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By: Michael Snyder
If you believe that the U.S. economy is heading in the right direction, you really need to read this article. As we look toward the second half of 2014, there are economic red flags all over the place. Industrial production is down. Home sales are way down. Retail stores are closing at the fastest pace since the collapse of Lehman Brothers. U.S. household debt is up substantially, and in 20 percent of all U.S. families everyone is unemployed. In so many ways, what we are witnessing right now is so similar to what we experienced during the build up to the last great financial crisis. We are making so many of the very same mistakes that we made the last time, and yet our “leaders” seem completely oblivious to what is happening. But the warning signs are very clear. All you have to do is open your eyes and look at them. The following are 27 huge red flags for the U.S. economy…
#1 Despite endless assurances from the Obama administration that we are in an “economic recovery”, the number one concern for U.S. voters is “Unemployment/Jobs” according to a recent Gallup survey.
#2 Historically, sales for construction equipment manufacturer Caterpillar have been a pretty good indicator of where the global economy is heading next. Unfortunately, sales were down 13 percent last month and have now experienced year over year declines for 17 months in a row.
#3 During the first quarter of 2014, profits at office supply giant Staples fell by 43.5 percent.
#4 Foot traffic at Wal-Mart stores fell by 1.4 percent during the first quarter of 2014. Analysts seem puzzled as to why Wal-Mart is “underperforming“. Perhaps it is because the U.S. middle class is being steadily destroyed and U.S. consumers are tapped out at this point.
#5 It is being projected that Sears will soon close hundreds more stores and will eventually go out of business altogether…
The company said this week that it may sell its 51% stake in Sears Canada, which operates nearly 20% of the company’s stores worldwide. It has quietly closed nearly 100 U.S. stores in the last year. Next week, it’s expected to announce dismal fiscal first quarter results and possibly yet more store closings.
“They have too many stores and they’re losing a lot of money, burning cash,” said John Kernan, an analyst with Cowen.
Kernan expects the company to close 500 of its 1,980 U.S. stores in a few years and, ultimately, to go out of business.
“The lights are going off at Sears and Kmart,” he said. “There are tumbleweeds blowing through the parking lots at Kmart. They’re basically completely irrelevant.”
The “retail apocalypse” just continues to roll on, but the mainstream media is treating this like it is not really a big deal.
#6 The labor force participation rate for Americans from the age of 25 to the age of 29 has fallen to an all-time record low.
#7 According to official government numbers, everyone is unemployed in 20 percent of all American families.
#8 As families struggle to pay their bills, many of them are increasingly turning to debt in order to make ends meet. Earlier this month we learned that total U.S. household debt has increased for three quarters in a row. And as I noted in one recent article, total consumer credit in the United States has increased by 22 percent over the past three years, and 56 percent of all Americans have “subprime credit” at this point.
#9 Interest rates on student loans are scheduled to increase substantially on July 1st…
As of July 1, federal student loan rates will edge up. Rates overall will be up 0.8% compared to current rates.
Federal Stafford Loans for undergraduate students will be 4.66% — up from 3.86%. Federal Stafford Loans for graduate students will be 6.21% — up from 5.41%.
Federal Grad PLUS and Federal Parent PLUS Loans will be at 7.21% — up from 6.41%.
This is going to put even more pressure on the growing student loan debt bubble.
#10 U.S. industrial production fell by 0.6 percent in April. This should not be happening if the economy truly was “recovering”.
#11 Manufacturing job openings in the United States have declined for four months in a row.
#13 In the real estate bubble market of Phoenix, sales in April were down 12 percent year over year, and active inventory was up 49 percent year over year. In other words, there are tons of homes on the market, but sales are going down.
#14 The homeownership rate in the United States has dropped to the lowest level in 19 years.
#15 Trading revenue at big banks all over the western world is way down…
Late Friday, it was JPMorgan who said trading revenues will be down 20 percent this quarter. Now Barclays says trading revenues in the first three months were down 41 percent. The company cited “challenging trading conditions resulting in subdued client activity.” Like JPMorgan, Barclays also warned they were seeing no improvement in trading in the second quarter.
#16 Jan Loeys, JPMorgan’s head of global asset allocation, is warning that the Federal Reserve is creating a huge financial bubble which could “push us into a credit crisis“…
Where do we go from here? To this analyst, still very subdued economic growth, both at the US and global level, implies continued easy monetary policy. The risk is that bond yields rise no faster than the forwards. Financial overheating (asset inflation) proceeds much faster than economic overheating (CPI inflation). Before CPI inflation has a chance to emerge, and before monetary policy is truly above neutral, a financial bubble will have popped up somewhere and will have corrected, pushing the economy down. That is what has happened in the past 25 years. The behavior of central banks gives us no confidence that this time will be different: Central banks talk about financial instability, but appear to define this mostly in term of bank leverage. Each successive boom and bust is always in another place. A bubble can emerge without leverage. It is not possible to project exactly where this boom and bust cycle will take place as knowing where it will be would induce evasive actions that should prevent it from occurring. One possible ending, among many, is that ultra-easy rates having induced credit markets to grow much faster than equity markets, combines with reduced market making by banks (many of whom have become like brokers) to create a liquidity crisis when the Fed starts the first set of rate hikes. This could then be bad enough to close primary markets, and thus push us into a credit crisis.
#17 Peter Boockvar, the chief market analyst at the Lindsey Group, is warning that the U.S. stock market could experience a 20 percent decline once quantitative easing completely ends.
#18 A lot of other big names are telling CNBC that they expect a significant stock market “correction” very soon as well…
A bevy of high-profile names have warned lately that the market is on the doorstep of a major move lower. From long-term market bulls such as Piper Jaffray to short-term traders such as Dennis Gartman, expectations are high that the major averages are poised for a big dip, with calls varying from 10 percent or so all the way up to 25 percent.
#19 The number of Americans enrolled in the Social Security disability program exceeds the entire population of the nation of Greece and has just hit another brand new record high.
#20 Poverty continues to grow all over the country, and right now there are 49 million Americans that are dealing with food insecurity.
#21 According to Pew Charitable Trusts, tax revenue in 26 U.S. states is still lower than it was back in 2008 even though tax rates have gone up in many areas since then.
#22 Barack Obama is doing his best to keep his promise to destroy the U.S. coal industry…
The EPA is about to impose a new regulation that will reduce carbon emissions from existing power plants starting June 2 and will become permanent in 2015. The new regulation, according to Politico, is the “most dramatic anti-pollution regulation in a generation.” Because the new regulation will further cripple the coal industry, as coal-burning plants will be severely affected, American power will become more dependent on natural gas, solar and wind.
#23 Climatologists are now saying that the state of Texas is going through the worst period of drought that it has experienced in 500 years.
#24 It is being reported that “dozens of Texas communities” are less than 90 days away from being completely out of water.
#25 It is being projected that the drought in California will cost the agricultural industry 1.7 billion dollars and that approximately 14,500 agricultural workers will lose their jobs.
#26 Due in part to the drought, the price of meat rose at the fastest pace in more than 10 years last month.
#27 According to recent surveys, only about a quarter of all Americans believe that the country is heading in the right direction.
TLB recommends you visit The Economic Collapse for more pertinent articles and information.
See featured article and read comments here: http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/27-huge-red-flags-for-the-u-s-economy


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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has provided Canadian metal and lumber to assist rebuild France’s fire-ravaged Notre Dame Cathedral.
Throughout a go to to Paris on Wednesday, Trudeau referred to as it an “extraordinary honour” to witness the enduring landmark and present Canadians’ solidarity with their “French cousins.”
“This was a horrible, horrible hearth, however we won’t assist however marvel at how a lot was saved, at the same time as we did lose a lot,” he stated.
“Canada will stand with France and make sure that we provide all of the assist, whether or not it is metal, or wooden or no matter assist we will. That is actually a bit not simply of French historical past, however of world historical past that must be preserved, and we might be there to be a part of it.”
The cathedral was devastated by an April 15 blaze. Flames burst by the roof of the centuries-old constructing and engulfed the spire. That ultimately collapsed, adopted by the roof.
In a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron, Trudeau stated Canadian associations representing metal and lumber producers have already expressed their want to contribute to the rebuilding efforts.
“It’s with pleasure that Canada will assist guarantee the way forward for this iconic French image for future generations,” he wrote.
Trudeau is in Paris to signal a world pledge geared toward bringing governments and social media corporations working collectively to stem the unfold of violent and extremist content material on-line.
Freeland meets U.S. counterpart
His supply of Canadian metal for France’s cathedral restoration comes as Overseas Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland meets with her American counterpart, U.S. Commerce Consultant Bob Lighthizer, in Washington, D.C., Wednesday in a continued effort to resolve the dispute over metal and aluminum tariffs.
The 2 are anticipated to debate China’s ongoing commerce actions in opposition to each nations, with Freeland making the case that Canada would have a tough time ratifying a revamped NAFTA deal whereas U.S. tariffs stay in place.
Final June, the U.S. Division of Commerce slapped tariffs of 25 per cent on Canadian metal and 10 per cent on aluminum, citing nationwide safety pursuits.
Canada retaliated with personal tariffs of 25 per cent on metal and 10 per cent on aluminum, but additionally imposed a 10 per cent tariff on a number of client gadgets, focusing on U.S. politicians in states the place these merchandise are made.
That product checklist included Kentucky bourbon, garden mowers, ketchup, maple syrup, home equipment, boats, and lots of different gadgets. The federal authorities stated it was focusing on items that Canadians may in any other case purchase from home suppliers.
Since then, the Liberal authorities has rolled again a number of the retaliatory tariffs, together with ones imposed on leisure boats, whereas others stay in place.
Freeland can even maintain a sequence of bilateral conferences with members of Congress.

domain: news


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Zopo Flash X Plus feature-rich smartphone launched at Rs. 13,999
Zopo Flash X Plus comes with an elegant design, exotic applications and impressive features.
ZOPO Mobile has just announced the launch of its new smartphone, the Flash X Plus. The company has highlighted that the phone comes with an elegant design, exotic applications and impressive features and that this phone has been targeted towards all the middle and high end 4G Smartphone users.
However, this will be the company's first launch under the Flash Series, which will be held in March 2017, exclusive for India.
Commenting on the launch, Sahib Bhatia, Operation Head ZOPO Mobile said, "The new Flash X Plus, pursuit of beauty is for the stylish and camera crazy India youth. It comes with a slim metal body weighting only 160g and is built on Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
It showcases a 13MP Sony camera with a dual LED Flash that commits to provide superb clarity with high light sensitivity, even in dark environments. The 8MP front camera comes with a moonlight screen flash and is the first in the world to have a 90 degree wide angle to click panorama like selfies.
It also has an enhanced face beauty option to enhance the beauty aspects of a selfie. This exclusive handset has the world's fastest fingerprint scanner with a response time of 0.16s."
Further, ZOPO mobile's Flash X Plus comes with a perfect blend of style and performance to stand strong against other popular brands. As such, the smartphone offers a 5.5-inch full HD IPS display, is powered by a 64-bit Octa-core MT6753 processor which is supported by a 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage. The store is further expandable up to 128GB.
The company claims that the smartphone ensures seamless multi-tasking and snappy performance for longer peroid of time as the deive is supported by 3100mAh Li-Polymer battery backup.
The smartphone will be available in 4 different unique colors Royale Gold, Charcoal Black, Space Grey and Orchid Rose at all ZOPO counters across India and online stores like Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal and Shopclues. The Flash X Plus will come at a price of Rs. 13,999. ZOPO is also offering an extra special 365 days replacement warranty.


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As the Coronavirus continues to spread, fashion brands across categories are seeing the effects in the form of store closures, travel restrictions and a forced change in the way they work.
In global fashion, China is a key manufacturing hub and consumer market. It supplies more than half of all textile manufacturing in the world. The virus, which is still in the early stages, is currently infecting an estimated 20,000 people across 26 countries with the majority in China. Brands are still assessing what the impact will be, but several sources said it will have a major impact if things continue to get worse.
Beth Cross, co-founder and CEO of boot brand Ariat said that, even in just the last week, there have been noticeable effects. The company’s Chinese office is closed until next Monday, and five U.S.-based employees who went home to China for Lunar New Year are stuck in the country and cannot return. A Chinese company that handles much of Ariat’s supply chain logistics is closed until next week, and the factories the company works with in China have shut down, as well, with no indication of when they may reopen. The brand’s sales in China are only a small portion of the business, but the country is a major manufacturing partner for it.
“Our next few launches are already done, but after that? I don’t know,” Cross said. “My personal opinion is that it’s going to be a big fat mess. We’re private and we’re quite diversified, thankfully, so usually, no single event will have a huge effect on us. But this is a big event. We’ve talked about what would happen if China were to go to war with another country, and this feels like that, in terms of the disruption.”
Cross said it wouldn’t take long for the shutdowns to have a much larger impact on the business. She said that, as things progress, brands may be tempted to shift manufacturing to other countries, but that comes with its own challenges.
“China’s been getting pricier for manufacturing, and a lot has moved to Vietnam, in general, but it’s a bit like everyone trying to get a seat at a small restaurant,” Cross said. “Vietnam can’t handle the capacity, India doesn’t have the same quality, Mexico is mostly small factories, and Cambodia doesn’t have the infrastructure that China does. And again, all those places get a lot of components from China, so it all comes back to China eventually.”
The ongoing shutdown and forced delays are causing brands to come up with new alternatives to working across borders.
Gillian Meek, president of Keds, said that her team has had to get creative to deal with the issues the virus has caused, while adhering to safety guidelines and making sure Chinese employees are taken care of.
“We had a big product meeting last week, and because of the virus, some of our Asian partners who would normally meet with us in person weren’t able to travel,” Meek said. “Asia is really important for us, so we need them involved to make decisions. It’s a three-day meeting looking at the shoes and making important decisions. Our Chinese office is closed, so we shipped all the shoes to [a partner’s] house in China and did a long workshop for them over the phone, at midnight our time, to make it work.”
Cross said the restrictions have forced the company to upgrade their tools for working remotely, paying for higher-quality webcams for Chinese employees for video calls, and moving meetings and discussions that would normally be done in-person to conference software like Zoom.
For now, these are just temporary fixes until the Chinese government offers more information or the outbreak subsides. But if it doesn’t — and information is still too scant to say if it does — brands could have a much more serious problem on their hands than just having to do more video calls.
“Nobody really knows what’s going to happen right now,” Cross said. “[The disruption] is going to force people to work differently. And if it doesn’t go away soon, I think there’s a real risk of material, tangible delays. There’s going to be a ripple effect.”


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by Apparel Resources News-Desk
09-February-2018 | 2 mins read
A two-day international conference on “Emerging Trends in Knitting” was organised at the National Textile University Faisalabad (NTUF) in Pakistan.
The event that kicked off on February 7, 2018, was aimed to bridge the gap between the researchers and the professionals working in the knitting industry. The conference was attended by various CEOs, machinery manufacturers, Government personages, industrialists and technical experts from the industry.
The conference was also attended by Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PHMA) Chairman Mian Naeem Ahmad, textile workers and researchers.
At the event, State Minister for Textile Haji Muhammad Akram Ansari assured the industry of bringing amicable solutions to their problems soon in terms of support from the Government.
Textile, despite being the major source of revenue and employment generation for Pakistan faces challenges such as declining global market share, reach to new markets, decreasing profits and aggressive competition in the world market.
Ansari said that events like these can play a vital role in understanding latest innovations and emerging trends in textile knitting which can benefit the industry to a great extent in developing the products accordingly.
Notably, the venue of the conference – Faisalabad represents around 80 per cent of the entire textile and garment industry in Pakistan. The Province is also a home to the office of International Apparel Federation office (IAF) which was inaugurated in December last year at Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PRGMEA) building in Sialkot.


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Microsoft’s Director of Program Management Mike Ybarra has teased the Xbox One’s next Preview update coming in the next week.
Answering questions on Twitter, Ybarra was tight-lipped about the contents of a possible update, but very specifically stated that owners should keep an eye out for something next week.
This could refer to an announcement or an update itself, but it’s as good a confirmation as any that Microsoft is getting back into the swing of meaningful monthly updates after the Christmas/New Years break.
— ♏ike Ybarra (@XboxQwik) January 17, 2016
Many fans are speculating that the update may have something to do with Cortana integration to the Xbox One, which was previously slated for a 2015 Preview release until it was delayed to early 2016.
Though it remains a rumour, it holds a bit of weight given Microsoft’s prediction of an early 2016 release – furthermore, we saw a prototype leaked back in October.
The chief editor of xboxmedia.de, who has made more than a few Preview predictions in the past, also believes that the next update will contain the long-awaited Cortana integration, sending out a message via Xbox One telling users to prepare for its arrival.
Given it’s all rumour, this should absolutely be taken with a grain of salt, but it stands that Cortana arriving in the next update is definitely a strong possibility.
Other updates Xbox One owners have been asking for include a re-shuffle of elements within the UI – such as the Store and My Games and Apps tab – DVR functionality for TV, and being able to see who’s in a party before joining (which is already confirmed for an upcoming update)


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IBM Corp. wants to help businesses across the spectrum reap the benefits of digital transformation, and it’s supporting the transportation and food service industries with its latest release.
Announced Tuesday, Watson Data Kits are designed to help business owners in the travel and food service industries make faster, more informed decisions by providing them with artificial intelligence (AI)-powered access to industry-specific data, including 700,000 restaurant menus and 300,000 travel points of interest.
The kits are expected to be released in the second quarter of 2018, and an IBM representative told ITBusiness.ca that both kits would be available in Canada, with the travel kit including 7000 Canadian points of interest.
“Big data is fueling the cognitive era. However, businesses need the right data to truly drive innovation,” IBM general manager of Watson media and content Kristen Lauria said in a March 20 statement. “IBM Watson Data Kits can help bridge that gap.”
In addition to helping travel and food service businesses that might not be harnessing AI, the kits are aimed at helping the researchers employed by the ones who do: noting that roughly 79 per cent of their time is currently spent collecting, organizing and mining data to identify the most useful nuggets of information, IBM hopes the kits will help data scientists speed up their work as well.
Developed with assistance from online travel advisor Triposo, the travel data kit is designed to provide airlines, hotel brands, online travel agencies, and others with data for 300,000 points of interest, divided across 10,000 cities and 100 categories, which they can use to create a more engaging experience. A hospitality company, for example, could use the kit to power a mobile chatbot that recommends destinations or attractions based on a customer’s preferences.
The food data kit, meanwhile, catalogues 700,000 menus in 21,000 U.S. cities, allowing developers to build apps that invite users to search restaurants by menu item, cuisine type, location, and price. It even accounts for dietary restrictions such as vegan and gluten-free options.
You can learn more about the kits here.


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Ticketing startup Ticket2Me has broken the P5-million ticket sales barrier after only going live in late-May 2018. This milestone was driven by strong ticket demand for events by its partners, show producers, and workshop providers.
To date, Ticket2Me has supplied paperless ticketing, payment services, and audience analytics for event producers who have collectively loaded over 900 events on the platform. Ticket2Me boasts of a varied array of events, including concerts, musical and improvisational theater, personal and professional growth workshops, culinary adventures, and many others.
“Hitting the five million ticket sales mark just six months after we launched our platform is proof that the Philippine market is both hungry and ready for event ticketing innovation,” said founder and CEO Darwin Mariano. “It shows Ticket2Me’s excellent product-market fit and amazing execution.”
Ticket2Me has recently opened its Singapore office which serves as its regional base. As part of its 2019 expansion plans, it has set its sights on Jakarta and Bali, in an effort to increase its presence to major cities across three pilot countries in the region. Ticket2Me is also simultaneously raising capital to fund its expansion plans. Ticket2Me has not disclosed the amounts investors have already committed to date.
Ticket2Me offers event organizers and ticket buyers the country’s first fully digital ticketing and event technology solution. With more than 9,000 payment outlets, Ticket2Me is also the most convenient and most accessible ticketing platform in the Philippines.
For inquiries, please email firstname.lastname@example.org, visit www.ticket2me.net, or follow Ticket2Me’s official social media accounts on Facebook (Ticket2Me), Instagram (@Ticket2Me), and Twitter (@Ticket2MeNet).
Categories: Media Release


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DuPont Co.’s Performance Materials unit posted a small sales loss in 2016, while the unit’s operating earnings jumped almost 7%.
Full-year sales for Performance Materials were down 1% to $5.25 billion (€4.88 billion). That total ranked second among six operating units for Wilmington, Delaware-based DuPont, representing about 21% of the firm’s total sales.
Performance Materials’ operating earnings for 2016 grew almost 7% to just under $1.3 billion (€1.2 billion). That also ranked second among DuPont units, bringing in almost 27% of the firm’s total.
In a 24 Jan…


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“Medtronic Inc., which makes medical devices, may be one of the earliest and biggest corporate buyers of Apple Inc.’s iPad tablet. CIO Michael Hedges has purchased 4,500 iPads for his company, which employs 40,000 people,” Patrick Thibodeau reports for Computerworld.
Thibodeau reports that Hedges bpught the iPads “because they offer instant access to data and video, a particularly important attribute when showing product information to customers. Hedges added that the iPad’s instant-on capability was a key feature for the business.”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dan K.” for the heads up.]


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Dr Amrit Chandan’s comments on EV industry and its challenges.
Sarah George from Edie expressing is expressing her concern that “The development and industrialisation of recycling technologies for end-of-life EV batteries is currently being outpaced by a boom of EV uptake, paving the way for a “huge waste management problem” in decades to come.”
Dr Amrit Chandan, CEO of Aceleron is responding:
“Electric vehicles are revolutionising the transport sector. This decarbonisation is crucial, but it is imperative we don’t create another ‘fossil fuel problem’ in the form of battery wastage. We need to harness innovative, circular-economy batteries to ensure the pioneering EV industry can grow successfully and sustainably.”
Read the full article here: https://www.fleetpoint.org/environment-news/ev-batteries-could-be-huge-waste-mountain-of-the-future
Adapting EV batteries to be repurposed would encourage reuse and support a circular ecosystem – including creating additional storage capacity to support an influx of EVs and charge points on the grid. Carlton Cummins, Co-Founder, discusses with James Cook for The Telegraph.
We're excited to share that we have joined the Future-Fit Business Pioneers program, launched today! Read about our commitment and why we have joined a community of change-makers.


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Who Won the Hyundai Startup Competition?
Hyundai has announced the 3 winners of its first Hyundai Startup competition, organized in Lebanon in collaboration with ArabNet.
The final pitching session and awards ceremony took place on November 18, 2015 at the Hyundai flagship showroom in Zalka, in the presence of former Minister of Telecoms, Nicolas Sehnaoui, and key players representing the industry, including investors, accelerators, and innovators.
The competition is the first of its kind by Hyundai in the country. It reflects the manufacturer’s motto “New thinking, new possibilities” and aims to reward innovation in the tech and digital sectors.
150 startups and entrepreneurs had applied for the competition since it was launched in August this year. Last month, 20 finalists were announced and were rewarded with a mentorship program, leading up to the final pitches.
The mentorship program included one-on-one consultations and 5 workshops that were held at the ArabNet offices in the Beirut Digital District. The workshops covered product design, app monetization, accounting, and pitching strategies. The workshops were also open to four runners-up.
… And the Winners Are
1st Prize ($15,000): LifeLab BioDesign
This agriculture company, founded by Ali Makhzoum, designs cloud-connected turnkey solutions for hydroponic farms.
2nd Prize ($10,000): DaycareChannel
Developed by Georges Rehbane, this app connects daycare managers, teachers, and parents to provide a better experience all-around.
3rd Prize ($5,000): Pathfinder
Developed by Moalla Allani, this app acts as a smart assistant for visually impaired people.
But wait, there’s more!
Hyundai management and the judging panel decided to reward 2 additional startups with $1,000 each as a way to show their appreciation and support for their idea:
Developed by Fouad Fattal, Krimston 2 is a dual SIM card solution for smartphones with an extended battery life solution, offering users a hotspot at all times.
Developed by Emile Sawaya, this app aims to facilitate day-to-day financial transactions and other work and time management processes for people with cognitive difficulties.


text: Fortnite is a battle royale game that's accustomed to getting updates. It's the reason why it has dominated the video game market for as long as it has. Players always have fresh content to look forward to, whether it's in the form of new weapons or costumes. We're now approaching its two-year anniversary, and even still, it's one of the better free games you can find right now. \n \nA recent update that's certainly throwing players for a loop is the introduction of mysterious portals. They have been included in Fortnite's Mega Mall. According to many critics, reviewers, and gamers, these portals are tied closely to Stranger Things -- one of the most popular Netflix TV series to ever hit the platform. \n \nJudging by the portal's aesthetics, these rumors probably are true. They look just like the portals leading to the Upside Down world in Stranger Things. Only, these portals act as a way to move about the mall in Fortnite. If Epic Games took the approach of intentionally being tied to Stranger Things, it's a brilliant move for both parties. \n \nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=f9LhX1j2VnA \n \nSeason three of Stranger Things is just about to hit Netflix. It officially releases on July 4th, an appropriate date considering families will all be together to celebrate this holiday. The addition of these portals hypes the series, making gamers want to check it out if they haven't already. \n \nWhat's even more promising is the possibility of a Stranger Things crossover event. We've already seen this happen twice in the past with John Wick and the Avengers. It would make sense that Epic Games would take this route, quite honestly. It gives players just another reason to keep playing Fortnite or perhaps pick it up for the first time. \n \nThis crossover event could feature all sorts of things. For example, it would be great to see the monsters heavily featured in the Upside Down world make an appearance in the game. They could act as enemies you have to stay mindful of in addition to your opponents. Or, Epic Games could introduce similar characters to the mode, sporting the same outfits and names. It would be even more amazing to see the Upside Down world depicted in this mode in some capacity. \n \nEither way, fans of Fortnite and this Netflix series are buzzing about the possibilities. For now, we'll just have to stay tuned and see what the creatives decide to do.


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Before starting a weight loss program, you might be tempted to go pick up a new wearable fitness tracker.
It seems to make sense: A device that keeps track of what you’re doing has to help you hit your fitness goals, right?
Maybe not. Adding those devices to your regimen may actually be less effective than sticking to a more traditional and non-technologically enhanced weight loss program, at least according a new study published September 20 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Young adults in the two-year study who didn’t use wearable devices to track their workouts lost on average five pounds more than participants who had the trackers.
Following the data
The researchers behind the study write that they wanted to see if wearable devices would help people more effectively lose weight over a long period of time. While other studies showing tracking devices to be effective exist, many of those studies are only short term, according to the authors. Since the tricky part of weight loss is keeping extra pounds off over an extended period of time, longer studies are needed.
The team conducted the study at the University of Pittsburgh and recruited 471 young adults, aged 18-35, all with body mass indexes indicating they were in the overweight or obese range. The researchers also measured characteristics like body fat percentage, lean mass, bone density, and cardiovascular fitness, which is helpful, since there are reasons to criticise BMI as a solo indicator of fitness.
For the first six months, everyone in the study was told how to set a new diet and put on an exercise program that was designed to gradually ramp up moderate to vigorous exercise activity over time. Participants met weekly for this time period.
After six months, participants were randomly divided into two groups: one group continued to self-report their diet and exercise notes on a website and the other participants were given a fitness tracker and access to a commercial website so they could use the tracker to log physical activity and continue to self-report dietary information. Both groups received weekly text messages and a monthly call from staff to check on their progress.
Both groups lost significant weight over the first six months, though there wasn’t a significant differences between the two. By 12 months, the group on the standard non-wearable intervention had kept more weight off than the group using trackers, something which continued to be true at follow ups after 18 and 24 months.
Neither group kept off all the weight they initially lost, but on average, people using wearable trackers lost and kept off an average of 7.7 pounds, while people doing a “standard” weight loss intervention lost and kept off an average of 13 pounds.
So are fitness trackers bogus?
In the study, the authors conclude: “Devices that monitor and provide feedback on physical activity may not offer an advantage over standard behavioural weight loss approaches.”
So does this mean that wearables are useless?
Not necessarily. For one thing, people using wearable devices did lose weight, even if they didn’t lose as much as the people on the standard program. The also showed improvements in the other measures like body fat that researchers looked at.
It’s also possible that using another fitness tracker or using it in a different way would have been more effective. Participants for this study enrolled between 2010 and 2012, with data collection finishing by 2014. The specific tracking system they used has been discontinued, and it’s possible another system might work better. The researchers also note that that perhaps it could have been more effective if the participants who used the tracker had used it from the beginning of the study.
However this study does cast doubt on the idea that devices like this are necessarily better than a traditional weight loss regimen of any kind.
Just like for most things diet and fitness, the solution is probably not a product or a pill. In some cases those things might help, but none of them is magically effective in isolation.


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The three artists will take part in the musical event, which you can stream free on Thursday, June 17.
Amazon is adding some serious star power to Prime Day -- and it's streaming Thursday! To kick off the sales event -- which runs June 21 - 22 -- the online retailer announced the Prime Day Show, a three-episode musical special releasing free on June 17, featuring Billie Eilish, H.E.R. and Kid Cudi.
"These iconic artists have not only broken new ground in music but are inspired storytellers, culture creators, and visionaries," Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon Studios, said in a statement to ET. "We’re thrilled to partner with Billie, H.E.R., and Cudi to bring these authentic and deeply personal specials to fans around the world as we celebrate Prime Day."
For everything you need to know on how to watch Amazon's Prime Day Show, read on below.
When does the Prime Day Show featuring Billie Eilish, H.E.R. and Kid Cudi stream? All three episodes will be available on Thursday, June 17 on Prime Video.
How to watch: The Prime Day Show will be free to stream on Prime Video for 30 days. If you do want to continue to watch it after that, you'll need to subscribe to Amazon Prime.
Where is the trailer for the special? You can check out the trailer below.
What to expect from the performances? According to Amazon, Eilish will deliver a series of cinematic performances set in a Parisian neighborhood, featuring new music from her upcoming album, Happier Than Ever, which drops on July 30.
H.E.R., meanwhile, will reimagine the iconic Dunbar Hotel in Los Angeles with a performance including some music off of her upcoming new album, Back Of My Mind, releasing just one day later -- June 18.
Finally, Kid Cudi will give a fittingly intergalactic performance with music from his recent album Man on the Moon III in collaboration with the International Space Orchestra.
Do I have to subscribe to Prime to stream the show? For 30 days after its release, the special will be available free to stream, even if you aren't subscribed to Amazon Prime.
How to stream Billie Eilish, H.E.R. and Kid Cudi's music on Amazon: Those who subscribe to Prime can subscribe to Amazon Music for $7.99 per month or $79.99 per year. If you don't already subscribe to Prime, that goes up to $9.99 per month for a subscription.
Meanwhile, watch the video below for how Eilish rocked Kim Kardashian West's SKIMS in her latest music video.


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It was a bumper Christmas for two Midlands-based bakeries, which enjoyed record sales.Mike Holling, retail operations manager, Birds of Derby, told British Baker last week that there was a queue of 45 customers waiting outside the bakery shop at 5.30am on Christmas Eve, with a peak of 60 people by 7am. “It was an indication of their concern to make their purchases at the last minute in order to get fresh produce,” he said.Sales highlights included more than 30,000 Birds pork pies, which were snapped up in the last three days before Christmas, and 37,600 mince pies sold on Christmas Eve itself. Impulse novelty items, such as gingerbread Santa and snowmen, together with Santa lollies, also proved a roaring success.Christmas proved “outstan-ding” at the Buxton Spa bakery in Derbyshire, which supplies Co-op’s Fairtrade mince pies, with both volume and value up 100%, said marketing manager Helen Riley. “In 2006, our mince pie business was 98,000 cases, while in 2007 we moved 183,000 cases through the doors,” she said.The firm also registered its first-ever turnover of £1 million in a month in November, and plans to boost production facilities and increase capacity.
Manaaz Akhtar has been appointed regional marketing director for Subway in Europe. Previously head of marketing for the UK and Ireland market since March 2011, the new role, which comes into effect this month, will see Akhtar lead the brand across Europe.She will work closely with, and supervise, the marketing leaders in Europe to ensure the marketing calendars are on strategy and consistent with the global brand positioning. Akhtar will also ensure that marketing decisions are based on consumer insights, that the media plans maximise budget, reach and frequency while sharing regional and global best practices.As head of marketing for the UK and Ireland, Akhtar oversaw the national marketing strategy for over 1,650 Subway stores.She played a key role in developing the Subway lunch promotion sucessfully transforming the brand’s role in the lunchtime market and, most recently, launching the new national #notwithit breakfast campaign.Prior to joining the Subway brand in 2011, Akhtar previously held positions at Burger King and Pizza Hut UK.She will continue to manage marketing for the Subway brand in the UK and Ireland until her replacement is hired and trained.
In light of yesterday’s status red snow-ice warning from Met Eireann, events were postponed and businesses shut their doors.A status orange warning is currently in place for Donegal, with many closures reported throughout the county for today, Friday, 2nd March.See the notices below, and if you have an update to share, please email [email protected] Post OfficesAll Post Offices closed yesterday at 1pm and will remain closed throughout the country today, Friday, until further notice.An Post reminds all customers due to collect social welfare payments at Post Offices that their payments will be available for collection when this period of bad weather passes.“Advice regarding Post Office services will be updated in due course with due regard for staff safety and the advice provided by the National Emergency Coordination Group,” a spokesperson says. AldiAll Aldi stores will be closed until 5pm today. TescoAll Tesco stores will remain closed today. A spokesperson for Tesco Ireland says: “We have taken this decision in the interest of the safety of our colleagues, customers and suppliers. Stores will re-open tomorrow Saturday, 3rd March.” PenneysA spokesperson for Penneys says: “All of our stores in the Republic of Ireland will be closed today. We plan to reopen all stores tomorrow [Saturday], subject to local conditions.” Marks and SpencerThe Letterkenny Marks and Spencer will open at 12pm today. All of their other stores in the Republic of Ireland will open tomorrow, weather permitting. Dunnes StoresAll Dunnes Stores in Ireland will remain closed today. Although they originally hoped to reopen their Northern Ireland stores at 1pm today, they have decided to remain shut until tomorrow due to the inclement weather conditions. They plan for all stores to reopen at their normal opening times tomorrow, Saturday. Travel Update: Find out which Donegal bus services are running todayStorm Emma: Community Notices and Closures for Friday 2nd March was last modified: March 2nd, 2018 by Elaine McCalligShare this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window) Tags:closedClosuresCommunity NoticesIrelandshopsstorm emma


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Kolkata: European carmaker Renault India on Thursday said its sales in volume term have been hit by the current slowdown in the automobile industry in the country. The carmaker, however, is not resorting to any job cut, but working on reducing costs and increasing efficiency, Renault India Country CEO and MD Venkatram Mamillapalle said. "We have been hit by the slowdown in the automobile sector. Sales volumes have been dipped by 17-20 per cent till date in the current year as compared to the last period," he said. The company sold 86,000 units in 2018, he said.
Since it's market share in the automobile industry is 2.4 per cent, there has not been any major jolt to the company due to the slowdown, Mamillapalle said. "Two models (one SUV and a small car) are giving volumes but not to the extent we want", he told reporters on the sidelines of the launch of its new sports utility vehicle (SUV), Triber. The other reason which had impacted the sector, particularly in the urban areas, is the emergence of ride-hailing cabs. "Ride-hailing cabs have an impact on the sales of cars and people, mostly in the urban areas, are preferring for shared rides", he said.
Mamillapalle also said that the company would focus on the rural segment of the country and increase the dealership network in small towns and villages. Renault official also said the Society for Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), a national body representing all major vehicle and vehicular engine manufacturers in the country, had approached the government for a reduction in GST from 28 per cent to 18 per cent. He said that exports to Latin American countries and South Africa from India have been giving some cushion to the company.
Architects of India's future will define the agenda for growth in this Golden Decade, at the Times Network India Economic Conclave - 25, 26 March | New Delhi. Watch LIVE coverage from the ground on Times Network News channels and https://www.indiaeconomicconclave.com.


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Coca Cola drops Salman Khan, picks up Ranveer Singh
Salman Khan is no longer the face of Thumps Up. Leading beverage brand Coca Cola dropped Salman Khan as their brand ambassador. He might be replaced by Ranveer Singh. The company is in talks with the ‘Bajirao Mastani’ actor and if everything falls in place then very soon audince will get to see Ranveer Singh advertising from Thumps up.
Salman is associated with Thumps up for four long years. Salman’s contract with the Coca Cola company expired last month and they decided not ot renew it.
It is learnt that the Cola decided to drop Salman Khan due to his growing age and not for his popularity. Coca Cola mainly targets young generation. They relates to youngsters and wants someone who is young and energetic to endorse their product.
"That explains why Coca Cola is talking to a much younger star like Ranveer Singh," the source added.
Coca Cola company roped in Salman Khan as the brand ambassador of Thumps Up for two times. First in 2000 and second time in October 2012 replacing Akshay Kumar.
It is not sure whether the decision of Coca Cola company to drop Salman Khan from endorsing their product has anything to do with his latest comment on Pal artists. But the decision merged with the timing when the superstar spoke in favour of Pak actors working in India. Salman backing Pak artists working in India was highly slammed by some section of the society.Salman said,”They are artistes not terrorists. It’s the government who gives them permits and visas".


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Genesys Cloud Surpasses $1 Billion ARR During Q1 Fiscal Year 24
Genesys continues to seize market share driven by strong demand for cloud experience orchestration platform
SAN FRANCISCO, June 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Genesys®, a global cloud leader in AI-powered experience orchestration, today announced that the Genesys Cloud™ platform has surpassed $1 billion annual recurring revenue (ARR)i. Achieving this milestone comes in less than four years since the company surpassed $100 million ARR. With Genesys Cloud ARR growth greater than 45% year-over-year during the first quarter of the company's fiscal year (February 1–April 30, 2023), Genesys continues to seize market share, growing faster than its closest Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) competitor during the same period.
"Leading brands understand great business outcomes are grounded in great experiences," said Tony Bates, Genesys CEO and chairman. "Our business momentum is validation that our strategy to enable personalized, empathetic experiences at scale is resonating — organizations everywhere are partnering with Genesys to set the new standard in loyalty defining customer and employee engagement. With Genesys Cloud, we're not only writing the next chapter but delivering on the future of experiences through continuous innovation, modern AI-powered orchestration and unmatched global presence, trusted by thousands of customers of all sizes, scale and industries."
Genesys saw significant demand for Genesys Cloud across segments and geographies during the quarter. Highlighted new customers include a Fortune 100 logistics company and a major US insurance provider, as well as a European auto insurance company that consolidated its contact center with Genesys Cloud, replacing NICE and several other vendors. The company also deepened relationships with existing customers, including a Fortune 100 retailer that expanded its experience orchestration capabilities and a Fortune 100 provider of insurance and retirement savings accounts, which evolved from a hybrid cloud to Genesys Cloud. In addition to these large enterprise deals, over 75% of new customers during the quarter were from small- and mid-sized businesses (SMB) as well as mid-market segments.
Highlighted growth includes:
More than 80% year-over-year increase in Genesys Cloud revenue in healthcare; Genesys serves six of the top 10 of the global healthcare providers
More than 50% year-over-year increase in Genesys Cloud revenue in financial services; Genesys serves eight of the top 10 global financial services providers
The top 50 Genesys Cloud customers averaged more than 8,000 unique agents on the platform, up nearly 30% year-over-year
Market demand for Genesys Cloud has been accelerated by significant customer traction for Genesys AI, offering new generative AI features released this year and comprehensive capabilities spanning conversation automation, agent assistance, conversation intelligence, workforce engagement management, and predictive engagement and routing. During the quarter:
Genesys had a year-over year increase of more than 3X for its conversational and predictive artificial intelligence (AI) solutions revenue
The number of customers using three or more native Genesys AI solutions grew nearly 9X year-over-year
The number of customers implementing Genesys digital and voicebots grew nearly 110% year-over-year
Genesys status as a leader in the customer experience (CX) industry continues to be recognized, most recently by Forrester, where it was named a Leader in "The Forrester Wave™: Contact Center as a Service, Q1 2023.ii The Genesys Cloud platform received the highest scores possible in the AI architecture, workforce optimization and customer self-service criteria, and among the highest scores in the outbound capabilities criteria. With this placement, Genesys has been named a Leader by Forrester across the company's four customer experience priorities.
In addition to traditional business results, Genesys includes environmental, social and governance (ESG) results as part of its key success metrics. Notable updates during the company's first quarter include:
The representation of women leaders at Genesys eclipsed the 30% threshold. This is a net increase of 23.8% in the representation of women leaders across the global workforce at Genesys since the official establishment of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) program during 2020.
Genesys launched a pilot of its Diversity Accelerator Program (DAP) designed to create promotion velocity for women and underrepresented groups at the company.
The results of the quarter's employee engagement survey illustrated a strong Inclusion Score of 84, indicating from the Genesys global workforce that the company is on the right track with its inclusion and belonging initiatives.
Genesys won over $30 million in RFPs when sustainability was a significant selection criterion.
Nearly 15 million experiences were orchestrated for charitable customers using Genesys Cloud.
Every year, Genesys orchestrates billions of remarkable customer experiences for organizations in more than 100 countries. Through the power of our cloud, digital and AI technologies, organizations can realize Experience as a Service® our vision for empathetic customer experiences at scale. With Genesys, organizations have the power to deliver proactive, predictive, and hyper personalized experiences to deepen their customer connection across every marketing, sales, and service moment on any channel, while also improving employee productivity and engagement. By transforming back-office technology to a modern revenue velocity engine Genesys enables true intimacy at scale to foster customer trust and loyalty. Visit www.genesys.com.
i Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) is defined as Genesys Cloud quarterly revenue multiplied by four ii The Forrester Wave: Contact Center as a Service, Q1 2023, Forrester Research, Inc., Max Ball, March 27, 2023 The Forrester Wave™: Workforce Optimization Platforms, Q4 201, Forrester Research, Inc, Vasupradha Srinivasan, December 2, 2021 The Forrester Wave™: Journey Orchestration Platforms, Q2 2022, Forrester Research, Inc., Joana de Quintanilha, Paul McKay, June 27, 2022 The Forrester New Wave™: Conversation Automation Solutions, Q3, 2022, Forrester Research, inc. Jessie Johnson, Steven Casey, Faith Born, Arianne Burnette September 1, 2022
Genesys empowers more than 8,000 organizations in over 100 countries to improve loyalty and business outcomes by creating the best experiences for customers and employees. Through Genesys Cloud, the #1 AI-powered experience orchestration platform, Genesys delivers the future of CX to organizations of all sizes so they can provide empathetic, personalized experience at scale. As the trusted, all-in-one platform born in the cloud, Genesys Cloud accelerates growth for organizations by enabling them to differentiate with the right customer experience at the right time, while driving stronger workforce engagement, efficiency and operational improvements.


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Welcome to the FinTech Times, a weekly newsletter covering the biggest FinTech news from around the globe. If you want to read F|T before anyone else, make sure to subscribe using the form at the bottom of this page.
Vanbex Group will continue to operate as a blockchain consulting company with a focus on supporting Hyperion from its offices in Vancouver.
Railsbank, the open banking and compliance platform co-founded by CEO Nigel Verdon, who previously founded Currencycloud, has raised $10 million in Series A funding.
Happy Money, the Costa Mesa, California-based FinTech that operates a marketplace that hooks borrowers up with credit union lenders, has raised $70 million in venture funding at a valuation of $495 million.
Toronto-based FinTech company PayBright has raised $34 million in growth equity from alternative financing provider goeasy Ltd.
Non-profit group Accion International is boosting its investment initiative for seed stage FinTech startups working on financial inclusion, raising $23 million from investors and adding another $10 million from its own pocket.
Bitcoin Bay will become BitAngels’ city leader for Toronto, and will host monthly and bi-monthly events focused on market trends, blockchain startup presentations, and networking.
Revolut introduced a new Expense Management tool, designed to help growing businesses handle their expenses.
Chipper Cash will establish a company presence in Lagos and has hired a country manager, Abiodun Animashaun, co-founder of Lagos-based ride-hail startup Gokada.
Decentral’s new CEO outlines company roadmap as Ethereum co-founder Anthony Di Iorio steps down(BETAKIT)
Anthony Di Iorio, the founder and CEO of Canadian blockchain company Decentral, has stepped down from his role.


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Editor's note: The coronavirus news cycle is ever-changing and the response efforts continue to evolve. While we are striving to keep up with the latest on COVID-19, we strongly suggest referring to the CDC, World Health Organization, the state of California and the City of L.A. for the most updated information.
This article was originally published April 7. It was last updated May 19.
Coronavirus prevention efforts continue to ramp up in Los Angeles and across California. L.A. County health officials are urging everyone to stay home as much as possible, and Mayor Eric Garcetti announced April 7 that wearing face masks — whether in the form of a homemade one, a bandana, or other type covering — will be mandatory effective Friday at midnight.
Across the style sphere, CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund has set up a COVID-19 relief fundraiser, luxury conglomerate LVMH has secured much-needed supplies from abroad, and inclusive labels and designers like Pyer Moss and Christian Siriano (to name just a few) are manufacturing personal protective equipment (PPE) for those on the frontlines.
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In these difficult times, it is the encouragement and assistance we give and receive as a community that unifies us. Together we will rise and overcome this global challenge. In support of the community, AG is committing $1 million to COVID-19 LA County Response Fund to help support community clinics and hospitals across the county scale up capacity, staffing & implementation of COVID-19 testing. We look inward to our family as well, and have committed to continue paying and providing benefits to our approximately 2,000 employees between our affiliate companies in LA, Mexico, and each of our retail store locations.
In the City of Angels, there's no shortage of locally-based talents supporting the cause. Reformation has joined fashionable forces with Mayor Garcetti to produce 5 million non-medical face masks as part of L.A. Protects, while AG Jeans is donating $1 million to the COVID-19 L.A. County Response Fund.
While the best way to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 is by sheltering in place, there are some situations where leaving the house may be unavoidable. You can easily make your own face mask (allow L.A. DJ Ana Calderon to demonstrate) — but if you don't trust your DIY skills or if you prefer to support local companies who are donating their time and labor to making supplies for essential workers, then we've got you (and your face) covered.
Here, we've rounded up non-medical face masks to buy from L.A. brands, as well as other local fashion companies and designers to support as they repurpose their factories to make safety supplies. We'll be updating this list as we hear from more businesses, so stay tuned.
Reformation: The sustainable local label has teamed with the City of Los Angeles and Mayor Eric Garcetti on L.A. Protects, an initiative to manufacture five-million non-medical face masks for essential workers. The brand is also selling masks ($25 for five) as well as five- to 250-pack mask donations ($25 to $1000).
Dom Vetro: After "a series of rapid prototypes," Culver City-based eyewear brand has risen to the occasion to produce face shield kits ($22 to $25) designed for essential workers and consumers. The protective device is glasses-friendly and all profits will be donated to the World Health Organization's COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund; shoppers can also buy a shield kit donation and include a personalized message, too.
Hedley & Bennett: The stylish apron brand teamed with pediatric orthopedic surgeon Dr. Robert Cho to develop the Wake Up & Fight Mask ($22), which are made of 100% washable cotton and designed to be used with a filter. Each buy-one-give-one purchase supports the production of another mask for a front line worker.
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Collaboratively we can end this. Please join the fight against this pandemic by donating for the production of more non-medical grade masks. We want to continue helping our communities but we need your help. Anything counts. Link in bio. ???????????? For more information please contact firstname.lastname@example.org
Katie May: Yes, you have full reign to show a little bit of style (and sparkles!) if it brings you some relief, and L.A. bridal designer is here to do just that. May's sequinned and lace face masks ($25 to $45) come in white, black, pink, navy, and even Bordeaux. For every order, she's donating three utility masks to Orange County police officers.
HFS Collective: The sustainable and vegan accessories brand has released washable face masks ($12) made from upcycled denim or black cotton canvas and 100% organic cotton lining. They're available in sizes small, medium, and large. The L.A. label is also offering 35% off sitewide (excluding masks) with code SPREADLOVE.
Buck Mason: As part of its one-for-one Masks for America program, the L.A. menswear label aims to donate one million face masks. The brand's anti-microbial jersey face masks ($20) come in a set of five and will ship the week of May 5. The first round of production will go to essential workers first, and you can also make a donation ($20) or buy in bulk (250 masks for $1,000).
Citizens of Humanity: The L.A. denim brand "have re-purposed our sewing facility and have begun producing masks for front line responders, including hospitals, healthcare workers and children's advocacy groups." Citizens of Humanity is "offering the masks to the broader public at a minimum price" of $25 for five, and while the items are now sold out as the company is supplying them to frontline workers first, you can sign up for the waitlist in the meantime.
Sanctuary: The L.A. brand is offering a package of five disposable (and fashionable) face masks ($28 for five) as part of its #SanctuaryGivesBack initiative. The masks will ship the week of April 19 and sales will support the production of N95 masks for essential workers.
Skatie: The sustainable L.A. swimwear label has converted its factory to produce face masks, gowns, and N95 mask covers, according to its recent Instagram post. Instead of offering masks for sale, "for every purchase you make with our small business, you are in turn supporting [PPE] production. It also means that we have a reduced capacity to make our production, which results in slower lead times… Instead of asking for donations or raising money, we have decided to use our profits to continue supporting our factory in the production of PPE indefinitely."
Los Angeles Apparel: Following founder Dov Charney's offer to manufacture masks for essential workers, the L.A. basics brand (look familiar?) is offering its adjustable French terry cotton face masks ($30 for three) in an array of colorways. Every purchase will "help fund our ability to donate masks to other essential services while providing living wages and supporting vertically integrated U.S. manufacturing," according to the brand.
Groceries Apparel: The local basics label is donating either three or 10 masks (depending on which option you purchase) when you buy a three-pack of its GMO-free, organic cotton non-medical face masks ($15 to $30), which are available in adults and kids sizes.
69: The "non-demographical" L.A. brand is repurposing its denim scraps and offering single masks ($5), three-pack mask grab bags ($22), and anti-viral, water-resistant gloves ($18). All are available for pre-order and will ship between April 10 to 20.
Nation: The L.A.-based label has refashioned its sateen fabric scraps into non-medical, reusable masks in white and jaguar print ($25 to $35 for five). They're lined with 100% recycled cotton, and you can also purchase mask donations.
Cloud Hunter: The local sustainable label (which recently opened its first shop on Melrose Avenue) is donating a portion of proceeds from purchases of its face masks to COVID-19 relief efforts. They're available in washable silk, cotton, and canvas options ($18 to $22), and the brand also offers charming R&R bundles to keep you calm at home.
Daniel Patrick: The NBA-obsessed streetwear designer's non-medical face masks ($25) are made from washable, water-resistant nylon. Also available in kids sizes, you can pick them up in solid hues as well as patterns like White Acid, Cloud Denim, and Camo. You can also score one for free with orders of $50 or more when you use the code MASK.
Mate: Don't need a mask, but want to donate one to someone who does? Eco-friendly L.A. basics line Mate is offering shoppers the opportunity to buy a three-layer mask that will go to doctors, nurses, grocery store employees, and homeless shelters. Add a donation ($3.50) to your cart while you're stocking up on the brand's cozy and sustainable staples, such as organic cotton crew neck tees and thermals in chic desert-inspired hues.
Matteo: The L.A. sustainable home textiles brand spun its eco-friendly cotton bedding into non-medical face masks ($25 for five). You can also purchase a donation for the same amount and quantity. While you're shopping, don't forget to stock up on the locally-manufactured label's cozy linen and cotton sheets and clothing — everything's 30% off when you use code TAKECOMFORT.
Johnny Was: The local bohemian-luxe brand has already donated over 10,000 non-medical face masks to local hospitals and charities in L.A. Starting Friday, the label is offering sets of five ($25) or 50 ($250) of its print-happy repurposed fabric masks. The coverings also include an interior pocket for a filter, and the brand is donating a pack for every set purchased.
Rustic Dime: The L.A. selvedge denim and basics brand's non-medical masks are only $5 and are made of 100% cotton. "These are not for profit and we calculated the cost to pay a fair wage to the person sewing the masks together," explains the label on its site.
Heather Taylor Home: The L.A. designer is turning her stylish tablescape-ready textiles into non-medical face masks ($50 for 10) in a variety of patterns. Another 10 masks will be donated to first responders wth every purchase.
House of Bijan: The iconic men's retailer has teamed with AcuShield to produce 10,000 protective face shields ($40), which will also be distributed throughout Beverly Hills (where its flagship home) as well as to the rest of L.A. and first responders.
Parachute: As of press time, the Venice-based company's buy-five-give-five masks ($30) are currently sold out — but you can still sign up for the waitlist to shop its face masks made from its comfy bedding.
Apolis: For every non-medical face mask ($19 to $48) that you purchase from the L.A.-based company, you'll help provide a day's worth of diapers and basic necessities for families in need through Baby2Baby. You can even personalize your mask with a monogram or message in calligraphy.
Christy Dawn: The sustainable L.A. designer is repurposing her deadstock fabric into washable non-medical face masks ($30 for five), which are available in a range of prints and solid colors. Every purchase also donates five masks to those in need. Plus, score 20% off sitewide (excluding masks) with code TOGETHER20.
Aquarius Cocktail: In addition to offering 20% off sitewide and free three-day shipping with code STAYSAFE, the L.A. label has crafted reusable non-medical face masks ($42) from vintage scarves. Plus, 100% of mask sales will benefit Feeding America, while 25% of sitewide sales will also go to the nonprofit for the entire month of April.
Mien Studios: The minimalist-chic L.A. brand's washable non-medical face masks are made of cotton jersey fabric available in singles or packs of two ($15 to $28), and the brand is also donating 25% of mask sales to nonprofit organizations and food banks that are supporting critical public service members. Plus, take 20% off your order (excludes masks) with code TOGETHER20.
Onzie: The L.A. activewear label has joined the city's L.A. Protects efforts as an official manufacturer of non-medical face masks ($24), which you can also purchase on the brand's website. The upcycled coverings are made from Onzie's yoga apparel in assorted colors and prints; the brand is donating masks to healthcare workers as well.
Jen's Pirate Booty: In addition to offering 20% off sitewide on regular-priced items (use code LOVE20), the breezy L.A. label is making non-medical face masks for kids and adults ($7 and up) from its scrap fabric. Masks will begin shipping 4/27.
Janessa Leoné: The minimalist-cool L.A. milliner has designed non-medical, multi-use face coverings including masks and suede bandanas ($35 to $50) that can also hold filters. All proceeds from sales are donated to nonprofit organization Direct Relief, which is providing PPE to healthcare workers.
Paigelauren: Stock up on non-medical face masks ($15 to $20) for yourself and your bébé in a range of striped and solid shades. The organic cloth coverings are made from ribbed and jersey fabric, and all proceeds benefit the Figs Frontline Responders Fund.
Re/done: The reworked denim brand is offering upcycled non-medical face masks for adults and kids ($20) made from leftover fabrics, bandanas, and Levi's jeans. For every purchase, the brand is donating five masks to frontline workers.
Dra: The L.A.-based label which temporarily closed its Row DTLA boutique) is joining other local companies in supporting United Farm Workers Union by offering non-medical face masks ($20) in floral-printed silk and cotton options.
Rendall Co.: Jones of Boerum Hills co-founder Dierdra Jones launched the L.A.-made workwear brand as a way to manufacture protective face masks while giving back. The label offers double-layered Ace and Sentry masks ($19 each or $65 for four) in indigo chambray, denim, and patterned styles.
One Love Malibu: The brand's reversible non-medical face masks (one for $15 to $20, $35 for two, $50 for four) for adults and kids are available in an array of patterns and feature a recycled elastic back. A portion of proceeds will benefit No Kid Hungry, too.
Jonathan Simkhai: The celeb-loved designer is offering neutral-hued and chic floral non-medical face masks ($48 for a set of four) with filter pockets. For each pack purchased, Simkhai is donating masks to frontline essential workers; they're available for pre-order and will ship May 30.


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Instagram / Soulja Boy
Blac Chyna and Soulja Boy are displaying some love on the holiday of love.
On Thursday, Valentine's Day, the 30-year-old glamour model, also known as Rob Kardashian's ex, and the 28-year-old rapper went on a shopping date in Beverly Hills, where they hit up Saks Fifth Avenue. The two exited the store holding hands and he put a few shopping bags in the trunk of a white Rolls Royce, as seen in a video posted by TMZ. She then signed an autograph for a fan and Soulja opened the car door for her. He was also seen putting his hand on her butt.
Soulja posted on his Instagram page photos and videos of the two in the car as well as footage of her holding Christian Dior candles and admiring Chanel handbags.
"Happy Valentine's Day," Soulja wrote.


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After two decades of policy focus, China has big advantages. But the U.S. still has ways to get in on the Africa game
Coca-Cola’s North America president, Sandy Douglas, oversees a relaunch of America’s No. 1 soft drink
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Founded in 1931
New Jersey transplant Ben Canter opened his now-famous delicatessen in the predominantly Jewish neighborhood of Boyle Heights in East Los Angeles before moving to the city's Fairfax neighborhood in 1948. Open 24 hours, Canter's is famous for its Canter's Fairfax sandwich (1/2 pound of corned beef and pastrami), chicken matzoh ball soup, and Hollywood clientele (from Jack Benny to Frank Zappa). Canter's expanded in 1961, adding a cocktail lounge called the Kibbitz Room. In 2003 it opened a Las Vegas location in the Treasure Island Hotel. Today, Canter's still makes pickles on site, bakes its own goods twice a day, and prepares proprietary potato salad, cole slaw, and egg salad. The LA institution says it sells over 4,900 pounds of pastrami a month and makes 1,500 gallons of chicken soup per week.


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As the number of deaths linked to contaminated meat from a Sara Lee Corp. processing plant in Michigan continued to rise, the company took the public relations offensive Wednesday, buying full-page advertisements in nearly 60 daily newspapers to remind the readers about its meat recall.
Separately, Sara Lee spokeswoman Theresa Herlevsen said the company estimates it will take back about 15 million pounds of meat. That amount alone would make this one of the largest meat recalls ever and the largest since Hudson Foods Inc. pulled back 25 million pounds of ground beef in 1997.
But the amount is only what Sara Lee expects will be sent back by consumers and food distributors. If meat that has been discarded or consumed is included, the amount of suspect products turned out by the company's Bil Mar Foods subsidiary could be much larger.
The rare strain of Listeria monocytogenes bacteria traced to Sara Lee's Bil Mar plant in Zeeland, Mich., has killed 11 adults and caused three miscarriages, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Wednesday. The outbreak has sickened at least 67 people in 13 states since early August.
"We deeply regret this situation, and we continue to make the safety and wholesomeness of our products our number-one priority," reads the ad, which was signed by Sara Lee Chairman and Chief Executive Officer John H. Bryan and President and Chief Operating Officer C. Steven McMillan. "Please know that we are working around the clock to address the issues that led us to the decision to announce a recall."
Bil Mar Foods recalled more than 300 varieties of hot dogs and deli meats Dec. 22 after the CDC found the outbreak strain of Listeria in an open package of hot dogs. The agency, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has since identified two different strains of Listeria from open and unopened packages of franks and deli meats made at the plant, though the strain found in deli meats hasn't yet been linked to human illness.


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Apple has introduced how a lot it’ll cost to restore the brand new iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Professional. For the iPhone 12 Professional, the $279 display restore worth is unchanged in comparison with the iPhone 11 Professional final yr, regardless of utilizing new ceramic-hardened glass. Nonetheless the $279 value of repairing the bottom iPhone 12’s show has elevated by $80 in comparison with the iPhone 11, and the price of repairing “different injury” has elevated by $50 to $449. Restore costs for the iPhone 12 Professional Max and 12 mini are but to be introduced.
For the bottom iPhone 12, that’s a considerable worth enhance in comparison with the $199 you’d pay to restore the iPhone 11’s display, seemingly as a result of it now has an OLED somewhat than an LCD show. Nonetheless for the 12 Professional this $279 worth is identical as what Apple’s charged for display repairs since 2017’s iPhone X. The value of display repairs lined by AppleCare Plus insurance coverage is unchanged at $29.
The brand new ceramic-hardened shows used within the iPhone 12 sequence, which Apple says is “harder than any smartphone glass” with 4 instances larger resistance to wreck from drops, doesn’t seem to have prompted a worth enhance for consumers, regardless of doubtlessly slicing into Apple’s revenue margins.
It’s an identical story in the case of what Apple is charging to restore “different injury” like that ensuing from liquid, for instance. The associated fee to restore the iPhone 12 Professional is $549, which is unchanged from the iPhone 11 Professional. Nonetheless, the iPhone 12 now prices $449, in comparison with $399 to restore the iPhone 11. The value of different repairs lined by AppleCare Plus stays at $99.
All instructed, restore prices are unchanged for potential iPhone 12 Professional house owners, although it’s a disgrace to see the brand new baseline iPhone going through costlier repairs. Right here’s hoping that Ceramic Protect cowl defending the shows is hard sufficient to stop repairs within the first place.


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Sega announced Sega 3D Fukkoku Archives 3: Final Stage for Nintendo 3DS in this week’s issue of Famitsu magazine. The game is releasing in Japan on December 22, 2016.
The third and final compilation of Sega’s 3D Classics Collection includes After Burner II and Sonic the Hedgehog 2, along with the top title from a survey that was in the previous game, which has yet to be announced.
According to Famitsu, the titles in the survey for the title that fans would like to see the most had Wing Wor at #5, Gain Ground at #4, OutRunners at #3, and Virtua Racing at #2.
Sega 3D Fukkoku Archives 3: Final Stage releases in Japan on December 22, 2016 for Nintendo 3DS.


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Well, the 2020 LA Abilities Expo has come and gone and here are some things that caught Rio Mobility's eye….
This winter a member of the Rio team was in China facilitating some new molds and new prototypes. The virus outbreak happened during this time and our staff was put on home self-quarantine (like millions of other households in China.) Luckily, our team and everyone we know in Jiangsu, China is still healthy and is continuing to work tirelessly to get the product supply chain back on track.
Rio Mobility is prototyping a powerful 10 Lux, Dual-Light-System (DLS) which can be used to both "see" and "be seen."
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The next version of Office has RTM’d today, October 11.
Mary Jo Foley had the details..
Volume licensees will be able to get their hands on the the software as of mid-November 2012. (TechNet and MSDN subscribers will get the same access).
Office 365 subscribers also will get all the new hosted-server bits starting in mid-November.
In Q1 2013, the new Office releases will be generally/commercially available to consumers. In other words, that’s when the new home and small-business subscription-based versions of Office — branded as Office 365 — will be available for purchase.
Microsoft officials said earlier this fall that the Windows RT version of Office Home & Student — which will be included with Windows RT-based machines, including the Microsoft Surface RT — will start rolling out to users as of early November.
The new version of Office Web Apps, the Webified versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote, are due to start rolling out in late October to Office 365 subscribers, Microsoft officials confirmed this week.


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Guggenheim downgraded shares of Square Inc (NYSE:SQ) from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a report published on Thursday, May 4th. Guggenheim currently has $20.00 price objective on the technology company’s stock, up from their previous price objective of $19.00. The analysts noted that the move was a valuation call.
Other equities research analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. Stifel Nicolaus restated a buy rating and issued a $18.00 target price (up previously from $15.00) on shares of Square in a research note on Thursday, February 23rd. Vetr cut shares of Square from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating and set a $19.66 price target for the company. in a research note on Thursday, April 20th. Canaccord Genuity reaffirmed a hold rating and set a $16.00 price target (up from $14.00) on shares of Square in a research note on Tuesday, February 21st. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on Square from $17.00 to $18.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, February 23rd. Finally, Mizuho reiterated a buy rating on shares of Square in a research report on Monday, March 20th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have assigned a hold rating, nineteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Square presently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average price target of $18.51.
Square (NYSE:SQ) traded up 1.17% during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $19.91. 2,716,460 shares of the company traded hands. The stock’s market capitalization is $7.45 billion. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $18.25 and a 200 day moving average of $15.45. Square has a 52-week low of $8.42 and a 52-week high of $20.69.
Square (NYSE:SQ) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, May 3rd. The technology company reported ($0.03) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the Zacks’ consensus estimate of ($0.08) by $0.05. The firm had revenue of $461.55 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $450.66 million. Square had a negative net margin of 12.55% and a negative return on equity of 31.99%. Equities research analysts expect that Square will post ($0.19) earnings per share for the current year.
WARNING: This article was first published by Chaffey Breeze and is the property of of Chaffey Breeze. If you are accessing this article on another website, it was illegally copied and reposted in violation of U.S. and international trademark & copyright legislation. The correct version of this article can be viewed at https://www.chaffeybreeze.com/2017/05/19/square-inc-sq-downgraded-by-guggenheim-updated.html.
In related news, insider Jacqueline D. Reses sold 10,936 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $18.95, for a total value of $207,237.20. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 673,340 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $12,759,793. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CEO Jack Dorsey sold 381,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $20.42, for a total transaction of $7,790,230.00. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 3,183,338 shares of company stock worth $56,299,960 over the last 90 days. Insiders own 42.60% of the company’s stock.
A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. increased its stake in Square by 0.3% in the first quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 10,150 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $175,000 after buying an additional 30 shares during the period. Stifel Financial Corp increased its stake in Square by 1.8% in the first quarter. Stifel Financial Corp now owns 26,635 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $461,000 after buying an additional 473 shares during the period. First Mercantile Trust Co. increased its stake in Square by 2.2% in the first quarter. First Mercantile Trust Co. now owns 31,641 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $547,000 after buying an additional 690 shares during the period. Guggenheim Capital LLC increased its stake in Square by 4.0% in the fourth quarter. Guggenheim Capital LLC now owns 18,680 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $255,000 after buying an additional 727 shares during the period. Finally, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. increased its stake in Square by 6.7% in the third quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 15,940 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $187,000 after buying an additional 1,000 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 24.28% of the company’s stock.
Square Company Profile
Square, Inc (Square) is a commerce ecosystem. The Company enables its sellers start, run and grow their businesses. It combines software with hardware to enable sellers to turn mobile devices and computing devices into payments and point-of-sale solutions. Once a seller downloads the Square Point of Sale mobile application, they can take their first payment.
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Ahold Looks for Answers
By George Anderson
Royal Ahold said yesterday that it was going to abandon its financial targets for the year in light of the weak performance of its U.S. supermarket business.
Ahold CEO Anders Moberg said, “Competitive and operating cost pressures have been greater than expected, and the turnaround at certain businesses has been slower than planned.”
“Going forward, we’re very well aware . . . that we need to take further steps, more probably drastic steps [than] we’ve taken in the past,” he said.
Ahold plans to name a new CEO for its Stop & Shop and Giant-Landover operations next week in an attempt to right that ship. Former CEO Mark Smith who announced his retirement last month will stay on as the new chief executive transitions into the job.
According to a Washington Post report, Ahold plans to continue remodeling its Giant Food stores even if cost cuts are necessary. The company has had success at its Albert Heijn and ICA food chains after remodeling stores in Europe.
The company also plans to reduce price promotions to focus on every day values in its stores while pushing private labels, such as its Nature’s Promise organic line.
Moderator’s Comment: What challenges does Ahold face in turning around its U.S. businesses? What will it need to do if it is to compete successfully?
George Anderson – Moderator
- Ahold profits sink; competition cited – The Associated Press/Philadelphia Inquirer
- Royal Ahold Lowers Sales Forecast for Giant – Washington
Post (free reg. required)


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This weekend a lot of Midstate kids will trick or treat for Halloween. That can be frightful for some parents who are wary of their child’s sugar intake.
Should parents try to police their kids’ candy intake on Halloween? Giant nutritionist Charlotte Scheid says “no.”
Scheid says it’s important to let kids enjoy the special night and not make them feel like they are being restricted. She says that often backfires and makes kids want something even more if they’re told they can’t have it. She also says that one night of candy isn’t going to negatively impact a child’s overall health.
Scheid says to make sure kids have a good dinner that night, so they’re full from a healthy meal before they head out.
“One thing you can really do so they don’t over-indulge in candy is eating a balanced meal beforehand,” Scheid said. “So a meal with protein and fiber which helps them feel fuller longer and stay satisfied, so that way when they’re coming home with their big bag of Halloween candy, they’re not grabbing it all and eating it all right away.”
Scheid says parents should taper candy intake after Halloween. For her tips on how to do that, how to use it in healthier recipes and where to donate it, watch the Mommy Minute next Wednesday on abc27 New Daybreak.


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The global Internet of Things (IoT) in Education market will grow from $4.8 billion in 2018 to $11.3 billion by 2023, a CAGR of 18.8%, according to new research.
The MarketsandMarkets report attributes the growth to an increase in the use of connected devices in educational institutions, growth in distance learning and eLearning, along with the availability of cloud-based solutions.
Network Management is expected to hold the largest market size during the forecast period, managing the infrastructure consisting of multivendor network elements and enhancing operational efficiency, which in turn reduces downtime.
Network management solution also offers various benefits, such as access to experts, routine monitoring, optimised operations, and cost-effectiveness, prevents business disruptions, increases productivity, and minimises security risks.
The deployment and integration services segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.
The reports says such services are important as the huge volumes of information generated by IoT devices must be integrated with the existing systems, which require exact level of system integrators and system enablers to deploy and integrate IoT services and solutions.
Deployment and integration service providers help institutions to develop a connected environment by integrating IoT devices and solutions with the educational environment. The deployment and integration service providers collect customer requirements, and then install, integrate, test, and rollout the IoT solutions.
In the market by region, North America is expected to hold the largest market size during the forecast period. The region is one of the largest contributors to the global IoT space, as it is technologically developed. Moreover, the startup culture in North America is growing rapidly. The rapid digitalisation across industry verticals, the increasing adoption of smart connected devices, and the technological advancements would fuel the growth of IoT in Education Market in North America.
Major vendors covered in the IoT in Education Market include Google (US), Amazon Web Services (US), IBM (US), Microsoft (US), Oracle (US), Intel (US), Cisco (US), SAP (Germany), Huawei (China), Arm (UK), Unit4 (Netherlands), and Samsung (South Korea).


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Toyota Kirloskar announced the launch of its brand new corporate campaign Toyota ‘Q’ Promise. The Toyota ‘Q’ Promise (or Promise of Quality) is a corporate brand-building initiative by Toyota in India, targeting consumers across the […]
Toyota Trust is offering special offer for the period between July – August. Valuate your car and get exciting prises. For more details contact your nearest Toyota Trust dealer.


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The Ohio Board of Motor Vehicle Collision Repair Registration and Attorney General Richard Cordray’s Office have filed injunctions against nine body shops that are accused of being in violation of Ohio’s collision repair registration laws. The shops are located in Belmont, Jefferson and Columbiana Counties in eastern Ohio.
“Enforcement efforts against illegal repair facilities increased in 2007 and will continue to be stepped up,” said Michael Greene, executive director of the collision repair board. “It is not the board’s intention to close down repair shops, but rather bring them into compliance with state and federal regulations.”
Greene noted that the law has been in effect long enough for existing shops to become compliant.
The Ohio Board of Motor Vehicle Collision Repair Registration was created in 1999 to regulate the collision repair industry and provide consumer protection. The board is entirely funded by registration fees from collision shops, auto glass businesses, paintless dent repair companies and airbag replacement units throughout Ohio. The board is made up of five collision repair shop owners, one mechanical repair shop owner and one person to represent the public, who has no financial interest in the auto repair industry.
Ohio Board of Motor Vehicle Collision Repair Registration


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A decade ago the media sector, in effect, saw off digital piracy. Now piracy is on the way back.
Last week the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) published a report showing piracy declined slowly over the years until 2021 when the trend was reversed. Last year piracy ticked up 3.3 per cent.
EUIPO's numbers are for Europe, but seem to be inline with anecdotal evidence of other markets including New Zealand. While the data is useful, it is based on visits to websites and doesn't cover other forms of digital piracy.
When media is abundant and affordable
It's not hard to understand why piracy went out of fashion. Media companies made their properties abundantly availably in a wide variety of formats. What's more, they charged consumers a reasonable price.
Streaming music and video service came close to killing off illegal movie, television and music downloads. Streamers
sold generous bundles of material for the cost of a couple of cups of coffee each month.
Piracy was no longer worth the effort.
The bad old days
Now those days are returning. At least in certain sectors.
If you dive into EUIPO's numbers, music, movies and software piracy remain low. There isn't zero piracy in these areas, but it has become marginal.
The main concern is television piracy which is on the way back up. It now makes up about half of all illegal downloads.
EUIPO also notes a newer form of piracy where people steal publications. It says manga comic books are the most popular illegal downloads in this category with audiobooks and ebooks showing up in sizable numbers. As an aside, the ebook market is a mess regardless of piracy.
The report also covered streaming sports. EUIPO says there is not much data to work with, but it saw an increase of 75 per cent in the two years from the start of 2021.
Piracy is wealth-related
The report found the level of piracy within a European nation depends on relative wealth with more piracy in poorer countries and less in richer ones. There is a close correlation with the level of youth unemployment. Bored youngsters with time on their hands are more inclined to pirate.
This squares with the idea that people, in general, are willing to pay if they can. It also suggests that streaming companies might do better if they adjust their prices to local economies.
A series of practices are degrading the consumer streaming experience and driving people back into the hands of pirates.
First, unbundling. Ten years ago there were a handful of large streaming companies with sizeable libraries of movies and shows.
Over time companies like Disney pulled their material from the aggregate streamers and started their own services. This amounts to a substantial price rise with consumers needing to spend more on subscriptions to get the same amount of good material.
Second was Netflix's crack-down on password sharing. For years the company encouraged customers to share accounts. That changed. Again, this amounts to a hidden price rise for customers.
Add in the company's cavalier approach to killing off popular shows and all the goodwill accumulated over the years was dissipated.
A third thinly disguised price hike comes with companies adding advertising supported subscriptions to their mix.
This week the BBC reported Amazon Prime Video content to start including ads next year.
As with the other services, you can pay more for a subscription and not be subjected to advertising. In effect this amounts to a 30 per cent price rise for people continuing to get the same level of service as before.
No doubt the streaming companies will argue they deserve to extract higher profits for their product. After all, they aren't in business as a public service. Yet, if their actions continue to drive consumers into piracy, they could be counterproductive. Someone needs to remind them of the story about killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.


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Police call for installation of CCTV cameras in business places, homes. This information can be found in a statement made on Friday in Abakaliki by SP Chris Anyanwu, the spokeswoman for the command in Ebonyi.
Anyanwu observed that the tool was beneficial and had helped the police in many ways, particularly in maintaining the security of people and property.
In relation to the capture of a three-man ring that targeted supermarkets and shopping centers in Ebonyi, the spokesman claimed that CCTV cameras were important in catching the criminals.
Police call for installation of CCTV cameras in business places, homes. Anyanwu claims that the group also specializes in robbing bank customers and POS operators when they withdraw money from the city of Abakaliki.
“They operate on a power bike and armed with pistols.
“They usually enter their targeted shops in the guise of buying stuffs, while their rider gangmate lurks around the premises to dispossess customers of their valuables on gun point.
“Fortunately, luck ran out of them, when they robbed a fashion shop at No.19 Udemezue Street, Abakaliki on Wednesday and they were captured on a CCTV camera.
“On a tip-off, they were intercepted and arrested by the Crack Team of Ebonyi Command. The pistols and the power bike were recovered. Presently, they are helping us in further investigations.
“This is the advantage of installing CCTV cameras in our business premises and homes.
“Adopt this security measure to help the Police rid the state of crimes and criminality.


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OnePlus released the Android 12-based OxygenOS 12 to the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro this week, but the company has already pulled it following reports of bugs and issues from users.
“We are aware of the issues caused by the OxygenOS 12 update and our software team is fixing them,” OnePlus said in a statement to Android Police. “We will suspend this software update and roll out a new iteration as soon as possible.”
The release has been widely panned. Android Police called it “just awful,” highlighting the need to toggle settings to get the 120Hz display to work again and that some menus “straight-up crash” as examples of issues. 9to5Google agreed: “For a so-called ‘stable’ release, OxygenOS 12 is riddled with bugs and issues that honestly make it very hard to suggest that you update and install on your eligible OnePlus phone,” the publication said. XDA Developers even put out a PSA recommending that you factory reset your OnePlus 9 or 9 Pro to try to improve things — which, as XDA Developers noted, isn’t something you should need to do after a software update.
It’s apparently not just OnePlus that has had a rough rollout of an Android 12-based OS. Samsung’s Android 12-based One UI 4 began rolling out to the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Z Fold 3 this week, but it is reportedly quite buggy. Google’s own Pixel phones haven’t been squeaky clean, either, as users have reported connectivity issues seemingly caused by a bug in Android 12.
It’s unclear when OnePlus’ revised OxygenOS 12 update will hit.