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David Chipperfield’s new link between the Royal Academy and 6 Burlington Gardens
How the Royal Academy’s new architectural link may well lead to the building of even more important cultural and commercial links
Two parallel worlds suddenly and dramatically linked by an unexpected and hidden doorway. In the case of C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Lucy Pevensie first discovers the magical world of Narnia while playing hide and seek, pushing her way through a store of fur coats at the back of a deep wardrobe until she finds herself brushing aside the branches of fir trees and emerging into a snowy landscape.
As of 2018, visitors to the Royal Academy will also be able to make their way from the world of public art through the new link corridor joining the RA’s Burlington House off Piccadilly to 6 Burlington Gardens, the building it acquired in 2001.
In turn, this access will help introduce the art-loving general public more directly to the wonders of a new world many will not have seen before: the art trade in Mayfair, most specifically in Cork Street, which lies just across the road from number 6’s front door.
Even better, the £50m transformation of number 6 includes a 300-seat lecture theatre, a permanent home for Royal Academy Schools students to exhibit their work and more space for contemporary and current exhibitions. The public coming through from Piccadilly will also gain access to one of the best-kept secrets of 6 Burlington Gardens: the Cast corridor.
Making a whole new world of artistic connections
The single most important change is that the Burlington Gardens building will be used a great deal more on a daily basis. As architect Sir David Chipperfield put it, “We’re knocking a hole in the wall. It’s a small amount of architecture for a large amount of result.”
So Royal Academy students will be regular visitors to the building, giving them the opportunity to look across the road to commercial galleries that could soon become their mentors and representatives.
This is very welcome news after the depredations dealers have faced in the Narnian-like perpetual winter of recent years, forced out of galleries they have occupied for decades as the White Witch of luxury brands and property developers has cast her frozen spell.
As Charles Saumarez Smith, the secretary and chief executive of the Royal Academy, told The Guardian: “This is not just a major building development, it is an undertaking which will transform the psychological, as well as the physical, nature of the Academy.”
And just in time for the RA’s 250th birthday.
The Association of Leading Visitor Attractions lists the Royal Academy as having had just under 825,000 visitors for 2014, putting it in 35th place. That was a 19% fall from the 1,015,505 it welcomed in 2013, when it took 26th place, itself a 19% fall from the 1.2 million that brought it 17th place in 2012.
Since then the Houses of Parliament, Kew Gardens, the RHS Wisley and even Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, among others, have surged passed it, so the revamp and extension come at just the right time to breathe new life into Burlington House and the Royal Academy’s collection and exhibition programme.
Playing the percentage game with the Royal Academy’s visitors
If even 1% of those who pass through its portals – already interested in art by the very fact of their visit – proceed through the link to 6 Burlington Gardens and out the other side, that will mean close to 10,000 people already thinking about the wonders of art entering the magical world of Mayfair and its unrivalled gathering of fine art and antiques businesses. Echoing Charles Saumarez Smith, it will be a psychological transformation for both public and trade.
Not only that. The business potential for all will blossom too. As a public institution, using a fair proportion of its new space to educate artists in their formative years, the new-look Royal Academy will doubtless be looking for support in various guises to help keep its programme fresh and vibrant.
What better opportunity can there be for auction houses and galleries to offer their services and even financial backing in forging new relationships with the Royal Academy and its students? It could even help fill one of the biggest and longest-standing gaps in fine arts degree courses: teaching student artists how to negotiate their way into the commercial market and make a living.
This must surely provide one of the best arguments of all for Westminster Council to press ahead with its Special Policy Area initiative, aimed at protecting the cultural and artistic profile of Mayfair.
The unique juxtaposition of the expanded Royal Academy with the premier art-dealing enclave this side of the Atlantic should also give the Government pause for thought as it brings together the politically attractive possibility of boosting the nation’s culture, business and employment prospects in one fell swoop.
Questionable survey marketing and lazy journalism threaten the media, public debate and the legitimate art and antiques trade
COMMENT: Type in the word ‘survey’ under the Google News search and see what comes up.
I have just done this and found that there are 79.9m results. A significant number of these refer to media reports of new surveys conducted into all aspects of life and business.
Top of page one among the Google results was a Guardian news story on an Amnesty International survey concerning attitudes to the criminal status of abortion in Ireland. It tells us that the findings come from 1000 phone interviews made during May.
So here we have a survey by a named organisation with the reporter giving us at least some idea of its methodology. Not bad, although as Amnesty International is not an independent body but a campaigning organisation, the question arises as to how independent the survey actually was. If Amnesty brought in a professional polling company to conduct the survey on its behalf, the report does not say.
Another story tells of a survey conducted by Car Finance 2 Go, which assesses what annoys motorists the most about each other. It made great copy for The Bath Chronicle and The Gloucester Citizen, but the report gives no details of how independent the poll was nor how it was carried out beyond the Citizen saying over 1000 people took part.
Global software security group Kaspersky Lab conducted a survey among 1000 people into the relationship between smartphone usage and amnesia.
How did this amnesia manifest itself? According to The Express Tribune, stablemate of The International New York Times, “Many adults could not remember important phone numbers of family members and friends. The survey also showed that people are not doing much to protect their information online.”
What’s more, the survey additionally reveals “Less than a third of the people surveyed put security precautions on their devices”.
By happy coincidence pollsters Kaspersky Lab are on hand with the solution. As the home page of their website tells us, they are “the world’s largest privately held cybersecurity company offering endpoint protection solutions to consumers and businesses around the globe”.
Work your way down the Google list and in many cases it’s the same story: product placement posing behind the fig leaf of a ‘survey’ to burnish the findings with some sort of scientific credentials that make it newsworthy.
The increasing frequency of this marketing technique is no accident; it is a symptom of the erosion of proper investigative journalism in the face of plummeting revenues in the traditional publishing sphere, largely brought about by the rise of the internet and free information online.
The good news is that there are still decent journalists out there who will not fall for this junk. The bad news is that there are others who will. The worst news of all is that many of those who do see questionable surveys for what they are still file stories on them because of deadline pressures – they need to fill space and an ever-shrinking set of resources leaves them with little alternative.
A lot of the time none of this matters. And if you run a marketing department, who can blame you for doing a bit of lateral thinking and turning what would otherwise be an advert into rather more powerful editorial?
The problem is that sometimes it really does matter.
TV series promotion
In September 2013, as the then Editor of Antiques Trade Gazette, I conducted an investigation into another so-called survey splashed across a number of UK national newspapers and the Mail Online, now the world’s most visited website.
The UK Fakes and Forgeries Report, as it was referred to in these articles, claimed that 40% of all antiques on the UK market were fakes or forgeries.
On closer view, it appeared that the report’s ‘40% of antiques are fake’ figure had been extrapolated from the finding that 43% of people who buy antiques don’t get them authenticated and that 68% of people who buy antiques are ‘worried’ that they may be fake.
So no evidence at all to support the 40% fakes claim in the survey.
The report coincided with the launch of UKTV Yesterday Channel’s new series of Treasure Detectives.
Needless to say, when I contacted the programme makers they were rather coy about who had actually conducted the survey. Pressed, they admitted that it was actually called The Yesterday UK Fakes and Forgeries Report. So, did they produce it themselves?
When I asked to see a copy of the survey they emailed me the press release that all the other news outlets had swallowed wholesale and regurgitated in screaming headlines.
Even then, the ‘findings’ in the release did not support its own headline – The nation’s love of antiques has led to rise in the number of fakes and forgeries – in any way.
On pressing the TV company again for a copy of the original survey, I was told: “I’m afraid we don’t release the survey data”, before they went on to disclose that the survey was completed by 2000 adults, using a reputable survey company (never named) and then the clincher, “The rest of the report was comment and expertise of Curtis Dowling”, the programme’s presenter, who gained substantial publicity for himself and his new show from the ensuing media storm.
As my later comment piece argued, “Count on it, in a year’s time when the issue of fakes and forgeries is raised again, that statistic will have morphed into hard, authoritative, indisputable fact for the news media – and possibly even Whitehall – to regurgitate, reinforce and beat our industry over the head with once more.”
And I explained that my comment piece would also be posted online in the hope that it would go some way towards diluting that effect of the TV report.
The $3 billion question over the antiquities trade
As my comment piece also mentioned, this method of validating unsubstantiated statistics has form, not least in providing ammunition to attack the legitimate trade in antiquities and at Government level in devising legislation to tackle stolen art and antiques.
This dubious practice persists today and news outlets continue to fall for it, feeding the propaganda in the process. In fact, it has been compounded by the emergence in the past couple of years by news aggregating websites that repurpose other outlets’ content to drive traffic to their own sites.
Lazy journalism is often as much to blame as the deliberate dissemination of questionable material dressed up as scientific findings.
In recent weeks, for instance, I have noticed a number of mentions of the figure of $3 billion as the estimated value of the global antiquities market.
As far as I can see, not one report among those published gives a source for this figure. The Toronto Star publishes it in the sub heading to its report Islamic State cashes in by peddling art loot on eBay, Facebook, and lists it again in the body of the report without attribution. Many of the other articles appear to have been inspired by, or even acknowledge, Bloomberg’s report titled Islamic State is selling looted art online for needed cash.
Bloomberg also quotes the $3 billion figure but again gives no source for it. Artnet news, which aggregates other news sources, put the figure in its headline while quoting Bloomberg.
In fact Bloomberg seems to have sourced its article from The Economist’s June 13 online report Save our stones, which makes no mention of the value of the global art market at all, but does mention the figure of $3 billion. However, it refers to this figure as being the estimated value of Egyptian antiquities lost since the fall of President Hosni Mubarak in 2011, according to Deborah Lehr of American association the Antiquities Coalition.
Have later reports, starting with Bloomberg, confused these figures? I don’t know, but I do know that no one I have consulted has any idea of where the $3 billion figure came from in referring to the value of the global antiquities trade. Antiquities dealers I have spoken to believe the trade is worth far less.
Just to confuse matters further, another online article titled Plundering the past, by David Johnson, states that “A recently released report by the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research in the University of Cambridge, England, states that up to $3 billion in art and artifacts are stolen each year around the world.”
The Institute’s report is titled Stealing History: The Illicit Trade in Cultural Material, says Johnson.
His article is undated, but ranks at number 3 of the articles on the first page for a Google search under the term ‘$3 billion antiquities’.
A search through the McDonald Institute’s online archive under the report’s title as given by Johnson reveals that it was published in June 2000 and is now out print. Further research reveals one of the authors to be Peter Watson, one of the most outspoken campaigners against the antiquities trade.
Background to illicit trade claims
Eventually, I managed to secure a pdf of the report and in paragraph 1.9 it gives a value for the illicit trade in antiquities as $2 billion, attributing the figure as an estimate by Geraldine Norman and qualifying the claim further by adding: “other estimates have ranged down to $150 million. As already pointed out, because the trade is clandestine, reliable data is hard to find.”
So recently turns out to be 2000 and when checking the report’s own reference to the Geraldine Norman estimate, that came from an article she wrote for The Independent titled Great sale of the century, dated 24 November 1990.
Just to recap then, Johnson has an article ranked 3 on the home page of the relevant section of Google quoting the $3 billion figure as applying to the illicit trade in antiquities and giving the institute’s report as the authoritative source. The institute’s report turns out to be 15 years old and quotes the different figure of $2 billion, which it attributes to a newspaper report by then already ten years old, noting that it was one person’s estimate. It also admits that other estimates put the illicit trade at less than a tenth of that figure and effectively further admits that none of this can be relied on because “reliable data is hard to find”.
We are now left with two claims: that the global trade in antiquities is worth $3 billion and that the global trade in illicit antiquities is worth $3 billion (or $2 billion if, as it seems, Johnson has misquoted the McDonald Institute report.
So what? Why does this matter?
Because, as with the bogus 40% of all antiques are fakes or forgeries claim, in a very short time indeed this figure has become established ‘fact’ and is being used widely in arguments against the antiquities trade. How much time will it take before academics who have long been trying to shut the trade down start to say that if the market has such a value, then the risk of associated crime must be very high and the trade should be bashed once more?
Believe me, they will jump on this one as soon as they can.
Whether it was Disraeli or Twain who coined the phrase lies, damned lies and statistics, my belief is that there has never been more need of reliable and truly independent statistics in the arena of public debate.
Those with an axe to grind can do serious and unjustified damage to legitimate interests by manipulating marketing techniques and taking advantage of poorly resourced media outlets that feed voracious 24/7 newswires.
For their part, reporters and feature writers need to be far more circumspect about the information put before them, especially in these embattled times for journalism, or they risk accelerating the rate at which the media becomes mistrusted and irrelevant.
Fine Art Bourse (F.A.B.) challenge the centuries-old auction model with an innovative fee structure and wave away various add-ons like the Artist’s Resale Right and VAT by bringing the hammer down in Hong Kong.
Simon de Pury launches his new online action model at Ely House, the Dover Street headquarters of Mallett in London’s Mayfair, where stablemate Dreweatts have already christened the building as an auction centre with the Pete Waterman sale… and where Mallett themselves, dealers of 150 years standing, will hold their own inaugural auction on July 7.
Only five days ago, Chicago auction house Leslie Hindman announced the launch of LH Exchange (LHX), a new retail online platform connecting buyers and sellers.
These are just the latest in what is becoming a long line of art market professionals blurring the line between traditional methods of business.
Online auction houses, dealer portals and other routes to market
Where once we had dealers and auctioneers – with never the twain meeting except in the individual world of coins, medals and stamps – now we have a growing range of routes to market, with many offered from the same outlet.
Traditional auction houses, online auction houses, online auction platforms, dealer portals, galleries with websites promoting bricks-and-mortar sales, online-only dealers occasionally exhibiting at fairs, auction houses pursuing private treaty sales, dealers holding occasional auctions… the list goes on. And within these, subtle tweaks to marketing and method of transaction add their own unique twist.
What’s behind it all? Is it a good thing? And what does it mean for the market, especially the buyer and seller?
The answer to the first of these questions is threefold: technology, opportunity and margins. Businesses simply couldn’t adapt successfully in this way even five years ago because even if the idea was there the technology to support it wasn’t. Many an investor and trade professional burnt their fingers 15 years ago when the first phase of internet commerce dazzled them and sound business principles – and plans – were cast aside in the rush to the flame; a case of more heat than light.
Even today there are some highly questionable business models out there, and my guess is that even a few of the best-known names in the market will not survive their ill-thought-out cost structures.
As I have argued before in Antiques Trade Gazette and elsewhere, the glamorous world of high-priced international art auctions grabs the headlines because of the vast sums changing hands, yet cut through the glitz and the profits all but disappear.
The challenges facing Sotheby’s and Christie’s
This is the conundrum facing Sotheby’s and Christie’s as they replace one management team with another. They need to continue cultivating an image of extreme wealth and luxury while – in Sotheby’s case, at least – explaining to their shareholders why they are getting so little in return for their investment.
Fine Art Bourse’s auction house dandies video sets out to challenge the traditional auction house market and disrupt the market as it sets out its new business model.
There are only three ways to go when your cost base is high and your margins are low: cut your costs; find new ways to make money; or do both.
No surprise, then, that the duopoly ensured they got a head start around a decade ago in targeting the private sales market. Although that source of income has dipped in the past few months, in the long term it has mushroomed, explaining the huge investment in gallery exhibition space under the Sotheby’s and Christie’s brands in places such as New York, London and Hong Kong. Together, they are the world’s biggest dealers today, as well as the biggest auctioneers.
Private treaty sales are undoubtedly helping to boost profits for auction houses across the globe, but a safe future means diversifying even more; hence the development of financial services, brand licensing and other money-spinners.
All this means that dealers have to be on their toes too.
Strategic partnership opportunities for Stanley Gibbons Group
The Dreweatts/Bloomsbury/Mallett axis is more than simply a list of diverse brands brought together under the umbrella of the Stanley Gibbons Group. It is the embryo of the sort of strategic partnership that promises to transform the international art and antiques industry as it frees each segment of activity from the restrictions of its traditional metier and capitalises on the talents and assets of its fellow interests.
Handled well, this really does have the potential to be more than the sum of its parts and to maximise value at every point.
Even relatively small dealerships have the opportunity to exploit technology and strategic partnerships with auctioneers and web platforms, realising their full potential in terms of prestige and profits without excessive outlay.
Is all of this change a good thing?
If it leads to innovation, more efficient business practices and more effective financial returns on investment all round, then broadly I would say it must be.
Why do I hesitate slightly? The matter of transparency.
Balancing analysis, transparency and discretion in the art market
As art dealing go online and behind closed doors, it makes it harder to track performance for those trying to analyse the market and it raises the risk of dubious practice as well as suspicion among the public and the authorities.
On the other hand, if auction houses and their charges have been the bane of dealers’ lives for decades, auction price exposure online has joined them in helping to raise the trade’s blood pressure. The extreme candour that the internet has brought to most auction sales reporting has not made it any easier for dealers to negotiate with their clients.
So it is important to strike a balance between acceptable discretion, needed to oil the wheels of commerce, and comprehensive reporting, essential for confidence in, and an accurate view of, the market for those who wish to operate within it. Most importantly, we must not forget the interests of buyers and sellers as we strive to protect those of art market professionals. Many of these new business models, such as Hindman’s LHX platform and F.A.B.’s cut-price fee structure, are clearly customer focused, simplifying the route to market to attract a much wider reach and capture dollars that have so far escaped the tidal wash of the international art, antiques and design market.
Ethics and judgment are key to the future of auction houses and dealers
Taking all of the above into account, I think we also need to relax a little. Dealers will continue to have a beef with auctioneers for all sorts of reasons; auction houses will remain fiercely competitive with each other; special interests in the curatorial and academic worlds will pursue their often curious campaigns against what they see as the unacceptable world of art commerce.
Businesses need to plan properly and temper their ambitions with cool dispassion. They need to assess their activities honestly and objectively to ensure that they behave in an ethically acceptable manner. If they do that, then we should have little to fear from all this innovation and breaking down of barriers.
Some trade professionals believe that clear demarcation between dealers and auctioneers should be sacrosanct, but actually most of the public not only couldn’t care less, but don’t actually understand what that difference is anyway.
Welcome to my new website. As a journalist of 30 years and art market analyst, pundit and campaigner for the past 17 years, my interests are many and varied.
My role as Editor of Antiques Trade Gazette for the past 15 years has afforded me rare insight into the mechanics and issues of the international art and antiques market, and I have been privileged to work with some of the most interesting and intelligent people in business today.
My aim with this blog is to continue my work observing, analysing and commenting on the international art and antiques market, as well as on other spheres that interest me, such as politics, the law and finance.
I hope you find what I have to say interesting and entertaining, and I will attempt not to bore.
Read all about me on this website’s profile page and see the wide range of services my business offers, from Business and Brand development to Reputation Management and Editorial Services. Plug over… I will stick to topical items of interest in future.


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Newsbrief: Last year Index Corporation, the Japanese company that owned video game developer and publisher Atlus, filed for bankruptcy. Now reports indicate that the company's former CEO and president have both been arrested on charges of fraud.
According to Nikkei, and as translated by Siliconera, Masami and Yoshimi Ochiai have been arrested on charges of falsifying of financial records and inflating profits during their time with Index.
This comes after Index was acquired by Sega back in September. Sega recently revealed what it plans to do with Atlus.

domain: news


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The U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, also known as the FT-900, is published monthly by the Bureau of Economic Analysis with data going back to 1992. The monthly reports include revisions that go back several months. This report details U.S. exports and imports of goods and services.
The Bretton Woods agreement, which established a stable foreign currency exchange system collapsed in 1971 and as a result, currency values began to float freely and the US dollar was no longer tied to gold values. Since 1976, the United States has had an annual negative trade deficit. The International Monetary Fund and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the original World Bank which is still in existence) came out of the Bretton Woods agreement.
Here is an excerpt from the latest report:
The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis announced today that the goods and services deficit was $57.6 billion in February, up $0.9 billion from $56.7 billion in January, revised.
February exports were $204.4 billion, $3.5 billion more than January exports. February imports were $262.0 billion, $4.4 billion more than January imports.
Today’s headline number of -57.59B was worse than the Investing.com forecast of -56.90B. This series tends to be extremely volatile, so we include a six-month moving average.
Here is a snapshot that gives a better sense of the extreme volatility of this indicator.


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October saw the deepest declines in retail sales since records began, according to the British Retail Consortium.
The BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor revealed that UK retail sales fell by one per cent in October on a like-for-like basis, when they had increased by 1.7 per cent in the previous year.
On a total basis, sales rose by 0.2 per cent in October, compared with a growth of 2.4 per cent in October 2016. This was the lowest growth since May, according to the BRC.
In the three months to October, non-food retail sales in the UK fell by 0.4 per cent on a like-for-like basis and increased by 0.1 per cent on a total basis. This was below the 12-month average if growth of 0.2 per cent, which is the lowest since the monitor began in January 2011.
The monthly decline was also the deepest since BRC’s records began.
Zeroing in on the non-food sector, over the quarter, in-store sales of declined by 2.2 per cent on a total basis and 2.9 per cent on a like-for-like basis. On a 12-month basis, the total drop was 2.1 per cent, the deepest decline since January 2012 when BRC records began.
Online sales saw a slightly more positive outcome, increasing by four per cent on non-food products in October, but still below the three-month and 12-month averages of 8.7 per cent and 8.3 per cent respectively.
Despite growth, this was the lowest rate of online growth recorded since records began in December 2012.
The online penetration rate increased from 22.6 per cent in October 2016 to 23.7 per cent in October 2017, which was the highest penetration rate since December 2016.
BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson (pictured) said: “It was a meagre month in October for retail sales as shopping activity slumped. With total growth at its lowest since May and below the 12-month average, retailers will have cause for concern as they prepare for the crucial run-up to Christmas.
“The decline was driven by the worst performance of non-food sales since our records began in January 2011, as consumers appear to have opted for outdoor experiences and excursions during half-term, over visits to the shops.
“Real consumer spending power has been on a downward trend in the past year as the acceleration in inflation has caused shoppers to become ever more cautious in considering what purchases they can afford. Many now face higher borrowing costs, given the rise in interest rates, which will only serve to heap further pressure on to household finances.
“Considering the intrinsic link between consumer spending and economic growth, the Chancellor should reflect on this disappointing state of play and deliver a Budget that allays the risks of a further slowdown in consumer spending, by keeping down the cost of living. In other words, a shoppers Budget.”
Paul Martin, head of retail at KPMG, added: “October marked yet another reversal of fortunes for retailers, reinforcing just how volatile consumer spend has been. Despite the positive picture last month, these latest figures will be a real disappointment and not the start to the golden quarter retailers had hoped for.
“Overall growth online was lacklustre at best, although health and beauty products continued to stand out as a strong performer. The burning questions for retailers will be whether shoppers are holding off their purchases until Black Friday, and whether retailers can recover from this month’s poor performance to end the year on a high.
“With the Bank of England’s interest rate decision seeing the first hike in 10 years, we are likely to see a continuation of the sector’s slow-down, with consumers having less disposable income to spend. The autumn Budget also nears closer and retailers will most likely be hoping for some form of relief, particularly after the challenges business rates created.”


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(This is an update to remove an extraneous ticker symbol.)
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- News Web sites in the United Kingdom were hammered for almost four hours after the London bomb blasts occurred.
Roopak Patel, senior Internet analyst at Keynote Systems Inc., said the average measured U.K. site took four times longer than normal to respond.
"The average response time for a home page on the Internet is two to three seconds," Patel said in an interview. "So that means some sites took up to 10 seconds. That's doesn't seem significant until you realize the hardest-hit sites were experiencing such traffic they dragged down the average of the 37 other sites [in the Keynote
Patel added that analysts at the San Mateo, Calif.-based firm saw little degradation of service, if any, across U.S. Web sites. He suggested that because of the timing of the London attacks, the impact on Web traffic was not so severe here, and that "people are becoming a lot more savvy," and might have gone first to local Web sites for coverage rather than news services an ocean away.
London blasts rock the Net, too
In the early hours after Thursday's bomb blasts in London, Web news sites, Web logs and blog directories felt the impact.
Technorati.com, which scours 12 million blogs and news Web sites, reported eight of its top10 search terms were related to the explosions. Coincidentally, the site had scheduled a 30-minute maintenance update for early Thursday morning, and almost three hours later, Technorati's search tools weren't working.
The BBC's Web sites offered extensive coverage from reporters, some of whom began posting in blog form. See BBC's reporter's log. The site also streamed its broadcast coverage in both Windows Media and Real formats.
London bloggers were also busy. Buzzmachine.com pointed to a directory of London bloggers. Web logs named Skitz, Geras and London MetroBlogger were among the instant chroniclers of the attacks, according to Buzzmachine's Jeff Jarvis. See the blogs: Skitz,Geras and London.
Flickr.com, the photo-sharing site, also began to fill with photos from London. Visit Flickr.com.
Google invests in high-speed startup
A trio of investors is putting $100 million into Current Communications Group, a Germantown, Md.-based company that is developing technology to deliver high-speed Internet using residential power lines.
The investments of Google Inc.
Google outlined its participation in a statement, saying, "as part of our corporate mission, we are interested in promoting universal access to the Internet."
First-run movie download service announced
A former executive of Sony Pictures Digital SNE has agreed to head a new venture to deliver online downloads of first-run movies and videos before they are released on DVD.
ClickStar Inc. is backed by an investment from Intel Corp.
Freeman and Intel made a joint announcement of ClickStar on Wednesday at the Allen & Co. Sun Valley Conference.
Allibhoy hopes ClickStar will accomplish for Hollywood what Apple Computer Inc.'s
Roger Vakharia, managing director of content alliances at Intel's content services group, said ClickStar has a unique marketing position. "Movielink and CinemaNow are valuable [movie-download] services, but their content comes after the DVD. There is a demand there, but we believe it's a limited demand because the content has been out there already."
You can also listen to an audio version of Internet Daily. Call your local CBS Radio station for broadcast times.


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4chan has once again thwarted the 'He Will Not Divide Us' protest.
The Mega Man cartoon looks like all kinds of nope.
Gorillaz are back.
Playtonic's decision has inevitably led to cries of "censorship."
Playtonic has confirmed that JonTron will no longer feature in Yooka-Laylee.
Pokemon Switch could become a reality. Here's how Nintendo can make it work.
Destiny 2 is on its way.
Jose Mourinho said that the young players in his team lacked the professionalism of Frank Lampard.


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Fake news is a real problem for both advertisers and publishers as it is creating an unproductive environment for advertisers and an unwelcoming one for publishers.
On the one hand, for example, publishers are struggling to place their information within the Facebook News Feed as the social media network has made algorithm updates to limit the reach of publishers who share links frequently, specifically links to individual articles (Facebook, 2017). On the other hand, fake news is also a problem for advertisers wanting to avoid further wasted ad spend and being associated with the spread of misinformation from rogue publishers (the purveyors of "fake news").
BrightRoll (owned by Oath, formerly Yahoo) recently surveyed 400 programmatic decision-makers (agencies and advertisers) regarding their thoughts on fake news and its impact on advertising and found 96 percent of advertisers are concerned about fake news in programmatic advertising with 31 percent planning to reduce spend with programmatic partners whose inventory includes publisher brands associated with fake news. Forty-three percent of respondents indicated they will not change their spend, but instead will simply blacklist known publishers of fake news.
What is perhaps most encouraging for the broader industry is that BrightRoll's survey indicated 55 percent of advertisers will put more pressure on programmatic technology partners to proactively screen for fake news in the future. Twenty-seven percent of surveyed advertisers, in fact, noted they will even shift from open exchange to private buying to ensure integrity in the advertising experience and spend is not compromised. BrightRoll's survey sheds light on the issue of who is responsible for combating the fake news problem.
Expect discussion around fake news and advertising to continue as people have differing opinions on whether the networks must shield consumers from misinformation, if consumers need to be more critical and savvy as individuals or if technology partners must shoulder the burden.
85.2% Almost 8 in 10 mobile display ads in the U.S. are purchased programmatically and that number is expected to rise to 85.2 percent by 2019.
80% Snapchat served 80 percent of its ads programmatically in Q3 (up from zero percent one year ago), which decreased CPMs more than 60 percent year-over-year making it reportedly more difficult for the company to grow revenue during this period.
(Snap, 2017) $26.9 Billion A ranking of the top 30 global media owners in 2017 indicates Alphabet (Google's parent company) is number one in ad revenue in 2016 ($36.9 billion), followed by Facebook ($26.9 billion in ad revenue) and Comcast ($12.9 billion in ad revenue). Google and Facebook alone have accounted for almost two-thirds of global ad spend growth since 2012.
35% Over one-third (35 percent) of programmatically traded desktop ad impressions in the United States were fraudulent in Q1 2017.
11% Six hundred and fifteen million devices now use ad blocking software, and 11 percent of the global Internet population is blocking ads on the Web. (PageFair, 2017) .35% The average click-through rate in AdWords across all industries is 1.91 percent for search and 0.35 percent for display.
As the Editor-in-Chief of Website Magazine and President of Website Services, Peter has established himself as a prominent figure in the digital marketing industry. With a wealth of experience and knowledge, Peter has been a driving force in shaping the landscape of digital marketing. His leadership in creating innovative and targeted marketing campaigns has helped numerous businesses achieve their revenue growth goals. Under his direction, Website Magazine has become a trusted source of information and insights for digital marketers worldwide. As President of Website Services, Peter oversees a team of talented professionals who specialize in SEO/SEM, email marketing, social media, and digital advertising. Through his hands-on approach, he ensures that his team delivers exceptional results to their clients. With a passion for digital marketing, Peter is committed to staying up-to-date with the latest industry trends and technologies, making him a sought-after thought leader in the field.


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Articles Archive for June 2010
The iPhone 4 was announced today during Steve Jobs’ keynote at WWDC and the world is taken by storm again.
Its flagship features are, of course, the extremely high resolution screen, video chat capability with FaceTime, and the sexy new form factor. But there’s more to the 4 than that, and even those seemingly self-explanatory new features deserve a closer look. Let’s see just what Apple’s done here with its biggest update to the iPhone since the original.
We’re all pretty familiar with the new body, since it was really the focus …


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Studies have claimed that at high temperatures, or when the plastic of baby bottles is scratched or cracked, Bisphenol-A (BPA) can leak out into the milk.
As formula is made up at high temperatures and bottles are repeatedly sterilized and scrubbed clean, the claims are causing concern.
Recent research has also claimed that BPA can lead to behavioural and reproductive problems, bringing puberty forward in girls and reducing sperm count in boys.Canada is banning all baby bottles made with BPA, while California is the latest US state considering curbing its use.
In Europe, although authorities are reviewing the latest studies, they insist, as do the plastics industry, that BPA bottles are safe and do not cause childhood illness.
Current advice on BPA in bottles
The European Food Safety Authority says, “A three-month-old, bottle-fed baby who weighs around 6kg would need to consume more than four times the usual number of bottles of baby formula a day before it would reach the Tolerable Daily Intake [of BPA]. This is the estimated amount of a substance, based on body weight, that can be consumed daily over a lifetime without any appreciable risk.”
How best to prepare your baby’s formula
- Check BPA-bottles regularly
- Don’t use cracked or cloudy bottles
- Don’t put bottles in the dishwasher or the microwave
- Make the formula in sterilised, non-BPA containers and transfer to the bottle when cooled
The alternatives to BPA bottles
- BornFree, Adiri, Babisil, Medela, MAM, Tommee Tippee and Philips Avent now all offer non-BPA bottles
- Asda and Babies R Us only sell non-BPA bottles
- BornFree and I-Play make non-BPA beakers for toddlers
- BornFree, Dr Brown’s, Evenflo and Lansinoh all sell glass bottles
Expert opinion on BPA is mixed
BPA doesn’t pose a risk to health, says Philip Law, public and industrial affairs director of the British Plastics Federation…
“The use of Bisphenol A in the manufacture of polycarbonate is safe and poses no risk to the consumer. This was confirmed by the European Commission in a report published on 11 June 2008. This conclusion confirms the findings of a 2003 European report and is consistent with the conclusion of other regulatory bodies, including the US Food and Drink Agency, the Japanese authorities and the European Food Safety Authority.
“BPA has been exonerated from claims that it causes carcinogenic or mutagenic effects or damages reproductive systems. In any event, the extent to which children are exposed to it in the first place is extremely tiny.”
BPA should be phased out, says environmental campaigner Elizabeth Salter Green of Chemtrust…
“BPA was developed in the 1930s as a pharmaceutical product. An environmental oestrogen, it was developed into the Pill but wasn’t effective. However, when heated and melted, it formed clear plastic, so was used to make babies’ bottles.
“The problem is that it [the BPA] leaks out. Research by Professor Frederik vom Saal of the University of Missouri showed that extremely low levels are very effective at mimicking oestrogen, particularly when the plastic’s heated or scratched.
“Boys between birth and three months experience an enormous testosterone surge, so it’s not a wise time to be exposing them to oestrogenic chemicals. Where you are exposing vulnerable groups such as babies, it should be phased out completely.”


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The European Commission launched infringement proceedings today against ten EU countries for failing to enforce EU passenger rights law requiring airlines to issue cash refunds for passenger flights during the Coronavirus crisis.
Infringement proceedings have been opened against France, Italy, Greece, Poland, Portugal, Czechia, Slovakia, Lithuania, Croatia and Cyprus for failing to enforce the rule.
Citizens are dependent on national EU governments for enforcing EU law, but several countries have asked the Commission to suspend the law and allow airlines to issue vouchers to alleviate their liquidity problems and prevent bankruptcies. Some countries have openly said they will not enforce the law in order to protect their airlines. The Commission, however, has insisted that passenger protections must continue to apply even during the crisis. In May they recommended that airlines make vouchers more attractive to customers by extending their validity and making them transferable.
“Throughout this crisis, the Commission has consistently made clear that consumer rights remain valid in the current unprecedented context and national measures to support the industry must not lower them,” the Commission said in its infringement announcement. “In these ten member states, specific national rules on package travel are still applicable allowing organisers of package travel to issue vouchers, instead of reimbursement in money, for cancelled trips, or to postpone reimbursement far beyond the 14-day period”.
The ten countries have ten days to rectify the situation or they will start facing fines.
The decision was applauded by consumers organisation BEUC, which has said citizens shouldn’t have to doubly fund bailouts for the airlines, once as taxpayers for bailouts and the others as passengers stuck with unusable vouchers.
“Consumers should not be used as cheap credit to bail out the travel industry,” said Monique Goyens, BEUC Director General. “However, these proceedings only apply to countries which still have such non-EU compliant emergency measures in place. Whilst we very much welcome this as an important signal, countries which have already ended these non-compliant measures are not affected.”
Some countries, such as the Netherlands, have compliant national legislation in place but have openly said they do not plan to enforce it. The infringement action made today only applies to countries who have national legislation incompatible with the EU law, but not to countries refusing to enforce their own legislation.
“All consumers across the EU who have been forced to accept vouchers during the application of such national temporary COVID-19 measures should have the right to a full monetary refund if they choose,” she said. “It is now in the hands of governments to ensure that people who need it get reimbursed and to restore trust in the travel and tourism sector.”
Several consumers groups have already launched legal actions against airlines. German company Flightright has sued carriers including Ryanair, KLM, Swiss and Lufthansa on behalf of 20,000 passengers who have not received refunds.


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Founder Charlie Corts
ENHANCEWORKS, creator of the Expo mobile app for digital-content aggregation, plans within 18 months both to complete its current $500K convertible round, and pursue a further $1.5MM-$3MM capital.
Charlie Corts, founder and CEO of the Nashville-based company, confirmed for Venture Nashville that EnhanceWorks has previously raised $317,500 in convertible funding. The current $500K raise should sustain the company 12 to 18 months, leading within that timeframe to activation of the larger capital raise.
Corts, a 34-year-old Nashville native, presented the Expo app during the recent Pandoland 2015 event in Nashville, which he said was a "fantastic opportunity" for connecting with potential customers and investors.
For the moment, the company's Expo solution is used only on iPads to retrieve, aggregate, organize and display users' content that is residing on one or more Box, Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive cloud-archiving services.
Several companies -- including Nashville's Thompson Machinery (one of 51 Caterpillar equipment dealerships in North America) -- have users in pilot mode with the current Expo offering.
The Expo iOS mobile app will debut within 60 days, with the counterpart Android app following in fewer than 12 months.
At this point, the most common use of Expo is by sales representatives who need rapidly to gather-up an assortment of company and product documents that reside in multiple cloud accounts. Not far off: a robust Expo analytics layer will enable users to draw insights from users' preferences.
In addition to its "off-the-shelf" solution, EnhanceWorks is preparing to offer custom Expo solutions for users who want to aggregate presentation material from company intranets or shared-network drives, rather than from the major branded Cloud repositories, Corts said.
Expo's competitors are mostly sales-presentation or sales-acceleration applications, said Corts, citing two San Francisco-based, VC-backed entrants, ClearSlide and Showpad. Asked about Salesforce, Corts said he sees that company as a likely integration partner, and EnhanceWorks has taken steps to ensure Salesforce is aware of its offerings.
The EnhanceWorks cap table includes the founder as majority owner, as well as two technologists with minority stakes: Steven Warren (a developer with HealthTeacher in Nashville); and, Adam Solesby, current CTO at StudioNow, based in Nashville.
Corts said EnhanceWorks' other key technology resources include UX designers Ryan Firm, Jaclyn Clark and Eric Motil (all of whom work in that field at HCA); Python engineer Shannon Collins; and, mobile-app developer Jonathan Wiley, owner of LunarLincoln LLC.
Its outside advisors include Bill Grana, the former head of Nashville-based PureSafety, which sold to UL (fka Underwriters Laboratories); David Corts, the founder's brother, who has long been associated with Nashville-based StudioNow; and, Michael Thompson, former StudioNow chief revenue officer and now managing partner of ParkIT Ventures. Notably, formerly Grana-led PureSafety (chartered PureWorks) was originally a safety-oriented spinout of the above-mentioned Thompson Machinery.
As a result of Pandoland, Corts explained, he has also developed what he views as a very significant advisory relationship with Pandoland startup mentor and former Twitter executive Michael Sippey.
The company's retained advisors include DLA Piper (attorney Brian Gordon, in Atlanta); and, local Blankenship CPA Group (Jan Kolb). EnhanceWorks banks with Pinnacle Financial Partners.
EnhanceWorks was conceived in 2013, and was initially focused on created e-books for consumption via tablets and mobile devices, a concept Corts pursued that year after joining Georgia Tech's Flashpoint accelerator, in Atlanta. Flashpoint Investment Group, aligned with the Atlanta accelerator, provided EnhanceWorks $20K in convertible funding, Corts confirmed.
Corts said he was introduced in 2013 to Flashpoint management by his father-in-law, Gary Carden, a GaTech alumnus who owns Nashville-based Carden Company, a commercial and industrial construction general-contracting firm. Earlier, Corts had considered applying to TechStars or to Nashville's Jumpstart Foundry.
In the course of the Flashpoint experience, Corts' focus for Expo shifted from producing e-books, toward broader positioning around "exposing" corporate content in sales-presentation formats, with business-development strategy centered around leveraging the existing customer bases of the Dropbox and other cloud-storage providers.
Prior to starting EnhanceWorks, Corts worked with publisher Simon & Schuster, Yahoo! Finance, CBS Interactive, Nash Vegas Films (co-founder) and ABC News.
Corts earned his bachelor's in 2003 at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, with concentrations on Film/Video and international business. He was awarded a Whittle Scholarship.
Corts and his wife Abby and their two sons live in Davidson County. VNC


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Ford Motor Company (F -3.46%) said that its net income fell 44% to $1.1 billion, on growing pressures in China and a disruption of pickup-truck production after a fire at a key supplier's factory in May. Ford's revenue fell about 2.5% from the second quarter of 2017, to $38.9 billion.
Ford also cut its full-year guidance on growing concerns about its businesses in China and Europe.
The raw numbers
Here are the key numbers from Ford's second-quarter 2018 results.
|Metric||Q2 2018||Change vs. Q2 2017|
|Wholesale shipments (rounded to the nearest thousand)||1,493,000||(9.6%)|
|Adjusted EBIT||$1.7 billion||(39%)|
|Automotive EBIT margin||3.2%||(3.3 ppts)|
|Net income||$1.1 billion||(44%)|
|Adjusted earnings per share||$0.27||(52%)|
Ford's quarter in a nutshell
The good news is that Ford's business in North America continues to be strong. Results were hurt to some extent by a fire at a key supplier's factory -- the resulting parts shortage led to an eight-day shutdown of production of Ford's huge-selling (and hugely profitable) F-150 pickup.
While Ford will be able to make up the lost truck production as the year goes on, the shutdown and costs related to recovery put a $591 million dent in Ford's North America profit.
The other key issue: China. Ford's wholesale shipments fell 26% in the second quarter, essentially wiping out profit from its joint ventures with Chinese automakers.
How Ford's business units performed in the second quarter
Here's a look at how each of Ford's business segments performed. Note that all financial results in this section are reported on an EBIT basis, except as noted.
North America: Ford earned $1.8 billion in North America in the second quarter, down from $2.4 billion a year ago. The drop was explained by the disruption in truck production and some nonrecurring charges related to warranty costs, which offset good incremental gains in pricing and product mix. Increased commodity prices had an impact of about $200 million as well.
Ford's EBIT margin in North America was 7.4%, down from 9.5% a year ago. But note that Ford's underlying business remains quite profitable: CFO Bob Shanks said that minus the effects of the fire and the one-time items, Ford's EBIT margin would have been 9.9%.
South America: Ford lost $178 million in South America in the second quarter, roughly equal to its loss a year ago. While wholesale shipments increased by about 3.2%, and pricing improved significantly, those good gains were offset by higher commodity costs and unfavorable exchange-rate moves.
Europe: Ford lost $73 million in Europe in the second quarter, a big swing from an $88 million profit in the second quarter of last year. Wholesale shipments fell about 2.1%; Ford more than offset that with pricing gains driven may new models, but higher costs and unfavorable exchange-rate movements hurt.
Middle East and Africa: Ford earned $49 million in this region, a nice improvement over the $53 million loss it posted a year ago. Simply put, sales were good: A 12% increase in wholesale shipments drove a 35% improvement in revenue.
Asia-Pacific: Ford lost $394 million in its Asia-Pacific region in the second quarter, a dramatic drop from a $167 million profit a year ago. The cause: A big drop in sales in China, as buyers have turned away from Ford's increasingly stale lineup. Equity income from Ford's joint ventures with Chinese automakers fell to just $3 million from $195 million a year ago.
Mobility: Ford's mobility segment, which includes its autonomous-vehicle effort and its Ford Smart Mobility initiatives, lost $181 million in the second quarter versus a $63 million loss in the year-ago period. The loss represents investments of about $58 million in Smart Mobility and $60 million in autonomous-vehicle development during the second quarter.
Ford Credit: Profit before tax for Ford's captive-financing arm was $645 million, up from the (very good) $619 million it earned a year ago. The gain was due to growth in global receivables, as well as higher auction values for off-lease vehicles returned to Ford. Ford Credit's lease penetration remains below the industry average, and its credit metrics remain quite strong -- all good news.
Debt and liquidity
Ford ended the second quarter with $25.2 billion in cash available to its automotive business, down by about $1.3 billion from the end of 2017. It has an additional $10.9 billion in available credit lines, for total automotive liquidity of $36.1 billion -- down a bit from year-end but still a stout reserve.
Against that cash reserve, Ford had $16.2 billion in well-structured long-term debt as of the end of the quarter, down by about $300 million from year-end.
Looking ahead: Ford's guidance
Ford revised its full-year 2018 guidance downward on concerns about Europe and China. Ford is in the midst of a major product-line overhaul in Europe, but its most recent new products aren't delivering the margins that Ford had expected, in part because of exchange-rate headwinds. In China, Ford is moving to accelerate a major restructuring effort that is already underway.


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It marks 14 straight months of growth for most sites in the county.
September sales tax revenue countywide totaled more than $4.4 million, a growth of 5.2 percent (or about $217,000) compared to the same period last year.
And sales tax collections from businesses within the city of Kingsport continue to make up the bulk of all such collections, with about $2.67 million of the $4.4 million coming from within the Model City.
Businesses inside the city of Bristol generated $1.07 million of the $4.4 million.
For the two-month period since the current fiscal year began, the portion of sales tax collections generated within Kingsport represents growth of $91,364, or about 1.6 percent, compared to the same two months a year ago.
The figure for Bristol during the two-month period represents growth of $332,358, or about 17.2 percent, compared to a year ago.
Sales tax revenues come back to the localities two months after they are collected by local merchants. July sales tax collections, for example, came back as revenue to Sullivan County, Kingsport, Bristol, Bluff City and Johnson City — as well as to the three school systems in the county — this month.
Sales tax revenues are generated when money is spent on goods and services at businesses throughout the county and its cities.
When a consumer pays sales tax locally, it is sent to the state, which redistributes it to the county and its cities based on the collection site.
Local option sales tax revenues are split 50/50 — with half going to school systems in the county and the other half going to the local government where the collecting business is located.
Every dollar of local option sales taxes collected in Kingsport, for example, generates 50 cents for the county’s three school systems (the money is split based on average daily attendance) and 50 cents for city coffers.
Year-to-date, the countywide total for sale tax revenue is nearly $9.35 million. That represents an increase of $473,000 (or 5.33 percent) from the same period last year.
Where did the $9.35 million in revenue go?
According to the accounting office’s report (some numbers rounded):
• The city of Kingsport’s non-school share of taxes totals more than $2.85 million, an increase of $45,682 compared to a year ago.
• The Kingsport City Schools system’s share is more than $1.49 million, an increase of about $94,000 compared to a year ago.
• The city of Bristol’s non-school share totals more than $1.13 million, an increase of $166,000 compared to a year ago.
• The Bristol City Schools system’s share totals more than $926,000, an increase of $51,000 compared to a year ago.
• Sullivan County’s non-school portion of sales taxes generated outside the cities totals nearly $607,000, an increase of about $45,000 compared to a year ago.
• The Sullivan County Schools system’s share is more than $2.25 million, an increase of almost $91,000 compared to a year ago.


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10. The M/S Sergey Oil Tanker
As the last announcement made at Google's Data Center Efficiency Summit in 2009, Senior VP of Operations, Urs Hoelzle, informed attendees that the company had purchased an oil tanker: the M/S Sergey. Obviously a pun on Google co-founder Sergey Brin, this ship was to serve as a data center building that featured an oil-based cooling system. Get it? Google was launching an OIL-BASED cooling system at its EFFICIENCY SUMMIT! HAHA! Nevermind.


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even after the state gets the same cut. "It's just not possible to do both and have prices do anything but go up, at least in the near term," Anderson said. Under the old system, there were 328 stores that sold liquor in Washington. There are now more than 1,500 stores that sell liquor. Even so, in the first five months of privatized liquor sales in Washington, stores sold 12. 4 million liters of liquor, down from 13.
At Oregon's 12 border stores, sales increased by 34 percent. "They could have gone to bed last night without dinner and get up the next morning not knowing whether they'll have food today," said Idaho Food Bank president Karen Vauk. According to a 2009 study that was just released to the public, more than 90,00 children in the state of Idaho suffers from food insecurity. Adidas Stan Smith Leopard
ry published Monday in the Spokesman Review. Part of the reason for the increase is that the proposal was designed to prevent the state from losing money after it lost its monopoly. Essentially, that means stores have to find a way to squeak out a profit Stan Smith Primeknit Buy Online
In Ada County, the number is just over 20,000 and in Canyon County the number is nearly 16,000. Vauk says the statistics are much higher than what's on the report because even though it's recent data, it's data that was collected two years ago. "We've seen the number of families who are needing food and assistance go up significantly since 2009 so we be.
3 million liters of liquor in the same period a year earlier in the state's monopolized system. There are potential reasons for the drop besides increased prices. One is that drinkers in border areas are flocking to other states to buy booze. A bigger reason, more likely, is that people and businesses stocked up on liquor in the final month that state stores were in existence in fear of higher prices, and their stash isn't yet depleted. State stores in Idaho aren't the only shops benefiting from Adidas Stan Smith Alternative the change in Washington's liquor landscape. Liquor sales Adidas Stan Smith Beige
in Oregon increased 9. 4 percent in October 2012, compared to October 2011.
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MALAYSIA: Motorbike deal hurts struggling Proton
State-controlled car maker Proton Holdings on Tuesday reported a second straight quarterly loss on Tuesday, stung by its investment in an Italian motorbike firm, and poached a new boss from a rival.
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Margarita Forés has been named as the Asia’s Best Female Chef ahead of the announcement of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list on February 29th 2016, that will be livestreamed on Fine Dining Lovers here.
Forés, who was originally inspired to cook by a trip to Italy back in 1987, was awarded the prize for her work in Manila where she operate a number of Italian inspired restaurants and catering company. The chef has also recently opened a culinary institute in the Philippines where she teaches young chefs about the traditional cooking techniques of Italian cooking. She has also helped co-author a book called Kulinarya - a collection of regional dishes from the Philippines.
Speaking about the award, William Drew, Group Editor of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, said: “Margarita Forés is a worthy recipient of the Asia’s Best Female Chef Award. A true leader in her country’s restaurant sector, her dedication, culinary skills and pioneering efforts have elevated the dining scene in the Philippines and set a new benchmark for other chefs and restaurateurs to follow.”


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Monica Lewinsky, the White House intern whose affair with President Bill Clinton nearly got him kicked out of office, has made a point of declining interviews as she builds a new life.
During time, Monica Lewinsky, now 40, declined many interviews from the press, including TIME in 2009.
Her friend and former publicist, Barbara Hutson, explained that Monica Lewinsky was attempting, as best as possible, to avoid any publicity.
The New York Post reported last year, however, that Monica Lewinsky was rumored to be shopping around a $12 million dollar book deal – which promised to reveal a more salacious, detailed account of her illicit encounters with President Bill Clinton. The rumors alone have sparked a flurry of speculation about the resurrection of the scandal.
“Monica Lewinsky is Back” read a September 2012 headline in the New York Observer, echoing 15 years of headlines on the evergreen intern.
[youtube fpCv-UT2yCU 650]


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Classic candies you know and love, like Skittles and Sour Patch Kids, apparently contain unsafe amounts of titanium dioxide, which provides brightness in color to the product but is potentially harmful to the human body.
A proposed bill — Bill AB418 — is making its way through California legislation that would prohibit the sale, manufacture, and distribution of food containing titanium dioxide, red dye 3, potassium bromate, propylparaben, and brominated vegetable oil. Of those food additives, brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate and titanium dioxide are already banned in Europe.
The bill was first introduced in February by Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel. If it goes into effect, many companies will need to change their ingredients containing titanium dioxide or the products won't be permitted to sell in the state.
Substances like titanium dioxide are linked to cancer and organ damage and can be harmful to DNA, according to the Daily Mail.
California, your chance to "taste the rainbow," may be coming to a close sooner rather than later.


text: The United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas has concluded a judgment for patent and trademark infringement and related claims against Armor USA, on April 22, 2008. The judgment finds DSM's patent valid and infringed. It also finds that Armor USA infringed DSM's registered trademarks Dyneema® and Dyneema Purity® by using the brand name "Unima" in connection with products it was offering for sale. The judgment relates to DSM's super strong polyethylene fiber Dyneema®. With this judgment DSM was able to stop Armor USA from selling infringing products comprising polyethylene fiber on the US market. Armor USA is a Texas based company with manufacturing operations in China.


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Now that face masks and cloth coverings have become officially recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, many of us have scrambled to find designs that are comfortable and reusable.
While Etsy sellers quickly stepped up to the plate to provide affordable options, several popular fashion brands are doing the same. Better yet, some of them are also donating the profits from these masks to organizations that are helping those affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
If you’re looking for fabric face masks from well-known brands, here are 11 options from companies you know and love.
Anthropologie is currently offering masks from several brands, and the Amandi masks are already listed as a “top-rated” option. The masks are made with an open pocket for your filter of choice and come in five different gingham prints.
“Sometimes I find it difficult to achieve a good fit on a mask, but there’s a bendable strip along the bridge of the nose for a custom fit,” one reviewer wrote.
Amandi notes that the masks are made in a facility that is sanitized every night before production the next day. The brand is also selling other designs including mini gingham, plaid and floral face masks.
These machine-washable masks from Sanctuary are made with sturdy cotton muslin and include an adjustable bridge at the nose. The set is available in black or blue colorways and includes five different patterns.
These are currently available for pre-order and will ship on June 5.
Bunglo currently has several styles listed on Anthropologie’s site, and each is made with moisture-wicking 400 thread count cotton for extra comfort. The designs are also double-layered and reversible with different patterns on each side.
Everlane is known for its comfortable tees and trendy denim, and now it’s offering a three-pack of face masks made in downtown Los Angeles. The brand will donate a mask to Feeding America for every pack sold.
Old Navy is repurposing leftover fabric from popular items to make five-packs of washable masks for adults and children. Each three-layer mask comes with a different color or patterns and made with 100% cotton poplin.
The masks are expected to ship by June 16.
The popular denim brand is currently offering a five-pack of machine-washable masks featuring a simple striped design and made with a blend of comfortable cotton and polyester. For every pack purchased, the brand will donate five masks to those in need.
Kenneth Cole’s 100% cotton mask features a solid black design with the brand’s logo on the bottom. The New York-based brand will donate $1.50 to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for every mask purchased.
The mask is expected to ship by May 25.
By far one of the least expensive options, this $1 mask from Shein already has a 4.6-star rating based on over 700 customer reviews.
Celebrity-beloved brand, Rag & Bone, designed this 100% cotton mask that gives back. The New York-city based fashion brand will donate $5 from each purchase to City Harvest.
Reformation’s face masks feature tie straps for an adjustable fit. The five-pack comes in a variety of colors and fabrics and ships for free. You can also buy a separate pack that the brand will donate directly to those in need.
If you’re looking for face masks that include filters, these Madewell masks might be the best option for you. The cotton masks are made with leftover fabric from popular styles, so each pattern will be slightly different depending on when you order.
For more stories like this, check out:


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Antwerp: The Antwerp diamond industry, represented by the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC), is stepping up its efforts in combatting conflict diamonds. The city, largely owing its reputation as the most transparent and strictly controlled diamond trade centre to the rigorous controls of all diamond imports and exports at the Antwerp Diamond Office, is determined to continue its strong commitment towards the Kimberley Process. According to the AWDC, the increased vigilance and intensified controls have already resulted in the detection by the Diamond Office experts of a shipment likely containing conflict diamonds from the Central African Republic (CAR).
In June 2013, the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KP), the global control mechanism for rough diamonds, issued an export ban on rough diamonds originating from CAR. Because of the KP ban, any import of rough diamonds coming from CAR, accompanied by a Kimberley Certificate from CAR will not be allowed to enter the Antwerp market and will be confiscated.
Apart from the strict controls that are applied in Antwerp and the 100% physical control of each and every shipment that enters or leaves Antwerp, the Diamond Office procedures go even further. Each suspicious shipment is verified scrutinously, comparing the contents of the parcels with the so-called ‘production footprints’ of mining operations in conflict areas. Rough diamonds that are imported legally in Antwerp via other diamond trade hubs will be cross-checked on typical characteristics such as color, assortment and size using visual material from a typical rough production of a certain area, such as the CAR. Thus the Diamond Office experts can assess whether or not diamonds are likely originating from a specific conflict area.
By implementing these strict controls, Antwerp, the industry’s leading trade hub in terms of compliance and transparency, aims to give a strong signal and to prohibit that conflict diamonds enter the Antwerp market. According to a recent report from the Enough Project, today diamonds from CAR are still illegally entering the market in certain countries. These conflict diamonds enter the legal circuit, mostly through forged KP certificates that are insufficiently controlled via other diamond hubs.
The recent discovery of a suspicious shipment of rough diamonds and the strong indications these diamonds originate from CAR have now led the AWDC to raise the alarm. The AWDC calls upon all diamond centres to implement the same strict controls on import and export procedures and KP requirements. It is clear that the Kimberley Process, a unique cooperation between governments, industry and civil society, can only be a powerful tool if all KP participants take responsibility in the fight against conflict diamonds.


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There's no greater hell than waiting in a long line at Whole Foods on a Saturday afternoon. Luckily, there could be some sweet relief coming soon.
Alexa to the rescue? Maybe. Amazon announced on Friday its plans to acquire the grocery store chain in a deal valued at $13.7 billion.
So why in the world is America's biggest online retailer suddenly trying to get into the grocery industry?
Well, Amazon has been pushing to expand its footprint in the grocery business for quite some time. Even as many U.S. consumers are buying other goods like clothing and electronics online, groceries have been one of the last bastions of brick-and-mortar shopping.
Amazon essentially plans to shake up this notion with sophisticated technology like artificial intelligence, computer vision, customer profiling, and drone delivery systems. Imagine: Whole Foods without the obnoxiously long lines! What a world!
No checkouts = no line
Amazon has already outlined some of its high-tech ambitions to kill long lines at grocery stores when it previewed its concept store Amazon Go back in December.
The concept showed customers walking into a grocery store, grabbing items, and walking straight out. No lines. No checkout. No register. Get in, and get out. (The exact opposite of my current Whole Foods experience.)
The concept, as described by Amazon, is reliant on computer vision, deep learning, and sensor technology that lets the store track each individual and the goods they carry out of the story. The tech currently needs some work, though, because early tests of the concept store were rife with problems.
Nonetheless, Amazon Go gives us at least some idea of the seamless transactions the company wants to introduce in its brick-and-mortar stores. In the end, Amazon just wants to make it easier for people to buy things from Amazon stores. It's a lot like one-click purchasing from its online store, but reformatted to work in the real world.
Just a wave of the (Dash) Wand
To that end, the company will likely use its periphery gadgets to sell more in its grocery stores. For example, the Dash Wand that was just announced on Thursday lets you fill up your shopping cart by using voice commands or scanning barcodes on packages you have laying around the house.
This handheld device could ultimately be used to purchase goods from your local Whole Foods. The goods you purchase could then be delivered to your home or picked up at the store.
The Amazon Echo also has a similar grocery list feature. It is able to keep a running list of items you need to purchase, and syncs them across all your other Amazon devices. You can then order a product (say, toilet paper) by just saying it to your smart speaker.
Or the push of a button
The same idea of quick purchasing was emphasized in the Amazon Dash, the dedicated buttons that let you order more household goods just by pushing a button. The point of all these devices being that they will sync your shopping lists, and ultimately help you make those purchases through Amazon. Best of all, you get to skip the banal task of going to the grocery and walking aisle after aisle through stuff you don't actually need.
Ultimately, Amazon's goal is simply making it easier for people to buy stuff from the company. It's about keeping people locked in a purchasing loop. To that end, Amazon wants to give people options.
Back in 2013, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos introduced delivery drones in a widely publicized 60 Minutes interview. It's easy to imagine these type of delivery drones being implemented in the more than 400 Whole Foods stores around America.
Deploying drones from a local stores like Whole Foods will make it easier to reach doorsteps quickly and solves the greatest weakness of the drones, which is currently travel distance. In its first successful demonstration, Amazon delivery drone was only able to fly two miles. This will be less of an issue with Whole Foods stores everywhere.
All of this technology will be used in sum to personalize your shopping experience. For example, if you love pizza, the store might offer you some coupons on the way in or even send a push notification to your phone. At the end of the day, Amazon is still a data company, and this acquisition will likely be used to mine more information about your purchasing habits.
In the distant future, it's easy to imagine Whole Foods stores becoming showrooms, similar to the way books are treated in Amazon Books (the new brick-and-mortar bookstores). The obnoxious lines at Whole Foods will likely be killed, and it will be much easier to purchase goods—all while Amazon builds a detailed profile of the things you like to purchase.
It's a little creepy, but we'll gladly sacrifice some of our privacy to end the grueling task of standing in an hour-long line at Whole Foods.


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Most medical devices that were recently recalled by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were initially approved through the expedited 510(k) process, according to a new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Medical devices are reviewed by the FDA using two regulatory standards, the premarket approval, which requires clinical testing and inspections, and the 510(k) process, an expedited process which requires the device to be similar to the already marketed device.
For the study, researchers at National Research Center for Women & Families, US, analysed the FDA’s list of high-risk device recalls from 2005 to 2009, and found that 113 such devices were recalled.
Of the total high risk device recalls, 80 (71%) were approved through the 510(k) process, 21 (19%) were approved through the premarket approval process, and eight (7%) were exempt from regulation.
The most common recalled devices were cardiovascular devices (31%) and of these, 66% were approved through the 510(k) process and 12 (34%) were cleared through the postmarket approval process.
The authors note that these findings reveal critical flaws in the current FDA device review system and its implementation that will require either congressional action or major changes in regulatory policy.


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July 16, 2013
Connecticut Wine Festival in Goshen, July 27-28
The Connecticut Wine Festival will be held July 27 and 28 at the Goshen Fairgrounds, from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.
© 2014 Wine Communications Group - all rights reserved.
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A HUGE “ultra rare” purple-pink Russian diamond sold for a record £20MILLION at auction yesterday.
The flawless oval gem, "The Spirit of the Rose," was bought by wealthy telephone bidder who chose to remain anonymous, Sotheby's said.
Described as "a true wonder of nature" the auction house had estimated the diamond could fetch up to $38m (£29m) at the Geneva sale.
The stone weighing 14.83 carats was the largest pink diamond with that colour grading to ever be auctioned.
And the £20.1m price is the most expensive for a 'purple-pink' rock ever.
Reminiscent of the "Pink Panther' gem from the Peter Seller's film series, the rock was mined by Russian diamond producer Alrosa in July 2017.
It was cut from the largest pink crystal ever found in the country, Sotheby's said.
The diamond was shown in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taipei and is named after a 1911 ballet performed by the Ballets Russes and its legendary dancer Vaslav Nijinsky.
Coloured stones have been greatly valued by the super rich in recent years with top-quality pink diamonds especially prized.
The Argyle mine in western Australian, which produced the world's largest supply of pink diamonds, halted production last week due to depletion.
Tobias Kormind, of 77 Diamonds, Europe's largest online diamond jeweller, said: "The lucky buyer could well profit from prices soaring for pink diamonds in the coming years thanks to increased rarity.”
Naturally coloured diamonds occur because they possess a particular lattice structure that refracts light to produce coloured, rather than white, stones.
In 2016, a huge diamond known as 'the Oppenheimer Blue' - a 14.62-carat gem - set a new auction record, reaching a price of £34.7m.
Most read in News
And in 2015, a 12.03-carat ring-mounted blue diamond known as 'the Blue Moon' was bought by a Hong Kong tycoon for £31.7m.
Two years before that, the "largest vivid orange diamond in the world" sold at Christie's auction house for £22m.
In 2010, the 'Graff Pink' - which is not a 'purple-pink' rock - described as "one of the greatest diamonds ever discovered" sold for £29m.


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One person’s trash is another person’s treasure, and we can start with guilt-free clothes made from the by-products of food production.
So heading off to the office wearing a vegan leather jacket made from pineapple-leaf fibre or a dress crafted from a fabric sourced from banana skins might be just around the corner.
An increasing number of companies are recognizing the circular economy’s potential, both environmentally and economically. Toronto-based start-up Alt Tex uses food waste – fruit, vegetables and wheat deemed unsafe for human or animal consumption – to produce polylactic, an alternative to polyester.
Alt Tex CEO Myra Arshad shared, “We just started experimenting around how we can use existing resources that are already in the world to create fabrics in a more circular way. We truly believe we’re creating something that is the most sustainable fabric and superior to some of the things that have come before us.”


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The fast-growing buy now, pay later (BNPL) provider Affirm exceeded its own expectations Thursday (Sept. 9) as it delivered fiscal fourth-quarter results that showed continued uptake of its popular installment plan financing offers now being made at the point of sale, while its roster of active consumers nearly doubled over the past year.
For the three months ending June 30, Affirms top-line revenue came in at nearly $262 million, up 71% year on year, far outpacing the Street at about $225 million.
Guidance for the current quarter was also better than analysts had expected, providing a double dose of recalibration that saw its stock jump by almost 20 percent in extended trading.
The company’s guided revenue for the fiscal first quarter of 2022 now stands at $240 million to $250 million, which is higher than the Street at $233.9 million.
Drilling down into the earnings supplement offered by the company, Affirm said that active consumers grew by 97% to 7.1 million in the latest quarter. The growth rate marked an acceleration from Affirm’s year ago customer count of 3.1 million, which itself was up 77% over the previous fiscal year.
Transactions per active customer were 2.3 in the most recent period, gaining 8% year over year.
Gross merchandise value grew by more than 100% to $2.5 billion in the quarter.
Transaction data showed 71% of transactions were done at the point of sale; the remainder came across the Affirm website. Within the lending activity itself, 38% of GMV was done at 0% APR. Fashion was the most represented segment at 20% of GMV, with sporting goods and home goods each representing 18%.
There were 29,000 active merchants tallied in the latest period, representing 412% growth.
It’s important to note that the guidance does not assume any contribution from the recently announced partnership with Amazon.
Read Also: Amazon Moves into BNPL
During the conference call with analysts, CEO Max Levchin noted that in many cases, traditional credit cards had become equivalent to a “ball and chain” if users were unable to make payments. And amid the continued growth in BNPL, the company, according to management, is targeting GMV growth in the current fiscal year of more than 50%.
Chief Financial Officer Michael Linford noted that GMV growth was most apparent in the categories leveraged to reopen the economy. Roughly 29% of transactions, he said, originated from the firm’s owned and operated properties. Management said that credit quality remains strong, as provision for credit losses grew by just 14% compared to revenue growth of 71%.


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Bedding, children's toys among items BANNED in Wales amid lockdown
Step away from the Peppa Pig playset! Scented candles, toys and even poor old Henry the hoover… the everyday items shoppers are BANNED from buying under Welsh government’s crazy Covid rules
- Welsh First Minister announced on Thursday that shops could only sell ‘essential goods’ amid new lockdown
- Supermarket and other retailers were forced to block off aisles and make dozens of products unavailable
- Products which are also off-limits include toasted sandwich makers, microwaves and scented candals
Bedding, children’s toys, vacuum cleaners and clothes are among the items which are now off-limits in Welsh supermarkets following the imposition of a 17-day lockdown.
First Minister Mark Drakeford announced the move on Thursday, with supermarkets ordered to only sell ‘essential goods’.
It comes as Wales was plunged into a draconian ‘firebreak’ lockdown at 6pm Thursday that is expected to wreck the Welsh economy.
There were farcical scenes of shelves of ordinary goods which had been taped off, covered with plastic or blocked with pallets of drinks.
Critics including Madness of Crowds author Douglas Murray branded the move ‘madness’ and said the only person to benefit would be Amazon owner Jeff Bezos, hinting that shoppers would just buy things online instead.
The Welsh Government was also unable to provide clarity over what goods counted as ‘essential’, with one minister instead saying that he hoped retailers would have a ‘grown-up understanding’.
Below, MailOnline highlights some of the products, which also include toasted sandwich makers and microwaves, which are now off-limits to customers.
Vacuum cleaners (pictured) are among the items which supermarkets have deemed ‘non-essential’ after the Welsh Government’s imposition of a 17-day lockdown. Retailers have been ordered to sell only essential goods and so many supermarket aisles were roped off and products covered up
Bedding is also apparently considered a luxury item as duvets and sheets were seen taped off at a Tesco store in Pontypool
Children’s toys, including a mock ride-on lawn mower, were also taped off after being deemed ‘non-essential’ by staff at this Tesco store in Cardiff
Toys which parents cannot buy for their children also include a build-your-own toy digger and a ‘Little People’ ride-on toy car
Clothes, which many parents would put near the top of a priority list for their kids, were also taped off after being deemed non-essential at this Asda store in Cardiff
As well as children’s clothes, adults’ shirts were also seen taped off at the same Cardiff Asda store on Friday
Underwear and women’s shirts, dressing gowns and even bras were off-limits to customers at this Tesco store in Wales
Toasted sandwich makers
Toasted sandwich makers (pictured above in an Asda store in Cardiff) are also now considered a banned item in Welsh shops after the imposition of a 17-day lockdown.
Anyone with a birthday coming up might be disappointed this year because cards have also been deemed non-essential. Pictured: These cards were seen fenced off at a Cardiff Asda store
Microwaves were also considered a luxury item, although there is nothing to stop shoppers looking online to buy kitchen goods
Kettles were also covered with plastic sheeting in an effort to deter customers from putting them in their trolleys
Scented candles are also on the banned list. This picture was taken at a Tesco store in Pontypool on Friday
Cushions and towels
Christmas-themed cushions, as well as towels, are also considered a non-essential item and were seen fenced off at this Tesco store in Cardiff on Friday
Decorative plates were also off-limits at this Tesco store in Cardiff as shop staff sought to direct customers to products considered ‘essential’
Even though Christmas is fast-approaching, wrapping paper is also considered a luxury item and was seen taped up at this Tesco store
This week police revealed extraordinary plans to patrol the Anglo-Welsh border to stop families from crossing over for a half-term holiday as Wales was plunged into a two-week ‘firebreak’ lockdown.
Officers said they would try to stop caravans sneaking into England from Wales and deter Welsh motorists defying Mr Drakeford’s ‘power-mad’ orders from making ‘non-essential’ journeys.
Gloucestershire Police announced an operation covering routes from Wales into the Forest of Dean where officers would stop motorists travelling into England to find out what they were doing.
Drivers would be encouraged to turn around and head back to Wales if officers ‘are not satisfied with their explanation’, a spokesman said. If they refuse, police will tell forces in Wales so they can issue fines.
But drivers were later seen crossing the border on the A494 at Queensferry and on the A5445 between Chester and Wrexham in a breach of the new restrictions.
Mr Drakeford has threatened to use number plate recognition cameras to fine English drivers crossing into his country.
His call was echoed by Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who threatened to roll-out a similar travel ban across Scotland to stop people travelling from virus hotspots in England.
But the Police Federation of England and Wales has revealed the ban is ‘unenforceable’, adding policing which is ‘already over-stretched due to the pandemic’ would be complicated by the measure.
Wales was plunged into a draconian ‘firebreak’ lockdown at 6pm yesterday and it is expected to wreck the Welsh economy.
Under the measures, which will last 17 days, people will be asked to stay at home and to leave only for a limited number of reasons, including exercise, buying essential supplies, or to seek or provide care.
Source: Read Full Article


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IBC2019 is excited to present brand new thought-provoking, stimulating and disruptive conference tracks and timely technological debates that are set to ignite the industry’s most influential media, entertainment and technology event. With the conference and exhibition dates now aligned, all attendees will find inspiration in IBC’s world-class conference, which this year is themed Consumers First: A New Era in Media.
IBC’s Content Steering Group (CSG), a collection of industry experts and thought leaders from diverse industry sectors brought together by IBC, are the driving force behind this year’s conference, setting the agenda for a compelling event programme that addresses the biggest opportunities and challenges faced by the industry.
Keynote speakers will set the tone for the entire event, examining the current state of the industry and sharing their visions for the future. They include Cécile Frot-Coutaz, Head of EMEA, YouTube; Arnaud de Puyfontaine, Chairman, Vivendi; and Max Amordeluso, EU Lead Evangelist, Amazon Alexa.
The main conference is split into five new tracks, with a different daily focus on each stage of the end-to-end media content chain, with invaluable insight from over 300 expert speakers from around the world.
- Create & Produce: Creating Disruption offers insights into new technologies and concepts including interactivity and 8K production.
- Manage: Automating Media Supply Chains looks at AI and other new technologies that can create more successful media supply chains.
- Publish: Embracing the Platform Revolution presents new business models that are disrupting the industry.
- Consume: Engaging Consumer Experiences delves into consumer consumption habits and next-gen fan engagement.
- Monetise: Scaling Audiences and Revenues shines a light on brands as broadcasters and new models of advertising.
Each track will also feature Tech Talks, presenting cutting-edge technical papers and in-depth discussions on the technology enabling the media content chain.
The Global Gamechangers stage makes a welcome return to IBC, bringing the foremost innovators and business disruptors from across the media, entertainment and technology spectrum to share successes and stimulate debate. Gary Shapiro, President and CEO, Consumer Technology Association; Jane Turton, CEO, All3Media, and Lisa Opie, Managing Director, UK Production, BBC Studios are among the confirmed speakers who will discuss their opinions and experiences.
Esports, arguably the fastest growing sector in the industry, plays a major role at IBC2019 as this sector continues to experience unprecedented global growth. The IBC Esports Showcase, supported by ESL, Lagardère and EVS, will feature a first for IBC – a full esports tournament staged in the Auditorium, bringing the excitement and fan engagement generated by esports events, while demonstrating the size and scale of a typical event. The showcase will also present a series of esports focused scene-setters, panels, keynotes and interviews.
An exciting new collaboration between IBC and TM Forum will bring the Media-Telecom Catalyst projects to IBC. Three unique Catalyst projects will drive open innovation between the telecoms and media industries and include participation from Al Jazeera, Associated Press, BBC R&D, RTÉ and more to exploit 5G, AI, and data management to solve business and technology challenges and improve customer experience.
The Big Screen will deliver a stunning program of events and screenings that take full advantage of the very latest cinema projection and sound equipment. With sessions from the BBC Studios Natural History Unit ahead of Attenborough’s next big wildlife epic, Game of Thrones with an exclusive screening of The Long Night and the team behind Toy Story, in line with the release of Toy Story 4, the Big Screen is one of this, years must-attend features.
Award-wining news presenter and journalist, Kirsty Wark, will host this year’s invitation-only Leaders’ Forum, which once again will run alongside the Cyber Security Forum and Telco & Media Innovation Forum bringing together the industry’s most influential executives to discuss and debate the future of the industry.
The prestigious IBC Awards ceremony will take place on Sunday 15 September to celebrate the industry’s highest achievements. IBC is delighted to present two new awards this year: The Young Pioneer Award will recognise the outstanding commitment, ambition and achievement of young professionals in creative, technical, commercial or strategic roles; while the Social Impact Award will recognise a company initiative or campaign that is making a positive impact in the wider world.
More details will follow in the coming weeks about additional speakers and features at IBC2019.


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September 5th, 2011, 21:49 PM
Apple and Police Ransack Home to Find iPhone 5
The saga continues in the hunt for a missing iPhone 5 prototype, with the tale taking a disturbing twist as police revealed Apple employees accompanied officers as they ransacked a private residence in San Francisco.
Apple reportedly lost a prototype iPhone 5, the next iteration of its yet-to-be released smartphone, in a San Francisco bar late July. Police issued a statement Friday that they had traced the phone back to a residence, and Apple employees accompanied them as they raided the home.
"The two Apple (security) employees met with the resident and then went into the house to look for the lost item. The Apple employees did not find the lost item and left the house," the police statement said.
The homeowner, 22-year-old Sergio Calderon, told media outlets that he went to the same bar where the device was lost but had no knowledge of the missing phone.
Full story: International Business Times


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A blog focusing on 1/64 diecast from such popular brands as Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Johnny Lightning, M2 Machines, GreenLight, Tomica, Yat Ming, Majorette, MotorMax, Siku, Corgi, Guisval, Playart, Ertl, Zylmex, Racing Champions, & many more. Swifty's Garage features a daily Car Of The Day and news updates from your favorite brands!
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
As quickly as the forum went back on it's gone just as fast. It's still an issue on part of zetaboards. If they do not remedy the situation, the moderator team will begin to look at alternative options. For now we'll wait and see about zeta.


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Shares of Indonesian retailer and IT firm PT Multipolar
and supermarket operator PT Matahari Putra Prima
jumped as much as 18 percent each on Tuesday,
continuing their rallies into a second day following an
Singapore's state investor Temasek Holdings will
indirectly buy a 26.1 percent stake in Indonesia's second
biggest hypermarket-chain operator worth $300 million via its
controlling shareholder Multipolar, as it aims to tap growing
consumer demand in Indonesia
The deal, if concluded, will make Temasek one of the major
shareholders in Matahari, beating international retailers such
as Wal-Mart Stores Inc that have been trying to buy into
the company over the last few years.
Since October, private equity firm CVC Partners has
hired CIMB, Morgan Stanley and UBS to sell a
stake worth as much as $3.5 billion in Indonesian group PT
Matahari Department Store, attracting Japan's Aeon Co
Ltd and a unit of Thailand's Central Group.
Multipolar, Matahari Putra Prima and Matahari Department
Store are controlled by Indonesian conglomerate Lippo Group.
Multipolar's shares were up 13.64 percent at 500 rupiah
while Matahari Putra's shares rose 15.96 percent at 1,770
rupiah. The broader Jakarta Composite index was down
1040 (0340 GMT)