Google gets its cloud together

Under Diane Greene, co-founder and former CEO of VMware, Google has integrated its cloud offerings into a comprehensive package from the enterprise to the small office.
Read more: http://blogs.csc.com/2016/09/30/google-gets-its-cloud-together/?source=Snapzu

Spotify is in 'advanced talks' to buy SoundCloud

Those rumors that SoundCloud is shopping itself around? They just got more substantial. Financial Times sources understand that Spotify is in "advanced talks" to buy SoundCloud. Details of the terms are still scarce at the moment, but it won't surprise you to hear that Spotify is declining to comment. We've asked SoundCloud for its take as well. A buyout would be expensive for Spotify, which is seeing a surge of paying customers but still isn't turning a profit. However, it would definitely make a sense from a strategic perspective.
Read more: https://www.engadget.com/2016/09/28/spotify-in-talks-to-buy-soundcloud/?source=Snapzu

This 3-Mile-Long Nazi Resort is Being Resurrected as a Luxury Getaway

Three years before Germany invaded Poland in 1939, Adolf Hitler ordered the construction of the world's largest tourist resort, located on a beachfront property on the island of Rügen. The Nazis called it Prora. Capable of holding more than 20,000 residents at a single time, Prora was meant to comfort the weary German worker who toiled away in a factory without respite. According to historian and tour guide Roger Moorhouse, it was also meant to serve as the carrot to the stick of the Gestapo—a pacifying gesture to get the German people on Hitler's side.
Read more: http://www.archdaily.com/796208/this-3-mile-long-nazi-resort-is-being-resurrected-as-a-luxury-getaway?source=Snapzu

BlackBerry confirms it will end in-house hardware development, will outsource to partners instead

Ailing mobile phone giant BlackBerry has confirmed long-standing rumors that it would stop making hardware, and instead would focus on software and services. Announcing its Q2 Fiscal 2017 financials today, BlackBerry revealed that it made a mere $352 million in the last quarter, down by more than $100 million year-on-year and down by $1.3 billion on three years previous. But buried within all the financial hullabaloo, CEO John Chen said that the company would now move to outsource its hardware manufacturing to third parties, and announced its first such deal.
Read more: http://venturebeat.com/2016/09/28/blackberry-confirms-it-will-end-in-house-hardware-development-will-outsource-to-partners/?source=Snapzu

New Yorkers Can Now Get Unlimited Uber For $100

Uber's subscription plans are rolling out across the United States for flat rate or even free rides.
Read more: http://www.forbes.com/sites/briansolomon/2016/09/27/unlimited-uber-rides-new-york-100-dollars-subscription-october/#6cbacc11570a?source=Snapzu

Extreme Weather Cost U.S. Taxpayers $67 Billion

Climate change will worsen heat waves, winter storms, and hurricanes. It will exacerbate extremes in precipitation, leading to more severe droughts and wildfires in some areas and heavier rainfall and flooding in others. And when the damage is done, taxpayers will be left to pick up the bill.
Read more: http://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change-extreme-weather-2013651705.html?source=Snapzu

When Restaurants Ditch the Dining Room

In a city where restaurants frequently blame closures on a brutal real estate market, a new solution has taken hold: Why not get rid of the dining room? Of course! If no one actually has to come to your restaurant, all sorts of problems are no longer an issue. You don’t need an attractive location, artistic ceramic bowls, quirky wallpaper in the bathroom, printed menus, service staff — way less risk of failure. Just put up a website, and install a button that says "delivery."
Read more: http://ny.eater.com/2016/9/26/13048042/virtual-restaurants-nyc?source=Snapzu

You Too Can Become a Machine Learning Rock Star! No PhD Necessary.

A company called Bonsai joins a movement to democratize machine learning. Get ready to build your own neural net.
Read more: https://backchannel.com/you-too-can-become-a-machine-learning-rock-star-no-phd-necessary-107a1624d96b#.v0mzz3ant?source=Snapzu

Amazon’s Newest Ambition: Competing Directly With UPS and FedEx

Just before the morning rush hour on a recent Thursday, a brigade of vans rolled up to a low-slung warehouse near Los Angeles International Airport. Workers in bright green vests crammed some 150 Amazon.com packages into each truck before the fleet headed through the urban sprawl to customers’ doorsteps. This logistical dance wasn’t performed by United Parcel Service Inc., FedEx Corp. or the U.S. Postal Service, all longtime carriers for the online retailer.
Read more: http://www.wsj.com/articles/amazons-newest-ambitioncompeting-directly-with-ups-and-fedex-1474994758?source=Snapzu

Credit card payments surpass cash worldwide for the first time ever

Is this the beginning of the end for cash? As consumers have increasingly used credit and debit cards and made purchases online and on apps, they’ve used less and less cash; in 2016, consumers will spend a greater amount on cards than they do with cash for the first time, according to the market-research firm Euromonitor International, which has been tracking consumer payments over the last several decades.
Read more: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/this-year-will-be-a-turning-point-for-cash-2016-09-26?source=Snapzu

Passengers in Uber's self-driving cars waived right to sue for injury or death

Anyone requesting an Uber ride in a 12-sq mile area in the center of Pittsburgh might now be randomly allocated a self-driving Ford Fusion rather than a human-operated vehicle. But passengers riding in Uber’s computer-controlled cars today might be surprised at just how experimental the technology is. According to documents obtained by the Guardian under public records laws, until as recently as June anyone not employed by Uber riding in one of its autonomous vehicles (AVs) had to sign a legal document waiving the company of any liability for their injury or death.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/sep/26/uber-self-driving-passengers-pittsburgh-injury-death-waiver?source=Snapzu

Exclusive: How one Amazon "catfishing" scam made millions of dollars

Emma Moore could have been the health and weight loss guru you spent your life looking for. You might be forgiven for not knowing her work -- after all, she has a common name, one that she shares with other similarly successful authors on Amazon. Until this week, she had dozens of health, dieting, cooking, and weight loss ebooks to her name. She published over a dozen ebooks on Amazon this year -- five ebooks alone this month. And Moore would even work with other authors -- like Nina Kelly, Andrew Walker, and Julia Jackson -- who have all published about a dozen ebooks each this year as well.
Read more: http://www.zdnet.com/article/exclusive-inside-a-million-dollar-amazon-kindle-catfishing-scam/?source=Snapzu

He Wants To Build The Next Family Entertainment Chain, His Investors...

To investors who lost millions of dollars, Brent Brown is a con man who used a restaurant franchise as his personal piggy bank. But Brown defiantly insists he’s been wrongly vilified and just needs a little more time to make everything right, he swears.
Read more: https://www.buzzfeed.com/mattstroud/latitude-360?utm_term=.buwELOrXk3#.tlr6WjVoG3?source=Snapzu

WTO cuts trade forecast by a third

The World Trade Organization has cut its forecast for global trade growth this year by more than a third. The new figure of 1.7%, down from its April estimate of 2.8%, would be the slowest pace of trade and output growth since the 2009 financial crisis. It is also the first time in 15 years that international commerce has been left trailing behind the world economy. The downturn reflects the slowdown in countries such as China and Brazil and lower levels of imports into the US.
Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-37482399?source=Snapzu

Why Beef Is About to Get Cheaper

Fire up the grill and invite me over, friend. Today, we feast in celebration. The latest USDA meat production projections are out, and they predict that, after years of domination by chicken, beef will become the fastest growing meat category over the course of the next decade. Beef isn’t just going to be more available, though. It’s also going to be cheaper than it’s been in years.
Read more: http://gizmodo.com/why-beef-is-about-to-get-cheaper-1787102925?source=Snapzu

ISP explains data caps to FCC: Using the Internet is like eating Oreos

"You have to pay extra for double-stuffed," cable company Mediacom tells FCC. Imagine you are out for a walk and experience a sudden, irresistible craving for Oreo® cookies. You only want to spend two dollars, which means that you will be able to buy a two-pack or maybe even a four-pack but for sure you cannot get the family size of over 40 cookies. For that many, you have to spend more. Of course, it would be nice if your two dollars bought you the right to eat an unlimited number of cookies, but you know that is not the way our economy works.
Read more: http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/09/internet-data-is-like-oreos-isp-claims-while-defending-data-caps?source=Snapzu

Yep, Disney is in talks with bankers about possible Twitter acqisition

Disney has had talks about a potential acquisition of Twitter, we’ve confirmed. They’re working with bankers now to determine whether the deal makes sense.
Read more: https://techcrunch.com/2016/09/26/yep-disney-is-in-talks-with-bankers-about-possible-twitter-acqisition/?source=Snapzu

Man Likely to Sacrifice Himself Testing Streaming Piracy Limits

A man is preparing a legal battle to find out where the boundaries lie when it comes to offering "fully loaded" Kodi TV devices in the UK. Brian Thompson, who is being taken to court by his local council, says he expects to lose the case. And barring a miracle that's exactly what's going to happen.
Read more: https://torrentfreak.com/man-likely-to-sacrifice-himself-testing-streaming-piracy-limits-160925/?source=Snapzu

Dunkin' Donuts is still serving coffee in Styrofoam cups 6 years after saying it would stop

For years, Dunkin' Donuts has said it would replace its iconic plastic foam cups with cups that are more environmentally friendly. In a 2010 report, the coffee chain said it considered its use of foam to be "the most prominent sustainability issue we must deal with."
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/dunkin-donuts-is-still-using-styrofoam-cups-2016-9?source=Snapzu

Virginia starts tourism marketing campaign for LGBT travelers

The Virginia Tourism Corp. Thursday started a new marketing program specifically aimed at drawing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered — aka LGBT — tourists to visit the state. The campaign enables businesses such as hotels and wedding venues to designate themselves as LGBT friendly on the state’s tourism website.
Read more: http://www.richmond.com/business/local/article_ac2cd5a8-9cf3-59cd-ab0e-07f2906cd298.html?source=Snapzu

The Trademarking of "Taco Tuesday"

Taco Tuesday is an American institution. But one fast food chain says every bar and taqueria with a Taco Tuesday special is infringing on its intellectual property.
Read more: https://priceonomics.com/the-trademarking-of-taco-tuesday/?source=Snapzu

Sorry, not sorry: Mylan CEO refuses to apologize for EpiPen price hikes

Does your EpiPen cost a fortune? Blame Mylan for that. Anger and bipartisan disgust toward Mylan, the drugmaker that sells the EpiPen, increased after the company hiked up prices to $608 for a two-pack, up from about $100 in 2009. The company is also under fire for other shady practices involving the CEO’s mother. But Mylan's chief executive says not so fast."I think many people incorrectly assume we make $600 off each EpiPen.
Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/nletter/short-list/2016/09/21/evening-news-roundup-wednesday/90804954/?source=Snapzu

Tesla sues Snyder, Schuette to sell cars in Michigan

Electric automaker Tesla filed a lawsuit today against state officials, escalating its multi-year battle to sell vehicles directly to consumers in Michigan. The California automaker named Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette and Gov. Rick Snyder in its lawsuit filed in in federal court. A spokesman for the governor declined to comment and a spokeswoman for Schuette said his office is reviewing the lawsuit.
Read more: http://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/2016/09/22/tesla-sues-state-officials-sell-cars-michigan/90832684/?source=Snapzu

Designers refuse to make clothes to fit American women. It’s a disgrace.

Far more women in this country wear a size 16 than a size 6, but the industry either doesn't notice or doesn't care. There are 100 million plus-size women in America, and, for the past three years, they have increased their spending on clothes faster than their straight-size counterparts. There is money to be made here ($20.4 billion, up 17% from 2013). But many designers — dripping with disdain, lacking imagination or simply too cowardly to take a risk — still refuse to make clothes for them.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/09/08/tim-gunn-designers-refuse-to-make-clothes-to-fit-american-women-its-a-disgrace/?utm_term=.03c7675745a8?source=Snapzu

'Wells Fargo isn't the only one': Other bank workers describe intense sales tactics

Most Americans were shocked when they learned that thousands of Wells Fargo employees had opened millions of fake accounts. People who work at other banks weren't surprised at all. Nearly a dozen current and former employees at large and regional banks such as Bank of America (BAC), Citizens Bank, PNC (PNC), SunTrust (STI), and Fifth Third (FITB) tell CNNMoney that a sales obsession pervades their banks.
Read more: http://money.cnn.com/2016/09/22/investing/wells-fargo-fake-accounts-banks/index.html?source=Snapzu

Former Disney Digital Boss Says He "Loves Piracy"

Entertainment industry workers usually speak about illegal downloading in the harshest of terms but for one former Disney executive, it has its upsides. Speaking at the huge All That Matters conference, Samir Bangara admitted that he "loves" piracy as it's a great indicator of content popularity. The piracy debate can be broadly split into two camps – those who believe it’s a destructive thing that needs to be stopped at all costs, and those who maintain the phenomenon has its upsides.
Read more: https://torrentfreak.com/former-disney-digital-boss-says-he-loves-piracy-160919/?source=Snapzu

Philly hoagie joint: We're closed while we find 'better' employees

It's not a shortage of manpower, but a shortage of talent. Fink's Hoagies on Jewelers Row is closed from Monday through Friday so it can "continue our quest to find better employees to serve you," according to a sign on the door, a voicemail message and a Facebook post on Monday. Fink's, which also has a location in Northeast Philadelphia, is currently hiring to find those "better" employees. Prospective hires should have the following qualifications:
Read more: http://www.phillyvoice.com/philly-hoagie-joint-were-closed-until-we-find-better-employees?source=Snapzu

"You do not want to f*** with me" - CEO threatened to ruin former company, court hears

A former chief executive in a consultancy marketing firm has threatened to publicly divulge the names, addresses and bank details of customers of “the largest mobile phone company in the State” unless paid €135,000 by tomorrow morning, the High Court was told today. Ex-CEO Sean McGrath told his former employer Madcalm Limited, Monksland, Athlone, Co Roscommon, that “you don’t want to f**k with me on this”, Ms Justice Miriam O’Regan heard.
Read more: http://www.thejournal.ie/sean-mcgrath-madcalm-high-court-2987658-Sep2016/?source=Snapzu

Nokia says it can deliver internet 2,000 times faster than Verizon Fios

Nearly every month, Verizon Fios defends its title as the fastest ISP in Netflix's speed index. From time to time, another ISP will unseat the champion, but the change never lasts long. Of course, some have argued that such speed index tests are inaccurate and grossly over-simplified. However, it's hard to argue against the fact that Verizon Fios is a name synonymous with internet that's fast as hell. How fast is that exactly? Well, the top plan currently offered is 500 Mbps both up and down.
Read more: https://www.engadget.com/2016/09/21/nokia-says-it-can-deliver-internet-2-000-times-faster-than-veriz/?source=Snapzu

Six companies are about to merge into the biggest farm-business oligopoly in history

Monsanto and other agriculture companies want to get bigger.
Read more: http://qz.com/786382/monsanto-bayer-dupont-dow-chemical-and-syngenta-defend-their-coming-oligopoly-mon-dd-dow-syt/?source=Snapzu

HP just made it impossible to use third-party ink in its printers

HP silently disabled the ability to use third-party printer ink cartridges in its HP Officejet printer lines.
Read more: http://www.zdnet.com/article/hp-just-made-it-impossible-to-use-third-party-ink-in-its-printers/?source=Snapzu

Intel Stock Reaches 15-Year High; Raises Q3 Revenue Target For PC

Intel is expecting a Q3 revenue of $15.3-15.9 billion as compared to the previous, $14.4-15.4 billion. Intel claims that there are signs of increasing PC demands and hence the company is raising the bar. This would mean a yearly gain of 7.8% which is the best the company has seen since Q3 in 2014. How does this affect Intel Stock? Let’s find out. PC demand has been falling for some time now as we have talked about earlier and this has affected the company in a negative way.
Read more: http://techfrag.com/2016/09/17/intel-stock/?source=Snapzu

Deutsche Bank’s Low Capital Makes It No. 1 for Risk in Study

Deutsche Bank AG’s status as the riskiest among its peers is worsening, based on a U.S. regulator’s measure of leverage, adding to the lender’s woes as it braces for a settlement over mortgage securities.
Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-09-20/deutsche-bank-s-low-capital-makes-it-no-1-for-risk-hoenig-says?source=Snapzu

The Netflix Backlash: Why Hollywood Fears a Content Monopoly

The streaming service is spending $6 billion a year on content, choking basic cable and brusquely rattling the relationship business of the town as fears of a Google- or Apple-sized dominance send a chill down the entertainment industry's spine.
Read more: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/netflix-backlash-why-hollywood-fears-928428?source=Snapzu

Chat Bots Aren’t a Fad. They’re a Revolution.

Get used to talking to businesses like you talk to your friends.
Read more: https://backchannel.com/the-chat-bot-revolution-is-upon-us-f3fa9e0b380#.47p2y7ao0?source=Snapzu

Normal Interest Rates...what is that now.

When central banks started cutting interest rates to near zero after the 2008 stock market crash, they saw it as an emergency measure and thought things would gradually get back to normal. Now they’re wondering what normal means.
Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/quicktake/normal-interest-rates?source=Snapzu

Home Rule: Getting Evicted From a Co-Op Is Easier Than You Realize

“It’s not easy to get rid of people,” said Citi Habitats agent Amer Jan, who has served on the board of his Kew Gardens building for the last five years. “You’re taking someone’s home.” But sometim…
Read more: http://observer.com/2016/09/home-rule-getting-evicted-from-a-co-op-is-easier-than-you-realize/?source=Snapzu

EPI and ATF highlight the $700 billion multinationals owe on their offshore profits

America’s biggest and most powerful corporations continue to claim they are damaged by the 35 percent U.S. corporate tax rate when it comes to international competition, but the facts prove that simply isn’t true. A newly-released online resource compiled by Americans for Tax Fairness and the Economic Policy Institute shows U.S. corporate profits are near record highs while revenue from corporate taxes is near record lows, as a share U.S. GDP, over the last six decades. Moreover, multinational corporate effective tax rates are one half or less than the statutory rate.
Read more: http://www.epi.org/press/epi-and-atf-highlight-the-700-billion-multinationals-owe-on-their-offshore-profits-newly-released-chartbook-disproves-false-narrative-on-corporate-taxes/?source=Snapzu

I Published My Debut Novel to Critical Acclaim—and Then I Promptly Went Broke

Merritt Tierce on the dark side of literary fame.
Read more: http://www.marieclaire.com/career-advice/features/a22573/merritt-tierce-love-me-back-writing-and-money/?source=Snapzu

Analysis: Trump Tax Plan Would Cost Trillions, Boost Incomes For The Rich

The plan would also help the rich more than the middle class, according to the Tax Foundation. And there's still one huge, $1.5 trillion uncertainty in the plan.
Read more: http://www.npr.org/2016/09/19/494580145/analysis-trump-tax-plan-would-cost-trillions-boost-incomes-for-the-rich?source=Snapzu

Waste not want not: Sweden to give tax breaks for repairs

Government to tackle ‘throwaway culture’ by cutting VAT on fixing everything from bicycles to washing machines
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/19/waste-not-want-not-sweden-tax-breaks-repairs?source=Snapzu

Guy Arrested Over KickassTorrents Blocked From Talking To His US Attorney

“There’s no way that there could be a fair trial in the United States, or a fair extradition process, without Artem being able to have access to U.S. counsel, to learn his rights, to be able to galvanize the evidence, and to do so in a robust and expedient manner,”
Read more: https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20160916/23402435544/guy-arrested-over-kickass-torrents-blocked-talking-to-his-us-attorney.shtml?source=Snapzu

US companies are 'hoarding' a record $2.5 trillion in cash overseas

The amount of overseas cash is the highest in history, and it is unlikely to come back.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/us-companies-hoarding-25-trillion-of-cash-overseas-2016-9?source=Snapzu

Someone created a tech job board for people over 30

When the interviewers at a startup told John Wheeler he wouldn’t be a good “cultural fit,” he knew they were referring, at least in part, to his age. Wheeler, who lives in Temecula, California, doesn’t believe he was outright discriminated against, but at 37, he knows his interests are likely different from the 20-something “brogrammers” commonly found at startups. “The interview was generally positive,” he writes in an email. But after reading two stories this week about age discrimination in the tech industry...
Read more: http://qz.com/784118/someone-created-a-tech-job-board-for-people-over-30/?source=Snapzu

Old book, new look: why the classics are flying off the shelves

Sales have risen 10%, thanks to TV adaptations and clever marketing. As four publishing houses unveil new looks, John Walsh investigates the battle for new readers.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/sep/17/classic-book-covers-sales-tv-adaptations?source=Snapzu

Losing Business to Solar, U.S. Utility Companies Fight to Kill Consumer Trend

In some of the sunniest areas of the U.S., solar power is becoming a victim of its own success. With so many people leaving the grid, power utilities are now wondering who's going to pay the bill. They're fighting back, trying to make going solar much less attractive.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/solar-panels-nevada-1.3765962?source=Snapzu

How blockchain is transforming business models

In this era of disruption, it’s absolutely necessary to redefine business models and archetypes as a whole. Enter, blockchain.
Read more: http://thenextweb.com/worldofbanking/2016/09/16/how-blockchain-is-transforming-business-models/?source=Snapzu

Another Bad EU Ruling: WiFi Providers Can Be Forced To Require Passwords If Copyright Holders Demand It

this ruling basically says that the times when an injunction can be ordered for password protection, the reason is for the sake of identifying users.
Read more: https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20160915/22272135534/another-bad-eu-ruling-wifi-providers-can-be-forced-to-require-passwords-if-copyright-holders-demand-it.shtml?source=Snapzu

Hairy vetch might sound unpleasant, but it will change the way you grow tomatoes

Use this pretty, soil-enhancing legume as a replacement for ugly black plastic.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home/hairy-vetch-might-sound-unpleasant-but-it-will-change-the-way-you-grow-tomatoes/2016/09/13/bbe000da-7436-11e6-be4f-3f42f2e5a49e_story.html?source=Snapzu

Russia is seriously running out of cash

After almost two years in recession, the country's rainy day fund has shrunk to just $32.2 billion this month, according to the Russian Finance Ministry. It was $91.7 billion in September 2014, just before oil prices started to collapse. And it's getting worse. Analysts expect the fund will shrink to just $15 billion by the end of this year and dry up completely soon after that.
Read more: http://money.cnn.com/2016/09/16/news/economy/russia-cash-reserves-depleted/index.html?source=Snapzu