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AFFLINK's eLev8 System Nominated for ISSA's 2012 Innovation Awards
1400 Afflink Pl
Tuscaloosa, AL, 35406
Press release date: September 7, 2012
Tuscaloosa, AL - eLev8(TM) by AFFLINK, the company's new diagnostic tool, is up for an ISSA 2012 ISSA Innovations Award in the Services and Technology category. The eLev8 process, which combines consultative selling with leading edge technology, was specifically developed to address the operations, management, and procurement needs of organizations in such diverse industries as foodservice, healthcare, manufacturing, real estate/building management, government, and education. According to Michael Wilson, Marketing Director for AFFLINK, the tool is specifically designed to help managers with the following:
∑ Uncover new opportunities to improve the overall health of their facilities
∑ Lower operating costs
∑ Increase worker productivity
∑ Meet sustainability and Green objectives.
In essence, eLev8 "provides answers where most people are still struggling with the questions. The process is able to analyzes vast quantities of information and then turn it into useful insight," says Wilson.
"Now business owners have more than just data - they have a roadmap to product, process and supply chain optimization."
The eLev8 process was first introduced in 2011 after more than two years of research and at a development cost of more than $2 million. The technology is already being used by several major companies and organizations throughout North America.
"This is a process whose time has come in the world of facility maintenance," adds Wilson. "We see a bright future for eLev8 and the distributors who embrace it. This is truly one of the most innovative products to be introduced to the industry in several years."
Afflink is now on Facebook. Visit us at: http://www.facebook.com/AFFLINK
AFFLINK (www.afflink.com) is the global leader in supply chain optimization, providing clients with innovative process and procurement solutions to drive efficiencies in today's leading businesses. The eLev8 system helps organizations uncover never-before-seen opportunities and quantify their value to enhance their overall image, promote a healthy workplace, decrease total costs, increase productivity, and satisfy Green and sustainable objectives.
1400 AFFLINK Place
Tuscaloosa, AL 35406


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Worlds collide! Dr. Pimple Popper star, Sandra Lee, is talking about Kim Kardashian’s TV pimple-popping habits. While the show can be gross, it’s nice to know celebrities are real people too.
Kim Kardashian pops pimples
According to US Weekly, Kim Kardashian is a big-time pimple popper fan. Apparently, Kim showed up at Sandra Lee’s office. However, not as a patient. It was instead, just to say hi and tell her how much she loves her show. A visit from Kim Kardashian sure would be an exciting surprise!
“I wasn’t actually seeing her [as a patient]. She drove over [to my office] to say ‘hello’ to me and she said she was obsessed with [my show],” Sandra Lee reveals about Kim. “I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh. This is crazy.’”
Apparently, Sandra’s celebrity fan list doesn’t stop there. She’s actually heard from many famous people that they love her show.
“There’s Gwyneth Paltrow, there’s Selena Gomez, there’s Ashley Graham. There’s so many people that are [fans]. It’s amazing for me to see,” she says. “It’s really special, actually, because obviously everybody knows them. And for them to actually recognize or maybe even tell you that — you know, stop and tell you that they really like what you’re doing — I mean, that’s just a crazy action.”
Dr. Pimple Popper is making a pretty good name for herself out there. Hopefully, she continues to grow!
Kim isn’t just about pimples
Of course, Kim does more than watch Dr. Pimple Popper (as amazing as that would be). She recently posted to her Instagram showing off her great figure.
Kim is posing in the snow with her arms up. She’s wearing tiger-striped pants, an orange crop top, and a brown puffer coat. The real stand out element in the photo is just how tiny her waist is and how big her booty is. Kim has really got the whole hourglass figure thing down.
She captions the photo “FREEZN SZN.” (It’s probably so cold because she’s wearing a crop top in the snow).
Of course, she got tons of love in the comments from fans and brands that support Kim. She looks fabulous, so it’s easy to see why they all love her so much.
Do you watch Dr. Pimple Popper? Or, do you think Kim Kardashian is gross? Let us know in the comments below. Come back to TV Shows Ace for more news on all of your favorite Kardashian and pimple popping stars.
- Kylie Jenner Shows Off Baby Bump In Little Crop Top - September 21, 2021
- ‘Welcome To Plathville’ Spoilers: Olivia, Ethan Plath Relationship Status Revealed - September 21, 2021
- Khloe Kardashian Poses Nearly Nude On Instagram - September 19, 2021

domain: news


text: While it has only been a short history for China crane manufacturers, they have been striving towards competition with the world”s famous makers like Terex and Liebherr. Not only competing with the volume of crane sales, these China manufacturers are thinking of way to build something bigger and larger. XCMG has managed to break a record for the crawler crane industry once again after their announcement for their largest crawler crane, XGC88000, which was also the world largest crawler at the moment. The 4,000 ton crawler crane rolled off the assembly line on 2nd November 2012. XCMG has held their XCMG Heavy Machinery National Customer Summit in 2013 which they have performed commissioning of the 4,000 ton crawler crane by hoisting a 4,500 ton load for a period of 20 minutes.


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THE value of the 1p and 2p coins has been called into question again this year in the spring statement.
Canada and Australia are amongst many others who have taken the hit and abolished their low denomination coins – everything is rounded to the nearest 5 cents.
George Osbourne was within weeks of scrapping 1p and 2p coins in 2016 because they are very expensive to produce and people like them less.
When one and two cent coins were scrapped in Australia it caused a backlash from charities who benefited from people handing over their spare change.
David Cameron vetoed the idea, however, because he feared the symbolism of the Tory party scrapping small change.
The idea to get rid of all cash transactions by 2020 was also considered in No. 10, however this was also put to rest due to a worry that it might scare people of an older generation.
Since the release of contactless cards in 2007, Apple pay in 2014 and Google pay in 2017, the use of cash transactions in stores has been dropping.
We can only estimate that the use of contactless cards and payments via phones will increase further in coming years.
Let us know what you think should happen with our copper coins on our twitter, @SSUJournalism


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FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - A big part of being heart healthy starts in the grocery store bybuying the right kinds of foods.
"There are so many products in a grocery store so it is a littleoverwhelming, but once you clue into what you are looking for, itbecomes easier. You learn what product your family likes and youcan stick with that," Lutheran Hospital Outpatient DietitianBeverly Moellering said.
To learn what to clue in on, NewsChannel 15 went shopping withMoellering and Kris Foate. Moellering evaluated Foate's choices andrecommended some better options.
"About 50 to 70 percent of her basket was already heart healthy.I just had a couple of other things you can do in addition,"Moellering.
The first tips were to use a list and stick to the outside ofthe grocery store.
"Establish that list before getting to the store so you don'tshop by sight," Moellering said. "The perimeter will have more ofyour wholesome foods."
Their first stop was in the produce section, where a lot offoods have heart-healthy fiber.
"Soluable fiber is like a little sponge going through yoursystem trying to soak up your extra bad cholesterol," Moelleringsaid.
It's not only the spice of life, variety is also the key tobuying produce.
"I learned to make sure you have a colorful basket; it'shealthier," Foate said.
In addition to fruits and vegetables, Mollering and Foate alsotalked about adding nuts into a healthy diet.
"Walnuts and almonds are a good source of protein and walnutshave a lot of Omega-3, which is good for protecting the heart,"Moellering said.
Bread is also a good source of fiber. Each slice should have 2-3grams to be heart healthy.
When buying cereal it's also important to look at the fiber.Mollering said around 6 grams per serving is good. She also advisedto watch out for a lot of added sugar.
Some argue shopping for healthier items can be more expensive,but Moellering said there are ways to save money and still get theheart-healthy food.
"Produce that is in season is a little cheaper, you can buy inbulk, like a bag of apples. In the winter you can buy frozen fruitsand vegetables with no added sugar or salt. Beans and lentils are avery inexpensive protein," Moellering said.
Not only are beans less expensive than meat, they are healthier.In general, it's better to buy more plant-based foods instead ofanimal-based foods, but when buying meat, there are ways to buyhealthier options.
"You will have cholesterol and that bad saturated fat [becauseit's from an animal] so eat smaller portions and watch for loin,round, sirloin, skinless, boneless." Moellering said.
Instead of ground beef, ground turkey breast and frozen soycrumbles are healthier options for the heart. The crumbles are usedjust as ground beef would be used.
Choosing the reduced-fat or fat-free cheeses is also an easychange for heart health.
"You can also buy the sharper cheeses so it's stronger and youdon't have to use as much in your item," Moellering said.
One weakness for Foate was sour cream. Moellering suggestedbuying the reduced-fat or using fat-free plain yogurt instead.
"I said, 'ok' and snuck the sour cream in my basket," Foatelaughed.
But, Foate admitted over time change isn't so bad.
"Like with most things, if you start changing it will taste asgood as what you've been used to," she said.
Foate also changed her pasta to whole wheat.
"I'll mix it in with the regular and cover it with sauce so youcan't even tell," she said.
Eventually, she won't use white pasta at all. But, it'simportant to read labels when buying the sauce and watch out fortoo much sodium.
"The easy rule for sodium is 5 percent or lower is low in sodiumand 20 percent or higher is too high in sodium," Moelleringsaid.
Now Foate said she will start using a shopping list to preventimpulse buying and will change what's on her list.
"I am going to try to utilize more plant-based items [instead ofanimal-based items]," Foate said.
Click on the stories on the left side of the page in the sidebar"Heart Healthy Extras" to watch bonus videos of Moelleringexplaining how to shop for different foods.
A two-car crash tied up traffic for a short time on Illinois Road at the entrance to Jefferson Pointe.
It's been a year since FBI agents and police raided several homes in Fort Wayne. The center of the investigation was Michael Fabini's home.
Contrary to popular belief, poinsettias are not toxic to humans or pets. Some mild side effects are possible if they are eaten.
A Fort Wayne man had the opportunity to have lunch with Nelson Mandela 20 years ago. He says the experience is something he has carried with him throughout the years.
The suspects face bank robbing charges, as well as charges of assaulting and putting in jeopardy the lives of others.
The yellow brick building that served for decades as the club house for the Elks Lodge 155 golf course in Fort Wayne is being demolished.
Buffalo Wild Wings donated $6,500 to the Boys & Girls Club's Fairfield location on Friday afternoon. The money will be used for youth sports tournaments.
A new event promises 12 days of delicious deals at Fort Wayne restaurants in January.
A woman arrested for shoplifting at a Fort Wayne Walmart identified herself as her husband's ex-wife when she was actually the man's current wife. The ex-wife then ended up getting arrested when the real wife failed to show up for court.
Gov. Mike Pence has ordered flags at Indiana state facilities to be flown at half-staff in tribute of Nelson Mandela and is asking businesses and residents to do so also to honor the world leader.
A big chunk of the U.S. is getting a blast of wintry weather. Some areas are experiencing frigid temperatures. Some are seeing snow and ice. Several deaths have been reported, most resulting from treacherous driving conditions. Hundreds of…
Frigid temperatures and a cold Saint Joseph River didn't stop approximately 100 students from jumping into the river as part of Homecoming Week at IPFW.
The Salvation Army and Toys for Tots are seeing a decline in donations this year because of a late Thanksgiving.
Global civil rights icon Nelson Mandela, whose legacy is ending South African apartheid, has died.
Fort Wayne is not expected to take the brunt of an approaching winter weather system, but everyone will experience frigid temperatures and some could see sleet and snow.


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27/10/2007 (Bangkok Post) - The Commerce Ministry is considering approving higher retail prices for cooking palm oil, acknowledging the impact of soaring demand for biofuels on raw material prices.
Palm nut prices currently exceed five baht a kilogramme, compared with two baht last year, while crude palm oil is nearly 30 baht a kilogramme, up from 12-13 baht a year ago. The ceiling on cooking oil retail prices, currently 38 baht per litre, will be increased soon to reflect the higher costs, according to Yanyong Phuangrach, the director-general of the ministry's Internal Trade Department.
The department yesterday also approved pig price increases by three baht to 44.90 baht a kilogramme. It also agreed to swine raisers' requests that retail pork prices should be a maximum of 90 baht per kilogramme.
Local pig raisers complained that costs have been soaring due to expensive animal feed prices. Maize has risen to 7.80 baht a kilogramme from six baht last year; soybeans are 18.70 baht, up from 13 baht a kilogramme; and tapioca pellet prices have risen to 6.50 baht from four baht a kilogramme.
However, Mr Yanyong said most food, beverage and consumer product prices would not be changed at least through the end of this year, as agreed by manufacturers at a meeting yesterday.
Pun Paniangvait, manager of Thai President Foods, said his company would shoulder higher costs but would reconsider in December whether to lift Mama prices to six baht from five baht a package.


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Get involved: send your pictures, video, news & views by texting HARINGEY to 80360, or upload here
British Heart Foundation receives £1,000 worth of stock at Great British Bag-athon held at The Mall Wood Green
A national heart charity has received 45 bags of donated items that could generate £1,000 to help fund life-saving research.
The items were given to British Heart Foundation (BHF) shops at their Great British Bag-athon event held at The Mall Wood Green in September.
This event is the charity’s biggest stock donation appeal and aimed to raise one million bags of unwanted things throughout the month.
The bags were full of unwanted clothes, shoes, toys, books, CDs, DVDs and home ware.
Comments are closed on this article.


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In South Royalton, thrift shop was a ray of sunlight
|Published: 10-15-2023 2:47 AM
About a week ago, I got a call from Raelene Lemery, who had bittersweet news. The nonprofit thrift shop on South Royalton’s main street that she’s run for 40 years is closing later this month.
I say bittersweet because Lemery has been a one-person social service agency in her hometown for decades. She used the money her shop made from selling second-hand clothing and household goods at affordable prices to help people in need. Some days, she gave away more than she sold.
“She knows who is struggling and needs clothes for their kids,” said Richard Frary, a friend who volunteers at the thrift shop.
At the same time, Lemery isn’t getting any younger. At 83, she’s dealt with a myriad of health issues. She’s had both knees replaced, her gall bladder removed and two kidney surgeries.
When I stopped by the Sunshine Thrift Shop on Tuesday, Lemery was dealing with the aches and bruises from a nasty tumble she took in the bandstand at the Tunbridge World’s Fair a month ago that resulted in cracked ribs and a badly swollen right hand.
Despite the rumors, however, that began circulating after the going-out-business signs appeared on the storefront, “I’m not dying,” Lemery said, with a roll of her eyes.
Undoubtedly, Royalton and surrounding communities will be worse off without Lemery’s work on behalf of people down on their luck.
But she’s earned a break from the daily grind of overseeing a labor-intensive small business that relies on volunteer power.
Lemery and a small group of volunteers, led by Pamela Greene for the last eight years, are constantly sifting through boxes and bags of donated items to decide what to sell and what is beyond salvaging.
“People are always leaving stuff, they shouldn’t,” Frary said.
Closing the shop wasn’t Lemery’s idea. It was more of a chain reaction.
The store fills (as in overflowing) the back room and basement of the former 108 Chelsea Station Restaurant, which closed this spring. Tom Powers, an acclaimed writer and U.S. intelligence expert whose second-floor office is on the same street, has owned the building since 1984.
Powers has a potential new tenant, who — along with taking over the restaurant — is interested in the space occupied by the thrift shop. There’s a “good chance” it will become home to a bakery and cafe, Powers told me.
Lemery stressed that she doesn’t feel like Powers is giving her the boot. Her rent of $300 a month is far below market rate.
“I’m not angry at Tom,” she said. “He’s one of my favorite people in town. He’s blessed me many times over.”
For years, Lemery has provided a “wonderful service to the community,” Powers said. “She doesn’t wait for people to come to her for help. She seeks out people.”
It comes naturally.
Growing up on the “wrong side of the tracks” in the railroad town, “my family was poor, but my mother was still a giver,” Lemery said.
Recognizing that an older man who lived nearby had even less than her family, Mary Lemery would load up a small wagon with food and have her five daughters take turns pulling it to his house.
“I’ve never judged people,” Raelene Lemery said. “How do we know what they’ve been through? I don’t know anyone who wants to be poor just so they can get something for free.”
South Royalton has had a nonprofit thrift store since the late 1960s. The Community Shop, as it was called, was spearheaded by Sidney Newman and her sister Faith Ogden, a physician, to benefit an Orange County mental health organization and senior citizens group.
In the early 1980s, the sisters asked Lemery to take over the store — with two caveats that she’s always honored.
“I was never to sell a Bible,” Lemery said. “I was to give them away.”
“I was never to sell a toy gun,” she said, explaining that Newman and Ogden didn’t want children to get the impression that firearms couldn’t be dangerous.
Any toy gun dropped off at the store, Lemery smashed with a hammer.
Until about five years ago, Lemery ran the store with the backing of the United Church of South Royalton, better known for obvious reason as the Red Door Church. But when the church took over the responsibility of raising money and overseeing a new food shelf in town (the previous one had closed), it couldn’t afford to continue supporting the thrift store.
To help out Lemery until she finalized the paperwork to maintain the store’s nonprofit status, the church paid her rent for a year.
Some supporters encouraged Lemery to change the store’s name from the “Red Door” thrift shop to “Raelene’s.”
She wouldn’t hear it. “She’s always there for people who need help, but she doesn’t like to take credit,” said Sue Thresher, branch manager for Bar Harbor Bank and Trust in South Royalton.
For a new name, Lemery went with Sunshine Thrift Shop, hoping it could bring a “ray of sunshine into people’s lives,” she told me a while back.
Lemery has made sure the store lives up to its name. She recently heard from a woman who she was familiar with. Years ago, after suffering debilitating injuries in a car crash, the woman became addicted to prescription painkillers.
Following a relapse, she had recovered to the point that she could move into a subsidized apartment.
Lemery asked Frary, a retired trucker, to come with her to leave off towels and sheets at the woman’s apartment. But first Lemery wanted to stop at a grocery store to pick up a few essentials for the woman. The bill for fresh vegetables, meats and canned goods came to almost $100.
“I hope she used money from the store and not her own, but you never know with Raelene,” Frary said.
It wouldn’t have been the first time.
An older couple was on the verge of losing their house in Royalton, after falling behind in property tax payments. Lemery took out a bank loan for $3,000 to cover the back taxes the couple owed.
“She does things that not a lot of people know about,” said Thresher, the bank manager. “It’s not only financial support. She gives moral support.”
When I mentioned to Lemery that someone in town had told me about what she had done for the couple, she just shrugged. “It took quite a while, but they paid me back,” she said.
Signs taped to the front window of the shuttered Chelsea Station restaurant let people know Sunshine Thrift Shop will “close permanently on or about” Oct. 27. Until then, it’s open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“All profits,” the signs read, “will go to help folks in need.”
As if Lemery would have it any other way.
Jim Kenyon can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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In the current climate of uncertainty and change, companies must be able to adapt and respond to emerging market trends swiftly. Key to success is how well they use their data, not just measuring it, but using it to change strategy, drive product innovation and gain competitive advantage.
Jacyn Heavens, founder and chief executive of electronic point-of-sale company Epos Now, says: “The process of bringing new solutions to market more quickly and efficiently can be enhanced by analysing what has worked well and not so well in the past, and bringing that knowledge to bear in creating new product concepts and ultimately prototypes. This process must also be about gathering customer feedback and analysing to tweak and further enhance the solution moving forwards.”
Understanding the principles of using data to innovate is one thing, but are businesses putting them into practice? Research from Experian suggests senior executives are aware of the opportunities data provides to become more agile and more productive, but also highlights barriers such as limited budget (51 per cent) and volumes of data (47 per cent) that prevent businesses from exploiting these assets.
“A C-suite data champion representative will help,” says Experian’s data expert Rebecca Hennessy. “Only when the strategic value of data is realised at board level can businesses be in a better position to exploit data.”
For years the retail sector has lagged behind others in the use of technology to harvest data, but after a slow start the big data revolution is starting to emerge.
According to Dmitry Bagrov, UK managing director of technology consultancy DataArt, machine-learning using harvested big data is proving to be a Holy Grail for the retail industry’s marketing and strategy departments.
He says: “Firms that can better understand their customers’ unique desires and preferences will gain significant competitive advantage in deciding future strategy. For example, ‘scan as you shop’ devices are the easiest way to collect data in real time about how and why customers buy in a particular shop. Early adopters that apply machine-learning to harvested big data can build a far more detailed profile of their customers than those who lag behind.”
Data is one of the banking industry’s most valuable assets, yet most high street providers are still not using it smartly for upselling or improving customer services.
“If they want to keep the fintech challengers away from eating their lunch, heritage banks need to unleash and embrace the big data that is locked away in their 60-year-old systems,” says Nanda Kumar, president and chief executive of business software firm SunTec.
This could be achieved by using customer transactions to inform real-time offers, and create a personalised customer experience and additional value-add for an underappreciated market.
“When you book a holiday, for example, it’s likely that you also need travel insurance, money exchange and local offers at the destination,” says Mr Kumar. “Using their big data, banks have the power to help.”
Personal and predictive
The next big thing in travel will be better use of data to make travel more personalised and predictive in real time, but only if companies turn their data into consumer value in real time, says Scott Crawford, vice president of product at Expedia.
Data belongs to our customers and we give that data back to them in the most relevant, personalised way possible
“Through our scale, we have access to better travel data than anyone in the industry and we make our data work hard to create a better, personalised, customer experience,” he says. “However, we also want to give travellers the most relevant data for them, so we use pattern recognition that takes data from across our brands and delivers insights in a way that consumers find useful. Ultimately, our data belongs to our customers and we give that data back to them in the most relevant, personalised way possible.”
But companies shouldn’t get too hung up on the term big data. “It incites fear of information overload and cultivates the belief that working with data can be difficult, unwieldy and expensive,” says Edward Bass, co-founder and director of audience intelligence consultancy EntSight.
His advice is to break it down into three categories: multichannel, omnichannel and universal data. Multichannel data is what most organisations own and have pulled from internal systems such as customer relationship management systems, web and social, as well as consumer data from third parties. Omnichannel data, sourced from mobile apps, wearable technology and games consoles, is being used by companies to define user behaviour, while universal data comes from external sources and could include wider information that influences consumers such as weather and traffic conditions.
Ultimately, the most successful companies are those that ensure effective use of data throughout their enterprise. Dr Simon Tomlinson, data science business engagement manager at Lancaster University, concludes: “By combining and analysing their data sources, these companies have derived insights that deliver a real competitive advantage. In our work with industry partners, we have seen companies grasping the opportunity to gain a rich understanding of their customers, identify and eliminate production line issues, and instil a culture of continuous improvement based on real evidence.”
CASE STUDY: HALL HUNTER PARTNERSHIP
Hall Hunter Partnership (HHP) is a leading UK fruit grower, employing more than 2,000 workers across multiple sites in Berkshire, Surrey and West Sussex. The company gathers data from a number of disparate sources, including pickers and packers, soil and temperature sensors, and weather information, and consequently had always struggled to get a fast, accurate picture of the business, based on reliable data.
HHP business analyst Alex Gooi says: “We knew that a more efficient and accurate way to collate and analyse this data would enable the team to make better, data-driven decisions, eliminate guesswork, and allow us to identify and act quickly upon trends.”
The company decided to review its infrastructural stance on data management and build a data warehouse using WhereScape Data Warehouse automation. One of the long-term objectives was being able to compare identical varieties of fruit grown on similar crop systems between HHP farms to see how productivity, quality of fruit and yields compare.
Mr Gooi explains: “It is now easy to align fields within a common timeline reference without altering how data is originally recorded or stored. Having an accurate understanding of our stock positioning is also central to our crop and accounting forecast initiatives, particularly when it comes to our locally grown fruit. This enables us to calculate the total fruit tonnage harvested to date, and to determine with a degree of precision where our fields are within a harvest cycle and how aligned we are against our harvest programmes.”


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A new alliance between restaurateurs and food producers in parts of regional New South Wales is aiming to strengthen the agriculture and tourism sectors.
Around the world, the 'slow food' movement has been working to conserve traditional food practices and biodiversity by promoting local produce.
East Maitland chef Amorelle Dempster is the leader of Slow Food Hunter Valley and international councillor for Slow Food Australia, non-profit organisations working to strengthen traditional food practices.
She has started what is believed to be NSW's first 'slow food alliance' — a project aiming to connect farmers and chefs in the NSW Hunter Valley.
"The alliance is a way to connect chefs with the local food system, to connect them with the biodiversity that exists," Ms Dempster said.
"With biodiversity comes choice, a lot of variety in the food system, so we're celebrating the non-homogenisation of food, or the non-industrialisation of food.
"It's a matter of connecting the dots, connecting the chefs, and saying 'Let's come together so we can make this a prominent part of the food system and make that commitment to what we put on the plate'."
Hopes alliance will be a win-win
Ms Dempster said the idea of building formalised relationships between farmers and chefs could spread to other regions in the country.
"We're teaching farmers not to just grow one type of potato, but to grow many varieties and find all the varieties that used to be grown in the region," she said.
"Let's celebrate the biodiversity that does exist.
"Whatever they grow, if the chefs can absorb that into their menus, there's no wastage. So it's a real win-win situation.
"They're getting produce that's grown, picked and delivered on the same day."
Ms Dempster said there could be some logistical issues for farmers transporting their produce but hoped, within a year, 30 Hunter Valley chefs would be on board.
"We've got to work in with the growing seasons as well.
"If the chefs come on board, we can say 'Here are the producers, next season this is what they can grow, we can put that on the plate'."
Some challenges in changing thinking
Matt Dennis has been a vegetable farmer at East Maitland for 30 years, and welcomed the diversification in the supply chain.
"Farmers like myself, and there are a few of us around here, we're just set in our ways and we've always just sent our produce into the agents down in Sydney or Newcastle and just been happy going down that road," he said.
"I've gone this way where I'm the man selling it, and I know if it's five dollars, it's five dollars.
"There are a few good restaurants that buy off me and even at the farmers' market there's a few that come in and grab a bit of stuff when I've got it.
"We are seasonal, so we just can't have it all the time. It's a bit hard for [the chefs to] leave their original supplier who supplies them all year.
"It's just diversifying and changing the market."
But Mr Dennis said being part of the alliance also had its challenges.
"It becomes more like a Chinese garden," he said.
"But if you know you can sell it, you don't mind growing it."


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Mutares, the prominent German investment company, has delivered a significant acquisition offer to La Poste, targeting the purchase of Stuart, a subsidiary and a versatile delivery platform. This move underscores Mutares’ commitment to bolstering its presence in the dynamic logistics and transportation sector across Europe.
In a press release issued on Monday, Mutares confirmed that it had submitted a “binding offer to purchase” Stuart, which presently operates under the La Poste group’s umbrella. This proposal comes as La Poste publicly acknowledged its inability to fully integrate Stuart into its operational framework effectively. It cited the absence of anticipated growth in instant parcel delivery as a key factor in this decision, with Stuart’s predominant focus being on the catering sector.
The transaction, once completed, is set to be a game-changer for Mutares. It will serve as a strategic lever to enhance the company’s foothold in the European logistics and transportation arena. Mutares is optimistic about the deal’s timeline, aiming for finalization “before the end of 2023.” However, this process is contingent on approval from relevant staff representative bodies and the necessary authorization from the pertinent control and governance entities.
In its first-half financial statements, La Poste had already factored in the provisions related to Stuart, amounting to €134 million. The rationale behind this provisioning was grounded in Stuart’s persistent financial losses since its acquisition by La Poste, coupled with the formidable challenges in envisioning a turnaround for the company. This decision was communicated to the public in August through a press release.
Stuart, part of the SRT Group, is an active player in over 100 major European cities, amassing a substantial annual turnover exceeding €400 million. The company, initially a subsidiary of Geopost with a 22% stake in 2015, saw La Poste acquire full ownership in 2017. Currently, Stuart boasts a workforce of 203 employees in France.
Mutares’ strategic offer to acquire Stuart represents a significant development in the logistics and transportation sector. As the deal progresses, it will be closely watched for its potential to reshape the competitive landscape and drive innovation in the delivery and logistics markets.


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India's capital market regulator has barred Price Waterhouse from auditing listed companies in the country for two years for its involvement in India's biggest corporate fraud case. B Ramalinga Raju, founder of the erstwhile IT firm Satyam Computer Services, shocked India's business sector in January 2009 when he admitted to overstating profits and carrying out fraudulent accounting of more than 1 billion dollars. Price Waterhouse were the company's auditors during the financial scandal.
In its order issued late Wednesday, the Securities and Exchange Board of India said entities or firms practising as chartered accountants in India under the brand and banner of Price Waterhouse shall not issue any certificate of audit of listed companies and intermediaries for two years.
"The network structure of operations adopted by the international accounting firm should not be used as a shield to avoid legal implications arising out of the certifications issued under the brand name of the network," SEBI said in the order. The Price Waterhouse network, an affiliate of Britain-based Price Waterhouse Coopers group, comprises 11 partnership firms in India. Price Waterhouse denied having a role in the irregularities and said it was confident of getting the order suspended by the court. The trial in the fraud case ended in 2015 with seven years' jail for Raju. Satyam was acquired by India's Mahindra Group of companies in a government-overseen auction in 2009 and has since stabilized.


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(Bloomberg) -- Amazon.com Inc. is finally joining the famous Dow Jones Industrial Average.
The e-commerce giant will replace Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. in the 30-stock gauge, according to a press release from S&P Dow Jones Indices. The change will go into effect prior to the open of trading on Monday, Feb. 26.
The shift, which was announced after the market close on Tuesday, was prompted by Walmart Inc.’s decision to split its stock 3-to-1, the index provider said in the release. Such a move will reduce Walmart’s index weight due to the price-weighted construction of the blue-chip index.
Unlike its counterparts the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100, the historic Dow index is weighted based on the share price of its holdings rather than their market capitalization.
“Reflecting the evolving nature of the American economy, this change will increase consumer retail exposure as well as other business areas in the DJIA,” the index provider said in the press release.
The e-commerce giant’s inclusion in the index is another milestone in the retailer’s rapid expansion in the last decade. The company, founded in 1994 as an online bookseller, sells goods of all stripes and runs the world’s largest cloud-computing business. The Seattle-based company is the second-largest private sector employer in the US behind Walmart.
More than a century after its founding, the Dow has ceded its preeminence as an investor benchmark, though it remains the most exclusive register of American corporate elites. As such, its additions and deletions are a litmus for industry trends.
Meanwhile, the absence of Amazon and a slew of big tech firms from the Dow spurred the the blue-chip index to underperform peers last year. The benchmark S&P 500 gained 24% in 2023, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 climbing more than double. The Dow, for its part, notched 13%.
“If any company represents the US economy better than Amazon, I don’t think we found it yet,” said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at B. Riley Wealth. “It replaces another consumer facing company, so the balance of the index remains the same.”
As the gap between the highest price stock, UnitedHealth Group Inc., and the lowest price stock, Walgreens, widened over the last several years, participants may have been anticipating constituent changes, said Kaasha Saini, head of index strategy at Jefferies. “The WMT stock split provided an opportunity for the Committee to review composition.”
That Walgreens is being replaced after its inclusion in June 2018 — a brief tenure — may not be that surprising. The company’s stock fell 30% last year as Amazon’s climbed around 80%. The troubled drugstore chain cut its dividend almost in half last month, amid a weakening retail and prescription environment.
Meanwhile, Uber Technologies Inc. will replace JetBlue Airways Corp. in the Dow Jones Transportation Average, according to the release.
The 20-stock, price-weighted Dow Transportation index includes the largest US companies within the industry group, according to the index provider. The move — prompted by JetBlue’s low weighting — will help the gauge gain exposure to the ride-sharing industry, it said.
Shares of Amazon rose 1.5% in extended trading after the news, while Walgreens fell over 3%. Uber gained 1%, while JetBlue was down 0.4%.
(Updates with additional context throughout)
©2024 Bloomberg L.P.


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This article first appeared in Digital Edge, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on December 13, 2021 - December 19, 2021
Some companies are choosing to cut the cost of digitalising by purchasing pirated software. However, this opens them to greater cybersecurity threats, not to mention reputational damage.
For instance, in early 2020, hackers broke into Texas-based SolarWind’s systems and added malicious code into the company’s software system, which was distributed to more than 33,300 business customers. Accenture later released a report saying that it was because of the company’s use of a compromised pirated version of Cobalt Strike software, which ironically is a cyberthreat emulation software.
In fact, studies by International Data Corp (IDC) and Business Software Alliance (BSA) between 2014 and 2018 found a strong and consistent correlation between the use of unlicensed software and malware encounters.
According to Tarun Sawney, senior director at BSA Asia-Pacific, about one in two Malaysian businesses currently use pirated software. While this looks bad at first glance, it is a major improvement from the early 2000s, when software piracy stood at about 70%.
From his observations, much of the demand for pirated software comes from small and medium enterprises (SMEs) looking to cut costs. These companies generally do not have well-established IT departments but one-man shows, doing all things IT for the company.
“The biggest message we want to get across is this. You need to use licensed software, because you will take on enormous risks if you don’t. I am not referring to the legal risks of breaking any copyright laws; it is about falling victim to cyberattacks,” says Sawney.
BSA is a non-profit organisation set up in the 1980s when several software companies found that their products were being shared and copied illegally. Its goal is to protect and grow the software market, and it has since expanded its presence to more than 60 countries.
Recently, BSA has been working with design software firm Autodesk Inc to reach out to over 20,000 firms in Southeast Asia to promote the use of legal software. It is also offering free consultations to companies seeking counsel on the software licensing process, even providing advisory services on the auditing process.
Sawney says the cybersecurity landscape has rapidly evolved since the pandemic. He points towards reports highlighting massive spikes in malicious phishing emails in 2020, with threat actors increasingly targeting personal devices and home networks of remote workers.
Hackers are also increasingly organised. Earlier this year, hacker group REvil launched a massive attack on July 4, affecting over 1,000 companies. It attacked when companies were vulnerable as they knew most IT specialists and cybersecurity experts would be on holiday at the time.
“If the chief information officer (CIO) was given a limited budget and had no choice but to crack the software and use it across the organisation, it would be promoting the culture of normalising the use of unlicensed software,” says Sawney.
“But today, many people are working from home. If there were no culture of respecting the use of licensed software, employees would download pirated software from all over the internet, use it in their homes and log in under business accounts while there is still malware and holes in security.”
Fixing these security flaws not only costs the company time and resources, but also affects workers’ productivity. The savings gained from using pirated software hardly justifies the risks associated with it, he adds. Furthermore, using licensed software gives companies access to the latest security patches and updates, further reducing cybersecurity risks.
“This is not solely an initiative by us. Governments around the world are now making it a mandatory requirement for procurement companies to use only genuine and licensed software,” says Sawney.
“We are seeing billions being set aside for massive local infrastructure projects. Given the sensitivity and nature of such large-scale projects involving roads and bridges, companies need to ensure that these projects are carried out perfectly. They cannot risk having a building or bridge collapsing for any reason.”
To avoid these issues, companies need to take a systematic approach to ensure the use of legitimate software among employees. Sawney recommends that companies regularly conduct PC audits as the first line of defence, then establish internal company policies to prevent employees from using private consumer applications in the work environment.
Furthermore, companies need to be comfortable purchasing legal software that employees may need and make it widely available to all of them. Having a channel to accept requests for specific software certainly helps as well.
Sawney sees improvement and awareness spreading across the industry. He says increasingly more CIOs are now adopting genuine software, citing security risks and potential data loss as the main motivation.
One key contributor to the decline of piracy is the advent of online subscription models. In the past, purchasing proprietary enterprise software may require an investment of more than US$4,000 (RM16,877). However, many of these have become cheaper with payments spread out across the year. This lowers the barrier for companies to gain access to the software.
However, there will always be a market for pirated software, says Sawney. No matter how much software makers drive down their prices, cheap can never beat free. He points to the scourge of piracy in the music and movie industry, even though the products are relatively cheaper.
Sawney also recognises the rise of open source software in the marketplace. There are always free and open source alternatives to most major software tools, such as Blender for 3D modelling and animation or DaVinci Resolve for video editing. However, paid software is generally more refined, with the parent company valued at billions of dollars due to the productivity gains from using its products.
Sawney advises Malaysian software developers to find the right balance in software protection and ease of use, as there is generally a trade-off. Making a software too secure requires the user to jump through hoops to access it, and they may lose to a competitor that provides a better user experience. Determining that balance is an aspect that these companies need to negotiate.
What would be the best way to incentivise private companies to adopt legitimate software? Sawney says it would be disincentivise the use of pirated software so strongly that in itself it becomes an incentive.
“What I mean is that, if you use unlicensed software, and your infrastructure is raided and you get prosecuted for using unlicensed software, your company reputation is forever tarnished,” says Sawney.
“This is not something that can easily fade away. It will be difficult for you to bid for and land the next big project. The disincentive of being in that predicament is so strong now that the message it sends has become the carrot instead of the stick. It is simply not worth using pirated software, especially if you are vying for multibillion-dollar projects with government entities.”
For now, BSA will continue working with government entities around the world, providing education and advice on the use of licensed software. Sawney hopes that the Malaysian government will make the use of genuine software a prerequisite for more tender projects in the future and provide a level playing field to those who lack access to these digital tools to run their businesses.
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Canadian Conservative MP Lee Richardson, a member of the Standing Committee on Industry, responded to a letter from a constituent who worried that the new copyright bill C-11 creates penalties for breaking "digital locks" (the software that stops you from copying files, watching DVD movies on Linux, or fixing your own car). The MP's letter said:
If a digital lock is broken for personal use, it is not realistic that the creator would choose to file a law suit against the consumer, due to legal fees and time involved.
In other words, you should go ahead and break the law because you won't get caught. As Michael Geist says, "Copyright reform is supposedly about updating Canada's copyright rules and fostering greater respect for copyright law" -- not being able to break the law with impunity.
Conservative MP on C-11's Digital Lock Rules: No Risk of Liability for Breaking Locks
The Electronic Frontier Foundation has just filed a lawsuit that challenges the Constitutionality of Section 1201 of the DMCA, the “Digital Rights Management” provision of the law, a notoriously overbroad law that bans activities that bypass or weaken copyright access-control systems, including reconfiguring software-enabled devices (making sure your IoT light-socket will accept third-party lightbulbs; tapping […]
In spring, 2015, American farmers started to spread the word that John Deere claimed that a notorious copyright law gave the company exclusive dominion over repairs to Deere farm-equipment, making it a felony (punishable by 5 years in prison and a $500K fine for a first offense) to fix your own tractor.
The Bookworm Rug (100% woven polyester) come in 2′ x 3′ ($28), 3′ x 5′ ($58) and 4′ x 6′ ($79), and feature a selection of spines from some rather good books, including Iain Banks’s debut “The Wasp Factory” some Virginia Woolf, Charles Bukowksi and Haruki Murakami. (via Bookshelf)
Much of what goes into creating an amazing photo happens in the digital darkroom. Here’s your chance to master all things photo editing: the Ultimate Adobe Photo Editing Bundle, now available in the Boing Boing Store for just $29.99.Across 8 courses and over 41 hours of intensive instruction, you’ll learn the fundamentals of Adobe’s suite of photo […]
3D printers are hot, but they’re also pricey. While the prospect of cranking out everything we can dream up is enticing, cost is often one factor that keeps us from jumping onto the 3D printing train.Now, thanks to M3D, that doesn’t have to be the case. You can now get its flagship 3D printer–plus four reels of filaments–for just […]
It’s no secret that technology is changing the way we all work—but it’s also transforming the way we play. The games of today look nothing like those of 10 or even 20 years ago: these days it’s all about mobile and 3D. And now you can learn to design 3D mobile games with the Intro to Unity 3D Game […]


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On 13 January, he led the Chinese delegation to Washington and said he expected the trade agreement with the United States to be signed on January 15. IATP joined family farmers and hunger advocates in proposing immediate action that Congress should take in response to the economic consequences of COVID-19. There is much more to do, including the support of lobbyists seeking massive unconditional bailout of Wall Street and smaller aid for the rest of the United States. In the longer term, IATP will continue to research and propose strategies to address persistent trade, agricultural and environmental problems, such as the effects of an uncontrolled supply of agricultural raw materials that Minister Freeman fought in Congress more than half a century ago. WASHINGTON – While negotiators concluded the framework of President Donald Trump`s trade deal in December, China may have given an indication of the coronavirus epidemic already looming there: the insistence on a provision allowing a withdrawal in the event of a « natural disaster or other unpredictable event. » Trump, who has turned to lying to have all other countries « rip off » American taxpayers by generating trade surpluses with the United States, began his trade war with China in 2018 with increased tariffs on its imports. This has increased costs for U.S. consumers and caused devastating farmers who have lost billions in sales to China after imposing retaliatory duties. President Trump`s long-awaited trade deal with China involves significant changes in economic relations between the world`s largest economies. The U.S.-China trade agreement, signed Wednesday by President Donald Trump and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, provides an exit clause for both countries if a dispute cannot be resolved through high-level talks. This is one of the many details of the agreement of 86. Here are some other highlights of the pact: on January 15, President Trump and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He signed the « Usa-China Phase One » trade agreement in the presence of more than 200 guests from all walks of life.
But trade experts said the figure had been an unlikely impact for China even before the pandemic. The agreement provides, for example, $50 billion in annual land purchases, twice as much as China bought from U.S. farmers in its peak year. REALIZING that it is in the interests of both countries for trade to develop and for international standards to be adhered to in order to promote market-based outcomes. Another sensitive point is, according to Politico, a brutal compromise between the Democrats` proposals to control the use of the CCC and increase the Complementary Food Aid Program (SNAP) vs.


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PC gamers know that getting a GPU from Nvidia (but also from AMD) at the moment it is a real ordeal. And not only because stocks are still very scarce, but also because crypto miners hog the little hardware available on the market.
And being aware of the situation, the main brands are looking for alternatives to offer emergency solutions to consumers. In fact, Nvidia itself could choose to relaunch the GTX 1080 Ti GPU. A graphics card that actually hit the market 4 years ago. Keep reading and we will tell you all the details.
The information, echoed by PCGamer, is not yet official from Nvidia, but comes from some very obvious discoveries made by the community. In fact, speculation began to grow after a user on Twitter published that someone had managed to get hold of a 1080 Ti that had been manufactured in 2021.
Obviously, something impossible without a relaunch, since that model is four years old. In fact, all those cards had already been “replaced” by the RTX 2080 model. You can see the tweet in question below.
One user sent a GTX 1080 Ti RMA
He get product. But, product what he gotten was produced in 2021…
via (KR): https://t.co/Bq1yYpm1ul
— Posiposi (@harukaze5719) April 4, 2021
We reiterate that there is no type of official confirmation, but it is a striking fact. On the other hand, and although it is not a definitive solution to the lack of stock, if confirmed it could be positive news to alleviate the problem of cryptocurrencies.
In short, thanks to the intense increase in demand for technology during the course of the pandemic, together with the increase in the profitability of cryptocurrencies and the shortage of components, a situation unprecedented in the history of the industry is taking place.


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Reliance Retail, the retail arm of Reliance Industries, has shut around 10 Reliance Jewels stores, including some of its flagship outlets such as the ones on Hughes’s Road near Ambani’s 27-storey home Antilia in South Mumbai and on Park Street, Kolkata’s iconic high street.
A Reliance Retail spokesperson did not respond to an email from TOI.
“They are in the process of shutting more stores and may wind up the business in the next two years.” The country’s jewellery market, estimated at around Rs 3.5 lakh crore by All India Gems & Jewellery Trade Federation, witnessed several regional jewellery brands including Kerala-based Kalyan Jewellers, Delhi’s PC Jewellers, Kolkata’s Senco and Mumbai’s Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri spread their presence across the country. Some of them, such as Senco and Kalyan, have done so on the back of PE money.
For instance, the domestic arm of US PE firm Warburg Pincus picked up a minority stake in Kalyan for around Rs 1,200 crore in 2014.


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The EC last week announcedplans for a limited series of trials on
drugs for Aids, diabetes and asthma, under which information on
prescription drugs would be more readily available than ever before. The
proposals have already attracted vehement opposition. There is suspicion
in the sector that healthcare PR networks' niche - to communicate
without breaking the ban on advertising ethical drugs - will be
undermined by loosening the rules on information.
Kinetic MD Karen Moyse admits some of the proposals represent a cause
for concern, as well as an opportunity: 'We all want to take more
responsibility but only with the right level of control.'
Opponents, led in the UK by the Consumers' Association (CA), point to
experiences in the US, where drugs are advertised across media, and
predict a huge impact on the NHS. The CA claims drugs advertising in the
US led to an 84 per cent leap in the drugs bill between 1993 and 1998. A
recent CA survey showed that just six per cent of respondents would
trust drug firms to provide accurate information on the best
On the other side of the debate, the antis argue that the drugs making
the most profit would be advertised more frequently, leading to patients
demanding these treatments and inflating the NHS's drugs bill.
CA principal policy adviser Clara Mackay says: 'Governments must put the
consumer first, but current restrictions in advertising prescription
drugs to the public should not be lifted. Patients need better
information on drugs and treatments but it is not appropriate for the
pharma industry to provide this.'
In contrast, the pharmaceutical industry denies that relaxing the ban
would lead to a dystopian society with drugs advertising seeping out
The EC's plans are expected to allow drug companies to create
interactive websites and to openly advertise treatments, in a way to be
monitored over five years. For some, this approach is far too timid.
'We're less than enthusiastic about what Europe is doing because it's
pathetically minor,' says Richard Ley, head of media relations at the
Association of British Pharmaceutical Industries, which represents major
UK drug manufacturers.
Fiona Tigar, head of press at UK drugs giant AstraZeneca, adds: 'We
still don't know the real detail about how it's going to run and how
we're going to monitor this information.'
A period of consultation is now underway with both sides furiously
lobbying the EC to establish the details and limits on company/patient
Once established, the long-term implications for the PR industry will
IN THE PRO CAMP
Organisation: Association of British Pharmaceutical Industries (ABPI)
'The European proposal is a small step in the right direction because it
acknowledges, for the first time, the need to provide good quality
information to the patient about their medicines. It is information the
UK pharmaceutical industry wants to be able to give patients. Some
opponents confuse the provision of information with North American-style
media and TV advertising campaigns, which my association is not
'With the advent of the internet, the amount of information available
about healthcare and medicines has mushroomed. It is surely absurd that,
while websites giving information about medicines can be launched by
anyone, the people who know most about them are forbidden to pass their
accumulated knowledge on to patients and carers.
'Pharma companies usually spend an average of ten to 12 years developing
a new medicine, which gives them an unparalleled database of knowledge
and experience that so many patients and carers would find
Is there any other industry where manufacturers are forbidden to
communicate with customers?
'The few who oppose allowing the industry to communicate quality
information - interestingly, the Patients' Association's views are very
different from those of the Consumers' Association - suggest that such a
move would lead to a large increase in the NHS medicines bill. It's
certainly true that, thanks to postcode prescribing, patients are not
always given information about appropriate treatments that are deemed
"too expensive". If we are able to help them find out what is available
and how it can help them deal with their condition better, it would be a
price most patients would consider worth paying.
'I don't believe the NHS medicines bill will soar. Patients who have a
better understanding of their medicines and how they can help them are
far more likely to work harder at making sure they work to their best
advantage. When that happens, it can only prove cheaper and more
effective in the long run.
'People deserve good quality information about their medicines and they
should not be denied it.'
IN THE ANTI CAMP
Title: public affairs officer on health
Organisation: The Consumers' Association
'On the face of it, the arguments put forward by those who would like to
see the UK allow advertising of prescription medicines look
We're told advertising can provide patients with a wealth of information
about what medicines are currently available, offer choice between
competing brands and even alert patients to conditions they didn't even
know existed, and to the treatments available to deal with them.
'Patients will be better informed about health issues and more able to
play an active role in deciding what medicines will work best for
It's a clever, well-spun argument which is not surprising given that the
ad industry, which stands to gain as much as the pharmaceutical industry
from direct-to-consumer-advertising (DTCA), has a keen interest in
seeing it introduced to the UK. But beneath the spin there are a lot of
questions about just how much the public would gain if manufacturers
were allowed to advertise prescription drugs.
'Firstly, in order to be truly empowered, patients need access to the
whole story - this means complete and accurate information about the
effectiveness, benefits and risks of the treatments that are available
for their condition.
'The US experience has shown that, in reality, DTCA provides information
on a selective basis and is geared toward selling drugs rather than
empowering consumers. That is the real truth of the matter.
'Manufacturers spend billions of US dollars, mainly on ads for expensive
drugs for which there is mass-market appeal, such as treatments for
allergies or baldness. Treatments for less marketable conditions, and by
definition less profitable for the industry, will receive
proportionately less attention.
'While there is a great deal of evidence that shows DTCA in the US has
substantially increased sales of specific drugs, there's no evidence to
show that it has led to better choices for patients. So let's stop
dressing up this argument as a genuine debate about empowering patients
and see DTCA for what it is - a means of increasing profit for the


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Podcasts, aided by the smash hit “Serial,” are having a moment. They’ve broken through with mainstream audiences, they’ve piqued interest from brand advertisers. Ad agencies — when they’re not busy producing their own podcasts — finally feel comfortable discussing podcast buys with clients.
Despite these gains, the podcast industry has been mostly unable to tap into what could become its largest listener segment: people who use phones with Google’s mobile operating system, Android.
“Android devices are the majority of smartphone market, but they’re not the majority of podcast access,” Seth Lind, director of operations at popular podcast “This American Life,” told Digiday.
Much of Apple’s dominance is due to podcasting’s legacy. As the name implies, podcasts initially became popular on iPods, and iTunes was the primary means of disseminating and downloading podcasts. IPods ran on iTunes, thus making Apple the de facto ruler of the podcasting ecosystem.
And that reign persists today. Lind said 65 percent of the mobile Web visits for “This American Life” come from devices that run on Apple’s iOS mobile operating system, with just 30 percent from Android. And the gap is even “more stark” when it comes to downloads, he said; he approximated that iOS accounts for 90 percent of the show’s downloads.
Other music platforms — SoundCloud, Stitcher — have entered the industry, but their share of listening is negligible relative to Apple’s, according to Erik Diehn, vp of business development at Midroll Media, a podcast network that sells advertising on popular shows “Comedy Bang Bang,” “WTF with Marc Maron” and “How Did This Get Made?”
“There’s basically Apple and then everybody else,” he said.
But Google could be on par with Apple were it to follow Apple’s lead and create a native podcast app for Android users, Diehn added. And that would equate to surge of potential new listeners — with 98.5 million users in the U.S., Android commands 51.7 of the smartphone software market, according to market research firm eMarketer. Apple is No. 2 with 43.3 percent.
Google declined a request to comment.
Android users can access podcasts, but it’s just not easy for them to do so, Lind explained. And that difficulty partially explains why the medium is so skewed toward iOS. “On Android today, the ecosystem is much more fragmented than on Apple,” Diehn said.
IPhones now come with an Apple-created podcast app preloaded, making it easier for iPhone owners to find podcasts and start listening. Android offers no such app, let alone one that comes stock, meaning users have to go through the extra step of finding and downloading a third-party podcast app before they can hear their favorite shows.
“In the way that Apple has made the podcasting app a default, if Android did the same, it would encourage listening,” Lind said.
Google’s entry into the podcasting market could also bring new brand advertisers to the medium. Whereas Apple is defiantly not an advertising company, Google is. And it could extend its pre-existing relationships with brand advertisers to podcasters, helping them monetize as it already does with app developers in its Google Play store or publishers in its display ad network.
Currently, podcast advertisers tend to be venture capital-backed small businesses running direct-response campaigns. Both Diehn and Lind said that while Google would certainly help provide demand from brands, they believe Google would only provide a complementary ad revenue stream.
“Google is an advertising company, but they’re an algorithmic, automated advertising company. And the ads we sell can’t be sold through an automated mechanism,” Diehn said.
Diehn was referring to ads voiced by the podcast hosts themselves, podcasting’s version of native advertising. And like native advertising with publishers, they cost a premium. Some host-voiced ads go for a $50 CPM, Lind said.
Google would be able to sell “pre-recorded canned spots” for less, Diehn said.
Still, the opportunity on Android is “huge,” according to Lind.
“Demographically, Android should be great for podcasts,” Diehn said, citing Android’s popularity among young, early adopters. “But it requires a lot more effort on Android’s part.”
Homepage image courtesy Shutterstock
Inside Hearst UK’s multi-pronged approach to third-party cookie replacements
Hearst UK's Ryan Buckley and Faye Turner are testing everything from 50,000-person panels to clean rooms.
Out of home fights for greater ad share as it cites better value on action taken by consumers
An OAAA study found that OOH is on par with other media in eliciting action from those consumers who recall seeing the ads. And since it's much less costly, it's a more effective means of influencing consumers.
The Rundown: BuzzFeed Inc. revenue up by 26% despite hits to commerce business, expects similar momentum in Q2
Despite significant declines in BuzzFeed Inc.’s commerce business, overall revenue was up, due to increases in the company's advertising and content arms.
SponsoredHow marketers and retailers are unlocking the true value of retail media
Ben Kneen, senior director of product management, Xandr It’s a challenging time for retailers in the advertising industry. As they cope with supply chain woes and inflation-related pressures, they seek high-margin revenue streams amid evolving privacy regulations and massive shifts in identity solutions — including IDFA, the deprecation of third-party cookies and more. In light […]
Member ExclusiveMedia Buying Briefing: Omnicom Media Group tackles supply-chain challenges for its clients
The media agency network created a metric designed to help brands calculate where and when to redirect media spend as a result of supply chain issues they face — rather than just putting a halt on spend when there’s a supply crunch.
The Rundown: Podcast production companies and platforms pitch diverse audiences and ad targeting improvements at IAB’s Podcast Upfront
The three-day podcast-focused event highlighted improvements in dynamic ad insertion, machine learning and diversity of creators, content and audiences.


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75% of Americans have purchased something online. However, most of those who have shopped online say they prefer shopping in a bricks and mortar store, according to a new study by NPR and the Marist Institute for Public Opinion
Featured Resources for Online Marketing
Amazon today issued a “Small Business Impact Report” highlighting the million+ small businesses that sell products on Amazon.
Facebook.com is home to only one business: Facebook.
After a recent fake Twitter investigative report, a Twitter board member lost 46,000 fake followers from her account.


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Gilbarco's New Mobile Technology Brings Home the 'Beacon'
Testing method of communicating from pump to cellphones
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- A major pump manufacturer has announced the incorporation of "beacon" technology to allow for pump-to-cellphone communications at gas stations and convenience stores.
This year, Gilbarco Veeder-Root said that it is testing new pumps that use technology from San Diego-based Qualcomm, specifically its "beacon" communication method, to deliver highly personalized news, information and advertisements on screens built into gasoline pumps.
"Consumers sit there for two to four minutes doing nothing [while filling up their tanks]," Travis Bouck, vice president of marketing for Gilbacro, Greensboro, N.C., told The Washington Post. "We've invested a lot of effort to make that two to four minutes more meaningful."
Gilbarco is also currently doing a test in Minnesota where motorists can purchase lottery tickets at the pump.
"For us it's all about giving that retailer more interaction with the consumer and creating more engagement points and giving consumers something as well," Bouck said.
Gilbarco is not the only company developing solutions using beacon technology. Other pump manufacturers and third-party players are developing options for retailers. One such provider is Los Angeles-based SkuRun Inc., which is gearing up to provide the hardware to execute the beacon communication method and is currently developing a content component for the future.
Speaking to CSP Daily News, Ralph Acosta with SkuRun said the technology involves a low-energy Bluetooth signal. Many people are familiar with Bluetooth as a way to connect headsets to their cellphones for hands-free calls. The signal needs to be heard, he said, so the phone has to have a mobile application, or app, and its Bluetooth needs to be activated to pick up the message.
The opportunity for retailers and suppliers of branded product to reach out to consumers is vast, Acosta said.
As for Gilbarco, officials say beacon messages tied to its in-pump screens are a way for stations to lure customers into the c-store for additional purchases.
Gilbarco Veeder-Root is a leader in retail and commercial fueling operations technology. The Greensboro, N.C.-based company offers a broad range of integrated solutions from the forecourt to the c-store and head office.


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Budget carrier EasyJet has acquired an Atol licence for 185,000 passengers for this summer.
Confirmation of the new Atol (number 11446) appeared on the CAA Atol check facility on its website this morning.
The 184,994 passenger licence is for more than the 166,450 customers easyJet Holidays is licenced to carry for the entire year.
EasyJet Holidays (Atol number 10915) is currently operated by a partner, Hotelbeds subsidiary Hotelopia, and has previously been touted as a potential top three player in Europe.
UK regulator the CAA has also published an exemption for easyJet Airline Company and its other associated entities in Europe, associated with its new Atol.
This sets out the circumstances in which a sale of flight accommodation on the carrier’s website is not protected by the Atol scheme.
Airlines are technically not required to have an Atol and new Package Travel Regulations which became law this week set out the circumstances under which sales of air-inclusive packages do not require financial protection.
An easyJet spokesman said the move was to cover third-party product sold via the easyJet website under the new package travel regulations.
He said: “easyJet is in favour of protection for customers and those booking package holidays with easyJet holidays are already fully protected through the ATOL scheme. We’re fully compliant with the new regulations.”
The move to acquire an Atol comes after the budget airline has brought tour operating knowhow and experience into its senior management team.
The carrier appointed former Tui Group product and purchasing managing director Garry Wilson as chief executive of easyJet Holidays in May as it set out its intention to create a major pan-European holiday firm.
He joined new chief executive Johan Lundgren who has substantial experience as a tour operator including 12 years at Tui Group where he rose to group deputy chief executive officer and chief executive officer, mainstream markets.
But the airline’s spokesman told Travel Weekly that the Atol licence was not preparation for a wider roll-out of easyJet’s package holiday division.
EasyJet Holidays began trading in 2011 with the now-defunct Lowcost Travel Group supplying accommodation saying at the time it aimed to be “in the top three to five” in the UK holiday market.
It switched fulfilment partner in 2014 to the Hotelopia division of Hotelbeds, then part of Tui Travel, declaring it would be “a strong number three” in Europe, and re-launched its easyJet Holidays site in the UK and announced plans to open sites in Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands.
EasyJet Holidays has to date been used by the budget airline to drive incremental bookings for the airline and accommodation partners have been restricted from competing against the carrier by bidding on the top performing holiday keywords on Google.
Speaking to a Travel Weekly Business Breakfast audience in June 2017 Dame Carolyn McCall, the then outgoing chief executive of easyJet, said the holidays division needed to be “someone’s top priority” if it was going to scale.
“It’s something that we have thought about quite a lot but it’s never been as front of mind as it should be when you are dealing with 78 million passengers,” she said.
“We are going through a process to see how we are going to do that. We have to give it its own bottom line. It has to be separated a little because the main business will overwhelm it.”
Wilson’s appointment was one of five board appointments announced in May, with Luca Zuccoli hired from data analytics firm Experian as chief data officer and Flic Howard-Allen joining from Associated British Foods as group communications officer.
In addition Lis Blair moved from her role as easyJet customer relationship management and insight director to become chief marketing officer and country director for Germany, Austria and Switzerland while Thomas Haagensen became group markets director.
The airline reported a 19.5% rise in revenue to £2.18 billion for the six months to March and an operating profit of £8 million compared with a £212 million loss a year earlier.
The carrier’s capacity for the second half of the year will be 13% up year on year across Europe against an overall market increase in short-haul capacity of 5%.


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The elegant resort located in the spa town of France has chosen the timeless collection by Rubinetterie Stella to embellish the bathrooms of rooms and suites in art deco style.
Alongside the historical collections, true icons of Made in Italy in the world, Rubinetterie Stella proposes numerous contemporary lines, created in collaboration with the most authoritative representatives of the design world.
The award, designed to enhance the most innovative Italian products in the ceramic and bathroom furniture sectors, was awarded to Rubinetterie Stella for the SIMPLE project
The 57th edition of the Salone del Mobile has crowned Rubinetterie Stella as the protagonist of innovation in the bathroom furniture sector.
Thirty-six journalists for over forty-five headlines from daily newspapers, periodicals and specialized magazines to the Press Day by Rubinetterie Stella.
No "louder mirrors" at the stand that Rubinetterie Stella will set up at Cersaie 2017 in Bologna.


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There are numerous ways to check your phone for emails, alarms to vibrations to tiny blinking lights but how about something more tactile? Recently HTC has all geared up to introduce its U squeezable phone. It has even decided on launching its device on May 16th.
A squeezable phone does not at all been a rubber device instead the phone’s metal frame will be created in such a way that will include embedded sensors. This will enable the owners to control apps as well as phone functions by squeezing or swiping along sides of the phone.
— HTC (@htc) April 20, 2017
Reports state that the HTC U is expected to introduce an Edge Screen on the 5.5-inch phone. A 12-megapixel rear camera will also be featured in the phone along with a 16-megapixel snapper on the front of the device. It will have a 2,560 x 1440 pixel display. The Taiwanese company seems to be shaking up the phone this year. This is an interesting prospect as with squeezable phones, smartphone controls will no longer be limited to the screens.
Although currently, Samsung’s Galaxy S8 is in the spotlight but this is going to be a fascinating prospect. Not much detail has yet been shared with the public about the HTC U except its teaser but it is expected that the company will provide more details before the final launch of its device.
The idea of a phone that changes its physicality seems pretty enticing one. It indicates that smartphones are moving further towards such designs that offer a lot more than just a screen.
Via: Tech Crunch


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Wall Street extended its rally for the third straight day. The big indexes rose roughly one percent. Three big tech names, Facebook, Amazon and Apple, led the S&P's advance. Investors boughton bets that the U.S. and China would strike a deal to end their trade war.
Argus Research chief investment strategist, Peter Canelo:
SOUNDBITE: ARGUS RESEARCH CHIEF INVESTMENT STRATEGIST, PETER CANELO, (ENGLISH) SAYING:
"It all starts with China and trade and tariffs. We already postponed the tariffs. And they're talking so that's good news, and I think the market recognizes that."
Amazon again gained ground one day after the online retailer topped Microsoft to become the world's most valuable company.
Boeing led the Dow. The world's largest plane manufacturer delivered a record 806 aircraft in 2018 but missed its full year target.
PG&E tumbled again after S&P Global Ratings cut the utility's credit rating to junk status. Shares also sank Monday after Reuters reported PG&E was exploring filing for bankruptcy protection.
European shares closed at a three-week high on hopes of a trade deal between the U.S. and China.


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Microsoft settles lawsuit over Xbox
Updated 10:00 pm, Thursday, March 12, 2009
Microsoft Corp. said Thursday it settled a patent-infringement suit in which a New York company was demanding $90 million in royalties on the Xbox video game system.
Financial terms weren't disclosed, Microsoft spokesman David Bowermaster said, adding that it was an "amicable agreement." The settlement cuts short a trial that started this week over the suit, filed by closely held PalTalk Holdings Inc.
"The parties have settled the case, and PalTalk is quite pleased with the outcome," Max Tribble, a PalTalk lawyer, said in a phone interview.
In opening statements Monday, Tribble said that "Halo" first-person shooter games and the Xbox console on which they are played infringe two patents for inventions developed by MPath Interactive Inc. PalTalk bought the patents for less than $200,000, Microsoft's lawyer, David Pritikin, told the federal jury in Marshall, Texas.
The trial centered on technology for ways to control interactive applications over multiple computers. MPath was "a pioneer in the online video industry in the area of real-time, multiplayer online games," Tribble said. Tribble didn't immediately return a call to his office.
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Microsoft said it chose a different path in developing the "Halo" game.
It also challenged the validity of the patents and the $90 million that PalTalk was seeking.
The entertainment and devices division, which includes the Xbox games and console, generated $5 billion in sales in the six months ended Dec. 31, the company said Jan. 22 in its quarterly report. The "Halo" games are the company's best-selling Xbox game franchise.
Overall, Microsoft reported $31.7 billion in sales in that period.


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More than 85,000 people have signed an Online Petition asking Walmart to stop selling assault rifles.
The petition urges Walmart to "stop selling military-grade assault rifles and the types of high-capacity magazines used in the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting."
Shortly after the shooting in Newtown, CT, Walmart pulled the listing for its Bushmaster AR-15 rifle from its online listings, but has still sold the weapon in more than 1,700 Walmart stores around the country.
The petition needs less than 5,000 more signatures to reach its goal of 90,000.
To see the full petition, click here.
FBI: Cash Payment Received Saturday Led to Martha Shoffner's Arrest
LITTLE ROCK, AR -- Investigators revealed details of how Arkansas Treasurer Martha Shoffner arrest took place.
Top Trenders: Who Won the Powerball Jackpot?
The Powerball jackpot winner remains a mystery. Plus, several states across the Midwest get slammed by a tornado outbreak. These are your Top Trenders.
Third Annual Block Street Block Party
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Memorial Service Planned to Two Students Killed in Boating Accident
FAYETTEVILLE-- The Tri Delta Sorority of the University of Arkansas announcing it will hold a public memorial service in honor of the two students killed...
Nearly 500 Participate in NWACC Spring Commencement
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Cocoa farmers will in July this year (2018) meet with the Ministry of Agriculture to discuss the pricing of cocoa for the subsequent crop seasons.
The farmers argue that it has become critical for government to actively engage them in determining the price of cocoa following developments in the sector such as the declining price of the commodity on the international market.
Government has maintained the producer price of cocoa beans at 7,600 cedis per metric tonne for the 2017/2018 crop season despite a sharp drop in the price of the commodity on the world market from 3000 dollars to 1,900 dollars at the time of the announcement.
However, in an interview with Citi Business News, President of Cocoa Farmers at Offinso, Alex Opoku Mensah was of the view that further predictions of a decline in the price of cocoa on the international market will affect farmers, hence government must include them in determining the price of the commodity.
“In fact we want to meet the government; that is to meet with either the Agric Ministry or COCOBOD then we will know the way forward. We will meet with them by the close of July this year just before the main cocoa season”.
Mr Opoku Mensah further said that all cocoa associations in the country are working to come together to address their issues,
“Our stand and objective now is to bring all the cooperatives together, for example I am in Ashanti Region, so for Ashanti Region cooperatives in the cocoa sector we need to come together then form one federation, so we can work through our challenges together and I am working towards that”.
Again, Mr Opoku Mensah stressed that farmers are the backbone of the cocoa sector and must be given an equal playing field in the sector.
“We are the farmers, we are working hard for the sector, so without us there wouldn’t be cocoa and so that is what we have intended to do and in all this I think it will help us.


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At least 100 informal traders from Bulawayo have been trained on business management and financial literacy by the Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) as part of efforts to assist them to identify new opportunities, grow their businesses and establish business linkages.
The traders were trained on budgeting, savings, record keeping, investing and processes of acquiring a vending license.
Speaking to CITE, BVTA director Michael Ndiweni said the training was made possible through a grant from the Zimbabwe Resilient Building Fund (ZRBF) to implement a five month project termed Market aggregation Covid-19 Vendors Response and Market Access Project (VCR- MAP) .
He said the training seeks to equip vendors with skills to expand their business at the same time responding to Covid-19 pandemic.
“This market aggregation project is part of Sizimele, a consortium made up of a number of partners including BVTA, Tsambe, ORAP. It seeks to bring together people from the informal sector to create an opportunity for them to trade amongst each other, equip them with skills to expand their businesses at the same time responding to the Covid-19 pandemic that has claimed millions of lives all over the world, the informal sector being the hardest hit due to the nature of how the sector is organised,” said Ndiweni
“The project is also trying to go to market places, raise awareness and monitor adherence to Covid-19 protocols and the project is doing that through deploying what we call market agents so they go around checking if people are wearing masks, people are observing social distancing, if people are keeping their market places clean, if they are washing their hands among other protocols.”
Ndiweni added that some of the traders had abandoned their businesses after they were forced to divert their funds to take care of their families due to effects of Covid-19.
Meanwhile, a cross border vendor, Pretty Mpofu said the training was beneficial to them.
“We learnt a lot and as a cross border trader I used to tell myself that I am a jack of all trades and could hoard anything that I lay my hands on, that made it hard for me to keep track on how my business is going.
“I was not even aware of the importance of record keeping in the informal sector and I could use all profits that I would have made,” she said.
Source: Centre for Innovation and Technology (CITE)


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Audi has only teased us so far with sketches of its new city car duo, the Urban Concept and its open-top sister, the Urban Spider Concept. Now it's lifted the lid and issued these first photos of its 2011 Frankfurt motor show debutants.
They're tiny electric runabouts, with two seats and an electric powertrain. Kind of gives us an idea of what a sub-Audi A1 city car could be in future.
Tellingly, though, parent company Volkswagen is set to show a single-seat electric project at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show, as we reported this week.
Stretching to 3200mm long, 1700mm wide and just 1200mm tall. These cars are a showcase for Audi's lightweight knowhow, and they make use of carbonfibre reinforced plastic for a sub-500kg kerbweight, although the exact mass has not yet been disclosed.
A pair of electric motors is driven by lithium ion batteries and Audi claims a 40-mile range for their city car pair.
The Audi Urban Concepts will be revealed in full at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show on 13 September.


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Facts & Figures
Welcome to Delhi, the new hub for organic consumption.
From 9 – 11 November 2017, India Expo Mart (IEML), Greater Noida for the first time will experience the grandness of India’s most successful Organic Fair in India. The ninth edition of BIOFACH India together with INDIA ORGANIC will be opening its doors for three days showcasing the country’s organic diversity.
The Growing Organic Trend With people adopting a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle, organic products are seeing more acceptance and growing popularity. The market is growing at a healthy rate. In the last five years, the shelf space of such products in metros has tripled. This is enhancing entrepreneurial opportunities and prodding retailers to offer more to the consumers.
The multi-fold growth in the number of organic stores and brands across the capital, with the increase in government initiatives to enhance the production and consumption of such products have only encouraged the capital to host the next Organic World Congress from 9 – 11 November 2017 in New Delhi in 2017. The main idea is to expose the Global organic farming movement to the tremendous expansion of organic farming that has taken place in India, especially Delhi in the past decade. Going by IFOAM statistics, India hosts the largest number of organic farmers in the world.
Highlights of the Event:
- The event will be held concurrent to the Organic World Congress of IFOAM Organics International which is held every 3 years in a different country.
- Network with more than 175 organic stakeholders from India and all over the world
- Leading event for the development of the organic sector worldwide
- International buyers from Europe, USA, South East, Middle East and India
- Knowledge driven conference program: Get insights about the growing organic market
New Delhi as a venue – The event will be held in the capital city - New Delhi. The venue, India Expo Mart, Greater Noida is strategically located in the heart of New Delhi which is a hub to the big organic retail chains and will attract buyers and visitors from the organic sector not just from Delhi but all over India.


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- Classifieds’ revenue up 12.3 per cent on F17 to $141m
- Focus on value-add benefits and depth products
Our three classified businesses across real estate, employment and motoring continue to enjoy great success with double-digit revenue increases.
Trade Me Motors had another good year with revenue up 12.7 per cent year-on-year and continues to be the market leader in the automotive category. Depth (formerly known as premium) revenue continued to grow, in particular for dealer depth products, up 41.0 per cent on F17.
We were very disappointed when the Commerce Commission declined our bid to acquire Christchurch-based dealer platform, Motorcentral. Trade Me Motors has signed a commercial agreement with Motorcentral and we’ll work closely with them to provide greater value to dealers.
Trade Me Jobs continues to perform very strongly with revenue increasing 14.1 per cent year-on-year, driven by a 34.3 per cent increase in the sale of depth products. The team also released a profiles product this year, aimed at giving recruitment agents access to passive job-hunters.
Trade Me Property reported a revenue increase of 10.2 per cent year-on-year. Revenue from depth products for our 'for sale' real estate agent customers was up 38.2 per cent year-on-year. The team also released a new ‘Premium listing’ depth product to agents this year, aimed at providing vendors and agents with better branding and advertising. This has performed very well in its early stages and we expect to see even greater uptake in F19.


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Starting 19th December you can fly five times a week to vibrant Singapore on Scoot’s widebody Boeing 777-200, offering the most spacious cabin of any low cost airline.
Singapore is South East Asia’s hottest leisure destination, with its pulsating entertainment scene, Universal Studios, the iconic Marina Bay Sands and some of the world’s best dining and shopping.
In addition, as one of the world’s premier air hubs, Singapore offers connections to a huge range of cities in Asia and beyond – including fares from Perth to more than 46 cities offered by Scoot and its partner airlines.
Said Campbell Wilson, Scoot’s CEO, “Scoot’s inauguration of flights between Perth and Singapore is great news for Western Australians, Singaporeans and all of us at Scoot. Unbeatable value airfares, the empowerment of choice, a heritage of safety and reliability and, of course, our unique attitude – Scootitude. We’re excited to be flying to Perth and, with such fantastic launch fares on offer, there’s no better time to get outta here with Scoot.”
To celebrate the launch of our route from Perth to Singapore, Scoot is offering a promotional fare of just A$88 (that’s one-way, taxes included). Tickets are available now at www.flyscoot.com


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STOCKHOLM, Jan 29 - Sweden's IKEA, the world's biggest furniture retailer, said it was temporarily closing around half of its 30 stores in China as deaths in the country from the fast-spreading new coronavirus rose to 132 on Wednesday.
"In response to the Chinese government's call for efficient control of the spread of the disease IKEA China will from Jan. 29 temporarily close around half of the stores in China," it said in a statement. "Affected employees will stay at home until further notice with pay," it said.
Ingka Group last week closed its store in Wuhan, where the virus emerged last month.
The company employs around 14,000 people in China.
(Reporting by Anna Ringstrom; editing by Niklas Pollard)


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Amazon's iRobot deal is another interesting topic in this "Motley Fool Money" podcast.
Let's take a closer look at three of these stocks and why you might want to buy shares of Farfetch Limited (NYSE: FTCH), Sea Limited (NYSE: SE), and Opendoor Technologies (NASDAQ: OPEN) while these stocks are all on sale. Farfetch is an internet tech company that is helping the high-fashion industry move online. The high fashion market has crashed during the pandemic.
The next in line is electric-vehicle powerhouse Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA). Its investors just approved a 3-for-1 stock split, which is set to take effect at the close of trading on Aug. 24. The split adds no real value to Tesla as a company.


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Wells Fargo embracing new era with 'mobile first' attitude
Banking & Financial Services
- Adam O'Daniel, Staff Writer, Charlotte Business Journal
Saying tech giants Amazon and Google should be seen as competition — just like Bank of America and Citi — Wells Fargo & Co. Chief Marketing Officer Jamie Moldafsky is charting a “mobile first” course at the San Francisco-based bank (NYSE:WFC).
Her comments came at the International Advertising Bureau conference in Palm Springs, Fla., this week.
“We are in a new era for Wells Fargo,” Moldafsky said, according to a report from industry website Warc.com. “We’ve always been an innovative company, but we realize that the speed with which the world is changing and where our customers are headed requires us to get ahead of them.”
Moldafsky said the company, from the CEO on down, has been transforming itself to operate in a digital world where technology is paramount. She said reaching a new generation of customers with mobile banking technology will be the key to long-term success.
“Our biggest opportunity – but also challenge – is how to get the organization to think mobile first,” she said. “Historically, when people have asked us, ‘Who are your competitors?’, as a bank we would answer Chase or Bank of America. Today, however, we would answer Google or Amazon.”
Moldafsky recently upended the bank’s advertising efforts by placing the ad account on review. The bank has said it will pick a new agency this month.
Wells Fargo is the largest bank in the Triangle based on local deposits, owning nearly 25 percent of the market share.
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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Officials announced Tuesday that while Walmart Supercenters are open 24 hours, they’ll be offering their Black Friday deals on Thanksgiving night.
It’s a continuing trend with Thanksgiving happening later than normal this year. Several retail outlets are opening earlier than Black Friday to accommodate holiday shoppers. Walmart announced Tuesday their Black Friday deals will begin at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Those same deals will be available again on at 8 a.m. on Black Friday.
Officials said any customer in line from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thanksgiving night will be guaranteed a deal on up to 21 of Walmart’s top products.


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Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Plants/Manufacturing, Subaru
Thanks to currency fluctuations and their impact on the bottom line, a growing number of Japanese automakers are starting to increase vehicle production in the US, and it appears Subaru could be the next to do so. According to Bloomberg, Subaru is looking into expanding production capacity at its Lafayette, Indiana assembly plant, which currently builds the Outback, Legacy and Tribeca as well as the Toyota Camry.
Subaru's Indiana plant currently has an annual maximum capacity of 310,000 units, but the automaker is expecting to far exceed that figure this year, with year-to-date sales of 299,788 units through November (not including Camry) - an increase of almost 30 percent over 2011. The report indicates that Subaru could expand the plant to add as many 50,000 additional units to the plant, likely in the form of either the Forester or Impreza.Subaru mulling expanding Indiana plant for Forester, Impreza originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 07 Dec 2012 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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