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Sarah E. Needleman of The Wall Street Journal rounded up Bonin Bough, Pepsi’s global director of digital and social media, Adam Brown, Coke’s first head of social media and Scott Monty, Ford’s head of social media to discuss their social media woes. According to Needleman, “monitoring a corporate image in cyberspace is a daunting task, even with technological help. Tracking software can identify hundreds of posts daily, and managers must decide which could prove troublesome.”
Below are the highlights from Needleman’s article. We encourage you to check out the article in its entirety.
Last fall, Coke’s software spotted a Twitter post from a frustrated consumer who couldn’t redeem a prize from the MyCoke rewards program. The consumer’s profile boasted more than 10,000 followers. Mr. Brown quickly posted an apology on the consumer’s Twitter profile and offered to help resolve the situation. The consumer got his prize and later changed his Twitter avatar to a photo of himself holding a Coke bottle. “We’re getting to a point if you’re not responding, you’re not being seen as an authentic type of brand,” says Mr. Brown.Bonin Bough:PepsiCo intensified its social-media efforts last November after employees saw critical Twitter posts about an ad in a German trade magazine for a diet cola, which depicted a calorie killing itself. A popular commentator, whose sister had committed suicide, asked, “How could Pepsi do this?” A Pepsi spokesman quickly posted an apology on his personal Twitter page. So did Bonin Bough, who is Pepsi’s global director of digital and social media. Mr. Bough, who was hired for the job in September, says the incident prompted Pepsi to create a corporate Twitter profile; in May it launched The Juice, part of the networking site BlogHer.com.Scott Monty:
One morning last December, Scott Monty, Ford’s head of social media, saw Twitter messages alerting him to online comments criticizing Ford for allegedly trying to shut a fan Web site, TheRangerStation.com. The dispute prompted about 1,000 email complaints to Ford overnight.
Mr. Monty, who joined Ford the previous July from an advisory firm specializing in social media, didn’t wait to learn the facts. He posted messages on his Twitter page, and Ford’s, saying he was looking into the matter, adding frequent updates. Within hours, he reported that Ford’s lawyers believed the site was selling counterfeit goods with Ford’s logo. He persuaded Ford’s lawyers to withdraw the shut-down request if the site would halt the sales. By the end of the day, he Tweeted that the dispute had been resolved.
What other corporate giants have been able to utilize social media for the company good?


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Netflix has long loomed as a threat to established content providers like Disney and Comcast. Now investors have made it more valuable, too. Thanks to a 75% stock market rally so far in 2018, the streaming service has a market value of more than $152 billion, ahead of both Comcast and Disney.
In turn, the net worth of Netflix cofounder and CEO Reed Hastings has skyrocketed as well—over $1.4 billion so far this year—to an estimated $3.7 billion, according to Forbes’ real-time billionaire rankings. He is the 639th richest person in the world.
Hastings owns about 2.5% of Netflix’ stock, which includes a large number of options. He exercises those options and sells them on a regular basis; Forbes estimates that he's accumulated nearly $600 million (after taxes) from share sales over the years. In 2016, Hastings announced he was putting $100 million into a philanthropic fund for education.
His ascent is years in the making. Hastings joined the ranks of the World’s Billionaires in June 2014 after Netflix’ share price rose above $400. (Netflix implemented a seven-to-one stock split in July 2015.)
By March 2016, Hastings’ fortune had inched up to $1.2 billion. From there his gains accelerated. The following March his net worth reached $1.8 billion; then $2.2 billion in September 2017; and finally $3.6 billion as of this week.
Investors are clearly pleased with the company’s revenue and user growth. In 2014, Netflix said it had 48 million subscribers in over 40 nations. It now has 125 million subscribers in more than 190 countries. Between 2014 and 2017, annual revenue climbed from $5.5 billion to $11.7 billion.
Along the way Netflix has accumulated a slew of awards. It notched its first Oscar win in 2017 for The White Helmets, a documentary short about volunteer first responders in Syria. This year it took home its first feature Academy Award, for the documentary Icarus, which delves into the Russian Olympic doping scandal.
Things weren’t always this rosy. In September 2011, after Hastings announced plans to separate the company’s DVD and streaming businesses, customers revolted and shares fell over 75% through the end of the year. Since then, it has invested heavily in original programming, including such shows as Orange Is the New Black and The Crown, a popular series about Queen Elizabeth II and her family.
The recent surge has left some outsiders declaring Netflix’ stock a bubble. No matter—as of yet, Hastings is squarely back on top.

domain: news


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Twitter Inc. TWTR shares traded 5.15% lower in the pre-market session at $46.23 early Monday.
The plunge in the stock comes as the world's richest person and Tesla Inc. TSLA CEO Elon Musk declined a board position at the social media company.
What Happened: Twitter shares are tumbling following a tweet from CEO Parag Agrawal that said Musk had refused to join the company's board of directors on the day when his addition would have become effective. The Tesla CEO had previously said that he hoped to improve the social media platform.
Musk was appointed to Twitter's board of directors last week — with his term expected to last until 2024 and an agreement that imposed a 14.9% limit on his stake — after recently acquiring a 9.1% share in the company.
The billionaire entrepreneur has continued to criticize Twitter as a platform in recent days. He asked his followers if Twitter was "dying," noting that most of the social media platform's top accounts "tweet rarely and post very little content."
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


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Two women charged with drug trafficking
OCALA – Drug agents arrested two women on charges of selling pills and marijuana to a confidential source Tuesday.
Authorities from the Multi-Agency Drug Enforcement Team said they were contacted by the source about two people selling prescription drugs and marijuana. Officials set up the transaction with the source, who conducted negotiations with the women. The deal was to purchase less than 20 grams of marijuana and 100 Hydrocodone pills.
After the transaction was complete, during which the women received $360, MADET, with assistance from the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, arrested Crystal N. Harper, 26, and Tammy M. Proulx, 35.
They had stopped the women’s vehicle in the 3800 block of Northwest Blitchton Road. As agents approached, they saw Harper hide a marijuana pipe under her purse. She told agents that her girlfriend, Proulx, was responsible for selling the pills and weed and said she did not know where the money was.
Searching the car, agents recovered marijuana, $600 in cash and a large number of Oxycodone and Aprazolm pills packaged and ready for sale.
Harper faces charges including trafficking Hydrocodone, sale of marijuana and tampering with evidence. Proulx was charged with sale of marijuana and trafficking Oxycodone and Hydrocodone.
At the jail, the $360 obtained from the sale was found on Harper’s person.


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The UK subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) market saw almost half a million households cancel their paid-for streaming services in the second quarter of 2022, according to data from Kantar.
In total, 1.66 million SVOD services were cancelled by 488,000 UK households, adding to the 1.51 million cancellations from 215,000 households seen in the first quarter of year, as the cost-of-living crisis causes people to consider their outgoings.
As you would imagine, the number one reason for cancelling SVOD services is saving money (36%). And only 50% of households agree or strongly agree that SVOD services deliver good value for money.
Younger households, which tend to be less financially secure, have seen the largest drop in SVOD penetration, falling 2.6% for those under 24 compared to a drop of just 0.5% in 55-64-year-old households.
Despite the reduction is paid-for services, those cancelling their subscriptions are still interested in streaming TV, with two-thirds of them continuing to use BBC iPlayer at least weekly.
“In Q2, we observed how British consumers continued to cancel subscriptions across the board,” said Dominic Sunnebo, Global Insight Director for Kantar’s Worldpanel division. “In terms of the TV streaming market, the decline in subscriptions is being driven largely by younger ages. Although, it is worth noting that this group often have a wider variety of entertainment sources, including BBC iPlayer and free services such as TikTok, suggesting that this age is still interested in viewing TV streaming, just for a lower cost.”
Kantar’s research also found that Disney+ has unseated Netflix as being the number one service for subscriber advocacy for the first-time ever. Netflix’s score fell over a perceived decline in value and the quality of shows on the platform, particularly due to the service’s price rises.
When asked about planned cancellation of Netflix, 27% of consumers cite price rises as their reason to cancel, while 46% point to wanting to save money.
On the other hand, Apple TV+ increased its share of the SVOD subscriber base to 9.9%, with consumer satisfaction at an all-time high with the amount of original content on the platform, and planned cancellation at an all-time low.
“Disney performed well in Q2 because of its broad and diverse content inventory whereas Apple TV’s success in the GB market came because of focusing on local content, such as popular British TV shows,” said Sunnebo. “With Netflix announcing its partnership with Microsoft to build an advertisement-supported tier of its streaming service, it will be interesting to see how it performs in the next quarter against its competitors.”


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If you have a bike at home collecting dust, then a local initiative which will recycle bikes and give them to those less fortunate is the perfect solution.
Bicycle Recycle is asking people to drop their old bikes out to Mountain Bike Rotorua on Waipa State Mill Rd any time next week.
However, if people cannot get bikes out there, a collection day is being held tomorrow at the Mountain Bike Rotorua shop - 1211 Fenton St - from 10am to 2pm.
In a few weeks, The Hits will be asking for people to nominate those who they think should receive a recycled bike.
Mountain Bike Rotorua co-owner Tak Mutu says the whole idea is to get more people out riding and provide bikes for those who are not able to get a hold of bikes - "Not everyone can afford that luxury".
"At the end of the day, it's about giving to those people who don't have a lot."
He says they are after bikes which need a bit of love to make them awesome.
"We want bikes that are working but just need bit more care."
Tak says they will then make the bikes as good as they can so families can get out riding.
"We are always trying to do as much as we can and this is one of the ways we can give back."
Tak says Rotorua has so much going for it, including mountain bike trails and cycleways all over the place.
"We just ask for people to open up their hearts and give to those less fortunate than others."
The Hits Rotorua media personality Paul Hickey says the community knows Rotorua is already regarded as a cycling mecca, but there are so many people who for whatever reasons have not had the opportunity to be part of the excitement.
"So for those who already know the fun of cycling, this is a great way to help grow the community even further."
Paul loves it when The Hits Rotorua gets behind great initiatives like this.
"It saves some space at the landfills, and there's the health benefits too.
"I've got many great memories that were forged on a bike, and the more people who have the chance to do that too, the better."


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FinTech is hot … and FinTech startups are disrupting the value chain, and the industry itself, by grabbing market share, increasing customer churn, and putting pressure on margins.
At the conference, one of the sessions was about how banks are "suffering death by a thousand cuts" and being relegated to utilities as they fail to adapt to new tech trends. Here is a graphic showing the competitive pressures FinTechs are putting on banks.
Likewise, according to a report by PwC released last week, 9-out-of-10 insurers fear losing meaningful business to stand-alone FinTechs.
The game is changing, and so is what you have to do in order to win.


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Tesla rose 1,081%: the big bet to make now
My friend Sasha scoffed as we drank lattes for our Sunday morning ritual. Across the table, Brian shrugged, confident in her statement. “You’ll see. Soon even your parents will want one. top team He’s just lying.”
I watched the exchange between my two friends, familiar with this discussion by now.
See, this was in 2011, and we were discussing electric cars. More specifically, the Tesla (Nasdaq: TSLA) Roadster, the first series of road-legal electric cars you could buy from a company. By then the car had been on the market for about three years and we had seen the top team episode implying that the shiny new vehicle was defective (the reason Tesla sued top team).
We were fascinated by what this technology meant for our future, so I ended up routinely discussing it with my 20-something friends over coffee.
After all, it was practically something out of a science fiction novel: a peppy sports car that ran solely on lithium batteries. It was like an exciting science experiment that you could try yourself if you had $101,500 to spare.
Sasha was convinced that the entire industry would crash and burn: she didn’t think people would want to spend more than $100,000 to have an unreliable device because they had to charge “like an iPod.”
And he was right, at least about the short lifespan of the Tesla Roadster.
It was on the market for about four years and fewer than 2,500 were sold. It was a failure for the most part. Even Tesla CEO Elon Musk said as much.
But, as is so often the case, the failure helped pave the way for a success story of epic proportions.
See, the Roadster launched Tesla on a trajectory that has sent its shares soaring. 1,081% in the last five years. The Tesla brand is now routinely mentioned in the headlines of major news sites. And Tesla’s success is just beginning, despite the bumpy road: It’s the shortest stock on Wall Street right now because of the fears that have always surrounded innovative technology in its infancy.
That success is just one indicator of how this technology is destined to completely revolutionize the car market, despite what my pessimistic friend Sasha predicted.
Look, electric cars are already capturing the imagination of people all over the world.
In fact, UBS bank forecasts that electric vehicles will account for 14% of global car sales by 2025, up from 1% today. Countries are preparing wisely for this change in the car market: Australia is already gearing up to build the world’s longest ‘electric highway’, stretching 1,250 miles with 18 stations. Better yet, France and the UK recently announced that they will ban gasoline-powered cars by 2040.
And brands and governments are increasingly working together to bring this piece of green energy into the mainstream by offering incentives: For example, BMW and Nissan have just started offering discounts to San Diego residents that, when combined with a federal tax credit of up to $7,500 and a state rebate of $2,500 – save $20,000 off the cost of a new electric car.
To top it all off, Volvo stated that starting in 2019 it will only make electric or hybrid cars.
Meanwhile, technology continues to develop by leaps and bounds: top team I recently drove the highly anticipated Tesla Model S around 670 miles on a single charge, though I admit it was in unrealistic condition considering it was driven in the summer with the air conditioning turned off. It’s not something I could do in South Florida without dying of heat stroke.
But this powerful machinery is the reason many experts have reserved one of these bad boys. For the sake of comparison, the standard Tesla Model S 100D lasts around 300 miles. And that was already impressive.
As countries continue to ease the burden of owning an electric car, the technology continues to evolve, and institutions focus on making it much more affordable – many of the obstacles to this innovative lithium-powered technology are falling by the wayside.
All of this goes to show how short-sighted the detractors of electric cars (and Tesla) are.
So as an investor, if you haven’t gotten into this market, now is absolutely the time to start looking into technology-based opportunities that are sure to benefit you. You don’t want to be left behind as the next great automotive revolution unfolds.


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BIOSTAR announces the support of 600 series motherboards for the latest 13th generation Intel processors, let’s find out everything in this dedicated article
BIOSTARa leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards and storage devices, announces a list of motherboards of the series 600 ready to support the latest processors Intel 13th Gen.
With the code name “Raptor Lake“Intel’s latest 13th generation processors are designed to be far superior to their predecessors. With Intel announcing an improvement in the 15% single-threaded performance he was born in 41% multi-threaded performance compared to 12th generation processors, user expectations are high for the latest Intel variants, with a focus on supported motherboards.
Ready to support the new processors
The company is proud to announce the list of previous generation 600 series motherboards ready to support the new Intel processors. This is great news for consumers currently using this platform with a CPU Alder Lakeas the latest 13th generation processors support both DDR5 than DDR4, with extremely impressive performance improvements.
Users with the following BIOSTAR motherboards can now go to their official page and download the respective BIOS update, allowing them to seamlessly use 13th generation chips.
Here is the full list of motherboards
Below is the list of 600 series motherboards for the latest 13th generation Intel processors:
For more details visit the official website. What do you think of this support, of the BIOSTAR 600 series motherboards, for the latest 13th generation Intel processors? Let us know below in the comments. Don’t forget to follow us on our Instagram page, on all our other social networks and to stay connected on TechGameWorld.com.
BIOSTAR article: motherboards support the latest Intel processors comes from allotek.


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With the release of iOS 14.5 and the App Tracking Transparency feature, multiple companies that have ad-based businesses have been getting concerned as Apple’s privacy policies now let users opt-out of being tracked by third-party apps. Last week, Alibaba Group invited some marketing executives to discuss what to do about the changes introduced with iOS 14.5.Expand Expanding Close
Apple Pay victim of its own success in China as gradual rollout leaves many complaining they can’t register cards [U]
Update: Apple has since informed us that the comment by a local representative was not an official statement and has been mistranslated from the Chinese by Caixan. The correct information is that the ability to add cards was being made available on a rolling basis throughout the day.
With many Chinese iPhone owners reporting they they are unable to register for Apple Pay, an Apple
spokesman representative has said the issues are due to too many people trying to sign-up a planned gradual rollout throughout the day. Mashable reports that 38 million bank cards had been linked to Apple Pay by 5pm on launch day, 10M of them registered within the first hour.
Chinese site Caixin cited one example.
“It kept telling me the phone ‘cannot connect to Apple Pay’ or the verification for the card is not available when I was linking a bankcard,” said Duan Ge, a 31-year-old employee of a film production company. Duan said he managed to link his debit card after about 30 minutes of trying, but later when he tried to register another credit card, he “could not even open the app.”
Some had feared that Apple might face an uphill battle in persuading Chinese nationals to use the service, for two reasons …


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JK Rowling‘s former assistant is in hot water, as the bestselling author has filed a £24,000 (roughly $3,1137, US) lawsuit against Amanda Donaldson, for misusing her business credit card to buy cosmetics, candles, Starbuck’s and more. It is also alleged that Donaldson stole foreign money from a safe, worth £7,742 (∼$10,044) and thousands of dollars/pounds-worth of ‘Harry Potter’ toys and memorabilia. Donaldson, who worked for Rowling from February 2014 to April 2017, refutes these claims.
As part of her job, Donaldson had to submit statements and receipts to accountants each month, but last February, discrepancies were detected.
These are the charges that Rowling states that Donaldson made to her business credit card:
- £823 (∼$1,067) at Bibi Bakery
- £1,482 (∼$1,922) at luxury candle company Jo Malone
- £3,629 (∼$4,708) in cosmetic firm Molton Brown
- £2,139 (∼$2,775) in card shop Paper Tiger
- £1,636 (∼$2,122) in Starbucks
Davidson reportedly also bought two cats worth £1,200 (∼$1,556… for two CATS?!) and withdrew £400 (∼$519) in cash which was intended to be used for a “deposit for a restaurant lunch” but Rowling’s husband Neil Murray was informed that no deposit was paid to the restaurant.
In addition, Davidson was responsible for handling memorabilia requests from fans, and used her position to steal a Harry Potter motorized Hogwarts Express worth £467.56 (∼$606), a Harry Potter Wizard Collection worth £2231.76 (∼$2895) and a Harry Potter Tales of Beedle The Bard Set worth £395 (∼$512).
A Rowling spokesperson announced:
“I can confirm JK Rowling has taken legal action against her former personal assistant, Amanda Donaldson, following her dismissal for gross misconduct involving a substantial breach of trust.
“As the case is not yet concluded we are not able to comment further and there won’t be any comment from JK Rowling.”
Donaldson attests that Rowling has “not suffered any loss and is not entitled to damages” from her. The case is expected to go to court before the end of the year.
True, JK Rowling has more money than God, but that doesn’t mean people can just help themselves to her cash and collectibles! Check back for updates as this case unfolds.


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More than a year after its launch, Google Analytics is now being updated to provide a spanking new navigation system and look and feel.
Official announcement of the New Version of Google Analytics!
The prior version's navigation was not always intuitive... i often had to walk clients through it and had great trouble trying to explain how they can view various reports, and most probably never bothered after the first time!
Hopefully, the new version of Google Analytics will be better. I'll blog about it when our account gets updated.
We are running ads on Facebook to raise awareness of the Best Gay Ads campaign currently being organised by Pink! AccuraCast . The ads feat...
Whoever ends up winning the UK general election 2015, there’s no denying that there has been a clear winner on social media thus far. If th...


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Limited edition bottle collecting is pretty popular these days. And just in time for the Mexican holiday, Dia de los Muertos, Cazadores tequila is releasing a limited edition bottle in collaboration with legendary Mexican American artist Mister Cartoon. The bottle will be available on shelves nationwide later this month and features Mister Cartoon’s signature fine-point style of illustration. To commemorate the release, the artist has also created a set of skull bandannas from which 100%of proceeds of sales will go towards disaster relief in Mexico. Check out the press release below:
“HAMILTON, Bermuda September 25, 2017 – Tequila CAZADORES®, a 100% blue agave premium tequila, debuted today a new limited-edition blanco bottle, reimagined by legendary tattoo artist Mister Cartoon in honor of Día de los Muertos. The hand-rendered bottle design features Mister Cartoon’s signature fine point style, nodding symbolically to the Día de los Muertos traditions Mister Cartoon values most. Available nationwide, the Mister Cartoon X Tequila CAZADORES Día de los Muertos bottle will hit shelves in mid-September, ahead of the November holiday. Mister Cartoon has also created a set of skull bandanas – inspired by illustrations from the limited-edition bottle – that will be available through MisterCartoon.com/shop with 100% of proceeds from sales going towards disaster relief in Mexico.
“Mister Cartoon is an artist who, like Tequila CAZADORES, boldly carries his heritage with him, allowing his passion for who he is and where he came from to shine through his work,” said Manny Hinojosa, Brand Ambassador for Tequila CAZADORES. “We are honored to collaborate with him on a special Día de los Muertos bottle design, celebrating one of the most traditional holidays in the Mexican culture.”
The Mister Cartoon X Tequila CAZADORES Día de los Muertos bottle is adorned in symbolic black, white and gray artwork, with illustrations of a skull to honor the memories of lost loved ones, a rose to welcome new beginnings and a woman to represent love and the importance of celebrating the good times. The Tequila CAZADORES iconic stag is part of the design as a reminder to be bold and fearless in the pursuit of dreams.
“It was an honor for me to create a design for Tequila CAZADORES. a brand that shares my passion for preserving the heritage and guiding the future from the past ” said Mister Cartoon.
In the spirit of the holiday, Tequila CAZADORES has crafted a line-up of signature Día de los Muertos cocktails, including The Blood Orange Margarita with Tequila CAZADORES Special Edition, orange curaco, blood orange juice, fresh lime justice and agave nectar; The Good, the Bad and the Ugly with Tequila CAZADORES Blanco, mezcal blanco, Aperol and pureed red roasted bell pepper; The Stormy Soul featuring CAZADORES Reposado, pureed prickly pear, agave nectar, ginger beer, chipotle powder, topped with mint and lemon; and The Rising Dead with CAZADORES Reposado, orange juice, grenadine, a lime wedge topped with an orange and cherry.


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A current analysis of the market share for console software shows that Microsoft last year after Sony and Nintendo landed only on third place.
The market share of Sony was 2021 accordingly 43%. Nintendo was 37% behind it and Microsoft with 20% on third place.
According to a prognosis of the market research company DFC Intelligence, however, the Xbox platform is expected to clear up to ground until 2026, while Sony loses.
The company’s forecast concludes software sales in retail and online with us and states that Microsoft will increase its market share by 7% to 27% by market share. At the same time, both Sony and Nintendo would lose 4%, so market shares there are 39 and 34% there.
DFC Intelligence assumes that Nintendo 2024 will launch a new console. Therefore, the shares would also distribute even more uniform.
Due to delivery bottlenecks, the estimates for video game consoles including hardware were halved. DFC expects growth of 4% compared to the previous year. Console sales in US dollars should be 49 billion this year. Sales in the online business are expected to increase by $ 21 billion.
Sony’s Playstation 5 is considered loser in the current situation. Because, the demand of the PS5 is extremely high, but until the end of the financial year on March 31, 2023, the offer is still very limited. Sony himself recently corrected his forecast to 11.5 million units down.
And according to surveys, the PlayStation 5 is still the preferred console in players. Whereby this could change by the growing range of games in the Xbox library, which were created by studio acquisitions.


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Lucky Cricket, a new concept from TV host and chef Andrew Zimmern — best known for his Travel Channel series "Bizarre Foods" — and Michael McDermott and Jason Merrit of McDermott Restaurant Group, opened on Monday in St. Louis Park, Minn.
In the video above from a local news source, Zimmern, a Minnesota resident, shares 11 things to know about the full-service restaurant.
Lucky Cricket seats 200 guests and serves a menu made up of small plates and shareable dishes from several Chinese provinces such as duck shu mai and hand-pulled Xi'an cumin lamb noodles. The restaurant also serves bites with a contemporary twist like Hong Kong waffles with Shanghai fried chicken.
"Opening this restaurant has always been a dream," said Zimmern in a release. "My life's work has always been about exposing people to different cultures through food, so my goal with Lucky Cricket to take guests on a journey and showcase the authentic flavors of the Chinese foods that I love."
The new concept also has a tiki bar with tropical drinks and Asian-inspired cocktails.
The restaurant is the first of several Lucky Cricket locations planned for the rest of the country.


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Over 212,000 Flood Damaged Cars Back on Roads
Used car shoppers need to be especially wary of “great deals” found in used car listings.
Following Superstorm Sandy, there are likely over 212,000 more vehicles currently on U.S. roads that were labelled as “flood damaged” by a state Department of Motor Vehicles. According to a report from Carfax, almost 66 percent of those vehicles are located in states near where the storm happened.
“Our research proves that flood damaged cars are everywhere,” said Larry Gamache, communications director at Carfax. “It’s big business for professional con men to quickly clean up and resell these cars miles from where the flooding occurred. Consumers need to look out for flooded cars no matter where they live. They’re a serious danger to anyone who unknowingly buys one.”
Buying a car damaged during the storm that shut down much of the East Coast has serious implications. The salt water can cause a vehicle to corrode from the inside out.
“Flood cars are a volatile mixture of water, metal and electricity,” Gamache said. “Once a car is ravaged by water, the mechanical, electrical or safety systems can fail at any time. There’s also the health risk, as mold and bacteria permeate the vents and soft parts of the interior. Know what you’re putting you and your family into before laying down your hard-earned money. Start with a Carfax Vehicle History Report and thorough inspection by a trusted mechanic.”
Carfax reports that roughly half of the vehicles damaged during a flood are resold to uneducated buyers.
Source: Auto Guide


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Thurs. 3:37 p.m.: Kmart will remain open
WARREN – Kmart at the Trumbull Plaza will not be closing, the retail chain’s parent company announced today.
News the store at 2485 Parkman Road NW will remain open comes just one day after Sears Holdings announced it would be closing the store as “part of a series of actions” the company is taking to reduce spending, adjust its asset base and hasten the transformation of its new business model.
A company spokesman said changes to the lease agreement lets the store stay open and continue to employ its 68 associates.
For more on this story, see Friday’s edition of the Tribune Chronicle or online at www.tribtoday.com.


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Is Marcal still in business?
Is Marcal still in business?
“Marcal Paper is officially back in business,” Baron announced to a cheering crowd inside the mill on Friday. “Today we officially announced the restart of regular papermaking operations in Elmwood Park, one year to the day after a ten-alarm fire destroyed the iconic Marcal Paper mill,” said Baron.
Where is Marcal toilet paper manufactured?
Our products are proudly made in the USA.
Did Marcal reopen?
An iconic New Jersey business is back up and running after a massive fire destroyed the complex one year ago. The Jan. 30, 2019 fire destroyed Marcal Paper in Elmwood Park – a business that was a fixture since 1939. It officially reopened for business one year later, along with a reopening ceremony with Gov.
What caused the fire at Marcal paper Company?
Investigators conducted more than 100 interviews and concluded that the fire started in a building where large rolls of paper were stored, but they have been unable to determine the cause due to the extensive damage.
What happened to Marcal?
Marcel winds up at the San Diego Zoo and later breaks into Hollywood, starring in a beer commercial and a film with martial artist and movie star Jean-Claude Van Damme. His last appearance on “Friends” comes during Season 2, when he and Ross say their final farewells.
When was the Marcal Paper Mill fire?
January 30, 2019
For 80 years, the Marcal Paper mill stood as a landmark in Elmwood Park right off of Interstate 80. The massive fire on January 30, 2019, left many wondering if the plant would come back. Wind and paper products fueled the fire, which climbed to 10 alarms before firefighters were able to extinguish it.
Who owns Marcal toilet paper?
Atlas Holdings, LLC
Marcal is owned by Atlas Holdings, LLC. Atlas was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut. Atlas and its affiliates own 16 companies employing nearly 20,000 associates.
When was the Marcal fire?
Jan. 30, 2019
It took firefighters more than 12 hours working in frigid temperatures to douse that fire ire broke out inside a warehouse building at Marcal Paper Mills, on Market Street in Elmwood Park around 5 p.m. on Jan. 30, 2019.
When did Marcal paper burn down?
What does Marcal mean?
The Marcal surname is derived from the Old High German word “marah,” or “horse” and “sclac,” or “servant.” Thus the name was originally occupational for someone who looked after horses, often one of the most important servants in the noble houses.
What happened Marcal paper?
This week we celebrate that legacy and begin anew, as we officially announce the restart of regular paper-making operations in Elmwood Park one year to the day after a 10-alarm fire destroyed the iconic Marcal Paper mill. As the fire began to rage, 200 workers were still in our mill.
When was Marcal paper Factory built?
Nicholas Marcalus, an Italian immigrant from Sicily, founded what would become the Marcal Paper Mills in 1932. The Marcal sign had been a bright red beacon of commerce in Elmwood Park to passing motorists on Route 80 since it was erected in 1946.
What happened to the Marcal Paper plant in Elmwood Park?
Anthony Johnson reports on the reopening of the Marcal Paper Plant in Elmwood Park. ELMWOOD PARK, New Jersey (WABC) — The Marcal Paper Plant in Elmwood Park has officially reopened after being destroyed by a massive fire almost exactly one year ago. The company held a grand reopening ceremony Friday morning inside its rebuilt facility.
Where is Marcal located?
Located just outside of NYC, Marcal is at the center of a multitude of recyclable resources. This unique geographical advantage allows us to develop and manufacture affordable and sustainable paper products for all of your commercial paper needs.
Why choose Marcal for your commercial paper products?
For over 80 years, we have provided cleaner and greener alternatives for all your commercial paper product needs. Meeting the highest independent standards of sustainability, many of Marcal’s products hold third-party environmental certifications. Located just outside of NYC, Marcal is at the center of a multitude of recyclable resources.
Why choose marcmarcal?
Marcal produces only recycled paper products from deinked, recycled fibers; thereby, protecting our most valuable resources. Other paper makers often use some virgin fibers which involve deforestation and chlorine bleaching, both which have long-term environmental consequences. Our products are proudly made in the USA.


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- Officials from the GSA and the CID have shut down an illegal gas plant in the Greater Accra region
- The company, Quest Systems, reportedly manufactured gas cylinders for sale without a license
An illegal gas plant reportedly located at Oyarifa in the Greater Accra region has been shut down, YEN.com.gh has learnt.
Myjoyonline.com reports that the action followed a tip-off that a company called Quest Systems manufactured gas cylinders for sale without a license.
“Upon the Authority’s investigations, we found out that the company was operating the facility without permit and certification from the GSA, which the Authority cannot ascertain the quality of the gas cylinders that are sold onto the market”, George Anti, the Business Development Manager of the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) explained.
He went on to say that, the gas cylinders were not tested to any standards and the GSA cannot guarantee safety for public use.
For that reason, the GSA decided to close the facility to prevent the company from selling the products onto the market because it posed a serious threat to consumer safety.
Anti further noted that the GSA’s action was in line with the Standards Act NRCD 173, which gives them the mandate to prohibit the sale of anything that would not be in the best interest of the nation.
He added that the Act enjoins the Authority to promote trade and protecting consumers from any harmful products in the country.
Anti noted that the Authority’s intervention was critical because the country had recorded a huge number of domestic fires, which had claimed lives and property, adding that, it was imperative for all and sundry to condemn these negative acts.
He stated that the country was open for legitimate and legal business and that any organisations that flout the laws of the country would face the full rigours of the law.
YEN.com.gh understands that the GSA had certified only two local manufacturers; the Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company and Sigma Cylinders.
READ ALSO: Former NDC minister Lee Ocran passes on
Ghana News Today: Zoomlion Gh Ltd Unveils New Mechanical Street Sweepers | #Yencomgh


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MetLife Hong Kong has launched a new “Light Up Your Dreams with MetLife Hong Kong” brand campaign, which aims to inject Hong Kong people with positivity and confidence to achieve their dreams.
Developed by BBDO/Proximity, the ad spotlights a traditional Chinese lantern, which symbolises the unique pursuits and dreams that people have.
The objective of the campaign is to inject Hong Kong people with positivity and confidence to achieve their dreams, while establishing a deeper emotional connection between MetLife and consumers based on positivity.
The campaign is the extension of two of its previous ad concepts from “My dad’s story” and the “MetLife Hong Kong’s dream for my child” campaigns, both of which recognised the sacrifices parents make for their children’s future.
Sunshine Farzan, vice-president and head of marketing and communications for MetLife Hong Kong, said in the past the insurance industry in Hong Kong had been relying heavily on traditional advertising channels and focusing on sombre tones and visuals related to risk and worry.
“To effectively engage Hong Kong consumers and stand out from the crowd, this campaign utilises digital platforms and emphasises positive themes by encouraging people to light up their dreams and be confident that with MetLife’s support they can realise their dreams for the future,” Farzan told Marketing.
“Everyone has unique pursuits and dreams. Sometimes, we are just one step away and need a little lift to make them happen. The brand campaign reflects our ongoing pledge and commitment to placing customers first and keeping them at the very centre of everything we do.”
Participants can upload their dream to the campaign’s microsite and share the post on Facebook to have a chance to win a grand prize of a MetLife Hong Kong’s savings plan worth up to RMB 50,000, other prizes and services to help make their dreams a reality.


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🚀 Quibi finally makes its debut!
Plus, why is the Library of Congress archiving memes?
It’s a stressful time for many startups, and it’s been really tough to see amazing employees let go. We’re hopeful about some of the initiatives that help match people with new jobs, including Pear’s “Startup, Hire Me!”, Candor’s Layoff Hiring List, and the Layoff Network. If you’re aware of another site we should feature, please email us at firstname.lastname@example.org!
Crunchbase News dug deep into startup layoffs caused by the coronavirus using data from Human Interest founder Roger Lee. Lee has tracked almost 20,000 layoffs across 220 companies thus far (most of which have been reported in the media), but believes the real number could be substantially larger. A few data points:
Layoffs doubled between the weeks of 4/2 and 4/8
SF has been hit the hardest, accounting for 1/3 of the layoffs, followed by NYC
Food, travel, and transportation are the industries that have seen the most layoffs
An estimated 64% of layoffs are due to shelter-in-place (companies are seeing demand fall and don’t need as many employees), while 36% are due to companies attempting to extend their runway
You can follow Lee’s tracking live at Layoffs.fyi. If you’re a startup that’s hiring, his site also tracks great talent that may be available to bring on to your team!
🏠 Airbnb raises more $. Airbnb closed on $1B in debt and equity from PE firms Silver Lake and Sixth Street Partners. The company is reportedly paying 10% interest, slightly above junk bond rates. Why fundraise, especially when Airbnb has $3B in cash and a $1B credit line? The capital will allow Airbnb to “invest over the long term in its community of hosts,” which is important as some hosts remain angry despite a $250M payout to cover 25% of cancellation fees. The company predicts 2020 revenue will fall 54%, and warrants issued value Airbnb at $18B, down from $31B in 2017.
😷 Apple and Google join forces on COVID tool. The tech giants are teaming up on a new contact-tracing API that will help users determine whether or not they may have been exposed to the coronavirus. If a user is confirmed COVID-positive, they can consent to sharing their location data, and Apple/Google will alert anyone who has been in close proximity with them in the last 14 days. The entire system is opt-in, and will be offered via API so that public health agencies and other organizations can integrate with it. It’s expected to launch in mid-May.
⚖ WeWork sues SoftBank. The battle continues! After SoftBank yanked its $3B tender offer to WeWork shareholders last week, the company filed suit against its largest investor. WeWork’s board accuses SoftBank of inventing reasons to back out of the deal due to “buyer’s remorse,” and references SoftBank’s own tenuous financial position as other Vision Fund companies continue to struggle. SoftBank responded that the suit was “desperate and misguided.”
💰Tech cos and CEOs make major donations. Twitter and Square CEO Jack Dorsey announced that he is transferring $1B of his Square equity to a new COVID-19 relief fund. A group of other high-profile investors and entrepreneurs, including John and Patrick Collison, Reid Hoffman, and Tobias Lütke, teamed up on Fast Grants, which will allocate $10-$500k to scientists working on COVID-related projects. TikTok also pledged $375M to combat coronavirus, including $250M in grants, $100M in ad credits to small/medium businesses, and $25M in ad space for NGOs and health authorities.
🥡 Food delivery apps face restrictions in SF. SF Mayor London Breed capped the commission that platforms like DoorDash and Uber Eats can take from restaurants at 15%. The cap will start on Monday, and last through SF’s state of emergency. Breed said that “every dollar counts” for restaurants now, making prior commission rates of up to 30% too high. The move sparked debate in the tech community, as some fear that delivery companies may scale down in SF as a result. Grubhub emailed users asking them to oppose the cap, stating that consumer fees would increase by $5-$10/order.
Despite the fact that matches can no longer meet in person, dating apps are thriving in the corona age! Tinder, Hinge, and OKCupid have all reported a 20-30% increase in usage over the past few weeks. This may be due to the fact that users are bored sitting at home, but these companies also deserve credit for quickly responding to the pandemic by introducing (or promoting) features like in-app voice and video calls, and lifting distance radiuses (especially for college students). On Bumble, call usage is up almost 100% since March 13, with an average call time of 30 minutes.
what we’re following 👀
Hollywood talent agencies like WME, CAA, and UTA have a new focus - TikTok stars.
How the coronavirus is reflected in Venmo emojis!
The Library of Congress is archiving memes, and has an international team collecting content about the coronavirus.
Forbes’s Alex Konrad sat down with the Vision Fund’s Masayoshi Son for a wide ranging interview, covering everything from his misplaced trust in Adam Neumann to how many of his companies he expects to go bankrupt.
Did you download Quibi this week? The short-form mobile video company debuted last Sunday with a slate of star-powered shows. Compared to other mobile video content like Snap Originals, Quibi differentiates via high production value - shows cost up to $100,000 per minute to produce (the company raised nearly $2B pre-launch!). According to SensorTower, the app saw 300k downloads at launch despite a heavy ad campaign. To put it in context, this is 13x less than Disney+’s launch day downloads, though it’s significantly higher than HBO NOW’s 45k launch downloads (in 2015).
Some critics are bearish on the app’s future in its current form - pointing out issues like an inability to take screenshots (which limits shareability), and arguing that there is no “must-see” content at launch. Ironically, the “mobile-only” nature of Quibi, which was marketed as a selling point, has frustrated many users who want to watch the shows on a bigger screen. Others have faith in the Quibi team’s ability to produce high-quality shows that users will love (especially with so much funding), as well as the fact that the premium content space is wide open right now on mobile.
What do we think? Quibi didn’t have the huge splash its team was likely hoping for, and we would have liked to see more “can’t-miss” shows at launch. However, when it comes to content, some of Quibi’s shows are truly weird and intriguing in a way that could eventually yield a viral hit. New episodes of each show also drop daily, which has kept us coming back regularly over the first week of use. The five to eight-minute episode length fits in well to a quick break in the middle of the day - so Quibi doesn’t have to compete for time versus Netflix or traditional TV.
We’ll be sticking with Quibi over the next few months as their initial slate of content is rolled out, but are hoping to see more of a “wow” factor in terms of the content for the app to retain users long-term, especially after the three-month free trial expires. Are you a Quibi user? What do you think about the platform, and what are your favorite shows? Leave a comment below!
Affirm - Strategic Finance Analyst (SF)
Apothecary.ai - Full Stack Developer (SF)
Bond - Data Scientist (SF)
Roblox - Associate Product Manager (San Mateo)
Mighty Networks - Customer Advocacy (Palo Alto)
CAA - M&A Associate (LA)
TikTok - Growth PM (LA)*
645 Ventures - Associate (NYC)
Better.com - Growth Analyst (NYC)
Ramp - Product Designer (NYC)
Rhino - Product Manager (NYC)*
*Requires 3-5 years of experience.
thredUP - Brand Design Intern (Oakland)
Curated - MBA Strategy & Ops Intern (SF)
Lyra Health - MBA Product Marketing Manager Intern (Burlingame)
Atlassian - Data Science Intern (Mountain View)
RStor - Software, Business Interns (Saratoga)
PledgeLA - Summer VC Intern (LA) - 🚨applications due today!
Cameo - Social Media/Community Manager Intern (LA)
Newchip Accelerator - VC Intern (Austin)
CB Insights - Intelligence Unit Intern (NYC)
puppy of the week 🐶
Meet Nanook and Boomer, a 3.5-year-old mutt and seven-month-old Australian Shepherd who live in La Veta, Colorado.
Other than making intense faces at the camera, Nanook and Boomer enjoy going on hikes and adventures outdoors, playing in the snow, and staring at birds. Nanook also loves swimming, while Boomer likes chewing on Lululemon leggings.
Follow them on Instagram at @_thebrotherbears!
Hi! 👋 We’re Justine and Olivia Moore, identical twins and venture investors at CRV. Thanks for reading Accelerated. We’d love your feedback - feel free to tweet us @venturetwins or email us at email@example.com.


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In order to increase the projector sales, Ricoh India has appointed Ceeco Technologies as its Projector Partner for its new range of Multimedia Projectors
Sanjeev Bhasin, Founder and Managing Director, Ceeco Technologies, said, “Ricoh is a well-known company with focus on quality in its products and business process. Company has strong business plans for its new range of Multimedia Projectors.”
Ricoh’s Ultra Short Throw projectors allow a bright and colorful big screen without managing the cables. The new projector models are– (basic) Ricoh PJWX4141, (network) PJWX4141N and (interactive) PJWX4141Ni are portable, light in weight and first of its kind to have a ‘Free Form Mirror’ projection.
Manoj Kumar, Executive Vice President & CEO, Ricoh India said, “The projector market in India is rapidly evolving and projectors are fast gaining acceptance as the ‘consumption device’ in the industry. We are enthusiastic to bring new advancement in projection and great performance products for our customers with the launch of our new projectors. With addition of Visual Communication Products, Ricoh India will emerge as a complete ‘Document Management’ by company.”


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Menus for Devour Indy Summerfest released
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.– Devour Indy Summerfest is just two weeks away and you can start planning for the event now.
The event features a variety of restaurants in the greater Indianapolis area.
The three-course menus for participating restaurants were released Monday and can be found here. The event kicks off on Aug. 20 and runs through Sept. 2, giving you plenty of time to try out that restaurant you’ve been wanting to visit.
During those two weeks, restaurants will also be giving back to Riley Children’s Foundation. An option to participate in a charitable program called “Round Up for Riley” will be available.
The Indiana Restaurant and Lodging Association says Devour Indy cocktails will be coming soon.


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In an effort to get rid of surplus property, Riverhead is going to put items it no longer wants up for auction — online.
The town has entered into an agreement with PropertyRoom.com, an Internet auction house based in Mission Viejo, Calif., which in 2009 had contracts with about 1,800 municipalities and police departments to dispose of surplus property. Its web page displays items ranging from diamond rings to coffee makers up for bid.
The town plans to offer everything from old cars no longer worth repairing to stolen property that has been declared abandoned and is gathering dust in the police department.
The agreement calls for the online company to get 5 percent of a winning bid and a 15 percent premium for large items.
Riverhead officials say it will take about two months to complete an inventory of surplus property in all town departments and put it online.


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Lancashire stunned by Government delay in completing review of business rates
Lancashire business chiefs have been left stunned after a long-awaited Government review of business rates was pushed back until later in the year.
The Treasury has confirmed will now publish its findings from its fundamental review into the property tax in the autumn, when it expects there to be more economic certainty.
The major review of the business rates system was called by the Chancellor at last year’s Budget.
Retail, hospitality and leisure operators are currently benefiting from a business rates holiday for the current financial year, which will end on March 31.
'Should I go and fight for my stock?' Preston phone shop owner says police blew chance to retrieve £16,000 of stolen kit
Exclusive: Buyer submits offer for Morecambe's £5m Arndale Centre
Dog exercise business near Preston left in limbo after councillors hear 'chicken slaughter' claim
Preston fitness equipment suppliers celebrates work on six figure gym contract
Lancashire law firm aids £1m finance deal for expanding county haulage company
Retail bosses have called on the Chancellor for a major overhaul of the rates system in order to put store-based business on “a level-playing field” with online retailers, who have seen strong sales growth during the pandemic.
Preston City Centre Business Improvement District manager Mark Whittle said: “The existing flawed rates system has been an issue for businesses in Lancashire since long before the pandemic.
“A large-scale review is well overdue and news of the delay is deeply disappointing.
“Crucial decisions affecting the long-term viability of firms and our high streets should cannot be ignored until the Covid situation has passed.
“Businesses across the region need to know that, as they try to rebuild following the pandemic, that the business rates system they pay into will be a fair one.”
Paul Foster, Development Manager with the Blackpool-headquartered Federation of Small Businesses, said: “The business rates system is clearly in need of fundamental change.
“This delay means that current reliefs will need to be extended both in terms of the existing measures with rates relief and also these being extended so more businesses can be supported.
"So many businesses have had little or no income for approaching 12 months and are simply not in a position to make rates payments.”
The Chancellor is to outline his Budget next week, when it is hoped he will extend the business rates holiday and furlough.


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Hot off of his single “Last Night” Feat. Wale, Sebastian Mikael releases his remix to Drake’s hit “Worst Behavior” which is produced by Lu Baiz.
HOT 107.5 has a big holiday gift coming up soon that involves Sebastian Mikael where he maybe on his worst behavior. Stay tuned!
You may remember Sebastian delivering a special treat to the ladies of the city a few months back. Check it out below:


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Covering Seattle news, weather, arts and conversation.
Posts filtered on Category
In case you missed it … a man from Eugene, Oregon is selling his house for $19.95 online. [Read More]
The Boeing strike might finally end as soon as Saturday, when union members are set to vote on the company’s latest offer. But some analysts worry the damage is done — that the strike might scare the company out of Washington. [Read More]
P-I Andrea James got to the bottom of the online product review that had online shoppers wondering if Amazon had something against presidential candidate Barack Obama: [Read More]


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March 27, 2015
Webasto released the latest ThermoCall and SmarTemp Control 2.0 systems that allow drivers to have more control over in-truck temperature. .
March 24, 2015
Espar is changing its name to Eberspaecher to better align itself with its German parent company, according to a release. The vehicle heater supplier has been the North American subsidiary of Eberspaecher since 1973.
March 9, 2015
Webasto’s Air Top Evo 40 and 55 are air heaters designed for heating cargo spaces in medium-duty commercial vehicles to keep sensitive cargo from freezing or getting too cold.
December 10, 2014
Some carriers turn away temperature-sensitive freight during cold snaps. But Pyle has equipment and facilities to handle it, and the business has grown.
October 22, 2013
Webasto Thermo & Comfort North America recently released its new SmarTemp Control fx Timer. The SmarTemp Control fx Timer is designed to work exclusively with Webasto’s engine pre-heaters and is easy to program for repeat heating duration times.
We offer e-newsletters that deliver targeted news and information for the entire fleet industry.
The expert, Brian Fletcher from Eaton, will answer your questions
Gates Offers 6 Heavy-Duty Water Pumps
Reyco Granning DM400e is Lighter Than Predecessor
Baldwin Filters Offers Aftermarket Filter Designed for Kenworth Models
ARI Introduces Driver Scorecard for Simple Analysis


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Neha Kedia, Trainee Reporter, MassCoMedia
NEW DELHI: Due to rise in the cost of onions because of unseasonal rains and hoarding by unscrupulous traders, now, common man is asking a lot of questions and the Government does not seem to have any answers.
From the last two months it can be seen that the prices of onions are soaring. Previously which was being sold at Rs.10 to Rs.15 per kilogram (KG), now it is being sold at Rs.50, Rs.60 and even Rs.70 per Kg. If one has a look at the statistics then the prices of onion is Rs.34 per Kg at all Mother Dairy outlets, whereas the barrow boy sells it at Rs.40 per kg. However, the market price of onions is Rs.35 per Kg in Azadpur vegetable market.
“I have been selling onions on my barrow from the last four years at the rate of Rs.12 per kg. But from the last two months due to the shortage in the supply of onions the cost has increased. To maintain the stock we used to buy 30 sacks of onion on weekly basis from Azadpur subji mandi at Rs.6 per kg and sold it at Rs. 12 per Kg. With the effect of increasing rates, our sale has decreased due to which we are hardly bringing five sacks of onion per week” said Vijay Kumar, barrow boy, Pushpa Vihar.
“Due to the lack of Government policy we have to suffer. Having knowing about the hoarding by corrupt traders to fill their own pockets by grabbing the income of common people, Government has not taken any action to charge them” said Reenu Aggarwal, House Wife.
The increased prices have not only affected the sale of the vendors, but it has also affected the budget of the family. “In spite of being known that there is a shortage of onions due to freaky weather, the Government did not take corrective measures to ban the import. Why the Government is not taking any action against crooked traders “said Dr.Nitin, Gastroenterologist, Neelu Angel’s Hospital.
The Government about 10 days back reiterated its intention to curb the prices and said that it will relieve import restrictions, impose export controls, and increase the purchase of essential commodities as it has come under fire from the opposition on rising food prices. Although it does not seem that the prices of onion would decline till the next two months.


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How Nestle is trying to trim ad tech middlemen
Nestlé wants to cut out unnecessary ad tech vendors and go direct to publishers when it can.
The advertiser has launched what it calls a “Global Digital Media Center of Competencies” to get as close to the source of its ads as possible, whether it’s the publisher or retailer that sells them or the exchange that sells them on their behalf. Like other in-house teams, Nestlé’s internal media division is filled with media experts at Nestlé as well as execs pulled from its media agencies. Unlike those advertisers, however, Nestlé’s agency execs come from all four holding companies. It’s meant to function like an agency in its own right and will take charge of planning online media investments, as well as brokering partnerships with demand-side platforms, supply-side platforms and publishers.
“We are looking into more direct relations with various digital media vendors including SSPs,” said Sebastien Szczepaniak, global head of sales and eBusiness at Nestlé. “We have set a thorough selection process in place that is currently being piloted.”
According to Szczepaniak, 65% of the money Nestlé uses to buy online ads is done so using programmatic methods. That amounts to around $62.4 million on programmatic, based on media measurement firm Comvergence’s tracking of the advertiser’s $2.7 billion media budget in 2018.
“Advertisers want to get closer to tech,” said Nick King, founder of consultancy Canton Marketing Solutions. “They really want to understand the full capabilities of the product, rather than just asking their agency to execute. But knowing how to work with ad tech providers is a challenge as one of the hardest things for an in-house team is knowing what good tech looks like.
Managing another set of partners is a massive commitment for Nestlé, made more palatable by a cull it made to the number of ad exchanges it buys ads from. Earlier this year, the advertiser went from buying ads through 65 ad exchanges to less than 10 vendors it now has direct contracts with, said Szczepaniak. If the exchanges didn’t commit to giving Nestlé a certain level of transparency into how they ran online auctions then they were dropped, said Szczepaniak.
”We’re putting a set of standards for the partners that want to work with us to make sure that we’re getting a certain level of quality in terms of our supply from SSPs,” said Szczepaniak. He declined to say exactly what those stipulations were but did say those deals were based on a set of negotiated terms, essentially a code of conduct.
Not all ad tech businesses are happy to share this information. Google’s ad exchange, for example, won’t share that information with buyers who don’t have a contract with the ad tech side of its business.
“Google and Amazon are two examples of SSPs we’re currently re-negotiating with,” said Szczepaniak. “The standards we want from them may trigger some friction but that’s going to be the way for us moving forward,” he said.
If those larger ad tech vendors won’t agree to the proposed terms, investments will slow, said Szczepaniak.
Working directly with ad tech vendors and publishers, ultimately means the business will buy from a smaller group of them, said Szczepaniak.
“Less vendors means more strategic partners,” said Szczepaniak.
The emergence of Nestlé’s internal team builds on the work done by former execs Pete Blackshaw and Nigel Conway, who both left the business last year. Under their guidance, Nestlé built a digital media team that currently employs 146 execs across the U.S., Europe and Asia, per LinkedIn. Furthermore, Nestlé has tested the hybrid approach to working with agencies previously. While the new team complements the work done by those existing execs, it also creates a whole new set of challenges that come with getting rival agencies to put aside their differences and collaborate. Closer collaboration between the groups should have a limited impact on trading deals, however, as the agencies, not the in-house team, still buy Nestlé’s media, said Szczepaniak.
How gaming organization OTK strikes a balance between creator-ownership and more traditional executive experience
Since its formation in October 2020, creator ownership has been a core part of One True King’s DNA. The group is constantly adding new talent to its list of creator–owners, fueling a rapid rise and accolades such as “Best Content Organization” at last year’s Streamer Awards.
When it comes to TikTok, some marketers proceed with caution
For some marketers, the bloom is coming off TikTok.
Digiday+ Research deep dive: YouTube holds strong as a reliable marketing channel for agencies and brands
YouTube might not be considered the most exciting marketing channel out there, but brands and agencies see the platform as a reliable marketing channel that delivers consistent success.
SponsoredHow advertisers are fostering more effective publisher partnerships
Michael Weaver, senior vice president, business development and growth, Al Jazeera Media Network An everyday conversation between publishers and advertisers goes like this: The publisher invites the advertiser to a meal to talk about their business, attempts to delve into specifics on what the media buyer is looking to achieve, their audience breakdown and how […]
Pringles goes all in on social to put college athletes front-and-center for ‘March Mustache’ campaign
Pringles is turning to social media — particularly Instagram — to leverage some of the college athletes playing in the March Madness basketball tournament, with the goal of reaching college basketball fans on second screens.
Short-form video needs better monetization, creator funds aren’t the way to do it
Creator funds have almost been like a stepping stone before a more permanent solution is either considered or put into place.


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… handled 53.01 MT of cargo while New Mangalore handled 42 … .50 MT.
Volume of seaborne cargo is essentially in the nature … the country’s total cargo traffic.
Traffic handled by about … report of the Ministry of Shipping. end-of
Top ports record marginal upswing in FY19 cargo handling at 699 MT


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The latest quarter continued to see Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) on the rebound as the stock recovered from its large drop more than a year ago when the company was forced by market sentiment to retract plans to increase subscription charges. The stock had also seen significant devaluation when the company failed to add subscribers at a fast enough pace and invested heavily in both domestic and international expansion. Though the stock may not have reached its earlier glory days, for now, it has recovered and analysts expect it to continue to do so.
Netflix’s Q1 revenues grew 18% over the year to $1.02 billion, marginally ahead of market’s expectations. EPS of $0.31 was significantly ahead of the Street’s targeted earnings of $0.18.
The market was pleasantly surprised by strong growth in the subscriber base. Netflix ended the quarter with a paid streaming subscriber base of 34.2 million, reporting 40.2% growth over the year. The total streaming subscriber base grew 37% to 36.3 million.
Netflix ended the quarter with 29.2 million subscribers in the U.S., a number that is a significant milestone for them. With their subscriber base, Netflix surpassed HBO’s 28.7 million domestic viewers and is now being called the most watched “cable network” in the country. It is an important breakthrough given that both Netflix and HBO began their stories by offering first movies then diversifying into original programming. HBO has also expanded their digital solutions by offering their content over the Internet through HBO Go.
Internationally, Netflix is growing as well. International revenues grew 230% over the year to $142 million. Domestic streaming revenues grew 26% to $639 million. In line with Netflix’s digital strategy, their domestic DVD business is dwindling. Revenues from the DVD segment fell 24% over the year to $243 million, with the number of subscribers dropping from 10.1 million a year ago to 7.9 million.
For the current quarter, Netflix expects streaming revenues of $821 million-$843 million, with a domestic subscriber base of 29.4 million-30.5 million and international subscribers of 7.3 million-7.9 million. They expect to end the quarter with an EPS of $0.23-$0.48, compared with the market’s estimates of $0.27 for the quarter.
Netflix’s Content Acquisition
Netflix’s success in the recent quarters is attributed to the improvement in their content. Not only did they tie up with multiple studios, but Netflix also began making their own content – a strategy that seems to be working. Their original series, “House of Cards,” has received positive reviews. Continuing on this path of “backward integration,” they recently released another original series, “Hemlock Grove,” to favorable reviews as well. The success of these series is attributed to the trove of information that Netflix has about their subscribers’ viewing choices and demographics, which helps them produce highly targeted content.
Streaming Plan Change
Soon Netflix will also release a new subscription plan for U.S. subscribers. Known as a four-stream plan, the offer will help earn extra revenues from the current freeloaders on their subscription system. Netflix lets customers view content on any number of devices with a single subscription and also permits two simultaneous streaming sessions from a single paid subscriber. Analysts estimate that because of these permissions, Netflix has nearly 10 million viewers watching their content through password sharing. Netflix plans to earn some revenue from these customers by launching a new plan at $11.99 that will permit four simultaneous streams. They expect less than 1% of their existing subscriber base to sign up for this plan.
Netflix’s stock is trading at $216.99, with a market capitalization of $12.15 billion. It touched a 52-week high of $219.38 earlier this week.
Netflix’s resurgence has also led to talks that the company may now be bought over by other tech giants. Some believe that Netflix may be a good match with Apple. Apple already has more than 400 million active iTunes users generating $3.68 billion in annual revenues from content sold through iTunes. The addition of Netflix’s content to their portfolio will offer these subscribers access to Netflix’s content. The deal would also help build investor confidence in Apple, which has been waning in view of a recent feeling of absence of innovation from the company since the demise of their visionary founder, Steve Jobs. At a $12 billion valuation, the price is small for the $145 billion cash pile that Apple is sitting on.


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Publicis Healthcare Communications Group (PHCG) held a VIP Reception, hosted by its CEO Nick Colucci, on Sunday, June 15 in Cannes, France. The reception marked the end of the inaugural Cannes Lions Health festival and the beginning of the Cannes Lions festival of creativity, the world’s biggest celebration of creativity in communications. Cannes Lions Festivals, with a rich, 60-year history of celebrating the best creativity in advertising and marketing, created a separate festival to gather the industry around a discussion of the unique creative challenges in health and wellness.
Colucci toasted reception attendees by recognizing the unique needs of marketing in the health and wellness space: “Some will say our heavy regulation kills creativity. But I think fear kills creativity. Regulation can actually fuel our industry to be more creative, not less,” he said. “With that context in mind, I believe that creativity matters as much, if not more, in health than in any other industry.”
Industry leaders, brand managers and top creatives all attended the reception, which gave them an opportunity to liaise with representatives from the world’s leading health and wellness brands including Novartis, Nestlé Health Science, Unilever, Abbott and DrinkWise.


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Call to curb anti-germ products
Microbiologists are warning that the growing use of "nano-silver" in common household products and clothing could create the perfect storm for superbugs in Australian hospitals.
Microscopic silver nanoparticles are used in wound dressings, including for serious burns victims, and to ward off bacteria on catheters and stents.
But experts are worried about the use of the technology to coat everyday products such as toothbrushes, hair brushes, shoes, socks and refrigerators, to stop the spread of germs.
Several senior microbiologists have backed a campaign by Friends of the Earth to force health regulators to limit the use of nano-silver, saying there is already evidence of silver-resistant bacteria in some US hospitals.
Australian Society for Microbiology president John Turnidge said manufacturers were preying on consumers fearful of germs to market unnecessary "antibacterial" and "odour-killing" products.
Professor Hatch Stokes, from Sydney's University of Technology, said governments needed to do more to curb the use of antimicrobials outside clinical settings.
Friends of the Earth nanotechnology spokesman Gregory Crocetti said the Federal Government should remove unnecessary antibacterial products from the market.
A Health Department spokeswoman said the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme was looking at regulations on nanomaterials.
It would seek public comment next year.
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Stainless Games have announced that it is to launch an Early Access release programme for its car combat game, “Carmageddon: Reincarnation” in early 2014 for PC, via Steam.
“Early Access” is an option that’s becoming an increasingly popular delivery method, as it allows fans to start playing the game before the “final release” date. The Early Access game will be released with a number of levels, cars and game modes, and more content will then be added in updates over the following months.
Once the Early Access programme launches, players will have the option to buy the game content at a variety of tiered prices, starting with the standard game package and leading up to a full package bundle that will include all DLC and all future released material at an all-inclusive price.
Jason Garber, Publishing Director at Stainless Games said, “We are delighted to be making this announcement today. Anticipation for the arrival of this new chapter in the life of the Carmageddon Brand has been building since we regained the rights. The existing Carmageddon community and a whole new generation of fans is out there waiting for this, and with Early Access on Steam they’ll be able to play, engage with us and give feedback as we continue towards the full release.”
The new game will also be released on next gen console during 2014, with Mac and Linux versions coming too.


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Round-Up - Anheuser-Busch InBev's Q1 Results 2014
The world's biggest brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev, reported its first-quarter results in early May. Here just-drinks provides a round-up of our in-depth coverage
Anheuser-Busch InBev has reported a lift in first-quarter sales, but rising finance costs and currency swings dragged down net profits.
How much will Brazil's beer industry be affected by the surprise tax increase announced last week?
Anheuser-Busch InBev's CEO has admitted the company still has “work to do” to stem the decline of Budweiser's US market share, but is “heading in the right direction”.
Earlier today (7 May), Anheuser-Busch InBev reported a rise in first-quarter group sales, but net profits were dragged down by higher finance costs. Here just-drinks takes a look at the brewer's performance in its global markets:
- SABMiller's troubles fuel M&A rumours
- Diageo's future brighter than present suggests
- Diageo's Q1 Results by Region
- Focus - Remy Cointreau's H1 Performance by Brand
- Three Questions for the Drinks Industry
- Moët Hennessy unveils first Travel Retail outlet
- Diageo puts Beckham centre stage in Haig Club ad
- Moet Hennessy sales falter in YTD
- Diageo Q1 sales dip "in line with expectations"
- Diageo to appeal Parrot Bay UK TV ad ban


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Startup company Rimsys (Pittsburgh) has launched its its first software solution that helps medical device companies effectively manage regulations around the world.
Delays or blocks to medical devices entering the market can be caused by things like mismanaged information. Rimsys is trying to alleviate that problem with its software by giving them a platform that companies can use to understand regulations that can affect their product pipelines and portfolios.
“Getting a product to market is tough enough from a development standpoint,” said James Gianoutsos, founder of Rimsys, in a press release. “However, complying with each country’s requirements accurately and on-time can make or break its entry. That’s where Rimsys shines.”
Gianoutsos developed the software based on his industry experience and feedback from an advisory board that has top regulatory leaders from a number of global medical device companies. The leaders provided feedback like how often they have to hire specialized consultants to help manage the changing regulations and how their product requirements are affected. The leaders also suggested their their internal teams are not equipped to address compliance issues alone. Rimsys helps address those problems by giving companies an interactive platform that allows team to manage products, countries, regulations, standards, guidelines, accounts, contacts and regulatory bodies.
“Professionals need a way to properly manage this information,” Gianoutsos said. “Regulatory intelligence by itself isn’t of value until your organization applies it. How does this information impact products? How does it impact country representatives? Our system doesn’t allow critical action items to fall through the cracks.”
A recent Emergo Group survey noted that changing regulatory environments will be a top concern for medtech companies this year. About 68% of industry senior managers and executive said that changing regulatory environments is one fo the biggest challenges their company faces. Additionally, only 55% of survey respondents reported only having a basic understanding of the changes occurring.
“We know this isn’t just a medical device industry issue. It’s a general regulatory management issue,” Gianoutsos said. “That said, there is opportunity to expand Rimsys beyond medical devices. However, the company’s current focus is where the biggest need is, and that’s the medical device industry.”


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A product like ''Filet of Fish Divan'' says a lot about the latest trends in frozen dinners. Delectable? Yes. Gourmet-sounding? Yes. Low-caloric? Yes. Expensive? Yes.
Apparently, consumers can't get enough of this dish. It's made by Stouffer under the label ''Lean Cuisine'' and the company is madly rushing to expand its plant to handle demand for this and 13 other Lean Cuisine frozen entrees.
''Junk food isn't going to cut it anymore (in frozen dinners),'' says Al Jackson, a food analyst at First Boston Corporation. Mr. Jackson says that demand for frozen dinners has been flat in the last few years because of low quality and a saturated market. But the current move toward high-quality dinners , some of them low-cal, has created ''a tremendous, tremendous opportunity'' for the industry, he says.
What makes a premium-quality frozen dinner?
Jim Biggar, Stouffer's chief executive officer, says it means using the natural cut of a fish instead of a portion cut from a block of many fish. Robert Fox, chief executive officer of the Del Monte Corporation, says good-quality dishes have more sauces. And Nicholas Rago, of Armour Dinner Classics, says quality means the choicest cuts of meat and vegetables from Minnesota heartland.
''The consumer is not interested in dining on the tin plate any longer,'' says Mr. Rago, vice-president of Frozen Foods & Food Services, the Armour Food Company division that distributes Dinner Classics.
Dinner Classics are meals like Beef Burgundy and Teriyaki Steak served on white, oval plastic dishes that can be popped into a microwave or conventional oven. ''We haven't spared any expense,'' Rago says. The company's innovative packaging has the rest of the industry looking for alternatives to plastic pouches and tin plates.
Though Dinner Classics retail from $2.39 to $3.19 per single serving, that hasn't stopped their popularity. Sales have grown by more than 150 percent in each of the past three years because of ''consumer repurchasing and market expansion,'' Rago says.
George Domolky, a food analyst at Fidelity Management & Trust Company, compares the trend toward premium frozen foods to a move from Chevrolets to Cadillacs. The profits are ''in the higher-level, higher-income, higher-education market. There will not be much quibbling about price.'' he says.
And ''when you offer something better, there is legitimate demand,'' adds First Boston's Mr. Jackson.
The frozen-entree industry - about a $2 billion-a-year business - has set its sight on this upscale opportunity. Swanson, a division of the Campbell Soup Company, has reportedly seen sales volume slide 16 percent in the last five years. But it has started a campaign to upgrade its basic meat-and-potato frozen fare and launch a line of high-quality entrees under the label ''Le Menu.'' Demand for the product in test markets has been heavy.
Another slow mover, the Morton brand, is under scrutiny by its parent, Del Monte, owned by R. J. Reynolds. Morton, which makes everything from pot pies to doughnuts, was stuck in a long-term decline before it was bought by Del Monte in 1981.
With Morton, Del Monte is ''moving into frozen foods in a big way,'' says its chief, Mr. Fox. ''We purchased Morton as a vehicle to provide us with plants and distribution, which gives us a low-price entry in the market.'' The company is working on new flavors and better-quality ingredients for Morton.
But by early 1984, Fox says, the company also plans to come out with a premium brand under the Del Monte label. The dinners will feature dishes like Chicken Kiev, Chicken Cordon Bleu, omelettes, and quiches. Fox expects the Del Monte brand ''to grow faster than the market,'' while Morton will be ''a slow-growth but still important (brand) . . . that serves the low-price market.''
Del Monte also has a hot line going for it in ethnic foods with its Chun King dinners and Patio Mexican foods. ''Mexican and Oriental are in,'' says George Domolky at Fidelity.
Benihana of Tokyo Inc., the Japanese restaurant chain based in Miami, is counting on this. In June, New York supermarkets will begin carrying its four new entrees - hibachi rice with shrimp, noodles with beef, sirloin pepper steak, and sweet and sour chicken.
''Five years ago we sold the Benihana knife set and made over $2 million in four months,'' says Rocky Aoki, president of Benihana. The Benihana name and taste will sell these products too, he insists. Mr. Aoki says the test supermarkets in New York went through a seven-day supply of the products in two days. He adds that the company hopes to go nationwide with the product.
Aoki says another thing going for his products is that a lot of the food is naturally low in calorie content. ''You never see fat people in Japan. We have the right kind of diet.''
''I think that everyone is nutritionally oriented without really being a mathematician on it,'' says Mr. Biggar, Stouffer's chief executive. It took Stouffer, which aims at the high end of the market, five years to develop its ''under 300 calories'' Lean Cuisine brand, Biggar says. ''We were planning boldly,'' but even then the company didn't predict within 50 percent of present demand. Biggar says that with dishes like Glazed Chicken, Oriental Scallops, and Zucchini Lasagna, Lean Cuisine has satisfied consumer demand for low-cal foods and for ''upscale and unusual'' dishes.
With more companies entering this upscale market, and also considering adding a low-cal line, competition in supermarket freezers will be sizzling. Because freezer space is limited and costly for a retailer to add, some executives say market growth for one company will have to come at the expense of other, weak-selling products. Any manufacturer without a good distribution system, a guarantee that the product is there for good, a broad product line, and a determined sales force will have trouble keeping up.
On the other hand, executives see growth ahead for the industry as a whole. ''If frozen foods as a group begin to make more profits for the retailers, then they will convert dry space to frozen,'' says Stouffer's Mr. Biggar.


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Amidst all these new BlackBerry devices being announced, we mentioned that the BlackBerry Curve series was missing and speculated on some reasoning as to why. It being the more cost effective device in the line up comes to mind first, with the other devices being top tier devices but walk with me here while we take a look at the latest leaked Verizon document.
It is of course littered with Android devices but if you look carefully you can see a BlackBerry Curve 9370 listed amongst the mix and looking to the far right, ignoring the launch date of 9/8/11 for a second you'll see a section that says "new to report 4G smartphone". Now, this could be a typo or it could be dead on accurate -- either way, it's interesting and has us rethinking why the new BlackBerry Curve devices were not announced like all the others.
A new 5G BlackBerry Android smartphone with a keyboard will arrive in 2021
A new joint announcement from BlackBerry, OnwardMobility, and FIH Mobile lays out the plans for a new 5G BlackBerry Android smartphone with a physical keyboard to be brought to market in North America, and Europe within the first half of 2021.


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Many B2B companies are now considering how to invest their marketing budgets for 2021. With so much up in the air, companies need Read more
Netherlands-based logistics company, ETC Holland, has invested in 15 lightweight LAG tipping silo trailers.
The first five large volume silo tankers of the Read more
German OEM, Schmitz Cargobull, presents a compilation of its latest product and service innovations that aim to reduce the Total Cost of Ownership Read more
SSAB, LKAB and Vattenfall are taking a decisive step toward fossil-free steelmaking with the start-up of HYBRIT’s globally unique pilot plant for the Read more
UK-based haulage operator, Kersey Freight Ltd (KFL), has added 20 new SDC Freespan Curtainsiders to its 180 strong trailer fleet, in addition to Read more
German OEM, Schmitz Cargobull, has appointed new management for its Cargobull Parts & Services subsidiary, effective 1 July 2020.
Patricia Aznar and Britta Read more
Chinese OEM, CIMC Vehicles, has published the group's unaudited interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2020.
The group's global development Read more
Frank Appel, Deutsche Post DHL Group CEO, said the coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the importance of logistics – the backbone of the global Read more
US-based company, XPO Logistics, will take to the roads of the Tour de France for the 40th consecutive year as official transport partner.
UK-based food company, Hovis, is modernising its double deck trailer fleet with an initial order of 30 units from Tiger Trailers.
With millions Read more


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Kraken Security Labs said they found a way to extract seed phrases from KeepKey hardware wallets.
According to them, the process takes only 15 minutes.
However, in order to carry out the plan, the attackers need physical access to the device and an inexpensive device that can cause a microcontroller to malfunction due to a voltage drop.
Experts added that the vulnerability is inherent in KeepKey microcontrollers and to modernize the devices it is necessary to eliminate it.
Kraken representatives told KeepKey about the problem, but they replied that their task was to “protect user keys from remote attacks.” first of all, cybersecurity experts advise not to give anyone physical access to KeepKey wallets, and also try not to lose the device.
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Islamic Council of Norway claims much of the halal meat sold in the country is mislabelled or even smuggled in result in the FSA making nationwide checks to ensure consumers get what they ask.
Meat is classed as being halal after it has been blessed by a Muslim during the slaughtering process. The Council is pleased the FSA is helping them make sure the meat they are consuming is definitely halal.
The market for halal meat is growing with 950 tonnes sold in Norway so far this year, a 50-ton increase on 2012. The Council hopes that stricter controls will deter rogue sellers from operating.


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At the forefront of the electrifying America’s car fleet: Cities
Whether you live in Boca Raton, Burlington, Kansas City, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, or Santa Monica, you’re likely hearing a lot more about electric cars these days. That’s mainly because their costs are dropping rapidly, and automakers keep offering new electric options. If you or your neighbor doesn’t already have one, stay tuned: More intriguing electric cars are coming to a town near you.
Yeah, yeah, we know, electric sales are just 1% of U.S. car sales—but the markets are starting to turn. In fact, we’ve got the data to prove it (see our latest report here). From 2015 to 2016, the U.S. electric market was up 30% overall. More impressively, the local electric car markets of Charlotte, Detroit, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Memphis, Minneapolis, New York, Pittsburgh, Providence, Richmond, Salt Lake City, and Virginia Beach saw growth of over 75% from 2015 to 2016. There are now 11 U.S. metropolitan areas with over 10,000 total electric cars (as of the end of 2016); Los Angeles, the largest, has over 100,000. Of the 50 largest metro areas, 49 saw increased electric car sales from 2015 to 2016 (the exception was Atlanta, where the incentive was repealed and swapped for a fee…).
Why this uptick in electric sales across U.S. cities? These markets have more electric models available (to appeal to more prospective consumers), greater consumer incentives (to help lower the upfront cost), more extensive public charging infrastructure (to ensure greater convenience), and more local promotion activities (to help educate consumers). Based on our latest analysis of U.S. metropolitan areas, the more of these actions that are in place, the higher electric vehicle uptake is across the U.S. markets. All of these factors are statistically linked to increased electric vehicle sales, and we provide lots of examples where they are being implemented.
To give one clear example of a key underlying factor, public charging infrastructure grows hand-in-hand with electric vehicle growth (see figure). Even through electric vehicle charging is mostly done at home, public charging is a necessary part of the electric vehicle ecosystem; it boosts electric vehicle user range confidence and increases the extent to which electric cars displace gasoline use. This reaffirms the relationship that we and other groups have found linking uptake and public charging. It also greatly reinforces the opportunity for cities like Los Angeles, and local utilities like in Kansas City, to deploy charging infrastructure to help spark the market. Another key action on this front is to expand access to public charging where residents are less likely to have their own garage for home charging (see Seattle’s latest right-of-way program and Austin’s multi-family home rebates).
In other parts of the world, we see the same trend where local and national governments help spur the electric car market with incentives, charging, and local campaigns. U.S. cities can take a page out of the playbooks not just from the leading U.S. cities, but also from the world electric vehicle capitals in Europe and China. Cities like Amsterdam and Oslo take similar steps, often going further (e.g., with free electric car parking, free charging, electric taxis and car sharing), and have much higher electric vehicle uptake than do most U.S. cities. Beijing and Shanghai show strong preference for electric cars in their local car registration policies. London could eventually offer access to the urban center only for electric vehicles. Other cities like Athens, Madrid, Mexico City, Munich, Paris, and Stuttgart are even considering banning higher polluting and diesel vehicles to fight local air pollution. Of course, city policies must be tailored to local needs and circumstances, but all of these cities keep innovating and learning from each other’s new policies.
Local action has always been at the heart of environmental progress. Especially now, local action is necessary to combat climate change. Cities, rightly seeing electric as one of the big climate solutions, are clearly at the forefront.


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Ovolo Hotels will serve only vegetarian food across its restaurants and bars for the next 365 days.
The initiative, called “Year of the veg” and launched on world vegetarian day (October 1st), will see menus “refined”, with some sites opening kitchen gardens to grow produce.
A Facebook post claims it is the first hotel group to go completely vegetarian. Last year, the group opened Hong Kong’s first vegetarian hotel restaurant, Veda. Its Australian sites in Canberra, Brisbane and Sydney will also switch to 100% vegetarian offers.
“We want to be conscious about what we’re consuming and practice sustainability as much as we can because we believe this can have an enormous impact on the environment and humanity at large,” said Ovolo Group founder and CEO Girish Jhunjhnuwala.


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Arriving in late 2018, AIDAnova will be the first cruise ship fully powered by LNG, the world's cleanest burning fossil fuel, with nearly zero emissions. This ship will be the first in the cruise industry to use LNG to generate 100% of its power both in port and on the open sea – an innovation that will reduce exhaust emissions to help protect the environment and support Carnival Corporation's aggressive sustainability goals.
AIDAnova's next-generation, fully LNG-powered design is an evolution from the brand's previous award-winning class of ships that includes AIDAprima and AIDAperla, the first two cruise ships in the world to use LNG while in port. AIDAnova will be followed by six additional fully LNG-powered ships scheduled to be delivered across several Carnival Corporation brands by 2022.
AIDAnova marks a new generation of AIDA Cruises ships that combine innovative design with state-of-the-art technology to provide even greater onboard comfort – the onboard brewery featuring the first-ever beer garden, the beach club and Four Elements, complete with three water slides, in addition to a new escape room for puzzle lovers and 360-degree Theatrium and Studio X, a TV studio at sea.
Highlights include 20 different stateroom types, ranging from a two-deck penthouse suite to spacious family and patio cabins to comfortable single options with a balcony. The ship will also feature the Body & Soul Spa, spanning two decks and offering over 80 treatments from around the world. For the first time, the ship has two private outdoor sun islands for couples; an all-new concept with 17 restaurants – five specialty restaurants, six à la carte restaurants, five buffet restaurants and one snack bar; 23 bars offering a variety of culinary trends from around the world; and the new Time Machine restaurant, blending experience and culinary art to take guests on a dinner trip through time.
In its debut season starting in December 2018, AIDAnova will offer seven-day trips around the Canary Islands. Prior to the Canary season, AIDAnova will make a stop in Hamburg, and will visit the Hanseatic City on the Elbe before setting off toward Gran Canaria.
Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/liquid-natural-gas/04012018/lng-powered-aidanova-expected-to-launch-indecember-2018/


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The world chief in semiconductors is benefiting from increased demand for chips from laptop computer makers and knowledge centres amid the coronavirus-driven shift to working from dwelling.
But on the identical time the South Korean tech large can be anticipating a much bigger hit to its cell and shopper electronics gross sales within the present quarter because the novel coronavirus sweeps by way of Europe and the United States – key markets for its premium smartphones and TVs.
Samsung mentioned working revenue was anticipated to be KRW 6.four trillion ($5.2 billion) within the quarter ended March, in contrast with KRW 6.2 trillion a yr in the past and the KRW 6.2 trillion estimate from analysts in response to Refinitiv SmartEstimate.
Revenue probably rose 5 p.c to 55 trillion gained from a yr in the past, consistent with the 55.6 trillion gained estimate.
Samsung Electronics shares had been up 1.6 p.c in morning commerce, in comparison with a 1.Three p.c rise of the broader market.
The maker of smartphones, TVs, home equipment, reminiscence chips and shows is the primary world tech firm to report its January-to-March quarter earnings estimates.
Samsung Electronics mentioned in March the coronavirus pandemic would harm gross sales of smartphones and shopper electronics this yr, whereas demand from knowledge centres would gasoline a restoration in reminiscence chip markets.
The first-quarter outcomes are smaller than Samsung’s inner forecast from early March, and the corporate is anticipating a much bigger hit from the virus within the second quarter, an individual accustomed to Samsung’s operations mentioned.
“Even though Samsung’s mobile business was hit by the coronavirus outbreak this quarter, it will likely face bigger challenges in the second quarter – now that the United States and Europe have become the hardest-hit countries,” Kim Sun-woo, an analyst at Meritz Securities, mentioned.
Hana Financial Investment just lately lower its forecast for Samsung’s smartphone shipments to 260 million, from an preliminary forecast of 300 million as a result of of slower demand for its high-end smartphones, which can even erode its cell margins.
Taiwan’s Foxconn, a key provider of Apple Inc’s merchandise, mentioned on Monday that its January-March income declined 12 p.c from the earlier yr, after Apple warned it was unlikely to fulfill its March-quarter gross sales steerage.
When the outbreak first began in China final yr, Samsung’s technique of spreading out its manufacturing base to international locations together with Vietnam and India appeared to repay as provide disruptions in China hit rivals comparable to Apple.
But because the virus unfold throughout the globe, Samsung too has needed to shut factories and retail shops in Europe, India and the United States.
The firm didn’t present a breakdown on anticipated earnings for every division in its steerage launched on Tuesday.
Analysts say the corporate’s reminiscence chip enterprise, which generated greater than 50 p.c of its working revenue in 2019, would probably report better-than-expected leads to the primary quarter.
Memory chip costs are rising as work-from-home necessities increase demand from the information centres that assist Internet companies comparable to streaming and cloud computing, analysts have mentioned.
Prices for DRAM reminiscence chips are up greater than 3.5 p.c since January, in response to business tracker DRAMeXchange.
Many analysts had anticipated Samsung to rebound strongly from its worst working revenue in 4 years in 2019, however the pandemic has pressured some to decrease their earnings estimates for this yr on account of stress on smartphone gross sales.
A extra extended coronavirus disaster might additionally spill over into the chip sector, analysts say.
© Thomson Reuters 2020