text:
Toyota has one sleek and shiny new Prius, and the automatic press seems to agree: this one looks pretty cool. Previous Prius models have long been seen as, uhh, less than cool, with their awkward boxy teardrop shape and normcore vibe. The 2023 Prius, on the other hand, looks chic, with streamlined bodywork that squeezes that Prius teardrop into something that looks like a Tesla.
It’s still a combustion-electric hybrid that needs its fill of petrol in order to run – unfortunately the all-electric revolution hasn’t arrived for the old Prius yet. Toyota says it gets about 57 mpg, making it the most fuel-efficient Prius yet. The car will also be faster than before, with a 220 hp engine under the hood. That’s good for a Prius; ask a car enthusiast. Other new functions include a hands-free driving mode and the inclusion of solar panels for topping up the battery while the car is stationary.
The new Prius will be available in two models: the base Prius and a slightly beefier Prius Prime. Toyota hasn’t said when the cars will be available or how much they’ll cost, but look for them next year.
Here’s some other news from the world of consumer technology.
Microsoft Teams gets games
Microsoft has announced a new feature for its Teams video conferencing software: video games. Participants in a Teams call can now play games like Patience, Minesweeperand Wonder directly in the app. The games are intended for people who use Teams for work. Nancy Baym, senior principal research manager at Microsoft, says putting games in a workplace tool fosters a sense of human connection that is much needed after nearly three years of remote work.
“People could be really productive, but they felt less connected, and that had a lot of detrimental consequences,” says Baym. “Games are one of the many fun ways to gently step in and say, ‘Here’s an offer for you guys to bond with each other at low pressure.”
To reinforce that goal of building connections, none of the games are single-player. (No, not even Patience). That means you can’t quietly play a game on your own while pretending to listen to your manager’s drone about roughly quarterly KPIs. Playing games with your team can be a nice break from the deluge of the workday, even if it still comes down to spending time in front of a screen. We’ll see how long it takes for zoom fatigue to give way Minesweeper fatigue.
Look at Leica’s Large Lens Phone
Hey, look, Leica made another one smartphone to follow the 2021 Leitz Phone 1. What is that? Does it have a camera, you ask? Oh, it does. As you’d expect from the illustrious camera brand, the Leica lens is the main attraction of the Leitz Phone 2. The single large lens occupies the top third of the phone. The eyepiece-focused design is a refutation of all the subtly integrated smartphone camera lenses.
The giant camera of the Leitz Phone 2 captures 47.2 megapixel images. On the other side is a 6.6-inch OLED screen where you can view all your beautiful landscape photos or gloriously detailed selfies. Oh yeah, and you can also make phone calls with it or whatever. It will only be available in Japan; those outside the country will have to buy it as an import.
Netflix is coming for your friends
The days of sharing Netflix accounts are probably coming to an end. This week, Netflix introduced a new feature in users’ account settings called Manage access and devices. It allows a user to disable their Netflix account on specific devices, something that the user can easily use to kick relatives, friends, and roommates off their Netflix accounts. It’s an innocent enough feature, and one that will be fun for anyone looking to zap their credentials from the television they lost in the divorce to avoid their ex stealth streaming shows on their dime. But it’s also a move that sets the stage for Netflix’s cleaning up sharing accounts.
Netflix has been build to this for months. The company has tested charging additional fees for additional accounts in a few countries, and says it’s looking into it run the program in nearly all of its markets next year. The company also rolled out an ad-supported plan earlier this month.
Too many Twitter problems
Well, Twitter had a good run. Now that nearly every employee has left Twitter and the site seems to be in freefall, things are about to get even weirder on the bird app. (Assuming it remains active.) In whatever form Twitter continues to limp, it’s never been more vulnerable to security threats.
This week on WIRED’s Gadget lab podcast, security writer Lily Hay Newman discusses the ways Twitter’s precarious position could lead to hacking, data breaches and the further spread of misinformation about the platform.


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Saatchi and Saatchi has won the pounds 1 million Moet et Chandon UK
account from Bartle Bogle Hegarty.
The appointment forces Saatchis to resign its conflicting Lanson
business, which it has held for eight years. Adam Crozier, joint chief
executive of Saatchis, said: ‘Lanson is a valued client, but we will be
resigning the business soon.’
The win follows Moet’s decision to seek a pan-European agency and marks
the end of BBH’s two-year hold on the account.
BBH has not produced work for Moet since 1995, when a former Procter and
Gamble marketing man, Didier Suberbier, took over the brand’s
advertising and gave Moet’s French management more control over the
development of the UK advertising.
Barry Thompson, the director of Moet et Chandon’s brand marketing, said:
‘BBH set the gold standard for us, but we respect the centralised
Steve Kershaw, a BBH management representative, said: ‘We stopped
working with Moet late in 1995 on instructions from the company’s
headquarters in Paris.’
In April 1995, BBH’s press campaign won the National Newspaper Campaign
Advertising award for best colour ad.

domain: news


text: U.S. soybean futures fell more than 2 percent on Thursday, with the benchmark November contract on track for its largest single-day decline since August, on disappointing weekly export sales and improving U.S. harvest weather, analysts said. Corn and wheat followed the weak tone. November soybeans futures were down 20-1/2 cents at $8.65-1/4 per bushel. CBOT December corn was down 3-3/4 cents at $3.70-1/2 a bushel and December wheat was down 4-3/4 cents at $5.12-3/4 a bushel. Soybeans tumbled after the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported export sales of U.S. soybeans in the latest week at 295,600 tonnes, below a range of trade expectations. The figure included cancellations of 694,400 tonnes of soybeans sold to unknown destinations. "Today's market is clearly a statement that we have transitioned out of a supply (focus) and into a demand-focused, demand-driven market. This dismal sales number here today sets the tone," said Rich Feltes, vice president for research with R.J. O'Brien. U.S. soybeans are the cheapest in the world, but China, by far the world's biggest soy buyer, is locked in a trade battle with Washington.


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Publishers are getting more aggressive — some might say desperate — in their opposition to ad blocking, an approach that threatens to undercut their own business models while potentially benefiting advertisers — at least in the short term.
Ad blocking technology is one of the most significant challenges facing digital advertising today, but it doesn’t hurt every player in the space equally. Marketers and ad tech firms are mostly impacted because their ads aren’t being served but publishers arguably face the most frontline effects with a direct hit to their bottom line, as blocked ads generate zero revenue.
Publishers have taken a variety of approaches to address the ad block epidemic, from politely asking visitors to disable the software to selectively removing text from copy being viewed to reflect revenue lost. But as a more comprehensive picture emerges of the full damage ad blockers can cause, it appears a diplomatic approach might not be working fast enough.
Some publishers like Wired, Business Insider and Forbes are now completely shutting out any visitors using ad block technology if they don't agree to whitelist their sites. The Atlantic is just the latest to go with this scorched earth policy, taking it a step further by forcing visitors to either disable their ad blockers or pony up for a premium subscription. When the company announced the more aggressive approach, it claimed it was one of necessity, with "multiple millions" of revenue dollars being drained by just 8.5% of the monthly readers who keep ad blockers on.
While such a blunt strategy may convert those with a deep brand affinity for The Atlantic's content, some experts say it's hardly a foolproof strategy. To better understand the full scope of how ad blocking trends are impacting the publishing and advertising landscapes, Marketing Dive spoke with two experts in the field: Jerrid Grimm, the co-founder of Pressboard, a content marketing firm, and Mark Bauman, the founder of ReviveAds, an ad block circumvention company.
“If we, as marketers, created an app that 25% of the internet was downloading, we’d know we had hit on something truly magically," Grimm told Marketing Dive. "Just because that app [in this case] happens to be ad blocking software doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t look at it in the same way. This is more than a fad, it’s a movement.”
Gaps in the stonewall approach
With The Atlantic's new strategy as a jumping off point, Grimm immediately caught on to one major problem — it doesn’t actually work the way it's supposed to.
"If you simply click the ‘x’ in the top right of [the] ad block message you can go ahead and read the article without whitelisting the site or subscribing," he said. "In fact, after you close it you can then go ahead and read any article you’d like on The Atlantic site.”
Another issue is that links directed to the site via social media feeds aren't properly accounted for by The Atlantic, per Grimm. Data collected by Pressboard suggests that, on average, 75% of all traffic to digital publishers comes from social media, making a failure to catch ad blockers funneling in from outlets like Facebook and Twitter a major issue.
"Even further, the most popular pieces of content — the articles that people might actually whitelist your site for — are almost exclusively driven by social media sharing,” Grimm added.
While the complete stonewalling — or the attempted stonewalling — of ad blocking users is meant to serve as a wake-up call for readers, it may actually reduce traffic due to its aggressive stance, per Bauman. He recommended an approach that provides ad blocking users with a different set of content than non-ad block users, a tactic that wouldn’t scare visitors away but instead make them more carefully consider their choice to turn the software on.
Separate content is one possible way of better illustrating the value exchange between advertisements and free content models, something that can ultimately help readers understand why ads are necessary to a site's survival.
And even though a number of high-profile titles are taking the route The Atlantic has, Grimm pointed out that this option isn’t really a feasible one for mid-level and long tail publishers who can't afford to turn away large swaths of readers. The Atlantic, Wired and Business Insider are all bracketed in the top 20 websites for their respective categories, giving them a loyal-enough audience who might whitelist out of pure brand affinity — a benefit many smaller names don't have.
Trying to convert ad blockers to subscribers fails to address the underlying problem that made them turn off ads in the first place. One of the reasons users turn to ad blockers is due to annoyance in seeing spots for products they're not interested in via intrusive formats like interstitials. The technology has now been around long enough that users may have a hard time adjusting to seeing ads again if they are forced to turn it off.
For a publisher like The Atlantic, asking ad blockers to pony up for a subscription in order to access its site will likely only lead to “a handful of unwilling, unhappy new customers,” according to Grimm.
One possible way publishers can address the problem of ad blocking would be to double down on sponsored content.
“I believe that you’ll start to see a new breed of publishers crop up focused on a business model supported entirely through branded content instead of display ads,” Grimm said. Recent forecasts from the Interactive Advertising Bureau similarly point to the rise of formats like native, which will likely receive more of the budgets marketers typically put toward display ads heading into 2017.
Good news for marketers
For marketers and ad tech firms, Grimm and Bauman actually believe they could actually benefit from ad blocking in the short term since the audience actively blocking ads likely wasn’t the most receptive to display messaging in the first place.
“Advertisers are just getting better-qualified users with this, and less inventory,” said Bauman. “The users are also less informed, meaning advertisers will try to get more by them."
"The advertisers and marketers will probably start getting more aggressive as well," he continued. "With less ad space and more competition, rates could go up on regular traffic.”
The biggest concern for brands and advertisers is then less one of a slipping bottom line and more one of low-quality content, as consumers are clearly not latching onto whatever spots they're faced with and are, in fact, making active efforts to avoid them. Longer term, marketers need to address the quality issue or face an ever-growing audience of consumers who distrust and are annoyed by ads.
For publishers, losing ad traffic can be like losing 1% of total business every month, according to Bauman. However, there may be little they can do about the growth in ad blocking. For The Atlantic and other publishers, this means they should be considering a way to work with ad blockers and not against them.
"We are seeing extreme changes in the geo makeup of ad block users putting some of these countries which didn't have any ad block usage on the map, up in the 4% to 5% range now like France or India as far as a percentage of total ad block users visiting a site," Bauman said.


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Governor Nisaka sees synergy with an Osaka IR and has a seaside site that’s shovel ready, as he explains to Inside Asian Gaming.
Scientific Games Corporation has announced the appointment of Steven Stamstad as SVP of Marketing and Communications. Stamstad, who will report directly to President and CEO Barry Cottle, will be responsible for elevating Scientific Games’ global leadership, increasing engagement with key...
IAG speaks with Herman NG, CEO and Executive Director of Macau’s Asia Pioneer Entertainment, about the company’s strong 2018 growth, its Asian expansion plans and the state of the EGM industry in Macau.
Having recently arrived in Macau as Product Marketing Manager for SG Gaming, Jason Tomas sits down with IAG to discuss his career journey from the Philippines to his new home.
Electronic table game developer Interblock has announced the promotion of Michael Hu from Vice President of Asia to President of Asia Pacific. Hu will continue his responsibility for all P&L activities within the region, the company said, having been an...
Galaxy Entertainment Group Vice Chairman Francis Lui shares straight talk on the Pearl River Delta, retendering, Boracay, Hengqin and more.
Inside Asian Gaming speaks with Albert Yu, Chief Operating Officer at blockchain innovator Alphaslot, about the company’s plans to transform the gaming industry.


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Licensed Hemp Acreage Increases 455% in 2019
by Eric Steenstra
Licensed hemp acreage increased 455% in 2019 vs hemp acreage under license in the U.S. in 2018, based on new research by VoteHemp.com.
(View larger graph image)
Everyone seems to be talking about and using hemp products these days. Hemp extracts are suddenly available almost everywhere including your local supermarket, coffee shop and gas station. Hemp derived CBD and the benefits of the “entourage effect” from whole plant hemp extracts is driving a revolution in consumer health and it couldn’t come at a better time. Consumers are seeking natural alternatives to help them live healthier and happier lives. It also comes at a perfect time for the emerging hemp industry.
The legalization of hemp farming in the Farm Bill last December was a watershed moment for the hemp industry and for American farmers. The return of hemp to agriculture while farmers are seeking alternative crops created an intense level of interest in farming hemp and inspired literally thousands to enter the industry as evidenced by a massive increase in licensed hemp growers for the 2019 growing season. The Farm Bill also inspired thousands of new hemp processors and brands to enter the market.
Vote Hemp has been conducting an annual survey of state departments of agriculture since 2016 to track the growth of hemp cultivation in the United States. This year we are releasing a hemp licensing report first to document intent and will follow up with hemp planting and harvesting data once it has been reported. The results on licensing show more than 500,000 acres of hemp were licensed across 34 states, an increase of more than 455% over 2018 licensed acreage. Intent is a good indicator but we know from previous years that significantly less hemp is planted than what is licensed due to a variety of factors including access to seed and/or clones as well as inexperience. This will be the case again for 2019 and we estimate that 230,000 acres of hemp will actually be planted and significantly less harvested due crop failure.
Another important statistic is the growth in the number of farms that were licensed to grow hemp in 2019. Almost 17,000 licenses were issued for hemp cultivation in 2019, an increase of 477% over 2018 licensure. A significant amount of this activity is coming from new farmers which is good news for agriculture. In Tennessee alone, licensees increased by more than 1000% and many of them are small family farms. The number of family farms in the United States has been in steep decline for decades. Today, there are only about 2 million American farms in operation, down from nearly 7 million farms in 1935 and farmers are finding it ever more difficult to make a profit with traditional crops like corn, soy and wheat. Hemp is helping farmers to find new and more profitable markets and is encouraging new people to consider farming as a way of life.
However, hemp is not yet a commodity and while demand for biomass has been high, it is not yet clear what the total market demand will be for 2019 and 2020. Due to this uncertainty, I strongly recommend that farmers only grow hemp with a contract to sell it in hand and carefully vet their partners. It is also advisable to start with a small crop the first year as there is a significant learning curve. Bottom line, don’t grow more than you can afford to lose.
While farming alone contributed $132.8 billion to the US economy, the industry’s reach extends far beyond the soil. From the ethanol gas you recently pumped into your car to the IPA calling your name at the bar, countless products and industries rely on agricultural inputs to contribute value to the economy. Projections from the Hemp Business Journal show that hemp is likely to add at least $2.5 billion to agricultural output by 2022 and likely will continue growing at a fast pace for at least the next 5-10 years as demand grows for fiber and grain. The future is bright but there will be speed bumps along the road so drive carefully!
To learn more about the growing hemp industry, download our hemp licensing report. If you are looking for more in depth background on the best states for hemp cultivation, you may also be interested in the upcoming Hemp States Report I helped write for the Hemp Business Journal which should be released very soon.
PRESIDENT, VOTE HEMP
Eric Steenstra is a hemp industry pioneer, co-founding hemp clothing and lifestyle brand Ecolution with Steve DeAngelo in 1992. Eric was a founding member of the Hemp Industries Association and served as HIA Executive Director from 2008 to 2016. Eric now serves as the president of Vote Hemp, the political advocacy organization that he co-founded and as Vice President of the California Hemp Council. He is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and trusted source to the media, including CBS, the New York Times, Forbes, CNN, Rolling Stone, Reuters and the Washington Post.
Vote Hemp lead the effort to pass hemp farming legislation nationwide. In 2005, Steenstra worked with Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX) to draft the first modern U.S. hemp legislation introduced in Congress (H.R. 3037). In 2012 he worked with Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) to get companion hemp legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate. Steenstra worked with Congressman Polis (D-CO) and Senate Majority Leader McConnell (R-KY) to have hemp legislation included in the 2014 Farm Bill. The 2014 Farm Bill authorized the first legal hemp farming in over 50 years and resulted in 78,176 acres of hemp being planted across 24 states in 2018. Vote Hemp also played an integral role in the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill including fully removing hemp from the Controlled Substances Act.
HIA Continues Hemp Campaign on Times SquareBy Hemp Industries Association
PHOTO: Hemp Industries Association (photo of “Stop Denying Hemp Banking” Times Square Billboard Ad)
16,462 Hemp State-Issued Licenses in 2019By New Frontier Data
PHOTO: New Frontier Data (Chart of Hemp Licenses by State)
Primordia Launches 10,000-acre California Organic Hemp OperationBy PR Newswire
PHOTO: Primordia (aerial photo of hemp fields in CA)
Former NFL Great Rob Gronkowski Partners with CBDMedicBy Business Insider
PHOTO: Wikipedia (Photo of Rob Gronkowski)
HIA Continues Hemp Campaign on Times SquareBy Hemp Industries Association
PHOTO: Hemp Industries Association (photo of “Stop Denying Hemp Banking” Times Square Billboard Ad)16,462 Hemp State-Issued Licenses in 2019By New Frontier Data
PHOTO: New Frontier Data (Chart of Hemp Licenses by State)Primordia Launches 10,000-acre California Organic Hemp OperationBy PR Newswire
PHOTO: Primordia (aerial photo of hemp fields in CA)Former NFL Great Rob Gronkowski Partners with CBDMedicBy Business Insider
PHOTO: Wikipedia (Photo of Rob Gronkowski)HEADLINE NEWSDenver Hemp & CBD Farmers Market, Sept. 27, to Focus on Local ProducersBy Westword
Plant Researchers: U.S. Is the Epicenter of Hemp BreedingBy Hemp Industry Daily
HempWood Factory Opens in KentuckyBy Woodworking Network
Builders Are Swapping Hemp for Cement to Reduce Pollution
By the Boston Globe
Nation’s Largest Hemp Processing Plant Opens in Colorado
Six Retailer Tips for Stocking CBD BrandsBy New Hope Network
Former Acting Attorney General Under Trump to Counsel CBD FirmBy Forbes
Lawsuit Alleges Secret Cash Payments By CBD Company to Top ExecsBy Green Market Report
Combatting Workplace Stress with CBDBy The Sunday Caries
Who’s Really Buying CBD…and Why?
By Cannabis Law Report
https://cannabislaw.report/whos-really-buying-cbd-and-why/Mary’s Brands Sells to Connecticut Cannabis CompanyBy Hemp Industry Daily
“Pick Your Own” Hemp Field a Popular Stop in MaineBy NBC News Center Maine
MN Governor Tim Walz Visits First Minnesota Farm to Grow Hemp in DecadesBy CBS Minnesota
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem: “Legalizing Hemp Legalizes Marijuana by Default”By the Argus Leader
Oregon State University Launches Global Hemp Innovation CenterBy NBC KOBI-TV
INTERNATIONAL NEWSBhang Brings Hemp-derived CBD Products to EU
By Globe Newswire
Hemp Can Help Latin America, with Proper Strategies in Place
By Hemp Today
Thailand Includes Hemp Extract on Approved Medical Marijuana List
European Market Ripe for CBD Imports
By New Frontier Data
Poland Offers Cash Incentives to Hemp Farmers, Organic Farmers
By Hemp Today
An Interview with Dr. Jan Roberts:
From the China International Hemp Industry Forum in Harbin, China
Join Morris Beegle and Rick Trojan for a brand new episode of the Let’s Talk Hemp Podcast, featuring Dr. Jan Roberts to discuss the endocannabinoid system in the human body, cannabis dosing issues, and the pros and cons of regulating the cannabis industry. Dr. Jan Roberts is a host on the New Hemp Times podcast, CEO and co-founder of the International Research Center on Cannabis and Mental Health (IRCCMH), and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.Listen HereListen Here
About Let’s Talk Hemp
Let’s Talk Hemp is a publication of Colorado Hemp Company (a division of We Are For Better Alternatives) focused specifically on the subject of industrial hemp and cannabis. We present features and curate news from across the globe to share the benefits of cannabis on health, energy, manufacturing and planet (H.E.M.P.). Colorado Hemp Company also is the Producer of NoCo Hemp Expo and Southern Hemp Expo, the nation’s leading hemp conferences and expositions.
Publisher: Morris Beegle, Elizabeth Knight
Editor: Steven Hoffman
Web Developer: Debby West
Design: Allen Haeger
Circulation: Evan Tompros
Let’s Talk Hemp Podcast: Rick Trojan, Morris Beegle
Send Us Your Hemp News!
Send press releases and news announcements to firstname.lastname@example.org


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There are few pharmaceutical companies as solid as Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT). Thanks to the two major acquisitions it made a couple of years ago – St. Jude Medical and Alere – the company currently has a strong and diversified product line.
The stock has doubled in the past two years, and notably, the growth has been steady and consistent throughout this period.
Abbott will announce its third-quarter financial results on Wednesday, October 16, before the opening bell and the market is quite optimistic. Wall Street expects revenues to grow at a modest 6% to $8.11 billion, riding on the strong performance of the medical devices unit. The management had last quarter stated that it expects the pharmaceutical and diagnostics units also to improve in the second half of the financial year.
Analysts expect EPS to increase by 9 cents year-over-year to $0.84, in line with the company’s projection range of $0.83 to $0.85. Abbott views GAAP EPS between $0.53 and $0.55. The company has surpassed bottom-line estimates in two of the past four quarters while coming in line during the other two occasions.
Earlier this year, the Illinois-based firm had received FDA’s approvals for MitraClip G4, its fourth-generation heart valve repair device, and Alinity-S diagnostics system, a technology to screen and protect plasma supply. The market expects a positive impact from both these approvals in the current quarter results.
Abbott’s ability to expand net income margins in line with the revenue increase, as well as the payout of earnings in the form of dividends make it even more attractive.
Abbott’s second-quarter earnings topped estimates, while revenue came in line with the expectations. The company had also lifted its earnings guidance for the full-year 2019, expecting to see some acceleration in the second half.
Abbott had projected full-year 2019 GAAP earnings to be between $2.06 to $2.12 per share. Adjusted EPS from continuing operations is predicted in the range of $3.21 to $3.27.
Cargo giant FedEx Corporation (NYSE: FDX) Thursday reported a decline in first-quarter adjusted earnings, despite an increase in revenues. The company also provided guidance for fiscal 2023. Net income, adjusted
Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:DRI) reported first quarter 2023 earnings results. Total sales increased 6.1% year-over-year to $2.4 billion, driven by blended same-restaurant sales growth of 4.2%. Net earnings amounted to
Accenture (NYSE: ACN) reported fourth quarter 2022 earnings results today. Total revenues were $15.4 billion, up 15% year-over-year in US dollars and up 22.4% in local currency. Net income attributable


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HARRY STYLES RELEASES NEW SINGLE “ADORE YOU”
Harry Styles has released his new single “Adore You” today via Erskine Records/ Columbia Records. The song is the latest single from his highly-anticipated upcoming album Fine Line, which is set for global release on December 13. “Adore You” is accompanied by the cinematic Dave Meyers directed music video, WATCH HERE.
The visual takes place in the mythical Isle of Eroda, the land which sparked tremendous conversation this week when the www.visiteroda.com travel destination website popped up online, and took #Eroda and #SailToEroda to trending #1 Worldwide on Twitter. The Telegraph UK noted that “Styles is closing out the 2010s with the greatest album campaign we’ve seen so far. As an artistic statement, it suggests the 2020s will be his to claim.”
Harry kicks off his 2020 world tour, ‘Love On Tour’ in April in the UK and will travel across Europe and North America before concluding in South America in October. Full list of dates and all ticket information/on sale info is available on Harry’s official website. Asia, Australia and additional tour dates to be announced in 2020. On album release day, Harry will kick off the first of his four shows at The Forum in Los Angeles with a special sold-out one-night-only event.
- RUSS RELEASES THIRD MAJOR LABEL ALBUM ‘SHAKE THE SNOW GLOBE’
- THE BOOMTOWN RATS Announce New Album, UK Tour, Film and New Bob Geldof Book in 2020
- ZELLA DAY RELEASES CELESTIAL NEW SINGLE “PURPLE HAZE”
- EPIC Introduces New Actist GIVEON With The Release of His New Song LIKE “I WANT YOU”
- The Crown Recordings and Atlantic Records artist, KINGG BUCC, ushers in a new era in hip-hop Swiper Season!
- RISING STAR STAYSOLIDROCKY DROPS DEBUT EP FALLIN’
- BENEE UNVEILS HER NEW EP STELLA & STEVE OUT NOW FEATURING COLLABORATION WITH GUS DAPPERTON “SUPALONELY”
- THE AMAZONS ANNOUNCE 2020 US TOUR DATES SUPPORTING DIRTY HONEY
- Nina Nesbitt, Chloe Flower, and The Band Perry Release New Amazon Original Songs for the Holiday Season
- ISABELA MERCED SHARES A GLIMPSE INTO “PAPI” WITH BEHIND THE SCENES VIDEO OUT NOW


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Make it bigger in case you really want some attention: that’s what Sharp must have thought when they thought of this 330-inch (8.4m) digital signage display. The company announced [JP] this monster will be installed in Tokyo station (one of the biggest stations in Tokyo) tomorrow.
The display actually consists of a total of eighteen 60-inch screens with 1,366×768 resolution and 700 cd/m2 brightness. It features the world’s thinnest system frame width of 6.5 mm and was first unveiled by Sharp in June this year.
Sharp says that apart from the huge size, the system’s main selling point is that it can display multiple contents at the same time, for example commercials on one side and information like news or the weather on the other.


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The worst may be over for the thoroughbred yearling and broodmare market after the two-day Ocala Breeders' Sales Winter Mixed Sale ended Wednesday with marked increases across the board.
The worst may be over for the thoroughbred yearling and broodmare market after the two-day Ocala Breeders’ Sales Winter Mixed Sale ended Wednesday with marked increases across the board.
They were the first increases seen in the winter mixed sale since its peak in January 2006.
Tuesday’s first session of the sale set the tone, when the gross for the preferred session jumped more than 60 percent after 117 horses sold for more than $1.45 million. The 2010 gross was $900,000 for 113 head sold.
The average also rose significantly from $9,783 in 2010 to $12,465 this year. In 2009, gross sales for the first session also totaled $1.45 million, but the average was down to $8,862 as 168 head were sold at rock-bottom prices.
In Wednesday’s session, the gross increased by a more modest 24 percent from $737,300 in 2010 to 916,600 this year. The average also increased.
“I think we’ve seen the bottom of the market. Not only from this sale, but the sale in October and the sales in Kentucky have shown some improvement in the numbers,” said Tom Ventura, OBS general manager and director of sales.
“We’re still kind of working our way out from the bottom but at least there are positive signs.”
The sale has slipped since it topped at more than $10.5 million in sales in 2006. By that time, the sale had grown to four days and cataloged more than 1,200 horses.
This year, the sale was two days with 522 horses in the catalog.
The sale’s top-selling horse was a yearling colt by Congrats, which sold for $100,000 during Tuesday’s preferred session.
The colt, currently named I’m Buyin’, is out of Toasttofriendship, by Salt Lake. The mare, bred by Sez Who Thoroughbreds in New York, had seven wins in her career and earned more than $109,000. She has one other registered foal, who is a 2-year-old this year.
Consigned by Andy Cant as agent, the colt was purchased by FHMB.
Congrats was the 2010 leading freshman sire in North America. He stood at Vinery in Summerfield, but was moved for the 2011 breeding season to Vinery’s farm in Kentucky. He stands for a $15,000 stud fee.
Two other of his offspring also sold well, including a filly, Hip No. 115, which sold for $48,000, and another colt, Hip No. 100, which sold for $40,000.
The next sale scheduled at OBS is the selected sale of 2-year-olds in training on March 15-16.


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WashTec announces AUWA Black Week
German car wash supplier WashTec has announced it will be offering special deals in their online store around Black Friday. Their ‘AUWA Black Week’, will last from Nov. 21 to Nov. 25, 2022. WashTec recommends new customers to register now.
Black Friday is a shopping highlight in the fall in many areas, both inside and outside the United States. Sometimes the special sales are extended over a whole week. The super sale always falls on the Friday after Thanksgiving and thus heralds a traditional family weekend that is often used to buy Christmas presents. Purchase offers with special discounts during this time are increasingly found in large parts of Europe as well.
Black Week in the online shop
The German washing technology manufacturer WashTec decided to offer some good deals during their Black Week in the onlineshop for the entire assortment of the AUWA chemistry products. CarwashPro.de asked WashTec’s Thomas Brenner a few questions:
* What discounts can AUWA customers expect during AUWA Black Week?
“We have put together some very attractive offers, so there is something for everyone. The conditions are very good, there are daily promotions, so it’s worth checking the webshop every day during Black Week and registering now if you’re not yet a customer.”
* What is WashTec’s recommendation to operators who currently want to stock up in order to get through the current economic situation safely?
“Because of our ability to supply, there is no reason to hoard. Regardless of the wash numbers at individual sites, we recommend a usual stock level of 4 to 8 weeks in order to be well prepared for seasonal events, such as Sahara dust.”


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Fantastic defies consumer slowdown
Furniture retailer Fantastic Holdings says it is strongly positioned for growth despite difficult retail conditions.
Fantastic yesterday announced a 12 per cent rise in net profit to $17.66 million for 2004-05, defying the slowdown in consumer spending that has seen many retailers issue profit warnings.
Fantastic's managing director, Julian Tertini, said the company was "strongly positioned" to maintain growth across its Fantastic and Plush brands in 2005-06, despite the challenging market conditions.
"Unlike many furniture retailers, we have not needed to adopt heavy discounting to attract customers," he said.
Fantastic's research indicated continued high levels of brand awareness and customer satisfaction, he said.
Mr Tertini said Fantastic's mix of manufactured and imported products gave the company greater flexibility than many of its competitors, with the strong Australian dollar benefiting the business.
Mr Tertini said the company's result was "highly pleasing" given the dampening in consumer sentiment.
Group revenue jumped 20 per cent to $222.63 million for the year to June 30.
However, the tightening market conditions led Fantastic to change its expansion plan from eight new stores to two new company stores and the acquisition of five franchise stores, Mr Tertini said.
The new company stores were in Bairnsdale in Victoria and Lismore in NSW.
"This sensible consolidation over the past 12 months means that the company is positioned to open 10 new stores in the new financial year, with plans well advanced for the company's expansion into both Queensland and South Australia," Mr Tertini said.
"The openings we have planned for this financial year will take our total store numbers to 70 across six states and territories, and this is in line with our distribution strategy."
The board declared a final dividend of 5.51c a share, fully franked, compared with 5.45c in the previous corresponding period. This brings total dividends for the year to 11c a share, up 17 per cent on 2003-04.


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The 6 Predictions From Silicon Valley That Could Redefine Cars in 2017
2015 was the year of electric vehicles, 2016 the autonomous car. What about 2017?
Silicon Valley is running at a breakneck pace to disrupt the hell out of automobiles, vehicle ownership, and transportation. In 2016, start-ups, technology giants, and manufacturing stalwarts invested staggering amounts of money to acquire and develop autonomous technology in a race to bring a self-driving car to market, and in the process drum up a lot of interest and earn mindshare in this increasingly crowded market. Next year, President Obama's transportation budget will kick in, unlocking $4 billion in investments in autonomous technology over the next 10 years to speed development of electric and self-driving cars.
Here's some of what we can look forward to in 2017:
#1. Tesla will move mountains to deliver the Model 3 to consumers in late 2017
In 2016, the company posted its second quarterly profit since going public, announced a new solar tile product line, and completed its merger with Solar City. Next year could be even bigger for the Silicon Valley car maker. Tesla’s soon-to-be-released software Version 8.1 is expected to restore many autopilot features on Model S equipped with the second-generation hardware package that got dropped with the roll-out of 8.0. It may also bring with it more features of the enhanced autopilot functionality, which is expected to achieve full self-driving capabilities. Just in time for summer renovations, Tesla will begin manufacturing its solar tiles for residential roofs in summer 2017. And to keep investors focused on the company’s future, fans can expect lots of concepts from the technology company, including:
- Model Y concept: a crossover based on the Model 3 platform.
- Minibus concept: a 10-person people-mover based on the Model X platform for urban transportation.
- Truck concept: a commercial vehicle based on the Model X platform.
However, all eyes will be on the lookout for the Model 3 production-ready prototype. Tesla says it will begin building the much-anticipated compact electric sedan at the end of 2017. To help it meet that goal, the company could issue more stock to raise more money and accelerate testing and production.
#2. Faraday Future will debut its prototype and merge with partner company LeEco
The electric vehicle startup experienced a tumultuous 2016. It failed to reveal a prototype at 2016 CES, halted construction of its Nevada factory, and saw many key executives leave over the course of the year. The now underdog is expected to reveal its production prototype at the 2017 CES, but many SV pundits are predicting a full-scale collapse of the start-up due to financing issues.
#3. Lucid Motors will lay low and focus on building its manufacturing plant in 2017
This 9-year old start-up exited stealth mode this year to reveal a 1000-hp luxury electric sedan prototype with 400 miles of driving range that will rival the Tesla Model S. The former battery technology company is expected to break ground on its automotive manufacturing facility in Arizona during the first quarter of 2017, and—if all goes according to plan--will begin manufacturing the $160,000 Lucid Air in 2018.
#4. Waymo picks up new auto manufacturing partners—potentially Ford
What was once known as Google’s self-driving car program is now Alphabet’s Waymo. The former X-labs project became a stand-alone business unit in 2016, and is expected to start earning revenue next year. Waymo has announced a partnership with Fiat-Chrysler and is outfitting 100 Pacifica minivans with its autonomous platform. These self-driving vehicles will likely serve as a fleet of autonomous taxis for the ride-hailing business that Waymo is expected to launch in Michigan in 2017. Google—er, Alphabet—and Ford disappointed CES attendees in 2016 when its partnership failed to materialize, but it may not be too late for the blue oval to join the Waymo network. The mobility start-up is working with other manufacturers to implement its autonomous platform with existing vehicles, and Honda likely won’t be the last to try an out-of-the-box solution.
#5. Uber fights for its life against upstarts and regulators. No IPO.
The scrappy ride-sharing start-up is hemorrhaging money in its battle for marketshare. The company may lose close to $3 billion this year, and is locked in a battle with Lyft in the U.S. market, Grab in the Asia-Pacific region, and Ola in India. Selling its share of the China market to Didi Chuxing its earned the company $1 billion and a 20% stake in its competitor—and slowed its losses—but the deal also limited its growth and extinguished an important source of revenue. On the home front, Uber continues to battle states and municipalities about its business practices and status of workers. And to add insult to injury, it was forced to pull its self-driving pilot program from its hometown of San Francisco and instead send its self-driving vehicles to Arizona.
With deep-pocketed Waymo entering the ride-hailing business, Uber is going to need a lot more money to cement its leaderboard status. To date, the company has raised $15 billion on a $68 billion valuation. Some analysts expect to see an IPO in 2017 as the next move to give the company the cash it needs to expand into new cities, fight its legal battles, and capture a larger portion of the marketshare. However, CEO Travis Kalanick is famously resistant to taking his company public, and will likely try to stave off an IPO for as long as possible.
#6. Lyft sells to GM (or—my personal, dark-horse guess—to Amazon).
The ride-sharing company received a $500 million cash infusion from General Motors in 2016, and a few months later signed a deal with the auto manufacturer to test a fleet of electric Bolt crossovers equipped with self-driving technology courtesy of the Cruise Automation acquisition. But the San Francisco-based start-up needs to move fast—and some analysts think the only way it can compete with Uber and Waymo is to get acquired. Lyft recently retained boutique investment bank Qatalyst, which specializes in advising technology company sales. Business Insider predicts a $6.9 to $8 billion sale to either GM or Alibaba, which have participated in previous rounds of fundraising.


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Dozens of outlets have closed at Stoke-on-Trent's main shopping centre after being hit by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
It comes as intu bosses have scrapped Thursday late-night shopping and allowed branches to set their own opening times in response to the pandemic.
Big-name operators Nando's and Costa Coffee yesterday became the latest national chains to shut.
But centre bosses have stressed that the building itself remains open. It comes as Cineworld has also shut at The Hive, which is also operated by intu.
An intu Potteries spokesman said: "We know that Costa and Nando's have taken the precautionary decision to temporarily close their stores, as part of their response to coronavirus.
"As part of that decision we understand that Costa and Nando’s at intu Potteries will close until further notice. We continue to liaise closely with them and are in regular contact.
"In line with Government and Public Health England guidance, intu Potteries is open as usual. However, some brands in our centre have taken the precautionary decision to temporarily close, as part of their responses to coronavirus.
"As individual opening times may vary, please check with the store before setting off.
Stores with their shutters down yesterday morning included:
- Virgin Holidays;
- Ruff & Ruby;
- Miss Selfridge;
- Dorothy Perkins;
- The Watch Lab;
- Millie’s Cookies
Next also confirmed they had closed their store from Monday evening.
Shoppers cannot believe the impact of coronavirus on our shopping habits in just the past week.
Staffordshire University student Emma Lloyd, aged 20, said: "I agree with the closures because the people working in retail need to put their own health first.
"It's all come as a massive shock and I never really expected any of this to happen.
"When the shops started shutting, it became real - the city centre is like an actual ghost town, but for now that's a good thing.
"Those working in supermarkets and risking their health need a huge thank you though."
Molly Jones, aged 23, of Tunstall, said: "It is really sad to see that so many stores have closed but obviously it is for a good reason - to contain the virus.
"It makes you realise that you take shopping with your friends - and normality in general - for granted."
Abbie Mannion, aged 23, of Tunstall, said: "I can't believe that they have shut so many stores but I suppose it is an important step to take to help people with social distancing and control the spread of germs.
"I just hope that workers at Intu have been able to have some kind of pay because a lot of people are now out of jobs and will be struggling."
Tori Wetton, aged 23, of Bucknall, said: "It's really good that the shops have closed. I work in retail and know how busy it can get and how many germs are easily spread from person to person.
"If we want to contain the virus and stop the spread then action like this needs to be taken."
Becky Simpson, aged 21, of Birches Head, said: "It is good that the shops are taking it seriously. The longer they hold off from closing, the more people will be affected by coronavirus."
Alban Hampton, aged 23, of Bucknall, added: "It's a shame for the workers of the shops but at the end of the day we should take coronavirus seriously and take all the necessary precautions to keep people safe."


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By Lisa Readie Mayer
|The Contemporary Farmhouse delivers an open floor plan and openings to the outdoors.|
For Millennials, the 82-million-strong segment of the population born between 1980 and 1996, major life milestones such as moving out on their own, getting married, and having children, are delayed about a decade from when their Baby Boomer parents experienced them. Nowhere has this phenomenon had a greater impact than on the housing market.
According to the Census Bureau’s “American Community Survey,” the rate of homeownership among 25-to-34-year olds dropped from 46.7 percent in 2006 to a low of 36.9 percent in 2014, an average loss of 231,000 homeowners per year, or 1.8 million total homeowners during the period.
Now experts say those at the leading edge of the Millennial generation are finally dipping their toes into the housing market. According to John McManus, editorial director of Builder magazine, 30 percent of home sales today are to first-time homebuyers, of whom Millennials make up the greatest percentage. The Census Bureau estimates the number of Millennial homeowners will grow by 74,000 a year.
“Millennials do want to buy homes and they have traditional views about home ownership, but it’s happening later in life – in their 30s rather than their 20s,” says Spencer Roscoff, CEO of the online real estate database company Zillow, in an interview on CBS This Morning.
Another thing that’s different from their parents: their idea of an ideal home. Research shows Millennials want homes that are adaptable, flexible, and personalized, with large, open floor plans and seamless indoor-outdoor living spaces. The problem is, many of the homes and homemaking products currently in the marketplace don’t mesh with what makes this group tick.
A new demonstration-home project, The Responsive Home, built in the Inspirada planned community in Henderson, Nevada, and unveiled during the International Builders Show in January, incorporates all the attributes important to Millennial homebuyers. Two demonstration homes were designed and developed for different segments of Millennial buyers, in a collaborative effort between TRI Pointe’s Pardee Homes, Builder magazine, Bassenian Lagoni Architects, and interior designer Bobby Berk of Bobby Berk Home. The homes reflect the trends, amenities and features important to young homebuyers as identified by the team’s market research partner, Ketchum Global Research & Analytics.
|The Contemporary Farmhouse.|
|The Transitional Home.|
One home, the 2,130-sq.-ft. Contemporary Farmhouse priced at $320,000, is designed with younger, first-time buyers in mind. It features an open floor plan with contemporary kitchen, living and dining areas that all open to sheltered Outdoor Rooms that mirror and extend the indoor living spaces.
The Transitional Home, a 3,194-sq.-ft. modern dwelling with a $450,000 price tag, is targeted to more established Millennials ready to upgrade. It features a covered outdoor kitchen area with a large built-in grilling island and a parallel dining island, as well as a magnificent pool and waterfall feature, an outdoor media and entertaining space, and a linear outdoor fireplace at the center of it all. Inside the home, a sleek, double-sided, linear gas fireplace links the master bedroom and bathroom.
Both homes offer access to outdoor living spaces through multiple oversized sliding doors that, in some cases, even recess into walls, to ensure seamless indoor-outdoor flow.
According to Klif Andrews, president of Pardee Homes, the Contemporary Farmhouse’s $320,000 price fits within FHA limits, and is affordable for first-time homebuyers with at least $75,000 annual household income. With a five percent down payment, the monthly mortgage would be around $1,950, he says, an amount not much higher than an apartment rental in nearby Las Vegas.
While these financials might make a convincing argument for home ownership versus renting in this case, according to USA Today, there has been an overall national shift toward renting in every age bracket.
Homeownership dropped from its peak at 69 percent a decade ago, to less than 64 percent today, with each percentage point representing more than a million households. A study by the Urban Institute predicts that, by 2030, the rate of U.S. homeownership could drop to 61 percent.
While some Millennials may prefer to rent, the fact is that many have put off homeownership because they simply can’t afford to buy. The average home price in the U.S. was $355,500 in 2015, more than double the price of 20 years ago, according to the Census Bureau. In the Northeast, the average home price was $573,100 last year, well out of reach of most first-time buyers.
As a result, according to Builder magazine, more than 36 percent of Millennials lived with their parents in 2012. The reason behind this for 52 percent of them, according to USA Today, is insufficient funds.
Historic student loan debt is another reason Millennials lack money for a downpayment. In addition, many graduated during the Great Recession and spent years unemployed or underemployed. Those who did leave home after college often moved into high-rent city apartments, further preventing them from saving.
Andrews says that 30 percent of his Millennial buyers still need help with down payments from their parents. Many more are looking for creative ways to make monthly mortgage payments more affordable.
The Responsive Home project addresses this issue through unique and flexible floor plans that incorporate “revenue suites.” These spaces can be rented to roommates or used as Airbnb suites to generate income to offset mortgage payments. In the Contemporary Farmhouse, a 384-sq.-ft. optional flat over the garage can be converted into an apartment, as can a first-floor bedroom with full bath, kitchenette and separate entrance.
|The Contemporary Farmhouse has an over-the-garage casita that represents a long-term rental income opportunity.|
The Transitional Home has a spacious casita behind the garage with its own covered patio, small kitchen and full bath that could be used for rental income.
According to Andrews, these flexible suites can morph and change over time as homeowners’ needs and financial situations change, eventually becoming guest rooms, children’s bedrooms, or even in-law suites for older parents.
“The young adult buyer realizes there will be changes in their life structure in the coming years and they want their home to be able to adapt,” says McManus. “This generation is used to a sharing economy,” adds Andrews. “Just look at the popularity of Uber, Lyft and Zipcar. Our research shows Millennials are very open to roommates. This is a huge change from how previous generations thought of a home.”
Location, Location, Location
Contrary to popular belief, Millennials are willing to move to the suburbs. However, they prefer “urban conveniences in suburban settings,” according to McManus. They want to live in a “connected” way in walkable communities close to parks and recreation amenities, jobs, entertainment, restaurants and grocery stores.
Research by Zillow bears this out. It shows that while average U.S. home values have increased 71 percent over the past 17 years, the value of homes near Starbucks rose 100 percent, near Whole Foods, 140 percent, and near Trader Joes, 148 percent.
“To be compelling to 30-year-olds, a home needs to connect them to the feeling of an urban lifestyle, but offer more indoor and outdoor living and entertaining space than they could have in the city,” says McManus.
Outdoor Living Is a Major Priority
Millennials place a huge value on outdoor living spaces. The Responsive Home research shows outdoor living space is the number-one must-have for 59 percent of Millennial homebuyers. A study by Garden Media Group shows 85 percent of 18-to-35-year-olds rated Outdoor Rooms with areas for cooking and relaxing as “very important.”
A Better Homes and Gardens survey reveals 51 percent of Millennials decorate their outdoor living space as they would an indoor dining or living room, and 77 percent say they want their outdoor living space to feel like a relaxing retreat. The survey also shows Millennials are interested in upgrading their outdoor spaces with landscape lighting (27%), a fire pit (26%), lamps or party lights (24%), and comfortable outdoor seating, dining sets and other accessories (24%) to “make the outdoor area feel like a room.”
|The Outdoor Room area in the Transitional Home contains pool, fireplace, outdoor kitchen and ample room for gatherings.|
Bobby Berk of Bobby Berk Home, the creative director and interior designer on the Responsive Home project, says Millennials want cohesiveness and integration between indoor and outdoor living spaces to enlarge the overall entertaining area. “Indoor-outdoor living is so important to them,” he says.
Berk says the design plans for the Contemporary Farmhouse originally called for an upscale built-in outdoor kitchen in addition to a comfortable outdoor dining space, hip seating area, and a “living wall” for growing herbs and vegetables. The grilling island was ultimately nixed in favor of a less expensive, cart-based grill.
“The original outdoor kitchen might have looked amazing, but it would have cost well over $10,000,” say Berk. “It wasn’t representative of reality for most first-time Millennial homebuyers. This generation spends money wisely. Good function is good enough, especially when the indoor kitchen is only five steps away.”
To drive home the indoor-outdoor integration, two refrigerator drawers were positioned at the end of the indoor kitchen island near the expansive doors that open to the outdoor kitchen area, eliminating the need for an outdoor refrigerator, according to Berk.
“When Millennials are ready to move up, they want that aspirational outdoor kitchen in the Transitional Home,” Berk says. “But with the smaller Contemporary Farmhouse, we wanted to show that anyone can create a nice outdoor cooking and living space, even with a limited budget.”
Andrews says Pardee Homes offers a large selection of outdoor living amenities as optional add-ons, including eaves-mounted infrared heaters, outdoor fireplaces, fire pits, pavers and sliding-door upgrades. But, he says, it was intentional that the Contemporary Farmhouse features simpler, less expensive outdoor living spaces.
“We want to inspire Millennials with easy and affordable DIY ways to create outdoor living spaces,” he says. “They can buy an inexpensive fire pit for $200, string up some market lights, get a nice, affordable patio set, add some outdoor pillows and a rug, and they’ve got a great outdoor entertaining space. It is very important that we demonstrate this to give buyers ideas.”
The Responsive Home models also showcase indoor and outdoor art from local artists in the community, which potential homeowners can buy directly from the artist. “Someone might see an outdoor sculpture for $300 and say, ‘That’s cool; I can swing that,’” says Andrews. “We want to excite, inspire and stimulate ideas to show Millennial buyers that this is within their budget.”
To appeal to young Millennials, outdoor entertaining spaces must offer the same flexibility as indoor spaces. “They want options that can change or adapt to their needs,” says McManus, “They prefer semi-permanent, rather than permanent features in their outdoor living spaces.”
For example, McManus says Millennials like an outdoor fire feature on the patio as a “gathering hub,” but they prefer a fire pit over a fireplace. The reason: a freestanding fire pit offers the flexibility to move it to create more floor space for dining or seating during a party. Likewise, young homebuyers prefer a freestanding grill on a mobile cart, or a modular outdoor kitchen on casters, compared with a “static, permanent, more formalized outdoor kitchen island,” he says.
This kind of flexibility helps smaller homes “live big,” according to Berk. He says functionality is a driving force for Millennials who would rather sacrifice space in non-essential areas, such as foregoing elaborate master suites with sitting rooms and 200-sq.-ft. closets, in favor of larger living and entertaining spaces.
“Millennials have less interaction in other parts of their lives than previous generations,” says Andrews. “They shop online and might work remotely. So they really want homes with expansive indoor-outdoor entertaining spaces they can use for connecting and socializing with friends.”
“They also want to have a say in how the home lives and functions,” says McManus. “Personalizing their home is a huge priority for them.” That’s no surprise considering Millennials are used to customizing their food at restaurants like Chipotle, their music playlists on Pandora and Spotify, and their TV viewing thanks to Netflix and other on-demand platforms.
According to Better Homes and Gardens’ 2015 survey on homeowner attitudes and behavior trends, 63 percent of Millennials say having a home customized to their tastes and needs is a top priority, and 60 percent say having a home “that is a reflection of me” is more important to them than to their parents. The Responsive Home study shows 71 percent of Millennials believe the ability to personalize a home is important, and they are willing to spend an average of 21 percent of their home-buying budget on renovations to do so.
“Millennials have grown up with HGTV shows like Property Brothers and Fixer Upper, and with Pinterest and YouTube DIY tutorials,” says Andrews. “They expect to personalize their space.”
“A Millennial doesn’t want a cookie-cutter home,” adds Berk. “They want something customized and unique.”
|The kitchen in the Transitional Home is both spacious and upscale.|
That feeling also applies to the overall design of the home. “Millennials are interested in good design with strong architectural themes,” says Andrews.
According to Berk, Millennials prefer a cool, urban, minimalistic aesthetic, but often juxtapose it with warm and rustic elements. McManus says, “They want a contemporary feel, but they also like anything that smacks of old and vintage, but in a revitalized, energized way.” That might translate to a sleek, linear fireplace with a rustic, natural-stone surround, or contemporary outdoor furniture paired with a DIY coffee table made from reclaimed wood pallets.
These schizophrenic tastes are reflected in the Contemporary Farmhouse through the use of dark-stained, distressed wood beams in the modern kitchen, and a wall covered with reclaimed barn boards in an otherwise contemporary bedroom.
“Our generation likes real and natural elements,” says Berk, a 30-something Millennial himself. “And when we can’t afford ‘real,’ we’ll find ways to reuse, repurpose and upcycle materials in DIY projects. We hate faux. In my opinion, I hate those glass beads and color-changing LED lights on modern fireplaces, fire pits, and fire tables today – yuck!”
Fireplaces are desired by Millennials, but are not a top priority for the youngest buyers. For that reason, an indoor fireplace is not included in the Contemporary Farmhouse; instead, it is offered as an optional upgrade. On the other hand, the double-sided contemporary fireplace surrounded by bold, honeycomb-patterned tile in the master suite of the Transitional Home, is a big draw for slightly older Millennial homebuyers.
“Millennials want to see fireplaces, but they are too expensive for most first-time buyers,” says Andrews. “We believe they’ll want to add a fireplace down the road.”
When they do, McManus says, they’ll likely opt for a contemporary design. “Contemporary fireplaces excite them and fit with their desire to create a cool atmosphere for gathering and relaxing,” he says. “They bridge the suburban-urban look and appeal to buyers from their 30s into their 40s.”
Manufacturers and retailers of hearth, barbecue and patio products would be wise to keep their finger on the pulse of this large and emerging home-buying demographic, and be prepared to offer products relevant to them.


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In the official press release, the company says it has already partnered with a number of Fortune 500 companies to advertise on the beta Locket platform. Currently, a handful of undisclosed advertisers have signed on for early trials. More are expected within a month.
But the company isn't desperate. It has rejected potential ads from a number of unnamed companies. Especially those provided by some online advertising networks. Locket co-founder Christopher Crawford told me early software testers didn't like receiving full-screen ads promoting certain dating or "win-a-tablet" Websites.
The Locket app is currently available for downloading in the Google Play store. Next up will be a version for Apple (AAPL) iOS devices. Crawford added the company's goal is to "hit all smartphones", including Microsoft (MSFT) Windows phones, as quickly as possible.
--Written by Gary Krakow in New York.>To submit a news tip, send an email to: firstname.lastname@example.org.
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GreenBytes’ O’Donnell resigns, company still ‘full-speed ahead’
STEPHEN O'DONNELL, former GreenBytes chairman and CEO, resigned from the company effective Sept. 27. A spokesman for the Providence-based company said the departure is not a sign of massive changes to come.
The statement, confirmed by GreenBytes spokesman Michael Robinson, said that O’Donnell resigned in order to deal with “pressing personal obligations back home in the United Kingdom.”
“As GreenBytes is based in Providence, R.I., these obligations would prevent [O’Donnell] from effectively carrying out his day-to-day responsibilities as the company’s chief executive,” the statement read. “We respectfully acknowledge Steve’s situation, thank him for his service to the company, and wish him well in his future endeavors.”
Robinson told Providence Business News that the separation was a mutual decision between O’Donnell and GreenBytes, and that O’Donnell’s resignation is not indicative of massive changes at the desktop-virtualization company.
“GreenBytes is still full-speed ahead,” said Robinson. “We’re very optimistic about the future and where we’re headed.”
He pointed to a quote in the Register article from Robert Petrocelli, GreenBytes founder and chief technology officer, who said in response to O’Donnell’s departure, “I can’t shed much light on any details. But you would be very wrong to interpret recent events as anything other than positive for GreenBytes.”
At present, GreenBytes has not made any formal announcement regarding O’Donnell’s resignation or a possible replacement, but Robinson said the issue of naming a new CEO is a “high priority” for the company.


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SHANGHAI - Volkswagen will subcontract production of its original model in China, the Santana sedan, to clear space for newer models at its huge joint-venture plant here.
The move to the Yizheng plant of Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp., VW's 50-50 partner in Shanghai
Volkswagen, will open capacity for the Touran minivan and Polo subcompact in Shanghai.
Touran production will start in late 2004, says Hans-Juergen Gawron, product engineering division manager.
The Santana, a rugged version of the VW Passat developed in Brazil, went into production here in 1985 and became the country's top-selling car quickly.
Demand for it and the Passat have kept the Shanghai plant operating near its capacity of 450,000 units a year ever since, preventing VW from installing other models there.
Santana sales last year edged up 1 percent over 2001, to 96,000 units, according to VW.
"We always thought our production would drop, so we would have capacity for new models," says Albrecht Stalmann, Shanghai VW's production manager. "But that didn't happen. Instead the market is exploding this year. We expect the passenger car market to hit 1.9 million."
In 2002, Volkswagen and Audi reported combined sales of a record 513,000 vehicles in China. This year, Volkswagen Group expects sales to top 600,000 units.
In the face of such steady demand, VW is in no hurry to drop a fully amortized Santana from its lineup. That explains the decision to subcontract its production rather than drop it.
"Given how old this model is, some people think we should stop making it," says Lu Jun, a spokesman for Shanghai Volkswagen. "But we figure with so much demand for cars in China, why stop? Ordinary people like it."
The shift of the Santana to Yizheng marks the first time VW has subcontracted any of its production in China, although other companies have done so.
In December of 2002, Shanghai-General Motors paid $108 million for a 50 percent stake in Yantai Bodyshop Corp., which will produce the Buick Sail subcompact.


text: Gary Martin wandered the streets of Maxville on Saturday during the village’s sidewalk sale selling $1,000 raffle tickets, the winner to be drawn at this weekend’s Maxville Fair on Sunday, June 23 at 5 pm. All proceeds from the raffle benefit the St. Vincent de Paul food bank and volunteers will be roaming the fairgrounds Fair weekend selling tickets. We caught up with Mr. Martin under the eaves of the busy Maxville Firefighters BBQ fundraiser tent, a popular spot during the sale. This year marked the 20th anniversary of village-wide event, and despite the rain, residents set up and treasure hunters roamed Main and side streets, mixing with residents and picking up a few treasures. The community sale was organized by the Maxville Chamber of Commerce whose dedicated volunteers have been instrumental in helping revitalize and beautify Maxville’s downtown centre and galvanize business in the village.


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The world’s $ 6.4 trillion Islamic economies grew by 100% from $ 3.2 trillion in just six years, with some 1.8 billion Muslims buying certified products ranging from intelligent sports hijab to Halal food sets and even Islamic Barbie dolls.
Everyone from Nike to Dolce Gabbana and Haribo rides the lucrative Halal wave with many products including luxury gowns and pigtails.
The importing countries of the GCC more than $ 50 billion of halal products, of which $ 20 billion are imported from the UAE alone, which constitutes 40 per cent of imports of Gulf Halal, according to consultants, food and beverage and Mitchell Farrelly.
Afridi Foundation to Offer Financial Support to Needy Children in Dubai
With the number of Muslims rising to 3 billion worldwide by 2060, this number could increase significantly. There is no reason why Dubai cannot build the world’s largest Halal brands, according to Arabian Business.
It is no surprise that Dubai wants to become the capital of the global Islamic economy and is going to host its annual Halal exhibition in December. The Dubai Islamic Economic Development Center (DIEDC) announced that it will increase the Islamic economy’s contribution to the city’s GDP to 10 per cent by 2021 compared to 8.3 In 2018. The move is in line with a five-year strategy.
But does the Islamic economy grow fast enough?
“The growth of the Islamic economy is steady but not fast,” says Noman Khawaja, founder of the first fast-food brand in the UK. Because Halal brands are no longer enough to attract Muslim customers through a halal logo and a lazy brand. “
“Muslims want what non-Muslims lack. They see delicious burgers on Instagram and want to get it too. They want the same choices, whether they are food, clothing, restaurants or technology. “
“The bad news is that the world has not yet provided them with these products,” Khawaja said. The good news is that Dubai can do that. First by becoming a source rather than an importer of halal commodities. Let’s not make the same mistake with the Halal sector as we did with the fashion sector, where we relied heavily on imports rather than investing in our local talents and resources.
Khawaja noted that Dubai is a modern and constantly evolving city and is ranked among the world’s leading food and beverage centres, retail, cosmetics, entertainment and others – making it the ideal capital for the Islamic economy.
Let’s take a quick look at the figures: Muslim world spending on foods is $ 1.3 billion, clothing $ 270 billion, entertainment media $ 209 billion, travel $ 177 billion, pharmaceuticals $ 87 billion, cosmetics $ 61 billion.
These were details of how Dubai could build the world’s largest Halal brands. For this day, we hope that we have provided you with the full details and information. To follow up all our news, you can subscribe to the system of alerts or in one of our different systems to provide you with everything that is new.


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The GST Council in its 28th meeting approved rate reductions for 88 consumer-centric items which included the widely demanded exemption on sanitary napkins on Saturday. A number of women politicians, cutting across party lines, welcomed this decision by the government.
Finance minister Piyush Goyal announced that sanitary pads are now 100 percent exempt from GST. “In a remarkable move, Piyush Goyal during the 28th GST Council Meet announced to exempt Sanitary Napkins from the GST. Indeed, this will give the required thrust to our Menstrual Hygiene initiatives and will transform lives of many Women,” Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi tweeted.
Indeed, this will give the required thrust to our Menstrual Hygiene initiatives & will transform lives of many Women.
— Maneka Gandhi (@Manekagandhibjp) July 21, 2018
Sanitary pads, which were initially taxed at 18 per cent, were brought down to 12 per cent under GST that was launched in July 2017. Gandhi, however, earlier had justified the imposed tax saying that scrapping it would kill the indigenous pad makers.
Social media was flooded about how this decision would ‘empower’ women and ensure menstrual hygiene among a large number of women. This however, could be a stretch on the reality of this issue.
The exemption of GST on sanitary napkins means that the input tax credit will be snatched from the manufacturer. According to experts, the reduction may not be significant as the exemption will make manufacturers increase the price of the product on an overall basis. So in reality there might not even be a price drop. Assuming that the price may not be affected, it would still not translate to women in rural areas using sanitary products.
It is going to adversely affect the manufacturers who are trying to create availability of cheaper sanitary napkins. For a well-known brand that sells a pack for Rs 70-80 may result in a deduction of nearly Rs 10. But for the cheaper versions, this move may be negligible.
According to Arun Jaitley, “If you did away with that 12% and brought that down, you probably won’t have any Indian manufacturer left, it will be only the Chinese products which will be sold in the Indian market.”
The ideal move for this campaign should be how sanitary napkins can be made available to women from the most fragile financial sections. Because for those who use branded pads are nowhere to stop using them regardless the price fluctuation. The recent exemption would hardly make a difference to these women who still find it an unnecessary expenditure.
The welcoming of this decision might take away the focus away from the real problem of how these amenities should be a matter of necessity and not luxury.


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Lever Brothers will now concentrate on just two UK washing detergents: brand leader Persil and its budget sibling Surf. Radion, whose UK market share has dwindled to just 2%, will quietly vanish rather than be put up for sale. Its disappearance will coincide with the launch of a new Surf variant, Sun Fresh, whose packaging will sport the same orange colour as the Radion pack.
Lever has also pulled all advertising [and presumably promotional support] for Lux Flakes, Stergene handwashing detergent, and Frish toilet cleaner. Unilever says it plans to publish a list confirming which brands are to be axed and which reprieved.


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By Anca Miron
Tesco is by no means “doing enough to cut off Amazon deforestation,” Human Rights student Molly Rennie said.
The UK’s biggest supermarket seller threatens to boycott Brazilian produce in response to Brazil’s proposed legislation to open up Amazon to more exploitation.
It comes as the UK Government is accused of dumping UK’s trash in Turkey amid national pledges to cut carbon emissions by 78% by 2035.
But a company such as Tesco, which “puts so much pollution out into our world” tries to “distance himself” from the scandal.
After thousands of Tesco customers complained about the supermarket giant’s sustainability plan last year, Tesco posted “misleading” claims about hitting their target of zero deforestation, according to Greenpeace.
Molly spoke out about Tesco’s affiliation with the multinational US corporation Walmart: “There is no way they are producing zero emissions in this much waste. They are just trying to cover it up as a business plan.”
Greenpeace found that less than 10% of the UK’s everyday plastic actually gets recycled in the UK.
The environmental organisation said: “UK can’t cope with the amount of plastic waste that companies are producing, so the government is allowing it to be dumped on other countries that can’t cope with it either.”
But the professor of Environment and Society Jules Pretty doesn’t think there is a direct link between the waste stream and the actions called by the Government around the Brazilian Amazon.
Instead, Pretty says Tesco is trying to build a “moral” reputation with its customers in the context of the UN Climate Change Conference hosted by the UK in November this year.
He said: “This is quite a good step forward. I’m quite encouraged by that, because it may then have knock-on effects to other companies and to consumers themselves. I believe they think they can sell more stuff by taking the right action.”
The UK’s biggest supermarket seller of industrial meat, Tesco is making massive profits from products linked to the forest’s destruction.
According to the Embassy of Brazil in London, last year the UK was Brazil’s 16th largest trading partner in terms of imports.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Brazil-UK trade was affected in both imports and exports, decreasing by 10.9%, which has the lower level in 14 years.
However, Amazon lost 2 million hectares of primary forest across the nine countries of the Amazon this year alone, the Amazon Conservation Association and Monitoring the Andean Amazon Project estimates.
Latest researches found that the latest destructive fires are caused intentionally so that Brazilian companies can make profits out of it, while it meets the increasingly global needs.
But the ecosystems for hundreds of thousands of indigenous people are now opened to clear space to farm livestock and grow animal feed.
Molly said: “The Amazon rainforest produces so much of our worldwide oxygen. Every single person will suffer from all of that forest being cut down. If we don’t protect it, everyone suffers.”
But now all of that oxygen is thrown away and sold on Facebook’s Marketplace, which allows huge swathes of protected and Indigenous land to be out for sale.
Continuing to cooperate with Brazilian companies, Tesco is contributing to the “worldwide health problems” and to the “deliberate” destruction of one of a few remaining rainforest habitats on the planet.
Second-year politics student, Alva Hollung said: “As a Tesco customer since it’s the closest shop to the University, I would say that they don’t take the biggest responsibility because they keep on cooperating with companies that use palm oil. I read that there’s a huge debate over whether palm oil is being extracted through the deforestation of the Amazon.”
The biggest fear, however, is that under Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro the bill to legitimise the everlasting exploitation of the largest rainforest on earth would be passed.
But Tesco and the UK can make a change with Brazil’s legislative policies by taking “responsible action” to protect important habitats, biodiversity, indigenous people, and fight against the climate crisis.
Pretty said: “If people choose to eat less meat, become vegetarian or vegan, it makes a change upon their individual carbon footprints.
But not just customers alone should take that action, he argued. Governments and corporations choosing to boycott Brazilian produce may bring this new law to a standstill.
On the other hand, Molly said that the UK Government has no interest in UK’s economy is affected, but that Human Rights Boards, who put pressure on governments to achieve certain results will make them “abide”.
And the increasing level of awareness around environmental issues with British people since 1987 “brilliant” report to boost sustainable development is argued by “how many people come back to me and say ‘what can I do to help?’ ,” Pretty added.


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Written by: Roshan Dwivedi
According to a new research from Viacom, linear TV is still the most popular medium for kids to consume video content. The research states that kids around the world use an average of five sources to watch TV, and 90% of those surveyed state that they watch TV regularly.
Consuming video on demand content from YouTube and likes was the second most popular medium for kids worldwide, except Italy and France, where DVDs were ranked as second most popular medium to consume on-demand content. Programs offered by official websites of the channels were ranked fourth ahead of VOD platforms such as Netflix and alike.


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Bartell Drugs encourages you to “Shop Local” with us on
SEATTLE, 2017-Nov-21 — /EPR Retail News/ — Bartell Drugs, Seattle-based and family-owned for 127 years, encourages you to “Shop Local” with us on Saturday, November 25.
From 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., 65 of our stores will offer coffee and cookies to guests who visit the stores. In addition, at eight stores, our Shop Local event will offer vendor sampling of great local products including Sparkling Ice, Seattle Chocolates, and Brew Dr. Kombucha at eight of our 65 store locations, as well as a variety of special skincare consultations and family friendly activities like face painting and balloon artists:
|Bellevue Village||11:00am to 1:00pm||Lego Play date|
|North Bend||2:00pm to 4:00pm||Lego Play date|
|Magnolia||11:00am to 1:00pm||Skincare Consultation|
|Roosevelt Square||2:00pm to 4:00pm||Skincare Consultation|
|Admiral Way||11:00pm to 1:00pm||Caricature Artist|
|Renton Highlands||2:00pm to 4:00pm||Caricature Artist|
|Marysville||11:00am to 1:00pm||Face painting/balloon artist|
|Seattle Hill Road||2:00pm to 4:00pm||Face painting/balloon artist|
In addition, participants can enter to win a fantastic gift basket featuring a number of items from our 30th annual Gift Guide. Pick up a Gift Guide in your local Bartells or visit online at Bartelldrugs.com.
About Bartell Drugs:
Family-owned since 1890, Seattle-based Bartell Drugs is proud of its 127-year history here in the Pacific Northwest. Four generations of the Bartell family have continuously focused on the future — and how the drugstore chain can better serve its customers. With exceptional customer service, locally made products and a focus on your overall wellbeing, Bartell Drugs is here to help. Operating 67 locations in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties, it is the nation’s oldest family-owned drugstore chain. For more information on Bartell Drugs, visit www.bartelldrugs.com.
Senior Communications Manager
Source: Bartell Drugs


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SAN ANGELO, TX – The extremely popular jewelry store, James Avery, will be opening up a new store in San Angelo.
According to the James Avery's website, on Dec. 21, the company is now looking to hire an assistant store manager for its newest location in the Sherwood Village.
Although officials have not disclosed when the store will be open progress is already being made inside of the building.
The former Dickey's Barbecue was no where near suited to have a jewelry store inside so Fletco, the remodeling company, completely renovated the inside of the building.
"James Avery Artisan Jewelry is a vertically integrated, family owned company still located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. We are a multi-channel retailer with 83 James Avery stores in five states. Our jewelry is also available in more than 215 Dillard’s stores in Texas and in 28 additional states; and nationwide through JamesAvery.com. Our jewelry is crafted in four Texas workshops—one each in Comfort, Fredericksburg, Hondo and Kerrville." states the James Avery Website.
The new James Avery will be located at 4520 Sherwood Way.


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Next Big Futures article Car rental company CarRental Tulsa has just announced that it will be launching a new service that allows renters to rent out their cars for a monthly fee.
CarRent Tulsa, a startup founded by entrepreneur Andrew Wootton, has launched a new product called CarRENT.
The service will allow renters to choose their vehicle, then set a monthly payment to pay for the car rental.
Car rental companies like CarRents Tulsa and CarRenton are increasingly using rental vehicles to expand their business models, but there are many other ways to rent vehicles.
To find out more, check out CarRrent Tulsa’s announcement.
The CarRenter Tulsa product is called Car Rent, and it’s similar to other rental services.
The company’s goal is to make renting cars easier, but the service will also allow renters, especially in rural areas, to save money by using their car to rent cars instead of owning them themselves.
Car Rent Tulsa is currently in a pilot period.
Car Rental Tulsa is launching a program that allows owners to rent their cars.
Owners of vehicles rented from CarR Rent Tulsa will be able to choose between two types of vehicles, one of which can be leased for a fixed amount of time.
The other type of vehicle, called a “minibus,” can be rented for a short time for a fee.
For example, if you rent a minibus for one month, you can rent it for $200 per month, which is $100 less than a car rental from Car Rent Oklahoma.
The minibus will be available for rent for a one-month period.
The Minibus can be used to rent an unlimited number of vehicles at any one time.
For the full service, renters can choose a vehicle and set a minimum monthly payment of $100 per vehicle.
Car rentals can be done at any time, but renters will have to have a valid driver’s license or be able get a rental car through a local agency.
If you want to find out if a vehicle is a valid rental, the rental company can provide you with a receipt that will show whether the vehicle is legal to rent.
A rental company will then need to verify the driver’s licenses of those who have rented a vehicle from Car Rents Tulsa.
Car rents in Tulsa can be booked through the Car Rent app, which can also be used for other rental businesses.
Carrrent Tulsa says it will start using this service in the coming months, but it isn’t yet ready to provide a full list of rental cars for use in the program.
In addition to rental vehicles, the company will offer car maintenance services.
For instance, if a rental vehicle needs a major repair, it will notify the Car Renter Tulsa customer service team and the company may contact the repair shop to fix the problem for a $100 fee.
This will allow the repair person to cover the cost of the car, which should help keep the rental vehicles going.
Carrent Tulsa hopes that the program will help the rental industry in Tulsa.
“We’re excited to partner with Car Rent and Car Renton to make this service a reality in Tulsa,” said Brian Pincher, vice president of marketing for Car Rent Tulsa.


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LEDs set to storm notebook PC displays
High-brightness LEDs will have almost completely taken over from cold-cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs) in the backlight function of notebook PC screens within five years.
That s according to analyst Sweta Dash, who has just produced a new report on the topic for market research firm iSuppli.
Dash reckons that the much lower power consumption and the absence of mercury in LEDs will increasingly outweigh their higher cost compared with CCFLs, which currently dominate in all large-scale LCD backlights. By 2012, he says that this trend will culminate in a 90 per cent market share for LEDs in notebook PC displays.
Notebook PCs have always been the most obvious large-LCD application for LEDs to penetrate, because power consumption is such an important factor for portable appliances. That contrasts with desktop PC and TV displays, which are generally hooked up to the mains.
At the moment, however, CCFLs remain the dominant technology, with Dash estimating that only 4.7 per cent of notebook PCs manufactured in the closing quarter of 2007 featured LEDs in their display backlights.
Just 2.8 million notebook PCs with LED backlights shipped in the whole of 2007, aded the analyst. But this year will mark the turning point, with a six-fold increase in shipments to 17.4 million units expected.
"CCFL is a proven technology and has a lower cost compared with LEDs, [but] it faces shortcomings in areas of power consumption and thickness," Dash said.
"In the future, as the cost differential between LED and CCFL backlights narrows, LED-based notebook PC panels will gain market share "“ due to their thinner form factor, lower power consumption and lack of mercury content."
Although LED market penetration has only just begun, the technology has had some high-profile backing, most obviously in Apple s MacBook Air, which sports what is claimed to be the thinnest profile around (see related story).
According to Dash s calculations, a typical 13.3 inch notebook PC screen fitted with white LEDs uses up to 20 per cent less power and is 40 per cent thinner and 20 per cent lighter than a CCFL-based equivalent.
But those design advantages do come at a cost: red-green-blue LED solutions remain much more expensive than CCFL backlights, commanding a price premium of up to $80. White LEDs, which are more suited to the smaller backlights, are much more competitive, adding a cost premium of only $25 to the PC, says Dash.
But with that price gap set to narrow as chip costs decline and backlight manufacturing yields improve, demand for white LEDs in notebooks will rocket.
Dash expects the rapid increase in adoption to continue in 2009, with white LEDs claiming a market share in excess of 32 per cent, rising to 75 per cent in 2011 and virtually cornering the market after that.


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Washington — General Motors Co. is recalling 31,685 new full-size SUVs because the front windshield wiper motor may overheat and catch fire.
The Detroit automaker told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration it will recall 29,295 2016 Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia SUVs in the U.S. because the front windshield wiper motor may overheat when in use because of a manufacturing defect. About 2,400 are in Mexico and Canada.
Of the vehicles, about 6,400 are in customer hands. GM sent those owners recall notices by overnight letter and urged them not to use the front windshield wipers until they have been repaired.
GM said if owners can’t get to a dealership for the fix because of rainy weather, the automakers will arrange to pick up the vehicle for servicing.
“If repair parts are unavailable, GM will provide a rental car at no cost until parts become available,” GM said in a statement.


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Dimensional Fund Advisors LP Cuts Stake in Skechers USA Inc. (SKX)
Dimensional Fund Advisors LP decreased its stake in shares of Skechers USA Inc. (NYSE:SKX) by 37.0% during the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 1,560,964 shares of the company’s stock after selling 917,083 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP owned 1.01% of Skechers USA worth $46,393,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Capital Fund Management S.A. raised its position in shares of Skechers USA by 22.3% in the second quarter. Capital Fund Management S.A. now owns 105,151 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,125,000 after buying an additional 19,191 shares during the last quarter. Prudential PLC raised its position in shares of Skechers USA by 2.3% in the first quarter. Prudential PLC now owns 252,600 shares of the company’s stock valued at $7,692,000 after buying an additional 5,700 shares during the last quarter. Menta Capital LLC raised its position in shares of Skechers USA by 291.2% in the first quarter. Menta Capital LLC now owns 34,392 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,047,000 after buying an additional 25,600 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Institutional Trust Company N.A. raised its position in shares of Skechers USA by 0.7% in the first quarter. BlackRock Institutional Trust Company N.A. now owns 3,832,942 shares of the company’s stock valued at $116,713,000 after buying an additional 25,636 shares during the last quarter. Finally, BlackRock Inc. raised its position in shares of Skechers USA by 29.9% in the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 60,051 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,829,000 after buying an additional 13,840 shares during the last quarter. 65.70% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
Skechers USA Inc. (NYSE:SKX) opened at 22.622 on Wednesday. Skechers USA Inc. has a 52-week low of $20.90 and a 52-week high of $49.28. The company’s 50-day moving average is $23.38 and its 200-day moving average is $27.67. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.57 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.069 and a beta of 0.15.
Skechers USA (NYSE:SKX) last released its earnings results on Thursday, July 21st. The company reported $0.50 EPS for the quarter, missing the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $0.52 by $0.02. Skechers USA had a return on equity of 20.20% and a net margin of 7.79%. The firm earned $877.80 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $892.06 million. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.52 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Skechers USA Inc. will post $1.80 EPS for the current year.
Several equities analysts recently issued reports on the stock. B. Riley reissued a “buy” rating and set a $42.00 price objective on shares of Skechers USA in a report on Tuesday, July 19th. Zacks Investment Research raised shares of Skechers USA from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, July 18th. Monness Crespi & Hardt lowered shares of Skechers USA from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, July 22nd. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Vetr raised shares of Skechers USA from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $34.68 price target on the stock in a report on Tuesday, July 19th. Finally, Citigroup Inc. reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $38.00 price target on shares of Skechers USA in a report on Tuesday, August 23rd. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $30.34.
In other news, General Counsel Phillip Paccione sold 1,389 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $24.12, for a total value of $33,502.68. Following the completion of the sale, the general counsel now owns 90,445 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,181,533.40. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 21.73% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
About Skechers USA
Skechers U.SA, Inc is a designer and marketer of Skechers-branded lifestyle footwear for men, women and children, and performance footwear for men and women under the Skechers GO brand name. The Company operates through three segments: domestic wholesale sales, international wholesale sales, and retail sales, which includes e-commerce sales.
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A Purdue professor said consumers will still buy Doritos even if they do not watch the Super Bowl commercial.
Richard Feinberg, a professor of consumer sciences and retailing, conducted research two years ago in which he asked 100 consumers what they remember about the Super Bowl commercials between breaks. Approximately 30 percent could accurately recall at least one company with a commercial, but others had no confidence in their memory. Many will remember Betty White being tackled in a Snickers commercial and a talking baby in an E-Trade commercial, but probably not much else.
On Sunday an estimated number of over 100 million viewers will turn on their TV to see the Baltimore Ravens fight against the San Francisco 49ers. But even when fans aren’t screaming at their TV, their laughter and joy will still continue on during the commercials.
Chris Kowal, an assistant professor of consumer sciences and retailing, said the stories within the commercials are probably the reason why people have a hard time remembering them.
“Often the ad is a story that takes us away from the product,” Kowal said. “The ads are entertaining, funny, emotional, but if it does not tie back to the product or brand, then many people forget or don’t even register what the ad is for.”
Consumers also differ in the way they make decisions about what to buy.
“When buying big ticket items, consumers tend to invest time and effort into carefully evaluating and scrutinizing important qualities of that product,” Meghan Norris, an associate professor of consumer sciences and retailing, said. “Ads shown during the Super Bowl rarely have the time to provide the nature of information consumers want before purchasing big ticket items.”
On average, companies will pay around $3.5 million for a short, 30-second spot during the Super Bowl breaks. During regular TV hours, spots cost only about $350,000. Feinberg said it doesn’t make sense economically for companies to pay such a big price tag for a minimal return.
“Since repetition to the right consumer is the foundation of purchases, companies just might be better off with ten $350,000 commercials targeted to specific consumers than one $3.5 million commercial targeted to a lot of consumers,” Feinberg said.
But it seems as though some companies have realized their mistake, and some are now even letting YouTube users to watch their commercials before the actual game.
“It won’t help in consumer memory,” Feinberg said. “If people want to go buy Doritos, they will without seeing the commercial for it.”
Norris said Super Bowl commercials need to broaden their spectrum and realize there are limitations to a short 30-second advertisement.
“Rather than striving for a specific product sale, great Super Bowl ads will give consumers an entertaining and simple short story that can foster positive evaluations of the company,” Norris said.
Sugato Chakravarty, another professor of consumer sciences and retailing, said commercials being funny is good, because it provides the audience with a trigger to remember it later.
“Effective commercials are those that are able to connect with their target audience at a visceral level,” Chakravarty said. “Just glam stuff and technological whiz bang for the sake of it does not work. Sometimes a simple commercial with a well-crafted message can hit home more so than a multi-million dollar mega-production.”