French Anti-Uber Protest Turns To Guerrilla Warfare As Cabbies Burn Cars, Attack Uber Drivers | TechCrunch

June 25, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ 1 Comment

Today’s taxi driver protest is getting out of hand. According to the police, 2,800 taxi drivers are protesting today against UberPOP, the European equivalent of UberX. With UberPOP, everybody can become an Uber driver — taxi drivers see the service as unfair competition as they have to get a special license. Yet, this doesn’t really explain why cabbies are now attacking Uber drivers, burning and breaking their cars.

The police have already arrested a taxi driver and an Uber driver. The cabbie was throwing projectiles toward the police, while the latter was attacking a cabbie. It is currently very difficult to go to Charles-De-Gaulle and Orly airports as taxi drivers are blocking the roads. Taxis are also controlling many parts of Paris, looking for Uber drivers.

There are other protests happening right now in Nice, Marseille, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Lyon and Lille. It’s the biggest protest so far against the urban transportation company in France as UberPOP has been expanding to new French cities.

The Chain Breaker: A Dairy Queen Like No Other | Serious Eats

June 25, 2015 ~ CBPS ~ Leave a comment

When the DeLeons took over, the original 1949 contract transferred, meaning the Moorhead DQ doesn’t have to adhere to many strict company rules. Had they signed a newer contract, they would have had no choice but to discontinue their barbecue sandwiches and Polish dogs and launch a full Orange Julius menu like many newer DQ franchises. Thanks to their old-school contract, the Moorhead DQ still pays the original 1949 royalties rate on Dairy Queen treats that they order from the corporate warehouse. Perhaps most importantly, DeLeon is able to source ingredients from outside providers and still make many desserts in-house.

Humans Are Tech’s Next Big Thing—And That Could Be Risky | WIRED

June 24, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

INTERNET COMPANIES MAKE billions of dollars by capturing one of the world’s most precious commodities: your attention. They need to amuse, amaze, entice, and intrigue you—and millions of users like you—to stay afloat and profit.

But figuring out what you want to read, watch, and see is harder than it looks. At Facebook, serving your wants and needs comes down to algorithms—click on something, and you’ll see more of that thing, and things like it. At Twitter, your desires are met via your choices—follow certain people, you’ll see updates from them. But, when it comes to channeling the most attention-grabbing content, it turns out that automation, or users left to their own devices, might not be enough.

The Future of Messaging: How to Text Without Data or Wi-Fi | Inc.com

June 23, 2015June 22, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Forget having directions, tickets, or our checkbook with us. Our lives now seem to revolve ensuring that Wi-Fi will be there wherever we may roam so we can open our digital wallets, Google map it, or have our tickets scanned. When there is no Wi-Fi, our biggest fears come to life.

There is hope, thanks to some inventive technologists and entrepreneurs who have designed a solution that goes beyond data and mobile network requirements. (Yep, you could all text without a data plan.)

Yes, some of us have iMessage if we use iPhones and iPads, which means we can forgo that unlimited texting plan on our smart phone bill. However, we are all still slaves to Wi-Fi or have memorized how fast our data plan is chewed up with every ping.

But, another iOS app is rapidly changing how teens are texting through their Apple devices, and soon it will do the same with those with Android systems.

Weekly Economic Update | LAEDC

June 23, 2015June 22, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

v.19 n. 26 – Released June 22, 2015

This Week’s Headlines:

May State and Local Employment Report
Events of Interest
- Stayed Tuned for Upcoming Events

Facebook’s photo app will not be available in Europe | BBC News

June 19, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Facebook’s photo-sharing app Moments will not be made available in Europe due to concerns about its use of facial recognition, it has been revealed.

The app, which allows users to share mobile-phone photos with friends without posting them publicly, was launched in the US this week.

The Irish data regulator said that users must be given a choice about whether they want it, with an opt-in.

There is currently no timetable for such a feature, said Facebook.

Richard Allen, Facebook’s head of policy in Europe said: “We don’t have an opt-in mechanism so it is turned off until we develop one.”

Moments arranges the photos on someone’s mobile phone into groups, based on when they were taken. The facial recognition technology can identify Facebook friends to whom users can then forward the photos.

A California Ruling Just Challenged Uber’s Entire Business Model | Bloomberg Business

June 18, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

California’s labor commissioner said an Uber Technologies Inc. driver who connects with customers through the company’s app must be considered an employee, a decision that strikes at the heart of its business model.

San Francisco-based Uber, like other “sharing economy” startups, has built a business around a flexible car fleet piloted by people it contends are independent contractors. If Uber’s drivers were treated as employees, the company would be required to guarantee them a minimum wage, compensate them for mileage and pay into social security.

“We see this as a problem that’s growing larger with each year, with employees lacking security and even basic rights when they are treated as independent contractors,” said Steve Smith, spokesman for the California Labor Federation, which has backed tougher regulations on ridesharing companies.

Weekly Economic Update | LAEDC

June 17, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

v.19 n. 25 – Released June 16, 2015

This Week’s Headlines:

California Financial Report for May
Strong Rebound in May Retail Sales
Events of Interest
- Stayed Tuned for Upcoming Events

What CVS buying Target pharmacy means for prices | Business Insider

June 16, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

CVS is buying Target’s pharmacy business for $1.9 billion.

The deal means the discount retailer’s 1,660 pharmacy locations will become CVS-branded units.

CVS’ acquisition could set off a series of similar deals as cost pressures hurt profits at grocery-store pharmacies, Reuters reports.

“Target pharmacies helped drive overall sales at the chain but lost money, as the government healthcare program known as Obamacare expanded ranks of insured and increased pressure on cost,” Reuters writes.

While outsourcing operations to CVS could help the bottom line at companies, it could be bad news for consumers.