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Resorts announce 2010-11 rates
Nevada Appeal News Service
Numerous Lake Tahoe ski resorts are offering early bird specials on season passes for 2010-11.
Alpine and Homewood
JMA Ventures, which owns both Alpine Meadows Ski Resort and Homewood Mountain Resort, has announced its 2010-11 season pass prices, starting with the $339 Midweek-Plus-Sunday pass, which is valid at both mountains and valid on Saturdays before Dec. 25, 2010 and after March 12, 2011. The two mountains also offer a slightly “filtered” adult pass for both mountains for $459, with several blackout dates at Alpine, and an “unfiltered” dual mountain pass for $699.
Squaw Valley USA
Squaw Valley USA’s season passes start at $369 for the bronze pass and go up to $1,599 for the platinum pass. Prices last until May 9.
Boreal Mountain Resort
Boreal Ski Resort will offer adult anytime passes for $239 and night passes for $129. The prices are valid until April 4.
In Incline Village, Diamond Peak Ski Resort is offer full adult passes for next season at a cost of $454 with beginner passes costing $109, only valid for the Lodgepole and Schoolhouse lifts.
In South Lake Tahoe, Heavenly Ski Resort will offer its Heavenly pass for $339. The pass is blacked out Nov. 26 and 27, Dec. 27-31 and Feb. 19-20, 2011.
Northstar-at-Tahoe and Sierra-at-Tahoe resorts have announced their Double Whammy passes, including the unlimited, which costs $699 before April 30, and the limited pass, with 10 blackout dates at Northstar, which costs $459 before April 30. The Northstar Monday-Friday pass is $269 and the Sierra Sunday-Friday pass is $199.
Royal Gorge Cross Country’s passes will cost $375 if purchased before June 15 and $425 if purchased between June 16 and Sept. 15. Children’s passes are $125 before June 15 or $140 before Sept. 15.
Sugar Bowl resort’s passes, which go on sale April 5, start at $299 for the CORE Midweek Plus pass, valid Monday-Friday excluding holidays. The Summit Sunday pass, valid Sunday-Friday, is $399, and the unrestricted pass costs $799.
Kirkwood Ski Resort’s passes are on sale, and the premium pass will cost $599 with the 5Wood Monday-Friday pass at $199.
Mount Rose Ski Resort has announced its spring passes, which cost $433 and are valid now through the 2010-11 season.
In Tahoe City, Tahoe Cross Country Ski Area’s 2010-11 season passes cost $219 for adults and $49 for dogs.
Tahoe Donner Cross Country and Tahoe Donner Downhill Ski Area have not yet released their rates for next season, but a spokesman said they will offer a combined downhill and cross country pass for next season.


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Walter Isaacson Says Apple is No Longer the Most Innovative Company
Steve Jobs' biographer has shared his thoughts in a recent interview with CNBC.
Universal Pictures to Release Steve Jobs Biopic on October 9
Universal Pictures is set to release the long-anticipated Steve Jobs biopic on October 9.
Walter Isaacson Says Steve Jobs Would Have Bought Beats [VIDEO]
According to Steve Jobs' biographer Walter Isaacson, the Apple founder would have done Beats deal as well.
Walter Isaacson: ‘Execution is What Really Matters,’ Apple is the Best
Isaacson back-tracks on his comments about Google topping Apple when it comes to innovation.
Walter Isaacson: Google is Innovating at a Higher Rate Than Apple
Isaacson says Google's acquisition of Nest is a bigger development than Apple's partnership with China Mobile.

domain: news


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(John Ransom, Headline USA) In what may be a sign of harassment or a sign of future censorship, China has ordered the Microsoft search engine Bing to suspend the use of its “auto suggest” feature for seven days, the second time that’s such a request has been made, according to Reuters.
Auto suggest uses predictive technology, said Algolia, a company that makes interfaces for these types of searches, to help users find more relevant information speedier by searching a practically infinite set of keywords quickly to rank the relevancy for the user.
And that may be what is scaring China.
China has recently passed a series of laws aimed at telling computer companies what they can and can’t use algorithms for in regards to data collection and is in the process of deciding how to implement the new laws.
Unlike data collection laws proposed in the West, which are focused on protecting the privacy of the user, Chinese data security laws are aimed at protecting Chinese national security, namely the Chinese state, rather than the individual user.
“The Data Security Law (DSL) sets up a framework that classifies data collected and stored in China based on its potential impact on Chinese national security and regulates its storage and transfer depending on the data’s classification level,” said Skadden, a legal firm that specializes in Chinese law for western companies.
While auto suggest may include results that are more relevant for the user, China wants results to be ranked by usefulness for the state and its monopoly on power.
In December China ordered Bing to suspend the auto suggest feature for a period of 30 days according to ANI, a news service in South Asia.
In November, when China passed these new data security laws, Yahoo announced that it would be pulling out of mainland China, citing a challenging environment for Internet companies that rely on data collection, said Reuters.
“In recognition of the increasingly challenging business and legal environment in China, Yahoo’s suite of services will no longer be accessible from mainland China as of November 1,” a Yahoo spokesperson told Reuters in an email.
Previously, Reuters had reported that Microsoft subsidiary LinkedIn was also leaving China for the same reason.
The contrast between the treatment of these tech companies in the West and in China, serves to highlight how the Big Tech companies only want censorship that helps them not hurts them.


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Google Launches 'Music Beta' Cloud Service
As expected, Google today announced its new Music Beta
service, offering users the ability to upload their music libraries to Google's servers for cloud-based hosting that allows users to access content from any device. The offering competes against Amazon's Cloud Drive and Cloud Player
services, as well as Apple's expected MobileMe revamp.
Music Beta is currently available via invitation to U.S. users and will allow users to upload up to 20,000 songs using software for Mac or Windows. The service then offers a web-based interface and initial app support for Android devices. The service is free while in beta, and Google has yet to announce pricing for when the service exits beta.
Like Amazon's cloud-based system, Google has yet to achieve the cooperation of major music labels, forcing the company to rely on a "passive" system in which users are responsible for uploading their own content. Google had been working to reach agreements with record labels to roll out a more robust service, but those talks had stalled with the two sides at an impasse. With Apple reportedly having its own service ready to go and finalizing deals with record labels, Google has apparently shifted gears to more quickly launch the scaled back service without label support.
Apple today launched its annual "Back to School" promotion for college/university students in the United States and Canada. This year's promotion offers a free Apple gift card with the purchase of an eligible Mac or iPad, rather than free AirPods like last year. Apple is also offering students 20% off AppleCare+ plans during the promotion.
Apple is offering a $150 gift card with the purchase ...
The next-generation AirPods Pro could come with a long list of new features that include heart rate detection, the ability to function as a hearing aid, and a USB-C port according to a report from 52Audio.
The site claims that it has received new information on the AirPods Pro 2, and it has used that information to provide some renders on what the earbuds might look like. Design wise, there...
In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter for Bloomberg, Mark Gurman outlined additional M2 Macs on Apple's product roadmap, including new Mac mini models with M2 and M2 Pro chips, new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips, and a new Mac Pro tower with M2 Ultra and "M2 Extreme" chips.
Following the M2 series of Macs, Gurman said the first M3 series of...
Apple is "likely" to announce its long-rumored mixed-reality headset as soon as January 2023, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has reiterated.
Concept render based on purported leaked information by Ian Zelbo In a detailed post on Medium, Kuo explained that Apple's headset will be a "game-changer" for the augmented-reality and virtual-reality market. Describing some of the headset's...
iPhone 14 Pro models are widely expected to feature always-on displays that allow users to view glanceable information without having to tap to wake the screen. In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter for Bloomberg, Mark Gurman said the feature will include support for iOS 16's new Lock screen widgets for weather, fitness, and more.
"Like the Apple Watch, the iPhone 14 Pro will be...


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Glasgow’s Buchanan Street has been named as the UK’s most expensive retail destination outside London.
Analysis by property adviser Cushman & Wakefield shows that the street is able to command annual rents of £1,887 per square metre, compared with £1,406 for Princes Street in Edinburgh.
However, rentals for the retail hotspot pale in comparison with London’s New Bond Street, which commands £8,073.
Ross Wilkie, an associate at Cushman & Wakefield’s retail services team, said: “Buchanan Street continues to have an enduring appeal to retailers and customers alike, benefiting from high levels of footfall and strong demand from operators looking to open Scottish flagship stores.
“Recent activity on the street includes new lettings to Ted Baker, Lush, Kiehl’s and Hard Rock Cafe. The future for the street will only be strengthened further with the proposed extension to Buchanan Galleries in the coming years.”
New York’s Upper Fifth Avenue overtook Causeway Bay in Hong Kong as the world’s priciest shopping destination, at £23,237.
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They left their family and friends behind in Melbourne to buy and run a Bed and Breakfast in the Barossa Valley, South Australia.
Now, New Idea has discovered that Spence and Kerrie’s luxurious homestead named The Paddocks has closed its doors – issuing an apology on its website.
‘Paddocks is currently not open for business. We apologise for the inconvenience.’
Located on 42 acres [17 hectares], the 100-year-old hobby farm, which the couple are believed to have purchased for around $805,000, features two self-contained suites that are ideal for couples. \Booking sites describe the accommodation as ‘a must in the Barossa’ with rooms available from about $290 a night.
While the reason behind its closure is not yet known, Spence, a prestige award-winning builder, is believed to have sold his Grand Designs featured Park Orchards home for an asking price of $3 million in order to purchase the Barossa property.
‘It was quite a special house,’ Spence, 46, says of the bespoke four-bedroom home.
‘It had a lot of glass, a lot of timber and rammed earth...it was on two-thirds of an acre.’
For more Block exclusives, see this weeks issue of New Idea - on sale now.


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PSX has just recently kicked off, and we have already seen a plethora of new and exciting titles announced. While sequels such as The Last of Us: Part II were plentiful at the event, we were personally hoping to see some new and interesting games make their way to the new PlayStation VR headset. To our pleasure and surprise, Sony has announced a new multiplayer arena shooter title named “Starblood Arena”.
- Best HTC Vive games (December 2016)
- Oculus Rift and Oculus Touch giveaway – VR Monthly (December 2016)
The game throws the player into a variety of different mech shooters, with a large amount of destructible objects to dodge and twist around. Each mech has different powers and play style, and a player will have to practice a particular machine in order to effectively master it. The game is geared towards playing locally with friends, but there is a PS PLUS online feature that will allow for online multiplayer co-op.
The title has apparently been in development for an entire year, and has 40 people working on the team. This is pretty surprising, especially considering this is a wholly new title with no previous hype to ride off of.
We have been waiting patiently for some competitive virtual reality titles, and we are hopeful that this might be it. The game seems to have a decently high skill cap, and we’re sure that it will only become more refined as development goes on.
Are you interested in a title like this? I’m hoping to get a chance to try this out, as I absolutely love competitive video games.


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The cheap flights airline has announced a partnership with Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions (NBTC) that is designed to encourage more people to take city breaks in Holland.
The proposed partnership is part of a three-year marketing campaign that has some pretty grand ambitions. Easyjet wants to attract no less than 750,000 additional holidaymakers during this period.
The groups that easyJet and NBTC will be wanting to appeal to are visitors coming over from Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. Given their close proximity to the Netherlands this makes sense as it’s an easy hop, skip and a jump on a cheap flight or even via the Eurostar for city break fans from the UK.
Paul Simmons, easyJet’s UK director, said: “We have been flying to Amsterdam since 1996 and have carried a total of 23m passengers to and from the city over that time.”
“Working closely in partnership with the NBTC will only help to strengthen our commitment to making travel easy and affordable for passengers travelling to Holland from all over Europe and boost tourism to the country.”
This means along with the 16 routes that easyJet already operate to Amsterdam’s Schipol Airport, the airline will launch additional routes from airports like London Southend and Glasgow over the next few months. This should open up the Netherlands to a whole new crowd of city break enthusiasts who want to pop over to the Land of Tulips where it seems that everyone is friendly, good-looking and speaks at least three languages!


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While social distancing, masks, and restaurant closures will likely remain some of the most prominent memories of how the restaurant industry changed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the long-term legacy of 2020 will be a major shift in consumer habits. Though the drive thru was already a major sales driver for many brands and takeout and ghost kitchens were already on the rise, the pandemic changed the way consumers interacted with brands almost overnight, catapulting these growing channels into prominence.
In only eight months, customers have built drive-thru and pickup orders into their routines, and restaurants have quickly shifted their service models to match. Brands have not only adapted their menus and cooking procedures to ensure food holds up in transit and shifted team members to better serve guests, but they have also begun adapting their floor plans in preparation for the future of off-premises dining.
“Mobile ordering for pickup was already growing, but COVID catapulted that growth trajectory by over 200 percent this year, according to Rakuten Intelligence,” says Jaron Waldman, co-founder and CEO of Rakuten Ready. “Having seamless operations established enables contactless fulfillment, which means faster and safer experiences for customers and employees. We predict these expectations will continue even after COVID-19, as people will now expect precautions and time efficiencies to stay in place.”
Now, major brands are piloting smaller footprints and more digitally-centric restaurants to meet growing consumer demand for mobile ordering and convenient pickup options. For example, Taco Bell announced it will open a “Go Mobile” store with a pickup-only drive-thru lane in Q1 of 2021 for customers ordering through the brand’s app. Meanwhile, McDonald’s has also announced that it will focus on reaching customers through digital channels in 2021 by ensuring stores have dedicated parking for pickup orders, as well as by piloting an express drive-thru lane for customers who order ahead with the app. Even fast-casual brand Shake Shack, which traditionally has not operated drive thrus, is launching a digitally enabled drive-up “Shack Track” pickup windows and curbside pickup.
This format proliferation is an attempt by brands to be customer centric—to put diners’ evolving needs first. However, format is only one part of the customer centricity equation. While restaurants must meet guests where they are now and where they will be in the coming year, customers will still demand the same high-quality food and service they’ve always expected from restaurants.
“A key indicator in determining brands success in navigating these format tests is their ability to bridge the online to offline experience for customers and building a solution that doesn’t just work for the operators, but complements and supports customer behaviors and expectations,” Waldman says.
More mobile orders and off-premises dining adds more complexity to operations, making timing more essential than ever. As more orders are placed before customers arrive at restaurants, brands run the risk of disappointing guests with cold food that’s prepared too early or slow service for orders prepared too late—mistakes which can hurt the brand’s reputation.
Yet just as the rise of mobile technology in the quick-service space introduced these new challenges, it can solve them, too, through geolocation software, which can alert team members when customers are approaching so orders can be prepared at exactly the right time. While geolocation has grown in the industry in the past few years, more brands will begin embracing the technology in 2021 as they pivot to more mobile-first dining options.
Though some brands have delayed using geolocation software in the past because leaders assumed it was difficult to setup or too expensive for smaller brands, providers are making geolocation technology more accessible than ever, such as Rakuten Ready’s new lighter-weight version of ARRIVE—launching in January—which is self-service and can be set up in a day.
This new offering, ARRIVE Essential, will contain all the necessary components to support curbside and in-store pickup: consolidating orders into one view, two-way customer communications, arrival notifications, and, most importantly, simplicity that requires little training.
Despite the rapid shift to mobile-first service and off-premises dining, this proliferation of new restaurant formats has proven that the foodservice industry and its leaders are resilient. While questions remain about what the future of quick service will look like, restaurants can prepare by embracing these shifts and the technology that will make their brands successful.
To learn more about ARRIVE Essential—launching in January—visit the Rakuten Ready website.
By Peggy Carouthers


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NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Hardware stocks dropped Tuesday with shares of SGI as investors gave the struggling company's restructuring plan a thumbs-down, but Cisco Systems' earnings news put a silver lining on a cloudy day.
The Goldman Sachs Computer Hardware Index slid2.1 percent. The declines came despite rosy outlooks by analysts for earnings of some personal computing companies.
"They are getting creamed again," said Eric Blachno, managing director at Pennsylvania Merchant Group. "The valuations for some of these stocks, by standard, historic measures, are clearly very high. In a not as favorable interest rate environment. . . what do you take down first? You take down the high PE [price earnings ratio] stocks."
Shares of SGI SGI, -2.44% dropped 3 3/4, or 23 percent, to 12 7/16. SGI said in a statement it will fire 1,000 to 1,500 employees, with additional job reductions possible, as part of a worldwide belt-tightening plan. SGI also will form a separate business unit for its Cray supercomputers unit.
After the market closed, Cisco CSCO, +0.70% reported fourth-quarter earnings a penny ahead of Wall Street's expectations as a 48 percent boom in Internet-fueled sales helped the world's largest computer networking company add to a string of solid earnings
Cisco said pro forma net income totaled $727 million, or 21 cents a share. A year ago, Cisco's operating profit was $525 million, or 16 cents a share, adjusted for two stock splits. Analysts surveyed by First Call expected the company to earn 20 cents per share. See full story.
Revenue for the quarter hit $3.55 billion, surpassing analyst expectations of $3.4 billion as Cisco increased sales to telecommunications firms looking to boost Internet capabilities. In the year-ago period, Cisco's revenue was $2.4 billion.
"They've reported about in line with the Street for the last several quarters," said Erik Suppiger analyst at Hambrecht & Quist. "So, if they're a penny above, I think that will probably be viewed positively."
Cisco shares moved lower by 1 1/16 to 58 3/4. Elsewhere, Cisco competitor Lucent Technologies lu confirmed it will buy International Network Services for $3.7 billion, yet another move to shore up its ability to advise and help corporations build high-speed data and Internet networks. Lucent's stock fell 2 to 61 5/8.
Positive PC outlook
Credit Suisse First Boston analyst Michael Kwatinetz said Dell is on track to meet or beat First Boston's earnings per share estimate of 17 cents a share when it reports second-quarter results in a week. Dell dell shares fell 9/16 to 40 7/16.
Likewise, Kwatinetz also expects Hewlett-Packard to meet or beat his projection of 77 cents per share. This compares with the First Call consensus estimate of 80 cents a share.
The analyst's revenue outlook is $12.2 billion. H-P hwp will report its third-quarter earnings on Aug. 16. Its shares lost 1 to 106 11/16.
PC maker Gateway Computer gtw shares fell 1/4 to 78 a day after the company announced a 2-for-1 stock split. See press release.
Meanwhile, chip and chip-equipment companies were mixed as the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index SOX, +1.47% lost 1.2 percent.
Shares of Intel INTC, +0.95% surrendered 1 11/16 to 71 3/4; Motorola MSI, +0.61% slid 2 5/8 to 88 1/2; and Advanced Micro Devices AMD, +2.50% slipped 13/16 to 18 7/16. Rambus RMBS, +0.86% gained 1 3/16 to 85 5/8.


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CYBER attacks, ransomware attacks, data breaches, and theft of financial information have been growing in number year-on-year. Wannacry, also known as Wannacrypt, and Petya, both ransomware, made headlines around the world in the second and third quarters of this year. A ransomware is a type of malicious software that renders data in storage inaccessible and unreadable. The attacker demands payment for a key that will unlock the data. The perpetrator demands payment within a short period or else the ransom will increase. The perpetrator warns its victim that non-payment of the ransom will result in the deletion of the data. Payment does not guarantee that the key will ever be provided or, if provided, will unlock the data.
https://techspective.net reported that WannaCry infected millions of systems in about 150 countries. The ransom demanded was $300 in the form of bitcoins to be paid in three days. Reports vary on how much the WannaCry perpetrators made but the same report cites a tweet from @actualransom: “three bitcoin wallets tied to #WannaCry ransomware have received 265 payments totaling 42.9251299 BTC ($76,233.26). At today’s exchange rate, that is a whopping P24,847,631.02.
The Petya attack came barely a month after the Wannacry attack. The attacker/s made off with£8,000 of ransom payments in Bitcoin or the equivalent of P544,830.48 at today’s exchange rate before the email address identified with Petya was disabled by the email provider.
Aside from a huge disruption in operations, the cost of a ransomware attack to business is quite staggering. Some estimates have put it at over a billion US dollars!
AV-Test Institute data (https://www.av-test.org/en/statistics/malware/) shows an exponential growth in the number of malware collected per year in the last 10 years. It projected about 700 million malicious programs to be unleashed in 2017.
Quite worrisome are attacks on organizations, public or private, that collect and hold personal information of their customers or citizens.
On September 7, Equifax, a consumer credit reporting agency, disclosed that close to 143 million accounts of US consumers were affected by a data breach which occurred in May to July 2017. The stolen records included personal information and credit card numbers. (Source: www.investor.equifax.com)
Yahoo, now owned by Verizon, disclosed last October 3, 2017, that three billion Yahoo user accounts were affected by the August 2013 data breach. (Source: www.oath.com)
Time Inc. owned Myspace, a popular social networking site before it was overshadowed by Facebook. Myspace was also a victim of unauthorized access to its servers but said that “the compromised data is limited to a portion of Myspace usernames, passwords and email addresses, from the old Myspace platform prior to June 11, 2013—when the site was relaunched with significant steps to strengthen account security.” (Source: www.businesswire.com)
Uber, a ride-hailing application company and, by LTFRB’s definition, a transport networking company, was also a victim of data breach in 2016 but which it disclosed only recently. Uber is now under investigation in the US and Europe for reportedly concealing the data breach incident impacting about 57 million users worldwide. Uber also reportedly paid the hackers $100,000 to delete the stolen data. (Source: www.wired.com)
Uber is under investigation by the National Privacy Commission (NPC). In a press statement released on November 28, 2017, the NPC said that Uber confirmed that personal information of Filipinos were exposed in the data breach although Uber did not provide further details, including the specific number of Filipino data subjects affected.
In the US, www.wired.com reported in June 2017 how 198 million voter records were left publicly accessible after a change in security settings. It is unclear if the voter records were actually accessed by unauthorized parties.
And, who can forget the ComeLeak, a breach that exposed personal data of close to 54 million voters a few weeks before the 2016 elections?
Personal data is exposed to risks even in a non-automated environment. Visitors to buildings willingly provide personal information at the security or reception desks and are asked to leave their identification cards in exchange for an access pass. In some buildings, data collection is done with the use of automated systems and visitors are asked to have their photos taken. Senior citizens present their identification cards at restaurants, groceries, rest rooms, drug stores, movie houses, and others to avail of discounts or free services. These establishments collect personal information, mostly capturing the data electronically. It is, however, not known what these establishments do with the personal information, how they keep it, and how they dispose of it.
A Facebook user recently posted a warning that officials in their barangay (unnamed in the post) had been going around collecting personal information of household members within their jurisdiction. When asked what the purpose of the data collection was, the FB user was told that the list will be given to the police so that stickers that will indicate a drug-free household can be posted on the houses. Will the members of the household end up in the drugs watch list if they don’t submit to the local census? In some barangays, collection of data about an alleged drug user or pusher is done through drop boxes with the provider of data remaining anonymous. Is the purpose of data collection legitimate? In a case argued before the Supreme Court en banc, a question was raised: how does one get out of the drugs watch list?
Personal data are collected without complying with the standards set in the Data Privacy Act. Personal data collection can be abused. Data collected can be misused. And there lies the danger.


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SANDUSKY - When Ben Balazs made his annual pilgrimage to Cedar Point this month with six friends and family members, he did something different to save money: He packed his lunch.
"We went outside and ate outside, and did a sit-down meal for dinner so we weren't spending a lot of money on food," the 17-year-old Bedford Township resident said.
Unfortunately for Cedar Point's parent company, he wasn't alone.
Yesterday, Cedar Fair LP said attendance at its amusement parks this summer has dropped 11 percent and revenues 12 percent from the same period a year ago. It blamed the drops on cool weather and a turgid economy.
The company, based in Sandusky, owns Cedar Point and 10 other amusement parks, six outdoor water parks, an indoor water park, and five hotels.
Cedar Fair said that through Sunday, its revenues were $452.6 million, down $62.3 million compared to last year. Attendance was 10.2 million visits, a decrease of 1.2 million visits.
Meanwhile, average in-park spending fell 2 percent to $39.52 per visitor. Nonpark revenues, including resort hotels, fell 12.4 percent to $50 million from $56.2 million a year ago.
"We anticipated this would be a challenging year for our operations when compared with our record-breaking results in 2008," Dick Kinzel, Cedar Fair's chairman, president, and chief executive officer, said in a written statement. "Since the July 4 weekend, attendance and revenue trends have improved somewhat across the regions in which we operate, although overall results since then still remain slightly behind last year."
The amusement park industry
- which use to tout itself as largely recession-resistant - can't beat back assaults this summer from both a faltering economy and bad weather, industry watchers said.
"No question that the economy is affecting our industry this year, and the weather has been a major problem in the northern states and especially in the East Coast states," said Gary Slade, publisher of Amusement Today, a 3,000-circulation magazine that caters to amusement industry executives.
"The parks that I've spoken to are all off on their gate count because of the economy, and off on their [per-guest] spending," Mr. Slade said. "Most are telling me that, where the guests in the past may have come to the park for the whole day and purchased two meals in the park, they're buying one meal and then either packing a lunch or eating off the grounds to save money."
Cedar Fair said its performance in the first half of the 2009 season included 39 fewer operating days than a year ago.
The second half of the season will have an additional 70 operating days at its parks compared to a year ago.
The company has been aggressively discounting admission prices to lure customers in the midst of the recession. Mr. Kinzel indicated the practice would continue as the summer wears on.
Also yesterday, Cedar Fair said it has finalized the sale of 87 acres near Toronto. Vaughan Health Campus of Care will pay $50 million for the land, which is adjacent to Canada's Wonderland amusement park and Cedar Fair will use the money to pay down its debt.
Contact Larry P. Vellequette
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Eddie Borgo’s retro jewelry and Yorkdale’s latest opening: Shop news
Tristan comes to Yorkdale and Eddie Borgo pays a visit to Holt Renfrew.
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Cult-favourite New York jewelry designer Eddie Borgo will present some special edition items for a trunk show at Holt Renfrew, 50 Bloor St. W. Saturday May 4 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Borgo’s spring/summer collection is a tribute to the oversized, over-the-top ’80s gold statement pieces a la Versace and Chanel. His signature clean lines and geometric shapes make the homage thoroughly modern.
Tristan opens at Yorkdale
The 40-year-old Montreal-based Tristan opens its new flagship at Yorkdale shopping centre May 4. The 3,600 square-foot space sets out the new design esthetic for the chain’s 44 locations across the country: think 19th-century Parisian apartment with moulded ceilings and haute flea market feel done in elaborately ecoconscious materials. The entranceway features raised seating; inside you will find the men’s and womenswear classically-styled collection (about 30 per cent of which is made here in Canada).
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SKY-HI will release a special digital-only album to prepare new fans for his upcoming world tour.
Ex-HER NAME IN BLOOD drummer Umebo has joined WORLD END MAN, and they have revealed a new song available for free download via Bandcamp.
Utada Hikaru's new single "Anata" will receive a worldwide digital release on December 8th.
The Next Music from TOKYO tour will be travelling across Canada for the 11th time in October.
THE MICRO HEAD 4N'S will release a new single on November 22nd.
BUCK-TICK will celebrate the 30th anniversary of their debut with a new single.
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|BRATS Release New Digital Single "No more No more"|


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- PwC report highlights the exciting potential of the commercial drone industry;
- Study says drones could contribute up to £45bn to the UK economy by 2030;
- It also predicts that there will be more than 900,000 commercial drones in the UK's skies; carbon emissions could be reduced by 2.4m tons; and 650,000 jobs could be associated with the drone economy - all by 2030;
- PwC report describes drones as a key part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, carrying out tasks quickly, safely and cost-effectively;
- However, PwC says work is needed to help realise this potential, such as changes to legislation, including opportunities around routine BVLOS operations;
- heliguy™ helps drone programmes start and scale through an end-to-end ecosystem of consultancy, product supply, in-house repairs, drone pilot training and dedicated surveying team.
Drones could contribute up to £45bn to the UK economy by 2030, a new report predicts.
The findings are published in PwC's Skies Without Limits V2.0: A follow-up to an initial study published in 2018.
The report states that commercial drones have the potential to make a significant impact on UK productivity, but there is much to do to realise this, including the evolution of industry legislation, such as moving towards routine BVLOS operations.
If the potential is unlocked, then PwC predicts the following:
- Drones could contribute up to £45bn to the UK economy
- More than 900,000 drones could operate in the UK's skies
- £22bn in net cost savings may be realised
- Carbon emissions could be reduced by 2.4 million tons
- 650,000 jobs could be associated with an economy that fully adopts drones
The report describes drones as a key part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and continues: 'Drones offer public and private organisations an opportunity to carry out tasks faster, safer, cheaper and with less impact on the environment than transitional methods.'
As an industry leader, heliguy™ provides end-to-end support to enable drone programmes to start and scale. This ecosystem includes consultancy; hardware supply (including drone rental service) of DJI drones, fixed-wing aircraft and cameras/sensors; in-house repairs; drone training; dedicated surveying team; and fast logistics.
The PwC report focuses on 'commercial drones', excluding hobbyist drones, UAS which transport passengers and counter-drone solutions.
UK 2030: Economic Impact
The report takes numerous factors into consideration, such as the post-Covid landscape and the current economic climate.
With this in mind, PwC states: 'The need for drone adoption is now paramount more than ever. Businesses faced with smaller markets and higher operating costs will benefit more from new technologies, such as drones, that can help bring significant cost savings'.
And while the figures are best case scenario - showing the 'potential size of the economic prize' - they do make for positive reading.
PwC predicts that drones will save businesses an estimated £22bn by 2030.
According to the study, the largest cost savings are associated with the Public and Defence, Health and Education sector (4.6bn).
There are also significant cost savings associated with Agriculture, Mining, Water, Gas and Electricity (£4.4bn) and Transport and Logistics (£4.2bn).
The report states: 'Overall, drones are more efficient than traditional approaches and have the potential to generate a significant cost saving by 2030'.
The table below shows the predicted cost savings by industrial sector in 2030, based on a best case scenario.
|Industry Sector||£bn||% of 2030 GDP|
|Public and Defence, Health & Education||4.6||0.9%|
|Agriculture, Mining, Water, Gas and Electricity||4.4||3.5%|
|Transport and Logistics||4.2||3.5%|
|Wholesale, Retail Trade, Accommodation and Food Service||3.7||0.7%|
|Financial, Insurance, Professional and Administrative Services||3.0||0.3%|
|Construction and Manufacturing||1.6||0.4%|
|Technology, Media and Telecommunications||0.9||0.4%|
The report predicts that drones can contribute up to £46bn to the UK economy by 2030, adding: 'Cost reductions combined with efficiency improvements from drone usage can help the UK economy address its long-term productivity challenge'.
PwC states that all industry sectors listed in the report will gain economically from adopting drones, with the Public and Defence, Health and Education; Agriculture, Mining, Water, Gas and Electricity; and Transport and Logistics sectors expected to see the largest monetary gains.
'The businesses that benefit most from a GDP perspective are the ones that are able to adopt and capitalise on the cost savings associated with drones more quickly than their competitors and in turn reinvest those cost savings whether that be in more drone related technologies or other business priorities,' the report states.
The table below shows the impact of drone adoption on GDP by industrial sector in 2030.
|Industry Sector||£bn||% of 2030 GDP|
|Public and Defence, Health & Education||14.1||2.6%|
|Wholesale, Retail Trade, Accommodation and Food Service||13.3||2.4%|
|Financial, Insurance, Professional and Administrative Services||7.0||0.7%|
|Agriculture, Mining, Water, Gas and Electricity||3.0||2.4%|
|Transport and Logistics||2.8||2.3%|
|Construction and Manufacturing||2.8||0.6%|
|Technology, Media and Telecommunications||2.4||1.2%|
PcW says that its GDP estimates are 'net' figures, after substitution and displacement effects.
PwC says that the impact of drones on jobs strongly suggests that drone adoption will enhance workforce productivity and create new roles associated with drone operation.
In line with the GDP analysis, PwC's modelling does not suggest these will be net additional jobs, but jobs where significant role changes will occur in the process of drone adoption.
PwC estimates that 270,000 jobs could be directly affected, with drone adoption augmenting people's jobs. In addition, PwC predicts 380,000 jobs will benefit from drone adoption via the reinvestment of profits created in the drone economy; efficiency gains; and investors who benefit from the wider economic effects of drones.
PwC does concede that some jobs could be lost through drone adoption, but concludes that around 650,000 full-time equivalent workers in the UK economy will benefit.
Running in tandem with the economic growth forecast, PwC estimates that there will be more than 920,000 drones being used by commercial organisations and government in 2030.
The graph below shows the predicted industry split.
Unlocking Drone Potential
The headline economic figures outlined in the report show the exciting potential of commercial drones.
However, to truly realise these benefits, PwC states that tere are 'many challenges to overcome'. These include public perception, the effective use and management of drone data, and the evolution of drone legislation.
PwC also references the value of upskilling commercial drone pilots, with specific mention of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses. heliguy™ runs CPD courses for the emergency services and enterprise organisations, as well as other courses to help expand careers in the UAS industry, such as the Level 5 UAS Operations Managers course.
Drone use provides huge benefits to organisations.
However, PwC highlights the importance of high-quality drone data, saying: 'Drone information must be fit-for-purpose and integrated with business-as-usual workflows and IT systems'.
The report continues: 'Effective drone implementations require a disciplined focus on capturing data that is of the appropriate quality, processing this data into actionable information that meets or exceeds existing information requirements, intuitively sharing the information with all stakeholders and integrating it with business as usual'.
The report states that drones are at the cutting edge of robotics and AI, powered by advances in materials, communications software and battery life. Industry-leading UAS include the DJI M300 RTK and M30 Series.
However, PwC highlights four categories which are required to help realise the economic projections in the report. These are:
- UTM: Fully-integrated Unmanned Traffic Management with manned traffic management, capable of dealing with the significant increase in traffic volume by adding drones.
- Detect And Avoid: Ensuring drones can avoid crashing into obstacles or other air users.
- Autonomy: Beyond the implied autonomy in the Detect and Avoid point mentioned above, the ability to safely conduct mission without constant one-to-one pilot input.
- Infrastructure (digital/physical): Including high bandwidth and low-latency communications to ensure safe and effective drone operations and take off, landing and charging facilities for certain use cases, ie drone in a box like the DJI Dock.
Moves are happening in the industry to bring the above points forward and evolve this ecosystem of technology. heliguy™ is involved in these industry discussions.
Innovative technology runs hand-in-hand with legislation, and the report acknowledges that current regulations must evolve to allow further drone use cases.
One of the biggest topics for discussion is the evolution of regulations to allow routine BVLOS flights in unsegregated airspace.
The report adds: 'Routine BVLOS may improve the economics of an already compelling inspection and/or survey use case. There is also significant potential for use cases which, in the main, require routine BVLOS, such as last mile delivery of food and parcels'.
While BVLOS operations are in their adolescent stage, PwC acknowledges that there are 'encouraging initiatives in the UK' such as the CAA's Innovation Hub 'sandbox' and the Future Flight Challenge which is well positioned to accelerate the commercialisation of use cases that rely on routine BVLOS.
heliguy™ also has an OSC (Operating Safety Case) consultancy to help people obtain special permissions to expand the capabilities of their operations, such as EVLOS flights and reduced separation distances.
PwC Report: Summary
PwC's latest report shows the huge potential of the drone industry and the positive impact it can have on the UK economy.
Commercial drones have already shown their value and releases such as the DJI Dock drone in a box make for an exciting future.
Of course, certain legislative limitations need to be unlocked to accelerate the gains, but the opportunities are vast.
And heliguy™ will be at the forefront of this exciting new frontier, supporting drone programmes at every stage and helping to evolve the industry.
Contact us to discuss starting or scaling your drone prgramme.


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The fire erupted at the mobile market of Saddar Shah Jahan and overtook several dozens of surrounding shops in Karachi. This massive fire outbreak created a challenging situation for rescue services.
Fire extinguishing services struggled for many hours and managed to put out the fire after a long struggle of five hours. According to details, the fire broke out in the early morning in the mobile market of Saddar Shan Jahan. Eventually, it spread quickly to several shops, giving rescue authorities a tough time.
According to emergency officials, five fire tenders and two water bowers responded quickly to the incident area and battled the flames.
Rizwan Irfan is the President of the Saddar Electronics Dealers Association. According to Rizwan, more than 100 shops in the market were damaged and the trades lost millions of rupees. Rizwan also said that Saddar market has a fire safety system but the fire blazes immediately surrounded the shops.
The fire brigade smashed the locks and shutters of stores to put out the fire. The authorities exerted considerable effort to safeguard the area and its residents.
According to the Chief Fire Officer, the fire started due to a short circuit and quickly spread across the market. Despite obstacles such as dense smoke and confined space, the firefighting teams took effective measures to control the fire outbreak.
Meanwhile, during a media briefing, the Chief Officer confirmed that water from the Karachi Water Board and the Fire Headquarters was used to extinguish the fire.
However, in a second incident, a devastating fire occurred at the multi-story Arshi Shopping Mall in Ayesha Manzil in Karachi on December 7, 2023. It affected several families and shopkeepers.
The furniture stores in the shopping mall caught fire. Although the fire damaged numerous residential flats and 130 shops in the multi-story turned several jewelry and clothing shops into ashes.
- Pakistanis urged to release journalist Asad Toor after FIA arrested him
- Angry crowd mobbed Pakistani woman for wearing Quranic outfit
- Massive fire broke out in Gujranwala factory destroying valuables
- Basant celebration in Rawalpindi killed and injured 50 people
- Barrister Gohar Ali Khan removed as PTI chairman, Marwat claims
- Imran Khan wrote letter to IMF to not give loan tranche to Pakistan
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MSME minister launches India Export Initiative, IndiaXports 2021 Portal to help small business drive export growth
India aims to drive export growth with the help of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to achieve the target of $400 billion by this fiscal, and the challenging target of $1 trillion in exports by 2027, Union Minister for MSMEs Narayan Rane said.
Speaking at the virtual inauguration of the India Export Initiative and IndiaXports 2021 Portal of India SME Forum in New Delhi Wednesday, the minister said to enhance exports and ensure localisation, it is essential to make the country a global manufacturing powerhouse by improving India’s manufacturing base.
He added this can be achieved by scaling up India’s competitive advantage or augmenting the competitiveness of MSMEs and make India a preferred destination for manufacturing for the world.
"To reduce the trade balance and imports, MSMEs will play an important role, and it can be done through increasing their manufacturing capabilities," he said, adding that adopting a holistic approach will make India a global manufacturing and leading export hub.
"MSME exports are going to play a role of a catalyst in restoring the strength of the Indian economy," he said. With more than 63 million MSMEs spread across India, MSMEs contribute nearly 40 percent of overall India’s exports, about 6.11 percent of the country’s manufacturing GDP, and 24.63 percent of the GDP from the services sector.
MSME Minister while launching the portal and the initiatives today. (Source: Twitter)
IndiaXports aims to orient MSMEs free of cost to focus on the untapped export potential in existing tariff lines and support MSMEs to grow the number of exporting MSMEs, increasing MSME exports by 50 percent in 2022 and contributing to the country's dream of becoming a $5 trillion economy.
This initiative features an info portal, which serves as a knowledge base for exports by Indian MSMEs with the required information related to the export potential for all the 456 tariff lines, along with potential markets, trends in exports, export procedures, and more.
Apart from an export help desk, IndiaXports also provides an instructor-led orientation to MSMEs through a series of sessions for specific sectors, highlighting the opportunities in specific products in international markets.
The initiative targets one lakh+ MSMEs desirous of knowing more about exports and hand-holding 30,000+ MSMEs to start exporting, doubling the base of active exporters.


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Consuming large quantities of red meat has long been thought to have a negative impact on heart health. In the past, it was assumed this correlation was due to higher levels of saturated fats or cholesterol present in red meat, as opposed to other meats like chicken or fish. Now, a new study reveals that red meat boosts heart disease risk via its influence on gut bacteria.
New Research Confirms Red Meat Boosts Heart Disease Risk
A recent study confirms that where people get their protein may affect their risk for heart disease. Specifically, the researchers found that diets rich in red meat raised levels of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a substance produced by gut bacteria, by more than three times when compared to people who derived their protein from white meat and other sources. The higher level of the TMAO compound is alarming because earlier research has found that high levels of TMAO can be unhealthy, particularly in relation to heart health. Specifically, TMAO encourages plaque to develop in the arteries, which affects blood flow and the heart’s ability to circulate blood.
This study, conducted at Ohio’s Cleveland Clinic, found that red meat influenced the production of TMAO in a couple of ways. As gut bacteria produce high levels of TMAO, that compound changes platelets in the blood and promotes a higher risk of blood clot formation. It does this by increasing the level of calcium in the platelets, which influences how those platelets respond to the body’s indicators that blood clotting is needed. This means dangerous clots can form in the blood even if the blood pressure and cholesterol levels are at healthy levels.
This new research has been supported by other studies as well. A study at the University of Leicester revealed that people suffering from acute conditions of heart failure responded less successfully to treatment if they had high TMAO levels. Under these circumstances, incidences of heart attack and stroke resulted in death more often than in patients with lower levels of TMAO.
Protein Choices Can Affect Heart Health
In the most recent study, which was engineered to examine how red meat boosts heart disease risk, 113 participants were divided into three groups. Following a general detox diet that helped flush toxins out of the body, each group was assigned a different diet. Each diet was planned according to varying sources of protein.
One group was assigned a diet that derived 12 percent of its calories from beef, pork and other types of lean red meat. The second group obtained protein from a comparable portion size of white meat, such as poultry. In the third group, participants consumed 12 percent of their calorie intake from non-meat protein sources. These consisted of legumes, nuts, whole grains and soy products. An additional 13 percent of calorie intake consisted of proteins derived from dairy products and vegetables for all three groups.
Four weeks into the study, individuals on the red meat plan had notable increases of TMAO in their blood and urine samples. On average, TMAO levels tripled for the red meat eaters, but, in some cases, the level of TMAO was up to ten times higher.
The study also yielded an unexpected finding. Throughout the study, participants on the red meat diet exhibited inhibited kidney function. The higher levels of TMAO weren’t processed as efficiently by the kidneys, though the high levels of the compound did dissipate after the participants were instructed to resume a healthier diet. While this indicates that red meat does affect our heart health via the production of trimethylamine N-oxide, the research also suggests that risk can be reduced by simple dietary changes. The research also indicates that diets consisting of white meat and non-meat protein sources are healthier for the heart.
More Ways to Boost Heart Health
While eliminating red meat from your diet is an excellent way to improve heart health, it’s not the only dietary change you can make. The following foods and beverages also improve heart health in different ways. By adding some of these items to your daily diet, you can improve your overall health.
Most people already know that green tea is packed with several antioxidants. These compounds help lower blood pressure and reduce the levels of LDL cholesterol in the body. Green tea can be enjoyed warm or cold.
Ditch the vegetable and canola oils that you usually cook with and replace them with olive oil. This natural oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acid, which affects cholesterol in two ways: While it reduces the level of LDL cholesterol, it also increases the level of HDL or good cholesterol in the body. Olive oil is also rich in disease-fighting antioxidants.
People who eat high amounts of fiber are less likely to experience heart attacks. You can get the fiber you need from whole grain breads and cereals, wheat bran, oats, and beans. Typically, you should be eating between 25 to 35 grams of fiber each day.
As long as you’re trying to eliminate red meat from your diet, why not replace it with salmon, tuna or anchovies. These fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which boosts heart health. Some research indicates that just one serving of fish per week reduces your risk of a heart attack by 52 percent or more.
In addition to controlling what foods you eat, your daily activities have an effect on your heart health. Getting daily physical activity and ensuring you’re getting enough quality sleep are more ways to promote better heart health. Additionally, if you are concerned about the condition of your heart, discussing your concerns with your doctor can also help.


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(CBS) Call the fashion police or better yet, the actual police.
Marc Jacobs' entire Spring/Summer 2012 collection has reportedly been stolen from a train while it was en route from Paris to London.
The debacle came to light when the design house canceled its press day on Wednesday. According to The Daily Beast, an e-mail was circulated to the press on Wednesday morning, saying "our press day tomorrow in the Marc Jacobs store is cancelled, due to the theft of the spring/summer 2012 collections during its transfer from Paris."
Many are speculating that the thieves could be counterfeiters and the iconic American designer's looks could be showing up as knockoffs on the streets.
Marc Jacob's S/S 2012 46-look collection was shown at Mecedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York on Sept. 15, 2011.
This is not the first time a designer has been the victim of theft.
In 2007, burglars stole Christopher Kane's entire spring/summer 2008 collection, according to Elle UK. In 2009, a $552,000 shipment of Victoria Beckham dresses were stolen on their way to Neiman Marcus department store in New York.


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Shares of luxury electric vehicle (EV) maker Lucid Group (NASDAQ:LCID) have sold off since going public in late July. LCID stock has shed more than 19% of its value since then.
However, all that could quickly change once it starts deliveries of its premium EV sedan, the Lucid Air, in the second half of the year. Lucid has the potential to establish itself in the underserved luxury EV segment with its impressive product range and its unique features.
Naturally, there are obvious risks with investing in LCID stock. It hasn’t got an established product that has exhibited commercial success so far. Future revenues depend on the market reception of Lucid Air. However, an investment in the company creates the possibility for a massive upside for early investors who can take a chance on an exciting niche.
It’s a stock you want to own for the upside but wouldn’t want to put a significant investment into.
All Eyes On The Lucid Air
Lucid Motors could potentially make a massive splash with its first-ever EV product in the coming months. Technology and performance are where the Lucid Air could win over potential customers. The Air’s top-level feature is at an incredible 517 miles on a single charge. That’s roughly 100 miles more than the comparable range offered by its closest contender in the Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) Model S Plaid. The Lucid Air also beats the Model S Plaid on horsepower. The Model S Plaid boasts 1,020 horsepower, while the Lucid Air has 1,111 horsepower.
Another competitive edge that Lucid has over its competition is the “Lucid Electric Advanced Platform” (LEAP). It’s a software platform that manages the six key systems of the Lucid Air, including its battery system, transmission and boost chargers. The platform will also be included with Lucid’s other models, including its Gravity SUV, which will be available in 2023.
Lucid has also been making strides in the autonomous driving realm. It launched an ADAS system called the “Lucid DreamDrive.” It features 32 cameras, radar, lidar and ultrasonic sensors to ensure a safer driving experience. Lucid’s cars are all equipped with built-in connectivity features which support the deployment of self-driving technology.
Strong Prospects Ahead
Lucid operates at a much smaller scale than some of the EV industry stalwarts but offers one of the strongest growth potentials among the segment’s startups. It expects to achieve a yearly sales volume of 20,000 cars in 2022, which could rise to 49,000 in 2023. Moreover, the company already has 10,000 reservations to date, equating to $900 million in sales. Based on its current pricing strategy, ranging from $77,400 to $169,000, the anticipated 2022 sales volume could yield $2.2 billion in revenues.
In the longer run, Lucid anticipates a run rate of more than 500,000 units a year by 2030. It expects to generate positive EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) by the end of 2024. Moreover, it plans to operate a direct sales strategy and has already opened up the right showrooms in the U.S. It has plans to expand into more territories in the U.S. along with the Europe and Middle East.
Final Word on LCID Stock
LCID stock has had it rough since going public and continues to struggle in building a decent head of steam. However, all that could change once Lucid Air is on the road in the next few months.
Lucid Air has the potential of becoming a major player in the relatively untapped premium EV market. Its preliminary performance will be a good indicator of how much traction it is gaining. All that adds up to LCID stock as a high-risk, high-reward play.
On the date of publication, Muslim Farooque did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.
Muslim Farooque is a keen investor and an optimist at heart. A life-long gamer and tech enthusiast, he has a particular affinity for analyzing technology stocks. Muslim holds a bachelor’s of science degree in applied accounting from Oxford Brookes University.


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The Shoprite Group has announced Money Market Account holders can now use their Xtra Savings cards to make transactions. Shoppers that have a Money…
Robin Williams’ passing earlier this month triggered a flurry of rightfully deserved internet tributes. Our favourites are these three in-game models found in World of Warcraft, the decade-old online game that’s currently increasing its prices to fix falling profits, as it releases new content with the Warlords of Draenor expansion.
Shortly after Williams’ passing, Blizzard tweeted its condolences, saying that they’ll see Williams “in-game”.
.@robinwilliams Thank you. You gave us so much joy in our lives, and we hope you enjoyed your time in our world. We’ll see you in-game.
— World of Warcraft (@Warcraft) August 13, 2014
That’s when Wowhead, a World of Warcraft modding site, stepped in. After a bit of digging, the site found three “Robin” in-game character models. Two are male and female “entertainers”, while the third is a big, blue genie, which is actually an enemy from existing WoW expansion Cataclysm, but may be altered in some way (this was pointed out by a savvy commentator over on Kotaku).
Wowhead says that the female Robin model is a Mrs. Doubtfire tribute, but we say that the male model bares a closer resemblance. These three characters will feature in the upcoming expansion Warlords of Draenor, in patch 6.0.1. Below is the Genie enemy, and the “Robin the Entertainer” NPCs.


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Can you hack a Tesla Model S? Organizers at the SyScan computer security conference in Beijing will give someone $10,000 if they can hack into Tesla Motors' Model S electric car.
Tesla Motors Model S earned the highest score for the annual Total Quality Index study. Tesla Motors earlier won the recognition for the Model S being the 'most-loved car' in the US.
A Tesla Motors' Model S luxury sport sedan sold in May 2014 is quite different than one sold in June 2012. How has Tesla Motors updated and added new features to its all-electric luxury car?
With Tesla's network of chargers around the US growing quickly, a cross-country road trip may be in many Tesla owners' summer plans. But the dearth of electric car chargers in and around the nation's most popular national parks could pose a problem.
Elon Musk's Tesla Motors has made tracks in the automobile industry, both for its high-end cars and plans to build a battery plant and control one of the most important parts of producing electric cars.
Automakers and consumer electronics manufacturers increasingly turn to lithium-ion batteries to power their products. After Tesla Motors (TSLA) reportedly consumed a significant chunk of battery output produced in 2013, the company may begin working with other manufacturers to produce their own battery supply.
Consumers considering a switch from traditional gas-powered cars to electric and hybrid models may have a larger selection from which to choose. IHS Automotive said it's thanks to a mix of tighter emission standards and lower manufacturing costs.
Luxury electric car maker Tesla sees China as potentially the company's biggest market for its vehicles, despite a hefty $121,000 sticker price. But that six-figure cost might make the vehicles more attractive to Chinese buyers, according to Tesla's CEO.
Clean energy developments helped bring us closer to a clean, prosperous, and secure energy future in 2013, Guevara-Stone writes. Here's the Rocky Mountain Institute's pick for top 10 clean energy developments of 2013.
Decades before Tesla Motors made electric car headlines, a little square car by American Motors was running 150 miles utilizing regenerative braking technology. Why is the Amitron not on the road today?


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Latest News on Facebook Sharing
Showing of 0 - 10 from 5 results
Facebook Sharing - Total results - 5
Apr 07, 2015
The main reason why people are sharing less on FacebookIf you have cut down on the amount of content you share on Facebook or Twitter even as your lists of friends and followers grow, you are not alone.
Sep 16, 2013
Your Facebook usage is a mirror to your self esteem issuesYour behaviour on social networking websites – especially Facebook – is an indicator of your social confidence.
Jan 19, 2012
Facebook launches more Open Graph applicationsFacebook first launched apps on its Open Graph, back in September. The three apps that it launched were "read", ...
Nov 05, 2011
Facebook lets you post to TwitterUp until now, if you wanted the same post on both your Facebook and Twitter accounts, you had to set up Twitter sharing on ...
Sep 14, 2011
Facebook launches 'improved friends lists'Facebook now understands that you might want to share a story with just your friends and not your co-workers or family.


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The travel industry will continue facing a breadth of challenges and opportunities in 2022, according to new findings from market researcher YouGov.
The situation ostensibly feels like a two-sided coin as many consumers still do not feel comfortable traveling due to the COVID-19 pandemic, yet vaccination rollouts and lower case numbers in certain regions have many others clamoring to return to trips. The year ahead indicates that brands will be called to focus more on consumer travel inspiration and motivation as the key drivers behind a surging demand for travel.
The YouGov Travel & Tourism: Brand & Destination Rankings Report 2022 was based on the YouGov Brand Index and YouGov Destination Index, respectively. The markets included in this report are Australia, China, France, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, UAE, the U.K, and the U.S.
Travel brands are actively working to adhere to a complex landscape, with ever-evolving regulations and disparate consumer preferences, especially based on region. Although some are still wary, the desire to return to travel is palpable across the world.
Experts are anticipating that many of the challenges of the past two years will continue throughout 2022, as different countries and regions are in different stages of recovery.
Looking at the year ahead, brands are being called to collect and observe sentiment data to determine what motivates their audiences most and how they are or are not meeting their needs. Travel organizations also need to create a value proposition, which will enable them to determine what consumers value most and how to obtain their loyalty.
Another area of focus for brands is fostering market channels to attract new audiences. Brands can foster their digital offerings and partner with influencers and beyond in trying new methods to obtain new customers.
Brands that are operating in countries where borders are reopening must revisit what those audiences are seeking and be willing to redefine brand placements to reach them.
The industry is also expected to shift their marketing to align with consumer inspiration and motivation, seeking to highlight offerings that meet consumers’ hopes for travel. This can vary by market.
When asked about their top travel motivations, 47 percent of Nordic consumers said they were driven by the “need for relaxation,” while 35 percent said they wanted to “go to a destination they always wanted to visit.”
Among the 11 APAC countries surveyed, 43 percent of consumers indicated they wanted to “find space for relaxation and wellbeing,” and the same percentage of people said they “needed to get away.”
Brands have many opportunities across the Middle East, as the UAE holds a current vaccination rate of more than 90 percent, which is one of the highest in the world.
Hospitality brands in the UAE — specifically five-star institutions — have adapted and gained insights domestically and internationally. They also have been conducting sponsorship evaluation work and tracking increases in brand awareness, which are methods that could benefit other brands in disparate regions.
Brands in North America are actively focusing on brand strengths and pondering barriers to travel when conducting research. This region is focusing on high-value consumers as well and is prioritizing leisure travel over business travel.
Traveling with intention
After living amid restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic for more than two years, affluents are approaching travel with specific intentions.
Although holding differing objectives while some intend to celebrate and others to relax or curate an adventure, affluents will continue to expect the utmost quality from hospitality brands.
Hospitality group Rosewood Hotels & Resorts promoted wellness in the new year with a refreshed retreat lineup.
Appreciating the importance of sleep in one’s wellbeing, Rosewood introduced “Alchemy of Sleep” at 20 properties. The global collection of immersive retreats offers movement-driven activities; relaxing, sleep-inducing treatments and other amenities (see story).
Earlier this month, Marriott’s St. Regis New York unveiled a new “Gilded Age” package, an exclusive stay celebrating the new television series.
A period drama set in late 19th century New York, “The Gilded Age” premiered on HBO on Jan. 24 and follows the era’s elite and those trying to navigate immense economic change. St. Regis’ Gilded Age package invites guests to live like turn-of-the-century American royalty (see story).


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Welcome to our weekly small business blog, which looks at issues affecting the entrepreneurial economy in Northeast Ohio and beyond.
Friends in high places
CitizenGroove Inc. of Cleveland, a web-based software platform that offers digital audition services, is getting noticed in important places. The company recently earned a mention on the White House website, according to The Kalamazoo Gazette of Kalamazoo, Mich., the hometown of CitizenGroove CEO John Knific. The Gazette notes that the company was mentioned in a White House blog post on young entrepreneurs and the American Jobs Act. The post states that the act “will cut payroll taxes for CitizenGroove's four employees and allow the company to invest in its future. The company hopes to add up to five employees in 2012.” CitizenGroove works primarily with music schools to help review auditions and portfolios of applicants. Mr. Knific tells the newspaper in an email, “Things are going very well. We're handling auditions and admissions for 26 universities, five of the top 10 music schools in the country use us. We're adding a university a week at this point. Our system allows for easy evaluation of high volumes of video auditions and interviews."
Shaker Consulting Group in Cleveland wins a lot of praise in this profile from Bloomberg. The story focuses on Shaker Consulting's work to help a client called Answer Financial “replace its traditional job interview process with an online simulator that tests applicants' sales chops.” Bloomberg reports that candidates “take an hour-long test that resembles a video game; results point to the best candidates to interview.” Shaker Consulting, which employs 15, is one of only a handful of companies that creates sophisticated job simulation tools, melding audio, video and graphics within an interactive environment that measures users' ability to perform specific tasks clients consider crucial,” according to the story. The customization work comes at a price. “The cost of development runs $75,000 to $100,000, according to Joseph Murphy, company co-founder and vice president of business development,” Bloomberg reports. “The company also charges an annual maintenance fee that starts at $36,000. Generic testing from other companies can cost as little as a tenth of Shaker's price for development.” The story indicated Shaker Consulting “competes for call centers, retail chains, banks and other employers that hire continuously to fill mostly high-turnover positions, such as sale agents and tellers.”
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SHELBURNE, N.S. – The Town of Shelburne is getting ready to roll out the welcome mat for the ocean liner Marina and its estimated 1,000 passengers and 800 crew members when they make the historic south shore town a port of call on Wednesday, May 2, on the 16-day Oceania Cruises’ Seaside Sojourn from Miami to Montreal.
The 238.9m (784’) ship is due to arrive in port at 8 a.m. and departing at 6 p.m.
“There are special itinerary excursions already developed by the cruise line’s tour operators, which will see people visiting the Shelburne Museums by the Sea, Black Loyalist Heritage Centre and taking both guided and self-guided tours throughout the historic downtown district, which will guarantee cruise ship visitor traffic to local businesses and restaurants throughout the day,” reads a letter to business owners from Robin Walker, events co-ordinator for the town.
“This is our first cruise ship since the Pearl Mist in 2014 and we are looking for community support in making this stop a positive showcase of the town and surrounding communities for future visits,” said Walker, adding there are several cruise ship lines considering making Shelburne a port of call in 2019 and 2020.
The town is asking local business owners to be open and ready for business on May 2, and to be adequately staffed and stocked to potentially handle a large number of visitors throughout the day.
“With approximately 1,000 passengers on board the economic benefits of the visit will be felt throughout the community…While not all passengers will be visiting on-shore, there is potential for a large number of passengers to take advantage of the opportunity to eat, shop and explore all we have to offer,” said Walker. “With your participation, we can leave a positive, lasting impression on these visitors and spread the goodwill towards future visits to our great town.
The ship will moor in the harbour and passengers will be ferried ashore in tenders to Dock Street to the Town dock, currently undergoing repairs caused by storm damage last winter.
The Town is looking for artists, crafters, vendors and musicians to be involved in a special marketplace from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Guild Hall (rain location Osprey Arts Centre) to showcase their wares. Space is limited. Anyone interested can should contact Walker at 902-875-2991 ext. 7 or email [email protected] before April 24.
The Marina leaves Miami on April 22 making 12 ports of call along the eastern seaboard including Saint John N.B., Halifax (May 3), Saguenay, Quebec City, arriving in Montreal on May 8. The average age of passengers is 72.


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New advertising campaign from Shine United helps show winter who's really in charge.
With winter looming on the horizon, millions of runners across the country are about to be cast indoors due to cold, wet and windy conditions that transform running from a joyful athletic escape into a miserable tale of numb toes and soggy socks. But this year, things are different, thanks to GORE-TEX® product technology.
With more and more running manufacturers including GORE-TEX® liners in their shoes — including Asics, Brooks and Saucony — more and more runners can fight back against winter's vindictive ways. Because when a shoe is armed with GORE-TEX® product technology, a runner's feet are protected in an environment that is windproof, waterproof and breathable — meaning more miles outdoors and fewer miles on the “dreadmill.”
Enter Shine United's new campaign, which touts the benefits of GORE-TEX® product technology in running shoes, an integrated effort that includes print advertising, digital advertising, pre-roll video advertising, social media, a new website, retailer materials and messaging at the GORE-TEX® Philadelphia Marathon, for which the brand is the signature sponsor. The campaign breaks in November issues of Runner's World, Competitor and Women's Running, as well as display ads on RunningTimes.com, MapMyFitness.com and other sites targeting road runners. Total campaign budget is approximately $2 million.
“WINTER IS A THIEF,” decries one of the print headlines in thick black type. The ad features a bold photograph of a pair of GORE-TEX®-empowered running shoes, surrounded and covered by a pile of snow. Copy reads, “With a cold heart and ice water coursing through its veins, it steals your freedom. Its sleet, slush and snow taking away your roads and your streets. Robbing you of that forever stretch of asphalt. But today, you lace up, and you run. You take to the pavement. You take to the paths. You take back what's rightfully yours. GORE-TEX® lining in running shoes. Waterproof. Windproof. Breathable.”
The campaign was inspired by consumer research that revealed the true pain that winter presents for many road runners for whom the sport is a critical part of their life.
“Talk to any runner in an inclement environment, and you'll hear the same thing: Mother Nature is a tough opponent to do battle with,” said Curt Hanke, Shine's founder, CEO and chief strategist. “But when you wear a pair of shoes empowered by GORE-TEX® product technology, something pretty magical happens. Your feet stay dry. Your toes stay warm. And you're able to get back out there, where you want to be, logging as many miles as you want, in spite of whatever conditions are thrown your way.”
The pre-roll video spot starts with stark images of some truly harsh winter conditions — snowy mountain vistas and close-ups of icy, muddy roads. “Winter is a bully,” the gravelly voiceover states. “Its sleet, slush and snow push you back indoors. But today, you take back your playground.”
"The social media effort features #OWNTHERUN, a hashtag that is also featured in print and digital advertising — designed to drive a wealth of user-generated content to the newly designed website, www.gore-tex.com/running. The site also includes more information on the technology, manufacturer brands that include the shoes and a retailer locator."
“A breakthrough technology in running deserves a breakthrough ad campaign,” said Shine's John Krull, partner and creative director. “This is an amazing innovation for people who love to run. Everyone we've met who has used shoes with GORE-TEX® liners in harsh weather conditions has been thrilled. As such, these ads aren't shy about touting the benefits of what this technology can do to help runners take back winter and get out on the open road.”


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Caterham’s SP/300.R just gave a very important lesson to some of the most amazing supercars out there. The sports car delivered the fastest lap during the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power, the annual show held in the grounds of Cholmondeley Castle. Some of the world’s most expensive and fastest supercars, including models from Aston Martin , Bentley , Bugatti , Lamborghini , and its direct competitor, the Ariel Atom V8 500 attended the event in hopes of overtaking the record, but Caterham was the clear winner.
With Caterham Drive Experience instructor, Scott Mansell behind the wheel, the SP/300.R lapped the 1.2 mile course in am impressive 61.89 seconds. The previous record was help by Lamborghini who established a time of 62.68 seconds back in 2010.
Andy Noble, Caterham Cars Sales and Marketing Director, said: “The Cholmondeley Pageant of Power has been growing in statue for several years now and it is a truly excellent event, anybody who’s anybody is here and that is partly why it is so satisfying to take the lap record and secure the fastest time for a car around this beautiful circuit."


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March 21, 2023 20:19Advertisement Contact us
The trade war between neighboring China and the United States provides Vietnamese manufacturers with new opportunities to penetrate the American market.
Experts and industry insiders in discussion at the workshop, entitled “Trade war: The Future for Manufacturing Companies?” in HCMC on November 23
However, manufacturers should devise their own strategies to counter long-term risks, rather than only care about doing business in a small number of sectors which benefit from the trade conflict, said experts.
The Saigon Times Group and NS Bluescope Vietnam, one of the leading suppliers of steel products and solutions, held a workshop, entitled “Trade war: The Future for Manufacturing Companies?” at the Adora Dynasty Convention Center in District 1, HCMC on November 23.
Over 300 representatives from manufacturing firms attended the workshop, whose aim was to provide them with insights into escalating trade frictions between the world’s two largest economies, as well as to discuss measures to prepare responses to cope with the economic impact of the conflict.
Associate professor Tran Dinh Thien, former director of the Vietnam Institute of Economics and currently a member of the Prime Minister’s economic consulting team, presented an overview of the U.S.-China trade war, along with its impact on the Vietnamese economy, in general, and local firms, in particular.
He said the war is shifting flows of cheap Chinese goods to Vietnam. If they are sources of materials, they will be beneficial to the local economy. However, if they are finished products, he questioned if Vietnamese counterparts could compete with them.
That Chinese firms are having difficulty exporting their products to the United States opens up great opportunities for the products of other countries, including Vietnam. “Does Vietnamese goods have high enough quality to enter the American market or not?” he asked.
After more than 30 years of economic renovation, according to the senior economist, the private business sector, which is regarded as a key driver of the market economy, still contributes less than 10% of gross domestic product (GDP). Meanwhile, the household sector accounts for up to 30% of the GDP, and the State business sector makes up roughly 30%.
He stressed that an economy that remains dependent upon the household sector could not be called “a powerful economy,” and it is time to restructure the economy. Rather than small and medium-sized enterprises, it is big private corporations that will lead the corporate sector.
According to Thien, local firms could benefit from certain sectors in the short run. However, they should come up with strategies to cope with long-term risks, as the impact on the national economy could be significant in a more negative manner, in the long run.
He explained that the trade war has an effect on investments, which decreases investor confidence. This is why flows of capital depart emerging markets, including Vietnam. As a result, global supply chains are disrupted, while the investment and trade environment becomes more uncertain.
Nguyen Thi Thu Trang, director of the WTO and Integration Center under the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said Vietnamese firms could have opportunities to penetrate market segments in the U.S. and China, especially those that involve products subject to tariffs, or products using material inputs subject to such tariffs.
However, she stressed that the two largest economies, in fact, would not leave these market segments vacant – but have merely reduced their competitive capacity, in terms of prices. That is not to mention that many other economies are also keen on taking advantage of these opportunities.
She suggested that the Government take measures to improve the business environment, and learn about and approach potential investors, while firms should seek cooperative opportunities and create joint ventures, if possible, as well as be cautious about “fraudulent cooperative” invitations, such as Chinese goods bearing made-in-Vietnam labels to avoid taxes.
Vietnam also faces risks of fake investment shifts and commercial fraud, as well as competitive risks in investments and exports, she said. For example, Chinese firms might make investments in small stages of production in Vietnam, so that their products could then be of Vietnamese origins.
Vo Minh Nhut, general director of NS Bluescope Vietnam, told the participants of the event that his company is striving to create its own values by introducing breakthrough technologies and lines of new products that focus on the green technology trend, to create a difference in the market.
He noted that the company is trying to persify its export products, and look for new and potential markets, such as Africa, the Caribbean and South America, in a bid to avoid being affected by tax regulations.
The plastics industry is witnessing a shift in manufacturing investment to Vietnam from China, in order to reduce labor costs, according to Ho Duc Lam, chairman of the Vietnam Plastics Association and chairman of the board of directors at Rang Dong Plastic Company.
He said a small proportion of local plastics employees are enjoying higher salaries because Chinese firms seek to recruit skilled workers. Meanwhile, local customers are able to purchase plastic products at cheaper prices.
However, according to Lam, local plastics firms suffer negative impacts when they have to compete face-to-face with Chinese firms, because these foreign firms increase their investments for the sake of obtaining Vietnamese labels.
Therefore, he proposed the Government consider levying import taxes if signs of dumping emerge, and do not grant investment licenses and business registration certificates for manufacturing projects which could fail to ensure their use of over two-thirds of production chains based in Vietnam.
Furthermore, the Government should promote new-generation free trade agreements with Europe and other countries to minimize risks, because the Vietnamese economy is still heavily dependent on the U.S. and China. Such trade pacts will bring about positive impacts on the economy, in terms of environmental, labor and intellectual property issues.


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Scott Farms International works on innovation in the sweet potato industry. Representatives from the sixth-generation family farm recently recognized 10 year veteran with the company Stephanie Williams. Williams, raised on a sweet potato and tobacco farm in Johnston County, NC and a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill graduate, has been instrumental in the growth and expansion of the sixth-generation family owned farm.
Scott Farms President, Sonny Scott, and Stephanie Williams.
“Stephanie has grown and developed in the past 10 years. She is a tremendous person and asset to Scott Farms,” Scott Farms president, Sonny Scott said. “We believe her knowledge and experience in the industry is very beneficial to our company, customers, and industry. We look forward to her continued success at Scott Farms.”
Williams serves on many industry committees focusing on the growth and promotion of the industry as a whole. “Serving Scott Farms, its customers, and the industry as a whole are passions of mine,” Williams said. “Sweet potatoes are extremely important to me and the agriculture industry in North Carolina. This is an exciting time to for Scott Farms. The expansion and innovation in recent years has put us in a great position in the industry for fresh sweet potatoes. I am looking forward to many more years with this great company and family.”
Vice President of Sweet Potato Operations, Dewey Scott commented on the longevity of Williams with the Scott Farms team. “I believe in Stephanie and our team. She has demonstrated over the years that she has tremendous knowledge of the industry and the customer base,” Scott said. “Our expansion over the last few years has allowed her to make a major impact in sweet potatoes and she brings a zest for the product that our customers can and do appreciate. Stephanie is an all-around good person and at Scott Farms we take pride in our people.”


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Gust announced during a special event for Atelier Lydie & Suelle that the RPG title will receive a demo with carryover save data in Japan on December 15, 2017 for PlayStation 4.
The demo will let you play up to the second chapter of the main scenario. Here are the differences from the demo and full version:
- Character events, sub-events, and such that aren’t part of the main event won’t take place.
- Battle level, synthesis levels capped at level 10.
- Can’t change BGM.
- Can’t change costumes.
- Can’t cross-save load.
Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings releases in Japan on December 21 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and Nintendo Switch. The game releases in North America and Europe,in early 2018 alongside a PC release.


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He once said: "I want to be as famous as the Queen of England."
So pop artist Andy Warhol would no doubt have been delighted to learn that some of his most iconic works will be hanging on the walls of one of the monarch's residences.
Britain's Royal Collection Trust has snapped up four colour screenprints based on a photo of the Queen taken during her Silver Jubilee celebrations in 1977.
CLICK ON PHOTOS FOR GALLERY
The tiara and jewels that appear in the inimitable protraits are dusted with crushed glass for a truly regal effect.
All four pieces will form part of The Queen: Portraits of a Monarch exhibit which opens in November at Windsor Castle.
The collection will mark the monarch's Diamond Jubilee year and will feature an array of portraits that capture artistic representations of Elizabeth II during her sixty-year reign.
Officials didn't say how much was paid for Warhol's contribution, but auction house Sotheby's recently sold another set from the same limited edition print run for £109,250.
The pop art acquisition bucks with tradition and may surprise some, but Royal Librarian Jane Roberts is convinced of their value.
"The Warhol prints of the Queen are in many ways the most important popular image of the Queen to be created by an artist print maker over the last few decades," she said.
Andy Warhol was one of the most bankable artists of the 20th Century. His colorful style captured the zeitgeist of celebrity and American culture and immortalized icons including Elvis Presley and Jacqueline Onassis.


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|One of the most visible and engaging displays in all of Times Square is the Reuters sign, which enables pedestrians to interact with its towering imagry via cell phones, digital cameras and e-mail connections. Click to see larger photo.
THE COST OF ADVERTISING ON TIMES SQUARE
Behind the Scenes of America's Most Famous Billboards
CHART OF TIMES SQUARE ADVERTISING PRICES
A Guide to Fees and Sellers at 23 Prime Locations
BUILD YOUR OWN NIKE SHOE -- ABOVE TIMES SQUARE
New Billboard Promotion Is Activated by Mobile Phones
Crawling up the side of the Reuters building at 3 Times Square, the Reuters sign at 43rd and Broadway is 23 stories of high-tech equipment demonstrating daily how the old concept of billboards can dramatically -- and literally -- connect with the new digital age. By enabling its colossal, 13-screen sign to link to cell phones, digital cameras, the Internet and live events, it proves the world's oldest medium is anything but passive.
A recent Nike promotion on the sign, for example, invited passersby to dial a phone number linking them live to the sign. Once they were connected, they had 60 seconds to design their own shoe by punching digits on a keypad. The final product was then available for download or purchase from a Web site, whose address was text-messaged back to the phone number.
The campaign ran from mid-March through mid-April and culminated with a four-hour shoe giveaway, during which anyone who designed a shoe received a free pair from a Nike street team.
"It turned people from passerby to customer," said Dave Jenssen, the Reuters Sign's creative and technical vice president. It also built the client an e-mail and phone number database.
Beyond 30-second ads
The collection of screens -- 13 wrapping around the Reuters building at 3 Times Square and a 23-story antenna-shaped sign rising up corner of the building -- don't just roll a schedule of 30-second ads. Often ads are programmed specifically for the sign, designed to react to what's going on in the street below it.
Control central for the complex system is a room filled with 40 computers and a collection of screens simulating the full display on the outside of the building. Digital designers must create images
|Photo: Abbey Klaassen|
|Interactive designers Michael DeMaio, seated, and Tia Kim take clients' creative direction and craft a campaign to run on the 7,400-square-foot sign.
"When you're dealing with the perishable element of time, you have to make sure everything's running all the time," said Natalie Duckett, sales manager.
Towering bra event
The mammoth sign can be seen from Central Park and several blocks down 43rd Street. In fact, Ms. Duckett said, its visibility from Limited Brands' New York office inspired the company to launch its new Victoria's Secret Ipex bra with a live event -- starring model Gisele Buchendon -- that took over both the sign and Military Island in the street below. (Military Island, the triangular strip of sidewalk that houses the U.S. Army's recruiting station, is owned by the city and home to many of Times Square's special events.)
Available to advertisers for the past two years, its technology is constantly being modified and rebuilt, depending on what marketers want, Mr. Jenssen said.
During the 2004 International Auto Show, Yahoo sponsored an interactive auto race, which invited passersby to call an 800-number on their cell phones and send cars zooming on the sign by pressing certain buttons.
A recent Honda Odyssey promotion parked the automaker's minivans on the street below the sign and a team of photographers snapped digital images of passersby sitting in the vehicle
|Photo: Abbey Klaassen|
|A piece of the sign up close looks like little more than a child's Lite Brite game.
For a recent campaign promoting the premiere of WE: Women's Entertainment's Bridezilla, Reuters also integrated a live event into Military Island, where 20 brides-to-be dressed in wedding garb climbed into a 10-foot cake in search of a $50,000 prize. Most of the budgets for such campaigns, according to Reuters executives, will come out of a client's interactive, TV or outdoor ad spending -- or a combination of them. A campaign can run $30,000 and up.
The mayor's office grants licenses for use of Military Island and sets strict regulations on the security and use of the space. Not every request gets granted, but "being a key Times Square tenant helps," Ms. Duckett said. Additionally, the space's proximity to ABC's Good Morning America studio and MTV's Total Request Live studio helps drum up media coverage of the events. Good Morning America, for example, covered the "Bridezilla" promotion.
One of the biggest misconceptions Ms. Duckett and her team battles with the live promotions or interactive campaigns are that consumers must pay for their interaction with the sign. Advertisers will use street teams and guerilla marketing to introduce people to a new campaign.
"We use the word 'free' a lot," Ms. Duckett said with a laugh.


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Is the Samsung SMART TV Too Smart For Its Own Good?
Turns out this TV is looking right back at you -- and may be recording your every move
Remember that scene in the movie "Enemy of The State," when Will Smith's character realizes how the government agents who are chasing him know his every move; they're watching him through his television?
The television has a built-in HD camera, two microphones, and face tracking and speech recognition software. The voice and face recognition software can customize the settings for whomever is sitting in front of the TV at the time. It actually can recognize the face of everyone sitting on the couch watching the game and store their faces too.
While this sounds like the coolest thing ever, concerns have been raised about whether owners of the television have as much control over the television as they would like.
A technology report by NBC News revealed:
During our demo, unless the face recognition learning feature was activated, there was no indication (such as a red light) as to whether the camera and audio mics are on. And as far as the microphone is concerned, there is no way to physically disconnect it or be assured it is not picking up your voice when you don’t intend it to do so...
Essentially, the SMART TV could be running these systems without anyone knowing. Need proof that it can happen? Well, take into consideration that Samsung is developing apps that will allow SMART TV owners to turn their televisions into silent home-security systems by allowing remote viewing on a smartphone or tablet via the TV’s built-in camera.
When confronted by HD Guru about the possibility that the televisions could be seen as friendly spy tools, Samsung offered no response, instead pointing to the verbiage inside the TV's instruction manual.
"Samsung assumes no responsibility, and shall not be liable, in connection with whether any such products or services will be appropriate, functional or supported for the Samsung products or services available in your country," it reads.
That same manual is also where SMART TV owners will read and find out how to disable the "spy" functions. Unlike other televisions, you can't just turn the options off, you have to download special software to deactivate them. Other than that, the only guarantee against being secretly recorded is by adjusting the SMART TV's pivot to point it toward the ceiling, away from the viewer.