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RAK signs MOU with Guj govt
RAK Ceramics has entered into a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) with the Government of Gujarat during the Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2011 held recently in Ahmedabad. Under this MOU, RAK has commited an investment of Rs500 Crore with plans of setting up a Ceramic Tile manufacturing plant in the state.
The MOU was signed between Sudhir Malesha, CEO, RAK Ceramics India and Shri Narendra Modi, Chief Minister of Gujarat. The strategic tie-up will help RAK increase its presence and cater to the North-West market vividly with its state-ofthe-art manufacturing and the wide range of products through its Ceramic Tile Manufacturing Plant.
“Gujarat is one of the most favoured destinations offering excellent infrastructure backed by the dynamic leadership and support of Shri Narendra Modi. We are focused on Gujarat for our operations and are planning to invest Rs 500 crore over a period of five years and we have identified about 50-70 acres of land at Himmatnagar in Mehsana district. This move will also create employment oppurtunities in the state,” said Mr Sudhir Malesha, CEO, RAK Ceramics India.
This investment in Gujarat will help the world’s No. 1 ceramic manufacturer to reduce the freight outward cost and thereby become one of the best ceramic manufacturing hub in the west.
RAK Ceramics is presently engaged in the production of about 360,000 sq m per day of ceramic/ vitrified tiles and about 12,000 pieces of sanitary ware per day. The first phase of production will start in the first quarter of 2012. The company plans to export its ceramic products from Gujarat in future and will also look at related investment by the group company from UAE in other fields.


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Sprint is still discussing a mobile partnership and potential equity investment with Comcast and Charter Communications, even as its exclusive negotiating period has ended and opened the door for resumed talks with T-Mobile.
Sprint is still discussing a mobile partnership and potential equity investment with Comcast and Charter Communications, even as its exclusive negotiating period has ended, according to people familiar with the matter.
The two-month window ended Thursday, opening the door for Sprint to resume discussions with Bellevue-based T-Mobile US or other partners, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the discussions are private.
The cable companies are interested in a reselling deal that would let them offer Sprint’s wireless service under their own brands. Sprint is expected to offer more favorable terms than the cable companies’ agreement with Verizon Communications, said two of the people.
That agreement could come with an equity investment in Sprint from both companies, the people said.
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Comcast and Charter are considering investing in Sprint’s mobile network to improve its quality. The cable companies could add unlimited wireless-data service using Sprint’s network under the reselling agreement, so they want to ensure the quality of Sprint’s service stays high, the people said.
No deal is assured, they said. Sprint is due to announce its quarterly earnings on Aug. 1.
Any deal with the cable companies wouldn’t preclude Sprint from pursuing a potential merger with T-Mobile, the people said, an option executives from both companies have lauded as offering substantial synergies.

domain: news


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Anyone paying attention to financial news knows cryptocurrency is one of the most talked-about topics. It is no exception in the Philippines, which is among the leading countries in adopting cryptocurrencies. Given the country’s public investment and interest, it is no surprise that crypto-related businesses are thriving and continuously growing.
Blockchain technology has the potential to disrupt the financial market and become as big as the internet. Deloitte’s Global blockchain development Survey reveals 76% of respondents believe that blockchain-based digital assets will be a solid alternative to fiat currencies for global finance in the next few years.
Here are the top 5 reasons why the Philippines will moon crypto in the coming years
1. Emerging numbers of users
With more than 70% of awareness related to cryptocurrencies, the Philippines is one of the biggest crypto-friendly countries in the world. Reliable sources reveal more than 4 million people are involved in crypto trading, which is now becoming a significant part of the economy due to the proper regulations, seamless process, and growth opportunities.
Another reason for the significant growth of mainstream crypto communities is the ongoing development in Tokenization, NFT games, and decentralized financial solutions. One of the latest developments grabbing attention is Nekoin.
Meet the Nekoin Protocol, a unique project which redefines and simplifies the use of Blockchain technology for businesses. Nekoin consists of entrepreneurs, technologists, and financial experts working to eliminate the centralized dependence and create a decentralized protocol that establishes value. The developers are taking strategic steps to initially target three sectors in the market, including Real Estate, Remittance, and E-commerce.
2. Binance users worldwide
Following the latest estimate that the trading volume of Binance was more than $7 trillion in 2021, making it the largest cryptocurrency exchange platform.
Binance Coin is presently the fifth most valuable coin in the market. The company has the largest user base globally, with 28.5 million users, and 4% of its overall users are from the Philippines. Industry experts are referring Binance as the future of finance and money due to Its fastest transaction times and most comprehensive collection of altcoins.
The hype tends to increase in the Philippines as a significant bank launched a Bitcoin ATM. Two other banks have considered creating stable coins to ensure legitimate future investment powered by private networks. This is appealing for investors who are wary about dipping their toes into the world of cryptocurrencies.
After successful approval of (BUSD) recently a Binance based smart chain’s stablecoi, Nekoin designed a transparent and stable Nekoin utility token to handle remittance transfers efficiently and utilize the existing payments channels to accommodate users.
3. Huge Blockchain Remittance
The Philippines has more than 10 million people working abroad full-time. These expats remit more than $2.3 billion to the country every month, representing 25% of the total workers’ remittances that they receive every year. Most citizen prefers to process transactions through cryptocurrencies to avoid extra charges and unnecessary delays.
The massive amount of remittances plays a significant role in driving the cryptocurrency market and indicates we are in the early stages of a revolution grabbing the attention of individuals, investors, and officials.
Authorities tend to acknowledge the benefits of safe and secure remittance through cryptocurrency and its potential to grow continuously without signs of slowing down. According to the latest news, the government is considering introducing a crypto-friendly economy to facilitate citizens.
4. Top social media users
According to a recent report, the Philippines ranked highest among all countries regarding social media usage in 2021. Datareportal reports reveal that the Philippines’ number of social media users increased by 16 million between 2020-2021. The immense use of social media allows users to gain an understanding of upcoming crypto projects and legitimate news
An emerging trend of NFT games
Cryptocurrency is an exciting and ever-changing adventure. As the internet becomes increasingly accessible in the Philippines, there is a new trend of play2earn and non-fungible token (NFT) games that are becoming tremendously popular among Filipinos.
Play-to-earn role-playing games are getting much traction from gaming enthusiasts and game developers. Since the pandemic cut down physical jobs, Filipinos tend to play these games more often, allowing them to earn real money doing what they love – playing games.
5. Amendments in Law | Ra11453
As mentioned, Philippines is a pioneer country in cryptocurrency adoption and following the industry’s rapid growth. The government have made amendments under Republic Act 11453
‘‘Regulatory framework to further Strengthen the Powers and
Functions of the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan’’
The legislation established measures to assist companies aiming to use blockchain technology and fintech, as mentioned in its Offshore Blockchain and Financial Technology Solutions.
The latest amendment is a great move that will transform the country into a haven for cryptocurrency exchanges to thrive and flourish while also providing a more secure and stable regulatory framework for businesses, ordinary consumers, and investors.
Future of crypto in the Philippines
The whole world of cryptocurrencies and blockchain is getting larger each day. From the start of the year till now, the industry’s market capitalization grew massively. That’s why people are always on the lookout for new blockchain projects as a way to make great returns on their investments.
The legal framework is all set to attract solid crypto projects to the new Cryptohaven. An up-and-coming project called Nekoin consists of industry experts to offer innovative tokenization solutions for businesses to adopt blockchain technology hassle-free. The Nekoin Protocol provides tokenization and adoption tools for all sorts of enterprises starting with the Philippines.
- Nekoin protocols aim to catapult businesses into a token-based future by providing a complete sales, marketing, and customer support solution
- With the help of tokenization, businesses can fully utilize their assets instead of keeping them idle in banks
- Easy remittance system for oversea Filipinos to avoid bank charges, taxes, and unnecessary delays
- Nekoin is paired with DeFi tools to maximize blockchain adoption in the Philippines and beyond
- Nekoin protocols offer cost-efficient and seamless transactions that let you conduct businesses worldwide with the help of cryptocurrency


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Northern Automotive Systems, the title sponsor of this year’s National Road Race Championships, which concluded over the weekend, has been featured in a variety of regional media following news that it manufactured almost 2,500 medals for entrants – the largest-ever quantity in the firm’s 106-year history.
Specialists at the Gilwern-based company spent nearly six weeks creating the accolades ahead of the Championship Sportive, the public event which took place on Saturday.
The painstaking task, which began in early May, required nearly 50 kilograms of top-grade aluminium and more than two kilometres of ribbon.
A team of six full-time staff and two apprentices are said to have dedicated “countless hours – and many sleepless nights” to their production.
In total, the firm has produced 2,489 medals – one for each cyclist on the Gold, Silver and Bronze routes through Monmouthshire.
A spokesman for Northern Automotive Systems (NAS), the title sponsor of the National Road Race Championships, said the medals had a retail value of £4,000.
NAS hit the headlines earlier this month after it was revealed as the Road Race’s title sponsor.
The premium automotive decorative specialist, which employs 462 permanent staff, said passing up the opportunity to be involved in one of the UK’s most prestigious sporting events was “simply unthinkable”.
The latest story was featured by Welsh Icons, the South Wales Argus, and the Monmouthshire Beacon – three key titles with a substantial regional readership. The coverage follows previous publicity for NAS, which can be found here.
Last night, Northern Automotive Systems held an event at The Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, south Wales, to celebrate the success of the sponsorship arrangement. Photographs of that event will be added to the Palamedes PR Gallery in due course.
NAS’ new website is now live. See it here.
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The Federal Trade Commission has completed its investigation of Google over unfair business practices – and the company’s got off very lightly indeed.
The eighteen-month probe has concluded that the way Google ranks search results hasn’t violated antitrust rules, and has merely ordered the company to make sure that its Motorola subsidiary licenses patents on a fair and reasonable basis.
“We’ve always accepted that with success comes regulatory scrutiny,” says Google senior vice president and chief legal officer David Drummond.
“But we’re pleased that the FTC and the other authorities that have looked at Google’s business practices — including the US Department of Justice (in its ITA Software review), the US courts (in the SearchKing and Kinderstart cases), and the Brazilian courts (in a case last year) — have concluded that we should be free to combine direct answers with web results.”
As part of the deal, Google has also agreed to give online advertisers more flexibility to simultaneously manage ad campaigns on Google’s AdWords platform and on rival ad platforms. It’s also promised not to misappropriate online content from, for example, shopping or travel websites for use in its own vertical offerings.
“The evidence the FTC uncovered through this intensive investigation prompted us to require significant changes in Google’s business practices. However, regarding the specific allegations that the company biased its search results to hurt competition, the evidence collected to date did not justify legal action by the Commission,” says Beth Wilkinson, outside counsel to the FTC.
“Undoubtedly, Google took aggressive actions to gain advantage over rival search providers. However, the FTC’s mission is to protect competition, and not individual competitors. The evidence did not demonstrate that Google’s actions in this area stifled competition in violation of US law.”
This view will not go down well with Google’s competitors. The company currently has about 70 percent of the US search market – and more in Europe, where it is also currently the subject of a similar investigation.
Fairsearch.org – a group of rival search companies which includes Microsoft, Expedia and Travelocity – describes the FTC settlement as disappointing and premature.
“The FTC’s inaction on the core question of search bias will only embolden Google to act more aggressively to misuse its monopoly power to harm other innovators,” says the group in a statement.
“State attorneys general who reportedly disagreed with today’s announcement by the FTC have an important role to play in ensuring both that Google is not allowed to continue practices that hurt every American business through artificially high advertising costs, and to demand that whatever changes Google is forced to make in Europe also apply for US consumers who risk losing innovation because of Google’s aggressive abuse of its dominance.”


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Signage for digital payment services Alipay by Ant Group, an affiliate of Alibaba, and WeChat Pay by Tencent are displayed outside a currency exchange in Hong Kong, China, on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020.
Chan Long Hei | Bloomberg | Getty Images
BEIJING — As China’s anti-monopoly and data security crackdown creeps into restrictions on U.S. IPOs, analysis shows that some of the country’s biggest tech companies are deeply invested in those overseas stock offerings.
Gaming and social media giant Tencent is by far the dominating corporate shareholder, with significant stakes in half of the 25 largest fundraises by Chinese companies issuing American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) in the U.S. since 2017. That’s according to CNBC analysis of publicly available data accessed through Wind Information and S&P Capital IQ.
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has a few holdings in the list of 25 companies, while other major Chinese tech companies like Xiaomi, Meituan and Baidu each have stakes in one or two of the stocks, the analysis found. Also appearing frequently, typically with smaller stakes, were U.S. asset managers BlackRock and Vanguard.
While Shenzhen-based Tencent is best known for its video games and WeChat messaging app that’s ubiquitous in China, the company has also grown into an investing giant.
Tencent’s holdings in publicly listed companies last year rose by 785.11 billion yuan ($122.7 billion) — more than the 160 billion yuan ($25 billion) in profit reported for the year, according to the company’s annual report. That’s not including its subsidiaries.
The company itself is the largest listed in Hong Kong by market valuation.
Tencent said Saturday it was notified by the market regulator of “its decision to halt the merger of Huya and Douyu based on the results of its antitrust review.” Both companies are Tencent subsidiaries that listed in the U.S. in the last three years.
However, on Tuesday China’s market regulator disclosed it approved Tencent’s deal to privatize U.S.-listed search engine and text-input company Sogou.
For many start-ups in China, having a big tech company as a backer has often meant access to vast amounts of data on consumer preferences.
But China’s internet industry has also been ruthless. In a 2018 book called “AI Superpowers, China, Silicon Valley and the New World Order,” Google’s former China head Kai-Fu Lee said the local tech world resembled gladiator fights where nothing was off limits, from copying innovations to launching smear campaigns.
After years of loose regulation, China has intensified its crackdown on massive, homegrown tech giants in the last several months.
Ride-hailing app Didi — in which Tencent invested — held a massive U.S. IPO on June 30. Within five days, China’s cybersecurity regulator, citing national security concerns, launched an investigation into the use of data by Didi and subsidiaries of two Chinese companies that recently listed in the U.S.
The regulator, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), also said new user registrations would be suspended in the interim.
Over the weekend, CAC also announced that companies with data on more than 1 million users would likely need approval before they listed overseas.
The increased scrutiny on data follows regulators’ crackdown on tech companies since last fall over monopolistic practices, which led to authorities fining Alibaba $2.8 billion.


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Even a royal thumbprint can bring top dollar
If you are lucky enough to be a graduate of the University of St. Andrews in Scotland -- say, Class of 2005 -- it might be wise to check through all those old notebooks and boxes of junk from those days of yore.
When the BBC’s venerable “Antiques Roadshow” turned up in St. Andrews, one of the university’s secretaries brought in a couple of programs from that now-famous charity fashion show when Kate modeled a see-through dress (right) on the catwalk in 2002.
The moment has since become part of the couple’s lore, with a bug-eyed William apparently proclaiming “Kate’s hot!” -- as if he’d set eyes on her for the first time, even though they’d been flatmates.
The moment apparently put William into some kind of forgetful bliss, because he walked out of the hall that night and left his program of the evening’s entertainment on the table.
“I took it before everything was cleared away,” Barbara Lessels, a secretary at the university, told the show’s host, Fiona Bruce.
“What’s more, it had his thumbprint on it!”
Ten years later, Lessels brought it to “Antiques Roadshow” for an appraisal. Bruce called her find “fantastic” before a value of 500 pounds -- $785 Canadian – was placed on it.
Not bad for a little tidying and some quick thinking.
Of course, the star piece of memorabilia from that fashion show was Kate’s sheer creation, which was made by then-fashion student Charlotte Todd for about $45. It sold last year at auction for about $125,000.
It’s one in a long line of merchandise which has somehow been cast as important to the timeline of Kate and William’s romance, and made into valuable property.
Remember, a few months after the royal wedding, Kate’s old car showed up on eBay. The 2001 Volkswagen Golf with 104,000 km drew a top bid of $74,500, more than 10 times its market value. Still, that wasn’t enough to pry it from the hands of owner Sonny Brazil, who acquired the car in from his father’s dealership in 2009.
It earned $128,000 when it was put up for eBay auction in aid of the princess’s charities.
The moral of the story -- never underestimate the royal touch.
And in this, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee year, the price of royal memorabilia is expected to rise. Even after 60 years, and the Queen’s fingerprints on many, many items, her handiwork still commands respect. A personally-signed Christmas card -- and she sends out hundreds each year -- can run over $1,000. A thank-you note can top $7,500.
A Valentine’s card from the late Princess Diana to a former valet was expected to fetch more than $12,000 at auction.
The market for Kate and William can only go up. We know what ‘The Kate Effect’ has done for the fashion industry when she wears a new outfit.
A simple signature from them will be money in the bank.


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While there’s no doubt that individual actions towards ocean conservation have the power to make positive impacts on our blue planet, legislation passed by city, state, and national governments also has the power to create big waves. As divers, we are deeply connected to the ocean as well as acutely aware of the many threats it’s facing. In recent years, as public knowledge about the declining health of the ocean grows, there has been an amazing surge of laws, bans, and policies passed around the world in order to safeguard the future health of the ocean. Here are some highlighted examples of locations making a difference for ocean conservation.
This tropical island destination in Indonesia recently announced an all-encompassing ban of single-use plastics including styrofoam, straws, and plastic bags. On December 24th, 2018, Bali’s Governor announced the ban and hopes that the new policy will lead to a 70% decline in Bali’s marine plastics in just one year’s time. The ban will go into effect in June.
The Hawaiian island chain is the first U.S. state to ban sunscreen products containing chemicals like oxybenzone and octinoxate that are harmful to coral reefs and marine life. The bill, which was passed by state lawmakers in May of 2018, will go into effect on January 1st, 2021.
In order to tackle the issue of single-use plastics and their potential to pollute waterways and oceans, in early 2018 the UK announced a 25-year plan to ‘set the global standard’ on eliminating plastic waste. Prime Minister Theresa May also announced a proposed ban on plastic straws, stirrers, and cotton buds. The Queen of England even joined in by banning plastic straws and water bottles from the Royal Estate.
In 2015, this small island nation in the South Pacific declared 80% of its waters as a ‘no-take’ marine reserve. Approximately 193,000 square miles (500,000 square kilometers) in size, this ocean sanctuary is about the size of California, even though the nation of Palau is smaller than New York City – meaning that Palau has set aside more of their nation’s waters than any other country in the world.
Thanks to a city-wide ‘Strawless in Seattle’ campaign led by Strawless Ocean, on July 1st, 2018, Seattle became the first U.S. city to enact a ban on plastic straws, along with single-use plastic utensils. In an effort to reduce marine plastic pollution, Seattle’s 5,000 restaurants are now only allowed to offer reusable or compostable straws, utensils, and toothpicks.
Following a surge of public support (thanks in part to documentaries like David Attenborough’s BBC Blue Planet series), the European Parliament voted for a comprehensive ban of single-use plastics by 2021 in an attempt to reduce pollution levels in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The policy is set to include a wide array of items like plastic cutlery and plates, straws, polystyrene food containers, and plastic cigarette butts.
A remote and largely pristine stretch of ocean off the coast of Antarctica – the Ross Sea – was declared in 2016 as one of the world’s largest marine reserves. The unanimous decision was voted upon by delegates from 24 countries to protect approximately 598,000 square miles of the Southern Ocean from commercial fishing.
In early 2019, Key West’s City Commission voted to ban the sale of sunscreen products that contain oxybenzone or octinoxate in an effort to protect the corals and marine life of the Great Florida Reef. The ban is set to officially go into effect on January 1, 2021.
In the summer of 2017, the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu announced a plan to ban the use of and importation of single-use plastic bags and bottles – making Vanuatu the first country in this ocean region to launch a policy of this nature.
Want even more good news? The examples listed above are just a sampling of ocean conservation legislations passed globally in recent years – the trend is most definitely growing! In fact, comment below to share a city, state, or country near you that has recently declared a policy that will make a positive difference for the ocean. And as always, we encourage our global PADI diving community to make decisions big and small that will contribute to Ocean Health initiatives.


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Etihad Airways and Aldar Properties have entered right into a historic partnership that brings advantages to UAE-based Etihad Guest members and customers within the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi.
Through this unique settlement Etihad Guest members can now earn and spend their Etihad Guest Miles on purchases made with their Visa playing cards at three malls inside Aldar’s retail portfolio – Yas Mall, World Trade Centre Abu Dhabi and Al Jimi Mall – collectively comprising over 650 retailers.
Members will earn one Etihad Guest Mile for each AED3 spent on purchases with their Visa playing cards over AED50, or can select to seamlessly spend their miles for transactions over AED50.
In a primary for the Etihad Guest programme, members can now earn Tier Miles on purchases, permitting them to raise their Etihad Guest Tier Status, no matter if they’ve chosen to earn or spend their Etihad Guest Miles. Members will earn one Tier Mile per AED3 when utilizing a Visa card.
Yasser Al Yousuf, Vice President Commercial Partnerships, Etihad Aviation Group, stated, “We are happy to collaborate with Aldar, one in every of Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s most iconic and recognisable manufacturers, bringing extra selections to our Etihad Guest members to earn and use their Miles throughout purchasing and way of life, supporting Abu Dhabi as a hub for tourism, tradition and world-class purchasing experiences.
“Etihad Guest members can now elevate their Tier Status while shopping across Aldar Malls, even while using their Miles, which is a first of its kind offer, showing our commitment towards our loyal members during these difficult times.”
In flip, Saoud Khoory, Executive Director of Retail Asset Management at Aldar, commented, “The partnership paves the way for future collaborations with Etihad, where we will explore ways to create additional value for our customers. Rewarding and generating value for our loyal customers is the foremost objective of these initiatives, and this unique partnership helps us to achieve this aim.”
To earn and spend miles, customers merely join their Visa card to their Etihad Guest cell app. The Etihad Guest app is fitted with the brand new ‘Miles on the Go’ know-how permitting members to earn or spend miles after they swipe their linked Visa card in any of the three Aldar Malls.
Shoppers will robotically earn miles if the transaction is over AED50, and if the member has adequate miles of their account, the member will probably be prompted through a push notification, with a proposal to redeem miles for his or her buy.
Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.


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Friday, 15 February 2008
Kenyan consumers at highest risk of fake drugs
Business Daily reports that Kenyans have been listed among African consumers at highest risk of exposure to counterfeit drugs. In Kenya a National Quality Control Laboratories and Pharmacy and Poisons Board survey, conducted two years ago, found that nearly 30% of the drugs in the domestic market are counterfeit. The situation has reportedly since worsened, with the Kenyan Association of Pharmaceutical Industry estimating that some $130 million worth of counterfeit pharmaceutical products are sold in the market annually. This has repercussions for the market as well as for consumers: last year, Chinese company Holley-Cotec Pharmaceuticals was forced to recall 20,000 doses of its Duo-cotexin malaria drugs after it discovered that an illegal ring was manufacturing a version with low active ingredients and selling it at one fifth of the market price.


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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Espar has introduced a new Airtronic NG Commercial air heater that’s powered by compressed natural gas (CNG), designed for natural gas-powered vehicles.
“Our Airtronic NG Commercial is the first air heater that is specially designed for the continuously growing market for natural gas trucks in North America,” announced Dr. Volker Hohensee, president, Espar North America. “The Airtronic NG Commercial project shows that in addition to modern heating components for diesel and gasoline vehicles, we are consistently working on new solutions for alternative, environmentally-friendly drives in the commercial vehicle segment.”
Espar developed the CNG heater with German company Truma, which is a leading European manufacturer of gas-fuelled heating systems. The new heater works with both CNG- and LNG-powered trucks, allowing both the heater and engine to be supplied from one tank. This saves valuable space and simplifies installation, Espar says.
Truck News is Canada's leading trucking newspaper - news and information for trucking companies, owner/operators, truck drivers and logistics professionals working in the Canadian trucking industry. All posts by Truck News


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Obamacare did help crash the economy. Only not in the way its critics thought it would.
The Commerce Department on Wednesday revised the growth figures for the first quarter of 2014, and concluded that the economy shrunk at a 2.9 percent annual rate. This comes a month after the government slashed its initial estimate from an annual growth rate of .1 percent to a decline of 1.0 percent. At the time, I called it a hiccup rather than a heart attack.
That was some hiccup.
At first blush, the substantial downward revision is something of a mystery. The U.S. economy didn’t suffer from any major shocks. There was no threat of default, government shutdown, huge cuts in government spending, or sharp tax increases. No major financial institution failed.
Throughout the winter and spring, companies warned that the brutal weather—the disruptive snowstorms, the arctic cold—would have a dampening effect on economic activity. And the weather definitely played a role in stalling the main engine of the U.S. economy—the American consumer.
The BEA breaks down sectors by their contribution to GDP. Personal consumption expenditures—people buying stuff—grew at a meager one percent rate in the first quarter. And that had a significant impact on businesses. When companies add to inventories—i.e. they sell stuff and then order more stuff in anticipation of higher sales down the rate—at a strong rate, it adds to GDP. When they don’t restock depleted inventories, it detracts from growth. And in the first quarter, it turns out that companies didn’t restock aggressively — either because traffic was slow due to the weather, or because they had ordered too much stuff the last time. Private inventories fell by a stunning 70 percent in the first quarter of 2014 from the fourth quarter of 2013. Inventories alone knocked down the rate of growth by 1.7 percent.
But the biggest surprise came in health care. Declining health care spending accounted for a big chunk of the decline. In the quarter, health care spending actually fell $6.4 billion from the fourth quarter of 2013. That’s not much of a decline. But it represented a very substantial revision from what the government had originally reported. A month ago, the BEA thought health care spending rose at a 9.1 percent annual rate in the first quarter. After all, health care spending almost always rises—and quite rapidly. But today, upon further reflection and numbers-crunching, it concluded that health care spending actually fell at a 1.4 percent annual rate. So instead of adding 1.01 percentage points to the GDP growth rate, as the government thought last month, health care wound up sandbagging growth by .16 percent. That differential accounted for about 60 percent of the downward revision.
Why did this happen? It could be that people were hording medicines and avoiding going to the doctor during the cold weather. Or it could be that many newly insured people delayed going to see the doctor, buying medicine, or having procedures done in January, February ,or March until their health care premiums were fully processed by the state and federal exchanges in April. (Remember, April 1 was the deadline for signups under the Affordable Care Act). It could be that doctors are rationing health care—refusing to schedule appointments. Or it could be that many people are actually paying less for health care because they have insurance—i.e. seeing doctors with a $25 co-pay instead of going to the emergency room.
Clearly, the implementation of Obamacare is disrupting and disturbing the way that health care services are being priced and consumed. In the first quarter, that led to lower spending—either through lower utilization, or lower prices, or some combination thereof.
So, are we in a recession? Popular definition holds that it is two consecutive quarters of negative growth. The reality is that it’s kind of like pornography—the National Bureau of Economic Research knows one when it sees one. It decides if a peak has been reached and there’s a persistent decline.
But the reality is that we don’t seem to be there. In fact, much of the data—especially the data related to consumers—shows that the spring is more than making up for the slack winter. New car sales in May were 1.61 million, the highest rate in years. New homes sales, reported Monday, soared 18.6 percent from April, and were at the highest annual rate since 2008. Consumer confidence bumped up in May to its highest level since January 2008.
The two indicators you’d want to watch the most—if you’re worried about a recession are jobs and consumer spending. It’s hard to have economic growth without both moving in the same direction, and hard to have a recession if both are in negative territory. Retail sales so far this year are up 3.4 percent from 2013.
Meanwhile, the jobs front is actually looking pretty good. This was the worst quarterly economic performance since the first quarter of 2009. In that quarter, after having been in recession for a year and losing 3.6 million jobs, the free-falling economy shed 2.3 million positions. By contrast, in the first quarter of 2014, after the economy had added jobs for 46 straight months, it added another 569,000.
So, yeah, it was a very big hiccup—one sufficiently large to jolt the heart from its regular beat. But it seems to be back on pace. Fortunately, the American economy has some health insurance.
Related from The Daily Beast


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Kim Dotcom's Mega to accept Bitcoins
By Nicole Kobie
Posted on 18 Feb 2013 at 16:33
Kim Dotcom's Mega now accepts the Bitcoin virtual currency as payment for storage upgrades on the file-sharing site.
The new site from Kim Dotcom already offers users 50GB of storage for free, but those wanting more have to upgrade. Now, they can do that via the virtual currency Bitcoin, giving users an alternative to PayPal.
According to the BBC, the current rate for a Bitcoin is about £17, allowing a single coin to buy two months of Mega's cheapest storage package.
Find out morePaying for your crimes with Bitcoin
After Dotcom's last site Megaupload was shut down after a police raid, his own arrest and an FBI extradition attempt, Mega launched with the promise of being legally sound and secure. Kim Dotcom has suggested the site already has three million users.
Files are encrypted, for example, meaning Mega can't see what's being uploaded. The use of Bitcoins is another step in the same direction – although the virtual currency doesn't necessarily offer perfect anonymity, it at least isn't going through American corporations such as credit card firms.
Buying additional storage for Mega with Bitcoins can be done via a reseller site called BitVoucher, Dotcom said over Twitter.
"BitVoucher was created so that users of Mega could use Bitcoins to purchase quick and secure upgrades without revealing their identity to anyone other than Mega," the site says.
"The Bitcoin payment system allows its users to make payments without revealing their identities or other personal information, unlike credit cards, Paypal and similar systems," the site adds. "Both BitVoucher and our payment processor, Zip-Bit, believe that an excess of customer information is already collected through existing channels, and we like to consider ourselves a haven from the intrusive nature of most payment processors."
Mega is the latest web firm to start accepting Bitcoins. Last week, Reddit announced it would accept the currency for its Gold membership, while a US start-up is taking bitcoins as payment for pizza.
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When the truck plant closure was announced, a convoy of some 250 cars surrounded GM's Oshawa operations, temporarily halting production. It will have to navigate political headwinds and not overplay its hand during upcoming union negotiations.
Union leaders are scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Ottawa on Tuesday afternoon.
"The ones that are sole-sourced to the plant, you know, who've been living off GM rather than getting out and hustling other business, they're vulnerable".
Unifor Local 222 shop chairman Greg Moffat said Monday the plant is not closing "without the fight of our lives".
The competition means that even productive plants like Oshawa can't necessarily compete as companies streamline operations and vehicles lines, said Greig Mordue, McMaster University's Arcelor Mittal Dofasco chair in advanced manufacturing.
However, such future-minded and proactive thinking is a high-risk, potentially high-reward bet.
The automaker said it would shift resources to investing in electric and autonomous vehicles. But the operations remain unprofitable.
For the union representing the autoworkers it was a slap in the face.
"If they're not making vehicles there then obviously they don't need our assemblies", he said in an interview Wednesday.
Langley said the announced elimination of the passenger cars wasn't surprising, but the immediacy of canceling the cars "so quickly is a new phenomenon".More news: Microsoft briefly tops Apple as most valuable company
The Canadian and Ontario governments joined the United States in supporting GM with billions of dollars in aid after the automaker filed for bankruptcy protection during the severe 2009 global economic downturn. "So they are not single-customer (parts) plants", he told Yahoo Finance Canada. GM, she said, was acting completely disorganized and the communication all round had been poor.
However, there are some legitimate concerns about what kind of ripple effect the Oshawa closure will have on the industry.
"What do we have to do?'" said Ford, referring to a Sunday night call with GM Canada's President Travis Hester.
"GM is leaving Canada". He said he and neighbouring Oshawa MP Colin Carrie were "reaching out for information". "They know they're making a great product. but they also realize that the auto is not selling, and, you know, the key is to get another product for this plant".
GM announced Monday that it would idle three factories in North America. That has not occurred; however, it is expected.
GM also said it will reduce salaried and salaried contract staff by 15 per cent, which includes 25 per cent fewer executives.
But doing so also leaves automakers vulnerable to shifts in consumer preference back to passenger cars. "We think it is appropriate to do it at this time while the company is strong and the economy is strong".
One potential partner could be Honda Motor Co., which already has r&d relationships with GM for fuel cell and autonomous vehicles.
The US$6 billion in savings includes cost reductions of US$4.5 billion and lower capital expenditure annually of nearly US$1.5 billion. The company noted that the increase in taxes have cost the corporation $1 billion.
The cost of the changes will be spread out over the next two quarters.


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Apple's iPhone event is finally upon us. It's been a year of rumours, speculation, rival devices, Internet fights, wish-lists, and more, but in a few short hours, the updated iPhone will be revealed and the cycle will begin anew.
Things kick off at 18:00 BST (10:00 PDT, 13:00 EST) and we’ll be following the event live, bringing you all the details as they happen. This launch will be a more intimate affair than Apple's June Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), which provided a sneak peek at iOS 7 and OS X Mavericks, with Apple giving the press a first glimpse at the new iPhone.
Until then, here's a rundown of the biggest rumours that have dominated the tech headlines for the past few months. Grab your Apple bingo forms and see how many you get.
Budget iPhone 5C
Rumours of a low cost iPhone have been circulating for ages, but they’ve picked up steam this year. If Apple really wants to compete against smartphone behemoth Samsung, the theory goes, it needs to branch out into emerging markets, and a lower cost iPhone might be the ticket. More recently, the "iPhone 5C" moniker has been attached to the device, with the "C" reportedly referring to the various colour options for the smartphone (and not the word "cheap").
China Mobile Deal
One market in which Apple would like to improve its returns is China, a country full of white label Android gadgets. Though the Chinese have clamoured for iPhones in the past, Apple recently saw a drop in revenue over in China. One way to fix that would be to launch the iPhone on China Mobile, the world's largest mobile carrier with 740 million subscribers. Reports of a China Mobile deal have been doing the rounds for some time, but the most recent rumour said that Apple is shipping the low cost iPhone 5C to the carrier. Apple is also hosting a separate press conference in Beijing, so stay tuned.
Gold iPhone (and grey?)
Japanese website Macotakara recently reported that Apple has developed a gold iPhone, which will be offered for its new high-end iPhone 5S in addition to the white and black options. Several photos of this gold (or champagne) smartphone have popped up online, with a variety of news outlets confirming its existence with sources. Gold is reportedly a popular colour in China, so this might be another effort to produce a device that will be popular in the region. Meanwhile, last month Apple insider Sonny Dickson published a gallery of photos on his website featuring a "grey or graphite" iPhone with black trim.
20 September launch date
As we reported last week, it seems that the iPhone 5S will likely go on sale in the UK on Friday 20 September, with the iPhone 5C to follow a week later. Over in the US, according to TmoNews, Apple will probably release the new iPhone(s) on 20 September. The blog cited "whispers" that T-Mobile is "blacking out" 20-22 September, meaning that employees cannot take any holidays during that time. Apple iPhone launches are usually a big production, so Apple and carrier stores require all hands on deck. These dates are in line with last year's iPhone launch – the iPhone 5 was unveiled on 12 September and it hit stores on 21 September in the UK and the US.
The sapphire touch
Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst with KGI Securities, said that the smartphone will have a convex home button with a space for a fingerprint sensor. That home button will also reportedly be made of the same scratch-resistant sapphire crystal found on the lens of the iPhone 5.
All the rest
For more, check out What Apple has planned for the iPhone launch event, and our iPhone 5S and 5C wish-list.


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Injustice: Gods Among Us
Two New Injustice Videos Showcase Aquaman, Green Lantern
on February 22, 2013 at 12:39 PM
As someone who hasn't read many comics since the early 2000s, I have always been under the impression that Aquaman is the worst superhero ever created. However, the comic fans in the office have informed me that New 52 reboot somehow found a way to make him cool (or at least tolerable). Aquaman's...
A Behind The Scenes Look At Injustice: Gods Among Us
on November 06, 2012 at 01:06 PM
What does the team at NetherRealm Studios think of Injustice: Gods Among Us? They think it's awesome, obviously. Watch them talk about their inspiration for the game, how they tweaked the controls, and how they worked with DC Comics to bring some of the company's most iconic characters to life...
Ed Boon Talks Injustice: Gods Among Us
on August 22, 2012 at 06:01 PM
Note: This interview originally ran in the E3 Hot 50 issue of Game Informer magazine. Ed Boon has been a well-known name in the gaming industry ever since Mortal Kombat became a cultural phenomenon in the early ‘90s. Despite having almost two decades of experience in the genre, Injustice is his...
Nightwing And Cyborg Spring Into Action In New Injustice Trailer
on July 13, 2012 at 10:12 AM
Yesterday, Warner Bros. Interactive reveled that Nightwing and Cyborg would be joining the cast of Netherrealm's latest fighting game, Injustice. Today, they've released a gameplay video that shows the heroes in action. Nightwing may or may not be kind of a dope, but he looks like a world-class...
We Go Hands-On With The Superheroes Of Injustice: Gods Among Us
on June 06, 2012 at 10:41 PM
NetherRealm made waves with their fantastic Mortal Kombat reboot last year, and they surprised fighting fans once again with their recent reveal of Injustice: Gods Among Us. Starring DC superheroes, the new title makes use of the Mortal Kombat engine and was playable on the E3 show floor this year. We...
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Hyundai Digital Asset business (Hdac) paid to air a television business for its blockchain answer-based services right through this year’s World Cup in Russia. And while it turned into simplest a bit over half a minute, it’s whatever thing of a first. The crypto group generally wow’d at the ecosystem’s arrival, its maturity, in having the theory put in front of tens of hundreds of thousands of people (might be even billions). besides the fact that children, is this actually an advancement, or is it just a further cynical corporate ploy to make the most a little understood know-how?
also read: US Presidential Candidate Would Pardon Snowden, Ulbricht on First Day
thousands and thousands are exposed to Blockchain know-how throughout World Cup
With a fine historical normal blow out in proof on the pitch, 2018 World Cup fans looking at on tv worldwide have been confronted with possibly something slightly extra interesting, the word ‘blockchain’. Zug, Switzerland’s Hyundai Digital Asset business paid to air a 35 second spot highlighting its products via their use of know-how underpinning cryptocurrencies akin to Bitcoin.
“Hdac expertise is constructing the long run with the blockchain answer,” the spot immediately highlights at the screen’s backside. The scene opens to a latest family, probably one in the no longer too far away future. They’ve holographic imagery in carrier to primary needs; even a little lady can use them with self assurance. The family unit leaves, and quite unexpectedly domestic home equipment start communicating, calculating, working for his or her masters while they’re away. “Hdac know-how platform is sensible and relaxed, due to the blockchain answer,” the advert concludes.
In corporate communicate, this style is well-known as the web of things (IoT). The home equipment are demonstrating how “a interconnected smart household will function,” in line with its press unlock. the coming world is interconnected digitally, and come what may blockchain is critical. English-speaking viewers of ITV and Eurosport are the fundamental objectives of the vignette, and Hdac promises to have replays of it throughout the size of this 12 months’s event.
As bang for the buck goes, operating a spot throughout the realm Cup at the very least exposes the product or capabilities to tens of tens of millions, as without doubt become the case throughout greater recent later-bracket suits with so an awful lot at stake event-shrewd. Estimates of viewership, together with usual World Cup cognizance around the globe, consist of nearly half the human inhabitants.
Trillion greenback company Meets Blockchain Hype
Of path, Hyundai the foreign massive is a familiar brand. It’s subsidiary, Hdac, is less so. It became headquartered remaining 12 months by using the nephew of the mum or dad enterprise’s existing CEO. certainly, blockchain is essential to their most useful success, or so it would seem to be. “The expertise can also be utilized to smart factories, smart homes, wise buildings, and numerous industries,” Hdac’s web page reads. desktop to computing device transactions “for mutual contracts and operation between IoT devices are carried out to carry a platform the place rational consumptions and transactions are feasible,” Hdac stresses dizzyingly.
certainly, Hdac even jumped onboard the preliminary coin providing bandwagon, raising 1 / 4 of one billion bucks with its DAC token presentation in late 2017. As a welcome to the wild world of corporate crypto its mining pool changed into quickly hacked. The business scrambled to handle the problem, having to at one point stop all withdrawals. It additionally settled on verbiage claiming to settle for no liability because of the pool being “decentralized.”
advertisements like theirs can run $ 300k per airing, and Hdac has scheduled eighty spots all through the event. The ad is distinctly vulnerable on true particulars, and every little thing about it points to potential and the long run. Critics say that’s as a result of blockchain use instances are few and much between in precise applied, practical, conventional implementation. For crypto area veterans it is additionally far from clear precisely how blockchain is even critical to appliances etc, an awful lot less how an historic, quite clunky tech accelerates innovation (blockchain is conveniently a glorified database). Its lone use case, as far as anyone can inform, is through performing along with a cryptocurrency.
nevertheless, there can be something to airing related crypto tech at mainstream audiences. a whole lot of what passes for dialogue on the subject in well-known media involves nefarious characters. at the least within the Hdac attempt a family is front and core. For now, there’s potential and the longer term, both slippery linguistic break out hatches by design, and the mandatory ICO token … which may clarify the dog’s confusion.
Is blockchain tech outside of cryptocurrencies simply hype? let us know within the feedback part under.
images by the use of Pixabay.
determine and song bitcoin money transactions on our BCH Block Explorer, the best of its kind any place on earth. additionally, keep up together with your holdings, BCH and different cash, on our market charts at Satoshi Pulse, another long-established and free provider from Bitcoin.com.


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updated 06:30 pm EDT, Mon June 2, 2008
3G iPhone design insight
As the suspected June introduction date for the third generation iPhone rolls closer, a developer claims to have accurate insight into the device's specifications. While Apple has not yet confirmed any specs, the insider reveals that the 3G iPhone would be thinner than the present model, with double the internal memory - 16GB and 32GB - as well as sporting a longer battery life. The tipster says that Apple CEO Steve Jobs will launch the device on June 9th at the WWDC.
Supporting a long-standing theory, the developer also noted that the iPhone will have built-in GPS positioning, while also maintaining an aggressive $200 price tag to compete with the BlackBerry.
Reports did not confirm whether or not earlier design leaks were going to take effect, such as a completely plastic back with a white, black, or red coloured shell.
[via Cult of Mac]


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In most countries, small and medium enterprises are important contributors to economic welfare. This is the main reason why a digitalized trade system can open more opportunities to further SME growth.
Trade finance has been undergoing a digital revolution for decades. But the advancement of new technologies such as blockchain and distributed ledger technologies (DLT) have accelerated this. A recent 2020 study by TFG and WTO shows 12 initiatives using DLT in trade finance (both open account and documentary trade).
SMEs need to re-think their innovation strategy including digitalisation as the pandemic has accelerated the shift to digital technology in trade.
If regulators and established FIs are to place their faith – and their capital – in Blockchain, it must have a financial crime control framework to match efficiency of the solutions blockchain offers.
With the departure of we.trade’s cofounder Roberto Mancone – TFG investigates the significant challenges on the road ahead for the blockchain platform.
UniCredit has recently announced the successful completion of its first Italian transaction via blockchain-based trading platform we.trade.
In this edition of Trade Finance Talks, we speak with Roberto Mancone at we.trade, and Daniele Gnagnarella. Here, we discuss how they are changing the face of trade and receivables finance, and the Consortia 2019 event in May
Euro Exim’s Compliance and Operations Head Graham Bright spoke to TFG on their decision to join other global Ripple participants for the first project, namely using the xCurrent service where… read more →


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BEIJING—Think a bottle of mineral water might have poisoned you? Then test it on a chicken.
One Chinese family on the southern island province of Hainan had just that idea when one of their number started vomiting blood after drinking a bottle of water, a newspaper said.
They fed the luckless chicken the rest of the water to see what would happen, the Beijing News said, citing a report in a local paper. “The result was the chicken died within a minute,” it said, showing a picture of a man holding a plastic bottle squatting over the crumpled body of the bird.
The province's authorities were investigating, it added.
Barely a day goes by without some new scandal over a made-in-China product, be it toys, toothpaste or fish, which has raised safety concerns in major export markets around the world.


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The gains made by the LGBT community within corporate America have been impressive in recent years.
A record 366 businesses achieved a top rating in an annual survey by the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s leading LGBT advocacy group, that measures corporate policies, benefits and practices for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender workers.
In another important signal, 379 businesses — from Coca-Cola Co. to Goldman Sachs Inc. — declared their support for same-sex marriage this year by filing an amicus brief with the Supreme Court.
And there have been strides in C-suites at corporations like Nike Inc., Facebook Inc., Wells Fargo & Co. and most prominently, Apple Inc., where chief executive Tim Cook came out last year in an essay where he wrote: “I’m proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me.”
The achievements, however, of LGBT small-business owners and entrepreneurs have typically been far less chronicled than those made by other minority communities, even though they represent an estimated 1.4 million businesses nationwide.
In fact, small businesses run by LGBT owners are playing an increasing open role in economic and political arenas.
It can be seen with Brian Dingman, 48, co-owner of Juice Shack, which started 20 years ago as a shop specializing in blended-to-order smoothies and fresh-squeezed vegetable blends. Today, the Santa Rosa company operates seven locations in Sonoma County and employs 70 workers.
Juice Shack was recently named one of the top 25 LGBT-owned businesses in the Bay Area by the San Francisco Business Times, landing at No. 9 in the poll on the basis of the number of local employees. Two other Sonoma County businesses also ranked in the poll: Cowgirl Creamery/Tomales Bay Foods in Petaluma, at No. 5 with 100 employees, and the R3 Hotel in Guerneville, at No. 18 with 35 employees. To qualify, the business must be more than 50 percent owned by a LGBT person or persons.
The list itself is remarkable because it is the first time such a count has ever been done in the Bay Area. Around 20 years ago, the publication tried to create a list — such rankings are commonplace among business journals — but met great reluctance from LGBT entrepreneurs who feared the publicity would lead to customer backlash and threats to employee safety, according to staff.
But times have changed. The publication found a much greater willingness to participate in its survey, with some assistance from the Golden Gate Business Association, the first business organization founded by LGBT entrepreneurs.
“We’re telling the story in the mainstream press because it’s part of mainstream business,” said Mary Huss, publisher of the San Francisco Business Times.
A few businesses on the list cater more specifically to the LGBT community, such as a leather shop or tourism agency, but the majority seek to appeal to everyone, such as a real estate firm, a coffee roaster and a law firm.
Dingman, who owns Juice Shack with college friend Doug Randolph, said he appreciated the recognition that came with the listing, including an awards ceremony. While he doesn’t market Juice Shack as an LGBT-owned business, he is out in the community.
“Our main push is providing a quality, healthy product to our community,” Dingman said. “If people ask me, yes I will tell them ... but when I hire people and talk to them I’m not like, ‘Hi, I’m your gay boss.’”


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Downtown office building headed for auction
Bankrupt car warranty company may lose Fourth and Union HQ
Published 10:00 pm, Friday, October 11, 2002
Lenders have begun foreclosure proceedings on the downtown Seattle headquarters building of a troubled car warranty company.
The five-story office building, at Fourth Avenue and Union Street, is scheduled to be auctioned in a trustee's sale Jan. 10 unless Warranty USA's owner comes up with more than $3 million to pay off two defaulted loans, according to King County property records.
A partnership led by Warranty USA owner A. John Common acquired the building, at 1408 Fourth Ave., for $5 million in May 2000, records show. The company, which sold car warranties, kept the top three floors for itself and leased out the rest.
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The next year, however, Warranty USA came under fire in several states for allegedly failing to make refunds it had promised to customers. The state of Minnesota sued the company, alleging fraud, false advertising and deceptive trade practices.
In March, the company, through several of its affiliates, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Nevada. A reorganization plan was filed last month.
Separately, Common is appealing a $27.7 million judgment entered against him in August in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, court records show. The judgment resulted from a suit brought by A.I. Credit Corp. in an attempt to recover a $30 million loan.
Common could not be reached yesterday, and his lawyers were not available for comment. Calls to the company's two listed offices in Seattle went unanswered.
The downtown Seattle building is on a prime commercial block, a block from Rainier Square and two blocks from Westlake Center. Mayur Sheth, who sold the building to the Common-controlled partnership, said yesterday that he plans to buy it back if the foreclosure auction proceeds. Sheth's company, Alpha Supply Inc., still leases the building's second floor.
"It's a great location," he said.
The building is one of four commercial properties in Seattle acquired by partnerships led by Common in 1999 and 2000 for a combined purchase price of more than $10 million, property records show.
The Nevada bankruptcy court in August authorized brokerage company CB Richard Ellis to market the four properties for sale. One of the buildings, at 625 First Ave., has since been sold in a foreclosure auction. The other buildings are at 315 Second Ave. and 1405 Elliott Ave. W.


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Cycling in Columbus, OH
The city of Columbus, OH is on the path of becoming a very bicycle-friendly place to live. So far, the cycling community of Columbus makes up 0.8% out of city’s population, and they’re growing their ranks. The city has shown a commitment to get more people out of their cars and on two wheels, as is evident from the cycling infrastructure in the city which keeps getting better. Columbus’ cyclists will be able to count on protected bike lanes and parking infrastructure, as well as on miles of trails that already exist in and around the city, and are expanding at a decent rate.
Best Bicycle Shops in Columbus
With such a vigorous and steady emphasis on making the city bicycle-friendlier, Columbus has also become a place where people can easily find the bikes they need, the gear and accessories, as well as someone who can repair and tune their bikes for them.
The shops you can see here are among Columbus’ best bike shops. We’ve checked what people have been saying about them, and we’ve only included the stores that have good reviews from their customers. If you’re a customer of one of these shops, or any of the bike shops in the Columbus area, make sure to share your opinions about the shops you visited.
|Revolution Cycles||1201 N High St Columbus, OH 43201||4,81|
|Bicycle One||82 Mill St Gahanna, OH 43230||4,71|
|Paradise Garage||921 N High St Columbus, OH 43201||4,69|
|roll: on Polaris||2017 Polaris Pkwy Columbus, OH 43240||4,57|
|roll: on Lane||1510 W Lane Ave Upper Arlington, OH 43221||4,21|
|Once Ridden Bikes||2592 Indianola Ave Columbus, OH 43202||3,94|
|BikeSource||4840 Sawmill Rd Columbus, OH 43235||3,93|
Columbus Cycling News
The Republic - 1 day ago
A recent Columbus Signature Academy — New Tech High School graduate and soon-to-be freshman at the University of Indianapolis, Thomason said he became interested in cycling when he was about 8...
Goshen News - 2 days ago
ELKHART — Kirk Robbins of Roseland lifted his bicycle off the bike rack on his car and set it on the pavement in the parking lot at the Knights of Columbus in Elkhart for the Quilt Gardens Ride...
The Columbus Dispatch - 4 weeks ago
“That 2,000 feet can have a huge impact when it makes an entire corridor safely accessible,” said Catherine Girves, executive director of Yay Bikes!, a bicycle advocacy group, and an avid central...
Columbus Ledger-Enquirer - 2 weeks ago
A 24-year-old from Bel Air, Maryland, made it his goal to spend the summer of 2017 traveling over 4,000 miles across the United States to help raise money for pediatric heart disease. And while he...
Columbus Ledger-Enquirer - 4 weeks ago
It is illegal to ride a bicycle on a pedestrian sidewalk. Columbus police have written tickets to cyclists riding on sidewalks instead of on the road or a trail. 5. Bikes need to have lights, or at...
News via Google. See more news matching 'Bike Bicycle Columbus Cycling'


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AfricaPress-Tanzania: BARELY a day after Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa issued four-day ultimatum to Regional Commissioners to work on cement crisis, the latter on Tuesday began acting on the order, with some fielding their subordinates to do survey or operation.
Cement crisis was Majaliwa’s first agenda immediately after he took oath of the office, on Monday this week, at Chamwino State House in Dodoma.
The Premier Majaliwa ordered the RCs to investigate the reported nationwide shortage of cement, which has led to ‘unreasonable’ price hike.
According the Prime Minister, cement prices have hiked whereby retail prices of the product has increased by between 3,000/- and 4,000/- per 50kg bag.
He, therefore, told them to find out root causes of the problem and give feedback by Friday this week.
Some Regional Commissioners in the cement producing regions have quickly responded to the Prime Minister’s ultimatum, including in Dar es Salaam and Tanga.
Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Aboubakar Kunenge has already taken swift steps in line with the Premier’s order, noting that one of them was to dispatch the police force in all five districts to conduct operation over the cement crisis.
Mr Kunenge directed the law enforcers to conduct a manhunt and arrest dealers, who have inflated prices.
He said it was baseless to continue selling the product at high prices, while manufacturers have confirmed that they did not raise industrial prices of the product.
“The regional government will never bear with those people, who inflate prices. They should be dealt with at any cost, this is to steal from the citizens,” Mr Kunenge stressed.
He informed that in his region some of dealers who were found to have been selling the cement at unordinary prices have been arrested.
However, he quickly said due to intentions that had been made before the Prime Minister’s directive, some dealers had started lowering retail prices.
Tanga Regional Commissioner Martine Shigela was on Tuesday on his way back to Tanga from Dodoma, to attend swearing in of Prime Minister, but he had already acted upon Majaliwa’s directive.
Even as he was yet to arrive in Tanga, RC Shigela had already brought down the directive to his subordinates; District Commissioners (DCs).
He said he has instructed DCs to do survey at cement stores and compile report about state of cement prices in their jurisdictions and hand over the reports to him immediately.
Mtwara Regional Commissioner Gelasius Byakanwa said he was still in Dodoma and would organize with his people in the region to implement Prime Minister’s directive immediately after he returns back in Mtwara.
“I am still in Dodoma; I will let you know what we have done in response to Prime Minister’s order over cement crisis,” he told the ‘Daily News’ reporter.
The cement crisis bites more in Lake Zone regions where the prices have skyrocketed at an extraordinary level.
The ‘Daily News’ spoke to some of the Regional Commissioners from those regions, who as well expressed measures they have taken to tackle the problem.
Geita Regional Commissioner (RC), Engineer Robert Gabriel, stated; “I always tell them whatever the causes; nobody is allowed to violate the law by setting their own prices. There are some official procedures to present their claims, if any.
“I have already formed the team to investigate the issue and bring answers in the given time frame by the Prime Minister. I’m much sure the problem will be immediately solved as no one is above the law,” said the RC.
He further warned that whoever found violating the law (setting own price) will be in trouble as law enforcers are ready to take legal actions.
He admitted an increase in cement price in his area, from the indicative 20,000/- to 20,500/- to between 22,000/- and 23,000/- per bag.
He said most traders do usually give irrelevant reasons behind price increase, including delay in availability of the products at manufacturing sites, with truck drivers spend long time and many expenses at factories.
Kagera Regional Commissioner (RC), Brig Gen Marco Gaguti, told the ‘Daily News’ in a telephone interview from Dodoma, where he witnessed the swearing-in of Prime Minister Majaliwa that he expected to arrive in Bukoba Municipality today.
“This is a matter of priority I will be working on it immediately upon my arrival,” he said.
The price of cement in Bukoba Municipal Council remained high for almost two months even as some manufactures refuted reports of public complaints against the commodities’ inflated prices.
The survey revealed that a bag of cement was available at retail price of between 22,000/- -25,000/- depending on the brand. Before the hiked prices, a bag of cement was sold between 18,000/- – 21,000/-.
Hassan Biluganyuma (45), who owns a retail shop along Kawawa Street, at Miembeni Ward said cement price increased sharply during campaigns prior to the October 28 general election.
Tanzania has a total of 14 cement producing companies which have a joint production capacity of 10.6 million metric tons per year.
The factories however produce a total of six million metric tonnes per year against an annual demand of 5.6 million metric tonnes.
The extra 400,000 metric tonnes of cement is exported, largely to neighbouring countries.


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2/4/2010 11:05:00 AM
Indies could get into home devices market
Independent dealers could tap into the emerging 'home
devices' market and lower the risk of being 'edged out'
altogether, according to HSC business director Bob Sweetlove.
Networks restrict consumer products and services to 'only certain
channels', and independent mobile retailers need a strategy that
will allow them to grow their businesses despite this, Sweetlove
said in a blog on the HSC website.
The 'connected home', where devices such as TVs and games
consoles communicate with each other via a network, is a strategy
that LG, Samsung and Nokia are already involved in.
Sweetlove told Mobile: 'Traditionally, dealers have been left
out. What can they do to differentiate and move into new areas?'
He added: 'Carphone Warehouse are doing this [home networks] on a
large scale but the dealer could do it on a local level.'
The blog said: 'With many homes happily using Wi-Fi for their
home computing requirements, there is the potential to expand
this home network to enhance communication and access to music
and video among other home content.
'With a small investment in digital storage and routing equipment
we could very quickly transform our homes into modern media
centres that are managed by remote controls. Wouldn't it be great
to get a local specialist to pop round to your house to show you
what could be done and how?'
Sweetlove added: 'It's purely an idea - mobile dealers are being
edged out and have either closed down or gone into franchise
schemes. Is this something for the future of mobile? Can we bring
in the networks?'
The blog said: 'Carphone are certainly looking into it with their
Wireless World rollout so there is a template to work


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Over the weekend, HTC announced that it sold 25 percent of its share in Beats Audio back to Beats' founders for $150 million - less than a year after it formed the partnership.
Last August, HTC bought a controlling stake in Beats Audio for $309million and was seen as an attempt by the Taiwanese manufacturer to differentiate itself from fellow Android smartphone manufacturers like Samsung and LG.
However, the partnership has yielded little in the way of critical plaudits, with most phones featuring the Beats Audio technology failing to capture the public's imagination. Most recently we've seen the One series, including the flagship One X, all the way down to the budget Desire C, featuring the technology.
In a statement over the weekend, HTC and Beats announced "a realignment of their business agreement that provides Beats with more flexibility for global expansion while maintaining HTC's major stake and commercial exclusivity in mobile."
Under the terms of the agreement, the founding members of Beats - which include the American rapper Dr. Dre - will buy back 25 percent of its total shares for a total of approximately 75 percent ownership, with HTC remaining the largest outside shareholder with approximately 25 percent.
Analyst reaction to the decision has been one of bemusement: "We find HTC's announcement of cutting back its investment in Beats puzzling," said Morgan Stanley in a research report, adding that the structure of the whole deal from acquisition to disposal does not make much strategic and financial sense to HTC shareholders without disclosure of more details.
"Reducing its holding to 25.57 percent signals HTC's separation from Beats' operations. Possibly it implies that there was not much synergy between the two companies from the beginning."
Following the announcement HTC's share price dropped and by 10.30am (GMT) on Monday, it had lost 4.33 percent.
This announcement comes two weeks after the company revealed its Q2 2012 financial results which showed a 57.8 percent drop in net profits. HTC blamed problems with customs in the US and weaker-than-expected sales of its smartphones in Europe for the drop in profit.
HTC's share price has lost over a quarter of its value since the latest set of figures were announced, and the Taiwanese company faces stiff competition from the likes of Samsung, ZTE and of course Apple in the highly competitive smartphone market.


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SAN DIEGO, Sept. 7, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CEDIA Conference – HomeAdvisor, the nation's leading digital home service marketplace, and CEDIA, the international trade association for companies who design, manufacture and install technology for the home, today announced the results* of a survey of 1,450 smart home installation and maintenance professionals. The survey, taken of home professionals ranging from high-end custom installers to handymen, explores the emergence of the smart home industry from the perspective of the pros who know it best. The results reveal that more than three quarters of home professionals are regularly receiving requests for smart home installation or service. What's more, they expect this demand to increase over the coming 12 months.
"This report shows that when it comes to smart home technologies, homeowners are migrating away from DIY to more of a 'do-it-for-me mindset,'" said HomeAdvisor Smart Home Strategist Dan DiClerico. "The findings present a blueprint that will help professionals succeed in the ever-evolving smart home field."
"Having a smart, connected home is becoming more desired and accessible, driving demand for smart home professionals," said Dave Pedigo, CEDIA VP of Emerging Technologies. "This survey allowed us to tap into a large qualified group of pros doing smart home installations. The results are pretty clear: There is tremendous growth opportunity in our market, and CEDIA will be there to offer the necessary skills and training for those home professionals who need to get up to speed."
The full report, complete with additional insights and details is available here.
HomeAdvisor is the operator of the largest home services marketplace across the globe, providing homeowners the tools and resources for home repair, maintenance and improvement projects. HomeAdvisor's marketplace lets homeowners view average project costs using True Cost Guide, find local prescreened home professionals and instantly book appointments online or through HomeAdvisor's award-winning mobile app, compatible with all iOS, Android and smart home devices such as Amazon Echo. Globally, HomeAdvisor owns the market leaders in Canada (HomeStars), Germany (MyHammer), France (Travaux.com), Netherlands (Werkspot), Italy (Instapro) and the UK (MyBuilder). HomeAdvisor is based in Golden, Colo., and is an operating business of IAC (NASDAQ: IAC).
CEDIA is the international trade association and central touch point for 3,700 member companies who design, manufacture, and install technology for the home. CEDIA is committed to helping members at every level set a pathway to prosperity by offering industry-leading education, training, and certification; delivering market intelligence through proprietary research; providing opportunities to foster community within the channel, and cultivating awareness with industry partners and consumers. CEDIA founded the largest annual residential technology show, now in its 28th year, and co-owns Integrated Systems Europe, the world's largest AV and systems integration exhibition. CEDIA members deliver technology solutions that allow people to have their best moments in life from the comfort of their own home. Life Lived Best at Home. To learn more about CEDIA, visit www.cedia.net.
*Results included in the report are based on an online survey conducted by HomeAdvisor and CEDIA. The survey was conducted nationwide from June 6- July 1, 2017 among 1,450 respondents. And, each survey respondent stated the majority of their work is on residential projects.


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WA designers ready to head to Sydney
WA designers created a splash at L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Week and now they look set to take over Sydney at the Rosemount Australian Fashion Week from May 3-7.
Alvin Fernandez' popular ae'lkemi label has confirmed its first solo show at RAFW, as has Flannel, which won last year's best new designer award at the New Generation show.
Aurelio Costarella's show last year was a highlight and the label promises to impress again this year.
Meanwhile, emerging local talents Kooey Swimwear, Garth Cook and Carly Hunter are also set to shine on the runway.
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Taiwanese smartphone company HTC looks all set to roll out their upcoming flagship smartphone in a fortnight’s time thereabouts, where it is known as the All New HTC One, or the HTC M8 as its code name. However, there might be precious little that the public will not know about the All New HTC One when it arrives this coming March 25th, considering the amount of leaks and rumors that have made their way to news wires and online channels? Serial leakster @evleaks has posted an image of a new and upcoming flip cover for the All New HTC One that you can see above, where it sports a variety of colors with the ability to depict the time as well as weather even when the flip cover’s lid is closed.
Well, while we await for March 25th to arrive, here is a quick refresher on what the smartphone will deliver when it drops in your hands. It will boast support for Moto X-style “always listening” software, allowing you to control your smartphone without having to actually touch it, where the power of speech would get the job done as you ask questions including “OK Google Now, what time is it?” or to issue commands such as “OK Google Now, set an alarm for 2:00″, all without having to unlock the screen.


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More On: met gala Dressing down: Kim Kardashian addresses Marilyn Monroe dress scandal for first time Ripley’s insists Kim Kardashian did not damage Marilyn Monroe’s dress Kim Kardashian may have damaged Marilyn Monroe Met Gala dress: claim Amber Heard recalls meeting ‘real gentleman’ Musk at Met Gala after Depp ‘stood her up’
The first Monday of May may be months and months away, but the 2023 Met Gala theme has finally been revealed.
Fashion’s hottest night at the Metropolitan Museum of Art will entail an exhibition of works by legendary designer Karl Lagerfeld.
The Met’s Costume Institute will present “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” come next year. The benefit, known as the Met Gala, will take place on May 1.
The Met wrote in a press release that the event will consist of about 150 designs that “explore the artistic methodology and stylistic vocabulary of Karl Lagerfeld’s designs through recurring themes across more than 65 years, from the 1950s to his final collection in 2019.”
However, as Vogue noted, Lagerfeld often said fashion did not belong in a museum, but was meant for wearing.
“Karl never tired of telling me that fashion did not belong in a museum,” the Costume Institute’s Wendy Yu Curator in Charge, Andrew Bolton, told the magazine. “When we worked on the Chanel show together he was incredibly generous in what he lent, but he was completely disinterested in the exhibition itself! He would say ‘fashion is not art — fashion belongs on the street, on women’s bodies, on men’s bodies.’ ”
The snazzy and swanky bash will bring together wealth, fashion, A-list stars, viral moments and designers for one night only in 2023.
Products from Lagerfeld’s tenures as creative director of Fendi, Chloé and Chanel will be displayed.
Items from his gigs at Balmain and Patou as well as creations from his own namesake label will also be shown.
Many of the late German designer’s sketches will be presented in the show as well.
Bolton noted how “fascinated” he was by how the controversial creator would communicate with his design assistants simply by drawings.
“Every single design in his life was a sketch,” Bolton told CNN recently. “And when I saw the drawings, I thought, ‘These are so charming, so whimsical, so impressionistic.’ “
“But what I didn’t realize was that they contained really precise information — about a shoulder line or the length of a sleeve. And his staff knew exactly what this line meant or what that dot meant, and they could decode it,” Bolton went on.
The Lagerfeld exhibition will be open from May until mid-July next year.
Lagerfeld died in February 2019 at the age of 85 in Paris. The artist was known for his personal look — which included sunglasses, starched collar, platinum-white hair and a seemingly permanent scowl.
This year’s Met Gala theme encompassed the idea of “Gilded Glamour” and had been postponed several times due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Regina King and Lin-Manuel Miranda were the co-chairs and hosts for 2022’s party.


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“The early bird tickets for the Elvis Express sold out within 15 minutes,” Parkes Elvis Festival director Cathy Treasure told the large crowd present for the festival launch on Monday.
The 2019 Parkes Elvis Festival was officially launched at the Parkes Motor Museum, where the 2019 program was unveiled, as was the festival’s travel options.
The regional train service, the Blue Suede Express – the luxury heritage passenger train, the Blue Zephyr, with onboard entertainment which rolled into Parkes for the first time last year – will return with the popular Elvis Express. Ms Treasure said they are further increasing transport for guests and are working with other towns throughout the region.
“Once again we’re teaming up with Forbes, Cowra, Orange and possibly Dubbo to do shuttles to and from so our guests can stay in motels throughout the region and I guess spread the love economically throughout the Central West,” she said.
Regional Express Airlines (REX) is back on board with the Priscilla Plane, which also made its first appearance last year.


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To put it in numbers, 35% more dollars per week were spent on sports drinks during the ‘back-to-school’ weeks (Aug. 13, 2016 – Sept. 10, 2016) compared to an average week throughout the year. Sports drinks led the pack of packaged goods that experienced an uptick in dollar sales when students started school around the nation, Nielsen's report revealed.
Though sports drink sales in general were stagnant—little change between calendar year 2015 and 2016 —they did experience a 5% sales increase when comparing just the back to school period in 2015 to 2016. It was followed by cookie snack and variety packs with 19% more dollar sales during the back to school period, and then pop-up toaster pastries with 14%.
What are parents looking for?
“When it comes to sports drinks, discerning shoppers are comparing ingredients across the many colorful and flavorful options and paying close attention to what’s in and not in the items they buy,” according to Nielsen.
Consumers spent 37% more on sports drinks that are free of artificial sweeteners, and 19% on those free of sugar. Sports drinks with antioxidant properties went up 29% in this period, and free-from artificial colors went up by 25%. The sports drink space has been filling up with new brands that want to deliver a ‘better-for-you’ option (such as Kra), ushering what some analysts call the new era of sports drinks.
For cookie snacks, which took second place, products with fiber claims enjoyed a 43% surge in sales during the back-to-school period compared to the average week. This was followed by cookies with sugar alternatives (35%), more protein (27%), and free from nuts (26%).
School-year start momentum
For some categories, the start of the school year brings in a rush of sales in an otherwise tepid year. Pop-up toaster pastries experienced a 4% decrease in the calendar year but went up by 1% when the back-to-school period is isolated.
Same goes for hummus, with a 5% decrease in the calendar year overall but 1% increase when the school year starts.
The biggest jump goes to packaged brownies, where sales dipped annually by 3% but went up by 8% looking at the back to school period.
Nielsen also observed spikes in sales for fresh produce during the back-to-school period. While the top spot in produce in terms of total dollar sales goes to the apple, with $243.5 million, Nielsen data revealed that mango was the shining star, topping in terms of sales growth.
From 2015 to 2016, volume of mango sales in the five weeks of the back-to-school period grew by 73.6%, while dollar growth was at 33.7%, hitting $22.5 million.
To Nielsen, mango’s top spot was a sign that kids are looking for new flavors, just like their parents.


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Rumors 24 Apr
The moment is finally here for which we were all waiting for and that is the launch of the gaming smartphone from Nubia offering hardware specifications that we generally don’t get to see that often in a smartphone. While there are a bunch of companies making smartphones aimed towards the gaming community, Nubia has made a major impact with the newly announced Nubia Red Magic 3.
The phone offers a 6.65-inch display with full HD+ ultra-widescreen display with a stunning refresh rate of 90Hz that supports HDR content. Apart from that, it boasts stereo speakers throwing audio towards the user via its front-facing speakers, offering cinematic soundscape backed by 3D sound technologies and DTS:X support.
Talking of the uniqueness in design, the phone packs an RGB light on the rear side of the phone that is customizable offering over 16.8 million colors. Nubia Red Magic 3 comes in two RAM options i.e. 6GB and 8GB while the storage option available with these two RAM configurations is 128GB. While the third variant comes in with 12GB RAM with 256GB RAM.
Interestingly, the cooling system on Nubia Red Magic 3 is one of the highlights of the phone offering state of the art liquid cooling technology that also boasts an internal turbofan. The company shared how this setup offers 500 percent faster heat dissipation thus improving performance, though this needs to be tested now that the device is finally announced officially.
The phone comes with Android 9.0 Pie out of the box with little UI changes over the top just like other OEMs do though these are quite subtle in the case of Red Magic 3. Talking about the camera department, the phone offers a 48MP rear-facing the camera while another 16MP camera The phone would be released in China on 3rd May, to begin with, while in the US, Canada, UK, and EU would follow, though the exact date isn’t known yet.
What do you think about the phone? Share your views in the comment section below.


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|Bid||36.940 x 3200|
|Ask||36.950 x 2900|
|Day's Range||36.46 - 37.01|
|52 Week Range||26.01 - 44.36|
|Beta (3Y Monthly)||1.25|
|PE Ratio (TTM)||14.47|
|Earnings Date||Apr 23, 2019 - Apr 29, 2019|
|Forward Dividend & Yield||0.56 (1.54%)|
|1y Target Est||37.41|
A Peek at PayPal’s International OperationsWhy PayPal is closing its Malaysian office PayPal (PYPL) is planning to close its customer support office in Malaysia by the end of this year, a decision the company says is intended to align its
BTIG analyst Mark Palmer increased his price target on shares to PayPal Holdings Inc. to $114 from $95 on Monday on optimism for the company's ability to weather changes in its relationship with eBay Inc. [: ebay] and continue growing active accounts at a fast clip. Palmer's new target is the second highest listed on FactSet. "We believe PayPal is well positioned to continue to generate growth about twice that of its peer group, which justifies a premium multiple," Palmer wrote. He highlighted the company's active account additions of 13.8 million in the latest quarter, which included about 2.9 million that came via acquisitions. The metric was "well above" the recent norm of about 8 million to 9 million net new additions per quarter. PayPal's stock has gained 18% over the past three months, while the S&P 500 has risen 3.2%.
PayPal and Venmo are both great services depending on what the customer wants. Here are the differences between the two popular money apps.
Key Updates from Amazon, eBay, and Alibaba(Continued from Prior Part)Maneuver to bypass American regulators Alibaba’s (BABA) Ant Financial has confirmed its plans to acquire WorldFirst, a British money transfer and currency exchange firm, according
Key Updates from Amazon, eBay, and Alibaba(Continued from Prior Part)eBay initiates quarterly dividend eBay (EBAY) is planning to pay $0.14 per share in dividends to its shareholders in March, which will mark eBay’s first-ever dividend payment. The
If you don't know fashion labels Supreme or Off-White, you've probably also never heard of Grailed, an eBay-like marketplace where those brands are bought and sold. It was started five years ago by CEO ...
HOW MANY PEOPLE do you know who have scored an authentic Sputnik lamp on eBay for $30? When Christiane Lemieux sold her interior-design retail brand DwellStudio to Wayfair—now the largest e-commerce destination for home furnishings and décor—in 2013, she stayed on as executive creative director. Thanks to Wayfair, which she refers to as the “university of e-commerce,” she soon acquired PhD-level authority in digital decorating and shopping.
Any hedge fund with more than $100 million in assets under management has to file a 13F with the SEC detailing its top U.S. equity positions. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 4 Warning Signs with HUBB. Looking through the 13Fs that have been filed so far, for example, we can see that one of the most-bought stocks last quarter was social network Facebook (FB).
Key Updates from Amazon, eBay, and Alibaba(Continued from Prior Part)CounterfeitingCounterfeiting has made it to Amazon’s (AMZN) list of risk factors that are worth bringing to the attention of regulators. In its 2018 annual regulatory filing,
The latest round of 13F filings from institutional investors is out, revealing to the world the stocks that some of the richest and most successful investors have been buying and selling. Takeaways From ...
A number of prominent hedge funds and activist investors snapped up hundreds of millions of dollars worth of eBay stock in the fourth quarter, hoping the company would turn around its operations in the new year, fresh SEC filings show. The Boston-based hedge fund giant Baupost Group bought 21 million eBay shares in the fourth quarter, now worth about $762 million. The fund held zero eBay shares in the previous quarter.
The typical Facebook employee makes double what the typical household in Silicon Valley makes — even as the region's household earnings rose to an all-time high last year.
One of the world's largest sneaker destinations salutes basketball's greatest with a series of 23 drops all under market price Score rare grails, iconic memorabilia and new releases straight from the personal ...
EBay Inc.'s stock price slumped for most of last year but a number of prominent hedge funds were so convinced that change is on the horizon for the e-commerce company that they established new or added to existing positions in the last months of 2018. Baupost Group, run by Seth Klarman, and BlueMountain Capital both made new investments while Hudson Bay Capital Management and Adage Capital Partners expanded their bets with sizable purchases during the fourth quarter, regulatory filings and data compiled by Symmetric.io show. Banking giants UBS AG, Citigroup Inc, JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley, which invest for retail and institutional clients, also purchased millions of new shares, the data show.
EBay Inc., under pressure from activist investor Elliott Management, is shaking up its regional leadership team and laying off more than 100 Bay Area employees. It will also merge its regional teams and appoint Jay Lee as its new "markets" leader, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The company confirmed that Lee is relocating to its San Jose headquarters from Singapore, where he has been running eBay’s Asia Pacific region.
Online marketplace eBay is restructuring its regional leadership as it deals with increased competition and pressure from activist investors. The San Jose, Calif.-based company has about 200 employees at an office in downtown Portland. The Rose City outpost concentrates on the company’s mobile technology and the eBay app, which has 402 million downloads.
E-commerce marketplace eBay has been rethinking its operations in a bid tobring the company back to growth amid strong competition from the likes ofAmazon and a plethora of other online marketplaces
Spotlight on Amazon’s Overseas Operations(Continued from Prior Part)124 billion pounds in online retail spendingConsumers in the United Kingdom are increasingly spending more on online purchases, according to eMarketer. This trend is enlarging the
Amazon Updates: Cloud, Advertising, Prime, and HQ2(Continued from Prior Part)Amazon’s HQ2 plan meets opposition in New YorkAmazon (AMZN) is reconsidering its plan to build one of its new headquarters, known as HQ2, in New York, Reuters reported,
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America’s 50 biggest donors gave $7.8 billion to charitable causes in 2018, a 50% drop from the previous year. Artificial intelligence and privacy were among their top concerns, according to The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) founder Jeff and his soon-to-be-ex-wife Mackenzie Bezos made the list for the first time in 2018, knocking Bill Gates off top spot.
Funko acquires board game company to help drive the stock. Yahoo Finance’s Alexis Christoforous and Brian Sozzi sit down with Funko CEO Brian Mariotti.


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Walmart is expanding its the retail giant said Tuesday. Walmart said the service has the potential to reach 4 million US households and deliver over 1 million packages by drone in a year.across six states,
Up to now, the drone service has only been available in parts of Arkansas. Walmart now is expanding its drone delivery network to 34 sites across six states by the end of the year. In addition to Arkansas, customers in those locations in Arizona, Florida, Texas, Utah and Virginia will be able to order packages delivered by drone to their homes.
Drone delivery will be available between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. for a fee of $4. Walmart said customers will be able to choose from tens of thousands of items like groceries, diapers and over-the-counter medicine. Customers can order items totaling up to 10 pounds and have it delivered by drone in as little as 30 minutes.
“If it fits safely it flies,” the company said.
Other companies like UPS, Amazon and Alphabet are also working on expanding their own drone delivery initiatives.
Google’s parent company Alphabet began flying packages with Wing, its drone delivery service, a series of crashes and .after having previously delivered over 200,000 packages via drone in Australia, Finland and Virginia. UPS drones were in 2019. The same year, Amazon unveiled a — part of Amazon’s drone delivery project that has since been hampered by
In 2020, the FAA announced a set of rules in the US addressing drone safety concerns — which could help bring drone delivery services into the mainstream.