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This weekend, we're expecting a mess of new information at Disney's biannual convention. Referred to as D23, the Disney Expo gives fans a peek behind the curtain at the inner workings of Disney -- from news about the parks around the world, to television and movie news about Star Wars or the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The event has never been boring, and it will be no different this year as we checkout the convention schedule.
In fact, news has already started to arrive as first looks hit the web Thursday night, including a look at Spider-Man still on the Marvel posters around the convention center, a look at the new Avengers Campus set to debut at the parks around the world and more.
Here is your first look at Avengers Campus, coming to Disney Parks! #D23Expo pic.twitter.com/mpAysFOdrC
Spider-Man is still on the Marvel banner at the #D23Expo pic.twitter.com/HFzT2q8RqG
Here's how to stream D23 panels so you can follow along. Unfortunately, they don't include some of the mega panels we expect the most news out of, or some of the panels with the biggest following. Here are a few of the other noteworthy D23 panels:
Just looking ahead after Star Wars 9 this December, Disney's updated movie release schedule for 2020 includes a lot of outstanding content. Animated Onward launching on March 6. Also scheduled for the year are The King's Man -- the third Kingsman movie -- on Valentine's Day, the live-action Mulan movie on March 27, The New Mutants on April 3, Black Widow on May 1, Artemis Fowl on May 29, Jungle Cruise on July 24, and the MCU entry The Eternals on Nov. 6.
Attendees in years past have been treated to special footage and other goodies, and (good news!) CNET will be on the ground this year to bring you those tidbits. In the meantime, here's what we're hoping/planning to see in Anaheim at the Expo this weekend, Aug. 23 through 25.
Episode 9 will complete the Skywalker Saga, but is far from the end of Star Wars.
Realistically, we know better than to expect anything from the marketing machine of Star Wars beyond info on the Disney Plus show The Mandalorian.
But after storming out of the gates at Comic-Con with a packed Marvel announcement, Disney has proven anything is possible and it loves to surprise fans, all itching for info on the production, especially considering all we've seen is a teaser and a handful of photos.
It's not that I even *want* or need to know everything about Star Wars Episode 9: Rise of Skywalker right now, but I do want some new info and deets. I need me some new Kylo shots, ya'll; I've just been Photoshopping helmets onto Adam Driver's turn in The Dead Don't Die and auto-tuning some of his lines and, look, my point is I know this just isn't healthy.
Ugh, and DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED on Keri Russell as the Already Iconic Zorri Bliss. I know in my heart she's likely a baddie, but she looks so badass it doesn't even matter. Her power pose is a Mood and I am channeling it all day, everyday to get through this year.
This one we know is coming as Disney is devoting a two-hour panel on Friday at 3:30 p.m. PT to talking about the streaming service. We also know we're going to get our first look (read: a trailer) at Jon Favreau's The Mandalorian. But we could also get confirmation of Ewan McGregor's rumored return as Obi Wan Kenobi in a Disney Plus series. That would certainly be unexpected but not out of the blue, since rumors reached fever-pitch last week.
Early Friday Disney released our first look at the new Star Wars series
#TheMandalorian, the first live-action Star Wars series, only on #DisneyPlus. Start streaming November 12. @TheMandalorian pic.twitter.com/JZsg6cikXA
On Monday, Disney announced international availability for the streaming service and we expect to get even more details about pricing, preorders and bundles this weekend.
Which, the news: ????Canada/Netherlands will launch same day as US on Nov 12, Australia/NZ one week later????Devices: Basically, you can stream it on most everything -- except for the glaring omission of Amazon from the list RN
We also found out which devices will get the streaming service first:
The service is currently set to launch in the US on Nov. 12 for , making it competitively priced with Netflix. Disney has unveiled a special deal on Disney Plus for D23 attendees called a Founders Circle offer, granting those who sign-up during the Expo off per year with a 3-year commitment to the service.
At 10 a.m. PT this Saturday, the Walt Disney Studios panel is expected to include a variety of content from not just Disney proper, but also Pixar, Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios and Disney Animation.
After the unveil of the MCU's Phase 4 at Comic-Con, we don't expect much more out of Marvel this weekend. (We've been wrong in the past though, so who knows!) It seems likely we would hear more about The Eternals, or the upcoming Loki series even though neither has officially announced filming has begun. High on our wishlist is revisiting the Black Widow footage showed off in July at SDCC, or even getting something new from that movie -- maybe even news about the villain(s)?
In other Disney movie news, the world knows very little about the plot of Frozen 2, or the upcoming animated Onward (featuring the voice talents of Tom Holland and Chris Pratt). We also expect some word on the upcoming live-action remakes of Mulan and The Little Mermaid.
We know at least a few deals were made in the days leading up to the Marvel Comic-Con unveil, so maybe we'll get a Prince Eric signed on this week and learn about it Saturday!
Let us know in the comments what you want to hear about from Disney this week and what you're most excited to hear about. Don't forget to check back this Friday for all the news from D23 in Anaheim.
This piece was originally published August 19 and is sporadically updated with more news and speculation.B:
四柱预测彩图每期更新【临】【县】。 【坐】【了】【二】【十】【多】【个】【小】【时】【的】【火】【车】，【杨】【豆】【豆】【第】【二】【天】【中】【午】【才】【回】【到】【家】。 【她】【家】【坐】【落】【在】【小】【镇】【里】【的】【一】【条】【小】【水】【泥】【路】【边】【上】，【房】【子】【前】【围】【着】【一】【圈】【水】【泥】【墙】，【因】【为】【年】【岁】【久】【了】【墙】【体】【上】【的】【水】【泥】【脱】【落】【了】【不】【少】，【露】【出】【了】【里】【面】【的】【砖】【头】，【砖】【头】【上】【长】【有】【青】【色】【的】【苔】【藓】，【缝】【隙】【里】【间】【或】【冒】【出】【一】【棵】【不】【知】【名】【的】【小】【草】。 【围】【墙】【中】【间】，【有】【一】【扇】【锈】【迹】【斑】【斑】【的】【铁】【门】，【轻】【轻】【一】【推】
【吴】【秋】【晚】【的】【话】【让】【李】【思】【佩】【很】【是】【震】【惊】。 “【对】，【也】【是】【阿】【湛】【想】【把】【他】【那】【份】【给】【你】，【为】【你】【准】【备】【嫁】【妆】，【你】【要】【谢】【就】【谢】【阿】【湛】。”【吴】【秋】【晚】【笑】【着】【说】【道】，【当】【初】【自】【己】【承】【诺】【会】【让】【花】【清】【湛】【娶】【了】【李】【思】【佩】，【花】【清】【湛】【就】【考】【虑】【到】【这】【些】【了】，【还】【特】【地】【找】【了】【自】【己】【说】【这】【事】。 【自】【己】【儿】【子】【喜】【欢】【的】，【用】【了】【心】【的】，【吴】【秋】【晚】【当】【然】【支】【持】，【毕】【竟】【夫】【妻】【才】【是】【携】【手】【一】【生】【的】【人】，【她】【只】【希】【望】，【自】【己】
【就】【在】【金】【国】【和】【女】【真】【大】【战】【的】【时】【期】，【在】【广】【南】【西】【路】【和】【交】【趾】【的】【华】【夏】【军】【也】【完】【成】【了】【休】【整】，【分】【三】【路】【进】【入】【到】【大】【理】【国】【境】【内】。【应】【控】【制】【大】【理】【国】【的】【高】【氏】【请】【求】，【二】【十】【五】【万】【华】【夏】【大】【军】【进】【入】【大】【理】，“【帮】【助】”【大】【理】【国】【抵】【抗】【交】【趾】【军】【的】【入】【侵】。 【交】【趾】【军】【的】【残】【暴】，【激】【起】【了】【大】【理】【军】【民】【的】【强】【烈】【反】【抗】。 【大】【理】【高】【氏】【势】【力】，【在】【交】【趾】【军】【的】【打】【击】【下】，【在】【战】【场】【上】【接】【连】【失】【利】，【整】【个】【大】四柱预测彩图每期更新【杨】【深】【也】【不】【知】【道】【为】【什】【么】【会】【出】【现】【一】【个】【化】【成】【一】【个】【老】【人】【的】【东】【西】，【出】【现】【在】【他】【的】【幻】【想】【之】【中】，【但】【是】【这】【一】【定】【是】【他】【破】【局】【的】【关】【键】，【如】【果】【说】【能】【破】【解】【这】【个】【棋】【局】，【说】【不】【定】【他】【就】【能】【逃】【离】【这】【个】【空】【间】。 【但】【是】【怎】【么】【样】【才】【能】【够】【破】【解】【这】【个】【棋】【局】，【才】【是】【一】【个】【问】【题】【的】【关】【键】。 【不】【过】【对】【于】【杨】【深】【来】【说】【也】【不】【算】【太】【过】【麻】【烦】，【他】【从】【小】【就】【学】【过】【很】【多】【的】【一】【个】【下】【棋】【的】【方】【式】，【下】【棋】【嘛】，
“【鬼】【祖】【为】【什】【么】【最】【后】【才】【选】【择】【对】【千】【元】【大】【陆】【出】【手】？” 【时】【间】【回】【到】【几】【天】【之】【前】，【殷】【大】【帅】，【白】【彦】，【杨】【子】【铭】【站】【在】【天】【书】【院】【顶】【端】，【虚】【无】【之】【境】【之】【前】，《【道】【德】【经】》【之】【下】。 【杨】【子】【铭】【一】【直】【不】【是】【很】【明】【白】，【既】【然】【鬼】【祖】【需】【要】【四】【块】【大】【陆】【的】【所】【有】【生】【灵】【的】【生】【气】【来】【复】【活】【自】【己】，【那】【四】【块】【大】【陆】【都】【是】【他】【的】【目】【标】，【可】【他】【为】【什】【么】【偏】【偏】【最】【后】【才】【对】【千】【元】【大】【陆】【出】【手】？ 【如】【果】【他】【早】
【上】【级】【通】【过】【了】【何】【郁】【结】【的】【辞】【职】【申】【请】。 【把】【工】【作】【和】【同】【事】【交】【接】【完】【毕】、【又】【去】【财】【务】【处】【领】【了】【工】【资】【之】【后】，【何】【郁】【结】【就】【离】【开】【了】【公】【司】，【去】【了】【之】【前】【和】【彭】【大】【徉】【同】【居】【的】【公】【寓】，【将】【自】【己】【的】【东】【西】【都】【打】【包】【好】、【买】【了】【高】【铁】【票】【拉】【着】【行】【李】【坐】【上】【高】【铁】【回】【到】【老】【家】，【将】【老】【家】【的】【父】【母】【接】【到】【另】【一】【座】【城】【市】【重】【新】【过】【活】。 ——【她】【怕】。 【她】【害】【怕】【彭】【大】【徉】【从】【局】【子】【出】【来】【之】【后】【会】【真】【的】【提】【刀】
【慕】【珏】【感】【受】【着】【耳】【旁】【温】【热】【的】【气】【息】，【眼】【帘】【微】【垂】。 【他】【本】【来】【不】【想】【回】【答】，【但】【想】【起】【上】【回】【对】【方】【闹】【脾】【气】【的】【样】【子】，【开】【口】【道】：“【你】【也】【不】【要】【受】【伤】。” 【贺】【煜】【城】【勾】【起】【嘴】【角】，“【那】【你】【会】【不】【会】【想】【我】？” 【得】【寸】【进】【尺】。 【慕】【珏】【用】【力】【推】【开】【他】，【然】【后】【面】【无】【表】【情】【的】【抚】【平】【了】【身】【上】【的】【作】【战】【服】。 【贺】【煜】【城】【也】【没】【有】【气】【馁】，【毕】【竟】【这】【也】【算】【是】【两】【人】【在】【打】【斗】【之】【外】【有】【了】【第】【一】


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A 'Hocus Pocus' Sequel Is Happening Thanks To Disney+
‘Hocus Pocus’ fans everywhere, be prepared to squeal harder than Sarah Sanderson
Hocus Pocus, the beloved 1993 Halloween classic that every millennial worth their salt absolutely adores, is getting a sequel. Disney+ (available for $6.99/month or or $69.99/year) has officially launched the development of the new project, which will launch on the streaming platform once production completes. Get ready for the (second) resurrection of the Sanderson sisters and all their hijinks, folks.
The original Hocus Pocus starred Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as the three infamous witch sisters who have been cursed since 1693 in Salem, Massachusetts. The witches are inadvertently resurrected 300 years later by teenager Max Dennison, whose family has moved from Los Angeles to Salem. He and his adorable sister, Dani, lead the sisters on a 20th century adventure as they try to thwart the trio’s plans of becoming immortal.
While Parker, Najimy, and the Divine Miss M are not officially tied to the sequel, Disney+ has hopes they’ll be on board. Because really, what’s a Hocus Pocus sequel without the original sisters? Even if the new plot surrounds a different coven (which is blasphemy), we’re going to need at least a cameo of the original three. Also Thackery Binx and Billy Butcherson, too, if we’re being honest here.
Hocus Pocus was not a huge box office success, scoring just $39 million worldwide on a $28 million budget, according to Variety. And you know what? A lot of movies that “flopped” at the box office went on to become cultural phenomenons regardless (Drop Dead Gorgeous, Office Space, and even The Wizard of Oz, to name a few).
And if nothing else, it’s a chance for a whole new generation of kids to hop on board the Hocus Pocus train. Though that hasn’t stopped parents from introducing their children to the awesomeness of the original. Recently, Louisiana-based photographer Jennifer Buck of Just Be PhotoJennic Photography had the brilliant idea to conjure up a tweenaged-take on Hocus Pocus with a photoshoot imagining the Sanderson sisters… as kids.
“I love Halloween & doing fun shoots!” Jennifer shared in a Facebook post. “Hocus pocus is a classic!” Perfection.
And if you or your kids are still in the market for the perfect Halloween costume, look no farther than Spirit Halloween, which has a whole line of amazing costumes. The store partnered with Disney to make our millennial dreams come true by offering an entire line of Hocus Pocus merch that puts anything you’ve seen on Etsy to shame.
Want to dress up as your favorite Sanderson sister? No prob. (“Aren’t you broads a little old to be trick-or-treating?” LOL never, TBH. Penny Marshall 4-ever.)
The costumes and accessories are the perfect items to hold us over until the sequel hits Disney+ and we’re enchanted by our favorite witch sisters all over again.
This article was originally published on

domain: news


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Nokia 8.3 5G was announced back in March 2020, but since the year 2020 isn’t going smoothly as years before, the same goes for the launch date of Nokia’s latest affordable flagship. It seems that Nokia 8.3 5G could be announced twice since some words will be said today at the online event Nokia Mobile is holding this afternoon. But, the device is already circulating around since the first reviews started popping up on the Internet, which is good.
One of the first we stumbled upon is the review done by DigitalTrends, and it is quite a light reading, which is commendable. According to the reviewer, Nokia 8.3 5G is a phone worthy of your attention because it is coming in a beautifully designed body, has a powerful 64MP main camera producing great shots, a beautiful 6.8-inch hole punch IPS display, and good battery life thanks to the 4500 mAh battery. The phone supports 5G also, but the price is pretty high since the competition is offering similar features and options at a relatively lower price. Also, it seems that SD765G is holding on pretty well too, eventhough it is not tuned as well as in the other phones that are using it.
The main disadvantages of the phone are the lack of zoom, not so good 2MP macro camera, and the lack of water resistance. The reviewer also noticed some bugs in the software, but at the end pointed out that all the disadvantages are not holding the phone back, and it could be worthy of your time.
Seems to me that Nokia Mobile did a nice job and created a great midrange phone, which is going to have trouble fighting against the competition like LG velvet, Moto Edge, and OnePlus Nord, which are priced better.
Anyway, do check the review dine by Digitaltrends, and you can also check the review by techadvisor, which has pretty much similar conclusion.
Cheers Thomas and the rest for the tip ;).


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Claudie Pierlot boosts Asia presence
Now that the SMCP group has initiated the procedure for its stock exchange listing, its labels are subject to very close scrutiny. While Sandro and Maje are the group's two established brands, the growth of the smallest of the three labels, Claudie Pierlot, has by no means hit a ceiling. The brand, which joined the group in 2009, is in fact the most dynamic of the three, having recorded an increase of nearly 30% in its last three fiscal years, and having topped the €100 million revenue mark in 2016.
Claudie Pierlot accounted for 16% of the group's total 2016 revenue of €786 million, and is expected to increase by yet another 30% in 2017. The label's booming performance is driven both by its comparable sales growth, thanks to the work on advertising and the product range, and by its sustained retail network expansion. Claudie Pierlot is opening between 20 and 30 new retail outlets per year, half of them corners and half monobrand stores, most of them directly owned.
This rate of expansion had brought the label's current total number of stores to 200, across several different regions. "France is nearly fully covered, give or take one or two stores. This was my first mission, said Isabelle Allouch, the label's General Manager since 2014, then we drove forward in stages, first focusing on neighbouring countries like the UK, then Spain and more recently Germany, Switzerland and Belgium, and this year Italy," she added.
While strengthening its presence in Europe, and establishing partnerships in regions like the Middle East, Russia and Australia, from this year Claudie Pierlot is also looking to reach a new milestone in its expansion: Asia. The latter is a continent in which the label could have a strong potential, considering its style, described as "BCBG with a twist," and its accessible luxury positioning.
SMCP now has a solid infrastructure in the region, after being acquired by Chinese group Shandong Ruyi, and it is now pushing hard to speed up its brands' development there. As a result, Claudie Pierlot has opened some ten stores in South Korea, Hong Kong and mainland China in the last twelve months. In the near future, more stores are expected to open in each of these countries on account of the forthcoming stock exchange listing, though the label hasn't specified their number.
"What we can say, it that the future of Claudie Pierlot, and that of the group in its entirety, will encompass Asia, and China in particular, said Isabelle Allouch. The region is clearly our next major growth vector," she added.
Claudie Pierlot is not a total newcomer to Asia. Though the label no longer had a presence in the continent before the start of this new offensive, in the past it was well-established in Japan, thanks to a series of local partnerships set up by its eponymous founder, before it was sold to what is now the SMCP group. And at a time when the group is heralding the inception of an expansion project in Japan, the last major fashion market in which it is not present, Claudie Pierlot is highly likely to be featured in it. " We are entering countries one by one, so we will first concentrate on China, and Japan will come later," said Allouch.
Though Claudie Pierlot is planning to deploy in one country at a time, it is focusing on several growth vectors at once. Besides working on the retail network, the label is also busy in the accessories category, which it wants to grow to a 10% share of the business. In addition to footwear, which already features a sizeable range, it has added a 'signature' handbag to its product line, like siblings Maje and Sandro. The new handbag was launched in mid-September and initial results are encouraging, a further boost to Claudie Pierlot's performance.
"The other thing we are very happy about is our digital deployment, said Isabelle Allouch. We operate 15 e-stores internationally, and thanks to them our share of web sales is much higher than the market's average." In the last two years, Claudie Pierlot's e-tail business has expanded greatly, for two reasons, according to Allouch: the sites are very dynamic and promote high customer loyalty, and there is more demand for e-tail since the label's territorial coverage is less extensive than that of its larger siblings. Claudie Pierlot's business model relies heavily on e-tail, and it is successful. It is a model which the label is not likely to change any time soon, making it a major asset for the SMCP group in future years. Far from being "the smaller brand trailing behind the others," Claudie Pierlot is perhaps the one with the strongest potential for improvement.
Copyright © 2023 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.


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Avoid selling while the share market is down
Moira Geddes talks to CMC Markets' chief strategist Michael McCarthy about the recent drop in global share markets.
SHARE market corrections have been predicted for a while, but is the current downturn a start of something bigger?
Back in July, with US shares at record highs and the ASX sitting pretty too, we warned investors not to be blind to the possibility of a correction in October. Now we’re seeing our fears come to fruition.
Economic growth concerns have taken hold of markets around the world, driving a wave of selling that has seen both the US markets and the ASX erase all gains for the year.
So, to the billion-dollar question, is this a short-term blip or the start of something more serious?
Here’s our take on the state of the market.
WHAT’S CAUSED THE CORRECTION?
There are plenty of legitimate reasons for investors to be bearish at the moment.
Firstly, even though the GFC seems like a long time ago now, the damage it did to the global financial system has not healed.
Since the crisis, central banks around the world have been trying to stimulate growth — think low interest rates and money printing — which hasn’t worked entirely as expected.
Low interest rates should encourage consumer and business spending and lead to growth, but this hasn’t really kicked into gear. Instead, spending has remained subdued and money has flooded into equity markets, which many pundits think have become overvalued.
On top of this, there are concerns around the growth prospects for key world economies China and Europe, as well as geopolitical risks like the ISIS situation in Syria and Iraq, and Ukraine-Russia standoff earlier this year.
And domestically, don’t forget about our overvalued Aussie dollar and overheating property market, either … There’s a lot of doom and gloom out there.
WILL IT LAST?
The International Monetary Fund certainly thinks the world is in for a tough time of it over the next 18 months.
The September release of their World Economic Outlook downgraded global growth forecasts for 2014 and 2015 to 3.3 per cent and 3.8 per cent respectively, citing weaker-than-expected activity in the first half of 2014 and increased risk levels in global economies.
Despite this, there are reasons to be optimistic on the domestic front.
We bang on about this regularly, but the fact remains that the Australian economy is a real gem, currently sitting at 24 straight years of uninterrupted growth propped up by our resources sector.
We’ve enjoyed three years of very healthy share market returns and were probably due a slight correction, but the health of our economy hasn’t fundamentally shifted.
IS NOW A GOOD TIME TO BUY OR SELL?
When buying and selling shares, the most important rule is to keep emotion out of it and make a decision based on a rational business case.
Ask yourself whether anything has changed that will affect the long-term prospects of the businesses you invest in.
If the answer is no, it can be a good idea to take a break from checking the portfolio for a few days until things settle down.
Warren Buffet, the most successful investor of all time and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, is a famous advocate of buying great businesses with a long-term investment outlook and not getting caught up in the day-to-day market gyrations.
HOW CAN I PROFIT WHEN THE MARKET’S GOING DOWN?
There are ways to profit from falling prices such as short-selling stock or options trading, however most of them are best left to the professionals.
For the rest of us, the big opportunity it presents is buying quality businesses at lower prices.
Even great businesses aren’t immune to investor madness during a down market, but once everyone calms down, investors tend to flock back very quickly.
That’s why a down market can be a great time to take a long-term position in a


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You are here
Steal Deals - Combines
The fleet of combines is aging on American farms. As a rule, farmers stopped buying new combines about five-years ago. It’s a buyer’s market, so this might be a good time to upgrade or consider purchasing a second or third machine.
Dave Mowitz is the machinery and technology editor for Successful Farming magazine and researches the price trends of used machinery. He says prices in a buyer’s market at auction tend to fluctuate quite a bit, which opens up opportunities to get a good buy on a down day at auction.
"I went to an auction where I saw a John Deere S690 with just a little over 1500 separator hours, and it sold for $90,000. That was a stunner, that’s way under market value. So, that means we’re in a buyer’s market at auction," he says. "That means you’ve really got to know what you’re dealing with when it comes to prices."
If you see a good late-model combine up for sale at an auction, do comparisons online and use that as your price guide.
Dealer prices, on the other hand, are more stable in either a buyer’s or seller’s market. They set their values on nationwide averages.
"Dealers now are not only interacting with each other, but they’re using a source like Iron Solutions. Iron Solutions is the place that dealers go to report in their trade-in values, their used equipment values. So, that has really leveled the playing table," says Mowitz. "You will find similar combines selling for similar prices even if they’re ten states away from each other."


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According to English Prime Minister Boris Johnson, England is lifting many of the COVID-19 requirements to enter the country. The moves are a step in the right direction for the country’s tourism industry. While governments worldwide scramble to find new ways to manage the pandemic and the impact on the travel and tourism industries, England is taking steps to ensure it will move forward ahead of others.
England COVID Requirements lifted
Effective 4 p.m. on Friday, Johnson confirmed that England would scrap pre-departure travel Covid-19 tests to enter England from overseas. The prime minister also lifted the requirement to self-isolate on arrival in England until receiving a negative PCR test result.
Instead, people can take a lateral flow test on day two. If it is positive, the traveler will need a further PCR test to identify any new variants, plus isolation. This relaxation of the regulations will most certainly positively impact the travel industry’s heaviest booking season.
Response from the travel agencies
Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership, commented; “The relaxation of travel restrictions is of course a positive for the travel industry. Scrapping the pre-departure test and replacing subsequent PCR day two test and therefore self-isolation on arrival back into the UK with a cheaper and effective lateral flow test will help to boost confidence at what is traditionally the busiest booking period of the year.”
She went on to give updates on the members of her organization and how it will impact them. “Our members are currently trading on average at about 50 percent of 2019 levels and are beginning to see that pent-up demand come through following 20 months of the toughest of trading conditions.”
She added a little bit of hope for the future of travel into England. “Travel will remain ever-complex this year, but if the consumer can rely on less confusing government intervention, a continuation of a more flexible approach from travel suppliers, and the expertise of a human travel agent to help guide them through the booking process from take-off to landing, I am hopeful we will see the industry start to finally bounce back.”


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With just two games this weekend to determine pro football’s champions for the big game, one touchdown could mean more than just a win: it could reward all of America with a tasty playoff payoff.
A&W Restaurants—the home of All American Food and handmade Root Beer Floats—announced that it will continue the Perfect Pair offer with Jennings and its Papa Burger this weekend during the Conference Championships. Through an ongoing, long-standing partnership with Jennings, whose jersey is number 85, everyone in America will have the opportunity to receive an A&W Papa Burger Single for just $.85 if the Green Bay wide receiver scores a touchdown in this weekend’s conference championship game on Sunday, January 23, 2011. Offer valid at participating locations while supplies last.
Additionally, A&W Restaurants will randomly select 85 lucky customers who “like” the A&W Restaurants Facebook page with $10 gift cards to A&W® Restaurants. Log on to www.facebook.com/awrestaurants for more contest details.
“The playoff excitement continues and so does our Perfect Pair offer with Greg Jennings,” said Barry Westrum, Chief Marketing Officer, A&W Restaurants. “No matter which football team you’re cheering for this weekend, everyone can score a delicious Papa Burger Single made with 100 percent US Beef Steak Burger for just $.85 if Greg Jennings scores a touchdown on Sunday or, be one of 85 customers to receive a free $10 gift card to A&W Restaurants.”
Consumers can receive their $.85 Papa Burger Single at participating A&W Restaurants on Monday, January 24, 2011 if Greg Jennings scores a touchdown during Sunday’s playoff game. Available at participating locations, customers will need to ask for the “Jennings Burger” to get their discount. For more information, including a store locator, please visit www.awrestaurants.com.
The company announced the Perfect Pair offer last week for the Divisional Playoffs. In 2009, A&W Restaurants began a grassroots partnership with Greg Jennings and offered $.85 Papa Burger Single to Green Bay residents if the receiver scored a touchdown during a game. The popularity of the program quickly expanded in 2010 to reward all Wisconsin residents with $.85 Papa Burger Single. Now, the company is extending the Perfect Pair offer to all of America. As part of its charitable efforts, A&W Restaurants in Wisconsin recently teamed up with Jennings to tackle hunger with the “Hunger Drive For 85” food drive, benefitting Wisconsin Food Banks of Feeding America, the nation’s leading domestic hunger relief charity. The effort aims to raise 8,500 pounds of food in just 85 hours.
Jennings is widely recognized off the field for his commitment to charitable causes, and through the Greg Jennings Foundation, he has been actively involved assisting underprivileged children and families. In 2008, his Foundation built its first Habitat for Humanity house in Milwaukee. He is a 2011 John Wooten Leadership Award Finalist, recognized for his play, community and extracurricular activities that best exemplify the leadership of NFL legend John Wooten.


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China’s Wikipedia Hudong is reportedly raising US$ 50 million Series C round, partly via Xpert Financial, a platform that private companies use to raise later-stage funding.
Hudong raised a total of more than US$ 45 million in previous rounds from investors including Draper Fisher Jurvetso.
Hudong is one of the largest Wikipedia-like services in China among peers like Baidu Baike, Youdao Baike and Soso Baike. It boasts more than 4.53 million users and over 6.36 million entries at the end of this February.
The service has tried many efforts to monetize its content, for instance, In April 2011, Hudong.com officially launched Baike.com, a platform of strategy importance aiming at enterprise market for monetization. And in last April, it launched a spinoff program – Xiao Baike to combine knowledge platform and commercial platform. So far these attempts didn’t seem to fare quite well.
Hudong currently is under serious attack from competitors like Baidu Baike, while new Web 2.0 style of Q&A sites including Zhihu also stole some thunder from the traditional Wikipedia offering.


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Some players are already enjoying Early Access to Battlefield 2042, the new installment of the DICE shooter, and despite the fact that modes like Hazard Zone or the classic Battlefield Portal, there has been a fact that has surprised, for the worse, the players. As they have all been able to verify, the game does not have voice chat implemented at the moment, a function that seems practically essential in a modern multiplayer FPS. In fact, everything seems to indicate that this feature will not reach its launch.
As can be read in the Washington Post, Electronic Arts has confirmed to the capital newspaper that many players are using applications such as Discord, or the group chats of each console, to communicate. In fact, it is something that all those who are made with Battlefield 2042 will have to do the first day, since according to the Canadian company, voice chat will arrive “shortly after launch”.
No voice chat … but with technical problems
Battlefield 2042 will not arrive with voice chat on the day of its launch, but with a good handful of technical problems that EA itself has made known on its official website. While, obviously, the Swedish studio is working “extremely hard for Battlefield 2042 to arrive as smooth and satisfying as possible”, although they acknowledge that there is no launch “without its flaws, and you will probably find some bugs and problems during the first weeks”.
It is expected that, despite being warned about the problems that Battlefield 2042 may have at its launch, it will not be of the level suffered with Battlefield 4. The fourth numbered installment was part of the launch catalog of the last generation consoles, PS4 and Xbox One, and presented a lot of problems of all kinds that took months to solve.
Battlefield 2042 will hit stores for all players on November 19, for PS4, Xbox One, PS5, Xbox Series and PC.


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The Jakarta Post
As they become more savvy, Indonesian consumers have no qualms with switching to another brand if one fails to meet their expectations.
A new study shows that 80 percent of Indonesian consumers surveyed have switched brands based on dissatisfaction, actions resulting in US$176 billion in potential losses for the abandoned brands.
The findings are part of Accenture's latest study on 'The Digital Customer'. Surveys involving 12,867 end consumers were conducted in 32 countries, including Indonesia as an emerging market. Other countries included in the survey were USA, UK, Brazil and Malaysia.
The study also revealed that the proclivity to switch among Indonesian respondents was above mature markets. Globally, 66 percent of consumers have switched between brands in at least one type of industry, while the number was 54 percent for mature markets.
Internet Service Provider (ISP), retail and banking were the top three industries in which Indonesian consumers flipped between brands. Eighty-three percent of respondents said they have changed ISP providers, while the figures for retailers and banks were 18 percent and 25 percent, respectively.
Trailing closely behind were satellite television and mobile phone providers at 24 percent each.
Accenture Indonesia executive director, Tore Berg, said that poor service was the prime reason consumers ditched a brand.
'As high as 77 percent of respondents said that they would not have switched if the provider of the service had done something that would have kept them as customers,' he told The Jakarta Post.
According to the survey, the value of the 'switching economy' in Indonesia was US$176 billion. This is the potential revenue the first choice brands could have pocketed if they had not lost consumers to competitors. Indonesia's 'switching economy' worth was the second highest after Japan, with Australia placing third. Accenture puts the global 'switching economy' at $5.9 trillion.
Accenture Indonesia managing director, Julianto Sidarto, said that switching was high among Indonesians because consumers have evolved far more rapidly than brands. 'In the past, people were less likely to switch because there were only a handful of service providers or service among providers was equally poor,' he said. Berg added that a solution for increasing consumer satisfaction was by providing mobile services, a technology consumers have grown attached to.
Online support channels have become essential to consumers. The survey found that 70 percent of respondents have used more than one online channel for customer support. These respondents accessed the sites through mobile phones and tablets 50 percent of the time.
However, 35 percent of respondents were still reluctant to use online channels due to spamming fears.
'Hence, once customers use digital channels, companies cannot misuse the trust placed on them by using the customer data collected in the wrong way,' he said.
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A company that ships Northwest produce to East Coast markets by rail plans an expansion that will benefit the region's wineries. Railex has reached an agreement with Ste. Michelle Wine Estates to build a massive wine storage warehouse in southeast Washington.
Agricultural products from Washington, Oregon and Idaho come into Railex’s Wallula facility by truck. They wait in temperature controlled storage areas until they’re shipped out on rail cars.
The new $20 million warehouse -- about 11 football fields under one roof -- will dramatically increase the region’s ability to ship out wine. Railex will store bottles in temperature controlled conditions until cases are sold and shipped by train or truck.
“We think we are going to be able to open up the East Coast in a more cost effective method to a lot of different wineries,” says Jim Kleist, who runs Railex’s West Coast operations.
Kleist says Ste. Michelle will rent the bulk of the warehouse, but there will be room for other wineries too. The facility is scheduled to open early in 2013.
Copyright 2012 Northwest Public Radio
On the Web:


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By Brandon Moseley
On Friday, economists confirmed what most consumers already knew: inflation soared in the month of November.
Prices rose .8% in November alone, taking the consumer price index (CPI) to a staggering 6.8 percent over the last year. This is the highest rate since 1982 and a far higher jump than economists expected.
Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL06) said, “Inflation hit its highest rate in decades this past month. Americans cannot afford President Biden's economic crisis indefinitely. More wasteful government spending will only make it worse.”
Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville (R) said, “Once again, prices skyrocketed in November, and inflation is at its highest level in 39 years. Americans are bearing the burden of rising prices from the gas pump to the grocery store, and the price surge is getting worse, not better. President Biden and his advisors have been promising this problem is going away, but the numbers don’t lie. Their reckless tax and spend spree will only spike inflation further and cripple our economy. Congress’ TOP priority must be getting inflation under control before spending another dime.”
“We are all feeling the impacts of this out-of-control inflation,” Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-AL04) said. “How do we fight it? By not continuing to spend so much money. This is another piece of evidence entered into the case against President Biden's 'Build Back Broke' bill. This $4 trillion bill will only pour more fuel on this inflation fire.”
“Under President Biden inflation has reached a 39 year high,” said Congressman Mike Rogers (R-AL03). “Heading into Christmas, Americans are paying [more] for just about everything. Make no mistake, President Biden has continued to exacerbate this crisis by pushing through his socialist spending spree.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) said in a statement, “This morning’s numbers confirm what every American family already knows: Inflation is out of control on the Democrats’ watch. [This] 6.8% inflation is the worst in almost 40 years. The costs of essentials have skyrocketed. Wages have not even come close to keeping pace, so the average American has gotten a pay cut. It is exactly what experts warned Democrats’ reckless spending would cause.
“Now Washington Democrats are a broken record that’s gotten struck on the worst possible response: More borrowing, more printing, more reckless spending. Trillions upon trillions more. They want to double down and attempt to inflate their way out of inflation.
“The American people cannot take another reckless taxing and spending spree that hurts their families and helps China,” McConnell continued. “It is unthinkable that Senate Democrats would try to respond to this inflation report by ramming through another massive socialist spending package in a matter of days.”
The steady upward pressure on prices is a significant strain for many American households. President Joe Biden (D) and Democratic lawmakers have sought to emphasize the strong points of the recovery from the 2020 COVID-19 economic shutdown.
The unemployment rate dropped to 4.2 percent in November
Consumer spending has risen above pre-pandemic levels.
Wage growth has accelerated.
The stock market has rallied to record highs.
“Economic growth is stronger here than virtually any other nation. Americans have more money in their pockets than this time last year - $100 more each month than last year - even after accounting for price increases. But we have to get prices and costs down before consumers will feel confident in that recovery. That is a top goal of my administration," Biden said in a statement on Friday.
According to the Department of Labor, food prices rose 0.7 percent in the month of November, gasoline rose 6.1%, and housing rose .5%. Prices for food have risen 6.1% this year. Grocery prices are up 6.4% and food purchased from restaurants are up 5.8%.
(Original reporting by the Hill contributed to this report,)
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email [email protected].


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Less than 6 months after it acquired NOON Lighting System in January (NOON was a popular DIY smart control lighting system, see article in enLIGHTenment http://bit.ly/NoonSav), Boston-based Savant Systems, Inc. is making news again with its announcement that it has signed a definitive agreement to purchase GE Lighting, a division of GE. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.
Already a leader in the smart home category, Savant Systems’ goal in the acquisition is to further its mission “to become the premier company in intelligent lighting solutions.” Savant will continue to use the GE brand and leverage the strong brand recognition in its distribution channels.
Savant Founder & CEO Robert Madonna states, “Savant’s mission from the start has been to create the number one smart home brand in the world, and I am confident that the acquisition of GE Lighting has moved us significantly toward that ultimate goal. We are committed to ensuring that GE Lighting’s long history of industry leadership continues, while bringing exceptional value and reliability to retail partners and consumers as the number one intelligent lighting company worldwide. Never before has connectivity, security, intelligent lighting and entertainment, all enjoyed within the comforts of home, been more top of mind with consumers.”
Adds GE Chairman & CEO H. Lawrence Culp, Jr., “Today’s transaction is another important step in the transformation of GE into a more focused industrial company. Our GE Lighting colleagues will join a fast-growing leader in home automation that shares their passion for bringing the future to light. Together with Savant, GE Lighting will continue its legacy of innovation, while we at GE will continue to advance the infrastructure technologies that are core to our company and draw on the roots of our founder, Thomas Edison.”
GE Lighting will remain headquartered in Cleveland, and its more than 700 employees will transfer to Savant upon completion of the transaction.
The proposed transaction includes a long-term licensing agreement for use of the GE brand. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close mid-2020.


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Dismal sales of the first smartphone to ship with Facebook Home pre-installed
have led AT&T to discontinue selling the phone, a tech website has reported.
Consumers have purchased only about 15,000 of the HTC First phone through last week, and sales did not pick up even when AT&T dropped the 2-year contract price from $99 to 99 cents after just a month of the phone being available, Boy Genius Report said.
Facebook Home, whether pre-installed as in the case of the HTC First or offered as an app through the Google Play store, has failed to garner any consumer interest amid poor reviews.
Boy Genius Report says AT&T has not only stopped selling the First but is returning unsold inventory to HTC.
Both Facebook and HTC have declined to comment, it said.
The failure of the First comes as HTC is struggling to survive, having just reported a 98 percent fall in first-quarter income, its sixth consecutive quarter in decline, InformationWeek reported.
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The owners and marketers of leading apple brand Pink Lady have agreed a deal that will see them work more closely on producing, selling and marketing the trademarked fruit around the world, Fruitnet understands.
As a result, Apple and Pear Australia Limited (APAL) – owner of the Pink Lady brand outside the US and Mexico – will now operate as exclusive master licensee for trade to and from those two North American countries, in effect bringing them into a closer-knit commercial network that incorporates more than 90 other country markets.
Brandt's Fruit Trees, the Washington state-based grower, marketer, packer and tree supplier, continues to own the trademark in both the US and Mexico.
Pink Lady America, meanwhile, the organisation established and exclusively licensed by Brandt's Fruit Trees to manage and market Pink Lady-branded apples in the two countries, has also signed up to the new commercial agreement.
According to those involved, the commercial agreement combines the interests, capability and capacity of each company and presents an opportunity for the Pink Lady brand to become even more popular thanks to a fully integrated and linked global network.
Lynnell Brandt, president and founder of Brandt's Fruit Trees and also president of Pink Lady America, commented: 'We are very excited as to this opportunity to more effectively build the brand globally by working together. This will be beneficial to all stakeholders in the chain of offering Pink Lady brand apples to the consumers everywhere possible.'
Phil Turnbull, chief executive officer of APAL, said the agreement aligned the three groups' commercial goals for the benefit of the entire Pink Lady network. '[It] lays the foundations for future success with a framework that provides clarity for market development and brand growth,' he noted.
Andrew Hooke, APAL's chief operations officer, added: 'This is a very exciting and significant step for our respective organisations and for the broader Pink Lady® global network. This brings about alignment across the globe and wonderful commercial opportunities for all concerned.'
Melbourne-based APAL currently licenses over three hundred exporters worldwide.
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Ukraine's foreign minister on Friday accused French retailer Auchan of being a "full-fledged weapon of Russian aggression" following a joint investigation by The Insider, Le Monde and Bellingcat that concluded the retail giant has been supplying goods to the Russian army.
According to the investigation, goods including flack jackets, as well as non-military equipment, worth a total of 2 million rubles ($26,920) were sent as humanitarian aid by a Russian Auchan subsidiary to the Russian military in Kremlin-occupied parts of Ukraine.
A video from December cited by the report also shows members of the youth wing of Russia’s ruling United Russia party unloading packages with the Leroy Merlin logo on them in the Russian-occupied city of Mariupol.
"Last year, I urged the world to boycott Auchan for failing to withdraw from Russia and stop funding war crimes. However, the reality seems to be far worse: Auchan has evolved into a full-fledged weapon of Russian aggression," Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter.
Auchan's Ukrainian subsidiary said it was "shocked" by the investigation.
The report also alleges that Auchan collected data on Russian draft dodgers among its employees and handed it to Russian conscription offices.
Following Russia’s mobilization order in September, Auchan employees were handed their call-up papers at work, The Insider said, citing an eyewitness.
A spokesperson for Auchan in France denied that the company had ever meddled in politics or had in any way supported the Russian military, while the company's Russian office refused to comment on the investigation.
Auchan, which has around 30,000 staff and 230 stores across Russia, said last year that it planned to maintain its presence in the country despite the Russian invasion of Ukraine, prompting Kyiv to call for people to boycott the company.
AFP contributed reporting.


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On today’s special edition of CBT News, we’re happy to have Cody Lusk, President and CEO of the AIADA and the newly installed 2019 chairman, Howard Hakes. Cody and Howard discuss challenges facing the auto retail industry, including tariffs, consumer confidence, and trade.
Jim Fitzpatrick: Thank you, gentlemen, for joining us on CBT News today.
Howard Hakes: Thank you, Jim.
Cody Lusk: Yeah, thank you for having us, Jim.
Jim Fitzpatrick: Great. I know up there near Capitol Hill, you’re two very busy individuals these days with all that’s going on. So we’re going to talk about that today. For some of the dealers that are watching us today, Mr. Hakes, if you can kind of give us a little bit of your journey in the auto industry thus far before taking the helm of the association, kind of give us what you’ve been up to and your experience thus far.
Howard Hakes: I’ve been in the industry for 28 years, worked for a company, Hitchcock Automotive, which I’m president of, and have gone through all the different various parts of the business and now president of Hitchcock Automotive and we have about 500 employees in southern California.
Jim Fitzpatrick: Wow. So you know what these dealers are going through, don’t you?
Howard Hakes: Absolutely.
Jim Fitzpatrick: Sure. Talk to us a little bit about some of the wins Cody, before we get started on 2019. What were some of the wins for 2018 for the association?
Cody Lusk: I think we saw … We helped beat back or at least temporarily halt the tariffs from being imposed right off the bat so to speak. We’ve also worked to educate members of Congress on the negative impact these tariffs would have. I think we’re making some headway. We’re seeing legislation being drafted. It takes a while to get everybody up to speed and understand the impact, but I can honestly tell you the industry has never been as united as it is right now as we’re staring … We’re a stressed industry right now, things aren’t going great to kick off 2019 and so the last thing we can afford as an industry is to have punitive new 25% tariffs put on top of that. So I think we’re seeing an industry united like we’ve never seen before and hopefully we can stay that way.
Jim Fitzpatrick: Absolutely. Now that we’re into 2019, let’s talk about some of the things on the to-do list for the AIADA.
Cody Lusk: Well, I’ll just let Howard speak for some of his goals as chairman but first of all, we’re all about right now, it’s tariffs, tariffs, tariffs and we’ve got our sort of emergency tariff fly-in coming in April 9th and 10th, bringing dealers and industry leaders from across the country here to talk about this issue. The clock is ticking. We fully expect the administration to use almost all of it’s allotted time. They keep telling us so. This could last up to 270 days before we really know anything, so it’s just like a dark cloud hovering over the industry and that’s what we’re squarely focused on right now.
Jim Fitzpatrick: Sure. Mr. Hakes, you’re obviously an auto dealer, and you’re out there just like many of our viewers are, running the dealerships. Is the tariff issue a real concrete threat to our industry or is it just one of the those things that might add a few hundred bucks to a sticker price, and we’ll be laughing about it a few years from now?
Howard Hakes: It absolutely is, it is concerning. It’s one of the things that when you think about it, you look at if something goes into effect like that as you’re trying to sell cars. It comes into employees. Do I have to layoff employees? Do I have to not take as many cars? The downturn in the business that this would do. I’ve always gone by as the automobile business goes, goes the economy. That’s being such a huge part of it. So it is a real crucial time for all of us to really get together and make sure that we’re on the same page.
Howard Hakes: Cody and I were just with about 10 manufacture people from the manufacturers talking about this. So that hasn’t happened in a while. We have the manufacturers, you have the dealers, you have the associations all on one page fighting one battle. So I feel good that we’re all together but this is a crucial time, and the threat is real.
Jim Fitzpatrick: Sure. As you know, Trump enjoys a lot of support among new car dealers and franchisees out there and we’ve spoken to a few of them here at CBT News and actually, there’s some large auto group presidents out there that say, “Let Trump do what he’s gotta do because it’s about time that we level the playing field in this area and that we gotta let the President play this one out regardless of where the chips fall.” What do you say to those dealers that look at it that way?
Howard Hakes: Well I mean, letting the President do what he needs to do, I mean, that’s how he got where he is so, I guess we do have to do that. But we gotta be ready. My key thing is we gotta be ready from the dealer’s standpoint, from the association’s standpoint, from the manufacturer’s standpoint, to have everybody talking to the administration, talking to congressman, talking to senators and letting them know what the impact of the tariffs would be.
So we’re gonna fight back just as you say, “Let him do what he wants to do.” We gotta do what we gotta do, to make sure the administration understands what this would do to the automobile business, but the economy in general.
Jim Fitzpatrick: Absolutely, you talked about global trade being one of the greatest threats to the auto industry overall when you took the helm just a couple of months ago. Do you still see that as such today?
Howard Hakes: Well no question, I mean, you look at NAFTA and the new USMCA. You look at how we have built this industry on global trade and how it’s giving back within the country. It’s not perfect, but it’s what we have, and I think with the new USMCA, it’s a better look for America on that, so we gotta get that through and with the tariffs. It would just be a disaster and that’s not something that we have built this industry on to just have an automatic tariff come into effect.
Cody Lusk: And that’s one of the pitches we’ve made to the administration. Quite frankly is that you’ve built a good economy, you’ve built a solid economy. It’s starting to slow down a little bit. But if you add tariffs on the auto sector that nobody wants, we’re all in this against these tariffs, what that would just destroy. I think Bob Carter at our luncheon mentioned that would be catastrophic to not just the auto sector, but the economy. So that’s one of the issues we’re, as an industry united, are making to the administration to say, “Hey we want to keep a good economy going. Don’t impose the tariffs and make sure that this stops.”
Howard Hakes: And it’s not just the cars, as Cody talks about there. I mean, the trickle-down effect of the vendors that deal with the tire vendors, some part vendors, different vendors that I use within the industry. The trickle-down effect that comes down to a slow down in car sales is huge.
Jim Fitzpatrick: You talked in your acceptance speech about the importance of your members getting involved, especially on this trade, this very important trade issue and tariff issue. Talk to us about that, ’cause I know that’s a passion of yours in terms of the members not just looking at this as a spectator sport, but actually rolling their shirt sleeves up and getting involved.
Howard Hakes: Absolutely. I mean, I’ve always lived by 80/20 rule in my life. It truly is true here and with our industry that 20% of the people roll up their sleeves and do it, and the other 80 sit on the sideline, not that … They might pay some things they might do, but they’re not there and this is a crucial moment in our industry that we need everybody on the same page. April 9th and 10th, we’re here in DC for our AIADA fly-in, and we’re asking every dealer to get involved, to get here, so we can get them with their congressman or senator and let them speak to them directly, instead of just a letter campaign that we’re all so good at.
We wanna get as many here to make sure that we’re doing the right thing, and we’re sending the message all through Capitol Hill and the administration that tariffs are taxes. They’re not good for this industry.
Jim Fitzpatrick: And you know, there’s not a congressman or senator out there that hasn’t tapped on the shoulder of their local dealers for some contributions to even get elected. I mean the dealer body has a much bigger muscle than they utilize on something like this, right?
Howard Hakes: We have such a brick and mortar investment in our communities. I mean, you look at the deal, what we do within the communities. The baseball fields, the hospitals, things that we support and we love to because these are the people that are buying cars from us or buy around us. So we absolutely are very invested and so with our elected officials, we make sure that we know them and if there’s an issue, local, state and federally, we’re talking to them to say, “Hey, this isn’t right for our business, ’cause if our business is slowing down, the whole economy is slowing down.”
Jim Fitzpatrick: Auto dealers have been challenged with margin compression as you know, you’re a dealer so that’s something that you live every day, right? Obviously, the stair step program has been something of great controversy here over the last number of years. What’s your take on that and what can dealers do to combat the ever decreasing margins on new vehicles?
Howard Hakes: It’s a tough thing. Margins on vehicles have to have slipped. It’s a consumer market right now. The consumer’s in control with the buying power, which is okay with us. We’ll continue to sell cars to ’em, but we can just sell cars one at a time the right way. I mean, there’s nothing I can about the margin slipping in some ways. That’s just the economy that’s out there and that’s what’s happening right now. I guess I can sell more used cars and that helps out, but you just have to fight through it and make sure you have the right processes in place to sell cars.
Jim Fitzpatrick: Sure. NADA says that we’re gonna need some 76000 technicians in our industry over the course of the next 4 years. What’s your take on that? That’s an astounding number and what can the industry do or the association do to help dealers with getting more technicians into their dealerships?
Howard Hakes: You know it is a crisis. I mean, you look at that job, and it’s a great job, and they can make some great money as a certified Toyota or Honda or Mercedes technician. But we need to get more people in the trade schools and things. The California Motor Car Dealer’s Association is what I’m involved with. They support the trade schools out there and us dealers try to hire the people out of these to get there, but it is absolutely impossible to find great people in that position. A certified technician is gold in our industry when they come in and apply for a job.
Jim Fitzpatrick: Yeah, boy that’s for sure. Jumping to the variable ops side of the dealership. We still suffer with a 60 or 70% turnover rate as you know in the industry, specifically among salespeople and such. What can the industry do to change that model? The number of dealers out there are playing with different kinds of compensation plans, whether it be a salary plus a unit bonus or trying to pay for maybe some college education or student loans off.
Jim Fitzpatrick: But we’re just trying to do a lot of different things but I think the industry needs to really kinda hone in on trying to stop the bleeding with regard to employee retention.
Howard Hakes: There’s no question. In California, a little more difficult for us. I mean, with the wage an hour laws that I have to deal with are much stricter than some other states. So yes, we have a hybrid pay plan, which is hourly plus some bonuses that they get paid. And it’s made it to bring some other people in that didn’t come before because it’s not a straight commission anymore.
So it has been a benefit in some ways, but to that straight commission salesman, they don’t like it as much because we’ve had to go the other way. So it’s a Catch 22, but we’re looking at different pay plans all the time to keep the right salesman around, and it’s a tough job. It’s a nights and weekend job, we’re open seven days a week ’til 10 at night so to keep the good salesman around, you do have to throw some fringe benefits out there.
Jim Fitzpatrick: Sure, sure. Well you just took the gavel of a very large association with incredible constituency there. What are some of the things that keep you up at night with regard to the future in the auto industry and specifically among import dealers?
Howard Hakes: Well I guess the future right now is to be this year in ’19, so I’m not gonna look past that. But I think it is trade. I mean it is the fear of waking up one morning with a tweet that might be out there or something that says, “Hey, a 25% tariff has been hit on them, and it starts now.” And we have to be ready for that and make sure that every dealer knows that that is a possibility that could happen, and we can prevent it. We have the resources to prevent it by making sure we talk to our constituents, and we talk to the administration and say, “This is what will happen if you do that.” And that’s what our goal is to do this year.
Jim Fitzpatrick: Cody, has the association had to deal with any issue as big as the tariff issue in the past and how did that come out?
Cody Lusk: Yeah, you know, I cut my teeth many years ago when President Clinton threatened 100% tariffs on Japanese luxury vehicles. That was really my first entree’ into the auto sector and covering sort of legislative issues. And I remember at that time that there were dealers that I knew who were very involved, guys like Fritz Hitchcock, guys like Fred Miller, these icons of the industry who led the effort. But I also remember there were dealers I had never heard of who had never attended one meeting, who had never responded to one thing who went out into the media, and they were the first ones to squawk about how devastating that would be.
And I said, “That’s what we’re gonna do with this.” We’re making sure every single dealer knows the consequences that something like this could have. I also remember I came in right after the luxury tax on automobiles had come through and there was a whole dynamic about some dealers thought this … Everybody had misplayed their hands and everybody was placing blame, and I said, “You know what, as long as I’m running this association, no one’s ever gonna be confused about where we stand. We’re either for something, or we’re against it. We’re never gonna be in the squishy middle.” And that’s what we’re doing now, and we’re leading from the front. This is a devastating issue. We’re leaving it all on the field. We hope that it all goes away. But that’s a hope and hope is not a strategy and with Howard at the helm, we’ve got a great strategy in place with all the OEMs and all the other interested parties to make this happen and get a successful result for the industry.
Howard Hakes: And I think one other thing on that Cody. It is a bipartisan issue. This is not an issue that’s Republican or Democrat that we’re just fighting against one side. Both sides do not want tariffs, most of our people. So you can go into any office and say, “Hey, this isn’t good for the economy.” And they somewhat agree with you. There might be a couple tweaks that we have to talk to with different legislators. But most of ’em are on par saying, “Yes, the automobile industry is huge and if you tax that, it’s gonna be bad for the economy.”
Jim Fitzpatrick: Do you find that some of your constituents and some of your members are conflicted in this issue because they do support the President in a number of other areas, and a number of other moves that he’s made, that it’s kind of which way, are you either with me or against me, even though there may be some bad against me?
Howard Hakes: I’d be one of those. There’s no question that, that absolutely. I mean, but again, I’ll go back to 80/20, I like 80% of it and I’m okay with it. But I mean, the economy has grown in the last couple years, and it’s been okay but besides that, we’re just concerned with this part of it, that he can’t just enact a 25% tariff and think that nothing’s going to happen, and the ramifications politically for him would probably not be good either.
Jim Fitzpatrick: Yeah, that’s a very good point, very good point. Well, Cody Lusk, President of the AIADA and the newly installed and very ambitious and very passionate new chairman for 2019, Mr. Howard Hakes, thank you very much for joining us on CBT News, we appreciate it. Hopefully, we can have you back on in a few months to see how some of these things rolled out.
Thank you for watching the official news source of the retail automotive industry. This has been a JBF Business Media production.


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Apple will launch new iMacs this week, according to various reports based on a story on the Geek Sugar website.
The report, which cites unnamed sources, further explains that the iMacs will receive a processor speed increase (and Penryn chip) alongside larger hard drives, though the August 2007-introduced aluminium design will not be changed, with prices remaining at the same points as before.
That Apple is plotting to introduce new models of its all-in-one desktop Mac isn't unexpected, with reports that stock in hand of the existing configurations is dwindling emanating earlier this month. These reports lend the current spate of rumours a little added weight.
The Mac mini may also see an upgrade, some reports claim.


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June 21, 2018
Travelers losing interest in home-sharing
According to MMGY Global’s Portrait of American Travelers study, just 33% of respondents are interested in sharing economy accommodations, down from 41% in 2017 and 37% in 2016.Read more
Ctrip, China's biggest online travel service provider, is in talks to acquire Kuxun.cn, an air ticket and hotel search and price comparison site, Beijing Business News reported. Analysts say the acquisition will make up for Ctrip's disadvantage in search technology and will compromise Kuxun's impartiality.
The latest from the China tech rumor mill is that online travel giant Ctrip is in talks to acquire travel services search engine Kuxun, currently owned by TripAdvisor. These stories should always be met with a healthy dose of skepticism, but such a purchase would make sense for Ctrip, which since last year has been on a spending spree to shore-up its position in a rapidly-changing and more cutthroat market.
Last year was a turning point for Ctrip as the barrier to entry into the online travel sector became low enough for many smaller and arguably more innovative upstarts to start nipping at its heels; while large Internet players such as Baidu, Tencent, 360buy and Alibaba Group rallied to elbow in on the market.
This led to a vicious price war, with Ctrip earmarking $500 million in the middle of the year for marketing and promotions. Rumors of possible acquisitions also flew, some of which - such as its purchase of luxury travel operator Trip TM - turned out to be true. By the end of the year, Ctrip's financials had taken a bruising, with income from operations down 39 percent for 2012 to 655 million yuan ($105.45 million).
It's not surprising more entrants are jumping into the field - online travel has huge potential in China, particularly outside of first-tier cities where the middle class is beginning to spend increasingly on holidays. The market is expected to show growth of around 500 percent over the period 2008 to 2013 to reach $15 billion. Meanwhile, traffic to travel websites is growing around six times faster than overall Web traffic growth, with the former category up 40 percent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2012 compared to 7 percent growth for the latter.
Get the full story at China's Global Times
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(CNBC) — U.S. stocks surged on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite extending gains into a fourth day, as investors embraced earnings from corporations including Apple, Texas Instruments and United Technologies.
"When you look at Apple, it almost takes your breath away. It's such a big company, and so important to the S&P 500 and the technology sector, so it has a lot of weight," said Hugh Johnson, chairman of Hugh Johnson Advisors, who owns Apple shares, but would not purchase more at current prices.
Verizon Communications gained after the wireless carrier tallied revenue above estimates; Coca-Cola and Chipotle Mexican Grill were active to the downside, as the beverage maker and Dow member cited currency headwinds in cutting its growth outlook, and the burrito chain signaled increased growth in quarterly sales would not continue forever.
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Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Twitter considering "nuclear option" to protest SOPA
The battle over SOPA is still raging, with major internet companies considering a blackout to protest the legislation.
By Joel Hruska
Lies, damned lies, and benchmarks: Why mobile metrics still matter
Some people say benchmarks don't matter for mobile devices. Those people are wrong and this article explains why.
By Joel Hruska
Android for Dummies: Make your own build of CyanogenMod
Lithid, a dev from XDA, has created a simple Bash wrapper tool to allow novice Android developers to make small changes and compile the popular CyanogenMod ROM.
Samsung promises ICS update for Q1 2012, Android community groans
Samsung has promised users of its late model Galaxy devices that they will see an ICS upgrade sometime in Q1 of 2012. Some companies never learn.
Kindle Fire mobile ad impressions are growing at 19 percent a day
Amazon is kindling the fires of advertisers hearts with the brisk sale rates of the Kindle Fire. The device is outpacing the 2010 launch numbers of the iPad when it comes to ad impressions.
Google's self-driving car will use road-based QR codes to get directions
Google's "landing strip" (QR code in the road) guides cars to the nearest parking spot, automatically.
By Bill Howard
How Google's Nexus tablet can succeed where so many tablets have failed
Eric Schmidt from Google dropped to an Italian newspaper today that Mountainview is going to be releasing a tablet device in six months. Is it going to be the fabled Nexus tablet device we have been hearing whispers about? Will it be an iPad killer?
Why you should sell your iPhone 4 and buy a Galaxy Nexus
I know what you're thinking, iPhone 4 and 4S owners: You already own the best smartphone ever made, so why bother upgrading? Well, get this: At the risk of sounding like a hyperbolic, superlative-abusing idiot, the Galaxy Nexus is even better. That's right: It's bestest.
Universal Music Group claims right to block or remove any video on YouTube
It has emerged that Universal Music Group has an agreement with YouTube that allows it to block any video, irrespective of whether it infringes copyright or not.


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Western Growers unveiled its new Irvine, Calif., headquarters.
“With our board members in town, this was an opportunity to showcase our new, state-of-the-art offices and officially announce our new location,” says Tom Nassif, president and CEO. “As our members face an ever-more challenging business climate, Western Growers has created new services and products to help them remain competitive and grow, and that has allowed us to grow beyond the headquarters and other offices we occupied since 1980.”
Prior to the relocation, most employees of Western Growers’ 12 companies and business divisions were spread amongst four different locations in Irvine.
“Consolidation to an 80,000-square-foot standalone 3-story building allows us to bring all our Orange County-based employees under one roof and still gives us the opportunity to expand,” Nassif says. “We have been able to capture our rich heritage and seamlessly blend it into a technologically-enhanced, contemporary facility that symbolizes the advancement of our organization and industry into an era of innovation and adaptability.”
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I believe it's meant to keep out spammers. If they revoke your account for uploading a spammy/malware app, you'll have to think twice before spending $25 on a new account. Also, I think it helps Google identify you as a real person.
mbeteta writes: "BM has developed a new video game for businesses. The video game is a 3-D educational simulator called Innov8, and was designed to help tech managers better understand the roles of businesspeople in an organization. Players go into a virtual business unit to test their skills at ventures such as redesigning a call center, opening a brokerage account, or processing an insurance claim."
untouchableForce writes: "Geekzone reports that Google has (finally) released their Google Desktop application for Linux. The popular search software now runs on the three most popular operating systems Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows. You may download Google Desktop for all three of the OSes at their website.
Utilizing this utility, some well thought out samba shares, and some custom code, is it possible that this could provide a cheaper alternative to the Google Search Appliance"
An anonymous reader writes: The NYC tech scene is alive and well. Here's the beginning of a list of resources for tech entrepreneurs in the Big Apple. Check it out — and help by adding your experiences to the mix: http://www.mixedink.com/blog/?p=7.
from the Q-36-explosive-space-modulator dept.
ntmokey writes "When China tested a missile on its own satellite in January, the nation's aggressive statement immediately raised eyebrows among the world's other space-faring nations. Popular Mechanics looks at the implications of a conflict in space — including debris that could render space unusable for decades — and examines the United States' own space arsenal."
warrior_s writes: Thats right, Now it DOES run on Linux. Google Desktop is now being offered for Linux.
Google Desktop for Linux was written natively and uses Google's own desktop search algorithms, not existing Linux search applications such as Beagle, a company representative said. Only computers with x86 processors can use the software. It supports the Debian 4.0, Fedora Core 6, Ubuntu 6.10, Novell SUSE 10.1 and Red Flag 5 versions of Linux, and uses either the KDE and GNOME graphical user interfaces. Here is the scoop from builderau and cnet
mytrip writes: "Google was set to launch late on Wednesday a beta version of Google Desktop search for Linux in a sign of encouragement by the search giant for Linux on the desktop.
Google Desktop allows people to search the Web while also searching the full text of all the information on their computer, including Gmail and their Web search history. Because the index is stored locally on the computer, users can access Gmail and Web history while offline."
An anonymous reader writes: ActiveScaffold is a plugin and a model-based "smart" UI systems for Ruby on Rails, that can dramatically simplify the creation and maintenance of your Ruby on Rails application. Instead of having to create pages by hand that display your models, ActiveScaffold will introspect your ActiveRecord models and dynamically generate a CRUD (create, read, update, delete) user interface for managing those objects. Its fast, easy, and sweet.
Stony Stevenson writes: In an effort to inject Microsoft's latest slogan from hell ("People-ready business") into popular usage (and no doubt raise its Google page rank), Microsoft asked a passel of A List Bloggers to excrete blurbs on what this meaningless phrase means to them. Michael Arrington, Om Malik, Fred Wilson, Richard MacManus and a handful of others happily agreed to churn out some mush for Microsoft, which it later used in banner ads.
But what it really meant to these guys was income. Redmond paid the bloggers for every user who clicked through to the PRB microsite. And that caused other bloggers, lead by Gawker chief Nick Denton, to rightfully question their ethics. A spitball war has been raging ever since.
PC worlds Harry McCracken details the sordid affair here, while this article looks at Microsoft's slogan woes.
From the article: "A big part of the problem is that "people-ready business" is such a lame slogan. (The full version — "Dynamic IT for the people-ready business" — is even worse.) Simply using it in a sentence makes you sound like an idiot.Why not simply say "Clueless corporate clones struggling desperately to look hip"? That would at least have the benefit of accuracy."


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ACIV offers humour and plunder of a lawless pirate war. It's a welcome change -- but it also deviates a little too far from the Assassin's Creed DNA
It seems inevitable that the discussion around Beyond: Two Souls will focus on what the game is not, rather than what it actually is.
To mark Konami's release of Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection, Daniel Kaszor illuminates why the series is important.
Remember Me is ambitious and takes chances ... but the core gameplay is often forgettable.
Can the Xbox One really be your one gateway to your television if it can't even be your one gateway to games?
The day before Microsoft is set to reveal their next-generation Xbox, Sony has released a short teaser hyping the PlayStation 4
The dream of a full home console in your hands is over. But Sony's little handheld is very much alive.
How important are non-gaming online services like Netflix and MLB.TV to the next generation of video game consoles?
Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima released an impressive, if slightly confusing, trailer for the newly announced Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
Sony's new approach to developers suggests the company believes one key to the PlayStation 4's success depends on courting indie developers.
Whether you’re saving to travel the world or hoping to wipe out student debt, sometimes you need a coach to put you on the right track
The oilpatch's new mantra appears to be "better, faster, cheaper – with less people involved", according to a new report by Ernst & Young
The auto show circuit that traverses the world has almost always focused on design and engineering, but now tech is getting attention and Canada is on the road map
If you are not alarmed by home prices surging 20% in the past year, the fastest pace in three decades, you should be, say economists
Until this week, this culture was only whispered about in Silicon Valley


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Contributed by Karen Leung of London-based venturethree.
King is a developer of cross-platform, bite-sized games, offering 150 exclusive games in 14 languages. The company has grown rapidly to become the second largest developer of games in the world on Facebook and a leader in mobile with over 108 million monthly players generating over 12 billion game plays per month across Facebook, mobile and the website www.king.com.
The recent announcement of its 10 year anniversary also brought the introduction of new company branding. The new positioning and identity was developed by working closely with King CEO Riccardo Zacconi, CMO Alex Dale, and their internal team. The new brand, based around the philosophy of “Bitesize Brilliance,” is designed to position King as the leader in cross-platform, snackable entertainment experiences.
We started with a comprehensive phase of strategy. From Stockholm to San Francisco we created ideas with the executive leadership and business managers. We held workshops with developers, marketers and HR professionals. We spoke with industry professionals and analysts and conducted ethnographic research with players. And we played every casual game we could, from Candy Crush Saga to Angry Birds Star Wars.
Our brand strategist Liam Hamill explained, “King has gone through an amazing transformation as a business in the past 12 months and we wanted to help build them a brand experience that really sums up the magic and authenticity of the company behind the games and their unique culture of innovation, creativity, care and fun.”
Isabelle Quevilly, digital director, added, “Today, with millions of games to choose from on iOS or Play stores, there are few brands you can really trust. When King came to us, it was clear what they offered was a real gem: games genuinely made to fit around players’ lives. The new brand celebrates this vision, making it clear that wherever technology is going, King will remain a seal of quality and trust.”
We created a new identity and personality that could bring the new brand strategy to life. A name change from King.com to King was proposed to represent a brand that was fit for all platforms and to make it feel a little less 90s dotcom. We helped transform an old-fashioned identity into a vibrant brand world that comes to life online, on tablets, on Facebook and beyond.
Stuart Watson, our creative director and partner, added, “We wanted to create an iconic visual identity for King that could sit alongside HBO and Pixar as a mark of the highest quality in entertainment. We designed a quirky new logo writing King in the shape of a crown — capable of working at 16 pixels square but at the same time scalable enough to make a big impact. Games like Candy Crush Saga are what people love about King, so we created a brand that compliments rather than dominates.”
We also worked with King on brand architecture, tone of voice, internal engagement and brand communications to support the launch of the new brand.
“It has been great fun working with venturethree on this project. The whole company is very pleased with the result, in terms of both the look and feel of the new brand and how ‘Bitesize Brilliance’ encapsulates what we are doing in casual games.”
— ALEX DALE, CMO, KING


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By Chuck Woodbury
Recent advertising from Camping World is sporting a new logo with a halo, but it’s no longer over the head of the iconic Good Sam Man. What’s up? My RV industry friends and I have been asking that for a year now.
What do you think? Is Marcus Lemonis, the CEO of the club and Camping World, slowly retiring the Good Sam Man, to simply go with the golden halo? Camping World’s ads and brochures increasingly direct customers to CampingWorld.com/club where the Good Sam Man is seen far less than the new halo-only logo.
Lemonis is a highly energized businessman who is seldom mentioned in Good Sam Club literature anymore. To many if not most industry insiders he is bent on cornering the market on RV sales. He has recently added to his company’s holdings by rapidly buying up RV dealerships across the country and turning them into Camping World stores, where parts, accessories, service and RVs are sold. He has also acquired Gander Mountain and Overton’s outdoor recreation stores.
Lemonis announced recently that he plans to leverage the Gander brand to increase his RV footprint, honing in on areas where Camping World is under-represented and has an opportunity to grow. He said he will launch Gander RV in 40 locations by spring 2019.
So what will happen to the Good Sam Man? Time will tell.


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GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. – Burgers now do their thing with action, according to Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews. The premium burger chain has launched a new brand campaign that explores the action and humor that abounds in what the company calls “burger culture.”
The new campaign is called “Let’s Burger” and will feature a 30-second launch video and a 15-second spot dedicated to Red Robin’s Tavern menu. Red Robin also is partnering with The Onion, a digital media and news satire company, to launch its new website called The Onion Ring, which Red Robin described as a “hilarious take on the American burger culture.” The new campaign includes branded social content that will appear on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Snapchat Geofilters also will be available at all Red Robin locations nationwide.
“As the Gourmet Burger Authority, we are immersed in burger culture every day and we offer our guests a craveable menu featuring more than 24 burger variations,” Jonathan Muhtar, senior vice president and CMO at Red Robin, said in a statement. “We are excited to debut our ‘Let’s Burger’ campaign and elevate Red Robin further as the Gourmet Burger Authority. The Red Robin experience goes far beyond the burger itself. It’s about inviting people to let go, lean in, and take their time enjoying the things that make Red Robin unique.”


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- Women’s ice hockey downs Maine
- Quinnipiac Athletics Hall of Fame inducts Class of 2014
- University to promote online safety
- A new mode of transportation
- Update: Student hit by car on Sherman Ave.
- University ticketing, towing cars with fake decals
- Dealing with a degenerative disease
- Peca’s consistency paramount for Bobcats
- The new kid on the block
- Women’s volleyball loses fourth straight
Celebrate Earth Day and sustainability
The QU Sustainability Committee is hosting the Earth Day Fair on Thursday, April 19 in Burt Kahn Court. The celebration will include a Farmer’s Market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. where you can receive a free shopping bag with any purchase. The local vendors include Bayberry Meadow Herbs, Farmer Joe’s Gardens, Thyme & Season Natural Food Market and many more. Meanwhile the Earth Day Fair will feature free food, flowers and fruit. There will also be raffle prizes, eco-friendly products and gifts, T-shirts and more.


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Aussies cashing in on booming app industry
AUSTRALIA'S pp developers are making a mark on the multibillion-dollar industry, with Aussie apps appearing everywhere from cockpits to commerce and employment soaring by 20 per cent in just two years.
The finding is part of a new study by the Progressive Policy Institute released today that shows Australia's app industry now employs 136,000 people and is on equal footing with the United States and Britain.
But local app creators say the industry is likely to keep growing rapidly, with smartphones getting folding screens, augmented reality games emerging, and everyday items being connected to the internet-of-things.
The app study also comes after several Aussie app makers were singled out for praise on the world stage recently, including studio Annapurna that claimed a BAFTA for best mobile game last week, and fitness influencer Kayla Itsines and Tasmanian illustrator James Cuda whose apps Sweat and Procreate were named among Apple's top eight apps of 2018.
The PPI research found Australia's app industry has added 23,000 jobs since March 2017, based on figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and job listings.
The greatest number of app jobs were based in New South Wales, followed by Victoria, Queensland, and Western Australia, and Apple apps created more roles than their Google Android equivalents.
Authors Michael Mandel and Elliott Long also found Australia's "app intensity" or the percentage of people employed by the app economy, was even greater than in Germany, and predicted it would keep growing.
"In recent years, Australian exports of computer and information services have soared, rising by 30 per cent in 2018 alone," it said.
"We therefore see the app economy as a powerful force, driving growth of both employment and exports in Australia."
PlaySide Studios chief executive Gerry Sakkas, from Melbourne, said he had witnessed the growth of Australian apps first-hand after starting the mobile game business with two former ElectronicArts colleagues seven years ago.
Mr Sakkas said the company spent a year building its first game just to show "the kind of quality" players could receive on a mobile game, and it was good enough to attract international attention.
"After that we got two major contracts: one was for a SpongeBob game and the other one was (British cartoon) Moshi Monsters," he said.
"From there it just kind of blew up. We had Warner Brothers ring up and ask us to do a Batman game and it just kind of exploded."
Mr Sakkas said the studio now employed more than 50 people, which were split between producing games for Hollywood studios, such as Lego Batman and Wonder Woman, and its own creations including one of Apple's first augmented reality games, AR Dragon.
While the company regularly sent representatives to the US for face-to-face meetings, Mr Sakkas said being an Australian pitching for work often came with advantages.
"People love working with Australians," he said. "We're quite casual in nature but we also work really hard and that's what they want."
Other successful Australian app exports include Sydney-based graphic design app Canva, Townsville business app iAuditor, and South Australia's OzRunways that is now used inside more than 21,000 planes across Australia, New Zealand, and South America.
Co-founder Rowan Wilson said the CASA-approved app, which replaced heavy binders of maps and directories, had proven hugely successful in Australia, and had since been translated into Spanish and Portuguese for overseas markets.
"It's one of those apps that no one has ever heard of unless you're a pilot," he said.
"But as soon as it came out, all these pilots just jumped on it. It was a no-brainer."


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The marijuana industry is on a roll. Even amid a global pandemic, sales have kept rising thanks to marijuana's categorization as an "essential item" in Canada and the U.S. during the lockdown. Moreover, with U.S. state legalization ramping up, it seems the industry is gearing up for even more success.
That said, in an evolving industry like marijuana, it is always wise to have some kind of a competitive edge over your peers. U.S. cannabis companies in general are doing exceptionally well. But Illinois-based Green Thumb Industries (GTBIF -4.41%) and Florida-based Trulieve Cannabis (TCNNF -3.66%) hold an added advantage.
Both businesses have established a strong footing in their respective home markets and are ready to take advantage of new legal markets. Let's take a look at their progress so far and where they are headed in 2021.
Green Thumb Industries is taking full advantage of the new recreational market in Illinois
Green Thumb's exceptional performance is evident from its first quarter of 2021 results (ended March 31). Management stated the new recreational market in its home state of Illinois contributed to a bulk of its sales in the first quarter. The state made recreational cannabis legal in January 2020 and saw close to $669 million in sales that year just from the adult-use market. Total legal sales including medical hit the $1 billion mark.
Revenue for the company grew 89.5% year over year in Q1, to $194.4 million, driven by higher growth from all 12 states it operates in. Green Thumb attributed this growth to increased foot traffic in its 56 retail stores, as well as 13 new store openings during the quarter. The company also managed to reduce its selling, general, and administrative expenses to $59 million, or 30% of total revenue in the first quarter, versus 44% of total revenue in the year-ago period. This helped it achieve another quarter of positive adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA). Positive EBITDA shows how well a company has a hold on its operating expenses, while net profits are the total earnings after all deductions (tax, interest, depreciation, and amortization) are made.
Luckily, Green Thumb managed to succeed on both counts. Its adjusted operating EBITDA came in at $71 million, versus $25.5 million in the year-ago period. Net profits for the quarter came in at $10 million, compared with a net loss of $4.2 million in first -quarter 2020.
But this growth isn't stopping here. Given the rate at which Illinois is generating sales this year, experts believe it could easily cross $1 billion in recreational sales alone. Having a competitive advantage in the state could lead to higher revenue and profits for Green Thumb in 2021. Green Thumb expects to see good gains from Cann, California's No. 1 cannabis beverage brand, with which it formed a partnership in March. The company launched the beverage brand in Illinois in April, and expects to expand to other states this year.
Trulieve Cannabis has dominated the Sunshine State
Florida only allows medical cannabis, and Trulieve is dominating with around 50% market share there. With a market cap of $6.8 billion, this company has grown revenue at an outstanding rate. In its first quarter ended March 31, it showed revenue growth of 102% year over year to $194 million. Most of that is derived from the stronghold it has in the medical cannabis segment in Florida, where it boasts a total of 78 dispensaries.
This consistent growth has also allowed Trulieve to be profitable. Its adjusted EBITDA came in at $91 million, up 87% from the year-ago period. It also recorded a 27% year-over-year jump in net profits to $30 million for the quarter.
Recreational cannabis legalization in the state could take awhile, but efforts are ongoing. When that happens, Trulieve will have a competitive edge in the state. The good news is that the company has already started offering its derivative products to its medical cannabis patients in Florida. In third-quarter 2020, Trulieve launched a few high-margin cannabis derivatives in the state, including gels, chocolates, cookies, and brownies.
Trulieve also has an added benefit with its recent acquisition of Arizona-based Harvest Health & Recreation (HRVSF) in a deal valued at $2.1 billion, which allows it access to 126 dispensaries in 11 states. The combined company could generate about $1.2 billion in revenue and $461 million in adjusted EBITDA in 2021, according to Trulieve's management. It will also expand Trulieve's national footprint.
This acquisition has sparked hopes for the company to be one of the strongest contenders in the U.S. cannabis space. Many industry experts believe the combined company will give a tough fight to Massachusetts-based Curaleaf Holdings (CURLF -4.46%), the current leader in terms of revenue and size in the U.S. This $10 billion market cap company grew its revenue by 170% year over year to $260 million in its recent first quarter of 2021 (ended March 31).
There is a lot of room to grow for these two pot companies
Trulieve is applying the same strategy in Pennsylvania that it did in Florida. As the state works to legalize recreational cannabis (efforts are ongoing there, too, but again could take awhile), Trulieve is focused on taking over the medical cannabis market. In April, it acquired three fully operating medical dispensaries in the state under the name Keystone Shops, bringing its total retail stores to 83 nationally.
Green Thumb already has a stronghold in the Pennsylvania medical cannabis market, which along with Illinois provided the bulk of its sales in the first quarter. It has also expanded to the Virginia market by acquiring 100% of Dharma Pharmaceuticals, which will allow it access to one of five vertical licenses in the state. Virginia will allow legal recreational cannabis from July 1, but retail sales won't begin until Jan. 1, 2024.
Both Trulieve and Green Thumb had a first-mover advantage in their home states that allowed them to grow their businesses tremendously. Now that they have established their presence there, both are prepared to expand in new legal markets. With state legalization ramping up, more opportunities will arise allowing both these pot stocks to grow at a tremendous rate over the long term.


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PORTLAND, Ore. (May 15th, 2019) — The Portland Pickles are very excited to announce baseball’s first ever sponsorship with a CBD brand. The sponsorship with Lazarus Naturals, a CBD brand headquartered in Portland, will begin in the 2019 season.
“This is a great opportunity to unite the American traditions of hemp and baseball, ushering in a new vision for the modern sporting world,” said Dylan Summers, Chief Marketing Officer, Lazarus Naturals.
Formed in 2014, Lazarus Naturals has been growing and harvesting hemp on their farms in Central Oregon, delivering high-quality CBD products that are accessible to everyone, especially those who need them most.
“We are incredibly excited to be working with Lazarus Naturals,” said Alan Miller, Pickles owner and operating partner. “When we heard their vision of supporting the veteran community, we knew this would be a tremendous fit with our fans.”
The partnership includes the launch of “Lazarus Naturals Veterans at the Park Program,” where fans can submit themselves or a veteran they know for a chance to win five tickets to sit in Lazarus Naturals Patriot Box. Visit here to find out more.
The two-year partnership also includes Lazarus Naturals as the presenting sponsor for the Rockin’ the Walk Summer Concert Series (A free concert series every Friday Night before games showcasing local recording artists) in addition to The Lazarus Naturals Patriot Box, exclusive to veterans.
Interested in trying their products? Selected products will be sold at every home game. But that’s not all; Lazarus Naturals' Assistance Program offers lifetime 60% discounts to veterans, individuals on long-term disability and low-income households, as well as donating products to worthy organizations nationwide.