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Embattled New Zealand retail chain Postie Plus is set join the business group that’s home to Australian discount department stores Best & Less and Harris Scarfe.
It’s a happy ending for the 104-year-old clothing and accessories chain, which collapsed into administration at the beginning of June, after posting losses in 2012, 2013 and the first half of 2014.
Administrators David Bridgman and Colin McCloy of PwC confirmed the sale of Postie Plus to Roan Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of South African retail juggernaut Pepkor Limited on July 18.
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Bridgman and McCloy said in a statement the sale includes 64 Postie Plus outlets as well as the Postie Plus head office in Auckland. More than 530 of the retailer’s 560 employees have accepted positions with the new owner.
However, it appears around 18 Postie Plus stores were closed as a result of the administration process, with the administrators indicating in June the chain was operating 82 outlets.
“We are very pleased to have been able to complete the sale of the Postie Plus business as a going concern within six weeks of our appointment as administrators,” said Bridgman, who added the sale also means many suppliers will be able to continue trading with the company under its new ownership.
“We believe this sale is in the best interests of all creditors and Postie Plus staff.”
Pepkor Limited specialises in clothing and footwear, with operations in Southern Africa, Eastern Europe and Australia.
Brian Walker, chief executive of the Retail Doctor Group, says the acquisition makes “perfect sense” for Postie Plus, which he says was likely caught up in the general “malaise” affecting the discount department store sector, as well as the business activities of its largest shareholder and former Rich Lister Jan Cameron, who held a 19% stake in the company.
“Postie Plus has an unusual mix of hybrid products and they are very price driven,” Walker told SmartCompany.
“But the infrastructure of department stores in New Zealand is a crowded space like Australia and there is lots of pressure on margins and online is playing a part,” he says.
Walker describes Pepkor as “very shrewd operators” and he expects the company’s first priority will be to complete a thorough review of the Postie Plus operations, with a view to tighten the retailer’s range of products and focus on its point of difference.
Walker says Pepkor may also consider rebranding the retail chain so it is “known for something” or use it as a platform to springboard the growth of Best & Less in New Zealand.
SmartCompany contacted Pepkor but did not receive a response prior to publication.


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In our latest hospitality webinar, Head of Events Helen Bamford spoke to Abi Dunn, Founder of Sixty Eight People and Tomas Maunier, Managing Director of City District
March 30, 2020
Chairman of Downton in Business Birmingham Prof. Paul Cadman invited Jamil Shabir from Bootcamp Media, Christina Wadlow from Western Union, Prof. Nassim Belbaly from BCU and Sarah Grace from Kate&Co into the Downtown Den to discuss all things Brummie Business.
What does COVID-19 mean for family law? Are we witnessing a new normal?
Avison Young has formally joined the Liverpool China Partnership (LCP), an organisation set up to strengthen links with China in trade, investment, education, culture, sport and tourism, and resourced through Liverpool City Council.
As coronavirus (also known as COVID-19) continues to affect businesses globally, we consider how the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (Scheme) launched this week can help ease the financial strain of smaller businesses in the UK.
The Government have announced a range of packages to support businesses through the Coronvirus outbreak – this is what it means for Manchester.
PS2 Shutdowns from the 31st of March because of COVID-9.
Downtown Director, Chris McKenna was joined in the ‘The Downtown Den’ by CEO of Knowledge Quarter and Sciontec Liverpool, Colin Sinclair to discuss amongst other things what is happening at The Knowledge Quarter and the research into #COVID19 at Liverpool Science Park.

domain: news


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Smartphone maker Oppo is all set to launch its next smartphone, the Oppo Reno 8 series in India. The Oppo Reno 8 series will include the Oppo Reno 8 and the Oppo Reno 8 Pro, and the smartphones will be launched in India on July 18.
The Oppo Reno 8 series will succeed the Oppo Reno 7 series, and will come with several improvements over its predecessors. The Oppo Reno 8 and Oppo Reno 8 Pro were launched in China earlier this year, and the Indian variants are said to come with similar specifications and features. Let’s take a look at what to expect from the Oppo Reno 8 series in India.
The Oppo Reno 8 in China was launched with a 6.43-inch FHD+ AMOLED display. The smartphone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 1300 chipset and will have a triple rear camera setup that will include a 50-megapixel primary shooter, and two 2-megapixel shooters. Up front, the Oppo Reno 8 comes with a single 32-megapixel selfie snapper. The smartphone is said to come with a 4,500mAh battery with 80W fast charging.
The Oppo Reno 8 Pro, on the other hand, is expected to come with a larger 6.7-inch FHD+ AMOLED display and could come powered with a MediaTek Dimensity 8100 chipset. The smartphone is expected to sport a triple rear camera setup that includes a 50-megapixel primary shooter, an 8-megapixel ultrawide angle lens, and a 2-megapixel shooter. Up front, the Oppo Reno 8 Pro is expected to come with a 32-megapixel front camera.
Oppo has not officially revealed the specifications of the Oppo Reno 8 series, but the company has announced the July 18 launch date. Oppo is expected to announce more details about the smartphones in the coming days leading up to the launch.


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The Okinawa electric scooters are a high-selling item. The company started out with lead-acid electric scooter batteries. However, in the last couple of years, the company moved on to a Li-ion range. The price difference between the two versions was a few thousands of rupees, with the Li-ion working out to be expensive in comparison. However, now Okinawa has pulled the plug on its lead-acid electric scooter range and is now pushing the Li-ion ones. Customers will now only have to contend with buying the Li-ion battery scooters. The range starts with the R30 that is priced at Rs 58,992, ex-showroom. Okinawa says that so far they have sold 35,000+ electric scooters with lead-acid batteries. At the same time, in all, 74,500 Okinawa electric scooters have found new homes, with the brand expecting to add 15,000 by fiscal-end.
Jeetender Sharma, MD and founder of Okinawa says that the brand started with lead-acid because that was the most advanced technology available at that point in time. Now with research having moved forward, it is but natural that the best possible option right now is Li-ion. These batteries are detachable, thereby allowing those staying in high-rises to charge their scooters effectively. Greater efficiency as well as life is being promised with these batteries as well.
Okinawa is expected to launch two new products in India next year. One is the Okinawa Cruiser, a Burgman-type maxi-scooter that is supposed to bring in higher range as well as top speed. It looked well-equipped as well with disc brakes at both ends, digital instrument console and storage spaces galore. The other bike is the Okinawa Oki100 (a bike that is supposed to take on the Revolt RV400). It is likely the Cruiser and Oki100 will share components and batteries. The similar top speed of 100kmph as well as range of nearly 150km will definitely find takers.
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Mad Macs Technology Distributions Limited is our new Vectorworks distributor in China, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
The deal was sealed during the 2010 global distributor conference last week in Annapolis, and general manager Cecil Fung is excited about the new partnership. "Having been a reseller of Vectorworks in Hong Kong and China since 2000, it is with great honor that we are now a distributor for China. Being a Vectorworks distributor gives us greater sales, marketing, and technical flexibility that can create new opportunities in places where they didn't previously exist. We are committed to making Vectorworks one of the top AEC platforms in China," states Cecil.
Cecil's team of experienced Vectorworks support personnel offer a full range of services such as pre- and post-sales technical support, maintenance, and training.
We welcome Mad Macs Technology Distributions Limited to our Vectorworks community and look forward to many years of collaboration.
To read the press release in full, please visit our website.


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NxStage Medical, Inc. News
Dow Scores Ninth Straight Record Close With Tiny Gains
DJIA, S&P 500 and Nasdaq all rise slightly on the session.
Dow Is Back on Track to Close at a Record High as Consumer Staples Lead
The Dow has closed with a record for eight straight days. It's going for its ninth.
Energy Losses Put Dow's Record-Breaking Streak in Jeopardy
The Dow could close with its ninth day of records.
Stock Futures Rise as Dow Shoots for Its Ninth Straight Day of Records
Stock futures are higher.
NxStage Medical Acquired by Fresenius for $2 Billion
NxStage had $366 million in revenue last year.
Cord Cutting Keeps Growing. Here's What It Means for You
Fubo, Hulu Live, and Sling were supposed to be alternatives to traditional cable.
Costco Beats Q3 Sales Forecast, Membership Revenues Near $1 Billion
Costco took in $984 million in new membership fee in its fiscal third quarter, helping the bulk retailer top Street forecasts for topline revenues.
Broadcom Agrees to Buy VMware in $61 Billion Cash-and-Stock Cloud Software Deal
"Combining our assets and talented team with Broadcom's existing enterprise software portfolio creates a remarkable enterprise software player," said VMware CEO Raghu Raghuram.


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If New York, Seattle, Los Angeles, Chicago and Atlanta seem spookier than normal this October, you have Disney to thank.
The company’s new series Goosebumps premiered on Friday, Oct. 13, alongside a robust, cross-platform marketing campaign throughout the country.
“It’s one of the more aggressive ones, definitely one of our bigger campaigns,” Pamela Levine, head of marketing for Disney Branded Television and National Geographic, told Adweek.
So far, the full-swing approach is paying off. The series debuted with 4.2


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Another big national chain restaurant is coming to lower Manhattan. Denny's signed a lease for ground-floor space at 150 Nassau St., a landmark building at the corner of Spruce Street with multimillion-dollar residential condominiums, according to DNAinfo. It would be Denny's first eatery in New York City, but residents of the luxury condo building are not happy about it.
Residents simply don't want "America's diner" in their neighborhood. Instead they would prefer to have a higher-end restaurant or even a coffee shop at the base of the 23-story property, located across the street from City Hall. Since the building is also adjacent to Pace University, locals fear that a Denny's would be open 24-hours and the area will turn into a college hangout. The retail space has been vacant since the property was converted to condos from office in 2003.


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Millenials investments in Cryptocurrency trump’s other generations.
Millennials are name synonymous with cryptocurrency with 47% of Millennial Millionaires have grown their wealth through riding the Bitcoin wave. But why is this particular generation so keen on Cryptocurrency and what motivates their decision to choose Crypto over other investment tools.
How are Millennials exposed to Cryptocurrency?
Millennials are classified as people born between the 1980s and 1990s so they are a generations that are hugely exposed and influenced by the internet and smartphone so it is not strange that most of them are familiar with the Cryptocurrency space.
“Millennials are growing natively with Web 2.0 — that is, mobile — and Web 3.0 (crypto) technology,” stated Kurt Kumar from Rocketfuel Blockchain.
Kumar also thinks that due to the fact that these Millennials have grown up with gaming consoles, also motivate them to turn to Cryptocurrency. “They intuitively understand digital wallets and treasure chests, which are part of many games younger millennials played, such as Fortnite and Minecraft.”
Millennials are also heavily influenced by Social media and with the recent incident of the Musk Effect, a lot of young millennials see the opportunity to get rich quick. Even though social media tweets from people who invest in crypto have made some people millionaires but a lot of Millennials have also lost their savings due to careless investing.
Why the sudden interest of Millennials in Cryptocurrency?
The huge interest in cryptocurrency for Millennials has begun not only because of the internet or social media craze. It begins because of the economic conditions Millennials have to go through.
Millennials have seen the worst in the 2008 and 2020 financial crashes and also had to grow up with the burden of student loans. Millennials are also less likely to buy a home. The loss of faith in the current centralized financial system and the massive financial burden are the factors that propel these Millennials to look into the Crypto Market.
Millennials also begin saving at a young age and they grew their savings exponentially by jumping into the Crypto Market early.
“The younger investors were more intellectually engaged with the idea even though it was new. Older investors and the boomers were largely saying ‘Is this legit?’” said George Walper, president of Spectrem Group.
Millennials occupy a huge market share in the crypto market
A recent study done by Mastercard stated that 67% of Millennials said Crypto has become a more attractive investment since its boom and 75% would like to study these asset classes.
A study also done by Piplsay found that 49% of Millennials owned some sort of cryptocurrencies. This is higher than Gen X which stands at 38% and 13% for Gen Z. Millennials are also more likely to adopt the investment as a form of payment, with 53% saying they are “very likely” to purchase products or services with crypto, versus 40% of Gen X polled and just 7% of Gen Z.
As these Millennials advance into their careers and the Crypto market begins to mature, this Crypto craze will only keep growing with Millennial investors driving the market. We in Nagaya Technologies know this as most of our management team and coin holders are Millennials who are passionate about Cryptocurrency.
To know more about Nagaya Technologies, you can find out more at www.nagaya.io
Or you can talk to us at t.me/nagayaofficial


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If you are looking for an answer to the question What is Artificial Intelligence? and you only have a minute, then here's the definition the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence offers on its home page: "the scientific understanding of the mechanisms underlying thought and intelligent behavior and their embodiment in machines."
However, if you are fortunate enough to have more than a minute, then please get ready to embark upon an exciting journey exploring AI (but beware, it could last a lifetime) …
DETROIT -- Automakers have been rushing to develop self-driving technologies, but some consumers might be ready to tap the brakes. The J.D. Power 2017 U.S. Tech Choice Study shows an increased wariness of fully self-driving technology since last year even as consumers continue to want technology that assists drivers. The study highlights a risk automakers are concerned about -- the negative impression that high-profile but isolated accidents can have on the perceived safety of driverless cars. And yet, both J.D. Power researchers and industry experts say consumers will eventually come around. "The engineering will get there.
Thousands have flooded into Austin, Texas to experience the 31st Annual South by Southwest Convention and Festivals. Check out some of the sights and sounds from the first day. Bill Ford meets with reporters and the recent North American International Auto Show. AUSTIN -- The frenetic race to develop autonomous vehicles features a lot of bold claims, management wooing and screaming headlines. Sleep while your car drives!
After decades of screen domination, technology companies, products and, indeed, the entire tech industry, are finally starting to pivot. The target of this refocused interest? After a slow and pretty rough start with Apple's Siri several years back, the idea of voice-controlled technology devices is beginning to take hold, thanks in large part to the success of Amazon's Echo and its Alexa personal assistant. The proliferation of Alexa-enabled devices at the recent Consumer Electronics Show put an exclamation point on that development. But as cool and interesting as accurate voice recognition and simple control may be, the real impact of voice-driven computing is significantly more profound.
After a decline in 2015, U.S. patenting activity rose to a record high in 2016. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted 304,126 patents last year, up from 298,407 in 2015. The increase was largely driven by West Coast technology companies, including Amazon, Apple, AT&T, Boeing, IBM, Intel, Google, and Microsoft. According to a 24/7 Wall St. analysis of data provided by Information for Industry (IFI) Claims Patent Services, Korean conglomerate Samsung Electronics was granted the most patents in 2016. Including its major subsidiaries, Samsung was awarded more than 8,500 patents, slightly higher than IBM's 8,088 awarded patents.
Home appliance maker Whirlpool is planning to debut a whole bunch of new products in 2017--and they're not what you might expect. Other appliance manufacturers, like LG and Samsung, have a long history in the tech industry. So when they introduced innovations like connectivity, black stainless steel finishes, and fridges with storage compartments hidden inside their doors, shoppers snapped them up. This week, the world's largest home appliance manufacturer is at CES, the massive tech show in Las Vegas. It is introducing a whole series of Alexa- and Nest-compatible smart appliances, new smart ovens, a new fingerprint-resistant black stainless finish, and a door-within-door refrigerator.
"Also, ain't no rule says a dog can't play basketball." SAN FRANCISCO -- President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to make America great again. But if the sentiments of tech workers and the general public are any indication of what he's about to face in the White House, he has a split country to stitch together. Such is the onerous task he inherits, based on a new study measuring the viewpoints of 500 "Tech Elites," defined as people who work or invest in the technology sector, and 1,000 members of the U.S. "General Population." For starters, 65% of tech elites believe innovation is going in the right direction, compared with just 46% in the general public (33% say they don't know).
Silicon Valley is training computers to see, hear and speak and cars and trucks to drive themselves. Some people aren't so sure how they feel about this new wave of artificial intelligence that summons fears of Terminator-like sentient machines. So Facebook is trying to dispel some of the pop-culture myths with a series of six instructional videos that attempt to explain this complex field of computer science. Whether searching on your smartphone for a good place to eat or trying to avoid traffic on the commute home, Facebook says you are already using artificial intelligence all the time. "I think the more open we can be about it and the more we can demystify and explain how it actually works, the more quickly we can address concerns," said Joaquin Quiñonero Candela, director of applied machine learning at Facebook.
Where seed funding is going. SAN FRANCISCO -- Seed investors are traditionally the first to make bets on promising start-ups and emerging technologies, giving an early indication of where the tech industry is headed. Such was the case in the early 2000s, when they poured money into social media, and the last few years, with autonomous vehicles. If new numbers from market researcher Crunchbase released this morning are any indication, the spaces to watch now are augmented and virtual reality, machine learning and -- yes -- cars again. But there appear to be fewer sure bets in what increasingly has been a downward arc in venture funding.
In a move that could draw fresh fire in the presidential race, Ford Motor (F) says it is shifting all North American small car production from U.S. to Mexico. Fiat Chrysler has also made similar moves, shifting car production out of the U.S. in order to focus on pickups and SUVs in its domestic automaking operations. Low gas prices have Americans prefering larger vehicles, especially pickup trucks and higher-riding SUVs and crossover vehicles for their personal use. These will include new models in segments such as commercial vehicles, trucks, SUVs and performance vehicles.
Ford Motor CEO Mark Fields is speaking out on the company's attempts to create a self-driving car (Photo: Bryan Thomas) DETROIT -- Ford CEO Mark Fields wanted there to be no doubt that the automaker is absolutely not lagging competitors in the development of self-driving vehicles. All three Detroit automakers have announced partnerships this year with Silicon Valley tech companies, while Asian and European automakers have announced partnerships of their own. "Ford's announcements today regarding its Silicon Valley operations, high-tech investments and autonomous vehicle plans are intended to let the world -- especially Wall Street -- know that it is moving forward in future mobility," said Michelle Krebs, senior analyst for Autotrader. "This is a transformational moment in our industry, and it is a transformational moment in our company," Fields told Ford workers in Palo Alto on Tuesday afternoon.


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The start of September in just a few short days also means the start of Food Safety Month.
McPherson County Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent Jana McKinney says food safety starts in the grocery store.
“We have to plan our shopping trips to prevent food-borne illness,” McKinney said. “Thinking about cleanliness, and I know a lot people are very good about using the wipes that are provided by the stores to wipe that handle, but the shopping areas of carts are covered with germs just from everything. From hands to the leaky meat packages, maybe even leaky diapers. So we have to be safe and sanitize that cart.”
McKinney says, before storing away your items at home, you should wash your hands first. Another tip for food safety is to not reuse the plastic grocery bags for anything other a trash can liner.
“There are just lots of things that can get in those,” McKinney said. “And if you have those cloth bags that are wonderful for taking to the store and reusing, it's a great idea to launder those so they're ready to go and put them back in your car and store them.”
More food safety tips will be offered throughout September during McKinney's weekly report on KBBE, which airs at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesdays.


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Kenny Shipley, co-founder and CEO of Legacy Housing, watched the Bedford, Texas, company he started in 2005 with Executive Chairman Curtis Hodgson go public (LEGH) in early 2019.
Some might say it’s a long road from West Texas to Wall Street. They have no idea.
That trip will take 24 hours of highway driving, if it’s all about the destination. But, if you’re Kenny Shipley, it’s about the process. It’s about trust. It’s about doing the right thing, with a “burn in your belly”. And if that’s the route you take, the travel from West Texas to Wall Street takes 14 years or more. Maybe a lifetime, if you ask Kenny.
Let’s Start with the ‘World Famous Pecos Cantaloupe’
Shipley has done quite a few things in his life, including sell plenty of homes. However, before there were homes to sell, there was a ripe West Texas melon travelers would take a U-turn to obtain.
Shipley and his brothers, Billy and Doug, would make the three-hour ride to Pecos, Texas, for no other reason than to load up on whole, locally grown fresh cantaloupe. It’s a sensitive crop, and timing was everything, he said.
“In Pecos, it’s such a dry, sandy heat, and they just grow so sweet,” Shipley explains, as if he’s tasting a cantaloupe in the very moment he’s talking about it. “They are delicious, and you can see it. They’re bright orange.
“You needed to pick them at just the right time. Not too early, and you can’t keep ’em on the vine in the heat. We had it down.”
The sign they rigged up on route 114 to Lubbock read “Pecos Cantaloupe. World Famous”. They’d sell them out of the back of the truck. Then, in the heat of the day or when restlessness took over, the trio and whatever friends they could recruit would take the melons to local markets. Shipley would even take the juicy treasures door-to-door throughout his hometown of Levelland, population 8,000 at the time, 30 miles west from Lubbock.
“I’d take a cut of cantaloupe door-to-door,” Kenny Shipley said. “‘Taste this, they’re world famous’. People would say, ‘Man that’s good’. We’d sell two for a dollar. We’d load up that truck from Pecos for six cents a pound, so we did OK.”
‘Everything We Got, We Worked For’
“My dad taught us how to be entrepreneurs, and we were always hustling,” Shipley said of he and his siblings.
He said not one of them has ever filled out a W-2 in their lives. They worked for themselves, they worked hard, and they made money.
“We ran gasoline stations for a bit when we were right out of high school,” he said.
“We’d buy used batteries for $1, and put them all on a train charger. It charges 10 batteries at a time,” he said. “We’d charge them for a couple hours and see if any of them held a charge, and spray them and clean them up to look like new. We’d sell the good ones for $19.95, and the others we’d sell for junk at $5.”
They’d also buy imported wristwatches for $1.75 and sell at the gas station for $20. Like anything else, you’d keep some of the profit and put the rest back in the business. Or a business, whatever made sense.
Their father was in the car business, so Kenny and his brothers always had a few lessons to lean on as they built their own ventures.
“We didn’t have a lot, but it could have been a lot worse,” he said.
The Shipleys moved to Levelland from a town that was just a little smaller. He said West Texas was a fun place to grow up, a safe place where kids could be kids.
“We had two pool halls, a roller rink, two movie theaters, a drive-up theater, two city swimming pools… You knew everyone in the area, and we always would hang out in our garage because we had a pool table,” Shipley said. “We didn’t have a door key for our house. We’d go out of town for three or four days and just leave it open. It was that kind of town.”
They’d have football games with 25 people on each side. They rode bicycles everywhere.
“Of course, there were no computers or video games, so if you wanted to have fun you had to go outside. And I’m grateful for that,” Shipley said.
When It Comes to Housing
Shipley and his brothers had been dabbling in manufactured housing for a few years at the time they went in together and started a retail business. Bell Mobile Homes in Levelland has been operating for 38 years now.
“When I got in, the industry was moving 300,000 homes, and interest rates were 23 percent,” Shipley said. “I was doing 23 percent loans through GE Credit.”
But times would change, and fast, particularly in West Texas.
Shipley and Hodgson crossed paths in the mid-’80s. They were both buying repossessed homes and selling them, including to other retailers.
The manufactured housing business was down-trending from the peak years of the 1970s. To further distress the Texas market, oil by the barrel was way down, to $8 per barrel in the mid-’70s. There was a massive effect on the labor market, which particularly affected housing.
Banks went under in droves. Any area MH financing was in operation was east of Interstate 35.
“West Texas was cut off,” Shipley said. “There were no finance companies doing business west of I-35.
“For us to survive, we would get bank financing or sell ’em for cash. I met Curt (Hodgson), and we were competing for many houses,” he said. “One day we kind of started buying and selling to each other, and we slowly started partnering up on a pile of houses.”
Hodgson was in retail and running auctions, and Shipley would enter his homes in the auction. They ran that way for two decades, working hard and making ends meet.
Legacy Housing Fact Box
- Legacy went public in February 2019
- Has three manufacturing facilities, including its original in Fort Worth
- It is the fourth largest builder of manufactured homes in the U.S.
- Offers customers 70 floor plans, including tiny homes
- Delivers to 14 states from the Southwest to Southeast
A Little Bit Closer to Wall Street
The pair had purchased and sold enough homes, and built enough relationships, that eventually the two entrepreneurs came around to talking about building their own homes. They had the experience, the work ethic and enough capital resources to make it happen. They only needed to formalize a plan.
“We didn’t even have a contract or official partnership, not until we started Legacy,” Kenny Shipley said. “That was the first time we signed anything. We had bought a Cavalier plant. We were already buying inventory at that point. Floorplanning inventory, that’s how we got started.
“We had 40 guys doing business with us,” he added. “They had sales centers, and they believed in us. Then we started building homes, too.”
Initially, the pair wanted to keep the homes “low end”. The idea was to keep them basic to build and simple to sell. They had one 16×60’ floor plan they built for the first 90 days. Then they added in a 16×80’ that brought them out to about six months in business. After that, they started building and selling double wides.
“We built it organically,” Shipley said. “We build our own roof trusses, we laminate our sheetrock. And we profile our trim. We’ve done a good job of taking the middlemen out of what we do. And we’ve had to do that to compete with the big boys. We go to China to do our own importing. Our product is the same product because we were already buying from China, we just cut the middleman out who was taking 25-30 percent.”
The pair, and their team at Legacy Housing, which now numbers more than 800 employees, built the business up well enough and continue to have strong enough confidence in their product to have started their own retail finance program.
“We’re not the answer to everyone’s prayers, so there’s still that need for the other lenders, but we have our niche,” Shipley said. “We build the widest floor, the highest roof. We deliver the most bang for the buck for the consumer, kind of like that Pecos cantaloupe.”
Focus on the Best Product, and Build a Network
As much as he loves building homes, Shipley still has a soft spot for the retail end of the business: the independent retailer, the entrepreneur.
“It’s a gamble every day when you wake up and have no idea where your dollar is coming from. That’s the case with our network, from Colorado to Kansas to Florida,” he said. “We love the independent guys. That’s what built America.”
Shipley said he and Hodgson agree, they cannot think of any two industry professionals who have created more business by setting up independent dealers. Legacy Housing currently operates through an independent dealer network of better than 100 retailers.
“I truly believe we’ve put more people in business than anyone else. We’re always going to support independent dealers. Those are the guys we want to do business with,” he said.
“Anyone can have a sales center and make money. You need to have that burn in your belly. If you don’t, you probably can’t, but if you have that dream and the burn in your belly, you’re going to do it.”
Where Ya Headed?
Shipley and others at Legacy Housing are asked quite often if the manufactured housing industry can reach its peak sales volume again. More than 400,000 homes shipped in a year? That’s more than quadruple the current production, in an industry already on an assertive upward trajectory.
“I don’t think so,” Shipley says, hesitantly. “Too many independents left, and not too many are getting back into it. There are no families getting in, and of course there are families aging out.”
True, the housing crisis and credit crunch pushed droves of traditional retailers out of business. Which leaves factories with fewer places to send homes and buyers with less obvious places to shop. Much of the sales recovery in the industry has come through community operators that now sell homes as well.
Take note, though, Kenny Shipley still hands out his business card. “I can help” is what it says, right beside his cell phone number.
In the meantime, Legacy is pleased to build its own business, and continue its own, well, legacy.
If Not by Road, Then By Air (or Heir)
Kenny Shipley’s always working. Checking on retailers. Walking the floor. Responding to sometimes 80 phone calls a day. But he still lives in Levelland, now population 13,000 or so. It’s 275 miles by air to the original factory in Fort Worth.
“I’m a pilot,” Shipley states.
He has been flying since the age of 17; earned his license at about 20 years old. He took a long number of years off when his children were young, but bought an airplane in the mid-’90s. He’s been flying to the plant two, three times a week ever since.
“We both fly a Meridian jet prop,” Kenny Shipley said of himself and Hodgson. “His is blue, mine’s red.”
They’re personal planes, Shipley’s quick to point out. The company didn’t buy them. They’ve always kept a low profile, he said, and particularly so now.
“We’re working with shareholder money now, and we consider our shareholders as partners,” he said. “We are going to treat their money like it’s our money. We’re not going to be frivolous.”
Kenny Shipley’s son, Ken, followed him into the family business. Ken started at age 16 in the setup department. A decade later he leads sales.
“He’s a better salesman than I was,” Shipley admitted. “He’s a natural.”
Now that’s a legacy.


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81% of Thai consumers now manage their personal finances digitally, according to Mastercard
According to Mastercard, Thai consumers are generally more enthusiastic about using digital forms of payment than the Asian average.
Most Thai consumers have now gone digital when it comes to managing a range of personal financial matters, including paying bills, banking, opening new bank accounts and financial planning, according to a survey from MasterCard.
According to the Mastercard New Payments Index 2022, 81% of consumers nationwide have used digital tools for at least one financial task in the past year, with paying bills (78%), banking (75%) and the opening of new bank accounts (64%) forming the first three.
The latest data on payment habits, attitudes and preferences comes from a survey of 40 markets in five regions, including seven in Asia-Pacific: Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Thailand and Vietnam.
Interestingly, when it comes to personal financial management, the survey found that Thai consumers were generally more enthusiastic about using digital forms of payment than the regional average.
This same enthusiasm extended to the wider use of payments by Thai consumers, with 94% having used at least one digital payment method such as digital wallets, QR codes, Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL), cryptocurrencies, biometrics and others over the past year, compared to the Asia-Pacific average of 88%.
Additionally, 80% of Thai consumers have increased their use of at least one digital payment method over the same period, showing momentum.
“Although digitization brings a wide range of benefits – better access to e-commerce, greater economic transparency, more security – in many ways, it is in everyday tasks that it makes a big difference” , said Aileen Chew, country manager for Thailand and Myanmar at Mastercard.
“In recent years, Thai consumers have increased their use of digital payment options, often showing a strong commitment to new and emerging technologies. Survey results indicate that this convenience extends beyond payments and includes now day-to-day personal financial management, demonstrating the ubiquity of digital technology in their daily lives.
“This change is a positive sign for the continued digitalization of the economy and will help drive long-term sustainable growth in Thailand.”
When asked why they use digital methods to pay their bills, convenience was the top answer (85%) of Thai consumers, followed by being considered safer or safer (61%) , and that it gave consumers more control over their money (56%).
However, concerns remain about safety, indicating an opportunity for service providers to offer consumers additional education and reassurance.
Thai consumers are also among the most enthusiastic in the region about using emerging payment technologies, with digital wallets leading the way (63%), followed by account-to-account payments (55%) and QR codes ( 54%), according to the survey.
It’s also worth noting that Thai consumers have been big adopters of cryptocurrencies, with 25% having used them to pay in the past year, compared to a regional average of 13%.


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The method used to infect these systems has not been determined yet, but given that many of them run Windows Server and are most likely not used for Web browsing, Raff believes that the attackers probably compromised other computers on the same networks first and then infected the PoS systems.
When Seculert's researchers found the Dexter sample, there were some antivirus programs that already detected it as malicious, Raff said. The company has since shared it with other vendors from the security industry, he said.
There seems to be a growing trend of cybercriminals infecting PoS systems with malware. Two weeks ago, Romanian authorities arrested 16 suspected members of a cybercrime ring that installed transaction data stealing malware on PoS systems belonging to foreign companies operating gas stations and grocery stores.
According to the authorities, the stolen data was either sold on underground websites or was used to create counterfeit payment cards. It's estimated that the criminal operation resulted in fraudulent transactions totaling over $25 million being performed with 500,000 payment cards.
It was later revealed that the companies targeted by the Romanian gang were mainly from Australia, so the gang behind the Dexter malware is probably a different one. However, Raff agreed that the methods of operation are very similar.
Raff said that if the targeted companies would have encrypted the data directly on the hardware PoS terminals before sending it out to their payment processing providers, a method commonly known as end-to-end encryption, attacks like the ones based on the Dexter malware could have been prevented.
However, the adoption of end-to-end encryption technology for card-present transactions is currently low, because it often requires the replacement of all PoS devices with newer models capable of encrypting the data.


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NASCAR fans brake for economy A soft economy and record gas prices have NASCAR fans weighing the wisdom of fueling their cars and campers to watch other vehicles race. TV ratings for the Sprint Cup Series, down the last two years, are up 2% this season while attendance at the tracks has dropped or remained flat. Many who attend seem to decide at the last minute, unable or unwilling to shell out for rising gas prices and average hotel room rates of $200 with three- or four-night minimums.
That might also explain a spike in demand for camp sites at places such as Talladega Superspeedway, site of Sunday's Aaron's 499 Cup race. Operators of the Alabama track, mindful fans travel an average of 300 miles to the race, have opened more space for campers and expanded free parking.
NASCAR certainly is more susceptible to being impacted given the cost of traveling to races," says David Carter, executive director of the Sports Business Institute at the University of Southern California. However, "Had NASCAR not remained vigilant when it comes to customer service and the fan experience, any softening of the economy would have been more pronounced."
Efforts to offset costs for fans have begun at such tracks as Lowe's Motor Speedway outside Charlotte, promoting its $39 tickets for the 165,000-seat Coca-Cola 600 on May 25 as part of affordable packages.
"We don't want to leave money on the table, but tickets (left) on the day after a race are absolutely useless. It's like yesterday's news," Lowe's track president and general manager H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler says. "We're on the edge of something that will be with us for a while, because I don't think the economy will turn around real quick." AOL Money
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Bill Simmons, the publisher of The Ringer, recently revealed that Spotify is developing AI-generated podcast advertisements featuring the voices of popular hosts. This innovative approach aims to deliver personalized ads that enhance the individual listening experience for customers. Simmons also discussed the potential of AI in podcasts, including the possibility of translating content for wider accessibility and expanding commercial opportunities.
The concept behind this creation is to utilize AI bots trained on hosts’ voices, enabling them to mimic the hosts’ voices and delivery. This makes it possible to seamlessly integrate relevant advertisements into the podcast’s topic. Simmons discussed the potential opportunities this technology presents for advertising, such as the ability to geo-target listeners for local events.
Spotify has not yet released an official statement regarding its plans for AI-generated commercials, despite Simmons’ comments. According to a Spotify spokeswoman, the firm is constantly seeking ways to enhance the service, although no specifics were provided about AI-generated commercials.
Read more: Spotify And Samsung Partnership
AI’s impact on the creative sectors of music and podcasting has sparked immense interest and extensive discussions. The utilization of AI in generating music that imitates famous artists’ styles has garnered attention, prompting major labels to take action to safeguard their artists’ interests by eradicating such recordings. However, the deceptive use of AI to mislead fans and propagate unlawful information has faced severe criticism. In this blog post, we will delve into the intriguing world of AI in music and podcasting, exploring its potential benefits and ethical considerations.
The growing debate surrounding AI’s impact on the creative industry highlights the undeniable advantages and disadvantages of technology. Artists express their concerns and even consider legal action against AI-generated content that imitates their style, while others, such as Grimes, eagerly embrace the use of AI tools. This blog post explores the nuanced perspectives within the creative community regarding the implications of AI in the industry.
The future of AI in podcast advertising holds great promise as Spotify addresses the challenges posed by this development and incorporates AI-generated podcast adverts. Currently, how the company will achieve this remains a mystery. As Spotify searches for innovative strategies to assist producers, marketers, and users, the potential for AI in podcast advertising is exciting.


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Town officials approved one change to next months annual sidewalk sale, but they wouldnt sign off an another. Last week, the Police Commission approved the Chamber of Commerces request for to close portions of Main Street to vehicles during the sale. But at todays Board of Selectmen meeting, the board denied the chambers plan to move the Farmers Market from to the Morse Court Parking lot that weekend.
On July 17, local stores and restaurants will lie New Canaans sidewalks with booths offering special deals. As in previous years, the New Canaan Police will close down traffic on Elm Street between Main and Park Street, South Avenue from Elm Street to Morse Court, and Forest Street from East Avenue to Locust Avenue. This year, they will also close Main Street between Elm Street and East Avenue.
In the past, that area has been very, very, very congested, Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Tucker Murphy said. This will open it up and create a better flow. And, it will be a lot safer for people to talk through.
The Chamber had also hoped to move the Farmers Market from its normal location at the Old Center School Parking Lot to the Morse Court Parking Lot or the day. The idea was to move the Market closer to the sidewalk sales, to make it easier for shoppers to visit both.
But the Board Of Selectmen denied the plan at its meeting Tuesday morning, citing parking concerns. Getabout had offered to run a shuttle service between the larger Center School lot and the village center, but a few retailer still thought there would be a bad response to closing the Morse Court lot. "There would have been not just two people, coming to us frustrated about parking, saying they don't want to get into a Getabout," said Selectman Rob Malozzi.
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Apple’s market cap passed $US700 billion shortly after trading opened Tuesday morning.
The stock was trading at about $US119 and climbing. The market cap was about $US701 billion.
Apple’s stock has been on a steady rise all year, and it’s only been fuelled by the wildly successful iPhone 6 and 6 Plus launch.
Apple posted record opening weekend sales for the new iPhones in September.
And this holiday quarter is expected to be massive, with one analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, predicting the company will sell over 70 million units.
The stock has been hitting record highs off and on for the last few days.
Take a look at the rise over the last year:
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Individuals who wish to pursue managerial roles within the manufacturing industry may want to enroll in traditional or online MBA programs to gain the experience that they will require for their careers.
These degree seekers may be pleased to hear that March was the fifth straight month of economic progress in the manufacturing sector, Reuters reported. This information is based off of newly released data from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
According to the media source, new orders for manufactured goods exceeded predictions from Wall Street economists and increased by 3 percent to a seasonally adjusted $463 billion. In addition, interest in items that were designed to last three years rose by 2.9 percent. There was also more of a demand for machinery, electrical equipment and primary metals.
In terms of nondefense capital goods orders, there was a 4.1 percent growth, which the news outlet stated was the strongest increase since last August's 5.1 percent. These figures are often viewed as an indicator of companies' future investment plans.
"The overall manufacturing sector remains healthy," Robert Dye, a senior economist at PNC Financial Services Group, told Bloomberg.


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Alienware is Dell’s well-known brand. Thi project has a more curious design team, and its interior layout is even more interesting. Area 51 is Dell’s best desktop gaming machine for a few years. And Dell is now enhancing it with the Threadripper and Core X processors for enthusiasts. In fact, it will be the first assembler to include one of AMD’s enthusiast processors.
Alienware recently upgraded its flagship game PC Area 51. This time by adding an optional version of Intel’s new Core Dix processor and AMD Ryzen Threadripper processor.
Area 51 Now supports Intel Core-X series Processors
For Intel Core X-Series processors, consumers can choose from six cores of the i7 7800X, 8-core i7 7820X or 10-core i9 7900X. While the graphics card is available from the NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti SLI dual-core GTX 1080 Ti, and AMD’s Radeon RX 580s optional.
Threadripper processor version will be on July 27 sale, Core X version will ship at the end of the summer. As for the new Area 51 price, Alienware not yet announced, but considering that this is a high-end gaming product, the price should not be cheap.
The device has space for up to three graphics cards. They come with configurations starting from a GTX 1050 Ti and going up to two GTX 1080 Ti. Dell representative talks about it, “this is the best graphics equipment at 8K”. Its processors can be a Core i7-7800X, Core i7-7820X or Core i9-7900X –accompanied with Intel Optane memory. while Threadripper is still pending AMD processors and there are reports that it will be released on July 27. Although it will come with The 32-core logical model.
In fact, Area 51 with Threadripper will be available for purchase on that day, while Core X versions will not be available until August 22 .


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Events Planned For Mother Lode Residents
There are several events happening online and outdoors with coronavirus safety measures in place.
In Jamestown this weekend the Second Saturday Outdoor Marketplace will take place from 10 AM to 4 PM. Enjoy the springtime weather with multiple vendors selling fine arts and collectibles. Fill Jamestown’s sidewalks with color by participating in the Community Chalk Walk. They will even provide chalk and there will be many other family-friendly DIY crafts. Multiple beer gardens will be serving the adults refreshing beverages. Try your luck in the basket raffle featuring a broad range of prizes donated by local Jamestown businesses. Details are here.
In Tuolumne, by the Memorial Hall, the outdoor Antique Fair will be selling items from 8 AM to 4 PM Saturday and 10 AM to 3 PM on Sunday. This is the 12th year for the fair and since it will be held outside in the park, it will be a much larger event, with more vendors and more variety. The organizers state the vendors are only approved if they have truly vintage and antique wares or artisan-crafted items made of true vintage bits. Items for sale can be fun, funky old stuff, shabby chic, primitives, rustic, or finer antiques, details are here.
Railtown 1897 State Historic Park is hosting Wildflower Train Rides on the weekends through the 18th from 10 AM to 4 PM. Tickets are limited and often all out, prices and more details are in the event listing here.
The event BBQ for Beau will be held on Sunday at the Sonora Moose Lodge from 1 PM to 5 PM. The fundraiser benefits Beau Bachtelle’s battle with cancer. Bachtelle is a 2010 Summerville High School graduate and is currently at UCSF hospital undergoing weekly chemotherapy treatments. More details about Bachtelle and the drive-through BBQ platter pick-up event are here.
Visit Tuolumne County is promoting the 1st Annual Tuolumne County Art Week, beginning this Saturday April 10th to the 18th. It is also the Kick-Off of event for the “CHAIRS, CHAIRS, CHAIRS – For the Arts Everyone has a Seat” Summer Fundraiser. Tuolumne County artists, galleries, and art-related businesses are called on to participate in the inaugural campaign. Railtown 1897 State Historic Park has donated 36 “very unusual chairs” to benefit Tuolumne County Arts, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Artists have from now until a late August auction to complete the Art Chair projects. Art Week, in conjunction with California Arts, Culture & Creativity Month, is to promote and celebrate all things art-related. Lisa Mayo, President & CEO of Visit Tuolumne County says “From photographers to sculptors to painters and actors and everything in between, we have so much talent to showcase and celebrate.” Details about the event are in their event listing here.
Sierra Waldorf School is hosting an online auction to raise money for the Kindergarten to 8th-grade school. The last day to bid will be April 16. Auction items include gift certificates, local wine, fine art and photography, handmade jewelry and even a unique “magical gnome treehouse.” Sierra Waldorf will also host a drive-thru experience at their Jamestown campus off Rawhide Road with a theme of “The Unsinkable SWS: A Tale of Wit, Wonder and Will” next week on Saturday, April 17. To-go lasagna dinners are available to pre-order, along with cocktail mixers, until April 11. A virtual live auction hosted by alumni will be streamed online at 8 p.m. also on April 17. Live auction items include getaways to Groveland and the Central Coast, more details are in the event listing here.


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All dressed up and nowhere to go
Fashion boutiques in upstate NY adapt to a sweatpants world
On March 20, Lorena Nazario walked through her empty boutique in Latham and showed a customer different pieces of clothing while they talked on FaceTime. Earlier that day she tried on clothing and took pictures for customers who wanted a sense of how the items would fit.
On the same day, all non-essential businesses in New York were required to close their brick and mortar outlets. Owners Nazario and Melissa Convertino had closed their shop, Bella V Boutique, four days earlier, recognizing the inevitable.
Since then, they’ve had to get creative to reach their customers. “I try my best to send them as many pictures of the items or a video of the item itself just so they could see the detail, the fabric, how it moves,” Nazario says.
The shuttering of the stores has left fashion brands and retailers scrambling to find ways to stay relevant in an increasingly fashion-less world. As people’s reasons for dressing in anything other than sweatpants disappear, the need to buy clothing other than loungewear disappears as well.
A March survey of U.S. consumers from Mckinsey & Company reports that 63 percent of people said they were planning to spend less on clothing than normal. That doesn’t mean all sales are down, though. The Business of Fashion reported that fashion search platform Lyst and retail analytics from Edited found that sportswear and loungewear are dominating search trends.
A disrupted supply chain and already struggling retail landscape have presented a bleak outlook for fashion retailers. Women’s Wear Daily reported that the consulting firm, Bain & Co., predicts the luxury clothing market will experience a sales decline of 25 to 30 percent in the first quarter of 2020. The Boston Consulting Group predicted that the drop in sales could be larger than during the Great Recession.
Nazario is trying her best to adapt to the situation by offering free shipping and 20 percent off all orders. “It’s just a little something we could do to give people a break,” Nazario says. “At the same time, we’re still trying to run our business. Because, yes, the store is closed, but we still have to pay rent.”
In-store sales make up roughly 80 percent of Bella V’s revenue. While Nazario is grateful for the increase in online sales that she’s seen since they’ve closed, she said it won’t make that much of a dent in their losses. She estimates that their online sales increased around 30 percent the first week the shop was closed but that has since tapered off. Nazario estimates that, by the time this is over, their losses will be around 75 percent.
Nazario started Bella V Boutique as a mobile boutique in 2014. It was something she had always wanted to do but the uncertainty of entrepreneurship made her hesitate. Then, two weeks after she gave birth to her second daughter, she lost vision in her eye and all feeling on her left side. She was diagnosed with a brain tumor and had to undergo radiation treatment.
Nazario has since recovered completely but said that the experience was the push that she needed to follow her dream. “I promised myself that I wasn’t going to live life with fear anymore,” Nazario says. “I was going to go for whatever I wanted to, and if it failed, it failed, but I was going to leave this earth without any regrets.”
Prior to opening Bella V Boutique, Nazario worked as a product development director in New York City. She knew when she first heard reports of the outbreak in China that their supply chain was going to be impacted. Lorena typically tries to order clothing from US factories and at first, this benefited her but when LA shut down so did the warehouses that they receive clothing from. “Obviously, if we don’t sell then we can’t afford more new merchandise,” said Lorena.
Daniel Tagliamonte just opened Sea Culture Brand in November, with Sakran and Shaw, a women’s clothing shop, in Skaneateles. His landlord has waived rent for April, but he’s unsure what will happen in the summer months.
Sea Culture has five factories that they work with on a regular basis. One of those factories is in Italy and the other is in Sri Lanka. Both countries are in lockdown. Luckily, some timing is on Tagliamonte’s side. The Italy factory will close right after they send out his fabric to Sri Lanka. “I mean, I’m not gonna be ordering fabric anytime soon,” Tagliamonte says. “But at least it’s getting to the factory to get turned into swimwear.”
A small boutique in Armory Square, Midnight Sun, is attempting to appeal to customers by offering what they call good vibes mystery packs. The items inside include candles, incense, jewelry, gemstones and coffee mugs. The small packs are $10 and large packs are $20.
After the mandate that all non-essential businesses close, it became uncertain if they would be able to continue offering the packs. Right now, availability will be based upon interest expressed on social media. Midnight Sun’s social media coordinator Eliza Jeffers said that the packs got a positive response when they were first released. “We have gotten a lot of people that are buying multiples of them because they want to share them with their friends or give them to their families,” Jeffers says.
Currently, Midnight Sun doesn’t have an online shop, but the coronavirus outbreak might be what pushes them to create one. Right now, their main customer outreach has been through social media. Jeffers said that people who don’t have the means to support through purchasing items could help by sharing and tagging people in social media posts.
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????✨With everything happening we thought it would be nice to spread love, light, and good vibes anyways we can! ✨???? We’ve put together some Midnight Sun good vibes mystery packs. Each have been hand selected and filled with smell good, feel good stuff and all our well wishes! ???? They will be available for pick up starting tomorrow! Here are some of the bundles we put together. Unfortunately due to the circumstances our doors will only be open 12-1pm & 3-5pm, so send us a message letting us know if your interested so we can be sure you get one! • • ✨Large $20✨ ✨ Small $10 ✨ (Limited supply available) Big thanks to everyone that continues to support us during this time! Stay safe out there ????
Nazario understands that people are reluctant to spend money right now, especially on clothing they won’t wear anytime soon. She is hopeful that customers will move on from loungewear when the crisis is over. “I don’t think people are gonna want to shop for casual clothes,” she says. “They’re gonna be tired of wearing casual clothes. They’re going to want to dress up and put a pair of jeans on or a dress on.”
This article is part of the Fermata: Arts and Culture in the Time of Coronavirus series reported by students in the Critical Writing course at the Newhouse School. Fermata features stories on the impact of the pandemic on a wide range of artists and cultural figures, from musicians and comedians to restaurateurs and boutique owners.


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No matter how little it makes sense, technology industry “analysts” will always bust out their tired, wooden acquisition fantasy porn. Like real porn, the motivation behind it is silly and unrealistic and the whole point is just to titillate the viewer.
So put some bad jazz music on, close the shades, and read on… if you dare.
Years ago the fantasies all revolved around Apple getting acquired. Now people are running around trying to figure out how Apple can use all that money it’s made on a checkout line impulse buy.
Facebook’s less-than-spectacular IPO has Business Insider’s Owen Thomas musing that “If Facebook Gets Any Cheaper Apple Needs To Buy It” (no link for Business Insider’s multiple crimes against humanity, common sense, and basic decency).
The logic is obvious: Apple sucks at building social Web services, as CEO Tim Cook acknowledged earlier this week at the D10 conference.
It needs to keep developers of iPhone and iPad apps happy—appmakers are a key part of the value of Apple’s mobile franchise.
Ping is a failure. And somehow iOS still seems to be the preferred platform for developers, despite the fevered dreams of Eric Schmidt. The Macalope really isn’t sure how buying Facebook would make iOS developers happy. Thomas never gets real specific with this, he just says that Apple sucks at social, Facebook is good at social, so Apple should dump more than half of its $110 billion in cash on them because blaggity bliggity bluh bluh.
Cook made conciliatory noises about working with Facebook at D10. But realistically, the only way Apple and Facebook, both of which zealously guard their power to shape users’ experiences, are going to strike a deal is if they’re under the same roof.
It seems that MG Siegler—who, unlike Business Insider, has a pretty good track record—
After much speculation, Facebook integration will indeed be baked into the latest version of iOS, we’ve learned.
Well, here’s hoping Apple doesn’t run out and buy Facebook before it finds out if its already going to be integrated in iOS 6. Because that seems like a waste of money.
In Thomas’s defense, Apple buying Facebook only makes no sense, while suggesting Apple buy Yahoo—as
Eric Jackson did back in February writing for Forbes—makes negative sense.
Big acquisitions are messy, expensive and risky. Despite the fetishes of randy analysts to the contrary, don’t expect Apple to pick up the hitchhiking team of cheerleaders or answer the door for the buff pizza delivery guy.


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Android M Name
Google's website all but confirmed the next release to be Android M. And the fact that the update is called Android M in official documentation is exciting to us because it probably means that we'll see Google release an early Android M preview ahead of the official public release.
If the Android M listing is any indication (and we think that it is), Google will announce the update as Android M leaving its official title for an announcement later this year, probably alongside new Nexus hardware.
It also means that we could see an early Android M developer preview. Google's developer previews are like iOS betas in that they're unfinished. That said, it's always exciting to use a new operating system ahead of the public release.
Android M also confirms this update as Android 5.0 Lollipop's successor which means that it will be larger than your standard Android update. Much bigger than Android 5.1.1 that's rolling out right now. That in and of itself is exciting.


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The cost of living is skyrocketing in the UK, forcing more households to tighten their belts and cut costs.
It seems Netflix is the first on the chopping block for hundreds of thousands, but much like many other online subscriptions, ditching it isn’t as easy as it should be.
Netflix has a few tricks up its sleeves to keep you glued to your screen.
It isn’t hard to leave the streamer, but there are some steps you shouldn’t miss on your road to a post-Netflix life.
How do you cancel your Netflix subscription?
To cancel your subscription, go to Netflix.com/cancelplan and sign in with your account email and password.
From here, you will be given two options: one to cancel your plan outright, and the other to keep it going for another month at a discounted rate.
Specifically, it will offer the Standard plan for £10.99 which could help cut down costs if you are looking to save a little.
However, if you are keen to ditch the platform entirely, then ignore this section and click on “finish cancellation”.
From here, your account will be terminated, but it will remain active until the next billing date, depending on the day you originally signed up.
For the next 10 months, Netflix will retain your account information, including watch habits, likes and dislikes.
If you want this deleted as well, send an email to email@example.com using the email linked to your account.
The firm will then remove your information entirely.
Why has Netflix lost so many subscribers?
There are many different factors at play that might explain why Netflix just lost 200,000 subscribers, its first loss in 10 years.
The first is increased competition; Netflix used to essentially be the only streaming platform for consumers, but today the market is saturated.
From Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+, NOW, MUBI, Shudder.... the list goes on.
The second is that most Covid restrictions have come to an end, meaning people are no longer locked inside with few options other than to watch content.
However, CEO Reed Hastings blamed another factor: sharing accounts.
He said there is an estimated 100 million households around the world that are using a shared password.
He explained: "We realised with all of the account sharing, which we've always had — that's not a new thing — but when you add that up together, we're getting pretty high market penetration.
"And that, combined with the competition, is really what we think is driving the lower acquisition and lower growth."
Is Netflix launching an ad-supported cheaper plan?
Hastings' solution for account sharing and the major losses in subscribers is to offer a cheaper ad-supported tier system.
It is a massive U-turn for the platform, as Hastings previous insisted that Netflix wouldn’t consider the move back in March at a tech conference, saying: “It’s not in our plans right now.”
However, he recently told investors that Netflix is "quite open to offering even lower prices with advertising, as a consumer choice"
Trailing for ad-supported platforms is to begin soon.


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Health News on July 1, 2011
Heart transplant patients 'likelier to suffer from serious skin cancers'
Heart transplant patients are more likely to suffer from serious skin cancers, including cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma, according to a new study. ANI
Red wine prevents ill effects of sedentary desk job, spaceflight
A new study has suggested that a "healthy" ingredient contained in red wine may prevent the negative effects that spaceflight and sedentary lifestyles have on people. cientists studied rats that underwent simulated weightlessness by hindlimb tail suspension and were given a daily oral load of resveratrol. ANI
'Vitamin D deficiency' may have led to Mozart's, Mahler's untimely deaths
According to a new study, famous musicians Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Gustav Mahler may have died due to vitamin D deficiency. ANI


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Where do I buy Bitcoin?
The recent development can completely eliminate cryptocurrency trading and mining activities in the world’s most populous nation. Chinese regulatory authorities had imposed a ban on initial coin offerings (ICO), a cryptocurrency-based fundraising process, and termed it illegal in China in September 2017.
‘Ode to Satoshi’ is a bluegrass-fashion track with an old-timey feel that mixes references to Satoshi Nakamoto and blockchains (and, ahem, ‘the autumn of old Mt. Gox’) with mandolin-picking bitcoin exchange usd and harmonicas. “The FBI’s Plan For The Millions Worth Of Bitcoins Seized From Silk Road”. “After Silk Road seizure, FBI Bitcoin pockets recognized and pranked”.
The price of a bitcoin reached US$1,139.9 on 4 January 2017. In June 2017, the bitcoin image was encoded in Unicode model 10.zero at position U+20BF (₿) within the Currency Symbols block. In June 2011, WikiLeaks and other organizations began to just accept bitcoins for donations. Based on bitcoin’s open-source code, different cryptocurrencies began to emerge.
Working For Bitcoins
“Bitcoin collapses on malicious commerce – Mt Gox scrambling to raise the Titanic”. “Clarification of Mt Gox Compromised Accounts and Major Bitcoin Sell-Off”. “Bitcoin shedding shine after hitting the highlight”.
Market Wrap: Bitcoin Breaks $11,800; Ether Options Market Explodes
“Bitcoin Currency, Hackers Make Money, Investing in Bitcoins, Scams – AARP”. “Bitcoin software program bug has been quickly resolved”. , By November, 2013, the amount of inflows attributable to ”sin” entities had shrunk significantly to just three% or less of total transactions.
Why Do Bitcoins Have Value?
How do I mine Bitcoins?
For starters, bitcoin’s volatility is a big reason why most retailers won’t accept it. Even with blockchain-based transactions that can potentially validate and settle faster than payments on traditional banking networks, the lag in settlement times can still allow for wild vacillations in the price of bitcoin.
The US-primarily based change Cryptsy declared chapter in January 2016, ostensibly due to a 2014 hacking incident; the courtroom-appointed receiver later alleged that Cryptsy’s CEO had stolen $three bitcoin price in usd.3 million. The Slovenian change Bitstamp lost bitcoin worth $5.1 million to a hack in January 2015.
The lower the energy consumption the lower your month-to-month prices. The second source of revenue for Bitcoin miners is the transaction charges that Bitcoiners should pay once they transfer BTC to one one other. In 2020, one fashionable Bitcoin mining machine , just like the Whatsminer M20S, generates around $8 in Bitcoin revenue daily. Thirteen AMD RX graphics cards cost across the identical as one Whatsminer M20s. This number will reduce to 6.25 bitcoins after the halving in May 2020.
As we turn our calendars to 2020, nows an opportune time to reflect on the year ahead. With the S&P 500 booming, it’s troublesome to think about a shift towards different finance, but the panorama may change in a rush. “By 2025, we’re likely to see $250,000 bitcoin, after which some time out, 2030, we may see $400,000 or $500,000 bitcoin because it reaches gold equivalence.” “Ex-boss of MtGox bitcoin change arrested in Japan over lost $390m”. “Android bug batters Bitcoin wallets / Old flaw, new downside”.
- The first rationalization of cryptocurrencies, though symbolic, revolutionized the perception of BTC within the eyes of quite a few investors.
- This had a big impact on the worth of BTC, and costs around the world slumped.
- Digital restrictions had been imposed on the digital foreign money, stating that no monetary establishment can commerce Bitcoin or provide different providers related to it.
- On October 12, 2009, USD/BTC transactions had been made and 5,050 Bitcoins were bought for five dollars and a couple of cents.
- The huge breakthrough moment was the primary change of digital forex on the change.
- Another further milestone in the historical past of digital currencies was the purchase of the primary materials property.
The price of Bitcoin is volatile, ranging from beneath $10 in 2010 to only beneath $20,000 in early 2018. My guess can be that this happens in the midst of the year. Continuing with my exhausting-truths tour, I anticipate that Libra will not launch this year https://beaxy.com/—no less than not in anything near the format Facebook initially promised.Can you even think about Facebook launching a digital currency in a US election yr? If Libra launched and was even remotely tied to election interference, there could be hell to pay. Kicking a project while it’s down isn’t my style.
On 26 October 2013, a Hong Kong–primarily based bitcoin trading platform owned by Global Bond Limited vanished with 30 million yuan (US$5 million) from 500 investors. By December 2017, bitcoin futures contracts started to be offered, and the US Chicago Board Options Exchange was formally settling the futures day by day.By 2019, a number of buying and selling firms were providing companies round bitcoin futures.
With one block per 10 minutes they might have to attend sixteen years to mine that one block. The following table exhibits that almost all of probably the most modern machines could stay btc usd worthwhile at a bitcoin worth between $5000 and $6000. Some machines may handle a drop beneath $5k, if they’re being run with electricity that costs beneath $zero.05 kWh.
“Our analysis reveals that sure content material, e.g. unlawful pornography, can render the mere possession of a blockchain unlawful.” In December 2017, hackers stole four,seven hundred bitcoins from NiceHash a platform that allowed users to sell hashing energy. The worth of the stolen bitcoins totaled about $80M. In August 2016, hackers stole some $seventy two million in buyer bitcoin from the Hong Kong–based trade Bitfinex.
Bitcoin’s blockchain can be loaded with arbitrary knowledge. In 2018 researchers from RWTH Aachen University and Goethe University identified 1,600 recordsdata added to the blockchain, 59 of which included links to unlawful pictures of child exploitation, politically delicate content, or privacy violations.
The worth of hardware varies from producer to producer and depends largely on how low the vitality use is for the machine vs the amount of computing energy it produces. The more computing power, the more bitcoin you will mine.
“Bitcoin ponzi scheme – traders lose US$5 million in online hedge fund”. Peck, Morgen “First Bitcoin Lawsuit Filed In San Francisco”. Jeffries, Adrianne “Search for Owners of MyBitcoin Loses Steam”. Dotson, Kyt “Third Largest Bitcoin Exchange Bitomat Lost Their Wallet, Over 17,000 Bitcoins Missing”.
Bitcoin Tempts Shattering All
“Y Combinator-backed Coinbase now promoting over $1M Bitcoin per thirty days”. “BitPay Signs 1,000 Merchants to Accept Bitcoin Payments”. Interpol additionally despatched out an alert in 2015 saying that “the design of the blockchain means there may be the possibility of malware being injected and permanently hosted with no strategies at present available to wipe this information”.
The reward are paid to the miner who solved the puzzle first. If you’re motivated to learn, and also you need to get a semi-passive revenue of bitcoin, then there are a few basics to get your head round, earlier than working out if it’s even attainable so that https://cryptolisting.org/ you can revenue from bitcoin mining. This general worth increase has produced a handful of Bitcoin billionaires. These are the early adopters who recognized a lucrative alternative and began accumulating or mining in the early days and held on.
Arbitrary Blockchain Content
But with so little to show over the past three years, it’s hard say that ether’s market cap ($14 billion) is justified. Arguably, if bitcoin ascends, it might https://tokenexus.com/ take ether with it.


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If this year’s Growth 40 report is any indication, plenty of quick-service brands will soon be following in the footsteps of basketball superstar LeBron James and taking their talents to South Beach.
Miami tops QSR’s fourth annual Growth 40 report, claiming the first spot among the nation’s largest markets, while Austin, Texas, and Palm Springs, California, earn top honors among medium and small markets, respectively.
Conducted by Port Washington, New York–based foodservice research firm The NPD Group for the second consecutive year, the Growth 40 report investigates population projections, quick-service unit density, and traffic gains at quick-service eateries in hundreds of markets across the U.S. This year, the Growth 40 report embraced new demographic data pulled from the 2010 Census, fresh figures that sparked some compelling movement in the rankings.
Last year, for instance, Miami sat outside the top 10 among large markets, hampered by a paltry 1 percent projected jump in population between 2011 and 2016. The revised population forecasts, specifically the metro area’s projected 10 percent population gain by 2018, catapulted Miami to the top.
“With the current population updates, some growth rates turned out higher than expected,” says Greg Starzynski, director of foodservice project management with NPD Group. “With better data and newer information added to the model, changes resulted.”
In an effort to shine a spotlight on lesser-known markets across the U.S., this year’s Growth 40 also pinpoints 10 large markets instead of last year’s 15, while ranking 15 small markets instead of last year’s 10.
Population: 3,000,000 and more
With towering residential skyscrapers sitting vacant and with rising unemployment, Miami was, at a time, a poster child for the recession’s ills. Today, however, Miami has a different story to tell: a strengthening economy, an ever-expanding tourism clientele, and an influx of new residents. As a result, the NPD Group predicts Miami will see a 16 percent jump in quick-service traffic over the next five years.
“We were hit hard by the financial meltdown, but there’s fresh money in the city now,” says Ghazi Hajj, CEO of Miami-based GrilliT, which has three stores in the Miami market and looks to open as many as 20 additional Miami-area units over the next five years.
With its anticipated 10 percent jump in population, a rate bested only by Dallas among large markets, Miami’s post-recession resurrection is well underway. Strong job growth is driving Miami’s renaissance. From August 2012 to August 2013, Miami’s unemployment rate dropped from 8.9 to 7.3 percent, a tally that puts the area on par with the national average.
“When we see population increasing and unemployment heading down, those are very positive signs for a market,” says Lee Zimmerman, director of new store development for Stevi B’s Pizza, a concept targeting Miami-area expansion.
Miami has more to boast about—namely, a quick-service unit density number of 95 restaurants per 100,000 residents, which is also second among large markets.
With four Miami stores opened over the last two years and as many as 15 slated to open over the next four years, Corner Bakery Café is one of many brands bullish on the city. Corner Bakery president Gary Price is encouraged by Miami’s rebounding real estate market and an influx of upper-income residents.
“We believe Miami’s fully rebounded from the economic hit and has a lot of space to grow,” says Price, whose 160-unit concept is looking to double its national unit count over the next three years.
Room to grow is precisely what continues attracting Corner Bakery and others to the Growth 40’s large-market runner-up, Salt Lake City. Utah’s biggest metro market claims a quick-service density number of 93, the most favorable figure among the Growth 40’s top 10 large markets. By 2018, Salt Lake City’s population is expected to jump 9 percent, while the NPD Group forecasts a 12 percent rise in quick-service traffic.
The appeal in the growing population base, expanding jobs and housing market, and business-friendly environment in Salt Lake City is simply too good to ignore, Price says, adding that Corner Bakery will open three new Salt Lake City restaurants in 2014.
Behind Miami and Salt Lake City, the nation’s capital continues its run near the top of the Growth 40 rankings. Bolstered by a projected 10 percent population increase, Washington, D.C., follows its runner-up spot on last year’s list with a third-place finish this year.
While no market is recession-proof, the government’s presence in D.C. provides the metro area rare stability. D.C. also holds the fifth-highest per capita income in the U.S., according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Last year’s large-market leader, Denver, placed fourth in 2013. Though Denver’s population continues to rise, so, too, does quick-service competition in the marketplace, a reality that curtails some brands’ entry into the Mile High market. According to NPD Group data, Denver’s quick-service unit density of 118 trails only Seattle as the worst among the top 10 large markets. Denver also holds the runner-up spot among all U.S. markets when it comes to the number of fast-casual chain units per resident. At 12.76 fast-casual chain restaurants per 100,000 residents, Denver is at more than two-and-a-half times the national average.
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Mercedes-Benz had vetoed the idea of bringing the E63 wagon to the States in 2010, but what was once is about to change in 2012. The U.S. market will be in high anticipation of the 2012 E63 AMG wagon which arrives later this year. The E63 will be powered by a twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V8.
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J.C. Penney has been aggressive about its turnaround efforts over the last year, introducing a fast fashion line to compete with H&M and Zara, hiring new executives to help boost its omnichannel offering and saving $100 from ramped up sustainability initiatives, among other things.
Now the company’s still-new CEO Marvin Ellison says the retailer is on track to bring in $1.2 billion in earnings by 2017.
At a “Redefining Retail” conference this week, Ellison shared his vision for a more seamless Penney’s shopping experience, stronger private label brands and more revenue per customer, according to Chain Store Age.
“We believe that (our) turnaround will be driven by three things,” Chain Store Age reported Ellison as saying. “We have to make sure that we have a great omnichannel experience for customers, ensure that our private brands are something that create key points of differentiation, and we have to monetize every engagement with the customer so that when he or she comes in we offer them something that gives them the ability to solve a problem, serve a need and excite them to come back the next day.”
Ellison went on to tout the company’s strengths, like its Sephora and Disney shop in shops and celebrity partnerships, but didn’t hesitate to highlight areas for improvement, like e-commerce, supply chain and data processing.
In August, Penney’s hired former Home Depot (which Internet Retailer named Internet Retailer of the Year for 2014) omnichannel executive Michael Amend to be its EVP of omnichannel and former Target global supply chain executive Mike Robbins as its new SVP of supply chain to fill some of those voids Ellison feels the retailer has.
As he was taking the helm this summer, Ellison said the key focus for Penney’s would be sustainable shareholder value.
“We have to find a way to have sustainable growth in a way that we can start to get a return to the shareholders that is less, what I would call, disruptive and more sustainable,” he said.


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The Fishers, N.Y.-based New York Apple Association is kicking off the holiday season with new poly bags and a big holiday retail display contest.
Going into mid-November and beyond, the outlook is very good for Texas produce, industry sources say.
The produce department of tomorrow may not be one.
Keeping in place a tomato suspension agreement between Mexican growers and the Commerce Department, the International Trade Commission ruled that Mexican tomatoes sold at less than “fair value” threaten the U.S.
Nov 22, 2019 by Tom Karst


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ITV newscaster Alastair Stewart will host a debate at BETA International 2016 – the world’s leading equestrian, country clothing, outdoor and pet product trade exhibition.
The debate will see key players in the equestrian world go head-to-head in a series of discussions, airing their views on the latest issues affecting different sectors of the trade.
Mr Stewart said: “I am delighted to be participating in BETA International once again. It is the premier gathering for the industries that support our brilliant equestrian sports.
“Showjumping is central to my family and I am proud to be an ambassador for British Showjumping, but eventing, dressage and racing are brilliant too – and, as a nation, we’re pretty good at all of it.
“I am looking forward to hosting a debate and question time at the show, which should be both informative and entertaining. I hope visitors will come along and join us.”
BETA International organiser Claire Thomas said: “We are thrilled that Alastair has agreed to take part in the 2016 fair.”
The 2016 show takes place at the NEC, Birmingham, from January 24 to 26.


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Caterpillar delivered quarterly earnings that topped Wall Street's expectations on Thursday, but its revenue and guidance fell short of forecasts.
The manufacturer of construction and mining equipment reported adjusted earnings of 83 cents a share, matching results in the year-earlier period. Revenue fell to $9.57 billion from $11.03 billion.
Shares were lower before the bell.
Analysts expected Caterpillar to report fourth-quarter earnings of 66 cents per share on revenue of $9.84 billion, according to a Thomson Reuters consensus estimate.
It also lowered its guidance for 2017 sales and revenue from about $38 billion to a range of $36 billion to $39 billion. It expects adjusted profit of $2.90 a share, falling short of analyst estimates of $3.04 per share.
"Our results for the fourth quarter, while slightly better than expected, continued to reflect pressure in many of our end markets from weak economic conditions around much of the world," said Caterpillar CEO Jim Umpleby in a release.
The company's stock is up 16 percent since President Donald Trump won the Nov. 8 election. During his campaign, Trump vowed to spend more on infrastructure.
Looking ahead, Caterpillar sees early indications of a modest recovery in several of its businesses, including signs that mining-related sales may have bottomed and rebounding sales in China.
Additionally, it noted the prospects for tax reform and increased infrastructure spending in the U.S. — two top-priority initiatives of Trump's — are "encouraging." While these proposed changes would likely be a "solid positive" for Caterpillar, it does not expect to see a meaningful impact until next year.
— CNBC's Berkeley Lovelace contributed to this report.


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Super ATV opens manufacturing and distribution center in Shreveport
Super ATV’s new manufacturing and distribution center in Shreveport is open. It will employ 75 workers. The Indiana based company specializes in aftermarket parts for ATVs and UTVs. North Louisiana Economic Partnership President Scott Martinez says Super ATV is a great addition to the Sportsman’s paradise.
“There are lots of people with side-by-sides with ATVs here and they are always want to do add-ons and customize them and having a facility like Super ATV in Shreveport really facilitates that,” said Martinez.
Martinez says Super ATV’s new Shreveport site will support product manufacturing and delivery across the United States.
“They didn’t have a presence in the southeast and they have a significant customer base in the southeast, from Florida to Texas that can be served,” said Martinez.
Martinez says Super ATV expects to generate the highest sales volume from Shreveport for its axles, portal gear lifts, mud tires and lift kits.
“You can take your ATV there and you can find the components you want, they’ll eventually be at the point where they can install and customize it, trip it out for you and really make it what you want it to be,” said Martinez.


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Peer-to-peer (P2P) lending in China is not for the faint of heart — and that’s putting it lightly. Banks offer credit limits to borrowers that would seem punitively low in much of the Western world, so there is a pent-up demand for online alternatives. However, a wave of P2P failures — more than 200 since June, according to estimates — have sparked investor protests and government crackdowns, along with increased investor anxiety.
Swimming against that tide is China-based P2P lending provider X Financial. Its initial public offering (IPO) on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) this week raised some $100 million, according to reports and a PYMNTS interview with X Financial CEO Shaoyong (Simon) Cheng. He spoke with Karen Webster about the P2P landscape in China and why having an IPO in the United States is about much more than just capital (hint: it’s about reputation and pride).
As recent events have shown (China began a nationwide crackdown on P2P lending last year, following a series of multi-billion dollar scams in the space), consumer finance is challenging in the massive country. The opportunity is also gigantic, Cheng told Webster, given that the country has some 800 million working adults, with less than half of them in possession of a credit card.
X Financial specializes in helping underserved prime borrowers and mass affluent investors in China by matching those borrowers with investors willing to loan them money. Cheng said 20 percent of those investors are traditional financial services institutions, and the rest are third-party investors. The company typically serves customers who have already — or would have — qualified for credit from established financial institutions (FIs), but cannot get enough money via that avenue. “They want more credit,” he said.
That means the big opportunity for X Financial comes from the 400 million or so Chinese consumers who have credit cards, but are hampered by limits that are too low. Those limits remain low because China is relatively undeveloped when it comes to credit bureaus and assessing credit risk, which makes lenders cautious and consumers frustrated. Young consumers freshly graduated from college also make attractive customers, he noted, since they have the earnings capacity and cards that have already passed a bank’s credit screen.
X Financial offerings include a balance-transfer credit card product and an unsecured, high-credit-limit loan product. The company has also built a proprietary risk-control system that uses behavioral, social and other data to determine the appeal of prospective lenders.
Technology serves as an advantage for X Financial, even beyond its underwriting engine. That’s because Chinese consumers have embraced mobile commerce and payments more than nearly everyone else in the world, which provides a wealth of consumer information. “We get much more data than the banks,” Cheng said, a situation that gives the company a deeper view of consumers’ risk potential. He also said X Financial’s risk engine — that proprietary technology — could certainly find use with other organizations and lines of business, but he stopped short of detailing any plans to, say, license that technology.
Cheng told Webster that X Financial, with its new IPO, has the cachet of going public in New York, which he said brings “branding” benefits and a bigger platform for burnishing its reputation as a top-tier online lender. The fresh capital and prestige could, indeed, enable expansion to other parts of Asia and other countries. However, that’s not the focus, at least for now. “China is so huge and offers so much potential,” he said.
In fact, the trends are positive so far in X Financial’s home country: 50 percent of borrowers end up borrowing again, and about 70 percent of the company’s individual investors continue to participate as part of the P2P marketplace. For the first half of 2018, X Financial’s revenue hit $279 million, with net income of $66.9 million. The company has facilitated 1.7 million loans, and has 1.3 million active borrowers and 199,000 individual investors.
P2P lending in China is a young, fluid and challenging industry, but Cheng said that X Financial is very much in sync with Chinese regulators — something that makes the company attractive to investors. With 1.3 million borrowers out of a pool of at least 400 million prospects, X Financial has plenty of runway to grow.


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Sold out online in less than one second, Olive Garden’s Never Ending Pasta Passes promotion for 2015 beat last year’s turnaround of 45 minutes flat. The campaign, which started at 2 p.m. Thursday, September 17, 2015, was an attempt to recreate last year’s success.
According to Business Insider, the passes cover seven weeks straight of unlimited pastas, breadsticks, salad, and Coca-Cola beverages. The pasta passes were so popular when offered for the first time last year that the Olive Garden website crashed before they even went on sale.
Widely known as an Italian-American restaurant chain across the United States, Olive Garden has been in business for 33 years. On December 13, 1982, it started as a single restaurant in Orlando, under the wing of General Mills Incorporated.
Olive Garden now exists as a subsidiary of General Mills’ spin-off Darden Restaurants Incorporated headquartered in Orange County, Florida. According to Statista, the number of outlets has bloomed to 846 Olive Garden restaurants operating in North America.
Despite all the attention grabbed by the Pasta Pass program since its inception in 2013, an improvement of the restaurant chain’s profitability picture is still much in the works. Parent company Darden crunches numbers with its board, taken over by investor Starboard Value.
Jose Duenas, executive vice president of marketing at Olive Garden, indicated that this year’s promotion celebrates the twentieth anniversary of the chain’s Never Ending Pasta Bowl, priced at $9.99, allowing people to gorge on as much pasta as they can in a single visit. Duenas made the following remark to New York Post.
“We see it as a manifestation of Italian generosity.”
Consumerist tracked feedback from Olive Garden customers participating in the event. One customer reportedly counted down to zero but gave up when he “immediately” received a sold out notification. Another customer who claimed he instantly saw the sold out page was still able to buy not one but two passes. The trick, he said, was that when the page counted down to the sold out message, he returned to the original page and re-clicked the link to buy, thus getting the checkout screen.
Fortune unearthed an exchange between a disgruntled customer and Olive Garden on Twitter. The customer tweeted the following.
“What a scam! As soon as the count down hit zero the next screen I got a second later said passes all sold out. What a joke.”
In response, Olive Garden tweeted back a reassurance.
“No scam, just high demand! Don’t worry, there’s still a chance to win a #PastaPass…” followed by a link to the promo.
[Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images]


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One of UAE’s leading international diamond companies Stargems Group, in collaboration with SACIM SARL (Anhui-Congo Mining Investment Company) has successfully tendered 641,962 carats of high-quality rough diamonds, in the Emirate. On the backdrop of a growing diamond trade in Dubai, Stargems has decided to foray in the diamond tendering business as the company envisions huge potential in the space.
As part of Stargems’ collaboration with SACIM SARL, more than 50 buyers attended the first 5-day event. This tender featured diamonds from SACIM SARL which is a joint venture between the Chinese Investment company AFECC group and the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Each party holds 50 percent of shares in the company. Through a unique sales platform developed by Stargems and SACIM SARL, artisanal manufacturers with smaller/medium size production units are able to buy their goods alongside larger industrial manufacturers.
“Our goal with such tenders, is to promote goods from SACIM Sarl all over the world and attract a multitude of diamond manufacturers and traders,” said Mr. Shailesh Javeri, Chairman, Stargems Group. “The increased number of bidders ensured that SACIM Sarl received the most profitable prices for their diamonds. With our last tender we were able to provide our partner with a 6% increase on their sales value.”
After an overwhelming response from bidders internationally during the first tender, the Congolese Company along with Stargems DMCC showcased superior quality rough diamonds during their second tender. The 5-day commerce from December 9th to December 13th, 2017 was a private showcase for diamond manufacturers, rough diamond traders and other industry professionals.
Mr. Bai Xiangqian, Managing Director, SACIM Sarl said, “Diamond tenders are vital means to generate revenues and assess the true market value of our goods, especially in a place such as Dubai, which has a unique ability to bring producers and consumers together in one place.”
According to Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), Dubai is one of the world’s top three diamond trading hubs and recorded a rough diamond imports rise of 16 percent to $6.3 billion in 2016 and the Exchange has contributed significantly to that growth. Two consecutive tenders in 30 days also substantiate the Emirate is growing into a hub for African market as it takes advantage of its transport links to India (world’s biggest importer), strong infrastructure, and relaxed banking procedures
The Stargems Group is an international diamond company that specializes in the sourcing and supply of the finest diamonds to customers across the world. Headquartered in the United Arab Emirates (Dubai), the Group has offices is in Antwerp, India, Hong Kong and Johannesburg. With a legacy of over 30 years in trading of diamonds, Stargems holds prominence in manufacturing, wholesaling and retailing of diamond jewelry.
Stargems is engaged in cutting and polishing diamonds as well as in jewelry manufacturing, branding and retailing. It exports its rough and polished diamonds and its diamond jewelry to various international markets in the Middle East, India, Hong Kong and Belgium. The Group continues to strive forward with plans to have multiple retail outlets and offices all around the world.