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Selfies! Perfume launches! Halloween costumes! New love! Our favourite stylish stars captured it all this week, and our Instagram feed has never looked better. One Aussie star shared a snap of her kissing her new beau, Lara Bingle gave us a good look at her stunning races headwear, Miranda Kerr dressed up with her boy Flynn for Halloween and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen launched their new perfume line. Lauren Conrad got silly with the camera (ain't she sweet?) and Jessica Gomes made us green with envy at the holiday snapshot she shared. There's still so much more to learn — come along and check out what your favourite fashion and beauty stars have been up to!
The celebrity guests arrived in droves to the 2013 BMW Caulfield Cup in Caulfield, Melbourne yesterday. One of the hottest events on the Spring Racing calendar, the event brought out a large crowd of stylish celebrities, including David Jones ambassadors Megan Gale (with her boyfriend Shaun Hampson), Montana Cox and Jessica Gomes, actors Melanie Vallejo and Tom Wren, Lara Bingle and many more. Click through to see the best pictures — and the best style — from the 2013 Caulfield Cup!
Here's something different from David Jones! The retail giant today launched a youthful new campaign that marks an edgy and interactive e-retail direction — and we like it! David Jones today announced the launch of its new multi-platform campaign titled "#WeAre", showcasing its stable of youthful and fresh labels (think Bec & Bridge, Shakuhachi, Cameo, Finders Keepers, Staple the Label, Maurie & Eve, Friend Of Mine and MinkPink). To kick off the campaign, DJs shared a fully interactive and shoppable video, featuring youth ambassador Montana Cox. And if you're wondering why the new direction, David Jones CEO Paul Zahra explained the campaign was launched after identifying "the Youth Fashion market as a true opportunity for David Jones."
Flick through to watch the cool new vid and head behind-the-scenes with Montana Cox — then, pick your style personality and shop the #WeAre edit.
At only 19, Montana Cox is best known as being the winner of the last series of Australia's Next Top Model Cycle 7, but is quickly rising to the top. Joining David Jones as their youth ambassador, as well as walking for the likes of Chanel and landing a Lanvin eyewear campaign, there's no wonder she's on our radar. With her beautiful brown locks, enviable brows, flawless skin and button nose, we sat down to ask Montana about her favourite beauty products. Curious?
Lifestyles of the rich and stylish, hey? We weren't sure who we were more envious of this week — Delta Goodrem and Renee Bargh as they suntanned their way around the coast of Mexico together, Laura Dundovic as she sipped on coconuts in Thailand, Olivia Palermo as she and her very handsome boyfriend Johannes snapped away on their travels . . . The list goes on! Lucky for us, we got to see it all thanks to the stars' generous habit of sharing all things pretty on Instagram. Speaking of pretty, this week's biggest "wow" came courtesy of Jesinta Campbell, who shared an incredible behind-the-scenes look at her new Wonderbra ad. That girl is looking good! Click through to see the rest of the coolest fashion and beauty snaps on social media this week!
Last night, POPSUGAR Australia spent some fun times backstage at the David Jones Spring Summer Fashion Launch. We interviewed everyone from Jessica Gomes to Montana Cox and those beautiful Stenmark brothers; to expert makeup artists and hair gurus. Behind the curtain, there was a flurry of front row celebrities, makeup, shoes, celebrities, beautiful bodies and even more beautiful clothes, and we emerged with some pretty cool behind-the-scenes snaps. Let's go!
We've had a week filled with colour and all things Summer, thanks to a few incredible launches, some delicious treats and a concert that has to be seen to be believed. Our health and beauty editor Alison and fashion editor Jasmine hit the frantic backstage scenes of the David Jones Spring Summer Fashion Launch during the week, chatting to Jessica Gomes, Montana Cox and more before they hit the runway — see the coolest style trends from the show here! Celebrity and entertainment editor Jess and associate editor Gen took in the spectacle that is P!nk's concert, and it was every bit as fun as it sounds, while the whole office stepped up and out in their best denim for Jeans for Genes day today — have you done the same? There's a whole lot more to see from our week, click through and have a squiz!
Last night's David Jones Spring Summer Fashion Launch was the perfect mix of classic '60s inspired hair and feline makeup. It was Jessica Gomes' first show as the official face of the department store giant, and the exotic beauty was joined by Australia's Next Top Model winner turned international runway star, Montana Cox, and local faces like Louise Van Der Vorst and Samantha Harris. The runway looks were held up by fine-tuned skin and gold pigment eyes and slanted false lashes. Shu Uemura's international artistic director, Mr. Kakuyasu Uchiide called the two makeup looks "poolside chic", and we tend to agree. Click through to see Jessica, Montana and the other catwalk beauties rocking his handiwork in our round-up of the runway.
Jessica Gomes made her big debut as the new face of David Jones at the department store’s Spring/Summer 2013 collection launch last night. The Perth-born beauty, who took over from Miranda Kerr in March, modelled an array of looks from David Jones’ stable of designers in front of celebrity guests, fashion insiders and media. There was only one small misstep on the runway, when Jessica’s heel got caught in a long, flowing Camilla Franks kaftan, but the designer herself ran up to get her untangled, and they shared a cute moment on the catwalk.
David Jones’ iconic Elizabeth Street Sydney store was filled with Australian celebrities including Lara Bingle, Megan Gale, Elizabeth Debicki, Isabelle Cornish, Charlotte Dawson and Alex Perry, who showed off their cheeky friendship on the press line. Mothers-to-be Rachael Finch and Terry Biviano also made stylish arrivals alongside their respective husbands Michael Miziner and Anthony Minichiello. After the show, guests stayed around for drinks and to catch up with industry friends.
Tonight in Sydney, David Jones played host at its highly coveted Spring Summer Fashion Launch. The hair and makeup looks channelled poolside chic with skin and styles that'll have you pining for balmy nights by the water. Shu Uemura's international artistic director, Mr. Kakuyasu Uchiide, worked with a very chic colour palette for the eyes and lips but says the texture of the skin is key to nailing the look at home. "The base makeup is about a natural glow and healthy skin," he says. "Shu Uemura has an important philosophy and that's beautiful makeup starts with beautiful skin."
The team prepped all the models' skin with the brand's signature Cleansing Beauty Oil, then lotion and essence. He also told us the less foundation you use after, the better. One eye makeup was made up of two eyeliners — gold and black — followed by Rouge Unlimited Supreme Matte in BG930 on the lips.
The hair for this evening was taken care of by Aveda. The highlight had to be the exaggerated French roll, as pictured here on model Montana Cox. It's a modern take on a '60s inspired classic and for at-home styling, Aveda recommends Phomollient Styling Foam for those with super soft hair to add texture before styling. The interior of the hair was crimped to create a support frame and to stop the look from dropping. Use small crimpers 1cm from the roots. Click through to see Montana and fellow model Alexandra Agoston wearing the looks.
Photo courtesy Esteban La Tessa Photography

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Forget the Corners of Canal Street!
Reviewed by Kyu Hee Chu
Who says that you can only find counterfeits on Canal Street? The internet is taking over the sale of counterfeit goods, and luxury brands are no strangers to this situation.
Just recently Chanel filed a lawsuit for trademark infringement and cyber piracy against 399 websites, joining names like Tiffany’s and Louis Vuitton who in the last few months have filed suits against hundreds of online retailers of counterfeit goods.
The suit was filed in Las Vegas against unnamed website operators in several jurisdictions like China and the Bahamas, seeking an injunction to stop these websites from selling counterfeit goods bearing the Chanel logo, namely handbags, wallets, jewelry, and shoes, among others. In addition, it seeks to disable and/or transfer these domains names to Chanel.
The complaint also states the fact that they use the brand names themselves as part of their domain names and use keywords in order to appear in the top search engines like Google, which infringes on their good will and name.
Most of these website operators are unknown. However, Chanel was able to serve them with legal notice thanks to a federal court decision of August 2010, which allowed plaintiffs in a trademark infringement and counterfeit prosecution case to proceed with service over email. This decision was made after the contact information indicated in the websites was deemed false.
This is a definite change in approach on behalf of the luxury houses, which are now focusing their attention on the websites themselves, and not on search engines following Tiffany’s experience against Google in the Second Circuit.
No doubt these famous luxury brands are not stopping at Canal Street when it comes to protecting their trademark. This is just another example of their determination that they will not allow even the internet to interfere. Furthermore, this is a continuation of the work carried out by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, which has been seizing websites pertaining to the sale of counterfeit goods, mostly luxury brands, in the last few years.
We shall have to wait and see for the outcome of these cases, and the enforceability of these court rulings, given the complexity of the laws, or lack thereof, that regulate cyberspace.


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Meanwhile, Super Save, a shop that sold legal highs among other things and was the only licensed outlet selling legal highs in Oamaru before the ban came into place on May 8, has closed its doors.
It has not opened since Parliament passed the emergency law.
A sign on the door said the business was closed until further notice.
Ruilin Tu, trading as Super Save, did not respond to requests for comment from the Otago Daily Times.
Recent meetings involving the Waitaki District Council, police, Mental Health and the Oamaru Hospital have focused on the effects the ban was having on users and what sort of black market had developed in Oamaru as a result.
Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher said anecdotal feedback suggested some addicts had stockpiled the products before the ban came into place.
''There are clearly ones who have used the notice period to stockpile and are working their way through them or selling them illegally,'' Mr Kircher said.
''There are concerns there.''
The council was doing everything it could to support those who wanted help and making sure help was readily available, he said.
This included distributing information to all three Oamaru secondary schools on how users could seek help.
''We understand that there's been underage users of these products so it's important to make sure the schools have that information,'' Mr Kircher said.
''At this stage we're focusing on that and in the background working to develop a local approved-products policy covering the sale of legal highs, if any go through [a new testing regime].''
Senior Sergeant Jason McCoy, of Oamaru, said there had been no major incidents as a result of withdrawal from psychoactive substances.
Snr Sgt McCoy said police believed there had been stockpiling of the products before the ban came into place, so the ban's real effect was yet to be felt.
Police would be investigating any information they received in relation to illegal activity, he said.


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WASHINGTON -- The Grocery Manufacturers Association said yesterday that Caroline Silveira would join its staff as the trade group's new director of state affairs for the western region of the United States. Based in Sacramento, Silveira will start May 8.
Silveira most recently served as the legislative director for California State Sen. Jeff Denham, the current chair of the California Senate Agriculture Committee. Before that, Silveira worked for several members of the California Assembly in various positions, including capitol director for Assemblyman George A. Plescia.
"With eight years of experience in the California legislature, Caroline will bring a unique professional perspective to GMA's state legislative and regulatory initiatives," said GMA v.p. of government affairs Steve Arthur. "Considering her recent experience with the California Senate Agriculture Committee, we are confident that she will be able to help us advance a variety of our member companies' interests effectively."
GMA represents the world's top branded food, beverage, and consumer products companies. The organization's member companies employ more than 2.5 million workers in all 50 states and account for more than $680 billion in sales.


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By Randall Mang
Mumbai – India may be one of the world’s warmest cultures, but when it comes to talking business, overflowing hospitality can quickly give way to sharp questions.
That was one of the lessons learned on day-one of a five-day trade mission led by the Information Technologies Association of Canada (ITAC). Supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development and EDC, the week-long mission put nine Canadian small and medium sized companies in front of a host of India’s largest enterprises in three cities: Mumbai, Bangalor and Dheli.
Events kicked off January 19 at downtown Mumbai’s Taj Vivanta hotel where Consul General Richard Bale and representatives of DFATD, EDC, ITAC and Ontario’s trade office offered insight into India’s complex business environment and rising trade opportunities.
Ottawa-based technology entrepreneur and India trade expert Raj Narula, who put the mission itinerary together with ITAC, described painful lessons he learned on his initial foray into India in the early 1990s. More important, Narula pointed out that since then India’s business climate has come a long way. He says with commitment and the right partners on the ground, India is ripe with opportunity for Canadian firms.
Bringing cost efficient goods and services to India’s 1.25 billion people is just part of a national business plan that is expected to see India’s economy maintain a 5.5 per cent to 8 per cent growth trajectory over the coming years. The magnitude of that concept is brought home to us through a visit to telecom giant Reliance Jio, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited, India’s largest integrated private-sector firm.
Following a one-hour bus ride through Mumbai’s vast suburbs, highways and slums, we arrived at Reliance Jio’s sprawling campus, which is stunning both in its scope and modernity. Here, the company is preparing to roll out its pan-India 4G broadband Long-Term Evolution (LTE) wireless services. This high-speed digital backbone will soon deliver a plethora of wireless services in the education, security, finance, entertainment and other sectors.
Earlier this year, EDC struck a landmark $500-million financing arrangement with Reliance to help Jio fund its expansion plans. The loan has a repayable term of 10 years and encourages Reliance to extend opportunities to qualified Canadian suppliers. So far, Reliance has issued over $300 million of contracts to Canadian business that made the grade.
Our Reliance hosts extend the utmost hospitality, including a hearty lunch of vegetarian cuisine served in the campus restaurant, where all employees dine. Afterwards, it’s time to get down to business.
Seated across the table from 10 senior-level Reliance Jio purchasing agents and department heads, each Canadian firm is given three minutes to deliver a pitch. The services offered are varied – construction management software, VOIP technology, and data mining and reporting, among them.
Questions and answers are exchanged rapidly as Jio’s team politely probes and assesses offers one by one.
A presentation by an Ottawa-based software firm that provides real-time monetization and subscriber management software to companies including Telus, T-Mobile and Vodafone, grabs the Jio team’s attention.
The session quickly heats up, transforming the room into a scene from Dragons’ Den. Several Jio decision makers pointedly challenge the presenting firm’s representatives who hold their ground by offering crisp answers. When the questions subside, everyone in the room breathes with audible relief.
Shortly afterwards, the Canadian company receives the word: they have been invited back for second round. Their account manager isn’t celebrating yet. While he is relieved that his team passed round one, he says that winning Jio’s business will be a journey.
Exportwise is a publication of Export Development Canada


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US Solar Installations Dip 17% in Q3 on Supply Chain Constraints and Trade Barriers
Wood Mackenzie-SEIA report forecasts 40% YoY drop in utility-scale solar capacity in 2022
December 14, 2022
Solar installations in the U.S. dropped 17% year-over-year (YoY) in the third quarter (Q3) of 2022, with 4.6 GW of cumulative capacity installed during the period, said a report released by Wood Mackenzie and Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).
The report attributes the dip in installations to delays in approvals for hundreds of stranded solar equipment shipments that are subject to inspection under U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Several projects await execution and construction, while many imported solar modules and cells await compliance clearance under the Uyghur Forced Labor Protection Act (UFLPA).
While commercial solar installations in Q3 totaled 340 MW, community and utility-scale solar installations stood at 212 MW and 2.5 GW, respectively,
The U.S. Solar Market Insight Report 2022 Q4 said that trade barriers and ongoing supply chain constraints would cause a 23% decline in solar installations this year compared to 2021.
Further, the report forecasted that the utility-scale solar market would add 10.3 GW of new capacity in 2022, representing a 40% drop from 2021 volumes.
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s recent decision to apply anti-circumvention tariffs on solar products from Southeast Asia presents a downside risk to future solar deployment, the report said.
It added that the industry will remain supply-constrained through at least the second half of 2023. “Equipment importers are still contending with detainments as they seek to provide the documentation needed for compliance,” it said.
By 2024, Inflation Reduction Act-fueled growth will begin in earnest, with annual solar growth averaging 21% between 2023 and 2027.
“Once supply chain relief arrives, the true impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act will manifest in our outlooks. Beginning in 2024, annual installations of solar will consistently reach 30-40 GWdc,” the report said.
SEIA President and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper said, “America’s clean energy economy is being hindered by its own trade actions. The solar and storage industry is acting decisively to build an ethical supply chain, but unnecessary supply bottlenecks and trade restrictions are preventing manufacturers from getting the equipment they need to invest in U.S. facilities. In the aftermath of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), we cannot afford to waste time tinkering with trade laws as the climate threat looms.”
As a result of supply constraints, the utility-scale, commercial, and community solar markets all experienced quarter-over-quarter declines in Q3. The residential solar segment was less directly impacted by existing trade issues and saw 1.57 GW of new installations, marking a 43% increase over Q3 2021.
“Installations this year were significantly depressed due to supply chain constraints,” said Michelle Davis, principal analyst and lead author of the report. “It has proven more difficult and time-consuming to provide the proper evidence to comply with the UFLPA, further delaying equipment delivery to the U.S.”
The total installed capacity of solar in the U.S. stood at 135.7 GW, sufficient to power around 24 million American homes by the end of Q3.


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- Just like Wizkid whose car purchase was made known by an auto dealer, another businessman has also spilt the beans on Davido
- The individual took to his Instastory channel with a picture of a new Ferrari SF90 while calling on Davido to come for it before someone else buys the ride
- Social media users had mixed reactions with some suggesting that it’s all planned with the singers and their car dealers
An auto dealer, @edikanexotics, has gotten social media users talking after suggesting that Davido might be adding a new luxury ride to his fleet of cars.
The individual took to his Instastory channel with the picture of a Ferrari SF90 worth over N200 million with the caption:
“@davido come collect your SF90.”
In a different portion of his post, the auto dealer noted that the 30BG musician should quickly come for the expensive ride before someone else pays for it.
Check out a screenshot as sighted online below:
Social media users react
As expected, the post stirred mixed reactions from members of the online community with some people suggesting that Davido and Wizkid made plans with their car dealers.
Read comments sighted below:
“We don hear_but this thing na plan work I swear .”
“Na format..davido go don cast am if he buy am. Yes he has the money and can definitely buy it. But this one for here get as e b.”
“Nice marketing strategy.”
“Lol only God knows what fc de go through rn this one na baba 001.”
“All na formats… Davido wey we know for done post am for social media before even paying for it .”
Wizkid splashes millions on seven luxury cars at once
In a different story, music superstar Wizkid is gearing up to release another album, and it appears he has already started rewarding himself for months of hard work.
Legit.ng reported that an automobile dealer took to Instagram with photos of some super expensive luxury rides the singer just acquired.


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September 28, 2023
Book your live demo of Dina at NAB Show NY See Dina on stand 842 (click to see map), where we co-exhibit with Mimir and...
September 18, 2023
Dina takes home the 'Best of Show at IBC2023' award. Dina was distinguished with the 'Best of Show at IBC2023' by...
September 12, 2023
September 12, 2023, Bergen, Norway: Dina, the world's only digital-first story-centric newsroom system, unveils new...
September 6, 2023
Dina and Mimir Announce Groundbreaking Video Integration with LiveU at IBC Show 2023 BERGEN, 06 September 2023 - Dina...
July 7, 2023
Dina, the number one digital-first newsroom, is preparing for IBC2023
April 21, 2023
Dina Mobile takes home a Best of Show award from NAB
March 9, 2023
blinx was announced this week as the first digital native storytelling hub in the Middle East and North Africa


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July 5 (UPI) -- A Los Angeles ice cream truck owner fed up with requests for free product from social media influencers put up a sign bearing his new policy: "Influencers Pay Double."
Joe Nicchi, owner of CTV Soft Serve, said he was surprised by the first few requests he received for free ice cream in exchange for "exposure" on Instagram and other social media sites.
"At first I was confused," Nicchi told the Los Angeles Times. "It's like, 'Hey, what's up. So, I don't know if you follow me but I have 100,000 followers. Could you hook me up with an ice cream? I'll post about you in my story.'"
"It totally threw me. I'm like, this is a $4 item. What are you talking about?" said the entrepreneur, whose ice cream recipe was passed down from his father.
Nicchi printed a sign this week reading, "Influencers Pay Double." He said he was surprised when a photo of the sign went viral on Instagram.
"I'm happy for the exposure, and I realize that it is complete irony that I'm getting exposure for this thing when other people have offered me exposure," Nicchi told NBC Los Angeles.


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Virtus Data Centres has reported record annual revenues for 2014, claiming to have nearly quadrupled its customer base.
The company, which opened its flagship data centre, London2, in Hayes last year, said revenues have grown 66% per year since 2012, partly driven by existing customers expanding within VIRTUS’ facilities.
VIRTUS also said it increased its number of customers from seven to 27 last year, adding seven new customers across its LONDON1 and LONDON2 data centre estates in the fourth quarter.
The new customers include five cloud providers, a global asset management firm and a professional services organisation.
Neil Cresswell, VIRTUS Data Centres’ CEO, said: "We are very pleased with this continued growth across all business lines. It demonstrates the appeal of our new and innovative approach to data centre service delivery, which combines the best features of both the traditional wholesale and retail models from a single, pure play operator."
He added: "Providing highly connected, secure and certified facilities in London, in a customer friendly, flexible and efficient model is enabling us to better meet the evolving IT needs of customers."
It comes a week after VIRTUS announced it met energy efficiency requirements of the UK government’s Climate Change Agreement (CCA) scheme in just four weeks, with the support from energy consultancy firm Utilitywise.


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Posted: 4 years ago
Series of Tbilisi Street Market Promoting Entrepreneurs to Launch in March
On March 23, the series of events “Tbilisi Street Market” begins.
The goal of the project is to promote entrepreneurship development, helping entrepreneurs to realize productivity and increase awareness.
“Tbilisi Street market” will be held on Rustaveli Avenue, on the opposite side of Georgian National Museum. To participate, entrepreneurs and artists must register.
The project is being implemented by “STALL” union of micro and small entrepreneurs producing Georgian products.
The event is supported by Civil Service of Tbilisi Economic Development.


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When he began waiting tables as a part-time job to get him through school, Creed Ford ’75 never dreamed of the successful restaurant empire that he would one day lead. Today, he is the CEO for Carino’s Restaurants. He and his wife and partner, Lynn, have brought casual dining to Texas cities like Bryan-College Station with restaurants such as Carino’s, Rudy’s, and Chili’s, which had previously been seen only in larger metro areas.
Business acumen and work ethic propelled Ford to success in the restaurant industry, but it’s passion that has kept his career from mediocrity, he says. It’s that same passion that keeps the American dream of free enterprise strong, even in tough economic times. With businesses closing their doors daily, it’s hard to believe that this shaky economy could be the perfect environment for starting a business, but that’s just what the experts are saying.
According to Richard Lester, clinical associate professor and executive director of the Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship (CNVE) at Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School, the shifting economic environment means the timing couldn’t be better for a new venture. “The economic environment is in such a tremendous upheaval that uncertainty is created in consumers’ minds,” said Lester. “The uncertainty decreases their brand loyalty, and when customers are willing to give their loyalty to someone else, holes are created for entrepreneurs to go in and take market share away from larger, more established companies.”
Grabbing customers, building a business
Consider that when a company’s finances are shaky, the focus shifts to reducing costs and customer service often takes a backseat. When this happens, entrepreneurs can come in and “grab” customers who are being moderately or poorly served as an effect of the cost market, and still be successful.
“When customers are willing to give their loyalty to someone else,” explains Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship executive director and clinical associate professor Richard Lester, “holes are created for entrepreneurs to go in and take market share away from larger, more established companies.”
Lester added that these holes give entrepreneurs the chance to move into a niche market and fulfill a need for a specific good or service that may have been missing or unsuccessful until their business arrived. “When unemployment exists, an entrepreneur sees training opportunities in the increased amount of human capital available. The economy is in such a state of flux that small, nimble, flexible entrepreneurs are best positioned to come in and take advantage of those opportunities,” Lester explained.
Lester encourages prospective entrepreneurs to take advantage of available resources. Aside from the entrepreneurship class that Lester teaches at Mays, the Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship recently offered a group of evening classes, Start-up 101, to give potential business owners an edge when entering the marketplace. The classes walked would-be entrepreneurs from the A&M campus and community through making an idea a business, with lectures from successful business owners like Ford, as well as Mays faculty members.
It takes more than passion and opportunity to make a business grow. Lester says perhaps the most important part of creating a business is to develop a sound business plan. “Research shows that you’re more likely to be successful if you have a well thought-out business plan,” he said. “It forces you to think about all aspects of the business – how it will be structured, current and future financing, and its ability to survive if only 50 percent of projected sales are reached.” A stable financial projection is crucial, considering one of the reasons many companies fail is because they simply run out of cash. Lester recommends laying out a best, worst, and most-likely case financial scenario to help ensure survival. He added that the business plan is beneficial for determining the network of personal relationships necessary for building a strong business.
“The hard truth is that trying to find a spot in the marketplace is usually short-lived and fraught with peril; this is the reason many start-ups don’t make it,” he said. So, it is of utmost importance to talk to as many professionals as possible to obtain advice when developing a business plan.
Living the dream
Following Lester’s advice, two former Mays MBA students are on their way to successful business ownership. Ohad Nezer, who took Lester’s entrepreneurship class, had always had a passion for the Internet and any corporate opportunities that could come from it. Nezer examined the industry, seeing the lucrative potential of an independent business endeavor. There was a challenge though: Nezer lacked the technical skills to launch such a business. During a study break in the Ag Cafe on the Texas A&M campus, Nezer and classmate Chris Nicolaysen developed the plans for seatkarma.com, their own version of Stubhub or Ticketmaster. Nicolaysen had the technical skills to bring Nezer’s plans to fruition, having years of experience in technical knowledge management.
Seatkarma.com, founded by a pair of former Mays MBA students, is one example of a start-up business that is fairing well despite the current recession.
Nezer and Nicolaysen didn’t rush into things. They began by discussing the functionality of the website and determined their ultimate goal. Then, they chose a name for their business that would develop a brand distinct from their competitors. “We wanted to make sure that we brought value to consumers and ticket buyers, and not put something out there that could be easily duplicated or was already available,” said Nezer. The partners conducted a competitive analysis to see what similar ticketing sites were doing, later brainstorming ideas on how to improve on the competition’s operations.
The entrepreneurs expressed the many challenges that come with building a business from the ground up, warning that for them, the two biggest obstacles were time and money. “You’re getting into a territory where people have knowledge that you don’t have yet because of their experience in the industry,” said Nicolaysen. “It’s important to enter into this very methodically.” Both full-time students at the company’s inception, Nezer and Nicolaysen faced the challenge of finding people to help develop Seatkarma’s technology, as well as the money to pay for everything, while staying on top of their studies.
Despite the time and energy it cost them, the entrepreneurs are certain that their sacrifices were worth it. “It has always been my dream to start a business,” said Nezer. “When you talk about dreams, you don’t always use common sense. You just go ahead and do it.” He added that in today’s economy, it can be very difficult to find a job, so following a business dream makes sense.
Seatkarma.com is faring well, despite the shaky economy. Nezer and Nicolaysen explained that when times are tough, people tend to decrease travel, but still want entertainment. “Entertainment is a release for people, so it would be reasonable to think that our demand would increase right now, even in a recession,” said Nicolaysen.
In March, the business was boosted by mentions in two major technology blogs, Techcrunch.com and lifehacker.com, introducing the company to the public.
The Ultimate Goal
These entrepreneurs are focused on more than profits. Nicolaysen emphasized that when looking to fulfill a business dream, he and Nezer wanted to feel good about what they were doing. This desire led them to add a philanthropic spin to the company, which now donates a portion of all profits to charity. “This became a driving force behind the website,” said Nicolaysen. “We are seeing what we can do to not only help ourselves, but also to make a contribution back to society.” He encourages all entrepreneurs to consider this when thinking about their reasons for going into business.
Like Ford and Lester, these young entrepreneurs expressed the necessity of passion when starting up a business. “Eventually, being a successful business owner can lead to a lot of freedom that isn’t there when you’re working for someone else. That’s the ultimate goal – “but until then the passion for what we do keeps it fun. It doesn’t even feel like I’m working,” Nicolaysen added. Lester agrees, stating that building a business isn’t something you are pushed into, but rather, pulled.
Categories: Centers, Featured Stories, Former Students


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Samsung’s discontinuation of the Galaxy Note 7 has caused a major financial loss for the company and damages to its brand image as well. The reason for the Note 7’s demise was the unsolved flaw that caused the phone to overheat and catch fire.
The Galaxy Note 7 has been associated with cases of overheating and flaming smartphones, since the company’s first recall of the device failed to solve the issue with the phone. The negative image of the Galaxy Note 7 might be rubbing off on Samsung’s other flagship, the Galaxy S7 edge.
Samsung is currently offering Note 7 owners the possibility to exchange their phones with the Galaxy S7 or S7 edge, as the South Korean company will be relying heavily on sales of these two premium smartphone models, until the Galaxy S8 arrives next year.
The Canadian carrier refused to deal with the situation
However, recent reports of flaming S7 edge phones might convince even more Samsung customers to shift to another An… (read more)
Read more at: Source link
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CBS 2 - Search Results
New Way To Visit Farmers Markets
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (CBS2/FOX28) - A new partnership is working to make it easier for people to shop local in Cedar Rapids. Starting next weekend, a trolley will run between the Downtown Farmer's Market and NewBo City Market.
The Market to Market Trolley is an effort by NewBo and the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance to make shopping at both markets in one day more convenient. It's also an idea aimed at increasing sales for surrounding businesses in both downtown and the New Bohemia District.
Jessica Herold, the owner of Moods Salon and Spa just relocated her business of four years to Newbo one month ago.
I think it's fabulous. It gives us all the more exposure!" Herold said about the trolley.
Sydney Rieckhoff, who started her career selling vegetables at the Downtown Farmers Market opened up The Chill Ice Cream Shop at NewBo City Market about a year and a half ago. Now she and her family are opening a standalone ice cream shop right across from the City Market.
"I think that's great for business. I know from being at the (Downtown) Farmer's Market so often it is really hard to get from there to here, Sydney Rieckhoff,15, said.
The Market to Market Trolley will run the first and third Saturday of every month, June through September. It will run continuously from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the afternoon.
The trolley hasn't arrived to Cedar Rapids yet. The partnership will be leasing it from Quad Cities Trolley and testing it out this season.


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As Panoply Media rebrands, CEO says ad efficiency must improve for podcasting to grow
Panoply Media will now go by Megaphone, the same name as its hosting and ad-insertion service.
Panoply Media rebrands to Megaphone to reinforce its tech focus
Brendan Monaghan, chief executive officer of the newly rebranded podcast technology company, told The Drum the name change is straightforward, one that's meant to highlight what the company does best.
Monaghan said customers identify the company most with its Megaphone offering, as media companies like iHeartMedia, Vox Media, Himalaya, and Cadence13 already use the platform.
Megaphone has also built out its audience-based ad targeting and measurement service Megaphone Targeted Marketplace (MTM), bringing on board advertisers including Chase, Citi, Google, Lexus and Starbucks.
Last fall, while still named Panoply, the company moved out of the content creation business. Now as Megaphone, sitting between publishers and advertisers with a keen focus on technology, the challenge is around scaling up podcast advertising without losing the medium's signature, host-read touch, Monaghan said.
"How do you create advertising that is really compelling and maintains that host-read feel, but that scales across hundreds of thousands of shows...? For this medium to grow considerably to the size we all want it to grow, you've got to improve efficiency and scale. And as much as I love the host-read format, obviously there are some operational challenges to that format in terms of how you get it in front of tons of different listeners," he said.
Monaghan added that, for publishers, the focus is around content creation, monetization and measurement, and that Megaphone will focus more on forecasting to help publishers predict their inventory to drive monetization.
For podcast advertisers using the Nielsen-powered MTM, Monaghan said the challenge is around audience segmentation and targeting.
The need for greater efficiency and scalability could lead to a more robust programmatic marketplace, but Monaghan warned that could see the same "canned ads that might be played across a pop radio station" make its way into podcasts.
"If you go that far down the [programmatic] track, you really lose the appeal of this medium. It's balancing having that cool brand campaign or that creative ad copy with the scale that's needed in the space. It just depends, so that's why I get a little hesitant when I hear the word programmatic — because, frankly, in the audio-on-demand space, the term gets really confused and it just depends on how you look at it.
"In terms of scaling the buying opportunities and providing tools that allow people to continue to build...," Monaghan said, "we're certainly exploring that programmatic space more and more."


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Pre-bookings for JioPhone
There was an overwhelming requirement for JioPhones in India in its first phase of pre-booking. This forced Jio to put a hold on new bookings until delivering the first round of pre-booked phones. And the good news is that Reliance Jio is now accepting pre-bookings for JioPhone again. This means Reliance Jio has accomplished the feat and it’s ready for the next batch of JioPhones orders.
Reliance Jio’s home page displays a banner that says, “Come on India. Join the movement. Get your effectively free JioPhone.” The timing of this couldn’t be more fitting as it’s just days after the new telco announced its Rs 49 tariff for JioPhone owners.
Now buyers can order more than one handset per customer. It gives us the option to add up to 5 devices on a single booking mobile number. The total upfront cost for five devices totals up to Rs 7,500.
Jio’s vision to connect 50 crore feature phone users in India by offering them affordable hardware and data. Customer will get the upfront cost of Rs 1,500 after three years, making the phone essentially free to use during this period. With this offer, the company instantly got 6 million orders in the first round of pre-booking, post which there were no new bookings.
Read this also: New Offer For JioPhone Users
There were several dates on which the pre-bookings were expected to resume, but it never happened. During this phase, several OEMs launched affordable feature phones with 4G support. Operators like Airtel, Vodafone, Idea, and BSNL partnered with smartphone makers to give customers affordable hardware with bundled voice and data like Jio.
Jio has also partnered with MediaTek to bring Android Go-powered smartphone
In other news, Jio has also partnered with MediaTek to bring Android Go-powered smartphone to India. It’s too soon to speculate, but if Jio adopts “essentially free” concept on Jio Android Go smartphone, the company can expect a similar demand like the feature phone. The launch of this new entry-level smartphone is expected to happen within the next two months.


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As traders await July's inflation reading on August 10, bitcoin (BTC-USD) gave up some gains in Tuesday morning trading after rejecting $24K for the third time in the past month in what appears to be a strong level of technical resistance.
Bitcoin (BTC-USD) dipped 4.7% to $23.01K as of shortly before 10:30 a.m. ET, down from its weekly peak of $24.22K on August 8. And ethereum (ETH-USD), which is expected to undergo a transition to Proof-of-Stake from Proof-of-Work as soon as next month, fell 6.1% to $1.68K after reaching as high as $1.80K in the prior session.
"If Bitcoin consolidates around $23,000 or below for multiple days, then Bitcoin would have printed a lower-high, as it has not yet reached the previous high of $24,700," GlobalBlock analyst Marcus Sotiriou wrote in a note.
Similarly, the stock market is trading in the red, with the Dow Jones (DJI) -0.2%, S&P 500 (SP500) -0.5% and Nasdaq (COMP.IND) -1.3%, as the recent risk-on trend, especially in meme stock such as AMC Entertainment (AMC) -5% and GameStop (GME) -5.9%, takes a breather ahead of another highly anticipated CPI print.
Speaking of which, headline consumer prices are expected to moderate to +8.7% Y/Y in July from +9.1% in June as a string of commodity prices have come off their highs, including Crude Oil (CL1:COM) and Copper (HG1:COM).
When stripping out volatile food and commodity prices, though, CPI is anticipated to climb +6.1% in July from a year ago vs. +5.9% previously.
Moreover, "energy related inputs will probably start falling on a YoY basis, but rental inflation will stay elevated for another few quarters at least, providing ongoing CPI pressures," Patrick Saner, head of macro strategy at Swiss Re, wrote in a Twitter post.
If consumer price inflation overshoots, bond traders at the short-end of the Treasury yield curve could be prompted to price in bigger and faster Federal Reserve interest-rate increases since the central bank's priority now is to bring down inflationary pressures. In turn, the yield curve could steepen even more, as short-duration yields would further rise above long-duration ones.
Crypto-focused stocks: MicroStrategy (MSTR) -3.4%, Coinbase Global (COIN) -8.1%, Riot Blockchain (RIOT) -9.3%, Bitfarms (BITF) -7.8%, Core Scientific (CORZ) -8.9%, Galaxy Digital (OTCPK:BRPHF) -6.4% and SOS (SOS) -17.3%.
Meanwhile, an analyst at J.P. Morgan said crypto prices may have located a bottom as bitcoin, ether surged in July.


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The GDPR: Europe’s Data Protection Revolution?
The GDPR, more formally known as the General Data Protection Regulation, is something that has caused great concern amongst businesses that handle personal data. What is it? How does it change people’s rights, and what are the penalties for its breaches?
After many years of long-winded discussions, the GDPR is a regulation which will create a single set of rules across Europe in terms of data protection. The idea behind it is to make business simpler and to harmonise data protection across the European Union. The GDPR does not come into force until 25th May 2018, but will be directly applicable in all member states without any need for national legislation being implemented.
What does the GDPR Mean?
So how does it change things? The GDPR imposes tougher punishments for breaches of data protection and aims to offer more protection to those subjected to breaches.
Controllers of personal data will now have to ensure data is processed lawfully, transparently, and for a specific purpose. Consent also must be affirmative rather than passive. For example, a pre-ticked box agreeing to one’s information being shared will not amount to affirmative consent come 2018 – which would (hopefully) mean no more irritating phone calls after being involved in a minor car accident.
Furthermore, even if one consents to one’s data behind held, that consent can be withdrawn at any point, and controllers of personal data also must keep a record of how and when consent was given.
The GDPR affords people the right to access any information that is held about them and also imposes the ‘right to be forgotten’ whereby people can demand that data about them be deleted if it is no longer required for its original purpose.
The Problem of Compliance
It is all well and good giving people such rights. However, how will the GDPR ensure that these rules are followed? The severe nature of the penalties answers this question.
In fact the, severity of the penalties is one of the main reasons why the GDPR has caused much concern for businesses who hold personal customer data. The possibility of being punished to an extreme amount makes the likelihood of complying with data protection laws greater than ever before.
If a business holds personal data and suffers a breach that puts people’s rights at risk, it must notify a data protection authority (in the UK, for example, this would be the Information Commissioner’s Office) within 72 hours of becoming aware of it and also notify the people that are affected. Should this 72-hour deadline not be met, this could result in a fine of up to €10m, or 2% of global annual turnover.
Should the basic principles of processing data (such as consent rules) should not be followed, the fines are even worse – with potential penalties of €20m, or 4% of global annual turnover.
It seems safe to assume that controllers of personal data will be doing all they can to avoid such fines, which in turn enhances the protection of personal data of consumers.
The UK Question: Data Protection and Brexit
Given the significant changes and a high threshold that must be met, the implementation of the GDPR is one that is generally well underway for businesses who want to ensure that, when the regulation is implemented, they can hit the ground running and avoid severe penalties.
Does this mean, however, that the UK is free to not prepare for the changes due to its recent decision to leave the EU? Some have been led to believe that Brexit brings an end to the hurdle that is the GDPR. However, the GDPR aims to catch data controllers and processors outside of the EU whose activities relate to the offering of goods and services of EU data subjects.
This means that in practice companies outside the EU (which will soon include UK companies) that target consumers in the EU will be subject to the GDPR. Therefore the UK’s decision to leave the EU does not allow it to get off so lightly when it comes to the regulation.
The GDPR: Expectations versus Reality
What next? In short, the GDPR will, if all goes to plan, bring about greater protection of people’s personal data and creates greater punishments for not protecting people’s data. Great for the people but terrible for businesses who do not comply.The GDPR will undoubtedly create great change when it comes to Data Protection. However, businesses do in fact have time on their side to prepare for the implementation of the regulation, and it will be extremely interesting to see the whether the GDPR will be as severe as it claims to be.
The GDPR will undoubtedly create great change when it comes to data protection. However, businesses do in fact have time on their side to prepare for the implementation of the regulation, and it will be interesting to see the whether the GDPR will turn out as severe as severe in practice as it claims to be in principle.


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Get involved! Send your photos, video, news & views by texting EJ NEWS to 80360 or e-mail us
Co-op revamp to follow decision
6:00pm Thursday 14th February 2013 in News
A STRATFORD District Councillor says Shipston needs to improve its current food outlets after plans for an out-of-town supermarket were rejected.
The district council’s planning committee threw out the application to build a supermarket and petrol station on the outskirts of the town on January 24.
The plans, put forward by Ainscough Strategic Land (ASL), included a retirement development of 80 cottages and 50 apartments and up to 54 residential dwellings on land off Campden Road.
Planners refused the application on the grounds that the supermarket would have an adverse impact on the town centre and would not enhance the quality of the area.
Following the decision, Shipston ward member Councillor Richard Cheney said he has asked the High Street Co-operative store for an urgent meeting to discuss how it can be improved.
“Many people have told me that they would like to see the Co-op upgrade its stores in Shipston,” he said.
“Now that the planning committee has rejected the divisive application for an out-of-town supermarket, I think it is time for the town to come together and ask the Co-op to improve its retail offer.
“They have recently told me that there will be a major refurbishment of the larger store later this year but I’ve asked Coop for a meeting to see if we could develop the store further.”
A Co-op spokesperson said the business was planning to invest cash into the existing store.
“Our store in Shipston has served the local community for many years,” she said. “We are committed to the town and to offering the best possible customer service.
“We are always looking for ways to further improve our offering in the town and the planned £600,000 investment this summer, at our High Street store, will bring a brighter, fresher store, with a wider range of fresh produce and new layout.”


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*Operating profit for January–March was SEK 653 million (January–March 2017: SEK 627 million). Operating profit includes a forest property sale of SEK 70 million. Prices for paper and wood products increased, wheras costs for wood and other input goods rose. *Compared with the fourth quarter of 2017, profit was SEK 232 million higher, mainly as a result of income from the forest property sale and due to that fourth-quarter earnings were affected by a maintenance shutdown. *Profit after tax for January–March amounted to SEK 507 million (485), which corresponds to earnings per share of SEK 6.0 (5.8). Click Read More below for additional information.
Georgia-Pacific announced Thursday morning that they will leave the paper business, effectively laying off more than 600 workers at its plant in Port Hudson.
A spokesperson for Georgia-Pacific, Kelly Fergison, said the company will permanently shut down all paper machines, as well as its wood yard and pulp mill.
Employees are told they will stay on through March, at which point they will cease production.
They said they are not completely shutting down the facility. Roughly 300 employees will stay on as part of its consumer tissue and towel business.
Georgia-Pacific said this is not due to poor performance in Port Hudson, instead citing a declining market.
In a statement, Georgia-Pacific president Mike Adams said, “We will be working closely with our printing and writing customers during this time of transition.”


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Award to S/4HANA Project at Tat Gıda and Düzey Pazarlama
SAP S/4HANA Project of Tat Gıda, Turkey’s leading food company, and Düzey Pazarlama, distributor of many leading brands including Tat Gıda, won the SILVER award in “S/4HANA Business Transformation” category of SAP Quality Awards.
Tat Gıda and Düzey Pazarlama CIO&CDO Özgür Kakmacı received the award on behalf of the project team at the SAP NOW event held on October 25. We, as GoLive, took part in the implementation of the logistics processes of this project. We congratulate Tat Gıda and Düzey Pazarlama CIO&CDO Özgür Kakmacı and his team, as well as all colleagues who worked in the project.


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MDS Mexico launches blockchain-based rapid covid-19 testing service
With the new service in place, patients can access test results, which are updated in real-time, via its digital platform.
Mon, 18 Oct 2021, 10:31 am UTC
Known as the technology behind popular crypto such as Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), blockchain is now being utilized in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. A Mexican medical firm is launching rapid covid-19 testing that uses blockchain to speed up the results verification process.
MDS Mexico, a medical services firm based in Mexico City, has recently launched a blockchain-based rapid covid-19 testing service, Cointelegraph reported. With the new service in place, patients can access test results, which are updated in real-time, via its digital platform.
Aside from online access, medical results will also be physically delivered to the patient’s address. The document contains a QR code, which can be scanned to verify the results against MDS Mexico’s blockchain and access a patient’s vaccination history if necessary.
The use of blockchain ensures that patient's personal data and clinical are kept securely. The system will also prevent the falsification of Covid-19 test results as they can be directly verified online.
“To avoid the falsification of negative results, we began to certify the SARS-CoV-2 detection tests with blockchain technology and cryptographic signature, which protects the information in a unique, immutable, and unalterable QR Code that can be verified worldwide,” MDS stated on its website.
The system also incorporates the cryptographic signature of the doctor who verified the test result. The digital signature is uploaded to the blockchain along with the result ensuring its authenticity.
Aside from MDS, a small but growing number of firms have embraced the use of blockchain technology in their services. For instance, private blockchain tech firm Xertify entered into a partnership with Mexico’s National Chamber of Commerce (CANACO) in April 2021 for a planned rollout of a state-backed initiative to digitize vaccination passports.
<Copyright © TokenPost. All Rights Reserved. >


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In partnership with Dubai Customs, OSN has launched a content protection VR game at KidZania Dubai to educate kids regarding piracy. The objective of the game is to boost awareness of the threats of content theft.
It’s a commendable effort given that conservative estimates put the loss of revenue to the entertainment industries in the MENA as being between $500 million and $1.2 billion per year owing to content theft.
The 60-second game, called “Copycat Combat,”is a collaboration between OSN and Dubai Customs, who have a partnership in combatting the import of illegal satellite and IPTV devices as well as championing intellectual property rights (IPR.)
“Copycat Combat” is aimed at children between the ages of 5 and 12 and will be available to play at mall stands and other public spaces across the region managed by OSN. The game will also be toured in UAE schools by Dubai Customs as part of its ongoing educational initiatives to raise awareness of the importance of protecting IPR.
In a ‘matrix-style’ world, content thieves zap OSN’s precious collection of movies, TV series, kids shows and sports events with powerful laser rays. The game player must ‘shield’ the collection with armored gloves during an assault that requires fast reflexes and accuracy.
Sophie Moloney, chief legal officer, OSN, says in a statement: “This is super exciting for us at OSN, to be first in the world to launch a content protection game that helps children to understand the massive threats that the entertainment industry faces from content theft. What’s more, the game is a lot of fun and children can hopefully come away with the thought that content is really precious and worth protecting.”
Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, director of Dubai Customs, adds: “This initiative uses virtual reality and is based on the latest advanced applications in the field. The result is Copycat Combat, which will not only raise awareness about the importance of Intellectual Property but will also help kids innovate. This initiative is one of many steps we have taken following the vision and directives of our wise leadership. We are happy to have partnered with OSN to come up with this innovative product.”


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Cheap, “dedicated” computers are all the rage these days, in large part thanks to the $25 and $35 Raspberry Pi models. Regardless of the very affordable price, the Raspberry Pi is underpowered for a computer, or even for a phone. So, slightly more expensive computers have been hitting the market, attempting to fill that space of a cheap computer, but with more power. The new entrant: CompuLab’s $99 ARM-based Utilite computer.
Microwaves are well known for their truly awful interfaces — and that’s why hardware hacker Nathan Broadbent has created a microwave, powered by a Raspberry Pi computer, which allows for voice control and automatic cooking by scanning a product’s barcode.
If high-quality headphones are too big and bulky for you — or ruin your marvelous hair — and you’re sick of having to replace earbuds every few months because the wires inevitably break in some fashion, Rich Lee has a solution for you. He implanted magnetic headphones into his ears.
The Retina display in the iPad is beautiful. Since super high-res screens have done so well on smartphones and tablets, the demand for increasing pixel density on PC displays is growing as well. Unfortunately, they’re still quite pricey and relatively rare, so a Polish engineering student has taken it upon himself to turn an iPad screen into a fully functional monitor.
Texas Instruments launched its ARM-powered BeagleBone Black PC today, and it packs an impressive feature set that is sure to get enthusiasts’ attention. The successor to the original BeagleBone, the Black comes with faster hardware, lower power requirements, and a surprising $45 price point.
We are getting wind that the developers of the MinION DNA sequencer have been able to work out early issues in reliability, and intend to bring a device market later this year. Having a device like this would give unprecedented power to patient self-quantifiers, DIY biohackers, and perhaps even DNA micromachinists — provided the medical regulatory overlords see it fit.
At SWSW Interactive 2013, AMD will be showing off a mini-ITX PC that doubles up as a rocket launcher. The custom PC was built for AMD by Ben Heck, the rather famous modder who has brought us the Xbox 360 laptop, and portable versions of just about every old-school game console in existence.
From rapid prototyping by engineers to students tinkering with their first electronics project, the $35 Raspberry Pi Model B has been an unqualified success. The smaller, more efficient, and stripped down Model A is now available for European audiences for $25. The rest of the world will be able to get their hands on it soon enough, but that’s not the only thing happening in the world of Raspberry Pi.


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TikTok is reportedly working on a way to earn revenue through a native audience network for advertisers looking to reach TikTok users.
AdWeek reports this information was discovered in some newly released developer documents. The audience network would allow advertisers to target people while they’re using other apps.
That means advertisers would have the opportunity to reach users outside of the TikTok platform. AdWeek’s sources say this audience network is being tested in the East Asian market first, but may be a sign of things to come in the US.
Advertising options include full-page video ads in other apps, or rewarded video ads that are commonly seen in most free-to-play games.
TikTok is growing at a rapid pace, but does not yet have a system in place for monetizing its users like more established apps are doing, such as Facebook and Snapchat.
But that’s not to say it’s not trying. A report released in June indicates that TikTok is experimenting with a way to target users with in-app ads based on their web browsing activity.
Currently, TikTok earns revenue through in-app purchases. Users can buy digital currency which allows them to unlock premium features to enhance their content. TikTok has reportedly made $75 million so far from selling its digital currency.
TikTok also earns revenue through in-feed ads and sponsored challenges, though those are only available to select agencies as part of a beta test.


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We know D.C. Get our free newsletter to stay in the know.
Our Hollywood Moment: House of Cards has threatened to stop filming in Maryland unless the state coughs up millions of more dollars in tax credits. Maybe D.C.’s idea to beef up its Hollywood tax incentive program isn’t such a bad idea. The Netflix show does, after all, deserve to be filmed in the city that it actually takes place in. +3
Bye Bye Bye: The Wizards’ Jan Vesely has been traded and, in memoriam, the Post remembers the star’s most, uh, memorable moments. +2
Ummm…:PoPville compiles a thought-provoking list of the “13 Things We Like to Complain About That Are Actually Not All That Bad.” Among the things: DC USA/Target, about which the Prince says, “I like the ability to conveniently buy tube socks and toilet paper.” -3
One Tequila, Two Tequila: Celebrating National Margarita Day tomorrow? Area restaurants are offering plenty of tequila discounts to get wasted on. +2
Yesterday’s Needle rating: 42 Today’s score: +4 Friday Bonus: +2 Today’s Needle rating: 48


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By Charles Bremner
Wood chippings and even a splash of water will be allowed as vignerons fight to win back drinkers.
AS FRANCE recoiled before the advance of globalisation and of English as a lingua franca, there was one area in which it remained confident of its superiority: its wines.
Now even the vintners’ traditions are going the way of the five-course lunch, the Deux Chevaux and the surly waiter.
After failing to hold off the onslaught from New World winemakers, France is to join them in such heresies as adding wood chips and — perhaps — even watering down the wine. The Agriculture Minister has issued a plan to let vignerons compete with growers in the Antipodes and the Americas whose simple flavours and clever marketing have been winning the world’s wine drinkers.
“We have to make wine for consumers, not wine that producers dream of,” said Bernard Pomel, author of the plan, which is likely to be adopted soon as law.


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Binance is looking to hire more qualified persons aside the previous closed job offers including Community Manager, Business Development among others.
Don Jazzy wants the Nigeria Government to vonduct the next Election coming up on 2023 using blockchain technology to maintain transparency and trust in election results.
Just Now, Jack Dorsey supports bitcoin donations for the #EndSARS protests in Nigeria.
Market Insight Wednesday: Naira Reaches New All Time High Against Dollar Across Bitcoin to Naira Market
In the last four days, the Naira to Bitcoin market opened trading at an average high of N471.5 with an average low of N462.5 per dollar.
FG Outlines the Draft National Blockchain Adoption Strategy for the National Adoption of Blockchain Tech and DLT in Nigeria.
The draft national blockchain adoption strategy for the national adoption of Blockchain Tech and DLT in Nigeria was recently released by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
Call For Crypto Adoption: Protesters Resort to Bitcoin Donation Following it’s Naira Bank Account Deactivation.
Call For Crypto Adoption: Protesters Resort to Bitcoin Donations Following it’s Naira Bank Account Deactivation.
Binance CEO CZ and Other World Leading Crypto Companies Lend Their Voices to the #EndSARS Campaign in Nigeria.
, popular foreign personnels including Binance,s CEO Changpen Zhao and Justin Sun of Tron Foundation has lend their voice to the crypto community in Nigeria.
Yele Bademosi and Bundle Africa Team makes the First Cryptocurrency #EndSARS Funds Campaign Pegged at 1.5M Naira
Bundle Africa makes the bravery move to support the EndSARS campaign in Nigeria with a funding pegged at N1,000,000 at $2,145 BUSD done using cryptocurrency.
Nigeria Bank Credit and Debit Card that You can Use to Buy Bitcoin on Crypto Exchanges and the Ones to Avoid.
Nigerians use many fiat gateways to buy Bitcoin across the country. One of the most common methods being Naira Debit and Credit Cards.
Tax on Bitcoin Looms in For Nigerians As Coinbase Plans to Release Details of UK Users to the Taxman
Tax on bitcoin traders in Nigeria will soon become a reality mostly for high-income earns involved in Bitcoin Trading.


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SOUTHFIELD — Zoup! Specialty Products, an affiliate of Zoup! Fresh Soup Co., a leading fast-casual soup concept restaurant, has announced the appointment of Norm Jelsma as brand manager for the company’s Good, Really Good Broth line.
In the newly created position, Jelsma will be responsible for expanding the sales of Zoup! Good, Really Good Broth into new markets through specialty food distributors and grocery stores. Introduced last year and in limited distribution in Michigan grocery stores, Zoup! is expanding the product line and distribution reach. Jelsma will be in charge of leading the national roll-out and further expanding the brand.
Prior to joining Zoup!, Jelsma held several regional sales management positions in the food industry. Most recently, he was the Midwest Sales and account manager for Nunica-based Magnum Coffee.
“Norm brings extensive industry insight, brand and sales experience to this position and is a great cultural fit. We are pleased to welcome him to the Zoup! team,” said Eric Ersher, founder and CEO of Zoup!.
Jelsma received his bachelor’s degree in food marketing from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. He resides in Grand Rapids.


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'nonsense' Car dealer says he did nothing wrong despite pleading guilty to misleading consumer
'You’d pay that price for a good push bike... She got a bargain. I done nothing wrong'
A Dublin-based car dealer who pleaded guilty to misleading a consumer in relation to the history of a car has insisted the whole process was “nonsense” and that he did nothing wrong.
Fergus O’Donnell of Inclusive Car Sales, Park West Industrial Park, Dublin 12, received the benefit of the Probation Act after he entered the plea of guilty at Dublin’s District Court.
The outcome was the result of an extensive investigation by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC).
O'Donnell was subject to an investigation by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) following the sale of a 2010 Fiat 500 by his company.
Mr O’Donnell had purchased the car from the UK in May 2017 and imported it to Ireland in or around June 2017.
The car was bought on July 1, 2017 for €5,350.
Following the purchase of the car, the car broke down while the consumer was driving.
The consumer brought it to a mechanic who identified issues with the vehicle, namely problems with the power steering.
The CCPC claimed the ownership of the car had not been accurately advertised or disclosed and, in addition, the mileage of the vehicle was found to be understated by approximately five per cent.
The CCPC alleged that Mr O’Donnell had therefore committed or engaged in a misleading commercial practice as set out in section 43 of the Consumer Protection Act 2007 (CPA 2007).
“Under consumer protection law, it is an offence for traders to give false, misleading or deceptive information about the history of a car,” the CCPC said in a statement. “Unless otherwise stated, a motor trader should complete due diligence, including car history checks, before making a car available for sale to a consumer.
“Consumers should be told if the car was previously involved in a car crash, was recorded as an insurance ‘write off’, or displays the wrong mileage.
Úna Butler of the CCPC added: “Misleading a consumer is a very serious offence and traders who fail to provide complete and accurate information are liable to a criminal prosecution by the CCPC.
“The CCPC is and will continue to be very active in this sector. We encourage any consumer who believes that they have been misled by a motor trader, or indeed any trader, to contact us.”
Mr O’Donnell pleaded guilty at Dublin’s District Court and Judge Halpin applied the Probation Act. The court took into account that the trader had compensated the consumer fully and paid costs to the CCPC.
Speaking to sundayworld.com, Mr O’Donnell insisted he had “done nothing wrong” and described the price of the car at 5,350 euro as “push-bike money”.
“You’d pay that price for a good push bike,” he said. “She (the consumer) got a bargain. I done nothing wrong.
I think the judge was fair, but think it was a waste of taxpayers’ money.
“It was five years going through the courts. It was a waste of my time. In the end I gave a guilty plea and I only gave that from the point of view that my time was more important.
“I didn’t want to drag this down the road for another two years or whatever in order to put the matter to bed.
“I actually think it was a successful day. I consider it a victory. Because, if you look at it from my point of view, (with the time) being wasted between solicitors and courts.
“There was no conviction made,” he added. “I got the probation act, which is not a conviction and there was no penalty imposed.
“I’m 20 years selling cars and this is the first time I’ve been in court in 20 years.
“We started off in Park West and we’ve grown our business,” he added. “We’re doing really well. All in all, we’ve probably sold 10,000 cars.
“So this was nonsense, absolute nonsense. It was nit-picking, is what it was.”
- Man (43) found with five fake driving licences in his name given probation
- Convicted murderer at 'low ebb' told garda he was worse than the 'Russians' and to ‘f**k off’
- Woman who slapped bouncer in 'split-second reaction' at club told cops 'There's real crime out there'
- Motorist who drove uninsured due to 'genuine threats to his life' jailed for four months
- Rebekah Vardy claims she was made ‘scapegoat’ at Euro 2016 ‘Wagatha Christie’ trial reveals
- Police take down gang that had smuggled drugs into Ireland hidden in Leen Bakker furniture
- Irish soccer heroes presented with medals by President Michael D Higgins on Late Late Show
- Revealed: Face of Irishman jailed in UK for raping woman he met on Plenty of Fish
- Premier League permutations: Plenty to play for at top and bottom on final day
- David De Gea eager to end season to forget for Manchester United on winning note


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Rethinking EV Battery Materials
A Maryland startup is developing low-cost lithium-ion battery cathodes, anodes, and electrolyte technologies with competitive energy density and safety capabilities.
Maryland-based AquaLith Advanced Materials is developing a combination of technologies to tackle ongoing raw material supply shortages and other bottlenecks affecting three core components of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles. The company is introducing a water-based electrolyte, a high-energy cathode with a hybrid material, and a silicon microparticle anode, all made with inexpensive and widely available materials.
A General Motors scientist operates a battery pressure test at the company’s Estes Engineering Center in Michigan. Image used courtesy of GM
AquaLith’s technology contains no transition metals and stores more energy than incumbent products on the market. Furthermore, replacing nickel and cobalt in cathodes is advantageous for production, as the pair of metals are scarce and costly.
The technology comes as EV manufacturers in North America and Europe are looking to shore up domestic or regional supply chains for critical components, reducing their reliance on Chinese suppliers. China leads the world’s supply of EV battery materials downstream of mining. According to the International Energy Agency, the country oversees 70% of cathode and 85% of anode material production capacity. It also dominates 80% of global graphite mining and over half of lithium, cobalt, and graphite processing.
AquaLith’s Silicon Anode, Hybrid Cathode, Aqueous Electrolyte
AquaLith’s anodes are based on silicon microparticles, unlike conventional anodes containing graphite. They last longer than silicon nanoparticles, an alternative chemistry that minimizes silicon’s characteristic degradation when charging and discharging. AquaLith CEO Gregory Cooper stated this type of anode could reduce the battery’s weight by up to 20% and cut nearly 10% of the total cost of a 100 kWh battery.
Cooper added that swapping out nanosilicon with silicon microparticles can slash anode costs by over 75% while boosting energy density by 40%.
AquaLith’s cathode uses a hybrid material comprising lithium bromide, lithium chloride, and graphite. The former pair enables high energy density, while the graphite adds up to 10 times the charging cycles. The cobalt-free solution can unlock a 50% reduction in cathode costs.
The aqueous electrolyte is based on water – as its name implies – rather than lithium salts, which may be flammable when overheated. While aqueous electrolytes are safer, they have a technical disadvantage since they can't efficiently operate at high voltages. However, adding salt to the water-based electrolyte creates a film that boosts the electrodes’ voltage capacity by 150%.
This chart shows the main components of lithium-ion batteries and their functional roles. Image used courtesy of Samsung SDI
AquaLith claims its battery can work efficiently below -50°C. Cooper plans to submit anode materials for testing in 2023, though the technology is likely several years away from combining the three materials into one product and selling to automakers. The company aims to raise $5 million in the coming months.
The company raised its first $750,000 in outside funding from private investors and the Maryland Momentum Fund in 2021. At the time, its water-based electrolyte had been demonstrated at temperatures under -50°C, supporting outdoor applications at the North and South Poles. Its aqueous electrolyte showed promise for minimizing fire risks in short circuits. The other materials could replace transition metals like cobalt and nickel with chloride and bromide salts, unlocking a more stable supply chain.
The Lithium-Ion Supply Chain
Other companies are pursuing alternative battery chemistries targeting low-cost materials. For example, Lyten is developing a commercial lithium-sulfur battery with superior energy storage density at a lower cost than lithium-ion batteries.
EV manufacturers are facing an increasingly strained battery cell supply chain mired in shortages of equipment, labor, and construction materials. According to a recent analysis by McKinsey & Company, lithium-ion battery demand is projected to grow 27% annually to about 4.7 terawatt-hours by 2030, up from 700 gigawatt-hours in 2022. Mobility applications such as EVs are the largest end sector for this increased demand.
How battery advancements impact different types of cell components. Image used courtesy of McKinsey & Company
While the metals and mining industry will likely provide raw materials for batteries in the foreseeable future, more manufacturers are working on sustainable products with flexible battery chemistries and lower raw material requirements. Nearly 60% of lithium is mined for battery applications, a share that could reach 95% by 2030. Still, that trajectory may shift as companies explore other technology choices, such as replacing lithium metal with silicon anodes.


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123,000 Model S cars recalled by Tesla Motors due to power steering bolt defect
Electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla Motors has issued a voluntary recall of 123,000 units of its Model S electric cars, owing to a defect in a power steering bolt. The recall has been issued by Tesla to repair the defect and the company will inform clients impacted by the recall.
According to Tesla, the recall affects those Model S units which have been manufactured before April 2016, because the power steering bolt defect is limited to these vehicles only. As such, the company’s Model X and Model 3 Tesla vehicles will remain unaffected by the recall.
With regard to the reason behind the recall of Model S cars, Tesla has revealed in an email to the customers that the power steering bolt defect leading to the recall is related to “excessive corrosion” of the bolt. The company further added that the defect has been observed “only in very cold climates,” because the vehicles have to deal with road salt.
Tesla has asserted that the there have been no reports of injuries or accidents because of the power steering bolt defect in the recall-affected Model S units.
Sharing details of the repairs which will be undertaken as part of the recall, Tesla said that all power steering bolts in the Model S units recalled by the company will be replaced irrespective of the climate. The move will duly cater for “the possibility that the vehicle may later be used in a highly corrosive environment.”
At the 2018 Auto China event being held in Beijing this week, German automaker Mercedes-Benz has unveiled a plush new Mercedes-Maybach all-electric SUV concept --- ‘The Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury.’
Japanese automaker Nissan unveiled a new LEAF-based electric car -- the ‘Sylphy Zero Emission’ -- at the 2018 Auto China show in Beijing.
In a recent announcement, petroleum company BP has revealed that a new energy storage system for its Titan 1 wind energy power plant in South Dakota, US, will be built and supplied by Tesla.
In an April 19 blog post on Medium, ride-hailing company Lyft has announced that it plans to make its worldwide operation “carbon neutral” by purchasing enough carbon credits.
In a recent announcement, the eRoadArlanda consortium has revealed that it has opened an electric car charging road which it has developed in Sweden.
Zurich-headquartered multinational technology firm ABB has launched its own full 350 kW electric vehicle (EV) charging system -- ‘Terra HP’ -- this week.


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Because organic displays emit light rather than reflect it, the screens provide significantly better outdoor viewing than most current notebook LCDs, which wash out in sunlight. Flexible organic displays are also more or less unbreakable, says Robert Street, a senior research fellow at the Palo Alto Research Center (PARC). "That would be a huge benefit in notebooks, especially in ruggedized models," he notes.
The problem is, manufacturers haven't figured out how to affordably mass-produce them yet. (Last October, Sony announced an 11in OLED TV display, priced at about £900.)
Building affordable organic displays into laptops will require transforming laboratory techniques into affordable processes for volume production. "We think that an inkjet printing-based approach shows great promise," Street says. He says it may be only a couple of years before the first notebooks featuring organic displays begin appearing on the market. Some notebook vendors say the wait for OLED's debut may be more like four years.
Dim displays can be annoying. But poor battery life may be the biggest gripe among notebook users today- and unfortunately, there's no brilliant new battery technology waiting in the wings.
Why are laptop users so cranky about batteries? For starters, while battery technology has progressed markedly over the past several years, powerful microprocessors, wireless transceivers and other enhanced components have more than gobbled up those energy gains.
Lithium ion remains the current gold standard for notebook batteries, and notebook makers say they're not expecting a successor that supplies more notebook power without driving up system weight or size anytime soon.
Instead, today's laptops makers are focusing on other power-saving techniques, such as intelligently throttling back the power to various laptops components.
"I'm not anticipating any significant change in battery technology in the foreseeable future," says Brett McAnally, senior manager of Dell's Latitude notebook PC product group. "To provide longer battery life, we'll have to look toward optimising devices by analysing user behaviour and saving power consumption wherever we can," he says. "Right now, that's the best approach."
Stepping Up Security
On the security side, most IT managers still live in fear of lost notebooks. But that's changing, as encryption and options like fingerprint readers become easier to manage and more powerful.
Xavier Lauwaert, VAIO product manager for notebook maker Sony Electronics, predicts a growing number of notebooks shipping in the next few years incorporating advanced biometric devices, such as voice-recognition systems and webcam-based retina scanners. "Enterprises that handle a lot of private information, such as banks and insurance companies, will consider these technologies a rather inexpensive investment when compared to the risks involved," he says.


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- iQOO 7 is confirmed to launch in India this month.
- The series will include the BMW M Motorsport edition.
- iQOO 7 price in India will be under Rs 40,000.
iQOO 7 series will launch in India in April, the brand has officially confirmed this via a teaser on Twitter. This is in line with an earlier tip that suggested the flagship phone will release in the country later this month. Unfortunately, iQOO is yet to reveal the iQOO 7 series launch date in India. The company recently confirmed that it will bring the BMW M Motorsport edition to India, which will be called the iQOO 7 Legend. In addition to the iQOO 7 Legend, we expect to see the regular iQOO 7 that comes with a traditional glass back design.
iQOO 7 series set to launch in India this month
The short teaser video only reveals officially that the iQOO 7 will launch in India later this month. The exact launch date is yet to be announced. The iQOO 7 series will include the iQOO 7 Legend, which is essentially the BMW M Motorsport edition. There are also rumours about the iQOO Neo 5 smartphone launching in India as the phone has received the BIS certification. The iQOO Neo 5 may launch alongside the iQOO 7 or it may get a separate event next month.
iQOO 7 specifications
iQOO 7 specifications are already known to us as the flagship was launched in China earlier. The smartphone features a 6.62-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a punch-hole camera. The phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset paired with up to 12GB RAM and 256GB internal storage. The iQOO 7 is a 5G phone that ships with Android 11-based OriginOS in China.
The iQOO flagship comes equipped with a triple-camera system that comprises a 48MP primary camera, and two 13MP sensors. The phone gets a 16MP front-facing camera for selfies. The handset packs dual 2,000mAh battery units and supports up to a whopping 120W fast charging. This solution claims to fully charge the phone in just 15 minutes. Other features include an in-display fingerprint sensor, Hi-Res audio, NFC support, and more.
The company has already revealed the iQOO 7 price in India will start from under Rs 40,000. This means the phone will be more aggressively priced compared to the OnePlus 9.


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PlayStation is investing an additional $300 million in first-party games to launch on “multiple platforms”
First-party games have always been central to Sony’s PlayStation strategy, and that has become doubly true over the past decade. Looking at the success the company has had with proprietary megatons like Uncharted, The Last of Us, God of War, Horizonand more so, it should come as no surprise that this is an area where Sony wants to see continued growth.
To this end, the company invests another considerable amount for this purpose. In its recent quarterly earnings call, Sony said it would invest an additional $300 million in proprietary software development.
“We plan to increase software development spending aimed at bolstering proprietary software in our existing studios by approximately 40 billion yen. [$308 million]said Sony (transcribed by IGN).
Interestingly, Sony also says these games will be released on “multiple platforms.”
“Going forward, we aim to grow the gaming business by strengthening our proprietary software and rolling out that software across multiple platforms,” the company said.
In all likelihood, this refers to first-party games that will also be released on PC. It’s no secret, after all, that Sony is also looking to expand its presence in the PC space, having already brought the likes of God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Days gone to the platform. Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection should also be released on PC this year, possibly in June.


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News of a new business in this area is certainly a breath of fresh air, and this opens the doors for several more opportunities to come to this area.
Signatures stand for a sign of hope for the citizens of Thomasville. Southwest Georgia Technical College and Quickstart have partnered with the United Welding Services, Inc., to employ 50 people for its manufacturing company for truck accessories.
"We're there to help with them to continue to grow and expand their company through training if that's what they need for any of their employees whether it customized or generic," says Freida Hill, President of Southwest Georgia Technical College.
Employees will be trained by Quickstart at no cost to the company to work in a brand new 30,000 square foot facility.
"They are just first class people it will be a great company to work for with wonderful benefits and excellent working conditions," says Kathy Harvill.
"We do know that we've taken some losses but we have an excellent leadership team have who have responded well to adverse situations," adds Don Sims, Chamber of Commerce President.
Sims says there are plans to expand this business as well, adding at least 80 more new jobs, another sign that the rose city will keep on blooming.
The business is expected to be up and running by December 1. They have already begun accepting applications. Those interested can call the Georgia Department of Labor at 229-225-4033.


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Woodbury, NY—The Imaging Alliance, a nonprofit organization representing the imaging industry, announced four new board members who reflect the industry’s diverse aspects. These members signify a new scope for the trade association’s influence.
The newly added board members are: Cathi Nelson, president/founder, the Association of Professional Photo Organizers (APPO); Jirair Christianian, president, Mike’s Camera, Boulder, Colorado; Rick Voight, CEO, Vivid-Pix; and Hans Hartman, chair, Mobile Photo Connect.
“We’ve envisioned that the Imaging Alliance board should represent a much more diverse view of the imaging industry,” said Jim Malcolm, president of the Imaging Alliance. “Bringing the many facets of our industry together, from manufacturers and retailers to software developers and research experts, will allow us to expand the purview of the Imaging Alliance to all facets of visual innovation.”
The organization’s board now totals 18 members. They represent leading camera and accessory manufacturers, printer makers, software developers, research analysts, retailers, publishers, consultants as well as consumer advocates.
Board Members Comment
“I believe in a strong industry association that can serve all segments of photography consumers. From professionals to those interested in artistic expression and the preservation of their family memories,” said Christianian. “I look forward to working together with manufacturers, distributors and service providers to grow our industry.”
Christianian’s 11-store retail chain, Mike’s Camera, is among the industry’s leaders.
“With so many fast changes within the imaging industry and the larger tech industry that impact all of us, there is a need for a broadly supported industry voice,” added Hartman. “I’m excited to be a part of the group helping to shape this voice.”
Hartman’s organization is a respected imaging/tech consultancy.
“The Imaging Alliance will continue to broaden its board with a diverse group of industry executives that represent the future of our industry,” added Malcolm. “We’re proud to have Jirair, Rick, Cathi and Hans join our efforts to expand our views and contribute to the industry.”
The Imaging Alliance Founding
Established in 2016, the Imaging Alliance brought together assets from two respected, longtime industry associations. These were the PhotoImaging Manufacturers and Distributors Association (PMDA) and the Photo Marketing Association International (PMAI). The trade organization actively promotes the economic growth and sustainable development of both current and future imaging applications. Its members work together to create a sense of community through philanthropic activities that support visual communications. theimagingalliance.com


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It’s official: After years of work, work, work, work, work, Rihanna has joined the billionaire’s club. In August 2021, Forbes announced that the hitmaker’s net worth was estimated at $1.7 billion, making her the “wealthiest female musician in the world.”
The only female entertainer valued higher than Rihanna at the time was Oprah Winfrey, which is not a bad company. This is definitely a couch we would jump on. In addition to making money, Rihanna has no problem giving it away. The philanthropic celebrity is known for her generosity, including her $5 million donation in 2020 to help those affected by COVID-19. Since 2012, she has donated and helped raise millions with her Clara Lionel Foundation. Named after her grandparents, Rihanna’s foundation continues to support efforts around the world for education and emergency relief.
But while most of Rihanna’s wealth comes from her incredibly successful and inclusive Fenty Beauty line, that’s not the only factor at play in her billion-dollar empire. The Barbados-born singer has been diversifying her portfolio and honing her efforts as a businesswoman for more than a decade, all of which has helped her reach a point in her career where the launch of Fenty Beauty was possible.
Ultimately, Rihanna’s global appeal, her ability to anticipate future cultural changes, and her astute entrepreneurial mind have contributed to the multi-hyphenate’s incredible wealth and success.
Fenty Beauty By Rihanna Makes Everyone Gorgeous
While there’s no denying that Rihanna has done an incredible job of dipping her toes into different markets, the biggest prop for her bank account is Fenty Beauty. The “SOS” hitmaker launched the makeup line in 2017 and quickly appeared destined to surpass some of her biggest competitors, including the highly successful Kylie Cosmetics. By the end of its first month on the market, Fenty Beauty reported that it had “recorded $72 million in earned media value,” according to People, which included the value gained from audience engagement on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Fenty Beauty also earned praise early on due to its inclusivity, which for the beauty brand meant launching with 40 shades of foundation to ensure all customers could find makeup that matched their skin tone. In just over a month on the market, Fenty Beauty’s affordable prices and wide range of colors were such a hit with consumers that the brand earned a coveted spot on Time’s “Genius Companies” list and earned $100 million.
According to Forbes, the beauty company was valued at $2.8 billion in August 2021, with Rihanna, who owns more than 50 percent of the company, taking home about $1.4 billion of those beauty dollars. The previous year, Rihanna launched the affordable, vegan skincare line, Fenty Skin, to complement her beauty line. Considering the massive success of Fenty Beauty, it’s fair to say that the latest addition to the Fenty line will allow RiRi to sit back and watch the dollars stack up in the future.


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Square's payment app will support Tap to Pay on iPhone later in 2022
Square has announced that it will bring Tap to Pay on iPhone support to its existing point of sale app, allowing users to receive contactless payments without any additional hardware.
The feature, which Apple announced in February, essentially allows users to turn an iPhone into a contactless payment terminal. Now, Square says it's bringing support for the feature to its iOS app.
"Using just the Square POS app and an iPhone, sellers will be able to seamlessly and securely take contactless payments with Tap to Pay on iPhone," Square said.
The payment company added that the feature will build on Square's existing capabilities, including marketing and loyalty programs, product inventory management, and business banking tools.
Square says that the new feature will launch later in 2022, but it is debuting an early access program for select merchants starting Tuesday.
At launch, Apple said that Stripe would be an early partner adopting Tap to Pay on iPhone when it's widely launched.
Square is a dominant player in the in-person payment processing market, while Stripe is more focused on e-commerce and online payments. Now that Square has announced support too, a significant portion of the business payment system market will have the feature.


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Law Practice Management
Bankruptcy Boom Hits BigLaw
Posted Jan 5, 2009 3:21 PM CDT
By Martha Neil
Long-predicted, a tsunami of bankruptcy business is at last starting to fill up the coffers of BigLaw.
The disastrous economic conditions that swept through the country to virtually every industry in 2008 are expected to keep practitioners busy for years to come, as companies that managed to stay in business for a while increasingly are forced to seek bankruptcy court protection, reports the National Law Journal, in an article reprinted by New York Lawyer (reg. req.).
"A steady rise in corporate bankruptcy filings throughout 2008 is expected to crescendo in 2009 and 2010," the legal publication reports, "with collapses spreading from the retail, auto-related, real estate and financial industries to almost any area affected by the downturn in consumer spending, lawyers in the area say."
Bad news for corporate America, however, is good news not only for law firms with substantial bankruptcy departments but attorneys who wish to work there. Firms expecting a wave of bankruptcy business are not only courting seasoned practitioners to add to their insolvency practice groups but putting young lawyers to work, too.
"We were fortunate that we had a large incoming class," says Marcia Goldstein. She heads the business finance and restructuring department at New York City-based Weil Gotshal & Manges, which is particularly known for its bankruptcy practice. The firm is still hiring seasoned laterals, she notes.