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Menlo Park may seem like an odd location for an exotic car show, given the city's predilection for biking, walking and other "green" modes of transportation. But perhaps the offer of baked goods will tempt residents to attend a new monthly event that debuts Saturday, April 5: "Cars and Croissants."
100 Oct, an organization that hosts exotic and performance car shows, rallies and drives in the Bay Area, has partnered with the city to bring this free event to downtown Menlo Park, according to Economic Development Manager Jim Cogan.
On Saturday, the car show will be held from 9 a.m. to noon in the parking lot between Evelyn and Crane streets. Future events will be held on Santa Cruz Avenue, the city said.


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PS4 is coming later in June
As promised Bethesda has finally added modding capabilities to the Xbox One edition of Fallout 4, and you can go to the official site to check out what’s available. The system has already had a lot of drama in the past 24 hours, with mods that allow you to kill kids getting removed, busty mods entering the picture that skirt the “no nudes” restrictions, some concerns with massive “meant for PC” alterations like Re-Growth, and connectivity issues.
Also note that achievements will be locked if you use any mods on that particular file. PS4 mod support will be here soon enough, though no official date has been locked down.

domain: news


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The S&P 500 index fell slightly, losing 0.3%, last week as data showed US consumer prices rose modestly in July and the tech and materials sectors lost ground.
The index is now down 2.7% for the month of August so far but still solidly in positive territory for 2023 with a year-to-date gain of 16%.
The US seasonally adjusted consumer price index, a measure of inflation, rose by 0.2% in July, right on expectations from a survey compiled by Bloomberg, following a 0.2% increase in June. Core CPI, which excludes food and energy prices, also rose by 0.2%, as expected, after the same gain in June.
The report also showed the rate for core CPI slowed to 4.7% from 4.8%. While this is still well above the Federal Reserve’s 2% goal, the slower rate boosted investors’ hopes for the Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee to pause interest rate increases.
The technology sector had the largest percentage drop off the week, sliding 2.9%, followed by a 1% decline in materials, a nearly 1% fall in consumer discretionary and slip of less than 0.1% in financials. All other sectors were in positive territory for the week, led by a 3.5% rise in energy and a 2.5% boost in health care, but the decliners more than offset them.
This week, retailers including Home Depot, Target, Walmart and TJX will be releasing their latest quarterly results.
Get instructions on how to enable our Flash News Briefing skill to your Amazon devices:


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🔥 @Thicc @Verified Ducks @everyone 🔥
**We have some exciting news to share with you! **
We are thrilled to announce that we have formed a partnership with Magic Eden, to launch an NFT collection on Polygon.
This collaboration is a part of our new KingFrog Crossing game that will soon be available on both iOS and Android platforms ✅
We believe this partnership will help us take the KingFrog Crossing game to new heights, offering a fun and rewarding experience for our players.
**So, get ready to jump into the exciting world of KingFrog Crossing, collect NFTs, and win big. **
**We can’t wait to see you in the game!**


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COMMENT: Farmers have every right to ask for a bigger slice of Ireland’s more than significant food retail cake. And, by the way, this does not mean that local consumers should have to pay more for the food they are buying in the shops. What it does mean, however, is that the supermarkets should be challenged more on the profits they make from food sales!
But there is good news at the end of this dark tunnel. Despite the ‘so-called’ credit crunch and all the talk of food inflation, recent market research has confirmed a local consumer preference for the food produced here in Ireland. Not alone does it give tangible support to the view that the agri-food sector is held in high esteem but it also gives valuable insights into how the industry can build on this good will for the future.
And for this to happen it is crucial that farming continues to put its best foot forward by communicating to local consumers why they are getting value for money.
There’s no doubt the public is prepared to pay that little bit extra if they feel they are buying a superior product. The last 10-years have seen food become a major news issue, and sometimes for all the wrong reasons. However, there is a silver lining to all of this and it comes in the form of an ever expanding media that is ‘hungry’ to pick up on stories which highlight the various aspects of the way in which our food is produced.
And in this context Ireland has nothing to fear. In fact the opposite is very much the case. We enjoy possibly the highest production, animal welfare, traceability and processing standards in the world. So why not let consumers know about this. Agriculture has nothing to hide. Let’s get away from a fortress farming approach and open our doors fully to the press and media at large.
More transparency is required when it comes to determining what price a consumer pays for a particular product and how this relates back down the various stages of the food processing and production chain.
No one is saying that supermarkets can’t add on a reasonable margin. Every business is in existence to make a profit. But the same principle must also hold for the primary producer.
Farmers by their very nature are weak sellers. And this will always be the case for as long as the general public want to see a countryside that is built around a ‘family farm’ ethos. So it is for this reason that a special case can be made for agriculture when it comes to determining how the multi-national food retailing corporations deal with the industry.
The supermarkets know full well that many farmers consider them with a fair degree of suspicion. But at the end of the day the issue is pretty black and white. If the retailers want to have a viable farming and food sector on their doorstep then the onus is on them to provide a transparent and level playing field for everyone to play on!


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Wagamama fans - here's your first look at the chain's first-ever eatery on Teesside.
Final preparations are underway at Teesside Park this week as the Asian-style eatery prepares to open its doors to the public on Monday, December 4. Excitement has been building for the restaurant for months, with the chain's branding recently being added to the front alongside images of some of the mouth-watering foods set to be served up.
Images that previously covered the front have now been stripped away, giving shoppers a first glance into what the store will look like. From brickwork to a huge Wagamama sign surrounded by sleek white lines, the interior is looking ready to go - with shrubs and outdoor seating also being placed just outside the windows.
- READ MORE: Cinema release date for Teesside-shot action thriller Jackdaw starring Jenna Coleman
The new restaurant will seat 126 diners inside and 26 outside, and will be open for seven days a week. The site has been months in the making, first being lined up for a move to the shopping complex back in April.
When the doors open on Monday, fans will be able to expect all of the venue's classic favourites, from chicken katsu to ramens and bao buns. The site will also be serving up some new Korean-inspired dishes, including hot pots, with chicken, steak or silken tofu, and street food favourite, k-dogs - made with a vegan twist and a crunchy noodle crumb.
Milly Pearson, regional marketing manager for Wagamama, previously said: “We are so excited to open the doors to our brand new restaurant in Teesside. Our benches will soon be welcoming the local community and visitors to the shopping destination and we can’t wait to serve up our newest menu launch and fresh favourites.
"Our fantastic new team have been working hard to ensure we’ll bring our much-loved Wagamama experience to our guests and they’re so excited to land in their beautiful new restaurant once works are complete."
Catherine Furlong, centre director at Teesside Park, added: “It’s great that the first Wagamama in the region is opening here at Teesside Park. It is going to be a brilliant addition and we know it will prove very popular with visitors.
"We’re looking forward to the doors opening in December, the perfect timing for people to grab a bite to eat between Christmas shopping or for meals with family and friends during the festive season."


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Google.com is Officially 20 Years Old!
Google is a confused kid when it comes to celebrating birthdays. Yes, it is indeed true that Google doesn’t really remember when it’s birthday is (Read in Detail). However, there’s one date that is undeniable – 15th of September, 1997.
This was the day that Google registered the Google.com domain. This means that the domain is now officially 20 years old. It has been two decades since Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin registered Google.com. Google marked this occasion with this video:
Domain registration is the online equivalent of being born as this is the day the brand first came into it’s online existence. While there have been a number of debates over Google’s ‘birthday’, the strongest legit contender is 15th of September.
Interestingly, Google Assistant too, is in the birthday spirit. Google’s digital assistant, the Google Assistant has become much more interactive than it was at launch. If you wish the Google Assistant a Happy Birthday now, it would reply to you with an interesting response – Google was founded on 4th September. Interestingly, the company was founded almost a year later after the domain was registered.
While the Google.com domain was registered on the 15th of September 1997, the company came into being on the 4th September. Google Assistant still states that Google’s Birthday is on the 4th of September. Technically Google still has a year to go before it hits 20!
If you weren’t an internet user in 1998 or were born after the year, here’s a quick look at how Google.com looked back then:
The company has had quite an interesting history. Over the years Google has evolved and has blossomed from being just a search engine to a multinational giant with their wings spread across an array of services. Stay tuned with us for more interesting news and all the latest updates from Google!


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In the wake of numerous reports that all point to the same conclusion – that malware infestation is running amok on Android – the Internet giant made an unusually open statement through the mouth of its Android lead, Sundar Pichai, who finally admitted that Android wasn’t built for security.
“If I had a company dedicated to malware, I would also be targetting Android”, Pichai allegedly said to a stunned audience at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. When your own platform lead starts making such frank statements about Android security, it’s high time you considered taking these security reports at face value…
Here’s a machine-translated quote from the original in French, via FrAndroid:
We cannot guarantee that Android is designed to be safe as the platform was designed to give more freedom.
When people talk about 90 percet of malware on Android, they must of course take into account the fact that it’s the most used operating system in the world.
If I had a company dedicated to malware, I would also be targetting Android.
Actually, Android accounts for an unbelievable 98 percent of all new mobile threat detections, Kaspersky Lab said yesterday.
As Daring Fireball‘s John Gruber noted, Google has indeed become the new Microsoft.
The old Windows line of defense: Android is so popular of course it has all the malware. For some reason, though, that’s the only sort of software where Android leads iOS in third-party developer support.
For the sake of completeness, Google Chairman was ridiculed last October during a question-and-answer session at the Gartner Symposium over his stubborn insistence that Android is more secure than the iPhone.
Android’s susceptibility to malware is often ridiculed by the Apple camp and even Apple’s own executives aren’t immune to this. For example, Apple’s own marketing head, Phil Schiller, last March tweeted out a link pointing to a mobile security report criticizing Android’s lack of security.
While Android’s popularity does make it an attractive target for malware creators, there’s no denying the fact that, at its core, Android is less secure than iOS or Windows Phone for that matter. If it were the other way round, Android – not iOS – would dominate in large scale enterprise deployments.
Part of it is purely technical.
Because most Android devices ship with a combination of open source and proprietary software, complexity increases which in turn introduces numerous attack vectors.
Another facet to this debate is Google’s proclaimed openness: the company doesn’t screen app submissions so malware disguised as innocent-looking apps easily sneaks its way into Google’s Play store.
To its credit, Google removes malware as soon as it’s been discovered and written about, though the damage by then will have already been done. This is in stark contrast to Apple, which curates the App Store content to ensure that only high-quality, malware-free apps make it into the store.
Which isn’t saying Apple’s devices are immune to security vulnerabilities.
They are not.
A nasty SSL bug discovered last week made all iOS devices and Macs vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks. A few days later, Apple issued a crytical security patch via OS X Mavericks 10.9.2, iOS 7.0.6/6.1.6 and Apple TV 6.0.2 software updates.
Responding to the security scare, 13.3 percent of active iOS devices in the wild were spotted running iOS 7.0.6 just 48 hours after its release, ad network Chitika noted. Two days later, the adoption figure has risen to 26 percent of total iOS-based North American web traffic, a cool thirteen percentage point increase.
Another example: a new iOS security flaw makes it possible for attackers to covertly log every touch a user makes, including keyboard and Touch ID presses.
Apple yesterday added new features to its suite of enterprise deployment tools, making it easier to manage fleets of devices remotely, deliver configuration profiles wirelessly and more. The company has also issued a refreshed version of the iOS Security white paper [PDF download] which offers new details on how iOS 7 and hardware features such as Touch ID, A7 and Secure Enclave boost iOS security.


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Jimmy John’s in Westlake will be celebrating its third anniversary on Nov. 29, 2014.
That was freaky fast! Just like Jimmy John’s.
“We are doing great with the Westlake business community, and we want more businesses to know about us – especially with the holiday season coming up,” says Gary Wagner, owner of the Westlake Jimmy John’s.
Just where is the Westlake Jimmy John’s, anyway? It’s located at 29998 Detroit Rd. in West Bay Plaza.
This will take you to a place where an irreverent attitude, low price, great food and delivery with a smile always remain the same.
Wagner is a North Ridgeville resident who opened the first Jimmy John’s on Cleveland’s west side several years ago in North Olmsted.
“Yes, we are a little hidden from the people who live in the area, in a shopping center behind KeyBank in West Bay Plaza,” said Wagner of the Westlake Jimmy John’s. But they are busy with 25 employees and 8-10 delivery drivers at lunch time.
“Our goal is to make every delivery in under 15 minutes,” said Tom Bolda, General Manager. “We do try to get all of our deliveries out in under four minutes.”
Westlake Jimmy John’s serves an active customer base in Westlake, Bay Village, and eastern Avon and Avon Lake. Residents of developments like Settler’s Reserve, Savannah and The Estates are used to seeing Jimmy John’s delivery vehicles in the neighborhood.
So are many businesses along Clemens Road and even Crocker Park.
“We get deliveries to Crocker Park all the time,” said Bolda. With the holidays coming, it is good for stores and businesses to know that Jimmy John’s can keep your staff happy and fueled up during busy holiday times, even Black Friday.
Jimmy John’s has been the go-to caterer for top retailers in the area who want to keep their Black Friday and product-launch employees stoked with good food. For easy to carry, easy to use catering, Jimmy John’s offers Box Lunches – and to mix and match your favorite subs, the store offers 15 and 30 piece Party Platters too.
“We have had stores stagger deliveries with us throughout the day during long-hour days like Black Friday,” said Bolda. “That is our specialty – last minute catering.”
“Jimmy John’s definition of fresh is worlds apart from everyone else’s,” says the company website. Wagner knows it’s true. “Bread is baked fresh here all day. We can’t keep it for more than four hours so we work hard to not run out. Our veggies are prepared every morning, tomatoes and onions sliced fresh, and our meats are all sliced here, not pre-portioned or pre-packaged.”
Jimmy John’s Westlake: Where the employees are the ordinary people doing extraordinary things. They want to be the best. They don’t mind doing whatever it takes to get the job done, and their hustle is part of how they live their daily lives.
Place your order by calling (440) 250-8900 or ordering online at jimmyjohns.com


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Sony and Naughty Dog have finally announced what must be the worst kept secret in gaming this year: The Last of Us Remastered, a PS4 re-release of last year’s apocalyptic smash hit. Rumours have been circulating about it since the PS4’s launch, and were been given extra credence when Playstation’s Eurasian Software Market Manager Sercan Sulun let slip about the upcoming remaster in an interview, met with a suspicious silence by Sony. Soon after, a listing for the increasingly-less-mythical port showed up on the website of Spanish retailer XtraLife. Then just yesterday, a NeoGaf user found this come up with a broken link on PSN:
After the word went round, and scores of other Playstation owners also found the ad on PSN, it seems that Sony and Naughty Dog finally decided that the cat was well and truly out of the bag and it was time to spill the details. Quoth the blog post:
“Moving our efforts to the PS4 has allowed us to remaster an already phenomenal looking The Last of Us in 1080p with a list of upgrades including higher resolution character models, improved shadows and lighting, upgraded textures, along with even more improvements.”
At this stage the remastered version has been confirmed to include:
- The Left Behind single-player expansion;
- The Abandoned Rerritories and Reclaimed Territories multiplayer packs;
- Commentaries for all cutscenes featuring Creative Director/Writer Neil Druckman, and lead voice actors Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson.
All up, this is looking to be a similar package to the excellent Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition and a smart move by Sony. There are a ton of PS4 owners who defected from other platforms (I should know, I am one of them) who never got to play The Last of Us on its initial release. This title has been my personal gaming white whale in recent times, a game I was so desperate to play I probably would’ve bought a PS3 for it if I hadn’t already been saving to fund a PS4 pre-order. Getting to finally play it with remastered 1080p graphics and the DLC? I’m in there like swimwear.
There’s been no announcement of a price yet, but with the accidental PSN posting quoting $60 we’re probably safe to assume that it’ll be a full-price deal. Ditto with the release date: The blog post only cites ‘Summer 2014′, though the XtraLife’s listing of June 19th as the release date makes some sense. With Drive Club turning into Chinese Drive-ocracy and The Order: 1886 still several months out, Sony are running the risk of going into E3 without a freshly-minted AAA exclusive to boast about. A graphically-boosted re-release of their most critically lauded game in years, on the new hardware and hitting the anniversary of the game’s initial release, could be a good buzz-generator that allows them to somewhat dodge the whole ‘lack of games’ conundrum.
Whatever their plans, here’s hoping this thing lands soon.


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Fresh Apple Rumors; Microsoft Kills Russian Phishing Domains; Facebook Gives Us Reputation Score; Aston Martin Building 25 ‘Goldfinger’ DB5 ReplicasPosted: August 21, 2018 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Apple, Aston Martin, DB5, Facebook, Fake news, Goldfinger, GRU, James Bond, Mac Mini, Microsoft, Phishing domains, Reputation, Retina display, Russia, Watch, Wireless charging Leave a comment
Several Apple tidbits seeped out yesterday. Businessinsider says Apple will release a new Mac Mini this fall aimed at pro users. The $500 Mini has no screen or keyboard, but you can hook them up and make it into an inexpensive computer. Often, however, they are used in computer rooms as remote computers and storage options for businesses. Also in the wings is a new laptop which will be like a MacBook Air. It’s unclear if it will BE an Air or just called MacBook, but will come with a 13 inch ‘Retina’ display…allegedly with a higher resolution than Apple uses on other products. It will also have thinner bezels around the screen.
In addition, Apple will be dropping new Watch models….they have registered 6 numbers with the EU. The Watch is supposed to get a bigger screen, better health sensors, and longer battery life. The Watch could bow with new iPhones..no date, but thought to be on September 12th if Apple follows previous years.
Finally, from Cupertino, the iPhones may be getting faster wireless charging. Presently, they can be charged at a maximum of 7.5 watts with a software update, but it looks like Apple will jump that up to 15 watts, matching what Samsung phones can do for wireless fast charging.
Microsoft has pulled 6 phishing domains that belong to Russian government hackers. They had been registered to the GRU military intelligence agency….the ones alleged to have stolen and leaked the hacked Clinton emails in 2016. Theverge.com says the domains were aimed at spoofing government targets like ‘senate.group’ and ‘adfs-senate-email.’ Others were aimed at the International Republican Institute and the Hudson Institute…two conservative think tanks which have been critical of President Trump. It appear that these domains had yet to be used, to Microsoft may have prevented more Russian interference into the 2018 election.
In an effort to fight gaming of their systems that has allowed malicious users to post fake news, and false reporting of true items as untrue, Facebook has started assigning users a reputation score ranging from zero to one. According to bloomberg.com, it’s not intended to be an absolute indicator of a person’s credibility, but it’s one of numerous behavioral clues the company is using to try to fight fake news and people who tag items as false just because they disagree with them. Academics are already complaining that Facebook isn’t being transparent about this, but OTOH, if they were, people would be able to more easily game this safeguard.
You may get a chance to buy a copy of one of the most legendary movie cars ever made. Aston Martin is going to build 25 new DB5 cars like the one featured in James Bond’s ‘Goldfinger.’ Arstechnica.com says the cars won’t have an ejection seats, and even though they won’t be street legal, probably won’t have machine guns, oil slick dispensers, or tire flatteners, but will have a rotating license plate. No word on the pop up bulletproof shield. Dust off your checkbook…they will go for $3.51 million bucks EACH!


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Australia to get new iPad first but there’s no 4G
Australia will be one of the first places in the world where eager customers can get their hands on the new third generation iPad when it goes on sale on March 16.
Released on the same day in the US, the new iPad will be available earlier in Australia because of the time difference.
It will also go on sale in Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan and the UK on March 16.
The new iPad has a high definition Retina Display with four times the resolution of the iPad 2 along with a dual core A5X 1.5Ghz processor.
And the good news is the new iPad will be even cheaper than the iPad 2.
The new iPad will be available in black and white and will be priced at $539 (16GB wi-fi), $649 (32GB wi-fi) and $759 (64GB wi-fi) and $679 (16GB 3G/4G + wi-fi), $789 (32GB 3G/4G + wi-fi) and $899 (64GB 3G/4G + wi-fi).
But the bad news for Australians considering buying the new iPad is that it won’t work on Telstra’s 4G network.
The third generation iPad has 3G and 4G compatibility. The 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) specs for the new iPad show support for 700Mhz and 2100Mhz.
Telstra’s 4G network, which has been operating in Australia since last year, runs on the 1800Mhz frequency.
Interestingly the new iPad will be compatible with the Optus 4G network when it is activated. The Optus 4G network will run at 700Mhz – which is the same as the AT&T network in the US.
The new iPad will still work on Australia’s 3G networks including Telstra’s fast and reliable Next G network.
In fact the device will work even faster on Next G than the iPad 2 because it supports HSPA+.
Apple sold more than 55 million iPads in less than two years
Adam Leach, principal analyst at Ovum, says Apple will build on its already significant lead with the new iPad.
“There is no doubt that Apple not only leads the tablet market with the iPad 2, but also created today’s arena for tablet devices,” he said.
“Since the introduction of the iPad other manufacturers have struggled to respond with products that have appealed to consumers in the same way.
“It is not the first time that Apple has enjoyed a first-mover advantage; however, we expect competition to get more intense through 2012.
“High on the list of challengers will be Google and Microsoft; both companies hoping to break into the growing tablet market by providing hardware manufacturers with the software platforms and developer ecosystems that will allow them to compete directly with Apple’s iOS.”


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What are 'vishing' scams and how can people protect themselves?
- Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
Fraudsters are continuing to target people in Suffolk with so-called 'vishing' scams, it has been warned.
Suffolk Trading Standards said while the Covid-19 pandemic saw criminals exploit people's fears over the virus, scammers are still using similar 'phishing' techniques to try to steal money.
Vishing is where scammers will call victims on landlines or mobile phones pretending to be from banks, building societies, government agencies or well-known companies to obtain information from the person.
If collected, that information is then used to trick victims into handing over money or to commit fraud elsewhere.
The word vishing is a combination of ‘voice’ and ‘phishing’.
Impersonation scam cases almost doubled in the UK in 2020 as criminals sent fraudulent emails claiming to offer government support to those impacted by the pandemic and scam text messages requesting payments to book a Covid-19 vaccine.
They also impersonated delivery companies to exploit the rise in online shopping.
While data from Action Fraud revealed that more than £10million has been lost by victims to courier fraud - a type of vishing scam where fraudsters come to victims home to collect cash or items following a fake call.
In Suffolk, victims lost more than £137,000 to courier fraud in the past 13 months, according to Action Fraud's rolling data.
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Sasha Watson, from Suffolk Trading Standards, said more people have picked up scam calls on their landline due to working from home.
"As a country, a lot more people have been working from home and being bombarded with telephone calls on their landline - which they would not normally be picking up," she said.
"So there's been a higher number of people falling foul to those types of phishing calls - and that's all age ranges.
"We saw postal scams increase during the lockdowns because people were having to order online and therefore people were having more deliveries at home.
"The scammers jumped straight onto that with text messages sent through telling people they had missed a delivery or hadn't paid for the delivery, and to click on the link.
"Because we've lived in a different way during those lockdowns, it's opened it up for criminals to target more people."
She urged people never to give out personal details, never to click on suspicious links and never to give remote access to computers following a cold call.


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LUXURY HOUSING STILL SLOW
Nineteen homes and condominiums valued at $1 million or more changed hands in this county during February, adding to a slow start for the year at housing's luxury level.
Those sales totaled $38 million.
During February 2012, there were 28 sales totaling $56.6 million, so last month's sales were 47 percent lower and the dollar volume was down 33 percent.
But last month was still better than January, when only 14 homes and condos priced at $1 million or more changed hands, with a dollar value of $27.4 million.
The average through the three months was nearly identical at roughly $2 million.
Michael Moulton, who specializes in luxury properties at regional brokerage Michael Saunders & Co., advised against reading too much into month-to-month fluctuations. A couple of $5 million-level sales in one month can skew comparisons with other months, Moulton said. Those properties also can take longer to close, so may be delayed in showing up in reports.
Inventory in the luxury market is dwindling -- normal is 12 to 18 months -- and more buyers are showing interest in building new homes, Moulton said.
"Well-priced homes are the first ones to go," he said. "More people are considering building what they want.
"We still have a couple years of luxury inventory that will stay for a while," he said.
Tom Wagner, a luxury specialist with Re/Max Alliance Group in Sarasota, agreed that interest in high-end homes remains strong.
"I've gotten a lot of calls and a lot of showings set up for upper-end properties, and some of them I have not been showing for a long time," Wagner said.
Interest is coming from across the country, and for homes above the $4 million mark, said Wagner, whose sales totaled $17.9 million in 2012.
He credits pent-up demand and the rising stock market for bringing out buyers.
"People are feeling wealthier right now," Wagner said. "We're going to be seeing some good sales in the next two to three months."
Mostly on the islands
All but one of the priciest houses sold during February were on Sarasota County's barrier islands: four on Siesta Key, two each on Longboat and Lido keys, and one on Bird Key.
The most expensive was a 7,218-square-foot house on Siesta's Flamingo Avenue that changed hands for $10 million. The previous owners had paid $2.5 million in 1998 and built the house the following year.
Next was a 3,435-square-foot Longboat Key condominium unit at the Water Club on Gulf of Mexico Drive that sold for $2.8 million. The seller paid $1.6 million for the unit in December 1999.
Third was the only mainland property on the list, a 4,256-square-foot house on Bay Harbor Lane that changed hands for $2.3 million. The previous owners paid $3 million in March 2006.
Rounding out the list:
Agents say interest is high despite sluggish start to year


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LISLE, Ill.– Navistar announced this week that it will stop all engine production at its plant in Melrose Park, Ill., by the second quarter of 2018.
The company will continue the facility’s transformation into Navistar’s technical center, including truck and engine testing and validation as well as used truck sales and reconditioning.
The majority of engines produced at Melrose Park are medium duty 9/10 liter engines used in International Class 6 and 7 vehicles.
The cessation of engine manufacturing at Melrose Park is expected to affect about 170 employees and reduce Navistar’s operating costs by approximately US$12 million annually. The company will take an approximate $43 million charge as a result of this action, including approximately $8 million of cash related charges.
“Ceasing production of engines at Melrose Park is a difficult decision, but represents another important step on our journey to strengthening the company’s competitiveness,” said Persio Lisboa, Navistar chief operating officer. “Our N9/10 engine family was updated in 2014 and since then has served as a competitive niche offering for specific medium-duty vehicles. As we approach future regulatory requirements, the low volume nature of the platform could not justify further product development investments on it.”
In 2013, Navistar reintroduced the option of a 6.7 liter Cummins engine for its Class 6/7 medium duty vehicles, followed in 2016 by a 9 liter Cummins engine option, both of which have been well received by customers. All of the engines Navistar and its partners manufacture for the U.S. market will continue to be built in America.
IA significant portion of the hourly employees at Melrose Park are retirement-eligible, Navistar said adding, assistance and opportunities for retraining will be offered.
“Ending production anywhere is a difficult decision because it affects employees,” Lisboa said. “We continue to be committed to investing in our Melrose Park facility as we complete its transformation into a technical center that is integral to our product design, engineering and sales teams. Given the investments we’ve made, we expect to have a significant presence in Melrose Park for years to come.”


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Jaipur, January 18, 2024.
Samsung Electronics today unveiled the Galaxy S24 Ultra, Galaxy S24+ and Galaxy S24, unleashing new mobile experiences with Galaxy AI.1 Galaxy S series leads the way into a new era that will forever change how mobile devices empower users. AI amplifies nearly every experience on Galaxy S24 series, from enabling barrier-free communication with intelligent text and call translations, to maximizing creative freedom with Galaxy’s ProVisual Engine, to setting a new standard for search that will change how Galaxy users discover the world around them.
“The Galaxy S24 series transforms our connection with the world and ignites the next decade of mobile innovation,” said TM Roh, President and Head of Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics. “Galaxy AI is built on our innovation heritage and deep understanding of how people use their phones. We’re excited to see how our users around the world empower their everyday lives with Galaxy AI to open up new possibilities.”


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NORFOLK — Residents here may have woken up to find small groups of black electric scooters arranged on sidewalks and parking lots.
The scooters, said Lori Crouch, the city’s spokeswoman, were dropped off by Bird.
Crouch said “Bird did not communicate, coordinate or provide any notice before dropping scooters in Norfolk.”
The scooters were also spotted in Virginia Beach near the Oceanfront, and some at the Convention Center.
Virginia Beach city officials did not immediately respond to a request for comments.
People can become Bird “chargers” by filling out a form online.
A charge is someone who is paid to help introduce scooters into a city and keep them maintained.
On Tuesday, a man named Justin Schwimmer posted in a closed Facebook group for the Ghent section of Norfolk that he was charging the scooters and would be releasing them in the city Wednesday.
Schwimmer declined to respond to requests for comment.
Related story: Norfolk to launch bike share program in April
According to its website, Bird is a ride share company you can locate and pay for scooters through a mobile app, similar to Norfolk’s Pace bike program. Its website does not currently list Norfolk as one of its markets.
Crouch said city staff and and police are “collecting the scooters and placing them in safe storage at our Towing and Recovery facility” until Bird comes to collect them.
“About 70” scooters showed up in ODU, Ghent and Downtown today, Crouch said.


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An 18-year-old Waianae woman turned herself in Friday for stealing a co-worker’s debit card and making seven unauthorized transactions, police said.
The woman allegedly used the stolen card to make the unauthorized transactions on Feb. 3, police said. The victim, a 22-year-old woman, identified the suspect through surveillance photographs.
Police arrested the younger woman for investigation of fraudulent use of a credit card, credit card theft, ID theft, theft, and unauthorized possession of confidential personal information. She was later released pending investigation.


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Japan announces bad trade deficit figures
The dispute with China over the East China Sea islands known as the Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu islands in China saw Japan/China trade drop by 14.1% in September.
As a result Japan has posted its worst trade figures since 1979 according to Japan Today. Japan’s monthly trade deficit for September was 558.6 billion Yen (£4.4 billion; $7 billion). For the same period last year the country had a surplus of 288.8 billion Yen (£2.3 billion; $3.6 billion).
Imports rose by 4.1% whilst overall exports fell by 10.3%.


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Stories about South Africa from January, 2009
Lessons on libel: South African blogger sued for defamation
After South African Donn Edwards wrote in his blog about the dubious marketing tactics of a holiday rental company called Quality Vacation Club, he was sued for defamation. This was interpreted as an attack on all bloggers in South Africa so a campaign to support him was launched, a Facebook group and dozens of bloggers wrote about it. Here are a few lessons on libel for bloggers.


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Chinese goods make Singapore “shopping heaven” dying
(VNF) - The changing shopping habits of consumers have made retailers in Singapore - the shopping paradise struggling more than ever.
After years of shopping online for clothes only, Olivia Chin – a Singaporean civil servant, now buy also many household items online.
A fashion boutique in Singapore's Suntect City shopping mall moving out sale (Photo: AFP)
Too cheap price
Olivia bought a tea table, a dining table, a sofa, chairs, lamps. Instead of spending nearly USA 1,500 on a dining table in Singapore, the 25-year-old just needed to pay USD 370 for what she purchased online. Shipping fee from China to Singapore is USD 2.20!
"I also buy bar chairs for USD10 online , while some stores in Singapore sell over USD 70. At first I was concerned about the quality, but that offset the price too cheaply, "Olivia told Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP).
More and more Singaporeans change their shopping habits like Olivia: just one click, everything is within reach.
For a country dubbed "shopping haven" as Singapore , e-commerce is turning its retail into "unmarketable hell".
Even Singapore's biggest discount event, the Great Singapore Sale, which has attracted so many tourists over the past 24 years, could not stop the traditional booths from falling.
This is the third consecutive year that sales at this event have fallen, so much that the Singapore media has satirized "Singapore Sale" is no longer "Great".
The death of the retail industry
Among Southeast Asian nations, Singapore is the place where e-commerce is most influencing the retail market.
The largest players in the e-commerce industry is targeting Singapore because it has large purchases (high-income people) and is the gateway to the ASEAN market.
Lazada and Taobao are replacing retail chains such as Isetan and Metro in Singapore. Last month, the giant Amazon also 'landed' on the island. Amazon Prime Now - Free delivery within 2 hours - is so popular that US companies have increasingly hired taxi and freelance drivers to deliver.
Experts say the "slow death" of the direct retail industry is inevitable, even in a small city that does not require as much transportation as Singapore.
Young consumers and savvy shoppers buy everything they need online, from shirts to shoes.
Workers in the city of Lianyungang (China) arranging goods for delivery to online shoppers. Photo: AFP
Some died, some passed
E-commerce is putting pressure on trade centers in Singapore, leading to a decline in rental space. This is a general trend except for the famous shopping centers.
The retail rent index, announced by the Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority, fell 2.9 percent in the first quarter of 2017. This is the ninth consecutive quarter that has seen the index fall since late 2014.
But this does not mean that Singaporeans completely "boycott" the mall. Wandering in the cool buildings in the summer is still a hobby of many.
"They eat, they drink but they do not buy anything," Madam Woo, who runs a fashion store in Clarke Quay Central, lamented.
In order to adapt to the new conditions, Singapore trade centers seek to fill the void by selling "experiences" instead of goods such as bags, computers ...
For example, VivoCity will open a public library by the end of next year.
Another strategy is to add more food and drink stores. This type of business previously accounted for only about 20% in a mall, but now the ratio in some places has nearly doubled.
"To survive in new conditions, we must also provide online service to our customers," said Kelvin Tan, owner of a convenience store.
"People still like to go to the store and talk face to face. They still want to have such a life experience. Let's wait and see how consumers will change when online stores reach saturation, "Kelvin said./.


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Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun has confirmed that the flagship Mi 6 smartphone will be launching in China today. The company has been teasing the imminent launch on social media platforms, and there s no stopping rumors and leaks trickling in either. With just a few hours to the launch, here s a look at everything we know so far about the Xiaomi Mi 6. Update: Xiaomi has refuted earlier rumors, and has now confirmed that the Mi 6 will be launching on April 19. The company has sent out media invites, and the launch will take place at the Beijing University Of Technology Gymnasium. Also Read - OnePlus Nord CE vs Redmi Note 10 Pro Max: Does 4G still outdo 5G at a lesser price?Also Read - Xiaomi is hiding the front camera on its next Mi flagship smartphone
The launch invite is accompanied by Xiaomi saying, “It’s been 203 days since Xiaomi last announced the Mi 5s. Xiaomi constantly exceeds expectations through innovation in every product. Mi 6 is a beautifully crafted and powerful device, we can’t wait to lift the curtain up on it. We’ll be covering the live event, please stay tuned.” Based on the leaks we have come across so far, the Xiaomi Mi 6 will flaunt a premium design, which is expected from a flagship device. Up front, the display dominates the real estate with very slim bezels on the sides. Leaked images also show a physical button at the bottom, which should have a fingerprint sensor embedded as well. At the back, the device sports a curved body and the highlight is the dual-camera setup placed at the top-left corner.
Xiaomi is rumored to launch two variants today the Mi 6 and the Mi 6 Plus. Hours ahead of the launch, the pricing details of the two variants have been leaked on Weibo. The Xiaomi Mi 6 is expected to come in two variants 64GB with 4GB RAM priced at RMB 2,199 (Rs 20,500 approximately), and 128GB with 4GB RAM priced at RMB 2,599 (Rs 24,300 approximately). The Xiaomi Mi 6 Plus, on the other hand, is likely to be available in three variants 64GB with 6GB RAM priced at RMB 2,599, 128GB with 6GB RAM priced at RMB 3,099 (Rs 29,000 approximately), and the top-end 256GB with 6GB RAM priced at RMB 3,699 (Rs 34,600 approximately).
Xiaomi Mi 6, Mi 6 Plus specifications, features
We already had a fair idea on the upcoming smartphones specifications and features. Now an AnTuTu listing has all but confirmed most of these specs. For one, the prototype having been put through the paces scored 170,000, which is considerably higher than the Xiaomi Mi 5s score of 131,000. This score is no doubt from the fact that the Mi 6 and the Mi 6 Plus are widely expected to be powered by Qualcomm s latest Snapdragon 835 SoC. This is the same SoC that is currently powering the Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphones, and the Sony Xperia XZ Premium.
The variant spotted on AnTuTu features a 5.15-inch full HD (1080p) display, 4GB RAM, 64GB internal storage, and a combination of 12-megapixel rear camera, and an 8-megapixel selfie camera. This is most likely the entry-level Mi 6, prices for which are rumored to start from around Rs 20,500.
Xiaomi is expected to announce multiple variants of the Mi 6 and the Mi 6 Plus today. The Mi 6 Plus is expected to feature a 5.7-inch screen, but it is a tad unclear what resolution it will run on. The Mi 6 Plus is also expected to boast a dual-camera setup, which includes a pair of 12-megapixel snappers at the back. For selfies there will be an 8-megapixel snapper. The smartphone is also expected to feature a 4,500mAh battery.


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Kenyan agri-tech startup WeFarm claimed second place at the recent Chivas Regal The Venture competition for social enterprises, walking away with US$200,000 in prize money.
Disrupt Africa reported in October last year Chivas Regal had opened applications for The Venture, while four African finalists were selected in March.
Five social enterprises were then selected to win a share of the US$1million annual fund at their final event in New York, with WeFarm taking second place and walking away with US$200,000 for its peer-to-peer network for small-scale farmers, currently available in Kenya, Uganda and Peru.
Colombian startup Conceptos Plásticos took top prize, winning US$300,000 for its innovative technique for transforming plastic waste into construction material for permanent housing. Mobile communication device for “locked-in” patients EyeControl went home with US$100,000, as did handmade fashion accessories producer Wakami, while innovative healthcare cooling system Coolar won US$50,000.
“Everyone at WeFarm is absolutely thrilled to have finished second in The Venture global final,” said Kenny Ewan, chief executive officer (CEO) of WeFarm.
“We were up against so many inspiring social entrepreneurs so being the runner-up was a real achievement. In the next twelve months, our goal is to connect one million farmers to WeFarm and our US$200,000 prize money will certainly help.”
The other African finalists walked away empty handed. They were Nigerian agricultural production and processing company FreshDirect, Angolan company Habitec, which uses eucalyptus trees to produce desks, chairs and other wooden fittings for schools, and South Africa’s CrashDetech, a smartphone application that automatically detects a serious car crash.
South African fire detection startup Lumkani – which sells early warning fire detection systems for informal settlements – won US$75,000 at last year’s competition.
“It was truly a privilege to be part of the judging panel and watch the five finalists pitch for the remaining US$750,000 of funding. Businesses like Conceptos Plásticos and WeFarm are great examples of how innovative, passionate and forward-thinking the social entrepreneurship movement is,” said Pernod Ricard chairman and CEO Alexandre Ricard.
“Chivas is proud to support the global community of businesses that are on a mission to make a positive change in the world – I look forward to seeing the impact of these projects in the future.”
Social enterprises from across the world are invited to apply for the next edition of the competition from September 5.
The post Kenya’s WeFarm wins $200k at The Venture competition appeared first on Disrupt Africa.
from Disrupt Africa http://ift.tt/29T3HTf


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Tickets for Taylor Swift recently announced The Toronto shows on his Eras tour go on sale Wednesday.
Swift will play six shows at the Rogers Center next November, the only shows in Canada in 2024. The first two dates, November 14 and 15, go on sale at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. ET, while the others dates will follow in pairs. Thursday and Friday.
Anyone wanting tickets would already have to pre-register by August 5 through Ticketmaster’s verified fan program, a process designed to manage demand, filter bots, and avoid high-priced tickets.
Callista Ryan from Vancouver was one of the lucky fans to survive that process.
“I was leaving the gym and I opened my phone and I saw a text coming to me saying that I had received the code to get a ticket,” he said. “I was very excited. I almost screamed in the locker room.”
Many fans placed on the waiting list
Even after getting the code, Ryan still had to navigate the online ticket purchase process.
“It was actually quite stressful on the Ticketmaster site, because you click on a ticket, you go to buy, and then boom, someone already has those tickets,” he said.
Ryan was ultimately able to secure four tickets and estimates that he spent around $2,000 in total. She plans to take her mother to the show and take a family trip outside of the event.
“I was 10 years old when the Brave the album came out. And now I am 25 years old. And so, from my childhood to my young adult years, Taylor Swift has been there,” she said.
Not everyone who applied had the same experience, as many fans across the country were placed on a waiting list.
“I know about 30 people who got on the waiting list,” fan Tuba Chishti told Breaking: Network on Wednesday. Chishti herself was placed on the waiting list.
Others have also signed up for RBC’s Avion Rewards program, which allows fans access to a pool of Swift tickets, even if they aren’t customers of the bank. These tickets will be available on August 15 and fans will be limited to four per sale.
Chisthi hopes to get tickets through the waitlist or through Avion Rewards, but says if all else fails, she has a back-up plan.
“I know it’s November and it can be a little cold, but not that cold by Canadian standards. So I hope that [the Rogers Centre] it’s open and we can at least do the parking lot experience,” he said.
‘Once in a Lifetime Experience’
Montreal fan Samara O’Gorman was also placed on the waiting list. She told the News Network that she understands the costs will likely be high, particularly for people traveling to Toronto for the show.
“We’re not paying for a concert right now. I think it’s very much an experience and a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” he said.
Pascal Courty, an economics professor at the University of Victoria, says he is not surprised by the lawsuit.
“[Swift] I would have to give so many concerts to make everyone happy. And there are a limited number of dates that you can perform,” he said.
“Courty says artists like Swift could charge more for tickets and still sell them, but they want to give more fans a chance to see their shows.
“There is going to be money left on the table,” he said. “And it means that not everyone will be able to get a ticket.”
Challenge of preventing ticket scalping
The challenge, Courty says, is making sure fans are the ones getting those tickets without scalpers picking them up to resell at inflated prices.
“Some people will try to sneak in and don’t want to go to the concert, but they realize they can buy low and sell high,” he said. “That’s another reason why there would be massive demand and it would be difficult to manage.”
Courty says she thinks the verified fan process will likely help prevent some of those people from “just getting paid.” But he also pointed out that other methods could completely remove the scalp.
Courty says one way to discourage it is to make tickets by name, like airline tickets, where people must declare a name at the time of purchase.
“In case something happens to you, you can no longer show up at the last minute, you return the ticket,” he said, noting that in that scenario, someone new would be pulled from a virtual line, and people would be able to access the venue only if they had a ticket and corresponding identification.
“That system would completely prevent reselling for profit because there is no way for this third party to slip through,” Courty said, since they could only transfer tickets to the main seller.
Breaking: contacted Ticketmaster about the rules around ticket reselling for Swift’s Toronto shows.
Several scalping tickets for Swift’s Wednesday show in Inglewood, California, have been listed on StubHub with prices starting at around $1,150.


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The Australian reported earlier this week that suitors were swirling around SFH’s City Chic business, the only brand left in its stable after the sale of the majority of its business to Noni B Group.
The reports appear to have sent a rocket up SFH’s share price, but on Wednesday the company said it was not aware that there was “any merit” to the claims.
It said senior executives were in investor briefings on Tuesday and Wednesday discussing the sale of the Katies, Millers, Rivers, Crossroads and Autograph brands to Noni B.
But the SFH share movement appears to have occurred before the Oz published its article, increasing by 16 per cent last Friday to 88 cents.
SFH shares closed on Wednesday at $1.06, up from the 76 cents the company was trading at this time last week.
Access exclusive analysis, locked news and reports with Inside Retail Weekly. Subscribe today and get our premium print publication delivered to your door every week.


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The company's AI-based platform has seen increased interest during the COVID pandemicRead more...
This is the first time FDB is crafting responses for a voice-enabled device
[Editor's note: Future of Behavioral and Mental Health with BetterHelp, Headspace, Ginger.io, Providence Hospitals, UnitedHealthcare Optum, Khosla Ventures, Oak HC/FT and more has become 3 virtual conferences and one live event pushed out to May 27! Register one time for all 4 events! REGISTER. Also, during this stressful time use the code "vator" for 50% off BetterHelp online therapy for 3 months!]
The surge in popularity of voice-enabled devices in recent years has been fairly remarkable to watch, going from just 13 percent of homes in 2018 to a projected 55 percent in 2022. These devices are quickly becoming ubiquitous and they're going to have an impact on every aspect of our lives.
Voice-enabled devices are going to be especially helpful when it comes to our healthcare; not everyone can easily see a prescription label, or read the instructions that come with their drugs, putting limitations on patients, and also potentially causing them harm.
That kind of issue should soon become a thing of the past as First Databank (FDB), a provider of drug and medical device knowledge, revealed on Tuesday that it has partnered with Amazon to allow people to ask make inquiries about drug information on Alex devices.
"The application of voice-enabled technology is becoming pervasive throughout healthcare," Bob Katter, president of FDB, told VatorNews.
"The ease of use and increasing affordability of the platform point toward a likely steep growth curve for voice-enabled health information. Voice-enabled technology serves as a logical complement to telehealth initiatives as well as traditional healthcare delivery, along with healthcare apps."
Through this partnership, customers will be able to access ask their Alexas device about clinical drug information that is authored specifically for Alexa by FDB clinicians. That will include information about drug interactions, side effects, precautions, and the drug’s class. The information will be available in both English and Spanish and will be updated on a regular basis.
Founded in 1977, FDB, which is a division of Heart Health, provides drug and medical device databases, with goal of helping people, such as clinicians, business personnel, and consumers, make informed decisions about medications and achieve the best possible outcomes.
"We provide the medication information inside many software platforms that consumers and their healthcare providers are already leveraging today," Katter said.
Prior to the partnership with Amazon, FDB had been providing drug information, including drug searches online, in the pharmacy, in EHR patient portals, as well as other places. This is the first time that information will be available via a voice-enabled device, and Katter expects it to be especially impactful for patients who have problems seeing, as well as those who have trouble reading.
"Consumers will be provided with more meaningful, reliable, patient-friendly, up-to-date, customized answers to a wide variety of commonly asked medication questions for the most commonly prescribed drugs. We expect consumers will become more informed about medications leading to improved medication adherence and improved health outcomes," he said.
"We expect that delivering information via voice-enabled technology will lead to a more health-literate consumer with an enhanced knowledge of their medication regimen. Consumers need to be stewards of their own health and having easy access through Amazon Alexa will go a long way toward achieving that goal."
For FDB, putting their information on a voice-enabled device required taking complex information and boiling it down to concise answers that could easily be spoken aloud, while also making sure they reflected the most important clinical information. They also had to be easy for consumers to understand.
The two companies have been working together for the last several months, refining questions and answers, and the true benefit for FDB in the partnership with Amazon, Katter said, is that it is helping the company better understand what kinds of questions patients ask, and which responses they are most receptive to, giving the company a greater insight into what content works best for consumers.
"Amazon’s vision for providing credible, authoritative human curated, evidence-based medication information for consumers meshed with ours. Amazon understands, like most experts in this field, including us, that big data and AI get the best results when combined with human curated content," he explained.
"We are continuing to work with Amazon to enhance the Alexa service. When our content is integrated into our partners’ software systems, we typically enjoy long and fruitful relationships with our customers, some for more than three decades. We hold the same expectation for partnership with Amazon."
Read more from our "Trends and news" series
The company was founded by Braintree's Bryan JohnsonRead more...
The company saw engagement with its platform grow 139 percent in the first half of 2020Read more...


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Is your follower counter going nuts on Instagram? Lost hundreds of followers for no reason? Don’t worry, it’s a system bug and Instagram is working on it.
Ask any marketer and they will tell you that followers are nothing but a vanity metric. In fact, mst people would tell you so. Until they start losing hundreds or thousands overnight, and all will FREAK OUT!
For the past few days, Instagram users have been concerned about their follower counter going nuts. Some lost thousands of followers, before gaining many back. Even the number of people they were following was dropping…
why did I just lose over half a million followers @instagram wyd sis
— James Charles (@jamescharles) February 13, 2019
At first people thought that the company was cleaning up its platform, culling inactive and fake accounts by the thousands.
But, as it happens, it was a bug. Instagram confirmed that an issue has been affecting some accounts’ follower counters.
We’re aware of an issue that is causing a change in account follower numbers for some people right now. We’re working to resolve this as quickly as possible.
— Instagram (@instagram) February 13, 2019
“We’re aware of an issue that is causing a change in account follower numbers for some people right now. We’re working to resolve this as quickly as possible,” the company said on Twitter. Instagram also promised that everything should go back to normal within the day.
The Insta-bug happened only a few hours after Twitter had suffered its own issues with the Like count on tweets, which has also been resolved since.
Maybe, just maybe, it is finally time to move away from silly vanity metrics? What do you say?
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Jeff Webb has guided Varsity Brands from a startup cheerleading operation out of his apartment to a primetime special on NBC and an eventual $2.5 billion sale. He talks with us about the growth of the company and knowing when it was time to step down as CEO.
The board chair and the CEO are critical to the success of D&I strategy, both in their individual roles and in their joint work. Here are five things to do when embarking on the D&I journey
Eddie Lampert understood the need to transform Sears into an e-commerce powerhouse—and that was a key investment thesis of his. Yet somehow it just didn’t materialize. In business, you don't get partial credit for a good idea poorly implemented.
To meet potential and avoid the traps of inertia caused by overthinking and myopia, pragmatic leaders must support robust discovery and focused delivery.
John Carreyrou was one of the few people that saw through Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos when the world was fawning over the Silicon Valley-based health tech company and its enigmatic CEO. The bestselling author of the Theranos expose talks with us about a wide range of topics.
For all their promise, two decades of overblown hype and expensive false starts have clearly demonstrated that robots will not replace humans any time soon. Just ask Elon Musk.
To be a successful CEO or senior business leader, you have to present well. The ability to craft a compelling presentation and deliver it with conviction is perhaps the most important skill for a successful leader.
In America, we clean our teeth every six months and report our public company financials every three. Now, to root out short-term thinking in the C-Suite, President Trump has tweeted that what’s right for dentists is good for American business.
What are the defining attributes of a successful CEO? Everyone is different, but there are a few shared qualities that seem to come up, time and time again.
Sergio Marchionne had to leave the top spot at Fiat Chrysler without ensuring the long-term viability of the company’s brands, products and workforce. Even still, his failings won’t tarnish the remarkable legacy of Marchionne’s nine years at the helm of America’s No. 3 automaker


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Hanoi, 8 November 2016 - In the light of the Government Notice No. 398/TB-VPCP dated December 15, 2015 on rankings of sustainable businesses in 2016, the Vietnam Business Council for Sustainable Development (VBCSD) in close cooperation with the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA), the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT), the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) and the State Securities Committee of Vietnam (SSC) has officially launched the first “Programme on Benchmarking and Ranking the Most Sustainable Companies in Vietnam in 2016”.
At the Launching Ceremony, 100 companies have been named the most sustainable companies in Vietnam.
The evaluation and ranking are based on the Corporate Sustainability Index (CSI) which is built on economic, social and environmental aspects with 151 questions divided into two sections, with the first being general criteria and the second delving into specific criteria of sustainable development. The questionnaire is proven specific, inclusive, scientific and objective.
The content of the questionnaire is created, reviewed and edited by top-notch specialists from VCCI, concerned ministries and agencies in addition to valuable comments and contributions from Vietnamese and international economic specialists.
The introduction of the Corporate Sustainability Index is definitely a breakthrough because this is the first time a unit in Vietnam creates this index and designs it exclusively for Vietnamese companies. The advantages of this index are easy to use and applicable to all companies irrespective of type, scope and scale of operation.
Engaging in the programme and achieving high rankings also provide a good opportunity for companies to enhance their reputation and brand, attract human resources and access new business opportunities thanks to the increased confidence of their partners, investors and shareholders, and enable them to develop a sustainable business and improve corporate competitiveness against the backdrop of present international economic integration.
This is also the recognition of the Government, authorities, business community, organisations and society of activities of pioneering companies that have outstandingly contributed to the sustainability of the Vietnamese business community.
Mr. Nguyen Quang Vinh, Deputy Secretary General of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and Secretary General of VBCSD, said, sustainable development has become an urgent requirement and necessity in global economic activity as well as a challenge in the context of international economic integration.
“It is encouraging that companies are increasingly interested in sustainability. Remarkably, Vietnamese companies outnumber foreign candidates and win high rankings. This indicates that their awareness of sustainability has been enhanced and their sustainability performance has achieved good progress,” he added.
From the perspective of a technical partner of the programme, Ms. Dinh Thi Quynh Van, CEO of PwC Vietnam, said, “In addition to long-term benefits, the integration of sustainable development objectives into corporate development strategy will bring in immediate benefits, and help improve risk management, reduce operating costs, promote innovation and attract investment. Vietnamese businesses have raised the knowledge of sustainability benefits and positively responded to sustainability.”
VBCSD Secretary General Vinh expressed his hope that the Programme on Benchmarking and Ranking the Most Sustainable Companies in Vietnam and 100 winners are not only the pride of today but also communicate such pride on and translate its significance and motivation into the community of 500,000 businesses in Vietnam, thus helping make images and products of Vietnamese companies competitive on international markets and become national brands and the pride of every Vietnamese citizen.
Among shortlisted companies, Bao Viet Holdings is among the most sustainable businesses. Mr. Dao Dinh Thi, President of Bao Viet Holdings, said, “Sustainable development is one of strategic objectives of Bao Viet Holdings as it is not only integrated deeply into the business strategy but is also realised in everyday activities. Bao Viet Holdings feels very proud when our efforts are recognised by the jury and reflected in the rankings result. In the framework of this programme, we have shared our experience in making sustainability reports of international standards, which have been recognised with domestic and international valuable prizes, in a bid to communicate sustainability values to the Vietnamese business community.”
After the inaugural awarding ceremony, the programme will be held annually in order to assess and rank sustainable companies; enhance the knowledge of importance and benefits of corporate sustainability, communal sustainability and social sustainability; promote sustainable business; increase sustainable development exchange and cooperation among stakeholders in Vietnam such as the business community, government agencies and civil society organisations; support Vietnamese companies to learn experience from best global practices of sustainable development and economic integration; and expand the application of Corporate Sustainability Index in the Vietnamese business community.
Picture taken at the Launch of the sustainable businesses ranking in Vietnam in 2016: http://vbcsd.vn/albumshow.asp?id=12
Go to the VBCSD website: http://en.vbcsd.vn/ for more information


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U.S. retail sales of video game hardware, software and accessories dropped 10 percent in June to $995 million compared with the same month a year ago. The industry's second-straight month of sales decline was due largely to a lackluster slate of new game releases.
Market researcher NPD Group said in its monthly report Thursday that sales of video game hardware fell 9 percent to $366.6 million. That includes handheld game systems and gaming consoles such as the Wii.
Sales of software, the games themselves, dropped 12 percent to $469.5 million. When including PC games, total software sales fell 10 percent to $508.9 million.
Doug Creutz, an analyst with Cowen and Co., had expected June sales to disappoint, although he said several titles aimed at hardcore gamers did worse than expected. Those include "Duke Nukem Forever" from Take-Two Interactive Software Inc., and "Red Faction: Armageddon" from THQ Inc. Both were hurt by poor reviews, he said.
Sales of game accessories, meanwhile, declined 11 percent to $158.9 million.
The month's two best-selling games were "L.A. Noire," which is also published by Take-Two, and "Duke Nukem," which grabbed the No. 2 spot even though it didn't sell as many units as analyst expected. Sony Corp.'s "Infamous 2" was in third place.
NPD does not include game downloads and online games in its monthly retail sales data, so the numbers can sometimes show a decline even if more people are playing games on Facebook, their mobile phones and elsewhere.
The lackluster game sales report comes the same week as Electronic Arts Inc., the publisher of games such as "Madden" and "The Sims," said it is buying PopCap games for at least $750 million. PopCap makes popular Facebook and mobile games such as "Bejeweled and "Plants vs. Zombies."
Zynga Inc., the company behind "FarmVille," filed for an initial public offering earlier this month hoping to raise at least $1 billion.


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No Harm, No Foul?
Computerworld reported that a federal court judge in Missouri threw out a consumer class-action lawsuit that was brought against Express Scripts, a pharmacy benefits company, regarding a 2008 data breach in which millions of customer records were illegally accessed. The reason? Judge Buckles said that the plaintiff in the case, John Amburgy had failed to show how exactly the data breach had caused him any direct injury or even put him in imminent danger of any injury. "Abstract injury is not enough to demonstrate injury-infact," Judge Buckles wrote. "The injury or threat of injury must be concrete and particularized, actual and imminent; not conjectural or hypothetical." This may be viewed as a "victory" by Express Scripts, but the damages filed by the plaintiff speaks volumes: Amburgy claimed that as a result of Express Scripts' failure to maintain adequate security measures, he and others affected by the breach were at increased risk of identity theft fraud and extortion. He claimed that he and others similar affected had to spend time and money monitoring their credit accounts and reports, prescription records and other financial accounts. When a company, large or small, experiences a situation that affects the confidence and trust of its customers, you cannot put a price tag on how significant that loss is. A corporation's reputation is everything and businesses need to remember they are nothing without their customers. A study released by The Poneman Institute helps to put this in perspective. The findings reported that " the cost of lost business makes up the bulk of the cost of data breaches, and has been going up steadily. "The cost of lost business accounts for 69 percent of the cost of a data breach, the study found. It averages $4.59 million, or $139 per record compromised. This is partly due to increased customer churn, as customers take their business elsewhere. Between 2005 and 2008, the cost of customer churn grew 38 percent, or more than $64 on a per-victim basis, the study found. Not only do angry customers vote with their feet, but they also blab, and that increases the cost of lost business. "People are willing to talk about a problem when they feel they've been marginalized or ignored, and that increases the amount of lost business and the cost of customer acquisition," Ponemon said. 2010 is going to see an abundance of both new and updated federal and state laws going into effect. We would like to think that the overwhelming number of data breaches reported this year would be enough of a wake-up call for companies, but perhaps regulatory enforcement will be what finally makes a difference. Hopefully companies will start to learn that a small IT investment in security technology now will mean substantial savings in finances and reputation later.


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It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone in the industry that trade will remain incredibly tight for the remainder of 2021 and through 2022, with constraints resulting mainly from port infrastructure challenges, demand variability, COVID-19 resurgences, and carrier capacity.
“Global supply chain bottlenecks are feeding on one another, with shortages of components and surging prices of critical raw materials squeezing manufacturers around the world,” wrote reporters for the Wall Street Journal in an Oct. 8 story.
I recommend to any executive seeking guidance that all aspects of their business ought to focus now on resilience. Engage your partners and stakeholders with transparency about the challenges; don’t try to shield them from reality. Leaders need to concentrate on business continuity and supply chain agility, whilst scenario planning throughout the value chain of inputs and flows.
Even when it looks like conditions are approaching catastrophe, there is always something an organization can do. After the 2014 flooding in Somerset, Prince Charles visited the area to learn about relief efforts and remarked, “There’s nothing like a jolly good disaster to get people to start doing something.”
Now is a good time to remind managers that they need not wait for a jolly good disaster to create a plan of action. Rather, multiple “scenario plans” are crucial to providing guidance in the case of any disruption one can think of — and they must include mechanisms for coordinated communication and implementation across the value chain. Making sure these scenario plans result in opportunities for reserving capacity within manufacturing and transport divisions will allow your company to switch gears when needed.
Any company that relies on a global supply chain is suffering to a degree right now. Obstacles have descended like a game of whack-a-mole; if capacity is secured, an issue like port congestion is ready to pop up and take its place as the bottleneck. That’s why I’ve been reminding my teams and customers that rather than keep strict, minute-by-minute tabs on external conditions, our time is better spent referring to (or developing, if none are found to be applicable) our scenario plans to discern what levers to pull, as well as the potential customer impacts.
The best path toward actually implementing these chosen plans of action is consistent collaboration, transparency of information, and gaming with peer options/scenarios. It is also worthwhile considering that options are changing rapidly as providers, countries and infrastructures adapt — e.g. options you thought open today, may not exist tomorrow — so being present (understanding the landscape) is as important as planning scenarios in advance.
The fundamental concept of trade, as outlined by Adam Smith in The Wealth of Nations (1776) is based on the concept of comparative advantages and division of labor offset against the cost of home manufacture and transport. If you ask modern-day economists, global trade conditions are a direct consequence; they echo the very same sentiments as Smith expressed in 1776. They produce daily figures such as PMI, GDP growth, wage inflation, etc., which do provide insight into trends that will directly impact the demand for global trade — outside of trade disputes, pandemics and government interventions, that is!
For more informed predictions, however, one must pair economists’ numbers with trade capacity data. We are trying to return to a normal state of demand and supply right now — with one challenge being that speed of recovery and capacity constraints are creating the real impacts, and this is only solved by normalization of demand, which is impacted by both inflation and opening of service sectors (or fundamental societal changes — don’t underestimate the potential for change from COP26); and/or increased capacity to service demand, which would require new vessels and terminal infrastructure that would be several years out from use.
The last two years have highlighted the fragility of global supply chains, as well as the interconnectedness of our world in general. We’re still feeling the effects of the initial COVID-related factory shutdowns in Wuhan, which immediately generated a global impact on supply chains. COVID has shown how shocks in long global supply chains can become impossible to repair, destroying businesses and wiping out hard-fought GDP growth.
Among the most likely outcomes: companies will re-evaluate risk in sourcing internationally, consider more diverse sourcing strategies, and build segmented supply chains to manage risk.
We must be mindful, however, that while the majority of the news over the last two years has been about COVID, major geopolitical changes have also been playing out: heightened tensions between the US and China, increased risk of conflict in the Asia Pacific region, and trade tensions between the UK / EU through Brexit. So when companies look at long-term strategy, these influences on trade policy may force more questions over resiliency, risk management, and diversity than the pandemic’s impact.
Also among the headlines is ongoing discourse about the US’s over-dependence on foreign supply, both in terms of resilience and sustainability agendas.
In the short run, keep in mind that big problems very often don’t have simple solutions. We can manage the diversity of sourcing both nationally and internationally, remembering that even domestic supply chains are not 100% safe from natural disasters and environmental impacts. We can segment our supply, understand the sourcing of inbound products, and take steps to secure strategic inputs that the company depends on — all while utilizing a diversity strategy that blends domestic, near-sourced, and internationally sourced inputs from diverse supplier bases.
Apart from the above actions, it’s good old effective planning, careful inventory adjustments, and sales management that remain the keys to supply chain resiliency, whether near- or far-sourced.
Neil Wheeldon is Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer, BDP International. He is an experienced supply chain management practitioner having worked across numerous industries supporting customers in supply chain and digital transformation initiatives to drive growth. He can be reached at email@example.com.


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The weekly letter from Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman has just been published. Nothing exceptional to start this month of October except for the confirmation (once again) that Apple will no longer organize Keynote before 2023.
The Gurman Revelations
Like every Sunday, it’s time to find the journalist’s crisp information Mark Gurman from Bloomberg. On this Sunday, October 2, nothing really new except the confirmation of previous assertions.
To start, Gurman reaffirms that it is unlikely that Apple will hold a new Keynote by the end of the year. However, new products such as iPad Pro M2 or MacBook Pro 14 and 16 inches with M2 chips could also be presented by press release.
It is also about a Mac mini M2 and an Apple TV 4K equipped with an A14 chip and more RAM. Note that we are here on the assumption and that nothing is yet recorded with certainty.
Finally, the journalist / analyst explained that Apple had tried Touch ID under the screen in the past, but that the chances of seeing this technology appear on a future product of the brand were almost nil. So don’t expect a Touch ID under the OLED panel of the iPhone 15.
He thinks that the iPhone SE could in the future insert the Touch ID button on the side, but nothing concrete on the subject, it is only a guess. Finally, he mentions a new sleep tracking feature via the HomePod but again, not sure if this will be deployed in the future.


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Despite facing heavy criticism for its prospective move to roll out ads into the popular messaging app, earlier this year, Facebook revealed how Whatsapp ads would look in the app at the annual Facebook Marketing Summit in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
The widely used instant messaging application Whatsapp will now feature advertisements that will most likely be featured amidst the ‘Status’ section, in the form of banners. The parent company Facebook, will notify its users about the modifications and changes in the updated terms of service., which are slated to be introduced by February 2021.
To bring in more revenue to the immensely popular messaging app, Facebook has decided to go on with the move despite numerous privacy and data breach concerns that were voiced out by users and tech activists alike. According to information from WABetaInfo, the instant messaging application has recently released new updates for Android — web version 220.127.116.11 and iOS 2.20.130 on the App Store — these updates are supported with a new feature that will help WhatsApp announce specific information.
Meanwhile, considering how advertisement targeting algorithms work, the new update is expected to include more information about how a user’s data is processed. The update will also shed light on how businesses can use Facebook hosted services to store and manage their WhatsApp chats. Furthermore, if users do not agree to the new terms and conditions, they would be directed towards deleting their account.
As per the images that have been floating on the web, the ads would not be sent in the form of chat, but they would appear as a kind of banner in the specific app and redirect you to external websites, in the same way, they could require certain action from the user.
Over the past couple of months, WhatsApp has added a bunch of features to the app. One of the newest features to go live for a lot of users worldwide is WhatsApp payments, where users can now send and receive money using the app. WhatsApp also introduced disappearing messages and revamped its storage management tool so a user knows what time of data from WhatsApp is occupying storage and can take the necessary actions.


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THQ Nordics latest digital gallery shared all kinds of games announcements, but thankfully the highlight was the final teaser left right.
The company officially confirmed that a new South Park game was planned, cutting down one’s list of unannounced games. Apart from that, the only other thing that we know today is the involvement of South Park Digital Studios.
It’s been a long time since the previous South Park video games, and this new game will likely be totally different.
The most recent entries South Park are the Stick of Truth and South Park: The Fractured But Whole both available on Nintendo Switch and were published by Ubisoft.
If you have anything news about this upcoming game, including platforms and a release date, please tell us.


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The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority has disclosed that it wouldnow check the tanks of filling stations and other depots in order to halt the hoarding of petrol.
The Federal Government said on Saturday that it had stopped operating seven depots in various parts of Nigeria for selling fuel to retail outlets at exorbitant prices.
According to The PUNCH, this was disclosed by the Chief Executive, NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed, who disclosed this to journalists in Abuja.
According to him, “the action by the affected depots contravened the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, and also contributed to the recent PMS supply crisis in the downstream oil sector.”
The Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Abuja-Suleja, Mohammed Shuaibu, responded by saying that the government should do more than just close down depots.
He said, “It is not just by shutting down the depots. If you shut down the depots when there are products in them, and you didn’t evacuate the products at the regulated price to the public, then you may end up causing more PMS supply problems.
“If you are a regulator, go in there and enforce, let them open the gates, bring in tankers to evacuate the products to the public so that there will be surplus fuel that will help in driving down the price.
“But by the time you shut down the depots and the products remain in their tanks, we won’t get the products, and who suffers when two elephants fight? The masses will suffer and we are suffering now. These are the consequences.”
Shuaibu added, “So the NMDPRA should open up the depots and allow them to dispense the products at the regulated price. It must also make sure it monitors it to the letter. But by the time you shut down and tomorrow open, and these are businessmen, are you helping the situation or causing more harm?
“These people have products and you are shutting them down, why not regulate it if you want to enforce it? And if anyone is found wanting, punish the person, not by shutting down.”
However, the NMDPRA dispelled worries that the closure of the depots may result in a fuel shortage in various areas of Nigeria.
Ahmed said, “In shutting down the depots, we calculated to see what effects it would have on the flow and distribution of petroleum products. We have enough products across the country.
“We also looked at the availability in other depots within the zones and we realised that even though we shut the seven depots, the effect on the supply within those zones is not going to be significant.
“It will also help us by making those who are hoarding bring out the products because the next level is to go and start checking the tanks of petrol stations and depots to ensure that no marketer or retailer is hoarding the product.”


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Japanese media and toy firm Bandai has announced that it is to launch a new Bandai Games subsidiary in North America, which will take charge of the publishing of the company's videogames in that territory.
The firm is responsible for a number of hugely successful franchises, including the DragonBall and Gundam titles which have so far been released in the west under a successful co-publishing deal with Atari.
For now, it seems, those titles will remain in Atari's portfolio; Bandai Games has announced three titles that it will launch before the end of the year, none of them from either of those major franchises.
Instead, its schedule has a game based on the immensely popular One Piece animated series, a fighting game called Zatch Bell, which is also based on an animated franchise (Konjiki no Gash Bell) and an action title based on new Bandai property DICE.
In the long term, though, it's hard to see Bandai continuing to publish its two largest franchises via Atari when it operates a perfectly capable North American publishing division of its own - which could leave Atari with a major gap in its revenues.
"The mission of Bandai Games Inc. is to know what the North American market wants and deliver the best new games here," according to Bandai Games marketing manager John Soller. "This is an exciting beginning for us because we have many new titles with wide appeal that will be introduced this year."


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The Health Ministry aims to promote its adoption among consumers and pharmacies nationwide.
Adam Ang – HealthcareITNews
27 September 2022
By DAVID NIELD
For life science companies to meet their digital ambitions, they must strengthen their technology skills. In a challenging market, the industry is uniquely positioned to shine.
By Mike Joyce, Jeffrey Lewis, Robert Machinek, and Suman Thareja
By Shiona McCallum
Technology reporter -BBC
Researchers turn to the vascular system of plants to solve a major bioengineering problem blocking the regeneration of human tissues and organs.


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PS4 Exclusive Senran Kagura Burst Re:Newal Shows its Waifus in First Gameplay Trailer
Senran Kagura Burst Re:Newal for PS4 showcases its renewed gameplay with the first full trailer, released today by Marvelous Entertainment.
Today Marvelous Entertainment released the first gameplay trailer of its upcoming remake Senran Kagura Burst Re:Newal.
The trailer begins by introducing Asuka from the Hanzo National Academy and Homura from Hebijo Academy, followed by more cutscenes and quite a bit of gameplay, showing how the 3DS original has been completely transformed in a new 3D action battle game.
You can check out the trailer below, and if you want to see more, you can also enjoy the first batch of character artwork and some screenshots, the second batch,some (definitely not safe for work) pieces of art that will be used for the store-specific bonuses alongside the collector’s edition, and the first footage from the original announcement.
Speaking of the series as a whole, Marvelous recently hosted an event in Tokyo, where Producer Kenichiro Takaki announced Peach Ball: Senran Kagura, the brand new PS4 game Senran Kagura 7EVEN: Shojo-tachi no Kofuku, and the mobile game Senran Kagura: New Link. Senran Kagura: Peach Beach Splash will also be released in the west this month, and yesterday we saw two new trailers.
The game will be released in Japan on February 22nd, 2018 exclusively for PS4. No western release has been announced for the moment, but will possibly come, considering the precedents with Marvelous.


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1 min read.Updated: 14 Oct 2021, 05:16 PM ISTLivemint
The decision comes at a time when global commodity prices have been on an upswing, pushing up manufacturing cost, including that of fertilizers. India relies on imports for phosphatic fertilizers
Listen to this article
NEW DELHI: In a move aimed at helping farmers, the Centre on Thursday extended the subsidy hike on phosphatic and potassic fertilizers, undertaken in May for the Kharif season, to the upcoming Rabi sowing season which will begin in November and end in March.
As per an official statement, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the move. The decision comes at a time when global commodity prices have been on an upswing, pushing up manufacturing cost, including that of fertilizers. India relies on imports for phosphatic fertilizers.
Subsidy helps in ensuring fertilizers remain affordable for farmers.
As per the statement, the rise in international prices of diammonium phosphate (DAP) has been absorbed by the Union government. “The Union government has decided to increase the subsidy by ₹438 per bag of DAP as a special one-time package so that farmers can get DAP at the same price," said the statement.
For the three most consumed nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium (NPK) grades of fertilizers, the rise in global prices have been absorbed by increasing subsidy by ₹100 per bag, again as a special one-time package.
The government also brought potash derived from molasses under the nutrient based subsidy scheme for the first time to boost manufacturing by sugar mills as a by-product. This is expected to reduce India’s dependence on 100% import of more than 42 lakh tonne of mineral based potash i.e. muriate of potash which costs around Rs. 7,160 crore annually.
This decision will not only help boost income of cane farmers and sugar mills but also offer ₹73 subsidy per 50 kilogram bag being sold at the rate ₹600-800 by fertilizer companies to farmers. Centre is likely to spend ₹156 crore a year as subsidy on potash from molasses and save a foreign exchange of ₹562 crores, the statement said.
Unlike the subsidy on a host of other utilities and services, fertilizer subsidy is given through manufacturers rather than directly to the consumer, but it is based on actual purchase data captured at fertilizer retail outlets using point of sale machines. This is due to complexities in the farm sector around land ownership and tenancy.


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With the announcement that Record Store Day was being postponed until June due to the current wide-spread coronavirus threat, Cheatham County’s vinyl-loving couple, Phillip and Melanie Ruiz, wasted no time in making alternate plans that are aimed at keeping moods elevated during uncertain times.
Instead of bringing everyone into Viv & Dickey's for the festivities, Phillip and Melanie are bringing the fun to them.
Starting last weekend, they have been putting together “entertainment packs” that offer items like games, music, and movies—all things to drive away boredom during the social distancing situation currently facing Americans. Free delivery is available to anyone within a 25-mile radius of their Joelton-based shop by way of people who have been laid off due to the global pandemic.
“We are going to use these uncertain times to try something new,” says Phillip. “We see this as a time to reach out to everyone and offer them a true distraction from our grim reality. It is also a way to help those who have lost their jobs due to the crisis.”
Various live sales will also give shoppers a chance to view and purchase a wide variety of unique items ranging from vintage knick-knacks from the 1940's to the unique and kitschy items that found their popularity in the 1990s…and everything in-between.
While the details are still being worked out on how to bring people live music sure to take the worry away, Phillip and Melanie are exploring the option of live steaming performances so that fans and customers can enjoy some tunes from the comfort of their own homes.
To find out when the sales will take place or order an entertainment pack, follow Viv & Dickey’s on Facebook and Instagram, or call (615) 840-9482.
Initially scheduled for April 18, Record Store Day 2020 is now on the books for June 20. For more information on what to expect for the rescheduled event, visit www.recordstoreday.com.


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Cherry’s upcoming MX Board 6.0 now has a release date, but only in the UK. It’ll hit shelves May 12 at a £149.99 price point. When it eventually reaches American shores, date TBD, it’s expected to sell for $219 USD.
- Mech 101
- Buyer Tools


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Most Americans plans to use telehealth after the pandemic, according to a survey conducted by the Harris Poll. While most respondents were comfortable using virtual visits, they were also keen on keeping in-person visits with their doctor.
by Elise Reuter
“As many people sought out virtual visits for the first time during the Covid-19 pandemic, most plan to continue to use them in the future. Roughly 65% of people plan to continue to use telehealth after the pandemic ends, according to a survey recently conducted by The Harris Poll.
“In general, people over age 65 were more likely to favor in-person visits over telehealth, according to the survey of 2028 adults conducted between December 18 and 20.
“Early in the pandemic, telehealth visits soared as in-person visits were restricted to conserve resources. But many returned to in-person care over the summer, though telehealth use was still up significantly from before the pandemic.
“Roughly 83% of all survey respondents said they had ever used telehealth. The majority across all age groups said they were comfortable with virtual visits, especially those that had already used telehealth. But a majority of respondents also indicated that they still wanted to keep in-person appointments with their primary care physician.
“If given the option between a telehealth visit or an in-person visit, relatively few respondents (15%) said they would opt for telehealth services alone.”
Click here to read this article at MedCity News in its entirety.


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Technavio forecasts global biometrics market to grow by more than $24B through 2023
The global biometrics market will grow by 15 percent CAGR, or $24.26 billion through 2023, according to a new report from Technavio.
The “Global Biometrics Market 2019-2023” report suggests that increasing concerns about terrorism, crime, and other global security threats are a key factor driving the growth of the biometrics market. The report analyzes important trends that could impact the market, and highlights the technological advancements that have been achieved in areas such as sensor technology due to significant investments by major vendors. Data breaches and stolen passwords are driving better biometric security technologies for mobile devices, Technavio says, and the same shift is happening in card payments.
A senior IT research analyst at the firm notes in the announcement that face and voice biometrics “are quickly surpassing touch and type-based interactions” for banking and financial industry applications, due to their combination of convenience and security.
The report breaks down the market by end-user type and geographical region, showing the Americas represented 40 percent of the global biometrics market in 2018, followed by the APAC region, and then EMEA. The APAC market is expected to grow faster than that in the EMEA region over the forecast period.