Category Archives: Business

Warren’s Facebook Ad Calling For Breakup Is Removed, Then Restored

March 28, 2019 Lynxotic News Staff

Egg On Face Of Facebook, Again.

Presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren recently made a point, and then proved that point with the “help” of Facebook. The Massachusetts Senator posted an ad calling for the “break up” of tech giants Facebook, Google and Amazon. The video advertisement was removed by Facebook. Their reasoning for the removal was that the ad was in breach of Facebook’s advertising and copyright policy (the Facebook logo was used in the ad). The removal was reversed by Facebook based on a stated policy of wanting to allow a “robust debate”. The ad wasn’t expensive. It was only $100, but proved in the end to make an invaluable point.

The ensuing bru-ha-ha was worth many times the original sum by bringing more attention and focus to the very issue the ad was meant to highlight:

Curious why I think FB has too much power? Let's start with their ability to shut down a debate over whether FB has too much power. Thanks for restoring my posts. But I want a social media marketplace that isn't dominated by a single censor. #BreakUpBigTech https://t.co/UPS6dozOxn
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) March 11, 2019

Opposing Monopolists: a rising trend among Democrats

Warren acknowledged the invaluable place that these companies play in our lives, during her speech at SXSW. She also affirmed that they need to be “broken up” in order to promote innovation.

“Facebook, Amazon, and Google. We all use them. But in their rise to power, they’ve bulldozed competition, used our private information for profit, and tilted the playing field in their favor.
It’s time to break up these big companies so they don’t have so much power over everyone else.
Presidential Candidate Elizabeth Warren

The Senator isn’t the only high profile Democrat taking big tech companies to task, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was a voice of opposition in the recent Amazon HQ to Queens deal.

E.U. Slaps Google with $1.7 Billion Fine

March 28, 2019 Danny Leeds

Antitrust Violations Pile Up Against Big Tech

Google was fined 1.7 billion dollars (1.5 Billion Euros) for online advertising antitrust violations. This is the third fine from European authorities since 2017. The fines, along with those against other big tech firms, have established the European Union as the most consequential oversight body in policing internet tech firms that are seen as having too much power.

Europe is a leader in taking a stronger approach to reigning in firms such as Amazon, Facebook and Google (Alphabet). A broad consensus holds that these huge tech behemoths represent a danger to fair competition.

“Google has cemented its dominance in online search adverts and shielded itself from competitive pressure by imposing anticompetitive contractual restrictions on third-party websites, this is illegal under E.U. antitrust rules.”
Margrethe Vestager, Europe’s top antitrust watchdog

A variety of infractions have been committed by Google in the past couple years. They were fined for misusing their Android ownership to undercut rivals. Google was also fined for attaching an increased amount of text ads to third party companies who used the Google search bar.

The internet search leader bundled its ad platform within the third party custom search engines. This practice undercut Microsoft, Yahoo, and other digital advertising companies.

European authorities have been more aggressive with tech companies, demanding improved privacy, transparency, and even copyright regulations. Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager has fined Google over 3 billion dollars since 2017. Alphabet/Google owes a total of 8.2 Euros (9.3 billion dollars). Google hasn’t paid the fines yet, and plans to appeal. Google stock is up 17 percent in 2019.

In the U.S., Senator Elizabeth Warren, Democratic candidate for President in 2020 said that Facebook, Google, Amazon and Apple should be broken up due to various antitrust issues.

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Business, Cutting Edge, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Tech

Apple Spruces Up Old Favorites

March 24, 2019 Lynxotic News Staff

Performance Upgrades Galore Released Ahead of Streaming TV Launch

Updated AirPods are out – AirPods 2 is the catchy name for this iteration. They’re now powered by an Apple designed H1 chip. This chip was designed specifically for the new AirPods. The H1 is built to deliver higher performance, faster connect times, and more talk time. And, the new AirPods will be available with a wireless charging case (which also works with older AirPod models).

Las Vegas Signs Up For Elon Musk’s High Speed Dreams

March 17, 2019 Kat Lee

Convention Center Project gets green light for first phase

It looks as if Elon Musk is inching closer to realizing his express tunnel transit system. Projects are already at various stages of development in Los Angeles and Chicago with Musks’ Boring Company. But, it looks like Las Vegas is all-in on a Musk tunnel transit proposal. It received initial approval Tuesday after the board directors for the LVCVA voted in favor of the project.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority have been long looking for an alternative way to transport convention visitors. LVCVA CEO Steve Hill thinks that underground is the way to go. He also called it “innovative” and “an attraction in and of itself”.

High Speed Connection, Free to Attendees

The tunnel will initially be approximately one mile long, with a focus on moving convention goers to and from the convention halls. The visitors will be rocketed at an estimated 150 mph in Musk’s Model X, Model 3, and a new “High-occupancy AEV” that will use a modified Tesla Model X chassis and will carry up to 16 passengers, with both standing and sitting options. A 15 minute walk will be replaced by a 1 minute ride.

The transport system will be free to convention visitors. If approved by city officials the project should be ready in time for the CES 2021 Technology Show, the largest trade show of the year which attracted over 180,000 visitors in 2019.

Three Design Options are being considered, which will offer convenient access from five potential station locations placed in close proximity to key LVCC destinations and nearby transportation connections.
-The Boring Company

Projected additional destinations are also indicated by The Boring Company:

“Future expansions to augment LVCC Loop can include service extensions to McCarran International Airport, hotels on the Las Vegas Strip, downtown Las Vegas, Las Vegas Stadium, and, in the long term, Los Angeles”
-The Boring Company

Aid Vs. Aide : National Emergencies in the Age of Trump

February 22, 2019 Lynxotic News Staff

Is Trump’s “Emergency” really an outlier?

President Trump declared the emergency on Friday to reroute billions of dollars to fund the creation of his long promised border wall. This, after Congress passed a bill that allocated $1.375 billion for its construction. With this emergency, Trump plans to allocate $8 billion to the wall, as well as $3.6 billion in military construction funds, and taking an additional $2.5 billion from the Department of Defense.

Presidents who claim National Emergencies rely on various moves and powers provided by Congress. Congress has long been the core source of emergency authority for the executive branch. Congress can pass laws to give the president wiggle room during military, economic, health, and labor issues.

In 1976, The National Emergencies Act was passed. It basically ended all previous national emergencies, and formally bestowed emergency powers to the president.

The White House has contended that the maneuver is a commonplace one and needed to skirt gridlock . According to the Brennan Center for Justice, presidents have declared national emergencies 60 times, including Trump.

The common National Emergency consists of these elements:

prohibiting unlawful trade and exporting
regulating/blocking/isolating bad actors
Emergency aid

Media Layoffs Increase Across Content Industry

February 21, 2019 Danny Leeds

Ripple Effect of Digital Deflation?

Recent announcements from BuzzFeed , and a slew of other digital media outlets, that they are culling hundreds of content producers (Axios reports total of over one thousand lay-offs today alone), appear to indicate two distinct themes emerging for the 2019 content media landscape.

On the one hand, after more than a decade of growth and pure digital news models showing potential financial viablility, profitability remains elusive. On the other, a tsunami of artificial intelligence, software and hardware improvements over the last 2 years, in particular, have begun to reduce overheads, especially for those bulk production techniques such as employed by BuzzFeed.

While legacy publishers are showing some marginal improvement in subscription revenues, the business model for online media and content production continues to shift in search of a sustainable income mix. Cost of human contributions to content is an obvious issue.

“The restructuring we are undertaking will reduce our costs and improve our operating model so we can thrive and control our own destiny, without ever needing to raise funding again”
@PERETTI / BUZZFEED

Basic Cost Cutting or Shifting the Mix?

.@peretti email to staff: “Revenue growth by itself isn’t enough to be successful in the long run. The restructuring we are undertaking will reduce our costs and improve our operating model so we can thrive and control our own destiny, without ever needing to raise funding again” https://t.co/vvpCnMhPNF
— Steven Perlberg (@perlberg) January 23, 2019

Lowering overhead by cutting staff is the message sent as the primary explanation for the industry-wide layoffs. Digging just beneath the surface, however, is the not-so-gradual shift in technology that allow digital content production organizations to ramp up output while at the same time reducing costs.

Read: more work done by A.I., software and robots and fewer humans required. Result: Accelerated Digital Deflation.

The entire history of tech advances since the ubiquity of the personal computer has engendered digital deflation (ask anyone in the music industry). Meanwhile, advancements over the last couple of years are creating a massive acceleration of this trend, based on a shift toward automated production in all facets of content creation.

As a content creator the perspective seems amusingly bifurcated; improved tools for visual and verbal expression must be welcomed and adapted to, all while working in a monetization system that does not yet favor the individual creator.

Perhaps a headline: “Thousands of Humans Rendered Obsolete By Improved Robot Software” would seem less compassionate than merely indicating that they (the humans) stood in the way of reaching profitability?

In the long run, using more A.I., together with improved hardware and software tools to increase productivity in digital communication, will lead to lowered barriers to entry. And, for content creators and those 1000+ professionals just liberated, it might be best to consider all their options. One of the best may be to establish a free-lance future using the very technology that erased those jobs in the first place.

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Economics, News

Amazon Pulls Out Of New York Deal Due To State And Local Opposition

February 14, 2019 Kat Lee

Amazon scrapped plans for its contentious HQ2 project in Queens, New York, following backlash from local lawmakers and unions. The cancellation came after much fanfare, and a sweepstakes like fervor from city and state officials (including Governor Cuomo, and Mayor de Blasio) who made clear they were in favor of the deal. The agreement to lure Amazon with government incentives became a subject of great debate due to a climate of high cost of living, lack of affordable housing and rapid gentrification.

The 2.8 billion dollars in incentives offered to Amazon came with promises to jumpstart the Queens waterfront, and also included a helicopter pad for CEO Jeff Bezos. The Amazon/Queens location deal came under fire and skepticism for largely being brokered behind closed doors. This lead local community leaders to petition door to door for it to be blocked.

“….. a number of state and local politicians have made it clear that they oppose our presence and will not work with us to build the type of relationships that are required to go forward with the project we and many others envisioned in Long Island City.”
Amazon Public Release

Stock Market Outlook 2019

February 11, 2019 Lynxotic News Staff

Consensus Views Or Contrary Swans

Funny thing about consensus vs. contrary views – they are often identical if you believe what you read. “Wall of worry” and “Slope of Hope”: it’s all irrelevant if you are wearing blinders and have no mooring, or any basis for what the facts are.

Add to all that the fact that most opinions are paid advertisements, mainly for sell-side firms, and it’s tough to wade through the B.S. As per usual, according to a survey from CNBC, the S&P 500 will reach 3000 by the end of 2019.

According to my own non-scientific survey this is the 20th consecutive year that such surveys predict a gain in the market. A prediction for the coming or current year is almost always positive. The negative predictions are saved for “next year” (in other words later in 2020 as seen from in early 2019). Then, of course, the predictions change, and turn positive, just before the year turns.

Such nonsense goes even deeper while pundits and hacks will cite “pervasive pessimism” in the face of almost total bullishness to claim to have a “contrary” view while in reality herding like Spanish bulls in springtime.

“It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future”
Yogi Berra

Using actual data such as the Put-Call Ratio, VIX, AAII Sentiment Survey, or, for example, levels of margin debt and mutual fund money flows, can at least give a picture of the state against which one intends to be contrary.

Then, once in a while, in full-on Black Swan fashion, the prevailing “wisdom” blows up and everyone declares shock that such a thing could happen. A recent example of this was the disastrous collapse of the “short vol” trade in February of 2018.

A one-eyed man in the land of the blind can see a bit more than the rest. A first step is to be aware of the hype and see past the herd. In the last 100 years, Bull markets have tended to last longer than Bear markets (which move faster) and that alone leads to a bias toward a false idea that investing in stocks can lead to a steady, constant gain profile.

To sum up our outlook for 2019 in terms of end of year projections, the word “grim” comes to mind. Bear Markets follow Bull Markets, Raising Rates pop bubbles, the 2008 excess was never dealt with, and on and on and on. Clearly, the most bullish possible prediction anyone looking at facts could possibly make is that the next down phase in the market might come a bit later (2020 anyone?) rather than sooner.

Naturally, that is exactly what the “pessimistic” pundits are predicting. Far from pessimistic in reality, this is the most wildly optimistic, bullish possible take on the current juncture imaginable. Perfect for the true contrarian outlook which points toward a real Bear Market, sooner rather than later.

This is not to say that it looks like all gloom and doom for the coming year(s). There are exciting changes afoot, particularly in media and digital communication, and, as with all times of great change, the aftermath of the coming storm points toward a cleansing and realignment of world economies and cultures. Bring it on…….

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Business, News, Tech

iOS Update 12.1.4 Released

February 7, 2019 Danny Leeds

Fix For FaceTime Bug Included

The newest iOS fix for iPhone and iPad was released today and can be accessed via software update. Apple recommends that all users update immediately to install a patch that fixes the nasty bug that enabled eavesdropping via FaceTime.

The issue, where an iPhone microphone could become active without user consent or participation, appears to have been related to the new group FaceTime calling feature that was added late last year with the iOS 12 launch.

Stories documenting the problem have flooded the blogisphere lately and Apple was forced to temporarily disable the group FaceTime feature while the patch was being prepared.

Although it’s very likely that most of us have little to fear from anyone listening to our uneventful private conversations, the thought alone is enough to cause concerns.

As per the usual method, going to Settings>General>Software Update and then choosing “Update and Install” is highly recommended, just make sure you are either plugged into power or have at least 55% battery life (to be sure). Fortunately, with this update, the FaceTime bug days should almost certainly be in the past.

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Branding, Business, Entertainment, News, Politics

Gillette Gets Masculinity Mixed-Up

February 2, 2019 Danny Leeds

It’s The Why, Not The What

https://youtu.be/koPmuEyP3a0

Reports indicate that Nike’s “Kaepernick” campaign was successful as both advertising (increasing sales) and as controversial social commentary. In this case, it appears to have had the intended effect.

The “Success has many Fathers” rule led, unavoidably, the next batch of socially aware commentary with a taste of controversy. A great new genre and, overall, a positive move and redefinition of advertising?

In the case of Gillette, it begs the question, why Gillette and why now? The previous Gillette campaign “Boston Made” was a stark departure from their staple of ads, oriented towards product shots and hawking of benefits, that go back decades. Why change now to new styles and directions?

A revolution in direct-to-consumer branding in the U.S.A., that’s why.

The huge and unexpected success of upstarts in the once impenetrable shaving supplies market by online “answer brands” like Harry’s and Dollar Shave Club was behind a drop in Gillette’s 70% of the market in 2008 to only 50% in 2017.

For more than a century Gillette and Schick were #1 and #2 in a huge men’s shaving industry which recently accounted for $2.8 billion in annual sales. Suddenly, the two main upstarts have grown to around 10% of that.

Ok, opportunistic? Sure. But at least new things are being tried and tested.

Be it Razor’s or a Mattress or any other product, with help from changes brought on by eCommerce, the wave of companies finding ways to capture even 10% of a previously stagnant market are a ray of hope and a healthy shot of competition.

“Even this video response from Égard Watch Company adds to the conversation and to the variety of opinions, not just on “what is a man?” but even more so: “what is an advertisement?”.”

Never mind that Harry’s was recently bought by Unilever (and was thereby swallowed up by Gillette’s main competitor since P&G owns Gillette), the wave of new companies across all categories, many of which were thought of as impossible to enter at any cost, is a win for us all and one of the most exciting trends to emerge as the internet begins it’s third decade.

Interact 2018 – Direct to Consumer. An evolution in how consumer brands create and extract value from IAB Europe

So, hooray! and thanks to Nike (although, perhaps the extra $6 billion in sales are thanks enough). Here’s to hoping that more large companies will jump into the fray with more “crazy” campaigns to recapture relevance (and market share) from the new kids on the block.

Apple Reports First Quarter Results

January 26, 2019 Kat Lee

Services, Mac and Wearables Set New All-Time Revenue Records

Apple today announced financial results for its fiscal 2019 first quarter ended December 29, 2018. The Company posted quarterly revenue of $84.3 billion, a decline of 5 percent from the year-ago quarter, and quarterly earnings per diluted share of $4.18, up 7.5 percent. International sales accounted for 62 percent of the quarter’s revenue.

The 15% drop in iPhone sales. though no surprise, was coupled with a year over year annual revenue decline of roughly one-half of 1% which is the first yearly decline since 2001.

As has historically been the case with Apple, volatility and drama related to this earnings report will be soon washed away by many new innovations, scandals and continued excellence from the world’s foremost technology manufacturer.

Lynxotic

Category Archives: Business

Warren’s Facebook Ad Calling For Breakup Is Removed, Then Restored

Egg On Face Of Facebook, Again.

Read More: Facebook Acquires Giphy while Congress steps in with Antitrust Suspicions

Opposing Monopolists: a rising trend among Democrats

Read More: Big Tech headed for a Storm of Changes once the Novel Coronavirus Fades from Center Stage

E.U. Slaps Google with $1.7 Billion Fine

Antitrust Violations Pile Up Against Big Tech

Apple Spruces Up Old Favorites

Performance Upgrades Galore Released Ahead of Streaming TV Launch

Read More: Tech Week in Review: Streaming Wars, Disney+ & AppleTV+, Zuckerberg’s 5th Estate, AirPods Pro, Tesla and more

Read More: Big Tech headed for a Storm of Changes once the Novel Coronavirus Fades from Center Stage

Las Vegas Signs Up For Elon Musk’s High Speed Dreams

Convention Center Project gets green light for first phase

Read More: Battery Day Bombshell: Tesla and Elon Musk to Announce EV Breakthrough in June, details leaked to Reuters

High Speed Connection, Free to Attendees

Read More: “The Uninhabitable Earth”: an Apocalyptic Climate Study that Just might Shock you into Action

Aid Vs. Aide : National Emergencies in the Age of Trump

Is Trump’s “Emergency” really an outlier?

Read More: Trump attacks Planet: Cuts Fuel Efficiency Standards, hoping to Rescue Putin and MBS

Read More: Five New Books about how We can Change the Direction of the USA in November and Beyond

Media Layoffs Increase Across Content Industry

Ripple Effect of Digital Deflation?

Basic Cost Cutting or Shifting the Mix?

Amazon Pulls Out Of New York Deal Due To State And Local Opposition

Read More: Is Jeff Bezos soon to be World’s First Trillionaire? No Chance in Hell. Here’s Why

Read More: Big Tech headed for a Storm of Changes once the Novel Coronavirus Fades from Center Stage

Stock Market Outlook 2019

Consensus Views Or Contrary Swans

iOS Update 12.1.4 Released

Fix For FaceTime Bug Included

Gillette Gets Masculinity Mixed-Up

It’s The Why, Not The What

Read More: A Bully with a “Nice” Promise is Still just a Bully: Big tech Behemoth Plays Coronavirus Card

Ok, opportunistic? Sure. But at least new things are being tried and tested.

Read More: Read “Deadliest Enemy” for Deep Background on Pandemics and the Danger of a Second Wave

Apple Reports First Quarter Results

Services, Mac and Wearables Set New All-Time Revenue Records

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