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CUMBERLAND, Ind. (AP) - Jerica Lowder and Samantha Rees tried their first cigars after a couple of Coronas - and some prodding from their husbands, who were smoking Cuban stogies at a party.
“We shocked the socks off of them,” Lowder, 33, told The Indianapolis Star (http://indy.st/1cVlbq4 ). “The love began.”
Now, the two women from Cumberland, a small town east of Indianapolis, smoke two or three cigars a month from their husbands’ stashes.
“There is something rich, relaxing,” Rees, 37, said. “It’s just a soothing thing to do.”
“Actually my husband and I love to smoke them together in the bathtub,” Lowder said.
Cigar smoking conjures up manly images — the velvet jacket, Hugh Hefner’s Playboy clubs, Winston Churchill, Archie Bunker, Mark Twain. But Lowder and Rees are stay-at-home moms, petite women who work out and actually consider themselves “health nuts.”
They’re among a small, but growing percentage of women who are savoring the ritual of a cigar. Celebrities such as Angelina Jolie, Demi Moore, Claudia Schiffer and Heidi Klum have been known to puff on stogies. Manufacturers are marketing flavors such as honey and mocha, and cigar bars and shops are designing experiences with women in mind.
About 2 percent of U.S. women say they smoke cigars, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but that’s about 3.2 million women. (In the 1980s, Cigar Aficionado reported, market research showed that women comprised only one-tenth of one percent of the total U.S. cigar market.)
Compare that to the percentage of men who smoke cigars - 9 percent - and women aren’t really that far behind.
There are, of course, all levels of cigar-smoking women, from the ones who light up on special occasions to the routine puffers. The latter would be Barbara Munchel, who calls herself “a dedicated cigar smoker and cigar snob.” She laments the ones “made for women.”
“To me, those are non-cigars,” she said. “The cherry, the vanilla, the honey-flavored cigars. That’s not cigar smoking. I drink my coffee black and I want my cigars to be authentic.”
Munchel is the owner of Cigar Haven in Fishers, a shop with more than 900 varieties. Among the most popular sellers are Blue Mountain, Kristoff and Toraño.
And while Munchel isn’t seeing women pour into the shop, she does have some female regulars.
“Sadly for me, there are not as many women as I would like to see smoking cigars,” she said.
Blend Cigar Bar, which opened in September on 82nd Street, was designed by a woman to appeal to a female clientele. The owners spent $250,000 on a scent system to keep the air well-ventilated. In the elegant lounge, women can order, for example, a chocolate martini paired with a chocolate truffle cigar.


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The latest NIRC Springboard Footfall And Vacancies Monitor report for April details a double blow for retail in the North, as retail vacancies rose and footfall declined.
The report states that retail vacancies have increased in recent months and the figure now stands at 16.1%, up 1.4% compared to January. Elsewhere, footfall has also taken a hit, declining by 5.9% when compared to the same period last year.
Aodhán Connolly, Director, Northern Ireland Retail Consortium said; "These results are a stark reminder of the volatility in the retail market and on our high streets. With a dip in footfall of 5.9% and one in six of our shops lying empty, these results are amongst the worst performances across the regions and nations of the UK."
Diane Wehrle, Marketing and Insights Director at Springboard, added, "April’s footfall figures certainly echo the high street decline seen over recent months, which can be attributable to the poor weather for this time of year, but with digital sales and retail parks also slowing down it signifies something more at play.
"The rise in unemployment and economic uncertainty in this pre-EU referendum period has undoubtedly adversely impacted consumer activity."
She added that footfall in Northern Ireland is known for being volatile, something that is is undoubtedly a key factor in the persistently high vacancy rate in the region.
"This highlights the need for retail destinations to broaden their offer to embrace new and exciting retail formats that drive activity, but also to have an offer that captures the increasing consumer demand for hospitality and food and beverage," she said.
© 2016 - Checkout Magazine by Niall Swan

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NILES — Eastwood Mall's newest tenant is department store Boscov's, CEO Jim Boscov announced today during a news conference at the mall.
Eastwood Mall's Boscov's location will create about 300 jobs and will open in October. It will occupy the former Sears space and adjacent stores, which will be relocated.
Based in Reading, Pa., Boscov's is the largest family-owned department store in the nation, operating 48 stores. The store will be the third Boscov's location in a mall owned by the Cafaro Co. Boscov's is also located at Cafaro centers in St. Clairsville and Erie, Pa.


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Maruti Suzuki Alto has become the best selling car in India Maruti Suzuki’s alto has been well received by Indian consumers this festive season. Maruti Alto bagged the title of best selling car last month. Last month, the Alto surpassed top-selling cars like Maruti Suzuki Baleno, Hyundai Creta, Tata Nexon and Kia Seltos in terms of sales. We can say that Maruti Suzuki Baleno is the best selling car in the country. Maruti Suzuki WagonR, which has been the best selling car for 4 consecutive months, has had to settle for second place for the last two months.
Maruti Alto was bought by 24,844 customers last month, edging out Maruti Suzuki WagonR and Maruti Nexa Baleno from the best-selling ranks. Maruti Suzuki Alto was purchased by 12,143 customers in the same month last year (September 2021). That is, its sales have increased by 104.5 percent compared to last year.
Maruti WagonR is the second bumper in a row
Maruti Suzuki WagonR is the best selling car in the country with 22,588 customers buying it in the month of July this year. However, 18,398 customers bought it in August. 20,078 customers bought the WagonR last month. That is, its sales increased compared to August, but its sales decreased compared to July.
What is the difference between number 1 and number 2?
There was a difference of 4,766 units in sales of Maruti Suzuki Alto and Maruti Suzuki WagonR last month. Meanwhile, when the Baleno became the best-selling car in August, the gap between the WagonR and the WagonR was only 20 units.
The Alto comes in two models
Some time ago, Maruti launched its Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 in the Indian market. In such a scenario, now Maruti is selling the Alto K10 along with its Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 in the market. It is being priced at Rs 3.99 Lakh as this is the new price after discount.


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PARIS — French fashion house Sonia Rykiel has mandated Edmond de Rothschild Corporate Finance to study the possibility of selling a minority stake in the family-owned house in order to speed up its expansion, president Nathalie Rykiel said Monday.
“I have not taken any decision,” Rykiel told WWD, adding that the brand was capable of continuing its development without outside partners. “I have only just started analyzing the possibility. I don’t know if it’s something I want to pursue, but I want to develop the brand. It has huge potential, in Asia obviously, but elsewhere also.
“I know that I can go much faster and further with outside help, but I am not even at the stage of contemplating whether the partner should be French or international,” Rykiel added.
Sonia Rykiel posted sales of 89.6 million euros, or $118.9 million, in 2010, roughly flat versus the previous year, she said.
Rykiel said she had approached Laurence Danon, chairman of the executive board of Edmond de Rothschild Corporate Finance, because of her expertise in fashion, namely through her previous post as president of department store chain Printemps.


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The U.S. automotive market has bounced back significantly stronger than expected – but could run into a “lumpy” couple months, cautioned a senior Toyota official Monday.
Demand is still off from pre-COVID forecasts, Bob Carter, the executive vice president of sales for Toyota Motor North America, or TMNA, said during a media web conference. That’s particularly true on the fleet side, though retail sales are picking up fast. The big problem is that even with North American factories back up and running, inventories are running short after a two-month industry shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The past weekend was “the best weekend we have experienced, post-COVID,” Carter said, adding that “The market … continues to recover beyond anyone’s expectations.” But there’s a downside to the rapid rebound, warning that, “We’re entering a short-term period where … sales are going to be lumpy” due to supply shortages.
(Toyota CEO vows to stay in black despite pandemic, global recession.)
That’s in line with research released last week by LMC Automotive that estimated U.S. dealers currently have about 2.6 million vehicles in showrooms, about 1.3 million below what was on hand a year ago.
The industry was smacked hard by the pandemic, demand down by more than 30% in March and nearly 50% in April. In terms of a seasonally adjusted annual sales rate, or SAAR, that worked out to 11.3 million in March and a mere 8.6 million the following month. In fact, the April numbers dipped below what was seen during the depths of the Great Recession. By comparison, the industry sold 17.1 million vehicles for all of 2019.
While we’re only halfway through June, Carter said he expects to see the SAAR climb to 12.2 million for the full month, and hit 13.6 million for all of 2020 – a figure slightly above the average forecast from LMC, J.D. Power and IHS Markit. But industry experts caution that there are numerous uncertainties ahead, starting with the possibility of a second wave of the coronavirus, as well as the general revival of the U.S. economy.
If unemployment and other factors lag, “We could see some effects economically” that might drag down the auto market towards winter, Carter said.
(Toyota gains in fiscal year but warns about year ahead.)
For now, though, the big worry is inventories. Dealer stocks are low when it comes to SUVs and CUVs and, in particular, the pickup trucks for which demand remained surprisingly strong, even during the lockdowns that covered the vast majority of Americans.
On the plus side, virtually all North American assembly plants are back in operation and Toyota plants, in particular “are doing very well,” said Chris Reynolds, chief administrative officer, Manufacturing & Corporate Resources, for TMNA. Even with strict protocols that have isolated a number of workers suffering from COVID-19 infections, he explained, production has continued with only the most minor interruptions.
But Reynolds acknowledged it will take some time for Toyota to fill up its own pipeline – especially if new problems crop up. New outbreaks of the disease at Mexican parts plants have “puts kinks in our supply chain (and could have) some potential impact on our production.”
While the U.S. retail market is on the upturn, the fleet market is an entirely different story, especially when it comes to the daily rental fleets who have all but stopped buying new cars due to the crash of the travel industry.
“We’re entering a short-term period where,” said Carter, “We’re going to see limited rental sales. Not just for Toyota, but for the entire industry.”
(Toyota cutting NA production by a third through October.)
The Japanese giant has been trying to turn those lemons into lemonade, however. With those fleets cancelling orders, Toyota is redirecting the cars that would have gone into daily rental over to the retail market. That not only can help address inventory issues, said Carter, but also yields higher profit margins.


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In honor of National Streaming Day, The Disney Bundle lit up the Los Angeles sky with drones forming iconic characters and imagery from beloved movies, series, and sports across the platform. Take a look at the video below.
Disney+ is celebrating National Streaming Day all day long with multiple announcements, trailers, first looks, watch parties and more! Stay tuned all day today for news from the Disney Streaming Bundle, which includes Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+. Check out the schedule below:


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SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- The Sportsman's Guide sgde said late Wednesday that it sees third-quarter earnings of 19 cents to 20 cents a share with revenue of $56 million. Analysts forecast a profit of 19 cents a share and revenue of $54 million, according to Thomson First Call. The company attributed the outlook to its buy of The Golf Warehouse and its base business.
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Former Google AdWords Evangelist, Innovator Frederick Vallaeys to Deliver Opening Keynote at TechPoint’s Innovation Summit
Opening keynote “Google’s Rules for Innovation” is sponsored by Indianapolis-based FoundSM, a search marketing agency created by former Google employees
Vallaeys, an early Google employee, was instrumental in developing AdWords and other Google innovations, he recently founded new venture TopTier Inc. and Top Tier Tools
One of Silicon Valley’s foremost online marketing thinkers and former Google AdWords evangelist Frederick Vallaeys will deliver the opening keynote address at TechPoint’s Innovation Summit & EXPO presented by Comcast Business Services.
Vallaeys’ opening keynote will focus on “Google’s Rules for Innovation,” and it’s made possible with underwriting by FoundSM, a data driven marketing agency headquartered in Indianapolis, which was created by former Google employees.
TechPoint, Indiana’s technology growth initiative, is hosting the 14th annual daylong conference and exposition on Tuesday, Oct. 30, at the Indiana Convention Center.
“Fred Vallaeys is an innovator who has been instrumental in developing and advancing products and services at one of the world’s most innovative companies – Google,” said Jim Jay, president and CEO of TechPoint. “Indiana professionals at all levels from companies small to large should take advantage of this rare opportunity to hear from a leader who helped to shape major segments of our industry, as well as influenced its future.”
Vallaeys is a renowned expert in the online marketing field and was an early employee at Google where he was instrumental in growing the AdWords search marketing system. Most recently, he served as Google’s AdWords Evangelist, helping advertisers – small to medium sized businesses and Fortune 500 companies – learn about which Google products are best to support their marketing goals. He was one of the few “Googlers” who covered the entire spectrum of online marketing solutions, including search, social, mobile, organic and display.
After leaving Google earlier this year and officially branching out on his own, Vallaeys founded Top Tier Inc. and Top Tier Tools, a new firm and software-as-a-service product suite that helps businesses grow through online marketing. Visit Vallaeys’ personal website at http://www.frederick.vallaeys.com for more biographical information
“I had the pleasure of working closely with Fred for several years before coming home to Indianapolis to start my own firm, and I guarantee you that his presentation will be one of the ones people are talking about for a long time following Innovation Summit,” said Julie Warnecke, founder and CEO of FoundSM. “He has this unique way of getting right to the heart of the issues and bringing insights into the customer experience that just change everything.”
Vallaeys is one of three keynote speakers being featured at the day-long conference and exhibition being held October 30, at the Indiana Convention Center. Best-selling author, entrepreneur and marketing pioneer Seth Godin will deliver a keynote luncheon address followed by a Q&A session with the audience. Among Godin’s 14 best-sellers, Permission Marketing (1999) was instrumental in the creation and development of several Indiana-based software as a service companies. Joe Morgan, Chief Investment Officer of Silicon Valley Bank’s Asset Management business, will deliver the closing keynote address on the economy’s impact on the innovation sector.
In addition to keynote addresses by Vallaeys, Morgan and Godin, Innovation Summit will feature presentations by more than a dozen other thought leaders in the Rapid-Fire Theatre, and Innovation EXPO display booths will showcase the latest breakthroughs and developments from Indiana startups, universities, service providers and established companies alike.
A very limited number of booth spaces in the Innovation EXPO and other Innovation Summit sponsorships are still available. Contact TechPoint Director of Corporate Partnerships Patsy Lentz at firstname.lastname@example.org or call 317-275-2080. Additional sponsorship information is available online at techpoint.org/summit.


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DENVER – Burritos for breakfast? How about tacos before 10 am? Those are questions Denver-based Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. is considering at it relates to expanded day-parts.
In an April 18 conference call with analysts regarding its fiscal 2013 first-quarter earnings, Steve Ells, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Chipotle, said the restaurant chain currently has only two restaurants that are open during traditional breakfast hours. Both restaurants are located in airports — one at Dulles Airport in Washington and one at Baltimore-Washington International Airport.
The restaurant within the Dulles Airport is open early and serves Chipotle’s regular menu, but the site in Baltimore has a breakfast menu, Ells said.
The breakfast menu includes frittatas, a new item that Ells described as “really, really delicious.”
Frittatas are egg-based dishes similar to omelets or crustless quiches, and typically include additional ingredients such as meats, cheeses, vegetables or pasta.
Ells said Chipotle offers two varieties of frittatas at the Baltimore airport — a chorizo (Mexican sausage) frittata and a vegetarian frittata.
“(They’re) very, very popular and gaining more popularity as we continue to serve it,” Ells said. “Those are the only two places really that I would consider us having breakfast.”
That said, Ells said Chipotle does open its restaurants earlier in the day in areas where there is demand. He said restaurant managers watch traffic and activity in their neighborhoods to determine whether there is a need.
“We can open up as early as 10 o’clock,” he said. “I’m not sure if we open up much earlier than that, but if there is demand in those areas, they certainly do take advantage of that and open up, and that’s in a number of restaurants in all of our markets.”
One of Chipotle’s competitors in the quick-service Mexican food market is Irvine, Calif.-based Taco Bell Corp., a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. Last fall, Taco Bell expanded its FirstMeal breakfast menu with the launch of the A.M. Crunchwrap and Mtn Dew A.M.
Taco Bell’s FirstMeal breakfast menu is offered up until 11 am at most locations.
Taco Bueno, another large Mexican restaurant chain based in Farmers Ranch, Texas, has offered a line of breakfast items, including egg burritos and breakfast platters, since 2007.


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US fried chicken chain Popeyes has announced the opening date for its new restaurant in Nottingham city centre. It will welcome customers from 11am on Saturday, October 1.
The fast food restaurant will operate from the former Burger King site, in Upper Parliament Street, right opposite the entrance to Victoria Centre. The burger joint closed during the pandemic in 2020.
Bosses at the chain say they expect queues to start early following previous restaurant openings which saw crowds form for its Chicken Sandwich from 5am. Tom Crowley, chief executive of Popeyes UK, said: “We’re excited to be kicking off our Midlands expansion in the heart of Nottingham – it’s such a thriving, lively city that we’re sure residents and visitors alike will enjoy the Popeyes offering.
“We can’t wait to bring customers a taste of our Famous Louisiana Chicken to Nottingham and beyond very soon.” The restaurant, spread across two floors, will be able to seat 100 people.
The new restaurant, part of the chain's expansion plan across the UK, will serve British chicken, which is marinated for 12 hours and hand-battered with buttermilk for its "famous shatter-crunch". On the opening day merchandise will be given out and a live band will perform.
Thousands of fans turned up for the opening of the first Popeyes in the UK, at Westfield Stratford City in London in November 2021. The chain says it has "big ambitions" over the next 10 years to open hundreds more restaurants in the UK.
The company originated in New Orleans and is famed for its popular Louisiana fried chicken sandwich. The menu also includes its signature chicken on the bone, which comes classic or spicy, tenders, hot wings - plus sides of mash and cajun gravy, buttermilk biscuits and mac 'n' cheese.
Hand spun milkshakes are another speciality and there's ice cream sundaes for dessert. It won't be the only new fried chicken restaurant to have opened nearby. Before Christmas, fans queued for the grand opening of Jollibee, on the corner of Clumber Street and Upper Parliament Street, to try out the chain which originated in the Philippines in 1978. And the restaurant is just down from the KFC in Milton Street.
Popeyes officials have also announced they want to open in Derby and Leicester.


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While we love Sony’s PS4 to bits, one of the biggest limiting factors to the console was its hard drive. More specifically, not being able to upgrade your device’s storage capacity without a whole lot of technical trickery, know-how and voiding your warranty. Well, that problem will soon disappear – Sony has announced that they will be introducing a new system update to the console (version 4.50 if anyone’s curious) that allows you to use external HDD’s with it. While the PS4 has previously been able to use external HDDs for things like media, movies and music, it’s not been able to use external drives to store games.
With the new update that will soon be possible, and you’ll finally be able to download, store and play games via USB 3.0 HDDs up to 8TB in size. That means if you have a fast connection at home, you can ditch buying physical disks and put it all on your external HDD, making buying versions with bigger storage a moot point.
The new update will also allow you to use an in-game screenshot to become your background, and you’ll be able to spruce it up via some basic editing tools. If you own a PlayStation VR headset, you’ll also be able to view 3D movies in steroescopic 3D using that virtual headset, though looking for content to play might be a little challenging.
No launch date has been set for the new update as of yet.


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Nisa Investment Advisors LLC trimmed its position in shares of Retail Opportunity Investments Corp. (NASDAQ:ROIC – Get Rating) by 9.7% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 49,052 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock after selling 5,295 shares during the period. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC’s holdings in Retail Opportunity Investments were worth $951,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. CWM LLC acquired a new position in Retail Opportunity Investments in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Point72 Hong Kong Ltd acquired a new position in Retail Opportunity Investments in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $52,000. Acadian Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in Retail Opportunity Investments in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $77,000. Van ECK Associates Corp raised its holdings in Retail Opportunity Investments by 66.9% in the 4th quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 9,252 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $181,000 after acquiring an additional 3,709 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Schroder Investment Management Group raised its holdings in Retail Opportunity Investments by 34.1% in the 4th quarter. Schroder Investment Management Group now owns 10,356 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $203,000 after acquiring an additional 2,633 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 96.17% of the company’s stock.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
Several research firms have commented on ROIC. Capital One Financial reaffirmed an “equal weight” rating on shares of Retail Opportunity Investments in a report on Monday, April 18th. TheStreet raised Retail Opportunity Investments from a “c+” rating to a “b-” rating in a report on Monday, April 25th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Retail Opportunity Investments from $17.00 to $19.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a report on Thursday, April 7th. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their target price on Retail Opportunity Investments from $20.00 to $15.00 in a report on Thursday, June 30th. Finally, StockNews.com began coverage on Retail Opportunity Investments in a report on Thursday, March 31st. They issued a “hold” rating for the company.
Retail Opportunity Investments Stock Down 0.1 %
NASDAQ ROIC opened at $16.45 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $2.04 billion, a PE ratio of 35.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.96 and a beta of 1.37. Retail Opportunity Investments Corp. has a one year low of $15.06 and a one year high of $20.09. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $16.60 and its 200 day simple moving average is $17.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95, a current ratio of 1.58 and a quick ratio of 1.58.
Retail Opportunity Investments (NASDAQ:ROIC – Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, April 25th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.09 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.07 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $75.04 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $73.21 million. Retail Opportunity Investments had a return on equity of 4.26% and a net margin of 19.81%. Retail Opportunity Investments’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.24 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Retail Opportunity Investments Corp. will post 1.09 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Retail Opportunity Investments Announces Dividend
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, July 8th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 17th were given a $0.13 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, June 16th. This represents a $0.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.16%. Retail Opportunity Investments’s payout ratio is 110.64%.
About Retail Opportunity Investments
Retail Opportunity Investments Corp. (NASDAQ: ROIC), is a fully-integrated, self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT) that specializes in the acquisition, ownership and management of grocery-anchored shopping centers located in densely populated, metropolitan markets across the West Coast. As of September 30, 2020, ROIC owned 88 shopping centers encompassing approximately 10.1 million square feet.
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While vintage trucks and SUVs continue their surging rush of popularity, along with a selection of Japanese performance cars from the 1980s and ’90s, prices of American cars from before the muscle car age have been mostly flat. In general, enthusiasts and collectors gravitate toward the cars they remember when they were young, and these days the contingent that look back fondly on ’50s and ’60s American cars is dwindling. Young buyers are showing a keener interest in performance-oriented cars, but not so when it comes to the average American transportation of the era. That’s why we were surprised to see that, according to the latest Hagerty Vehicle Rating data, there are six ’50s and ’60s classic American cars bucking that trend.
The full-size Firedome was a big success for DeSoto when it debuted in 1952, as it received a new 276-cubic-inch Hemi V-8 and finished the year as the most popular model in the lineup, with 45,830 examples sold across convertible, wagon, sedan, and coupe body styles. It would remain popular as the years passed, even as it was reclassified as an entry-level model for DeSoto. By 1955 the V-8 grew to 291 cu in and then 361 cu in for 1958, when it topped out at 295 hp. Things dried up, however, as Chrysler pondered killing off DeSoto entirely, which it eventually did in late 1960.
Despite the fact that values really haven’t moved in the last eight years, in the last 12 months we’ve added 70 percent more Firedomes to insurance policies. Pile on that the values for the cars we’ve added to those policies is up 62 percent, and this this primo slice of 1950s exuberance and scale is looking rosier than it has in quite a long time.
Although not nearly as eye-catching and flashy as the Buicks of the previous decade, the LeSabre’s tastefully styled ’60s look was nevertheless a hit. Even the distinctly deep sculpting on 1961 model’s side fenders, which survived after the erasure of chrome and fins, was gone by the following year. These cars were most certainly large and in charge in the Buick tradition, but the trusty LeSabre wasn’t a fortune to buy. As a result found many a good home.
In the last 12 years values have been flat for this generation of LeSabre, but in the last year demand has soared. Not only are insurance quotes up 15 percent, but we’ve added 17 percent more of these models to policies, and at a 21-percent higher value than a year ago, to boot. They remain cheap, too—a 1963 four-door sedan with a two-barrel 401 V-8 averages just $10,300 in #2 (excellent) condition.
Though short-lived, the second-generation Chieftain saw major changes in its three years of production. The debut 1955 model—with an all-new chassis and body—was the beneficiary of tons of new styling cues shared with Chevy and Buick models, and it was the first model to use Pontiac’s new 287-cu-in Strato-Streak overhead-valve V-8. Things got even more interesting in the next two years, as ’56 models got a 227-hp 316 V-8, and ’57 welcomed a 347-cu-in V-8 that was good for 317 hp in top form. It’s a stellar example of Pontiac embracing ’50s design cues and soon, under supervision from John DeLorean and Pete Estes, lowering the look, adding fins, and slapping on some good old-fashioned American power via displacement.
The main driver of the increase in the Chieftain’s HVR score is insurance quoting—up 17 percent in the last year. Prices are still flat, but all this sudden interest has us wondering how demand will affect the Chieftain market if the buzz continues.
Chrysler’s lower looks and fin frenzy in ’57 sent GM design teams into defense mode, and for 1959 Cadillac added a gargantuan set to the Eldorado, lending it an impressive scale not seen on other GM model lines. The 390-cubic-inch V-8 got a bump to 429 cu in in 1964, boasting 480 lb-ft of torque and an all-new Turbo-Hydramatic 400 automatic transmission. Styling was updated for 1965 to move away from the fabulous ’50s look. Most collectible are the ’59 Brougham models, of which Pininfarina built just 99.
Hagerty Price Guide values for this Eldorado are down five percent over the last two years, while demand in the last year has spiked upward. In that same period insurance quotes are up 20 percent, we’ve added 20 percent more Eldorados from this generation to policies, and the examples we’ve added are valued 10 percent higher.
The other Caddy on this train, the Series 62, adopted some of the Eldorado Brougham’s styling cues. Although shorter and not quite as flowing in its looks, the Series 62 had attractive presence. Mechanically it did not make huge strides, powered by a 325-hp, 390-cu-in V-8, which was a reliable workhorse (it got a new V-8 for 1963 with the same specs) until a brief run with a 429-cu-in V-8 making as much as 340 hp in ’64.
Values creeped up six percent in the last year, as 33 percent more examples have been added to policies at a value seven percent higher. While perhaps not as typically enormous and expressive as the larger Cadillacs, the Series 62 is nonetheless a memorable luxury American cruiser that spans the transition between ’50s and ’60s design.
Sold within the newly-minted Continental division of Lincoln, the Mark II was worthy of the adulation it received due to its striking low-roofline design and impeccable build quality. The car’s high level of exclusivity and luxury materials was a public blow across the bow of Cadillac, Packard, and the like. It was, to many, a breath of tasteful simplicity in design that stood out in the sea of fins and chrome. Alas, Continental fizzled out for 1958, and the low-volume Mark II remains a hard-to-come-by beauty to this day.
Values haven’t budged for years, and it’ll still cost an average of $42,400 for a #3-condition (good) hardtop coupe. Not only have clients added a stunning 113 percent more Mark IIs to policies in the last year, those cars are valued at an average of 25 percent higher over the same period. Perhaps not everyone has forgotten the car that once strived to be “the very finest expression of American automotive craftsmanship.”


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International brands have long ruled the roost in China's luxury hotel market, attracting discerning travelers from home and abroad.
Typically lacking their foreign counterpart's hospitality acumen, most Chinese hotels have competed for the market's middle and lower tiers, and few have ventured overseas.
But not everything made in China is created equally.
With its flagship luxury hotel brand Tangla, Hainan-based HNA Group – which includes Hainan Airlines – aims to bring enlightened Eastern hospitality to China and the world.
Founded in 2009 and named after a snowcapped mountain range on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Tangla draws inspiration from several millennia of cultural traditions as it seeks to put China on the map as the origin of a high-end hotel brand.
With China's ascent on the global stage, Chinese worldwide are revalidating their cultural heritage, says Steven Song, chairman and president of HNA Hotels and Resorts. In the hospitality industry, he says, the world's second-largest economy has a major opportunity to draw upon its traditions to better serve the global community.
Song, a graduate of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University Graduate School of Hotel and Tourism Management and a 15-year veteran of the China hospitality industry, speaks with great enthusiasm about his mission.
"Eastern hospitality has much to offer travelers," he says. "It is time that we built a brand that personifies its charm, grace and dedication to service. Tangla strives to be on par with Western brands and international standards."
He adds: "We do aim to make Tangla into China's pride on the world stage, but a homegrown luxury hospitality brand will also give travelers greater choice – and more competition benefits the overall industry."
Service at the Tangla has a stronger human touch than at most hotels, with special attention given to the personal feelings of guests, Song says.
Underpinning that dedication to service lies the concept of li, which in Confucian philosophy refers to proper conduct or ritualized roles and responsibilities. Li corresponds in many respects to Western ideas of good manners.
In the Analects, a principal Confucian text, Confucius emphasizes that to uphold li, in all circumstances one should be highly fastidious and act in a manner most suitable to the situation.
A new model
With that in mind, the Tangla hotel developed a new operating model with service at the core for its 116-room Tianjin hotel.
The hotel is not divided along typical departmental lines. There is no food and beverage department nor a front office. Instead, the hotel is divided into "ambassador service units" with one "ambassador" per unit.
"When guests need something, there is no need to deal with the front desk. They just contact their ambassador," Song says.
The American Academy of Hospitality Sciences in New York City took note of Tangla's unique service platform, awarding the Tangla Tianjin its coveted Six-Star Diamond Award, the highest honor it bestows in the international service sector.
Tangla is the first Chinese hotel brand on the mainland to receive the award and one of five global recipients, including the Mandarin Oriental Tokyo and the Peninsula Hong Kong.
With its star rising in more ways than one, Tangla has expansion plans underway, with new Guangdong and Sanya hotels slated to open by the end of the year.
To meet rising demand, Tangla's parent company HNA plans to open additional resorts in Hainan over the next few years.
Responding to an inquiry about oversupply in the Hainan tourism market, Song remains bullish.
"Authorities at the national level support the development of Hainan into a world-class tourism destination," he says. "Duty-free shopping is proving a big hit with domestic travelers and giving them another reason to visit besides relaxing on the beach."
Meanwhile, he says, an increase in international flights is drawing upscale travelers from beyond China's borders, especially Russians, Koreans and Northern Europeans eager to escape icy winter weather conditions at home.
Internationally, Tangla will launch hotels in the United States and Europe over the next 18 months.
Its first foray into the US market will be a boutique property in New York City. The Cassa Hotel, acquired by HNA in February, will relaunch under the Tangla brand at the end of the year.
Additionally, a Tangla hotel will open in the embassy district of Brussels at the end of 2013.
Technology buffs will cheer the Tangla's decision to equip guestrooms in all of its hotels with iPads by the end of next year.
Guests will be able to use the iPads to check in and out.
The Tianjin hotel, perhaps as recognition of its six-star achievement, will be the first to offer the tablets for guest use.
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Mortgage Rates are improving as bonds are up slightly on the day. They did their normal, sell first and ask questions later, after Powell spoke yesterday. I believe we will continue to grind our way up in price. Remember, bottom is often choppy and the path up is not a linear path, so we should expect a bit of two steps up and one step back as we hopefully build momentum in the climb. The news today was very bond friendly with retail sales, consumer sentiment and Empire manufacturing all getting hammered. We should all be concerned about Retail Sales and the jobless claim numbers as they are pointing at a double dip recession. Normally this kind of news will drive bond prices MUCH higher and rates lower, but this negative economic news was somewhat offset by President elect Joe Biden’s announcement yesterday of a 1.9 TRILLION stimulus package, and he said this would only be the beginning.
I see a lot of reasons for rates to rise in 2021, and the market thus far has been very volatile and technically showing the rates may have hit the market bottom, therefore I am recommending client LOCK as soon as escrow opens.
SOURCE & AUTHOR |
Keith Murphy Branch Manager – Essex Mortgage NMLS #330827


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Amid all the news that dominated the media last week, Amazon also made the headlines. After months of pressure, it raised the minimum wage of its U.S. employees to $15 an hour.
You would think this marked at least one happy ending following the amalgam of events occurring last week. Instead, Amazon’s decision only reveals the bubble of indifference in which big tech companies are wrapping themselves. While Amazon raised their hourly pay by $1, it also decided to cut their yearly bonuses, making its workers lose at least $1,400 dollars a year, as estimated by one of its workers. Still, this is only part of Amazon’s story, a story that conceals the struggles of a subset of its workers.
Part of my research at one of the labs in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department is collecting data on how people perceive similarities between words. I was told to set up a task on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk, an online platform that researchers use to collect data from people which are later used in creating artificial intelligence models. Or, the way Amazon likes to put it, a “marketplace” that allows the use of “human intelligence” in solving tasks that computers are currently unable to do. This was my first time using anything remotely similar to MTurk. The process, though, was misleadingly easy. Selecting the number of cents to pay each respondent, getting 500 responses in less than 8 hours and immediately rejecting 200 respondents for unsatisfactory answers was strangely straightforward for something that affected 500 people. After all, those cents were someone’s food for the day. After all I had rejected 200 people, who would never receive those cents.
While I was looking through the comments section filled by MTurkers (that’s how we call Amazon MTurk workers) I noticed how many of the comments were a simple “Thanks!” or “I really enjoyed taking this survey.” I started wondering about the people filling in the answers to my word similarity task. My eyes glided toward the answers they had provided on their demographics. The majority was middle class, educated people, known to use MTurk to supplement their earnings, but there was another predominant group. One filled with people who were part of the lower middle class or even living in poverty.
Still, I couldn’t stop there. Those few comments filled with human gratitude had built a small bridge between those MTurkers and me. “My job just fell through” was among the first titles I saw on Reddit’s forum dedicated to discussions between MTurkers. It was written by a person who had just moved to a new city, had lost their job, had no degree and was suffering from anxiety, asking if working on MTurk could provide enough money to survive for the next three to four weeks. The first answer the person received said a couple of years ago MTurk provided users with enough money for minimum survival but that was no longer a possibility. The rest of the posts were of a similar nature: people desperate to earn enough money for survival through MTurk and responses from those saying that Amazon was no longer providing that possibility.
A 2016 Pew Research found 5 percent of workers earning money from MTurk used the platform because there was no other available work in their area. Imagine having a full-time job where your performance is constantly monitored. Where there is a clock timing the amount of time you spend on each task that you have, a clock that stops whenever you go to the bathroom, take lunch or start daydreaming in front of your computer. At the end of the day, your pay is based not on the 8 hours spent at the office, but rather the number of minutes completely focused on your work. Imagine on top of that, for every mistake you make on your tasks your manager takes away a certain percentage of your money. Imagining this doesn’t even fully encapsulate the life of an MTurker trying to survive the gig economy.
The reason why my survey was completed by the time I woke up on that next day? It’s because people who use MTurk to support themselves often wake up at 2:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. to fight for the highest-paying tasks. The reason why people are finding it increasingly hard to earn money through MTurk? It’s because the numbers of MTurkers is growing. It’s because, based on a Pew Research estimation by 2027 nearly one in three Americans might transition to online platforms to support themselves with on demand gig work.
MTurk is the perfect model for keeping the world of researchers separated from that of the workers. Broadly put, it is the perfect model for separating the educated and the uneducated, through the power of technology.
The bubble of indifference in which tech companies are wrapping themselves? It’s a bubble that helps them set their eyes on the future, to the detriment of the present. People working in the technology world are investing money into creating benevolent Artificial Intelligence, fearing that future AI might get out of hand. People working in the technology world are paying their employees so little that they are forcing them to rely on food stamps. They are scared about the possibility of a future where AI will take over our jobs, while forgetting that the way we are building these AI technologies is by taking advantage of people desperate to make a few cents.
As a student, I try to understand this world of competing needs. Where the clear negative impact big technology companies can have and my carefully tailored resume to these companies have to coexist. In a similar manner, tech companies have to start caring about both building the future generation of benevolent AI technologies and their employees and gig-workers. The answer to these two conundrums? That is something that neither Amazon or I have figured out yet.
Anamaria Cuza can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org


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President Donald Trump’s deputies have announced they will soon cancel the work permits which were awarded to 100,000 foreign visitors under a controversial outsourcing program created by President Barack Obama.
This has happened to me numerous times, and the first time it happened I was clueless as to what to do. I quickly found out you have to download an
Tomorrow, we’re opening Amazon 4-star, a new physical store where everything for sale is rated 4 stars and above, is a top seller, or is new and trending on Amazon.com. The
Geoff Raby, Australia’s former ambassador to China, told CNBC on Friday: “It looks like the first shots to the trade war are about to be fired.” Tariffs on $34 billion


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Welcome to the life of “Playboy” model and reality television star Soraja Vucelic, who had this very expensive experience this week after one of her stilettos slipped off the brake of the car and caused her to crash into a pool.
The model shared footage of a wrecked luxury Lamborghini being retrieved from a swimming pool on her Instagram. She is reportedly on vacation now in the south-eastern resort town of Cannes on the French Riviera.
Good news is she is okay and that the stilettos were able to be saved in the accident.
Source: Soraja Vucelic


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Australia to auction $11.5 million confiscated bitcoinsToday, like a few years ago, people start thinking about whether Bitcoin was worth investing in.
Damn, Bitcoin is actually worth something - news.avclub.comBut here is a list of those who have a big stake in bitcoin,.My friends are much more into that since they have over 1 k worth of bitcoins on their.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Seizure Of AdditionalNow this sounds like an insult: continuing its stellar rise, and adding more than 30% to its.
Bitcoins have increased 7.5. Instead of saying a gallon of gas is worth one. so large purchases or sales of Bitcoin can move prices 30% or more.You can choose reporting category and send message to website administrator.
I have my doubts about Bitcoin - I, Cringely
The Top 5 Bitcoin Millionaires - Altcoin Today
conversion - How much are bitcoins worth? - Bitcoin Stack
Bitcoin Satoshi => USDAvalonMiner 721 includes a 90-day warranty, starting from the date goods are received.How to increase your Bitcoin mining profit by 30 percent with. of running PCs systems capable of mining for Bitcoin is no longer worth the. hot on zdnet.
Bithumb accounts for around 44 percent of South Korean ether trading.Thanks for the feedback Peter, I am sorry to hear about your struggle with Avalon.
$250,000 worth of Bitcoins stolen in net heist - NBC NewsTransactions sent and received from bitcoin address 12t9YDPgwueZ9NyMgw519p7AA8isjr6SMw.
However, when you compare it to the most popular miner on the market, the Antminer S9, it seems to be lagging behind.
Satoshi Nakamoto Net Worth | Celebrity Net Worth
Bitcoin in Perspective: Bill Gates Worth More, Gold 200
Bitcoin's Value Grew By Nearly US$300 In The Past 30 DaysGet Bitcoin Cash price, charts, and other cryptocurrency info.
Bitcoin Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for Bitcoin crypto.
The largest bitcoin and ether exchange in South Korea by volume, Bithumb, was recently hacked.Digital miners begin splitting the bitcoin, creating a new asset called Bitcoin Cash that could be worth a fraction of the original bitcoin. July 30, 2017.The price of a single bitcoin was surging past 2,100 on Monday, as some bulls mused about how much investors could have made with early stakes in the digital currency.The digital currency experienced two drops of more than 30% over the past three months,.
How much is 1 bitcoin worth? | Yahoo Answers
Bitcoin Exchange Had Too Many Bitcoins - Bloomberg
A cyber attack late last week resulted in the loss of billions of won from customers accounts.
However, if you do have a limited budget this miner will probably deliver.The bills aim to revise the Electronic Financial Transaction Act and give cryptocurrencies a legal standing, including bitcoin and ether.The currency is still pretty volatile, its value changes constantly.


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Tag - Velocity Micro
Custom computer builder Velocity Micro is stuck in a legal battle between two computing powerhouses after Samsung lumped the company in with Nvidia over a patent dispute. The Virginia-based company issued an open letter today admitting it is confused by the whole situation, adding that it intends to fight the suit that will drain company resources.
Boutique computer manufacturer Velocity Micro has announced the the immediate availability of the SmallBlock, a new line of Mini ITX desktops for all customers. The company calls the devices "inspired by the compact, V8 engines of classic muscle cars" with the new computer line featuring a variety of Intel CPU options up to and including the Xeon line, as well as AMD A10 APUs.
Enthusiast computer manufacturer Velocity Micro has announced the immediate availability of two new notebooks targeted toward enthusiasts, gamers and content creators -- the 17.3-inch NoteMagix M17 and the 15.6-inch NoteMagix M15 LE. The new models add the Intel fourth-generation "Haswell" processor and attendant graphic chipset to Velocity Micro's line.
Velocity Micro has made available a new Home Theater PC, said to be the most powerful living room computer on the market. The Raptor Multiplex offers customers an extremely capable gaming PC that also provides DVR functionality with up to four concurrent recordings through its digital TV tuners, as well as Blu-ray playback and options for media streaming.
Velocity Micro -- a builder of enthusiast desktops, laptops, peripherals, and Cruz tablets -- has announced several new products to be demoed at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Products newly revealed include the dual core D610 Cruz tablet, quad core Q610 Cruz tablet, and the Edge Mini desktop computer.
Velocity Micro has started shipping its new Edge all-in-onerunning Windows 8. The new PC centers on a 23.6-inch display with a resolution of 1920x1080 and is powered by a choice of dual- and quad-core Intel processors. In addition to having its CPU and software designed and manufactured in the US, the Edge AIO, like some of the new iMacs, is also assembled in the US.
Custom PC maker Velocity Micro just introduced its latest desktop, the Vector Holiday Edition. Named so because of its release in time for the Christmas holidays, the PC's pricing starts at $599. It uses an aluminum chassis, 3.6GHz AMD A6-5400K dual-core processor, and 8GB of RAM.
Velocity Micro has lifted the lid on its revamped desktop line powered by Intelís 3rd generation Core processors. The new processors are available on selected models from each of its gaming, home and office as well as workstation systems. Models in line for the new Intel chips include the Raptor Z90, the Vector Z20 and the Edge Z40.
Velocity Micro promised five new devices as its contribution to CES. Two new Cruz Tablets, the seven-inch T507 and 9.7-inch T510, will both ship with Android 4.0 from the start (not yet shown). The pair both run on a 1.2GHz, single-core ARM Cortex-A8 chip with fast Mali-400 graphics, 8GB of built-in storage, and HDMI video out.
Velocity Micro hoped to snap up the low end of the tablet market Wednesday with two Android 2.3 tablets that add polish only sometimes seen at the price. The eight-inch Cruz T408 and 10-inch T410 cost under $300 but have a capacitive touchscreen, a modest but competent 1GHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor, and a front facing camera. The eight-inch T408 is rare in Android for its 4:3 ratio screen, putting it closer to an iPad ratio, while the T410 fits the familiar 16:9 widescreen ratio for Google's mobile OS.
Now AAPL Stock: 94.02 ( -2.58 )
Remote S for Tesla Apple Watch app drives car out
Developer Allen Wong has created the Remote S for Tesla app, which can be used to remotely activate the Model S electric car via an Apple Watch, and drive it a short distance. Aside from providing data about the car and some basic function controls, the unofficial app uses the manufacturer's Summon command to allow the car to turn on, exit the garage, and park near to the user's location. The app is available to purchase from the App Store for $10. http://apple.co/1PprF4t
Seagate 3TB unreliability suit expands
The Seagate 3TB class-action hard drive lawsuit has been expanded to more devices. The expanded suit, filed today, now includes Seagate's Barracuda 3TB Hard Disk Drive,¬†Desktop HDD 3TB, Backup Plus 3TB External Hard Disk¬†Drive,¬†GoFlex 3TB External Hard Disk Drive, or any other Seagate hard drive with model number ST3000DM001. The law firm, Hagens Berman, is seeking information from consumers such as time in service, purchase price, and the nature of any drive received in return from Seagate as a replacement for a failed unit. http://bit.ly/1Pc34Cq
BlackBerry Canada, Florida hit with layoffs
The BlackBerry campus has reportedly been wracked with layoffs. Sources familiar with the company's Waterloo office staffing claim that close to 35 percent of the local workforce has been laid off, with the deepest cuts being made in the BlackBerry 10 OS and hardware teams. Additionally, the state of Florida has been officially notified that the company's Sunrise facility will see 75 people fired. Enthusiast site Mobilesyrup puts the layoffs at around 1000 total. http://bit.ly/1Pc1Rep
Instagram tests multiple account support for iOS
Instagram is trialling support for multiple accounts in its iPhone app with a small number of users. The Facebook-owned photo sharing service confirmed the reports of the tests to TechCrunch, which will allow a single user to manage more than a single account within the app, transferring between two or three accounts with a few taps. It is unclear when the feature will roll out to the public, but it has previously tested it with the Android version of the app since November. http://tcrn.ch/1SPKEKh
Foxconn CEO declares Sharp deal near done
The Foxconn bid for Sharp is allegedly only waiting on specific details of the deal. Foxconn CEO Terry Gou has declared that his company has privileged negotiation rights for the Apple iPhone screen supplier, saying that "we have a consensus, the rest is a process ... I don't see a problem completing this process." Gou hopes the deal, worth up to $5.6 billion, will be formalized by the end of February. http://reut.rs/1SPEQjN
MIT demoes 'Eyeriss' AI chip for mobile
At the International Solid State Circuits Conference in San Francisco this week, MIT researchers presented a new chip designed specifically to implement neural networks. The researchers claim that "Eyeriss" is 10 times as efficient as a mobile GPU, so it could enable mobile devices to run artificial-intelligence algorithms such as Siri or Cortana, rather than uploading all data to a remote server for processing. http://bit.ly/1TISJBe
Pocket for iOS adds readability settings
Offline reader iOS app Pocket has updated, with reader-friendly changes. With the new revision, premium subscribers can adjust character spacing, and choose from eight new fonts including one that makes it easier for sufferers of dyslexia to read saved content. The app itself is free, with a premium subscription available for $5 a month, or $45 a year. http://apple.co/1KuILBl


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Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon and Blue Origin, flew into space for an exhilarating 10-minute up-and-down flight, a ride that will pave the way for commercial passenger service later this year.
Blue Origin’s first passenger spaceflight was a success, with Jeff Bezos, his brother Mark Bezos, Wally Funk, and Dutch teen Oliver Daemen aboard the company’s rocket.
“It’s the best day ever!” As soon as Bezos landed, he said.
Bezos and his fellow passengers boarded the rocket-powered New Shepard spaceship constructed by his business Blue Origin at 9:12 a.m. ET and were propelled to the edge of space from a remote West Texas site.
A few minutes after the reusable booster returned, the vessel’s crew capsule floated down under its three parachutes to a location in the desert, after two loud booms and blackening the landing area.
“It was so calm and serene, and the floating…
At a press conference following his flight, Mr. Bezos, said of weightlessness, “It’s a very pleasurable experience.”
After the New Shepard rocket carried their capsule beyond the stratosphere, the four-person crew unbuckled from their seats.
The capsule reached a maximum altitude of nearly 66 miles (approximately 106 kilometers) in the sky, known as the apogee.
The remarkable achievement came only 11 days after Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic spaceflight.
Bezos founded Blue Origin in 2000 and began purchasing land in Texas to construct the private launch complex.
The corporation employed individuals to work on rockets, engines, and spacecraft, and it today employs over 3,500 people in Florida, California, and other states.
In recent years, Mr. Bezos has stated that he has committed roughly $1 billion each year in Blue Origin.
Blue Origin said that ticket sales for future flights have begun, with Mr. Bezos estimating that sales are reaching $100 million, with two more crewed trips planned this year. It hasn’t provided any pricing information.
Read more on Tech Gist Africa:


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Supermarket promises to make all own-brand plastic packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2022 and debuts new bags made from its own 'back of store' waste
Aldi has become the latest leading supermarket to unveil wide-ranging new plans to crackdown on plastic waste, pledging to ensure all the packaging for its own-brand products is recyclable, reusable or...
Plus Danish diets, China climate policy signals, and all the top green business news from around the world this week
Major report makes the case for new carbon tax on imported goods and goods, as the Environment Secretary reveals the UK's climate targets could eventually cover carbon embodied in imported goods
As the sustainable finance sector booms, asset managers and owners are under increasing pressure to use their financial clout to steer a greener future
More than 100 billion garments are produced annually, and many end up in the landfill


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Best Selling Samsung Mobile Phone Deals
Samsung Mobile Phones
Latest News for Samsung
Samsung Unveils Merlot Red, Rose Gold Black & Rose Gold White edition Galaxy Note 3
Three new colour variants have been officially announced by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd for their popular Galaxy Note 3 device range and they will be arriving during the early part of 2014.3 New Colours for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3
Sharing the same specifications as the existing Jet Black, Classic White and Blush Pink ... Read moreSamsung getting ready to launch 8-inch and 10-inch Super AMOLED-sporting tablets in 2014
According to a report, Samsung is getting ready to launch 8-inch and 10-inch tablets sporting Super AMOLED displays in 2014.
The news comes to us courtesy of Korean-speaking site Naver, which was then spotted by G4Games. According to the site, ?The Korean media has started buzzing with news regarding Samsung?s tablet display production line. According ... Read moreSamsung SM-W750V could be company?s Windows Phone flagship for 2014
A Samsung device with model number SM-W750V has popped up on India?s import and export database, Zauba. According to Japanese-speaking Blog of Mobile, the mystery device runs Microsoft?s Windows Phone.
UnwiredView reports, ?A new Windows Phone flagship might be launched by Samsung next year. Enter the SM-W750V, a 5 inch smartphone that?s been listed recently ... Read moreFingerprint Cards planning to supply scanners for Samsung Galaxy S5
Swedish firm Fingerprint Cards is banking on the trend set by fingerprint identity touch sensors on the Apple iPhone 5S, provided by AuthenTec, and hopes to supply scanners for Samsung, LG Electronics, and Huawei. This means that we may see the technology on handsets such as the Samsung Galaxy S5.
Reuters reports, ?Fingerprint Cards is ... Read moreSamsung patent application allows touch controls on front and back of transparent screens
A patent application by Samsung allows users to enjoy more from touch controls from the front and back of a transparent screen.
PatentBolt reports, ?Earlier in the quarter the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Samsung relating to a future transparent display. More specifically, the focus of the invention is on ... Read moreSamsung?s next challenge is enterprise
Samsung?s next challenge is enterprise, wherein the Korean tech giant tries to attract customers from the business sector and government.
The Wall Street Journal reports, ?In recent months, Samsung’s security system for mobile devices, called Knox, has been beset by delays and programming bugs, frustrating clients including the U.S. Defense Department.
?Samsung executives have privately ... Read moreSamsung planning to release 5 smartphones in Q1 2014?
According to a report, Samsung is planning to release 5 smartphones in Q1 2014, this includes the Samsung Galaxy S5.
The news comes to us courtesy of Korean-speaking site ETNews, which was first spotted and translated by AndroidGuys. According to the site, ?Samsung may introduce up to five smartphones in the first quarter of 2014, ... Read moreSamsung SM-G900S sporting 2560×1440 display, Android KitKat, and 2.5 GHz processor benchmarked ? could be the Galaxy S5
A Samsung-made device with the model number ?SM-G900S? has been benchmarked. The benchmark reveals that the device sports a 2560×1440 display, Android 4.4 (KitKat), and a 2.5 GHz processor. Could this be the Samsung Galaxy S5?
TheDroidGuy spotted the benchmark and reports, ?Right off the bat, I?d like to make something very clear. ... Read more


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Millions of stimulus dollars are being spent on foreign-made traffic lights
In order for federal stimulus dollars to create American jobs, they must be spent on American-made goods. The multiplier effect of buying American-made is undeniable, and nowhere should this practice be adhered to more than in the sourcing of materials for stimulus projects intended to kickstart the economy.
Unfortunately, this is not always the case.
According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, due to a loophole in the “Buy American” clause of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, tens of millions of federal dollars are being spent on replacement street and traffic lights made overseas.
The energy efficient LED lights being used to replace antiquated street and traffic signals across the country are largely being sourced from abroad due to a clause in the stimulus legislation that states that “components and subcomponents of green-energy products need not actually be U.S.-made.”
As the Tribune-Review reports,“Because of shortages of American-made LED parts, several companies bidding specifically on street light replacement projects acknowledged to the Trib that their products would be better labeled 'assembled in America' than 'made in America.'"
And why are there so few American-made LED options? Because American manufacturers are up against Chinese imports subsidized by Beijing:
“Chinese officials decided two years ago to phase out making compact florescent lamps because they considered LEDs to be the future of lighting, according to a report this year by the Swedish Energy Agency and the National Lighting Test Center in Beijing.
To do that, the Chinese government began providing subsidies to attract manufacturers of semiconductor wafers. More than 60 LED package producers are located in the People's Republic, as well as 2,500 companies that fabricate finished LED lighting fixtures, according to the report.”
This is bad news for American manufacturers who would like to break into a booming industry—and whose products could be sourced for stimulus projects. As one LED industry expert put it, "I watched us invent LEDs. We gave it away."
Related recent Blogs
- Fact Check: Standing Up Against Unfair Trade, Kentucky Edition • by TGarland • 07/25/2014
- Strengthened Workforce Training is Great — and We Can Do More • by elizabethbb • 07/23/2014
- Americans Want Trade Agreements that Do Not Undermine Manufacturing Jobs, New Poll Finds • by TGarland • 07/23/2014
- Highlights from AAM's Trip to Detroit for Netroots Nation 2014 • by elizabethbb • 07/23/2014
- Toxic Fast Food: Just the Latest Scandal Involving Made-in-China Products. • by elizabethbb • 07/22/2014
- Foxx Calls on Congress to Pass Long-Term Fix to the Highway Trust Fund • by TGarland • 07/21/2014
- Back From Detroit, Eyes on Washington • by elizabethbb • 07/21/2014
- President Obama proposes public-private infrastructure initiative: Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM) statement. • by scapozzola • 07/17/2014
- We’re Live From Netroots Nation! • by elizabethbb • 07/17/2014
- So Much For Promises: China's Manipulating Its Currency, Again • by mmcmullan • 07/17/2014


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Next-generation electric G-Class will feature four electric motors and a 2-speed shiftable gearbox
The Mercedes-Benz G-Class has managed to resist the winds of change for over 40 years, but it can’t hold out forever in its current gas-guzzling form. Enter the Mercedes-Benz EQG concept, a sign of things to come for the legendary G-Wagon.
The seeds of the electric G-Class were sown back in 2018 when the current-generation was introduced. Arnold Schwarzenegger, both a G-Wagon enthusiast and environmentalist, made Dieter Zetsche, Charmain of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, promise that the G-Class would survive the transition to electrified transportation. And here we are.
Still a concept, the Mercedes-Benz EQG unveiled today in Munich should nevertheless reassure G-Class fanatics that although it will shift to an electric powertrain in the future, it won’t lose its charm.
The key elements of the G’s design, the round headlights, the angular body, the exterior protective strips that are now illuminated, and the dual corner turn signals all return. The concept rides on 22-inch wheels, like a G-Class should, and Mercedes-Benz says the next electric version will be just as competent off the beaten path.
Featuring four electric motors that can be individually controlled, the EQG Concept also includes a shiftable 2-speed gearbox. Mercedes-Benz says it will have all the tools to tackle the Schockl Mountain in Graz before it begins as a production model.
No word on output or even when the Mercedes-Benz EQG will be introduced, but at least we know Mercedes isn’t about to let its legendary G-Class fade away. We don’t blame them.


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There was a time, not too long ago, when Huawei almost took over the smartphone world. Bagging marketing contracts with big Hollywood names like Henry Cavill, Scarlett Johansson, and Gal Godot, the company seemed poised to be the next big thing in the global market for mobile phones. When it managed to surpass Apple in global sales numbers back in 2019, its victory against Samsung to become the top-selling smartphone provider in the world was almost assured.
But like its astronomical rise, Huawei's fall from grace was equally dramatic, leaving newcomers to the smartphone market wondering what the fuss is all about — and if Huawei's phones were even worth considering. To illustrate the company's story, controversy, and legacy, we take a look at some of the things that made and still make Huawei's phones quite the catch, as well as reasons to stay away from the company unless you live in China. Let's look at what Huawei did right and wrong to end up where it is today.
We start with what Huawei got right.
Huawei may have already been big in China, but its growth in international markets suggests that it was at least doing some things right (via Statista). That it was able to penetrate the US market enough to make its political critics worry is also a testament to its efforts. Huawei phones feature many things, of course, but there are a few things that stand out that made them worth the risk of investing in the Chinese brand. This begins with its photo capabilities.


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Jan Koum, WhatsApp co-founder and as well as Facebook’s board of directors is leaving the company over an alleged disagreement on Facebook’s data privacy scandal practices and business policy for the app. Koum, sold his messaging app to Facebook for $19 billion in 2014.
Koum announced the news of his departure in a post on his personal Facebook page. However, he did not verbalize any argument with company officials.
Koum said, “It’s been almost a decade since Brian and I started WhatsApp, and it’s been an amazing journey with some of the best people”.
“But it is time for me to move on. I’ve been blessed to work with such an incredibly small team and see how a crazy amount of focus can produce an app used by so many people all over the world.”
Koum also added that he will take time off “to do things I enjoy outside of technology.”
It is pertinent to mention here that Facebook’s purchase of WhatsApp remains the company’s highest cost acquisition to date. Last September, Brian Acton, Koum’s co-founder at WhatsApp left Facebook to get into other ventures. And now; Jan Koum left the platform over disagreement of Facebook’s business strategies.
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On the other hand, The Washington Post reported earlier Monday that Koum was setting up to exit Whatsapp.
Whatsapp is one of the best and worldwide used messaging apps; it has 1.5 billion monthly users.
“over the popular messaging service’s strategy and Facebook’s attempts to use its personal data and weaken its encryption.” Facebook eliminated WhatsApp $0.99 and sought to remove encryption that scrambled personal messages.
Even though Jan didn’t declare that why he decided to leave the company other than to take “some time off to do things I enjoy outside of technology”, however, as per the reports it could be linked with the both companies’ conflict of interest over the user data privacy and the demands to WhatsApp to start charging the users.
One of the WhatsApp’s key features are it’s free, end-to-end encryption no ads policy. But, on the other side, after the recent security breach of social media giant, people began to doubt the app for these services,
Over this concern of people the company responded,
“You can still count on absolutely no ads interrupting your communication. There would have been no partnership between our two companies if we had to compromise on the core principles that will always define our company, our vision and our product.”
However, despite the fact later on, WhatsApp did share some user data with Facebook which created more fuss and Facebook was ordered to stop collecting the data along with getting fined.
So, it seems all these disputes may likely have made Jan Koum to bid farewell to Facebook. Not to mention, Mark Zuckerberg also commented on the original post and thanked to Koum by admiring the idea of encryption and that it would “always be the heart of WhatsApp.”