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United Services Automobile Association cut its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 4.3% in the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 267,918 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 12,009 shares during the quarter. United Services Automobile Association owned 0.06% of Costco Wholesale Corporation worth $44,927,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Ameriprise Financial Inc. raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation by 62.0% during the 1st quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 4,583,281 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $768,568,000 after purchasing an additional 1,753,741 shares in the last quarter. Swiss National Bank raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation by 26.2% during the 1st quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 1,597,008 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $267,802,000 after purchasing an additional 331,400 shares in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation by 15.2% during the 1st quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 2,197,302 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $368,466,000 after purchasing an additional 289,788 shares in the last quarter. Karp Capital Management Corp purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation during the 1st quarter worth about $46,978,000. Finally, Columbus Circle Investors purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation during the 1st quarter worth about $39,312,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 72.50% of the company’s stock.
A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Bank of America Corporation reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $192.00 price objective (up from $180.00) on shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation in a research note on Sunday, May 28th. Deutsche Bank AG set a $172.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale Corporation and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, July 31st. Wells Fargo & Company reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation in a report on Friday, May 26th. UBS AG raised Costco Wholesale Corporation from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, June 26th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets lowered Costco Wholesale Corporation from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating and lowered their target price for the company from $185.00 to $160.00 in a report on Monday, July 10th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have assigned a hold rating, twenty-one have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. The stock currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $179.35.
In other Costco Wholesale Corporation news, Director John W. Meisenbach sold 1,000 shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $159.25, for a total value of $159,250.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 4,974 shares in the company, valued at approximately $792,109.50. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 3,000 shares of company stock worth $477,120. 0.74% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ COST) opened at 159.14 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $69.80 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.63 and a beta of 0.93. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $142.11 and a 12-month high of $183.18. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $155.67 and its 200 day moving average price is $166.17.
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 18th were given a dividend of $0.50 per share. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.26%. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale Corporation’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.45. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, August 16th. Costco Wholesale Corporation’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 34.66%.
TRADEMARK VIOLATION WARNING: This news story was first posted by Dispatch Tribunal and is the property of of Dispatch Tribunal. If you are viewing this news story on another site, it was copied illegally and reposted in violation of international copyright & trademark law. The correct version of this news story can be read at https://www.dispatchtribunal.com/2017/09/06/united-services-automobile-association-has-44-93-million-position-in-costco-wholesale-corporation-cost.html.
Costco Wholesale Corporation Company Profile
Costco Wholesale Corporation is engaged in the operation of membership warehouses in the United States and Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Japan, Australia, Spain, and through its subsidiaries in Taiwan and Korea. As of August 28, 2016, the Company operated 715 warehouses across the world.
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- Toyota is investing $500 million into Uber, according to The Wall Street Journal.
- The investment round values Uber at $72 billion, The Journal said.
- Toyota and Uber are said to be partnering to develop self-driving car technology, an area where Uber has struggled.
Toyota will invest $500 million into Uber at a mammoth $72 billion valuation, the two companies announced on Monday, alongside a partnership developing autonomous-vehicle technology. The news was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
Uber’s tech will be integrated into custom-built Toyota vehicles that will be used for a network of self-driving cars, with the first pilots scheduled for 2021.
Uber and the Japanese auto giant have previously been in talks about both self-driving technology and more-general opportunities. Toyota invested in Uber in 2016 alongside an auto-leasing deal. Anda report in March said Uber was discussing selling self-driving tech to the company.
The deal is the first of its kind for Uber, and signals our commitment to bringing world-class technologies to the Uber network,” said Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi in a statement. “Our goal is to deploy the world’s safest self-driving cars on the Uber network, and this agreement is another significant step towards making that a reality. Uber’s advanced technology and Toyota’s commitment to safety and its renowned manufacturing prowess make this partnership a natural fit. I look forward to seeing what our teams accomplish together.”
Uber has previously been valued at $69 billion in a private venture-capital investment round, though SoftBank invested in the California firm in December at a $48 billion valuation.
Uber has said it considers self-driving technology crucial to its future — but it has had a bumpy ride.
It was caught up in a high-profile trade-secrets lawsuit over Anthony Levandowski, an executive it hired away from Waymo, the self-driving-car startup spun out of Google. And in March, one of Uber’s self-driving vehicles hit and killed a woman in Arizona in what appeared to be the first pedestrian fatality involving an autonomous vehicle.

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Network Appliance Inc. (NetApp) will next week announce plans to OEM data classification software from Mountain View, Calif., startup Kazeon Systems Inc., adding an important piece of ILM technology to its portfolio.
Data classification software indexes information and executes a range of precise actions on that content. Based on policies, it can determine access rights to a file, as well as its residency, movement and final home within the storage infrastructure. That's the theory at least.
"Data classification is where the rubber meets the road, it's the core starting point of an ILM system … You can't make decisions about your data until it's classified," said W. Curtis Preston, vice president of service development at storage consultancy Glasshouse Technologies Inc.
Steve Duplessie, founder and senior analyst at the Enterprise Strategy Group Inc., added that Kazeon's software is notable for its ability to work with legacy data as well as new files, which differentiates it from other data classifications products on the market. Arkivio Inc., Seven Ten Storage Software Inc., Abrevity Inc. and StoredIQ Corp. also sell data classification products.
"Finding data, ranking it, moving it and protecting it is a huge challenge," Preston said. "As a result, it's the biggest barrier to implementing ILM … It's an incredibly painful process today because it is so manual."
NetApp and Kazeon declined to comment on the deal before its official announcement next week, but sources close to both companies said it will be some time before the fully functioning product is available. For example, Kazeon is talking about a migration capability, but this is still a ways off on its road map.
Users requiring a data migration tool today can check out NetApp's only other OEM partner, NuView Inc., which sells a product called File Lifecycle Manager that will migrate data between primary and secondary storage.
"Content and meta data-based classification are important for users ... One is used for compliance and the other is used for lifecycle management, thereby saving primary storage and backup costs," said Rahul Mehta, founder and CEO of NuView.
Another consideration when classifying data is how much of it might be wrongly classified and what happens if a user tries to implement encryption alongside data classification, as the two are handled separately.
NetApp's deal with Kazeon is the second announcement in a matter of months that stretches the company beyond its traditional NAS roots into a new market. NetApp acquired storage security appliance maker Decru Inc. for $272 million in June.
The company's acquisition and partnering strategy appears to be around bleeding-edge technology that's a long way off from mainstream adoption. "It's an interesting strategy, given the company missed its numbers last quarter," said Dan Renouard, analyst with Robert W. Baird & Co.
Moreover, NetApp still hasn't fixed the problem of scaling its filers, which was supposed to be solved with the $300 million acquisition of Spinnaker Networks Inc. in November 2003.
"That's a hard problem to solve. They have the right road map, but yes, it's taking a while," Duplessie said.
From a competitive standpoint, EMC Corp. is also gobbling up startups, recently acquiring file migration player Rainfinity Inc. and SAN switch provider Maranti Networks Inc. It's clear that both companies are buying innovative products long before they are building them.


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Groupon Inc. shares fell in late trading after the largest daily-deal website reported second- quarter revenue that missed estimates as economic weakness in Europe curbed international sales of online coupons.
Sales rose 45% to US$568.3-million, the Chicago-based company said today in a statement. That fell short of the average analyst estimate of US$575.3-million, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Profit excluding some costs was US8 cents a share, which incorporates a US4-cent gain from items including the exchange of a minority interest in its China operations. Analysts projected profit before items of US3 cents.
International revenue, which makes up more than half of sales, was reduced by currency weakness in Europe, Groupon Chief Financial Officer Jason Child said. The results suggest Groupon may be struggling to find new areas of growth as the market for daily deals matures, said Edward Woo, an analyst at Ascendiant Capital Markets LLC.
“The fact that foreign exchange is having that big of an impact is not good because people were hoping for high enough growth that foreign exchange isn’t an issue,” said Woo, who is based in Irvine, California.
Groupon shares fell as much as 21% to US$6 in extended trading following the report. Earlier, the stock increased 1.5% to US$7.55 at the close in New York. The shares have dropped 62% since the company’s initial public offering in November, leaving Groupon with a market value of US$4.88-billion — less than the US$6-billion buyout offer the company received from Google Inc. before it opted for an IPO.
The company makes money by selling discounts — known as Groupons — from businesses such as restaurants and nail salons. It then splits the revenue with the businesses.
Second-quarter net income was US$28.4-million, or US4 cents a share, compared with a loss of US$107.4-million, or US35 cents, a year earlier.
International revenue increased 31% to $308.2 million in the second quarter, Groupon said. Growth would have been 45% without the impact of foreign exchange rates, the company said.
“We had some challenges in Europe,” Child said in an interview. “Because over half of our business is outside the U.S., the strengthening of the U.S. dollar versus the variety of currencies that we transacted declined since we gave guidance last quarter.”
Groupon’s marketing costs fell 58% to US$88.4-million in the second quarter from US$212.7-million a year earlier.
Third-quarter revenue will be US$580-million to US$620-million, Groupon said in the statement. That compares with an average analyst estimate of US$607.4-million.
The company plans to add hundreds of workers to its office in Palo Alto, California, where it’s building a suite of technology products for local merchants including Groupon Scheduler, an online appointment-booking system, and Groupon Rewards, a loyalty program.
LivingSocial, the top rival to Groupon, narrowed its losses in the second quarter after revenue more than doubled to US$138-million from US$59-million a year earlier, according to a regulatory filing by one of its backers, Amazon.com Inc.


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The meat packing industry holds many serious safety and health hazards. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that there was an average of 12.6 injuries or illnesses per 100 full time meatpacking employees, twice as high as the average for all U.S. manufacturing jobs. This number is believed to be too low as many workers injuries go unreported due to employee misinformation or intimidation. In novel Fast Food Nation, author Eric Schlosser gives the reader a behind the scenes look at what actually goes on in meatpacking plants in the chapter labeled as “The Most Dangerous Job.” During this experiment Schlosser uncovers the truth about how many injuries truly occur and how unsanitary these plants actually are. Schlosser goes into great detail of the lengths plant mangers will go to allow unsafe working conditions such as cutting in close quarters, exposure to toxic chemicals, slippery floor
Millions of people die each year from diseases caused by unhealthy food and lifestyle choices. Fast food and processed food are very inexpensive and are some of the worst foods for humans from a nutritional view. They can increase the risk for heart disease, diabetes, and heart attacks. Many people discuss these topics, like Michael Moss, a New York Times investigative reporter. “The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food” by Michael Moss addresses the effects of processed food.
Weaknesses: 1) - In 2002 most fast food chains were desperately slashing prices in a bid to go increasingly lower. 2) - The lack of an easily recognizable product comparable to McDonald 's big Mac or Burger King 's whopper. 3) - Wendy 's moved into the future without founder Dave Thomas. Strengths: 1) - It reported higher in revenues in 2002. 2) - It had over 9,000 restaurants in 33 countries worldwide.
According to Centres of Disease Control and Prevention more than one-third (34.9% or 76.6 million) of U.S adults are obese. In this fast moving world, may it be people from the corporate world or even students no one really have the time to wait to get their food done. So the only way is that they buy themselves fast food. However, awareness is being created these days about the effects of fast food people are also starting to blame fast food for increasing rate of obesity. Obesity has now become a global issue and it requires serious concentration by the health ministry as well as the consumers.
One of the central problems in the discussion on food waste is that many people throw away food too early. A report co-authored by the Natural Resources Defense Council and Harvard Law School’s Food Law and Policy Clinic shows that misconceptions about the expiration date on food leads 90% of American consumers to throw away edible food. Consequently, America waste 40% of their food production every year. Many people do not know that freezing meat can make it last longer. When the meat becomes frozen, the growth rate of bacteria drops significantly, enough to make it last for op to nine months after the expiration date.
After World War I, with the construction of White Castle (Wilson). Since then, the whole structure of American culture and landscape has been built on the foundation holding up these businesses which has begun to show up in various cultures. In the novel, Fast Food Nation written by Eric Schlosser, a farmer by the name of Carl Karcher, who eventually is the founder of Carl jr. fast-food restaurant states, “When I first met my wife the roads were gravel, and now it’s blacktop.” (Schlosser 28). He says this with a more positive connotation, which is ironic because the only reason the roads changed was to further benefit the fast food industries. Even in the rural area where Karcher lived, America was adapting to a more convenient and faster way to get to these franchises in a shorter amount of time: highways.
This system is a risk-based system that is the international standard for food manufacturing businesses, but is intricate as it involves a lot of paper work, the need for technical expertise and a large amount of resources to put into service. Consequently, this system for food safety has not achieved a great level of success in the hospitality industry. Moreover, majority of chefs believe that it is too complicated, arduous and nothing more than bureaucratic sledge hammer (Forte,
Literature Review The following literature review looks at various factors which affect the purchasing habits of consumers when it comes to fast food and also considers if the introductions of cheaper meals for poverty-stricken patrons increase the sales of fast food outlets. In an article written by Holly Richmond (2013) (Appendix-Addendum A) she states that 47% of Americans eat fast food on a weekly basis and that 4% never eat at fast food outlets. According to Richmond (2013) the number of Americans who eat fast food regularly has gone down, even though it only went down by one percent. Richmond (2013) states that younger individuals are the biggest customers of fast food, but not because one would expect younger individuals to be more economically challenged. According to Richmond (2013) the opposite occurs: higher income individuals provide much more business to fast food outlets than lower income individuals, 51% of higher income individuals who earn more than $75000 annually eat fast food weekly, whilst only 39% of individuals who earn less than $20000 annually eat fast food weekly.
In the late 1800s, when the food packaging industry became popularized, there were little to no safety regulations put in place. In 1906 American journalist and novelist, Upton Sinclair, wrote a groundbreaking novel telling the public about the horrors that took place in the meat-packing industry in Chicago. The Jungle exposed the tales of rotten, diseased and contaminated meat that people ate every day, which left the public appalled and paved the way for new federal food safety laws. (Onysko) As time went on, more and more regulations have been put in place and people felt at ease. Little did they know, even though the conditions are much better, there are still many issues present.
Previously, when such incidents occurred, the store manager warned the staff. Also, he reprimanded them. This kind of careless behavior has been a common scenario at the store. A few times, the customers have complained about the grocery items being missing from their place and kept at some other corner. This results in wastage of time and irritated customers.


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Pedernales Electric Cooperative’s Community & Economic Development team has launched a new regional website that is designed to promote the Texas Hill Country as a great place to invest in new retail, corporate headquarters, manufacturing or distribution facilities.
The electric cooperative provides power to a 8,100-square mile service territory that includes some of the fastest-growing counties in the country.
The new website, texashillcountrysiteselection.com, will be a resource for corporate site selectors around the country. The site will have a searchable list of available properties in the service territory as well as demographic information, such as population size, average education levels and proximity to airports.
The site will also feature news and information from local organizations and links to area chambers of commerce.
“PEC has a strategic goal to provide meaningful community support,” said PEC’s Community & Economic Development Supervisor Trista Fugate in a release. “The Co-op is committed to helping Hill Country communities flourish. When PEC and our local cities and economic development groups partner on a site like this, together we can have a larger impact and be more attractive to corporations looking to bring businesses and jobs to the region.”
Property owners and real estate officials who might be interested in having a property listed on the site can contact CED@peci.com.
Pedernales is the largest electric distribution cooperative in the country. It serves more than 260,000 active accounts. New economic development would also diversify and enhance the co-op's customer base.


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Among the measures proposed by the data security branch of GCHQ to cut risks after Windows XP support ends is a block on government workers with the OS remotely accessing the network.
Showing results 1 to 20 of 93
We take Vodafone's new 4G (LTE) network for a test-drive using Sony's 10.1-inch Xperia Tablet Z.
Companies will have tough decisions to make when leaving XP behind – and that could provide an opening for Apple, Google and others keen to find a foothold on the enterprise desktop.
Chinese government wants public feedback on its draft proposal for mobile virtual network operator trials, aimed at increasing competition in the market dominated by three telcos.
Customers wanting to get their hands on the cut-down iPad tablet running on a 4G network can do so from Thursday in the UK.
Microsoft is seeking user-experience feedback from those who've bought Surface RT tablet/PCs.
Get ready for more advertising to hit your tablets with the announcement of Mojiva Tab
At long last, Microsoft Windows 7 has overtaken the 11-year-old Windows XP on Netmarketshare's web-based tracking network, while Mac OS X is now a percentage point ahead of Vista. There are also new numbers for mobile operating systems and browsers.
For networks big enough to justify the cost, Fluke's OptiView XG is the only tool you'll need to solve most network problems. However, it's just too expensive for smaller networks.
Facebook for iPad app includes chat function and full-screen photo viewing...
After resoundingly negative feedback, the government may consider letting National Broadband Network (NBN) customers opt-out of the mandatory battery backup for the network termination unit (NTU), a parliamentary committee on the NBN has heard today.
Network equipment vendor launches business-grade device to address lack of durable tablet options, and releases new mobile app framework to let developers code once for multiple platforms.
Philadelphia Media Network is gambling that getting tablet computers into the hands of readers will be a path to salvation.
As smartphone and tablet sales rise, so is the stress put on mobile networks. Research out today warns mobile network operators on data usage pricing.
Microsoft really, really wants you to move to Windows 7, but you still really don't want to leave XP do you? Besides, you'd rather be using a tablet or a smartphone anyway wouldn't you?
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G is lighter, slimmer, and designed to work on a faster network than the iPad 2. But at $530 for the 16 GB version, will consumers pay more for an Android tablet?
Research In Motion's BlackBerry PlayBook tablet launched on Friday but Vodafone is the only UK network currently stocking the device.Out of the major UK mobile networks, the seven-inch 16GB PlayBook device is currently only being offered for sale on launch day by Vodafone — priced at £399 — but is not currently being offered on subsidised contract deals.
Fluke Networks has announced the OptiView XG Network Analysis Tablet, a 10.25in.
The nation's number two telco Optus has confirmed plans to bust open the doors of the love nest created this week by Telstra and Motorola, saying that it will launch the US mobile giant's Xoom Android tablet on its own network just a month after the device goes on sale with Telstra.
Telstra has today confirmed that it will bring the Motorola Xoom tablet to the Next G network in May after the telco's commitment to the device was leaked exclusively to ZDNet Australia yesterday.
The best of ZDNet, delivered
- 1 Perfectly legal ways you can still get Windows 7 cheap (or even free)
- 2 Windows 10: You've got questions, I've got answers
- 3 Hands-on with Windows 10: Installing the latest Technical Preview
- 4 31 ways to improve your iPhone's battery life
- 5 How much does an iPhone 6 really cost? (Hint: It's way more than $199)


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As many in the trade community are aware, the passage of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (“UFLPA”) in 2021 reflected a new focus on enforcing the laws against importations of goods made with forced labor. Since that law’s passage U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) has been working to build infrastructure to enforce the law. Now comes word that CBP intends to launch a new portal for forced labor issues in mid-2024.
The portal, which was announced recently in a directorate from the Forced Labor Division for the Office of Trade, is predicted to be released in mid-2024. The directorate focuses on the data collected on UFLPA, Withhold Release Orders (“WRO’s”), the Forced Labor Working Group, and the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (“FLETF”) over the years since UFLPA’s enactment in 2021. In addition to enforcement statistics, the directorate also indicates advances to the Automated Commercial Environment’s (“ACE”) electronic detention notice system for those notices related to UFLPA detentions as well as other types of detentions. The electronic notice advancements, presumably meant to efficiently alert importers of detentions and submission due dates, are set for takeoff in early 2024.
The new centralized website portal announced is specific for UFLPA and forced labor enforcement. The portal will allow the public to submit allegations, WRO or forced labor Findings requests for modification, as well as UFLPA admissibility reviews, and exception and applicability requests. CBP hopes that the new UFLPA portal and other enhancements will promote transparency on UFLPA enforcement with importers moving forward.
Forced labor law has sky-rocketed in the past few years, and the attorneys at Barnes, Richardson & Colburn is here to help importers navigate the ever-changing legal landscape of forced labor compliance.


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The two companies said on Friday the first Siemens products based on Microsoft software
The market for automotive infotainment products is set to grow to about $54 billion by 2012 from $38 billion currently, according to research group iSuppli.
The rise of portable media players and content downloadable from the Internet is forcing carmakers and their suppliers to rethink their offerings, which have until recently centered on standalone audio systems.
Siemens automotive unit VDO, which is being bought by car-parts maker Continental for $15.6 billion, said using would give it more room to concentrate on its core competencies.
Siemens VDO also makes driver-assistance and safety systems.
"In addition, Siemens VDO will also be able to actively help shape Microsoft Auto and license platform-compliant applications, such as navigation functions, for
The companies said their first milestone would be a multimedia platform that would make it possible to integrate consumer-electronic functions and portable devices.
"Consequently, new solutions in
"This helps close the gap between the short development cycles in communications and information technology and the comparatively long product cycles in automotive engineering."


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You know you’re in for a treat when the story you’re reading has, in big red letters, “Please note that this story is based upon rumor and/or speculation.” So let’s begin with that and move on to points rendered.
Manager Magazin in Germany is reporting that both Sony and Ericsson are thinking of shutting down or selling their Sony Ericsson joint venture, a partnership that has thus far spawned little more than a few nice feature phones a whole lot of hype. The company has posted a Q4 2008 loss of $187 million.
Ericsson didn’t comment in the article – and they wouldn’t because it has already negatively affected their stock price – but my feeling is that S-E is ready to fold up shop. This reminds me of BenQ’s slow death. The company had a few interesting ideas but couldn’t breach the atmospheric barrier called Nokia.
If they sold the venture they would presumably sell the handset designs and R&D to the highest bidder.


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Ski resorts prepare to open
Nevada Appeal News Service
ALPINE MEADOWS ” Ski resort representatives from around Lake Tahoe are setting antipated opening dates and getting ready for new features this winter.
Following Boreal Mountain Resort’s opening Thursday, resorts plan to open around late November, many with new things to offer this winter. Heavenly Mountain Resort anticipates a Nov. 21 opening, and Kirkwood Mountain Resort plans to open sometime this month. Sierra-at-Tahoe is dependent on snow and hasn’t announced a date.
Squaw Valley USA and Northstar-at-Tahoe are shooting for a Nov. 22 opening. Northstar representatives said the resort has spent the off-season expanding Lookout Mountain, adding 500 vertical feet and more than 100 acres of new terrain.
Anticipating a Nov. 26 opening, Alpine Meadows promoted its new Last Chair Bar and Restaurant in the Main Lodge and its new executive chef, Chris Patrick, who came from Park City, Utah, where he was the executive chef for Bistro 412.
Diamond Peak representative Kayla Anderson said the resort is continuing to blow snow while awaiting a Dec. 11 opening. With a $4 million renovation to its Base Lodge and a Private Last Tracks offer, Diamond Peak is excited to unveil their new mountain to the public.
“With Private Last Tracks, skiers and boarders can take the last chair up for the day, enjoy delicious food and wine, and then ride down freshly groomed trails to the base area,” Anderson said.
Representatives took part in the annual winter recreation luncheon Thursday at Alpine Meadows.
Not limited to ski resort updates, the winter recreation luncheon gave representatives from 37 businesses and organizations a chance to hear what’s new in the Tahoe business world.
Though they were excited to talk about their own companies, almost everyone was pulling for a productive winter with a lot of snow.


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Empowering locals to bring phone signal to remote areas
We’re constantly looking for innovative ways to improve the Springwise experience, and so we’re now introducing BeeLine Reader, a new technology that helps you read more quickly and efficiently. To learn more about BeeLine Reader, an award-winning startup funded by Intel Capital, see BeeLineReader.com.
More and more products are being developed which enable disabled and disadvantaged consumers to gain access to mobile telecommunications. Whether that be OwnFone — the simplified, affordable phone that only makes and receives calls, or Sesame the touch free smartphone, these devices are ensuring that telecommunication is available to everyone across the western world. Now, Berkeley-based start-up Endaga have identified another massively deprived market — rural communities living in the remotest corners of the world where telecoms aren't likely to extend the grid any time soon. Endaga believe that in the meantime, a new local ownership model, alongside CCN1 —…
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Agriculture ministry: Japanese market highly important to Hungary
Nagy said there were opportunities for cooperation in numerous areas, including the exchange of technological know-how and foreign trading. He highlighted the potential for economic cooperation in pork, poultry, duck, honey and medical food, the ministry added.
The talks also covered the security of food supplies and Nagy said Hungary’s agriculture and food industry had the capacity to supply more than 20 million people. Hungary’s food industry is undergoing a renewal and instead of base materials, the country wants to export processed, good quality food products. Resources allocated for investment and technology modernisation have been tripled, and Japanese investors are welcome to participate in the process, he added.
Hungary has one of the largest gene banks in Europe and there is significant economic potential in indigineous Hungarian species, he said. Wine-making is a priority area for Hungary and the aim is to be able to present the high-quality products to an increasingly large audience, he added.
Hungary continues to support the discontinuation of sanctions against Japanese food products in the European Union resulting from the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Nagy said.


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In WWE’s Q1 2012 results total revenues grew to $123.1 million, up from $119.9 million in the corresponding quarter 2011.
Revenues from its consumer products division rose two per cent, to $35.5 million, driven by increased sales in home video.
Despite decline in video games and toys, licensing bought in $24 million compared to $23.9 million in the prior year quarter, as “the recognition of minimum guarantees was offset by a decline in royalties earned from several product categories.”
Revenue from sales of video games declined 11 per cent while toys took a six per cent hit.
Vince McMahon, chairman and chief executive officer said: “Through the first quarter, we made important progress on our key strategic initiatives, developing our foundation for creating and distributing new content, and building on tremendous brand strength, especially in social media.
“Looking ahead, we are confident that we will leverage the broad appeal of our concent to transform our business and drive long-term earnings growth.”


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Inflation Leads Private Equity Execs, Lenders to Confront a New Reality
The knock-on effects of the coronavirus pandemic are creating an inflationary environment not seen in decades. Here’s how middle-market investors are approaching it.
Inflation is defining the market for the first time in more than 30 years. The consumer price index increased by roughly 7% in 2021, the largest jump since 1982. Faced with higher input costs, middle-market businesses and their private equity sponsors are having to adjust their expectations for growth and profitability, and in some cases, rethink their approach to M&A.
“Businesses are experiencing rising costs from several different angles in their operations,” says James Fellows, CIO at First Eagle Alternative Credit. “It’s a combination of the supply chain, and higher energy and labor costs.”
Although it’s tempting to attribute the current inflationary environment to the pandemic, much of it stems from trade hostilities between the U.S. and China as U.S. importers absorb higher costs related to the 20% tariff on Chinese goods.
This is a preview of a story that originally appeared in Middle Market DealMaker’s Spring 2022 issue. Read the full story in the archive.
This section of the report was illustrated by John Krause & Ken Orvidas
COVID-19 hasn’t helped. Its knock-on effects caused the global supply chain to seize up, while stimulus measures around the world increased people’s purchasing power without increasing production. At the same time, companies that are transporting parts, components and other products from a backlog of container ships are now having to pay hefty overtime rates to do so.
In response to these rising costs, companies are looking for ways to close the gaps in their balance sheets.
Meahgan O’Grady, director of business development at Palladium Equity Partners, says that many attempted to pass through only partial price increases to the end consumer in early 2020. However, prolonged supply chain issues are now compounded by labor shortages, inflation and impending interest rate hikes, prompting some businesses to increase prices multiple times in a relatively short period.
“In general, customers understand the pressures and have been accepting,” O’Grady says.
However, Michael Ewald, managing director and global head of private credit at Bain Capital Credit, says that costs aren’t always being passed on in the current environment. Some manufacturers are accepting lower profitability in the interim or cutting expenses where they can.
Adapting to the New Reality
With inflationary pressures in just about every sector, many companies are now tamping down their growth forecasts and focusing on profitability. At the same time, expectations around deal pricing are beginning to change.
“What’s different now…is what private equity firms are willing to pay for companies given the headwinds of extended inflation,” Ewald says. “Their focus hasn’t changed, but their price expectations have.”
What’s different now … is what private equity firms are willing to pay for companies given the headwinds of extended inflation.
Head of Private Credit, Bain Capital Credit
The most sought-after businesses today aren’t necessarily the same ones that investors flocked to over the past two years. “Smarter” private equity firms are now searching for companies that have pricing power rather than those whose performance was boosted by the pandemic as investors look toward a post-COVID reality, says Max Wolff, managing partner at venture lender Leste Clearway Capital.
One concern for his firm when evaluating prospective borrowers is whether they’re planning to raise prices for customers. Another factor is the nature of a company’s debt. Wolff suggests investors will make a point of acquiring companies without short-term debt, as shorter maturities will reset interest rates sooner.
For private equity firms, exits might take longer than usual. Ewald notes that investors could potentially increase their hold periods. He notes that sponsors might have certain price expectations for their exits, which could take longer to realize in an inflationary environment.
In general, lenders are treading carefully as they account for the impact of rising prices throughout the economy, and have started to change the way that they quantify inflation risk and manage the potential for downside and losses.
A number of economists have predicted that growth in the consumer price index should moderate to around 3% over the course of 2022. Yet that number will ultimately hinge on a return to normalcy for supply chains and energy prices. It’s also possible that the Federal Reserve’s much-anticipated interest rate hike could temper inflation, according to Palladium’s O’Grady. However, she cautions that the effects may not be apparent immediately.
“A rise in interest rates will take time to trickle down to the root causes of the inflation. Furthermore, the rates will likely rise slowly to allow for the economy to digest them,” she says. “I’d say we’ll have a good idea of how much or how little the rise in rates is helping with inflation by the end of the summer.”
A rise in interest rates will take time to trickle down to the root causes of the inflation.
Director of Business Development, Palladium Equity Partners
Fellows says that the current inflationary scenario could persist for at least a couple of years. Ewald says that portfolio companies are expecting freight issues to last until the end of this year or sometime in 2023 based on forward contracts. Still, the effectiveness of a rate hike, or even a series of them, isn’t guaranteed. Meanwhile, Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine casts further uncertainty on the market and rising costs.
Related content: What the Russia-Ukraine Conflict Means for Global M&A
Despite the specter of continuing inflation, many agree that private equity sponsors are in a strong position to help their portfolio companies achieve some level of profitability, even in a challenging market. Investors can also apply lessons from across the portfolio, using the knowledge gleaned from a host of companies to create solutions for others, according to Joseph Lazewski, senior credit officer at NXT Capital.
If history is any guide, middle-market companies could be in for a difficult period, and they’ll need all the help they can get.
“When you look at the great inflation of the 1970s along with what was needed to stop it and what occurred when the Fed tried to stop it, it’s evident that was a sober time for the markets in general,” Fellows says. “Hopefully the Fed doesn’t lose control, and we find ourselves in a similar scenario, because there’s a lot more leverage in the system today.”
Carl Winfield is a New York-based writer covering finance and sustainability.


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The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) Scamwatch website has revealed an 89 per cent jump in the number of people falling victim to scammers so far this year.
About 213,000 Australians have lost an average of $11,000 each. Last year, the average across the same period was just $7000.
The $175.6 million in losses so far in 2021 have already surpassed those reported for the whole of 2020.
Sadly, people aged 65 and older have lost the most money. They account for $49.1 million of the losses.
Scams are evolving during the COVID-19 pandemic to become more sophisticated, resulting in more people falling victim to them.
Here are some of the top scams and the best ways to avoid them.
Refund or parcel delivery
Scammers are pretending to be from well-known businesses – think Amazon or eBay – to steal your personal information.
Typically, they call you and claim a purchase has been made on your credit card then pretend to help you obtain a refund. Predictably, they are instead attempting to gain access to your personal information to steal your banking details.
This is particularly underhanded, given that so many of us are clicking from our couch and receiving many online orders during lockdowns.
The scam can also be delivered via text message or email. Only click on a link about a delivery if you are certain it is about something you have purchased.
Don’t believe the story
There has been a 261 per cent rise this year in so-called “phishing” scams.
This is the new digital incarnation of the old Nigerian letter scam.
You will be contacted, probably by email, with an elaborate story about someone wanting to give you money for some reason. Of course, you would have to give them your bank account details to secure this surprising windfall.
Then, instead or receiving the money, you would see all the funds in that account emptied.
Don’t even bother to ready the email. Just click delete.
Never provide personal details
There has been a huge increase in remote-access and identity theft scams.
For this to work, a scammer needs information from you.
You never know who you are dealing with online or someone you don’t know on the phone.
If you don’t actually know the person, or that a company is truly the one you think it is, never provide any information at all.
You could always check later whether an approach is legitimate by calling the organisation back, using contact details you find independently, rather than those provided on the email or phone call.
If you suspect you have been a victim of identity theft, call 1800 595160 or go to the IDcare website at idcare.org. This government-funded service will prepare a response plan for your situation and give you assistance.
You need to make this contact as soon as possible, before your bank accounts are accessed or fraudulent credit applications are made.
If it seems too good to be true, it is
Nothing stands you in better stead to avoid being conned than a healthy sense of scepticism.
Always keep in mind that, when it comes to money, there is no quick and easy way to get it.
Talk about it
Most important of all, if you have fallen victim to a scam, do not feel embarrassed to talk about it.
You could contact your bank to explain the situation or, at the very least, speak with a family member.
Losing money can be painful. However, if you don’t seek help, there is every chance that it might happen again.


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Our exhibitors and ISPA staff worked hard to make sure this EXPO exceeded expectations following a record-breaking show in 2016 by providing something for everyone.
Alexandria, VA (PRWEB) April 10, 2018
The International Sleep Products Association (ISPA) announced that ISPA EXPO 2018, held March 14-16 in Charlotte, NC, was one of the largest and most successful shows to date. EXPO welcomed more than 4,300 attendees and 264 exhibiting companies covering over 137,000 square feet of show floor space.
“I think our numbers reflect the enthusiasm and optimism that’s been building throughout the mattress industry,” said Ryan Trainer, ISPA president. “Our exhibitors and ISPA staff worked hard to make sure this EXPO exceeded expectations following a record-breaking show in 2016 by providing something for everyone.”
Attendees saw the latest in machinery, components, services and technology, while also participating in networking events, receptions and educational sessions on topics ranging from digital persuasion, the latest updates from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, to learning about ISPA’s new data initiative, and how to stay competitive in the ever-evolving manufacturing landscape.
On Friday, March 16, during the Industry Breakfast, Johnny “Cupcakes” Earl, founder and CEO of Johnny Cupcakes, entrepreneur and branding expert, shared his recipe for success in branding and viral marketing, while offering practical advice on the importance of details, customer experience and brand loyalty.
“Being together and exploring the EXPO show floor was a great experience for our team as we looked to uncover new materials for future designs,” said Nick Bates, president of Spring Air International. “This show was the first time Spring Air was able to come together as an organization to see the latest in innovations, and we accomplished a lot. Our committee was made up of representatives from our domestic licensees, that will pave the way for our future product launches.”
“We were busy all three days at this show and sold a wide variety of our entire product line,” said Hank Little, president of Atlanta Attachment Co.
Attendees enjoyed the March 14 Welcome Reception—one of EXPO’s best networking venues—at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. It provided an opportunity to mingle with old friends and make new ones while experiencing all the interactive activities the venue had to offer.
The next ISPA EXPO will be held March 18-20, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
For more information on the show and the exhibitors, visit http://www.bedtimesmagazine.com; for a full wrap-up of product introductions and events, be sure to read the May issue of BedTimes magazine.
Established in 1915, the International Sleep Products Association (ISPA) is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the growth, profitability and stature of the mattress industry. As the industry’s trade organization, ISPA is the voice of the mattress industry, representing mattress manufacturers and suppliers throughout the world. ISPA provides a wide range of services that benefit its membership. These include exclusive industry surveys and statistics, advocacy support, educational offerings, the industry’s ISPA EXPO trade show, safety research through its Sleep Products Safety Council, consumer research and education through its Better Sleep Council, BedTimes and Sleep Savvy publications, and more.
To learn more, visit http://www.sleepproducts.org or contact info(at)sleepproducts(dot)org


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In this Aug. 27, 2012 photo, the Apple iPhone 4s, left, is displayed next to the Samsung Galaxy S III at a store in San Francisco. Apple already has won nearly $1 billion in judgments against Samsung over patent infringements involving older-model devices. Now Apple is alleging Samsungs newest devices, such as its Galaxy S III, also copied Apple technology. Jury selection for the case begins Monday, March 31, 2014. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
I'm Michael Clark and writing contents for this Blog and I'm marketer as well.The tech scientists and specialists continually amaze the world with arrays of gadgets and machinery designed to improve the quality of life for people around the planet.
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Version 2.1.0 of game creation tool Buildbox has now launched and is geared towards development for Microsoft’s latest OS.
The new point-release adds support for the Universal Windows Platform, enabling users to export their titles to the Windows 10 store for PC, with options for Windows mobile and Xbox One expected soon.
“We’re very excited about adding official support for the Windows 10 store,” said founder Trey Smith. “Microsoft is doing some great things with the platform and we’re especially excited about their desktop store. Right now their install base in rivalling iPhone with more than 300m computers using Windows 10 that have access to the store.”
Further to this, Buildbox has teamed up with Microsoft and in-app video ad specialist Vungle for a promotion that will see devs who bring their games to the Windows 10 store receive $500.
You can find out more at the Buildbox website.


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A recent study has shown that ethnic seafood products sold on the Italian market have both commercial and health issues. A total of 68 samples were taken and analysed using by sequencing a full cytochrome c oxidase (COI) DNA barcode (FDP, ~655bp) or a mini COI DNA barcode (MDP, ~139bp) using universal primers. The resulting barcodes were compared with sequences on BOLD and GenBank. Comparisons between molecular and label analysis showed that 48.5% of products had discrepancies and 2 products tested were associated with health issues due to the presence of toxic fish.
To view the full paper click here.


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Orange has launched a new advertising-free TV service for 15-35 year-olds that features the likes of eSports, Manga and South Park.
Pickle TV is available to the operator’s mobile and TV customers in France via a set-top box, an app or the web.
It features a range of niche content, including ES1, a channel dedicated to eSport, music-focused Clubbing TV and a channel dedicated to Manga.
Customers can also watch the cartoon South Park and content from Studio+, the Vivendi-owned service that produces TV series exclusively for mobile devices.
In total, the operator outlined nine different types of content available on Pickle TV, which will cost €4.99 per month after a month-long free trial.
In a statement, the operator said: “Through Pickle TV, Orange is responding to the changing uses of its customers, particularly with Orange 4G and 100 percent fibre, which gives them an incomparable experience, and makes Orange a driving force for the development of legal digital content.”
At an investor day last month, Orange said it had spent around €750 million on content in 2017.
In July, it unveiled a new content division and committed €100 million over the next five years to producing a range of “ambitious series”.
Orange is looking to build on a return to growth in its home market.
Revenues ticked up 0.2 percent to €13.4 billion in the nine months to 30 September 2017 after it added 2.1 million mobile customers and 350,000 broadband subscribers.


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The President of Banbridge Chamber of Commerce has expressed his disappointment at the news that Home Bargains is set to be given the go-ahead at Bridgewater Park.
The move would see Home Bargains combine the two empty retail units beside Tesco Bridgewater and could create 75 jobs but could take more business away from the town centre.
President of the Banbridge Chamber of Commerce, Michael Donaghy, said: “It is a bit sad that the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council’s first decision may be to take shopping out of the town centre.
“We’ve nothing against businesses going to Bridgewater Park but we would prefer they stayed in the town centre. We would have hoped they could have found a site there and there are a few units in the town that could have been occupied.
“We are delighted that Lidl have chosen to reopen in the town centre as any money going out of town is not good for businesses here.”
Northern Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA) have voiced their discontent as well.
NIIRTA Chief Executive Glyn Roberts said: “Banbridge Chamber of Commerce and NIIRTA do not support this proposed out of town store. Given that the Tesco Bridgewater Store has already taken 30% trade away from Banbridge Town Centre and contributed to the Supervalu Store going into administration, this is not the type of development Banbridge needs at this time.
“We believe that this store will draw even more trade and jobs away from Banbridge Town Centre. The focus for this type of store should be Town Centre First -that is what the new Retail Planning Policy makes very clear.
“We hope that the ABC Council will take the same view.”
Liam McCrum’s report to the council noted that the proposal does not comply with the Development Plan but it would not significantly prejudice the implementation of the Development Plan given the remaining land available.
It also stated a sequential test was carried out to demonstrate that there are no possible sites within Banbridge primary retail core, its town centres or edge of centre locations.
The agent has also submitted a Retail Impact Assessment and an Assessment of Need that demonstrates that the proposal will not have a significant adverse impact on the vitality and viability of existing town centres within the catchment.


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587 East Jericho Turnpike,
St. James, N.Y.
120 Main St.
Port Jefferson, N.Y.
Ramp Organization, a company that started in the auto industry, now owns Ford, Chevrolet and Hummer dealerships as well as two powersports stores.
Ramp Motorcycles was opened in 2001 as Indian Motorcycle of Long Island, and was then the world’s largest Indian dealer. When Indian collapsed, the dealership brought on new product lines and renamed the store. Today, Ramp has two stores, a 40,000 square foot facility in St. James, N.Y., and the recently opened Port Jefferson, N.Y. site, a 3,500 square foot apparel store. Ramp currently carries Triumph, Saxon, PCC, BMC, Swift and Vengeance. It also sells used motorcycles, with about 15 percent of the store’s sales being preowned bikes, said Frank Montero, Ramp’s business manager.
Sales of new V-twin bikes have tailed off significantly in the past few months, Montero said. “I think the Northeast customer is more conservative, a more cautious customer,” he said. “What happens in the news will have an effect (on sales). Gas prices will have an effect. I think that’s more present in the Northeast than the rest of the country.”
“In terms of apparel, marketing and branding, I think Triumph is doing the best job,” Montero said. “Their marketing is on the money. They have such an extensive line of clothing, well-made clothing. Their clothes look so cool, you just want to buy it and wear it even if you don’t have a Triumph.”
CUSTOMER BUYING TRENDS
Ramp’s store in Port Jefferson, which opened in July, is located in a high tourist area and sells a number of impulse items, from hats to T-shirts to mugs. And it’s just not men’s and women’s clothing that is selling, but children’s accessories as well. Montero said children sales have extended to helmets.
PARTS AND SERVICE
Ramp Motorcycles offers service for V-twin and metric motorcycles. The dealership has technicians that specialize in either V-twin or metric or both. The St. James dealership also offers a pick up and delivery service. Montero said increased gas prices have forced Ramp to begin charging for that service, depending on where the consumer lives. Ramp, however, does offer consumers a free pick-up service if they purchase a new motorcycle. That service is available to consumers if their motorcycle breaks down during Ramp’s regular business hours. “It’s peace of mind for the consumer,” said Montero. “And I’ll pick you free of charge because that way I’ll get your service work.”
PROMOTIONAL HOME RUNS
Ramp has held several charity events, including one for a U.S. soldier that was wounded in Iraq. That event drew about 1,000 riders, Montero said. Most of Ramp’s advertising efforts go to the Web, Montero said. “You’re largest audience is on the Internet,” he said. “With print, you’re restricted to how much you can spend. With radio you’re restricted to how can spend.” On the Internet, Montero said, only your creativity limits you.
WORDS OF ADVICE
“It’s all about customer service. Making it easier for the consumer,” Montero said. “The gentlemen that can afford the big ticket item and afford those repairs doesn’t have the time to bring the bike down, wait for it and to pick it up. So you have to take care of the customer in that aspect. They’ll spend more if you can accommodate them.”
— Neil Pascale
Ramp Motorcycles – St. James, NY – Sept. 25, 2006


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The company is challenging Montana’s new law that bans TikTok. A second legal challenge has been filed over the prohibition. On Wednesday, Republican Governor Greg Gianforte of Montana signed the first-of-its-kind measure, fully anticipating court challenges. The legitimacy of the law’s enforcement is also contested.
Five TikTok users in Montana were sued for violating their constitutional rights last week. TikTok made the same assertions in a federal lawsuit it filed in Missoula on Monday. The scope of Montana’s TikTok ban exceeds that of nearly half of other states and the federal government combined. According to the company’s spokesman, Jamal Brown, the network is used by 200,000 people in Montana and 6,000 businesses.
Proponents of the measure argue that TikTok provides China with unfettered access to user data in the United States and might be used to disseminate pro-Beijing propaganda. The FBI, the CIA, and a group of senators from both parties are concerned that TikTok poses a threat to national security since its parent company, Beijing-based ByteDance, is governed by Chinese law. Companies in China are obligated to collaborate with the government on state intelligence per the National Intelligence Law passed in 2017. Similar regulations were introduced into Chinese law in 2014.
The new regulation, according to TikTok’s Monday complaint, violates the company’s right to free speech under the Constitution. Unproven allegations that the Chinese government may access user data are the basis for the law. The company maintains it has not been asked to share information with the Chinese government and would refuse to do so if given the opportunity.
On January 1, 2024, the state of Montana will ban the download of TikTok. The daily penalties for each download or access to TikTok or other app stores is $10,000. They don’t punish people who use the system. The ban would be revoked statewide if a domestic enemy purchased the social networking site. TikTok’s ability to operate in Montana was restricted when Attorney General Austin Knudsen cracked down on apps that facilitate online sports gambling. According to Kyler Nerison of Knudsen’s office, violations can be reported by anyone. After verifying violations, the state sends the company a cease-and-desist letter.
It would be difficult, if not impossible, to implement the law, according to cybersecurity experts, and they feel that the only reason to comply would be to avoid penalties. Lack of access to the internet would lead to more avoiding behavior. The clause was “not workable,” according to AT&T’s lobbyist, so legislators in Montana removed it to protect themselves from legal action.
TechNet, the trade group representing tech giants Apple and Google, stated that app stores are unable to geofence apps in various states, and it would be impossible to prevent TikTok from being downloaded in Montana. The responsibility of app operation should be with the app, not with the app store, as per the group’s stance. Telecoms analyst Roger Entner believes app stores may have the power to implement the law, but it would be cumbersome to execute, full of loopholes, and could be bypassed with prepaid cards that could circumvent Apple and Google’s address-linked billing. Mobile security expert Will Strafach, founder of Guardian, a privacy protection app for Apple devices, stated that IP geolocation could also be quickly masked using a virtual private network, enabling users to evade regulations, and verify using a prepaid card.
TikTok can disable the feature used for location monitoring, which can monitor users up to about 3 sq km from their actual location. TikTok is still authorized to gather approximate location details, such as the region, city, or zip code in which the user might be located, even if the feature is disabled. Cybersecurity experts have cautioned that any enforcement measures implemented by the firm are vulnerable to VPN circumvention and the use of IP geolocating may result in other issues. David Choffnes of Northeastern University’s Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute said cell providers may use the same IP addresses for various states, and citizens outside Montana may be prevented from accessing TikTok.


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Try an Irish beer: Blacksmith (Smithwicks on bottom and Guinness on top, from left), Smithwicks, Harp and Guinness.
Perhaps the quickest way to get into the Irish spirit is by getting some Irish spirit into you.
With that theory in mind, Ed Donohue, owner of The Irish Mile in Westmont, has an idea.
"The number one thing is Guinness," Ed Donohue says. "Even if you don't drink Guinness, you're going to drink Guinness that day."
Shenanigans and slurred Irish accents abound when Irish beer is near.
Last St. Patty's Day, The Irish Mile sold about 20 half-kegs of Guinness and went through a dozen liters of Jameson Irish Whiskey, Donohue says.
But the battle between Irish beer and liquor is not close, with beer comprising an estimated 90 percent of sales last St. Patrick's Day at the Irish Mile, Donohue says.
And not one pint was green.
"You don't do that. It's kind of stupid," Donohue says. "People who aren't too Irish will want to drink green beer but it's just food dye in beer. You'll have people who don't really drink beer who want green beer."
Smithwicks and Harp are the other usual sud suspects. But Donohue has noticed Guinness' Irish cream ale Kilkenny as a popular dark horse, offering a sweeter, lighter alternative to its flagship stout.
"People who don't like the bitter taste of Guinness will get the Kilkenny and they'll just love it," Donohue says.
All told, at least seven Irish brews will be on tap Sunday, including Harpoon Celtic Ale and Great Lakes Conways Irish Ale.
The Irish trinity of Jameson, Guinness and Bailey's Irish Cream all costar in the popular college cocktail, the Irish car bomb. The drink involves dropping a shot of equal parts Jameson and Bailey's Irish Cream into a half glass of Guinness and then chugging before it curdles.
"Younger kids will do Irish car bombs," Donohue says. "We will see lots of them ordered."
Ken Merriman, manager at Dubh Linn Square in Cherry Hill, adds Magners Irish Hard Cider to the popular drink list.
And Merriman agrees with Donohue; green beer is blarney.
"We don't serve it," he says. "Green beer is not something that's traditional Irish."
Irish eyes may imbibe the cocktail Jameson green tea, a mix of the Irish whiskey, peach schnapps, sweet and sour mix, and Sprite.
"Anything with Jameson is big," he says.
And for ye teetotalers, there's always McDonald's Shamrock Shake.


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It is no secret to anyone who talks to European politicians that they never like hearing lectures from London about how they ought to run their own economies or the EU.
Ironically of course the economic debate in much of Europe is moving in George Osborne's direction, but not really because of him.
The figure he used today that Europe accounts for 7% of the world's population but 50% of the world's welfare spending is a favourite figure of Angela Merkel's in Germany - she is the one that has been lecturing Europe on this.
Since the Tories came to power in the UK they have managed to cut welfare spending by just 0.25%. In that same period the Germans have cut their welfare spending by 3.5%, so you can imagine when they are looking for lectures on this who they are listening to.
The French do know they have a problem. President Hollande said yesterday he wants to bring his economy into line with Germany - he doesn't mention copying Britain.
More top news
Dr Dan Poulter suggests that increasing national insurance could be the key to the NHS's funding crisis.
The beloved British high street chain will disappear from Britain's towns on Sunday as the last stores close down.
The two women were found dead in their home in Durant, after failing to show up for work.


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DETROIT (Talk Radio 1270) During the holiday season last year, more than $1.8 billion was lost to shoplifting, with another increase expected this year, according to WWJ legal analyst and 1270 Talk Radio host Charlie Langton.
And the perpetrators are not necessarily common street thieves, they can be professional working people — with an addiction. Terry Shulman, theft addiction therapist and former shoplifter, talked to Langton Monday about why shoplifters risk so much for so little.READ MORE: Here Is The Top 'Should I...' Question Googled In Michigan In 2021, AT&T Reports
“What we know about human beings is we’re complicated creatures,” Shulman said. “We have a lot of pressure to be pressure to be good and to be perfect … And we have cracks in our foundations.”
Shulman has been a recovering shoplifter for 22 years. Between the ages of 15 and 25 he said he “shoplifted quite a bit” and was arrested twice. He managed to get his act together, finish college and law school, and now counsels people with problems including shoplifting, hoarding and overshopping.
During the holidays, there is a marked uptick in shoplifting, shoplifting arrests, employee theft, shopping and compulsive shopping, Shulman said.
“It can be as simple as people feeling pressured to buy things they can’t afford or being too impatient to wait in line,” Shulman said.
But it can also be an addiction.READ MORE: GM Secures Tax Abatement For Proposed $1.3B Orion Assembly Plant Investment
Roughly 10 percent of our population, or 30 million Americans, are thought to have a problem with shoplifting, Shulman said. Of that 10 percent, at least half are considered addicted to it.
“Once they cross over that line and get something for nothing, you can get hooked,” Shulman said. “You’re drawn to it like a moth to a flame.”
But there is help for people drawn to shoplifting over the holidays, or anytime. There are five local support groups called Kleptomaniacs Anonymous. They’re free and open to anyone who feels like they’re out of control.
“This is one of our busier times … Go to the support groups,” Shulman said.
He added anyone prone to shoplifting addiction should avoid stores during stressful times, be realistic about what they can buy for others, meditating, distracting with a healthy activity
Get information on local support groups and a test to see if you could be addiction to shopping at www.kleptomaniacs.org.MORE NEWS: Chief White Says 'There's Reason To Believe' Remains Found In Detroit Belong to Missing Mother Latima Warren
“The holidays … are the best of times and the worst of times … Getting together with family can be stressful, the pressure to buy and consume can be stressful,” Shulman said, adding that people with any addiction — gambling, drinking, overeating, shopping, stealing — have to especially careful during the holidays and make sure they have adequate support.


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Let's talk Contact us. No cost. No obligation.
Posted on 24th Oct, 2016 by Courtney Mills
We’re thrilled to announce the latest company to partner with Bonfire – the Australian division of accounting software giant, Sage.
Bonfire has been tasked with overhauling Sage Australia’s Google marketing strategy. Combining a brand refresh with strong digital marketing campaigns, Sage Australia’s aim is to leverage the digital expertise and knowledge of Bonfire to increase its customer and partner numbers aggressively over the next 12 months. Bonfire’s first undertaking has been to overhaul and establish solid digital foundations for the brand.
Although based is Sydney, Sage’s marketing team looked further afield and was impressed with Bonfire’s thorough proposal and research process and the results we’re already achieving for other high profile service companies.
Sage Australia Campaign Manager, Anthony Pignatiello shares his experience with Bonfire to date:
Bonfire has provided exceptional customer service from the start. Despite being located on the other side of the country, their flexibility and responsiveness really stood out for us as an agency. Our account manager (Arno) always responds in a timely fashion whilst providing us with expert SEO advice that delivers results.
We are only at the start of our SEO journey with Bonfire, and we’re excited at the prospect of what this great partnership can achieve
We would like to officially welcome Sage Australia to the Bonfire family. Our digital services team are eager to hit the ground running on the campaigns.
Posted on 13th Oct, 2016 by Kayla Paul
Generating leads through a strong digital presence is one of the main aims when it comes to SEO.
For Euro Technik, this was certainly the case.
One of the very few specialist European vehicle service centres in Perth, Euro Technik, came to Bonfire determined to use digital marketing to help get their business off the ground.
Not only did they want to penetrate their market through improved online visibility, they also wanted our team to deliver high quality leads that would generate solid business growth.
After 16 months, campaign results far exceeded expectations to the extent where we saw:
Despite strong competition within their market, our team has worked diligently and we’re extremely satisfied with the results achieved through this campaign. We look forward to seeing this success continue for Euro Technik.
Posted on 15th Sep, 2016 by Kayla Paul
Concerned about their rankings in Google due to a newly built website, Auspan Group turned to Bonfire to manage their digital presence.
As a market leader for steel shed design and construction in Western Australia, Auspan decided to invest in SEO and more recently, AdWords.
Our goals were to grow Auspan’s Google presence whilst increasing the frequency and quality of traffic leading to the new website.
After facing this challenge head on for a couple of years, we’re thrilled to see these impressive results come to fruition from targeted digital campaigns.
“Bonfire have proved to be an important partner to Auspan’s leading online presence in today’s market. They have been easy to deal with and always manage to deliver what they say they will.” – Steve Richardson
Auspan Group’s young domain and poor rankings proved no small challenge for our SEO team. We look forward to kicking even bigger goals this year.
Posted on 26th Aug, 2016 by Courtney Mills
Our reputation across Australia for our work in highly competitive markets continues to grow with news of our latest client appointments.
Triumph Motorcycles and City of Armadale are the latest companies looking to emulate Bonfire performance for other high profile companies.
The iconic motorcycle company was managing its campaigns internally. They realised specialist knowledge is necessary to grow their market share. Whereas, the City of Armadale have revamping their online presence with a focus on their tourism brand. The council made an important shift to digital to reposition it in the minds of residents, stakeholders and the general WA public.
Posted on 17th Aug, 2016 by Courtney Mills
How has the digital industry changed in the past 20 years?
What are the challenges ahead?
Why don’t SEO and SEM get the recognition they deserve in the wider marketing arena?
Bonfire CEO, Clay Cook, answered these questions and many more when he sat down with Campaign Brief to share his story as a pioneer in the Perth digital industry.
We may be a little biased, but it’s definitely a good read.
Posted on 9th Aug, 2016 by Kayla Paul
A summary of the digital dilemma and its effect on the way businesses are operating today.
The Digital Dilemma
Whether you’re a start-up or an established brand, every business owner will be required to make an important decision in the course of their business venture; to go digital or not to go digital. In today’s day and age, businesses cannot turn away from the fact that this binary decision will determine the livelihood and the future of the brand itself. Thankfully, there is a middle ground more commonly known to those in the industry as the ‘modern marketing strategy’.
A smart business owner will understand that both internal and external marketing factors play a role in individual business success. According to research and consulting company, Strategy Analytics, spending for digital advertising in the Asia Pacific region has increased over the past year by 18.2% – that’s an estimated total of AU$78.4 billion.
This poses the ultimate question: if a majority of businesses are competing in the digital market, why isn’t your business? Furthermore, how do we, as business owners compete against others who seem to be employing the same traditional marketing strategy? The modern marketing strategy attempts to explain this.
The Modern Marketing Strategy
Ever heard of the saying ‘don’t put all of your eggs in one basket’? The modern marketing strategy explores this notion. Although there are many theories surrounding this, our experience here at Bonfire is what drives the thought behind this strategy.
Time and time again we see businesses come to us seeking SEO and other online digital services who understand the importance of digital for a competitive business strategy, however this is not always the case. The modern marketing strategy explains the need for the integration between traditional marketing efforts, digital marketing efforts and all other areas of the business including marketing goals and product mix. Each marketing component should work cohesively in order to play off each other’s strengths and enhance the overall business strategy. If one element were to change, it’s integral for the other elements to adapt. For example, if the business decided to rebrand, this should filter through to all digital efforts as well as traditional marketing efforts.
However, for many businesses today who don’t necessarily have the resources to fund their own marketing department, it can be difficult to maintain a consistent strategy. This is where outsourcing comes into play – not to a cheap, offshore “agency” – but to an established digital agency who knows exactly what it means to have a strong digital campaign and has the skills to seamlessly integrate these into the overall marketing strategy.
With many markets facing over-saturation and with a large number of businesses struggling to penetrate or compete at a profitable level, employing an effective modern marketing strategy is almost essential for survival.
In today’s complex world, businesses can either sink or swim. With this in mind, digital agencies have now become the buoys of the modern business world, giving rise to a new era in marketing: The Digital Era.
Posted on 16th Jun, 2016 by Courtney Mills
One of the world’s leaders in cloud based business communication solutions is the latest addition to Bonfire.
With a world-leading SMS marketing gateway, ClickSend already boasts an impressive client roster including HP, RioTinto, McDonalds, Fairfax Media and PWC. However, the company wants to expand it’s international market share even further by leveraging the opportunity in Google and Bonfire’s proven expertise in Digital Marketing.
News of this appointment was recently featured in Campaign Brief.
Posted on 8th Apr, 2016 by Courtney Mills
We’re thrilled to announce that Fremantle-based mortgage broking company, Loan Monster, has joined Bonfire.
By partnering with Bonfire, Loan Monster aims to refine its existing digital strategy and maximise the value from the online channel.
We will develop a digital marketing strategy aimed at capitalising on the significant Google search volumes in the Perth loan market.
News of this appointment was published by Campaign Brief.
Posted on 26th Feb, 2016 by Courtney Mills
One thing business owners and marketing managers fear the most is not being able to find their website in Google.
Unfortunately, this fear was a reality for Himac. Their brand new website couldn’t be found anywhere in Google, so they asked us to help.
We’re happy to report that over the past 18 months, we’ve steadily built Himac’s organic ranking in Google.
Here’s just some of the main results:
Big pat on the back for our Digital Services team. These are some great results and we have one very happy client.
Posted on 18th Feb, 2016 by Courtney Mills
The Loan Panel came to us with a vision: To take it’s finance services to customers across Australia.
With offices opening in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, The Loan Panel wanted us to expand their online presence to these cities.
We began with a new website that incorporated all the office locations. Then we formulated a plan that leveraged their existing online footprint and replicated it for the new East Coast markets with a focus on local SEO strategies.
We’re pleased to say that just 4 months in and the results are very impressive.


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Smartphone Wars Create Rare Buying Opportunities
Bill is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited.
Apple’s (NASDAQ: AAPL) plummeting share price presents investors with at great entry point into the smartphone market. Google is much too pricey by comparison, and competitors like Nokia (NYSE: NOK) and BlackBerry seem to require needless extra risk. Instead, investors seeking exposure to the smartphone market should opt for Apple or for Corning (NYSE: GLW), an attractively-priced smartphone component maker.
Apple and Corning trade at low price-to-earnings multiples and have positive free cash flows:
Analysts also anticipate excellent growth for Corning and Apple. Nokia and BlackBerry, though cheaper by their price-to-sales multiples, are not profitable, and face challenges that dominant companies like Apple do not.
Why is Apple cheap?
There are three competing theories for Apple’s low price multiples. The first rests on the idea that the smartphone market is becoming increasingly price-competitive, and that this will cut into Apples margins and drop its profits. A cheaper smartphone could be the solution for developing markets, since the available iPhones are still out of reach for many, but it is still unclear if Apple will chose that path. Other phone companies are already cashing in on the Indian and Chinese smartphone markets, and Apple needs to act fast if it intends to benefit as well.
The next theory used to justify Apple’s price drop is sales of shares by institutional investors. For example, Franklin Templeton Investments reduced its holdings in Apple by almost half because the investment manager sees Apple as fumbling high-growth potential emerging markets. Franklin Templeton Investments felt that the U.S market was already saturated, and there was need to introduce a cheaper phone to attract potential markets like India and China. Templeton’s portfolio manager George Russell stated that the company was forced to reduce its holdings in Apple to 4.2 percent of assets, which is much lower than its earlier 7 percent allocation.
A third justification is the idea that Apple somehow lost its mojo, and that the market knows it. Some people site the leadership change from Steve Jobs to Tim Cook, while others point to the company’s purported lack of strategy.
Nokia losing share
Nokia needs a turnaround, fast. Nokia’s smartphone market share in China is 1%, a shockingly low number considering that only two years ago Nokia controlled half of the market in China. Its rivals, Apple, Samsung Electronics, Lenovo Group, and China Wireless Technologies have left it in the dust.
Worse yet, Nokia is fumbling its chances for a comeback. Supply constraints restricted sales for the Chinese New Year shopping season. Nokia acknowledged the supply constraints last month and assured investors on a Jan. 24 conference call that it is working to solve the problem. Nokia’s Chief Financial Officer Timo Ihamuotila said, “We are now building more capacity as we speak to match the demand, and we would expect that at some point in not too distant future, we would be in a situation where we are no longer constrained.”
Nokia CEO Stephen Elop concentrated on the North American market for its Lumia smartphone, having deals with two of U.S.’s largest wireless carriers as a strategy, but the move was not well-received, as it only sold 700,000 handsets last quarter, against Apple’s and Samsung’s combined 35 million units. As the Chinese smartphone market overtook the U.S., India, and European countries, Nokia is planning to re-focus in China with profitable handsets and be more aggressive with lower priced models, noting that demand currently outstrips supply.
Nokia’s two decades in China has given the company an extensive sales force and distribution network. The challenge is to revive the brand’s presence, rebuilding its image since the brand slipped from the consumers’ awareness for lack of “star products,” according to Sandy Shen, a Gartner analyst. Nokia’s deal with China Mobile improves the former’s chances for a comeback; however, it should be careful and be sure to meet the expectations of old customers who are looking for upgrades. Lin Sanmu, a long time Nokia user, said, “I got five years of use out of my last Nokia phone and that’s pretty good. Nokia is good quality. Now, I’m looking to upgrade from a feature phone to a smartphone so I can use the Web.”
Corning, the glass-maker for phones, tablets and flat-panel televisions, saw its share price increase by 6.1% to $12.80 in early trading Jan. 31 after reporting sales and profit for the fourth quarter that exceeded analysts’ expectations. Profits reached $0.34 per share on buoyant sales, which rose 14% to $2.15 billion, topping analysts’ average projection of $0.32 per share and sales of $2.06 billion, according to Bloomberg data.
The popular Gorilla Glass, a damage-resistant screen material used in tablets and smartphones, reached over $1 billion in sales for the first time in 2012. Large televisions also contributed substantially to the company’s improve performance after a decline in the prices of (liquid-crystal-display) LCD. Chief Financial Officer Jim Flaws said, “It’s a strong sign that’s we’re beginning to come to the end of these LCD price declines, which we believe will be moderate all year. We’re seeing the large-size televisions grow very nicely.”
Despite Corning’s improved performance, however, the company’s profit margin decreased to 42% for the last quarter from 44% a year earlier, amid competition and a barely moving economy. To be fair, this news is not in any way terrible enough to warrant its price-to-earnings multiple.
Investors should consider Corning and Apple as buy candidates.
BillEdson11 has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Apple and Corning. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple and Corning. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is this post wrong? Click here. Think you can do better? Join us and write your own!


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Computer careers and experience careers may be found in nearly every enterprise. At a current government-organized conference on artificial intelligence in Dubai, representatives from expertise companies along with Huawei, which the Trump administration just lately positioned on a trade blacklist as a risk to nationwide security, China’s Hikvision, and IBM mentioned they saw the UAE and different international locations throughout the Persian Gulf as an thrilling market to sell their video analysis platforms, which they say can do the whole thing from analyzing the conduct of groups to mechanically blacklisting individuals primarily based on their faces.
Tile was based in December 2012 and served as a method of serving to its customers easily discover their belongings, reminiscent of keys, luggageÂ and wallets, using Bluetooth four.zero. The units â€” which first got here in the form of a singular sq. tileÂ that conveniently connectedÂ to any object like a keychain â€” work along side a cell app for Android and iOS, allowing customers to locate their lost or misplaced items precisely.
271 iJOIN was chosen by the European Commission as one of the pioneering 5G research initiatives to showcase early results on this expertise on the Mobile World Congress 2015 (Barcelona, Spain). We’ve tested lots of of circumstances over the past few years to find the best safety for every current iPhone mannequin: eleven, eleven Professional, eleven Professional Max, XS, XS Max, XR, X, eight, 7, 6, and SE.
The issue with many Android telephones is that the manufacturers and carriers are gradual to push out software program updates, so the software program can grow to be dated and even insecure over time. However many of our allies and different nations are becoming more and more dependent upon Huawei technologies, that are designed from stolen intellectual property and riddled with easily exploitable security vulnerabilities.
Who they’re for: Those who need true wi-fi earbuds with the perfect ANC available. Our Best of CES award winners beneath are the gadgets that have our editors, scientists and product analysts most excited â€” which means yes, they’re cool but they are additionally things consultants assume they’re helpful and will present actual benefits to customers at home.


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When you are Asia’s richest man, you can pretty much do anything you want.
The CEO of Alibaba, Jack Ma, appeared on stage astride a motorcycle and performed a Michael Jackson dance tribute to 40,000 employees at his company’s 18th birthday party.
It’s not the first time Ma has entertained employees at an Alibaba function. In 2009 he popped up out of the stage wearing a long blonde wig and proceed to sing along to “The Lion King” soundtrack.
Ma (who has a net worth of $48.6 billion according to Forbes) is hugely popular in China, and was ranked number 2 in Fortune’s 2017 “World’s 50 Greatest Leaders” list
But success didn’t come easy for Ma. He started to study English at a young age and practiced the language daily by conversing with English-speakers at Hangzhou international hotel, a 70-minute bike ride from his home.
Despite struggling to get into college (it took Ma four years to pass the entrance exams) he eventually graduated with a degree in English and another in business.
Prior to founding Alibaba, Ma applied for 30 different jobs — including a job at KFC and another as a police officer — and was rejected for all.
In 1994 he heard about the internet, and in 1999 he founded Alibaba in his apartment with a few friends.
Ma is a big fan of Tai Chi and teaches regular classes at Alibaba, at which attendance by employees is compulsory.
Ma’s vision, according to his assistant, is that one day people will remember him above all as a Tai Chi master, rather than solely as the founder of China’s largest internet company and online shopping website.
Source: New York Post


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The former chief executive of a Hong Kong-listed wine company has been arrested for allegedly stealing and auctioning off $3.2 million worth of liquor. Authorities said the liquor, which includes wines, Japanese sake and spirits, was stolen from a mainland collector.
Police arrested Joseph Leung Chi-kin, the former head of Major Holdings. Police said Friday that the 42-year-old, who resigned from his company in June, was accused of stealing 489 bottles of expensive liquor.
Sources said a mainland collector reported the theft after Leung failed to return part of her collection. It had an average price of $6,500 a bottle. Authorities said they were still trying to track down the liquor.
Police said the public, particularly wine collectors, should be wary of buying goods from unknown sources. Police said buyers that think the goods are stolen should call them immediately.
Police said those who are caught buying could be charged with handling stolen goods. Those found guilty could face a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.
Police sources said some of the bottles had already been sold through various auctions over the past few months. The 489 bottles were part of a collection of 906 different types owned by a Hong Kong resident who now lives in the mainland. Part of the collection was entrusted to Leung after the refrigerators they were stored in broke. Sources said Leung had the collection stored in a warehouse.
One of the owner's assistants who was taking stock of the collection noticed that some bottles were missing. Leung gave the assistant various excuses for the missing bottles.
Shortly after Leung quit Major Holding, 417 bottles of liquor were returned to the assistant but 489 others remained missing. The assistant filed a police complaint on behalf of his employer.
Last week, the Tuen Mun district crime squad raided Leung's home in Yau Me Tei. Police seized personal property including smartphones, a tablet and personal computer.
Major Holdings said it knew nothing of Leung's activities. The company said the bottles were never stored in its facilities.
"The incident is personal to Leung and is not expected to have any effect on the group's business or operation," the company said.


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Global motorcycle sales were a mixed bag for major manufacturers in 2019. While BMW, KTM, and Moto Guzzi turned in impressive figures for the Euro market, India didn’t fare so well with Suzuki and Royal Enfield slumps contributing to the downturn in the country. Despite recording sales of 60.1 million units in 2019, the global motorcycle market shrunk by 1.6 million and the forecast for 2020 isn’t clear nor sunny.
In 2016, China penalized new motorcycle and scooter registrations, resulting in a sales loss of 5.1 million units. Since then, the market has been on a steady climb with positive gains in 2017 and 2018. Fueled by fast-growing markets like India, Pakistan, and the Philippines, global motorcycle sales grew to its highest level ever in 2018 with 61.7 units sold.
However, 2019 was particularly difficult for the Indian market which experienced a 3.1-million downturn in sales. Luckily, increases of 1.3 million units in China and 1.1 million units in Europe helped offset the disappointing performance of the world’s largest motorcycle market. Most of India’s 19-percent drop resulted from the lackluster performance of the country’s domestic manufacturers with Hero losing 14 percent, Bajaj slipping by 12 percent, and Royal Enfield plummeting 16 percent. Overall, the Indian market shrunk by 19 percent between 2018 and 2019.
Though India lost 3.1 million units sold last year, it still reigned as the largest two-wheeler market in the world with 18.5 million in sales. China trailed close behind with 16.3 million, but the field took a sharp drop from there with Indonesia at 6.5 million, Vietnam coming in at 3.2 million, and the Philippines reporting 1.8 million. For some perspective, the US took the 11th spot on the list, Japan's poor performance in 2019 earned it the 15th slot, and Europe’s highest-selling country, France, ranked as low as 17th.
Vehicle type also factors into the equation with the 50cc+ scooter segment responsible for 25.8 million in sales. Motorcycles nip at the scooter’s heels with 24.8 million units sold while trikes represent 4.7 million and mopeds bring in 4.6 million units. Of course, we have to include our quadricycles/ATV brethren with 600,000 units sold.
While the global moto market declined by 2.6 percent in 2019, the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) could result in further losses in 2020. With plant shutdowns, production delays, MotoGP cancellations, and museum closures due to the threat of the outbreak, manufacturers could be bracing for a very long road ahead. Yes, 2019 was a mixed bag for the global motorcycle market, but 2020 is shaping up to be a consensus (of loss).


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Latest in world
Intel to stop motherboard production
Intel is stepping out of the motherboard market. According to AnandTech,
the chip giant has announced that it will no longer produce and sell
its desktop motherboards after the launch of Haswell in 2013. Intel
boards, including the upcoming Haswell motherboards, will still carry a
full warranty and will be supported by the company during that period.
currently working in Intel's desktop motherboard division will be moved
to other groups within Intel that can use their talents. The company
will still produce its own form factor reference designs for Ultrabooks
and tablets, which is where many of the people from the motherboard
division are likely to end up.
Intel is stepping out of the motherboard market (image credit: GettyImages)
Back in December, we had learned that Intel's next-generation desktop and mobile platform—dubbed Haswell—will not debut before June 2013.
The delay has not been attributed to any particular reason, but the new
timing lines up with the 2013 edition of Computex. Intel could be
planning a large launch at the event, during which it would be able to
showcase its manufacturing partners' designs.
announced it would break from the annual refresh cycle it had
established since the first-generation Core architecture was announced –
by shipping Haswell in March-April instead of January 2013. Previous
generations have been launched at CES, the world’s most important
consumer electronics show, held in Las Vegas each year.
is a whole new architecture that will be manufactured on the
22-nanometer process with 3D "tri-gate” transistors that has been proven
with the current generation Ivy Bridge series, which itself is a shrink
of the earlier Sandy Bridge architecture. Desktop Haswell CPUs will
require new motherboards with an LGA1150 socket instead of the current
LGA1155. There will be at least ten new desktop models and seven new
mobile models including low-voltage models.
The Haswell processor line-up was recently leaked.
It was revealed that the 22nm desktop processors would initially be 14
CPUs spanning the Core i5 and Core i7 brands. The processors will be
using a new CPU socket, the LGA1150, on Lynx Point chipset motherboards.
They are also split into six standard power SKUs and eight low power
The most powerful CPU in the line-up seems to be the Intel
Core i7-4770K. It will have a base clock speed of 3.50GHz across four
cores and eight threads. It will also have a 3.9GHz boost speed, along
with an 8MB cache. The on-board graphics processor will be Intel HD
4600, which has a maximum dynamic frequency of 1250MHz.
the Core i7 processors in the line-up will have four cores and eight
threads, with 8MB of cache. The Core i5 processors seem to have four
cores and four threads, with a 6MB cache.