Storage Winnipeg – Page 14

Dog Owners Live Longer, Healthier Lives

A new study of more than 3.4 million people finds that owning a dog is linked to a longer life. The research, published in Scientific Reports, is the latest in a growing body of research suggesting that canine companions may be good for human health—especially for people who live alone.

To study the link between dogs and longevity, researchers at Sweden’s Uppsala University reviewed national registry records of Swedish men and women, ages 40 to 80. They focused on 3.4 million people who had no history of cardiovascular disease in 2001, and followed their health records – as well as whether they registered as a dog owner – for about 12 years. Dog ownership registries are mandatory in Sweden, and every visit to a hospital is recorded in a national database.

Researchers found that dog owners had a lower risk of death due to cardiovascular disease than people who did not report owning a dog, as well as a lower risk of death from other causes. That was true even after adjusting for factors such as smoking, body mass index and socioeconomic status.

The protective effect was especially prominent for people living alone, who have been found to have a higher risk for early death than those who live with other people. People who lived alone with a dog had a 33% reduced risk of death, and an 11% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, than people who lived alone without a dog.

The study – with a sample size hundreds of times larger than any other studies on this topic – was not designed to show a cause-and-effect relationship between dog ownership and reduced risk of death or cardiovascular disease, or to determine why these factors may be related. It’s possible that people who choose to own dogs may simply be more active and in better health to begin with, say the authors.

But it’s also possible – and very likely, says senior author Tove Fall, a veterinarian and associate professor of epidemiology – that taking care of a dog prompts people to stay active and live a healthier lifestyle. “I have met numerous owners that are convinced that their pet has been instrumental for them, often in terms of social support,” says Fall. “As a dog owner, I also notice that the people I meet during walks are often other dog owners, especially in bad weather.”

Another possible explanation, he adds, could be a dog’s effect on its owner’s microbiome. Other studies have suggested that growing up with a dog in the house can decrease allergies and asthma in children, and Fall says that pets may provide immune-boosting benefits for adults as well. Studies have also suggested that dog owners have lower reactivity to stress and faster recovery of blood pressure following stressful events.

The study authors were surprised to find that people who owned dogs that were originally bred for hunting – like terriers, retrievers and scent hounds – were the most protected from heart disease and death. Because these dogs typically need more exercise than other breeds, their owners may be more likely to meet physical activity guidelines, they say.

Fall says the study’s results can be generalized to the entire Swedish population, and likely to other countries with similar living standards and culture regarding dog ownership.

Scientists can’t say that getting a dog will definitely help a person live longer, but Fall believes it’s not a bad idea. “I think that a pet brings a lot of joy and companionship into a house, so if a person has the capacity to take care of it, they certainly should,” she says. “There are numerous studies showing that dog owners get more physical activity, which could help to prolong a healthy life.”

Smile!

“Smile in the mirror. Do that every morning and you’ll start to see a big difference in your life,” Yoko Ono told us. Lots of other folks have things to say about a smile, too.

“Let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love,” Mother Teresa.

“Nothing you wear is more important than your smile,” Connie Stevens.

“Lighten up. Just enjoy life, smile more, laugh more, and don’t get so worked up about things,” Kenneth Branagh.

At Dino’s, we are giving you something to smile about – free use of our moving truck!

“Smile, it is the key that fits the lock of everybody’s heart,” Anthony J. D’Angelo.

“Your smile will give you a positive countenance that will make people feel comfortable around you,” Les Brown.

Our Dino’s moving truck is available without charge for four hours to our customers moving stuff in or out of our facility. Now that’s worth a smile!

“A smile is happiness you’ll find right under your nose,” Tom Wilson.

“I wake up every morning with a smile on my face, grateful for another day I never thought I’d see,” Dick Cheney.

“A smile is a curve that sets everything straight,” Phyllis Diller.

There’s no deposit needed to use our Dino’s van. The truck comes with a full tank of fuel, all you need do is bring it back full. One more reason to smile.

“The main thing you have to remember on this journey is just be nice to everyone and always smile,” Ed Sheeran.

“If you smile when no one else is around, you really mean it,” Andy Rooney.

“If the world’s a veil of tears, smile till rainbows span it,” Lucy Larson.

“Wrinkles will only go where the smiles have been,” Jimmy Buffett.

There are three catches to using a Dino’s truck – you must be at least 21 years old, have a valid driver’s license and proof of insurance. Trucks, just like smiles, are available at all Dino’s locations.

“Real men laugh at opposition; real men smile when enemies appear,” Marcus Garvey.

“Everyone looks so much better when they smile,” Jimmy Fallon.

“Wear a smile and have friends; wear a scowl and have wrinkles,” George Eliot.

“Show me a smile, and I’ll show you one back,” Vanilla Ice.

Dino’s gives you more reasons to smile – our trucks come with appliance and furniture dollies and moving pads.

“Dare, dream, dance, smile, and sing loudly! And have faith that love is an unstoppable force!” Suzanne Brockman.

“Smile, it instantly lifts the face, and it just lights up the room,” Christie Brinkley.

Why Some Names Are Banned

Sometimes a name simply is not permitted because it is obscene, could lead to bullying, violates cultural norms or just doesn’t seem right to a bureaucrat.

In many cases, you have to wonder what some parents were thinking. Who looks at their child and thinks Lucifer, iMac or Hitler might be the perfect name?

Governments around the world have taken it upon themselves to outlaw certain offensive, confusing or downright ridiculous baby names to save kids everywhere from decades of embarrassment, confusion and bullying.

We found no banned names in Canada. Perhaps the government is more tolerant of unusual names, or perhaps parents in Canada are more sensible than elsewhere.

In the United States, we found a couple examples of odd names, numbers actually, that were disallowed. New Jersey would not allow “50″ because it is a number, not a name, and California would not allow “III”, meaning three or third, because it is confusing. California also requires both a first and last name and only allows names written using the 26 letters of the alphabets – that is, no special characters, numbers or accents.

Offensive names are often banned. “Adolph Hitler,” for example is banned in Germany, Malaysia, Mexico and New Zealand. Germany also bars use of :Osama bin Laden” and Australia takes issue with “Bonghead.” The meaning of that one seems to mean somewone with a water pipe for a noggin.

Names considered obscene are no nos in a lot of places.

“Anal” is banned in New Zealand, “Anus” is banned in Denmark, “Panties,” “Shithead,” and “Virgin” are not allowed in Australia and “Woti” – meaning sexual instercourse – is banned in Malaysia.

Some governments will not allow names referring to the devil, to God or to titles of royalty or leaders.
In Japan, “Akuma” – meaning Devil – is not allowed. “Prince” is a no go in Saudia Arabia as is “Malek” – meaning king – and “Prophet”. “Prime Minister” and “God” are out in the Australian state of Victoria, as are Saint, Jesus, Bishop, Christ and Satan. New Zealand says no to “Lucifer.”

Governments draw the line at product names or brand names in some nations. Australia says no to “iMac” and “Ikea”, France tosses “Nutella” and Mexico’s state of Sonora boots “Facebook.”

Perhaps it would be easier for parents to stick with tried and true names like John, Mary, Joe, Jose, Maria and Ann.

Most Ubiquitous Letter in the English Language

This paragraph is abnormal. It contains an oddity, a linguistic quirk that you will find in no popular book or journal or script in any library. A crucial bit of vocabulary is missing (reading it aloud might help, but probably not). Can you spot our anomaly? And if you do, can you say what it is without spoiling it?

The answer is as plain as the nose on your face, or the cream in your coffee, or the vowels in your alphabet. The above paragraph is missing the most common letter in the English language: the letter E.

Readers Digest tells us that E is everywhere. In an analysis of all 240,000 entries in the Concise Oxford English Dictionary, OED editors found that the letter E appears in approximately 11% of all words in the common English vocabulary, about 6,000 more words than the runner-up letter, A. What’s more: E is the most commonly struck letter on your keyboard, and the second most popular key after the space bar. It’s one third of the single most-used word in English – ‘the’ – and appears in the most common English noun (‘time’), the most common verb (‘be’), in ubiquitous pronouns like he, she, me and we, not to mention tens of thousands of words ending in -ed and -es.

There’s a reason that scribes see composing prose without the letter E as one of the ultimate challenges in constrained writing. This hasn’t stopped masochistic wordsmiths from trying. Author Ernest Vincent Wright’s 1939 novel Gadsby, for example, contains some 50,000 words – none of them containing an E – while the 1969 French novel La Disparition has been translated into a dozen different languages, each edition omitting the most common letter in that language. The French and English versions successfully last 300 pages without the letter E; in Spanish, the letter A gets omitted, and in Russian, it’s O.

On the whole, most of the 5 full-time vowels (sometimes Y is a sixth) appear more frequently in English than most consonants, with a few exceptions. The most common consonants, Oxford’s analysis confirms, are R, T, N, S and L. The top ten most common letters in the Concise Oxford English Dictionary, and the percentage of words they appear in, are:

1. E – 11.1607%
2. A – 8.4966%
3. R – 7.5809%
4. I – 7.5448%
5. O – 7.1635%
6. T – 6.9509%
7. N – 6.6544%
8. S – 5.7351%
9. L – 5.4893%
10. C – 4.5388%

Haunted Places

Halloween is upon us, so it’s a perfect time to consider a few famous haunted places.

In Iowa, the Villisca ax murder house, is the best known. If you don’t know anything about this house, it looks like a normal old place on a residential street during the day. At night, however, when no lights or sounds can be seen or heard, you get a very different feeling. This is the “Murder House.” The walls still protect the identity of the murderer or murderers who bludgeoned to death the entire family of Josiah Moore and two overnight guests on June 10, 1912.

In Nebraska, the State Capitol building in Lincoln is said to be haunted by several ghosts as several tragic accidents have occurred there. Some have reported seeing a figure of a man falling. He is also heard screaming and crying. He is thought to have gotten sick and lost his balance while putting Christmas lights up. Other strange noises and mysterious voices have also been heard.

In Manitoba, the Fort Garry Hotel, particularly Room 202, has long been considered haunted. The old luxury hotel has been named one of Canada’s “most haunted” destinations by FlightNetwork.com, a travel website.
A woman apparently committed suicide Room 202 many years ago after hearing of the death of her husband in a car accident. Overcome with grief, she hung herself in the closet. Staff have reported seeing blood dripping down the walls upon entering the room, and guests have witnessed the apparition of a woman in a cloak hovering at the foot of their bed. The woman also is said to haunt the hotel lounge, where staff and guests have seen her, often crying in the corner.

Just Some Good News

True Love
A 93-year-old Georgia man proves that true love never dies. Four years ago, Clarence Purvis lost his wife of 64 years, Carolyn. But his affection for her remains on display for everyone in town to see at a daily lunch date he never misses.
Purvis takes a picture of his late wife and sets it up at the table with him during meals at Smith’s Restaurant in Reidsville, where he often ate with Carolyn. “Ain’t nobody loved one another more than me and my wife loved one another,” Purvis told local news station WTOC. “I wanted what she wanted and she wanted what I wanted.”

Hiker Carries Rooster 42 Miles to Safety
Heather Bolint was not expecting to rescue a rooster while fulfilling her lifelong dream of hiking the Appalachian Trail. The rooster, named Mason, also couldn’t have expected he’d find himself the absolute perfect rescuer. Mason was found about a half-mile north of the Mason Dixon line.
Bolint is an animal advocate. A few months ago, the 31-year-old left a job with The Humane League, working on farm animal protection measures, in order to hike the Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia. Still devoted, Bolint has been using this hike as a fundraiser for the animals. She’d completed 1,124 miles of her hike altogether, and was in Pennsylvania, when this very “fancy rooster,” as Bolint describes him, appeared out of nowhere.
The rooster in question was hanging around on the trail, about 30 feet from a rural road, with no houses nearby. Bolint sat on a log, while eating some snacks and waiting to see if the rooster would depart on his own or if he’d be collected by another person. Finally, holding the rooster close to her body, she proceeded along the trail and over then next 24 hours carried the rooster for 42 miles to Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia. There Bolint’s boyfriend, who works for another farm animal advocacy group, met them there with his car. He suggested reaching out to a farm animal sanctuary called Poplar Spring, located on 400 acres in western Maryland. There Mason has settled in well.

Anonymous Man Honors Victims
An anonymous man is just one of the hundreds of regulars who visit Maple’s, a Maine coffee shop known for its handmade baked goods and a staff who knows many of its customers by name. On a recent Saturday morning, a samaritan quietly asked to foot the bill for 59 people buying breakfast after he ordered his — one for each of the lives lost in the Las Vegas mass shooting on Oct. 1.
“This is a long-time customer of mine, who I know very well. He’s just a person that does good things for other people,” said Robin Ray, the owner and head baker of Maple’s, “He’s not a wealthy person but just someone who feels led to help others.”

ICU Grandpa Subs for Parents
When Mary Beth Brulotte’s son, Logan, was born 3½ months early and weighed a mere 1 pound, 15 ounces, she knew he would have to spend time in the intensive care unit. What the 33-year-old from LaGrange, Georgia, didn’t fully realize was how guilty she would feel leaving him alone in the hospital.
“Every mom pictures their baby in their crib all alone crying,” Brulotte said, noting that the drive from her home to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is two hours, her husband works a night shift and she has an 8-year-old daughter to care for, too. Those feelings disappeared in late September when she stumbled on David Deutchman cradling her sleeping baby at the hospital.
“I was heading in and was filled with anxiety. It was just wiped away when I saw him there holding Logan fast asleep,” she said. “He introduced himself as the ‘ICU grandpa’ and I thought, ‘Oh my God, this can’t be real. This man is like an angel.’ He said he heard Logan crying and asked the nurse if he could hold him and sing him to sleep.”
Deutchman, 82, has been volunteering at the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s ICUs for more than 12 years. On Tuesdays, he spends time with older children at the pediatric ICU, and on Thursdays he makes rounds at the neonatal ICU, where he holds babies whose parents can’t be with them that day.

Very Special Haircuts
Six-year-old Wyatt needed a haircut, but for children with autism, that can be harder than it looks. Fortunately, Franz Jakob and his vintage barber shop were there to help. Pictures of Jakob lying on the ground of his Canadian barbershop while cutting Wyatt’s hair have quickly spread, but the boy’s mother, Fauve Lafrenière, has been bringing him there since the store opened two years ago.
Now, Jakob often cuts hair for other children with autism. It may have something to do with his and the store’s old-school look. “My shop is completely vintage,” Jakob said of Authentischen Barbier, located in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec. “All the walls are jammed with photos and stuff from around here. I think that has a positive effect on the kids. Each time I’m doing it there are no tears, no screams. We enjoy it together. I think the atmosphere of the barbershop helps a lot. I really take my time doing it. I can take up to 90 minutes cutting hair for kids with special needs.”
There’s a certain order to things with Wyatt, according to Jakob. The young boy will wander around the store and occasionally lay down as Jakob follows, cutting his hair along the way.
Jakob, 45, has been cutting hair since he was 12. He used to charge $5 for a trim during lunch in high school; now he sees himself as a community leader. “I have a line each morning out my door,” said Jakob. “People drive three or four hours. I’m taking great pride in what I’m doing in my community.”

Robots Coming, Disruption Ahead

The march of the robots – Artificial Intelligence – into all aspects of society is under way. Robots are nondescript, intelligent machines programmed to mimic, and even surpass, the human capacity to recognize patterns and perform tasks. They do so by rapidly processing massive amounts of data as well as reading instant feedback from sensors, such as those that guide self-driving cars.

The WorldPost, a partnership of the Berggruen Institute and The Washington Post, has provided a look into the impact of AI, an impact already being felt in nearly every realm, from how we manufacture things and make a living, to the quality of our lives as we age. Advances in artificial intelligence are redefining warfare and reconfiguring the geopolitical balance.

The challenge is making smart policy choices that realize the promises of AI while containing the perils. Eliminating the drudgery of routine labor and enhancing energy efficiency in a warming climate are surely triumphs for humankind. The dissolution of privacy as individuals lose control over their personal information not so much.

The founding president of Google China, Kai-Fu Lee, dispels the idea that universal basic income, or UBI, is an optimal solution to the massive job displacement that the AI revolution is expected to unleash.

Kai-Fu heads the AI institute at the venture capital firm Sinovation Ventures. He says “Roughly half of all jobs will disappear in the next decade.” When robots and AI inevitably take over, he says, we cannot naively assume a government stipend alone “will be a catalyst for people to reinvent themselves professionally.” In order to truly turn this technological revolution into “a creative renaissance,” he writes from Beijing, we will instead need to capitalize on the human touch and focus on people-to-people interaction, because ultimately “only humans can create and come up with new innovations. AI…cannot think outside the box, and it can only optimize problems defined by humans.” Societies will have to bend to the new realities not only with a basic guarantee of subsistence, he says, but also with a new definition of the work ethic and a new valuation of social labor, such as elder care.

John Markoff worries that there won’t be enough humans to handle elder care and sees the elderly as the next frontier for AI. “Globally, the number of people over 80 will double by the middle of the century – almost half a billion people will fall into the neediest care category – and that percentage will increase by sevenfold by the end of this century,” he writes. “The dependency ratio – that proportion of humans who require care compared to those who can give care – is also increasing inexorably.”

Japan is leading the way in robots for elder care, Markoff says. Other aging nations, including China – a byproduct of decades of a now-abandoned one-child policy – as well as Europe and the U.S., lag behind and will inevitably have to follow suit, he says. For now, he says, as roboticist Rodney Brooks has suggested, “self-driving cars will be the first elder-care robots,” enabling old people to maintain their mobility when acute awareness of their surroundings and reaction time diminishes. Sensors that can track when an elderly person needs medical assistance are not far behind, followed by what Markoff calls “machines of loving grace” that will offer companionship for the old and isolated.

As with all great transformations, there is a geopolitical dimension as well. Whoever dominates AI, especially its military and security applications, will put their stamp on the world order. America has long held the delusion that it has a permanent advantage in leading technological innovation. But Eric Schmidt, chairman of Google’s parent company, Alphabet, says he expects China will surpass Silicon Valley in artificial intelligence advances in about a year.

Edward Tse explains why. “While so much of the world today lacks clear direction,” Tse writes from Shanghai, “China has an edge in its ability to combine strong, top-down government directive with vibrant grass-roots-level innovation. Beyond this, China has an abundance of data to train AI-learning algorithms because of its huge population of Internet users – more than 700 million. China’s thriving mobile Internet ecosystem also provides a test bed for AI researchers to collect and analyze valuable demographics and transactional and behavioral big data and to conduct large-scale experiments at a much higher level than foreign counterparts.”

Beware to the winner. Big data analysis through the prowess of intelligent machines introduces a host of threats – not least of which is the unsettling reality that where there is connectivity, there is also surveillance. The more we know or learn though connected networks, the more that is known and learned about us. The communication technologies we use today are invasive by design, collecting our photos, comments and friends in giant searchable databases. In the West, private companies intrude on privacy to monetize personal data. In China, the security state is well on its way to becoming an all-seeing Big Brother.

Technological change would not gain momentum if it was not in some way responsive to the demands of society. In the end, who defines those needs and desires will determine whether fulfilling them is good or bad for society as a whole. For now, unless or until they acquire “general intelligence,” robots and AI remain bound to the humans who design them.

World’s 100 Most Valuable Brands

Apple, Honda, GE – these are just three of the brands familiar to consumers around the world. Brand names, though intangible assets, can be worth billions of dollars.

Generally, brand valuations are based on three factors: how well a brand is known, how well it is regarded and how much it contributes to the parent company’s financial success. Most of the brands on the list compled by 24/7 Wall St. exhibit strength across all of these categories.

The majority of the 100 brands are household names in Canada and the United States. Tens of millions of consumers in these nations either use or own products of all of the brands at the very top of the list. These brands also generate tens of billions of dollars in revenue for their parent companies each year.

Some companies are synonymous with their brands. McDonald’s, with a brand valuation of $41.5 billion is an example of this. The fast food company does not have any other major brands. Brands and companies are not interchangeable terms. Companies often own more than one brand on this list. For example, the Volkswagen Group flagship brand, Volkswagen, is worth $11.5 billion. Its Audi luxury brand is worth $12.0 billion. Its Porsche ultra-luxury brand is worth $10.1 billion. Coca-Cola, the fourth most valuable brand on the list at $69.7 billion is owned by The Coca-Cola Company, which also owns more than a dozen other brands, including Sprite and Fresca.

Here’s the list:

1. Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL)
Brand value: $184.2 billion
YoY change in value: 3%
Parent company: Apple Inc.
Parent company revenue: $215.6 billion
Industry: Technology

2. Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL)
Brand value: $141.7 billion
YoY change in value: 6%
Parent company: Alphabet Inc.
Parent company revenue: $90.3 billion
Industry: Technology

3. Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT)
Brand value: $80.0 billion
YoY change in value: 10%
Parent company: Microsoft Corporation
Parent company revenue: $85.3 billion
Industry: Technology

4. Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO)
Brand value: $69.7 billion
YoY change in value: -5%
Parent company: The Coca-Cola Company
Parent company revenue: $41.9 billion
Industry: Beverages

5. Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN)
Brand value: $64.8 billion
YoY change in value: 29%
Parent company: Amazon.com, Inc.
Parent company revenue: $136.0 billion
Industry: Retail

6. Samsung
Brand value: $56.2 billion
YoY change in value: 9%
Parent company: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Parent company revenue: $176.2 billion
Industry: Technology

7. Toyota (NYSE: TM)
Brand value: $50.3 billion
YoY change in value: -6%
Parent company: Toyota Motor Corporation
Parent company revenue: $244.5 billion
Industry: Automotive

8. Facebook (NASDAQ: FB)
Brand value: $48.2 billion
YoY change in value: 48%
Parent company: Facebook, Inc.
Parent company revenue: $27.6 billion
Industry: Technology

9. Mercedes-Benz
Brand value: $47.8 billion
YoY change in value: 10%
Parent company: Daimler
Parent company revenue: $180.1 billion
Industry: Automotive

10. IBM (NYSE: IBM)
Brand value: $46.8 billion
YoY change in value: -11%
Parent company: International Business Machines Corporation
Parent company revenue: $79.9 billion
Industry: Business Services

11. GE (NYSE: GE)
Brand value: $44.2 billion
YoY change in value: 3%
Parent company: General Electric Company
Parent company revenue: $123.7 billion
Industry: Diversified

12. McDonald’s (NYSE: MCD)
Brand value: $41.5 billion
YoY change in value: 5%
Parent company: McDonald’s Corporation
Parent company revenue: $24.6 billion
Industry: Restaurants

13. BMW
Brand value: $41.5 billion
YoY change in value: 0%
Parent company: BMW Group
Parent company revenue: $110.6 billion
Industry: Automotive

14. Disney (NYSE: DIS)
Brand value: $40.8 billion
YoY change in value: 5%
Parent company: The Walt Disney Company
Parent company revenue: $55.6 billion
Industry: Media

15. Intel (NASDAQ: INTC)
Brand value: $39.5 billion
YoY change in value: 7%
Parent company: Intel Corporation
Parent company revenue: $59.4 billion
Industry: Technology

16. Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO)
Brand value: $31.9 billion
YoY change in value: 3%
Parent company: Cisco Systems, Inc.
Parent company revenue: $49.2 billion
Industry: Technology

17. Oracle (NYSE: ORCL)
Brand value: $27.5 billion
YoY change in value: 3%
Parent company: Oracle Corporation
Parent company revenue: $37.7 billion
Industry: Technology

18. Nike (NYSE: NKE)
Brand value: $27.0 billion
YoY change in value: 8%
Parent company: Nike, Inc.
Parent company revenue: $34.4 billion
Industry: Sporting Goods

19. Louis Vuitton
Brand value: $22.9 billion
YoY change in value: -4%
Parent company: LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton S.E.
Parent company revenue: $44.2 billion
Industry: Luxury

20. Honda (NYSE: HMC)
Brand value: $22.7 billion
YoY change in value: 3%
Parent company: Honda Motor Company, Ltd.
Parent company revenue: $124.3 billion
Industry: Automotive

21. SAP (NYSE: SAP)
Brand value: $22.6 billion
YoY change in value: 6%
Parent company: SAP SE
Parent company revenue: $25.9 billion
Industry: Technology

22. Pepsi (NYSE: PEP)
Brand value: $20.5 billion
YoY change in value: 1%
Parent company: Pepsico, Inc.
Parent company revenue: $62.8 billion
Industry: Beverages

23. H&M
Brand value: $20.5 billion
YoY change in value: -10%
Parent company: H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB
Parent company revenue: $23.6 billion
Industry: Apparel

24. Zara
Brand value: $18.6 billion
YoY change in value: 11%
Parent company: Inditex
Parent company revenue: $27.4 billion
Industry: Apparel

25. IKEA
Brand value: $18.5 billion
YoY change in value: 4%
Parent company: IKEA Group
Parent company revenue: $41.2 billion
Industry: Retail

26. Gillette (NYSE: PG)
Brand value: $18.2 billion
YoY change in value: -9%
Parent company: The Procter & Gamble Company
Parent company revenue: $65.1 billion
Industry: FMCG

27. American Express (NYSE: AXP)
Brand value: $17.8 billion
YoY change in value: -3%
Parent company: American Express Company
Parent company revenue: $33.8 billion
Industry: Financial Services

28. Pampers (NYSE: PG)
Brand value: $16.4 billion
YoY change in value: 2%
Parent company: The Procter & Gamble Company
Parent company revenue: $65.1 billion
Industry: FMCG

29. UPS (NYSE: UPS)
Brand value: $16.4 billion
YoY change in value: 7%
Parent company: United Parcel Service, Inc.
Parent company revenue: $60.9 billion
Industry: Logistics

30. J.P. Morgan (NYSE: JPM)
Brand value: $15.7 billion
YoY change in value: 11%
Parent company: J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.
Parent company revenue: $95.7 billion
Industry: Financial Services

31. Budweiser (NYSE: BUD)
Brand value: $15.4 billion
YoY change in value: 2%
Parent company: Anheuser-Busch Inbev S.A.
Parent company revenue: $45.5 billion
Industry: Alcohol

32. Hermès
Brand value: $14.2 billion
YoY change in value: 11%
Parent company: Hermès International S.A.
Parent company revenue: $6.1 billion
Industry: Luxury

33. Ford (NYSE: F)
Brand value: $13.6 billion
YoY change in value: 5%
Parent company: Ford Motor Company
Parent company revenue: $151.8 billion
Industry: Automotive

34. eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY)
Brand value: $13.2 billion
YoY change in value: 1%
Parent company: eBay Inc.
Parent company revenue: $9.0 billion
Industry: Retail

35. Hyundai
Brand value: $13.2 billion
YoY change in value: 5%
Parent company: Hyundai Motor Company
Parent company revenue: $81.9 billion
Industry: Automotive

36. NESCAFÉ
Brand value: $12.7 billion
YoY change in value: 1%
Parent company: Nestlé
Parent company revenue: $91.9 billion
Industry: Beverages

37. Accenture (NYSE: ACN)
Brand value: $12.5 billion
YoY change in value: 4%
Parent company: Accenture Plc
Parent company revenue: $32.9 billion
Industry: Business Services

38. Audi
Brand value: $12.0 billion
YoY change in value: 2%
Parent company: Volkswagen Group
Parent company revenue: $255.2 billion
Industry: Automotive

39. Nissan
Brand value: $11.5 billion
YoY change in value: 4%
Parent company: Nissan Motor Co., LTD.
Parent company revenue: $103.9 billion
Industry: Automotive

40. Volkswagen
Brand value: $11.5 billion
YoY change in value: 1%
Parent company: Volkswagen Group
Parent company revenue: $255.2 billion
Industry: Automotive

41. Philips (NYSE: PHG)
Brand value: $11.5 billion
YoY change in value: 2%
Parent company: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
Parent company revenue: $28.8 billion
Industry: Electronics

42. AXA
Brand value: $11.1 billion
YoY change in value: 5%
Parent company: AXA
Parent company revenue: $177.7 billion
Industry: Financial Services

43. Kellogg’s (NYSE: K)
Brand value: $11.0 billion
YoY change in value: -6%
Parent company: Kellogg Company
Parent company revenue: $13.0 billion
Industry: FMCG

44. Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS)
Brand value: $10.9 billion
YoY change in value: 16%
Parent company: The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
Parent company revenue: $30.6 billion
Industry: Financial Services

45. L’Oréal
Brand value: $10.7 billion
YoY change in value: -2%
Parent company: L’Oréal
Parent company revenue: $29.2 billion
Industry: FMCG

46. Citi (NYSE: C)
Brand value: $10.6 billion
YoY change in value: 3%
Parent company: Citigroup Inc.
Parent company revenue: $62.6 billion
Industry: Financial Services

47. HSBC (NYSE: HSBC)
Brand value: $10.5 billion
YoY change in value: 1%
Parent company: HSBC Holdings plc
Parent company revenue: $44.6 billion
Industry: Financial Services

48. Porsche
Brand value: $10.1 billion
YoY change in value: 6%
Parent company: Volkswagen Group
Parent company revenue: $255.2 billion
Industry: Automotive

49. Allianz
Brand value: $10.1 billion
YoY change in value: 6%
Parent company: Allianz SE
Parent company revenue: $143.8 billion
Industry: Financial Services

50. Siemens
Brand value: $10.0 billion
YoY change in value: 6%
Parent company: Siemens AG
Parent company revenue: $93.6 billion
Industry: Diversified

51. Gucci
Brand value: $10.0 billion
YoY change in value: 6%
Parent company: Kering Group
Parent company revenue: $14.6 billion
Industry: Luxury

52. Canon (NYSE: CAJ)
Brand value: $9.8 billion
YoY change in value: -12%
Parent company: Canon Inc.
Parent company revenue: $30.2 billion
Industry: Electronics

53. HP (NYSE: HPE)
Brand value: $9.5 billion
YoY change in value: -8%
Parent company: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company
Parent company revenue: $50.1 billion
Industry: Technology

54. Danone
Brand value: $9.3 billion
YoY change in value: 1%
Parent company: Danone
Parent company revenue: $25.8 billion
Industry: FMCG

55. Adidas
Brand value: $9.2 billion
YoY change in value: 17%
Parent company: Adidas AG
Parent company revenue: $22.7 billion
Industry: Sporting Goods

56. Adobe (NASDAQ: ADBE)
Brand value: $9.1 billion
YoY change in value: 19%
Parent company: Adobe Systems Incorporated
Parent company revenue: $5.9 billion
Industry: Technology

57. Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE: HPE)
Brand value: $9.0 billion
YoY change in value: -19%
Parent company: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company
Parent company revenue: $50.1 billion
Industry: Technology

58. 3M (NYSE: MMM)
Brand value: $8.9 billion
YoY change in value: 9%
Parent company: 3M Company
Parent company revenue: $30.1 billion
Industry: Diversified

59. Nestlé
Brand value: $8.7 billion
YoY change in value: 0%
Parent company: Nestlé
Parent company revenue: $92.0 billion
Industry: FMCG

60. Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX)
Brand value: $8.7 billion
YoY change in value: 16%
Parent company: Starbucks Corporation
Parent company revenue: $21.3 billion
Industry: Restaurants

61. Sony (NYSE: SNE)
Brand value: $8.5 billion
YoY change in value: 2%
Parent company: Sony Corporation
Parent company revenue: $57.1 billion
Industry: Electronics

62. Colgate (NYSE: CL)
Brand value: $8.3 billion
YoY change in value: -1%
Parent company: Colgate-Palmolive Company
Parent company revenue: $15.2 billion
Industry: FMCG

63. Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS)
Brand value: $8.2 billion
YoY change in value: 14%
Parent company: Morgan Stanley
Parent company revenue: $34.6 billion
Industry: Financial Services

64. Visa (NYSE: V)
Brand value: $7.8 billion
YoY change in value: 1%
Parent company: Visa Inc.
Parent company revenue: $15.1 billion
Industry: Financial Services

65. Cartier
Brand value: $7.5 billion
YoY change in value: -2%
Parent company: Compagnie Financière Richemont S.A.
Parent company revenue: $12.5 billion
Industry: Luxury

66. Thomson Reuters (NYSE: TRI)
Brand value: $7.1 billion
YoY change in value: 4%
Parent company: Thomson Reuters Corp
Parent company revenue: $11.2 billion
Industry: Media

67. LEGO
Brand value: $7.0 billion
YoY change in value: 5%
Parent company: The Lego Group
Parent company revenue: $6.0 billion
Industry: FMCG

68. Santander
Brand value: $6.7 billion
YoY change in value: 8%
Parent company: Santander Bank
Parent company revenue: $51.6 billion
Industry: Financial Services

69. Kia
Brand value: $6.7 billion
YoY change in value: 6%
Parent company: Hyundai Motor Company
Parent company revenue: $81.9 billion
Industry: Automotive

70. Huawei
Brand value: $6.7 billion
YoY change in value: 14%
Parent company: Huawei Culture Co., Ltd.
Parent company revenue: $78.5 billion
Industry: Technology

71. Mastercard (NYSE: MA)
Brand value: $6.4 billion
YoY change in value: 11%
Parent company: Mastercard Incorporated
Parent company revenue: $10.8 billion
Industry: Financial Services

72. FedEx (NYSE: FDX)
Brand value: $6.3 billion
YoY change in value: 12%
Parent company: FedEx Corporation
Parent company revenue: $60.3 billion
Industry: Logistics

73. Land Rover (NYSE: TTM)
Brand value: $6.1 billion
YoY change in value: 7%
Parent company: Tata Motors Ltd.
Parent company revenue: $32.2 billion
Industry: Automotive

74. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ)
Brand value: $6.0 billion
YoY change in value: 4%
Parent company: Johnson & Johnson
Parent company revenue: $71.9 billion
Industry: FMCG

75. Panasonic
Brand value: $6.0 billion
YoY change in value: -6%
Parent company: Panasonic Corporation
Parent company revenue: $65.1 billion
Industry: Electronics

76. DHL
Brand value: $5.7 billion
YoY change in value: 0%
Parent company: Deutsche Post DHL Group
Parent company revenue: $67.4 billion
Industry: Logistics

77. Harley-Davidson (NYSE: HOG)
Brand value: $5.7 billion
YoY change in value: 3%
Parent company: Harley-Davidson, Inc.
Parent company revenue: $6.0 billion
Industry: Automotive

78. Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX)
Brand value: $5.6 billion
YoY change in value: 0%
Parent company: Netflix, Inc.
Parent company revenue: $8.8 billion
Industry: Media

79. Discovery (NASDAQ: DISCB)
Brand value: $5.4 billion
YoY change in value: -9%
Parent company: Discovery Communications, Inc.
Parent company revenue: $6.5 billion
Industry: Media

80. PayPal (NASDAQ: PYPL)
Brand value: $5.4 billion
YoY change in value: 12%
Parent company: PayPal Holdings, Inc.
Parent company revenue: $10.8 billion
Industry: Financial Services

81. Tiffany & Co. (NYSE: TIF)
Brand value: $5.4 billion
YoY change in value: -6%
Parent company: Tiffany & Co.
Parent company revenue: $4.0 billion
Industry: Luxury

82. Jack Daniel’s (NYSE: BF-B)
Brand value: $5.3 billion
YoY change in value: 3%
Parent company: Brown-Forman Corporation
Parent company revenue: $3.9 billion
Industry: Alcohol

83. KFC (NYSE: YUM)
Brand value: $5.3 billion
YoY change in value: -7%
Parent company: Yum! Brands, Inc.
Parent company revenue: $6.4 billion
Industry: Restaurants

84. Salesforce.com (NYSE: CRM)
Brand value: $5.2 billion
YoY change in value: 0%
Parent company: Salesforce.com Inc
Parent company revenue: $8.4 billion
Industry: Technology

85. Heineken
Brand value: $5.2 billion
YoY change in value: 1%
Parent company: Heineken International
Parent company revenue: $24.5 billion
Industry: Alcohol

86. Burberry
Brand value: $5.1 billion
YoY change in value: -4%
Parent company: Burberry Group Plc
Parent company revenue: $3.7 billion
Industry: Luxury

87. MINI
Brand value: $5.1 billion
YoY change in value: 3%
Parent company: BMW Group
Parent company revenue: $110.6 billion
Industry: Automotive

88. Ferrari (NYSE: RACE)
Brand value: $4.9 billion
YoY change in value: 0%
Parent company: Ferrari N.V.
Parent company revenue: $3.7 billion
Industry: Automotive

89. Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT)
Brand value: $4.9 billion
YoY change in value: -10%
Parent company: Caterpillar, Inc.
Parent company revenue: $38.5 billion
Industry: Diversified

90. Sprite (NYSE: KO)
Brand value: $4.8 billion
YoY change in value: -6%
Parent company: The Coca-Cola Company
Parent company revenue: $41.9 billion
Industry: Beverages

91. Shell (NYSE: RDS-B)
Brand value: $4.8 billion
YoY change in value: 5%
Parent company: Royal Dutch Shell Plc
Parent company revenue: $233.6 billion
Industry: Energy

92. John Deere (NYSE: DE)
Brand value: $4.8 billion
YoY change in value: -1%
Parent company: Deere & Company
Parent company revenue: $26.6 billion
Industry: Diversified

93. Corona (NYSE: BUD)
Brand value: $4.8 billion
YoY change in value: 6%
Parent company: Anheuser-Busch Inbev S.A.
Parent company revenue: $45.5 billion
Industry: Alcohol

94. Prada
Brand value: $4.7 billion
YoY change in value: -14%
Parent company: Prada Holding B.V.
Parent company revenue: $3.7 billion
Industry: Luxury

95. Dior
Brand value: $4.6 billion
YoY change in value: -7%
Parent company: Christian Dior S.E.
Parent company revenue: $44.6 billion
Industry: Luxury

96. Johnnie Walker (NYSE: DEO)
Brand value: $4.4 billion
YoY change in value: 2%
Parent company: Diageo Plc
Parent company revenue: $16.0 billion
Industry: Alcohol

97. Smirnoff (NYSE: DEO)
Brand value: $4.3 billion
YoY change in value: 1%
Parent company: Diageo Plc
Parent company revenue: $16.0 billion
Industry: Alcohol

98. Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA)
Brand value: $4.0 billion
YoY change in value: 0%
Parent company: Tesla, Inc.
Parent company revenue: $7.0 billion
Industry: Automotive

99. Moët & Chandon
Brand value: $4.0 billion
YoY change in value: -3%
Parent company: LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton S.E.
Parent company revenue: $44.2 billion
Industry: Alcohol

100. Lenovo
Brand value: $4.0 billion
YoY change in value: -1%
Parent company: Legend Holdings
Parent company revenue: $43.0 billion
Industry: Technology

Death Trap Faces Casual-Dining Industry

Brands across the sit-down, casual-dining industry are trying to claw their way out of a death trap. Their mistake – failing to attract millennials, the generation born from the early 1980s to the early 2000s.

Chains like Ruby Tuesday, Applebee’s, TGI Friday’s, Buffalo Wild Wings and Chili’s are trying to claw their way out of the casual-dining death trap. All are facing sales slumps and dozens of restaurant closures.

Ruby Tuesday has announced that it will be bought by private-equity firm NRD Capital after four straight years of declining sales.

Fast-casual chains like Chipotle and Shake Shack are on the rise. People are gravitating towards independent restaurants. And, there are simply too many restaurants open in the U.S., with some worrying that the nation is “over-retailed” and “over-restauranted.” Yet casual dining’s biggest failure has been its inability to win over younger millennial customers.

“In terms of casual dining, a lot of it kind of comes down to the brands that are just kind of dated,” Wedbush analyst Colin Radke told Business Insider earlier this year. “Millennial consumers are more attracted than their elders to cooking at home, ordering delivery from restaurants and eating quickly, in fast-casual or quick-serve restaurants,” Buffalo Wild Wings CEO Sally Smith wrote in a letter to shareholders earlier in May.

Smith is stepping down as CEO at the end of the year, after a months-long battle with activist investors over the chain’s declining sales and business strategy.

Applebee’s has announced plans to close between 105 and 135 locations this year. John Cywinski, Applebee’s brand president, said in a call with investors that the closures follow the chain’s failed attempts to win over millennials.

“In my perspective, this pursuit led to decisions that created confusion among core guests, as Applebee’s intentionally drifted from what I’ll call its ‘Middle America’ roots and its abundant value position,” Cywinski said. “While we certainly hope to extend our reach, we can’t alienate Boomers or Gen-Xers in the process.”

Much of the casual-dining industry is in crisis mode, pulling out all the stops to win over millennials, budget shoppers or some combination of the two. TGI Fridays is testing booze delivery. Chili’s cut 40% of its menu items and Applebee’s is going all-out on a $1 margarita promotion.

Winning over millennials isn’t optional – it’s a life-or-death proposition for casual-dining chains.

Age Has Its Privileges and Discounts

Age has its privileges and a goodly variety of discounts. Starting at age 50, the minimum age for AARP membership, seniors may cash in on numerous deals just for being born on or before the date required for the bargain. Simply flash an ID to collect on most discounts. Some discounts apply only to AARP members and some are offered only by select chain franchisees.

AMC – Senior tickets for moviegoers 60 and up cost less than regular admission at AMC movie theaters.

AMTRAK – Hop aboard. Amtrak tickets go for 15 percent less off the lowest fare to travelers who are at least 62 years old.

ANCESTRY WORLD EXPLORER – AARP members eager to dig deep into their roots get a 30 percent price cut on an annual subscription (regularly $299) to Ancestry World Explorer.

BEST WESTERN – Room rates drop at least 10 percent at Best Western for AARP members and guests 55 and up when reserving online or with a company representative.

BONEFISH GRILL – Fans of fresh fish and wood-grilled meats who also belong to AARP get to enjoy their meal, minus alcoholic beverages, at a 15 percent savings at Bonefish Grill.

BUDGET – AARP members can rent a truck from Budget on Sunday through Thursday and save 20 percent, or opt for Friday or Saturday and save 10 percent.

CARRABBA’S – At Carrabba’s Italian Grill, AARP members can save 10% off their entire dining bill everyday (excluding alcohol, applicable taxes, and gratuity).

CHOICE HOTELS – Choice Hotels, which includes Quality Inn, Sleep Inn and Comfort Inn, shaves room fees up to 10 percent for AARP members or travelers age 60 and older. Advance reservations required.

CONSUMER CELLULAR – Consumer Cellular’s deal for AARP members includes rates as low as $10 a month with a 5 percent monthly discount and a 30 percent reduction on accessories.

DENNY’S – Denny’s offers a special menu with lower prices for guests 55 and older.

DRESSBARN – Dressbarn’s senior discount of 10 percent goes to shoppers age 62 and up for in-store purchases on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, depending on the store.

DUNKIN’ DONUTS – AARP members score at Dunkin’ Donuts when purchasing a large or extra-large beverage. The winnings: a free donut.

GOODWILL – Wednesdays are Senior Day at Goodwill, when customers age 55 and up enjoy 20 percent savings.

GRAND CANYON RAILWAY AND HOTEL – AARP members enjoy a 15 percent discount on travel and lodging at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel, including the RV park and a two-night “Canyon Explorer” package.

HILTON – Hilton Worldwide offers up to 10 percent off stays at Hilton Hotels Resorts, DoubleTree, Hampton, Hilton Garden Inn, Waldorf Astoria, Embassy Suites, Conrad Hotels Resorts, and other properties owned by the hospitality chain.

HYATT – Hyatt offers senior guests with advance reservations a discount worth up to 50 percent at the brand’s hotels in the Lower 48 and Canada.

IHOP – No need for a coupon at IHOP. A special menu of pancakes, eggs, and French toast is already discounted for senior diners, starting at age 55.

KOHL’S – Starting at age 55, Kohl’s shoppers can show an ID to claim a 15 percent discount on Wednesdays at this department store chain.

LA QUINTA INNS AND SUITES – La Quinta Inns Suites offers AARP members up to 10 percent off room rates, as well as discounts for guests 65 and older.

LENSCRAFTERS – LensCrafters marks down a lenses and frame combo, including prescription sunglasses, by 30 percent for AARP members. Order a pair of Transitions lenses with a frame and save 40 percent.

MARRIOTT – Guests at Marriott hotels save at least 15 percent on room rates worldwide once they’ve reached the age of 62.

MCCORMICK AND SCHMICK’S – Seafood restaurant McCormick Schmick’s gives AARP members 10 percent off food, non-alcoholic beverages, and retail merchandise for up to five guests.

MICHAELS – Hobbyists age 55 and older qualify for a 10 percent price reduction every day at Michaels, the arts and crafts retailer.

MOTEL 6 – Motel 6 gives AARP members a 10 percent price cut in addition to free Wi-Fi and a late checkout at 2 p.m.

OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE – At Outback Steakhouse, seniors with an AARP membership get a 15 percent discount off the tab for lunch or dinner, minus alcoholic beverages, as long as the order isn’t placed online. Some locations may not participate.

PEARLE VISION – Present an AARP membership card at Pearle Vision and pay 30 percent less for a complete pair of glasses (lenses and frames) and up to 20 percent on contact lenses.

RAMADA – Ramada hotel customers age 60 and older are entitled to 10 percent off the best available rate at participating locations.

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES – Travelers age 65 and older are eligible for fare savings and fully refundable tickets on Southwest Airlines.

STARWOOD HOTELS AND RESORTS – The Starwood family of hotels and resorts, including Sheraton and Westin, grant AARP members reductions of 5 to 15 percent off the best available rate.

SUPER 8 – Participating Super 8 hotels discount rooms by 10 percent off the best available rate for guests 60 and older.

UNITED AIRLINES – United Airlines offers reduced fares to select destinations for passengers 65 and older. Ask for details when booking a flight or select the “seniors” category when booking on the company site.

VERIZON WIRELESS – The Nationwide 65 Plus program at Verizon Wireless entitles existing customers 65 and older to 200 minutes for $29.99 a month.