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In the automotive industry, there’s always one segment where the competition is just a little bit hotter than the rest. For the past few years, that segment has been midsize family sedans. Not only have cars like the Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata, and Mazda6 completely rejected the traditionally plain styling of the segment, but the desire for added features and improved fuel economy resulted in an arms race that has left the current lineup of midsize sedans almost unrecognizable next to previous generations. The market is moving on, however, and it appears that the next hot segment is pickup trucks.
Pickups have never been the most everyday practical, refined, or technologically advanced, but despite their shortcomings in those areas, they still sell incredibly well — the best, actually, at least in the U.S. In 2013, for example, the two top selling vehicles were the Ford F-series and the Chevrolet Silverado. The best selling car, on the other hand, the Toyota Camry, sold only a little over half as many units as Ford sold trucks. With numbers like that, there are clearly a lot of sales at stake, and manufacturers can’t risk losing out to the competition, especially with renewed efforts from Toyota and Nissan coming down the pipeline.
When Ford went back to the drawing board to redesign the F-150, its main focus was on improving fuel economy, which meant dropping weight and expanding on the success of the original EcoBoost engine. The resulting truck weighs about 700 pounds less than its predecessor did in certain trims thanks to extensive use of aluminum in its construction. That’s a significant weight savings that doesn’t just improve fuel economy — it actually feels noticeably lighter as well. While it’s not the only engine available, Ford also now offers a smaller 2.7 liter EcoBoost V6 that gets a claimed 26 miles per gallon on the highway while still making 325 horsepower and 375 pound-feet of torque.
Not to be outdone, General Motors has redesigned the Chevrolet Silverado and its more luxurious sibling, the GMC Sierra as well. Instead of relying on forced induction to make more power out of a smaller engine, GM stuck with V8s across the lineup, relying on cylinder deactivation technology and direct injection to improve fuel economy. Perhaps the biggest departure from the traditional pickup truck formula is found in the GMC Sierra Denali though, which comes standard with Magnetic Ride Control, the advanced suspension system that automatically adapts the suspension to road conditions and has previously been reserved for GM’s sportiest vehicles like the Chevrolet Corvette and Cadillac CTS-V. It completely changes the feel of the truck, making it drive much more car-like despite its large size.
GM’s boldest move, however, may be its revival of the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. The previous generation Colorado and Canyon struggled to compete in the midsize truck segment, but GM came out guns blazing this time, building excellent vehicles that won’t just cannibalize the sales of other midsize trucks but should also attract buyers who may have previously been interested in a midsize truck but felt forced into buying a crossover in order to get the features they wanted.
It isn’t just the Colorado and Canyon that are offering more features though. Across the board, the newest pickups are available with nearly all of the technology and features that the latest sedans and crossovers offer. Material quality is also drastically improved, making it hard for previous generation trucks to compete.
Sales of Nissan’s truck line have all but disappeared, and even with quite a few boxes ticked on the options sheet, the Toyota Tundra feels incredibly dated compared to the latest F-150 and Silverado. The Toyota Tacoma is in the same boat, feeling incredibly long in the tooth compared to the Chevrolet Colorado.
As hot as things have gotten already though, January’s 2015 North American International Auto Show may make things even hotter. Toyota isn’t one to give up on dominating a segment simply because of renewed competition, and it has a new Tacoma ready to unveil in Detroit. GM may be dominating the midsize truck market for now, but don’t expect Toyota to let them get away with it for long. Exact details are sparse, but you can expect a bolder look, more features, more refinement, and better fuel economy out of the redesigned Tacoma that make for a huge leap over the previous generation.
Not to be left out, Nissan is also bringing a truck to the North American International Auto Show. An official announcement on the next generation Frontier is likely coming soon, but we only have to wait until January to see the new Titan. A V8 will definitely still be available, but there have been rumors of a V6 option as well. Cummins is chipping in to offer a 5.0 liter diesel V8, the first diesel eight-cylinder to be offered in the full-size truck segment. Regardless, don’t be surprised to see a more refined look with a modern, high quality interior and loads of options to bring it in line with other modern pickups.
Perhaps even more exciting than the redesigned Tacoma and Titan though, Ford is bringing the redesigned F-150 SVT Raptor to Detroit. The first generation took the truck market by storm when it went on sale back in 2009, and the second generation should be even more extreme, even more ridiculous, and even more capable off-road. Interestingly enough, despite the SVT Raptor’s sales success, no one else has introduced a direct competitor yet. You never know though. It could still happen.
As the competition heats up in the truck market, however, you can expect accelerated innovation to continue just like we saw in the midsize sedan segment. Regardless of which direction gas prices go, regulatory pressure to improve fuel economy across the board is going to push manufacturers to continue to find more ways to squeeze extra efficiency out of their engines.
Features and technologies that are currently available on luxury cars can also be expected to find their way into trucks at a much faster rate. And if midsize trucks sell as well as they’re expected to, there’s a good chance that other manufacturers may be tempted to introduce their own models into the segment.
One issue that can’t be overlooked though is price. Advanced engine technology, luxury features, and technology doesn’t come cheaply, and that means manufacturers are having to charge more for their trucks. Buyers who last purchased a truck 10 years ago would be shocked to see the prices that their local dealerships are charging. You can option a GMC Canyon up well over $40,000, and a Ford F-150 with all the options is well over $60,000.
As prices on pickup trucks creep up well past some luxury cars and sports cars, don’t be terribly surprised if a budget-friendly alternative finds its way into the market. That could be the upcoming redesigned Nissan Frontier, but there’s also a second generation Honda Ridgeline slated for the future. Could that be the wallet-friendly midsize pickup truck that’s missing from the U.S. market?
Regardless, if you’re a fan of trucks, sit back and enjoy the next several years because you’re in for one heck of a fun ride. The future is bright, and the competition is about to get very, very hot. In another 10 years, don’t be surprised if the previous 10 years’ pickup trucks feel like complete dinosaurs next to what you’re driving.


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Level-5, Dentsu Open New Company for Western Markets
posted on by Karen Ressler
Game developer Level-5 announced on Thursday that it is teaming with Dentsu Inc. to open a new company called "Level-5 abby" in Santa Monica, California. The company will specialize in creating, producing, and distributing games and animation from Japan to western markets.
The company lists Yo-kai Watch, Little Battlers eXperience (LBX), and Snack World as its "tentpole franchises." Dentsu Entertainment USA has been airing LBX on Nicktoons, Viz Media licensed the manga adaptation, and Nintendo released a Nintendo 3DS game in August in North America and in September in Europe.
Dentsu Entertainment USA will also premiere Yo-Kai Watch on Disney XD on October 5. Viz Media is publishing the manga starting on November 3, and Nintendo will publish the Yo-kai Watch role-playing game on its Nintendo 3DS platform in North America on November 6.
Level-5 unveiled Snack World in April.
The name "abby" is a portmanteau of the "a" from "all" or "anything" and the "bby" from "hobby."

domain: news


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Napster Subscription Service This Summer
German-based record company Bertelsman AG announced today that it could launch its Napster-based subscription download service as early as July. Speaking at the World Economic Forum, Bertelsman CEO Thomas Midelhoff touted "I’n convinced we can introduce in June or July of this year a subscription model, with a real working digital rights management system."
While no one with the record company or with Napster could say how much the service might cost, it is rumored to be somewhere in the neighborhood of $5, not too shabby if you take into account how many files you could download in a month. But that is contigent on Napster not losing its user-base due to the fee.
Many have questioned whether or not the service, or any service like it, could work based on the number of free protocols that exist and are still being developed. Many fans of Napster simply scoff at the idea of paying for downloads, as they could simply switch to Gnutella clients such as BearShare, or other Napster-like programs like GlobalSCAPE's CuteMX.
In a Reuters interview with Bertelsman e-commerce group chief executive Andreas Schmidt, he claimed that many other record labels could potentially be joining the service in the next coming weeks. If Napster could convince EMI, Universal, Warner, and Sony to join, it would mean a 75% claim of the music market for download.
Napster executives claim they were shocked by Bertelsman's announcement, telling Reuters "We haven’t decided on a time schedule at all...we're hopeful."


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Tesla, makers of an all-electric incredibly expensive car, will have enough cash to continue operating for at least another couple of years after raising $226 million in an IPO. Founder Elon Musk, famous for founding PayPal and for having a totally rad name, was reportedly close to bankruptcy but still trying to produce their new model, the Model S. It’s an all-electric car priced around $50,000. They’re taking reservations now.
Tesla Motors, we’re talking about here. Not:
and certainly not:


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Missoula Teen Accused of Brandishing ‘Box-Cutter’ During Robbery
19-year-old Joshua Rennie was arrested by Missoula Police on Monday afternoon after some store employees reported theft and threatening behavior.
"Officers were called to an incident reported at a department store in the 2400 block of North Reserve street," said Missoula Police Public Information Officer Travis Welsh. "The complainant there was loss prevention, which said that they had encountered a male in the store and were monitoring him as he was apparently grabbing items off the shelf and concealing them, in what they described as an attempt to leave the store without paying for the items."
Welsh says the items were put into a backpack, but was unable to specify the value of the items. The felony Robbery charges in this case are from what was taken to be threatening behavior.
"The employee reported that the male suspect became aware of him and took out an edged weapon, which he described as a 'box-cutter type knife' and was flicking the blade while making eye-contact with the employee," Welsh said. "The employee stopped following the male, however, the suspect turned and began following him."
Welsh says the suspect was later arrested without any physical violence, however, Rennie is also facing charges for obstructing a peace officer, likely for refusing to reveal the contents of his backpack.


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A new milk pricing structure for Barbados, is getting closer to implementation.
During a news briefing shared this morning between Minister of Agriculture, Dr. David Estwick and Director of the Pine Hill Dairy, Richard Cozier at the company’s Pine, St. Michael offices, it was revealed that government had a $4.2 million per year cap within which it could provide support to the industry, under WTO rules. Addressing the media at the end of a tour of the dairy plant, Estwick said since government could not provide that full financial support, discussions were ongoing with the PHD, to work out the specifics of an alternative initiative, which includes a reduction in price.
“I am glad to hear there is a number that we can operate within, and we will be using the capabilities of the government and the ministry, as currently prevails, to see how best we can utilise what is available to achieve a reduction in price,” stated Cozier. “Reduction in price is something that we see as absolutely critical to move the quantities of inventory we have, not just locally, but by extension across the region to markets that we currently trade in, but could do better with, if we had a better first price to them,” added the PHD top executive.
“So those discussions are, I gather, close to coming up with a scheme that we believe would work. We have done our home work and we have an idea … where we could possibly end up, because it all depends on a combination of things; how much is school meals, how much is welfare, so when you put it all together, we have an idea of a range that we can get to market with, which would provide consumers with a tangible discount on what they currently pay,” he concluded.
However, Cozier saw this as a stop gap measure, tantamount to “stopping the bleeding.” The company director argued that one now had to deal with the “cause of the bleeding.”
That is where Cozier said, the dairy supports the restructuring of the industry, through the proposed establishment of a Dairy Control Board, “to take the relationship between processor and farmer, away from the processor and place it in the hands of an independent authority that has representation across the board. He also rejected the notion that its importation of powdered milk, was the main reason Barbadians had shifted their consumption of its produce to the imported one.
“This is a notion that somehow or the other got credence over the past year, or perhaps longer, but bears no relationship to the truth,” he asserted. “Pine Hill Dairy, over the course of its life, imported powder. We import powder primarily to make evaporated milk, which requires the level of solids, that farm fresh milk would not deliver, and even if it did, we don’t have the capability here, with the equipment, to do it,” the dairy boss emphasised.
Cozier sought to make it clear, that powder has “never found its way into fresh milk.”


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Investors gobbled up shares of Dunkin’ Brands on Monday after the doughnut chain said it’s in talks to be acquired by restaurant conglomerate Inspire Brands.
The Massachusetts-based company’s stock price surged as much as 18.1 percent to $104.87 in early trading after it said it’s had “preliminary discussions” about a deal with Inspire, which owns chains such as Arby’s, Jimmy John’s and Buffalo Wild Wings.
“There is no certainty that any agreement will be reached,” Dunkin’ said in a Sunday statement, adding that it won’t comment further until a deal is made or the talks are terminated.
The deal on the table would see Inspire — which is backed by private-equity firm Roark Capital — take Dunkin’ private at $106.50 a share, valuing the company at roughly $8.8 billion, according to The New York Times, which first reported on the talks Sunday.
If it goes through, the takeover would mark a return to private ownership for Dunkin’, which also owns the Baskin-Robbins ice cream chain. The company was bought by a group of private-equity outfits — including Bain Capital, The Carlyle Group and Thomas H. Lee Partners — in 2005 before it went public in 2011.
The talks come as Dunkin’ grapples with lagging sales amid the coronavirus pandemic. Sales across its more than 21,000 franchised locations dropped 20.8 percent in the second quarter, though the company said its performance improved throughout the three-month period as it tweaked menus to satisfy customers visiting later in the day.
Wall Street expects a sunnier picture when Dunkin’ reports third-quarter earnings on Thursday. Analysts are predicting revenues of about $345 million and profits of about 76 cents per share, according to Bloomberg data, up from the second quarter’s $287.4 million in revenue and profits of 44 cents per share.
Credit: Source link


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The Internet Advertising Bureau has released its newest figures for the industry’s revenues during fourth quarter and 2001, and they’re not pretty.
The New York-based trade association and PricewaterhouseCoopers found that U.S. online ad revenue dropped 7.5 percent during the quarter, down to $1.7 billion. For all of 2001, online ad revenue declined 12 percent, to $7.2 billion — the first year-to-year decline in the industry’s history.
Of course, the news is of little surprise, considering the lingering effects of the Sept. 11 attacks in addition to the difficult economic environment, which has forced the industry to post declining revenues for more than a year. Still, the report is troubling, since fourth quarter for most media represents the strongest quarter.
The IAB — which is working to encourage traditionally offline advertisers to move larger portions of their budgets onto the Internet — put an optimistic face on the report, pointing to recent studies that suggest the online advertising decline mirrors the troubles in offline ad spending, and, in some cases, actually is healthier than some traditional media.
“The industry fundamentals — growing installed base of Internet users, more attractive demographics, and higher accountability — are firmly entrenched, enabling it to more than hold its own through its first acid test of a slow ad market,” said IAB President and Chief Executive Greg Stuart. “What is important now is how we improve the medium and the actions we take to help the industry rebound.”
While 2001 results might have been a something of a foregone conclusion, a bigger question looms over what sort of numbers the IAB will unveil at the end of the month, when it announces results from the first quarter of 2002. Some believe this year’s first-quarter performance could indicate a turnaround in industry fortunes, though media spending during first quarter is typically low for many media.
The industry also awaits the second phase in the IAB-sponsored media mix study, which is in the final stages of enlisting participating advertisers, and should be completed later in the year. In February, the association unveiled the first part of the research, conducted in conjunction with consumer packaged goods giant Unilever
, which found that increasing online ad spending as part of a multi-media advertising plan could increase branding effectiveness.
In the meantime, the IAB/PWC study found that the richest online ad sellers continued to get richer, with the top 10 media companies controlling 76 percent of the industry’s revenue — up 6 percent from last year. The top 25 media sellers brought in 89 percent of overall online ad sales (an increase from 83 percent in 2001) while the top 50 comprised 96 percent of industry revenue, up from 93 percent.
During 2001, consumer-targeted ads (of which retail ads made up about half) continued to comprise the largest segment of online advertising by revenue — 30 percent, down 1 percent from 2000.
Computing ads and business services continued to make up about 18 percent and 9 percent of all online advertising, respectively, while financial services advertising — considered by many to be a driver of the industry’s turnaround — declined from 14 percent to 12 percent. Media advertising showed the only increase, growing from 8 percent to 12 percent.
Despite a decline of 3 percent from third quarter, impression-based pricing continued to be the dominant model by revenue during fourth quarter, comprising 45 percent of industry sales. Hybrid deals grew to 42 percent from 39 percent, while performance-based deals remained at about 13 percent.
Banner ads continued to represent about 35 percent of all online ad revenue during fourth quarter, while slotting fees and keyword-based ad spending increased 1 percent each, to 8 percent and 6 percent, respectively. Most other forms of online advertising saw little change from third quarter, although classified ads declined 2 percent, to 15 percent, as a result of weakness in the job market.
That’s something of a minor blow to the sector, since classifieds were believed to be more somewhat more resilient than mainstream media to the economic downturn, with auction and personal listings outweighing short-term declines in employment advertising.


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The Iowa House has passed a bill that would change how much THC patients can receive through the state’s medical marijuana program, add more qualifying conditions and allow more health care practitioners to recommend Iowans be added to the program.
The bill, which passed on a vote of 52-46, follows the recommendation of a state advisory board and is in line with what Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds said she is comfortable with signing, but Democrats called it a step backward for the program.
The bill would replace Iowa’s current percentage-based limit, which allows medical marijuana products to contain up to 3% THC, with a per-patient limit of 4.5 grams of THC in a 90-day period.
There are two exceptions to the THC limit: The bill would allow patients to exceed 4.5 grams of THC if a doctor determines that amount is insufficient to treat their condition, or if they are terminally ill.
Rep. John Forbes, D-Urbandale, said a 4.5-gram limit would be “a big step backwards” from how the current law operates. Forbes, a pharmacist, said he has patients who currently receive more THC than would be allowed under the bill’s proposed gram limit. [Read more at Des Moines Register]
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If you have been following Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) recreational marijuana licensing, you know that licensing is in flux right now. Transactions involving the sale and purchase of businesses have been largely unaffected by the turmoil in licensing. While some purchase prices have been reduced, most transactions have moved forward without issue. License…
The Mississippi Legislature voted Wednesday to legalize medical marijuana, one of the final steps in making cannabis available in the Magnolia State. The Senate and House overwhelmingly passed an amended version of the bill, sending it to Gov. Tate Reeves’ desk. Reeves can either sign the bill, let it become law without signing it or veto it. Although…
Amazon is channeling its influence in Washington to drum up bipartisan support for an unlikely cause: legalizing marijuana. The company on Tuesday endorsed legislation by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) to end the federal prohibition on pot, as Forbes reported, the first time it has backed a GOP-led bill on the issue. In doing so, Amazon…
Results of a survey released today by Onfleet, a San Francisco, California-based tech company whose last mile delivery management software streamlines delivery operations for thousands of businesses around the world, strongly suggests that consumer interest in cannabis home delivery is not only sticky enough to survive the COVID pandemic but appears capable of permanently supplanting…


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The rise and fall of a suburban shopping mall
Tuesday would have been the Randhurst Mall’s 60th birthday, and ought to be celebrated by art historians who revere the Basilica of Saint-Denis. For just as the 12th century French church pioneered the Gothic style, the Mount Prospect shopping center put the capstone on 20th century suburban design.
Victor Gruen, Randhurst’s architect, often proclaimed the American shopping center the modern equivalent of Europe’s medieval cathedral.
Obviously, self-interest underlay that verdict. Nonetheless, Randhurst was awe-inspiring.
Covering a million square feet, air-conditioned, roofed and sporting a giant dome, it enabled consumers to mark life’s rhythms, rain or shine. At its 1962 opening, Maurice L. Rothschild took an ad in the Tribune touting the back-to-school shopping opportunities of the Loop merchant’s new suburban branch.
Pictured was a youngster in a T-shirt and briefs. “The start of a boy’s BUSY SCHOOL DAY,” the text proclaimed. For $3 each, older students could return to college in “Fraternity Row Ivy Shirts.”
Carson Pirie Scott, one of the mall’s original three anchors, posed a rhetorical question in its Tribune announcement of the mall’s opening: “Where else can you admire palm trees in January, have your hair done in plush pink surroundings while sipping complementary coffee, and dine ‘in-the-round’ of an elevated restaurant in the center of a covered mall?”
Malls were hardly new by 1962. Planned shopping centers go back as far as Lake Forest’s Market Square, which opened in 1916. But until they were enclosed, shopping centers couldn’t double as year-round walking paths for the elderly, hangouts for teenagers, performance spaces for buskers and galleries for sculptors.
That awaited Gruen’s vision.
Being Jewish, he fled his Austrian homeland ahead of the Nazis, arriving in America in 1938. He took with him poignant memories of Vienna’s charming little shops, each slightly different than the next. In the United States, he did face lifts for cookie-cutter stores. His signature was bold, even brash, design.
Stores are “machines for selling,” he said. It was a riff on a house being “a machine for living in,” a maxim of the modernist architect, Le Corbusier. Gruen would have heard it as a student in the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts, where the curriculum was based on the socialist ideal of artists leading the way to a better world.
As World War II ended, Gruen saw America’s cities spilling out, helter-skelter, into the countryside. In a lecture, he hauntingly painted a word picture of roads “flanked by the greatest collection of vulgarity, billboards, motels, gas stations, shanties, car lots, miscellaneous industrial equipment, hot dog stands, wayside stores — ever collected by mankind.”
In a 1952 article in Progressive Architecture, Gruen and a partner proposed a solution for exurban blight. As suburbia lacked a center of gravity, one would have to be grafted on to it.
“From the time that bartering was done under a tree, the market has been a meeting place,” Gruen noted.” People could mingle leisurely, discuss business, exchange gossip.”
As he envisioned it, a regional shopping center would provide suburban America with a focal point akin to ancient Greece’s agora and Colonial America’s town square.
M. Jeffrey Hardwick, author of “Mall Maker,” noted that Gruen’s specifications were remarkably detailed — he called for 10-foot parking spaces, for example — given that he had yet to build a mall.
Indeed despite the kudos of Jane Jacobs and other critics of America’s desecrated skyline, Gruen would design four malls that weren’t built. But in a traveling exhibition, “Shopping Centers of the Future,” Gruen challenged captains of industry with the moral imperative that his professors had laid on him.
“Only you as a farsighted citizen,” Gruen wrote, “can see to it that the formless growth of the uncontrolled commercial slum is replaced by the integration of the shopping center.”
Then, beginning with his 1952 Northland Mall outside Detroit, commissions for malls steadily came his way.
“The Randhurst Shopping Center represented the height of Gruen’s retailing dreams in suburbia,” Hardwick wrote.
Mount Prospect’s mayor felt the same way. “It is our wish,” he said, setting the cornerstone, “that Randhurst Shopping Center will fulfill all of the dreams of those who have been converting the farmlands of yesterday into the merchandising realities of many tomorrows.”
The mayor’s synopsis was enacted during the mall’s groundbreaking on a vacated farm, 25 miles northwest of Chicago. “As about 200 officials and onlookers stood by, the small barn was torched by a giant-size match,” the Tribune reported on Nov. 20, 1960. “A puff of black smoke curled high into the air, visible for miles around.”
The site was the embodiment of Gruen’s thesis that a store is a machine for selling. Visiting the mall on the eve of its opening, a Tribune reporter noticed the stores lacked loading docks. Instead their goods arrived via a half-mile tunnel underneath the mall.
“Now trucks are delivering merchandise to (subterranean) shipping rooms where conveyor belts transport it to marking and tagging rooms,” wrote the reporter who was impressed by the “industrial engineering” embedded in Gruen’s design.
Finally merchandise was brought to the shops overhead. They formed an isosceles triangle, with a department store at each point: Carson’s, The Fair and Wieboldt’s.
Malls being generally rectangular, Gruen’s geometry sparked curiosity.
The first Sunday after its gala opening the mall was closed, but “2,000 persons jammed the grounds of the mammoth center and surrounding highways,” according to the Mount Prospect Police Department.
The day after Thanksgiving, 100,000 people began their Christmas shopping at Randhurst. It had also fulfilled Gruen’s vision of a shopping center as not just a place where cash registers ring. It hosted a square dance, an art fair, an auto show, and benefits for the Infant Welfare Society and nearby Holy Family Hospital.
But in one way, Randhurst didn’t fulfill Gruen’s dream. He thought a shopping center would contain suburban sprawl. It would have a magnetic power to keep development focused in its orbit, just as cities once did. Instead a mall begat more malls, as was already apparent when Randhurst opened.
“More than 100 outlying centers of varying size, some still in construction or planning stages, dot the Chicago area,” the Tribune wrote alongside a map on Dec. 17, 1962. As one suburb’s tax revenue increased thanks to its mall, its neighbors thought they had to have one too.
Gruen eventually regretted his own architecture. He laid out his regret in “Is Progress a Crime?” a science fiction dystopian novel where in one scene he looked down from a space ship on myriad “clip-joint” shopping centers where people buy what they don’t need.
Having retiring to his Austrian homeland, he feared that his Frankenstein monster followed him: A mall was built near his beloved Old Vienna.
Vintage Chicago Tribune
The Vintage Tribune newsletter is a deep dive into the Chicago Tribune’s archives featuring photos and stories about the people, places and events that shape the city’s past, present and future.
“I am often called the father of the shopping mall,” he said; “I would like to take this opportunity to disclaim paternity once and for all. I refuse to pay alimony to those bastard developments. They destroyed our cities.”
Many of Gruen’s bricks-and-mortar offspring fell on hard times. Randhurst’s customer base was sapped by nearby Woodfield Mall. J.C. Penney and Montgomery Ward’s closed their anchor stores in 2001. Vandals set it on fire 2003.
The mall finally closed in 2008, and was replaced by an outdoor shopping center, Randhurst Village.
The Daily Herald wrote Randhurst’s obituary:
“Tomorrows came and went, cornfields gave way to merchandising, executives passed away, and the old mall of the future was torn down to make way for a new mall of the future.”
Sign up to receive the Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter at chicagotribune.com/newsletters for more photos and stories from the Tribune’s archives.


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Unfortunately we have a bit of bad news for Tesla Motors today as New Jersey joins a handful of states in the U.S. that are barring Tesla’s direct-sales model, making it illegal for Tesla to sell its vehicles directly to consumers. A new proposal will now make it impossible for Tesla to sell its electric vehicles in the state, which Tesla says is “an affront to the very concept of a free market.”
The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission has responded to a request by the New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers to tighten its regulations, which means that Tesla would only be able to sell its vehicles through a franchise. Up until now, Tesla had been pushing for the issue to be debated before the state legislature, since Tesla first started selling cars in New Jersey just over a year ago.
Tesla maintains that it is necessary to introduce their own vehicles to the market because electric cars are still relatively new technology and it is important that consumers are properly educated about the benefits of going electric. In response to the proposal that will block Tesla’s sales in New Jersey starting on April 1, 2014, Tesla criticized Governor Christie’s administration for pushing the legislation through at the last minute.
Governor Christie’s administration responded by stating that it does not find it appropriate to change the way that cars are sold in New Jersey without legislation and continues that Tesla was aware of the administration’s position from the beginning. New Jersey joins Arizona, Texas, Colorado and Virginia, all of which have similar bans on Tesla’s direct sales approach.


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The Ekonomichna Pravda publication reported the upcoming deal, citing its own sources.
The publication emphasizes that this transaction means much more than just the sale of a large asset. Pinchuk will leave Geo Alliance together with his partner in this business – Dutch Vitol group, the world's largest hydrocarbon trader owned by Ian Taylor, and his exit from the Ukrainian market is a negative signal to potential Ukrainian investors.
The Geo Alliance includes 16 fields. In 2012, a partner appeared in Pinchuk’s gas business: a 25% stake in Geo Alliance was purchased by Vitol Group (Netherlands), the largest oil trader in the world, which minimum annual revenue is $ 150 billion. And in 2017 Vitol increased its stake in Geo Alliance to 50%.
Although one of Pinchuk’s business partners refutes the message about the sale of the business, Ekonomichna Pravda publishes three arguments in favor of its version:
Firstly, the decision to sell the Geo Alliance is being considered by Pinchuk in parallel with the sale of the second "non-key" business – Credit Dnipro Bank.
Secondly, the Geo Alliance is being sold upon agreement with Vitol. Thus, we are talking about the sale of 100% of this gas business.
Thirdly, Geo Alliance is estimated at $ 300 million by Pinchuk’s associates, but Vitol, as the entire domestic market, consider this price as frankly overestimated. According to the source of Ekonomichna Pravda, in order to justify the declared value, the founder of EastOne undertook to pump his gas business up with new assets.
If the information turns out to be true, then the exit of the Dutch group from the market may symbolize another round of crisis in the domestic gas industry, caused by fuel prices crash.
Geo Alliance is a group of companies that is one of the largest in the gas output and gas condensate production market.


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Australia’s largest electric utility starts selling the Tesla Powerwall
Australia has the world’s highest per capita penetration of rooftop solar technology with 15% of households using solar for a total of 1.5 million households across the country. Electricity prices, which are among the highest in the world, and abundant sunlight contribute to making Australia an excellent market for solar energy and emerging home energy storage products.
Now those households will be able to combine their solar installations with Tesla’s home battery pack: the Powerwall. Origin, the largest electric utility in Australia, announced that it started to officially offer the Powerwall to its customers today. Expand


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Less than two months after Coinbase’s stock market debut, rival crypto exchange Kraken is bringing its mobile app to the U.S. as retail investors flock to digital currencies.
Starting Wednesday, the new Kraken App will allow many users across the U.S. to securely buy and sell more than 50 crypto tokens from their mobile phones.
“This consumer app is our first major foray into supporting wider consumer adoption in a much more simplified, easy-to-use interface,” Chief Product Officer Jeremy Welch told CNBC. The app launched in Europe earlier this year.
In terms of trading volume, Kraken is the world’s fourth-largest digital currency exchange.
In a crowded field of cryptocurrency apps, Kraken claims to offer “the lowest fees in the industry.” It points to its speedy verification and onboarding times as a key benefit. The fastest onboarding and purchase test is under a minute, depending on the user’s bank.
Outside the U.S., Kraken is popular because of its margin and futures trading offerings, which are not yet available to U.S. consumers. Launched in 2013, Kraken says it has 7 million clients. It said its May trading volume grew more than sixfold from January.
“The last five months have been pretty unreal at Kraken,” said Welch. “We’ve seen a surge in new clients and in all-time highs.”
The app does not yet allow credit and debit card payments, but the company says it plans to enhance its offerings in the coming weeks and months.
The company said it doesn’t offer service to residents of New York and Washington state due to the “cost of maintaining regulatory compliance.”
The move into the U.S. market comes at a time of regulatory uncertainty and in the midst of a particularly volatile cycle. While bitcoin has quadrupled in value in the past year, the price has dropped more than 40 percent from its high in April.
Bitcoin ‘Whales Are Re-Entering As Risk Appetite Returns’, Says Stack Funds Research
On Wednesday, Lennard Neo, Head Of Research at Stack Funds, a Singapore-based crypto-focused fund management company, explained why they believe that “Bitcoin is very close to the bottom.”
His comments about Bitcoin were delivered in a research note (titled: “Strong support observed as Bitcoins get scooped up at $30,000”), which was published yesterday.
The research analyst wrote:
“We have observed a meltdown in long liquidations (7D MA) over the past few weeks. This coupled with the Leverage ratio (grey line) falling to a 2-year low after dipping below that of March 2020 levels, provides evidence that traders are more cautious in taking positions.
“Inflows for Bitcoin have skewed to spot accumulation as opposed to speculation, as investors match their expectations towards a longer-term horizon – signaling less propensity to sell.
“In the face of the recent sell-off, we also see significant support levels around the $30,000 handle, with substantial bids coming in to fill up the offers. The strength comes on the back of Microstrategy accumulating more Bitcoins, and we have noticed that Whales are also re-entering the market as risk appetite returns. Short squeeze hunters have also begun waning away in the near term as markets continue to establish ground on a consolidation phase.“
Canaan Begins Its Own Bitcoin Mining Operations in Kazakhstan
Bitcoin mining machines manufacturer Canaan has started mining bitcoin in Kazakhstan, following the crackdown on bitcoin mining in China.
Canaan said its AvalonMiner units are already in operation in Kazakhstan. When asked how many units and of which model has been deployed, a Canaan spokesperson declined to comment on specifics but said “a first batch of small-scale mining machines” have been deployed to start with.
Canaan foresees “a gradual ramp-up to full operational functionality over time,” the spokesperson added. The company has partnered with local mining companies in Kazakhstan for the initiative, they said.
China-based Canaan has been preparing to launch a crypto mining business in Kazakhstan for some time now. Earlier this month, the Nasdaq-listed company opened its first overseas after-sales service center in Kazakhstan as its global sales continue to increase.
Kazakhstan appears to be growing in popularity for bitcoin mining after China moved to shut down local bitcoin mining farms last month. Kazakhstan is close to China and has one of the cheapest electricity rates in the world.
Earlier this week, China-based BIT Mining, formerly known as 500.com, also shipped some of its bitcoin mining equipment to Kazakhstan. The company is set to send more machines to the country next month.
Andreessen Horowitz Officially Launches New $2.2B Crypto Venture Fund
Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) — prominent venture capital fund led by Ben Horowitz and Marc Andreessen — announced Thursday the close of its third crypto venture fund, a $2.2 billion fund that the firm says is the largest of its kind.
The new “Crypto Fund III” will be co-led by Chris Dixon and Katie Haun.
“The largest crypto fund ever raised to date, Crypto Fund III is a validating moment for the ecosystem and another sign that crypto becoming an ever more mainstream part of our financial infrastructure,” the firm said in a press release.
Rumors of Andreessen Horowitz (also known as a16z) raising a mega-fund have appeared in various reports in recent months. The Financial Times reported in April that the California-based investment firm would be raising $1 billion for a crypto fund. In late May, tech blogger Eric Newcomer wrote that the firm was raising $2 billion.
A source familiar with the raise now told The Block that interest came mostly from limited partners in the firm’s previous crypto funds, which have seen large returns. a16z netted more than $440 million from selling Coinbase stock soon after the exchange made its public markets debut on Nasdaq, according to CoinDesk.
a16z’s mandate in crypto has been broad, ranging from decentralized finance (DeFi) to bitcoin applications to so-called Web 3, or a decentralized version of the internet. The firm’s portfolio includes Dapper Labs, Celo, Uniswap, and Near.
“This fund allows us to find the next generation of visionary crypto founders, and invest in the most exciting areas of crypto,” Dixon and Haun wrote in a blog post. “We invest in all stages, from early seed-stage projects to fully developed later-stage networks.”
In addition to securing more than $2 billion to invest in crypto, a16z’s crypto business has been hiring aggressively. It has made a number of key hires including Anthony Albanese, who joined the firm last year from the New York Stock Exchange. Albanese is now being promoted to chief operating officer of a16z crypto.
The firm also hired Bill Hinman, a former director at the Securities and Exchange Commission, who once said ether (ETH) is not a security, and Rachael Horowitz, a veteran Silicon Vally communications strategist who previously was the top communicator at Coinbase, also recently joined. Horowitz has also held positions at Twitter, Google, and Facebook.
Additional new hires include policymaker Tomicah Tilleman, who is joining the firm as global head of policy after serving as a senior advisor to President Joe Biden.
“As with any new computing movement, crypto has endured a variety of challenges and misconceptions,” Dixon and Haun said. “That’s why we are also bringing together heavy-hitters across several functions to help translate “crypto” to the mainstream.”
The announcement of Crypto Fund III follows a flurry of recent activity in crypto venture investing. Despite the slump in coin prices, investors have been raising large sums of cash to pour into new crypto startups.
Framework Ventures recently announced a $100 million new fund to invest in DeFi. Blockchain Capital, meanwhile, recently announced a new $300 million fund with backing from tech giants PayPal and Visa.
Data from The Block shows investors poured more than $8.8 billion into startups during 2021, compared with 3.07 billion in all of 2020.
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text: crookedvulture writes: "Last October, Thailand was hit by massive flooding that put much of the world's hard drive industry under water. Production slowed to a crawl as drive makers and their suppliers mopped up the damage, and prices predictably skyrocketed. One year later, production has rebounded, with the industry expected to ship more drives in 2012 than it did in 2011. For the most part, though, hard drive prices haven't returned to pre-flood levels. Although 2.5" notebook drives are a little cheaper now than before the flood, the average price of 3.5" desktop drives is up 35% from a year ago. Prices have certainly fallen dramatically from their post-flood peaks, but the rate of decline has slowed substantially in recent months, suggesting that higher prices are the new norm for desktop drives."


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John Boyega stars in a sequel about a new generation of Jaeger pilots.
NYS Entity Status
NYS Filing Date
OCTOBER 01, 2014
NYS DOS ID#
NYS Entity Type
DOMESTIC PROFESSIONAL SERVICE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
2014 - JOHN R. DEPAOLA & ASSOCIATES, PLLC
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- New Pacific Rim Uprising trailer debuts at NY Comic Con
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- Osborn Succeeds Karo As CEO OMD U.S.
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BBDO NY President John Osborn succeeds Monica Karo as CEO of the Omnicom media agency. Karo is shifting to the global role of Chief Client Officer OMD WW.
- Another Pun-ny Sponsorship: Cheetos Backs USA Curling
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On the heels of White Castle (and its sliders), sponsoring the USA Luge team, we now have Cheetos sponsoring another Olympic sport. The effort will be backed with a social media push.
- Sierra Trading Post Re-Launches Brand With Campaign From Grey NY
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STP promotes its vast selection, well-known brands and comparatively small prices, as the go-to emporium for everybody's apparel and gear needs for outdoor accessibility.
- Lexus, 'Interview Magazine' Offer NY Fashion Week Interactive Experience
Friday Sep 8, 2017
"For Lexus, as in fashion, there is a mutual appreciation for luxury, craftsmanship, design and attention to detail," Lexus' Greg Kitzens tells "Marketing Daily."
- Focusing On TV Measurement: Q&A With iQMedia's John Derham
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John Derham, president and CEO of iQ Media, explains how TV measurement services now bring "context to viewing on television, helping [to] accurately identify when brands are seen and heard on TV."


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Departing on August 6, the Scarlet Lady, the first ship from Richard Branson-owned cruise line Virgin Voyages departed Portsmouth on its maiden voyage. Currently the ship is sailing at 65 per cent capacity and scheduled for six ‘staycations’ in the United Kingdom, rather than more exotic itineraries.
The adults-only Scarlet Lady’s arrival has been highly anticipated. The Scarlet Lady will accommodate 4400 passengers and crew, has 17 decks and is equipped with a high-tech gym which has a boxing ring and even a tattoo parlour.
Virgin Voyages chief commercial officer Nirmal Saverimuttu told CNN Travel: “We wanted to create a sophisticated yet relaxed adults-only experience on these beautifully designed ships that are yacht-inspired.” Prices for the UK sailings begin from $940 for three-nights and $1120 for four-nights, with future itineraries including various Caribbean and European adventures.
Explore more: virginvoyages.com


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There are plenty of mobile surfing options out there but very few are quite as sexy as the prospect of making your way around the internet on a glossy white gaming machine. Although the Opera web browser has been available for the Nintendo DS in Europe and Japan for some time now, Americans have been snubbed. Not anymore, because Opera is coming on June 4.
I’m surprised that it has taken them this long, considering that they already went through the trouble of translating to produce the European version. Yes, you still have to suffer in the dungeon of 802.11b blazing slow connections, but hey, it’s mobile web and it’s essentially free. You just have to plop down the price for the software (and RAM boost pack), which should be in the $30 range. Much cheaper than importing.


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Activision-Blizzard is facing a bad period because their revenue is down. In its third fiscal quarter, their revenue is down by 15% to $1.28 billion dollars. And their net booking were also down by 27%. They are one of the biggest game publishers in the world. They definitely didn’t expect this kind of downturn. Their misbehavior with Hearthstone player Blitzchung has a left many players unhappy.
After getting banned from the tournament for his support of Hongkong, the company facing a massive boycott from players. CEO of Blizzard later apologized for their treatment towards Blitzchung. Many players still don’t believe the apology is enough. Their core franchises like call of duty is still making good sales but will it be enough to make up for this downturn.


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When people go to buy a car, there is always the matter of the down payment to settle, like how much should one put down. Some wonder how much is appropriate, but in reality the answer is as much as humanly possible.
No appreciation for depreciation
When buying a car, many people have a bit of savings or a trade-in vehicle to use as a down payment on the vehicle they wish to buy. This helps secure a loan for the car, as well as cushioning the balance of the loan.
The rule of thumb, according to Edmunds, also quoted by CBS, is a down payment of 20 percent. The national average is about 11 percent. A benefit, according to CBS, is that the down payment absorbs much of the first-year depreciation, which Edmunds pegs at 19 percent for the first year, including 11 percent once driven off the lot.
[For The Most Advantageous Bargain On A New Or Pre-Owned Ford Consult Spokane Dealerships Without Delay.]
CBS, Edmunds and also a post on About.com, all stress doing whatever is possible to counteract the depreciation so not to go into negative equity with the car loan. Also called being “upside-down” or “underwater,” negative equity is when an asset, purchased with a loan, is worth less than the loan balance.
Negative equity all but assured
CBS points out that if the car is totaled driving off the lot, the owner would be on the hook for more than the car is worth. However, “negative equity” is slightly bogus as a primary reason for a larger down payment.
Cars are, in reality, terrible assets from a financial standpoint. Aside from from rare and already highly-desirable cars, they only decline in value; Edmunds estimates a car loses 63 percent of its value in five years of ownership. Once one includes licensing fees, insurance, fuel and the costs of maintenance, a car is a worse soak than a house. Breaking even is not an option; the best one can hope for is to minimize the loss.
However, there is a basic reason to maximize the down payment. It saves money in the long run.
More upfront means less over time
The trick to saving money is to pay less. The more is paid upfront, the less paid over time. Numerous websites, such as Kelly Blue Book, have car payment calculators which easily demonstrate the effect more money down has on lowering payments.
Using KBB’s loan calculator, a $20,000 loan, at 3.29 percent APR for 60 months and with 8 percent sales tax, will have monthly payments of $390.91 with no down payment or trade-in. A down payment of 20 percent lowers the payment to $354.72 per month, a savings of $2,171.40 over the lifetime of the loan.
A further 1 percent down, $2,200, lowers the monthly payment by $3.62. Over 60 months, that’s $217.20 less one has to pay.


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What's open and closed on Sept. 30 in Ontario for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation?
What's open and closed in Ontario for the September 30 holiday?
Published Monday, September 27, 2021 8:39PM EDT
Last Updated Monday, September 27, 2021 8:39PM EDT
Sept. 30 marks the first time Canada will recognize National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as a statutory holiday.
While the day will not be a statutory holiday in Ontario, there are still some business closures to be aware of.
Anyone who works for a federally regulated company, that operates under the Canada Labour Code, will receive a paid holiday for National Truth and Reconciliation Day.
All federal public service workers in Ontario will also get Sept. 30 off work.
What's open on September 30?
Malls in the Greater Toronto Area will be open on Thursday, though some will have reduced hours. Yorkdale Shopping Centre, Eaton Centre, Scarborough Town Centre, Vaughan Mills and Fairview Mall will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The LCBO will be open on September 30 but will have modified hours. All LCBO retailers will open at 12 p.m. on Thursday and close at their regular time.
Libraries will be open.
Schools in Ontario, along with universities and colleges, will be open on Thursday.
Most grocery stores will also be open.
What will be closed on September 30?
There are only a few services that won't be open on September 30.
All banks will be closed on Friday, as they are federally regulated companies.
Canada Post will be closed.
Private companies and organizations that are not federally regulated can decide for themselves if they want to give employees the day off, which means some other businesses may end up being closed on Thursday.


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Arcadia Biosciences bets on 2021 as major growth year for wheat and hemp portfolios
Total revenues were up 38% for the second quarter (three months ended June 30) compared to Q2 2019, and up 63% year to date, the company reported.
Meeting demand for GoodWheat
The company launched its reduced-gluten flour, GoodWheat, in limited quantities at the beginning of 2020 and quickly sold out as home baking starting to become a popular household activity during the pandemic.
According to Nielsen sales data, consumers spent 126% more on flour in March and 105% more in April this year as compared to 2019.
Although the company wasn’t able to take full advantage of the explosion in home baking caused by quarantine measures and restaurant closures due to supply constraints, it does expect the business to be “net positive” by the end of this year as the company activates new distribution agreements in the US, China, Israel, and Europe, said Plavan.
“Although it is true that we are 30 to 90 days behind in our original target dates for completion of definitive agreements… we're actively preparing for and advancing into these channels in parallel with the finalization of our definitive agreements in order to begin generating revenues as soon as possible,” he said.
Milled from a unique variety of non-GMO wheat grown in the western US, the flour delivers increased fiber (10g), resistant starch (containing up to 94% amylose compared to 25-30% amylose in tradition wheat), reduced allergenic gluten, improved protein quality, and reduced calories compared to conventional wheat flour, according to the company.
"We talk mostly about the nutritional value of its high amylose to reduce gluten and low allergenicity profile but what's more is the way it tastes. It's truly delicious and exceptionally flavorful especially in pastas where the high amylose results in an al dente presentation," said Plavan.
In the US, the company announced a partnership with North Dakota-based Three Farm Daughters, a majority female-owned food company targeting moms who care about wholesome nutrition for their families, to introduce GoodWheat flour on the brand’s direct-to-consumer channel.
“Via this partnership our GoodWheat ingredients will be introduced in a number of food forms beginning with the introduction of high fiber, reduced calorie, reduced gluten, 100% wheat flour this fall,” said Plavan.
“Together we are developing a line of food products and snacks (such as flours, pastas, and crackers) that will offer delicious improved nutritional benefits rather than the empty calories offered by many wheat-based foods.”
GoodHemp battles regulatory and supply chain challenges
Plavan noted that the company will substantially expand its GoodHemp business – a commercial pipeline of hemp seed varieties – with the pending acquisition of Industrial Seed Innovation, which will include the addition of new hemp seed varieties, Umpqua and Rogue.
However, he added that Arcadia Biosciences, and the industry at large, has struggled to keep up with the gold rush of demand spurred by the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill.
“Without a doubt overall hemp seed sales in the US have not kept pace with the broad expectations that were established at the time of the 2018 Farm Bill nor as recently as the beginning of this year,” he said.
The absence of regulatory oversight from the FDA resulting in unsubstantiated health claims and “egregious mislabeling” has significantly hampered growth for the industry, said Plavan.
Additionally, many hemp farmers still have a surplus of seed from 2019 to sell, he said.
“These growers are mostly in the west and the Pacific northwest. Most of these growers will not buy additional seed until they have disposed of their existing biomass,” noted Plavan.
Many of these farmers, he said, intend to grow hemp seed in 2021, especially if FDA provides greater regulatory clarity.
“It is clear to us that the establishment by the FDA of a regulatory framework will cause an immediate and catalytic ramp in hemp seed sales in the US as growers gain better visibility into offtake of their crops,” added Plavan.
Headwinds ease up in 2021, predicts CEO
Looking to next year, Plavan said, "We believe the probability that these headwinds will largely dissipate by 2021 is reasonably positive” and that “the prospect of reaching quarterly profitability by year's end remains realistic."


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ANGLESEY tourism bosses are marketing the island as a major worldwide holiday destination in a bid to lure long-haul visitors.
Dubbed the " Island of Choice" Anglesey hopes to attract "well-heeled" holiday-makers from the Far East, America and India.
And the charm offensive seems to be working.
Major holiday firms including Thomas Cook (India) and Anglo-American tour company Backroads Tours confirmed they will be bringing tourists to the island next summer.
Anglesey's principal tourism and marketing officer Aviva Pearson fielded hundreds of enquiries during an international media and press convention in New York.
She said: "Many other travel companies are also showing a keen interest.
"Trade events like these provide a unique opportunity for the global travel trade industry to meet, network, negotiate and conduct business.
"We've really been breaking new ground by visiting these big trade shows as they've enabled us to truly promote the island on the world stage as well as introduce our unique tourism product to travel trade reps from markets in the US, China, Japan and India.
"Many of the American press and media were intrigued to learn more about the Isle of Anglesey - the Welsh language, people and our unique culture.
"And I'm confident that the contacts made will bring many benefits in the long term."
Anglesey council's economic development portfolio holder Gareth Winston Roberts said: "Our tourism staff are now exploring new and exciting avenues in an attempt to let the whole world know what riches Anglesey has to offer.
"This in turn will bring more overseas tourists and that can only benefit our economy."
Thomas Cook India's Nagsri Prasad Sashidhar first heard of Anglesey at the New York trade show.
She said: "Everybody is aware Europe is the number one destination for the Indian traveller. In northern Europe the UK is the number one and people are now looking for something beyond London.
"When our customers are looking for a complete package they are looking for something relaxing by the countryside and Anglesey offers the perfect blend of activity and leisure."


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ORDINARY BARBADIAN CRAFTSPEOPLE and others engaged in indigenous businesses will be given accommodation in an expanded departure section of the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA).
Minister of Tourism Kerrie Symmonds gave notice of this yesterday when he opened the $1.2 million lounge to accommodate departing passengers from the home-porting cruise tourism sector.
“The economic democratising of commercial opportunity is an idea whose time has also come, and this departure area must reflect in large measure the traditional Barbados businessman and businesswoman,” Symmonds said in his address to an audience that included stakeholders from the commercial section of the island’s tourism businesses.
“This departure area in large measure must reflect the craft, the culture, the innovation of the Barbadian who is trying to make a little dollar, but who hitherto has been excluded from this airport in the land of his birth because an established commercial interest and an established private sector has tended to be omnipresent at the airport.”
The planned walk-through mall, he added, “will be a mall that is populated by the people of this country; selling in large measure the produce and the productivity of the country and therefore giving the visitors an opportunity to experience something indigenous . . .”.
Chief executive officer of GAIA, Neville Boxill, disclosed the proposals included the first walk-through store for the airport, a common international concept that would allow travellers to browse the available merchandise as they walked to the seating area.
The lounge has specially marked seating areas for passengers with disabilities, a feature Symmonds announced had now been replicated throughout the airport.
The air-conditioned facility, which leads to Gates 14 and 16, should ease congestion at the airport on those days when the island’s lone air gateway is teeming with passengers departing after ending a cruise in Barbados.
Symmonds said action had to be taken since the airport was now “bursting at the seams” as a result of the successful home-porting programme which had become the envy of competing destinations in the region.
Boxill announced the airport was pushing ahead with expansion of its facilities “in order to continue to fulfil our role as the primary port of entry of visitors and locals into the country, while we also prepare to hand over a profitable, vibrant and growing operation to our future private/public partnership to take on into the future”.
He added though the new lounge area was initially conceptualised to provide expanded seating for air-to-sea transfer guests, it was “a fully functional part of the departures area of the airport”. (GC)
MINISTER OF TOURISM and International Transport Kerrie Symmonds speaking with Linda Field ( left), a consultant to GAIA for hospitality services, and hospitality hostess Kelly John after the opening of the new departure lounge yesterday evening.
(Picture by Reco Moore.)


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The Amazon Forest has enjoyed the highest respect for the last decades. The granting of human rights to nature is a modern way of achieving its highest protection. Until now, in New Zealand, the sacred Taranaki, or the Te Urewera National Park, is the most prominent. But 2018 is also a breakthrough for a whole other area of our planet. The Amazon Forest has long enjoyed the protection and the highest protection after long years of struggle for its protection.
The Colombian Supreme Court has just decided to grant “human rights” to the Amazon rainforest. Colombia is becoming the first South American country to give the highest tropical rainforest on the planet the highest possible protection the same as the natural people in the world. In addition to “human rights”, the Amazon Forest of Colombia has also commissioned a plan to address deforestation and climate change in the country.
A historical milestone in the protection of the Amazon rainforest in Colombia has been achieved by the people themselves. In particular, the campaign of 25 young activists who “fought” for this act with the Colombian authorities for several years. Part of the Amazonian forest, which belongs to Colombia, does not become officially human but acquires certain inalienable rights. “The environment and the ecosystem determine the fundamental rights to life, health, freedom, and human dignity. Without a clean environment, one can not survive, “the Colombian Supreme Court said.
Colombia is, therefore, the first Amazon country to have taken the protection of the largest tropical rainforest really seriously. Legal protection protects activists and nature conservationists from suing anyone (a physical person or company) on behalf of the Amazon Forest for acts to blame against the ecosystem. Such legal protection would in the future be the most effective way of ending unsustainable environmental pollution or deforestation of tropical forests.


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How Facebook video upstart Cooking Panda plans to go beyond overhead recipe videos
Overhead cooking videos might be the easiest way to game the Facebook algorithm to capture tons of views, but upstart food pages like Cooking Panda are recognizing the need to differentiate.
Cooking Panda is relatively new to the Facebook food video scene. When it was acquired by Render Media at the end of 2015, the site had 700,000 Facebook fans and was primarily used for links to cooking recipes on other websites. Today, it has 5.3 million fans and did nearly 81.2 million video views in July, according to Tubular Labs. It’s a far cry from Facebook food giants like BuzzFeed’s Tasty and Tastemade, which did 1.8 billion and 683 million views in the same month, but the growth is still impressive, considering the time frame.
More than 80 percent of Cooking Panda videos today are clips of recipes shot from above, the same format that’s been adopted across other food video publishers on Facebook. It has helped the page grow and spawn other related pages such as Food Panda, Baking Panda and Tipsy Panda. But Render Media, a 5-year-old media startup with 35 employees, is aware that its brands need to do more to stand out from the pack.
“We do realize that it’s all similar,” said Eytan Elbaz, co-founder and chairman of Render Media (and better known as the co-founder of Google’s AdSense). “You look at a lot of these food videos and you might not know where it’s coming from.”
To that end, Render Media is starting to experiment with new content formats. So Cooking Panda is piloting two series, a cartoon called “Adventures of Cooking Panda” and a travel/lifestyle show, “Wanderlust.”
Such videos have yet to reach the popularity of overhead recipe videos, though. For instance, whereas the typical Cooking Panda Facebook video gets 1.3 million views, the first episode of “Adventures of Cooking Panda” has only had 91,000 views in over a week.
Other food publishers agree with the need to differentiate on Facebook. Twisted, a London-based Facebook food page, is attempting to stand out by doing unusual recipes. Tastemade is doing travel and lifestyle series and has gone all-in on Facebook Live.
“If you check in with us a year from now, overall for both us and the industry, there will be less overhead recipe videos,” said Elbaz.
One thing favoring Cooking Panda, according to Elbaz, is the page’s high engagement rate. Cooking Panda Facebook videos see 16 percent more likes, comments and shares than Tasty and 40 percent more than Tastemade, per Tubular. Two-thirds of its views also run longer than 10 seconds, which suggests people are actually watching (Facebook counts a public view after three seconds).
Beyond differentiating Cooking Panda’s videos, Render Media is pushing it out on other platforms. Cooking Panda has 144,000 followers on Instagram and another 121,000 on Vine, and did 98,000 and 8.9 million views on those platforms in July, according to Tubular. It’s also experimenting on Snapchat.
“The five main social media outlets — Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, Vine and Instagram — are all providing strong growth opportunities for us,” said Elbaz. “Facebook has a strong lead, but we certainly want to do more on all social platforms.”
Render Media has an 11-person video team and a four-person social team that oversees content and social strategy for Cooking Panda. Even with that nimble setup, Cooking Panda isn’t profitable yet. That’s partly because Render Media is prioritizing growth.
Cooking Panda is making money, though. Render Media has done half a dozen branded content deals with smaller advertisers ranging from BumbleBee Tuna to Star Fine Foods, nearly all of which have renewed, Elbaz said.
“For now, the only way we have to generate revenue on social is through branded content,” said Elbaz. “More brands are going to get into branded content on social over the next couple of years, and we will see big returns.”
‘The boundaries have broken’: Employers deal with the reality of workers bringing their ‘whole selves’
ven as employers have touted “bring your whole self to work” theorems over the past couple of years, it’s forgotten that that privilege has only really been afforded to a few. For many, bringing your whole selves to work isn’t an option. And the realities of the current work-from-home brigade mean that many haven’t been given a choice: When work is literally in your home, how do you keep it at arm’s length?
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Saratoga County hotels had one of their best summers in years despite a decline in attendance and gambling at Saratoga Race Course, the region's largest sporting event.
Hotel bookings in July and August were the highest they've been over the past six years, as were the rates paid by guests, according to STR, a hospitality consulting firm.
"It's probably the best July and August we've had in recent history," said Todd Garofano, president of the Saratoga Convention and Tourism Bureau.
Despite a down year at the thoroughbred race track, which celebrated its 150th anniversary this summer, Garofano said city businesses benefited from conferences, meetings and sports tournaments, as well as a strong year at Saratoga Performing Arts Center.
LiveNation, the rock concert promoter at SPAC, had its best year in 14 years at the venue.
Saratoga County's average hotel occupancy rates in July and August were 81.7 percent and 87.7 percent, respectively, the highest over the past six years, according to STR.
The average daily rates in July and August were $170.97 and $219.73, respectively, also the highest over the past six years.
The county's average occupancy rate includes 38 hotels with 2,645 rooms surveyed by STR. There are 1,645 rooms in Saratoga Springs, and a total of 2,753 in the county.
The strong occupancy rates boosted the many restaurants and stores in the city, Garofano said.
"The hotel numbers translate back to sales tax and occupancy tax, which go to the county and the city," he said.
Garofano will be joined by other officials at 11 a.m. Tuesday for a press conference at the Saratoga Springs City Center to talk about the "record-breaking" economic impact of tourism this summer.


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Latest Combat sports Stories
In response to growth in attendance, intro classes nearly doubled at Lloyd Irvin’s Martial Arts Academy. Camp Springs, MD (PRWEB) December 08, 2013
AWMA® is pleased to announce they are now running a promotion on their Facebook page for one lucky customer to receive a shopping spree to use at AWMA.com. (PRWEB)
Art of Boxing Magazine founder and boxing expert Vinny Furlani announced that two-time world champion Tracy Patterson will now deliver professional boxing training advice in the iMag, debuting
Workouts For Judo created by Matt D'Aquino is a new course that provides people with a lot of judo exercises and workouts to strengthen their grip.
Tiger Schulmann's Mixed Martial Arts Summer Fitness Campaign, with Kickboxing specials for $199, is now entering its final phases.
Gracie Tampa is a place the whole family can come and get in shape and learn to defend themselves.
On June 2, 2013, roughly 1500 martial artists will be competing for titles in the world’s largest kickboxing and grappling tournament in Edison, New Jersey. Edison,
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Singaporean girls have apparently gained a reputation on Malaysia-based TheSugarBook, a sugar daddy dating app.
Within a year of its launch, it has attracted more than 28,000 sign-ups from users in Singapore -- most of which are sugar babies.
The app has even come out to say that it is looking to recruit even more “sugar babies” through promotions targeting undergraduates.
TheSugarBook: A money-for-love platform
Malaysia-based TheSugarBook started operations in December 2016 and markets itself as a link-up between “well established wealthy individuals” who “wish to pamper sugar babies with financial support in return for love and companionship” and those who “appreciate the glamorous life indulging in the luxuries that life has to offer”.
The website aims to “provide a safe and discreet online platform which focuses on anonymity and privacy to legitimately build relationships with benefits between consenting adults”.
TheSugarBook currently has 75,000 members and Singapore currently makes up 28,000 of those sign ups. The rest are mainly from the Philippines, the United States, and India.
TheSugarBook: Majority of signups from Singapore are sugar babies
According to The Malaysian Insight, three out of 10 users signed up on the site as sugar daddies. However, only 10% of these sugar daddies are in Singapore.
While the site is open to anyone to sign up, majority of its users in Singapore are young women aged between 19 and 33, including university students, indicating a high number of sugar babies.
There are “definitely more female sugar babies in Singapore (than sugar daddies here) at this point”, a spokesperson from TheSugarBook’s confirmed.
Sugar daddies have subscription fee of US$49.95 monthly, US$128.85 for three months, or US$215.70 for six months.
Sugar babies, on the other hand, pay US$9.95 monthly. However, there is a promotion offering free premium membership to students over the age of 18, if they register with their university email addresses.
The promotion carries the tagline, “discover the modern way to avoid student loan debt”.
Its spokesman has also come to say that the platform merely grants women the opportunities to meet “high calibre, high status and financially able” men, so they can lead the lifestyle they want”.
TheSugarBook founder and chief executive officer Darren Chan, 31, aims to grow membership to more than 200,000 by June.
Source: The Malaysian Insight
Would you ever use a sugar daddy app like TheSugarBook? Let us know in the comments.
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MESA, Ariz. — Bulwark Exterminating announced the purchase of Wolf Pest Control, a company with locations in Knoxville, Tenn., and Chattanooga, Tenn. The acquisition expands Bulwark’s footprint into 14 metro areas.
Bulwark welcomes nearly 2,800 existing Tennessee customers into the Bulwark family. Five previous service technicians from Wolf will also make the transition and become Bulwark territory managers. Territory managers remain within designated service boundaries, affording those customers the luxury of having the same technician month after month.
“We assessed Wolf Pest Control as having a high level of professionalism and customer care that reflects our own”, said Bulwark owner Adam Seever. “We benefit from keeping previous technicians because those customers will see the same familiar face knocking on their door.”
The owner of Wolf Pest Control sought the purchase as an opportunity to focus his efforts and expand his business further. He will continue to grow Wolf's operations in Greenville, S.C. He will remain a stake holder in Knoxville and Chattanooga.


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Sara Lee Adds General Counsel for "MeatCo"
06/01/2012 -- Downers Grove, Ill. -- Following up on yesterday's laundry list of appointments, Sara Lee Corp. (NYSE: SLE) today announced that Kent Magill, 59, will become general counsel and corporate secretary of “MeatCo” (Sara Lee’s North American Retail and Foodservice business). Magill's appointment will take place after the spin-off of its International Coffee and Tea business on June 28, 2012. Magill will have responsibility for the company’s legal activities as well as global business practices. He will join Sara Lee on June 4, 2012, as senior vice president, general counsel, North America Retail and Foodservice, and will lead the North American business’ legal function. Magill will report to Sean Connolly, chief executive officer, Sara Lee North American Retail and Foodservice.
“Kent is a welcome addition to our team,” said Connolly. “I look forward to leveraging his broad experience and legal acumen as we continue to prepare for post-spin-off operation as an independent food company.”
Most recently, Magill was in private practice with Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP, a firm based in Kansas City. Before joining the firm, Magill was executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary for Hostess Brands, Inc., one of the nation’s largest wholesale bakers and distributors of fresh-baked bread and sweet goods.
Prior to his work at Hostess, he was vice president, general counsel and secretary at Layne Christensen Company. His responsibilities included board governance, securities law compliance and domestic and international acquisitions. Before that, Magill spent 12 years at The Marley Company, his most recent role being vice president, associate general counsel, where his primary responsibilities included litigation, general corporate and acquisitions. He began his law career in a large general practice law firm.
Magill received his bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University and his juris doctor from the University of Iowa. He also completed an executive business program at the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.
- This Week's Best Food And Beverage Job Openings Our Editor selects the jobs of the week that best represent the wide range of opportunities across the food and beverage industry.
- Kroger Ratifies Agreement with Atlanta Area Union Kroger and the employees represented by UFCW Local 1996 have ratified a new labor agreement.
- Post Holdings to Acquire Michael Foods Michael Foods will continue to be managed by its existing executive team after the Post Holdings acquisition.
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JAC said in an announcement on Thursday that after internal verification, "the report that JAC may be the OEM for Xiaomi is not true.
So far, JAC has not discussed or reached any intention to cooperate with Xiaomi on car manufacturing, the company said.
Tech media outlet 36kr on Tuesday cited sources as saying that Hefei, where Nio China is headquartered, is trying to get Xiaomi's car business to settle there.
The report also cited an unnamed JAC source as saying that the company may OEM for Xiaomi's auto business.
"JAC has a mature OEM system and has accumulated a lot of experience working with Nio and VW," the source said.
JAC has been OEM for Nio for more than five years, and the two formed a joint venture in March this year to expand production, with Nio holding a 49 percent stake.
In May, JAC and Nio renewed their agreement for three years and plan to expand their annual production capacity to 240,000 units.
Lei Jun, the founder of Xiaomi, was one of the earliest investors in Nio, with a stake in Nio through Shunwei Capital, and Hefei had invested RMB 7 billion ($1.08 billion) to give Nio a lifeline.
"Hefei has a good base of new energy vehicle industry, which is attractive to Xiaomi," the report said, citing relevant investment sources.
Construction has already begun on an electric vehicle industrial park in Hefei with a planned annual capacity of 1 million units, which will be operational in the third quarter of 2022. "This is a favorable condition for Xiaomi's auto business," the source said.
The person should be referring to Neo Park, an electric vehicle industrial park jointly built by Nio and the Hefei municipal government, which officially started construction on April 29.
The park will invest RMB 50 billion in the first phase and its total annual output will reach RMB 500 billion. It will have an annual capacity of 1 million vehicles and 100GWh of batteries.


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Riyadh Fashion Week Inaugural Edition
From October 20-23, the vibrant city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is set to come alive with the inaugural edition of Riyadh Fashion Week. This fashion extravaganza promises to be a dazzling showcase of 30 local brands on the runway. Thus, uniting the global fashion community and attracting a star-studded guest lists. That includes celebrities, VIPs, buyers, and industry leaders. This event is a testament to the rapid growth of Saudi Arabia’s fashion industry and is organized by the Saudi Fashion Commission, which aims to propel this growth both domestically and on the international stage.
Opening Gala Dinner
The Riyadh Fashion Week will kick off with an Opening Gala Dinner. It is expected to host over 250 influential figures and key players from the global fashion industry. This gala serves as a platform for networking, dialogue, and the exchange of ideas. It sets the tone for the exciting days ahead, highlighting the immense potential that Saudi Arabian fashion has to offer.
The Opening Gala Dinner at Riyadh Fashion Week is not just about glamour and glitz. It’s a platform for meaningful interaction and dialogue. It’s where the luminaries of the fashion world converge to discuss industry trends, share insights, and forge new connections. These conversations can lead to fruitful collaborations and partnerships that have the potential to shape the future of the fashion industry.
Saudi Arabian Fashion Brands
One of the key features of the Riyadh Fashion Week is the showroom, which will exhibit local designs. This showcase provides local and international buyers with a comprehensive view of the diverse range of products and styles presented by emerging Saudi designers and established brands. It’s a unique opportunity for these designers to gain exposure and recognition on a global scale, allowing their creations to find a wider audience.
The noteworthy lineup of Saudi brands participating in Riyadh Fashion Week is truly impressive. These brands represent the rich tapestry of Saudi fashion, each bringing its unique perspective and creativity to the forefront. Among the 30 brands, you’ll find names like 1886, Abadia, Adnan Akbar, Arwa Albanawi, Atelier, Hekayat, Dar Alhanouf, Dazluq, Eman Joharji, Fatima AbdulQader, Hajruss, Hala Algharbawi, Honayda, Jubb, Kaf by Kaf, Lomar, Mazroud, MD29, Moja Majka, Mona Alshebil, Nabela Nazar, Noble and Fresh, Not Boring, Nour Dhahri, Noura Suliman, Pavone, Tima Abid, Uscita, Yasmina Q, and Yousef Akbar. This diverse array of talent is a testament to the creative and innovative spirit that defines the Saudi fashion scene.
Global Fashion Community Unites in Riyadh for Inaugural Fashion Week
Burak Çakmak, the CEO of the Saudi Fashion Commission, expressed his enthusiasm for this groundbreaking event, stating, “For the first time ever, we are welcoming the global fashion community to the epicenter of Saudi fashion, here in Riyadh. The event will showcase the best of our creative talent, allowing yet another opportunity for our brands to connect with the world. Whether you join us in person or via the live stream, we can’t wait to highlight what Saudi fashion has to offer.” His words underscore the significance of Riyadh Fashion Week in bringing Saudi fashion into the international spotlight.
The Origins of Riyadh Fashion Week
The origins of Riyadh Fashion Week can be traced back to the Saudi Fashion Commission’s participation in prestigious international events like Paris Men’s Fashion Week and Couture Week in June. During these events, Saudi designers had the chance to display a wide array of collections from the Saudi 100 Brands program. This program is an inaugural mentorship initiative spearheaded by the Fashion Commission, aimed at nurturing and promoting emerging talent within the Saudi fashion industry.
Unveiling Saudi Arabia’s Creative Fashion Scene
Riyadh Fashion Week is not just a glamorous runway event; it represents a bold statement of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to fostering a thriving fashion ecosystem. The global fashion community’s presence in Riyadh signifies the city’s growing reputation as a fashion destination. In recent years, Riyadh has seen a surge in fashion-forward initiatives, from new boutiques and concept stores to homegrown designer brands. The emergence of Riyadh Fashion Week underscores the city’s evolving role as a hub for creativity and innovation.
This event’s global appeal is further heightened by its decision to livestream the proceedings. This ensures that fashion enthusiasts and industry professionals from around the world can tune in and witness the magic of Riyadh Fashion Week, even if they can’t be physically present. The livestream option extends the reach of this event and opens the doors for international collaboration and appreciation.
Saudi Fashion Takes Center Stage
The showroom is another standout feature of Riyadh Fashion Week. It serves as a marketplace for the latest in Saudi fashion. From avant-garde designs by emerging talents to the sophisticated creations of established brands, the showroom offers a curated selection of the best in Saudi fashion. This not only provides a unique shopping experience for attendees but also acts as a launchpad for local designers to expand their reach and connect with international buyers.
Saudi Arabia’s Best at Riyadh Fashion Week
Riyadh Fashion Week is more than just a glamorous event; it’s a symbol of Saudi Arabia’s ambition to be a major player in the global fashion industry. With a strong lineup of local brands, a commitment to fostering emerging talent, and a dedication to international collaboration, this inaugural edition is set to make a significant impact. Whether you’re attending in person or watching the livestream, Riyadh Fashion Week is a must-see event for anyone passionate about fashion and eager to explore the exciting world of Saudi Arabian style.
-Images from Riyadh Fashion Week Official.
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Bitcoin and the broader cryptocurrency market had a reasonably decent week through Thursday, when investors decided to change their minds about a potential rally and start withdrawing capital, heavily impacting market sentiment. After a few days of gains, bitcoin was down 1.92 percent as of Thursday and currently stands at $46,221 (about 34.24 lakh), down 1.83 percent over the past 24 hours on Indian exchanges like CoinSwitch Kuber is equivalent to. Meanwhile, the price of the most popular cryptocurrency on global exchanges stands at $42,769 (about 31.68 lakh) and is down 1.96 percent in the past 24 hours.
Ether suffered worse plight after the Ethereum-based cryptocurrency fell 2.73 percent on the day and is currently valued at $3,544 (about 2.63 lakh) on CoinSwitch Kuber, while values on global exchanges saw the Cryptocurrency priced at $3,277 (about 2.63 rupees see 2.43 lakh), where the coin has seen a 2.05 percent drop over the past 24 hours. Despite its dreadful start to 2022, Ether’s strong performance over the week has seen the second largest cryptocurrency by market cap pare its losses to just over 4 percent over the past week.
Bitcoin and Ether’s decline on Thursday didn’t bode well for the rest of the market either. Gadgets 360 cryptocurrency price tracker shows a red indicator across the board apart from a few outliers. Ripple, Cardano, Polygon, Uniswap, Chainlink, and Litecoin all saw dips in valuation. Meanwhile, Polkadot and Monero were the only coins to post gains, aside from stablecoins like Tether and USDC.
However, meme coins have a different story to tell. While Shiba Inu fell a whopping 5.78 percent to $0.000034 (roughly Rs.0.002511) by Thursday, Dogecoin has managed a massive 8.22 percent surge over the past 24 hours, buoyed by the news that that Tesla is testing DOGE as a payment option. However, the value of SHIB is up 1.2 percent over the past week, while Dogecoin is up 19 percent.
“We saw the traded volume increase by almost 20 percent in the last 24 hours. However, the market remained in a consolidated phase as the weekend approached. The coming week could likely remain volatile with good bullish participation. If Bitcoin stays below 40 percent and the market holds its support levels, we could likely see a bullish move across the altcoins,” claims Edul Patel, CEO and co-founder of crypto investment firm Mudrex.
In related news, Block CEO and former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has proposed the creation of a legal defense fund that would help Bitcoin developers deal with mounting litigation. Dubbed the Bitcoin Legal Defense Fund, the services would be free for developers if they choose to do so. First, volunteers and part-time attorneys would help with cases, and the fund’s board would be responsible for determining which cases and defendants to help. Dorsey outlined the basics of the proposal in an email to the Bitcoin-dev mailing list.
After El Salvador made bitcoin legal tender in September last year, crypto culture has seen an expansion in several parts of the world. However, the crypto sector in Pakistan could likely face obstacles. The Central Bank of Pakistan is reportedly considering a ban on all cryptocurrencies in the country. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has now presented a document to the Sindh High Court in which it describes cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin as “illegal” and unusable for trading purposes. According to Chainalysis’ Global Crypto Adoption Index, Pakistan ranks third among the top 10 countries with the highest number of crypto adopters.
Interested in Cryptocurrency? We discuss all things crypto with WazirX CEO Nischal Shetty and WeekendInvesting founder Alok Jain on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 Podcast. Orbital is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
Cryptocurrency is an unregulated digital currency, not legal tender and is subject to market risks. The information provided in this article is not intended to and does not constitute financial advice, trading advice, or any other advice or recommendation of any kind offered or endorsed by NDTV. NDTV is not responsible for any loss arising from any investment made on an accepted recommendation, forecast or other information contained in this article.
Check out the latest from the Consumer Electronics Show on Gadgets 360 in our CES 2022 hub.


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Experian Hitwise’s latest figures show traffic gains for Bing searches but more losses for Facebook
Bing is once again the UK’s second favourite search engine after regaining some of June’s lost market, according to Experian Hitwise. Social networking giant Facebook on the other hand saw its share of all social network visits drop to its lowest since October 2009.
The online intelligence service’s latest Search Engine and Social Analysis reports a good month for Microsoft’s search tool, which claimed 3.84 percent of the UK’s internet searches in July.
Last month Bing surrendered second spot to Yahoo but this month it is the only site to have achieved any notable growth and the figures suggest it made much of its 0.96 percent gain from Google, which lost 0.98 percent.
Giants of the Internet
Google, however, remains the search game’s giant, handling 91.04 percent of the UK’s searches. Yahoo is back in third with three percent.
“Microsoft has recovered from last month’s blip to once again become the UK’s second most popular search provider,” said Robin Goad, Research Director of Experian Hitwise.
“The key for Bing now is to hold on to its gains in the search market and build on its strengths which differentiate it from Google and the other engines.”
Facebook’s total share of the UK’s social network visits is now 50.14 percent, down 3.58 percent compared to last month and 4.46 percent compared to last year. YouTube is still a distant second to Facebook with 22.54 percent.
One in every 35 visits to a website by UK Internet users now goes to YouTube and one in 20 YouTube visits is from a mobile device on a home Wi-Fi network. That does not take into account the millions of visits over 3G networks, says Experian’s Goad.
He also said: “Now firmly entrenched as the UK’s third most visited website after Google UK and Facebook, YouTube continues to make advances in the field of online video.”
The search term ‘youtube’ was also the UK’s third most searched term this month. The most popular search term was ‘facebook’, ‘ebay’ was second
Searching and socialising
Hitwise reported in March last year that Facebook had overtaken Google as the most visited website in the US. Around the same time, comScore said that search queries on Facebook grew from 395 million in January 2010 to 436 million in February 2010 – a growth of 10 percent in a month.
Since then, Facebook has deepened its relationship with Microsoft Bing on social search, further blurring the lines between search and social media. The Bing search engine now shows users which sites and products their Facebook friends like.