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tv Bloomberg West Bloomberg March 7, 2016 11:00pm-12:01am EST
angie co. it is noon in hong kong -- data frome latest china shows that exports slumped in february, with shipments plunging 25% in dollar terms from a year earlier. it extended the stricken declines for 16 months, falling 14%. trade surplus has $32.6 billion. show contraction was less than expected in china due to a drop in consumer spending. figures also show that growth begin itsthe boj negative for a program designed to increase lending.
another goldman sachs banker is caught up in the investigation into malaysian investment funds. sources say was subpoenaed by the justice department anin late february. he left early this year. headlines, powered by 2400 journalists in 150 bureaus around the world. let's take a look at the markets. hong kong and china are closed for lunch, but here's how they were trading in the morning session -- all in the red after export figures disappointed out of china. this is singapore, tokyo, and mumbai, down. the nikkei down 1.4%. time for bloomberg west. emily: i'm emily chang and this is "bloomberg west."
a favorite new target eager to rein in skyhigh marketing budgets. amazon quietly changes course on encryption. bezos brings it back after public backlash. in his first interview since winston stott lost 50% of its value, i speak exclusively to jeff weiner. another twist in the standoff between apple and the fbi. the u.s. has appealed a brooklyn court's ruling that apple does not have to help unlock an iphone. the lawsuit shows apple did this routinely. the company has complied every time until now. in fact, apple helped open -- joining me now is adam, who covers apple for bloomberg news.
adam: there are a lot of things in multiple coast. in california, you have the case involving the san bernardino shooter and in new york apple is battling the government. it shows what operating system was on the phone in question. in san bernardino, it was software called ios 8. it has hefty your encryption. this one is ios 7. what the government is saying is with this software system, apple has the capabilities to do it, they have done it in the past, and they should be helping. emily: it seems the government should be changing its rhetoric because it is just this one phone they are talking about and now we know there are 12, 14, multiple phones across the country where the government is asking apple to do this. you think they are trying to point out the -- i don't know, the hypocrisy in apple's own argument?
adam: they are trying to show the inconsistencies. they go back and talk about how as far back in 2008, when the original iphone came out, there were some cases involving some crimes where they went to apple and asked for assistance. apple has been providing some level of assistance to the government, but they have been ratcheting that back and putting more protections in place in the area of encryptions. that is what steers us to what is happening in california. emily: how much does this undermine apple's argument that it should not do this for anyone, let alone the terrorist in san bernardino? adam: they put it on the umbrella that the government is overreaching under the centuries-old law, which is what the government is using to ask apple for assistance. apple is saying that that is going to far and company should not be compelled to provide this sort of assistance. emily: why did they not make a stand until now? adam: that is a good question
and one they need to answer for. in the brooklyn case, the difference is that this is something judges typically sign and send the order on its way. in this case, the judge asked apple for its opinion on doing this. apple use that as an opportunity to contest it and say they were asking too much. what changed is the judge gave apple an opening. emily: what is the timeline? we are waiting for the government to respond to apple's responsively san bernardino case. adam: you have dual tracks going on. the next thing in san bernardino will be the government's reaction to apple's reaction, and from there this thing is going to get a lot of appeals. if apple loses in san bernardino, they are expected to appeal, and vice versa. this is ultimately going to be decided by higher courts or policymakers in congress. emily: thank you so much for bringing us that update.
to another story that we are watching. alibaba opening the week with a pop on news that the affiliate that owns alipay is raising money. that valuation would make alipay more valuable than uber. i want to bring in author and china tracker gordon chang. gordon, what you make of this news, especially given the broader news? gordon: this is good news for alibaba because it shows that in affiliate has a high valuation. the other thing that is really important is in the first round
of financing, the state took 12.4% interest through two entities. this time you have a state bank. you basically have the government taking bigger and bigger interest in the financial. i don't think that can be a good thing. emily: this is a company we have been expecting to go public at some point. i find this interesting, especially given the business climate in china. david: i am not sure about gordon's point. i would like to as gordon why it is bad. it is even possible to do it without government involvement? i think, if i were an investor, i would be reassured by that. gordon: in china's system, of course the government has interest in your business because of what david is
referring to. you get a favored position. this is really not good for china because you have a company that is involved with some of the most innovative going on in the chinese economy and now you have the dead hand of the state rank -- state bank wanting to take it over. i don't find that to be a good thing. it is a lot of things about the chinese economy. emily: what is your take on how this fits into the broader climate? we have been talking a lot about valuation in the united states. this number, doesn't strike you as extremely high? david: it strikes me as of certainly high. i don't understand how it could possibly be a legitimate valuation. they haven't achieved it, they are just trying to get it. it does not make sense to me. i think long-term, the chinese economy and e-commerce and payments in e-commerce in the chinese economy is a huge opportunity. going back to the government versus alibaba, alibaba is a
surprisingly strong counterweight to the government. as companies go, i would say it is one of the stronger ones and i think jack ma has always like to play a little to the edge. he knows that you can't really cross the government. i think they will continue to have quite a bit of authority over the company direction. emily: we are seeing another alibaba affiliate buying the china lottery, which is something that alibaba has stayed away from because of government regulations. what do you make of this? gordon: i don't think this is a good one, either. alibaba has a core business. they can expand it into rural areas. they can expand it into the united states. instead, we have seen, even before the ipo, alibaba buying into business is kind of like a scattergun shot. i think they need to concentrate on what they are best at. when you see at, the markets don't like this. alibaba and stock drops every time he makes an acquisition.
that is not a good sign. emily: what is a progress report on alibaba's push into rural china? they bought a big stake in sunni. is it working? gordon: it is certainly working. they have 12,000 or so rural centers. they plan on going to 100,000. i don't doubt they will make it. that will not be a material factor in the next couple of years. they have this big head start. this will be huge because there are so many people in rural china that have had no access to online shopping. this is a good thing. emily: gordon chang and david
kirkpatrick, with me for the rest of the show. coming up, activist investors appeared to have a new favorite techtarget this year, but will they help or hurt this budding industry? later, my in depth interview with lincoln ceo jeff weiner. how hindsight changed his thoughts on yahoo!'s uncertain future. ♪
investors, especially since the disclosure came after dismissing doubts about their business model. just eat is the u.k. version of grubhub and it is facing local competitors and the come additive -- the possibility of amazon and uber encroaching on their home turf. they have a limited window when they can legally sell shares. investors have found a new favorite lace to circle -- the software market. look at the recently disclosed 8.9% stake in technology. this particular space is looking increasingly attractive to activists and a big reason why is spending habits. mandeep singh joins us from new york. also still with us is david kirkpatrick.
what do you make of these trends? >> what happens is when you are a small growth company like click and cornerstone, you have two choices. either you have to keep delivering on sales growth or you have to start proving profitability. what has happened with quick and cornerstone is growth is tapering. what typically happens is you will have a bad quarter, valuations correct, they come down quite a bit. the difference is with autodesk, it is a case of business model transition. they are transitioning from a license model to a subscription model. it is about operational improvement. i think the playbook is slightly different in case of smaller versus large companies, but it all comes down to valuations coming down, margins being
lowered, what it could be, and that is a perfect setting for an activist to get involved. the software feels like a -- emily: does software feel like a clunky sector? david: i think there is a lot of innovation. carl at autodesk has a long-term view, but maybe that is what investors don't like. i am not as familiar with the other companies. i don't see a fundamental problem in this sector, no. emily: connect the dots for us about activists in software and tableau shares which have been smashed. mandeep: every six months, things change. data management companies were
doing exceptionally well until last year when the focus was on big data. now the focus is shifting towards artificial intelligence. what typically happens when growth starts to slow is these companies get acquired by oracle, ibm, microsoft, and this kind of consolidation has taken place in the past. ibm acquired spss. there was massive consolidation it while back. at that time, b.i. was hot. once growth started to slow, there was consolidation. emily: i spoke with the ceo of symantec last week.
they have taken a stake in symantec. >> we have a three-year transformation of the company and i think this is an important inflection point for investors saying, now it is time to get in the story. emily: a bit more optimistic there. is symantec in this narrative? mandeep: with companies of that size, it is about divesting of business, making operational improvements, bringing the margin back up to where it has potential, and these things take a while. it is possible. time and again we have seen companies have to diverge as this is to focus on their core,
which was the case with symantec, and i think will be the case with autodesk. they have divested one of their businesses. that is what i expect. emily: thanks so much. guest host david kirkpatrick, you are sticking with me. the sec slapping verizon with a $1.35 million fine. the company failed to tell customers about a tracking technologies that fall you from website to website. super cookies can track customers across websites. amazon reverses course on encryption. why the about-face? ♪
streaming estimates outlook is too aggressive. they anticipate -- netflix anticipates that streaming substitutions will increase by 1.34 million. they missed their fourth-quarter estimate last year. amazon is reversing course on encryption. the e-commerce giant will restore the security option on its fire devices following customer backlash. they decided to remove encryption on their devices. cory johnson has been following this story. is it opt-in or opt-out? cory: you complain were for devices that don't get ads or pay more for ads when you login. with the existence of identity
theft, this could not come at a worse time for amazon. emily: why did they do it in the first place? cory: they have not said. they have been asked and did not say. it may have been for simplicity of use. amazon is an important player in the world tablets. they have in any given year anywhere from the top four or top seven. they sold over 19 million devices in the last three years alone. with the market share hovering in the top five, top six in the quarter, and having sold over 19 million devices, they are a very important company in the world of tablets and their cyber security approach is felt by tens of millions of users. emily: we talked about amazon at go, which could become -- amazon echo, which could become a another big item.
they are lowering encryption on their tablets and publicly coming out and saying they support apple. david: i think there is an overwhelming and somewhat surprisingly large support for apple's position in the entire tech community. i think amazon clearly believes in encryption given their support of apple, but even going back to why apple is fighting the case in brooklyn earlier, i think mood has shifted and it is surprising even people in tech how many other people in tech agree with them. there is almost a uniform view that the government should not have the right to have backdoors into this product and that things should be encrypted for the safety of consumers. emily: how important is this as a branding issue? cory: it is important also as a consumer issue. echo increases their visibility as a tech company. they also have amazon web services as one of the most important services on the
internet. i think that is why the corporate concern about privacy is so concerned about amazon. it is crucial for amazon when it comes to technology. emily: you also have a big series coming up this week about amazon prime video. cory: the company is going to sell over $2.5 billion of content over the counter your. i was in hollywood last week at the premiere of a new show. i talked to some the people in hollywood and even people in hollywood are shocked by that number. emily: netflix is spending just south of $5 billion. cory: amazon doubling its spend
every year. they are in a very serious important player -- they are very serious and important player. the competition is done by disney, hulu, showtime, hbo, amazon, and netflix. we are to look at what that means, who is leading the effort at amazon, and what that means. emily: amazon has a couple of hits on its own. this used to be netflix's game. is it anyone's game? david: anyone that has multibillions to spend. if i was in hollywood, i would feel nervous because these companies are gigantic as this is and have gigantic ability to raise capital and borrow if they want to because these are the areas. i am amazed by the numbers you are talking about here. emily: david kirkpatrick and cory johnson. thank you both.
yvonne: it is 12:30 here in hong kong, with an update of top stories. china exports slumped again in february, plunging 25% in dollars terms from a year earlier. imports fell 14% while the trade surplus halved. the fourth-quarter gdp contracted less than expected, following an annualized 1.1% to two a drop in consumer spending. the yen rose for a second day, trading around 113. hsbc has approved china's credit card market. it paves the way for it to join citigroup and bank of east asia as the only foreign card issuers
in china. it's not known when the approval was given; nor are there any details on how the business will be rolled out. imports slumped in city despite a record gain for iron ore and news of a joint venture with baley. spike on monday before the deal was announced. the accord offers them the opportunity to buy a minority stake in for trtescue. ores togethernd can meet the market needs for our customers in china; it will provide a blend that is ideally suited to minimize the cost of the supply chain. buy aly, it's for vale to potential stake in fortescue's shares on market, a minority interest. yvonne: and those are the headlines, powered by over 2400
journalists in 150 bureaus around the world. let's check in on how the markets are trading in asia-pacific. here's shery. losing,sian markets are china on the lunch break, falling before it headed to lunch. that's with telecom leading. the hang seng index is down. china,trade data out of showing that exports fell the most since the global financial crisis. the nikkei is also down 1%, for a second consecutive day. a stronger yen. thedata out japan show fourth-quarter gdp contracted an annualized 1.1% in the fourth quarter. of 1% down despite a weakening korean won.
also losing 7/10 of 1%. we are counting down to the reopening hong kong and china at the top of the hour. emily: this is "bloomberg west"" this season we kick off season four. "studio 1.0." i sit down with a c.e.o., first interview he has done since it was slashed in half. the stocks plummeted over 40%. linkedin's shares and they are down 49%. last week, he decided to give away his entire $14 million stock bone just back to the employees. i started by asking about his reaction to the freefall. >> i think it was a surprise.
we weren't expecting that kind of response. and when you look at the core elements of our business, they remain healthy. if you look at north american fuel cells, growth cells has remained consistent. sponsor updates, business line, still the fastest growing business. and post the launch of our re-imagined and seen an acceleration on engagement. the core elements of the business. emily: you gave a speech to employees at a meeting and you said linkedinis the same company. how do you feel about this, not the c.e.o., but you? >> i'm not sure it stinks. there were some surprises. you want to make sure you are there for the people that matter
most. create value for our members and customers and nothing whatsoever has changed. emily: do you think you can accelerate growth? >> as we continue to execute, you want to address opportunities. emily: has this impacted morale at all? >> it brings people closer together. and the more you go through these kinds of challengeses and meet these challenges head on and successful and nothing fundamental has changed. the stronger the team becomes, the stronger we become as a company. emily: you have talked about compassion nature management. give me an example of where you have applied it? >> i apply it in every interaction. putting in the person's shoes and undering their perspectives. and you are going to disagree. they are trying to get one over on you. it's a zero-sum game.
and that may be the further thing. they may be having a bad day. and you may be talking about something that they are not as knowledgeable about and don't want to show that vulnerability. emily: some of the most successful c.e.o.'s have been ruthless like steve jobs. they are known for things completely uncompassion nature. >> different styles work for different people, different companies and different situations. the worst thing somebody could do is emulate what somebody else does because that person has had success. what works for steve or what works for others and people like that may not work and more often than not does not work for other people who try to employ that
style and people just don't follow. i think it depends. emily: more of my interview where we discuss his relationship with his partner. bmw says the cars will be robe ots on wheels. it features a retract i believe steering wheel to switch between manual control. bmw said, most vehicles will probably be completely self-driving. people will get around. how will we justify the existence of vehicles, a brand for the individual and sheer driving pleasure are the focus of everything. "bloomberg west" continues next. ♪
emily: jeff weiner joined the company in 2008. i asked him to talk about the secret to their relationship. >> there is a lot of mute tall respect and we were friends. if you ask reed the question, it turns out that he'll tell you the story and veer bait im, so there is something to that, just in and of itself, we see the relationship so similarly. one of the most frequently questions i was asked, waste my relationship. that was code for what kind of drama is there and the former c.e.o. to the newly hired professional c.e.o. and there was no drama. what people didn't realize was i didn't join linkedin because of
reed and the opportunity to work together. he is one of the most thoughtful people i ever had a chance to work with. emily: you said you never aspired to become c.e.o. >> i didn't aspire to be c.e.o. because i have seen particularly in publicly-traded companies and that could be a rough ride. it wasn't about the title but was about a sense of purpose. emily: you have given a lot of thought to the future of the workforce and how it's changing and i would love it if you could paint that picture for us. >> it is a significant issue in southern european issues, you have youth unemployment hovering 50%. where people don't feel like they have access to opportunity. they don't feel like they have a bad voice and bad stuff starts to happen. fragmentation of work by virtue
of the sharing economy and some of these new marketplace environments where people can set their own hours. emily: how do you plan to account for the 1099 economy, the uber drivers, people who are freelancing or have multiple jobs. >> they have their profiles on linkedin. and that's how opportunity accrues to them. emily: do you think this is a dangerous trend. do you think companies like uber should make it full-time? >> clearly, things are changing and have to revisit as a society the laws and regulations that govern the way companies used to operate. when you are working, there should be certain benefits that are afforded to individuals. emily: you said creating economic opportunity is the greatest issue of our time. women are critically
underrepresented in technology. why do you think that is? >> you have a pipeline issue where you may have had historically fewer graduates with specific degrees in engineering per se. and that now starts to improve, which is wonderful, hopefully we will see the gap. and we are casting as wide a net as possible. emily: women are 90% of technical and 30% in leadership roles. >> i'm not happy but is it moving in the right direction, yes? we want as inclusive a base and employees as we have for our membership. and that certainly is the goal. emily: would you advocate hire women just to see what happens?
>> i don't think we should be hiring people to see what happens or hiring people in a way that reduces the bar. we should be hiring the best possible person for the role. and one of the things we can do to improve diversity is employ techniques which the nfl has used. they aren't mandating you have to hire these kinds of people, whether he gender or ethnic-based. you need to interview people that is representative of the -- and more inclusive of the population that you are drawing from. and they have had amazing success with regard to improvements and diversity inclusion as a result of that. emily: up next, i asked him about his past at yahoo! and marissa myers strategy. we remember a technology preliminary year, tomlinson developed the first
emily: unlocking an iphone doesn't present a burden on apple. this comes as prosecutors appeal a brooklyn judge's decision that apple didn't have to unlock the iphone of a convicted drug dealer. mack with jeff weiner. we know he was executive vice president at yahoo! where he ran the company's network division.
and we talked about the turnaround strategies. >> trying to change the culture of an organization is prohibitively difficult. i think marissa walked into a situation that she must have known was going to be challenging to the point there was probably not a huge probability. credit to her for still taking on the role and i think she was able to make some changes there in terms of the culture and in terms of the development culture and the transition to mobile. but that's a really, really challenging situation. in terms of not just the culture but in terms of the legacy assets and way people used yahoo!, the world has evolved dramatically from the earliest days from the consumer web and
so trying to navigate that, it's tough, it's hard. in terms of where they are now, it sounds like they are very seriously evaluating to sell the company. emily: is that the right call? >> i'm not in marissa's shoes. i can't see the leading indicators or the future road map. and one of the reasons that marissa has been reluctant to sell the company because she may have been excited or confident and create value. there is a whole host of valuables when you are on the outside looking in that you really have to put yourself in her shoes. emily: what do you think is the best and worst case scenario? >> it is being used by millions of people on a global basis. if it is sold, it sold to an acquirer that recognizes the value that not only that yeah who creates. and that is how marissa is
trying to do what's best. emily: how do you make sure that linkedin is not the next yahoo!? >> if i didn't worry, i wouldn't be doing my job. only the paranoid survive. it's the right level of focus in terms of the broader landscape and never losing sight. emily: facebook is chewing it up. can linked i --linkedin do it? >> it's highly fragmented and it can be highly efficient and target the right decision makers so we are going to continue to focus on building up that part of our business.
emily: one thing you have on facebook is china. you guys have found a way to penetrate china. how would you rate your progress in china? do you feel like you have cracked the code, do you feel like there is a lot more work to be done there? >> i would hardly suggest we have cracked the code. china is a highly competitive landscape. and it exceeded our expectations. when we started, roughly a year ago, we amassed roughly four million members in english in 10 years. we have seen that substantially grow. and in terms of our core businesses, talent solutions, marketing solutions, et cetera, there a lot of room for growth and early days and focused on getting the membership before we
prioritize modernization. we are pleased where we are. emily: you mentioned you had to make compromises and ask users to crens sore themselves. how do you navigate that process? how often has that happened? >> we started to navigate that process before we launched. we spent the better part of 18 months understanding who we were as a company, our culture and values, what it would meet in terms of compliance and despite all of those discussions, the first time you are asked to censor a member or take down a profile, it's gut-wrenching, those members are creating value for those members is why we do what we do. china plays an enormous role and by virtue of our presence in china, we can not only connect our chinese members and enable
to live the kind of life they want to live but better connect companies within china to the global economy and that's going to create more value for everybody. emily: do you think that facebook and twitter have a chance in china or are they so different that aren't going to make it work there? >> we are a platform that is creating opportunity. and the chinese are expanding ranks of their middle class. in twitter and facebook, you have platforms that are oriented towards facilities and so it's different. it doesn't mean it's not possible but it's not different. emily: my conversation, check out the entire interview at bloomberg.com. and still with me my guest host c.e.o., david, linkedin stocks haven't recovered and you said
they don't look that bad but clearly investors have a problem with this company. i was speaking with an investor over the weekend was disappointed how linkedin communicated this to the street. >> it is interesting listening to jeff and it was a great interview, but i think clearly something has been missing in the way they are explaining their business and the questions you asked him about growth are ones that i don't think he fully answers but again, he is still growing fairly well, but the question remains, is this a massive startup growth opportunity or a steady as she
goes kind of long-term business sort of value stock over time. i don't think the answer is clear, although my opinion, my gut is the opportunity for linkedin is massive. emily: i wonder for any company, where the growth story just simply changes? >> you asked him that and maybe. but my gut is it has nt happened for linked in. it is still a fairly young business that is beginning to figure out the ways to quote, unquote,mon advertise. i think it's position in the global economy is unique and it is a global social network with the highest quality demographic in every country where it operates and getting started with advertising and media publishing. i think it is a fantastic marketplace for content and a place that is going to continue to matter for global growth. and that's why the chinese government wants linkedin in
there. emily: do you think that china could change linkedin's growth story? >> possibly over time. china is a big question mark. but i want to make sure i fit in this point. it's amazing what a great business leader he is. and considering how cynical americans are now about business, more people should hear him talk. emily: i have been trying to get him on the show for a long time and he finally agreed when he found out we were going to be talking about the elephant in the room. as always, david, great to have you. as we wrap up this hour, one thing, passengers on alaska airlines flight will witness a total solar eclipse. they changed the time so
>> next, a paid presentation from perricone md cold plasma sub d. cold plasma sub d is the first of its kind treatment for the area of your body that can actually age you most, your neck. hosted by network television star courtney thorne smith, and featuring some of the most dramatic before and after photos you have ever seen. courtney: hi everyone, i am courtney thorne-smith. don't change the channel,


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Recently, three different 2015 models from the Buick lineup — the Verano, Encore and Enclave — were awarded Kelley Blue Book's 5-Year Cost to Own Award, once again showing Buick's commitment to precision engineering and style translates to rewards for customers.
What is the 5-Year Cost to Own Award?
Kelley Blue Book, an authority in the automotive industry on car values, takes data on residual values of new and used cars to make the calculations of all vehicle models from manufacturers that sell in the United States. Their data gives them insight to the total cost of the vehicle after its initial sale at a dealership. They then compare the data across segments to find the difference in overall cost of ownership of a vehicle against its competitors from other brands. In three cases, they found Buick vehicles save their owners thousands of dollars over five years over the cost of purchasing a different vehicle.
The Buick Verano
The smallest car in Buick's lineup, the Verano is a stylish compact luxury sedan with a smooth and powerful ride that belies its size.
Kelley Blue Book found that Verano owners save an average of $9,236 over the competition's 5-year costs.
The quick and capable Verano was a brand-new model just a few years ago, and helped Buick kick off a whirlwind of incredible new designs for its lineup, bringing style and modernity unprecedented in its class. The small sedan has been lauded by critics, experts and owners as fun to drive, easy to handle, and a pleasure to look at. The win in this category from Kelley Blue Book is further evidence that this car is a smart choice.
The Buick Encore
Buick's small crossover, the Encore, is a roomy and smooth-gliding urban runabout with a compact footprint and exceptional style.
Kelley Blue Book found that Encore owners save an average of $14,370 over the competition's 5-year costs.
In addition to its sophisticated styling and overall value, the Encore has been leading the pack with innovative interior and safety technologies like Rear-Cross Traffic Alert, Side Blind Zone Alert and the Buick IntelliLink system. City or country, it's a welcome sight in any setting.
The Buick Enclave
The bigger, three-row crossover in Buick's lineup, the majestic Enclave, proves that sleek, fluid exterior styling can still accompany a luxuriously large interior and a quietly powerful engine.
Kelley Blue Book found that Enclave save an average of $17,509 over the competition's 5-year costs.
Looks can be deceiving, as is certainly the case with the Buick Enclave, which almost appears to be bigger on the inside than on the outside. Loaded with safety features for the whole family — not to mention entertainment, comfort and cargo capacity — the Enclave gets the job done in premium style.
With proven value and reliability, Buick is undoubtedly a luxury brand to consider.
Keyes Woodland Hills Buick GMC Cadillac in Los Angeles is your full-service Buick Cadillac GMC dealership, providing new and preowned Buick Cadillac GMC cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles. Our factory-trained service technicians have the latest information to keep your vehicle running at peak performance. If you are searching for Cadillac dealers in Los Angeles using the keywords Los Angeles area Cadillac dealers or Cadillac dealers in Los Angeles, visit us at Woodlandhillsgm.com today.

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August 02, 2022 10:00 ET | Source: ELYSIAN ELYSIAN
NAPA, Calif., Aug. 02, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ELYSIAN, a women-centric media platform, is proud to unveil its first collection of NFTs, designed and minted by a collective of female creators, at the Zakin Family Estate.
ELYSIAN’s goal is to connect its vibrant community of readers – accomplished, curious, engaged and educated women over 40 who span the globe – with the burgeoning Web3 space, adding diversity to the market while it is still in its infancy.
The collection, featuring 41 unique NFTs in all, is inspired by Jan Zakin, an OB-GYN and co-owner of the Zakin winery. Zakin is an ELYSIAN Inspiring Woman and is on the cover of the magazine’s Fall 2022 Travel & Technology issue.
Men under 35 dominate the NFT and cryptocurrency markets. NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, are unique digital assets with a continuous record of ownership.
“Women have a dynamic and discerning eye when it comes to art – and the determination and endurance it takes to stay ahead of the curve,” said former prosecutor and judge Karen Floyd, ELYSIAN’s founder and publisher. “We shatter the glass ceiling that separates us and offer women the opportunity to become significant participants in the Web3 space.”
A November 2021 analysis by Art Tactic revealed that women account for only 16 percent of the NFT market, and an abysmal 5 percent of female artists account for all NFT art sales. Of the women who own NFTs, most are under 40.
Zakin, who is in her 60s and remembers being told as a young girl that women had to be nurses or teachers, has a history of taking bold steps. She continues practicing gynecology at the San Francisco Free Clinic, and she also has served on NASA’s Institutional Review Board. She and her husband Jon released their first wine in 2016.
“Just as wine becomes better with age, fine art appreciates over time – and I’m proud to be associated with this ELYSIAN collection of digital art,” Zakin said. “When you purchase an ELYSIAN NFT, you are getting more than just a unique digital image – which, in and of itself, is a work of art. You are getting an experience, a memory, a story that adds a unique aspect to the work’s provenance.”
Individual NFTs in the ELYSIAN collection are $1,000, and pre-sales are underway. Select NFT packages range from $5,000 to $10,000, and an exclusive Reserve Tier NFT will be auctioned this weekend at the Zakin Family Estate in Napa Valley. Bidding for the Reserve Tier NFT – which includes a magnum of Zakin Reserve wine etched with an image inspired by ELYSIAN’s fall cover, a painting, and more – will begin at $25,000.
Each NFT in this inaugural collection is embellished with a chic circuit board design, bridging the gap between the print and digital worlds.
“When it comes to NFTs and the crypto space, women are like an endangered species,” said Jackie Dutton, head of marketing and communications for FYB3R. “The only way the younger generation of women is going to succeed in a male-dominated space is with help and inspiration from women like Karen and Jan who have set the example of forging a path under the same obstacles and odds.”
An ELYSIAN NFT doubles as an all-access pass, and some include a gift of Zakin wine, tickets to upcoming events and other perks.
For more information, visit readelysian.com/nft.
Media contact: Jason Spencer
This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.


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By Quentin Fottrell
If Jenny Craig or WeightWatchers were giving out awards to the new generation of tablets for losing weight, who would win? The weighing scales don’t lie: the award wouldn’t go to Apple.
The iPad 2, which launched in 25 countries around the world on Friday, is 15% lighter than its predecessor at 601 grams, or 607 grams with 3G, and one-third thinner at .34 of an inch.
That data has been processed by millions of consumers worldwide. As a luxury goods product, the iPad 2 is powerful, but Apple spends at least as much time marketing its looks.
Samsung’s all-new 10.1 Wifi-only Galaxy Tab is 595 grams and .33 of an inch thick. (It also has an 8.9 inch version.) It will be the thinnest on the market when it hits U.S. stores on June 8th.
Joanna Stern, reviews editor at Engadget.com, has handled the rival tablets. “The size difference is insanely minimal,” she says. “To the naked eye you can’t see any difference.”
She says the Galaxy is far behind on the “compelling software experience of the iPad 2, largely due to the availability of third party apps that have been created specifically for larger screens.”
Apple has tens of thousands of apps for its iPad 2 “IOS 4.3″ operating system. Google’s Android 3.0 “Honeycomb” operating system has just dozens specifically designed for the tablet market.
Both tablets have up to 10 hours of battery power, impressive for ones so trim, and both companies’ 16 gigabyte and 32 gigabyte tablets cost $499 and $599 respectively.
The Galaxy has 3 megapixel-cameras on the back and 2 megapixels on the front – and Flash video. All are improvements on the iPad 2, but consumers are not buying it for the cameras.
And, let’s face it, companies in Holland are unlikely to fashion beautiful cherry wood magnetic cover for Samsung’s 10.1 Galaxy Tab. This all helps transform the iPad 2 into must-have luxury goods products worth queuing for.
On Friday, Canadian Alex Lee was first in Sydney, Australia to buy an iPad 2. He waited over 50 hours. His reward? He got a mention from every news agency there … and an iPad 2.
So, on the day people around the world have lined up at Apple stores for an iPad 2, this is our question: would you stand in line for Samsung’s lighter, slimmer 10.1 Galaxy Tablet?


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Standard Life Bank has promoted its head of bank customer proposition Allison Crawford to sales and marketing director. She replaces David MacMillan, who has become UK retail director.
Crawford, who will now have a place on the board, will oversee all marketing and sales strategies for the bank and will report to chief executive Anne Gunther.
She joined the bank two years ago and was previously head of business technology at financial services company Aegon UK. She is also a former head of marketing at Direct Line Life, a joint venture between the general insurer and Scottish Widows.
Standard Life Bank is one of the four business units that make up Standard Life Group, which won its bid for demutualisation after members voted in favour of the move earlier this year.
The Edinburgh-based group also includes Standard Life Assurance Company, Standard Life Investments and Standard Life Healthcare. The bank was launched in 1998 and entered the UK mortgage market a year later.
Its marketing activity has focused on the Standard Life corporate brand since it appointed Saatchi & Saatchi to handle the demutualisation brief (MW August 11, 2005). Edinburgh-based The Leith Agency had held the bank’s consumer advertising account for a decade.


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Ready for the challenge. Italy’s leather segment met today in Florence for the second edition of Stati Generali della Pelletteria by Assopellettieri, a general assembly that focused on uniting the main players of the leather chain and calling them to join forces. “Guardiamo al futuro, insieme faremo la differenza!” (Looking to the future, we will make a difference together!), is the title chosen to showcase the desire to recover and make way onto the market via a shared strategic plan that puts networking at the center. The motto, not by chance, is #unitiperlapelle (#joinedtogether).
“We finally have a reactive government. We must take the opportunities we have. But the association is made by its associates – says Franco Gabbrielli, president of Assopellettieri -. We need to share the issues present to resolve them together. That’s the only way to have a chance”. Opportunities for Italy’s leather segment are real, as are the issues: “We know – adds Mr. Gabbrielli – that small and medium businesses are those suffering the most, along with companies that have an own brand. We can’t make it alone”.
Assopellettieri launched three platforms: one dedicated to B2B business, one for B2C and Mipel Lab. The latter is defined as “a revolution for leather goods’ sourcing” and is acts as a virtual shopwindow for manufacturing companies and brands. In other words, a tool for the chain that matched supply and demand. Mipel Lab isn’t just be a digital project. It was presented at Pitti Uomo on Wednesday, June 30 and will have a physical edition every year. The first will take place at the same time and in partnership with Lineapelle, with which it will share the space in Fieramilano Rho, in September 22 – 24.
Surviving or collapsing
“Investing in digital in 2021 and 2022 isn’t an option, but rather a choice between surviving or collapsing – says Manlio Di Stefano, undersecretary of MAECI (Ministero degli affari esteri e della cooperazione internazionale) or ministry of foreign commerce and international cooperation -. The government has made vouchers for digitalization and incentives for consultancies for digital export available to organizations”.
5 drivers for development
“We learned a valuable lesson of change management from the pandemic – commented Danny D’Alessandro, general director of Assopellettieri -. We can change the way we do business”. The association has developed a strategic industrial plan based on 5 assets for growth: tradeshows, digitalization, internationalization, training and services.
“We try to give access to services that organizations would otherwise not have the chance to enjoy. It means meeting the world – explains D’Alessandro -. The September edition will be toned down, compared to the usual rhythm, but we are focusing our efforts on incoming actions”.
50 million for Made-in-Italy
Mr. Di Stefano announced an important initiative for Made-in-Italy. “We are ready to begin, in Fall, with the largest communication campaign ever launched by the government. A contract has been launched to promote the Made-in-Italy brand for a value of 50 million euro”.
- “At the Stati Generali della Pelletteria we tell the change”
- ICEC renews its management with the entrance of CNMI and Assopellettieri


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Car rental company Sixt is facing a backlash on social media over an advert that urges cyclists who “want to go faster” and “enhance performance” to abandon their bike and rent a BMW car instead.
The tweet from the Sixt UK account coincided with the release of a parliamentary report in which MPs said that Team Sky and Bradley Wiggins used the “performance-enhancing properties” of the asthma drug triamcinolone to “improve his power-to-weight ratio” ahead of the 2012 Tour de France.
Sixt UK’s tweet included the shortened url “sixt.info/CyclingisDope” along the “Enhanced Performance” in big, black letters, but it was the idea that driving a car was always faster than riding a bike that many Twitter users took issue with.
While Sixt seemed pretty pleased with the tweet, replying with some snarky comments to the first few people who responded, there were plenty of people who said they would be reconsidering their choice of hire car company because of the tweet.
If you fancy using one of Sixt’s BMWs for a day driving around central London, then the cost will be around £120 (not including fuel). Alternatively, you can pay £2 for 24 hours access to more than 11,000 Santander hire bikes, with the first half hour of each journey being free.
As well as renting cars in more than 105 countries, Sixt also rents bicycles in a number of locations in eastern Europe.


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PSA Peugeot Citroen’s plant in Trnava is to raise its daily production from 850 to 900 cars as of June due to increased demand for small cars around Europe, PSA Peugeot Citroen Slovakia communications director Peter Švec said on Tuesday, May 12.
Švec referred to car-scrapping contributions introduced in several European countries as the main stimulus for the hike in demand, which has pushed production back to pre-crisis levels. “The Peugeot 207 and C3 Picasso models are taking full advantage of this,” Švec said.
“The expectations of the markets are higher than our current production, so we had to extend working time,” said Švec, in comments to the TASR newswire. He added that following an agreement with the trade unions, the afternoon shift is to be extended by an hour between June 1 and 24. Production of the Citroen C3 was officially launched on March 26, with plans to make 110,000 cars yearly. The Trnava plant is the only production site for the model. TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.


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The next frontier in digital advertising may be your car’s windshield.
Automakers, technology companies and glass manufacturers are teaming up to turn the display that graces the front of an iPhone into the windshield of a car — one that can show ads, directions and vehicle information to the person behind the wheel.
The advent of connected cars is creating a new sales battleground, and using a vehicle’s windshield may be the next way to pitch more products and services to consumers. McKinsey & Co. estimates that mobile and data-driven services in autos will generate $1.5 trillion by 2030. At least part of that will be spent projecting information to drivers and passengers right before their eyes.
“When you think of a person driving and what your needs are when you’re on a typical trip, it’s food, it’s fuel and it’s rest stops,” said John Butler, a Bloomberg Intelligence analyst. “Owning the inside of the car is critical, it’s really where the money is made. The real value is locked up in the ad opportunity.”


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OECD Report Shows Counterfeits Make up 3.3 Percent of World Trade
A recent report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) reveals that international trade in counterfeits is on the rise, up from 2.5 percent to 3.3 percent of global trade, or $461 billion to $509 billion annually.
This report is designed to enable policymakers to better understand and combat the problem of intellectual property theft globally. By identifying key destinations, transit points, and producers of counterfeits, the report provides governments the empirical data necessary to develop sound and effective policy to combat trade in counterfeit goods and pirated services.
For example, the main destinations of counterfeit goods and pirated services continue to be the United States, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Japan, South Korea, France, and the United Kingdom, while the biggest counterfeiters and pirates originate from Hong Kong and China.
Key transit points for all the analyzed product categories are Hong Kong, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates. The key regional transit points for Africa-bound counterfeits are Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Albania, Egypt, Morocco, and Ukraine operate as regional transit points for counterfeits into Europe. Finally, counterfeits destined for the United States transit through Panama.
The report found that poor governance and weak intellectual property protections are the crucial factors in enabling trade in counterfeits.
However, it is not enough for governments to simply have this empirical data. Governments, especially those which are providing safe haven for counterfeiters, must act on this report and interdict counterfeiters at the transit points. America and other major destinations of counterfeit goods and services should put pressure on these countries to do more.
Photo Credit: Wikipedia


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August 3rd, 2004, 02:22 AM
Microsoft to Offer Free 64-Bit Windows Upgrade to Some Customers
Microsoft acknowledged earlier this week that it won't ship its new 64-bit Windows server versions until mid-2005. But that doesn't mean Microsoft is content to leave the 64-bit market to Solaris and Unix customers, according to officials with the Redmond, Wash., software vendor.
Microsoft is putting the finishing touches on what it's calling the "x64 Technology Exchange Program." Via this program—which Microsoft will launch "in the near future," company officials said—Microsoft will allow customers with Advanced Micro Devices Inc. Opteron and Intel Corp. Xeon processors on EM64T servers running 32-bit Windows to exchange their operating system for the forthcoming 64-bit Windows Server 2003 variants for free.
In addition, on Monday, Microsoft is set to release another beta version of its Windows Server 2003 64-bit software for AMD Opteron and Intel Xeon with EM64T platforms. Microsoft is broadening the beta to any and all interested parties. (Microsoft officials said 20,000 individuals downloaded the "Customer Preview Program" beta release since it debuted in January.)
Starting August 2, customers will be able to place orders for Windows Server 2003 64-bit CDs on Microsoft's Web site.
Full Story: ExtremeTech.com
August 3rd, 2004, 05:12 AM
So that means if I have a Athlon64 CPU and Windows XP I can get Windows 64 for free? If it does what about AthlonXP CPU's?


text: Photo Gallery of Lotus Evora Facebook Twitter WhatsApp Pinterest Uploaded by: Lauro Date: 22.10.2018 Image "HEX" Code: #2572104 Image size: 640x391 You can download photo Lotus Evora or use this pic as wallpaper or poster for desktop. Full size link https://carlakes.com/data_images/models/lotus-evora/lotus-evora-04.jpg We have more photo of Lotus Evora in our gallery. If you interesting to view them, you can follow on links below. Also you can see full gallery of Lotus Evora on this page. If you have your own good photos of Lotus Evora, you can upload them on our website and become one of our authors. See more photos Lotus Evora from our users Recent automotive trends, reviews, test drives and the latest news from the world of cars Audi will expand RS sports line Audi announced through its development chief Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, that almost all its new models of future line will have the RS version, known to be more advantaged than ordinary vehicles. Explore the rear and interior of the new Hyundai i20 The new-generation i20 is not good news to hunters secrets. After all, we already flagramos tests in the European winter. But still they managed to show an interesting novelty. Daimler Denza EV will debut at the Beijing Daimler unveiled new details about its new electric vehicle, called Denza. Developed in conjunction with the Chinese manufacturer BYD, the green car will be presented at the Hall of Beijing in April and should start to be sold in China in late 2014. Renault Espace is caught during winter testing Another car was spotted testing in the harsh winter of Sweden, this time it is the new Renault Espace.


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With some travel restrictions still in place because of COVID-19, many Montrealers have made the most of warmer weather on two wheels.
As a result, for mountain bike enthusiast Jody Arsenault, BEng 12, it’s been a busy season at ArsenoVelo, the mobile bike service and repair shop he opened in 2016.
“This year has been extreme,” Arsenault says. “With COVID-19, the demand has just been incredible — I could not have guessed this would have happened.”
The motivation to start his own business wasn’t hard to come by. “I’ve always been a make-my-own-path type of person,” he says. “I thought of ways to open and start my own company and, given my experience, it was somewhat of an easy transition.”
Following his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at Concordia’s Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science, Arsnenault completed a certificate in bicycle mechanics from the Winterborne Bicycle Institute. With the help of his business partner and wife, Caroline Villard, things at ArsenoVelo are looking good.
Business on the go
Being mobile was always at the base of ArsenoVelo’s business plan. The service shop is stationed in a large cargo van, so that Arsensault can pick up and drop off his customers’ bikes at their desired location — at various points around Montreal or on the city’s South Shore.
According to Arsenault, mobile businesses are on the rise, now, more than ever. “It’s just the mentality of today,” he says. “With the Amazon market, everyone expects everything to come to them. Shopping online is definitely increasing, so we’re going to see more of these ‘catered-to-the-client’ business models.”
In light of the pandemic, a mobile service is ideal for Arsenault since there is little to no person-to-person contact and because it offers more convenient schedules.
“Getting to the customers has been easier since a lot of them are at home. In the past, most of my appointments were in the evenings. Now my clients are a little more flexible so I can actually get through my days quicker.”
‘I learned a great deal from my failures and setbacks’
To manage the increase in demand for bike repairs during the pandemic, Arsenault has been able to hire additional staff for the first time. Three engineering students — including two from Concordia, as well as one high-school student — have joined the ArsenoVelo team.


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Yahoo! Finance: Commodity News
Encouraging news about how consumers feel about the economy and how much they're spending sent stocks higher on Friday. The strong showing in retail sales last month raised hopes that consumers are starting to feel more comfortable opening their wallets after months of building savings.
complete story here...
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Join top executives in San Francisco on July 11-12, to hear how leaders are integrating and optimizing AI investments for success. Learn More
The “influencer marketing” space is hotting up.
Ad blocking, which has been around for decades but is now seeing a massive increase in adoption, is one of the driving forces behind the recent interest in using influencers to spread the word about your product or service.
If important, well-connected people are promoting your wares through blog posts, Instagram, Snapchat, and good old-fashioned word of mouth, no ad blocker can get in the way.
Today, Experticity and ReadyPulse have announced their merger, with a mission to create an influencer company under the Experticity brand that combines marketing technology with more than a million real-life influencers.
“Fifty percent of the population is under 34 — they spend hours a day on mobile and social networks, and they turn off or block ads,” Dennis O’Malley, CEO at ReadyPulse, told me. “Brands want to get in the feed, not out of the feed. Most display ads aren’t working for brands, and consumers are looking for authentic, real-time, relevant content in the context of their lives.”
Experticity has a community of over one million active influencers, which is comprised of industry professionals, opinion leaders, and influential retail sales associates. These individuals are actively sought out for trusted recommendations on what to buy. The merger makes this community available to the ReadyPulse platform, a SaaS solution that provides influencer recruiting and management. It helps to find valuable social influencers, as well as amplifying campaigns and user-generated content.
Many influencer systems pay to have their product or service spread across social channels, a tactic that can cause as many problems as it solves thanks to a lack of transparency — something various advertising authorities have struggled with regulating.
“A key difference with ReadyPulse and Experticity is that neither community pays its influencers,” O’Malley said. “Influencers participate thanks to recognition, access to early information and products, and unique brand experiences.”
The newly formed company brings that community of influencers together with a combined client list of over 750 top consumer brands, including Stance, The North Face, Purina, and Nickelodeon.
Experticity, based in Salt Lake City, has received $18.7 million in funding across three rounds since it was founded in 2004. ReadyPulse, located in San Carlos, California, has received $7 million across two rounds since it was established in 2011. Financial details of the merger were not disclosed.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact. Discover our Briefings.


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Xiaomi’s upcoming gaming flagship is under construction which we won’t see until mid-2019. But the leaks already started popping over the internet which leads us to the key specifications. The specifications leaked are pretty much what you’d expect from the one gaming device.
Xiaomi Blackshark SkyWalker (2) will be powered by Snapdragon 855 SoC coupled with 8GB of RAM. This variant of Blackshark could be the base variant as Xiaomi introduced BlackShark Helo with the 10GB of RAM. The device runs on Android Pie. The geekbench listing shows the msmnile motherboard which is the code name of the Snapdragon 855 chipset.
Talking about the Geekbench score, BlackShark SkyWallker scores 3494 in single core score and 11149 in multi-core score.
Xiaomi launched the BlackShark Helo last year powered by Snapdragon 845 chipset coupled with massive 10GB of RAM. We are expecting the BlackShark 2 to gear up 12GB of RAM at least. The upcoming device could sport the Qualcomm’s X50 modem to have 5G connectivity. The upcoming BlackShark event could also bring some cool new accessories with the device to improve the gaming experience.
More information on this device is yet unknown, maybe upcoming leaks could bring the renders and detailed specifications. So make sure to stay tuned with us.


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Disney Parks Update for July 12, 2021
Disneyland Paris introduced a new FastPass system that has DVC members worried. We’ll talk about this turn of events, some restaurant changes, new character greetings, and a welcome party return in the latest Disney Parks Update.
What Did Disneyland Paris Just Do?
The mainstream media picked up a Disney story emanating from France. As you’ve likely heard, Disneyland Paris just ended its free FastPass system.
However, the story isn’t as bleak as it sounds. Also, I’m emphatic on the point that American Disney park fans shouldn’t freak out…yet.
Let me explain what just happened and why it’s not the end of the world.
When guests visit Disneyland Paris, they have historically had access to a complimentary FastPass system. Well, park officials just killed that.
Instead, Disney will replace the old system with something called Standby Pass, a different kind of virtual queue.
When you visit Disneyland Paris, you can still hold a place in one line while walking around the park. So, a form of free FastPass still exists under a new name.
What Disney wants fans to use is the new Premier Access service. Yes, that’s the same name for the Disney+ program that allows you to watch Black Widow in your home.
From now on, Disney wants you to associate Premier Access with upcharge expenses. At Disneyland Paris, that means immediate access to the shorter line queue.
So, Premier Access of today was like the FastPass service of old, only now you’re paying for it. Disney has announced a fluctuating price structure, the equivalent of tiered admission.
Why You Shouldn’t Worry
You’ll pay between €8 and €15 (about $9.50 to $17.80) for one skip of the line…per person. So yes, if you have a date, the two of you would pay $19-$35.60 to ride faster.
Notably, that total is also per ride, meaning that the cost of a park visit would soar for those who want to skip the lines.
If an adult couple skipped five lines, they’d pay an extra $135 or so. That’s what a couple of park meals would cost. So, it’s a hefty added expense.
I understand that this comes across as a stressor for those who already worry about vacation budgets.
What you may not have known/remembered is that Disneyland Paris already offered paid FastPass.
In the summer of 2018, the parks introduced Disney Access One, which allowed guests to skip a ride for €15.
Later that year, Disneyland Paris added Super FastPass and Ultimate FastPass. Guests who paid for these packages received a batch of FastPasses.
You could choose three FastPasses for €26 to €40 (it used tiered pricing based on date) or nine FastPasses for €53 to €79.
So, for $75-$110, guests could book nine FastPasses, thereby waiting in line less and experiencing more.
This system never came to Disney’s American theme parks. The new variant, Premier Access, utilizes the same premise and similar pricing.
As such, you shouldn’t worry that Walt Disney World or Disneyland will adopt this practice…at least until Disney states otherwise.
Mobile Ordering fans received some new additions this week.
Sommerfest, the go-to place at the World Showcase for bratwurst fans, has joined Mobile Ordering. Similarly, Yorkshire County Fish Shop at the United Kingdom pavilion is available, too.
So, you can pick up Fish and Chips or a bratwurst without ever standing in line from now on. Sadly, the same isn’t true at Sunshine Seasons, though.
For whatever reason, The Land pavilion’s Quick Service restaurant has left Mobile Ordering while also returning to cafeteria-style service.
Clearly, Disney wants people to get comfortable with standing in line to order and pay again. Hopefully, Mobile Ordering returns to Sunshine Service, though. It’s a much simpler process.
In additional restaurant reopening news, Golden Oak Outpost is back at Magic Kingdom. Also, here’s one I missed yesterday.
Citricos at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa will reopen this week with a new Mary Poppins style. The menu will still focus on seafood, though.
Miscellaneous Park Updates
If you’re traveling to Disneyland Resort this fall, you’re in business! The Disneyland app just confirmed that Haunted Mansion Holiday will return after skipping 2020 due to the pandemic.
Disney has also confirmed the return of the Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party, which also didn’t run last year.
Tickets for the event go on sale July 13th and will start at $114 per person. The first night falls on September 9th, and then the Oogie Boogie Bash lasts through Halloween.
In other Disneyland Resort news, the Eternals, Shang-Chi, and his friends will appear at Avengers Campus this fall, just in time to promote the two movies.
Those of you who don’t want to wait can go now to see President Loki, the minor character from the Loki TV series currently airing on Disney+.
Also, remember that D23 deal I just posted? If you signed up for Gold Membership, it will pay immediate dividends this week.
For $75, you can show at Disneyland early on July 16th. Starting at 5:15 a.m., guests can check-in at Jungle Cruise to ride the new version before the park opens. That’s a terrific D23 Gold benefit right there!
Meanwhile, at EPCOT, Princess Jasmine now appears at the Morocco pavilion. You can photograph her from a safe distance, as standard character interactions still aren’t a thing yet.
Finally, if you’re thinking about taking a VIP Tour anytime soon, I’m about to tell you something that may tip the scale.
As of now, VIP Tour members CAN ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance without a Boarding Group.
I know from a previous tour that a plaid told me Rise of the Resistance was the most requested option. Now, more than 18 months after the ride debuted, it’s possible for VIP Tour groups!
Access all available Disney Vacation Club resale listings, or learn more about buying and selling with DVC Resale Market.
Hello. Is there a code for DVC D23. I havent had the email and when I try and sign up, even with the linked DVC account it still tries to charge me full price?
Hi and thank you for reading!
Unfortunately, the email comes with a one-time usage code, and I used mine.
I would suggest that you contact DVC/D23 support to see if they’ll send you one. You also may want to check your spam filter in case the D23 email is there.
The offer came from the email address of firstname.lastname@example.org on July 2nd.


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‘Days of Our Lives’ Alum Jen Lilley Is Helping Make Christmas Merry for Kids in Need
They founded Christmas Is Not Cancelled in 2020 to give back during a holiday season marked by the coronavirus pandemic. Now, they’re back for another year, and they’re offering people an even more exciting way to get involved: Christmas University. The 10-week program kicked off Oct. 14 and features fun events like holiday-themed classes and virtual celebrity game nights. Plus, participants have the chance to win prizes, including the Ultimate Christmas package.
Christmas Is Not Cancelled was born during the pandemic, Jen Lilley explained
The origins of Christmas Is Not Cancelled were simple, Lilley explained in an interview with Showbiz Cheat Sheet. As the pandemic forced people to call off traditional holiday activities, the actor, like many others, felt a sense of dismay.
“My business partner Ale and I were chatting one day and we were saying, ‘Oh, they better not cancel Christmas,’ she said. “And then we were like, ‘That would be a great campaign.’”
Lilley and Boggiano partnered with Toys for Tots, a program run by the U.S. Marine Corps that distributes gifts to kids in need. That dovetailed nicely with a 2020 Christmas movie Lilley had made for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, USS Christmas, which had a military-focused storyline.
The campaign was “wildly successful,” Lilley said. But she thought it would be a “one and done” event. Then artificial tree company Balsam Hill reached out about partnering on a 2021 event. Eventually, the two decided to launch an even more ambitious campaign for this year’s holiday season: 20,000 toys for Toys for Tots, double last year’s goal. Christmas Is Not Cancelled also supports Childhelp, an organization that helps abused, neglected, and at-risk kids.
How to support Christmas Is Not Cancelled
Want to help Christmas Is Not Cancelled hit their goal of giving away 20,000 toys this Christmas? All you have to do is head to their website and purchase a toy bundle, which start at $15. That’s enough to buy one toy for a child. As extra incentive to give, you’ll also get entries in the Christmas Is Not Cancelled sweepstakes.
Drawings happen weekly, and prizes include a GAC Family Christmas movie watching kit, Balsam Hill wreaths, a catered Christmas dinner, gingerbread house kits, FrndlyTV subscriptions, and more. Plus, there’s the grand prize drawing: an ultimate Christmas package including a Balsam Hill tree and decor, tickets to ChristmasCon, and a trip to Disney World.
Christmas University offers virtual classes in all things holiday
Christmas Is Not Cancelled isn’t just about giving toys to kids who might otherwise not receive a gift from Santa. It’s also about building community. Enter Christmas University, which offers virtual classes in all things holiday.
“It’s so fun,” Lilley said. “We meet virtually every single week over a private Zoom … It’s an outlet for all of us to kind of decompress and meet up with each other every week and have fun and kind of escape just the reality of 2021.”
Upcoming classes include tips on making a holiday-themed charcuterie cheeseboard and setting the perfect holiday table. There’s also a “Royally Wrapped” cookie class in honor of Lilley’s upcoming movie for GAC Family, Royally Wrapped for Christmas. It airs Saturday, Nov. 27.
In that movie, Lilley plays a woman named Lindsay Peterson. She’s the director of a charitable organization (founded by the royal family of Veronia) that has the goal of giving every child in the world a Christmas gift.
It’s “bit of a Cinderella story,” Lilley said, who also noted the things she has in common with her character.
“It was pretty amazing that her life kind of parallels mine in that I do have a goal to see every child get a Christmas gift,” she said.
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We aren really orbiting around a singular object like the planets orbit the Sun the largest object, Sag A, is only a fraction of a percent of the Milky Way total mass (whereas the Sun is over 99% of the Solar System mass). Instead, we orbiting the center of mass of the Milky Way, and Sag A just happens to be in roughly that location. All orbiting bodies actually work like this, but the center of mass is usually inside of the larger body, so it easier to think of the smaller object orbiting the larger object.
It is very imperative that the people in corporate level should use the apparels very sophisticated. Sometimes the executive in the company needs to participate in the meeting. So the company apparels for the executives should be good enough to deal with forceful people of the corporate level.
And Christine O’Donnell was the new Queen of the Crazies. It didn’t take long for us to find out that she was , a dabbler in witchcraft and not all that knowledgeable about this holy document she swore she was building her candidacy around. Plus, everything that came out of her mouth was pure hilarious moonshine.
SubscriptionsGo to the Subscriptions Centre to manage your:My ProfileWikiLeaks founder Julian Assange speaks at a press conference in London in October. Official says Assange is a ‘political actor’ and not a journalist. Embassy cables this past week has sparked an intense debate on whether the online media organization’s actions qualify as journalism.The website’s founder, Julian Assange, has portrayed himself as a crusading journalist: He told ABC News by email that his latest batch of State Department documents would expose “lying, corrupt and murderous leadership from Bahrain to Brazil,” The Associated Press reports.
The releasing of the first shoes of Nike Aired Force 1 can be traced back to 1982; in spite of this, till now, these shoes are still favored by the entire world. The Nike Air Force 1 was first introduced by Nike company which is a most successful and famous one manufacturing shoes with its headquarter in Beaverton, Oregon. Probably, Nike Company can be counted as the youngest one among all major brands.
But, what saves the sequel from a case of d vu is how the actors have grown into their roles.As Phil, Cooper is now so laid back he practically falls off the screen. The scruffy faced charmer continues to possess an easy charisma that makes up for his cockroach of a character. As the man child Alan, Galifianakis finds a sweet spot between naivet and desperation.


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KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 1 2018 : The Malaysia Australia Business Council (MABC) is calling for any review into the operations of Lynas Malaysia to be made public, transparent, objective and evidence-based in the interest of maintaining investors confidence.
In a statement today, the council said Lynas Malaysia should be provided with the opportunity to publicly defend its regulatory and environmental record since it commenced operations in 2012.
MABC said it was concerned about recent press reports concerning a review on the operations of Lynas Malaysia, which has been producing high-quality rare earth materials in Kuantan under extensive licensing conditions since September 2014.
“While the government’s right to conduct a review of the operations is not questioned, it is important that such a review should be to assess any breaches of its licence or for not meeting acceptable international standards.
“The credibility of the review, including the composition of the review team and the terms of reference, is critical to ensure that it does not damage Malaysia’s reputation as a stable and open investment destination,” it said.
MABC said Malaysia has long been regarded as an attractive investment destination because of its reliable legal framework, predictable economic, political and policy environment, and demonstrated openness to investment from the government and the local business community.
Australian businesses have invested almost RM30 billion in Malaysia as of end-2017, across a range of productive economic sectors, including manufacturing, services, agribusiness, resources and the digital economy.
“This investment has created thousands of jobs for Malaysians and helped boost the country’s economic development, intellectual property and skills base,” it added.
MABC represents the interests of Australian businesses in Malaysia with a mission to promote greater trade and investment ties between the two countries. – Bernama


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1.18.19 Your morning briefing
The information you need to start your day, from PaymentsSource and around the Web:
Food ordering has become a major way for mobile payment apps to pick up merchant support, a trend Paytm hopes extends to India.
One97 Communications, which operates Paytm, has partnered with Zomato to provide food ordering via the Paytm app, reports NDTV. The service will start in Delhi, but there are plans to reach 100 cities covering 80,000 restaurants in a few weeks.
The delivery feature is one of several new products Paytm has added in the past year as it moves deeper into financial services and general retail, and adds new geographic markets.
On the road
Walmart wants to double its online grocery delivery footprint, adding 800 stores to its current 800 by the end of 2019 as it seeks myriad options to counter rival Amazon.
Walmart has signed Point Pickup, Skip Cart, AxleHire and Roadie to support online ordering and delivery with an option for same-day service. Walmart has also tested using its own employees to deliver groceries on their way home from work.
More recently, the retailer began testing delivery with driverless cars in the Phoenix area.
Open to sharing
As Hong Kong prepares to adopt PSD2-style open banking, it's finding a consumer base that's more open to the concept than other regions.
Half of Hong Kong residents are willing to share data with a third party if it results in more personalized services or a better rate, according to Accenture research. The survey also found only 31 percent of Hong Kong residents would not be willing to share data under these circumstances.
That's more open, so to speak, than other regions that Accenture polled. In Australia and the U.K., 66 percent and 60 percent of consumers said they are unwilling to share data with third parties for a better deal or personalized service.
Wirecard has signed a deal with Swatch to embed contactless payment technology into watches.
As of Feb. 1, Wirecard's boon mobile payment system will enable SwatchPay transactions at any Mastercard contactless retailer.
Swatch has supported mobile payments via its watches since 2015.
From the Web
New policy puts revenue squeeze on China’s payments giants
TechCrunch | Thu January 17, 2019 - The era that saw China’s mobile payments providers making handsome interest returns on client money has officially ended. Starting this week, non-bank payments companies must place 100 percent of their customer deposit funds under centralized, interest-free accounts as Beijing moves to rein in financial risks.
Three in five SMEs hit by cyber security breaches over last 12 months: Survey
The Straits Times | Thu January 17, 2019 - Three in five small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore have had cyber security breaches that resulted in business disruptions and data leaks over the past 12 months, a new survey reveals. But only 30 percent of those affected notified customers or employees of the data leaks, according to insurer Chubb's survey of 300 SMEs.
New U.K. Bitcoin Exchange Overwhelmed By 'Crazy' Demand Amid Brexit Uncertainty
Forbes | Thu January 17, 2019 - Hong Kong-based Binance, the world's largest bitcoin and cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, has said it's been "overwhelmed" by registrations for its new Jersey-based trading platform, which the exchange's widely respected chief executive Changpeng Zhao, often known as CZ, put down to "crazy" demand.
More from PaymentsSource
Square's new debit card poses big threat to banks
Square's new card for business owners does something very bold with debit — and very troubling for banks.
Snoop Dogg is becoming a Klarna investor
Calvin Broadus, better known as the rapper Snoop Dogg, will acquire shares in the Swedish-based alternative finance company Klarna from an existing investor as he becomes the face of Klarna’s new advertising campaign.
PrePay, PayQuicker target faster employee rewards, commissions
Digital banking and payments provider PrePay Solutions is partnering with PayQuicker to help with currency conversions in payroll management programs globally, and to expand PayQuicker's capabilities for its clients' international workers.
For merchants, social's the new home to build trust and transactions
Consumers are looking to Instagram and other social networks over traditional branding, according to Acceleration Partners' Robert Glazer.


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Baghdad, Iraq, June 11, 2014—IFC,
a member of the World Bank Group, is investing in a leading logistics company,
to help expand its operations into Iraq. This will support economic development,
facilitate international trade, and create jobs.
IFC is making a $5 million equity investment
to help Nafith International manage freight in four major Iraqi ports,
and across national borders. A specially designed system will help process
trucks quickly and easily, saving time and reducing costs. This will support
cross border trade, which is crucial to developing a diverse economy, making
Iraq less reliant on the oil sector.
“The investment from IFC will help
us expand into new markets, providing valuable services to developing economies,”
said Sameer Mubarak Chairman of Nafith International.
The project involves the construction
of a major truck yard near Umm Qasr port, which handles more than 50 percent
of Iraq’s container traffic, and two smaller yards to serve Abou Floos,
Maaqal, and Khor Al Zubeir ports.
“Improving infrastructure is a priority
for IFC in the region and particularly in conflict affected countries like
Iraq,” said Ziad Badr, IFC Country Officer in Iraq “The solution that
Nafith provides would be beneficial for countries with similar challenges.”
Nafith’s system was able to help Aqaba
port in Jordan reduce costs by around 20 percent, and significantly increase
port efficiency. Today over 3,500 truck movements are managed on a daily
basis, compared to 2,200 when Nafith first became involved.
The initiative is part of IFC’s wider
strategy that seeks to support economic diversification and job creation
in Iraq’s non-oil sectors. Between 2011 and 2012, IFC committed up to
$500 million, including the mobilization of $245 million to develop the
manufacturing, infrastructure, and financial markets sectors.
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group,
is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the
private sector. Working with private enterprises in more than 100 countries,
we use our capital, expertise, and influence to help eliminate extreme
poverty and promote shared prosperity. In FY13, our investments climbed
to an all-time high of nearly $25 billion, leveraging the power of the
private sector to create jobs and tackle the world’s most pressing development
challenges. For more information, visit www.ifc.org
About Nafith International
Nafith International provides innovative
solutions to the freight and logistics sectors in developing countries,
helping nations increase the speed of truck processing within ports, border
crossings, customs centers, and logistics hubs. Nafith uses advanced
technology in its operations, and is a pioneer in the provision of RFID
technology for the logistics sector.


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L’Oréal Colour Trophy 2016 launches
This is our fourth year working on the L’Oréal Colour Trophy event and after the huge success of the UK’s 60th anniversary in 2015, this year sees the Irish competition celebrate it’s 50th with big plans. To launch the campaign we created these two short edits from previous highlights to be used across the L’Oréal Professionel social media channels. With their focus on online reach this year, we made cut down Instagram versions to ensure they were engaging with their audience across all platforms.
Having worked on the competition for several years, we have worked with some of the hair industries top talent. This has allowed us to make some amazing content including this production for Trevor Sorbie OBE for last year’s Grand Final. We can’t reveal who we’ll be collaborating with this year but we can say we’re excited.


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That ‘natural’ bacon you bought may contain nitrates
Consumers are buying more and more “natural” meat — and the biggest meat companies want to sell it to them.
But there’s one thing consumers may not know. When it comes to meat and poultry, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s definition of “natural” might not be the same as theirs.
The agency requires that so-called natural products be minimally processed and have no “artificial” ingredients, but surprisingly that doesn’t mean that nitrates, for example, can’t be found in your bacon.
Companies such as Tyson Foods Inc., Pilgrim’s Pride Corp. and Hormel Foods Corp. have been snapping up smaller, outwardly progressive competitors in the burgeoning organic food space, seeking to capitalize on changing consumer tastes.
At the same time, some of the major meat companies have been offering their own products as “natural,” replete with labels featuring blue skies and green fields.
Hormel said in its most recent quarterly filing that its “Natural Choice” line of meats “showed excellent growth.”
But in a January court filing totaling 600-plus pages, Hormel responded to a consumer group’s lawsuit and disclosed how it made some of its Natural Choice products.
In the filing, a company executive said the same pigs it used to make its Spam meat product were also used in Natural Choice pork products. Those pigs are often given antibiotics and are rarely allowed outdoors.
“It’s a massive attempt to manipulate and dupe the consumer to purchase something they have no intention to purchase,” said David Muraskin, a food project attorney at Public Justice and lead lawyer for Animal Legal Defense Fund.
The fund sued Hormel in Superior Court of the District of Columbia, a jurisdiction with stringent consumer protection laws, alleging the company was misleading consumers. On April 8, however, the lawsuit was dismissed; the court maintained that as long as manufacturer labels were approved by the USDA, the advertising could use the “natural” claims.
“If a producer can accurately use a term in a label,” the court wrote, “the producer should be able to use the same term in its advertising.”
The fund said it planned to appeal the April 8 ruling, which Hormel defended in a statement.
“Our position has always been that Hormel Natural Choice products are produced, labeled, and marketed in conformance with all applicable laws and regulations,” Hormel said. “The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has specifically reviewed and approved the labels for Hormel Natural Choice branded products, including scrutinizing and approving the ‘Natural’ and ‘Preservative’-related language.”
American shoppers are reaching for healthier, more environment- and animal-friendly meat products, with 39% saying “all-natural” is the most important claim when purchasing red meat, according to a recent survey by market research company Mintel.
But, according to the documents in the court filing, Hormel employees internally questioned whether they were meeting consumer expectations, specifically around antibiotics. The company’s director of marketing said in an email quoted in the filing that “many consumer[s] assume Natural=RWOA,” or raised without antibiotics. Hormel stated in the filing that she was “simply making an observation.”
Consumer comments cited in the court filing often focused on the “no preservatives” claims, with one stating, for example, “We love your [Natural Choice] meats, my husband is allergic to nitrates, so thankful for your products.” Hormel stated that “the commenter purchased Natural Choice products because of the taste and because the commenter’s husband had no allergic reaction.”
Most animals that are raised for meat in the U.S. spend their lives in conventional indoor agricultural systems, routinely receiving antibiotics and sometimes growth promoters. Although this probably isn’t what many consumers envision as “natural,” it’s a system that enables those consumers to eat as much beef, pork, turkey and chicken as they want — no matter where they live or the time of year.
According to the court filing, Hormel executives said these practices were deployed at the independent farms raising their animals, and that there was no difference between those raised for Spam and those destined for Natural Choice. Hormel’s Applegate brand, a small organic label it purchased in 2015, was not at issue in the lawsuit.
There is “no separate manner in which the pigs raised for Hormel Natural Choice products are versus any other of Hormel’s products, so Spam or any lunchmeat or bacon product,” Corwyn Bollum, Hormel’s director of pork procurement, said in a deposition cited in the court filing. That means only a “fairly small percent” of the pigs slaughtered for Natural Choice had any outdoor access, he said.
Some pigs used in Natural Choice products received antibiotics and/or the growth promoter ractopamine, according to other statements cited in the filing.
And it’s not just the pigs: “Hormel Foods acknowledges that some cattle that [sic] used in Natural Choice beef products receive hormones,” the company wrote in the filing. It also stated that turkeys used in Natural Choice products may receive antibiotics.
Antibiotics are routinely administered to livestock to prevent disease, though the practice has been linked to a growing public health crisis of antibiotic resistance in humans.
Producers are supposed to allow enough time between the administration of antibiotics and the slaughter of the animal, such that the drugs have been flushed from its system, said Colin Johnson, a swine specialist with the Iowa Pork Industry Center in Ames, Iowa. He added, though, that trace amounts of some antibiotics remain legal.
“Antibiotic residues are very uncommon,” Hormel said in a statement. “If our testing indicates a positive, that raw material is not used in our food production and does not enter the food chain.”
Then there’s ractopamine, a drug that changes animal metabolism to make the meat leaner and heavier. The drug is banned in China, Russia and the European Union, and tests of its safety for humans are limited. In the U.S. and dozens of other countries, however, the drug is legal to use. American pork producers reduced their usage after China’s ban in 2011, since they look to that market for significant exports.
“I’d assume ‘natural’ wouldn’t have ractopamine,” Johnson said, though he maintained that the substance wasn’t harmful to humans.
The advertising claims about preservatives, such as “no preservatives or artificial ingredients” and “no nitrates or nitrites added,” are also misleading, the Animal Legal Defense Fund alleged in its original complaint in 2016. On its website, after its “no preservatives” claim, Hormel adds the statement “except for those naturally occurring in cultured celery and cherry powder.”
Celery juice powder is naturally high in nitrates. Additionally, many Natural Choice items also contain lactic acid starter, a bacterial culture. The Center for Science in the Public Interest said bacterial cultures convert the nitrates into sodium nitrite, a meat preservative it warns should be avoided because studies link its consumption by children and pregnant women to cancer. The center for this reason specifically advises consumers to be wary of “natural” hot dogs and cured meats boasting of “no added nitrite.”
“We continue to stand behind Hormel Natural Choice products,” Hormel said in its statement. “Hormel Natural Choice products are minimally processed and contain no artificial ingredients or chemical preservatives, and that’s clearly stated on the package.”
Nikolas Contis, a senior partner at brand consultant PS212, said he thought Hormel’s marketing misled consumers. “There’s a difference between what’s legal and what’s ethical,” Contis said. “They know the words are misleading.”
Hormel on Wednesday rejected Contis’ assertion, saying it disagrees with “any implication that the advertising or labeling for the Hormel Natural Choice brand is misleading.”
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April 7, 2021 | Meg
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POSCO Chemical plans to invest in $633 million battery materials plant with GM By Reuters
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: The logo of POSCO is seen at the company’s headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, July 20,…
India needs to fill China gaps to become the “pharmacy of the world”
India emerged as a large supplier of Covid-19 vaccines, supplying to 75 countries, including Indonesia, where a medical officer injects…


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Intel Arc, The Only Choice In Native AV1 Encoding
AMD And NVIDIA Provide Hardware AV1 Decoding, But Not Encoding
Things have changed over the past decade, with Microsoft now offering Linux based instances on Azure, various companies accepting that they need to open source at least some of their driver technology and now Intel being the first to hardware accelerate a royalty free codec. Stating these things 15-20 years ago would have prompted laughter and at least a few jibes aimed at the one claiming this would one day would be a thing, especially at the suggestion Intel would have a competitive discrete GPU. It turns out that they were prophetic, not delusional.
AV1 uses the open-source dav1d decoder which came out of the VideoLAN, VLC, and FFmpeg communities, with sponsorship from the Alliance for Open Media. Netflix have already adopted it for their Android app and intend to move many of their other apps to AV1 as well. The AV1 codec compresses their content by about 20% more than the current standards, VP9 and HEVC/H.265 and not only does it retain the quality it is capable of handling Netflix’s 10-bit color content.
If the AV1 codec does gain broader acceptance, content creators are likely to chose Intel Arc GPUs thanks to their native support for encoding AV1 for streaming, as neither AMD nor NVIDIA are able to provide that feature. GPUs from all three companies support hardware decoding for viewers but in this strange new world, Intel Arc is the only choice for streamers who want to use the latest technology.
Intel Arc A-Series GPUs are the first in the industry to offer full AV1 hardware acceleration, including both encode and decode, delivering faster video encode and higher quality streaming while consuming the same internet bandwidth. We've worked with industry partners to ensure that AV1 support is available today in many of the most popular media applications, with broader adoption expected this year.
More Tech News From Around The Web
- AMD To Acquire Pensando in a $1.9 Billion Bid for Networking Tech @ Slashdot
- Modem-wiping malware caused Viasat satellite broadband outage in Europe @ The Register
- Google Play Crackdown Makes Amazon and Others Pull Digital Purchases @ Slashdot
- GitLab issues critical update after hard-coding passwords into accounts @ The Register
- SAMD11 Provides Two Serial Ports For Price Of One @ Hackaday


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There’s a softly contested debate on whether or not Anthem has life left or is worth saving. BioWare seems to believe in both, recently having revealed plans to do an entire redesign built towards delivering the experience they think players will enjoy. If you missed the reveal or had trouble getting a look at it, it’s because BioWare temporarily crashed their blog after announcing their plans to fix Anthem.
On February 10, 2020, BioWare General Manager Casey Hudson went on the BioWare blog to announce new plans regarding the future of Anthem. According to Hudson, the team knows full well that while they have continued to update Anthem with stability and content updates over several seasons, they realize that there are problems with the game that simple updates won’t fix.
“We recognize that there’s still more fundamental work to be done to bring out the full potential of the experience,” Hudson explained. “And it will require a more substantial reinvention than an update or expansion.”
To that end, Hudson explained that the team would be looking at a much more ground-up change of Anthem as a whole.
“Over the coming months we will be focusing on a longer-term redesign of the experience,” Hudson continued. “Specifically working to reinvent the core gameplay loop with clear goals, motivating challenges and progression with meaningful rewards.”
It feels like BioWare has been forced to apologize for Anthem from the beginning, so a complete refresh of the game may definitely be warranted if there’s anything to salvage. Unfortunately, even BioWare’s announcement to redesign Anthem got off to a rough start. Shortly after Hudson launched his blog explaining the situation and future of Anthem, the BioWare blog temporarily crashed for a bit. It’s back online now, but it’s sort of an unfortunately fitting kickoff to the plans to fix a game that was bricking PS4s when it first launched. Some folks believe that it speaks to interest in Anthem, so maybe there's something there - optimism at the very least.
If a blog post can crash a site then at least it shows there's still a lot of interest in the game?— Mat Piscatella (@MatPiscatella) February 10, 2020
What a wild ride this game has been.
So it begs the question, can Anthem be redesigned into something better? If it was, would you play it? Let us know in the Shacknews Chatty comment section below.
TJ Denzer posted a new article, Bioware reveals update on fixing Anthem, crashes blog immediately
Softly contested LOL
customers didn't pay to have a website that actually delivers what it promised, just a game
a service, which may or may not contain a game-shaped object.
Translation: Bioware tries to scrape back a profit on massive commercial bomb.
I hope they have another good game in them but I'm not confident - morale at that studio must be rock bottom.


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What Sets Winners Apart?
Looks can be deceiving in India’s fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) market. In spite of the sector’s stable, growing and lucrative appearance, it remains highly elusive and competitive. It’s also very sensitive, as one new product or a simple innovation can change market share in just a matter of days.
So even though the FMCG sector is one of opportunity, success is far from easy. Notably, the sector’s astonishing 18.5 percent overall year-on-year growth rate indicates that some companies got it right while the rest witnessed only moderate growth. And the companies that have performed strongly did so during very challenging economic times—evidence that strong products can succeed even when times are tough.


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