Category: renews

Dear Eric: I am 80 years old and have been married to the best woman possible for 33 years. We connect and are soulmates. My question is: Why have I been jealous lately of her affair with a 17 year old high school student even though she was 27 and a teacher? This was mentioned a long time ago in our past relationship report. Why has this reactive jealousy consumed me now? I want to know a lot of details about this encounter, but I realize that this will only delve me deeper into my obsession. My constant rumination is putting a strain on my side of our marriage. What can I do?

– Past repeat

Dear Repeat: Whenever seemingly random events from the past enter my mind, I always think of the moment in a crime drama when a body floats to the surface of a swamp, only to be discovered years after the first crime. Like the plot of a crime drama, these mysterious feelings always involve more questions than answers and are never really about what they initially seem to be about.

What your wife did wasn’t appropriate, but it doesn’t sound like this new obsession is about ethical violations. I don’t think it’s even about what happened in the past. If you have the resources, talking to a counselor or therapist about this fixation can help you get to the bottom of what you’re really stressed about. Maybe something is changing in your marriage, maybe you’re worried about yourself or your body. These things are normal and it is possible to change the way you think about them so that the movies stop playing in your head. Your local aging department may also be able to point you to free or low-cost counseling options for seniors

It’s also important to draw a clear line between what’s going on in your head and what’s going on in your marriage. Tell your wife that you can’t stop fixating on this event and also what you plan to do to remedy it. Don’t make your obsession their problem, but if there’s something in your marriage that needs to be addressed, disclosing what else is going on in your head will pave the way for a healthier discussion.

Dear Eric: About three years ago, a work friend “T” and I quickly became close. T profusely confessed her (platonic) love. I, an untrusting person who usually keeps others at a distance, thought I had found a new “best friend.”

But every now and then, and completely unexpectedly, T slips into “bad girl” mode.

She will make derogatory comments about my appearance, snap at me over seemingly trivial things, and act annoyed and angry during our encounter. In group situations, the irritation seems to focus on my behavior and not that of others.

We had an argument before, after which I ended the friendship. A year later we reconciled when she contacted us. But on a recent weekend trip together, their “bad girl” reared its ugly head. When I told her how it made me feel, she apologized and said it was because I wasn’t listening to her enough.

These episodes are also a painful reminder of my sister, who has a personality disorder and exhibits similar behavior towards me. I eventually had to distance myself from her for my own well-being.

It’s difficult to form close friendships in middle age, and I don’t want to give up my friendship with T, but I can’t continue to feel like her emotional punching bag. Any ideas on how we can handle this situation without losing the good part of our relationship?

– Undermine and over it

Dear Undermined: At some point before I met you, T realized that she should be aggressively mean when she didn’t get the attention she wanted. And she learned that to get someone to like her, she should bombard someone with love. None of these lessons are true, and now you are suffering because of them.

Worse, because T’s behavior mimics your sister’s, it’s likely causing you to put up with it longer than you otherwise would. This is a terrible situation to be in and I’m sorry.

Try talking to T in a non-mean girl moment while setting a clear boundary. Even if she doesn’t feel listened to, offensive language or behavior is a no-go. Tell her that she needs to control herself to maintain this relationship. Ask her if she understands how you feel about this and what her plan is to put your friendship on a healthier course.

If T doesn’t respect your boundaries, your safest bet is to limit contact with her. I hope she can be the best friend you deserve, but for your own well-being, she may be best as an arm’s length friend.

(Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at [email protected] or PO Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110.)

AMD’s upcoming Ryzen 9000X3D series CPUs are on the way, with the star of the show leaked in parts of its glory: the upcoming Ryzen 7 9800X3D, which is the “Ultimate processor for elite gaming“.

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In a new video from leaker Moore’s Law is Dead, we learn a few facts about the upcoming Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor, which is listed as a “2024 product” in the leak documents he has seen, while the Ryzen 9 9900X3D and the Ryzen 9 9950X3D processors are not listed as 2024 products. So expect an unveiling (and possible release) of the high-end 9900X3D and 9950X3D processors at CES 2025.

Another note is that the 9800X3D has a total of 104MB of cache, which is in line with previous rumors, while the 9800X3D is described as being “designed for higher frequencies”. MLID points out that there are several terms such as “the best” and “Ultimate Processor for Elite Gaming” that lead AMD to position the 9800X3D as the best X3D processor for gamers.

Additionally, AMD has reportedly inked a marketing deal that mentions the Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor with COD: Black Ops 6, as well as the “RX 7000” graphics as “the perfect bundle” with Zen 5 X3D. MLID also notes that there was no mention of “RX 8000” series graphics anywhere for 2024.

AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D details from launch kit leaks:

1. The 9800X3D is listed on the 2024 Products page, but the 9950/9900X3D is not.
2. It is stated several times that the 9800X3D has 104 MB cache.
3. The 9800X3D is described as “designed for higher frequencies”.
4. Terms like “the best” and “ultimate processor for elite gaming” are repeatedly mentioned as ways to market the 9800X3D around its launch. To me, this suggests that the 9800X3D will be the top X3D product when it launches.
5. There is a marketing deal with COD: Black Ops 6.
6. “RX 7000 Graphics” is described as “the perfect bundle” with Zen 5 X3D. Note that there was no reference to “RX 8000” graphics anywhere for 2024.

• Ryzen 9 9950X3D: 16C/32T with 32MB per CCD (64MB L3) + 64MB 3D V-Cache (128MB) + 16MB L2 + 1MB L1 = 145MB total cache
• Ryzen 9 9900X3D: 12C/24T with 32MB per CCD (64MB L3) + 64MB 3D V-Cache (128MB) + 12MB L2 + 768KB L1 = 140.8MB total cache
• Ryzen 7 9800X3D: 8C/16T with 32MB per CCD (32MB L3) + 64MB 3D V-Cache (96MB) + 8MB L2 + 512KB L1 = 104.5MB total cache
• Ryzen 5 9600X3D: 6C/12T with 32MB per CCD (32MB L3) + 64MB 3D V-Cache (96MB) + 6MB L2 + 480KB L1 = 102.5MB total cache

ATLANTA (WSB) – College football is a way of life for some fans.

That’s why someone in Atlanta didn’t let the flooding stop him from taking his buddy to a big game.

On Friday, rapid water rescue teams put a boat into the floodwaters in northwest Atlanta to bring several Hanover West families to shore and to safety.

However, there was one final rescue that did not involve Atlanta Fire and Rescue, but rather a best friend with the motivation to take his buddy to the biggest college football game of the season in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

“I woke up this morning and looked outside and couldn’t see my front yard and my car was flooded,” said Peter, a University of Georgia football fan. “And I thought, ‘Yeah, I don’t think I can pick you up. You can all go without me.’ And he said, ‘Well, I think we’ll go to Tuscaloosa anyway.’ So he said, ‘I’ll buy a raft and pick you up.'”

That’s exactly what Ben Posner did.

He called several Dick’s Sporting Goods in the area until he found one that had a raft.

It took nearly 30 minutes and multiple attempts to get enough air into the raft, but Posner actually saved his buddy.

“I’m never nervous,” Posner said when asked if he was afraid of getting caught in the flood.

Stormy weather and high flooding couldn’t stand in the way of these two dedicated best friends who love the Georgia Bulldogs.

“It’s a dedication, not just to me, but to the love of college football,” Peter said.

As they like to say in the SEC, it just means more and these two Bulldog fans proved that.

The No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs have a chance to beat No. 4 Alabama by one point.

Copyright 2024 WSB via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.

Having written about films for the Coeur d’Alene Press since 2006, I have a pretty good understanding of the cinematic sensibilities of the readership.

For example, in my first few weeks writing for The Press, I quickly realized the extent of the political climate in North Idaho when I received more than a few nasty emails from people who didn’t like it. I recommended Al Gore’s documentary “An Inconvenient Truth.” I think even the press weather report upset me for that.

However, beyond political issues, I understand that most moviegoers are not that adventurous when it comes to difficult, “unentertaining” films, especially those that contain sex and violence. This isn’t just a North Idaho thing. Most moviegoers want to be entertained! Escapist fun! There’s nothing wrong with that.

In my opinion, the desire for entertainment is the main reason why audiences often believe that there is a disconnect between critics and the core audience. Critics (and certain film lovers) don’t always consume films for entertainment. You often want to be challenged and/or dealt with difficult topics.

Since I’ve never been a full-time critic and have had easy access to the content available in larger cities and film festivals, I tend to fall somewhere in the middle. I like weird movies and filmmakers that take novel risks in their storytelling, but I also like dumb action movies and superheroes (at least until recent oversaturation).

Because of this, readers will see truly crazy movies like Titans and Mother! on my year-end top 10-20 list, even though I’ve rarely written about such wild films in the newspaper. After watching eight different guests exit the theater during a local screening of “Mother!” (more than half of those in attendance) I knew my opinion probably wouldn’t be all that helpful to regular readers looking for a recommendation.

With all that said, I know better than to recommend a film like “The Substance” to readers. Demi Moore’s body horror/thriller probably won’t be in theaters by the time this column even goes to print, as I was one of only four people at the screening (and two of them left early at a particularly sensitive moment) . ).

However, I would like to go on record as saying that The Substance is one of the most badass and daring films of the year, backed by Moore’s career-best performance.

“The Substance” comes from French writer/director Coralie Fargeat, who previously made the brutally violent (and terrific) thriller “Revenge” in 2017. The filmmaker owes her love of the body horror genre to masters like David Cronenberg. If “The Fly” is the pinnacle of the body horror genre, “The Substance” is clearly ahead.

Lengthy, deliberately unpleasant and relentlessly sticky (accompanied by nightmarish sound design), “The Substance” follows an aging movie star (Moore) who attempts to reboot his career by ingesting a black market beauty product. However, the substance is not just any beauty cream. Rather, an injection of the serum triggers a grisly cell replication process that creates a younger version of herself (played by Margaret Qualley). The two bodies share one consciousness (so to speak), but if the “balance” is not maintained there are serious consequences. Seven days in the new body, followed by seven days in the old body. No exceptions. Or else…disgusting.

Even the early moments of “The Substance” are populated with numerous close-ups of needles and injections… all things I find more disturbing than some of the grotesque material that dominates the second half. Fargeat’s film has some perfunctory references to toxic masculinity and the evil nature of Hollywood ageism, but the film’s true thematic power depends on Moore’s more introspective performance, although she also screams convincingly in the body horror moments.

Look, “The Substance” is insanely bloody. It takes one big creative burst after another and just dares you to put up with the nastiness. If you’re reading this article, statistically speaking you shouldn’t be reading it. You walk out and immediately want to write me a mean email.

• • •

Tyler Wilson can be reached at [email protected].

When you purchase through links in our articles, Future and its syndication partners may receive a commission.

The Xbox September Update is here, bringing a host of new features and changes to the Xbox experience on PC, mobile and consoles.

The most important new feature is the ability to pre-download a game’s upcoming updates on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Xbox One. This means that on the day the update is released, you don’t have to go through a long download, but you can start taking action straight away.

This could be an absolute game changer, especially for live service games that often receive a lot of new content. Unfortunately, the feature is currently only supported in a few select titles. The latest Xbox Wire blog post lists Sea of ​​Thieves, Minecraft, And Cassette beasts below, but says to “expect many more titles to support it soon.”

If you want to try this feature, make sure your Xbox is up to date and then go to the My Games and Apps window. From there, click on “Manage” and “Updates”. This gives you an advance overview of all updates for your library that are available for download.

There are also changes to the Wishlist system, which will now notify you when a game you want is released, added to Xbox Game Pass, or available to try for free during a Free Play Day promotion. If you are not a fan of this change, please note that you can turn off these notifications in your notification settings.

The Xbox mobile app is also being revised. Features of the separate Xbox Game Pass app will be integrated, although this application will no longer be available for download in November. This means that with the Xbox app you can finally manage your Xbox Game Pass membership and browse the Xbox Game Pass catalog in one place.

Finally, Game Bar Compact Mode is now rolling out for PC gamers. This mode is specifically optimized for smaller displays and handhelds, which is good news if you own something like the Asus Rog Ally X.

Some improved game management features will also be available for the Xbox app on PC. This includes the ability to easily view and install add-ons, as well as some interface changes that make it easier to keep track of everything that’s installed. Considering how bad the Xbox app is on the platform, small improvements like this can only be a good thing.

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The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents voted unanimously Friday to fire a communications professor who wanted to keep his job after he was fired as chancellor of one of the system’s campuses for producing pornographic films.

Joe Gow, who served as UW-La Crosse’s chancellor for nearly 17 years, argued last week that he should retain a teaching position on campus. But the university’s lawyers argued that he behaved unethically, violated the terms of his employment contract, damaged the university’s reputation and compromised its mission.

The regents met in closed session Friday morning before publicly voting to fire Gow. There was no public discussion before the board vote.

Gow said he is considering filing a lawsuit to keep his teaching job. He did not immediately respond to a message Friday morning.

Gow has been on paid leave from his faculty position since the regents fired him as chancellor in 2023, shortly after university leadership became aware of the videos posted on pornographic websites.

The case has drawn national attention both for the salaciousness of a high-ranking university official making and speaking publicly about pornographic films and for the questions it raises about free speech rights.

Gow argued that his videos and two e-books that he and his wife Carmen published about their experiences in adult films were protected by the First Amendment. The university’s attorney argued that Gow’s videos themselves were legal, but that they were not protected by his employment contract.

Zach Greenberg, an attorney with the free speech advocacy group Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, called the regents’ decision “a major blow to academic freedom and the right to free expression.”

“FIRE has said time and time again: Public universities cannot sacrifice the First Amendment to protect their reputations,” Greenberg said. “We are disappointed that the UW has caved to donors and politicians by alienating a tenured professor.”

Republican lawmakers already view Wisconsin’s university system as a liberal incubator. Last year they forced the company to scale back its diversity initiatives. System President Jay Rothman has tried to avoid further angering conservatives as he seeks approval for an $855 million increase in the next state budget.

Gow’s hope of teaching in the classroom again was rejected by his department head, Linda Dickmeyer. She said that because Gow had not taught in 20 years, he would be assigned general education courses, but she declined to allow him to return to teaching in any capacity.

Gow was criticized in 2018 for inviting porn actress Nina Hartley to speak on campus. She received $5,000 from tuition fees for her performance. The university said he came up with the idea of ​​bringing her to campus after filming a pornographic video with her.

Gow and his wife’s e-books were written under the pseudonyms “Monogamy with Benefits: How Porn Enhances Our Relationships” and “Married with Benefits – Our Real Adventures in the Adult Industry.” But they also star in a YouTube channel called “Sexy Healthy Cooking,” in which the couple cooks meals with porn actors.

Harris is out with a new ad in which she blasts Trump for his “broken promises” to auto workers outside his town hall in Warren, Michigan, and suggests she would try to scrap one of his key trade deals.

The digital ad presents a clip of Trump promising at a rally in 2016 that if elected, “he will not lose any plants, there will be new plants coming to this country and there will be jobs again,” the closure of a Stellantis compared to a factory in this city two years later. (Stellantis owns the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brands.)

In a statement overnight, Harris criticized the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the trade agreement that Trump renegotiated to replace the Clinton-era North American Free Trade Agreement.

“Once again, he’s repeating the same playbook, telling the same old lies about how he’s going to fight for working people, including those in Michigan,” Harris said of the former president. “But it was Trump’s trade deal that made it far too easy for a major auto company like Stellantis to go back on its word to workers by outsourcing American jobs. As one of only ten senators to vote against USMCA, I knew it was not enough to protect our country and its workers.

“Many who voted for this deal conditioned their support on a review process that I will use as president,” Harris said. The agreement is scheduled to be reviewed in 2026, at which point the parties can decide whether to extend it or not.

Shawn Fain, president of the United Auto Workers, who endorsed Harris, told reporters Friday that her statement was “spot on.”

“It is criminal that Donald Trump shows up in places like Flint, Michigan and Warren, Michigan, or anywhere else in this country, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, and wants to tell workers how much he cares about them and that he has their back says Fain. “He doesn’t care about working-class people, especially auto workers.”

ABC News’ Fritz Farrow

Two years after the death of her mother Olivia Newton-John, Chloe Lattanzi is carrying on her legacy in many ways while discovering new sides of herself.

In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, the 38-year-old actress and singer discussed healing after loss, why she decided to fulfill a promise to her late mother on the actress’ 76th birthday, and explained how She managed to find herself on the “dark side” of fame.

Growing up in the spotlight, Lattanzi often felt like a “chameleon,” conforming to what others wanted or expected of her.

OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN’S DAUGHTER SAYS MOM CONTINUES TO COME FOR HER: ‘IT DON’T JUST END WITH HER BODY’

“I think we are constantly searching. Finding yourself is really just about being authentic,” said Lattanzi, whose first solo track, “Phoenix,” was released Thursday. “And when you are a child, you are authentic. You say what you think and feel, and I think fame is great. And there is a dark side too. And for me, I’m the dark side.” I didn’t feel like I had to just be myself, I had to be what the world wanted me to be – and it’s all in my head – but I had to be like them world wanted me, or I had to be exactly like my mother.

“I only figured out what boundaries were a year ago, and I think – I can’t speak for everyone – but as a woman, as a human being, I’ve shied away from conflict or not said what I really wanted to appease.” Someone and yourself Finding yourself means standing in your authenticity and always being friendly. But if you don’t like me or what I say, I’ll say it anyway.

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The 38-year-old actress said her mother always encouraged her to pursue her dreams. (Getty Images)

WATCH: OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN’S DAUGHTER SAYS ‘Dark Side’ of Fame Led to Lifelong Struggles

“I’ve struggled with being a chameleon my whole life,” she added. “I wanted to make everyone happy. And I realized that my mother struggled with this too. As a sensitive soul, you want everyone to like you, but eventually you get to a point where that kills you. … I’m definitely on an upward trajectory in health because I’m living in my authenticity.

Two years after her mother’s death, Lattanzi said she still feels her presence keenly. The popular “Grease” actress died in 2022 after a long battle with breast cancer. She was 73.

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“I experience them all the time,” Lattanzi said. “I mean, she knows the truth of my reality. So we talk and I ask her if I’m struggling with something that is energetically leading me to the right person. And I am always guided where I need to be, to heal, to overcome, whatever it is.

Lattanzi said her late mother is still very “present” in her life. (Bryan Steffy/WireImage)

“It always appears in the form of a ball in a photograph or through a chance meeting with a person on the street,” she continued. “So she is always present and very much present in spirit in my life. I used to make her watch the paranormal shows with me and I was like, ‘That’s a bullet, Mom.’ I said, “It’s going to take a long time for you to get into the sphere, but when you get to this place, would you please show up like this for me?” And she took a picture with my phone and then this beautiful, huge one flew , bright blue ball around my dog’s head.

OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN’S DAUGHTER CHLOE HAS SUFFERED FROM “EXTREME MEMORY LOSS” SINCE HER MOTHER’S DEATH.

“And then the next day she flew alongside my father, Matt Lattanzi, his wife, also a two-time cancer survivor. And that very same blue ball flew up to her side. And my father said, “I can’t explain this.” … So yeah, she was like, ‘Chloe, I’ll go everywhere and show you that I’m here and I’m looking out for everyone.'”

Chloe Lattanzi spoke about the promise she made to her mother Olivia Newton-John before her death. (Sam Tabone/WireImage)

In honor of her mother’s 76th birthday, Lattanzi released her first solo track, “Phoenix.”

“I co-wrote the song with Dave Audé and another amazing writer, and the song was a promise to them,” Lattanzi said. “She always said we were a symbiosis. We were one heart and two bodies, and the most important thing for her was that she saw her baby happy, thriving and radiant. So it was a promise to them that I would be true to myself, be gentle with myself, use my talents, essentially get rid of the negative self-talk.

“Most of us as humans need this message, this reminder every day that we are incredible and capable of any dream we want to achieve,” she continued. “And it was a promise that I would be happy. You don’t have to worry about your little girl.”

OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN’S DAUGHTER CHLOE REVEALS A ‘PROMISE’ SHE MADE TO MOTHER BEFORE HER DEATH

Lattanzi, who shared the demo with Newton-John before her death, said she hopes the song can encourage others who are struggling.

“I also wrote it to encourage other people and remind them that the light is much more powerful than the darkness,” she said. “And you are not defined by trauma, you are not defined by what happened to you in your past. You are defined by what you do with it.”

Chloe Lattanzi, John Easterling and Olivia Newton-John participate in the Olivia Newton-John Wellness Walk and Research Run on October 6, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Sam Tabone/WireImag)

“And my mother was in tears and said, ‘This is the best work you’ve ever done,'” Lattanzi recalls. “She always loved hearing my voice beforehand, and that’s what she and I have in common in terms of production in music is for you, mom. This is my promise to you. So releasing it on her birthday is very sacred.”

In addition to releasing the song, Lattanzi will continue her mother’s legacy in a special way.

Lattanzi will be on October 6th Lead the annual Olivia’s Walk for Wellness in Melbourne, Australia, benefiting the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Center.

Olivia Newton-John and Chloe posed for a photo at the annual event in 2019. (Sam Tabone/WireImage/Getty Images)

“I feel like I’m keeping my mom alive, and that’s what she taught me,” Lattanzi said. “You and I both suffered from different ailments, but we both wanted to help others who suffered from what we suffered. I’m similar to her in that way. And I don’t believe there is a greater purpose than being of service to and connecting with other living beings, whether human or animal.

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“I want to continue this beautiful legacy of hers [find] We want to create gentler treatment options for cancer and end everything together.”

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) – The East Texas chapter of the American Red Cross had the grand opening of its renovated facility on Friday.

“We got new windows, new doors, new floors, new ceilings. “Pretty much everything you see here is brand new,” says Karen Holt, executive director of the American Red Cross East Texas Chapter. “Thanks to our wonderful team, our facilities team, we’ve managed in really record-breaking time to ensure that, as you know, we can continue to provide services to our community, so we’re just delighted to be open again and doing so to continue to serve the community.”

They also celebrated the 107th anniversary of the American Red Cross in Smith County and throughout East Texas since World War I.

They provide life-saving blood products to the community and offer CPR and first aid training. Additionally, they are responding to disaster relief efforts and are currently undertaking efforts to transport disaster responders and supplies to assist those affected by Hurricane Helene.

“There are currently over 400 Red Cross volunteers on site and hundreds more on the way,” says Holt. “We’re supporting 10,000 people in multiple shelters, hundreds of shelters there, and we’re going to be here for the long haul. We know this is Florida, we know this is Georgia, but we are on the ground supporting this effort.”

Copyright 2024 KLTV. All rights reserved.

October has historically been a good month to have money in the stock market. The S&P 500 has risen at least 10% 61 times since World War II, according to Bespoke Investment Group, and nearly a third of those rallies began in October.

An example is the bear market that began on January 3, 2022 and ended on October 12, 2022. The S&P 500 gained more than 60% during the subsequent bull market. And the story goes that bullish momentum could strengthen in October and beyond, driven in part by holiday spending.

Past performance is never a guarantee of future returns, however Shopify (BUSINESS -1.91%) And Uber technologies (ABOVE -1.23%) are worthwhile long-term investments regardless of what happens next month. Here’s why.

Shopify: The leader in eCommerce software

Shopify offers commerce software and services for businesses of all sizes. Its platform allows merchants to manage sales across offline and online channels, including social media, marketplaces and custom websites. Shopify also offers adjacent merchant solutions for marketing, payments, and logistics. This turnkey approach has helped the company secure a leadership position in e-commerce and omnichannel commerce software.

Shopify initially prioritized small and medium-sized businesses, but now also includes larger brands with Shopify Plus and Commerce Components. The first is a complete commerce platform for businesses, while the second allows businesses to adopt individual elements of Shopify’s commerce stack. Both include wholesale commerce tools that expand Shopify’s addressable market beyond retail.

Shopify looked strong in the second quarter. Revenue rose 21% to $2 billion, including a 4 percentage point headwind from the sale of the logistics business. Meanwhile, non-GAAP (adjusted) earnings rose 85% to $0.26 per diluted share. President Harley Finkelstein told analysts: “More and more merchants around the world are relying on Shopify’s unified commerce operating system to drive growth and simplify complex operations.”

Importantly, the company made progress in physical retail, wholesale and international markets, three strategic growth drivers. In the second quarter, offline gross merchandise volume (GMV) increased 27% and wholesale GMV increased 140%, both of which exceeded overall GMV growth of 22%. Meanwhile, the number of international merchants using Shopify has increased by 30%.

Wall Street expects earnings to rise 45% annually over the next three years. This makes the current valuation of 82x earnings seem reasonable. Regardless of whether a stock market rally begins in October or not, I think investors who buy a small position in Shopify today will be happy with their decision five years from now.

Uber Technologies: The market leader in ridesharing

Uber divides its business into three categories: the mobility segment connects riders with transportation, the delivery segment connects consumers with local grocery stores and restaurants, and the freight segment connects shippers with carriers. According to Bloomberg, Uber operates the largest ride-sharing platform in the United States and the second-largest food delivery platform by revenue.

The company’s main distinguishing feature is that it can offer ride-sharing and delivery services via a single platform. Uber can encourage consumers and drivers on both sides of its ecosystem to engage with the other side, and its cross-promotion efforts are paying off. According to a company presentation, 22% of first-time mobility trips come from the delivery app and 31% of first-time delivery trips come from the mobility app.

Uber has another important advantage in its proprietary data. By providing ride-hailing and delivery services, the company develops a deep understanding of users’ tastes and preferences and uses this information to connect consumers with relevant advertising. User data also creates a network effect that helps Uber predict demand and route drivers more effectively over time.

Uber reported solid financial results for the second quarter. Monthly active platform users increased 14% to 156 million and trips increased 21% to 2.7 billion, meaning users are interacting more frequently. In turn, revenue rose 16% to $10.7 billion, led by strong growth in mobility sales, and GAAP earnings rose 161% to $0.47 per diluted share.

Wall Street expects Uber’s profits to rise 48% annually over the next three years. This consensus makes the current valuation of 84x earnings seem reasonable. Investors should feel comfortable buying a small position in Uber at the current price, provided they plan to hold their shares for at least three to five years.