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BROOKLINE – The state Supreme Court has ruled against the store Tobacco Haven, putting into question the future of the roll-your-own cigarette machines that the state said might imperil some $50 million in annual tobacco payments to the state.
In a unanimous ruling released Thursday, the court agreed with an earlier Superior Court decision that said the store must either shut down the machines or ensure the state gets per-cigarette tax payments established as part of a 1998 settlement about health costs related to smoking.
Tobacco Haven has argued that because the smokes are rolled by customers, using tobacco and papers bought at the store, they are exempt from the payments.
Customers buy loose tobacco and paper “cigarette tubes” and use the machines to roll up to 200 cigarettes in roughly 10 minutes. The resulting cigarettes cost less than half the price of packaged cigarettes in cartons or packs.
A clerk at Tobacco Haven, located on Route 13 near the state border, said Thursday afternoon that he had been told not to comment. The cigarette machines appeared to still be in operation in an adjoining room.
The complexity of the case means that the future of the machines is unclear.
“We’ll need to discuss this internally, then we’re going to need to have a discussion with their counsel to figure that out,” said Assistant Attorney General David Rienzo.
It’s also not clear, Rienzo said, whether or when the state should be paid the escrow collected on the tobacco. The money, likely to run into the thousands or tens of thousands of dollars, has been put aside since late 2009, when a Superior Court judge first filed a temporary injunction in response to state rulings.
Tobacco Haven’s lead attorney, Jeffrey Burd of Ohio, was in court Thursday and his office said he would have no comment. No comment was available from Getman, Schulthess and Steere of Bedford, who also participated in the Supreme Court arguments.
The owner and operator of Tobacco Haven, Joe Correia Jr., has consistently deferred comments on the case to his attorneys.
The case has drawn considerable attention because the state is required to collect payments of about 42 cents per pack from tobacco product manufacturers, as part of the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement. If the state doesn’t collect the money, which is put into an escrow account and eventually paid out to the states to handle smoking-related health issues, it might lose out on its portion of the settlement.
New Hampshire gets six-tenths of 1 percent of that roughly $7 billion pot – a tally of some $50 million a year.
The legal battles date back to August 2009 after Tobacco Haven installed the machines and drew crowds of customers seeking the relatively cheap smokes – although a taste test run by three Telegraph smokers in 2009 found that the results were less tasty than commercial cigarettes and too irregularly packed to be an enjoyable draw.
The state filed suit in August 2009, asking that the company either stop using the machines or make sure the escrow payments, roughly 50 cents per 20-cigarette pack, were made.
A superior court injunction followed up, and in 2010, a court granted the state’s motion for quick judgement, saying “selling loose untaxed tobacco, which is then immediately rolled into cigarettes retained by the customer in cigarette rolling machines conveniently located on the premises, is clearly a subterfuge to circumvent statutory requirements.”
The store appealed, and the issue went to the Supreme Court.
At the same time, Correia created a new corporate entity called RYO, for roll-your-own, and the machines were transferred under its purview.
A superior court decision applied the Tobacco Haven injunction to RYO as well, but the supreme court vacated that decision, ruling that Correia hadn’t been given an opportunity to argue the role of RYO in the case.
The question of RYO’s status in the case is likely to be taken up again by the lower courts, Rienzo said Thursday.
Another argument made earlier by Tobacco Haven, that the tobacco involved is pipe tobacco and therefore covered only by a much smaller federal tax, was rejected by the supreme court.
Tobacco Haven also argued the loose tobacco they bought from manufacturers should be considered cigarettes and therefore the manufacturers should pay the tax. The Supreme Court ruled that was a question that had to be sorted out in lower courts.
Roll-your-own machines exist for at-home use, much smaller and slower than the commercial version.
By David Brooks


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Plenty of local experts are serving up access to the buffet. And some entrepreneurs are digging in. But others consider the stimulus warmed-over leftovers.
“For high-tech, high-growth businesses of the 21st century, there’s nothing in the stimulus bill that helps us,” said Bob Compton, a longtime investor in local businesses who now lives in Memphis, Tenn. “For low-growth and failed businesses of the 20th century, that’s where the bulk of the money is going.”
In February, President Obama signed the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law. Although some of the stimulus package has begun to trickle down, many small-business owners still don’t know what’s available.
U.S. Rep. Andre Carson, D-Indianapolis, wants to show them. On April 15, he and the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce co-hosted a local forum. Carson said constituents have been regularly contacting his office about the stimulus. In addition to the forum, the congressman said he’s been meeting with them in person, or answering questions via teleconference while he’s in Washington, D.C.
“When the credit freeze hit toward the end of last year, businesses of all kinds, but especially small businesses, were hit the worst,” Carson said, adding that nearly half of Indiana workers are employed by a small business.
“Just today, our office received a letter from a small-business owner who runs a used-car lot that’s been impacted by the credit freeze,” Carson said. “Right now, they can’t get even a loan from a large bank that received TARP [Troubled Asset Relief Program] money. He’s rightfully asking why a small business with good credit and past success can’t get a loan to grow.”
A piece of the pie?
Even if it’s spread across the country, $787 billion in federal spending and tax credits is a big number. Much of the direct expenditure in the stimulus isn’t designed to stimulate small businesses in particular as opposed to larger ones, said Kristine Danz, a partner in the local law firm Ice Miller LLP. Instead, the main aim is to get the
“There is a misperception in the marketplace that if you’re a small business, funds are available for you under the stimulus. It really doesn’t work that way. You have to be eligible for one of the areas focused on in the package: health care, life sciences, the green initiative,” she said. “Those areas have money available for companies to get for certain kinds of projects.”
And therein lies Compton’s beef. For two decades, Compton has been one of Indiana’s most successful speculative investors, first as a venture capitalist and later as an angel investor using his own money. His portfolio includes some of the state’s fastest-growing high-tech companies, such as e-mail marketing software-maker Exact Target.
Compton, who supported Obama in the presidential election, said he read the entire stimulus bill, which ran over 1,000 pages, to find whether it had anything to help ground-breaking startups. He thinks too much of the money is going to support troubled old-business giants, like automakers, with far too little available for innovation.
“It’s not putting money into the new technologies, the new research, the new developments that will create new products, new companies, new industries and new jobs,” Compton said. “We should be stimulating the industries of the future, not the industries that have failed to maintain their competitive edge.”
More credit for small biz
Much of what the stimulus has to offer small businesses directly is meant to free up credit, and it’s all being channeled through the Small Business Administration. For many companies, lack of customers is their sorest need during the economic downturn.
The government is addressing slack demand by buying products and services. But federal contracts typically require performance bonds. Thanks to the stimulus, the SBA can now guarantee up to $10 million in performance bonds, compared to its former $2 million ceiling, SBA Indiana District Director Gail Gesell said.
The stimulus also is allowing the SBA to waive many of the fees associated with its traditional business loans, and to increase their guarantees against default. Gesell said the SBA now has $375 million it’s using toset aside the costs of its loan programs, some of which allow small businesses to borrow for major purchases, such as buildings or capital equipment. The SBA also has new resources to help small businesses with everything from marketing to paying employee salaries. The stimulus is allowing the SBA to guarantee 90 percent of small-business loans up to $1.5 million.
“This is a good time for companies to get their business plans and marketing plans in shape so they can move forward in this current economy and take advantage of new opportunities,” Gesell said. “This is such marvelous risk-sharing by the SBA, and we have over 120 participating financial institutions.”
Expanding in recession
The stimulus is helping Julie Bowman expand her small business. She’s the owner of the Primrose School in Carmel’s Village of West Clay, a day care center and preschool she franchised from the Georgia-based chain. Last month, Bowman borrowed $3.5 million from Salin Bank to open another Primrose School in Westfield. The SBA guaranteed the first $1.5 million.
Many small businesses are skittish about expanding during the recession. But Bowman said her first Primrose School is full, with 185 kids and an 18-month waiting list for the infant room. She said that may be because some former stay-at-home moms are returning to the work force to make ends meet.
“Child care is something parents won’t cut back on,” she said. “They’re going to cut back on their Starbucks coffee in the morning, but not on the care for their kids. That’s the most important thing for them.”
The SBA hopes the stimulus will convince other entrepreneurs to follow suit. Itis starting to buoy small businesses, Gesell said, but there’s still a long way to go before activity reaches pre-recession levels. SBA loan originations and volume are both down to about half their previous levels in the first half of this fiscal year, which began Oct. 1, she said.
The good news is the trend is moving in the right direction. In the first weeks of October, the SBA’s loan levels were as much as 90-percent off. In more recent weeks, they’ve been only 45-percent off.
Business plans that make sense with or without the stimulus are receiving the most benefit from it, said Mike Newbold, regional president of Huntington Bank in Indiana. The stimulus is not changing the type of borrower that Huntington lends to, but it has made expansion loans more appealing to small companies with needsthey didn’t have before the credit crunch.
For example, before the recession, most companies paid their bills within three weeks, Newbold said. But these days, many are stretching their terms out to 45 or 60 days. That’s creating more demand for SBA-backed loans.
Think of the stimulus as simply a nudge toward making the economy work like it’s always supposed to. It’s good business for Huntington to offer SBA loans, Newbold said, because the bank won’t just make money off those loans’ interest. As the small-business borrowers grow, they’ll need depository services-growing Huntington’s assets, and allowing it to make more loans. The small-business borrowers will also add employees, who will need personal checking and savings accounts. Eventually, they may want to buy houses or cars.
“We’d love to provide that financing,” Newbold said. “The SBA loan is kind of the tip of the iceberg in terms of offering opportunity to serve a variety of customer segments.”
When it works, the stimulus gives small businesses a push in the direction of growth. But it’s far less a factor than the fundamentals. For example, Craig Sullivan owns a pair of small companies in Danville. Sullivan Equipment Inc. provides capital equipment, like frame racks, paint booths and computerized welding tools, to car dealers and body shops. He also owns Sullivan Tire, a retail tire store.
Sullivan has the lion’s share of the Danville market. But its small population of 5,500 is a limiting factor. He wants to expand Sullivan Tire into Avon, whose population is 25,000 and growing. He recently borrowed an SBA-guaranteed $223,000 from Center Bank to open a second location there.
But Sullivan didn’t even know about the SBA’s involvement until his banker sent him a $5,000 check refunding his fees. It was a nice bonus, he said, but it wouldn’t cover half a week’s payroll. He’s confident he would have qualified for the loan without the SBA. Meanwhile, demand for Sullivan Equipment’s products has slowed to a crawl as people delay purchasing new autos and even fixing their old ones.
Federal incentives are nice, but consumer confidence is what Sullivan said his business needs most.
“The stimulus hasn’t been especially helpful,” he said. “When it all comes down to it, it’s Mrs. Smith driving down the road buying groceries for her kids and tires for her car. That’s to me where the rubber meets the road.” •

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Published on : Aug 08, 2016
ALBANY, New York, August 08, 2016: ResearchMoz.us has added a new report on the global cloud ERP market to its database of research reports. The report studies the current situation and the changing trends in the global market. As per the report, the implementation of cloud-based ERP solutions is growing across the globe – not only in IT companies, but also in other sectors. Ever since cloud computing was first introduced, it has been in demand from many industries. Customized cloud-based ERP solutions have been adopted by many organizations to fulfill their business needs. The growing introduction of cloud ERP by mid-size organizations is a boost for the global market, as this can give rise to innovations and customized cloud services.
The report, titled ‘Global Cloud ERP Market: Trends, Opportunities and Forecasts (2016-2021) (By End-User - Small, Medium, Large Companies, By Deployment - Private, Public, Hybrid: By Industry Verticals: By Region - N. America, Europe, APAC: By Country - USA, Australia, Canada, Germany, UK, Japan),’ states that the market exhibited a 6.38% CAGR during the period from 2011 to 2015. As per the findings of the report, the global cloud ERP market is expected to exhibit an 8.30% CAGR from 2016 to 2020.
The report lists the key companies operating in the global cloud ERP market. Currently, companies such as Ramco System, Salesforce.com, QAD, and Netsuite, Inc. are dominating the global market. The report predicts that the entry of new companies will make the global cloud ERP market highly competitive in the near future. Key companies are currently engaged in designing and developing cloud-based ERP solutions to meet the needs of the education and retail industries. The adoption of cloud-based ERP services is expected to increase in the healthcare industry, predict the analysts. Going forward, the rising adoption of cloud ERP in SMBs is expected to further drive the global market.
Click here to get more info with TOC in a PDF Format: http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=760227
The demand for large storage services is increasing across all industries. Additionally, the need to enable on-demand access to large amounts of data is also increasing. This has boosted the demand for cloud-based ERP services.
For a detailed analysis, the analysts have segmented the global cloud ERP market on the basis of region, end use, deployment model, country, and industry verticals. Based on region, currently North America leads the global cloud ERP market with the largest adoption. Large, small, and medium enterprises are some of the end users of cloud-based ERP services. Private, public, and hybrid are the primary deployment types of cloud ERP services.
Cloud ERP finds application in industries such as oil and gas, manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, retail, and financial services. The growing application of cloud-based ERP services across various industries will benefit the global market, predict the analysts. For a detailed competitive analysis of key companies by country, the global cloud ERP market is divided into Japan, Australia, Germany, the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.
To order report Call USA – Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948 or send an email on firstname.lastname@example.org


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By Dave Wendland, VP, Strategic Relations, Hamacher Resource Group
Having recently had the opportunity to address a group of independent grocers during the National Grocers Association (NGA) show, I was quickly reminded of an old adage that goes something like, “Just when you think you have the key to success, somebody changes the lock.”
This is precisely what I repeatedly heard during this well-attended conference. Not only had grocers persevered during one of the most unprecedented times in retail, but they had also experienced a promising lift across their operation. That said, most were wary about what will occur next as they adapt and accept the emerging new normal.
Among the questions they consistently asked were the following:
– Will shoppers remain loyal to their stores as the pandemic subsides?
– Will the supply chain settle down enough to keep the key items shoppers want in stock?
– How will workforce challenges be addressed, and can they afford reskill training?
– What impact will private store brands have as inflation continues to soar or brand innovation stalls?
– How can they identify the common traits of the new hybrid shoppers and how can they deliver value across the omnichannel?
– Should they invest in the latest and greatest technology (e.g., cashier-less checkout, robotic inventory management, drone or autonomous delivery, AI-enabled applications, etc.)?
Two questions that I challenged them to address were:
- Who is your future customer?
- What changes do you need to make to your core operation to meet their needs?
Speaking of the future customer may seem like a fleeting thought, but a recent conversation with Jonathan Koch, dean of business at Waukesha County Technology College (WCTC), brought to light an interesting and relevant viewpoint. He said that the delivery of higher learning and the overall educational system had changed dramatically over the past two years.
Specifically, Jon shared that they had shifted to a hybrid system; with the workforce burdened due to retirements and resignations, course offerings had been modified to meet the demands of a new market, and the approach of communication with students had quickly shifted to more high-tech methods.
He went on to suggest that they were in the process of revamping their approach to education not by looking in the rear-view mirror and expecting things to return to their prior state, but rather looking to the next generation of students and retooling their entire go-to-market strategy and curriculum accordingly.
Who are these future students? Jon was quick to share that they were not talking to their current student population; they are focusing on 13-year-olds.
One of my favorite quotes is by Oliver Wendell Holmes, who is credited with saying, “A mind that is stretched by new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” Every retailer in the country – regardless of their class of trade – needs to stretch their imagination. Think about the future consumer (perhaps the 13-year-olds) and put them at the center of every decision you’re making, from assortment planning to deployment of technology, and staffing to overall operations.
For those retailers and brands that can harness personal shopper information, ensure its protection and then activate it to create a relevant relationship with consumers: The future of shopper marketing is evolving quickly. The key is putting the consumer at the center.
Dave Wendland is vice president of strategic relations for Waukesha, Wis.-based Hamacher Resource Group Inc. (HRG), which improves results across the retail supply chain by addressing dynamic needs such as data and analysis, brand development, fixture coordination and management, shopper experience, and retail communications.


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Nokia, Google Detail Linux Tablet CollaborationBy Henry Kingman | Posted 2006-05-16 Print
Nokia says it will offer an upgrade for its 770 Internet tablet that will bring better memory performance, VOIP capabilities and a pre-installed Google Talk client.
Nokia says it will ship a firmware upgrade for existing and new 770 Internet tablet owners. The OS 2006 upgrade, expected this quarter, will bring better memory performance and a "refreshed look." It will also feature VOIP capabilities and a pre-installed Google Talk client with a full-screen "finger" keyboard.
Additionally, the OS 2006 firmware release will support standard SIP-based VOIP clients for enterprise use, such as SIPPhone's Gizmo Project, which allows users to make and receive calls to and from public telephony networks.
The 770 tablet appears to have only a single one-eighth-inch headphone jack, but the jack actually supports mobile phone headsets with microphones. The new release will have drivers to support audio input, potentially enabling a variety of audio applications in addition to VOIP.
Read the full story on eWEEK.com: Nokia, Google Detail Linux Tablet Collaboration
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Rancho Dominguez, Calif.-based NVOCC Dependable Global Express, which operates under the name DGX, announced Wednesday that it plans to increase its less-than-container-load all-water service to a weekly schedule from Los Angeles directly to Valparaiso, Chile.
DGX has also begun a new bi-weekly ocean LCL service from Los Angeles to the Caribbean and northern South America utilizing Colon, Panama as its hub.
The Chile service offers arrival in Valparaiso 18 days after departure from Los Angeles with direct steaming down the west coast of South America.
"We are one of the very few logistics companies providing all water LCL service to Chile from the West Coast. We believe DGX offers the best value because of this direct, all water route." DGX Latin American Tradelane Manager Antonio Bellido said.
DGX is offering LCL service to the Caribbean with the firm's new bi-weekly sailings from Los Angeles to Colon, Panama.
Bellido said that the 9-day all water service to Colon with transshipment to any island in the Caribbean, reduces delivery time compared to utilizing the traditional Miami-to-Latin America gateway.
"We are the only direct service for LCL cargo into the Caribbean from the West Coast," Bellido said.
Beelindo said the Valparaiso service cut off time for cargo is Friday with sailings on the following Wednesday; for the Caribbean cut off time is Tuesday with ship's departure on Friday.
DGX is the international sea division of the Dependable Companies, a group of corporations providing air, ocean and surface domestic and global transportation. Other companies include DHX-Dependable Hawaiian Express, one of the largest freight forwarders serving Hawaii and Guam; Dependable AirCargo Express, which provides air service to U.S. and international destinations; Dependable Highway Express, an LTL and trailer load trucking company; Dependable Distribution Centers, a public warehousing company managing more than 2 million square feet of warehousing space; and, Dependable Logistics Solution.


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Philz Coffee, the growing San Francisco-based coffee chain with a cult following, is headed to downtown San Mateo.
"We have a lot of fans in San Mateo that have been asking us to open for years and years," Jacob Jaber, CEO of Philz, told me. "People drive to Palo Alto and San Francisco, and now our new South San Francisco store. So opening up in San Mateo would be great because a lot of our customers are there."
The new Philz will be at 129 B. St. The 3,500-square-foot space would be Philz largest location, Jaber said. Most are in the range of 1,500 to 2,000 square feet.
"We're going to make it a very special, comfortable space," he said, adding that it will have an area for customers to pick up orders that were phoned in ahead of time.
The San Mateo store will be the company's 17th location. Philz also has a store in the works in Los Gatos.
Philz, founded in 2003, is a Bay Area favorite that has popularized the traditional drip method of brewing coffee. It's a big hit with the tech crowd, which is one reason you'll find Philz at the Facebook campus in Menlo Park. It's also an asset for neighboring retailers, because the coffeehouses tend to generate plenty of foot traffic.
All locations of Philz are corporate owned. Jaber told me there are more in the works, but declined to say where the company is negotiated for new dots on the map. But he said Philz has no intention of over expanding.
"We are growing, but we want to do it very mindfully and make sure we're getting better and not diluting on any quality," he said. "Our growth is aggressive but very controlled."
The San Mateo location could be open in three to four months, he said.


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The Dramatic Rise and Fall of Cannabis Company Stocks
The unprecedented expansion of cannabis across North America took the investment world by storm, as investors raced to cash in on the “green rush”.
Yet, even as changing regulations unlock new opportunities, it seems as though the cannabis stock bubble has already burst — at least temporarily.
Today’s visualization dives into the roller coaster of cannabis company stock valuations over the past few years, and which companies remain standing in this hazy market.
A Wild Ride for Cannabis Stocks
The North American Marijuana Index tracks the equally-weighted stocks of leading companies operating in the legal cannabis industry in U.S. and Canada. Companies listed on the index must have at least 50% of their business strategy focused on the legal industry, including ancillary operations that support companies and consumers…CLICK for complete article
The United States has a total area of 3,796,742 square miles. That makes it the third or fourth-largest country in the world by land area, depending if you count overseas territories. So what’s the point? Despite its size, the U.S. is facing a dilemma of sorts. According to a new report from The Brookings Institution, regional divergence in the U.S. innovation sector “has reached extreme levels.” The innovation sector, composed of 13 of the nation’s highest-tech, highest R&D industries, is vital to the U.S. economy. The innovation sector accounts for 3% of U.S. jobs, but generates 6% of the country’s GDP, a quarter of its exports and two-thirds of business R&D expenditures. The industries, such as software, pharmaceuticals and semiconductors, consist of workers with degrees such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The report found that job gains in the innovation sector are becoming highly concentrated to a handful of “superstar” metropolitan areas. Boston, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle and San Diego captured more than 90% of all new jobs in the innovation sector from 2005 to 2017. These cities’ share of the nation’s innovation sector employment increased from 17.6% to 22.8% during this period.
One-third of the nation’s innovation sector jobs are now in just 16 counties, with more than half concentrated in 41 counties. The hardest hit cities, in terms of losing innovation sector jobs over this period, include Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas and Los Angeles.
The report discusses some of the negative externalities as a result of innovation sector jobs clustering to a few cities. The most obvious is housing. A separate report from PropertyShark found that California is home to 73% of the nation’s priciest zip codes. The Bay Area alone is home to 55 of the nation’s 125 most expensive zip codes….CLICK for complete article
Technical traders are always looking for signals that a stock could be due for a change in direction. Given that stocks rarely move in one direction for too long without periodic retracements, a stock that has endured heavy selling pressure and has become “oversold” may be a potential buying opportunity.
One of the most popular metrics for determining whether a stock is overbought is relative strength index, or RSI. RSI is an oscillator that fluctuates from 0 to 100 based on the magnitude of recent price changes in a stock. RSI can be calculated on any number of different time periods, but the typical period is 14 days.
The formula for calculating RSI is RSI = 100 – [100/1+(average gain/average loss)]. However, all traders need to know is that the lower the RSI, the more oversold a stock is. The higher the RSI the more overbought a stock is considered to be. Typically, traders use 30 (oversold) and 70 (overbought) as potential buy or sell signals.
A stock with an RSI under 30 is a candidate for a technical bounce, at least in the short term….CLICK for complete article
So much for that trade war deal for Christmas. It’s not happening, and the DOW has shed nearly 400 points since this morning on that holiday sentiment alone. By 12:28pm EST, the DOW had shed over 440 points.
Earlier today in London, Trump dropped a trade war bombshell, saying that a deal isn’t like until 2020, and worse–not until after presidential elections, adding that “In some ways I think it’s better to wait for after the election if you want to know the truth”.
That likely means that Trump has been less than forthcoming about the success of negotiations about a trade deal, and publicly aiming for a deal after elections would suggest that it wasn’t a failure, officially, so might resonate less at the polls.
And “after the elections” is a vague notion, and Trump concedes that he has “no deadline”.
The DOW just took a plunge because the markets had already priced in a trade deal after a verbal agreement between China and the U.S. over a month ago.
And it’s not just the China element that’s dragging down the markets…CLICK for complete article
Fast-food sandwich chain Subway is set to introduce new deals in January that place additional pressure on already struggling franchisees, according to The New York Post.
Subway’s Promotional CEO
Subway’s advertising agency discussed several discounts the restaurant is set to introduce in a series of private and regional conference calls, The Post’s sources said.
Some of the upcoming promotions include slashing the price of a 6-inch oven-roasted chicken sandwich from $4.25 to $2.99. In total, six sandwiches could be discounted under the leadership of John Chidsey, who was named CEO on Nov. 18.
Chidsey brings fast food experience to the table and previously served as the CEO of Burger King….CLICK for complete article


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Survey points to obsolete televisions within a decade
Gadgets have already replaced the goggle-box in our household and, according to new research from Irdeto presented at CES 2014, more than half of U.S. consumers believe the television could be ousted by mobile devices within the next decade.
In a survey of 1,000 U.S. adults aged 18 and over, conducted in late December, 2013, more than half (53%) said they expect smartphones and tablets will replace the television set by 2022 and 31% think it might happen a lot soon - within one to five years.
According to Richard Frankland, Irdeto VP of Sales, Americas, "we have reached a point where not only are devices as important to consumers as televisions, but a generational clash is also occurring between the demand for live programming and over the top services".
Among younger media consumers between the ages of 18 and 24, services such as Netflix have become popular as there is a preference to watch an entire series in a short period of time instead of having to wait a week or more between episodes. A Harris Interactive survey of television streamers conducted in November, 2013, found that 61% regularly binge on television series and more than three-quarters (79%) say watching multiple episodes in one sitting makes a show more enjoyable.
Other key findings from Irdeto's survey include:
- Two-thirds (65%) prefer to watch television content live at the time of broadcast whether they watch on a mobile device or on a television;
- The majority of consumers believe Smart TV will be the device on which they watch content in the future as opposed to gaming consoles (6%), hybrid streaming devices (6%), mobile devices (5%) and dongles such as Google Chromecast (2%);
- While 16% are not interested in newer viewing technology, 18% are 'very interested' in 4K television sets and 40% 'somewhat interested'.
Image via Shutterstock
- BrightRoll, Marketron announcements offer more measurement
- Study: SMBs turning to multi-channel to engage
- Gigya: Facebook winning for logins
- Community Q&A: Do you need it? And how to use it
- Study: SMBs bride personal achievement over money
- DMA (UK) poll reveals most 'marketing friendly' social network
- LinkedIn: 300 million connected, 3 billion to go
- Kenshoo: Paid search continues double-digit yearly growth
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Host of PBS’s Around The Table Farm hosts Makers Market highlighting Chippewa Valley farmers
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) - Inga Witscher, host of ‘Around The Farm Table’ on PBS, held a farmer’s market highlighting Chippewa Valley farmers Sunday.
People came from far and wide to support local farmers featured at the Makers Market at Witscher’s Osseo dairy farm.
“We are celebrating Wisconsin agriculture on this beautiful Sunday in September... We’re so excited to see people coming from Milwaukee, from the Twin Cities, from Wausau, all over the place,” said Witscher.
The TV show host uses her platform to promote farmers and support the agriculture community here in Wisconsin.
“We’ve actually been doing a fall event every fall except during COVID for a few years or so. But this is our most successful yet,” said Witscher.
Two of those farmers are Helen and Chris Kees from the Wheatfield Hill Organics farm. They say they’re grateful for the opportunity to meet consumers face to face.
“They’re especially hungry for authentic food or products. They want to see the face of the farmer....When you purchase something here, you’re talking to the person that grew it, made it or produced it,” said Helen Kees.
They were actually featured on Around The Farm Table.
“We were actually featured in her first season that aired, I believe, in 2013,” said Chris. She is a fan of Witscher’s work. “We love Igna and everything she does and everything that she promotes and we were we were grateful that we had the opportunity.”
Charlie slack traveled from Onalaska to check out the market.
“It’s worth it. It’s nice. And they have a nice display vendors and stuff. And I got some honey today. Very good honey. And it was pleasant event they had today.”
For Witscher, she is always happy to support the local agriculture business.
“This is the first time we’re inviting other farmers to be a part of this. So it’s been really successful and we can’t wait to do this again next year.”
Copyright 2022 WEAU. All rights reserved.


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As ATMs run dry in India, the Narendra Modi government and the payments industry have learnt an important lesson: cash isn’t going anywhere.
While the government shifted the goalpost several times following November 2016’s shock demonetisation, one of its key objectives was to increase digital transactions. And though spending via cards and mobile money did increase, the levels are nowhere close to the initial estimates.
But despite the bumpy ride, digital payment firms are not perturbed. Sarah Quinlan, Mastercard’s head of market insights, believes cash transactions will reduce, but only in a decade or more, by when consumer behaviour will change. After all, India has a significantly high penetration of mobile phones and is also home to a fairly young population. This section of consumers is more comfortable with technology and is most likely to adopt digital payments with ease.
Also, the cost of printing and handling cash is high, therefore the benefits and convenience of transacting via card or digital will soon nudge people into shifting to e-payments.
Quartz spoke to Quinlan about Mastercard’s fight against cash, the evolving customer, and the firm’s plans for India. Edited excerpts:
Cash is returning to the Indian economy and ATMs are running dry. What went wrong?
I think what happened here is that the economy accelerated and the government wasn’t prepared. Digital transactions have picked up, it has fallen from the highs that we saw immediately after demonetisation but it is still increasing. There is no doubt that there is still a huge cultural version of cash here and so there is miles to go. It will take another 5-10 years for India to become a less-cash economy. If the government continues to have a strong will, it can be faster. However, we still have a lot of work to do and a long way to go in India.
What do you think can be the game changer in India’s digital payments journey?
The key thing in India is that almost everyone has a mobile phone, so that will end up playing a crucial role in payments. The huge young population that can adapt easily and has used technology from day one will play a critical role. As more of these people enter the workforce, we can expect digital transactions to increase. The way to get people to use it is by keeping it simple, less friction, and show them the real benefits of using it.
Why have some form of digital payments such as QR-based and the near field communication technology not taken off in India?
The challenge is getting everyone together at the same time in these payment methods. So consumers, merchants, card issuers, and the government, all need to be on the same page for these transactions. And it isn’t an easy task.
You’re also working with the government to accelerate digital payments. Can you give us some details about it?
We are looking at how to digitise certain payments to reduce the cash burden. The most important area would be transit because there is a lot of cash that is used in that segment. Apart from transit, the other key area is restaurants because we can see that Indian consumers are dining out more.
As e-transactions pick up, so do cases of online fraud. What is Mastercard doing to prevent it?
We are looking at tokenisation to reduce frauds and are planning to bring it by this year end to India. So for instance, when you are making a transaction, this service will take your 16-digit number (on the card) and will automatically create a random number, very different from your card details, and that’s a token. In this ecosystem, it is very difficult for a fraudster to replicate your card details. So a merchant only knows what you are buying and your address but they don’t know your bank or card details.
How has the Indian consumers’ spending habits changed?
Indians are spending more on discretionary items. We see a substantial rise in spending on restaurants, clothing, and jewellery apart from usual items such as grocery and fuel. This acceleration in spending reflects an overhaul in the economy that we have been seeing in the last six months.
Some of the recent reports suggest that Indian consumers are still not optimistic, so what explains this increase in spending?
The interesting thing is that what people say and what they do can sometimes be very different. And as I am looking at the data, I can say that if people truly felt nervous, they wouldn’t be spending at all but that is not the case. There are still challenges that the Indian economy needs to deal with…but people have begun spending.


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India’s trade barriers hampering economic ties: EUMarch 17th, 2011 - 12:50 pm ICT by IANS
Brussels, March 17 (IANS) India’s restrictive trade policy is hampering the economic ties with the European Union, says a report.
India’s trade regime and regulatory environment still remain comparatively restrictive, according to the “Trade and Investment Barriers Report 2011″ published recently by the European Commission, the EU’s executive body.
The report notes that “in addition to high tariff barriers, India also imposes a number of non-tariff barriers in the form of quantitative restrictions, import licensing, burdensome mandatory testing (such as for tyres for example) and certification for a large number of products as well as complicated and lengthy customs procedures”, EuAsiaNews said.
“With regard to intellectual property, some improvement in the IPR enforcement infrastructure has been reported, however there are still significant concerns about India’s response to counterfeiting and piracy.”
“Furthermore, in the area of procurement, the Indian legislative framework remains incomplete. Major reforms are needed to ensure compliance with international standards and a predictable environment for bidders,” the EU report said.
The report argues that the current trade performance between the EU and India falls far short of its potential.
The comprehensive and ambitious free trade agreement with India currently under negotiation could constitute one of the most significant deals concluded by the EU.
A trade deal of this magnitude would generate sizeable benefits to both economies which conservative estimates put in the range of 9 - 19 billion euro, underlines the EU report.
In four years, EU-India trade has increased by 31 percent to over 53 billion euro in 2009 and EU investment to India has more than quadrupled since 2003 to 3.1 billion euro in 2009.
- EU-India trade rises by 20 percent - Feb 09, 2012
- India, EU firm up agenda for summit, discuss free trade - Jan 16, 2012
- EU exports to India hit $28 bn - Sep 18, 2011
- German apex court ruling on EU debt will benefit India, says envoy - Sep 12, 2012
- India is EU's 9th major trading partner - Dec 09, 2010
- Britain wants India-EU trade deal by 2010 to protect jobs, increase trade (Lead) - Feb 23, 2010
- EU and South Korea sign Free Trade Agreement - Oct 06, 2010
- Do away with trade barriers: US commerce secretary - Feb 07, 2011
- BJP asks government to rethink Eurozone pact - Feb 06, 2012
- EU exports to India up 28 percent - Jul 16, 2010
- EU wants close ties with India's IT sector - Nov 22, 2011
- Top EU official to visit India - Jan 15, 2012
- With jobs at stake, Britain wants India-EU trade deal by 2010 - Feb 23, 2010
- Symposium on non-tariff trade barriers in Abu Dhabi - Apr 19, 2011
- US high-tech team to promote trade with India - Feb 07, 2011
Tags: bidders, conservative estimates, economic ties, european commission, executive body, free trade agreement, india trade, investment barriers, legislative framework, march 17, predictable environment, quantitative restrictions, regulatory environment, restrictive trade, tariff barriers, trade barriers, trade performance, trade regime, tyres, underlines


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AutoNation Inc. named Lance Iserman COO and executive vice president of sales, effective June 1, the nation’s largest dealership group said late Wednesday, two weeks after former COO Bill Berman abruptly resigned.
Iserman, who has worked at AutoNation for more than 15 years, is currently president of the western region, overseeing the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., retailer’s 81 stores and 110 franchises in the region, a statement said.
Steve Kwak, 44, will replace Iserman, 52, as western region market president after serving on the western region management team for 12 years.
CEO Mike Jackson said AutoNation had “quite a number” of internal and external candidates for the COO and sales boss positions, but Iserman was “clearly the best choice and therefore the decision.”
Berman resigned May 15.
Iserman will split Berman’s previous responsibilities with Scott Arnold, who was named executive vice president of customer care and brand extension.
“We had come to the conclusion,” Jackson said, “that with all the aspirations we have to grow the business through brand extension, to split the position” between two executive vice presidents: customer care and sales.
Executing AutoNation’s brand extension plans for parts, accessories and collision will be Arnold’s responsibility, Jackson said. Iserman will oversee the brand extension strategy for AutoNation USA, the company’s used-vehicle stores.
COO is typically seen as the No. 2 post. When asked about the succession plan for CEO, Jackson said: “We’re in an excellent position if you look at this list of executive vice presidents that we have. There are many on there to be considered in succession planning when the time comes.”
He identified 11 executives with a combined average of 15 years of service, including executives such as Arnold, Iserman, Chief Marketing Officer Marc Cannon and CFO Cheryl Miller.
“If I put it all together, 90 percent came from internal succession planning,” Jackson said. He added that the company would also consider candidates from outside the company.


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Cbd Seltzer : is now urging you to take a whole month off from drinking, adding to the strain of sticking to those lofty resolutions to start the new year off well.
The pledge began in the United Kingdom and is gaining traction in the United States at a critical time when the harmful health consequences of alcohol intake are now being recognised.
In 2017, a study published in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet titled “No level of alcohol consumption improves health” sparked a media frenzy.
And researchers from University College London recently discovered that abstaining from alcohol for just one month can improve liver function, lower blood pressure, and lower diabetes risk.
According to another study, abstaining from drinking in January resulted in consuming less eight months later.
The non-psychoactive sibling of THC has taken over the wellness industry, despite the dearth of FDA-approved facts and statistics on the health advantages of CBD consumption.
You can discover CBD products in practically any form, from lotions and potions that claim to save your skin to gummy vitamins and vitamin pills that claim to cure everything.
The most recent trend is a nationwide frenzy for CBD-infused seltzer waters, with new brands appearing in stores from Bristol Farms to Whole Foods.
Sips of sparkling CBD beverages are as as refreshing as Lacroix and Spindrift — they’re just better for you and typically coupled with adaptogens, delivering beneficial medicinal characteristics ranging from anxiety and stress reduction to enhancing focus and elevating energy levels.
What exactly are adapotgens, though? The buzzword following in CBD’s footsteps, which simply means “plants and herbs that support the body in adjusting to the different stressors of human life,” according to DRAM founder and herbal alchemist Shae Whitney.
while promoting long-term body, mind, and spirit resilience Adaptogens operate best when taken on a daily basis for a long time.”
While cannabis has not yet been formally designated as an adaptogen, CBD meets the criteria of being non-toxic, stress-relieving, and general bodily balance.
There are suggestions that when CBD and adaptogenic plant components are combined, the advantages of each are amplified.
So, whether it’s only for this month or for the rest of the year, here are the six best bubbly brands to help you control your cocktail cravings and relax for your health (all of which can be shipped nationwide):
Each glass bottle contains 25 milligrammes of full-spectrum, Colorado-grown CBD—more than double the normal canned beverage dose—along with a dash of 100 percent raw honey to “take the edge off life’s tensions without impairment.”
Jay Moskowitz, a stressed-out bond trader who left Wall Street for cannabis to blend his passion for beekeeping into one sweet beverage, is the brains behind the business.
Dose of DRAM
A effort into CBD comes from the manufacturers of award-winning cocktail bitters in Salida, Colorado. Sparkling “adaptogenic” waters in three fresh-from-the-farm flavours:
Gingergrass, Lemongrass, and Sweetgrass are among the new Dose line’s offerings (limited edition).
Brady Becker and Shae Whitney, co-owners of DRAM, developed the dreamy cans, which have already received awards from World Brand Packaging Design.
“We looked to our surroundings, the mountains of southwest Colorado, for the colours and items in our rebrand,” they add.
So things keep cohesive, we design all of the look, flavour, and production of our items simply the two of us.”
Founder Alex Mountjoy’s mantra “gotta love bubbles” stems from his own family’s infatuation with sparkling water.
It has officially transitioned into Mountjoy Sparkling, an early believer in the medicinal effects of CBD.
16-ounce servings come in recyclable plastic bottles in five flavours (Blackberry, Lemon Lime, Orange, Peach, and Natural), with 10 milligrammes of CBD per serving and no sugar, carbs, or calories, and are made with organic, industrial hemp and a lot of love in Sonoma County, Calif.
Hemp from Queen City
This low-dose brand of seltzer is produced with 5 milligrammes of CBD per serving in five fruity varieties, and is named after its home location in Cincinnati, Ohio (Blood Orange, Passion Fruit, Guava and Lemon Lavender).
Smaller levels of CBD dispersed in water can have a more stimulating effect, according to the company, which utilises a proprietary emulsification method for its organic, full-spectrum hemp.
The movement’s current media darling first gained attention for its millennial-friendly, Instagram-friendly packaging, but the content within stands up to the hype.
Three all-natural flavours (Blackberry Chai, Pom Hibiscus, and Peach Ginger) are made with filtered water and 10 milligrammes of full-spectrum hemp with three adaptogenic ingredients:
American Ginseng for memory, Schisandra for immunity, and L-theanine for stress relief.
With its CBD-only line of citrus sodas, what began as California’s first scientifically created, low dose THC-infused beverage distributed in medical dispensaries in 2015 has now grown throughout 14 states.
Sprig has the broadest distribution of any CBD beverage on the market, thanks to partnerships with Anheuser-Busch and Pepsi distributors.
Each 12-ounce can has 20 milligrammes of hemp cultivated in Colorado and North Carolina, as well as natural sweeteners (zero sugar options are also available in Citrus, Lemon Tea and Melon).


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Zulily said today in a SEC filing that it plans to trade on the Nasdaq stock market under the ticker symbol ZU, pricing shares in the $16 to $18 range.
The daily deal site, said it will offer 6.3 million shares of class A common stock, with selling stockholders offering 5.1 million.
That means the company could pull in a total of $238 million in the offering if it sells shares at the $18 mark. Net proceeds from the offering to Zulily could hit $98.1 million, if the company sells at $17 per share.
The company does not plan to collect cash from shares sold by key stockholders, including execs and venture capital firms. Seattle venture capital firm Maveron will hold about 22 percent of the voting power in Zulily after the offering, the largest outside shareholder. August Capital will hold seven percent, while Andreessen Horowitz will hold 6.8 percent.
Zulily co-founder and chairman Mark Vadon will own 31.4 percent, while CEO and co-founder Darrell Cavens will own 21.6 percent.
Originally, the company — which launched its daily deals site in January 2010 — said it planned to raise up to $100 million.
The latest boost indicates that there’s strong demand in the market for Zulily’s shares.
The company, as we’ve noted in the past, is on an absolute crazy growth pace, even outpacing Twitter’s revenue. Last year, it had $331 million in revenue. Here’s a look at some key metrics of what I’ve said is the fastest-growing technology company I’ve ever seen in Seattle:


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Ugoos Launcher 1.4.4 BETA
Right now, our software department is working on new version of Ugoos TV Launcher.
Month ago we released a new version with lots of improvements and new features:
- Launcher settings gave ability to add, create, delete and rename groups, but several of them (All apps, Options) users cannot delete, in order not get rid of all apps.
- Added ability to change category order and made one of category’s app as “Main app”
- Weather temperature indication was added in upper bar and it’s customization was added in Launcher options
- Theme manager was with dozens of different color schemas and custom icons for categories
More details about these updates you can find in THIS Article dedicated to 1.4 Launcher release
After release, we have detailed feedback from users having different devices based on 4.4 – 7.1 Android versions. We faced a big crowd of users with different not Ugoos devices who also want to install Ugoos Launcher and use all the functions.
Here we want to share a new Launcher version before release, in order to get a new wave of feedback and make it even more stable and user-friendly for wide range of Android TV Box users.
Hope you can help with this and release version will be a completely new level of Ugoos TV Launcher.
Huge update for new Ugoos Amlogic S922 device. Our team picks up a lot of feedback and puts many efforts to make a new firmware better for users. The most important parts of update related to video and audio playback and many other improvemen ...
It has been a while since our last Ugoos Launcher update, but this does not mean we have not proceed any process on it. Now new version apk is already in a Google Play and we have made a great work to make it up-to-date. Ugoos Launcher now works mu ...
This release gets together big part of bug fixes collected from the customers and some improvements related to a new apps’ versions and some new features: New KODI 18 Adjust display refresh rate Fix KODI Leia had some minor problems working ...
Recently revealed brand new Ugoos device based on Amlogic S922 and Android 9 now in flesh. Here are several actual photos of TV Box itself and package. Final version of PCBA had small changes. Stress tests showed that combination of metal housin ...


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Shopflo Raises $2.6 Million in Seed Funding Round
Shopflo, a SaaS platform that facilitates the D2C brand checkout experience, has received $2.6 million in seed funding from Tiger Global and TQ Ventures. Better Capital and a number of other angel investors also participated in the funding round. This funding from Tiger Global is the first of its kind for the investment company at a pre-debut stage.
D2C merchants have seen a 70% reduction in customers during the cart addition and checkout steps. This is the absolute final step in a purchase, and losing customers here is the most damaging to merchants.
Priy Ranjan, CEO & Co-founder, Shopflo said, “ Most of these D2C merchants build their websites using no-code tools, which are great for smaller merchants. We are starting as a checkout SaaS platform for D2C brands with a goal to create a delightful and zero mental load checkout experience.”
Priy and Ishan interacted with D2C and Fintech companies at Elevation Capital, respectively, and Ankit worked on "Shopify for Restaurants" products at Communications SaaS Unicorn Gupshup. Shopflo is in a great position to check out the fast-growing Indian D2C market and the company is pleased to be the first supporter of this journey.


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Posted Tue Apr 3, 2012 at 11:00 AM PDT by Dick Ward
Currently, DVD.com points to a signup page for DVD subscriptions, but could something else be in the works?
The folks over at Netflix have made some interesting moves in the last year, some of which ended up being pretty sorry ideas in retrospect. With this new move it's a little hard to tell.
Recently, Netflix bought the domain DVD.com from its previous owners, but all they're doing with it so far is making a landing page for people that want to sign up for Netflix DVDs by mail. "Netflix cares about keeping DVD healthy," says corporate communications VP Steve Swasey, " and this is just one small investment in keeping DVD healthy."
Netflix has been losing DVD subscribers for a while now and expects that trend to continue. As far as their plans for DVD.com, it's hard to tell if there's another Qwikster like plan in place or not.
Source: Multichannel News
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
The latest news on all things 4K Ultra HD, blu-ray and Gear.


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The Maltese economy continues to show significant growth with predictions of a fifth consecutive surplus in 2020.
Mamo TCV Advocates
Below are the salient points of the Malta Budget for the year 2020, which was presented to the House of Representatives by the Hon. Prof. Edward Scicluna, Minister of Finance, on 14 October 2019.
The NSO has just published Regional Statistics MALTA 2019 Edition.
Today we are experiencing an unprecedented level of change in the world around us affecting every aspect of our lives. These changes are not restricted to any one sphere.
Talent development is a fundamental pillar of strategic talent management.
ZEST Malta 2017, the main gathering for Malta-based start-ups, held at the Radisson Blu Golden Sands Resort and Spa...
TradeMalta has received 39 submissions for the six awards that are up for grabs for its Malta International Business Awards being held on Friday, 10th November 2017.
As part of Malta's EU Presidency, Malta will be launching the next round of Ideas from Europe, and the search for innovators with solutions to global challenges.
MFSA – Malta Financial Services Authority
In spite of the global economic crisis, the country’s financial services industry has continued to expand and to be instrumental in the economic development of our country, to job creation, and to the building of a competitive infrastructure for the Island’s financial services industry.
Increasing competition, rather than accessibility, has become the biggest concern for retailers over the last six months. 23% of the retailers who participated in the second market barometer conducted by PwC during the third week of September acknowledged that competition, including the effect of online sales, is trimming their margins.
Increased demand for a broad range of client services saw
Deloitte grow for the fourth consecutive year, with Deloitte member
firm network revenues of US $32.4 billion for the fiscal year
ending 31 May 2013.
Family businesses are business enterprises - small or large - that are controlled and run by one or more family members.
The annual review of PwC, covering the year ended on 31st December 2011.
Breakfast briefing in London organised by the Malta High Commission and introduced by H.E Joseph Zammit Tabona High Commissioner of Malta to the Court of St James’s.
The results of this year’s PwC Family Business Survey prove that there is a great deal the wider corporate sector could learn from the family firm, just as there is far more that governments could do to support them.


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A new service announced today by Microsoft at its Worldwide Partner Conference in Toronto aims to bring more Windows Surface devices into the enterprise. Dubbed “Surface as a Service,” the program represents an expansion of its existing Surface Enterprise Initiative (SEI), which also sought to increase the number of Microsoft devices used by enterprises.
Under the terms of the program, Microsoft Cloud Solution Providers (CSPs) that are also Surface Authorized Distributors can offer Surface devices to their enterprise clients through a managed service offering alongside managed cloud services, Office 365, Windows 10, and relevant ISV software, the company said.
“This new offering enables flexibility of solutions, faster device refresh, and ensures customers can have the latest Surface devices that evolve with the best Windows and Office have to offer,” Yusuf Mehdi, corporate vice president of Microsoft?EU?s Windows and Devices Group, wrote in a blog post today. The program will initially be launched in cooperation with Also Holding AG, a leading CSP out of Europe, with more partners to be added later.
Although the Surface as a Service plan grew out of the Surface Enterprise Initiative, it won?EU?t be replacing it. Microsoft said it plans to continue growing SEI, and launched a new partnership with Dell last year to help further expand the program. Today, it announced two more partnerships with IBM and Booz Allen Hamilton to develop industry-specific solutions for customers shared by all three companies.
“IBM will draw on their data and analytics expertise to create new industry-specific solutions for the financial services and consumer packaged goods sectors that take advantage of the unique capabilities of Surface devices,” Mehdi said. “Booz Allen Hamilton will develop scalable and more secure solutions for governments, the public sector and healthcare.”
Microsoft said it will…


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Magic: The Gathering has announced what will no doubt go down as one of its biggest collaborations to date – Marvel.
Yes, the superhero uberfranchise heralded by Disney and with its own competitive card game in the form of Marvel Snap (and to a lesser extend, its own collectible card game in the form of Woolworths’ Disney 100 Wonders cards), is being brought to Magic: The Gathering through Universes Beyond. The first tentpole Magic set based on Marvel properties is reportedly set to appear globally in 2025.
“We are extremely proud to collaborate with Marvel to bring its iconic characters to fans around the world in new ways,” said Cynthia Williams, President of Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro Digital Gaming. “These tentpole sets will build on the tradition of incorporating beloved fan-favourite characters and elements from world-class brands into Magic: The Gathering.”
“Titans of entertainment found in stores worldwide, Magic: The Gathering — one of the world’s most popular trading card games — and Marvel — one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies—are collaborating to share fan-favourite Super Heroes, villains, and more through amazing tabletop gameplay,” reads the official announcement from Wizards of the Coast.
“Trading cards have always been a part of Marvel’s DNA, so this collaboration takes that experience to a whole new level,” said Dan Buckley, President of Marvel Comics and Franchise in a press release. “With the depth that our storytelling and characters bring to the table, we can’t wait for fans to see how the Marvel Universe translates seamlessly into gameplay within these Magic: The Gathering products and sets for years to come.”
You can see a very “magical” promo trailer for the Magic: The Gathering and Marvel collaboration below:
Magic: The Gathering’s most recent collaboration is with Doctor Who, and we’re currently giving away an entire box of Collector Boosters! Enter that right here.


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Lacing LeBron James pre-game as well as many of his NBA brethren, the John Elliott x Nike LeBron Icon has proven right on time as far as fashion is concerned.
Still translucent, black provides the perimeter of the model’s wavy lines, lacing and collar with a smokey sole capping it all off. For those keeping track at home, these differ slightly from the Black/White pair debuted at New York Fashion Week.
While Hypebeast has reported a release date of today for JE’s Pre-Spring/Summer 2019 — which just launched here — the shoes are yet to drop. Keep it tuned to Nice Kicks for details on the latest LeBron Icon colorways.


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Sunday penalty rates will be cut for hospitality, retail, pharmacy and fast food employees, the Fair Work Commission says.
Hospitality and retail employees will also see their public holiday rates cut from 250 per cent to 225 per cent.
The FWC said it agreed with the Productivity Commission there were likely to be some "positive" employment effects from the reductions.
"The evidence also supports the proposition that a reduction in penalty rates is likely to lead to increased trading hours, an increase in the level and range of services offered on Sundays and public holidays and an increase in overall hours worked," FWC president Iain Ross said on Thursday.
However, Mr Ross noted Sunday penalty rates would still be higher than for Saturdays.
"Generally speaking, for many workers, Sunday work has a higher level of disutility than Saturday work," he said.
"Though the extent of the disutility is much less than in times past."
Sunday rates for hospitality workers will fall from 175 per cent to 150 per cent while those for fast food workers will drop from 150 per cent to 125 per cent.
Retail workers face a reduction from 200 per cent to 150 per cent.
Pharmacy workers who work from 7am to 9pm will see their penalties cut from 200 per cent to 150 per cent.
Mr Ross said the changes would provide greater consistency to penalty rate settings in the hospitality and retail awards.
Australian Council of Trade Union president Ged Kearney said workers on minimum wages relied on weekend penalty rates to survive.
"This is a bad day for workers in this country," she told reporters.
Australian Retailers Association executive director Russell Zimmerman said the decision would grow the sector.
"Reducing these rates from double time to time and a half, will increase retail growth nationally and reduce the unemployment rate in Australia," he said in a statement.
Ms Kearney said that was a "complete furphy".
"People whose pay is going to be cut ... will simply have to work more hours to make up that take-home pay."
The ACTU estimates the FWC decision will cost low paid workers up to $6000 a year.


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On today's menu at TechBurger:
Virtual conversation: Has Houston's tech community reached 'critical mass'?
From the Chronicle:
For years, Houston's tech community was considered to lack cohesion. Houston has a lot of tech workers, but they're siloed in energy companies, the Medical Center, the space industry, academia at Rice & UH, and in the PC business at HP to the north. And local tech startups must compete with the lure of Austin when it came to attracting talent.
But there is a growing startup community, and Houston's quality of life has improved dramatically. Still can the sprawl of tech's footprint, which matches the spread of the city's 600 square miles, be overcome? Or has the community finally reached "critical mass"? READ MORE.
Online sales up, retail hiring is down
From the Chronicle:
Online sales topped $1.3 billion on Nov. 11, a 9.1 percent increase over last year, according to Adobe Analytics. Adobe uses an artificial intelligence system called Sensei to sift through trillions of online shopping data points, effectively adding "retail analyst" to the list of jobs being replaced by machines.
Adobe's data shows that all of those decorations hung before Halloween are coinciding with a consumer shift toward an earlier shopping season. Online sales topped $1 billion everyday from Nov. 1 to Nov. 11.
Online sellers, meanwhile, are responding by offering steep discounts earlier. Adobe reports that TVs have been marked down 10.8 percent since October 1, computers down 5 percent and toys down 9.8 percent. READ MORE.
- First Digital Pill Approved to Worries About Biomedical ‘Big Brother’ (New York Times) -Abilify MyCite includes electronics that can transmit information about the dose from inside the body to a smartphone app via Bluetooth. There are, obviously, some privacy concerns.
- Missouri attorney general investigating Google (Associated Press) - The Republican Missouri AG is looking at the search giant for possible violations of his state's antitrust and consumer-protection laws.
- Floating Cities, No Longer Science Fiction, Begin to Take Shape (New York Times) - The first, which will feature hotels, restaurants and other businesses, will be built in French Polynesia.
- Apple is expected to release 3 new iPhones next year — including a supersized iPhone X (Business Insider) - Would you buy a 6.5-inch iPhone X?
- Apple Targets Rear-Facing 3-D Sensor for 2019 iPhone (Bloomberg) - The technology, which would be different from the TrueDepth sensor on the front of the iPhone X, could help with augmented reality applications.
- Apple Retakes Top Spot in Global Wearables Market - Canalys reported that Xiaomi had taken the lead in the wearables category, but the Apple Watch has rebounded to grab it back.
- iOS 11.2 enables 7.5W wireless charging for iPhone 8 and iPhone X (9to5Mac) - The latest beta of iOS bring this promised feature to Apple's latest phones. You'll still need a wireless charger that provides fast charging, though.
- Apple Is Testing a Beta Fix to the iOS 11 Control Center's Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Switches (Gizmodo) - iOs 11.2 beta now warns users who hit the Control Center's toggles for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi that they aren't actually turning those radios off.
- HTC reveals its Vive Focus standalone VR headset (The Next Web) - HTC joins the next generation of virtual reality products with a facehugger that doesn't require connection to a PC.
- Bose Sleepbuds can silence snores and barking dogs (The Verge) - Bose has turned to Indigogo to get testers for a set of earbuds that silence unwanted sounds while you sleep.
- Uber finally shows upfront pricing, following in Lyft's footsteps (Mashable) - If you book your Uber ride up to an hour in advance, you'll be shown locked-in pricing.
- Google will address unresponsive Pixel 2 XL touchscreens in a coming software update (9to5Google) - For some users, taps along the screen's edges don't register at all.
- Your Google Home speaker is now also an intercom (TechCrunch) - If you have multiple Google Assistant speakers, you can broadcast messages throughout your house.
- 'Way too little, way too late': Facebook's factcheckers say effort is failing (The Guardian) - The collaboration between news organizations and Facebook to prevent fake news has hindered the organizations' attempts to cover Facebook's role in it.
- Motorola (sort of) returns to the tablet market with the AT&T ‘Moto Tab’ (Android Police) - It's a 10.1-inch tablet, only available through AT&T.
- Amazon bringing 'The Lord of the Rings' to small screen (Seattle PI) - Amazon Studio secures the rights to J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy, in case the epic-length movies weren't enough for you.
- Qualcomm rejects Broadcom's $103 billion offer (Associated Press) - Qualcomm continues to fend off Broadcom's takeover attempts.
Get more tasty tech news at TechBurger. And follow us on Twitter and Facebook.


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14 March 2019, 16:11
The advantage of fests and marathons.
01 March 2019, 19:08
Admitad affiliate network tells how advertisers and publishers can profit from the new instrument.
01 March 2019, 15:28
Promote offers for women and boost your sales!
25 January 2019, 18:18
The main shopping event of the month is just around the corner!
At midnight of January 28 starts Cyber Monday — a day of incredible discounts in the e-com segment.
17 January 2019, 21:24
The event in March 2019 you can not afford to miss.
28 December 2018, 14:20
Winter holidays are just around the corner and the whole Admitad team wishes you an unforgettable celebration and all the best in the upcoming 2019 year: each and every success in your business, exciting projects, only high-quality traffic, profitable offers and high conversion rates.
17 December 2018, 14:39
FinancesOnline, a popular independent review platform for B2B, SaaS and financial solutions, has recently nominated Admitad for two categories: Great User Experience 2018 and Rising Star 2018. Unmatched Transparency, Expert Training and Unique, Top Class Expert Advice were marked out as the main benefits of the affiliate network.
10 December 2018, 12:19
The month of unique offers.
Before the upcoming of the major winter celebration, when customers` activity increases several times, and conversion of visit to action hits its maximum, affiliate network Admitad launches the last festival of the outgoing 2018 year – Winter Fest!
29 November 2018, 15:23
CPA-network Admitad continues improving tracking and attribution mechanisms. In January we presented Admitad Mobile SDK for the first time, gradually improving it and adding new fuctions, such as deduplication, supporting promotional codes and rate scales. Now Admitad is ready to offer the market a revolutionary solution for mobile tracking.
This mobile SDK update puts tracking of mobile installs and in-app actions on a whole new level, providing correct attribution of target actions in all cases. Now Admitad publishers will be able to gain even more profit from their traffic.
As of today, it is the only CPA-focused mobile SDK solution in the market.
23 November 2018, 15:17
The 23rd of November, 2018 got highlighted by the most important sale of the year – Black Friday! And Admitad, being a partner of the key e-commerce retailers, could not stay aside from such an important event: this year the company continued traditional monitoring of sales dynamics on Black Friday and launched special landing page blackfriday.admitad.com, which displays real-time statistics of sales by segment, category, purchase platform and other key indicators compared to the data of 2016 and 2017.


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FIRST-EVER CEO AGENDA ON SUSTAINABILITY FOR THE FASHION INDUSTRY
Global Fashion Agenda (the organisation behind Copenhagen Fashion Summit) releases the first-ever ‘CEO Agenda’ for the fashion industry. The agenda spells out the seven most crucial sustainability priorities for fashion CEOs. In other words, it’s guidance on what to prioritise to future-proof companies – because sustainability is no longer a trend, it is a business imperative.
The CEO Agenda has been developed in collaboration with leading fashion players such as Kering, H&M, Target, Li & Fung, The Sustainable Apparel Coalition and also BESTSELLER. It is the first time key players from the industry have joined forces and sat down to discuss – and agree on – what to prioritise in order to improve the industry’s environmental and social footprint. It takes a coordinated effort to move the needle on sustainability.
Dorthe Scherling Nielsen, Head of Corporate Affairs, BESTSELLER: “We consider the CEO Agenda an important initiative and driver for addressing challenges and opportunities collectively as an industry, as well as to inspire individual companies to take action. Working with the other Strategic Partners to provide input on the agenda has been a valuable and insightful journey, and we’ll apply many of the insights as we develop our new strategy framework for BESTSELLER.”
Download the CEO Agenda here: http://www.globalfashionagenda.com/ceoagenda/
Read more about BESTSELLER's partnership with Global Fashion Agenda here.


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Excellence in sustainability
Published: 21 July 2022 | No comments yet
(L-R) Peter Jolly, UK and Ireland Country Manager, HP and Will Tilney, business development manager at MCC Daventry.
The judges said: ‘This category sparked lively debate. Great to see converters now taking the environment seriously. The winner told a realistic story, not misleading consumers for a true circular solution.’
- The SheSpot. ‘Winter Glow’ Box by Impress Print Services
- 100% Recyclable pouches by ePac UK Silverstone


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HP made a slew of announcements at Computex 2019. It announced new Envy, Elite and ZBook series of devices, along with new accessories and an upgraded HP VR Backbpack G2.
Comptex 2019 is in full swing with many companies announcing new and refreshed offerings. HP has also introduced a new range of Envy, Elite, and ZBook series of laptops. One notable new announcement is the company’s new Envy Wood series of laptops, which, as the name suggests forgoes metal or even leather to feature wood. There are three laptops under the Wood series that feature different kinds of materials. Alongside the new Envy series of laptops, the company has launched new EliteBook and EliteDesk computers, new ZBook mobile and desktop devices and a slew of new accessories.
As mentioned earlier, the new HP Envy series of computers employ wood panelling in their build and the range consists of three devices. The HP Envy 13, Envy x360 13, ENVY x360 15 and the HP Envy 17 Wood Series. One will have the choice to buy these new laptops either with the option of the latest Intel Core processors or with 2nd Generation AMD Ryzen Mobile Processors + Radeon Vega Graphics. These laptops feature accented wood inlays in three combinations; Nightfall Black with Natural Walnut, Natural Silver with Pale Birch, or Ceramic White with White Birch.
The new Envy range of computers offer Amazon’s Alexa Service, Modern Standby functionality, along with Wake on Voice, Wake on Fingerprint reader, HP Sure View, and HP Webcam Kill Switch solution. In addition, the company has announced new accessories for the Envy series laptops like the HP Envy Uptown Tote, Backpack and Convertible Backpack. To connect the devices with dual 4K monitors, the company has launched the HP Thunderbolt Dock G2 with HDMI Adapter that works across HP and other non-HP laptops via a USB-C cable connection.
The new HP Envy laptops are expected to be made available this fall. Pricing is expected to be announced around availability. The HP Envy Uptown Tote, Backpack and Convertible Backpack are expected to be available later this summer for $169.99-$179.99 (Rs 11,800 to Rs 12,500 approx). The HP Thunderbolt Dock G2 with HDMI Adapter is slated to hit the shelves later this summer at a starting price of $249 (Rs 17,300 approx).
HP is making notable additions to its Elite range of computers with the HP Sure Sense that is co-engineered with Deep Instinct. HP Sure Sense offers PCs with deep learning malware protection built-in. The company also says that its new HP EliteBook 1000 series, which includes the HP EliteBook x360 1040 G6, offers up to 24 hours of battery life. HP introduced the new Elite x2 G4 laptop that features a detachable leather keyboard folio along with a dual camera privacy shutter. HP Elite x2 G4 is expected to be available in August at a starting price of $1,499 (Rs 1,04,000).
There’s also the EliteBook x360 1030 G4, and EliteBook x360 1040 G6 laptops. The former is claimed to be the world’s smallest and lightest business convertible with connectivity options like Wi-Fi 6, Gigabit Class 4G LTE, and Bluetooth v5. While the latter, as mentioned earlier, is touted to deliver world’s longest battery life of up to 24 hours in a 14-inch business convertible laptop that weighs under three pounds. The HP EliteBook x360 1030 G4 is slated to go up for sale in July for a starting price of $1,449 (Rs 1,01,053 approx). The HP EliteBook x360 1040 G6 is expected to be available in July for a starting price of $1,499.
The HP Rechargeable Active Pen G3 has also been announced that works with the company’s entire line of convertibles and the HP Elite x2. The device is touted to deliver lowest starting pressure ever in a PC active pen. There’s also the HP Mini-In-One 24, which is a modular AIO with a fully enclosing display. It also pairs with a Mini-In-One display with the new HP EliteDesk 800 G5 Desktop Mini PC. The company also announced the HP EliteDisplay E223d and the HP EliteDisplay E273d docking monitors, along with HP USB-C Dock G5 and the HP USB-C/A Universal Dock G2. The HP Active Pen G3 is expected to be available later this summer for a starting price of $99 (Rs 6,800 approx).
HP has unveiled new HP ZBook 15 G6 and HP ZBook 17 G6 laptops in its ZBook series range. HP claims its ZBook series of laptops can deliver desktop-level performance and come with the choice of 9th Gen Intel Core and Intel Xeon processors, and next-gen NVIDIA Quadro RTX graphics. HP has also announced new workstations in the same series like the HP Z1 Entry Tower G5, HP Z2 Mini G4, HP Z2 Small Form Factor G4, and HP Z2 Tower G4. The HP VR Backpack has also received an update and is now available with 8th Gen Intel Core i7 and Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080. The VR Backpack is said to deliver 30 percent more performance over its predecessor.
The HP Z1 Desktop Entry Tower is slated to hit the shelves in July, while the HP Z2 Desktop portfolio is expected to be made available in August. The HP VR Backpack is expected to be available this summer for a starting price of $3,299 (Rs 229,700 approx).
|Release Date:||08 Jul 2012|


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A digest of important news from sources selected by our local editors. Delivered weekday mornings.
Frost Bank has launched a new, customized app for the Apple iPhone that consumers can use to deposit checks, call a customer service representative or find the closest branches or ATM.
Since launching on iTunes, the app has been downloaded more than 18,000 times and has already registered 28,000 logins.
Frost Bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of San Antonio-based Cullen/Frost Bankers Inc. (NYSE: CFR).
Receive free daily breaking business news direct to your inbox or mobile device. Click on this link to sign up.
James Aldridge oversees online content of the newspaper; edits and reports stories for the online edition.
Which of the current controversies will have the longest-lasting impact on the Obama administration?


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Alumnus redesigns skateboard backpack
Students at college campuses have been faced with the predicament of making it to class on time while carrying laptops, books and other supplies.
Alexei Novitzky, a USF graduate and co-founder and inventor of Looshes Labs Skate, LLC, has found a way to make getting to class a little easier for students.
In November 2009, Novitzky said he set out to revolutionize the modern-day skateboard experience with an invention he called the Skatecase.
After four years of tweaking his invention, earning the endorsement of Tony Hawk, winning Innovation of the Year from the Tampa Bay Business Journal and securing a patent, the product will finally hit shelves for public consumption next month.
Novitzky’s initial idea was to build a functional skateboard with a storage area for books, laptops, and office supplies. Since then, Looshes Labs has expanded its sales and is on the verge of introducing new, sleeker models with 28 veneer plys.
The new model includes a one-inch thick compartment with shock-absorbent material similar to a guitar case, Novitzky said. He is working on one with swappable interiors.
“I have made about 20 different models since (2009), because I made them custom made to the consumer,” Novitzky said.
Hand-making all the skateboards prevented Novitzky from mass-producing them and was not cost-effective with each skateboard costing about $350.
However, after a bus trip with entrepreneurs, Novitzky found his current business partners. With its workspace in Lakeland, Fla., the company is able to produce the skateboards at a cost of roughly $100 in six to eight hours. This allows them to sell the boards at just over half of the original cost.
Novitzky and his business partners have stopped production momentarily and are using the fundraising website, Kickstarter, to raise $25,000.
“The money that we will raise will be used by us to invest in machinery, which will allow us to mass-produce the skateboards at a lower cost,” Novitzky said. “The revenue that we generate from the sales will be used to get the business going through marketing.”
Though the concept of having a skateboard with storage capacity seems like an efficient idea, not all students are quite yet convinced.
John Kim, a junior majoring in biomedical sciences, said he is weary of the new skateboard because of the very few people who have used it.
“The concept is novel, and it will definitely be an efficient way of carrying books and skating at the same time,” Kim said. “However, before I go and buy one, I would wait till it is mass-produced so that more consumers can give reviews about the product.”
Kim said he is unsure of the safety of his laptop and tablet in the storage compartment, as well as issues such as rain or an accidental crash.
Novitzky wants to upgrade wood production for the next generation of the skateboards, but said he plans to eventually move to production using plastic, which will be the most cost-effective material.
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Second Quarter Surprises Send Shares Soaring
Nathaniel is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited.
As earnings season draws to a close, the excitement surrounding remains alive and well. Following the market close on Wednesday a number of large companies reported market-moving earnings results. In this article I would like to give investors the key metrics from the results, while providing forward-looking guidance for the remainder of the year.
Oh wait, profitability matters?
Shares of Groupon (NASDAQ: GRPN) traded higher by more than 25% early Thursday morning as the company reported its earnings after the market close on Wednesday. While the company is well off the highs seen after its initial public offering near the end of 2011, shares have done exceptionally well over the last 6 months as fears of bankruptcy no longer weigh on the minds of investors.
Groupon reported a net loss of $7.6 million, or $0.01 a share, compared to net income of $28.4 million, or $0.04 a share reported in the second quarter of last year. Revenue increased 7.2% to $609 million from $568 million a year ago. The results came in largely in line with analyst expectations, excluding items of $0.02 a share on $606 million in revenue.
The Street has realized the daily deals space isn't all that profitable, and companies that derive the majority of their revenues from this business segment have been pushed by shareholders to leverage their brand across other revenue streams. Earlier in the month Groupon announced it would be looking to make its way in the increasingly competitive online dining arena through a hybrid service. The service, Groupon Reserve, is said to be "the premiere destination for the finest things to eat, see, do and buy." Customers were welcomed to steep discounts of almost 40% to some of the best local restaurants.
The launch comes at a time of an increasing focus on mobile. More than 7.5 million people downloaded a Groupon mobile app worldwide in the quarter, bringing the total count above 50 million. Groupon is not alone in this regard--a number of competitors, including Yelp and Travelzoo, have worked hard over recent quarters to develop a strong mobile platform. I would remain on the sidelines after this move--consistent profitability is still a ways down the road, while competition remains fierce in everything and anything online these days.
Shares of Mondelez (NASDAQ: MDLZ) beat analysts earnings estimates of $0.34 per share with $0.37 in EPS. However, revenues came in light at $8.6 billion; analysts had expected $8.62 billion.
While these results may sound rather boring, the company did confirm its focus on creating shareholder value through steep dividends and buyback increases. Mondelez raised its divided by 8% to $0.14 a share, the first increase in the company's dividend since the financial crisis in 2008. More importantly, Mondelez increased its stock buyback plans to $6 billion through 2016 from the previously announced $1.2 billion. Mondelez stated that it expects to purchase $1 billion to $2 billion worth of stock annually. I always love to see these types of shareholder programs from moderate growth companies.
Over the last few weeks shares have done well, in large part due to speculation by some large institutional investors that the company may be an acquisition target of consumer favorites Pepsico and Coca-Cola. I would bless an investment in the company here, as investors gain easy exposure to the fast-growing snack and consumer discretionary foods space within both domestic and emerging markets.
Electric's the new black?
The days of Hummers and carbon-killing automobiles may be coming to end as we know it as a number of large, and small, automakers look to get some skin in the all-electric game. Tesla Motors (NASDAQ: TSLA) reported its second quarter results after the market closed on Wednesday. After the unheard of 300% year to date rise some investors, myself included, feared stretched valuations and increasing competition ahead. However, the company crushed analyst consensus estimates, sending shares soaring in the extended hours sessions.
The sharp move to the upside was a result of a the automaker reporting an unexpected profit during its second quarter operations. The company reported earnings excluding items of $0.20 per share, compared to a loss of $0.89 a share in the second quarter of last year. Revenue improved drastically to $405 million from $27 million a year ago.
Tesla announced it increased its rate of production by 25% to 500 cars a week, surpassing its expected sales of 4,500 vehicles for the second quarter by 650. Going forward, the company needs to cement its presence and reputation before every automaker has a comparable product. In statements following the announcement the company hinted it would be doing just that. Strong European and Asian demand out of previously untapped markets should help the company justify its outlandish multiple.
If demonstrated demand in North America and Europe is matched by similar demand in Asia, annualized sales for Model S could exceed 40,000 units per year by late 2014
For the conservative investor it may be best to wait for a pullback before jumping into the stock today. High growth names offer great potential, but unfortunately carry a great deal of risk and should only be included in a diversified portfolio.
Groupon, Mondelez, and Tesla gave the Street a good amount of data to pour over in the weeks ahead. I remain on the sidelines when it comes to Groupon and Tesla, as both stocks have moved dramatically higher year to date. The risk-adverse investor could, however, step in an start a long term position in Mondelez after this solid quarter.
The Motley Fool's chief investment officer has selected his No. 1 stock for this year. Find out which stock it is in the special free report: "The Motley Fool's Top Stock for 2013." Just click here to access the report and find out the name of this under-the-radar company.
Nathaniel Matherson has a long position in Mondelez. The Motley Fool recommends Tesla Motors . The Motley Fool owns shares of Tesla Motors . Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is this post wrong? Click here. Think you can do better? Join us and write your own!


text: This week the crew drives a bunch of different flavors utility vehicles and a convertible. Rebecca and Dan both sampled the new Kia Telluride. Dan also tried a blend of old and new school with the Mercedes-Benz G550. Sam’s utilities were both electrified with the Lexus UX250h F-Sport giving way to the new Range Rover P400e plug-in hybrid. In the news our intrepid trio talks about the prospects for a merger of FCA and Renault, the impact of new potential tariffs on the auto industry and new “sport” sedans from Cadillac. Rebecca also discusses her time at the Heels and Wheels event in California. Finally, Sam made a video answering questions about autonomous vehicle technology.


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The Consumer Product Safety Commission, along with eight manufacturers of pool and spa drain covers, have announced a voluntary recall of certain drain covers because they were incorrectly rated to handle the flow of water which could pose a possible entrapment hazard to swimmers and bathers.
The Coastal Health District, which includes Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long and McIntosh counties, issued the warning of the recall Monday afternoon. No incidents or injuries have been reported so far.
Pool owners/operators and consumers who have one of the recalled pool or spa drain covers should immediately contact the manufacturer to receive a replacement or retrofit, depending on their make and model.
Except for kiddie pools, wading pools and in-ground spas, retrofit or replacement of installed covers are not required in pools with multiple drain systems or gravity drainage systems or for covers installed before Dec. 19, 2008. CPSC recommends closing any affected pools until the drain covers are replaced.
Coastal Health District officials also encourage residents of communities that have pools to check with their certified pool operators to find out if their community pool is impacted by the recall.
For more information, consumers can call the Drain Cover Recall Hotline at 866-478-3521. For a list of manufacturers and model numbers of recalled drain covers, go to www.cpsc.gov.


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Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has sought to dismiss a "conspiracy theory" suggesting that Rupert Murdoch has set his media outlets in Australia against the Labor government because the AU$37.4 billion National Broadband Network (NBN) is a perceived threat to Foxtel.
The theory, which has been floated on Twitter and a number of blogs for several months, made its way into the Sunday Herald yesterday, with columnist Paul Sheehan suggesting that the NBN is "a threat to the business model" of Foxtel, which is jointly owned by Telstra and News Corporation.
Sheehan said that the Coalition's alternative, which would scale back the fibre-to-the-premises network to a majority fibre-to-the-node network, is preferred by Murdoch.
Turnbull struck back in a blog post yesterday, labelling Sheehan's article as "quite misconceived", and saying that the threat the internet poses to Foxtel depends on access to fast broadband, something that he claimed the Coalition would be able to deliver to all Australians by 2016, well before Labor's proposed completion date of June 2021.
He said that Foxtel's greatest threat, Netflix, would only require 6Mbps speeds in order to stream HD video, significantly less than the 25Mbps minimum the Coalition is promising under its policy.
"[Murdoch] would be better off backing Labor's NBN, because he knows that not only will the day of ubiquitous very fast broadband be delayed for many years, even decades, it will also be available at a much higher cost," Turnbull said.
"The Coalition's plan for the NBN will bring the day of reckoning much sooner."
The theory also counters Foxtel's recent efforts to get into IPTV. Last week, the company, which allows customers to subscribe to the service on a month-to-month basis, and access it through their PC, Mac, Xbox 360, or Samsung smart TV.
Foxtel's director of product Michael Ivanchenkothat the company is even holding off on offering HD streams until broadband speeds in Australia have improved.