text:
The world of video-gaming is intrepid and spectacular. A sludge of new content is pumped out on a regular basis, yet there are few games that have come to define the 21st century. From the few that do make the cut, there is only one that can truly call itself, as Francis Ford Coppola would have said, “The Godfather” of them all. That game. That title of The Godfather. That ability to define an entire era rests with none other than the Halo franchise.
With the upcoming insurgent release of the infamous and rebellious Xbox Series X, the charter that has come to define the Xbox franchise, Halo, is set to release a brand-new videogame within the year – Halo Infinite. Although the game is set to release for both the Xbox One and Xbox Series X, it has come to affiliate itself with the launch of the new console. “Why we say so?”, you might ask. Well, let us begin.
The Halo franchise is rather secretive about the details of each game before it is released, however, they are not new to the fallacy of leaks that ensue their organization. Every time before the launch of their new game, certain details are leaked from the oddest and unlikeliest of places. This time, history has decided to repeat itself yet again.
The leak, this time, came whispering about from a toy retailer set in Ireland known as Smyths Toys. It’s no news that the new console, Xbox Series X, the droning, and rather never-ending, loading times will be shortened by a great amount courtesy of the consoles heavy-duty SSD.
However, the news does not stop there. The plot thickens as the leak introduces to us the information that Halo Infinite will be playable at 120 FPS on the Xbox Series X.
Keeping in mind the strength of the new console and the slew of updates that it is coming with, such a dream does not seem too far from reality anymore. This revolutionary move could be Microsoft’s big ploy to bring the Xbox Series X on par with its grueling, and rather merciless, competitor the PlayStation 5.
Furthermore, the most groundbreaking leak has to be none other than the fact that Halo Infinite will come equipped with a free multiplayer option. One of the biggest inconvenience of a console is having to buy an online membership to play multi-player video games with others. This is a point that PC players have long held over console players.
Although, now it seems the great deluge is upon us. Moreover, this move could not only offer fierce competition to the PC world but also to the PlayStation 5. This could very well be Microsoft’s strategy to undercut Sony and bring back the frenzy surrounding the Xbox Series X, and Halo.
Despite its incredible story and game-play, Halo has always lacked behind in the graphics department. Even the gameplay that was unveiled for Halo Infinite left players a little disappointed with the graphics, yet again. However, the inclusion of 120 FPS gameplay could just be the savior that Halo Infinite needed to pull its audience right back in.
Furthermore, 343 industries, the company behind the production of the video game, has mentioned in their latest post that they are dedicated to improving the visual fidelity of the game before it is officially released. This coupled with the free-multiplayer bargain might just be enough to bring Halo and the Xbox Series X back on top.


text:
We just launched Internet.org in India — giving people in six Indian states access to free basic internet services for health, education, jobs and communication. Over the last year we’ve rolled out Internet.org free basic services to countries with more than 150 million people total across Africa and Latin America. More than 6 million people are already connected to the internet who previously weren’t, and we’ve started hearing incredible stories about how the internet is changing lives and communities.
MUMBAI: Facebook is set to launch internet.org, an initiative to provide internet access to those who don’t have it, in India through a tie-up with Reliance Communications, two people familiar with the development said. The social media giant and India’s fourth largest mobile operator have called a joint press conference in Mumbai on Tuesday for, what the invite says, “one launch that will make a billion dreams take off”.
NEW DELHI: Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg promised Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the firm would create and launch a mobile application devoted to Clean India, during a conversation where they discussed the PM’s pet projects such as Digital India and his hopes to use the networking site’s use for social causes and prevent its misuse by terror outfits. Zuckerberg told the Prime Minister that he is extremely excited about the government’s Digital India initiative. Modi, a prolific user of social media platforms with nearly 7 million followers on Twitter and around 23 million people following him on Facebook, has asked Zuckerberg to identify domains of the program that it can get involved in and work with the government.
Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg kicked off his India visit today with a startling stat: 69 percent of Indians have no clue how the internet can help them. Zuckerberg shared this stark evidence of a digital divide during an address at the Internet.org Summit in New Delhi. Internet.org was founded by Facebook, Samsung, and several other groups, with a mission to bring internet access to under-served regions and people. As part of this initiative, Zuckerberg today launched a US$1 million fund for apps in numerous Indian languages for farmers and various social services. Internet.org will conduct a contest to pick the apps to back.
Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook who is visiting India, is on a mission to get more and more Indians online. In his keynote address, Zuckerberg talked about how he plans to get millions of Indians online. During an interaction, he also talked about net neutrality, starting up, privacy and meeting Prime Minister Modi. The thing I am really excited about is the Prime Minister’s whole Digital India initiative.
At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona yesterday, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg stated that the number of people in the Philippines using mobile web connections has doubled since Facebook’s partnership with local telco Globe Telecom started. Last October, Globe started giving subscribers free access to Facebook through their mobile phones. This was a partnership the telco and Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) inked as part of Zuckerberg’s Internet.org initiative to get more people connected to the Internet.

domain: news


text:
Kim Kardashian is one of the most powerful women in the world; she's got several reality shows, managed to snag Kanye West's heart (while married to another man, mind you), and even likened herself to Jesus Christ! But she still can't seem to get free clothes from high-end fashion designers!
The reality TV starlet trusted stylist Nicola Formichetti to transform her style for an Elle Magazine shoot. Formichetti, who has styled other A-list celebs such as Lady Gaga, admits that dressing Kim was a challenge. "People wouldn't lend me the clothes. But that's fashion snobbery," he explained in the issue.
Fashion snobbery aside, Tom Ford, Oscar De La Renta, and Roberto Cavalli all lent their clothes, and Kim looked gorgeous from head-to-toe (but we're not so sure about the drag queen makeup).
With a baby on the way, this could be one of Kim's last shoots before she starts some serious baby bumpin'.
Kim said it was a dream working with Formichetti, and it was "so inspiring and interesting to see someone else's take on me" in the Elle behind-the-scenes interview with the stylist:
Kim's Elle issue hits newsstands on February 19th.
If you were a designer, would you lend clothes to Kim?
-- Kristina Valois


text:
National Cheese Lovers Day: How to stop your cheese going off
A solution so simple, we actually feel a bit stupid saying it out loud
The most important day of the year for cheese-lovers poses a question for anybody who appreciates the popular dairy product: “Do you know where your cheese is?”
Far too often, says one waste and recycling company, the answer is “going mouldy in your fridge”.
And for Divert.co.uk – the UK’s waste company that hates waste – the amount of cheese wasted by the British public is a scandal of national proportions.
“We, as a nation, throw thousands of tonnes of cheese in the bin every year,” says Divert.co.uk spokesperson Mark Hall. “And it’s ironic that National Cheese Lovers Day is the annual peak for cheese wastage.”
So how can we show our love for the greatness that is the varied world of cheese? It’s simple: Remember to eat it.
The sordid truth about bad cheese:
According to recent surveys by the government’s Love Food Hate Waste campaign, as well as one of our fellow waste companies, people in the UK waste hundreds of tonnes of cheese every day, largely because it has been left to go mouldy or dry out.
“And the peak time for this is the second half of January,” says Divert’s Mark Hall, “That’s when people remember they bought a Christmas cheese board selection in December, and only become aware of it when it begins to stink their fridge.”
That’s when the British nation collectively turns up their nose at bad cheese, and throws around 2,000 tonnes of the stuff in the bin. Ironically, that time coincides with National Cheese Lovers Day, which is nothing to be proud of.
“These cheeses died for nothing!” roars Mark, “And it didn’t have to be that way.”
The sad truth is that people tend to buy fancy cheeses without trying them, find out it’s not to their taste, and then forget about it.
Coupled with the fact that most people don’t know how to store their cheese correctly, then it’s not…


text:
Could Roblox create a new entertainment and communication category, something it calls “social co-experience”?
When it was a small startup, few observers would have believed in that future. But after 15 years — as told in the origin story of our Roblox EC-1 — the company has accumulated 90 million users and a new $150 million venture funding war chest. It has captured the imagination of America’s youth, and become a startup darling in the entertainment space.
But what, exactly, is social co-experience? Well, it can’t be described precisely — because it’s still an emerging category. “It’s almost like that fable where the nine blind men are touching and describing an elephant.
Everyone has a slightly different view,” says co-founder and CEO Dave Baszucki. In


text:
This morning, ShanghaiMacro on Twitter confirmed a doc that confirmed that the US was suspending all GPU shipments from NVIDIA & AMD, such because the A100 and H100 to China and Russia. It was thought-about a rumor then, however Reuters confirmed that the U.S. authorities had created a brand new license requirement for these affected built-in circuits just a few hours in the past.
U.S. Government halts exports of AMD and NVIDIA graphics playing cards and extra to China and Russia within the latest license settlement
The tweet beneath from Shanghai Macro Strategist (@ShanghaiMacro on Twitter), reveals a doc that mentions NVIDIA’s H100 & A100 Data Center GPUs.
It is rumored that AMD and NVIDIA have been requested by the US authorities to cease supplying GPU to their Chinese purchasers. pic.twitter.com/7j0ELtiB2f
— Shanghai Macro Strategist (@ShanghaiMacro) August 31, 2022
The doc was machine translated for these unable to know the doc, which is posted beneath.
AMD knowledgeable that it has obtained an pressing discover from the headquarters:
1. Suspend the cargo of all information heart GPU playing cards MI100 and MI200 in China,
2. Count the shipments of MI100 in China,
3. Count the checklist of shoppers who’ve shipped MI200 in China and […] Goods
[…] AMD Analysis could also be that the US authorities needs to limit the gross sales of high-performance GPU playing cards in China, particularly the double-precision high-performance playing cards for Chinese HPC.
NVIDIA’s newest info this afternoon:
1. NVIDIA China has obtained a request from the headquarters: droop the cargo of information heart GPU playing cards A100 and H100 to all prospects and brokers in China, and different GPU playing cards won’t be affected,
2. The current inventory A100 GPU playing cards of every server OEM can proceed to be delivered to their respective trade prospects, and NVIDIA China has not points any OEMs at current.
3. NVIDIA headquarters remains to be analysing the coverage necessities of the US authorities, and it’s anticipated that it’s going to take 2~3 days to speak with prospects and companions in China.
A couple of hours in the past, Twitter account Stock Talk Weekly (@stocktalkweekly on Twitter) confirmed (through Reuters) that the U.S. authorities has issued a license requirement to halt future exports of A100 and H11 built-in circuits to each China and Russia.
Breaking: The U.S. authorities has imposed a brand new license requirement, efficient instantly, for any future exports of A100 and H11 built-in circuits to China and Russia, in keeping with Reuters $NVDA
— Stock Talk Weekly (@stocktalkweekly) August 31, 2022
The affected merchandise for NVIDIA cowl the corporate’s Tensor Core GPUs (A100 and next-gen H100 chips) that energy information facilities with synthetic intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC). Affected areas of computing could be cloud computing, information facilities, and people areas where AI is important, together with scientific and technological developments. NVIDIA obtained the notification on August twenty sixth from the U.S. authorities
The NVIDIA inventory ($NVDA) dropped as a lot as 5.1% in late buying and selling, equaling round $400 million in gross sales for the corporate and 6.8% of income within the third fiscal quarter.
AMD has additionally obtained new license necessities that can cease it from promoting MI250 GPUs however the firm can nonetheless proceed shipments of its older MI100 GPUs. The AMD Instinct MI100 chips are additionally utilized in analysis computing as a studying accelerator. The upcoming Frontier supercomputer is powered by AMD’s MI200 and EPYC chips.
Before as we speak’s ruling, China has labored in the direction of creating alternate options to numerous know-how and developments that the nation has relied on from the 2 firms. This move from the nation would make them self-reliant and fewer depending on the United States for parts. At the identical time, firms within the U.S. have felt scrutiny from the federal government in every firm’s dealings with China, as the federal government sees the nation as a rising safety threat.
News Sources: ShanfhaiMacro on Twitter, Stock Talk Weekly on Twitter


text:
In a Nutshell: Many Americans who live paycheck to paycheck are vulnerable to financial emergencies, which can make it hard for them to build their savings. H&R Block teamed up with personal finance expert Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, aka The Money Coach, to explain how H&R Block’s free banking app, Spruce, empowers individuals and families to work toward financial security. As a television personality and best-selling author for 20 years, Khalfani-Cox also offers helpful tax preparation strategies and inspiration for getting out of debt and staying on the path to a sustainable future.
Many consumers could use advice and better strategies to protect against sudden financial shortfalls. Some studies show that as many as 60% of American households live paycheck to paycheck. But tax season can be a great time to start down the path to economic stability.
Experts forecast that average tax refunds for the 2022 filing season will approach $3,500. That means many Americans may find themselves with a sizable sum to pay down debt and put a financial cushion in place.
Tax filing can be a frustrating and complex process. The COVID-19 pandemic also brought changes for 2022 that households should be aware of so they maximize their refund.
If a big refund check materializes, consumers may also want to know where it can be most effective. Finding trusted tools and advisors to make those financial decisions is a key step.
H&R Block is a familiar and trusted name in the tax preparation industry, and the company has expanded in the financial world to offer a new banking app, Spruce. The app has built-in functions that help users set savings goals and develop the best tax refund strategies.
And H&R Block teamed up with prominent television personality and best-selling author Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, aka The Money Coach, to highlight Spruce’s features and inspire Americans to set themselves up for success. 2022 is poised to be a year when many more consumers can achieve financial freedom.
“For 20-plus years, I’ve been talking to Americans all across the country about ways to improve their personal finances — how to save, how to get out of debt, and how to better manage their money,” Khalfani-Cox said. “Frankly, Spruce helps people do all of those things, and it’s from a brand I know and trust.”
Spruce: The Banking App with Tools for Reaching Savings Goals
Spruce makes it easy to be good with money because it combines all the conveniences of mobile banking into an app that includes a debit card and a savings account.
It’s free to use, with no hidden fees or minimum balance requirements. Each account includes free overdraft protection of up to $20 for folks who sign up for direct paycheck deposits.
Spruce also offers early paycheck deposits to give users access to their earnings and avoid high-interest payday loans that often do more harm than good. It’s easy to enroll through an employer or financial provider and receive money up to two days early.
“Over the years, I’ve written so much about payday lenders,” Khalfani-Cox said. “For a lot of people, all they need is a day or two to keep the lights on or make that car payment.”
Spruce also helps users get down to the basics of saving — automatically. Spruce budgets and tracks spending, and enables users to decide on savings goals by directly depositing paycheck percentages or dollar amounts in designated savings accounts. Automation makes sticking to goals a lot easier, according to Khalfani-Cox.
“Honestly, since I’ve been working as The Money Coach, I’ve never had a single client who has accurately tracked their budget and spending on their own,” she said.
Spruce also helps people jump-start their savings by reminding them to earmark all or part of their tax refund to specific goals. Putting a tax refund aside can be a great way to maximize its use, Khalfani-Cox said.
“I see it as a really powerful solution for avoiding financial traps,” she said.
Knock Out Debt and Create a Cash Cushion
Khalfani-Cox’s personal story is one of triumph over financial adversity. She paid off more than $100,000 in credit card debt in three years during the early 2000s.
That experience led her to publish the New York Times bestseller “Zero Debt: The Ultimate Guide to Financial Freedom” in 2004. She has written 15 personal finance books and has appeared in more than 1,000 news and lifestyle television segments, including on “Oprah,” “The Today Show,” and “The Steve Harvey Show.”
“I definitely know what it’s like to struggle with debt and feel the burden of having credit card bills hanging over your head,” Khalfani-Cox said. “You should absolutely take your tax refund check and knock out a portion of those high rate credit card bills.”
Khalfani-Cox recommended filers set aside at least a third of their tax refund to drill down on credit card debt. For filers receiving the average refund amount, that would be about $1,200.
“If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that we all need to have an extra cash cushion to deal with the unexpected,” Khalfani-Cox said.
That’s because the unexpected has become the norm. For example, as COVID-19 was beginning to recede in the US in 2021, the omicron variant led to increased hospitalizations and deaths. Then, in March 2022, the Russian invasion of Ukraine sent markets spiraling and prices rising.
Khalfani-Cox recommends people set aside an emergency cash cushion of at least $500 on the low end to as much as $1,500 on the high end.
“That kind of emergency savings fund will cover the vast majority of people for the most prevalent type of emergencies they will experience,” she said.
Slow and Steady Wins the Financial Race
The next step to financial freedom is to set a long-term goal to save enough money to cover household expenses for between three and six months — and build an emergency fund. For example, if household bills are $2,000 a month, the goal should be to have at least $7,500 to as much as $13,500 set aside.
“I know those numbers might scare some people — especially folks who have struggled to save even just a few hundred dollars,” Khalfani-Cox said. “But slow and steady wins the race.”
Many consumers can start by maximizing their tax refunds. Khalfani-Cox’s best advice is not to wait until the last minute to file. People should give themselves plenty of time to collect their paperwork and financial data.
Unfortunately, doing so without assistance is probably not a good idea, especially given that there’s so much free and low-cost assistance available. Changes to the tax code make assistance imperative for those seeking everything they’re eligible to receive.
For example, people receiving unemployment benefits in 2020 could deduct up to $10,000 of those benefits from their taxes, but that deduction went away in 2021. That means that incomes — and taxes — will be higher for people in that situation for the 2022 filing season.
Taking advantage of changes to the child tax credit also requires new income reconciliation procedures. The tax code has also seen changes to age guidelines and other earned income tax credit criteria.
Khalfani-Cox recommended using Spruce to put good habits in place. And then consider a low-cost tax-preparation service to help take the guesswork out of filing.
“Sometimes it’s best not to be penny wise and pound foolish. An expert can actually help you put thousands of dollars back in your bank account,” she said.


text:
May has been a fantastic month for greener options as battery electric vehicles and hybrid cars have proven to be highly popular.
According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, last month battery electric vehicle registrations skyrocketed by 441.3% compared to the same period last year. More than 13,120 BEV were registered solely in May.
However, BEV market share declined from 12.0% a year ago to 8.4% in the past month, as the May 2020 performance was distorted by lockdowns when new cars could only be purchased through click and collect or delivery, giving rise to variable purchasing patterns.
Meanwhile, Plug-in Hybrids have also seen their registration numbers massively improve by 1,091.7% as 9,855 PHEVs were registered last month. The incredible numbers have solidified the position of the Plug-in vehicles as their market share rose from 4.1% last year to 6.3% this year.
It has been a very solid month for Hybrids too as registrations have improved by an astonishing 1,903.1% with 13,000 new HEVs now on the road. The Hybrid market share is now 8.3% compared to last year’s 3.2%.
Overall, with the year’s first full month of showroom openings, new car registrations in May reached 156,737 units, according to the SMMT. The total represents an almost eightfold increase on the same month last year, but is down -14.7% on pre-pandemic May 2019, and -13.2% on the 10-year May average.
The full reopening of showrooms has helped internal combustion engines recover after many tough months, according to Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive.
“With dealerships back open and a brighter, sunnier, economic outlook, May’s registrations are as good as could reasonably be expected,” he said. “Demand for electrified vehicles is helping encourage people into showrooms, but for these technologies to surpass their fossil-fuelled equivalents, a long-term strategy for market transition and infrastructure investment is required.”


text:
Jewellery stores across Melbourne introduce tight security measures to stop smash and grabs
Jewellery stores across Melbourne are introducing all sorts of strict security measures in an attempt to stop the spate of smash and grabs.
Catanach’s on High Street, Armadale, does not let anybody in the store unless they’re buzzed in through a secure door.
‘You now have to ring a bell and we’ll let you in if we want to,’ the shop owner told 3AW Drive.
Click PLAY below to hear more on 3AW Drive


text:
There is great excitement about the upcoming 2019 Ford Super Duty. Ford has been making a selection of Super Duty vehicles for almost 20 years. The Super Duty F Series is America’s best-selling truck yet. Of course, Ford continues with this design language. And it’s here.
Ford Super Duty Redesign
2019 Ford Super Duty is almost ready to enter the truck market. It came with some changes compared to the model from the previous year. The frame is made of modern aluminum and the interior is made of a softer material. Now the cabin looks more luxurious and luxurious. The builder’s plan is to create more efficient and powerful trucks.
The new 2019 Ford Super Duty will offer the same level of finish as before. The basic options will always be XL and XLT, Slim up and King Ranch and trim on Platinum and Limited. All models will undergo face changes. They will receive a new front bumper and a new halogen Quad-Dual halogen lamp. The lines will be very similar to the new F-150 models. The front chrome grille with the Ford logo in the center can remain intact.
Ford Super Duty Interior
Just like on the outside, the next 2019 Ford Super Duty will be huge on the inside. It can easily accommodate up to 5 people, which will have more than enough free space and legroom. The storage options are also very large and can be larger, thanks to the flat floor at the back. The materials used for the interior will offer maximum durability and strength, which is in keeping with the Ford tradition. To provide the driver with the necessary driving assistance, the new truck will include a number of systems, such as the departure lane warning system. Like all other Ford models, this one will also offer a lot of infotainment stuff. The new Super task will feature the latest SYNC suite and an 8-inch MyFord HD touchscreen. Additional options include tire pressure checks, camera power supplies and climate control.
In front of the performance, the 2019 Ford Super Duty will come back with the same engine options and other racing devices. The Super Duty model is expected to get a robust version of the 10-speed automatic transmission, but the latest report shows the availability of this gearbox for the 2020 version. The new lever should bring better performance, efficiency and torque, but the versions futures should remain automatic. speed.
Ford Super Duty Performance
The standard engine in most versions will still be a 6.2 liter V-8 fuel. For the 2019 model, the power should remain at 385 hp and the torque at 430 lb-ft. More impressive is the Power Stroke Turbo Diesel of 6.7 liters. This engine has 450 horsepower and 935 lb-ft of torque in the latest version and these numbers are expected to continue in the 2019 model.
The same number must be set for the load limit and the extractor. Ford Super Duty will provide 7, a maximum capacity of 360 lbs and a conventional withdrawal limit of 23,000 lbs. The fifth towing limit for the wheel and gooseneck must be 27,500 and 34,000 lbs, respectively.


text:
Friday, May 29, 2015
The African Development Bank has just released its African Economic Outlook for 2015. Chapter 2 titled "External Financial Flows and Tax Revenues for Africa" reports that private external flows in the form of investment and remittances now drive growth in external finance. Foreign investments are expected to reach $73.5 billion in 2015. Foreign direct investment is moving away from mineral resources and into consumer goods and services. African sovereign borrowing is rocketing. Remittances have increased six-fold since 2000 and are projected to reach $64.6 billion in 2015. Official development assistance will decline in 2015 to $54.9 billion.


text:
WASHINGTON, February 9, 2015 — As more consumers take to smartphones and tablets to shop with their favorite retail brands, retailers agree that keeping mobile at the top of their marketing priority lists is a smart move. According to the 2015 Shop.org/Forrester Research Inc. (Nasdaq: FORR) State Of Retailing Online, mobile remains the top priority for retailers in 2015, with 58% of surveyed retailers placing it at the top of their list, up from 53% last year.
The survey found that smartphone sales as a percentage of online sales grew from 8% in 2013 to 12% in 2014, an increase of 50%; tablets’ share of the pie also grew, from 13% of online sales in 2013 to 16% in 2014.
Additionally, many of those who list mobile as the top priority have stated their digital marketing budgets remain modest, knowing consumers are coming to their mobile sites whether they are ready for them or not. Of those retailers surveyed, 32% report spending less than $100,000 on their smartphone development efforts in 2014; 68% report spending less than $1 million on smartphone developments last year. When it comes to tablets, just 4% say they invested between $100,000 and $250,000 last year. That said, eight in 10 surveyed plan to increase their mobile budgets by at least 20% in 2015.
“Consumers are flocking to retailers’ mobile sites at a faster pace and with more interaction than ever before, so naturally they expect retailers to offer fast, well-designed mobile services that meet their needs,” said NRF Senior Vice President and Shop.org Executive Director Vicki Cantrell. “With that in mind and with several years of mobile commerce now under the industry’s belt, retailers feel confident in their mobile investments thus far. For retailers — when it comes to mobile strategies, a little really does go a long way to keep their savvy customers happy.”
Omnichannel And Optimization Strategies Round Out Top Three Priorities For Online Retailers
Looking to tie together store and digital touch points for a truly seamless customer experience, retailers surveyed cite omnichannel efforts as their second priority behind mobile. Of those surveyed, 45% hope to improve or invest in programs like buy online/pick up in store, ship-from-store, and inventory visibility – up significantly from 26% who listed omnichannel efforts as a priority last year. Additionally, nearly four in 10 (38%) surveyed say marketing optimization was their third priority for 2015, which includes initiatives around customer retention and acquisition.
Apps Lose Ground To Mobile Optimized Websites
High costs to develop and manage company-specific apps — compared with optimizing mobile websites — have changed how some companies are prioritizing their mobile marketing budgets. More than half (56%) of retailers surveyed say that apps are not a key component of their mobile marketing strategy, and an even greater percentage agree that apps are not critical to their employee strategy either.
“Apps are simply too expensive to build and maintain for most retailers, begging the question — what’s after apps?” says Forrester Research Vice President and Principal Analyst Sucharita Mulpuru. “We’ll see retailers focus spending on redesigning the core site, which benefits the site experience beyond mobile, and embracing responsive design – an approach that retailers favor over apps, with nearly half already applying it to their mobile site.”
About The State Of Retailing Online
The State Of Retailing Online research series, which provides eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals with annual industry benchmarks of marketing and business investment and activities, surveyed 71 companies in November and December 2014. Industries surveyed included apparel, footwear, general merchandise, home furnishings, and personal care.
Shop.org, a division of the National Retail Federation, is the world’s leading community for digital retail, offering thought leadership through original research and gold standard events. The community is made up of exclusive networking groups and committees that lead the global conversation surrounding innovative e-commerce trends and digital retail. Shop.org members include some of the world’s largest most respected retail, technology, research, and consulting companies. www.shop.org


text:
30 March, 2017
The combined recalls will cost Ford roughly $295 million in first quarter pre-tax dollars, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
About 208,584 of the affected vehicles are in the US and federalized territories, 21,854 are in Canada and 318 are in Mexico. Overheating can lead to cracked cylinder heads that leaks oil and create the possibility of an under-hood fire.
Ford Motor Co., the second largest US automaker, on Wednesday announced two new recalls affecting 440,000 vehicles and expects to spend about $295 million to fix the issues. The company said it is aware of at least 29 reported engine fires in the US and Canada. The company advised customers to seek a dealer if their vehicle leaks coolant.
In Europe, the recall includes the 2010 through 2015 C-Max hybrid and Focus small vehicle, as well as the 2013 through 2015 Transit Connect van.More news: Retail sales rise 3.7% in February
Ford says that customers can still drive their vehicles, though the company is mailing each customer instructions from the owner's manual on how to check and refill coolant. "When service kits are available, dealers will install a coolant level sensor with supporting hardware and software at no charge to the customer", the automaker said in a statement.
Auto industry giant Ford has issued safety recalls for almost half a million vehicles. It's adding another 211,000 vehicles to the mix, including the 2014 Fiesta, 2013-2014 Fusion and the 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in 2015 it had 1,102 reports related to the problem and Ford said it had 10,883 warranty claims related to door latch failures. That recall included the 2012-2015 Ford Focus and the 2013-2015 Ford Escape and C-Max.
Finally, Ford is recalling 111 2017 model year Edges for missing windshield header welds. Ford will replace all four door latches on every affected vehicle with a stronger version, which should prevent any spring tab breakage in the future.
Previous year door latch recalls cost the company $640 million. Ford said it not aware of any crashes or injuries associated with this issue.


text:
2022 Infiniti QX60: first teaser.
Infiniti will finally unveil a new generation of the QX60 SUV. Which is logical since it is based on the new Pathfinder, coming out very soon as well.
For some reason, this is yet another ‘close to production’ concept. Which seems to be all the rage these days. With the Cadillac Lyric, Jeep Grand Wagoneer, etc…
All these models have one thing in common: they are long overdue. And after all these years, they are not even ready to show the real thing. Which is not great news…
Also weird: where is the Infiniti QX55???
It has been delayed so many times it is hard to believe it even exists.
As you can see from the prototype photos under the official teaser, the proportion of the next QX60 are very close to the current model.
I guess its ain competition will come from the all-new Acura MDX. Probably coming out around the same time. But also from non-luxury brand newcomers like the super popular Kia telluride.
Like I said, this is long overdue. From a brand that just seems like it has no clue where it is going…
Conversation 4 comments
The current one is not looking good at all and drives like a boat. May be this one will be different.
They announced the reveal of the QX55 for November…you posted about it a month ago.
They absolutely need to change their nomenclature. still sucks.
This is going to be a very elegant attractive design. Just hope they got rid of the CVT.


text:
Essential Products, a smartphone start-up founded by Android creator Andy Rubin, has shut down. The company said it “made the difficult decision to cease operations”.
Essential Products, the consumer electronics start-up run by Android creator Andy Rubin, is putting most projects aside to focus on development of a new kind of phone.
Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.


text:
The consultancies are coming.
Accenture has made a big step in its slow-moving effort to compete with both holding companies and creative agencies by acquiring independent London-based shop Karmarama, whose client roster includes Unilever, the BBC, Cobra Beer, Just Eat and Honda. The terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.
The deal allows Accenture Interactive, part of Accenture Digital, to expand its offerings to clients and expands its team of creatives and marketing professionals. Karmarama executive chairman Jon Wilkins, CEO Ben Bilboul, CSO Sid McGrath and CCO Nik Studzinski will continue in their current roles while also taking on unspecified leadership positions with Accenture Interactive.
“Acquiring a creative agency in London, where some of the world’s most iconic creative work is produced, will help us reshape how brands imagine, create, and deliver customer experiences,” said Brian Whipple, head of Accenture Interactive, in a statement. “Karmarama will become part of the world’s largest digital agency, expanding our global capabilities across experience, marketing, content and commerce with excellence in creative and mobile. This will contribute to further differentiate Accenture Interactive as a new breed of agency – experience architects – which helps brands connect disconnected experiences and shares accountability with clients for their business outcomes.”
“As part of Accenture Interactive, we will dramatically enhance our ability to offer best-in-class creativity and digital delivery,” added Bilboul. “We look forward to extending our creative ideas across the entire customer experience, offering clients consistent and connected creativity. We believe this is a genuinely game-changing moment for clients and for our team, who will now have even greater opportunity to work with leading global brands across international markets.”
Remember that Accenture has been effectively invading the ad industry in less obvious ways for some time: its North American eCommerce manager Chip Knicker is now chief digital officer for Omnicom’s McDonald’s agency Unlimited, and many executives even on the creative side of the business have gone to work for the consultancy in recent years.
In an interview with Business Insider today, Accenture’s Brian Whipple explained the acquisition as such: “We are laser-focused on helping clients create the best customer experiences on the planet.” In other words, Accenture eventually wants to become a one-stop shop for international clients. Like competitor Deloitte, which recently acquired Heat and won a creative review for Del Monte, it has also been pitching alongside “traditional” agencies for business — thought it has yet to record a real headlining upset win in any such review.
Karmarama’s executive chairman Jon Wilkins also tells BI that the appeal of being acquired by Accenture as opposed to, say, WPP is that the consultancy will be more hands-off and “entrepreneurially-minded.”
We’ll see how that goes soon enough.


text:
Building a living world without borders
MMO studio Black Block's CEO Robin Squire discusses his plans for mobile-first connected worlds
When designing a sprawling, persistent sandbox MMO for mobile, it's tempting to ignore other platforms and focus solely on the monumental task right in front of you. But what if you discovered an entirely new technology with the potential to change the game you're building and the way players and livestream audiences participate in it?
At Black Block we're building an always online, living world called Retroit -- a sprawling, sandbox city where every encounter you make in the world is with a real player. It's not sci-fi, it's not fantasy, it's just an alternate version of our modern day world. Perhaps it will be a utopia, or something very different, but the goal is to give the players -- and ideally, the livestream audience that follows -- the control to define the world from the streets up.
The best thing about building an MMO is that virtually the entire experience can exist online. We can look at platforms, as we know them today, whether it's mobile, PC, consoles or browsers, as unique entry points, feeding into the same connected world from completely different perspectives.
Our world is being built for mobile devices first. We recognise that the majority of players don't always have time to sit down and play games on their couch or in front of their PC, so we're prioritising a free-to-play gaming experience that's tailored to casual mobile gamers, but still on the bleeding edge of current technology. We're looking at large scale, persistent multiplayer from a more casual, lightweight angle.
Mobile first, cross-platform later
The next step to creating that ubiquitous product experience is in livestreaming.
Using new interactive livestreaming tech (we've been working with Genvid's SDK), we've been able to build a gaming experience like no other: Allowing livestream viewers to observe -- and impact in real-time -- our living world from a bird's eye view. Viewers can access a 24/7 Retroit news channel, watching the world go by in real time, switching from CCTV cameras to news choppers on the fly, even dropping items and objectives into the environment for the actual players going about their business in the city.
We're treating livestreams as secondary gaming platforms, empowering viewers to engage and interact with as much agency as players. Plus, viewers don't need to even install your game to be interacting with it, which might make interactive livestreams the single best user acquisition yet.
When agar.io launched across browser and mobile it was Google's third most searched term in 2015. Product ubiquity matters. It enables discovery, even unlocking different -- potentially cheaper -- marketing formats such as browser-based Google search or Facebook ads. But more importantly, it gives you that shot at building that critical mass behind your game.
It doesn't have to be the exact same experience across every platform - actually we believe it can be quite the opposite.
Build for the audience not the platform
The walled gardens are coming down, but every garden is different. Player engagement can drastically vary from device to device, the same people who fling birds on their iPhone, might spend hours playing Call of Duty with their friends on their PS4 or Xbox One. And what about other platforms?
I would suggest that a true cross platform gaming experience will also vary across devices, and interactive livestreaming technology, including the streamers and viewers that live there, serves as just one touch point across many.
For more information, click here.
Robin Squire is CEO of Black Block, a startup studio based in Helsinki, Finland. The Black Block team of five game industry veterans has more than 60 years of combined experience at major developers including Rockstar Games, Rovio, Crytek and Psygnosis. Black Block's first game, Retroit, is an ambitious, unique take on the sandbox MMO genre, officially launching in 2021 for mobile, with other platforms targeted later.


text:
Photo credit filippo minelli
There is no doubt about it but Google is a disruptive company.
First Google disrupted search, then advertising, then video (with their acquisition of YouTube), and then Office applications with the launch and continued development of Google Apps for Domains. Most recently Google has disrupted the mobile phone industry, first with the launch of their Android operating system and just a couple of days ago with the launch of their Nexus One mobile phone.
What then should we make of Google’s recent creation of a subsidiary called Google Energy LLC and Google Energy’s request to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to buy and sell electricity on the wholesale market [PDF]?
Given Google has already invested in solar power generation, given further that Google has invested in wind and geothermal power generation technologies (as part of its RE < C project), and given that Google has already launched its first product in the Smart Grid space, Google PowerMeter, should we now expect Google to start disrupting the utility industry as well?
Curious about what all this meant I contacted Google spokesperson Niki Fenwick to try to get some answers – see my questions and her responses below:
TR: What was the thinking behind Google’s setting up Google Energy? Why is Google applying to the FERC for permission to trade in electricity?
NF: Google is interested in procuring more renewable energy as part of our carbon neutrality commitment, and the ability to buy and sell energy on the wholesale market could give us more flexibility in doing so. We made this filing so we can have more flexibility in procuring power for Google’s own operations, including our data centers.
TR: Google has made some investments in renewable generation (solar, geothermal and wind), does Google hope to take on the utilities by selling electricity? How does this tie into Google’s PowerMeter project?
NF: This move does not signal our intent to operate as a retail provider and is not related to our free Google PowerMeter home energy monitoring software. We simply want to have the flexibility to explore various renewable energy purchase and sale agreements (that means we can buy electricity wholesale, rather than through a utility).
TR: Will Google Energy be used to develop more Smart Grid products?
NF: We don’t have any plans to announce at this time.
TR: How does this tie into Google’s partnership with GE?
NF: This move isn’t related to our partnership with GE.
So there you have it, according to Google this application to trade in electricity on the wholesale market is simply to gain more flexibility in procuring power for Google’s own operations, as part of Google’s carbon neutrality commitment.
Google have no plans to become a retail electricity provider.
For now. Things change.
After all, it is not so long ago that Google were denying rumours that they were developing a Google phone!
- Google seeks to trade wholesale power in U.S. (financialpost.com)
- Will Google Energy Power Its Data Centers? (datacenterknowledge.com)
- Ramon Nuez: Google is Going into the Electricity Business (huffingtonpost.com)
- Google launches Google Energy, hoping to bring more green energy to its datacenters (engadget.com)
- Google applies to become electricity marketer (infoworld.com)
- Google seeks to become energy trader (theregister.co.uk)


text:
Lingoda, a leading online language school, is taking their language students on a virtual trip around the world. While three-quarters of Americans (75%) now say they feel comfortable traveling, domestic travel still remains a top choice for Americans as 59% of U.S. survey respondents are planning domestic-only trips for 2022. With COVID also not yet out of the picture, 39% of those not traveling say that the pandemic still factored into their decision to stay home.
Fortunately, Lingoda, a leading online language school, offers a solution that can scratch any globetrotter's travel itch, even if one is not yet ready to hop on a flight. When taking online language classes with native-level teachers and other group class participants who are based all around the globe, Lingoda's mission to build bridges around the world through language learning comes into full effect.
"Our teachers are based all around the world, which makes it possible for us to offer live language courses in all of our four languages 24/7," says Philippa Wentzel, Curriculum Team Lead at Lingoda. "One class with Lingoda can take you around the world. You might be a student in California taking a language class, your class teacher might be in Ecuador and your fellow students could be in Tokyo, London and Berlin."
The American Express 2022 Global Travel Trends Report also found that 81% of respondents stated they want to travel to destinations where they can immerse themselves in the local culture. And what better way to immerse oneself in a new culture than to learn a new language with people out of your comfort zone?
Additionally, Lingoda's online language courses are centered around human interaction and maximum conversation time, which enables students to learn real-life language and cultural context. And to expose language students to a range of accents and speaking styles, Lingoda rotates teachers and students from more than 120 countries to build "language fluidity".
And for next year's travel season, language students will have all the skills available to immerse themselves in a new culture abroad.
Lingoda is one of the top online language schools. Founded in Berlin, Germany, in 2013, we provide convenient and accessible online language courses in German, English, Business English, French and Spanish to over 100,000 students worldwide. With almost 550,000 classes available per year and accessible 24/7, our mission is to build bridges around the world through language learning.
Visit Lingoda.com to learn more.
International PR Manager
Press Release Service by Newswire.com
Original Source: Still Nervous to Travel? Take a Virtual Trip Around the World With Lingoda


text:
The growing popularity of news podcasts has more to do with the entertainment factor than information, according to Global commercial group strategist Rich Smith.
Speaking as part of a panel discussion during the Campaign & PodPod Radio & Audio Advertising Summit, Smith noted that “news is losing its seriousness” as more people seek a lighthearted approach to current affairs reporting.
“When you listen to a podcast like The News Agents, you do get the seriousness but people are listening while doing something else,” said Smith. “There’s still that serious edge but more entertainment... when we’re living in a world of crisis, news in podcasting gives a lighter edge.”
The panel - which also included Lloyds Banking Group brand communications and media lead Vicky Handley and Mars UK media & content director Richard Mashiter - further highlighted how integrating podcasts into brands not only provides a source of entertainment, but can also build trusting and personable relationships between the presenter and listener. This was one of the key reasons people were more drawn to news podcasting in 2022 according to Global’s recently released whitepaper on the impact of news podcasting.
“Podcasting is a whole new world of how people are listening,” Smith added. “...If you can integrate your brand really well into the podcast space, you can generate trust.”
According to Mashiter, the addition of host-read and spot-ads in podcasts is another way to build trust, as podcast hosts can act as influencers on behalf of advertisers, but Handley also emphasised the importance of carefully selecting who that person is to represent the brand in a credible and authentic way.
“When it comes to podcasts, the level of depth you can get to in terms of conversations and openness is different,” said Mashiter. “…individuals can become influencers and people you can have conversations with outside audio.”
According to Nielsen’s Podcast Ad Effectiveness 2020 survey, host-read ads in podcasts were 9% higher in strong brand recall than non-host-read ads and provided a 50% increase in purchase and recommendation intent. Audioboom vice president Mike Newman also previously said - at a session on podcast monetisation for Audiotrain - that he expects spot ads are likely to grow in the podcast advertising market for advertisers that want more brand awareness, especially with podcasters that have a lower threshold of 5-10,000 listeners, based on a CPM of between £5-15.
“Podcasts use the presenters to add their personality into it.. They can say a very important message in a branded way,” said Handley when talking about spot-ads. “They can add a bit more depth, credibility, and authenticity to the brand.”
Smith also spotlighted that in addition to podcasts being a trusting medium, they can guarantee to run an effective ad campaign that caters to a cheaper budget - which is especially important during the cost of living crisis.
“Committing to a budget can be very difficult… [podcasting] as a lead medium, has its place… the reassurance is there,” said Smith. “...In a time where you’re making short-term decisions where the budget is allocated, radio and audio [is the way].”


text: We at Butler Ford have yet to see our first 2015 Ford Mustang on the lot. Oh, they’re ordered, they’re just not here yet. So it seems odd that we’re already talking about the 2016 model! Or, more accurately, Autoblog is talking about, and taking spy shots of, the next gen pony car. Thanks to the online auto mag for the photo above and the pontificating about what’s under all that camouflage. Follow this link to see more spy photos and read about what the experts say Ford may be hiding.


text:
Retailers and food service manufacturers must pay more attention to what is fed to livestock if they are to avert major environmental damage, according to new report
Food companies must develop a better understanding of the type of food fed to the livestock used to make the products they sell, according to a new report released today that aims to shine a spotlight...
Prominent funder of climate sceptic and anti-regulation lobby groups died from advanced prostate cancer
Oil giant makes first foray into Australia's competitive power market as it continues drive into consumer energy supply, renewables, and clean technologies
Business for Inclusive Growth (B4IG) coalition will launch at the G7 summit this weekend, warning inequalities around the world are economically-damaging
All the green business news from around the world this week


text:
Marks And Spencer is really going all out with its Caramilk inspired range, and we are so here for it.
And the latest addition to the Golden Blonde Chocolate range is a Caramilk flavoured milkshake that looks absolutely dreamy.
We first heard about M&S’s Golden Blonde Chocolate Milkshake when @newfoodsuk shared a photo of it looking all majestic and delicious on Instagram.
Is it bad that we want to buy a thousand bottles and take a bath in it? Actually… don’t answer that.
As well as this milkshake, M&S also recently released a Caramilk flavoured cream liqueur. So, basically a grown-up version of the milkshake.
This poured over ice is the stuff of Christmas dreams, right? But do we really have to wait until December to get stuck in?
If these drinks aren’t enough for you, you can also get the stuff in spread form too... A-huh, we're talking about a Caramilk inspired chocolate spread that you can slather on your toast, stir into your porridge or smother on your pancakes. Insane, right?
Speaking about its love of this unique chocolate, M&S recently said: “Golden blond chocolate, also sometimes called caramelised chocolate or toasted white chocolate, is a relatively recent addition to the chocolate spectrum and is made by roasting chips of white chocolate until it undergoes the ‘Maillard reaction’, which gives it a beautiful coffee colour and a yummy caramel-like flavour. It’s so new that it wasn’t discovered until 2012 by chocolatiers in the south of France, completely by accident!”
There you go – you learn something new every day.


text:
The third meeting of Pakistan’s Federal Committee on Cotton (FCC), held under the chairmanship of Rukhsana Shah, Secretary, Ministry of Textile Industry (MinTex), unanimously agreed to fix the cotton production target at 15.1 million bales of 170 kg each for 2014-15 season.
At the meeting, Dr. Khalid Abdullah, Cotton Commissioner stated that a target of 14.1 million bales was set for the year 2013-14 and the cotton crop size for the season had been assessed at 12.32 million bales of 170 kg.
Explaining the reason for increasing the cotton production target for 2014-15 season, Ms. Shah said that despite the persistent problems of decreasing acreage, non-availability of quality seed, and rising prices of inputs, the country had the potential of producing 20 million bales of cotton per annum.
“This higher target would push all concerned departments to work harder to increase cotton production through structured intervention programmes and better extension services, while MinTex would do all in its power to resolve the policy issues relating to seed certification, NBC procedures, training programmes, awareness campaign for cotton cultivation,” Ms. Shah said according to an official press release.
The FCC estimated that cotton would be grown on 2.428 million hectares of land in Punjab province and on 0.65 million hectares in Sindh province, resulting in production of 10.5 million bales and 4.2 million bales, respectively, in 2014-15.
Ms. Shah stated that MinTex has already made a comprehensive plan for farmers training programme and mass awareness campaign for enhancing cotton productivity in the country. She also stated that Punjab must work on enhancing yield per hectare.
Dr. Muhammad Ali Talpur, Director, Marketing & Economic Research, Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC), highlighted the figures of recent imports of cotton yarn and raw cotton from India. “It is expected that this huge stock piles of cotton and cotton yarn may affect the cotton prices for the crop season 2014. So, intervention price may be considered for announcement,” he suggested.
Dr. Khalid Abdullah stated that during month of March, a three-day cotton training programme is going to be started for the field staff of Khyber Pakthukhwa and Balochistan provinces.
Fibre2fashion News Desk - India
Middle East News
- Media Information: Autefa Solutions announces new agency for the Indian market
- Denimsandjeans India to discuss trend of unisex denim
- RBI keeps repo rate unchanged at 6%
- Maharashtra cabinet approves textile policy for 2018-23
- UAE has the lowest VAT regionally and globally
- Costs rise at sharpest pace for UAE’s private sector businesses
- Budget 2018-19: Customs duty on silk fabric hiked to 20%
- Reduction in tax for MSMEs to benefit TN textile firms
- Budget: TEA hails Rs 7148cr allocation for textile sector
- Indian textile industry hails budget with some scepticism
- Arvind Q3 revenue up 16% at Rs 2,706 crore
- Amazon infuses 1,950 cr fresh capital to India operations
- Indian brand Ekaya at Paris Haute Couture Week
- E-commerce platform for artisans in India's Kashmir
- SRTEPC honours RIL with 5 gold trophies
- Indian economy to grow at 7.3% in FY 2018-19: World Bank
- Wazir Advisors Introduction
- 10 Reasons to Invest in Textile Sector in India
- India’s Standing in Global Textile and Apparel Industry
- India: A Land of Opportunities
- Patterns, images and colors demanded in the Iranian carper markets
- CE certificate or sign on the carpet; Indicator of product quality or inaudible imprint of international clarification
- The classification of textile floorings In terms of fire-taking behavior according to the provisions of European Union
- Remain unknown the place of modern carpet design


text:
Copenaghen - MAN Energy Solutions and Samsung Heavy Industries have signed a strategic cooperation agreement for the digitization of marine engines. Together the companies want to define a framework for a long term strategic cooperation in order to develop technologies and systems for the digitization of marine engines.
“Digital technologies and the business models based on these technologies will transform the maritime industry”, states a MAN’s press release quoting the head of its R&D 2-Stroke Business, Brian Østergaard Sørensen. “Samsung Heavy Industries is an important part of this industry and an important business partner for us. It makes sense to bring our experts together and explore how best to work in synch with our digital value creation chain. It is our firm belief that cross industry cooperation is essential to the success of the digital transition, and we continue to take an active role in driving this with our partners”,
“We are committed to providing smartship solutions that are useful to our customers,” said Yong Lae Shim, Vice President of Samsung’s Ship and Offshore Research Institute. “This agreement with MAN allows us to expand the ecosystem of the SHI’s smartship SVESSEL, to further provide practically useful services to ship owners.”


text:
When asked to identify some of their biggest challenges, small business owners in Connecticut and across the country have said for more than a decade that one of the greatest is the prohibitively high cost of providing health insurance.
According to recent surveys, more than half of Connecticut’s small businesses cannot afford to provide health insurance to their employees. Small businesses that do provide insurance pay significantly more than large companies that have the advantage of being able to buy for a larger pool. And the uninsured find that individual coverage is the most expensive in the market.
So with Connecticut beginning the process of creating a health insurance exchange established under federal health care reform to provide a marketplace for the uninsured to find affordable, quality health insurance, small business and consumer advocates were hopeful that relief was coming.
But the board that will oversee the exchange, named in August by the governor and legislative leadership does not include any representatives of small business or consumer groups.
The repeated requests of advocates for small business and consumers to be included in the exchange board membership have been met with resistance. Why not see how the board does its work before finding fault? Why are we making such a big deal about the membership of this exchange?
For small businesses like mine, the health insurance exchange is a last best hope. Like small businesses across the state and the country, I’ve worked long and hard to support national reform and appropriate state programs and options. This state-based exchange has already been too long in the making. While this board membership may have the best intentions for our constituent groups, it makes far more sense for us to participate in the discussions than to comment on them afterwards.
One solution, suggested by both the governor and legislative leaders, is to pass legislation specifically adding more seats to the board. To be fair, the federal regulations establishing the boards are quite clear that consumers and small businesses should have a majority vote. But if further clarity is needed, let’s do it.
And what more appropriate time to add small business and individual consumer voices to the exchange than in the “jobs” bill to be taken up in the upcoming special legislative session?
The success of small businesses will be a major factor in Connecticut’s economic recovery, but we cannot succeed without access to quality, affordable health insurance. And it is only right that the groups who will be the most directly affected by the health insurance exchange have a voice in deciding the kind of health insurance we need.
Small businesses and individual consumers aren’t being unreasonable. We are asking for a seat at the table where important decisions that directly affect us are being made. It is an issue of democracy and simple fairness.
Kevin Galvin is the owner of Connecticut Commercial Maintenance, and chairman of Small Business For A Healthy Connecticut.


text:
Load mobile navigation
In Your Area
Things To Do
Family & Kids
Food & Drink
Music & Nightlife
Buy a Paper
Advertise with Us
Book an Ad
Hopsmore Beer Club
OK! BeautyBox Subscription
Buy a photo
Work for us
Advertise with Us
Buy a Photo
How to Complain
Corrections and Clarifications
Terms & Conditions
Our RSS Feeds
Syndication & Licensing
Notifications and alerts help
© 2022 M.E.N Media
13:42, 22 FEB 2019
Lily Allen wore pyjamas for a DJ set in Manchester after partying at the Brits
The Smile singer went for a relaxed look in silky PJs and looked fantastic
How a young lad went from a Crumpsall council estate to brushing shoulders with Donatella Versace
Five male models tell us about their road to success - and it wasn't always easy
Ramsbottom fashion designer Henry Holland on how young entrepreneurs can break into the industry
The fashion icon tells all ahead of his London Fashion Week show
Mark Ronson joins rock, fashion and film royalty at Principal Hotel relaunch bash
Mark Ronson DJs at a glamorous night packed with star guests at Manchesters former Palace Hotel on Oxford Road
Agyness Deyn achieves wedding goals with stunning photos from her big day
The model turned actress looked absolutely gorgeous as she said "I do" in New York
Fashionistas invited to attend UKTI’s clinic
Companies will be able to hold 20 minute meetings with commercial officers from nine different markets who will provide expert insight on how to export to their respective countries.
Henry Holland to star in fly-on-the-wall shopping show The Changing Room
The Ramsbottom fashion designer will be helping shoppers with their wardrobe woes in the new Channel 4 series
Nick Grimshaw: Who is the radio presenter with the new X Factor judging job?
A profile of the Radio One breakfast host
Win: Agyness Deyn's film Electricity on DVD
The supermodel-turned-actress, from Failsworth, stars as a young woman with epilepsy in the gritty British drama
Top fashion designer Henry Holland unveils latest clothing range - at Ramsbottom fire station
The acclaimed designer, who grew up in Ramsbottom, chose the village fire station to showcase his new clothing range at a photo shoot
Pictured: Henry Holland's London Fashion Week show
We spoke to the Ramsbottom designer about his AW15 collection
Dragons' Den £50,000 boost for photo booth brothers
Josh and Hyrum Cook won over 'Dragon' Deborah Meaden after pitching their digital photo booth company Zeven as the show returned to screens
Watch: Agyness Deyn stars in new film Electricity
We chatted to the Failsworth-born supermodel turned actress ahead of the gritty British drama's release
Vogue's Fashion's Night Out doubles footfall in Manchester city centre
Manchester City Centre
Official figures released today by The Heart of Manchester BID revealed footfall was up across the streets involved
Vogue Fashion's Night Out: VIPs make fashionably late arrival at big night
Fashionistas, VIPs and designers attend the fashion night of the year in Manchester
Vogue in Manchester: Night of style all mapped out
Fashionistas will be wearing down their designer heels as they dash around town for Vogue Fashion’s Night Out taking place across Manchester for the first time tomorrow.
Radio 1 DJ Nick Grimshaw leads recipe donations to Salford-based childhood cancer charity cookbook
StarBites has been developed specifically to help parents of children with cancer to eat healthily with stress-reducing alternatives to traditional recipes which have been designed to help boost energy, reduce fatigue and support restful sleep.
Twitter goes wild for Danny Boyle's Olympic Opening Ceremony
The world of Twitter erupted with support for Radcliffe's Danny Boyle last night - before, during and after the spectacular opening ceremony he masterminded.
Top of the morning: How Oldham lad Nick Grimshaw landed Radio 1's top job
The 27-year-old will take over from Chris Moyles presenting the Radio One Breakfast Show in the autumn Grimshaw has dreamed of landing the prime slot since he was a schoolboy in Oldham.
Big events pay off for Debenhams
Debenhams' strategy of targeting shoppers over key events such as Easter and the Diamond Jubilee was rewarded with a sharp jump in sales today. The department store chain, which is among the most aggressive discounters on the high street, said like-for-like sales excluding VAT rose 3.1 per cent in the 16 weeks to June 23, compared with 0.3 per cent in the previous half year.
Manchester Fashion Week - Dedicated followers of fashion
Manchester Fashion week will burst onto the catwalk in a blaze of clothes, make-up and parties.
Manchester Fashion Week will launch in April
Plans are underway for an inaugural Manchester Fashion Week. The week-long event in April will include daily catwalk shows, parties and fashion showcases at a dedicated event space at Spinningfields.
Video and pictures: Tantrums and handbags with Pixie Lott and Lana Del Rey - Dianne Bourne braves the front line at London Fashion Week
If you thought movies like The Devil Wears Prada rather overcooked the cut-throat nature of the fashion world, then think again. When it comes to the style hierarchy at London Fashion Week – the bi-annual showcase of the big seasonal trends – then expect elbows sharper than a towering Christian Louboutin stiletto.
Video and pictures: Glamour all the way at Manchester designer Nadine Merabi’s big catwalk moment at London Fashion Week
While Mulberry may have grabbed the showbiz headlines at London Fashion Week, it was a huge moment for Manchester-based designer Nadine Merabi as she debuted her collection on the catwalks of the capital for the first time.


text:
Eagle Eye lifts expectations amid strong trading
Eagle Eye Solutions Group
Marketing software-as-a-service provider Eagle Eye reported “continued positive trading performance” in an update on Friday, raising its forecasts for revenue and earnings.
FTSE AIM All-Share
Software & Computer Services
The AIM-traded firm said a notable development since its interim results in March was the “go-live” of a national grocer in the United States, announced in January and secured with its partner Neptune Retail Solutions.
As a result, the board now expected revenues and adjusted EBITDA for the year ending 30 June to be ahead of current market expectations by about 7% and 10%, respectively.
Eagle Eye said it had benefited from “significant” new customer wins across multiple geographies, the accelerated ability to take customers live, deepening relationships with existing customers, and the impact of the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions.
The board said the company was continuing to benefit from the strength of its software-as-a-service model, having reported annual recurring revenue of £18.9m, net revenue retention of 130%, and churn of 0.04% at the interim results.
Its directors said they were “confident” in reporting continued positive progress for the 2022 financial year.
“We are delighted to have taken one of the largest grocery retailers in the US live on the AIR platform so quickly, providing us with another fantastic demonstration of the relevance of our combined offering with Neptune in this substantial market,” said chief executive officer Tim Mason.
“Our ability to deliver personalised, one-to-one marketing at scale is resonating with retailers around the world, as they seek to accelerate their digital marketing strategies.
“This successful go-live and growing momentum in the business, combined with the underlying strength of our software-as-a-service metrics and record new business pipeline, all combine to underpin the board's confidence in our outperformance in the current year and prospects for sustained growth.”
Eagle Eye said it would further update the market on its trading for the year in July, ahead of the release of audited final results in September.
At 1149 BST, shares in Eagle Eye Solutions Group were up 8.33% at 455p.
Reporting by Josh White at Sharecast.com.


text:
Royal wedding guest from Weston flogging goody bag online
PUBLISHED: 15:33 21 May 2018 | UPDATED: 15:59 21 May 2018
A royal wedding guest from Weston-super-Mare is selling a goody bag on eBay - and will receive more than £8,000 for it.
The gift bag was given to guests at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s big day in Windsor on Saturday.
The canvas bag, featuring their initials, includes a commemorative chocolate coin, a bottle of water, fridge magnet, shortbread biscuits and an order of service.
There is also a voucher to get 20 per cent off the shop at Windsor Castle.
The bags were given to the 1,500 community champions who were invited to watch the service outside St George’s Chapel.
The item will be posted from Weston, with £2.95 postage costs, and is one of a number being sold on the online auction website.
But the winning bidder will cough up more than £8,000 for it.
Within a few hours today (Monday), the cost had risen from £350 to £8,050, with 47 bids so far.
The seller says: “Buy a piece of history and memorabilia to celebrate a momentous special day for Britain and the royal family.”
The bidding still has four days to go.


text:
Taylor Swift added one more record to her collection. She became the first woman in history to have six albums that spent 100 weeks or more on the US chart, the Billboard 200. The achievement was earned this week with the arrival of such a reputation.
This means that all of Taylor Swift’s first six albums have spent at least 100 weeks on the US chart. The ranking takes into account digital and physical sales as well as stream equivalence. All the singer’s records are platinum. The smallest of them, reputation, has a triple platinum certificate in the country. “Fearless” is diamond certified.
This year Taylor Swift began a new phase at Republic Records. The new album “Lover” has also earned platinum certification in the United States and has been on the Billboard 200 since its release in August.


text:
Say hello to Unroll.Me and bid adieu to all your annoying email subscriptions -- you know, the ones you signed up for when you thought you wanted a free t-shirt, only to find that your inbox was soon inundated by unwanted…
During a Q&A session at the Indian Institute of Technology in New Delhi this week, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg vowed to significantly scale back unsolicited game messages exchanged between users on the social networking site.
For those of you who shudder at the thought of waking up every morning to a dozen unwanted emails in your inbox, you're in luck. Email spam is at a 12-year low, according to security software company Symantec.
Steam users have likely noticed a recent influx of spammers sending bogus friend invites and trade requests. To fight this increase in spam, Valve is limiting new accounts until users pay at least $5 USD.
You know spam is the canned meat that clogs your arteries and the junk email messages that clog your inbox, but how did the term make it from the grocery store to the Internet? The earliest nerds really liked Monty Python.
Definitely ideal if you are a heavy Facebook user, the social network will attempt to reduce the volume of click-bait content in the feed by measuring the length of time people spend actually reading the article.
Fed up with hunting for that tiny 'unsubscribe' link buried deep in those unwanted marketing emails? For Gmail users, the link will now show clearly in the header information of a message, making the unsubscribe process a whole lot easier.


text:
From Green Right Now Reports
Grocery stores deal with an incredible amount of churn — produce that spoils, cardboard boxes that need breaking down, delivery pallets coming and going, meat departments cycling the old inventory out.
Getting a grocery to achieve zero waste conjures images of work crews heaving cantaloupes into mountainous compost piles and employees working chain gang-style folding boxes into the night.
Fortunately, it’s not quite that hard. With the right support systems, groceries can conquer their refuse and recyclables. Exhibit one: Two Albertsons in Santa Barbara that got to “zero”, helping SUPERVALU INC. become the first U.S. retail grocer to announce such an achievement.
The two stores accomplished this goal of diverting virtually all of their waste (over 95 percent) through aggressive recycling programs, a food donation program and a joint organic composting system with the City of Santa Barbara (lesson: It helps if your city operates an organic waste composting program), according to Minnesota-based SUPERVALU.
Now the grocery chain hopes to replicate that success at 40 more Albertsons or other stores owned by SUPERVALU, announcing that new goal today with the release of the company’s corporate social responsibility report.
“We are aggressively seeking ways to build on our sustainability achievements from this past year,” said Andy Herring, executive vice president, real estate, market development and legal.
To achieve the zero waste recognition, stores must divert at least 90% of all waste from landfills, which SUPERVALU expects a store can accomplish through “increased associate engagement”, recycling, composting and the active use of the company’s Fresh Rescue food bank donation program, which donates foods that have reached their “sell by” date to non-profits.
SUPERVALU contributed more than 60 million pounds of food last year, helping the hungry and homeless.
“Our commitment to significantly increase the number of zero waste stores is part of a long-term strategy for SUPERVALU to be a leader in the area of environmental sustainability,” said Herring. “At the same time, we are committed to these projects because we’ve also seen that they make a positive financial impact on our business, a true win-win.”


text:
Singapore-based cryptocurrency exchange KuCoin has teamed with DigitalBits, a blockchain protocol layer focused on branded crypto assets, for the launch of what it calls a new kind of OTC desk.
KuCoin's Enterprise Currency Desk (ECD) is tailored toward companies looking to venture into blockchain technology and decentralized finance (DeFi) by providing bespoke solutions for the acquisition of digital assets, the company says.
The new partnership seeks to simplify that process for businesses, and further allows them to access larger quantities of tokens to power operations such as wallet authentications, transaction fees and staking.
"A designated service to address token procurement and liquidity will allow companies to easily engage in blockchain-based solutions, without having to employ experienced traders to obtain and utilize large amounts of tokens," the company said in a press release Wednesday.
DigitalBits will serve as the intermediary for the provisioning of tokens required for certain business functions, said Michael Luckhoo, vice president of operations at DigitalBits. "Leveraging an ecosystem partner helps the business intake multiple token requirements than seeking to achieve this from each project separately."
Citing rising demand for tokens in use cases such as rewards, KuCoin said its new service would reduce friction experienced by firms when trying to obtain, say, stablecoins in large quantities, or to launch branded tokens.
"Consumers do not have to know how to access other tokens via trading or exchange accounts, but instead, with a seamless interaction with the brand or loyalty point system," Luckhoo said.
CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.


text:
LAS VEGAS -- Hockey collectors were treated to some exciting discussions at this week's 2013 Industry Summit as news focused on the 2013-14 double rookie crop, which left everyone looking forward to collecting some stick-and-puck next season.
LAS VEGAS — Hockey collectors were treated to some exciting discussions at this week’s 2013 Industry Summit as news focused on the 2013-14 double rookie crop, which left everyone looking forward to collecting some stick-and-puck next season.
Before we jump too far ahead and start looking toward next year, there was one interesting Panini America development revealed during the Summit that had collectors drooling and buzzing on Twitter as news surfaced that the upcoming 2012-13 Rookie Anthology Hockey release would include packs of Prizm.
Panini America Hockey Brand Manager Karvin Cheung confirmed that 2012-13 Rookie Anthology will include a special insert pack of Prizm Hockey.
Rookie Anthology is set to release in June and will deliver four autograph or memorabilia cards per hobby box (on average). One Prizm pack will be included as a box topper.
2012-13 Rookie Anthology is jam-packed for RC collectors. The multi-program thrill ride includes a 100-card Rookie Anthology base set with inserts and RCs from programs such as Contenders, Elite, Crown Royale, Titanium and Luxury Suite.
Clearly, big news for hockey collectors will be the inclusion of Prizm. Each pack will contain three cards, with a 52-card base set and 48 Rookie Cards. Prizm parallels will be randomly inserted including Rainbow, Red (serial-numbered to 50), Blue (serial-numbered to 25) and Gold (serial-numbered to 10). Randomly inserted autographs will also be included.
We will feature some of the actual product when we get closer to release, but for now here’s a sneak peek . . .


text:
Great domain name improved credibility, and Aura has cashed in as its business grows.
The threat of cybercrime increases as more business is conducted online. According to figures from the FTC, cybercrime and fraud cost Americans $3.3 billion in 2020 alone, an increase of nearly $1.5 billion over 2019.
Finding measures to counteract cybercrime has been the focus of many companies, made easier by the abundance of funding in the cybersecurity industry. TechCrunch reports that $11.5 billion in venture capital financing was poured into cybersecurity startups in the first half of 2021, up from $4.7 billion in the same period in 2020.
One recipient of hundreds of millions of dollars of funding is Aura, which touts itself as “the new standard in digital security.” Founded in 2019, Aura has rapidly gained momentum thanks to its suite of digital products aimed at securing the cyber-lives of its global user base.
Aura’s virtual shop window can be found at Aura.com, but the company didn’t start life with this domain.
In July 2020, Elliot Silver reported that Aura acquired its exact-match domain, Aura.com, upgrading from AuraCompany.com. Silver’s article quotes Lark-Marie Anton, an Aura spokesperson, as saying:
Acquiring the aura.com domain is an investment in the Aura brand as we grow our business and build the best all-in-one digital protection platform for consumers.
While the purchase price of Aura.com has never been revealed, there has been speculation that this was a seven-figure acquisition. Whatever the cost, the company recognized that Aura.com was a key asset for its company going forward.
As a consumer-facing company offering a service for a monthly fee, trust is important. But, since Aura provides products such as identity theft protection, password management, and financial transaction monitoring, gaining a consumer’s trust isn’t just important. It’s crucial.
Acquiring Aura.com was a vital step in the company’s ability to gain the trust of what is now a vast customer base. I believe that owning Aura.com has directly contributed to Aura’s success.
Since acquiring Aura.com in July 2020, Aura has gained momentum as its digital security product set becomes more popular. To date, the company boasts more than one million customers and generates over $220 million in annual revenue.
This week, Aura announced its latest funding round, with $200 million raised. The round values Aura at $2.5 billion, a staggering feat for a company created just two years ago.
© DomainNameWire.com 2021. This is copyrighted content. Domain Name Wire full-text RSS feeds are made available for personal use only, and may not be published on any site without permission. If you see this message on a website, contact editor (at) domainnamewire.com. Latest domain news at DNW.com: Domain Name Wire.


text:
Fashion icon honoured at Banff fest
The Canadian Press
CALGARY After 27 years as the host of FashionTelevision you could say Jeanne Beker’s arrival at this year’s Banff World Media Festival will be “fashionably late.”
Beker will receive the 2012 Canadian Award of Distinction at the festival this week and will join other previous winners such as Colm Feore (Bon Cop, Bad Cop), Paul Gross (Gunless), and Paul Haggis (Crash writer-director).
“It’s really humbling,” said Beker who is the host of FashionTelevisionChannel, Canada’s first and only 24-hour channel dedicated to fashion, beauty and design.
The festival said it’s giving Beker the honour because she is “one of the most iconic and influential women in the fashion industry, both in Canada and around the world”.


text:
People are quick to jump on any story that accuses Facebook of abusing user privacy. The latest issue comes shortly after Facebook released its group messaging service called Facebook Messenger. Rumor has it that Facebook is sharing your entire contact list with the world. With over 750 million users, panic can spread quickly throughout the social network however Facebook addressed the issue in a post on the company’s profile saying the claims are false.
Facebook said that the Contacts list, formerly called Phonebook, has been around for a long time. A concern grew when users noticed a list of phone numbers in their Contacts list that they didn’t know were there. Facebook said the phone numbers listed there were either added by your friends themselves and made visible to you, or you already had those numbers in your phone and the numbers appeared on Facebook when you synced your phone to the social network. Facebook assured users that “just like on your phone, only you can see these numbers.”
To see which friends have made their phone numbers available within Facebook: click on the Account button in the upper right-hand corner, then click Edit Friends, and then Contacts on the left-hand column.
Here, you should see a whole list of phone numbers. If you’re like me, about 80 percent of the people you’re connected to on Facebook aren’t actually people who you call and hang out with. They’re more like online acquaintances whose lives you like to peek into from time to time. Now, out of my 612 friends, I have 168 phone numbers of a lot of people I don’t care to and will likely never call. Not only that, but my phone has their numbers in it, too.
I checked one Facebook friend who showed up with his phone number on my Facebook Contacts list and searched my phone to see if he had been added. Lo and behold, this acquaintance of mine is now in my phone, phone number, birthday, and all.
If you’re worried that everyone on Facebook will be able to see your phone number, Facebook is claiming that they’re not. The numbers are only available to those people who you are connected to via Facebook.
If you notice that your phone number is listed and you’d rather not have that visible, Facebook has created a permission screen that pops up before you sync your phone with the site. We’d also recommend removing your phone number from your Facebook profile, which you can do under Account Settings, and then under Mobile on the left-hand side of the page. There’s also a tool for removing your unwanted address book uploads. But first, you have to go to your phone’s Facebook app and make sure that syncing is turned off.
iPhone users can click the Friends icon in the main menu and then click Sync in the upper-right. Android users need to go to the main menu page within the Facebook app, click Settings, and under Other Settings, click on Sync Contacts. Here you will have the option to sync data about all your friends to Contacts, sync data only about friends you already have in your phone’s contacts, or remove Facebook data from Contacts. The last option will use information about friends only in Facebook. Once you’ve turned syncing off on your phone, you can use the Facebook tool to remove imported contacts.
There are some reports that people are seeing phone numbers of contacts listed that they’re not even friends with on Facebook. We have yet to come across that bug, but have any of you noticed new contacts in your list that you’re not connected to on Facebook?


text:
The Minster family announced Thursday that the jewelry store will remain open, following the passing of Marilyn Minster.
Minster worked in at the store in Elkton and later when the business moved to the Newark Shopping Center during a nearly seven-decade career. The family released the following:
The Minster Family has been proud to serve the community for 122 years and while the passing of Marilyn Minster is painful, the business will continue. We have survived every recession, depression, economic change and much more since 1895 and will evolve once again.
Service has always been our foundation and that will even become better. Stop in to see Clay Moore our master jeweler, Barbara Nicholson who you may remember from our Wilmington store. Dina Fattakhova our apprentice jeweler and Henry Ostheimer who is overseeing the transition.
In a few weeks we will announce more changes that we are sure you will like.
She passed away in late December at the age of 87.


text:
After the acquisition of Infotel Broadband Ltd by Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance (RIL), the rumour was there in market that Mukesh’s Reliance will come up with the most speedy Internet connection in India. As Indian market is still wait for proper implementation of 3G network by major players, Reliance has started testing 4G connections. As per some initial reports, RIL team at Navi Mumbai started trials of 4G connection and got download speed of 80 Mbps and upload speed of 20 Mbps. It is way ahead than current 3G connection of 3.1 Mbps or 7.2 Mbps. Tata Indicom (Docomo) and Reliance Communication (Anil Ambani’s ) also stsrted giving 21 Mbps download speed on supported devices. Reliance is using Ericsson equipment to test this 4G network. As the above testing results are in ideal scenario, that may drop to 40 to 50 Mbps depending on the system load and distance from the nearest tower etc.
[recommended]You may also like: Monitor The Internet Usage And Bandwidth On Your Computer[/recommended]
As wireless Internet is at boom in India and other parts of world but still we are way behind most of the western countries. We are still waiting for the proper coverage of 3G network when Smartphone makers started selling 4G phones in countries like US and UK. But finally we are getting good news on Wireless Internet connectivity, as Reliance is expected come up with good plans in future for such fast Internet connections.
Reliance is currently having 22 of 44 licenses of broadband wireless access (BWA) spectrum which were auctioned in June 2010. As they need to start the implementation in less than a year, so we can expect to get the service by March – May 2011.
Hope to get better wireless data transfer option in future. Share your thoughts on this 80 Mbps 4G connection trails by Reliance. Do you think, Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance can come up with better plans than current 3G offers?


text:
Apple expects to sell a lot of new iPhones over the holidays, and customers were clearly waiting for a new generation of devices before opening their wallets. The company reported its fourth quarter earnings today, and iPhone sales were up just two percent. But the company is projecting a massive quarter to start 2018, forecasting upwards of $84 billion in sales.
The company brought in $52.6 billion in revenue for the quarter, with net income of $10.7 billion. Sales of Macs and iPads were both up by more than 10 percent from the same period last year, while iPhone sales were up only slightly. Luckily for Apple, revenue from its services and other products division both grew at more than 30 percent year over year, helping boost the company to a strong overall performance. The company’s sales expanded in every territory save for Japan.
Apple has made clear for some time that it expects its services division to be the key to long term growth. With over 1 billion iOS user around the globe, Apple has a massive customer base to upsell products like streaming music, cloud storage, and of course, insurance for your fancy new iPhone.
The company expects its next quarter to be much better than last year. It’s projecting revenue between $84 and $87 billion for the first quarter of 2018, compared with $78.4 billion for the same period this year. That bullish guidance helped to send the stock price higher in after hours trading, inching Apple closer to becoming a trillion dollar company.


text:
NEW DELHI/ BANGALORE: The odourless, colourless drink vodka, the fastest growing segment in India's spirits mart, has found a new flavour. Bollywood is taking centrestage in India’s vodka battles. The past one month has seen as many as three leading vodka brands signing up with Bollywood’s hottest stars at astronomical rates.
The second largest domestic spirits marketer, Radico Khaitan, is upping the stake to a new high. It has roped in Hrithik Roshan in a mega endorsement deal for its Magic Moments vodka brand.
This follows industry leader United Spirits’s move to bring Zayed Khan for endorsing the largest-selling Indian vodka, White Mischief. For USL, Khan is its second film star – the spirits company already has Shilpa Shetty endorsing Romanov vodka.
In recent weeks, USL and Shilpa Shetty extended the association not withstanding British media attacks for endorsing a vodka brand after taking a stance against drinks in the celebrity Big Brother Show.
Diageo’s one-year-old Shark Tooth Vodka has been riding on rising star Shiney Ahuja, who is breaking into mainstream Bollywood after recent releases like Metro. With the vodka volume booming, the spate of big-ticket endorsement deals is an indication that the industry is placing big bets on the segment.
While Bollywood’s association with the liquor industry is as old as Dharmendra or even earlier, most of the ties in the past were linked to whiskies. As the vodka club mainly targets the India’s youth aged below 35 years, a demographic segment with high disposable income and aspirational lifestyle, the spirits majors are lining up resources in building blockbuster brands with a significant profit pool for the future. The vodka consumption is reportedly growing at 20-25% annually on a still small base of around 3.8 million cases.
Signing up Hrithik is part of a relaunch exercise Radico is undertaking for Magic Moments, which also includes upgraded packaging. “We chose Hrithik because it’s a personality fit; his energy and style fits well with the brand’s personality,” said Abhishek Khaitan, MD, Radico Khaitan.
Radico’s Magic Moments Vodka is being projected as one of the company’s key money spinners going into the future. The brand is expected to emerge with volume sales of over a million cases in 2008, making it probably the fastest Indian vodka to touch the million mark. The company has invested in a new plant in Bahadurgarh near Delhi for what it claims is a breakthrough packaging technology.
This is an economic story about Bollywood actors endorsing vodkas, but I just like it for the names of the brands there (highlighted in yellow).


text:
The second quarter financial year 2000 results of most pharmaceutical companies have been pretty lukewarm. That is mainly why Indian fund managers have given pharma stocks the boot, and have replaced them with more economy-related (cement, metals) stocks. Pharma stocks may have gone into comatose for the time being, but no one is willing to write off Indian pharma companies as yet.
By any standards, the Rs 168 billion ($ 3.9 billion) Indian pharma segment has done well for itself, clocking 16 percent compounded annual growth (CAGR) over the past decade. But the market is still puny, accounting for a mere 1.1 percent of the global market, despite the country accounting for 16 percent of the global population.
Historically, the domestic pharma market was dominated by the MNCs, who controlled close to 90 percent of the market till the 60s. That changed radically when the Indian government launched the Drug Price Control Order (DPCO) in 1963 with the objective of providing drugs to Indian masses at affordable rates. The price controls deterred MNCs from making fresh investments, and introducing new products. However, the DPCO gave the necessary fillip to domestic manufacturers to start producing mass consumption drugs like anti-tuberculosis and anti-malarial at low rates. Over the years, the DPCO has worked to the detriment of many pharma companies (local and MNCs), who at times are forced to sell products without even being able to cover their cost of production.
The Indian Patent Act made its debut in 1970. Unlike the General Agreeement for Trade and Tariffs (GATT) agreement, the Indian Patent Act refused to acknowledge product patents and only recognised process patents. Process patents allow the manufacture of patented products by altering the process of production, such as temperature, raw materials and cycle time. Domestic manufacturers took refuge under this anomaly, and flooded the market with internationally acclaimed patented drugs with minor improvements in processes. Domestic manufacturers came to dominate the market and market share of MNCs slumped to about 40%.
The tide turned against the domestic manufacturers in 1995, when the Indian government became a signatory to the GATT agreement. As per the agreement, India will have to recognise product patents (and not process patents) after a transition of 10 years. The fallout of this condition is that after 2005, Indian companies will no longer have the liberty to shell out patented products with minor changes in the manufacturing process. Moreover, patents will last a lot longer - 20 years, and not 7 years as was the case under the Indian Patents Act.
So where does this leave Indian pharma companies post-2005? Quite simply, there is only one way out for Indian companies - to access new products through intensive R&D. Of course, there is always the other option of entering into marketing alliances with patent-holding MNCs. Both these options require a certain level of sales and profitability, something very few Indian companies can boast of at current levels.
So far only a handful of Indian companies have shown the stomach and commitment for R&D. Indian R&D costs are really low (20% of those in developed countries) largely due to cheap, albeit skilled manpower. Ranbaxy, Dr Reddy's and Cipla have been in the vanguard of Indian R&D, with the former already having developed a product and has licensed the same to Bayer AG in a landmark deal.
Post-2005, India will witness a major shakeout in the pharma sector, with increasing mergers and acquisitions. Cut-throat competition will see a lot of companies closing shop. To quote Darwin 'Only the fittest (in R&D) will survive'.