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American playwright Neil Simon’s play ‘The Good Doctor’ has quite a few actors from the media and advertising fraternity. ‘The Good Doctor’ is a tribute to Anton Chekov, one of the greatest writers in Russian history. The result is a comic mixture of farce, black comedy and thoughtful humour, accentuated by moments of poignancy and incredible wit.
Motorcycles ruled the two-wheelers category advertising in print during 2008. TVS Motor Company was the top advertiser in the category in print during the year. Bajaj Platina 125 DTS-Si topped the chart of new two-wheeler brands advertised in print during 2008.
There is nary a connection between a skin cream and India’s first woman IPS officer Dr Kiran Bedi. However, the top cop has been roped in as brand ambassador to advocate the new brand philosophy of No Marks cream from Ozone Ayurvedics. And in case anyone thinks this is purely a commercial association, think again.
Gearing up for IPL Season 2, Delhi Daredevils is launching its on-ground, online and ATL campaigns, which are scheduled to be launched in the first week of March. The 360-degree campaign has been in-house creativity, while Hero Honda has been roped in a principle sponsor.
TRAI has made certain recommendations relating to ownership restrictions and cross holding within the broadcasting sector. The accumulation of interest in the media can be regulated through different types of restrictions on ownership. There can be restrictions on cross-media ownership across different segments of media such as print, TV, radio.
The Government was on overdrive last week with the I&B Minister and/or the Regulator making announcements on each day, notes Pradyuman Maheshwari. With the Election Commission due to announce poll dates any day, the ministers and the bureaucracy are on an overdrive to let key decisions be passed.
MEC Access, which launched its India operations in April 2008, remains as upbeat and optimistic about the Indian market a year later, the economic slowdown notwithstanding. exchange4media caught up with Mike Jackson, MD - Asia Pacific, MEC Access, and Stephen Li, CEO South and Southeast Asia, Mediaedge:cia for an exclusive conversation.
Real has left no stone unturned in its efforts to reach and engage its audiences enough to remind them that the channel is set to launch on March 2, 2009. From innovations in print, outdoor and radio to contests on television to on-ground stunts that Real hopes would create enough word of mouth to create a buzz around the channel’s debut. In addition, the channel would be available on DishTV and Tata Sky from day one itself.


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- Huawei has just announced this week its upcoming Mate40 Smartphone series that will include an implemented hardware wallet for the central-bank digital currency from China known as the digital yuan.
- This will be the first smartphone of its kind that would feature a wallet of such a kind.
This will be the first smartphone of its kind that would feature a wallet of such a kind. On Weibo, a Chinese blogging website, the company announced the news earlier today.
You can see the post here.
Notably, the post highlights that users will be able to control and protect their privacy and perform dual off-line transactions simultaneously.
Roughly translated, part of the post says:
“#HuaweiMate40# series is the first smartphone that supports digital RMB hardware wallet, hardware-level security, controllable anonymity protection, dual offline transactions, bringing a new safe and convenient payment experience.”
The digital yuan CBDC from China is currently in its testing pilot stages but is getting ready for release to the country as soon as possible, potentially before the end of this year. Numerous countries all over the world are looking into their own central-bank digital currencies to develop but China seems to be ahead of the pack as it has allegedly been working on such a project since 2013.
© 2020 CryptoDaily All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

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Nevada Free-Play Site AcePlay Announces Pending Closure
What’s the difference between a US state having legalized most forms of online casino-style gambling compared to one that’s legalized only online poker? The just-announced closure of a Nevada-based, free-play online poker site, AcePlay, confirms that a poker-only online existence probably just isn’t enough. And if you’re in Nevada and you’re not the WSOP, sinking a fortune into product development might not be the best move… for the time being.
AcePlayPoker.com and AcePlayCasino.com are the two components of the AcePlay offering, which this week announced that it will be discontinuing its two-year run as of Novvember 22nd. In a blog post breaking the news, a staffer wrote:
It is with a heavy heart we are announcing that acePLAY Casino will be shutting down Wednesday November 22nd. Our parent company was recently acquired, but unfortunately we will not be coming along for the ride. We have sincerely appreciated our loyal players over the past 2 years and you will be greatly missed. We thank you for your support.
AcePlay is actually a victim of a corporate sale and transition, being put on the chopping block as a part of the traditional reevaluation of marketing and development that comes with such takeovers. AcePlay is owned by American Casino & Entertainment Properties (ACEP), the parent company of four Nevada casinos, including the Stratosphere and two Arizona Charlie’s properties. And it’s the acquisition of ACEP by another Nevada gaming corporation, Golden Entertainment, that spells the end of AcePlay’s run.
Golden, by all available evidence, doesn’t view the promotional work being done by AcePlay as being worth the continuing investment. So the new owners are pulling the plug.
As an online, free-play-only offering, AcePlay obviously could not generate a sizeable revenue stream. Instead, it was being used as a promotional tool to drive players to ACEP’s live properties, such as the Stratosphere, via prizes, discounts, and other special offers awarded for playing on the AcePlay site. It was a form of long-game marketing that ran out of time to succeed.
If only Nevada had legalized all forms of online gambling, rather than just online poker, then sites such as AcePlay become much more important as a conversion tool. But to give you an idea of the shoestring nature of the AcePlay operation, the AcePlayPoker part of the offering has been running on the antiquated Ongame platform, which first surfaced back in the Victorian era (we kid, but just slightly) with Pokerroom.com and other sites.
The Ongame poker platform was out of date a decade ago, and it’s been sold at ever-increasing discounts over the past several years. ACEP picked up Ongame from its last previous owner, Amaya, in 2013. What ACEP paid wasn’t disclosed, but it couldn’t have been much. At the time, ACEP was thinking about rolling out a real-money poker site to compete with the likes of Caesars/WSOP, South Point Poker, and the Fertitta family’s hapless Ultimate Poker. After South Point and Ultimate Poker cocked up their offerings, ACEP thought better of it.
Instead, the company bided its time, perhaps hoping that Nevada would go ahead and regulate other forms of online casino gaming. That would’ve brought Nevada back to even with Delaware and New Jersey, and the New Jersey experience has shown that the revenue is coming from the online casino games, not the online poker. Yet Nevada hasn’t been able to move further online in the face of prominent opposition from casino owners Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, and a couple of others, in a very cutthroat game of hurting their Nevada casino competition.
Amid all this, AcePlay was still launched, in 2015, into a holding pattern. As these things go, it was launched on the cheap, but even that didn’t turn out to be enough. It’s not impossible that AcePlay could be relaunched if the Nevada online environment changes. Don’t wait on it, though, even if we wouldn’t mind a hand or two on an Ongame site… just for old time’s sake.


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CNET's Dan Graziano tested the step and distance accuracy of the Apple Watch. See how it stacks up against the competition.
The company adds the Force Touch trackpad to its 15-inch MacBook Pro and unveils a new, lower-cost version of its Retina-display-sporting iMac.
Taking on the tech industry's biggest companies might seem a fool's errand, but Russia's Yandex has reason to think its Web browser has a chance challenging Chrome.
This could be the ultimate local+cloud backup solution, and usually the drive sells for $100 all by itself .
This ingenious accessory redirects the sound from your TV's built-in speakers. Plus: three bonus deals!
The new Mazda MX-5 Miata's cabin is compact, but it's full of quirks and surprises, including a Bose audio system that hides speakers in the headrests and Lego-like cupholders.
The software giant is again discounting the price on its Surface Pro 3 but this sale is limited to just one specific model.
Find out which photo-sharing and storage site best suits your needs with this deep dive into the top online photo services.
Starting with Office for iOS, Microsoft is enabling its new Word, Excel and PowerPoint apps to access more third-party cloud-storage services.
The company hopes to make a name for itself by directly going after consumers with attractively priced smartphones.


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Bollore Africa Logistics has won a contract to develop and operate Senegal’s Dakar portfacility used mainly to import vehicles and pledged to invest US$131.3 million over 25 years.
The subsidiary of French industrial group Bollore signed the agreement with the Autonomous Port of Dakar recently to run a roll-on/roll-off terminal which allows cars and other wheeled cargo to be offloaded directly onto the dock.
The company’s president, Dominique Lafont, said it was awarded the contract after negotiations ended between Senegal authorities and Italy-based logistics firm Grimaldi Group. The company plans to extend the existing terminal by 165 m and deepen it to 10.5 m in order to accommodate larger vessels. A new 30, 000m2 parking area will also be built.
Bollore is a well established player in the portand transportation sectors of French-speaking Africa, including operating the national rail companies of Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Cameroon and managing a dozen container terminals.
Earlier this year a consortium led by Bollore won a hotly contested tender to operate a second container terminal to be built at the port of Abidjan, Francophone West Africa’s busiest port, pledging investments of nearly US$600 million.
Six years ago, it lost out to Emirati marine terminal operator DP World for the right to operate Dakar’s container terminal.


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Yesterday Apple released the official version of iOS 8. After a slew of updates hit the App Store, we are here with a few of the best apps.
Yesterday, Apple announced the iPhone 6, iPhone 6+, Apple Watch, and Apple Pay. This go round, the bitter taste won’t be going away soon.
Today, we take a look at a few apps to help players conquer their Minecraft worlds, and build the best worlds you can possible imagine.
Apple announced earlier today, people will be able to live stream the September 9th event, where Apple is expected to announce the new iPhone
Apple finally started sending out invitation for a September 9th event, where it’s expected to announce the latest version of the iPhone.
If you’re looking for something that will protect your device, without sacrificing your device’s form factor. iCarbons is the way to go.
Today, Google released an update to those iOS users who use the Gmail application. This update has a slew of changes, so check it out.


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UPDATE: WE just got some good news about the GTA V price.
We posted a scary article about the possible incoming price of GTA V back in December 2012; basically that GTA V will be landing locally with a RRP of R799, blowing all previous prices out of the water.
And that was before our Rand tanked! There could, however, be some good news on the horizon.
A UK retailer has just revealed that the price for their special edition version of GTA V will drop from £64.99 to £54.99. That’s a R150 saving right there and could therefore bring our price down to R650 at least for the standard edition.. if the saving happens across the board.
Unfortunately I simply cannot see this happening at all. Right now the standard edition of GTA V is being pre-ordered for £39.99 which works out in a direct conversion to R605.
That’s before we take into consideration the extra costs of selling the title here thanks to shipping costs and the smaller market base. In fact I can’t see how our game prices aren’t all going to be bumped up by at least R100, more likely R150, if our exchange rate doesn’t stabilise very soon. If you are reading this Zuma, please stop making public announcements. The markets don’t trust you.
So are you ready to pay R800 for a video game?
UPDATE: The new RRP for GTA V will be R729, although expect that price to drop when throwing pre-orders into the mix. Right now, CNA has the lowest price, at R599.
Last Updated: July 3, 2013
July 3, 2013 at 12:34
R800 for a game?!?!?


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Tiny electronics could solve security issues
Published: 14 March 2018 - Sarah Mead
A University of Sydney engineer has developed a revolutionary new nanotechnology-based component that could sit at the heart of anti-counterfeiting technologies for the fashion and defence industries and fraud-proof verification techniques for online machines.
Working with an international team, Dr Omid Kavehei from the School of Electrical and Information Engineering has designed an innovative building block for a new security system that could enable significantly improved security for a variety of authentication strategies that are used in cyber-physical and internet-connected portable devices.
Dr Kavehei is investigating how a new breed of low-cost tiny electronic devices at nanoscales – just billionths of a metre or 100,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair – could be used to ensure the security of authentication and verification processes in the billions of devices connected to the Internet. These devices could be used in the fashion industry, or in medical devices such as pacemakers, or electronic chipsets used in defence/military components.
Read more: https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2018/03/12/tiny-electronics-could-solve-security-issues.html


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December 28, 2012 |
Smoked salmon sold at Wal-Mart's Sam's Club stores nationwide is being recalled in 42 states, including California, and Puerto Rico amid listeria concerns. The fish was produced by a Miami subsidiary of Multiexport Foods Inc. in conjunction with Tampa Bay Fisheries Inc. The companies are pulling the product “with an overabundance of caution,” according to a Wal-Mart statement . The listeria monocytogenes bacteria - which can cause fatal infections in the elderly, the young and those with weak immune systems, and lead to fever, nausea and diarrhea in other victims - was discovered during a standard lab test on a shipment of the salmon that hadn't been distributed to stores, according to Wal-Mart.
December 26, 2012 |
The Food and Drug Administration released long-awaited documents Dec. 21 on genetically modified salmon: an assessment of the fish's potential environmental effects and a preliminary “ finding of no significant impact ” of the fish on the environment. This brings AquAdvantage salmon -- Atlantic salmon that has been modified with a growth hormone gene from chinook salmon so that it reaches maturity faster -- a significant step closer to FDA approval. Astute readers will notice that the recently released documents are dated May 4. So why were they just released Dec. 21 -- seven months later?
December 24, 2012 |
Genetically modified salmon moved closer to the market last week with release of draft documents from the Food and Drug Administration that assessed the environmental risks posed by AquAdvantage salmon, which grow faster than regular Atlantic salmon. The agency found, on a preliminary basis, that the GM fish, produced by AquaBounty Technologies of Massachusetts, posed no significant threat. Both documents -- an environmental assessmen t and preliminary “ finding of no significant impac t,” known by the policy wonks as a FONSI -- will be published Dec. 26 in the Federal Register and be available for public comment for 60 days.
December 21, 2012 |
After more than a decade in regulatory limbo, genetically engineered Atlantic salmon that grow faster than their naturally born counterparts moved closer to American plates, with the publication Friday of a government report that found the fish wouldn't hurt the environment and would be safe to eat. The draft report, released by the Food and Drug Administration after months of unexplained delay, was greeted with cheers by members of the biotech community...
November 16, 2012 |
According to Food editor Russ Parsons, this oven-steamed salmon is one of the easiest dishes you'll ever make: "Here's all you do: Heat the oven to 250 degrees. Put the salmon on a baking sheet. Put a baking pan on the floor of the oven (or on the lowest rack) and fill it with boiling water. Cook. Yup. That's it. " The salmon is ready in about 20 minutes, when the fish just begins to flake. While it's cooking, whisk together a quick dill mayonnaise (mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, fresh chopped dill and shallots and a little lemon juice)
November 11, 2012 |
Here is a selection of some new offerings at the prestige end of the market, many predicated on exclusive ingredients and newfangled technology: Super Cream from 3LAB, exclusively at Barneys, joins that brand's high-priced roster but remains its most expensive launch to date. Co-founder Erica Chung attributes the $875 price to the cream's Intelligent Targeting Device technology, which is supposed to drive collagen and elastin to the cells that need it the most. The Bee Venom Mask from Heaven Skin Care became an overnight sensation when word came out that Kate Middleton, wife of England's Prince William, used it. Soon to be available in the U.S., the $560 Limited Edition Golden Bee Venom Mask contains a high concentration of bee venom, which is supposed to have something of a Botox effect on the skin.
August 18, 2012 |
The Angels will celebrate the 10-year anniversary of their 2002 World Series championship Saturday night when more than 20 players and coaches from that team are inducted into the Angels Hall of Fame before a game against Tampa Bay. "I'm excited about seeing the guys, catching up and reliving the memories," said Tim Salmon, the right fielder on that team. "It's 10 years later, and it seems like it was yesterday ... until you watch the grainy film. " In a postseason filled with highlights -- a dominant bullpen headed by Troy Percival, Adam Kennedy's three-homer game in the American League Championship Series, Scott Spiezio's World Series Game 6 homer against San Francisco, and Garret Anderson's decisive three-run double in Game 7 -- what stands out most for Salmon is the heart of the club.
August 14, 2012 |
It's been a long, long haul for California's salmon fishermen. But this year has been a boom. How has the fishing been? So good they're postponing their annual salmon festival so they can stay out on the water. The Golden Gate Salmon Assn. , a group of commercial and recreational fishermen and related businesses that is dedicated to restoring the salmon fishery and habitat, announced this week that its annual fund-raising dinner originally scheduled for this weekend had been pushed back to Sept. 21. “We regret the last-minute change,” Victor Gonella, president of the association, said in a statement.
July 29, 2012 |
SEATTLE - Pike Place Market. The Space Needle. Pioneer Square. Check, check and check. If you've hit these obvious Seattle destinations, you're not a newbie. But maybe you're not an insider either. So, this 21-stop Seattle checklist is for you. It skirts those three attractions and several other popular stops to make more room for Ballard, Capitol Hill, Fremont and the University District - four asset-rich Seattle neighborhoods my family and I explored on a visit last summer.
June 23, 2012 |
When I was in college, breakfast of toasted bagel, cream cheese and lox eaten with the Sunday paper spread all over the table seemed like a wonderful luxury. Later I discovered the nuances of gum-free cream cheese and the bialys and Nova from Russ & Daughters and Barney Greengrass in New York. (Barney Greengrass has an outpost on the top floor of Barneys New York in Beverly Hills.) Satiny smoked salmon or other fish can be enjoyed other ways as well. Here are a few places to find superior smoked fish in the L.A. area.


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Sportsbet’s recent amusing but controversial ad starring famed sports drug cheat Ben Johnson has been banned by the Advertising Standards Bureau (ASB).
The ad was found not to condone the use of sports enhancing drugs, however, it was “contrary to prevailing community standards on health and safety”.
The ad was the work of BMF, and B&T has contacted the agency for comment. The ASB has allowed Sportsbet to modify the ad to meet the code.
The order means the online gambling company, no stranger to controversial advertising, will have to pull the ad from free-to-air TV, Foxtel and from social media.
In its findings, the ASB noted: “The Board considered that the prevailing community standard on health and safety is opposed to the use of performance enhancing drugs and to avoid drug use more generally.
“In the Board’s view the advertisement depicts performance enhancing drug use in sport in a manner that is contrary to prevailing community standards on health and safety. The Board therefore determined that the advertisement breached section 2.6 of the Code.
“The Board considered that young children would be unlikely to understand the double entendre references to drug use and that there was not a breach of the Code on this basis,” the determination found.
In its defence, Sportsbet said the ad was clearly “comical” and and did not present themselves “as real outcomes achievable through taking performance enhancing drugs”.
When the ad first aired in mid-May, it appeared to upset a number of people including federal sports minister Greg Hunt who said the company “should know better”.
“To use a known drug cheat such as Ben Johnson to advertise their product is utterly inappropriate,” Hunt said.
It’s been reported that the free to air networks that ran the ad had “received a significant number of complaints”.
Aussie coastal lifestyle brand SurfStitch has announced a bold repositioning with a new brand identity and campaign, “Ready for Everywhere”. Reflecting the brand’s commitment to inspiring people to embrace their lifestyle, whatever it may be, the strategic shift reflects a commitment to facilitating style that adapts to the life its customers lead across a broad […]
Man of Many has Announced Key Hires Amidst a Year of Extraordinary Achievement Lead image: Naman Singh & Alex Martinez Man of Many, recently crowned B&T media platform of the year, Australia’s premier men’s lifestyle digital publication. Announces the addition of two crucial members to its team – Naman Singh as SEO Content Specialist and […]
Australian property site realestate.com.au has announced the extension of its partnership with the Sydney Swans for two further seasons. Lead image: Tom Harley, Owen Wilson and Tom McCartin realestate.com.au has partnered with the Swans since 2016 and has called the back of the club’s iconic guernsey home since becoming a major partner in 2020. This […]
Leading independent media agency, Avenue C, is thrilled to announce the appointment of Paula Lopes as Digital Director. Paula, a seasoned professional with over 17 years experience in the media industry, joins Avenue C from her role as Chief Operations Manager of KINESSO (merger of Reprise, Matterkind, and Kinesso specialities).
oOh!media brought together more than 260 of its sales, operations, commercial, marketing, finance and leadership teams last week for its national annual revenue and growth conference. Held over two days at the picturesque Rydges Resort in Hunter Valley, the event ‘Fusing people and performance’ focussed on how to build a high-performance mindset and how it […]
Free TV has welcomed the federal government’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that all Australians can access their local free television services on connected TVs through the introduction of legislation to implement a prominence framework in coming days. Free TV CEO Bridget Fair (lead image) said: “Right now, Australian viewers are being steered in the direction […]
New-generation media agency 27 Degrees Media has been appointed to manage digital media for national tyre retailer Tyreright in one of its first Australian client signings. Lead Image: Loan Morris – 27 Degrees Media CEO Under the partnership, 27 Degrees Media will be responsible for all digital media strategy, planning and buying, along with influencer […]
Brisbane performance agency farsiight has announced the launch of its new market positioning, Growth for Good, in response to a changing business landscape, marking a departure from a “growth at all costs” mentality that has defined the industry in recent years. Agency founders and brother duo, Josh and Ben Somerville, envision Growth for Good as […]
Australia’s largest privately owned transit media supplier, GoTransit Media Group, now offers unprecedented options for transit advertising in Newcastle – on both land and sea following their successful tender to supply interior advertising inside the popular Stockton Ferries. The national transit media company is already well acquainted with the thriving NSW market, having successfully operated […]
Heritage and People’s Choice have launched People First Bank, the new name for positive change in banking Australia’s largest customer-owned bank has unveiled its new brand, announcing that Heritage and People’s Choice will be unified under the new name of People First Bank. Chairman Michael Cameron said the highly anticipated new brand offered a compelling […]
L’Oréal Groupe Australia and New Zealand have announced one of the largest investments to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation to pioneer new coral restoration efforts in the region. L’Oréal Groupe Australia and New Zealand have announced today a new partnership with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation (GBRF), to help coral reefs withstand the devastating impacts […]


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By Fiona Czerniawska.
Our recent article about the market opportunity for internal consulting teams clearly touched a nerve. From the emails and other comments we’ve received, everyone sees the potential in expanding into markets outside their parent company, but there’s widespread debate about the best way to exploit it. So, rather than responding to everyone individually, we’ve decided to draw up a list of what we think matters most.
#1: Know what makes you special
When you start a conventional consulting firm (or any other type of business for that matter), you get the luxury of choice. You’ve spotted a need out...


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Vision Components has launched two Linux-based, smart machine vision cameras and a COM built around a Xilinx Zynq SoC, each supporting up to 4.2MP video. Over the last decade, smart cameras for machine vision have been transitioning from DSPs to systems that combine DSPs or FPGAs with ARM or x86 processors running Linux. The latest […]
Natalie Kozlowski is a front-end web developer at CodeGuard. She's a self-taught coder who embraces open source and will be giving a talk about how to interact with your front-end developers at this year's All Things Open conference in Raleigh. In this interview, I caught up with Natalie prior to the conference. I learned more about her background, like how she earned a degree in Professional Writing, what led her to her current job as a front-end developer, and how she applies the open source way to her job. read more
A good project for getting familiar with Scribus is to create a cheery greeting card. Let's say we have a nice color printer and some good card stock, and we're making Mom a birthday card. Moms love photos of their kids, so find a nice one of yourself. Open Scribus, click the New Document tab, and set your page size and orientation (figure 2). My example is US Letter, landscape, two-sided.
Canonical announced official support for streaming Netflix videos on Ubuntu 12.04 LTS, 14.04 LTS, and later, using Google’s Chrome browser v37 and later. “Thanks to recent efforts at Netflix and Canonical, Ubuntu now supports watching Netflix with Chrome version 37,” stated Canonical in a blog post today. “Chrome is available to all Ubuntu users with […]
Open games roundup Week of October 5 - 11, 2014 Happy Saturday, open gamers! In this week's edition of our open source games news, we take a look at a fan version of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time that removes the third dimension, MIT's game design MOOC, and more! read more
Today's fun command line festivities are inspired by Command Line Magic, who hangs out on Twitter sharing excellent Linux command line incantations for all occasions. Today's assortment includes shell rainbows, Is the Internet on Fire?, Star Wars Traceroute, and creating annoying sounds from the console.
Kano has begun selling a $150, Raspberry Pi-based educational computer that teaches kids to program using visual tools and the Debian-based Kano OS. Kano’s hugely successful Kickstarter project funded last December, with more than 10,000 investors ordering $99 and $119 Kano open source DIY kits for a total of $1.52 million in proceeds. Last month, […]
Last week's launch of OPNFV is a good opportunity to think about a simmering debate in the OpenStack developer community for a while now—what exactly does NFV (Network Function Virtualization) have to do with OpenStack, and is it a good thing? read more
Lascar launched a Linux-based data acquisition system with a 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen, an ARM9-based Freescale i.MX283 SoC, and a free GUI program. Salisbury, UK based Lascar Electronics sells seven Windows-based “PanelPilotM” panel computers of various sizes, and it has now launched its first Linux-based line called the “PanelPilotACE.” The PanelPilotACE is “more of a blank […]
Open Source Day at the Grace Hopper Celebration this year starts today! The program is committed to helping women grow their skills and interest in using open source technologies. "Our program philosophy is about tackling disaster response challenges in partnership with other industry and technology experts," said Harmony Mabrey of Microsoft Disaster Response. For the first time this year, Open Source Day is providing opportunities for women of all skill levels to participate in this important mission. read more
Data Recovery Techniques on Linux When one of my friends called telling me that he had accidentally deleted some important files from his drive, his exasperation was understandable. It happens to everyone at some point of their computer-using lives. Unfortunately, in his case, those were some extremely important documents that, had he not recovered them, could have proven very costly.
Sometimes, when the clock hits 3:00am, and you've been in the server room since 9 o'clock the previous day, you start to get a little batty. That's the only explanation I have for programs like cowsay in Linux. Still, I'm glad they're there, because life wouldn't be nearly as fun without them. Here's a quick list of silly Linux programs off the top of my head.
A mobile personal web server called “The Egg” runs Tizen on an Intel Atom and features a 12-hour battery, a 2.4-inch touchscreen, and up to 256GB of storage. Arizona-based startup Eggcyte has taken to Kickstarter to push a more private alternative to public cloud storage and social networking sites. The Egg is available in packages […]
Hey Everyone, It has been a while since we had a badge post, with getting ready for Fedora 21, Shellshock and getting planning started for Flock 2015, things have been […]
Europe Code Week is organized by Neelie Kroes' Young Advisors with the support from DG Connect at the European Commission and runs from October 11 - 17 this year. It's a program all about teaching kids and adults how to code and understand more about technology. read more
SUSE and MariaDB (the company formerly known as SkySQL!) officially teamed up today, joining forces with IBM Power Systems, in a partnership that promises to expand the Linux application ecosystem. According to sources at SUSE, customers will now be able to run a wider variety of applications on Power8, increasing both flexibility and choice while working within existing IT infrastructure.
The open source AllSeen Alliance, which is standardizing IoT built around Qualcomm’s AllJoyn platform, has launched a Connected Lighting Working Group. The Linux Foundation announced the AllSeen Alliance last December to promote Qualcomm’s cross-platform AllJoyn open source project for Internet of Things interoperability. Since then, the Allseen Alliance has launched a number of working groups, […]
Fast way to update Bash on Debian based distributions to secure it against Shell Shock.
Open-source mailing lists and IRC conversations are as prone to flame wars as anywhere on the Internet, but now systemd co-creator Lennart Poettering is calling out Linus Torvalds in a more public forum for helping to create attacks on him.
It's the inconvenience, stupid Analysis Over the last few weeks law enforcement officials on both sides of the Atlantic have been kicking up a fuss over Apple and Google deciding to include effective encryption on their smartphones.…


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A new report by Mastercard and HalalTrip has identified the most popular tourist destinations for Muslim millennials. The top two..
Tag Archives: Ogilvy
Five key social trends within modern wellness and what it means for Asia’s super ageing population.
Ogilvy has named a new Worldwide Chief Talent Officer as the agency continues its Next Chapter transformation.
Ogilvy Asia has received the inaugural Asia Pacific Network Of The Year title at the London International Awards; this is..
Matthieu Jusserand, EMEAC Executive Director of Digital Engagement, MSD on key drivers of change in the healthcare industry.
Gloria Gibbons, global practice leader of Ogilvy Health & Wellness on how brands are changing ways of delivering healthcare.
Chris Graves of Ogilvy on behavioural science and the positive changes it can bring to health and wellness.
Take a look at how Ogilvy Asia covered Spikes Asia 2017.
Kent Wertime, co-CEO of Ogilvy and Mather Asia Pacific on people-led growth.


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Connect Group has appointed the former CEO of an American logistics supplier as its new chief executive, after a troubling set of results for the group triggered the resignation of Mark Cashmore last month. Jos Opdeweegh has worked at the helm of a number of logistics and supply chain business in the US, notably working as CEO of Americold for four years. He will assume the role at the beginning of September, but will spend time with the business during […]
Tuffnells owner Connect Group has completed the sale of its care and education division to education resource provider RM.
Tuffnells has promised to interview any of the 450 Marks & Spencer staff that face losing their jobs when the retailer’s Hardwick DC closes in September.
Connect Group’s Smiths News division has secured a new five year deal with magazine distributor Frontline, bringing further signs of an upturn in the group’s fortunes.


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In a statement the India’s cybersecurity watchdog said, New Delhi will not dilute upcoming cybersecurity rules that require social media, technology companies and cloud service providers to report data breaches swiftly, despite growing industry concerns.
The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team has issued a directive in April asking tech companies to report data breaches within six hours of “noticing such incidents” and to maintain IT and communications logs for six months.
CERT has also mandated cloud service providers, including Amazon and virtual private network (VPN) companies to retain names of their customers and IP addresses for at least five years, even after they stop using the company’s services.
CERT’s directives have raised concerns of a growing compliance and other costs.
In a statement India’s junior IT minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar said, there will be no changes despite the industry worries; tech companies have an obligation to know who is using their services.
In recent years, New Delhi has tightened regulation of Big Tech companies, which have strained trade ties between New Delhi and Washington, despite the latter’s own concern on big tech.
According to CERT, while new rules were required for cybersecurity incidents, the requisite information needed to investigate them should also be readily available from service providers.
The rules come into effect from the July 1, 2022.
NordVPN, one of the world’s largest VPN providers, has said it will remove its servers from India.
“If you don’t want to go by these rules, and if you want to pull out, then frankly … you have to pull out,” said Chandrasekhar.
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(WXYZ) — Tickets are on sale for the annual Motor City Comic Con, taking place at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi from May 15-17.
With over 371,000 square feet of exhibit space, the event draws tens of thousands of people every year and celebrities from across the globe.
“For over 30 years we have been making each year bigger and better,” said Michael Goldman, Founder and Convention Promotor of Motor City Comic Con. We’re thrilled to embark on our third decade and the greatness 2020 will bring”.
Tickets can be purchased on the Motor City Comic Con website at www.motorcitycomiccon.com. There are also RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) wristbands will also be available for purchase, which are individual and personalized to your ticket through a unique serial number and microchip in the wristband.
Single-day tickets are $30 for Friday, $40 for Saturday and $35 for Sunday.
A weekend pass for adults is $85. Kids 5 and under are free all weekend while kids 6-12 are $10 on Friday and Saturday, and free on Sunday.
A VIP fan pass costs $249 for the weekend and includes: VIP Collectible Badge, Exclusive MCCC Shopping Bag- New & Improved, VIP Seating in Panels (Excludes Paid Events), VIP Fast Pass For Autographs & Photo Ops Lines, Exclusive Motor City Comic Con Lanyard, Exclusive Print, $25 Gift Certificate to the MCCC Merch Booth
All autographs and photo ops for the people attending the show are sold separately.


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Smartphone usage is becoming more prevalent among Japanese senior citizens as online shopping rises across the board, according to research into digital media habits in the market by IPG Mediabrands.
The ‘Media in Mind’ study, which canvassed 2,400 internet users in the Kanto and Kansai areas over three days in November 2016, found 28 percent of respondents aged between 70 and 74 now own smartphones. 33 percent of men and 23 percent of women in that age bracket are smartphone users, up from 17 percent in 2015. 61 percent of respondents aged between 15 and 74 own smartphones.
Possibly as a result of this increased ownership, senior consumers have become more active in fields like online shopping. 55 percent of men and 38 percent of women listed it as an area they are now more active in, followed by internet banking (41 percent and 19 percent). Online shopping was the most prevalent digital activity for all age groups surveyed, with 41 percent of the total (aged between 15 and 74) saying they had become more engaged.
Internet banking is popular across the board, although services in Japan remain relatively limited. TV and movie consumption was also popular, while radio showed surprising resilience: 8 percent of male and female 15 to 19-year-olds and 6 percent of male 20 to 34-year-olds said they listened to more radio through their digital devices than before.
Yahoo may be fading into insignificance elsewhere in the world, but it remains stubbornly popular in Japan. 46 percent listed it as a site or app they would have difficulty without. That compares to 34 percent for Google, although Google proved more popular among male respondents aged 15 to 34. Advertising and ecommerce have been key factors in Yahoo Japan’s profitability. Smartphones are now responsible for half its advertising revenue, according to a recent report by Bloomberg. The report noted that monthly active users grew 16 percent year-on-year to more than 37 million.
Amazon ranked the highest out of the ecommerce properties named, ahead of Rakuten. Rakuten proved more popular in the 70 to 74 age group however. Other applications listed as indispensible include Line and YouTube. Line takes precedence over YouTube for male 15 to 19-year-olds, while YouTube wins out for those aged 20 to 34. Map and traffic-related applications are important for people aged 50 and above.


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On Wednesday, the new Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), amendments to the Privacy Act of 1988(Cth), went into effect. The new rules apply to both government agencies and businesses, replacing the Information Privacy Principles (IPPs) that governed public agencies and the National Privacy Principles (NPPs) that governed businesses. In case this overhaul caught you off guard, we have a brief overview of the APPs’ major provisions and exceptions to help you navigate this new privacy regime.
While U.S. federal lawmakers struggle to find the right balance on data breach notification, state legislators are offering up bills to protect consumers from tracking through cellphones, smart meters and license plates, and one company is pushing back against Utah’s license-plate privacy law, saying it infringes on First Amendment rights. This Privacy Tracker weekly roundup covers all this and more, including the FTC, G29 and APEC announcement of a cross-border data transfer tool at the IAPP’s Global Privacy Summit last week and the Mexican DPA’s warning of an “abundance” of fines to come.
In this Privacy Tracker weekly legislative roundup, read about the prospects of German advocacy groups getting the right to sue businesses, the status of the Philippines’ cybercrime law and proposals in the U.S. pushing for less data collection and more consumer protections. The Utah attorney general has stopped using administrative subpoenas for cellphone and Internet data, saying “writing yourself a note to go after that stuff without any check is too dangerous,” while the Senate looks at a bill that would mean law enforcement needs a judge’s order as well. Also, Orin Kerr has published an article supposing what a communication privacy act might look like if the U.S. scrapped ECPA and started from scratch, and there’s a handy interactive map outlining the status of social media privacy laws throughout the U.S.
While much of the news was focused on the EU Data Protection Regulation this week, a few other things of note happened in the legal realm as well. For example, the EU Parliament adopted a resolution to suspend SWIFT based on allegations that the U.S. NSA had access to EU citizen’s bank data; the FTC reached a settlement with Aaron’s, Inc., over the company’s consumer spying regime, and in Ecuador there are concerns that a new penal code could violate citizens’ online privacy. These are just a few of the stories—in addition to information on the LIBE vote and the future of Safe Harbor and the EU regulation—in this week’s Privacy Tracker legislative roundup.
Since the revelation of the NSA’s mass e-surveillance program in June, and in conjunction with the progress of the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Brussels, European institutions have been actively reconsidering the terms on which personal data is permitted to cross European borders. One proposal, which has raised a ripple effect of concern through the industry, includes...
New challenges to a Utah surveillance law; an interesting turn of events in a case deciding whether government authorities can extract historical location data directly from telecommunications carriers without a search warrant; legislative initiatives related to FISA and the USA PATRIOT Act; questions about the future of Safe Harbor, and information on developments in Italy, France and Australia.
Safe Harbor is in danger. Organizations that have certified under Safe Harbor should closely monitor the EU’s legislative process and the TTIP for indications about Safe Harbor’s future. And they should give careful thought to contingency plans for handling the personal data of EU data subjects.
Europe and Brazil are looking at possible changes to their data protection enforcement regimes. In the U.S., the Senate hearing discussing NSA surveillance practices indicated possible changes to the USA PATRIOT Act, California is considering a digital license plate bill, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled warrants are needed for cell phone data and one report suggests the landscape for privacy class-actions may be changing.
In an apparent effort to encourage consumer engagement in the e-commerce market and establish baseline security standards, the Chinese government has in the past several months released laws, regulations and guidelines focused on privacy and security issues. In this post, we briefly summarize some of the notable takeaways from these initiatives.


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TOKYO (MarketWatch) -- Toyota Motor Corp. Tuesday said it swung to a net profit of 209.46 billion yen ($2.26 billion) in the fiscal year which ended in March, reversing a year-ago loss, and predicted the current year would also be more profitable despite its recent plague of recall woes.
The auto giant posted a loss of 437 billion yen in the previous year.
Operating profit for the latest full year came to 147.52 billion yen, on sales of 18.951 trillion yen.
Consolidated vehicle sales for the fiscal year totaled 7.24 million units, a decrease of 330,000 units from the last fiscal year, the company said.
For the January-March quarter, Toyota
January-March operating profit came to 95.3 billion yen, reversing an operating loss of 682.5 billion, and sales jumped to 5.280 trillion yen from 3.536 trillion yen.
TMC President Akio Toyoda said in a statement that he was "sincerely grateful" to the company's dealers, suppliers, employees and overseas business operations for efforts to help Toyota "return to its normal state as soon as possible."
Gains across the globe
Toyota said operating income improved in all regions for the fiscal year.
In Japan, vehicle sales totaled 2.16 million units, an increase of 218,000 units compared to the last fiscal year. It posted an operating loss from Japanese operations of 225.2 billion yen, but that narrowed from the previous year's loss by 12.3 billion yen.
In North America, vehicle sales totaled 2.1 million units, down 114,000 units from the previous year. Operating income increased by 475.6 billion yen to 85.4 billion yen, due to valuation profits from interest-rate swaps, improved market conditions and financial services.
Toyota estimated that group vehicle sales for this fiscal year will be 7.29 million units, up 53,000 units from last fiscal year, as sales volume rose in regions outside of Japan.
Toyota said it predicts group net revenue of 19.2 trillion yen, operating income of 280 billion yen and net income of 310 billion yen.
It said it expects the dollar to trade at an average exchange rate of 90 yen, and the euro to average 125 yen in this fiscal year.
Toyota also said it will pay a cash dividend for the full fiscal year of 45 yen a share, pending approval at its shareholders' meeting in June.
Tokyo-traded shares of Toyota closed down 0.7% ahead of the results, while the benchmark Nikkei Average, of which Toyota is a component, closed down 1.1%.


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WILMINGTON, NC--(Marketwired - Mar 28, 2017) - Shipt, the fastest growing online grocery marketplace, today announced it will deliver groceries to Wilmington residents beginning on April 4, 2017. With the launch of Shipt in Wilmington, the company's North Carolina coverage extends to nearly 1.6 million households. To celebrate the launch of Shipt in Wilmington, annual members who sign up prior to the service launch will receive $25 off their first grocery order.
Founded in 2014, Shipt is committed to simplifying the lives of its members by offering an alternative to time-consuming grocery shopping. Delivering grocery stores' full selection of items, Shipt's marketplace lists products by aisle, and features categories such as healthy and organic products, seasonal selections and inspiration for quick, easy meals.
"We founded Shipt to give our members more time for what's important -- whether that's sharing quality time with family, getting in a workout, or taking a personal moment to relax," said Bill Smith, founder and CEO of Shipt. "We are proud to offer these options and provide Wilmington residents a grocery shopping experience that allows them to focus on enjoying what matters most."
To gain access to Shipt grocery delivery, Wilmington area residents can purchase an annual Shipt membership for $99. Then, through the Shipt app, members can shop the full selection of groceries offered at a local store, note any preferences, choose a one-hour delivery window and pay for their order. Shipt utilizes its own community of Shoppers who hand pick every item for delivery as soon as one hour after the order is placed.
Shipt members have access to unlimited free delivery for orders over $35. To sign up for Shipt and learn more about the service and availability, visit Shipt.com/Wilmington.
Leading up to the launch, Shipt plans to grow their network of Shoppers, who are responsible for ensuring complete, accurate fulfillments of each order. To apply to be a Shipt Shopper, visit Shipt.com and click "Get Paid to Shop." Shipt displays a commitment to each of the communities it serves and plans to identify opportunities to help eliminate hunger and food insecurity in North Carolina.
Shipt, the nation's fastest growing online grocery marketplace, partners with leading retailers and local stores to deliver groceries via a community of shoppers and a convenient app. Actively delivering in 35 cities and their surrounding suburban regions across the country, Shipt provides members with unparalleled convenience and exceptional service that simplifies the grocery shopping experience. Shipt offers unlimited grocery deliveries to members for $99 per year. The company currently has offices in Birmingham, AL, and San Francisco, CA. For more information, visit Shipt.com.


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Acura is targeting tech enthusiasts and gamers with a new marketing activation. Jessica Fini, social media manager for American Honda, explains.
Three themes have been the most prominent at E3 this year—player community, embracing new technology and the power of storytelling
Artificial intelligence can help users discover themselves and amplify brand messaging
Alicia Jones, Honda’s head of social media, joined [a]listdaily to share their second-screen strategy and how they are leveraging their channels to connect with consumers
The cruise line’s chief marketing officer explains how new ships are being built for younger generations
Twitch recently put in a purchase button, making it easy for viewers to buy Streamline, and broadcasters get a percentage of sales
Gamers engulf to France to try the latest and upcoming titles, but Nintendo is surprisingly absent
The second game in the mobile franchise will get a giant push from YouTube influencers
Brands can benefit from 1.7 billion conversations with new calls to action
A strong mix of nostalgia and emerging technology are key to these winning campaigns
DragonSoul game acquisition opens new marketing opportunities for mobile company.
AMP Energy and Twitch are releasing a brand new branded can and co-developed flavor


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Wednesday, October 13, 2010
TouchCommerce Expands Exec Team
Agoura Hills-based TouchCommerce, a provider of online sales and sales conversion products and services, said today that it has appointed three in a major executive expansion. According to TouchCommerce, it has named Tony Rodriguez as its Chief Financial Office, Steve Dille as its Senior Vice President of Marketing, and Kamal Kirpalani as its Vice President for Europe, Middle East, and Africa. Rodriquez was previously at Tatum LLC, and was former VP of Finance at ValueClick.Dille was most recently SVP Products for AdPortal, which was recently sold to Glam Media; he also has been at Morgan Stanley Capital and Viador. Kirpalani is based in Paris, and was most recently Director of International Sales for Bazaarvoice. TouchCommerce is headed by Bernard Louvat.


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Auto repair shops in Quebec can reopen today as the provincial government relaxes restrictions it imposed on some trades out of fear of coronavirus spread.
The province also extended the deadline for removing studded tires to June 5 – more than a month beyond the usual deadline of May 1.
Effective today, regular service and maintenance activity, repairs, tire swaps and oil changes will be allowed on all vehicles. Restrictions were also eased on suppliers of products, parts, and equipment required for transportation and logistics services.
Workers and customers at auto repair shops must maintain social distancing requirements.
The provincial government’s original list of essential services included auto repair but only for emergency work.
In a press conference Monday, Quebec Premier François Legault reopened a number of trades, including residential construction, mines, and gardening centres.


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NEW YORK – August 17, 2023 – GroundTruth, a leading media platform company powered by real-world behaviors, has been selected as the winner of the “Best Geolocation Platform” award in the sixth annual MarTech Breakthrough Awards program. Conducted by MarTech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence organization, the award program recognizes the top companies, technologies, and products in the global marketing, sales, and advertising technology industry today.
“GroundTruth exemplifies breakthrough innovation by showcasing the transformative effect that leveraging advanced technologies and data-driven strategies based on real-world behaviors can have on driving tangible outcomes for marketers. The Company’s wide array of powerful functionalities empower marketers to maximize the impact of their campaigns,” said James Johnson, Managing Director at MarTech Breakthrough. “By utilizing precise audience targeting and leveraging real-world behaviors, brands can ensure their marketing efforts are focused on the most relevant and receptive audience segments. Precise targeting from the start of a campaign results in reaching marketing goals.”
GroundTruth’s media platform allows brands to harness real-world behaviors like visitation to generate real business results, such as measured foot traffic through CTV, mobile, and other digital mediums. With its on-screen interactivity and built-in call-to-action, GroundTruth ads give marketers a way to immediately interact with consumers and measure the effectiveness that it has on driving online and offline visits.
“The number one priority for marketers right now is driving measurable business growth,” said Brandon Rhoten, CMO of GroundTruth. “Marketers depend on us to connect the dots between media spend and real business results. We thank MarTech Breakthrough for recognizing our media platform and its ability to drive foot traffic, media efficiency, and ultimately achieve real business objectives.”
Powering GroundTruth’s media platform is its proprietary mapping technology, Blueprints, designed specifically for location-based advertising. Blueprints make it possible for marketers to create and execute ad campaigns that precisely target relevant audiences and generate real business results like in-store visitation. With a database of over four million Blueprints, marketers have the confidence that their campaigns are capturing in-store visitation accurately.
The mission of the MarTech Breakthrough Awards is to honor excellence and recognize the innovation, hard work, and success in a range of marketing, sales, and advertising technology-related categories, including marketing automation, customer experience, performance marketing AdTech, SalesTech, marketing analytics, content and social marketing, mobile marketing and many more. This year’s program attracted more than 3,500 nominations from over 19 different countries throughout the world.
GroundTruth is a media company that turns real-world behavior into marketing that delivers real business results. Using observed real-world consumer behavior, like location and purchase data, it creates targeted advertising campaigns across all screens for advertisers. GroundTruth then measures how consumers respond to the campaigns – including if they physically show up to a location or website – to understand the real business results generated by a brand’s advertising. GroundTruth’s proprietary Location, Place, and Visitation data sets are accredited by the Media Ratings Council and trusted by thousands of brands and their agencies. Learn more at GroundTruth.com.
About MarTech Breakthrough
Part of Tech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence and recognition platform for global technology innovation and leadership, the MarTech Breakthrough Awards program is devoted to honoring excellence in marketing, ad and sales technology companies, products and people. The MarTech Breakthrough Awards provide a platform for public recognition around the achievements of breakthrough marketing technology companies and products in categories including marketing automation, AdTech, SalesTech, marketing analytics, performance marketing, CRM, content and social marketing, website, SEM, mobile marketing and more. For more information, visit MarTechBreakthrough.com.


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Shopping centres are often critical about the customer experience their retailers offer, but what are they doing to match up to changing customer expectations and evolving technology? That’s the question Avijit Yadav, general manager marketing & operations, GLA Property Management Company, posed to shopping centre developers and managers in the session he moderated.
It’s not easy for developers to keep pace with the evolution of technology and changing customer expectations, admits Dimitri Vazelakis, executive managing director–shopping malls, Majid Al Futtaim Properties, but shopping malls have evolved successfully when they’ve partnered with their tenants to re-invent themselves and achieve common goals.
“Malls are evolving from selling products to providing a holistic environment for customers to shop, dine, socialise, get entertained, stay fit and so on. When redeveloping our malls such as Deira City Centre and Mall of the Emirates, we take a fresh look at how relevant our tenants are to our customers. We undertake redevelopment to ensure they remain relevant to their catchment and customer base,” he points out.
The way shopping malls meet customer expectations is constantly evolving. Speed is of the essence, because they are competing with a diverse range of offline and online properties for a share of their customers’ time. Phil Evans, CEO, TriGranit Group, points out that historically, retailers have been far ahead of malls in re-inventing themselves to survive in their markets, but malls are catching up fast. He says it’s crucial for mall managements to harness the growing influence of e-commerce and social media and work closely with their retailers to attract the right customers.
“We’ve attempted different ways to engage our customers in Europe. For example, we offer free Wi-Fi to visitors in our malls. They can also download a mobile app while in the mall to access offers valid for that particular day. We’ve also set up a collection hub at one of our shopping centres to attract online shoppers who need to visit the mall to take deliveryof what they order,” he explains.
Raja Abdulkhader, director, Line Investments & Property, has more to say about the role shopping centres play in multicultural societies such as the UAE. They can create unique retail opportunities and events in their common areas and lease temporary spaces to kiosks to celebrate religious and cultural festivals of different nationalities, he points out.
“At the end of the day, shopping centres have to offer what their customers demand,” Abdulkhader observes. “They cannot afford to stop innovating and evolve from function-driven to experience-driven offerings. They need to market themselves like retail brands, but that requires a collective effort with all their tenants.” Mohammad Alawi, CEO, Red Sea Markets Co, points to another set of problems encountered in Saudi Arabia that’s putting a brake on developing new malls – rising land costs and limited financing options. So many existing malls are studying the feasibility of re-inventing themselves because, like in the UAE, malls are the preferred venue for social activities and entertainment in the country.
“Community malls should be proactive in engaging with their communities, creating social and cultural activities on a dailybasis to attract participation. We encourage our retailers in Red Sea Mall to utilise all possibilities of modern technology for their marketing and social campaigns. Having said that, I feel shopping centres need to do a lot more than just try to catch up with technological advancements,” says Alawi.
“Providing memorable experiences does not necessarily have to be driven by technology. In Kuwait, we ferry our customers on golf carts from the parking lot to the mall entrance and offer them bottled water during summer. They say they feel pampered by such services, which make them want to return to our malls,” adds Yadav.
“Even if the customer journey is initiated with the help of technology and mobile devices, customers need to treated like special people when they enter a shopping centre. So great customer service in malls is critical for getting repeat customers,” says Vazelakis to clinch the argument.
Majid Al Futtaim has made significant strides toward environmental, social, and corporateJuly 5, 2022 | By RetailME Bureau
Consumers, investors, and other key stakeholders of fashion retail are at aMay 11, 2022 | By Zubina Ahmed
Employee retention has been on every company’s minds, especially since the fears
The Frozen Chicken’ as Spinneys was fondly referred to back in the
Veppy.com, a Q-Commerce marketplace startup just announced their go live date in the
GMG, a global well-being company retailing, distributing, and manufacturing a portfolio of leading
Lulu Group International recently introduced the world’s first AI-powered Food Delivery Robot
Eid Al-Fitr is an occasion to gather with your friends and family
Leading retailer LuLu Group further strengthened its presence in the Emirate of
Jones the Grocer, the Australian gourmet grocer and café chain, announces further
What is a perfect healthy snack for Ramadan? An assortment of dried
With Ramadan almost at it’s first week, we are wondering where can
In spirit of the holy month, Amazon announced that it will contribute
Summer is never quite complete without back-to-school shopping, is it? Despite inflation,
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RetailME announced a roster of the 100 most powerful retailers in the
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The UAE cabinet announced this week that the 100% foreign ownership law,
The non-oil trade between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain increased 43% to $688.4
MRF 2020 which will take place at the Conrad Dubai Hotel on November 25, 2020, will


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MONTEREY, Calif. (BRAIN) — Rocky Mountain is introducing a new 27.5-plus model, the Pipeline, at the Sea Otter this week. The bike has 150mm of front travel combined with 130mm in the rear for an aggressive trail ride.
GOTHENBURG, Sweden (BRAIN) — Swedish brand Ass Savers has added two new products to its line: a front mud guard for mountain bikes and a quick-mount fender that offers more protection than the company's original, seat-mounted, butt protector.
SAN DIEGO (BRAIN) — SOAS Racing, a women's specific endurance clothing brand, has launched four new 2016 designs: Aquarius, Byron Bay, Red Geo and Ultramarine. The new designs will appear across the full range of SOAS Racing triathlon, cycling and running styles.
SEATTLE (BRAIN) — Platypus has redesigned its Duthie all-mountain hydration packs, Tokul cross-country hydration packs, and women's-specific Siouxon and B-Line collections for 2016.
MADISON, Wis. (BRAIN) — Schwinn has launched a new line of children's bicycles to be sold at mass retail that have been redesigned to better fit young riders' body proportions and riding needs.
LOS ANGELES (BRAIN) — Omata is launching what it says is the world's first analog GPS speedometer on Kickstarter. The company says its OMATA One speedometer is designed "to complement and maintain the purity of the ride as well as look beautiful on the bike."
WATERLOO, Wis. (BRAIN) — Trek Bicycle is releasing a new generation of its Domane SLR road bike, which includes an adjustable rear IsoSpeed decoupler as well as a front decoupler and a new vibration-damping handlebar.
SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. (BRAIN) — Fox is now offering an air spring upgrade kit for model year 2012-2015 34 Float and Talas forks, and is running a limited time promotion to install the kits for consumers for $99, including installation and the kit.
OGDEN, Utah (BRAIN) — ENVE has expanded its Smart ENVE System aero road wheel line to include two new disc-brake optimized wheel models, the SES 5.6 Disc and SES 7.8 Disc.
RANTOUL, Ill. (BRAIN) — Blackburn's Grid 13 Multitool has its tools oriented in the best way for their intended uses.
CARLSBAD, Calif. (BRAIN) — SockGuy is launching more than 40 new designs for the spring season.
LOUISVILLE, Colo. (BRAIN) — Wheels Mfg. is offering shops free laminated wall charts of its derailleur hangers and bottom bracket offerings. The charts are free with any shop order that includes a wall chart between now and April 30.
SEATTLE (BRAIN) — Nuun is working with The Conservation Alliance to offer a co-branded Nuun Active Hydration 4-pack, with a portion of sales benefitting the Alliance while bringing exposure to the group.
NEW YORK —Brooklyn Bicycle Co. has expanded its lineup with the introduction of two hybrid models, the recreational bike brand's first hybrids — the Roebling and Lorimer. Brooklyn's lineup now covers 12 models.
PETALUMA, Calif. (BRAIN) — Yuba's new Boda Boda Macho is designed for carrying cargo, including kids, on rugged trails.
LIVINGSTON, Scotland (BRAIN) — Endura's new QDC (Quick Dry Cool) Drag2Zero triathlon clothing line is said to include "market leading aero concepts, cutting edge fabrics and exclusive pad technologies to live up to its ambitious label.
BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — Polar Bottle is introducing a new bottle cap that it offers a higher volume flow, is leak proof, and is dishwasher safe. The valve is removable for easy cleaning.
YECLA, Spain (BRAIN) — Olula is the new Catlike road helmet, conceived for amateur cyclists.
The Spanish-made helmet features a system that allows removal of the adjustment straps for washing or replacement. The model also includes an anti-insect net.
RICHMOND, Australia (BRAIN) — Australian cycling accessory brand Knog has launched a new style of bicycle bell with a Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign.
The Oi bell wraps around the handlebar and does away with the typical dome shape used on most bells.
CHICAGO (BRAIN) — The Abus Brooklyn Chain is designed for urban areas where bike theft is rampant. With a security rating of 12/15, it's nearly impossible to cut.
"This lock is super burly, but sits nicely on the hips," the company said.


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Struggling fashion chain Monsoon is set for a £34m lifeline as its founder battles to save it
Fresh cash: Founder of Monsoon Accessorize is preparing to throw it a £34 million lifeline
The founder of struggling fashion chain Monsoon Accessorize is preparing to throw it a £34 million lifeline.
Peter Simon has reportedly said he will pump in the cash if landlords agree to cut rents, as part of what is known as a company voluntary agreement.
CVAs are increasingly popular as retailers try to cut their costs in the face of a High Street slowdown. Monsoon Accessorize has 271 stores, and no immediate closures are planned.
Simon, 69, who started out in London's Portobello Market in 1970, is said to be planning an immediate injection of £25 million, with another £9 million to come if needed.
The chain lost £10.5 million in 2017, its latest accounts show, on sales of £423.8 million.
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Denby leads the way in sustainability with a reloved homewares campaign, simply called ‘Re-loved’. The idea is simple. Encourage homeware owners to think about their purchase and use of homewares in the same way as they are conscious consumers of fashion.
As part of the campaign, Denby commissioned some research into how we use and reuse homewares and the results are astonishing. Around 70 million homeware items are thrown away each year in the UK. Some of those items are unused, unwanted gifts. Others are the result of a house move or downsize. Some are broken and out of use.
Of those surveyed, most said they disliked the idea of throwing away useful items, but didn’t know where to start in terms of how to repair or recycle homewares. A third admitted to throwing away items instead of finding out how to dispose of them sustainably. The younger demographics (those 18-35) were the biggest culprits. They say that part of the reason why they don’t recycle homewares is that they are not sure that anyone would want their discards.
The survey found that homewares are kept on average for 9 years. Nearly half had bought pre-owned and reloved pieces for their homes, which is great news. In addition, most are open to ideas for reusing or recycling their homewares.
To that end, Denby is collaborating with broadcaster Miquita Oliver on the campaign. She is championing collecting vintage and retro homewares to develop a mix of styles. And luckily Denby pottery is a vintage lovers delight as they have been making homewares since 1809, so there is a good chance they could become family heirlooms.
Miquita says “We all have items we’ve bought which we perhaps don’t need or want anymore, but our first port of call for these shouldn’t be the bin. There are so many ways to make sure we’re extending the life of our homewares, from repurposing pieces you love – to finding new creative uses for broken items. And of course, there’s donating good quality items to a charity like Shelter, where people can find pieces to re-love and raise money for an important cause in the process.”
Reloved homewares help Shelter
Denby is also collaborating with Shelter to promote the recycling of homewares. The project ‘Relove with Shelter’ rewards Denby owners who donate online or through a Shelter charity shop with a voucher against future Denby purchases. Unused homeware items in UK homes could, if donated, generate revenue for charities like Shelter of more than £477 million.
If homewares are not suitable for donation and resale or becoming heirlooms, they can be repurposed and Denby has some suggestions in the Reloved section of their website for how to use them around the home and garden.
The Reloved campaign is just one more way that Denby leads the way in sustainability. They have achieved ‘zero to landfill’ on their process waste and under 1% waste across the plant. They have their own water treatment plant and they recycle over 100,000 litres of glaze and 550 tonnes of raw clay a year. Plus of course they package products in sustainable packaging.
Find out more about the Reloved homewares campaign on the Denby website:


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Global Carbon Fiber Demand to Reach 153,700 Tons in 2020, Forecast GBI Research
03 May 2013 • by Natalie Aster
After years of steady but unimpressive growth, the global carbon fiber industry is finally set for a boom in revenue, thanks to burgeoning demand from the wind energy market. Global carbon fiber demand will hit 153,700 tons in 2020, climbing from 52,500 tons in 2012 – an massive increase of 193% in just eight years, according to the report "Carbon Fiber Global Market to 2020 - Despite Price Concerns, Industrial Applications, Aerospace and Consumer Goods Drive Future Demand" by GBI Research.
Carbon Fiber Global Market to 2020 - Despite Price Concerns, Industrial Applications, Aerospace and Consumer Goods Drive Future Demand
Published: April, 2013
Price: US$ 3,500.00
Wind energy – a vital segment of the rapidly expanding renewable energy market – will be the key driver of the carbon fiber industry, says GBI Research. Currently, wind turbine blades constructed from Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) dominate the industry landscape, but due to their greater rigidity, lower weight and reduced cost, producers are making the move to carbon fiber alternatives.
Considering this shift in manufacturing materials, combined with the increasing deployment of wind farms across the world, GBI Research forecasts carbon fiber demand for the wind energy industry to jump from 12,270 tons in 2011 to 67,400 tons in 2020, making it the single largest carbon fiber end user segment by some margin.
Demand from the aerospace industry is also expected demonstrate significant growth in the near future, although from a lower base figure. Thanks to the increased use of carbon fiber composites in aircraft such as the Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner, GBI Research anticipates aerospace industry demand for the material to climb at a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 11.8% from 7,200 tons in 2012 to 19,700 tons in 2020.
More information can be found in the report “Carbon Fiber Global Market to 2020 - Despite Price Concerns, Industrial Applications, Aerospace and Consumer Goods Drive Future Demand” by GBI Research.
To order the report or ask for sample pages contact [email protected]


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Jennifer Lawrence hits the red carpet at the 2013 Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles on Jan. 27, 2013. The 22-year-old actress donned a navy Dior couture dress for the event, paired with jewelry from Chopard.
Kourtney Kardashian is showing off her post-baby body. The 36-year-old mom-of-three just revealed her weight on Instagram, and now she's proudly showing the world her body. See how much Kardashian weighs in the post below!


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Pet Supermarket is now casting your pets for an upcoming commercial.
Starting May 31, 2020, Pet Supermarket will start accepting online auditions for pets to be featured in one of Pet Supermarket’s future commercials. The advertisements may be on billboards, social media, or even TV commercials.
Pet Supermarket will select up to 13 pets for the commercials and a group of judges will choose the pets based on “pet diversity, originality, and visual impact, and narrow the options to 50. Customers will then have the opportunity to vote on their favorite pet photos from June 15-21 on the Pet Supermarket Facebook page. The 13 photos with the most votes will be announced on social media on July 10, 2020.”
For more information and to enter a pet, visit the Pet Supermarket’s Facebook page and select the “Casting Call” tab.
How to apply:
Submissions: May 1-31, 2020
Voting: June 15-21, 2020
Winners Announced: July 10, 2020More Casting Calls & Auditions:


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YANGON, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Indian authorities handed over the last batch of six diesel electric locomotives to Myanmar Railways, bringing the total to 18 delivered to Myanmar since the first batch in July 2017, Myanmar News Agency reported Tuesday.
The Indian YDM-4 diesel-electric locomotives, controlled by microprocessors, will be used on Yangon-Mandalay, Mandalay-Myitkyina and Yangon-Mawlamyine railways.
The locomotives are supplied by RITES, a public sector enterprise under the Indian Ministry of Railways and built by Diesel Locomotive Works, according to a statement release by the Indian Ministry of Railways.
Myanmar and India have been cooperating in the rail transportation sector since two decades ago and the project will help strengthen friendly border relations with India, the statement added.
Meanwhile, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on promoting economic cooperation was signed between the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) and India-Myanmar Chamber of Commerce (IMCOC) earlier this month.
According to Myanmar's Commerce Ministry, bilateral trade between Myanmar and India reached 1.257 billion U.S. dollars as of January in the present fiscal year 2017-2018. Of the total, Myanmar's export to India took 547 million dollars, while its import from India accounted for 709 million U.S. dollars.


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Retail giant Tesco has been ordered to pay more than £536,000 after a 10-year-old child received an electric shock at its Warfield store in Bracknell.
On 9 July 2017, the parents of two children entered the store just before it closed. One parent went with the 10-year-old boy to the freezer section to get ice lollies. As he reached for the product, he started screaming and crying.
The electrical supply to a glass heating element under the rub rail at the front of the freezer had become damaged and exposed, leaving a severed live wire sticking out under the rail, Reading Magistrates Court was told. The child suffered a small minor burn, pain down his right leg, chest pain and was shaken.
While the incident was reported to staff, procedures were not followed properly and the freezer was left on and filled with food items until the next day when it was eventually switched off and isolated, magistrates heard. A subsequent review of records showed the freezer’s rail was known to be loose and had temporary fixes of glue or tape some months prior to the accident.
The investigation ‘revealed significant breaches of health and safety legislation’, said Councillor John Harrison, head of public protection at Bracknell Forest Council.
On 15 December 2020, Tesco pleaded guilty to two health and safety offences and was fined £268,000 for each offence plus costs of £25,750.
Last month, Tesco was ordered to pay £300,000 after a worker was crushed by a roll cage.
In January 2020, the supermarket giant was handed a £700,000 fine after a pensioner slipped and broke his hip at its Hemel Hempstead store.


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Did anyone noticed Fisker did not make news at this year’s CES like it did last year? But a couple of months later, it suddenly dished out news that it is making “a practical, desirable and attainable” electric SUV. So how attainable are we talking about? Well, that would be a base price of below $40,000. At this point, there is nothing to show, save for a front-view render of the electric SUV that looks suspiciously like a Range Rover. As expect of such press release, it is laden with marketing talks that attempt to drive consumers’ emotion. It is not doing it for me, btw.
Seriously, we need more details which are lacking as of now. What we know at this point is, the unnamed electric SUV is a four-wheel drive ride with power coming from a pair of electric motors – one front and on rear – and it will be outfitted with a 80 kWh lithium-ion battery system that will afford it a range of around 300 miles (483 kilometers) with extended range which Fisker said will come as standard. There is also a radar behind glass where the grill used to be on cars. Though it is not clear what’s the function of this radar. Self-driving, maybe?
Other bits and pieces include a parametric pattern at the lower front “where air cooling is directed when needed,” lower body aerodynamic features, an extended open-air atmosphere with a touch of a button, and optional 22-inch wheels. With the exception of the wheels, those piecemeal info mean nothing to us. Fisker is expected to finalize the price as well as introduce a drivable prototype later this year. Like, Tesla, it will start offering registration with deposit, of course, close to the start of production. I don’t think it will be anytime soon as the company is still finalizing the selection of a facility in the U.S. to produce the SUV. So, yeah, it does even have a cradle yet.
But it does have an estimated launch date which will be in Q2 of 2021. The unnamed electric SUV is first of the three all-new, mass market vehicles. Meanwhile, the Fisker EMotion revealed last year is facing a delay and no, that’s not one of the three “mass market vehicles.” EMotion is destined as a low-volume flagship model which will only roll into the market after “an affordable model becomes available.” Looking at how the first affordable mass market vehicle, namely the SUV, will only be launch in 2021, it will be a long while before you see EMotion rolling on the streets of America.
Yawns. Wake me up when it is ready, will ya?
Now have a look at a gorgeous electric ride that you won’t be seeing until after 2021:
Images: Fisker Automotive.


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There have been so many rumors surrounding the launch of a premium HTC One M8 that it’s almost hard to keep track of them all. Initially labeled as the HTC One M8 Prime, this device was said to feature a QHD display with specifications that would outweigh HTC’s recent One M8 release.
Tonight, renowned leaker Evleaks claimed that the Prime has been officially canned by HTC and we won’t be seeing a public launch any time soon. In a way this report is accurate. The “One M8 Prime” is not and never has been the official name of the device in question. According to our sources, however, the actual phone referred to by that title is still in development…
Recently, a source close to 9to5Google informed us that the device previously known as “Prime” was actually called the One M8 “Plus,” and that it would come to market later this year, likely in August or September. This alleged “Plus” device is said to carry high-end specifications that closely match the rumored Prime, but it’s possible that these could actually be different prototypical iterations of the same phone.
As mentioned in our HTC One M8 Plus article, this device would feature a higher pixel count that any smartphone on the market and could possibly sport a 5.2-inch display. This contradicts the rumors of HTC’s 5.5-inch Prime, but that doesn’t mean the Taiwan-based company has given up on launching a premium device.
Our source indicated that the “Plus” is still a work in progress and that the news surrounding the Prime being cancelled is simply “because there is no Prime” since “it’s called the Plus.” It’s highly plausible that HTC has been working on multiple “premium” devices with various names, but has decided to kill development on one model. We’re being told that the HTC One M8 Plus is still very real and in development.
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Drug giant Shire plans to sweeten its £20bn Baxalta bid by adding £8bn cash payment to fresh offer
Drug giant Shire is planning to sweeten its £20billion offer for Baxalta as it battles for control of its American rival.
Shire made an all-share offer for Baxalta five months ago but it was rebuffed and the proposed takeover appeared to be fizzling out.
But it is thought that Shire could return with a fresh offer including a cash payment of up to £8billion – or 40 per cent of the price. In early trade today, Shire shares were down 26p at 4,394p.
Change: Chief executive Fleming Ornskov has been shifting the company’s focus to rare disease drugs, which now account for more than 40 per cent of sales
Bankers and other advisors involved with the deal now face working long hours over the Christmas period as they seek to iron out the details.
Dublin-based Shire, whose shares are listed on the stock exchange in London, wants to lessen its dependence on Vyvanse, its blockbuster treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Chief executive Fleming Ornskov has been shifting the company’s focus to rare disease drugs, which now account for more than 40 per cent of sales.
A deal with Baxalta would give it a stable of high-priced speciality drugs, including for haemophilia patients, and create a company that could have more than £13billion of sales by 2020.
But Ornskov is understood to be willing to walk away from the deal if Baxalta demands too high a price.
Shire shares have lost nearly a quarter of their value since the summer, falling from 5730p in August to 4420p at the close on Friday.
A successful deal would be just the latest in a sector gripped by merger-mania.
The biggest deal is the £107billion merger of US drugs giant Pfizer, which makes Viagra, and the Dublin-based Botox-maker Allergan.
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According to ROMIR, in January 2022, after obligatory and basic expenses, the average Russian had 34% of free money. In February, 31.7% of income remained unspent, in March - 19.5%. April free money index amounted to 26%. In May, this figure dropped up to 24%. Data for June is not yet available.
Over the course of six months, trends associated with consumer behavior managed to change polarly: from the post-February consumer boom, austerity and some recovery in consumer demand in certain segments, which still did not recover to pre-crisis levels.
In June, judging by the data of Sberindex (an indicator of spending by Russians on bank cards of Sberbank), people began to spend more, but in a differentiated way. Spending on food products increased by 15%, the non-food segment - a decrease of 5%, the cost of services during the holiday season increased by more than 16%.
In total, by the end of the half year, consumer spending in nominal terms on an annualized basis increased by more than 8%, but with inflation of about 16%, it turns out that spending could not “catch up” with prices. And the decline in real spending by the population is about 8%.
“Already according to May data, we see how buying behavior is stabilizing. The excitement typical of the first months of spring is subsiding. After a sharp rise in April, both the share of spending on consumer goods and consumption per purchase are declining. But the Russians did not have more free money. This indicates that along with spending, the real disposable income of Russians is also declining, ”the director commented to Novye Izvestiya. business lines M-Romir Xenia Paizanskaya.
In the scenario plan for the socio-economic development of Russia for 2023 and for the planned period of 2024 and 2025, the decline in real disposable income of the population this year is expected to be at the level of 6.8%. Wages in real terms are minus 3.8%.
In recent interviews with Novye Izvestia, Doctor of Economics Yevgeny Gontmakher and Candidate of Economic Sciences Konstantin Selyanin emphasized the importance of such an indicator as the real disposable income of Russians. And they explained why it is much more indicative than the growth of nominal incomes of Russians.
Anton Tabakh , Chief Economist of the Expert RA agency, notes that the decline in real disposable income by 6.8% is comparable to the situation in the crisis years of 2009 and 2014. “But the difference is that now the fall is due to inflation, not a dip in earnings. In addition, in the formula for calculating this index, the increase in mortality at older ages due to coronavirus has reduced the denominator, which indicates the number of income recipients. Therefore, if it were not for the consequences of the pandemic, the drop in real disposable income would have shown an even greater figure,” Anton Tabakh explained.
Doctor of Economic Sciences Iosif Diskin, on the contrary, believes that the alarming indicator will still be revised to a more optimistic one. The fall in real incomes of Russians, of course, will occur, but not on such a scale, given the changed forecasts for inflation and falling GDP, as well as taking into account measures to support the population.
“The main limiting factor is the low solvent demand of the population. It is in response to this that the State Duma on Friday, July 15, will consider measures to support vulnerable groups of the population and businesses in order to stimulate effective demand. This, accordingly, is the maintenance of real incomes of the population”, - explained Iosif Diskin.
According to his forecast, the reduction in real incomes of the population this year will not be 6.8%, but about 4%.
“In general, a lot, it is still sensitive and significant. How people react to it is another matter. We have a historical precedent: the Crimean consensus that took shape in 2014. While maintaining confidence in the institutions of power, he made it possible to overcome the difficulties of a similar drop in real incomes of the population in 2015-2016 without significant socio-political consequences. If we manage to maintain the Donbass consensus, then the current reduction in real incomes of the population will not have an impact on the socio-economic situation and will be a stimulating factor for economic recovery”, - Diskin concluded.


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Farming is a visual industry, so Mike enjoys having the community follow his workday and see in real-time what is happening at the farm. A recent post showing the first 20 acres of corn planted, was followed the next day by a photo of snow-covered acres. This type of post allows consumers to follow the challenges faced in everyday farming, so people feel as if they have a direct connection to the farm. Social media posts also allow Marini to show its commitment to producing the best quality crops possible.
The farm has been in the Marini family for four generations, so family is at the core of everything they do. Therefore, their social media presence reflects their real-life values - gratitude, family, good food and quality of life. The recent Facebook post, “Took a break from farming for another family wedding; the Marini’s dance like nobody's watching,” showed the Marini children dressed in matching colorful floral wedding attire dancing and having fun. The post received 12,028 views and 528 likes, making it the highest engaged photo of the year thus far.
Farmers now have their own term for a selfie on the farm and are posting their ‘felfies’ next to their favorite sheep, crops and tractors. During harvest, Farmers Weekly gets thousands of pictures via Twitter and Facebook and some farmers have become top social media celebrities on Instagram and YouTube. There is even a blog - Farming Selfie - set up by a UK farmer @willwilson100 that shows all the latest felfies from around the world. According to the book Future of Farming, 76 percent of farmers between the ages of 18 and 35 use social media to share knowledge, connect with consumers, and promote their business. Social media offers farmers a unique way to educate the general public about what they do, the practices they use, and the challenges they face. During harvest season, Farmers Weekly gets thousands of pictures via Twitter and Facebook.
Just like with new farming techniques, Mike is always learning about, and incorporating new social media tools. He saves everything to EverNote, a management platform app that helps you remember everything across all of the devices you use and lets you take notes, capture photos, create to-do lists, record voice reminders and save important documents. Mike reports that EverNote captures his every move, and is an app he simply can’t live without.
In 2013 Marini developed a new app for their customers to get updates on all the events and activities at the farm. They're free, and keep you up-to-date on the happenings at Marini's farm throughout the season and they are available for both Apple and Android devices. You'll know when the delicious Marini strawberries are ready to be picked, and when the corn is in, without having to go to the website. The Marini app also provides lists of events; CSA info; nutritional info; loyalty coupons; a way to share photos with the farm; access to Marini's Facebook page; a gallery of pictures of happenings at the farm; the history of Marini Farm; a fun "Fruit Salad" game to play, and more.
“Social media is a visual playground showing our love for farming and commitment to provide customers with the best quality produce possible,” states Mike Marini. Some of Marini’s favorite Facebook posts thus far in 2014 were:
Prepared by Lightning Consulting


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NPC International Inc., the largest franchisee of Pizza Hut restaurants across the United States, files for bankruptcy as consumer hunger for take-out and delivery food fails to save the company from its downfall especially now that the coronavirus-related shut downs have added to the long-playing dip in the brand’s popularity. As the incorporation files for bankruptcy; this will inevitably affect the 1,227 Pizza Hut stores in America.
Moreover, NPC International Inc. franchises Wendy’s as well with 393 stores throughout the U.S, and consists of over 7,500 full-time employees in its Pizza Hut and Wendy’s restaurants. The company however plans to keep all its restaurants open during the bankruptcy proceedings.
The Pizza Hut brand remains positive amidst the filing of the incorporation’s bankruptcy. According to them, the filing of bankruptcy was expected and an opportunity for the betterment of their branches.
As a matter of fact, Pizza Hut Spokesperson said that this was expected; and that they see it as an opportunity to have a better future for NPC’s Pizza Hut stores.
While NPC’s Chapter 11 filing was expected, we view it as an opportunity to create a better future for NPC’s Pizza Hut restaurants. As NPC works through this process, we support an outcome resulting in an organization with a lower, more sustainable level of debt, ownership focus on operational excellence, and a greater level of restaurant investment.”
Factors Contributing to the Company’s Downfall
NPC International has observed that labor costs, as well as the increase in expenses for supplies and the turbulence that the COVID-19 outbreak has caused, played a role as to the bankruptcy of the company.
Jon Weber, the CEO President of NPC’s Pizza Hut division, stated that their difficulties were magnified due to the outbreak of COVID-19.
These challenges have been magnified recently by the impact and uncertainty of COVID-19, and we believe it is necessary to take proactive steps to strengthen our capital structure, so we have the financial flexibility to continue to adapt to current industry trends.”
The CEO President proceeded to say that this is an opportunity in which they could optimize and be better positioned upon meeting the needs of consumers in the United States.
He also said that this process will be utilized to continue evaluation and optimization.
We also intend to use this process to continue to evaluate and optimize our restaurant portfolio so that we are best positioned to meet the needs of consumers across the country.”
Restructuring support agreement of the incorporation
NPC International announced in a statement confirming the rumors surrounding the incorporation that it has agreed to enter into a restructuring support agreement with its lenders to “substantially reduce NPC’s long-term debt and strengthen the company’s capital structure.”
The company is reportedly $903 million in debt and has pre-negotiated a restructuring agreement with about 90% of its first-lien lenders and 17% of second lien lenders as to reduce the company’s debt, with first-lien lenders taking equity and potentially participating in a new cash injection. It also includes the sale of at least part of the company’s restaurants, Bloomberg said.
Pizza Hut hopes that the restructuring will help “NPC’s Pizza Hut restaurants generate the same momentum we are seeing throughout the Pizza Hut U.S. business,” which in May posted its highest delivery and carry-out average sales week in the previous eight years.
However, the brand has faced its own set of difficulties due to the rise of competitors. When quarterly results for the brand’s parent company, Yum Brands, were released in late April, measuring sales through March 31, worldwide system sales, excluding foreign currency translation, dipped 2% at sister brand KFC and dropped 9% at Pizza Hut, with the dips partially offset by 4% sales growth at Taco Bell.
Pizza Hut and Wendy’s being NPC’s largest creditors, reports claim that Yum Brand could suffer a loss of $54.2 million of annual royalty revenue and 13 cents of annual earnings per share if NPC puts a halt in paying royalty fees.
Pizza Hut and Wendy’s in the Philippines
Meanwhile, as NPC International files for bankruptcy, the Pizza Hut and Wendy’s branches in the Philippines will not be affected for now. The master franchise holder of Pizza Hut is PPI Holdings, Inc. under the Araneta Group, while Wendy’s is under Udenna Corp’s Eight-8-Ate Holdings. Both franchise holders remain in operation.
Similarly, due to the pandemic, Chuck E. Cheese’s parent company, GNC, 24 Hour Fitness, Neiman Marcus, J. Crew all have filed in the past two months.
What do you think of NPC as it files for bankruptcy? Will this save the company or not? Do you agree that this might present to be an opportunity in which the brands could better serve the consumers?