text:
Speaking at a news conference in Beijing, Mr. Felice said the company sees strong growth potential in China. "If anything you'll see investment increase in China," he said.
Dell sells networking equipment, such as servers and storage arrays, to a wide variety of companies--both private and government-run--in China.
Earlier this month, Dell struck a $24.4 billion deal to take itself private. Founder and Chief Executive Michael Dell and Silver Lake Partners will offer Dell's shareholders a per-share price of $13.65 in cash as part of the deal.
The deal requires approval by a majority of shares outstanding, excluding those owned by management and directors, according to Dell, which has said it expects the deal to close by the end of its second quarter.
Mr. Felice noted that spending on technology by Chinese companies has slowed recently, but he expects the slowdown to be temporary and called the Chinese market "very impressive."
He also said he finds China's state-owned enterprises increasingly more collaborative, adding that competitive pressures on China's large firms are nudging them to move at a quicker pace.
Mr. Felice also said the company will continue looking at acquisitions to build out its open-systems architecture for network equipment.
Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires


text:
China's Economic Slowdown: Two sides of the same coin
There has been an intense debate over the policies that the Chinese government should have implemented in order to have successfully overcome this summer’s economic soft patch and avoid a much-dreaded economic downturn. Regarding the real economy, while some suggested that the priority was to prop up weakening growth in the all-important manufacturing sector, others stressed that the key was to boost domestic consumption.
In my view, policymakers have to continue with their efforts to rebalance China’s economy, which is the only way to effectively tackle weaknesses in the manufacturing sector, boost domestic consumption and, in general, to promote a sustainable growth path for the future. Acknowledging that one-off measures are likely to relieve some of the short-term pain, any initiative has to be part of a more general plan as the key challenge is not to deal with the current slowdown, but rebuild the country’s economic fundamentals.
The best way to achieve a sustainable increase in private consumption is to drastically improve the country’s social security net in order to free up China’s massive savings and allow households to spend more on consumption. Moreover, Chinese authorities should push forward reforms to liberalize the financial sector and expand credit access to households.
In line with the draft for the 5 Year Plan unveiled in recent weeks, the government has to implement policies to upgrade the country’s industry in order to improve China’s value chain. The country has to move from low-end to hi-tech manufacturing. Moreover, better allocation of financial resources through market-oriented policies, along with a more prominent role of private companies, have the potential to promote more dynamic enterprises and reduce massive manufacturing overcapacity. In a context of a protracted global economic recovery, boosting private consumption and improving China’s manufacturing sector can precisely be a way to generate demand for Chinese goods.
According to the panel of 36 analysts that FocusEconomics surveyed this month, growth in China will decelerate in the quarters ahead although only at a gradual pace. This situation will reflect more benign global economic conditions, the stimulus measures that have been implemented by the Chinese authorities since June and, particularly, the government’s efforts to shift the main sources of growth from manufacturing, investment and exports toward services and domestic demand.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FocusEconomics S.L.U. Views, forecasts or estimates are as of the date of the publication and are subject to change without notice. This report may provide addresses of, or contain hyperlinks to, other internet websites. FocusEconomics S.L.U. takes no responsibility for the contents of third party internet websites.
Author: Ricard Torné, Head of Data Analysis
Date: November 16, 2015
TagsEastern Europe China CIS Countries Budget deficit Major Economies G7 Investment Turkey Energy Commodities Resource Curse Greece oil prices United Kingdom Eurozone Venezuela chile Iran scotiabank TPS Trade Agricultural Commodities Company News Spain Canada Costa Rica; GDP; Budget Brexit Australia Oil Central America Portugal OPEC Unemployment rate Cannabis Precious Metals Commodities United States Ukraine Cryptocurrency MENA Economists Euro Area Argentina Gold Vietnam Asian Financial Crisis Consensus Forecast Political Risk Nigeria USA Economic Crisis Palladium Japan UK Brazil election Economic Debt Inflation Exports Tunisia Israel Copper Latin America economic growth IMF Russia European Union Infographic Economic Growth (GDP) Draghi Mexico France Banking Sector Asia Emerging Markets Forex Colombia Base Metals Sub-Saharan Africa Nordic Economies Asean GDP Healthcare Africa public debt Canadian Economy Base Metals Commodities India Lagarde Commodities interview precious metals Italy Housing Market Germany South Africa TPP Exchange Rate Bitcoin
1 day ago
CIS economies saw inflation rise last year, especially in Russia and Ukraine, but forecasters project price pressur… https://t.co/2C7fkefxKc
5 days ago
Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year from everyone at FocusEconomics! https://t.co/hvhP9PTvbR
3 weeks ago
1 month ago
What are the key issues facing the global economy in 2021? Download our latest special report, Focus 2021, for key… https://t.co/1JR8SvhA4X
1 month ago

domain: news


text:
Workshop Recordings from NADA Show and ATD Show 2018 are now available as an exclusive membership benefit.
“The automobile is the most exciting platform for innovation in the next 100 years,” says new NADA Chairman Wes Lutz.
Teuton urged dealers to take an interest in legislative issues – such as the President’s infrastructure proposal, changes to the tax code and regulatory burdens – that impact truck dealerships.
Part of the funds will be used to renovate the Auto Skills Center at the base—from remodeling the facility, purchasing tools, re-certifying the lifts and adding eight service bays.
Jay Huston, of Carpinteria, Calif., who served in the U.S. Army for 20 years, and his dog, Hurley (Labrador/Golden Retriever cross), attended the auction to raise awareness of Canine Companions.
Jack Salzman, owner of Lake Norman Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-RAM in Cornelius, N.C., was named 2018 Time Dealer of the Year—a national award that recognizes new-car dealers who exhibit exceptional performance in their dealerships and perform distinguished community service.
The NADA Professional Series, which is designed for new or high-potential department managers to stay ahead of the competition, targets four critical dealership departments—office, parts, sales and service.
Waymo’s John Krafcik, NADA President & CEO Peter Welch and AutoNation Chairman & CEO Mike Jackson had a wide-ranging discussion on technology’s role in the future of the auto industry during NADA Show 2018.


text:
Director Christensen from American Institute in Taiwan (TBC);
Chief Representative IZUMI from Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association (TBC);
Minister Tsai from the Ministry of Justice;
Dear participants joining us online from around the world; Ladies and gentlemen:
Blessing from Taipei!
It is a great pleasure to attend the opening ceremony of the GCTF virtual conference on New Developments in IP Protection and Combating Digital Infringement today. On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I would like to extend my warmest welcome to all online participants. Thank you for taking the time to attend this conference.
Taiwan’s economic miracle along with the outstanding economic development in the 1990s was driven by labor-intensive manufacturing industry. As the 20th century came to a close, Taiwan had transformed into a democracy with peaceful political power transition and high-tech economy. Innovation becomes critical than ever to economic development. One of the key elements to sustain economic development is to ensure intellectual property protection. According to the latest World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report, Taiwan was ranked 12 out of 141 countries, with sound institutions, policies and regulations to protect intellectual property right.
As we are entering the age of 5G mobile network of telecommunication, the Internet allows the infringers to produce thousands of copyright work at little cost. More and newer forms of intellectual property infringement are emerging. Digital infringement is hence not just a challenge for private companies for doing business through corporate espionage and cyber threats, but also a potential threat to governance and government operation. Amid the growing online activities, no single country or government can address intellectual property protection on cyber space alone. Global efforts are needed to protect IPR and combat cyber crimes.
In this regard, I would like to thank the High Prosecutors Office of Taiwan to initiate this workshop. It provides an excellent platform for us to exchange the law enforcement practices and experiences on the intellectual property and digital infringement issues. With a sound environment where transformative ideas can thrive and grow, I believe that the Indo-Pacific region will be the locomotive for global economy.
With that, let me once again welcome you all. I wish you a productive and fruitful discussion. Thank you!


text:
According to the Strategy Analytics research firm, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) overtook Samsung to become the No. 1 phone vendor in the United States in Q4 2012. The report states that Apple managed to sell an impressive 17.7 million iPhone, while the Korean consumer electronics giant managed sold 16.8 million units in the last quarter. LG on the other took the third spot with meagre 4.7 million. The report states:
We estimate Apple shipped 17.7 million mobile phones for a record 34 percent share of the United States market in the fourth quarter of 2012. This was up sharply from 12.8 million units shipped and 25 percent share in Q4 2011.
But that’s not all. The figure doesn’t just take smartphones into consideration, but also phones, known as feature phones and dumb phones. As we know, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) only sells iPhone which is a smartphone, while Samsung and LG sell feature phones too, in addition smartphones. Because of this fact, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s achievement is even more impressive.
The reason for impressive sales figure could be due to the launch of the brand new sparkling iPhone 5 in September, but apart from that, the Cupertino company also dropped the prices of both the iPhone 4 and 4S. Both these reasons should have contributed to Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s success in overthrowing Samsung from the top spot. Also Apple’s App Store has been a huge success, with a variety of apps for various purposes.
Samsung has been the number one mobile phone vendor in the US since 2008, and the Korean giant will try to recapture that title back in 2013 by possibly launching new smartphones the rumored Galaxy S4. Currently, Samsung’s Galaxy S3 has been the company’s flagship phone and if the rumors are true, the Galaxy S4 should come with impressive tech specs. But can Samsung regain the lost title? Only time will tell.
In the end, it is the consumers that benefit from competition. We will have to wait to see if and when more powerful smartphones come out in 2013.


text:
The electric car revolution is real and happening right Electric vehicles will be as cheap as gasoline models by 2025 and sales will surpass internal combustion engine sales by 2040. Today we’ll talk about the top seven all-electric sports cars that achieve maximum performance immediately. This is the great opportunity for car industry Giants to move forward the idea of electric vehicles and a big challenge for new manufacturers to find their place in this fast-growing sphere.
Top Upcoming Electric Sports Cars by 2020
Porsche Mission E
Porsche introduced its first all-electric four-seat sports car in 2015 that will arrive in late 2019 driven by two electric motors for a total output of 440 kilowatts. Porsche brings its ultra-fast 350 kilowatts 800 for charging stations to the US that enables the Mission E to receive 80% charge in just 15 minutes. It has the futuristic driver-oriented interface with a new type of holographic display which provides an intelligent interaction between the real and virtual worlds through a gesture and eye recognition system. It is able to hit 60 mph in less than 3.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 155 mph. The company is planning to produce at least 20,000 units in a year and now is actively testing the prototype in the streets as well as the Nürburgring race tracks before putting the car into production which is assumed to have a starting price of $75,000.
The Cupra E-Racer
Volkswagens subsidiary SEAT automobile manufacturer has officially launched its new sports car brand called the Cupra. The Cupra E-Racer is based on the gasoline-powered Cup Racer and being much quieter surpasses the standard model by his performance. Besides the traditional rear-view mirrors, it’s equipped with a new rear vision technology displayed on the dashboard. Unfortunately, both for the Renault E-Sport and the Cupra E-Racer, there is no word if the companies will produce road-going versions of the cars. Four electric motors deliver a maximum 500-kilowatt power output that enables the car to hit 60 mph in 3.2 seconds and reach a top speed of 167 miles per hour.
Chinese based company NIO introduced its high-performance street-legal electric supercar to the world in 2016. NIO EP9 is equipped with four individual electric motors on each wheel that provide 1-megawatt power outputs. The vehicle has set various lap records including the Circuit of the Americas racetrack in Austin without any driver and was claimed as the fastest lap time for a production electric car and the fastest self-driving car. It is able to accelerate from 0 to 124 mph in 7.1 seconds and reach the top speed of 195 mph thanks to its individual wheel drivetrain and carbon fibre architecture.
Tesla unveiled its second-generation Roadster in November 2017 that will arrive in 2020. This vehicle has unbelievable performance specifications, its base model can hit 60mph in 1.9 seconds and reach a top speed of more than 250 mph. The price of this incredible four-seat supercar starts at $200,000, It’s the longest-range sports car in this industry with 1000km of range.
Renault ZOE e-Sport Concept
Renault has emerged as one of the most popular all-electric vehicles in Europe, the ZOE and Eden’s formula electric cars to make this special sports car a reality thanks to its lightweight carbon-fibre architecture and all-wheel-drive capability. Two electric motors in the front and rear deliver a total of 340-kilowatt power output and 472 pound-feet of torque that helps the vehicle achieve the top speed of 130 mph in less than 10 seconds. The ZOE e-Sport concept can reach 60 mph in just 3.2 seconds. With the power transmission management system, you can easily achieve the full power to feel completely the great emotions and pleasures in the hot hatchback.
Maryland based company Genovation introduced its latest all-electric supercar at the 2018 CES event called the GXE. Powered by 60 kWh battery pack, The electric motors enable the car to hit 60 mph in under 3 seconds and reach a top speed of 220 mph. It’s based on the Chevy Corvette Grand Sport model but instead of the eight-cylinder engine, it’s equipped with twin electric motors that provide about 600 kWh outputs and 700 pound-feet of torque. Besides the traditional electric car transmission system, the Genovation GXE is the only EV that comes with a 7-speed manual transmission and the conventional clutch pedal. The production is limited to 75 units that will be delivered in late 2019 with a price tag of $750,000.
It seemed Tesla’s record was unbreakable until the reveal of this supercar that is equipped with four independent permanent magnets electric motors for a total output of 1408 kW is able to hit 60 mph in an incredible 1.85 seconds and reach a top speed of 258 mph. The vehicle is capable of supporting 250-kilowatt charging rates which could charge the RIMAC C2’s battery pack to 80 % in less than 30 minutes. With a 120-kWh battery pack, its achieves 400 miles of any DC driving range. The all-electric two-seat supercar goes into production in 2020 and will be limited to 150 units.
Major industry players of sports cars Ferrari, Bugatti and Lamborghini will also join these companies to prove that electric cars can not only be environmentally friendly but can also surpass conventional sports cars with their performance. Considering the cost of electric sports cars, Tesla Model S Plaid is the best electric sports car on the market. It has a range of over 390 miles, and can go from 0 to 60 mph in just 1.99 seconds. With its all-wheel drive, it has great traction in all weather conditions. And its sleek design makes it one of the most stylish cars on the road. The price of the Tesla Model S plaid is $130k so for those who can afford it, the Tesla Model S is the best electric sports car available.


text:
WELCOME TO The advertising REPORT
We had the opportunity to speak with Ivar Krustok, Head of Data Science and IT at Ekspress Meedia, who gave us an interesting insight into the world of advertising powered by data and technology. Read ...
VideoAmp, VIZIO | October 07, 2021
VideoAmp and VIZIO (NYSE: VZIO) announced a newly formed agreement in support of VideoAmp’s cross-screen measurement and currency solution. VideoAmp will maintain access and continue to use VIZIO’s Inscape Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) data from more than 18M opted-in VIZIO Smart TVs for planning, measurement and TV ad sales use cases. The newly extended relationship, which was previously slated to expire at the end of 2021, will now run through the end of 2025 with an option f...
Teikametrics | September 12, 2022
Teikametrics, the leading optimization platform for sellers on Amazon and Walmart, announced today that it will be part of a breakout session at Amazon Accelerate next week at the Seattle Convention Center.
Teikametrics’ Laura Pattison, the company’s director of premium services, will participate in the “Visualizing Your Advertising and Retail Performance” panel, a discussion of how to use advanced analytics and data visualization to understand where a sell...
Unity | December 20, 2021
Unity (NYSE: U), the world’s leading platform for creating and operating real-time 3D (RT3D) content, today announced the availability of Meta Audience Network for in-app bidding access in Unity Mediation, available within Unity Ads. With this integration, publishers get self-serve and streamlined access to a premium demand source, making it quicker and easier to maximize their revenue. Meta Audience Network is the latest addition to Unity Mediation, solutions that give developers access t...
Facebook | May 28, 2020
As one of the leaders in social media platforms, Facebook always tries to offer something extraordinary to the advertisers.
AdLibrary Helper is a free Facebook ad spy tool.
ADVERTISER CAMPAIGN MANAGEMENT
Keep me plugged in with the best
Join thousands of your peers and receive our weekly newsletter with the latest news, industry events, customer insights, and market intelligence.
Put your news, events, company, and promotional content in front of thousands of your peers and potential customers.
Not a member yet? Not a problem, Sign Up
Sign up to contribute and publish your news, events, brand, and content with the
community for FREE


text:
CBN postpones eNaira launch
The CBN chose to postpone the launch because to Nigeria’s independence celebrations, according to CBN spokesperson Osita Nwanisobi, who met with journalists in Abuja on Thursday, September 30.
“CBN defers eNaira rollout to commemorate Independence Day,” said the announcement.
“Ahead of the anticipated launch of Nigeria’s Central Bank Digital Currency, known as eNaira, the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Spokesman, Mr. Osita Nwanisobi, says the planned unveiling on October 1, 2021 has been postponed due to other key activities lined up to commemorate the country’s 61st Independence Anniversary.”
He further emphasized that there was no need to be concerned, as the CBN and other partners were striving to make the digital currency useful for all consumers, especially those in rural regions and the unbanked.


text:
Apple to Continue Mac Pro Production in the US After Tariff Exemption
Apple's Mac Pro will be produced in Austin, Texas, said CEO Tim Cook after US President Donald Trump's administration waived tariffs on necessary Chinese components.
Image for representation.
Apple said that it would keep making its Mac Pro in the United States, after obtaining tariff exemptions for some components in the high-end computers. The California tech giant said it would keep production of the Mac Pro, a computer costing some 6,000 US Dollars (USD), in Austin, Texas, following reports it was considering moving the manufacturing to China. Apple said the decision came after the company obtained "a federal product exclusion" from tariffs "for certain necessary components" for the computers. The news comes despite comments from President Donald Trump in July that he would oppose waiving tariffs on components for Apple's devices, commenting in a tweet, "Make them in the USA, no Tariffs."
Apple chief executive Tim Cook said in a statement that the company is "proud to be building (the new Mac Pro) in Austin" and added, "We thank the administration for their support enabling this opportunity." The company said it would begin production soon at the same Austin facility where Mac Pro has been made since 2013. Apple said it was "on track to fulfil its commitment" to invest 350 billion USD in the US economy by 2023 through its own manufacturing and from suppliers.
Trump has been moving to slap punitive tariffs on Chinese goods to press Beijing to accept more imports and improve protections for US intellectual property, although his administration has issued some waivers and delays.
Get the best of News18 delivered to your inbox - subscribe to News18 Daybreak. Follow News18.com on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Telegram, TikTok and on YouTube, and stay in the know with what's happening in the world around you – in real time.
Recommended For You
- Smriti Irani Reveals Why She is Jealous of 'Bro' and Fitness Guru Micky Mehta in Insta Post
- I-League Clubs to be in ISL as AFC-AIFF Decide on Single League Roadmap
- Bigg Boss 13 Day 14 Written Update: Salman Khan Eliminates Koena Mitra on Weekend Ka Vaar
- NASA Satellite Images Show Fires Still Burning May Be Reason for Poor Air Quality in North India
- All-New BMW 3-Series Test Drive Review: Performance in the Lap of Luxury


text:
The best part of waking up is coffee in your cup — and PDXtoday in your inbox, of course. Today, we’re pouring a fresh, hot cup of news serious caffeine aficionados can use: we’re talking all about the Specialty Coffee Expo.
The event runs Friday, April 21-Sunday, April 23 at the Oregon Convention Center. It’s technically a trade show, but it’s open to retailers, roasters, food and beverage professionals, and coffee enthusiasts. Attendees can browse cutting-edge coffee products from 500+ vendors, network with industry professionals, attend lectures, and learn more about the art of cupping, brewing, or roasting at a hands-on workshop. Check out the full schedule of events.
Coffee pros will also put their skills to the test at the US Coffee Championships taking place across all three days of the expo. The country’s top brewers, baristas, roasters, and tasters will take their shot at representing the United States at the World Coffee Championships in Athens and Taipei later this year.
Five local competitors will represent the Portland area in five separate categories. Seidy Selivanow and Matthew Selivanow, both of Kafiex Roasters, will compete for US Barista and US Roaster, respectively. Wenbo Yang of Artly Coffee will compete in the US Brewers Cup and US Latte Art competitions. Andrew Coe of Elevator Coffee will also vie for the US Roaster title, while Ryan Jie Jiang of Less and More Coffee will compete in the US Cup Tasters category.
Portland’s own Morgan Eckroth is the reigning 2022 US Barista champion — and finished second internationally. Though she won’t defend the title this year, Morgan will likely be “hanging around the competition area.”


text:
Ghost is a new AR headset powered by smartphones. The device features a slot at the top for compatible handsets, with a visor below that the wearer looks through to see the real world with AR images overlaid on the top, as opposed to looking at the world through the smartphone screen.
Ghost is compatible with ARCore/ARKit-compatible iOS and Android devices but the team behind it has also developed a proprietary operating system for the device, called Ghost OS. The platform already features several apps, one of which allows the user to view windows from a Mac OS computer as virtual overlays, plus a theatre app for watching video content in AR.
The device also features a button on the side for interacting with applications, a 70° field of view and six-degrees-of-freedom tracking. Ghost is currently trying to raise $80,000 on Indiegogo, with early adopters picking up the headset at the lower price of $79. At the time of writing, the campaign has raised $2,481, 3% of its goal, with a month left to go.


text:
Benihana Inc., the Miami-based operator of Japanese theme and sushi restaurants, said increased guest traffic drove second-quarter total restaurant sales, which rose 5.6 percent, as well as same-store sales, which increased 6.4 percent company wide.
For the quarter ended Oct. 9, restaurant sales totaled $75.8 million, Benihana reported this week. By concept, same-store sales increased 7.7 percent at Benihana Teppanyaki, 5.3 percent at RA Sushi and 0.6 percent at Haru.
Because of Hurricane Irene, which hit the eastern seaboard of the United States in August, sales at 12 restaurants were negatively affected, the company said. Excluding the impact of reduced operating hours or closures, second-quarter same-store sales would have increased 6.6 percent company wide, reflecting increases of 7.8 percent at Benihana Teppanyaki, 5.4 percent at RA Sushi and 2.0 percent at Haru, the company said.
“We are very pleased with our sales performance in this period and the quarter as a whole, as we once again saw excellent growth driven by increased traffic,” Richard C. Stockinger, Benihana chief executive, said in a statement.
“Benihana Inc. has now produced twenty-one consecutive four-week periods, and seven consecutive quarters of comparable restaurant sales growth, in a very difficult consumer and economic environment,” Stockinger said. “This achievement reflects the continued strength of our operational and promotional efforts and the power of our iconic brand.”
During the quarter, Benihana Teppanyaki represented approximately 67 percent of total restaurant sales, while RA Sushi and Haru accounted for 23 percent and 10 percent of total restaurant sales, respectively.
Benihana operates 96 restaurants nationwide, including 63 Benihana restaurants, eight Haru sushi restaurants and 25 RA Sushi restaurants. In addition, 18 franchised Benihana restaurants are operating in the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean.


text:
Tabby, the leading buy now, pay later (BNPL) provider in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, has raised $50 million in a new equity round which values the company at $300 million. This comes one month after tabby raised $50 million in debt financing bringing tabby’s total funding to over $130 million in less than two years.
The funding round is led by Global Founders Capital and STV with participation from Delivery Hero, CCVA and existing investors. The fintech firm’s Series B financing will be used to expand tabby’s product portfolio and enter a number of new markets.
Hosam Arab, CEO and Co-founder of tabby, said“With global players consolidating the Mena BNPL space, we at tabby are proud to continue building a local business and work with investors who understand its value. This investment will enable us to deliver the most rewarding and relevant shopping experience for regional consumers and retailers.”
Tabby integrates with retailers to allow their customers to shop at their online and physical stores with interest-free instalments. Its app has more than 400,000 active shoppers, with 3,000 daily downloads making it one of the highest ranked shopping apps in the markets in which it operates. The company recently launched its own cashback loyalty program which rewards users who shop using the tabby app with cash that can be used to pay off their outstanding instalments or deposited into their personal bank accounts.
This investment marks Delivery Hero’s first fintech investment in Mena. Delivery Hero, which owns and operates a number of regional food and grocery delivery companies including Talabat, InstaShop and Hunger Station, has one of the largest customer bases in the Mena region.
Mark Venema, senior vice-president, Strategy of Delivery Hero, said: “At Delivery Hero, we believe in the power of entrepreneurship. We are excited to be investing in tabby as our first FinTech investment in Mena, a strategically important region for Delivery Hero. We see great potential in tabby to drive the industry forward and are proud to be supporting the company on its growth journey.”
The funding will help tabby further service the growing demand for its BNPL products as customer usage continues to soar, especially in Saudi Arabia, tabby’s largest market.
Ahmad Alshammari, Partner at STV, said:“As the global BNPL market is expected to grow at 30 per cent CAGR over the next five years, we estimate that Mena will grow at least twice as fast, further accelerated by a rapid switch to contactless payments, e-commerce growth, and access to credit. Our doubling-down shows our strong belief that tabby is the market leader in Mena and that they will continue to drive BNPL’s growth across the region by enabling buyers and merchants alike.”
Tabby works with more than 2,000 partners including global brands like Adidas, IKEA, SHEIN, VogaCloset and regional retail groups like Chalhoub Group, Al Futtaim Group, Landmark Group, and Apparel Group. Existing investors Arbor Ventures, Mubadala Investment Capital, Raed Ventures, Global Ventures, MSA Capital, VentureSouq, Outliers VC, JIMCO, and HOF all participated in the Series B financing. — email@example.com
Images on WGAL television showed debris piled in the street with at least one fire still burning hours later
Police said some neighbours of the woman were also involved in the case
Intel and Moore's family philanthropic foundation said he died surrounded by family at his home in Hawaii
There are several hypotheses on what causes them, one that most seem to concur on is that it was a combination of dietary factors and loss of sleep
Humidity levels will range from 40 to 90 per cent in Abu Dhabi and Dubai
Legal expert advises employers to include a provision in job contract that requires employees to return confidential information at the end of their service
A Dubai-bound Filipino tourist was offloaded at the Philippine airport twice after he failed to show an AoSG


text:
Naila MD CALM Cleansing Gelee is currently featured on WPIX.com (176,119 unique visitors per month) in an article titled “Cooling Beauty Products for Summer.” The article highlights three products that have amazing cooling effects and use ingredients that refresh skin.
WPIX.com is the online news website for New York City’s PIX 11. The website features local news, national headlines, entertainment, weather, sports, and lifestyle features.
CALM | Cleansing gelee is a gentle cleansing gelee with algea extract, Rosa flower extract and sucrose cocoate. Effectively breaks up make up and thick skin debris without stripping skin.


text:
MORE United States business executives now believe that the North American Free Trade Agreement has created jobs in the US, and many think that the pact should be expanded into Latin America, according to a survey released today.
Sixty-two percent of US executives involved in global strategic planning favor broadening NAFTA to include Latin America, says the survey, which was commissioned by the consulting firm KPMG Peat Marwick LLP.
But the trade agreement, which took effect Jan. 1, has been criticized for failing to deliver on its promise of more US jobs. A congressional analysis released last week says NAFTA has resulted in a net loss of 10,000 US jobs.
A Joint Economic Committee study requested by Sen. Byron Dorgan (D) of North Dakota, estimates that while NAFTA created roughly 127,000 jobs in its first nine months, increased imports from Mexico have cost 137,000 US jobs.
But the KPMG Peat Marwick survey offered a more optimistic appraisal of NAFTA's impact on the American job market. More American business executives think NAFTA is helping to produce US jobs. Almost one-quarter of those asked said there has been a gain in jobs since NAFTA's passage, up from 11 percent who expressed that opinion six months earlier.


text:
Bestowing terrifying new definitions on the phrases “backdoor vulnerability” and “security hole,” one of the world’s most luxurious toilets has been exploited by hackers. The smart toilet is vulnerable via its built-in Bluetooth radio, allowing hackers to remotely open or close the lid, flush the toilet, or, perhaps most perturbingly, activate the built-in bidet function.
Subscribe Today to get the latest ExtremeTech news delivered right to your inbox.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our


text:
"We think that Apple’s brand and market share momentum offer meaningful buffers" to a slowdown in consumer spending, analyst Mark Moskowitz wrote in a note to clients. "We expect numbers to come down across the sector, but Apple likely has a backstop beyond the first round."
The analyst rates Apple stock ‘Overweight’ (up from neutral) and observes the iPhone will eventually grow to become 10 per cent of Apple sales.
Morgan Keegan analyst Tavis McCourt noted disappointment Apple didn’t come in lower on its entry-level MacBook price, noting "The big risk for the Mac product line appears to be that it already has captured one third of the revenue share in the U.S. retail market, and at some point it will have tapped out its market share potential at the high end."
Moskowitz cut his ratings on Dell and NetApp to "neutral" from"overweight" and on Lexmark to "underweight" from "neutral."
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.


text:
Japan Official Says Current Account Surplus Due to Investment
(Bloomberg) -- Japan’s top currency official said the nation’s current account surplus is a result of investments abroad rather than the exchange of goods, and it shouldn’t become a trade issue.
It’s not uncommon for Japan’s savings to grow because of its aging population, Masatsugu Asakawa, vice finance minister of international affairs, said at a conference in Tokyo.
His remarks came after Japan’s trade negotiator Toshimitsu Motegi urged bilateral talks with U.S. as soon as possible, following U.S. President Donald Trump complaining about years of “unfair” trade.
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said last week that talks with Japan were urgent, and that he planned to visit this month.
Read more: Yen Chief Signals Japan Opposed to Currency Clause in U.S. Deal
Asakawa said the multilateral approach is needed to improve global imbalances and Japan wants to promote discussions at the Group of 20 meeting this year as the chair.
©2019 Bloomberg L.P.


text:
Local MP, John Lamont, has welcomed Kelso being shortlisted for a prestigious Great British High Street Award.
The market town has been nominated in the Rising Star category with 27 other towns from across the UK, including only 7 in Scotland.
The winners of the awards will be announced in November with up to £15,000 awarded to the successful high street, which will be put towards local projects.
In May, Lamont called on local groups to nominate a Borders town for the award. As Kelso made the shortlist, he has now urged local people to vote for it to see it crowned one of the best in the UK.
Commenting, John Lamont MP said: “Kelso is such a beautiful and diverse shopping centre with a wide range of independent retailers and shops.”
“Unfortunately, we hear so much in the news about our high streets struggling as consumers move to online and to out-of-town shopping.”
“That’s why it is so important that we celebrate our local high streets and highlight the hard work and dedication of local business owners in keeping our local economy thriving.”
“I hope that Borderers will get behind Kelso and help them win this great award.”


text:
Apple had reportedly planned for colorful MagSafe chargers including a Magic Charger stand. Check out the prototypes right here.
Apple has just released a MagSafe Duo firmware update. Here are all the details on this.
An unreleased Apple Magic Charger has appeared online. Here's everything you need to know about this.
Belkin has launched a 15W MagSafe car vent mount charger for the iPhone. Here are all the details on this.
Amazon is now selling the Belkin Magnetic Wireless Power Bank 2.5K for an extremely low price of just $33.77 if you place an order soon.
This MagSafe 3-in-1 Dock Costs 1/3rd Of The One Apple Sells, And Can Charge iPhone 12 / 13, Apple Watch, AirPods All At Once
Here's MagSafe 3-in-1 dock that costs 1/3rd of the one Apple sells and can charge iPhone 12 / 13, Apple Watch and even AirPods all at once. Here are the details.
Apple has released a new firmware update for its MagSafe Battery Pack. Here is everything you need to know about this.
Here's a MagSafe 2 vs MagSafe 3 charging comparison on new MacBook Pros. Check out the video right here for the results.
Apple has released firmware updates for all AirPods and MagSafe charger as well. Here are all the details on this.
While iPhones might not get all that warm during the normal course of use, it's fair to say that they have been known to get a bit on the hot side when you're playing the more demanding games.


text:
Some startups succeed spectacularly. And we know Facebook as an obvious example. Back in 2005, Accel Partners made a $14.8 million investment in “thefacebook.com”. As a result, the firm made a whopping $5.6 billion return. This amounted to 378 times the original outlay. More often than not, however, startups tend to fail and they fail brutally. CB Insights found that 70 percent of upstart tech companies fail, along with 97 percent of seed crowdfunded companies.”
“CB Insights also analyzed a selection of startup post-mortems. This helped to paint a picture of where founders and investors go wrong. The following infographic shows the top twenty reasons that startups tend to grind to a halt. Goods or services not serving a market need appear in the first position. Not all ventures manage to attract lucrative investment like Facebook. In 29 percent of cases, they just run out of cash. It’s also important to have the right people on board. And pressing on without the right team is the third most frequently cited reason for startup failure.”
Now, take a look at Statista’s infographic.


text:
Blame It On The ‘Choke Points’, Says Reggie Fils-Aime
Nintendo executive Reggie Fils-Aime says that they can’t guarantee if the there will be enough units of the latest Nintendo Switch to meet the potentially overwhelming demand this holiday season. The reason behind it, he explains, are something called ‘choke points’ in the manufacturing chain.
Fils-Aime says that the supply chain for the Switch is complicated and that there are multiple components that can be considered as a choke point. He points out that one company in particular qualifies as a choke point in Switch’s manufacturing process: Alps Electric, which makes the components in the Joy-Con controllers. He refused to dive any further than that for the supply process of the handheld console.
“There is not one choke point, there are multiple choke points,” he explained. “I won’t go into any more detail but it’s not just one component. I’m going to make millions of these units to flow into the marketplace. But what I don’t know is what the demand is going to be. And there is a potential that demand is going to outstrip supply.”
Of course, he isn’t particularly happy with it as an insufficient supply for a huge demand is always bad for the company and for those who can’t get it. But, of course, all of this is a speculation. It is possible that there won’t be an outrageous demand for it.
“We don’t want to have a consumer disappointed by not being able to get one for the holiday season. But managing that complex supply chain is a challenge,” he said.


text: On Monday, a surf shop in Laguna Beach held a sale for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Now in itself, while I don’t think it’s the way to celebrate the holiday, I don’t think this type of sale is a problem. However, the shop got a little crazy with this one. They photoshopped a picture of King Jr.’s face onto the body of a white surfer and offered 20% off all black products. What do you think- is this offensive? Here’s the story as reported by New York Daily News.


text:
An amazing discovery was made in a Dutch church wherein 230 classic cars have been uncovered. The collection is thanks to Dutch collector and businessman, Ad Palman, who accrued vintage cars over the past 40 years. The best part is that they are all going up for auction via Gallery Aaldering with Classic Car Auctions.
Palmen’s first car was a yellow Lancia B20, marking the start of his collection which he would eventually store within a church and two warehouses. With 230 cars in the barn, that means that over the course of 40 years, he bought 5-6 cars a year. The variety is something to be applauded given his extensive knowledge regarding rare and special cars thanks to his professional dealings with cars like these in the mid-60s.
This may well be one of the best-kept secret car collections in the history of Europe as Palmen rarely showed his collection to anyone and even did the maintenance himself. Once a car was in his collection, he rarely sold them.
Most of the collection is unrestored and in its original condition which will have collectors slavering. So theoretically you could buy an original Alfa Romeo, Maserati, BMW, Ferrari, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Cadillacs, Imperia, Rolls-Royce, and the list goes on.
The only reason we know about this, and the only reason they are being sold is due to Palmen’s age (82) and dementia diagnosis.
These aren’t all crazy rare cars, most are actually rather attainable but wonderful cars, though there are some pieces like the rare Lancia B4 Spider America and a Ferrari 365. The more reasonably budgeted cars are things like a Jaguar XJS, Chevy Corvair, second-generation Mazda RX-7 convertible, MG Midget, and a Mercedes-Benz C107 SLC.
Gallery Aaldering owners, Nico and Nick Aaldering, believe “it is unlikely that anyone will ever see a collection of this calibre and condition again in their lifetime.”
We can only guess as to how much this entire collection will sell for but there is a Mercedes-Benz 300S Roadster, a car that has previously sold for $500,000 USD at Bonhams last year in an unrestored condition.
The cars themselves have been kept in good condition in dry but admittedly dusty warehouses, but nothing that a good scrub and polish won’t take care of. Given that this collection will be attractive to enthusiasts and other collectors, part of the fun is restoring these old models.
The auction will start on May 19 and end on June 7 though you may actually have to visit the Netherlands to pick up your new old car.


text:
Update 12:25 PM EST: Paragraph 5 revised to include quote from Wedbush’s Dan Ives.
Tesla stock (NASDAQ: TSLA) has surged past the $1 trillion valuation mark once again for the first time since mid-January, following a nearly 16 percent rally in the past five trading days.
At the time of writing, Tesla shares were up over 1.3 percent, trading at $1,012.25 at 11:30 AM EST.
Tesla shares rebounded a portion of its valuation following a bearish few months this week. Tesla officially opened its Gigafactory Berlin facility in Germany this week following a year of bureaucratic red tape, which delayed production at the factory from starting for over eight months.
The German factory holds a crucial part in Tesla’s expanding production and manufacturing playbook as it works toward a production rate of 1 million vehicles annually. Last year, Tesla delivered over 930,000 electric vehicles with only two operational production facilities: its Fremont Factory in Northern California and Gigafactory Shanghai in China. The Shanghai factory was used as an export hub for all of 2021, as Model 3 and Model Y vehicles were sent to Europe over the past 15 months while Tesla waited for the regulatory approval of the Berlin factory.
“Tesla now back above $1 trillion market cap is a telling tale of the confidence the Street has in this generational growth story,” Wedbush analyst Dan Ives told Teslarati. “Musk is flexing his muscles with the Berlin and Austin build-outs, and within the EV landscape at this point it’s Tesla’s world and everyone else is paying rent.”
Additionally, rising gas prices could be helping Tesla as more consumers work to transition to electric vehicles. EVs have helped many people avoid paying over $100 at the pump, and a recent report indicated Tesla was experiencing increased order volumes in regions where gas prices were exceptionally high.
In the past month, shares have increased over 26 percent, trading at around $800 near the end of February. Tesla’s trillion-dollar valuation was officially recovered during trading hours yesterday, and it currently stands at $1.04 trillion.
March has treated Tesla pleasantly on Wall Street and could be its most successful month since October 2021, when the stock surged 44 percent.
Tesla is currently the sixth-most valuable company globally, following Apple, Saudi Aramco, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon.
Disclosure: Joey Klender is a TSLA Shareholder.
I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at email@example.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at firstname.lastname@example.org.


text:
A Lichfield restaurant is celebrating after being highlighted in the latest edition of the Michelin Guide.
The Boat Inn was again awarded a ‘Plate’ or L’Assiette symbol recognising it “simply serving good food”.
Staffordshire currently has seven Michelin ‘Plate’ restaurants with The Boat Inn, owned by Lichfield-born Liam Dillon, still the only 3* Rosette establishment in the county.
During lockdown, the restaurant team have been delivering their Heat @ Home meals across the UK, with Liam and other chefs creating live lessons on Facebook explaining the dishes and how to cook them.
“It’s a great honour to again be recognised by the Michelin Guide.
“We can’t wait to open again, but in the meantime our Heat @ Home dishes are keeping us busy.
“And the live Facebook videos are great fun but keep us focused, ensuring we are always coming up with new menu and dish ideas.”Liam Dillon
For more details about Heat @ Home visit www.theboatinnlichfield.com/online-ordering.


text:
Organic food leaders called on the EU institutions to agree on a new organic regulation that supports the development of organic and contributes to its already proven success. More than 140 people from 18 countries met in Sevilla, Spain at the 4th Organic Processing Conference to discuss the future of organic food processing. The conference was organized by IFOAM EU and Ecovalia.
Bavo van den Idsert, IFOAM EU Board Member, said: “Organic is growing 6-7% year-on-year, demonstrating consumer demand for environmentally friendly food. This market growth needs to be supported and protected through better implementation of the organic regulation. The new regulation should respect the polluter pays principle. This means that an automatic decertification level on residues is a no-go area, because it would punish organic farmers for contamination caused by neighbours and general environmental contamination. The European Parliament has proposed establishing “new structures” to do just that. The Commission should be open to such proposals, which would improve the coordination and the exchange of information across the EU. The new regulation must support the development of organic in Europe and relieve actors from the burden of uncertainty.”
Alexander Beck, Chair of the IFOAM EU Interest Group for Processors, said: “Many of the front-runners in the development of supply-chain integrity and environmental performance in the food industry are organic. Organic processors and traders, and not only farmers, should apply practises that lower their environmental impact, but the current organic regulation is lacking on this and whether or not it will be included in the new regulation is far from certain. In order to be consistent and support the development of organic, the final agreement should include environmental performance requirements for processors and traders that avoids additional bureaucratic burden, for example starting from the Parliament’s proposal.”
Eduardo Cuoco, IFOAM EU Director, said: “The control and certification system is very important for all those working in organic. Making the control system more efficient was one of the main reasons given for starting the revision of the organic regulation in 2012. But what’s currently on the table does not look like it will sufficiently address this critical area, nor does it provide convincing solutions. Annual on-site inspection must be kept, as it is central to consumer confidence and the contact between organic inspectors and operators improves understanding of and adherence to the legal requirements.”
Sign up to ORC’s e-bulletin and be the first to receive updates from our in-the-field research and the latest organic and agroecological news and events. Delivered to your inbox monthly.


text:
Global security giant Symantec this morning confirmed plans to make some of its Sydney-based engineers redundant, with the roles to go offshore.
The company confirmed an Australian IT report that it was making “some” redundancies within one of its engineering teams based in North Sydney.
“At a global level, Symantec is consolidating a small number of positions in certain development and product engineering roles to improve productivity and drive operational efficiencies,” the company said. “At the present time, we are in consultation with the affected staff whose roles may be impacted by this decision and are exploring the viability of alternative employment options within the organisation.”
It remains unclear how many research staff the company has in Australia. It is currently hiring in Australia in other areas, with its careers site currently listing open positions for a senior compensation analyst and a principal security consultant.
Symantec assured customers there would be no change to their services.
“Symantec remains committed to its customers and partners in Australia and these changes do not affect customer-facing teams in this region,” it said. “We have a strong team in place that remains focused on providing market leading products and the best quality service and support to our Australian customers and partners. Symantec will continue to have an R&D team located at the North Sydney site.”
The security giant is known to make strong revenues from its Australian business. For example, in 2006, Symantec reported that it pulled in local revenues of $130 million, a figure that had jumped almost 40 per cent on the previous year. At that point, analyst firm IDC estimated that the Australia and New Zealand security solutions market would grow at a compound annual rate of 10.6 per cent to reach US$1.6 billion by 2011.
Much of the company’s local research and development headcount locally is likely to have come from its 2008 buy of Australian company PC Tools, which at that stage employed 200 staff worldwide, with the bulk in Sydney and Melbourne. Symantec didn’t directly comment on the PC Tools business today, but it is believed the job cuts have not come from within Symantec’s consumer division, which houses PC Tools.


text:
Costa Rican trade mission to visit India
A trade and investment mission of some 30 Costa Rican entrepreneurs will be visiting India to strengthen trade and investment relations, local news site The Indian Express Online reported Monday.
The team, led by Foreign Trade Minister Anabel González, will visit New Delhi on a five-day trip beginning March 19, accompanied by members of the Foreign Trade Promotion Office and the Costa Rican Investment Board.
“The global competitive scenario is changing, and emerging economies are increasingly contributing to the expansion of trade and investment, and creating new opportunities for countries worldwide,” González said.“Costa Rica wants to participate in these new opportunities, so we’ve started to explore areas of common interest with India.”
In New Delhi, González will meet with Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar.
She is also expected to have meetings with Indian industry chambers, and is the guest of honor at INDIASOFT 2012, a trade expo.
“There is great potential for strategic alliances between Costa Rica and India in the area of business-processing services, knowledge-processing operations, digital animation and software-development sectors, among others,” González said.
You may be interested
Costa Rica issues invitation to Commission on Human Rights following murder of Bribrí leaderAFP and The Tico Times - March 23, 2019
Costa Rica on Friday invited the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to visit indigenous territories in the country’s southern…
Costa Rica falls to Guatemala, 1-0, in soccer friendlyAFP and The Tico Times - March 23, 2019
The Guatemalan national soccer team defeated its Costa Rican counterparts 1-0 on Friday night in a friendly in the Guatemalan…
Vaccinating children against measles is ‘an obligation’ for adults in Costa RicaAlejandro Zúñiga - March 23, 2019
Measles have been reintroduced in Costa Rica this year thanks to two foreign families that vacationed or reside here and…


text:
By DON FENLEY
GRAY, Tenn. – Tri-Cities commercial real estate’s September report has a familiar look. The market is outperforming the first nine months of last year while monthly transactions lag the comparison to September last year. It’s similar to the third quarter slowing of U.S. commercial real estate in the face of rising inflation and geopolitical events. But there are local contradictions to the major-metro-centric reports, according to the Northeast Tennessee Association of Realtors (NETAR).
Year-to-date transactions are running 3% ahead of the first nine months of last year, while September’s sales and lease total is down 11% from September last year. Although transactions are slowing they lag in only one local sector. Industrial deals are down by almost half from last year, but that’s more of a lack of inventory than a demand issue. Simply put, there’s a lot of attention on the industrial sector that the local infrastructure – both physical and human – can’t satisfy.
Office transactions continue dominating the local market. Much of it is a churn of firms moving to smaller offices due to the work-from-home trend, according to John Speropulos, development partner and president of Mitch Cox Realtor, Inc. Before the pandemic, almost 10,000 Tri-Cities residents worked from home, according to Census data. During 2021 their ranks increased to 20,875, up 86.9%. The total is expected to be higher when 2022 data is released. Some office clients “just don’t need the pre-pandemic space they had,” Speropulos said.
So far this year, the office listing inventory has dropped to 836. Last year it was 908. Before the pandemic accelerated the work-from-home trend it was 1,381.
The local sector that isn’t showing a significant transaction effect from strong consumer spending is retail. So far this year retail deals have increased by five from the first nine months of last year. The growth rate is small but the transactions paint a stronger picture. Since January, there have been 76 completed deals. That’s almost double the pre-pandemic volume.
Local post-pandemic consumer spending has been strong. As of Sept. 18th, it’s up by double-digits from Jan. 2020 in the counties monitored by Opportunity Insights at Harvard University. Here’s what those increases looked like:
- Sullivan Co. +32.5%
- Washington Co. +32.5%
- Greene Co. +25.5%
- Hawkins Co. +30%
Although the local commercial market continues to have a retail inventory surplus and more of it is being built, recent activity has put a dent in it. Neighborhood retail that offers in-person services seems to be advancing faster than other retail. So far this year, the Retail-Commercial listing inventory has dropped to 617 from 759 last year. There were 923 listings during the first nine months of 2020.
The local multi-family sector is seen some rent softening, but it hasn’t dampened investors’ plans to expand the market. Kingsport’s BMA recently approved a zoning change on a University Drive land parcel bought by the Valcap group. It already owns the Allendale Falls and Bradley Hills apartments on University Driver. The firm plans to expand those holdings with a new multi-story complex.
Valcap owner Richard Fishman recently posted on LinkedIn that he’s optimistic about the long-term multi-family housing prospects in NE Tennessee and SW Virginia. It recently closed on the purchase of Willow Run Apartments and Promise Landings in Abingdon. It also owns the Landings on Silver Lake in Church Hill, CrossCreek, Brandy Mill, Allendale Falls, and Bradly Hills in Kingsport. It has bought land for a new development in the Bristol area and is shopping for additional opportunities. According to the firm’s website, Valcap’s portfolio includes about 8,000 apartments plus commercial spaces in the U.S.
Nationwide, multi-family absorption and rent growth are decelerating, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Multi-family absorption in the last four quarters was below the pre-pandemic levels. Meanwhile, rents rose at a slower pace. New rent competition has also shown up in the local market after steep increases last year and the first half of this year. Local conditions always vary to some degree from NAR’s update, which is heavily influenced by data from major metro markets. Many investors are looking beyond those major metros to the secondary markets and increasingly to rural metro markets like the Tri-Cities for better profit opportunities because local multi-family housing demand remains stronger. Given rising mortgage rates and home prices, people may be forced to rent for longer due to decreasing affordability.
A recent NAR report shows the Tri-Cities’ two metro areas and the second lowest apartment vacancy rates in East Tennessee.
Vacant land sales are also cooling. Transactions tracked by the NETAR’s Commercial Multiple Listing Service (CMLS) declined to 34 from 31 year-to-date. Vacant land deals tracked by the local Flex commercial database are down 9% from this time last year.
Inflation, interest rates, supply chain woes, and geopolitical events are the main factors determining how commercial real estate will perform in the following months.


text:
It’s no secret that the rise of social media has had its share of negative effects on our collective mental health. In a recent study published in the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, a study explored the effects of taking a week-long break from all social media for a week, comparing two random groups of social media users. Participants, drawn from the young to the elderly, in the experimental group who took the break saw dramatic improvements in well-being, depression and anxiety. They also gained about 7 hours of free time that week that they would normally have been using to explore and share content. CoinDesk noted a 2020 National Library of Medicine study in their article that found a “70% increase in self-reported depressive symptoms among the group using social media.”
So, can Web3 find a way out of these challenges and build a better Internet? CoinDesk writer Maurice Fadida believes so, and presents some interesting ideas. The link above explores them in-depth, but to summarize:
- Mental health-centric ethos in NFTs (and Metaverses)
- Community incentives and utility for building in-person connections
- Mental-health-focused metaverse experiences (we’ve got an example of this in the next article)
- More education and discussion around mental health issues in the space
- Establish clear community values and guidelines in NFT and metaverse projects that start at the top
One interesting difference between traditional social networks and metaverse social experiences is the presentation space and self. Spaces like Instagram are filled with influencers in (sometimes photoshopped) exotic locations, presenting their (often beauty filtered) selves as a reality to connect to. On the other hand, spaces like Meta Horizon Worlds allow anyone to build anything, and represent themselves however they wish, in a fully interactive “more ideal” reality.
Both approaches have pitfalls, but to those who point out that spending time in a metaverse is an unreal reality, I would note that the level of curation and manipulation that goes into presenting reality in spaces like Instagram creates just as much of a disconnect from what’s realistic in the world. So, in a future where people are spending 7 hours a week being distracted from their daily troubles, is it better that they’re comparing themselves to unreal representations of others lives, or simply enjoying making up a life where they can be whoever they want, wherever they desire?
Athleisure brand Alo Yoga, based out of LA, is taking their holistic health philosophy to the metaverse. From a transactional level, customers can now make purchases with crypto, but that’s a convenient nice-to-have when compared to the success of their wellness-focussed world built in Roblox, Alo Sanctuary. You can try it here.
Released just recently, the world has already had over 40 million visitors engaging in yoga, meditation and breathwork while exploring a beautifully architected, lightly branded, and very soothing space.
That such an enormous audience can be developed and engaged mostly organically on a platform originally designed for kids to make basic social games illustrates how brands who approach these platforms with insight and bold vision can truly shape their own successful worlds. Even if they don’t fit into the mold. Perhaps because they don’t fit into the mold.
Their success also reflects insights from the previous article, that consumers are becoming anxious interacting with old-style social channels and are yearning for something that offers something designed around mental and physical wellbeing.
If your idea of wellness includes some of the Earth’s plant-based medicinal bounty, Cannaverse might have something up your alley as they work to build out their vision. While some countries like Canada have made cannabis as accessible as a Coors Light, in the US there remains a patchwork of uneven and inconsistent regulations from state to state, along with challenges around marketing restrictions and access to keeping funds in major banks, making it difficult for brands to meaningfully connect with consumers and scale up their revenue.
With a vision that seems to blend blockchain currency through dedicated tokens and a metaverse approach to storefronts and community, Cannaverse is moving in a direction that might solve a couple very large challenges for the cannabis space in the US.
While details on their site remain relatively high level, they paint a picture of a virtual social space where 3rd party dispensaries can sell their wares in custom-designed environments, while transacting on a blockchain that removes the need for traditional banks. The blunt future of ecommerce.
Executed as a website or downloadable app outside of a walled garden (direct from them to your computer or other device), such a metaverse could essentially be a 3D brand website, and likely not bound by the advertising rules that apply to promoting THC products on social networks.
Looking for more on Web3? Download our white paper here.
Also published on Medium.


text:
Archive for September, 2013
Comments Off on Get More Buyers For Your Duplex – Without Spending A Dime
It may come as news to many, but many times, a duplex buyer wants to live in the property they’re purchasing.
And many duplex sellers lose the opportunity to sell their property to these prospective buyers simply because they forgot one simple thing: to put a clause in their lease that requires a tenant to move out in the event a buyer wants to live there.
This eliminates their property from consideration by a large portion of buyers in the marketplace. And it would have cost these sellers little, if anything, to simply use a lease that allowed for an owner to move in given proper notice and, possibly, appropriate compensation.
Perhaps you’re a duplex owner who can’t imagine selling. Maybe you don’t think your duplex is the kind of place any owner would want to live in. But in either case, does it hurt to simply use a lease that gives a buyer that option?
Comments Off on Are Duplex Prices About To Stabilize?
By all accounts, the Minneapolis duplex market is recovering from the real estate crash nicely.
All year, here and elsewhere, there have been reports of increased sales activity and, more importantly, rising prices.
However, we’ve also read these rising prices have been driven largely by low interest rates and a lack of inventory.
Brace yourself: that may be about to change.
Countless duplex owners who have wanted to sell for years have been sitting on the sidelines, waiting for their chance. And many have begun to seize the opportunity.
For the week ending September 14, 2013, for example, there were 34 duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes that became available for sale in the Minneapolis/St Paul market. Most (70.6 percent) belong to traditional sellers.
Compare this to 2012, when there were just 20 new listings for the week, 60 percent of which were sold by owners with equity.
There were 12 small multifamily property owners who accepted offers the second week of September this year; up just one from 2012. However, 83.3 percent of this year’s happy sellers had equity in their properties. Traditional sellers usually translate into higher prices, and the average off market list price for the 2013 crew was $205,900.
Last year, just 27.3 percent of the sellers didn’t involve banks in their decision, and that resulted in an average sold price of $140,659.
The single family home market has also seen a bit of an influx of inventory, with new listings up 19.5 percent for the week. Pending sales were also up, rising 8.3 percent over last year. In all, inventory is still down 8 percent from where it stood one year ago.
As supply begins to rise to meet demand, keep an eye on stabilizing prices, and a subsequent slowing in property appreciation.
Comments Off on Does Housing Affordability Suggests Future Rise In Vacancy Rates?
Guess what? It’s still less expensive to buy a house or a duplex than rent one.
Last week, Trulia released their Summer 2013 Rent vs. Buy Report, which found that nationally, in spite of rising interest rates, owning is 35 percent cheaper than renting. Last year, that number was 45 percent.
If duplex and house prices stayed the same, interest rates would have to slip into double digits– about 10.5 percent- before it made more sense to rent.
Of course, numbers vary somewhat according to where you live. In Honolulu, for example, it is 10 percent cheaper to own than rent, and interest rates would have to rise to just 5.8 percent for that not to be true. In New York, that figure is 7 percent.
Buyers in Minneapolis find buying is 42 percent more affordable than renting, down from 52 percent one year ago. Interest rates would have to top 12.5 percent for it make more sense to be a tenant.
In cities like Detroit, on the other hand, it’s 65 percent less expensive to own than rent. Interest rates would have to rise higher than credit cards– to a staggering 32.8 percent for it to make sense to rent in the Motor City.
Should lending standards relax, duplex owners and income property investors should be on the lookout for higher vacancy rates, as tenants look to not only save money, but reap the rewards of home ownership as well.
Comments Off on Minneapolis Single Family Home Sales Decline
If there’s news to report about the Minneapolis and St Paul duplex market for the week ending September 7, 2013, it actually isn’t about investment properties…
It’s about single family home sales.
And the news is, the number of pending home sales for the week dropped 4.5 percent, which represents the first drop in year-over-year sales in many, many months.
Whether this is a reaction to climbing interest rates, or simply an unusual blip on the radar is yet to be seen.
Minneapolis duplex sales, however, saw a year-over-year increase. There were 18 duplex, triplex and fourplex owners who received and accepted offers during the week; 72.2 percent of these have equity in their properties. On average, these listings left the market at a final list price of $207,978.
Last year during the first week of September, there were just 12 Twin Cities duplex sellers who accepted offers. Even though 83.3 percent of them were equity sellers, their properties averaged a final sales price of just $164,116.7.
However, this rise in average sales price continues to largely be a function of limited inventory. There were 31 new listings for the week in 2012, 48.4 of which belonged to equity sellers. This year, there were just 18 new duplex listings, with 72.2 percent coming from traditional sellers.
With the Federal Reserve’s announcement today of their intention to keep interest rates low, it will be interesting to see what the fall market brings.
Comments Off on Duplex Buyers Pose A Math Question
When a buyer writes an offer on a duplex at its list price but asks the seller to pay their closing costs, is that the equivalent of a full price offer?
Many of my buyers think it is.
But, the reality is, when a seller pays for a buyer’s closing costs, it’s the same as taking money out of the sale to purchase something for the buyer.
True, closing costs and prepaids aren’t the equivalent of a new car or smart TV, but they are expensive. And when a buyer asks a seller to contribute a portion of the purchase price toward things like insurance, recording fees, and so forth, it reduces the amount of money the seller takes home.
For example, an offer of $200,000 with 3 percent in seller paid closing costs, reduces the offer to the seller by 3 percent. In other words, this is the equivalent of an offer of $194,000, which is not a full price offer.
A full price offer, which gets the seller the net they hoped for when they listed the duplex for sale, would be list price plus 3 percent. In the example above, that would be $206,000, from which the seller would designate funds at closing be applied toward the buyers closing costs.
Comments Off on Minneapols And St Paul Duplex Sellers Come Out Of Hiding
If asked to name one thing that’s changing about the Minneapolis and St Paul duplex market, my answer would be inventory.
After a year of it being in short supply, sellers have begun to test the water, and slowly, we’re seeing the number of new listings rise.
For the week ending August 31, 2013, for example, there were 25 new listings, 64 percent of which were brought to the market by equity sellers. While this figure doesn’t blow away last year’s 19 new listings and 36.8 percent traditional sellers during the same time frame, it nonetheless represents roughly a 30 percent increase.
Pending sales for the week told a different tale. There were 16 Twin Cities duplex sellers who received and accepted offers. Most (56.3 percent) were equity sellers. While the average final list price of these properties was a whopping $181,481, it’s important to note the group including a listing at $750,000, which is a rarity. When I remove this transaction, the 15 other properties finished at an average list price of $143,580.
Last year, there were 18 properties that sold during the same week. Fifty percent of these belonged to equity sellers, and they finished at an average sold price of $136,431.
The big news on the single family home front is the Median Sales Price for the month of August was up 16.9 percent over last year to $208,000.
On average, properties are selling for 97 percent of their original list price, largely due to there being just a 3.6 month supply of inventory on the market.
In other words, it’s a sellers market…which may be exactly why we’re seeing more of them.
1 Comment »
It isn’t often Minneapolis-St Paul ranks second for anything in national rankings. But according to a recent report from Reis, a company that tracks real estate information nationally, the Twin Cities is second only to New York for the lowest vacancy rate in the nation.
Reis studied 86 U.S. rental markets and found that while New York had a vacancy rate of just 2 percent, Minneapolis-St. Paul was right behind at just 2.1 percent. Syracuse, NY and New Haven, Conn. are tied with the Twin Cities for second.
When vacancy rates are low, rents usually rise accordingly. However, the study found that while rent rose 3.1 percent from June 2012 to June 2013, it was only the 15th highest increase in the country. Seattle, on the other hand, experienced an annual rent increase of 6.2 percent.
This means there may be room for bigger rent increases in the Minneapolis and St Paul rental markets.
Before duplex owners get too excited and raise rent to crazy, it’s important to remember that low vacancy rates often inspire new construction. And, this is true in Minnesota as well, with Finance and Commerce reporting an estimated 18,683 proposed new apartment units.
And they all get built, vacancy rates will rise. And when vacancy rates rise, landlords are faced with lowering rents and making concessions to attract tenants.
said on September 5th, 2013 categorized under: Tenants
Comments Off on Duplex Owners Should Do One Thing In The Fall
If you own a duplex in a city where it snows, early September is a time you should be thinking about your leases.
As in, are all of your tenants under one?
After all, if your tenants are on a month-to-month lease, they can pick up and move in January. Maybe that’s not a bad thing, but I’ve found it pretty tough to find new tenants any time after Halloween.
Remember, a lease is an agreement between multiple parties. There is no rule that it has to be 6 months or one year in length. It can be as long or as short as the parties involved agree to.
Don’t be afraid to sign a tenant to a 7 month lease to insure you don’t incur a vacancy until spring.
After all, they might be happy to be assured they won’t be facing a rent hike or have to move over the winter too.
Comments Off on Dreams Come True For Minneapolis Duplex Buyers And Sellers
During the last full week of August, both Minneapolis buyers and sellers saw their wishes come true.
After all, prices are up, making sellers happy, as are sales.
As the number of new listings increased, buyers suddenly had more properties to chose from, making them happy too.
So it’s a pretty good time to be a Minneapolis or St Paul duplex seller or buyer.
During the week ending August 24, 2013, 23 Twin Cities duplex owners received and accepted a purchase agreement on their property. Of these, 69.6 percent had equity in their properties. On average, the final off-market list price for these was $215,861.
Last year over the same stretch of time, there were just 12 Minneapolis and St Paul multifamily property sellers who accepted offers. Of these, 75 percent had equity in their properties. The average sold price for these investment properties was $191,162.
Buyers received some good news during the week as well, with 28 new listings coming on the market. The majority of these belonged to equity sellers (67.8 percent).
In 2012, there were 20 new listings for buyers to chose from. Just 8, or 40 percent, were owned by people who either did not have to consult with a bank to sell, or were not a bank.
As we drift more toward the traditional, established routines of fall, let’s hope everyone interested in buying or selling a duplex continues to get their wishes.


text:
As Facebook’s stock continues to slide, amid what appears to be growing skepticism about its future revenue prospects, there has been a consistent drumbeat of opinion around a single thought: Should Mark Zuckerberg be replaced as chief executive officer of the company he created? Some critics of the company — not just of its IPO, but of its advertising model and mobile strategy as well — seem to believe that Zuckerberg is “in over his hoodie,” as one popular phrase puts it. Silicon Valley (where Facebook was raised, if not actually born) has a reverence for the founder-as-CEO, at least in part because of transformational stories like the rise of Steve Jobs at Apple. But is it always best to have a founder running a gigantic public company? Or does the founder mystique contain just as much potential for disaster as it does for success?
Given the kind of hopes and dreams — in many cases, vastly over-inflated ones — that were riding on Facebook’s initial public offering, it’s probably not surprising that the company and its young CEO would be getting a storm of criticism after the fact. Based in part on its massive valuation in private markets such as SecondMarket, Facebook was expected to go public with a market value of $100 billion or more, and many were hoping it would climb skyward from there. How could it not, with close to a billion users, and engagement rates that are off the charts?
Is Zuckerberg really “in over his hoodie?”
As it turned out, of course, that $100 billion was a pie-in-the-sky target, and Facebook stumbled out of the gate and has been falling ever since — at less than $20, the shares are almost 50 percent lower than they were when the company first went public. The skepticism dial was turned up even further when the company came out with its first quarterly report as a public entity, and many analysts saw a less-than-encouraging picture: a company with problems in mobile — which everyone seems to agree is the future of content — and some underwhelming estimates about future performance.
Within days of the earnings report, there were calls for Zuckerberg to step aside: one of the first came from Reuters blogger John Abell, who wrote a post stating: “Facebook needs a new CEO”. Abell said that Zuckerberg might be a visionary, but that’s not what Facebook needs right now:
“He needs to get out of the way –- not because we can judge him a disaster based on a single’s earnings period, but because he isn’t playing to his strength… Facebook needs its spiritual leader and chief innovator in a hoodie. But it doesn’t need him as CEO, placating investors in a collared shirt. There are plenty of people who could manage the Facebook business.”
Pando Daily founder Sarah Lacy responded to Abell with a fairly venomous post, in which she argued that Abell simply didn’t know what he was talking about. It is well known, she argued, that “founder CEOs unequivocally have the most success, and the general school of thought in the Valley [is] that you are almost always better off not ousting a founder, even if that founder is doing a horrible job” (Andreessen Horowitz, a leading example of the new breed of SV venture funds, has written about why it believes founding CEOs are almost always better). Lacy also noted, quite rightly, that Zuckerberg has helped build a $70-billion-dollar corporation, and she pointed to perhaps the most egregious case of a flawed “anyone could run that business” approach — namely Yahoo.
Not every founder is Steve Jobs — some are Jerry Yang
There’s no question that the revolving door at Yahoo is a classic case of mismanagement writ large. But one of the CEOs through that door was the company’s co-founder Jerry Yang, and he had even less success in turning Yahoo around than anyone else — which helps to make the somewhat obvious point that not everyone can be Steve Jobs, returning to save their company and transforming it into a stock-market superstar. And yet, supporters of the founder-as-CEO model seem to believe that the odds of such an outcome are higher with the founder than with someone else. That’s in part why there was so much positive response to Larry Page returning to the CEO spot at Google (although the benefits of that move are still debatable).
Certainly there are plenty of companies that were arguably mismanaged after either being acquired or having the CEO forced out, a list that would probably include MySpace and AOL. And there are companies where having a visionary at the top has clearly helped — such as Amazon with Jeff Bezos. But there are also companies where having a founder remain has caused more problems than it solves, and Research In Motion is arguably one prominent example.
Insiders and investor alike talk about how Jim Balsillie and Michael Lazaridis made sense as co-CEOs for a time at RIM, but eventually their commitment to a certain vision changed from a benefit to a gigantic flaw. The result? Billions of dollars in market value destroyed almost overnight.
To take a smaller example, Twitter swapped out co-founder Evan Williams and replaced him with Dick Costolo, someone with no personal stake in the early vision of the network. Has that been a good thing or a bad thing? It has certainly changed the orientation of the company towards revenue-generating models like advertising — a move that appears to be driven primarily by a desire to justify the company’s alleged market value. Would it have been better to stick with a founder as CEO? And if it wasn’t better for Twitter, then why is it better for Facebook?
To a large extent, of course, all of this discussion is moot: thanks in part to Silicon Valley’s belief in the power of the founder as CEO, Mark Zuckerberg controls the fate of the company in a way that few others do, even Google’s co-founders. Not only does he control a majority of the stock through multiple-voting shares and proxy agreements, but he also controls the board of directors — the same board that would have to act in order to replace him as CEO. For better or worse, Facebook has become the ultimate test of the founder-as-CEO mythos. Will it become an Apple-style success story or a RIM-style cautionary tale?


text:
According to IPC, rigid printed circuit board shipments were up 31.4% in May 2010 compared to May 2009 while bookings increased 45.8%. Year to date, rigid printed circuit board shipments were up 18% and bookings have grown 36.3%. Compared to the previous month, rigid printed circuit board shipments increased 1.3% and rigid bookings increased 6.5%.
Other findings from IPC’s report: Flexible circuit shipments in May 2010 were up 10.5%, and bookings were up 59.3% compared to May 2009. Year to date, flexible circuit shipments were down 2.6% and bookings were up 16.7%. Compared to the previous month, flexible circuit shipments went up 16% and flex bookings grew by 33.4%.
For rigid printed circuit board s and flexible circuits combined, industry shipments in May 2010 increased 29.6% from May 2009, as orders booked increased 46.8% from May 2009. Year to date, combined industry shipments were up 16.2% and bookings were up 34.7%. Compared to the previous month, combined industry shipments for May 2010 increased 2.2% and bookings went up 8.3%.
“Both yearly and monthly growth rates in the North American printed circuit board industry are now positive,” said Denny McGuirk, IPC president and CEO. “That means the industry is not only doing better than last year, but is growing monthly as well.”
McGuirk added that orders appear to be growing even faster, thereby lifting the overall book-to-bill ratio. According to IPC, the book-to-bill ratio for the North American rigid PCB industry in May 2010 continued its climb to 1.13, with the
North American flexible circuit book-to-bill ratio making a long leap up to 1.18 over the same period. The combined rigid and flexible industry book-to-bill ratio in May 2010 increased to 1.13. (A ratio of more than 1.00 suggests that current demand is ahead of supply, which is a positive indicator for sales growth over the short term.)
Visit IPC’s website to view the full report.


text:
TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. Read our ethics statement.
Something to look forward to: Valve's quest to update Steam has taken another step. Following the overhaul of the platform's chat system with new and improved features last week, the company has now launched the beta of Publisher and Developer Homepages, allowing users to follow the companies behind their favorite titles.
Currently, Steam users can see everything from a specific developer or publisher by clicking on their name within a game page. This brings up a list (below) similar to the one used in the search results, featuring only prices, release dates, and whether they are rated as positive, negative, or mixed.
The new Creator Homepages bring a much more attractive design and layout. Each page includes detailed information about a publisher's or developer's back catalog, and there are lists of their top sellers, new releases, upcoming releases, and discounts. Customizable filters are also available, and you can even use unique URLs for linking to the pages, such as https://store.steampowered.com/developer/2K
"Creators with a number of titles can showcase the series and franchises in a number of different ways, or just focus on highlighting their top-selling or newest releases," explains Valve.
One particularly useful new feature allows users to follow their favorite companies and get email notifications whenever they release a new game. Additionally, followers will see more of a studio's recent releases and deals in their recommendations, front pages, and across the Steam store.
Valve said those smaller developers with just one or two games would have homepages that look slightly different. These will be designed to highlight the firms' future releases, rather than their current titles.
A full list of the developers and publishers that have set up homepages is available here.


text:
Staff members operate in a manufacturing facility at the smart phone plant of Increasing Stars Mobile India Pvt., a device of Foxconn in Tamil Nadu, India on July 12, 2019.
Significant Apple provider Foxconn reported a 10% year-over-year decrease in revenue for 2022 and also prepared for a decrease in customer electronic devices need for the complete year in advance, the business claimed in its incomes record Wednesday.
The adverse belief mirrored Apple’s low-key assumptions for customer sales. When Apple reported first-quarter 2023 results, Principal Financial Police officer Luca Maestri claimed the business prepared for double-digit decreases for Mac and also iPad sales for the coming March quarter contrasted to the previous year. The business included apple iphone sales will certainly decrease much less in the March quarter contrasted to the Dcember quarter.
Foxconn will certainly remain to broaden its existence past landmass China, and also claimed that the expedition of brand-new markets was an essential top priority for the business in 2023. Previously this year, Foxconn devoted to a significant growth of its existence in India.
Foxconn defeated experts’ top-line quotes, videotaping 511.85 billion Chinese yuan for the complete year, versus an agreement price quote of CNY493.95 billion, according to FactSet, however missed under line with a take-home pay of CNY20.07 billion.
Taiwan-based Foxconn is a significant maker for customer modern technology companies, however is best understood for its connection with Apple, which counts on Foxconn to generate and also construct its apple iphone, to name a few items.
Foxconn’s apple iphone production center in Zhengzhou gathered interest in late 2022 after video clips of Foxconn staff members running away the center in the middle of rigid covid lockdowns spread out worldwide. The Chinese federal government has actually because drawn back on one of the most hostile of its Covid methods, however Apple and also various other significant modern technology business have actually stressed to providers a requirement to expand past China.
Need for digital items has actually slowed down substantially as customers come to grips with the facts of a greatly post-pandemic globe. Worldwide macroeconomic unpredictability has actually likewise wetted optional earnings, making it hard for business to proceed the rate of quick development several delighted in from 2020 to late 2021.
An Apple agent decreased to comment.


text:
Hunting for treasure: Drive in to yard sale in Spain
July 15, 2003
NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain — Naval Reserve Chief Petty Officer Laura Skinner laid the old baby clothes in small stacks next to the toys, a stroller and a backpack.
Almost as soon as she finished, her makeshift Wal-Mart was attracting a crowd of customers.
“That’s because I have a lot of crap,” she said, laughing.
One mother’s crap, is another mother’s treasure.
Bargain hunters on the prowl for deals on everything from clothes to Budweiser bottle lamps, never miss the monthly flea market at the base drive-in movie theater.
About once a month, the theater parking lot serves as a flea market for Americans wanting to hock their used and unwanted stereos, bikes and strollers. Unlike the many weekend yard sales held in base housing, all of the sellers are in one spot, making it a one-stop shopping center for people looking for anything used.
It is a popular place for military families who want to get rid of some belongings before they move to their next duty station.
On a recent Friday, the flea market attracted 30 sellers.
Skinner’s clothes went for 50 cents, but she was willing to wheel and deal on just about everything.
“What’s that?” said one customer, pointing at a long rainbow-colored cylinder with a strap.
“That’s a cooler,” Skinner said.
Meanwhile, across the parking lot, Tara Baker haggled over some used baby clothes she was trying to sell from the back of her SUV.
“They’re 50 cents or a quarter — the best offer,” she said. “Make me a deal. I’m trying to get rid of this stuff.”
Baker, whose husband is stationed on base, sometimes frequents the many yard sales in the housing area when she’s not selling.
“I do bargain shopping,” she said. “When you got three kids, you got to.”
The flea market was a potpourri of old and some fairly new stuff, a Kmart for the second- hand shopper.
There were several TV sets, pictures, golf clubs and shoes. The golf shoes, the label said, were only worn once. There were VHS tapes, bikes, plants and old Nintendo systems.
The items ranged from small toys that went for a quarter to a 1997 Camaro with an asking price of $14,500.
One person was selling miniature schnauzer puppies.
Marlene Loya, whose husband, Eric, works for the fire department, spent $20 and walked away with Christmas decorations and videos. She likes the convenience of having all of the sellers in one area.
“I think this is great,” she said, pushing her son in a stroller stuffed with her bargains. “It’s hard to go to the yard sales because they’re spread out. But this one, they’re all together.”
The Morale, Welfare and Recreation department organizes the flea market and only Americans are allowed to buy and sell.
While military families often pawn their old stuff at weekend garage sales, it is a little tougher to find a bargain on second-hand items out in town.
Each Wednesday, the city of Rota has the Gypsy Market. There are some good deals on everything from shrimp to bras — most of it new. However, a lot is poorly made.
Spaniards generally regard buying second-hand merchandise as tacky. But the first time Petty Officer 2nd Class Jennifer Yee held a yard sale, a group of Spaniards who had base access rushed to get the best deals. She said she had to scream to calm down the excited Spaniards as they sifted through her sale items.
Another spot to get some deals on second-hand items is the base Thrift Store, which is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Myla Perkins, whose husband Rich is stationed on base, frequents the yard sales. She’s part of a group of garage sale seekers who make the rounds almost every weekend.
“I’m a shopaholic," she said. “I like to find good deals. I don’t always buy stuff for me. If I find something really nice for a good deal, I’ll send it to family or friends.”


text:
A Chinese woman was sentenced to 13 years in jail after being in connection with a 7 million yuan (US $1 million) fraud case involving the illegal selling of theme park tickets for Shanghai Disneyland.
According to South China Morning Post, the woman, identified only by her surname Yuan, claimed to be an assistant to a top manager at the theme park and was able to get half-priced tickets, which she sold to victims.
In total, Yuan was able to collect more than 9 million yuan, equal to that of about US $ 1.34 million and provided only 2 million yuan (US $ 296,000) worth of tickets to customers. According to the report, Yuan had used some of the money to cover her own debts.
Since her arrest, Yuan has been ordered to refund all of the money paid by her victims and to pay fines of 300,000 Yuan, equaling to US $44,515.
This isn’t the first time a theme park employee took advantage of a Disney Park. According to WFTV, a now ex-Walt Disney World hotel employee was arrested in December 2018 after stealing almost $49,000 from the company back in 2016 over a 9-month period.
WFTV reports that between April and December of 2016, Jamaica Hall issued fraudulent credit card refunds to hotel guests that were applied to his personal debit cards via an electronic transfer of funds.
Hall had been able to commit the crimes through a method of making it appear on paper as if funds from Walt Disney World hotels were being transferred back to park guests in the form of refunds. However, the funds were actually being transferred to Hall’s own personal accounts.
Hall had worked as a front desk concierge host at multiple Walt Disney World hotels. It’s been reported by investigators that no hotel guests were directly affected in Hall’s crimes. However, in total, Hall was able to take $48,531.00 from the Walt Disney World Resort.


text:
The prolific rise in the stock of e-commerce businesses overshadows the role back-end suppliers play in getting transactions completed accurately and efficiently. Yet as e-commerce continues to take off, companies like CheckFree Holdings, CyberCash and OpenMarket stand to benefit.
“All companies involved in the payment services area have seen a lift,” said Jeff Baker, vice president of equity research for SunTrust Equitable Securities.
Despite the attention paid to brand-name Web companies, brick-and-mortars banks still wield substantial influence over online financial activity. A recent study by the Yankee Group found that 78 percent of consumers would want to pay bills online through a bank, and some Web watchers predict the portal of choice in the future will be a bank.
Poised to gain from that trust is electronic bill payment provider CheckFree. The company's deep relationship with banks makes it the supplier with the most promising stock outlook, according to Baker. Online activity surrounding financial information is the stickiest part of the Internet and it's the banks' business to lose, he said.
“CheckFree will be a major player and major winner because one of the services banks have to offer is the ability to pay bills online,” Baker said.
CheckFree, Atlanta, signed a deal last week to resell its E-Bill electronic billing and payment services to the nearly 7,000 clients of financial information firm Fiserv. Many of those clients are community banks whose introduction of online banking will push the larger regional and national banks to step up their online efforts, Baker said. To implement online banking, banks can either build a system internally like Citibank or outsource to a company like CheckFree.
Offering an Internet solution is a logical progression for CheckFree, which first came out with debit transfer and other payment services for banks in the early 1980s and has solidified those relationships over time. In addition to its history, CheckFree differs from Web startups like Transpoint, a joint venture of Microsoft and First Data Corp. formerly known as MSFDC, by accepting paper as well as electronic bill payment.
CheckFree's share price is up almost 20 percent in the last month and almost 100 percent in the last year. Since dropping to 5 3/4 in the October market slump, shares have jumped nearly 10-fold. Even with that rally, CheckFree is still well off its 52-week high of 69 1/8. Baker rates the company a strong buy and sees it reaching 60 1/2 in the next 12-18 months.
CyberCash, which recently introduced its InstaBuy Web site that enables one-click online shopping at 85 e-commerce sites, is up over 11 percent in the last month but is down slightly for the year. Open Market, which last week formed an alliance with Cisco Systems to distribute its e-commerce software to small and medium-sized businesses, is up 4 percent for the month but is also off slightly over the last year. Baker rates both companies as attractive long-term, which is one grade up from a hold.
OpenMarket also is positioned well for the future because of its extensive relationship with e-commerce sites, but CyberCash, despite revenue increases of 318 percent in the first quarter, will need to increase its roster of e-commerce sites before it can take advantage of increases in electronic payment, Baker said.
Acquisitions have caused Netscape and Fingerhut to drop off the DM News Portfolio. Database software firm Exchange Applications (EXAP) and risk management solutions firm Fair, Isaac & Co., have (FIC) taken their place.
Portfolio Value: If $1,000 had been invested in each of these companies at the beginning of the year — for newly public companies when the stock first closed — the value would be $117,419, an increase of 17.4 percent.