Category: Business

The biggest 16K screen of its kind will shortly go on show in Japan.

Sony’s display has four times as many horizontal pixels as a 4K television and eight times that of a regular 1080p high definition TV, meaning it can show images in far more detail than normal.

This will let viewers stand close to the unit – which is longer than a bus – without its image looking blurred.

One expert said it would likely take decades for 16K tech to filter down to consumer products.

The 63ft by 17ft (19.2m by 5.4m) screen is currently being installed at a new research centre that has been built for the Japanese cosmetics group Shiseido in the city of Yokohama, south of Tokyo. It is so large it will stretch between the first and second floors.

The development was announced by Sony at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) trade show, which is currently being held in Las Vegas.

“We’re moving slowly towards 8K TVs at the end of the decade and who knows how long it will take to get beyond that, so 16K is likely to be limited to the corporate world for the time being,” commented David Mercer from the consultancy Strategy Analytics.

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Ripon police are investigating another coffee shop crime, following several others in Davis and Roseville.  In each case, thieves target seated customers, grabbing their laptops, then running for the door. On Monday, Ripon police say three teenage suspects carried out the heist at a Starbucks on West Colony Road.  Only this time a victim and a Good Samaritan teamed up to take down one of the suspects.  “There was a lot of yelling,” witness Mark Sleming said. “There was probably three or four holding him down, and a bunch of people around him, four or five at least, maybe more.”

Cops were able to take the 16-year-old suspect into custody. Two other suspects were able to get away.  In September, surveillance cameras captured a similar scene in a Davis coffee shop, showing suspects milling around before grabbing customer’s laptops and making their escape through the front doors.  “That they would be brazen enough to come in and steal somebody’s computer, I mean, the whole thing just surprises me,” Cheryl Bolton said.  In Ripon, a repeat of what’s becoming a more common crime. At a spot where you might order a bold coffee, some customers are becoming victims, of this bold crime.  Ripon police are asking for the public’s help with any information related to any of the thefts. The two suspects that got away, and their getaway driver were last seen in a green Lexus GS300.

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Stockholm (AFP) – Saddled with long dark winters at home, Swedes have for decades been frequent flyers seeking out sunnier climes, but a growing number are changing their ways because of air travel’s impact on the climate.

“Flygskam”, or flight shame, has become a buzz word referring to feeling guilt over the environmental effects of flying, contributing to a trend that has more and more Swedes, mainly young, opting to travel by train to ease their conscience.

Spearheading the movement for trains-over-planes is Sweden’s own Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old climate school striker who refuses to fly, travelling by rail to the World Economic Forum in Davos and the climate summit in Katowice, Poland.

A growing number of public figures have vowed to #stayontheground, including Swedish television skiing commentator Bjorn Ferry who said last year he would only travel to competitions by train.

And 250 people working in the film industry signed a recent article in the country’s biggest daily Dagens Nyheter calling for Swedish film producers to limit shoots abroad.

An anonymous Swedish Instagram account created in December has been shaming social media profiles and influencers for promoting trips to far-flung destinations, racking up more than 60,000 followers.

“I’m certainly affected by my surroundings and (flight shame) has affected how I view flying,” Viktoria Hellstrom, a 27-year-old political science student in Stockholm, told AFP.

Last summer, she took the train to Italy, even though the friends she was meeting there went by plane, as that would have been her second flight within a few weeks.

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The S&P 500 is down. Starbucks got downgraded. And the coffee maker’s shares? Barely a blip. That says something about demand for Starbucks stock (ticker: SBUX), which was about flat at $75.11 as the S&P 500 was down early Monday afternoon. That followed UBS analyst Dennis Geiger ’s changing his rating on the shares to Neutral from Buy, even as he raised his price target by $6 to $78. Starbucks stock is up nearly 30% over the past year, well ahead of the S&P 500. Geiger—like some other analysts whose reports Barron’s has recently covered —thinks investors have already pulled the shares up far enough. “Improved same-store-sales momentum and streamlined operations better position Starbucks going forward, but we believe shares reflect this and expectations are now elevated,” he wrote. Starbucks reached record highs late last year as investors decided to back management in its quest to keep domestic performance going strong while the chain grows overseas. Since then, the stock has continued to climb. Editor’s Choice Geiger’s position, meanwhile, is largely in line with those of other Street analysts. The average target among those tracked by FactSet is for the stock to trade at $70, which is below current levels. The stock’s price relative to anticipated earnings for the next 12 months is near the five-year average, according to FactSet. The company has given itself some protection against difficult operational conditions by committing to substantial buybacks and dividends. That could support the shares. But near-term results—second-quarter financial results are due later this month—are still closely watched even as the company tackles broader challenges , such as competition in its key Chinese growth market . “Repurchase activity and upside to forecasts could support further multiple expansion,” Geiger wrote. “But we see risks from downside to more elevated sales/earnings expectations as an offset.” Email David Marino-Nachison at david.marino-nachison@barrons.com . Follow him at @marinonachison and follow Barron’s Next at @barronsnext .

Under pressure from left-wing journalists and activists, Amazon is purging right-wing authors from its store, including a book co-authored by English Islam critic and independent commentator Tommy Robinson.

The web retail giant has become the dominant market player in book sales, accounting for nearly 50 percent of physical and 83 percent of e-book sales in the U.S. As such, Amazon has the power to effectively cut an author off from the vast majority of the books market.  Amazon began its new round of purges by targeting the white nationalist fringe. In February, the tech giant banned a number of books from white identitarian Jared Taylor, and a book called The White Nationalist Manifesto by Greg Johnson.  This followed bans on Holocaust revisionist books in 2017, and a purge of all books by controversial pickup blogger and author Daryush “Roosh” Valizadeh in 2018.

As with financial blacklisting, a censorship spree that starts by targeting extreme ideas quickly moves towards the censorship of more mainstream ones. In early March, the online retailer banned Muhammed’s Koran: Why Muslims Kill for Islam, a Chronological Koran and critique of the Islamic religion co-authored by British populist Tommy Robinson.  The book is a chronological reordering of the Islamic Koran, followed by commentary by Robinson and his co-author, Peter McLoughlin. Amazon did not return Breitbart News’ request for an explanation of why the book was banned.

In 2010, Amazon refused to take down a book defending pedophilia on first amendment grounds. “Amazon believes it is censorship not sell certain books simply because we or others believe their message is objectionable,” an Amazon representative told CNBC at the time.  “Amazon does not support or promote hatred or criminal acts, however, we do support the right of every individual to make their own purchasing decisions.”  Public and media outcry was not enough to pressure Amazon into watering down its commitment to content-neutrality when it came to a pro-pedophile book. But it now takes only the slightest pressure for the tech giant to ban right-wing critiques of religion.

And even before that, Amazon had watered down it’s commitment to “the right of every individual to make their own purchasing decisions.” In 2015, the site banned the sale of all merchandise depicting the Confederate flag.  Amazon doesn’t seem to have a problem with extremist of destructive books in general. Two of the most destructive books in history, Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf and The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels are available for purchase. So too are books by black nationalist Louis Farrakhan, notorious for his racist and anti-semitic comments — so it seems racial hatred isn’t subject to a blanket ban on Amazon

Amazon has abandoned its previous commitment to carry all books no matter how controversial, and it’s unclear what consistent principle, if any, the company now follows.

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What a way to make your history a science project!  Prove or disprove the bible and here is a place that will help you to at least think about it.

The Museum of the Bible has announced plans for a major, year-long temporary exhibition that will allow visitors to explore the relationship between science and the Bible.  Located in Washington, D.C., the museum announced Wednesday the project will be funded by grants from the John Templeton Foundation and the Templeton Religion Trust. The exhibition is scheduled to open during the summer of  2020.   The multimedia and thematic experience will examine how people have turned to science and the Bible to answer the fundamental questions of existence using artifacts from both the museum’s collection and on loan from institutions around the world.

The museum is working with an international advisory panel of over a dozen scientists and scholars to develop the content and associated educational programs. By exploring historical interactions between science and the Bible, this exhibition will shed light on contemporary debates and foster a greater understanding of the shared curiosity about our world that stimulates both scientific inquiry and biblical interpretation.   Past discoveries such as Copernicus’ heliocentric model, Newton’s laws of motion, and Darwin’s theory of natural selection, along with current topics like the origin of the cosmos and the debate surrounding the ideas of life and health, will be featured.

Through artifacts, interactive and design features, past explanations and the ever-evolving relationship between science and the Bible will be explored with these six questions:

• How did it all begin?
• What keeps the universe running?
• Are we different from animals?
• What are we made of?
• Where are we going?
• Are we alone?

“Museum of the Bible is honored to be in partnership with the prestigious Templeton Foundation on this ambitious project,” Museum of the Bible President and CEO Ken McKenzie said in a press release. “In keeping with the museum’s intent to cater to all learning styles, this exhibition will not only be informative but engaging. Through this exhibit and accompanying initiatives, we hope guests will leave with a deeper appreciation for humanity’s shared curiosity in the big questions that ultimately inspire both scientific inquiry and biblical exploration.”

In addition to the exhibition, the museum will host speaker programs and academic conferences, create educational materials for classroom use, organize a travel exhibition, and produce an online exhibition.

Visit the Museum of the Bible’s website.

On Friday, the Trump administration announced it was awarded a $1.7 million family planning grant to a chain of California crisis pregnancy centers that oppose abortion and don’t offer contraceptives, while at the same time cutting government funding to some Planned Parenthood clinics.

The news website The Hill reports the Obria Group will receive the grant and signals the administration’s desire to shift family planning funds toward faith-based groups that oppose abortion and away from groups like Planned Parenthood.  “Many women want the opportunity to visit a professional, comprehensive health care facility — not an abortion clinic — for their health care needs; this grant will give them that choice,” Kathleen Eaton Bravo, founder, and CEO of The Obria Group, said in a statement.

Obria will oversee the work of seven clinic partners, including three of its affiliates that don’t provide contraceptives or perform abortions, in four California counties, the group said in the statement.   The group offers pregnancy testing and counseling, prenatal care, HIV/AIDS testing, ultrasounds, cancer testing, well-woman care, pap smears, STD testing and treatment, adoption referral and post-abortion support, according to a press release.

An HHS spokesperson said the Obria group will receive $1.7 million in 2019 and, along with other Title X providers, will receive funding through 2022 based on the availability of funds, grant compliance, and the project’s progress, according to The Hill.  Meanwhile, Planned Parenthood said in a statement Friday that the four affiliates that were “stripped of funding” served Hawaii, North Carolina, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Virginia.  As CBN News reported last month the Trump administration finalized a rule directing Title X family planning funds away from groups like Planned Parenthood, which is America’s biggest abortion provider.  Under the new rule, health clinics must be “physically and financially” separate from abortion providers in order to receive Title X family planning grants.

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Japan is small but a scenic country filled with awe-inspiring travel routes and luxurious vessels in which to travel through them. The latest transport design from the unique archipelago comes in the form of a train station sat isolated along the Nishiki River in Iwakuni, with no entrance and no exit.

Located on the Nishikigawa Seiryu Line, the station, ‘Seiryu Miharashi Eki,’ which translates to “Clear Stream Viewing Platform Station“ is only accessible by train on Yamaguchi Prefecture’s Nishikigawa Railway. With its limited access, the picturesque spot was created solely as a spot where visitors could soak up the nature views that surround it.

Upon arrival at the station, passengers will find that there are no stairs, ramps, or even a ticket counter, as it is not intended for people to leave the platform.

Railways systems in Japan are unmatched by other countries around the world. The country hosts the most well-connected and efficient systems in the world they run like they are from the future. They run so efficiently in fact that the Tsukuba Express released a public apology for leaving the station 20 seconds early.

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Every so often, there’s another flicker of outrage against Chick-fil-A. This month, the San Antonio City Council blocked the restaurant from opening an outpost at the city’s airport.  It’s a reminder that left-wing anger at the restaurant chain hasn’t fully gone away. But it’s far from what it was.  Today, their attempted boycott is largely forgotten and Chick-fil-A is stronger than ever as sales last year topped $10 billion, surpassing both Wendy’s and Burger King.

You may remember when activists across the country first began accusing Chick-fil-A of anti-gay bias. Seven years ago, Chick-fil-A suddenly became the focus of the country’s culture wars. Its top executive dared to speak publicly about his views on marriage, and those comments unleashed a fury of protests across the country by supporters of gay marriage.  Big-city mayors pounced and gay activists protested with what they called “kiss-ins.”

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel (D) said, “Chick-fil-A’s values are not Chicago values. They’re not respectful of our residents, our neighbors.”  The crime? Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy’s support of biblical marriage.   “I think we’re inviting God’s judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him and say we know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage,” Cathy had said.  Fast-forward to 2019, and there’s growing recognition across the media spectrum that the boycott wilted with a whimper and the culture has moved on. The main evidence is that Chick-fil-A’s sales have rocketed with the company now ranking as the country’s fifth largest restaurant chain.  Dr. Ed Stetzer of Wheaton College said, “They chose to keep doing well, with excellence–with people saying ‘my pleasure’ every time they serve you and the reality is–that’s probably the stance we’re going to have to take sometimes when we’re unfairly maligned–just keep doing things well. Keep doing things excellently.”

Back in 2012, Pastor Choco De Jesus of New Life Covenant Church urged Chicago’s mayor to welcome Chick-fil-A in the city. Today he believes politicians see the economic growth that Christian businesses can bring.  De Jesus said, “I think we’ve just got bigger problems with education, balancing the budget, immigration–I think the culture is saying–why not–we need all the help we can get.”  Of course, Christian businesses must still tread carefully in a society where social media can rapidly stoke faux outrage.

Chick-fil-A still faces challenges, mainly on college campuses, where schools like Rider in New Jersey say the chain is unwelcome, based on its quote “corporate values.”  It all points to a larger question, says Stetzer: Can our society allow and perhaps even encourage businesses with diverse viewpoints that help to drive local economies?
He says, “At the end of the day, culture is going to have to decide, people in culture are going to have to decide, ‘Can we have people who have different views on marriage and sexuality, yet have a business, whether it be a Hobby Lobby or whether it be a Chick-fil-A or a Papa John’s Pizza, that have differences with the culture or must they be driven out of town?’”

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