NEW YORK – Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. will give Howard Stern 34 million shares of stock, worth about $220 million at today’s prices, because the company has met agreed-upon targets for gaining new subscribers under its 2004 deal with the shock jock. In a regulatory filing Thursday, Sirius said its subscriber count as of Dec. 31, 2005, exceeded the target it had agreed upon with Stern in October 2004, when it made a five-year deal with him. At the time, Sirius said its deal with Stern would be worth about $100 million per year beginning in 2006. The 34.4 million shares were worth about $110 million then, but the stock has roughly doubled. The increase has given Stern a windfall of about $100 million to date. Stern will begin his new show on Sirius on Monday. He left his longtime employer, Infinity Broadcasting, which has been renamed CBS Radio, a unit of CBS Corp. 160Want local news?Sign up for the Localist and stay informed Something went wrong. Please try again.subscribeCongratulations! You’re all set! AD Quality Auto 360p 720p 1080p Top articles1/5READ MORECoach Doc Rivers a “fan” from way back of Jazz’s Jordan Clarkson Last month the former president of an accounting firm that Stern used pleaded guilty to insider trading in Sirius shares before the news of Stern’s move to Sirius was made public. Gary D. Herwitz, 50, formerly of Mahoney Cohen & Co., faces up to 16 months in prison at his sentencing in March. Sirius and its rival, Washington, D.C.-based XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc., have been spending heavily to line up programming and to lure subscribers to paid radio services, which work around the country and carry more than 100 channels of talk programming and commercial-free music. Both services cost $12.95 per month and require special radio receivers. New York-based Sirius didn’t disclose what subscriber target had been set with Stern, but also announced Thursday that it finished 2005 with more than 3.3 million subscribers, triple the number at the end of 2004. XM said Wednesday that it now has more than 6 million subscribers. Separately, Sirius also announced Thursday that, along with Playboy Enterprises Inc., it would start a new 24-hour channel early this year with programming including live call-in shows, talks with Playboy founder Hugh Hefner and broadcasts from the Playboy Mansion. Shares of Sirius rose 3 cents to close at $6.39 Thursday on the Nasdaq, while XM shares fell 55 cents, or 2 percent, to close at $27.29. read more

Click HERE if you’re unable to view the gallery on your mobile device.SAN JOSE — Doug Wilson didn’t need to pull off a blockbuster trade this time around. The Vegas Golden Knights provided more than enough fuel to lift the Sharks out of their doldrums.Brent Burns snapped the Sharks seven-game losing streak at SAP Center on Saturday by blasting in a one-timer from Logan Couture just 22 seconds into overtime. In doing so, he made sure that his team avoided its longest losing streak since … read more

So was “Hard Knocks: Training Camp With the Oakland Raiders” a big hit for HBO — or flop?It probably depends on who you ask.The annual fly-on-the-wall series produced by NFL Films finished its five-week run on Tuesday with mixed reviews from fans, TV critics and NFL observers. As for the audience, HBO and Nielsen report that an estimated 749,000 viewers watched the finale — a 13 percent increase over the previous week’s audience of 664,000.But you have to be careful with ratings reports … read more

Share Facebook Twitter Google + LinkedIn Pinterest CornCorn showed signs of life with hot and dry weather forecasted throughout the Midwest the next two weeks. Realistically prolonged dry weather is necessary for a significant rally since subsoil moisture has been plentiful. Trend line yields are definitely still possible. Two good rains (one after Father’s Day and another after the 4th) is really all it takes to have a great crop.The downhill slide of beansBeans have dropped nearly $1.50 off their high earlier this year. Many traders expected beans to rally like last year, but this didn’t happen for at least two reasons.Significant palm oil reductions due to El Niño last year forced China to grind more soybeans earlier this year. This caused an overabundance of soymeal sitting in storage right now. With palm oil production back to normal levels there is less demand for soy oil and with plenty of soymeal in storage there is no increased push for soybeans.This year the South American harvest was large, unlike last year’s that was plagued with production issues. There is significant competition for bean buyers this year.Combine this with all the beans still in storage, and the possibility of a rally has declined over the last few months. I suspected this might happen and sold most of my 2017 beans when prices were at profitable levels earlier this year. While weather is still a wildcard, I’m glad I did.Earlier this year I sat in a meeting hosted by a large grain company. Farmers were “scratching their heads” over the high futures prices, because considering market conditions, beans seemed overpriced. When asked if anyone was selling, most said they would sell some, but most were going to hold out for $12+, like the year before. Unfortunately this year, $12 didn’t happen.In my opinion, sometimes it just pays to sell when prices are profitable and the market doesn’t make any sense. My current bean positionI often describe the rationale and detail behind individual trades I make throughout the year. Since normally these trades only represent about 5% to 10% of my actual production for a given year, it’s difficult to understand my overall position. Farmers should always roll up all of their trades to determine overall positions. So, in an effort of full transparency, I’m sharing my current positions. POSITION – BEANS20162017Beans Sold100%100%CBOT Price$9.30$9.75Market Carry$.30 est$.30 estBasis on Farm($.40) est($.30) estCash Price$9.20 est$9.75 est Notes: my ‘16 bean position is completely tied up in a futures position. I have no options in place or basis set for the ’16 beans. My 2017 price is a combination of futures and options with the worst case scenario shown (best case scenario is near $10.10). The 2017 market carry and basis estimates are what I’m expecting to receive right now.Is your breakeven point too low?Recently I heard an analyst tell farmers to determine their breakeven points and when the market gets to that price, farmers should sell some corn. In my opinion, this isn’t necessarily good advice. What if 3 different farmers have breakeven points at $3.75, $4.10, $4.50 (on futures)? Considering prices in the last year, only two of these farmers would have priced corn and the farmer with a $4.50 breakeven wouldn’t have priced any of their corn for the last two years.What is the average breakeven for farmers?The Universities of Iowa and Illinois published that a “typical” farmer’s breakeven is about $4.20. Their values for seed, chemicals, fertilizer, etc. were close to what I see farmers spending throughout the Midwest.They also used custom rates for equipment costs, which I also recommend. However, this is where I see many farmers cheat. Often farmers use their equipment loans applied to their acres, which can be misleading. Applying more acres to equipment adds more hours on the machine. When it’s time to trade, a combine with 600 hours is worth more than one with 900 hours, so those additional hours need to factor into the equipment costs. That’s why using custom rates for equipment costs is the more accurate estimate.Most banks also suggest farmers include cost of living expenses in their breakeven and I agree. Farmers don’t have to farm. They could work elsewhere, even if it’s part-time, so this cost needs to be considered.Finally, the value of the land must be included in the breakeven. This is where farmers short themselves the most. Farmers who purchased land before 2007 have seen a significant increase in value. While loan payments haven’t increased, taxes most likely have but that increase is small in the large picture. So, I think the most accurate estimate for land value is to use the going rate for land rent in the area. For instance, if a farmer’s loan + tax payment is $150 per acre, but a nearby farmer is willing to pay $250/acre to rent the land, then the $250/acre should be used when determining the breakeven number (not $150). Even though you may not want to, you could rent your ground to a neighbor and remove the added risk of being a farmer. Most farmers don’t think this way, but they should. As the saying goes, the goal is to work smarter, not harder.Adding all of these inputs together, the average farmer usually has a breakeven of $4 to $4.20 on a futures level.What about basis?This is a factor, but for simplicity of this article I’m only talking in futures prices. While basis does vary across the Midwest (i.e. Ohio is usually +.10-.20, Iowa and Illinois is usually zero, Nebraska may be -.40 and South Dakota may be -.70). Ultimately the average basis in all locations usually works the futures levels back to the same price for all farmers across the country.Landowners: Getting all you deserveFarmers who had the good fortune of buying land at the right time shouldn’t let this keep them from getting the best prices. These farmers may have lower break evens, so I often see them start selling too early. Then when prices take off, they may not have enough bushels to take advantage of better prices. For instance last year, some of these farmers started selling at $4, only to stop between $4.20 to $4.50 because they didn’t think they would produce enough. In other words, they weren’t aggressive enough, and then became too aggressive, only to miss opportunity all around.What if I paid too much for land in 2012?When purchasing land it should be thought of as a 30-year investment. The excitement of increased land values in 2012 motivated some buyers to make purchases that may not be seen as the best purchase today. In some cases, these farmers have a loan payments higher than rent values (example: a loan + tax payment of $350 per acre on land that can only be rented for $250). In this case, I recommend that farmers still use the $250 per acre in their breakeven, not the price you need, but the price you can get. If you don’t, you might have a breakeven that is never attainable, like the farmer who needs $4.50 but hasn’t been able to get it for two years. Farmers in these situations need to shift their marketing goal to lose the least amount of money. Hopefully yields will increase over time or grain prices have a strong rally. Realistically though, this could take 10 to 20 years. On the bright side, it’s already been five years, so things could turn around very quickly or maybe in another few years. Hopefully these farmers have enough equity to ride through these problems in the meantime.Bottom line: farmers need to figure the true going rate for farming their land when figuring their breakeven prices and developing their marketing strategy. Otherwise, their marketing goals could potentially mean leaving money on the table or not making a big enough profit for all the work and risk to be worth it.Jon grew up raising corn and soybeans on a farm near Beatrice, NE. Upon graduation from The University of Nebraska in Lincoln, he became a grain merchandiser and has been trading corn, soybeans and other grains for the last 18 years, building relationships with end-users in the process. After successfully marketing his father’s grain and getting his MBA, 10 years ago he started helping farmer clients market their grain based upon his principals of farmer education, reducing risk, understanding storage potential and using basis strategy to maximize individual farm operation profits. A big believer in farmer education of futures trading, Jon writes a weekly commentary to farmers interested in learning more and growing their farm operations.Trading of futures, options, swaps and other derivatives is risky and is not suitable for all persons. All of these investment products are leveraged, and you can lose more than your initial deposit. Each investment product is offered only to and from jurisdictions where solicitation and sale are lawful, and in accordance with applicable laws and regulations in such jurisdiction. The information provided here should not be relied upon as a substitute for independent research before making your investment decisions. Superior Feed Ingredients, LLC is merely providing this information for your general information and the information does not take into account any particular individual’s investment objectives, financial situation, or needs. All investors should obtain advice based on their unique situation before making any investment decision. The contents of this communication and any attachments are for informational purposes only and under no circumstances should they be construed as an offer to buy or sell, or a solicitation to buy or sell any future, option, swap or other derivative. The sources for the information and any opinions in this communication are believed to be reliable, but Superior Feed Ingredients, LLC does not warrant or guarantee the accuracy of such information or opinions. Superior Feed Ingredients, LLC and its principals and employees may take positions different from any positions described in this communication. Past results are not necessarily indicative of future results. He can be contacted at jon@superiorfeed.com. read more

Kolkata pacer L Balaji claimed three and then skipper Gautam Gambhir and Manoj Tiwary put on an unbeaten 54 runs to help Kolkata beat Rajasthan by 8 wickets in their IPL match at the at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday. Score | PhotosOn the second ball of the first over Shaun Tait got the man Rajasthan wanted. Kolkata opener Jacques Kallis wanted to pull Tait acros the boundary but a top edge off his bat took a long loop in the air and Ross Taylor pouched it on return. He fell for a nought and Kolkata lost him on 0/1. Post that captain Gautam Gambhir and opener Manvinder Bisla batted at a steady pace and they didn’t really need to hurry as the 82 runs target was well within reach. But on the last ball of the 7th over Bisla fell to opposition skipper Shane Warne’s turn when batting on 9. Kolkata lost their second wicket on 31.Finally, Kolkata captain Gautam Gambhir and Manoj Tiwary got on with a partnership even as King Khan’s team inched closer to a victory.In the 14th over, Tiwary hit a massive six off Shaun Tait and the followed it up with two fours. Then a four by skipper Gambhir on the fifth ball of the over proved to be the victory boundary for the hosts.Rajasthan innings Kolkata paceman Lakshmipathy Balaji finished with impressive figures of 3-0-15-3 as Rajasthan were all out for 81.Rajasthan would have liked Shane Watson to have carried on, but he fell on the fourth ball of the fourth over off Lakshmipathy Balaji. Balaji pitched the ball of the middle stump and it moved quickly to uproot his off stump. He fell 11 and Rajasthan lost their in-form opener on 24/1, after being put to bat by oppostion skipper Gautam Gambhir.advertisementThe visitors had to face another setback in the fifth over when left-arm spinner Iqbal Abdulla removed Amit Paunikar on 15 with keeper Manvinder Bisla performing the final honours by zipping off the bails on time. And Rajasthan were 28/2.Then a couple of run outs (Faiz Fazal and Abhishek Raut) saw Rajasthan plummet to 43/4. And just when Ross Taylor and Ashok Menaria were looking to forge a stand, Yusuf Pathan struck in the11th over to remove Taylor on 7 with Bisla perfoming the stumping act with precision. And Rajasthan was down to 68/5.Later, Balaji came around to clean bowled Ajinkya Rahane on the first ball of the 13th over and then completed the over with another wicket, this time it was Ashok Menaria, who was seen walking back when the Rajasthan score was 79/7.In the next over Kolkata’s left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan removed Amit Singh on a duck and then clean bowled Shaun Tait on the next ball. Shakib missed the hat-trick but his bowling pushed Rajasthan down to 80/9 in 15 overs.And the last man Siddharth Trivedi was cleaned bowled by Lee on a duck and Rajasthan were all out for 81 on the second ball of the 16th over. Teams:Rajasthan Royals: Shane Watson, Amit Paunikar(w), Ajinkya Rahane, Ross Taylor, Ashok Menaria, Abhishek Raut, Shane Warne(c), Faiz Fazal, Shaun Tait, Siddharth Trivedi, Amit Singh Kolkata Knight Riders: Jacques Kallis, Manvinder Bisla(w), Gautam Gambhir(c), Yusuf Pathan, Eoin Morgan, Manoj Tiwary, Rajat Bhatia, Shakib Al Hasan, Iqbal Abdulla, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Brett Lee read more

TOULOUSE, France (AP) — A superb performance by Eden Hazard guided Belgium to a 4-0 victory over Hungary on Sunday and a place in the European Championship quarterfinals.Center back Toby Alderweireld opened the scoring with a header in the 10th minute after poor marking by the Hungary defense. But Belgium had to wait until the closing stages before cruising to a convincing victory at the Stadium de Toulouse, thanks to some moments of brilliance from Hazard.The Chelsea playmaker surged past a group of Hungary defenders on the left side before supplying a perfect low cross for substitute Michy Batshuayi to steer home in the 78th minute, just two minutes after coming on.Hazard followed up almost immediately with a spectacular solo goal, breaking down the left on another counterattack before cutting inside, skipping past three Hungary defenders and curling a shot into the bottom right corner.Belgium’s Michy Batshuayi scores his side’s second goal during the Euro 2016 round of 16 soccer match between Hungary and Belgium, at the Stadium municipal in Toulouse, France, Sunday, June 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)Yannick Ferreira Carrasco scored his team’s fourth in added time as Belgium lined up a quarterfinal against Wales on Friday in Lille.“It was a great match,” Hazard said. “Beyond my goal, it was a great collective performance. We created a lot of chances and finished enough of them.”Hungary paid for an early defensive lapse that left its players chasing the game and exposed to Belgium’s attacks on the break.Romelu Lukaku and Alderweireld both broke away from the Hungary defense and were left unmarked when Kevin De Bruyne’s free kick from the left swerved in. Lukaku was inches away from making contact but Alderweireld jumped at the same time to power the ball home.Despite the early blow, Hungary defended robustly and looked dangerous at times.Belgium’s Eden Hazard, left, scores his side’s 3rd goal during the Euro 2016 round of 16 soccer match between Hungary and Belgium, at the Stadium municipal in Toulouse, France, Sunday, June 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)But Belgium stretched Hungary’s defense on numerous occasions with its creative attacking play, with Hazard and De Bruyne pulling the strings.De Bruyne hit the crossbar with a free kick in the 35th minute and was lively throughout the match, only to be denied several times by Hungary goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly.Hungary had its chances to equalize, with captain Balazs Dzsudzsak going close with a shot that flew just wide of the post. Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois nearly gifted Hungary a goal when he slipped while trying to control a back pass in the first half. Luckily for the Chelsea player, it trickled out for a corner.Hungary’s players had no such luck in the closing stages, as Hazard put the match beyond their reach. TweetPinShare0 Shares read more

TagsTransfersAbout the authorCarlos VolcanoShare the loveHave your say Barcelona chiefs hope Messi can convince Valverde to stayby Carlos Volcano10 months agoSend to a friendShare the loveBarcelona ace Leo Messi will be key to the future of coach Ernesto Valverde beyond the end of this season.Off contract in June, Valverde could walk away this summer amid claims of fatigue concerns.However, Messi could yet intervene to convince Valverde to sign a new deal and carry on.A Barca source told AS: “He will decide, of course, it’s his life, but Lionel Messi can help the club when in doubt.”For their part, Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu favours Valverde staying on. read more

TagsTransfersAbout the authorCarlos VolcanoShare the loveHave your say Father of Juventus striker Higuain says River Plate move could happenby Carlos Volcano14 days agoSend to a friendShare the loveThe father of Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain says a move to River Plate could yet happen.Higuain, 31, began his career with River, and his dad Jorge would like to see him end his career with the Argentine giants.“Gonzalo still has two years left on his contract with Juventus, but he’s never closed his doors to River Plate,” he told Ole.“My children grew up at the club, so as a father I’d like them to come back.“They’re professionals so I can’t force them to return to Argentina, of course: but I’d like them to.” read more

___Amazon goes bicoastal: will open HQs in New York, DC suburbNEW YORK (AP) — Amazon has set its sights on two of the nation’s largest and most powerful metro areas, announcing Tuesday it had chosen a buzzy New York neighbourhood and a suburb of Washington for its new East Coast headquarters. The online shopping giant ended its 14-month-long competition for second headquarters by selecting Long Island City, Queens, and Arlington, Virginia, as the joint winners. Both are waterfront communities away from overcrowded business districts, giving Amazon space to grow.___CNN sues Trump, demanding return of Acosta to White HouseNEW YORK (AP) — CNN is suing the Trump administration, demanding that correspondent Jim Acosta’s press pass to cover the White House be returned. The administration revoked it last week following the president’s contentious post-election news conference, citing Acosta’s refusal to hand over a microphone when the president said he was done talking to him. The White House, never shy about picking a fight with CNN, says bring it on.___Pilots says Boeing didn’t disclose jet’s new control featurePilots say Boeing didn’t tell them about features of a new flight-control system that reportedly is a focus of investigation into deadly crash. The automated system in Boeing 737 MAX planes is designed to help pilots avoid a stall by raising the plane’s nose too high, but can cause the nose to pitch down sharply. Investigators are looking into whether controls played a role in last month’s deadly Lion Air crash in Indonesia.___US October budget deficit jumps to $100.5 billionWASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government recorded a deficit of $100.5 billion in October, a big increase from a year ago that was primarily caused by quirks in the calendar. The Treasury Department says the deficit shot up 59 per cent from the same month a year ago. The government has run a deficit in every October going back to the early 1950s. The new report begins a budget year in which the federal deficit is expected to soar above $1 trillion, reflecting in part the tax cuts Congress approved last December.___The “worst toys” for the holidays, according to safety groupBOSTON (AP) — A Black Panther “slash claw” and a plastic Power Rangers sword are among the toys topping a consumer safety group’s annual list of worst toys for the holiday season. Massachusetts-based World Against Toys Causing Harm, or W.A.T.C.H., unveiled its list Tuesday at a Boston children’s hospital. The toy industry says the list is biased and inaccurate.___EPA seeks new truck pollution rules; says air won’t sufferDETROIT (AP) — The Trump administration’s Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to rewrite rules that limit pollution from heavy trucks but that the EPA says slow the economy. Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler argues that new technology can help improve air quality, noting that regulation of harmful nitrogen oxide emissions hasn’t been revamped since 2000.___Juul halts store sales of some flavoured e-cigarettesNEW YORK (AP) — The nation’s leading e-cigarette maker is halting store sales of some flavours to deter use by kids. The announcement Tuesday by Juul Labs Inc. comes ahead of an expected government crackdown on underage sales of e-cigarettes. It will continue to sell flavours through its website and limit sales to those 21 and older.___Iconic Barbie fashion comes alive in vintage collaborationNEW YORK (AP) — One of the largest sellers of vintage-inspired fashion has recreated some of Barbie’s most iconic early looks for real women to wear. Unique Vintage, based in Burbank, California, is the first Mattel collaboration for a fashion line based on Barbie outfits. And in sizes up to 4X. The collaboration, Barbie x Unique Vintage, is sold online at uniquevintage.com and in about 500 boutiques around the world. A special collection in the line is planned for next year, when Barbie turns 60.___Energy companies lead US stocks lower after oil price plungeNEW YORK (AP) — The steepest drop in oil prices in more than three years put investors in a selling mood Tuesday, extending a losing streak for the S&P 500 index to a fourth day. Energy stocks led a late-afternoon sell-off on Wall Street after the price of U.S. crude oil plunged 7.1 per cent to $55.69 a barrel, the lowest level since December 2017. Oil has now fallen for 12 straight days, driven by worries over rising oil production around the world and weakening demand from developing countries.___The S&P 500 index fell 4.04 points, or 0.1 per cent, to 2,722.18. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 100.69 points, or 0.4 per cent, to 25,286.49. The Nasdaq composite was little changed at 7,200.87. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies gave up 3.99 points, or 0.3 per cent, to 1,514.80.Benchmark U.S. crude oil plunged 7.1 per cent to $55.69 a barrel. Brent crude, used to price international oils, dropped 6.6 per cent to close at $65.47 a barrel in London. Heating oil fell 4.3 per cent to $2.06 a gallon and wholesale gasoline dropped 5.7 per cent to $1.54 a gallon. Natural gas jumped 8.3 per cent to $4.10 per 1,000 cubic feet.The Associated Press read more

NEW YORK — One day, finding an oven that just cooks food may be as tough as buying a TV that merely lets you change channels.Internet-connected “smarts” are creeping into cars, refrigerators, thermostats, toys and just about everything else in your home. CES 2019, the gadget show opening Tuesday in Las Vegas, will showcase many of these products, including an oven that co-ordinates your recipes and a toilet that flushes with a voice command.With every additional smart device in your home, companies are able to gather more details about your daily life. Some of that can be used to help advertisers target you — more precisely than they could with just the smartphone you carry.“It’s decentralized surveillance,” said Jeff Chester, executive director for the Center for Digital Democracy, a Washington-based digital privacy advocate. “We’re living in a world where we’re tethered to some online service stealthily gathering our information.”Yet consumers so far seem to be welcoming these devices. The research firm IDC projects that 1.3 billion smart devices will ship worldwide in 2022, twice as many as 2018.Companies say they are building these products not for snooping but for convenience, although Amazon, Google and other partners enabling the intelligence can use the details they collect to customize their services and ads.Whirlpool, for instance, is testing an oven whose window doubles as a display. You’ll still be able to see what’s roasting inside, but the glass can now display animation pointing to where to place the turkey for optimal cooking.The oven can sync with your digital calendar and recommend recipes based on how much time you have. It can help co-ordinate multiple recipes, so that you’re not undercooking the side dishes in focusing too much on the entree. A camera inside lets you zoom in to see if the cheese on the lasagna has browned enough, without opening the oven door.As for that smart toilet, Kohler’s Numi will respond to voice commands to raise or lower the lid — or to flush. You can do it from an app, too. The company says it’s all about offering hands-free options in a setting that’s very personal for people. The toilet is also heated and can play music and the news through its speakers.Kohler also has a tub that adjusts water temperature to your liking and a kitchen faucet that dispenses just the right amount of water for a recipe.For the most part, consumers aren’t asking for these specific features. “We try to be innovative in ways that customers don’t think they need,” Samsung spokesman Louis Masses said.Whirlpool said insights can come from something as simple as watching consumers open the oven door several times to check on the meal, losing heat in the process.“They do not say to us, ‘Please tell me where to put (food) on the rack, or do algorithm-based cooking,’” said Doug Searles, general manager for Whirlpool’s research arm, WLabs. “They tell us the results that are most important to them.”Samsung has several voice-enabled products, including a fridge that comes with an app that lets you check on its contents while you’re grocery shopping. New this year: Samsung’s washing machines can send alerts to its TVs — smart TVs, of course — so you know your laundry is ready while watching Netflix.Other connected items at CES include:— a fishing rod that tracks your location to build an online map of where you’ve made the most catches.— a toothbrush that recommends where to brush more.— a fragrance diffuser that lets you control how your home smells from a smartphone app.These are poised to join internet-connected security cameras, door locks and thermostats that are already on the market. The latter can work with sensors to turn the heat down automatically when you leave home.Chester said consumers feel the need to keep up with their neighbours when they buy appliances with the smartest smarts. He said all the conveniences can be “a powerful drug to help people forget the fact that they are also being spied on.”Gadgets with voice controls typically aren’t transmitting any data back to company servers until you activate them with a trigger word, such as “Alexa” or “OK Google.” But devices have sometimes misheard innocuous words as legitimate commands to record and send private conversations .Even when devices work properly, commands are usually stored indefinitely. Companies can use the data to personalize experiences — including ads. Beyond that, background conversations may be stored with the voice recordings and can resurface with hacking or as part of lawsuits or investigations.Knowing what you cook or stock in your fridge might seem innocuous. But if insurers get hold of the data, they might charge you more for unhealthy diets, warned Paul Stephens, director of policy and advocacy at the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse in San Diego. He also said it might be possible to infer ethnicity based on food consumed.Manufacturers are instead emphasizing the benefits: Data collection from the smart faucet, for instance, allows Kohler’s app to display how much water is dispensed. (Water bills typically show water use for the whole home, not individual taps.)The market for smart devices is still small, but growing. Kohler estimates that in a few years, smart appliances will make up 10 per cent of its revenue. Though the features are initially limited to premium models — such as the $7,000 toilet — they should eventually appear in entry-level products, too, as costs come down.Consider the TV. “Dumb” TVs are rare these days, as the vast majority of TVs ship with internet connections and apps, like it or not.“It becomes a check-box item for the TV manufacturer,” said Paul Gagnon, an analyst with IHS Markit. For a dumb one, he said, you have to search for an off-brand, entry-level model with smaller screens — or go to places in the world where streaming services aren’t common.“Dumb” cars are also headed to the scrapyard. The research firm BI Intelligence estimates that by 2020, three out of every four cars sold worldwide will be models with connectivity. No serious incidents have occurred in the United States, Europe and Japan, but a red flag has already been raised in China, where automakers have been sharing location details of connected cars with the government.As for TVs, Consumer Reports says many TV makers collect and share users’ viewing habits. Vizio agreed to $2.5 million in penalties in 2017 to settle cases with the Federal Trade Commission and New Jersey officials.Consumers can decide not to enable these connections. They can also vote with their wallets, Stephens said.“I’m a firm believer that simple is better. If you don’t need to have these so-called enhancements, don’t buy them,” he said. “Does one really need a refrigerator that keeps track of everything in it and tells you you are running out of milk?”___AP writers Joseph Pisani and Matt O’Brien in Las Vegas and Frank Bajak in Boston contributed to this story.Anick Jesdanun, The Associated Press read more