text:
Just Label GMO Foods
by Scott Faber Originally published on EWG’s AGMag Blog
Americans want to know what’s in their food and how it’s grown.
As the House of Representatives considers whether to block state GMO labeling laws, legislators may lose sight of this simple truth in a cascade of misleading and downright false claims made by some food and biotechnology companies. Food labeling opponents will try to twist a debate about transparency into a debate about a new — and still largely unproven– technology. We can’t let them.
We want to know more about food – what’s in it, who made it, where it was made, how it was made. We want food with a story. No wonder 90 percent of consumers tell pollsters they want to know whether their food was made with GMOs. This should be simple. Give us the facts and trust us to make good decisions. That’s how markets are supposed to work.
Not so fast. Some food and biotechnology companies don’t trust us to make these choices for ourselves. Of course, it’s bad for business to tell us consumers that we‘re not smart enough to decide. So instead, they’re rolling out the same tired arguments used to fight any and all food regulations – that labeling will increase food prices and prevent American farmers from “feeding the world.”
Put aside the canard that America’s farmers feed the world (fact: we only produce eight percent of global food calories). Do we need GMOs to feed the world?
Food companies change their labels all the time to make new claims. Did the price of Cheerios increase when General Mills added a GMO-free disclosure to the side of the box? No. Lessons learned from labeling around the globe show us that consumers will not view a GMO disclosure as a warning sign. Interestingly, the same food giants made the same bogus arguments when they fought mandatory nutrition labeling more than two decades ago. No wonder the Washington Post’sfact checker gave them “three Pinocchios.”
Read the full blog here.
Scott Faber is the Executive Director of Just Label It and Vice President for Governmental Affairs for EWG.


text:
For anyone following the legislative path of the expansion of legalized online poker and online gaming overall in the U.S. markets, might I recommend BENGAY® or any other muscle analgesic for one’s neck monitoring the ping pong back and forth of this “on-again, off-again” journey.
As a brief recap, New Jersey, Delaware and Nevada legalized online gaming, but projections were overinflated, numbers have been disappointing and many operators are pulling back or out altogether. In California (thought by many to be the big prize in online poker), Assemblyman Mike Gatto recently introduced a new online poker bill and subsequent amendments (AB 9) that are similar to the bill submitted, but ultimately withdrawn by Sen. Lou Correa in 2014. (Will this ever happen?) On the federal front, Sheldon Adelson, through his Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling, is committed to using vast resources to stop online gaming. Pennsylvania, Illinois and Massachusetts all seem to be considering online gaming but have land-based gaming issues bouncing around at the forefront politically.
Many tribal casino operators seeking new cutting-edge sources of revenue to augment their existing operations have nearly given up hope with the online gaming sector, since they realize the legislative wait may be excruciatingly long and/or as in the case of California—may not even include them if they are a smaller enterprise. And yet millions of dollars have been spent by casino management personnel researching, exploring, interviewing and reviewing online gaming data to determine if there is an immediate implementation that can augment casino revenues.
Chris Grove, online gaming expert and co-founder of Online Poker Report, believes for most tribal land-based casinos, the implementation of regulated online gaming today is just too expensive since it remains an uncertainty; the upfront costs are too large given the unclear size of the potential revenue opportunity and regulatory landscape.
Grove believes the path forward may be better approached by investigating the next form of innovative products based within two “quasi-wagering” sectors that are currently legal in more than 40 states and therefore don’t experience the political merry-go-round of regulatory requirements. These missed opportunities exist within two industries that experienced unparalleled growth in 2014 and don’t seem to be slowing down: social gaming and daily fantasy sports. “It is a flawed paradigm to view online gaming as a stand-alone product that is siloed,” Grove said. “It can be a great defense against all the other things competing for gaming customers’ entertainment. If you don’t give them a way to have that consumer experience, casinos will lose mind share and timeshare to competition they aren’t thinking about.” (The complete interview with Chris Grove can be heard at www.cemaudioedge.com/episode/native-american-gaming-0).
Adam Krejcik, managing director, Digital & Interactive Gaming, Eilers Research, LLC, presumably agrees with Grove, since Krejcik actively follows and frequently publishes research reports on both social gaming and daily fantasy sports (DFS). Social gaming is a larger industry in general; for 2014, Eilers research estimates the global social casino game market reached $2.8 billion, which was up +38 percent from last year. (Source: Eilers Research; Adam Krejcik: The Social Casino Gaming Tracker—4Q14 & 2014) Interesting highlights include the fact that gaming equipment and technology suppliers remain among the top players in the social casino game industry, largely due to their ability to bring premium land-based content online; mobile now accounts for 61 percent of all social casino game revenues generated worldwide, and Eilers projects the global social casino game market to reach $3.5 billion in 2015 and $4.4 billion by 2017.
Krejcik also follows DFS and presented a keynote in January for the Fantasy Sports Trade Association. Krejcik’s keynote provided a brief history as well as bold predictions. Some key takeaways:
• Daily fantasy sports is a subset of the broader fantasy sports industry and was formed largely due to a carve-out in the UIGEA of 2006. Essentially this carve-out ruled that DFS is a game of skill and therefore not subject to Internet gambling laws.
• You can now play in 45 states and recent partnerships/investments by the major professional sports associations are all strong endorsements and help reduce regulatory risk.
• DFS is still in its infancy with just about 2.5 percent penetration rate of players.
• DFS serves as a viable alternative for some players who do not have access to sports wagering.
• The underlying model for DFS is largely borrowed from the online poker world and ripe for innovation, which should lead to new successful entrants.
• How do you attract more female players? (If you can figure that out = $$$)
(Source: Eilers Research; Adam Krejcik: January 16, 2015—FSTA Winter Conference, Keynote: Bold Predictions on the Daily Fantasy Sports Market)
In its current form, DFS is still a small revenue market. The DFS market size for 2014 was approximately $90 million, which is up from $21.9 million in 2013. (Note: Eilers calculates the market size on a net basis i.e. after player payouts; gross entry fees for 2014 were $1 billion) Krejcik/ Eilers predict a conservative DFS market size of $1.18 billion (net) by 2020. Another source, IBISWorld, predicts fantasy will be a $4 billion business by 2017.
It appears that the excitement with both the social gaming and DFS markets is the potential to be used, perhaps in a new, innovative manner, within operating casinos to increase revenue, drive more customers, augment player data sources and provide additional entertainment for a new generation of consumers.
Wayne Schonfeld, CEO of Database Dynamics, a firm that supplies casinos with sports based promotions, including Fantasy Sports, a firm that supplies casinos with fantasy sports kiosks, must have been both savvy and clairvoyant as he requested and received an opinion from the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) in October 1998 confirming that his fantasy sports game did not violate the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) and would be considered a marketing tool. (Complete context of the NIGC opinion letter to Schonfeld can be found at www.nigc.gov/Reading_Room/Game_Classification_Opinions-old/Non-gambling_…).
“Everyone can make money in this space,” Schonfeld said. “The key is size and bandwidth. All of the big fantasy sports companies are spending their profits right now on player acquisition; the advantage for the casinos is they already have customers.”
Grove is convinced that finding a way to offer exciting social games and DFS in casinos can be the game changer in the online space. For tribal casinos, Grove maintains the added benefit is that these games do not have to stay on the reservation gaming footprint because they are legal forms of online entertainment the players can also play offsite and still be connected to the casino brand. “Some form of online gaming can serve as a complement to a casino’s existing profile, adding more data, more efficient marketing and improved communication with customers,” he said. Overall, this appears to be an underappreciated and under-investigated opportunity.
A big question for casino operators is how to stay fresh and relevant and keep gaming product new and exciting—deliverable in both traditional format (i.e. slots) as well as contemporary formats (tablets, mobile). Given that the social casino game space and daily fantasy sports have launched impressive growth trajectories, demonstrating a proven track record for generating revenue and player retention in a legal online format, exploring forms of innovative casino offering possibilities seems a worthy exercise.
Analysts and other experts cited in this column may be reached at the following email addresses: Chris Grove, chris[at]onlinepokerreport.com; Adam Krejcik, akrejcik[at]eilersresearch.com; and Wayne Schonfeld, wayne[at]databasedynamics.net.

domain: news


text:
Starbucks has committed to donating $10 million in grants to employees affected by COVID-19 through its newly established Global Partner Emergency Relief Program. Grants are available to employees in need at company-owned and licensed stores worldwide. Outside of North America, grants will be made available to licensed store employees through the Emergency Assistance Foundation and through the EMEA Partner Relief Fund for employees in European company-owned stores.
Starbucks employees in “disaster designated areas” will be immediately eligible to apply for these one-time, direct relief grants. Qualified grant categories include housing and utilities, sudden loss of home, death of a family member or partner, and related funeral expenses.
“As we navigate this global crisis, we never lose sight of the wellbeing of our partners, who are the heartbeat of this company,” Lucy Helm, chief partner officer of Starbucks said in a statement. “During this very difficult time, we believe it is our responsibility to create additional support for partners facing unexpected financial hardship wherever they are. We are proud to be a catalyst for a first-of-its-kind global funding initiative to further demonstrate to our Starbucks partners that we are in this together.”
This announcement follows other recent initiatives meant to help Starbucks employees survive the coronavirus crisis financially, including a $3 pay raise for all employees that are still working in stores put into effect at the end of March, and the implementation of catastrophe pay that covers those who have been quarantined and/or exposed to COVID-19.
However, this commitment of $10 million toward the Global Partner Emergency Relief Program marks the first time that both company-operated and internationally licensed international stores will have access to Starbucks’ funds for those affected by the pandemic.
This investment will support Starbucks already-existing CUP Program — a financial assistance program funded by Starbucks employees to help their colleagues – as well as the new Starbucks EMEA Partner Relief Fund. The $10 million commitment is also meant to assistance international markets in creating their own funds for their employees in need.
“Our goal at the Emergency Assistance Foundation is to help individuals financially during times of disaster and hardship,” Doug Stockham, president of the Emergency Assistant Foundation said. “People around the globe are affected by COVID-19, and we pride ourselves on being the financial first responders.”
Starbucks did not respond in time to a request for more information on distribution of and applications for grants.
For our most up-to-date coverage, visit the coronavirus homepage.
Contact Joanna Fantozzi at [email protected]
Follow her on Twitter: @JoannaFantozzi


text:
Disney+ has proven to be a saving grace for the Walt Disney Company, as it has created a way for the company to profit during the pandemic heavily.
We have seen fantastic TV series sprout from the streaming service, which is now one of the companies biggest sources of revenue. The amount of Marvel shows that have been binged from WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki — which debuted as the most-watched premiere — and What If…?, as well as Star Wars content like the incredibly popular Mandalorian has proven one thing to Disney — viewers want more.
The company has now started to find ways to integrate the streaming platform in the parks more, which is something that Disney CEO Bob Chapek has spoken about making a priority.
For example, while Loki was releasing each episode weekly on Disney+, in Disney California Adventure over in Disneyland, we saw his character in Avengers Campus transform each week into the outfits represented in the show. This gave viewers who were keeping up with the series an exciting reason to want to return each week, as they could see the story unfold on TV and in real life.
Now, Disney+ is coming to the Parks in an even bigger way. Disneyland Paris, Disney World Resort, and Disneyland Resort will all be celebrating Disney+ Day again on November 12, and the celebrations will be bigger than ever. Here, we will be focusing on the elements coming to Disneyland Resort.
Disney Parks Blog shared the following about the upcoming festivities:
In celebration of Disney+ Day, Disney+ subscribers with a valid ticket or pass and theme park reservations for the day will enjoy special benefits at select Disney theme parks. Disney+ subscribers are invited with their travel party to enter all theme parks at both Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort 30 minutes before regular park open.
Disney+ subscribers are the real stars at Disney Hollywood Studios and Disneyland Park, where guests will be welcomed with a blue carpet experience, including special photo opportunities throughout the parks.
Plus up your photos with complimentary Disney PhotoPass digital download(s) taken at select locations, offered especially to Disney+ subscribers via the My Disney Experience and Disneyland apps.
Fan favorite Disney+ characters are also joining the festivities with appearances around the parks. The fun doesn’t stop there – there are more surprises in store for subscribers who visit on Disney+ Day at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort!
These offerings give Disney+ subscribers a whole new meaning regarding in-Park perks and offerings, proving to Guests that they should continue their Disney+ subscriptions. As noted above, Guests with a Disney+ account will be able to enter Disneyland Resort 30 minutes before the parks open, which is fantastic!
There will also be special character sightings with a fancy blue carpet rolled out, meaning that this will be a day with plenty of enhancements for Guests. It was not noted how the logistics would work on this day, but as a speculation, I would assume they may choose to keep it simple, and parties would just need to show one Disney+ account logged in on their phone as proof to experience the early entry. That being said, that is purely speculative at this time.
It is great that Disney is further connecting the multiple streams of their business with the Parks, creating a sense of symbiosis among fans!
Will you be attending Disney+ Day? Which Park will you be celebrating at?


text:
January 31, 2002
Chemcentral Corp., Bedford Park, IL, announced the launch of its new website, CHEMCENTRAL Online, www.chemcentral.com. The site incorporates the online purchasing function previously offered on another company-owned site, eFodia.com. The site's Marketplace function allows registered users to purchase more than 8,000 chemical products, the company says. The site retains the MSDS Online feature to access MSDSs and Chemidex for location of raw materials.


text:
New phase in Sino-Latin American ties
Updated: 2014-07-21 07:24
By Osvaldo Rosales(China Daily)
President Xi Jinping is on his second visit to Latin America seeking to start a new phase in China's relationship with Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). In recent years, this relationship has been characterized by dynamic trade, an upturn in investment, a healthy exchange of high-level visits and the beginning of institutional dialogue.
After offering to deepen the cooperation agenda during a visit to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean headquarters in June 2012, Chinese leaders organized the China-LAC Ministers of Agriculture Forum in June 2013. And the ECLAC-China Cooperation Forum is likely to be held soon in Beijing.
Between 2000 and 2013, the trade volume between China and LAC multiplied 21-fold, from $12 billion to $250 billion. China has become one of the most important trading partners of the region. In fact, it is already the second provider of imports and, in 2015, could surpass the European Union as the second-largest export market for LAC. It is already the top export market for Brazil, Chile and Peru and the second-largest for Colombia, Cuba, Uruguay and Venezuela.
However, this dynamic relationship faces some problems. The LAC region, except for Venezuela, Brazil and Chile, has a trade deficit with China. This is particularly acute in manufacturing where the deficit affects all the region's economies and, in some cases, exceeds 4 to 5 percent of their GDP. This is the result of the LAC's exports pattern, which is highly concentrated in low-processed commodities.
Of the total LAC exports to China, 70 percent are raw materials and 24 percent products manufactured from natural resources. Exports are also highly concentrated given that only five products account for 90 percent or more of the exports for 14 LAC countries. Moreover, the number of LAC companies that export their products to China is relatively small, reflecting a pattern different from the LAC exports to other markets.
Chinese investment in LAC has grown, but it is still too low in relation to the trade level. It is also highly concentrated in natural resources and a significant part of the investment involves "tax havens".


text:
Traffic from shoppers to physical retail stores rebounded strongly from 2020. Data from Placer.ai, a company that measures shoppers’ visits to a wide range of physical stores, including grocery stores, clothing, supermarkets, departments and specialties, indicate that buyers have returned for the 2021. holiday season.
Store visits were higher than 2020 and slightly higher than 2019
Ethan Chernofsky, vice president of marketing at Placer.ai, explained how retailers simultaneously feared that supply chain issues would lead to a shortage of products in stores, that labor shortages would limit professionals to these. same locations and that COVID would impact consumer demand for in-store visits. And while the effects of all of these issues have been felt, the overall retail holiday visitation for 2021 has always remained relatively close to, if not above, 2019 levels and well ahead of the 2020 numbers. .
Chernofsky said, âThe ability to generate success even in the face of a ‘perfect storm’ of challenges is massive testimony to the continued consumer demand for physical retail. As the industry is clearly moving in a direction that demands greater omnichannel alignment, the continued centrality of the physical store has received a major vote of confidence over the holiday season.
Weekly visits to the retail category (including all retail categories measured by Placer.ai) started increasing in June 2021. With the exception of a few weeks, the upward trend compared to 2019 continued throughout the holiday season. Placer.ai data includes grocery stores, big box stores, specialty stores, and department stores, among other segments.
Strong holiday sales and foot traffic were seen at many retailers compared to last year and improved slightly from 2019. However, many retailers are calculating the holiday sales period from November to December ( the six weeks from Thanksgiving to New Years). In 2021, there were numerous holiday sales and shopping tours in October.
Best Buy, Target and Dick’s Sporting Goods recorded strong in-store visits at the start of the season
October showed a strong performance for retail stores as shoppers worried about product shortages due to supply chain issues and strong consumer demand, while minimizing the stress of the period. parties by buying early. Many customers feared returning to crowded stores due to lingering concerns over COVID. Chernofsky said, âVisits from many top retailers increased significantly in October as many visitors focused on doing their holiday shopping early to ensure they got their products on time. Best Buy, Target and Dick’s Sporting Goods all saw significant increases in vacation traffic from 2019.
Buyer visits in November and December are down, but sales are up
Based on data from RetailNext, a company that measures shopping visits to physical retail stores, sales for the holiday season measured from November 1 to December 25 are up 1.4% from 2019.
While overall buyer visits declined 21.7%, the amount buyers spent per visit increased 17.8%, and the number of buyers making purchases increased 2.4%. Lauren Bitar, Head of Ideas for RetailNext, said: âThis was driven by a strong intention to buy from shoppers walking into stores, with sales being bolstered by sidewalk and other services, as well as by this high average price of the ticket which was up to 19.3% compared to 2019 and 17.3% compared to 2020. “
Black Friday shopping spends October but is still a top shopping day
Data from Placer.ai indicated that many retailers saw significant reductions in visits on Black Friday itself, in part caused by numerous Black Friday deals starting in October. However, this did not affect the overall success of the holiday season.
Chernofsky noted that Target was down 3.1% on Black Friday, even though November visits were up 3.8%. Best Buy, a brand that traditionally sees huge increases in traffic on Black Friday, saw its visits drop 23.9% on the day, even though November visits were down only 12.8% and October visits by 10.2%. âThe ability of many brands to generate success over a longer period of time without the same onslaught of visits is likely to result in a continued push for an extended season in the years to come,â Chernofsky said.
Sensormatic Solutions, which monitors and measures buyer traffic in physical stores, released information for the six-week period from the Sunday before Thanksgiving to January 1, 2022, showing buyer traffic down 19.5% from 2019 .
Super saturday is always great
Compared to Super Saturday 2019, shopper traffic is down 26.3% this year, however, Sensormatic Solutions has ranked Super Saturday as the second busiest shopping day. âSuper Saturday has been the second busiest shopping day in America over the past five years, behind Black Friday,â said Peter McCall, senior director of retail consulting, Sensormatic Solutions. âThere were only three Saturdays in December before Christmas Day this year. As expected, Super Saturday remains an important part of consumers’ holiday shopping plans to grab last-minute items with supply chain issues delaying the arrival of online orders in time for them. holiday celebrations.
According to Sensormatic Solutions, the most important shopping days for physical retail are categorized as follows:
1. Friday November 26 – Black Friday
2. Saturday December 18 – Super Saturday
3. Thursday December 23 – Thursday before Christmas
4. Saturday December 11 – 2nd Saturday in December
5. Saturday November 27 – Saturday after Thanksgiving
6. Saturday 4 December – 1st Saturday in December
7. Sunday December 19 – Sunday before Christmas
8. Wednesday December 22 – Wednesday before Christmas
9. Monday December 20 – Monday before Christmas
10. Tuesday December 21 – Tuesday before Christmas
As retailers compile results for the 2021 holiday season, October was a key driver of the best performance over 2019. While store traffic was down in November and December in many retail segments , higher purchasing power of consumers helped push sales above 2019 levels for physical retail stores.


text:
One of the biggest personal care businesses in the country, UL Skin Sciences Inc. launched the Power House Lab last November 20 at the 1120 House in Makati.
The event gave a glimpse into the process of the company by having mini-science labs that held a live demonstration of their brand promise. With this, they aim to shed light on the science behind their products and how it works – with careful testing and research to ensure that it is accessible and of quality to cater to Filipinos.
Through these demonstrations, attendees were able to gain valuable insights as to how each ULSSI product works through an engaging program packed with fun games, as well as an exclusive look into the actual science behind each brand under their company through scientific demonstrations and insightful dialogue.
Division Vice President and Head of ULSSI Research & Development Marie Della Rhodora P. Carillo stated, “these demonstrations serve to reiterate the quality of the products, how they are backed by science, and how we deliver on our promise. By showcasing how each product is beneficial for our skin and entire well-being, we are able to highlight that ULSSI is a credible beauty brand and that our brands are the simple solutions to all your beauty and personal care needs.”
Being a uniquely Filipino brand in terms of formulation and science, Division Vice President and Head of ULSSI Marketing Kathryn Carag says, “We are proud to be a local company with roots deeply embedded in the Philippines. This offers us an intimate understanding of our people’s unique needs, and we constantly innovate to meet those needs with products you can trust. Every day is a grind for us – doing extensive research and testing to better improve our formulas and come up with new products for every type of Filipina skin.”
Although the products of the company are predominantly for women, ULSSI Senior Product Manager for Research and Development Clarinda Eliazar emphasized, “While the core market is through communicating with the female segment, we are not alienating our company or our products to the male segment.”
For more information about ULSSI products and their benefits to empower a more beautiful and confident you, visit ulssi.com.ph.


text:
When it comes to NFTs, OpenSea is on top of the world. It is arguably the biggest NFT marketplace in the world and is home to prized collections like the Bored Ape Yacht Club. But with all this success naturally comes some challenges.
One of the biggest of these is that OpenSea and those who buy from it are targeted by scammers and thieves. In the last month alone, the Bored Ape Yacht Club saw its discord server attacked and one of its NFTs stolen.
Now, just after OpenSea confirmed its Solana integration, it is the target of at least three lawsuits. All these suits are being brought forward by owners of Bored Ape Club NFTs bought from OpenSea.
The Case of the Stolen Ape
The three lawsuits that OpenSea is facing have one accusation in common-that OpenSea does not do enough to protect its customers. The latest suit, brought forward by a man named Michael Vasile, claims that OpenSea has several vulnerabilities that allow hackers to steal users’ assets.
Vasile is suing OpenSea for $1 million and his claim is similar to that of a Texas man who sued the company earlier this year. Both claim that code issues, which OpenSea are aware of, have led to their NFT apes being stolen. The damages from these thefts have run into hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to them.
A third plaintiff, who filed in Nevada, said that OpenSea puts the full responsibility of protecting their NFTs on the owners, with little to no internal support. An example cited in court documents was one incident where a hacker was able to buy an NFT that wasn’t listed for sale for the very low price of 0.1 ETH. The same NFT was then listed for 99 ETH.
“Essentially, OpenSea’s vulnerabilities allowed others to enter through its code and force the sale of an NFT. This is through no fault of the owner,” one of the suits says.
As the plaintiff explains, OpenSea offered limited support even after the fact. He claims that he sent messages to the OpenSea team and reached out via the Discord server and did not receive any response.
What Will This Mean Going Forward?
Those who operate in the blockchain field are familiar with the lack of centralized support that often comes with this. If your crypto is stolen from your wallet or your NFTs are compromised, there’s little anyone, even the platform you use, can do for you.
But if these lawsuits are successful, they could set a new precedent. More specifically, they could create a new landscape where NFT marketplaces or blockchain service providers, in general, are legally responsible for protecting their users’ assets.
This is particularly true in the event of false sales going up on the platform without the consent of the asset owners. Regardless of the outcome of these lawsuits, it is clear that the legal intricacies of NFTs will be further developed over the next few years.


text:
1Publicis Sapient’s “How Brands Can Level Up In The Metaverse” report is based on data collected through an online survey, in partnership with YouGov, sent to 6,421 adults (aged 18+) across Germany, France, UK, and US in August 2022.
Publicis Sapient Publishes Second Annual “Guide to Next” Reports Across Diverse Industries for 2023
The reports identify three key trends organizations must focus on to drive innovation and meet customer expectations in the year ahead: creating value through new digital touchpoints, leveraging data effectively to elevate customer experiences and putting sustainability at the heart of business strategy
New York, NY, November 2, 2022 – Publicis Sapient, a digital business transformation company, released today its second annual “Guide to Next'' 2023 reports. These reports provide an outlook of key trends expected to shape the world of business in the year ahead across diverse industries that organizations, from retail and financial services to energy and commodities and transportation, must focus on as they strive for transformational growth.
According to the reports, there are three top trends organizations should embrace: creating value through new digital touchpoints, leveraging data effectively to elevate customer experiences and putting sustainability at the heart of business strategy.
New Digital Touch Points Will Create Value
The rise of new digital touchpoints, like virtual experiences and the metaverse, are creating new opportunities and value for brands. There’s potential for new revenue streams by integrating these new digital touchpoints into organizations’ business models and services, combining both online and physical worlds. The metaverse, for example, may profoundly change how companies and consumers interact with products, services and each other in the coming years. It could serve as another channel where brands can sell products directly to consumers, whether that be virtual products or products that are delivered to them in the physical world.
According to a recent Publicis Sapient survey1, two out of five consumers globally have an interest in doing things in the metaverse and a third expressed interest in using the metaverse to see how products look in 3D before making purchases. Although adoption and interest in the metaverse are still relatively low, as technology evolves, so will consumer needs. This means that organizations need to be ready to adapt quickly as consumer demands change. In addition, those enterprises that create metaverse experiences stand to have a competitive advantage over those that don’t when it comes to reaching the generation to watch – Gen Z – which, by the end of this decade, is expected to earn more than millennials.
“This next generation of digital experiences has the potential to not just create new revenue streams, but also offer new ways to increase consumer engagement and foster brand loyalty to better connect with Gen Z consumers," said AJ Dalal, GVP, Enterprise Data Strategy at Publicis Sapient. "There's a lot of experimentation to be done, but brands that leverage metaverse experiences to drive innovation could lay down the path for engaging younger audiences."
Put Data To Work For Better Customer Experiences
Engaging customer experiences are critical to the sustained growth of any business. In fact, according to a recent Publicis Sapient survey2, 73% of consumers would stop shopping at a retailer after an unpleasant experience. Furthermore, most consumers today are accustomed to personalized experiences, and when it comes to customer loyalty, details matter. To enable personalization at scale, organizations need to make significant investments in their data. The right technology makes data more actionable. This could mean integrating technology like customer data platforms (CDPs) that enables getting to know consumers better, understanding their attitudes and preferences, and using that information to tailor content, messaging, channel and timing, in order to deliver hyper-personalized care offerings.
“An enterprise-ready CDP leveraging modern cloud infrastructures should be at the center of any data strategy and be equipped to move beyond data storage and be able to analyze and activate insights from across the organization in real time,” said Raymond Velez, Executive Vice President at Publicis Sapient. "Companies that capture first-party data can create robust and relevant data sets that they use for their own purposes, like delivering better customer experiences that can help build stronger loyalty."
Additionally, technologies like artificial intelligence will continue to play an important role in improving an organization's ability to put data to work more efficiently through better analysis, data mining, and predictive analytics to understand customers' needs. Forging lasting customer relationships through personalized and engaging experiences is crucial, but the right data strategy will prove more important in the year ahead.
Ensure Sustainability Is At The Heart Of Your Business Strategy
Sustainability is now a key consideration in a consumer’s purchase decision and has become increasingly critical for organizations to remain relevant and competitive in today’s world.
Customers want to know where products are coming from and how they can be reused or recycled to reduce waste. In fact, a recent Publicis Sapient survey3 shows that 71% of consumers said it’s important to know where the products purchased are sourced from and 62% are willing to pay for more environmentally sustainable products. However, consumers are also growing wary of “greenwashing,” a term for empty promises or green labels with no action behind them.
“With more consumers waking up to the realization that their choices have a profound impact on the environment, not just in terms of what they buy but also how they buy, expect to see an increasing number of companies explore opportunities to work with consumers in a more transparent and collaborative way to reduce environmental impact, inspire more responsible consumption, and strive for a better planet," said Scott Clarke VP and Consumer Products Lead at Publicis Sapient. "In this new model, consumer relationships will evolve from ‘direct-to’ to ‘direct-with’ and the company’s commitment to sustainability will become increasingly democratized and inclusive. Look to companies to become more ‘movement-driven’ and to start creating empowered communities of consumers, united by a common purpose and action, and to work side by side with these communities on issues of shared importance, particularly around improvements to the planet and society.”
To truly drive suitability throughout every part of the business, organizations must prioritize sustainability in their corporate strategy. Embedding sustainability in overall business strategies is crucial for long-term success, especially as millennials and Gen Z grow to make up the majority of the global customer base.
To view the "Guide to Next" 2023 reports for these industries – retail, financial services, energy and commodities, health, public sector, consumer products, telecommunications, media and technology, travel and hospitality, and transportation and mobility, please visit here.
About Publicis Sapient
Publicis Sapient is a digital business transformation company. We partner with global organizations to help them create and sustain competitive advantage in a world that is increasingly digital. We operate through our expert SPEED capabilities: Strategy and Consulting, Product, Experience, Engineering and Data, which combined with our culture of curiosity and deep industry knowledge, enables us to deliver meaningful impact to our clients’ businesses through reimagining the products and experiences their customers truly value. Our agile, data-driven approach equips our clients’ businesses for change, making digital the core of how they think and what they do. Publicis Sapient is the digital business transformation hub of Publicis Groupe with 20,000 people and over 50 offices worldwide. For more information, visit publicissapient.com.
2Publicis Sapient’s “The Shopping Experience” report is based on data collected through an online survey, in partnership with YouGov, sent to 7,000 participants across Germany, France, UK, US and Sweden in September 2022.


text:
The Downtown Group is gearing up for its next to last “Foster Fest”.
The event will be on Friday on the 100 block of North and South Foster Streets and runs from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m.
There will be a classic car show, live music, arts and craft vendors, food and a kids area.
Foster Street merchants will offer extended shopping hours. The final Foster Fest will be on Oct. 28.


text:
Virtual Reality (VR) is the use of computer technology to create a complete submersion into a different reality. By using stereoscopic, displaying of two visuals at slightly different angles, users can alter depth perceptions and adjust angles to create a 360-viewing platform of an alternate reality. While virtual reality is not a new concept, the virtual reality market has seen remarkable growth in consumer usage over the past several years. Though there has been positive linear growth, the stability of growth has yet to be tested or exceed its niche market. Below is a deep dive into the world of virtual reality and how to be effective in this space:
The Growing Prediction
In 2014 Deutsche Bank conduced a virtual reality consumer usage poll measuring the number of consumers using virtual reality headsets over two years. The first year of research revealed that only 6.6 million people were using virtual reality daily; by the end of study in 2016, there were over 22.5 million people using virtual reality daily. Through brand awareness alone, the virtual reality platform could increase consumer usage by 30% in just two years, which proves that there is a true consumer market. Deutsche predicts that by 2020, there will be more than 154 million people using mobile virtual reality daily.
Although change is usually for the best, most consumer markets have been resistant to adopting VR technology. When the virtual reality platform was released, consumers deemed it unnecessary and useless, and many resisted to accept. Lifecycle Marketing Research surveyed a large pool of marketers and developers. Of those surveyed, 35% said “they either have no intentions or have reservations about using the tech,” and 57% admitted, “it does not apply to them.” Samantha Merlivat, an analyst at Forrester Research, was quoted saying “a lot of brands have tried VR in the last year, and in many cases, it left marketers and consumers rather underwhelmed.”
Beyond (Traditional) Advertising
In 2016, Nielsen Research conducted a study on the usefulness of virtual reality ads compared to traditional digital advertisements. Results showed that respondents were 8 times more likely to recall brands and 2 times more likely to share videos and links on a virtual reality platform than on any other. It was also found that 83% of the respondents felt more interested and more engaged during a virtual reality video than a traditional video. Nielsen Research concluded that advertising on a virtual reality platform can be 15 to 18 times more effective to viewers than traditional advertising.
Case in Point: Häagen-Dazs
Häagen-Dazs revealed a three-minute, virtual-reality-based mini-movie that shrunk the audiences to the size of a bee and took them on a journey that ultimately focused on saving the depleting Honey Bee population. After its lauch at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, the campaign generated 125 million PR impressions and raised brand awareness from 29% to 56% in the first week. The brand spent $250,000 on Honey Bee research alone, over half a million on the digital platforms, and eight years of time creating this campaign. They stepped out of their marketing comfort zone by doing what no other brand had done by using the virtual reality platform to create a narrative that grabbed audience attention. The campaign went on to win the Gold Cannes Lion for Corporate Responsibility and Environmental Issue and the HTC Vive’s VR for Impact Award. Winning the HTC award granted Häagen-Dazs $10 million to fund future virtual reality projects.
Virtual Surgery Is Helping Save Lives
The medical world too has seen the true value of the immersive quality and has used it to save lives. Shafi Ahmed, a neurosurgeon working out of Royal London Hospital, performed open brain surgery with the help of a virtual reality headset. The headset projected the patient’s brain while recording Shafi’s movements in real time. Shafi’s headset allowed for the surgery to be totally immersive where outside distractions were eliminated. The procedure was streamed onto the headsets of other surgeons in the viewing room and allowed them to adopt Shafi’s vantage point. Royal London Hospital believes that the medical field is still in the early stages of incorporating technology into the everyday operating rooms but says the technology will have a large impact.
What to Expect
Despite hesitation to leverage in brand marketing, major companies like Google, Facebook and Samsung are heavily invested in the virtual reality market. Google is launching its new platform Daydream later this year. Daydream will be a mobile, high-quality experience with a headset that’s comfortable and at an accessible price. Facebook also saw the potential initial growth in the market a few years ago when they bought Oculus Rift, a young virtual reality company for $2 billion. Facebook is working toward engineering a new viewing platform that focuses more on the social aspect. Facebook believes the virtual reality market has enormous potential but they still need to solidify their identity. Operators at Facebook say “[that by] 2020, over 20% of commercial media on Facebook will be 360-degree video and photo content.”
The virtual reality market has seen exponential growth in consumer usage over the years. It will be interesting to see its life span and more proven success stories. Though Häagen-Dazs and the Virtual Surgeon have already paved the road for success, it is now up to the marketers to see the value margin for opportunity in this untouched market before it is too late.


text:
With the iOS 10 update, brands like Disney and Burger King all have created their branded iMessage stickers. But online retailer of licensed sportswear Fanatics — in collaboration with the National Football League Players Association — is going further with shoppable emojis on Apple Messages.
The retailer has 21 football player emojis up and running at the moment — including Eli Manning, Colin Kaepernick and Clay Matthews — with more to come. Once you download the Fanatics NFL Shop app and turn it on within Messages, all of the player emojis will automatically appear in the app section.
When you or the recipient of your emoji taps on the image, you will be immediately taken to the Fanatics NFL Shop app where you can purchase a t-shirt featuring the same emoji. But if you don’t install the Fanatics NFL Shop app in the first place, you will be directed to App Store. It’s not exactly seamless.
Most work was done in-house by the app, brand and product development teams at Fanatics in six weeks, according to Nate Lyman, the company’s senior director of mobile engineering. This makes sense for Fanatics because in general, half of its sales come from mobile and when a championship takes place, mobile can drive up to 80 percent of the company’s sales around a specific team, Lyman explained.
“Sports fans are really passionate about their teams and players. The problem to solve here is how to connect them with the new iOS platform,” he said.
Brands are using emojis more than ever, but many are struggling to figure out the ROI of those stickers. Lyman doesn’t consider measurement a big issue because the Fanatics NFL Shop is already a well-established platform. “There are many metrics we can look at including engagement, conversion and click-through rate, just like any other e-commerce interactions,” he said. “At the end of the day, we just want sports fans to have fun.”
Fanatics is going to roll out more NFL player emojis over the coming weeks. The retailer is selling licensed products for more than 300 leagues, teams and events, so it is looking to bring this emoji integration outside of football.
‘Fear of saying the wrong thing is eating us alive’: Confessions of an Iranian-American advertiser on the industry’s silence on Iranian women’s rights
As Iran's feminist movement builds, one Iranian-American advertising executive questions American advertiser's silence.
Brands need to account for ‘psychological pain’ shoppers feel this holiday season, Horizon Media says
Although it seems every marketer is pulling out all the stops to get consumers to buy their stuff, there remains a good amount of uncertainty among the general population about how much they want to or plan to spend.
Is the collapse of big tech’s culture overblown? Some experts think so
Some workplace experts aren’t so sure that the cushy culture that has come to define tech is coming to an end anytime soon.
SponsoredWhy cookie deprecation is deflating performance and inflating costs for advertisers
With the full deprecation of third-party cookies on the horizon, advertisers and publishers are navigating a challenging and quickly evolving landscape. The sunset of the third-party cookie continues as usage and lifetimes fall. Their deprecation is preventing brands from effectively measuring the effectiveness of media campaigns in real-time at highly granular levels. As the industry […]
Why American Express invests in TikTok ahead of Small Business Saturday
As the #ShopSmall community grows on TikTok, American Express is hoping to tap into it.
How a Minecraft influencer is bringing advertisers to the platform
TubNet's primary challenge in integrating its brand partners was to do so without breaking the end user license agreement (EULA) of Minecraft developer Mojang, whose strict guidelines restrict the presence of brand logos directly inside the game.


text:
Thursday, November 29th 2018 – South Korean developers O’ol Blue have announced the conclusion of the steam beta for the forthcoming real-time tower-rush brawler, MINImax Tinyverse with news of Early-Access launching in December. Coming in 4 weeks, on the 27th December 2018, Early-Access will bring a wealth of improvements to MINImax Tinyverse thanks to the ongoing feedback and support from our action packed open beta. … Continue reading MINImax Tinyverse Early-Access Announced
Monday, November 19th 2018 – South Korean developers O’ol Blue are pleased to announce the launch of the steam beta for the forthcoming real-time tower-rush brawler, MINImax Tinyverse. Starting today, 19th November at 6pm PST. After the success of the community Beta organized through the official MINImax Tinyverse Discord, fans new and old, are welcomed to participate in the final public test which will run … Continue reading MINImax Beta starts today
Steam Beta Starting on November 19th PST and Early Access coming at the end of December. Thursday, November 8th 2018 – South Korean developers O’ol Blue Inc have today released the first official trailer for MINImax Tinyverse alongside the announcement that the forthcoming real-time tower-rush brawler, will have an open beta on Steam, starting on the 19th November at 6pm PST. After the success of … Continue reading MINImax Tinyverse – Official trailer and Steam beta
The One We Found, Now available on Xbox One and Steam Nottingham, England., (Wednesday 31st October 2018) – Loveridge Designs proudly announces that The One We Found is now available on P.C (steam) and the Xbox One family of devices, including the Xbox One X, as a console launch exclusive. The highly anticipated survival horror title created by a single man is the perfect reason … Continue reading The One We Found : Out Now
23rd October 2018, — VR Hero Sentry, Price revealed alongside 5 new screenshots. Danish developers Refocus Solutions have today announced the forthcoming Virtual Reality, Vive-only indie action-RPG, VR Hero Sentry, releasing on the 6th November 2018 will launch at just €8.99. Offering role-playing longevity with fun and exciting gameplay designed to test your combat skills, VR Hero Sentry promises hordes of enemies and gigantic bosses … Continue reading VR Hero Sentry : Price & Screenshots
Wednesday 10th October 2018 – The One We Found showcases pure horror in new gameplay trailer.
With “The One We Found” releasing on PC (Steam) and the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X as a console launch exclusive, developers Loveridge designs have today outlined further details about the “Enhanced for Xbox One X” improvements for the world’s most powerful console. Continue reading The One We Found – Survival Gameplay
8th October 2018, — VR Hero Sentry, heading to HTC Vive in November Danish indie developers Refocus Solutions have today announced the forthcoming action-RPG, VR Hero Sentry, releasing on the 6th November 2018. Inspired by classic RTS hero mods, VR gamers will shape a hero to their unique play-style, annihilate monsters and encounter gargantuan bosses to gain experience and spell points to explore their own … Continue reading Hero Sentry heading to HTC Vive in November


text:
Using a market decline to build shares in companies with strong fundamentals and prospects can lead to good returns when the market rises. To that end, it can be a good practice to keep an eye on which stocks analysts are recommending.
Here are five stocks picked by Wall Street’s top analysts, according to TipRanks, a service that ranks analysts based on the performance of their ratings.
micron (mu) strives to be the most efficient and innovative global provider of semiconductor memory solutions. The growing demand for memory chips from cloud computing providers as well as the rapid spread of 5G mobile networks and IoT (Internet of Things) are driving the company’s growth.
However, the company’s short-term future seems uncertain given weak demand in the PC and smartphone markets. In addition, it is expected that supply bottlenecks for certain components will affect bit shipments for some time. (See Micron Dividend Date and History on TipRanks)
Last week, the company’s fiscal 2022 fourth quarter painted a bleak picture of its developments. Still, Toshiya Hari, an analyst at Goldman Sachs, did not deviate from his bullish stance. The analyst was “encouraged by Micron’s supply-side response,” which included the company’s cost-cutting strategy. Specifically, Micron is working to cut its capital expenditures (CapEx) by about 30% year over year in FY23 (that’s about $4.1 billion).
However, the company also said it will double its construction investments and make other strategic moves that will slow the ramp-up of certain DRAM and NAND processes. But these steps will ensure smoother long-term growth. “From our point of view, we believe that these actions are a highlight microndifficult decisions to maintain profitability and shareholder returns and are likely to be well received by investors based on our earlier discussions,” noted Hari, reiterating a Buy rating on MU stock. However, considering near-term headwinds, the analyst lowered that Price target from $63 to $62.
Hari, ranked 318th out of nearly 8,000 analysts tracked on TipRanks, has posted profitable reviews 57% of the time. Additionally, each of its reviews has yielded an average return of 16.3% over the past year.
Amazon (AMZN) benefits from the solid prime momentum thanks to fast delivery and a strong content portfolio. Additionally, the company’s cloud dominance is steadily reinforced by the strong adoption rate of AWS. Most importantly, the company’s strong global presence and unwavering customer focus remain its biggest selling points. (See Amazon Stock Investors on TipRanks)
Amazon is hosting a Prime Early Access Sale next week, which Brian White, an analyst at Monness Crespi Hardt, is bullish about. The analyst believes a sale ahead of the holiday season will boost Prime’s value and also benefit customers struggling with heavy spending.
To enhance its Prime platform, Amazon also offered its US Prime members a free one-year membership of Grubhub+. The company has also invested heavily in improving its content portfolio in recent months. Moreover, White believes so too Amazon’s acquisition of MGM Holdings.
Additionally, given Amazon’s reinvestments in the business, White believes the company’s current profitability is well below its long-term potential. Needless to say, the analyst reiterated a buy rating on the stock with a price target of $172.
“We believe the company’s long-term growth path in e-commerce, AWS, digital media, advertising, Alexa, robotics, AI and more is attractive,” White said.
White comes 491St among nearly 8,000 analysts tracked on TipRanks. Notably, 56% of its reviews were successful, with each generating an average 10.10% return.
Apple (AAPL) has been trying its best to weather a slowdown in demand and rising costs. His consistent and compelling product launches propel the brand forward in an increasingly uncertain environment.
With that in mind, Ivan Feinseth, an analyst at Tigress Financial Partners, didn’t seem overly concerned about the near-term threats facing the company. The analyst recently maintained a Buy rating on AAPL stock, believing that “ongoing innovation, new product launches and rising service revenues will continue to drive long-term value creation for shareholders.”
Feinseth also thinks the recent stock decline presents a major buying opportunity due to weak demand for Apple devices. (See Apple Hedge Fund Trading Activity on TipRanks)
The analyst points out that the in-vehicle CarPlay interface is a testament to its automotive expansion and integration, which can be a key growth driver. Additionally, Feinseth also looks forward to the launch of a virtual reality headset later this year or early 2023. The analyst believes the launch “can drive another paradigm shift for services and the AAPL ecosystem.”
Additionally, the company’s balance sheet and cash flow are strong enough to allow Apple to pursue growth initiatives and increase shareholder returns.
Feinseth, a five-star analyst at TipRanks, holds the 288thth Position among around 8,000 followed analysts. 57% of its reviews generated profits, and each review returned an average 10.6% return.
DHI Group (DHX), which offers a subscription-based careers marketplace for techies, leverages the competitive advantage of the 6.4 million technologist candidates currently subscribed to its two brands – Dice and ClearanceJobs.
Gary Prestopino, an analyst at Barrington Research, believes so DHI has the advantage of long-term secular demand for tech specialists. “DHI specializes in employment categories where there is a long-term surplus need for highly skilled technologists working in a variety of industries or with active state security clearances,” the analyst said. (See DHI Group Stock Chart on TipRanks)
Prestopino also noted that the global digital global technology employment capacity is expected to grow from 41 million in 2020 to 190 million in 2025, underscoring the immense opportunities in the market that DHI serves.
Additionally, the analyst was encouraged by the relatively cheap valuation for a company with such strong growth and profitability potential. “DHI is selling at a discount of over 60% to its peer group at the 2022 and 2023 TEV/EBITDA multiples,” said Prestopino, who opened coverage of the stock with a price target of $12.
Prestopino, who is also a five-star analyst at TipRanks, is ranked 61stSt among nearly 8,000 analysts followed on the platform. Interestingly, 55% of his reviews have successfully achieved 31.5% average returns each.
Last on analysts’ list of top stocks this week is McDonald’s (MCD) navigating another downturn in his life gracefully. BTIG analyst Peter Saleh, who ranks 600th out of around 8,000 analysts on TipRanks, gave us valuable insights last week into the company he’s long been bullish on.
To delve deeper into the company’s developments, the analyst interviewed several franchisees and took notes on their sales, demand and supply of plant-based meats, labor, raw materials and automation. After the survey, Saleh was encouraged by McDonald’s healthy sales trends, which seemed to defy inflated food and gas prices.
In addition, the analyst noted that labor and overtime reductions can result in a significant margin increase for the franchisees as labor availability improves. (See McDonald’s Blogger Opinions and Opinions on TipRanks)
“We see MC Donalds as one of the strongest restaurant concepts in the world, in the mid-stage of a multi-year sales recovery. After several years of lackluster results, management has restored sales and earnings growth through a combination of relevant menu offerings, restaurant upgrades, digital engagement and stronger leadership,” said Saleh, who also noted that these moves have improved sales trends.
The analyst reiterated a Buy rating on MCD stocks with a price target of $280.
Saleh has a 55% success rate with his reviews. In addition, each rating has achieved an average return of 9.8%.


text:
Amid global cross-border tourism recovery, the average spending of Chinese tourists using Alipay overseas doubled in the first quarter of 2023 compared with pre-pandemic levels in the same period in 2019, according to Alipay, the leading digital open platform that offers a popular mobile payment method and all kinds of life services to Chinese consumers.
Outbound Chinese tourists on average made more transactions in the first quarter of 2023, with an increase of 20% compared with the same period in 2019, according to the platform.
According to the forecast of China Tourism Academy, the number of inbound and outbound tourist visits is expected to exceed 90 million times, equivalent to 31.5% of the pre-pandemic level.
The top 5 shopping destinations by transaction volume for Chinese mainland Alipay users traveling cross-border are Macao SAR, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Thailand and France, while the top 5 tourist destinations by number of transactions are Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR, Japan, Thailand and Malaysia.
Over 90% of merchants in Hong Kong, from street-side food stands to major retailers, have adopted Alipay to serve Chinese mainland tourists, and “transportation QR code” is the most popular search term on Alipay for these tourists in the first quarter of 2023.
Currently, merchants and brands in over 70 countries and regions support Chinese tourists to pay via Alipay.
Read original article


text:
The Kroger Co. said Oct. 10 that it has begun rolling out meal kits by Home Chef at some of its stores in Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin.
The launch comes a few months after the U.S. supermarket chain completed its acquisition of the Illinois-based meal kit delivery company.
Kroger said there will be four Home Chef meal kit options available in the participating stores every week. The meal kits will also be available through homechef.com, where customers will find more weekly variety.
The grocer added that it will run a market test in participating stores of a quick-cook meal kit called Home Chef Express that can be served in around 15 minutes.
Kroger said it expects to distribute Home Chef meal kits to more markets next year.


text:
Ziff Davis, the once-giant technology media company, has been sold off to yet another buyer.
J2 Global, a cloud services provider, announced today that it has acquired Ziff Davis for $167 million in cash. The acquisition includes the purchase of some of Ziff's top Web properties, including PCMag, Computershopper, and Geek.com.
In a statement, J2 Global CEO Hemi Zucker said his company bought Ziff Davis because of its "significant interest in the digital media and online marketing space." Zucker didn't say what J2 Global has planned for Ziff Davis, but it appears for now that things will remain status quo for the company's online properties.
J2 Global isn't your typical media company buyer. The company sells a host of business-focused services, including online fax, e-mail marketing, and a virtual phone system.
Ziff Davis was once one of the most popular technology media brands in the world. However, after a series of acquisitions that failed to unlock the brands' value, Ziff Davis filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2008. Soon after, the company was forced to shutter some of its print brands. Ziff Davis also brought its flagship PC Magazine brand online-only. Great Hill Partners previously acquired the Ziff Davis brand in 2010.


text:
Key takeaways from Mobile World Congress 2016, including impacts on carriers, content, VR, and more.
The last day of Mobile World Congress 2016 brings together innovators from all corners of the tech industry to picture a brighter, safer future.
Our takeaways from Day 3 of Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
If consumers are spending so much time on mobile, why is marketing spend on it so relatively low?
The telecommunications industry has a crucial role to play in ending poverty and corruption, say panelists at Mobile World Congress 2016.
Whether it's trying to keep ads off our phones or the government out of them, data security was a big theme of Day 2 at Mobile World Congress.
Qualcomm has teamed up with F1 champ Lewis Hamilton, and the driver's success shows how mobile technology is driving automotive innovation.
BuzzFeed CEO Jonah Peretti announced a brand new video app at Mobile World Congress 2016.
5G, PayPal's big move, and the questionable future of mobile carriers highlight our Day 1 highlights of Mobile World Congress
Mark Zuckerberg still wants to the get the entire world on the internet, and won't stop trying.
AT&T, Ericsson and Intel get together and speculate about the next world-changing technological step at Mobile World Congress 2016.


text:
République creators confirm PC and Mac editions
Due to an influx of requests, Camouflaj and Logan are now working on République for PC and Mac. The previously iOS-only title is taking donations on Kickstarter with 14 days left to meet its $500,000 goal.
When we spoke recently with Ryan Payton of Camouflaj, he talked about their previous consideration of bringing the game to computers.
"We expressed some lingering concerns about the port [to PC and Mac] plan because, by inviting friends to come in and playtest, our assumptions were validated that the gameplay experience is much more kinetic and 'real' when playing it on an iPhone and iPad," he told us. "By the end of the meeting, we decided that we would freeze development on PC and Mac until we were confident we could allocate enough time and effort to redesigning the gameplay and altering the story specifically for PC and Mac."
According to a press release, these additional releases will "feature new gameplay, controls, and story elements custom-tailored to the unique strengths of the PC and Mac platforms" — in other words, not a port.
Follow @wita on Twitter for tales of superheroes, plumbers in overalls, and literary adventures.


text:
Galarian Ponyta’s unicorn-like charm made it a standout when Pokémon Sword & Shield was released last year. Now, it can step into the spotlight alongside Kanto’s Ponyta in a new merchandise collection that will be available at Japan’s Pokémon Center stores.
Forget “My Little Pony”, it’s all about HELLO PONYTA! Featuring artwork from James Turner, Art Director for Pokémon Sword & Shield, the collection features the standard Pokémon Center merch formula – plushies, notebooks, clear files, stickers, pens, plushie keychains, and iPhone cases.
Yet, we’re venturing into some new territory as well. Joining up with Sofia Coppola’s clothing line, MilkFed, a variety of clothes and accessories will star Galarian Ponyta. The best pieces from this release though are the Nintendo Switch accessories! There’s only three items – a cartridge case for 12 Nintendo Switch games and cases made for the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite – yet I’d argue it’s quality versus quantity.
Available in Japan, items will be for sale online at the Pokémon Center’s Amazon.co.jp store on July 16th and can be imported. Pokémon Center stores will carry the line two days after on July 18th.


text:
The use of blockchain technology in India’s mainstream financial sector is slowly gaining traction. A subsidiary of HSBC has teamed up with Reliance Industries (RIL) to complete a blockchain-enabled trade in the country.
Blockchain Trade Transaction
The letter of credit transaction powered by blockchain was the first of its kind in the country. With the help of the ledger technology, the two were able to export RIL assets to a U.S. client, Tron Energy. Consequently, the parties experienced a reduction in cost and processing time for export documentation.
Correspondingly, the transaction solution came through the integration of blockchain with an electronic bill of lading. Besides that, Bolero is the new system that allows the issuance and management of electronic bills of lading. Likewise, it also enables digital transfer of goods and titles between buyers and sellers.
The transaction is a major development in the export market as it underscores the use of blockchain in global trade. Therefore, the new system also presents a platform where different parties can come together for efficient interactions and facilitated transactions.
HSBC is not new to the use of blockchain technology to process transactions. Early in the year, it completed the first ever blockchain trade. The transaction involved the processing of a shipment of soya beans from Argentina to Malaysia. The success of the transaction showed the potential of blockchain in enabling the global trade finance market.
The end-to-end transaction took place on R3’s Corda blockchain platform. According to the Head of Global Banking and Markets at HSBC India, the use of blockchain technology is a big step in trade digitization. Similarly, he expects the technology to enable greater transparency as well as enhanced security in the sector.
“This transaction validates the commercial and operational viability of blockchain as an alternative to conventional exchanges for paper-based documentation,” HSBC India relayed in a statement.
The Reliance Industries CFO, on the other hand, expects the use of blockchain technology to reduce the time involved in export documentation significantly. Currently, it takes between seven to ten days to process such documentation.
A consortium of major banks led by HSBC, BNP Paribas, and Standard Chartered is currently exploring the use of blockchain. The consortium has since launched a blockchain platform that is to play a role in financing international trade.
eTrade is the name of the platform that seeks to reduce the time needed to approve loan applications between partners. The current plan is to reduce the application time from 36 hours to just four hours.
This article should not be taken as, and is not intended to provide, investment advice. Users are ultimately responsible for the investment decisions he/she/it makes based on this information. It is your responsibility to review, analyze and verify any content/information before relying on them. Trading is a highly risky activity. Do consult your financial adviser before making any decision. Please conduct your thorough research before investing in any cryptocurrency and read our full disclaimer.
Join our Telegram Group To Stay Up To Date With Crypto News


text:
The full impact of their success in the region is revealed in an economic impact study carried out by London Economics, a leading policy consultancy.
It reveals that 253,000 people owe their jobs to the presence of the Korean carmakers and including customs duties, sales and income taxes they contribute almost £1.4 billion in revenue to European governments.
With factories in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Hyundai and Kia purchase supplies worth an estimate £3 billion from European businesses.
Both South Korean car companies also grew their market share in the European market region, with Kia growing theirs by 15 per cent over 2011, even though the market overall fell by nearly 8 per cent.
The study further reveals that this success by Kia and Hyundai has been achieved by significant investments and some attractive cars. As well as the factories, design, R&D and sales and marketing headquarters are in Germany.
Kia opened a large European production plant based in Zilina, Slovakia that was completed back in 2007.
Investment by the Koreans has been instrumental in making the Czech Republic and Slovakia the world’s top two producers of cars per capita and 55 per cent of Hyundai and Kia cars sold in the EU are produced locally in the two plants.
As well as the existing facilities, construction of a new vehicle test centre at the Nürburgring race track in Germany was announced for the car brands in January with a further investment of around £4.7 million.
Kia’s status in the UK market alone has risen spectacularly in the last couple of years, thanks to the release of new exciting models with design work inspired by the award-winning Peter Schreyer.
Schreyer’s influence is now felt across the full current Kia car range, which includes the Picanto city car, the Rio supermini, Cee’d hatchback and Sportswagon, plus other modern releases like the Optima saloon.
For 2013 the Kia brand will be aiming to cement further growth in markets including Europe with the arrival of its first performance-focused models which include the Cee’d and Pro_cee’d GT hot hatches.
The full current Kia model range is available to UK motorists now at Perrys Kia Dealerships found in Burnley, Preston and Rotherham.


text:
I remember when the first Guitar Hero launched for the PS2 in early 2006, it was a ground-breaking concept. Since then, there have been far too many iterations of the game on virtually every device and platform conceivable. And now you can get your own personal copy of the latest Guitar Hero (Warriors of Rock) in the palm of your hand for the low price of $2.99 from the Amazon Appstore.
It's hardly a surprise, but it's welcome news nonetheless: Sony Ericsson just announced the Xperia Play, also known as the PlayStation Phone. We're still waiting for the full specs on this PlayStation certified device, so be sure to check back here soon for all the official details!


text:
Farming has emerged as one of the business areas Africans in the diaspora are investing in. However, a number of structural challenges turn to hinder their continuous investment as they are often not present to oversee farming activities. In cases where they entrust their farms to relatives or family members, sometimes the yields are poor, which discourages them from farming.
A Ghanaian entrepreneur is seeking to address this challenge by connecting farming to technology. Desmond Koney has developed a new mobile application called ‘Complete Farmer’, which allows Ghanaians in the diaspora to own and run actual farms in Ghana remotely.
The app allows friends and families to form cooperatives to own farms across the continent. It also allows farmers who subscribe to become growers to get access to registered cultivation protocols.
What’s more, the startup enables precision agriculture for farmers on the platform through the use of satellite, IoT big data, and blockchain technology which collect crop insights that are used in optimizing crop growth, supply chains, and farm management, according to the Business and Financial Times.
Ultimately, the intention is to ensure that the product meets the market requirement. Also, the approach is to upend the farming sector and ensure that more growers farm commercially and produce enough to feed the global supply chains.
The app has a three-sided marketplace feature, enabling commodity buyers, food growers, and digifarmers to interact on a single platform to share best practices.
Through the single platform, commodity buyers from any part of the world can build supply chains into Africa without the intervention of middlemen. Also, buyers get full visibility into the process from cultivation to post-harvest, quality control, transportation, and logistics using blockchain traceability features – leaving them in no doubt as to progress, yield, and quality.
“With the rise of B2B e-commerce, expectations of B2B buyers are changing,” Koney said. “The rise of the Amazons, Ubers, Googles and the other big tech giants of this world are changing mindsets of commodity buyers – who now expect an easy comparison of suppliers, seamless online ordering processes and convenient deliveries, he said, adding that: “In an always-connected world where data is the new oil, commodity buyers also expect and deserve much more transparency in the production process.”
The ‘Complete Farmer’ app further tackles the issue of fragmented supply chain in Africa.


text:
The year 2016 was not exactly a good one for Apple’s Mac sales. The company recorded the first year of sales declines for its Mac business for the first time since 2001. However, that same year saw sales gains for the top four Windows PC makers.
9toMac reports that, according to an analyst note from Bloomberg’s Anand Srinivasan and Wei Mok, Mac sales went down by 10 percent in 2016, and that it dropped from fourth to fifth place on the PC hardware vendor list worldwide. The top four PC companies are now Lenovo, HP, Dell and Asus, and all four of them had sales gains last year. The top four companies claimed a total of 65.2 percent of the entire PC market in 2016.
Even with the recorded gains by the top four companies, sales of Windows-based PCs actually went down overall by 5.7 percent in 2016. That’s because of sales declines in the other 27.7 percent of the market, which has over 200 different vendors. It would appear that not even the launch of Windows 10 over a year ago has done enough to stimulate PC sales as a whole. Indeed, it looks like the benefits are only going to the top companies, which means that smaller ones could be forced to merge with others, or perhaps shut down altogether.
Going back to Apple, the company launched its new MacBook Pro 13-inch and 15-inch laptops in late 2016, with the Touch Bar display replacing the top keyboard buttons. It remains to be seen if Apple’s new notebooks will help it regain some of its lost sales in 2016, but there are also rumors that the company is putting less of an emphasis on its Mac division as a whole in favor of its iOS devices like the iPhone and iPad.


text:
Cranswick plc (LON:CWK) passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $2,725.00 and traded as high as $3,080.00. Cranswick shares last traded at $3,080.00, with a volume of 46,964 shares trading hands.
A number of research firms have recently weighed in on CWK. Peel Hunt reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of Cranswick in a research report on Friday, September 27th. Liberum Capital lifted their price target on shares of Cranswick from GBX 3,100 ($40.51) to GBX 3,300 ($43.12) and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 17th. Berenberg Bank reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a GBX 3,050 ($39.85) price target on shares of Cranswick in a research report on Friday, September 6th. Shore Capital reiterated a “house stock” rating on shares of Cranswick in a research report on Monday, September 30th. Finally, HSBC reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of Cranswick in a research report on Friday, June 28th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. The company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of GBX 2,966 ($38.76).
The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66, a current ratio of 1.72 and a quick ratio of 1.11. The business’s 50-day moving average price is GBX 2,822.92 and its two-hundred day moving average price is GBX 2,725. The company has a market capitalization of $1.59 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.83.
About Cranswick (LON:CWK)
Cranswick plc produces and supplies food products to grocery retailers, food service sector, and other food producers in the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, and internationally. It offers fresh pork, gourmet bacon and gammon, fresh chicken, and prepared chicken and poultry products, as well as gourmet sausages, cooked meats, continental foods, handmade pastries, and British charcuteries.
See Also: Futures Contract
Receive News & Ratings for Cranswick Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cranswick and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.


text:
Sneakers are a status symbol in modern society. With releases coming in waves and people trying to pick up certain pairs for elevated prices, it is no wonder that there is crime around the industry.
According to ABC 10, the Los Angeles police are currently on the lookout for a person or group carrying around an awful lot of shoes. It appears that nearly $1 million dollars worth of shoes was stolen from a trailer. The Torrance, California business lost both men’s and women’s shoes during the robbery.
Two short days later, the police were able to recover about $900,000 dollars worth of the merchandise from an El Monte, California business.
It only makes the question of who did it all the more intriguing. If they found the shoes at another business, were they going to try and sell the shoes? Was this a competing rival trying to stir the pot? If they are only going cities over, was this a plan that was even thought out at all?
Regardless, the initial theft of the shoes is a lot to take in. You’re going to need an awful lot of equipment to handle a heist of this nature. As sneakers rise in value, this may become more common place.


text:
It is one of the most anticipated commercials of the year for television lovers. Telecinco has launched its spectacular promotion of ‘Survivors 2021‘, yet the program is now a reality.
If a few weeks ago the chain confirmed the production of a new edition and rumors began about the possible names that would embark on competing in the space; now Telecinco launches the first promotion of the program that repeats presenters. The network did so during the broadcast of the debate on “The island of temptations.”
As you have pointed out Sandra Barneda before giving way to publicity: “We have a premiere, bombshell. Tonight in scoop we premiere, well it is one of the things that is most expected when a large format is about to start as ‘Survivors’. The promotion of ‘Survivors’ it has arrived, it is here. Let’s go to see her!”.
Then it was possible to see on the spectator screens the promotion in which they have participated Jorge Javier Vázquez, Lara Álvarez, Jordi González and Carlos Sobera dressed as lifeguards. All of them, combined in red, have starred in a highly anticipated announcement.


text:
All the links to excite you more are here courtesy of www.gistmaster.com
DSTV is going ‘tough’ with competitors.Quite unbelivable, they have crashed the price to the extent that soon ‘aboki’ selling sweet and biscuit around the corner of your street will be able to have one.lol…meanwhile right beside you is the picture of the beautiful MD of MNET Africa.
read the story here DSTV GOES ‘HARD’ ON COMPETITORS
You can also read about the mother of all 40th birthday parties coming up in Lagos.Princess Cynthia Andrew the top Lagos female socialites and her friends are already painting Lagos red.See the details of the November 21 2010 event here. click HIGH SOCIETY WOMAN, CYNTHIA ANDREW CELEBRATES 40TH IN LAGOS
Read the story of how Spice intends to become Africa’s number one lifestyle channel. At a recent press conference in Lagos, the company and their consultant, Mai Atafo reveal their plans Click SPICE TV PLANS BIG FOR 2011
Now, the Big Brother Africa all stars is over and all eyes will now shift to Nigeria in West Africa as the great search begins for the Next Movie Star. Click the link to read the interesting details of the top TV reality show.


text:
Los Angeles: Model-actress Cara Delevingne has posed nude under a blazer for a Yves Saint Laurent campaign, promoting the brand's Rouge Pur Couture lipstick.
Captioning a photograph of Delevingne, the YSL Beauty official photo-sharing website Instagram account wrote: "A colour so bold you'd feel naked without it #YSLrougepurcouture #YSLbeauty (sic)"
And the 23-year-old model says she is a big fan of bold lip shades, reports femalefirst.co.uk. "I love red or deep purple lips for events," she added. When asked what makeup look she prefers on her day off, she said: "No makeup. That's my signature."


text:
When Whirlpool created its first line of front-loading washers, designers came up with a simple but ingenious idea: to put the appliance atop a 10- to 15-inch pedestal. Users would no longer have to bend so deeply to load their clothes or to fish out the last sock from the back of the drum. The change was ideal for older people and those with bad backs, but it also made the washer easier for everyone to use. That’s a core principle of an approach known as “universal design.”
“It’s all about accommodating a range of abilities,” says Doug Beaudet, global director for user experience and interaction design at Whirlpool. The company has employed the concept of universal design to create a number of features that make its appliances easier to use, such as adding both visual and audio cues to indicate wash choices or signal when a cycle is over.
This philosophy has infused more and more of design over the last decade. “It doesn’t matter if you’re designing a mobile device or a medical monitor—the principles are the same,” says William Gribbons, director of the graduate program in human factors and information design at Bentley University. “You want to think about how people physically interact with the product.”
While universal design doesn’t specifically mean designing for the aging population, that approach has inspired a number of products that turned out to be more broadly useful. Oxo cooking and gardening tools, for example, were initially designed for older people who had difficulty gripping handles of standard tools. But the company soon found that its handles had wider appeal, says Gribbons. Whirlpool has also implemented this approach in its latest refrigerators. Whereas traditional refrigerators are lit by a single bulb, leaving many items on lower shelves in shadows that make it hard for many people to see, the new models have LED lighting along the sides.
Achieving a successful universal design can be tricky. The Jitterbug phone, an extremely easy-to-use phone geared primarily for older people, did well in part because the device also attracted the interest of parents who wanted to give their children a simple phone for safety reasons. However, other phones aimed at aging people have failed, including ones with very large buttons. “Aesthetically, this generation is becoming more demanding,” says Gribbons. “They want improved functionality, but they don’t want something that reminds them they are old. That places increased demand on product designers.”
Gribbons believes that cars are ripe for the application of universal design. “The automotive industry has ignored the fact that they are creating a vehicle that is very difficult for the elderly to use,” he says. Many of the latest vehicles, for example, have touch screens with rows of small, low-contrast buttons. “If we improve some of those design issues,” he says, “we would not just make cars safer for the elderly. We would also make them safe for others.”
This startup wants to copy you into an embryo for organ harvesting
With plans to create realistic synthetic embryos, grown in jars, Renewal Bio is on a journey to the horizon of science and ethics.
VR is as good as psychedelics at helping people reach transcendence
On key metrics, a VR experience elicited a response indistinguishable from subjects who took medium doses of LSD or magic mushrooms.
This artist is dominating AI-generated art. And he’s not happy about it.
Greg Rutkowski is a more popular prompt than Picasso.
This nanoparticle could be the key to a universal covid vaccine
Ending the covid pandemic might well require a vaccine that protects against any new strains. Researchers may have found a strategy that will work.
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.


text:
The social network adds a more automated design that strips human-written descriptions from its list of popular topics, following months of criticism over how it displayed news stories.
It's time to update your iPhone's software right now. Also, is the iPhone 6S really faster than the Note 7? And Apple Music starts to flex its muscle.
When singers and bands give exclusives to subscription-music rivals like Apple and Tidal, Spotify is depressing those musicians in search results, a report says. Spotify says that's not true.
British group sent out a red alert for scenic aurora borealis, but uh, a staffer on a riding mower just drove too close to the sensor.
New postage honoring 50 years of obeying the prime directive will soon whisk your letters to any starfleet address...on this planet at least.
Lowe's Iris system for home control now lets you adjust lights and temperature using the Amazon Echo, and your voice.
British actor Michael Leader will be remembered for his long-term role on the BBC's popular "EastEnders," but the famed space blooper will never be forgotten.
Watch a new video and get all the details on NBA 2K17's "The Prelude."
Is Scorpio hurting Xbox One S sales? Will there ever be cross-play between Xbox One and PS4? Xbox boss responds to those questions.
We'll all have to breathe, eat and drink when we colonize Mars. These cartoons show how we'll reuse waste and pollutants to do it -- just like Mark Watney in "The Martian."
Technically Incorrect: You thought that coding is where the money is? A new report says that isn't true.
The company says the teams at Universal and Nintendo are working well together; no timeline yet for when park may open.
"Marvel's Luke Cage" and "Narcos" anchor a heavy-hitting September for Netflix.
First built in 1934, two years before the Airstream came to be, the Bowlus Road Chief is back and it's chock full of 21st century technology.
Joined by Yahoo, a group of researchers wants to help computers understand your most ironic wordplay. As if.
The regional carrier's plans inch up both your data package and monthly prices, but you can change your plan at any time.
In Resident Evil 7, you'll use weapons like shotguns, chainsaws, and flamethrowers.
Update your iOS devices -- a trio of security flaws could lead to trouble.
Paging Samuel L. Jackson! You're needed immediately at a T-Mobile cell tower to deal with some $@*$%!# snakes.


text: Israelis wanting to whip out their iPhones and turn up the beats were treated to a surprise on Wednesday morning, as Apple Music, the hi-tech giant’s on-demand and streaming music service, went live in Israel.For the first time, Israeli users will be able to listen to the company’s Beats 1 radio station, which features programs led by the likes of Elton John, Dr. Dre and Pharell Williams, or enjoy Israeli-oriented playlists.The company touted a Mizrahi playlist featuring Eyal Golan, Moshe Peretz and Sarit Hadad, as well as an Israeli pop playlist featuring the likes of Ivri Lider, Shlomo Artzi and Marina Maximilian.New customers will be given a three-month free trial, after which the cost will be NIS 19.99 per month, or NIS 29.99 for families of up to six.Though competitors such as Tidal also operate in Israel, some of Apple’s biggest competitors, such as Spotify and Pandora, still do not.Apple has claimed 15 million paid users around the world; the question remains whether Israelis will be willing to shell out for streaming music options.Israel is known as a haven of online content piracy in the field of television, film and music. In 2013, a proposed bill considered taxing equipment that could be used for piracy to compensate artists and companies that created content. When television and movie- streaming site Netflix launched in Israel in January, it faced similar concerns.Still, both companies could enjoy a first-mover advantage as they make vast forays into global markets. Netflix, for example, amassed 33.9 million paid memberships outside the US last quarter, accounting for some 42 percent of its overall paid streaming memberships (the company did not provide figures for Israel).If music-streaming companies such as Spotify and Pandora or video- streaming companies such as Hulu and Amazon try to open in Israel, they will have to contend with the already-established global players that made their move on the market.Thus far, Apple has rolled out its streaming services in 110 countries, and it announced an overhaul of its music app, to be launched alongside its new operating system iOS 10 in September. The redesign is intended to make the service more user-friendly.


text:
Washington: Legal Marijuana Stores Having Trouble Matching Black Market Prices
By Steve Elliott
Due to the onerous nature of Washington state's regulations on the legal marijuana industry, including an overbearing tax scheme, the legal marijuana stores which have opened as the badly written I-502 is implemented are reportedly having trouble turning a profit -- even at $30 a gram.
Despite brining in more than $440,000 in sales since July, Station 420 in Union Gap is still in the red financially, according to owner Adam Markus, reports Mike Fault at the Yakima Herald-Republic.
"We have yet to make a profit here," Markus said. "And there are a lot of other people who got into this just thinking they were going to be millionaires in a year, and now they're having a hard time."
Washington state had $15.6 million in marijuana sales in November, more than double the figures from August, and pot shop owners say prices have come down by as much as half since July as supplies have increased.
But then there's the pesky fact that the prices of legal weed are still roughly double to triple those on the black market. Consumers aren't morons, and if the "guy you know down the street" is selling righteous pot for $10 a gram (a typical price both on the street and in the medical marijuana community), who wants to pay $30 a gram for the "privilege" of buying the stuff in a legal store?
Marie Van De Graaf, owner of the marijuana shop Mill Creek A in Union Gap, claims that legal 502 pot is "safer and higher quality," but both of those points are highly debatable. As for safer, the state allows more than 200 pesticides on legally grown weed.
And the reputation of legal marijuana in Washington has taken a severe beating, when it comes to quality, because many farmers rushed sub-standard product to market in the initial frenzy when the stores first opened.
"I don't think we're drawing a lot of the black market customers," Van De Graaf said.
The pricing problems go beyond just supply and demand, and they even extend past the 25 percent excise tax levied at three levels of the process -- producer, processor and retailer -- by the state, as I-502 is written. Retailers expect to have to ante up for a federal tax collection based on an obscure 1982 law that taxes businesses which sell "illegal products," and industry analysts believe it is likely to be enforced by federal regulators.
The IRS could try to collect from 50 percent to 75 percent of sales, according to Hilary Bricken, a Seattle-based lawyer who specializes in representing marijuana businesses for the Canna Law Group. Bricken said that marijuana store owners don't get the same deductions as other business owners when paying taxes.
None of the costs of running the store, such as utility bills, rent, or employee pay -- or that onerous 25 percent state excise tax -- are expected to be deductible, according to Bricken. "A year from now, we're going to see a great drop in the number of cannabis businesses out there because of this," Bricken said.
When that happens, of course, prices could skyrocket even higher in many areas, due to a lack of competition.
Since marijuana is an illegal Schedule I drug under federal law, it would have to be removed from that list on the Controlled Substances Act in order to relieve business owners of the threat of an impossibly high federal tax. "It's going to take an act of Congress, and to my knowledge there is no legislation out there that has any chance of passing," she said.
Bricken said she doesn't believe the legal marijuana stores will ever be able to compete with black market prices, the Yakima Herald Republic reports.
Is it any wonder that the Legislature -- and the legal marijuana industry in Washington -- have their sights set on extinguishing medical marijuana dispensaries in the state? The dispensaries, which have operated in the state for at least five years, typically have higher quality products and lower prices in an actual free market environment -- clearly an intolerable situation for the profiteers and the politicians with hungry tax coffers to fill.
Graphic: Live Trading News


text:
Fitbit to Launch Ace 3 Fitness & Sleep Tracker for Kids
Electronics - Tech
Fitbit has revealed the next generation of its Ace activity and sleep tracker for kids ages 6 and older, which will launch worldwide on March 15. The Fitbit Ace 3 features eight days of battery life, ...
March 10, 2021


text:
North Texans Tina Craig, Suzanne Droese, and Lynsey Eaton have collaborated on a new agency to represent fashion influencers.
Estate Five will focus on representing a wide range of talent, something Craig feels the larger agencies have lacked thus far, according to Business of Fashion.
“We’re not out to have a roster of girls who all look the same and are doing the same thing. We’re looking for people who have a different point of view,” Droese told the fashion industry publication.
“We’re not out to have a roster of girls who all look the same and are doing the same thing.”
All three partners have slightly different backgrounds and experience in this realm. Craig created popular fashion blog Bag Snob; Droese of Droese Public Relations has had experience engaging with influencers; and Eaton has worked as an attorney in the fashion industry as well as co-creating fashion and lifestyle blog Tomboy KC.
Fashion bloggers and influencers have become increasingly important to the fashion industry, a fact Estate Five’s creators are very aware of. The Cut by New York Magazine credited Craig with using Instagram to help one designer sell $20,000 worth of handbags in less than a day.
Among the 14 names already signed by Estate Five is Diet Prada; Ashley Robertson, fashion blogger and rewardStyle producer; Katherine Barnes of Carrie Bradshaw Lied; and Matthew Zorpas of The Gentleman Blogger, according to BoF.
Get on the list.
Sign up to keep your eye on what’s new and next in Dallas-Fort Worth, every day.