forget it; no one has offered a way to push a dollar bill down a telephone line.
Until now, that is. In a trial by two Canadian banks, some Toronto-area residents will soon be loading "cash" onto smart cards, using a small device attached to a telephone. "Remote access" to a bank account thus takes on a new meaning. It's not a credit card or debit card, but a substitute for cash - a digital purse.
Unlike paper cash, however, this "cash" can only be used at properly equipped stores or machines. Retailers, vending machines, parking meters, and pay phones will accept the cards as long as they have a reader to accept the cash. The card is "loaded" with digital cash when a customer pushes a code on the telephone then swipes the card through the card reader on the side of the phone.
The trial will be in Guelph, a small city west of Toronto. The test involves some of Canada's biggest businesses.
"This is going to be the first trial in North America," says Terry Sydoryk, senior product manager at Northern Telecom in Calgary, where the special phone and attachable card-swiper are being manufactured. Another trial in Swindon, England, has been going on since July, he adds. Three-fourths of the Swindon retailers accept the money cards.
The smart-card technology is from Monde, a joint venture of Britain's NatWest and Midland banks. In Canada, the participating banks are the Royal Bank and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.
Other companies are also interested in marketing smart cards. VeriFone Inc. of Redwood City, Calif., recently announced its version of a smart-card device for the home.
The cards also may have applications beyond banking. IBM and American Express announced card technology to streamline the process of buying airline tickets and checking in at the airport.
In the Canadian trial, if you run out of cash on your smart card, you don't have to run home to get more. Guelph will have hundreds of pay phones with card readers. Phone giant Bell Canada is another partner in the test.
"The manufacturer makes money from selling the units, the banks probably from service fees, and the phone companies from rentals or service fees," says a telecommunications executive who asked to remain nameless. "That's why it's called a trial. The technology works, but they've still got a lot of money details to work out."
Not to mention whether the cards will be a hit with consumers.


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Franck Provost expands
Upmarket hairdressing franchise Franck Provost has unveiled its third franchise outlet and has two more lined up for opening in Sydney within the next two months.
Manly is the location for the latest store, with prime sites in Double Bay and Mosman next to open. Plans are for another store in Sydney and perhaps a location in Brisbane before the end of the year, though these may not be franchised outlets.
Australian master franchisor and business development manager Stephen Panasiak told Franchising “We believe in our concept so we prefer to open in the best location by ourselves and create awareness of the brand.”
A Franck Provost franchise will cost about $300,000 and Panasiak is keen to stress that hairdressing skills are not a requirement for a franchisee. “You don’t have to be a hairdresser to be a franchisee, we prefer investors. They work at reception and co-ordinate the team,” he said.


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A month after its ban in India and repeated attempts to bring it back, PUBG mobile has finally given up and is terminating its services in India as of October 30.
“Tencent Games will terminate all service and access for users in India to PUBG MOBILE Nordic Map: Livik and PUBG MOBILE Lite (together, “PUBG Mobile”) on October 30,2020,” Tencent Games said in now a deleted post on Facebook.
To recall, PUBG was among the 117 apps that were banned in India citing privacy issues amidst the ongoing standoff between China and India. The statement further highlights that Tencent is returning all rights to the developer of PUBG Mobile – PUBG Corporation which is a subsidiary of Krafton Game Union.
Meanwhile, as the news broke, people have gathered to bid adieu to the game that helped them kill the boredom during what felt like a never-ending lockdown.
Meanwhile, to fill in the void that PUBG has left behind, FAUG is the game that people got high hopes from. The teaser of FAUG was released recently and the game is expected to launch soon.
However, it will have to tick numerous boxes to lure people into downloading the game.


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Toyota offers free access to over 20 years of electric vehicle patents
Almost 5 years after Elon Musk allowed other manufacturers access to Tesla patents without fear of legal action – effectively making them open source – Toyota has announced that it's opening up its vehicle electrification patent archive to help speed up the development and adoption of electric vehicles.
Research and development of electric vehicles is costly and time consuming, as startups like Faraday Future know only too well. Toyota wants to help, announcing that it will grant royalty-free licenses to other manufacturers for nearly 24,000 patents (including some pending applications) relating to vehicle electrification technologies.
The focus of the electric vehicle technology being opened up by Toyota is for hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and fuel cell electrics rather than battery EVs, and represents patents registered over more than 20 years of research and development. That shapes up as nearly 2,600 electric motor patents, 2,020 relating to power control units, 7,550 for system controls, 1,320 for engine transaxles, 2,200 for chargers, and the addition of 2,380 fuel cell patents to the 5,680 already available since 2015.
The company will also offer technical support to vehicle manufacturers that make use of Toyota's motors, batteries, power control units, electronic control units and more – for a fee.
"Based on the high volume of inquiries we receive about our vehicle electrification systems from companies that recognize a need to popularize hybrid and other electrified vehicle technologies, we believe that now is the time for cooperation," said the firm's Shigeki Terashi. "If the number of electrified vehicles accelerates significantly in the next 10 years, they will become standard, and we hope to play a role in supporting that process."
Applications for access to the royalty-free patents are open now, with the doors remaining ajar until the end on 2030.


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The new live streaming feature, which is baked right into Twitter, is “powered by Periscope,” but Twitter says users don’t have to have the Periscope app to access the new feature. The company is expanding upon the Periscope button it previously rolled out for a few users earlier this year, now letting all Twitter users access the live streaming feature.
It’s a bit more detailed and built-into Twitter in this new iteration as well. New broadcasts will appear directly in follower’s timelines, and there will be an option for followers to join the stream, which will give them the ability to send hearts and comments.
For users that want to start live streaming, they’ll need to compose a new tweet, select the camera icon, and then select the Periscope “Live” button. The live video will begin after that.
Twitter is a free download, and a link to do so is available below.
- Twitter — Free
[via The Verge]


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We all want to save money and VoIP (Voice over IP) technology is one of those great ways to cut your spending. It uses the Internet and its cheap data as an alternative to making voice calls using a telephone or cell phone. Great idea. When it comes to VoIP, netTALK is one of leaders in Canada and the company has just announced the launch of a new Android app that’s exclusive to Canadians. This netTALK app features a long list of benefits including a free Canadian number, free international calls between app users and free international radio streaming. Given the popularity of NetTALK’s Duo VOiP telephone hardware, this app is definitely worth checking out.
Here’s the thing about 2016: everyone has either broken their smartphone screen at some point, or they know someone who has. Luckily, if you break your phone screen nowadays, it’s not too big of a deal! Just make sure you backup all of your files, and then read this article to figure out what your next steps are.


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Sure, the stuff inside math textbooks can sometimes make our heads hurt, but this weekend, it was what was on a math textbook that had the Internet totally freaking out.
The collective online brain explosion started with a tweet:
How are the teens on the cover of the book holding copies of the book that they are currently posing for? (We know, we know.)
Was it a green screen?
Yup, the company that printed the book pretty much admitted that it was time travel.
BuzzFeed, however, reported that in spite of claims that there has been a lapse in the space time continuum, there's another explanation for the picture. According to a Reddit thread last year, the picture was originally a stock photo of a diverse group of teens holding generic notebooks. That means that the specific Algebra textbook cover was photoshopped in later.


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iFixit just laid its hands on a refreshed Nintendo Switch unit, and the teardown revealed that the Japanese console maker has crammed in more efficient internals.
The new variant now reportedly sports a 16nm Nvidia Tegra X1 chipset as opposed to the older and less efficient 20nm chip.
The refreshed Nintendo Switch console has a shrunk Tegra X1 chip and better RAM to 16nm. The improved Tegra chip should also demonstrate better thermal control, therefore providing better overall performance, according to iFixit.
iFixit believes that the new 16nm chip should also appear in the rumoured new Nvidia Shield TV consoles and even the Switch Lite.
On top of a die-shrink, Nintendo swapped the older LPDDR4 RAM with state-of-the-art LPDDR4X RAM modules found in many 2019 high-end smartphones. According to Samsung, the LPDDR4X should provide up to 15 percent better performance while drawing 17 percent less power compared to the LPDDR4.
Back in July, the South Korean semiconductor giant also announced the next-gen LPDDR5 RAM specification that provides another leap in performance and efficiency.
Thanks to those under-the-hood upgrades, the new Nintendo Switch now enjoys a rated battery life of 4.5 to 9 hours instead of the old 2.5 to 6.5 hours.
Gizmodo also reported Nintendo has given all the refreshed Switch models an improved display to sweeten the deal.
If you are in the market for a brand-new Nintendo Switch console, the newer ones come with a packaging design with a fully red background (and no hands).


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Scientific-Atlanta Inc. posted second-quarter earnings of $15 million on
revenue of $352 million -- figures that were better sequentially but worse than
the year-earlier period.
One year ago, S-A posted $39 million in earnings on revenue of $418 million.
But sequentially, S-A sales were $312 million in its first quarter.
Chairman and CEO Jim McDonald said revenue will remain under pressure because
MSOs are driving toward free cash flow and, thus, keeping capital-expenditure
costs to a minimum.
S-A said it shipped 804,000 "Explorer" set-tops during the quarter and 1,700
"MultiQAM" modulators. The company said it shipped 189,000 "WebStar" cable
modems in the quarter.
McDonald also said S-A shipped 43,000 high-definition-TV set-top-boxes and
31,000 digital-video-recorder-related set-tops.


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In 1999 Uganda’s GDP growth jumped to 8.1 percent from 4.9 percent the previous year. There was no coffee boom that year. There was El Nino, the freak weather pattern which manifested itself in Uganda as an unusually long rainy season, in 1998 which affected the harvests.
But something else happened in 1998 whose effect rolled into 1999. A second network operator was licensed in 1998 and in 1999 Uganda became the first country in sub-Saharan Africa were mobile phone coverage exceeded the number of land lines.
It was not saying much at the time seeing that Uganda only had 50,000 landlines, but it illustrated the explosion in mobile phone uptake. Essentially mobile users had skyrocketed from about 4,000 the previous year to beyond 50,000 in about 12 months.
So the spike in growth in 1999 was in no small part to the heavy investment required to roll out the network across the country but also, down to the increased economic activity the little gadgets stimulated...
While around that time it was reported that Ugandans were burning the wires talking to all and sundry – each user was earning the networks about $8 per month or about $100 a year, this was not only idle gossip. They were saving time and money finding out about markets, supervising projects remotely and catching up with relatives and friends at less cost to both sides than previously.
Then the only service provided was voice there were no text messages, no WhatsApp and no Facebook.
I couldn’t find any research in Uganda on how much economic activity has been generated as a result of mobile phones and more specifically smartphones, but the anecdotal evidence cannot be ignored.
Businesses are growing up around smart phones.
Numerous goods and services can now be bought off the phone from food to houses to counselling services. Then there is mobile money which in 2016 saw sh44trillion changing hands on all platforms. A figure that continues to grow. This is not only one and half times the current national budget but it is almost half the national GDP.
How do you think this money was being shifted before mobile money?
My guess it only a fraction of these sums were changing hands. Think what it took to get money to the village those days. One would often have to know someone who was going in that direction and then there had to be the happy coincidence that when they were going you also had money on you.
And when the messenger reached the village he did not necessarily make a beeline for the beneficiary’s doorstep meaning the person may get the money days or even weeks after it was sent or not at all.
What happened when you got home and found that your power had been cut off?
If you were law abiding you grit your teeth through a candle lit night, go to the bank then go settle your bill at power company and then beg them to reinstall the fuse – which was what they confiscated when you hadn’t paid. There was no guarantee the man with a fuse would reconnect you that day.
And what would happen if you jumped into a cab and at the end of the journey you didn’t have enough money for the fare?
You did surrendered some item in your possession as compensation or as collateral for when you could pay the taxi driver, but in worse case scenarios you might beaten to within an inch of your life or worse.
Long story short. These maybe small transactions but they are economic activity that was not there before and when aggregated is significant and growing every year.
"The growth in internet connectivity Uganda, now at about 30 percent of the population – below Kenya’s 68 percent, has seen a jump in recent years with the falling prices of smart phones. It therefore follows that a fall in taxes will lead to an increase in smartphone users who can then be exposed to and take advantage of this new economy...
The conservatives will argue that smart phones will only be abused for their social media applications, so why should we forgo revenue for unserious people?
Mobile phones demonstrate the network effect, that a mobile phone becomes more and more useful the more people have one. And the more people have one the more people will get one – a virtuous cycle.
In the early days of mobile phones when they were just a handful of them snapped to their owner’s belts, mobile phones were merely a status symbol – people used to walk around with them even when they had no credit or the battery was flat, just to be seen.
Today a mobile phone is not just a necessity, it is an appendage to ourselves. No one leaves home without their mobile phone. It would mean being out of touch, unreachable by your business partners or unreachable from your bosses at or from the interviewer for your next job.
And its not the most radical tax reform we have done in recent memory.
In the 1980s at time when we need every penny we could get as a country, we scrapped taxes on coffee exports – which accounted for at least seven in every 10 shillings in revenue the government collected. The leap of faith was taken because it was believed the sacrifice would stimulate coffee exports and pay off in higher exports, more jobs and higher hard currency earnings. Even then there were loud naysayers and prophets of doom – mostly older technocrats who couldn’t fathom a country without the coffee export tax (where are they now I wonder).
They say that a normal phone has more processing power than the computers that put a man on the moon in 1969. Smart phones have multiple times more processing power than a non-internet enabled phone has. Imagine how that economic activity that a phone connected to millions of other phones can unleash?


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Tag Archives: Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends
Wed, Oct 02, 2013 | 06:14 BST
According to Wikipedia, Lu Bu, the most fearsome opponent of the Dynasty Warriors series, did indeed find time between smacking heads to pop out a daughter. Omega Force has applied one of its famously liberal interpretations to produce Lu Lingqi, a new character coming to Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends. Gematsu reports she has “scary eyes”, a mini-skirt, short hair and a cross spear. Zhu Ran will also join the cast. Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends is coming to PlayStation 3 and Vita in November in Japan, and for PS4 during the console’s launch window.
Thu, Sep 19, 2013 | 22:41 BST
Wed, Aug 21, 2013 | 05:43 BST
Hot on the heels of the western launch of Dynasty Warriors 8, the latest Famitsu has word of a follow-up, in the form of standalone expansion Xtreme Legends.


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Brian Caulfield, Forbes Staff
Covering the intersection of new things and mass markets.
If you’re looking for a grand strategic plan to explain
The plan worked, eventually. HP now reigns as the world’s largest technology company and has put rival Dell, once considered unassailable, on the defensive. But struggles turning HP’s plan into reality cost HP Chief Executive Carly Fiorina her job in 2005. Likewise, it could take years of turmoil to turn
Making the deal work will hinge on making decisions fast, getting buy-in from leaders at both companies, ditching redundant product lines and integrating two different cultures, says Travelport Chief Executive Jeff Clarke, one of two executives who led the HP-Compaq integration team. “The HP-Compaq merger proved that you can make technology mergers work,” Clarke says.
It won’t be easy, though. If Yahoo! and Microsoft’s online services businesses were a standalone company, it would have just reported a terrible year. While Yahoo!’s revenues rose just 8% to $7.0 billion during 2007, Microsoft’s online services business’ revenues grew just 0.35% over the same period even as its operating loss more than tripled to $955 million from $308 million in 2006. Not a pretty picture for Wall Street number crunchers.
Add Microsoft’s online losses to Yahoo!’s operating income–even excluding one-time charges such as depreciation, amortization and stock-based compensation expenses–and you have a company whose combined 2007 operating income plummeted 39.2% to $972 million from $1.5 billion the year before on revenue growth of just 6%. And that’s even without the benefit of the billions worth of costs Microsoft’s online services business shares with money-spewing divisions built around Microsoft’s operating system and business software.
Fortunately, Microsoft won’t need any grand strategic plan to make the acquisition work. Here are two scenarios that Microsoft’s managers–and the deal’s critics–will be talking about over the coming weeks.
Scenario 1: Halleluiahoo!
Where We’ve Seen This Before: HP-Compaq
How Employees Should Cope: Tough it out, good days ahead.
If Microsoft can get Yahoo!’s management team to buy in, it will be able to set up a group able to make some hard decisions very quickly and truly begin integrating the companies’ cultures. HP and Compaq’s 2,500 member “clean team” is the model: the group paired up HP and Compaq executives to quickly sketch out a process for integrating the two businesses.
Cutting costs will be the easy part. Add 3,500 pink slips to the 1,000 Yahoo! is already planning to hand out this year and the two companies can quickly carve out $450 million in labor costs from the combined businesses. If they can hold onto Yahoo!’s 18.8% share of online display advertising while adding to Microsoft’s own 6.7% slice even as the display advertising market grows to $8.2 billion in 2011 from $3.6 billion in 2007, as research firm eMarketer predicts, things will start to jell quickly.
“There are significant synergies here because of the industrial logic of the deal,” Clarke says.
The result: Microsoft grabs more than $893 million in new online display advertising revenues by 2011. Meanwhile, Microsoft replaces its own advertising systems with Yahoo!’s offering (or vice versa), shaving costs and picking up a few points of market share in the search and search advertising market
In this dreamy scenario, the competitor, aka Google, stumbles as the rate of growth in search advertising–which it dominates–slows to 11.3% in 2011 from 26.8% last year. Unable to find a new growth business, Google’s share price sags. By 2011, Google is in the same place Yahoo! is now–searching for a direction as companies pushing upstart online technologies steal away its smartest employees.
Scenario 2: Yacrosoft
Where We’ve Seen This Before: AOL Time Warner
How To Cope: Run! Run for your lives!
Unlike Compaq, which welcomed Hewlett-Packard’s takeover offer Yahoo!’s managers aren’t playing ball with Microsoft, yet. That could make integrating the two companies tough: “With the HP-Compaq deal, we had management buy-in before the deal,” Clarke says. “The fact is, this is more of an over-the-wall approach.”
If Microsoft lands Yahoo! after a protracted fight, it might not be able to find leaders from both companies who will be able to push for the big changes that truly integrating the two companies will demand.
Google, meanwhile, will be building on its success in search advertising and trying to steal away a big chunk of the market for display advertising. If growth in display ads falters amidst a steep recession, Microsoft and Yahoo! could be in trouble.
Worst-case scenario: under siege first by Google online, and then on the desktop from online alternatives to Office and the growing power of


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Smith Electric Vehicles Corp. said Tuesday that it is beginning production of a step van.
The Kansas City-based company announced the new product at the NTEA Work Truck Show in Indianapolis. Smith said FedEx Express will be the first U.S. customer for the new all-electric vehicle.
The Newton Step Van has a gross vehicle weight of between 14,000 pounds and 26,000 pounds and a range of 100 miles between charges.
“The leadership shown by FedEx in adopting all-electric vehicles has been instrumental in growing the industry,” Smith CEO Bryan Hansel said in a release. “We welcome FedEx and look forward to successful vehicle deployments that demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits of fleet electrification.”
Smith has pursued large fleet operators such as FedEx (NYSE: FDX) as its initial customers. Electric vehicles, which have high up-front costs but offer long-run savings on fuel and maintenance, can be a better value for fleet operators.
Smith already offers its Newton delivery truck and Edison, which can be configured as a van, mini bus or light commercial vehicle.
Smith had a deal to collaborate with Ford Motor Co. on an all-electric version of Ford’s Transit Connect van. That effort ended in 2009 and Ford turned instead to Azure Dynamics Corp. to supply the drivetrain for an electric version of the van.
Smith filed for an initial public stock offering in November but has yet to pull the trigger on it.
Last month, the company announced a venture with Wanxiang Group that calls for the Chinese auto parts supplier to make a $25 million equity investment in Smith Electric and invest an additional $75 million in a joint venture to sell electric trucks and buses in China.


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Gucci has recently announced a change in its Fashion Week strategy. The house will only show two times a year as opposed to the usual five.
Claiming that the concept of seasonal fashion has become obsolete, Gucci is moving towards “seasonless” catwalk shows.
Over the weekend, Gucci designer, Alessandro Michele, shared six letters from his diary, titled ‘Notes from the Silence’ on the brand’s official Instagram page. Over 18 posts, the letters detail his recent discoveries and plans for Gucci’s future.
“I will abandon the worn-out ritual of seasonalities and shows to regain a new cadence, closer to my expressive call,” said designer Alessandro Michele in a diary entry posted to Gucci’s Instagram.
“We will meet just twice a year,” he continued, “to share the chapters of a new story. Irregular, joyful and absolutely free chapters, which will be written blending rules and genres, feeding on new spaces, linguistic codes and communication platforms.”
Gucci’s news to only show in the fall and spring each year comes a month after Saint Laurent announced it will not be showing at Paris Fashion Week this September as the pandemic has stunted production.
Covid-19 has shaken up the fashion industry, as due to social distancing, fashion week is having to go digital for the next cycle of shows. The menswear and haute couture shows scheduled for June and July have been cancelled, and the plans for the September shows hangs in the balance.
Michele also reflected on the fashion industry’s issues with consumption and the resulting effect it has had on the environment. “Above all, we understand we went way too far,” he wrote on Instagram.
“Our reckless actions have burned the house we live in. We conceived of ourselves as separated from nature, we felt cunning and almighty… So much haughtiness made us lose our sisterhood with the butterflies, the flowers, the trees and the roots. So much outrageous greed made us lose the harmony and the care, the connection and the belonging.”
By going “seasonless,” will Gucci spark a new trend amongst other high fashion labels?


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South Korean electronics giant Samsung announced that its upcoming smart TVs starting this year would run on its Tizen operating system. The company has been working on Tizen for a long time now. This is the first time Samsung made an official announcement about Tizen making debut on devices other than smartphones and smartwatches.
The company’s Gear series of smartwatches run on Tizen operating system though it was first introduced with Android in Galaxy Gear. Samsung later shifted to the open-source Tizen operating system.
According to Samsung, the new smart TVs will bring a number of new features including a Sports option which can be used to watch sports and check statistics at the same time. PlayStation Now service for on-demand games will also be available in the new Smart TVs.
Samsung will also make sure that you don’t miss any of the viral videos from the web through a new Milk Video feature that will help you discover the trending videos online.
The International Consumer Electronics Show 2015 is set to kick off next week in Las Vegas, where companies take stages to show off what’s hot for the year ahead.
The announcement of Smart TVs running on Tizen may mean that the Korean company is preparing to show off some of the Smart TVs at the show.


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As the United States has been struggling against vaping, Britain, on the other hand, is now considering the use of electronic cigarettes as its tool to deal with helping smokers quit their harmful habit.
Doctors should promote electronic cigarettes as widely as possible for people who are seeking alternatives to help them quit tobacco, according to the Royal College of Physicians. On the other hand, Public Health England releases a notice that vaping still carries a percentage of the same risks that smoking comes with.
In contrast to Britain’s move, the public health officials of the USA have been more hesitant with their approach. They have been slower in the e-cigarette regulation for a few reasons. Now, though, the federal government and many states are rushing to regulate and ban vaping, because of the explosive popularity it has on teens and young adults.
All across the United States, vapers have been appearing with mysterious illnesses on their lungs. Because of this, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is encouraging people to stay away from vaping and vaporizing, especially if the juices come with THC, which is the component that gives cannabis a high effect.
According to Dr. John Britton, the reaction of the US has no bearing and is “complete madness.” He adds, “The reality with smoking is, if you tell people to stop vaping, they will go back to tobacco and tobacco kills.” Dr. Britton is the director of the UK Center for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies at the University of Nottingham.
Looking at this on a global scale, e-cigarettes regulation are varied from country to country, which makes policy-making a little blurry. At present, there are already 30 countries that have e-cigarette smoking can. India, in fact, has decided to temporarily stop sales. Also, Italy, German, Belgium, Austria, and other European countries look at these e-cigarettes as similar to tobacco products, which means they are also under strict restrictions.
E-cigarettes started to enter the American market in 2007. Since those years, there has been no form of regulation for them until three years ago, when the Food and Drug Administration looked into vaping and similar e-cigarettes. Because of the excessive delay, the black market for these products is prospering all over the states.
A week ago, the acting commissioner of the FDA appeared before the US Congress to explain the decision of the agency on the matter. A number of the house representatives are seeking complete removal of e-cigarettes on the market.
Dr. Ned Sharpless had this to say, “We do not consider these products safe, we think they have harm. We do not think really anyone should be using them other than people using them in place of combustible tobacco.”
Going back to Britain, Public Health England has concluded that vaping is about 95 percent less harmful compared to smoking tobacco, and they have published this in a recent review. Additionally, Ash, which is a leading British anti-tobacco charity, was seeking that e-cigarettes must be considered as medicines and provided for free to smokers who are interested in quitting soon.
Dr. Britton adds, “We need radical solutions to stop smoking, and one option is providing smokers with e-cigarettes so they can get the nicotine they need without tobacco smoke. We have a much more relaxed attitude to people being addicted to nicotine on the basis that nicotine itself isn’t particularly hazardous.”
Looking at the products individually, vaping devices and e-cigarettes are used by heating solutions containing inhaled vapor. The amount of nicotine, in particular, varies depending on the product and the countries where the items are sold. In America, there are no limitations on the amount of nicotine, which is why the government is seeking some changes, especially on the access of young adults and teens.
As an answer to Britain’s move, Ryan Kennedy says this, “What’s right for England might not be right for the US. It’s not very surprising that a place like England has embraced e-cigarettes. A lot of things lined up to make sense to use these devices to help people transition away from cigarettes.” Kennedy is from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Institute for Global Tobacco Control.
He adds that the UK has a higher rate of tobacco use compared to the USA. Kennedy says it’s not America’s fault if they would prefer just substituting their dangerous habit for another harmful one.
Another problem faced in the US is advertising. In Britain, there are strict regulations that ban the marketing of e-cigarettes on online, radio, and TV platforms.
Additionally, the CDC notes that a significant role is being played by THC. When it is added to vaping products, people are even encouraged to take them. But, the CDC also sees this as a contributing factor to the unexplainable lung illnesses connected to vaping.
This statement requires some more information. In fact, no one can really tell if there is a single substance or a combination of some that entail the harmful effects. In some studies, researchers suggest that it might be the vaping oils thickener that brings danger to people, and this thickener is known to be rampant on the black markets.
Dr. Britton adds, “It’s inconceivable that any legitimate vaping product would cause that degree of damage.
Regardless of the debate, the enthusiasts of vaping and e-cigarettes in Britain have no plans of changing their habit. Some say that there should be no qualms about e-cigarettes if cannabis compounds are the one that should be studied.


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Fiat 500L sold more than 34.000 times
The new Fiat 500L is stealing hearts in these difficult times. 2013 didn’t start well for the automotive sector in Italy (-17,6%) because of the worsening economic situation for the consumers. Despite this, though, the 500L was bought 3.113 times on the peninsula and Fiat has meanwhile reported that the car has been sold more than 34.000 times over entire Europe. A little less than half the sales took place in Italy itself with the 1.3 MultiJet being the most popular version by far (second most popular diesel in Italy). The 500L has in the meantime turned into the most popular spacious B-segment car in Italy. Fiat is gaining profit on this tactical model which is being produced in perfect fiscal circumstances in Serbia (picture).


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NFT Update: Discord layoffs; $916k CryptoPunk Sale; plus Weekly Data
1 min read · 04 Aug 2023
Larva Labs, 'CryptoPunk #3307', the top NFT sale of the week.
Discord has let go of 40 employees, 4% of its staff, as part of its restructuring efforts.
Monthly NFT sales fell for the fifth consecutive month in July to $495m, its lowest level since April 2021.
CryptoPunk #3307, one of 8 zero trait punks, sold for 500 ETH ($916k).
The Sandbox has announced that officially licensed Elvis Presley NFTs are coming to its platform.
The co-founders of metaverse start-up Futureverse have launched a $50m venture fund that will invest in early-stage Web3 projects.
NFT minting platform Zora has updated its revenue split model which will increase creator earnings.
LinksDAO, which purchased a Scottish Golf Course earlier this year funded through the sale of NFTs, is taking on new members through the launch of several membership packages.
nWay Games, a subsidiary of Animoca Brands, is launching a new Web3 fighting game called “Wreck League” which features Yuga Labs’ NFTs as part of its storyline.
The Top 5 NFT Sales over the past week were CryptoPunk #3307 for 500 ETH ($917k), Bored Ape Yacht Club #2651 for 275 ETH ($516k), CryptoPunk #6634 for 235 ETH ($433k), Autoglyph #346 for 199 ETH ($374), and CryptoPunk #4593 for 114 ETH ($208k).
The Top 5 NFT Collections over the past week were Bored Ape Yacht Club with $23.7m (-23%), Mutant Ape Yacht Club with $9.3m (-26%), Azuki with $5.7m (-51%), Gods Unchained with $4.7m (-18%), and DeGods with $4.4m (-46%).
The Top 5 NFT Marketplaces by Volume over the past week were Blur with $57.5m (-29%), OpenSea with $18.6m (-15%), Immutable X Marketplace with $5.1m (-16%), X2Y2 with $2.9m (+13%), and JPG Store with $1.1m (-14%).
The Total Crypto Market Capitalisaion is $1.22t, a 1% decrease over the past week.


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Some people prefer to roll up to a party in an expensive sports car or limousine; others prefer to show up in a Transformer. Luckily for the latter group, Uber is offering customers in Dallas, Phoenix and Los Angeles the chance to go for a spin in none other than Optimus Prime.
To promote the June 27 release of Michael Bay’s “Transformers: Age of Extinction," the popular car request service will pick people up in the giant, flame-emblazoned truck the iconic hero transforms into.
(Story continues below.)
There’s no guarantee that this Optimus Prime will be capable of fighting off any Decepticons. Our bet is it won’t.
To request the truck, users in these three cities can simply open the Uber app and select the “AUTOBOTS” option when they see it. Customers then simply set their pickup location and tap “ROLL OUT!” and the truck will be on its way.
The people at Uber wrote in a blog post that there will be only one Optimus Prime available, so making contact might take a few tries. To prevent any one group from monopolizing the vehicle's time, rides will be limited to 15 minutes each.
A fan hugs the Optimus Prime truck in Dallas.
Optimus Prime will be in Dallas June 16, in Phoenix June 19 and Los Angeles June 21. Uber users can be picked up between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. local time.
Check out the trailer for "Transformers: Age of Extinction" below.


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Should You Buy a 2022 Honda CR-V, or Wait for the New 2023 CR-V?
We’ve seen some of the sneak peek pics of the new 2023 Honda CR-V. It looks good. But, are those minor styling updates enough to make you want a new 2023? There are still some 2022 Honda CR-V SUVs left on dealer lots, and with an updated version on the way, dealers will want to get rid of their leftover 2022s. So, should you buy a 2022 Honda CR-V or wait for that new 2023?
What we know about the 2023 Honda CR-V
Honda has been stingy with updates about the new 2023 CR-V. About the only thing Honda says in a news release is that the CR-V will have a new, more advanced, hybrid system for “a sportier driving experience and more capability.” Regardless, a lot is riding on the new 2023 CR-V because it’s Honda’s best-selling SUV.
From the cropped pictures Honda released we can see a few hints of the new design. The 2023 Honda CR-V will have LED headlights and taillights. It will have a blacked-out grille that looks more like it came from Audi’s Q5, not a Honda. It also has shoulders, more like Volvo SUVs, in the rear, and an updated hybrid badge that is a giveaway about the new hybrid system. It’s also expected to be larger and come with a third row of seating.
Do you need the new CR-V’s third row?
The big difference will be the third row. That extra seating ability will move it from Toyota RAV4 to 2023 Toyota Highlander territory. Speaking of the Highlander, one of the most popular versions of that SUV is the Hybrid. While we don’t know a lot about the new CR-V, the images Honda shared show a prominent “hybrid” badge on the rear. That could mean that Honda is moving the CR-V from Toyota RAV4 competitor and setting its sights on the larger Toyota Highlander.
Honda said that it expects CR-V Hybrid sales to make up 50% of the model’s sales. It’s also introducing the new hybrid system on the 2023 Honda Accord.
The 2022 CR-V is Honda’s best-selling SUV
A lot is riding on the 2023 Honda CR-V redesign because CR-Vs are super popular. But there are plenty of reasons to buy a 2022 Honda CR-V. The 2022 starts at $27,750 in two-wheel-drive LX trim. The only change for the 2022 model was that all-wheel drive became standard on the $35,550, and most expensive CR-V trim, the Touring. For all other models it’s a $1,500 option. The Hybrid starts at $30,960.
The five-seat 2022 Honda CR-V comes standard with the Honda Sensing suite of driver-assist and safety tech, as well as a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine. The interior of the CRV is also a nice place to spend some time, especially in Touring trim. But even the base models have a well-laid-out dash, premium plastics, and supportive seats.
Or, should you wait for the larger 2023 Honda HR-V?
Honda did tell us a lot about the 2023 Honda HR-V and it seems to slot in more where the CR-V does. The new five-seat HRV is longer, more powerful, and starts at $24,895. The old HR-V was small, but the new one is only two inches shy of the 2022 CR-V in length, and the seats fold flat so you can put a lot of stuff in the back. You could buy a 2022 Honda CR-V, but if it’s a five-seat SUV you need, it could be a good idea to wait for a 2023 HR-V.


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Associate Feature: We have some great stories to tell
As we’ve started to dip our toes back into normal life, many have recognised that the pandemic has had a quiet hero – red meat.
During the long weeks and months spent at home, people have turned to red meat to comfort them and experiment with hearty home-cooking, and to celebrate occasions at home.
There have been some extraordinary stories come out of this reconnection to red meat – from airline pilots becoming butchers, farmers selling direct to consumers, and a huge increase in sales – which demonstrates that, regardless of the noise and misinformation out there about its future, red meat is here to stay.
And although, as an industry, we can often feel under threat when discussions about climate change and agriculture start to swirl, this too should be welcomed.
It reflects the situation that we are now in, which is that we’re farming at a time when consumers increasingly want to engage with their food. They’re interested in understanding where it comes from and how it’s produced which is something farmers, for decades, have been crying out for.
Rather than launch a defensive battle, let’s take this opportunity to engage positively, inform properly, and tell our own story. We are in an excellent position to do so.
By buying Scotch, shoppers are not only eating quality red meat with full transparency at any stage of the supply chain, but they are helping to preserve Scotland’s iconic landscape, sustaining a vital industry that supports 50,000 jobs, and upholding generations of experience and embedded culture. Most importantly, they’re eating products that have impressive sustainability credentials.
Scotland has the perfect climate and landscape for producing top quality and sustainable red meat.
Over 80 per cent of Scotland’s agricultural land is grass and rough grazing, which is not suitable for growing cereals and vegetables.
This means that Scotland’s livestock consume the plants we can’t eat and in turn produce a product which we can – sustainable, nutritious and delicious grassfed Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb.
Scotland’s production systems also differ to other parts of the world. As part of a natural cycle, Scotland’s grassland absorbs carbon from the atmosphere and captures it in the soil, contributing to an important carbon sink with grasslands, preserved through livestock grazing, estimated to be able to store up to 500 tonnes of carbon per hectare.
Specifically, over the past decade, Scotland’s prime cattle producers have, through improved technology and management practices, reduced the time taken to produce Scotch Beef by 5.5 per cent whilst increasing the meat yield by 4.5 per cent.
This means that when consumers buy Scotch Beef they can be assured of its low emissions and sustainability, especially in comparison to international products.
In particular, Scotch Beef has one of the most sustainable GHG footprints at 18.7kg CO2 equivalent per kilogram of live weight, which less than half of the world average.
We should be proud in what we have, and continue to, achieve in producing world-class Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork.
In the run-up to COP26, QMS will be working in partnership with National Farmers Union Scotland and SAC Consulting to offer ‘Fact-Finding’ Farm visits in every parliamentary region in Scotland – giving our Scottish farmers the opportunity to showcase their efforts in the battle against climate change.
This article was sponsored by Quality Meat Scotland.


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In our weekly digest, find all of the stories you might have missed. Read on for the announcements crossing the BOH news desk this week.
CUE THE APPLAUSE
A BOH exclusive this week: New York–based interior designer Victoria Hagan will receive the Innovator Award by CTC&G (Connecticut Cottages & Gardens) at the 2019 Innovation in Design Awards (IDAs). Previous recipients include Richard Meier, Christopher Peacock, Peter Marino, and Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams. “Every year the editors of CTC&G look for a design professional that embodies the characteristics of an innovator,” says editorial director DJ Carey. “We look for designers and artisans who think out of the box, change our way of looking at a space … [Hagan’s] work is timeless and reflects the iconic American style. In addition, her work in furnishings and her interiors reflect the overwhelming desire to have comfort and simplicity in our homes.”
The Institute of Classical Architecture & Art named recipients of the 2019 Arthur Ross Awards for excellence in the classical tradition. Among those recognized were architect G.P. Schafer, artisan W.P. Sullivan, design firm Urban Design Associates, and architect Jaquelin T. Robertson.
Minneapolis-based furniture manufacturer Room & Board was named one of Fast Company’s most innovative companies in retail. Ranked No. 10, the brand was recognized for its partnerships with the USDA Forest Service and Urban Wood Project, for its expansive employee benefits package, and for manufacturing 90 percent of its products in the U.S. It was the only American home furnishings company to be recognized.
Architect Cecil Baker received a formal decree from the city of Philadelphia in conclusion of his tenure on the city’s Civic Design Review Committee. Baker, who founded his eponymous firm in 1982, was appointed by Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter to serve on the committee in 2012. In the past seven years, he has improved and challenged the design community.
Sotheby’s announced a $55 million expansion and redesign of its New York headquarters, according to 6sqft. The company’s new Upper East Side location, which will grow from 67,000 square feet to more than 90,000, will open on May 3.
Despite revenue being up 41 percent in Q4, Wayfair still suffered a significant net loss, reported HFN. Direct revenue increased from $576.6 million to $1.99 billion, and net revenue for the full year rose from $2.1 billion to $6.7 billion. However, for Q4, its net loss totaled $143.8 million, compared to $72.8 million in the previous year’s Q4.
LAUNCHES, COLLABORATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS
In its third collaboration with performance fabrics brand Sunbrella, window treatment manufacturer The Shade Store has released its first line of solar fabrics, equipped with UV protection. The collection comes in a range of neutrals, as well as different levels of opacity and light filtering.
Starting in March, Boston-based interior design firm Studio Verticale will become an exclusive dealer of Italian furniture brand Baxter. There are only three other Baxter retailers in the U.S., in New York, Los Angeles and Miami.
This spring, furniture brand Global Views will debut its first direct-to-consumer website, reported Furniture Today. “I started my career in retail merchandising and feel this direct-to-consumer retail channel of distribution is the appropriate next level of transformation for companies like Global Views,” says David Gebhart, CEO.
Coinciding with Lilly Pulitzer’s 60th anniversary, Williams-Sonoma brands Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids and PBteen will extend their existing collabs with the brand. The new bedding, outdoor decor and pool accessories will become available in March.
Chicago’s International Home + Housewares Show will change its name to the Inspired Home Show, IHA’s Home + Housewares Market, beginning in 2020. “We built such a great consumer brand; it would make sense to capitalize on that,” IHA president Derek Miller told HFN. The rebranded show will have a more general lifestyle focus.
OPENINGS, AUCTIONS AND EVENTS
MoMA Design Store’s pop-up, The Print Shop, was introduced at its SoHo location as well as online, selling more than 100 posters and prints by artists including Frank Stella, Andy Warhol and Cindy Sherman. The shop will be open until March 25.
The Design Foundation Awards ceremony will be held on March 9 at Guild in Cape Town, South Africa. Recipients are recognized for their achievements in design, manufacturing, commercial success and innovation. RSVP by February 27.
The Chicago Tribune published tips on how to give a house a sense of witchcraft-inspired magic. “Can’t one just wave a Harry Potter–type wand and place all photos on the wall in perfect harmony, or finally find that perfect [sofa]?” pleads writer Alison Bowen. Advice includes putting crystals by your bed, thinking about what the room wants, and getting to know your aura (“Boundaries are important to home design.”).
According to Fast Company, “The hottest new wellness startups are selling houseplants.” Forget CBD oil, forget crystals (sorry, Bowen). “In the last few years, demand for indoor plants around city dwellers has soared,” wrote Katharine Schwab. “Refinery29 has even declared that ‘plant ladies are the new cat ladies.’”
The Washington Post interviewed Baltimore-based designer Patrick Sutton as part of a long-running question-and-answer conversation led by reader submissions. Sutton advises Post readers on restaurant design success, redoing rooms in stages, and how to resolve their marital problems (at least when those problems revolve around flooring).
Alessandro Mendini passed away last week at age 87. The Italian designer, architect and journalist was known for his influence on the radical and postmodern design movements. “Sometimes, there really are no words,” Mendini’s longtime friend and fellow Italian designer Alberto Alessi said. “His influence at Alessi is great: He was the one who brought the company designers like Aldo Rossi, Bob Venturi, Michael Graves and many others.”


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A structural market change taking place nationwide is the ongoing surge in demand for higher-end housing. Existing U.S. home sales in February 2014 were off 7.1 percent when compared to a year ago. But what is selling based on price ranges tells a unique story. Home sales in the $1 million and up range jumped a whopping 37.5 percent.
The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) broke out an analysis of year-over-year changes in the number of sales by price ranges.
I reside in Houston, in which the multiple Listing Service (MLS) includes most (not all) of the sales in the Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The Houston Association of Realtors’ MLS posted strong gains year-over-year. In 2013, $1 million and up sales rose a phenomenal 42 percent compared to 2012. Single family closings this February tallied 70 $1 million+ sales compared to just 53 a year ago. That’s another 32 percent gain. There is just 7.8 months inventory of these seven-figure-and up-properties available for sale today—perhaps the lowest level in more than a decade.
To read the NAR price range sales brief analysis, click http://blog.stewart.com/stewart/2014/03/24/the-doldrums-continued-for-existing-home-sales-in-february-but-i-expect-it-will-pick-up-as-the-weather-warms/
Florida is seeing much of the same. In February of this year, $1 million plus single family home sales were up 16.9 percent. To look at the statewide Florida Association of Realtors sales reports click http://www.floridarealtors.org/ResearchAndStatistics/Florida-Market-Reports/Index.cfm
So what does this mean for buyers and sellers? First, decreased sales in the lower price ranges indicates that distressed real estate inventory is now a minimal part of listings and sales. So there likely are fewer bargain buys remaining. For the higher-end, the real focus might be on current homeowners of higher-end properties that were waiting for a recovery to list the home for sale.
That time may be now.
All up, these data indicate the housing market recovery has progressed to the next step in higher end properties.
And that is good news for prospective sellers and current owners.


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Throughout the month of November, McDonald’s restaurants invite customers to participate in World Children’s Day fundraising efforts. Restaurants contribute a portion of select product sales and others offer a $1 Give a Hand to Ronald McDonald House Charities paper hand for customers to display their commitment to children around the world. All the money raised will go to help children in need.
For the seventh year, McDonald’s restaurants across the country will celebrate World Children’s Day on November 20th by donating $1 from the sale of select menu items to Ronald McDonald House Charities. In addition, from November 10 -20, customers in the U.S. can support RMHC through the Give A Hand in-restaurant program. For each hand sold at participating McDonald’s restaurants, $1 will go to support RMHC.
Celebrated in more than 100 countries, World Children’s Day at McDonald’s has raised more than $124 million for RMHC and other children’s causes around the world through support from McDonald’s customers, employees, owner/operators, and suppliers.
Visit your nearest McDonald's between Nov. 9th and 20th to Give a Hand for just $1, and give children a chance at happier, healthier lives.
Through its three core programs, Ronald McDonald House', Ronald McDonald Care Mobile', and Ronald McDonald Family Room', as well as its grants and scholarships, Ronald McDonald House Charities works to improve the health and well-being of children in our community.
Your $1 makes a difference. Give a Hand today at your nearest McDonald's, or donate online at rhmc.org
One-Third Of The Human
Race Has To Die For
Civilization To Be
Sustainable, So How Do We
Want To Do This?'
NEWS • Our
2012 • Sci


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EVGA GeForce RTX 2060 KO Series Starts At Just $279 To Crash Radeon RX 5600 XT Launch
EVGA has announced that the previously discussed GeForce RTX 2060 KO is actually a series, and not just one card. There will actually be two cards in the series:
The former is the lowest spec'd of the two, and features a boost clock of 1680MHz. The latter ups that boost clock speed to 1755MHz. That appears to be the only difference between the two cards, as they otherwise look identical from the outside complete with dual cooling fans and an all-metal backplate. Both graphics cards also include 6GB of GDDR6 memory onboard.
The best thing, perhaps, about the two cards is pricing. The GeForce RTX 2060 KO is priced at just $279, which puts it head-to-head with the Radeon RX 5600 XT. The faster-clocked GeForce RTX 2060 KO Ultra comes in at the previously reported $299 price tag. To put that pricing in perspective, the GeForce RTX 2060 has previously had a price tag of $349.
AMD had originally positioned the Radeon RX 5600 XT – which will launch on January 21st -- as a superior performer to the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti and GeForce GTX 1660 Super. However, this new wrinkle from EVGA -- and no doubt from other AIB OEMs in the weeks and months to come -- will likely force AMD to rip up its established playbook.


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Sony has announced the Destruction AllStars PS5 release date as November 12, 2020, in the US and November 19, 2020, in the EU and UK. The game also got some brand new PS5 screenshots today.
The game will be one of four PS5 exclusives as a launch title, which you can check out the full list here. The new screenshots for the game look amazing and it is great that we are getting the title so soon. You can check out the Destruction AllStars PS5 screenshots below:
Destruction AllStars was announced back at the PS5 reveal event and developer Lucid Games showcased some screenshots for the game shortly after that. This announcement was one of a number of reveals from today’s PS5 Showcase which you can rewatch here. You can also catch up on all the announcements from the show here.
Destruction AllStars is set to release on November 12, 2020, in the US and November 19, 2020, in the UK and EU.


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Update We can blunder the Adidas Real Madrid 2023″ antique remake” football shirt, films, jacket, and pants. It’s officially called” Adidas Real Madrid Icon Collection”, to be launched in February/ March 2023.
The Adidas Real Madrid 2023 Icon Jersey will not be worn in an sanctioned match but we might see Los Blancos wearing it ahead of a match.
REAL MADRID 2023 REMAKE KIT
Check out Adidas’ Real Madrid 2023 remake football shirt below.
latest News: Charleston Battery 2023 Third Kit Released