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On Tuesday, Chicago trader Martin Rogers watched a customer lose $17,000 trading Dow futures. But the downward spiral was short-lived. On Wednesday, he made back almost all of it, $16,000 worth, in one day.
Extreme wins and losses are part of the trading mentality, Rogers, 30, said. In his first year of trading, he ran through $60,000, his life savings hoarded from odd jobs and living with his parents while in college. He turned his fortunes around a year later after borrowing $20,000 from his girlfriend and deciding he'd rather stay in the game than quit while behind.
FOR THE RECORD - Additional material published Jan. 27, 2005:
In Monday's story on traders, Randall Lane, editor of Trader Monthly magazine, was quoted as saying that each year, tens of thousands of traders make $1 million. Lane said later that his statement was misleading. According to the magazine's research, thousands of traders make $1 million each year. Tens of thousands of traders are millionaires.
"One day you're king of the hill, one day you're eating ramen noodles at 10 cents a package," Rogers said. Since then, he's paid back the girlfriend (now fiance), practically paid off his Gold Coast condo and netted a comfortable six-figure income each year.
For most of us, it's hard to comprehend such a fluid relationship with money, an easy-come-easy-go attitude that encourages big spending because one never knows what--or more importantly, how much--tomorrow might bring.
It's a chance to live like a gambler or a rock star, an attitude and a lifestyle that a brand-new magazine called Trader Monthly is seeking to capture.
The magazine's motto is "See it, make it, spend it," and it's full of suggestions to help traders do just that. The pages brim with advice from successful moneymakers, lists of top moneymakers and bonus earners in the business--plus pages of luxury trips, fancy cars, expensive watches, high-end liquors and fine clothes.
Oh, and lots of hot women.
Fantasy or reality? Or a bit of both?
"I wish it were that glamorous," says Dustin Schneider, a 24-year-old cattle trader. "It's a good life, but I'm not surrounded by exotic, beautiful women at all times."
Aside from the swooning, rail-thin models, the mag isn't far off. Traders make enough to afford the better things in life, and they spend it on stuff like cars and travel.
"For a lot of guys, this is real and attainable," editor Randall Lane said. And for those who haven't made the trades to afford a $15,000 watch or $80,000 British sports car, there's always next year.
"It's stunning how many millionaires are minted each year on the trading floor," Lane said. "It's literally tens of thousands nationwide."
While traders tend to be cagey about exactly how much they make--it's a hyper-competitive business and no one wants to tip their financial hand to the guy standing next to them in the trading pit--signs of living big are easy to spot. There are BMWs, Mercedes and Jaguars in the parking lots surrounding the Board of Trade downtown, penthouse apartments with killer views, boats, plasma TVs and wine cellars and guys willing to blow a healthy chunk of money entertaining friends at one of the upscale restaurants or clubs downtown.
For Schneider, the young cattle trader, his show-off purchase is a silver Porsche Boxster S convertible, a car listed for more than $50,000 that he paid for last summer in cash. Schneider describes it as beautiful.
The car now sits in an underground garage at his Lincoln Park condo building, stuck in place until the end of the Chicago winter because it turns out the car is miserable in the snow. But Schneider doesn't mind--he can take cabs in bad weather, and he didn't buy the car based on its practicality.
"It holds my golf clubs, it's fast, it's fun. Those were kind of my requirements," Schneider said.
Being a trader has other perks too.
The cattle market is only open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., so Schneider, an independent trader who followed his father into the business, works just five hours a day. In his free time, while his non-trader friends are still logging in hours at the office, he goes out for big lunches, works out, takes naps and practices the piano. He also travels, most recently going on a two-week Mediterranean cruise in the fall. Next up: a trip to Hawaii this winter.
"It's a very stressful job, and it's nice to get away from it and go someplace warm," Schneider said.
Part of that stress comes from the risks involved. Trading at the CBOT, the Merc or CBOE has as much risk as reward. Whether you're trading for yourself or working for a big firm, your fortune depends on how lucky and how smart you are. A few bad trades, and you can lose your money as quickly as you made it.
Trader Harold Hutchings knows how it is to lose on the Board of Trade. Early in his career and giddy with new funds, Hutchings, now 33, went out and bought a Cadillac. Two days and a whole lot less money later, he was back at the dealership, begging them to take back the car because he wasn't going to be able to afford the payments.
He didn't make the same mistake twice. Six months later, he went back. This time, he wrote a check for the whole amount.
"What you have now you might not have next month," Hutchings said.


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According to sources speaking to The Investor, LG will start rolling out smartphones with OLED screens from the latter half of this year.
The LG V30, which the source claims will launch in September, is expected to be the first of them, while the LG G7 could land with one early next year.
While OLED isn’t objectively better than LCD, it does have some clear benefits. OLED screens have individually lit pixels which can be turned on and off, giving you a pure black when they’re off and allowing for great contrast, while LCD displays are back-lit, giving them less control over light levels and contrast.
If you’ve ever seen a high-end Samsung display you’ll know just how good OLED can look, with vivid images that almost seem to pop out of the screen. So if the LG V30 and LG G7 do have OLED screens it’s a change that could be for the better.
The pieces are in place
So it has the infrastructure, and switching its phones across to OLED could help it keep pace with rivals, as well as potentially attracting third parties – such as Apple – which it could one day provide OLED screens for.
Right now we’ve got to file this as a rumor, but we’d be surprised if LG didn’t start sticking OLED screens in its smartphones soon.
- The Samsung Galaxy S9 could be the OLED phone to beat next year

domain: news


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Yext, Inc. (NYSE: YEXT), the AI Search Company, today announced its participation in Visa's 2021 She's Next Grant Program. In collaboration with IFundWomen, a startup funding marketplace, the initiative aims to address the disproportionate barriers Black women entrepreneurs face when founding and running businesses.
Through the program, 60 Black women-owned businesses across the U.S. were selected to receive a $10,000 grant, a year of coaching through IFundWomen, and the opportunity to work with an array of tech providers like Yext.
Grant recipients who enroll in Yext will have a year's worth of complimentary access to the search company's best-in-class Listings solution, which improves a business's digital footprint and delivers accurate information about hours of operation, locations, COVID safety protocols, and more to approximately 200 online platforms (Amazon Alexa, Facebook, Google, Siri, etc.) with the click of a button. Recipients will also have access to Yext's White Glove Services team for dedicated platform onboarding, training, and support.
"Our She's Next Grant Program aims to make a meaningful difference, quickly, for the communities and their business owners who need it most," said Gloria Colgan, Global Head of Card Products and Platforms, Visa Business Solutions. "Through our work with Yext, today's most ambitious Black, female entrepreneurs can take advantage of modern, powerful technology for search solutions," she added.
"We're incredibly proud to work with Visa and IFundWomen to support Black women-owned businesses across the country," said Brian Distelburger, Co-Founder and President of Yext. "One of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs face is making sure their business details are showing up online — and showing up accurately — on the multitude of platforms where customers might be searching for them. With Yext, She's Next grant recipients can rest assured that their listings are optimized for maximum discoverability, allowing them to focus on their business without worrying about how they're going to foot the bill."


text: Look we have heard the rumors about the possible slim xbox one. This picture is probably the best looking version of what one could look like if it does come out. But even if it doesn’t come out we know that a new controller is coming with a better headphone jack. Above that and most important, we know Gears of War, Halo 5, Forza 6, and Tomb raider will be showed off at Microsoft’s conference. These are all their heavy hitters but what makes matters worst is that even more like them are coming to e3. Smite and Elite Dangerous are on their way. That dragon game Scalebound could make its appearance and last but not least is more footage from Quantum break. At the end of day Microsoft will kill e3 this year. Bad news is that it still won’t make them #1 in the mind share of the gamers worldwide. It won’t stop Sony from selling their system and it won’t prevent Sony’s machine from out performing the xbox one over the long haul. This is just facts people. Now, here in America you could see Microsoft finally take back it’s home but this will not be enough just to take back their home if they wanted to be #1 worldwide. No, this is a task they can’t ever succeed in. They just don’t have enough territories that want anything to do with them. Basically Europe is Sony’s, Japan is Sony’s, and in America Sony will still sell very high even if they do loose this territory to Microsoft on monthly sell numbers. Microsoft has lost its home territory 80% of this generation so far and hasn’t beat Sony in Europe or Japan, yet selling well in the States at least has helped give them 12+ million. So selling well in the States alone is enough for one to hold on to leads or keep them in sight of a lead but catching up require double the sales of another and that’s not going to happen. So unless people flat out stop buying Sony ps4 in America Microsoft can’t possible think they can turn this into a worldwide lead with home lead sales only. Not selling well in America will never happen for ps4. But at least competition is heating up and I am going to love seeing e3 this month. Whatever happens I win because I have both consoles:).


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Described as a holy grail among retro games, this exceedingly rare copy of the original Legend Of Zelda is on auction for $110,000.
Tracking down original copies of old video games from the 80s can often set you back a pretty penny, but this particular copy of the very first Legend Of Zelda game is on a completely different level.
It’s currently going for auction on the Heritage Auctions website, with the current top bid being $110,000. That’s almost £80,000.
According to the item listing, this is ‘true grail among games’ is a sealed, early production copy of the game, labelled a NES R or No Rev-A variant. This variant was only produced for a few months in late 1987, before being replaced with the Rev-A variant in early 1988. This makes it the earliest sealed copy of the game available.
There are purportedly less than a handful of sealed No Rev-A variants in existence, making this a one-of-a-kind find any die hard gaming enthusiast or historian would love to get their hands on.
Apparently, there is one other variant which precedes it, called the NES TM variant. But the listing states that only one sealed copy of it exists and there’s no telling if it will ever come on the market.
At the time of writing, bidding is still open for another four days. While £80,000 is undeniably steep, it’s not the most expensive piece of gaming memorabilia out there.
Earlier this year, someone put up a golden Nintendo Wii that was sent to the Queen herself on eBay for $300,000 (approximately £216,000). Surprisingly (or perhaps unsurprisingly), no one has bought it yet.
Heritage Auctions also sold an original copy of Super Mario Bros. which went for $660,000 (£476,939) by virtue of being one of the first copies ever released in America.
This year also marks the Legend Of Zelda franchise’s 35th anniversary. Nintendo hasn’t splurged out on the celebrations like it did with the Super Mario Bros. 35th anniversary last year, but Skyward Sword’s HD remaster is releasing this month.
And while it still lacks a proper name, the Breath Of The Wild sequel has been given a release year of 2022, with the latest trailer already sparking theories from fans.
Follow Metro Gaming on Twitter and email us at email@example.com
For more stories like this, check our Gaming page.


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now society, the public business has begun to become a normalization mode, while the country is also actively reducing the threshold for entrepreneurship, which is in order to attract more entrepreneurs to venture.
before the first card photo, now is the first photo card". So, what are the items in the business license can be obtained after the examination and approval? September 17th, the reporter was informed that the provincial government announced the 147 post approval list. For the majority of small and micro enterprises and grassroots entrepreneurs, this is undoubtedly a good news. In addition, before the end of this month, the preparation work will be completed the provincial government departments list of responsibilities and powers of the list, and to the public.
to post approval
in the Henan provincial government issued "on the implementation of the first photo card reform decided to strengthen market management behavior supervision work in the implementation of opinions", published 147 by the "front" approval to post approval of the project in Henan province list.
It is reported that


text: The organisation made a move to purchase more sustainable products, including food with a lower carbon footprint. The purchasing focused on the Committee's the most important annual events: the pre-selection process that took over two different weekends in November, and the selection process, which took place at the end of January. A total of about 100 people attended these three events. The organisation focused purchases away from disposable plastic, vegetarian and vegan options that substituted the meat options of previous years, and also fruit, nuts, and juices or vegetable-based drinks that substituted processed foods such as biscuits and fuzzy drinks, respectively. The organisation also developed a recycling plan for the events.


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Dublin Airport has launched a new digital shopping wall offering passengers an opportunity to shop at the gate.
Perth Airport is turning to technology to help it enhance the passenger experience and better equip it to handle traffic growth.
Airlines and airports in China are embracing artificial intelligence and automation to provide the hyper-personalised self-service experience their passengers are demanding, a new report reveals.
The holiday season is officially upon us as Munich Airport's annual Christmas and Winter Market has opened for business!
Parents rest assured, London Stansted has become one of the first airports in the UK to be certified as offering safe, child-friendly Wi-Fi to its passengers.
China's new Beijing Daxing International Airport boasts its own in-terminal hotel, Aerotel, operated by the Plaza Premium Group.
Tourists from all over the world will descend on Munich over the next 16 days to celebate the world's largest beer festival, Oktoberfest, and for many the fun will start and end at Munich Airport!
Sydney Airport has unveiled a new departures experience at the T1 International terminal including a refreshed farewell point for travellers and their family and friends.
Mactan Cebu International Airport has a new area for passengers to escape the hustle and bustle of the terminal following the opening of a Plaza Premium Lounge in Domestic Arrivals.
Krabi International Airport in Thailand is to install self-service technology provided by SITA in line with its ambitions to become a regional aviation hub.


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Bid on Kim Kardashian's and Cara Delevingne's Closet Cast-Offs!
What do you get when 50 celebrities, stylists, and designers clean out their closets at once? A whole lot of lust-worthy pieces being auctioned off for charity to celebrate the launch of Vestiaire Collective's StyleCycle. The online luxury resale site, which debuted in the U.S. just this week, tapped some of the biggest names in the industry to donate high-end pieces, including Kim Kardashian, Cara Delevingne, Hailee Steinfeld, Rachel Weisz, Charlotte Olympia, Mara Hoffman, and Rachel Zoe. The proceeds from each item sold will go to the donor's charity of choice. Go ahead, get your trigger finger ready to bid---the auction ends on Nov. 14. Our top pick? Kardashian's Balenciaga sheath. Here, a few other pieces we're coveting.
Rachel Weisz's Isabel Marant Jumpsuit
Cara Delevingne's Mulberry Backpack
Hailee Steinfeld's Miu Miu Heels


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Malaysia’s Lion Group plans US$6b investment, says Algerian ambassador
02 Jan 2024
Lion Group is set to invest US$6 billion (RM27.5 billion) in Algeria, the country’s ambassador to Malaysia, Abdelhafid Bounour, told SunBiz in an exclusive interview.
Abdelhafid said the Malaysian conglomerate’s substantial investment aligns with Algeria’s strategic vision to be the gateway to Africa and beyond.
“For example, Asian and European countries can export to Africa via Algeria. We have all the necessary infrastructure for this. The same applies to African countries; if they want to send goods to Europe, for instance, they can do so via Algeria. This is because we have the advantage of an association agreement with Europe,” he said.
The EU-Algeria Association Agreement was signed in April 2002 and entered into force in September 2005. The agreement sets out a framework for the EU-Algeria relationship in all areas, including trade. It helps the EU and Algeria trade goods more freely, with some advantages for Algeria. The goal was to create a free trade area by September 2020, which mostly happened, except for a few tariffs that Algeria still needs to remove.
SunBiz reached out to Lion Group and it confirmed the plan to invest in Algeria. However, it did not disclose further details.
“We would like to inform you that we are in the preliminary stage of discussions with the authorities there. As such, we are not able to disclose any information at this time,” the group said via email.
According to the Algeria Press Service, Lion Group has begun procedures for the construction of “structurally important” industrial projects worth US$6 billion in mineral-rich Algeria.
Meanwhile, Algeria Invest stated that Lion Group is interested in the country’s aluminium and steel industries.
“Referring to opportunities for cooperation and investment, the Malaysian group expressed its willingness to explore investment opportunities and establish industrial projects in the aluminium and steel sectors in Algeria.
“The two sides also discussed the opportunities for cooperation and partnership in many areas of common interest, particularly in the context of the Malaysian group’s strategy to set up structuring industrial projects in Algeria,” it stated.
Lion Group was established in the 1930s and today has operations in Malaysia, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Cambodia and Laos. It is involved in retail, property development, mining, steel, agriculture and services. Since 1992, the group has ventured into China with operations in retail and property businesses.
The group has three companies listed on Bursa Malaysia with two in Singapore and one in Hong Kong. It has an annual group turnover of about RM10.86 billion (US$2.4 billion) and provides employment for more than 11,000 people.
Source: The Sun


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While the e-commerce market is strong, the industry as a whole faces plenty of challenges. A major challenge is friendly fraud, one of the fastest-growing threats in the online market. Friendly fraud occurs when a customer requests a chargeback without proper justification, such as unrealistic customer expectations, lack of understanding of the difference between a return and a chargeback, and buyer’s remorse.
Monica Eaton-Cardone, co-founder and COO of Chargebacks911, said that even though chargebacks are meant to be consumer protection mechanism, they have become more a merchant hazard.
She notes the following regarding friendly fraud:
- Internal data from Chargebacks911 suggests 60 to 80 percent of chargebacks result from friendly fraud.
- Chargebacks cost businesses $31 billion in direct losses through revenue, merchandise and fees in 2017.
- It’s anticipated that the economic impact of friendly fraud alone will exceed $25 billion a year by 2020.
The risk of fraud can grow as a merchant’s customer base expands if they aren’t tracking the value of customers acquired from each source.
- If a particular promotion or advertising platform is bringing in customers who make a high number of returns, refund requests or chargebacks, the merchant’s losses could exceed the value of those sales.
- About 40 percent of consumers who commit friendly fraud will do it again within 60 days.
- The longer a friendly fraudster remains a customer, the more likely that person is to commit friendly fraud multiple times.
- The customer actually costs the business more the longer they hang around.
Visa and Mastercard Dispute Rule Changes
Even if the new chargeback rules being implemented by Mastercard and Visa are better suited to the needs of a dynamic online market, they only go so far toward addressing key problems like friendly fraud.
- Merchants are still considered guilty until proven innocent.
- According to a Chargebacks911 study conducted last year, most merchants either saw no change in Visa chargebacks five months after the Visa Claims Resolution rollout or reported an increase in Visa chargebacks.
Potential Solutions To Friendly Fraud
Card schemes, banks and merchants must come together and establish consistent and fair procedures that can be standardized across all card brands.
- An industry-wide consumer “dispute credit score” would allow schemes to track consumers who repeatedly commit chargeback abuse and report this behavior back for issuers.
- A chargeback monitoring program for consumers and issuers: if any party’s chargeback ratio exceeds a specified threshold, card schemes can act appropriately.


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Patrons can enjoy happy hour anywhere in Canada except B.C. On the Prairies it is possible to get a liquor licence for a chartered bus. Quebec permits the sale of certain types of domestic beer and wine at grocery stores.
An alphabet soup of liquor laws and regulations across the country underscores the arbitrariness and paternalism involved in the rules governing how Canadians may tipple.
The B.C. government deserves credit for lately ordering up a review of such laws to determine what makes sense for 2013.
That review, which invited input from a broad assortment of interested parties — from B.C. restaurateurs to the Centre for Addictions Research of BC — was completed last week.
Parliamentary secretary for liquor policy reform John Yap, who is to present recommendations to Attorney-General Suzanne Anton by Nov. 25, reported feedback last week that suggests the public overwhelmingly wants to be able to purchase liquor at grocery stores.
Accordingly, Yap is exploring “store-within-a-store” models whereby the Liquor Distribution Branch or licensed wine and beer retail stores could operate within supermarkets.
This would be a welcome and convenient option for harried shoppers who may not have time to stop at separate stores for food and liquor.
At the same time, trained LDB employees would ensure liquor is not sold to minors.
It is also time to bring happy hour — with reduced prices for drinks in the late afternoon — to this province.
Happy hours are commonplace throughout North America, just as liquor is available in supermarkets in some other provinces as well as in the U.S. and Europe. It also makes sense to permit craft beer sales at farmers’ markets in B.C.
All these are moderate measures that are entirely appropriate in this day and age.
While it is true that liquor can be a scourge, the vast majority of British Columbians drink responsibly.
Moreover, little evidence has to date been put forward demonstrating that American or European drunkenness has proliferated as a result of allowing liquor to be sold at a variety of retail establishments. The Centre for Addictions Research in Victoria, however, points to a B.C. study that showed an increase of 10 per cent in the number of liquor stores led to a rise of 2.5 per cent in alcohol-related deaths and a 3.5 per cent jump in hospital admissions for drinkers. As disturbing as those statistics are, correlation does not imply causation.
In any case, liquor is already available at more than 1,400 private stores and government outlets across the province and in grocery stores in northern and rural areas. Making wine and spirits somewhat more available likely won’t change things all that much.
If society allows citizens to select their own governments and go to war, it logically can permit them to purchase a bottle of vino at the supermarket on the way home from work.
The exercise of personal freedom is something citizens cherish in democracies. People do not want to live under a nanny state.
So, it is entirely fitting that B.C. act expeditiously to modernize provincial liquor laws in ways that will give consumers more convenience and pubgoers opportunity for responsible enjoyment of a late afternoon drink at a bargain price.
These are initiatives that most British Columbians would surely toast.


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Sen. Dave Osmek (R -Mound) introduced the first Senate version of a Sunday liquor sales bill, SF58. SF58 would allow off-sale transactions from 12:00pm to 10:00pm on Sundays. Expect another version at some point from long time Sunday sales champion Sen. Roger Reinert (D -Duluth).
Sunday Liquor Sales Bills Introduced in Minnesota Legislature appeared first on Minnesota Beer Activists.
Source: Minnesota Beer Activists
Read the full article here.


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The much anticipated UK launch of Shah Rukh Khan’s new gameshow for STAR Plus ‘Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain?’ will be taking place in mid-June, BizAsia.co.uk can reveal.
ZEE TV is set to launch a new musical weekend show, which will be the first to combine singing and dancing talents from various TV shows.
The show is an Indian version of the hit American TV series ‘Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?’. ‘Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain?’ will dole out Rs 50 million as prize money for the winner of the Hindi show.
Unfortunately for the channel, ‘Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain?’ has had a severe beating in the ratings from the ongoing Indian Premier League. There have also been reports about sponsors of the show being unhappy with the way the show has shaped out.
Viewers in the UK have been querying about the launch here ever since the show went live in India but due to “branding issues” ‘Paanchvi’ was delayed. In the UK, channels are forbidden by Ofcom to blatantly advertise or endorse a product during a programme – unless clearly specified. In India, shows heavily feature brand promotions, which is why certain shows get delayed because edits have to be carried out before telecasting here.
‘Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain’ starts on Friday 13th June (Friday to Sunday) at 21:00 on STAR Plus UK.


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Richard Butler | Island Life | 23 Nov 2018
The tourism industries of SPTO member countries will benefit from the Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) through the promotion of the China Pacific Tourism Year 2019 (CPTY). This was announced by President Xi Jinping on Friday when he met with Pacific Island Country Leaders from Niue, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, PNG, Cook Islands, FSM and Vanuatu, before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).
“With the full support of SPTO member countries at the Council of Tourism Ministers meeting in Samoa in October this year, CPTY 2019 will not be a concept or vision anymore but a reality. We are extremely grateful to the President Xi Jinping, Government and people of the People’s Republic of China for this great opportunity and we are very excited for 2019. CPTY 2019 will celebrate and mark the opening of the door of cooperation between China and the Pacific in the tourism sector, connect people in the tourism industry in China and the region as well as increase awareness and understanding of the Pacific Island destinations in the Chinese market and vice versa” said SPTO CEO, Chris Cocker.
SPTO also recognises the pertinent need to improve air access from China into the Pacific; the need to train the Pacific to be China Ready; the need to train the Chinese tourism counterparts to be Pacific Ready; and the need to sustainably develop and promote the Pacific to niche market segments in the Chinese market and finally to integrate culture in the Pacific and China as an important component of the CPTY 2019 celebration and promotion.
“In 2018, an estimated 140 million Chinese visitors have travelled the globe. Today China is the world’s largest source market of outbound tourists and strategically for SPTO and its member countries, this means better access to the Pacific Islands where tourism has greatly expanded since the early 90’s and China has emerged as not only the region’s but also the world’s fastest growing source market; and the top spender in international tourism since 2012” said Mr Cocker.
Cocker added that the China market is the 6th largest tourism source market for the Pacific and accounts for 6.7% of the total market share. In spite of its modest contribution to the overall region, China as a market has been the key driver of tourism growth in the Pacific over the past 5 years. In 2017, an estimated 143,014 Chinese travellers visited our region” said Mr Cocker.
The proposed activities for the CPTY 2019 program have been the topic of ongoing discussion between the People’s Republic of China’s Ministry of Culture & Tourism and SPTO. This was one of the key agenda discussed when SPTO and some of its member countries attended the China International Travel Mart (CITM) last week from the 16th to 18th November in Shanghai, China.


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Whitbread PLC (WTB.L)
28 Apr 2017
Tue, Apr 25 2017
LONDON, April 25 British shares edged higher on Tuesday as a strong Europe-wide market rally after the first round of the French election dissipated and investors focused on corporate results which indicated tougher times ahead for consumer goods stocks.
* Says can still meet expectations for financial year (Adds CEO comments)
LONDON, April 25 British shares edged up on Tuesday as a strong Europe-wide market rally after the first round of the French election dissipated, with investors' focus back on corporate results which indicated tougher times ahead for consumer goods stocks.
April 25 Britain's Whitbread Plc, which runs the Costa Coffee chain and Premier Inn hotels, said it expected the consumer environment to deteriorate next year.
* Costa opened 255 net new stores worldwide and we continue to roll out our successful and fast growing costa travel formats.
* Costa Coffee sales prove bright spot (Adds CEO quote, details)
Jan 26 Whitbread Plc posted a 8.6 percent rise in total sales for the third quarter as underlying sales at its Costa Coffee chain strengthened due to new advertising and promotional campaigns.
* On track to deliver full year results in line with expectations
* Announces today it has completed two sale and leaseback transactions on Prime London Hotels
* We will outline our investment in business and provide examples of our cost efficiency programme
- European Markets Rise Despite Iraq Conflict, as Local Economy and Stocks Take Center Stage
- Double-Digit Sales Growth Lifts Whitbread
- 10 FTSE 100 Shares Trading Near 52-Week Highs
- 3 FTSE Shares Hitting New Highs
- Should I Buy These 5 Shares? Whitbread, Aggreko, and Gulf Keystone Petroleum
- My Verdict on 5 FTSE Boardrooms


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Australian electric vehicle charging provider Chargefox has reached an important milestone, with the announcement that it has totalled more than 100,000 charging sessions, delivering more than 5.8 million kilometres of electric driving over the last three years.
In total, Chargefox has powered some 104,000 charging sessions through its network of electric car chargers, nearly a quarter of those powered by 100% green energy.
Its network stretches from Cairns in Queensland’s north, down the eastern seaboard to Melbourne, and across to Adelaide, and includes both AC destination and DC fast chargers. When complete, the network will include fast charging sites in key cities and regional corridors such as the one opened in Torquay, Victoria in 2019.
Australia, however, remains a global laggard in terms of the electric transport transition. While EV sales in Australia tripled in 2019 from the year before, the total was still less than 7,000 sales.
Which makes the milestone more significant: According to Chargefox, across its 1,400 sites in Australia, New Zealand and the US, a charging station is plugged into every five minutes.
While the milestone of 100,000 sessions took a little longer than expected as people undertook stay-at-home measures due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Chargefox CEO Marty Andrews says he thinks post-Covid could have people rethinking electric cars.
“The winds of change are blowing and people are realising the benefits of renewables etc – smog free cities for example,” Andrews tells The Driven.
“Car sales across the board are down but I think that there’s a bit of community sentiment that my next vehicle will be an EV – that’d be great to see.”
The rollout of new chargers is picking up again as Covid-19 restrictions begin to lift – just in time as intrastate travel opens up this week in Queensland, NSW, Victoria, the ACT, South Australia, the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
As Andrews points out, there is likely to be more road tourism as restrictions lift.
While the Chargefox DC fast charging network has been made possible thanks to funding from the Australian Mobility Clubs (NRMA, RACV, RACQ, RAC, RAA and RACT), Andrews is mindful that there are still some gaps to fill – for regional and rural areas, electric vehicle tourism still has its limitations until electric vehicle networks are able to achieve “full coverage”.
“I use the mobile phone network analogy – we need coverage, we need to be able to travel everywhere,” says Andrews.
As with mobile phone networks, Andrews thinks that full coverage for electric car charging networks including in regional and rural areas will need a boost.
According to Andrews, “it’s a question of [electric vehicle charging] being equitable to people in regional rural areas – it’s the same as phone coverage.”
A national electric vehicle strategy is expected from the Coalition government soon. Having disparaged the clean transport strategy put forward by the Labor opposition in 2019, electric vehicles are now back on the table following the release of a Technology Investment Roadmap discussion paper in May.
What the national strategy will contain is as yet unknown, but it is thought that there will be a focus on electric vehicle infrastructure – and as with mobile phone network support, it makes sense that such a strategy focuses on regions.
“We’re all keen to see something, and again as more time passes and community sentiment changes I’m hopeful there will be more support of EVs than we’ve seen in the past,” says Andrews.
Bridie Schmidt is lead reporter for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She has been writing about electric vehicles since 2018, and has a keen interest in the role that zero-emissions transport has to play in sustainability. She has participated in podcasts such as Download This Show with Marc Fennell and Shirtloads of Science with Karl Kruszelnicki and is co-organiser of the Northern Rivers Electric Vehicle Forum. Bridie also owns a Tesla Model 3 and has it available for hire on evee.com.au.


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Jan 24th - Nintendo remains the top dog in Japan.
Jan 23rd - Both Kirby and the Rainbow Curse and Mario Party 10 will support pre-loading for their digital release.
Jan 23rd - New gameplay footage from a NicoNico stream shows a few new pokemon appearing in Pokken Tournament.
Jan 22nd - Nintendo's official website updates the pricing of Kirby and the Rainbow Curse to show it will have a budget price.
Jan 22nd - Area Effect has announced their new title, Izle, will be coming to the Wii U eShop next year.
Jan 22nd - Former Nintendo executive Dan Adelman has been discussing the internal structure of Nintendo and why it takes so long to get anything done.
Jan 22nd - Image & Form give us a look at new character designs for their upcoming game, SteamWorld Heist.
Jan 22nd - Koei Tecmo's vice president discusses the future of hybrid games like Hyrule Warriors and what he'd like to do with a Mario crossover game.
Jan 21st - New screenshots and character designs from the Splatoon devs showcase the headgear shop and its proprietor.
Jan 21st - Wii U sales have dropped back to their pre-holiday levels in Japan, with just 8k sold this week.
Jan 21st - Former Nintendo executive Dan Adelman discusses the third party problem for Nintendo's platforms and says it's partly Nintendo's own fault.
Jan 21st - Walmart is offering select amiibo for only $9 with free shipping if you spend more than $50 in an order.
Jan 20th - Apex head tournament organizer Alex Strife has stepped down amid several allegations of sexual harassment from members of the Smash community.
Jan 20th - GameFly is showing a page for Terraria on Wii U, listing the game as coming soon.
Jan 20th - Despite announcing the closure of the Club Nintendo program earlier today, Nintendo has debuted its January game collection for Club Nintendo members.
Jan 20th - The hefty 1GB patch that was released in Europe last week is now available to all North American Sonic Boom owners.
Jan 20th - Club Nintendo is closing and games shipping this year will no longer have redeemable codes. Nintendo says the program will be replaced by something else, with no hints as...


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Colorado’s fintech footprint is getting bigger, with numerous companies launching and opening satellite offices in the state in the last few years.
May 16, 2022
Nanno's plan was to build the best babysitting app around. But as a female-founded, consumer tech business heading into a global pandemic, that changed. Read the full article here.
May 15, 2022
Colorado businesses pulled in many funding rounds last month supporting initiatives across different sects of tech. In April, five tech companies raised a combined $561 million — significantly more than...


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Yahoo! Is Giving Itself Away
Chris DeMuth Jr. • 48 Comments
Chris DeMuth Jr. • 48 Comments
Yahoo: Figuring Out Alibaba And Then Focusing On Original Content Creates Upside Catalyst
Jacob Donnelly • 39 Comments
Jacob Donnelly • 39 Comments
Yahoo Switcheroo, Goodbye Aabaco, Hello Core Spin: Revised Sum Of The Parts
Mike Winston • 30 Comments
Mike Winston • 30 Comments
A Full Break-Up Of Yahoo Vs. Swift Completion Of The Aabaco Spin-Off
Mike Winston • 36 Comments
Mike Winston • 36 Comments
The Yahoo Tax Myth
Mike Winston • 42 Comments
Mike Winston • 42 Comments
Fri, Sep. 23, 6:00 PM
- The day after it disclosed a massive data breach it thinks affected half a billion of its user accounts, Yahoo (YHOO -3.1%) is facing questions over exactly when it found out about the incursion.
- In its statement yesterday, the company said "a copy of certain user account information was stolen from the company’s network in late 2014 by what it believes is a state-sponsored actor."
- As questions swirled today about how it knew those things and when, a source now tells The Wall Street Journal that Yahoo execs found hackers in their systems in fall 2014 that they believed were linked to Russia, and who were seeking data on a specific 30-40 users.
- The intrusion was discover several weeks after it happened, the source told WSJ. That may or may not be related to the 500M-account incident, but both incidents share the link to a "state-sponsored actor."
- The attacks were launched from computers in Russia at targets who had done business in Russia, according to the report.
- Meanwhile, the incident has drawn a negligence suit by a New York user who's seeking class action status on behalf of other users, adding another potential speed bump to Verizon's plan to acquire Yahoo.
- Verizon (NYSE:VZ) finished today up 0.4%.
Thu, Sep. 22, 3:05 PM
- In a statement, Verizon (VZ +1.2%) -- set for a $4.83B deal to acquire Yahoo (NASDAQ:YHOO) -- says it was aware of the latter's giant security breach in the past two days.
- "We understand that Yahoo is conducting an active investigation of this matter, but we otherwise have limited information and understanding of the impact," the telecom said in a statement tweeted out by an account for Bob Varettoni of Verizon PR.
- "We will evaluate as the investigation continues through the lens of overall Verizon interests, including consumers, customers, shareholders and related communities. Until then, we are not in position to further comment."
- Yahoo this hour has confirmed that a late-2014 breach resulted in stolen user information that Yahoo believes affects 500M user accounts. Its shares, up as much as 1.7% earlier, have turned negative, -0.1%.
Thu, Sep. 22, 2:43 PM
- Yahoo (YHOO +0.7%) has confirmed a giant data breach that it believes came from a "state-sponsored actor."
- Some 500M user accounts are affected, the company believes, in a breach that occurred two years ago.
- "A recent investigation by Yahoo Inc. has confirmed that a copy of certain user account information was stolen from the company’s network in late 2014 by what it believes is a state-sponsored actor," the company says in a statement.
- That stolen information may have included names, email addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, hashed passwords (the vast majority with bcrypt) and, in some cases, encrypted or unencrypted security questions and answers, the company says -- but not unprotected passwords, or payment card data and bank account information (which are stored separately).
- Yahoo is encouraging users to review their accounts and chnage passwords and security questions. It's invalidating unencrypted security questions and answers so they can't be used.
- The company's begun posting updates to its Security Issues FAQ page.
- Previously: Yahoo expected to confirm massive data breach (Sep. 22 2016)
Thu, Sep. 22, 4:38 AM
- Yahoo (NASDAQ:YHOO) is poised to confirm a massive data breach of its service, several sources told Re/code, outlining that the hacking may have exposed several hundred million user accounts.
- While sources were unspecific about the extent of the incursion, since there is the likelihood of government investigations and legal action related to the breach, they noted that it is widespread and serious.
Wed, Sep. 14, 2:39 AM
- Alibaba (NYSE:BABA) is not looking to buy the remaining piece of Yahoo (NASDAQ:YHOO), which includes a large stake in the Chinese e-commerce giant, because it would face a hefty U.S. tax bill in order to do anything with those shares.
- "If there was an easy tax solution someone would have figured it out already," said Joseph Tsai, Alibaba's executive vice chairman. Buying back the stock "doesn't solve our tax problem" because it's still a U.S. corporation.
Mon, Sep. 12, 6:21 PM
- "Job changes" are ahead for Yahoo (YHOO +1.3%) as it heads for a merger with AOL (VZ +1.5%), says AOL chief Tim Armstrong, but that doesn't necessarily mean cuts.
- Speaking at TechCrunch Disrupt, Armstrong said the deal's "not about job cuts" but synergies would inevitably lead to changes.
- "Google is search, Facebook is social, we're going to be brand," Armstrong said in outlining a strategy that builds its media brands to leverage ads across all its platforms.
- On Friday, Yahoo posted the lengthy sale proxy for its $4.83B acquisition by Verizon and AOL.
Fri, Sep. 9, 7:29 PM
- In a lengthy acquisition proxy filed tonight, tied to its eventual $4.83B deal to be acquired by Verizon (VZ -3.3%), Yahoo (YHOO -3.3%) revealed that as many as 51 parties expressed initial interest in buying the company after Feb. 19, a number that whittled down to 32 signing confidentiality agreements, then 19 in early April and 14 by April 18.
- The filing also provides voluminous details of discussions around an (unconsummated) deal between Yahoo, Yahoo Japan and Alibaba.
- As forecast, what's left after the Verizon sale ("RemainCo") will be only cash and marketable securities, shares in Alibaba, shares in Yahoo Japan, other minority equity investments, and IP assets held in Excalibur. It will be an investment company with a new ticker.
- Yahoo would owe a $144.8M termination fee if it bolts for a "superior proposal."
- Along with authorizing the sale to Verizon, shareholders will be asked to consider a nonbinding advisory proposal to approve compensation payable to Yahoo execs -- and "certain directors and executive officers of Yahoo have interests in the Sale Transaction that may be different from or in addition to the interests of Yahoo stockholders generally."
- In particular, Yahoo restricted stock units held by those employees who would be heading to Verizon would be replaced with cash-settled Verizon RSU awards. CEO Marissa Mayer has $86.4M in Yahoo stock options and RSU awards outstanding; CFO Ken Goldman has $27.1M; Chief Revenue Officer Lisa Utzschneider $21.8M; General Counsel Ronald Bell $16.2M. Co-founder and "Chief Yahoo" David Filo cashed out.
- Golden parachutes tied to the sale, for named execs: Mayer, $44M; Goldman, $12.2M; Utzschneider, $20.5M; Bell, $12.4M; Filo, $65,742.
- After hours: VZ -0.2% ; YHOO -0.4%.
Fri, Aug. 26, 12:24 PM
- Yahoo Esports (YHOO +0.2%) and ESL will collaboratively work to develop and distribute live gaming tournaments.
- Integrated advertising and sponsorships will be promoted through Yahoo's platform.
- Yahoo: "Our Yahoo Esports team is extremely excited to be partnering with ESL to bring greater coverage of its leading esports events, as well as innovate in new competitive formats and content offerings that we are sure will excite both fans and advertisers alike. Yahoo’s unique storytelling, highly talented editorial staff and global scale are a great combination with ESL’s experience and leadership in the space."
- The deal is for a two-year term. Twitter last month partnered with ELEAGUE in a move to live-stream esports on the platform for the first time.
- Press release
Fri, Aug. 12, 3:40 PM
- Microsoft (MSFT -0.8%), eBay (EBAY -0.7%), Etsy (ETSY -0.9%), Yahoo (YHOO +3.9%), Tencent (OTCPK:TCEHY -1.1%), Pinterest (Private:PINIT) and others have signed a commitment to impede trading of illegal wildlife and related products on their respective platforms in collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund, TRAFFIC and the International Fund for Animal Welfare.
- The aim is to stem supply and accessibility to a growing market for exotic and rare items obtained through poaching and other illegal means. The companies and organizations are looking to establish a "standardized, industry-wide policy framework on online wildlife trade." Wild live animals and plants or products derived from them through an illegal manner are the primary focus of the initiative.
- Though notable absentees include Amazon and Facebook, the proliferation of e-commerce and online marketplaces alongside the growth of a complex wildlife trade have clearly sparked a response from the platforms these items may appear on.
Fri, Aug. 12, 1:47 PM
- Yahoo (YHOO +3.3%) announced the feature on Tumblr noting: "We are excited to say that the days of scouring the internet to find where your live sports are streaming are a thing of the past."
- Other attributes mentioned include the ability to discover available streaming options for specific live baseball games with only those absent of blackout restrictions or rights issues being displayed.
- The move comes among recently increased live-streaming focus from Facebook, Twitter, Google and others in both sports and non-sports segments.
- The updates are rolling out today.
Thu, Aug. 11, 10:44 AM
- Alibaba (BABA) is gaining (+5.67%) since posting strong Q2 results this morning and Yahoo (YHOO +3.8%) is following suit.
- Yahoo's recent deal with Verizon involved core assets and real estate while maintaining its 15% investment in Alibaba.
- Yahoo is up more than 9% on a 1-month basis, over 10% on a 3-month basis and is currently trading at its highest point in more than a year, up 15% on a 1-year basis.
Mon, Aug. 8, 10:07 AM
- Coinciding with the extension of its deal with Yahoo, Hulu is bringing its free TV viewing service to an end.
- The streaming service -- co-owned by NBCUniversal (CMCSA -0.6%), Disney (DIS +0.2%), and Fox (FOX -0.8%, FOXA -0.7%), being joined by Time Warner (TWX -0.5%) -- will make its free content available through distribution partners including Comcast, and Yahoo (YHOO -0.1%) will host ad-supported content on Yahoo View.
- It's an unsurprising next step from Hulu, which has made its free content all but impossible to locate on the service as it promoted its subscription tiers (ad-light and ad-free for $7.99/month and $11.99/month respectively) and pushed its competition with Netflix and Amazon Prime.
- That new offering from Yahoo -- essentially a relaunch of its recently shuttered Yahoo Screen -- will serve as the destination for recent episodes of key programs that used to be available on Hulu as well. It will feature the five most recent episodes of shows from ABC, NBC and Fox (eight days after original airing).
Mon, Aug. 8, 9:38 AM
- Yahoo View introduced as a TV-watching site featuring the ability to watch the last five available episodes of shows from Hulu partners ABC, NBC, FOX and others.
- A unique aspect of the arrangement is a Tumblr integration enabling users to simultaneously browse photos and GIFs in an effort to create a "community-watching experience."
- Similarly, a "beyond the episode" section with enhanced content, spoiler-blocking capabilities and picture-in-picture viewing also featured.
- Yahoo (YHOO +0.4%) has already had a long-standing distribution contract with Hulu.
- Relating to this deal, Yahoo is considered a Hulu "preferred partner", meaning exclusive distribution rights are not included.
Fri, Aug. 5, 4:52 AM
- Yahoo (NASDAQ:YHOO) is shutting down its "legacy" Messenger platform, the main tool used by oil traders to communicate since the late 1990s.
- The follow-up version of the messaging service cannot be used by the industry as it doesn't meet compliance standards like saving conversations.
- While a raft of alternatives exist, users have expressed concerns about a fragmented communication market.
Tue, Aug. 2, 2:39 PM
- Yahoo (YHOO -0.7%) has answered employee questions about its deal to be acquired by Verizon (VZ -1.3%) for $4.8B, and one loomed larger than others: The company says there won't be layoffs between now and the deal's completion, set for Q1.
- Yahoo has laid off at least 1,600 since initiating cuts in February. And while job losses may be off for now, analysts had predicted heavy workforce cuts in the eventuality that Yahoo were acquired by someone like Verizon.
- "At this time, Yahoo is not planning any layoffs in anticipation of the transaction closing," the company said in one of two sets of answers (SEC filing). "Prior to the transaction closing, we will continue to operate our business independently, focus on achieving our corporate goals and manage employee performance in the ordinary course of business." Will there be layoffs after the transaction closes? "That is a decision for Verizon."
- On CEO Marissa Mayer: "Marissa is committed to Yahoo, its employees and its stockholders and plans to see the company through the next phase of its transition to Verizon ... Post-closing Verizon will determine the leadership structure of the combined entity."
- As expected, what's left after the Internet assets and real estate go -- now called "RemainCo" -- will retain stakes in Alibaba Group and Yahoo Japan along with non-core IP, and be renamed as a registered investment company. Employee shareholders of Yahoo stock will continue to hold RemainCo stock after the closing.
Tue, Jul. 26, 9:28 AM
- Verizon (NYSE:VZ) is 0.5% lower premarket following a Q2 earnings report where profits beat expectations despite falling off sharply in a quarter impacted by a lengthy wireline strike.
- Revenues dropped more than 5% and missed expectations by about 1.4%. Operating income was $4.6B, with a margin of 14.9%.
- The company posted 615,000 retail postpaid net additions, bringing end-of-quarter retail connections to 113.2M (up 3.3%) -- retail postpaid connections grew 3.9% to 107.8M; prepaid connections fell to 5.4M. Retail postpaid churn was 0.94% (up 4 basis points).
- There's a lot of Yahoo (NASDAQ:YHOO) books to go over, but the cost synergies should be "meaningful," said CEO Lowell McAdam.
- Cash flows from operations were $5.4B; $12.8B through the first half, down $6.1B from the year-ago period (which included a one-time $2.4B benefit tied to monetizing towers).
- Press Release


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AeroFarms to Go Public in $1.2 Billion Spring Valley SPAC Deal
(Bloomberg) -- AeroFarms, the vertical farming company, agreed to go public through a merger with blank-check firm Spring Valley Acquisition Corp.
The deal with the special purpose acquisition company gives the combined entity an equity value of about $1.2 billion, the companies said in a statement Friday, confirming an earlier Bloomberg News report. It will be led by David Rosenberg, co-founder of AeroFarms, and trade on the Nasdaq under the ticker “ARFM.”
Vertical farming companies like AeroFarms use artificial light and heat to produce plants and vegetables outside traditional growing seasons. The industry is seen as vital to helping reduce global hunger and restore forests depleted by commercialized agriculture. The prospect of solving both problems has enticed all sorts of investors, from tech entrepreneurs to restaurateurs.
All shareholders of Newark, New Jersey-based AeroFarms will roll 100% of their equity holdings into the new public company, according to the statement. AeroFarms’s “Dream Greens” brand of vegetables is sold in the northeastern U.S. at retailers including Whole Foods Market, ShopRite, Amazon Fresh and FreshDirect.
“AeroFarms has a technological edge on the industry, developing a world-class innovation team that has fueled a robust and growing intellectual property portfolio of patents and trade secrets,” Spring Valley Chief Executive Officer Chris Sorrells said in the statement. “Their team has been selling commercial product with major retailers, building a trusted brand that is performing well.”
Investors have committed $125 million to a private investment in public equity, or PIPE, offering to support the deal. The transaction will provide about $317 million of cash to AeroFarms to fund its future farm development, they said.
The merger, which has been cleared by the boards of both companies, will be subject to the approval of Spring Valley shareholders. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter, according to the statement.
“Our business is at an inflection point where we will scale up our proven operational framework and begin our expansion plans in earnest,” AeroFarms’s Rosenberg said in the statement.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. was exclusive financial adviser to AeroFarms, while Cowen & Co. was financial adviser to Spring Valley. JPMorgan, Cowen and Wells Fargo & Co. are acting as placement agents for the PIPE offering.
©2021 Bloomberg L.P.


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August 07, 2019
After a successful pilot program that took place March through June, Reading Terminal Market now offers free grocery delivery within a 16-mile radius of the market on orders over $40.
"We recognize the benefit that grocery delivery provides our customers and wanted to make it a convenient, attractive option. By offering it to both online and in-person shoppers during the Spring Shopping Special, we were able to gauge the community's appetite for the service," said Anuj Gupta, general manager at Reading Terminal Market.
Online shopping can be done through Mercato. For in-person shoppers, bags can be dropped off at the Customer Hub, located behind The Head Nut, and an associate will assist with delivery coordination.
Customers who choose to shop the 30-plus merchant selection online or the 80 merchants inside the market can use the code RTMShop40 to take advantage of free delivery over $40.
Note that in-person shoppers will select a delivery window based on their zip code. Zip codes within six miles have hourly delivery windows, and bags must be dropped off by 4:30 p.m. at the Customer Hub. Zip codes beyond six miles and up to 16 miles have two delivery windows and bags must be dropped off by 1:30 p.m.


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After being mauled by BZW and NatWest Securities this year the BhS and Mothercare group found itself the victim of an SBC Warburg profits downgrading. The securities house is thought to have lowered its estimates for the year ending on Tuesday by pounds 4m to pounds 118m. It appears poor children's clothing sales last month prompted Warburg to trim its forecast.
Last year Storehouse produced pounds 108.7m. Profit expectations for the retailer have, despite what appeared to be a reasonably encouraging Christmas trading statement, gradually been reduced. At one time there were hopes this year's figures would nudge pounds 130m.
What has been described as a City "wall of negative sentiment" has taken its toll on the shares. In May they were riding at 361p.
The latest Storehouse discomfort occurred as Next, on results, jumped 22.5p to 618.5p and Marks & Spencer, reflecting Warburg support, put on 17.5p to 481.5p.
The rest of the stock market for the second day running ignored election rumblings and higher interest rates. The US hike came as something of a relief. After intense speculation a rise of only one-quarter of a point, the first increase for two years, is regarded as comfortably containable.
Footsie, therefore, was at one time showing a 49.5-point advance. With New York displaying signs of hesitancy the gain was trimmed back to 30.8 points at 4,301.5 by the close.
Banks managed to shrug off UBS caution. Barclays ended with a 14p gain to 1,030.5p and Lloyds TSB rose 14p to 496.5p.
Energy Group, the Hanson spin-off, was the best-performing blue chip, gaining 18p to 489.5p on Goldman Sachs support.
EMI, on continuing competition worries, spun to a new low of 1,097.5p; at the time of the demerger last summer the price was 1,486p. Granada's pounds 42.5m New York hotel sale left the shares 10p off at 918p.
Biocompatibles International, the healthcare group, gained 67.5p to 1,157.5p. It has acquired the rights to develop new surface compounds which should extend the life of its own technology. Drew Scientific gained 19p to 79p following a bullish statement. Shares are being placed with institutions at 52p.
Glaxo Wellcome gained 24.5p to 1,101.5p as ABN Amro Hoare Govett hoisted a 1,260p valuation.
Avis, the car hire group, appeared in its when issued form, trading at 131.5p against a 124p launch. Whitehead Mann, a recruitment group placed at 136p, reached 144.5p.
Glenchewton, the household goods group, announced the sale of its Country Style Inns chain for pounds 10.75m. Buyer is the Old English Pub Co. The deal left Glenchewton 7.5p down at 64.5p and OEPC a shade easier at 221.5p.
World of Leather, the furniture retailer, jumped 30p to 121.5p on the agreed pounds 14.27m offer from UNO, up 24p at 295p.
Dunton, the bricks and property group run by entrepreneur David Williams, returned to market after capturing Remote Metering Systems, which reads electricity meters remotely, in a pounds 20m reverse takeover. The shares, placed at 100p for the deal, ended at 155.5p.
Princedale, where Hillsdown Holdings founder Sir Harry Solomon is an executive director, firmed 3p to 44p following the pounds 3.6m sale of design and marketing operations. The company intends to concentrate on producing retail display units. Simon Engineering improved 4p to 43.5p on takeover speculation and the feeling Dalgety could turn out to be the Associated British Foods bid target lifted the shares 11.5p to 349p.
Oils were firm with Enterprise Oil, not for the first time, leading the pack. The shares rose 14.5p to 653.5p; British Borneo Petroleum Syndicate flared 29p to 1,477.5p.
Polydoc, one of the second- line operations with strong Dutch connections, gained 35p to 337.5p; the shares were 47.5p in January. The obscure software group was floated last summer by stockbroker Bell Lawrie White at 65p.
Thomas Jourdan, the mini conglomerate embracing the Corby trouser press subsidiary, moved ahead 4p to a 12-month peak of 54.5p. David Abell, who netted pounds 10m when his Suter conglomerate was taken over by Ascot Holdings, has appeared on the share register. There have been reports he does not intend to bid but some speculators find it hard to believe such an experienced campaigner would adopt such a negative approach.
Ashurst Technology, one of the more obscure AIM companies, added 5p to 65p on its gold adventure in the Ukraine. The company, which also has a Canadian quote, is involved in five projects with indicated reserves of between an astonishing 500 and 600 tonnes of gold. Other prospects are said to be available. Besides its golden link Ashurst, a company which seems remarkably shy and offers very little information about itself despite its AIM listing, is developing various alloys.
CFS, a computer group, rallied 8p to 64.5p after declaring it knew of "no reason" for the fall in its share price. It intends to issue year's results, as scheduled, next month. Last year it produced pounds 385,000. The shares have fallen from the 126p hit last year.Reuse content


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Magazines and newspapers in Japan are suffering as advertising budgets continue to shrink.
In the past 12 months, quite a number of long-standing titles disappeared in the world of glossies and rumours were abound that the former Editor in Chief of Marie Claire Japan resigned because she was unable to hit the advertising budget after some estimates put a 40% cut in advertising dollars by luxury brands in Japan not due to the downturn of the economy, but because they were redistributing that money to mainland China.
So it came as no surprise for the Senken Shimbun to announce that they will stop issuing their Saturday edition in physical, paper format. Instead, they asked the subscribers register to receive the Saturday Senken as an email, and by the way, the monthly subscription price is the same. "We thank you in advance for your kind understanding" the letter from the management said.
But what is really cool is that one can now opt in to receive the following day's headlines via mobile email in the evening. They also send breaking news - like the announcement that Yohji Yamamoto is filing for protection from creditors with a 6.0 billion yen debt, or that Fast Retailing announced a new record profit for the quarter - as they are filing it.
They have managed to turn their very antiquated format into something that takes advantage of the Japanese way of using mobile/pc emails as well as paper. Their site still looks very static and is in need of work, but I love this email and mobile email service. It is nothing fancy, but who needs bells and whistles to receive the breaking news and the next day's headlines?
I really hope that leading trend sites that charge several hundred times the Senken for an annual subscription who send the translated version of the day's headlines at 15:00 take note of this and work harder!


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SEOUL, May 26 (Korea Bizwire) – An increasing number of clothing products are combining fashion and technology, part of a new trend called ‘fashionology’, using materials such as cooling fibers used in spacesuits, or those emitting far-infrared radiation.
T-shirts that use such new materials are becoming popular, especially for outdoor brands.
Cool 360, developed by K2, uses a perforation technique to make way for airflow on its mesh-fabric back. It also features a phase-change material used in spacesuits for an enhanced cooling effect. Phase-change materials absorb heat when temperatures rise, and emit heat when temperatures fall, help maintaining a consistent temperature.
“We applied heat to one mannequin wearing the phase-change material and another wearing normal clothing at 15-minute intervals,” said a K2 official. “We discovered that the temperature of the mannequin wearing the phase-change material was three to four degrees Celsius lower.”
Millet, another outdoor brand, also released a t-shirt that uses a cooling fiber, Cold Edge. When the wearer of the t-shirt starts sweating, the functional fiber embedded in the fabric expands and reacts with the sweat, ultimately creating a cooling effect.
Smart fabrics that ward off contamination and facilitate laundering are also making their entrance into the market.
Fashion brand Bean Pole recently presented new pants and shirts that are less susceptible to daily contamination. The company’s nanotechnology helps micro-particles to attach to the surface of the fibers, and create a coating around the threads. The coating, therefore, allows one to easily wipe off liquid and food, or even mud on a rainy day.
M Corset, an underwear company, presented Venex, a new product line that can even help to relieve stress. According to the company, the small amount of far-infrared radiation emitted from its products stimulates the nerve cells, which can reduce stress levels.
“The clothing industry has lately been focusing on ‘smart materials’ to target consumers,” said a K2 official. “With the approaching summer, there will be more intense competition between products that use cooling materials.”
By Joseph Shin (email@example.com)


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Passenger car registrations: -6.8% in first half-year; -2.8% in June
Brussels, 17/07/2012 – In June, new passenger car registrations declined by 2.8% in the EU*, continuing the downward trend commenced in October last year
Brussels, 17/07/2012 – In June, new passenger car registrations declined by 2.8% in the EU*, continuing the downward trend commenced in October last year. In total, 1,201,578 new cars were registered in the region in the month, which counted on average the same number of working days as in June 2011. In the first semester this year, demand for new cars was down 6.8%, compared to the first half of 2011, amounting to 6,644,829 units.
June results were diverse across the EU*, leading to an overall 2.8% downturn. Looking at the major markets, Germany (+2.9%) and the UK (+3.5%) posted growth, while Spain (-12.1%) and Italy (-24.4%) contracted. The French market remained stable (-0.6%).
From January to June, Germany (+0.7%) and the UK (+2.7%), the two largest markets, performed better than in the first six months of last year. Downturn prevailed in Spain (-8.2%), France (-14.4%) and Italy (-19.7%).
* EU27, data for Malta unavailable
- The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) represents the 16 major Europe-based car, van, truck and bus makers: BMW Group, DAF Trucks, Daimler Truck, Ferrari, Ford of Europe, Honda Motor Europe, Hyundai Motor Europe, Iveco Group, Jaguar Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Renault Group, Stellantis, Toyota Motor Europe, Volkswagen Group, Volvo Cars, and Volvo Group.
- Visit www.acea.auto for more information about ACEA, and follow us on www.twitter.com/ACEA_auto or www.linkedin.com/company/ACEA/.
- Contact: Francesca Piazza, Statistics Manager, email@example.com.
Interested in ACEA press releases?
Receive them directly in your inbox!
About the EU automobile industry
- 13 million Europeans work in the auto industry (directly and indirectly), accounting for 7% of all EU jobs.
- 11.5% of EU manufacturing jobs – some 3.4 million – are in the automotive sector.
- Motor vehicles are responsible for €374.6 billion of tax revenue for governments across key European markets.
- The automobile industry generates a trade surplus of €79.5 billion for the EU.
- The turnover generated by the auto industry represents more than 8% of the EU’s GDP.
- Investing €58.8 billion in R&D annually, the automotive sector is Europe’s largest private contributor to innovation, accounting for 32% of total EU spending.


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The Chevrolet Malibu is all new for 2016 and it certainly looks the part, but more importantly than design is just how much weight this midsize sedan has lost. Engineers have trimmed it down by around 300 pounds. That’s like dropping the equivalent of a professional wrestler!
Unquestionably the amount of mass they took out of the new Malibu is impressive. On the surface Ford’s claim of cutting 700 pounds from the F-150’s waistline sounds even more compelling, but when you think about how big a full-size truck is they have a lot of areas and systems they can optimize. That’s not the case with a midsize family car, which is small in comparison. This makes GM’s achievement particularly remarkable.
Of the 300 pounds Chevy’s 2016 Malibu has lost some 120 were removed from the structure itself. This car rides on the company’s new Epsilon II architecture.
Jesse Ortega, chief engineer of the Chevrolet Malibu said, “One of the techniques we’ve been bringing forward is optimizing around lower variations.” He explained that the car has been designed to only offer four-cylinder engines (like today’s model). This simplifies the structure and provides the opportunity to use down-gauged materials.
“We weren’t going to try to be an architecture that could do everything, because at the end of the day you’re just carrying that mass,” said Ortega. He also mentioned that in some instances it makes sense to offer a V6 engine along with four-cylinder powerplants but that was not the case with the new Malibu.
Beyond a sensible powertrain lineup GM did a lot with advanced simulation. “We have a computer-aided approach, which we call multi-disciplinary optimization and you create the structure in math and then you run all the load cases, whether they’re crash, whether they’re stiffness, whether they’re structural, whatever they are, and then the computer goes in and says you can take mass out of here but you need to add here,” Ortega said.
Thanks to advanced computer modeling, he said Chevrolet is able to add high-strength steel only where it’s required, something that helps cut unwanted mass.
Beyond all of this Ortega said, “We have an aluminum hood,” though there’s “no structural aluminum.” This car is built almost entirely out of conventional steel.
Of course the main reason for mass reduction is to improve fuel economy. When equipped with the base 1.5-liter turbocharged engine the 2016 Malibu is estimated to return 37 MPG highway. Not surprisingly the hybrid variant will be even more economical, delivering at least 45 MPG combined.
At the end of the day GM engineers were able to deliver a 300-pound weight loss without resorting to exotic or pricey materials, which is truly an impressive achievement for a car many Americans can actually afford. the 2016 Chevy Malibu is slated to go on sale in the fourth quarter of the year.
Discuss this story on our General Motors Forum.


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As folks reflect on the 10th anniversary of the Aug. 14, 2003 blackout that touched Michigan, we want our customers to know we’re working hard to deliver the energy you need, whenever you need it.
Consumers Energy has invested nearly $1 billion over the past five years to help improve electric reliability for our 1.8 million customers. And, that has helped produce a 20 percent improvement in electric reliability from five years ago. MLive story: Remember the blackout of 2003?
“Our investment plan is paying off for customers,” said Garrick Rochow, Consumers Energy’s vice president of energy delivery. “We are committed to using the best tools and technology available in our industry to provide customers with a high level of electric reliability. Our employees know that our customers count on them to provide reliable service, and to quickly and safely restore power when storms hit Michigan.”
Consumers Energy invests about $150 million per year to upgrade and modernize its electric distribution system. This work includes inspecting and replacing poles and cross-arms; replacing transformers, insulators, and adding new electric wires.
The company is also installing new automatic relay equipment and strengthening animal protection measures at substations to further improve reliability. In addition, Consumers Energy invests up to $45 million per year on line-clearing work to enhance reliability and reduce tree and vegetation contact with electric lines. VIEW Reliability promise video.
Consumers Energy recently launched an on-line outage map that allows anyone to see the location of outages and get an estimated time of service restoration. The outage map is available at: http://www.ConsumersEnergy.com/outagemap.


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Vehicle safety has become big business.
The global market for advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) will grow from $11.8 billion in 2016 to $43.3 billion by the end of 2025, Transparency Market Research predicts in a new report. That’s a projected compound annual growth rate of 16 percent.
Regulatory and consumer interest in vehicle safety will propel the market, the research firm asserts.
ADAS technologies include adaptive cruise control, blind-spot detection, cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, park assist and other features.


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Businesses that have long relied upon classified advertising in newspapers are starting to experiment with Craigslist, a free online bulletin board that is expanding its reach in Hawaii.
More than 10 million people use the site each month to find practically anything -- cars, apartments, jobs, even sex. With 3 billion views per month, Craigslist is seen as a growing threat to newspapers but a cheap and active marketplace for many small businesses.
Since starting in Honolulu in NovemberCraigslist has fast become one of Hawaii's busiest online communities. In December, there were close to 24, posts on the Honolulu Craigslist site; that's up from about 5, a year earlier.
And Craigslist says it receives 15 million Honolulu views a month, far ahead of any other local media site. So far, Craigslist hasn't taken a serious bite out of local newspaper revenue.
As the state's largest daily, and with the most extensive classifieds, The Honolulu Advertiser stands to lose the most if free online gain traction. Fisch said classified advertising in the Advertiser has grown in each of the last three years, primarily because of the reach of its Sunday edition.
In each of those years, overall advertising revenue grew between 5 percent and 7 percent, he said.
Newspapers have steadily moved into the online classified business with sites like Cars. The report said Craigslist usage grew percent from September to September That's certainly why the Craigslists of the world are seeing ," said David Kennedy, vice president of marketing for the Honolulu Star- Bulletin and MidWeek.
Kennedy said the Star-Bulletin and MidWeek also have seen little impact from Craigslist, but that's mostly because classified advertising is dominated by the Advertiser. Classified for the Star-Bulletin and MidWeek for "nowhere near" 30 percent of revenue, Kennedy said, but he declined to give a specific amount.
Both the Advertiser and the Star-Bulletin have skirmished in recent months promoting free or cut-rate classifiedbut those initiatives appear to have been driven by traditional competition rather than pressure from Craigslist. The Star-Bulletin is preparing more online advertising as a result of the growth of the Internet, Kennedy said, and will soon start a service that allows businesses and individuals to buy and build their own online.
A growing of local businesses are using Craigslist for recruitment. Employment classifieds are among the most lucrative for newspapers; a small help-wanted ad in the Sunday Advertiser, along with a posting on Careerbuilder.
Honolulu public relations firm Bennet Group Strategic Communications recently posted an ad for a new executive on Craigslist and for the first time skipped the Advertiser and Star-Bulletin. Helwagen said she plans to use Craigslist exclusively for job from now on.
Craigslist isn't perfect. The staggering s of postings are, in many cases, the result of a seller simply reposting her ad for a '99 Neon every day until it sells.
Some of the are filled with spam from mortgage lenders, phone sex sellers, scam artists and oddballs from around the globe, and it's sometimes difficult to weed legitimate from all the clutter. And in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, Craigslist is starting to charge for employmenta practice expected to spread to other markets.
After jobs, housing is the most popular section on Craigslist, which has found ready acceptance among young people more comfortable with a keypad than a newspaper. Phil Uehisa with Century 21 All Islands in Honolulu said he tells all of his clients to post their rentals on Craigslist because, among others, it attracts military families coming to Hawaii.
Uehisa said Craigslist is just starting to catch on in Hawaii and he expects its use to grow dramatically.
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Market research firm Strategy Analytics has another snapshot of the smart speaker market. The results for Amazon look positively rosy, full of potential for Google, and not-too-bright for Apple.
The company released a ranking of the top smart speaker models in the United States from a poll of more than 1,000 people during July and August. The Amazon Echo and Amazon Echo Dot topped the list with shares of 23% and 21%, respectively. Those products held a decisive lead over the nearest competitors, the Google Home with 8% and Google Home Mini at 7%. Four other products on the list were from the Echo line. The Apple HomePod reported just a 4% share.
The Apple HomePod had a rough road to launch before finally hitting the market in early February. A delay meant that Apple’s lone smart speaker product missed out on any potential boost from the holiday shopping season. It also created more of a gap between its arrival and the early start taken by Amazon.
Google’s trajectory still seems positive, even though this data set still gives Amazon a big lead in the U.S. market. Strategy Analytics reported that the Google Home Mini was the top-selling smart speaker globally during Q2 2018. Even though the lineups for the Amazon Echo and Google Home collections are similar, Google seems to have enough brand loyalty among shoppers to make it a long-term competitor for the top spot.
Although it seems like these reports are always dominated by the same few names, the smart speaker market does have other players besides those top three, especially when looking at a global scale. The following chart gives a sense of scope:
The numbers for Alexa (60 models!) and Google Assistant (39 models!) might include cosmetic variations like color. Interesting to note that Cortana (Microsoft) and Siri (APple) are represented by just one device model each.
Perhaps not surprisingly, a plurality of devices are priced in the $100 – $199 range:
Smart speakers are mostly non-display devices. But when Strategy Analytics updates this report next, we might expect the percentage to grow, as Facebook and Google have both recently released screen devices.


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Avocent Corporation today announced two new software solutions for managing data centers and PDAs and other mobile devices: AdminSentinel and MobileSentinel. These solutions help IT administrators securely manage data center devices from a PDA and allow IT administrators to manage the growing number of PDA and mobile devices in their businesses.
AdminSentinel software for mobile devices allows IT managers to access, control and manage their network and data center infrastructure; and MobileSentinel is a software solution that allows IT departments to centrally manage mobile devices. These products run on platforms such as BlackBerry, PocketPC and Palm.
While the data center is the foundation of Avocent’s core business, businesses are now required to not only manage their data centers and server rooms, but they are being asked to manage hundreds of mobile devices that are now part of their IT infrastructure. The addition of the MobileSentinel solution from our recent acquisition of Sonic Mobility will help customers manage the thousands of mobile devices in the market today.
The AdminSentinel software uses a real-time secure proxy model to perform many routine server administrative functions from a mobile device. For example, the administrator can reboot a server, unlock/change passwords, restart services not functioning properly, view event logs, move files and send messages to logged-in users.
MobileSentinel is a software product for the remote control and administration of PDAs and smart phones that connect to a computer network. MobileSentinel adds a new level of network security for mobile devices. IT administrators can monitor all mobile devices for current status, apply passwords to unprotected devices and manage mobile user groups, as well as a number of other functions. For mobile devices that are lost or stolen, MobileSentinel allows an IT administrator to centrally control and wipe out sensitive data. The product is ideally suited for networks that use cellular PDAs and smartphones to support staff in the field.


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THE GOLUB CORPORATION CONFIRMS INTENT TO BUILD A NEW MARKET 32 IN FORT EDWARD
Store Will Be the First “Ground Up” Market 32 in New York
(Schenectady, NY) As the Golub Corporation prepares to unveil its first three Market 32 stores in Wilton and Clifton Park, NY and Pittsfield, MA, and grand open its first new, built-from-the-ground-up Market 32 in Sutton, MA, company officials have confirmed their intent to build a new, 40,000 sq. ft. Market 32 in the heart of the business district in Fort Edward, NY. The store will be built on the former site of a Grand Union, at 354 Upper Broadway Street, and feature a drive-through pharmacy, amongst other amenities. Construction is expected to start, following site remediation and preparation, in the Spring of 2016. This will be the first ground-up Market 32 store in New York.
With an upcoming groundbreaking scheduled in Oxford, MA later this summer and nearly a dozen more Price Chopper Supermarkets slated to transform into Market 32’s in the coming months, the 85-year old family-managed chain’s ambitious rebranding effort is well underway.
-- 30 --
About The Golub Corporation: Based in Schenectady, NY, the Golub Corporation owns and operates 135 Price Chopper and Market 32 grocery stores in New York, Vermont, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The American owned, family-managed company prides itself on longstanding traditions of innovative food merchandising, leadership in community service, and cooperative employee relations. Golub’s 22,000 teammates collectively own more than 47% of the company’s privately held stock, making it one of the nation’s largest privately held corporations that is predominantly employee-owned. For additional information, visit www.pricechopper.com.
|[News] [News Archive]|


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Online restaurant guide and food ordering firm Zomato Thursday said it has entered into experiential events segment with the launch of multi-city food and entertainment carnival, Zomaland.
The carnival will be held across three cities in India -- Delhi, Pune and Bengaluru, Zomato said in a statement.
The introduction of Zomaland is a step forward towards Zomato's goal of 'better food for more people', he added.
"Although we are starting with 3 cities, we will extend the joy to many more cities around the world as we move ahead," Zomato Live Global Head Chaitanya Mathur said.
Founded by Deepinder Goyal and Pankaj Chaddah in 2008, Zomato provides information for over 1.4 million restaurants across 24 countries.


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TikTok has been in the news in recent months for a litany of potential security and privacy concerns that revolve around its alleged relationship with the Chinese government. These issues have spurred the Trump administration to move to ban the short video social media app in the US. The threat of a ban has opened an opportunity for a US company to purchase the ByteDance-owned app.
One company that has expressed interest in TikTok’s regional operations is Microsoft, which published a blog post stating that it will continue discussions on a potential TikTok purchase in the US. The purchase would allow Microsoft to own and operate TikTok’s operations in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Additionally, the US tech giant said it may invite other US-based investors to participate in the deal on a minority basis.
This wouldn’t be Microsoft’s first foray into the social media space as in June 2016 the company bought Linkedin for $26.2 billion. A deal for TikTok will likely be more complex, especially as the US governemnt will be deeply involved. For instance, President Trump has suggested that the US government should receive a protion of the sale price.
Let’s meet the key employees Microsoft will likely turn to in order to close a deal for TikTok.
To ensure the US government doesn’t scuttle the deal, Microsoft will need to turn to its Corporate Vice President of US Government Affairs, Fred Humphries. Humphries manages Microsoft’s federal and state government affairs teams. He relies on his almost 20 years of state, federal, campaign, and association experience to help the tech giant accomplish its regulatory goals. His experience will be critical in convincing members of the government to support its possible purchase and operation of TikTok’s US business.
Bret Arsenault, Microsoft’s Chief Information Security Officer, will play a large role in ensuring the app meets all security requirements and placating concerns regulators may have. Arsenault could also be helped by Julie Brill, the company’s Chief Privacy Officer and Deputy General Counsel for Global Privacy & Regulatory Affairs, as she is responsible for privacy, data protection, and other regulatory issues.
After the acquisition Chris Capossela, Microsoft’s Chief Marketing Officer and EVP of its worldwide Consumer Business, will be an integral part of the TikTok’s success. As CMO, Capossela runs marketing across both the consumer and commercial businesses, which includes product marketing for all Microsoft services and products. If Microsoft gains control of TikTok’s US operations, Capossela will have his work cut out for him as he attempts to win over a consumer base that has spent weeks listening to warnings not to download the social media app due to privacy concerns.
The Org is a professional community where companies can show off their team to the world. Follow companies here and stay up to date on the latest executive changes!


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A Stitch In Time
And sew it goes. . . .
Quilting, that classic art form that weaves stories with stitches, is experiencing a resurgence in popularity.
"There's a lot of interest in it right now," says Jan Reese, 35, co-founder of The Quilt Patch, a Nashville, Tennessee, retailer of quilts and quilting supplies. "People like to see something that's done by hand. Also, people are looking to give a little part of themselves."
All that giving adds up: Quilter's Newsletter Magazine estimates the quilting industry to be worth approximately $1.5 billion-not exactly a threadbare figure.
Perhaps even more interesting is that nearly 70 percent of quilters boast at least some college education. That may explain why, according to Quilter's Newsletter Magazine, one-third of quilters own a computer and nearly 10 percent use quilt design software. Even tried-and-true traditions, it seems, are subject to modern-day face lifts.
Which may be all the more reason to predict that consumers of all ages will remain in stitches. "I think [quilting] will continue to be popular because it's so much a part of our American heritage," maintains Reese, who's been pleasantly surprised by the number of customers visiting her shop. "Quilts will always hold a special significance."
Quilter's Newsletter Magazine, Box 4101, Golden, CO 80402-4101, (303) 273-1321;
The Quilt Patch, 2416 Music Valley Dr., #158, Nashville, TN 37214, (615) 883-7404;


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People in the UK have been spending record amounts of time on the internet during the coronavirus lockdown, new data has revealed.
In April 2020, UK adults spent longer than four hours online each day – more than a quarter of their waking life.
It marks an increase of more than half an hour since January and means people now spend substantially more time online than watching television or listening to the radio.
The figures were revealed in Ofcom’s Online Nation report, which detailed the habits and trends of internet users between November 2019 and April 2020.
People aged 18 to 24 were the most heavy users, clocking an average of more than five hours spent online per day.
A large portion of the study focussed on internet habits in 2019, which revealed that technology giants now control an even greater share of internet traffic.
The research by the regulator showed that more than a third of time spent online was spent on sites owned by either Facebook or Google.
The shift towards platforms like Facebook-owned WhatsApp and Messenger appears to have been accelerated during lockdown, with nearly half of all adults using the messaging apps to make video calls at least once a week.
Ofcom’s research found that the use of video calling services doubled to 70 per cent of the population during the lockdown, as people sought new ways to stay in touch.
One of the biggest benefiters from this trend has been the app Zoom, which saw a huge surge in new users at the start of the lockdown.
“Lockdown may leave a lasting digital legacy,” said Yij-Choung Teh, Ofcom’s director of strategy and research.
“Coronavirus has radically changed the way we live, work and communicate online, with millions of people using online video services for the first time.”
Data shows Trump is wrong about US doing more Covid-19 testing


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Chatbots are the new apps every brand worth its salt has one. Tommy Hilfiger had TMY.GRL launch a Gigi Hadid collaboration. The Singapore government has GovBot, a bot that allows citizens to contact civil servants and report concerns of public interest. Almost every week, a retailer rolls out a recommendation or shopping chatbot.
Chatbots are on the ascendant and arguably at the exuberant peak of the Gartner Hype Cycle which...
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Ever since the release of Super Smash Bros. Melee in 2001, it's been a tradition of the Super Smash Bros. series to revisit stages from the previous game with each new addition to the line. This time around, however, we shouldn't be so quick to expect stages from Brawl to make it into the next installment's lineup of arenas.
Director Masahiro Sakurai has explained that if the team developing Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS were to implement stages from Brawl into the next games, they would have to be tweaked to run on a Nintendo 3DS. Sakurai says that he's still unsure whether or not they could port stages from Brawl over to the Nintendo 3DS and "still do those [stages] justice," but he does assure us that hope is not lost. "We're going to have to look at that," he says, which means that despite being a hassle, Brawl stages may be entirely possible for the next Super Smash Bros. Now we just need to wait for the team to experiment and announce their results.
What remains unclear is why it's so essential that Brawl stages appear on the Nintendo 3DS and aren't exclusive to Wii U, especially given the fact that the new stages in both games will all be platform-exclusive.
What stages from Brawl were you hoping would make it back for the next Super Smash Bros.?


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Elon Musk says Tesla could ‘maybe’ make a $25,000 electric car in 3 years
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Tesla could make a mass-market electric car costing $US25,000 within three years, says its boss Elon Musk.
Mr Musk made the comments in an interview with popular YouTube personality Marques Brownlee published over the weekend (see below).
Mr Musk was asked if there was room at Tesla for an even less expensive, quality electric car experience.
“Yeah, absolutely,” he answered.
“I think in order for us to get up to … a $25,000 car, that’s something we can do,” he said. “If we work really hard, I think maybe we can do that in three years.”
Any expansion of the electric car market would be good news for ASX-listed producers of metals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite and copper which are needed for electric car components, batteries and infrastructure.
Design and technology improvements were key to making electric cars cheaper — but scale of production played an important role as well.
Mr Musk compared cars to the development of mobile phones, noting that “no amount of money, no amount of scale could have made” early mobiles affordable without technology improvements, but with each successive model the phones became “better and cheaper”.
Tesla’s smaller production scale made it difficult to compete with rivals, such as General Motors and Ford, Mr Musk said.
“We’re really focused on trying to make the cars more affordable, which is really tough,” he said.
“In order to make the cars affordable you really need high volume. So you need economies of scale.
“And because the other car companies make a lot more cars than we do, they have got way better economies of scale.
“So as we’re gradually able to build up and do more cars, higher volume, then we can … make the cars available to a wide range of people.”
Musk at one point paused and conceded the difficulty of working in the auto industry.
“The car industry is super competitive,” he said. “It’s like one of the…it’s like insanely competitive.”
This is not the first revealing interview Musk has been featured in the past week.
On Friday, the New York Times published an interview where Mr Musk admitted, “this past year has been the most painful of my career,” and choked up multiple times while discussing personal and professional pressures.
Mr Musk set off a major controversy on August 7 when he tweeted he was considering taking Telsa private at $US420 a share and that he had “funding secured.”
The Securities and Exchange Commission has opened up an investigation and both Musk and Tesla’s board of directors have received SEC subpoenas.
In his YouTube interview Mr Musk appeared more at ease, joking, laughing, and telling anecdotes.
“I actually even pay full retail price for my cars,” he admitted.
As of Monday morning, the video had already garnered 3.3 million views.