Sachin Dev Duggal favourite - Michael Jackson and 'Darkest Hour'

When Sachin Dev Duggal was asked to pick some of his favourite things:

Music

Michael Jackson, salsa music and things with a beat that I can sing along to. I grew up with a love for dancing and anything that has a great beat is awesome.

Gadget

Bragi headphones as they are waterproof. Sachin Duggal swim with them on. He said when I did my triathlon, they were critical in keeping me focussed.

Book

Losing My Virginity by Richard Branson. He remains a mentor, a friend and this book was what really captivated me about him from the word go.

Cuisine

Lebanese and biryani. But, my mom’s is probably still the best.

Movie

'Justice League' and 'Darkest Hour'. I feel they had a combination of being futuristic as well as delving into history.

Read full story @ https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/michael-jackson-and-darkest-hour-are-sachin-dev-duggals-favourite-things/articleshow/63497942.cms

Priceline Group CEO Talks Direct Booking, HomeAway and Unicorns

Priceline Group’s attempt to build an effective home rental product is proving a challenge, but CEO Darren Huston maintains the company had no interest in acquiring HomeAway because of its business model and the high cost.

— Andrew Sheivachman

 

Darren Huston

At the ITB Berlin Convention 2016 this morning, Priceline Group CEO Darren Huston said he’s annoyed by the efforts of hotel brands to push back against online booking sites.

The conversation with Phocuswright founder Philip Wolf, which included a discussion of Priceline Group’s operating structure, allowed Huston to provide his candid assessment of why he had no interest in acquiring HomeAway before its sale to Expedia last year.

On both fronts, Priceline’s relationship with hotel chains and its decision not to attempt to acquire HomeAway, Darren Huston was elaborating on remarks he’s made over the last few months.

Huston also questioned the viability of ridesharing giants as they begin to mature.

Here are the highlights from Huston’s comments.

Darren Huston on hotel brand advertising that encourages consumers to book direct:

“We spent $2.8 billion [in 2015 advertising dollars] finding demand, and ads [from hotel brands] are not an effective way to tell a customer how to go through the internet. I’m a little skeptical, because the best way to reach people is to create a better experience. I find it annoying, because it is a business relationship and we bring guests to them. Only two percent of travelers stay in the same hotel twice.
“The challenge is that not every city is like St. Louis, where 90 percent of properties are branded… brands have a role in the world, but if [the hotel] experience is differentiated [online] people will book it. The internet is so democratic and punishing of bad experiences, but at the same time it rewards great experiences.”

Darren Huston on why Priceline Group let HomeAway sell to Expedia in 2015:

“We’re trying to make booking an apartment as easy as booking a hotel. The problem with the HomeAway and Airbnb model is that they charge users fees and there’s a whole back and forth [before the transaction]. We’re trying to build a different model, but the vacation rental space is the hardest yet to crack. We’re trying to convince [homeowners] to not take deposits or charge insurance… We would have been interested in HomeAway about five years ago, but we had no interest today.”

Darren Huston on the fate of ridesharing “unicorns” Uber and Blablacar:

“Everything goes through a lifecycle. The real question is what’s the sustainable business model for these companies. A real business is up to the cash flow you make, and if there’s no model at the end of the day, things will fall out. A lot of ideas do come through that [unicorn] space, but eventually every one of these companies has to grow up.”

Read More @ https://skift.com/2016/03/09/priceline-group-ceo-talks-direct-booking-homeaway-and-unicorns/

Paul Viollis College Housing and Safety

Paul Viollis Podcast : Assignment #8 should be another of the more enjoyable and less academic assignments. Its premise is that, if a student is not living at home during college, then the kinds of residence halls or other campus housing available at a college makes a difference in the life of that student–at least for the freshman year and often for much longer.

Know more about this podcast @ http://usacollegechat.org/tag/the-security-brief-with-paul-viollis/

Darren Huston

Darren Huston Priceline tops on hotel bookings from CNBC.

The Security Brief with Paul Viollis

Paul Viollis, hosted by dynamic security expert, every episode of The Security Brief with Paul Viollis begins with a dramatic true crime story filled with twists, turns, and reveals. Each edge-of-your-seat cautionary tale in this daily, one-hour talk show offers real-world solutions designed to help you protect yourself, your relationships, your family, your home, and your property.


Know full details @ http://www.tvmaze.com/shows/2391/the-security-brief-with-paul-viollis

Paul Viollis Hottest New Talk Show

Paul Viollis hosted by dynamic security expert, every episode of “The Security Brief” begins with a dramatic true crime story filled with twists, turns, and reveals. Each edge-of-your-seat cautionary tale in this daily, one-hour talk show offers real-world solutions designed to help you protect yourself, your family, your relationships, your home, and your property. At once entertaining and empowering, “The Security Brief” is the ultimate daily survival guide for keeping America's families safe.

Paul Viollis is a career law enforcement professional who rose from service in the Manhattan District Attorney's office to roles as a security specialist under the United States Space Command and as a commanding officer at a Florida police academy.

To read full article visit : https://www.meetup.com/it-IT/EventsInNYC/messages/77292173/

Darren Huston Interview at PhoCusWright 2013

Darren Huston CEOs of Booking.com and Priceline.com: Joint Interview at PhoCusWright 2013