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Playground Games and Turn 10 have launched the Forza Horizon 3 Blizzard Mountain expansion for Windows 10 PC and Xbox One.
The expansion brings snow-capped mountains, powder covered flatland and icy roads while adding rally with eight new cars and trucks including a new barn find.
Seven of the new vehicles are:
- 2016 Ford GYMKHANA 9 Focus RS RX
- 1985 Lancia Delta S4 Group B
- 1975 Lancia Stratos HF Group 4
- 2016 Nissan Titan Warrior Concept
- 1966 Ford F-100 Flareside Abatti Racing Trophy Truck
- 2016 RJ Anderson #37 RZR-Rockstar Energy Pro 2 Truck
- 2016 Subaru #199 WRX STI VT15r Rally Car
The eighth car is hidden in the barn.
There is also a whole load of new Achievements you can obtain. If you are away from console or gaming PC, you can check out the new Achievements at TrueAchievements.


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The deal, introduced greater than two years in the past, was perceived as essential for the survival of the businesses in a extremely aggressive market.
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Photographs
Shares of India’s Zee Leisure jumped greater than 10% on Tuesday after a report that its $10 billion merger with Japanese tech big Sony may very well be revived.
The Financial Instances, an Indian information publication, reported on Tuesday that Zee had re-engaged with Sony in a last-ditch try and salvage the deal, which was formally known as off final month.
Representatives from either side have met at varied areas throughout Mumbai as makes an attempt to revive the deal has gathered steam just lately, the ET reported.
Sony and Zee didn’t instantly reply to a CNBC request for remark.
Shares of Sony had been down greater than 1% in Japan on the market shut.
Sony first proposed to mix its India leisure enterprise with Zee in December 2021. The negotiations collapsed after greater than two years.
The Japanese tech big stated final month that it terminated the transaction as a result of “amongst different issues, the closing situations to the Merger weren’t happy” by the agreed cut-off date. Sony stated it had engaged “in good religion” in discussions to get an extension to the cut-off date.
Zee on the time stated that it denied all allegations made by Sony that it breached the merger settlement, including that it might take “acceptable authorized motion.” Zee was searching for a termination price of $90 million.
Final month, Zee sued Sony over the termination of the deal and urged the Japanese agency to revive the merger.
The union of Zee and Sony’s India subsidiary would have created a possible content material and leisure powerhouse in India. Zee owns a number of TV channels, a film studio and a streaming service. Sony would have had entry to Zee’s native content material, giving it a much bigger footing within the profitable Indian leisure market. Zee, which faces intense competitors at residence from gamers like Disney and Reliance Industries, would have benefitted from the backing of Sony.

domain: news


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BANGALORE: A one-day workshop on newer methods of marketing where farmers can get better prices was organised by the Department of Business Management of the University of Agricultural Sciences at its campus here on Saturday.
Experts at the workshop on ‘Linking Farmers to Markets’ discussed methods to improve marketing of agricultural produce.
Additional Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Manoj Rajan, said, “ As of now, there are three regulated markets for farmers in Chamrajanagar, Arsikere and Tiptur and they have shown great improvement in farmers’ incomes.
“By next month there will be 10 regulated markets in the state in Gulbarga, Bidar, Sedam, Yadagir, Raichur, Bijapur, Chitradurga, Tumkur and other places. By September, there will be 30 to 35 such markets. Copra prices have gone up by 120 per cent in markets in Karnataka and arrivals have gone up in the market in Tiptur. These are encouraging results,” he said.
P G Chengappa, Professor and former Vice-Chancellor, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore said, “Indian agriculture used to be a supply-driven one, but now it is demand-driven. Between 2000 and 2010, consumption of cereals has decreased by 9 per cent whereas consumption of livestock products and milk products has increased.”
“Youths are not attracted to agriculture. Let us attract them to the agri-business. Many are pursuing part-time farming in a big way today,” he added.
He agreed that increased growth rate of agriculture must include small and marginal farmers. Producers, if empowered with knowledge, information and capability can market their products well, he opined.
Gopal Naik, Professor and Director Centre for Policy Research, Indian Institute for Management said, “ A good grading system for agricultural produce can streamline agri-marketing.”
UAS Vice-Chancellor Narayana Gowda said, “Farmers expect good price for their produce. In all agricultural enterprises, only 1 per cent is the farmers’ share from consumers. This must be changed and farmers must get a larger share.”
Prof M S Jayaram, Head of the Department of Agricultural Marketing, Co-operation and Business Management, GKVK, said, “We have provided training to a hundred farmers in packaging Alphonso and Raspuri mangoes and selling them at selected eight centres in the city such as the gates of Cubbon Park, IT Board etc. The better presentation fetches them a price of `100 for a box of Alphonsoes which is three times what they get in the market.”


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MALAYSIA: Cadbury pig DNA find a false alarm
Cadbury products free from pig DNA
The statement follows claims last week from Malaysia's Department of Health that Cadbury Dairy Milk Hazelnut and Dairy Milk Roast Almond chocolate bars tested positive for pig DNA, breaching their halal certification.
Jakim said today (2 June) that fresh tests on 11 samples taken from Cadbury's factory showed no traces of pork.
The department, which had suspended Cadbury's halal certification in the wake of last week's allegations, added that it will review this decision after the completion of factory visits and further tests.
Cadbury Malaysia, a unit of US food group Mondelez, was unavailable for comment at time of press.
The consumption of pork is forbidden under the Islamic faith and Muslim groups had called for a national boycott of Cadbury products in response to the Ministry of Health's findings.
In addition, Indonesia revealed that it has begun testing Cadbury products, while local reports suggested that the authorities in Saudi Arabia have pulled Cadbury products from shelves pending further testing.
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God made a farmer, and Dodge made a Super Bowl XLVII winner.
That’s the resounding message from local advertising experts who watched the ads during the Super Bowl with a critical eye.
The Dodge commercial used audio of Paul Harvey’s “So God Made a Farmer” speech from the Future Farmers of America National Convention in 1978 and powerful images of America’s farmers and farmland.
“It told a story in a very emotional way,” said Tony Beard, president and chief creative officer at PriceWeber Marketing Communications Inc. “It’s the type of thing that resonates with their audience. It was very authentic.”
Beard also applauded Dodge’s willingness to use “God” in its commercial, something he said might have been seen as not politically correct.
“It took a lot of guts,” he said.
Gary Sloboda, partner and executive creative director for Bandy Carroll Hellige Advertising, said the Dodge ad did an excellent job of advancing its brand.
Katy Miller, vice president of emerging media for Current 360, said the commercial’s production value “was amazing.”
“It wasn’t particularly fancy, but they went to the core of their audience,” Miller said.
Taco Bell also resounds well
Taco Bell’s “Viva Young” commercial, featuring a character named Bernie Goldblatt, also was among the favorites.
“It was very charming,” Beard said. “It drove home the ‘live mas’ messaging, and people don’t think about old people living it up.”
Executives and consumers also found the Taco Bell commercial to be a winner, according to The Wall Street Journal’s research.
Taco Bell, which is a subsidiary of Louisville-based Yum! Brands Inc., used Interpublic Group’s Deutsch to create its spot.
Oreo wins with social media
When a 34-minute power outage hit the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and halted play, it was the Oreo cookies brand that emerged as a clear winner.
The company tweeted: “Power out? No problem.” It used an image of a Oreo creating light in an otherwise black space with the words, “You can still dunk in the dark.”
“I thought Oreo did an amazing job during the blackout,” Miller said.
Sloboda called the tweet “extremely smart.”
“Those are people who understand the social medium,” he said. “They really understand it and the power. It was very consistent with their brand.”
Christy Belden, vice president of media and marketing for Leapfrog Interactive, said Oreo had a social-media team in place during the game that created the image quickly.
“They absolutely had a game plan in place,” Belden said.
Belden also noted Oreo’s call for customers to post images of Oreos to Instagram.
Overall, Belden said, she expected more companies to use a digital component to their advertising, saying there were very few direct calls to action to consumers.
Key to success is advancing brands
Although there is no shortage of polling data showing which ads won and lost based on public reaction, Sloboda said companies should focus on the long-term impact of its Super Bowl ads rather than the instant reaction.
“They don’t spend millions of dollars to win a popularity contest,” Sloboda said.
In addition to Dodge, Sloboda said, Taco Bell did a good job of advancing its brand with its “Viva Young” commercial.
Miller added that Oreo’s “Whisper Fight” ad was an attempt to keep the Oreo brand relevant with a new generation.
Oreo is an “unconventional brand” to use the Super Bowl, Miller said. “They tried to turn the brand into something attractive to GenX and millienial types. I think it will serve the brand well.”
49ers not the only ones to lose
Among the losers of the night was the “Wonderful Pistachios” commercial featuring Korean pop star Psy singing “Gangnam Style.”
“We’ve seen gangnam style to death,” Beard said. “I saw it and thought, ‘Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.’”
Miller said Doritos’ ads, “Goat 4 Sale” and “Fashionista Daddy,” lacked creativity.
“They sort of lost touch with their audience,” she said. “They really kind of missed the mark and got out of touch with what’s good about Doritos.”
Sloboda said the GoDaddy.com commercial featuring a long kiss between supermodel Bar Refaeli and “Walter” reflected another bad year of Super Bowl ads for the Web site domain company.
“They’re a disaster for the brand every year,” he said. “But they seem to keep going.”
Top Super Bowl XLVII advertisers
Networked Insights, a Chicago-based provider of social media analytics technology, used data to determine the most-discussed ads, based on the number of mentions on social media.
GoDaddy’s "Perfect Match": 255,121 mentions
Taco Bell’s "Viva Young": 213,125 mentions
Calvin Klein’s "Concept 30": 209,539 mentions
AB InBev’s "Brotherhood": 154,037 mentions
Dodge Ram’s "Farmer": 96,326 mentions


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Each year, millions of Americans contract serious illnesses from eating contaminated food, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
As items are tested by the government and companies themselves, some of these contaminants surface, leading to a recall of food products. In the past few weeks alone, there have been recalls of chili kits, frozen burritos, ice cream, soy nut butter and oysters.
“Year over year, recalls have increased not only in the food industry, but in other sectors as well. Last year, there were more than 3,400 recalls — an average of 9.4 a day,” Michael Good, vice president of commercial and client services with Stericycle ExpertSOLUTIONS wrote in an email to Food Dive.
It is little wonder consumers may be feeling recall fatigue. How can retailers and manufacturers help shoppers filter the recall communication clutter so they hear relevant messages about what they actually buy and eat?
The high number of recalls is actually good news
“There does seem to be many more recalls these days. And in fact that may reflect several positive things,” Dr. William Hallman, professor and chair of Rutgers Department of Human Ecology told Food Dive. Hallman is familiar with the topic, having done a 2013 Food and Drug Administration study dubbed Addressing the Potential for Food Recall Fatigue while he was director of the Food Policy Institute.
He went on to explain his spin on the growing number of food recalls being good news.
“It reflects a food industry that takes contamination and foodborne illnesses seriously. Increasingly companies are willing to recall their products rather than expose customers to potential harm,” said Hallman. “So more companies are taking a cautionary approach even when the products they produce have not been definitively linked to an outbreak.
“Another reason we’re seeing more recalls is because of advancements in technology — like whole genome sequencing — that enable us to connect different cases of foodborne illness or different products contaminated with the same pathogen.”
Whole genome sequencing is quickly becoming an industry standard for improving the safety of the food supply and identifying and removing contaminated products more quickly. In many cases, products are taken off store shelves even before consumers can actually buy and eat them.
High signal-to-noise ratio tunes people out
The vast majority of Americans pay attention to food recalls, especially headline-making incidents like last year’s General Mills flour recall or the ever-expanding cheese recalls from earlier this year.
Hallman said his research through the years has shown that most people — 84% of Americans, according to his study — pay particular attention to recalls when lives are lost or there are a large number of hospitalizations. They also have a strong tendency to pass the information along to other people either by word of mouth or through social media.
Still, he said that many recalls don’t rise to the level of national prominence, so they don’t actually break through the consciousness of most Americans.
“With high profile recalls, it is more likely that consumers will hear the warning and take heed. But with so many recalls occurring, it is understandable that consumers will be unaware of many of them,” wrote Good. “Recall fatigue can have serious consequences for both consumers and companies, especially if the hazard is high. There are steps companies can take to reduce the impact of recall fatigue, such as communicating the issue clearly and repeatedly through multiple channels.”
“Recall fatigue can have serious consequences for both consumers and companies, especially if the hazard is high."
Vice president of commercial and client services, Stericycle ExpertSOLUTIONS
Hallman told Food Dive that even recalls that people pay close attention to don’t necessarily lead to consumers checking their homes for the recalled products. Research shows that only 60% of consumers actually look for recalled products in their own homes.
Why is this?
One reason is just the sheer number of recalls — there are lots of them. But Hallman refers to another phenomenon he calls the signal-to-noise ratio.
“Most of the recalls out there probably apply to products that you don’t buy,” Hallman said. “So you’re constantly bombarded by information that just doesn’t apply to you. And it’s a laborious task for shoppers to check products and codes associated with recalls, so it’s easy to tune out. The trick is to zero in on the products that you do buy.”
Fixing the recall communications system
Governing bodies like the FDA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture may need a better system to help consumers figure out whether a product has been recalled.
“You can go to recalls.gov for the definitive source of all products that have been recalled. Manufacturers will also put out press releases. The FDA and USDA will put out press releases. But the information isn’t listed in a way that makes it easy for a consumer to recognize that they own a product which may be recalled,” Hallman explained.
He cites a huge 2009 peanut product recall by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA), a case that sickened thousands due to salmonella contamination, as an example. It wasn’t a single product that was impacted, but thousands because PCA supplied peanuts as an ingredient to many other manufacturers.
So the onerous task to check the entire recall list falls on the consumer.
“First, you need to check whether your product may contain peanuts or peanut products,” said Hallman. “Then you go to the FDA website and search through thousands of products to figure out whether yours is on the list or not. Then you must figure out whether the date codes match up or not."
Given the complicated process, consumers usually behave in one of two ways, Hallman said.
“Half of them ask themselves: Do I really want to go through the process to determine whether this pack of peanut butter crackers is one that’s been recalled or not? The answer is no. But better safe than sorry, so I’ll just discard it. The other half of consumers say: I already ate the other five packs of peanut butter crackers in this package and I didn’t get sick. So forget going through the [recall] process, I’m just going to eat the rest.”
Despite a seemingly tedious and burdensome process, consumers are intent on taking food safety into their own hands. According to the Food Marketing Institute U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends study, 61% of shoppers say they rely on themselves as individuals to ensure food safety, up from 55% in 2009.
Shoppers often use social media to get the information they need to know and filter out the rest. For example, anyone not suffering from food allergies can essentially ignore a host of allergen-related and mislabeling recalls.
Consumers also rely heavily on the FDA (54%) and USDA (50%) to ensure food safety. Both agencies offer consumers the opportunity to register for email notifications of recalls and public health alerts and follow their Twitter feeds.
How stores can help filter the recall noise
Most shoppers — an astonishingly high 94% — trust their grocery store to ensure that the food they purchase is safe, according to the FMI study.
“Consumers are realistic. If the recall is related to a branded item, the blame will always go back to the brand. When consumers buy a recalled product, they know it’s something the retailer bought as well. They don’t fault the retailer,” Diana Sheehan, director of retail insights with Kantar Retail, told Food Dive.
“Consumers are realistic. If the recall is related to a branded item, the blame will always go back to the brand. ...They don’t fault the retailer.”
Director of retail insights, Kantar Retail
Fortunately though, there are some steps retailers can take to help consumers sort through the recall minutia — for instance, by posting information about recalls via shelf tags and other in-store signage.
Hallman said, “Stores will put up a shelf tag that says: ‘If you bought this brand of peanut butter in the past 6 months, please return for a refund.’ They also use shelf tags to indicate which brands were not involved. This helps shoppers better identify what products are OK versus the recalled items while also reducing food waste.”
FMI data indicate that 39% of shoppers would like stores to post notices where the product is sold in the store.
For consumers who already purchased recalled products, many retailers are beginning to use membership or loyalty cards for direct notifications. At checkout, shoppers could receive a Catalina-like coupon or a warning printed on their register receipt — which Kroger now does — that a previously purchased product has been recalled.
“These methods are dependent on customers signing up for that program, so widespread announcements such as press releases and social media posts are still necessary to help protect the public,” wrote Good.
Retailers also may choose to email or phone consumers if there’s a problem with products they’ve purchased. According to FMI, more than half (56%) of shoppers would prefer to receive food safety recall alerts from their supermarkets by email, while roughly a quarter are open to text messages.
Few retailers are set up to mine their databases in this manner, which Sheehan says is a huge missed opportunity — especially for those retailers with increasingly sophisticated shopper data.
Sheehan did, however, recount a recent incident in which she was notified about a product recall via a Sam’s Club email as an example of a retailer mining their member database to provide much needed information for customers.
“I did not know there was a national recall on the product until Sam’s told me. That, at this point in time based on what I’ve seen in the retail space, is completely revolutionary,” said Sheehan. “Not only did they communicate and educate me about the recall, but then they gave me a solution — returning the item for a full refund — that could easily help me fix the problem.”
Be proactive and transparent
Illness and death caused by food safety issues each year is devastating. The reputational and economic effects of food recalls also can be significant and something companies must be diligent to ward against.
According to the 2017 Harris Poll Reputation Quotient study, a product recall due to contamination consistently ranks among the list of biggest risks to corporate reputation as cited by 65% of Americans.
Thus it’s imperative that consumer brands, retailers and other cogs in the food supply system remain proactive in order to keep consumers out of harm’s way when it comes to food safety. Getting in front and being transparent is the best way to regain consumer trust.
Hallman told Food Dive, “Dealing with food safety and recalls is a really difficult communications task. When you issue recalls related to food products, you want people to engage in a particular action for a short period of time and then go back to the initial action. In other words, don’t eat this particular product with these particular identifying marks on it. But then when the recall is over, we want you to go back to eating that product.
“The trick is getting people to pay attention enough that they actually go look for the contaminated product. But you don’t scare the heck out of them in the process so that they never go back to eating those particular products."
Dr. William Hallman
Professor and chair, Rutgers Department of Human Ecology
“The trick is getting people to pay attention enough that they actually go look for the contaminated product. But you don’t scare the heck out of them in the process so that they never go back to eating those particular products. This could put a lot of companies out of business.”
Or at the very least, cause long-term reputational and economic damage. A 2014 Harris Poll found that 55% of U.S. adults said that if a brand they usually buy has been recalled, they’d temporarily switch to another brand. But 16% say they’d never buy the recalled brand again and 17% say they’d also avoid all other products and brands made by the same manufacturer.


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Li told his Indonesian counterpart Yingluck Shinawatra that “closer two-way cooperation on railways will improve Thailand’s infrastructure, boost its economic and social development, and advance the bilateral win-win cooperation of mutual benefit”.
Thailand has announced a $70 billion infrastructure development plan earlier this year.
Li said Chinese expertise in building efficient super-speed trains at competitive costs would aid the country. This would also give China access to Thailand’s large and growing consumer market.
Li was visiting a Chinese high-speed railway exhibition in Thailand featured Chinese blueprint plans for the 680-km Bangkok-Chiang Mai and 450-km Bangkok-Nong Khai rail lines.
Chiang Mai is poised to be the economic hub of an upcoming ASEAN Economic Community and could serve critical Chinese interests in the region by further economic integration of ASEAN nations with Beijing.
Five years since the opening of China’s high-speed rail system, the country has announced plans to extend the network from the current 9000 kilometers, which is presently the world’s longest, to16,000 kilometers by 2020.
Meanwhile, Yingluck welcomed Chinese participation in the construction of high-speed railways in Thailand. Interconnectivity between the two countries would be boosted by considerable reduction of travel time, the Chinese Premier said.
Li became the first foreign leader to address the Thai Parliament on Friday.
The two countries have set a trade target of $100 billion by 2015.
Li also announced China will increase agricultural imports from Thailand which was till last month the world’s top rice exporter.
“In the next five years, China will import 1 million tons of rice from Thailand and will also import more rubber,” Li said.
Earlier, the Chinese premier attended a series of meetings with East Asian leaders in Brunei and will now travel to Vietnam.
With inputs from Agencies


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The specs for the TouchPad are competitive, but only the processor, a dual-core 1.2-GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon, catches attention. Beyond that, the specs sound fairly familiar: A 9.7-inch 1024-by-768 pixel display (less than the Android 3.0-based 1280 by 800 Motorola Xoom), 16GB or 32GB of storage, a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera, and a 1.3 megapixel Web cam. The unit’s dimensions feel fairly standard, too: 0.54-inches thick, which puts it about the same or a sliver thicker than the Apple iPad and Motorola Xoom. It also weighs 1.6 pounds, same as Xoom, but 0.1-pounds more than the iPad.
“This is just the start of HP’s plan to build the largest installed base of connected customers in the world,” says Todd Bradley, executive vice president of HP’s Personal Systems Group. “Virtually no other company could put forward this goal. HP is uniquely positioned to achieve this goal.”
Where HP’s TouchPad will clearly shine is in its WebOS software. Interestingly, HP spoke nothing of having to optimize the OS for tablets, as Google did with its Android OS at last week’s Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) event. Instead, HP simply let the product do the talking for it, by showing off how the TouchPad behaved with the WebOS software.
The integration with cloud services like Facebook looked solid. The social networking site functioned as seamlessly as it does already on WebOS phones. Even more compelling, though, was the demonstration of integrated printing, which HP says will work with “most” of its wireless printers released in the “past few” years. With the inclusion of printing, the tablet comes one step closer to being able to replace a laptop in the home.
Another nifty feature demonstrated today was the ability to share and pair content between WebOS phones and the TouchPad, simply by tapping the phone to the tablet.
WebOS Coming for HP Printers, PCs
The company also showed off a handful of accessories, including a flip-case that doubles as a stand (as does the Apple iPad case), a Touchstone dock, and a wireless keyboard. Again, no pricing was supplied today.
Curiously, HP mentioned the “thousands” of developers working with WebOS, but didn’t discuss the app challenge, vis a vis the iOS and Android competition. Right now, the WebOS app story is but a blip compared with those more established mobile operating systems.
That could change in a big way, though, with HP’s dropping the bombshell that it would be bringing WebOS to its printers and personal computers. By doing so, HP introduces the OS to millions of devices that, if done well, could open up the scale of its app development dramatically.


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On Wednesday, the Victorian Parliament’s upper house passed the ‘Zero and Low Emission Vehicle Distance-based Charge Bill 2021′, more commonly known as the EVTax.
The controversial bill, introduced by Victoria Treasurer Tim Pallas in March this year, has now passed both houses without amendments.
Set to come into effect from July 1st, 2021, EVTax will place a standalone tax on electric vehicles per kilometre rates depending on characteristics of the vehicle: 2.5 cents for electric vehicles and hydrogen vehicles and 2.0 cents for plug-in hybrid vehicles.
The rates will be varied from one financial year to another, depending on the consumer price index for Melbourne during the period and the rate of the ZLEV charge for the previous financial year.
Infrastructure Partnerships Australia has called the bill a victory and a way to “future-proof road funding” for Victoria, with Infrastructure Partnerships Australia Chief Executive Adrian Dwyer encouraging New South Wales Government to follow suit.
“Victoria has now married Australia’s best EV policy with world leading funding reform,” Dwyer said.
“Victoria is knocking down barriers to EV ownership by delivering more than $3 in support for every dollar raised from their road user charge.”
Meanwhile, the Australian Electric Vehicle Association (AEVA) has slammed the bill as a “ham-fisted rush-job.”
The bill, as AEVA National Secretary Chris Jones commented, “has missed many opportunities to truly reform transport and mobility funding and improve how Victorians move around.”
“Instead we have a system which not only penalises zero emission drivers, it doesn’t delineate between the mass of the vehicle and therefore its efficiency. Worst of all, not one word of the legislation describes what the revenue is to be spent on. In the selling of this Act, we were told it was to be spent on roads and transport infrastructure but it’s clearly just another revenue stream,” Jones told Roads & Infrastructure.
The Greens have also slammed the vehicle tax, saying it undermines climate action.
“Labor’s EV tax comes at a time when transport is our biggest growing source of emissions in Victoria and we are lagging behind the rest of the world in the uptake of electric vehicles,” a Greens statement said.
The AEVA is calling for the legislation to be amended “as soon as possible” to include all road going vehicles.
The Association is also suggesting the bill should include a mass multiplier to account for proportional damage to the roads and to discourage needlessly heavy passenger vehicles.
Among the requirements of the bill, owners of a Zero or Low Emission Vehicle (ZLEV) are required to lodge an initial declaration that will be used to calculate the distance travelled of the coming months and years. This needs to be submitted within 14 days of the July 1st start date.
Recently, the Victorian Government announced $3,000 rebates to up to 20,000 electric vehicle purchases under $69,000, as part of a $100-million plan to encourage electric vehicle use. The new tax is now being seen as a contrast to that ambition.
At least 75 per cent of new car sales need to be electric by 2030 to help Australia achieve net zero emissions by 2035, according to modelling by Climate Council.
Based on figures from the Electric Vehicle Council, in 2020 there were 6,900 electric cars sold in Australia, a 2.7 per cent increase from the 6,718 sold in 2019. The 2020 figures show electric cars accounting for 0.7 per cent of total Australian car sales.


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When practised correctly, there are all manner of benefits to yoga, ranging from being more flexible to becoming more “at one” with yourself.
However, a couple of headlines claiming that yoga is the key to solving back pain according to a new study are misleading at best, and plain wrong at worst.
The Telegraph opted for “Yoga is the key to relieving long-term back pain, new study suggests”, while Mail Online ran with “If you want to do ease back pain, do some yoga: Practice is twice as good as other exercises at helping discomfort”, both in response to research that did little to back up these claims.
The study was actually a review of past studies on the subject, published online by the Cochrane Library. The review involved 12 studies and 1,080 participants and, unfortunately, its conclusions regarding yoga were hardly as glowing as made out elsewhere.
Overall, the research found some evidence that yoga was better for back pain than doing no exercise, but there was no conclusive evidence that it was any better than doing other exercises designed to help sore backs.
Perhaps even more importantly, the study found that even when yoga improved back pain, it didn't do so by enough to be clinically important. The team behind the research predicted that on a 100-point scale, a 15-point improvement was needed to make a real difference in people's lives. The actual improvement from yoga was around five points.
So there is some evidence that yoga is better for back pain than no exercise (but not by enough to be clinically important) and it’s not proven to be better than other back exercises.
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That’s not say yoga should be ignored though, as Susan Wieland of the Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, who led the research, told Reuters Health:
“The lesson for consumers is, if you have chronic low back pain and you're interested in trying yoga, and your doctor agrees, it's worth a try.”
Nick Harris-Fry is a journalist who has been covering health and fitness since 2015. Nick is an avid runner, covering 70-110km a week, which gives him ample opportunity to test a wide range of running shoes and running gear. He is also the chief tester for fitness trackers and running watches, treadmills and exercise bikes, and workout headphones.


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Blockchain, business, and finance experts have teamed up to create an open-source platform to integrate SAP and blockchain called SophiaTX.
SophiaTX was formed by Equidato Technologies AG, the joint venture between Decent, the blockchain content distribution platform, and Venaco Group, independent best-in-class SAP and innovation firm. The venture makes it the first open source platform ever to primarily integrate blockchain technology with SAP, allowing both users and integrators to use blockchain.
Integrating SAP and blockchain is said to offer enormous potential for both users and the global economy. 87% of global businesses and 98% of the top 100 most valued brands in the world use SAP software, touching $16 trillion of consumer purchases and 74% of transaction revenue worldwide every year.
This market could be crucial in blockchain achieving, and possibly exceeding, current estimates that it will enable 10% of global GDP by 2027.
The SophiaTX platform can be thought of as three components. It consists of a blockchain built on Decent’s proprietary blockchain technology, specifically developed and enabled to power a B2B transaction engine; a development platform with integration APIs to SAP and other enterprise applications; and a marketplace for a global community of experts, consultants, and developers to buy and sell apps.
It is open source and tailored to allow traditional enterprise applications to be extended to more robust, collaborative and decentralised blockchain-enabled business models.
“Integrating blockchain with SAP allows businesses to deliver efficiencies, better collaborate along the value chain and even shape their business models, ” said Jaroslav Kacina, CEO of SophiaTX and Equidato Technologies AG.
“Integrating blockchain with SAP and other business applications is inevitably the next frontier for blockchain and for business applications.”


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Last November, the European Commission launched a report on the development of plant proteins – specifically soy, chickpeas, lentils and rapeseed – across the EU in order to tackle its looming protein crop deficit. However, representative bodies for the algae (European Algae Biomass Association, EABA) and insect (International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed, IPIFF) production sectors argue that the agenda overlooks the potential of ‘new’ protein sources.
Within this context, EABA and IPIFF have jointly called for a wide EU Action Plan that ‘looks beyond vegetal or conventional protein sources’. They propose:
1. The establishment of appropriate EU funding measures and cross-sectorial collaborations (through R&D projects, for instance) to foster the upscaling of these emerging industries, and remove barriers to the uptake of innovative solutions.
2. The launch of EU information campaigns to raise awareness on the existence and advantages of new protein sources, while promoting the benefits of eating a variety of protein sources for EU consumers.


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2015 Honda Civic Type R Review: Prototype drive
Honda is back in form and the Civic Type-R is the car that proves it.
- 2.0-litre engine
- acceleration and in-gear performance
- engine sound
- high-speed stability
- gearbox and engine combo
- not a hybrid!
- Not available until 2015
- based on ageing Civic
You could say the return of the iconic Honda Civic Type R is the beginning of a new chapter for Honda as a car company.
Honda, which has spent the greater part of the last decade (arguably) trying to forget its motorsport past, has finally reversed course. The Japanese car maker has been accused of going from a motorsport- and innovation-focused brand to a mainstream 'cars for everyone' manufacturer, while forgetting its sports car heritage in the meantime.
Although we can dwell on the past few years and ask why and how, it’s best to concentrate on what’s coming from Honda in the near future, and the answer to that question is finally exciting - and doesn’t include the word 'hybrid'.
There’s an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission; 1.0-, 1.5- and 2.0-litre turbocharged engines in 1.0-, 1.5- and 2.0-litre form that are not hybrids; a new Honda NSX supercar; a change in design language; an array of safety systems; drive-by-wire steering; entry into Formula One; and much more.
While the Honda NSX will not join us until after the Honda Civic Type R launches in early 2015, it’s the hot-hatch that will provide the affordable performance alternative for Honda fans.
Powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, the Honda Civic Type R develops at least 206kW of power and 400Nm of torque. This puts it above the current class-leading Renault Megane RS265 in terms of power and torque, though below the upcoming 221kW, all-wheel-drive Volkswagen Golf R.
The Type R will be based on the current-generation Civic shape, which by 2015 will be in its last year or two of production. This has all the tell-tale signs of a car that was given the green light a little later than usual.
But better late than never, because the Honda Civic Type R prototype we drove around Honda’s research and development centre in Tochigi, Japan, is unbelievably good.
The Hondahot-hatch, at least in prototype form, is an uncompromising weapon of choice that promises much for diehard hot-hatch enthusiasts.
The company is heading back to Formula 1 in the same year as the Civic Type R’s launch and there’s no doubt it intends to make full use of its motorsport credentials (queue a Honda Formula One car going past the Honda logo with “power of dreams” tagline).
Honda says the Honda Civic Type R will be the fastest front-wheel-drive production car around the Nurburgring before it’s launched, which is a subtle way of saying it will be quicker than its rivals.
But while you may have to wait until 2015 to buy one, we came to Japan to drive one.
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It’s a Sunday afternoon in a little town two hours out of Tokyo, the weather is a near-perfect combination of sunshine and breeze, and waiting for us at a 4km oval track is a matt black Honda Civic Type R prototype.
A Honda engineer awaits inside with a clipboard ready to take our feedback. A quick exchange of hellos and bows and we press the start button for the 2.0-litre turbo to come alive. The six-speed manual transmission feels instantly at home as we select first gear and make our way to the starting grid for our one and only lap around this long and fast track.
Honda is a paranoid car company and it’s for that reason it flew us halfway around the world for just one lap in what will be one of its most important brand-building cars over the next few years. Best to make the most of it then.
The cabin is clearly in prototype mode, not much in terms of Type R insignia, but the hard and hugging seats are an instant reminder this is going to be something special.
A quick glance at the engineer and we question the merits of using either a seven-speed or the new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission for the Civic Type R, to which we are told a clear “no”. There’s even a joke about a hybrid, to which there’s no response. Okay then, Honda. We’ve missed you.
The flag is a go and we flatten the accelerator in first gear, unsure of what to expect. The induction noise is similar to the Megane RS in that brutal and harsh manner that a hot-hatch should be. The 2.0-litre turbocharged engine bursts to life with a flat-out acceleration that is unbecoming of a Honda, in that it’s fast. Very fast.
Before our brains had a chance to process the excitement it was time to select second, and a quick throw of the gearstick meant we were ready to merge onto the track.
Torque steer is evident, but it’s controlled; besides, you’re too busy being blown away by just how quick this thing is to even care. Change up at 7000rpm and the Type R engages third to begin its climb past 110km/h, 150, fourth gear, 160, 199… and it suddenly stops accelerating.
The Honda engineer looks over. “Sorry, speed limited,” he says. That’s the power of dreams being ruined, right there.
But of course, it’s a 4km track, so we get to do the 0-200km/h run a few times while also getting to test the steering around the bends.
Honda won’t say how quick the Type R is but we suspect it will be in the low-sixes if not high-fives for the 0-100km/h time – and it’ll need the latter to beat the Megane RS (6.0sec).
The steering felt precise with plenty of feedback, though we didn’t get a chance to really test it out as thoroughly as we’d hoped. The ride is firm and we suspect it will be hard on poor roads, but that’s nothing new or unexpected.
The previous-generation Honda Civic Type R was axed in 2010 amid the introduction of the new-generation Civic. It started from $39,990, which is a good indication of where the new one will be positioned.
Honda is not mucking around any more. It’s serious about reclaiming what it once was: a premium Japanese brand with a focus on sporty cars.
The only concern we have is the delay in the Type R’s introduction. It needed to come out this year, if not 2014. But 2015 will likely see it face a new generation of competitors and that’s not going to be an easy task to handle.


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Increasing North American EV capacity with local manganese sulfate production
As we shift towards cleaner energy, key players in the automotive industry are securing their supply chains for electric vehicle (EV) production. General Motors (GM) and Element 25 have announced a strategic move that marks a significant step in this direction.
“The facility E25 will build in Louisiana is significant because it’s expected be the first plant in the United States to produce battery-grade manganese sulfate, a key component of cathode active material which helps improve EV battery cell cost,”Doug Parks, GM executive vice president.
Reinforcing domestic EV capacity
The definitive agreement between GM and Element 25 allows for the supply of high-purity manganese sulfate, a critical component for GM’s EV battery requirements. This solidifies GM’s plan to scale its EV capacity in North America beyond one million units annually.
Investing in manganese sulfate production
GM has committed to invest approximately US$85 million as a loan to Element 25. This investment will aid the construction of the first U.S. manganese sulfate facility, processing manganese mined in Australia, further bolstering the domestic supply chain.
A joint effort for sustainable EV production
This collaboration between GM and Element 25 underlines their commitment to creating a resilient and sustainable North American supply chain for EV production. The efforts extend beyond simply accelerating expansion in the United States to introduce millions of customers to the performance and environmental benefits of EVs.
Creating new jobs with EV production
The new facility, planned to open in 2025, is projected to create approximately 200 permanent jobs, once it is fully operational. This addition to the EV production chain will not only enhance the sector but will also contribute to economic growth.
Specifications and data
Element 25 is expected to invest approximately US$290 million to build a 230,000-square-foot facility. GM’s investment includes a US$85 million loan for the project. Once operational, the facility is expected to supply up to 32,500 metric tons of manganese sulfate annually.
Local supply chain, jobs, and a more sustainable future
GM and Element 25’s collaboration marks a significant shift towards a more sustainable EV production ecosystem. This development promises to provide a robust, local supply chain, generate jobs, and pave the way for a greener future. Indeed, by taking such substantial strides today, these companies are setting the stage for the long-term implications of sustainable development and cleaner energy production.


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Sales are still on the slide at JJB Sports, the retailer that has seemed to be on life support for several years.
It's needed huge cash injections from shareholders to keep going, but reckons the London Olympics and the summer's European football championships will be a vital boost.
In the five weeks to the end of January, sales were off 5.7%.
Good news comes in the form of improving margins and lower debts - £11.3 million - than the scribblers at Numis Securities were expecting.
Chief executive Keith Jones said: "Since our Christmas trading update, our like-for-like cash margins have continued to improve and our full-year trading performance is broadly in line with our expectations in the face of an extremely challenging consumer environment."
Numis estimates JJB's losses for the full year will come in at £54 million.
- More about:
- Middlesbrough FC
- Milton Keynes
- Stock And Equity Market And Stock Exchange
- Tim Cahill


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Where is the non-alcoholic beer market heading to? Companies and brands. Baltika as a democratic leader. Heineken – how do you shake up the market and shove up the competitors. AB InBev Efes – premium corner. Non-alcoholic import beer. Non-alcoholic beer - Who drinks it? General conclusions. Summer beer. ...
“Catalogue of Russian Beer Producers 2020” includes 1285 businesses ranging from large subsidiaries of international companies to rather small restaurant and craft breweries.This issue has 171 more breweries compared to 2018 (155 business have been excluded and 326 have been included).Starting from 2019, FTS has been publishing data on excise payments by brewers (delayed by 1.5 years), that can be translated into beer equivalent for most of producers.Depending on the volumes, we ranked the brewers that provided information by 6 groups (see pic.). At one end of the production spectrum there are 2/3 of breweries outputting less than 10 thousand decaliters. Their net share amounts to as little as 0.2% of the total beer output volume. On the other end there are 6 federal groups accounting for almost 80%. ...
Dmitry Nekrasov’s Philosophy — on the Past, Present and Future of Ukrainian Brewing IndustryA meeting with Dmitry Nekrasov always turns into a training course: “Introduction to brewing business“. We are talking to a clever “playing trainer“ a person that can be called a godfather of the Ukrainian craft. He has a dozen of successful projects to his name. Dmitry told us about craft beer in Ukraine, on market cycles, on specifity of operating in retail and HoReCa, on union of Ukrainian brewers and certainly, how a brewery of his own, First Dnipro Brewery is doing.
The market of import beer in Russia: review and databasesThe market of import beer is rapidly growing and changing. But while in the past years it was growing due to brands variety, in 2019 major and affordable brands from TOP-10 were developing actively. It seems that the fact of a brand origin from far abroad counties, even if it is not well known but has moderate price and good distribution provides for million liters of sales in the territory of Russia. Among distributors AB InBev Efes was far behind, yet the role of Baltika and suppliers of the second row got more important. The boom of German brands was followed by stagnation of import from other traditional regions (and Belarus) instead the supplies from Mexico, Lithuania and Asian countries grew considerably.
Carlsberg creates fizz
The distinctive green bottles bearing the Carlsberg and Tuborg labels are beginning to catch the attention of the Indian consumer. Danish beer major Carlsberg has silently emerged the number three player in India in just over four years.
Carlsberg today has an all-India market share of about six per cent (excluding Tamil Nadu, where it has no presence) in comparison to leader UB’s over 50 per cent and number two player SABMiller’s 23 per cent.
While it still has miles to go before it can take on the two big boys in beer — Carlsberg has been growing fast in the last few years. On an average, the firm has added some two per cent share per annum in the last three years, according to Carlsberg India’s Managing Director Soren Lauridson. “Our outlook for the long-term is good,” he says.
For a company that began operations in 2007 with the acquisition of a small brewery in Himachal Pradesh, Carlsberg’s India strategy has been predicated on green field projects. Its second, third, fourth and fifth breweries were set up in places including Alwar in Rajasthan, Aurangabad in Maharashtra, Kolkata in West Bengal and Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh.
Lauridson declines to indicate the investment the Danish major has made so far in the country. But he does say the firm is here for the long haul. “Growth in Europe and the US is stagnating. The Asian beer market including India offers a platform for growth,” he says.
The Danish major began its run four years ago in the north grabbing share from local rivals such as Mount Shivalik, maker of Thunderbolt, and Diwan, which produces Godfather beer. Today these players rank behind Carlsberg at four per cent and three per cent shares respectively. Lauridson admits its strategy of coming in from the north then moving to the central, eastern and western parts of the country has helped it cover significant ground. “But the south will not be as easy,” he says. That is because key players UB and SAB are strongly entrenched there.
The Karnataka and Andhra markets are also large beer markets. Andhra especially contributes about 13-14 per cent to industry sales, while Karnataka contributes about 7-8 per cent and Tamil Nadu about 17-18 per cent. Kerala is relatively smaller contributing about four per cent to industry sales, say market experts.
With Carlsberg ruling out a presence in Tamil Nadu for now at least, the pressure then to find its feet in Karnataka and Andhra becomes important, say market experts. It entered Kerala last year, where it has a share of about eight per cent.
The firm is counting on its line-up of products to take it through in Andhra and Karnataka. The Danish major has three strong beers in its portfolio in a market that is ruled by the strong beer segment. Eighty per cent of the beer market in India comprises the strong segment, while 20 per cent is mild. Abroad it is the other way round, with the mild beer segment making up the bulk of the market there.
Unlike most other international majors, Carlsberg has been quick to realise this addressing the strong beer segment with its discount brand Palone 8 since 2007. It launched Tuborg Strong last year and has now come out with Carlsberg Elephant, each of them at a different price point. Palone 8 is priced between Rs 60-80 for a quart, while Tuborg Strong is priced between Rs 70-90 and Carlsberg Elephant between Rs 100-125 for a quart.
While the beer market in India from April 2011 to now has declined thanks to an unusually mild and wet summer as well as steep price hikes of about 20-22 per cent due to changes in excise and value-added tax (VAT) in different states, the case wasn’t so till last year. The beer market, which closed the 2010-11 financial year at 230 million cases, grew at a clip of about 15-20 per cent per annum in the last seven years.
Most beer majors expect a sales uptick in the third quarter this fiscal especially around the months of November and December going right up to the end of the fourth quarter.
For Carlsberg too, the period will be crucial as it looks to find a foothold in markets such as Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, which it has stepped into this year.
20 Окт. 2011


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For the past 34 years, the mission of iconic ice cream company Ben and Jerry’s has always been to make the “finest quality ice cream and euphoric concoctions.” Well, recently in a HuffingtonPost Live interview, founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield did more than hint at their desire to create a cannabis-infused ice cream flavor. “Makes sense,” Cohen stated. “Combine your pleasures.” Indeed.
While the founders stated that they would be creating said euphoric concoction “if it was [their] decision,” it’s not. Cohen and Greenfield did found the company but they sold it to Unilever in 2001 for upwards of $326 million. “There are wiser heads inside the company that figure those things out,” Greenfield said regarding whether pot ice cream could be a thing we’d likely see in the company’s future.
But a weed-infused ice cream flavor would “fit into the company’s brand,” says Jennifer Falco, co-founder of Cannabrand, a weed-focused branding and marketing firm. It’s true. Ben and Jerry’s already offers flavors that not-so-inconspicuously reference marijuana enjoyment. Flavors like Cherry Garcia, Hazed And Confused, Bonnaroo Buzz, Phish Food, and Half-Baked, Satisfy My Bowl, and Dave Matthews Band Magic Brownies Encore Edition give a wink and nod to some of the brand’s more experimental consumers.
Fans have already started brainstorming names for these potentially future flavors. Ideas include Cannabiscotti And Cream, Berry Mary Jane, and Karamel Kush (ok we made that last one up). But lest you think pot ice cream is a novel idea, Cannabis Creamery already offers pot-infused ice cream to medical marijuana prescription holders in California.
There would be some hiccups in Ben and Jerry’s attempt to create marijuana-infused products, however. First, the brand would only be allowed to sell pot ice cream in states where recreational use is legal—Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska. Furthermore, grocery stores would not be allowed to stock the products, so folks jonesin’ for the treat would have to buy pints at a dispensary. Batches would need to be manufactured in each state in which they’d be sold as interstate transport of cannabis is illegal. Lastly, there’s the problem of potentially alienating more conservative consumers by, as Adweek succinctly puts it, “offering a product that many still see as an illegal drug.”
Feature Photo Credit: Ice Cream from Ben & Jerry’s


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October 16, 2022
Several blocks of halloumi cheese, a type of cheese from Cyprus that is made from sheep’s and goat’s milk, were dis-covered in an ancient tomb by Egyptian archaeologists. The cheese was found inside clay pots that were inscribed with an ancient Egyptian script at the Saqqara necropolis in Egypt. According to archaeologists, this cheese dates back to the 26th and 27th Egyptian dynasties and is around 2,600 years old.
REFLECTION: Say Cheese
List any 5 animals whose milk is used to make cheese.


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For a company that has trademarked the tagline “Sunshine in a Bottle,” changing packaging is not an insignificant step. But Vitamin D-enhanced ShineWater is ready to make that jump, announcing this week that its existing 16.9 oz. PET bottles will be phased out over the next year in favor of 16 oz. aluminum cans.
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Dyson will not provide medical ventilators to help the NHS treat Covid-19 patients after the government informed the engineering firm that its services are no longer needed.
Sir James Dyson, the company’s billionaire founder, said the company had already spent around £ 20 million on the project, but would not seek public money to cover its costs.
The government had filed a provisional order with the company for 10,000 copies of a prototype fan called CoVent, which the company had designed in two weeks.
The order was conditional on the device receiving regulatory approval from the Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Although MHRA does not appear to have rejected CoVent, approval is expected to take some time and need for NHS ventilators has so far been less than the 18,000 that Secretary of Health Matt Hancock has said is necessary .
” [Our] people welcomed the government’s challenge, “said Dyson, after the Daily Telegraph announced that his company had been asked to step down.
“Fortunately, they are not necessary, but we do not regret our contribution to the national effort for a while. I have a little hope that our fan, we can still help the answer in other countries, but this requires more time and investigation.
“The team worked 24/7 to design and build a sophisticated fan in a short period of time – I hope they can spend this weekend with their families who have not seen them for weeks. weeks. “
A Cabinet Office spokesperson said, “A number of devices are […] go through the tests necessary for regulatory approval. No decision has been made on these devices and we will provide an update in due course. “
The government has tasked several companies with supplying 10,000 new fans each, awarding contracts to Dyson, the defense company Babcock, and a Cambridge-based group called Sagentia, a subsidiary of Science Group.
But none of the companies has so far received regulatory approval for new devices.
Dyson’s is the second project to be abandoned, after an effort involving the Renault and Aston Martin Red Bull Formula One teams due to a change in the specifications set by the government for the new devices.
The only group to have obtained regulatory approval and to supply fans to the NHS in significant numbers is Ventilator Challenge UK, a consortium of manufacturers that has focused on increasing the production of proven devices, rather than building again.
The consortium has delivered more than 250 copies to the NHS, is expected to reach 1,500 in early May and could supply up to 20,000 devices manufactured by Penlon, an Oxfordshire specialist and Smiths Medical, of Luton.


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Colin McRae returns
New rally game in the works at Codemasters
Codemasters have today confirmed that an all-new Colin McRae Rally game is in the works, giving the multi-million selling franchise its second full sequel. At present there is no word on which platforms the game will be developed for, but PC and PlayStation 2 look like fair bets with other next generation consoles a definite possibility. Apparently over 40 developers are already hard at work on the game, with the team set to expand further and a release tentatively set for some time next year.
As with TOCA Race Driver, which was announced by Codemasters earlier in the year, the new Colin McRae game will focus on the team and drivers as much as the cars and tracks, with associate producer Rick Nath saying that "we want the player to really connect with the feeling of being McRae". Rumours of a portal hidden behind a filing cabinet in Codemasters' office which leads into the brain of Colin McRae are as-yet unsubstantiated.


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SIMEZA and CESCO: leading global grain handling, storing and processing solution providers to showcase at the Grain and Milling Expo in Morocco
SIMEZA, one of the pioneer silo companies in Europe and CESCO, German company which designs and supplies industrial plants for handling, storing and processing grain will be attending the October 4th&5th Grain and Milling Expo in Casablanca.
World Vegetable Centre and International Fertiliser Development Centre signs MoU to promote crop research and nutrition in Tanzania
The World Vegetable Centre (WorldVeg) and International Fertiliser Development Centre (IFDC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in a collaboration effort to promote crop research and nutrition in Tanzania.
Tractors in the 4WD segment saw sales growth in August, despite an overall decline in tractor sales.
Senegalese businesswoman Adja Sembene Fall said she had no choice but to launch her start-up business online because her new Contanna fair-trade tea company only had $200 to its name.
The Kenya Fish Marketing Authority (KFMA), a state agency established in 2016 has come up with a strategic target to expand fish industry contribution to the national economy by 80 per cent from Ksh30 billion to Ksh150 billion in the next five years.
Farmers in Benin have benefited from a pioneering technical training project, hosted recently by CNH Industrial in association with local Case IH importer SONAMA...
Generation Africa Awards US$116,000 to Winners in the 2023 GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition hosted at Africa Food Systems Summit in Tanzania
Two visionary agripreneurs clinched top honours in the fifth annual GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition Finals held at the Africa Food Systems Forum Summit 2023.
Indonesia has resumed imports of live cattle from all facilities in Australia following a partial suspension two months ago after a small number of animals were detected with lumpy skin disease (LSD), a ministry official said on Friday.
Mild temperatures and a lack of rain in this state have put 77% of the soybean crop in good/excellent shape.
A dead wild boar in Sweden has tested positive for African swine fever, Sweden's Veterinary Institute said on Wednesday, the first such case in the country.


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The 13 technology applets embedded in the new National e-identity card being issued by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) will save Nigeria billions of naira on travel passports, ATM cards and others, through the use of a single smart card for multiple purposes.
One of the applets allows the ID card to be used as a travel document, as it conforms to the same standards (ICAO9303 Rev 2) as international passports and national identity cards of other nations which have the Travel Demand Index (TDI) functionality built in.
According to the NIMC, “It is hoped that the document would be used for ECOWAS travel without the need for a passport, as the applets cannot be forged.”
Mastercard is also offering payment functionality as one of the applets on the card, which means that the chip and pin ID card could be used as a substitute for regular pre-paid debit cards as well as ATM cards.
Experts say that apart from the pursuit to warehouse the profile of all Nigerians for effective national planning, which is the main functionality of the E-ID applet, the National Identity Card, which is free for all legal residents of Nigeria to attain, might be of more value to Nigerians, as it serves numerous purposes including financial payments and travel functionalities built in, which conforms to the same rigorous standards as any e-passport (ICAO 9303 part 2).
“Any country that wants to perform adequately must have well harmonised data of its citizens and legal residents. There is hardly any developed country in the world that does not have a national ID card system because it aides development in all sectors of the economy. I wonder why Nigeria is not taking this thing as seriously as it should,” Subomi Sodipo, CEO CFmobile told BusinessDay in a telephone interview.
According to Sodipo, “failure to enroll and issue cards to all Nigerians may lead to lack of growth in the economy, as the main purpose of the National Identity Number is to easily identify people, curb identity theft and ensure that every individual is given their entitlement, based on their genuine identity, apart from its other various functionalities.
The e-ID card shows technology at its peak. With the successful implementation of the national e-id card and harmonisation of data, Nigeria can save so much money on issuance of several other documents that can be considered as duplication of functions,” Sodipo said.
In a tweet on Monday 18, September 2017, the NIMC, through its twiter handle, @nimc_ng said that all data received was being linked and harmonised with the Bank Verification Number (BVN).
“They’re all being linked and harmonised as we tweet. We have your BVN data already. We’re working with NHIS (National Health Insurance Scheme) and other stakeholders.”
The Match-on-Card applet of the ID card, where a secure terminal matches a specific fingerprint against that locked away on the card is no different than what is currently done with the international passport. The NIMC states on its website that “the applet will be blocked with too many wrong attempts for security reasons. This way, an agency or concerned body can be sure that the person presenting the card is the true owner.”
The identity card also has the e-PKI applet which contains strong certificates that allow for document signing, non-repudiation, encryption and so on.
As at September 2017, the NIMC announced that it had successfully enrolled 21.36million Nigerians on the scheme which started in 2014.
BusinessDay investigations find that some people who have enrolled for a National Identity card from as far back as 2014 have still not been issued the identity card.
Experts have criticised the tardy process of the National Identity programme, attributing the lack of appropriate planning, policy inconsistency, and waste of resources and poor budget allocation to lack of well harmonised data.
“The absence of unique identity numbers for every citizen in Nigeria may have been a contributory factor to the development of certain services and industries in the country. For instance, the growth of consumer credit may have been stymied by the absence of a unique means of identification of all citizens, which in turn created room for high rate of delinquency of consumers and lenders unwillingness to advance credit to individuals without tangible collateral,” Johnson Chukwu, MD/CEO of Cowry Asset Management Limited told BusinessDay.
Chukwu, who is also a member of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, said Nigeria lacks a good credit system because of the absence of National Identity numbers.
“At the macro-economic level, consumer credit can be used as a tool for stimulating economic growth. When the monetary authorities lower benchmark rates, consumers are encouraged to borrow and increase their consumption, which engenders increase in demand and consequent increase in production, employment and income.”
“Industries such as vehicle manufacturing, thrive in markets where there is strong demand, which in most cases are dependent on the availability of consumer credit.
It then follows that a country like Nigeria, without a developed consumer credit market, cannot realise its full growth potentials as it lacks one of the tools for economic stimulation. The effectiveness of monetary policies in such economy is highly limited, given the absence of consumer credit which is a critical transmission channel,” he added.
Jumoke Akiyode Lawanson


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Waymo CEO John Krafcik has put together a range of alliances with companies ranging from Fiat Chrysler, Jaguar Land Rover, Lyft, Avis and AutoNation. The partnership with Renault and Nissan may be Waymo’s
New York (CNN Business) — As politicians and regulators in Washington, DC, eye Google's vast power, top execs at the company are making a series of public appearances in America's heartland to highlight
Google announced plans this week to invest $17 million to expand two Michigan offices that would add a “significant” amount of sales and technical support jobs, a report said. The tech giant said the would
DETROIT – Tech giant Google announced Monday that it will expand its Detroit and Ann Arbor offices and add new sales and technical support jobs. The expansions will involve new hires across Google's two
networkworld.com - Fredric Paul is Editor in Chief for New Relic, Inc., and has held senior editorial positions at ReadWrite, InformationWeek, CNET, PCWorld and other publications. His opinions are his own.


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Lotte Chilsung is expanding its business and adding vegan drink options through partnerships with startups.
The company's reported operating profit fell by 17.7 percent in the second quarter as unfavorable mark-to-market effects and negative currency translation more than offset the robust net sales growth.
Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz revealed that they have been working on a very exciting new digital initiative that builds on our existing industry-leading digital platform in innovative ways.
Samsung wants to provide clients with a variety of services through these NFTs, including rewards like offline discounts at partner retailers.
Mykeyring products were created in accordance with official license agreements with license holders.
The firms reimagined the Twisted Tea Hard Iced Tea as a whiskey to deliver on the bold and unexpected experiences consumers are looking for.
New Balance will soon release a number of inline colorways of 1906, the first of which is scheduled to hit China on August 19th and August 12th in the rest of Asia.
The number 45 is embroidered on the lace to signify the 45th anniversary of the McDonald's All-American game, despite the fact that this is not an official McDonald's cooperation.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts Apple will raise iPhone 14 costs, possibly increasing the base model’s price to nearly $1,000
Beginning October, Hormel’s internal segments will consist of Retail, Foodservice, International, and Brand Fuel.
Adidas collaborates anew with The Simpsons for 'pet cat' shoe
Adidas is again collaborating with The Simpsons for a new sneaker dubbed upcoming “Snowball” Superstar, inspired by the cartoon family’s pet cat.
Based on official Adidas product images, the shoe doesn’t stray far from the look of the cartoon cat with its furry material covering and facial cat features appearing at the midfoot.
There is also a tail at the heel and a red heel tab inspired by the cat’s collar.
The shoe has a matching navy outsole.
The release details for this Snowball Adidas Superstar have yet to be announced.


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In late September 2019, the U.S. Department of Agriculture finalized rules to deregulate the safety inspection process in pork production and to increase the slaughter of animals, despite the opposition of consumer advocates and several former agency officials.
The new rules allow company employees, rather than USDA inspectors, to determine which parts of meat with defects can be removed from the slaughter process. Companies, instead of USDA inspectors, also will be allowed to determine slaughter speeds, based on their ability to prevent fecal contamination. Continue reading
In 2018, salmonella, e. coli and listeria bacteria were the cause of a number of big food recalls – from romaine lettuce to Duncan Hines cake mix to ground beef.
These recalls got a lot of media attention, but the biggest recall of all in 2018 got little, according to Sam Bloch, a reporter for The New Food Economy, who wrote “The biggest food recall of 2018 is one you still haven’t heard about.” Continue reading
Photo: Eric via Flickr
A South Dakota newspaper on Tuesday won a seven-year legal battle to obtain information about retailers who participate in the food stamps program. The ruling is a victory for government transparency on an issue that has been a subject of AHCJ advocacy.
The Argus Leader of Sioux Falls reported that a three-judge panel of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals on May 8 cleared the way for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to release information on how much money individual retailers make from participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the formal name for the food stamps program. Continue reading
In a victory for advocates of government transparency, a federal appeals court on Tuesday rejected the government’s arguments for withholding data on how much money individual retailers earn from food stamps.
Acting in a case brought by a South Dakota newspaper, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit unanimously ruled against the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s claim that a federal law bars disclosure of retailers’ earning from food stamps.
The Argus Leader in Sioux Falls filed suit after the USDA rejected the newspaper’s Freedom of Information Act request for data on annual payments to individual retailers from 2005 to 2010. The USDA argued that a law protecting the privacy of retailers’ applications to participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP (the official name for food stamps) prohibited release of that information. A district court had earlier sided with the government, ruling that this information was exempt from FOIA, but the appeals court on Tuesday disagreed. Continue reading
A Pennsylvania congressman last week filed a bill that would require retailers to report which items are bought with food stamps.
The proposed “SNAP Transparency Act,” sponsored by Republican Rep. Tom Marino, would require the secretary of agriculture to establish a uniform reporting system under which retailers would track “the complete range, identities, sizes, quantities, and costs of particular food items” purchased with benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps.
If passed, the legislation could give journalists and advocates access to long-sought information about the food purchases of SNAP recipients, at a time of growing concern about their access to healthy foods and about obesity and related health problems among the poor. Currently the U.S. Department of Agriculture does not have the authority to collect such information.
The act would address one of two issues raised in a recent letter to Agriculture Sec. Tom Vilsack from AHCJ and six other organizations representing journalists and open-government advocates. Continue reading


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It turns out that women have a taste for headlocks and body slams, too.
World Wrestling Entertainment, which has long had a stranglehold on the elusive but lucrative young male demographic, has begun to attract an increasingly female audience.
Thanks to a shift toward more family-friendly storylines and away from more violent and edgy storylines, a growing number of women are tuning in to watch events like “Monday Night Raw,” “Friday Night SmackDown” and this Sunday’s “SummerSlam.”
According to Nielsen ratings data supplied by the WWE, viewership in the second quarter among females 25-34 is up 13.7 percent from a year ago, while the number of women aged 50 and up who tune in has jumped 23 percent.
“When we were a little more edgy, we lost a lot of women,” said Donna Goldsmith, the WWE’s chief operating officer. “They weren’t as comfortable watching with their kids. But now that we are more family-friendly, it’s a perfect reason for them to come back.”
While the ratings increases in the over-25 female demo can be easily attributed to moms watching with their children, WWE’s fare is also gaining fans among women 18-24, whose viewership swelled a stunning 34 percent over last year.
That could be explained by a more basic instinct — lust — thanks to WWE stars like John Cena and the current crop of wrestlers, who are more athletically built than their predecessors.
“These guys all look like body-builders instead of just big guys,” said Natixis Bleichroeder analyst Alan Gould.
WWE executives have taken notice of the renewed interest among female viewers.
According to Goldsmith — who is one of four women with top executive positions at WWE, including CEO Linda McMahon and executive vice presidents Stephanie McMahon and Michelle Wilson — the WWE is researching an apparel line, new toy lines and other branded products targeted at females.
The combination of young male and female viewers, coupled with PG-rated storylines, is turning the WWE into a formidable and favored marketing stop for brand advertisers. New sponsors to recently sign up with the company include Mattel, 7-11, and Pepsi Max, for instance.
Given the WWE’s reputation as master packagers and its programs’ consistently high overall ratings — SmackDown is one of the highest rated shows in all of cable — analysts think the company could generate even more revenue if it controlled the ad inventory on its television shows. The company ceded control of that inventory to the networks that run its programming, USA and MyNetworkTV.
The WWE could seek to take control of television ad inven tory during contract renegotiations with the networks, but based on Goldsmith’s comments that appears unlikely.
She noted that the television advertising market was really tough right now and that selling TV spots wasn’t an area of expertise for the company.
“I’m not sure we want to be in the business,” Goldsmith said.


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Setting the pace: key characteristics in companies that that push the innovation envelope
This year's Productivity Achievement Award winners perfectly define the pioneering spirit that Modern promotes in its monthly System Report. In fact, I would say that the winners we're celebrating on page 23 (February 2010 issue) embody the two key characteristics that we tend to find in companies that that push the innovation envelope inside and outside of the four walls.
in the NewsFinding Agility in your Workforce: Are you prepared to meet the next market shift? United Airlines and Lufthansa to partner in international cargo operations New trade policies may have negative impact on industrial real estate markets Maximize Your LTL Driver Adherence with Real-time Feedback The Manufacturing Institute, Deloitte and APICS release new study on women in manufacturing More News
This year’s Productivity Achievement Award winners perfectly define the pioneering spirit that Modern promotes in its monthly System Report. In fact, I would say that the winners we’re celebrating on page 23 embody the two key characteristics that we tend to find in companies that that push the innovation envelope inside and outside of the four walls.
First, each of these visionaries has made advanced materials handling and distribution a core component of the company’s greater supply chain mission. And second, each of this year’s winners has a history of continuous innovation inside their operations—even during the worst economy of their lifetimes.
Kroger, the winner in this year’s Warehousing/Distribution category, rang in as one of my favorite case studies over the course of 2009—and hit a high note with our editorial advisory board as well. In this tale, the grocery giant shares how it has embraced automation and revolutionized its distribution process to the point that it’s building store-ready mixed pallets with very little human intervention.
One of my favorite parts of the Kroger story is that the end result—a fully automated, truly “lights out” facility— was the culmination of over more than eight years of consistent improvement projects with a defined, long-term goal in mind.
This year’s Manufacturing winner, Fisher Nuts, is a terrific example of a forward-thinking company that made conventional use of materials handling technologies and unconventional use of its warehouse management system (WMS). While the company manages inventory and directs warehouse employee activity with its WMS, it’s also putting the technology to work to synchronize deliveries and track lot numbers to keep close tabs on the raw nuts, spices, and oils that go into each specific batch.
Fisher now boasts 99.7% inventory accuracy in the warehouse and 99% on the factory floor. It’s also been able to eliminate two of four physical inventories a year. So, not only has its WMS improved productivity, but the enhanced accuracy has become the foundation of one of the better allergen and contamination prevention programs in the industry.
Our Innovation winner, The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB), is not only the feel-good story of the year, but it exemplifies the positive impact that materials handing and smart facility design can have on a community.
After realizing the GBFB was running out of space, chief operation officer Carol Tienken made a commitment to stay put in the Boston community and create a facility that would help the organization do a better job while respecting the environment and its workforce. Tienken and her group created a distinctive, energy-conscious DC packed with cutting-edge automation and data collection technology. This advanced facility now distributes between 600,000 and 700,000 pounds of food a week to 600 non-profit food providers in eastern Massachusetts—enough to feed 83,000 people a week.
“This year, our winners stood out for the diversity of the solutions they employed, everything from automated materials handling to warehouse management software to a design focused on sustainability,” said Modern executive editor Bob Trebilcock and the author of these three System Reports. “These stories highlight the creativity that is a hallmark of our industry.”
About the AuthorMichael Levans, Group Editorial Director Michael Levans is Group Editorial Director of Peerless Media’s Supply Chain Group of publications and websites including Logistics Management, Supply Chain Management Review, Modern Materials Handling, and Material Handling Product News. He’s a 23-year publishing veteran who started out at the Pittsburgh Press as a business reporter and has spent the last 17 years in the business-to-business press. He’s been covering the logistics and supply chain markets for the past seven years. You can reach him at [email protected]
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After launching his own clothing, fitness equipment, gym and e-cycle brand, Salman Khan is now venturing into the grooming space, with his own personal care brand FRSH – a joint venture with Scentials, a company focusing on celebrity-led beauty brands.
Over the last few years, Salman has been spreading a lot of awareness about maintaining a healthier lifestyle. His earlier initiatives have been great successes and the actor has come to be identified as someone who champions the cause of entrepreneurship with a heart. The first product that will be launched under FRSH is a range of hand sanitizers, which is also the need of the hour.
The brand FRSH has been in the making for over a year and the team is now all set to launch a series of products in the next few months. The products range from sanitisers to fragrances and other personal care or grooming items. Salman shares, “I wanted to come up with affordable but good quality personal care products for everyone and that’s where the idea of FRSH came into play. The first products we are launching under FRSH are a range of hand sanitisers. We also plan to launch other products in the next few months.”


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As time passes and Austin continues to grow with new businesses and shops, it’s understandable that some of our old favorites won’t be open forever. But, that doesn’t mean that we aren’t sad to see them go. The great food and good times that these local eateries have provided will live on in the hearts of Austinites forever. If there’s one thing you can take from this it’s to enjoy and support your favorites while they are still here.
Ruby’s, the famed campus BBQ spot, has been sold to a new buyer after almost 30 years of service. While we’ll have to say our final goodbye to the restaurant by the end of February, owner Pat Mares’ confirms the new development will be another restaurant. So, the building won’t be torn down but restored.
It’s time to start seeking out a new source of fresh produce as East Austin’s Springdale Farm will officially end its operations at some point this summer. The farm, started in 2009 by owners Glen and Paula Foore, has served as an epicenter of Austin’s food community since. The farm will still operate through June. Eden East, the farm-to-table eatery run by Chef Sonya Cote on the grounds is said to continue.
East Seventh Street’s beloved Mexican bar and eatery has closed its doors—but it’s expected to reopen at the end of May. Whew. You can expect upgraded menu items and drink choices once it makes its return.
Venezia Italian Gelato
While Venezia Italian Gelato only lived to see about a year and a half of operation on South Lamar, its frozen goodies will be missed. Until we meet again, gelato donuts.
Midway Food Court
The Midway food truck park in West Austin is now closed. The lot is being turned into an event space.
Chef Jodie Elliott’s Bribery Bakery has closed its final location. In August of last year, Bribery’s Mueller location shuttered, leaving only the Wells Branch location. Now that Bribery has ended its operation entirely, Elliott is looking at continuing her career as a baker in consulting.
But, it’s not all doom and gloom, as several noteworthy spots have also opened up in the past month as well!
Located on South Lamar, TLC’s menu offers something for everyone, from chicken fried steak to seafood options to chili. For their grand opening today, you can drop in for $5 cocktails and oysters all day.
1100 S. Lamar Blvd., Ste. 1150
On the corner of Second Street and Congress Avenue sits Austin’s first food hall. With its opening in late January, the hall offers six local food choices and ample opportunity for aesthetically satisfying Instagram posts.
111 Congress Ave.
New Italian restaurant Intero is embracing whole ingredients with the help of Austin based couple Ian Thurwatcher and Krystal Craig, who is also the owner of Crave Artisan Chocolate. Officially opened since January 20, the restaurant boasts a wide array of pasta and dessert selections.
2612 E. Cesar Chavez
From the people who brought you P. Terry’s, one of Austin’s most loved burger chains, comes this new iteration of the franchise in a taco shop. The drive-thru fashion of P. Terry’s is still there in all its glory, but instead of burgers and fries customers can indulge themselves with breakfast tacos, churro brownies, and lots and lots of chips and salsa.
5033 W. U.S. Hwy. 290 Service Road
Austin’s first H-Mart location is opening its doors on Feb. 15. The Asian grocery store will also feature a food court and other non-food related vendors as well. Drinks will also available each day at the in-house bar.
11301 Lakeline Blvd.


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Yahoo (YHOO) has a big problem. The once-great company needs to do something to remain relevant. Even its email addresses are being spurned in professional communities, with job advice boards specifically advising candidates NOT to use an @yahoo email address, likening it to @hotmail or @aol address (the latter of which coincidentally shares many of the same security issues as Yahoo).
With such a poor public perception of the Yahoo moniker and the company as a whole, perhaps Yahoo would be better off if it started over and changed its name altogether.
KEEPING UP WITH THE TIMES
Yahoo has lost a lot of ground in recent years. The company's homepage still looks roughly like it did in 2002; the only real difference is a different font and a slightly different layout.
And why even have a homepage? They are passe. Roughly one-third of people in the US primarily go online using a mobile device, with mobile usage poised to eclipse desktop usage by 2015 - and mobile devices generally do not use homepages. Yahoo rival Google (GOOG) shut down its version of a homepage, called "iGoogle," last year. Google explained the reason, stating that "with modern apps that run on platforms like Chrome and Android, the need for iGoogle has eroded over time, so we'll be winding it down." So why doesn't Yahoo follow suit?
Even Yahoo's email is out of date. Its features, its color scheme, its perception all need a boost. Yahoo has tried several times since Mayer came on board to revamp the mail system but so far it has not been met with a very warm reception. The New York Times called a recent attempt the "online equivalent of a riot." One frustrated user wrote, "The new Yahoo is so bad it's tragic," while others complained the company was trying to mimic Google's Gmail.
Yahoo Mail is a "big deal" for Yahoo, writes Vanity Fair. "It has an estimated 275 million users, and while no one on the outside knows the precise numbers, there's an assumption that well over half of Yahoo's traffic originates with people who come to check their mail. In other words, if Yahoo loses those people, there could be a ripple effect."
And then there are the security issues. The company has been besieged lately. The attacks took Yahoo's servers down several times, spurring the company into actions which, while may have helped the issues, resulted in a rash of bounced messages.
These issues are bad enough in and of themselves, but don't forget that Yahoo offers a premium email service called "Ad Free Mail" for $49.99 a year - many of these complaints are from PAYING customers.
Revenue from the company's display ads has also been on the decline, while Google's share of the global digital ad market is rising and newcomers to the digital ad market like Facebook (FB) are starting to take root. Pageviews on Yahoo sites have definitely improved under Mayer - traffic to Yahoo sites actually beat out traffic to Google sites last July. But if this trend is indeed related to email users and Yahoo finally loses them for good, the company is going to take a major hit - losing both pageviews and income from premium email subscribers.
But it's not as if Yahoo CAN'T do it.
A FEW FALSE STEPS
Let's not forget, Yahoo was an industry leader, once upon a time. In the years leading up to the dot-com bubble, Yahoo had a total market value of over $100 billion and seemed poised to give rival Google a run for its money. Then, in 2000, Yahoo and Google teamed up. Under the agreement, Google became Yahoo's default search results provider. The deal was meant to be a complement Yahoo's network. Before long, people started bypassing Yahoo and going straight to Google - and it was all downhill from there.
At one point, Yahoo had a good infrastructure and the addition of CEO Marissa Mayer has helped. The company's share price has swelled by 33% in the last year, and 155% since Mayer joined the company. Some of that is the honeymoon effect, but she has made several big moves with big potential, such as the acquisition of Tumblr and the addition of Yahoo Yodelers - and then, of course, there is Alibaba.
Once Alibaba has its IPO, Yahoo will walk away with a 16% stake in the company and a fresh influx of cash - a payday of as much as $48 billion in cash. There will obviously be a large tax burden but hopes remain that Yahoo CFO Ken Goldman may be able to find some sort of work around to minimize Yahoo's tax bill after Alibaba's public offering.
One big possibility is that Yahoo will use the money to further foreign investment, possibly continuing the company's push towards overseas video assets and ability to compete against Google, "which generates a higher portion of its ad revenue overseas" according to Cantor Fitzgerald's Youssef Squali in a recent article by the Wall Street Journal.
But maybe Yahoo's problem isn't its overseas standings or its recent acquisitions? At some point, Yahoo is going to have to focus on identifying its core, building up its reputation, and securing its infrastructure.
Yahoo could start over and rebrand its efforts. Google has routinely launched services which it later shutdown. Like iGoogle or Google Video, the efforts weren't wasted. By and large they were integrated into the broader Google framework. Google Video went into YouTube and iGoogle became integrated into enhanced search results and Chrome extensions.
Yahoo could do the same thing, in reverse.
Yahoo has functioned as an aggregate (that is what a homepage does, after all) - why not remove the middle man - itself? The company could take the services that work, secure its infrastructure, and wrap the whole package up in a new brand. Imagine a Tumblr that integrates into a photosharing site, email, messaging service, and media platform? Email that lets you share whole photo albums and videos, as well as a message, at a click of a button. A home site that aggregates content from blogs you follow, rather than filling in the squares of a homepage.
The money from Alibaba's IPO could be used to execute just such a plan. All it would take is an improved infrastructure, a little programming, and a killer marketing team.
Tumblr already has greater user buy-in amongst its users than Facebook or Twitter. According to Tumblr founder and CEO, David Karp, members spend an average of 14 minutes per visit, which is 90 seconds longer than Facebook and a few minutes longer than visits to Twitter. And, perhaps more importantly, Tumblr is more popular amongst younger users than Facebook - a fact that will sure take more importance going forward.
Value-added additions could be layered over the web, as well as email and social media. The result would be a unified experience, pushing Internet services into a magazine type structure - and all of that could be monetized with targeted ads.
Mashable quoted Karp as saying that people spend more time on Tumblr because it is "so much better." Karp explained: "It's very different behavior. People come here for same reason they turn their TV on when they come home at the end of the day ... It's something to do before checking your email, it's a chance to go and see stuff you enjoy, let's you escape from the real world."
And his comments tie directly into Mayer's vision for Yahoo. Mayer has long said that "media has long been one of Yahoo's key strengths" and that she wants to "harness the power of the web and deliver it in a concise experience, like that found in the beautiful, elegant magazine."
Interactive sections that add value to content are already part of Yahoo News Digest, which uses the Summly acquisition to blend stories from a variety of sources into a morning and evening overview of top news stories for the day, and further value is added to these stories using interactive sections called "atoms" which add images, videos, and even Wikipedia entries. Why not apply it to the entire Web experience?
Until Yahoo takes solid steps to build the framework and infrastructure for its services, pushing its efforts across the brand into a unified, consistent, and reliable framework, investors should take a step back and wait and see - Alibaba or not.
But if Yahoo puts the huge chunk of change it has coming into rebuilding and possibly rebranding its efforts, the company just might be able to reclaim its seat at the head of the pack. The change won't happen overnight and Yahoo has made enough false steps that I wouldn't expect its share price to reflect its efforts straight away, but it is worth keeping the company on your radar.
Disclosure: The author has no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. The author wrote this article themselves, and it expresses their own opinions. The author is not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). The author has no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.


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Imitation Crab Meat Recall
Norwalk, Conn. – August 7, 2017 – A shopper from Stew Leonard’s store in Danbury returned a package of imitation crab meat to our customer service department on August 6, 2017 after reportedly having found shards of metal in the product. Stew Leonard’s immediately pulled all of the imitation crab meat from the shelves and checked these packages for metal as well as for any other foreign objects. Nothing was found and this appears to be an isolated incident. Stew Leonard’s is working with the outside supplier who provides the imitation crab meat to determine how the product was contaminated as all of their product goes through a detailed inspection process. The supplier additionally inspected 60 cases of imitation crab meat from the same lot and nothing was found.
The health and safety of our shoppers remains our top priority. Any customers who purchased imitation crab meat or Stew Leonard’s seafood salad with a sell by date of August 12, 2017 from Stew Leonard’s are encouraged to return the product for a full refund.
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