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LOS ANGELES, Mar 6, 2011/ FW/ — Alright, we already know that Mercedes-Benz is the luxury car of choice of the fashion set. Case in point, the German car is the marquee sponsor of New York and Berlin fashion weeks.
But, did you know that is also the luxury car of choice of Hollywood A-listers? And first on the list is Oscar winner Natalie Portman, who Portman throughout the 2011 award season while attending marquee events such as the Golden Globe Awards, Palm Springs International Film Festival, Screen Actors Guild Awards, Independent Spirit Awards and the Academy Awards was driven in the Mercedes-Benz S400 HYBRID luxury sedan and Zero Emission B-Class Hydrogen Fuel Cell
“It’s good that there are now vehicles with alternative fuel options, from clean diesel, hybrid and even hydrogen, that are becoming more widely available,” said Portman.
And it’s not just Natalie Portman who made that choice. The S400 Hybrid and BlueTEC vehicles have also made the rounds for various marquee events during the award season as the transportation of choice among a select group of celebrities who continue to live a green lifestyle include: Oscar Winner Colin Firth, Oscar nominee Amy Adams, Golden Globe Nominee Mark Wahlberg, Carey Mulligan, Oscar host and nominee James Franco, Helen Mirren, Aaron Eckhart, Oliver Stone, Oscar Winner Jesse Eisenberg, Ben Affleck, Robert Duvall, Eva Mendes, Kirsten Dunst, Julia Stiles, Matthew Rhys, Ali Larter and Hayden Panettiere among others.
Since its debut, the Mercedes-Benz S400 HYBRID luxury sedan has been the vehicle of choice for many eco-conscious A-list actors including Tobey Maguire, Gerard Butler and Demi Moore among others.
Mercedes-Benz kicked off award season as a title sponsor of the Palm Springs International Film Festival and The Art of Elysium’s Fourth Annual Black Tie charity gala. In addition, the Company sponsored the Hollywood Dominos 4th Annual Gala benefiting The Seven Bar Foundation, and their annual Academy Awards viewing party at the Soho House West Hollywood.
Only available in California currently due to the lack of fueling stations nationally, the Mercedes-Benz Zero Emission B-Class Hydrogen Electric Fuel Cell vehicle offers celebrities, tastemakers and the truly eco conscious consumers a greater selection in choosing to go green.
With only 70 to be leased in California, the new Mercedes-Benz F-Cell is essentially an electric car that is fueled by compressed hydrogen that boasts an equivalent fuel mileage of 86.6 city-highway miles per gallon with a range of up to 240 miles, can be re-fueled in a few as 3 minutes, and produces water as the only emission.
Photos Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz


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Apple has announced Up Next Live concert tour featuring past and present Apple Music Up Next artists. The concert runs...
The first-generation iPhone prototype. Grab it while you can!
Shared experiences, Persistent AR, and much more.
First AR measuring tape app from Apple -- Measure.
Apple has announced iOS 12 for iPhone and iPad. The mobile software supports all the iOS 11 devices — from iPhone 5s to iPhone X —...
Free up local storage with Messages in iCloud.
iOS 12, macOS 10.14, watchOS 5, tvOS 12, and much more.
Is it still enough?
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 coupled with 6GB of RAM and powered by a 3500mAh battery, as far as tech specs are concerned.
The Conference moved to San Jose last year, and it's sticking to the same venue this year as well.
The third-party display issue on the iPhone 8 is fixed, after about a month.

domain: news


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A Halo Infinite Developer reveals a patch that may fix Big Team Battle’s connection issues has been submitted and could be live as soon as February 3.
Players waiting for Halo Infinite’s Big Team Battle playlist to get patched may be able to join games unhindered soon given news of an upcoming fix. Halo has been an Xbox staple since the original game launched with the first console in 2001, helping pave the way for modern multiplayer shooters. Like many of today’s popular online shooters, Halo Infinite has had issues since it launched last November.
Halo Infinite launched its free-to-play multiplayer on PC and current- and last-gen Xbox systems, successfully bringing the series back into the limelight. Developer 343 Studios has introduced new online game modes that add a variety of multiplayer options. At launch, Big Team Battle mode had many veteran players particularly excited, as the game mode is a Halo multiplayer staple. Unfortunately, the game mode has had trouble keeping players connected since launch, especially when more than a few friends are grouped up. However, fans received some hopeful news that a fix may be coming sooner than expected.
Developers took to the Halo Waypoint Blog to tell fans that an upcoming patch has been submitted for approval that will address the core problems Halo Infinite’s BTB has had since its launch. As reported by Gamespot, if all goes well, the fix could be live as soon as February 3. This is not the first attempted fix of BTB’s issues, as previous attempts have looked to reduce the mode’s disconnection ratio by preventing players from joining games in progress and reducing the amount of friends players could invite for a match. These actions did not fix the issue, as players continue to have trouble staying connected to Halo Infinite’s 24-player battles. Developers believe this next update should stabilize the fan-favorite mode thanks to player feedback and data attained from previous hotfixes.
A fix for BTB is not the only hopeful news the weekly update provided. Players can expect the return of the Purrfect Audio helmet, which puts adorable cat ears on Halo Infinite’s Spartans. In addition, developers acknowledged that the in-game shop has previously failed to deliver value and quality. They announced they would continue to monitor shopper trends and player feedback through the rest of season 1 to make the anticipated season 2 of Halo Infinite’s multiplayer a much more enjoyable experience for players looking to earn or purchase stylish cosmetics.
After years of waiting, fans finally have the Halo Infinite open-world campaign to explore and more than a half dozen multiplayer game modes to play. Still, players are likely anxious to see the fan-favorite BTB playlist stabilize soon so the mode can become the reliable, enjoyable experience it has been in past games. While gamers are excited for developers to iron out the game’s bugs, many are even more excited for Halo Infinite’s upcoming co-op mode to launch in addition to the many other improvements teased for season 2, which is set to release around May 2022.
Next: Halo Infinite Leak Hints Five New Multiplayer Maps Are Coming
Halo Infinite is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Sources: Gamespot, Halo Waypoint Blog
90 Day Fiancé: Alina Kasha Officially Fired By TLC Amid Racism Controversy
About The Author


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Global cryptocurrency platform Liquid announced on Thursday the launch of its first Initial Exchange Offering (IEO) by a Nasdaq-listed company, Phunware, Inc (NASDAQ: PHUN), a fully-integrated enterprise cloud platform for mobile.
According to Liquid, Phun seeks to empower consumers and ensure they are fairly compensated for their engagement with brands, while also offering brands a better way to engage consumers and drive loyalty. Liquid further explained:
“Unlike other solutions that require consumers to change behavior, Phunware’s technology integrates seamlessly with existing mobile applications so consumers aren’t required to download new browsers or applications in order to begin earning Phun.”
Speaking about IEO, Randall Crowder, Chief Operating Officer of Phunware, stated:
“We’re excited to announce the Phun IEO on Liquid, one of the world’s leading crypto exchanges with a strong presence in Asia Pacific markets. The future of blockchain depends on real companies like Phunware launching real solutions like Phun to solve real problems like engaging consumers in a mobile-first world.”
Kai Kono, Head of Asia Pacific, Business Development and Sales at Liquid Group, also commented:
“We are proud to host the first IEO launched by a Nasdaq-listed company on Liquid. Phunware has achieved the success of listing on a public US stock exchange after a decade of experience as a leader in mobile technology. This regulatory excellence and commitment to innovation is a common vision shared by Liquid, as a pro-regulatory player in enabling market liquidity to drive Phunware’s technological innovation.We are looking forward to strengthening our pro-regulatory partnerships and what it means for Liquid members.”
Liquid added it will be the first to debut Phun and it will be available for purchase from September 26th to October 3rd. Only Liquid customers are allowed to purchase.
Have a crowdfunding offering you'd like to share? Submit an offering for consideration using our Submit a Tip form and we may share it on our site!


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By James Davey and Kate Holton
LONDON (Reuters) -England’s car plants, railways, supermarkets and pubs warned the government on Monday that a COVID-19 tracing app, which has told hundreds of thousands of workers to isolate, was wrecking the recovery and pushing supply chains to the brink of collapse.
Cases of COVID-19 in Britain hit around 50,000 a day on some days last week.
Alerts, or “pings”, sent out by the official app telling anyone identified as a contact of someone with the disease to self-isolate for 10 days have caused huge disruption in schools, businesses and the healthcare system.
The crisis, which comes just as the government lifts nearly all restrictions in England to help drive an economic recovery, has been dubbed the “Pingdemic”.
Under pressure, the government said later on Monday it would allow workers in critical roles, such as air traffic controllers and train signallers, to carry on working despite being “pinged” if they were fully vaccinated.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, finance minister Rishi Sunak and health minister Sajid Javid are all isolating after Javid tested positive. Some pubs have shut, supply chains are teetering and the car breakdown service AA warned of longer response times at call centres.
Carmaker Stellantis said its Vauxhall van factory in Luton would move from three shifts to two shifts for the duration of this week, and Nissan (OTC:) adjusted production in some areas of its Sunderland plant to counter lower staffing numbers.
“The pingdemic is here and businesses need urgent change,” Richard Walker, the managing director of supermarket chain Iceland, said on Twitter.
Britain’s biggest rail operator, Govia Thameslink, said it may need to cancel some services in London and South East England. Retailer Marks & Spencer (OTC:) said it may have to reduce business hours.
“Where the industry will see the pain is in the supply chain, because logistics runs tight anyway to be efficient,” Marks & Spencer CEO Steve Rowe said in a statement.
Pub operator Greene King said it had to temporarily close 33 pubs last week due to a lack of staff. British baker Warburtons said it was struggling to maintain local deliveries as more staff self-isolate, exacerbating a national driver shortage.
The crisis has overshadowed Johnson’s “freedom day” on Monday, which ended more than a year of lockdown restrictions in England.
A person familiar with the situation in the retail sector said just under 10% of staff were absent, although some retailers were seeing absence rates of around 30%.
A second source at one of Britain’s biggest supermarkets, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said while absence rates were up, they remained manageable and below the peaks of last year when the pandemic was raging.
Some healthcare workers may be able to skip isolation and those who have been fully vaccinated will be exempt from isolation demands from Aug. 16.
Smaller businesses, however, are particularly alarmed.
“Having just one of my customers test positive will close my entire business for two weeks with no financial support,” said Helen Williams, owner of Willow Bridal Boutique in north west England.


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Not all African-American designers are up in arms over Michelle Obama's Fashion Choices! Designer B. Michael...
...issued the following press release after the Black Artists Association expressed their distaste:
I understand their sensitivity and respect their right to express it.
I personally believe it is an unfair expectation to place on the First Lady. Fashion is subjective and a matter of personal choice.
As a designer of Color I would encourage the fashion industry, editors and media to lead the way and be more inclusive. True change in America is going to be a collective effort.
As an American Designer I am excited that Mrs. Obama, in her role as the First Lady, will heighten the awareness of American style which resonates into business and jobs in the fashion industry."


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18 Dec 2023
At the recently held Cosmoprof India, industry executives said that India is the 4th largest beauty market globally and is expected to grow 40% by 2026, while personal care, skin care, and make-up is expected to increase 4.5% and fragrances by 2.4%.
In 2023, the Indian cosmetic products market size is valued at $1.35 billion and is expected to reach $2.27 billion by 2028, showing a CAGR of 10.91% between 2023-2028.
According to Samir Srivastav, CEO, Looks Salon Group, the beauty industry is flourishing, especially amongst urban Indian consumers and it is getting both local and global exhibitors. Looks Salon itself, plans to ride the growth wave and is aiming to open 500 salons in India by 2029 from 213 salons in 51 cities. It aims to focus mainly on tier 1 cities and at the same time, explore tier 2 cities. He added that today the beauty industry is valued at Rs. 80,000 crore, expanding at 10% CAGR with new services like male grooming and nails on the rise. Even home care consumption is witnessing an upsurge. This shows that there is a huge influx of brands and immense growth opportunities.
According to Spoorthy Shetty, CEO, BBlunt India, the professional hair care market is valued at Rs. 2,100 crore and there is a huge potential for further expansion. There is an increasing demand for international beauty products due to the rise in e-commerce channels and their presence in retail store format too. In tier 2 cities, social medial plays a pivotal role in shaping consumer choices, making global brands and prestige categories more popular.
Sanjiv Sharma, CEO, Grey Trendy Professionals Pvt. Ltd. added that India has transitioned from a consumer market to a leader in beauty and cosmetics space. Today, the world thinks of India as a pioneer and in the coming two decades the world will look at buying India’s best products.
Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, Informa Markets in India, said that consumer spending in India is on the rise at Rs.24.6 lakh crore and by 2027, it will become the world’s third-largest consumer market.


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Mercedes-Benz trademarks new EQ names
New moniker expected to be used for new electric vehicle sub-brand.
Mercedes-Benz has filed a series of trademark applications centering the letters EQ, leading to speculation its electric vehicle sub-brand to be unveiled at the upcoming Paris motor show could take the EQ name.
The trademarks, including EQA, EQC, EQE, EQG and EQS, together with EQ Inside, EQ Boost and Generation EQ, were all filed with European authorities last week under the category motor vehicle.
Officials from the German car maker have confirmed to Drive the existence of plans to create a new electric car sub-brand to challenge the likes of BMW's i and Audi's e-tron brands.
The EQ name is expected to appear on a high-riding electric SUV, possibly called the EQG.
Many of the new trademarks can be applied to existing key Mercedes-Benz models; EQA relating to the A-class; EQC to the C-class; EQE to the E-class, EQG to the G-class and EQS to the company's range topping S-class, while the EQ Boost name could be used in performance brand badging.


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TWP PARK. – Times are tough for Michigan blueberry growers, and it doesn’t look like they’re going to get better anytime soon.
âIt all started about five years ago when the blueberry market really started to decline,â said Trevor Wassink, owner of Tanglewood Winery in Park Township. The cellar and the blueberry have roots that are decades old.
âAll these Chilean and Peruvian farmers started planting a bunch of blueberries, and it really competed with the Michigan window. Before that, there wasn’t a lot of fruit in the market in October and November, so we had this excellent window for the end of the season berries to fill this market.
âBut now that competition has driven prices down here – and farmers in Chile and Peru have a lot more turnover per year. They can just keep planting. “
Wassink was a student at MSU when prices started to drop. He changed his major to wine chemistry and went to a college focused on wine.
âAt one point the prices were so low it wasn’t even worth the hassle of packing the blueberries,â he said. âWe had to dump tons at a time, just composting it. I was putting it down one day and I was like, ‘You know what? I’m going to make wine out of it.’ And since then, it’s been going very well. “
So began Tanglewood Winery, a passionate project for Wassink and a diversification opportunity for the farm.
âWe have doubled in size every year since we started,â he said. “We just snowballed here.”
Another good example of diversification is Bowerman Blueberries, another Park Township farm. Not only has the farm opened a fully stocked agricultural store, but a restaurant in the city center is expected to launch in the coming months.
âOne of the biggest things we’ve been facing in terms of challenges is rising rates and falling prices for blueberries,â said director Tom Parker. “Let’s say you own a restaurant or a store and the expenses go up – you just increase your prices, but we don’t have that luxury.”
The Bowerman family has been growing blueberries in Holland since 1954.
âIt used to be worth the hard work because at the end of the day you made money for your family,â Parker said. “And now we are putting in more hours, more work and getting paid less. It is getting harder and harder to sustain life on the farm.”
The farm recently doubled the size of its popular farm store. The space now offers drive-through and walk-in kiosk service, additional parking, convenient seasonal shopping hours and a variety of local produce including baked goods, fresh produce and clothing.
âOur ultimate goal is to sell direct to consumers,â Parker said. âBy opening our store on the farm, we are able to serve more customers. We also use our blueberries in smoothies, donuts and pies. We try to come up with different recipes.
This is also true at Bowerman’s on Eighth, which will soon open in the old Alpenrose restaurant on Eighth Street.
âThis is really what the restaurant is all about,â Parker said. “We’re going to give you a sandwich with blueberry sauce on top, or show you another way to use blueberry, and it’s going to be fantastic.” It’s another way to sell. “
Carol Yonker of KennyGarden Blueberry Farm, also in Park Township, said – for some blueberry growers – that diversification is not easy.
âThe Bowermans are such wonderful people,â she said. “They have done a fabulous job of adding diversity, but not everyone can do it.”
Yonker is 75 years old. Her husband is 80. She agrees that foreign competition is a big problem, as well as increasing spending.
âWe outsource a lot of our work on the ground,â she said. âWe used to pay 50 to 60 cents a pound to pick. Now we have to pay $ 1 a pound to pick our blueberries. others want to crash. But not anymore.”
Yonker said minimum wage requirements and government red tape have been tough on farming families.
âMy husband’s father, who started the farm in 1949, used to bring in children to earn money to buy school clothes. behind these desks in Congress, they have no idea what it is. “
The couple own farmland within half a mile of West Ottawa High School. But even if they wanted to sell and quit the blueberry industry, it’s not that simple.
âIt’s our land, but we can’t do what we want with it,â Yonker said. âThey won’t let us sell less than five or 10 acres, even if you want to switch to another use. We would sell this property for whatever we can get, but it’s not profitable for a blueberry farmer to buy our farm. beautiful land for someone who wants to develop it, but it takes time for that to happen. “
Tanglewood faces a similar challenge. Wassink’s father, Doug, was recently denied an application to rezone part of his blueberry plantation. He was hoping to sell the land for single family homes.
âWe have this land in a large area with a few roads running along it,â Wassink said. âOne of the main trials for our industry has been the rise of this pest, the spotted wing drosophila. It appeared about eight years ago and made all blueberry growers spray their crops a little more.
But spraying near roads is difficult, especially on windy days.
âThis block of land has been in production for a long time,â Wassink said. âIt is really difficult to spray without the cross projections hitting pedestrians. This is a big, big problem.
âWe lose money on this land every year, partly because of the need to restrict spraying, and partly because the land has a variety of blueberries that are really pest friendly.
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“We have a variety in the soil that nobody wants in the soil, and we really have to exploit that. It’s not a good scenario.”
But according to Park Township, the change could be considered “one-off zoning” and was not in line with the municipality’s master plan.
Meanwhile, imported blueberries continue to pour into grocery stores, sometimes to the tune of hundreds of millions of pounds.
âPeru was the biggest influx of tonnage,â said Chad Reenders, manager of Reenders Blueberry Farms in West Olive. “I think they bring in over 400 million pounds of blueberries a year in the United States.”
And yet, in February, the United States’ International Trade Commission refused to continue an investigation into whether local blueberry growers are being seriously affected by the growing volume of imported berries.
âThey said the damage wasn’t bad enough,â Reenders said. âIt was a big blow, but it was also a bit of a spark, because now there are a lot more people noticing what is happening to local blueberry growers. We’re starting to see a trend to promote American blueberries or grown in Michigan. “
According to Reenders, the best thing an average person can do to help blueberry sales? Check the label.
âNo matter the store, honestly just read where your fruit is coming from,â he said. “Whether it’s blueberries or cherries or whatever. If it’s from Peru or Mexico, it’s really not supporting any American farmer.”
And yet, despite the constant challenges, none of these farmers have thrown in the towel. It’s part of the nature of farming, Wassink said.
“We’re all trying to get by here.”
– Contact reporter Cassandra Lybrink at [email protected] Follow her on Instagram @BizHolland.


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In a new report from market research firm DisplaySearch, general shipments of LCD TVs are going to rise in 2011, but when compared to last year, it won’t be anything to get excited about. The firm says that the growth will be noticeable, but that the growth simply won’t be as high as it has been in the past. However, despite the fact shipments will rise, it’s the price erosion for the LCD market that will leave the market seeing its “first ever revenue decline.”
DisplaySearch reports that in 2011, the overall shipments for LCD TVs will rise 13 percent, accounting for 215 million total units. Unfortunately, that pales in comparison to what 2010 looked like, as the LCD TV market saw an overall increase of 31 percent, when compared to 2009. That means that 190 million units were shipped. While the market research firm is unable to project how much lower the overall revenue would be, they believe that a lingering mentality from the recession has left the state of LCD TV sales in a state of decay, and it seems to be worsening.
Paul Gagnon is DisplaySearch’s Director of North America TV Research, and he says that “North America continues to be a tough market for TV sales.” He goes on to add that, As unemployment remains high and consumers remain sensitive to price, budget-conscious consumers have been surprised by limited price declines, partially influenced by a much stronger mix of advanced TV technologies introduced this year like LED backlights, 3D, and Internet connectivity which offset any price declines.”


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A pair of British inventors has developed an electricity-conducting fabric that could lead to washable, wearable phones, keyboards and other devices.
The pair have already made a cloth keyboard for handheld computers and a spongy cell phone that will go through the wash.
Designers say the new material could lead to an explosion in "soft products."
Developed by Chris Chapman and David Sandbach, a pair of sculptors turned industrial designers, Elektex is made from conductive fibers woven into ordinary cloth.
Like traditional fabric, Elektex can be washed and ironed, and is extremely durable and cheap to make. But because it conducts electricity, the fabric lends itself to a whole class of new applications.
It could be used for a TV remote control built into the arm of a sofa, or a keyboard woven into a pair of trousers or the sleeve of a jacket.
It may lead to carpets that generate sounds or music when walked on, or a smart hospital blanket that prevents bed sores by warning nurses when an immobile patient needs to be moved.
As well as a keyboard and mobile phone, Elektex has already been used to make a smart car seat that automatically adjusts itself to the position of the occupant. The inventors also made a necktie that doubles as the keypad for a mobile phone.
"This is seriously going to make a difference to product interfaces," said Chapman. "It's a huge opportunity for people to reinvent what products look like and to invent products that have never been done before."
The fabric works by detecting changes in conductivity across its intricate web of conducting fibers. Special software monitors the fabric, pinpointing exactly where deformations occur when the fabric is pressed. The result is a cloth version of a touch screen, but one that can also tell how firm the button-presses are.
"When it is compressed it changes its conductivity," explained Chapman. "That is monitored by the software to tell where, and how much it is depressed."
Chapman and Sandbach developed the technology over the past couple of years and cofounded a company, Electrotextiles, to exploit it.
The pair met at the Exeter School of Art, where they studied sculpture, and ended up working in special effects at Pinewood studios.
A few years ago they made some hardware for a space mission, which lead to work designing medical sensors. A dissatisfaction with the inflexibility and rigidity of medical sensors prompted the pair to look at electro-conductive fibers, originally developed for static-dissipation in carpet and other fabrics.
To turn the fiber into cloth, the pair learned fabric-making techniques, figuring out how to weave and knit the very fine, electrically conductive fibers into material. They did it using established industrial processes, which will vastly cut expenses when it comes to mass producing products.
Chapman said after developing Elektex they looked for mass-market products suited to it.
One of the first things they built was a cell-phone tie. The electronics of the phone were built into a small capsule near the collar, while the tie itself was the dial-pad.
"It worked beautifully," said Chapman, "What could be more convenient than something that's tied around your neck?" But it was a bit too geeky, people didn't take it seriously."
So the pair started work on a raft of protoype products in communications, medicine, toys and the automotive, and sports and leisure industries, and began licensing the technology. About 20 companies have signed up so far, Chapman said.
Chapman said agreements with licensees prevented him from discussing most of the new products, but they are showing off the keyboard, the cell phone and the smart car seat to illustrate Elektex's potential.
"A big problem we have is people don't believe it does what it does," he added. "So we have to make these things to demonstrate it."
The first batch of prototype products will be unveiled at the Museum of Modern Art's WorkSpheres show in February.
The first Elektex product, the PDA keyboard, should be available by next summer for about $60 or $70.
"It's here, it's now, it can be delivered. Its just marketing and things like that," Chapman said of the delay.
According to Chapman, the keyboard is as easy to use as a traditional keyboard and even gives tactile feedback. It wraps around the PDA like a wallet and when unfolded is only a few millimeters thick.
"You just roll it out and start typing away," Chapman said. "Then roll it up again and away you go. It's incredibly thin and very light.
Elektex is a 50/50 mix of conductive fibers and regular fabric. It can be fashioned into almost any thickness and texture, from fine silk to thick, spongy neoprene-like material. It can come in any color, and be breathable or waterproof, opaque or transparent, stretchable or inflexible, Chapman said. It is also very durable.
"You can scrunch it, whack it, smash it, punch it and pummel it," Chapman said. "It's tough stuff."
Sam Hecht, the head of industrial design at the London office of the famous design group, Ideo, which is working with Electrotextiles, said Elektex has the potential to radically change product design.
For the first time, he said, the skin of a product can be more than just a cover, it can also be part of its workings.
"The skin becomes as intelligent as its contents and that's really a big revolution," he said. "You can build a lot of things into the surface, not just buttons but sound and sensors."
Hecht said, for example, an MP3 player could have its controls, display and even the speaker incorporated into the fabric of the housing. The interior would be a few chips and a battery.
"We're taking the product and turning it inside out," he said. "A lot of the components are on the outside. In industrial design, it's a totally different way of building a product."
Hecht said the sensitivity of the fabric to touch also endows it with all sorts of unusual properties, which could lead to new device interfaces. It can, for example, respond to stroking movements and even be programmed by the end user.
"Now it's feasible to allow the customer to say where the buttons should be," said Hecht. "It's the ultimate in personalization. You tell it where the power button is on your mobile phone and if someone else picks it up, they won't know how to turn it on, only you do.
"It also has all sorts of ergonomic possibilities," he added. "The nuances of interaction are really quite amazing."
Hecht said his initial reaction to Elektex was one of skepticism but he's since become wildly enthusiastic.
"I thought this is another blue-sky wearable thing that I would never go near, and I've seen a lot of them," he said. "But with this material, what we discovered is that we shouldn't be looking at this as just fabric.
"It's a new surface and the implications are much bigger. It has the possibility of a revolution. You can make anything. You can make any product. It's very, very interesting stuff."


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First, AltaVista reports that its Add URL system is indeed still taking submissions and that "significant" numbers of URLs have been added to the index. However, they are still processing a backlog. Submissions have been added in batches, with the next one scheduled for sometime this week, and the frequency is planned to increase as we move forward into December and the New Year. I'll bring you more news as I hear it -- meanwhile, the best advice is to watch for your missing pages and resubmit the key ones each week, if they fail to appear.
In other news, AltaVista is also to acquire the Raging Bull financial community site in a stock swap, it was announced on Nov. 29. AltaVista also announced in mid-November that its free Internet access service hits 800,000 subscribers after three months of operations. AltaVista says that makes it the seventh largest ISP in the US.
AltaVista Free Access
AltaVista plans share sale, considers merger
Bloomberg, Dec. 1, 1999
Could AltaVista and Lycos hookup? There's been talks, according to this very brief report.
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BARB provides the official ratings for the UK TV Industry. The final figures currently reflect those who watch live or on catch up within one week of broadcast. They do not include those watching on their computers via the iPlayer. The BBC's own research, Live +7, shows up to 10% of the audience for Doctor Who currently watches online and is not counted in the official figures.
The first BARB TV Player Report will to be released in September and will be the first set of BARB data to focus on viewing that takes place on computer devices such as laptops, desktops, tablets and smartphones. It will report on viewing activity at a device level, rather than a person level, and rely on data that is generated from software code that has been developed by Kantar Media and implemented by broadcasters.
This solution is one of the most advanced audience measurement systems for online TV viewing in the world. The data will be an important building block for the delivery of Project Dovetail, the hybrid measurement system that will that is intended to deliver full cross-platform reporting of audiences.
Justin Sampson, Chief Executive at BARB, said:
We're excited to be introducing our customers to the TV Player Report. It's a significant innovation from BARB and the result of close collaboration with broadcasters. At its heart is the generation of a census-level dataset that will provide our customers with a gold standard measure of online TV viewing.


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Even with major delays and cutbacks to Walt Disney World construction this year, Epcot’s France pavilion expansion moves forward. The highly-anticipated trackless dark ride, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, was supposed to open this summer. While the ride wasn’t able to meet its original opening date, it’s still on the path to completion.[Read more…]
Walt Disney World has shared the phased reopening dates for various forms of transportation across the resort.[Read more…]
This year’s end brings a new decade of theme park news and announcements – and the 2010’s brought so many announcements from Disney, Universal and more![Read more…]
To celebrate the recent opening of the Disney Skyliner, a new Funko Pop! figure inspired by the gondolas will soon be available at Walt Disney World.[Read more…]
The Walt Disney World Skyliner transportation system line from Epcot to Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort stopped Saturday night, stranding some guests for as long as three hours. There were no injuries.[Read more…]
This week on The Attractions Podcast, Brittani and Banks discuss the new plant-based food options coming to Disney Parks, the opening of the Disney Skyliner at Walt Disney World, a look at the Star Wars products launching for Triple Force Friday, and more!
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- TheStreet.com•3 days ago
Analysts are raising their estimates for the regional gaming sector as sentiment in states Donald Trump carried climb post-election.
- PR Newswire•3 days ago
LAS VEGAS, Dec. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The hub of bites, sips and sounds – Bailiwick – is now open at The Orleans Hotel and Casino. The unique venue is an inventive hybrid of a gastropub and an intimate entertainment venue, with live entertainment offered nightly. "Bailiwick is more than a restaurant, more than a bar and more than an entertainment venue – it's a unique experience," said Mark LaVoie, vice president of food and beverage at Boyd Gaming.
- Zacks•6 days ago
Last week was quite an eventful one for the gambling industry with revenues for November rising more than anticipated in Macau.
BYD : Summary for Boyd Gaming Corporation Common - Yahoo Finance
Boyd Gaming Corporation (BYD)
NYSE - NYSE Delayed Price. Currency in USD
Add to watchlist
|Bid||20.52 x 500|
|Ask||21.45 x 100|
|Day's Range||21.13 - 21.58|
|52 Week Range||14.22 - 21.58|
Trade prices are not sourced from all markets
|PE Ratio (TTM)||6.19|
|Dividend & Yield||0.00 (0.00%)|
|1y Target Est||N/A|


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The Bitcoin Blockchain Explained 10 Jan 2018. Blockchain or Distributed Ledger Technology seeks to address core concerns around transparency and trust that inhibit online transactions. Big business will always drive innovation, and the rise of blockchain-based smart contracts (read on for a deeper explanation) turns blockchain into a middleman. The coronavirus has been devastating, but in many ways, it
31 Aug 2019.
Lightning Network allows bitcoin and cryptocurrencies to be much more usable for the average person, and gives people the ability and context.
Andreas M. Antonopoulos. Twitter: @aantonop | Website: aantonop.com/. Greco- British investor Andreas Antonopoulos is one of the first influencers of the crypto.
Andreas M. Antonopoulos. @aantonop. Followers: 492,000. Antonopoulos became a bitcoin advocate in 2012. An author and coder, he served as chief security.
14 Mar 2020.
Volatility in the cryptocurrency market is something somewhat expected.
of the Let's Talk Bitcoin podcast, Andreas Antonopoulos, brought out.
The Kleiman estate’s legal team has seized upon this week’s revelation that 145 Bitcoin addresses claimed by Craig Wright are.
Andreas Antonopoulos is a great advocate for the blockchain space.
He has about a half a million crypto-hungry followers on Twitter and has the cache to.
25 okt 2018.
Ruben Waterman volgde de online masteropleiding Cryptocurrency van.
Een van de docenten was de crypto-grootheid Andreas Antonopoulos.
Herbert Blankesteijn, presentator van BNR Digitaal en te volgen via twitter.


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Letter to key H&M shareholders with the power to improve millions of lives?
This week we wrote to key H&M shareholders, asking them to support the establishment of a special living wage fund for the workers. Here you can read the full letter sent to the CEO’s of Nordea, Folksam, Alecta, Storebrand, Swedbank and AP4, together with the #TurnAroundHM petition handover booklet and our living wage resolution.
We are writing to share our concerns about H&M’s ongoing failure to ensure that workers who make H&M clothes can meet their basic needs, and to call upon you as a major H&M shareholder to address this ongoing human rights violation on a mass scale.
We are presenting you with a concrete opportunity to do so:
At the AGM on 7 May, vote for the shareholder proposal submitted by Clean Clothes Campaign, and approve the establishment of a special living wage fund for the workers who have been making H&M’s profits possible.
Clean Clothes Campaign – a global civil society network dedicated to improving working conditions and empowering workers in the global garment and sportswear industries – submitted this shareholder proposal after a year of active campaigning. The “Turn Around, H&M!” campaign has seen H&M invest heavily in public relations tactics, but it has not resulted in any visible decisive measures that would address the campaign’s central demand: for H&M to live up to its living wage commitment.
We launched the campaign because H&M, as one of the largest retailers worldwide, has the power to bring concrete changes to the fast fashion business model, and it has the responsibility to lead structural improvements which can lift millions of people out of poverty and ensure that the fundamental human right to a living wage is respected in H&M’s own supply chain.
H&M executives made some of the same arguments around the time H&M released its “Roadmap towards a fair living wage” (2013). Yet, despite the commitment made by H&M in that roadmap – that 850,000 workers would be paid a living wage by 2018 – not a single worker has seen that wage materialize on their pay check.
This reality exposes the company and its shareholders to high reputational risks with potential negative impacts on revenues and profits.
One reminder of this is the booklet we are sending you today.
The booklet serves as a way to hand over the petition calling for a living wage for the workers in H&M's supply chain that has been signed by more than 150,000 people. Beside the petition, we also invite you to read some of the personal comments by petition signatories. Many of over 30,000 comments refer to boycotting H&M until workers are paid a living wage, which clearly poses a tangible business risk.
This petition is one of the core activities organised within the “Turn Around, H&M!” campaign, to mobilise consumers and to ask H&M to take concrete and measurable steps to stay true to its commitment, and to respect a fundamental human right that is enshrined in the Universal declaration of human rights.
Thousands of people took part in the Turn Around, H&M! campaign in other ways, for example by taking part in the Global Week of Action, or addressing H&M through social media. All this is a clear sign that H&M customers care about the workers who produce H&M clothes.
As a major H&M shareholder, you have the power to steer H&M onto the right course: toward the actual payment of a living wage. We call upon you to do your part in making this change a reality by supporting our shareholder proposal on 7 May.


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Donald Trump handed Tim Cook a gift to start the week.
Apple Inc. (AAPL) shares rose firmly on Monday as investors reacted to a thawing of trade tensions between the U.S. and China, a move that would ease concerns for the manufacturing base of the world's biggest tech company.
Apple makes most of its tech hardware, including iPhones, Macs and Apple Watches, from manufacturing bases in the Asia region, including mainland China and Taiwan. China, the world's second-largest economy, also accounts for around 20% of the Cuptertino, Calif.-based company's quarterly sales, while around one third of all the 750 million-plus iPhones in use around the world are in the hands of Chinese consumers.
In fact, TheStreet's founder, Jim Cramer, argued last month that Apple had "the biggest target painted on its back" as a result of the brewing trade war between the two Superpowers because "we import a lot of phones and computers and components from China and many of Apple's products are assembled there."
"There are lots of ways this could hurt Apple: it could raise the cost of components, it could disrupt their supply chain or, worst of all, it could trigger Chinese retaliation," Cramer told his 'Mad Money' program on CNBC.
However, with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin saying that multi-day talks in Washington have put trade war concerns "on hold", and China's state-run newspaper reporting that vice-Premier Liu He said the summit was "positive, pragmatic, constructive and productive", some of those immediate-term concerns appear to have abated.
Action Alerts Plus holding Apple shares rose 1.3% on Monday to $188.77. The stock's record price of $190.37 was hit on May 10.
Apple's China, Hong Kong and Taiwan revenue slipped to $13.024 billion -- from a record $17.9 billion --- in its last quarter, the company reported on May 1, but that figure was still up 21% from the same period a year ago, highlighting the importance of the market and the relationship between the world's most valuable company and the world's second largest economy.
"I'm actually very optimistic", about the prospect for trade talk between China and the U.S., Apple CEO Tim Cook told investors last month "I think history shows us that countries that embrace openness and diversity do much, much better than the ones that are closed."
"China and the U.S. have this unavoidable mutuality where China only wins if the U.S. wins and the U.S. only wins if China wins and the world only wins if China and the U.S. win," Cook argued on a conference call on May 1.
TheStreet presents on May 22: "How to Stomach Market Volatility." Hosted by Fisher Investments, the exclusive live webinar will give you the tools to successfully navigate market volatility and discuss why having a wealth manager is more critical than ever before. Quickly register for the event here.


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Get Ready New Jersey, cannabis lounges are on the horizon!
Last week, the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJ-CRC) approved the proposed rules for cannabis consumption lounges. The proposed rules would allow for the following: - Licensed Cannabis Retailers allowed for indoor/outdoor consumption lounges - Lounges must be approved by NJ-CRC directly, as well as local authorities - Like bars, employees will be required to provide safe environments and not "oversell" customers - Patrons must prove they are at least 21 years old - Micro businesses will pay $1,000 licensing fee - Standard consumption lounge will pay $5,000 licensing fee
Regulators voted unanimously to approve the rules, so they are now entered into a 60-day public comment period before officials can reconsider & finalize.
Jeff Brown, Executive Director of the NJ-CRC, told the Monitor, "I truly believe that this rule proposal, like everything else we've tried to do, adequately balances both equity and safety and will open up new opportunities for businesses and consumers."
Did you know CanDu is headquartered in New Jersey?
CanDu is the U.S.’s premiere performance-based media agency for multi-state operators, cannabis brands, and other canna-businesses. We combine traditional media & digital tactics to measure the impact of advertising. As the only cannabis agency with decades of TV experience, we’re ready to run when the FCC approves cannabis for on-air broadcasting. Are you? Message us here, or email firstname.lastname@example.org
#cannabisindustry #legalcannabis #cannabisnews #instaweed #cannabisbusinesses #CannabisTrends #cannabisagency #cannabiz #usa #WomeninCannabis #WomenOwnedBusiness #CannabisMarketing #CannaMedia #cannabinoids #newjersey #NJCannabis #NJ420 #nj


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BMW Chief Says U.S. Presence Strategically Crucial
– BMW’s chief executive officer told shareholders that maintaining the
automaker’s presence in the South
Carolina was not a knee-jerk reaction to the strong
euro but a long-term strategy, according to www.charleston.net. Earlier this
year, the automaker announced it would take advantage of the weak dollar by
expanding production at its only North American plant, near Spartanburg.
calls for spending $750 million on facilities for its X5 SUV and the new generation
of its X3 SUV to boost output from the current 160,000 vehicles a year to
240,000 annually by 2012. By building the cars in the United States, BMW also can save money on wages,
since its South Carolina workers earn less than German workers.
about 100,000 German-made vehicles through the Port of
Charleston last year and shipped out roughly as many South Carolina-made models.


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MRAM's manufacturing challenges are unique relative to other emerging memories.
TORONTO — Of all the perennially emerging memories, MRAM seems best poised to be on the brink of significant, broad adoption. Whether or not this will happen soon is dependent both on advances in manufacturing and an ecosystem to support the technology for discrete and embedded MRAM devices.
Objective Analysis and Coughlin Associates’ annual report, Emerging Memories Ramp Up, suggests MRAM, along with PCRAM and ReRAM, has reached a critical point where it makes sense in more applications than ever before. It does, however, have its own set of manufacturing challenges, said co-author Thomas Coughlin, both from a process and materials perspective, as it uses some materials and processes that differ from conventional CMOS manufacturing.
“Right now, MRAM is made as a [back end of line] (BEOL) process in a separate fab. New equipment not used in conventional CMOS manufacturing is needed, such as ion beam etching and new sputtering targets.” For costs to be reduced for embedded MRAM products, he said, manufacturing will need to move into the CMOS fab and become part of the regular device manufacturing.
Beyond incorporating MRAM further into the manufacturing chain, quality control and yield improvement, as with other semiconductor manufacturing processes, will be an ongoing challenge and opportunity, said Coughlin, and the fact that all the large semiconductor foundries have offered MRAM memory as an option for embedded products is significant. “By incorporating MRAM into their embedded products and bringing MRAM into the regular device manufacturing in high volume, yield and quality issues will be resolved, and the unique tools used for MRAM production will become more common place and more embedded into foundry production. This will lower costs and increase availability.
One of those manufacturers, Applied Materials, recently announced updates to its platform, specifically addressing the challenges that are unique to MRAM, including the need for novel materials. It has evolved its Endura platform from a single process system to an integrated process system as part of its materials engineering foundation for emerging memories, including MRAM.
Applied Materials has evolved its Endura platform to address the materials deposition challenges that come with MRAM manufacturing (Source: Applied Materials)
Kevin Moraes, vice president of metal deposition products for Applied Materials, said the biggest manufacturing challenge for MRAM has to do with the complexity of the stack and the number of layers needed — in excess of 30. “The reason it’s pretty complex is because these layers serve multiple purposes.” Fundamentally, MRAM is essentially comprised of little narrow magnets, he said, so magnetic materials are required that can preserve a certain orientation, including a bottom reference layer, that’s immune to any external magnetic fields.
There are also material aspects with that stack and several layers that are used either as barrier layers or seed layers, said Moraes, and then there’s the extremely thin MgO layer that’s intrinsic to making the tunnel junction, which is at the heart of the MRAM stack. “But because this barrier is very thin, there’s also a risk that it can break down easily,” he said. “It demands a lot of perfection. It demands a lot of capability of many layers, many materials. You need to have that precision so that you can deposit exactly the right thickness.”
Jeff Lewis, Spin Memory’s senior vice president of business development, said Applied Materials has hit the mark with Endura as the quality of deposition is critical to the performance of the MRAM device itself, and in general, the foundries have created the tool sets that are enabling MRAM to go into manufacturing. He said this helps to create an environment where companies can start designing specifically for an MRAM device for artificial intelligence and Internet of things (IoT) applications where its persistence, power gating, and power management are critical. “MRAM has some unique capabilities there.”
Its capabilities can lead to MRAM replacing existing memories, such as SRAM, or creating new use cases all together, said Lewis. Spin Memory is looking at making MRAM as SRAM-like as possible, in that it offers the same value proposition but with three to four times more memory in the same footprint, without any of the leak that comes with SRAM. But as much as continually refining materials is important, Spin Memory is taking a circuit-level approach that works with any magnetic tunnel junction, he said, and that’s enabling it to make orders of magnitude improvements in terms of endurance, which in turn improves performance.
Everspin has two types of MRAM in production.
STT MRAM requires controller enablement or an FPGA,
and the company is continuing to grow its ecosystem
through partnerships. (Source: Everspin)
Everspin, meanwhile, has a history of collaboration with GlobalFoundries, and it’s been able to fine-tune its manufacturing for more than a decade in its own fab by constantly tweaking the recipe, said Troy Winslow, vice president of global sales for Everspin. “It has given us the ability to quickly ramp and transfer that knowledge to GlobalFoundries.” The company has two types of MRAM in production — toggle MRAM and STT MRAM, the latter of which does require controller enablement or an FPGA.
“We’re continuing to grow our ecosystem to support the STT marketplace, and provide simple and quick time-to-market implementation and adoption of our spin torque in the marketplace.”
At the 2019 Flash Memory Summit, Everspin announced several partnerships: Phison Electronics and Sage Microelectronics will provide native support for its 1 Gb STT-MRAM memory, while Cadence Design Systems will provide DDR4 design IP and verification IP (VIP) support for Everspin’s 1 Gb STT-MRAM. These collaborations will enable system designers to use STT-MRAM in their products with their choice of using standard controllers, designing with FPGAs, or building their own SoC/ASIC.
An ecosystem that supports MRAM will help reduces its costs, said Coughlin. “Having third-party controllers capable of managing devices that contain MRAM will help more companies participate in using MRAM in their systems and thus increase the overall yield and demand for MRAM and reduce the costs of MRAM memory.” He sees the biggest potential volume of MRAM in embedded applications. “Moving MRAM to embedded applications will force foundries to move MRAM manufacturing into the conventional CMOS device manufacturing. This has challenges but also provides huge opportunities in the cost of MRAM and its uses.”
As much as price affects which memory is adopted, Winslow said MRAM doesn’t necessarily have to be cheaper than incumbent options if a slight premium price leads to a lower overall total cost of ownership. He sees MRAM following the path of SSD adoption in that they were considerably more expensive than a hard drive but were able to create a new market because they had capabilities that had value in certain applications. “Our customers are seeing there is a value above and beyond the bit cost. It is a total cost of ownership story. They can articulate and justify paying the MRAM premium over existing technology.”
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"Paying for lawsuits has to come out of profits/income. Profits come from the customers. So the customer pays."
Actually the shareholders pay - or rather they don't receive.
Products have to be priced competitively, so consumers will buy them. A company can't simply hike selling prices in order to offset the costs of legal battles. Those costs do impact on company profits, and therefore on shareholder dividends - they don't directly affect consumers.
I'm puzzled that these big companies, with their legal teams, continually use other patented apps this way. Do they knowingly do it, knowing that there will be a law suit, and at the final settlement, whether out of court or not, they get a guarantee of permission to use these patents? Possibly just applying to use these patents would result in refusal and take time?
I think the fault ultimately lies with the US Patent Office, which will issue patents without checking.
Kodak have now started to use the courts as a source of revenue, but this week a Judge ruled against Kodak in a case against RIM (Blackberry) and Apple, as the Patent in question was invalid on the grounds of "Obviousness"


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It seems whatever little magic was left in the House of Mouse has vanished - and no wish is enough to bring it back.
Disney’s latest animated film, “Wish,” tanked at the box office over Thanksgiving weekend, marking just the latest in a string of box office bombs from the entertainment giant that used to rule the children’s entertainment industry. The film brought in $31.6 million over the five-day long weekend, landing significantly short of the $45-55 million projections and suggesting a dire future for a movie with a budget of $200 million.
This latest lackluster offering follows a litany of failed films including Lightyear, Elemental, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, The Haunted Mansion, and their live-action remake of The Little Mermaid. In fact, Disney has reportedly lost some $900 million in film failures this year alone. And while analysts may blame things like the company’s struggling streaming platform, Disney+, and outside factors like inflation for the company’s poor performance in theaters, even Disney itself seems to recognize that the company’s ill-considered foray into the World of Woke has played a key part in turning off its target demographic: kids…and their parents.
“We face risks relating to misalignment with public and consumer tastes and preferences for entertainment, travel and consumer products,” Disney said in its most recent SEC filing.
“Generally, our revenues and profitability are adversely impacted when our entertainment offerings and products, as well as our methods to make our offerings and products available to consumers, do not achieve sufficient consumer acceptance. Further, consumers’ perceptions of our position on matters of public interest, including our efforts to achieve certain of our environmental and social goals, often differ widely and present risks to our reputation and brands,” the company admitted.
Once known for generating high-quality kids content that parents could count on, Disney’s taken a hard-left turn in recent years. The company openly pushed back against Florida’s Parental Rights in Education bill that protected parents’ right to know what was being taught in their children’s public schools. Disney execs openly admitted to pushing a pro-LGBTQ agenda - even to the point of calling for gay and trans characters to be represented in every future Disney project, while butchering beloved classics like Snow White and replacing it with an insufferable feminist diatribe. The company’s major theme parks, already under fire for staggeringly high prices and decreasing quality, drew scrutiny after bearded grown men in dresses were spotted ushering young children into the attractions’ princess boutiques.
Maybe - just maybe - parents of young children don’t want leftist propaganda shoved down their throats - and pumped into their living rooms - by a film company that once produced wholesome films about animated toys, magical castles, and flying carpets. And they certainly aren’t willing to shuck out $15 a person to have the same recycled garbage with a side of woke force-fed to their family in theaters.
Looks like Disney’s going to have to wish on more than a star to fix this one.
Follow MRCTV on Twitter/X!
Disneyland’s newest ride? A half-naked man high on drugs playing with wooden dolls. https://t.co/oGjf9h5p1H— MRCTV (@mrctv) November 28, 2023


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Owning Tyson Foods has, in recent months, been a hard ride. The company’s share price has plummeted more than 46% in the past year. Since January, Tyson’s market cap – now at $20.785 billion – has lost $12.164 billion in value.
The market cap is for the Class A publicly traded shares. The Tyson family controls the voting with 100% ownership of the restricted Class B shares, which have a 10:1 voting advantage over Class A shares.
Tyson Foods stock price (NYSE: TSN) tumbled more than 16% to close at $50.73 – a three-year low – following Monday’s earnings report. Notably, it revealed a $97 million loss in the second fiscal quarter compared with an $829 million gain in the same quarter of the previous year. The Springdale-based company also lowered guidance on future earnings.
The company typically sees about 3.234 million shares traded on an average day, but Monday, there were nearly 25.16 million shares changing hands. Shares slid further Tuesday (May 9 ) to a low of $48.31 before closing at $48.81, down more than 3.7%, with 11.48 million shares traded.
In an exclusive interview, Tyson CEO Donnie King told Talk Business & Politics that it’s unusual to see all three meat businesses suffering macro-economic challenges at the same time. He said Tyson has 90 years of history and has seen many market cycles.
“We have gone through deep cycles before, and we always come out stronger,” King said.
He said weaker exports, lower prices for beef and sliding drop credit values – the prices paid for head, hide, organs and blood – helped squeeze packer margins. King said there is no short-term fix to the fundamentals, such as lower herd numbers, around higher live cattle costs. The beef segment is expected to see more margin challenges, which is why Tyson reduced earnings guidance for the back half of this year, including the busy summer grilling season.
King does see the chicken segment turning around sooner. He said the $166 million loss in the segment was largely one-time charges, including mark-to-market accounting for assets like corn and plant impairment expenses for line changes. Tyson’s chicken operating profit also was hurt with $92 million in charges related to plant closures in Van Buren and Glen Allen, Va. King said closures of the less productive facilities will benefit the company’s future financial performance.
In the quarter, Tyson grew its production volume of chicken despite the challenging dynamics. King said chicken prices began to recover in March, and the company’s lag-time processing model will follow. King told Talk Business & Politics that Tyson’s chicken business is competitive with everyone in the industry, something he could not have said two years ago.
“Chicken is a priority for me and for Tyson Foods. We are on the right path and should begin to benefit as we grow our volume mix of valued-added (higher margin) products,” King said.
King also said operational efficiency is central to Tyson’s plan to grow earnings. He said management could see the slower earnings cycles on the fringe late last year, which helped to set in motion the need to consolidate the corporate offices. King said Monday the consolidation is still underway, with more employees planning to move this summer. Tyson has not said how many people made the move, only that it went as expected.
King said recent corporate office layoffs were another attempt to drive efficiency, eliminate redundancy and create an aggressive change agenda which has been part of Tyson’s focus for the past two years. He said Tyson would continue to look for ways to run its business more efficiently so its customers and consumers are best served. On Monday, Tyson confirmed its corporate headcount in Springdale is around 4,000, down roughly 20% from late last year.
The company ended the quarter with $543 million in cash and cash equivalents, of which $11.637 million was used in stock repurchases. Tyson also had $8.5 billion of debt, including $1.1 billion in short-term maturities. In the first half of fiscal 2023, Tyson generated $769 million of cash from operations and spent $1.1 billion on capital expenditures. Tyson expects a total capital spend of $2.3 billion this fiscal year.
The company recently secured $1.75 billion in additional funding on May 3. Chief Financial Officer John R. Tyson said the $1 billion term loan from Bank of America and a second loan for $750 million would be used for general corporate purposes, the retirement of $593 million short-term commercial paper, and to fund the pending acquisition of Williams Sausage. Tyson reported interest expense of $173 million in April for the first six months of fiscal 2023, down from $197 million in the same period last year.


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Bitcoin IRA, the world’s first, largest, and most secure platform that allows users to invest in cryptocurrencies with their self-directed retirement accounts is announcing the upcoming release of their new mobile app. The app will be live and available to install in the Apple and Android app stores on June 21st, 2021. You can gain pre-access by signing up for the waiting list here.
It is the first cryptocurrency retirement app of its kind and will allow users to easily buy, sell, and swap crypto assets inside their retirement accounts and provides custom charts and live price alerts to stay informed of crypto prices while on the go.
The new app will come with many features and benefits, including the ability to:
- Buy, sell, and swap with 24/7 self-trading – Users can buy, sell, and swap assets directly inside their self-directed retirement accounts any time at their convenience.
- Earn monthly interest – Earn up to 6%* interest on assets, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and cash.
- Use advanced investing capabilities – Personalize your investing experience with real-time prices, advanced charts, custom price alerts, and more.
- $100 million custody insurance – Our crypto IRAs have world-class security with 100 million dollar custody insurance through BitGo.
- Contact support – Reach out to an expert support team. They are available for you!
- Refer-a-friend – Invite your friends and family to start investing in cryptocurrencies and earn $100 per new sign-up.
“Agility, real-time access, security, and control are paramount to successful cryptocurrency investing. We are thrilled to achieve yet another milestone and first in the industry with our new mobile app for self-directed retirement accounts. Our clients will have complete control of their Bitcoin IRAs on any device, at any time,” said Chris Kline, Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer of Bitcoin IRA.
Investing in cryptocurrencies with Bitcoin IRA has been growing with popularity, as the platform recently surpassed over 100,000 users, making it the most trusted and popular cryptocurrency IRA technology platform. Investors interested in creating a new self-directed retirement account or rolling over their self-directed retirement account can go to bitcoinira.com or call 866-333-4307.
About Bitcoin IRA
Bitcoin IRA, available at bitcoinira.com, is the world’s first, largest, and most secure digital asset IRA technology platform that allows users to purchase cryptocurrencies and physical gold for their self-directed retirement accounts.
They provide a secure self-trading platform for self-directed retirement accounts. Users can set up a qualified digital asset IRA, transfer funds from an existing IRA custodian, execute self-trades in real-time 24/7 through a US-based exchange, and store funds in an industry-leading multi-signature digital wallet from BitGo. Users can also earn interest on their cash and crypto assets with IRA Earn.
Bitcoin IRA has processed over $1.5 billion in transactions and has over 100,000 users with more than 2,500 5-star user reviews. The platform has been featured extensively in the media, with coverage in Forbes, CNBC, CoinDesk, and The Wall Street Journal, among other leading publications.
Bitcoin IRA is a financial services technology provider, and as such, is not a financial adviser, cryptocurrency exchange, custodian, wallet provider, initial coin offering (ICO), or money transmitter. Bitcoin IRA is privately funded and based in Los Angeles.
Learn more about Bitcoin IRA at bitcoinira.com or call 866-333-4307.


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Should Microsoft msft 0.3360116873630387% Microsoft Corp. U.S.: Nasdaq USD68.68 0.23 0.3360116873630387% /Date(1495573200159-0500)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 14450734 AFTER HOURS USD68.55 -0.13 -0.18928363424577752% Volume (Delayed 15m) : 975090 P/E Ratio 30.38938053097345 Market Cap 528469237547.256 Dividend Yield 2.27140361094933% Rev. per Employee 761693 More quote details and news » fling Bing, and swap its search-engine operations for Facebook shares?
It may sound crazy, but not to software analyst Rick Sherlund of Nomura Securities. "Most investors I talk to are asking why Microsoft is in the search business, anyway," Sherlund says. Microsoft (ticker: MSFT) racks up $2 billion to $2.5 billion a year in operating losses running Bing, which is No. 2 in search engines, behind Google (GOOG). Those losses equate to about a 7% ding to annual operating margins. A vocal minority of Microsoft shareholders, many of them value investors, would love to see Microsoft exit search.
The idea, floated by a CNBC commentator last week, goes like this: Microsoft would turn Bing over to Facebook. Microsoft could receive Facebook shares, currently worth two times Bing revenues, roughly $4 billion, which Sherlund posits as a 4% stake. Microsoft currently owns a 1.6% stake in Facebook, a company that is expected to be valued at as much as $100 billion after its initial public offering later this year. Of course, Facebook might want to wait until after the IPO to see what its shares are actually worth.
The transaction would still allow Microsoft to achieve the two primary objectives behind its current ownership of Bing: making money off its Internet traffic and preventing Google from monopolizing search advertising.
Sherlund suggests that Microsoft could receive around 80% of the Bing advertising revenue generated by traffic from Microsoft sites, such as Xbox Live, through so-called traffic-acquisition costs. "Microsoft doesn't have to own its own search engine in order to monetize traffic," Sherlund explains. "You would be making money and have zero cost."
Microsoft's other objective would still be met if Facebook were to take control of the search engine. In fact, Bing would probably become a stronger rival to Google in search advertising. "Facebook has all of this rich data about its users to present better search results," Sherlund explains, adding that the prospect has Google "quite worried."
Why is Microsoft in the search business to begin with? "It's because they want to keep Google from having such monopoly power [in search] that they can use the resultant profit to make forays into Microsoft's domain," Sherlund explains, with such things as Google's Chrome operating system and Android smartphone software.
Microsoft has also long insisted that being in Internet search is integral to its long-term viability, explaining why it was willing to pony up as much as $37 a share to acquire Yahoo! yhoo -0.6712734452122409% Yahoo! Inc. U.S.: Nasdaq USD50.31 -0.34 -0.6712734452122409% /Date(1495573200454-0500)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 7095072 AFTER HOURS USD50.4 0.09 0.17889087656529518% Volume (Delayed 15m) : 246958 P/E Ratio N/A Market Cap 48529335672.1969 Dividend Yield N/A Rev. per Employee 595083 More quote details and news » (YHOO) in 2008. (No deal was done.) It currently shares search-advertising revenue with Yahoo!, which presumably would also fare better under a Facebook-run Bing: If that gig brings higher revenues to MSFT, Yahoo! benefits, too—through its sharing deal with MSFT.
Sherlund isn't aware of any plans or discussions between Facebook and Microsoft. Both companies said they don't comment on deal rumors. The notion of Microsoft swapping Bing for Facebook shares was suggested in a recently published digital book entitled The Facebook IPO Pitch, which was written by an anonymous author claiming to be an Internet-marketing insider.
Sherlund has a Buy rating and a target of $37 on Microsoft, which closed Friday near $31. Nomura is not an underwriter participating in the Facebook IPO. Sherlund admits that the swap might be merely hypothetical, but adds: "It's a really nice idea."


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The Internet Of Things will reshuffle priorities and costs for global enterprises.
The IoT will be a diffuse layer of devices, sensors, and computing power that overlays entire business-to-business, consumer-facing and government industries. The IoT will account for an increasingly huge number of connections: 1.9 billion devices today, and 9 billion by 2018. That year, it will be roughly equal to the number of smartphones, smart TVs, tablets, wearable computers, and PCs combined.
Via Marylene Delbourg-Delphis, Fred Zimny


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Jazz up your business with a mobile-friendly website!
If you aren't optimized for mobile, you're losing potential customers... this is
Avoid tiny mistakes and make your SEO strategies a big hit!
Having a good website for your business is like
Intel announced one of the biggest ever changes to its chip lineup, it develops a new Xeon CPU with an
Yahoo and Mozilla just announced a partnership where Yahoo will succeed Google's search engine on Firefox's web browser in the


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Galaxy Note 20 Leaks in a 360-Degree Render, Shows a Flat Screen
The Galaxy Note 20 is set to go official along with its elder siblings at the Galaxy Unpacked event taking place in August. However, as always, the device has received a lot of attention, and all eyes are waiting to see just what Samsung is going to bring.
Usually, when a device this high profile moves towards an official status, the leaks are inevitable to the point that we get to know all about a device before it even goes official. The same has been the case with the Galaxy Note 20 series. Today, we have our hands on a leaked official render of the Galaxy Note 20 that shows some interesting details about the device.
Galaxy Note 20 Leaked Render Shows a Flat Display, a Front-Hole Punch Camera, and a Familiar Design
Evan Blass (@evleaks) shared the render on his Patreon and the render showcases the device from every angle. Here is how the device looks.
Sadly, the actual render is in high definition that does not upload due to the website limitations, but you can view that on the Patreon linked above. Additionally, we have managed to take high-quality screenshots of the front and back that you can check below.
The front shows a very familiar design. For those who do not remember, we talked about it last month how the Galaxy Note 20 will have a flat display as compared to the curved display of the other models, and seems like that Samsung is going towards that route. Additionally, the tip we received also hinted towards how the Galaxy Note 20 will have a 60Hz refresh rate. However, that still remains to be confirmed.
On the back you have a triple camera setup that reminds us a lot of the cameras on the standard Galaxy S20, however, this time, the module itself looks bulkier. So, we hope that Samsung has upgraded the optics in one way or another.
No other information pertaining to the device was shared but we already know some information. For instance, the Galaxy Note 20 series is set to release with Snapdragon 865+ in some countries and the older Exynos 990 in its global variants.


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UK Parliament Proposes Environmental Tax And Due Diligence In New Economic Model For The Fashion Industry
16th Report from the Environmental Audit Committee
We need a new economic model for fashion. Business as usual no longer works.
The Government should change the law to require companies to perform due diligence checks across their supply chains.
UK designers are already taking a lead on sustainable fashion.
We heard from a range of exciting, innovative and sustainable fashion businesses and designers in the UK who are forging a new vision for fashion.
These innovators are faced with competition from businesses who are focused on reducing costs and maximising profits regardless of the environmental or social costs.
Government needs to provide clear economic incentives for retailers to do the right thing.
We recommend that the Government reforms taxation to reward fashion companies that design products with lower environmental impacts and penalise those that do not. Moving from conventional to organic cotton and from virgin polyester to recycled PET (in garments designed to minimise shedding) would help to reduce the negative impact of the clothing industry.
The Government should investigate whether its proposed tax on virgin plastics, which comes into force in 2022, should be applied to textile products that contain less than 50% recycled PET to stimulate the market for recycled fibres in the UK.
Conclusions and recommendations
We recognise that fast fashion has made it affordable for everyone to experience the pleasure of style, design and the latest trends.
We were told however that the most sustainable garment is the one we already own and that repairing, rewearing, reusing, and renting are preferable to recycling or discarding clothes.
The Government must change the system to end the throwaway society. Often it is more expensive to repair an item than buy a new one. Many of us also lack the skills to perform more than basic clothing repairs.
The Government should make fashion retailers take responsibility for the waste they create and reward companies that take positive action to reduce waste. A charge of one penny per garment on producers could raise £35 million to invest in better clothing collection and sorting in the UK.
The Government's recent pledge to review and consult on extended producer responsibility for the textile industry by 2025 is too slow.
We need action before the end of this Parliament.


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SILICON SLOPES, Utah — October 5, 2020 — ObservePoint is proud to sponsor the Digital Analytics Association’s OneConference 2020. The event will begin on October 20th at 10:00am EST and will run through October 22nd.
The DAA OneConference is an invaluable experience for any digital analytics professional – from the practitioner to the executive – who need answers they can trust.
Acknowledging all of today’s new challenges, the DAA plans to deliver a stellar line up of globally renowned industry leaders providing key insights, latest trends, and connections. With an unbiased agenda and a community of experts, this conference has the tools and foresight to help businesses collaborate, innovate, and improve performance to stay ahead in the changing landscape of digital analytics.
ObservePoint works closely with the DAA in advancing the digital analytics industry. Chris Baird, VP of Marketing at ObservePoint said,“The DAA is a hub in the digital analytics world; their leadership and collaborative efforts have greatly advanced the industry since their formation in 2004.”
All interested parties can register to attend the DAA OneConference here.
For organizations to be truly data-driven, they must answer two vital questions: 1) What is this data telling me about our customers? and 2) Can I trust my data?
Since its creation, ObservePoint has empowered insights-driven companies to trust their data and create better experiences for their customers with analytics testing and tag governance. Our automated solution enables companies to scan their digital properties for data collection and performance errors—ensuring that they are collecting accurate data to guide their decisions.
Now with Strala by ObservePoint, the ObservePoint solution also helps organizations answer the first question by unifying their data collection standards, capturing and validating every customer touchpoint, and generating trustworthy, actionable insights about their customers that drive real growth and increase ROI.
Together, these solutions arm data-driven companies with trusted data and actionable insights that drive their company forward.


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- Special Features
Blogs & Columns
- Fun & Games
Kris Humphries sister, Kaela Humphries, has signed on to model for FORD Models’ FORD + division as a plus size model.
The 29-year-old is “a true size 16-18, [who] will be in a league of her own,” the agency said in a press release. “The division that brought you Crystal Renn, Ashley Graham, Candice Huffine and Marquita Pring among others is excited at the prospect of bringing this beautiful, engaging young woman to markets worldwide.”
Humphries took to twitter to express her gratitude, saying, "So excited to be working with the team @fordmodels! This is going to be a great 2012! Stay tuned:)"
E! Online is reporting that the blue-eyed beauty was previously signed with Wilhelmina modeling agency and first walked the runway during the Fall 2011 Richie Rich fashion show during New York Fashion Week.
The Minnesota native has also had a few appearances on TV, including her ex-sister-in-law Kim Kardashian’s reality show, Kim and Kourtney Take New York, and a feature on CW’s, Remodeled, according to People magazine.
Kumphries’ isn’t the only one ecstatic about her new gig. Brother Kris Humphries showed his support by tweeting, "Congrats to my sister @kaelahumphries for officially signing with Ford.”
Here’s to Kaela Humphries in making a name for herself and having a successful modeling career!


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When is a short list not a short list in an ad agency search? Well, it's like a popular lady who's got a steady, but has her eye out for someone better.
Jim Beam Brands Worldwide Inc. has picked four agencies to compete for the global ad account of its flagship Jim Beam bourbon. But the Deerfield-based firm says the list might be expanded, depending on what agency or agencies knock on its door. That is, an agency or two with the proper credentials might crash the party.
Picked were Portland, Ore., ad agency Wieden & Kennedy; Hill, Holliday/Altschiller in New York; Young & Rubicam Chicago, and J. Walter Thompson Australia, the latter now working on the Jim Beam brand there.
These agencies with varying credentials are scheduled to meet next week with officials of Beam, which as a unit of Old Greenwich, Conn.-based Fortune Brands, has such sister companies as Master Lock, ACCO North America and Titleist and Foot-Joy Worldwide.
Involved is a budget of perhaps $6 million to $7 million in this country, and as much as $15 million globally.
The winner will succeed Minneapolis agency Fallon McElligott, which two weeks ago parted with the client after 10 years. Fallon also had other assignments from its ex-client.
It's possible that such brands as Beam's Knob Creek Bourbon and the Small Batch Bourbon Collection, DeKuyper cordials and other spirits that had been handled by Fallon might wind up with the winner.
Hill, Holliday is a former agency of Brown-Forman Beverages Worldwide, working on its Early Times and other spirits. Y&R Chicago's parent in New York in the past has worked on media for Diageo's United Distillers and Vintners North America unit. JWT's San Francisco office now does advertising for wine brands of Diageo.
The Jim Beam brand worldwide sells more than 5 million cases annually, a whopping 800,000 alone in Australia. Beam has done TV advertising in Australia.
Legal eagle for GM dealers: A group of Chicagoland General Motors dealers, who have banded together as the GM Dealers Coalition, has hired Sam Skinner and Chicago law firm Hopkins & Sutter, of which he's co-chairman, to represent them in dealing with General Motors Corp. The dealers want to ward off possible action by the automaker in dissolving their advertising groups. Skinner-- a former president of Unicom who also was an attorney for Uncle Sam and has political connections--and the dealers will be "seeking a dialogue" with GM, says Lake Forest lawyer Dennis M. O'Keefe. In this instance, O'Keefe also is representing Chicagoland dealer groups for Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac, Pontiac, Oldsmobile and Buick. An announcement is expected by Dec. 16 from GM, further implementing a new regional strategy that likely will affect the dealer groups. GM says it has received feedback from dealers. O'Keefe said the GM coalition has set up a war chest "in preparing for possible litigation." Two unidentified Wisconsin GM groups have kicked in funds and groups elsewhere have expressed interest in backing the cause, O'Keefe said.
Paying the rent at Polo: Polo Ralph Lauren's spectacular new store at 750 N. Michigan Ave. has been cranking out a number of $100,000 sales days, insiders report. That's a very impressive figure, but one must wonder how much of that is "plus" business for the Magnificent Mile, because shoppers may be spending their bucks at Polo rather than other high-end retailers. In any case, $100,000 days go a long way to paying the rent, which sources say is $350,000 a month for a prime Boul Mich location.
On the move: Michael McCann to Chicago-area director of marketing for Sprint PCS; he's based in Oak Brook. . . . Jacqueline Block to Newspapers First's Midwest office as a sales executive, major accounts. . . . Suzanne Staples to a regional account manager on the Midwest ad sales staff of Times Mirror's Field & Stream, Outdoor Life and Outdoor Explorer magazines. . . . Carol Rizzie to VP of business development at Kanbay Inc., Rosemont.
Strictly Personal: Birthday greetings to Michael A. Karras, 32; Linda M. Whitlock, 34; Thomas M. Fulton, 65 (Landauer Inc.); Philip J. Bedella, 33; R.L. "Dick" McCullough, 62; Andy Nezzle, 80; Ted Biedron, 52; Nick Harkin, 33; Leslie Hindman, 44, and Ciela Quitsch, 45.


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Planning official admits mid- to low-end producers pulling out of ChinaBusiness | 17 Jul 2019 1:22 pm
China has not seen a large-scale exit in its manufacturing sector and is confident of attracting more foreign firms seeking long-term development, the top economic planner said yesterday.
"Most of those pulling out are mid- to low-end firms and the impact on China's economic growth, industry upgrading and employment is generally controllable," Meng Wei, a spokesperson of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), told a news conference when answering a question on reported withdrawals.
Citing changes in the global industrial landscape and the upgrading of China's manufacturing industry, Meng said it was a normal phenomenon for some enterprises to set up factories abroad.
"It is not easy for companies to relocate, and there are a number of factors to consider, including operating costs, industrial workers, supply chain support, transportation and even manufacturing culture," she said.
She said that with a series of policies and measures starting to take effect, the overwhelming majority of enterprises will stay in China for long-term development, and more enterprises will come to invest in China.


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Read Stock Insights by ET for a quick analysis
Barring lockdown impact in the last week of March, Q4FY20 was an operationally stable quarter for Shriram City Union Finance. The company reported Q4FY20 standalone disbursements of Rs 54.2 billion (down 7 per cent quarter on quarter). PAT for the quarter stood at Rs 1.53 billion, down 39 per cent year on year and 48 per cent quarter on quarter, primarily because of Covid-19 provisions of Rs 4.3 billion (145 bps of average AUM). Moratoriums in the MSME and two- wheeler books stood at ~75 per cent and ~50 per cent respectively.
Key positives include: 1) collection across product segments improved with aggregate efficiency increasing from ~34 per cent in April to ~53 per cent in May; 2) liquidity at ~Rs 20 billion as at Mayend, arguably still tight, was helped by collections of ~Rs 15.7 billion in April/May; 3) new/used two-wheelers and gold loan segments offer considerable promise from the demand side, but outlook on SME behavior remains uncertain. The brokerage says economic and credit cycle disruption will make the space more vulnerable, thereby increasing the risk of asset quality deterioration.
The brokerage models an AUM CAGR of around 6 per cent over FY20- FY22E and build-in credit cost of around 4 per cent for FY21E with the economic dislocation leading to deterioration in asset quality. The brokerage values the standalone business at 0.5 times FY22E P/BV (unchanged). The SoTP-based valuation leads to a target price of Rs 695 (earlier: Rs708). The potential exit of a large investor and the proposed mergers within the group would remain an overhang, according to the brokerage.
Key upside risks include a sharp recovery in the economy leading to better asset quality experience, and a well-executed stimulus package for MSMEs.
For the quarter ended March 31, 2020, the company reported consolidated sales of Rs 1545.91 crore, down -1.53 per cent from last quarter sales of Rs 1570.00 crore and up 2.53 per cent from last year's same quarter sales of Rs 1507.72 crore. The company reported net profit after tax of Rs 150.92 crore in the latest quarter.
Promoters held 33.92 per cent stake in the company as of March 31, 2020, while FIIs held 5.92 per cent, DIIs 5.92 per cent and public and others 32.76 per cent.
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Experts say investors are preparing for the risk of higher inflation as the reopening of the U.S. economy gathers steam. However, they warn that many may not be prepared if the worst of the price increases has already run its course. While economists say that the U.S. economy is on the cusp of a full recovery, they say reaching that milestone still won’t be easy.
Fox Business/Jonathan Garber
Inflation posturing divides investors
Investors are positioning for the risk of higher inflation as the reopening of the U.S. economy gathers steam, but may not be prepared if the worst of the price increases has already run its course.
Hot inflation readings, rising expectations, and labor and materials shortages have contributed to the fastest price gains, both for consumers and producers, since the 2008 financial crisis.
“Looking through the lens of our flows and positioning indicators, we see: strong inflows into inflation-protected bond funds as well as into equity funds focused on Energy, Materials and Financials,” wrote Deutsche Bank strategists led by Parag Thatte.
The inflows into so-called inflation protection assets come as recent surveys from both Deutsche Bank and Bank of America show investors are growing increasingly worried that higher than expected inflation is the biggest risk to markets.
Data released earlier this month showed consumer prices rose 4.2% year over year in April, making for their biggest annual increase since September 2008. Prices increased 0.8% from the prior month.
Meanwhile, producer prices jumped 6.2% annually, the most since recordkeeping began in November 2010, and were up 0.6% on a monthly basis.
The Federal Reserve says the recent jump in inflation readings is “transitory” due to a “base effects” skew due to the price decline that occurred at the onset of the pandemic.
Read the full story, here.
CNN Business/Anneken Tappe
The US economy is closer than ever to ‘back to normal.’ But we’ve still got a long way to go
More than a year after the pandemic began, the US economy is on the cusp of a full recovery. But reaching that milestone still won’t be easy.
CNN Business’ Back-to-Normal Index, developed in partnership with Moody’s Analytics last year, shows the US economy is 90% of the way back to where it was before the pandemic began over a year ago.
The index, which is comprised of 37 national and seven state-level indicators, had bottomed out at around 57% in April 2020.
But despite the immense improvement, getting that last 10% back is going to be hard. The vaccination effort is ongoing and consumers are once again spending money on dining and travel — yet the nation remains millions of jobs short of pre-pandemic levels. Meanwhile many workers continue to feel hesitant about returning to in-person work, and the childcare riddle is still unsolved in many areas where schools and day cares aren’t yet operating at full capacity.
Click here to read what needs to happen to get the country 100% back to the pre-pandemic economy.
Gold steady near multi-month highs on weaker dollar
Gold steadied near its highest in more than four months on Tuesday, buoyed by a weaker dollar but with gains capped after U.S. Federal Reserve officials soothed fears about inflation.
Spot gold had risen 0.12% to $1,883.36 per ounce by 0930 GMT, not far from its highest in 4-1/2 months hit on Wednesday.
U.S. gold futures were little changed at $1,884.30.
While the macroeconomic background and the weaker dollar is still supportive for bullion, “gold is increasingly starting to show signs that it needs to just consolidate” following a strong rally since April, said Saxo Bank analyst Ole Hansen.
“Generally, the comments from the Fed members yesterday were quite soothing in terms of inflation expectations, that may just have reduced a little bit of the appeal here in the short term,” Hansen said.
Gold is considered a hedge against inflation, but higher interest rates will dull its appeal as they translate into a higher opportunity cost of holding the non-yielding asset.
Continue reading, here.


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Five years ago, business information company Datamonitor predicted that chocolate would be the new coffee. It also suggested that it would be the food to watch out for in times to come. We've watched and waited and can confidently say that chocolate has moved on from supermarket shelves and gift packs into a decadent new retail category: chocolate cafes.
Chocolate lounges have mushroomed all over the country, presenting themselves as a glitzy and intimate alternative to coffee shops. The ladies who lunch have enjoyed the allure of traditional recipes at Galler for some time now, while the more intrepid have avidly sought out dedicated bolt-holes in five-star hotels and in malls off the beaten track, such as at The Chocolate Gallery at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr.
Joan Steuer, President of Chocolate Marketing, a Los Angeles-based industry trendspotter, likens these sweet spots to indulgent experiences such as bubble baths. "The whole concept of a place to go and just be with your chocolate and celebrate the experience of chocolate is wonderful," she says.
Michelle McBride, Retail Director, Butlers Chocolate Cafes, aims to engender just such a feeling at her new outlets in the UAE. "I think that the chocolate cafe experience is a little more indulgent and a little more luxurious that the average cafe experience. There is a nice feeling of self-gratification too as the chocolate cafe often feels like a small and affordable self-treat."
The Irish manufacturer, better known in the region for its truffles retailed at the country's duty-free outlets, is only the latest brand to unwrap a cafe concept in the UAE. With franchise partners Prime Hospitality, who have a significant presence in the region, Butlers has announced the opening of two UAE cafes over the next quarter, with more likely to follow.
"There has been a steady growth in hot and cold chocolate drinks over the past five years and chocolate cafes are the ideal way to exploit this trend. Cafe culture is also still on a growth curve and people are looking for new and interesting ways to consume their beverages," explains McBride.
Butlers is only one of several manufacturers to seek ownership of its own retail channels, driven in part by the learning that chocolate cafes allow frequent and direct engagement with customers.
Galler was the first mover here, serving up a veritable sociological lesson on a tray when it first launched three years ago. One memorable menu item offered a trio of chocolate drinks, each from a different century.
Since then, other international players such as Spanish brand Cacao Sampaka and Alison Nelson's Chocolate Bar, from the United States, have competed for punters' dirhams. The former, a partnership with the Bin Hendi group, is a Dubai Mall hotspot for cocoa aficionados, while the latter is a hot favourite from the Big Apple.
But home-grown players have been doing equally good business. Attesting to the success of the trend and the opportunities available is ChocoMelt at Ibn Battuta Mall, started about a year ago by UAE-based entrepreneur Lamees AlAbudi. "We are doing increasingly well," says AlAbudi, who serves Belgian chocolate with its signature waffle and crepe mixes with a selection of toppings, catering to shoppers and children's parties alike.
AlAbudi says cafes like hers appeal because of the opportunity for customisation. "What most customers like is the freedom to choose from fresh fruits and nuts, marshmallows, M&Ms, biscuits, cookies, gelato and more."
Customisation is something very much in vogue at The Chocolate Gallery at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr, Abu Dhabi, which plays host to everything from baby showers to corporate high teas. Gilded cocoon chairs and low lighting encourage tete-a-tetes over sips and nibbles of the best chocolate produced worldwide. It is one of a new breed of chocolate lounges that, in contrast to traditional shops, extend the experience far beyond the candy counter. Like others of its kind, it's a place to see and be seen, says Dragan Rucnov, the hotel's Executive Pastry Chef.
"Chocolate boutiques are laid out almost like high-end jewellery stores, where the chocolates are the gems displayed in mouth-watering and breathtaking creations that are not just a treat for the taste buds but allude to the fact that you eat with your eyes first," he says.
Rucnov's patrons swear by the Emirates Spiced Tea, a black tea-infused dark chocolate truffle. On request, he will source vintage chocolate for customers like fine beverages, chocolate manufacturers often produce premium batches crafted from a single harvest of beans, creating a product that can never be replicated ever again.
Rucnov puts the popularity of chocolate cafes and lounges, which he calls mature coffee shops, down to two critical factors: a desire to seek out more sophisticated products and an increasing demand for healthier products.
"Customers are looking for high-quality chocolate and are willing to pay for the best their money can buy and also when it comes to being conscious of their health, people are beginning to understand that gourmet chocolates are higher in chocolate content, so less sugar, less preservative and less of all the bad stuff," he says.
Customisation is key
Increasingly, he says, manufacturers are inviting chefs into their ateliers to create products that suit their clients' tastes, manipulating the chocolate mix to make it darker, sweeter, fruitier, nuttier, anything they like. "The supplier that we use, Valrhona, asked us to come in and use the beans we wanted to make a mix that would suit our customer base," says Rucnov.
"I believe this customisation is a big trend for the future." Appropriately, his new line of instant hot chocolate drinks, to be available from September, will feature different flavours to cater to the UAE's discerning taste profile but he's coy with the details on this particular front.
Clearly, our love affair with chocolate has only just begun.