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New York Fashion Week – which debuted the spring/summer 2013 offerings from some of the world’s top designers – recently wrapped in Manhattan and drew the likes of Kim Kardashian, Amy Adams, David Beckham, Alicia Keys, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Anna Wintour’s icy glare.
As is typical, there were glitzy parties, beautiful models, and stilettos. (For anyone who cares, the trends for next season seem to include lace, seriously plunged necklines, cutouts, and wedged platform heels.)
And it all seems like a fitting warmup for the inaugural Jersey City Fashion Week, which will get underway this weekend. The eight-day event will open Friday, Sept. 21 with a VIP reception at Michael Anthony’s Restaurant and continue with soirees at various venues across the city. In a twist on the official Fashion Week shows held each spring and fall in Paris, Milan, and New York, Jersey City Fashion Week is specifically designed to raise money for local charity and arts organizations.
The event is the brainchild of Desha Jackson, founder of the DLJ Give to Live Foundation. Jersey City Fashion Week, she said, “will bring people out to support emerging designers while at the same time raising money for local charities. It allows people to support [four organizations] while doing something fun and entertaining.”
‘Emerging designers are the ones who are actually doing the more interesting, avant-garde designs.’ – Engie Hassan
Designated events throughout Fashion Week will benefit Art House Productions, Dress for Success, the Boys and Girls Club of Hudson County, and York Street Project. Event venues include Liberty National Golf Club, the Historic CRRNJ Terminal in Liberty State Park, and VB3.
The marriage of fashion and charity fundraising is not new. For many years the mainstream fashion industry has raised money for African AIDS organizations, hurricane relief, earthquake victims, hunger relief, the homeless, and other charities.
Emerging, on the cutting edge
Fashion-wise, each day will be dedicated to designated style-themes. There will be the featured emerging designers fashion show, a children’s fashion show, a “meet and greet” opportunity with the designers, and an awards ceremony, among other events.
“The theme for Fashion Week is emerging designers,” said Engie Hassan, a professional stylist who is producing Jersey City Fashion Week. “But we’re trying to show fashions that celebrate the femme fatal, but the femme fatal who has some strength to her. We want the models and fashions to put across [the image of] a strong woman.”
The emerging designers show will include five spring/summer 2013 looks from 10 designers.
“I just finished doing a couple shows for New York Fashion Week. I wanted to be a part of this show because I think it’s very important to show the work of emerging designers,” said Hassan. “They’re the ones who are actually doing the more interesting, avant-garde designs.”
Hassan explained that top designers whose fashions are sold commercially in department stores receive millions of dollars in investment backing to keep their fashion houses open and running. Thus, the items they produce must be marketable to enough customers that they generate a profit for their investors. Emerging designers, she said, can create without such constrains and, thus, sometimes produce more interesting work.
Still, the competition to break into the industry is stiff. Hassan, the official stylist for www.MyModel.com, said she sees the work of dozens of new designers each year, only about 12 to 15 of whom she thinks are good enough to make it long-term in the industry.
Tickets for the opening night VIP reception on Friday, Sept. 21 are $35, plus a $2.92 online transaction fee. Tickets for the emerging designers fashion show on Friday, Sept. 28 are $20, plus a $2.09 transaction fee. To see the full line up of events during Fashion Week, or to buy tickets, visit www.JerseyCityFashionWeek.com.
E-mail E. Assata Wright at email@example.com.
One designer gives back
For designer Deanna Ellis, Jersey City Fashion Week has special significance because of its tie to the York Street Project. Based downtown, the York Street Project provides childcare, job skills, education, and shelter to homeless women and children. The organization currently assists about 300 women and children each year. Twenty years ago, Ellis and her mother were among those the organization helped.
When she was 5, Ellis and her mother lived at York Street for several months while her mother struggled to get her life on track. Their time living at York Street allowed her mother to eventually further her education. Today her mother is a schoolteacher who holds a master’s degree in early childhood development. She is now working towards a doctorate degree.
Since leaving York Street, Ellis, now 25, has periodically returned to give back to the organization that had a major impact on the direction of her life. Now an emerging fashion designer, Ellis said Jersey City Fashion Week was an excellent opportunity for her to feed two birds with one seed: She could help raise money for the York Street Project, while also getting some exposure for her contemporary women’s wear line, Dee-Mai.
“I got into fashion kind of out of necessity,” said Ellis. “In high school I had a lot of old jeans that I would recommission by painting on them. Eventually, I started designing things for my friends and other people I knew in high school. Things just kind of evolved from there.”
Ellis, who taught herself how to sew, said her goal now is to get some of her designs picked up by a small boutique that will commit to selling the Dee-Mai line. – EAW


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U.S. freight carload volume for the latest week rose 5.6% measured against the comparable week in 2013, while U.S. intermodal volume continued to flex muscle, up 6% over the year-ago week. Total U.S. rail traffic for the week was, up 5.8% compared with the same week last year.
Nine of the 10 carload commodity groups AAR tracks on a weekly basis posted increases compared with the same week in 2013, including petroleum and petroleum products, up 24.3%, grain, 22.1%, and motor vehicles and parts, up 14.6%.
Canadian freight carload traffic for the week ending Aug. 2 likewise gained ground, up 3.9% measured against the comparable week of 2013. Canadian intermodal volume advanced 6.7%. Mexican freight carload traffic joined the winners, up 6.1% for the week, as did Mexican intermodal, up 10%.
Combined North American freight carload traffic for the first 31 weeks of 2014 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads was up 3.1% measured against the comparable period of 2013. Combined North American intermodal was up 5.9%.
The gains through Aug. 2 capped a solid month of July for all U.S. freight rail traffic, AAR said, noting U.S. freight carload traffic rose 6.3% in July compared with July 2013, while U.S. intermodal volume for the month rose 5.5%.
Fifteen of the 20 commodity categories tracked by the AAR each month saw year-over-year carload increases in July, led by motor vehicles and parts, up 35.9%. Carloads of grain rose 18.7% during July, which AAR noted "marked the ninth straight month of double-digit gains in U.S. grain carloads, something that hasn't happened since 1995."
Among the declining commodities, coal fell 1.7% in July measured against the comparable month in 2013.
"The economy has had several so-called "false dawns" over the past few years, but based on current rail traffic levels, there's reason to be optimistic that this time the economy might start growing like it should," said AAR Senior Vice President John T. Gray.

domain: news


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Ford Motor Co. earned $1.623 billion in the first quarter of 1988, shattering a world auto industry record for earnings in a single quarter, the nation's second-largest auto maker said today.
Ford's earnings of $3.31 a share on sales of $20.74 billion were up 8.8% over first-quarter 1987 earnings of $1.49 billion, or $2.87 a share, on sales of $18.14 billion.
The previous quarterly earnings record was set by General Motors Corp., the world's largest auto maker, with $1.614 billion in profits in the first quarter of 1984.
Ford profits earned in the United States fell 10.2% in the first quarter to $1.04 billion from $1.16 billion in first-quarter 1987. But the drop was offset by record overseas earnings, which jumped nearly 76% to $580 million from $330 million in the first three months of 1987, Ford said.
"Our first-quarter earnings reflect the good balance of the overall Ford team effort," Chairman Donald E. Petersen and Vice Chairman Harold A. Poling said in a joint statement.
In 1987, Ford set a world industry earnings record for a single year with a profit of $4.63 billion, and was the top-earning U.S. auto maker in 1986, earning $3.29 billion.
Ford blamed the drop in U.S. earnings on the costs of introducing new products and running buyer incentive campaigns, which helped increase sales. Ford's U.S. car market share rose 1.8% from a year ago to 21.8%.
Ford said its foreign performance was boosted in Europe by strong industry volumes, improved operating margins and changes in currency values. It said European performance improved despite a two-week strike at a British plant.
On Wednesday, Chrysler Corp. reported first-quarter earnings fell nearly 32% from a year ago--to $183.7 million, or 83 cents a share, from $269.4 million, or $1.24 a share.
GM, the industry leader, earlier reported an 18% increase in first-quarter earnings to $1.09 billion, or $3.11 a share. In the first quarter of 1987, GM had earnings of $922.5 million, or $2.62 a share.


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Publishers are wrestling with Facebook’s desire to own Facebook-funded Watch shows
Facebook wants to own more of the video shows it funds for Facebook Watch. But publishers, hoping to build long-term revenue streams through the creation and licensing of their intellectual property, are not always willing to give their rights away.
Four digital media executives, all speaking anonymously due to their companies having multiple Facebook-funded Watch shows, said they’re resisting selling some new shows to Facebook because of Facebook’s desire for intellectual property ownership. One executive said he’s had offers from Facebook for multiple shows, which the publisher has forgone in favor of seeking other sources of funding and distribution. Another executive, when asked if he has pitched Facebook recently, said: “No, we’re taking our talents elsewhere.”
As digital publishers pivot to entertainment, with a focus on producing more episodic and serialized video shows instead of one-off video clips, ownership over the IP has become more important. By owning the rights to a successful show or format, producers can make more money over a longer period of time. For instance, a show can be licensed in other countries and languages, or a short digital series can be repackaged into a half-hour show for linear TV. Merchandising can be an option, too. But if Facebook owns the IP, those opportunities go away.
Facebook wouldn’t comment on the record for this story. A source with knowledge of its thinking said Facebook is focusing on owning programs tailored to Facebook’s platform, which includes formats with interactive and community elements. The company is more willing to consider licenses for more traditional video shows that can live elsewhere, the source said.
“It’s all about IP ownership right now and building a deep catalog of content,” said Peter Csathy, founder of media advisory firm Creatv Media. “Content owners today hold two critical cards: control over their content and the multiple revenue streams that become available to them if they do that. This includes licensing, which can be an extremely lucrative business in today’s borderless, multiterritorial climate.”
Take “Kitchen Little,” a cooking show from Tastemade in which kids watch popular recipe videos and then, from memory, instruct professional chefs to make those dishes — the chefs must follow the kids’ directions, no matter how inaccurate they are. Facebook funded the first season, which debuted last fall. Disney funded the second season as part of a broader content and advertising partnership that Disney and Tastemade announced during the Digital Content NewFronts.
Similarly, NowThis got Facebook funding for the first season of “Home Team,” a sports documentary series that followed the NHL’s new expansion team, the Vegas Golden Knights. For a second season, NowThis got funding directly from the NHL, not Facebook, to cover the Florida Panthers. In both cases, Tastemade and NowThis retained ownership of the shows, which enabled them to fund new seasons of them for Watch without Facebook’s involvement.
“There’s an ebb and flow, and we can potentially come back to do a third season with Facebook if they were interested in funding it,” said Athan Stephanopoulos, president of NowThis. “There are multiple factors that go into this, and we’re in a position where we have the affordability to consider any of the options — whether it’s self-funded, sponsored by a brand or produced with Facebook.”
Facebook’s desire to own more IP outright doesn’t mean publishers are ignoring or leaving Watch altogether. Some publishers are taking advantage of Facebook’s algorithm favoring content shared by Watch show pages. One top digital news publisher is using Watch as a marketing tool, testing out new show concepts that, if successful, can be sold to advertisers for sponsorships or distributed (and monetized) on YouTube, said an executive at this company.
“Do I really need $500,000 in exchange for giving up my IP? Probably not,” said the exec at the news publisher. “When they have built up some user behavior that makes Watch worth our while, we’ll reconsider it.”
Other publishers see the potential in Watch as one of several distribution platforms for shows they finance in-house.
BuzzFeed has focused on a “universal window” strategy, through which it distributes new episodes of digital shows such as “Worth It” and “BuzzFeed Unsolved” on Watch, alongside YouTube, Amazon, Hulu and Roku. The idea is that by putting episodes of these shows everywhere, BuzzFeed has a better shot at boosting viewership.
Of course, for the right terms, BuzzFeed is willing to get exclusive with platforms. BuzzFeed News, which sits separate from the BuzzFeed Studios division that oversees entertainment programming like “Worth It,” recently sold a documentary series to Netflix; it produces the daily morning show “AM to DM” for Twitter; and most recently, it premiered a new show called “Future History: 1968” on Apple News, which paid BuzzFeed News for an exclusive first window and split ad revenue generated from the show.
BuzzFeed Studios also produces “RelationShipped,” an interactive dating series exclusive to Watch, and has several other Facebook-funded projects in development, the company said.
“What I would stress is not having a one-size-fits-all approach — the environment is not mature enough at this point, and Facebook is still learning and experimenting as much as we are,” said Tal Shachar, head of business strategy and growth for BuzzFeed Studios. “In instances where Facebook is funding a majority or all of the content, yes, they have absolutely pushed their interest — but any distribution partner would do that. From both a digital and traditional media perspective, both media companies and distribution partners have a desire and interest in retaining ownership over IP. Ultimately, it ends up being a negotiation between the partners to find the right model.”
Facebook’s not alone here, either, as distributors ranging from Netflix to linear TV networks seek ownership over shows they fund.
There is evidence that Facebook can be flexible with its deal terms, depending on the show and publisher. Take Disney Digital Network, which announced two Watch shows during the NewFronts last week. “Designing Disney,” about artists that design and make products inspired by Disney characters, already airs on Watch. A second show, “Disney Dream Job,” which pairs kids with Disney animators and other employees for a day, will premiere soon on Watch. Disney will premiere these Facebook-funded shows on Watch, which will retain an exclusive window before Disney distributes the shows on its own sites and apps, said a Disney Digital Network spokesperson.
By putting these shows on Disney’s own sites and apps at a later date, Disney can monetize the programs directly. This option wouldn’t exist if the show was owned by and exclusive to Facebook. During its original round of funding for Watch, Facebook was more willing to sign deals where publishers could retain ownership over their shows and distribute them elsewhere at a later date; its deal with Disney suggests that Facebook has not closed that door entirely.
For more on the evolving world of video and entertainment, subscribe to Digiday’s weekly video briefing email.
More in Media
The retail giant paired its insights unit Luminate with Walmart Connect to help suppliers optimize for customer consumption, just in time for the holidays, explained the company’s CRO Seth Dallaire.
In this week’s Digiday+ Research Briefing, we examine BuzzFeed’s plans to pivot the business to an AI-driven tech and media company, how marketers’ use of X and ad spending has dropped dramatically, and how agency executives are fed up with Meta’s ad platform bugs and overcharges, as seen in recent data from Digiday+ Research.
Despite the hope that 2024 would be a turning point for publishers’ advertising businesses, the first quarter of the year proved to be a mixed bag, according to three publishers.


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PENDING NOKIA DEAL MAY LOSE ITS SPARK
When companies fail to implement strategic and effective plans, they experience what Paul B. Carroll and Chunka Mui explain in their article “Seven Ways to Fail Big”, as a bad business move. Companies join forces with other companies to gain a competitive advantage. Joining forces can be complicated, if not costly. Microsoft ignored signals of Nokia’s possible demise. Per the article, “They jumped into high-growth markets without having any idea about whether they were qualified to operate in them.”
Microsoft and Nokia came to an agreement in the previous year in hopes that a collaboration of the two companies would provide further prospects. Microsoft chose Nokia to build new Windows phone devices and possibly create a niche in the market. Until recently, Nokia had a strong run in the mobile phones business. Now, the company is struggling financially with unexpected losses and possibly eliminating more than 14,000 jobs.
Nokia’s foreseeable issues should have been caught by higher management of Microsoft, which would have prevented Microsoft in the search of finding a new partner. Who is at fault here? Did Microsoft not review the history and current status of Nokia? Or did Nokia provide false hopes to Microsoft?
What can Nokia do to be able to turn this into a growth business again for them?
1. Carroll, Paul B. and Mui Chunka. “Seven Ways to Fail Big.” Harvard Business Review, September 2008.
2. Sander, Brice. “Can Nokia Make a Comeback?” Youtube.com. 12 Feb 2011. Web. 17 June 2012.
3. The Wall Street Journal. “Nokia’s Problems Haunt Microsoft.” 15 June 2012.


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U.S. economic growth accelerated more than expected in the second quarter, which may bolster views for the remainder of the year.
Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest financier of them all? An analysis of one dating app's data breaks it down.
Point72 Asset Management, the revamped firm of the billionaire investor Steven A. Cohen, generated a profit of nearly $1 billion for the first half.
Fatal truck accidents happen nearly 11 times a day in the U.S. CNBC looks at the causes, who's to blame, and why it gets little attention.
Russia's MICEX Index rallied 2 percent in morning trade, despite news of the toughest sanctions against the country since the end of the Cold War.
President Obama wrote to Russian President Putin to inform him the U.S. government had determined Russia violated a nuclear treaty.
With lowered guidance, Samsung should focus on how to dominate lower cost smartphones from Chinese companies and maintain its large market share.
The way consumers would be informed when their food has been genetically engineered is being battled in Congress and among advocacy groups.
Nevada, the District of Columbia and Alabama all make the list of states with the highest share of consumers with debts in collections.
The Israeli stock market is a good test for the old saying that war is good for the economy. Is it investing maxim or enduring myth?
A commercial jetliner carrying 116 people disappeared over west Africa after losing contact with air traffic controllers. NBC News reports.
Though social media remains immensely popular, a new survey shows users aren't very satisfied with their experience on the sites.
In just three years, the number of Executive MBA programs with six-figure price tags has gone from 22 to 40. Here's who tops the list.
European shares closed lower on Wednesday, as investors reacted to fresh sanctions against Russia, big-name earnings and U.S. GDP.
Twitter stock's jumped 30 percent after growth in its user base soothed concerns about its future, but some analysts remain skeptical.
China is set to overtake the U.S. as the world's largest beer market in value by 2017, according to a EuroMonitor International report.
Geopolitical tensions are heating up globally, but it isn't clear investors should react, with markets not paying the conflicts much attention.
Wall Street on Wednesday will get two reads on the U.S. economy, one from the Commerce Department and the other from the Federal Reserve.
Sanctions are intended to tighten the screws on Russia by targeting broad sections of its economy and financial markets.
The parent company of a scandal-hit Chinese food supplier said it is withdrawing all products made by the subsidiary.


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Intel is targeting specialized "many-core" chips for supercomputers.
To simulate 205,000 molecules as quickly as possible for a USC simulation, Cycle Computing fired up a mammoth amount of Amazon servers around the globe.
The new Top500 list of the world's largest supercomputers suggests that "commodity clusters" for high-performance computing aren't so commodity after all.
The overall market for high-performance computers sunk, but shipments of supercomputers costing more than $3 million surged 65 percent, IDC says.
At the SC09 conference, Microsoft releases an updated version of Windows Server for high-performance computers as well as a compute cluster version of its Excel spreadsheet.
New and Noteworthy: HItachi cranking out more drives to meet iPod mini demand; ADC high performance computing page
Created to monitor the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, the IBM supercomputer was the first to break the petaflop barrier.
The software maker on Wednesday released the second beta for the compute cluster edition of Windows Server 2008 R2.
Redmond and the open-source firm show off their cluster software and hit the nickel slots at SC07 in Reno.
High-end computing specialist says it will use Windows HPC Server in a line of products aimed at departments and universities.


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Kim Kardashian went out in Miami, Florida on Wednesday wearing a tight leather skirt with a bare midriff and if you know anything about tight leather skirts, bare mid-driffs and Kim Kardashians, you know that’s a recipe for muffin tops. And not the delicious kind you can eat. It’s the disturbing kind you see at Walmart that makes you wince in disgust.
- Kim Kardashian Gave Birth Over the Weekend
June 17, 2013
- Kim Kardashian Wants the Paparazzi to Go Away
June 7, 2013
- Kanye West Will Not Be in the Room When Kim Pops...
June 5, 2013
- Kim Kardashian Is Having a Girl
June 3, 2013
- Kanye Is Pissed at Kim
May 24, 2013
- Kim Kardashian’s Baby Shower Invite Is...
May 22, 2013
- Kanye West Is a Klutz
May 10, 2013
- Robin Williams Wore It Better
May 9, 2013
- Kim Kardashian’s Pregnant Body on the Cover...
May 8, 2013
- The MET Gala Theme Was PUNK: Chaos to Couture
May 7, 2013
- Ray J Wants You to Know He Hit It (Kim Kardashian)...
April 29, 2013
- Kim Kardashian Went See-Through
April 25, 2013


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By Professor Aditya Goenka, Chair in Economics
The Department of Economics, University of Birmingham
In the event of a hard Brexit, analysts expect that the pound could depreciate by a further 10 percent, adding to the inflationary pressures in the economy.
Time is starting to run short for the UK government to resolve the conflicting agendas so that it can deliver a smooth transition to Brexit. Arlene Foster of the DUP, who is likely to play a pivotal role in the negotiations, says that UK crashing out of EU without a deal seems to be the most likely outcome.
In a speech on 22 September, Theresa May said that “no deal is better than a bad deal”, during the speech, there was a drop of around 2 percent in the pound against the dollar. In the event of a hard Brexit, analysts expect that the pound could depreciate by a further 10 percent, adding to the inflationary pressures in the economy.
The Bank of England may not increase their interest rates – as they did in the aftermath of the 2016 referendum – but rather decrease them due to worries around the excess capacity and dislocation from economic activity that ending the UK’s membership of the single market will bring. In 2016, even though there was a 17 percent depreciation against the dollar, the consumer prices did not rise immediately, but did so with a lag. This time, as the date of the exit is known, firms will have made contingency plans to increase prices within a shorter time span. In the medium run, the expectation is that as inflationary pressures build, the Bank of England will increase interest rates closer to the UK’s exit date.
The direct impact on the manufacturing and services sector could be very serious. BMW and Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) are already planning for reduced production, though this is coupled with lower sales in China and uncertainty about the future of diesel powered vehicles. A JLR spokesperson has said “Over the next two to four years, every JLR model manufactured in the UK will also be manufactured at one overseas plant”. The ostensible motivation is to shift production to lower cost plants in Austria, Slovakia and China. BMW has warned that it will cease production of Mini and Rolls Royce cars in UK in the event of a hard Brexit. With congestion in ports and plans to turn the M26 into a carpark in the event of no deal, the automotive industry, which relies on just-in-time production, may come to an end in UK. There are estimated to be 860,000 people employed in the industry and this will have a devastating effect on large parts of the country.
This is just one industry. If there is a hard Brexit, trade in goods and services will be governed by WTO (World Trade Organization) rules. While tariffs (effectively import taxes) on goods have been reduced for manufactured goods, there is less coverage for agriculture and services. Thus, very high tariffs remain for agriculture under WTO rules and important services, such as the movement of people, financial sector, legal services, and air transport, can be protected by governments.
These concerns run across most industries; from universities and the NHS, to strawberry and asparagus farming. The UK will lose not only tariff-free access to the other 27 EU members, but also lose its free trade agreements with about 40 countries. Trying to re-negotiate deals with big trading partners will be time consuming and the UK will be bargaining from a position of weakness.
The economic and welfare costs of a hard Brexit on the UK will be serious. How the deal-making with Europe and across different groupings in Westminster plays out will have lasting implications for the nation.


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Featured Galleries USUBC COLLECTION OF OVER 160 HISTORIC NEWS PHOTOGRAPHS HOLODOMOR: THROUGH THE EYES OF UKRAINIAN ARTISTS USUBC COLLECTION OF HISTORIC IGOR SIKORSKY PHOTOGRAPHS - INVENTOR OF THE HELICOPTER Ten USUBC Historic Full Page Ads in the Kyiv Post USUBC meeting with the New Ukrainian Ambassador to the US Volodymyr Yelchenko in Washington
Working meeting with Stepan Kubiv, First VPM - Minister of Econ Devel and Trade of Ukraine
On Wed, July 20, 2016, USUBC hosted a roundtable with Stepan Kubiv, First Vice Prime Minister - Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine.
We were very fortunate to have this unique opportunity for our members to meet with Stepan Kubiv, First Vice Prime Minister - Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine in Kyiv on July 20, 2016.
Minister Kubiv recently signed a free trade agreement with Canada. Economic development and business investment is a high priority for the new government and Minister Kubiv has moved ahead quickly since his appointment in April of this year.


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How time flies – today marks the 1 year anniversary of the launch of Pokemon GO.
Pokemon GO has come a long way since it first begun. The game was famously overwhelmed during the early stages of its launch, resulting in a staggered launch for all countries. Many people who’ve never had access to the Pokemon IP before now do thanks to Pokemon GO.
As we cross the 1 year anniversary of Pokemon GO, we can see how much progress the game has made in a year. Last year, the first Generation 2 Pokemon was added to the game and the Pokemon GO Plus accessory was released. This year, trainers now get to work together in Raid Battles, and the gym system has been refreshed.
How would Pokemon GO look like a year from today? We hope there would be more surprises and improvements in time to come.


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Music Industry Analysis
On a daily basis, Music Biz collects studies and data on business and consumer trends effecting the music industry. We compile this music industry analysis from a plethora of media outlets and data providers and filter out the noise to deliver directly to you the actionable insights your business needs to succeed.
Get this compilation of music industry analysis delivered directly to your inbox by signing up for our daily website feed.
February 7, 2017 – Lady Gaga’s Sales Surge Over 1,000% in Wake of Super Bowl Halftime Show
Lady Gaga’s Super Bowl halftime show performance on Feb. 5 scored huge sales gains for the diva, according to Nielsen Music. Based on initial sales reports collected for Sunday, the diva sold about 150,000 digital albums and songs in the U.S. on Feb. 5 — an increase of a little more than 1,000 percent compared to the previous day, when she sold around 15,000 digital albums and songs. Read more here…... Read More
February 6, 2017 – [WEEKLY SALES] Migos’ ‘Culture’ Comes In At No. 1; Five Albums Debuts in Top 10
James Donio, President of the Music Business Association (Music Biz), commented on this week’s sales numbers issued by Nielsen (published in Billboard) and BuzzAngle Music (published in HITS Daily Double). For the first time in 2017, new albums dominated the Nielsen and BuzzAngle Music charts, with five debuting albums making their way to the charts’ Top 10. They are led by Culture, the second album from Hip-Hop trio Migos and their first to reach #1.... Read More
February 3, 2017 – How Performing at the Super Bowl Affects an Artist’s YouTube Fanbase
For some, the Super Bowl halftime show is just as important as the actual Super Bowl. As a highly anticipated event featuring renowned musicians and unpredictable collaborations, fans sometimes tune in for the halftime show itself. Read more here…... Read More
February 2, 2017 – Thanks Alexa: “Friends With Benefits”
Based on the 15th edition of MusicWatch’s Annual Music Survey we were able to estimate that more than 14 million US consumers reported using an Echo device, including Tap and Dot. That’s users, not necessarily buyers. Over the past few years the conversation around audio has been about mobility; connected cars, music on smartphones. With voice assisted devices, we’re back to talking about music in the home. Amazon reported that Jingle Bells was the holiday song that you most requested Alexa to play.... Read More
February 2, 2017 – Going Gaga on the Gridiron
In just a few short days, the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots will go head to head in the biggest U.S. sporting event of the year: Super Bowl LI. Year after year, the Super Bowl is the most-watched broadcast on U.S. television—and not just because of the action on the gridiron. Not only do people tune in for the ads, but the event is also drawing increasing audiences for the halftime performance,... Read More
January 31, 2017 – Where Concert Ticket Money Goes: Who’s Getting Rich Off Live Music’s Golden Age?
In 2001, Billboard Boxscore reported that the top 100 music concerts of the year collectively generated $350m. In 2015, the top 25 concerts alone grossed just shy of $360m. There are two reasons behind this: more people are going to shows and ticket prices are spiking sharply. Read more here.... Read More
January 31, 2017 – After 15 Years of Decline, France’s Recorded Music Market Returns to Growth
Record businesses annual revenues in the territory have been cut in half over the past decade, down from €965.9m in 2005 to €426m in 2015. Finally, this trend has been reversed, according to local trade body SNEP – largely thanks to ‘particular growth in revenues linked to subscriptions’. See more here.... Read More
January 31, 2017 – Music Subscriptions Pass Million Mark in Spain as Streaming Dominates Bullish Market
Paid music subscriptions passed the one million mark in Spain in 2016, with digital claiming 61 percent of the bullish market with sales topping 100 million euros. According to a new report from Spain’s PROMUSICAE, music sales in 2016 saw a slight increase overall from 2015, with a 1.7 percent gain marking the third consecutive year that the formerly depressed Spanish market was on the rise. Read more here.... Read More
January 27, 2017 – 115 Must Know Facts about Social Media [INFOGRAPHIC]
Skilled.co has put together a massive treasure trove full of fun facts here for you today. So, read along and take a look at the social media statistics infographic to learn a thing or two about how all of this online interaction can work for you. You may already know a few of the key points here, but there should be plenty of new information that you had never even considered before. See more here.... Read More
January 26, 2017 – From Board Games to Toothbrushes, Five Holiday Hits You’d Never Expect
What was hot during Holiday 2016? It’s a question brands and retailers all want to answer as they reflect on the holiday’s successes and misses in preparation for Holiday 2017. Our research team was particularly interested in understanding which products sold substantially faster during Holiday 2016 compared to Holiday 2015. So we took a look at our Store-Level Enabled data for the six-week period from Black Friday through the end of 2016 compared to the same period in 2015.... Read More


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CNET's Daniel Terdiman this year travels through the Midwest for his annual Road Trip adventure.
CNET editor Sharon Profis takes Apple Pay, Google Wallet and PayPal for a test drive and compares the options.
A team of physicists has created a film that shows what a real-life "laser bullet" would look like in action. Hint: it's not like in "Star Wars."
Google just released a new way to keep your email organized so you can spend more time being productive. Read on to learn how to use all the new features of Inbox by Gmail.
CNET breaks out the most important things to know when shopping for a new television.
Apple said its new tablets would launch later this week, but stores across the country already have the Wi-Fi models of the iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3.
GPS tracking and proximity alarms are just two of the tech features stuffed into the Bluesmart smart carry-on suitcase on Indiegogo.
The most important things to know when shopping for a new laptop, hybrid, or Windows tablet.
Only around half of the 250 million iPhone 4S units and older models may be upgraded in the near term, leaving plenty of room for fiscal 2015 and 2016, says Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty.
On a call with analysts, Apple CEO explains why the company's smartphone is doing well but its tablet isn't.
For the first time, researchers have used a video camera mounted on a hexacopter to monitor the behaviour of killer whales in the wild.


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AMD’s newest Ryzen 3000 Series CPU’s and the new Radeon RX 5700 graphics cars have been officially released this last week, but problems have started to emerge for the CPU’s. A few Linux users have reported an issue with newer distributions based on 5.0 or higher that will render the OS incapable of booting.
Some of them avoided this problem by restoring the component’s version to an older or a newer one. But yet another problem surfaced for the Windows when playing Destiny 2.
Ryzen 3000 CPU’s Fix on The Way
The Windows users noticed a couple of days ago that Destiny 2 would not launch on systems that have the new Ryzen CPU’s inside. They reported this issue to Bungie, and in a statement, AMD told Phoronix that a new BIOS fix had been developed and every motherboard manufacturer will have it distributed to them. The version for the customers, mentions Forbes, will probably be available as soon as next week for beta releases.
In the meantime, NVIDIA is also working on a fix concerning the BSOD crashes on systems that combine the GeForce GPU’s and the latest Ryzen 3000 CPU Series.
“AMD has identified the root cause and implemented a BIOS fix for an issue impacting the ability to run certain Linux distributions and Destiny 2 on Ryzen 3000 processors. We have distributed an updated BIOS to our motherboard partners, and we expect consumers to have access to the new BIOS over the coming days.”


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Samsung and Apple have been at each other's throats for over seven years due to patent infringements, but on June 27, 2018, it was revealed that the two companies had finally reached a settlement. Documents filed with the Northern District Court of California this morning indicate that both parties have agreed to drop and settle the remaining claims and counter claims in their legal battle.
The Court filing also states that the "remaining claims and counterclaims in this action are hereby dismissed with prejudice", and another case can not be filed on the same claim. According to sources, Samsung will be required to pay Apple under the new settlement, though how much Samsung would have to fork out was not immediately disclosed.
Apple and Samsung have declined to comment on today's settlement, but Apple pointed reporters to a statement made in May when the case was last ruled on. Terms of the settlement were not given.
Melania travels to Texas border to visit child detention center
US first lady Melania Trump climbs into her motorcade vehicle wearing a Zara design jacket with the phrase "I Really Don't Care". No sooner had the jacket become the center of focus than headlines started pouring in, slamming the first lady.
"This case has always been about more than money", the statement read.
In May, at the retrial in San Jose, Apple won a US$539m award in a jury verdict.
"We believe deeply in the value of design", Apple said recently, "and our teams work tirelessly to create innovative products that delight our customers". The accusation was that the Galaxy phone maker had violated Apple design patents across five different Android devices which has been on sale between 2010 and 2011.
Argentina star is desperate and frustrated says Mascherano
Nigeria can advance with a draw as long as they stay ahead in goal differential if Iceland beats Croatia. She said: "I did not go because I have very young children and because it was scheduled like this".
"Dang! I figured the kids I've been raising since this thing started would have time to grow up, go to law school and work on this case someday."
In the latest trial, Apple has the burden of proof to prove that Samsung should pay the full $1 billion in damages.
Samsung's lawyers appealed the case, bringing down the compensation of $1 billion to $400 million in 2015 at the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
Nigeria vs Argentina: Alex Iwobi talks tough ahead of clash
Manager Jorge Sampaoli has made five changes for the must-win game and set out a 4-4-2 stall. Lionel Messi and Gonzalo Higauin are both expected to get the nod for the 7pm kick off.


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Brie Larson admitted she doesn't have a Disney+ account and joked about getting a free subscription on Ellen.
Disney will add a much-desired continue watching feature to Disney+ following subscriber demand.
Jon Favreau continues his fascination with the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special in The Mandalorian.
Disney+ includes a feature that allows subscribers to suggest titles for the streaming service.
Actor Paul Blake, who played Greedo in Star Wars: A New Hope, discusses the perplexing, recent dialogue change to the movie.
Disney+ has listed Iron Man 3 under its queue of must-see Disney Christmas movies for the Yuletide season.
It's only been a few days since The Mandalorian premiered on Disney+, but the studio may already have eyes on a movie.
Disney has warned that some of its old content like Dumbo on Disney+ may contain outdated cultural depictions.
Things are off to a strong start for Disney+ as the streaming service has passed the 10 million subscriber mark.
The MCU will be missing a couple of key titles on Disney+ in Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home.
The new streaming service will give fans a brand new look at some of Star Wars' unseen moments.
Several key Marvel and Star Wars movies are missing from Disney+ right now, but they won't be for long.
The famed scene between Han and Greedo from A New Hope has a perplexing new addition on Disney+.
Disney has revealed even more MCU movies that are available to stream on Disney+ on day one.
Many users were experiencing issues while trying to use the new Disney+ streaming service on its first day in the U.S.
A good lead performance from Anna Kendrick isn't quite enough to save the second Disney+ original movie from being a snoozer.
The wait is over. Disney+ has finally launched and it brought the first Star Wars live-action TV series with it.
Disney+ launches this week and here's how you can get the new streaming service for free.
Lady and the Tramp is a heartwarming family film that will delight children and parents November 12th on Disney+.


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Tuesday, February 21, 2006, 01:15 pm
Apple to host special event in Cupertino on Feb 28True to rumors, Apple Computer will host a special invitation-only event at the end of the month to introduce some new product offerings, AppleInsider has learned.
The event is set to take place on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 at 10:00 AM Pacific Time at the Apple Town Hall on the company's Cupertino, Calif. campus.
"Come see some fun new products from Apple," reads the digital invite sent to analysts and members of the media. The invite itself is not very revealing, showing only an enlarged iCal-like icon rendering.
Rumors that Apple was planning a special event for the latter half of February have been brewing for several weeks now. Fueling the rumors were reports that Apple axed several music-related product introductions from its opening presentation at January's Macworld Expo.
Specifically, sources have described to AppleInsider a new iPod Boombox device that is expected to retail in the $300 range and provide plug-and-play audio for the living room.
Other products expected from Apple in the near future include a sub-$500 Intel-based Mac mini desktop computer and a sub-$1000 13-inch widescreen iBook. However, it's unclear if these Mac systems will make their debut at the Feb.28th event, or at another event closer to the Spring.
On Topic: General
- Steve Jobs's family has been giving money away anonymously for more than 2 decades
- Judge says evidence will likely show Apple culpable in e-book price fixing case
- Google reportedly mulling $1B Waze bid, could spark bidding war with Facebook
- Rumor: Apple outlines new in-house repair policy in note to Brazilian AASPs
- Apple: Samsung shirked FRAND obligations, filed suit before making a licensing offer


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Retail: All to play for as Christmas fast approaches
14 December 2012Follow @PwC_Midlands
This week, PwC found that 69% of 100 high street retailers were on sale or advertising promotions in their shop window, such as 3 for 2. This compares to 66% last year, 55% in 2010, 63% in 2009 but not quite the level seen in 2008 (80%).
Average price discounts being advertised this week were 36%, compared to 45% last year.
Compared to this time last week, advertised promotions are up 5% while average price discounts have remained level.
Andy Lyon , retail partner at PwC in the Midlands, said:
“The dramatic advance in tablet and smartphone ownership and usage, especially away from home, is making it much more difficult to predict when, where and how customers will be shopping this Christmas. There is a huge array of information on customer attitudes and behaviour available but without comparable history it is tough to predict future trends - especially with an extra weekend for shopping this year.
“This year will see a fascinating combination of analysis and real retail instinct being played out at Monday's retailer trading meetings - with critical decisions being made that can make or break a year's financial performance. The number of retailers running promotions suggests that there is now a base level of activity which is seen as necessary to be ‘in the game’ - however for now the depth of discounting may reflect retailers keeping their powder dry.
“Expect the unexpected next week - both in-store and online - as the fight for the Christmas spending will go down to the wire."
Christine Cross, chief retail adviser to PwC, said:
“It’s interesting that the average price discounts in store are lower this year, even though more retailers are advertising reductions. This could be that more cut price sales are going through the web channel, and that those retailers managing their stock well are happy to hold onto winter coats and boots just a little longer as we experience the first real cold spell this winter.
“Many retailers are also facing the dilemma of when to start the real discounting. Some are planning to go live online from 23 December whereas others are loading until the shops close on Christmas Eve and launching the web sale then, with in store sales starting at the crack of dawn on Boxing Day.
“Either way for consumers the last weekend before Christmas may well be one to pick up bargains this year."


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Meet Nigeria's fashion and fabric designers
1 March 2014 Last updated at 11:44 GMT
Lagos is not only the commercial hub of Nigeria but increasingly the fashion capital of Africa.
BBC News hears from some key people involved in the journey from fabric factory to catwalk.
Watch: Africa Business Report


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How to dispose of your live Christmas tree in Champaign, Urbana and the rest of Champaign County.
Kelly Youngblood tells us where we can donate or dispose of stuffed animals in Champaign-Urbana.
The new Idea Store location in Urbana will feature twice as much retail space as its former location in Champaign.
Municipal leaf collections in the Champaign-Urbana area are getting underway for 2018.
For a limited time, a local store is giving Champaign-Urbana area residents an opportunity to recycle used car seats.


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The PlayStation 5 still remains one of the most difficult video game consoles to get.
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According to the company’s financial results for the fourth quarter ending on March 31, Sony sold short of 8 million PS5 units and about 5.7 million PlayStation 4 units, with a majority of its total sales (ranging from video game consoles to TVs and smartphones) taking place in Japan and the U.S.
The company also boasted 109 million monthly active users on the PlayStation Network in the last three months.
Engadget reports that Sony’s biggest challenge right now is manufacturing the PS5 console quickly enough for customers to buy them. Though the pandemic has certainly played an impact on the console’s production, the company has also had difficulty in getting the semiconductors necessary for the system’s operation.
In the U.S., the PS5 remains one of the hardest consoles to buy, as retailers like Walmart, GameStop, Target, Best Buy and Amazon have frequently sold out of the product. Gamers can still buy the console on third-party sites like eBay — although the purchase won’t come without a significant cost. One PlayStation console, for instance, was listed for sale at $1,499.95 (more than $1,000 over its actual retail price).
Business News Governmental News Finance News


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Consumers Need Brands to Protect Employee Health First
Shaken buyers will seek brands who prioritize the wellbeing of their employees.
Kim Walker is an associate producer at Atlantic Re:think.
Grocery store clerks, delivery drivers, factory workers, and janitorial staff have all earned the title “frontline heroes” for holding vital infrastructure in place and showing up to work in the midst of a global pandemic.
Over the last few months, the public’s attention has become fixed on the ways businesses have protected, or failed to protect, their essential workers during this crisis. As a result of this increased scrutiny, supporting the physical, financial, and mental wellbeing of employees across every level of an organization will become a defining feature of brand resilience through the pandemic and beyond.
The economic fallout from COVID-19 has tested business priorities across all industries and pushed the U.S. unemployment rate past 20 percent. As governments relax lockdown regulations in some areas, the burden falls on private sector leaders to weigh the cost of keeping offices and storefronts closed against the enduring threat of disease spread. Tough questions pop up: Is there a way to resume operations safely? What can we make work financially? If we fail on any front, who suffers?
The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
Employee mistreatment horror stories have spawned bad press for businesses in the past, but today they fill an especially large space in the public consciousness. Workplace safety is top of mind for consumers, in part because of the communal nature of the virus—which, if spread in any community, jeopardizes others. Company policies around employee paid time off (PTO), workplace safety and paid sick leave now have direct public health implications. This added weight amplifies the voices of vulnerable workforces.
In Amazon warehouses, which have come under fire in the past for aggressive productivity quotas and compromising worker safety, outbreaks have brought the company’s COVID-19 response into question, sparking protests and prompting corporate employees to organize behind their blue collar colleagues. Increased need for Amazon’s delivery service has given these workers leverage, eventually compelling Amazon to raise wages and adjust sick leave policies. Still, an inconsistent response and accusations of retaliation against organizers have kept Amazon in the news cycle and playing defense.
In contrast, brands that have been proactive in prioritizing the safety and financial security of their employees demonstrate resilience while earning public trust. Patagonia shuttered its stores and offices mid-March, pledging to continue paying its employees.
Similar priorities carried Patagonia through the Great Recession. In 2008, it did not opt to cut costs and preserved employee health care, onsite childcare, and training and development. In the years following, it invested in sustainability initiatives and could market its values with credibility. By 2012, while consumer spending still slumped in the economic downturn, Patagonia had doubled revenue and tripled profit. By acting on consistent principles regardless of the financial outlook, Patagonia has built a reputation as a values-driven brand and won themselves decades of fierce customer loyalty.
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Of course, Amazon and Patagonia can’t be directly compared. Public needs today demand some industries scale up, necessitating strain and learning curves for employers who can’t simply send their staff home. Still, some brands providing essential services have successfully adopted policies prioritizing the health and security of their workforces above all else.
Lowe’s falls into this group. On its website, the home improvement store outlines internal COVID-19 response initiatives above monetary donations and community outreach. These include free personal protective equipment (PPE) for employees, raises and bonuses, expansion of paid leave, and infrastructure to enforce in-store social distancing. Through its actions and messaging, Lowe’s is communicating to customers its services do not come at the cost of anyone’s safety or livelihood.
The meatpacking industry is in the hot seat for paying that cost. As clustered outbreaks in processing plants threaten supply chains, the breakdown reveals the foundational weakness of undervaluing human capital. Absenteeism and state inspections have forced companies like JBS, an American food processing company, to temporarily slow or shut down facilities designed explicitly for mass production in minimal space (to lessen cooling expenses). Some companies have responded by raising wages or implementing staggered shifts.
Whether or not the pandemic becomes a reckoning for the industry to reevaluate its labor practices, consumers are watching. In the meantime, others can take advantage of the lesson learned: When employees are vulnerable, business is vulnerable.
People Over Profit
The crisis reinforces a global trend toward stakeholder capitalism, the principle that dominated the 2020 World Economic Forum in Davos and defines a company’s purpose as providing sustained value to all its stakeholders—suppliers, customers, employees, local communities and shareholders. In theory, everyone wins. This approach was gaining traction before COVID-19, as generations of ethical consumers compel companies to consider how they can build brand loyalty when ethical drivers are three times more important than competence to consumer trust.
While corporations and consumers struggle to navigate an uncertain present extending into an uncertain future, an anxious public will gravitate toward the literal and figurative safety of brands who consistently prioritize people over profits. JUST Capital, which keeps a COVID-19 corporate response tracker, found companies that are best supporting their workers now are already outperforming their competitors financially. This speaks to the longevity of a stakeholder-centric—rather than a shareholder-centric—business model.
Whether it’s inconsistent enforcement of social distancing, financial desperation compelling coworkers to show up to shifts despite exposure, or a lack of access to PPE—if employees feel afraid to work, customers will feel afraid to buy. When polling Americans on how companies should prioritize actions, JUST Capital found: 91 percent of respondents felt companies should make safe work environments a high priority. 88 percent said employers should provide PPE, and over 70 percent of respondents believed paid sick leave, hazard pay, and flexible work arrangements for caregivers should also be high priorities.
Credibility Doesn’t Cut Corners
In a global economic downturn, that level of responsibility may seem daunting. For industries most impacted by stay-at-home orders like the arts, travel, live events, or hospitality, tough choices are inevitable. Still, there are ways for brand leaders to face financial realities without sacrificing humanity. The Wing, a women’s coworking space, had to toe that line when closed spaces and suspended membership fees led to a 95 percent revenue loss. It implemented mass layoffs, a measure difficult to align with brand values of community support and women’s empowerment.
However, when communicating the choice, Wing cofounders Lauren Kassan and Audrey Gelman outlined plans to pay laid-off employees two-months severance, accrued PTO, and offer insurance through June. In an open letter to The Wing community, they were transparent about the financial circumstances necessitating their decision and additional sacrifices they made, including forgoing their own salaries and adjusting salaries for leadership.
The letter, candid and backed by action, maps a way forward for brands in financial jeopardy to retain long term credibility and bounce back when their services are in demand again. Abstaining from resuming business if it can’t be done safely, protecting the livelihoods and healthcare benefits of employees to the full extent possible, and opting to double down on its digital offerings sets The Wing up to continue growing its community with integrity through the pandemic and to emerge resilient on the other side.
As countries and states relax lockdowns and consumers tentatively poke their heads out of their front doors, the private sector must grapple with how to move forward.
The unknowns may feel paralyzing with economies in flux and an ever changing COVID-19 timeline. Corporate leaders can combat external unknowns by focusing their priorities inward. Whether that means investing in infrastructure to guarantee a safe work environment or extending financial support for staff, brands can brace themselves against short term losses while developing, executing, and communicating a plan that promises to protect their people above all else.
Internal stability translates to resilience, helping consumers feel safe sticking with a brand through good times and bad.


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The original founders of Killzone
studio Guerrilla have established Vanguard Entertainment Group, an entity that combines aspects from online and console gaming businesses.
Vanguard comes from Martin de Ronde (pictured) and Michiel Mol, co-founders of Amsterdam-based Guerrilla. The two sold that studio to Sony in 2005.
The new Vangard Entertainment Group, also based in Amsterdam, combines de Ronde and Mol's online game production company Karami with PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade studio W! Games, developer of Greed Corp.
The merger of the two entities under Vanguard means the company will take "the fundamental mechanics of the fast growing market of PC online games and applying them to products for consoles and other premium platforms," according to a statement.
De Ronde, who's acting as Vanguard's chief commercial officer, said that the company views the console market as "the heart of our industry" in terms of revenue and high production values. But the popularity of online games and social networks is impossible to ignore.
"We feel both these market segments will be rapidly converging over the coming years, rather than competing with each other," de Ronde said. "...It will be Vanguard’s mission to capitalize on the need for new types of online content on consoles, which it will be doing with games based on original IP."
The new company is working on "several new projects," with the first to be announced soon.


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Slight reprieve as new fuel prices are released
Kenyan motorists have a reason to smile after the price of petrol reduced by Sh1.01.
However, the story was different for diesel users after the price went up by Sh1.39 in the latest review.
In this month’s fuel prices review by the Energy Regulatory Commission, a litre of petrol will retail at Sh96.08 and diesel at Sh85.86 in Nairobi.
Households that rely on Kerosene will also see a Sh0.86 increase in prices as a litre will now retail at Sh63.42 in Nairobi.
The new price review takes into account the weighted average cost of imported refined petroleum products.


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That’s quite an amazing story. I had no clue a Lebanese was behind Pou.
When Yahoo! paid 17-year-old Nick D’Aloisio $30 million for news summary app Summly, one of our Wamda contributors wrote us, “I’m looking forward to the day when somebody on Wamda writes the Arab version of this story.”
The story of Lebanese developer Paul Salameh is almost that story. He might not be a teenager (he’s 24) and his app might not influence the future of media consumption, but rumors have swirled that he has been offered $20 million for its acquisition.
“He’s probably making around $30,000 day, by conservative estimation,” a local source told us, based upon estimates of downloads of the $1.99 iOS version and in-app purchases on its Android app. That’s a cool $1 million a month.
For what? Pou. Yes, that’s the name of his app, which resembles a colorful, mobile version of Japanese digital pet Tamagotchi. In Pou, players can feed, wash, and play games with a brown, triangular alien pet, which has turned out to be wildly addictive; the app made a global Top 5 Paid iOS Apps list last month, sees between between 260-320,000 downloads a day on Android, and has so far hit #1 in the iPhone kids games category in a total of 90 countries. [Wamda]


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Not just some fancy Power Wheels.
We haven't seen a production version.
It could debut next year, and go on sale in 2020.
Futuristic strategies for gaining market share.
Volvo's Skövde, Sweden, plant represent a step toward completely climate-neutral manufacturing.
Aurora Innovation is a startup headed by three giants of autonomy.
"You will be able to do pretty much anything via voice command."
Sergio Marchionne says Ferrari will both build its first electric supercar and debut its first ever SUV, with the latter arriving sometime in either 2019 or 2020.
Everybody's getting in the game.
It plans a gasoline-powered SUV for the U.S. but unveiled an electric crossover with no side windows.
Learn more about the technology, and what it means for the future of Lexus and Toyota.
By 2025, BMW is planning to offer 25 electrified models.
This is not grandpa's plain-jane Avalon.


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The consensus expectation for Chinese CPI was 5.4%. Zero Hedge's expectation based on just announced manipulated CPI data was 4.9%. Guess who was correct... In the meantime, Chinese food prices are not increasing by 5% every ten days, or over 400% annualized. Or at least, they are not doing so on rice (most likely fake) paper.
China’s inflation was less than economists estimated in January after the statistics bureau cut the weighting of food in the consumer-price index.
Consumer prices rose 4.9 percent last month from a year earlier, the statistics bureau said in a statement on its website today. That compared with a 4.6 percent gain in December and the median forecast of 5.4 percent in a Bloomberg News survey of 27 economists. Producer-price inflation accelerated to 6.6 percent from 5.9 percent in December.
A drought in wheat-growing regions, rising global commodity prices and a 53 percent increase in money supply in two years are adding to price pressures in the fastest-growing major economy. Officials may front load policy tightening in the first half of the year as inflation remains elevated, according to economists from JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Morgan Stanley.
“The combination of rising inflationary pressure and robust economic growth makes further tightening inevitable,” Shen Jianguang, a Hong Kong-based economist at Mizuho Securities Asia Ltd., said before today’s release. He expects at least two more interest-rate increases before the end of June.
The Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.4 percent as of 10:15 a.m. local time
Changes to Index
Statistics bureau spokesman Sheng Laiyun said in October that new weightings for the consumer price index would take effect in January. Food previously accounted for a third of the basket of goods that make up the index and was the main driver of inflation last year. Deutsche Bank AG economist Ma Jun said yesterday any slowdown in consumer-price gains may only reflect a reweighting.
January’s inflation data reflects a “more thorough” change in the weightings of the index made every five years, the China Securities Journal reported today, citing an unidentified statists bureau official.
Asian economies, with food costs and inflows of capital driving inflation, may need to raise interest rates further to limit the risk of overheating and prevent a “hard landing,” International Monetary Fund Managing Director Dominique Strauss- Kahn said Feb. 1. India’s benchmark wholesale-price index rose 8.23 percent in January, Indonesia’s inflation is 7 percent and South Korea’s is 4.1 percent according to the latest government data.


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- By ICR Secretariat
- Posted Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Advertising watchdog rules fake autism 'cure' adverts must stop
Advertising watchdog the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ordered 150 homeopaths operating in the UK to stop claiming they can cure autism. Five of them face prosecution for advertising a treatment called Cease therapy, which has no scientific basis and is potentially harmful.


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Express News Service
NEW DELHI: The government’s ambitious minimum support price (MSP) scheme to improve farmers’ income has hit a roadblock as Niti Aayog missed the deadline to suggest a viable procurement model.
Finance minister Arun Jaitley had announced in his Budget speech the government would ensure agriculture produce is procured at the revised MSP, which will be 1.5 times the production cost. The Centre had entrusted the think tank with the task to come up with a procurement model. “However, there is nothing concrete till date. In fact, recently the Aayog said states can go for the Madhya Pradesh model or any model they choose, but that is not what was expected from them,” said a senior agriculture ministry official.
Earlier, the Aayog had suggested roping in the private sector for procurement. However, the idea was rejected as many members of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council felt it was flawed. The Centre, then, asked the Niti Aayog to come up with a better model before March 31.
With the Aayog not having any concrete model, now it is up to the states to choose their own MSP model. This may be disappointing for the government, which is looking to spend a minimum of Rs 20,000-25,000 crore initially along with the states to ensure that farmers get the benefit of MSP.
“We cannot wait any longer. We have decided to leave it open-ended for the states,” said a finance ministry official. In all this confusion, farmers continue to suffer.
In many states, farmers were reportedly forced to sell their produce below MSP. Earlier this month, farmers’ organisation Jai Kisan Andolan launched a daily news alert to track the ground reality on MSP. The MSP alert is published on social media handles of the Jai Kisan Andolan and associated organisations.
Actual selling price way lower than MSP
In Maharashtra, farmers sell soybean at Rs 2,700 a quintal while MSP is Rs 3,050
Tur dal is sold at Rs 4,100 a quintal against MSP of Rs 5,450
Farmers get Rs 3,500 for selling one quintal of chana dal while the MSP is Rs 4,400
Maharashtra farmers are still waiting for dues worth J520 crore from Nafed for crops sold since February
Farmers’ loss from underselling their produce is pegged at Rs 14,474 crore


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After an ad on the back cover of Japanese gaming mag Famitsu teased a potential date with a puzzle last week, folks began speculating that Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney would finally make its Nintendo 3DS debut in Japan this November. Those super sleuths were spot on, because the game is set to hit shelves in Japan on November 29.
As Siliconera reports, confirmation of the date comes from Famitsu, and Level-5 will be publishing Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney in Japan. Now let's just get an announcement for regions outside of Japan and there won't be anything to object to!


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FRANCE - The retailer group Intermarché, through its subsidiary Société Vitréenne d'Abattage (SVA) Jean-Rozé is to take over part of the pig slaughterhouses GAD, which was placed in liquidation in September.
GAD employs 820 employees at three sites, the slaughterhouse in Josselin (Morbihan) that is to be taken over by SVA Jean Rosé and two smaller units at Lampaul-Guimiliau.
The new owner is expected to keep 507 of the 755 employees at the slaughterhouse.
About 229 employees will lose their job.
In 2013, GAD has launched a restructuring plan with the closure of its second slaughterhouse at Lampaul-Guimiliau and its sausage factory in Saint-Nazaire (Loire-Atlantique), which resulted to 956 job cuts
TheMeatSite News Desk


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The disposal, ACT's second this month, confirms the group's strategy of focusing on financial software products and was welcomed by analysts.
ACT is Britain's leading financial software supplier, a position it has built up with a series of acquisitions made since 1991 with cash from the sale of its Apricot Computers business. George Soros is a new customer and clients include leading financial institutions.
The group's most recent, and biggest, acquisition was its pounds 93.5m purchase of BIS, a software subsidiary, from the New York telecoms company Nynex last July.
BIS is now one of three financial software divisions of ACT. Together these accounted for nearly four-fifths of its pounds 108m turnover in the six months to September.
Brann was a part of BIS, but ACT said direct marketing services clearly did not fit in with the group's strategy. Earlier this month it sold Cablestream, a communications network business, to Siemens for pounds 5m.
Andrew Bryant, a BZW analyst, said: 'It is good to see them disposing of peripheral businesses that were taking up management time.'
Cash from disposals has been used to settle deferred BIS payments early.Reuse content


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New centre promoting children’s reading opens in Prague
A new Czech Children’s Book Centre has recently opened in Prague with the aim of promoting quality children’s books by small publishers and encouraging a love of reading among the young. The institution, located at Janský Vršek just below Prague Castle, also serves as a meeting place for authors, illustrators and readers of all ages.
“We want children to meet the authors, to ask them all sorts of question about how a book is created and why it is important to read,” says Jakub Pavlovský, director of the newly opened Czech Children’s Book Centre.
The centre, which has been operating since mid-September, officially opened just a few days ago as part of a larger project called Children’s Book Trail, which includes an annual literary and dramatic festival for children.
The institution, located in a small but charming space in Janský Vršek, is mostly financed from the so-called Norway Grants and it was in the Scandinavian countries that its founders looked for inspiration, says Mr. Pavlovský:
“The biggest inspiration was the Norwegian Children’s Book Institute, which has been running for some time, but when it was launched, it actually only had two employees and worked from a basement. So we thought it wouldn’t be a problem to start in a small space and develop from there.”
The space also serves as a bookshop of the Meander publishing house, which specializes in children’s literature. Its owner Iva Pecháčková is one of the founders of the new Children’s Book Centre. She says promoting small publishers is one of its main goals:
“There are a lot of small publishers, like Meander, who still have their old books at home or in their warehouses. These books have been awarded all sorts of prizes, but because booksellers are only interested in new products, the small publishers, who create the most beautiful books, have no way of getting them on the market. So this is one of our goals.”
The centre has already organised about a dozen workshops and meetings on its premises, but, as Jakub Pavlovský points out, they also want to travel outside of Prague, visiting school children across the country. And, although most of its activities are aimed at young readers, the centre will also offer programmes for adults, he says:
“We have traditional art workshops focusing on books by different publishers. In addition to that, we also organize debates with authors and children and then we have what we call reading sessions. Their aim is to teach educators and librarians to work in a slightly different way to make children interested in what they are reading and really think about it.”
The centre will also team up with other institutions, such as the newly opened Museum of Literature and will organize exhibitions focusing on Czech artists illustrating books for children and young adults, such as Petr Nikl and Jiří Sopko.


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Pradeep Kumar Pujari, the current power secretary has been given the additional charge for telecom recently.
The 1981-batch Gujarat Cadre IAS officer was due to retire this June.
The telecom secretary’s post has been lying vacant after 1982 batch UP cadre IAS JS Deepak was shifted out of the department and asked to join as Officer on Special Duty in the Ministry of Commerce before taking charge as the Ambassador/Permanent Representative of India to the World Trade Organisation, Geneva with a tenure with effect from June 1, 2017 till the date of his superannuation i.e. July 31, 2018.
The 2003-batch Indian Foreign Service officer Siddhartha Nath has been appointed as Deputy Secretary in Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) for three years. Singh was earlier counsellor to PMI, Conference on Disarmament, Geneva.
The 1989-batch Kerala cadre IAS and Chairman of Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Devendra Kumar Singh has been entrusted with the additional charge of post of Additional Director General of Foreign Trade (joint secretary level).
The government also approved the proposal of the Ministry of Commerce to give additional charge of Executive Director, India Trade Promotion Organisation to 1997-batch Himachal Pradesh cadre IAS Rajneesh, present joint secretary in the department of commerce for three months from February 13, 2017.


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Mar 14, 2013
Japan and China have failed to block new restrictions on shark fishing at an international conference in Thailand.
Sep 3, 2012
Animal health care is the fastest growing sector of health care. Medicine for the pets we love and the livestock we eat is a more than $4 billion business for the pharmaceutical company Pfizer.
Feb 20, 2012
In Australia, conservationists are making the case that koalas are a threatened species. Government regulators aren't so sure.
Feb 17, 2012
The price of looking after your pet is rising as far and fast as the cost of human healthcare. Gregory Warner reports on why we are willing to pay so much for our animals.
Jan 30, 2012
Animals across the country are predicting who will win this year's Super Bowl.
Aug 30, 2011
Well, that would be the headline in a mountain lion version of this story. (But how could they type a newsletter without articulated fingers and an...
Jun 15, 2011
Badgers, like internet data, exist in a series of tubes. But getting in those underground tubes is tricky. For one thing, they're underground. For...
Jun 2, 2011
Yesterday, we mentioned a story about a new startup using social data to help you find where the sick people are. Today, the story of AmphibiaWeb....
May 27, 2011
The Head Face says he's trying this for a year to get more of a feel for sustainable farming or something. Dude's killing goats and pigs. At least...
Feb 28, 2011
The Smithsonian has launched a new website that features more than 200,000 photos taken by researchers from automated cameras. The cameras have...


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Zips buys Rocket Express Car Wash
Zips, one of the biggest carwash chains in the US recently got even bigger. By acquiring Rocket Express Car Wash, Zips hopes to penetrate further into western markets.
Rocket Express Car Wash has five big carwash locations in Idaho and Utah which are known for their length and speed. They were one of the first companies that introduced express lanes. “Clean, shiny and dry within 4 minutes”, is their claim to fame.
It’s the ninth acquisition by Zips this year. The company that once started in Arkansas now has 226 locations across 22 states. In the last three months, Zips added locations in Minnesota, Kentucky and Texas.
The office in Plano (Texas) now serves as its headquarters, a company spokesman said, but Zips still operates a large office in Little Rock with most of the company’s support team based in Jonesboro.
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Jasper’s revenue down 38% in FY17
The company, whose founders fought a bruising battle last year with its investors as well as Flipkart to avoid being acquired by the rival ecommerce firm, posted revenue of Rs 903.8 crore for fiscal 2017, compared with Rs 1,457 crore the previous year.
Future Group in talks to buy Snapdeal’s logistics arm
Vulcan Express, which manages about half of Snapdeal’s deliveries and shipments, replaced gojavas as the primary logistics partner when it was formed about three years ago.
Snapdeal threatens legal action against GoJavas parent company
Jasper Infotech has asked Quickdel to withdraw its legal notice dated October 4 "within three working days, failing which it will take all necessary steps to initiate all available civil and criminal remedies against Quickdel and its senior management."
GoJavas' Anand Rai files fresh complaint against Jasper's Kunal Bahl, Rohit Bansal
When contacted by ET, a Jasper Infotech spokesperson said the company would initiate strict legal action against Quickdel Logistics.
Anand Rai to move HC against Jasper Infotech
Rai, owner of QuickDel that owns and operates GoJavas, says Jasper & promoters Bahl, Bansal violated non-compete pacts.
Snapdeal files FIR against former GoJavas promoters with EOW alleging cheating, conspiracyThis comes at a time when Flipkart is conducting due diligence on Snapdeal for a possible acquisition which will also bring in investment from Japanese telecom and internet major SoftBank, the largest shareholder in Snapdeal.
Pigeon Express in talks to buy out Snapdeal stake in GoJavasSnapdeal had invested Rs 250 crore in two tranches to acquire 42% stake in Gojavas, which was acquired by Pigeon Express in August last year.
Snapdeal shuts down luxury and premium fashion portal Exclusively.comAccording to data from Forrester Research, the online apparel, footwear and accessories category is expected to cross $5 billion in 2016.
Snapdeal is not ready to sell its GoJavas stakeGoJavas, which began life as an arm of fashion retailer Jabong and was spun off as an independent company in 2013, is co-owned by Snapdeal.
GoJavas considering organisational overhaul involving layoffs, restructured business modelSnapdeal, which owns 42% of Go-Javas and accounts for a substantial bulk of its orders, has been holding talks to acquire the remaining stake in the logistics firm.
Our daily transacting users exceed Flipkart, Amazon put together: SnapdealThe co, claims to have grown 1.9x in shipment volumes in just the last 1 year and has set a target of achieving 20 mn daily transacting users by 2020.
Internal audit finds lapses by ex-Jabong executives; transfer of logistics unit Gojavas under lensThe report also found that Sinha, Mohan and Malhotra had interests in third parties trading with Jabong, and that the allegation of collusive trading is partly supported.
Snapdeal mulls acquiring GoJavas to regain marketshare lost to rivalsThe acquisition would aid Snapdeal to try and claw back the market share it has lost to Amazon India over the past six months, by strengthening its supply chain.
Vijay Ghadge joins as COO of Snapdeal's captive logistics unit Vulcan ExpressSnapdeal, which is strengthening its supply chain and logistics capabilities, had invested Rs 240 crore in GoJavas in two subsequent rounds in 2015.
Companies like Delhivery, GoJavas and Ecom Express getting ready for Alibaba’s India entryTiger Global-backed Delhivery confirmed that it had a discussion with Alibaba in April this year to chalk out potential fit for its India plans.
ITC's Amitabh Coomar appointed new GoJavas CEOAmitabh Coomar brings with him 19 years of leadership experience at ITC as well as the Indian Army.
Why 2016 promises to be litmus test for e-commerce-focused logistics companies like GoJavas & DelhiveryGoJavas, Ecom Express and Delhivery are rushing out a slew of services, expanding their reach and building up tech platforms.
ET Wealth: How Aristotle Consultancy helps startups manage financesThe company’s short-term goal is to replicate its Delhi success in Bengaluru and Chennai. Its client list includes Jabong, Fab-Furnish, FoodPanda etc.
Snapdeal invests additional $20 million in GoJavasJasper Infotech, which owns and operates online marketplace Snapdeal.com, has invested an additional $20 million (about Rs 131 crore) in logistics and delivery services venture GoJavas.
PepperTap close to raising $50 million; Snapdeal to investThe decision to invest also comes at a time when Snapdeal is making an ambitious bid to build a complete ecommerce-focused ecosystem.
A mobile-only strategy is extremely consumer-unfriendly: Snapdeal Co-founder and CEO Kunal BahlRelatively speaking, we will be ahead of (Flipkart). In terms of absolute numbers, I’m going to keep that close to my chest now.
Logistics cos, etailers like Paytm, Firstcry tighten security to curb pilferageThe number of recruits increases around the festive season and so does the pilferage of mostly electronic goods
How jobs with e-commerce companies like Flipkart is taking toll on the delivery menThey're the wheels turning India's $20-billion e-commerce juggernaut as it gathers momentum in a country that's never had a more kingly experience.
Spirit of co-operation exists between the smaller & big ecommerce playersAmazon India launched its 'Kirana Now' programme in April, and even taxi aggregator Ola is entering grocery delivery, following its meals on-demand service Ola Cafe earlier this year.
Snapdeal-backed GoJavas pilots ‘local commerce’Logistics companies are starting to provide local-level services as customers demand faster delivery of goods. Flipkart, India’s biggest online marketplace.
Robots take over ecommerce-driven logistics from humansAt courier firm DTDC’s Delhi hub, a 25-arm monster sorts packages in lightning speed: 3,600 items an hour, or one in every second.
Kishore Biyani in talks with Flipkart and Amazon to sell 49% stake in Future Supply Chain SolutionsBiyani's discussion with Flipkart and Amazon is interesting since these e-commerce giants already have their own delivery networks in eKart Logistics and Amazon Transportation Solutions.Load More
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Christ Trinity Church at 180 Main St., Route 7, will hold its annual parish fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9.
The event will feature a tag sale, book sale, crafters, a quilt raffle, an old-fashioned picnic, fresh Cape Cod Clams, and a bake sale. Children’s activities include face painting and crafts.
Admittance is free. Tag sale early birds will be admitted at 8:30 a.m. for $5.
Information: (413) 229-8811 or www.christtrinitysheffield.org.


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Entertainment Sony share on descent: Activision deal with Microsoft loaded
Today in Music History - Jan. 5
Today in Music History for Jan. 5: In 1923, Sam Phillips, owner of the legendary Sun Records in Memphis, was born in Florence, Ala. Many music historians say Sun was where rock 'n' roll began. Certainly, Phillips was the first to record the black-influenced music of such young white singers as Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins in 1954. Phillips began by recording such black artists as Howlin' Wolf and Jackie Brenston, whose "RocketIn 1923, Sam Phillips, owner of the legendary Sun Records in Memphis, was born in Florence, Ala. Many music historians say Sun was where rock 'n' roll began.
Investing.com - because of the takeover of the game developer Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq: ATVI) by the rivals Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) In a recorddeal of nearly $ 70 billion dollars, Sony's shares (T: 6758) were broken by more than 10% on Wednesday.
In Tokyo, the papers of Japanese electronic giant gave rise by 12.40% to 12,465 yen until 06.58 o'clock CET.
The Sony PlayStation applies in the fight of consoles against the Xbox developed by Microsoft widely as superior. But with the acquisition of the Gaming forge Activision, which stands behind the video game "Call of Duty", Microsoft strengthens its aggressive expansion plans for the Game Pass subscription service.
‘The Dr. Oz Show’ To End In January; Spinoff ‘The Good Dish’ Will Replace It
The long-running daytime syndication series The Dr. Oz Show will come to an end on January 14, distributor Sony Pictures Television said Monday. The fate of the show, which had been renewed until mid-2023, became uncertain after host Mehmet Oz announced his candidacy for Senate in Pennsylvania, with the Fox stations in New York and Philadelphia pulling the program right away. The Dr. Oz Show spinoff, The Good Dish — hosted by Oz’s daughter, Daphne Oz, along with Gail Simmons and Jamika Pessoa — has been picked up by station groups across the country that carry The Dr. Oz Show. They include Fox, which had been The Dr.
Sony has continuously built his network of own gaming studios in recent years, which made itself felt in numerous exclusive titles such as the "Spiderman" series. Microsoft could not keep up there.
With the acquisition of Activision by Microsoft Role on Sony now "a tremendous challenge", the market strategists warned of Asymmetric Advisors, Amir Anvarzadeh, in a short commentary.
That Sony adapts to the latest trends, his commitment in the field of Virtual Reality. At the beginning of the month, the company announced some teaser details to its next generation headset. Other market participants, such as the Facebook Mother Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: Nasdaq: FB), are already one step further and invest in the so-called metaverse.
Warner puts the hand on the catalog of David Bowie for a sum
© Dave Benett / Contributor / Getty Images Warner puts the hand on the catalog of David Bowie for an XXL sum if no amount has been officially announced The Variety site estimates that this transaction could reach $ 250 million. It's a big shot for the Chappell Music Warner.
Since the PlayStation for Activision represents a significant source of income, possible attempts of Microsoft, Title from Sony's game console could be banished to become a complex undertaking.
Some industry observers believe that cross-platform functionality is a crucial factor for a successful metaverse that allows users to play, shop and work unhindered.
The continued progressive cloud technology also reduces the attractiveness of bulky gaming hardware, which was up to date the bread and butter business for Sony and Microsoft.
"If Microsoft will continue to offer these games for the PlayStation platform, indicating that it could position the metaverse in the long term," Jefferies Analyst Atul Goyal wrote in a customer message.
Microsoft wants to invest corporate profits in games and "Metaversum" .
The US software generant Microsoft wants to invest its billions of winning last year in video games and building the so-called "metaversum". "We feel very well positioned to surf the next wave of the Internet in my opinion," said Microsoft Chef Satya Nadella on Tuesday at a conference on the quarterly results of the Group. © Josh Edelson The US software Microsoft wants to invest its billions of winning last year in video games and the construction of the so-called "metaversum".


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Celtics owners plug into electric racing circuit
Published 12/20/2013, Associated Press
Boston Celtics managing partner Wyc Grousbeck and a dozen of his co-owners in the NBA franchise have invested $21 million into Formula E, an all-electric racing circuit.Word count: 782
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Stellar (XLM) to use Wyre’s technology after $5m investment
- Recently, Stellar Development Foundation announced a $5m investment into Wyre.
- Wyre, a blockchain payment processor, will, in turn, allow Stellar to integrate its payment APIs.
- Wyre will help Stellar apps onboard the upcoming USDC stablecoin and help its anchor network growth.
Yesterday, January 26th, the Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) revealed that it has made a $5 million investment into another project, Wyre. With Wyre being the leading blockchain payment firm, Stellar’s investment will allow it to integrate Wyre’s advanced technology.
How will Stellar benefit from Wyre’s tech integration
According to the announcement, Stellar plans to include a variety of Wyre’s payment APIs to its fintech applications. The APIs will integrate with the existing anchors, but also enable Stellar USDC on/off ramps for a number of pre-existing fiat pairs.
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The SDF Executive Director and CEO, Denelle Dixon, commented on the move by saying that it is very important to Stellar to grow the network of anchors. In doing so, Stellar (XLM) can connect global financial systems with blockchain, and adding Wyre’s payment APIs will also help empower businesses and expand payment corridors, while it will also support the creation of new ones.
From what is known, Dixon will now also serve on Wyre’s own board, in a seat designated for the Stellar Development Foundation.
Wyre will help Stellar apps with USDC onboarding
Wyre has been operating as a blockchain payment firm since 2013, and during this time, it has executed over $5 billion in transfers. The company also has an entire portfolio of various advanced services that are being offered to businesses, individuals, as well as enterprise clients.
Those include payouts, fiat-to-crypto on-ramps, crypto wallet infrastructure, compliance, savings accounts, and foreign exchanges.
The most direct way that the company will support the Stellar ecosystem will be via the USD Coin (USDC). This is one of the world’s largest dollar-pegged stablecoins, and it is expected to be supported by the Stellar network at some point in Q1 2021.
By integrating its technology, Wyre will provide a reliable, compliant way for Stellar’s apps to onboard the coin without any additional UI builds or other integrations. Wyre’s CEO; Ioannis Giannaros, said that the firm focuses on making money transfer easy, borderless, and cost-effective, which makes Stellar a perfect fit for Wyre’s partner.


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Although the sixth-generation Golf is still new to this world, Volkswagen’s already toying with the idea of a fuel-thrifty variant.; Their latest concept, the Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion, seems just that: it’s capable of delivering 74 mpg in European combined cycle testing.
That’s an impressive figure, considering VW’s implemented no futuristic technologies to achieve it.; Motive power for the Golf BlueMotion comes from a 105-hp, 1.6-liter turbo-diesel I-4, which is coupled to a five-speed manual transmission.
While the TDI range of diesels has always proven to be efficient, VW tweaked the Golf to improve fuel economy figures even further.; As a result, the Golf BlueMotion uses low rolling resistance tires, modified gear ratios in the transmission, and a host of aerodynamic changes (although we’re hard pressed to find them).
Although we doubt it will reach production with these celebratory graphics, Volkswagen says it hopes to have the BlueMotion model on sale in Europe in the summer of 2009, approximately six months after the new Golf hits dealers across the continent.


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A jarring new stat from a recent Forbes story shows both how profitable NBA stars are and how unmarketable MLB has become.
The Forbes study notes that in 2013 LeBron James and Kobe Bryant led all American athletes with endorsement earnings of $42 million and $34 million, respectively. Those numbers are extremely impressive by themselves. They're even more amazing when you consider that the total endorsement figure for the top 10 MLB players was $30 million.
That's right, James and Bryant each made more than the top 10 MLB endorsers combined.
Business Insider produced a great graphic depicting the lopsided earnings:
— Cork Gaines (@CorkGaines) February 25, 2014
Much of the gap is due to the extremely lucrative nature of shoe deals. While there is little interest in cleats worn by NFL and MLB players, sneakers worn by stars like Bryant and James are in high demand. Top NBA stars can earn $10 million a year from companies like Nike and Adidas.
LeBron has deals with brands including Samsung, Nike, McDonald’s, Coca Cola, Upper Deck, Audemars Piguet and Dunkin' Donuts.
In a sign of just how global the NBA has become, the only sport where top athletes rival it in endorsements is soccer. According to Forbes, David Beckham, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo each made more than $20 million in endorsements, and the top 10 soccer earners came in at $120 million.
Forbes also reported that Derek Jeter and Ichiro Suzuki were the only two MLB players to earn more than $3 million from sponsors and merchandise. And in Ichiro's case, his deals were all in Japan.


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Female owners of smart speakers are more likely than men to report that their device fails to understand their commands, according to a recent study of 1000 British smart speaker owners by YouGov (opens in new tab).
YouGov found that "two thirds of female owners (67%) say that their device fails to respond to a voice command at least “sometimes”, compared to a small majority of male owners who say the same (54%)".
"By contrast, 46% of men say their device “rarely” or “never” fails to work, compared to only 32% of women."
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The researchers also found that women tend to speak more politely to their smart speakers, with "45% saying they “always” or “often” say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, compared to only 30% of male owners".
This discrepancy between male and female users could be a result of bias at the point of training AI assistants like Alexa or Siri; if programmers train the AI to respond to mainly male voices, it may have trouble recognizing female voices in the future.
Not everyone believes this to be the case however. In its reporting of the study, the Evening Standard (opens in new tab) cites a blog post (opens in new tab) by founder and CEO of R7 Speech Sciences, Delip Rao, who believes that the discrepancy is down to technological issues rather than gender bias.
He explains that female voices have more variances in pitch compared to male voices, which can lead to smart speakers having difficult distinguishing their commands.
Rao posits that this issue could be resolved by training voice assistants to distinguish when a male or female voice is speaking; but, as he points out, this comes with its own set of issues, as it doesn't account for non-gender binary or transgender users, who could be misgendered by the voice assistant mistakenly.
Perhaps the easiest way to combat this discrepancy would be for developers to "build models that directly learn from raw waveforms", and provide their AI assistants with more varied examples of peoples' speaking voices to learn from.
Via The Evening Standard (opens in new tab)


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(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) – The Saint Lucia Manufacturers Association would like to take a special moment to recognize and congratulate SMA member-company Baron Foods and Mr. Ronald Ramjattan for their victory at the International Superior Taste Award in Brussels, Belgium.
Earlier this month, Baron Foods took home the gold medal which was awarded by the International Taste and Quality Institute (iTQi) in recognition of the company’s outstanding pasta sauce.
On the iTQi Sensory Evaluation Graph, the product’s visual appeal ranked the highest followed by the taste and texture.
The pasta sauce is one out of the eleven products which makes up the Baron Gourmet Collection and was launched in October 2011.
This convenient gourmet collection has been well received by consumers, especially within the “meals in minutes” food category.
CEO, Mr. Ronald Ramjattan said “we are particularly proud of the innovative thinking that led to these products being developed and the ease of use that accompanies each product.”
“Being a result-oriented company, with a strong customer base we have gone from being a local company with roots in St. Lucia to a regional company with a full agro- processing plant in the island of Grenada and Trinidad & Tobago. We came with a vision of providing innovative and quality products to our customers, whilst building a true Caribbean brand,” Ramjattan said.
The iTQi Superior Taste Award is the only international certificate for taste endorsed by experts – Michelin starred Chefs and Sommeliers.
Above all, it is a guarantee of buying a product recognized for its gustative qualities; while for producers, it is a valuable and efficient communication
tool to differentiate their products, uplift their brand images and attract new clients.
Baron Foods has been an active and longstanding member of Saint Lucia Manufacturers Association and a leader in the island’s indigenous manufacturing sector. As one of Saint Lucia’s larger manufacturing companies, Baron Foods has always placed emphasis on providing mentorship and training to the industry’s younger entrepreneurs and manufacturers.