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Amazon formally apologized on Friday for last week's Web services outage that crippled a number of major websites, including Foursquare, Reddit, Quora, Hootsuite and Moby.
The online retailer, which leases out Web services and storage capacity to companies via its cloud-based EC2 solution, also explained the reasons behind the colossal failure and how it plans on preventing a repeat occurrence.
In a nearly 6,000-word document, Amazon details the widely scrutinized outage that began just after midnight on April 21. The overly technical explanation boils down to the fact that a human error began a chain of events that is sure to cost Amazon dearly.
The outage initially occurred in a Virginia data center when an erroneous network configuration change was performed during an upgrade to the primary network. Instead of shifting traffic to the other router on the primary network, the traffic was moved onto the lower capacity redundant EBS network. This caused many of the servers to get "stuck," as Amazon puts it.
"Unlike a normal network interruption, this change disconnected both the primary and secondary network simultaneously, leaving the affected nodes completely isolated from one another," Amazon said.
The human error and technical glitches that followed brought down several major websites and resulted in the permanent loss of data for a select number of customers.
To ensure that nothing similar happens again, Amazon said that it will audit the traffic change process and increase the automation that is involved in the procedure. The company will also be modifying its capacity, adding more regular updates and improving its communication channels with customers.
Amazon has offered clients that were using the zone in question a 10-day service credit, even if their resources and applications were found to be unaffected by the errors.
The lengthy apology and the 10-day credit may not be enough to win back all of Amazon's customers. Some clients even jumped on Twitter to quickly respond to the Amazon's announcement.
"10 days of credit? That's it?" tweeted Stan Olson, operator of StansWeather.net. "I'm still dealing with issues because of this, pretty frustrating."
Amazon's Web services wing only accounts for a small part of the company's current revenue stream. Still, the retailer was hoping to make the vertical a major part of its future, according to the AP.
Click here to read some industry opinions on the outage and the cloud services market in general.
Beecher Tuttle is a TechZone360 contributor. He has extensive experience writing and editing for print publications and online news websites. He has specialized in a variety of industries, including health care technology, politics and education. To read more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.Edited by Jennifer Russell
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Hydra-Flex, Inc., a leading manufacturer of innovative fluid handling products, was recognized for rapid revenue growth, bold innovation, and its entrepreneurial spirit by earning a spot on the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal’s Fast 50, a list of the region’s fastest growing private companies.
Appearing on the list for five consecutive years, Hydra-Flex jumped to the No. 23 rank due to a revenue growth rate of 69.25 percent over the last three years.
“Climbing two spots on this prestigious list is a humbling honor,” said Jaime Harris, President and CEO of Hydra-Flex. “Sustaining growth in our competitive and dynamic industries calls for both innovation and adaptability on a continuous basis. This award is a testament to the quality people, processes, and products we have at Hydra-Flex.”
Kim Johnson, the MSPBJ Fast 50 Project Editor, commented on what it takes to make the cut as one of the fastest-growing private companies. “Every year we seek nominations from the Twin Cities that will share their financial secrets,” Johnson said. “Everyone is held to the same requirements to ensure the integrity of this list, which includes some of the state’s most dynamic companies.”
See the full Fast 50 list at MSPBJ | 2018 Fast 50 List

domain: news


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State regulators are cracking down on a health care product that targets the growing group of uninsured and underinsured Americans: the discount health plan.
In discount health plans, consumers pay either a monthly or annual fee to get access to a network that is supposed to offer reduced charges for doctor visits, prescription medication and other medical services, such as eye glasses.
Unlike traditional insurance, consumers in a discount plan pay all medical costs up front, minus whatever discount has been negotiated with the plan. The companies often advertise networks that number hundreds of doctors and savings of 10 to 60 percent. To get the discount, patients have to use providers honoring the plan.
But advocacy groups say consumers are frequently confused because the discount health plans blur the distinctions between their benefits traditional insurance plan coverage.
In addition, some of the discount plans are not legitimate, consumer advocacy groups say. They don’t meet all their advertising promises and their networks turn out to be hollow lists with few providers.
“Oftentimes these are just schemes to commit fraud,” Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger said. Sometimes consumers think they are buying a traditional insurance plan, only to receive a discount card in the mail, according to Praeger.
Unemployed, Uninsured and Out of Options
Authorities in California began taking action against some of these unscrupulous companies. Linda Andlovec, 60, was one of the customers who told her story to the state about her interaction with a discount health plan. In February 2009, the office worker got a phone call from Easy Life Healthcare. A few days before, her employer — a small business in Foresthill, Calif. — had announced it would be dropping employee health care coverage to try to cut costs in the recession.
The Easy Life salesperson was offering a special deal, Andlovec recalled: For $96 a month, the workers in Andlovec’s office could join a health plan with benefits that included free prescription drugs. If Andlovec didn’t like it, she could cancel and get her money back. The salesperson said the Arizona company also had agreements with thousands of California doctors in their network.
“I was scared but I was kind of frantic,” said Andlovec, who has high blood pressure and used at least three prescription medications regularly. So she used her debit card to pay $100 for the membership fee and $96 for the first month.
But as Andlovec soon found out, she was buying a discount health plan, not a traditional health insurance policy. She called to cancel as soon as she realized that the Easy Life plan would not cover her doctors’ appointments, medical treatments or drug expenses. Even so, she lost her $100 membership fee and didn’t receive a refund on the rest until June of last year. When her company went bankrupt last September, she was left unemployed, uninsured and out of options.
For years, discount health plans fell into a dead-zone of regulation. Since they aren’t insurance, they generally couldn’t be regulated by insurance commissioners. In the past few years, though, consumer complaints have forced state officials to take notice and begin to make regulation possible.
“The problem is that oversight is so spotty and often barely existing, that the marketplace has become a kind of Wild-West frontier,” said James Quiggle, spokesperson for the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, a Washington, D.C.-based watchdog group.
Bad Economy Created Market
California has been among those states to step-up regulation after repeated complaints like Andlovec’s. The state’s Department of Managed Health Care, the first of its kind in the country, has taken the reins of regulating the discount plans because the insurance commissioner could not.
DMHC Director Cindy Ehnes said her department in February ordered Easy Life and its parent company, HealthCare One, LLC, to stop operations in the state. The DMHC said that the company was operating illegally in the state without a license, as well as misleading California customers and misrepresenting the products they were selling as health insurance instead of a discount card. The lawyer representing Healthcare One, LLC, Craig Zimmerman, had no comment about Easy Life’s operations in California.
Ehnes’ department has received more than 1,000 complaints about discount health plans since beginning an investigation of the products in 2004 and has ordered 18 discount health plan companies to cease operations in the state or get licensed. Downturns in the economy and rising insurance premiums have caused many consumers to lose or give up their traditional health coverage, creating a market in the state, she said.
“Many more Californians have been looking for a way to afford medical care and these plans offer themselves as solutions,” Ehnes said. But, she added, the state’s investigation of plans selling in California found that “many, if not most, were offering benefits that were deceptive and misleading.” Just five discount plans have been licensed in the state, only one of which offers medical services. The other four plans are all dental providers. To be licensed, the provider networks and discounts offered by the company must be verifiable and all fees must be refundable minus a registration fee of $15 maximum, among other requirements.
In Minnesota, the state attorney general has sued several discount plans for deceptive marketing. Other states, such as Oklahoma and Kansas, have established legislation that allows their insurance commissioners to regulate the plans.
Yet officials seeking to crack down on misleading practices face some of the same confusion that many consumers do, especially when trying to figure out who is running a company. For example, the company that called Andlovec and her co-workers, Easy Life Healthcare, is just one part of Healthcare One, LLC. And according to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, Healthcare One is a private label marketer that sells the plans provided by another company, Careington International Corp. of Dallas. The fine print of the Healthcare One website lists the “administrator” of its product as Careington International.
Zimmerman had no comment on the relationship between the two companies. Calls to Careington International were not returned.


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Top e-sports teams in South East Asia (SEA) are set to compete for over Php 1 million in the Mineski Pro-Gaming League SEA Grand Finals (MPGL SEA Grand Finals) on November 29 and 30 at the SM North Edsa Skydome and Cyberzone.
The event will have the biggest prize pool in Philippine Dota 2 history, according to Mineski-Events Team, a premier electronic sports event organizer in the Philippines.
The Php 1 million ($22,200) prize pool continues to increase through community contributions such as in-game purchases, Mineski Infinity cybercafÃ© promos, online donations, and revenues from the Secretshop.ph online store.
Fighting eSports teams in the 6th season of the MPGL SEA Grand Finals are Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and open qualifiers Australia, India, Japan, and Korea.
“The Mineski Pro-Gaming League SEA Grand Finals will let us all show the world that we Filipinos can also produce an international electronic sports event,” said Mineski CEO and founder Ronald Robins.
Sponsors of the 6th MPGL SEA Grand Finals are computer hardware and accessories firms Gigabyte, SteelSeries, and ViewSonic.


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“By controlling the data used and real estate online, digital platforms are in a unique position to shape and influence consumer choices on the one hand and direct consumer traffic to their businesses to the other,” Gupta said while addressing the annual competition law conference. and the practice regulated by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) along with the Competition Commission of India (CCI).
He noted that the gatekeeper’s position for these platforms raises concerns about their competition and competitiveness.
Gupta said the impact of these so-called “ecosystems” is exacerbated by policy opacity and the advantage of data it has over both business users and potential competitors.
“While India emerges as one of the largest and fastest growing digital consumer bases, market distortions must be immediately corrected. To meet enforcement and policy challenges in this regard, the regulatory framework is required to adapt to and reverse the complexities of the digital market, reframing classic categories and concerns about personal and non-personal data and adding dimensions of Others for quality and specificity, identifying problems early and causing faster remedial interventions.”
He said the challenges are multidimensional, and the antitrust framework, analysis and concepts need necessary adjustments to reflect the complexities of the digital market.
Discover the stories that interest you
Another challenge, he said, is that data-related behavior requires not only reshaping classic antitrust around personal and non-personal data as a relevant asset but adding other dimensions of competition such as quality and privacy.
Although the digital market is prone to skew, early identification of the fastest therapeutic interventions is of paramount importance, he said, adding that the challenges for policy makers and regulators are to keep pace with the evolution in these markets and continue to evolve and improve tools.
Regarding the proposed amendments in the new Competition Amendment Act, which was introduced in Lok Sabha on August 5, he said it aims to provide regulatory certainty, faster market corrections and a trust-based business environment.
Apart from introducing a transaction value threshold and facilitating faster review of merger notifications, the bill is expected to bring a commitment and settlement framework and a leniency regime plus.
Gupta said the bill broadens and deepens the scope of consultations between regulators – an important area for reforms to avoid regulatory overlap.
With the proposed introduction of a three-year restriction period to provide information or referral to CCI for anti-competitive agreements and abuse of dominant position, Gupta assured that it would bring certainty to markets and businesses and that very old cases would not be re-opened.
He said that the authority is also conducting a set of market studies on various sectors, including e-commerce, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals and others.
He said CCI is also working to establish the Digital Markets and Data Unit (DMDU) as a center of expertise for digital markets to connect with stakeholders, provide input on policy issues and support data analytics.
Gupta said, CCI has come up with a list of FAQs for stakeholders regarding provision of information, confidentiality provisions, leniency provisions and merger regulations.
He added that to provide more ease of access to stakeholders, after Chennai and Kolkata, CCI will soon have a regional office in Mumbai.


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When will electric-powered cars become a practical choice for ordinary people? The question hangs in the air at the Paris auto show, where Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and General Motors are showing off electric cars they hope are the on-ramp to a profitable future.
Angry lawmakers heaped another round of blistering criticism on Wells Fargo's CEO, pressing Thursday for details about what senior managers knew about allegedly illegal sales practices and when any concerns were disclosed.
The national fight over sugary soda is bubbling up in the San Francisco Bay Area, where voters in November will consider a tax on the drinks that many health experts say contribute to diabetes, obesity and tooth decay.
Senators are asking the Justice Department to investigate whether pharmaceutical company Mylan acted illegally when it classified its life-saving EpiPen as a generic drug and qualified for lower rebate payments to states.
HP Inc. has apologized to customers for a software update that made some of its printers stop working with ink cartridges from competing suppliers, even if the printers had accepted the same cartridges in the past.
With a focus on "Intelligent Technologies and Sustainable Innovation" (智慧科技與永續創新), the Textile International Forum and Exhibition 2016 (TIFE, 紡織科技國際論壇暨研發成果展) got underway on Thursday Sept. 29 at the National Taiwan University Hospital International Convention Center.
At the Textile International Forum and Exhibition 2016 (TIFE, 紡織科技國際論壇暨研發成果展), Swedish keynote speaker Eva Karlsson, CEO of Houdini Sportswear AB, talked about "how to create value as a brand" at a symposium held Thursday, Sept. 29.
BlackBerry plans to stop making its signature smartphones internally, signaling a strategic shift for a company that built its reputation on innovative smartphone technology.
Apple on Wednesday announced an alliance with professional services group Deloitte to get more businesses using iPhones and iPads as workplace tools.
Apple will be setting up its London headquarters in the boiler room of the Battersea Power Station, a London landmark that has long defined the skyline on the south bank of the River Thames.


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- June 20, 2018
Avaya updated its workforce optimization suite to include real-time speech analytics and automated agent evaluations, playing catch-up with vendors such as Cisco, Genesys and Five9.
- June 15, 2018
Microsoft is giving businesses with on-premises Exchange servers a new tool for Microsoft Teams e-discovery, as the vendor seeks to help large enterprises transition to the cloud.
- June 13, 2018
Interoperability with Skype for Business and video conferencing systems from Cisco and Polycom should help Google Hangouts Meet gain more traction among enterprise buyers.
- June 12, 2018
At InfoComm 2018, Polycom deepens its partnership with Zoom, Crestron debuts a whiteboard camera, and ViewSonic introduces interactive flat-panel displays.
- June 08, 2018
Microsoft has been quickly building out the capabilities of the Microsoft Teams mobile app, but businesses could find it clunky to use in conjunction with Skype for Business.
- June 07, 2018
Avaya has refreshed Avaya Equinox with online team collaboration and has integrated the software into IP Office. The changes are part of Avaya's strategy to attract more SMBs.
- June 06, 2018
A new Logitech video conferencing kit offers advanced features at a relatively affordable price. Logitech also previewed automatic framing software that's planned for later in the year.
- May 30, 2018
Lifesize has released a cloud-based device for wireless screen sharing. The vendor also previewed a video conferencing kit designed for outfitting huddle rooms for video conferencing.
- May 24, 2018
A new Polycom cloud service will help businesses manage and monitor Polycom desk and conference room phones. The vendor plans to expand the service to cover video endpoints later this year.
- May 22, 2018
Slack has designed a shortcut to convert Slack messages into content within business tools like Zendesk and Jira. The company said more than 90% of paid teams are using Slack app integrations.
- May 18, 2018
Cloud contact center vendors are getting more aggressive about artificial intelligence. Five9, 8x8 and Dialpad made headlines this week with new contact center AI initiatives.
- May 18, 2018
SD-WAN services can improve the flow of cloud-based communications across the network. Now, one UCaaS vendor is looking to capitalize on the software-defined technology.
- May 17, 2018
Zendesk has combined its products into an omnichannel cloud contact center offering. The CRM vendor also released a new tool for sending automatic alerts to customers.
- May 16, 2018
The Surface Hub 2 will feature tight integrations with Microsoft Teams and other cloud collaboration tools. The vendor plans to release the product in 2019.
- May 11, 2018
Avaya reported a net loss of $130 million last quarter, but the vendor still appears largely on track to hit its annual targets. Avaya cloud revenue rose modestly as a percentage of total earnings.


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Starbucks launches rare Colombia gourmet coffee
Dubai, March 24, 2008
Starbucks Middle East launched its latest black apron exclusive (BAE), Colombia Narino El Tambo, the 17th in this line of rare gourmet coffees.
The new coffee, which is being introduced across the region, has been selected by Starbucks because of its rich flavour and the environmentally-friendly way in which it is cultivated.
The Nariño El Tambo variety is grown in the rich volcanic soil outside of the town of El Tambo, near the upper slopes of Colombia’s Volcán Galeras.
Eighty percent of the coffee from El Tambo is shade-grown, which protects tropical forests, the habitat of migratory birds and other wildlife. El Tambo growers do not use chemical fertilisers, contributing to a healthy environment and clean ground water, a company official explained.
“Starbucks has long promoted environmental and social welfare in coffee-producing regions, maintaining a responsible and careful selection process,” said Antoun Abou Jaoude, marketing manager, Starbucks Middle East & Egypt.
“In addition to selecting coffees cultivated using environmentally friendly practices, we have established a community-development endowment of $15,000 wherever a BAE coffee is grown to help bring stability to the region and improve the livelihoods of area coffee farmers so they can continue to run their family farms,” he added.
Abou Jaoude said the education programs were in place to teach farmers proper water handling and sustainable growing practices.
'Price premiums are used to finance new wet mills, drying patios and water treatment systems, and also to modernize the kitchens and bathrooms on a farm-by-farm basis for more than 1,200 families who have contributed beans for this special coffee,” he noted.
Starbucks has worked with farmers in the Colombia Nariño region for more than 18 years to improve coffee production and sustainability. This year the harvest was exceptionally good, and the coffee was granted the coveted Black Apron status.
Colombia Nariño El Tambo is produced by small family farms, less than five acres in area, in rich, volcanic soil at 2,100 meters above sea level, which explains its juicy acidity, floral aromas and citrus complexity, he noted.
The coffee also has a distinctive chocolaty sweetness rarely found in the Nariño region, which is known for its signature nutty flavour. Complementary pairings include citrus fruits, herbal and savoury foods and chocolate.-TradeArabia News Service


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The Evangelion franchise, together with the original anime series and the new Rebuild movies, has captured the minds of anime and science fiction fans alike for almost 18 years. While the Eva fan base is strong here in Australia most look towards Japan and its Evangelion craze such as supermarket promotions and theme park with a touch of envy. Luckily Madman Entertainment is continuing to bring more to our shores with the Evangelion Art Exhibition Tour, promising to showcase a selection of original concept and production art, character drawings and other key visuals that are sure to provide a rare insight into the behind the scenes work on the animated films.
On display will be a variety of original books, tapestries, prints and other rare items. If you’ve been itching for Evangelion merchandise there will be an exclusive limited quantity to purchase from the new Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo movie which aired in Japan recently. These items were only sold in Japan as part of the cinema promotion campaign of the movie, which sold over 2.5 million tickets and earned double that of its predecessor.
The expo will be held at the Arts Centre Gold Coast from April 17 to May 5, with Sydney shortly after at the Japan Foundation Gallery from May 10 to May 18 (Open Monday-Saturday, 11am-4pm), followed by Melbourne at the No Vacancy Gallery from May 27 to June 9.
Madman has launched a page with more information on the exhibition tour here.
The ongoing Evangelion films, two of which have so far been released in Australia, are re imagining the original Neon Genesis Evangelion. Fourteen year old Shinji Ikari is summoned to Tokyo-3 by his father, head of a secret government organisation charged to defend humanity against the mysterious invaders called Angels. The series escalates into an explosive storyline full of conflict and primal emotion.
The latest entry to the movie project, Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo debuted in Japan in November 2012 and was nominated for a Japan Academy Prize. It will be released on Blu-ray/DVD in Japan on April 24.
Madman Entertainment have pledged to screen the third movie in Australia but details are yet to be confirmed.


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Beware of new telemarketing scams
Recently, employees of an Arizona company, Action Point, have been calling Iowans and falsely claiming to be disabled veterans in an effort to sell products. The callers have also told Iowans that a portion of the money they spend will go to homeless veterans’ relief.
According to a lawsuit filed by the Iowa Attorney General, Action Point is actually a for-profit business that provides no money for homeless veterans’ relief and does not employ any disabled veterans. Using Iowa’s Consumer Fraud Law, the Attorney General has sued to prohibit the Arizona company from contacting Iowans and making false claims.
This company and others like it often target the elderly because they are sympathetic to the plight of those in need. In one call, an individual purchased $2,000 worth of items from the company.
To avoid being taken by these kinds of scams, be sure you are familiar with a charity before making a donation or a purchase. If you have any doubts or concerns about an organization, contact Iowa’s Consumer Protection Division at 515-281-5926 or firstname.lastname@example.org.
For more on how to protect yourself from consumer fraud, visit the Iowa Attorney General’s site at www.iowa.gov/government/ag/protecting_consumers/index.html.Posted Aug. 22nd, 2012 at 7:30 am by Senate Staff


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New platform opens for West African entrepreneurs
April 22th, 2018 – SuguLab, a complementary entrepreneurial service that will be offered to start-ups and Small to Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) operating in West Africa, particularly Mali, Cote d’Ivoire and Sénégal, has officially been launched.
SuguLab will assist companies that are legally registered, that have a minimum of 2 years of existence and have an innovative business model with strong job creation potential that aims to provide a solution for the poor.
Whether the business is trying to identify potential investors, expand to a new market or raise financing, SuguLab will assist. Focus will be on SMEs with founders aged 40 and below, that are confronted to a specific challenge.
SuguLab was launched by Suguba, a Malian-based regional platform that fosters entrepreneurship and regional integration. Suguba aims to become the first sustainable, regionally connected network of locally-run communities, workspaces and programs.
Suguba co-founder Issam Chleuh said: “Suguba’s vision is to support and scale the impact of SMEs and entrepreneurs across Francophone West Africa.”
Entrepreneurs and SMEs in West African countries such as Mali, Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire play a pivotal role in driving economic growth, creating jobs, and engineering solutions to various development challenges.
However, there is a lack of access to expertise, advisory support, networks, and financial resources needed to start new ventures. The key gap is sustainability and replicability of the SMEs while at the same time, capacity-building services for SMEs in the region are scarce and rarely sustainable.
More money is flowing into impact investing, yet many entrepreneurs creating companies that serve the poor still find it difficult to raise capital and reach specific operational objectives. Also, out of the $366M that African start-ups raised in 2016, only 10% went to Francophone countries. Suguba intends to close this gap by launching SuguLab.
Through SuguLab, one of the Suguba co-founders will personally work with entrepreneurs to assist them reach their business objective over a period of 6 months.
Written by Nordic Africa News
While 2018 was a mixed year for cryptocurrencies, but blockchain technology shows no signs of slowing down. January 21th, 2019 – 2019 ...
January 17th, 2019 – Small businesses in the continent have received a boost following the launch of what is heralded as a mobile-firs...


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By Andria Cheng
Shoppers aren’t buying Whole Foods Market Inc.’s value message, and now Wall Street isn’t either.
The Austin-based company reported disappointing fiscal second-quarter profit and sales and cut its full-year outlook for a third straight quarter. Same-store sales rose 4.5%, the smallest increase in at least 13 quarters and missed consensus estimate of a 5.2% gain.
“We were overly optimistic in our ability to compare against the record-breaking results we have produced for the last few years, particularly in light of the rapidly changing competitive landscape and our ongoing strategy around value,” Co-Chief Executive John Mackey told analysts. “We are upping our game.”
Shares /quotes/zigman/80039/delayed /quotes/nls/wfm WFM plunged Wednesday in their biggest daily percentage drop since 2006. They’ve now lost two-fifths of their value since the record close of $65 set in October.
But the company is facing plenty of skeptics amid stiffening competition and its own poor track record of delivering on its forecasts. Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Ajay Jain, who cut the rating on the stock to sell, noted that the second-quarter report is the sixth time in the last seven quarters in which the upscale grocer’s forecast or results have missed significantly.
Mackey acknowledged “competition has accelerated” from mainstream grocers like Kroger /quotes/zigman/231658/delayed /quotes/nls/kr KR and Wegman’s to niche players including Sprouts Farmers Market /quotes/zigman/16652596/delayed /quotes/nls/sfm SFM , Fresh Market /quotes/zigman/711861/delayed /quotes/nls/tfm TFM , Natural Grocers /quotes/zigman/10995420/delayed /quotes/nls/ngvc NGVC and privately owned Trader Joe’s.
While he didn’t address Wal-Mart /quotes/zigman/245476/delayed /quotes/nls/wmt WMT , the biggest U.S. food retailer’s aggressive expansion in organic food through its recent partnership with Wild Oats to sell organic pantry staples is a Wall Street concern.
Mackey repeated that company’s price message will focus on “value,” including lowering prices and narrowing the gap with rivals on perishable items. The price per item sold increased on average 1.7% last quarter over a year earlier, the slowest pace in three years. In the third quarter of last year, by comparison, the average price was 3.3% higher than the previous year.
In the wake of the earnings report, at least four analysts downgraded the stock. Even those who keep their buy rating raised similar concerns.
“The new outlook was a sobering reminder of how competitive the niche grocery space is today,” said Sterne Agee analyst Charles Grom, who cut his rating on the stock to neutral. One of his key concerns: Whole Foods will have to get its “price message very loud,” which translates to spending more on marketing, which in turn could further hurt profit.
He said Whole Foods’ longstanding “Whole Paycheck” image means simply lowering prices won’t be enough to stimulate demand.
Natural-food grocers account for 4% of all U.S. supermarkets, Deutsche Bank analyst Karen Short said. However, these formats are growing at about a 15% rate.
“The disconnect is leading to excess capacity in the near term — or ‘temporary saturation,” said Short, who lowered Whole Foods to a hold. “Until this situation shakes out through consolidation, store closures and market exits, all participants in the space may feel some pain.”
Yet competition could intensify first. Mackey told analysts Whole Foods aims to more than double sales over the next five years, to $25 billion from $11 billion. He said the company also will accelerate its store openings plans to expand to over 500 stores in 2017 from close to 400 at the end of the year. Long term, he sees Whole Foods has the potential to operate 1,200 stores in the U.S.
A price war doesn’t bode well for Whole Foods’ smaller rivals, whose shares tumbled on Wednesday.
“We’ve likely underestimated the nature of the accelerating competitive environment,” said BMO analyst Kelly Bania, who lowered the rating on Whole Foods to market perform.
– Follow Andria on Twitter @AndriaCheng
More from Behind the Storefront:


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The three-way partnership aims to make buying products in-store even easier by introducing a free virtual card that is easily accessible through the Tabby app. In addition, users will have the option to add the virtual Tabby Visa Card directly to their Apple wallets, Samsung Pay, or Google Pay, allowing them to easily tap and pay at cash-out without even needing the Tabby app.
Considering Tabby currently has over 1.5 million active shoppers in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the new tap and pay solution should help secure the company as the Middle East’s go-to buy now, pay later provider.
“Despite e-commerce growing in popularity, almost 90% of retail shopping in the Middle East still happens offline. At Tabby, we set out to create rewarding shopping experiences wherever customers purchase,” said Daniil Barkalov, the COO and Co-founder of Tabby.
Image Credit: Tabby


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Just yesterday Samsung suspended sales of the Galaxy Note 7 and urged consumers to return the devices through any outlet possible. The company is sending out explosion-proof return packages to those who purchased the device directly through their online store. So what’s Samsung’s recovery plan from the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco?
A new report from the Korea Herald says Samsung is stepping up the production of its Galaxy S7 and lower-end smartphone models to try and make up for the profit loss the company will incur thanks to the faulty Galaxy Note 7 release. An industry insider spoke anonymously with the paper about the company’s situation, even as some analysts expect the company to lose upwards of $17 billion dollars in lost revenue.
One of Samsung’s suppliers spoke with the paper and confirmed that it is putting more weight into the production lines for the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy A8, while the company moves on to focus on the Galaxy S8, the flagship smartphone that will likely be unveiled at Mobile World Congress in February next year.
There have been some rumors that Samsung might push forward the Galaxy S8 launch date, but the source notes Samsung has not given any indication to its industry partners that it will move the launch date forward.


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The much-delayed Warner Bros. superhero sequel “Wonder Woman 1984” will premiere on HBO Max and in theaters simultaneously from Christmas Day in the United States, the studio announced Wednesday.
The decision to release the eagerly awaited movie on the company’s own recently launched streaming platform represents a gamble for a film which cost a reported $200 million, and comes as Hollywood scrambles to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It wasn’t an easy decision and we never thought we’d have to hold onto the release for such a long time but COVID rocked all of our worlds,” wrote star Gal Gadot on her social media accounts.
She added: “You can watch it IN THEATERS (they’re doi…
Keep on reading: ‘Wonder Woman’ sequel to launch on HBO Max streaming and theaters


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Cannabis companies look to ‘4/20’ to light up sales
Cannabis companies across North America are pulling out all the stops to capitalise on 4/20 and generate bumper sales.
According to Reuters, industry insiders expected their highest single-day of sales in history yesterday.
Cannabis wholesale platform Leaflink said it expects sales of infused flowers and pre-rolls to skyrocket between 500-1000% compared to last year.
Sales are also likely to get a further boost from the day falling on a Thursday this year, as according to data from cannabis BDSA, cannabis retailers see more sales on Thursdays than on Wednesdays and Tuesdays.
As Canadian medical cannabis slump continues, survey says cost an issue
One of the largest surveys ‘to examine Canadians’ medical cannabis use and experiences in the past decade’ has suggested that high medical cannabis costs are still presenting major issues for patients.
The Medical Cannabis Access Survey, which surveyed 5,744 ‘daily consumers of medical cannabis’ over five months in 2022, found that just 6% of respondents were receiving reimbursement for medical-cannabis expenses, MJBizDaily reported.
Furthermore, it found that median out-of-pocket spending on medical cannabis was CA$125 per month, and 39% of respondents spent more than CA$200 per month.
Dr. Michael Dworkind, a palliative care physician and medical director of Sante Cannabis, described the costs as ‘a travesty’.
“In our socialized health care system, people should not be paying for their drugs.”
Report: Colorado Cannabis Sales on the Decline
A new report suggests that cannabis sales in Colorado fell by 14.2% year-on-year in February to $124m.
Ganjapreneur reports that new figures from the State Department of Revenue show that adult-use cannabis sales dropped by 12.7% year-over-year, while medical cannabis sales have fallen 23.7% year-over-year.
This saw cannabis sales tax collections drop 19% last month, while more than 10,000 cannabis jobs were lost last year according to the Vangst 2023 Jobs Report.
Tiffany Goldman, board chair of the Marijuana Industry Group, said that the organization is “already seeing business owners close their doors and leave Colorado, taking critical jobs and tax revenue with them.


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Police say they intercepted a passenger at Dallas Love Field this week who was transporting more than 20 pounds of marijuana and edible THC products across the country.
William Maylona Randolph, 29, of Jackson, Miss., was arrested Wednesday on one count of possessing between five and 50 pounds of marijuana and one count of manufacture or delivery of THC other than marijuana.
A pair of detectives were working at the airport around 10 a.m. that day when one of them noticed a cream-colored suitcase, being transferred from a flight from Los Angeles, that "smelled heavily of fresh marihuana," according to an arrest-warrant affidavit. A drug-detection dog named Weez sniffed out the drugs, police said.
Officers determined that the suitcase belonged to Randolph, whom they found in line for Chick-fil-A in the terminal.
When police asked Randolph whether he had any checked luggage, he said no and "became visibly nervous," according to the affidavit. After being told that Weez, a chocolate Labrador retriever, had indicated that a suitcase checked in his name contained drugs, he replied that it is legal to have 1 ounce of marijuana at Los Angeles International Airport.
Randolph allowed officers to search his suitcase, where they reported finding marijuana and edible THC products. They also found edible THC in a backpack he was carrying, the affidavit says, bringing the totals to more than 17 pounds of pot and four pounds of edibles.
During an interview, Randolph said he was being paid $1,500 to transport the products from Los Angeles to Memphis and had accompanied a similar shipment in December for $2,000, the affidavit says.
Randolph was booked into the Dallas County jail and was released Thursday after posting $6,500 bond, records show.


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Quantm Media Celebrates a Decade of Excellence in Website Traffic and Conversion Enhancement
Quantm Media is a leading digital marketing agency specializing in content creation and SEO services. Founded by Brian Lettieri a decade ago, the agency has consistently delivered innovative solutions that drive website traffic and enhance conversions for clients. With a focus on staying at the forefront of digital marketing trends, Quantm Media continues to empower businesses to succeed in the competitive online landscape.
San Diego, CA, United States, 28th Aug 2023 – Quantm Media a trailblazing digital marketing agency, is proud to announce its 10-year anniversary of transforming the online landscape for clients by driving website traffic and boosting conversions through their unparalleled content and SEO services. Founded by Brian Lettieri, Quantm Media has consistently demonstrated its commitment to helping businesses thrive in the digital age.
Over the past decade, Quantm Media has become synonymous with innovation and excellence in the SEO and digital marketing arena. Through a comprehensive suite of services, the company has been instrumental in empowering clients across various industries to not only increase their online visibility but also to turn website visitors into valuable customers.
Brian Lettieri, the founder of Quantm Media, envisioned a digital marketing agency that would revolutionize how businesses approach their online presence. “Our journey over the last ten years has been nothing short of incredible,” Lettieri said. “We set out to create a platform where businesses could find all the necessary tools and expertise to thrive in the digital space. It’s incredibly rewarding to see how our efforts have helped numerous clients achieve their goals.”
Quantm Media’s success is driven by its unwavering commitment to staying ahead of the curve in the ever-evolving world of digital marketing. The agency’s team of experts brings together a deep understanding of content strategy, search engine optimization (SEO), and user experience to create tailor-made solutions for clients aiming to improve their website traffic and boost conversions.
The agency’s suite of services includes:
Cutting-Edge SEO Strategies: Employing sophisticated SEO tactics tailored to the Cannabis, Kratom, and high risk sectors, enhancing website optimization for search engines, leading to elevated search rankings and heightened visibility for your business.
High-Risk Sector Payment Solutions: Streamline transactions and elevate user satisfaction by seamlessly integrating efficient and secure payment platforms tailored for businesses in challenging industries.
Custom Payment Platform: Streamline transactions and elevate user experience through the seamless integration of efficient and secure payment platforms, addressing the unique payment collection complexities faced by websites in challenging industries.
Strategic Content Creation: Crafting compelling and informative content that resonates with target audiences, enhances engagement, and drives organic traffic.
Data-Driven Insights: Leveraging analytics and data to refine strategies, ensuring continuous improvement and optimal results.
Quantm Media has left an indelible mark on its clients’ success stories, propelling businesses of all sizes towards unprecedented growth in the digital sphere. As the agency celebrates its 10-year milestone, it remains committed to innovation, client satisfaction, and a future brimming with new possibilities.
Organization: Quantm Media
Contact Person: Brian Lettieri
Email: [email protected]
Address: 2815 Camino Del Rio South
City: San Diego
Country: United States
Release Id: 2808235872


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Atlanta journalist Maryn McKenna, who spent 10 years covering the CDC for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, has a new book about how widespread antibiotic use in animals, particularly poultry, impacted and changed factory farming. She’ll attend the Georgia launch party for the book at Manuel’s Tavern at 7 p.m. on Monday, September 18. Below, she discusses the book with us:
I came away from your book with a mixture of terror and hope. The terror is that every year 700,000 people die worldwide from antibiotic resistance, a number that could go up to 10 million in the next 35 years. The hope is that companies like Perdue and Chick-fil-A are leading the way for real change, at least in the poultry industry. Which should we be feeling more of?
I think we should still be incredibly worried because the overuse of antibiotics, and consequently antibiotic resistance, is still a problem all around the globe in agriculture and in medicine. But it’s legitimate to feel hope now. This book started actually with my previous book, Superbug, where I told the story of the emergence of antibiotic resistance by writing the biography of one organism—staph—and how drug-resistant staph emerged. I thought it was going to be a story of two epidemics—how it began in hospitals because of how we’d misused antibiotics, and how this bug then moved out into the wider world. But I realized there were three epidemics—in hospitals, in the community, and in agriculture. But in that book I only got to tell the agriculture piece in one chapter. As bad as the situation in medicine was, the sheer volume of antibiotics in agriculture was so much bigger. Averaged across the globe, antibiotic use in agriculture is twice what it is in medicine and four times that in the U.S.
When I started reporting this in the summer of 2014, I thought I was writing another public health disaster book. But within the first year of my signing the book contract, things started to shift in the United States. While the book is the story of this enormous problem that’s been building for decades, it’s also a chronicle of how we may be able to improve things. And it’s about chickens because they were the first animals to get antibiotics as growth promoters, which is the basis of factory farming. Chickens appear to be the first sector of the protein industry that will exit antibiotic use. At least in the United States.
Is this trend away from antibiotics irreversible?
I think so, at least in poultry. Chick-fil-A and Perdue stepped out in front of the pack and said, “We’re going to change this.” Interestingly, at least to start with, neither of them said, “We’re going to change this because antibiotic resistance is a danger.” They just said, “We’re going to change this because our customers want us to.” Then other companies followed along behind them, one after another. Tyson, McDonald’s, Taco Bell. Almost all of the major poultry producers.
Yet you write that it appears antibiotic use in meat production in the U.S. has actually gone up in the last five or six years.
It appears that way based on the federal data. But we don’t actually know. All of the measures for antibiotic use in agriculture in the United States are all just proxy measures because none of them measure what is actually being given to an animal. Which species is it? What types of farm is it being raised on? We don’t have any of that data. All that we get is sales data from the pharma companies—what the tonnage is of antibiotics being sold for agricultural use. We can see that those totals are going up and up. We can’t necessarily see what’s going to pigs, cattle, or chickens.
Separate USDA data shows that 40 to 50 percent of the poultry farms surveyed have ceased using most antibiotics. So, if the USDA data is saying that poultry is using fewer antibiotics, but the FDA data shows that the sales of all are going up, it’s reasonable to conclude that it’s the other species receiving the drugs—cattle and pigs, primarily.
Talk a little bit about the dual use of antibiotics in animals.
The first thing to remember is that we only take them when we’re sick, right? The point of an antibiotic is to cure an infection. Most of the antibiotic use in animals is not for that reason. If we did in humans what we did in animals, we would consider it inappropriate if it’s not intended to cure an infection.
Most antibiotics are given to meat animals for two reasons. The first is that very small doses—much smaller than would be used to cure an infection—cause them to gain weight and to specifically gain muscle mass.
[The practice] is affecting what we would call the gut microbiome—the community of bacteria that lives in the guts of every living thing—and changing how nutrition is processed and absorbed. The industry discovered in the 1940s that if you gave tiny doses of antibiotics to animals—mere grams per ton of feed—then you could either get them to the weight at which you wanted to sell them quicker using the same amount of feed, or you could use less feed and be raising them from the same amount of time. So either way we were incurring an economic benefit.
It turned out that if you raised that dose, from say, 10 grams a ton to about 200 grams a ton, it would also protect the animals against incurring an infection. That first achievement of growth promotion starts the ball rolling for the whole sector of factory farming, where barns get bigger and many more animals get put into barns and the more you put them together, the more likelihood there is that they’re going to get sick.
As the movement accelerated to phase out antibiotics, how did Georgia poultry farms adjust?
We raise more chickens than any other state in the union. If we were an independent country we would be, like, the fourth-largest chicken economy in the world.
In Georgia there are both extremely conventional chicken farmers who continue to use antibiotics, continue to keep their birds inside of old barns, raise them for 35 to 42 days. There are also farmers who are contracted to companies that are starting to rethink if that’s the best way, like Perdue. They’re still asking their farmers to raise birds at a very high volume, but they have effectively eliminated antibiotics. They’ve changed the birds’ diets and the physical structure of the barns—putting windows in the barns and giving the birds things to exercise and climb on—so they have some requirements other than just sitting in place and growing.
We always want to lionize the small producers, which embody the best possible experience for the animals. But it’s big companies changing their minds—like when Walmart started selling organic produce and companies like Perdue started saying, “We’re going to do this without antibiotics”—that really moves a market.
You begin and end the book with anecdotes about eating a succulent chicken—first in Paris, and then in Brooklyn, and how different they tasted from factory-farmed chicken. But you don’t talk about cost.
The big question for chicken—and for any meat that goes antibiotic-free—is a question that faces all of food production: Is better, safer food going to be something that only well-off people can afford? That hangs over all of these transformations of food systems.
Read our excerpt from Big Chicken: Consumers want antibiotic-free chicken. Can companies and farmers afford it?
This article originally appeared in our September 2017 issue.


text: The moment we have all been waiting for seems like it’s coming closer, and closer to land in our very own palms. That’s right the “iPhone 5″ or shall we simply say “The New iPhone.” Throughout the Summer there has been numerous leaks, rumors and speculation regarding Apples next big thing (The New iPhone.) According to some sources, it has been stated that Wednesday September,12, 2012 Apple will unveil the new iPhone and, the iPad Mini. In additionally, buyers could most likely get their hands on the device the following Friday, September 21st. Save those paychecks and get ready for those pre-orders before the mayhem begins.


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Let’s check out a few games and video services on the PS4 Pro, and see how they hold up on a 4K TV. And while we’re at it, we’ll look ahead to a handful of upcoming titles that will make your wallet quiver in fear.
With iOS 9.3, Apple added a new display mode meant to reduce the amount of sleep-harming blue light its displays kick out. Technical analysis shows that the company succeeded, but the long-term impact on a user’s quality of sleep is still unknown.
The Galaxy S7 has won accolades for a number of features and capabilities, but repairability isn’t going to be one of them. Teardown reveals that the device depends on glue to hold it together, and getting the display apart without breaking it is borderline impossible.
Researchers have discovered how to grow electronic pathways inside a rose and can even create “pixels” out of parts of the leaf. It’s a novel leap forward for embedded electronics and could improve our understanding of how to mesh traditional silicon computation with its biological equivalent.
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As a high school student, entrepreneur John Goscha invented his first product – adjustable weight golf clubs using silicon fibers and lightweight aluminum instead of titanium – in the family garage and formed his first company, Goscha Golf. In college, he came up with the concept for IdeaPaint (a roller-applied paint that transforms any smooth surface into a dry-erase surface), raised $15 million in venture capital, and won two Best of NeoCon awards in the Innovation and Wallcoverings categories.
Recently, Goscha turned his attention to the lighting industry and determined the reliance on LED, CFL, and incandescent/halogen technology to be narrowly focused. “I noticed other companies chasing LEDs and the government subsidies,” he states. “I don’t think people want to cringe when they turn on a light bulb,” he says, referencing the bluish cast that consumers associate with LED and even CFL. “I saw an opportunity to use a technology that could give the warm glow of an incandescent, and I didn’t use any government money to develop it.”
Goscha founded Lucidity Lights, Inc. and tapped the engineering expertise of industry veterans Victor Roberts, who spent 28 years at General Electric including heading up the lighting research department, and Walter Lapatovich, Ph.D., formerly a scientist with Osram Sylvania for 13 years. There are other savvy professionals involved on the company’s boards, such as Panasonic and Sylvania veteran Jakob Maya and reportedly Color Kinetics co-founder Ihor Lys.
After two years of testing, the team felt confident they had created an alternative to LED and CFL by applying induction technology for residential use. While induction technology has been around since the 1800s and used primarily in commercial applications, the team’s solution uses a copper coil instead of the more typical choice of tungsten filament or an electrode to generate light. With induction lighting, there is also a short warm-up before the lamp reaches full brightness.
Calling their solution Acandescent™ technology, the team named the product the Finally™ Light Bulb, with the goal of replicating the warm, omni-directional light of an incandescent for approximately $10 retail. Roberts serves as Finally Light Bulb’s Senior Technologist while Lapatovich is Director/Research & Advanced Development.
Lucidity appears to be the first company to harness induction lighting in this way and make it compact enough to be used in homes from a practical as well as aesthetic standpoint. There were also specific goals the team wanted to hit. “We wanted to nail 15,000 hours of life, we wanted the bulb to work with universal and incandescent dimmers, and we wanted it to reach 2700K in a few econds,” Goscha remarks. He credits the advances in the cell phone industry with providing small electronic parts that could be adapted to the Finally Light Bulb and without a huge cost. In addition, the Finally Light Bulb engineers had to invent new parts to suit this specific purpose. As with CFL, there is a small amount of mercury used in the product.
The Finally Light Bulb is currently under-going the Energy Star certification process and will be available in October through www.FinallyBulbs.com.


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AHL Partners LLP grew its position in shares of Foot Locker, Inc. (NYSE:FL) by 90.3% during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 13,866 shares of the athletic footwear retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 6,580 shares during the quarter. AHL Partners LLP’s holdings in Foot Locker were worth $683,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Several other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in FL. BlackRock Inc. increased its holdings in Foot Locker by 2,189.3% in the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 9,163,944 shares of the athletic footwear retailer’s stock worth $685,553,000 after purchasing an additional 8,763,641 shares in the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC increased its holdings in Foot Locker by 1,744.5% in the second quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 1,372,300 shares of the athletic footwear retailer’s stock worth $67,627,000 after purchasing an additional 1,297,900 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley increased its holdings in Foot Locker by 151.3% in the first quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 1,439,075 shares of the athletic footwear retailer’s stock worth $107,656,000 after purchasing an additional 866,525 shares in the last quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board increased its holdings in Foot Locker by 65.3% in the second quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 1,819,210 shares of the athletic footwear retailer’s stock worth $89,651,000 after purchasing an additional 718,800 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Marshall Wace North America L.P. increased its holdings in Foot Locker by 6,648.7% in the second quarter. Marshall Wace North America L.P. now owns 729,398 shares of the athletic footwear retailer’s stock worth $35,741,000 after purchasing an additional 718,590 shares in the last quarter. 95.34% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
WARNING: “Foot Locker, Inc. (FL) Stake Raised by AHL Partners LLP” was first published by Dispatch Tribunal and is the property of of Dispatch Tribunal. If you are viewing this news story on another site, it was stolen and reposted in violation of international trademark & copyright law. The original version of this news story can be read at https://www.dispatchtribunal.com/2017/10/28/ahl-partners-llp-boosts-holdings-in-foot-locker-inc-fl.html.
Several research firms have recently commented on FL. Morgan Stanley upgraded Foot Locker from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and decreased their price objective for the company from $70.00 to $65.00 in a report on Tuesday, August 8th. Credit Suisse Group restated a “neutral” rating and set a $52.00 price objective (down previously from $66.00) on shares of Foot Locker in a report on Tuesday, August 1st. ValuEngine upgraded Foot Locker from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, October 2nd. Jefferies Group LLC set a $61.00 target price on Foot Locker and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, August 19th. Finally, Oppenheimer Holdings, Inc. reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of Foot Locker in a research report on Tuesday, August 15th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, fifteen have given a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the company. The company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $62.88.
Foot Locker, Inc. (NYSE FL) opened at 31.55 on Friday. Foot Locker, Inc. has a 52 week low of $29.89 and a 52 week high of $79.43. The company has a market capitalization of $3.91 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.29 and a beta of 0.72. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $33.92 and a 200-day moving average price of $50.05.
Foot Locker (NYSE:FL) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, August 18th. The athletic footwear retailer reported $0.62 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $0.90 by ($0.28). The company had revenue of $1.70 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.80 billion. Foot Locker had a net margin of 7.49% and a return on equity of 21.52%. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 4.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.94 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that Foot Locker, Inc. will post $3.97 EPS for the current fiscal year.
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, October 27th. Investors of record on Friday, October 13th were paid a $0.31 dividend. This represents a $1.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.93%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, October 12th. Foot Locker’s dividend payout ratio is presently 28.57%.
Foot Locker Company Profile
Foot Locker, Inc is a retailer of shoes and apparel. The Company operates through two segments: Athletic Stores and Direct-to-Customers. The Company is an athletic footwear and apparel retailer, which include businesses, such as include Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, Lady Foot Locker, Champs Sports, Footaction, Runners Point, Sidestep and SIX:02.
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Huge volumes of discovered hydrocarbons worldwide are currently ‘stranded,’ according to a study by Westwood Global Energy Group. The consultant has identified 119 fields in this category that were found between 2008 and 2016 with collectively 11 Bbbl of oil and 36 Bboe of gas, but currently not progressing toward development, including Brazil, Angola, and the Falkland Islands in the south Atlantic.
Brazil's government on Tuesday outlined a long-term roadmap for the economy, based on three scenarios of economic and fiscal reforms that could lift gross domestic product per capita by as much as 37% over the next decade.
The Catholic Church, some lawmakers, and the pro-life lobbies are ready for a major battle when the current Argentine government is expected to send a bill to legalize abortion. This follows statements from president Alberto Fernandez pledging to the green scarves movement, who strongly support the initiative that the long-delayed bill will be taken up for consideration soon.
Chinese imports of meat and offal totaled 830,000 tons in September, 63% higher than the volume recorded for the same month last year, based on information from Beijing's customs office.
Noble Corporation plc's ultra-deepwater drillship Noble Tom Madden has received about 6.5 years of additional contract term under the commercial enabling agreement (CEA) with ExxonMobil for work offshore Guyana.
China imported 51,4% more Brazilian soy during September, than in the same month a year ago according to a release from the Chinese Customs on 25 October. Brazil exported 7.25 million tons of oilseed to China in September compared to 4.79 million tons in the same period in 2019, according to the agency.
Brazil's 2020 inflation outlook rose to 3%, a central bank survey showed on Monday, the 11th week in a row it has risen as a recent spike in food prices continues to intensify short-term inflation pressures.
Pakistan and Argentina signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Sanitary and Phytosanitary issues, during a ceremony conducted in Buenos Aires with the purpose of promoting and sponsoring trade in animals, plants, and by-products, as well as technical cooperation.
Argentine Foreign Affairs Minister Felipe Sola on Monday called on Latin American and Caribbean countries to embrace “solidarity multilateralism” to overcome the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Brazil’s conservative government will extend the military’s deployment to fight the destruction of the Amazon rainforest by five months through April 2021 from its previous November end date, Vice President Hamilton Mourao said on Monday.


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11.81 +0.07 (0.62%)
After hours: 4:22PM EST
|Bid||11.61 x 900|
|Ask||12.19 x 1000|
|Day's Range||11.54 - 12.03|
|52 Week Range||8.79 - 22.71|
|Beta (5Y Monthly)||N/A|
|PE Ratio (TTM)||N/A|
|Earnings Date||Jan 29, 2020 - Feb 02, 2020|
|Forward Dividend & Yield||N/A (N/A)|
|1y Target Est||13.02|
Uber's (UBER) air taxis, accommodating up to four passengers and traveling at a speed of 180 mph to cover trips of up to 60 miles, are planned for a rollout in 2023.
As the de-escalation in the trade war augurs well for the reeling Chinese economy, stocks that got battered in 2019 have a chance to bounce back in 2020.
The financial regulations require hedge funds and wealthy investors that exceeded the $100 million equity holdings threshold to file a report that shows their positions at the end of every quarter. Even though it isn't the intention, these filings to a certain extent level the playing field for ordinary investors. The latest round of 13F […]
BEIJING , Nov. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Sohu.com Limited (NASDAQ: SOHU), China's leading online media, video, search and gaming business group, today reported unaudited financial results for the third quarter ...
BEIJING , Oct. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Sohu.com Limited (NASDAQ: SOHU), China's leading online media, video, search and gaming business group, will report its third quarter 2019 unaudited financial results ...
BEIJING, Sept. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Sohu.com Limited (SOHU) ("Sohu" or the "Company"), China's leading online media, video, search and gaming business group, today announced that it has submitted to the board of directors of its majority-owned subsidiary Changyou.com Limited (CYOU) ("Changyou"), a leading online game developer and operator in China, a preliminary non-binding proposal to acquire all of the outstanding Class A ordinary shares of Changyou, including Class A ordinary shares represented by American Depositary Shares ("ADSs"), that are not already owned by Sohu for a purchase price of US$5.00 per Class A ordinary share, or US$10.00 per ADS, in cash. As Sohu holds all of the Class B ordinary shares of Changyou that are currently outstanding, the proposed transaction, if completed, would result in Changyou becoming a privately-held, indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Sohu, and Changyou's ADSs would be delisted from the NASDAQ Global Select Market.
Sohu.com (SOHU) reported earnings 30 days ago. What's next for the stock? We take a look at earnings estimates for some clues.


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Welcome to the BYTE, where we serve up the latest home and tech news from the last week for you to sink your teeth into.
This week we’re taking a BYTE out of 2018, flat packing, solar glass, Black Friday breakdowns, and Santa’s new home. Dig in!
Since 2018 is exactly 4 weeks away it’s time to start forecasting: supply should catch up with demand, price appreciation is expected to slow but sales continue to rise, innovation should continue/speed up, and much more.
A Lot In Store
There has been a discrepancy between the supply of homes and the demand for years, but in the second half of 2018 we are expected to finally start catching up on the supply side. The south is projected to dominate home sales because of the many fast growing cities in the region, but Las Vegas is projected to grow the most next year. Millennials are expected to continue their home buying domination and expand into higher priced homes. The major wild card for exactly how things play out next year is the tax overhaul being pushed through the government and what ends up being turned into law.
How Did IKEA Not Think Of This?
Hoping This Doesn’t Fall Flat
An architect from Italy is attempting to make accessible and affordable housing. His M.A.Di houses are flat pack houses that take 6-7 hours to “build”. The house claims to be built, or pop-up, with three people and boasts the capacity for solar panels and grey-water systems. The houses include a bathroom, kitchen connections and technical installations, and a 60-day delivery guarantee for in stock homes. Not only that but they come in a couple of sizes, 290 sq. ft. for $32,800 or a 904 sq. ft. home for $72,800.
Now You See Me, Now You Don’t
The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has created a new type of solar electricity generating material. The glass like material is clear when not in direct sunlight but when it is hit with light and starts to warm it becomes tinted and starts producing electricity. The application of this as windows on homes would allow people to have beautiful windows that tint during the day as to not heat the house and also generate electricity to power the home.
Black Fri-yay For Smart Homes
3 of the top 5 selling products from Black Friday were smart home gadgets. This was a big win for Amazon specifically with the Echo Dot and the Fire TV Stick both being in the top 5. The other smart home device that broke the top 5 was the TP-Link Smart Plug. With 10 million smart home devices expected to be sold in the U.S. by 2021 this may be a sign of the trends to come.
Santa Claus is reportedly looking for a second North Pole. Our friends over at Redfin tried to help him narrow his search and looked at cities based on their affordability, bakeries per capita, snowfall, toy-making talent, and proximity to Amazon Fulfillment Centers. When it is all calculated the winner for NP2 is Cleveland, OH, the home of the classic movie, A Christmas Story! We’ll keep an eye out for the official announcement.
All In A Day’s Work
Welcome to the office, all we need from you today is jump off a mountain and fly into the small door of a plane. Consider it done.


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Super Mario Run is quickly becoming one of the most downloaded titles the App Store has ever seen. According to the latest stats, it may have experienced the most day-one downloads of any app to date.
Mobile intelligence firm Apptopia says that Super Mario Run saw 2.85 million downloads in its first day on the App Store. App Annie, another mobile metrics provider, touts an even higher number: 3.5 million, and that was in the app’s first 14 hours alone.
Until now, Pokémon Go has been hailed as the most successful mobile game launch ever. After launching, Apple confirmed the app had the most first week downloads of any app, ever (although it didn’t confirm what that exact number was).
It will be interesting to see how Super Mario Run‘s success compares. Pokémon Go initially launched in only a few countries, and slowly expanded over the next few weeks and months. (In August, the app hit 100 million downloads.) Super Mario Run, by comparison launched in 150 countries on day one, and was certainly helped out by early hype and marketing.
Still, Super Mario Run will have a ways to go before it beats Pokémon. The app still sees the highest peak daily active users of any game in the App Store, according to real time data from App Institute—23 million, compared to 22 million for Candy Crush Saga back in 2013 and 17 million for Draw Something back in 2012.
It also continues to be the top grossing game in the App Store, by a hefty margin, although Nintendo is likely hoping to emulate those profits. While Super Mario Run is a free download, to access all the levels, you’ve got to pay for a whopping $9.99 in-app purchase (something many App Store reviewers are not happy about). Still, Techcrunch reports the app has made around $5 million thus far—and it’s only been a little over 24 hours since the app launched.


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Nine years after its debut, Deep Silver announced today that Saints Row: The Third – Remastered will come out for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on May 22, 2020.
Saints Row: The Third – Remastered has players taking control of the Saints in the town of Steelport. A legendary criminal fraternity known as The Syndicate demands tribute, but the Saints look to disrupt and dismantle their stranglehold.
The team at Sperasoft has given this title a complete overhaul, with remodels of every weapon, redesigns of every car, a new lighting engine, updated character models, and more than 4,000 updated assets. Also included in this release are all three expansion packs and over 30 pieces of DLC from the original version.
Learn more with the trailer below:
Saints Row®: TheThird – Remastered Announce Trailer (Official)
Ahead of its launch next week on April 10, Square-Enix announced today that digital pre-loads of the Final Fantasy VII Remake can now be done
All those that jump into Rockstar Games’ GTA Online this week will be able to take advantage of triple GTA$ and RP for the Arena War Series
from GamersHeroes http://www.gamersheroes.com/gaming-news/saints-row-the-third-remastered-coming-may-22/


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One of the reasons criminals get arrested is that they aren't very smart in the first place. Proof of that came this week when Seattle Police arrested three suspects at at Westwood Village Monday after they tried to sell a very expensive bike stolen days earlier from the REI store in downtown Seattle.
According to police on May 21, someone in a mask got into a fenced, gated area at the REI flagship store in the 200 block of Yale Avenue and stole a black and neon green Ghost Kato bike worth $2,700.
Keeping an eye out an alert REI staffer found an ad for a just such a bike on Craigslist. The ad listed the bike at $1,500, describing it as “brand new” and “ready to be picked up.” “Serious inquiries only!!!,” the seller wrote.
REI staff shared the ad with police, and Southwest Precinct Anti-Crime Team Officer Ernie Debelle contacted the seller setting up a Monday night meeting.More ›


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Men and women really are different when it comes to their next new car purchase, according to a news release from GfK Automotive, an industry market research firm.
The data is based on information collected monthly from a nationally representative sample of 200,000 US households. During January through March of 2005, men and women were asked about the next new car and/or truck they intended to purchase, GfK said.
For men, the is the biggest draw, with both the coupe and convertible models making the Top Ten List (#1 and #10 respectively). Men also gravitate toward the exotic end of the auto spectrum with the Maserati Spyder, Jaguar XK8 coupe and all appearing on the radar screen for the next car or truck they plan to purchase.
For women, the list includes mostly cars costing under $30,000. The top pick is the . The appears twice, in both sedan and convertible form. Two Kia models — the Rio sedan and the Optima — have also made an impression on wallet-conscious females, taking the number nine and ten spots, respectively.
Interestingly, the one common thread for men and women is that both groups prefer foreign-made vehicles over their US counterparts.
"It seems the cliches are indeed true," according to Doug Scott, Senior Vice President, GfK Automotive. "Men are drawn to higher-priced 'performance' cars, with 41% citing looks and design as a key consideration. Women, on the other hand, want the more conservative, 'value' models...affordable, fun and practical."
TOP TEN CARS FOR MEN
1. Porsche 911 coupe
2. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
3. Ford GT
4. Volkswagen Phaeton
6. Jaguar XK8 coupe
7. Maserati Spyder
8. Mercedes CL
9. BMW 6-series coupe
10. Porsche 911 convertible
TOP TEN CARS FOR WOMEN
1. Pontiac G6 convertible
2. Suzuki Forenza
3. Volkswagen New Beetle convertible
4. Volkswagen New Beetle
5. Pontiac Sunfire coupe
6. Volvo XC70
7. Mitsubishi Eclipse convertible
9. Kia Rio sedan
10. Kia Optima
Source: AFI Automotive Intentions and Purchases Study, January-March 2005


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When it comes to winning and retaining B2B buyers, there is greater nuance and complexity in the customer journey than ever before. And as the world reimagines what is possible through the use of technology, the technology landscape is ever-more crowded with new products and capabilities designed to help power productivity and success across the enterprise. In...
Posts by Meghan Brockmeyer
Meghan Brockmeyer February 3, 2021
As digital transformation modernizes business at scale, technology has formed the bedrock of how companies navigate today’s evolving world of work. And with technology adoption now occurring at unparalleled levels, every player in the space will depend heavily on marketing to chart a path toward long-term growth. However, as with many trends of the 2010s, the...
How a Leading Customer Experience Provider Uses Account-Based Marketing and LinkedIn to Reach New Markets
Meghan Brockmeyer January 5, 2021
With nearly 60 offices across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East andAsia Pacific , Genesys is the global leader in cloud customer experience and contact center solutions. From call center software to AI-enabled chatbots, Genesys technology powers more than 70 billion customer interactions annually. But with industry analysts like Gartner forecasting that the...
The events of 2020 accelerated today’s evolving world of work into a new era defined by innovation, resilience and adaptability. In a...
With professional, personal, and family lives intersecting like never before, people are seeking new digital spaces for entertainment,...
- LinkedIn Marketing News
Before jumping into the data, I’d like to give a special thank you to Elysia Shaw, Olga Milkovska, and Sandra Valminord for pulling...
- LinkedIn B2B Marketing


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Tesla's Secret 'Palladium' Project to Upgrade Model X, Model S
Tesla has a new secret project called "Palladium" involving significant updates for the Model S and the Model X, according to an exclusive report from Electrek.
Tesla's secret upgrades for Model S, Model X
Earlier in 2020, new information that Tesla's "Roadrunner" secret project to manufacture its own new battery cells — along with new technology to produce them — arose.
Now we know Tesla has another secret in its belt — one codenamed "Palladium" — which is undergoing deployment in its Fremont factory and Gigafactory Nevada, Electrek reports.
Little is known about Tesla's project because the automaker is holding the information close-to-the-vest, compartmentalizing intel throughout the company. But Electrek's sources confirmed its existence.
New production lines, battery modules, drive units
The project involves the addition of new production lines for updated Model S and Model X versions. While it's not clear how comprehensive to Tesla's lineup the Palladium update will be — again, Tesla keeps secrets — this might be a major development.
The new Palladium update includes new battery modules and drive units — to be included in the forthcoming "Plaid" versions of the Model X and Model S.
New powertrain, Model S Plaid body modifications
Additionally, the new powertrain will enable a tri-motor configuration for plaid, which will increase efficiency and performance. Electrek doesn't have specific numbers, but we can expect the increase to be significant, else Tesla wouldn't have a reason for the secrecy.
When Tesla began tests of early prototypes for the Model S Plaid, it featured body modifications, but it wasn't clear whether Tesla planned to apply these for mass production.
For now, Tesla is updating Fremont- and Nevada-based production lines in line with its new Palladium project. The launch date isn't officially set and remains an unknown, but Tesla's September 'battery day' should unveil some of the mystery.
Palladium: mystery in a name
It's unclear why Tesla codenamed the project "Palladium." As one of the six platinum-group metals, the majority of which is mined worldwide and is used in catalytic converters in car exhausts.
It could mean the Model S and Model X will see use of palladium in new components — but it could also be a subliminal jab at combustion engines, which use palladium to clean up the emissions associated with global climate change.
In a way, Tesla plays the role of palladium for the entire auto industry. Additionally, the price of palladium has shot up sharply in the last several years — with some experts comparing it to the rise of Tesla's stock. Whatever it is, we'll have our ear to the ground with bated breath for details on the automaker's latest secret project.
Globally-recognized innovative change expert Nigel Barlow on how there has never been a more important time to foster innovation.


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As we all are waiting for the launch of Samsung Galaxy Note 9 which is going to be unveiled on August 9, the rumour mill is already started for the next galaxy S10 device. The Galaxy S10 will be unveiled in 2019 may be at MWC 2019. But there are fresh rumours which suggest that the smartphone will come with a triple camera setup.
According to the latest report from The Bell, the Galaxy S10 will house a triple-camera module on the rear and it will include a super wide angle lens similar to the G7. if we believe the rumours then the upcoming Galaxy S10 Plus will house five-camera setup which includes triple on the rear and dual front-facing camera.
Samsung is planning to launch the phone with a triple camera system which includes a 12MP standard wide-angle lens with a dual aperture, a secondary 12MP sensor with a telephoto lens and a third 16MP ‘super-wide-angle’ lens.
Not only that Samsung is also planning to launch a third less expensive variant of the Galaxy S10 which will be different from the regular Galaxy S10 and the Galaxy S10 Plus. Still, we have to wait more than a year to know exactly what Samsung is cooking.


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Movie theaters offer discounts, freebies for National Popcorn Day on Tuesday around San Antonio
What better way to kick off the new year than with a free bag of movie theater popcorn? You can treat yourself to some free popcorn at all EVO Entertainment theaters in Central Texas on Tuesday, Jan. 19, in honor of National Popcorn Day. You won’t even need to purchase a movie ticket to get the free popcorn, according to a release from EVO Entertainment. There are a few EVO Entertainment theaters fairly close to San Antonio, including locations in Schertz, Fredericksburg, San Marcos, New Braunfels, and more. Santikos theaters are also offering a promotion in honor of National Popcorn Day with discounted bags of popcorn.
Santikos Entertainment selling curbside popcorn to-go for at-home moviegoers
SAN ANTONIO – Whether you’re looking to fulfill a craving for movie theater popcorn or you’re planning a movie night at home with family, Santikos Entertainment has you covered. Although Santikos’ movie theaters are currently closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the company is now offering curbside popcorn. Santikos brings you: Popcorn To-Go! Check out this weekend's large Popcorn To-Go schedule! To learn more on how to get your curbside movie theater popcorn, click here.


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Trade Gap Narrows, Points to Upward Revision to Q2 GDP, Claims Improving
- The U.S. International Trade gap narrowed more than expected in June to -$42.9 billion.
- The trade numbers imply an upward revision to Q2 real GDP growth of about 0.5 percent, to 2.0 percent.
- June Consumer Credit increased by $6.5 billion with gains in non-revolving balances.
- Initial Claims for Unemployment Insurance dropped by 6,000 for the week ending August 4, to 361,000.
After a string a soft economic reports through mid-summer we are starting to see some more positive developments. Today we see that the U.S. international trade gap for June narrowed more than expected to -$42.9 billion. This is important for Q2 GDP, as the initial estimate of each quarterly GDP data point is based on incomplete international trade data. Today’s trade data imply an upward revision of Q2 real GDP of about 0.5 percent, which would bring the overall real GDP growth rate up to 2.0 percent for the quarter, giving us a little more momentum heading into Q3. Nominal exports increased by $2.7 billion for the month while nominal imports declined by $3.5 billion. After adjusting for price changes the real balance of trade in goods narrowed by $3.5 billion ($2005), the narrowest it has been this year. Gains were seen in all major categories of goods exports. Merchandise exports to Europe are still cycling down, barely positive on a year-over-year basis in June, after being up by as much as 25 percent in April 2011. Exports to China are showing a similar pattern, cycling down on a year-over-year basis after strong gains in 2011.
More good news came from the weekly unemployment insurance claims data. Initial claims for the week ending August 4 dropped by 6,000 to hit 361,000. While there is still a certain amount of muddiness in the data, we do get a cleaner read in late summer than in early summer, and then back-to-school and Labor Day muddies it up again. Initial claims data appears to be leveling out after increasing from April through June, providing an indication that the July uptick in employment will likely be sustained in August. Consumers continued to leverage up in June, adding on $6.5 billion to their revolving and non-revolving credit balances. All of the June gain reflected increases in non-revolving credit, as consumers took advantage of high auto affordability and replaced their very old cars.
Market Reaction: U.S. equities have reversed opening losses. Treasury yields are up. NYMEX crude oil is up to $93.89/barrel. The dollar is up against the yen and the euro.


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Jumping on the bandwagon, Aiman Khan and Minal Khan have also announced their upcoming clothing brand named A & M. Speaking of which, it reminds us of various top-notch celebrities that have launched their own clothing brands, makeup brands,salons and much more. We are utterly aware of this concept and how exceptionally people embrace the style and brands associated with the celebrities.
Starting off with Junaid Jamshed, the singer turned down his career and opened a successful clothing brand which has made all the fans swooning over it. Urwa Hoccane and Mawra Hoccane have also started up their clothing brand by the name of UxM. Mahira Khan, the starlet,has also launched a western clothing brand named Mashion.
The sis-duo took to their social media and left us stunned by this exhilarating news of their new brand. Loving the fact that our ace actors are refining their hidden talents and making big in fashion Industry.
EbuzzToday is your all-access pass to most fascinating stars around the globe. We cover all international news which includes Hollywood, Bollywood and Lollywood. With the opening of our Lahore office we start covering Pakistani Fashion & Media Industry.
Before you do business with us, Kindly read our Terms of Business You must agree with our Terms to do business with Ebuzztoday/Ebuzz PR/ Ebuzz Studio.


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In 1903, 24-year-old William S. Harley and his business associate Arthur Davidson made the first production Harley-Davidson motorcycle available to the public.
Their "factory" was a humble wooden shack in Davidson's backyard with the words "Harley-Davidson Motor Co." scrawled on the door.
During the 110 years since, the company has survived two world wars, the Great Depression, and fierce competition from rival motorcycle companies. Despite the odds, the Harley-Davidson Motor Co. has excelled and sustains a large community of active Harley riders who gather through clubs and events.
The company will celebrate 110 years with a huge celebration in Harley's hometown of Milwaukee, but for locals who can't make it out, celebrate at the Westminster dealer location.
The event features a catered lunch by Chronic Tacos, live music, vendor booths, raffle drawings, games and an opportunity to win a 2013 Harley-Davidson 72. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday at 13031 Goldenwest St., Westminster. 714-891-4300 or harley-davidson.com
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- Home buying a la carte: Some consumers are doing part of the work themselves - and gettin


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Declaration of domestic Mercedes Benz Weiting van: the body is covered with reflectors! Netizen: this car delivers goods to many times
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Mercedes-Benz China CEO apologizes: I don't agree to only change the engine.
Mercedes Benz's global sales exceeded 200000 in November: a new high in the Chinese market
Mercedes Benz releases its annual "report card": it has become the world's top luxury car market for 4 consecutive years, and China is still the largest market
German luxury cars sell more than 2.1 million vehicles a year in China China becomes BBA's largest global market
New Mercedes Benz cle sedan sold 788800: built in "iPhone 18" Dalian screen, BMW X6
Challenge Tesla? Mercedes Benz's new automatic driving system currently supports the highest 60Km speed per hour.
The larger the standard, the smaller the displacement! Mercedes Benz GLC will use 1.5T engine
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“How can retailers help consumers become more informed about the products they use while also making them happy?” write authors Cait Poynor, Pitt assistant professor of business administration in the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, and Stacy Wood, University of South Carolina professor of marketing. The answer seems to be in organizing products tailored to customers' knowledge levels. Their research indicates that simply organizing a store's existing stock in different ways can improve consumers' learning and their degree of satisfaction.
What works for one consumer may not work for another, however. The authors found that highly knowledgeable consumers liked being surprised by product formats; on the other hand, novice consumers had an easier time when familiar with product groupings.
The data was collected from 123 undergraduate students who completed a two-part study as part of their course work. Both parts were carried out online where the presentation of information could be manipulated. The benefit of an online environment is the infinite number of ways Web sites can be organized, says Poynor.
Students were first placed in two different groups based on their level of prior knowledge (low vs. high), which was determined by a written survey. They were then asked to make selections based upon information presented to them in various formats. Researchers then analyzed the students' choices based upon an algorithm that assessed product learning and satisfaction.
“Results may explain why expert cooks love the chaos of farmer's markets, whereas novice cooks find them overwhelming,” the authors explain. “Or, for retail food stores, a gourmet grocery that caters to a more knowledgeable 'foodie' may build a happier, better-informed consumer base by presenting items in more novel and exotic formats (by season, optimal wine pairings, or country of origin, for example), whereas retailers at the edge of a college campus may help their novice college-age shoppers most by grouping items in the most traditional formats-all fruits together, all coffee together, all bread together, etc.”
The study also found that highly knowledgeable consumers were “notoriously complacent” when it came to paying attention to product information. People who consider themselves experts in a domain generally breeze past potentially new and important information, while novices employ all of their cognitive capacity when making a purchase decision.
According to the research, the way to establish the most satisfied and well-informed consumer can only be determined by considering consumer familiarity with product categories and their expectations about the retail environment.
New study from the University of Halle: How climate change alters plant growth
12.01.2018 | Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg
Disarray in the brain
18.12.2017 | Universität zu Lübeck
Physicists have developed a technique based on optical microscopy that can be used to create images of atoms on the nanoscale. In particular, the new method allows the imaging of quantum dots in a semiconductor chip. Together with colleagues from the University of Bochum, scientists from the University of Basel’s Department of Physics and the Swiss Nanoscience Institute reported the findings in the journal Nature Photonics.
Microscopes allow us to see structures that are otherwise invisible to the human eye. However, conventional optical microscopes cannot be used to image...
On the way to an intelligent laboratory, physicists from Innsbruck and Vienna present an artificial agent that autonomously designs quantum experiments. In initial experiments, the system has independently (re)discovered experimental techniques that are nowadays standard in modern quantum optical laboratories. This shows how machines could play a more creative role in research in the future.
We carry smartphones in our pockets, the streets are dotted with semi-autonomous cars, but in the research laboratory experiments are still being designed by...
What enables electrons to be transferred swiftly, for example during photosynthesis? An interdisciplinary team of researchers has worked out the details of how...
For the first time, scientists have precisely measured the effective electrical charge of a single molecule in solution. This fundamental insight of an SNSF Professor could also pave the way for future medical diagnostics.
Electrical charge is one of the key properties that allows molecules to interact. Life itself depends on this phenomenon: many biological processes involve...
At the JEC World Composite Show in Paris in March 2018, the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT will be focusing on the latest trends and innovations in laser machining of composites. Among other things, researchers at the booth shared with the Aachen Center for Integrative Lightweight Production (AZL) will demonstrate how lasers can be used for joining, structuring, cutting and drilling composite materials.
No other industry has attracted as much public attention to composite materials as the automotive industry, which along with the aerospace industry is a driver...
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