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Assessing Napster - 10 years later
When 18-year-old Shawn Fanning released his Napster file-sharing program on the Internet 10 years ago this month, little did he know he was unleashing a digital revolution that would continue today.
The teen simply saw a better way to share good music among friends. But within months, millions of people around the world were hooked.
Although the original Napster was buried long ago by a copyright-infringement lawsuit, the program hastened the Internet's role in becoming a primary conduit for digital entertainment. It also dragged traditional media companies into a new era of changing consumer habits.
"It definitely forced the major media companies to have to adapt to something that was clearly providing a better user experience than what they were offering," Fanning, now 28, said in an interview last week.
To be sure, Napster became popular because of the free music, which the courts eventually ruled was theft and, therefore, illegal. And Napster had dealt a devastating financial blow to the recording industry.
But analysts say today's Internet landscape - with millions of consumers downloading songs from the iTunes Music Store, watching videos on YouTube or Hulu and networking on social media sites like Facebook - can be traced back to the day in early June of 1999 when Fanning made Napster available for wider distribution.
"It probably was the single most important event as far as media consumption on the Internet is concerned," said Phil Leigh, an Internet media analyst. "It was a real epiphany that computers were going to be more than just document-creation devices. They were going to be entertainment appliances as well."
Napster also introduced to the mainstream the idea of an "almost infinite library" of online digital content. "That was a concept that was never really imagined before," said Leigh, founder and senior analyst with Inside Digital Media Inc., a Florida media consultancy firm. "That was a radical shift in thinking from having to go to a Virgin superstore (to buy music) to having an almost infinite number of Virgin superstores at your desktop."
Napster helped change the mind-set of a generation that now sees digital forms of all media, from music to newspapers, as more convenient, said Mike McGuire, research director for Gartner Industries' Media Team.
"You can argue that everything that happened since has been a reaction to Napster," he said. "What did Napster give everyone in the world? It gave them a frictionless, convenient way to get content. Ten years later, at the heart of it, we're still wrestling with the physical to digital transition."
In 1999, music fans mainly listened to pre-recorded CDs on disc players - portable MP3 players were still largely unknown. But for a groundswell of tech-savvy music fans, a new audio format had already taken hold - the digital MP3.
Named for a haircut
Fanning was a student at Northeastern University in Boston when he had the idea for a computer program that would make sharing MP3s easier by allowing users to see a directory of songs stored on other members' computers. He called it Napster, stemming from a nickname he once received for his nappy haircut. After months writing the program, he released it to a group of about 150 friends and Internet Relay Chat acquaintances.
Napster's fame spread by word of mouth, and it soon had 10,000 to 15,000 users. But once the program was featured on Cnet's Download.com site, the number of users soared into the millions.
But the world's biggest record companies viewed Napster as a copyright "infringement machine" that allowed Internet users to steal songs from artists without paying. In December 1999, members of the Recording Industry Association of America filed a federal lawsuit to stop Napster Inc., by then a startup firm located in San Mateo and later in Redwood City.
At its peak, more than 60 million people worldwide used Napster. In one free-music frenzy, users downloaded 2.79 billion songs in February 2001, just before a series of rulings by U.S. District Court Judge Marilyn Hall Patel and a federal appellate court in San Francisco that the program did violate copyright laws and had to be shut down.
The company filed for bankruptcy in 2002. The name and logo were bought out of bankruptcy by the online music subscription service that now is a subsidiary of consumer electronics retailer Best Buy Co. Inc.
Recording industry revenue has plummeted since then. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, sales of recorded music worldwide dropped from about $38 billion in 1999 to $18.4 billion in 2008. However, one category that didn't exist in 1999 - digital sales of music by online, mobile or subscription channels - is on the rise and hit $3.8 billion last year.
And according to BayTSP, a Los Gatos firm that tracks file-sharing activities, online piracy is still going strong, with illegal copies of music, movies and television shows being shared on peer-to-peer networks such as BitTorrent.
The Recording Industry Association of America did not respond to requests for an interview.
But the copyright battles overshadowed other developments. Napster in its heyday also was cited as one reason consumers were getting high-speed Internet access. Since then, continued broadband adoption rates have paved the way for the success of popular online video sites such as YouTube and Hulu. Now, Leigh, the analyst, estimates that 10 million people have connected their laptops to their television.
With the best-selling iPod, which debuted in 2001, and through the iTunes Music Store, which launched in 2003, Cupertino's Apple Inc. and CEO Steve Jobs capitalized on consumers' newfound freedom to control their media, said Gartner's McGuire. Another extension of that desire could be seen with other technologies such as digital video recorders and streaming video of baseball games online, he said.
"The same control they had with music, they now want to do it with TV and movies," McGuire said.
The original Napster also was an early social network, connecting music fans in real time through their playlists and an online chat function. Former Napster CEO Hank Barry said he still hears from Napster users who "used to really like to look at other people's playlists."
These days, fans can find new music via Pandora or MySpace.
"More music is being produced than ever before," said Barry, who is now with the San Francisco law firm of Howard Rice Nemerovski Canady Falk & Rabkin. "We've taken away some of those narrow distribution channels, radio and records, and replaced them with the Internet. It used to be the case that four or five companies pretty much decided what you listened to. I think that's gone now, and Napster had a lot to do with it."
After Napster folded, Fanning founded another company, Snocap, a digital music retail firm that was acquired in 2008 by San Francisco social networking site Imeem.
He also co-founded Rupture, a cross-platform social network designed for video game players. Fanning is currently working on the full launch later this summer of Rupture, which was acquired by Electronic Arts last year. Fanning said he's seeing the gaming industry handling consumer-driven changes to its business models "more gracefully" than the music industry.
"Again, it's adapt or die," Fanning said. "As industries change and new technologies come out, you're forced to look at it from the standpoint of what's best for the consumer, what will the consumer want? And through the Internet age, which was the big thing they didn't fully grasp, in the end, the user is always going to win."
Interview: To hear a chat with Shawn Fanning, go to sfgate.com/ZHGA.
Key players: Where are they now?
Then: Co-founder of Napster Inc., creator of the original Napster file-sharing program.
Now: Founder and CEO of Rupture, a social network for video gamers. Company was acquired last year by Electronic Arts, which plans to unveil it later this summer.
Then: Interim CEO and a board member for Napster Inc. from 2000 to 2002.
Now: Director, law firm of Howard Rice Nemerovski Canady Falk & Rabkin of San Francisco.
Then: Chairwoman, chief executive officer, Recording Industry Association of America, 1998-2003.
Now: Managing partner for the public relations firm Brunswick Group's Washington, D.C., office. Also a contributor for CNN and Washington editor-at-large for the Huffington Post.
Marilyn Hall Patel
Then: U.S. District Court judge in San Francisco. Ruled in favor of the record industry to shut down Napster Inc. in 2001.
Now: U.S. District Court judge in San Francisco. Currently presiding over copyright case in which the Motion Picture Association of America seeks to block DVD copying software from RealNetworks Inc.
Top countries for copyright infringement
4. United States
5. United Kingdom


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Following a private two-year battle with a rare form of cancer, the news of Virgil Abloh's passing on Sunday rocked the fashion world. Tributes to the late designer poured in from Pharrell, Drake and Tyler the Creator on social media, while Kanye West dedicated the latest of his Sunday Service concerts to Abloh.
As the first African-American designer to be appointed artistic director at a French luxury fashion house, Abloh revolutionised the face of the industry with his work across fashion, music, art and architecture. From #BEENTRILL# to Pyrex Vision, Off-White to Louis Vuitton, Abloh's unrivalled work in the fashion industry will be remembered with admiration and love.
Below, we look back at the standout moments that defined his career.
Virgil Abloh and Kanye West papped at Paris Fashion Week (2009)
In 2009, Abloh and Kanye West interned at Fendi in Rome (a year later, Abloh became creative director at West's creative agency DONDA). In a now-mythic photograph for Style.com, the pair were captured in a group photo outside of the Comme des Garçons show in Paris in 2009. Pictured in a blue Moncler puffer vest, bow tie, red-rimmed glasses and acrid yellow trainers, Abloh told W Magazine at the time: 'We were a generation that was interested in fashion and weren’t supposed to be there. We saw this as our chance to participate and make current culture. In a lot of ways, it felt like we were bringing more excitement than the industry was.'
Watch the Throne (2011)
In 2011, Abloh was nominated for 'best recording package' for his work on Jay-Z and Kanye West's wildly successful collaborative album Watch the Throne. As art director of the album, Abloh enlisted Riccardo Tisci (Givenchy’s then creative director) to design the stately gold album artwork. Since then, Abloh art directed album covers for the likes of A$AP Rocky, Lil Uzi Vert and Westside Gunn.
Influenced by the frenzy of new youth culture found on the internet and on the streets of big cities, #BEENTRILL# was a fleeting art collective and DJ crew consisting of Virgil Abloh, Heron Preston, Matthew M. Williams, Justin Saunders, Florencia Galarza and YWP. Back in 2014, Nick Knight created a trippy fashion film with #BEENTRILL# and KTZ that explored the limitless possibilities of the unconscious mind and the those of the deep web. Mixing old and new with high and low, The Deep Web showcases the early work of Abloh and Williams before they broke into the world of luxury fashion.
Virgil Abloh and Kim Jones discuss streetwear and high fashion (2017)
Abloh released the highly coveted The Ten Nike collaboration in 2017, where iconic shoe models were deconstructed using Sharpies, zip ties, and X-Acto knives. Two years later, Lou Stoppard chaired a conversation with Kim Jones (creative director of Louis Vuitton menswear at the time) and Abloh (his soon-to-be successor at LV) at the Barbican in partnership with the American sportswear giant, which was filmed by SHOWstudio. Speaking of the 'Jordan effect' on fashion and culture, Abloh said, 'Michael Jordan was the superman. He was the person that was doing impossible feats, but he was also our local basketball player... This talk is about how we as a younger generation can plug into this industry that we put on a pedestal.'
Virgil Abloh, Samuel Ross and Stavros Karelis discuss the systems in place for young designers (2018)
For the 2018 edition of The Copenhagen International Fashion Fair, Virgil Abloh sat on a panel discussion with Stavros Karelis, Samuel Ross, Steve Salter and more to discuss whether the format of the fashion industry allowed new talent to thrive. 'We've always been trained to think "who is the next designer?" News flash; it might not be someone who designs in textiles but more materiality. You probably need a chair more than you need another $800 hoodie from me,' said Abloh, who frequently dabbled in furniture design. Speaking of his route into the world of fashion, he said: 'It's in my DNA to support because I came from left-field. I know if you're coming from left-field how much harder the pilgrimage is if you have no one reaching out.'
The Louis Vuitton S/S 19 menswear show (2018)
As the first African-American person to be appointed artistic director of Louis Vuitton, Abloh's debut menswear show for the house was a historic win. At the Palais Royal in Paris, a roster of musicians including Kid Cudi, Steve Lacy, A$AP Nast, Playboi Carti and Bakar walked down a rainbow runway wearing billowing trousers, utility vests and sheer tops, all set to a live score by Canadian band BADBADNOTGOOD. Then came the viral, teary hug between Abloh and Kanye West, intimately captured by Takashi Murakami. Who said boys don't cry?
Virgil Abloh: “Figures of Speech” at The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (2019)
Presented in his hometown of Chicago in 2019, Virgil Abloh: “Figures of Speech” was the first retrospective dedicated to the designer's multifaceted creative career. Covering nearly two decades of Abloh's output, the exhibition featured a surplus of sneakers, a clear Rimowa suitcase, a large prototype of the album artwork for Kanye West's Yeezus, and many more collaborative works made with the help of graphic designers, furniture designers, artists and other fashion designers. An emphasis on dialogue exemplified Abloh's highly collaborative approach and playful use of language and quotation marks, while his eclectic inspirations – from centuries-old paintings by Caravaggio to commonplace signage at construction sites – were highlighted.
MARKERAD, a limited collection by IKEA and Virgil Abloh (2019)
In 2019, Abloh collaborated with IKEA on a limited edition, ironic collection of updated minimalist designs by the Swedish furniture giant. 'It’s about elevating the anonymous, everyday icons that we use without noticing. When we put a doorstop on one of the legs of an ordinary chair we create something unexpected – an interruption,' said Abloh at the time. Standout pieces included a wall clock a wall clock printed with the word “temporary”, a rug resembling an IKEA receipt, a backlit picture of the Mona Lisa and and a green rug that reads “wet grass.” Think of the collaboration as JW Anderson x Uniqlo, but make it furniture.
Virgil was here Louis Vuitton show in in Miami (2021)
Later today, Louis Vuitton will physically re-stage Abloh's S/S 22 menswear show in Miami (the collection was the last he ever designed for the house). First showcased via an extended fashion film Amen Break during the pandemic, the collection explored the idea of legacy and the myth of ownership in contemporary creativity. In loving memory of Virgil Abloh, Louis Vuitton will pay tribute to the life and legacy of a creative polymath with a presentation tonight at 22:30 GMT. You can watch the show here.

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Chinese automaker BYD has officially launched its plug-in electric vehicle, the F3DM, in China last week.
The car sells for around $22,000 USD equivalent, travels 60 miles per charge, and has an on-board electric generator which can also operate in parallel.
BYD has been hopeful that that will at some point be able to sell their cars in the US and Europe. However, substantial regulatory and distribution hurdles remains.
Now despite plans to launch the car abroad in 2010, BYD Chairman Wang Chuan Fu has stated that this date has now been moved to 2011. He did not elaborate on why.


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Fortunately is that since today RadioShack. Cable Midi Usb Radioshack… has actually officially been bought by Retail Ecommerce Ventures (REV), providing the troubled company a brand-new lease on life. The downside, a minimum of for folks like us, is that there are no immediate strategies to return the renowned electronics retailer to its brick-and-mortar roots. As the name implies, REV focuses on online retail, having actually previously revamped the Web presence of other bankrupt services such as Pier 1 Imports and Dressbarn.
While journalism release doesn’t straight-out preclude the possibility of new physical RadioShack locations, it’s clear that REV thinks the future of retail isn’t to be found in your regional strip mall. As the US mulls further lockdowns in response to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, it’s difficult to disagree. There will be countless bored kids and adults trying to find something to do throughout the long winter season nights, and an electronic kit or more delivered to their door might be simply the thing.
REV states they plan to relaunch the rather dated RadioShack website just in time for the business’s 100th anniversary in 2021. As of this composing the site presently says that sales have actually been briefly stopped to allow for inventory restructuring, though it’s uncertain if this is straight related to the buyout or not. Getting an accurate count of just how much product the company still has on hand after shuttering the majority of their physical places in 2017 certainly sounds like something the brand-new owners would wish to do.
We all understand how that story ended.
RadioShack’s shambling remains were given another jolt of life today when they were bought by another company that prepares to relaunch the once-great retailer as an online-focused brand name.
The shop’s remains were acquired by Retail Ecommerce Ventures (REV), a start-up founded in 2019 that’s been scooping up brand names from other faded retail giants too, including Pier 1, Modell’s Sporting Product, Dressbarn, and more. REV says RadioShack’s site currently has “strong existing sales and sales capacity,” and the company is “confident” it can further raise awareness of the brand name globally.
REV declares it’s effectively reversed other companies it’s launched as online brand names. The Wall Street Journal reported that Dressbarn more than doubled its income between the very first and 2nd quarter of 2020.
RadioShack was founded in 1921 and became a retail staple in the ’80s and ’90s for anybody seeking to get tech essentials. For a very long time, that implied real radio components, but ended up consisting of great deals of electronic toys (one Edge editor fondly remembers his Armatron) and eventually phones. Its fortunes declined significantly as online shopping showed up, and the company filed for personal bankruptcy two times in the past five years. RadioShack still licenses its name to third-party “authorized” shops and sells branded products within some places of HobbyTown, a crafts seller– comparable to how you can still discover “Sharper Image” products at Kohl’s despite the fact that that merchant shut its physical doors over a years earlier. REV didn’t say whether those RadioShack licenses would remain. Cable Midi Usb Radioshack
REV says it will “soon relaunch” RadioShack’s website. So for those of you still sticking on to fond memories of the store, there’ll be a familiar enough place to go when you wish to buy expensive HDMI cables and knockoff earphones.


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Taste spicy foods from around Ohio this weekend
How about spending the weekend sampling delicious food, all for a good cause! We like the sound of that. Columbus Crave, one of our sister publications, is sponsoring a brand-new event June 28 to 30. It's called ZestFest Midwest, and it's your chance to taste spicy foods from around Ohio.
At ZestFest, you'll find salsas, spices and more that will give your taste buds a kick of flavor. The weekend also includes celebrity chefs, entertainment and activities. Plus, it benefits the Children's Hunger Alliance.
ZestFest Midwest takes place at the Ohio Expo Center. Head there on Friday, June 28 from 1-9 p.m., Saturday, June 29 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, June 30 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets cost $10 Friday and $12 Saturday or Sunday. And bring the kids, because those 12 and younger are free. Learn more or purchase tickets at zestfestmidwest.com.


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Jevon Grant and Joel Weathers were on the team of students who developed the business plan for Jackson State University's Apple campus store. TOMMIEA P. JACKSON/JSU COMMUNICATIONS
- Filed Under
Jackson State University President Carolyn Meyers says the new Apple Authorized Campus Store that had its grand opening Friday is part of the university's push to expand its boundaries.
Tiger Tech @ JSU is the first store of its kind in Mississippi and only the second at a historically black college or university in the nation.
"This is an example of us and our university writing another chapter in black history. ...


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NEW YORK (MainStreet) — President Barack Obama announced new fuel efficiency standards Friday requiring auto manufacturers to ensure between 2017 and 2025 that their fleet of cars and light trucks get an average of 54.5 miles to the gallon.
The fuel guidelines, which are the product of much back-and-forth between the White House and many of the nation’s major auto companies, would effectively double current gas standards, which require an average of just 27.3 mpg.
Not only would this save the country some 12 billion barrels of oil in gas consumption by 2025, but according to White House estimates, U.S. consumers will end up saving some $1.7 trillion in gas costs.
While the policy represents a significant improvement in gas consumption, several cars on the market already meet these guidelines or come very close.
The Nissan Leaf gets 106 mpg in the city and 92 mpg on highways; the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive Coupe and Cabrolet cars get 94 mpg in the city and 79 mpg on highways; and the Chevy Volt, a plug-in hybrid, gets up to 95 mpg for electric usage and up to 40 mpg when using gas. Finally, the Toyota Prius, a hybrid, gets up to 51 mpg in the city and 49 on the highway, falling just short of the target.
On the other hand, there are plenty of cars with a long way to go to meet the new standard. The Cadillac CTS Wagon gets just 12 mpg on city streets and 18 mpg on highways, and the Mercedes-Benz E350 4matic, another station wagon, gets 16 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on highways.
—For a comprehensive credit report, visit the BankingMyWay.com Credit Center.


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Retailer to move next to Nambour childcare centre
A convenience store has expressed interest in a site near a proposed childcare centre in Nambour, according to council documents.
Conscious Kids Early Learning Centre had temporarily earmarked the site on Image Flat Rd for a swimming pool and restored tram.
But council documents show the centre has applied to revert to its original plans, which included a grocery store instead, after a retailer expressed interest in the site.
"Due to recent interest from a grocery retailer, it is now proposed to revert the childcare centre to that originally approved … and make way for the convenience store," the documents said.
The council issued the original development permit on August 25, 2016.
That approval featured space for up to 88 children and 10 staff, a building site covering 18 per cent, 28 car parks, six motorcycle bays and an outdoor play area on the eastern side of the building.
The building was proposed to have four main rooms to cater for babies through to preschool children.
It also included a reception, admin room, a staffroom and kitchen.
On November 2019, the applicant requested to increase the play space on land north of the driveway to include a swimming pool for one-on-one swimming lessons and a restored tram.
The documents submitted to the council said the playground and swimming pool would be an interim use of the land until a convenience store would become viable.
"Market advice at the time indicated that this would be at least 10 years away, if at all," the documents said.
The council approved the changes on February 26, 2020.
But Conscious Kids Early Childhood Education has requested the original plans be reinstated as a grocery retailer expressed interest in the site.
The retraction would mean the old tram at the site which was part of the additional playground could not be used.
According to the documents, the childcare centre building and southern play area were nearly completed, but work on the northern play area and pool were yet to start.
The current approval remains valid until February 20, 2021, which was extended by the ministerial extension notice.
Pending the outcome of the change application, the owner intends to open the childcare centre in January 2021.
An RP Data search reveals the development costs about $2.15 million.
The council's original decision notice states the childcare centre would operate between 6am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday.
The retailer behind the grocery shop is unknown.


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DEPARTMENT OF Finance (DoF) officials expressed skepticism about the government’s ability to curb salt consumption via taxation, and said the problem might be better addressed via health education.
“We are studying it but it seems that the best way to do it is through regulation. Promotion of the health aspects, and not from taxation,” Undersecretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua said in a media seminar on tax reform in Tagaytay City Friday.
The government is studying a Department of Health (DoH) proposal to discourage excessive salt consumption, possibly with a tax regime that adds to the cost of buying salty food, an approach that has been applied to sweetened beverages.
“We have a technical working group to study this idea further,” he added. The TWG has representatives from the DoF, the DoH and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Finance Assistant Secretary Antonio Joselito G. Lambino II said the TWG was created shortly after the release of a World Health Organization finding that Filipinos consume more than double the daily recommended intake of about five grams.
Products made with salt are more difficult to regulate at factory level than sweetened beverages, whose exact formulations are registared with the government. Many salty products are also made by small businesses. Salty foods like dried fish are also widely consumed by poor families, making such a tax politically sensitive.
The DoF has been keen to find funding sources to back Universal Health Care (UHC), which comes into force next year, and also to minimize the costs to the health care system from treating chronic diseases. So far the DoF has gone after sugary drinks, tobacco and e-cigarettes.
“What is our objective here — you know we have Universal Health Care but we don’t want to waste it treating preventable diseases?” Mr. Chua said.
The DoH proposal is not part of the administration’s comprehensive tax reform program, but Mr. Chua said that in 2016, the DoF originally included unhealthy products in its tax plans.
“Our original proposal (in 2016 included) a health package, which covers unhealthy food and variants, like tobacco, alcohol, sugar beverages and, as we mentioned, junk food.”
The Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, or Republic Act No. 10963, introduced excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages.
The government also passed RA 11346, which increased the excise tax on tobacco products and introduced levies on electronic cigarettes.
The 18th Congress is currently tackling measure which will further increase rates on tobacco products, e-cigarettes and other vapor products as well as alcohol products. — Charmaine A. Tadalan


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Diamond Lake Minerals (OTC: DLMI), a leading multi-strategy operating company specializing in the development and support of digital assets and SEC-registered security tokens, announced that founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, Anthony Scaramucci, has joined the company as a strategic advisor. SkyBridge is a global alternative investment firm. In addition, Scaramucci is the founder and chairman of SALT, a globally renowned thought leadership forum and venture studio; he also cofounded investment partnership Oscar Capital Management, which was ultimately acquired by Neuberger Berman in 2001. Scaramucci has an impressive resume and has gained unparalleled expertise in finance, technology and business strategy throughout his career. He was named as the #47 Influencer in Crypto and Blockchain by Cointelegraph in 2022; he was also ranked #85 in Worth Magazine’s Power 100: The 100 Most Powerful People in Global Finance in 2016, and he received Ernst & Young’s New York Financial Services Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2011.
“I cannot begin to explain how important and incredible it is to have Mr. Anthony Scaramucci join our Diamond Lake Minerals advisory board,” said Diamond Lake Minerals CEO Brian J. Esposito in the press release. “Not only is Anthony a dear friend, he is someone I highly admire and respect. He is one of the hardest working professionals I have ever met, yet also one of the kindest and most accessible as well. Having someone as esteemed, credible and seasoned in business, finance and technology as Anthony supporting our vision speaks volumes for the direction we are taking this wonderful entity, and together we will correctly pave the way for future companies to follow.”
To view the full press release, visit https://ccw.fm/3pCfL
About Diamond Lake Minerals Inc.
Founded in Utah in 1954, Diamond Lake Minerals is a multi-strategy operating company that specializes in the development and support of digital assets and SEC-registered security tokens. The company’s goal is to responsibly innovate and develop valuable traditional businesses and successfully combine them with the future of money, digital assets. DLMI’s mission is to bring back to the public markets timeless business principles that are focused on healthy sustainable growth and strong earnings that generate yields combined in a modern digital world creating value for our stakeholders. DLMI is positioning itself as an industry agnostic leader in the digital asset and security token space. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.DiamondLakeMinerals.com.
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Arc of Acadiana Northwest director April Lee and mall manager Ruth Fox show off the new Gardens Northwest nursery business that opened along with seven resale clothing stores.
The Arc of Acadiana Northwest, a residential facility for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, has opened seven resale clothing stores and a nursery and pottery business at its 100-acre campus in Bossier City. Arc employee Ruth Fox moved to Bossier City in December to start preparing for the launch of the resale stores that are in a converted activities building. She finds the new nursery has been the biggest draw for shoppers.
The mayors of Shreveport and Bossier City have proclaimed April 7 - 13 Barbershop Harmony Week. It coincides with the 75th anniversary of the Barbershop Harmony Society. Bossier City Mayor Lo Walker presented the proclamation to the River Cities Jubilee Barbershop Chorus on Sunday. The northwest Louisiana chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society was formed more than 60 years ago.


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The Estonian consumer price index saw a dramatic surge of 18.8% year-over-year in April, with prices advancing faster than they have been in decades, according to the latest data revealed by Statistics Estonia.
The agency reported that prices for goods and services were 14.4% and 27.8% more expensive respectively in April compared to the same period a year ago.
The consumer price index was reportedly most affected by housing-related price changes, which was responsible for over 40% of the entire spike, according to Viktoria Trasanov, a leading analyst at Statistics Estonia.
Prices for electricity reportedly saw an enormous surge of 119%, while heat energy became 57.7% more expensive than in April 2021. Meanwhile, pipeline gas soared 237.2%. Rents also surged by 34.4%.


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Just recently, Samsung made waves in the smartphone world by unveiling the One UI 6.0 Beta Programme for the Galaxy S23 series and the Galaxy A54. With this latest development, Samsung continues to demonstrate its commitment to delivering software experiences to its loyal user base.
The One UI 6.0 Beta Programme promises to bring a plethora of new features and enhancements, further elevating the user experience on these flagship devices. It’s an exciting time for Samsung users as they eagerly await the opportunity to get their hands on this beta release and explore the future of mobile technology.
Exciting news has emerged as Samsung has recently unveiled the One UI 6.0 Beta Programme for the impressive Galaxy A34. This marks a significant milestone for the brand, as it is the first time such a program has been made available for this particular device.
One UI 6 beta for the Galaxy A54 Users in the United Kingdom!
According to recent reports, it appears that the highly anticipated Android 14-based One UI 6.0 beta update is making its way to the Galaxy A34 in the United Kingdom.
This update brings along a plethora of exciting features and enhancements for users to explore. The firmware version associated with this update is A346BXXU4ZWI1, which promises to deliver a seamless and optimized user experience. Galaxy A34 owners in the UK can now look forward to an enhanced interface and improved functionality as they get the chance to experience the latest iteration of Samsung’s renowned One UI.
With a hefty download size surpassing the 2GB mark, we highly recommend opting for a Wi-Fi network to ensure a seamless update experience. In the near future, Samsung is expected to roll out the update across various countries, expanding its reach beyond initial markets. This update is expected to make its way to consumers in China, Germany, India, Poland, and South Korea, among others.
If you are in the UK Samsung has just announced that you can now register your devices to be part of the exclusive beta-testing programme for the One UI 6.0 Beta update. This means you’ll have the incredible opportunity to get a sneak peek at the latest features and enhancements before they are officially released to the wider public. So, if you’re eager to be at the forefront of innovation and experience the future of Samsung’s user interface, don’t miss out on this chance to join the beta-testing community. Register your Galaxy A34 5G today! In order to accomplish this, users will need to download and install the Samsung Members app onto their Galaxy A34 5G device. Once the installation is complete, they can proceed by logging into the app using their personal Samsung account credentials. After gaining access, users should navigate to the app’s home page and locate the prominent banner showcasing the highly One UI 6.0 Beta Programme. A simple click on this banner will set them on the path to unlocking a world of exciting new features and enhancements.
Once users have successfully registered their devices, they can easily install the latest One UI 6.0 beta update. This can be done by navigating to the Settings menu => Software update section. Once there, users simply need to tap on the Download and Install option


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Australian publishers have 12 months to get their digital infrastructure in place or suffer the consequences, publishing veteran Peter Donoughue has warned.
Since the Amazon Kindle reinvented e-reading, the low buzz of digital apprehension within the book trade has grown to a dull roar. Now, as bets are being taken on whether the paperback ends up as a rare gift, a history exhibit or a kitty tray liner, the message for stakeholders is clear:
Get digital, and get there now.
Following on from his address on digitial publishing at the University of Queensland last month, Donoughue said: “2011/2012 are going to be critical turning points, I think.
“Unless you’ve got all [digital] systems – all the production systems, all the marketing promotion, all the skill sets from staff – in place by the end of 2011, you’re seriously going to be behind the eight ball.”
‘Skilling up’ was high on the to do list at The Digital Revolution: Publishing in the 21st Century symposium earlier this year too.
Chief Executive Officer of London publisher Faber and Faber Stephen Page told delegates: “You have to integrate digital into the thinking of every single person in your organisation. You cannot have pockets of resistance.”
Watch Page’s full speech here:
Head of Digital Publishing at Allen & Unwin Elizabeth Weiss said one of the biggest challenges would be effectively promoting and publicising books in an environment where mainstream media was becoming increasingly difficult to access.
Despite the rise of digital self-publishing (thanks largely to Smashwords, Seth Godin and Andrew Wylie), Weiss said publishers were critical to that process.”There’s an awful lot of talk on the airwaves about ‘well, you know authors can go out and do it themselves’,” Weiss said.
“Yes they can, but if they want to do it effectively, it turns into a job.”
Although Allen & Unwin started their digital preparations “many years ago”, Weiss said they were still investing.
“[Y]ou could say the company has been out of pocket for quite some time in this area, but necessarily so,” she said.
Weiss said one of the difficulties was the need to maintain their traditional print business.
Donoughue cautioned publishers not to protect “older businesses” at the expense of e-books.
“There’s going to be a plethora of e-devices, so in two years time you’ve just got to be there and you’ve got to be aggressively marketing your e-books, I think,” he said.


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The 2022 Subaru BRZ has been revealed ahead of a late 2021 Australian release date. Still a small sports coupe with a rear-wheel drive layout, a Boxer engine at the front and a promise of pure driving pleasure, the new BRZ has been updated with new styling, a new interior and even a larger engine for more performance.
Subaru Australia General Manager, Blair Read, said: “It’s tremendously exciting to get these first glimpses into second generation BRZ.
“This car gave the whole sports segment a massive shake when it originally launched in 2012 and based on what we know so far about the second generation, we’ve got very high hopes for its ongoing appeal in Australia.”
The original Subaru BRZ (and its Toyota 86 twin) set enthusiasts’ passions alive upon their release in 2012 as Australians especially had not seen affordable RWD sports cars for a long time. Helping the BRZ’s case was a 2.0-litre Boxer engine mounted low, a sweet RWD chassis and relatively low weight which ensured the twins were mega fun to drive, and importantly for a lot of enthusiasts, a big aftermarket scene had developed for owners to modify their cars.
The next generation of BRZ looks to be based on the same platform as the previous model, though Subaru (and presumably Toyota too, which is yet to reveal the 86) has fitted a larger 170kW/249Nm (18kW and 37Nm more than the current model) 2.4-litre four-cylinder Boxer engine that should give a nice performance boost. Transmissions remain a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic with paddle shifters.
Despite being based on the same platform as before, Subaru claims that the new BRZ has achieved a 50 per cent increase in torsional stiffness, and 60 per cent greater front lateral bending rigidity thanks to a range of structural tweaks.
The 2022 Subaru BRZ’s styling is familiar but more curvaceous this time around, with larger rear hips and tailights, as well as a more aggressive front end. Measuring 4.26m long, 1.77m wide, 1.31m high and with a 2.57m long wheelbase, the 2022 Subaru BRZ is 20cm longer, the same width, slightly taller and with an identical wheelbase to the current model.
18-inch alloy wheels are now standard equipment, and unlike the previous model’s eco-friendly tyres, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres are standard too. A limited-slip differential is also standard.
The interior of the 2022 Subaru BRZ is more modern than before with a new 8.0-inch centre touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as newer materials and more storage than before. Interestingly, the steering wheel is identical to the previous model, though the 7.0-inch driver’s display is new and has normal and track modes for drivers to use.
Active safety kit has seen big improvements with the addition of equipment such as automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control – though only on the six-speed automatic, which is quite disappointing for those wanting to shift gears themselves, especially when a Toyota Yaris GR offers the same kit with a manual.
More details, including local specs and performance figures, of the 2022 Subaru BRZ will be revealed ahead of the car’s Australian launch in late 2021.


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Usually, technology enhances our lives–but sometimes we can become overly reliant on it. Take the iPad, which has become the device of choice for many commercial pilots’ flight bags. Many airlines use special iPad apps to help consolidate all the manuals for an aircraft, aeronautical and navigational charts, logbooks, and other equipment. But earlier this week, American Airlines flights were delayed when the iPad app used by American glitched.
That glitch, which affected “a few dozen flights” according to an American spokesperson, produced duplicate charts for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, causing the app to freeze and become unresponsive. As a result, the apps couldn’t retrieve the appropriate flight plans, effectively grounding an assortment of flights across the fleet.
Jeppesen, the Boeing-owned company that makes the iPad app for American, will be issuing an update on May 8. In the meantime, pilots are being encouraged to use a PDF version of the troublesome map, or remove and reinstall the app, which also apparently fixes the issue. Alternatively, pilots can fall back to the good old fashioned dead-tree version of their flight bag, which may not seem like a big deal until you realize that those collections of manuals and gear can weigh around 35 pounds.
Eliminating paper flight manuals and the like has allowed airlines to make savings on fuel, due to reduced weight. But this incident serves as a reminder that technology is hardly foolproof, and though it’s easy to swap out an iPad for a paper flight bag while on the ground, that’s considerably harder in flight. Still, given the advantages of the electronic flight bag over its paper-based counterpart, it’s hard to imagine airlines making any move to switch back.
So don’t be shocked if some day the flight crew comes onto the intercom and asks if anybody on the plane is an IT expert.
This article was updated at 6:56 p.m. Eastern to clarify a number of details about the glitch.


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An environmentally friendly textile fibre made of wood
Of all our new bioproducts, the pulp-based textile fibre Kuura is furthest along the development path. We are currently producing it at our demo plant at the Äänekoski mill integrate, and the first products made from it were on display at Japan Fashion Week in the spring of 2021.
The start-up of the demo plant in 2020 marked the beginning of a trial project lasting a few years, during which we will be studying the technical feasibility of the new industrial-scale production method for textile fibres. The project will also investigate the commercial potential of wood-based textile fibre, as well as the possibility of building a textile fibre mill significantly larger than the demo plant in Finland.
In 2023, a new method will be developed at the Äänekoski demo plant, which would enable the production of Kuura textile fiber from Metsä Group's softwood pulp. In the development work, the process chemistry is changed and the equipment is improved to speed up the development of pulp-based textile fiber.
Metsä’s environmentally friendly textile fibre concept initially involved a direct dissolution method that uses a brand-new pulp-dissolving compound. Metsä Fibre’s undried paper pulp is used as the raw material.
New biodegradable 3D fibre product
Another new bioproducts that is being developed is our 3D fibre products for packiging. A demo plant is under construction at the Äänekoski mill integrate for test production of the fibre products. Metsä Spring and Valmet are building the demo plant together.
The recyclable and biodegradable 3D fibre product is produced from wet wood-fibre pulp without intermediate phases. Its lightweight structure and new production technology minimise the need for energy and raw materials, simplifying supply chain logistics.
The new 3D fibre product has potential in the large-volume food packaging market, which is continuously looking for more sustainable alternatives to plastic. The test runs of the pilot plant are scheduled for the end of 2021.
The development of both wood-based textile fibre and 3D fibre packaging is part of the Expand Fibre co-operation funded by Business Finland.


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As of January 1, 2016, Gapers Block has ceased publication. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni.
✶ Thank you for your readership and contributions over the past 12-plus years. ✶
Tuesday, March 28
ZAP!, a company that specializes in designing alternative and fuel-efficient automotive systems, will release its electric XEBRA car at the Chicago Auto Show. Priced at $10,000 with an operating cost of one cent per mile, it could certainly be a high-value commuter car.


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Finally, the long waited BMW M5 has finally been seen for the first time in production form! The German publication autozeitung unveiled these first images. And as we expected the F10 BMW M5 looks almost the same as the concept vehicle unveiled for the first time at the Shanghai Auto Show this year.
Power comes from BMW’s S63 engine – it has 560PS (552hp) / 680Nm (501tq). Compared to the old M5, the E60, the new F10 M5 has 53 more hp.
Moving to the transmission, a 7 speed DCT gearbox will come as standard, while manual transmission will be offered as an optional ( not official yet – but based on yesterday photos ). Combined with the new-for-the-U.S. Auto Start Stop functionality, BMW claims that emissions have been reduced by 25 percent when compared to the outgoing model’s V10, while developing more power in the process.
2012 BMW M5 F10 Performance:
– 0-100km (0-62mph) in 4.4 seconds (E60 M5 took 4.7 seconds).
– 0-200km (0-124mph)in 13 seconds.
– Active M-differential with torque vectoring: The lateral torque vectoring control transfers the torque from the left wheel to the right wheel, and vice versa, to generate an amount of braking torque on one wheel while generating the same amount of driving torque on the other wheel. Torque transfer is up to 100%.
– M-Drivers-Package will increase top speed from 250km/h to 305km/h (127mph to 189mph) and most probably this new F10 M5 will break 8min lap at Nurburgring.
What you will see in this photos is the production version 2012 M5 in Monte Carlo blue color and is barely changed from the concept version.
The official press release and full set of photos will come early next week, followed by the public debut at the M Festival (next Thursday, June 23).
Note- hi-resolution images to come early next week


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Kosas Color Cosmetics receives investment to fuel growth
Los Angeles-based color cosmetics company Kosas announced that it has secured a Series A round of funding from institutional investment firm CircleUp Growth Partners.
The investment is expected to help the company further grow and expand its footprint both domestically and internationally.
“With this first infusion of outside capital, we plan to build on the strong foundation we have created since our inception two years ago, while fueling our growth trajectory with a narrative-driven content strategy, innovative product development, and expanded distribution through key retail partnerships, as well as our own direct-to-consumer channels. We will have the opportunity to fully realize the world of Kosås," said founder Sheena Yaitanes, in a news statement.
Kosas Color Cosmetics was founded in 2015 and has been on a steady growth path, doubling its sales in 2017. Meanwhile, the company expects to triple its sales in 2018, thanks to expanded distribution with retailers such as Violet Grey, Goop, Revolve, Bloomingdale's, Neiman Marcus, Credo and The Detox Market, as well as through an integrated marketing strategy.
Kosas is also currently expanding its international distribution into the United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia, and the Middle East and is looking to further increase the brand's global footprint into other markets.
"We are looking to reinforce and accelerate all aspects of the business. How we rally our community around our core messages of empowerment and energy will be key," added Yaitanes.
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